Yeah. >> Headphones are connected. Well, good morning everyone and welcome to city council chambers. We are about ready to get started. Miss Bryan. >> Good morning, mayor, and good morning everyone. Welcome to the presentation of the mayor's proclamations. We begin with the pledge of allegiance. And this morning to lead us in the pledge. We have regional Spanish spelling B 2026 winners at the invitation of city representative Lily Lemon. We have Shaheli De Silva, Farah Martinez Kaloka, Constanza Garcia, Ivana Galvan Gonzalez, and Rebecca Quas. To the flag of the United States of America to the stands, one nation under indivisible with liberty and justice for all. All right. Smile. One more. Okay, Miss Brian. >> Yes. And for those receiving a proclamation this morning, your group will have up to four minutes collectively to receive the proclamation at the podium. That brings us to the first proclamation which is 105th annual potentate and commandress ball and the proclamation reads whereas Oro temple number nine of the ancient Egyptian Arabic Arabic order nobles of the mystic shrine of North and South America and its jurisdictions inc Prince Hall affiliated will host their 106th annual potentate and commandress ball and celebration on March 28th, 2026 at the Windham airport and casino. And whereas Oro Temple number nine and Oral Court number 20, both esteemed charitable and nonprofit organizations have a history of generously donating to numerous charitable causes as part of their annual projects. And whereas a primary mission of Oro Temple Number Nine is to foster benevolence and cultivate goodwill within both the local community and beyond. Throughout their tenure, Oro Temple number nine have actively raised funds for a plethora of of charitable endeavors, including but not limited to supporting the United Negro College Fund, Child Crisis Center, McCall Neighborhood Center, Initiatives for Cancer Research, Hospice of El Paso, the Salvation Army, NAACP, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the Shrinal Shriners Health and Medical Research Foundation, providing uniforms and tools for schools, National Diabetes Research, St. Jude's Hospital, AD New Life Christian Home, the Ronald McDonald House, the YW.CA, Transitional Living Center, and numerous other vital organizations serving the community. And whereas in 2025, Oro Temple number nine exemplified its commitment to philanthropy through generous contributions to various local organizations. This included providing cash donations to the Salvation Army, assisting with curbside donations for Thanksgiving, and supporting the National Diabetes, American Cancer Society, and the American Red Cross. Furthermore, they generously donated toys to the El Paso Child Crisis Center. Additionally, they extended their support by donating hygiene items to the students at Texas College and serving breakfast quarterly to the El Paso Independent Living Center, a homeless shelter. Now therefore, be it proclaimed by the mayor and council of city of El Paso that March 28th, 2026 shall be known as Oral Temple number 9 and Oral Court number 20 combined annual celebration signed by the Honorable Mayor Renard Johnson. >> Good morning. >> Morning. >> Good morning, mayor. >> You guys want to say a few words? >> I got a couple words. Just a few. Just a few. On behalf of the nobles of Oral Temple number nine and the daughters of Oral Court number 20, I humbly gratefully accept this proclamation from the city of El Paso. We thank the city of El Paso for this distinguished honor. Remain committed to continuing our work of compassion, leadership, and service throughout our great community. >> You had just a few words, huh? You very >> just a few. >> All right. Can we get some names and the rest of the court? >> Um, my name is Carl Reagan, I'm the luscious Pote. >> Good morning. >> My name is Sea Abad. I'm the Lusious Commandress for Oral Court number 20. >> Daughter Kamisha Rump of Oral Court number 20. >> I am Steven Monroe and I am the deputy of Oasis for this great sun city of El Paso. >> I am Novo Ned Gatson, the Chief Ray Band of Oral Temple number nine. Noble Billy Hatton the assistant Rayban or symbol number nine Noble William Hooks uh retired PD huh I'm Michael Hall passpate of oil temple number nine >> Noble Majali McKver first ceremonial master fantastic well thank you guys uh for all that you do for this community and can you tell us a little bit about this year's potentate ball? >> Yes, Mr. Mayor. We're going to have it at the Windom. Uh we will have hospitality on the 27th meet and greet and then we will conduct a ball. The ball will encompass all the other uh shriner temples from different parts of the United States to the tent. We'll have temples from Alaska, some of our furthest places from New Mexico, uh Albuquerque, um we'll have some out of Colorado, but it's the fest that we have our annual ball where we recognize uh our main events during the course of the year. >> Very good. And what time does it start again? >> And it it will start at 7 and uh it will go to approximately 12:00. >> 12 o'clock. Okay. And we we're looking forward to seeing you, mayor, >> for for for our annual we're looking forward to seeing you, Mr. Mayor. >> I hear you. >> Okay. For our annual uh gayla that we're having this year, you you're one of our public speakers. So, we we really like to have you. And that's in April because we're having we're bringing all of the temples in the state of Texas to El Paso >> for our annual desert conference. and you are invited to be one of our guest speakers for our public. >> Now that you mentioned it, when is the desert conference is we'll be Mr. Mayor? It is April 16th through the 18th. I think you should have it in your book somewhere because we see you at Veterans Breakfast every month. >> Yes, I understand. >> Well, again, thank you guys. thank uh Oral Temple number uh nine and and the oral court number 20 for all that you do for this community. You guys do so so much and u as Miss Prime listed, there's just so many things, the Red Cross, the um uh diabetes, it goes on, American Cancer, I mean goes on and on, but we cannot thank you enough for all that you do for the El Paso community. And I'm looking forward to seeing you on April 16th, 17th, you know, for the desert. So, I I've got that on my calendar, but but again, thank you guys and congratulations. >> Thank you. All right, let's have everybody take a big step back. We're going to do two rows. So, if you're a little taller, let's have you towards the back. All right, sir. On the end, can I get you to come in the back for me on this side please? That's perfect. Representative, can I have you come this way for me? A little bit more. Beautiful. All right, ready? Big smiles. One two three. Couple more just in case. One, two, three. Okay, we have some phones. Hold those poses. Ready? One, two, three. All right, ready. One, two, three. Thank you so much. And the next proclamation is American Red Cross Month. >> Representative Roachcha. >> Thank you, Mayor. I know they're all here. While they're getting up here, Anna shared with me this morning that they're celebrating 115 years here in El Paso. >> Wow. >> So quite quite a a a celebration. So I hope we hear a lot about it. >> For sure. Thank you so much. Go. Whereas the American Red Cross has served the nation for more than 145 years by providing compassionate care to those in need, delivering relief, comfort, and hope in times of disaster and crisis. And whereas during the month of March, communities across the country recognize American Red Cross Month to honor the dedicated volunteers, donors, and staff who make this lifesaving humanitarian mission possible. And whereas in the city of El Paso, Red Cross volunteers and partners play a vital role in responding to emergencies by providing shelter, food, and essential essential services following disasters, supporting patients through a safe and reliable blood supply, and assisting military members, veterans, and their families through 24-hour support services. And whereas the American Red Cross also strengthens our community by offering lifesaving education such as first aid, CPR, and emergency preparedness, empowering residents to protect themselves, their families, and their neighbors. And whereas these collective efforts reflect the spirit of compassion, service, and resilience that defines El Paso, reminding us that when we come together, no one has to face an emergency alone. Now therefore, be it proclaimed by the mayor and council of the city of El Paso that March 2026 shall be known as American Red Cross Month, signed by the honorable mayor, Renard Johnson. >> Thank you. Thank you all so much. Representative Roachcha, thank you so much for supporting us. >> Thank you. Thank you. Um, as Representative Roachcha mentioned, we are celebrating this year 115 years in El Paso. We have been an established chapter in this community since 1911. And so I am hoping that all of you throughout this year will help us celebrate. We are planning events. We are ultimately culminating the year with a birthday party celebration at our offices and I will make sure that all of you receive our invitation and I hope you're able to to join us to help celebrate our year. We have been in this community helping make this community more resilient and supporting and making it safer. This past weekend alone, we were out in Canotio with our wonderful staff and volunteers. We installed a 100 smoke alarms in over in 38 homes. So, we had a very successful event this past weekend. We had over 50 volunteers out there supporting us. So, we're super grateful for this community for always opening up their door for us and just grateful to be here representing and ensuring that we're delivering mission here in El Paso. So, thank you all so much for this recognition. We truly appreciate it and are so grateful for all of you and your leadership. So, thank you. Thank you. If I could take a moment and let my volunteers and staff introduce themselves, I would appreciate that. >> Absolutely. >> Thank you. >> Uh my name is Danny Martinez. I'm a volunteer recruiter here with the American Red Cross. Good morning. >> Good morning. Kina Guerrero, service to the armed forces and international services regional program specialist. >> Rick Rosen, volunteer. Morning >> Francancy Dupo Chavez and I'm a volunteer as well. >> Good morning. >> Charles Weaver. I'm a volunteer too. >> Good morning. >> Uh Jeffrey Gilmer, volunteer as well. Hello, Anna Kshaw, volunteer. >> Good morning. >> Hi, I'm Janelle and I'm a volunteer as well. >> Good morning. >> Hi, uh, Joyce Cordell Gilmer, a volunteer. >> And if I can shout out a couple of volunteers. Rick, for example, really headed up our event this past weekend. And so, we're so grateful that the success of that event was under his leadership. but also we'll be handing you today an event that recognizes a small card that recognizes the 115 years that we've been in El Paso. Gives a little bit of our chapter history and how we started, but most importantly a chapter pin that I hope you all will proudly wear and it is uh specific to this chapter and it does say El Paso and this was created by with the help and support of Joyce Cordell. So really grateful for all of our volunteers for all the support that they offer us. Thank you. >> Very good. So, you guys have been in El Paso since 1911 right? >> Yes, sir. Because of the Mexican Revolution. So, we were here helping both American and Mexican soldiers who were wounded. Uh, and we were just crossing international lines to help support these these soldiers. >> Yeah. Well, I did a little research and I found out that the American Red Cross was founded in 1881, >> by Claire Barton and um who had the nickname of Angel of the Battlefield. And in addition to the disasters that you guys respond to, uh what most don't know is that the American Red Cross supplies about 40% of all the uh nation's blood. And that's roughly every two seconds someone in the US needs blood. So in addition to the disasters that you respond to, you guys are out saving lives. So thank you for all that you do and congratulations on on the uh since 1911 being here. So congratulations to all. Thank you. Thank you. We appreciate you. Thank you. >> Representative Fier. >> Thank you, Mayor. You know, thank you all for all you do for our community and for addressing this disasters um without fear. You're you're there. And I'm sure that if God forbid I'm ever part of the other side of a disaster, but I'd sure look for those red vests if I was. um your alarms that you you put on the fire alarms in seniors homes and and homes. Thank you for doing that for our community. That's a huge safety measure. And and lastly, congratulations and tapping into Joyce Cordell's talent. She's an amazing person and and I had the opportunity of of working besides her at at the community college and she did a fabulous job. >> Thank you. >> We appreciate having her around and and Representative Fo, we appreciate you. For those of you who don't know, Representative Fo uh donated for the first time at our blood drive this last year. We truly are grateful to him. >> I had a minute and and I got on a poster. >> You did. >> Thank you. >> He did get national recognition for that too. >> Wow. >> So, thank you, Representative. We appreciate you. Thank you. >> Oh, that is awesome. Represent Rocha. >> Thank you, mayor. I just want to recognize Charlie. He introduced himself as Charles Weaver, but he has the most deployments within the American Red Cross here in the region or in this chapter. You're at 18, Charlie. >> 18. That guy raises his hand every single time there's a disaster anywhere in the United States and that gentleman goes to it, straight to it. >> On a national level, we recognize that Charlie will always raise his hand to help support. So, we are again grateful for the volunteers that we have here. Charlie is one of the most awesome ones that we have who actually uh deploys at every national disaster that needs support for us. He went to Alaska most recently and Montana. So Charlie is one of our volunteers that deploys often. >> Wow. Yeah. Yeah. Congratulations, guys. >> It goes off 1969. You want to leave them here? >> Perfect. Put them here. >> That's adorable. >> I know. My lighting. I got this. >> She's so funny. >> Thanks, guys. >> I'll catch you back here. >> No, that's not No, let's not forget watch the one time. >> All right. So, we're going to do two rows. If you're a little taller, let's have you right up against the deis towards the back. >> A little taller. Yeah, you're good. Perfect. Ma'am, on the end, can I get you to come right here in the front with them, please? Perfect. And then let's have everybody take a step back for me. Beautiful. And then, ma'am, I'll have you come over just a little bit more. Actually, can I have you guys switch? >> No, no, not you, Sarah. I'm sorry. Be in the blank. Yes. >> There we go. That looks good. Okay. Ma'am, right here. Can I have you come out just a little bit for me? That looks good. Oh, not represent. You're good. You guys are good. Okay. All look great. All right, on the count of three. Ready? Actually, sir, right here. I'm having a little heart. Perfect. All right, ready? One, two, three. Sorry, guys. Just want to make sure we see everybody. And okay, I've got 15 phones. >> I like when they laugh like it's a joke. One two three. Ready? One, two, three. >> Now they know I was serious. One, two, three. >> Ready. One, two, three. >> Thank you. >> Thanks, guys. Are we good? >> And the next proclamation is International Women's Week. Representative Troy Hill. >> Thank you, Mayor. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. Good morning. How are you? >> Good. Good. I'm I'm going to go ahead and and read the proclamation. Happy happy women's month, ladies. >> Yes. >> Uh whereas International Women's Week is observed annually in March in conjunction with the International Women's Day to celebrate social, economical, cultural, and political achievements of women across the globe. And whereas women throughout history have demonstrated extra extraordinary leadership resilience and determination to overcome barriers and expanding opportunities for future generations. And whereas women in El Paso contribute daily to the strength and vitality of our community as educators entrepreneurs public servants, healthc care professionals, advocates, caregivers, and leaders across every sector. And whereas Via Maria located in a Seagundo bario provides long-term transitional housing for women experiencing homelessness whose children are not currently in their care, offering a safe, structured, and supportive residential community where women can transition from crisis towards stability and long-term self-sufficiency. Whereas Via Maria operates a 8,800 square foot hienda style facility serving 22 residents at a time providing private living spaces, daily meals, transportation assistance and coordinated access to medical behavioral health and social services. And whereas through a holistic model of integrating housing and intensive care management, counseling, employment readiness, financial literacy, education, and trauma-informed support. Via Maria serves 65 to 75 women annually, many of whom are survivors of domestic violence, trauma, substance use disorders, mental health challenges, incarnation in uh incarceration and prolonged pro uh poverty and supports them in rebuilding stability and working towards family re reunification when possible. And we're under the leadership of executive director Maria Gutierrez, also known as Connie. Via Maria continues to strengthen the cycle of stability and community leadership by empowering women to achieve independence and in many cases return as volunteers and staff to serve others. Whereas Via Maria exemplifies the belief that when a woman heals and achieves stability, the positive impact expands beyond the individual to strengthen families and the broader El Paso community. Now therefore, be it resolved that by the mayor and council of the city of El Paso hereby recognizes and honors Via Maria during International Women's Week and commends it its unwavering commitment to empowering women, restoring dignity, and strengthening our community. You Thank you. >> Good morning. >> Thank you so much. And we are here um meeting you all of you especially uh you mayor well all of you guys thank you so much uh we have a via the Maria wonderful team um our founder sister Helen and I think before saying what I'm going to say I would like them to introduce and then I will go ahead and and give a a little okay talk >> that works >> hi Hi, good morning. >> Good morning. My name is Jacqueline Alame and I'm the administrative assistant. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. My name is Veronica. I'm the case manager. >> Good morning. >> Hi. Good morning. My name is Andre Zasar and I'm a resident of Maria. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. Jessica Hamp, resident. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. And thank you for this recognition. I'm Sister Helen Santa Maria, founding director of AI Maria. >> Oh, good morning. >> Thank you. So, we have a great team working for women. Where are we are women only women working for women and uh during this month's um women's monthia is deeply honored to be recognized by the city council. Thank you Cynthia Boyjo for recognizing us. Thank you all of you for um and you are recognizing us. Thank you so much for our commitment to serving women in our community who are experiencing homelessness. We accept this recognition with gratitude and humility knowing that it represents not only our work as an organization but also the resilience, courage, and strength of the women we serve every day. Across our community and throughout the nation, the number of women experiencing homelessness continues to rise. Economic stability, lack of affordable housing, domestic violence, mental health challenges, and many times substance use disorders disproportionately affect women, particularly women of color and women living in poverty. Many of the women that come to Vyam Maria um they arrive um after experiencing trauma, family violence, incarceration or prolonged financial hardship. Some have children who are not currently in their care and we are working with them towards reunification and um homelessness among women is often hidden. Women are more likely to experience invisible homelessness, staying temporarily with friends, moving between uh unstable homeless um homeless um unstable environments, I'm sorry, or remaining in unsafe situations to avoid living on the streets. While their homelessness may not always be visible, access cons uh keeps women keeps not having enough access to consistent health care, rebuild family uh relationships or it's difficult for them to pursue education. Housing stability is a foundation upon which all other progress is built. And at VIA Maria, we believe that every woman deserves not only shelter, but dignity, structure, and the opportunity to rebuild their life. Our long-term transitional housing program provides a safe and supportive environment where women can move from crisis to stability. Within our home, residents receive individual individualized case management, access to employment, readiness support, financial literacy, education, mental health, and recovery services, and guidance towards permanent housing. Now, I'm going to ask uh our case manager to speak about what is what she does directly with the women we serve. >> Okay. >> Thank you so much. >> Good morning. Good morning. How do you follow that? Right. >> Yeah. >> Um I had just put just a little something together. Um the work that we do, it's not easy. It asks us to sit to pain, to sit with pain, to hold space for trauma, and to walk alongside women and their families during the most difficult chapters of their lives. But it it's also some of the most powerful and transformative work that I've sorry that I've ever been a part of. Every day we witness courage. We see women choosing safety. We see mothers rebuilding for their children and we see resilience that humbles us. The women we serve are the true heroes. Their strength inspires us constantly. Thank you for believing in the importance of our mission and for providing the resources that allow us to create safe spaces for head for heading healing and growth. This award belongs to every survivor who chose hope, every colleague who chose compassion, and every advocate who refuses to give up. Thank you so much. So, we are honored to be celebrating International Women's Week with you guys and um thank you for bring being that bridge from a crisis to confidence and from uncertainty to stability and each of you uh carry strength that we could we may not always be able to see, but you do it uh you do provide strength that tomorrow can look different than yesterday. And again, thank you guys for all that you do and we are so so proud of you. And uh represent Limon. >> Did I Mayor I I'm not sure if you've had a chance to visit Via Maria, but it is right in the heart of downtown on Oregon Street. Um, I had the privilege of being on an axe retreat where Sister Helen was our spiritual director and as part of our service, we went down to Vamaria and we prepared breakfast for the ladies on a Saturday morning and it was a really interesting request because we asked them what they would like to have and they said like no cereal, no oatmeal, they said bacon, lots of bacon. And so we left there smelling like bacon for the whole day. And so, Sister Helen, are you still open to having groups come out on a Saturday morning and fix breakfast? >> We'd love to do it. Our office would love to do it. >> Very welcome. >> Thank you. Thank you, Mayor, very much. Congratulations, sister. You outstanding job. >> Representative Chavez. >> Thank you, Mayor Johnson. Welcome to city hall. Thank you for being here and congratulations for the work that you're doing. So, um, I know that I've said it before, but I actually went to Lorettto Academy for 12 years. I'm a product of the Sisters of Lorettto, a product of Sister Helen herself, a force to be reckoned with. Um, I am so grateful for everything that you contributed to towards my life. And just to be able to be here today in this room with you is is very moving for me, Sister Helen. Thank you so much for having educated so many of us and also now for helping so many women that are in dire need in our community. I know that you've been doing this for decades now. So, your sacrifices are seen and appreciated. God bless you always. Again, thank you guys for your leadership and and everything that you're doing for the community. We're gonna take some pictures here. Congratulations. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. All right. One two three. And the next proclamation is n national transit employee appreciation day. >> Representative Roachcha. Mr. Daiser said that there would be a big showing today and I can definitely confirm that that is what happened. >> Wow. >> Amanda of his word. >> If they're all here, who's driving the buses? >> Who's driving the buses? Okay, here we go. >> Look at this. >> Look at this. >> Wow. >> It's amazing. >> Wow. Good to see you all. >> Ready, sir? >> I am ready. >> Good morning. >> Good morning, Mayor, City Council. Whereas the efficient functioning of public transportation system is vital to the well-being and connectivity of our communities and whereas the dedicated Sun Metro employees play an indispensable role in ensuring the safe and reliable operation of the city's fixed rapid transit paratransit and street car services. And whereas in May 2026, Sun Metro's director Anthony Daiser will receive recognition from the Texas Transit Association as the 2025 outstanding public transportation general manager. And whereas in 2025 more than 5 and a half million passenger trips were provided utilizing approximately 100 buses and more than 50 routes connecting all regions of El Paso. And whereas transit team members exhibit the commitment professionalism and resilience by starting their days before the sun rises and finishing them long after the sun is set, including working weekends and on or around holidays. And whereas in addition to meeting stringent safety requirements, transit team members must demonstrate customer service patience empathy and understanding to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for community members and visitors. And whereas National Transit Employee Appreciation Day provides an opportunity for us to express our gratitude and recognize the hard work, dedication, and contributions of transit employees each year on March 18th. Now therefore, be it proclaimed by the mayor and council of the city of El Paso that March 18th, 2026 shall be known as National Transit Employee Appreciation Day, signed by the Honorable Mayor Renard Johnson. >> Good morning. Morning, Mayor, City Council. So, you know, Transit Employee Appreciation Day provides us an opportunity to express our gratitude and recognize the hard work and dedication and the contributions of transit employees to the city of El Paso. It has been a unique year for Sun Metro. We were dealt a significant blow, a tragic event that changed the core of Sun Metro forever. But we endeavored to persevere. We adjusted operations to fit conditions. We returned services to normal operations in a two-eek period. All Sun Metro employees rose to the occasion and returned service to normal operations. They also ensured reliable, dependable transit service to the city of El Paso. They maintained a 91% on-time performance for fixed route and paratransit. They increased ridership of the street car 48%. After increasing ridership by 168% in the years previous to that, they purchased and are receiving 52 buses and 52 lift vehicle, excuse me, 55 lift vehicles costing over $60 million. They reduced vacancies by 3.6%. While reducing our turnover rate by 11.5%. which is 26% lower than the industry average. They reduced the budget by $5.8 million and increased the fund balance by 11.3 million. In addition, they were awarded the outstanding Sun Metropolitan Sun Metropolitan Transit System of 2025 by the TTA. We were also recognized and awarded by the US Department of Veteran Affairs for our contribution and unwavering support, providing veterans in the city of El Paso free rides. All this while dealing with the wrenching tragedy that changed Sun Metro. These people here with me today are but a sample of Sun Metro employees working diligently whether it's in an office, whether it's in a shop or whether it's on the road or like the maintenance who conducted split operations in the elements every day for over a year. They make it happen every day before the sun comes up and long after the sun goes down. They are the ones who endeavor to persevere. They are the ones that make this happen. Safe dependable public transportation. That is why we are here proclaiming National Transit Employee Appreciation Day, particularly for the employees here in the city of El Paso, Sun Metro. So, I want to thank the mayor and the city council, especially you, Representative Roa, for for bringing this up to today, bringing this forward. And I also want to thank Nicole Cody, the deputy my deputy city manager who facilitates success for Sun Metro and Dion Mack, the city manager for support and guidance within Sun Metro. I'd like to put a special thanks out to my deputy Jerry Demorro, to my assistant director, Claudia Garcia, to my other assistant director, Dwayne Arnold, and to everybody that works every day to make sure 5.5 million people a year get to and from their destination safely. Thank you to the city's employees of Sun Metro. Very well said. So again, I'm just going to add my congratulations to the many, the mechanics, the the phone operators, the buswashers, the drivers, the administration, everyone. We just want to say thank you for all that you do. And and Anthony, congratulations on receiving the Texas Transit Association 2025 outstanding public transportation GM. That's huge. Thank you. >> That is huge. Congratulations. We're proud of you. >> And I will cut the rest of my comments so we can at least let everyone swing by the mic real quick and introduce themselves. >> I will. I just want to say one more thing that the award that I got is because of them. Last year we were awarded award for the the the transit uh of best transit for for Texas because of them. This year, this award is because of them. Without them, nothing happens. And that's why I want to put a shout out to to my people. So I'll let them come up. >> And before they come up, Representative Fier. >> Thank you, Mayor Anthony. It's no surprise that you and your team are receiving this award. No surprise at all. Mayor, I had the opportunity to go to Austin and testify with with um Mr. Kaiser. And I have never been around a more passionate, data-driven individual who's focused on the bottom line, but won't let it affect customer service. It it was such an honor to spend 13 hours sitting there waiting to testify, but that wasn't as much fun as as as being with Danny. So, it's no surprise that that you, Anthony, and your team, each and every one of them, um are receiving this award. Thank you, Mayor. >> Yeah, congratulations. >> You can come up. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. Uh my name is Jorge Melendez. I'm a support specialist 3 and I've been with Metro about six months. >> Very good. Good morning, Herardo Hernandez Parardo, IT project manager. Been with Sun Metro for about a year and a half. >> Good morning. >> Good morning, Council Mayor. Uh, Rudy Reyes. I'm the grant project manager for Sun Metro. Been with Sun Metro for three years. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. D Ortega Carlos, project manager, seven months at Sun Metro. >> Good morning. >> Good morning, Mayor and Council. My name is Ariana. I'm an administrative analyst and I've been with San Metro for four years. >> Good morning, mayor, city council. Juan Leman, special project manager. I've been with S Metro a little over two years. >> Juan, love those colors, Juan. Love those colors. >> Good morning. My name is Luis Rodriguez. I'm a proud transit operator in the best city in El Paso. Thank you. >> There you go. >> Morning everybody. Uh, Luis Caraveo. I am a transit operator. I have been with the department for the six months. Wow. >> Good morning. Uh David Garcia. I'm the customer and business uh business and customer service assistant manager. I've been with Sun Metro for 5 years. >> Wow. Good morning. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. >> My name is Alfredo Murio. I'm a fleet maintenance lead technician. Been with uh Smetra for 24 and a half years. >> Wow. Good morning, >> mayor, city council. My name is Luis Aernnes and I'm a lead technician at Sun Metro. Been there for 32 years. >> Wow. Congratulations. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. Lette Sbrano, strategic initiatives coordinator. I've been with Sun Metro for about a year and a half. Thank you. >> Good morning. >> Good morning, council. My name is Jennifer Cortez and I'm the strategic initiative specialist for Sun Metro. I've been with Sun Metro for 11 months. >> Good morning. >> Good to see you. >> Good morning. My name is Joey Barra. Been with Sun Metro for uh 12 years. I'm a transit schedule writer. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. My name is Robert Mendes. I'm the transit senior service planner. I've been with S Metro going on eight years now. >> Wow. Good morning. Uh, good morning. My name is Carla Garcia. I have been working for Sun Metro for three years and I am finance. >> Ah, good morning. >> Good morning, Erica Sedra. I've been with Sun Metro for three years as well. Also finance. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. Joseph Gonzalez, rookie on the team. Been here for three months. >> Oh, wow. Good morning. Victor Caraveo, special projects manager. I've been with San Metro for four years and with the city for almost 10 years. Wow. >> Good morning. >> Uh good morning. My name is uh Alexander MSAS. I am a transit operator and I have been with Sun Metro for 6 months now. >> Good morning. >> Thank you. >> Good morning. Uh, Hi, Mig Gates. Uh, street car maintenance supervisor, six months, but with the city for 16 years. >> Wow. Good morning. >> Morning. I'm Lonnie Tapscott. I'm the web programmer. I've been with Sun Metro in the city for 22 years. >> Wow. >> Good morning, Mayor Council. My name is Matt Martinez. I've been a I'm the transit supervisor on the fix side. Been with the city nine years going on 10. >> Wow. Good morning everyone. My name is Arie Chavez. I work with El Paso Street Car. I've been with the city for eight years. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. >> Good morning, mayor. Good morning, city council. My name is Dwayne Orno. I'm the assistant director of transit operations. I got the birdeye view of watching all of these employees in actions. It It's amazing work that they do. Um, it's really an honor to be part of this team and working under Anony's direction. And I do want to say thank you for all of the support that this body, this committee right here supports and all of the city leadership supports the Sun Metro. Thank you. >> Very good. Good morning. >> Good morning. Jared Vero, deputy transit officer. I've been with Sun Metro for three years with the city for seven. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. I'm Claudia Garcia, assistant director for planning and development being with San Metro for 28 years. >> Wow. >> So, so there's one person that didn't come up here and and introduce themselves and I would just like to give a shout out to her and have her come up here even though she didn't come up here. But Sun Metro has a lot that they have to do, a lot of things and a lot of it deals with contracts and other things that touch the legal realm. So, almost everything we do to push forward, we need our lawyer. And we have a great lawyer. Her name is >> Joyce Garcia. >> Hi. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. I'm Joyce Garcia. I'm the assistant city attorney that supports Sun Metro >> and I've been with the city for about three and a half years. >> Good morning. >> That's the team, huh? >> That's the team. and and we appreciate everything that you guys do, the city council does, mayor and supporting Sun Metro. Um it takes a whole team. It's not just Sun Metro. It takes the whole management team of the city to work in conjunction with each other to push things forward and helping each other, making sure the right decisions are made as we move forward. So again, thank you so much for your support >> and Anthony, congratulations to you and the team. Congratulations, guys. