again. >> Um, let's uh let's ask the I'm sorry. We're going to ask the county clerk, Michelle Cochran, um, to call county meeting to order. Thank you, chairman. It is 9:07 on Friday, September 19th, 2025, and according to the camera commissioner's court is present at the El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization meeting. >> Thank you, Michelle. All right, let's uh stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Mr. Can you please proceed with a roll call? >> Sure. Thank you. >> Good morning. >> Morning. >> All right. Beginning with Chair Ces Blanco, Vice Chair Javier Pere, County Commissioner Jackie Butler, Mayor Rudy Cruz, Representative Chris Canales, Mayor Ramono, Mayor Miguel Chakon, Representative Alejandra Chavez, >> Senator Joseph Cvantes, Erin Chalaria >> here, >> Anthony Daiser >> here, >> Representative Artier Ro, >> Commissioner Gloria Romero, Representative Mary Gonzalez, Eva Nandez, >> Commissioner Elan, >> Mayor Renard Johnson, Mayor Martin LMA, >> uh, City Manager Dion Mack, >> Representative Joe Mury, Representative Eddie Morales, uh, Mayor Danna Murio, Tony, here. >> Representative Claudia Oras. Uh, Representative Vince Perez >> here. >> Mayor Rachel Kintana >> here. >> Mayor Andrea >> here. >> Judge Ricardo Sangoas here. >> Uh, Representative Sarah Silva and Thomas >> here. >> All right. So, we do have comments. >> Thank you, Mr. Ko. Uh, I'd like to ask the county clerk Cochran to do the roll call for the meeting for any announcements. >> President County Judge Ricardo Sango, Commissioner Iliano, and Commissioner Jackie Butler. >> Thank you very much. Let the record show that represent Canales and Tomasinho are present. >> All right. Um, do we have public comment? >> Yes. Um for general public comments, Alex McCrae, he's online. >> All right. Um his name again, Marisol. >> Alex McCrae. >> Alex. What? >> McCree. >> Okay. Alex, you you're on for public comment. >> Please turn on your camera and the microphone please. Alex McCrae, >> we can hear you. Yeah, we can hear you now. >> And remember, you've got three minutes. >> Okay. >> Good morning, everybody. Um so I I kind of wanted to bring more attention to how we bridge the gap between uh transportation between our municipalities and uninccorporated areas in the region. Uh I think starting off is optimizing our current largest city's metro system. So that's Sun Metro um by minimizing headways transfers and and creating a more consolidated transportation route to key locations within the city. Um, if I could please get your attention to the the third slide of my presentation. Um there's a there's a couple maps and depictions of this type of pedestrian and transit routes and one in particular is an 8 mile stretch going from the international airport through the medical developments over by Python Alamela through the uh border international crossing um county policy downtown and UT. I think that this or eight mile stretch of corridor would be a first iteration of a prioritized public transportation and pedestrian corridor. Um it would bring a lot of benefits including affordable housing with efficient utility infrastructure, improving healthc care access, economic mobility, improving our nightlife, public safety and improving you know uh tourism and attraction. Um, I think this is something that uh would be very beneficial for our community and for the region at large as we slowly incorporate more of these multimodal infrastructure into our mobility portfolio. Um, I would also say that, you know, uh, highway expansions I think are probably not the best form of economic development for the inner city anymore. And I think you know going to the state and within the legislature in the state of how we can divest in fuel taxes to fund these projects because you know fuels it's a limited resource and it it's something that won't be along very at the rate that it's getting used at. So, um, yeah, I I think that this 8 mile stretch of corridor would be the prime first iteration for for improving the way that everybody moves around within our region. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. McCrae. Any other um individuals signed up for public comment? >> None for the county either. >> Thank you. Okay, moving on to discussion and action items. Item number one. >> Before that, Mr. Chairman, I just need to read something into the record. As a matter of expedience, and because the commissioner's court has adopted the EPMPO agenda with only changes necessary to acknowledge rules or laws that apply to the county commissioner's court, EPMPO's reading of each agenda item is also considered readin for the county commissioner's court. In the event there is any action taken by individual members of the commissioner's court, such action will be deemed taken in his or her capacity as an EPMP member and not the El Paso Commissioner's Court. And therefore, no commissioner's court action will be noted after each agenda item. Thank you. All right. So, let's begin then with our discussion and action items. Item one is consider approval of the minutes of the August 22nd, 2025 TPB meeting. >> Approve. There's a motion to Here's a motion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Uh, all in favor? >> Any opposed? Motion passes. Item number two is consider approval of amendments to the amended regional mobility strategy RMS 2050 metropolitan transportation plan MTP and the RMS 20252028 transportation improvement program tip for the following Texas highway project. Mr. Chair, items A through E um um as shown in the agenda um I would recommend that we take them all all together if possible. These are fairly simple uh amendments. We're just pretty much uh uh deprogramming projects that are no longer uh felt necessary by the sponsoring agencies. And of course, it frees up some some of the category 5 uh CMAC funds. Um we're happy to we have a presentation. Nina's here to answer any questions if you have