City Council - Regular Meeting

Well, good morning everyone and welcome to City Council Chambers. Ms. Prime, we are ready to go to work.

Yes, sir. Good morning and welcome to the presentation of the mayor's proclamations. We begin this morning with a Pledge of Allegiance.

represent Canales with all.

And to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance, we have students from Glen Cove Elementary School. At the invitation of City Representative Deanna Maldonado Rocha, we have Santiago Pedrosa and Natalie Pedrosa.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Take your picture. Here's Daddy.

One, two, three.

Ms. Prang.

That brings us to the mayor's proclamations for those of you receiving a proclamation this morning, your group will have up to 4 minutes collectively to come up to the podium and receive the proclamation can represent fear of the 1st proclamation is desert adapt 36th anniversary of Americans with disabilities tax.

Yeah represent fear. Thank you mayor. Good morning. Come on up welcome. Whereas on July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed into law the Americans with Disability Act, ADA, to ensure civil rights of people with disabilities, promising equal opportunity in public accommodations, employment, transportation, government, and telecommunications. Whereas generations of Americans and El Pasoans with disabilities have improved our communities in countless ways, refusing to accept the world as it is and have worked to continue to tear down the barriers that prohibit people from fully realizing the American dream. These past tireless efforts lead to the enactment of the American with Disabilities Act, one of the most comprehensive pieces of civil rights legislation in our nation's history. who has our family, members, friends, neighbors, colleagues, business, and civil leaders. Since the passing of ADA, persons with disabilities are living fuller lives in the community with increased opportunity and access. Whereas the City of El Paso, Texas affirms the principles of equality and inclusion for people with disabilities as set forth by the State of Texas as embodied in the ADA, the ordinance of the City of El Paso will continue to work with local organizations, constituents to bring forth a promise of hope and freedom to be envisioned by the ADA as law. Whereas the ADA has expanded opportunities for Americans with disabilities by reducing barriers and changing perceptions and increasing full participation in community life. However, the full promise of the ADA will only be reached if we remain committed to continuing our efforts towards its full implement. And whereas numerous organizations in the city of El Paso and throughout the state of Texas with constituents and communities to bring forth the promise of hope and freedom that is envisioned by the passage of the ADA. And whereas the City of El Paso strives to meet ADA compliance by ensuring persons with disabilities have access to community-based services that allow people to lead full and independent lives in our communities of their choosing. Whereas on July 26, 2026, the El Paso community will celebrate the 36th anniversary of Americans with Disability Act with a press conference and community gathering. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the mayor and council of the city of El Paso celebrating and recognizing the progress that has been made and reaffirming the principles of equality, inclusion, and recommitting our efforts to full ADA compliance. THE 36TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICAN DISABILITY ACT DAY, SIGNED, HONORABLE RENARD JOHNSON, MAYOR.

GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. DOES ANYONE WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS? HI. GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS JOANN CROSS, AND I'VE BEEN ABLE TO fully realize the promise that the ADA gives us because I live in my own home with community support. Just to get dressed and shower and get out the door to come here today. me to be here with you today. That dream was also realized when I was able to go to school, go to college, and go to work. I've been able to work out in the community as a person that was able to help answering phones within answering service, as well as doing other things in the community. And without those supports, I wouldn't be able to do any of it. And I'm 51 years old, so I've been able to experience life outside of El Paso with traveling and doing all of these things that we wouldn't be able to do without the ADA in place. But yet, some of these things are still threatened, like Section 504, which allows students with disabilities to be able to be in the regular classroom, as well as accessible equipment and, excuse me, offices those are the things that our current administration is threatening to take away and that would not allow for us to live with the freedoms we currently have so that's my experience and i really appreciate the fact that you're willing to listen to my story today awesome

I represent the blind people of El Paso and I would very much thank you for the wonderful proclamation. You're very welcome. Does anyone else want to come up and introduce themselves? Good morning.

Good morning, Mayor, City Council. We want to thank you all for once again the proclamation for the Americans with Disabilities Act. As Duran was saying, we're looking forward not only for the commitment of the dream of the ADA, that was established years ago, but we would also like an active city council that's gonna protect the ADA and what the ADA means as far as accessibility in different areas of our lives. Right now, they're threatening a lot of laws that protect our civil rights, and we would love if our city council backs people with disabilities here in El Paso. When all these cuts to these different legislations are happening, that you all stand up for us and say, we want an accessible El Paso. We're not willing to go backwards. We're needing to move forward. We need more affordable, accessible, integrated housing for people to live in the community. We need more attending care. We need better wages for our attendance. And we need, especially in education, we need people with disabilities to get good quality education and not be considered invaluable just because students have a disability. We need them to be able to get the adequate education that they need. And we thank you for your continued support.

Good morning.

Good morning, Mayor and Council. Muy buenos dias. My name is Estela Reyes Lopez and I am here on behalf of my organization, Centro de Salud Familiar La Fe. I want to thank the fine folks and families of not only ADAPT but also Volar Center for Independent Living for offering us the opportunity to be with you, to join you here this morning and stand proudly for the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is one of the most important strongholds and markers of our nation's civil rights that we have. And as someone who has spoken out in my lifetime on behalf of families of color, families of low income, and now families of folks living with disabilities, I could not possibly be prouder this morning to be here backed up by these wonderful folks. I want everybody to offer them the applause that they deserve for the lives that they lead, for the leadership that they demonstrate on behalf of their organizations, on behalf of our community, for those who sometimes cannot speak, are not able to walk into a building, a community center, a workplace, a hospital, And they've never known the dignity of not having to be able to do that without having some kind of limitation placed before them. That is not right. And as you've heard my colleagues behind me speak, we are under attack right now. And I say this as a woman living with disabilities. as the daughter of parents living with disabilities right now our community is under attack every civil right that our nation that our community has earned over the last nearly 60 years is being threatened right now and that is not right by any means and we hope and we ask that you stand up for our rights as our votes have put you in the positions that you are in and that you fight with us on behalf of those rights and that you fight for us. We thank you for that. I would like to personally thank Mr. Luis Enrique Chu, the head of Olar Center for Independent Living, and Mr. Salvador Palcorta, head of Centro de Salud Familiar La Fe, for the great examples that they've provided for our community and hope that we can all follow in their leadership. Thank you.

Well, it's good to see you guys again. Estelle, it's good to see you and a lot of my friends there. And ADAPT was one of the first groups that I had the pleasure of meeting with when I first came into office. And although it's our 36th anniversary, we still have a lot more work to do. And we're going to do it. Everyone deserves the opportunity to live and participate fully in a community and we are committed to that. I can tell you that everyone here at City Council does remain committed to making sure that we're building an El Paso where every resident can live, work, and thrive without any barriers. So we are committed to that and we're going to continue to do that. But we do want to thank you and we do want to congratulate you on the 36th anniversary. And we got work to do. And I owe someone some speed bumps that's right here. So he's not going to let me down on this one. But again, thank you guys for coming out and congratulations on the 36th anniversary. Well done.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, I'm gonna start here and I'm gonna bring you forward just a little bit more.

So we're gonna do another row. This is actually kind of coming a little closer.

Can I get this front row moved up a little bit, please? Thank you. All right, I think this will work.

and then you need your letter just kind of come on in a little bit all right make sure they don't have any hidden faces

Okay, Ms. Pryor.

Yes, sir, the next proclamation is Restoring and Beautifying Smelter Town Day.

Okay, Representative Rocha.

Thank you, Mayor. I'm gonna give these new glasses another shot. We'll see. No promises. Whereas since 2019, Willie Cordero has led efforts, are they here? Can they come up? Y'all can step up to the podium and then I'll read the proclamation. Whereas since 2019, Willie Cordero has led efforts to bring dignity and respect to Smelter Town, by building a monument honoring local veterans buried there and help the cemetery achieve recognition as a historical marker in 2023 and continues this vital work to this day. And whereas Carlos Romero, a relative of the previous owner of Rosas Cantina, undertook the personal mission of repairing the Smelter Town Cemetery alongside Willie Cordero and in doing so discovered that his own grandfather was buried there, a profound connection to community and family roots. And whereas Willie Cordero, whose family is buried at the Smelter Town Cemetery and whose family owns Gano's Bar, first connected with Carlos Romero through their shared faith at church, discovering a common passion for uplifting and serving their community. And whereas Willie and Carlos, with generous support from the community, have worked to build and paint crosses, repair gates, clear debris, and all materials needed to restore and beautify Smelter Town Cemetery, with the Sunrise Rotary Club donating funds, and the Zaragoza Rotary Club donating their time, performing the restoration work themselves. and whereas Willie Cordero has devoted the better part of the last seven years to the ongoing restoration of the cemetery, working tirelessly with community volunteers to repair or build new grave sites for nearly 1,000 deceased individuals over the past three years alone. with the Zaragoza Rotary Club volunteering their time toward the repair of 800 of these crosses. And whereas Carlos Romero generously contributes his paid time and expertise from his antique and roofing business to assist the elderly in the surrounding area. And whereas the tireless dedication of Carlos and Willie and their fellow volunteers stands as a testament to the power of community, honoring the deceased, preserving El Paso's history, and uplifting the living through service and solidarity. And whereas the city of El Paso hereby recognizes the extraordinary contributions of Carlos Romero, Willie Cordero, and the Sunrise Rotary Club, the Zaragoza Rotary Club, and all volunteers who have given of themselves to preserve, restore, and honor Smelter Town Cemetery and the community that it represents. Now therefore be it proclaimed by the Mayor and Council of the City of El Paso that July 21st, 2026 shall be known as Restoring and Beautifying Smelter Town Day, signed by the Honorable Mayor, Renard Johnson.

Representative Kanellis.

Thank you, Mayor. Just very quickly, the cemetery is located in District 8, and I represent the small neighborhood immediately adjacent, La Calavera Historic Neighborhood Association. And I know some of them spend a lot of their time tending to the cemetery as well, but it's a very small neighborhood, and it's a very large cemetery, and so I know... They're grateful just like I'm grateful for all of the assistance. So I wanted to give an extra special thank you to Rotary and to all of the volunteers, everybody who spent their time out in the cemetery. It's beautiful and it's such an important part of history here in El Paso and in the borderland. So thank you all.

Thank you, Mayor. Several years ago, at Cafe Maya Pan, during Dia de Muertos, there was a huge exhibit. It was an altar. And it had all of the commemorative cards that are given up at rosaries. And the amount of cards related to the cemetery and to the Azarco people that have passed away was quite impressive. Was that part of your work that you all do, or was that someone else that did it? Do you know? Anyway, in any event, it was incredible to see all of the little prayer cards up there, and it gave quite a visual example. Thank you very much for all that you are doing to preserve the history. Sometimes not good history, right? There are bad reminders of the time, but still a good history that is very much a part of El Paso. Thank you very much.

Good morning. Good morning, the floor is yours. Morning, good morning.

My name is Carlos Romero. Unfortunately, Willie Cordero couldn't make it today. I'm very proud to call myself a volunteer and to stand with all the volunteers. It's a lot of good work. We work mainly on donations. We cut the wood. We notch it. We nail it, screw it, paint it, put tar on it, cement. We've done over 1,000 crosses from what I can see so far. Wow.

You've been busy.

Yes. I grew up in a little neighborhood called Buena Vista, which is behind Rosas Cantina. I grew up there, and most of the families there have people buried there. I asked in church one day, and 95% of the people there raised their hands. They have relatives there, so... There's close-knit ties community with Buena Vista and La Calavera and some neighboring neighborhoods like... So anyways, it is, you know, we couldn't have done it without all the volunteers. And it's just a few hours on the weekend, you know, two hours. But it was just, you know, I discovered that my grandfather was buried there, not the grandfather I grew up with. but the one who brought my grandmother over from Mexico, and they signed documents at the bridge, and it's documented that they both came over. He was 21, and she was 14, and they were married. And they started a family, which is my four oldest children, aunts and uncles, and then later on my mother was born with the grandfather that I know today because he died Christmas Day in 1934. So he's there, and then I discovered my grandmother's family there. So it's just, and that's really what keeps me there. Very good, Carlos. Well, we got a lot of men. Thank you.

And Carlos, you got a pretty big group with you. You want to introduce the folks that are with you or let them come up and say hello? Good morning.

Good morning. Thank you for having us. And yes, I'm here representing Willie. And unfortunately, his sister's very ill in the hospital. That's why he couldn't make it. And I was born in Smelter Town. My parents moved when I was only two years old. to Buena Vista. So I'm part of the group. My grandparents and ancestors, aunts, and a little sister of mine are buried there in Smelter Town. So as a volunteer, it does make, it gives me a lot of pleasure, or not pleasure, but it hits my heart. And I do like to volunteer. there as much as I can. Whether the weather is good or bad, we're there. My husband does make crosses, the wooden crosses, and I paint them. And we take them, and the volunteers paint them. And we all take pride. That's what I was looking for. We take pride just being there helping, pulling weeds every Saturday morning. And it just gives you a good feeling to keep it up. So that's why we do it.

Thank you so much for doing that. And please tell Willie thank you and our prayers are with him right now.

Yes.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Good morning.

Hi there. Good morning, council members and the mayor. I'm here representing the Zaragoza Rotary Club. And we started this project because one of our members saw the need in the historical society, their Facebook page. And he asked if we can start volunteering. So we went and we realized how much they really did need our help or just to be able to be out there and how peaceful it is to bring peace of dignity to this piece of land that's there. And I think all of us, when you're there, you're right by the highway, you hear all this noise, but when you start doing the work, you actually, the noise disappears. Like all of a sudden you're there and you're being peaceful. And with our work there, we started putting it out, and now we have other Rotary clubs who have helped. So Sunrise Rotary is also here, and they have actually gone out and gotten grants and have gotten money to be able to fund this project a little bit more. And we have continued to commit to going once a month to go. But I've also noticed that we publish and we put what we are doing, and there's other community members who have seen what we're doing and have gone out and also have volunteered. So you have Lions Clubs, you have the Leos Clubs, you have military members who have gone out there I have people who have reached out to me and have said, thank you for doing that work. I have family who was there. And now I know I can go do this work. Because it sounds hard, right? It sounds like we're out there, we're doing this, and it's all this weather. But really, once you're there, you realize that you can do something. There is something in your ability that we can do. And so in Rotary, we have something that's called United for Good. That was our theme last year. And this year, it's creating an impact. And really what we see as clubs, as a Rotary Club, is that maybe one person will start doing something, but the more people that you get together, the more the community gets together, more of an impact we can make in our community. And that's what we're here to do, is we're trying to get together to make an impact. And we're trying our best to help the community the restoration of the cemetery to bring that dignity and that respect that the community, that those community members deserve. And so thank you for recognizing that work and recognizing that project because truly it is a project that needs people, needs money, and it's ongoing, right? It's not like, okay, we're done, we put up all the crosses. We still need to go and maintain it. We still have to keep going at it. So it's a long-term project that needs a lot of work. So thank you for that recognition.

