CITY OF LAREDO

CITY COUNCIL MEETING

A-2002-R-03

CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS

1110 HOUSTON STREET

LAREDO, TEXAS 78040

FEBRUARY 3, 2003

5:30 p.m.

 

DISABILITY ACCESS STATEMENT

Persons with disabilities who plan to attend this meeting and who may need auxiliary aid or services are requested to contact Gustavo Guevara, City Secretary at (956) 791-7308 at least two working days prior to the meeting so that appropriate arrangements can be made.  The accessible entrance and accessible parking spaces are located at City Hall, 1100 Victoria Ave.

 

Out of consideration for all attendees of the City Council meetings, please turn off all cellular phones and pagers, or place on inaudible signal.  Thank you for your consideration.

 

 I.         CALL TO ORDER

 

II.         PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

 

III.        ROLL CALL

 

IV.       MINUTES

 

            Approval of the minutes and work product of the Strategic Planning Workshop of       June 27, 28, and 29, 2002.

 

V.        COMMUNICATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS

 

Announcements

a.      State of the City address by Mayor Elizabeth G. Flores.

 

Invitations

a.      The Streets of Laredo Urban Mall Association invites the Mayor, City Council, and residents of Laredo and the surrounding area to the 2003 Jamboozie Festival to be held on Saturday, February 15, 2003, between Mercado Square and San Agustin Plaza in downtown Laredo.

 

Recognitions

 

Communiqués

VI.       APPOINTMENTS TO COMMISSIONS, BOARDS AND COMMITTEES

           

a.      Appointment by Council Member Eliseo Valdez of Dr. Carmen Ramirez Rathmel and Martha Dole to the Laredo Women’s Commission.

  

VII.      PUBLIC HEARINGS

 

1.         Public hearing and introductory ordinance amending the City Of Laredo fiscal year 2003 NPDES Fund Budget, by appropriating the opening balance. The amendment will drawdown $136,663.00 from the NPDES unaudited opening balance and appropriating said funds.

 

2.         Public hearing and introductory ordinance amending the City of Laredo FY 2002-2003 Annual Budget in the amount of $115,000.00 in grant funds awarded to the City of Laredo Utilities Department by the Environmental Protection Agency. Funds will be used to fund the completion of a vulnerability assessment of the water system.

 

3.         Public hearing and introductory ordinance amending Section 13-39, Fees, of Division 2 License, of Article II, Food Products Establishments of Chapter 13 (d), Food and Food Products, of the City of Laredo Code of Ordinances to exempt the fee of $25.00 for request for inspection services for foster homes; providing for publication and effective date.

 

VIII.     GENERAL COUNCIL DISCUSSIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

 

            4.         A.        Request by Council Member John C. Galo

1.      Discussion on the need for the City to start herbicide spraying to control the weeds and grass that are growing on the street and curbs, with possible action.

2.      Update from the City Manager on ways to control the trash problem, with possible action.

3.      Motion to hold a City Council Workshop to discuss the proposed Wetlands and Green-space Ordinance.

 

   B.        Request by Council Member Eliseo Valdez, Jr.

1.      Discussion with possible action regarding reinstatement of the Webb County Heritage Foundation’s original third party funding amount.

 

C.        Request by Council Member Gene Belmares

1.      Discussion with possible action on a traffic calming device for the intersection of JSJ Estates and Springfield.

2.      Status report on the expansion of the North Laredo Waste Water Treatment Plant.

         


            (Recess)

(Press Availability)

 

IX.       INTRODUCTORY ORDINANCES

 

5.                Authorizing the City Manager to execute a lease with the Washington’s Birthday Celebration Association, Inc., for approximately fifteen (15.0) acres of concrete ramp located on the southwest cargo ramp of the Air operations area of the Laredo International Airport.  Lease term is for two (2) days commencing on February 22, 2003 and ending on February 23, 2003 (from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. each day) City Council finds and declares that a valid public purpose would be served in setting the daily rental fee at $1.00; providing for an effective date.

 

6.                Amending Chapter 19, Motor Vehicle and Traffic, Article VIII, Stopping, Standing or Parking, Section 19-364 (2), restricted parking areas, of the Code of Ordinances, City of Laredo, to exclude the 600 block of Farragut Street as a No Parking Anytime/Tow Away Zone providing for effective date and publication.

 

7.                Closing as public easement that section of the 1100 block of India Avenue between Guadalupe and Chihuahua Streets situated in the Eastern Division, City of Laredo, County of Webb, Texas; and providing for an effective date.

