CITY OF LAREDO
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
M2000-R-22
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS
1110 HOUSTON STREET
LAREDO, TEXAS 78040
AUGUST 21, 2000
5:30 P.M.
I. CALL
TO ORDER
With
a quorum present, Mayor Elizabeth G. Flores called the meeting to order.
II.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor
Elizabeth G. Flores led in the Pledge of Allegiance.
III.
ROLL CALL
In
attendance:
Elizabeth
G. Flores, Mayor
Alfredo
Agredano, Council
Member, District I
Louis
H. Bruni, Council
Member, District II
John
C. Galo, Council
Member, District III
Johnny
Amaya Council
Member, District IV
Eliseo
Valdez, Jr., Council
Member, District V
Joe A.
Guerra, Mayor
Pro Tempore, District VI
Jose
A. Valdez, Jr., Council
Member, District VII
Juan
Ramirez, Council
Member, District VIII
Gustavo
Guevara, Jr., City
Secretary
Cynthia
Collazo, Acting
City Manager
Larry
Dovalina, Acting
City Manager
Jaime
Flores, City
Attorney
IV. MINUTES
Approval of the minutes of July 3, 2000,
and July 17, 2000.
Moved: Cm. Agredano
Second: Cm. Amaya
For: 8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0
V. COMMUNICATIONS
AND RECOGNITIONS
Announcements
Cm. Bruni submitted a
two-week rain enhancement report from Southwest Texas Rain Enhancement Association.
The report is available in the City Secretary’s Office for public
viewing.
Mayor Flores read a section from the following letter:
Mr.
William B. Madden, Chairman
Texas Water Development Board
1700 North Congress Avenue
Austin, Texas 78701
Dear Chairman Madden:
In my role as Governor George W.
Bush’s lead liaison on Texas-Mexico border issues, I strongly state my
support for the City of Laredo-Webb County Colonia Improvements Project. This project is one of Governor Bush’s top
priorities for his colonia program for 2000.
I encourage the board to approve the financial commitment for this
much-needed and long-awaited project.
This project will provide first-time water and wastewater service
to thousands of Colonia residents living along Highway 359 and Mines Road. I know many local officials and residents
have worked diligently to carry this project forward to this point. Also, dozens of state officials and Board
staff have put in numerous hours guiding this project through the development
phase. As a result, we will soon see
the benefits of our cooperative efforts.
On behalf of the Governor, I want to thank Judge Martinez,
Commissioners Gutierrez and Urdiales, Mayor Flores, city and county staff, and
the Board members and staff for their dedication to see this project through to
this juncture. I reiterate my and the
Governor’s full support for this project and the financial commitment the State
of Texas will be making for these Colonia residents to receive safe drinking
water and adequate wastewater service.
Sincerely,
Elton Bomer
Secretary of State
State of Texas
Mayor Flores stated that the White House Millennium Council
recently designated the City of Laredo as an official Millennium Community.
Roger Garcia, Acting Director of the Health Department, circulated
a press release from the Health Department discussing the Community Health
Status Report of Webb County regarding the decline in border birth
defects. The report confirmed that
birth defects are yielding dramatically from a result of the Health Department
and their ability to inform the public of the importance of nutrition and folic
acid.
Invitations
a.
Mr. Daniel B. Hastings, Jr., would like to invite the Mayor and the City
Council to
attend The Treasury Advisory Committee meeting on Commercial
Operations (COAC) of the U.S. Customs.
The Committee's objectives are to advise the Secretary of the Treasury
on issues relating to the commercial operations of the Customs Service. A tour and dinner will be
held on Thursday, September 21, 2000 and COAC Committee meeting will be held on
Friday, September 22, 2000 at La Posada.
Mr. Hastings thanked the Mayor and the Council and publicly
invited them to attend the Treasury Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations
of the U. S. Customs. He also
extended the invitation to Acting City Managers Dovalina and Collazo.