Thank you. Good morning.

Good morning. I'll move this up. My name is Kevin Cooper. I'm representing Sunrise Rotary as a past president. And we were fortunate enough to come alongside Zaragoza and and help with this great project. We were able to garner a grant from Rotary International to invest in El Paso. And it's really great to see, you know, something that was almost gone. So many crosses were down. It was barely there. And now it looks very vibrant and respectful to those who are buried there. And it's tremendous to see how many people have family members there. We had several get-togethers out there. And, you know, my uncle, my aunt, my grandparents, you know, are buried out there. And it's a part of El Paso history. should always try and preserve our history and also their team was able to to get this cemetery on the texas state registry of historic cemeteries which is a big deal you know we tend to get forgotten out here in west texas and it's important that the state knows that we have a tremendous amount of history that added to the culture of texas and its founding and its history so Very grateful to be part of this project, and thank you so much for the proclamation and honoring Carlos and Willie and the whole team.

You're very welcome. Well, again, thank you guys for all that you're doing, and I did a little bit of research, and I know that in 1899, Osarco actually came into play and was one of the largest mining and smelter companies in the world, right here in El Paso. And around 2,500 people lived there. And the residents who were there established a church. They had their own schools. They had their own post office stores. And they even had a baseball team that played there at the smelter. A fun fact and just a piece of history is that Pancho Villa reportedly briefly worked at Smelter Town while he was passing through El Paso. But thank you guys for volunteering. Thank you for honoring the deceased and preserving El Paso history and uplifting the community through your service. So thank you guys so much and congratulations.

And the next proclamation is Life Saving Actions at Armijo Aquatic Center.

Representative Canales.

Thank you, Mayor. While they're coming up before I read the proclamation, I have a short description summary of what happened on that day. And so I'd like to read that first, if that's OK. Sure.

Let's do it.

All right. A family reported to the office at the Armijo Aquatic Center that an infant had become unresponsive in the pool area. Pool attendant Kenneth Morita led the family into the office and alerted the two lifeguards in the break room, Jacob Baxter and Mateo Ramirez, that there was an emergency. Ramirez alerted pool attendant Kalani Kitua to call 911. Baxter performed a rapid assessment and found a weak pulse, but no breathing. Baxter removed the infant's clothes in preparation to use the automated external defibrillator, AED, and he began chest compressions. Head lifeguard David Montes grabbed the crash bag and began rescue breaths. Ramirez initiated the emergency action plan for the other lifeguards present, Regina Acosta and Alan Banuelos, to evacuate the pool. Ramirez initialized the AED. Kituwa waited outside for EMS to arrive and directed them to the emergency location. Baxter, Montes, and Ramirez continued to perform CPR to the infant until EMS arrived and took over. Acosta, Banuelos, and Morita provided crowd control to keep the scene clear for staff and for EMS to execute lifesaving measures. And I'll read the proclamation. Whereas the safety and well-being of our community depend upon the preparedness, training, and swift response of dedicated emergency responders and aquatic safety professionals. And whereas on April 20th, 2026, a team of American Red Cross-trained responders and City of El Paso Aquatics employees, including Kenneth Morita, David Montes, Jacob Baxter, Mateo Ramirez, Regina Acosta, Alan Banuelos, and Kalani Kitubwa, acted immediately when an infant became unresponsive at the Armijo Aquatic Center in El Paso, Texas. And whereas through rapid assessment, activation of an emergency action plan, coordination with emergency medical services, CPR, rescue breathing, and the use of an automated external defibrillator, these trained responders provided life-saving care until emergency medical services arrived and transported the infant to the hospital. And whereas this extraordinary response demonstrates the life-saving value of American Red Cross training and lifeguarding, CPR, AED for professional rescuers, and first aid, reinforcing the importance of ongoing preparedness and emergency response education. And whereas the team from the Armijo Aquatic Center was awarded the American Red Cross Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders, the organization's highest recognition for individuals or teams who save or sustain a life by applying skills learned through American Red Cross training services. And whereas this heroic act exemplifies compassion, professionalism, teamwork, and an unwavering commitment to protecting the lives of others, inspiring our community to value preparedness, training, and service. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the mayor and council of the city of El Paso that Tuesday, July 21, 2026 shall be known as Recognizing Life-Saving Actions at Armijo Aquatic Center Day, signed by our honorable mayor, Renard Johnson.

Thank you all. Good morning.

Good morning, Mayor and City Council. Thank you, Representative Canales, for sponsoring this proclamation. My name is Nicole Ruiz, and I have the honor of being the chair of the American Red Cross this year. And behind me, of course, we have our local heroes at Miho Aquatic Center. Our board of directors are here with us today, as well as our Red Cross staff. So today we are here to recognize the incredible Pasoans whose quick thinking, training, and selfless actions helped save a life. The life-saving award for professional responders are among the highest honors the American Red Cross can present to individuals who have used life-saving skills in real-world emergencies. These awards recognize not only skill, but courage, compassion, and a willingness to act when every second counts. And so today, we're proud to award Kehlani Kituka. If she can please come to the podium. David Montes. He did not make it today, but we will save his award for him. Jacob Baxter. Mateo Ramirez. And then we'd also like to recognize, we have certificates of appreciation for Regina Acosta, Alan Buñuelos, and Kenneth Morita. Mayor, can I invite them up to say a few words? Absolutely.

They're a little shy.

Good morning, Mayor, Council. Good morning, Pablo. Pablo Caballero, Parks and Recreation Director. First of all, thank you, Representative Canales, for bringing this proclamation to the front. We're so proud of these guys. We're so proud. This is very important. Let me start by thanking the leadership team of the Aquatics Division, starting with Brenda Romero, Stacy Wright, Jesus Avila, Martin Valdez, Paola Mendez. All of them are a very important part of this. And their work, it's a reflection. And not only to these guys that we're so proud of them, but the entire court exhibition, it's made of over 200 lifeguards. So day in and day out, they do the work. They continue to bring safety to the swimming pools across the city. So we're very grateful for having these guys around our pools watching us every time we use the facility. So with this, let me introduce them by themselves.

Go ahead, guys. One by one.

Don't be bashful. Come on up. There we go. Yeah, good morning.

I'm Kenneth Morita. I'm Kenneth Morita. I'm the pool attendant at Armijo. And I would like to shout out David Montes. I feel like he was a big factor in the CPR. And really, that's it.

Good morning. My name is Mateo Ramirez and I just want to say thank you guys for the acknowledgement.

You're very welcome.

Good morning. My name is Jacob Baxter. I also want to say thank you for the acknowledgement and shout out David Montes.

Hello, my name is Kalani Kitakua. I'm a poll attendant at Army Hill, and I would like to say thank you for the award.

Good morning. My name is Regina. I just want to say how proud I am of my coworkers, and I appreciate you all.

Good morning. My name is . I just want to say thank you for the recognition today.

Good morning.

Brenda Romero, Quad Exhibition Manager. Just want to say thank you. And all of them, when they did this, they have a huge heart. They just did it, did what they're supposed to do. So all of them, very proud of them. Thank you.

Good morning.

Good morning. So I've been working with lifeguards for 25 years. I think I've been a lifeguard instructor and working with all these young kids. I love working with the kids because they're really willing to take the initiative and step up and help their community and what they learn in their very first job. A lot of them, this is their first job. They are 15, 16, 17 years old. they're going to carry forward into their grown-up lives. And they're always going to have that sense of giving back to the community. And I find a lot of value in that. And so I really appreciate the recognition today for them because they do an awesome job every day. All of our lifeguards.

Good morning.

Hi, good morning. This is Asus Avila, Rec and Sports Coordinator with Aquatics. And again, I want to thank you for recognizing our team. I know that we've went through a lot of challenges from the pandemic. From 2020, we had a shortage of lifeguards. I know the City Council did put forward in making sure that all of our staff were getting fair wages and that. And again, we couldn't do this without your support. So again, this just is a testament of of the work that our staff do. Thank you.

Everyone's being shy, huh, Pablo?

Yes, sir. Well, thank you so much.

Yeah, absolutely. And congratulations to everyone today. And as we know, today's recognition celebrates true heroes, not because they wear capes, but because when someone's life was on the line, they answered the call with courage, skill and compassion. Your quick actions and training made the difference between tragedy and hope. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to protecting our community. And I also want to give a shout out to David Montes. Congratulations you guys.

And the final proclamation is Viva El Paso.

Good morning. Representative Trejo.

Thank you. Good morning. Whereas Viva El Paso has been a signature cultural production of the El Paso region for nearly five decades, bringing history, music, dance, and spirit of the borderland to the stage at McElligan Canyon Amphitheater. And whereas now celebrating its 49th season, Viva El Paso continues a decades-long tradition of sharing the stories of this region, honoring the indigenous Mexican, Spanish, and American influences that have shaped El Paso's identity. Whereas through live performances, Viva El Paso has introduced generations of residents and visitors to the people, places, struggles, celebrations, and cultural traditions that define El Paso del Norte region. And whereas Viva El Paso was made possible through the dedication of artists, performers, musicians, dancers, technicians, directors, production crews, volunteers, families, and community supporters from across the borderland, including El Paso Ciudad Juarez and Las Cruces, who return year after year to preserve and renew this beloved tradition. And whereas for 49 years, Viva El Paso has provided a stage for artists and young performers to grow in their craft, experience the discipline to live theater, and participate in the production that reflects pride, resilience, and creativity in the borderland. Whereas in the 2026 season, Aviva El Paso runs Fridays and Saturdays through August 1, continuing its role as a living cultural landmark and one of El Paso's most recognizable artistic traditions. And whereas the city of El Paso recognizes Aviva El Paso for its enduring contribution to the preservation, celebration, and public sharing of the borderlands history, culture, and artistic legacy, Now therefore be it proclaimed by the Mayor and Council of the City of El Paso that the month of July 2026 shall be known as Aviva El Paso Month.

Good morning.

Good morning, Mayor Johnson and members of council. My name is Veronica Frescas. I am a board member with Viva El Paso, and I am proud to be here on behalf of the people who bring Viva to life. Our board, production team, performers, crew, volunteers, families, and supporters. Thank you for recognizing July as Viva El Paso month. This year marks our 49th season. For almost half a century, Viva has brought the history, music, dance, and spirit of El Paso to the stage at the beautiful McElligan Canyon Amphitheater. But Viva has never been just about what happens on stage. It is about the generations of people who have carried it forward. Performers, dancers, dance instructors, singers, musicians, directors, crew members, families, and audiences have all left something of themselves in this tradition. Some people know Viva because they performed in it, some because they grew up watching it, some because they bought their children to see it, and some are only now hearing about it for the first time. That is what makes the moment important, this moment important, is that so many people have been touched by VIVA and so many people still need to discover it. For a city as rich in culture, history, and identity as El Paso, VIVA should not be one of our best kept secrets. It should be known, supported, and celebrated as part of who we are. Today, we also recognize everyone who came before us, the performers, instructors, directors, crews, families, and supporters who built this tradition long before this season. And we hope that decades from now, another generation will stand here with the same pride, saying that Viva still belongs to El Paso, and that El Paso's story is still alive on stage. As we close our 49th season and look ahead to our 50th, we invite all of you to the remaining of our performances this weekend and the following weekend. So you've got four shots to come and see us. We ask for your contribute, support, and as we work to keep VIVA visible, accessible, and strong for the next generation of El Pasoans. Recognition like this helps, but continued partnership is what allows tradition like Viva El Paso to grow, reach new audiences, and remain part of our city's cultural life. On behalf of Viva El Paso, thank you for honoring this season, for helping bring renewed attention to this tradition, and for celebrating the people who continue to carry it forward. And I would like to also introduce our artistic director, Jaime Carrasco, to say a few words.

Good morning, Jaime. Good morning and thank you for the recognition. Thank you to all of you. I've been part for Viva El Paso since 1989. So probably I'm considered part of the inventory now. I have the honor this year that I'm the artistic director. Mr. Hector Serrano founded in 1978 Viva El Paso. The baton was passing through the directors and this year is my turn to keep alive that tradition. AND TO SUPPORT ALL THESE YOUNG PERFORMERS, TECHNICIANS, EVERYBODY, VIVO PASO IS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE. AND MS. LIMON HERE WILL TESTIFY BECAUSE HER DAUGHTER WAS PART OF VIVO PASO A WHILE BACK. AND IT'S A GREAT EXPERIENCE. IT'S A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND IT'S A GREAT HONOR TO HONOR THIS CITY THAT PROVIDE A LOT TO US. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND HOPE TO SEE YOU THESE TWO WEEKENDS. THANK YOU.

Representative Limon.

Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Veronica and Jaime, for extending the life of Viva El Paso. I know Mayor was a board member. I, too, was a member of the guild back when you were very young, Jaime, and so was my daughter. It's been a while. But we'd be remiss to not truly recognize the people that brought Viva El Paso to us. Of course, the incomparable Hector Serrano, who wrote the script. And Rita Triana, who has a lot of the musical pieces that go with it. And of course, David Mills. And looking forward to this next two weekends and the 50th anniversary. Suerte. Gracias.

So Viva El Paso, one of the longest running outdoor musicals in the United States, right? It's been around for a while. And as Representative Lemon mentioned, created by Hector Serrano, whose vision has uplifted this community for many, many years. Viva El Paso is more than a performance. It's a celebration of who we are as a region. So congratulations on 49 years of promoting tourism in our local economy. And since your beginning in 1978, estimates show that over 1 million visitors have attended Viva El Paso and still growing. So a lot to be proud of. As Representative Lemon mentioned, I was also a board member. Back with David Mills and Hector a long long time ago. So I'm part of the part of the fixtures there now too So but again, congratulations 1 million visitors. Let's keep going. Congratulations guys. I Okay, miss Frank.

Yes, good morning. This is a meeting of the El Paso City Council for Tuesday, July 21st, 2026. Mayor Johnson is president presiding in council chambers along with Mayor Pro Tem Chavez, Representative Acevedo, Representative Maldonado Rocha, Representative Boya Trejo, Representative Nino, Alternate Mayor Pro Tem Fierro, Representative Limon, and Representative Canales. It is 10.07 a.m. Will everyone please silence their electronic devices so as not to disturb the meeting and rise for the invocation delivered by retired battalion chief and chaplain, Kevin Mindy.

