Well, good morning, everyone, and welcome to City Council Chambers.

Uh Ms.

Pryne, I think we're ready to get started.

Yes, sir.

Good morning, everyone.

Welcome to the presentation of the mayor's proclamations.

We began this morning with a pledge of allegiance led by Del Valle High School at the invitation of City Representative Lili Limon.

We have Leonardo Gomez, Cindy Hernandez, Eva Villarrial, Jaden Jimenez, and Rocío Miranda.

All right.

Thank you, Mayor.

The marathon folks can come on up.

Proclamation, City of El Paso, Texas.

Whereas the El Paso Runners Foundation was established in two thousand six and has served as a venue to promulgate physical activity, health, and fitness among the El Paso community.

And whereas the El Paso Runners Foundation mission is to organize a first class marathon that promotes health and fitness in the community, brings tourism to the region of El Paso, and provides support to local and national nonprofit organizations.

And whereas the Miclobe Ultra Al Paso Marathon, an annual event held since two thousand seven, is a Boston Marathon qualifier and a highlight for the El Paso running community and beyond, attracting thousands of participants from across the United States and other countries.

And whereas this year's El Paso Marathon route begins and ends at historic San Jacinto Plaza in downtown El Paso, with runners taking a scenic loop course through central El Paso, going as far east as Wedgwood Drive.

Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the Mayor and Council of the City of El Paso that February twenty twenty six February twenty-two, twenty twenty-six shall be known as El Paso Marathon Runners Day, signed by our honorable mayor Bernard Johnson.

Welcome runners.

It's an old joke, but I'll say it again.

We'll be brief because we got to run.

Your consistent partnership has been instrumental in transforming this event from its modest beginnings with approximately 900 participants into the significant community pillar it is today.

Now attracting nearly 7,000 athletes.

So from its inception, the El Paso Marathon has been dedicated to a triparate mission, fostering health and wellness within our community, stimulating stimulating local tourism by drawing participants to our vibrant city and providing substantial financial support to local nonprofit organizations.

This mission continues to drive our efforts and define our success.

The event's growing prestige is evident in its expanding reach with athletes from 46 states.

And this year we've got uh eight different countries represented.

We're also proud to note that the engagement of over 190 participating teams underscores the collaborative spirit of the marathon.

To date, our collective endeavors have enabled us to donate close to 450,000 to various local charities.

The El Paso Marathon represents far more than a single athletic competition.

It's a powerful demonstration of community, unity, and collective action toward a greater good.

Such an ambition, ambitious undertaking would not be achievable without the steadfast backing of the city.

The generous contributions of our sponsors, and the tireless dedication of over 300 volunteers who contribute their time and effort throughout race weekend.

We particularly wish to acknowledge, and I've got two of them here, the exceptional commitment of our ambassadors.

The dedicated group of two 20 individuals has worked diligently for months, actively recruiting participants and passionately advocating for the event.

Their efforts alone have inspired over 600 people to register.

On behalf of the entire El Paso Runners Foundation, our generous sponsors, LNF Distributors, Raies Federal Credit Union, Mikel Obultra, Spine and Rehab Specialist, visit El Paso.

Sarah Fresh, thank you once again, Mayor and Council, for your invaluable support.

We look forward to seeing you on race day or at least at the Kids Dash.

So thank you once again.

Thank you guys so much.

Well, well, like you, I'm gonna keep my remarks brief because I know you guys have to run.

So um thank you guys for putting on this event for the past 20 years, and this is a significant event for the the city of El Paso, and you touched on it, and we know that it takes a big team to pull this off, and it includes all the volunteers you talked about, all the sponsors, so we want to thank them, thank them as well.

And again, you guys are doing more than just a race, you're contributing back to this economy.

450,000 you just mentioned to local charities.

So thank you guys for what you're doing.

And I have one quick question.

Um does the uh race start in what can you give us a little bit more on the event, when it is the times?

Well, race weekend starts out with Saturday.

We'll be at the El Paso Convention Center for the Sarafresh Health and Fitness Expo, which of course is open to everybody.

We expect at least 7,000 people to pass through the hall.

Last year we had 6,000.

So that starts on Saturday, there'll be nine to six, and again, the public is welcome to come and uh check out all of our vendors.

And then Saturday mor Sunday morning, our first race, the marathon will start at 7 a.m.

from San Jacinto, and then the marath the half marathon will start at 720, and then the 5K will start at 7:30.

Okay, well, maybe I'll see you at the 7:30.

Thank you guys so much, and congratulations.

Yeah, congratulations.

Thank you so much.

That brings us to the next proclamation, and this is Amigo Man, fiftieth birthday celebration.

