during the Redosa, New Mexico flash flood on July 8th, 2025. And whereas Sebastian was an avid Pokemon card collector and huge soccer fanatic. And whereas Charlotte loved to sing, dance, and make jokes and give people makeovers with her play makeup. And whereas both ch both children and the Troder family enjoyed many hours at the Foralesa Park. And whereas on October 8th, 2025, the parks and recreational advisory board has heard from the Troder family and others and have recommended to city council that Fortalesa Park be renamed to memorialize Sebastian and Charlotte. Now therefore, be it resolved by the city council of the city of El Paso, Texas, that the city council accepts a recommendation from Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, and hereby approves the renaming of Foralesa Park located at 14800 The Forales Avenue, El Paso, Texas 79938 within the city of El Paso, El Paso County, Texas as Troder Memorial Park in loving memory of Sebastian Rowan Troder, Charlie Emory Trotder, and their beloved dogs Zeus and Ellie. And that one picture that you guys see there, that is actually them playing at this park. So, um, motion to approve. Mayor >> second. >> There's a motion in a second. And, um, I mean, this is incredible. and and Stephanie and Sebastian who I met shortly after they returned back from Riadoso in the rehab center and you know as I told them then and you know there's a lot of love for you guys and we see you here today and know that this community is behind you and and we lift you up in prayer because um would no parent should have to go through what you guys went through And again, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this this rough time. But we're going to do something here as a city to acknowledge uh Sebastian and Charlotte that will live on forever as they're living in our heart. So with that said, there's a motion in a second. Any further? All right. Call for the vote. >> Yes, sir. The motion was made by Representative Nino, seconded by Representative Lemon, and this is to approve the resolution. on renaming the park to Troder Memorial Park on item 36. On that motion, call for the vote. >> And the voting session and that motion passes unanimously. [Applause] We'll [Applause] check with everybody. Okay. All right, Miss Pri Lee, that brings us to 25. >> Okay. >> Yes, sir. Item 25 is a public hearing of an ordinance authorizing the conveyance of real property owned by the city for the purchase price of $152,000 for the property legally described as track 17B to a 5 block 12 Isleta grant in the city of El Paso, El Paso County, Texas. And Miss Brian, can we take 25 and 26 together? >> Yes, sir. Item 26 is a public hearing of an ordinance authorizing the conveyance of real property owned by the city to Cortez Wholesale, Inc. for the purchase price of $165,000. Such real property legally described as Alamea and Pedras P 212 380. >> Move to approve. >> Oh, sorry. >> I move to approve both items. >> Okay. There's a motion second. Good morning Mary. >> Good morning. You have presentations for us on both 256. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. >> Good morning, Mayor and Council. Mary Lewis Pinosa with the real estate. For the record, this uh first item, item number 25, is for the purchase uh or the sale agreement. I apologize for Van Hassland Court, P88532. As a quick reminder, we brought this to council in December of 2024 where we were awarded a contract for real estate management services in May of 2025. We vetted this property for surplus and council heard that reading. This does comply with the Texas local government code section 253.014. It was marketed and listed via a broker for at least 30 days. The property is 0.58 acres uh zoned residential. It was listed in June of 2025 at the appraised value of 150,000. We received two offers and the highest being 152,000 plus the closing cost. We are recommending that this property be sold to the highest offer. >> Let's take the next one. Okay. The next property is on Pedas and Alamemeda P 212380. Again, this was brought uh 2024. City council awarded the contract for real estate management services. Again, in May of 2025, council vetted this property for surplus property and it was listed in accordance with the Texas Local Government Code section 253.014 014 and was listed on uh multiple listing services for at least 30 days. This property is.34 acres. It's a zone commercial appraised at 165,000. We received one offer for the appraised price plus co closing cost and we are recommending to sell the property to the highest offer. >> Okay. There's a motion and a second on items number 25 and 26. Any further discussion? >> Okay, Miss Pry, >> the motion was made by Representative Canal, seconded by Representative Lemon, and this is to adopt the ordinances on items 25 and 26. There's no public comment on that motion. Call for the vote. and the voting session and that motion passes unanimously. >> Okay, let's take item number 27. >> Item 27 is a public hearing of an ordinance granting a special permit to allow for infill development with reduction to average lot width and sideyard setback at the property at 911 Taste Street. >> Representative Ruth. >> All right. Good morning. Good morning, mayor and council. I would like to have the presentation. >> Okay. Uh for the record, Louis Aurora with planning and inspection. So item 27, it's a special permit request for property located at 911 TAC. Uh here we have the aerial image uh image of the property which is currently a single family home that's proposed to be demolished. Uh this is south of Pyano Drive and east of uh Campbell. Existing zoning is A3 apartments. Here we have the detail site plan. Uh this is a a special permit uh requesting um well it's going through infield development uh requesting reduction to the size tree setback. Uh sorry confused that one. uh requesting the reduction of the average lot width and a sideyard set uh reduction. So going through infield there's some requirements that have to be met which they do uh and this site plan uh shows that one of them is having the parking on the back uh having entrance to the front uh one of them is the architectural style. So looking more closely into the request uh again they redu they're asking for a reduction to the average lot width uh which is require 50 feet they have 25 ft so that's the request uh sar setback at least on on each side is 4 feet the only requesting zero feet on on one side here we have the elevation showing maximum height of 26 feet and 4 in uh and here we have a superimposed uh site plan over the aerial imagery. It's kind of showing again the proposed home is well the existing home is proposed to be demolished and then a new building is going to be in place as for proposed apartments. This is currently what's there right now. Uh existing development around the property, single family homes and apartments. Uh we did send public notice when 200 ft to property owners. Uh at this time we had not received any requests uh in support or position. Um here we have a notice map so you have an idea who got notified. We sent 53 notices throughout the neighborhood to property owners and with this staff and the city plan commission recommend approval of the special permit and the details site development plan. >> Very good. Any further discussion on item number 27? Okay, Miss Pry. Yes, sir. The motion was made by Representative Canales, seconded by Representative Lemon to adopt the ordinance on item 27. There's no public comment on that motion. Call for the vote in the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously. >> All right, Miss Prime, can we take items 28 and 29 together? >> Uh, they're different properties. 29 and 30 are the same property, but 28 is a separate. >> Okay, let's do number 28. >> Thank you. Yes, sir. Item 28 is a public hearing of an ordinance changing the zoning at 7804 and 7808 Boyd de Arc Drive in the city of El Paso, El Paso County, Texas from R3 residential to SD special development and approving a detailed site development plan to allow for a medical office. >> Represent. >> Make a motion to approve this item. Mayor, >> second. All right. And >> you want to see the presentation? >> I don't I don't I don't think we need a a presentation. Tony, >> if I may speak. >> Yes, absolutely. >> Um >> Tony, we're getting to the down to the boundary lines. So the boundary line is the gas line that exists out in that area. Correct. >> I'm not aware if there's a gas line, but there is an eastment to and it's supposed to mean to the north northwest >> right on dark. >> So there's a separation. >> And so we're still maintaining Kevin, I think you're in the back. We still are maintaining the designated area. We haven't expanded from what was agreed with the hospital from before. Is that correct, Kevin? >> Good morning, mayor and city council. Kevin Smith with plan inspections. That is correct, ma'am. They are still within the boundaries that the hospital has for the if you want to call it expansion of the uh for the medical offices in the area has not gone into the residential um neighborhood as delineated. >> Very good. Do you have any idea how many more properties are left potentially to be bought? >> Um, we'd have to look at that and we can get back to your office on that. >> That would be good. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Good. >> There's a motion and a second on item number 28. Any further discussion? >> There is a motion made by Representative Lemon, seconded by alternate mayor prom to adopt the ordinance on item 28. There's no public comment on that motion. Call for the vote. voting session is open. >> I'm so sorry. >> And the voting session and that motion passes unanimously. >> Okay, let's take item number 29, please. >> 29 and 30 are related. Sir, would you like to take those together? >> All right. >> 29 and 30. >> Is there related? Would you like to take those together? >> Sure. Represent Nino, would you like to make a motion to approve? >> Motion to approve. >> Okay. >> Second. >> Okay. Can we see the presentation? There we go. >> Uh, it's for the record, Luis Amodora with planning and inspections. So, item 29 and 30 are related. Uh it's a request for reszoning and a special permit for property located at 3550 Ridge Beam. Such a property is south of Edgeir along Rich Beam. Here we have the aerial. It is currently vacant. Existing zoning is C1. The request is to reszone the property from C1 to C2. Uh it's still a commercial zoning district. Uh and then the other request is a special permit as well to allow a a ballroom which will be only permitted once it gets resoneed to C2. So the future languages map designate this area as G4 suburban walkable. Uh the sector generally stable will benefit from strategic suburban retrofits to supplement the limited housing stock and not missing civic and commercial uses. Here we have the detail site plan. Uh so this this detail site plan will be binding uh per the special permit request. Uh you we have two structures main buildings. The one on the center or on the left that's the proposed ballroom and then the one on the right that's a proposed shopping center. So the shopping center will be permitted. It's already permitted by right. The main thing is the the ballroom. Uh so the request is to resone up zone to C2 to allow the use via special permit and then again the special permit to allow the ballroom. Here we have the elevations which with a maximum height of 30 ft. Uh here we have the site plan superimposed on the aerial imagery. So you have a more or less a an idea how it will look like. Here is the subject property. Again, it is vacant. Uh subject surrounding development uh includes obviously single family homes around the east and south and then across bridge beam and then we have some commercial and empty uh property to the north. Uh we did notify last the applicant notified last uh neighborhood association of this request. Uh notices were mailed to property owners winter 100 ft uh letting them know the public hearings for the proposal the proposal resigning a special permit. At this time the planning division has only received one phone call in opposition. Here we have the notice map uh identifying the properties that got notified. We send 50 notices in total. Uh staff recommendation and CPC uh recommendation is approval with conditions. Uh we're uh proposing obviously conditions to kind of offset the intensity being created by the proposed resoning. Uh one of them first one is about a a landscaping buffer along residential to protect them and buffer from the development. Uh second is a details develop. Uh this will be in the future. Right now what we show in the site plan that's going to be binding that's what they're have to comp comply with. If they want to change it then the city will review again. Uh their condition is uh trying to buffer uh uh businesses that are mostly uh their income is mostly from alcohol related sales and including outdoor amplify sound. And then the last one is some uses that don't we don't seem they don't seem to be appropriate uh given the conditions of the property and the neighborhood that's around it. And well that was for the resing and then for the special permit uh staff and city plan commission recommend approval. >> We have a couple questions. Representative Lemon. >> Thank you mayor. Thank you Tony. How much parking is allocated for this property? How many spaces? Uh, I will need to check on that one. >> Um, >> so right now it is complying with minimum requirements. >> Minimum. >> Correct. >> Okay. When I was looking at this item, I it seems to me like it's um it's pretty close to a residential area, isn't it? >> Correct. >> Yes. >> It's a budding onto a residential area. I I'm my concern, Tony, is that this would dependent on this ballroom that the parking could overflow into the neighborhood. And then we've always seen all these issues that come up afterwards about uh people parking on the streets, in front of the homes, and things like that. That was one of my concerns. The other thing is um only 300 ft is uh notification area is done and you you center the notification point from the middle of the property, right? >> No, the notification gets in from the uh the property lines >> from the edge of the correct. >> Okay. And um someone somewhere else. Yeah. So 300 feet were mailed out. Um I'm just wondering if there was enough discussion and notification with the neighborhood to understand that there's a ballroom potentially in your backyard. Um I've got a situation in district 7 and we're we're not supporting something like that. I'm just afraid that ultimately the neighborhood um whether they didn't read or didn't get the notification that we'll come back and say you know we don't like it. So that's just my concern. >> Yeah. So so one of the requirements for the applicants before they request a resoning or special permit is to for them to let the neighborhood associations know. So then the neighborhood associations obviously can do their outreach part of of it. Uh we do always recommend the applicant to meet with the neighborhood. Um in regards to the notice 300 ft um I I like to point out that per state requirement it's only 200 ft. The city goes beyond by doing 300 ft per the city shutter. Um so that's obviously the minimum requirement. Uh again we did receive one call in opposition. Uh but that that's it. We did receive calls in of inquiry but we did did not hear anything in in negative about it. Uh one of the things is by its own district currently the way it is the setback it is minimal is technically 10 ft already for any development and we understand obviously this is a proposed ballroom. That's one of the things why they are required to do a detail site development plan so the city can review how they're laying out the the building and the use. Um we did have some people in the meeting and they we did not hear anything negative. Again staff is and the city plan commission recommend a condition to kind of buffer at least with landscaping from their neighborhood from their residential to kind of keep it away. Uh the property does have some more vacant property. If I guess my guess is if they will need more parking, I'm pretty