City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening, everyone. I want to welcome you all to the September 17th, 2026 regular Socorro City Council meeting. It's 6.06 p.m. and I call this meeting to order. As always, we begin our meetings with the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence. And today we have some very, very special guests with us today. We have the Escontrías STEAM Academy, a school that I'm very familiar with, and I think Representative Cordero is also familiar with as well. And Ms. Rojas, did you also attend that school?

And I also attended that school, and I think Mr. Perez also attended that school. When he did go to class, I think the majority of us here attended Escon Trillas. It was the only school that was there. And I think you guys still have the same lunch lady, if I'm not mistaken, from 1940. No, I'm just joking. At this time, if I can ask everybody, please stand up for the Pledge of Allegiance.

Can you guys just remain standing up here with us because on behalf of the Socorro City Council and the community of Socorro, we want to recognize you all with some certificates of recognition. I do want to let you all know that Jacey, where's Jacey? Lozano? We have your certificate at the office and we're gonna hopefully get it to you tomorrow. And if we gotta have Mr. Perez or even our police chief deliver it personally, we'll do that, okay? We're gonna make sure you get it tomorrow. But when we call your name, we'd like to all shake your hand and then we wanna take a picture with you guys i

Levi Bello. That's a strong handshake, Levi. Here you go buddy, sorry. Nice grip. Emily Ray Velazquez.

You have the same middle name as my daughter. Exactly the same. Emily, just take the microphone when you leave, okay? Just take it with you.

She's the first one, right? All right, did you guys get some candy, though? They're so nice and polite when they came up here. Some of them are saying nice to meet you and thank you. When I bump into some of the residents, they usually say, why are my taxes so high? But I appreciate you guys for being so cordial. I'm gonna take a quick photo with you guys, and if the parents wanna take a photo, Do you guys want to get in the photo? Yeah, come on.

At this time, we're gonna go ahead and establish quorum.

Thank you. At this time, we're gonna go ahead and move into the public comment portion of our meeting. There's no speakers for public comment. We're gonna go ahead and move into the consent agenda. Motion to approve consent agenda. Second. There's been a motion and a second to consent agenda. All those in favor say aye. At this time we move into the regular agenda. Before we move into the first item in regular agenda, does anyone like to entertain a motion to move any items up?

I'd like to make a motion to move item 20 up to right now.

There's been a motion and second to move agenda item number 20 above 10. All those in favor say aye. Aye. That motion carries.

Let us bring up the item here on our screens real quick. So agenda item number 20 is the introduction of Camila Areola. And she's going to be the chair of the Socorro Municipal Youth Advisory Council, also known as the CIMAC. And I want to provide a little bit of background on what agenda item number 20 is and a little bit of what it talks about. So this introduction is just to provide in summary that Ms. Camila Ariola will serve as a chair and she's going to assist myself as well as also city council members with establishing and organizing the Socorro Municipal Youth Advisory Council. She's

I would be afraid if Camila was my opponent in any election right now if she's still a high school student. Camila, do you mind if we take a photo? And if your parents want to also join us in the photo as well, this is awesome for Ciudad Socorro. I think you're going to do really well, especially working with our youth here.

Now we're moving on with agenda item number 10. This is a public hearing of an ordinance approving a proposed amendment to the city of Socorro's master plan and rezoning of a portion of track 1A, 1B, and 1E, now known as track 1A1, 1A3, 1B1, 1B3, and 1E1, block 26 Socorro Grant located on Vineyard Road. City of Socorro, Paso County, Texas from A1 Agricultural to R2 Medium Density Residential to allow for a residential development. It's 625 p.m. and public hearing is now open.

As there are no speakers, we close the public hearing at 6.25 p.m. We move on into agenda item number 11 with the second reading and adoption of an ordinance approving a proposed amendment to the City of Socorro's master plan and rezoning of a portion of Tract 1A, 1B, and 1E, now known as Tract 1A1, 1A3, 1B1, 1B3, and 1E1. Block 26, Socorro Grant located on Vineyard Road, City of Socorro, El Paso County, Texas from A1 Agricultural,

Do any members of council have any questions for Ms. Camilo on this item? Miss Camilo, during the planning and zoning meeting when this was presented, were there any concerns about traffic for the addition of 83 new homes?

