Let's call the meeting to order. City of Laredo, regular city council meeting, city council chambers, 11:10 Houston Street, Laredo, Texas, October 28, 2024, 5:30 p.m. Time 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. >> Moment of silence, please. Thank you. May be seated. >> Mr. Secretary, roll call, please. >> Yes, Mayor. Honorable mayor, Dr. Victor D. Trainho >> present. >> Council member District 1, Gilbert Gonzalez. >> Council member District 2, Ricardo Lanel Jr. >> Council member District 3, Melissa Cigaroa >> here. >> Council member District 4, Albert Alberto Torres Jr. >> here. >> Mayor for TMP, Ruben Gutier Jr. >> Present. >> Council member district 6, Dr. Tyler King >> here. Council member District 7, Vanessa Perez. Council Member District 8, Alisa Sigaroa. >> Mayor, you have a quorum. >> Thank you. >> Mr. Mayor, I'd like to make a motion to approve the minutes of September the 3rd, 2024, September 11, September 16, October 1, October 21st, all of the same year 2024. >> Second. >> Second. Motion second. All in favor? >> I opposed. Motion passes. Before we go into citizens comments. Good evening everyone. I want to thank everyone for being here tonight and getting involved in our local government. Some house housekeeping matters and information to the public. I will be going to Washington to the White House this week. The city will also be submitting the Columbia Bridge expansion application. But most important, I want to make sure that people exercise the right to vote as we are seeing a historic number at the polls so far. And I think we're on track to potentially break our previous records. We will continue to do more block walking this week as well. I also want the community to be very careful with pedestrians, especially children this October 31st as they will be walking their neighborhoods in the evening when they are trick-or-treating. With that being said, we have a full agenda today. So, I think I would like to request the public to be patient as we move quickly and possibly through the important matters that we have before us. similar to a courtroom or legislature. I would like also to encourage the public engagement and comments as their request that they be respectful and within the rules and the decorum of the chamber. So we are still working with the context of several emergency declarations for resources and support regarding a water system especially since there are still state officials on the ground assessing us with this task. I'm going to bring forward the water related items and only the water related items after the recognitions and then we will go through the agenda. So my motion is to bring up agenda item number 115 A1 A3, agenda item 115 B1, agenda item 115 B2, agenda item 115 E3, agenda item 115 F1, then items 93, staff report 108 and on the supple Mental agenda 22. >> Second. >> Motion second. All in favor? >> Opposed? Motion pass. >> Yes. >> For the record. >> Okay. For the record, please. >> Thank you. >> Yes. >> Citizens comments. You said the recognition. >> Uh, we How many citizen comes? >> A lot. >> Yeah, let let me hold up. >> How many do I have? >> Yeah, a lot. >> Okay, I think we need to do a recognition first before the cent's comment because we do have quite a bit of comments. Recognition for Ivana Rosel. Since 2020 2022, Ivana has demonstrated exceptional dedication in her volunteer work in Alisburg project and nonprofit providing homemade items to the NICU families at Laredo Medical Center and at Doctor's Hospital of Laredo. In June 2024, she co-founded with her mother, Heartbeats of Hope, to advocate for premature babies. Their personal experiences with Ivana's premature birth has deepened their commitment to this cause. So far this year, Ivana has accumulated about 80 hours of community service. As junior Miss Texas all-American Miss 2024, she has supported various organizations including communities and school crimes stopppers, border region, Ruth Bow rehabilitation center, Kasam Cordia and the Little Free Library and has served as special guest at numerous local events. In addition to her volunteer work, Ivana is an AB honor role seventh grade student at Washington Middle School where she is a member of the STEM Academy and the 2020 2024 2025 sparkless dance team dance team social officer. Ivana aspires to be become a meteorologist driven by a fascination with weather patterns and a desire to understand how weather impacts our daily lives. Her interest in meteorology reflects her commitment to science and problem solving and she is eager to leverage this passion to contribute valuable insights to the field. Ivana's acade academic achievements compelled with her volunteer efforts and pageant role highlight her unwavering commitment to community service as her role as a resilient inspiring young leader. Proceed with the recognition. [Applause] You want to get closer and then you want to move to the back so we can get a better picture. Here we go. One, two, three. >> Can we get the parents? >> One, two, three. One more please. >> Thank you. All right, proceeding to citizens comments. Maxine Roberts Rebellis. >> Rebellis, sorry. Oh, >> this one. >> Is that better? Uh, my name is Maxine Trazes. For the record, um, we um really need a timeline from you to find out what happened with the water uh system. There was a breakdown in communication and management of this Equalite outbreak. Equalite started to appear in our drinking water more than a year ago in August 2023. Your job is to come clean and be honest with the people of Laredo. I now want to turn to item 93 that would allow the city manager to seek membership into the Legacy Water Supply Corporation. You still haven't provided people of this community with an independent study to tell us how by how much our water rates are going to go up. striking a deal with WA Walker water, which you did back in June. How cheap and available will their water supply be for Larrito? You need to tell us everything that you have avoided telling us in the last council meeting in June, which you held at noon when most people can't even show up. And worse, you didn't even mention the name on your agenda. Why hasn't Laredo been going out to Austin and doing the same thing that Tise is doing? It looks like Tise is cornering Laredo and the city manager and forcing us into a dependent and subservient relationship that they can profit from while at the same time they will undercut the economic foundation of Laredo by directly competing with our trade industry. It's a parasitic project and apparently Laredo isn't defending ex extr territorial jurisdiction rights. Where is the city manager? Where is the mayor? Laredo had rights to water supply around Laredo and we didn't fight for them. Oh, where'd he go? This family got water rights from land owners, including their own, and then formed a local government corporation. Why didn't you fight for our water rights and do what Tissa is doing? Their city doesn't even exist. Has anyone even seen the agreement with Legacy uh got with Texas Water Development Board? What does that look like? How come no one from the public has seen this? The administration is asleep at the will and yet you want people in this community to agree tonight to have the city manager enter in a subservient relationship with legacy and you now want to cut XYZ projects after you didn't do what you needed to do to protect our water supply in the first place. This is unacceptable. And that's all I got to say. [Applause] Stanford Hikes. French train. So Mayor, may I be heard? >> Yes, go ahead. >> Um, I know we can't engage, but can someone from management identify what district this is in and if maybe they can assist her >> at five? >> I don't mean to intrude, but I would assume that it'd be great that someone from our management team reach out to her to get the information needed and maybe Mr. Porter or Mr. Fila can work with her to find a solution to this. >> I I believe I saw your email come through. You sent the email, right? >> Okay. Um I had staff out there today. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Porter Davis. Peter Davis. >> Peter. >> Peter Davis. I'm sorry. Yes. Uh, thank you for letting me come to speak before you. Trying to open this so you see it on your screen. This shows Miss Vel's um property looking for my property after um about six months as it was getting worse and worse and u and so uh uh my yard I first noticed it that my yard was starting to die and I know it had enough water and so I couldn't figure out what was wrong with it and um then it started to look a little bit more like a salt flat in my backyard more and more as it went along and uh the same one in my noticed that we we had there's another subdivision right next to us and they built this big subdivision. They put a 10 10 foot my wife calls it the prison wall, concrete wall there and and they didn't do the drainage right and they actually put holes through so that that water would drain into our properties and mine's very close as you'll see in the pictures. This is a picture straight down. What you're seeing on there is the the water that was in there. And at first this was full of all these small little trees and they they all died. And then um then it started to be get worse and worse and bigger holes full of water and we couldn't figure out where the water was going. So first we started to rip down the fence to find out what was happen um behind that and try to find out what we could do about it. And there were we found many holes where there was water coming out right through the wall and um that they knew that they were putting water onto our property or causing the problem. This is this what I just put in the show because it has the ball so you can see the size of it. There's there was about 19 of these holes that were like this. There was a really big one on on Myra's property also. And and so we um so it got worse and worse. So, what we had to do is we had to put in a French drain just as she was saying. Um, and that's this is what it looks like when you dig the ditch. Then you put a pipe in there. You drill the pipe and you put stone underneath and then you put netting around it and then you cover it over. And um, what happens is all the water that's coming from above that gravel will go into that and can be drained away in a safe way. Um, but that cost me um about $12,000 plus another $3,000. Now, this shows the yard where it was getting worse. My property was full of trees from all over the place that were beautiful. The only one that's left is the line tree that has anything on it. And um and this shows closer to my property and the edge of her property. And you can see on the left part, the right part of this picture, the water standing in there. And part of that was we put skim coating on that because there was all this water coming through the the block wall and that cost us another $3,000. So, but on my property it it was more expensive because there's no room as you can see by this gentleman that that was working there. Um that there's hardly any room between the two houses. So, we had to cut the concrete, dig the dig the trench and then put that in cover with >> soil and then um >> put the concrete back. This shares a picture of my foot there when the concrete's back, but it's it's cracking the foundations of my house and it's pushing my house up on one side and it's cracking actually on the opposite side of my house because the house is being tilted somewhat. So, I don't know what to do about it. Um, especially because there's many places that are in this. This is a video that shows the water. It's kind of hard to see. You have to look close at your screen. The water was coming down the wall like that and it's coming from many, many places there. and they knew that the contractor um I used to work in survey and I'm the plantarian director now by the way and um I used to work as a surveyor and and a draftsman and so I do know something when they when they made the foundations they didn't make the foundation quite right in this wall and he was he was mad because he told me he was mad the contractor for that to the main contractor and they filled up about 4 and 1/2 ft the ground level above us and then they're supposed to grate all that water away but it wasn't done properly. >> All right. >> So, so we feel that >> we don't know what to do really because it's costing us a lot of money and um what are we >> can we can we stay into his problem please so we can look at all his his situations there. >> Mayor, if I may, over the course of the last several years, we've had utilities go in there. We've had public works go in there as well through you all. And I don't know what the issue is, but nothing's been determined yet. And I I'd like to get to the bottom of it so we can please get staff to get on it ASAP. Thank you. All right. Okay. >> Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Yeah. Have a good day. >> Thank you. >> Afternoon, doctor. >> Afternoon. >> My main concern right now is Clark Boulevard. It has been a It was a disaster before and now it's getting worse. You all planted so many trees, oak trees, that it's going to be worse than it is right now. Instead of making Clark safer and better, you have made it worse. First, you put fake cactuses that you took it away and it's all dirt right now. Not dirt, it's all dirty there. I had never seen the 2200 block of Clark clean till you all started doing work around there. I said, "Wow." Nobody could remember when was the last time because they had freezer that's in front of the uh your insight house. It was all clean. I said, "Wow, finally you all are planting almost five up to five oak trees per block. You know how big they grow? You know how much you all are going to spend out there? Every day you have to water them. 20 of them already dead. You already wasted that much. There's up to six people working out there daily that it comes out of our pocket. I don't know where you all got those trees from. But I looked around and basically about what $200 per tree. That's only the tree, not the labor. Wasted money going down the drain. Instead of making it safer, you have made it worse. Look at it. You all planted those fake cactuses. You took them out. Good. But you still have that those sign that says you're in high area. Nobody else has signs that says you're in this area and you're in this area. Wasted money. Stop throwing our money away. Do it for better purposes. You got awesome parks that you can expend. You got to walk away from Aluro Park. You know how far that goes? Have you ever walked that any of you? It's beautiful all the way up to the river without hitting the street. Make it more beautiful for people to walk around there. Instead of wasting our money on things that we really didn't need and that we don't need it, make it make them turning lanes. Make it safer for everybody else. You made it a disaster instead of progressing and advancing for the raid to make it more beautiful. Another thing, when you put cement like they did over there on Meadow and Saunders, don't paint the bottom part yellow. Paint on top where you have cement. You'll see it better than on the floor. I took pictures of a legway where I went over there and I showed it to you all the last time. It's a big difference. Half of the street is to turn left and the other to turn the other lip. You make it safer for everybody. Make it safer. Take the medium off. Clean it all up and make it safer for everybody else. Advance. Let's go forward, not backwards. We're going backwards in this stuff. Please. I hope you all listen. We could talk about a lot of other things but mainly right now is that part right now. That's all I want to say right now. Thank you all very much. Thank you for your time. [Applause] Ricardo Ortalo. >> Uh, good afternoon. Uh, I am Ricardo Tado. Uh I would like to address this honorable city of Laredo City Council, the honorable city mayor, Dr. Victor Vitrainho, and citizens gathered here to respectfully ask from Mayor Trevinho his cons his consideration into the vetoing of ordinance 20240200. Um myself as thousands of Laredo citizens were not aware that this ordinance would grant a raise in money's monetary compensation on city council members. I believe that it is in the best interest of our city community and your government's administration the nurturing and maintaining of an informed knowledgeable and active constituency. Honorable Major, uh, your viewer would give a a halt to this ordinance, which we feel was passed without the proper disclosure procedures and acknowledgement to us, the citizens of Laredo. Um, we would like to be informed and have our questions, opinions heard before this ordinance may go in effect. Honorable mayor, if you give us your citizens, your people, Suente, the opportunity to learn the facts, procedures, and information within this ordinance, you will give us not only a voice, but a learning experience that will aggregate to our city's building of community, to its feeling of trust, and towards the love for our institutions. Gracias. >> Thank you. Valentine Ree. Valentine Valer Ree. For the record, on September 15, 2024, council members Gonzalez, Franel Torres, Gutierrez, Vanessa Perez, and the mayor received a 40% raise. For the council members, 20,000 plus 14% add-on for the pension is $24,000 raise. For the mayor is 30,000 plus the 14% is about 35,000 raise that you gave yourselves. The leaders pushing these raise were Vanessa Perez, Albert Torres, and Ricardo Ranel. What loophole did they use to give themselves a raise without citizen taxpayer input? Well, let me tell you, they had to go back to 2016. Now he more makes more than a hundred thousands thanks to his sister Monica Ranel Garcia. He's making more money than our mayor. Mayor point of order. I'd ask that you ask this defamatory primo. Primo Ricardo Rael. How did this play out? Hey Stean, on the raise you gave yourself $50,000. It states salary and allow allowances are inclusive. salary plus allowances to total $50,000. No, Primo, I didn't mean that. Let me make you a letter saying that. That's not what I meant. Salary is separate from allowances. And he signed it 913 2024. Did the attorneys call the other council members from 2016? I ask. I doubt it. In my humble opinion, taxes like the dirty taxes like this have to end. And the only way to end these dirty tactics and tricks is to make yourselves more to make yourselves more rich out of our taxpayer dollars is to vote you out. $24,000 a year or 1,600 a month is a lot of money. The only people that refused and did not take advantage of this dirty trick were Alisa Sigaroa, Melissa Sigaroa, and Tyler King. To them, I say thank you. [Applause] Thank you very much. Before we go into our next citizen comment, please remember no derogatory remarks. Fernando Baldaso No Valdo for the record. Uh mayor, uh as you know, we experienced another water situation. Uh something that's been happening often. Uh I remember back in uh March 9, 2022, city council and the mayor went for a 50 billion $50 million uh bond or money to Washington. I don't know if we got it. It was for infrastructure. But uh I think our problem I mean we always going to have infrastructure problem and that should be budgeted. You know it's in the budget but our problem was solved by adding chemicals to the water. I think chlorine and we got rid of it in 24 hours right. Uh it's my understanding that we do two flushes a year. So I was going to suggest if we can do four flushes maybe every three four months and maybe that problem will disappear. Of course you know we still need some infrastructure. I do not disagree with that but uh it will be something positive to start you know so we can so the citizens of Laredo can start getting confidence back in the water. You know we're going to start doing flushes instead of every six months every four months you know and just a suggestion. Okay. Um I also wanted to speak on um well another situation on the legal hookups. Um I myself experienced eight months to uh replace a water meter for a project I was doing. Um it's not the problem of the people that work at utilities. They're doing their job. But I think it's the system the way it works. They ask for so many papers, so much work. um you leave your application there, they come back to you two, three weeks after. I mean, that's that's what they do, you know, it's it's the system I think that's wrong. We need to uh make it faster or more efficient and that's what probably some people can get get tired and that's probably the root why we have some some illegal connections. So, just wanted to mention that as well. Um I also wanted to speak on item 115 regarding the Santa Maria. As you know, I'm an avid cyclist and I represent the LGO cyclist and I get blamed a lot for all the accidents there. They think it was my suggestion, which was not. Uh I think we should have more bike lanes, but we should never take anything from a motorist or uh it should be safer. I think uh it's a great uh idea to finally remove those um bumps, not speed bumps. You know how I hate those by Mr. Uh but those that concrete wall as you can see you only collect trash and there's so many cars just hitting them because they're practically invisible and uh so hopefully we can move that project and start soon. Thank you. >> Thank you >> Jesse Era. Some call me a poet, some call me the dude, but I've always been Jesse Gera. I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear. I'm okay. Continuation of my comments from the meeting of Monday 10:21 24. What's with all the gaslighting of America? From Trump and Vance's pro preposterous accusation of man bites dog to Laro gravy train gang their pockets so stuck with cash. Their pockets are bulging like a bloated roadkill. I smell a tquatch on Sapata Highway on our in our triple digit eight. There's no need to look for greed or abuse of power in Austin or Washington. When in the city of Laro, the stickup artists are right before our eyes, seeking reelection, no less. Gwensa, now's our chance. There appears to be some job openings at city hall. Early voting has started. Do the right thing. Would you please give us a timeline of the anatomy of the catastrophe of the most recent citywide water bal? How does something like that just happen not even overnight like a flat tire? The F-word. I would like to sound the alarm that the F-word, a type of fascism, is appearing in our local government with censorship and the absence of promise of transparency. I would like to sound the alarm that fascism seems to be replacing democracy. What we have today here appears to be democracy on the surface, but running below like a sewer is the e.oli of fascism. Why the why the drastic measure of eliminating so many necessary projects that have been in the work for months? Is that is it that difficult to chew bubble gum and pat your head at the same time? Why can't the water issue be addressed simultaneously while working on the other projects that were already in the works? or are you going to start digging up all the streets in Laredo at the same time? And then out of the clear blue, we are blindsided again, just like when we got bushwacked by the citywide water bore with news that the key to the city of Laredo would be presented to died in the wall MAGA Senator Ted Cruz. Shouldn't the key to the city be presented as a prestigious award rather than a political endorsement? How coincidental is it that as soon as the citywide water board was lifted, Darth Vader Maggot Ted Cruz appeared just in time to receive the key to the city at La Posada. The very same La Posada that Cancun Cruz will run a wall through. What happened to no border wall? What happened to transparency? Do you want a SHELBY PARK LIKE EAGLE PASS, TEXAS? I believe there are more good people than there are bad. I believe there is more good than there is bad. [Applause] Mariana Selenas. >> Mariana. >> Mariano. Good afternoon everybody. >> Oh, good evening. >> Right here. >> Okay. Good evening, Mayor Trevinos, city council and city management. My name is Mariana Salenas and I am the president of Sakate Creek Green District Coalition. This is a coalition that has been working since early 2023 to improve the quality of life for the Aka neighborhood throughout the project led by residents. I am here because I am concerned regarding the mayor's agenda item which seeks to defund nonsection projects. The first thing that I would like to know is how do you define what is essential and non essential? Is this the opinion of one person or a select group making decisions behind closed doors based in a political agendas? How many residents of the have your consulted with? We need genuine community input to guide your decisions, not while rumors and misinformation found on Facebook. Improvements to our neighborhood and Sakate Creek such a beautifification and restoration are essential. If you denied us this, you are saying that we the residents are not essential. This is not acceptable. There are people who are not from the neighborhood. There are speaking for us and possibly influencing certain members of the city council on vice versa. Some of these people are hiding behind fake names in a cowardly fashion. I am proud of a resident. They do not speak for me and never will. I speak for myself and the people in my neighborhood. If any council member is behind this mere campaign and Facebook directed against my neighborhood and fellow residents, the people of this community will find out. If this council seeks to follow the path of fear and misinformation, then you are sacrificing us for the city's mismanagement of the water crisis where you left us without water. for 12 days. >> You will be asking the public to pay for the cost of your mistakes. I am here to men demand that you follow different path and work with us and not against us. And to finish, just remember there all of you are sitting and there because Laredo voters, you're sitting there because we vote for you guys. So don't don't forget it. >> Thank you. [Applause] Serio Durantises. No engagement. Okay. for [Music] for Fore speech. much gracias. Rock Haynes. >> Good evening, mayor, council members, city management. Uh my name is Roa Haynes. I'm the project manager for the Sakata Creek Green District Coalition. I'm here to address the issue being put forward on social media which should suggest that any improvements to Sakata Creek or the Aeka neighborhood in general would spur gentrification and lead to resident displacement. By this way of thinking, what they're saying is that there can be no improvement projects to the Sakata to the Akeka neighborhood and therefore telling residents after having been neglected and redlined for decades that they must remain in the state they are in. I implore this the council to reject these voices who are essentially telling the Akca neighborhood we can't do anything to improve your quality of life. Improving quality of life is essential and not and must not be allowed to fall by the wayside. The residents of Elastca have worked since last year 2023 to get major funding in place for their community and now forces are at play who wish to stifle progress and beautifification for these residents. These negative comments and sentiments being spewed on social media anonymous anonymously in some cases are coming from from people who do not live in the neighborhood yet purport to speak on behalf of Akca residents and may be influencing council members or vice versa. Transparency cuts both ways. Just as it applies to government, it must apply to those anonymous voices which hide behind phony names and pedal phony ideas and notions that build fear instead of hope for this marginalized neighborhood. The city council owes it to the residents of Elastca and everyone for that matter to base their decisions on fact and not fear-mongering cheesemen. This includes genuine community input from the people who actually reside in the neighborhood. The destructive messaging being put out on social media regarding gentrification and neighborhood displacement is both false and shortsight and a short-sighted approach. There are many mechanisms the city can enact to prevent gentrification and displacement while developing and beautifying a marginalized neighborhood. This includes tax abasements such as the city sponsored neighborhood empowerment zone program. It is completely dishonest to say that any improvement to quality of life can lead to displacement. If the city council enacts policies based on these false premises, then what we have in front of us is an abdication of our local government and a double slap in the face of Aka residents by telling them we are not going to improve your neighborhood and if we do, we won't provide any protection protections against gentrification and displacement. Thank you. Thank you. Montayor here. >> Yeah. Luxandra. >> Good evening, mayor and city council members. My name is Lucandra. For the record, I'm here to speak for different items that were placed in the agenda. First, there's an item about salaries. Melissa Sara, you don't like the new allowances. Then why were you taking $20,000 the last two years when you were making 30 and $20,000 in allowances? You didn't give it up then. And how nice. Now that it's 50, you're okay with that number, too. Last I checked, Alisa, Melissa, Tyler King, Dr. Tyler King, we're getting a direct deposit check every month like everyone else. If you really wanted to donate it to the city, you would donate it back to the city, including Medicare and Social Security deductions because you all are also contributing to your social security pensions with the city. Now, same uh councilman councilwoman Saron, let me ask you. You say you donated your salary, right? Okay. To whom, when, and where? >> To Daphne Foundation. Does that ring a bell? Daphne Foundation. Let me let me let me think. Oh, yeah. You're the president for Daphne Foundation. So, you're using the city allowance to pay for Deafany Foundation at your house where you say you live because you don't live in this district, but you say you live in that house and you're paying with the city allowance to have your own foundation there and you're donating your salary to the deaf def uh foundation. You're just benefiting yourself. Who are you helping with that? It's for your your own agenda, for your own self, for your people. Now, the