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CITY OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING M2007-R-020 CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS I. CALL TO ORDER With a quorum present Mayor II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor Salinas led in the Pledge of
Allegiance. III. ROLL CALL In attendance: Raul G. Mike Garza, Council
Member, District I Hector Garcia, Council
Member, District II Johnny Amaya, Council Member, District IV Johnny Rendon, Council
Member, District V Gene Belmares, Mayor
Pro Tem, District VI Juan Chavez Council
Member, District VII Juan Ramirez, Council
Member, District VIII Gustavo Guevara, Jr., Horacio De Leon, Assistant
City Manager Jesus Olivares, Assistant
City Manager Raul Casso, IV. MINUTES Approval of the minutes of Motion to approve. Moved: Mayor Pro Tempore Belmares Second: Cm. Amaya For: 8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 V. COMMUNICATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS Recognitions Recognition of Joel Moreno of the
Parks & Recreation Department on his selection as October Employee of the Month. The Mayor and City Council
publicly recognized Joel Moreno on his selection as October Employee of the Month. Communiqués Cm. Garza congratulated Cm. Garcia
on his ability to secure the 2009 Cm. Garcia said that he and
Mr. Guevara, representing the City of Conference to be held in Cm. Landeck also congratulated Cm.
Garcia for being awarded the bid for the 2009 National/International Cm. Amaya mentioned the renaming
of the Eliseo Valdez, Jr. Parks scheduled for Cm. Rendon thanked the Parks &
Recreational Department for organizing and assisting with the self defense course. He advised residents that the City of Cm. Belmares congratulated Mary Cm. Chavez explained that he had
missed the last Council meeting because he was attending a Transportation Association Committee. He explained that the event was very successful and that it is very
important to take care of the transportation funding. Cm. Ramirez congratulated former
Vice-President Al Gore for being chosen as a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in his
efforts in drawing attention to the global warming. He mentioned
the ribbon cutting ceremonies in Mayor Salinas also congratulated
the Steve La Mantia family for their work in the community. He said
that he has received hate mail from individuals that are in favor of constructing a wall between 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 Appointment by Mayor Motion to approve. Moved: Mayor Pro Tempore Belmares Second: Cm. Rendon For: 8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 VII. GENERAL COUNCIL DISCUSSIONS AND
PRESENTATIONS 1.
A. Request by Mayor 1.
Discussion with possible action on increasing recreational activities
for senior citizens. Mayor Salinas stated that the City of provide recreational activities
including meals, bingos, etc. He said
that senior citizens would enjoy a place where they can go
and participate in different activities free of charge. Miguel Pescador, Parks &
Recreational Director, said that he has provided information in the packet on Friday breaking down
information regarding senior citizens.
The City of Action Agency by the Farias Elementary
Area. The centers provide different activities such as modified aerobics, lotteria,
crafting, and dancing. He said that the centers provide local trips for the citizens. He said that he would research into further
expanding their senior programs. He assured the Mayor that he would approach
the private sector regarding
sponsorship.
Mayor Salinas said that the
residents in citizens. 2.
Discussion with possible action on providing security for the senior
citizens at the Hamilton Hotel. Mayor Salinas expressed his concerns for
the safety of the senior citizens at the Hamilton Hotel. He instructed the City Manager to be proactive
in providing security for senior citizens. He instructed staff to have a strong police
presence at the hotel which would include a heavy patrol or a
unit parked at the site. Deputy Chief Moncivias stated that he
has instructed patrol officers in that area to stop at the hotel and make contact with the
citizens. He said that the sergeant of
the Police Department left his telephone number to
the manager. He advised that the City
has initiated a prostitution and bar detail
and he would add the Hamilton Hotel detail and report back to Council. Mayor Salinas asked Deputy Chief
Moncivias for a security assessment of Hotel.
B. Request by Council Member Mike Garza 1.
Discussion with possible action on appropriating discretionary funds
not to exceed $50,000.00, to place a traffic light at
the intersection of Motion to approve the appropriating
discretionary funds not to exceed $50,000.00 to place a traffic light at the
intersection of Moved:
Cm. Garza Second:
Cm. Amaya For:
8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 C. Request by Council Member Hector J. Garcia 1.