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Representative uh Canales. >> Really, really, really quick. Really quick Anthony how >> a lot of people in the room, how many employees total at Sun Metro? >> There's about 650 employees and about another 200 contractors. So, altogether 800 plus employees that we manage. >> And you couldn't bring everybody today because lots of them are >> out in the field, right? >> Somebody had to drive the bus and and make sure that they were operational and and then run actual operations. So, there's a lot of lot of leaders that didn't make it down here, but I'm sure they're watching and and and they're a big part of the team for sure. >> Yeah. I just wanted to make sure we got a congratulations to everybody who's not here today because they're uh they're working hard or they're uh >> maybe resting up in in uh preparation for their shift later on. So, thank you. >> Thank you. >> I spot >> Yeah, I I thanked her, but I didn't see her see her back there. So, so my deputy city manager helps facilitate everything we do. She's the sounding board for where we go and she gives us the direction for where we we need to go. She tells us move a little bit left, move a little bit right, but keep going forward. And so for that, again, I thank her for her leadership and everything she does to support the metro. Like I we're blessed to have her. >> Yeah. Oh, good morning. >> Good morning, Mayor and Council Nicole Cody. I just want to thank the amazing Sun Metro team. They're incredible people working every day to support this community and we thank you for your continued support. Thank you. >> You're very welcome. >> Now, Anna, how we do this? All right. Now's the time to be honest. >> Second row. Yes. Everybody think >> All right. Okay. Now, everybody, we all showered, so let's just bring it in real close. There we go. >> That's good. At what point will you not see? >> Um, sir, on this end, can I get you to come over here behind Representative Roachcha, please? And then, sir, right here, can I get you to step right next to Miss Nicole Cody? Beautiful. All right. Uh, Anthony, can I get you to move just a little bit that way? Perfect. And then your face is right there between. All right. Nobody's hiding from me. >> Sir, in the teal, can I get you to kind of position your face just like right there? You go. And perfect. Same you, sir. In the nice vest right here. Just kind of put your face right there. You go. Okay. And then we got to think even thinner. Let's bring it in a little more. >> We're all friends. We all work together. It's great. >> All right. We're looking good. Ready? Big smiles. I just can't see you, sir. Let's have you come over here to this side for me, please. And then on this side, just bring it in tight. There you go. All right. Big smiles. Ready? One, two, three. Ready. One, two, three. Okay. Yes. And then there's some phones. Nice. On a five. Great. There we go. One two three. Thank you. kind of attack on that one. >> Yeah. Okay, Miss Prank. >> The next proclamation is La Cesar Chavez. >> Represent Lemon. >> We have another large group of visitors this morning. Come forward, please. Sorry, you're fine. No worries. >> These are all students from LA Prep School. Move forward. Come up to the front. This is a proclamation of the city of El Paso. Whereas Centro de Salude Familiar La El Paso's award-winning federally qualified health center honors the legacy of civil rights icon Cesar Chavez by championing our region's health, education, cultural arts, and well-being via its El Paso countywide network. Chavez proudly served his nation in the US Navy and later co-founded the United Farm Workers Union alongside fellow activist Dolores Wuerta. Together they mobilized farm workers, students and other community members to defend the humanity, health, dignity, and labor rights of our Campesino brothers and sisters. Cesar's leadership stands to this day as a shining beacon for human rights. fair wages, equality, and social justice around the globe. And whereas Cesar suffered firsthand the inhumane working conditions and low wages of farm worker life, he committed his activism to leading a nonviolent movement for safe and fair working conditions, decent housing, voting rights, and the outlawing of child labor and harmful pesticides for these workers. He taught us that these workers are the men, women, and families whom we should all thank for the food on our tables. And whereas Cesar Cesar's teachings live on throughout LA and its upcoming Laf Preparatory School Children's Cesar Chavez March, an event honoring his heroic struggle for us all. at 9:00 am this Monday, March 31st, on would have been Chavez's 99th birthday. L Prep School's children and teachers will march in his name throughout El Paso's historic Seagundo Bario neighborhood. These students, future leaders of our city and country, will peacefully demonstrate for their communities well-being and their own rights to a quality education and better future just as Lafayette's childrens have done each year since our school opened its doors in 2007. Now therefore, be it proclaimed by the mayor and council of the city of El Paso that March 31st shall be known as Cesar Chaveis Day. Abiva Cesar Chavez Biva. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. We wenas Mr. Mayor Council. Good morning everyone. Uh my name is Estella Reyes Lopez and I am the public information officer for Centro de Salfa Laf and for the Laf Preparatory School. We are deeply honored and grateful to each of you to our mayor for this proclamation to representative Lemon for taking the leadership to help us guide uh our organization and uh through this process. Thank you so much. I am joined this morning by some of the leadership of our school and I'll ask them to step up and introduce themselves and I'll ask our students to each come up either to this microphone or to the one here to my right to state their name and their grade. Thank you so much. And first up, please. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. My name is Kathy Davila. I am the school principal at LA. I've been there for three years and we are very honored to be here. Thank you. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. My name is um Ivan Mendoza. I have the honor of serving as a first grade teacher at LE Preparatory School. Um I'm current I'm on my current second year and um I also serve as the spelling be coach for my school. >> Very good. Thank you. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. My name is William and I'm a first grader. >> Good morning, William. >> Good morning. My name is Alila Chavez and I am fourth grade. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. My name is Leo and I'm in third grade. >> Good morning. >> Hello. Good morning. My name is Edward Cordero. I am in fourth grade. >> Good morning. >> Hello. Good morning. I'm I'm Eron Hera Diaz. I'm from fourth grade. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. I'm Kelsey Leas and I'm in third grade. >> Good morning. >> Hi, I am Meredith Molina and I am third grade. >> Good morning. Good morning. My name is Sophia and I'm in fifth grader. >> Good morning. >> Hello. Good morning. My name is Ivana and I am fifth grade. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. My name is Damian Diaz and I'm in fifth grade. >> Good morning. >> Hi. Good morning. I'm Adriana Almeida and I'm from fifth grade. >> Good morning. >> Good job, guys. >> Mr. Mayor, council, uh on behalf of our chief executive officer, Mr. Salvador Pala, we thank you. We are grateful for this recognition not only of our school and our organization but of these students and what they have done each year since our school was founded by Mr. Balcorta and and we had the very first Cesar Chaveis children's march. Um I I would love to tell you that as far as I know we are not the only school in the United States of America that has a children's Cesar Chavez march. But if there's another one out there, I would love somebody to give me a call and let me know because um it it you know we we are leading that charge because it's important that our students, our little ones grow up with the legacy and the lessons of Cesar Chavez and others who marched and stood with him. And it is vital that we keep those names that we keep Cesar Chavez's name loud and proud and recognized in our history books in our daily discussion of current events in our leadership of social justice and Le is very proud to be a part of that. >> Thank you very much. >> We hope you have a wonderful day. Thank you. >> That is awesome. >> So congratulations you guys. We love it. So I, you know, in addition to all the great work that Cesar Chavez has done, uh, one of the things I learned is that he helped lead the Delano grape strike, the national boycott in the 1960s. >> Yes. >> Where millions of Americans stepped, uh, stopped buying grapes to support uh, farm workers rights. And this boycott helped improve the the pay uh, and working conditions for so many. And he also taught us that dignity at work is dignity in life and that ordinary people united with purpose can create extraordinary change. So I really like that. So congratulations sir >> on this beautiful day and thank you for bringing the kids out and go lefay. We love you guys. >> Thank you. >> Congratulations. >> Have a wonderful day. There's a lot >> I can see them all. I know their introductions are so I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. >> All right, that looks good. Let's go ahead and have you guys come on over this way for me, please. That's looking good. Okay. On this end, can we bring it in a little tighter for me, please? That looks good. Okay. And then to the two kiddos in the front, can I get you guys to take a little step back for me? Just so we're all in a little line. There we go. That looks good. Can I get you guys to come in this way for me? Okay, perfect. All right, we look great. Can you guys show me your really big smiles? Fantastic. Are we ready? Big smiles. One two three. All right. One, two, three. And keep those smiles because we got some cell phones that I got to take some pictures on. Ready? One, two, three. One two three. Are those smiles getting bigger? Oh my goodness, they're awesome. There we go. Last one. The biggest one yet. You ready? Ah, there we go. One, two, three. Thank you. >> This thing is really wobbly. >> Yeah, it is. >> Not me. Just want that. >> Those kiddos are so >> adorable. Thank you so much. >> Okay, Miss Prime. >> Yes, sir. Good morning. This is a meeting of the El Paso City Council for Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026. Mayor Johnson is present in presiding in council chambers along with Mayor Prom Chavez, Representative Aso, Representative Maldonado Rocha, Representative Orico, Representative Nino, Alternate Mayor Prom Fiero, Representative Lemon, and Representative Canales. It is 10:14 a.m. Will everyone please silence your electronic devices so as not to disturb the meeting and rise for the invocation delivered by El Paso Police Senior Chaplain David Mayfield. >> Good morning. >> Good morning, Mayor Johnston. Uh council, thank you once again for the opportunity to come and and pray for this council and for our city. And with that, I invite those present to join me as I pray. Heavenly Father, as we gather today in the council chamber, we pause to reflect on what it means to lead with humility, compassion, and a heart for service, not for power, but for people. In a community like El Paso, where cultures, languages, and histories blend at the border, we are reminded that leadership is not about standing above others. It's about standing with others. May we be servant leaders who listen more than we speak, who seek to understand before we judge, and who carry the burdens of our neighbors as if they were our own. Help us to remember the dignity of every person who crosses our streets and the humanity of every family seeking safety and opportunity in our decisions, especially in these times of heightened political focus and midterm elections. May we put the common good before partisan gain and the well-being of families, workers, and children before all else. I ask your blessings on this city council as they wrestle with complex issues, immigration, public safety, economic opportunity, and justice so that their leadership advances peace, fairness, and hope in every neighborhood. May their decisions honor both the unique identity of El Paso and the shared future we strive to build with our neighbors across the Rio Grand. Grant us courage to do what is right when it is hard, wisdom to seek unity when division tempts us, and grace in every step we take together. Amen. >> Thank you. Thank you, Chaplain. >> And Miss Prime, as we did yesterday, we're going to honor the the victims that were shot in Austin, Texas, as well as our men and women in uniform that are in harm's way. So, I would like to ask that everyone in council chambers to take a moment of silence to honor the victims in Austin, and our men and women that are in harm's way, and our service members that we we lost here the other day. Thank you, Miss Brian. >> Thank you, mayor. That brings us to public comment on consent agenda and regular agenda items for those that signed up to speak at 10:00 a.m. The first person is Michael Abboud. Michael Abboud. Elizabeth Longerbal. She signed up to speak on item 24, which is directing the city manager to refrain from renewing any existing agreements or entering into any new agreements with Flock Group, Inc. >> Good morning, ma'am. You have three minutes. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. >> My name is Beth Long and Ba and I'm a mother of two. Excuse me. Excuse me. and I'm a mother of two first responders living and working and raising families here in El Paso. I wanted to briefly speak with you all today about the flock autotheft and recovery program that is currently being used by the El Paso Police Department's autotheft and recovery unit to track recover to track and recover stolen vehicles throughout our city. As an ordinary citizen, I am fully supportive of the El Paso Police Department's autotheft and recovery systems unit initiative to use the flock system in our community to help safely put an end to autotheft. Unlike previous autotheft and recovery techniques and methods, the Flock program is designed to provide safety for officers and citizens while recovering stolen vehicles. I am aware that there has been some objection to using the Flock program because it can cause privacy concerns due to Flock being linked to local, state, and nationwide offender networks. However, for those who are concerned about maintaining the offender's privacy, the Flock program collects the objective evidence police need to solve a crime, which includes plates and vehicle information. Flack does not use face facial recognition technology that other agencies and American retailers are currently using to capture offender offenders and deter crime. For example, Walmart is currently using AI powered cameras that identify and alert to known shoplifterss using facial and license license plate recognition before the individual even enters the store. In El Paso, when car thieves are caught and identified, only their basic information is entered into law enforcement agency databases, which then can be assessed by other law enforcement agencies and departments throughout the United States and possibly the world. We must remember crime does not respect jurisdictional boundaries. In closing, I just want to say for those of you who break the law or excuse me, for those who choose to break the law, we have chosen the behavior and they have chosen the consequences. Thank you for listening and thank you for your time. >> Thank you. >> The next speaker is David Espino. David Espino. Erica Heisy. Mr. Espino. >> Good morning. >> Morning. >> Morning. >> Hi. Good morning. Um, mayor and council members. Thank you for having us. My name is David Espino and I am here to ask you to not renew uh the contract with Flock Safety by voting yes on agenda item 24. I want to clarify that this opinion is not one against police and our local law enforcement. The debate is not whe that whether we want stolen cars recovered or violent crimes solved. The real question is more nuance and impactful to our citizens and our future. Uh do we want to normalize permanent searchable tracking infrastructure for everyone who drives in this city? We are often told by supporters of this technology that there is no expectation of privacy in the public. But this confuses two things. Visibility versus surveillance. Yes, license plates can be seen, but no individual officer or a private citizen has ever had the ability to reconstruct 30 days of your of our movements in seconds. Due due to the power of this technology, the scale has changed and so should the constitutional analysis. In Carpenter versus the United States, the Supreme Court recognized that long-term track uh long-term location tracking alters the relationship between citizens and state. It is not about a single observation. It's about aggregation. 30 days of movement of data for an entire population is not traditional policing. It is infrastructure. The flock user agreement also includes a perpetual and irrevocable use of data collected to improve their services and data. There is a known phrase that magnifies this issue, the internet never forgets. In other words, digital content, posts, images, and data can persist permanently. While locally we may lose access to the data here, we have a 30-day window to be able to use the data that is collected. This data is stored somewhere and it will be stored somewhere forever. We may lose access to the data that is more than 30 days old. However, this data will be in the hands of a private company to whom we public publicly never went into agreement to give data to and a private company that in the end has capital interest and an inherent an inherent predisposition to surveillance. I'm asking you to consider proportionality. Public safety matters, but so does precedent. Because once surveillance infrastructure becomes normalized, it does not roll back. It expands. The decision is not about technology, but about the long-term relationship between the people and the government. This technology does not yet have legal safeguards. Policies, yes. Laws, no. Please take a slower, more, more cautious path with this technology. AI is getting out of hand. This is um technology that is powered by AI data. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> The next speaker is Erica Heisy. >> Erica Heisy followed by Orlando Cordova. Good morning. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. My name is Erica Heisy and I am an El Paso resident. I urge our city management not to renew any existing agreements or enter into any new agreement with Flock Group Incorporated operating as Flock Group Safety. Flock works to collect personal data, not keep our residents safe. Santin terminated its contract with Flock because its CEO's political rhetoric alienated officials. Flock is not bipartisan. Lynwood, Washington cancelled its contract with Flock because it was discovered that they were providing federal and outofstate access to personal data. Flock is not secure. Evston, Illinois has ordered the removal of Flock cameras due to unauthorized immigration enforcement access. Flock does not follow the law. Cambridge Massachusetts recently put a pause on Flock from fear of Trump administration surveillance. Flock cannot be trusted. El Paso can and should take suit in removing Flock cameras and cancelling their contract with Flock. The Flock system captures license plate data on all vehicles, not just suspects. It creates detailed profiles of residents daily routines and locations, all without warrants or court oversight. Please remove flock cameras from our community. Doing so will eliminate mass data collection of innocent citizens. Our community deserves care. We deserve safety without intimidation. And we deserve investment, not constant surveillance and mistrust. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> The next speaker is Orlando Cordova, followed by Juan Ortiz, Shaylen Cohen Jones. Good morning. >> Good morning. I'm here to echo the statements given by David and the person just before me. I urge the city council to not renew the contract with Flock. Let's keep it short and simple. Those who would uh give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. Y'all know who said that? Thought y'all should, right? Benjamin Franklin fought uh he fought for these liberties that we have for these rights that we have. This is a fourth amendment right. This is not something we should just easily overlook. So as she cla she noted Flock has given more information than they claim. They take more information than they claim and they're going to keep this information. So if that doesn't worry you um I don't know how you're going to sleep at night in the future seeing what the real results will be. Hopefully this doesn't end up like Minnesota here in El Paso. We know we have a lot of illegal or not illegal, undocumented people here. So, I just don't want things to get ugly and I've uranized by Shayen Cohen Jones. >> Good morning. >> Good morning, Mr. failure morning. >> Which one is it? Because I know I wear two of them >> from Kasa Carmelita. >> Yeah, I'm from Kasa Carmelita. >> Yes. >> Also speaking on item 24. >> It might as well be a pseudonym, right? >> Good morning, Juan. >> So, I'll be brief. >> Good morning. >> But I just want to Good morning. I I wanted to uh echo what everybody was saying so far. And hello city council. I'm here to say to ask you to reconsider use of flock cameras today. Such technologies need strong guard guard rails to ensure technologies don't inherent the biases of their creators. My son is a computer engineering major and he tells me routinely many examples of these and they can be found readily. Uh issues such as stereotyping, mis misconstruing information and mistakes in identification are common. Algorithmic stereotyping is still stereotyping. It's still discrimination. Um these technologies are new, many untested. Uh our community is already commonly surveiled more so than other communities in the United States. We are routinely subject to facial recognition technologies and license place readers on the border disproportionately from other Americans and prolonged u collection of personal data is always a threat to our constitutional rights especially in times where our constitutional rights are being violated. We commonly see misuse of technologies nowadays with immigrants and activists being monitored and tracked disproportionately. I ask you to reconsider the use of these technologies till the full extent of the repercussions are fully understood. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> The last speaker on item 24 is Shayen Cohen Jones. Miss Jones star 6, please unmute your telephone. Shayen Cohen Jones. Good morning. You have three minutes. >> Hello. Good morning. >> Yes. >> Um, thank you for the opportunity to speak. Um, I'm joining community today and also urging you to end all flock contracts. Um, please don't renew any contracts. Please don't enter into any new ones. Um, data obtained by the Electronic Frontier Foundation showed clear views of the Flock system by agencies logging hundreds of searches related to protest activity within the span of a year. Um, the not just potential but proven threat that Flock poses to constitutionally protected activity is chilling. Um, Flock uses AI to engage in surveillance that is not detached from racist biases and policing. Um it threatens people's privacy and their personal lives. It also threatens things like completely above board humanitarian aid work um and constitutionally protected um speech and protest activity. Um besides this documented um abuse of its technology um even in cases where um agencies may follow or follow through with their word in terms of not um sharing data with other agencies or not using it for such purposes. Um there are concerning security vulnerabilities um in flock technology um being unencrypted, many lacking password protection um in which case those cameras um even though Flock is only supposed to store footage for 30 days um have the potential to um like their data can be accessed potentially much further back in time even all the way back to their manu manufactured date. um flock technology has been abused by people um using it outside of law enforcement purposes in terms of like stalking people. Um it's also been documented to be used um both directly in collaboration with uh local law enforcement agencies and in unauthorized capacities by um federal immigration enforcement agencies like ICE and Border Patrol. Um again there are documented records of law enforcement agencies both directly sharing access to SWAL data with federal immigration enforcement agencies as well as un unauthorized access to data by said agencies. Um I think that we cannot trust a technology that has this kind of history of usage and what it catches in its surveillance drag net has the potential to and proven history of expanding what is criminalized and that again is not limited to um their stated law enforcement um goals. It expands into every corner of our community and threatens many many aspects of our privacy. Um so again, I urge um the city to consider >> Thank you, Miss Jones. >> Thank you so much. The next group of speakers is signed up to speak on item 25, which is a resolution authorizing the city manager to sign an advanced funding agreement between the city of El Paso and the state of Texas acting by and through the department of transportation for the design of reconstruction project I 10 deck plaza project. The first speaker is Leila Mayorga followed by Himea Guerrero, Joe Gudenrath, Julio Munos. >> Good morning. You have three minutes. >> Good morning. >> Good morning, Mayor and Council. My name is Laya Mayora, and I'm here today in support of item 25. First, I would like to thank Senator Saral Blanco and our state delegation for their leadership in securing $10 million in state funding to support the design phase of this project. So, as a young professional who is continuing my education and slowly building my career here in El Paso, I care deeply about how our city grows. So many people in my generation often feel that they need to travel elsewhere for major concerts, festivals, or unique weekend experiences. There is a perception that exciting opportunities exist outside our city and that narrative influences how young adults think about their future here. The downtown deck plaza has the potential to shift that perception by creating a dynamic multi-use public space. We expand opportunities for live music, cultural events, businesses, and regional attractions that bring both residents and visitors downtown. That activity is going to naturally strengthen small businesses by supporting our local artists, local restaurants, and it's going to stimulate economic growth. Just as importantly, this project is going to create a space for connection. It's going to offer a safe, welcoming environment where people can step away from their screens, spend time outdoors, meet others, and build a stronger sense of community here. Public spaces like this are where relationships are formed, ideas are shared, and where resources can become more accessible. I will be working alongside County Commissioner Sergio Coronado to host a pop-up event at Gygo's Park during the parks after sunset event on June 5th. I encourage the community to attend, enjoy a free movie, and take the opportunity to learn more and ask questions about this project. Thank you for listening and your time. >> Thank you. The next speaker is Himea Guerrero followed by Joe Gudenrath, Julio Moyos, Diego Reyes, Patrick Butler Reb. Good morning. >> Good morning. >> Hi, good morning Mayor and council. My name is Himea Guerrero and I am here in strong support of item 25. First, I want to sincerely thank Senator Cesar Blanco and our state delegation for their leadership in securing $10 million for the funding for the design phase of this project. That investment sends a powerful message about what downtown El Paso means to our region and to our future. As someone who grew up in far far east El Paso, working downtown always seemed so cool. Downtown represented an opportunity to me. It felt like the place where things happened. Now having the chance to actually work here, build relationships here, and be part of its growth feels full circle. It's more than just a job location, it's a dream I once had as a kid, and now I get to live out right here at home. For years, we've talked about brain drain and the difficulty of keeping young professionals in El Paso. I've had those conversations with friends who wondered whether they needed to leave to find an opportunity. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't have these doubts myself, wondering if building a future here would mean limiting my options. But projects like the Dyke Plaza remind me why staying matters. They show that we are investing in vibrant and connected spaces. And that if we want graduates, our entrepreneurs, and creatives to stay and build their futures here, we have to continue creating a city that they feel proud to grow with. I'm also here in strong support of public parks and green spaces. Parks are the foundation of community because they allow us to feel like little kids again, carefree and safe. But even more importantly, parks create belonging. They are where civic life happens. I would hate for us to miss this opportunity. Text dot is going to reconstruct I 10 in downtown El Paso with or without a park. If we choose without, we will be left with a large gap in the center of our city. Instead of bringing people together, it will keep neighborhoods divided. We have the chance to build something that connects us and we shouldn't let it pass us by. I will also be working with Leila and Commissioner Serio Coronado for a pop-up event on June 5th at Gaygo's Park. It's a movie event, so we'd love for the community to come enjoy the movie, have some snacks, and ask questions about the project if they want more information. Thank you so much for your time and for your continued commitment to strengthening the heart of our city. >> Thank you. The next speaker is Joe Gutenreth followed by Julio Munoz. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. >> Morning, mayor, city council, city staff. My name is Joe Gutenrath. I'm the executive director. >> Good evening. >> of the El Paso Downtown Management District. >> Today, I'm here to speak in favor of item number 25 and this very important step towards the revitalization, the realization of the deck plaza over I 10. I too want to thank Senator Blanco, our state and our state delegation for making this step possible and for $10 million needed for this step. What a what a great investment in this community. Everybody who has been involved in this effort to date, including yourselves, knows the long road ahead of us to take the Deck Plaza from a bold vision for our community to reality that shapes the ongoing development of our city. But as you can see from the great speakers before me, the momentum is growing. The momentum is growing here at city hall to the county courthouse, the state legislature, the business community, and the neighborhoods of El Paso. As people learn what is possible for our community, the impact this project can have, as we've seen in other communities, and how the Deck Plaza will reconnect the downtown and uptown communities. The excitement continues to build. I am getting more and more excited as we make progress towards uh this project and I am confident we can get there. I thank you for your consideration of this next step in the implementation of this project and look forward to working with you to make this project a reality for our community. Thank you all. >> Thank you. >> The next speaker is Julio Munos. Julio Mosix, please to unmute your telephone. >> Good morning. You have three minutes. Good morning, Mayor and Council. My name is Julio Munoz, and I am here today to respectfully ask for your support of item 25. Uh, first off, I want to sincerely thank Senator Cesar Blanco and our state delegation for their leadership to secure $10 million in state funding to help with the design phase of what will be a transformational project. The agreement between the city of El Paso and the Texas Department of Transportation enables the project team to begin the design phase of the deck structure. That design work is crucial if we are going to successfully build over I 10 and transform that space into something meaningful for our community, a net positive for the city, if you will. Uh coming from an architectural background, it bears mentioning that design is not just cosmetic. It is where structural feasibility, public safety, traffic performance, long-term maintenance cost, and uh placemaking all intersect. Deck parks across the country such as Cly Warren Park in Dallas and the Rose Kennedy Greenway in Boston have catalyzed hundreds of millions in private investment and increased uh adjacent property values while improving public life. So, we have an opportunity here to do the same in El Paso. Just last fall, I volunteered to join the Deck Plaza Foundation at Shock the Block. I really enjoyed talking to El Paso from across the city about the future of downtown El Paso. And those El Pasoans are excited about the amenities that will be at the park, ranging from outdoor amphitheater for concerts and um festivals to larger spaces for farmers markets, recreational sports, and much more. Furthermore, I do commend the foundation for their work to get more pasoans involved for the in the project like myself and to be at major events uh answering questions and talking to the community. Now, it should be made explicitly clear that reconstruction on I 10 is going to happen with or without the building at the deck park. However, we should give our city the opportunity to reconnect the areas that were divided decades ago, unlock new economic opportunity and create a public destination that supports health, our culture, and our overall quality of life. Decades from now, when families gather in this space, this council will be remembered as the one that shows connection over division. Approving this item keeps the project moving forward and builds on the momentum that we have already created. This is an investment in long-term urban resilience, economic vitality, and civic cohesion. So, let's not miss that moment. Therefore, I respectfully ask again for your support of item 205. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> The next speaker is Diego Reyes. He will be followed by Patrick Butler Rab and Manny Rodriguez. >> Good morning. Hi, good morning. Hi, good morning, mayor and city council. Um, my name is Diego Reyes and I'm here in support of item 25. Um, I'm a secondy year architecture student at El Paso Community College. And in school, we've been learning about the importance of these urban spaces and what they can do, not only socially, but financially as well. Um the deck plaza can be not only a hub financially but also um socially and these gathering spaces are innate to to us humans. We all need some sort of gathering in our lives and this deck plaza is a wonderful opportunity at such a unique time. Um, as previously mentioned, the reconstruction of I 10 will happen with or without the deck plaza, but the deck plaza gives something, it's like a light at the end of the tunnel. Um, and it's something that I'm very passionate about. I'm very passionate about um, urban planning. Um, and it's so amazing that it's happening here in the city of El Paso. Um, I'm forever grateful to be born here in this city. Um, I hope to spend the rest of my life here and I really hope this project comes to fruition because I do believe it will have a very amazing effect on our community. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> The next speaker is Patrick Butler Rep, followed by Manny Rodriguez. >> Good morning. >> Good morning, council. Um, I'd like to say thank you again for having me speak today. Um, I'm a resident of Sunset Heights, which is directly adjacent to where the proposed deck plazas would be built. And I walked here today. Um, I enjoy walking. I like El Paso. Um, I came here almost 15 years ago as a student. And did not know much about El Paso, but I really do love this community. And I'm here not so much in my professional capacity as the CEO of Southwest Strategies and my co-partners here as well, but I'm here in my probably most profound responsibility, which is that I'm a parent. I have a little girl. Some of you know me personally. You've seen me with my child. Um, this is her. So, I'll put this up. She uh she's my whole world. And when I came here as a student, I was not a parent. And I remember the difficulty of walking from Sunset Heights, which is the first community I ever lived in in Texas where I came from in South Carolina, down into downtown. And I remember thinking, "Wow, like I just dodged a a semitr. I dodged this. I dodged that. I'd really love to participate more, but it seems a little risky." Now that I'm a parent and I have to walk my daughter to the baseball stadium or to see the soccer team or to go to Lube, which we went to over the weekend and celebrities, I still have the same concerns I had 15 years ago, which is tough. Um, I won't take you too much time, too much of my time, but the other thing I was going to say is that the choice, uh, for me, it seems like it's a choice whether our children will inherit debt and tax levels that would be unsustainable and truly shocking to the conscience, or whether they will inherit a beautiful series of deck parks, new levels of opportunity and walkability that will sustain El Paso into the future with our our potential, our real potential that we don't even maximize. Um, I think that it's true that we have to keep our debt under control. I'm not immune to property taxes or any of the other taxes that anyone faces here, but I do believe that the deck plaza has to be built, and I'm thankful for Senator Blanco for getting the $10 million to get us started, to get us the bricks laid in the road to get us down the path to getting there. Um, the only thing I would say is that, um, I grew up in a situation that was not ideal. Well, I grew up in South Carolina and we had residential segregation where we had huge highways, huge roads that intersected the downtown where I live there and I would not like to see that continue here when Tex's going to build a highway. Anyways, I think that we don't need a bigger gap than already presently exists. We need something to show our children and to bring families here that they can really be proud of. Um, I'm hoping that council does take into consideration the opinions of people in my position. I'm also a renter. I live in an apartment. I'm not a homeowner. And even I want the deck plaza. I talked to my neighbors and we agreed on very little, but on this we did agree. Thank you so much. Y'all have a good day. >> Thank you. >> The final speaker on item 25 is Manny Rodriguez. >> Good morning. >> Hi. Good morning. Uh, good morning, mayors, city council members, and city staff. M, my name is Manuel Rodriguez, and I'm here today on behalf of the El Paso Chamber of Commerce, where I proudly serve as its government affairs manager. Uh, the El Paso Chamber is proud to voice our support for agenda item 25, authorizing the advanced funding agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation for the structural design phase of the I 10 deck plaza. This project represents more than a transportation investment. It is indeed a strategic economic development initiative with long-term benefits for our downtown core and the broader region. For decades, I10 has served as both a vital transportation corridor and a physical divide uh through the heart of our city downtown. The deck plaza uh concept presents an opportunity to reconnect neighborhoods, expand public space, and unlock new infill development opportunities. all uh great initiatives that the El Paso Chamber is proud to support uh over the existing infrastructure. Uh projects like this are proven tools for attracting private investment, supporting small businesses, and creating destinations that enhance El Paso's landscape. From a business community perspective, continued reinvestment in downtown El Paso is essential. Um, a vibrant downtown supports workforce attraction, tourism, and entrepreneurship while strengthening the city's tax base. The Doug Plaza aligns directly with the chamber's priorities around economic competitiveness, smart infrastructure, and sustainable growth. We also recognize and appreciate the city's proactive approach in leveraging state and federal partnerships. Um, I would also like to echo uh lots of the comments that some folks uh said earlier today about thanking our our state delegation to help us secure external funding for for this uh uh for these s sorts of opportunities. The advanced funding uh agreement before you today allows El Paso to move forward with project design while maxim while maximizing outside funding and maintaining local control. An approach that reflects sound fiscal stewardship and long-term planning. Importantly, this project builds upon years of coordinated efforts to revitalize downtown and complement existing investments in housing, arts, culture, and mobility. It sends a strong signal that El Paso continues to think boldly about its future and is willing to invest in projects that generate lasting returns for residents and businesses alike. So, on behalf of the El Paso Chamber of Commerce and its and its 682 members, we respectfully encourage council's approval on this item, and I look forward to continuing our partnership as this transformation as this transformative project moves forward. Thank you for your time, uh, your leadership, and your commitment to building a stronger and better El Paso. >> Thank you. >> That brings us to call to the public. The El Paso City Council is local government body charged with serving the citizens and the meetings must be focused on the meeting at charge. The city council meetings are public meetings under the Texas Open Meetings Act. Public comment is an accommodation and not a requirement of city council. All persons in attendance are expected to display civility and decorum that is respectful to other persons without the use of insulting, profane, threatening, or abusive language. Public comment will not be used for personal attacks, nor may any member of the public use this forum for political statements or campaigning. Please note that during call to the public, the city council may not deliberate or decide any subject that is not on the agenda. However, council may propose that a topic brought forth be posted on a future agenda. This morning, we have 50 members of the public that signed up to speak. The first person is Juan Ortiz. The other Juan Ortiz, Mr. Ortiza's topic is the cost of fereral pigeon damages at El Paso County. He will be followed by Claudia Contra Siller. >> Good morning. >> Good morning, Juan. >> Mr. Mayor, good morning city staff. >> Good morning, council. Uh my name is Juan Ortiz. I'm a US veteran, almost 41 years of service. Retired here in El Paso, stayed here in El Paso with my family and became a pigeon trapper as a hobby. keep me away from my PTSD. Um, I do uh free community service. I have put traps all over El Paso County wherever they need me. First, people didn't believe it. It was completely free. And now my list is tripled. People waiting for me to put traps and remove their pigeons. But three minutes is not enough. Already down to one uh to two. But I want people to uh search in the internet for these three topics. Number one, diseases that feral pigeons can spread to humans in Texas. I'm not going outside Texas. Let's deal with Texas first. So, check on that one. Diseases. I'm not going to cover it because it will take five, six, uh, 10 minutes on it. Diseases that fer pigeons can spread to humans in Texas. Anyone can Google that one. The next one, roof repair cost due to fereral pigeons in Texas. You could find that in the internet. It'll give you amount of money and and many examples and video of us damages. And as many people know here in El Paso, Texas, uh last year we lost what three four uh gas station fuel pump roofing due to the damage created by pigeons. People say wind or water. Yes, pigeons created rust. The pigeon poop has an acid with the rain spread out. All the weldings or screws get damaged and the uh gutters get uh clogged with the pig and poop and nest. Then rain comes and another day of rain you could hold to 500 500 to 800 pounds of water on the awnings on the roof and they will collapse. They will come down. They could come down on people who's fueling tanks and it's a lot of money. It costs a lot to repair. Uh number three, parks and wildlife code. That's a very important 17 February people were standing here talking lies because they don't know they lack knowledge on on these matters about pigeons. So parks and wildlife they have a code and on section 64.002 paragraph B bravo not alpha alpha non games that you cannot trap, you cannot abuse, you cannot do nothing. Yes. Okay, I got it. But then go keep reading. Bravo and mentioned by name feral pigeons might be killed, might be trapped, might be destroy the nest, might be destroy the eggs and might kill the babies because they have to be eradicated from Texas. Okay. Uh that's it. Two seconds. One second. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> The next speaker is Claudia Contra Siller. Miss Siller's topic is birds are God's creation. She will be followed by Marcy Chavez. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. >> Morning. >> God bless our army, our law enforcement. Animal cruelty is a felony. I am the type of person that if I see an injured bird, I'll go from east side to country club to save it. I have taken more than 20 injured pigeons to our only wildlife rescue, Josie Karam. She was here two weeks ago. She has received u recognitions here and she asks for an ordinance to keep these clandestine businesses accountable just like local businesses. We need them to have a business license. We need to we need them to report income to pay taxes. Saturday I I drove from UTP all the way to red. There's no more pigeons. Okay. So, these persons are messing up the ecosystem. They're spreading lies on the internet saying that there is no other way to keep these animals from our buildings. And there are those are lies. Okay? They're saying that it's Texas law to eradicate them. That's also a law. I couldn't find it. And here's a picture with a trailer full of pigeons. You guys can ask for the records of how many persons have called because these persons, these trappers are going into our neighborhoods, our parks. I'm receiving emails, messages, hey, they're coming. I call the police on them. I found out a month ago. I'm an animal advocate. I've been here for a year and I'm ready to start seeing results of my time. You know, I've been here a year asking for you guys to educate the city about animal cruelty, not only about pigeons, but for cats. I found out about this a year ago, and our only Texas, I'm sorry, our only wildlife rescue stated that she received a an email from Texas Parks and Wildlife. And this person's need a license. Okay. I love the birds. I'm a Mexican. We feed the birds. Every time I show this picture to someone, it doesn't matter the generation, they get scared. Okay? So, also I want to encourage the people to start calling 311 whenever you see people managing a lot of birds in residential areas. Okay? They're not supposed to be managing 1,200 pigeons in a house. You see them, call 311, please. Also, uh, these people are are trapping our birds underneath the freeways. They're putting people in danger. Uh, the person that was here just right now, she he called me a coward on Exor. I'm here. And just as he walked in this building is the same way our pigeons walk into the traps to be murdered. Stop the massacre of our birds now. Thank you. God bless you. >> The next speaker is Marcy Chavez. Miss Chavez's topic is pigeon trapping. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. >> That's everybody. >> Good morning. >> Um I just uh very new in this uh story which I find very disturbing because that's the reason why we have city inspectors codes. You know where are they? If this is a problem like the gentleman said, I also have seen on viral where there was individuals catching or trapping pigeons and making chicken out of them. In other words, telling the people that it was chicken, but it wasn't chicken. We talk about diseases and all these monstrous things about pigeons. Well, I want you to know that they're also God's creation. And you have no authority to just be trapping a whole bunch of or thousands of pigeons and deleting them from life because you will be accountable with our father and that's the reason why I'm here. I I'm normally known most of you and you know I work very hard doing advocacy with a whole bunch of different problems that we have in the city not just uh like pigeons also cats dogs that are abandoned you know malnutrition or whatever and all they do is make money. They don't even care about or have any compassion of, you know, as a pet or whatever. If it's not money making, they don't even take the time, you know, to do their job. And everybody is so fed up here in the community of El Paso, you know, while millions of dollars are spent in other areas and we're not taking care or servicing the right way that we should be to the community or, you know, the animals. And that's why I'm here. Thank you. Thank you. >> The next speaker is Ron Ko. Mr. Ko's topic is exercising his constitutional rights to the rescue 1983 animal services. He will be followed by Lupern Nandez Lucero. It will need the Elmo, please. >> Sorry. Thank you. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. >> Well, another fine Tuesday and here we are again. So, um I don't know if you could see what I put there. No, there they are. That's a perfect example of where we're at. These are numbers. They're negative numbers in adoption, return to owner, and rescue poll from the city of El Paso Animal Services since the implementation of HOS. Add those numbers up. that many living breathing dogs and cats didn't go out the front door because of the top number and because the community is not supporting the shelter. They don't like being treated like they're putting them out of their way. We've had this conversation with the city before and the same person that said you didn't have a toxic work environment said that there was no problem with that either, which we get. also reported to me it was animal cruelty that was happening at the facility up to and including the killing of a puppy. Was anything done? Anybody know anything about it? I wouldn't have known about it if people hadn't called me upset about what was happening. This is going on in your shelter. I mean, several of you have talked to me and you weren't happy with what's happening. Why haven't you stepped up and done something? Why? You know, you're leaving the community at risk. The operations that we've been using at the city of El Paso Animal Services since 2020 has put a clear and present danger on the community, their pets, and the strays of El Paso. And you all don't do anything about it. Why? Who's in control? Who's making the decisions? Because they're horrible. They're dangerous. you're putting the community at risk. Uh, if I could get you to look up for just a second, I think you and I need to do a public debate about animal services. You bring best friends propaganda. I'll bring what the community has to say and you and I can talk it out in more than three minutes because you're ASAC. The picture above says you're supposed to take care of all animals, not just the ones in the shelter. So 50,815 didn't get the support they were supposed to get because you all think best friends is the best thing in the world to do. Managed intake is illegal in the state of Texas and you all obviously ignore it. You have done nothing. The city of El Paso, if you get caught drunk driving, you get fined just like what you guys did the other day. But they also pick up people that are driving erratically and they do um alcohol checks. What did you do to stop people from getting attacked? >> Thank you, Mr. Ko. You've reached three minutes. The next speaker is Lupe Hernandez Ducero. >> Her topic is crisis in El Paso on DWIS. She will be followed by Veronica Kadas and Maria Ayala. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. Good morning members of El Paso City Council. My name is Lupe Hernandez Lucero. I am co-founder of Sober Streets Movement and we are the voices of our loved ones. Today I stand with families whose lives have been shattered by impaired driving. Instead of planning birthdays, we plan funerals. Instead of watching our children grow, we visit graves. Every time a loved one is impacted, we are constantly reminded of what has happened to our lost loved one and what the next family will be forced to endure. How is our community supposed to feel safe being on the streets of our loved beloved city of El Paso, Texas? The crisis in El Paso is real. 370 DWI arrest in just two months. That's six per day. This excludes arrest by sheriffs and Horizon PD. Real numbers are growing higher. My repeat offenders drive dozens of times before caught. Every DWI is preventable. Every repeat DWI is a system failure. Our families share roads with drivers who may be intoxicated right now. Shared responsibility. Prevention starts before a crash happens. Texas law holds alcohol serving establishments accountable for over serving into intoxicated patrons. Council review requests. Liquor liability compliance. Responsible beverage service training. Patterns of repeat over service. ID licensing flag systems, offender accountability, ignition interlocks for all DWI convictions, vehicle empoundment for repeat offenders, stricter license suspension enforcement, flag IDs, enforcement tools, increase DWI task force funding, support severity checkpoints, chemical testing in all serious crashes, legislative advocacy, lower BAC to 05. 5% stricter felony penalties for fatal DWI. Zero bond in fatal cases until court review. Local transparency audit alcohol service establishments. Public repeat offender data. Declare DWI a public safety crisis. Meet with impacted families. Council members, choose courage over comfort. We're not here for politics. We're not here. We are here for protection. We are here for prevention. We are here for lives that can still be saved. This is not about party lines. This is about human lives. This is about families who should still be a whole. This is about making sure no other mother, no other father, no other child has to stand where we're standing today. City Council, stand with sober streets movement. Stand before our legislators. Demand meaningful change in our laws. Use your voice. Use your platform. Use your leadership because silence protects the problem, but courage protects the people. Thank you for your time of leadership and commitment. Please stand with the Stober States movement. Not tomorrow, not >> but now. >> The next speaker is Veronica Diaz. >> Miss topic is needing support to change DWI laws to include fatalities. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. Can you hear me? Yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I stand before you today not only as a grieving mother but as sorry uh but as an advocate for legislative reform. The current DWI statutes in El Paso and across Texas are insufficient to deter repeat offenders and protect innocent lives. The data and lived experiences of families in the sober streets movement demonstrates that our laws are not functioning as an effective determent. Law enforcement officers are actively arresting impaired drivers. However, without meaningful statutory consequences, arrests alone will not reduce fatalities. This is a legislative failure, not a policing failure. Other states have adopted stronger preventative frameworks. Utah lowered its legal blood alcohol concentration limit to 0.05%, 05% setting a national president for proactive deterrence. Arizona enforces some of the strictest ignition interlock and sentencing requirements in the country. These policies reflect a commitment to public safety over convenience. Their laws should be considered to be mirrored in our city. We respectfully propose the following legislative reforms to be advanced in Austin. Number one, lower the legal BAC limit. Reduce the legal BAC limit in Texas from 0.08% to 0.05% to align the evidence-based deterrence standards. Number two, bond reform for DWI offenses. Establish a minimum bond of $150,000 for felony DWI offenses. require a zero bond eligibility for any DWI offense involving a fatality until formal indictment and trial setting. Number three, felony reclassification. Reclassify intoxication manslaughter from a secondderee felony to a firstderee felony when aggravating factors are present, including fleeing the scene or the presence of minors. Mandatory chemical testing require automatic and immediate toxicology testing in all crashes involving serious bodily injury or fatality. Elimination of probation in fatal DWI cases. Prohibit deferred adjudication or probation for defendants convicted of DWI offenses resulting in death. strengthening enforcement of Texas dam shramm uh sorry Texas drram shop act. These reforms are not rooted in emotional alone. They are grounded in deterrence theory. Recent cases in our community illustrate urgency just like these from this weekend. >> Thank you Missy as you have reached the three minutes. >> Mariaala signed up to speak but she's opting out. That brings us to Douglas Thompson. >> Thank you guys. We just want to say thank you council. Please hear our loved ones voices and thank you our law enforcement for standing by us because they see every scene accident that happens. They see it. Our first responders, please support them. We don't need more lives taken. >> Thank you guys. >> The next speaker is Douglas Thompson. >> No. What happened >> there? There's a photo I think up here. >> Um, Maria Velasquez, Miss Velasquez signed up to speak regarding Texas gas rates are too high. She will be followed right by Peter Cornelius Holder. >> Hello. Oh, and and for this uh we will be following the translation with a wordly app. If you scan the QR code on the monitors, you can follow along. for me. Fore! Foreign! Foreign! person. Texas. for electric. We Husttoche. Thank you. >> The next speaker is Peter Cornelis Holder. Peter Cornelis Holder. His topic is arbitrary gas rates. He will be followed by Rodulo Par Jr. Good morning. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. My name is Peter Alder and I'm going to speak about a hike in the gas bill. I'm using my numbers, but there are many other victims out there that have similar experiences. For 2025, my average gas bill was $59. My January gas bill, 26, was $74. The delivery charge on it was $1.3. The cost of gas was $28. Between January and February, my use of gas went from 62 to 84 ccf. That's less than 30% increase. However, my gas bill went up more than double to $16920. The cost of gas went from $28.74 to $651. That is an increase of more than 100%. The cost of delivery went from $13 to $77.93. That is an increase of more than 7,000%. I contacted gas service supervisors, the Texas Railroad Commission, and I left a message on the mayor's Facebook Messenger. No results and no answers. The gas company is a monopoly. I cannot choose where to buy my gas. Basically, they asked me to hand over my wallet. I expect the city to protect me and my fellow citizens from this kind of abuse and especially from future abuses by the gas company. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> The next speaker is Rodulo Par Jr. Mr. Par's subject is we launched a citywide scavenger hunt to promote the beauty of the border and we want to let council and the mayor know. >> Good morning. Howdy folks. Uh so kind of a lighter subject after a bunch of heavy stuff going on. Um so yeah, my name is Ralph Para. I'm executive director of a local organization called the Southwest Progressive Action Network. And this is my colleague Patrick Rap. He's the president of the organization. And we just want to let you all know about this project we just launched. We did this back in 2018 as a grassroots pro uh group, but now we have official status and our official organization. So we're trying to do it right this time. The idea is it's a month-long scavenger hunt. People can sign up their teams two to eight. And the idea is to promote the beauty of their border. uh everything that makes us unique, everything that makes the border really cool and also get a little civic engagement going and hopefully just get some fun. Uh so yeah, folks sign up two to eight people to a team friends families co-workers whatever it is that you want. There's a list of activities. We're right now at 92 and it's everything from civic engagement to hiking, just anything that has to do with the border. Um the sugar house is on there. Fighting the B-52 bomber, I'm sure most people don't even know is out there. Uh we have 22 donors. All of them are local from the Chihuahua to the locomotives to Western Playland and a bunch of restaurants. Winner take all teams participate in these activities. They accumulate points for these activities. The points are divided by easy to hard. Easy or easy peasy. The medium ones like going to museums and things like that are called uh LFG. Let's freaking go. And then the harder ones are no mom's way. Like go vote today is a no mom's way activity because it's time. You have limited time. Uh winner gets a grand prize. Um, we're going to have weekly prizes as well for teams who get the most points for that week and we're going to have random activities that pop up throughout the month and we're just hoping you guys can help us promote it. Um, we're just trying to get the community out, trying to get people into the community, trying to get that sentence of there's nothing to do here in El Paso, trying to eliminate that a little bit because there's a lot to do here. Uh, sometimes it's just a little hard to find. So, we have flyers. Also have a memo. There's a link tree. It's called linktree.com2026. you'll find the links to sign up your teams to sign up as sponsors or partners. We're currently looking for partners from nonprofits and organizations so we can add their activities to increase civic engagement. And um we al there's also a memo highlights everything. You'll find that on the link tree as well. This kind of just goes over what it is, what the past one looked like, just a little more in depth. And then I have some flyers here if you guys are interested. It has a QR code that will take you to the link tree. There's also a website. The website has all the rules, has all the activities, everything is listed on the website. So, uh, a lot of people here today are saying they love this community. So, really hoping to see some folks sign up some teams by the end of today and hoping we get some of you on board as partners and get some promotion. I think some of my colleagues might have already reached out to some of you via email and a text message to you as well. Uh, so hopefully we can get you on board. Um, the whole idea is just to promote the community, nothing else. >> Okay, Ralph, would you give that to Miss Prime? >> Yeah, let me get uh let me count them out properly. Oh, and since I still have eight seconds, businesses that participate are going to have this QR code on there. And we, like I said, we have 22 businesses so far and still counting everything from spas to restaurants. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you. The next speaker is Philip Sullivan. Mr. Sullivan's topic is skate park maintenance and repair. He will be followed by Josie Rivera. >> Good morning. Good morning, mayor, city council, city staff. Thank you guys for uh hearing us out. Um I just want to say that I commend everyone who's come up here and talk and speak in front of you all. It's it's a little bit nerve-wracking. It's my first time. So, I also have a somewhat of a lighter topic. Um I do want to say that I am against the uh flock program and Jupiter. I think both those need to be cancelled. Just want to put that out there first. But my main topic is the skate uh community. I've been part of the El Paso Skatepark Association since 2007 uh under Paul Zimmerman. He did a lot of work. He got us a lot of really good skateparks, but unfortunately a lot of them need repair and maintenance. Um this is something that kind of like is goes beyond your normal general contractor's work. It's a little bit specialized. So, the parks and wreck department does a fantastic job keeping the parks clean. Um they definitely take care of graffiti and things like that. The graffiti is terrible at the parks. just brings a bad vibe and bad activity in general. You know what I'm saying? So, there's some specialized parts of the park that need to be fixed. I I've worked for uh three different skatepark companies now. California skate parks, Evergreen, and uh Spawn Ranch. Actually, uh was involved with building the three county parks that just happened. Uh Estrella, Aadul, and Gyos. So, they're saying they're going to have a a event at Gyos. I actually built that one of the skateparks there. So, so yeah, I definitely um have noticed that even the skateboarders don't really know what needs to happen to these parks. So, they'll go and they'll like bondo patches and do things that it's not really correct and it end up chipping out and stuff. Um, I'm just kind of offering maybe I can help you like as a consultation for you guys or maybe we can partner. We do have an LLC and we also have a nonprofit called the Choco Fresh Foundation. Our LLC is called Flitch. That's what most people in the skate community know me as. Um, I I could definitely partner with you guys. Maybe we can do some sort of contracting work to help you guys uh patch some of the the major concrete work that needs to be patched. Um what happens with the coping? That's the special part of the part where you grind on with your board. Um a lot of the metal coping gets rusted just cuz natural elements and uh a lot of the skaters will put wax on it. That's traditional skateboarding, but wax usually is waterbased a lot of the waxes. So they'll also contribute to rusting. like it'll be good for a session or so and then afterwards it leaves a big rusty patch. So, um what needs to be what needs to be done is we need a good amount of material. Um we're going to need quite a bit of supplies as far as like paint, concrete, patchwork like cement all um different materials and tools. Uh this could be a good avenue maybe for uh volunteer work, maybe giving people some community service hours as well through the nonprofit. Um I don't know, maybe I can reach out to you guys individually or something if you guys are interested. Um, but yeah, I think this is a good opportunity for us to collaborate. It could be in everyone's benefit because parks and wreck doesn't really know what to do. A lot of the skaters don't even know what to do, but the parks are deteriorating and they need they do need some work for sure. But yeah, thank you guys for hearing me out. >> Thank you. >> The next speaker is Josie Rivera. Josie Rivera. We'll move on to Elizabeth Crawford. Miss Crawford is joining by phone and her topic is United Nations Down Syndrome Appreciation Day and Abortion. Go ahead, Miss Crawford, you have three minutes. Good morning. Thank you. Good morning. Um, in the book of Lamentations, um, words that were spoken by the prophet Jeremiah regarding the tragedy of Jerusalem when it was captured by Babylon. Uh though directed at Jude the situation, the initial words certainly have application for the situation in our own nation. Lamentations chapter 2, arise, cry out in the night, in the beginning of the watches, pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift up your hands toward him for the life of your young children. Um the United Nations has declared March 21st World Down Syndrome Day. March 24th, International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning gross human rights violations and for the dignity of victims. There's a glaring contradiction here. The United Nations advocates and advocates for abortion. Yet, one of the main target groups of abortion are babies in the womb diagnosed with Down syndrome. In Western Europe, nations such as Iceland and Denmark, the numbers come close to 100% in the high 90 percentile abortion rate for Down syndrome babies. In the United States, the percentage is given between 60 and 90% of Down syndrome babies are aborted. Many of these abortions involve the gruesome late term abortion procedures as Down syndrome is often not detected until later in the pregnancy. It's important for us to take note that the Nazi regime in Europe also targeted people with Down syndrome. Dietrich Bonhaofer who was outspoken and was killed by the Nazis for speaking out had this famous quote. Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act. In Las Cruz's, New Mexico, the construction of a mega abortion center is again proceeding. It had been put on hold temporarily due to contractors withdrawing. Now it's proceeding again. The reality is that many of the customers of this new abortion center will be ladies from Texas and specifically from El Paso. Again, I I would just read the quotation from Lamentations chapter 2. Arise, cry out in the night, in the beginning of the watches, pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift up your hands toward him for the life of your young children. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> And the final speaker is Patricia Osman, also joining by phone. Miss Osman's topic is transparency, rights of citizens, and undue influence and ethics violations, municipal code violations allowed by city paid individuals. >> Good morning, Miss Hosman. You have three minutes. You can hear me correct? >> Yes. >> Okay. Uh, everybody likes to read. Uh, so quote, so I'm going to do the same from two different books. First is, it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. So everybody voting should really consider this because donations amounts put in your discretionary fund. I'll counter that, but also from a different book, Fast Food Nation. The automobile industry, however, was not content simply to reap the benefits of government subsidized road construction. It was determined to wipe away railway competition by whatever means necessary. In the late 1920s, General Motors secretly began to purchase trolley systems throughout the United States using a number of front corporations trolley systems in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Montgomery, Alabama, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, El Paso, Texas, in Baltimore, Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. More than 100 trolley systems in all were purchased by GM and then completely dismantled. their tracks ripped up, their overhead wires torn down, the trolley companies were turned into bus lines, and the new buses were manufactured by GM. Now the irony of a hundred years later that this corporate greed is still paying off in El Paso who rival Cadillac a GM corporation is also receiving tax dollars for purchasing corporate greed camel I threw a needle but aside from that let's think about the fact that some of our members today on the diet are going to vote on the deck plaza where district 2 representative Alexandra Anelo just our recent past representative works for Paso Delorte Corporation. Her husband Alberto Halprren works for current district 2 representative Josh Acadeo. So I would I would ask all the public to question how many of the people in the Das that are going to vote for this deck plaza so that this pas North a project who seeks to get the management contract for the deck plaza. Miss Osme, we're not on that item about the death plaza. >> It doesn't matter. This is all about ethics. >> So, how many of these people are seeking to then subsequently work for El Paso Delorte or maybe the Border Lakes or somebody else? >> Thank you, Miss Osman. You've reached the three minutes. >> Okay, Miss Brian. >> Yes, sir. Will council like to recess at this time for Mass Transit? >> Second. >> There's a motion and a second to recess the regular city council meeting. All in favor? >> I. >> Anyone opposed? And the meeting is in recess at 11:31 a.m. >> Good morning. This is a meeting of the El Paso Mass Transit Department board for Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026. It is 11:31 a.m. Present and presiding is board chair Johnson. And also present in council chambers are board members Chavez ADO Maldonado Rocha Bartrejo Nino, Fiero, Lemon, and Canales. Mr. Chair, there is public comment. Okay. We do have Miss Maria Velasquez >> and she her topic is cancellation of important bus routes. >> Okay. >> Seenora Velasquez. Uh Miss Velasquez will be speaking in Spanish. A live translation will be displayed on the screens and you can also access it via QR code provided. Miss Velasquez Okay. Good morning. forch. Metro. Call me mama. Thank you. Represent Lemon represent Lemon. >> I'm sorry, Mayor. If I may, much graces. Thank you. >> That's all public comment. All matters listed under the consent agenda will be considered by Mass Transit Department board to be routine and will be enacted by one motion unless separate discussion is requested by board members prior to the vote. Members of the audience may ask questions regarding items on the consent agenda when the vote has been taken. If an item hasn't been called out called up for separate discussion, the item has been approved. The Mass Transit Department board may however reconsider any item at any time during the meeting. And on the consent agenda, we have item one, which is the minutes and uh solicitation 20260094 bus shelters installation. >> Okay. Move to approve the consent agenda. >> Okay. There's a motion and a second. We do have a motion by board member Canales, seconded by board member Fiero. >> Okay, call for the vote >> and that is to approve the consent agenda. Voting session is open. Thank you, ma'am. >> The voting session has closed and the consent agenda has been approved unanimously. >> Okay, let's take regular agenda. Item number four. Item number four is discussion and action on the request that the director of purchasing and strategic sourcing be authorized to issue purchase order for solicitation 2026 093 truck assemblies propulsion system HVAC parts and services for street cart to Brookville Equipment Corporation. the sole source distributor of parts and service for the street car for a term of three years for an estimated amount of 500,000. >> Move to approve. >> Second. >> Okay. There's a motion in a second. Any discussion on this item. >> Okay. >> And we do have a motion made by board member Gales, seconded by board member Lemon. Okay. And >> this is to approve item number four. Call >> for the vote. >> Session is open. The voting session is closed and the item has been approved unanimously. >> Is there a motion to adjurnn? >> So move. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I. >> Anyone opposed? And the Mass Transit Department board meeting has been adjourned at 11:38 a.m. >> Okay, Miss Brian. >> Is there a motion to reconvene? >> Second. >> There's a motion and a second to reconvene the regular city council meeting. All in favor? >> I. >> Anyone opposed? The meeting is back in session at 11:38 a.m. Council, per the rules of order, no use of personal cellular devices nor personal communication should take place on the deas while the meeting is in session. Once you obtain the floor from the mayor, you will have up to 10 minutes for debate and may speak twice per debatable motion. Please speak into the microphone and refrain from side conversations while the meeting is in session. For those of you joining through Teams, please make sure that your microphones are muted to reduce any background noise. That brings us to the consent agenda. All matters listed under the consent agenda will be considered by city council to be routine and will be enacted by one motion unless separate discussion is requested by council members. Prior to the vote, members of the audience may ask questions regarding items on the consent agenda. When the vote has been taken, if an item has not been called out for separate discussion, the item has been approved. Council may however reconsider any item at any time during the meeting. Mayor Prom. >> Thank you, Miss Prine. I make a motion to approve the consent agenda with the following revisions. Page six, item 15, move to the regular agenda per representative aso. Page nine, item 25, revise per capital improvement department. >> And that revision is to strike out the amount of $584,321 and replace with $561,000. Page nine, item 26, revise per purchasing and strategic sourcing. >> And that revision is to the funding source to strike out airport capital taxiway and project and replace with airport enterprise fund. >> Miss Prime, what was the item on page six that we were moving? >> It was item 26. Yes. The revision is to the funding source from airport capital taxiway project to airport enterprise fund. >> Okay. But aren't we moving an item from the consent to the regular? >> That was a board appointment. The reappoint of Edward Escudero is moving to the regular agenda. >> Okay. >> Per representative as >> Okay. Uh represent Canales. >> Thank you, mayor. Um, I'd ask that we move items seven and nine to the regular agenda for discussion as well. Thank you. >> Okay. Representative Chavez. >> Thank you, Mayor. For the record, I'd like to say that for item 17, I did receive a campaign contributions from one of the owners of Bravo Cadillac. Representative uh Pierro, I also received campaign contribution regard to item 17 >> as well as uh I did too from Bravo Cadillac. Representative um Trey, >> thank you. I also received a contribution. >> Representative Oavetto, mayor. Sorry. Um, I guess I moved item 15 to the regular agenda to state that I had a campaign contribution, but since everyone's doing it now, can we just leave item 15 on the consent and I'll disclose the contribution that I've received um $2,000 from Edward Escalto for my campaigns. Okay. Represent canales. No. Okay. Representative uh Nino. >> Yes. I also would like to for notation that I also received a contribution from Raymond Palasios. Okay. >> In regards of the item number 17. >> Okay. Representative. Any more? Okay. The only other ones is item number 13 in the consent agenda from CA Group. I received a campaign contribution as well as one from Edward Escodedto. Okay. Representative Rocha. >> Thank you, mayor, for a notation, Miss Prine. I also received a campaign contribution from Raymond Palasios and Eduero. Thank you. >> Okay. Representative Tjo. >> Thank you, Mayor. I also received a contribution from Ed Escodero. Thank you. >> Okay. Representative Vro. >> Okay. Representative Representative Nino. >> I also received a contribution from Edward Escudero. >> Okay. Representative Chavez. >> Thank you, Mayor. I also received a campaign contribution both from the owner of CA and from Edoto. Okay. For items 13 and 15. Thank you. >> Okay. Representative Limo. >> And for clarity, Mayor, I did not receive a contribution from any of the people listed on the agenda today. >> Okay. >> Thank you. You good? >> Okay. Okay. Any other discussion on the consent agenda? >> There was a motion and a second. Miss Prime, >> we do have public comment from Miss Osman. She signed up for several items. She signed up for item four, a resolution to approve a change order for project. >> And Miss Prime, just so I'll know, it it says in person at the time. It's also via phone. She she said she was having car trouble and requested to speak by phone instead. >> Okay. >> She signed up for item four, a a change order to contract 20240557, airport 5 node intersection remediations. Item five, which is all a deductive change order for contract 2023, uh, airport reconstruction of taxiway G. Item number six, which is a deductive change order for airport relocation of taxiway M. For item number eight, a resolution to submit a grant application for the West Texas anti-gang center FY27. for item 10 which is the solid waste leans and for item 12 a an agreement for professional services per municipal solid waste engineering services to three firms. >> Go ahead, Miss >> Miss Frank. Do can we take these together or do we have to take them separately? >> You can take them together since the vote is is one vote. Okay, sir is is all at the same time. >> Okay, that works >> on the consent agenda. Go ahead, Miss Osman. Okay, there it is also item number seven, but really quick on four, five, and six, I just want to point out that uh Jordan Foster owners uh started by Paco Jordan, Paul Foster, Darren Woody, they're receiving collectively over $49,730,000. Yet Paul Foster still gets subsidies from the city. It has the Chihuahua stadium that we fit the bill on. Um, operation loan started because I did sign up for seven as well and seven and seven and eight. Both of those have something to do in regards to immigration. If people on the dis were unaware, there was a lot of conversation in regards to operation lonear and citizens, they didn't catch this one, had come in in numbers stating that they were not happy on El Paso being part of that. Now, mind you, we had a lot of people getting killed on our streets because of Operation Lonear. crashes in various forms. This has been bad for El Paso, but go ahead, keep taking the blood money. And in regards to 10, what what's amazing is that I have on numerous occasions spoke in front of you all that these leans are for people's homes in from 300 to the highest is like 20,000 yard cleanup. A lot of times, sometimes it's the alley. You all will do volunteers and set up a program for volunteers and $1,500 to clean for for citizens to clean up city properties. But you won't do that to help citizens not have a lean on their property. That is shameful. And I state that because you know what? You have 400k for a solid waste contract, yet you want volunteers, El Paso taxpaying citizens to do volunteer work for taxpayer paid work. So, our employees getting tax dollars aren't doing that. You want the volunteers to do that and then you still stick citizens with leans. the the shamelessness of it all is just disgraceful. And I mean, then again, I think all of the having to admit campaign donations on some of this should speak to that shamelessness. Help the citizens over yourselves, please. That's it on the consent agenda. >> Okay. >> Okay. All right. Mr. Brown, we have a motion and a second. >> Yes. The motion was made by Mayor Prom Chavez, seconded by alternate mayor prom to approve the consent agenda as revised. >> On that motion, call for the vote in the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously. Okay, Miss Brian, let's take item number seven out of the consent agenda. >> Yes, sir. Item item seven is a resolution authorizing the city manager designate to submit to the public safety office of the state of Texas grant application 5407102 for the city of El Paso police department project identified as operation lonear grant FY27 to provide financial assistance to the city of El Paso requesting $500,000. No cash match is required. >> Represent Fier. >> Thank you, mayor. Um, thank you. You know, it's my understanding that >> is Is there a motion to >> Oh, sorry. Motion approve. >> Is there Okay, represent FO. >> Thank you, Mayor. Um, I'm sorry, mayor. Go ahead. >> So, my understanding is that part of these dollars are for overtime. >> Yes, that's correct. Uh, Representative Fellow, this uh grant, we received this financial assistance uh from the state for the last 12 years and it allows a department to conduct uh uh overtime operations to address uh transnational gangs and uh organized criminal activity. >> So that would in essence save taxpayers dollars, maybe millions of dollars, thousands of dollars. >> Okay. And it allows officers to spend more time in the street keeping our streets safe. >> Yes, sir. We specifically have a task force that addresses u any vehicle crimes, burglary of vehicles, theft of vehicles, uh other criminal organizations that obviously are involved in in the theft of vehicles and burglary, but also other type of criminal activities. So, it allows us to put officers in extra uh duty assignments to uh combat those organizations. >> Thank you, mayor, and thank you for all the work you do for our community. >> Thank you, Representative. Appreciate it. >> Represent Canelis. >> Thank you, mayor. Um, as I've explained several years in a row now, um, you know, I I have no particular issue with the performance of the police department or or anything under this grant. Um, I I do have an issue with the Operation Lonear program as a whole and the way in which these funds are appropriate appropriated through the legislature and and uh the particular program administered by the governor's office. And so I haven't supported these for several years. I have supported, you know, millions of dollars of other grants, um, including other grants administered through the through the this this same office in the governor's office. Um, but but I do uh intend to not not vote in favor of this one today. And I just wanted to explain myself. Thank you. >> Representative Asavetto. >> Thank you, Mayor. Um, so I I haven't been a fan of Operation Lonear. My constituents have been really worried about it as well. Just uh recent in recent um weeks there there was a pretty bad car chase that happened in my district around the Tula Rosa Yandal area and it had nothing to do with El Paso Police Department. I know that this was DPS, but I want to get clarity on this because when you look at Operation Lonear, I'm not supportive of that at all in terms of what they're doing in the community. I'm supportive of what El Paso Police Department is doing, right? Sorry. Um and and I I have trust in in the officers that are protecting us, keeping us safe from the city perspective. So, when I look at Operation Lonear, and this is a grant, I understand that you're using $500,000 for overtime. Can you give me more of a sense on what kind of things you're doing with that overtime and if any of that is border enforcement um you know apprehending migrants stuff like that? >> Absolutely. No, thank you representative Seedo. It's very important that to distinguish that many agencies from across the state including uh some agencies in in our area uh receive funding from the state but that's independent whatever they use that funding for for what whatever type of uh enforcement they use it that's independent from what we use it for. We use it for uh proactive operations. Um uh they include uh but not limited to direct patrols uh surveillance gang and fugitive warrant roundups. uh we use counter autotheft measures and uh joint task force operations with other law enforcement agencies but our focus is mainly like I mentioned it's to um deter reduce autothefts burglary of vehicles and uh other criminal activities um trans transnational gangs operate in our area uh unfortunately uh Mexican cartels operate in our area unfortunately but that's why we have to uh stay on top of this extra enforcements to really focus on those uh criminal organizations that are uh uh operating in our city and keep our our theft of vehicles, vehicle crimes down. And this additional funding, like I said, other agencies might use it for whatever, but we use it for this type of law enforcement, state law. We do not uh do any immigration enforcement whatsoever or get involved in any investigation on that. And and so part of I I reviewed the backup and the application is is on there and there's a lot of information on there that there was some reassuring aspects of it. So one of them was investigative capacity, not boots on the ground. So I interpret that to mean that you're not going to be apprehending migrants at the border. Is that correct? >> Absolutely not. It's it's a reference in the application to a border because we we're a border city, right? So there's a lot of corridors, highways, uh streets that uh criminal organizations uh uh operate and and obviously uh but that's references because we're a border city, but no, no, in no way any immigration enforcement. >> And is that why there's um objective outcome measures and on there it says number of adult apprehensions transferred to U USB custody made by grantf funded peace officers target level zero. >> Yes. Is that why you put it at zero? >> Yes, sir. Correct. Because we're not uh uh focus or enforce or investigate any any related crime that or any related investigations that has to do with immigration. We leave that to the federal authorities. >> And you did it again where it says number of minor juvenile apprehensions. You also put a zero. >> Yes, sir. That's correct. >> So, you really want to focus on car thefts, um drug activity that might be happening. And what does human smuggling mean in the sense of this grant? Obviously, I know what human smuggling is, but more in in the sense of I I think somebody a member of the public might think, well, that sounds like immigration enforcement because that also kind of happens at the border. So, can you kind of define that in this? >> Yes, absolutely. So, so that's very good question, Representative Se. So the state law, there's a a lot of laws that pertain to contraband uh illicit money uh weapons uh uh other type of contrabands drugs, but also there's a state law that uh we're we're we're sworn to to to uh enforce and it's human smuggling as well. So there is a state law that uh addresses that. Uh should our officers during their operations and and uh which they do come across in a state crime, we will enforce that. But the focus on this again I can't stress enough it's for automobile uh type related crimes and this is why the task force that works on this are specifically uh working operations for for that those state crimes and not not necessarily human smuggling. >> Okay. And then on on the application it also says informationelligence sharing with other entities. Can you give me an example of what that looks like? >> Yes sir. We share uh there's a lot of local police departments and and uh state uh uh like DPS that law enforcement that we share uh information. Horizon, Sakoro, uh uh Anthony, a lot of our surrounding communities. Uh somebody mentioned earlier that uh uh organized theft rings, they don't operate within just the west side of town, east side of town. They operate all over the city and the county and through other communities. So we do share those information when we see that a crime trend is developing or we see that repeat offenders the a theft that burglarizing or stealing vehicles. Uh we do share that information with our local and state law enforcement partners. >> Okay. So it would be maybe a crime is happening and you saw it and now they're entering another jurisdiction. and you're sharing information with that other jurisdiction like an like a police department um that's outside of El Paso or the sheriff's office, something like that. >> Absolutely. Yes, you're very correct on that. We share information on on repeat offenders that are uh they they might go uh to county jail or they go to jail for for a year or so and they come out and and before you know it again, they're they're committing. So, we share that in intel on uh repeat offenders on theft rings that are continuing to do there. Okay. And the the last thing that I wanted to ask is is there any way that data can be shared with council on what you're doing with this money? Obviously, you're you're spending it on overtime, and I understand why you're doing that, but thanks to that overtime, we recovered 30 cars. We apprehended something. you know that data where in this last year that you were doing it. I think that would tell a better story on this and it would ease at least for me that this money is being used to recover cars or get drugs off the streets, stuff like that. Um I I just want a little bit more information on this because I think the data is important. >> We will share that with you. How many arrests were made during this operations? weapons recovered, drugs uh recovered out uh taken out of the street. We will definitely share that information with you. >> Okay. I appreciate it. Thank you. Representative Levon. >> Thank you, ma'am. Chief Talamontes. Um as you know, I co-signed on an item that's on the agenda today. And in reflection, I saw these various grant applications and aside from looking at backup, I really didn't have a lot of information. I think that representative aso has asked some excellent questions and things that normally in the past we would have been able to ask during agenda review. My ask of you uh and Chief Basillas would be that as grant applications come up if you would please take the time to brief us on it. I'm always available and would be happy to to hear it from you uh so that I could ask the questions that are so important. Um immigration is a top concern. Um you you shared that you you share information with other other agencies and and you stated police surveillance uh I mean your sheriff's department things like that but what would you do if and I would imagine that you're the person in charge of this or oversees this grant what would you do if I gave you a directive that said you must share this information today, what would you do? >> We we got policies uh that uh prohibit that uh Miss Lemon. So, uh of course, I would immediately refer this to uh our chief and and uh our legal, right? But, uh we've never been in a situation hypothetical like that. Uh uh we follow strictly the the state law enforce only state law and our procedures uh back that up as well. and and I hope just like you said that it never happens but we must be vigilant and we must be cognizant that this could happen and ensure that the back door is always locked and secured so that we don't have it. Um I would simply ask that um if this were to come through, obviously your chain of command would be the chief um city manager and and the mayor um that at some point in time we as a council were also informed uh of the process, any um request uh any violations, anything having to do with it. Um because it's it's easy to look at it and say or you know there's half a million dollars for overtime but in the long run is that really um looking out also to the entire community and just not part of the community. Thank you sir. >> Okay. Thank you M. >> Thank you mayor. >> Any further questions on this item number seven and Miss Bryan we have public comment on seven. >> Miss Osman signed up for item seven. Miss Osman, star six to unmute your telephone. Go ahead, Miss Hosman. You have three minutes. So although it states zero um like Mr. O pointed out, what it also states is sharing of information. If y'all are unaware, ACLU has a large write up in regards to Operation Lonear and all the human rights violations and inhumane tactics that have been used because of the program. So although you're following state guidelines, understand that those state guidelines are violating human rights. That is just a fact. The breakdown on how that 500 and it's just 500 thou 500,000 plus for overtime. I I would assume y'all are going to get a breakdown of that. That's only a portion of the funds, I believe. So, are the other portions of those funds continuing to turn also into even a greater police state than what it has already become? There are already enough lawsuits that taxpayers have to pay out because of El Paso PD. You've got human rights violations in El Paso PD and you're using funds from the state that are human rights violations funds. You can you can try to sugarcoat this as much as you can. It's the safety of the citizens, but it truly is not. It's turning the city into a police state. You you'll do it in one aspect, but in another aspect, you're completely lost because most of y'all don't understand the full impact of a lot of what you vote through. Now, you're going to vote. You're going to go ahead and approve this because that is what you do. But understand when lives are lost because of this money, it is also on you. And it's on the taxpayers that then have to pay those loss of life lawsuits because you decided to approve this and take Abbott's blood money. But I'll watch you approve it just like the last council did as well. That's it for seven. That concludes public comment on this item. Mayor >> represent Luma. >> Just one more thing um after I finished and I think maybe representative touched on this the possibility of maybe a quarterly um report what was done what's been happening just so that we can kind of follow along. It doesn't need to be a briefing. It does. We don't need names. We don't need just like the highlights, those points that the grant requires us to do. Just a highlight if that would be possible. If it's possible. >> Absolutely, M. We'll put a report uh um right away for you all uh comprehensive report that you'll have uh uh this week. >> Okay. Thank you, Chief. Any further comments on item number seven? >> Okay, Miss Prime. The motion was made by alternate mayor prom, seconded by mayor prom chavez to approve item seven. On that motion, call for the vote in the voting session. And that motion passes 7 to1. Representative Lemon voting nay. The remainder of council voting I. The motion carries. >> Mayor, I clicked the wrong button that move to reconsider. Okay. Moved is apologies. >> Okay. There's a motion to reconsider. >> Okay. >> There's a motion and a second to reconsider item seven. All in favor? >> Anyone opposed? >> We're back on item seven. >> Okay. Let's take item number seven, Miss Fry. >> Okay. This is a resolution authorizing the grant application for the project identified as Operation Lonear Grant FY27. There's a motion. Is there a second? >> Okay, there's a motion and a second. >> There's a motion made by alternate mayor Proen Fiero, seconded by Representative Lemon, and this is to approve item seven. On that motion, call for the vote. in the voting session. The motion passes six to two. Representatives Lemon and Canales voting nay. >> Okay, let's take item number nine, Miss Bryant. >> Yes, sir. Item number nine is a resolution authorizing the grants administrator or designate to apply, submit accept reject alter or terminate grant applications, agreements, related documents on behalf of the city to the office of the governor of the state of Texas. Grant application number 518-5403 for the El Paso Fire Department project identified as FY2027 border zone grant program to provide financial assistance to the city of El Paso requesting $242,253.80 with no cash match. This is required to purchase vehicles and equipment needed for emergency response services associated with security and rescue activities. >> Okay. Is >> okay represent Canales. >> Thank you, Mayor. I just had a quick question on this one. Um, in the description it says the grant funding will help provide vehicles and equipment that allow local first responders to better protect and serve the El Paso community. Um, uh, that makes total sense. That's mostly reflected in the the grant narrative as well. Um, it says funding through this grant. Uh, so it's basically the same language. Um there is one sentence at the end of the grant description that uh threw me a little bit and it says these security and rescue activities include activities associated with organized crime and I was wondering what the involvement of the fire department is in combating organized crime. >> Morning mayor council assistant chief Silva Paso Fire Department. So the border zone grant from the office of the governor is uh it's eligible for fire departments throughout the border due the their unique challenges that they have and it provides their uh specialized teams with equipment and resources that are uh related to being on the border. Um as far as organized crime, that's not what it's intended for. This grant is intended specifically for vehicles for search and rescue. Um our USAR team, urban search and rescue team downtown, the body rescue team throughout the canal. Um, that's all it it's for is for egress to get them the patients out of the area. Um, also to go and search for them and quicker response. >> Did that answer your question? >> Yeah, mostly. So, this is language that's remnant from the grant language but doesn't apply in the specific case based on the intended uses of the funds from the fire department. >> That is correct. >> Okay. Thank Okay. >> Is there further discussion on this particular item number nine? represent lemon. >> And so has the grant already been submitted? >> No. >> No. Can that language be struck? >> Um, I can ask with our legal team if we can. >> Yeah, that's that's firm. We can get that done. >> Thank you very much. And it will get done. Thank you. Do we do we need a motion from council on this miss prime to strike that >> to amend it? >> Yes, please. >> Yes. >> So, >> I'd like to make a mo motion. >> You want to You want to this? >> Yes. I'd like to make the motion to strike the language um referenced right now, which is And I don't have it in front of me. I can >> read it. Would you read it, please? >> Sure. These security and rescue activities include activities associated with organized crime. >> There you go. >> Okay. >> And what is that language? Is it on the resolution or the agreement or >> uh neither it's on the grant application form part A? >> So on the actual application itself, do you want us to uh remove that language? >> Yes. >> And chief, let me just ask just to make sure I'm clear here. So, if the fire marshals had a um organized group that was lighting fires and and buildings and doing things like that, by eliminating this, does that exclude that? >> No, >> that's a good question. I I think this one is more aimed towards search and rescue, but definitely we could use these vehicles for other things, especially egress um if we need to get into tight spots. >> Okay. >> Thank you, Mayor. >> Okay. Um repres I don't not sure it's for Mrs. Mack or for Omar. Um we have a fantastic great u u grants department and their success rate is really high. Is this in your personal opinion would this affect the opportunity of grant being approved? >> I don't believe so. Just talking to Eric who is the legal adviser there. This is language that was actually written in by the department and so it doesn't appear to be within the reszo or any other place within and so we'll see if we receive any feedback once we receive direction from council and if there is any clarification that's needed we'll bring it back to you. >> Okay represent Nino. >> Thank you mayor. My question was going to be in regards to the backup how it says grant information form. Is that an internal form or is this okay? So this is an internal form. This is not the actual application that is submitted to the controller. So this is no this is not the complete application. >> Okay. I just want to get the start of what goes to for every single grant to our grant department and then we go through our process of getting the resolutions and the things that are required. Okay. I think we'll build out full grant based on the recommendation from council that we'll soon receive. >> So I believe the amendment is to strike any language that refers to organized crime in the grant application. >> That specific sentence. >> Okay. And there's a motion and a second. Right. I didn't hear the second on amendment. >> There's a motion from represent Lemon. >> No, she made the motion to amend. >> Okay. >> I didn't hear a second. >> Okay. There's no second. >> Okay. We're back on >> item number nine. >> Okay. Representative. >> Okay. Any further discussion on item number nine? Okay, Miss Prime. >> Yes. The motion was made by Representative Lemon, seconded by Alter Mayor Pro. And this is to approve item nine. On that motion, call for the vote and the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously. >> Okay. And Mr. Brian, I believe that believe brings us to the first reading of the ordinances. >> That's correct. These are items 19 and 20. >> Mayor, make a motion to move on the first reading of the ordinances. >> There's a motion in a second. Any uh Miss Bryan call for the vote? >> Yes. A motion was made by Representative Lemon, seconded by alternate mayor Poten Pierro to approve the introduction of ordinances items 19 and 20. On that motion, call for the vote. and the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously. >> Okay, we're going to move to uh the public hearing, second reading of the ordinances, but I just want to remind council that you have an opportunity to speak up to 10 minutes two times as we start going a little bit further. Okay, Miss Prime, let's take item number 21. >> Would you like to take 21 and 22? their real estate items in district 7. >> Let's take them together. Yes. >> Yes, sir. Item 21 is a public hearing of an ordinance authorizing the conveyance of real property owned by the city of El Paso to Eli Ramos Investment LLC for the purchase price of $168,000 for a property known as 8821 Alamemeda Avenue in El Paso, Texas. Item 22 is a public hearing of an ordinance authorizing the conveyance of real property owned by the city of El Paso to Arnorfo Figueroa and Sandro Valadees for the purchase price of $22,50 property known legally described as a portion of track 4C NKA track 4-C3 block 38 grant in the city of El Paso, El Paso County, Texas. >> All right, there's a motion. Good afternoon Mary. >> Good afternoon, mayor and council. This first item is on the property sale agreement for 8821 Alamemeda Avenue. So this item was brought to council in September of 2025 where council vetted the surplus property and approved it for listing in accordance with the Texas Local Government Code section 253.014. The property was marketed via a broker and listed for at least 30 days on a multi-listing service. The property itself consists of 0.52 acres. Zoning is C3H Commercial Historic. It was listed on October the 8th. The proposed buyer is Eli Ramos Investments LLC. The appraised value was $128,000. The purchase price is $168,000 plus closing costs. We did receive four offers and we are recommending to sell the property to the highest offer. Representative Lemon. >> Yes. >> Can you please >> Sorry. Sorry. Can you please give us the boundaries on this property? It's difficult to to read it on the map here. >> One second, Representative. They're bringing the presentation back up for me. >> Okay. It's not We don't have the cross streets on. >> All you have is 8821 Alamemeda, but Alameda runs from downtown to the city. >> Through the city. Let me get you that information when I get back, representative. >> Okay. Okay. Thank you. Okay, for the next item is for a property sale agreement for Winchester and Penddale property identification number 14048. And this property was brought before council in July of 2025. The council vetted this as surplus property and approved it for listing in accordance with the Texas Local Government Code section 253.014. The property was marketed via a broker and listed for at least 30 days on that multi-listing service. The property is on the corner of Winchester and Pendale. The size there is 0.92 acres. It's zoned R4 residential. It was listed in July of 2025. The proposed buyers are Arnorfo Figueroa and Sandra Valadees. The appraised value was $200,000 and the purchase price is $22,50 plus closing costs. We did only receive one offer and we are recommending that we sell it to the highest offer. >> Okay. Representative Lemon. >> Mary Lou. And looking now at the map on slide three, you'll notice how there's that straight vertical line. The area to the left, is that city property as well or not? >> The area just to the left of the the yellow highlighted area. >> I don't have that on the map, Representative, but I can go back and find out for you. I don't believe so, but let me confirm that for you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Any other questions on items number 2122? All right, Miss Fry. >> Yes, sir. The motion was made by Representative Lemon, seconded by alternate mayor Pen Ferro, and this is to adopt the ordinances on items 21 and 22. There's no public comment on that motion. Call for the vote in the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously. >> Okay, let's take item number 23, please. >> Yes, sir. Item 23 is discussion and action to request that the city manager and city attorney provide a quarterly report to mayor and council on the status of the balance owed by Donald J. Trump for President Inc. campaign. The report should include the balance owed, interest, and copies of invoices sent on a monthly basis to Donald J. Trump for President Inc. This item was placed by Representative Lemon to >> approve. >> Okay, there's a motion to second. Representative Lemon. >> Thank you, Mayor. I I placed this item on the agenda and would have a trivia question for you. So, what do these cities and I had to write it down because this is a lot of information. I wrote actually some notes. What do these cities have in common? Let's see if you can figure it out. Albuquerque, New Mexico, uh St. Cloud, Minnesota, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Erie, Pennsylvania, Green Bay, Wisconsin Minneapolis Minnesota Battle Creek, Michigan, Tucson, Arizona, and El Paso. What could possibly we all have in common? All these communities are owed approximately $1.6 million from the Trump campaign. We've been talking about the lack of funding and how we need to have more speed cushions, repair more potholes and things like that. And while 1.6 million does not represent the total amount owed to the city of El Paso, it certainly is a collective um item. The original bill rendered to the campaign back in 2019 was $569,000 $569,000 dollars and that was for a 2019 rally and unfortunately we carried the title of having the largest single unpaid bill by the Trump campaign. Today, because of interest rates, that amount is a little over $600,000. And while the campaign has tried to pass the cost to civil service, the burden rest on the campaign, not on the organization that's charged with simply protecting the candidate. At that point in 2019, a rally was held at the Coliseum and expenses related to the use were paid in full about 4 hours before the rally was scheduled to begin. But please don't think for one minute that the campaign was responsive and paid up front. Before noon, the El Paso Sports Commission President Brian Kennedy called the campaign and said, "If you do not pay upfront, your rally will be cancelled." They received a check. The city does not have the ability to collect upfront because the event resources are fluid until the last minute when the plane departs. And so several things have taken place. In 2020, the city hired an outside law firm to attempt to collect funds related to this charge. Um, and they were unsuccessful. And since then, on several occasions, um, the city has submitted a bill, uh, requesting payment. But I believe it's been more than a year or two since that took place. And so my motion today is to simply ask that the city manager and the city attorney uh provide a sequence of perhaps quarterly billing to reflect on the interest that is owed to the city. One of the things that's really resp u of great importance is that we pay our bills when they are due. And it seems contrary that we would have a major campaign of a now sitting president who owes these communities more than a million $1.5 million. We are the ones with the largest amount. And by no means by no means should we let this ride and simply say he's not going to pay and let it go away. I think that we need to be the thorn in his side that we remind and remind and remind the campaign which is still very active. He believes he's going to have a third term and so that campaign is still active. they have the money. And as much as he um files lawsuits in the millions and billions, I think that our amount of a little bit over $600,000 would be quite beneficial to this city. And I had spoken to Miss Neman and maybe Joseette, you have any something else to share on this topic, please? Good afternoon, Joseette Flutters from the city attorney's office. Um, you I believe you probably do have the most updated information. >> Thank Thank you. Thank you, Jose. And so, we can either stand on our feet or we can fold today. And so, that is a request that the city manager and city attorney provide a quarterly report to mayor and counsel on the status of the balance owed by the Donald J. Trump for president campaign. >> Okay. >> Thank you, mayor. >> Any uh Representative Chavez. >> Thank you, Mayor. Um, so in January on the 15th, the FOA committee had a follow-up audit that was presented to us uh regarding accounts receivables. I I think uh Miss Marine, who's in the audience today, will will recall that presentation. Um, and I think obviously it is concerning that we are owed that money, Miss Representative Limon, but there are many others also that owe us money. So I don't I know that you we are trying to be fiscally responsible and ensuring that we receive what's owed to us, but there is a process I believe that's followed through our legal department in terms of collecting payments for anybody who owes us money. Um I think that process is after 90 days there are three notices. Past two bills are sent to the legal department for collection. Pass two amounts are reviewed monthly. Um department directors are aware of how soon account receivables are being turned over. And uh from what we were told at that meeting for on January the 15th, uh the city's doing everything to mitigate risks and everything we can to collect what's outstanding. Um, we didn't specifically speak on the debt from the campaign from Trump, but I do believe that the city is is doing what they can in terms of collecting the funds. I I know that we've received an update at that time uh to FOAC and I know that every department is willingly giving us information if we if we ask for it. I just I I don't know. I don't I don't know who the contact person is there. I don't know if Representative Leone has an idea on how we're going to really collect this money because again, there's a lot of outstanding debt. We have a lot of uh accounts receivables that are due that we're working towards collecting. So, this is just one of others. Thank you, Mayor. Representative Lemon, >> I do not have a direct contact, but I know that the chair for the Republican party who was scheduled to speak today was not here. I know that he um has stated that he has a direct uh contact with the uh uh the campaign. Um even a a simple Google search would probably identify that information. Um while there may be other outstanding uh bills, I think that we're limited for discussion on this particular item today. >> Thank you. >> Yep. Okay. Uh seeing no further discussion on this particular item number 23, Miss Prime, >> we do have >> we have public comment. We do. >> Yes, sir. We have Miss Osmond. Miss Osman, star six, please to unmute your telephone. Go ahead, ma'am. You have three minutes. Uh before I start with the Trump issue, uh mayor, I really got to appreciate the fact that you miss pride uh about the fact that I'm not in chambers. Glad to know you miss me or maybe you're just really I'm not there. Um but either way, in regards to Trump and the 600k he owes, Missing Men pointed out all the cities. what what she didn't point out and perhaps because um politics isn't supposed to be involved is they're also democratic cities. Um so I'm sure that is on purpose why we have not been paid uh on a border city also on purpose. One thing I didn't hear is is a lawsuit, has there actually been a lawsuit filed? Because y'all do leans and y'all file lawsuits all the time for other debts that are owed. Has a lawsuit been filed against his campaign in regards to these funds that are owed or we're we're just not trying to rock the boat because god forbid you know he do to El Paso what he did to uh the Twin Cities. So, I'm just kind of wondering where where that is at in regards to lawsuits. I didn't hear any anybody question whether that was actually the case. Uh, Miss Travis did mention, you know, there's a certain procedure, but I didn't, other than actually sending out the debt in the invoice, I didn't hear that there was a lawsuit filed. So, if somebody could clarify that, I'd be really interested to know. Thank you. >> Okay, Mr. Prime, we have uh Representative uh uh Fiero. Thank you, mayor. Um, Miss Mack, was all of council given that report that representative Chavez referred to from FOAC. >> I think generally um, Representative Chavez is just talking about the strategy in terms of accounts payable. Um, for this particular item, we have been building billing annually and so the last bill went out February 2nd. >> But no, Miss Chavvis said that that Fwick got a report received a report. I remember seeing one on 380s and slow payment, but I don't remember seeing one on outstanding um account payables. >> I think the accounts payable was last meeting. >> Last meeting. >> Okay. So, we'll we'll get it in the near future. >> So, it was posted as backup in at the last meeting, right? We did the accounts >> and you'll send it to our offices in the near future. >> Are you requesting? >> Yes. Accounts payable. >> We usually get No, no. We usually get reports from FOAC. Um >> well when I was on for it we got we would distribute stuff through the chair >> so yeah please >> we'll do >> thank you. >> Okay >> representative Roachcha >> I I just have a quick question. Uh Miss Mac are are there any other uh campaigns that owe money besides this one? >> No. No. Is there anything in place that would prevent later on down the line guard rails for this to from happening again? Like um it the rally let's say has to be held on government property or they have to pay upfront or um you know anything like that. Is there anything in place at this time? >> So we haven't run into any other issues in terms of people reserving our space for any reason that's allowable. >> Okay. under those space rentals. Um we've received prompt payment. Um there are some uh interlocal agreements in terms of law enforcement that clarify who pays for what and so we haven't seen this type of issue. >> Okay. >> Um >> thank you ma'am. I appreciate it. >> Okay, Miss Prime. >> Yes, sir. The motion was made by Representative Lemon, seconded by alternate mayor prompo to approve item 23. On that motion, call for the vote and the voting session. And that motion passes 7 to1. Representative Boyjo voting. The motion does pass. >> Okay. Uh council, can we take item number 30 next? And then we'd have to go into executive session. Item 30 is discussion and action on selection of the chief internal auditor. >> I would need a motion to retire into executive session. >> Second. >> There's a motion and a second to retire to executive session. All in favor? >> Anyone opposed? and the city council of city of El Paso may retire to executive session pursuant to section 3.5A of the El Paso city charter and the Texas government code chapter 551 >> sub chapter D to discuss item 30 discussion and action on selection of the chief internal auditor under 551.071 consultation with attorney and 551.074 personnel matters. It is 12:33 p.m. Okay, Miss Bryant >> council, is there a motion to reconvene? >> Motion. >> Second. >> There's a motion and a second to come out of executive session. All in favor? >> Anyone opposed? The meeting is back in session at 1:44 p.m. We're on item 30. Mayor, >> I move to lay item 30 on the table. >> Okay. >> Second. >> There's a motion and second to lay item 30 on the table. >> Yes, there's a motion and a second to table item 30. All in favor? >> I. >> Anyone opposed? The motion carries. >> Like to make a motion. >> Represent Mom. >> Mayor like to make a motion that we recess for lunch for 1 hour. >> So come back at >> 2:45. 