CITY OF LAREDO

CITY COUNCIL MEETING

M2004-SC-07

CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS

1110 HOUSTON STREET

LAREDO, TEXAS 78040

JULY 28, 2004

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,                                                        Council Member, District I

            Hector Garcia,                                                              Council Member, District II

            John C.  Galo,                                                              Council Member, District III

            Johnny Amaya,                                                             Mayor Pro Tempore, District IV

            Johnny Rendon,                                                            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,                                                           Deputy City Manager

            Anthony  McGettrick,                                                   Assistant City Attorney

 

IV.       MOTION

 

1.   Consideration for approval to award a construction contract to Leyendecker Construction, Laredo, Texas, in the amount not to exceed $19,059,090.00 for the City of Laredo Bridge of Americas Modification Project (El Portal).  Funding is available in the Bridge, Water, and Sewer Systems – Bridge Revenue Bond Series 2002 and 2004 – Sewer 2003 Certificate of Obligation and Water 1997 Certificate of Obligation. 

 

 

Cm. Galo mentioned that all the numbers and calculations were presented to the Architectural Committee.  He stated that the committee was able to negotiate another $1.3 million dollars in savings and they were successful in finalizing the negotiations.  He added that the committee unanimously approved to send the recommendation to City Council for approval of a contract to Leyendecker Construction. 

 

Cynthia Collazo, Deputy City Manager, mentioned that the City had a good negotiating team working on this proposal.  She also thanked Mr. Leyendecker and Mr. Rene Cortez who sat at the table with staff and went back to do some reconfigurations on their numbers.  In addition, the City had to go ahead and clear a hurdle with the Texas Historical Commission.  Through the assistance of its consultant, Jim Moore, the City was able to get a swift response and obtain the approval to proceed.   She expressed the City’s appreciation to Mr. Bill Martin, with the Archeological Division of the Texas Historical Commission, for his assistance in expediting the City’s request for authorization to move forward with the project.

 

Larry Dovalina, City Manager, reported that there were some trials that the City has gone through to get this particular project to this stage.  He appreciates the cooperation that the city has received from all the parties involved.  He mentioned that the City has asked GSA to assist the City in the process to make sure that the government repairs the facilities and expedites the pedestrian traffic on their facilities.  He stated that the City’s architectural consultants were contacted by the  GSA architects and they stated that they have $2.5 million to begin to do their renovations and would like to work on them at the same time that the City is set to begin its work on the riverfront project. 

 

Frank Rotnofsky, Frank Architects, stated that they are finally at the point where the City is going to have a groundbreaking ceremony and will begin the actual construction.  He added that they are very excited about the project because it will enhance not only the riverfront area but the entire downtown area as well. 

 

      Motion to approve.

 

      Moved:  Cm. Galo

      Second:  Cm. Agredano

      For:    8                                                Against:  0                                      Abstain:  0

 

 V.       STAFF REPORT

 

2.   Submission of the Fiscal Year 2004-2005 Annual Budget as per Article VI, Section 6.02 Submission of Budget of the Charter of the City of Laredo which requires that “sixty (60) days before the end of the fiscal year, or any time before that, the City Manager shall present to the Council, in an open public meeting, after proper public notice, and having been placed on the council meeting agenda, a budget for the ensuring fiscal year with an accompanying message.” 

 

      Martin Aleman, Budget Director, reported that staff has submitted the budget for 2004-2005.  He mentioned that it is a balanced budget with total appropriations of $344,000,000.00; the General Fund consists of revenues of $98.8 million and expenditures of $98.8 million.  The budget workshops are scheduled for August 9th through August 11th. 

 

 VI.      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.

           

VII.     ADJOURNMENT

 

            Motion to adjourn.                                                                                Time:  5:55 p.m.

 

            Moved:  Cm. Galo

            Second:  Cm. Agredano

            For:    8                                                Against:  0                                            Abstain:  0

 

I, Gustavo Guevara, Jr., City Secretary, do hereby certify that the above and foregoing is a true and correct copy of the minutes contained in pages 01 to 03 and they are true, complete, and correct proceedings of the City Council meeting held on July 28, 2004.

 

 

                                                            _____________________________________

                                                            Gustavo Guevara, Jr.

      City Secretary