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CITY OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING M2007-R-02 CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS I. CALL TO ORDER With
a quorum present, Mayor Pro Tempore Ramirez, called the meeting to order. II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor
Pro Tempore called the meeting to order. III. ROLL CALL In
attendance: Mike
Garza, Council
Member, District I Hector
Garcia, Council
Member, District II Johnny
Rendon Council Member, District V Gene
Belmares, Council
Member, District VI Juan
Chavez Council
Member, District VII Juan
Ramirez, Mayor
Pro Tem, District VIII Gustavo
Guevara, Jr., Rafael
Garcia, Assistant
City Manager Horacio
De Leon, Assistant
City Manager Motion
to excuse Mayor Salinas and Cm. Amaya. Moved: Cm.
Garcia Second: Cm.
Garza For: 6 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 IV. MINUTES None. V. COMMUNICATIONS
AND RECOGNITIONS
Recognitions a. Recognition of
the City of Laredo Postponed. b. Recognition of Department, Esther Garcia, her selection
as January 2007 Employee of the Month. the United States Department of Housing
and Urban Development for CDBG home and ESG program funding which this year
represented over five million dollars in funding to the community
of which is an activity funded through the
development block grant and helps to ensure compliance with
federal program requirements. In
addition, she oversees the emergency shelter grant program and works very
closely with service providers in our community in helping address
local homeless needs. She is
exceptionally reliable and diligent when given an
assignment. You can count on her to
get the job done with minimal supervision. She is a team leader and sets an example
that others can follow. In addition to her normal work load she has been
selected recently to participate in the City of fellow department staff in coordinating
a very successful holiday celebration for the 189 elderly
residents who live at the Hamilton Housing Apartments. Her efforts in coordinating activities in contributions
from different individuals and private entities provided elderly residents
truly enjoyed themselves and were greatly appreciative.
Communiqués a. Presentation by the Streets of Laredo
regarding 2007 Popeyes Jamboozie
Festival Rafael Torres, Chairperson for the
Festival, extended an invitation to the Mayor, City Council, and all the citizens of our
community to the 2007 Jamboozie Festival during January 27th. b. Presentation by Minita
Ramirez, President Elect, regarding the 2007 Birthday Celebration. Minita Ramirez,
President Elect of the Washington Birthday Celebration, reported that it was her honor to represent the many
volunteers that make up the yearly celebration. It is through the efforts of countless
volunteers, the cooperation of many different organizations and the financial support
from the great community that makes WBCA an exciting month
long celebration comprised of over 28 events held to promote the City. She thanked the City Council for their
support. WBCA is the affirmation of
local, state, national, and international initiatives
and recognizes positive efforts of the schools, youth, business community and religious
organizations. Most important she
thanked the City leaders and the numerous city staff
members that support the events. Citizen comments Citizens
are required to fill out a witness card and identify themselves at the
microphone. Comments should be relevant to City business and
delivered in a professional manner. No
derogatory remarks will be
permitted. There is a time limit of
three minutes per speaker. VI. APPOINTMENTS TO
COMMISSIONS, BOARDS AND COMMITTEES a. Appointment by
Council Member Hector Garcia of Triana Volpe to
Parks and Recreation Committee. Motion to approve. Moved:
Cm. Garcia Second:
Cm. Garza For:
6 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 VII. GENERAL COUNCIL
DISCUSSIONS AND PRESENTATIONS 1. A. Request
by Council Member Hector Garcia 1. Discussion with possible action on allowing
the use of City owned vacant lots located at the Cm. Garcia explained that he had placed
this item on the agenda to assure that the City of Jose Flores, element of the
lease agreement and liability insurance was one of the concerns. WBCA will insure the festivities and the
event at the airport. He further explained that
there is a rent assessment of $200 a day for two days. Motion to allow the use of the City
owned vacant lots located at the Moved:
Cm. Garcia Second:
Cm. Garza For: 6 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 2. Discussion with possible action on allowing
one street banner during the WBCA festivities. Motion to allow a one street banner
during the WBCA festivities. Moved:
Cm. Garcia Second:
Cm. Landeck For:
6 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 B. Request by Council Member Gene Belmares 1. Discussion with possible action regarding
the streets to be included in the 2006- 2007 Street Recycling Project for
District VI. Cm.
Belmares said that the street
recycling in the Regency area because they are pending a water line and to concentrate on five blocks around the baseball
fields. He asked the Acting City Manager
to take primary interests in resurfacing the principal arterials. Alejandro Lambrada,
be Cm. Belmares
informed Council that he would review the list with Alejandro Lambrada and
return to Council with street change recommendations for District V. 2. Discussion with possible action on creating
isolation fencing for the swimming pool ordinance. Cm. Belmares
said that the City of 3. Discussion with possible action regarding
deteriorating street conditions in District VI. Cm. Belmares advised
that he had met with several engineers regarding the streets of causing the
deteriorating. of streets. He also discussed the problems with the
Metro bus taking the route on the streets that are not constructed for
that type of traffic. Cm. Belmares
instructed the City Manager to step up the enforcement on the irrigation systems in the City. He also asked the City Manager to step up
the enforcement on
the truck route. Finally, he
instructed staff to look at the current specifications for roads. 4.
