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CITY
OF CITY
COUNCIL MEETING M-2002-R-021 CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS
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, Mayor
Pro Tempore, District I Hector
Garcia Council
Member, District II John
C. Galo, Council
Member, District III Johnny
Amaya, Council
Member, District IV Eliseo
Valdez, Jr., Council
Member, District V Gene Belmares, Council
Member, District VI Jose
A. Juan
Ramirez, Council
Member, District VIII Gustavo
Guevara, Jr., City
Secretary Larry
Dovalina, City
Manager Cynthia
Collazo, Assistant
City Manager Jaime
Flores, City
Attorney Motion
to excuse Cm. Garcia. Moved: Cm. Agredano Second: Cm. Amaya For: 7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Cm.
Garcia joined the meeting at IV. MINUTES None. V. COMMUNICATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS Announcements Mayor
Flores requested for a moment of silence in honor of those Laredoans who have contributed to our community and whom
we have lost in the last few weeks. Invitations a. Presentation by Texas Migrant Council, Inc., regarding El Dia de los Niños. Mary Guevara-Capello,
Chief Executive Officer of the Texas Migrant Council, made a presentation
before City Council on behalf of the Laredo Organizing Committee for El Dia de los Ninos. She reported that this event is based on
the Day of the Child and is endorsed annually through Congress. She added that this celebration is
sponsored locally through the Texas Migrant Council. The Laredo Organizing Committee is a
dynamic collaboration of over 50 public and private entities, children,
youth, and parents who participate in this event. She stated that this event has grown from a
gathering of hundreds to a peak attendance in 2001 of 6,500 children and
adults on the grounds of the Laredo Public Library. She explained that the organization is
requesting the City Council’s declaration of Cm. J. Valdez, Jr. requested
that city staff look into allotting one of the City’s days at the Recognitions None. Communiqués Cm. Ramirez reported that
the downtown merchants held a meeting last week. The main topic was the merchants’ concern
regarding the construction for the Iturbide
project. He also mentioned that
tomorrow is the last day to make history in Cm. J. Valdez, Jr.
expressed his thanks to Roberto Murillo, Traffic Director, for the completion
of the striping work at the Cm. Belmares
complimented everyone who was involved in this weekend’s hockey game. He stated it was a great success. Cm. E. Valdez, Jr. reminded
all his constituents to exercise their right to vote. He also thanked the citizens of Cm. Amaya thanked everyone
who participated in the chicken plate fundraiser held this past weekend. Cm. Galo reminded everyone
to go out and vote. He stated that the
numbers really matter and the best thing that Laredoans
can do is show up in numbers. He also
thanked city staff and everyone else who worked on the arena project for the
citizens of Mayor Pro Tempore Agredano
thanked the citizens of Mayor Flores urged everyone
to go cast their vote tomorrow. She
mentioned that our voice can be heard if we decide to vote. She stated that VI. APPOINTMENTS TO COMMISSIONS, BOARDS AND
COMMITTEES a. Appointment by Council Member Hector J. Garcia of
Beverly Cantu to the Tree Advisory Committee. Motion to approve. Moved: Cm.
Galo Second: Cm.
J. Valdez, Jr. For: 7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 II. PUBLIC HEARINGS 1. Public hearing and
introductory ordinance amending the City of Motion to open the public hearing. Moved: Cm.
Galo Second: Cm.
Agredano For: 7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 There was no public input. Motion to close the public hearing and introduce. Moved: Cm.
Galo Second: Cm.
Amaya For: 7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Ordinance Introduction: City Council 2. Public hearing and
introductory ordinance amending the City of Laredo FY
2002-2003 annual budget in the amount of $82,773.00 in additional funds from
the Texas Department of Health for the Office of Public Health Practice
Program of the City of Laredo Health Department for the period beginning
September 1, 2002 through August 31, 2003; and authorizing the City Manager
to amend the City of Laredo’s full-time equivalent positions by creating
three Community Service Aide positions. Motion to open the public hearing. Moved: Cm.
Galo Second: Cm.
Amaya For: 7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 There was no public input. Motion to close the public hearing and introduce. Moved: Cm.
Agredano Second: Cm.
Galo For: 7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Ordinance Introduction: City Council 3. Public hearing and
introductory ordinance authorizing the City Manager
to amend the City of Motion to open the public hearing. Moved: Cm.
Galo Second: Cm.
Agredano For: 7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 There was no public input. Motion to close the public hearing and introduce. Moved: Cm.
Galo Second: Cm.
Ramirez For: 7 Against:
0 Abstain: 0 Ordinance Introduction: City Council 4. Public hearing and
introductory ordinance authorizing the City Manager
to amend the City of Laredo’s FY 2002-2003 full-time equivalent positions by
creating 13 part-time Community Service Aides (1.28 Full-Time Equivalent
Positions - for a total of 2,664 hours) to conduct community health education
and aerobic instruction at the City’s Parks and Recreation Centers. These positions are currently paid as
contractual, staff and to align with city operations, they are now being
converted to full-time equivalent positions, and hence, this action does not
impact the current budget. Motion to open the public hearing. Moved: Cm.