Recognitions
a. In recognition to Officer
David Hinojosa, Jr. and Leticia Garcia from the Laredo
Police Department and Patricia Martinez from the Engineering Department
for their
noble act as Bone Marrow Donors.
Mayor Flores and the Council presented a Seven Flags Certificate
to Leticia Garcia from the Police Department and Patricia Martinez from the
Engineering Department for their compassionate and heroic act as a Bone Marrow
Donors. The Mayor acknowledged their
humanitarian deed in unselfishly donating the gift of life. Officer David Hinojosa was not present.
b.
Mayor Flores presented a Seven Flags Certificate of Recognition to Lucy
Trapane
from Stoneworks
of Texas for investing in Laredo.
Communiqués
VI. APPOINTMENTS TO COMMISSION, BOARDS AND
COMMITTEES
a. Appointment of Blanca N. T. Castro by
Council Member Johnny Amaya to the
Telecommunications Advisory Committee.
Moved:
Cm. Galo
Second:
Cm. Agredano
For: 8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0
b. Appointments by Council Member Jose A.
Valdez, Jr. of Javier "Rito" De Anda to the
Library
Advisory Committee and Blas Martinez to the Airport Advisory Committee.
Moved: Cm. Agredano
Second:
Cm. Amaya
For: 8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0
c. Appointment of Patricia Martinez by Council
Member Juan Ramirez to the Citizens
Environmental
Committee.
Moved: Mayor Pro Tempore Guerra
Second:
Cm. Bruni
For: 8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0
VII. PUBLIC
HEARINGS
1.
Public hearing to amend the City of Laredo's 1999-2000 annual budget in
the amount of
$424,000.00 for the Governor's Automobile Theft Prevention
Authority Grant. A.T.P.A. is
contributing $325,000.00, the City is designating $77,000.00 in matching funds
and Webb County is designating $22,000.00 in matching funds for a total of
$424,000.00 to fund the Laredo Auto Theft Task Force for the period of
September 1, 2000 through August 31, 2001.
(Approval of Resolution 2000-R-117 needed before Public Hearing)
INTRODUCTION OF AN ORDINANCE
Amend the City of Laredo's 1999-2000 annual budget in the amount
of $424,000.00 for the Governor's Automobile Theft Prevention Authority
Grant. A.T.P.A. is contributing
$325,000.00, the City
is designating $77,000.00 in matching funds and Webb County is
designating $22,000.00
in matching funds for a total of $424,000.00 to fund the Laredo
Auto Theft Task Force
for the period of September 1, 2000 through August 31, 2001.
Motion to open the public hearing.
Moved: Cm. Bruni
Second: Cm. Galo
For: 8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0
There was no public input.
Motion to close the
public hearing and introduce.
Moved: Cm. Bruni
Second: Cm. Agredano
For:
8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0
Ordinance Introduction: City Council
2.
Public hearing to approve a contract with South Central Texas Chapter of
March of
Dimes and budget in the amount of $2,990.00 for the Children's
Health Insurance Outreach Program of the City of Laredo Health Department for
the period of August 1, 2000, through December 31, 2000. (Approval of Resolution 2000-R-121 needed
before Public Hearing)
INTRODUCTION OF AN ORDINANCE
Approval of a contract with South Central Texas Chapter of March
of Dimes and budget in the amount of $2,990.00 for the Children's Health
Insurance Outreach Program of the City of Laredo Health Department for the
period of August 1, 2000, through December 31, 2000; and authorizing the City
Manager to make transfers within the Budget.
Motion to open the public hearing.
Moved: Cm. Bruni
Second: Cm. Galo
For: 8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0
There was no public input.
Motion to close the
public hearing and introduce.
Moved: Mayor Pro Tempore Guerra
Second: Cm. Bruni
For:
8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0
Ordinance Introduction: City Council
3.
Public Hearing to amend the City of Laredo's 1999-2000 Annual Budget to
reflect an
appropriation in Transportation Planning Funds. The appropriation of $21,039.00 comes
from the release of 1998-1999 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP)
unexpended
funds.
