City Council - Special Meeting

Good evening, everyone. I want to welcome you all to the September 10th, 2026 special council meeting for the city of Socorro, Texas. It's now 601, and I call this meeting to order. As always, we begin our meetings with the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence. If you all would please rise for the pledge. We have a veteran with us here today. Would you please lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance, sir? 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. This remains tim

Thank you. We're going to go ahead and move into the public comment portion of our meeting.

Thank you, Mr. Sotilo. Are there any more? No more speakers, thank you. This time we move into the consent agenda.

There's been a motion and second to consent agenda. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Thank you. We're now gonna go ahead and move into the regular agenda. This is a, item number six. This is a public hearing of an ordinance adopting a budget for the fiscal year commencing October 1st, 2026 and ending on September 30th of 2027 for the city of Socorro, Texas. It's 6.06 p.m. and the public hearing's now open.

As there are no speakers for the public hearing, we're going to close it at 6.06 p.m. as well. And we move into agenda item seven, which is the second reading and adoption of an ordinance adopting a budget for the fiscal year commencing October 1st, 2026 and ending on September 30th, 2027 for the city of Socorro, Texas.

Well, on the agenda that's posted, we have item six, which is the public hearing, and seven is the second reading and adoption. Okay. So we're straight? We're straight. Okay.

Do any members of council have any questions or further discussion on this item here?

As there's no further discussion on this item, there was a motion and a second. All those in.

Yep. As there's no further discussion on this item, there was a motion and a second. All those in favor say aye. Aye. And that motion carries as well. We move into agenda item number eight with the discussion and action to ratify the tax increase set forth in ordinance adopting a budget for the city of Socorro. Motion to approve.

Are there any questions and further discussion on this item here?

Any questions or further discussion for this item here? There was a motion and a second. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. And that motion carries. We move into agenda item number nine. Jim, do we have for the public hearing Is there an amendment to the public hearing language?

Okay. Agenda item number nine, which is a public hearing on an ordinance authorizing the assessment and collection of property taxes within the city of Socorro, Texas, and further authorizing the El Paso City Tax Office to perform the actual assessment and collection of said property taxes on behalf of the city of Socorro, Texas for the fiscal year commencing on October 1st, 2026 and ending on September 30th of 2027.

So do you need, for the purpose of public hearing before we move on, that floor amendment, do you need... Do you need a council member to make that amendment?

Gotcha. Okay, so I'm going to go ahead and read the public hearing for agenda item number nine. And this is a public hearing on an ordinance authorizing the assessment and collection of property taxes within the city of Socorro, Texas, and further authorizing the El Paso City Tax Office to perform the actual assessment and collection of said property taxes on behalf of the city of Socorro, Texas for the fiscal year commencing on October 1st, 2026 and ending on September 30th, 2027. It's 6.13 p.m. and the public hearing is now open.

As there are no speakers for the public hearing of agenda item number nine, we close the public hearing at 6.13 p.m. And we move into agenda item number 10. Jim, would you want me to read the second reading and adoption, or the amendment to come before?

Agenda item number 10. It is the second reading and adoption of an ordinance authorizing the assessment and collection of property taxes within the City of Socorro, Texas, and further authorizing the El Paso City Tax Office to perform the actual assessment and collection of said property taxes on behalf of the City of Socorro, Texas, for the fiscal year commencing on October 1st, 2026, and ending on September 30th of 2027.

Would anyone like to make a motion to amend that?

I'd like to make a motion to amend the tax rate from zero point, I'm sorry, the number again, I'm sorry, Jim?

0.09163? 0.91633 to 14.2. Is that language correct?

So there's been a motion made by Mr. Garcia and second by Mr. Nevarez. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Any vote? That's for the amendment.

So there was a motion and second to approve the amendment, and now we're going to take the vote for the actual item itself to approve the item. Do I have a motion?

Okay. There was a motion and second to approve this item. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Okay, and that motion carries as well. Any further discussion, Jim, on that one there? No, sir, thank you. Okay, all right. We're now moving in. This is the second reading and adoption of an ordinance of the City of Socorro, Texas, adopting the amended organizational chart for the City of Socorro.

Do any members of council have any questions for Mr. Perez or would like to discuss further? On the organizational chart?

Okay, as there's no further discussion, all those in favor say aye. Aye. And that motion carries as well. We move into agenda item number 13 with the public hearing on an ordinance number 695, amendment number three, decreasing the fiscal year 2025-2026 budget by $884. The public hearing is now open at 6.20 p.m. No speakers, ma'am. As there are no speakers for this item, we close the public hearing at 6.20 p.m. as well. We move into agenda item 14 with the second reading and adoption on an ordinance number 695, amendment number three, decreasing the fiscal year 2025-2026 budget by $884. Motion

Do we have any questions or further discussion on this item for the decrease in budget? There's a motion and a second. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. And that motion carries as well. Do we have any items posted for 15, 16, or 17? No, sir.

No? Motion to delete items 15, 16, and 17? Second.

There's been a motion and a second on the table to delete items 15, 16, and 17. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. And that motion carries as well.

There's a motion and second to adjourn this meeting. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. This meeting adjourns at 6.22 p.m. Thank you.