Representative Fiero.

Thank you, Mayor.

You know, just for the record, Mayor, everybody on this side is arm wrestling to read this proclamation.

So mayor, if they're walking up, have you ever seen Jose Garcia and Amigo Man in the same room?

Never.

Now we know he's not the Amigo Man.

There we go.

Thank you, Mayor.

Proclamation, City of El Paso, whereas Amigo Man stands as an iconic symbol of official mascot for the city of El Paso, serving five decades as a friendly ambassador and reflects the warmth, hospitality, cultural pride of the Sun City.

Whereas first introduced in a nineteen seventy-six through the vision of former tourism director Gene Stone and illustrated by Clive Cochran, a respected graphic designer professor at the University of Texas El Paso, who created work shaped generations of designers.

Amigo Man was created and represents a spirit and character of El Paso since been becoming a lasting and recognized figure.

Whereas through the years, Amigo Man's familiar appearance has evolved, featuring changes generations, yet his friendly smile, sunny disposition, and welcoming presence has remained constant.

Whereas known for his distinctive red cowboy boots.

Over here as Paparazzi, social media coordinator, and then Paulina Garcia, marketing content specialist.

Today, Destination El Paso is proud to honor the fiftieth anniversary of the Amigoman Al Paso's sunniest ambassador and a symbol of our community's welcoming spirit.

Amigo Man was officially created on February sixteenth, nineteen seventy-six, and for nearly five decades, he has represented friendship, hospitality, and pride in the Sun City.

He was originally illustrated by Clive Cochrane, a graphic design professor at UTEP, whose work helped bring this joyful character to life.

From greeting visitors and appearing at community events, Amigo Man has become a beloved icon recognized for generations.

To celebrate this milestone, Destination will Al Paso will host a fiftieth birthday celebration.

Continuing with the rest of the year, and giving the community even more opportunities to celebrate this milestone.

This celebration is not just about a mascot.

Thank you.

Mayor, I wanted to bring something ironic something else that's ironic.

Amigo Man and Jose almost share the exact same birthday.

So happy birthday, Jose.

Yes.

Well, congratulations.

And Amigo Man, congratulations on Amigo Man Day.

And you're one of the most recognizable sports and community symbols in our in our region.

The amigo man has always been welcoming thousands of visitors longer than most of us have been alive.

And no one ever complains about his speeches.

So thank you for your smile.

And most importantly, your rays of hope.

Thank you.

You know, Mayor, um, we can all learn a little something from Amigo Man, especially myself, because he also never puts his foot in his mouth.

And the next proclamation is El Paso Mission Trail Association Founders Day.

Representative Limon.

Good morning.

This is a proclamation City of El Paso.

It's a little bit long, so we're gonna shorten it up just a little bit.

It's really long, Mayor.

Look, Mayor, look.

It's in the back as well.

No.

But I'll read fast.

Whereas the El Paso Mission Trail Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting, protecting and preserving historic sites in the Mission Valley and along the El Paso Camino Real de la Tierra Adentro, National Historic Trail, while fostering education, heritage, tourism, and community engagement for current and future generations.

And whereas the organization was originally incorporated in nineteen eighty-six under the name Historic El Paso Corporation, with a mission to advance historic preservation in the city and county of El Paso, to promote public awareness of regional history, and to serve as a coordinating body for organizations committed to preserving the cultural history of the El Paso area.

And whereas in nineteen eighty-six historian Sheldon Hall chartered what would become the El Paso Mission Trail Association, establishing a nine-mile historic corridor connecting the Isleta Mission founded in sixteen eighty-two, the Socorro Mission established in sixteen ninety-one, and the Presidio Chapel of San Elisario built in eighteen seventy-seven on the site of an earlier Spanish Presidio.

And whereas for four decades the El Paso Mission Trail Association has worked in collaboration with volunteers, partner organizations, and public agencies to preserve these historic structures, celebrate the diverse and multicultural history of the Mission Valley, and support the arts, education, and economic vitality of the region.

And whereas the El Paso Mission Trail Association continues to partner with the National Park Service, the Texas Historical Commission, local school districts, cultural organizations, and like-minded institutions to facilitate educational tours, promote heritage tourism, and ensure awareness of the region's rich and diverse history.

And whereas the El Paso Mission Trail Association is sustained by dedicated volunteers and community leaders who share a deep love for the Mission Valley and a commitment to preserving its history, ensuring that the stories, traditions, and landmarks of the region remain accessible and meaningful to future generations.

And whereas the El Paso Mission Trail Association will celebrate Founders' Day on February 28th, 2026, commemorating 40 years of service to the El Paso community and honoring the vision, leadership, and collective effort that have shaped the association since its founding.

Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the mayor and council of the city of El Paso that February seventeenth, 2026 shall be known as Mission Trail Association Founders Day, signed by the Honorable Mayor Renard Johnson.

Congratulations.

So thank you, everybody.

My name is Priscilla Vasquez.

I'm the Vice President of Educational Development for the Opasa Mission Trail Association.

And so for 40 years now, the Opasa Mission Trail Association has been dedicated to promoting and preserving the historic trail corridor that encompasses Isler, Socorro, San Elizario, and the rest of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail.

Over the years, we have actively promoted the rich and unique history of this area that spans back centuries through tours, historical presentation, exhibits, events, public art, a specialty license plate program, partnerships with entities such as Visit El Paso, and much more.

Founded in February eighteen uh eighteen, I'm getting 1986, I'm sorry, by Sheldon Hall.

Our commitment has never wavered in educating not only tourists, but also local residents and students about some of the oldest historic sites that we have in the region.

It's always fulfilling to educate individuals that had no idea of the history that we have in our own backyard.

That's why we aspire to educate fourth and seventh grade students and so you learn about Texas history as part of their curriculum.

And we don't just cover the Spanish influences in our tours, but we also offer the indigenous perspectives that continue to shape our community.

As a nonprofit, the money we generate from tours, donations, and membership dues goes back to the community in the form of educational programming and free community initiatives.

All of this is accomplished in all volunteer force, which consists of dedicated individuals that are passionate about local history.

Up here with me, I have some of those dedicated individuals that will introduce themselves and talk about our celebration at the end of this month.

Good morning.

Good morning.

And thank you so much for having us in and doing the proclamation for us.

And very generously, because we're working on getting a mural set up on Alameda and Saragossa.

So she has been there for us, and we appreciate her unwavering support.

At the same time, we would like to invite you all to come and take a tour with us.

And we'd be more than glad to go ahead and have you all uh come up here uh come to our uh main office.

We're located in Isleta at 9065 Alameda, and we'd be more than happy and honored to have a tour for you all.

So thank you so much.

And then I introduce you to Juana.

Thank you.

Good morning.

Good morning.

My name is Swana Romo.

I'm the Vice President of Office Operations and Special Events.

So I'm actually the one that's inviting all of you to come to our 40th anniversary celebration, which will be February 28th from 11 to 4 o'clock.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I think we're done.

Okay.

We're quick.

That was it?

Yeah, that was it.

All right.

Well, no, well, good morning again, you guys, and thank you for all that you're doing with preserving and protecting our historic sites uh there in the missions.

Also, you guys are that nine-mile uh historic corridor is vital for tourism and economic development in the region with tourists coming from all around the world to see the mission.

So again, thank you for all the volunteers that make this happen.

And and we know there's countless hours, and congratulations on 40 years, and thank you so much.

Congratulations.

And the next proclamation is Black Children's Book Week.

Representative Nino.

Thank you, Mayor.

And I apologize if my voice goes off and on.

I've been getting over a cold.

So we could have the honorees for Black Children's Week come up.

Okay, so proclamation for the city of El Paso, Texas.

Whereas the City of El Paso, Texas is a vibrant and welcoming community committing to fostering diversity, inclusion, and celebration of all cultures.

And we're as Black Children's Book Week, 2026 is a global initiative organized by Black Baby Books that promotes Black representation in children's literature and media and will be celebrated from February 22nd through February 28th, 2026.

And we're asked Turn the Page, Start the Adventure, Story Fest would take place on Saturday, February 28th, 2026 at Esperanza Costa Moreno Library in District 5 in El Paso, providing a joyful opportunity for families to celebrate storytelling, creativity, and transformative power of reading.

And whereas this Story Fest will invite children and families to explore enchanting tales and new adventures through storytelling, literacy activities, a puppet show, and hands-on opportunities for discovery.

And whereas the event offers a meaningful opportunity for children and families to engage with literature that reflects diverse lived experiences while encouraging lifelong love for reading.

Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the mayor and the council of the city of El Paso, encouraging all residents to participate in this enriching and inspiring celebration of stories that connect us all.

Let us honor the legacy and contributions of black authors and illustrators and support the continued growth and visibility of black children's literature.

February 22nd through February 28, 2026, shall be known as Turn the Page, Start the Adventure, Black Children's Book Week Story Fest, signed by the Honorable Mayor Bernard Johnson.

Good morning.

Good morning, Mayor Johnson, City Council members and the beloved community members.

Happy Black History Month, everybody, okay?

Happy Black History Month.