INTRODUCTION OF AN ORDINANCE
Amending the City of
Laredo's 1999-2000 Annual Budget to reflect an appropriation in
Transportation Planning
Funds. The appropriation of $21,039.00
comes from the release
of 1998-1999 Unified
Planning Work Program (UPWP) unexpended funds.
Motion to open the public hearing.
Moved:
Cm. Bruni
Second: Cm. Galo
For: 8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0
There was no public input.
Motion to close the
public hearing and introduce.
Moved: Mayor Pro Tempore Guerra
Second: Cm. Agredano
For: 8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0
Ordinance Introduction: City Council
4.
Public Hearing to repeal the Ambulance Advisory Council Ordinance dated
April 7,
1981 consisting of eight (8) members for the purpose of advising
and consulting with the City of Laredo in regards to operations of both the
public and private ambulance systems.
INTRODUCTION OF AN ORDINANCE
Repealing the Ambulance
Advisory Council Ordinance dated April 7, 1981 consisting of
eight (8) members for
the purpose of advising and consulting with the City of Laredo in
regards to operations of
both the public and private ambulance systems.
Motion to open the
public hearing.
Moved:
Cm. Galo
Second:
Cm. Agredano
For:
8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0
There was no public input.
Motion to close the
public hearing and introduce.
Moved:
Cm. Galo
Second:
Cm. Agredano
For:
8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0
Ordinance Introduction: City Council
VIII. GENERAL COUNCIL DISCUSSIONS AND
PRESENTATIONS
5. A. Request by Mayor Elizabeth G. Flores
1.
Creation and appointment of Council Committee to work with city staff in
the
matter of the Laredo
Entertainment Center.
The Mayor read the
following:
We have a mandate, a majority vote, from the people of Laredo who
exercised their right to vote on August 12, 2000. The people voted for a ¼ of 1% sales and use tax for the purpose
of building the Laredo Entertainment Center.
We also have a Letter of Intent approved by the City Council
Members and executed by the City and Arena Ventures, LLC which requires both
parties to enter a 180 day negotiation period and in good faith work towards
agreeing how to get the Laredo Entertainment Center designed, built and
operated. If we cannot come to
agreement within the next 180 days the parties can go their separate ways and
the City can proceed to negotiate with any other party that may show interest.
Having said that, I want to stress that we have, as I said at
first…we have a mandate, we have been told by the people. “We want it…get it built!”
And we will now begin to do just that.
As we begin, I want to share with you some organizational points
on how we plan to proceed with the negotiations.
Tonight I am appointing every council member to an area of
contribution towards this great endeavor.
I will also be sharing with you the composition of the city managers’
negotiation team and how these two bodies will work together throughout the
negotiation process.
First, however, let me clarify one point: The negotiations for the City will be
conducted by a team of city staff with assistance from additional city staff
members and outside expert consultants.
The core city staff negotiations team will be headed by the City
Managers and will consists of the City Attorney, the City Engineer, the City
Planner, the City Building Director and the City Budget Officer. Assisting this core group will be the City
Finance Officer, the City CVB Director and the City Convention Center Director. And, of course, behind them is every single
member of the city’s staff.
The City Negotiation Team will also assisted by outside legal
consultants from the law firm of McCall, Parkhurst and Horton. They will also be assisted by the City’s
Financial advisors, the firm of Estrada-Hinojosa. Additionally, this team will be further assisted by professionals
yet to be determined who will have specific expertise and will provide
engineering, architectural and arena management consultation.
Because of the significance of this project and the importance of
obtaining citizens’ input through their elected representative I am calling on
the entire council to serve in different capacities. Accordingly, I am naming the council members to lend their
expertise and advice in important areas, which I will identify at this time as
“focus groups”.