Good morning. Good morning. Thank you all, Mayor, council members, for the privilege of praying over you all. Heavenly Father, We know that no authority exists, but that you have placed it, and that you hold accountable those who are in authority, and that you have called upon us to pray for those who lead us. So Heavenly Father, we ask your presence here today that you give wisdom, that you give guidance to the mayor, the council members here, as they make decisions that affect this blessed city, Ask your blessing upon them, upon the city. In your name we pray, amen. Thank you all. Thank you. Okay, Ms. Bryan.

Yes, sir. Council, per the rules of order, no use of personal cellular devices nor personal communication should take place on the dais while the meeting is in session. Once you obtain the floor from the mayor, you will have up to 10 minutes for debate and may speak twice per debatable motion. Please speak into the microphone and refrain from side conversations while the meeting is in session. For those of you joining us virtually, please make sure your microphones are muted to reduce any background noise. That brings us to public comment on consent and agenda items. For those that signed up to speak at 10, we have Pierre Andre Uzaraga. He signed up to speak on item number six.

OK, MS. PRYON, BEFORE THEY COME UP AND SPEAK, I'M GOING TO READ ONE THING. YES, SIR. SO PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOW OPEN, AND EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THE TIME ALLOTTED UNDER OUR RULES OF ORDER. PLEASE KEEP YOUR REMARKS WITHIN THE PERMITTED TIME AND MAINTAIN CIVILITY AND DECORUM AS REQUIRED BY OUR PUBLIC COMMENT CONDUCT POLICY. ALL RIGHT, MS. PRYON.

We have Pierre Andre it was that I got to sign up to speak for to for item number 6 and this is a board appointment to the animal shelter advisory committee. Mister was that was that I got. Please come forward. He will be followed by Lily meet Ellis and Lisa Turner speaking on item 20 run como speaking item 24 and Lisa Turner also an item 24 and 29. Mr. Uzadega, you'll have three minutes to speak on item number six. And this is, again, a board appointment.

Yes, ma'am. I'm here today to say that on Saturday, January 20th, 2029, The American Political Party Committee and I shall install federal, national, and American legislation which establishes America's Department of Animals, which shall operate America's Animal Protection and Welfare Task Force, which shall constitutionally and legally protect the welfare of all, any, and every American domestic, wild, and zoological animals. while prosecuting the offenders of all any and every American domestic, wild, and zoological animals who may be guilty of all any and every forms of abuse, neglect, and incompetence. America's Department of Animals shall also operate America's animal shelters, which shall constitutionally and legally care for and house all any and every American domestic, wild and zoological animals whom are victims of all any and or every forms of abuse, neglect, and or incompetence, while providing adoption, fostering, and or relocation products and services, as well as providing education and information pertaining to American domestic, wild, and zoological animal protection and welfare. The American Political Party Committee and I shall install federal, national, and American legislation which establishes America's Department of Insects.

Mr. Ozaraga, I think your topic is separate. This is a board appointment. This is a board appointment.

I'm going to make my point here. um america's inspection um so america's department of insects shall operate america's insect protection and welfare task force which shall constitutionally and legally protect the welfare of all any under every american domestic wild and zoological insects while press while prosecuting the offenders of all any under every american domestic wild and zoological insects who may be guilty of all any under every forms of abuse neglect and or incompetence Having said all of this and that, I am in favor of Mr. Ron Comeau as head of the city of El Paso, Texas' Animal Shelter Committee, and strongly urge Mr. Ron Comeau and his constituents to join the American Political Party Committee. God bless America.

The next speaker is Lely Mireles. She'll be speaking on item 20, followed by Lisa Turner, also on item 20, which is a discussion in action to direct the city attorney to prepare an ordinance accompanying resolution requiring that any virtual currency kiosk order maintained or placed with the city of El Paso include clear, conspicuous, physical, and interactive disclosures.

Good morning.

Good morning. Good morning, Mayor and Council members. My name is Liliana Mireles, and I am the Associate State Director of Advocacy and Outreach for El Paso AARP. Thank you for the opportunity to speak in support of the ordinance proposed by City Representative Chris Canales to ensure that much needed fraud prevention, warnings, and other consumer safeguards are in place at cryptocurrency kiosks. throughout the city. AARP Texas strongly supports fraud, supports smart fraud fighting efforts to protect consumers including older adults who are frequently targeted by sophisticated scams. Fraud is not a theoretical problem. According to FBI reporting, Americans lost more than 16 billion to fraud in 2024. That's a record amount and a dramatic increase from previous years. Older Americans bear a disproportionate share of these losses, often losing to scams tens of thousands of dollars and even their life savings. The proposal before you addresses a major reason these scams are succeeding. Fraudsters are directing victims to cryptocurrency ATMs, or what we call kiosks. The transactions are fast, they are difficult to trace, and they are virtually impossible to reverse. Once the cash is deposited and converted to cryptocurrency, the money is often gone forever. Criminals sometimes pretend to be officials with Social Security Administration, law enforcement, or even utility companies. They create fear, they create urgency, they convince victims that they must act immediately. Then they direct them to a crypto ATM to send money. What makes this ordinance so important is that it inserts a moment of truth between the scammer and the victim. The proposed warnings, bilingual disclosure, and mandatory 15 second digital pause are reasonable regulations. They are common sense consumer protections that interrupt the scammer's script and give residents a chance to recognize the warning signs of fraud before they lose their money. ARP regularly hears from victims who tell them, I wish someone had warned me. The ordinance does exactly that. It places a clear warning at the point of transaction. It is important moment when resident can still walk away and keep their money. ARP Texas stands ready to be a partner with the city of El Paso and each of you in this effort. ARP has worked at the federal, state, and local levels on this issue. We would welcome opportunities to work alongside the city of El Paso local law enforcement community organizations and city staff to educate residents about the risks and increase throughout the community. Council members, today's vote is about crime prevention. It's about protecting seniors, veterans, caregivers, working families, and from financial devastation. Our call to action is simple. Please support this ordinance and move it forward. By doing so, you will help save residents from fraud, strengthen consumer protections, and position El Paso as a leader in protecting from crypto kiosks. On behalf of AOP Texas, thank you for your leadership, your service, and your commitment to keeping our residents safe.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

The next speaker on the same item is Lisa Turner.

Good morning.

Good morning, Mayor, Council. Anything that takes 2 pages on the City Council agenda is something that should never ever be considered. OK, I'm going to tell you right here right now. Just make it simple and then. Course you can. You can do whatever you want. Let somebody challenge you. Because as the people from AARP told you. Once that money is gone, it's gone. Criminals use Bitcoin to avoid being tracked by law enforcement. That's why it exists. It exists to avoid prosecution. It exists to commit crimes. It exists to commit fraud. It is part of a criminal enterprise. You can ban it. You can keep any of the banks in this town from putting out such a kiosk. It is part of a criminal enterprise. That's how North Korea gets its money. Funds it through. Because you can't track it down. That's it, you can't track it down. The only good thing is one good EMP and it's all gone. It just sits somewhere in the computer. There's no real record. Nobody can prove it. So the best thing you can do is ban it because it is used as part of a criminal enterprise. And you have that authority to enforce the law. Thank you.

Thank you.

The next speaker on the same, Mr. Como signed up for item 24 and this is a discussion in action to prohibit the use of city and personal cell phones and personal electronic devices on the day as during work sessions and council meeting.

Good morning.

Good morning, first visit up. Hey, Ms. Lamont, thank you. You know, as somebody who spends a lot of time standing here and sitting there, you know, we see a lot of, like, wow, I mean, people are paying attention. Thank you. We hear a lot from the people in the streets and people in the gallery, whatever you want to call it. They're upset because they come up here and they speak and everybody's so busy on their phones or their laptops or just plain out ignoring us. We voted for you. We pay taxes. We're here to speak to you as our representatives on issues. We should have your undivided attention. It should not have to be requested. went to austin to speak not only do the city council and the mayor interact and ask questions of the people speaking they actually set up appointments with the city reps in in the person's district if they have a problem in their district to see if they can work out the issues they go above and beyond you know i i was amazed when i went there to talk it was just a totally different atmosphere everybody paid attention everybody participated mayor asked questions representatives asked questions when people left the podium they all knew what they needed to know to make the right decisions for the members of their community thank you again simone miss turner also signed up to speak on the same item

Good morning.

Again, good morning. First off, if you're up there using your cell phones, it is the ultimate disrespect that you can show a citizen. It shows you don't care. It shows that what they're here to say about doesn't bother you, that you would rather be somewhere else.

And of course, if you want to be somewhere else, you can always resign.

Now, was it under the last, Mayor, I believe Ms. Prine had a little box over here that y'all had, all council members had to put their phones in. I believe the District 6 rep could remember that. Wasn't that it, Mr. Figaro? Oh, your memory's that bad too, Mike? No, but everybody's phones went into a box, sat right over here in front of Ms. Prime. And I thought that's, at some point along the line, I thought that was city council policy. Apparently it's not. It should be. If you find that you've got to use your phone during the workday when you're supposed to be here paying attention to the people at this podium, then maybe this is not the job for you. Okay? Maybe you should resign. Because you give the public, because they're watching on TV. It's on YouTube. And they're going to sit there and they'll see you. You're over here and you're playing Tetris on the phone or whatever. You're doing something else and you're not paying attention. It reflects badly on my city. It reflects badly on my city council. And as a member, it reflects badly on you. So do us all a favor, ourselves and you, let Ms. Prine bring her little box and you put your phones in them. Thank you. Thank you.

Ms. Turner, you also signed up on item 29, which is a 380 economic development program agreement.

yes thank you i signed up on this because we have no problem to getting tax dollars away for infill development but for some odd reason we can't do crosswalks i need crosswalks on bartlett drive i need three of them i've got A cut. Sidewalk cut is supposed to take you across the street. To the park we need. A crosswalk. We need speed control. We need the police monitoring Bartlett Drive because we've got people using the turn lane as a passing lane. We had people going 4550 miles an hour in a 25 mile an hour zone. I NEED CROSS WALK BETWEEN THE ASSISTED LIVING AND THE APARTMENT COMPLEX I LIVE IN AND THEN DOWN THE STREET THERE NEEDS TO BE ANOTHER CROSS WALK BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WALKING ACROSS AND HEADED DOWN TO THE STEAKHOUSES DOWN THERE. And then there's the. The ability to use the sidewalks if you're in a wheelchair. Or scooter or your. You know you got the little walkers. Because they're falling apart, you got about a 2 inch drop. You can't use. Brought this up well over a year ago. They still haven't been fixed. And we also have a problem. If transportation is here, I'll talk to them. But, hey, when you do your construction, do us a favor. Don't close both sides of the street at the same time. Don't close both sidewalks because that's what's happening. Thank you.

Thank you, Representative Kanellis. Mr. Turner, I'll make an appointment to visit you at Bartlett. We have on-demand funding for accessibility, and we can fix sidewalk gaps and things like that. We'll come visit you.

I already had transportation out there. I had them out there last year, twice.

That brings us to call to the public. The El Paso City Council is a local government body charged with serving the citizens and the meetings must be focused on the meeting at charge. The city council meetings are public meetings under the Texas Open Meetings Act. Public comment is an accommodation and not a requirement of city council. All persons in attendance are expected to display civility and decorum that is respectful to other persons without the use of insulting, profane, threatening, or abusive language. Public comment will not be used for personal attacks, nor may any member of the public use this forum for political statements or campaigning. Please note that during call to the public, the city council may not deliberate or decide any subject that is not on the agenda. However, council may propose that a topic brought forth be posted on a future agenda. This morning, we have 13 members of the public that signed up to speak. The first speaker is Ms. Elizabeth Crawford. Her topic is UN World Population Day and Abortion. Good morning, Ms. Crawford. Your microphone is ready. You have three minutes.

Good morning. Thank you. Good morning. John 3.16 is one of the most well-known and beloved verses in the Bible. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. It's a precious verse and an awesome truth. The abortion industry stands in stark contrast to the love and actions of God. The abortion industry enables women to arbitrarily decide which babies they want and which they don't. At times, this decision is made based on wanting a boy but expecting a girl, based on not wanting a child with Down syndrome. Lately, an account came out of a same-sex couple who used a surrogate, now suing the surrogate because she refused to abort the little baby because of a cleft palate. This baby is now two years old, and they're suing the surrogate. The United Nations celebrates World Population Day each year in the month of July. The United Nations and Planned Parenthood International cooperate around the globe to limit our world's population. Planned Parenthood in Manhattan, New York City, used to be named the Margaret Sanger Center in honor of their founder. They had to change the name eventually as more and more people discovered that Margaret Sanger was openly a eugenics advocate, referenced undesirable people as weeds, and to some extent later some of her ideas were espoused by Nazi Germany. Margaret Sanger Planned Parenthood Center closed down on November 1st 2025, we praise God. This is a flagship Planned Parenthood center that not only performed an astronomical number of abortions, but also trained abortionists to work across the nation. I had the privilege of past spring to meet a young lady, Natalie, who is instrumental in serving for life outside of the former Margaret Sanger Center. Growing up in Times Square Church in New York City, This young lady, Natalie, and her friend were burdened to go out regularly to this Planned Parenthood center and plead for the lives of babies and had the privilege of saving a number of babies. God honored the work of his children on that sidewalk and closed the center down. We praise God. As we think about the work of Planned Parenthood International and how it's sponsored by the United Nations, we have to come face to face with the scripture, the warning in Proverbs. If you forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death and those that are ready to be slain, if you say, Behold, we knew it not, does not he that ponders the heart consider it? And he that keeps your soul, does not he know it? And shall not he render to every man according to his works? That's the warning from Proverbs 24. Thank you. Hope you have a good day. Thank you.

Thank you.

The next speaker is George Adkins. Mr. Adkins' topic is to request handicap access ramps for four intersections at Kinross and Fierro and Jason and Fierro. Good morning, you have three minutes.

Good morning. Good morning, Mr. Mayor, city manager, and city and council members, and employees of the city of El Paso, and all visitors. My name is George Atkins, and to give you a little bit of history on me, I've been working with the police department very closely since 1994. I retired in 95, and I'm the only caregiver for my handicapped wife. to be there for her. So I left the police department, but I'm still active as much as I can be. I served five years on the discipline review board. What I'm here today is to ask that the four corners of two intersections to be redone correctly for handicap compliance. The intersections are Jason and Furrow and Kinross and Furrow. The intersection of Jason and feral is one block from the East side senior citizen center. Located at 3200 feral. And is adjacent to Pebble Hills Park. For everyone safety. These intersections must be redone. And I ask city council to find it in your hearts and in your budget to do this. That's all I have to say.