last time I checked, your your board of directors, there's nobody from district 8. How are you helping district 8 with that? The all the friends that you have there are your elite friends, your rich friends. Now, I last time I was here, I told you we need to stop everything, all projects, because we need to have clean water. And I'm talking about the B National Park, the theater that you want to do an art museum. Why not bring it back to do a theater for low-income family and move Bethany House away from there? Bethany House is a mess for the city, especially in the downtown area. The retirement now Melissa Saroa, Alissa Saro, and Dr. Tyler King. Conveniently, you are getting that too. Dr. Tyler King, you are full-time physician for LMC and you have a clinic. Do you need the money? Why don't you donate it to the poor people instead of signing for a pension? Do do everybody here know that you retire in four years fully vested and all these people HERE HAVE TO WORK 20 years to get fully vested and get a get a check, a decent check. But you're a physician. Is uh Elisa, is your husband not a physician? >> Why don't you donate your money also? Now, >> mayor, three minutes. >> I just I just want to tell you something. Uh, city council um, I challenge you for a drug test, but not a top screen. A hair follicle drug test. Thank you. [Applause] >> For specific items. >> Okay. >> All right. >> You can go on with the >> Okay. Rest of the comments are specific items. So we'll proceed with 115A requested by mayor discussion with possible action on extending additional no addition emergency measures to cover the economic impact losses and any matters related there too. The reason for this is twofold. First of the actual extension to cover the event period and as mentioned we're still working with the state for more resources and so we need to have an extension of the emergency declarations so the we can have it in place along with the state and web county declaration for not only resources but also for disaster relief help and management. Can you please give us give the council an update or on where we are on the ground? Karen, which one? Where is myation >> for just the declaration >> on the on the declaration itself? >> So, it's been extended. >> I'm sorry. >> It's been extended the declaration. >> Okay. All right. Yes, sir. Mayor, city council. So, the uh the emergency declaration for the uh the state remains in effect uh for for a little bit longer. this this week. I believe the the mayor here has extended the declaration a couple times and it needs to be ratified by the city council in order to allow the emergency declaration from the city to work in in series with the the state declaration. So, we I think the where we're at now with the emergency declaration is the request from you to allow the the mayor's declaration to be overlaid over the city. uh now by the city council and extended through the uh the end of the state declaration. >> Mr. Mayor, I'd like to make a motion to um extend the emergency declaration to coincide with the state um uh declaration so that we can fulfill the obligations pending with the state and federal government. >> A second for discussion. >> Motion second for discussion. >> Yes. Um what are the requirements for an emergency declaration? Is this um is this a legitimate way since we've come out of the boil water notice? Is this a legitimate way to continue? It seems as if we're not in an emergency state right now unless there are some other issues that we're not aware of with our water plant. So, how can you just explain the process because it does >> I'll try. Yes, mayor and city council. So, so the the uh the emergency declaration that the mayor can place over the city is only for 7-day period. And at the end of that 7-day period than it is to come to city council in order to get there because of the way the meetings are falling and everything. What what we did from the first declaration that the mayor did, it was more about the testing. It was more about where we were at in the emergency. The second declaration that the mayor did was more about the entire response of the emergency declaration because we were going we went 12 days for within this uh boil water notice. And so there was a change in the emergency declaration from that time. When the governor set his emergency declaration over the top uh it has different criteria as to what the term is that declaration and it goes for a certain window of time. So, even though we're out of the boil water notice itself, even though our our water is clear and we're we're continuing on, the emergency doesn't just stop the second that that that declaration was made that the water is clean. We are now we still have people in the field. We still have resources from the state coming to us where we're actually out there field testing trying to find any other uh illegal connections, any kind of cross connections and everything. What we expect is going to happen is that we're going to see uh the essentially the groups change. We move from the emergency of itself where it is trying to use TCQ and all those scientists to say how do we get out of the emergency declar or how do we get out of the boil water notice there and now we're in this recovery stage which we still have uh the free corine conversion in there actually helped us get control of the contaminants that were there but we now want to extend out uh they're still in the field testing they're still in there uh looking through that. So, we're following the the state's emergency declaration time frame and those crews u I I think the day after, you know, a couple days after the boil water notice was lifted, McAllen brought their team home, but we brought in another team of the inspectors and such. So, we're just in a different stage of the emergency in order to come out of that emergency in the right way. It just doesn't shut off on on the day when it happens. So, >> so could you, if you could briefly describe how we're meeting the governor's emergency declaration? >> Now, the emergency declaration from the governor was it's overset over because of the boil water notice and it was at the at the request of the the mayor with the state in order to establish that that declaration. What that declaration for the governor did is it helped bring all the resources in from the state. And so whether it be the distribution water, whether it be all the people that are on the field now. And so so that declaration actually helped bring city res state resources into the city. The mayor declaration actually frees up the ability to utilize city resources at at our ground level as well too because we are governed by the budget that we have. But the declaration allows us to to adjust how our spending goes in order to take care of the emergency first. And so, so that's where we're at with the the declaration from the state is that we are now walking through the last pieces of that state declaration. >> And where is the funding coming for these emergency measures from the city? What what funds is the city tapping into to address the the problem? >> Yes. And most of our money is coming from the the water utility uh within the availability fees uh the the availability funds. We had some non-restricted money out there. Right now we are actually adjusting the expenditures that we had in the budget in order to cover the work that we are doing because most of it is it's just an intensified flushing. It's an intensified valve exercising. And so that work would normally have been done just at a different magnitude than what we are doing within the emergency. And so we're walking through that. And so we're actually utilizing some of the money that has been laid into the budget. And then as we uh I know that one of the presentations we have that we will be able to show tonight uh is where we were at what what did the boil water notice affect how did it affect the city as a whole, right? And where did that how how much of that money was within there? >> And are you going to have to come back to council and ask for us to sort of fill back these pots that you're taking money from today? >> Yeah. So depending on depending on how this all walks the way through there, we will either have to request an amendment to the budget in order to bring that up or we or we're going to actually have those funds, you know, they have to be identified to the council. It's this is your responsibility for that. So as we as we walk through that timeline that I presented on Friday, we will be presenting to you all of that information in detail. We're still evolving. That's our challenge with this thing is we we're coming out of this thing. We still have more information. I I told somebody today, I said, "Every hour we're shifting something within this, but we will bring forward with you because uh what I expect is going to happen based on this conversation tonight as well too. We're also going to look at our projects and which projects we want to incorporate sooner than later based upon what we learned out of this emergency. And so there will be a request to essentially either amend or ratify a budget based upon where we stand today rather than where we stood back in September when we approved the budget. >> And overall, we are meeting the governor's requirements. >> Overall, we are meeting the governor's requirements for this and and we we're we're within that. I we believe that all the work that we've done on the federal we we are trying to work through preparation of all that paperwork to see if there's any funds that we can get through the disaster uh from the the the federal government. We don't know if our numbers because that's partly to do with the the loss of revenue and and all of that. That's how we're going to do the federal. The state's a little bit different and the state was a partner all the way through this and that's why we had the water and and everything coming in from the state. That's why they were in the EOC right with us. TDM and TT TCQ were all all working with us in sequence. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. All right. Speak. >> We have uh two comments on this item. Charles Martin. >> Yes. I have a couple of comments for you all to think about this evening. Um, I realize we went through a real serious situation concerning the water, but there is some words that need to be said this evening. Uh, we were able to get out of that situation properly. And the truth of the matter is is we had brought ourselves into this situation, but our leadership also brought us in with some e experts in this field and it got resolved. And this is a this is a real important issue that I really haven't heard yet this evening, but but it takes a team. And one of the things you have to learn is is the easiest person to fool is yourself. You didn't do this. You brought in some experts and you got us out of this situation. And I'm proud to say that that that we took care of it. Now, there's a couple more comments I want to I want to throw in on this. um we we we have to remember where we've been and we've spent a lot of money in the past on consultants um prior to your group here over the years um and I'm talking the last 30 40 years lots of consultants made recommendations to our water utilities and our entire utility situation and we've had problems like when we didn't have any water because the water supply went down. Well, we didn't have a valve that could shut our system in and become redundant. The recult consultants are not going to do this for us. And what concerns me is is the prior mayor came up with a $500 million idea, a five billion or 500 billion um in about two days after all it was was a valve that couldn't shut in one of the tanks. um and it busted a line. Um this time around, I'm going to say this and I'm going to keep coming back on this. We have to remember that we need to take a real serious interest in this. I think we can do it on our own. I I saw we brought in people from Macallen. That's fine. I I wasn't too proud of that, though. I think we need to be able to do this kind of stuff ourselves. and I know you can because you you you've done some things here recently that we had not done prior. So, I'm really concerned about how much money right right now I know there's some costs here. Uh we need to finish getting out of this thing, but I'm really concerned about putting together a plan yourselves and and hiring assistants, not listening and doing what they say. I don't want to go through a a budget hearing and listen to this $500 billion dollar in two days after the issue. Um it was ridiculous and I I I hope we learn from our mistakes and our three minutes >> and thank you for the time. >> Thank you. Thank you. On this item A1 115 A1. Uh, good evening, Mayor, members, city council management. Um, I just wanted to take this time um to I have an item on the agenda with chlorinoxide related to water quality. Uh, but I just wanted to take this opportunity to let you all know that I'm an open book. I understand on Friday's meeting there was a question regarding our 2021 contract and I if you guys have ever any questions uh y'all let me know. Um I did communicate directly with staff all the time. I did provide a report the next day uh that evening but I just want to take a step back and I don't want to look at this project as a check the box type of deal right I want to turn around like Mr. Martin said and focus on the positives of those efforts. So we had been hindered with nitrification which is loss of disinfectant in the system for five years. So Mr. Nev shared 2019 2020 2021 it's actually 2018 and 2017. So five years in a row we're hit with nitrification which is very your serious health concern right so I take that I do believe that you guys have the staff uh to come out of it like you guys did uh after the 2021 I would like to share that for 39 months in a row the city of Laredo did not have a violation with TCQ. So after that July 2021 we worked together we even got to apply for a superior water system designation right. Unfortunately, we had a cross connection at Black Book Circle which knocked us out. Uh, but I do want to let y'all know it's not about a check the box type of deal with these contracts. It's about how we've trained staff and how we work together to get out of these situations, right? And this is a different scenario with this uh regulatory sampling, but I think similar measures can be taken and I think they already been taken with Mr. Buzz and and uh management. So again, if you guys have any questions ever, just let me know and and be glad to answer those any of those questions. >> Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. >> Call for the question. >> I'll repeat my motion. It was um a motion, mayor, to um approve your item and extend the emergency declaration to coincide with the governor's declaration for the purposes of federal and state uh funding and assistance. >> Second. >> Second. All in favor? >> I opposed. Motion pass. All right, we'll proceed with 115 A3. discussion with possible action on the progress report from management regarding the mayor's five measures requested at the boilwater notice press conference on October 203rd 2024. The five measures include addressing illegal connections through an amnesty program, rebates to the community, assistance to local businesses, proper staffing and public engagement with the community. Now, these were discussed at the last meeting, generally speaking, but I would like the city manager to go more into depth in regards to the amnesty enforcement program and the rebates and assistant to the local businesses, specifically what the amount should be as a discount for the interruptions of people's services and lives. Go ahead, Mr. >> Mr. mayor, city council, and uh I'm going to lean on some of my staff as we walk through this, but you'll recognize some of the pieces of the presentation that kind of brings up the update of where we were from Friday. Uh and then there'll be the updates within the system as well, too. So, um so I I focused this presentation on the mayor's initiatives because this is the this is where we're at within the whole recovery of our system as well too. And so there were five initiatives that the mayor had presented out there and this is what we have been working on a little bit. So addressing the illegal connections, we we talked about our first day out there that we ended up with 200 plus violations found in one day in the general area where we were where we were consolidating where we thought the ecoli was coming into it. Since that point in time, uh, the the field crews have been out there and they've been expanding out. They're they're essentially like a drop in the in the pond that the ripple comes out. And so they're going from that area and moving out into other areas to try to determine how many of these violations are out there, illegal viol illegal connections and and the cross connections. The nice thing and the the positive on this is that we are not finding exactly the same. It doesn't correlate out the same way. what what we we have pockets of these things of the illegal connections, but it is not correlating over the entire city. So, I believe that as we see this trickle out when we're when we're going doortodoor, we're going to find fewer and fewer of these violations, which is a really good thing and I think that's why it was congregated in this area. With that, uh the amnesty program was talked about which would allow the self-report reporting with no penalties. Most of our property owners are unaware of the violations. We we believe that that is what's happening is that as a contractor will come in and help take care of their issue. The contractors will generally tell the property owners, we'll take care of the permit. We'll take care of all of that. Just send us our send us pay our invoice and we're all good. So, we are we have prepared that and I I will walk into this a little bit farther. I I do want to say that as we are out there going doortodoor and we are finding the illegal connections on our own and and we really need our people's help. That's I guess that's what I want to make sure we cover as well too is that we need our we need our people telling us and trying to help us out. It's not just we we will go out and do free inspections of any work that has been done, plumbing work that's been done on the property in order to determine if it was done properly or not. If you don't have a copy of a permit or anything, we're asking just give us a call. We'll come out and we'll take we'll we'll check it out to make sure everything's good, make sure everything's there. Um we are going field work right now and we are giving anywhere from five days to 15 days uh depending on the severity of the issue and so we are we are making everybody that we do find these illegal connections uh to make make those adjustments. The amnesty program is actually a window of time within our system that we will say if you if you will let us help you and call give us a call. We will come out. We will inspect the system to make sure that everything is good in your home and then that way we can kind of offset that. If we find something we are not after the property owner to say all right now we're going to smack your smack your hand, smack whatever uh in order to take care of this. So, we are recommending a seven-month amnesty program. Um, and this is so that we can get out in there and find any of these things that may cause us problems in the future within our community. Within that, uh, our recommending with that and I'll we'll make sure that everybody has a copy of the written document as we are developing this thing out. Uh, but the program timeline is that we wanted to start the amnesty program essentially on December 1st. By the way, it's already underway to a certain point. If anybody calls us, again, we are not after anybody to find out. We just want to know if it's safe for everybody that's out there, but to give it an official start date. That's that's what I'm saying is that we're using December 1st, 2024. The end date of the amnesty program is June 30th, 2025. We will do free inspections and scheduling those within 30 days of the self-reporting. If you call 311, if you call our utility department, if you call our building department and let us know you want this inspection done, we will send somebody out within that 30-day window to verify that it's that everything's good and and acceptable. Um, we do have the compliance windows that we'll give everybody up to 90 days to correct that depending on the severity of that issue. What constitutes an illegal connection? because I I've been hearing a lot about this is that what is what is it? And we can show a lot of different pictures for it, but if there if your water meter has been bypassed or tampered, that is an illegal connection. If the unmetered taps or or unauthorized splicing within the system, that's an illegal connection. There are temporary construction taps that happen that may have left been left active and not removed within the system when the when the job was done. Those are illegal. Unauthorized plumbing work, expanding connections, those are illegal. Uh we have a question. >> Yes. >> Just quick question. By any chance, do we have those pictures so we can show the public? >> Yes, sir. We >> we we can put them out so that everybody kind of sees a picture of what they are. Yep. >> And I don't know if I have them in my my stuff, but I do know that we've been putting pictures together and we we can we can make sure that that's a part. >> I don't know if I have any available tonight. >> There's one. >> Yeah, I sent you one. So, we we can probably pull a couple of them up. >> If you can if you can find them, then we'll we'll get them on the machine and we'll we'll pull them up while I'm I'm walking through this. So, we'll bring we'll bring them back up. If we can get them on over onto this computer because there is a there there is a couple more pieces of this I want to make sure that we cover. So, and I I froze up for a second here. All right. Okay. So, how to participate? Uh, report the issue online, by phone, or in person at the water department, 311 building office. Contact anybody, get it, get it in to us. We will put it onto the list, and we will make sure that one of our qualified inspectors come out and look at that. Make sure you provide the property details and the description of the connection as to what the concern is. And the city will conduct that free inspection. and then we'll give everybody 90 days in order to correct that depending on the severity of that connection. Um, now at the end of this program, this is what the post amnesty enforcement is that we we need everybody's help with that. But at at so at some point in time, we have to say if we find an illegal connection after this window of time, then that's going to constitute a more serious breach of our system. We're saying that we'll start that date on July 1st at the end of this saying there will be daily fines of up to $500 for unreported violations. That is in our ordinance right now. This is not a number that has to be approved by the council. This is in our our policies right now. And so it'll be up to $500 daily for for any violation that's out there. This also includes charges for unmetered water usage. If it is illegally connected and the meter is bypassed or anything, that means they're using water without paying for that. Just so you know, all of our rate payers pay for that that impact of that system. And so we will we will seek reimbursement of the water that might have been utilized outside of that. Um, and then there's also the potential legal action for severe violations, tampering with the meters and such. And and this this is the hard part which is really difficult to make sure everybody understands. We need everybody's help but for so long because they're endangering the system for everybody. And so uh that's where we're at with that. Do we have a access to some pictures? >> Yes. >> Okay. Really quickly um so with this amnesty program if if if everybody is ready, legal will prepare the appropriate legal pieces of the legislation for the upcoming consideration. The council will want to pass a resolution to or a motion to authorize the program. And then if adjustments to the fines or enforcement are needed, which we believe they will be, an ordinance amendment will actually have to take place as well, too. And so ordinance ordinance amendments take two readings. A resolution happens at the next meeting. So we can establish the program, but you will have a couple additional pieces of work based upon the legislative body in order to close out and create this amnesty program. And um Mr. Nan, >> Mr. Ned. >> Yes, sorry. >> May I? >> Yes. Go ahead, >> Mr. Mayor. Um if we are increasing fines, and just for the record, it would have to be an introductory ordinance. >> This is not an increase of fines. Okay. >> This is in our ordinance right now according to the the data. This this is out there already. So, it is it is up to the max of $500 per issue. So, >> so yes. Yeah, we're not look we're not seeking to increase those fines if we if not necessary. We just want to make sure that everybody understands it is a daily occurrence of a fine. >> Mayor, ma'am, >> Mr. Show again. >> Yeah, >> we have a question. >> Mr. I'm sorry interrupt. >> I'm getting text messages. And I've gotten phone calls all day today about the amnesty program for the people that committed these crimes because our PIO and yourself have said they have crimes and because of the fact that they're crimes and they're not being charged for the crime, people are upset about it because at the end of the day, their taxpayer dollars are paid for people to have to go inspect their homes again, inspect these industrial warehouses or anything that is where wherever the tap was illequal. or if it was illegal. So, and I'm talking a lot of phone calls, a lot of text messages, people are upset about it because these crimes that were committed, and I use quotes, crimes that were committed are not being fined. >> Right. And mayor and council, what we're asking for in the amnesty program and and and this this remains in your hands now as we present the program forward. What I'm what I'm saying though is is that we're not going after the property owner for the crime. It's not the property owner. We don't believe that we will find very many occurrences where the property owner was aware that the illegal connection occurred. I don't have a lot of sympathy for a contractor that has the job to be done and they're out there saying, "We'll take care of the permit. We'll take care of all of that. Just pay me. pay me for the here's what the permits cost is pay me for all of that and we'll make sure that it gets done right. I have no sympathy for the contractors who actually committed the crime >> and I agree with you. So therefore, >> are we going to be going after the contractors that committed these crimes? Because if the homeowner didn't know or the business owner didn't know, >> but the contractor did know about it. >> Thank you. Yeah, thank you for that question because this is the hard part of the other side of the job, right? is that in my mind I think I believe we have to go after the contractor. If we find that it was malicious, if we find it was intentional, if we find that it is all done uh to circumvent the rules and everything, we have to have that conversation and I believe that the legal system will allow everything to work its way through and and and do it in the right right manner of what it is. >> I think excuse me for interrupting again, but I think the intent is very obvious. If you're a contractor, you know you need a permit for these specific things that you're working on, especially in a home. >> Yeah. >> Especially in a business. You know that if you're the contractor. So >> trying to find the intent, I don't think is necessary because the intent is there. They went around the system and did it illegally causing our people no water for 10 days. >> Yes, sir. So the amnesty program is for our homeowners. It is for our businesses that hired somebody to do that work. And that's in my mind that's where the onus has to sit on those individuals, whoever they whoever they are. And um and so I mean, you know, and if we have if we have business license with them, there's a chance that their business license could be taken away. There there's a lot of different processes. Not getting into the weeds too much with this thing. >> I just ask you to please follow through with that when it comes to the contract. >> Yes, sir. I appreciate that. Yeah. The amnesty program is for those that that were the uh the unintentional victims of what it is. That's I think that may be a better way to say it. >> Thank you, Mr. Thanks. >> Yes. Go ahead. >> Okay. So, >> that that that was a last thing I wanted to clarify as well. This is the homeowners. They're not the ones getting the amnesty. They're getting amnesty, but not the people that actually did it. Okay. Um my my question is more about the uh the time, the six months. um you know and not to mention starting in December uh why does it have to be such a long amnesty period? Why can't we do a shortened you know two to three month amnesty period that starts immediately get it over with? Why are we going to give them all the way till June of next year? Um you know >> thank you mayor and council member. We set the six-month end there because uh Laredo time moves different than anybody else's time and u and I I but but it is it's really I mean we can shorten it up to three months but I I I really what we are finding in the field with our with our inspectors and everything. We're finding different levels of severity of the issue. In some of the cases, it is just that they didn't keep up their paperwork with the with the backflow prevention and everything. And and that severity, it does match up to certain severities, but it is not as severe. And and I believe that when we when we talk about 80,000 customers in the city, if they were all to call and want an inspection and want time to look, that's what we're talking about having that window of time in order to take care of that number of individuals. We don't know what that call volume is. If you would like to set it in a tighter