sure they will obviously be willing to accommodate that and the extra property they have. But again, right now they they do meet minimum parking requirements. >> Okay. Um Tony, the the concept of informing the neighborhood associations, where did that come from? Is that part of your department that established that or did that come from um like Nicole's department? Where did that come from? >> That's part of the city code. That's a requirement that got uh uh this is obviously what city council approved as part of the zoning ordinance uh since a long time ago. So that that is an actual requirement. We ask applicants to let the neighborhood associations know. I I know that there's going to be a potential rewrite or re-evaluation of neighborhood associations. Um there are neighborhood associations that meet once a year. And so sending a notification to a an organization that meets once a year is potentially not going to be getting the word out to the community. And so I have a concern with that. I've already brought it up to Nicole that as we review all of this that would be something um to look at. Kevin. >> Yeah. Uh good morning again. Kevin Smith with plenty inspections. So, one of the things that we do for notification is we have a pre pre-application process that when we meet with the applicant and they're proposing an an item too. Well, we strongly encourage them. So, again, we can only require what the code requires. So, we have a number of different ways we notify. So um one is a notification to the neighborhood associations at the time of submitt that is required to notify them of the proposal. What we do above that is we strongly encourage them to go actually meet with the neighborhood to explain their project and what they they're they're proposing to do as well as hear the feedback and concerns from the neighborhood. That is not a code requirement and we cannot enforce that. As Luis noted that we also send the notices to 300 ft. There's also a sign as placed in projects like this as well along the right ofway of uh Rich Beam that be um that be that'd be shown there that shows that this is a proposed resoning special permit as well as give the contact information for our department so that we can answer any questions as inquiries as well as note any opposition or support of a project like this. Um we work in partnership with the community and human development department as part of this. Um, we we value the input of the neighborhood associations, but I think to your point, um, we we do notify send a notification to the neighborhood association or or the applicant does, I should say, um, of these requests and, um, again, we we often do get um feedback from the neighbor associations on on these items, but um, just again, like with many of the city um offerings, we we send the notifications. We encourage and we value the public input but we're limited as well um to any feedback received. Um if I could just note on the proposal it can you bring up the presentation please? Um on this slide here um the the proposed um ballroom is there in the center. Um the larger parcel um if you can see the cursor here is this building right here which these these these buildings on the exterior they are can be um other uses that allowed in C2. So the ballroom would be in the center. So those other uses um would act as a as a buffer as well. And in terms of the parking, often the uses of the ballroom are are different than those of the um the commercial. So that would also offset. So one of the uses may be using predominantly the parking lot. When a ballroom's in operation, a lot of those uses may be uh closed down for business for the day. >> Thank you. Thank you, Mayor. >> Thank you, ma'am. Represent Nino. >> Thank you, Mayor. And thank you, Mrs. Leone. Representative Leone. I also shared some of those concerns, including um in in the boundaries of the neighborhood associations. I know that I had mentioned that there's another neighborhood association that has a boundary with this proposal that estates. Were you all able to reach out to them? I know that they're not within the actual boundary, but they're it's the boundary of the homes on the Berlin are part of that neighborhood association. Were you guys able to to speak with them? >> Yes, we did reach out to the um what's it called? >> The president. >> The president, >> Mr. neighborhood sanction uh chair to make sure that he was aware of it. He said he was aware of it, but he hadn't hadn't heard anything from the from the neighborhood. >> Okay, great. No, and I'm grateful for you for doing that because when I was briefed, I did share a lot of different concerns as well with you all. I know that there is another ballroom about 500 ft or a venue on um Edgemeir and RC Poe um as well, but this specific space I was really concerned with that those homes that are going to be adjacent about this um establishment, but I'm grateful that you guys reached out to the Tiabaya Estates Neighborhood Association, which was not part of the original outreach plan um which was again important for them to get their input to see how they felt as well. Um, but I'm looking forward to further conversations and and thank you for for voting this. >> Very good. Any further questions on items number 29 or 30? >> All right. Hearing none, Miss Prime, call for the vote, please. >> Yes, sir. Motion was made by Representative Nino, seconded by Representative Maldonado Rocha to adopt the ordinances on items 29 and 30, changing the zoning from C1 Commercial to C2 Commercial at 3550 Rich Beam Boulevard and granting a special permit. On that motion, call for the vote in the voting session. And that motion passes 721. Representative Lemon voting nay. The remainder of council voting I. The motion carries. >> All right. And Miss Brian, I hate to jump around like this, but we're going to take item number 40 next. >> Yes, sir. And this is on page 14. Item number 40 is discussion and action on agreement number 2022-0400. Coploic online reporting software with Lexus Nexus. Coploic Solutions Incorporated DBA Lexus Nexus Rick Solutions to continue to provide citizen online reporting system that creates and submits police incident report posted into the existing police department's record management system each fiscal year as governed by city council's approval of the annual city budget. >> Represent. >> There's a motion in a second. Any discussion on this item for the chief? All right. Hearing none. Miss Prime call for the vote on item 40. >> Yes, sir. The motion was made by We have public comment on this one. >> Yes. >> Yes. We have Miss Osmond. >> Okay. >> Good morning. You have three minutes. I yall tend to rubber stamp contracts because they were already in the system. I just want to let you know that this particular software really doesn't work. There's a lot of flaws within it. And I say that because I've had to call law enforcement several times in regards to an incident with uh an elderly neighbor who's been my neighbor for over 40 years. We had a great relationship, but unfortunately he has dementia now and um he has gone rather violent. I tried calling in tried using this. Nobody know in trying to report that I got bumped around because even online they're you call in they're like oh we'll do it online there there are not specific the way you try to report online you don't have every option. It is it is a nightmare for a citizen to try to do it online and then you call in to do the call-in report on non-emergency and then they're telling you, "Oh, no. That's not something we can take." I shouldn't have had to call 911 almost five times until unfortunately one off what one officer comes out. They're like, "You know what? Put another camera here, then put another camera there." I jump through all sorts of hoops, but this online system doesn't work. It's not set up. it. Somebody needs to go in through that software program and really look on how the reporting is because it's a mess. And if somebody like me who will continue to see what I can do to follow up on something because trying to get help for this gentleman for years and talking to my representatives and and every agency I could didn't help to where the the last recourse was contacting law enforcement. If citizens are getting into this system and finding it such a mess as I did, a lot of them are going to give up, which means there's a lot of criminal activity that's not even reported because most people just give up. You know, when you hit that dial one, you know, for something, this thing's a mess. So, maybe look further into it. Stop just rubber stamping a lot of these projects. It might it might be AI might be a little easier so that there's not reports. I don't know if that's the goal, but either way, I know from my recent experience, um, there's something definitely wrong with the software. Y'all need to look into something else. And I hope, you know, I mean, granted, we're already a flock city and, you know, that alone is going to probably cause El Paso to have lawsuits like Colorado Springs did with that whole deal and the incident where either way, AI is not always the best. >> Look into the work. >> All right, we have a motion and a second on item number 30 >> 40 >> 40. >> Yes, sir. The motion was made by alternate mayor prom, seconded by mayor prom chavez to approve the agreement on item 40. >> Y >> on that motion call for the vote and the voting session and that motion passes unanimously. >> All right, Miss Prime, we're back on track. Item number 31. >> Yes, sir. We're on page number 11. Item 31 is a public hearing of an ordinance vacating a portion of Wrestler Drive rightway south of Po de Norte Road and west of Wrestler Drive. >> Is there a motion to approve this one? >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Okay. Good morning. >> Good morning. Isma Siggoia, planning inspections. Would you all like to see a presentation? >> Yes. >> Again, my name is Isma Siggoia. I'm with planning and inspections. This is item number 31. It's an ordinance for vacation for the Wrestler Drainage Rideway. This is an aerial of the site so you can get an overall view. Closer shot right along Wrestler Drive. So the applicant is requesting to vacate a 0.17 acre portion of rideaway along Wrestler Drive and this is to uh accommodate future parking and landscaping for development there. This is uh the original survey. This is an updated survey. This survey is actually showing you that there's some utility easements there. So, the property is still going to be subject to the following conditions. The vacated rightway shall be subject to the right to to a grant of public utility easement from the budding property owner to the utility companies that have installations within the vacated rideway and which are further described and identified. So, the blue that you see there are the easements that will remain if uh this is voted to be vacated. Here's the subject property. We did send out notice. It was published in uh Janu uh July 28, 2025 in the El Paso Times. And then it was also mailed out to the property owners within 200 feet of the site. Same date. pro planning division has not received any notices uh in regards to uh the the request staff is recommending approval. This item was also heard at CPC on August 14th, 2025 with unanimous vote of 5 to zero recommending approval. >> Okay, any questions on this item? Representative Chavez. >> Thank you, Mayor. Uh thank you, Alex, for the presentation. Um, for the record, I did receive a thousand dollar donation from Brent Harris, um, owner of Plexar, but I also want to mention that he actually donated this land when Tex was building Wrestler Street years ago. And since he is developing that land now, that is why he uh would like to acquire that that right of way back so that um he could build it out uniformly and um add a little bit more landscaping or uh parking to that area. So, I appreciate the effort and uh motion to approve like I had already said. Thank you Mayor. >> Representative Pierro, >> Mayor, I just want to make note that I too received a donation from Mr. Harris. Okay. >> As did I. I received a donation from Mr. Harris as well. Any further discussion on this item? >> All right. Miss Bryan. >> Yes, Mayor. The motion was made by Mayor Prom Chavez, seconded by alternate mayor prom to adopt the ordinance on item 31. There's no public comment on that motion. Call for the vote and the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously. >> Okay, let's take item number 32. Item 32 is a public hearing of an ordinance granting a special privilege license to Comanche EP LLC to permit the existing aerial encroachment of a balcony, the surface encroachment of two sets of stairs and a backflow water pretor and the subsurface encroachment of a basement. This is at 312 East Otoberland. >> Represent Canelis. >> Move to approve. >> Second. >> There's a motion in a second. Would you guys like to see the presentation? >> I don't think we need to. I just quick comment. >> Okay, sure. represent can. >> Yeah, I just wanted to note this is a it's a beautiful restoration of a of an old building. Um there are these very small encroachments. Um but I I think overall it's a very beautiful uh very beautiful job that they've done uh giving new life to this building. So I want >> Canales. Can we see the because it is beautiful. >> We can see the Can we see the photos? >> It's gorgeous. The building's gorgeous. >> Sure. Okay. Armida Martinez with planning and inspections. >> So did you Okay. So did you want to just go through the photos or see that's what you all were interested in or I can go through the whole presentation? >> Whatever. >> We can spare you the time if you uh if we can just look at the photos. Yeah. >> Okay. So this is a a special privilege uh for those existing encroachments. Um this is the aerial photograph of the building and this is the current uh photo of the building as it stands now. It was uh rehabbed. These are the encroachments of the stairs along the alley. This is the backflow water pretor. Uh this is the front uh a schematic view of the front of the building where the encroachment extends out under the sidewalk, the right of way. And of course with that, staff recommends approval of the special privilege license for the uh surface encroachments of the stairs of the backflow water pretor and the aerial encroachment of the balcony and the subsurface encroachment of the basement. >> Very good. Any questions on this item? Okay, Miss Brian. Hearing no questions, call the vote. >> Yes, sir. The motion was made by Representative Canal, seconded by Representative Lemon to adopt the ordinance on item 32. There's no public comment on that motion. Call for the vote in the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously. Okay, let's take item number 33. >> Item 33 is a public hearing of an ordinance amending the 2025 proposed thorough fair system to delete the proposed collector extension of 9inth Street that runs between Lamesa Street and Venton Avenue to delete the proposed collector connection between Sunrest Drive and Vin Rambla Drive and to connect collector Sunrest Drive and Ben Mora Way to I 10. Represent >> Canales move to approve. Second. >> There is no presentation on this one. Any questions for walking >> represent? >> Just the quickest note that this this is just clean up. These are streets that were proposed, thorough affairs that were proposed in old plans. Uh these things change. So this is removing a few of those from the uh from the thoroughare plan. >> Correct. >> Okay. For anyone in the public who's interested. Thank you. >> Okay. Any questions for Wim? >> All right. Miss Bryant, call for the vote please. >> Yes, sir. The motion was made by Representative Ganales. Seconded by Representative Lemon to adopt the ordinance on item 33. There's no public comment on that motion. Call for the vote. Can the voting session? And that motion passes unanimously. Council, I'll ask you to please refrain from side conversations while the meeting is in session. >> All right, let's take item number 34, Miss Bri. >> Yes, sir. Item 34 is discussion and action on a resolution authorizing the expenditure of District 3 discretionary funds in an amount not to