El Paso City Council Meeting – July 22, 2025

This regular city council meeting began with mayor's proclamations recognizing the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Tender Care's five-star excellence day, Big Boy Concessions' 70th anniversary, and the Best Visitor Information Center in Texas Day. Following the proclamations and pledge of allegiance, the council convened to address routine consent agenda items, public hearings on zoning and parking ordinances, budget transfers, and a letter of support for a transportation project. The meeting was adjourned at 11:32 a.m.

Consent Calendar

• The consent agenda was approved with a revision moving item 16 (domestic terrorism consultant contract) to the regular agenda.
• Item 11 – Appointment of Valerie M. Armandadis to the Tax Advisory Committee was noted as a council appointment (not a mayoral appointment); she previously served on the committee.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Raymond Seda (spoke on item 26): Represented property owners requesting a zoning change from R3 to A2 apartments at 525 Lafayette Drive. He stated the 30-unit apartment complex would act as a buffer between commercial and residential uses and emphasized that apartments are "home sweet home" for families.
• Rick McLaughlin (spoke on item 38): Expressed 98% neighborhood support for no-parking signs near the West Side Sports Complex, citing littering and parking congestion. He noted prior ticketing reluctance and urged consistent enforcement.
• Betty Stangellini (call to the public): On behalf of the Justice House of Prayer, expressed support for city leadership and requested prayers for the community, including for the end of abortion and human trafficking.
• Claudia Contreras Siller (call to the public): Urged support for law enforcement, including better pay for El Paso Police, and advocated for Narcan availability to combat overdoses. She also requested reporting of animal cruelty.
• Elizabeth Crawford (call to the public): Argued that human trafficking and abortion are interconnected, stating, "The trafficking industry and the abortion cartel are two sides of the same underworld."
• Nasli De La Hoya Flores (call to the public): Thanked the city for increased funding for animal services and urged more community awareness about fostering and volunteering.
• Ron Como (call to the public): Asserted that managed intake of stray dogs is illegal under Texas law and criticized delays in completing the West Side animal shelter, calling for immediate action.
• Angie Anguelio (submitted statement): Opposed proposed parking meters at Current Place.
• Paul Dipp (call to the public): Requested that public meetings be held when requested by stakeholders, emphasizing the cost of mailing notifications ($800 per meeting) and the importance of early collaboration.
• Veronica Carvajal (call to the public): Speaking for Sembrando Esperanza, opposed El Paso Electric's proposed rate increase, stating a 31% increase ($161/year) for a small apartment resident and noting that 600 public comments were submitted against the hike.
• Sam Silerio (call to the public): As an intervenor, urged continued opposition to El Paso Electric's rate case, citing increased profits under JP Morgan (from $102 million average profit in 2017-2019 to $140 million in 2021-2023) and criticizing low solar compensation (less than $0.02/kWh when selling back to the utility).
• Saúl Gonzalez (call to the public): Opposed the rate increase, stating that an extra $20-30/month would mean "less medication, less food on the table" for many families.
• Michael Clark (call to the public): Criticized the city's food truck lottery system at parks, arguing it limits entrepreneurial flexibility and customer choice; he advocated for location selection based on demand.
• Mary Bardouche (call to the public): Requested that agenda item 19 (parking zoning changes) be postponed to allow a proper presentation to property owners in Kern and Rim areas, citing Texas law requiring stakeholder engagement.
• Linda Troncoso (call to the public): A local civil engineer opposed item 19, noting that the Uptown Redevelopment Plan (developed since 2019) would allow a 100% parking reduction based on a study that counted on-street parking in front of homes as excess. She said stakeholder meetings stopped in August 2024 and concerns were not addressed.

Discussion Items

• Item 16 – Domestic Terrorism Consultant Contract: A $90,000 contract with Porcena Solutions LLC, funded by a FEMA homeland security grant, to conduct a functional exercise simulating a domestic terrorism threat. Four bids were received; none local. The contract was approved.
• Item 19 – First Reading of Ordinance on Parking/Zoning Changes: Council approved the first reading (not final) of an ordinance that would allow a 100% parking reduction in certain areas. Council members expressed concerns about stakeholder outreach, with Representative Rocha stating that stakeholders must be included early. Representative Canales outlined extensive outreach to 10+ neighborhood associations and organizations, some providing support letters. The second reading and public hearing are scheduled in approximately one month.
• Item 38 – No Parking at Any Time (West Side Sports Complex area): Council approved the ordinance adding no-parking zones with decal requirements at multiple streets. Representative Acevedo inquired about a pending fee-schedule update for residential parking districts; staff said it would be presented in the coming weeks after legal review. The current fee schedule will apply to this ordinance.
• Item 41 – Budget Transfers: Approved transfers totaling funds from completed bond projects to ongoing projects (Geronimo, Shadow Mountain, Lee Trevino, Sunland Park), the Airport Road reconstruction, the Zoo's South American Pavilion (additional $175,000 from investment interest), and central ball fields. Staff explained that cost savings on completed streets (e.g., Yarbrough, Lomolinth) came from projects coming under budget; increased costs on others (e.g., Lee Trevino) resulted from needing deeper asphalt excavation due to high traffic damage.
• Item 43 – Letter of Support for 2026 Unified Transportation Program: Council authorized a letter supporting the proposed $150 million for SS 320 (Borderland Expressway Phase 3). A council member expressed uncertainty about whether the letter would influence the Transportation Commission but noted the city has financial commitments to the project through other agreements.

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda approved with item 16 moved to regular agenda.
• All public hearings and first readings of ordinances (items 17-23, 24-25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30-36, 37, 38, 39) were approved unanimously.
• Item 16 (domestic terrorism consultant) awarded to Porcena Solutions LLC for $90,000 (approved unanimously).
• Item 40 (APIA terminal roof repairs to Aztec Contractors Inc. – $3,321,150) approved unanimously.
• Item 41 (budget transfers) approved unanimously.
• Item 42 (deductive change order of $453,371.60 to ZTEX Construction for traffic signal improvements) approved unanimously.
• Item 43 (letter of support for UTP) approved unanimously.
• Meeting adjourned at 11:32 a.m.