framework, we can and maybe extend it if we believe so. Uh, however you want to set that up. I just I just set it at the six-month window. Uh, just because that seemed to be a very good time frame to kind of stop it. We could do it at a three-month time time frame or four month. I guess I wanted to start it as early as possible. And so some of my early early uh >> seven months by >> Yeah, I'm sorry. >> Seven months. >> Seven. >> Yeah, it's seven months now. Yeah. because we added in because we're going to get out there earlier than that and actually it's actually eight months if you take in November because we're already doing it right now. We've already said we're not after we're not after what we're asking is for the council to say yes an amnesty program makes sense. Give me the parameters and we'll prepare the resolutions. We'll prepare the ordinance adjustments accordingly. >> Mayor, I have a question. >> Who was first? >> Well, I have the red. >> Okay, go ahead. >> Uh yeah, Mr. I have a question on the the what you're saying about the six months. Is it 6 months for them to call in and report it or is it 6 months for us to have all of them checked out? Because if somebody knows right now that they had illegal work done, why would why would it take them five, six months to call us and let us know about it? Yeah, >> I think maybe they report it within the next two to three months, but then we have an additional 3 months to resolve all the call log, but I don't think they we should because if you give them six months, they're going to call like a week before the deadline, you know, we all we all get get busy and we push stuff off. So, I think the call to to action should be more immediate. Kind of going off of what Dr. Okay. So, um to kind of get a list of all the you know what are we dealing with here, how many >> and then we can utilize and we can allocate resources if we need a higher temporary or whatever to get these cleared sooner than later. >> And mayor and council and council member uh this this is your prerogative at this point in time. This is just the start of the recommendation for within there and just giving that if you if you believe that it needs to be tightened up based upon the severity of the issue. We're all comfortable with that. Uh we we back it up. Um everybody needs to understand as well too and that's why I brought this program timeline back up there as well too is that any of the violations that are not serious in nature that where we have to just pull the meter off until they get the work fixed, they will have up to 90 days to correct the whatever the issue is. And so uh you in my mind I think there's some sensibility saying that we run from December 1st through March 30 30th 31st and then we give that 90-day window and we're completed by the middle of the middle of the year. But this is where this goes beyond my pay grade for exactly it's my recommendation but I'm not set on having it seven months or anything. I just want to make sure that you have all the information in order to determine that. So >> mayor man >> yes go ahead. Um, since we're trying to create the best ordinance that we can, um, I just want to add that we should probably, um, tag it that it has to be illegal connections made before now, right? We're not going to sweep up someone that's going to start, oh, I can get away with something if I do it in this time frame. And um the other is that uh you know there during the the inspection period and when there was a really big push of investigation, there were a couple businesses that called and they were facing the water meter being shut down and expressed that they had a contract with the city, thought they were in compliance, and the inspectors had not been out there to tell them before that they were not. And so I would just en encourage the utilities department to respond really quickly because there are businesses that you know have are operating what they believe in good faith. They don't understand the the newer backflow regulator that should be there nor the risk that it poses. Um so if it's going to be shut down that as soon as they remediate that we get somebody out there so that we're not impacting their businesses any any more >> and that is that is appreciated. I believe that yeah we have to do that and and yeah and and I guess on mayor and council on that first part as well too hopefully we don't have contractors going out there I got to get this illegal connection in before >> that's right so that there's an amnesty but I don't think that'll happen but yes it is about what is already there not about what is what may happen tomorrow and I think once the council takes the action that locks that door down that window of time >> mayor I have another >> yes go ahead >> Mr. Are you going to report on any um known businesses? Cuz I know that there have been a couple of businesses that are that were the ones that were hired that created some of these illegal connections. And is there is >> is there already >> Yeah. What we what mayor and council what we hope to do is kind of roll that information together very similar to like we did the report on Friday is is that when we looked at the eight eight boil water notices over the last five years we looked at the common themes between them right and so what we will do is we will bring forward and say here's all here's here's what the issue was and how it was corrected within there um I have given directive based upon what I what I believe the mayor and city council think as well too that if it is a serious enough violation, we will pull the meter and worry about how to get it fixed as well too. But most everybody has been responding very quickly to our request outside of the ones that have not allowed us entry into looking and see and helping for finding illegal connections. >> Mayor, can I follow up again? >> Uh Mr. Re, I'm speaking specifically about, you know, the incident that happened with the water softener system. You know, we have a lot of companies out there that sell these systems and they're the ones that are hooking them up. They were the ones that hooked it up illegally and we don't know how many other customers around town. And I there hasn't been any notification on what the company is and how many other customers that might have repeated the same illegal hookup and those types of incidents because that that caused a problem. And council member u when when when we when we talked about this on Friday, what we will do is we will send the utility inspector over to that water softener company and say, "Show us your show us your list. Who all have you installed?" And and let's find out exactly why there it's being installed improperly from our our codes. That that's where we're going to start and then we're hoping that we'll receive everybody in there. But yeah, so so we we are we are prepared to send somebody to that when we since we talked about it on Friday. >> Just to follow, mayor, do we need does council need action for that >> to look like? >> No, I believe I believe this is well within the in investigation okay efforts of where we're at. Um I I think that we we understand everybody's direction for those things as well too. But we we have every inherent right to protect the utility from any of this from happening. So that's how that's how the staff will respond. That's how the inspectors will respond. Uh this yeah, this program here is just about how we're going to treat our our customers as far as the amnesty goes. Uh so this will be this is that this is the first part on there um for where that is going. Um and I don't know um should we take any action on this one before I go on to the next item. >> Mayor, I'll go ahead and make the motion. >> Yes. Let me see. Do you have anything? >> This is the amnesty program. I we will go into the goodwill conversation next. We can if we can I'll make a motion that we um authorize this amnesty program according to the guidelines that were presented during your presentation. I would ask that you include the um the uh restriction that it applies to connections previous to when this program starts. >> Motion second. All in favor? >> Opposed? Motion pass. We have two citizens comments in regards to this item. I think one of them not here. Charlotte Martin already left. All right. Valentine Ruiz. Mayor, before I start, um I'm going to respectfully again request for the camera to point X council members as they respond to my questions. Uh last time this did not happen. >> Yeah, we're not permitted to engage with this public. >> Sir, with all due respect, this is an agenda item >> and the mayor wants public engagement with the community concerning E.coli and the boil water notice. >> All right. Legal. Let's see what opinion do you have there? No, he can make his uh response if you all have questions. That's a different matter, but this is a public comment. >> All right. >> Okay. >> Miss Melissa Saroa, in 2024, did did your district have positive tests for E.coli? >> I I don't know. >> Okay. >> I'm hoping we find out. >> Thank you for your response. Mr. Tyler King, in 2024, did your district have one positive test for E.coli? If I may, uh, this this is not going to be an inquiry. >> With all due respect, sir, this is my my time. Yes, sir. >> My public speech. They swore no to the people, not to you, Mr. Attorney. To the people. We Okay. So, I'm requesting an answer. Thank you. >> Go ahead, Mr. Let's >> see. What was the suggest? This is not going to be an inquiry of uh council members. >> I'm asking a question. >> You can make your your comment. you can ask your question and then we can proceed on with the item. >> All right. Go ahead. Okay. So, as I see you're muzzling somebody who's willing to respond and that's not cool. Miss Alisa Saroa, same question. Um it it's just sad that the attorney that our taxpayer dollars pay for is muzzling people that are willing to speak up. >> Point of order. His comments are irrelevant to the public comment that he sent up today. >> People that answered me. This is what I call transparency. Common sense tells us water is our most precious resource. The 10 greatest civilizations vanish and collapse for lack of water. clean water. Miss Lana Luxandra Gera, the mayor's Canona, wants to end all activities funding the programs designed to protect and preserve our only water source. Example, the B National Park. Sadly, I have never seen her in our advocacy to protect our only water source, nor have I ever seen it in cleanup efforts in district 8 laseka laa that we've had the last four years. I have a message to all taxpayers and everyone trying to kill all programs dedicated to protect our Rio Grande, our only water source. [Applause] We're in 83 11583. >> It's the continuation of that second one. Yeah. >> Go ahead. >> So, and and mayor, and this is where I'm going to let finance step in as well, too. But I was going to cover just a few of the pieces. I'm going to step over the non-essential project conversation until a little bit later. But yeah, on this slide about the community rebates when you presented this was the Goodwill rebate program that we presented to the council at the last council meeting and uh now we're bringing it back with the with uh the additional information that was requested and that's why I'm going to have finance cover that there was a request to know uh we had recommended a 5% 3% 4% 3% uh for our different classifications. We put together a 10 a 20% and just so you're aware the last time we did a a goodwill rebate from one of the last boil water notices that amount was 35%. And so that's what we returned as as part of that. It was it was a very similar one to this one. This one went 12 days. That boil water notice in the past went 10 days. And so we had provided a 35% uh rebate at that point in time. Uh, one of the other differences is that um, we only have essentially three industrial customers and so they get lumped with the commercial as well too. So when you hear the presentation and everything, you're going to see a little bit of that. So >> basic question. >> Yes. Yes, sir. >> Uh, Mr. When you say that in the past it was a 35% rebate, how much did that cost the city? >> Uh, we'll we'll cover that with that, but it was right around I believe it was right around the $1 million mark. So some of our estimates were were a little bit off in the 5% based upon our customer base based upon what they use because that number is an actual number. The number I presented in the earlier part was a budgeted number based upon what we thought we might see. So that'll be the difference and but I'm going to have a finance step up here and uh and cover their part of that. Yeah, it should be in that slide there somewhere. >> Fin. >> Is that it? >> No, that's >> all right. There we go. Thank you. All right, I'll do my best. Francisco Ma, finance director for the record. So, basically what we put together uh with um utilities operations is um just as an options of what has gone to date. So the current boil water expenses from operations um only uh total expenditures and incumbrance to date $515,000 521.44 payroll expenses not including above two days only. >> Can I interrupt? >> We have a copy of this slideshow on our desk so we can review >> I don't have a copy ma'am. No >> we not >> can we get them printed next time so we can follow along please. Okay, go ahead. Uh, payroll expenses, total payroll expenses not including above two days only 134,000.087 I'm sorry, 134,087.64. Estimated payroll expenses pending to be posted for 10 days of uh the water boil notice 1,340,876.40. the projected small business assistance, we're looking at about 500,000 uh currently and and I'll present that in the ARPA presentation. We have already 300,000 uh destined from the economic development with what they had for the um for the incubator projects. We uh go ahead and made available $300 uh uh for the um for that assistance. >> May I ask a question on this slide? Go ahead. Um my question is the total estimated cost is about 2.5 million. Of those 2.5 million, is that all coming from the enterprise fund for the water utilities or is it peacemeal with different uh sources? >> No, everything's just from the water. Correct. So I thought and I was under the impression from last meeting that everything that was presented to us for example the small business assistance the um proposed uh credit was not going to hit the enterprise fund. So what is it? Is it going to is it coming from the enterprise fund or is it coming from the general fund? >> No. All of the costs are coded to the utility department for this purpose as well too because we're tracking the emergency itself. As far as where the revenue will come from, that that still remains to be resolved, but as stated at the on the Friday meeting as well too, it'll be nonrestricted utility money, the water availability. >> So, this 2.5, we know that's the total. We still don't know how it's going to be coded, whether it's from out of the enterprise fund or general fund, but we've got enough to cover it. >> Yes, sir. And yes, yes, we have we have the funds to do that. And you'll see some of that coming through the the conversation as well too. May >> yes, go ahead. >> And just the payroll expenses, this is you're referring to the overtime, I'm guessing because >> over time and those resources that got pulled to perform those tasks >> because our staff that would have been working anyway 8 to 5 that day. I don't I don't see why that should be included in this if they were going to be working anyway. >> No. And and because this was an extraordinary event, they had to be pulled off of their regular jobs. And so it has to be coded underneath the emergency for the whether it be overtime or whether it be regular salary. And >> as far as you're you're going to be asking us to, you know, bring money from some other place to do it when the money was already there to pay them for their 40hour a week job. >> Correct. and and and we do this we do this with indirect expenses all the time between the the general fund and the enterprise funds because of the where the work is associated >> and if I may yes >> I think that what's important to understand for those of us that went through the um previous emergency which was I'm assuming COVID under an emergency declaration whether it's a state or a local emergency we have to code everything that cost the city in order to qualify for any sort of assistance. Right? So even though they were working their 8 to5 jobs and if a clerk out of the library was pulled to answer 311 calls that we consider that an impact for the actual emergency declaration to seek possible monies from the federal and state government. Is that correct? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And there's a little bit of art, a little bit of science within this structure because you know u we we all the salary employees move their move their time around more often than not in order to keep everything moving. But we have to code it in in order to get there correctly. Uh we'll bring we'll bring together again again the full detail of this as we as we solidify where we're going to be for that. Mayor >> if I may. >> Yes. Go ahead. >> So are these funds going to be reimbursed to us under the declaration or not? reimbured from >> from federal monies like that are are we are we >> it still remains to be seen exactly what all will be reimburseable because if we don't hit a certain threshold there will be no federal dollars coming in to resolve within the city emergency itself we will be able to get the business assistance uh because we we talk about the 500 in here for small business assistance there are not that we're looking for small business administration everything to help fund within that but that doesn't help us with our response. >> Well, it and and so can we get a true impact that doesn't include the reallocation to other department I mean to the emergency when the funding for their position was already funded in the budget. Like if if the payroll was you know 1.3 and it was already allocated in the budget then we really didn't lose 1.3. >> Right. >> Right. Yeah. So, can we get a cost like a picture of what the true cost was and then are we on, you know, just so we can understand the impact >> uh and then of course we would still if we're eligible >> and and I'm, you know, and we have this conversation a lot with like parks and recreation and stuff. Every time we do we've moved them over to an event or anything like that, we code over into the event, but they're not out there doing their regular jobs, for lack of a better way. Just so you know, I don't see anywhere on the on the slide for sure. It's not it's not lost, right? It's just it's allocated for what that purpose is. >> Well, I just I just >> it's a prioritization. >> I understand that, but I just so we can understand like true losses. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah. And we'll be able to show you uh when public works came in and actually provided additional assistance that we'll be able to show those times as well too. I think we coded very well uh for all of the time over into this thing. So you'll see exactly which departments had a a frontline response into it and which ones played in the secondary role. So >> and all this is being tracked through project number. >> So next slide. This is an example of a residential water bill. >> Um so just wanted to learn that the proposal is the it's broken down by water, sewer, solid waste, environmental and other. This is what your current water bill looks looks like. Um, so in this case, uh, 29% of that water bill of of that utilities bill that you get is only for water. So we just wanted to make clear that's the usage of water, not the entire bill. Okay, this is our analysis of average consumption residential water for period 7 uh July through September 30-day average location. So the cost of water average water cost on 70,000 uh uh 273 uh average of customers and these are residential customers, you're looking at a cost average of $30.71. Now, if we go with the 10%, it'll be a credit of 3.07. If we go at 25%, you're looking at 7.68. If we go at a 33%, we're looking at $10.13. And again, this is based on that 35.47 water usage. All right. This is the analysis for the consumption and commercial but from July 24 to September 24 for the 30-day average location. Again, this is based on 6,885 accounts. The average cost of the water is 229.55. If you do a 10%, you're looking at $22.96. 25% 57.39 and 33% you're looking at 75.75. Okay, that is based on water consumption only. >> So um Mayor May just so Mr. Neb he just mentioned that this is based on water consumption only. However, we ask people to flush their lines for 15 minutes and that also triggered the cost or increased cost of sewer because it's connected. So, how are we going to factor in those 15 minutes? >> So, so mayor and and city council, what we are what we are recommending based upon um I think it's a little bit Oh, you was it the next slide down? Yeah. So, when we look at this 30, don't get confused with the saying 33% water cost. It'll be it the 33% will be balanced between the water and the sewer usage. The intent is to provide the 33% based upon the number of days that it was impacted of the entire bill. We will we will divide that over the water and the sewer portion as well too because that the the sewer portion is based upon the water usage. So there's a factoring that comes into that. >> So whatever we decide tonight would include sewer >> water and sewer percentage. Yes. Okay. Okay. Next slide. So these are the potential estimated boil water costs for residential customers if you do a 10% 215,738 at 25% 539696.64. >> Yes. Go ahead. Um, management, can can I request that we get these um printed out like for us to look at in this meeting right now because it's Yeah, because I can't I mean it's we're going to be making decisions on finances, but we don't have this in front of us and we have to take screenshots on our phone. I think we should have these printed out so we can evaluate the numbers >> or just email. >> Well, no, like printed for us now so we can evaluate. >> Thank you. and mayor and council, >> what we can do uh again as we as we set this stuff up, it is really to have the discussion tonight with the mayor and council and you're going to set the direction to go. We will bring back all the legal ease at the next meeting. So you don't have to make that decision tonight and say this is it. We'll bring back a resolution where we'll bring back the ordinance amendments. >> May heard while they get those pronounced. >> Yes, go ahead. So, um, assuming council votes on something today, whether it's 10, 25, 33, whatever it is we vote on, if we vote on something, >> does this have to go through public hearings? Because now they're credits of an enterprise fund. So, you're saying that it's going to be delayed maybe, >> if we do a uh if we do a rebate, does this have to go through a public hearing? Will this be an ordinance amendment because it is tied to the rate system we have? It's it's a rebate for for this uh circumstance, but it's not a change in in our >> it doesn't change anything other than rebate. So, it will be able to be done by a resolution. >> So, we decide if we at this point want to more than likely whatever we vote on would be for the December bill, the one the people get home in December, right? Because November we won't make it, >> right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And that's a very good point there, council member. So yeah, everybody should continue on taking care of their their thing and then we will bring in and and I think that makes a lot of sense. The December bill will make that adjustment based upon the council's decision >> and and let's be um as not specific but as easy as we can when we put this on the water bill. Let's not call it a rebate. Let's not get fancy. Let's put water boil refund, right? So people see that and they know what they got back because of the water boil or date it, you know, 11 November water boil refund or whatnot. And I and I do recommend that we do it by a resolution, a written document so that it it's not just by motion so that we can we can at least have that within our hands. So I think the resolution makes a lot of sense. And so whatever action you take for that and and we we do have hard copies coming. So >> I have another um follow-up comment, Mary, if I may. Um, so assuming we go with the 33% and I'm on 33% because I as much as an elected official or a representative of the people that elected all of us up here um you're torn between utilizing or or saying can we move our um camera shot so the people at home can see the total. Thank you. So, we're we're looking at let's just assume $3.7 million, right? If we were to go with the 33%. And I've specifically gotten phone calls from people. People have bumped into me at restaurants or out in different venues and have told me, "I don't want my $20. Use it to fix the problem we have." Right? Don't give me a thin slice of cake when we've got a big cake we got to take care of. Right? And that makes sense, right? It also makes sense that we treat our rateayers as customers of our water system, right? And if you go and purchase a product and you're not satisfactory with the product because it was defective as was our water, right? Then you would go to any store and ask for a refund and they'd give you your money back, right? And that's exactly what our role is when it comes to the enterprise fund, whether it's the solid waste or utilities department, right? We've got to treat our rateayers as customers. If we didn't provide satisfactory water, then we owe them a refund for that, right? Um and I know that there's the argument of, well, people took a bath and or took a shower, people used it for whatever reasons, they boiled it, they watered their lawn, whatever the case may be. Well, there was no way of them knowing, right? and when they knew it was essential at that time. So the consumption, you know, is justified. Um, with that said, I think we can go on and on with this presentation and the only common sense thing to do is give the public the 33%. Um, credit. I think that's fair. It took um some areas saw a 35% impact maybe or 34% because of those two extra days that the water boil remained, but I think the 33% is fair. Now, I'm going to make a motion that we approve the 33% credit not exceeding $3,723 874 with 80 and that it be done through a resolution signed by the mayor for the consumers to see this credit in their December bill um with a line item that shows November 2024 water boil credit. >> October, >> I'm sorry, October. October 2024 water boil credits. >> All right. Motion second. >> Mayor, may I >> um so I um I just want to point out something. >> Oh, go ahead. Go ahead. >> So I think staff is saying that 3.7 does not include sewer, which I think is what was told to us, but Mr. Nav is telling us that it is factored in. So, I'm going to withdraw my 3.7 number and just clarify the motion is for a 33% um credit that includes sewer usage um and have management put together that total sum for purposes of the record. Okay, >> go ahead. >> So, um we're looking at um if you could bring the screen back up, $3.7 million. Uh, and I want to piggyback on the comments that council member Thor has made about the fact that people have said we need to fix the problem. I think the it's it's incorrect to look at it as we're in a business and we are responsible for providing water to the public. But in this case, there are no private investors. We own the company, right? So when we say we're going to um we're going to refund $3.7 million, it's our company uh stakeholders who are going to lose out because in the end we have identified a problem that needs money to fix it. When we look at the state of Texas and and I think Dr. King made this point last time. There are over I think 3,000 boil water notices currently or in the last year, right? So, this is an issue that comes up especially in aging water infrastructure. Do I think that something needs to be done because we asked people to participate in that flushing program for 15 minutes which which in our dire strait of water usage was a big ask. So, But that does not equal 33%. If we rob ourselves of this money, how are we supposed to pay for the needed infrastructure improvements? And I will just say that there are other communities that don't have one or two ecoli uh samples that are found. They're much more prevalent. And then you know that system is a disaster. We were fortunate and I And I don't I don't mean to disparage people's suffering, and I in no way intend to do that, but we were fortunate that we did have water to be able to flush the toilets. We did have water to be able to wash the clothes and run um the dishwasher, even though you needed to take care of the dishes afterwards. There were a lot of things that we were able to do with that water. And boiling water at one minute does clear it of any pathogens and any viruses. And the city continued to provide that service. Not only that, but the city took it upon itself to find bottled water, get it to as many elderly citizens as they could, tried to move that water not only to the elderly with personal deliveries, but also provided several stations throughout the city every single day so that people had drinking water. So you could either boil it or you could get water from these stations. Is that a perfect system? No. Was it inconvenient? Absolutely. And should we not have been put in that position? Yes. But in order to get ourselves out of this situation, we have to invest to fix the pipes to do to hire the new inspectors that we need to track down these illegal connections to replace the cast iron pipe that could have very well been the source of this. We won't know for sure until I I believe a little bit more of investigation to replace the pipes and connectors who that are lead and that are copper that need to be replaced. And if we take this refund of $3.7 million, we are $3.7 million more away from addressing the problem. >> So I just feel that 33% is too much and and I won't be able to support it. Thank you. >> All right. Go ahead. >> Okay. And I I'm I agree with the feeling of being very conflicted on this. Um but let's be clear, it's not 3.7 million towards this credit. I