any uh at this time. >> Thanks. Sure. What's going to be the process I guess for uh these funds now that they're going to be freed up? Is there going to be a call for projects um or or are they going to go to accelerate existing projects? What's going to be that process? >> So, we are exactly at the at that point right now. We are currently building our new uh uh metropolitan transportation plan which is a 202 RMS. That's what we're calling it. So, we are right now in the middle. We had a call for projects and um so you know we are working with all the sponsoring agencies you the municipalities the county text New Mexico DOT everybody and right now we are in the process of consolidating all the projects uh we went we're going through a a scoring process on evaluation at the same time we are talking with each of the of the individual um agencies as well to understand priorities and and as we speak, we are right now in the next couple of weeks and our plan is to bring that prioritized list to the to the uh technical committee to TAC next month and to the policy board next month as well. So the the answer to your question is yes. There's been a a call now that these project part of the part of this exercise is again going back to the agencies and saying well review your projects if there is something that you no longer need because it's not a priority project because you know things change right and uh so this is what we're doing now freeing up formally freeing up this money that goes back into the pot and now it's now it's available for for the projects >> and then these funds have to be obligated by fiscal year 2027. No, this are um I mean we're deprograming projects in fiscal year 27, others in 28. There's really no no urgency to to obligate the funds. There's urgency in in terms of programming in in the tip. So, we're going to free these these funds for these five specifically for these five projects. they go back into the pot and as we select projects we're going to be programming these funds categories five and seven and and all the different categories. So, is this money that's it's not sitting in the bank right now, right? It's it's funds that we're anticipating to to get. >> Well, yeah. I mean, these are these are funds that have been programmed for us in the next, you know, 10 years, right? These are based on the on on the forecast on the UTP. Now, the the four years the the immediate four years into the future, which are the tip years, right? Those are the ones that u that where we have you know most assurance that that the money is going to be there right so once your project makes it into the tip there is a super high level of assurance of the that the money is there it's almost well we can't say it's a done deal but it's it's a high super high level of assurance >> and and and why did they reduce >> and tail El Paso NPO. Part of the reason that these specific items are coming forward, there it's twofold. One is that uh we received word from the sponsor that these projects are being uh uh pursued with with other funds. So no longer within the NOS's pot. But another reason is that this pertains to an item that we brought before this board last month pertaining to the strategy to get back into uh fiscal constraint for category 5 CMAC because uh the current UTP shows a very significant reduction that begins within the tip year. So we had everything programmed pretty much to the letter uh under the formerly anticipated amounts and we needed to reduce those amounts uh through a series of formal and informal amendments. So these are the formal amendments being brought back for you this month to approve and the informal amendments mainly involved moving money out of category 5 and into other funding categories for which those projects were eligible. So this is kind of this one of the prongs of the strategy that was brought before you last month. So for this particular item, it's a little bit less that we now have additional money available and it's a little bit more that we are now back in fiscal constraint. We're not overprogrammed for the funding category. >> And do we have any idea as to why I guess in the states UTP that they reduced our allocation by 25%. I mean is that something that we need to address with text? Was this like a statewide thing or did you know if it only affected El Paso or were there you know reductions across the board? >> Yeah, the the answer well it's a as always complicated answer. The reason why the funds were reduced is twofold. One is that the total pot remember cap 5 is is federal. So the state of Texas gets an allocation you just like the other states based on a on a formula right and those formulas are um dependent on how many non-attainment areas you have in the state and how many non so at the federal level at the state level well let me start say that the the federal share that Texas got was reduced right I'm not sure exactly why if other areas more but I think it's just that the that the program itself was reduced at the federal level. But once the the allocation uh of Texas comes in, text has the ability to distribute the funds. The reason why we were reduced, and I think Ann addressed it a couple meetings ago, is that the other non-attainment areas in the state of Texas, basically Dallas, Fort Worth, and and Houston, their air quality got worse, right? So their non-attainment status went from well it it it went a notch up for the worse, right? Um so because of that now they get more CMAC money because CAC is is intended to to address congestion and and air quality. So um you can look at it in in a way that well yeah we get penalized for doing keeping our air quality okay and the other ones get rewarded be because they need more money because their air quality got got worse. That's the the reason why this year the our share also was reduced by about 25%. um what to do and this is something that that we need to discuss with with uh