e. Recognition of Donato Ramos Jr., Phillip Wright, Roberto Arredondo and Mauro Sandoval Jr. for their dedication and time spent as volunteers in Midnight Basketball, a joint venture and one of many programs offered by the City of Laredo Parks and Recreation Department.

Communiqués
a. Mayor Elizabeth G. Flores reports on the City of Laredo Community Development Department.

VI. APPOINTMENTS TO COMMISSIONS, BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
a. Appointment by Cm Jose Valdez of Javier De Anda to the Library Advisory Committee.

b. Appointment by Cm Jose Valdez of Norberto Romero III to the Citizens Environmental Advisory Committee.

VII. PUBLIC HEARINGS

1. Public hearing and introductory ordinance amending the Zoning Ordinance Map of the City of Laredo by rezoning all of Block 488, Western Division, located at the 1100 block of San Ignacio Ave., from M-1 (Light Manufacturing District) to R-3 (Mixed Residential District); providing for publication and effective date. The Planning and Zoning Commission has recommended approval of the proposed zone change.

2. Public hearing and introductory ordinance amending the Zoning Ordinance Map of the City of Laredo by authorizing a Conditional Use Permit for three detached condominiums on Lot 8, Block 1, Los Pinos Subdivision, located at 3451 Pine Street; providing for publication and effective date. The Planning and Zoning Commission has recommended denial of the proposed Conditional Use Permit.

3. Public hearing and introductory ordinance amending the Zoning Ordinance Map of the City of Laredo by rezoning Lot 6 and the eastern ½ of Lot 8, Block 178, Western Division, located at 1015 San Dario Avenue and 609 Washington Street, from B-1 (Limited Commercial District) to B-4 (Highway Commercial District); providing for publication and effective date. The Planning and Zoning Commission has recommended denial of the proposed zone change.
4. Public hearing and introductory ordinance amending the Zoning Ordinance Map of the City of Laredo by rezoning 0.50 acres, as further described by metes and bounds in attached Exhibit “A”, located west of Hwy 83 and south of Riverhill Loop, from R-2 (Multi-Family Residential District) to B-4 (Highway Commercial District); providing for publication and effective date. The Planning and Zoning Commission has recommended approval of the proposed zone change.

5. Public hearing and introductory ordinance amending the Zoning Ordinance Map of the City of Laredo by rezoning 9.85 acres, as further described by metes and bounds in attached Exhibit “A”, located south of Ranchway Drive, from R-2 (Multi-Family Residential District) with a Special Use Permit to B-3 (Community Business District); providing for publication and effective date. The Planning and Zoning Commission has recommended approval of the proposed zone change.

6. Public hearing and introductory ordinance amending the Zoning Ordinance Map of the City of Laredo by rezoning Lot 1, Block 9, Santa Rita IX Subdivision, located at Soria Drive and Hwy 83, from R-2 (Multi-Family Residential District) to B-3 (Community Business District); providing for publication and effective date. The Planning and Zoning Commission has recommended approval of the proposed zone change.

7. Public hearing and introductory ordinance amending the FY 2004 – 2005 Airport Budget by increasing revenues and expenditures in the amount of $29,688.00 and amending the Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) positions by one (1) additional Air Traffic controller effective April 1, 2005, subject to the Federal Aviation Administration agreeing to reimburse the City of Laredo for the cost of this position and authorizing the City Manager to submit an amended proposal to the Federal Aviation Administration for purposes of reimbursement to the City of Laredo for the cost of operating the Air Traffic Control Tower at the Laredo International Airport, and authorizing the City Manager to implement said budget amendment; providing for an effective date.

8. Public hearing and introductory ordinance authorizing the City Manager to accept $14,250.00 in contributions and amending the City of Laredo FY 2004 – 2005 CVB Annual Budget by appropriating revenues of $14,250.00 in the form of corporate contributions from Wells Fargo Bank in the amount of $10,000.00 for 250th Anniversary Celebration; from La Posada Hotel in the amount of $3,500.00 for the production of a promotional CD Rom; as well as contributions from Sam’s Club Foundation in the amount of $500.00 and Rosen & Cowen Logistics Customs Services, LTD. in the amount of $250.00 for the Laredo International Sister Cities Festival, and appropriating expenditures in the amount of $10,000.00 for the 250th Anniversary Division; and $4,250.00 for CVB Marketing Division expense.
9. Public hearing and introductory ordinance amending Chapter 14 (Garbage trash & refuse) of the Code of Ordinances, specifically to require a Solid Waste Franchise Agreement or Self Hauler Permit from all persons, except a duly authorized agent or employee of the City, to collect, convey, or transport solid waste generated by another person on the streets, alleys, or public thoroughfares of the City, other than on Federal or State Highways, or to dispose of any such solid waste at a disposal facility operated by the city.