Architectural and Engineering:
District II Council Member Louis Bruni
District III Council Member John Galo
District VII Council Member Jose Valdez
Transportation and Infrastructure:
District I Council Members Alfredo Agredano
District IV Council Member John Amaya
District VIII Council Member Juan Ramirez
Financing and Management:
District III Council Members John Galo
District V Council Member Eliseo Valdez
District VI Council Member Joe Guerra
Directly advising and meeting with the City Negotiation Team will
be a committee of City Council members to be known as the “Council Laredo
Entertainment Center (CLEC) Committee”.
This Committee which I am also creating and appointing tonight will be
chaired by the Council Member from District III, John Galo and will also
include as Members, District II Council Members Louis Bruni and District V
Council Member Eliseo Valdez.
The inter-working for these different groups is a dynamic
one. It will be a challenge for the
city negotiation team to find the manner and the method to best utilize the
time and expertise of the staff, the consultants and the citizens as
represented by their elected representative.
As we have done in every other project and with every other
contract, we bring our good faith efforts to the table and we bring a full
knowledge that as representative of the citizens of Laredo we owe a duty to
every single taxpayer to obtain the best possible return for every public
dollar spent. We have demonstrated our
ability to do just that.
The public trust demands a direct correlation between the value of
the good and services obtained and the cost and expense incurred for those
goods and services.
Accordingly, these contract negotiations will be directed at
obtaining a full and best value for each taxpayer dollar spent to build the
Laredo Entertainment Center. That is
our mission and our resolve and today we begin with these assignments and with
an excited anticipation that come September 2002 we shall swing open the doors
to a new era of entertainment and economic development in Laredo.
In closing let me say this Laredo. Your calls have been uplifting, your direction clear and your
hope that we finish early will be carefully taken into consideration. I will promise the Class of 2002 that the
Council and I, along with every member of the team will do everything in our
power to finish in time for your 2002 graduation ceremonies. Let’s get it done.
Council Laredo Entertainment Center (CLEC)
Committee
Purpose of Setting up CLEC Committee:
Ad Hoc Committee of City Council members to provide advice to the
City of Laredo Staff Negotiation Team in the matter of the City’s negotiation
with Arena Ventures, L. L. C. in all
areas involved in financing, building and managing of the Laredo Entertainment
Center.
Members:
District II Council Member Louis Bruni
District III Council Member John Galo, Chair
District V Council
Member Eliseo Valdez
Focus Groups
Purpose of Setting up Focus Groups
Because of the significance of this project the entire council who
represent the citizen’s interest will serve in different capacities. Accordingly, the following council members
will lend their expertise and advice in the following areas identified at this
time as “Focus Groups”.
Motion to confirm the Mayor’s appointments to the Council Laredo
Entertainment Center (CLEC), Architectural and Engineering Committee,
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Financing and Management
Committee.
Moved: Mayor Pro Tempore
Guerra
Second: Cm. Bruni
For: 8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0
B. Request by Council Member Jose A. Valdez,
Jr.
1. Status report on the
communication efforts for emergency vehicle response during
the blockage of
intersections by the Tex-Mex and Union Pacific Railroads.
Lt. Palacios assured the Council that the communication efforts
for emergency vehicles would be fully functional within a week.
2. Request for the
construction of a sidewalk on Albany St. from Rancho Viejo to
Kazen Elementary, with
possible action.
Rogelio Rivera, City Engineer, informed the council of the cost
estimate for construction of the sidewalk.
The cost estimate, which includes the removal of the landscaping, will
be $ 6,500 dollars.
Cynthia Collazo stated that the city is ready to move forward with
the project because the City partnered with United Independent School District
to expedite the construction.
Motion was made to proceed in the construction of the sidewalk on
Albany St. from Rancho Viejo to Kazen Elementary.
Moved: Cm. J.
Valdez
Second: Cm. Amaya
For: 8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0
3. Requesting a report
from City Staff regarding sidewalks and safety improvements
needed around schools and school approaches.