Mr. Atkins, thank you for your service to El Paso Police Department, and we'll look into this. You're welcome. Okay, thank you.

Our next speaker is Angelo Martinez. The topic is El Paso Electric, followed by Emily Sauter.

Good morning.

Good morning. I want to speak about three things. Mainly, last week I came from Juarez. I was visiting my abuelita. And my dad, it was over $100. Now, to put you into perspective, last year my dad paid around $54. We had an AC system on top, a water system. He used to pay $54. Now he pays $100. And you know what's the worst thing? Right now, to cool our home, we have two Walmart fans. That's all we have. I have my computer and a fridge. That's literally all we have. And yet we're paying over $100. Now, of course, you want to know about working class for us because you just voted to increase your salaries, right? Anyways, I want to talk about the 2020 El Paso electric purchase. JP Morgan was basically granted a monopoly over it, you know, and it's now private stock. I propose that the city looks into buying back the stocks from El Paso Electric to hopefully make sure that the city has control over what goes on in the El Paso Electric company. And to make sure that we don't pay 100% more in our electric bills. Or alternatively, you can give the real grand cooperative electric company a millionaire deal grant or tax break like you did with Meta. And speaking of Meta, number two, data centers. You heard public comment. It was about more than 10 hours, I'm pretty sure. I was there, but I didn't have a chance to speak. I value your courage for sitting there and hearing over 10 hours of public comment on the data center. But, you know, it was despicable that you still voted to not break the 380 agreement. I'm once again here to talk about the 380 agreement. I think they should recall it. I think they should cancel the agreement and look into deleting this data center from our community. It is not bringing any good and it is not going to help us with our electric bill. Quite the opposite. The millionaire gas power plant that you're going to build, that El Paso Electric is going to build to power this data center is only going to drive up our electricity cost in five years when META does not have the responsibility to pay for the electric, what's called electric bill for that power plant. Our utilities are going up. Electricity is bad. Affordability, as it already is. In El Paso, it's reasonable, but our wages are still really low. My dad earns $12.50 an hour. He recently got a promotion. but still we cannot afford to live like this. Thirdly, I wanna speak about item 24 with little time I have. You should not be allowed to have your cell phones over here while you're listening to us.

You are our servants.

Thank you, sir. The next speaker is Emily Souder. Her topic is affordable childcare.

Good morning.

My name is Emily Souder, and I'm a master's social work student at East Texas A&M University. And I'm here to talk about an issue that doesn't really get discussed all that often, and that's affordable quality child care. A lot of families, many working families in El Paso, struggle to find quality child care that they can afford. With monthly costs ranging from $800 to $1,400 a month and limited availability, many parents are forced to reduce their work hours, delay educational opportunities, or leave the workforce altogether. To address this issue, I propose a community child care access initiative. This initiative would bring together city leaders, child care providers, employers, workforce solutions, borderplex, and community organizations to identify barriers and expand affordable child care options and strengthen community partnerships. Affordable child care, of course, benefits parents, but it also benefits the economy. It supports child development and strengthens the local workforce, contributing to an overall healthier economy. And I encourage the city council to continue supporting policies and partnerships that make affordable child care more accessible for El Paso families. And thank you for your time and consideration.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Claudia Contreras-Ziller. Her topic is El Paso Strong, and she will be followed by Ron Como.

Good morning.

Hola, good morning. Thank you for not being on your cell phones right now. Can I use the projector, please? IT, we need the Elmo. Last week, I was here talking about Caracas restaurant and asking for help. The owner just got arrested by ICE. This is a man with very good values. You know I back up law enforcement. And now I'm asking for help for him and his family and his business. He's a pillar of an entire community. And I think I should be focusing in the criminals, the people who are trafficking humans and drugs, not people like him. This person is paying everything on time. He has his social security. He has his permit to work until 2030. His court date is September 2027. And tomorrow there's going to be a prayer meeting at the restaurant. Caracas restaurant at 7 PM. They have a GoFundMe to pay for the lawyer. And I am here requesting help for the Caracas restaurant. Everybody says we need to support local. Well, this is the time to support someone that is right now detained. and I call on to the people that can help and whoever can help this person to reach me, 915-262-6800, 915-262-6800. The GoFundMe, it's under Ayudemos a Jorge Vilches Retomar Su Libertad. Please, also, I wanna use my remaining time to call on to everybody to be at the courthouse tomorrow, I'm sorry, next Monday, because city council, we all are always talking about the parks, recreation. Well, Azcárate Park is the best park El Paso has, and right now it's at risk of removing the duck pond. and I am against it, and a lot of people are against it. This information is barely going out to the public, and it's in District 3. Ms. Limon, we need you. And please, everybody that represents El Paso,

needs to help us advocate about this i know it's the county but you all still live in el paso and everybody running for office this is your time to show if you have enough courage thank you thank you speaker is ron como his topic is exercising his constitutional rights to the 1983 animal services rescue he will be followed by chelsea boyd and victoria quinoa

Good morning.

Good morning again. Well, here we are. Another Tuesday. And I'd like to bring something up. This is showing intake for 2019, which is like 26,000. You've got 2022 and 2023. 2023 actually is half of the intake that we had in 2019. I just want to bring something to your attention.

and commemorate the drastic positive changes resulting from our collaboration. Upon their arrival in January, they noticed that the shelter was operating at 150% over capacity. This was the result of lack of appropriate programming and staff support.

Point is, how can you be at 150% capacity when you took in half as many slaves? When do we stop having best friends talk about how great they are and how much they've done for El Paso when they are directly responsible for the animal crisis that we are in today? When? Why are we still operating with best friends programs in our shelter today? How many strays are we losing under finder to foster? How many strays have been in the system for a couple of years that haven't been spayed or neutered? Now, the other point

Well, dogs that pack up that way, that become feral and they pack up to hunt, a lot of times they're not hunting necessarily for food, to kill something for food.

They're hunting for the thrill of chasing something.

Lost the internet. Basically, he goes on to say that because of the stray crisis in city and county, we are putting women and children at risk from attacks, public safety. Mr. Fierro, you addressed that very topic on KVIA. You said because of the stray crisis in El Paso, it has now become a public safety issue and that the city council needed to step forward and do something. Folks, again, I ask, can we do something? Let's put back our original no-kill plan. Let's push everything out that has anything to do with Best Friends. They've used us enough for donations. Now it's time for us to clean up our mess. I really would appreciate it, thank you. Thank you.

The next speaker is Chelsea Boyd. Her topic is bringing awareness to our mental health spaces and special needs communities. She will be followed by Victoria Quinilla.

Good morning.

Good morning. Is it OK if you guys? This is Puente. I'm sorry. Just give me a minute. Hello.

Good morning.

My name is CB Holden, and I want to thank you today for letting me speak and letting me pave my way. It doesn't matter if your eyes look left from right. I know my words stick no matter your sight. I don't think it's distracting to look down or even look around. Your ears are connected straight to your crown. I really think you guys work really hard, and together after you heard me, I know you can take this quite far. Let's see, I want to talk about our divergent health, our mental health space.

I know many will say, hush now, that's not okay.

But I'm here to change your mind about the disabled people anyways. You see, I have labels. They are intertwined intricately. We have autism, ADHD, and sometimes PTSD likes to come up and haunt me. All these labels, and even one, BPD, but that nurse was not qualified to diagnose me. We have a shortage, and most is because people don't understand what a label does. It's cruelty at hand. As soon as that label hit, I couldn't quite speak. My rights went away because disability is all they see. I didn't need medication, although they tried. That gave me hallucinations, made my brain feel fried. I could feel the difference running through my veins. I felt bad for the children who have not yet been saved. We don't understand autism, so we shut them in rooms. What comes next is either good luck or inescapable doom. We don't know what happens in that small space in those closed doors, but when the news turns on, it's a disgrace. We had kids run from school and then wound up hurt. We have abuse going on in closed rooms, still unheard. A divergent voice might be silent, mute, or simply ignored, but I am here to make sure their voices come out poured. We need better rights. one that is built for me, giving us the ability to show you how we see. I know what to do and what to say. I know how to have them break out of their shell that way. We have to do it differently. I have the vision in my sight. I just need support from the right council and support for Holden Light. I lost my spot. You need to be willing to stand up against that man. You cannot let him change our laws and take away our best hand. We have more to give and more to bring. You just need to give me the support I need. It is not much, I promise you so. We are the children, and we can learn to grow. We aren't disabled. We aren't ashamed. We just need to have the space to pave our way. You just have to be willing to stand up and say, you know what? I want to work with you, too.

Thank you. Yes.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Victoria Quignola. Her topic is public call for expanded milk testing, transparency, and consumer choice. She will be followed by Pierre-Andre .

Good morning.

Good morning. Hello, Mayor and council members. We talked about disability. I just want to let you know I also do have a disability, 90% disability in the Army. So I do believe that talking about health is really important. So I wanted to start off with why has the food pyramid changed drastically over the scope of less than 200, even 100 years? Why does big pharmaceutical medicine make false promises of cures for chronic illnesses and cancers? The call is coming from inside the house, and we must trust locally for our own health and safety. We the people need you to expand the federal laboratory testing on milk to include raw milk as equal in rights, freedom, distribution, and selling as pasteurized milk calling for equal opportunity for raw milk, which must be considered as real food. Number two, the nutrients facts label must include a full and broad detailed spectrum and scope of components to include enzymes, amino acids, vitamins, and all of their vitamin specialties such as B12, K2, D3, and etc., all minerals present, all types of bacteria, good, bad, and other, present as well. And number three, we must make milk available for consumer and individual, private, personal, and public usage, et cetera, as well as commercial selling, regardless of the testing results, as long as the nutrients facts label contains what I previously mentioned in number two on the milk container. So here are some examples of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, and other things, components that denature and weaken after pasteurization. So lactoperoxidase kills bad bacteria. Lactoferrin is a binding protein that helps with the cellular usage of iron and prevents anemia. In a 1990 paper, Dairy Science, you can look at that. Lactobacilli is good bacteria which helps digestion. White blood cells are present in raw milk and weaken after pasteurization as well as fats and highly heat sensitive vitamins such as vitamin A, D3, C, and B12. In the 2011 Journal of Pediatrics, it states, without a doubt, the explosive increase of infantile scurvy during the latter part of the 19th century coincided with the advent of usage of heated milks and proprietary foods. The levels of enzymes and binding proteins make the vitamins in raw unpasteurized milk readily available. Iron fails to strengthen cells without lactoferrin, which denatures after pasteurization and is naturally present in bovine raw milk. Alexey Polonikov of Kearse State Medical University said, glutathione deficiency is exactly the most plausible explanation for serious manifestation and death in COVID-19 infected patients. the main three amino acids and glutathione are glycine which builds protein peptide chains and creates strong collagen in certain types of lung surfactants and throughout the body supporting natural detoxification and is an essential element in collagen that helps maintain structured water inside and outside of cells i have quite a lot of other facts but i might need to continue this the trust is in the local people let's give back to el paso land thank you thank you the next speaker is pierre andre uzaraga

His topic is alcohol breathalyzers. He will be followed by Cornelius Brown.

Good morning.

I'm here today to say that on Saturday, January 20th, 2029, the American Political Party Committee and I shall install federal, national, and American legislation which establishes America's Department of Alcohol, which shall operate America's preventative drunk driving task force, which mandates American bars, clubs, pubs, and restaurants to hire America's Preventative Drunk Driving Task Force in numbers that correlate to American bars, clubs, pubs, and restaurants' customer capacities. Whereas America's Preventative Drunk Driving Task Force's mission is to render preventative drunk driving policies, such as observation, selection, and administration of alcohol breathalyzers to suspected drunk customers of American bars, clubs, pubs, and restaurants. Whereas if any customer whom is suspected to be over America's blood alcohol content level of 0.08% for civilian drivers, 0.04% for commercial drivers, and zero tolerance for civilian and commercial drivers under the age of 21, then via federal legislation and mandate, America's Preventative Drunk Driving Task Force shall constitutionally and legally detain and administer an alcohol breathalyzer exam to all suspected drunk customers. Once suspected drunk customers are determined to be constitutionally and legally over the blood alcohol content level, i.e. drunk, then America's preventative drunk driving task force shall constitutionally and legally detain the customer, the drunk customer, and investigate to determine if the drunk customer is actually driving his or her vehicle. If it is determined that the drunk customer is in fact driving his or her vehicle, then America's Preventative Drunk Driving Task Force shall follow through with the following policy options. Number one, order the drunk customer a taxi or Uber. to be driven and escorted home and detained the drunk customer's vehicle via wheel locks, which shall be removed after a 24-hour period after alcohol breathalyzer exams are administered. As a disclaimer to number one, taxis, Ubers, and wheel lock removals shall be paid for via American drunk customers. Or number two, phone a family member to pick up the drunk customer from the American bar, club, pub, and a restaurant where drunk customer is determined to be over the blood alcohol content level. Or number three, assign a designated driver if drunk customer is accompanied by family members or by friends so long as a designated driver is below America's blood alcohol content level.

Thank you, sir. You've reached the three minutes.

Thank you. God Almighty bless America. Thank you.

The next speaker is Cornelius Brown. His topic is community camp on the northeast at Andrus High School. He will be followed by Patricia Osmond. IT, we'll need the Elmo, please.

Good morning.