243 2:45 >> 2:45 There's a motion to break for lunch till 2:45. >> There's a motion and a second to recess the city council meeting. All in favor? >> I. >> Anyone opposed? >> The city council meeting is in recess at 1:45 p.m. for 1 hour and we'll reconvene at 2:45. >> I'm going this way. >> I'm going this way. Walk behind. Okay, Miss Bryan. >> Council, is there a motion to reconvene? >> So moved. >> Second. There's a motion and a second to reconvene the city council meeting. All in favor? >> I. >> Anyone opposed? The meeting is back in session at 2:49 p.m. >> Okay, Miss Brian, let's take item number 24 please. >> Yes, sir. Item 24 is discussion and action directing the city manager to re refrain from renewing any existing agreements and/or entering into any new agreement with Flock Group, Inc. operating as flock safety for the provision, operation or use of automated license plate recognition technology and to refrain from utilizing future grant awards or city of El Paso funds to contract for similar technology. For clarity, this item does not pertain to user operated handheld or vehicle mounted license plate readers for parking enforcement or similar uses. This item was submitted by representatives and limo. Move >> to approve. Second. There we go. There's a motion and a second. And just to remind council, you have 10 minutes to talk upwards of 10 times. Two times >> upwards. >> You can speak twice >> for two times. Okay. >> Represent Canales. >> Thank you, mayor. Um I I think it's very important to have a good conversation about this item today. Um, over the past several months, I've been in ongoing discussions with uh El Paso Police Chief, Peter Pillas, and with uh the city manager, Dion Mack, about the city's use of flock safety and automated license plate recognition technology in general, and those conversations have been really thoughtful and professional. So, I appreciate the seriousness with which they've uh engaged on this issue. Um my understanding as a result of those discussions was that the existing contract would be allowed to expire at the end of the grant period. Um last week I learned that the police department had decided to move in a different direction and now wishes to renew with Flock and that's their prerogative. But with a decision of this magnitude uh I think it warrants an open discussion with the council. Um, I want to be abundantly clear. I have particular issues with Flock as a company and with their specific technology. Um, I don't question the good faith of the police department. They've been open to having the conversation uh with me repeatedly. I believe them when they say that they believe in this technology and I I don't deny that Flock can be an effective tool uh for for investigations for the police department. And I'm also not dismissing the safeguards that that they describe and I'm sure we'll hear more about those later. Those safeguards appear solid on paper. Um, but I I think our role as policy makers to is is to evaluate not just the benefits of something like this, but the risks and to look carefully at the the documented outcomes both in our city but also in other jurisdictions that have adopted the same system uh with with similar guardrails on a similar time frame as us. And when we do that, there are many real examples of issues from just the last few months and even the last few weeks that I think we we can't ignore. Um, I want to run through a few of them. In May 2025, a deputy with the Johnson County, Texas Sheriff's Office conducted a nationwide search across more than 83,000 flock connected cameras uh tied to an investigation involving a woman who had allegedly undergone an abortion. Although it was publicly described as a welfare check, uh court records and reporting later indicated it was connected to a criminal investigation into that abortion. Uh the query reached across state lines and into jurisdictions in states such as Illinois and Washington state where abortion is legal. Uh Illinois officials later stated that the access violated the protections adopted by the state government. Uh, in August 2025, a state audit conducted by the Illinois Secretary of State found that US Customs and Border Protection had accessed automated license plate reader data from the city of Evston Police Department without the city's knowledge and in violation of Illinois state law. uh the Illinois General Assembly, the their legislature had enacted protections specifically designed to prevent ALPR data from being used for immigration enforcement and local departments had safeguards in place similar to what we have here meant to ensure compliance with that law. Uh despite those protections, unauthorized access still occurred over an extended period of time and after an investigation, the Secretary of State ordered that access be shut off and the city of Evston deactivated its cameras and terminated its contract. Uh, in November 2025, just a few months ago, in Georgia, the police chief in Brassleton was arrested and charged with stalking, harassing communications, and misuse of automated license plate recognition systems after allegedly using Flock to track down individuals for personal reasons, including stalking an exartner. Uh, and in Mountain View, California, just a few weeks ago, in February 2026, the police department shut off flock cameras after discovering that federal agencies had accessed locally collected license plate data without permission. Uh, the Mountain View City Council ultimately ended their agreement on February 24th by a unanimous vote. And this case, this this isn't limited to individual cases of misuse where where Flock wasn't directly involved. So in Colorado, investigative reporting revealed that Flock had allowed federal immigration authorities to directly access local license plate tracking data through a pilot program that they entered into quietly with CBP. The program was was disclosed publicly at the time, including to Flock's customers whose data they were using, and Flock initially denied it after it was initially discovered. Flock later acknowledged that the federal access uh had happened and paused their pilot program. Um, but that episode I think raises really serious questions about Flock's transparency and integrity and whether local governments are always fully informed about how their data might be used. Uh, the city of Denver agreed and in response they ended their relationship with flocks just two weeks ago at the end of February 2026. Um, all of these cases differ pretty greatly in the facts, but they share a really common theme that safeguards described at adoption of this technology and included in the contracts and policies did not prevent unintended access or misuse. And it's it's hubris, I think, that there that there might be a thought that this couldn't happen here. And I I'll say again very clearly, I this isn't a dig at at our police department. From their perspective, I can understand the feeling that flock is a powerful tool. But that power is precisely why I think we need to be wary. Once a system like flock is connected to a national network at a national scale, the scope of its risks and the potential consequences of failures of the system scale up together with the geographic reach. when data that's collected locally becomes part of a vast interconnected network, I think the margin for error only uh grows and El Paso is a community both at the international border and at the state line with New Mexico and movement across jurisdictions is really routine here. uh community trust in police directly affects the reporting of crimes, the willingness to cooperate with law enforcement investigations and and ultimately the outcomes that we see from our public safety work. And the question before us is whether continuing and perhaps expanding our participation inworked uh ALPR infrastructure like Flock is appropriate for El Paso at this time, a time when other cities have or are actively reconsidering their own participation in the wake of the documented failures that I mentioned earlier and and many others. Um, for me, flock just is not the right fit for El Paso. And based on the clearly documented bad experiences that we've seen in other jurisdictions and the particular considerations of our community and our location, I I believe ending our relationship with flock is the prudent course of action. And I hope the council can give the issue some serious consideration because I think it the moment deserves it. Um, with that I have a small amendment to offer to account for some operational needs and Miss Prime I'm sending that to you now. Um, I move to add the following language after does not pertain to uh the language is ALPR technology excuse me used for the collection of tolls including but not limited to by the international bridges department uh or to so that the full sentence the final sentence reads as follows. For clarity, this item does not pertain to ALPR technology used for the collection of tolls, including but not limited to by the International Bridges Department or two user operated handheld or vehicle-mounted license plate readers for parking enforcement or similar uses. Um, again, the International Bridges Department uses uh ALPR technology to uh identify vehicles that are crossing the international bridge for the purpose of paying tolls. They asked for some special uh special special mention here to make it clear that we weren't referring to them either. Um that that was my motion. >> Okay. Is there a second to his motion? >> Okay. Is there comments on the amended motion? Okay. Miss Bryan call for this vote on the amendment. Could you read it back please? >> And I and I did send it to councel. So the motion was made by Representative Canal, seconded by Representative Lemon to amend item the motion on item 24 to include the words ALPR technology used for the collection of tolls including but not limited to by the International Bridges Department >> or to I think that those were the words you want to add, right? And this this correct wording will be in added after >> the words does not pertain to. >> So that'll the last sentence will read for clarity. This item does not pertain to ALPR technology used for the collection of tolls including but not limited to the by the international bridges department or to user operated handheld or vehicle mounted license plate readers for parking enforcement or similar uses. >> Okay, Miss Bryan, call for the vote. >> Yes, sir. on the amendment. Call for the vote. And the voting session and the motion passes 5 to three. Representatives Chavez, Rocha, Fiero voting nay. The remainder of council voting I. The motion carries. >> Okay. Representative Lemon. Thank you, mayor. Um, I want to acknowledge the fact that I am co-signing on this item. One of the biggest risk that take place in this arena is the misuse of data. There are incredible immigration risks involved with this and Representative Gonales has certainly given us a good listing of all these different cases and that data is shocking. Shocking to think that someone would have access to misuse the data. It is my understanding that while we have the control of the data for 30 days after the 30 days that data is stored in the flock servers and so that data is still available and I bring the same question I did earlier. What if ICE were to say, "You must release this data." Even though the data originally was ours for 30 days, the data could be in the hands of someone that would be willing to share it. The understanding on the contract is that block cannot sell the data, but if they were mandated to share it with others, then that is certainly something that would be a problem. I have a problem with the backdoor entry to this data as well and to how it can be misused. I had a wonderful meeting or actually several meetings. I got to meet with Chief Bas. I got to meet with officer Longenba uh who told me that he was the person who oversees this uh department. And it really is autotheft because the funding for this originally came as a result of legislation that was designed to prevent catalytic converter thefts and then it moved into the camera the license plate readers. He additionally told me that there were a limited number of people that had access. I want to think that believe that maybe he told me that we're 53 people that had access to this. When I asked about the audit because there there there is part of this system where you can have an audit. He indicated that he does do an audit on a quarterly basis. But then I dug deeper. So once you get the audit, what do you do with the data? and he indicated that he reviews it and then it's passed on to his supervisor and then after that it would go up to the assistant chief. The question that maybe was a little bit nebulous was and then what is done with that data because I can guarantee that that we get a lot of reports that many times we may not have the opportunity or the time to look at it really really closely. This morning when Chief Talamontes was doing the presentation, I stressed I remember in agenda review having the opportunity to ask all these questions related when an item was presented to council and that was the day before our meeting. We don't have that process. So number one was open up the door and say whenever there's any grants any items like this will you please come and and share with council for me there's a lot of questions um that I would like to ask primarily also I don't expect to have the flock report on my desk that's way out of my arena but that I would have the confidence to say that someone is looking at it someone is conveying saying it someone is making some alterations or restrictions or whatever the case might be. So I think that I think that while we continue with flock that some mechanism needs to be incorporated. the thought that anyone would willingly share information that's restricted like this and use it in an inappropriate way. I was also told that that could lead to of course a variety of of penalties, but the ultimate one would be termination. But of what good would that do at that point in time? If someone had been hurt, if someone had been deported, if someone had been terrorized, which unfortunately is what we are seeing happen today, you can be you can be a US citizen and still be arrested and put into a camp and let the things sort out later on. It is a very serious situation for all of us to be in and especially those of us that come from Mexican-American roots. I am I understand fully the good that a license plate reader can do. I I fully understand it. I received a call this morning at 7:30 in the morning from a friend Paty Stalworth who told a story two days ago. Someone stole her car. And so she shared this and I thought, "Oh my gosh, here it's it's appropriate to this." And she told me that she reported it, did everything that she needed to do. And within two hours, she was called and said and told, not said, and told, "Your car has been found. It's in northeast El Paso. Bring your keys, bring an identification, and you can pick up your car." That is a positive, meaningful way to do this. But when there is a door that can be opened and can be manipulated, then at that point in time, I'm I'm very good to say we really need to review this. In the ideal world, we would have license plate readers that were strictly controlled by the city and not by another entity. And even we could come down that the so-called leadership in this state could say give us a data and we may have to do that. But my concern is the immigration issue and it's an immigration issue because like I said before it can affect all of us. It doesn't matter if you are a US citizen or not. We can be arrested. we can be placed somewhere and it'll take days and the the the help of an immigration attorney to get us out of that situation. I may carry my Global Entry card. I may carry any kind of identification, my passport, but unfortunately they're not logical people. They're not thinking logically. They're reacting to this horrible situation that we're living in. And so, mayor, thank you very much for the opportunity to to speak and to present this. Thank you, >> Representative Fier. >> Thank you, mayor. Um, Miss Mack, is there somebody from the police department that can answer some questions? Oh, I didn't know the chief was here. Welcome, Chief. You know, in all transparency, these issues that Representative McNalis brought up, um, have any of them happened in El Paso? There's no documentation that any of these these horror stories have happened in our community. >> No, sir. >> You're not sharing data with immigration um with no one else? >> No, sir. >> Now, you know, so let's talk about that for a second. If if we're going to share horror stories, then we need to share the other side of the stories. in in Austin the Austin comm the Austin community the Austin city council took action to replace flock to actually to end a contract like we're talking about here >> correct >> uh Governor Abbott in all his wisdom brought in his own system >> correct >> that's don't that data is not shared with Austin the Austin police department >> I'm not sure but the state system now >> my understanding is it's the states right and and DPS handles all that system. We don't know what they're doing with the information. We don't know who they're sharing it with. >> But that's my point. >> This and this to me is just one more tool that your your department has to keep our community safe. >> Yes. And our officers safe. >> And your officers safe. You know, it I I I think that we need to focus on on what keeps our community safe, what keeps our officers safe, and and I would hate for us or this council to make a a decision that that's going to hurt our community in the long run. I I'm looking at some data here, and and I'm you could help me with the timeline, but it says arrest. There's been 70 arrests tied directly to the flux system for various uh criminal offenses. >> Correct. >> There's been 60 vehicles at $600,000 in recovery. >> Yes, sir. It's to me, mayor, in the story that that represent Leone just brought up. I mean, these are prime examples how this is a tool that not only the Chief Aas's team needs, but we need as a community to keep us safe and to granted it'll probably take my vehicle be 61 and probably $100 to add it to the 600,000, but it's still a tool that we need in our community. Thank you, thank you, Chief. >> Thank you, Representative Chavez. Thank you, mayor. Good afternoon, Chief. >> Good afternoon, ma'am. >> I I do have a few questions for you. Um, did the people uh the council members who put this on the agenda contact you prior to placing this on the agenda? >> Uh, we have been in discussion with uh Representative Canales for probably uh about a year since the the we went into a contract back in May. So, we've been discussing it about the LPR's uh and his concerns, but the actual didn't find my your head >> but but uh this actual item no ma'am >> and and I want I want to point that out because in Spanish we have a saying which means basically when you speak to one another you can understand each other better. >> Yes. >> I know you did come to my office after this was posted on the agenda. Yes. and we had uh a really good conversation regarding it. And I and I can um you know be sensitive to the to the examples that Representative Canales has talked about in other cities, but for this for all intents and purposes today, I want to focus on our city on El Paso and how you're using the flock system. Um a few months ago, there was a shooting in my district in District 1. >> Um I think that you're aware of that shooting. >> Yes, ma'am. Could you tell me how the flot cameras helped you in solving that case? >> So, um, we had a road rage incident. Uh, uh, the incident that you're talking about, we had very few leads that, uh, we had on that just general basic, excuse me, just general basic uh, information that an officer is able to obtain at the scene and the investigators. So as the uh the case was transferred to the detectives to start the investigation, they had a description of of the vehicle. So the uh the the system the uh LPR flock system takes a description. Thank you. takes a description of that vehicle and we were able to take that and analyze that information and cut that down the investigation and make the arrest of the individ individual basically in weeks. And I truly believe that if we didn't have this system, we would have the shooter still out in our community. Our detectives will still be working it. Uh maybe working it through Crimestoppers or those type of uh uh traditional leads, but we'd still be working it without this system enhancing the ability for our detectives to follow up on this crime. >> And I believe the the person that committed this road rage incident at 4 p.m. in a neighborhood lived outside of our state limits. Right. So that's why the flot cameras was so important so that he >> was from New Mexico. Yes. >> Yeah. so that we could identify where that person traveled. Um, and it actually took uh a few days, I think, from what I understand to to locate this individual. Yes, ma'am. >> Um, but I think the flock cameras, from what I know, were essential to solving this particular crime >> and take a violent offender off the streets. >> Thank you, Chief. I had the opportunity to meet uh Danny. Danny was the victim in that in that road rage incident. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Um, he got shot multiple times. He was traveling with his son Evan home from school. Evan is a fifth grader um at at APISD and um he he nearly died from that road rage incident. I know that he was helped by some people that stopped to help him and they did render aid. I know that our first responders and I want to thank uh Chief Killings, your your your team showed up at the scene quite quickly. Uh but he nearly died and he went through several surgeries regarding that road rage incident. his wife Reva is is a stage four cancer uh patient currently right now. And I had the opportunity to visit them this December um along with some people from the Westside Regional Command Center Chief and I was very grateful for them um helping helping us uh in that initiative. But I I want to personalize this story because sometimes we think of systems that we've implemented as you know generalities. Uh, generally speaking, it's going to help us with this. Generally speaking, it's going to help with that. In this case, it helped uh Danny, Reva, and Evan to solve a crime um and to make a community a community in my ne in my district uh district 1 feel safer thanks to the technology that's put in place. So, while I understand that maybe other cities have issues using these cameras, for me particularly, I I can't go back to Danny and say we're going to remove a system that basically helped solve this crime uh and bring justice to you and your family. >> Correct. >> So, I will not be supporting this item today and I will be continuing to support the use of block cameras for the city. Thank you, Chief. >> Thank you, Represental. >> No, go ahead. Um, I have a bit of a preamble, chief, to set up some questions that I I have for you that I think are relevant to the discussion. Um, I'm looking at the 2024 grant application to the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority, specifically the the Senate Bill 224 uh catalytic converter grant, um, which is listed as the authorized funding source for the for the contract with Flock that the the con the council uh approved the submission for in 2024 in June. Um, there's no mention of flock in the application. So there are some line items grouped into different subcategories. Under the subcategory of professional and contract services, there are no line items. Um, under equipment, there are line items for the purchase of 35 quick deploy LPR cameras in an amount of 437,500. Two vehicle-mounted LPRs with tablets in the amount of 35,000 and four LPR trailers in an amount of 240,000. Um the narrative description of that line item reads uh as follows. License plate readers LPRs provide valuable data that equates to investigative leads and can help identify hotspots and subjects responsible for thefts. It will also enable the task force to take proactive measures to prevent future incidents of thefts from occurring. 24 quick deployment cameras will be used at three international ports of entry leading southbound into Mexico. The task force is asking for the following LPR equipment for this purpose. 35 quick deploy LQ6 model LPR cameras with five years of service, two mobile LPRs that can be mounted on unmarked vehicles. That includes a tablet and two 3L5F cameras with 5 years of service and four LPR trailers that are battery and or solar powered with 5 years of service. Uh those LQ6 model LPR cameras are a specific model made by Motorola. They're intended for quick mobile deployment, not like permanent worked installations. Um, Flock doesn't use these cameras. They use their own proprietary Falcon model uh LPRs. Uh, a memo provided to the council in late December 2025, indicated that the city had entered into an into a contract with Flock, funded by that NVCPA catalytic converter grant program, and that a total of 150 Flock ALPR cameras had been installed beginning May 16th, 2025. Um, I'll repeat again under that subcategory of professional and contract services, there were no line items for contract services. So, I guess my questions are as follows. How did the 35 quick deploy LQ6 models become a contractual service agreement with Flock providing 150 units? And what part of this 2024 application uh gave the direction for a contract with Flock? and and was the use of the the contracts funds uh was the use of the grants funds uh to contract with Flock for their services compliant with the the terms of the grant application that we submitted and and the council's direction on uh the submission and use of those funds. >> So, under the current contract that we have with uh um with Flock, it is listed in there. The flock PR system at $712,000 is in the grant application. >> Is that from the 2024 MVCPA? >> This is the current one that we're under. >> Right. But the the memo provided to the council said that it was the 2024 motor vehicle crime prevention authority grant that funded the initial installation of the flaw cameras. >> Yes, sir. This is uh August 26, 2024. I mean, I'm I have it up in front of me. I I'm not seeing that listed as a line item. Can you let Can you tell me which page number perhaps? >> There is no page number, but I I can walk it over to you if you want to see it. >> Um, yeah. Again, I I I'm I've pulled up the backup that's still posted online from the from the meeting. Uh, I I do see page numbers. Page two of seven and three of seven are the the description, subcategory, MVCPA funds, cash match, total, kind of the line items of what each item is being funded at. >> On this page, it's page three, but there's no page numbers on it. >> Count to seven. >> Yeah. No, I mean, um I I guess we'll have to reconcile that because I'm I'm I'm I'm looking at the backup from that meeting. Same same meeting, I take it. That's the uh let me see June 2024 a June 2024 city council meeting. >> Sure. >> So I'll introduce uh Lieutenant Poras. Uh he's the uh lieutenant over uh um autotheft uh on here. Okay. >> Reference uh what you're talking about on the grant application. >> Mayor, city council. Uh my name is Ricardo Porz. I'm the lieutenant like uh chief said and charge of the motor vehicle crimerevention authority grants. Uh I'm the one that wrote the grant and uh you are correct. That's what the narrative says. However, uh MVCPA was having issues at that time and what the chief is showing and I guess relating to you is the most current I guess application that we have in the system as of yesterday. I printed up this application yesterday. It's uh submitted and I don't know about u yours uh Representative Canales but this one is dated uh submitted by Elda Rodriguez Hefner on 82624 at 1201. Is that correct? >> Uh this is this is presubmission. So this is what was presented to the council for approval. >> Okay. So during that time um the issue you know with with those cameras came up. Uh we did uh I guess ask for advice from uh city attorney uh Eric Gutierrez uh who did tell us that you know the revision to this and I'll read it ver verbatim. Uh this scenario seems to be uh seems to me to be a revision of the operational plan which a CM is authorized to approve under the approved council resolution. I would just uh be sure to make sure the CM and PD leadership are aware and approve of the changes. Thank you, Eric Gutierrez. And then sign senior assistant city attorney. And this was also on uh August 21st, I guess 5 days before the application was submitted. >> Okay. Yeah. I mean, I think I have a I have a huge issue then with the council being asked to approve a grant application that has specific line items with expenses and then that being changed after council's approval of the resolution. Um, I don't know that we can reconcile that at the moment, but I do think that that's that's an issue when something's so significant. I mean, it's quite a large contract uh and and it's being shifted from one use to another use. I I just have a lot of heartburn with that. Um I I do have another question and that is um per the agreement with Flock the city owns the data generated by the system. Am I correct in saying that the data collected by Flock by the system by the Flock system for the police department is stored in Flock's cloud-based architecture? >> It's in a cloud. We had our IT team look at uh the uh that uh technical part of it. Um but it's owned by us. >> Okay. Yeah, they flock maintains their own cloud system. Uh, it's powered by Amazon Web Services and which I'll be clear and because I want to be fair is compliant with CJI CJIS, the criminal justice information system security policy. >> Correct. >> Um, but the data is held by Flock in their server, although we own that data. Is that correct? >> Uh, Ernie Areola, chief information security officer for the city of El Paso. I can confirm that confirm that the data is in uh Amazon web services government cloud and it is C CGIS compliant. Uh there is uh data security on it encryption and then we required that multiffactor authentication uh the city's multiffactor authentication be uh employed to add that at least that cyber security and data security uh uh infrastructure. Yeah, I noticed in the in the contract with Flock, there is a provision that Flock has access to the data simply for the provision of service to the city. Is that correct? >> Uh that's typically correct. I mean the the uh system manager has to have some some accessibility to provide support and maintenance. >> Okay. Again, this is where I start to run into a problem where we own the data, but we've seen in other cases where Flock has unintentionally or intentionally in some cases given access to that data to others. And you know despite who the owner is of the data on paper I worry that Flock has per the contract has access to the data and we've seen in other cases where they have again intentionally or more often inadvertently offered access to others. >> So the the data access that's typically uh that they have access to the systems not necessarily to the underlying uh uh infrastructure. Uh that's something and and what you were saying as far as them providing access to another organization as far as I understand is uh that has to be uh uh approved by the owner of the system of course >> uh but yes that is a capability of the system that they can share with other departments or other organizations that use flock uh based on what I've read is uh that the uh data owners have to approve that. >> Yeah. And again, my concern is we have a case as recent as earlier this year where that wasn't last year spilling into earlier this year where that wasn't the case. The data was provided to a third party without the knowledge or permission of the of the data owner. My time is up so I I can leave it there. Okay. >> Thank you. Thank you for answering the questions. Thank you >> represent Nino. >> Thank you, Mayor. And I also want to thank Chief Pillas and Miss Mack. I know when a couple of cameras went up in district 5, I asked a couple of questions and I think it's also important to identify that there might be different flock cameras that are installed by different organizations, entities or even private sector. Um I know a couple of private businesses or hways have installed that but they have their own policies in place that we have no say over. Um now the question today is not specifically about cancelling the current contract. The current contract runs until May 2026. So um I think that we haven't allowed the opportunity for Chief Pacillas or PD to come back with the full data and presentate like a presentation really showing what the flock system has done for our community. You know I've heard different members of our community. I've I've I really always try to analyze the whole picture and I'm grateful for all the information and the asurances that you have provided for us, chief. And I echo with um with Brett Fero, you know, how our current flock system since July 2025 has helped with criminal not civil situations. Right. >> Correct. >> Um immigration law is civil, it's not criminal. Um, and you mentioned to us and you have provided data of how it has helped us with 70 arrest, 600 stolen vehicles. Is that correct? It's 600 >> 60 at this 60 at this point. $600,000. >> $600,000, Miss Mech. Yes. >> I'm sorry. 600 vehicles. $600,000 recovered. >> Correct. Okay. Yeah. I just wanted to to clarify. 