City of Laredo

City Council Meeting

M2002-W-06

City Council Chambers

1110 Houston Street

Laredo, Texas 78040

August 14, 2002

In attendance:

Elizabeth G. Flores, Mayor

Alfredo Agredano, Mayor Pro Tempore, District I

Hector Garcia, Council Member, District II

Johnny Amaya, Council Member, District IV

Eliseo Valdez, Jr., Council Member, District V

Gene Belmares, Council Member, District VI

Jose A. Valdez, Jr., Council Member, District VII

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. John C. Galo.

Moved: Mayor Pro Tempore Agredano

Second: Cm. J. Valdez

For: 7 Against: 0 Abstain: 0

L. Fire Department operations, including Fire Prevention & Suppression, EMS &

Ambulance Service, and Laredo International Fire and Law Enforcement Training Facility.

Major Accomplishments Fiscal Year 2001-002

Opening of the Laredo International Fire/Law Enforcement Training Center

Station # 13 at the Training Center

Opening of Station # 12

Created Three New Divisions:

International Training In-House Training and Fire Prevention/Arson

Purchased Airport Fire Truck

Replacement of Engine # 5 with New Fire Engine

Purchased Four New Ambulances (Replacements)

Purchased Fire Safety House

Significant Performance Measures

EMS Responses

98/99 12,666

99/00 14,303

00/01 15,018

01/02 16,100

02/03 17,244

Fire Apparatus responses

98/99 8,431

99/00 9,285

00/01 10,729

01/02 11,802

02/03 12,985

Fire Apparatus Assist EMS Call Reponses

99/00 8,007

00/01 9,621

01/02 9,680

02/03 9,800

Actual Live Fire Responses

98/99 1,067

99/00 1,278

00/01 1,108

01/02 1,120

02/03 1,220

Hazardous Materials Emergencies

98/99 15

99/00 18

00/01 28

01/02 15

02/03 20

Webb County Interlocal Agreement

98/99 $450,000

99/00 $450,000

00/01 $450,000

01/02 $450,000

02/03 $450,000

Public Education

01/02

School Presentation 200

Audience reached 31,000

Business presentations 30

Audience Reached 518

02/03

School Presentations 200

Audience reached 31,349

Business presentations 30

Audience reached 400

Fire Inspections

Actual Estimated Projected

00/01 01/02 02/03

Fire Inspections 2334 5835 7000

Number of Arson Cases 76 65 65

Plat/Plan Reviews 76 85 100

Revenue Generated $56,000 $235,675

Laredo International Fire/Law Enforcement/Training Center

It has been successful since the opening of the center. Firefighters from different parts of the world have taken interest in our Training Center. The Training Center is starting to generate Revenue for the City of Laredo. Approximately $30,000 by the end of this month. Projected Revenue for the coming year is $500,000.

Personnel History

Laredo Fire Department Personnel (Uniformed)

99/00 259

00/01 271

01/02 278

02/03 308

*Does not include New Programs.

Laredo Fire Department Personnel (Civilians)

97/98 6

98/99 6

99/00 6

00/01 8

01/02 8

Laredo Fire Department

Major Programs and Activities Proposed for FY02-03

Capital Improvement Plan

Industrial Chemical Tower

Station # 14 Cielito Lindo

Laredo Fire Department Administration Bldg.

Station # 15 I H 35

Station # 16 Hiway 59

City of Laredo Proposed Fire Station w/ Fire & EMS Response for Station # 14

Cielito Lindo Station # 14

Engine # 14 $350,000

Engine # 14 $695,000

Ambulance (RQ Unit) $160,000

Ambulance (9 F F) $513,000

EMS Vehicle $ 40,000

EMS Captain (3FF) $221,157

Total: $1,979,157

*Not Funded within Proposed Budget

Fire Department Capital Outlay

Automotive FIRE $1,555,000

Machinery & Equipment 114,600

Automotive EMS 280,000

Machinery & Equipment 87,000

Computer Hardware & Software $160,000

Automotive ARSON/PREVENTION 25,000

Contractual Obligation Fire Station Alerting

System Due March 31, 2003 250,000

*Proposed not funded

Machinery and Equipment

Automotive International Training $125,000

Machinery & Equipment 125,000

Computer Hardware 50,000

Automotive In-House Training 25,000

Machinery Equipment 230,000

Total Cost $3,046,600

*Proposed not funded

Station Alerting System

Contractual Obligations Article 11 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the City of Laredo and Local 1390 International Association of Fighters Mandates that the City implement the system by March 2003