mean, it's 33% of the credit is $711,000 to the residential customers. So, you know, the 2.4 million is already done. That's that's a wash. That's that's passed. We don't have anything to do with that. >> Um and then you talk about commercial customers. I am curious about that because we're already going to be allocating the 500,000 towards the, you know, the small business uh uh a aspect. Is this kind of is this 521 on top of that 500,000 towards the small businesses because is in that way are they kind of getting uh you know double a double you know reward not a reward um sorry >> rebate >> a double rebate and you know >> that's my question and and mayor and council members thank you for continuing on the conversation because there is some clarification that I've been receiving as we've been talking as well too these numbers do not reflect the 500,000 that is that is the grant process for the business owners. So these numbers are not in there, but you are correct that the only part of this slide that is on the rebates are the residential and the commercial customers at 1.2 million 33,389.32. The 2.4 million that is listed here as boil water expenses is our response. It is an impact to our budget. It is an impact to our response for that. but it is covered as a as an operating type expense because we had to respond to it. The rebate itself is a $1.2 million rebate on the water side of of this equation. So, >> can you can you address >> Yeah. And then the 500 the 500 is actually coming out of a different fund completely because it is an economic development. It's the ARPA money that can go into helping assisting businesses anyway. So, we're just saying that the use of that is for this program now for that >> for that. I just have a slight concern about the commercial aspect like you know people that are just using water for let's say a car wash or for you know construction like they're that I mean they weren't they're not drinking that water anyway. So do >> and maybe I'm missing something and when I'm thinking about this like what you know why do we you know necessarily need to do this uh because they're already eligible for the for the 500,000 >> and they are they are eligible for that and we'll get into that conversation about the business improvement thing. So, um, and I and I don't want to I don't want to downplay it too far, but as we look at our community as a whole, we rely heavily upon our businesses and and as you have all stated is that we we are a businessfriendly city, no regardless of our our warts and our our challenges. And so having that that ability in there, I believe that these are these numbers could be adjusted. If you remember the first version that I provided, it was residential at at this higher amount and then the commercial at a lower amount because we have other resources that we can help with them. So, you could go in and adjust these numbers and say, "Look, we're going to do the 33% for residential, 10% for the commercial and still meet the expectations of us being businessfriendly within that structure." Uh, but that in my mind, those that's the way to get there. But I the reason that we had the commercial in there is that if you look at the restaurants, they had to serve water. If you look at the coffee shops, they had to serve the water. Yes, there are other commercial businesses out there that the car washes are a great example that it was washing a car. It wasn't being drinken. And uh and so in my mind, I think you can look at both of these customer types a little bit separately from that. But the idea is that we're one community and we we take care of we take care of all it. Remember that the two things that the mayor said out there as well too. The first one was we should we should we should be operating our business well and that was that's one of the things but we also asked our people to flush their houses and that's that's where they became a part of our our our stockholder group as well too. By flushing their houses they helped and so why would we want to charge them for the use of that system? So those are the two reasons that were out there with that. And so if you would I you could look at amending that motion to say residential here and commercial here that that would be acceptable. Uh but that's the clarification on this this slide. >> Mayor, if I have a question. >> Yes. Go ahead. >> Does uh do does that bring the total like emergency cost up to the 3.7 in terms of eligibility for reimbursement? If if you if you adjust if you were to take the residential at the 33% which is over on the right side of the column and you move commercial down to anyone, we would have to do the new math. It would not be the 3.7 million total. >> No, no, I understand that. But >> okay, >> the way it is right there, the 3.7 is that considered emergency losses for the emergency that we went through? >> Yes. under the line. It's in the bowl water expense >> for potential reimbursement to get reimbursed for >> a very good point. That's a very good point, council member. Yeah. So, and so the motion on the table was not to exceed 3.7 million. Uh if you establish percentages for these, yeah, we could utilize that number as our our request for reimbursement. And now these are just our costs as well too, right? because we are finding and you'll hear from Miriam Castillia tonight with economic development. You're going to also hear what the surveys are showing of what the impact to the businesses are. >> Well, just for clarification, Mayor >> and that'll go into the emergency declaration too. >> So that again, just to clarify, there were expenses associated with the under the emergency declaration. This all goes into the overall grand total. Is that correct? >> Yes. Once you approve for the uh the re the rebates, that number is what will be provided as our cost in order to respond to the emergency. >> What are the likelihood of getting reimbursed for this? What are the chances of that? Like is it likely not likely? >> Well, in the in this in the scope of um as as best I as it's a really hard answer because I don't know what our chances are on the federal side. I mean, when you're talking about these millions of dollars of losses from the hurricanes and everything, the boil water notice that they're they're a little bit more down there. I think it's really good information to understand, but I don't know how successful we're going to be, but I believe that the effort for this will is that the uh the the additional grants going to the state and talking about replacing our water lines. I think there's going to be a value to this regardless of whether or not we get this money back in kind within that process. So, >> but either way, we have >> Oh gohead. >> Councilman had a question. Mayor, really quick, I want to ask you if I can u tie in is it okay to tie in my item to this because uh since the upcoming bills are going to have adjustments and we don't know this, but but on top of all these adjustments, the residents are going to receive a sir charge of being on stage three. Um and in regards to that, I know we're in the midst of fall. We had good rain in September. >> Yeah, I need to make a motion. So move >> motion second. All in favor? >> I opposed. Motion passes. Go ahead. >> Thank you, colleagues. So really quick, uh my concern is on top of all this, we're the residents are still going to receive a search charge kicking in this upcoming month. Um if you they if they passed some those gallons that that met the threshold and they're it's going to cause a lot of confusion. And I know and and and we're in the midst of fall and I know we had good rain in September uh here and upstream. So I just want to ask you know the utilities if we we are still in stage three and why are we still in stage three? Are are we still considered to be in a drought? >> Yes sir. And and mayor and council and uh there is good good news coming on that on that front. Um and I did not want to take out Mr. Bishkar's uh thunder for that unless he tells me I'm allowed to or if he wants to state that we actually believe that the Amistad is holding very well with the water that it has and everything. There will be a there is a determination being made right now as to moving from stage three to stage two. But that doesn't change the uh the conversation of with what you have is that in a stage three some of the people that have high uses of water will receive a search charge if if they meet that criteria. And so your your request of course is is very valid within that. Do we want to do we want to send those bills out with that search charge or is there a way that we can work that in with this structure of of just saying we're going to kind of hold it where it's at and and not recognize that searchcharge. We actually believe we're actually seeing the really good signs out of the out of the water and everything the wershed. Uh I believe Amistad's been holding at over 21% up and down. So we 20 20% is our limit where we go from stage two to stage three as we've been watching that. Of course we watch the tributaries that feed into the Amastad as well too and we are seeing very good signs as we come into the fall into the winter. We believe that it's going to be able to hold fairly well. I I we're still in a drought kind of condition, but we use the Amistad as one of those one of those criteria that trigger our our determination of the stages. So, we're we're we believe that that will be forthcoming. >> Can I be directed? >> Yes. Go ahead. >> Do we know any of the what percentage or what uh what stage we're at or what percentage 20% or what percentage we're at at the mist so we can come off that that drought uh charge? >> Yeah, I I will tell you that Mr. Pisker is walking through all that information in order to determine exactly. Uh, >> do you have an update for right now? >> We we didn't have an update. I was going to actually put him in front of you next Monday at the next council meeting to kind of cover that stuff as the utility report. >> Uh, we were trying to keep it on on the boil water notice and and what you guys have put onto this agenda. So, uh, but we, yeah, we can get that information all packaged together for you and show you exactly what the impact of of our stage three or stage two and and where how successful we were and then where we're at with the the water as well too. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. N. Then I'll defer my comments for the next Monday meeting. But I but I believe it I believe it is it is warranted to have that conversation and so we can we can bring that forward as far as the uh if that's what the council wishes to do uh to recognize what that impact is because um I I think we we are working through exactly how many of them we don't have that many by the way most everybody followed our stage three requirements so we're not going to see a lot of them >> so the most of the time most of the comments that we've been receiving are from people sitting bills and seeing that >> so what we're seeing that we're having calls from people and showing us their bills that says it's the they started in October 20 October 1st on the charges if I'm not do you have that >> I was going to see which bill >> this is an October bill >> that's just a sample >> it is a sample >> referencing point that's >> okay so they're they're they're addressing it and they say it's October October 1st and they're getting the charge for the I'm not saying this one. I'm saying like people from the the residents are are showing us bills are showing that they're getting charged or the charges from October 1st are going to start on October 1st. So that's what they're showing us. I don't know, Miss Angie, can you clear this up for us or that's why I think Mr. uh Councilman Gonzalez is addressing this this matter. >> Okay. Um good evening mayor, city council and grant operations manager. For the record, there is no drought search charge that is being enforced right now. We do not have the ability within the IT system right now in order to be charging people and we had mentioned that in some previous council meetings. So there is no search charge being charged if somebody exceeds the limits. >> Mr. Mayor, thank you. >> Mr. Mayor, >> Mr. Mayor, yes. At the last at the two meetings ago, there was a motion made to suspend them. uh to suspend the search charge and I did talk to staff because there was then a way for us to compute it within the billing system that we had. You all gave us direction not to impose it to freeze it. >> It there is a little notice there was a notice within the bill that said those charges were forthcoming but that was just a not it was just a notification. It wasn't actually charging anybody anything. It's just like the way you see this the sample right now where it says water and service. It was a notification like in this case saying water and sewer rates are forthcoming, right? Are they >> not all the public knows that we suspended it? >> Yes. >> So, so you're saying you're saying Miss Miss Gondola, you're saying that >> there wasn't there wasn't there wasn't a charge for there was no shirt charges. So, the bill that they received that was their original bill >> for the public that the the bill that the public received was the original bill. what the the uses the consumption of water and the the sewage and all that what they were using. >> Correct. >> All right. All right. Councilman, >> thank you so much. Now, Miss Ku, let's play a game where I say a bunch of things and you tell me where I'm wrong or if I'm wrong. Okay. Okay. So, >> game my my No, I just want to clarify this. Just here's what happened. We passed for the public watching at home. There was you you asked us for search charges during only during stage three drought where people would pay $10 for every,000 gallons of water used over 20,000 gallons for residential. Right. >> Correct. >> Okay. That average use is 15,000 gallons per month. You gave a little 5,000 5,000 gallon buffer >> and we said $10 for every thousand gallons over 20,000. So that's 6,000 over because it's you got to get to 21,000 to actually get charged. But we never did it. >> Because we didn't we had we didn't even have the system in place to do it. It's never been done. And two council meetings ago, I did make a motion because of that information that we should not go back and retroactively charge customers from two months ago once we finally get our IT system in order. Um, you know, because that would be kind of wrong to say, "Oh, we weren't really ready to charge you, but now we are from two months ago." And I did make that motion. We barely had a quorum and it didn't pass. So if if it be permitted, we we didn't have enough people really to make the motion. And if if it could be permitted, I would ask we make the mo I'll make the motion. >> It was just it was just notification. >> My motion my motion is that we do not charge uh the search charge um as long as we are not able to technologically admit it and not retroactively do it. item. >> Mr. Gonzalez's >> what would you like? >> So the idea is that we wouldn't retroactively go back and charge a search charge during stage three drought contingencies if we do not have the technology available to do it that month. >> No, I think Adam does it talks about search charges on stage three to evaluate them. >> Is there a point of order though that since this motion already failed Dr. cannot bring it. >> Everybody remember to address the chair, please. >> Yes. I mean, I believe that it was answered u to uh council member Gonzalez's motion that there were no search charges charged. It was just a notification, but Dr. King, now you want to just make a motion. >> The no the notification was that they were going to come, but we never charged them because we couldn't because we didn't have the technology. But we eventually theoretically will get the technology and we'll then the point that Gonz Council member Gonzalez is trying to make is that so on people's December bill if if we're still in stage three they don't get a $10 rebate and then a $10 search charge. >> So don't charge them whether we we get the technology or not. Is that you're saying? >> That's correct. >> Yes. >> Mr. Win is uh Dr. King able to make the motion if it was already brought up and it failed. >> It was Dr. King reported that it was made it failed with a very small quorum. There weren't very many of us up here. >> So does it need to come from someone else? >> Well, how about this if I may just just to clean it up because I I don't think it I that was more addressed. How about you make an amended motion and then you can all decide whether you want to take up that amended motion or or not. The motion, Mr. King. >> Yes. Um the motion, >> the amended motion, right? amended part of the motion uh was to not um through the through the end of calendar year 2024 uh to not uh charge uh anyone for the search charge since we the city was not prepared with the technology and in the context of a water bill notice uh not wanting people to get a search charge in a month where they're also going to get equivalent rebate. Second. >> Motion. Second. >> May I have a comment? >> Go ahead. >> Um, we need to We're very good, and I've said this for the last eight years, and I'll say it probably still till the last meeting I'm here. Whenever we speak about an ordinance or enforcement, the city and the council is very good about jumping the gun and just scaring people. We're going to do this, we're going to do that. We're not taken serious anymore because that's all we do. We just put scare tactics out there and never enforce a single thing that's needed. Right? And this is exactly we spent so many meetings speaking about this fee. And no one came up here to say, "Hey, time out. We don't have a way of charging. So, how about y'all just let us figure it out? Let's come back whenever we figure it out." No one from utilities, no one from any department came up or it to say, "Time out, council. Stop wasting your time." because that's what we did. We wasted our time probably for about 3 months meeting after meeting after meeting and it's disappointing and that is probably why no one at home takes us serious because we pass all these, you know, code enforcement ordinances and we do nothing about it. First because we're limited in staff. Now because apparently no one had the brilliant idea to come up here and say, "Hold on, we can't charge. We can't put this in the in people's bills. And it's just unacceptable especially because the enterprise fund is a business and for this specific purpose we even had projections up to how much money we were supposed to generate that was going to potentially go to a secondary water source all for nothing right and I know Mr. that UN management can't don't understand or have the time not rather understand the specifics of every department responsibilities but this is something that utilities should have put up to us or it and they were absent again at bringing this to our attention. Um I hope that moving forward and with a new council coming in we're much more prepared. Um, it's not a pointing fingers thing, but it's been something that I've been frustrated with for the last 8 years. And I'm optimistic that you're, as you continue in your journey as city manager, you're going to be able to address this and make it better. But let's please start. Everyone in this room, whether you're a director or city employee, if you know that something's not going to be able to be done, raise your hand and please let your director, director, let your respective assistant city manager, city manager know. We need to know these things especially when again we wasted at this point it was wasted time meeting after meeting because now we find out that it was never to be we haven't wasted ink letting people know we're going to charge you oh never mind we can't charge you >> on all those bills ahead >> um I I I will just say that this item did come back and Miss uh Canu did speak to us and tell us and that is why Dr. King put the motion out and it did fail. Now, we had very we only had quorum, right? There were several council members that were not here present. Maybe that's why they did not hear it. I don't know, but it it did it did come back. And this isn't the first time we're hearing about it. Just just to clarify, >> may not be the first time, but it came back after the notices were printed and sent out. They should have that should have never happened, >> right? So whether we're here or not, that's irrelevant. It is city business staff should have caught on to this. Call for the question. >> All right. Any more discussion? All right. Call for the question 11583. >> All in favor? >> I >> I >> post. Motion passes. >> Mayor, what was there clarification on residential 33 >> and then commercial tent? >> No, I think >> that was Yeah. Well, >> we we will be putting that together in a resolution as well coming forward to you and so you >> order um there was a motion on the floor >> and we should have never voted on Dr. King's motion >> until we wrapped up. >> So he offered as an amendment. We voted on the amendment. >> What I'm going to do is I'm going to withdraw my motion. So that withdraws his uh the second and his amendment. Now you can make the motion all over again. >> Go ahead. >> Is that better? or I'll make a motion since apparently his motion failed according to council member Cigaroa. I'll make a motion >> because >> the amended motion was voted on was passed >> the amendment to the motion but now we need to vote on the actual motion. My motion included the 33% management saying hold on let's come back. So we amend the motion again to have staff bring back a report on the 33%. Well, if you amend the motion, then what you voted on was the amended motion. >> We voted to accept the amendment, >> right? >> But the motion on the floor has not passed. >> The amendment passed. >> Yes. >> To add to the motion, but the actual motion on the floor has not passed. We voted to accept the amendment. >> Okay. >> So now it's the motion of the 33% plus his amendment. >> So I'm going to make another amendment. >> Do you want Yes, exactly. Make another amendment. If that passes, then be the whole motion with the two amendments. Yes. >> So, I'm going to make an amendment to have staff bring back the 33% as a consideration with a draft resolution and any other information they feel necessary to present before the council >> for your approval, including the sewer. >> All right. Second. >> Council was the one that second my motion for discussion. >> Yes, I did. I did second. I did second the motion for discussion. >> All right. We're just asking staff to bring it back. So we're just asking staff to bring it back. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So we have a motion and a second. Are we clear what we're voting? >> Yes, sir. >> Which includes the amendment. >> Including the amendments. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Motion and second. All in favor? >> I opposed. Motion passes. >> All right. >> Mayor. Yeah. And for the sense of urgency and everything, we intend to try to get that to you for Monday. >> All right. Okay. >> Okay. Um, the next part of the conversation goes into the conversation with non-essential projects and such. And I um as of as of when this came through in order to prepare for tonight from from where we're at, we did put together a >> briefly if I may. So just for housekeeping rules, your next part of the presentation for purposes of Mr. City Secretary are to address item 115 B1. >> Is that correct? >> Yes, sir. 115 [Music] >> not B2 just 115 B1 >> and supplemental 2 A >> two right >> okay so we're taking those two items off the list >> all right >> all right go ahead Okay. Uh so as we as we talk about essential to non-essential projects and such the the idea is that we have to lay out what the definitions are and you heard some of that from from some of our citizen comments as well too. So we are uh I am recommending uh within this structure. Here's some criteria for determining non-essential projects within the scope of what we understand and we haven't had a lot of conversation about where we want to go with this thing. So for me it is establishing the project the the criteria over it as a whole. And of course there we broke down the the uh the determining of the essential to the non-essential the public health the operational efficiencies the regulatory compliance requirements and economic impact and revenue generating. So we have a number of projects out there that do different things. of course under the public health and safety impact, but we we do consider any critical projects affecting the public well-being as essential. Any any projects that are aesthetic or non-urgent projects, and that'll be something that you'll have to determine as a as the elected body, but those are the what we consider underneath public health and safety as being non-essential. And when you look at operational efficiency and continuity, the essential project scope, the broadest level on that is that projects that maintain our critical services. The non-essential are the routine upgrades without any immediate impact. Uh under regulatory compliance requirements, projects that are mandated by the state and federal authorities, we need to continue on. Those are essential projects, but non-essential are projects without strict regulatory deadlines. That means we can move them around and we can adjust accordingly to make sure that we're taking care of the the highest priority items first. Then there's the economic impact and revenue generation. The essential is the projects that are tied to revenue or economic development. The non-essential are the projects with long-term or minimal financial impact. And so that's the criteria that we were using as I was putting together the program as to how to determine an essential project and a non-essential project. I did want to share with you because a lot of our projects are grantfunded and because of the grant funding there are certain restrictions that kind of come through there. There's timeline compliances. Failure to resol may result in repayment of the grants and and so we want to be careful about eliminating anything that has that impact on the grants. There's a loss of eligibility concern as well too is that it could affect future grant applications if we can't manage those projects accordingly. There are financial penalties that happen with some grants that impose penalties for the delays. And then there's also the ability that we may have to forfeit additional matching funds that postpone. So there are certain projects at certain levels out there that we want to make sure that we continue on with that process. So this criteria here, this is the reporting process that we will uh one of the parts of this thing is having all our directors look at their projects and say which projects can be postponed. They will lay out a project overview, the financial impact, the operational impact, the community impact, the report submission, and the final decision by the city council. So as you look at it from your viewpoint because you have every ability as the elected body to make a determination which projects should be on hold, which projects should move forward. I'm going to have the same thing done out of our department directors so that we can kind of say these are the areas that have the biggest impact. And so uh but this will be what it's going to look like. We will deliver it to you based upon this. What I would ask as well too is that if you determine that any projects that you want to put on hold, let us do this analysis for you too. Let us have finance look at it. Let us have economic look at it. Let us have those department directors look at these projects as well too. And then we'll deliver back a full uh report process that will help you determine that that everything has been identified and is laid out there. uh just some of the procedures for pausing non-essential projects because some of them are may be underway with our contractors. Some of them may be under different levels of whatever it is. We will have to if if we do determine any of these projects are non-essential and we are not going to move forward with them today. What we were saying is that we will send out a suspension notice once the council makes that determination within five business days saying please stop this project and we'll make sure that is we will also any kind of grants that are out there. We will negotiate extensions or amendments if necessary to kind of allow us to kind of bring them back around and then uh there will be some compliance processes within our departments to adhere to the moratorum directives. So, as you put together this model of of the plan and what we're going to impact, this is these are the procedures that we will use with the uh with that. Just really quickly, of course, we're asking for the compliance and and everything. So, we will be talking to our departments about uh any subject of the audits. If we don't stop them fast enough, then the impact will continue and perpetuate. Uh departments may face a budget adjustments. If we take a project out or we moratorum a project, we have to return the money or anything else of that nature, we may have to amend their budget in order to bring it back in line with the amount of revenue that we have there. And then of course contractor penalties, if there's any unauthorized continuation, that could result in legal penalties as well too. So within this within the plan, um, and I I believe I did we get a copy for everybody? Okay. So you the council has a copy of this and it's a draft form of that but it lays out exactly how to walk through this. So it is a structured process in order to manage the projects during this. It does prioritize. We we stay with the projects that are the most important, the essential projects that are most important to us and then we back off the other ones if it's determined by you as the elected body to be a non-essential project. So um that's what we were able to put together based upon mayor on your initiative to say we need to focus our attention on this issue. >> Yeah. One one other thing I was going to ask is uh the 2% of every department including utilities to be paid for art that was in the budget. Even what that department bonds out