600 vehicles that have been stolen that were stolen and had been recovered. >> Correct. >> Uh roughly about $600,000 in personal property. And I believe there's also been some murders that have helped with LPR technology be become solved. Correct. >> Correct. And those were individuals from uh outside of El Paso that fled to into El Paso uh on that. And if I can elaborate on that. Um, yesterday there was a presentation uh by uh Endeavors uh Benjamin Randa and uh uh Jose Lopez and they talked to you about the heart rate of officers arresting is already higher than that. Officers when they're stopping the vehicles uh out there, they have no idea what they're what they're getting themselves into. We already know that the El Paso police officer will run into a building like they did in Walmart uh to save lives, but every single day these officers are stopping people on the streets enforcing traffic law and they have no clue who they're t uh who they're stopping out there. These systems are helping saving these officers lives every single day and their families know that they're going home every day. If this technology is is is taken away, I can't tell you how that's going to affect uh retention and or recruitment because these are key safety type uh uh systems that keep our officers safe every single day. >> No, thank you for that. And I mean, we just finished our strategic plan that focused on public safety and retention as well and equipment and tools for for our first responders and our law enforcement officers. Um, you know, I I I've been trying to make sense of the entire conversation and I think, you know, every side has a lot of valid concerns and I believe that our conversation should be about the policies that are in place, the community safeguards that the police department has put in place. I know that, you know, even in conversations with you and Miss Mack, um, this contract was vetted through it to ensure that there was a lot of data privacy protections put in place. >> Correct. >> Now, um, I also know that there's a lot of members of our community that have shared privacy concerns. Right. So, I know I have a lot of questions that I would like to ask. I know my time's limited, but um, I'm going to revisit uh, for clarity, who owns the data that's collected through their flock system? Is it the vendor or the city of El Paso? >> City of El Paso. The police department. >> Is a vendor contractually prohibited from selling, monetizing, or independently sharing El Paso's data? >> Correct. They're they're prohibited. >> Um, does a vendor have authority to independently provide our data to third party without CD approval? >> They cannot. >> Okay. Now, when it comes to the conversation about immigration enforcement and and I'm just making questions so I could really, you know, get the whole picture. Um, there's been a lot of media concerns that LPR technology is tied to immigration enforcement. Can you confirm on the record whether El Paso system is used for immigration enforcement? >> It is not. And I've had conversations with my counterparts uh uh the the special agents in charge and they firmly know that uh the El Paso Police Department does not get involved in immigration issues. Now, in the conversation of privacy, um I I know that you know the city and Miss Mack put together Q uh FAQs. And when it comes to the conversation of privacy, does this system use facial facial recognition technology? >> It does not. >> It does not. Um can the system identify drivers or passengers inside a vehicle? >> No, sir. The way it's set up, it's only reading license plate the the area the license plate is on the vehicle. And now I know a couple of members of the community have also been worried about traffic citations or um in it being used to conduct civil enforcement. Does this system at all issue any tri type of traffic tickets or conduct civil enforcement? >> No. So that's similar to the red light cameras and that was taken away by the state of Texas. >> Okay. Can you can you kind of explain a little bit and again I'm asking all these questions and I think it's important for the community to understand is we as a body don't get to talk about an item that gets added to an agenda by a council member beforehand unless we you know we could fall into quorum issues. So when I'm making these questions is trying to understand the whole picture and also make the determination of what is going to be essentially the vote that I'm going to take. Right. Um, once the data is uploaded, is it removed from a physical device? >> So, it uh the way and I'm going to have to get uh Sergeant Longall or Lieutenant Boras, but the way I understand it works is it reads it and then it's transmitted up into uh the the cloud um uh comparing the license plates uh on there. And once it does that, that the clock already starts on it. So, it's a rolling 30 days. It's uh deleted from the system. So, it can't be accessed by anybody after it's deleted. >> Okay. >> Hi, good morning, council. Uh, Sergeant Longabot, the El Paso Police Department. Uh, to answer your question, sir, um, the data is stored temporarily and on the device uh, for moments before it's uploaded into the cloud. I mean, you're talking seconds. Um and then that it's uh transmitted to the cloud on the AWS as representative uh Canales mentioned uh on the government uh secured uh cloud server. >> No, thank you for that. And now are all searches logged and audible? >> Yes, they are. So anybody that uh uh queries our network um and also within our organization, anybody that types any type of search, it can be audited and uh looked into. And maybe you could answer this question or the chief. Does an outside agency have independent access to our system without city authorization? >> So we do share with other agencies uh state agencies um other uh autotheft task forces in the state. Um the goal is to you know prevent autotheft. That's the main focus of this system. So we do share with other uh agencies in the state of Texas, state and local agencies. Um but all those are are vetted. Um we don't share with any federal agencies or anything like that. Um and as part of that uh we we can restrict on what they have access to. If they want just our our access to our uh stolen vehicle entries or any type of searches and stuff, we have control over that. >> Thank you for that. Now, I know that Miss Mack also shared again the FAQs and a lot of um background on the flock system, including um best practices and recommendations from organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union regarding short retention periods, purpose limitation, and audit controls. And again, mayor, I feel that our conversation should be about what community safeguards do we have as a city to ensure that we're addressing the concerns from the community, including addressing privacy, including, you know, ensuring that there's our system. There's an audit system to who has access to this, how this information is shared um and who essentially how it has to if anyone was to inquire in regards to this data, who is involved in that process or who authorizes u the sharing of that data, right? Um, I think also a policy that could potentially come in conversation is should another agency like a federal agency inquire or want to obtain data because I think that, you know, when it comes to data, data is not just LPRs. There's there's a lot of data that any agency could potentially inquire and obtain to. I think it's about having a either an adopted council policy or an inter interdep departmental department policy of what are our p privacy guard rails and community guardrails to ensure that we address um the community concerns and be clear that you know I I understand the concern that's happening across other communities but they're not things that are happening here in our community and um I think our El Paso police department does a great job and ensuring that you have the best interest of El Paso's in mind and I just wanted to uh bring that and I'll come back cuz my time is up. Mayor, thank you. >> So, so if I could go ahead respond to >> So, when when we're talking about sharing it, it's no different than what happens right now. When a vehicle is stolen or there's a want on a vehicle and a subject on there, the officer, I'm going back when I was on the streets uh recently, the officer can run through what we call channel one, the license plate and the individual. And if that person is entered anywhere in the United States as a wanted person or that vehicle is is wanted for whatever the crime may be or stolen, that information is is shared. It's the same thing with the uh the LPRs here. the information that's in our system that we're sharing with other police departments across the the state of Texas. It's the ones that are wanted here. It's it's no different. It's just automated now. And the officer gets an instantaneous uh return on there. That's why I'm saying this is a life-saving tool for any Texas peace officer that's out there, whether it's an El Paso police officer, the uh El Paso County uh sheriff's deputy, or another autotheft task force that's out there on the other side of the state. uh on that the El Paso Police Order and I'm I'm going to go back is it gets very frustrating for the officers uh here in El Paso because we have built a great relationship with our community for decades and I'm talking easily since uh uh the 70s uh 60s7s and 80s out there. I've been on the department long enough to see the the repercussions of the Rodney King incident. We just recently went through the George Floyd incident and getting the El Paso Police Department, El Paso Police Officers lumped into that kind of stuff and saying this stuff is happening somewhere else in the country. Therefore, it's going to happen here in El Paso. The El Paso Police officer is dedicated to what they do and they do it honorably and very successfully out there. And to get stereotyped by whatever other jurisdictions are doing is an injustice to the El Paso police officer. >> No. and thank you for for your service and for always being accessible to any concerns or questions that I have. Again, you know, back in I believe it was August, September, I I met with you. I met with Miss Mack to talk about specifically LPRs and you were able to address a lot of the concerns that I had and you gave me a lot of reassurance in this conversation. So, again, thank you for your service, sir. >> I appreciate it. Thank you, Representative Trejo. >> Thank you, Mayor. Hello, Chief. Uh I did get a chance to meet with you as well and and thank you for the time. We we spend quite a bit of time talking. >> Uh and and I you know a lot of what I I share a lot with what Representative Nino has has shared and and the the things a lot of the questions that he's brought I had as well. Um but have you had a chance to present to council on flock? I I haven't seen a presentation but >> No ma'am we have. >> Okay. So I I think you know going along with what Representative Nino said is I think it is important to come back to council and and do a presentation so we can look at the whole scope of of this work and and how it's utilized what safeguards are in place and things like that. >> Okay. >> Uh you know one of the questions that I asked when when we met was what if the this information is asked from from the state or from the feds what happens then? So we don't share the uh the information um uh with federal or federal immigration. Once again, it's similar to the same system that uh it's called NCIC, TCIC, National Crime Information Center, Texas Crime Information Center. So if another officer in the state of Texas and the same with here, that's how we were able to catch those three murderers that had entered the El Paso jurisdiction on here. It's just automated and the officer already knows before they walk up to that car door. It changes the tactics completely rather than it just and there's no such thing as a routine traffic stop out there. Every time an officer is stopping a vehicle, they have no clue who they're coming up uh on or what that person may have just done. So, this type of system is cutting down the time frame that the officer is getting the information. It's giving them immediate feedback that that person is wanted or that vehicle is wanted in a in a in a possibly a homicide murder or that vehicle is stolen. It's automated. We have been doing this for decades where we'd have to get on the radio and take the time, but we we don't know what we're walking up to uh without this system. >> Yeah. I I uh had I I was able to do a drive along with one of your your police officers from Northeast and I totally felt what you were speaking of with each pl each stop that we went to. You know, my my senses were heightened. I was I was concerned for the police officer because you don't know what's going to happen or you know how things may turn. And so that that sense of heighteness and and alertness is is constantly with them. and you know my heart goes out to them and their their service to choose to do this and and I appreciate it. Um you know one of the things that I was thinking is maybe we can look at you know receiving per periodic uh reports summarizing how the how the system is used, what audit results came from that because how often do you do the the audits? They do them quarterly and and what the sergeant is looking for when he he does that is any violation of policy uh on there. If he does find it, it does make it way through the chain of command. If there's a violation of policy issues like anything else, it's going to be uh referred to internal affairs for investigation. >> Okay. Uh so you know looking at that just getting uh city council getting those reports you know the the usage audit results outcomes things like that would be very helpful for us to know that that this system is is being utilized the way it was intended to be used. Uh I I also will not be voting for this, but uh you know, maybe this is something that as council we can we can consider having our our chief come back and and do a presentation and and look at those safeguards and and put some u you know safeguards in there where we can come back and and report to us later. So thank you for your time. >> Thank you. Represent Lemon. >> Chief Pillas, does the city own the present license plate readers? >> No, I believe the Are those leased? >> They're leased. >> They're leased. >> They're leased. >> Okay. Um, is there any kind of a grant in place where we could purchase them versus leasing? Can you answer? >> Yes, Miss Leon. Um, so this is state-of-the-art technology, the cameras and and uh the systems and the software also that we purchase. But uh um we could uh have a contract, but they're much more expensive that we can own the equipment. Uh this way in the contract that we made, they're repair they're responsible for any warranty repairs or if a camera goes down, they'll replace it. And I believe it's a a three-year contract that we got. Yes. Three-year contract it is. >> And have we had those situations where cameras go down where you've had to >> We've had a couple that were down and of course like any new product, they have warranties, but uh uh the same thing being that we're in those three-year contract. Uh they take care of that equipment and any replacements necessary. >> I I think that could be more of an ideal situation if we owned the equipment. You know, we've heard I think you've been asked both of you several times. Um, we have the understanding that Flock really owns the data. I mean, we own it for 30 days, but then after that, Block takes care. Can >> I clarify that please? Would you? >> So, so these are very valid concerns that that our citizens that you uh Mr. Representative Canal is bringing forth, but there's a lot of misconception and misinformation. the the the flock the system stores it for 30 days only >> after that it's flushed from the system >> flock does not have access because it's completely flushed they don't have access to that data it's completely so those 30 days it just gives us for that for that uh investigative purposes uh in this short period of time since we went in live in May there's been three different murders that occur uh individuals have been in our city roaming our city and the only thing we get from those LPRs is that this vehicle is reported as a wanted a stolen vehicle or a a subject wanted for a very serious crime. And because of those LPRs, we were able to detect. We don't get who's driving the vehicle, who owns the vehicle, uh where the vehicle's going. All we get is this vehicle was seen on the west side of town. And guess what we do? The task force goes to that area and starts uh searching for that vehicle and 9.5 out of uh 10 we locate that vehicle and this is just within the last uh two months two murder subjects were found from other other cities that came into El Paso. Um they're very valid concerns. Our policy requires us to do quarterly audits. uh the chief over that overseeing this which which I'm the chief that oversees that I require a monthly paso police department we expect excellence we go beyond always and we beyond what what's asked of us we always go beyond so it's every quarterly we do it once a month thank you and and while I value that in looking and reading up on this The understanding is the city owns the data for 30 days and then it goes to the flock cloud. No, ma'am. >> No, >> no. The the >> Go ahead, ma'am. I'm sorry. >> And I hear all everybody. No, no, no, no, no. Let's let Representative Lemon ask. That's okay. But >> go ask a question. And And so my my perhaps question or comment is it I'm not going to discuss or deny or anything. I'm certainly am going to look again because that is exactly the understanding and why the question is it there is also something if you really read the flock contract that it clearly states data will not be shared unless required by law. >> Correct? >> Can we agree on that? Yes sir. Okay. And that's where that back door >> can be opened. I you know people already say I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna vote that. So it kind of builds up the momentum here. I don't know where we're going to end, Chief, but open communication, especially on items like this that are so critical, it's really important that they come to council. I was not on council when originally perhaps a lot of this discussion took place. Um it we may have had some discussion along the way but to the detail that now so representative Ganes has been working on this for over a year. I've done this for just a few months. But we need to get those clarifications that if we're hearing from our community and we're reading as well um through national publications the difference in this then then we need to come to an agreement that we need to follow the source and verify it one way or the other. I would highly recommend that in future grant proposals, number one, that council is briefed. And then I have a concern about changes to a grant application that has been approved by council. And the change that was discussed earlier is certainly something that I'm wondering if it shouldn't have triggered it coming back to council or not. Maybe, maybe not. And yes, Joseette. >> Hi there. Thank you. We do have language. Joseette floers for the record from legal. We do have language in the bulk of our reszos that specifically say that the city manager or designate is authorized to sign any related paperwork including but not limited to the actual grant contract, the authorization of budget transfers, and or revisions to the operational plan. >> Repeat. I'm sorry. Repeat the very last one because I could it was garbled. >> Sorry about that. Yes, ma'am. And or revisions to the operations plan that allows some flexibility to the department in case they see something that needs to be added, something that needs to be modified slightly. So, we do have that language for the benefit of the city quite frankly to be able to a lot of times we're getting CR grants late in the process. So we need some flexibility just so we have a general thing that um will benefit the departments >> and and that may be true and it is correct the way you stated it but there's a difference between the the acquisition of hardware if we want to call it to a contract with a firm that is going to be overseeing it. I think there is a little bit of disconnect in my mind. Could be wrong, but that's where I'm I'm I'm asking like chief open open communication. Share with us as much as possible to help us fully understand and to be able to, you know, stand side by side and say, "No, this is not true or this is true." Because we all have information and we need to come together at some point with it. Yes, sir. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you, Mayor. Representative Fiero. >> Thank you, Mayor. You know, thank you, Mayor Pro Tim, because your your your statement was was well put and and I left out the local examples of my district and Representative Dino has already brought up and and the chief brought up the the three murders that were solved. Um there was an in indecency issue in in my district that was was the person was pulled over almost immediately because of the flock cameras. And and so there's lots of examples that were shared with us in our districts on the successes of this. what I'm hearing today isn't as much that um people opposed to the flock cameras, but maybe that if we had a little bit more information um and and I maybe Miss Mack, we could ask Miss Mack to to work with your office on an annual report on on u maybe call it a transparency report, the number of successes, the number of arrests, but also to include a number of misuse incidents. And I totally understand that there's not been an incident to date and I feel very confident if there was an incident to date that you would address the the issue immediately. Um, and so I I think that this might I think Representative Nino was was headed that way also that if we had an um some some data that made everybody comfortable that that all the false rumors that are that are being shared and false stories in El Paso would would would be addressed immediately. >> Yes, sir. And it is then uh it gets caught through the audit. Um uh Sergeant Long did uh there was a procedural violation on uh how the detective was entering information and uh the detective did uh uh receive discipline on it. Went through the whole whole thing that every officer has to go through the investigation to the discipline review board that has six citizens from the community and six people from the police department in there. They sustained the case and they received discipline for it. >> Thank Thank you. And just for Miss Mack, um, our grant department I mentioned earlier, does a tremendous job of of bringing grants, finding grants, additional monies into our community that the taxpayers don't have to pay or or underwrite, the local taxpayers. But one of the reasons they do that is because they're able to to address issues or concerns in the grant immediately. And sometimes, correct me if I'm wrong, sometimes these questions come up and there's not enough time to come back to council to approve it. And that's why that clause is in there for the city manager to be able to make those decisions. Am I correct? >> Correct. Oftentimes, we're pulling together grants based on the information we have available. It may be months before we're actually getting into a conversation discussion regarding procuring those items. And so you might see some changes from grant to grant in terms of how that work happens. I certainly will look for ways I was not city manager at the time um to ensure as we're looking at some of these things that may be important to you that we at least provide it within a report. Um as um the um acting sitting in for city attorney um Miss Jose Flores mentioned we have the flexibility on our operations to ensure that we can have continuity in that service. One of the things the chief and I also talked about was what opportunities we might have on not only this grant but the previous one that was presented to have some things available for the entire community. You know, what does that look like on a website? You know, I appreciate the opportunity of having a cadence with council, but I think oftentimes people are not connecting with this source and so we're looking at what that might look like and we'll certainly take some of what we've heard from you all and maybe send you a memo about what we're thinking about putting on the website and making that available for people as well. Thank you is back. Thank you, mayor. >> Representative Asabetto. >> Thank you, mayor. Um, I think this is healthy discourse. A lot has been said. A lot of my thoughts have been said or have been asked and I'm sorry if I'm repetitive. I'm trying to keep note on what has been said to not be repetitive, but I still might be repetitive. um with flock, you know, I've been reading about it for quite a bit, quite a quite a bit of time. And there are a lot of stories, you know, with privacy. And when we had the conversation on Friday, I think that was a really good conversation on how you're handling it here locally in El Paso, right? And you know, we we kind of discussed how Amazon isn't as good as Apple privacy-wise and my concerns with that. And I'm not trying to pick a team over the other, but as you're kind of answering this, um, I'm trying to understand a little bit more and I'm not trying to have this whole conversation again, but from what we discussed, I understood that after 30 days everything gets deleted. >> Yes. I'm not at the any way fashion it, but the way it's been explained to me is it's a rolling 30 days. So, it's not calendar 30 days. So, if something goes in today on there, 30 days later it's washed out and then it's overridden and somehow in the IT world that completely flushes it out there. It does not belong to Flock. It belongs to the El Paso Police Department and it can't be uh grabbed out of the system once it's been deleted. >> Okay. And I guess if there was that that term that's in the contract that says if law enforcement needs this and they could ask for it, you would only be able to give them what's available for the next 30 days based >> depending on what the ask is. It's not just a blanket we need the information that what's the why behind it uh on there. But if it's not in the system, it's not in the system. It's gone. >> Okay. And then I was hearing public comment earlier on this item. Um, I know there's going to be more public comment, but for the people that signed up at 10 a.m., I was was really thoughtful and kind of capturing some of what they were saying and I was thinking some of those things were answered in our conversation. So, the fourth amendment was brought up and the fourth amendment um that flock is violating the fourth amendment and you brought up the fourth amendment. So, can you give me an answer on how you're not violating the fourth amendment? >> So, uh the case law that the that was referred to during the public comment has nothing to do with LPR. that's referenced cell phones and things like that. So, the fourth amendment restricts uh police officers or the government for uh going into somebody's private home cars. There's exceptions obviously. I'm I'm talking very broadly here, cell phones and that where you have to get a search warrant to do that. And the search warrant requires the detective to come up with probable cause in the affidavit, take it to a judge for a judge to review it, independent review, and if they decide that there's enough probable cause, then we can uh do do the search. the LPRs on a public street. There's no uh expectation of privacy for us driving around and our license plates uh being uh uh exposed out there. >> Okay. And then um can you kind of go over the the guard rails that is that we have? And and some of this is kind of stemming from this idea. And just to make it really simple, I feel like we have the streaming service with ads version of Flock because there's a lot of more premium plans that that Flock has and we have the most basic one which is just the LPR. They offer live recording. and they offer Shot Spotter from what I know, which has been kind of debunked to be any good technology and I'm glad we're not using that anymore. But we just have pictures stored for 30 days and what kind of guard rails do you have on that? 53 people can access it, but can you kind of walk me through what somebody that wants to access it that has access goes through? >> Uh, I'm going to have to leave that to Sergeant Long. Yeah, but that's what the audit is for. If you have to be trained on this and you enter your your information in there so we know exactly what that individual did at that moment in time and then the guard rails as you're speaking about is the policies within the El Paso Police Department and uh uh the audit uh that ensures that the compliance is being followed by the people that are authorized to use it. >> Okay, >> hi. How you doing? Council Sergeant Long. Um so you had a question on the guardrails that are in place. Um for example, our system cannot be in inquired upon for anything immigration related. Um those searches get filtered out. Um we have that we have that turned on. You can't search for reproductive care issues on our system and um like the chief uh stated before uh we do not share with any federal agencies. Uh no federal agencies have access to our system. Um officers are required to go through training. Uh simply not anybody can just log into their city computer and access the system. You have to get training. You have to get approval by either myself or my lieutenant. Um that request has to get sent to IIA or correction it. Um it has to then give them the single sign on which is what we all use to log into the city network here. So, it's essentially your city login that you're not allowed to share with anybody for our current IT policies that are in place. We all do the the security awareness training. Um, all that applies. So, and with that aside, you also have the multiffactor authentication where they send you a code to your authenticator, you have to log in. So, not simply anybody can just log into the system and have access to the data. >> Thank you for that explanation. and and that was something that was brought up during public comment as well that there's no guard rails on this. Um so I'm hoping that kind of satisfies the public in a sense to feel that this is something that is being guarded with a lot of safety in mind and with a lot of care on your department. Um, one of the things that that does worry me about this is the unintended consequences that can happen about when you end a contract like this, you know, what we've seen in Austin, they ended it a few years back and then now you have the Texas DPS coming in and saying, "We're going to do our own thing." And then at that point, you kind of lose control. You lose that seat at the table in that sense. >> Yes, sir. >> And and so I I feel that throughout these conversations, I felt a lot better. But what we've also kind of discussed over and over is and what my colleagues have kind of expressed today is that, you know, we need more access to this data and what it looks like to reassure our constituents because our constituents or at least my constituents are really worried. You know, they they text me one day and they're like, "What is this?" And I'm like, "I don't I don't know what that is." a random camera appeared um I think by Persian Trope and then I had to kind of look into it and kind of understand what was happening and and so when people kind of see this new technology being deployed they're like oh it's full video surveillance I lost all my privacy they could see fully into my car etc and and so I think that there's uh a really great opportunity to learn from this and make this more transparent and I was going to suggest that, you know, I'm willing to bring something at a at a future council meeting to direct the city manager to do some sort of presentation on flock to come to council, have the public understand what is happening with this. There's a lot of information that I didn't know about and I learned over the past few days and I think the public will feel reassured in that sense to to know that their privacy is being respected. And of course, data is really important. Um, I appreciate that you're supposed to be doing these audits every so often and you're doing them every 30 days. And you know, even some sort of policy change came up in in our conversation to say, well, maybe it's an automatic termination if somebody violates this, right? To really raise those stakes that we are protecting this data and not anyone could just access it. When you're accessing the data, you're going in there and you're saying, "This is the license plate I'm looking for and this is a reason that I'm doing this." and really getting out into the community and having community meetings. Um, I'd love to host in my my district for people to answer ask those questions and feel reassured about this program and, you know, we're we're reaching the the one-year mark. And so, I think there's a lot of opportunity to really be transparent with the public and reassure them. So, I I appreciate all of those conversations. they've been very helpful um getting us to today and um yeah I I think I'm I'm almost out of time but just overall um thank you and I I will continue to kind of monitor this but any report any data is going to help us really communicate with our constituents because we're getting a lot of calls in my office about this or even at community meetings it'll come up and I'm like let me try to get more information. So really appreciate us having this conversation today >> and thank you for your time and and this goes for all the council uh uh the El Paso Police Department. I'll make them available to any of your town halls uh on topics uh so they understand exactly what the police department is doing. >> Represent Nino. >> Thank you mayor and thank you chief again. I again the committee concerns are valid but I do believe that you've been very proactive your department has been very proactive in addressing a lot of the concerns again I met with you a couple of times last year and even last week to talk about this conversation and just for you know the public today's ask isn't specifically about cancelling the current contract with block it's about a future contract possible contract that could come forward right and I I resonate also with what Rep. Fiero said and and Repo about other municipalities who have not moved forward with that contract or any other contract and then you've had other agencies go in and install the system, but then we have no say in the community guard rails that that were in place. And I know that I I did a lot of questions earlier, but I have a couple more questions um just to revisit and reassure the community based on what a lot of members uh have been sharing or the media's concerns as well, right? Including do these cameras track people over time and built profiles of our residents? >> No, sir. >> Okay. Is this technology new to El Paso? >> Um we we we got the contract May. that was executed. They went up in July. We went fully operational in July. >> Are any of these cameras being used to watch protests, religious services, or political activity? >> No, sir. >> No. Um, I also want to, you know, emphasize that I would be open to supporting um, PD, Miss Mack, to come back with the presentation to address a lot of the community concerns that have been shared, not just here in public comment, but over the last year or concerns that different members of the council have also shared. Um, Chief, beyond the contract language, does the El Paso Police Department currently have a formal written policy governing any use of the LPR system? >> Yes, sir, we do. >> Correct. I think that could also be part of the presentation to to address a lot of those concerns and possibly, you know, again, even if the council could make other recommendations on what those policies are can really help address a lot of the concerns that our community has shared. Um, again, this is a tool and and I'm grateful for, you know, you being open to all of our questions and communication and to all of our, you know, members of our El Paso Police Department who are here as well. Thank you for your service and and again, thank you for for for everything. >> Thank you. And Representative uh Okay, >> mine's not mine's not debate. It's just a parliamentary inquiry. >> Okay. What? Uh, without objection, I request that a transcript of my comments and the responses to my questions be entered into the record and attended to the minutes. >> Yep. No objection. >> Thank you, >> Representative Rocha. >> Thank you. And and thank you all for um I I've been quiet this whole time soaking in all of the public comment from this morning as well as uh what you shared, Chief, and what other members of the community have shared via email. Um there has been a lot of support that I have seen in order to keep flock. Um that has been my experience with it. I I know that there there there's some additional public comment that's coming here shortly after we finish this this piece of it. This is what I can say. In my experience, I personally well well well I personally don't have an issue because I'm not doing anything wrong. I walk around with my cell phone in hand day in and day out does not leave my side. I know the implications that that brings and the responsibility that that brings on me. So, I understand where, you know, there could be some concern, although I don't see the concern here. Let me ask you, Chief, you have a very good relationship with all law enforcement agencies within El Paso. >> Yes, ma'am. >> That's pretty rare from what I'm understanding in other municipalities, correct? >> Yes, ma'am. >> So, it's very unique here in El Paso. And and I and I caution everybody to say that I can easily fall into the fear piece to say, you know what, we need to we need to protect it. We need to take care of it. We need to um stop it. We need to cancel it. I I definitely understand that. I have not seen any of that happen here in El Paso. None of it. And even when we have protests in town or have anything like that in town, it there's a lot of decorum in in my opinion. And so I feel like that has a lot to do with the professionalism that the police department has. You and the ICE director have a good relationship chief. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Has he shared that he's wanting this data from you? >> He's never asked for it. He knows where the El Paso Police Department stands. >> Thank you, Chief. I appreciate that. And um with that, you know, I know that you mentioned a lot about the 600 vehicles that are that were stolen and recovered recovered in in I can't speak for what that feels like. I've never had my car stolen before. I've never had any piece of of uh my property stolen or broken into ever in my life. However, what I will say is that those 600 people that you did recover their vehicle and the property that was included in that are very grateful for that recovery. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. So, I can only speak for for my experience and for the experience of those that have had their is their their property recovered to be able to understand and have some understanding of where that what that feels like and I appreciate everything that you all do. Um, I look forward I'm I'm very similar to Rep. Nino where you know maybe there's an additional piece where El Paso can can add some additional guard rails. I don't know what that looks like. Right. this this isn't that conversation, but I do feel like there maybe there's an opportunity for that at some point to be able to to have that discussion to say let's let's be the first let's be the ones that set the example for everybody else and not fall into the trap of this is what is happening everywhere else and it's bound to happen here in El Paso. There's been a lot of examples in my experience where those situations that have happened in other areas do not happen here. >> Correct. >> And so I look forward to having that that same experience, Chief. Um I just want to thank you and thank those individuals that reached out um to to provide your support for the flot cameras. And that's that's all I had to say. Thank you, Chief. >> Thank you, ma'am. Thank you, Representative. Uh, Miss Brian, let's take public comment at this this >> Yes, sir. We have Josh Thomas, followed by John Armenadaris. Josh Thomas. John Almandari. He will be followed by Alejandro Dragoon and Patricia Osmond. >> Good afternoon. >> Good afternoon, sir. Uh, mayor, members of council, thank you for the opportunity to speak. Uh, a suggestion to remove this device for public safety purposes, uh, and then allow it to be used for revenue streams is very disappointing and a slap in the face to the men and women of this community and the police department. So, words do matter. I acknowledge uh concerns with this and it should be an dialogue opener because an idea with an emotion attached to it becomes a person's reality and that's what we need to be able to distinguish. It is important to remember vehicles are the most government regulated possessions we own. They must be registered. They must be insured. They must be inspected for safety. To operate one, you must be licensed. Improper operation can result in citations or arrest. Operating a vehicle on public roadway is already subject to regulatory oversight under established laws. License plates are displayed publicly. Courts have consistently held there's no reasonable expectation of privacy in plates visible on public roadways. So, accessing the flock photographs is not random. Okay, this is done through very unique sets of rules. The safeguards, city policies, the first one, then the El Paso Police Department policies, then the Texas Penal Code, then the Code of Criminal Procedure, then rules of evidence, then US Supreme Court presidents. And we must do our jobs following the Constitution and ensuring everybody's Fourth Amendment rights are kept in check. Every search is locked. Every action done to this system is audited. You have to put a case number attached to it and a reason for doing so. Misuse of any kind of database or any kind of uh police misconduct can destroy a case. It could end somebody's career and that can result in criminal charges going against that officer. This is a regulated investigative work tool. This is not unchecked authority from the police department. Now, let me speak personally about myself and the department. I have served this country and now I serve this city. I've been a city employee for 26 years. 24 of that with the police department. I stood by as a scene investigator for August 3rd. Okay. I personally know the repercussions for political rhetoric and the damages it will do to the public. And it doesn't matter if you're on the red side or the blue side. Political rhetoric is political rhetoric. We should not be sacrificing our public safety for a misunderstood dialogue that just we can't even understand where it began. >> Thank you, Mr. Armenes. The next speaker is Alejandro Traon. Alejandro Dragoon. >> Miss Brian, did we lose Miss Osman? >> No, Miss Osman's in the queue. Miss Osman, star six, please to unmute your telephone. >> Good afternoon, ma'am. You have three minutes. Hello. Can you hear me? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. So, I'm going to start off by saying I heard a lot of misinformation and I'm I'm going to give EPD the benefit of the doubt that they are not intentionally trying to mislead the public or city council, but perhaps plot has misled them. The mere fact that they couldn't even answer a basic question that was posed to them of how that footage is transferred. It's Wi-Fi. to satellites and then back down into Amazon servers and it is captured for longer than 30 days. I recommend that every city council person and every citizen just do a basic YouTube video search for flock and Ben Jordan. There are a lot of documentaries and a lot of data that has already been done on the flock system and all of the issues on how you can hack every Wi-Fi can be hacked. Flock has been hacked. We are on the border and if you don't think that the cartel is probably going to be hacking into these systems or probably has hasn't already then you're fooling themselves yourselves. Sorry. This is not only a city risk posed to all law enforcement, not safety, but it's also a national security risk. You have Sentinel Tower being built in Platis. Okay, if you're not familiar with what Pegasus is, it is a precursor to graphite. It's a zero click hacking system where you don't even have to touch your phone. They just need your phone number and they can hack into your phone. that is already with the cartels and already with the Mexican government documented proof. So if you don't think that they're hacking into flocks, you're kidding yourself. Two, yes, they don't need EPD's permission. All any federal agency has to do is subpoena a flock in Amazon, which is what they have done already, and that is already on record. So it doesn't matter what PD says. This can be subpoenaed directly from Flock and from Amazon and footage is retained longer than 30 days. That has been proven. Aside from that, there has been precedent in several jurisdictions across America that block footage is public record. It can be foyer requested. So anybody can request that from their ex's corner the street where they go to work. It can be done. It's already been done. And one reason why communities are pulling out. >> Thank you ma'am. You've reached the three minutes. Council, we did we did receive 10 statements regarding item 24. Seven in opposition to include one from Sheriff Oscar Ugarth and three in favor. >> That concludes public comment. >> Sure. Represent Nino. >> Thank you. I just have a question. Miss Mack, would you need direction to come back with any sort of presentation kind of addressing some of the questions that we had or would that be something that could be done administratively based on the conversation today? >> It could be done administratively and I would hope that you would give me a little time because I would love to be able to talk about what we have on the website. um and have that be a part of what our transparency role in terms of reporting out. So we'll do a combination of the questions and then we'll be launching the website through that presentation. >> Perfect. Thank you. I just wanted to get the clarification. Thank you, Miss Mac. >> Represent. >> Thank you, mayor. Um Miss Mack, so do you think like two months is sufficient or >> we we'll be done in 60 days? I think >> in 60 days. Okay. I appreciate that. And um one one last thing, this can you explain how this could be uh if somebody submits an open records request on this? What does that look like? >> Um we would have uh we'd refer it over to the city attorney's office. >> Okay. Have we had any open records on this? >> Not that I'm aware of. >> We have >> Ericis for the city attorney's office. We have received several requests for this information. Um there's a couple of exceptions in the government code that exist and so we've written to the AG on that and we haven't received rulings back. >> Okay. I appreciate it. Thank you, Mayor. >> All right, Chief, would you mind staying up there just for a second? So, I also want to acknowledge the the concerns, but this this is what we know to be true. The LPR data gathered by the flock safety system is owned by the customer. I confirmed with the chief to verify the accountability measures that are in place with the city IT are the following. Flock program properties are restricted to prevent sharing with federal agencies. And we heard him say that over and over today. Flock program properties are restricted to prevent immigration searches. No officer with the department that have access to flock are part of any im immigration task force. The program is set to filter out immigration searches on our network and no officer in this department can use or put immigration into the system to search the network. EPD owns the data. Chief, I got a I got a few questions. Chief, does the tool help you and your officers solve crimes in our city? >> Yes, sir, it does. Is it important for law enforcement officers to know if a stolen car is driving through our city? >> Yes, sir. >> Has the system aided in taking any violent criminals off of our streets? >> Yes, sir. It has. >> What's the cost to the department and the taxpayers to use this system? >> Zero. >> Can you repeat that one more time? >> Zero. Through the grant, it's zero. >> Okay. Okay. So therefore, I believe we should give our public safety officers the tools they need to keep our community safe. The question this council needs to ask themselves is what comes first, protecting criminals, anonymity or protecting families. Miss Prime, please call for the vote. >> Yes, sir. The motion was made by Representative Canales, seconded by Representative Lemon to approve the item as revised. On that motion, call for the vote. This is to approve the item. This is to approve the direction posted as amended. in the voting session and the motion fails. 2 to six. Representatives Lemon Canales voting I. Representatives Chavez Aldonado Chabo Tjoin and Fiero voting nay. The motion fails. >> All right. Chief, how long have you been chief? >> Um, October will be three years. As interim chief, three years. I can tell you that our our friend whose birthday is today is very very proud of you. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. So, keep up the great work. Yeah, we miss him. Yep. Keep up the great work. >> Thank you, sir. Thank you. >> Thank you for answering our questions, Chief. >> Greg Allen, >> you're welcome, >> Chief Allen. >> Mayor, can we also take the addition to the agenda since it's also a council item? It was a board appointment. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. >> And this is on the addition to the agenda. This is discussion and action on a resolution that the city of El Paso appoint to the Camino Royale Regional Mobility Authority Laura Avalos to position three whose term will expire on February 1st, 2028. >> Is there a motion to approve? >> Okay. All right. Miss Prime, please call for the vote on this one. >> Yes, sir. The motion was made by representative Tim Maldonado Rocha, seconded by alternative mayor prochem, and this is to approve the resolution on the addition to the agenda. On that motion, call for the vote and the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously. >> Okay, let's take item number 25, please. >> Yes, sir. Item 25 on page nine is discussion and action on a resolution that the city manager or designate be authorized to sign an advanced funding agreement by between the city of El Paso in the state of Texas acting by and through the Texas Department of Transportation for the design design of the STPMM reconstruction project on system grant improvements I 10 deck plaza project which has an estimated total project cost of 10,61 $61,01 of which The estimated local government participation amount is estimated at $561,01 plus any cost overruns. >> Okay. Is there a motion to approve? >> Second. >> Okay. Walking. >> Good afternoon, Mayor and Council Wend Rodriguez, uh, director of grant funded programs for the city. So this afternoon's agenda uh on the deck downtown deck plaza is specifically for an advanced funding agreement with Texot uh for some design activities associated with the deck plaza. Starting with a little bit of background on why we're here today. the 89th Texas Legislature, uh, Senator Cesar Blanco sponsored, uh, a writer that's known as Ryder 50, specifically to direct Tex dot uh, to use 10 million of federal federal funds which are controlled by the state to direct 10 million of those dollars towards uh, the Deck Plaza project. Um, it's important to note there that the project needed to meet federal funding requirements for those funds to be allocated. I believe we do have some members of Senator Blanco's staff here today. If you have any questions um or would like to give them an opportunity to uh share some thoughts on this at the end of the presentation, we can do that. Uh additionally Texot has been working with H&TB, that's their design consultant for the uh highway widening project on design development for that highway widening project. Um we've got a little bit of the timeline uh on a later slide to give you an idea of where they are in the design development for that project. We have also been working closely with uh Texot and the downtown deck plaza foundation to coordinate proposals from H&TB for deck plaza design. Um because of the interconnection of the deck plaza and the highway project um we feel it makes the most sense to work with Texot to authorize their design consultant to do these design activities rather than bringing in a third party to that project. So specifically we've been working on two work authorizations. Uh work authorization is the textterm of ARC art for what you all hear from usually as task orders or work orders. So, we've been working on work authorization three, that's specifically for tunnel design, and work authorization five for amenities design. Today's presentation and the advanced funding agreement before you today focuses specifically on work authorization three for the tunnel design. Next slide. So, really the the most important component of that work authorization three is something you've heard us say in the past, this term of future proofing. So most importantly, the concept of future proofing acknowledges that IT 10 construction is a one-time opportunity. There are certain things that we need to accommodate or we need text to accommodate for in that design and construction to account for a deck uh in the future that we really get one shot at. um if those things aren't accommodated for in this design and in the initial construction of I 10, it's very difficult, if not impossible to come back and make those changes in the future without significant disruption to traffic. Um which really is something that um we only want to do once, right? So incorporating those into these design activities, working with Texot um is really integral to the success of the deck project in the future. What that future proofing entails from a more technical standpoint is essentially structural enhancements, other design modifications required to physically support a deck now or in the future. Um, some of those things could include increased bearing capacity of the drilled shaft walls. So, as you all know from Tex's uh presentations and public materials, the currently sloped walls of I 10 through downtown will become vertical walls. Uh, that's being achieved through the implementation of drilled shaft walls. So to accommodate a deck now or in the future, those drill shafts get a little deeper, they get a little wider um to be able to have the bearing capacity for that. Additionally, because of some of the structural and life safety requirements of a deck now or in the future, um there's some additional depth that has to be uh implemented into the I 10 widening project. So again, reiterating these must be included in the high I the I 10 highway design and the I10 highway construction. whether we are able to do a deck now in the short term or in the long term. These are things that really need to happen with I10 uh in the short term. So there's a little bit of a cost breakdown here. Keep in mind this is based on estimates uh from the prior feasibility study. As we get further into design, a lot of these numbers are going to change. So currently we estimate that these futurep proofing costs are about $43 million. So that accounts for $32 million uh of changes to I10 widening components as well as uh the remainder of that a little over 10 million for the center structural support columns for the future deck. Currently identified funding sources for those um CPF there is community project funding. That's funding that we're able to work with Congresswoman Escobar on. Um the no funding is coming from STP allocations from our friends at the Metropolitan Planning Organization and then some remaining funding from uh the writer 50 from Senator Blanco. Um of course Omar uh is here from our grants department. We're continually looking for other opportunities to draw down as much federal and state funding as possible and as is available for this project um you know consistent with council's previous actions. So that total federal share of funding that we have, all of these federal funding sources always have match requirements attached to them. So that federal funding share is about 24 million. We know that we need about 6 million to match those federal dollars. And then in addition to that 6 million, that leaves us um about a $12.9 million gap uh of unidentified funding altogether. So what we've identified is a total sponsor need of of match and gap of about $19 million specific to the future proofing requirements. So the advanced funding agreement that's before you all today encompasses all the design required for those future proofing uh future proofing construction elements. Next slide please. So this is a schedule of funding commitment timelines. um what we've identified so far. So March through October, again, we've been working with Texot uh and the city of El Paso and the downtown Deck Plaza Foundation on coordinating the scope for those design services. Um October through February, we're working with Texot, Tex working uh with their between the district and uh Tex and Austin to develop the advanced funding agreement which is before you today. Again, total of 10 point uh 10,600,000 and only a $561,000 match from the city. U what we'll be working towards now through design and into October is an amendment to this advanced funding agreement to start adding in some of those construction components for the future proofing element. Um we're hoping that November of this year um assuming we can work with you all to identify the appropriate funding sources, we can work to finalize uh amendment to this advanced funding agreement for that construction uh to include those future proofing elements. And then another big part of this whole uh deck plaza effort is going to be looking at uh multiple use agreements and other advanced funding agreements for future construction uh maintenance and use authorizations for that. Ideally, this all culminates in September of 2027 with joint bids between Texad and the city of El Paso and other deck sponsors uh for that construction. So, dialing it back a little bit to specifically what's before you today, this is the advanced funding agreement for work authorization number three, specifically limited to the tunnel design of the underlying structure for a future deck plaza. So that's including things like structural enhancements to proposed I 10 walls, uh the tunnel structure itself, including center columns, ventilation and life safety systems for the tunnel, illumination within the tunnel, um and other utility and traffic engineering services related to the existence of that tunnel. The way the funding break down breaks down within this uh advanced funding agreement, 10.6 6 million in total for work authorization number three. 8,40,000 of that is going to be coming from the rider 50 funds uh brought forward by the Texas legislature. 2 million of that will come from transportation development credits and then 561,000 coming uh from our local city match specifically from TUR number five. Transportation development credits is something that you all have seen before on a lot of our advanced funding agreements. It's a tool that the state has access to. These credits are acred uh when capital investments are made in federally approved tolling facilities. So even though there are none of those facilities in El Paso, u the state directs about 25% of their transportation development credits to text dot districts without tolling facilities. And those credits are able to be used to lower local match requirements. So $2 million uh on this AFA are coming from those transportation development credits. Next slide. Little background on where the uh match is coming from. On July 9th of 2025, the TUR advisor TUR 5 advisory board, that's the downtown TUR, approved a total of $1 million from their TUR 5 fund for the I 10 deck plaza design project. Um, so that funding was for some other grant applications. Um, but their funding was really just allocated to deck plaza design related uh activities. The current unobligated TUR 5 fund balance is about 2.7 million. didn't include a lot of detail on that funding breakdown. Um, but uh, Karina or Mr. Cortinez can give you some more info on the TUR 5 finances uh, if that's desired today. So, our requested action recommendation today um is the resolution language to approve a resolution uh to authorize uh city manager designate to sign an advanced funding agreement by him between the city of El Paso and the state of Texas uh for the entirety of the project of $561,01 local match plus any cost overruns um and authorize us to enter into any uh further agreements required to carry out the obligations. under that agreement. Um, this advanced funding agreement, we have made sure to sort of just follow our standard text. Project procedure. So, the advanced funding agreement in terms of uh what's included in that agreement, our obligations, how that moves forward uh is not any different than our other advanced funding agreements that we've brought before council for other uh textile and MO funded projects. Happy to answer any questions. tried to keep it short and succinct to the advanced funding agreement before you today. Um, but if you'd like to discuss other, you know, deck plaza related things, I'm happy to answer any questions. >> Okay. Representative Lemon. >> Thank you, Mayor Hain. I want to break it down to the simplest possible steps that I can share. Um, today we are talking strictly about future proofing. We're not talking about the actual construction of the deck part the top level. >> Today we are not even talking about construction of future proofing. This is just design for the structural elements of the deck. >> Just design. >> Just for design. >> Correct. And so on slide three, does this mean that you've got the breakdown there and we still need to find almost $19 million more to meet the the dedicated amount required for future proofing >> for construction of future proofing. Correct. >> And where's that money going to come from? That's something that, you know, we'll have to have conversations about uh between now and October. >> But today we're giving you're asking us to give the go-ahhead to proceed with committing the funds. >> No, ma'am. The only commitment today is $561,000 from the downtown TUR um to enter into the advanced funding agreement with Texot so that they can move forward with design of those elements. And what is our financial obligation to this point on future proofing? >> The obligation is only for design today. We're not uh making any commitments for construction. >> Okay. I'ming. The total cost for future proofing is how much >> right now? That's estimated at 43 million. >> 43 million. And of the 43 million, there's no money coming from the city other than the TUR that you talked about. But >> that that 43 million is the construction of future proofing. The 10.6 million that we're talking about today for design is not included in that 43 million. The 43 million is a different number. So the 10.6 million 10.6 we've got 8 million federal rider, 2 million transportation, and $561,000. Is that correct? Correct. It's got a >> 561,000 >> and one >> is the city's match. >> City's match or TUR's match. >> The city's match and the funding source is the TUR. We are >> city match. >> TUR's money. >> Yes. >> Do you know the total cost of the entire project? So for future proofing we're looking at approximately 43 million >> correct >> for the entire project to include the deck park. Do we have a figure on that? >> Right now construction for the deck park itself is estimated 27 million plus this 43 million for the future proofing. $250 million. If you were um a betting man, how much do you think of that $250 million would be expected to be paid by the city of El Paso? >> I get to not answer that question because I am not a gambling man. >> If you were a guessing man, >> if you could give me a ball. Yeah, I mean I know not to the penny. >> I don't have a ballpark for that right now. I can tell you that the city is working closely right now with the county of El Paso and the downtown Deck Plaza Foundation on anou to lay out uh who will be responsible for what. Um the Deck Plaza Foundation has made some commitments on what they think they can raise. The county is looking at what they can contribute. Um at the staff level, we're aggressively looking at what other grants, federal and state funding sources might be available to help us pay for that. Um our intention from the onset and this is something that we shared with the public um throughout our feasibility study public outreach would be that we would explore all options uh to make this project possible through as much federal and state funding as possible um in communities where they have successfully executed these projects. There have been large shares of federal and state funding committed to the projects as well as large amounts of funding from uh philanthropy, local philanthropy. So our goal is to continue to pursue that as much as possible. And I think that's that's being really optimistic and I really like that. But realistically, I I'm curious to know at what point so we're going to spend this money for let's say the design. We're not even in construction. Once we go into the design and the design is completed, there's no going back. In other words, we need to proceed with the next with the level the next level which would be the construction of the deck park. Is that correct? Once we going once the design is finished, then the next natural thing would be to >> that's going to be up to council to decide at that point, right? Once we have design, we'll get to a point where the state is going to require us to make a commitment for construction. If council chooses at that time not to make that commitment, um the state will move forward without us. And if we don't have the commitment for construction of those future proofing elements, the state will move forward with a design for I 10 that does not account for future proofing. Uh and that's the point at which it gets very difficult um for this council or any future council to move forward with a debt plaza in the future. And how much in the future do you think that that council around what year approximately do you think that council that this item would come up to a council for approval for the funding for it? Would you say more or less? >> So for the future proofing component of construction that'll be this council, right? >> That will start happening in October of this year. We'll have to start figuring out how we make those commitments to text. the next phase the the the construction of the actual deck park. How far how many years from now would you say? >> And one I think we're we're explain future proofing again please. >> So future proofing is just the the changes to text dots highway widening project to accommodate a deck now or in the future. I can't really speculate as to how many years from now we'd be building the whole deck. I think in an ideal world, we would have a huge bucket of money and be able to work uh with text concurrently on their highway project to do these these deck constructions. But that's just not the reality right now. That funding is not available. Um as that funding becomes available, we'll start to build out that timeline. For now, starting with this design of the tunnel related infrastructure, we'll at least be able to understand what those construction requirements are to refine the cost estimate that we have from the feasibility study. Um, that'll help inform our fundraising elements, uh, fundraising efforts. Um, help us work more closely with, uh, other potential funders and, uh, stakeholders like the county of El Paso on, you know, what their ability is with their available funding as well. I really wish that people would understand the incredible impact that this is going to have to future generations of El Paso. I think it's great to talk about, oh my god, this is going to be such a wonderful thing. It's going to do all of these things, but I wonder how many people have really thought, what is the cost that's going to be incurred? We hear, "Let's do this. Let's get it done. But it's not going to happen next year. It may not happen for five six 10 years from now. And the reality and you can correct me, but I thought that in the presentation there was a breakdown on as to the cost of maintenance. And so if maintenance goes to the future proofing level um actually with the construction the first phase of the construction of the deck part it'd be $3.5 million and when it's fully constructed the maintenance cost would be $7 million. I remember reading or hearing about that in one of our many many presentations and I can only imagine if we were projecting and we were at the first level and we were at the point of of completing our budget and and we had to come up with $3.5 million. The impact on this community would be just horrendous. Thank you very much for your response to my questions. Thank you, Mayor. >> Yep. Represent Canales. Thank you, mayor. Um, well, I'd still like to be a little bit clear for the public about future proofing and what we mean. Um, correct me if I'm wrong at any point in a project separate to the deck plaza. Text dot is planning to widen I 10 through downtown in a very sizable project on paper about $1.3 billion, likely more with escalation. Now, um that includes widening the trench through downtown in which I 10 sits in order to add additional lanes. Um and Tex DOT will soon be going through the design process for that project. >> Currently going, >> they're going currently, sorry, they will soon be finalizing their their design for that project. And as they go through that, uh, they need to know whether or not they need to incorporate these structural elements to support a deck plaza, which is a separate project. Uh, but but they have to they if if they proceed with their project without the additional structural support for the deck plaza, then the deck plaza won't really be possible to go back in and add in the future. Is that is that a good summary of that? >> Correct. >> All right. Right. And so what we're discussing today, what we when we say future proofing, we mean spending additional design dollars to uh uh augment text dots design uh with the additional necessary features for a deck plaza that could be constructed at any point in the future after uh it's incorporated into Tex Dot's design. >> Correct. >> Okay. And again, you mentioned this is for design but not construction of those futurep proofing elements. So this is just uh adding on to Tex's design, but we would have to find that's that approximately $19 million of additional funding for construction of those future proofing elements at a later date. >> Correct. >> In addition to then the much larger amount for construction of the actual deck plaza at some point in the future. >> Yes. And and I want to be clear that the work authorization three the total scope of work includes design of the entire tunnel system >> right >> not just the future proofing elements >> but the future proofing elements are a core component of work authorization 3 because it's going to inform that construction of the future proofing elements >> and the and text's construction is what's driving the timeline. That's why we have to make a decision >> really today or quite soon because uh Texot will be they're currently working through that design and they have to finalize that soon. >> Yes. >> Okay. Can you please clarify one more time the the funding sources for again just this segment the future proofing design and whether any city general fund dollars are being used. You presented it pretty clearly, but I just want to make sure we're uh >> let me bring up that slide. >> Slide three. it. Can you bring up slide six? >> Yes. So, this first bullet point is the total breakdown. >> 10.6 million is the total work authorization 3 design cost. >> 8,40,000 is coming from federal funding through writer 50. 2 million is coming from transportation development credits. 561,000 and $1 are coming from the city of El Paso through TUR 5. None of those are general fund dollars. >> And T five is the downtown t is the downtown tourist. Correct. >> Okay. Um if the state rider funding is not used for this purpose, does that get absorbed back into the state budget? Is there no ability to use that money for any other purpose? >> The rider was specific for the city of El Paso's downtown deck park project. So text is obligated to use that money, right, >> for it if they choose not to. I I don't know what the implications of that would be. That would be a text dot question, I believe, >> or Senator Blanco staff maybe. >> Sure. I I guess if the city declined to use the local match or to provide the local match, then potentially that funding would be at risk, but if it fell through, it would go back to the state. It's not like it would be used necessarily for something else locally. I guess that's what I mean. >> So these are they're not state funds. The state was directed to use, right? federal funds for this. So, I think it would just go back into the pool of funding that the state um has for federally approved uses. >> Um does entering into this agreement obligate the city to spend even one more cent in the future on construction? >> On construction, no. But if there are overruns on design, we would be committed to those through this agreement. >> Right. But uh specifically on construction? >> No, sir. Um, are both the state and the tourist number five board aware that their investment in the design for future proofing is essentially being made entirely at their own risk since construction is not yet funded. >> Yes, we've had that conversation with the uh textile district here. >> Okay. Yeah, I I still have massive concerns about the ability to fund the bulk of the project costs into the future. Um, which again will fall into various phases of of future construction, but there still seems to be a massive gap, like a nine figure gap in future construction funding. Um, so I I want to be clear for the public that there's no way in which I'll support the city using our future bonding capacity. And I say future because we really don't have the bonding capacity at the moment. Um but even into the future, I I I don't think that that would be ad advisable for the city to fund the project with debt. Um we'll have to see pretty significant private funding or philanthropic funding or a huge reversal of our record on grant awards uh to to cover that gap. And I also want to be clear, I don't particularly like the use of TERS 5 funds for the purpose of of the local match, but I also don't want to make a hypocrite of myself. Back in 2024, I made a motion to refer the question of the use of TUR 5 funds for the deck plaza to the TUR 5 board for their recommendation. And I was really upset when the council then ignored their recommendation for the use of those funds. We appoint them for the sole purpose of making those recommendations to us. back then they were making a recommendation not to use the funds for a particular purpose related to this project. In this case, the TUR 5 board has made the recommendation to use the funds. I'm glad that the city went to them for the for the recommendation. Um and and so again, I don't it's not my favorite use of TUR funds, but I don't I I think if the the recommendation is coming from the TUR board, um I'll say the same that I said a couple of years ago and say we should probably listen to their desired use of their funds. Um, so I guess all of that said, I'm I'm just barely able to support this today and the state legislaturator's approval of of Ryder 50 makes that possible since again I I wouldn't support the use of local taxpayer dollars for a purpose like this that leaves them entirely at risk. Um, I'm I'm glad the state was able to step up and and do that for us. Um, but I I just want to make it clear for the public that there's still a massive gap in funding for construction that will have to be made up somehow. And that's not just construction of the whole project, but even construction of the future proofing. $19 million is still a sizable amount of money that is uh largely unfunded. So, um I just again think it's important to lay all that out for the public because there's a lot of misunderstanding of what's being considered today, what entering into this type of uh advanced funding agreement with text dot means. And um I I think we owe it to the public to explain really clearly where the project stands now and what each step of the process means uh in in the grander scheme of how this project gets funded. So, thank you for helping delay it all out and um like like I said, I'm able to support it today, but I wanted to be very clear that this doesn't obligate any future construction funding. Thanks, Mayor. >> Representative Masto, I mean, Representative Fra, >> we should trade we should trade places. >> Thank you, Mayor Walk. Um, correct me if I'm wrong in the statement, but worst case scenario, and I don't believe this scenario will happen, but let's say Senator Blanco and and the delegation can't bring any more money. Let's say that uh Congresswoman Escobar can't bring in more money. Let's say the the deck park group doesn't bring any, etc., etc., etc., all the all the players that are that are on this. We are we are setting up this project worst case for a future council f for a future council to at at maybe at that point they have more more dollars to complete the project entirely. But that's absolutely the worst case we're talking about. Am I correct? So without the deck without doing the future proofing we can't be talking about this two years from now. a year from now. >> All right. So, so the the design that that's before you today, the AFA for design that's before you today, coupled with the future proofing that was presented earlier, if we are able to do those things, we're setting the project up for any future council to be able to move forward with a deck plaza. If we are not able to do those two things, it becomes very difficult, if not impossible, for anyone to come and do a deck plaza in the future. >> And mayor, that's my point. It's it's we're we're I believe that this entire team of people who are working very very hard to to put the money together to to make this project come to fruition. I I I believe in them and I believe that they're going to come through and without bonding, without other other sources like that, but if we don't make this um commitment today, um we're not going to have the opportunity for anybody to do anything. >> Thank you, Mayor. >> Represent Canalis. >> Thank you, Mayor. forgot to do it again at the end. Uh just without objection, I'd like for a uh transcript of my comments to be entered into the meeting record. >> No objection. >> Thank you. >> Representative Roachcha. >> Thank you, Mayor and and Haqen. I know that um there's is there someone here from the downtown deck plaza >> to talk about Yeah. to talk about what what has been funded or in addition to this $10 million. Is that appropriate to ask right now? We can have them comment after y'all's comments or during public comment. What? Whatever you prefer, but we should give them an opportunity to. >> Okay. All right. That's fine. Thank you so much. >> Absolutely. >> Miss Brian, we have public comment on this item. >> Yes, Mayor. There is public comment. We have Patricia Osmond. Miss Osman, star six, please to unmute your telephone. She will be followed by Nicole Reese, Matthew Guzman. >> Go ahead, Miss Hosman. You have three minutes. It would appear that everybody in support of this project has financial gain of this project. There are members on the dis who have received donations in funding from people connected to El Paso Del Norte Foundation which is who the downtown Deck Plaza Foundation is. They are just a branch of El Paso Delorte Foundation. Let's make no mistake of that. El Paso Dirty Foundation's goal is to receive the management contract for everything that may be placed on top of the debt plaza. Any venues, any vendors, all of it. Their goal is the management contract. I know because I went to their meetings. In fact, you want to talk to the county. I spoke to Stout and he and I had a conversation on how well maybe Paul Foster should divvy up $135 million for the deck plaza if people downtown want it so bad like he did to Baylor because yes, this is everybody's touting that $10 million, but that's not even 10% of what the total cost will be of this entire project. El Paso has the highest debt of any city in Texas of our size. In fact, we have more debt. We are holding more debt and that is debt on tax taxpayer dollars residents backs than most larger municipal cities in Texas much less across the United States. So let's not kid ourselves. That 200 million projected right now is going to be almost double that. No different than the sports arena ended up being. double the cost in Pathog North Foundation. They failed the zoo. So, we can expect that they will fail this project as well on their funding that they try to pretend they're going to get us. it is. Aside from the fact that you're trying to put it in an area that has had so many accidents, has flooding, you're creating a death tunnel. You're creating a situation to where right now when accidents happen. Luckily, it's open and emergency vehicles have had to go from the top down. >> Thank you, Miss Hosman. You've reached the three minutes. >> Thank you, Miss Hosman. >> The next speaker is Nicole Reese. followed by Matthew Guzman. >> Good afternoon. >> Good afternoon. >> Good afternoon, Mayor Council. Uh my name is Nicole Ree and I am here on behalf of the Downtown Deck Plaza Foundation. Um I'm so happy to be here with you all today as we reach this milestone, a huge milestone for this project. Um today's item will allow us to get started on the design phase of the duck structure needed to cap the highway. This milestone gets us one step closer to reclaiming 6.5 acres of public space in the heart of our city. Not only is the deck plaza projected to generate 1 billion in economic activity for our city, it al it will also reconnect neighborhoods that have been long divided by I 10 and deliver meaningful quality of life, health, and environmental benefits to our city. I'd like to thank Senator Blanco and our state delegation for securing this 10 million in funding for this phase of the project. The only way we can make this project a reality is through a phased approach and with strong public private partnership. Thank you to city council and staff for your collaboration and for discussing uh the match uh that you will be taking action on today. We really appreciate it. Um Representative uh Rocha, you asked about a breakdown for committed funds so far. Um, so of course today we're talking about the 10 million uh secured by uh Senator Blanco. Uh 3 million that was just approved from uh for federal appropriations um through the leadership of our congresswoman. 