I'm Tephany Hopper, and I'm so thrilled to be here as the proud owner of the only black owned bookstore celebrating Black Children's Book Week.

The Turn the Page Start the Adventure Story Fest is not just a celebration, it is a call to action.

By doing so, we nurture empathy, understanding, and a sense of belonging in our young readers.

According to the data from the Texas Education Agency, in 2025, 53% of Texas students in grades three through eight achieved grade level standards in reading and language arts.

While this statistic is encouraging, it is clear that we must strive for greater success.

Stories are powerful, they transfer us to new worlds.

Now before I conclude my memories, I want to thank the El Paso Libraries, my partners and my collaborators.

Megan Jemerson, who will come up next, Carla and Chance Brown, the Khalid Foundation, and our outstanding readers, Dr.

Erica Awers, Command Sergeant Carlos Walker, and Evelyn Perez, and also our city manager Dion Mack, who will help to give out our free books.

Okay.

So during Black Children's Book Week, we let's celebrate the magic on every page as we unlock the limitless potential within every child.

Remember, Black History is an essential chapter in everyone's storybook.

Black history is everyone's history.

I'm gonna turn it over to Megan.

Good morning.

Good morning.

My name is Megan Jimmerson, and I'm born and raised here in El Paso, and I'm a graduate of El Paso Public Schools.

Today I have the privilege of serving the same community that fostered my education as an educator now.

I am an early childhood educator teaching kids a precious gift, literacy, which is a foundational skill to student success.

Literacy does more than teach children how to read.

When students engage with diverse books that reflect their identities and experiences, they are more likely to see themselves as readers.

That connection fosters a love of reading and helps develop cognitive and social skills.

Students need to succeed in school.

The workforce and engaged members of our community.

Because of my passion for literacy and early childhood education, I've built a learning program called Sunhyde Microschool, where we foster and celebrate literacy.

And I will pass it over to Miss Carla.

Good morning.

Good morning.

I'm Carla Brown, loan officer, member of the women's council of realtors, chairperson for the housing committee for the El Paso branch, NAACP, retired army officer, wife, mother, and more importantly, an El Paso resident.

This acknowledgment affirms that black stories, black businesses, black children matter in our city.

It sends a clear message that literacy, representation, and opportunity belongs to everyone.

When our children see themselves reflected in books and leadership and in spaces of celebration, it strengthens their confidence and expands their imagination.

And when the city publicly supports this vision, it helps build a more inclusive and informed com uh community.

And when non-black children attend, they gain empathy, cultural awareness, and a broader worldview.

This strengthens the entire community.

A proclamation from the city elevates that work from this event to a community milestone.

Thank you for standing with us for valuing representation and for the recognition of this importance creating space where every child can see their potential on pages.

I'm the manager at the Doris Van Doren Library.

And I would like to recognize my um mother-in-law in the back, Anna Romares.

Go ahead, she's in a retired teacher from uh Jefferson High School.

Perfect.

No, well, I'm looking forward to celebrating with you all on February 28th at Espawn Someone in a library.

Um and Tiffany, thank you for serving our country and for your service as well.

So thank you.

Yeah.

And Tiffany and everyone, congratulations.

This is this is awesome.

And it looks, you know, when we put this partnership together, what we can do.

But I want to thank you for doing this because we know that uh the earlier we get kids to start to read, it helps with their critical thinking and helps make them better decision makers as they get older.

So uh big congratulations.

We're looking forward to the black children's book week and story fest, and it's gonna be an incredible week.

And again, congratulations to all that made this happen.

Congratulations, guys.

And the final proclamation is El Paso Heart Safe School Awareness Day.

Representative Rocha.

Thank you, Mayor.

So we have the honorees moving forward.

Welcome.

Proclamation, City of El Paso, Texas, whereas sudden cardiac arrest in children is a rare event with devastating outcomes for families and anyone witnessing an event.

And whereas the incidence of sudden cardiac arrest in children in the US is over twenty-three thousand events per year, an estimated one to two cases per 100,000 children.

And whereas cardiac defibrillation with an automated external defibrillator, AED, by school nurses, staff, and or bystanders witnessing sudden cardiac arrest greatly improves the chances of survival of affected children.

And whereas school nurses within Region 19 have partnered with Project Adam through El Paso Children's Hospital to certify every school as heart-safe school to give the best chance of survival should a sudden cardiac arrest happen on school grounds in El Paso.

And whereas through the collaboration of school nurses and Project Adam, Region 19 Education Service Center is the first region to adopt a standardized cardiac emergency response plan in the state of Texas and the nation.

In collaboration with the lead nurses from our local independent school districts, our medical director, Dr.