exceed $5,000 to support current and future programming for youth, seniors, and athletic activities, initiatives, events, community meetings, and other events in District 3 as they serve the municipal purpose of fostering a positive community atmosphere, promotes cultural enrichment, supports local initiatives, and enhances the overall quality of life for El Paso residents, and that discretionary funds be used for the purchase of items including but not limited to water, refreshment, snacks, prizes, recognition or award items for events that may be held at various community locations including but not limited to district 3 parks, library, city facilities, and that the city manager designate be authorized to affectuate any budget transfers. This is representative Malonado Rocha's item. >> Representative Rocha. >> Thank you, mayor. Motion to approve. >> All right, represent Rocha. and and I just uh I hope that this when this passes, if this passes, uh this is really used to just support all of the initiatives that are going on within district three to create kind of that project to be able to uh to use these expenditures towards those initiatives that that we continue to do and hopefully give Sasha a brief breath as far as uh what we're doing within within the uh within the district instead of doing things individually. So motion to approve with that. >> We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion on item number 34? >> All right, Miss Bryan. >> Yes, sir. The motion was made by Representative Maldonado Dorcha, seconded by Mayor Proim Chavez to approve the resolution on item 34. On that motion, call for the vote. In the voting session and that motion passes unanimously. All right, Miss Brian, let's take item number 35. Item 35 is discussion and action on a resolution to authorize the expenditure of district 2 discretionary funds in an amount not to exceed $2,500 for the execution promotion and programming of district 2 holiday events, including but not limited to the five points holiday party as well as for food at senior centers and other holiday events within district 2 as they serve the municipal purpose of enhancing quality of life for El Paso residents and fosters community pride and encourages civic engagement. This is Representative Ato's item. >> Repres. Thank you, mayor. I think it's pretty self-explanatory. So, I want to move to approve. >> Second. >> All right. Any further discussion on this item number 35? >> All right. Hearing none, Miss Brian. >> Yes, sir. The motion was made by Representative Asetto, seconded by Mayor Prom Chavez to approve the resolution on item 35. On that motion, call for the vote. Voting session is open. Please no side conversations >> and the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously. >> Okay, Miss Brian. Let's take item number 37. Item 37 is discussion and action to approve a resolution that the city council authorizes the expenditure of district 8 discretionary f funds in an amount not to exceed $1,900 to be used towards December community events hosted by district 8 including tamales with canales and segundo bario holiday lunchon. This is representative canales's item move to approve represent canales. There's a motion in a second. Any discussions on tamales with canales? All right. Hearing that >> actually one one bit of discussion and that's uh tomorrow tomorrow evening uh 4 to 7 pm at Cafe Mayapan. Everyone's welcome. >> Thank you. >> All right. Hearing no further discussion. Miss Prime call for the vote on 37. >> Yes, sir. The motion was made by Representative Ganal, seconded by Representative Monado Rocha to approve the resolution on item 37. on that motion. Call for the vote and the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously. >> Okay, let's take item number 38, Miss Bryan. >> Yes, sir. Item 38 is discussion and action to direct El Paso water utilities to schedule and conduct eight city council district community meetings regarding the proposed budget and rate increase. These meetings should be held between now and January 13, 2026 to ensure adequate public outreach and input prior to budget adoption on January 14th, 2026. The purpose of the meetings is to provide residents with clear information on the proposed budget and any associated rate adjustments, offer the public an opportunity for questions and feedback, ensure transparency and community engagement in the budget development process, and that the city manager is directed to coordinate with El Paso Water to finalize meeting dates, locations, and communication plans to ensure broad community awareness. Representatives Maldonado Rocha and Aso place this item. Is there a motion to approve this? >> Motion to approve. >> Okay. Representative Verto. >> Thank you, mayor, and thank you, John, and thank you to all the El Paso water staff, Renee, everybody that I saw yesterday and today. We really appreciate it. I just uh I want to be able and I I mentioned this yesterday to be able to provide some type of cadence going forward. I know with the holidays it's it can be difficult. So, I want to ask you, John, if it's um reasonable to request the eight meetings, do we need to, you know, with the holidays, is it is it more reasonable to say we can combine a couple? Because I I definitely don't want to take away from from that piece of it, but I definitely want to to be realistic when it comes to planning these. >> Thank you, Representative Rocha. This is John Blue with El Paso Water. Uh so uh before the council uh action or item was placed on the agenda, the communications committee of the public service board had already determined that we were going to do at least four additional meetings. >> Okay. >> But we were concerned about the logistics as you pointed out. So subsequently I think that we've got the logistics all worked out to uh to go ahead and do eight meetings. Now there might have to be one of those that's combined Sure. district. But, uh, I I think that we can accommodate the the request of of councel. And, uh, just to to let you know, I have Brian Morris here, the chair of the public service board, to to give a few comments. If, uh, you have any more questions for me, I'd be happy to answer them. >> So, John, what what I'm hearing is you can accommodate the the requests. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. >> I I really appreciate that in the partnership with El Paso Water, Mr. Belaloo, more more than you know. I I really do hope that um maybe going next year or into into 26 with enough time it's it's put in and into the process. And I just appreciate everything that you've done. I attended a couple of PSB meetings already and I've attended the tech H2O uh public meeting that you had. That was absolutely informative not only to what's happening with the budget, but how to do water conservation and what's happening and what's to come with the uh the new meters that are coming. So, thank you so much for putting that out there. Very appreciative as a as a member of the public, but also um very informative. So, that's all I had. Thank you sir. >> Okay. Brian, do you want to >> Okay. >> Good morning, mayor. Good morning, council. Uh my name is Brian Morris. I'm the chair of the public service board. I have the engineering position on the board. Um we appreciate the the input and the request from the city council to do these eight meetings. The the board is in full support of that and in directing staff to to accommodate those eight meetings. Um the board is very very interested, very very concerned and involved in the budgeting in the budgeting process and the staff is well aware of that. We would love to have zero rate increases but it is very expensive to own and maintain and operate uh a water utility service. Uh there is a lot of discussion about affordability over the last two or three years. We have introduced the you know through direction of the board the staff has come up with some different rate schedules for affordability for low water users. So there is a lot of work and effort that's done to try to keep the rates low and have dependable water and again uh staff will be happy to to uh take care of these eight these eight meetings before our the January 14th board meeting. Any any questions? Okay, represent. >> Thank you, mayor. I echo everything my colleague to the left of me um has said and I really appreciate both of you being here for for this item. I think what the public has been reaching out to our offices is more more information about this rate increase and we're kind of seeing the trifecta of the utilities right now. And so I think the public is really concerned about uh affordability and how they can move forward. I I think there's always some great reasoning. I don't think you're you're out there just trying to raise things to raise things and and so I appreciate you kind of saying that, but I think having that conversation with the public to get them to understand a little bit more where you're coming from will be really great in the long run. So, um I I think as my colleague said, you know, if we could establish this cadence, u maybe a future council action where this is already being done every single year and we don't have to put something on the agenda. It's just part of your calendar. So, we could look at, you know, you come every quarter, you're presenting something, every year you're presenting something to us. And I think this could be something that is also part of it. So, the people are kind of looking at what the public utility is doing with with their budget. So, I I appreciate your your um willingness to help us with this. And if you need help getting any of the facilities, I'm sure um my colleagues and myself um or most of my colleagues, I don't want to speak for everybody, um will will be happy to help you with that and we could help get people to the meetings throughout the district. So, happy to to work on that together. Yes, sir. Thank you. We do appreciate that. That will be helpful. I know Rene's already been working with your with your staff. Uh, another comment I'd like to make is we all our all of our bud budget hearings always at six o'clock in the evening. The the the December second open house at Tech Ho was in the evening. I know there's always a lot of discussion about meetings during the workday, during the work period. And for as long as I've been on the board for more than six years, the hearings have always been in the evenings to help make it accommodating for the public to be able to come. >> That's great to know. Thank you. >> Okay. >> Represent Canalis. >> Thank you, Mayor. Thank you to both of you for uh I guess both the board and the staff uh being willing to accommodate the the request. Um I have a quick question. It maybe for Miss Neman. The language says to direct El Paso Water Utilities. Is the council able to direct the water utilities to to do anything? >> So, historically the council has directed um all of the utilities to to conduct meetings. Under the charter, the city has original jurisdiction to set and oversee rates within the jurisdiction. This utility is no different in that sense from the other utilities. >> So, we're able to direct I notice like we've all been using the the word request. >> Correct. So the PSB remember is composed of the of appointments of this board. You can direct the PSB to direct the the utility to do the meetings but I mean that's a matter of semantics. You direct the utilities gas and electric to hold community meetings. So this is no different. >> Okay. Um I just wanted to be sure I I the way I understand it the council is not able to direct the public service board to take particular actions. We make the appointments and then they're an independent board that makes their own decisions. >> My reliance is on the city's charter that gives the council the ability to oversee rates for all of the utilities. The water utility is a utility that is providing water within the jurisdiction, okay, >> of this governing body's authority. >> Okay. Um the uh in in that case uh I understand if we're directing them to hold eight meetings they will be held to eight meetings because that will be the council's direction. So they won't be able to combine any meetings. >> Is that is that the case? >> That's going to be representative Roachcha and Representative Acabetto. Repos. >> Yeah. The the the combining of the meetings would be potentially two two district meetings the same night, >> different staff, different people so that all districts are covered. >> Combining just means they would two different districts may maybe the same evening. >> Yeah, I understand just the wording says it directs you to conduct eight meetings. >> Yeah, we still have eight meetings. Yes, sir. >> We're going to have one meeting per district. One meeting per district, just two at the same location, but two different meetings. >> Not don't believe the same location, just the same evening. Just potentially the same evening. >> Okay, I see. Two different locations. >> Yes, sir. >> Two different meetings. Combining >> I thought by combining you meant combining two districts into the same meeting. >> No, sir. >> Okay, there will be eight meetings, one meeting per district. >> All right. Thank you. >> Again, I'm helping my staff Rene that's coordinating this. >> Good morning. Uh Renee Leon, El Paso Water. Uh I've already talked to uh Miss Kruzic Costa. I think we're able to secure locations. We're able to do two meetings possibly on the same evening, different locations, different times or the same time. We just have to iron that out. But there would be eight inal meetings. >> All right. Thank you very much. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you, Representative Chavez. >> Thank you, Mayor. And uh thank you to John, Renee, and Brian for being here today and for um your availability to the council at all times and to the community. Most importantly, I do think it's important to just communicate with the community what the expectation should be going forward that the PSB will be voting on this rate increase on the 14th of January. And having the opportunity to dialogue and hear back from the community is important, I think, to all of us on council. Um, I I was a little bit uh also concerned like Representative Canal with the language. I just wanted to be sure that we weren't setting some sort of precedent that um that hadn't been done before. Um so I I did have the conversation with uh Miss Neman earlier this morning um because I didn't I wasn't sure if the council had ever specifically directed El Paso water directly. But Miss Neman, you you just said that there has been precedence on this where the city council directs El Paso water directly. >> No, ma'am. My my reliance on the council's ability to direct any utility within the jurisdiction of the city comes from the city charter. The city of El Paso as a home rule authority and your charter states that you have the ability to oversee the rates of all utilities irrespective of how El Paso created the utility in 1952 1956. The charter specifies that this council has the ability to oversee the setting of rates of all utilities. That is the the language that you are relying on to direct El Paso utility to have these meetings in regards to the rate setting. >> Okay, perfect. I think that clarifies it and I appreciate the the input and so u thank you once again El Paso Water for being here for being um just present in our community. I know that I've had several community meetings with several projects that are going around in my district. So, this I hope will will be just like one of those that we've had in the past, Renee. But also, um e echoing representative as uh point, please uh communicate to us as soon as you have those dates available so that we can help you um get people to those meetings and and disseminate whatever information you're willing to share. Thank you so much. >> All right. And then uh John and Brian and Renee and everyone from uh El Paso Water, thank you guys for accommodating this request, especially during the the holiday season in in a short window like this. We we appreciate you guys getting that done and certainly doing eight meetings in between now and the date in January is going to