City Council

Dee Margo

Peter Svarzbein, District 1

Mayor

Alexsandra Annello, District 2

 

Cassandra Hernandez-Brown, District 3

 

Sam Morgan, District 4

Tommy Gonzalez

Michiel R. Noe, District 5

City Manager

Claudia Ordaz Perez, District 6

 

Henry Rivera, District 7

 

Cortney Carlisle Niland, District 8

 

 

SPECIAL WORK SESSION MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

MAIN CONFERENCE ROOM

JULY 10, 2017

 

The City Council met at the above place and date.  Meeting was called to order at 8:28 a.m.  Mayor Dee Margo present and presiding and the following Council Members answered roll call:  Alexsandra Annello, Cassandra Hernandez-Brown, Sam Morgan, and Henry Rivera.  Late arrivals:  Michiel R. Noe at 8:36 a.m., Peter Svarzbein at 8:43 a.m., and Claudia Ordaz Perez at 9:12 a.m.  Not Present:  Cortney Niland

 

 

 

 

AGENDA

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.

For discussion and action:  FY 2017 – 2018 Budget as presented by the City Manager/Budget Hearings Schedule.

 

Mr. Tommy Gonzalez, City Manager, gave an overview of the FY2017 - 2018 City Budget and introduced $16.2 million increase.  (PowerPoint presentation on file with City Clerk’s Office)

 

Mayor Margo and Representatives Svarzbein, Rivera, Annello, Ordaz Perez, Hernandez-Brown, and Noe questioned City staff.

 

The following City staff members commented:

 

  1. Mr. Tommy Gonzalez, City Manager
  2. Mr. Robert Cortinas, Director of Office Management and Budget
  3. Mr. Khalil Zaied, Deputy City Manager Public Works
  4. Dr. Mark Sutter, Deputy City Manager Financial & Public Health
  5. Ms. Dionne Mack, Deputy City Manager Public Safety & Support Services
  6. Mr. Tracy Novak, Director of Parks and Recreation

 

Goal 1 – Economic Development and Goal 3 – Visual Image (Airport, Bridges, Economic Development, Destination El Paso)

 

Mayor Margo and Representatives Svarbein, Ordaz Perez, Hernandez-Brown, questioned City staff.

 

The following City staff members commented:

 

  1. Mr. Tommy Gonzalez, City Manager
  2. Ms. Monica Lombrana, Director of Aviation
  3. Mr. Mathew McElroy, Director of International Bridges
  4. Mr. Cary Westin, Deputy City Manager Economic Development & Tourism
  5. Ms. Jessica Herrera, Interim Director of Economic and International Development

 

Goal 2 – Public Safety (Police and Fire)

 

Mayor Margo and Representatives Svarzbein, Hernandez-Brown, Morgan, Annello, Noe, and Ordaz Perez questioned City staff.

 

The following City staff members commented:

 

  1. Mr. Tommy Gonzalez, City Manager
  2. Fire Chief Mario D’Agostino
  3. Assistant Police Chief Patrick Maloney
  4. Police Chief Greg Allen
  5. Mr. Khalil Zaied, Deputy City Manager Public Works

 

Goal 4 – Quality of Life (Library, Museums, Parks, Zoo)

 

Mayor Margo and Representatives Svarzbein, Noe, Annello, and Hernandez-Brown. questioned City staff.

 

The following City staff members commented:

 

  1. Mr. Tommy Gonzalez, City Manager
  2. Mr. Steve Marshall, Director of Zoo
  3. Mr. Cary Westin, Deputy City Manager Economic Development & Tourism
  4. Mr. Tracy Novak, Director of Parks and Recreation
  5. Ms. Tracy Jerome, Director of Museums and Cultural Affairs

 

Goal 5 – Communication (IT)

 

Mayor Margo and Representative Svarbein questioned City staff.