Ocaranza, and Project Adam team, we worked together to create the first standardized cardiac emergency response plan in the state of Texas.

This was truly a team effort, grounded in evidence-based practice and driven by one clear goal ensuring that every school is prepared to respond quickly and effectively to a cardiac emergency.

Schools are where our children learn, grow, and thrive, and they must also be places where they uh where safety and readiness are non-negotiable.

The implementation of a standardized cardiac emergency response plan ensures that our staff are trained, roles are clearly defined, AEDs are accessible, and precious minutes are not lost in confusion during an emergency.

These plans save lives, and today's recognition reinforces that this work matters.

We are especially grateful to Project Adam for their partnership expertise and unwavering commitment to helping schools become heart-safe schools.

Their guidance has been instrumental in strengthening our systems and empowering our campuses.

This achievement belongs to them as well.

Mayor Johnson, thank you for your leadership and for using the city's platform to elevate the importance of heart safety in our schools.

By declaring El Paso Heart Safe School Awareness Day, you are helping raise awareness, inspire action, and set a standard for communities across Texas.

We are proud of this milestone, but we also recognize that this is not the end of the journey.

We remain committed to continuous training, collaboration, and improvement as well as we work forward, ensuring that every day is a heart safe school.

Thank you again for this honor and for standing with us in protecting the health and well-being being of our students, staff, and community.

Thank you.

Well, thank you guys for protecting our students, teachers, and staff from sudden cardiac arrest.

And I was actually shocked to learn that there was over 23,000 events that occur almost uh every year.

How do how does someone become AED certified?

Is there a class that we can take?

It's actually part of the CPR training as well.

So anytime you take a CPR course, it should be integrated as part of the course.

Okay, very good.

And again, thank you guys for all that you do.

I know there's a big crowd here, but we would still love to have them walk up and introduce themselves.

Good morning.

Good morning.

I'm Normaluna.

I'm the director of health services for El Paso Independent School District.

Good morning.

I'm Elizabeth Ramirez.

I'm the district health coordinator for Fabin's Independent School District.

Good morning.

Good morning.

I'm Jennifer Carrera.

I am the district coordinator for Canutio ISD.

Good morning.

My name is Messina Olguin, and I'm the district lead nurse for San Elizabeth Independent School District.

Good morning, I'm idalia valdez, the lead nurse for Clint ISD and the school nurse for Ricardo Estrada Middle School, which is the first heart safe school in El Paso.

Juliana Tarango, district nurse manager for Socorro ISD.

Good morning.

My name is Lori Armendaris.

I'm the district nurse for Anthony ISD and also the middle and high school nurse.

Hi, good morning.

My name is Vanessa Brown, and I'm a regional nurse for the Education Service Center Region 19.

Hi, I'm Janlin Zaparo.

I'm the program coordinator for Project Adam El Paso and also work with El Paso Children's Hospital.

Good morning.

Good morning.

I'm Jeff Schuster.

I'm the CMO at El Paso Children's Also a Pediatric Cardiologist.

This is important.

Thank you.

Good morning, everyone.

Melissa Rodriguez, the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives for the El Paso Children's Hospital.

Good morning.

Dr.

Good morning.

Good morning, Saledad Rocha, physician relations manager at El Paso Children's Hospital.

Good morning, Yesenia Larcon Ortega, manager of school engagement for El Paso Children's Hospital.

Did we get everybody?

Hi, good morning.

I'm Dominique Saparo.

I'm a student ambassador for Project Adam.

And I work with um El Paso Children's Hospital as a volunteer.

I'm the famous ISD superintendent.

I'm the emergency manager.

Okay, good morning, Miss Prime.

I think we're ready.

Yes, sir.

Good morning.

This is a meeting of the El Paso City Council for Tuesday, February 17th, 2026.

Mayor Johnson is present and presiding in Council Chambers along with Mayor Potem Chavez, Representative Acevedo, Representative Boyatrejo, Representative Nino, Alternate Mayor Pro Tem Fierro, Representative Limon, and Representative Canales.

It is 1001 AM.

Will everyone please silence our electronic devices so as not to disturb the meeting and rise for the invocation delivered by El Paso Police Chaplain Joe Morata.

And good morning.

If you'd like to receive the invocation today, we ask that you would just bow your heads as we pray together.

We begin these proceedings today with thankfulness and appreciation for all those that are willing to serve our community in elected, appointed, or volunteer capacities.

Today we ask for your guidance for all those that represent and work on behalf of the people of this community.

Grant our city officials the wisdom and understanding as they make decisions, decisions on how best to serve the residents of our shared city and our surrounding area.

Help us, El Paso to be a community that, as your word teaches us to learn how to serve one another.