be significant for you and the staff, but thank the staff for us as well for for getting this done. Thank you guys. Thank you. >> All right, Miss P, we have a public comment on this item. >> Yes, sir. We have Miss Osmond. Good afternoon, Miss Osman. Luckily, I didn't sign up for everything. But um one I hope that no more of those meetings unless they are on the far east side for that district are at tech H20 because the rest of the town some members I I think Miss Leon might know some people in in this chamber may understand that El Paso regardless of how friendly and how loving we are to each We are still very segregated. A lot of people, you will find people in the lower valley that will not go to the west side unless they're leaving to go to California on vacation. That is the way the city still is. Okay. People in the northeast, they don't go to the lower valley. It it is just the way it is. So to try to drag people from all other parts of town to the far east side. I mean my son would would offer me dinner so that I would drive him out to the far east side towards the super target because he hated driving out there. All right. And I would do it. Hey, spend time with my son. So, I hope these meetings in El Paso Water considers making sure that they are spread across and and very accessible for everybody around town. But I also hope because what I heard yesterday in the presentation was rather discouraging. All right, we heard a presentation stating that uh wages have raised in El Paso and so the rates need to raise. But yet you all also heard a presentation from Kelly Center stating how El Paso has a higher poverty rate than the rest of Texas. So I don't see those seem somewhat counter to to one another. Um, I have been to the water company presentations before. Went to the one for the with the Army Corps of Engineers and a lot of times it is poster boards and people are standing there but they really have no real answers. And as far as conservation, this is a thing. Yes, we went to where we I remember back in the day we could water any day we wanted. Now we're down to three. And with the data centers, honestly, it's going to go down to two, down to one, and soon we're not going to be able. It's going to be Desert Skate no matter what. A lot of the presentations, it's poster boards. It's a lot of propaganda, a lot of gaslighting, but no real answers. And that is the problem. And just like the presentation yesterday, there was a lot of disingenuous and misinformation in there. So, when you're going to inform the public, make sure that you can answer the questions and that you're just not there for PR. >> Thank you, Miss Osman. >> Okay, Miss Bryan. Uh, we have a motion and second on item number 38. Would you please call for the vote? >> Yes, sir. The motion was made by Representative Maldonado, seconded by Representative Vasto to approve the direction listed on item 38. On that motion, call for the vote. in the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously. >> Okay, let's take item number 39. >> Item 39 is discussion and action on the award I'm sorry, discussion and action on the request that the director of purchasing and strategic sourcing be authorized to issue purchase orders for solicitation 2026-0059 postal services to US Postal Service for three years for an estimated amount of $650,000. The contract will allow the tax office to have a three-year contract to provide the tax bills to residents in a timely manner each year. >> Motion to approve. >> Okay, there's a motion and a second. Any discussion on this item number 39? >> Mr. Bryan, call for the vote. >> Yes, sir. The motion was made by Representative Lemon, seconded by Mayor Prom Chavez to approve item 39. On that motion, call for the vote. in the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously. >> Okay, let's take item number 41. >> Item 41 is discussion and action on the award of solicitation 2025-0452 to Traffic Logix Corporation for an initial term of three years, an estimated amount of $972,000. The contract will allow streets and maintenance to purchase speed cushions to slow traffic down to the 15 to 25 mph range. >> Okay. Is there a motion to move to approve? >> Second. >> Okay. Uh you want to see can we see the presentation please? >> Good morning purchasing index sourcing department. Um the president >> Good morning mayor council Randy Garcia streets and maintenance department. So as you know these are this is our procurement to buy the speed cushions that we do for our NTMP program which we do install in all your districts. Again alignment with the uh strategic goal to enhance and sustain El Paso's infrastructure. Of course, the purpose of the procurement is to award to Traffic Logix. Here is the terms of the award of the contract with Traffic Logix going forward. Again, we just focus really on what this the purpose of of the equipment is. It's to really put it down those uh speed cushions and the areas that are requested through the NTMP program. Once we do the traffic studies, we're able to go ahead and effectuate those um changes by going and putting the the speed cushions down along with additional signage and striping as needed. This program has been very successful. We are looking at it closely now to make any improvements necessary. We've talked to all of you about um comments and you know questions you had, trying to address those questions with the public, with yourselves to make sure that we can be as effective as possible with the program. >> Okay. Representative Chavez. Thank you, mayor. A technical question, Randy. Um, how many speed cushions are going to be purchased? >> Do we have a count? >> 350. >> And are those a set or like the the individual? >> A set. So, for the three we put down, it'll be 350. We do use it for both our maintenance. So, as they wear out, this will also help with our inventory to replace the ones that do break down and this will help with our um new requests that do come in. >> Okay. Yeah. Just wanted to know if it was a set or not. Thank you, >> Representative Nino. >> Thank you, Mayor. Um Randy or Miss Mack, I'm not sure if you all could uh provide currently in the queue, how many NTP applications do we have? >> I believe right now we have 47. >> 47. >> Okay. So this will essentially help us achieve the the delay. I know that some of them had been waiting for a year or two. This is going to help us keep up to to that par. >> So yes, right now it is taking up to two years from the date of the application, >> okay, >> to the actual installation. So something we've been doing with the program based budget that we worked on and we talked about is really trying to um kind of find out how to allocate our resources to speed up the program. So, we've looked at the traffic studies, how long it takes us to do the traffic studies to get them done, get them analyzed so we can determine the best locations to put those speed cushions. And really, the other resources we use are our street maintenance group, our operation staff goes out there and redo the asphalt to ensure that those mats, those new speed cushions do stick to the asphalt and they don't pop up right away because we've had those issues in the past. So, that's an improvement that we've made. um our signs our sign group our markets group they go do the other little changes that are necessary for us to effectuate the change as far as the NTMP program as a whole. So we're really looking this year on how can we get that list done quicker. How can we not have people waiting a year to get their speed cushions in. So that is some progress we like to do um to really attack that list and get it shorter so the people that are applying the citizens that are applying are not waiting so long. >> Great. Thank you for that clarification because I know it's been a question that a lot of constituents have shared that once they apply it takes some time. Out of the 47 applications, which ones have been warranted or how many numbers >> all those all those are on the list to be installed? That's the installation list. I'm not right now. I don't know the exact number of pending applications. I think that's >> perfect. No, this is great. I think overall I know the city has also been doing a lot of PSA and posts about communities and neighbors applying for the NMTP >> program. Yes. >> Um, so I'm looking forward to to even further delivering some of those requests for our community. So, thank you for all your work. >> You're welcome. >> And Randy, quick question. If um we've heard up to two years to get some of these speed cushions in. >> Yes, sir. >> Someone wouldn't be waiting five years, would they? >> Not on the current list. No. >> Okay. All right. Just want to make sure. All right. Representative Chavez. >> Thank you, Mayor. Um, and I would like maybe Randy and ask the city manager um, if maybe we could have a a presentation or something, a work session regarding the process maybe sometime next year. Um because I think in my community at least I think there has been at least a couple of streets that I know that were in the queue for longer than two years and that might have been for other special reasons. But just kind of to get an overview of this process because I know it's becoming of interest to more and more constituents. I was just in a neighborhood this weekend with people that are interested in in having speed cushions on their street just because there's so much speeding unfortunately occurring everywhere. So, um, this is becoming something that more and more people are interested in. So, just finding out the process and more details about it. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> All right. We have a motion and a second on item number 41. Any further discussion? >> Okay, Miss Bryant. >> The motion was made by Representative Ganal, seconded by Representative Lemon to award the solicitation on item 41. On that motion, call for the vote. Voting session is open >> in the voting session and the motion passes unanimously. >> Okay, let's take item number 42. Item 42 is discussion and action on the award of solicitation 2025-0396 citywide street resurfacing 2025 to 2027 to ZTEX construction initial term of 730 consecutive calendar days and estimated estimated amount of 17,557,570. The project will consist of milling and paving of various asphalt streets throughout the city of El Paso. Right of way. >> Okay. Is there a motion to approve this item? 42. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Okay. Can we see the presentation? >> Welcome back. Randy Garcia, streets and maintenance. This is a presentation to award present um excuse me solicitation 20250396 for resurfacing again aligning with strategic goal number seven and the purpose of the procurement will allow us to effectuate our resurfacing uh program or yes our resurfacing program. So this involves milling paving and any other concrete structures that are necessary within the the rightway. Here you can see the initial term. It's going to it's going to be proposed to be awarded to ZTEX. Uh the funding source pay go community progress bonds. Um different various accounts that will come from so there's any questions about the contract. >> Representative Chavez. >> Thank you, Mayor. I I actually do have a few questions. Randy, so infrastructure in the chime survey um came in as the number one concern for district 1. you know, we've had many many conversations in my office regarding street resurfacing, even some reconstruction that's needed. Um, so it's no surprise that that um the city is very focused on what streets will be resurfaced and how this process will go about. This contract is is big. It's for 730 consecutive days. It's 17.5 million. Um, are there any streets that are already designated to this award, Randy? So, yes, we do have um a group of streets. I've shared that with the purchasing group. I think they've shared it with you. I've shared it with some of the individuals on here. This will go back to our previous 2022 uh contract with ZTEX. There were some streets that were completed and those streets will be the ones that they initially work on. So, those streets have already been approved by city council previously. >> So, there were some streets, Can you repeat that? >> There were some streets previously awarded and approved by council. They were completed and those streets will be completed for sure. >> Okay. Um so um when these streets were approved, they weren't part of another contract then. These are going to be part of this new contract. >> They were part of another contract. >> And then what happened with that? >> They did not the contractor did not finish those those streets. >> And what what contractor did not finish those? >> It was previously they were assigned to ZTEX. >> And and what happened there? Do we know? So when we kind of looked at it, um we looked at the means and methods that they were doing. We looked at the completion rate. They finished um 63% a little over 63% of the streets that were assigned to them at the time. Um I'm going to kind of when we looked at the VPRs, I kind of felt that they were going at a pace that maybe was not what what we were expecting. I mean, if you look at the way that we're doing it now and the way that we are working with the resurfacing contractors, we just had one contractor in the current contract finish 100% of everything that was given to them and the other contractor we have is right about I think 80% and almost done with with their streets. So, I think it's just about working with the contractor. >> So, the level of work they were just not able to complete the level of work that we expected them to. it was the speed, but so they started off slow and then they really picked it up at the end. So I think once we really developed that working relationship with the contractor and that's what's expected of us now and that's what's expected of my group going forward is to ensure that we are eating up all the capacity of the contract to get the amount of center line miles down that you guys, excuse me, the council members would like to see. >> So how is this contract written differently so that doesn't happen again? So, we did change some of the specifications as far as how they're going to do the milling and paving and the the rework of the of the subgrade. And it's ensuring that they have the dedicated force necessary, the workforce necessary to go out and do the streets that we're programming um for this contract. >> Yeah. >> So, I mean, streets um is like I just mentioned earlier, it's it's a big concern for all of our community. Um, and I think that definitely if if there's some way that we're writing the contract that doesn't allow people to complete it for whatever reason, then we we should definitely change those parameters or that that scope of work. But if a company um, you know, maybe they go through some trouble or whatever, that may be the case, you know, specific to that that time. But if a company's um underperforming, then that's also something that we should consider because at the end of the day, the community has an expectation of what streets will be resurfaced and which ones will not. And I think that you just mentioned that there are other companies that are performing at 100%. >> And this company performed at 63%. Is that is that right? >> Yeah. For the completion rate. Yes, ma'am. >> Yeah. And that concerns me only because when we go out to our community and we give them a list of streets that are going to get done and then we as a city, you know, give the work to a company, it's because we believe firmly, I hope that that company will be able to provide the services that we're expecting them to provide. I understand that even if we don't pay them for 100% of the work that they they were supposed to do, at the end of the day, the community has an expectation that their streets should be resurfaced within a certain amount of time. Um, so I I did notice that on the the procurement process on experience and reputation, they scored the highest. If they're performing at 63% and not 100%, why did they score the highest on experience and reputation? >> Good morning, Cla Garcia with purchasing and strategic sourcing department. So, the committee evaluated