because that's not money that's that's available has has to be bonded out. doesn't make any sense. Especially the department doesn't have enough money to pay for inspectors and a a separate and standalone presentation with relevant cost to objectives. You know, art directors should be paid 63 to $83,000 according to this and a a supervisor for water pays is only paid $47,000. So, this also doesn't make too much sense. Can we work on that? >> Yes, sir. you know, mayor. And what he's talking about for everybody so they understand what what that is, is that every one of the city projects has a 2% arts and public place amount on that. And what the mayor is alluding to is that if we have this issue within our utility department, then the money should be allocated there. Uh you can you can walk through that amount. I believe there's $2.4 4 million within that fund right now that we could utilize. But that just keep in mind that the the decision from the council at the at the time when it was initiated was to build up to help us with the the quality of life pieces in there. However, if we have a utility that is not working, that is determined as an essential. That's the challenge that you have with trying to balance through this this process. >> Mayor, may I address Mr. Nep? >> Yes. Go ahead, >> Mr. Nep. So, my item specifically speaks about capital improvement projects. And I think the uh item that council member Ranel sponsored um with Mayor Trevinho talks about these non-essential non-essential, right? Um perfect. That's what I was going to request. You're >> welcome. >> All right. Can we blow this up? Okay. But this is only uh the utilities bond, right? So obviously we're not going to cancel anything having to do with utilities. I was speaking or referencing regular bond money that we can also utilize for utility purposes. Do we have a list of those um bond projects? >> Do we have uh the general fund bonds? >> No. I mean it'd be >> okay. >> It'd be insane if we start cancelling projects within the utilities bond. And I think you all have that discretion to move money around, right? Let's just assume. >> Correct. Yeah. Yeah. Within the within these bonds, as long as we're meeting the spirit of the bond documentation, that's how we can move those funds around there. And I I I believe that what the council member is talking about is that because water is important within that, you can utilize general fund monies in order to help offset the cost of the utility. It's the only it's one of the only enterprise funds where we would ever suggest moving general fund money into that. But it's the water quality is public health and safety. >> Can we see a list of those capital improvement projects, please? >> Uh yeah, we we would have to find them because they're not >> our budget officer should have them available. They were part of the council um meeting. We just approved them not much long ago, >> right? Have you addressed? >> Yes. Go ahead. >> So, how much money do we have on the that two the 2% that we get from every >> So, every every every project that the city does, there's 2% of that bond that will go into this. How much do we have? >> 2.4 million. That is >> so 2.4 million. And how much was the rebate that we're going to use for the >> 1.2 >> 1.2? So that should cover it. >> Yes, sir. >> And um are we going to we're going to try to find it? >> Um council has a question. So I think the the what the utilities bond projects this uh list provides is an indication of the money that the city is investing on utilities improvements. >> That's the challenge with the Yeah, this slide is talking about exactly what we've spent from 2019 forward and and where those where those funds were actually spent. So, >> so, um, $131,649,000 have been invested in improvements for the most part. And on the sewer side, $147,180,000. If we were to um kind of blow up our bonds and start grabbing money to throw at the utilities department, how many projects are actually in line so that they could be turned around tomorrow and we could spend the next year working on them? Because you said it would be nine months to a year for these projects to come to fruition in order for those improvements to actually take effect. How many projects exist now that could be started, you know, as soon as we're able to grab money from a different bond? >> And and that's the challenge. Getting a good answer for that has been the challenge that because we're revolving through that conversation. We're pulling the information within there. Uh just really quickly on this slide, this does not include the bonds that you just approved in this year's budget as well, >> which is another 57 million >> well 57 million for water, but 94 million for both. >> 94 million. So that that's the money that's the money that we had dedicated. The challenge we have with that money is that is some of it's dedicated to the plants which are operating well. Our our challenge right now is the distribution system. That's where >> so we have a hund00 million that are going to projects that are already ready to go or in the pipeline ready to go and we want to throw more money now take away from quality of life issues to start projects that do not have plans and are not ready to go and that would be another um I think you said six months three to six months delay in try in trying to get those projects up and running but we're pretending like there are some plans that exist out there and we don't know if they do. This idea that we stop city business and stop looking at quality of life projects so that we can fix a problem tomorrow and not recognize that we don't have plans to do that and it's not something that we can pancake over. When we talk about the problems in the utilities department, the major problem that came out during our discussions was the fact that there is one engineer or we have 1.5 engineers when we were supposed to have six and I believe we got rid of one. So we have half of an engineer now at the department or perhaps Mr. Pishkar is an engineer. I'm not I'm not sure. Um, and we know that professionals have a hard time staying in our community specifically for quality of life programs. And I think families here who send their children off to school have a hard time encouraging them to come back because of the quality of life issues that that we lack. We just don't have the amenities that exist in other communities. So, I I just find it ironic that we're trying to even deteriorate that ability to respond to those needs more and make it harder for us to hold on to the people that we need to come into our community to fix this problem. I I think it's shortsighted. We have a plan. We have emergency plans. We're responding to the emergency. But this idea that we would stop other city business and stop improving in the quality of life for people so that we can pretend to put a band-aid on something when we're already we already have a hundred million dollars in projects out there. What is the capacity of the city? How many more millions of dollars can we deal with to deal with this problem? And we've shown a commitment >> please. The council has shown a commitment by and it's not popular, right? But by having a small increase in our water rates over time makes our enterprise fund that much more stable so that we can go out and get a very good bond rating and get cheaper money to fix our projects. So, it's a system that is built for efficiency and for being very good stewards of the public money. And this idea to try to grab money from some other place and throw it at the problem when we don't have plans and no way to get that implemented, it just doesn't make sense. And and I I can't support this motion. >> Mr. Neb, a recess so we can get a list of possib we do know it's there because we talked about it at the at the budget meeting and everything. So, we'll just pull up the budget. >> I I have a motion there on the CIP >> on here. >> Oh, it's available. >> I want to be able to pull it up here. >> Okay. All we have to do is just uh click on the CIP and put it right up. >> It'll tell you what you all approved at the budget. >> Mayor, if you will take a take a short recess, just give us a little bit of time. >> Motion second. All in favor? Opposed? Recess amendments. Tell me where the CP is. back from recess. 8:25 p.m. >> Mayor, may I redirect? >> Yes. Go ahead, >> Mayor. So, we've received the list of um adopted bond projects and can we put on the screen for the people at home to to see? No, I'm a bit conflicted because um not conflicted but I guess rather confused. Um that's the wrong list I was talking about. >> I'll I'll get to it. So, I wanted to share this list first. mayor and city council. This is this year's funding. This is the $94 million that is in there and where it's where it's listed. I did want to show you that we actually have a lot of water main uh money in there for the distribution system already because of the t the number of main breaks that we've been having. Uh and then this is the portion for the sewer. But you can see that the $94 million is there on the uh on the website. And you do have copies of this now as the general obligation bond um uh for the general fund. And I believe this matches up to what you have a copy of. I'm going to verify that really quickly that the order is a little bit different. So the the so the order on on the sheet that you have handed out is the one that's listed as the adopted one. Everything is here but it is in a little bit different order. So I just wanted to make sure when you try to correlate between the one on the screen and this one in your hand. So uh these are the projects that we are already the taxup supported bonds that we have. Mr. Ne, I have a question. >> Yes, sir. If mayor, if by may I >> um if this council were to propose any cancellation of a project from the 2024 CO and ask you to redirect that funding to water infrastructure. Council member Melissa Cigaroa made a comment um referencing that it may not we may be throwing our money away by doing that because we would not have ample time to fulfill the usage of that money. If we were to give you an additional $10 million, would we be throwing our money away because you wouldn't be able to apply it to a specific water infrastructure pro project or is that statement correct? We'd be throwing money away by trying to invest in our water infrastructure. >> And and mayor and council, the that answer comes in in a two twofold process. I don't believe it is throwing money away. it'll be we'll be able to invest in any of the projects. The challenge we have is whether or not we can actually get all of that work done and is the is the is the cure better than the disease. That's the challenge we have with this as as to do that because we are a multifaceted city. We have a lot of different needs out there. We have a lot of different services. will moving this over into the utilities in order to advance that. Will we be able to actually even move? We'll be at the mercy of how many contractors we can line up. We'll be at the mercy of how many streets can we tear up at one time where we can keep everything moving. Uh I'm not sure what that balance is because I don't think we've ever pushed projects that hard. We we've always been very surgical with our with where our projects are at. So, so I I I have a hard time actually providing a definitive is it worth it or not at this point in time. What I would hope for is that what you do is that if you determine that you want to move these over to that because we also have bond obligations. So, if we move something from the general fund bond, do we have the language within what the bond was that we just went and borrowed the money for in order to move it to the utilities too? The idea is that we get the council to do their work and set the tone and then we'll go back as staff and we'll re-evaluate and say, "All right, here's the rest of the information coming forward." >> If if that makes sense, exactly where where I see this thing going is that I we'll go back to our financial advisor. We'll go back to our bond council and say, "Can we move this one our bond obligations? Can we do this without having a bad impact? Uh if it has an impact, what does that impact look like?" And so all the work that you're doing now is helping give the staff directive in order to go let's go look at this thing and let's see if we can get it done in order to to work that. We may come back to you and say mayor council please don't move this one but this one looks okay. >> May I redirect mayor? >> Go ahead. So um we know that purchasing any water um equipment for use of infrastructure the turnaround time just like a fire truck or a um bus is very lengthy, right? Would it help that you commit on the purchase of the um pipes needed or whatever the case may be with the monies we move which would commit the funding for us to be next in line to get this equipment or rather pipes needed right to continue moving the projects forward. >> Yeah. Yeah. There there is a lead time within any of the vehicles, the the ambulances, the the fire trucks. The lead time is up to even a year. There are some vehicles that we can't get unless we're on the queue, right? And we're we're we're ready to go with those. So, I don't know exactly. >> The utilities um is the same way, right? >> Utilities the same way. >> Angie, the utilities, if we order a pipe or anything to that effect, the turnaround time is lengthy. How long do we usually take to get a whatever it is that we order or >> Well, it just depends because sometimes when we contract >> an average, >> six months, a year. >> I think it's it's actually getting better now, but I I'm not I don't want to give you a time frame because I'm not exactly sure, >> but it's taken months. >> Let's just take months. Whether it's 6 months, 3 months, 12 months, 18 months, it's months, right? >> But if we contract out a project, the contractor gets the pipe himself. We don't buy the pipe. They buy the pipe because that's part of the of the package >> of the scope. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> We buy the pipe for the ones that we replace ourselves in house. >> I'm just uh I have an issue with what I hear because during budget we heard from some of my colleagues saying let's you know what can we do to stop the Buenav Vista um baseball uh sports complex? Let's redirect money elsewhere, right? So that we can uh use it for water infrastructure. we've heard in the past or whatever the case may be and now it sounds like we are gunghold. Let's focus on quality of life, right? I I've used this example um over and over in interviews, right? Um you have a budget to build a home and you start with your plumbing, your electrical, and a roof, right? To make sure you have a good home um that you're going to live in. And then you start getting excited about your new house and you start buying furniture and you tap into the plumbing budget and then you start buying, you know, these nice um appliances. Now you tap into the electrical and then here comes the end of the project and you have no more money to address the plumbing issues, the electrical issues or the roofing issues in order to have a good sound home to live in. And we're in that situation right now, right? We have issues with infrastructure. I don't understand how I could hear an elected official after the water boil say, "But it's okay. There's enough money to address those issues. Let's just continue." I mean, we got criticized. I think someone on this council said, "Business as usual." Now, we're we're starting to hear from the critics, "No, it's fine. Business as usual. There's enough money there. Let's just continue with our projects, whether it's, you know, playgrounds, whether it's um the arts fund or plaza improvements or even city council priority funding. All of a sudden, it's okay, right? because there must be some personal, you know, button that got pushed. And it's like now, right, there um is some sort of push to um eliminate projects that are essential. And Mr. Manager, by no means am I putting you on the spot, but can you put this on the screen, please? in this particular order of detail. So, what the city manager is going to put on the screen is apparently a group message that was shared with the MVDA wall group where some council members are a part of and we were called apparently that this exercise today was simply and I'll wait for staff to put that on the screen. Mayor, may we have a point of order? Um, Mr. Win, can you review this to see it's a a chat group and it seems as if it's been used using it. It's being used as a cudgel and as some proof of something when it's a chat group. >> It becomes public record for an elected official as part of the of of the communication. This is not a court of law, so it's not like evidence has to be excluded. So, if it's related to the the item >> and your name doesn't appear, but I'm sure you're part of the group. Um, so we had this exchange, right, where they shared the agenda of us looking at these projects um by an executive director of a nonprofit we work with. And it reads, I don't know if you have seen this. There is no list that he put forth, assuming the mayor or me because I also put the item, but it is very likely to include the B National Park and Sakatic Creek OLP project and anything river related to all projects are on the table. Retribution, we've heard some of our colleagues use that word a lot of up here. Um, this is how they plan to do payback with us. Fixing our water infrastructure is not payback to anybody. If anything, I would hope that risk would be up here advocating that we invest more in our water infrastructure. This is by no means payback in any way, shape, or form. But yet, they want an $800 million bond with water parks. The $800 million bond for whoever, well, now we know who wrote it was to fix the water. It wasn't for water parks. It was specifically for water infrastructure. That number got corrected. I think it came down to 500 million. We will need to mobilize. We will need to mobilize and have people there at the council meeting on Monday. Are any of uh you all, I'm assuming, available to jump on a Zoom call tomorrow, Sunday afternoon, which was yesterday. We will need to have people there at the council meeting. There are several key issues that are being but up, but all tied to a political route. It's not politics. political route that doesn't support any of the projects that we do support and want to make Laredo thrive in a sustainable community centered way. I think that we all want our community to thrive and the mere fact that we're discussing what could we do to contribute to water infrastructure does not have us deviate from wanting our community to thrive. I find this very concerning because we are trying to work together through this emergency and it's still an emergency because although we have clean water, we need to address it for it not to happen again. And unfortunately, the odds are it's going to happen again if I had to guess, right? And for a message of politics and retribution to be put out there is simply not the intent or the idea. And I say this because we had individuals come up and really accuse us of, oh, it's politics. This is not politics. We're honestly trying to fix our water, whether we do away with district priority funding, whether we do away with whatever we need to to put it in our water infrastructure projects. I just wanted to put this out there because those are the conversations out there. We're doing this for political reasons. We're not. We've time after time passed resolutions on the Sakate Creek project. We have all support the bational project. I don't know of a single council member up here that has said we don't support it. We've passed numerous resolutions. I think the mayor has been at the forefront of the bational project as much as Mayor Pete Science used to be in front of. But there comes a time where we prioritize what we focus on. And maybe if we unfund something today, it doesn't mean we don't believe in it. It means we put it aside and we bring it back next year. But right now, the priority is water infrastructure. And for us to say that we have enough money in the water fund right now to address a potential problem that's going to range between $500 million and $800 million is nonsense. Now, there's a misconception out there too that I think is being put out there. There may be not enough time for us to use this bond money, and you can take it off the screen, Mr. N. Thank you. um to spend whatever we allocate into the utilities fund in time before the um bonds expire or we enter any sort of arbitration. That's not the case. We have so many years to use this bond money. I still see on my um district allocation bond money from 2014, if I'm not mistaken, that we're still using those bond funds 10 years later. So, if this council makes a commitment about prioritizing our water infrastructure and focus on the needs rather than the wants, will meet and get to that $500 million um amount that we are trying to reach, right? And we will will probably be $800 million by the time we we reach everything that needs to be done. Additionally, I think that this council should consider the same way we did in the past of funding the arts by 2%. that in every bond until we fix the water issue, the water infrastructure problem, that we dedicate at minimum 10% of bond money for water infrastructure. Because all these economic development projects that we see on the adopted bond issue list, whether it's the relocation of an economic development building, the 311 building, the um Buenov Vista fire station, the Bruny Plaza improvements, the Springfield Avenue extension phase one big project, um the TUR projects which we all supported, the health building uh assessment, the um secondary site for the public safety radio system, all of them are buildings, right? They're all projects that need that um water, utilities, infrastructure addressed before we start spending more money on economic development projects. And that's what I think. I don't know what needs to be cut from this list, right? And unless we engage in motions, we can go down that exercise like we do in budget. But for me, it was important that we put it out there. What we're doing today is not political. addressing the water issue is not political and I take offense that especially when there's colleagues of ours in those group text messages engaging in whatever it was it was engaged in a >> I will just address one of the issues I'm surprised uh that my colleague is so thin skinned after being on council for so long and that social media becomes the guiding light for his comment >> but I will say that um he also I I just wanted to clarify my statements when I was talking about spending money and that it's very difficult to spend millions of dollars for many of these projects that we may or may not decide to council that we don't have a ready receptacle to receive that money and charge headirst with some utility project that's targeted exactly to addressing this problem. So in that sense money could be wasted. In no way did I mean to imply um some dismissiveness about millions of dollars only that it is difficult to spend millions of dollars and we are trying to do it in a very targeted way to address our water issues and that's what the $95 million bond that was passed just recently does. But that bond took months to develop and the projects took months to develop. And as Miss Canul was was sharing earlier that it is um not just we don't buy things for the city to use. We don't go out and buy a bunch of pipe and say, "Okay, now we've got good pipe and now we're just going to figure out where we need to put it in the ground." That's not how these projects worked. They h work. They have to be developed by engineers who look very carefully over our plans. determine where the best infrastructure um or where the worst infrastructure problems are and then develop a plan to target them and it is a process. So this idea that we grab funding from city plans that are already in motion and throw it at a problem is not going to get a desired effect that's going to impact our water situation. It requires a lot of planning and especially with this boilwater notice. It we have inspectors out there, investigators out there and they are establishing the parameters of where we need to focus. But then you have to come in and have engineers look at that and decide how to best address those issues. It's you you can't turn you can't pancake this over. It's not going to happen. So rather than upend what our city projects are designed to do, which we hope is an effective way to use this money, I mean, we didn't create this bond to just be very um inconsequential about how we spend taxpayer dollars. All of these projects are intended to benefit the city of Laredo and its citizens. This idea that you just upend the cart to throw money at a problem that again does do not have plans as of yet is ineffective. And it shows that this council doesn't have a big strategic plan or long-term vision for how we improve the quality of life for our citizens. That's why this idea that we just bite and bite and bite down on these these bonds and look at them as if well where can we grab a little bit of money here and a little bit of money there. These are projects that are strategic and we lose something as a city if we're just going around and trying to undo what was already decided months ago of how we proceed forward. The only thing on this list that I see that is not a project in and of itself is the city council priority funding. And that is all discretionary funds that we use to benefit our district. But in this case, because it's in this bond, it hasn't landed in our accounts. And that 2,250,000 is unencumbered. There are no projects in the works for that particular money. So, if anything makes sense to redirect, it would be that $2,250,000 because it's not already it's not already been planned out to say. Um, but I did want to clarify that I in no mean I by no means intended to say that we're throwing away money. It's just that we don't have a place for it to go or plans for it to get used to address the problems that we're dealing with now. >> Go ahead, President. Thank you, Mayor. Um to quote my politics 101 professor Dr. Anthony Nouns uh politics is the study of who gets what when where and how. What we do every day is politics. That's our job. That's what this budget was was doing. And back in August when we passed this budget uh this is and for everyone watching this is the property tax general fund capital improvement plan. So we were given we were had a capacity of $30 million uh to bond out for for fiscal year 2425. These are the projects that we passed over a 4-day budget workshop in August. Um and ultimately it was a hard set of decisions. Management gave us options and we and we passed them. But that was in August. the the the water bowl notice that we just had. At the end of the day, we learned we obviously learned some things about our system, but at the end of the day, the core fundamentals are exactly the same now as they were two months ago when we passed this budget. Uh we've known all of us who ran in 22, we we knew about the water bill notice in February of 22. We knew the huge monumental task, 500 to$800 million of water infrastructure. That's that's not news to anyone. This water blow notice did not uh create that news for us. We we did know that. And I'm definitely not saying we're doing enough. We're absolutely not doing enough. There's so much more we need to be doing. Uh but what ultimate and then the other page that was up there was our utility bond. So for everyone, the only way we can bond out money for utilities projects, water and sewer, the only way we get a bonding capacity for that is through our water rates. So this past year, this bit that we just passed, the $94 million for water and sewer, that was almost our maximum. Interestingly, and Miss Kou can attest to this, our maximum bond capacity was hundred million, but we only bonded 94 million and then we rolled over uh 40 million from past bonds to get to a total of 136 million. So the actual total utility capital improvement plan that we just passed for fiscal year 2425 was 136 million not the 94. The 94 million is the new money that we bonded but we rolled over 40. So in total we we did put 136 million toward Is that enough? No. Should we be doing more to find out what else we can do? Yes. We have a bond referendum committee that we've established and that's based on property taxes. Um, and people the people will vote on that in May, assuming this council chooses to pursue this, which I think a lot of our department heads, including our police and fire chiefs, hope that we do. Um, if we and with this next council that gets elected and starts in January of 2025, we'll have the task of hearing from uh the bond referendum committee in February of 25 to go on the election in May of 25. a series of propositions in the original plans. I don't think water infrastructure was thought to be included in a bond referendum on based on property taxes, but I have good information that says several other cities in Texas do use these types of bonding uh through property taxes including Paris, Texas, Witchaw Falls, Texas, Perland, Texas, and uh Flugerville, Texas. So, you know, and my understanding is the bond enhancement services subcommittee has already started rethinking their section of the bond referendum committee and going to recommend approximately $180 million to go towards that agent infrastructure. So, this council will have a chance uh and including the new ones that are elected in in J in in the next two weeks to to invest significant amount of money and put it to the people because there's a lot of talk up here. What do we value in quality of life versus um versus uh how do we balance it out? Keeping our quality of life, but also keeping up with this aging infrastructure that we all know has been decades in the making that we are now tasked to deal with. And that's and we're we're up to it. But we we might have to make a decision come in February of this coming year with the with the bond referendum committee to what extent are we going to ask the voters to um help us fund a little bit more uh through through the bond versus raising water rates. And