And the reason I ask is because I think we're already seeing it and Socorro, as we all know, it's busting at the seams already. But if there can be just, we need to start looking at the improvement of the entrance into Socorro Road from Vineyard. I think it's so narrow. And then you have a stoplight there. There's a three-way stoplight. And I don't know if that's something that's in the plans for...

Yes, ma'am, yes, ma'am, okay. As there are no questions from council, I believe there is a motion and a second. All those in favor say aye. And that motion carries. Thank you. We move into agenda item number 12 with the discussion and action to approve resolution 858 authorizing the City of Socorro representatives in matters pertaining to the City of Socorro's participation in the Texas Community Development Block Grant Program, TXCDBG.

Are there any questions or further discussion on this item right here? No. There was a motion and second on this resolution. All those in favor say aye. Aye. That motion carries. The next item is 13, with the discussion in action, to enter into an interlocal agreement between the City of Socorro, Texas, and the El Paso Area Transportation Services, LGC, also known as EPATS, for the purpose of providing local transit services on behalf of the City of Socorro, Texas.

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

Alejandra, on the interlocal agreement, this is... I understand in reading the item that it's the interlocal agreement between us and EPATS for providing the local transit services. Now I know that right now we currently provide our own system that it's gonna stay the same. How does it work as far as what we're providing right now? What's the major change?

So like the elderly woman that needs to pick up her meds or go to the doctor's appointment within the jurisdictional boundaries of our city, she still calls the 860?

Okay. Okay. And the reason I ask is I think that we, so it needs to be a holistic approach. Yes, social media is a great tool, and it lets people know about the change. But I think we need to also actually notify the elderly face-to-face. And I'm sure that our staff has already identified that and already working on that.

Mr. Ando, I see you back there smiling and all the comments that you've made in reference to the city of Socorro have been positive ones. I think that should have been the approach from the very beginning. But it took someone like you to come in here and make it happen. So we appreciate that and we look forward to working with you. You want to come share some words yourself there, Mr. Ando?

Thank you. I know Mr. Garcia had some comments as well.

Thank you for everything. You've been a wind of change. Because when they came in here, it was totally different attitudes. But the one thing that I can get away from is having a direct line to the universities and to the colleges here. because a lot of these kids from Socorro, Saneli, Tornillo, whatever it might be, are not getting direct lines to the university, to the colleges that they wanna go to, Western, Ottawa, wherever they wanna go. And I think we should work on that because that is my main concern, is making sure these kids from the outskirts get to go to UTEP, get to go to communit

Ms. Valadez, do you have any more additional information to provide during your presentation?

Great, awesome. And I think it also, it relieves Ms. Charretta's staff as well, from behind the desk answering phones.

Good. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Good stuff. As there are no more questions or any further discussion from any members of council? No. No? Okay. There was a motion and a second. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. That motion carries. The next item is 14, with the discussion in action to approve the resolution 859 authorizing the city of Socorro to enter into an advanced funding agreement with the state of Texas acting through the Texas Department of Transportation to approve funding for the Paso del Norte Trail Socorro Spine Alignment, project number CSJ0924-06789.

Any questions? No, sir. This item here The Paso del Norte trail spine alignment project, I know that this is only for the engineering and design?

When we say or identify the areas for phase one from Alameda Avenue, Beaufort to Bovee, are we talking on the canal side? of sidewalks?

Yeah, because one side we have irrigation and then the other side you have businesses and residential. And I know that there's sidewalks being built on that side of Alameda right now as you exit Bovee. So I'm assuming that now we want to come to the other side, right, and create that.

Okay, is there any further discussion or questions from as well as this? No, there was a motion and second. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. And that motion carries. we move into agenda item number 15 with the discussion in action to approve the work authorization number two with cea engineering group inc for the professional engineering services for the park improvement projects the maximum amount payable under this work authorization is 745 952 dollars with 15 cents funded by the 2026 certificates of obligation motion to approve second

Do any members of council have any questions on this presentation?