the information they submitted in writing. We also check our records for past performance and they did have a a passing score for those uh those items that they submitted as part of their proposal. So, we've awarded to them. I did back I went back and did some research. We've awarded to them four times in the past. In the past, um, and I can go through the dates. We've awarded to them in 2015. Then we awarded to them in 2019, in 2022, and 2017. Um, did they perform 100% in those other previous contracts? Do we know? >> I would defer. Do they use their department? >> I didn't look at all the previous contracts. I looked at the 2022 contract. Um I did looked at the vetted performance reports for those contracts as well. So they were performing well. So when they're doing the actual work on the ground and they're putting down the asphalts based on the last contract they had with us, their performance was fine. The speed of what in which they are doing that we would like them to be faster and I think at the end of their contract when they were going faster we did notice them starting to meet the demands that was necessary. So the performance as far as the type of doing the actual work itself, can they do it? Yes, they were doing it because the vendor performance reports from our previous contract with them indicated. So, um, additionally, it's just really up to us looking forward with these contractors to make sure that the speed at which they do it, we can make sure that they're getting it done. >> So, who's going to check on that, Randy? What's going to be the process for that? >> So, we have um it's going to be up to our inspectors. It's going to be to the the project manager who's in charge of who oversee the contract. Um, something we've done differently with this contract as far as oversight is we've partnered with CI to really get their oversight and their um, knowledge, you know, they have a they have tons of institutional knowledge as far as project management and program management, contract administration. Some of the things that we have a lot newer staff at streets and maintenance. So, we want to make sure we have seasoned individual talented people within the city helping us oversee this contract. So we're working with C to kind of dually oversee the contract. It actually will be embedded with them. We have some of our staff working under them to learn how to become stronger and better contract administrators and project managers, you know, working with another department, you know, within the city. We're all trying to do what's best for the city. And I think this is a way to look forward on how to attach uh attack this contract and make sure it gets done correctly and fully. >> Okay. I mean, I'm just going to reiterate some of my concerns here. Number one, this is a contract for $17.5 million. So, it's not a small contract. Number two, um historically speaking, this company has has fulfilled a responsibility except for the last contract that we gave them. They only did 63% of the work that they were um you know done told to do within the scope of work. Um, and number three, in our procurement process, for some reason, they scored the highest in reputation and experience even though they weren't performing 100% of what they were supposed to do. So, I have concerns with those three things. At the end of the day, I think it's just the community that is expecting again this work to be completed and done. we've given them our word that it's going to get done and then you know we select a company that can't for whatever reason um complete the project and that is concerning to me and um I don't know I'm going to you know let other council members weigh in on this. Thank you >> represent Nino. >> Thank you mayor. Um I'm also interested in seeing the list of the proposed streets that will be completed. One thing that stood out for me, oh and thank you Randy for the presentation and our purchasing team as well. Uh, one thing that stood out to me is the fiscy year bond community progress bond proposition 8 a streets and infrastructure focus. Is this contract covering some of the top 50 arterial roads that are part of the community progress bond? >> So this contract will focus on the residential bonds or the residential streets, excuse me. on residential streets >> not on the top 50 are the arterial roads. Okay. So those won't be covered under this one. >> Okay. So the residential resurfacing part of the $35 million that was part of the community progress bond. That's where we are getting funding from. >> Yes. There. And then the pay funding as well. >> Perfect. Now in regards of the previous contract for 2022, only 63% of the streets were completed. It means that we didn't pay them 100% of the original contract that they had. Correct. >> That's correct. We did not pay them 100% of the value of the contract. >> Okay. Yeah. I think overall, you know, even in the budget process, we've mentioned that people experienced, and I'm going to say it over and over, the government on their way to work and uh at their parks, on their roads. And I think that, you know, our constituents in our community hold us to a very specific standard. And I think that if we're, you know, doing business with any company, they have to be held at that standard. So, I think if this contract moves forward, I really would like to see staff to really follow up on everything that they're asked to do. Um, because again, you know, even the delay, the fact that they weren't only able to complete that 63%, then we leave a void and we don't know how to inform our constituents that X project didn't get completed. So, I think definitely, you know, working with staff and program managers to really ensure that the delivery of services are complete is going to be key. Um, but I have no further questions. Thank you. >> Representative Basto. >> Thank you, mayor. And I see, but was gonna come up and say something. >> Good afternoon, Mayor and Council. I None with the city manager's office. Um, I kind of wanted to step in on behalf of Randy. He's uh pretty humble and he won't tell you the way that he's changed the department in over a year. Um as as you all know we've had change in leadership that goes to C streets and maintenance so forth. Um one of the things I do I love how was outlined that there are certain concerns. One of the things that I do want to point out is um Claudia Garcia and her procurement department have made sure that we followed the process um that the criteria was well outlined and that the highest ranked offer has been presented today. So that's one of the things, excuse me, I'm still getting over cold is to really ensure that the procurement policy was was followed. Um secondly, one thing that I feel that was kind of missed is that we are paying for services rendered. So thank you for that question, Representative Nino. That 60% was completed, but that's what was paid. One thing that we have failed as a department and we're coming back in in uh early next year is to really report on the progress that has been done. um specifically looking at community progress bond. When we first started um this bond, there's a commitment to the community to make sure that we spend down these monies within 10 years. That is my personal commitment because I've started since day one. Um, and I've challenged really challenged Randy and his team to say in order for us to make down that spend down rate, you have to be at X million for both residential and for arterial. Um, within the time that I've worked with streets and maintenance and their team, they have doubled that. So, when we started with residential, they were barely hitting a million. They're hitting three million. So, part of it is, yes, as as Randy made mentioned that they're going to partner with C. there is a learning curve and one of the things that we have seen that I have seen and I've challenged them and they've held that challenge is meeting those benchmarks and those metrics. So the good thing is we have followed the procurement process. A second thing is we are training our staff and we're doing cross trainining but the third thing is we have really identified metrics and they are meeting those metrics. So to double the amount that we spent in residential from last fiscal year to yes this fiscal year of where they need to be. I think that is a commitment from myself from streets and maintenance that we are delivering to our community. So I just wanted to say that because I know Ry's just putting in the burning the midnight oil and not saying um the stuff that they have done. But I'm challenging them and I see that they have doubled their output. Um, and so I just wanted to make that known to council and to our community that we are committed to um, addressing all the streets that have been identified. And we'll also be bringing to to uh, council the next round of streets that have been identified so we can gear up and and get that working as well. Thank you. >> Thank you, Representative. >> Thank you, mayor. again. Um, and you know, I I think there's been a lot of conversations that we've had about streets, and we've gone on for hours, and I think there's a lot that you're doing that is really great. And you're you're moving things, you're structuring things, you're putting processes in place, you're having really great presentations that I really enjoy going through because they're so detailed and leave they leave me with almost no questions by the time you finish presenting. For for me, I have heartburn about this specific contract and them not doing the work. When I look at 63% whether we only just paid 63% of the contract because we got 63% of the work, people are still not seeing the progress that they want to see in in their neighborhoods. And and so I I think about um a project that this company did in my district around Cambridge with El Paso Water and that was that was a nightmare of a project. Not the one that El Paso Water took over, but the one that was adjacent to it in the same area. And so now we're here and we want to award what is probably the most important issue that my district has that I hear about over and over where my streets are not getting paved and I haven't had the street paved in 50 years or whatever and I don't have the confidence that we could get them to do all the work even if we do stellar project management because their speed is not moving where they need to move and and So I go back to procurement like I usually do on experience and reputation and how that is kind of being rated. I mean it it was like a 14.48 out of 15 right for this particular one. And then international ego which was the second one was at 13.68. So, they weren't very different in in that sense, but we're still awarding a giant contract with over $17 million to get probably what I consider the most important thing that we're doing at the city, which is streets, and not knowing if they're going to be able to do 100% just because they just had the prior one and they weren't able to do that. >> Right. And I think that's a really great uh question. Representative Asavo is really holding them to their benchmarks, right? Um lessons learned. We did see in 2022 23 contract that it was at 63%. Um really working with the staff and that's a cross trainining that Randy was making mention of upholding those metrics and saying if we're to deliver XYZ uh streets within this time frame that that occurs. And I think um many of you might have noticed um uh Representative Chavez, they were just within your district finishing out some of those projects, Thorn Street, uh uh resurfacing. And one of the things that I think uh Randy and his team have done a good job about is really communicating um to the districts of where they're at with those streets. So I believe we have like maybe six right now with Representative Roachcha and they're providing the updates to let them know, hey, we've started these streets and we're also completing these streets. So having that additive oversight and transparency of where we're at and when we're completing them will help us to determine that we're meeting those metrics. There's also within our contract the ability to say non-performance and to work with the contractor if they're not delivering, we can re-evaluate if need be. >> And and so when when you say that you want to provide more updates on streets and that's part of your process that you want to come to us and tell us where you're at on things, what does that look like in your in your mind right now? What is I would to say the the tactics that uh Randy is and his team have already utilized and we've discussed. So identifying the streets where we're at with each phase substantial then completion and notifying the districts. Um additionally just providing that oversight from C in terms of project management. Um historically when you look at the dollars that have been invested within our streets um they've been dealing with the PIO that's 10 million and so there are changes that need to occur. Thankfully the residents of El Paso did pass the community progress bond. So we have $272 million if you look at the whole progress bond um invested within our streets. So with that does come changes comes a different sense of project management and also our report out. And so that is what I'm saying is our commitment to the community and to council is saying that we have identified these these streets. This is where we're at. Are we on time or are we behind? >> Are they the ones that did Edgar Park? >> Edgar Park. >> Edgar Park from Magnetic to the Highway. >> We would have to >> Okay. get back to you. >> Have Have they sued us before? >> ZTE filed a motion, a temporary restraining order on the city when we were attempting to award the resurfacing two years ago and then they were not successful and we still awarded it to another contractor. They they filed in lie of a protest. They filed a lawsuit at the time of the award and we still awarded it to another contractor. >> But then they've had this one since two for the last two years. No. Or that was another contractor. I was that's wrong. >> Yeah. This contract already expired. So right now we have two other contractors working um on a reservicing right now. >> But ZTEX was one of them. No. >> No. Currently we have Allied and International Eagle under contract. Allies are doing the residential roads. They're currently in district three and then um International Eagle is finishing up on Long Island right now. >> Okay. Are there any active lawsuits that we have with ZEX? >> No. Okay. So, they've only sued us once. >> I can't tell you that they've only ever sued us once. >> Okay. >> They filed a temporary restraining order when we attempted to issue a contract two years ago. >> Okay. I appreciate it. Thank you, represent Rocha. >> Thank you, mayor. So, I'll call I'll call I'll ask Claudia first. I know when we talked and so so I'm going to ask you very similar questions, Claudia. So, when we when when they come to you during the bid process, what happens prior if it's not documented does not reflect in the rating process. Is that correct? >> Correct. >> Okay. So, I know that that the mayor's item that came forth uh a couple of months ago will probably assist in in answering a lot of these maybe outstanding processes that I I personally don't know, but just through asking, I've become a little bit more familiar with. So, once that consultant is hired, Miss Mac, I'm sure this it'll it'll seem a lot cleaner on my eyes. Um, but I just want to make sure that from your perspective when you get the bid, if it's not documented on anything prior to to previous jobs, then there's no way for you to know that one, this this contractor didn't finish um, you know, 30 37% of the work or that they aren't running on time if that's if that's graded, right? Is that correct? >> That is correct. So one of the tests, the first test that we do in procurement, it is responsiveness responsibility. And that means that we go to our records. If a contractor was terminated for default, then they're not responsible. So we're not going to continue evaluating. Uh we also go to our vendor performance system uh to check if uh they are uh meeting standards based on the scale that