Good morning. How you doing, Mayor, city council members? My name is Cornelius Brown. I'm speaking here on behalf of the community of El Paso, specifically the youth, right? I service the youth on the northeast side of El Paso and around El Paso, meaning Eastwood, Irvin, Andrus, you name it. My buddy Trevor Villito, who I played football with in 2006 at UTEP, is having his first annual summer in-skills camp at Andrews High School. Andrews, the location, we wanted to use Irvin, but Irvin lights were currently down, so Andrews kind of was the focal point at the time. It's a community that we service. Jamari Milton, a quarterback at Andrews, Trevor Villito also trained. But we need your help. First and foremost, your representation, your presence to be there at Andrews High School on August 1st would be foremost and utmost, I kind of say, the honor that you can kind of give the city and the community of El Paso. But we also need resources and tools to help give these kids, how can I say, empower them to go back to school. One of our main things is giving kids hat cuts, right? It's male-driven because we deal with a lot of football players, which are males. But we plan on giving over 50 to 100 hat cuts free of charge to the participants that come. The hat cuts will start at 5.30 and roughly at 7 o'clock, where the camp will begin at 7 to 9 o'clock, where Trevor Vitito will have his first annual camp. To speak about Trevor, Trevor is a guy from Dallas, Texas, state championship quarterback at Trinity High School. came to El Paso, graduated from UTEP, all-time leading passer, touchdown thrower, you name it. Not only that, he also has a company here in El Paso that helps service and cater to developing athletes, quarterback specific, right? And these kids go around Texas and represent El Paso for everybody, right? Jamari Milton, I mentioned, and not only that, Kingston Jeffries. These are Andrews High School quarterback and Eastwood High School quarterback. The two high schools that took El Paso schools, the Ferguson High School playoffs, and you know how long. They went to the third round, both schools, and lost. But our idea is to bring that level of talent to El Paso. And how do they get there? It's by giving them the information and, how can I say, pouring back into them things that we learned from great people like Mike Price, who brought us here to play football and serve the community of El Paso. So I ask you, how can you make a difference to help us? Financial support is always a big thing. Giveaways for the kids, camp supplies, educational tools, meals. anything that you can help, but your presence along is gonna be the biggest deal breaker to show the community that you support. And if you run it for office in November that's coming up, it'd be a great time to kinda put your head on the table. All right, thank you.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Patricia Ausman.

Hang on, Courtney, it's Representative Farrell.

I know we're not allowed to ask questions, but Mr. Brown, if you could answer, which you can't, is the Bears, the Browns, or the Chargers your favorite team you played for?

To be honest with you, I always played football for economic, how can I say, mobility to get out of life. I come from Phillip Ward in Houston, Texas, but whoever pays, that's what I go for. Thank you for what you're doing.

Ms. Osmond's topic is transparency, rights of citizens, and undue influence. Ms. Osmond, star six, please, to unmute you. Your microphone is ready, ma'am. You have three minutes.

Can you hear me?

Yes.

OK. So our First Amendment right. Mine was violated the very first time all of y'all sat on the diet. Because that very first meeting, I went in speaking about immigration issues. And I named a federal government program from the 1950s. It wasn't the name I gave it. It was the name that it was. And yet many of you, Ms. Limon included, Mr. Johnson, offended by that. In fact, Mr. Johnson made the comment of, well, I know why Oscar Reeser banned you from city council. Actually, you don't, because I was pointing out corruption. And he wanted to get some of his corrupt practices through without me saying anything. Now, that is also why a lot of members from community human development are no longer there, that used to work there. But what I can't understand is how it is y'all were so offended by an actual name of a federal program when I was speaking so that you all can make sure you keep your eyes on helping protect El Paso and people in this community. Yet last city council meeting, you had an officer From PD, repeatedly, along with Representative Nino, he's saying cultural, cultural in regards to DWI. Basically stating that Hispanics in our community are just drugs. That is how it came out. Now, I spoke to Rep Nino. He stated that's not how he meant it. And later on, he used societal in that conversation, which is how he should have stated it the entire time. But not one of you, not one of you stood up and were offended by the fact that an EPD officer and a fellow rep was basically calling every Hispanic in El Paso a drunk because it's cultural. But that's not what cultural means. So y'all shut me down then, but hey, if racism doesn't offend because it pulls your point and from it, you let it go. It is very pathetic what happens in the PR and the gas fighting because you don't really mean what you say.

rep nino apologizes to the entire community for how he came out and so does we'll move on to the next speaker and that's sherry madee her topic is what everyone else is talking about data centers and streets

Good morning. Good morning.

Good morning.

Gonna keep this as brief as possible. June 22nd, 2018 in Laredo, TX. That's where my boys were born. Attempted kidnapping of my oldest son, who is now 20. We fled. I packed. I'm a single mother packed up my car and drove pretty much until I landed here. And when we came here. It was so peaceful. There was so much culture. It came because I watched these city council meetings and I see out in the community the devastation of some of the decisions that are made. Not to just include the data centers, right? We've been increasingly bringing more and more companies to El Paso, Tesla, Amazon, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, and it is extremely hot. August 3rd, 2019, I drove into the Walmart shooting. That day changed the trajectory of my life forever. And in between that, I am also raising a son who is almost 15 on the spectrum. So everything before you today is the heart of El Paso. There were moments when I thought I wasn't going to survive another day mentally, emotionally, et cetera. And the heart of El Paso, there are people who have proven to be loving and kind. I'm also fluent in Spanish, self-taught, and it has given me access to know people who are born and raised in El Paso and at this point have included myself as part of their community, correct? And so when I'm out there in the community, everything economically that goes on is affecting our mentally disabled, those who can't do for themselves, our elderly who built legacies in this town and it's being destroyed. I also found my faith, so when the gentleman was up here praying, that's not something that I take lightly. I found my faith in God two months after. It's called Knock Knock, Who's There? It's Me, God. It got published last year. It speaks about the Walmart shooting and this community and what this community has done for me and my family. I just think it's really disrespectful. I think a lot of things are common sense. Why are we on our cell phones? We can't go to our job and be in our cell phones. Treat people like you want to be treated. Put yourself in other people's shoes. What would you do if you were in their situation? That's what I think as a collective community and city council members, there has to be a solution for everything that's been brought before you, 220 people. Telling you what a bad idea it was, these data centers. I appreciate your time and I hope that you would hear us today. Thank you.

Thank you.

The final speaker is Ms. Turner. Ms. Turner's topic is PSB and home running a scam on renters. Good morning. Do we need the Elmo, please?

Good morning, Mayor Council. Yesterday, one of my neighbors, an elderly woman, came up to me shaking, almost in tears, because she had gotten something like this. I don't know if you can see it, but it's from the authorized third-party insurance agent for sewer lines. So that's page one. This is page two. So now she's seeing this and she's saying, oh my God, I'm responsible for these sewer and water lines, but I don't own the property. Housing authority does. And then they get this nice little payment schedule. So you can sign in and sign away. And I don't know how many of my neighbors signed this. I don't know who gave the PSB, authorized the PSB to release private information to a third party who can then sell that information to other data brokers. I don't know who did that. That's a data breach. I don't know how many people signed up. I don't know how many people are paying, but I do want this. I want the PSB. to go in, find every single customer that signed up for this who lives in an apartment, and pay them back at three times what they paid. I want credit monitoring, I want that data erased from the web, I want a personal apology, and I want a personal apology for home for not paying attention to what's going on with one of their properties. This is just uncalled for, and it's not just District 8, it's in every single one of your districts where every renter pays their water bill. This is personal, private, and it's supposed to be happening. We live in apartments. We don't own the property. Even though they think we do, that's why EBIT. don't even want to get there because i'm really upset nearly 30 years of coming down bringing other concerns and i've never had somebody nearly break down in front of me thank you miss turner that concludes call to the public okay

Well, I'll move on to the consent agenda. All matters listed under the consent agenda will be considered by city council to be routine and will be enacted by one motion unless separate discussion is requested by council members. Prior to the vote, members of the audience may ask questions regarding items on the consent agenda. When the vote has been taken, if an item has not been called out for separate discussion, the item has been approved. Council may, however, reconsider any item at any time during the meeting. Mayor Pro Tem.

Thank you miss pine I make a motion to approve the consent agenda with the following revisions page 15 item 30. Delete per capital improvement department.

It's a motion to take representative lemon.

Yes, I'd like to request to move item number 24 to the forefront police.

You'd like to take item 24 after the consent? Okay.

Mayor, we do have public comment on consent items from Ms. Osman. Ms. Osman signed up to speak on item number eight, which is a notation of P-card transactions. She signed up to speak on item three, which is an advanced funding agreement between the TxDOT for a project described as New Haven Drive Crossing and she signed up for item 12, which are campaign contributions received by Representative Fierro.

Okay.

Ms. Osmond, go ahead, ma'am. Your microphone is ready. You have three minutes.

Ms. Klein, does that mean I only get three minutes for all items?

Yes, ma'am. The consent agenda is taken with one vote.

Okay. All right. In regards to item number three, my district rep, Alameda should be very aware that a lot of people, a lot of citizens, residents have complained about weeds and lack of maintenance by railroad tracks. So item three and four are actually pretty much the same. It states that there is maintenance that city is responsible for. So I'd like to find out why it is that the city has been responsible for the current areas by railroad tracks. then in regards to the p card i'd like to find out why it is that uh on city manager expenses there is nothing in description in fact one under dion mac is for uh open ai chat gbt subscription so i can understand how it is we're paying somebody over 350 000 dollars And they're proving Sam Altman's point that we can delete jobs because if you're managing the city through chat GBT, it's a disgrace. For 350K, somebody should be doing their own job, not handing it to Sam Altman's chat GBT to do for them. Now, in regards to number 12, Mr. Fierro's donations that he has received and he's putting forth, I hope every citizen in El Paso reads through that list because it includes Mr. Meta John Borrella himself. And Mr. Fierro has been a professional politician for a very long time. And that donor list shows why it is the citizens of El Paso are given the short end of the stick every time. During the last city council and this one. All they have to do is review a lot of the YouTube videos to see how Mr. Fierro favored every one of his donors over the citizens' well-being. But again, We've got $122 the city attorney is spending on food, but you'll cater for your own people, but you can't do anything for the citizens. Our budget is so strained, gonna raise the rates, but yet let's keep spending on catering. Let's spend on Chad GBT so that our city manager doesn't actually have to think. It's disgraceful. Over $350,000 wasted so that Sam Altman can prove his point to everybody.

Mayor, that concludes public comment on the consent items.

OK. We have a motion and a second, Ms. Bryan?

Yes, the motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Chavez, seconded by alternate Mayor Pro Tem Fierro to approve the consent agenda as revised. On that motion, call for the vote. THANK YOU, REPRESENTATIVE LIMON. IN THE VOTING SESSION, AND THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. REPRESENTATIVE BOYAR-TREJO, NOT PRESENT.

ALL RIGHT, THAT BRINGS US TO THE FIRST READING OF THE ORDINANCES.

YES, SO THIS IS ITEM NUMBER 15. IT'S AN INTRODUCTION OF AN ORDINANCE.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? I MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE ON THE FIRST READING OF THE ORDINANCES. OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY. MS. FRY?

This motion was made by representative Limon seconded by representative Acevedo and this is to approve the introduction of the ordinance on item 15. On that motion call for the vote. Thank you representative Limon in the voting session and that motion passes unanimously.

Hey, Ms. Prime, we're gonna do the second readings, then we'll take the item number 24.

Yes, sir, we'll move on to the public hearings. Item number 16 is a public hearing of an ordinance authorizing the conveyance of real property to Flor Maria Chacon for the purchase price of $49,000, the property described as a portion of lots 18 and 19, block six, Alameda Acres, city of El Paso, El Paso County, Texas.

Representative Acevedo? Move to approve. Second. Okay, Mary Lou, good morning.

Good morning, Mayor and Council. Mary Louis-Vinosa with the Real Estate Division for the record. This item is for the property sale of Auburn and Delta, property identification number 285972. This was brought before council in September of 2025, where council vetted the property as surplus and approved it for its listing in accordance with the state code 253014. We did list it for at least 30 days on that multi-listing platform. The property cross streets are on Auburn and Delta. It is .16 in size, zoned R4. The proposed buyer is Flor Maria Chacon. The appraised value for it is $47,000 and the purchase price is 49,000 plus closing costs. We are recommending that we sell this to the highest offer and we only received one offer.

Okay, questions for Mary Lou on this item? Okay, Ms. Pryor.

The motion was made by Representative Acevedo, seconded by Representative Limon, and this is to adopt the ordinance on item 16. There's no public comment on that motion. Call for the vote. In the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously.

Okay, let's take item number 17, please.

Item 17 is a public hearing of an ordinance granting a special permit to allow for a governmental use building on the property described as a portion of block label City School slash Park, also known as 7024 Cielo Vista Drive.

Representative Rocha. Okay, good morning.

Good morning, Mayor and Council. Luis Zamora with Planning and Inspections. Item 17 is a special permit request for a property located at 7024 Cielo Vista. This, as you can see here, is the area. It's almost a full block. This is a former elementary school, Bonham Elementary School, I believe. The proposal, this is a city project for a proposed new center of regional command center. that is being built or can be reused in the existing buildings. So current zoning is R4, which is a residential zoning district. The special permit is technically to allow the use of governmental use under this existing zoning. So zoning is not changing, staying as it is, just allowing the city use. Here's the detailed site development plan, which is binding things from this site plan. Most of the buildings are, well, the buildings are being kept as they are, being repurposed. There's some improvements proposed, and obviously parking being included as well, as well as that bonding site to the left. You can see here elevations of the proposal with the modifications, a max height of 26 feet and eight inches is proposed. This is kind of just the site plan superimposed on the aerial images. You can see the scale of this. It is obviously a use that goes in character with the residences there. Does not, children have a big impact on those. Here's the subject property. as it was when we took this picture with the zoning sign there. So obviously the community was notified by those zoning signs, plus the letters that got sent. So you can see here surrounding development includes single family homes, there's some multi-family in the area, as well as some commercial closer to airway. The applicant did notify the Silla Vista Neighborhood Association once they submitted this application. We had notified property owners winter 100 feet as back as March 27 we started public hearings and at this time we have received 3 calls of inquiry and 2 calls in support of this request. I hear you can see the notice map we in overall we notify 50 to property owners in the area. And with this is staff and the city plan Commission do recommend approval of this special permit request.

Thank you, Mayor, and thank you so much for the explanation and the presentation. I just wanted to note that the Seal Vista Neighborhood Association is in full support of the project, and so I wanted to make sure that I let that be part of the record today. Thank you.

Thank you. Any other questions on item number 17? Okay, Ms. Frye.

The motion was made by Representative Maldonado Rocha, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Chavez, and this is to adopt the ordinance on item 17. There's no public comment on that motion. Call for the vote. In the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously.

Thank you.

OK, Ms. Bryan, stick item number 18, please.

Item 18 is a public hearing of an ordinance granting a special privilege license to Wiley Condominium Association to permit the existing aerial encroachment of a perpendicular sign and three exhaust fans and the surface encroachment of three backflow water preventers at 1125 Texas Avenue.

Representative Canales. Move to approve. Okay, is there a second? Second. Okay, good morning.

