El Paso City Council Meeting – June 10, 2025: Proclamations, I-10 Deck Plaza, Solar for All, and Historic Preservation
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El Paso City Council Regular Meeting - June 10, 2025
The El Paso City Council met on June 10, 2025, from approximately 9:00 AM to 5:35 PM, with breaks for a mass transit board recess (11:31-11:35 AM), lunch recess (12:05-1:22 PM), and executive session (1:24-5:30 PM). The meeting featured four proclamations, public comment from six speakers, approval of a consent agenda with revisions, discussion of historic preservation code amendments, and votes on multiple resolutions, including a $25 million grant application for an I-10 deck plaza and a $6 million Solar for All program for 440 low-income households. The council also took action on three executive session items.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the consent agenda as revised: Item 3 (emergency rock wall removal at the airport) was moved to the regular agenda per Representative Acevedo; Item 16 (revised Budget Policy) was deleted per the Office of Management and Budget. All other routine items were approved unanimously, including minutes, tax refunds, solid waste and demolition liens, a catalytic converter grant application, an interlocal agreement for inmate ambulance transport, and campaign contribution notations.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Ron Como criticized the city’s West Side Animal Services facility, arguing it operates only as an adoption center rather than the full-service shelter council voted on. He warned of continued dog attacks and threatened legal action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983.
- Michael Davis (Chairman, Eastside Central Coalition) promoted the first Black El Paso History Tour Guide, highlighting the Alameda corridor’s historic Black business district and a planned historic marker.
- Max Grossman thanked council for preserving public comment rights and for deleting Item 16 (budget policy), which he said could have allowed raiding the fund balance. He urged maintaining an 80-day reserve and called on Mayor Johnson to fulfill campaign promises to lower property taxes.
- Lisa Turner warned of potential food riots due to deportations affecting agricultural labor and rising food costs, urging the city to develop a contingency plan.
- Claudia Contreras Siller advocated for cats as pets, praised Animal Services and the cruelty unit for their work, and urged judges to take animal cases seriously. She noted she rescued a kitten that died en route to the meeting.
Discussion Items
- Item 3 – Emergency Rock Wall Removal (Airport): Staff presented on a May 13, 2025, incident where high winds caused a rock wall facade to collapse at the rental car facility. The city issued an emergency purchase order to Jordan Foster Construction for $127,000 to remove three remaining unstable facades. No injuries or property damage occurred. Council unanimously ratified the purchase order.
- Item 14 – Historic Landmark Preservation Amendments: Tony de la Cruz (Planning & Inspections) presented proposed updates to City Code 20.20, including interim protection of properties pending designation, demolition review processes, demolition-by-neglect enforcement, administrative review expansions, and alignment with state Certified Local Government requirements. No action was taken; public meetings are scheduled for June 16–17, 2025. Council members discussed outreach strategies and the need for improved customer service.
- Item 15 – Janitorial Services Contract: Approved a 5-year, $2.98 million contract with Ace Government Services for daily janitorial services at Public Health clinics. The 42.39% increase over the previous contract was attributed to six new locations (49,000 sq ft) and a rise in hourly rates from $18 to $27.
- Item 19 – Magoffin Avenue Shared-Use Path: Approved a $11.9 million grant application for a pedestrian/bicycle path from Cotton Street to Palm Street, with no local match required due to the city’s economically disadvantaged status. Unanimous.
- Item 20 – I-10 Deck Plaza Grant: Approved a $25 million Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside application for design and construction of multimodal infrastructure over I-10. The resolution is a non-binding statement of support; a formal commitment would come later via an advanced funding agreement. Passed 7-1-1 (Representative Limon voting no; Representatives Chavez and Rocha absent).
- Item 21 – Solar for All Program: Authorized the City Manager to execute a sub-award agreement with the Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute (TEPRI) for $6,018,000 from the U.S. EPA. The program will install solar systems on 440 low-income households (single-family and multifamily) and include workforce development for 20 interns. No city match required. Unanimous.
- Items 22-24 – Community Development Plans: Approved the 2025 Community Needs Assessment, updated policies for CDBG, ESG, HOME, HOPWA, and HOME-ARP programs, and the 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan with the first year Annual Action Plan. Funding totals over $5.7 million for neighborhood/housing improvements and maintains level federal allocations. Unanimous.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda approved unanimously with revisions.
- Item 3 (Airport emergency) ratified unanimously.
- Items 12 & 13 (District 5 discretionary funds) approved unanimously: $1,000 for pet pantries and microchip scanners at libraries; $3,000 for community events in District 5.
- Item 15 (Janitorial services) approved unanimously.
- Item 19 (Magoffin path grant) approved unanimously.