Today, throughout the city of El Paso, there are innumerable needs, and we ask that these many needs would be met.

Many will be met through government services, such as through the city, others through community organizations, religious organizations, family, friends, and just the kindness of a neighbor.

Help us to be residents that recognize and do our part in making our community a safer and a better place to live.

Continue to bless the work of all the organizations and the individuals, some of which were honored here earlier today in the proclamations, that with many other groups and people that they make our community better.

Amen.

Okay.

Followed by Diana Ramirez.

There is a data center in Iowa that used one billion gallons of water in a single year.

My name's Jonathan Zayan.

I'm a software engineer who specializes in artificial intelligence.

I'm the founder of Peak.

We're an engineering firm that believes in positive social impact.

I'm also co-founder of El Paso Trash Mop.

We're a volunteer group who picks up litter in our community.

As a software engineer, I do want to state that I am opposed to the data center here in our city.

I know today's not about stopping the data center.

It's about mitigating damage.

So I went ahead and I conducted some research on current data centers and found some of their failure points.

I generated or generated and wrote a 24-page document that I did supply to the city clerk.

It essentially just measures their failures.

With those failures, what I did was I suggested I have a list of six mandates that I would strongly like to see being utilized as part of the plan, once I'm sure you're going to vote yes to approve today.

Today I'm going to just talk about two of those uh mandates I'd like to see just because of time.

The one is no evaporative water.

We are already being misled by Meta.

And I can tell because they said they're using a closed loop water system, which sounds efficient.

However, they're not telling us that there's different variations.

Based on the fact that they're requesting 1.5 million gallons of water, tells me it's strongly inferred that they're using an internal closed loop system.

That system relies on water towers that use evaporative cooling to cool down those same systems they say that saves water.

There's a place called Story uh County in Nevada.

It's one of Google's largest data centers.

It's also one of their most efficient.

And the reason is because they're using a full closed loop system.

This has saved them.

90%.

90% of their water.

They're supposed to utilize 1.8 million gallons.

Instead, they use 200,000.

That's because they're being transparent and efficient.

This is what you see when there's proper mandates by the city.

The second point I'd like to tell you would be to have a citizen overview or citizen watch.

I'm asking on the board or excuse me, for the council to create a board of citizens who have technical knowledge, environmental knowledge, who has access to the actual statistics and usage from the meta data center, and they should have privileges to be able to veto any future expansions of the data center and to further enact clawbacks to reduce some of the incentives we promised them if they can't fulfill our mandates.

This is what I wanted to say today.

I hope you take a look at my 24 page and my six mandates that I wrote for you.

I hope that you consider that and part of your planning.

Once again, my name is Jonathan Zayan, and thank you for your time.

Thank you, Jonathan.

The next speaker is Diana Ramirez.

Diana Ramirez.

Sugat Borthaker.

Followed by Vanessa Almada.

Jay Mania.

Good morning, you have three minutes.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Good morning.

My name is Sugar Borthaker, and I'm here to speak not only in favor of the data center policy framework and the 60-day pause on data center development, but also to urge further restriction on data center development after the 60-day pause due to the harm that they pose to the people, the infrastructure and the environment of El Paso and the Paso del Norte region.

As has been seen across the US, data centers create unsustainable demand on water, electric and gas resources with little to no reciprocal benefit to the people of the cities that they're in.

While this framework does set out important restrictions and considerations for limiting the inevitable negative impacts of data centers, it does not go far enough in setting concrete and truly safe limits for the development of future data centers and the resource consumption of current data centers.

In particular, the water supply to the Paso de Norte region is already at risk with the drying up of the Rio Grande, forcing us to use more and more of our limited groundwater supply.

Given that our current usage of the Waco and Messi Aborzones is already at the sustainable limit, that means that we will inevitably be facing water shortages here in El Paso, even without any data centers.

So with the meta data center expected to be using around 700,000 gallons of water per day, if not more.

Thank you, Jonathan.

Um more data center will bring us that much quicker to the day that El Paso runs out of water.

Therefore, for the sake of ourselves, our children, and the future of El Paso, I urge the council to not only adopt the framework and the 60-day pause, but also to use that time to introduce policy prohibiting the further development of data centers anywhere in the city of El Paso.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Vanessa Almada.

Followed by Jay Mania, Anna Valtiera.

Good morning, you have three minutes.

Good morning.

Good morning, and thank you for your time today.

My name is Vanessa Almale, and I'm a resident of District One.

I'm here to comment on agenda item 13 to support the data policy, the data center policy framework for the city of El Paso that prioritizes community well-being over corporate profits.

Although my family history goes back generations in Juarez, I was born and raised in Seattle.