Good morning. Armida Martinez with planning and inspection. And I don't know if I'm familiar with the control here. Okay, so this item is a special privilege for the encroachments that were mentioned by Ms. Prime. The encroachments, of course, do consist of the perpendicular sign, the three exhaust fans, and three backflow water preventers. The term for the special privilege will be for five years with one renewable five-year term. The initial fee will be $1,113. Next. This is an aerial view of the property. This is a view of the sign that, as you can see, currently exists and it's over the sidewalk. These photographs are of the backflow water preventers. The two on the left are towards the front of the building on Noble Street side. The one on the right is towards the rear of the building, also on Noble Street. And this is a photograph of the three exhaust fans. And these are the side views of the exhaust fans. looking north and looking south. And with that, staff does recommend approval of the special privilege license for the aerial encroachment of the perpendicular sign of the three backflow water preventers and of the three exhaust fans.

K represent Chavez.

Thank you mayor, a quick question for you and me a is this coming after the fact. So how long have they been out of compliance.

Probably about a year or 2.

How was that brought to our attention.

It was brought to our attention when we saw the sign.

Okay. So the fee, it says an initial fee for the first year, but the term for the permit is for five years. So what does that mean? Does that mean it's going to be the same fee every year after that, or is it going to be changing?

Yes, ma'am. It'll be the same fee for the five years, but we do have the capacity to either raise it or lower it depending on Schedule C.

And that fee is for everything, all inclusive? Yes, ma'am. OK. And was there any fee for the time they were not in compliance?

No, ma'am. But for the sign, they will be triple speed at the time of the permit issuance. It's still pending.

Okay, so the sign is a different fee then?

Yes, ma'am, but it's incorporated into the total.

Okay, because the type of encroachment, it says permit existing perpendicular sign, but this fee that we're approving for today is not for the sign then?

Yes, it includes the perpendicular sign and the encroachments of the fans and the backflow water preventers.

Okay, thank you.

If I could add, just add, good morning, Mayor and Council, Kevin Smith with Planning Inspections. So there are a couple of different fees. One is a special privilege, which would allow for the encroachment into the public right-of-way. The other is the permit fee, which, as Armida mentioned, that would be the triple fee that would be assessed once a building permit is issued. That is pending until this is resolved, this action is resolved today.

Okay, I'm just wondering what the process is when we determine someone's been out of compliance, if regularly there is something, a fee involved in that or not?

No, it'd just be a matter of addressing it through the building permits and addressing that. Unfortunately, we can't often go back. As some of these, we're not often aware of when some of these encroachments were built, whether it's this one or others. So unfortunately, we cannot go back and charge back fees.

Okay, thank you very much.

Representative Kanellis.

Thank you, Mayor. I have additional answers to some of these questions. I've met with the property owners about this. The building was developed as a condominium. So it's off condominium office space. The applicants who are coming in for this permit, special privilege license, were not the builders of the building. And so they purchased the ownership of their portion of the building without the understanding that these were existing encroachments. They are looking to vacate some of the alley parking area in the back for their own use. They came in for that vacation, and that is what led to the review that discovered these existing encroachments. And so they're just trying to make it right. They didn't build the building with the encroachments, but they're the current owners. And so that's why this isn't happening now.

And why I think it's probably fair to not go back and charge them the fees for the time when they didn't even own Their their portions of the building within the within the condominium scheme Yeah, and if I could just add to and whether they built it or someone else built it The property owner whoever inherits it is responsible to address all deficiencies With it so and so they're doing that now. So that's that's why we're going through this process

But yeah, that's so they they they're just trying to make it right and and make sure that they have these encroachments covered Again they they didn't design or construct the building I hope that answers the questions and Yeah, okay, you know, I don't think that they're particularly disruptive encroachments. And so in this case in particular I'm happy to support this.

Okay any questions any further questions on item 18? Okay, miss Brian

The motion was made by Representative Canales, seconded by Alternate Mayor Pro Tempiero, and this is to adopt the ordinance on item 18. There's no public comment on that motion. Call for the vote. In the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously.

OK, let's take item number 19, please.

Item 19 is a public hearing of an ordinance authorizing the city manager to execute a quit claim tax resale deed conveying all right title and interest to Miguel Gallo for the parcel four acres out of track five dash A and K track five dash Z block 11 Lower Valley Surveys.

Okay, is there a motion on this one? Second. Okay. Good morning.

Good morning, Mayor and Council, Maria Pazillas. Any questions?

Any any questions. It's right.

It's a motion was made by mayor Pro Tem Chavez seconded by alternate mayor Pro Tem Fierro and this is to adopt the ordinance on item number 19. There's no public comment on that motion call for the vote. in the voting session, and that motion passes unanimously. Representative Acevedo not present.

Okay, Ms. Brown, let's take item number 24.

Yes, sir. Item 24 is discussion and action to prohibit the use of city and personal cell phones and personal electronic devices on the dais during work sessions and council meetings. This item was placed by Representative Limon.

Okay, Representative Limon. Is there a second? Ms. Bryan?

There's no second. OK, so there's guys for lack of a second.

OK. Mayor, can I make a quick comment? Sure.

I just want to know for the public that the use of personal electronic devices is already prohibited in the rules of order for the city council meetings. And so this is already something that's addressed in our rules of order.

OK, Representative Vaughn.

Thank you, Mayor. Since we are discussing on an item that's already been, that's dead, I agree, Representative Canales. Unfortunately, the endorsement.

Point of order, Mayor. I think we need to make a motion to have discussion of the item.

I think you're out of order on this one because he was allowed and I'm allowed to do it as well.

I don't believe you asked.

Okay. Go ahead, Representative.

Thank you very much, Mayor. We do have rules. We haven't been following them. And it's evident by the public that has commented on this repeatedly. The use of city and personal cell phones and personal electronic devices is an item that should not be allowed while we're on the dais. This is not to implement a new rule. This is simply the question now, Mayor, to you becomes, How are we going to enforce that rule that we have? That's my question to you, sir.

Okay, well, the answer is that we already have rules of order that address this, and if I see it happening, I will certainly address it on the dais. Thank you, Mayor. Okay, item number 20, Ms. Frank. Oh, we have public comment on this one.

There is public comment on item 24. Would you like to take that, Mayor? Sure. Okay, we have Sofia Gutierrez. Sofia Gutierrez. I don't see her coming forward. And Patricia Osman. Ms. Osman, star six. Go ahead, Ms. Osman, your microphone is ready. You have three minutes.

I think I'm not the only resident and citizen and taxpayer in the city who understood Ms. Limon's agenda item as not just Article 2, because I posted everything in Rules of Conduct, Mr. Canales. on the internet for other people to notice. But what she was addressing was also staff, not just city council, which that rules of conduct was not addressed, okay? That photograph was of Carla Neiman, our city attorney. Now, Ms. Carla Neiman would like to put her hand on a Bible and state that she's never used her cell phone or personal laptop for personal use while sitting on the diet, I will do the same. Because I have photographs a few years ago, prior to when those reservation covers were put, where Ms. Carla Neiman was sitting there scrolling Facebook and on Messenger. And I sat there in the peanut gallery making comments behind her. Hmm, Facebook? Is that what we pay you for? in the next city council meeting those reserved covers ended up there and that photograph ended up online recently not my photograph somebody else's and what happened y'all they have decided our city manager and city attorney to add more black covers because they don't realize that people's devices have zoomed and if carla neiman would like to put her hand on the bible Her word against mine, let's do it. Because she will fail because I do have photographs of her. Mayor, I think this is a personal attack. Okay, we're going to... No, this is not a personal attack. We're going to warn you, this is the first warning on the personal attacks. This is official misconduct. This is official misconduct, okay? That Ms. Limon was trying to address, and yet you all are covering it up. Okay, because it's not just the people that the city council and mayor, everybody on the diet is Ms. Prime, the city manager and city attorney sitting there. Everybody on the other side of the partition, that is the diet. And it pertains to everybody. And it is not in this agenda item was meant to address that. And yet you all want to keep the status quo of corruption alive and well in this city by making sure nobody seconds that. That's all that proves. And I have photographs to prove that there is a clear issue because you know what? Facebook could be hacked, which means her doing city work on her computer and on Facebook means that the city infrastructure can be hacked. And that's an issue.

I apologize miss you one day or each year for each other. I don't care mayor that concludes public.

And represent them on we've gone twice but going to one more time.

As he's on the thank you mayor and so I guess at this point it would be clarification mayor when an item does not receive a second it dies correctly right OK, but you allow representative can I just to speak on the item. And then I asked permission to also speak on the item.

This is your third time.

And you granted the permission.

Yes.

OK, let's just stay with that. I think it's unbecoming that there would be someone yelling across the dais that I would be out of order when I had followed the orders that you have and that you lead us. OK. Just to make it a point.

Fair enough.

Thank you.

Ms. Pryor, would you please read us section 16 of the rules of order?

Yes, sir. Section 16 addresses use of electronic devices and it reads electronic devices within council chambers shall be used in accordance with all established city practices and procedures and as directed by Information Technology Department staff providing support services during a meeting. City staff other than the dignitary protection officers and members of the public shall turn off the signals of all pagers, cellular telephones, and other devices capable of making an audible signal and shall not make or take any telephone calls while in council chambers once a council meeting has been called to order. Members of the City Council should not use any electronic devices other than the desktop computers provided by the City of El Paso located at their seats during any City Council meeting or City Council work sessions. The use of communication devices of any kind including but not limited to handheld portable communication devices Cell phones computers tablets laptops watches, etc It's expressly prohibited during City Council meetings and shall not be allowed in the room During closed sessions unless they are being used to aid in executive session Presentations if a city council member needs to take a telephone call respond to a text message, etc During a meeting he or she must excuse themselves from the day as a room where the closed session is taking place to engage in that communication The use of the desktop computers during city council shall be limited to voting, viewing presentations, research to aid the council member and communication via email to staff. During meetings, city council members shall not text, tweet, blog, post on Facebook, Instagram, or use any other social media platform.

Okay, thank you. Ms. Ryan, let's take item number 20, please.

Yes, sir. Item 20 is discussion and action directing the city attorney in collaboration with the city manager as necessary to prepare and present for city council consideration in ordinance and accompany resolution requiring that any virtual currency kiosk commonly known as Cryptocurrency ATM operated, maintained, or placed within the city of El Paso include clear, conspicuous, physical, and interactive digital disclosures, identifying common consumer fraud risks, confirming user intent, and explicitly stating that the transaction is private and not affiliated with or endorsed by any government entity, law enforcement agency, or public utility provider. And it states the parameters that the proposed ordinance shall include. This item was submitted by Representative Canales.

Okay, Representative Canales. Thank you, Mayor. First of all, I'll move to approve.

Second.

Okay. Representative Canales. Council, I'm asking for your support today on this step to address something that I think is really important. It's the proliferation of a tool that's become commonly used in scams here in El Paso and across the state and across the country. The directive that we're considering today instructs our city attorney to draft an ordinance that tackles a threat that I think is hiding in plain sight across El Paso, cryptocurrency ATMs. It's estimated that we have somewhere between 70 and 80 of these machines in El Paso, and that's a number that's growing quite rapidly. Specifically, I'm proposing to mandate bold bilingual physical signage and, if possible, digital warnings on every single one of these kiosks in our city. I first want to talk about how these machines operate. They allow for immediate irreversible cash to cryptocurrency transactions. So someone puts cash into the machine and once that money goes into the kiosk, it's instantly converted into digital currency and sent to essentially untraceable offshore accounts. There's no fraud department to call like a transaction with a bank. There's no chargeback option like there would be if you paid somebody with a credit card. Once that cash is gone, it's basically gone forever. Local law enforcement across the country and the FBI have been tracking scams involving these machines. And they're seeing a devastating spike in fraudulent transactions specifically using these machines. Scammers are deliberately using these kiosks to take people's entire life savings, and they're disproportionately targeting senior citizens and other more vulnerable neighbors. According to the FBI, Texans have lost more than $1 billion to scams involving cryptocurrency. And just this past year, in 2025, 1,200 Texans lost a combined $56.8 million in scams that specifically used cryptocurrency ATMs to move the money. These criminals operate typically by manufacturing panic in their targets. They call victims pretending to be federal agents or police officers, private companies, representatives from local utilities. They usually threaten you with something. They threaten things like immediate arrest. or utility shutoffs unless a payment is made immediately for something that they say you owe them for. They typically force the victim to rush to the bank and to withdraw cash to locate their nearest crypto ATM. That's often information that they're able to give to them directly and to scan a barcode that specifically directs them to the transaction to send money to a particular digital wallet. Because these machines offer like a completely frictionless experience with zero warnings, the victims often don't catch on until the money's already gone and it's too late to get it back. I haven't spoken about it publicly very much, but for many years I've spent a chunk of my free time learning about and preventing and intervening to try to save people from scams and bad actors trying to steal their hard-earned money. We saw a real spike in scams during the pandemic. These kiosks have become the new ground zero for that exact type of exploitation. So I've become very interested in them over the last couple of years as they've popped up. In the past, these scams would have relied on somebody sending cash in the mail, often hiding it inside some other object. It's a lot less sophisticated. In more recent years, gift cards became the preferred medium. run the same scan, but have you go to, you know, your, your local Walmart and buy, uh, Amazon gift cards or Google play store gift cards or something like that and feed them the numbers from these gift cards in order for them to extract cash from you that way. Um, That still had the friction of having to interact with a cashier who could intervene to potentially save somebody from scams. Running through these machines completely takes that away. It makes the scam much easier to run. Again, people using these machines have no warning. I want to credit state representative Joe Moody for collaborating with me on this initiative and bringing the issue to my attention. He's working on a comprehensive statewide ban for the legislature to consider in their 2027 legislative session. I also want to thank AARP, who we heard from earlier. They were here in force this morning for public comment. Their support and advocacy on behalf of senior citizens who are disproportionately targeted by these scams has been really important. And they're doing their part to raise awareness here in El Paso and across the country. I want to be clear about a couple of things. The ordinance that this item would request doesn't ban the machines. We're not overstepping the regulatory authority of the Texas Department of Banking. They do specifically regulate within this area. But this isn't regulating the machines themselves in a way that disrupts their authority. This is strictly a local consumer protection measure. I hope that the state legislature will pass a full ban in the upcoming session next year. It seems like it has bipartisan support. For now, I think the city has the responsibility to take action to implement what we're able to in order to protect El Pasoans from this now. By implementing warnings at the point of the transaction, we inject like a final moment of pause into what can be a really highly stressful situation for someone where they might not be thinking clearly. It forces a few extra beats for them to think about what they're doing. to kind of break the scammer's momentum, the spell that they have over somebody. And it explicitly tells the user as well that no government entity or reputable company will ever ask them to pay in this way. I think this simple intervention can stop a financial tragedy for someone at the last hurdle right at the machine. The Texas Tribune wrote two excellent articles about this, actually both released on July 8th, coincidentally between the time that I drafted this item and today when we're hearing it. I'd like to enter those articles into the meeting record. One is What to Know as Cryptocurrency Scams Rise in Texas by Aidan Runnels. And the other is crypto kiosks were used to scam $56 million from Texans last year. Lawmakers are calling for regulation, also by Aiden Reynolds. Ms. Prine, I'll provide those to you. I want to read aloud just quickly what I think is an important section of that article. I think it's important, public service information. What if I'm scammed or know someone who was swindled? After ensuring those involved in a scam are safe, immediately contact your banking institution and local law enforcement to file a police report. Be sure to keep all records, documents, and messages involved in a scam. You should also submit complaints and reports to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, also known as IC3, and the Texas Attorney General's Office. IC3 gathers data and complaints to help track scammers, and the Attorney General can take action against businesses that falsely advertise services. Because cryptocurrency is able to move so quickly once it's deposited into a digital wallet, most law enforcement agencies have roughly 36 to 48 hours to secure stolen funds if they're able to at all. Most victims do not recover this stolen money, but officials stress that reporting the scam is still important. Scamming victims often feel shame or guilt about feeling tricked, a side effect that can deter reporting and hurt victims long after the fraud. Yet being victimized by fraud is not uncommon. One in four US adults have been scammed in their lifetime, according to a 2025 Gallup poll, and one in 10 report being scammed more than once. I'll read an important quote from Michael Levine. He's the chief felony prosecutor for the Cyber and Financial Crimes Division of the Harris County DA's office. He said, there's a saying in the scam world that no one is unscammable. You just haven't tried the right script yet. Please don't feel like you must be a fool if you fall for one of these scams. And lastly, I want to share some important information about warning signs and what to do if you suspect a scam. Some of the top warning signs are demanding unusual payment. Legitimate businesses or the government will never ask you to pay fines or fees using cryptocurrency or wire transfers or prepaid gift cards. Urgency and threats, if the caller or emailer threatens you with arrest or legal action or fines unless you pay immediately right this second, that's a big sign of a scam. Impersonation, be aware of unexpected messages claiming to be from your bank or the IRS or the police or a delivery service. Always verify the sender by calling the official phone number directly, not the phone number that they provide you, but by going to their official website and finding their actual phone number and calling that. Unsolicited requests. Be extremely cautious if a stranger asks specifically for remote access to your computer or device for your social security number, your banking passwords. They may try to install software on your computer for direct connection. There's lots of common ones. AnyDesk, Chrome Remote Desktop, TeamViewer, Zoho Assist. There's lots of these things. Don't let somebody else install software on your computer without checking with with somebody else wrong number texts an increasingly common scam starts with a Seemingly innocent text to the wrong number that tries to strike up a conversation with you and eventually leads to like an investment pitch or something else Try not to engage with those even to tell them that you're not interested or to go away if you don't interact with them They'll they're much less likely to interact with you one more time mayor. Can I have just a couple more seconds? Yep I think these are important messages for the public and And lastly, what to do if you suspect a scam. So number one, stop and verify. Don't send any money or click any links in an unexpected message that you get. Always contact the organization directly using a verified phone number or website that you trust, not the one that they provided you, like I said before. Really important is just talk to someone. The scammers will often tell you that you have to keep this a secret. that if you talk to family or friends or somebody else that you'll make the situation worse. But if somebody's asking you to send money, always talk to somebody else. Talk to a family member or a friend or call your bank. Talk to somebody else before you take action so that somebody else can weigh in on if you're making a smart decision or not. And lastly, as I said before, definitely report it. If you've been targeted, not even if you fall for a scam, but if somebody engages you in what you think is a scam or if you have lost money, definitely report the incident to government officials. There's an important website, reportfraud.ftc.gov. It's to report it to the federal government through the FTC for cyber-related crimes. You can also go to the FBI IC3. Thanks for the extra time, Mayor, Council. I ask for your support for the item. We can get out in front of a state ban and take action now to have some interim protections for people.