 

8.                Closing as public easements the following street sections:

a.      The 100 block of North Seymour Avenue between Mercer and Green Streets.

b.      The 100 block of North Loring between Mercer and Green Streets;

Situated in the Eastern Division, City of Laredo, County of Webb, Texas, and providing for an effective date.

 

X.        FINAL READING OF ORDINANCES 

9.
 
 


2003-O-024   Amending the City of Laredo Fiscal Year 2003 2000A Certificate of Obligation Issue Fund annual budget by appropriating revenues of $2,200,000.00 in the form of a donation from the Lamar Bruni Vergara Trust for $2,000,000.00, and a Transfer of $200,000.00 from the Capital Improvement Fund and appropriating expenditures in the amount of $2,200,000.00 for the Construction of Inner City Park.  (As amended).

 

2003-O-025   Amending the City of Laredo FY 2002-2003 annual budget by appropriating revenues and expenditures in the amount of $112,280.00 from the Texas Department of Health and amending the City of Laredo’s FTE positions from 2 FTEs to 2.15 FTEs for the Prevention Services HIV-Infected Persons Project (PSHIP) of the City of Laredo Health Department for the period beginning January 1, 2003 through December 31, 2003.

 

2003-O-026   Amending the City of Laredo FY 2002-2003 annual budget by appropriating revenues and expenditures in the amount of $199,854.00 from the Texas Department of Health and amending the City of Laredo’s FTE positions from 3.35 FTEs to 3.32 FTEs for the HIV Prevention Project of the City of Laredo Health Department for the period beginning January 1, 2003, through December 31, 2003.

 

2003-O-027   Amending the City of Laredo 2002-2003 annual budget by appropriating revenues in the amount of $37,722.00 and expenditures in the amount of $18,000.00 to the salaries line items and $19,722.00 in the contractual services line item to allow the City of Laredo Health Department to proceed with efficient, quality and cost effective services for the period of October 1, 2002 through September 30, 2003.  The amount of $37,722.00 will be generated from the increase in certified birth certificate fees approved on July 15, 2002. 

 

2003-O-028   Authorizing the City Manager to amend the City of Laredo FY 2002-2003 annual budget by appropriating revenues and expenditures in the amount of $21,000.00 for Project Alcance.  The Driscoll Children’s Health Plans of Corpus Christi has awarded this grant to the City of Laredo Health Department for the period beginning September 1, 2002 through August 31, 2003.

 

2003-O-029   Amending the City of Laredo FY 2002-2003 annual budget in the amount of $77,300.00 to fund the Laredo Multi-Agency Narcotics Task Force Intelligence Initiative.  The Office of the Governor, Criminal Justice Division will now be designating $1,075,415.00 and the City of Laredo and participating agencies will designate $427,644.00 in matching funds for a total amount of $1,503,059.00.  Funding will be used to pay salaries, fringe benefits, direct operating expenses and equipment from December 1, 2002 through May 31, 2003; and accepting the supplemental grant in the same amount.

 

2003-O-030   Amending the City of Laredo Code of Ordinances by adopting Chapter 18, Sections 18-2-1 and 18-2-2, games and amusement devices, requiring a permit for establishments operating certain game and amusement devices; requiring payment of fee prior to issuance of permit; repealing all ordinances in conflict herewith and providing for publication and effective date.  (As amended)

 

2003-O-031   Amending the City of Laredo Fiscal Year 2002-2003 annual budget by appropriating $211,305.00 from the Bridge System Construction fund balance into the Bridge Improvements Account and authorizing the City Manager to implement said budget amendment.  Funding will be used for Bridge Improvements: Static Scale project for Bridge IV in the amount of $150,000.00 and the pneumatic coin system for Bridge II in the amount of $61,305.00.

 

2003-O-032   Amending Chapter 32, Vehicles for Hire, Article II, Taxicabs, of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Laredo by specifically amending Section 32-78 advertising on taxicabs allowing advertising on the rear passenger doors of taxicabs.

 

2003-O-033   Authorizing the City Manager to execute an amendment to the Airport lease agreement between the City of Laredo, as Lessor, and Howland Surveying Company, Inc., as Lessee, authorized by Ordinance 2001-O-175 dated November 19, 2001, for the purpose of extending the term for an additional ninety (90) days ending on February 28, 2003, adjust the monthly rent obligation.  Said amendment will amend, specifically, section 1.02 titled “Rental Obligation” wherein commencing on December 1, 2002, the monthly rent obligation shall be $2,785.20.  All other terms and conditions remain unchanged and in effect; providing for an effective date.

