CITY OF LAREDO

CITY COUNCIL MEETING

M2003-R-02

CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS

1110 HOUSTON STREET

LAREDO, TEXAS 78040

JANUARY 27, 2003

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 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 Alberto 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

             

IV.       MINUTES

 

            None.

           

 V.       COMMUNICATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS

 

Announcements

 

None.

 

Invitations

 

None.

 

 

Recognitions

 

a.  Recognition of the City of Laredo's Health Department Vital Statistics registration staff

for being awarded the 5-star Vital Registration and Excellence Award from the Texas Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics.

 

Mayor Flores and the City Council acknowledged that the criteria for this award consisted of timeliness, training, issuance, accountability, and paternity certification.  This is the sixth year that the City’s Health Department receives this recognition.

 

b.  Recognition of Sgt. Eugenio "Gino" M. Moncivais of the Laredo Police Department who

recently returned from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Academy (FBINA) on his graduation from the 211th Session, in Quantico, Virginia, on December 13, 2002.

 

Mayor Flores and the City Council recognized Sgt. Eugenio “Gino” Moncivais for his professionalism and dedication to the police department and for completing the three-month training at the FBI academy. 

 

c.  Recognition of participants and winners of the Mayor's Cup Softball Tournament.

 

      Horacio De Leon, Parks and Recreation Director, announced the winners of the Mayor’s Cup Softball Tournament. 

                                                            A” Division                             B” Division

 

      1st Place                                         Fire Department                       Bridge Department

      2nd Place                                        United Water                            City Hall

      Overall Mayor’s Cup                      Fire Department                      

 

Communiqués

 

Cm. Agredano mentioned that the Parks and Recreation Department has two city parks on the fast track in District I.  He expects these two parks will be ready by the end of the school year.

 

Cm. Garcia congratulated Mayor Flores on the excellent job she did on the recent segment on C-Span.

 

Cm. Galo mentioned that the arena has been a very successful venture and has allowed the community to experience the thrill of watching a live hockey game and other events.  He publicly thanked the Laredo National Bank for the wonderful gesture of sponsoring 8,000 local students to attend one of the hockey games.  He urged other corporate sponsors to chip in and follow their lead and give more of our youth an opportunity to attend one of these events.  On a separate note, he also reported on an item regarding one recourse that people can take when a motorist causes damage to their property.  He stated that individuals can file a claim with Texas Department of Public Safety and it will notify the responsible party that they must pay the damage if not their license and registration will be revoked.

 

Cm. Amaya thanked the Public Works Department and its crew for their brick paving work on Clark Boulevard.

 

Cm. E. Valdez, Jr. thanked Laredo National Bank for their initiative in sponsoring all those students to the hockey game.  He applauds the bank’s efforts of giving back to the community.  He also wanted to express his appreciation to the offices of the City Manager, Community Development, Public Works, and Parks and Recreation for their involvement in securing another park for District V.  He reported that the ribbon cutting ceremony for this new park will be held on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 at 4:00 p.m. 

 

Cm. Belmares congratulated Horacio De Leon, Parks and Recreation Director, for the successful softball tournament they coordinated.  He also congratulated Mayor Flores for the excellent job she did on the segment with C-Span.

 

Cm. J. Valdez, Jr. invited the public to the Father McNaboe Skate Park ribbon cutting ceremony to be held on Friday, January 31, 2003. 

 

Cm. Ramirez thanked the Public Works Department crew for the swift job they did in completing the sidewalk project on the 600 block of Jefferson.  He thanked John Orfila and Oscar Medina for getting this job completed in a short amount of time.

 

Mayor Flores reported that being a guest on C-Span was quite an experience.  She added that the production of the segment was very well coordinated and the interview was carried out in a very professional manner.  She thanked all those individuals who have called in to congratulate her and she stated that the reason she had so many topics for discussion is because of the great people of Laredo who make things happen.  She also asked the members of the audience to observe a moment of silence for those Laredoans we have lost and who dedicated their lives to family, friends and their city. 

 

VI.       APPOINTMENTS TO COMMISSIONS, BOARDS AND COMMITTEES

 

VII.     PUBLIC HEARINGS

 

1.  Public hearing and introductory ordinance 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.

 

Motion to open the public hearing.

 

Moved:  Cm.  Galo

Second:  Cm.  Garcia

For:     8                                          Against:  0                                            Abstain:  0

 

There was no public input.

 

Motion to close the public hearing and introduce.

 

Moved:  Cm.  Belmares

Second:  Cm.  Ramirez

For:      8                                         Against:  0                                            Abstain:  0

 

Ordinance Introduction:  City Council

 

2.  Public hearing and introductory ordinance 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.

 

Motion to open the public hearing.

 

Moved:  Cm.  Belmares

Second:  Cm.  E.  Valdez, Jr.

For:      8                                         Against:  0                                            Abstain:  0

 

There was no public input.

 

Motion to close the public hearing and introduce.

 

Moved:  Cm.  Garcia

Second:  Cm.  Belmares

For:      8                                         Against:  0                                            Abstain:  0

 

Ordinance Introduction:  City Council

 

3.  Public hearing and introductory ordinance 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. 

 

Motion to open the public hearing.

 

Moved:  Cm.  Galo

Second:  Cm.  Amaya

For:      8                                         Against:  0                                            Abstain:  0

 

There was no public input.

 

Motion to close the public hearing and introduce.

 

Moved:  Cm.  Garcia

Second:  Cm.  Amaya

For:     8                                          Against:  0                                            Abstain:  0

 

Ordinance Introduction:  City Council 

 

 

4.  Public hearing and introductory ordinance 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.

 

Motion to open the public hearing.

 

Moved:  Cm.  Galo

Second:  Cm.  Amaya

For:     8                                          Against:  0                                            Abstain:  0

 

There was no public input.

 

Motion to close the public hearing and introduce.

 

Moved:  Cm.  Garcia

Second:  Cm.  Amaya

For:     8                                          Against:  0                                            Abstain:  0

 

Ordinance Introduction:  City Council

 

5.  Public hearing and introductory ordinance 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