1 million from the county that they have uh pitched in for the design uh the second phase of design >> and 25 million in funding committed from the El Paso MO. And then uh the we are working on raising 35 million in private philanthropy is is our commitment to this project. >> Thank you all so much for your time. >> Thank you. >> The next speaker is Matthew Guzman. I don't see him in the queue, mayor, but I was advised that there is a representative from Senator Blano's office that would like to provide comment. >> Sure. >> Good afternoon. Please state your name for the record. >> Good afternoon, mayor and city council. My name is Cassandro Ruti and I serve as Senator Blanco's chief of staff. Thank you for the opportunity to be here today. While the senator regrets he cannot join you in person, he did ask that I share the following remarks on his behalf. Good afternoon, mayor and city council. Though I can't be here be there with you in person, I want to sincerely thank the city team and our partners at Techtop for the time, coordination, and diligence that have gone into bringing this agreement forward. Last session, I was proud to help secure 10 million in state funding for the I 10 deck plaza project. That funding came through a targeted budget writer with one clear purpose, to help the city move this project, this project from vision to reality for the benefit of our community. At its core, this funding and this partnership agreement are about the fundamentals. The planning, design, and infrastructure work that make everything else possible. This investment lays the groundwork that will allow the city to keep the project moving forward, remain competitive for future funding, and transform a longheld community vision into something tangible and lasting for El Paso. With Texot working alongside the city and local partners, we have a real opportunity to reshape neighborhoods and reconnect the heart of our city. This is a once- in a generation opportunity to create a safe, vibrant public space that brings our families together, connects residents and visitors to downtown, supports local businesses, and strengthens the fabric of our community. When we talk about infrastructure, that is what it should look like. projects that serve the people that live here today and help attract the people who will choose to call El Paso home tomorrow. As this work progresses, I remain committed to doing what I can at the state level to support efforts that advance this project. I also want to recognize the community members and advocates who have championed this project for years. Your voices mattered and your persistence made a difference. This is a very exciting moment for El Paso. Together, we're building opportunity, connection, and a stronger city for generations to come. Thank you again for the opportunity to share these remarks and for keeping this work centered on the people and neighborhoods it's meant to serve. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. Thank you. And council, we did receive six statements in opposition of the item. >> Okay. And Miss Brian, there's a Jerry. Someone signed up on this. He did sign up, but he he said he had to leave and so he submitted a statement. >> Okay, perfect. All right, so we're on item number 25. Again, thank you guys for the comments and walking. Thank you for the presentation and we I certainly want to send our thank you to the Congresswoman's office as well as as Senator Blano's office for the great work that they've done so far. You know, today we did hear from a lot of youth that uh that are in favor of a project of this magnitude. And you know, why not El Paso? Why don't we have the vision to to reconnect communities within our city? I think u you know, we've got to give our our community the opportunity for this to to succeed. And there's a lot of work still to be done moving uh into the future. But if we don't do this now, then there will never ever be another opportunity to do this certainly in in a lot of our lifetime that are in this room. So, um I think we are, you know, hopefully this will pass, but I think we are doing the right thing to give El Paso the opportunity that if they want a deck plaza in the future that we at least put them in the position to to get that. So, with that said, Miss Prime, please call for the vote. >> Yes, sir. The motion was made by Representative ADO, seconded by Representative Maldonado Rocha to approve item 25. On that motion, call for the vote and the voting session. And that motion passes 7 to1. Representative Lemon voting nay. The remainder of council voting I. The motion does carry. >> Okay, let's take item number 26, please. Item 26 is discussion and action on the request that the director of purchasing and strategic sourcing be authorized to issue purchase orders for solicitation 2025-07 sign panels and airfield lighting to ADB Safegate America's LLC, the sole and authorized provider of ADB parts for a term of three years and an estimated amount of $589,671.58. >> Is there a motion? Okay. Any discussion? All right. Miss Prime, please call for the vote. >> Yes. The motion was made by alternate mayor Prom Fiero, seconded by Mayor Prom Chavez to approve item 26. on that motion. Call for the vote. Voting session is open. And the voting session and that motion passes unanimously. >> Okay, let's take item number 27, please. Item 27 is discussion and action on the results of the environmental services PECARD and travel audit A206-07. >> Good afternoon. >> Good afternoon, mayor and councel. >> Good. Is there a motion to approve this item? >> All right. All right. Miguel, you have a presentation right? >> Yes, sir. So, we'll be discussing the environmental services uh procurement card and travel audit. >> Oops. So, this audit uh was presented and discussed at the uh uh November 12 uh I'm sorry, the uh the auto committee uh meeting of uh November 12, 2026. I'm sorry, February 12th, 2026. I'm sorry, can't see without my glasses here. Uh the objectives uh were to review the procurement card transactions and travel requests made by Environmental Services Department during fiscal year 2025. Uh the audit concentrated on the following areas uh which was uh to obtain an understanding of ESD's uh procurement card program and trial request approval process. Uh determine if current ESD's PCR primary approvers and reconcilers are properly reviewing and monitoring the expenditures related to uh PECARD uh purchases. Determine that travel requests are properly approved and reconciled. Uh determine if PCAR transactions are for proper expenditures to include travel. Continuing on with the objectives, uh we verified that the original receipts were properly support transactions and travel expenditures. Uh identified if any Texas uh state of Texas sales tax was paid using the PECARD and determine if uh spending limits on the PCAR transactions were followed. Oops. Okay. We go on to our scope and methodology. So the scope period uh included transactions uh from September 1st, 2024 through August 31st uh 2025. Uh which include like I just mentioned, we uh we reviewed city of El Paso's policies uh and procedures for PECARD and travel. Uh conducted interviews with uh environmental services staff and management to understand their operations and their monitoring of uh PCAR and travel. uh reviewed PECAR transactions made by SD. A com review completed travel request and uh reviewed uh when uh employees uh departed the department whether they moved to another city department or they left employment with the city to make sure their PE cards were terminated and closed and no additional uh transactions were incurred when they left. So this is a good audit we want to present on. This is a a good finding. We have one finding which is a positive finding. So based on the results of our review of the procurement card transactions and trial requests uh during fiscal year 2025, we identified that environmental services has good internal controls uh has established, you know, uh processes to properly review and approve procurement card purchases and submit proper receipts as backup. Uh we looked at the Wells Fargo system that manages a pre-card system. We noticed that all uh receipts were there and approvals approvals were were present there and the system uh we reviewed the trial request um to make sure that uh uh you know the travel requests the forms were approved before travel expenses were incurred. Uh make sure they're reconciled when the traveler came back uh from the travel. Uh make sure if there's any money owed to the city or or owed to the to the staff member to employee make sure that was paid and that was reconciled properly. uh we ensured that the can that their uh procurement cards were cancelled for employees that left the department or left the city. Make sure you know make sure there was no uh transactions uh incurred by those uh PEC cards. So we can provide reason assurance that the environmental services department has uh proper internal controls in place to ensure uh PECARD purchases and travel requests are properly reviewed and approved in accordance with the city of El Paso policies and procedures. So our recommendation, you know, we have a finding. So we have a recommendation. Our recommendations, we're just telling the environmental services, you know, keep on doing the good job that you're doing. You know, keep on monitoring, keep on reconciling, keep on approving um and make sure everything is done per city uh policies and procedures. Uh there's no management response required. Uh when we had our exit meeting with uh the deputy city manager and the director of ESD, they we offered the opportunity for them to provide any additional responses that they they wanted to. They you know since it was a positive finding they said it was they could forgo that. Okay. So our conclusion uh the environmental services department met the audit objectives in the polling areas. Uh the uh ESD has established process to properly review and approve pecard purchases. Uh the ESD properly completes job requests before travel and after travel and they ensure that they cancel uh procurement cards uh when uh employees leave either department or or the city employment. So, our requested action is for a council to accept the results of the uh environmental services pec card and travel audit. >> Okay. >> I'm sure they were happy. >> Yes. >> Represent Lemon. >> Thank you, Mayor. Slide five. >> Five >> and slide seven. >> Okay. >> Are really, really important and I'm sure they're really super important to the department. I see Nick in the audience over here beaming. >> I wonder if there is there a a sharing of this information with other departments. Do you have some way that this is shared? I think that if I was a department head and I got this, it would make me think, wait a minute, are we following these procedures? something to um acknowledge, celebrate, and then almost as a little subtle reminder, these are the things that we need to be doing. I wonder if that's something that is done or could be done. I don't know what it would entail, but I'm just sharing that with you. >> It's not some It's not something that we do. We don't reach out to other departments to let them know. I don't know if city management may do that. That's a great tool that I would love to implement that actually has all the findings positive or negative things that we can implement on one spreadsheet that you can sort of look at and so we actually can start to see the trends across the organization sort of something that I would love to do and I can work with the team in the future to make that happen. It's really important for us to understand the trends so we can understand where we're doing well and where we have systematic issues and concerns across the system. And starting today, it's okay to send a little congratulator congratulatory note to Nick and his department for passing this audit. Would that be okay? >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> And maybe Nick, you should get a shirt that says finding one positive and walk around all the departments. >> And and right, if I can just go back to your question, we do post our audit uh reports on our web page. So, I know there's department uh heads that are sometimes curious on on results or or the public in general. So, they can go to our web page and and see the results there. >> Okay. >> Thank you, Miguel. Um, Miss Prime, please call for the vote on item number 27. >> Yes, sir. The motion was made by Representative Lemon, seconded by alternate mayor Poten Fero to accept the results on item 27. On that motion, call for the vote. in the voting session and that motion passes unanimously. >> Congratulations, Nick. >> Let's take item number 28, please. Item 28 is discussion and action on a resolution that the city manager or designate is authorized to use 25,200 25,230,977 from the following sources towards the El Paso public safety training and fire department headquarters and vehicle maintenance and logistics center project 2022-0759R. proceeds from the sale of city capital assets, including the future sale of presently existing public safety properties and 2019 public safety bond project savings. And further that the city manager designate is authorized to effectuate budget transfers to ensure said funds are transferred, obligated, and expended in accordance with the resolution. >> We had a motion and a second. >> Any discussion on this item? There's no presentation. >> Good afternoon. What's that? >> Yes, there is. So, it's there is yes, actually this for the record, Margarita Marine, deputy CFO and controller. So, this item is to be taken in conjunction with item 29. Deputy city manager will be doing the presentation and I will be stepping in during this slide that pertains to this. >> So, are we taking this together with 29? >> 29, please. >> And let me read 29 into the record. It's discussion and action to amend contract 2022-0759R, El Paso Public Safety Training Academy and Fire Department headquarters and vehicle maintenance and logistics center to award to Jordan Foster Construction LLC the guaranteed maximum price for a total amount of 128,152,730. >> Okay. >> Good afternoon. >> Good afternoon, mayor and council. um I Ernnandez with the city manager's office. Um and so the reason why they're taken together, I want to give the um agenda item for 29. I will pause, let council um take action on item 28, but that you hear the leadup to why we're asking for 28 and 29. >> Okay. >> So, so wait, wait, let me make sure I got that one. >> When I when I get to slide 12. >> Okay. >> It talks about the budget history. At that point, Miss Margarita will present on um the uses of capital assets fund. We will ask for council to vote. I will complete um the last slide of my presentation and then council will vote on the GMP. >> So, we're taking them separate. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> But yes, sir. >> Understood. >> Representative Gales. >> Okay. So item 29 is for the guaranteed maximum price of the El Paso Training Academy um headquarters vehicle maintenance and logistics center. The location is Global Reach Drive. This is within district 3 and the GMP is 128,152730. And so I want to give a little bit of an update on the public safety bond. Um, looking back in August of 2019, that's when council established the directive to move forward with the public safety complex. This is really to replace our aging and functionally obsolete facilities. In November of that year, we were able to issuance the debt for the general obligations bonds. Um, so what did this allow with obligating the debt? It utilized the funds for the 50 acre um, public safety complex. And so I really want to hone in on what that means of a 50 acre complex. So we're consolidating operation and training functions. When you look now, we have fire and PD together on one complex. Um throughout the city we have uh the shooting range in one location, maintenance uh fire trucks in another and this will allow them the opportunity to be on one complex. Um really making sure that this is a modern building bringing in new technologies that other cities already have and that it's a purpose-built facility. Um this is an investment for decades to come. The lifeear cycle of this will be 30 to 40 years. And so really making sure that we were working with PD and fire to meet the public safety demands. So when we look at the project details um if we look at total project investment so that's speaking to design construction management testing this is 139 million. This represents the most significant um infrastructure investment in the city's history. And so I once again I really want to make sure that there's an understanding that thesemies will provide appropriate space for education and training for fire and PD and first responders. This will be a regional uh facility within the southwest. It will house large uh classrooms for current and future classes, a fire tower, indoor shooting range, and it provides an appropriate environment to increase our operational efficiency. But the big takeaway here is ensuring that we are having our personnel certified and they are safe in their service to our residents. the new complex. Also, we need to think of the long-term benefits by replacing aging facilities that are already past their useful life. We reduce our uh reliability on maintenance. Um we're improving our operational coordination and response readiness. We're also expanding our training capacity. So, this really positions um the El Paso Fire MPD for public safety for decades to come. Uh when we look at the entire site, we're master planning 70 acres. So looking at the training um academy facility and headquarters, this is a $200 million investment. So looking at uh the project challenges and uh the scope. So the question becomes what has happened in 2019 when we started right this public safety bond and so we were able to work with the design build team through COVID um we had supply chain uh chain instabilities this did result in construction market uncertainty I've also been in front of council reporting on inflation so we've seen costs up to 30 to 40% at times with steel concrete and mechanical systems There's also been labor cost increases. So, we've been working handinhand with the firm to ensure that we could meet the needs of our first responders. Um, what have we done? Ensuring that there's a phase sequencing. So, first the contractors will focus on grading and then we will transfer into construction of vertical buildings. Um we've been working with them to validate the cost ensuring that they can um guarantee this price for construction and also scope alignment as I made mention working handinhand with fire and PD to ensure that we're providing facilities that will allow them to become certified and aligns with their scope. And so all of this really results in being disciplined on our cash flow. as I work with our CFO, Robert Gortinos, and how we issue the debt, we've been able to uh proceed with this project within our financial thresholds. And so, just a recap of why we chose design, build, delivery, we have both the architect and the engineering firms together under one contract that ensures as they're designing, the contractor is overseeing the process and making the constructibility a reality. and also um providing cost savings um in terms of how it's going to be built. So phase one has been the programming requirements pre-construction services which have already been um awarded which allowed us to negotiate the guaranteed maximum price. Why that's important? We have a cost certainty. We are saying we will get this done for 128 million. We've defined the scope and then we've also shifted that risk. The risk becomes now over the design build team and having this GMP in place protects us against further escalation. Now with the approval we can move to design and construction. And so looking at our project timeline, as you saw, a significant part of the time was um invested in planning ensuring that we had the correct uh facilities to provide the certification, training, and classroom spaces for fire and PD. And now here we're here before you in March to amend the contract to include the guaranteed maximum price. Upon approval, we'll start design in April. and we want to have an early mobilization of February that will start us off with grading utilities excavation. Um, as the contractor is already mobilized and working on the site, the design build team is going to continue working with design and finalize that in the summer of 27. Once that's finalized, we'll start seeing the vertical construction and it'll take two years to complete this project. I'm very excited to report that this falls within the ideal time frame of when we issue a uh a bond that it's completed within 10 years. And so the public safety complex uh the location is um at the global reach uh within airport property. If you'll remember, council took action on May 12th of last year to relocate. And some of the reasons why we did that is the northeast location was landlock. Um it was in a residential area. Now that we have a shooting range, it's ideal to have within this industrial area. Additionally, we looked at operations. Um a fire would double their response time. Um and EP is now centrally located as well. Additionally, there is a savings just looking at um the site. the northeast had um grade difference of 35 ft and um and also lack of utilities. The cost savings we've been able to calculate for the um grading is 20 million. When you take into account the utilities, that cost savings could potentially go higher into the range of 10 to 15 additional million because there are no utilities out at that site. And so looking at the scope of work, um as I made mention 50 acres, um this is a multi-story um uh drill tower which contains both residential and commercial training. They'll be able to maintain their vehicles on site, both fire and PD. Also bringing in a dynamic shooting range. This has advanced technologies um that is currently not available to our our uh PD and also practic sorry tactical training areas and a driving pad. This allows um them to do their maneuvers safely and practice within a secured environment and the the shared spaces bring in that cost efficiency. So we have the training academy that has uh classrooms that are equipped with latest technology um forensics classrooms and fitness areas. Hogan's alley. This provides them with a real um scenario training so that they could utilize this space to work on um different events in let's say an office, retail or convenience store setting. Um additionally the site improvements to include uh parking and uh landscaping. So when I make mention of 50 acres, I want to give just a snapshot of what that um footprint looks like. To your left, you have the master site plan, which has nice buildings shaded gray, but it doesn't give you the magnitude of what we're talking about. So when you look at downtown, we're talking from San Hasinto down to the convention center, our uh museums, all the way out to um San Hasinto Plaza. And so looking at the project uh uh the master site plan, what I'm asking for approval today of the 128 million is the area shaded in green. So that's the training academy, shooting range, Hogan's Alley, the tower vehicle maintenance, and the emergency vehicle obstacle course pad. I wanted to say that because finally I know what EVOC means. It took me a while. Um so that is 128 million. We also have due to the um this space we are able to put placeholders for future planning and needs that fire and PD will have. So it's a cohesive uh master plan that makes sense with their needs as they move throughout this acreage. Um we have started uh the design of the fire and PD headquarters. We're currently at 30% design and we will come back later in the year to ask for award of that uh construction manager at risk contract. So all in all, this is what the 200 million looks like for our public safety. And so here is the budget history. Um if you will remember on January 20th, we asked for a transfer of 36 million. This was from the bond savings and investment interest. That gives us a total of 103. The guaranteed maximum price is 128. So the shortfall is 25 million which we have requested and introduced within um executive session the use of capital asset funding. And that's where I'll allow Miss Margarita to go into detail of the allowances to um utilize this funding. >> Good afternoon again. So, the $25.2 million shortfall we intend to cover, this is item 28. And the action that we are requesting today is that you approve the use of some project savings within the 2019 public safety bond. And then um the remaining balance that we need to cover will be taken from capital asset sales proceeds that we have now and then in the future as well. Those two items will combined will come up to the $25.2 million to complete this project. >> Okay, >> thank you. >> And so the last slide is the request for approval of the guaranteed maximum price of 128 million 152730 so that we may begin design and break ground next year. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Represent Canales. >> Thank you, Mayor. Um I I guess my question pertains more to the first item uh 28. No. Yes. I got confused between which which one was which. Um the so the the 25 million 25 million and change I guess is being made up through by the project savings from 2019 public safety bond projects and then sale of capital assets. Um, is the sale of capital assets portion uh backed by appraisals on already existing or properties? Sorry, it's late in the day. Already existing appraisals on public safety properties in the inventory. >> Yes, we we currently do have those um appraisals. And so there is a plan already working with um Miss Margarita and Robert Gortinas is the plan to reimburse the capital asset fund. And so we have strategies of how we're going to reimburse that and it's through those two two items. >> Okay. Yeah. I just wanted to make sure that the appraisals uh the the amounts the total amounts of the appraisals are enough to cover that additional cost. >> No sir. Um we have the appraisals but we don't have the sale price. that could change. But additionally um as you see with um the activity in our sales of capital assets, there is the intent to get to that price and also there is um an estimated amount of investment interest, right? Um because these funds will not yet be spent down as you know as we're forecasting out um construction will not be complete until 3 years from now. >> Sure. Yeah. And I know, you know, real sales price is a different story, but at least the the amount of the appraisals is enough to cover. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. And hopefully we can sell those properties for at least appraised value. >> Thank you, >> Representative Lemon. >> Margarita, one more time on the shortfall, the amount, please, and where is it coming from? >> So, $25.2 million and first uh savings in current projects is going to be applied to that. and the remaining amount is going to be covered with the sale of capital assets. >> Okay. So on the sales until we cover the 25.2 million >> all sales revenue will go towards this >> correct. >> Is that correct? >> Yes. So we currently have cash on hand that would allow us to be able to cover these costs and expenses as this is rolling out in 28 and 29. And then the goal is as we sell the properties for which we have an appraisal then it would reimburse that fund and so we would be net neutral in terms of um our capital asset fund. >> That's good. That's a good way to do it. And then um I bet 70 acres I have no idea what 70 acres looks like. Can you share something that 70 acres? >> I can provide that. Yes ma'am. See? >> Mhm. >> Later. >> What I will what I will do >> it's late >> is expand the footprint that you see in downtown from the 50 to the 70. But we are currently constructing 50 acres. Um and so that's our initial investment right now. And so that's why I wanted to show the footprint. Wow. >> But we have the ability to expand those 20 acres given the location. >> That's great. Yes, ma'am. >> Thank you very much. Great. >> Representative Ra. Thank you, Mayor and I Margarita. Thank you so much for your work on this. Uh the presentation was exactly what you know when when I talked to you about it. It's exactly what what we needed to see where the money's coming from, how it's getting funded upon approval. Congratulations to fire and PD on this welldeserved uh new new facility. as a as I had a conversation with both fire and PD, I sit there and I tell them both you guys are you already surpassing national standards by given what you what you what you have to work with today. Imagine where you all are going to be with just state-of-the-art facilities that you all are going to be uh receiving once this this project is complete. So, I hope that that everybody on council will support this. Congrats again to fire and to PD for it. And way to go, I bet and Margarita. Great presentation. Thank you. >> And Chief Killings, you've been sitting here all day and haven't said nothing. So, this is your opportunity to come up with Chief Pacas. The two of you come on up. Yeah. He was trying to You've been here all day. So, what does this mean? >> Yeah. Good afternoon, Mayor and Council. Chief Killings, El Paso Fire Department, Fire Chief. Yeah. So, Evette and her team have done a great job. This means uh a great deal to this organization. Uh you all have seen the facilities that we work out of. Uh and like um Miss Rocha had had mentioned, our our employees do a fantastic job um operating out of those facilities. This is just taking um the way we care for our employees, their health, wellness, and their efficiency and ability to respond to to the to the city's requests for or the city's needs for public safety. It allows us to look at that and and be more efficient and and also take care of our employees. So, thank you all. Um thank you, Evette, to uh and her team for including us and and and uh every step of the way and making sure that uh we're able to voice the needs of our employees. Chief, so Chief Kelling said it very and FD work together on calls every single day. Our departments get along very well. We communicate and we work together now putting us all in one location. We're going to continue to uh set the standard and exceed the standard of the example for public safety in the entire country. So we appreciate the support from council and the community on this project. >> Very good. Represent Lima. >> Chief Basillas, before you leave, will you share the story that you told me when you were training and teaching across the country of having a police officer and a fire person? Can you share that story briefly? >> Sure. So, um, when I was younger on the department as a sergeant, I used to travel around the country, uh, working for a company doing, uh, SWAT, uh, hostage rescue courses for different departments. And it just amazed me that uh police and fire departments around the country don't have the same relationship that our two departments have of cooperating that you couldn't put them in the same room uh without uh them having major disagreements. So u we truly have something special in El Paso. >> Thank you. And it certainly is to your leadership and Chief Killings leadership that you work collaboratively. You're like almost Manos almost. We are >> good. Thank you, >> Representative Nino. >> Thank you, Mayor and Chiefs. Before you guys head out again, um I was going to to uh mention how this project could also make El Paso a regional destination for other governments or municipalities or agencies to come and use our facility as a training facility. Um I know that we you briefly touched on that. I don't know if you kind of want to touch into that as well of that impact of us becoming a regional destination um for for training. >> Yeah, I'll talk about a little bit. You know, El Paso's location, we we we're out here kind of like an urban island. Uh the a really good position for uh regional training for far west Texas, southern New Mexico, even into Arizona. Um and we're already working with uh partners in central Texas to be an extension uh once this facility is complete. uh to to fill that gap here in the region. So, um everybody across the state of Texas is excited about this investment that that uh that the city's making in and uh in public safety. >> Thank you. I appreciate that and I think that's important to highlight and then and celebrate as well. So, thank you may for the questions. >> Okay. So, let's take item number 28. Oh, we have public comment. Miss Bry. >> Yes, we have Miss Osmond. Miss Osman, star six, please to unmute your telephone. Go ahead, ma'am. You have three minutes. >> I just want to point out that we we've already heard Cortina talk about the the discrepancies between the budget, revenue versus expenditures. This is a prime example of how you're selling off property to transfer those funds elsewhere. At some point, everybody needs to consider that there won't be any more property to sell and how is everything going to be funded at that point. Bonds cos everything again off the backs of regular resident taxpayers because corporations and the companies in town always get the incentives. I really hope you all realize that there's it's it's a limited resource as far as selling off property to fund and make up the difference. Or maybe everybody should start to in their discretionary fund into the general fund. I know Brian Kennedy had done that. I think she dropped off. Mayor, I think we lost the connection with Miss Austin. >> Are you sure she dropped off? >> Yes. I don't see her in the queue. >> Okay. Just giving her she Okay. >> May I May I just comment on this? I mean, I'm super proud of the council and the way that we've been able to manage this project. I know that this is a really large bond and it's been very difficult, you know, since co to get a lot of these projects done. We know that we wanted to ensure that we could deliver this within 10 years despite those challenges. And one of the goals we I think we all have is to not issue any more debt to get it done. We had a lot of criticism from, you know, our past um quality of life bond with issuing additional dollars to get it done. We've been very creative with finding dollars to make sure we can do that without having um additional debt issued. And so I thank you for the action you will take and continue to support us through this. And our goal is to make sure we can deliver within 10 years and to make sure the community can feel proud that we delivered responsibly on this bond. And Miss Miss Mack, I think the GMP that you're utilizing on this project is is very good to do, especially in the in the the the area we're in now with a lot of development going around the city. So, the GMP is a really good way of getting this project done on time, on budget, and everything else. So, very, very good. Okay. Is there any further public comment? >> No, sir. >> Okay. Uh, let's take item number 28, Mr. Pry. Number 28. Uh, we have a motion made by Representative Malonado Rocha. I don't know who second. >> Seconded by Representative Nino. And this is to approve item 28. On that motion, call for the vote and the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously. >> Okay, let's take item 29. Is there a motion? >> Second. >> There's a motion made by Representative Madon Rocha, seconded by Representative Panales. >> This is for item 29. >> Sorry. >> On that motion, call for the vote and the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously. >> Okay. Let's take item number 30. >> Mayor, if you could humor me. I know it's been a very, very long uh meeting, but I would be remiss if I did not give a thank you to Daniel Garcia, Alandra Kurola, and Carlamoth. It's a huge team at C, but those three have been in the thick of it, the weeds, really negotiating and getting this project. So, I'm sorry, but I just had to recognize those individuals. Thank you. >> Okay, Mr. P, let's take item number 30. Mayor, I move to take from the table the pending action on item 30. >> Okay. There's there's a motion in a second to take from the table item 30. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Anyone opposed? We're back on item 30. Discussion and action on selection of the chief internal auditor. >> Move to retire into executive session on item 30. >> Second. >> There's a motion and a second to retire into executive session. All in favor? >> I. >> Anyone opposed? and the city council of the city of El Paso may return to executive session pursuant to section 3.5A of the El Paso city charter in the Texas government code chapter 551 sub chapter D to discuss item 30 discussion and action on selection of the chief internal auditor under 551.071 consultation with attorney on 551.074 personnel matters. It is 5:45 p.m. Okay, Miss Bryan, I believe we're ready. >> I just need to log back into the system. Mayor Council, is there a motion to come out of executive session? >> Some moved. >> Second. >> There's a motion and a second to come out of executive session. All in favor? >> Anyone opposed? The meeting is back in session at 5:55 p.m. >> Mayor, >> Representative Canales. >> Thank you. I just want to note for the record that I plan to abstain from this vote. I wasn't able to uh offer both candidates the same uh opportunity for interview. And so uh I think it's the ethical move to not vote. Thank you, Mary. >> That's fair. Um Miss Mayor Potent. >> Thank you, Miss Pine. I move that the El Paso City Council appoint Adrien Serrano as a city of El Paso's chief internal auditor with employment to commence in accordance with the terms discussed in executive session and subject to a successful completion of a background check and other pre-employment requirements. >> Second. >> Okay, there's a motion in the second. >> We do have public comment. Okay, >> we have Miss Osman. Miss Osman, go ahead. Ma'am, you have three minutes. I do want to implore this city council after all of the issues with the past city auditor that were not issues with him but with past city council members and other members with uh other city officials that there is no undue influence That other another ordinance needs to be done in order to ensure that any city auditor that is put into place can do their job when corrupt practices, misappropriation of funds. anything is reported that they are able to investigate and do their job thoroughly without absolutely any coercion or disruption as what occurred with our last city auditor Mr. Gardon. I personally know that some of what he experienced was fact. some of what I reported he also got blowback from aside from what other citizens reported on misappropriation of funds. So, I really do hope with this next city auditor that they are truly independent of the city attorney's office, of the city manager's office in that city council can't do what previous councils have done nor what city attorneys have done or any other city officials to influence a city auditor. who is there to protect tax dollars. These are not your own personal funds. These are residents tax dollars. And it is vital that numbers are correct and when corruption is reported that it is investigated thoroughly. So, I really do hope that when you install this person, you also install an ordinance assuring all of that because we don't want another lawsuit from another city auditor who was ill influenced. Thank you. >> Does that conclude public comment, Miss Price? >> Yes, it does, Mayor. >> Okay, there is a motion and a second. >> Yes, sir. A motion was made by Mayor Prom Chavez, seconded by Representative Boyjo on item 30 to appoint Adrien Serrano as a chief internal auditor. On that motion, call for the vote. Voting session is open. And the voting session and that motion passes 5 to2. Representatives Chavez Ato voting I. Representatives Fiero Lemon voting nay. Representative Canales abstaining. The motion carries. >> Okay. Is there a motion to adjurnn? >> Second. >> There's a motion and a second to adjurnn the city council meeting. All in favor? >> I. >> Anyone opposed? And the regular city council meeting for Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 is adjourned at 6:00 p.m.