And Representative, have we been able to determine how many of these kiosks are in our inventory in the city? Has anyone ever?

YEAH, AGAIN, IT'S SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 70 AND 80 IS WHAT WE CAN TELL RIGHT NOW. THERE'S NO LIKE SINGLE GOOD SOURCE, LIKE A SINGLE DATABASE THAT TRACKS ALL OF THESE, BUT THAT'S THE BEST ESTIMATE RIGHT NOW.

WOW. OKAY. THANK YOU.

MOST OF THOSE ARE AT THE ENTRANCES TO BIG BOX STORES OR LIKE INCONVENIENCE STORES. THAT'S THE TYPICAL LOCATIONS.

OKAY. VERY GOOD. ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE REPRESENTATIVE ON ITEM NUMBER 20? MS. BRYANT?

Yes, sir. The motion was made by Representative Canales, seconded by Representative Limon, and this is to approve the direction on item number 20. On that motion, call for the vote. In the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously.

Okay, Ms. Bryan, let's take item number 21, please.

Yes, sir, item 21 is discussion and action to approve a resolution that the city council declares the expenditure of district aid discretionary funds in an amount not to exceed $10,000 for costs related to state rental, audiovisual equipment, entertainment, hiring of off-duty law enforcement officers or private security officers, barrier rental for vehicle and pedestrian control, permitting fees and or portable restroom, RENTAL RELATED TO THE HOLDING OF THE SEGUNDO BARRIO COMMUNITY BLOCK PARTY BY THE SOUTH SIDE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION SERVES A MUNICIPAL PURPOSE OF FOSTERING COMMUNITY PRIDE, ENCOURAGING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND CELEBRATING THE HERITAGE AND CULTURE OF ONE OF THE OLDEST NEIGHBORHOODS IN EL PASO HISTORY. THIS ITEM WAS SUBMITTED BY REPRESENTATIVE CANALES.

OKAY. REPRESENT CANALES. MOVE TO A MOTION. OKAY. REPRESENT CANALES.

This is an event that the Sioux and the Barrio has been hosting for a long time, and it's been done in conjunction with the District 8 office for several years, since even before my time in office, so we're happy to continue the traditional support for this event. I think it's a great event, and we'll make sure everybody's invited. It's still tentative, but almost 100% confirmed Sunday, September 6th, and I believe that'll be from 6 p.m. to midnight, but we'll make sure that all of council receives the invitation. We'd love to have you there.

It is a great event. I was there last year. Good event. It's getting bigger and bigger every year. OK, any questions on item number 21? OK, Ms. Bryan.

The motion was made by Representative Canales, seconded by Representative Limon. And this is to approve the resolution on item 21. On that motion, call for the vote. And the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously.

OK, let's take item number 22, please.

Item 22 is discussion in action to approve a resolution that the City Council approves the expenditure of District 8 discretionary funds in an amount not to exceed $1,800 for costs associated with hosting the Plaza Classic Film Festival Filmmakers Brunch. This item is also Representative Canales.

Representative Canales. Move to approve.

AND THIS IS A FREE EVENT. WE DEFINITELY WELCOME THE COUNCIL AGAIN. THE PLAZA CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL BRINGS SO MANY PEOPLE DOWNTOWN. I WENT AT 1030 P.M. LAST WEEK TO GO SEE SCREAM AND IT WAS A GREAT TIME. SO I DEFINITELY CHECK OUT THE FILM FESTIVAL IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY. BUT THIS WILL BE THE FILMMAKERS BRUNCH SPECIFICALLY IS SUNDAY, JULY 27 AT 11 A.M. IN THE FOUNDATION ROOM. REPRESENTATIVE LIMON IS WHISPERING TO ME THAT IT'S SOLD OUT. WOW, THAT'S GOOD NEWS. FORTUNATE. I MEAN, GREAT FOR THEM. GREAT FOR THE EVENT THAT IT'S SOLD OUT. BUT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU'RE ABLE TO ATTEND THE FILMMAKERS BRUNCH, WE DEFINITELY WELCOME FOLKS TO COME ENJOY DOWNTOWN AND THE FILMS ON OFFER DURING THE PLAZA CLASSICS.

SUNDAY, JULY 27 TO 11 A.M. THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY. REPRESENTATIVE LIMON.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, REPRESENTATIVE CANALES. DEFINITELY IN DISTRICT EIGHT. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO BE ASSISTED AT SOME POINT IN TIME NEXT YEAR FOR THE SPONSORSHIP. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO SEE THE ICONIC MOVIE ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN THIS PAST SUNDAY. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE THERE FOR GREGORY NAVA FOR HIS TWO EVENTS. JUST A FABULOUS, FABULOUS EVENT. I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SUPPORT IT. THANK YOU.

VERY GOOD. ANY QUESTIONS ON ITEM 22?

The motion was made by Representative Canales, seconded by Representative Limon to approve the resolution on item 22. On that motion, call for the vote. In the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously.

All right, let's take item number 23, please.

Item 23 is discussion in action that the City Council of City of El Paso declares that the expenditure of District 8 discretionary funds in an amount not to exceed $2,000 to purchase furniture for Fire Station 22 serves the municipal purpose of supporting public safety and investing in public safety equipment and property that will directly benefit Fire Station 22. This is Representative Canales.

OK. Representative Canales.

Last one, Mayor. Thank you. Move to approve. yep all right represent canalis and then uh the fire station 22 uh unveiling ribbon cutting was a few weeks ago mayor you were there it's a beautiful beautiful uh both renovation and expansion of the fire station uh they constructed a nice little outdoor break area for the firefighters and they put a grill there they don't have any furniture outside so we wanted to make sure to supplement this Firefighters, I say this again and again, they spend tons of their lives at the fire stations. They work long shifts. They practically live there for portions of their lives, and so I think it's nice to be able to provide them an extra outdoor space.

It was a great ribbon cutting and a wonderful uncoupling and a wonderful facility.

Thank you, Mayor.

Ms. Bryan?

Yes, a motion was made by Representative Canales, seconded by Representative Limon to approve item 23. On that motion, call for the vote. in the voting session, and that motion passes unanimously.

Okay, Ms. Bryan, let's take item number 25, please.

Item 25 is discussion and action on the award of solicitation 2026-0085, Security Guard Services, Parks Utilities to Tricor Security for a term of three years and an estimated amount of $1,958,130. Okay, is there a motion? Second. Okay, is there a second? Representative Canales.

OK. Good afternoon. Ms. Bryan, call for the vote, please.

Yes, sir. The motion was made by Representative Limon, seconded by Representative Canales. And this is to award the solicitation on item 25. On that motion, call for the vote in the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously.

Okay, let's take item number 26, please.

Item 26 is discussion and action on the award of solicitation 2026-0323, 2026 high density mineral bond to Andale Construction Inc. for a total estimated amount of $1,556,203. Motion to approve.

All right.

Good afternoon. Good afternoon. Good morning.

Good afternoon. Derek Ross with the Purchase and Strategic Sourcing Department. So I'll cover the procurement portion of it. This is a low bid procurement for a new contract for 2026 high-density mineral bond. There were 20 views online. One bidder was received, none from a local supplier. No protests were received for this requirement, and an adequate competition survey was conducted. And we are recommending an award to the sole lowest responsive responsible bidder.

Okay, any questions on item number 26? Representative Nino.

Randy, would you be able to, thank you so much for purchasing, but Randy, can you touch a little bit more about what the high mineral bond project is? It's gonna be in District 5, over 66 miles of roads that are going to be overall preserving the life of it. I know there's a slide of just talking about that, but can you touch a little bit more? I know that we've had numerous conversations for the past I would say probably a year, year and a half of talking about the streets, ensuring that we preserve the quality of the streets, because at the end of the day, this is also going to be a cost savings to the taxpayers, because again, we're extending the life of those streets.

yes randy garcia director of streets and maintenance um yes the 825 mineral bond is going to be an overlay that goes over the streets that have a certain pci we're looking at the ones around 80 and district 5 had the most of those as part of the the previous bond issuance we were given money um to really uh start this program off so we are focusing on district five um hopefully it goes well and the application goes smoothly we've already prepped the majority of the roads that need to get a metal bond they need to have some small maintenance activities on cleaning making sure that there's any cracking that those were taken care of and we have done that in preparation of this contract and i really thank purchasing for getting this contract out sooner than we expected so we can really go forward in the next few months we are resurfacing in district 5 right now as rep nino is aware so this will be a compliment to Street preservation and street maintenance within district 5 and we look forward to expanding the program in the future to the other districts as we go and really Resurface as many streets as possible. So we really want to start looking at preservation of those roads after we do the street maintenance.

I

Thank you for your work and I know we've had numerous conversations specifically because district district 5 we wanted to preserve the streets and ensure that in the long term there is cost savings to the taxpayer to thank you for your hard work and you know the numerous conversations that we've had think.

Thank you any reps in the month.

Yes, Randy. So we're looking we're focusing how much.

There's 66 roads.

$1 million, $1.5 million?

Yes.

But we're focusing it on roads with a PCI of 80 or better?

Yes.

What happens to those that are 10, 11, 12, 15, 16? and so on and so forth. And I worry about that because when you looked at that chart, you saw the disproportionate amount of streets in those areas and then all of a sudden we're focusing on 80s.

so the the funding for this came from the previous 2022 bond issuance so it was previously approved by council to use this method specifically in the uh representative of nino's district in district five so this was previously approved years ago and now we are finally effectuating the purchase or the contract to be able to do uh this new method of street preservation maintenance years ago can you tell me when it was the 2022 bonds 22 20 22 bonds and it specifically said it was going to be geared for 80 for streets that were 80 or better at that time in order to look at the streets that they want to preserve it was recommended that this mineral bond treatment be used for that specific road in order to to address the long-term needs of this of the needs within district five so we looked they looked at district five and then what is recommended for this treatment, we can go lower on it, but the streets that were reviewed to do this under District 5 were all ADPCI and higher, because those are all newer streets. And it will help us preserve 10 to 15 years additional life. So, you know, as Rep Nino said, You know, instead of waiting 20 years out, we're going to push the life expectancy of these roads instead of, you know, 15, 20, 25 years. We're pushing them out in 15 years so we won't have to go back and resurface them in 10 years. We can push that out 10, 15, possibly 20 years more.

Can you provide me or us a listing by low PCI scores? Yes. And your plan as to when you're going to tackle those, please?

Thank you very much. And then just to add on that, I'm sorry. But we will be bringing back our resurfacing program in a few months, an update to that. So we'll be more aware of what things you want to hear about the resurfacing program and any reconstruction programs.