10. Public hearing and introductory ordinance amending Chapter 14 (Garbage, trash & refuse) of the Code of Ordinances, specifically to refine and add definitions, to refine section titles, to revise franchise requirements, to revise landfill fees to clarify the fee for residents, change the current fee to residents for landfill disposal of yard waste from $2.00 / ton to no charge and the commercial fee for the same from $30.00 / ton to $15.00 / ton; to change the current tire disposal fee for residents from $2.00 for up to four (4) passenger car tires on weekdays and no charge on Saturdays to no charge at all times for up to four passenger car tires, and to add the acceptance of soil suitable for use as daily or intermediate landfill cover at no charge.

11. Public hearing and introductory ordinance amending the City of Laredo’s FY 2004-2005 full time equivalent positions by reclassifying three (3) firefighter positions to three (3) fire driver positions for the Fire Suppression Division, EMS Division and the Fire Prevention Division. Funding for these positions is available in the Fire Department Operating Budget in the amount of $15,402.00.

(Recess)
(Press Availability)

VIII. INTRODUCTORY ORDINANCES

12. Authorizing the City Manager to enter into license agreements with ten (10) local little league associations for the use of ten (10) City playing fields for baseball programs, the term of each being up to three (3) years; no fee will be charged by the City to the associations in view of the public benefit in permitting the associations to use the city’s facilities for baseball and softball programs to benefit the youth of Laredo.

13. Setting the maximum speed limits on that portion of Killam Boulevard between IH-35 frontage and Sara Road, within the city limits of Laredo, Webb County, Texas, as 45 MPH (miles per hour), as defined in the control section map provided by the City of Laredo, Traffic Safety Department.

14. Designating certain streets west of Santa Maria Avenue and east of Santa Isabel Avenue as one-way between Zaragoza Street on the south and Victoria Street on the north, providing for the installation of appropriate signs to indicate one-way traffic in the designated direction and providing for effective date.

15. Establishing occupancy rules after City purchases a home under its Airport Noise Compatibility Program, Namely: (1) An occupancy term of up to 30-days rent-free for an owner who sells his or her home and is in the process of purchasing a replacement home; and (2) An additional occupancy term of up to 90-days rent-free for an owner who sells his or her home and provides evidence that he or she is constructing a new home and is waiting to move into it; and (3) After expiration of (1) or (2), whichever may apply, the former owner holding over will be a tenant at will and will be responsible for a monthly rent equivalent to 1/12 of 8.5% of the appraised value of the home; and providing for an effective date.

IX. FINAL READING OF ORDINANCES

16. 2005-O-038 Amending the FY 2004-2005 Annual Operating Budget in the Laredo Fire Department Prevention and Arson Fund Budget by accepting a donation of $750.00 from Wal-Mart Stores and appropriating said funds for the purpose of purchasing Fire Safety Educational and Promotional Materials for the Fire Prevention Division.

2005-O-039 Amending the City of Laredo FY 2004-2005 Annual Budget by increasing revenues and expenditures in the amount of $6,251.00 in additional funds, totaling $338,841.00 from the South Texas Development Council for the HIV/AIDS Ryan White Title II Services Program of the City of Laredo Health Department for the period of April 1, 2004 through March 31, 2005.

X. RESOLUTIONS

17. 2005-R-013 Authorizing the transfer of excess funds from the City of Laredo – Public Property Finance Contractual Obligations (PPFCO) Series 2000, Series 2000A, Series 2002A and Series 2003 in the total amount of $391,000.00, for the purchase of needed equipment for the Public Works Division, Traffic Safety Department, Parks and Recreation Department, Planning/Building Department and the Management Information System (MIS) Division.

18. 2005-R-014 Accepting the donation of one (1) utility easement from Laura Celia Decker, Elsa Delia Decker, Rebecca Ann Decker, and Michael Phillip Decker for the extension of utility service lines to the Ranchitos IV, Los Minerales Subdivision. This being a 1,937 square foot tract of land out of tract 53-C in the Ranchitos IV, Los Minerales Subdivision, and being situated in Porcion 10, Abstract 280, Webb County, Texas, and described by metes and bounds and survey attached as Exhibits A and B.

19. 2005-R-015 Authorizing the City Manager to submit two (2) applications to the United States Foreign-Trade Zones Board on behalf of the Embarcadero Industrial Park requesting: 1) a temporary boundary modification and, 2) permanent Foreign Trade Zone designation in accordance with the Policies and Procedures approved by Ordinance No. 2000-O-183 dated July 24, 2000. The temporary boundary modification consists of temporarily transferring the designation of ten (10) acres from City of Laredo Site No. 1 located at the Laredo International Airport to the new site designated as Site No. 7 and located within the Embarcadero Industrial Park.