uh user departments are evaluating them when performing and our records didn't indicate any of of those things. So that's why we move forward with evaluating their proposal. >> Thank you, Claudia. So then next is Iet and Randy. And thank you all so much for coming out. I know these are a lot of questions, so I apologize, but I'm I'm going to just ask. Um, so when when we do the evaluation, and you previously said it's the inspector, right, that should be doing the inspection. I understand there should also be a project or construction manager that should be checking in with um on these jobs. Is that also correct? >> That is correct. So, currently we have weekly meetings with our inspectors and with our project managers, including myself. Um we meet Friday mornings. We go over everything that's going on with the with the contract with the reservicing contract specifically. >> Uh we do meet with the contractors on a weekly basis to notify them, hey, you're you're working behind. you're not catching up. Um we have a twoe outlook >> uh schedule that they we ask that they adhere to and then if they're not meeting it, we can issue uh deficiency letters to let them know you're falling behind. >> You wrap all that into a ball and then that's what kind of goes into the vendor performance report. >> So we're being a little more stricter on the amount of documentation that goes with the vendor performance report, right? >> Um >> it's just not going to be like this is what I felt that they did the past few months. Now I've asked them to document everything. Okay. >> Making sure that every every week that we do our our work log and meeting it, the twoe outlook schedule is being uh complete that the schedule that they give us once the contract starts that we are meeting those dates. Um and then I've asked them to now when they do the vendor performance report, make sure that they somehow work with purchasing to make sure that some of those documents get attached or we keep our own files to have that information later. >> Thank you, Randy. And I appreciate the explanation. I know I'm definitely not the expert when it comes to streets or resurfacing or contracting or any of that piece. I just want to be able to understand that that going forward, we shouldn't see these issues, right? I know I've been very happy, a lot of the constituents are very happy with the resurfacing that's been happening citywide, not just in District 3. But I I just want to be sure that this piece has been pretty much answered for. So, we should we shouldn't really be seeing any further issues with um with with this particular item that's coming up, right? Where they're not finishing or there's action and it's documented, I guess, is what I should be saying. >> If if there is. >> Yeah. So, if they're not going the pace that we want them to this time, we will document that and we will take that to purchasing and any remedies that they have, we will follow those remedies. And then on the on the other end on the bidding the bidding process since it's documented then that will prevent them from getting a certain amount of points based off of that kind of I guess defect that they have on there. Right? >> Okay. Thank you. And then just one last question. Um with the 63% because that's kind of sitting in the middle of everything right now. What happens to that funding? Does that get repurposed like moved elsewhere or what what happens with that funding? >> So once the funding's been dedicated uh to the resurfacing contract to these streets, they get put into a project and it stays there. >> Okay. >> So the funding has never left. If it's PGO funding, it stays in the PGO funding. >> Um and we still use it for resurfacing. It never gets taken out of resurfacing once it gets dedicated to resurfacing. >> Does it does it stick to that road that didn't get finished? >> Yes. >> And it goes out for rebid. So, so the when we set up a project, we set up the project with the funding attached to that specific road. So, we have all the roads that were part that will be attached to this this particular contract already have the funding set up. >> Perfect. >> So, it's already there. >> Okay. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. >> Representative Chavez. >> Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Randy. And thank you, Avette. Thank you, Claudia. Randy, was there anything in the scope of work or that was put in the original bid that they received that impacted the pace of the work that they were doing? >> Was it anything that was our responsibility that impacted the pace of work that they were performing >> that that we put in? I would say no. I mean, our specifications, the material type really doesn't change a lot. It's just about the speed and when you talk about the means and methods that that's the way a company chooses to produce whatever they're producing or construct whatever they construct. Um we've asked the new contractors really to invest more of their resources into our contracts. So they might only have one paver and they're saying we can only have this paver working for you x amount of time and we will say we want it more than that or we want two pavers working x amount of time a week. And that's how we develop the construction schedule. Um other than >> But did we do anything to impact the pace that they were working on? >> No, we didn't. >> Okay. >> But I think to be clear, ma'am, I think we we've said that I think absolutely that our contract management and contract compliance could have been cleaner. So, not to defend the company, but if we didn't tell them to speed up, then the expectations wouldn't have been there. I think we've got a real good process right now in terms of how we do that. And I think Randy said the second half of the contract was better, but I don't know that the communication was the same for the first half. Okay. >> And so we're owning the things that we need to be communicating and documenting to ensure that we get to 100% the timeline that we should be. >> Okay. Miss Mack, I know like uh Representative Marona just mentioned the um consultant for procurement process um that we will be you know um discussing next year. Shouldn't this type of um performance be part of that VPR? >> So, there's a whole there's a whole plan that we're doing around contract compliance. You may recall that in the presentations that Claudia did last year, we're really working to strengthen um that area. We actually have a position in her department that's been making for quite some time that does oversight of contract compliance and we're trying to fill that. And then there's a lot of training that we were doing very routinely with the staff to make sure that we have really good contract compliance and consistency across. >> But for purposes of this this item that we're looking at today, Claudia mentioned, it wasn't part of their VPR. That's why it wasn't considered from what I understood. >> So the documentation that Randy said they were not doing on a weekly basis was not a part of the record that was considered. >> Yes. Okay. And so just so that we could maybe consider it in the future for other bids that will be awarded in their scoring process. >> Having Randy along with capital improvement is that that's the bulk of all of our capital. >> Okay. you know, and so you're really going to see consistency across how we're managing projects, consistency across the contract compliance, all the folks who may be using these same contractors, whether you know, because uh Waqen also has street reservicing and type street projects, then all of it's very consistent across how we talk about that documentation looks the same. >> Okay. And this next question is important to me because uh we've again it's a big contract, $17.5 million. Um, I completely agree with Avette. Randy is doing a fantastic job um, in all of your department, Randy, not only in filling the potholes, but ensuring that everything else is done, including resurfacing. Um, so we commend you for that work, but um, how how important it is to approve this contract today? Is it going to interrupt resurfacing or do we still have other ongoing contracts? When does this contract really begin? We're, you know, it's December, right? So, I'm assuming it they're not going to start next week, but can you give us a timeline of what the expectation should be? Because I think you mentioned there other contracts that are still ongoing. Is that correct? So just uh for contract execution, if this item is uh awarded today, it will take uh between four to six weeks to get a contract executed because we're giving time for the contractor to provide the contract documents uh executed signed contract PMP balance insurance and then we put the contract together uh route it to legal for review and approval so we can finally execute it. That's when uh streets and miners will be able to issue NTP so they can start uh construction. >> But is there another ongoing contract right now? >> So we have two ongoing contracts. International Eagle is finishing up at Lomoland. Uh we're requesting a budget transfer to finish funding Lomoland so we can finish some of the concrete work that's ongoing there. We have Allied who is working like I said in district 3. Um they'll still be going through through March. They are approximately I want to say roughly 80% done with that contract. Um, but at the rate they're going at, they should finish. We're hoping that they'll finish in in February. So, there'll be there'll come a time here shortly that this would be, if approved, our only resurfacing contract going. Um, we do have two of the procurement items uh for resurfacing with purchasing right now. So, that's going through that process and will be uh be brought for award for approval in the near future. And that's a goal that I have set internally for my department for the reservicing group specifically is to have a minimum of three contractors go or three contracts, not contractors, excuse me, three contracts going at the same time, including the HA5 contract. So that would be four methods that are four different contracts we would have working throughout the city of El Paso. We need to meet the goals that Evette has set for us as far as the draw downs of the capital money and ensure we're spending it so we're not wasting it on interest and it's just sitting there. Um, so that is a goal that we have. >> Would it delay street resurfacing if we do not approve today? >> If we don't have a contractor in three months, yes, we're going to get behind and 17 million. I mean, our goal to hit try to hit 50 centerline miles and try to spend as much money as we need to spend to catch up. We actually jokingly within our group called this contract the catchup contract because essentially we have these streets we need to catch up on, right? And I said, you know, >> we're catching up. We're catching up and the burgers the next two ones and then going to HA5 next, you know, and then >> but to be fair but to be fair, Randy, we're kind of also catching up because only 63% of the previous contract was completed. And in my opinion, 63% is I mean, if if all of us at the city were performing at 63%. I think our output would be very different and I don't think that that would be probably acceptable. Thank you. >> Are you wanting to understand what the timeline will look like if council chose not to adopt this contract and if we had to go back out to bid? >> Is that the question? >> Okay. >> So, if we receive the scope of work and all the items that uh we need for uh from the user department to start the procurement, uh we would be advertising uh late January to be able to uh redo this uh procurement. Um we advertise 30 days. Uh and then we move forward with the evaluation that may take from uh 5 to 7 weeks that with the assumption that we're not going to get a protest after we sent out the ranking. Uh so it takes about uh 95 days uh with a timeline that is perfect that we don't have any uh any hiccups or anything that is going to slow down the the process. So we would be taking this uh back then we have to post the item. It's like around 21 days before the item comes to city council after we finish that. So it would be about 100 days. >> Represent. >> Thank you mayor. Um Claudia I wanted to ask you from my understanding on the backup we only got three bids on this. >> We got three proposals for this. Correct. >> Three proposals >> and I see that we got 23 views. So is it correct to say that those 23 companies that viewed this were maybe interested and then they decided not to bid on it? >> Yes, it depends. Some sometimes you get views from subcontractors that are looking after prime contractors to provide their services to them. So um yeah, it depends. Sometimes they're just looking to see what it is and not really interested on on the procurement once they see the scope of work. >> Once the process plays itself out and it closes and we're we're finished with the process, are you able to reach out to all of these and say, "Hey, I noticed that you viewed it, but why didn't you bid? Can you ask that or is that not allowed?" So the current process that we have it is if we get two responses for our solicitations that we go back and sample uh the view list just to check if they weren't interested just to ask those questions. So we survey them but that's our uh part of our current process if we get two responses or less to our solicitations. Representative, there's only probably around five companies. I just confirmed with Evette and it's probably like subcontractors and others looking at it, you know. So, we know that we don't have a lot of folks within the universe and we're also competing with text and others for this type of work. So, there's there's not like a huge amount that we know. We didn't hear from. >> Okay. Which I've kind of had that conversation at some point too with the amount of work we need and then the contractors that can do it. Okay, I appreciate it. Thank you. >> Two more questions in there. That's it. Thank you. Thank you, mayor. Yes. One, uh, is it possible for for you to expedite the the bidding process since the scope of work is already done, Claudia? So yes, if they don't have any revisions based on the prior scope of work, um it would expedite it but just because of the current time of the year that we are here. >> Uh but we can expedite um and try to reduce the number of of of days that we are doing it for. Mhm. >> Uh but again uh just indicating that if we don't have any protest, if everything goes smoothly or perfectly >> uh then we can try our best to shorten it the the time. >> Okay. Thank you. And then last one for um for Randy and forette and and just I know that that there's already been strides made on the on the um the followup and you know going in and looking to see what work has been done, but isn't the contract doesn't it provide the due date on there or or isn't it when when they go out to bid, isn't the date on there that it needs to be done or is there a date that's on there? I'm trying to understand >> the contract gives them a deadline in which they need to uh finish all of them all all the quantities available on the contract right >> it's a task order contract so as we get the streets we give them to them and we try to get them to complete them as they go forward the task orders >> do have dates of when they need to finish that particular sequence of the work being uh requested. So if it's cement work or or asphalt work, we asked them to finish the next amount of days and that's where we're running into the the problems where our VPRs could have been a little bit better. >> And so then I do have one followup on that. So is it possible to possibly get the streets out first before the bid to get a better price when we start thinking about 17 million and then I know there's one later on in in the agenda this afternoon for Lomoland. Um, you know, that one's like 1.7 almost 1.7 million. So, is is there a way to possibly get the the streets out first and then that way maybe the cont you'd be able to get a better price on that? >> Is that even a possibility? >> We can discuss that with purchasing if we want to add the streets that that we have. Generally, what we've done is we've done >> the new contracts when they get awarded, we get additional streets approved by council to move forward, >> right? So that's the way we've been doing it. So we'll look at that model and determine purchasing if it's better for us to get here two weeks before and then later on tax them to the contract or >> somehow work that out with with council. >> Anyway we can save money. I'm all for it. So thank you all so much. Thank you Claudia Randy. I appreciate it. Thank you team for the presentation. >> Okay. Represent canales. >> Thank you mayor. Just one question very quickly. Is the department confident in working with ZTEX moving forward? currently um talking to our project managers. Um like I said, it's going to be a facility, so half the question has to be answered by Vets Group, but yes, I think they know how to do the work. Um I think getting them up to speed and making sure they understand we're serious about you finishing the entire contract within the contract term limits I think is is important and I think that's something that we'll work with C when we're discussing this contract with them if they do get the contract awarded to them. >> Okay. So in one word, >> yes. >> Yes. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, mayor. >> Okay. Any further discussion on item number 42? All right. Hearing none, seeing that, Miss Prime, please call for the vote. >> Yes, sir. The motion was made by alternate mayor prot, seconded by Representative Malonado Rocha to award the solicitation on item 42. On that motion, call for the vote in the voting session. And that motion passes 6 to2. Representatives Chavez and OA voting nay. The remainder of council voting I. >> The motion carries. >> All right. >> Sure. >> That we recess for lunch. >> Okay. There's a motion to recess for lunch. Is there a second? >> Yeah. For one hour. >> Second. >> There's a motion in a second. Miss Prime. There's a motion in a second to recess the city council meeting for 1 hour. All in favor? Anyone opposed? And the meeting is in recess at 12:57 p.m. And we'll reconvene in 1 hour. I got to get out of this chair >> at 2:00. You missed it. They needed their help. Okay, Miss Pride, I believe we're ready. >> Is there a motion to reconvene? >> Motion to reconvene. >> Second. There's a motion and a second to reconvene the council meeting. All in favor? >> Anyone opposed? The meeting is back in session at 2:04 p.m. >> And I believe we're on page 16. Uh, Miss Bryant, item number 43. >> That's correct. Item 43 is discussion and action that the city manager is authorized to sign the agreement associated with the award of solicitation 2025-0432R Sun Metro Transit Operations Maintenance Building Reconstruction to Jordan Foster Construction LLC for an initial amount of $5,000 for preconstruction services and that the city engineer is authorized to approve additional preconstruction services in the amount of $20,000 if the services are necessary for the proper execution of this project. >> Is there a motion to approve this item? >> Second. >> Okay. >> Do we have any discussion on item number 43? >> All right. Hearing none, Miss Prime, please call for the vote. >> Yes, sir. The motion was made by alternate mayor Pen Fiero, seconded by Representative Lemon. This is to approve item 43. And we do have Miss Osman that signed up to speak. >> Okay. Come on. You're not going to let a Jordan Foster contract go uh under the radar. Uh so, a couple of questions on this. I know it's 5,000 and then 20,000 uh for pre-construction and then I read the what the construction is going to be. He was recently handed a contract in regards to Sun Metro. Why wasn't this amount already included within that contract? seems really odd that it would be separated. Um, and maybe you could ask him. I I'm sure you'll be at the same Christmas party Rick and Ginger hold. He's typically there. Um, I know I've I've been there when they hold those Christmas parties this month. A lot of them, if y'all don't go, you really got to make it. Ginger does an excellent job on decorating. Um, but I'm just curious how it is. one of your donors gets another contract and yet why why wasn't this already included in the construction portion of it? Why is it separated out? It seems rather odd. Some people would be say odd, some people would say shady. It just looks rather strange. So, if uh purchasing could answer that because purchasing's practices aren't very good. I know that because I've got a foyer documents proving that. Um I mean then again, as you can tell by the Z uh tech contract, the you know, there's a lot of issues within procurement and they're not fixed. They're longstanding and uh anytime something comes up like this and it's handed handed to your some of your top five donors, citizens need to question. when there's issues with procurement, when there's shady things going on, which have been for years, well documented, some of those even Miss Escobar got to see. Um, everybody needs to question why our council's donors keep getting contracts. And it doesn't matter if you say, "Hey, I got this donation. I got that donation." Just out of, you know, having to reveal it to the public. All it reveals is is our city government bought off by El Paso's elite. That that's that's the only thing it gives out. So hopefully because I mean our mayor wanted to approve this regardless of any conversation whatsoever. Although he has a list on everybody that's signed up. I think all of you do on who signed up to speak for items. So that's kind of weird. >> Call for the vote. Miss Bryant. >> Yes. The motion was made by alternate mayor prom, seconded by representative Lemon to approve item 43. On that motion, call for the vote. Representative Lemore. >> Thank you. And the voting session and that motion passes unanimously. >> Okay. The second item number 44. >> Item 44 is discussion and action on a resolution that the city manager be authorized to sign an agreement for professional services by between the city of El Paso and Alvides Associates, Inc., a Texas corporation for a project known as architect and engineering services for Sun Metro Transit Operations Center TOC reconstruction for an amount not to exceed $1,300,43.50. >> Representative Trey Motion to >> approve second. >> You want to see the presentation? Can we see the presentation, please? >> Good afternoon, Mayor and Council. My name is Daniel Garcia from C and this is a presentation for the architectural services for the TLC. Location is 10155 Montana Avenue. Uh this is located in district 3 and the total budget as Miss Prime says 1.3 million. Funding source is Sun Metro recovery operations. I quote uh background on the TLC. In May of 2014, the state also completed construction of the Sun Metro maintenance building located at 10151 Montana. Unfortunately, in February of 2025, a fire destroyed approximately 37,000 square feet of the facility. This slide just shows the location of the TOC and the damages. Well, not the damages, but just the location of what was damaged. The scope of work for the architect in this contract includes uh design services for the reconstruction of the Sun Metro TOC located at 10151 Montana. Um the basis of design is the reconstruction will replace roughly 30 thou 37,000 gross square feet at the maintenance building and will include the following areas. Tire shop, tire bay, four premenative maintenance inspection bays, six running repair bays, true heavy repair bays, two brake bays, all the bays included two toolbox areas and shared workless, >> God bless you, and heavy equipment storage spaces. The original facility was constructed with 30 foot above finishes floor tiltup panels and included HVAC, fire suppression and other specialized systems. Request for qualification advertised April 29th. Seven firms submitted proposals recommendation to award Alvides Associates the agreement for professional service in that amount of 1.3 million. >> Representative Tjo. >> So this is showing district 4, but it's not in district 4. Thank you, mayor. >> This should be what? All districts or district three. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Good catch. >> Is there any questions on this particular item? Number 44. Uh when it says Alvidas and Associates, is that the principal David Alvidas? >> Okay. I need to disclose that I did receive a campaign donation from David Alvidas. Any further discussion on this item? >> All right, call for the vote, Miss Bry. >> Yes, sir. The motion was made by Representative Orijo, seconded by Representative Lemon, and this is to approve the resolution on item 44. On that motion, call for the vote. and the voting session and that motion passes unanimously. >> Okay, Miss Brian, let's take item number 45. >> Item 45 is discussion and action on the award of solicitation 2025-0296 veterinary vaccines to be determined by the casting of laws conducted in the presence of the governing body of the municipality. >> Good afternoon with purchasing and strategic sourcing. Pursuant to the local government code, the award of the solicitation has to be determined by the casting of lots conducted in the presence of the governing body as two suppliers submitted identical prices and um and are both are responsive responsible biders. This is the first occurrence for council items related to a tie where part of our process is to guide council on how to conduct a tiebreaker. We do have vendor number one which is Intervet Incorporated, DBA MC Animal Health. We have vendor number two, Midwest Veterary Supply, Inc. >> Can you explain to us again what's going on? >> Correct. Yes, >> of course. This was the procurement for veterinary vaccines and two suppliers submitted identical um pricing for all items. >> Okay. >> And this is a low bid procurement where price is the only factor. >> Correct. Wow. [Laughter] >> Does it sound like a mayor protend dude? interpret and the first time. >> Wow. >> Wow. >> Has a lot of first time. >> All right. So, is there a motion to even approve item number 45? >> Okay. Okay. >> Oh, and to award to >> Yes. Yeah, represent Canales. >> Uh to yeah, I'll move to uh approve the award to intervet as drawn in the drawing of lots. >> Right. >> Just conducted by the mayor. >> We have a motion and a second, Miss Prime. >> Yes, sir. The motion was made by representative Canales, seconded by Representative Boyer Tjo, and this is to award the solicitation to Interbet, Inc. DBA MC Animal Health. >> Is there any further discussion on this item? >> Okay, Miss Bryan, call for the vote. >> On that motion, call for the vote. >> And the voting session and that motion passes unanimously. >> Okay. Can we take item number 46? >> Yes, sir. Item 46 is discussion and action on a resolution that the city manager or designignate be authorized to effectuate a budget transfer of 1,694,377 from top 50 arterials master plan to set up top 50 arterials lowland 2 project as part of the top 50 arterials community progress bond. Represent >> lemon there's a all right there's a presentation. Can we see the presentation please? Good afternoon, Randy Garcia with Streets and Maintenance. Again, this presentation is the request for the budget transfer in order to finish setting up the the budget for the LMA line project that we're resurfacing. We're in the last phase. So, this aligns with goal seven again, enhance and sustain our passes infrastructure. The purpose of the budget transfer is to set up the resurfacing project for Lomoland. Uh the original amount that we estimated was 1.61 million and with the new improvements that we're doing with our resurfacing, the way that we are going down up to 4 in at times on on the artillery roads to provide a better riding surface, it actually came in 84,000 above our original request from 2020. So the request for action is that the city manager does in be authorized to effectuate the budget transfer for the streets maintenance department support of the project setup for lone land. The second part this is north of of the freeway from the community progress bond resurfacing top arterials arterials funded. >> Okay questions for Randy on this particular item number 46. >> All right hearing none. Seeing none, Miss Prime, please call for the vote. Yes sir. The motion was made by Representative Lemon, seconded by Representative Boyer Djo to approve item 46. On that motion, call for the vote >> in the voting session and that motion passes unanimously. >> Okay. Can we take item number 47, please? >> Yes. Item 47 is discussion and action on a resolution authorizing the city manager designate to sign a Texas Economic Development TED incentive program fund agreement between the city of El Paso and Rancho Del Rey, Inc. LLC in support of the Rancho Del Rey Logistics Park. >> Motion approved. >> Good afternoon. >> Good afternoon. >> Can we see your presentation, please? >> Of course. Karina Brazgala, economic and international development. So, I'll start with a little bit of background on the Texas the Texas Economic Development Fund, the program in general, and then we'll talk about the item on the agenda for today. So, first, the TED fund uh was approved by El Paso City Council on January 20th of 2021. This was following um successful intervention into the sale of the El Paso Electric Company. So, this is uh $80 million funded by Sun Jupiter uh over a period of 15 years. And so this is exclusively out of those sale revenues. So this is not from local taxpayers or local rateayers on the system. And the goal is to make funding available for financial incentives to promote economic development uh and economic impact within the El Paso Electric Texas service area. So that does cover more than just the city of El Paso. Here's the request process as outlined in the policy. So an application is received that can either be through our standard request for information, our uh chapter 380 incentives, other programs that the city runs or via direct submission. So we do have an application specific to this program and that is for anyone inside the eligibility area can submit a program from that point. The economic development department is responsible for reviewing uh the application for compliance with the policy. So meeting the metrics and requirements of the program and performing an economic impact analysis assuring that the program um the proposed projects meet that economic impact requirement. At that point it is presented to city council. Uh council has the option to approve or deny requests. There is no obligation just because it meets policy to approve a request. Um although I will jump ahead on this one. Staff does recommend approval of today's agreement. Here is a highlevel overview of the commitments on the fund. We receive 5.3 million annually into the fund. So it is not 80 million all at once. Um the most recent payment was due on the 15th. So just hit. Um and so we are looking at 31.9 to date into the fund. We have obviously had some payments out. Those items are on there, but we want to keep a high level look at our obligations and commitments because in the event that any of our expenditures exceed the available revenue, uh the city is solely responsible for that difference. We do not have a way to kind of pay ourselves back. So, we want to be very careful about those bottom line commitments. So, what we're looking at today is under the investment assistance program. Um, sorry, it looks like the E got cut off, but there are a couple of different uh programs within the TED fund policy. So you can look at jobs and investment. Um there's also infrastructure which is I think typically what council has acted on the past. But the investment assistance program is financial support for companies expanding establishing operations to offset a variety of costs. So job training, retrofitting, equipment relocation, property acquisition um related to just anything to get a business up and running or expanded. And then very specifically across this whole policy and this fund uh cannot cover costs related to generating or providing electric service. So, anything that directly competes with El Paso Electric, the investment assistance program has these kind of uh requirements and so we'll go through the at the end uh how this project meets those, but it must be within