And I appreciate that. But I would like to see a PCI with the listings of about anything from 10. I would hope that there's nothing below 10, maybe up to about 20, and when and how. we are going to tackle those streets. District 5 has the newest streets in the city, and we're going to spend $1.5 million on that. And we have streets in the city that are in the 10s, 15s, 20s, and especially in District 7, which is the oldest part of the district, of the city. And it doesn't seem fair that we would be spending this money at this point in this time. So all I want to know, all that I request, is I'd like to see a listing of those low streets and your plan on how you're going to bring those up Thank you very much, Randy.

Representative Lamone, to be fair to the team, we've had broad conversations about the need to take care of what we have to not allow to get into a place where it needs reconstruction. And so for more than 10 years, I think we had this conversation beginning in the 2012 street plan. The conversation was about what are those products, and we talked about mineral overlay, that could extend the life of the streets that are not in bad condition. We know that over 50% of our streets are in fair to poor condition. We know that we continue to see those degradate. We know that we only get one mile for about a million dollars. And so we're putting this preservation across 66 miles that are going to give us 15 to 20 years on that side of town. It means that as we're starting to think about new dollars coming in, we can very much focus on those reconstruction projects that are going to be very expensive. We know that it is a challenge for council. We have had this conversation multiple times. We hear from the community over and over again that streets are a priority, but we know we don't have sufficient funding nor an identified funding source to meet all the needs in the community, but know that our team is doing their best to ensure that we're taking care of all the assets with the available resources that we have, and it allows us to be able to talk about long term. How do we get to a place where we can finally focus on the reconstruction? You know we have very little dollars for reconstruction, which are the score sets that you're talking about within the bond. And we know that when we continue to have that conversation, I think it needs to be more than just a two-year plan. We need to have a broader conversation about where the council would like to position to pay for streets and talk about that moving forward. There's over a $4 billion need in our city.

And I appreciate that, Ms. Mack. I do appreciate that. But when consistently at community meetings, and Randy, you've been there, where the public is asking my street is a 15 or my street is a 20 or my street is at that level. And then to see one and a half million dollars expended for another area with the newest streets in the city, at what point do we actually start thinking and whatever plan you all have, whatever it is that you want to propose to us, how do we respond to our community as well? Thank you very much, Mr. Representative Fierro.

Thank you, Mayor. Randy, thank you for this presentation. Thank you for walking us through what the project is. I have a question for you, though. How many streets were resurfaced in District 5?

RECENTLY. SO, ACTUALLY, THIS WEEK COMING UP, WE'RE GOING TO START OUR FIRST RESURFACING ACTIVITIES WITHIN DISTRICT FIVE. SO WE DIDN'T IDENTIFY. SO THEY'VE HAD NONE. THEY'VE HAD NONE. YEAH.

AND THE REST OF US HAVE HAD NOT AS MUCH AS WE WISH WE WOULD HAVE, BUT WE'VE HAD HANDS DOWN MORE THAN DISTRICT FIVE. AM I CORRECT?

YES, AND I THINK THIS YEAR ALONE WE'VE PROBABLY BEEN IN EVERYBODY'S DISTRICT AT LEAST FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. EXCEPT FOR DISTRICT FIVE. EXCEPT FOR DISTRICT FIVE. THANK YOU, RANDY.

Representative Nino.

Thank you, Randy, and thank you, Ms. Mack, for clarifying that. At the end of the day, we're trying to navigate the biggest issue that has been brought up forward by many residents of ensuring that we resurface streets, we take care of our streets. And at the end of the day, this is going to provide a cost savings to the taxpayers in the long run because we're trying to preserve the quality of the streets. And I know District 5 has some of the newest streets. And this is not the first time that we have conversations about streets. I mean, we talked about it in December. We talked about it in February. There was presentations of the different streets that were selected across all districts. But then District 5 had the highest PCI score. And even in that conversation, we talked about how do we preserve those streets and ensure that there is equity amongst all of the districts. So this is not a new conversation. These 66 streets were part of a presentation earlier this year and last year, specifically talking about how we're going to preserve the streets in District 5 to ensure, again, that there's cost savings in the long run. So thank you for all your hard work, and thank you to my colleagues.

Thank you.

Randy, thank you for the presentation. Thank you, Mayor. Ms. Prime, call for the vote on item number 26, please.

Yes, sir. The motion was made by Representative Limon, seconded by alternate Mayor Pro Tempiero. And this is to award the solicitation on item 26. On that motion, call for the vote. in the voting session? And the motion passes seven to one. Representative Limon voting nay. The remainder of council voting aye. The motion carries.

Okay, let's take item number 27, please.

Item 27 is discussion and action on the request that the Director of Purchasing and Strategic Sourcing be authorized to issue purchase orders for solicitation 2026-0237, Caterpillar Proprietary Parts and Service to Wagner Equipment Company, the sole source and authorized distributor of the Caterpillar Proprietary Parts and Service for a term of three years and an estimated amount of $5,250,000. Second. Second, okay.

Good afternoon.

Hi, good afternoon. I'm Dean Bravo with the purchasing department.

You have a presentation, right?

There we go.

That's with Mr. Randy.

OK. Good afternoon, Randy.

Good afternoon again, Randy Garcia, Streets and Maintenance Director. So the Caterpillar Parts and Award, this is mainly for the heavy equipment that we have at the landfill. So this is in support of our Department of Environmental Services. So this is to ensure that we have the parts that are necessary to go ahead and do the maintenance and the repairs at the landfill mainly. We have three big compactors and they continually are working in this heat and the desert conditions and they continually break down. So it's to ensure that our fleet group has the necessary contract in place to buy the parts necessary to do those repairs as required.

Very good. Any questions for Randy on this item? Ms. Pryor?

The motion was made by Representative Boria Trejo, seconded by alternate Mayor Pro Tem Pedro to approve item 27. On that motion, call for the vote. And the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously.

OK. Ms. Prime, let's take item number 28, please.

Item 28 is discussion and action on the award of solicitation 2026-0329, Traffic Management Center Phase 4 and 5 to Econolite Systems for a total estimated amount of $5,471,129.26. OK. Move to approve. OK. There's a motion and a second? Second. OK.

Good afternoon, Derrick Russell with Purchasing and Strategic Sourcing Department again. This is a low bid procurement for 2026-0329 Traffic Management Center Phase 4 and 5. There were 20 views online. Three bids were received, one from a local supplier. No protests were received for this requirement, and we are recommending the award to the lowest responsive responsible bidder.

OK. Any questions? Ms. Pryor?

This motion was made by representative or at the whole second by representative limon and this is to award the solicitation on item 28 on that motion call for the vote. And the voting session and that motion passes unanimously.

The second number 29 place.

I am 29 is discussion in action on a resolution to authorize the city manager to sign a chapter 3 80 economic development program agreement between the city of El Paso and a new daddy at Sandra hearing in the support of it to in to a development project located at 9, 0, 3, Park Street represent can Alice.

It was to prove okay all right. Let's see the presentation place.

Good afternoon, my name is Jessica Torres from Economic and International Development. Today I'll be presenting a chapter 380 infill agreement in support of the redevelopment at 903 Park Street. The project directly supports the city's strategic plan by creating opportunities that strengthen economic mobility and expand the local tax base. It also aligns with our department's objective of fostering sustainable economic growth by encouraging private investment and redevelopment of underutilized properties. One of the city's priorities is expanding housing opportunities through the strategic infill development. Infill development makes efficient use of the existing infrastructure, expands the housing choices, and strengthens its established neighborhoods. As a brief overview, the infill development incentive program is intended to encourage the redevelopment of vacant land and lightened properties. Eligible commercial and multi-family projects with a minimum investment of $50,000 may qualify for the incentives, including property tax rebates, construction fee waivers, and the construction material sales tax rebates. The applicant is Eliteria Sandra Herring, and the proposed investment totals approximately $270,000, and it consists of a new construction of a 2,400 square foot triplex located at 903 Park Street in District 8. The development will include three residential units, each approximately 750 square feet, two bedrooms, one bathroom. This slide illustrates the current conditions of the property compared to the proposed development. As shown, the project replaces an underutilized vacant lot with new residential construction. Staff is recommending an incentive package totaling 15,988. It includes a 5,000 construction permit fee rebate, a 1,350 construction material sales tax rebate, and a 10-year incremental property tax rebate totaling 9,638. This chart illustrates the important future of the incentive. The city continues to collect the taxes on the property's existing value throughout the agreement. Only the incremental taxes generated by the new construction are eligible for the rebate. Even during the incentive period the city is projected to receive approximately 14,500 towards the general fund of revenue over those 10 years By year 11 once the agreement expires the city retains a hundred percent of the taxes. I and beyond the city's general fund, the development benefits all taxing entities. Over the 10 years, it is projected to generate $49,100 of total direct property taxes for El Paso County, EPISD, EPCC, and the UMC. The staff does recommend approval of the proposed chapter 380 infill agreement. It does meet eligibility requirements of the infill program, supports the city's redevelopment goals, expands housing opportunities, and transforms a vacant property into productive taxable development. And I'll be happy to answer any questions.

Okay, thank you. Representative Canales. Thank you, Mayor.

Yeah, it's good to see smaller property owners taking advantage of the infill incentive program. This is an eligible project, and I think it'll provide really excellent middle housing. It's a triplex housing options within Segundo Barrio, so I'm happy to support it. Thank you, Mayor.

Representative Chavez.

Thank you, Mayor, and thanks for the presentation. I didn't have a chance to get briefed on this item, so I do have just a couple of questions. Yesterday, we had a whole discussion on the housing strategy. Do you have any idea how many incentives we currently have for info for housing?

We do have 12 active agreements right now.

And do you know if they're all in downtown area or where they're located?

No, they're in different areas. We have some District 8, 1, 2, 8, 4, and 2.

Okay. And are you taking them as they come in, or are you focused on specific areas of the city to promote?

No, no, and when daylight comes in, we do a review and follow the process for each one.

Okay, so there's no specific outreach to try to promote infill in different areas of the city right now?

It is listed on our website, and we do try to go out there. The small business group, they'll be, when they go out to meet, they'll come up with the incentive program and let them know everything we have to offer.

Okay, would it be possible to get a list of everything that right now has an incentive for infill? Yeah. Okay, thank you so much. I appreciate it.

Thank you. Any further questions on item number 29? Representative Trejo.

Thank you. I did get a chance to be briefed on this, and I had a quick question on if you were to find out if the person's going to be living in that location?

Yes. No, she won't be living there. They are renting all the three properties. As I mentioned, she did mention she's open to accepting Section 8 for these three properties. We don't have anything in the contract that will prohibit her from living in one of the properties.

Okay, so that's a good question, Ms. Mack. When someone's using infill, whether, because this is an individual, are they allowed to live in the location that they're using the infill incentives for?

First time I've been asked a question. We'll do some research and get back to you.

Okay, thank you.

All right, Ms. Pryor.

This motion was made by Representative Canales, seconded by Representative Limon, and this is to approve the resolution on item 29. On that motion, call for the vote. And the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously.

OK, let's take our last item, number 31, please.

Yes, Sir item number 31 is discussion in action on the award of task order 8 be dash one under the job order contracting and facilities construction contract number 2022 dash 0, 6, 7, 8, for fire station number 3 renovation to the least company LLC DBA that these construction and the total estimated award of 2 million 765,000 $753.92 represent canals move to approve. Can we see the presentation on this one.

Good afternoon, Mayor, City Council. Javier Acosta, Capital Improvements Department. This is to review the award and the renovation for fire station number three. Location is at 721 East Rio Grande, District 8. The construction budget is $2.7 million. Funding source is 2019 public safety bond. The project benefits are to meet the current standards to update the facility for the current needs for the facility. And the contract is through the job orders contract and facilities construction contract. Again, project location, 921 East Rio Grande. Closest intersection is Rio Grande and Virginia. Here is a look at the existing conditions of the restroom, the bay facilities. The existing conditions of the plumbing, HVAC, domestic water line, all this will be upgraded. The existing conditions of the exterior of the building, the brick finish, the HVAC units, the electrical disconnect boxes, they have ground units. Going through the scope of the work, the exterior improvements, sidewalks, driveways, curbs, ramp replacements, landscape and irrigation modifications, roofing, window replacements, and refinishing of the brick, the interior renovations, upgrade of the mechanical, the electrical and the plumbing. There'll be a new decontamination room and a new gear room. There'll be renovations to the restroom, the utility room, there'll be a stainless steel kitchen on the first floor, renovations for the restroom on the second floor, the finishes, the replacement of the windows, doors, and the new bay doors for the bays. The project rendering, you can see here, there'll be a new metal roof. It has existing clay tile. look like the existing clay top, be a modern, better metal roof. New windows, bay doors. You can see also the bathrooms and the kitchen on the profile of the building. Project rendering, the first floor, you can see the existing, what is there. So there'll be a new kitchen, new decontamination room, new gear room, more accessible restroom at the bottom. A SECOND FLOOR, THERE WILL BE RENOVATIONS TO THE RESTROOMS, ALSO SITTING AREA, BEDROOM WILL BE UPGRADED. SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO AWARD THE CONSTRUCTION TO RELEASE CONSTRUCTION IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,765,753.92. THE CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE STARTS SUMMER 2026 AND THE END IS SUMMER 2027. THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. VERY GOOD. REPRESENT CANALAS.

Thank you, Mayor. I think like all of the fire stations across all the districts that have been renovated, there's a lot of need. This one in particular is I think 96 years old. And so quite an old building. The original station was built there I think in 1906, but the currently standing building in 1930. And so it's in some serious need. i think last renovated in the 70s from what i can tell in the late 1970s with a for a full a more full renovation um so i'm happy to see this one coming forward um and council appreciate the support thanks okay representative

Thank you mayor have yet is this a the station that still has the poll from the 2nd floor going down to the 1st floor. I'm not sure I can double check. I know it's their ways. I see the chief not yet. Yeah, I really would like to go to the ribbon cutting when it's when you open up. I think that's one of the latest features of this of the station. Thank you very much. Thank you.

All right any other questions for here. Okay, this prime.

Yes, the motion was made by Representative Canales, seconded by Representative Limon to award the task order on item 31. On that motion, call for the vote. In the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously.

Okay, Ms. Prime, I think we're ready to adjourn. Okay, is there a second?

There's a motion and a second to adjourn the regular city council. Thank you, council. All in favor? Anyone opposed? And the regular city council meeting for Tuesday, July 21st, 2026 is adjourned at 1221 p.m. Thank you, council.