20. 2005-R-017 Declaring the public necessity to acquire the “Surface Only” of one (1) parcel of land for the Riverfront Development Project. Said parcel being the north 41.67 feet of Lot 1, Block 50, Western Division, City of Laredo, Webb County, Texas; as delineated on attached copy of City Plat; 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 due to inability to agree to a purchase price, conflict of ownership, owner refusal to sell, and/or inability to locate the listed owner(s).

21. 2005-R-019 Authorizing the City Manager to submit a grant application to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for the consideration of the Community Outdoor Outreach Grant Reimbursement Program for an amount not to exceed $30,000.00 for funding of summer outdoor recreational and educational programming for local school age children who participate in the Parks and Recreation Summer Program and to certify that the City of Laredo is eligible to receive program assistance and that funding for this program is available through the Department of Parks and Recreation and further authorizing the City Manager to execute any and all documents pertaining to and resulting from this submission.

22. 2005-R-020 Confirming the Mayor’s appointment to fill the City’s two vacancies on the City of Laredo – Webb County Joint Airport Zoning Board.

XI. MOTIONS

23. Consideration to amend contract number FY04-122, awarded to the low bidder, Envirosolve, L.L.C., Tulsa, OK, on September 27, 2004 by increasing the contract amount by $44,000.00. This increase is required because approximately 30,000 pounds were collected at the Collection Center where normally 10,000 pounds are collected. One Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Event was held in December, and another event is scheduled for April 2005. The total contract amount will be $78,858.00. Funding is available in the Environmental Services Department Budget.

24. Consideration for approval of Change Order No. 1, an increase of $1,426.50 for the balance of quantities actually constructed in place, acceptance of the CDBG Sidewalks City-Wide Project No. 27 (32 Blocks) and approval of final payment in the amount of $15,701.15 to Triple A Concrete, Inc., Laredo, Texas. Final contract amount is $144,173.00. Funding is available in the Community Development Fund CD Projects/Sidewalks 26th Action Year/2000 Grant and CD Projects/Sidewalks District V- 29th Action Year/2003 Grant and Retainage Payable.

25. Consideration for approval of the list of streets for the 2004-2005 Street Resurfacing Project to be constructed in-house by the Engineering/Public Works Department. Funding is available in the General Fund - Street Materials.

26. Consideration to award annual contract FY05-041 to the low bidder, Star Operations, Laredo, Texas in the base annual amount of $28,825.00 for the maintenance of the illumination system along Interstate Highway 35, Loop 20, Milo Interchange, and FM (Farm to Market) 1472 for a term of one (1) year. The contract vendor will be required to maintain, repair, and/or replace the various appurtenances related to the existing roadway assemblies. Funding is available in the Traffic Safety Department Budget.

27. Awarding a contract, not to exceed $100,000.00 to Kinnectic Laboratories, Inc., Santa Cruz, California; and authorizing the City Manager to execute said professional services contract. Contract will provide for consulting services for the upgrade of the City’s environmental monitoring system and the addition of rain gauges. The scope of services will include, but not be limited to the following elements:
1. Installation of five (5) additional rainfall gauges.
2. Software upgrade
3. Radio communication upgrade of existing stations.
This upgrade will allow citizens and emergency management personnel to view real-time storm data on the Internet.

28. Consideration to authorize a contract with IBM, in the total amount of $89,083.16, through the State of Texas – Department of Information Resources (DIR) Cooperative Purchase Contract, for an upgrade to the current IBM iSeries 820 Computer System. This is the City’s main computer system that hosts the financial, tax, utility billing, payroll, time and attendance, land management, fixed asset, cash receipts, parking and accounts receivables software applications. Funding for this upgrade will be available from the City of Laredo Texas Public Property Finance Contractual Obligation (PPFCO) Series 2003 proceeds.

29. Consideration to award contract FY05-045 to the low bidder, South Texas Waste Systems, Laredo, Texas, in the estimated amount of $25,000.00 for providing portable restrooms for city parks, city sponsored events and construction job-sites. All services will be secured on an as needed basis. Contract pricing has been secured for daily, weekend, and monthly service. The bid pricing is the same as last year. Funding for this contract is available in the Parks and Recreation Department, Parking Meter Budget and Capital Improvement Project / Contractual Obligation Construction Budgets.