Total $250,000

Proposed not funded

Proposed Future Programs

Airport Fire Station

2004 – 2005

Ambulance $160,000

Personnel (9F.F.) $513,000

Material & Supplies $ 23,100

Contractual Services $ 7,700

Total: $703,800

M. Health Department operations.

Dr. Hector Gonzalez, Health Director, gave the following presentation before Council:

Mission

To continuously improve access to public and primary health care through programs that promote health, prevent disease, safeguard the environment and prolong life.

Vision

To provide public health and preventive health services for early diagnosis and preventive treatment, as well as maintain disease control, promote wellness and improve the quality of life.

Public Health Structure

Public Health

Preventive Health Services

Dental Care Services

Laboratory Services

Administrative Support and Services

Public Health Nutrition Services

Environmental Health Services

Public Health Education and Promotion

Epidemiology

Epidemiology

1. Surveillance & Active Reporting

2. Bioterrorism Prevention – Webb, Duval, Jim Hogg and Zapata

3. Binational Neural Tube Defect Prevention Project

4. Binational Infectious Disease Project

5. Healthy Gente 2010 Project

6. Health Alert Network

Staff: 7.24 FTEs

Allocation: $455,076

Foodborne

Diseases Webb County, 1999

Hepatitis A 4.7 in Webb and 9.3 in the State of Texas.

Shigellosis 9.3 in Webb and 13.7 in the State of Texas

Salmonellosis 14.5 in Webb and 14.1 in the State of Texas

Morbidity Report for Webb County, 2000

HIV 16.6 in Webb and 18.9 in the State of Texas

TB 22.8 in Webb and 7.4 in the state of Texas

Diabetes 38.8 in Webb and 25.5 in the State of Texas

Cancer 86.5 in Webb and 163.7 in the State of Texas

Cardio Vascular 153.3 in Webb and 282.2 in the State of Texas

Preventive Health

1. Maternal & Child Health – 1,020 clients – 9,734 Visit

2. Tuberculosis – 84 clients – 12,612 encounters

3. Immunizations – 19,496 persons – 78,743 administered

4. Primary Care Clinic (La Familia) – 423 clients – 2,874 visits - 521 RX

5. HIV/AIDS/STD – 120 clients, 1,450 encounters, 2,460 tested

6. Pharmacy – 20,884 medications

7. Breast & Cervical Cancer Control Program – 341 patients 323 breast screens and 329 cervical screens

Staff: 54.4 FTEs

Allocated $2,613,152

Public Health Education/ Promotion

1 Buena Vida – Aerobics 396 Clients

7,920 Encounters

- Prevention 7,397 screenings

2. CHIP - 23,667 applicants

13,815 enrolled

3. Laredo Obesity Prevention 2,975 Clients

& Control Program 6,655 encounters

4. Abstinence Program 39,575 LISD students

5 middle schools

3 high schools

Staff: 7 FTEs

Allocation $771,275

Environmental Health

1. Sanitation/Food Safety – 3,521 inspections

1,000 investigations

1,562 licenses

200 septic tanks

2. Animal Control - 8,800 strays picked-up

225 specimens tested for rabies

19 positives (1 dog/18 bats)

16,000 investigations

3. Food Handler’s Training 8,035

147 classes

4. Mosquito Abatement 199 blood samples

776 household surveys

19,687 tires collected

2 stations monitored daily

5. Air Quality Control 2 stations monitored daily

(additional station Sept. 02)

Staff: 29.5 FTEs

Allocation: $1,203,164

Public Health Nutrition

1. Women, Infant & Children 21,000 participants

Programs (WIC) 244,025 visits

2. Nutrition Information & 5,393 encounters

& Education

3. Immunizations 35,781 administered

13,499 individuals

4. Pediatric Diabetic Screening – proposed for FY 2002-2003

Staff: 83 FTEs

Allocation: $2,654,860

Dental Health

1. Preventive visits – 1,961

2. Treatment visits – 6,126

3. Total clients – 1,007

4. Proposed Dental Students, University of Texas Health Science Center – San Antonio, to provide health education and assist dentist.