 

2003-O-034   Authorizing the City Manager to execute a lease with Tomas Sandoval, III, d/b/a El Patio Nursery for approximately 1.41 acres of land located at 1704 E. Hillside at the Laredo International Airport.  Lease term is for five (5) years commencing on January 1, 2003 and ending on December 31, 2007.  Monthly rent shall be $1,275.00 and will be adjusted annually according to changes in the consumer price index; providing for an effective date. 

 

2003-O-035   Authorizing the City Manager to execute a lease with South Texas Development Council for approximately 252 square feet constituting Suite No. 10 of Building No. S-1 located at 1718 E. Calton Road at the Laredo International Airport.  Lease term is for two (2) years commencing on January 1, 2003 and ending on December 31, 2004.  Monthly rent shall be $327.60 and will be adjusted annually according to changes in the  consumer price index; providing for an effective date.

 

 

XI.       RESOLUTIONS 

 

10.  2003-R-015        Declaring the public necessity to acquire the “Surface Only” of a 6.17 acre tract of land for the construction of a greenbelt and public park.  Said parcel being situated in the Shiloh Subdivision area, City of Laredo, Webb County, Texas, being generally described below and more particularly described by metes and bounds on attached Exhibit “A”; and authorizing staff to negotiate with the owner for the acquisition of said parcel by purchase at a market value to be established by a State Certified Real Estate Appraiser, and further authorizing the City Attorney to initiate condemnation proceedings to acquire said parcel if staff is unable to acquire through negotiations due to inability to agree to a purchase price, conflict of ownership, owner refusal to sell, and/or inability to locate the listed owner. 

Being a tract of land containing 6.17 acres (more or less), being within and part of an original 450.81 acre tract, as recorded in Volume 329, Pages 600-604, Webb County Deed Records and also being within and part of that tract of land as described in a Deed known as 17.66 acres, “Tract I”, as recorded in Volume 1010, Pages 227-233, Webb County Official Public Records, Webb County, Texas.

 

 

XII.      MOTIONS

 

11.           Authorizing the award of 2002 HOME Investment Partnership Program Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) set-aside funds in the amount of $225,000.00 to Laredo-Webb Neighborhood Housing Services to be utilized towards the purchase of a minimum of 10 lots on which affordable single-family housing units can be constructed and made available to low income first-time homebuyers; and further authorizing the City Manager to execute all documents in support of the same.

 

12.           Consideration to award a professional services contract to W. D. Schock Company, Inc., Texas, in the amount of $215,762.00, for the provision of residential sound reduction services, as part of the City of Laredo International Airport Noise Compatibility Program.  The program is funded through a $2,500,000.00 grant awarded to the City by the Federal Aviation Administration, and a $250,000.00 local agency match.

 

13.           Consideration to award annual contract FY03-032 to the low bidder, Cantu Electric Inc., Laredo, Texas, in the base annual amount of $33,980.00 for the maintenance of the illumination system along IH 35, Loop 20, Milo I, and FM 1472.  The contract vendor will be required to maintain, repair, and/or replace the various appurtenances related to the existing roadway assemblies.  The term of this contract is for one (1) year with an option to renew for an additional year upon mutual consent of the City and the Contractor.  Funding is available in the Traffic Safety Department budget.

 

14.           Consideration to amend the third party funding contracts for Streets of Laredo Urban Mall and Salon de la Fama Americano de Deportes in order to amend Section 4 and 5 to allow for one time payment for services provided.

 

15.           Consideration to change the donation of equipment relative to Resolution # 2003-R-002 at the donees’ request to offer the Atomic Absorption Spectrometer with a microwave digester for metal analysis to Laredo Community College (LCC) and the Ion Chromatograph with automatic sampling capabilities for mineral analysis to Texas A& M International University (TAMIU), which will be used in the examination of water and wastewater.  The City has no use for this equipment and plans to dispose of it absent interested donees.

 

XIII.     EXECUTIVE SESSION

 

The City Council hereby reserves the right to go into executive session at any time during this public meeting, if such is requested by the City Attorney or other legal counsel for the City, pursuant to his or her duty under Section 551.071(2) of the Government Code, to consult privately with his or her client on an item on the agenda, or on a matter arising out of such item.

 

XIV.   ADJOURNMENT

 

This notice was posted at the Municipal Government Offices, 1110 Houston Street, Laredo, Texas, at a place convenient and readily accessible to the public at all times. Said notice was posted on January 29, 2003 at 6:00 p.m.

                                                                       

 

                                                                        Gustavo Guevara, Jr.

                                                                        City Secretary