who wants to do that? Not many people. But if we put it to the people in May of 25 for them to decide how much we're willing to invest in our water infrastructure, that's something Larredo's never done before. And I hope you know we can also remember that we do have that chance coming up and that also gives staff time to prepare uh for that plan. I'm just throwing it out there. This is not easy. I just hope we're all, you know, thinking about it with those, you know, facts in mind. >> All right. Miss Cortez wants to direct us. >> All right. Go ahead. >> Yes. U Thank you. Uh since you did bring up my name in a a message with a WhatsApp group, um this sentiment is shared by a lot of people in this community. And until you start having transparency and openness and go beyond a small little group making decisions like this for the city on issues like this, you are going to have this type of reaction and response. And so um this weekend also after what what also came out is that since there are some of you that are close to certain social media groups that started putting out petitions um and things like that and it's already come up at other city council meetings here about certain projects related to the B national riverfront project and the Orlap Grand and Sakate Creek. um because there's no transparency or openness or a list of projects or how you came to this group of projects. What community members did you invite or bring into that conversation? It starts to create this kind of um a lot of assumptions and uncertainty that starts to come about through the community. And because we're often blindsided by the way that the business is done without involving people in the community, you're going to have responses like that. And it's in a series of actions that you have taken here that lead so many people in the community to feel this way. So, um, what I want to say is this is going to continue until the process changes and there's more openness and transparency and you make a true commitment to bring in people from the community and people from the neighborhoods in order to make your decisions about what you are defining as essential versus non-essential. Thank you. [Applause] Thank you for your personal opinion, Miss Cortez. But you've played the game, like you said, because you've lobbied for the organization that you represent, and you've also had that personal and um circle of elected officials that have at times included both council member CRO, at a certain point, council member Pettis, and not all of us. Now, I've worked alongside you on different projects and I truly value the work that you do with your organization, but it's worked both ways and you know that because you've also engaged in that type of politics like Dr. King mentioned. But thank you for expressing your opinion and this was not directed at you but rather in general that we're not trying to do politics right and it's not payback for anything that we take action today but rather a focus on our water infrastructure. Mayor, I did want to also speak about how I can't understand how I hear now my colleagues say that we shouldn't undo projects that we voted on when time after time I've heard let's undo the sports complex. If it was already approved, why do we continue to talk about undoing other projects, but now let's focus about not undoing anything? Let's business as usual. something that apparently you all have not agreed with in the past but now conveniently it's business as usual it's okay in the middle of an emergency not only declared by the mayor but by the governor of the state and that is why I put this item on the agenda I really think there needs to be a commitment by this council if we've tked a bond subcommittee to review water infrastructure priorities then this council needs to start prioritizing those as well when it comes to general fund monies the people at home in The people here need to understand that this bond list that you just saw is taxpayer dollars on a loan. This is a $42.9 million credit card bill that this city has. A $42.9 million credit card bill that we have to pay back plus interest. And if you use your credit card for wants rather than needs to pay interest on it, then we need some financial lessons here. But if we're bonding, let's bond for the needs and not the wants. I'm prepared today to go through the list and propose any cuts to red from general fund redirect them to water infrastructure projects. Let's let our um consultant who has done this over and over over in other city say you know what now I have this additional pocket of money whether it's 5 million 10 million. Let him and our city manager say, "City council, thank you very much, but we don't need it. Maybe we'll need it in 10 years because we have enough." But have this council prioritize today that we're committed to putting the needs before the wants. And that's the reason why I place this item on the agenda. >> All right. Go ahead. >> Thank you. Um, so I don't disagree with what what you're saying, but again, where were you a year ago? Where were you two years ago or three when we when there has been when when this discussion has been brought up in terms of discretionary funds and how they're being used and sticking to a plan and sticking to goals and yet You too spent well monies were spent not only from discretionary funds but community development funds on a $1 million um splash pad for a park. Discretionary funds were just celebrated for opening up a $713,000 basketball park just in August. these this this pro I I definitely agree moving forward that discretionary funds, bond monies need to stick to a budget, need to stick to a plan. We keep trying to have this revolving conversation that just doesn't that we cannot marry when the decision comes down to it and making these emergency rush decisions because there's a crisis now and there want there's a savior. There's there people want to be the savior is really dis just disappointing and money is being allocated is not the problem. It's the boots on the ground as city management and hiring and a qualified director to make all projects get completed. there are why why why why not wait for an assessment from our our new interim director to for us to actually understand what we're working with and dealing with >> all right >> all right go ahead >> thank you >> I hate to be put in the middle of this but it needs to be done that's our job This is difficult, but we know what our needs are. This is exactly what the problem has been with council for the past 25 to 30 years. We keep kicking the can down the line over and over and over. We have aging infrastructure lines. We all know this. This is not going to stop. I don't need a professional to come and tell me that we have lines that are 20 years past its time. We know how many hundreds of miles of lines we need to replace. And if we don't set money aside now, it's never going to happen. I don't want to be the council that just, oh, kicked it down the line again. I don't want to sit here another four years if you all should vote me in again and just say, hey, he just kicked it down the line again. We need to concentrate on that. There's no two ways about it. Without water, city doesn't exist. Without water to your homes, the city doesn't exist. You will leave. And yes, our children may leave, but at the end of the day, we need to make sure that the people that are here are taken care of. And that's the important part. We can't continue just spending and spending and spending. And my colleague is right. Why now? Because the time is now. The emergency is now. It's happening now. I don't want to wait for another 3, four, five months. Hey, we need $40 million when we have the opportunity to set it in place now. I don't want to continue just moving this over and over and the next council say, "Hey, it was the previous council's fault because there was no money set aside for this." We know the infrastructure we need. You all know the infrastructure we need. Priorities are important. We can't continue just having our little pet projects done. We have the need now. This council needs to be the one that moves it and makes it happen. In my district alone, the base area, Delm Marci, those homes were built in the 60s, those lines are already over 50 years old. So those are problems we're going to have in those areas now, very soon. Those lines are already over 50 years old. And that's their lifespan, 50 years. They're already 60 years old, 70 years old. They're things we need to invest in now. My comments, >> I just go ahead. >> I thank you. Um, this happened on our watch. We are responsible for this boil water notice. We did kick the can down the road. We were irresponsible with how monies were spent. And yet now, now we want to make rush decisions to again just pretend like we're doing something. Not once has anybody scrutinized the well and I'll some of the contracts that have come forward in the past or understood if we were actually receiving all of the deliverables that we as that that from um the companies that we hired where And yes, this and just in into response from council member Torres, you keep saying that there's no retaliation and retribution. Well, I'm sorry, but all of this is is also a distraction towards here you you're taking it out on the arts where when you know that I am an avid supporter of the arts and and is it because that I'm being outspoken and raising awareness on the fact that council um voted themselves a immediate raise. >> Yes, go ahead. So I understand it this and and I agree miss uh with councilwoman Sigaro and appreciate it for for all the work you have been do doing and you're right sometimes I've been here for eight months and and I've heard that you guys this has been done in your watch but this is the first time I've been through it. I've been elected I got elected 2022 you know went through what I went through and these eight months. So this is the first time I'm addressing this. So I I hope and I wish that that this will be the last time I have to address this. So if there's any way we can help utilities funds from moving monies from from other places to for the utilities, I want to be a part of it because I want to be the person that we want want to be by a group of persons that are going to take charge of this situation right now. Yes, this is my first time of of going through this of this uh water boil, you know. So right now if if I'm I want to be but part of the council that says you know what we did something different. So that's my opinion. This is what you know that's why I want to support this. >> Yes. Go ahead. >> I just respectfully want to remind everyone that all nine of us were up here in August and nothing has fundamentally changed. We had the water bill notice but that didn't change the facts underneath our feet. So, I don't understand why this urgency wasn't there in August, wasn't there the previous August when we have our budget time. I just I don't understand why we're being so reactive when we should be proactive. Okay. I I'm I mean if we're are we are we really going to just go line by line in Nick's millions of dollars of projects without even consulting with management and the directors about how that will infect affect them and whether or not they think that's appropriate. I just I know we have that power on council, but do we want to really abuse it that way? I I I'm I'm concerned that I mean, not to mention the four days that we went through budget back in August and we're just going to throw it all away in 30 minutes uh here at this meeting tonight. I I just because we're deciding to be reactive to the water ball notice instead of planning in advance. Um you know, nothing fundamentally changed because of the water bill notice. The facts were the facts. We knew when we made this budget about the water pipes, nothing. We didn't learn that. We didn't all of a sudden learn that we had 50-y old pipes. Um, so I'm failing to understand why we would do something that our management is not even recommending we do. Our the experts, the directors, no one's recommending this. This is just a few council members deciding it, which we have the power to do. But is it appropriate? And you know, I I'd be I'd caution us, please, you know, to just consider at least getting recommendation from management directors before we just go down line by line and cut $30 million that we all spent four days working on back in August. So, I I just I really think this is a not a wise way to go about this and and potentially disingenuous. >> Go ahead. Um, I just I I just want to correct the record. You've heard that there are uh that we need money because nothing's being done. We have, as I believe Council Member King pointed out, $136 million that are being dedicated right now to water utility projects. And it was suggested that the bond committee has recently passed or is considering 180 million as a proposal for spring. So you add that together and my math will be terrible on the fly, but that's $35 million of spending that we will do. How much should we spend right now? I mean, as council member Torres pointed out, it's credit card. Do you spend it all? Do you pile it on the credit card? Right now, even if it's just money that sits there and and needs to be spent down as these projects develop, we have $136 million in projects in the chute. Right now, we're looking at another $180 million in spring, which will give us time to develop out those projects. So attacking this $30 million bond is just it doesn't seem proportionate to what is already occurring. We are doing something right now because our utilities department took it upon themselves to plan out how we proceed to address the aging water infrastructure. This crisis was an emergency. The city has responded and you heard about the response from management, all the inspectors they put out there. They got help from around the state and we now have an expert in Mr. Piskar who is looking at the system to see where more effective improvements can be made. But to suggest that this council has not put forth money and a plan to address it is not true. Thank you. >> Anybody else? So, mayor, I do want to make propositions um for proposed, I'm assuming, um redirection of funds, have staff re-evaluate what they could use that funding for. And if it's something that they feel that is not needed for the water, then have them tell us. But let's show um that we are being whether it's reactive or proactive uh to the situation at hand that we're committed to fixing this problem especially with funding from the general fund bond and we put it out there as a proposal. Maybe between now and the next meeting you all tell us and um our consultant can say yes we could use this money. No, we can't. Let's send it back to general fund and so be it. But I think there has to be some sort of commitment from this council. So, I'd like to propose that we put a stop on the relocation of the economic development and 311 building and allocate those $2.2 million for potential water infrastructure projects. >> Second. >> Motion second. >> All in favor? >> I opposed. One two three. >> It's at four. >> Four oppos. Discussion. >> What discussion >> is the economic development director here in 311? >> Yeah, economic development director is here and and she is actually the responsible one for this this re relocation. So she'll be able to answer your questions. >> Good evening. M Castillo, director for economic development department. >> Good evening and thank you for being here. um and your expertise and within 20 this fiscal year 2024 2025 can you explain to us uh the importance of of uh this this amount of money for the relocation of you uh your department in 311 as per instead of uh funding our water crisis >> absolutely I don't think I'll be in the position of really determining which one is more important than other um we all know that um water it's important just for economic devel development itself and for quality of life. I can speak for the need of the department um and how city manager's office it has been the intention and you all have approved as well the growth and development of the department. We haven't been able to fill positions that are needed for the department to continue addressing the economic growth and needs and programs in all different areas not only industrial but commercial and downtown and all the different programs for small businesses. Um if you haven't visited our offices, they are small offices. We h we have outgrown the space. Um this um I guess initiative of relocating the department to El Portal has been in the talk since I started a year and a half ago as the director for the department. Um it is definitely you know um I think um there's a lot of potential in the department um to fulfill the needs that council has and expectations from it as well as the community. Um I do know that um um the engineering department has done an outstanding job trying to really keep it at a at a level that um you know based on the needs. The new plans do in um include an incubator, a very small incubator for small businesses. the incubator that we have currently through other um partnerships with other organizations. It is my opinion that we have also outgrown it. Laredo is no longer the small city that it used to be before. We think that there's need for it as well. Um and that's um what I can share with you in a very nutshell. Um there are positions that we haven't able to fill because we just don't have space. We have um almost six staff members in a 900 square ft, you know, space. And what are the the the the job titles to those positions? >> We have a business development coordinator um a business development um specialist as well and those two those are the ones that um we have pretty much we have had them open for at least a year. >> And you believe do you believe these you would need the complete 2.2 two >> according to the quotes and the um project um projections that we were given by our engineering department that's how much is needed now that's for both for economic development and the 311 and if I can pull out I guess the rendering just to give you an idea on the space >> yes go ahead >> just to add >> sure >> mayor convention of visitor downstairs when I that's how it came up because I remember going over there convention and ver visitor bureau office right now has a lot of space there there should be a way that we can fit you all in there and if you need an incubator for right now can we use mile one which is fairly close by just until you know we progress towards this but there's enough space I think in the convention and visitor bureau office that exists right now maybe sharing some offices, sharing some of the cubicles and they do have a lot of space in the downstairs. They want to put you all in the upstairs and build it all out, but there's room right now. That's my suggestion there. >> May I redirect? >> Go ahead. >> So again, this is a list of potentials and we'll have management like you mentioned. Obviously, you're going to advocate for your department, but you made a very good point. Economic development, you need water, right? So, if we were to unfund this based on the city manager's follow-up recommendation, doesn't mean that we completely cancel it. It means that maybe we bond out for it next year, right? We prioritize what we need now, water or a building, right? And that is why I'm putting this motion forward. What we vote on today is not set on stone. I'm sure the city manager will get together with his team and managers and come back with a recommendation based on what we're recommending tonight. >> Go ahead. Do you have a a total of these important positions that that you want to fill? >> A total as far as uh >> the funding for the fiscal year. >> I don't have the number with me, but I can u provide a report. >> Well, if you can uh add an amendment to the motion and and make sure we fund those important positions to the city as she's saying, >> but they're not part of capital improvement. >> Those are funded. haven't we haven't been able to fill them because we just don't have enough space and the option of um using some of the CVB space um has been contemplated. We have talked to the director as well. Um unfortunately I don't think that the setup that they have right now may um fulfill all of the economic development team but it's something that we can definitely um I guess continue the conversation >> question. Um, do you think you could estimate the loss to the city in stalling economic development plans from not being able to hire these six positions for an entire year as we wait for a new round of of bonds to be able to give you the space that you need? Like the what will the negative impact be to the city in its economic development department and our growth planning if you can't get those six positions filled? Because we have decided here that our economic growth is somehow compromised because we can't bond out the $2.2 million. But somehow the $136 million that we are have already bonded out and has already been planned for projects that address the water infrastructure. That is not enough and it needs the 2.2 million of this economic development department. >> Mayor, mayor and city council. Well, I I do want to return to what council member Torres, the way he's tried to explain it, and I'm going to explain it as well too from from his position. Please correct me if I'm wrong, council member. But the the intent of this exercise is to establish the project that you believe we might want to look at it removing out in order to move over to the water. He has left me with the ability to go back to every one of my my directors that are impact impacted by this and say, "Council members, we want to give you we want to give you the rest of the story now and we want to show you that." So, Council Member Cigaro, that your question would would be answered within that. When we come back, here's the here's the process. Here's what's going to happen if we if we stop this project. Here's what we believe the the impact is for that. Don't get too far ahead of us. What I'm actually asking is that tell me which ones you really want us to get into and and look very very closely at and we will present back to you. There there's a cause and effect with everything that we do and there's a cause and effect if we don't focus on water the way we're supposed to. There's a cause and effect on all these different things. But but and I I just want to make sure that I I reiterate what Council Member Torres has said. you're going to give me this list of projects and we're going to go back and we're going to say, "Oh my goodness, C city council, I don't think this one this one really needs to remain for the reasons of why we're going to explain that." >> Mr. Mayor, >> and that that's my understanding of what that directive was. >> Mr. N sorry, uh, I'd like to ask ask my colleague u Albert Torres if you'd resend that motion >> to have an opportunity for staff to come back to us, maybe poll us on what we think we may be able to pull out or delete or maybe even cut a little bit from and see what your recommendation would be because you can talk to your staff because what they need is important as well obviously but with your recommendations speaking to all of us on an individual basis and you'd have more of an idea where we all stand and I think that's a great idea to be able to come back to us and then let us know after you've spoken to us >> and of course your directors to let us know um >> what what the recommendations are. >> I'm okay with that. >> If you'd be okay with that. May I be heard? >> Yes. Go ahead. So, I'll withdraw my motion and I'll make a motion to table um items 115 um B1 and um one I'm sorry and from supplemental to a two to have staff bring back recommendations um to the next meeting and consult with council to see what we feel our priorities and uh table it for the rest of the meeting. Second >> motion second. >> Any discussion? >> All in favor? >> I oppose. >> Yeah. And mayor and city council, what we will do, we will ask all of you to give it give me your list of what you want to do. I do want to make sure that you understand we were getting ready to award a contract for the 311 and economic development. It is item 54 on your agenda. >> 56. All right. I'm sorry. Uh please table that one as well too so that when we bring back the information we according to engineering we have time we'll bring back we'll bring back this list >> motion table 56 >> yeah just table motion second all in favor >> I oppose motion pass >> mayor the next item that was brought up with this um was another item put on the agenda should be brief discussion with possible action to petition the state of Texas through Governor Abbott's emergency declaration for funding for Laredo's water infrastructure from the Texas Water Fund administered by the Texas Water Development Board to finance water projects in the state and any other matters incident there too. So, if voters recall um at the last general election um we had a proposition that um the legislature put out there, the legislature put out there um asking voters to create the Texas Water Fund and the voters voted yes. The state put $1 billion dollar in that fund created by the voters. And I don't doubt that staff is out there soliciting funding, but I think it's important that we have staff directed to through management that we utilize the governor's emergency declaration as a tool to ask the water development board for funding. I know we've applied in the past and we haven't been successful at acquiring funding from the water development board, but I think that um through the mayor's advocacy, we were able to acquire such tool through the governor's office that it's time that we put it to use. Um, I don't think any other city has received a declaration, and I may be wrong with my statement, um, as it pertains to water infrastructure, but but what better argument, um, could we not make to the water development board if we utilize the highest ranking elected officials resolution of an emergency to petition funding from that $1 billion project. So, my motion is to have management and staff um petition the water development board utilizing the governor's emergency declaration um to seek funding from the Texas Water Fund. >> A second for discussion, Mayor May. >> Yes. Before we go into that, uh as a matter of fact, I did get a call from Governor Abbott saying that he would help us in any way possible because of the importance of the city to the state. this is the largest port of entry in the United States. We can have our city paralyzed and I think he sees that. So, I think it would behoove us to to ask for those uh for that help and those funds and I think he'll he'll be on board. So, I think it's a good move. >> Go ahead. >> Thank you. Um so uh Chairwoman Brooke Pop of the Texas Water Development Board came and spent some time here at our um in our city and met with management and I believe it was uh myself, Council Member King and and Council Member Lisa Sarah who joined the meeting with her and she did express um one she was very positive about the utilities department how they have structured rates because rates are a sign of health for a water department and it's important when you're looking at um funding and opportunities for that and she did discuss with the previous director but also with Miss Canth some propositions for funding and how that might move forward. So, um I'm sorry to put you on the spot, Miss Panu, but can you talk a little bit about um what was discussed with, uh Chairwoman Pop and and what considerations you have when looking at projects that would meet the standards for the Texas Water Development Board fund. >> Okay. Good afternoon, Angie. For the record, um our meeting with her was to discuss some of the projects that we currently have in place and all the things that we've done with Waterland Board. We have always utilized water developing board for a lot of our projects. We've done um over $200 million with the water devel. I've done those applications myself. So that's why I know um the latest project was the Manadas for 52 million. We've also done the Jefferson 35 million, the South Laredo patrols, the booster station um elevated start united high school. So we've done a lot of projects with water development board. Um when we do seek funding from water devels that are um we try to utilize like a water plant, the sewer plant because they have some extra requirements in there that make sometimes the cost of the projects be a little bit or the project costs be a little bit higher than normal because it does have Davis Bacon. It does require American Iron and Steel. has certain requirements, but we are we do go out and seek funding from Water Devel. But when we do it, it also hits our debt capacity because in the past those used to be junior leans or subordinate leans, what we used to call them back then, they now want a first lean. So, if we decide that we're going to do a project, it's still going to hit the bond capacity that we have. And so, right now, we can look projects that we currently have in the pipes to determine which projects would be best suited for water development board. But sometimes the limitations with that type of funding is that it is married to that one project only. And so when we bond out in the open market and we get like right now the 57 million that we're going to do for water, if I have a project and I have surplus funds, well then it can be reallocated to another project and that does not happen when we seek out funding with the water development board. >> So I would like to make an amendment, but the person who made the initial motion is no longer here. I imagine he'll be coming back so that we can Can I go ahead and make the amendment? >> Remember, you can make an amendment. You get a second and you vote on >> Okay. Then um so I I would like the amendment to be while we're considering projects for Texas Water Development Board submission that we consider the impact to our bond capacity and we want to make sure that we don't negatively affect any of that bond capacity um so that we can be strategic about how we ask for monies for these additional projects to the 136 million that we've already bonded out. So, I imagine if the bonds have just gone out, then we are less um we have less flexibility to search out for more funding. So, I just want us to be aware of what those limitations or restrictions might be and consider that when we're looking at projects for the Texas Water Development Board. If it's a grant, perfect. But I think the last time we got a grant was the ERA funds, which was a $48 million. Everything else has been a loan with maybe minimal interest rates which aren't great but it does count as a loan that's high either way. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> Yeah. And just I was going to mention that that there's Texas waters has grants and it's loans and in the past we got a lot of loans not a lot of the grants but with this new billion dollars that's nice but that she also said that Texas has a 80 billion need for the whole state and we just got one billion and most of that billion's already been allocated to the major cities and we're going to be you know fighting for the crumbs but look I agree with the motion that we should be by using this opportunity um this unfortunate situation to advocate uh better for you know >> and we can certainly submit a PIP which is the project information form to them. Um when those get submitted then if it gets approved then you get invited to apply. I cannot just go and tell water devel I'd like to have this money. No, you have to be invited to apply. And so they it's based on the project information form that is submitted. >> Right. And I think mayor, if I may redirect, you know, the primary intention is for us to maybe apply for the waterline replacement program so that we can um offset the bonds that we've bonded out for and relocate them within our utility infrastructure bond. Right. So, we can also do that. Um, I think that council member King is is correct when he says we're competing with San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, El Paso. But what the mayor has pointed out and the reason why we got the emergency declaration from the governor is because of our geographic location and the role we play as the number one port, right? And we can't lose our side on that attention that the governor has brought to the city because of this unfortunate event from just, you know, putting it uh in a file and say, "Oh, well, the mayor give the governor gave us an emergency declaration." I think, and I want to say we're the only city that has got an emergency declaration due to water infrastructure. And I think we need to put that to play in order to ensure that we get some sort of funding. We can use every single U dollar that we can get from um any entity. >> There's a motion. Second. >> Motion. >> Second. >> And I did have an amendment out there, but it does need to be seconded. >> I stepped out to the restroom. Can I hear your amendment again? >> Yes. the the amendment was to make sure that the considerations that Texas Water Development Board has, the the impact that they have to our bonding capacity for any um grants or loans that they might propose is considered when we're looking at what projects we would file with them. Yes, Miss Canu is explaining that every Texas Water Development Board grant or or loan can impact our bonding capacity and we want to be mindful of that because we've just gone out for this $94 million and so financially we need to be aware of that. >> Mayor, if yes, go ahead. >> I I think the motion was related to the grant money which would uh the $1 billion grant funds and any other grant. So I don't think um apply to the the bonding situ concern. So, >> all right. >> If it grants it doesn't, we're I'm not saying let's go out for loans. I'm saying let's get whatever free money is out there from that $1 billion. >> All right. So, you have a motion? >> Yes, sir. And a second by council member >> Melissa. Motion and second. All in favor? >> I opposed. Motion passes. And I'd like to bring item number nine. There's some people waiting from out of town. Public hearing and introductory ordinance amending zoning ordinance map city of Laredo by authorizing conditions of conditional use permit for trucking company. >> Point of order. We just need to make a motion to open public hearing number nine before it's read into the record. >> Okay. >> So motion to open public hearing number nine. >> Motion second. All in favor? >> I. >> All right. >> You may read public hearing number nine. >> Yes. >> Yes. Nine. >> Public hearing number nine. Public hearing an introductory ordinance amending the zoning ordinance map of the city of Larredo by authorizing the issuance of a conditional use permit for a trucking company on lot 3, block one, concoction unit 3, lot 1, block 1, gamut flat and approximately 11.2 acres is further described by meets and bounds and attached exhibit A located at 5412 Santa Maria Avenue, 4925 Toro Plaza Drive and 1318 West Colton Road. The planning zoning commission recommended approval of the proposed conditional use permit amendment and staff supports the application. >> Yes. >> It's in district seven. It's right there. >> Point of order. We need to ask if there's anyone speaking for against and then we'll >> Yeah, let's go for against. >> Four or against. >> Four against. >> And there's the opportunity the lady that's here can come up and speak on the item. Sorry. I apologize. >> Uh Nicole Taylor, >> can you tell us what your opinion is on this? >> Oh, for it. Obviously, we are the like uh property owners. >> Yes. Go ahead. So, this is the the lot where the old bingo was right there across from Sam's. And there's an apartment complex right across the street. There's a fire station. Um, it's on Santa Maria, which I understand that the trucks are going to be, you know, entering and then exiting off of there, but it is going to increase the 18-wheeler traffic in that area. And one of the on the schematic it does state that there's going to be like um like a a little area where they're going to be repairing like doing maintenance work. Y >> and I don't think that that's really appropriate across the street from a place where people live. So I'm concerned that even though it's on the Santa Maria truck route, it's still zoned B3 and it is a trucking business. And I understand that Laredo being the number one port and everything, there is a demand for these businesses and um we see them a lot on the mines road where people are asking for zone changes so they can you know build these types of businesses. Sometimes it's warehousing, sometimes it's like one of these where it's a trucking company. Um it's going to be a lot of 18 wheelers. If you look at the diagram presented in the agenda, there's a lot of parking spaces. My estimate is 200 300 trailers. Is that correct? >> Around there. Yeah. >> That's a lot of trucks. That's a lot of trailers in that area where you've got community business which we've got the Sams and you've got residential, you've got commercial shopping centers close by. And um I understand planning and zoning approved this, but I think this is going to cause a lot of problems and there's not going to be a good way for us to prevent 18-wheelers parking in the shopping centers where Kohl's is at overnight. You're going to start to see a lot of 18 wheelers parked overnight. We're going to have to increase code enforcement because we're going to be dealing with even more trucks parking all over there. And um we're going to get complaints because people are going to be complaining that they can't, you know, um Man Road in that area is is one lane, one lane on each way. So, it's going to be very difficult for these 18-wheelers to turn. that intersection of I35 and Man Road gets very congested and you're talking 300 more trucks. And my guess is that you're going to have anywhere from 60 to 100 trucks moving out of that lot per day, right? >> Y >> with the rest of them parked. >> That's a lot. And with a construction uh mechanic shop on there, I'm very concerned about this uh approval. >> Go ahead, Councilman. Mayor. So, um I respect my colleagueu's opinion. It's her district and um you know, I'll yield to her um needs for the area, but I disagree. I think that this area has been this building has been abandoned. >> Uh no, it is currently still in use. We have an active tenant in there and have done since 2019. >> The old Gambit bingo. >> Uh not the Gambit. I'm talking about the the um cross that is currently there. Um the back >> the larger building on the 11 acres. I mean the bingo hall is right there on that corner. I'm sorry I'm not from Laredo. I'm not familiar with like the geographic. >> Okay, so it's the bingo hall and >> it's the bingo hall. We have the um cross talk with the large warehouse that is currently in use and has been uh since 2019. Um and we have just purchased in the last couple years the old movie theater that has since been demolished. So that is also a lot that's part of this as well. >> I was also going to make reference to that building. It's I didn't know you all owned it. Yep. >> Because there are eyes in your district >> and it's a shame, right? >> Already demolition, >> correct? And that's appreciated because if not it would have been worse. So we appreciate the demolition. At least I do because I frequent that area to Sams and Kohl's or whatever around there. But um are y'all doing anything with the Gambit Bingo building? >> Yeah. So the Gambit Beno uh hall would be turned into a maintenance garage as you pointed out, but it would be a privatelyowned and it would only be utilized for our trucks. This is not an open to the public. you can't bring your tractor trailer in and we would do maintenance. It is only for our clients who are on that property. >> And don't you already have um 18 wheelers in that property? Cuz I I see them when I pass by. >> Yep. It is still an active um property and we've had a lease there with central transport since 2019. >> If it if this were my district, I personally would approve it is my opinion just because of the condition the Gambit Bingo Hall is in. I'm assuming you're going to do something similar with the theater. Um development the bingo or the theater has been demoed. We are planning on that portion of the lot would all be parking up that back section. Uh we are planning on putting substantial investment into the um cross dog and the warehouse making it a whole lot nicer than it is right now. The same with the bingo hall. They will all get a serious faceelift with a lot of investment being put into this site as well as security for that. I know that there's been some eyesore. I've come down here and seen there's overgrowth, there's uh trash, there's been people living in there that we did not wish. And so like there's there's things we do need to invest in and this is our plan forward. >> And the interesting thing is that you mentioned parking and that maybe would spill over into the coals, but they own that big lot. >> Yeah. >> Where the theater used to be. So that would solve or address the parking situation. I'm assuming staff is recommending approval of this because there's similar businesses all along um and Santa Maria, right? >> Good evening um planning staff for the record. Um yes, we've recommended in favor of it and so did planning and zoning commission. It is located along two industrial collectors, Santa Maria. Um in the future at some point that we'll have a great separation located at that intersection. So um we have in our in our conditions um stipulated that access along Pasota Plaza is of course prohibited. We've also um prohibited parking or idling of trucks along the northeast northeast side of the property sh is prohibited again in order to be sensitive to those residences those residential uses to the east. >> Yes. Go ahead. I just I understand what's what's written, right? And what's um what's like expected on paper, right? But it's hard to control the drivers like where they end up and we waiting to queue in. Um we have that issue in Riverbank. You know, there's a lot of trucks that are waiting to queue in to get into the business at Monday morning before 8 a.m. You've already have trucks parked overnight waiting to get in the next morning. Um, the construction, the maintenance building, is it going to be enclosed or is it going to be unopen, exposed where they're working, but it's under like a roof instead of an enclosed building? >> So, it would be an enclosed building. Um, and I believe the plan is to only have access from within our site. It would not be exiting onto Terzo Drive. >> It would just be like one way in and you come back out. >> Okay. We would we would keep the existing structure. It would be completely enclosed. Um, whole building would just get a facelift. There would be garage doors on the inside of our property. as I mean I'm more in favor of an enclosed, you know, because we've had this come up before where they just want to put like a a roof and I think in enclosed is good and um being able to um control the idling of the trucks, especially by the residential area. Uh as long as we can make it work, I mean, I'm fine with it. But I do I do want to be vocal that I feel that there are going to be concerns with this. So, if anybody's in approves it, um, and there's issues, I I hope we all can tackle them when they come up because they will come up. >> Thank you. >> Go ahead. >> Uh, Miss Gera, can you show on on the map where the residential what residential areas exist and where are they? Are they right up against the line of this project? >> Where am I? I can't really see. This is get over here. Um, this is Google. This is Google Earth. How do I Doesn't want to. Here we go. [Music] Okay, here we go. >> Right here. You see here? So, this is along Torto Plaza. This is that northeast corner. That's why we we did see this and we were concerned about this uh res No, no, this is not it. No, no. We got to go further south. >> Where am I? >> They're right there. Right there. This is called This is the Gambit Bingo. This is her This is her location. >> We kind of wanted to see around the Gambit area. >> Yeah. This is This is Gambit right here. This is her location. This is the old movie theater that was demolished already. So, this right here is the apartments right here. So, this we did see this when we were looking at this and we were concerned about it. um you know it is an existing use. However, we wanted to make sure that we put in a condition that idling of trucks would not be allowed along this northeast corridor. And um we made sure that music um we put a condition regarding music to prohibit uh of course no storage of hazardous materials. Um, >> we wanted to make sure that the, you know, people out there barbecuing or, you know, being rowdy. Um, >> I think the terms for the conditional are good. >> My concern was just the proximity >> and the um traffic and is and issues and also the construction maintenance work being done in the open which you're saying it's not going to be done. We can if if you it's up to you, but you could add a condition to make sure that that maintenance facility is within a wholly enclosed structure. >> Yes. I I mayor, I would like to make a motion to close and introduce under the terms that the um maintenance facility is in an enclosed structure. >> Second. All right. Motion second. All in favor? >> I opposed. Motion pass. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> I'd like to bring up U item 115. A2 >> second. >> All in favor? >> I >> oppos. Is that okay? That's it. That's it. >> Great. Sorry. >> Okay. >> Discussion with possible. >> All those in favor. >> Okay. All in favor? I >> opposed. Motion pass. >> Do you want to come come up and say something please? So, >> okay. >> Good evening. >> Good evening, Mayor. For the record, >> my name is uh former county judge Danny Valdez. And I forgot what I was going to talk about. First of all, I want to take this opportunity to thank you and of course the city council for recognizing uh Cesar Chavez. And just to give you a little history, we were here uh February the 3rd for city council to bring up this item of naming uh recognizing Cesar Chavez and uh city council and the mayor of course is a mayor's item. Uh you were able to approve the naming of the boulevard in the south uh that feeds into the sports complex. What was left pending was the um the naming of the walkway uh that feeds on Saragoa Street uh as far as naming at it Cesar Chavez uh walkway and I'm glad you you took a little bit of time of recess because I met with with Miss Gutierrez Alicia Gutierrez from the historical commission and there was a misconception that we were looking to change the name of Sarosa Street and I think that was out there uh somehow on social media and media saying that we're looking to change the name of Sarosa Street, which is not the case. We're looking at an overlay similar to what's there with the former mayor uh mayor El Dangelo u an overlay uh into Sarosa Street. That's what we're looking looking for. Um and I'm glad that that the council is taking this item up. I think uh it was mentioned that kicking the can down the street or down the road and it's been happening for the last these folks that are here. They've been uh trying to get recognition for Cesar Chavez for over 20 years and this there was over maybe two administrations that really it fell on deaf ears and I want to thank the mayor of course for taking the lead and of course the council members to finally recognize um Cesar Chavez u an icon that a lot of young folks probably don't know who Cesar Chavez was uh and of course u you know all all the folks that here and myself, we were at one time migrant workers or farm workers uh when we're growing up or coming up. In fact, some of the council members, prior council members that were here were farm workers and migrant workers. My brother Lisa Aldez, former city councilman for district 5 was a farm worker like I was. Blasca, former council member for district 5, was also a farm worker, a migrant worker. Council meo uh was the district one I think it was district one was also of migrant workers. So we've had folks when I sat in your chairs that were one time or another were migrant workers and I think it's important to to finally and again I I thank you all for finally recognizing uh who says Archavez was and the contributions that he made for the farm workers. uh when we have u over 90 97 98% of Hispanics here in Laro, a lot of the younger folks don't realize it at one time or another your family members your your grandfathers or fathers were migrant workers and I remember back then when when I when we used to go out and and into the fields a lot of our family members brother uh would have to leave early I'm a product of the west side I'm a product of canteranas council member Sierra So a lot of my my my friends and family members uh from Faras Santa Maria um had to leave early from school to go work the fields and they would have to come back late to register for for school. So consequently they were a disadvantage going to school. So for us to remember what se Cesar Chavez did to be able to improve the quality of life for farm workers by uh doing you know going all out you know to to recognize uh the pay the working conditions u for farm workers you know he took the lead for that in fact and I think you have uh mayor u a letter of support from uh state representative Richard Raymond supporting this cause and supporting this project. You have letters of support from LULAC. I think you have them. In fact, we have members here from LULAC that support the project. So, we're very happy that finally, you know, it didn't it didn't fall on deaf ears like it has before. Uh that that we have a a council and a mayor that recognizes the efforts of Cesar Chavez. >> And I can I can be here all all night talking about Cesar Chavez, but I think Most of you know u the contribution that Cesar Chavez made not only to to Web County or or the state of Texas through the whole country, you know. So, uh I want to thank you for that. Uh and we have members here that have been working at this on this project for many many years and I think that I they would like to share some thoughts also. >> Yes. Thank you. And we do have a couple of comments on this item. Um for his Santana, no. Lisa say for a word mayor want to thank the mayor and all the city council members of city officials. Uh we were here back in February um to present uh the projects and um we're here today because uh when I held the first March um back in 2002 uh we had a we made the map of Texas made the map in all the state of Texas because we had the um the person that was running for governor. He was he was Tony Sanchez back then. So we had a lot of uh people coming from Austin, San Antonio and Corpus that helped us uh started this march. So from then on you know it was a big struggle you know going keeping the CESA Chavez legacy alive um until the 12th March which is back in 2015 2015 uh the chav memorial line was formed and um it became a nonprofit organization as a 501c3 we also been involved now with the school districts in the migrant program, educational program and we've been honoring students with scholarships and uh also work with the TEU MAR program and um they have been uh was up for a while for a couple of years and then this year u brought again back the uh the camp program which is uh college programs is a program and I think he brought around over $2 million for the program and we also recognize students from TEO on the Morgan program with scholarships. Um last year we started a new program with uh Lorto College. Lorto College uh has now the uh change the name of vocational program now it's called the workforce and now we're working with the uh air conditioning students uh with the welding students carpentry and uh electronics. we awarded to a student last year and most of these student were migrants. This year uh when we we um donated $5,000 to the college and they match another 5,000. So um that was 2023 2024 uh the agreement the agreement for this year and next year we're going to be donating another 10,000. So the college will match another 10,000. So that will be $20,000 uh for the college and now we're going to include also the student that are enrolled in the homeless and foster care program. This is the new agreement that we're going to be doing. I'm in the process of that with the college. >> All right. Thank you. Do we have Alisa Gutierrez with you? Mayor, I think both of them wanted to speak on their concerns, but I think Judge Valdez spoke to them and they did take off because they he explained to them what the situation was. >> Mayor, they had the misconception uh the commission, the the historical commission had the misconception that Senosa Street was going to >> Yes. >> be changed name was going to change. >> So, I talked to her. So, that that uh intermission that you had helped a lot. All right. >> So, I think that's uh this will have the Texas migrant council or I'm sorry. >> The Texas Migrant Council that used to exist. >> Yes, sir. >> Do you remember that one? >> Yes, sir. >> So, I was in grade school when a lot of families went up there and they used to come and miss school and it was very difficult for the students back then. I do remember those times. So, I do see that the importance of Cesa Chaveis being the the leader of all those people getting their wages up to date and their their conditions, their work conditions also everything was done because of him. >> Correct. So he was an important person. >> Well, I'd like to make a motion to approve your recommendation and um approve the item before us. >> Motion second. All in favor? >> I oppose. Motion pass. >> Thank you, mayor. Appreciate it, council member. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you all. >> Mayor, I'd like to make a motion to open public hearings. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 and 20 just in case there's anyone in the audience needs to. >> Motion second. All in favor? >> I oppose. Motion passes. >> We go ahead and read these. >> All right. Public hearing number one, public hearing introductory ordinance of the city of council of the city of Laredo, Texas. Finding that paper street in the city of Laredo, Texas, is no longer useful or convenient to the public. that is an unnecessary expense to the city of Laro in closing, vacating and abandoning that paper street being at 0.32 acre track of land out of 1600 block of urban avenue right ofway situated in district 2 the eastern division city of web county, Texas and providing for a reversion of fee and said paper street to the underlying property owners but reserving a perpetual utility easement here of closed as a public easement and providing for an effective date. Uh, number two, public hearing and introductory ordinance authorizing the city manager to accept and enter into a contract from Texas Health and Human Services Commission for the Alzheimer's disease and related dementias ADRD grant amending the FY2024 2025 budget by appropriating revenues and expenditures in the amount of $150,000 with no match for the city of Larredo public health department and amend the city of Laredo public health department FY2024 2025 full-time equivalent FTE position. position listing by creating one health educator supervisor 210 position for the term upon full execution of the contract through August 31st 2025 funds will be accounted for in the public greater public health department fund ADRD grant number three public hearing in ordinance authorizing the city manager accept to enter in a contract from Texas Health and Human Services Commission for the HIV clinical HIV STI prevention and community health centers grant amending the FY2024 2025 budget by appropriating revenues and expenditures in the amount of $345,283 with no match for the city of Larredo public health department for the term from January 1, 2025 through December 31st, 2025. Funds will be accounted for in the Laredo Public Health Department fund at HIV clinical HIV STI prevention in community health centers grant four public hearing and introductory ordinance of the city of Laro, Texas amending the code of ordinances chapter 7 building and building regulations article one in general section 7-2 same amendments code of ordinances chapter 11 electricity article 3 permit fees inspection section 11-44 same fees A6 amendment Code of ordinances chapter 25 plumbing article 1 in general section 25-8 other inspections and fees one by establishing a foundationon permit and permit fee for commercial and residential construction of 200 thou of $200 and establishing a solar panel permit and solar panel permit fee for commercial and residential construction of $200 and establishing a process for pre-development meeting and pre-development service fee of $200. Establishing an after-hour inspection process and an afterhour inspection fee of $150. Establishing a partial inspection process and a partial inspection fee of $75. Providing a cumulative and repealing clause providing a severability clause providing for publication. Providing for a penalty and declaring an effective date. Five. Public hearing an introductory ordinance of the city of Labra, Texas amending chapter 15 health and sanitation article one in general of the code of ordinances section 15-5 fees for immunization services to update section 15-5 C non-state private stock vaccines to include insurance payment subsection one and cash and card payment subsections two and remove vaccine price schedule providing a severability clause providing a savings clause and providing for effective date six public hearing and introductory ordinance authorizing the city manager to amend the city of Laro FY2025 airport operations budget to accept and appropriate revenues and expenses by the amount of 1,532,95 for Federal Aviation Administration grant number 3-48-0136-107-2024. Set grant will be used for the purpose of preparing the airport master plan update and a pavement management program for the Lo International Airport. Local matches $170,323. Funding will be allocated in the airport fund. Total project cost is1,73,228 providing for severability and providing for effective date. Seven. Public hearing introductory ordinance authorizing the city manager to amend the FY2425 solid waste budget by drawing down from fund balance and appropriating expenditures in the amount of $5,414,700 for rent and equipment purchases. This funding is available in the solid waste fund. 8 public hearing and introductory ordinance amending the city of Laredo land development code section 24-77.1 entitled dimensional standards to remove the minimum lot depth requirement of 85 ft in R-1B single family highdensity district zoning districts and providing for providing that this ordinance shall be cumulative providing for a seability clause and providing for publication effective date. The planning zoning commission recommended the approval of the proposed ordinance amendment nine. We've already covered 10. Public hearing and introductory ordinance amending the zoning ordinance map of the city of Larredo by reszoning lot 5 block 1069 Eastern division located at 1204 South Urban Avenue from B1 Limited business district to B3 community business district. The planning zoning commission recommended approval of the proposed zone change and staff sports application. 11. Public hearing and introductory ordinance amending the zoning ordinance map of the city of RA by reszoning approximately 3,194.7 square feet out of lot 2 block 664 Eastern division as further described in meets and bounds and attached exhibit A located at 1215 Ryan Street from R3 Mix Residential District to B3 community business district. The planning zoning commission recommended approval of the proposed zone change and staff does not support the application. 12 public hearing and introductory ordinance amending the zoning ordinance map of the city of Lo by reszoning lot two block one Palm Lake subdivision phase one located at 819 Rancho VJO drive from R1A single family reduce area district to R2 multif family residential district the planning zoning commission recommend approval of the proposed zone change of staff supports application 13 public hearing and introductory ordinance amending the zoning ordinance map of the city of radle by reszoning lot 12 and the West uh one and a half of lot uh 11 block 1000 Eastern division located at 1802 Mercer Street from R1 single family residential district to R3 mixed residential district. The planning zoning commission recommended approval of the proposed zone change of staff did not support the application. 