Staff: 6 FTEs

Allocation: $291,705

Laboratory

1. Clinical bacteriology 1,922 tests

2. Medical serology 4,721 tests

3. Clinical chemistries 87,570 tests

4. Water bacteriology 3,320

5. Limited BT testing

Staff: 5 FTEs

Allocation: $283,809

Administration & Support Services

1. Planning, monitoring, coordination & evaluation – 96,964 clinical clients

82,998 outreach & support

2. Billing & EMS collections – 10,960 claims

$1,049,952 collections

3. Vital Statistics – 6,308 births

1,124 deaths

4. Future faculty for 1^st and 2^nd year medical students (UTHSC-SA)

Staff: 30.1 FTEs

Allocation $1,850,130

FY2002-2003 Budget by Services

Administrative 14%

Environmental Health 12%

Lab 3%

PH Nutrition 26%

Other Support 4%

Health Education 12%

Dental 3%

Epi/BT 4%

PHS 26%

Summary of Funding Sources FY2002-03

TDH & Other Grants 63%

Other 1%

Service Fees 6%

Webb County 1%

General Fund 29%

Strengths

Community-oriented public health preventive disease control

Accessible health care

Maximized resources through partnerships

Multi-funding resources

Local epidemiology, surveillance and intervention activities

Challenges

Limited resources impact retention of personnel & contractual providers

Generated revenues partially address health care demand despite increase in fees

Facility complex not adequate for ever-increasing services and clients

Opportunities

Strong community support

Well established

Research, analysis and training

Address emerging diseases and new health care challenges to continue improving the quality of life

Public Health Threats

Legislative decisions can affect local resources and services

Level/decreased funding limits health care services

Inadequate health care access (family medicine, mental health, substance abuse)

Emerging Infectious and chronic diseases

Public Health Priorities:

Maternity

Clients Visits Amt. Billed Amt. Reimbursed

2001 1,692 9,287 $569,973 $492,000

2002 1,506 9,226 $507,702 $492,000

2003 1,621 10,162 $546,791 $492,000

Health Education/Prevention

Buena Vida – LOPAC

2001 2002 2003

No. of Clients 7,510 2,909 3,000

No. of Visits 16,530 6,360 6,500

BV Screenings 7,390 7,393 7,500

Decrease in State funding from $200,000 to $24,600 in 2003

Primary Care (La Familia)

2001 2002 2003

No. of Clients 315 384 400

No. of Visits 2,991 3,644 3,796

RX Vouchers 1,632 540 400

Decrease in State funding from $200,000 in 2000 to $165,000 in 2003

Current & Future Public Health Concerns

Environmental health hazards

Vector-borne diseases (West Nile, Dengue)

Bio Terrorism

Emerging and infectious diseases

Critical Funding FY 2003

Expenses:

Vital Stats Reorganization $15,000

Computer Tech $32,000

Buena Vida Screen Testing $50,000

Total $97,000

Revenues:

EPI position to BT $52,000

Vital Stats revenues – fee increase $37,722

Uniform Savings/Rev. Policy $7,278

Total $97,000

N. Library Department operations.

Janice Weber, Librarian, gave the following presentation:

Customer Service

Visitors 346,448

Circulation 389,563

Children’s Programs 3,051

Program Attendance 41,475

Literacy Contact Hours 158,073

Training Contact Hours 27,531

Computer Training

Public = Children and adults

Library Staff

City Departments

Non-profit Agencies

Other

Training

Sign Language

CPR/AED

MLS

ESL/GED

Craft Fairs

Puppet Making/Storytelling

Technology = Access = Communication = Knowledge

General Computing

Internet & E-mail

Ready Reference = Telephone and Internet

Databases

Databases – Remote Access

Texas State Electronic Library

Welcome to the TexShare Databases for the Texas State Library and Archives Commission

Tutor.com

http://tutor.com/

Learn-a-Test

http://ww.learnatest.com/

Databases – Remote Access

AP Photo Archive

http://accuweather.ap.org/cgi-bin/apl.pl

Facts on File World News Digest – full tex articles

http://www.2facts.com/RemLib.asp?library=laredopltx

SIRS Researcher – full text articles

http://web5.infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/0/1/1/purl=rc6 Sirs?sw aep=txshrpub100222

Magill Oneline Literature

http://search.epnet.come/cpidlogin.asp?custid=s8335888