- Item 20 (I-10 deck plaza grant) approved 7-1-1 (Representative Limon opposed).
- Item 21 (Solar for All) approved unanimously.
- Items 22-24 (Community development) approved unanimously.
- **Executive Session:
- EX1 (Mark Avalos litigation):** Authorized settlement negotiations; passed 5-1 (Representative Canales nay; Chavez and Rocha absent).
- EX3 (Texas Gas Service rate intervention): Authorized hiring outside counsel to intervene; passed unanimously.
- EX5 (Deck Park Plaza): Authorized working toward a term sheet with the Deck Park Plaza Foundation; passed 5-2-1 (two nays; Chavez and Rocha absent).**
- EX2, EX4, EX6: No action taken.
Meeting Transcript
I don't think it's gonna be it. No, it's not such a big enough group. I can't see Raptors. You guys did a good job. All right, Miss Prime, we're gonna get started with our proclamations, but before that, I want to recognize Chris Hernandez uh with the Yeslet Independent School District who's here with us today too. Good to see her. That brings us to the mayor's proclamations. For those of you receiving a proclamation, your group will have up to six minutes collectively to speak at the podium. The first proclamation today is Pride Month. Thank you, Mayor. I'll wait a little bit to get everybody up here. Good morning. It's good to see familiar faces here. I'll read the proclamation. Proclamation City of El Paso, Texas, whereas every June communities across the nation celebrate LGBTQIA plus Pride Month, honoring the history, resilience, and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual to spirit, and allied individuals. And whereas Pride Month began in remembrance of the Stonewall Uprising of June nineteen sixty-nine, a pital pivotal moment of resistance led by trans women of color, including Marcia P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. That ignited the mo modern LGBTQIA plus rights movement. Shaping a borderline that is more inclusive, compassionate, and vibrant. And whereas despite decades of progress, LGBTQIA plus individuals, especially black, indigenous and Latinx transgender people continue to face systemic discrimination, violence, any race and health care, education, housing, and public policy. And whereas Opasso recognizes the urgent need to confront these injustices and remains committed to cultivating a community where every person, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression can live safely, authentically, and with dignity. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the mayor and council of the city of El Paso, urging all to reflect on the ongoing struggle for LGBTQIA plus rights and to celebrate the spirit of love, authenticity, and collective liberation that defines pride. June 2025 shall be known as Pride Month. Signed the Honorable Mayor Renard Johnson. Good morning. Good morning, Mayor, Council, and happy Pride. Yeah. First of all, I would like to thank you all for this resolution's proclamation. The importance of uh visibility is uh uh I mean incredibly important in these times. Uh it is an incredibly interesting time, a tumultuous time if one would say. But when we have a city that catches us, when we have a city that sits there and says, we don't care what's going on outside, we're gonna take care of you here. It's like it makes all the difference in the world. I was like, El Paso is one of the leaders in our states and in the south with all of the work that we do with all of the amazing people who live here and who continue to c come to the city due to issue things like this, this resolution, these proclamations show that it is important for diversity, right? And it shows that you can come here and you can be safe, that you can come and build a family, and it doesn't matter who you are, it doesn't matter what you are, it doesn't matter what you believe, this is your home. Um it is incredibly important in these moments for us to remember that we are one community and to also center, of course, our trans community who is under attack. And it's like so this month, as you celebrate all the very different iterations of the way that we celebrate pride from Pride Night at La Nube on the 18th, uh to community night on the 14th to Pride itself, uh the Pride Parade on the 21st. As you're celebrating, remember those who came before that allowed these things to happen, and remember that when they fought, they didn't just fight for the queer community, they fought for every single one of our rights. So again, thank you so much, and there will be more people speaking behind me. Good morning. Good morning. I just wanted to say thank you and remind you our theme this year for Pride is not all heroes wear capes. And here in front of us, we have many heroes not wearing capes, wearing suits. We appreciate you, and thank you for everything you're doing to keep supporting pride and everything it stands for. All right, thank you. And that was Rachel McReynolds, our secretary for El Paso Sun City Pride. And my name's Chris, um Christopher Eck, um, president for El Paso Sun City Pride. Um, on behalf of El Paso Sun City Pride, we want to thank every single one of you, mayor and council members, um, for this amazing proclamation to continue to show our LGBTQI youth and community that we are seen, that we are visible, especially during these dark times in this nation where we're trying to be erased, history is trying to be erased, but El Paso stands strong and showing that we can light the star rainbow and that can show the kids in this community acceptance that we can low decrease the amount of kids taking their own lives because they're being bullied at school because they're doing um you know just all the hate that's out there. So El Paso shines love and thank you for that, and thank you for the continued support. You got it. Thank you.
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