30. Refund of property tax in the amount of $10,914.36 to the following taxpayers and companies:

1. A refund in the amount of $748.60 payable to Corrigan Dispatch Co. due to a double payment. Account # 800-03000-870.
2. A refund in the amount of $606.18 payable to Juan Javier Pena and Adela Pena due to a double payment. Account # 941-00004-030.
3. A refund in the amount of $6,749.84 payable to Trautmann Bros. Investment Co. due to a double payment. Account # 900-90241-077.
4. A refund in the amount of $1,111.52 payable to Chase Manhattan Mortgage Corporation due to an overpayment. Account # 988-10001-050.
5. A refund in the amount of $867.40 payable to Hurd Urban Development LLC due to an overpayment. Account # 900-90191-057.
6. A refund in the amount of $830.82 payable to J.C. Investment Co. due to an overpayment. Account # 936-20002-210.

31. Approving monthly adjustments to the tax roll. The amount to be adjusted for the month of January 2005 represents a decrease of $142,882.61. These adjustments are determined by Webb County Appraisal District and by court orders.

32. Consideration to award contract number FY05-038 to the low bidder, JJJ International Safety Equipment, Laredo, Texas, in the estimated amount of $150,274.75, for the purchase of thirty-eight (38) different completed traffic and street name signs. This is an annual supply contract that allows for the purchase of replacement signs for a one (1) year period. These signs are purchased throughout the year to replace damaged or faded signs. The bid pricing will be firm for one year. The contract pricing is approximately 15%

33. Authorizing the City Manager to execute a settlement agreement with Investigator Christi L. Hinojosa in the amount of $85,700.00. Funding is available in the Police Department Budget.

XII. STAFF REPORTS

34.
A. Presentation of a proposed Plan of Finance by Noe Hinojosa of Estrada – Hinojosa & Company, Financial Consultants to sell sales tax revenue refunding bonds for parking improvements at the Laredo Entertainment Center, with possible action.

XIII. GENERAL COUNCIL DISCUSSIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

35.
A. Request by Council Member Alfredo Agredano
1. Discussion with possible action regarding the resurfacing of Century City Boulevard, North Century Drive, East Century Drive, West Century Drive, and South Century Drive.
2. Status report on the Cielito Lindo Fire Station / Police Sub-Station.

B. Request by Council Member Gene Belmares
1. Motion to install speed humps at Laurel and Weatherwood utilizing District 6 Discretionary Funds appropriated in the Capital Improvement Fund.
2. Discussion with possible action on appropriating $20,000.00 of District 6 Discretionary Funds appropriated in the Capital Improvement Fund for the installation of lighting at the Community Babe Ruth Baseball Field.

C. Request by Council Member Juan Ramirez
1. Discussion with possible action regarding the new Civic Center / Convention Center.
2. Discussion with possible action regarding the securing of Discretionary Funds in the current fiscal year for the members of the City Council.
3. Discussion with possible action regarding First Transit’s operation and maintenance of El Metro Transit System.
4. Status report regarding traffic improvements around San Agustin Plaza, specifically Grant Street between Convent and Flores.

XIV. 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.

36. Request for Executive Session pursuant to Texas Government Code Section 551.072 in order to deliberate the possible purchase of a parcel of land in the northeast area of the City because deliberation in an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the position of the City Council in negotiations with third persons; and return to open session for possible action.

37. Request for Executive Session pursuant to Texas Government Code Section 551.071(1)(A) to consult with the City Attorney regarding pending litigation in the case styled Webb County v. City of Laredo, et.al., Cause No. 403 943, in the 261st District Court of Travis County, Texas; and return to open session for possible action.

XV. RECESS AS THE LAREDO CITY COUNCIL AND CONVENE AS THE LAREDO MASS TRANSIT BOARD.

38. 2005-RT-001 Authorizing the City of Laredo to file an application with the Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, United States of America, in the amount of $3,098,465.00 for Fiscal Year 2004-2005, and authorizing the City Manager to execute all related documents.

39. Consideration to award contract no. FY05-06 to the lowest responsible bidder, National Bus Sales in the amount of $2,233,255.92 for the purchase of seven (7) CNG 35’ Standard Floor Transit Buses. Funding is available in the FTA grants, VCR Grant and Transit Sales Tax.

40. Consideration to award Contract No. FY05-046 to Staff Force Inc., Laredo, Texas, in the estimated amount of $49,520.64 for providing up to four temporary employees. These employees will be assigned as cashiers to the Transit Center Parking Facility. Funding is available in the Transit System Fund.

XVI. ADJOURN AS THE LAREDO MASS TRANSIT BOARD AND RECONVENE AS THE LAREDO CITY COUNCIL.

XVII. 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 Wednesday, February 16, 2005 at 7:00 p.m.

Gustavo Guevara, Jr.
City Secretary