Discussion with possible action on implementing a water distribution
action plan for Summer 2007. Cm. Belmares
said that it is early in the season and the City of needs to be
proactive and have a plan for the summer month water breaks. will be in
service. By that time, all river water
intake pumps will have been rebuilt
including the motors and switch gear and returned to service. Staff would have repaired
valves to the high service pumps. He
too agreed that the City of by the motors and
valves at the Hendricks and Lyon facilities.
Finally, he said that they are in the final stages of establishing
a program for water loss studies by zone throughout the
city. Cm. Belmares
instructed the Acting City Manager to return to Council with a drafted plan addressing the water
distribution action plan for Summer 2007.
He reminded the
City that the City of VIII. PUBLIC HEARINGS 2. Public hearing and introductory ordinance
authorizing the City Manager to execute a budget
amendment appropriating operating funds from the Federal Transit Administration Grant No. TX 90X706 from
Fiscal Year 2005-2006 in the amount $526,487.00 to be used for operating
expenses in Fiscal Year 2006-2007 increasing the Federal
contribution from $3,700,000.00 to $4,226,487.00 and decreasing the sales tax
match for operations from $5,693,440.00
to $5,166,953.00 and amending the Transit Sales Tax Fund by transferring
$526,487.00 into Transit Sales Tax Fund by transferring $526,487.00 into Sales Tax Reserve and
reducing transfer to operations by $526,487.00. Motion to open the public hearing. Moved:
Cm. Belmares Second:
Cm. Chavez For: 6 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 There was no public input. Motion to close the public hearing and
introduce. Moved:
Cm. Belmares Second:
Cm. Garcia For: 6 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Ordinance Introduction: City Council 3. Public hearing and introductory ordinance amending
the City of Laredo FY 2006-2007 annual budget by decreasing the grant
award amount by $66,618.00 due to an 8 month award pending full application from the
Texas Department of State Health Services for the Prevention Services for HIV
Prevention Project of the City of Department for a total amount of
$133,236.00, contract period beginning January 1, 2007, through deleting one unfilled Community Service
Aide position to reallocate funds for other program
personnel. Motion to open the public hearing. Moved:
Cm. Garcia Second:
Cm. Rendon For: 6 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 There was no public input. Motion to close the public hearing and
introduce. Moved:
Cm. Belmares Second:
Cm. Rendon For: 6 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Ordinance Introduction: City Council 4. Public hearing and introductory ordinance
amending the City’s Capital Improvement Fund-Los Obispos
Remediation Project FY 2006-2007 Budget by appropriating revenues and
expenditures in the amount of $36,000.00.
The revenues derive from the settlement agreement between the City of
Builders. Motion to open the public hearing. Moved:
Cm. Garza Second:
Cm. Landeck For: 6 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 There was no public input. Motion to close the public hearing and
introduce. Moved:
Cm. Garza Second:
Cm. Belmares For:
6 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Ordinance Introduction: City Council 5. Public hearing and introductory ordinance
authorizing the City Manager to amend the Fiscal Year 2006-2007 budget by
allocating the Utility late fees and appropriating revenues and expenses in the amount of
$131,290.00 to the Utility Billing Division provided by
projected increases in the Utility Late Fees.
Funds will be used to purchase an Automated Interactive Voice Response
(IVR) Customer Service System and cover temporary
personnel costs for the non-deposit special revenue collection project. Motion to open the public hearing. Moved:
Cm. Garcia Second:
Cm. Belmares For: 6 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 There was no public input. Motion to close the public hearing and
introduce. Moved:
Cm. Belmares Second:
Cm. Garcia For: 6 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Ordinance Introduction: City Council 6. Public hearing and introductory ordinance
amending Ordinance 2004-O-291, which established the rental rates on all
multi-family apartment properties acquired through the FAR Part 150 Municipal Housing Corporation (LMHC) by
revising the rental rate structure to ensure the units’
marketability. Motion to open the public hearing. Moved:
Cm. Garcia Second:
Cm. Belmares For: 6 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 There was no public input. Motion to close the public hearing and
introduce. Moved:
Cm. Belmares Second:
Cm. Garza For: 6 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Ordinance Introduction: City Council 7. Public hearing and introductory ordinance
amending Ordinance 2003-O-143, which established the rental rates for the
single-family properties purchased through the International Laredo Municipal Housing Corporation by
revising the rental rate structure of vacant properties to
ensure the marketability of the properties.
Motion to open the public hearing. Moved:
Cm. Belmares Second:
Cm. Chavez For: 6 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 There was no public input. Motion to close the public hearing and
introduce. Moved:
Cm. Belmares Second:
Cm. Rendon For: 6 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Ordinance Introduction: City Council 8. Public hearing and introductory ordinance
amending the Zoning Ordinance (Map) of the City of extraction on 4 acres, as further
described by metes and bounds in attached Exhibit “A”, located east of
Interstate Highway 35 south of termination of Planning and Zoning Commission
recommended approval of the Special Use Permit. (District VI) Motion to open the public hearing. Moved:
Cm. Garcia Secon |