Galo Second: Cm.
J. Valdez, Jr. For: 7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 There was no public input. Motion to close the public hearing and introduce. Moved: Cm.
Agredano Second: Cm.
E. Valdez, Jr. For: 7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Ordinance Introduction: City Council 5. Public hearing and
introductory ordinance accepting a grant awarded by
the Criminal Justice Division, Office of the Governor in the amount of
$99,862.00 and amending the City of Motion
to open the public hearing. Moved: Cm.
Galo Second: Cm.
Amaya For: 7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 There was no public input. Motion to close the public hearing and introduce. Moved: Cm.
Galo Second: Cm.
Amaya For: 7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Ordinance Introduction: City Council 6. Public
hearings for the voluntary
annexation of five (5) tracts of land totaling 679.71 acres, more or less,
and the unilateral annexation of one (1) tract of land totaling 607.02 acres,
more or less, for a total of 1,286.73 acres, more or less, as described in
the attached tract summaries as required by Section 43.063 of the Texas
Government Code. Voluntary Annexations: Tract 2: E.G. Ranch Tract- 214.90 acres, more or less, located south of SH 359 and
west of the City landfill. Petitioner: E.G.Ranch,
Ltd. Motion
to open the public hearing. Moved: Cm. Galo Second: Cm. Amaya For: 7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Edward Garza, with Crane Engineering, spoke on behalf of
E. G. Ranch Limited and stated that they are in favor of this
annexation. Motion to close the public hearing. Moved: Cm. Belmares Second: Cm. J.
Valdez, Jr. For: 7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Tract 3: Las Misiones Tract- 83.0116 acres, more or less, located south SH 359 and
west of the City landfill. Petitioners: Mr. Rene Soliz and Mr. A.R. “Tony”
Sanchez Motion
to open the public hearing. Moved: Cm. Belmares Second: Cm. J.
Valdez, Jr. For: 7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 There was no public input. Motion to close the public hearing. Moved: Cm. Galo Second: Cm. E.
Valdez, Jr. For: 7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Tract 4: Piña Tract -
120.13 acres, more or less, located east of IH 35 and south of the IH 35/US
83 intersection. Petitioner: Librado Piña &
Lilia Piña Family Partnership. Motion
to open the public hearing. Moved: Cm. Belmares Second: Cm. Amaya For: 7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 There was no public input. Motion to close the public hearing. Moved: Cm. J.
Valdez, Jr. Second: Cm. E.
Valdez, Jr. For: 7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Tract 5: Treviño Tract- 5.00 acres, more or less, located east of Motion
to open the public hearing. Moved: Cm. Galo Second: Cm. J.
Valdez, Jr. For: 7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 There was no public input. Motion to close the public hearing. Moved: Cm. Galo Second: Cm. J.
Valdez, Jr. For: 7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Tract 6: Zachary Tract – 256.67 acres, more or less, located east of Motion
to open the public hearing. Moved: Cm. Galo Second: Cm. Amaya For: 7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 There was no public input. Motion to close the public hearing and introduce. Moved: Cm. Galo Second: Cm. Amaya For: 7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Unilateral Annexations: Tract 7: IH 35 Tract - 607.02 acres, more or less, located
along IH 35 from Motion to open the public hearing. Moved:
Cm. Galo Second:
Cm. Amaya For:
7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 There was no public input. Motion to close the public hearing. Moved:
Cm. Galo Second:
Cm. Amaya For:
7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 VIII. 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. 7. Request for
Executive Session pursuant to Texas Government Code Section 551.074 to
evaluate the performance and pay of City Manager Larry Dovalina; and return
to open session for possible action. Motion to go into Executive Session pursuant to Texas
Government Code Section 551.074 to evaluate the performance and pay of City
Manager Larry Dovalina; and return to open session for possible action. Moved: Cm. E. Valdez,
Jr. Second: Cm. Amaya For: 8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 After Executive Session, Mayor Flores announced that no
action was taken. Motion to grant City Manager Larry Dovalina a 6% salary
increase. A 2.8 % cost of living
increase is included in the 6%. Moved: Cm. J. Valdez,
Jr. Second: Cm. E. Valdez,
Jr. For: 7 Against: 1 Abstain: 0 Cm.
Ramirez Cm.
J. Valdez, Jr. submitted for the record a schedule reflecting pay scale and
staff size for several City Manager’s offices throughout IX. GENERAL
COUNCIL DISCUSSIONS AND PRESENTATIONS 8. A.
Request by Mayor Elizabeth G. Flores |