There, I fell in love with the endless pine trees, snowtop mountains in the Pacific Ocean.

I spent every summer here in the Chihuahuan Desert, however, visiting my family, and I'm now lucky to say I've been a resident of El Paso for almost two years.

Here, I also fall for the Franklin Cesarras, and especially the sunsets that overlook them.

I realize that our desert ecosystem is resilient and full of life, just like the people that inhabit the Great Baso del Norte region.

I aim to do my part to protect it and the natural resources that has blessed my generations of my family with.

As a graduate student at UTEP, I have spent the last year studying environmental organizations in El Paso and Juarez and the state of by national environmental cooperation between these sister cities.

Not a single engineer, environmentalist, organizer, or professional I've spoken with in either city has reflected optimism about the future of our water.

We are already fighting a losing battle and trying to keep up the demand for water between two major metropolises, and any unnecessary stressors to our limited water supply should be seriously questioned.

Across the country, the hydraulic and energy demands of AI denacers have been made clear.

I do not support allowing companies worth billions of dollars to use hundreds of thousands of gallons of water and enough energy to power more than half the city's home just in a day of normal output.

As a young person in the city, I recognize the need for an expansion of opportunities for young professionals in El Paso, but this is not it.

As a border city, we have often been guinea pigs for controversial security tactics or economic agreements that go on to be implemented in the interior of the country or to shape international negotiations.

This time things are different.

There are thousands of data centers in other parts of the country and the world, and thus thousands of examples for us to learn from to comprehend the stress data centers bring to natural natural resources and the many false promises they entail.

Meta had promised to build towards renewable energy and yet is already planning to build a new natural gas plant to meet its energy demands.

I do not trust the corporate benefactors of data centers with the task of sustainable growth, but I do hope I can trust you, our elected officials, with the future of the city, with my future.

I believe in growth and professional development for El Pasoans, but if we cannot grow responsibly, maybe we should not grow at all.

My generation inherited a legacy of environmental degradation, but I refuse to keep passing these issues on until there is nothing left.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Jay Mayo.

Representative followed by Ana Valpierra.

Giselle Fregoso.

Good morning.

Good morning.

My name is Jay Mania.

I am an organizer with the Money State People's Project.

Um I'm also an organizer with the Texas Easement Action Alliance, a statewide organization that focuses on protecting landowners and communities from imminent domain and industrial expansion.

Through my work, I have traveled all around the state and I have seen firsthand what happens in communities who are represented by weak local governments who offer corporations tax breaks to come in and pollute everything around them, steal resources, and ruin entire ecosystems all in the name of progress and jobs.

I have met families who are suffering because of this.

I've been in communities where the water is so polluted that everyone has rashes constantly.

I've seen boil water and shutoff notices on people's phones for 30 plus days in a row.

I met people who are stockpiling cases of plastic water bottles to bathe with because the tap water is so toxic.

I have talked with parents who have told me as they sobbed that they are hopeless and scared for their children's future.

My wife and mother-in-law received cancer diagnoses within two years of each other after living for over a decade in the shadows of the Osarco plant.

I have a seven-year-old daughter, and we live in Clint.

Right now, what I'm seeing is eerily similar to what I have seen elsewhere.

Industry is running rampant with zero regard to local resources or communities.

I grew up surrounded by pecan trees, cotton, alfalfa, and even corn.

Now all I see is warehouses and El Paso electric substations carving up the countryside.

I have water rights where I live five years ago, I would get eight or nine watering days.

Now I'm lucky if I get three.

By the actions today, I know that you all are just as concerned as me, and I hope that this marks the beginning of us being able to work together in the future.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Anna Valpierra.

Followed by Giselle Fregoso, Jose Gastón Barriga.

Good morning.

Um good morning, majors and city council members.

Urging the council to protect El Paso water health and sustainability.

First, I want to thank council members Cintia Boyartrejo and Josh Acevedo for filling this item the agenda.

A 60 days pause in the creation for this data center.

But if we want to lead to a more meaningful action, we need more than just to pause.

Not a return to business after the 60 days are over.

A single 100 megawatt data center can use half a million gallons of water daily.

Roughly the same as 6500 household.

Larger facilities can consume millions of gallons daily.

Much of it tied to electricity generation, which accounts for about 75% of data centers' total water use.

This is especially dangerous enlightened city like El Paso, where we desert people, water is our most precious source.

We receive less than nine inches of rain per year and rely on the Rio Grant for only six to eight weeks in the summer at much.

Just last month in January 2026, over a hundred thousand residents in Northeast and Central El Paso were affected.

Entire neighborhoods were placed under a multi-dayable water advisory.