Discussion with possible action on the vandalism and/or theft of City equipment. Cm. Garcia expressed his concerns for
the vandalism and/or theft that is occurring within the City of City Manager, force to be able to look at all the
internal controls in all departments.
He advised that they would compile a report that would
be completde at the end of the week.
He noted that he would return to Council with a
report and recommendations. He further
explained that staff is in the process
of initiating material in place audits.
He advised that he has a telephone line in his
office where all city employees or concerned citizens can place a call at any time to indicate
problems within. He explained that the
City will also install a tracking device on all
city equipment. 2.
Discussion with possible action on the possibility of becoming a
plastic free community. Cm. Garcia explained that the reason he
placed this item on the agenda is because he has noticed that in
District II and throughout the City that there are plastic bags littering roadways, creeks, businesses and the
lake. He noted the fact that the bags
are not biodegradable. and Dr.
Rukmani Vaswanth. Rukmani Vaswanth , Instructor at allowed to present a presentation to
City Council on plastic bags. She
explained that their presentation is called the Urban
Tumbleweed. She said that plastic
posses problems because single use plastic
bags are hazardous to biological organisms. Their recommendation is for the City
Council to initiate a study to develop an ordinance banning single use plastic
bags. Robert Saucedo, Manager of Wal-Mart on reusable shopping bag program to ensure
their customers are given a better opportunity to live better by reducing the plastic
bags in the land field. He introduced
a sample bag that will be offered to customers to
use instead of plastic and they will be sold for one dollar. He added
that Wal-Mart is trying to do their part in reducing and eliminating the use of plastic bag use. Motion to instruct staff to send this
item to the Citizens Environmental Advisory Committee and return to Council with a
proposal within sixty days and implementation within six
months of becoming a plastic free community. Moved:
Cm. Garcia Second:
Cm. Ramirez
For: 8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 D. Request by Council Member Johnny Rendon 1.
Status report on the Jacaman Road Improvements Project, with possible
action. John Orfilia, completed in the next three weeks and
then they will begin with the southern part.
He noted that they will lay asphalt at the
end of the project and open the section for vehicular traffic. He said that the project would be completed
in the latter part of December. E. Request by Mayor Pro-Tempore Gene Belmares 1.
Discussion with possible action to consider an Interlocal agreement
with
Community College for business
expansion and retention services.
(Co-sponsored by Council Member Johnny Rendon) Mayor Pro Tempore Belmares requested to
postpone this item for the next meeting. 2.
Status report on the waterline replacement program at Regency
Subdivision, with possible action. Mayor Pro Tempore Belmares stated that
he had received calls from concerned constituents asking why the project of
the waterline replacement program for Regency Subdivision has been stopped. Carl Schwin, Assistant Director for
Water moved to Winzer and they are starting to
make connections to the new lines. The
department is hoping to expedite the
installation. He advised that staff
will be patching street cut areas. Mayor Pro Tempore Belmares stated that
he preferred that the City proceed with installing the lines and he would
appropriate his discretionary funds to go back and recycle the streets. He suggested appropriating the money for
the street recycling the later part of December. 3.
Status report on the Stone Creek Killam and Borchers area
drainage/park project. Riazul Mia, Environmental Director,
advised that he had a meeting with the developer of Stone Creek Killam and Borchers area
drainage park and noted that the cost for the project is $600,000 for the park and
$360,000 for drainage. He noted that
Mr. Killam was out of town so
he was unable to provide Council with the amount they will be providing for the project. He emphasized that the City has funds for
the project but would return to Council once they have a
final figure from the engineer/developer.
improvements; however, some of the
improvements have already taken place which should bring the amount down to
$88,000. Mayor Pro Tempore Belmares asked the
City Manager to migrate $56,000 from the fields and the playground at a
standstill for the moment so we can give the residents and return in the ’08 bond issuance to
locate the funds for the remaining items such as trees and a playground. 4.