Roberto Murillo, Traffic Director, explained that each year his
department re-stripes all crosswalks and verifies that all flashing beacons are
functioning properly. He added that
his staff works closely with Risk Management addressing specific concerns. Metro Government Committee does meet to
decide what schools they can prioritize to be able to do some studies. United Independent School District and
Laredo Independent School District utilize some of the funds that are available
for the purpose of sidewalks and safety improvements.
Gabriel Del Bosque, from the Planning Department, stated that the
Metropolitan Planning Organization recently approved the Unified Planning Work
Program for the next fiscal year which includes $70,000 authorized for a school
zone safety study. Representatives from
both school districts will determine the best locations and gather enough data
to identify the necessary improvements for safety and circulation. Also, to prepare grant applications through
programs such as Hazard Elimination Safety Programs
Motion to have the priority set where we
work around the schools first.
Moved:
Cm. Agredano
Second:
Cm. Amaya
For:
8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0
C. Request by Council Member Juan Ramirez
1.
Requesting staff to provide information on the Council action that
provided the
authorization of transferring funding from the surplus Hotel-Motel
Fund to the
Civic Center Reserve, Capital Improvement Fund.
Heberto
Ramirez, Budget Officer, reported that at the last City Council meeting he gave a history on the Hotel-Motel Funds and
how they were used. Also, how they were
transferred.
Cm. Ramirez asked staff how they
determine the amount of money that Third
Party Funding receives.
Beto Ramirez, Budget Director, stated that Hotel Motel Legal
Requirements
section 351.103 dictate the terms of the allocation of revenues.
Larry Dovalina, Acting City Manager, remarked that staff would meet with
Cm. Ramirez and explain the
entire process and address his concerns.
2.
Status report on proposed traffic patterns and master plan for the
downtown area
and specifically around San Agustin Church, with possible action.
Roberto Murillo, Traffic Director, stated that the last study was
completed in 1996.
Motion was made to update the study and incorporate the new changes that
are recently being considered.
Moved: Mayor Pro Tempore Guerra
Second: Cm. Agredano
For: 8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0
IX. INTRODUCTORY ORDINANCES
6.
An ordinance authorizing the City Manager to execute a lease amendment
to the lease
agreement authorized by Ordinance NO. 91-O-266 dated December 2, 1991,
and as
amended by Ordinance No. 95-O-161 dated July 17, 1995, in order to
assign the lease to Josefa Lago De Sarabia, surviving wife, successor in
interest, and heir of Herculano Sarabia, deceased, for Hangar No. 162 at the
Laredo International Airport, amend Section 1.02, titled "Term" by
extending the lease term for an additional six (6) years and nine (9) months
ending September 30, 2009, amend Section 1.03, titled "Rental Obligation"
by adding a clause providing for a fair market appraisal to determine the
monthly rent effective December 31, 2002, which is the beginning of the amended
lease term extension period, amend Section 1.06, titled "Use , Use
Conflict and Sublease", in order to allow Lessee to sublease to Labata
Services, and amend Section 4.08, titled "Notices", thereby changing
the name to Josefa Lago de Sarabia. All
other terms and conditions remain unchanged and in effect.
Ordinance
Introduction: City Council
7.
An ordinance authorizing the City Manager to execute all necessary
documents to
effectively convey fee simple title to the "Surface
Only", at its market value of $38,107.00, of certain property described as
a tract of land containing 12,292.65 sq. ft., more or less, out of that former
section of the 1200 block of N. India Ave. between the north right-of-way line
of Guadalupe Street and the south right-of-way line of the Texas Mexican
Railroad tracks to Heirloom Investments, L.C. (Miracle Candle Company). Said tracts being situated in the Eastern
Division, City of Laredo, Webb County, Texas, being described on the City Plat;
and hereby approving the submitted Improvement Plan, which is in compliance
with Section 10 of the Street Closing/Sales Policy Handbook, as approved per Resolution
No. 97-R-140; and providing for an effective date.
Ordinance
Introduction: City Council
8.