 

The following City staff members commented:

 

  1. Mr. Tommy Gonzalez, City Manager
  2. Mr. Enrique Martinez, Director of Information Technology
  3. Ms. Julie Lozano, Public Information Marketing Manager

 

Goal 6 – Sound Governance (City Attorney, City Manager, HR, Mayor/Council, Municipal Clerk, Non-Dept., Comptroller, Purchasing, Tax)

 

Mayor Margo and Representatives Ordaz Perez, Hernandez-Brown, and Morgan questioned City staff.

 

The following City staff members commented:

 

  1. Mr. Tommy Gonzalez, City Manager
  2. Ms. Maria Pasillas, Tax Assessor Collector
  3. Ms. Linda Ball Thomas, Director of Human Resources
  4. Ms. Lilia Worrell, Interim Municipal Clerk
  5. Mr. Robert Cortinas, Director of Office Management and Budget

 

Goal 7 – Infrastructure (Capital Improvement, Sun Metro, Streets & Maintenance)

 

Mayor Margo and Representatives Morgan, Noe, Ordaz Perez, Hernandez-Brown, Annello, and Svarzbein questioned City staff.

 

The following City staff members commented:

 

  1. Mr. Tommy Gonzalez, City Manager
  2. Mr. Andy Goh, City Engineer
  3. Mr. Ted Marquez, Director of Streets and Maintenance
  4. Mr. Robert Cortinas, Director of Office Management and Budget
  5. Mr. Richard Bristol, Deputy Director of Streets and Maintenance
  6. Mr. Jay Banasiak, Director of Mass Transit

 

Goal 8 – Healthy Community (Environmental Services, Animal Services, Community Development, Public Health)

 

Mayor Margo and Representative Ordaz Perez questioned City staff.

 

The following City staff members commented:

 

  1. Mr. Tommy Gonzalez, City Manager
  2. Ms. Ellen Smyth, Director of Environmental Services
  3. Mr. Bruce Parsons, Assistant Director of Public Health

 

1st MOTION

Motion made by Representative Ordaz Perez, seconded by Representative Svarzbein, and unanimously carried to LOOK INTO a feasibility study of having changing stations in both men’s and women’s restrooms at all City parks.

 

The Special City Council Meeting was RECESSED at 10:14 a.m. and RECONVENED at 10:31 a.m.

 

2nd MOTION

Motion made by Mayor Pro Tempore Noe, seconded by Representative Brown, and unanimously carried to AMEND the motion to DIRECT City staff to come back with a summary of the study that’s been done so far that may enhance the street car project as far as heritage tourism and what their recommendations on how to proceed moving forward with enacting something regionally.

 

3rd MOTION

Motion made by Representative Svarzbein, seconded by Representative Annello, and unanimously carried to CONSIDER the research and development of a heritage corridor to look at ways to create tours and leveraging all the studies that have been done.

 

 

The Special City Council Meeting was RECESSED at 12:13 p.m. and RECONVENED at 1:05 p.m.

 

 

4th MOTION

Motion made by Representative Brown, seconded by Mayor Pro Tempore Noe, and unanimously carried to GET FEEDBACK from the City Manager on what other avenues or what other policies could be recommended from City staff to improve the parkland dedication ordinance and to AMEND the motion to include the research of best practices as a policy for parks irrespective of size and location for other changes needed to the parkland dedication ordinance which includes a conversation shade structures and canopies, etc.

 

5TH MOTION

Motion made by Representative Svarzbein, seconded by Mayor Pro Tempore Noe, and unanimously carried to RESEARCH and update the parkland dedication ordinance to require that new parks and developments include shade structures or canopies over playgrounds.

 

6th MOTION

Motion made by Representative Svarzbein, seconded by Mayor Pro Tempore Noe, and unanimously carried to ADD additional funds for a film incubator pilot program for three projects with allocation of to $10,000 max per program.

 

 

 

 

The Special City Council Meeting was RECESSED at 3:12 p.m. and RECONVENED at 3:24 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

ADJOURN

 

Motion made by Mayor Pro Tempore Noe, seconded by Representative Svarzbein, and unanimously carried to adjourn this meeting at 4:25 p.m.

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APPROVED AS TO CONTENT:

 

______________________________

Laura D. Prine, Interim City Clerk