with the state delegation if there is an opportunity to change because this is coded in so the the the TAC right the the state code if we could um because PM10 which is one of the pollutants that we're in nonattainment for is not considered in the formula the formula is only ozone right so we are the only nonattainment area in the state of Texas for PM10 10, right? So, we're not getting points for being a nonattainment for PM10. So, maybe that's one thing that uh that I was going to plan to to bring to to the chair and and to the delegation to see if there's something we can do about that. >> And this is something that we've discussed with the TTC in the past um formally actually at at the TTC and then in in individual conversations with with the uh commissioners. Um, I think it's my understanding that San Antonio also uh uh not only Houston but San Antonio is also nonattainment. So the pie slices become smaller uh for our communities. But definitely something to your point something we should address as a delegation and and see how we don't lose out because other we're penalized because others essentially are are in the same category. Right. >> Thank you. Thank you chairman. >> All right. So, any more questions on the item? >> Let the record show Speaker Moody and represent Gonzalez present. >> Uh, any other questions? We have a motion. >> We have a second. Uh, any opposed? >> In favor? >> All right. Item number three is consider approval of an amendment to the RMS 20252028 tip to program the border highway connector DHC construction phase project CRN E1000391/MPID A606X using 56,250,000 of Federal Highway Administration INFA grant funds and 113,750,000 of other state funds for a total project cost of $170 million in fiscal year 2025 and amend the amended RMS 2050 MTP to change the fiscal year from 2028 to 2025. That was a mouthful. Um so the with this item we are formally programming the the border highway connector project in the state of New Mexico. Formally programming the project in the tip. So, it's uh it it's we're very excited that this is finally happening. It wasn't easy as Mr. Chavaria can can attest. Um but we're excited that to bring this item to you, program the funds so that the project can move on to to construction. Um there were some some pretty tight deadlines that needed to be met. Um part of the deadlines were related to the federal grant that is that we're programming formally now into the tip. Um and also uh for for the state of New Mexico to find the state funds that needed to complement the federal funds to get to the $170 million. So with that, Erin, I don't know if you want to say anything else or about the project and how quickly you're going to move forward to to build it. >> I'm just glad we we we were able to get there. We're still on the 11th hour. So, thank you guys. I >> My understanding was elevated to the governor's governor's level. Um, so thank you. Appreciate the work. Yeah, this is probably Erin, correct me if I'm wrong, but it was a top priority at the state level in terms of the the size of the project and being a new location project and and and of course it it's going to help us a lot in connecting improving the connection to the Santa Teresa port of entry. Um, as you know, we are also looking at what what we call a phase two. uh we received some funds from the New Mexico legislature to look at the impacts because nothing is is perfect, right? So to analyze the impacts once that connection is made to McNut in the vicinity of the city of Sun Park, how that traffic is going to to move into Texas and identify the the hot spots and and you know prepare for that. But overall, you know, staff has always been very supportive of the project and we're excited to bring $170 million here to the region. >> Any other questions? Move to approve, Mr. Chair. >> We have a motion to approve. Do we have a second? We've got a second. All in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? Motion passes. >> Thank you. All right. Item four is consider authorizing the executive director to sign a letter of support for the city of El Paso's fiscal year 2025 bridge investment program planning grant application for the Pedas bridge reconstruction design project. Uh here we have Omar Martinez from the city of El Paso with a brief presentation. >> Good morning chair TPP members. My name is Omar Martinez with the city of El Paso. This project is a design project for uh submitted to the US Department of Transportation typical of other city grant applications. Um it it focuses on the uh bridge that is adjacent that connects to I 10 along Pedras and if you recall that bridge it splits awkwardly. Uh it is a design that no longer is effective especially with the modernization of I 10 and city of El Paso was being proactive in designing or or proposing a new design so that we can uh accommodate whatever the aftermath of I 10 modernization is. This is a $3 million project of which we are requesting $2.4 million from the federal government matched by $600,000 from the city of El Paso. And we are uh pretty confident that we can secure this funding uh with support of the TPB. Obviously, it is a requirement. Happy to answer any questions about it. >> Any questions? >> Thank you. >> We have a motion to approve. >> We have a motion. We have a second. All in favor? >> Any opposed? Motion passes. >> All right. Now, moving on to reports and discussion. Item number five, the quarterly reports. We have A, administrative amendments report, D, project completion report, C, project readiness report, and D, RMS 2020 projects report. Um, all of these are in your backup. Uh, we're ready to to give you a presentations on these if you so desire. It's going to be That's true. >> Again, the the reports are, you know, for more forformational purposes. We don't see any any major issues with projects getting behind. Well, there's always issues, right, with with project development. But, uh, but, uh, we