14 public hearing and instructor ordinance amending the zoning ordinance map of the city of Laro by reszoning approximately 2.5 acres as further described by meets and bounds in attached exhibit A located at 23311 FM 1472 from AG agricultural district to M1 life manufacturing district. The planning zoning commission recommended approval of the proposed zone change of staff supports the application. 15. Public hearing an introductory ordinance authorizing the city manager to accept a grant approve a program and appropriate funds from the federal emergency management agency FEMA in partnership with US Customs and Border Protection CBP for the FY2024 shelter and services program competitive SSP-C and amend the FY2425 general fund budget by increasing revenues and expenses in the amount of 3,94,483. The grant performance prep period is from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2026. Grant funding will be used to provide services to individuals and families released from Department of Homeland Security Custody. There's no cost share requirement. Funding will be available in the special fire grants fund. 16. public hearing and introductory ordinance amending the city of Lar fiscal year 202425 uh capital improvements fund by appropriating revenues and expenditures and authorizing the city manager to implement said budget amendment for the finalization of the original design of the north central ADA parking amount of 550,000 that shall include the extension of the existing parking lot past Sweden lane and various amenities for the inclusive play area funds will be from a donation provided by Robert Pi areas 17. >> Public hearing and introductory ordinance amending chapter 23 section 23-6 of the code and ordinances of the city of Larredo to amend the field rental fees to $150 per field, $35 for lights, $40 for marking, $150 for concession deposit of 40% of total rental fees and $750 for complex rental rate. Revenues for are from funds generated by the field rental fees and will be used for supplies and maintenance of the facilities containing a savings clause containing a separability clause and providing an effective date. New fees will be deposited into general fund and recreation fund. 18 public hearing and introductory ordinance of the city of Larredo, Texas authorizing and promisory note in the aggregate principal amount of 4,15,000 together with a contract for loan guarantee assistance under section 108 of the housing and community development act of 1974 as amended 42 USC section 5308 in connection therewith providing for findings 19 public hearing and introductory ordinance authorizing the city manager to accept and execute a grant as a sub recipient awarded by the environmental Protection Agency EPA on behalf of the Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute TRI in the amount of 5,143,991 were no match and amending the Community Development Housing Rehabilitation Fund FY2025 annual budget for the solar forall fund by appropriating revenues and expenditures in the amount of 5,143,991. This grant will provide two full-time equivalent FTE senior office assistant positions. Funding for the city of Laredo Solar for All program will deliver direct energy bill savings by providing financial assistance for the installation of solar panels on homes for low-income households. 20. Public hearing introductory ordinance amending ordinance number 2016-012 which establishes the adoption of a pet agreement for all the city of Lo airport federal acquisition regulation for part 150 noise compatibility program in the Jose A. Flores duplexes single family units and managed by the community development municipal housing division by revising the terms and conditions of the agreement by which tenants are allowed to keep pets. May I'd like to make a motion to have Mr. when reread all the number one for >> I have to admit I was take my time reading so you all don't have as much time to argue so I'm trying to penetrate you >> into getting along >> you did your good deed of the day sir >> all right let's go with number one for or against or against or against >> motion to close and introduce second >> number two for or against all those in favor >> all those in favor yes I >> opposed motion passes Number two, four or against. Four or against. Four or against. >> Motion to close and introduce. >> Second. >> Motion. Second. All in favor? >> I. >> Motion pass. >> Number three, four or against. Four or against. Four or against. >> Motion to close and introduce. >> Motion second. All in favor? >> I. >> Oppose. Motion pass. Number four. For or against. Four or against. Four or against. >> I'll second discussion. >> There's no discussion once we close it. So I think she needs to be heard as for against >> a question motion mayor's point of order to post. >> I think we already passed that. All right. >> So we haven't voted on >> now she can. >> Okay. Go ahead. >> Um the uh Mr. N if if you could answer a question about in the middle of this section um establishing a process for pre-development meeting and pre-development service fee of $200 for the building department. >> I think I can answer. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Um, is is this something that has existed before and is this a um does this allow for some initial contact and information exchange before this fee kicks in? >> Um, this is the service has been provided pretty much always. Um whereas people could applicants could come in and ask for a meeting with us and that we would call in sort of all the troops and review everything but it was free. So it was just a a complimentary service that we would provide but it is becoming sort of more and more frequent and it is something that when you're having three or four directors around a table with you know multiple staff it does >> understood. Is there >> so the fee is new? >> Is there a way is or is there a a mechanism for applicants to come in and get some very basic information before they proceed? It just seems to be a barrier if in order to talk to anyone at the building department, you must pay $200. >> No, that is not how we envisioned it. It was I mean, you know, we answer the phone talk. She's been waiting the whole night to do to do this. >> Sorry to catch you. >> Apologize. >> Here's a real expert on that. >> Inosa building development services. >> But but to her question, I would not be heard. Um she was concerned that people wouldn't be able to come and ask us questions prior to, you know, having this. That's not true. >> No, no, no. Uh we can take emails, phone calls if it's any um in town. This is mainly for out of town. Uh they really like the process that we're doing for pre-development, helping them how with the planning works on the zoning and all that good stuff. Uh guiding them with engineering, how it works prior to the project. >> This is this is a next level thing. This is an initial an initial ask for information and and how they can get their project advanced. Correct. And just information like that. This is what you've already kind of covered basics and you're going in a little bit deeper. >> We're already doing this, but we don't charge. Okay. >> But we're still with assistance over the phone, through email. >> Thank you. I think it was just the pre-development wording. I just wanted to make sure there aren't additional barriers to just getting some basic information. >> It does not preclude anyone from picking up the phone and giving >> I'll make a motion to close and introduce. Thank you. >> Motion second. >> All in favor? >> I oppose. Motion pass. >> Number five. Four or against. Four or against. Four are against. >> Closure to close and introduce. >> Second. >> Motion. Second. All in favor. >> Opposed. Motion pass. Number six. Four or against. Four or against. Four. >> Introduce. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Second. >> All in favor. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion pass. Number seven. For or against. Four or against. Four or against. >> Motion to close and introduce. >> Second. >> Motion second. All in favor? >> I. >> Motion opposed. Motion passes. Number eight. Four or against. Four or against. Four or against. >> Second. >> Motion. Second. All in favor? >> I >> oppose. Motion passes. >> Number 10. >> Number 10. We already did. Number nine. Number 10. Four or against. Four or four or 10. >> This number 10. >> Introduce. >> Motion second. All in favor? I >> oppose. Motion passes. Number 11. For or against? For or against. For or against. I have a question. Are the um property owners here? >> We We did advise everybody. We called everybody the day of >> I'm assuming staff is denying this because it's in the neighborhood, right? It's not on McFersonson. >> It's next to the >> That is correct. >> Snack shop. >> Yeah, we do have it right here. >> And they're I'm assuming wanting to do a car lot is the only thing I can think of. Oh, used to be a used car lot. >> And it's a little strip, right? >> Yeah. See it? It is. This is McFerson right here. This is Pinguinos. And this is the lot, right? This is already B3. Half of it is already B3. This is the half that they're trying to reszone. So, they >> What is the half that's currently B3, Miss Gara, being utilized for? >> It's vacant right now. >> Do they own it? >> Yes. So, are they asking for this B3 to have a bigger space for the used car lot or what's the >> They just want the They want to be able to unify the lot under the B3 zone to allow for a car lot use. >> That's why. So, they have B3 now. They want to have the other half be B3 so they can >> That's correct. >> use both lots as a whole. >> Well, it's it's both halves. Yes. Both >> both halves for the same purpose. Yes. >> And they specifically have said that it's for a used car lot. Yes. >> The propertyy's so small that I have an issue with it, especially because it's all residential, right? It's it's >> un it is. It abuts a residence to the to the east and then directly in front. >> Anyone uh opposed to this? >> Uh I don't believe so. 0. >> Yeah, this went to count this went to PNZ um last year and they recommended a denial at that time. However, this time they rethought it and recommended in favor. >> Um, I'm going to make a motion to table since the owners are not here. >> Second. >> Motion second. All in favor? >> I oppose. Motion passes. Number 12. Four or against. Four or against. Four or against. >> Motion to close and introduce. >> Motion second. >> That's District seven. >> Okay. Motion second. All in favor? I >> oppose. Motion pass. >> Number 13. Four or against. Four or against. Four or against. >> Motion to close the interview. >> Motion second. All in favor? >> I >> oppose. Motion pass. 14. Four or against. Four or against. Four against. >> Motion. Introduce. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Second. All in favor. >> Opposed. Motion pass. >> 15. Four against. Four against. Four against. >> Motion to close and introduce. >> Second. Motion second. All in favor? >> Motion pass. Nobody against. Number 16. Four or against. Four or against. Four or against. >> Motion to close and introduce. >> Second. >> Motion second. All in favor? >> I. >> No oppos. Number 17. Four or against. Four or against. Four or against. >> Mayor, I have a question. >> Go ahead. >> Um, is someone here from parks? Oh, Mr. Bis. uh included in in these amending the fees, you have $40 for marking as a fee. How and I'm assuming um that is for fields. >> That's correct. >> How does this money um compare to the money that's being charged for each individual player in the youth sports leagues? >> Uh good evening, Mayor Council J Parks director. So th this is for these $40 is for either for let's say a soft somebody wants to host a softball tournament. These are tournaments. Somebody wants to host a softball tournament. Somebody wants to host a little league tournament or or any other soft. >> It's a special it's a special use. >> That's correct. It's for special uses. So somebody wants to come and use Ben softball and they want to mark they want us to mark the fields. We're raising up to $40 per field. Okay. >> This has nothing to do with the leagues. The leagues is is no league play. So the the use sports fee of $10 that's in a different plot for different. >> Yes, ma'am. That's correct. >> I'll I'll make a motion to close and introduce. >> Motion second. All in favor? >> Motion pass. >> Number 18. Four or against. Four or against. Four or against. >> Let me clarify something. So um Mr. Neb, in the materials that we got and in the way that this reads, there's no indication that this is for the Southern Hotel Affordable Housing Rehabilitation Project, but once you go into the file, you can find that listed on some document, but I just wanted the public to know this is for the Southern Hotel affordable housing rehabilitation project. >> I'll I'll make a motion to close and introduce. >> Second. >> Motion second. All in favor? >> I oppose. Motion pass. Number 19. Four or gains. Four or gains. Four or games. >> Second. >> Motion second. All in favor? >> I oppose. Motion pass. And number 20 for games. For games for games. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Motion second. All in favor? >> Mayor. Mayor. Motion to extend the meeting to 11. I know there's people waiting, so I just want to make sure they don't wait and not get seen. So, >> motion passes. All right. >> Second. >> Second. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I oppose. Motion pass. >> Mr. Mayor, I'd like to um Council council to introduce introductory ordinances 21, 22, 23, and 24. Motion to approve final reading of ordinances 25, 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35, 36, 37, and 38. >> Mayor, >> if I may, uh, need an amendment on number 29. If I may, can I read into to the record, >> please? >> Yes. >> So, I'll make uh my motion will exclude 29 and then we'll take 29 individually. Mr. Mayor >> motion second. All in favor? >> I oppose. Motion passes. >> We have 29 before us. >> 29. >> Um we're seeking an amendment to the final reading of number 29 of correction as needed on the final ordinance under section 31-97 fees. Uh, a striketh through was made by staff by error under letter E, sewer services. Uh, number 11, septic tanks disposal fee. It was for $40 for every,000 gallons removing. Uh, they were removing this fee. This fee is for the septic charge and needs to be left in the ordinance. Leaving this fee will also change the numbering of the items. septic tank disposal fee will become number five instead of number 11 and the following two fees will become number six and seven. So we'd like that correction. Motion to approve the item as read into the record and clarified by assistant city manager Steve Lundine. >> Second motion second. All in favor? >> I oppose. Motion passes. >> Mr. Mayor, motion to approve consent agenda items number 39, 40, 41, 42, 43. 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 >> 51 >> 50 Retract uh retracting 51. Continue to approve. 52 53 54 55 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 73 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 2, 103, 104, 105, and 106. >> Redacting 103. So >> for those >> um I want to pull the the bridge items uh 42, 43, 44, and items 52 and 53 and 58. All right. Now, I'm going to repeat my motion to approve all the consent agenda items with the exception of 42 43 44 51 52 53 58 74 93 and 103. Second >> motion second. All in favor? I oppose. Motion pass. We're at 42. >> All right. 42. Mayor, um I know that staff had asked that executive session was timesensitive as well. Um and we're in the middle of approving all these items. Do we want to take executive session first? I'll make a motion to bring up executive session items 1101 and 112. >> Second. >> Motion second. >> All in favor? >> I I >> oppose. Motion pass. >> Mr. May I'd like to make a motion for council to go into executive session for items 110, 111, and 112 pursuant to Texas Government Code section 551.076 076 subsection one to deliberate the deployment or specific occasions for implementation of security personnel or devices uh to strategically combat crime tense uh trends and high highest priorities with the city to include the um police chief management and anybody else deemed appropriate necessary by staff and legal for item number 11 under Texas government code section 551.072 072. >> Okay. >> Deliberation regarding real property to discuss possible condemnation of real uh property located at 1218 Matamorto Street and to include 112 um under section uh Texas code section 551.071 subsection 1 subsection A to discuss potential litigation by a former employee. Um again to include any staff needed uh for this discussion as requested by the city manager and our city attorney. >> Second >> motion second. >> All in favor? >> I opposed. Executive session >> legal and staff to proceed accordingly. Second >> motion second. All in favor? >> I >> oppose. Motion passes. >> For item number 12, for purpose of the record, we acknowledge that we have received um the correspondence from legal counsel of Karina Lisando and we authorize the city manager and staff to proceed accordingly. >> Second. >> Motion second. All in favor? >> I opposed. Motion passes. >> Motion to recess as the Laro City Council and convene as the Laro Mass Transit Board. >> Second. >> Motion second. All in favor? I >> oppose. Motion pass. >> Motion to approve items 113 and 114. >> Second. >> Motion. All in favor? >> I >> opposed. Motion pass. >> Motion to adjourn as the Laro Mass Transit Board and reconvene as the Laredo City Council. >> Motion in favor. >> I >> opposed. Motion pass. >> Motion to bring up supplemental item of appointments. >> I'm making a motion to bring up supplemental agenda appointments. >> Motion second. All in favor? >> I oppos. >> I have for discussion. Mayor, >> it's just to bring up. >> It's an appointment. >> Just to bring up. So motion pass. >> Okay. Motion pass. >> Yeah. Mayor I'd like to make a motion to approve your appointment on the supplemental agenda. Um and I have a question now that there's a second. >> Yes. Motion second. Go ahead, >> Mayor. Um my question is there are three members of the council that um represent the city of Laredo and the no. My question is who would counel replace? >> Uh council woman. >> Okay. Thank you. >> May I be? >> Yes. Go ahead. >> So these appointments are for a two-year term. That term will finish in February of 2025. So I am being asked to be replaced which is a the mayor's prerogative um ear four months early and I just wanted to be clear that in my role as MP as an NO uh member of the of of the organization that I have tried to fulfill my duties to the best of my ability. I have spoken in front of the Texas transform transportation committee in Austin two times. I have gone to the border trade alliance committee meeting in Macallen and I've been at another one here in Laredo. I was asked to be on the active transportation conference panel in Austin this past September which I attended along with other members of the MO. I've attended border connectivity meetings that have been held here in Laredo with the Texas Department of Transportation and I was at some the only member of um council member of the MO there. I've attended the vision zero public meetings, the I69, the mindser, the vice road public meetings. So I have fulfilled my requirements as a member of the MO. It is the mayor's prerogative to choose members. Generally speaking, I find it unusual that it is being done four months before my natural end of term. And I do see that there has been comments made to me and I must agree that I do feel that this is somewhat vindictive for what's going on outside in the political realm. So I will admit that this is the mayor's prerogative and I just wanted to make clear that I believe that I have fulfilled my duties as a member of the MO during my time served. Thank you >> and thank you very much for your service. We appreciate what you did and uh we appoint people and we change them around. So, but thank you very much for your service and we appreciate that. We appreciate your comment. Also, >> may I be may I redirect? >> Yes. Um I do um recognize um also your change in reappoint especially with the 405 bridge and the traffic and growth that we're going to start seeing much more in South Ledo. I know council member Blankeel represents um the south and I think it's important that the south has a voice um in this mo as it pertains to city representation. I will amend my motion to um include that the replacement would be to replace council member Melissa Cigarua for the unexpired term and for council member Rael to continue serving a full term after that. >> Is that your motion? >> That's my amendment. Yes. >> Okay. Motion. >> There's a second. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> opposed. Motion pass. >> Mr. Mr. Mayor, I know that the next item is consent item number 42. However, staff is telling us that 103 needs to be heard before the meeting is adjourned. So, I'd ask that we I make a motion that we bring up item 103. >> Second. >> Motion second. All in favor? >> I oppose. Motion pass. >> I'll make a motion to approve item 103 so we can initiate any type of discussion that um I think council member Alisa Cigara requested. >> Motion second. All in favor? No, we have discussion. No, discussion. Go ahead. >> Um, Mr. Well, city manager or um Miss Ku, was there an RFQ um for this item? For this item? >> Yeah, we we we advertised for it and we did post it on the city's web page and then we passed the engine's recommendation on this. And >> just this clarification, it was an RFP. Oh, >> RFP. Thank you for the clarification. Um, but it, correct me if I'm wrong, was it was it only 7 days that it was out? >> No. Yeah, more plenty more than 30 days. It was about 45 days. >> So, um, do do we have um chlorine dioxide anywhere currently in neighboring water systems in the Rio Grande? >> Uh, yes. Uh, we do use chlorine dioxide. Well, Macallen Macallen does use corn dioxide. There's other other municipalities that do uh >> the top of my head as well. Um >> well, in the radar, no. Well, we would in the Rio Grande, yes, but not in the radio. We we are the only water system in the radio aside from >> Thank you. Um, so I don't ever recall having this item, well, this being presented at council before and um, >> I can answer, Mr. Mayor. I can answer that. We brought it to council multiple times every month when we have the ARPA report to you all that uh, the ARPA project included utilities coming forward in October for the chlorine dioxide project. >> Okay. But I I apologize. >> Yeah, we've been bringing it forward, council member, mayor. And just just as a piece of mind, this is part of the 2021 efforts. Uh we engaged last year uh around this time September. That was amendment to our contract. We finalize the design. Um and this will bring benefits uh have uh increase stable uh chloromine in the system. So it means we're going to flush less because we have a more stable chlorine. It'll last longer the disinfectant. It'll decrease our disinfection byproducts. So that'll help and it also help with taste and odor. So all those things I think are very very valuable for our water treatment um and our water system. >> And has the new interim director been briefed on this and able to review the engineering report in the bid? >> He has not mayor council member looked at any of the projects yet. Uh at one of our goals is to get him deep into the projects to make sure that we align and make sure that the projects that are being proposed from the former director are in line with the vision of the future. And so ultimately uh this item here is an item that has been in the works for a period of time and we're we're recommending approval to move past this because of our timelines with the ARPA funding and the amount of money that it is uh to to go ahead and move forward with it uh as proposed and uh we will also be taking a deep dive into all utility projects. >> Thank you. And um so just in reading the the attached um document is there who who's the manufacturer for the chlorine diox is going to be the the manufacturer for the on-site generation. Uh they're one of the largest providers and they have one of the leading experts internationally for chlorine dioxide. So I would you know hardly stand behind them. Thank you. >> Right. May I make a motion to approve? >> Motion second. >> All in favor? >> I >> oppose. Motion passes. We go now to item 42 >> 40 42 42. >> Good evening, mayor, council members. Kent Richard and I'm director for bridge department. Um item 42 is basically tied in also with item number 43. They're related together. 42 is the hardware and the firewall and 43 is to installing of the data circuits. This is for the network redundancy for to maintain our system operations at all bridges. It's kind of like um a generator with a transfer switch. our electricity goes out, the transfer switch will kick in and the generator will kick in. That way, we will not lose any downtime for the for our system whatsoever. If I may, I'd like to pull in Mr. Joe Rietta from RT department. It would be him and his staff that would be working on this project to get us up to par where we want to go forward with. >> Good evening, Mayor, City Council, Ja, IST director for the record. Yes, as as Kent mentioned, what we're doing here is we're we're actually uh not only putting data circuits at each redundant data circuits in each one of the bridges, but the hardware involved here are the firewall devices. Again, one per bridge to secure that network. As you all know, again, uh cyber security is of the utmost importance for it. And so, the firewall devices will secure the traffic on on all four bridges. But again, this is for redundancy to try to minimize uh any potential for downtime uh for their operations. This is nothing new. It's it's a common practice across IT departments. Uh putting in redundant circuits for critical operations is always highly recommended. So that's what we're doing here. >> Mayor, if I may. >> Yes. Go ahead. The um the question I have is, you know, I don't remember ever talking about this project at all and I know Miss Lemon retired and we never talked about these projects. >> If I if I may, the conversation did start with Miss Lemon initially several months back. I'm not sure. Um I guess we hadn't brought it to this venue or to this uh this group, but uh the conversation did actually begin with Miss Lemon and myself, >> right? because you know we we hadn't we hadn't talked about it. I was just wondering where it came from and then also does it involve anything having to do with um creating like the Wi-Fi at the bridge and and for the automatic um charging of the accounts the the the system that we use whether the that they use like the the the the issues that we've discussed at the port of entry advisory committee those connectivity issues the technological issues with the programs that we use I'm just curious to know why this one came up on the agenda and none of those items that we have been talking about for years. I just didn't know if they were connected or where we stand on those other issues. >> So, so part of what you said does connect. So, this is again network redundancy for the bridges to maintain operations. As far as specifically to your question about Wi-Fi, that's a separate project it is working on. We are trying to get a good across the board Wi-Fi uh uh network in in place for all of our facilities. So the idea and what we're shooting for with that is that as visitors to any of our sites are that Wi-Fi network that we're planning on establishing, you'll be able to walk into any city uh facility and seamlessly connect to that Wi-Fi if you're an internal user. that being council members, staff, uh, and then as and then as part of that, we'll also have a good guest Wi-Fi that where our visitors, for example, dignitaries to the bridge will be able to connect to that, but that is a actually a separate project. It does not it's not involved in what we're talking about here, if >> yes, go ahead. >> So, the Wi-Fi wasn't for us. It was for when the drivers get there and they don't have sufficient funds and we need to charge automatically their cards for that system that we have that we have implemented to reduce the the insufficient fund turnarounds. Sometimes it's hard to charge the account because the bridge has very poor connectivity with internet and so is that part of this >> that so um I was not aware of that request council me council member um I will have to look into that um I believe don't we have can don't we have the badges on that they use that they scan as they come across >> so I'm going to have to research that specifically a bit more to see what we can do around that if it's that would that as you said sounds like a Wi-Fi related technology and we can get there. I just need to do some research on that for you. >> Sorry, do you want to finish? I just was to ask if we could move to recess the meeting to for tomorrow. >> Second. >> Do we have time? >> There's a motion a second. >> There's a motion and a second. >> All in favor? One two three. >> Opposed. >> One, two, three, >> four. >> And Mr. Mayor, our recommendation is for approval of this item so we can move forward and get this part done that that we need to to move forward. >> Make a motion to approve items 42, 43, and 44. >> Second. >> Motion. Second. All in favor. >> Motion to approve up and approve items 52 to 58. >> Well, we're in the middle of a vote. >> No. >> No. >> All in favor? I >> I opposed. Motion passes. >> 528 second. >> Mayor, I have a problem with 52 and 53, but we need to talk about it, I guess, at the next meeting because it's the passing treehouse project. >> Okay. You want to >> I would like to actually like to table 52 and 53 for the next meeting. >> Second. >> There's a motion on the table. >> Table trumps any motion as a point of order. >> Okay. Motion. Any second? Second to table 52 and 53. >> All right. All in favor? >> I >> opposed. Motion pass. >> I'll make a motion to approve item 58. >> Second. Motion second. All in favor? >> I. >> Opposed. Motion pass. >> Make a motion to adjurnn. >> Motion. Any second? Second. Meeting adjourned.