So any other comments or discussion? I believe both council members bring up good points with park improvements. If it's gonna be any seating, I know that right now, if you were to drive by any of our parks and there's any seating, it's probably a bench that was made by our public works department using wood, and somebody was handy with the welder at the time, and that's what you drive past right now. And you have to be careful when you slide on that bench. because you go home with splinters on your backside. We're trying to get away from that, and we're trying to create the park with equipmen

Okay, just the documents will be ready. That's as fast as CEA can work on?

When construction documents become available to the city, how much time do we have to post and go through the procurement process for procuring contracting agreements?

I know that the work authorization for funding the engineering services is one. Once the designs are out, is this also gonna be taken up as one large project, or are you going to receive multiple contractors to work on the different parks at the same time?

Like is it gonna be taken as one packet because I'm seeing that we can get started on all three parks at the same time under different contractual agreements depending on the bids that are coming in?

The other two? The other two are gonna be under the grant funding.

Are there any other questions or comments from council? No, sir. There was a motion and second on this item. All those in favor, say aye. And that motion carries, thank you. Agenda item number 16, this is the discussion and action to ratify letters of support for Project Amistad and the El Paso Transportation Authority's ETA proposals for Federal Transit Administration section 5310 funding.

That was a motion and second. All those in favor, say aye.

Mr. Reyes, is that an aye or? Yes, okay. Thank you. Thank you. Aye. We move into agenda item number 17 with the discussion and action to approve resolution 860 for the preliminary and final plat with a waiver request from section 38-8.2 preliminary plat plans and data subsection c engineering reports to waive the storm drainage plan and soil analysis requirement for the reyes estates being all of tract 4a block 9 socorro grant and located at 336 brown road city of socorro opasso county texas motion to approve second

They're just trying to replat and they haven't decided what structure is going to be put on there. It's kind of like a temporary waiver. It still has to be submitted upon...

Any other questions or comments on this item?

There's a motion and second. All those in favor, say aye. That motion carries. Thank you. Agenda item 18 is the discussion and action to approve resolution 861 for the final plat for the Ohanas being a portion of track one. Is it 1X or is it Roman numeral one? now known as 1X1 Lake Clark, Survey Number 293 and a portion of Lot 17, Block 6, Cielo del Rio, Unit 2, amending plat and addition to the City of Socorro, Paso County, Texas. Motion to approve.

Any questions or further discussion on this item?

Those in motion and second, all those in favor say aye. Aye. And that motion carries. We move into agenda item number 19 with a discussion and action to approve resolution 862 for the replat of Mission Trail Estates, replat L being a replat of lot 10, block 22, Mission Trail Estates located at 401 Borrego Road, San Isidro, Texas.

No, any questions or further discussion on this item? No, there's a motion and second. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. And that motion carries. Thank you, Ms. Camilo. Thank you. We've already introduced agenda item 20. We move into 21. This is a presentation, discussion and action regarding a proposed partnership with Gia Sole Espinosa, Miss Earth USA for the development of Mia's Garden, a community healing and memorial garden in the city of Socorro, Texas. Miss Gia, unfortunately, is, I believe, on travel. She's got quite a bit on her plate right now. as representing our area here as Miss E

NO, SO THE NUMBER OF TREES WASN'T DISCLOSED. I JUST KNOW THAT SHE DID MENTION, LOOK, I HAVE ALL THESE TREES. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ALL THESE TREES MEANS. IT COULD MEAN, YOU KNOW, ANY NUMBER, FIVE, TEN. I don't foresee our staff having to do any work. I think this is all volunteer. She's just looking for a space and she's looking to the city of Socorro to help establish this place here. And if you all need further information, I can also get that from her right now. We just need to say yes or no to it so that she can either move elsewhere and look for another community space to plant these trees. T

Well, it's discussion and action, right? We need to take action on this item. We need to take action. Second. There's been a motion and second. All those in favor, say aye. Aye.

There's been a motion and a second on this item. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. And that motion carries. Do we have any items to discuss for 22, 23, or 24?

There's been a motion to delete items 22, 23, and 24. All those in favor, say aye. Do I have a motion to adjourn this meeting? Motion to adjourn. There's been a motion and second to adjourn this meeting. All those in favor say aye. This meeting adjourns at 7.23 p.m. Thank you all.