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CITY
OF CITY
COUNCIL MEETING M2007-R-24 CITY
COUNCIL CHAMBERS I. CALL
TO ORDER With a quorum
present, Mayor II. PLEDGE
OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor 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., City
Secretary Horacio De
Leon, Assistant
City Manager Jesus
Olivares,
Assistant City Manager Raul Casso, IV. MINUTES Approval of the minutes of Motion to
approve. Moved: Cm. Rendon Second: Cm. Amaya For: 8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 V. COMMUNICATIONS
AND RECOGNITIONS Recognitions
Communiqués a. Recognizing Mr. Mario Medina, District
Transportation (TXDoT), for TXDoT’s commitment and dedication in accelerating the construction of
Loop 20 and Highway 59 and status of current TXDoT
funding. Mayor Salinas welcomed Mr. Medina and
thanked him for his commitment to the City of Laredo. Mr. Medina handed the Mayor and Council
a list of the projects presently being worked on. He added that the bad news is that they are
low on state funds. Citizen comments Roger Creery, Laredo Development Foundation Director, announced
that Laredo came in fifth on
the top 10 places to invest list for 2007.
He added that the factors considered were: population
growth, job growth, home values, owner cost, vacancy rates and unemployment rates. Cordelia Flores, as a board member of the Rio Grande
International Studies Center, spoke against the building of the River
Road and asked City Council to deny the lease of the right- of-way. Margarito Gonzalez spoke on the problems that Santa Rita
and Santa Fe Subdivision have due to the odor of the South Laredo Sewer Plant. Jorge Tovar,
from the random drug testing and sees no problem implementing
it. He added that they just have to wait for
the due process because of the collective bargaining contract. Ray Ayala
spoke on having more police presence at the Azteca neighborhood. Ricardo Lopez
spoke on the death of his son due to cancer and asked to build a clinic for
the treatment of cancer. VI. APPOINTMENTS
TO COMMISSIONS, BOARDS AND COMMITTEES None. VII. GENERAL
COUNCIL DISCUSSIONS AND PRESENTATIONS A.
Request by Mayor 1. City Council approval to donate salvaged
ambulance #9101 to the State of be turned over
to the Motion to table.
Moved: Cm. Garza Second:
Cm. Amaya For:
8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 B. Request
by Council Member Dr. Michael Landeck 1. Presentation by a concerned citizen group
and council discussion with possible action on all issues permits and approvals given
to the GEO group Inc., or their representatives regarding the
possible building of a private prison in south Bob Libal
passed a package of information to the Council who is from Grassroots Leadership from Austin, Texas. He mentioned that he is against for-profit
incarceration. He stated that he is amazed at the
consistency of the abuse and mismanagement in the GEO Group prison and youth
detention centers. Rick Solis asked to reject the permits. Maria Eugenia Guerra stated that due to
GEO’s deplorable record, the Council should do the
right thing about it. Ron Rodriguez, local attorney, stated
that he is concerned about bringing the GEO Group into
our community. He stated that the
Council needs to take action to authorize the City Attorney to file a suit to
declare the Special Use Permit void. Carlos Zaffirini,
representing the GEO Group, stated that it is a federal facility and not a
state,
city or county facility. He pointed
out that the project was initiated because of the extreme need by the U.S. Marshall Service in
response to the urging of two Federal Judges, to construct a facility within
50 miles of the new Federal Court House. RG Converse, specialist on the issuance of the Conditional Use
Permit for this Federal project, the GEO Group has continuously pursued the
development of this project and is in line with the interpretation
of the
Ordinance. He emphasized that there
are no violations of any permit conditions that exist or
have occurred. He added that there is
no six month time period that has begun. Finally, he stated that there is no court
decision rendering that there are any violations, and asked that Council pass this
matter and allow the company to complete its project. Wayne Calebrese,
Vice-Chairman and President of the GEO Group, emphasized that this is a Federal project. He commented that the bid was generated by
the Federal Government.
He pointed out that in August 2004, the Planning and Zoning
Commission met in a public hearing where the
public had an opportunity to be heard. He stated that the plan used was
described in detail as a Federal Detention Facility which
was
considered and approved. He added that
the Planning and Zoning staff then considered the recommendation and they
in turn made a recommendation for approval of
the
Ordinance. He added that in September
2004 there were public hearings for all
members
of the community to come before Council.
He commented that the activities of
the
company immediately started in October 2004.