a target industry. So, those are listed there. Looking at your jobs and investment. So, the project must be essential for the location or expansion of businesses and uh must result in a minimum 10 million investment and 100 net new jobs to the EPE service area. Projects outside of the sim city limits must secure a 100% funding match from the area where the project is occurring. This is within city limits. Um so it's not applicable, but we always do want to look for projects that are backed with either other funding sources from within the city or of course private investment um to best leverage those dollars. So here's the project we're looking at today. This is Rancho Delray Logistics Park. This is at uh loop 375 and I 10. It is within district 6. Uh the project is related. It is a uh 775 million investment and an additional 5 million square feet of industrial space. The funds granted via TED fund would primarily be used for the construction of a regional drainage pond and associated drainage channel. So this will become public infrastructure. Um, it will take on additional capacity from the surrounding farmland which has been rapidly converting into industrial and warehousing related uses. It also provides some additional access to the America's 10 dam which will help with their maintenance and desilting programs. Um, the estimated project cost would be just over $3 million. The request is 2.325 which would be providing over five years, so $465,000 per year. um and that is to assist with this project which is necessary to move into phase two of the development. So those are those numbers I gave you all. Um providing additional warehouse space, some of you are aware of this, but when we're looking at warehousing, logistics, um industrial space in general to support some of those manufacturing uses, those defense related jobs, we are tapped out. Absorption is very rapid. Um as quickly as things come online, they are taken up. So the ability to provide just additional square footage to help the region stay competitive is very critical. Um, additionally, this area is just north of the Isleta port of entry, which city council recently invested an additional $5 million into. So, if we're looking at expanding and attracting that commercial truck traffic, um, having the warehouse space to match with that is really important. So, we would be looking at 2,000 full-time employees um, plus another 8,300 temporary construction jobs. Those are estimates at this point. Uh, this is a build to suit and they also are doing some speculative buildings. So they're targeting not just border trade logistics um but also you know they are the current home of Bosch which is an automotives electronics manufacturing and assembly. So also looking at some of those wire harnessing assembly and manufacturing uses. So it'll be a kind of mixed industrial development which is really important for us to consider. So the projected impact one uh providing these funds would allow them to proceed to the next phase of development, increase our competitive by adding that new warehouse space, also improve our long-term regional storm water management and resiliency. Um this project would meet the economic impact benefit analysis. So, we're looking at about 45 million in direct tax benefit um to the city. And that would not include things like business, personal property or sales because of course we don't know the final end users, but over a hundred million in regional benefit to the service area that we're looking at with this policy. This is a direct uh investment grant and so there is a couple of measures that the city is proposing to make sure that we're ensuring still performance and tying it to those performance metrics. So we would like to make sure that we are meeting development milestones that this money is not given and then you know future phases never come to be. Um one the developer would not let that happen. They've been pretty aggressive so far and so they'd like to continue building. They have that interest but we want time is of the essence. So we want to get this project online. Um so making sure that we're meeting development milestones for the completion of those infrastructure uh improvements and then also requiring annual reporting on development progress um economic impact including tenant commitments as they come in the job creation through those tenants additional infrastructure buildout and investment. Um, and then beyond just our standard kind of permitting, we've also asked that the developer coordinate with the city, other partner entities. So that could be the uh water utilities, the El Paso County Water Irrigation District, um, Tex DOT, etc. to make sure that we're aware of related projects that are either being proposed by public entities or by them to make sure that all of those coordinate and come online together. and then remaining in good standing with all permitting entities, obviously they have to pay their taxes, all of our kind of standard default clauses. And then again, because this is a um grant of direct cash assistance, the city has reserved the right to terminate for convenience. So any number of things that may not be uh a default or a compliance issue uh we would have the option to issue out kind of a notice to cure uh enter into that conversation and always terminate if this is no longer uh aligned with the policy or the priorities and the developer is comfortable with that. >> So just to remind everyone so these are the areas we're looking at. So the proposed project does meet the target industry metrics uh providing uh assistance in the business support services advanced manufacturing and advanced logistics sectors. We are looking at a project that is essential for the location and expansion of businesses across a number of those sectors and meeting those investment and job metrics with the $775 million investment and 2,000 net new jobs. Uh no local match requirement, but we are being matched of course by private investment on this one. And again, staff would recommend approval of the proposed program agreement uh as it meets the requirements of the policy, demonstrates a sufficient net positive impact to the EP Texas service area, and increases our competitiveness in key industries of trade and logistics. >> Representative Fiero. >> Thank you, Mayor Karina. Thank you and your team so very very much for bringing these great economic development opportunities to to us and um each and it benefits each and every one of us. But can I ask you in regards to the TED fund? The TED fund covers the entire uh El Paso electric service area. Is that correct? >> Yes. If we go >> So it's not only for the city of El Paso, it's the entire region. >> Yes. So it's not it's not like the world's greatest map, but it covers this. Uh New Mexico also received economic development funds that apply to their jurisdiction that are managed, but we're covering from here um out to uh Van Horn. So, it does cover the outlying regions of the county. >> Well, good. And thank you very much for not doing this in district 7. Do district six. Thank you, mayor. >> All right. And Karina, how long does it when do you think they'll actually start? >> I mean, they've already started, right? Phase one is complete and occupied. Um, I do believe we have some folks with the development on the line, so I don't know if they have a question, but quickly. >> Okay. Because I mean, five million square feet of industrial space, that's significant. >> That's huge. Yes. >> Wow. Okay. Any other questions for Karine on this particular item number 47? >> Thank you, mayor. >> I believe I already had a motion. >> Yes, sir. >> And then we have public comment on item 47. >> Yes, we have Miss Osmond. You asked about the TED fund. I'm kind of curious as to Karina says every time she talks about the TED fund that it it's not rate payers paying anything. But in reality, what that was is it is a compensation for that sale that goes to the city because rateayers eventually will get those hikes anyway. So you all got compensated and you're entrusted to do good by the residents whose rates will go up. Now they can say that this 80 million is not paid by rate increases. Yes, it's it it was it's it was compensation because at some point our rates are going to go up and they're going to make far more than that 80 million. I'm just kind of curious at the at this rate when are we going to deplete that 80 million? Also, she said a lot of this has already been built. Bosch is already there. So, does that mean they already did they already receive any Ted funds >> prior? Is this a second dip into the TED fund pool for the same company for the same area? I'd kind of kind of like to find out or because it's already on her list, right? As if it was already approved. But then again again like the wizards curtain's already off that you all approve. Motion to approve and approve before you actually listen to anything or anybody. If you don't understand what that looks like to everybody else, I mean, at least at least do it in proper cadence, like make sure you have the curtain drawn. play the whole wizard role, right? And do the motion to approve after you listen to people and at least give the citizens the illusion that you care about what's happening to the residents when you're doing out these funds that are actually city funds. They're not your funds. They're not Garina's funds either. >> All right, we have a motion in a second to approve item number 47. Mr. Bryan, call for the vote, please. >> That's correct. The motion was made by alternate mayor prom, seconded by representative Maldonado to approve item 47. On that motion, call for the vote and the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously. >> Okay, let's take item number 48, please. Item 48 is discussion and action on a resolution authorizing the city manager to execute a first amendment to that certain chapter 380 economic development program agreement executed on April 26, 2022 by between the city of El Paso and the Mills Plaza Properties 5 LP to provide a 12-month extension to obtain a certificate of occupancy in consideration of the applicant increasing the minimum investment to $30 million. >> Is there a motion to approve this item? Second. All right, Karina. >> All right, Karina Brascala again for the record. Uh, this is just a quick one. So, it's the Crest redevelopment. Um, I wish I had any pictures in here, but if you've walked by, you go you all seen significant progress on that building and it's looking very beautiful. So, the original project as approved by council is a minimum capital investment of $15.4 million plus an additional 3 million in the pedestrian and service tunnel system connecting the crest to the Plaza Hotel. um providing some of that additional services connections for kitchen, gym, uh spa facilities. So just over 18 I think just 18.4 altogether. Proposed restoration of the historic Crest building including retail, entertainment, restaurant, those spa services and meeting space across the three floors. This was the approved incentive package. No modifications are proposed to this today. So, including the city construction sales tax rebate, property tax rebates for 20 years at 100% provided out of tax increment reinvestment zone number five, sales and use tax rebate for 10 years at 100% and then the county has also joined us with a 10-year rebate on property tax. City permitting and development fees were also waved, uh, including some of those applicable to the special privileges and the use of the rightway to assist with getting that tunnel uh, constructed and built. The pro projected 20-year direct tax benefit once this project is online is uh just about matching that. It's about two million directly to the city in terms of tax benefit, 1.3 to the county, and then of course to our other partners at EPISD, Downtown Management District, uh University Medical Center, and EPCC. The requested amendment uh the current uh construction completion deadline is December 31st of this year. So in just a few weeks, they are very very close. Um but due to some significantly atypical construction delays. So there's some really unique um roof, some foundations, um some specialists, um asbestos, despite multiple rounds of environmental screening that were undetected, needed to be remediated. Um we are requesting with the developer a 12-month extension to December of 2026. And so in consideration, the city will receive additional investment uh up to 30 million with that. So that minimum investment does translate into additional tax revenue and benefits. Staff would recommend approval providing the 12-month extension in consideration for that increase of minimum investment to $30 million and uh allowing this significant project for downtown El Paso to be completed and opened. >> All right. Thank you, Karina. Is there any questions for Karina on this particular item number 48? All right, Miss Prime, we have public comment. >> Yes, sir. We have Miss Osmond. I would think Mr. Panon would speak on this since this is his district. But uh so she said an additional 30. Is that 30 in complete over the 15 and the additional 3 million which was 18 million. So are we looking at closer to 45 million or 30 million total? it it was a bit confusing on your documents and how you said it. So just to clarify if you could clarify for all the citizens that'd be great but since uh Mr. Canales and people like numbers. So, uh, our billionaire Paul Foster is receiving $2 million from this, right? Although he donated 2.5 million to UTIP athletics. So, this money was basically going to fund UTIP so that he could get that tax off of his uh whatever profits. You know, you donate, you're going to get a tax cut. It's strange how it is. somebody who gave a hundred million to Baylor for a basketball pavilion and then an additional 35 million to Baylor for their business department is still getting handouts from our city, from our taxpayers, from the most vulnerable citizens in this community. How is a billionaire? And yeah, Lisa Turner is right. You know, all 380s there's an issue with it. But how is a billionaire? How how are you all fine? I I don't know. Chihuahua is fine. Yeah. Enjoy the games. I out of principle have never stepped into that stadium. But it is really strange how it is. Y'all will still hand him money. Take the donations and hand a billionaire money when as the Kelly Center, Mr. Canales can agree, already gave a speech to you guys, did a presentation that we have the highest poverty level. There are working poor in this town struggling to pay their taxes and you're handing them over to a billionaire. And every time it's like a motion to approve before you hear anything because you're going to do whatever whatever for those that are putting money in your discretionary funds. The poorest most highly poverty city in Texas according to the Kelly Center. Mr. Canales and you all are handing money to a billionaire. Merry Christmas, >> Representative Canales. >> Thank you, mayor. Just to answer the question, uh that the amount is the total investment, not the it's not a >> total investment. So, we're going from 18.4 to 30. >> I will say that the total project cost is probably up above 50 million, but we have um certain costs that are allowable on the city side, so that's reflection of that. >> Understood. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any further discussions for Karine on this item? >> All right, Mr. Frank, call for the vote. >> The motion was made by Representative Ganales, seconded by Mayor Prom Chavez, and this is to approve the resolution on item 48. On that motion, call for the vote and the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously. >> And council, this is our last meeting of the year. I want to wish each and every one of you happy holidays. I can't believe it went this fast. >> It was an incredible fast year, but uh happy holidays to each and every one of you and would entertain a motion to adjourn for 2025. >> Second. >> There's a motion and a second to adjourn the regular city council meeting. All in favor? >> I. >> Anyone opposed? And the regular city council meeting for Tuesday, December 16th, 2025 is adjourned at 2:41 p.m. Thank you, council.