don't see anything really major that that needs, you know, close attention. But again, we're happy to give you all a presentation if you so desire. >> Any questions? Okay. I think we can move forward. All right, then moving on to item six, executive director's report. Um, a the IBC strategic plan update. Just quickly, as you know, we uh had our kickoff meeting for the IBC strategic plan on August the 6th. Very well attended. Since then, we've been working uh staff with the consultant team and and putting really working hard on the first step, which is really to do a full-blown evaluation of our existing conditions. So, we are working again with the stakeholders on the US side, on the Mexican side as well, private sector, public sector and um and just putting it together. Um we are also working with um entities in Huarees for another meeting that is tentatively planned for October 21st. Uh that's an an activity that's being uh sponsored by God, which is one of the economic development uh uh groups in in Huarees along with the city of Huarees and EMEP, our counterparts. And of course, you know, the MO and and and uh the city, the county, and all the New Mexico border authority as bridge operators and and owners um are going to be participating as well. So again, you know, very heavy and sometimes uh complicated uh putting these events together because we've got so many stakeholders on both sides of the border, again, private sector, public sector. But uh we we will let you know and and make the invitation at this meeting in October. We plan to present um as much as we have of the existing conditions report. So it's not just a report of the physical infrastructure and you know geometry of the I mean how many lanes, how many boots and and so on but it's it's also the and evaluate the current operation as far as um you know traffic volumes on on in both directions of trucks and private vehicles, pedestrians and and so on. So, uh, again, so, uh, please be on the lookout for those invitations and hopefully you guys can can, uh, can join us. Um, B, the text downtown tent public hearing held September 16th. Um, earlier this week, um, I attended the public hearing. There was a lot of people there. And this is again this is part of the process to to get the environmental document approved for the downtown tent project. Um so I'm going to put Damas on the spot if you want to say anything about the meeting itself. >> Um the meeting I thought the meeting was well attended. We had about 155 uh people join us. Uh comment period goes through October 14th. Uh but I thought overall went well and and all the material now that was presented at the public hearing is online. >> Yeah. Very very well attended and and again I think the important to to let everybody know that the comment period is still open through you said October 14th. >> Yes sir. >> Comments questions on that. All right. Um, see the El Paso MO Border Plex safe mobility plan public comment period. Um, and do you want to just give a brief update on where we are? [Music] >> Good morning again. So, the MO has been working on our regional safety action plan for about the past year and a half. We have the final draft currently up on the Border Plex Safe Mobility Plan website. It is available for public comment between now and October 10th. And we really want to make sure that everyone has a chance to take a look at it, make sure we got it right. Um, within the plan, we have the uh high injury and high-risisk networks developed. We have uh segments for o the overall region. So the entire MO regardless of its jurisdiction on the Texas side, on the New Mexico side, we have um segments identified for each of our municipalities or those uh uh those roadways within their area that have had the most collisions or share attributes with those facilities that uh are perceived to be the highest risk based on collision data and the causes of those collisions. Um, we have counter measures identified for all of our different crash types and their profiles. And so we are specifically looking to make sure that we got that right, that we're not missing anything, and that uh the uh the counter measures that are suggested as solving the collisions that we experience in our region in particular are the correct counter measures. Um, so that is at borderplexafe.org. There is a separate tab that is for the draft plan. So we encourage everyone to go on there to read it and to share with us any comments that you have. Um we are bringing this plan forward in the November meeting cycle for TPB adoption and that that adoption by the TPB is part of the requirement of the federal grant since all of this work is being done through the safe streets for all uh grant. So, we'll we encourage you to look at the uh the plan um and provide any comments and u and we'll we'll bring it back in in November. All right. So, before we break, one more thing a reminder. Um the October meeting which is going to be held um when is it Marisol? The the date? >> October 17th. >> October 17th. Okay. Uh this meeting um will be scheduled at 9:30 because October again we we begin with a new uh fiscal year. So we we reset remember that uh that based on the on the training continuous education policy of the of that the board adopted many years ago. You are required to have five hours of of training by the February TPB meeting. So, we're going to start with the training sessions in in October, October through uh February. So, the training will be at 8:30 in the morning and and the actual TPV meeting will be scheduled for 9:30. So, just a a heads up and I know Marisol is going to be sending a new round of of uh calendar appointments. >> So, with that, that's all I have. Chair, >> no items for executive session. >> No items. >> Okay. Uh with that uh there's no further business. Entertain a motion to adjurnn. So move second. Any opposed? Commissioner's Court has adjourned at 9:37 a.m.