Presentation by Tom Wade for a workshop with Dr. Barry Lawrence, Texas
A&M Roger Creary, Laredo Development
Foundation, announced the he was present to invite Council to attend a
workshop with Dr. Barry Lawrence, Texas A & M Tom Wade, President of Logistics, encouraged
Council to attend the seminar and gave the following presentation: Workshop Goals To make Port Laredo (s) the most
efficient and competitive port in the region o
Updating our local government officials on global
logistics issues and concerns. o
Give our local government officials first hand a look into
corporate boardroom o
discussion on logistics. o
Set goads for Port Laredo (s) improvements. Agenda Presentation by Dr. Barry Lawrence on
Global Logistics (1 hour) o
Corporate priorities o
Maquila activities and strategies o
Product flows o
Port capabilities Questions and answers Open forum to workshop participants Current port operations How these items impact the ports New transportation capabilities New ports NAFTA Flows F
Barry Lawrence Harvey Hubbell Professor in Industrial
Distribution Program Coordinator, Industrial
Distribution Program, Director, Thomas and Director, Supply Chain Systems
Laboratory, PhD.,
Operations Management, 1999 MBA Finance, 1992, BBA, Finance 1980, Dr.
Barry Lawrence is the Director of the Industrial Distribution Program
and the Supply Chain Systems Laboratory at Harvey Hubbell Professorship in
Industrial Distribution. As a faculty
member of the Industrial Distribution Program he is
involved in graduate, undergraduate, and professional continuing education
teaching activities, funded research projects, journal publications, academic society meeting
and publications, and industry presentations.
His teaching activities surround classes in
logistics, Supply Chain Management, distribution information systems, and distribution
strategy. He is a frequent speaker for
distribution associations and private firms on topics
ranging from inventory asset management, best practices, transportation to in F.
Request by Council Member Juan Chavez 1.
Discussion with possible action on naming the Liendo Overpass. Cm. Ramirez expressed his
dissatisfaction with changing the name of the as follows: the bridge represents a young soldier by
the name of the armed forces when he was fourteen
years old. He became a captain when he
was 19 years old. He fought in the revolution with General
George Washington. He has three battleships named after him including a missal
submarine. His portrait hangs in the U. S. Senate along with George
Washington’s. He further explained
that the City should not name a bridge after a Judge
that has received DWI’s because it would be a disgrace to take the name of an
honorable general who fought for this country and replace it with a man that is dispensing
justice but received a DWI. He said
if the City replaces the name it would send a
message that you can break the law and still be honored. Cm. Chavez addressed Council by stating
that Judge Hector J. Liendo was very instrumental in the way that Cm. Landeck said that it is a pity that
the City of will note that parks and roadways are
not named after people that are still living.
He advised that he does not know where to
draw the line for naming the parks. He
addressed concerns for naming a bridge
after a political figures that is still very much involved in politics. He said that it really disturbs him to be
naming a bridge after Judge Hector Liendo or a park after Eliseo
Valdez, Jr. Mayor Pro Tempore Belmares said that he
remember that the City is working on a draft of a park and dedication ordinance that
was presented at the Parks Board and presented at the Library
Committee at one time. Raul Casso, was a proposed policy for the naming of
parks, but it did not rise to the level to be considered by the Council. He added that it was scheduled to be
discussed by an ad-hoc committee but they were abolished. He noted that there was reviewed criteria
that Council could consider for city
facilities. Cm. Garza said that he brought the item
to Council almost a year ago and staff has not returned to Council for
recommendations. He said that if
Council considered establishing guidelines that it should
be retroactive. He noted that the City
of several establishments that are named
after people that are still alive and he believes that it should be done in memorial instead of
people that are still alive. Motion to approve. Moved:
Cm. Chavez Second:
Cm. Amaya For:
4 Against: 3 Abstain: 1 Cm.
Ramirez Cm.
Rendon Cm.
Landeck Mayor
Pro Tempore Belmares G. Request by Council Member Juan Ramirez 1.
Discussion with possible action on waiving fire prevention drill fees
at the senior citizen homes, during the month of
October. Cm. Ramirez said that he was surprised
to find out that if the fire prevention drills the senior citizen’s are charged. He asked Council to waive the fee at the
Senior home. Motion to approve and bring back an
amendment ordinance waiving the fee for fire prevention drill fees at the senior
citizen homes. Moved:
Cm. Chavez Second:
Cm. Amaya For:
8 Against:
0 Abstain: 0 2.
Discussion with possible action on installing street lights between
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