He pointed out that half of the 90
million dollar
facility is already complete. Finally,
he asked Council not to take any actions. Council Member Landeck stated that there
was no reported action decided by the City
Council. He asked the City
Council to look into the issue regarding several allegations made. Motion to have the
and
report back to City Council. Moved: Cm. Landeck Second: None Motion failed due to a lack of a second. 2. Discussion with possible action regarding
the rental of the El Portal property to the Khaledi Group
and/or their associates. Council
Member Landeck stated that there are continued questions from constituents asking
about where the City stands with their property. Jesus Olivares, Assistant City Manager,
reported that the El Portal Project was accepted in August
and as per the contract between the City and the Khaledi
Group, there was a clause in the contract that stated that
the City needed to return the property over to them encroachment free. He commented that the existing site has a
ramp that is encroaches
the alley. He mentioned that they are
proposing to relocate the ramp to the side of
the building. Mr. Olivares added that
he has been in contact with the property owner and
has approved the relocation of the ramp.
He mentioned that this would fulfill the
requirement as per the agreement. He mentioned that he anticipates that the completion of the removal of the
ramp and the creation of the new one will be finished by the middle of January.
Finally, he stated that once the removal of the encroachment is
complete, the property can be turned over to the Khaledi
Group. 3. Discussion with possible action regarding
the Sewage treatment plant in Santa Rita and related development
issues. Council
Member Landeck stated that he visited the Sewage Treatment facility and found
several disturbing issues, one of them
being that sewage capacity had been met.
He added
that the plant could not operate any more.
He inquired if the stench could be controlled. Tomas Rodriguez, plant
is currently under design. He stated
that the design will increase the capacity by 1 ½ million gallons per day and
will be completed within 18 months.
He mentioned getting a cost estimate for a
concrete block wall 8 feet high to seal the sewer plant from being
seen. He added that the wall can be
aerodynamic and lift the wind that comes from
the north, lifting the smell up to 20 or 30 feet above the houses. He stated that cost may be
$225,000. He commented that the
aerobic digester is another option which puts air into
the sludge; thereby, reducing the odor.
He added that he is currently getting prices. Finally, the last option would be to put a
thick vinyl cover on the tank that stores the
sludge and use the equipment they have to scrub the odor. He stated that this option would
take 120 days while the covering the tank would take 60 days. Council Member Landeck asked to take
into consideration getting a bigger facility.
VIII. PUBLIC
HEARINGS 2. Public hearing and introductory ordinance
accepting a grant in the amount of $25,000.00 from the Texas Department of
Transportation for enforcement of Impaired Driver Mobilization and amending the City of
Laredo’s Fiscal Year 2007-2008 Annual Budget/Special Police in the amount of
$25,000.00. This grant is for overtime
salaries, including fringe benefits, and is funded
100% by the Texas Department of Transportation for a full year. Motion to open the public hearing. Moved:
Cm. Garza 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. Ramirez For: 8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Ordinance Introduction: City Council 3. Public hearing and introductory ordinance
authorizing the City Manager to accept a donation from the family of Amanda G. and
Jose Maria Guerra in the amount of $1,000.00 and amending and appropriating
the City of annual
budget. Funds will be deposited in the
Friends of the Library Fund and will be used to
purchase books and DVDs about Alzheimer’s disease for the Main Library. Motion to open the public hearing. Moved:
Cm. Garcia Second:
Cm. Amaya For: 8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 There was no public input. Motion to close the public hearing and
introduce. Moved:
Mayor Pro Tempore Belmares Second:
Cm. Ramirez For: 8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Ordinance Introduction: City Council 4. Public hearing and introductory ordinance
authorizing the City Manager to accept the Texas Department of Transportation
Section 5307 Grant No. 51822F7052 for $667,123.00 and amending the Fiscal Year
2007-2008 Transit Budget by increasing the State Operating Grant contribution and
decreasing Transit Sales Tax match for operating expenses by
$208,902.00. Motion to open the public hearing. Moved:
Mayor Pro Tempore Belmares Second:
Cm. Amaya For: 8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 There was no public input. Motion to close the public hearing and
introduce. Moved:
Mayor Pro Tempore Belmares Second:
Cm. Chavez For: 8 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Ordinance Introduction: City Council 5. Public hearing and introductory ordinance
authorizing the City Manager to execute a Memorandum of Understanding between the
Laredo Police Department and the United
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