And that crisis happened without a massive industrial water consumment added to a system.

We need to stop pretending our infrastructure can handle this additional strain.

Yet this data center SIG 24-7 access to drinking quality water through our publicly owned utility.

Well, we residents are constantly asked to conserve.

This is not equitable.

It is also concerning that the city continues to offer 380 property tax incentives to data centers like META.

Chifting infrastructure cost onto the public while putting our water at risk.

And off top of that, yesterday, Congresswoman Escobar got denoted that the proposed center would use natural gas power that will add air pollution and further water consumption.

Economic development shouldn't sacrifice our more essential resource.

Water is not replacable, and once it's gone, no mantra AI or technology can bring it back.

I urge the city council not only to vote yes on it 13, but to end the agreement with META.

Stop incentivizing water-intensive data centers and give the cities influence or over EP water to protect residents and not corporation.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Giselle Fregoso.

Followed by Jose Gastón Barriga.

Good morning.

Hello, good morning, everyone.

I'm Giselle Fregoso, and I'm speaking as an electrical and computer engineer graduate from UTEP regarding these data centers that are want to come into our city.

So you know, I'm currently working with AI integrations and regulations within the industry.

And this is uh a way to integrate it with human society in conjunction.

And as an entrepreneur with a vision to create technology that benefits our world, there's no need for this technology to display humans.

You know, that is what we're talking about, humans.

But facilitate the construction of a better future that works with our ecological resources in a beneficial and synergistic manner.

That is why I stand before you to speak on item 13 regarding the integration of meta data centers in our region.

So, you know, we're asking the city to stop offering these incentives for these data centers and the 3D agreement with Meta and use its influence over the publicly owned water utility to stop them from signing an agreement with Meta or any data center that promises continuous access to our drinking water 24-7 and to continue intervening in the El Paso Electric's application for a power plant that will serve the meta data center and will run a natural gas and again water guzzling and pollution air, polluting fossil fuels.

You know, this is such a we're at a such a critical moment and we need to stand before it.

You know, this is where we as a human society are gonna dictate our future.

And you know, I I have the background knowledge to implore you and to come before you and you know, and we are seeing it today in the United States.

These billionaires do not care about these communities, and they are further destroying our natural resources.

And frankly, it's exhausting to see that data centers and AI is being chosen over humanity.

We won't have humanity, we won't have humans if this keeps getting you know out of hand if there's no regulation being placed put in place.

So it really, you know, come to individuals that you know are know about these things, and as my other fellow members in the community have spoken before you, it has destroyed so many other you know natural resources, and there's so much scarcity already here.

So why would you allow that to be further imploded for something that should be utilized to benefit and solve the problems that we are already facing to have a better vision in the world?

You know, AI is to be able to work in conjunction with humans, not to replace us, you know.

So that's really my message today, and you know, we should not be allowing these AI data centers to take away um water from humans.

You know, it's water is from humans, it's not for AI, it's not for robots, it's not for machinery, it's not for circuits.

We are here, and this is our world that we must protect it.

So I leave you with that message.

Thank you.

Followed by Lucas Soto.

Uh Mayor Johnson, Council members.

I'm Jose Gaston Barriga.

A full of support item uh 13.

The proposed post on the new data center policy or current of or Korean approach is an identity crisis.

We preach inclusion and hire El Paso first, which are democratic ideas.

Well, or economic policy act like industrial republicans, prioritizing corporate subsidy and resource extraction over local talent and the environment.

The disconnect is clear in labor promises versus reality and resource consumption, workforce reality, the construction phase creates only temporal local jobs.

Once operational, they high in paying in specialized engineering roles by Paso Paso, forcing our best youth students to leave.

We are left with a lower tier support roles.

We import the best jobs and export our best minds, resource reality, a factory in the desert, data centers are resource-intensive factories on sustainable in our environment, and water crisis, water crate crisis crisis.

In a desert already under the in a desert already under the rest, we invite industries demanding millions of gallons for cooling, risking no aquifers, energy strain, or satural electrical grid struggles in summer, yet we invite users demanding immense 247 power, increased resident cost, high demand users restraining infrastructure, eventually driving up operating and rate costs for residents.

We cannot claim to be pro-environment while inviting the world's largest resource hogs to a drought zone.

Use this pause not to draft a new policy, but to decide who we fundamentally are.

Right now we are failing to be votes.

Thank you.

Lucas Soto.

Followed by Diana Ramirez.

Good morning.

Good morning, my name is Lucas Soto.

I'm 17 years old.

Um I'm a high school student.

I'm here to um represent the youth of El Paso, and um I am against AI data centers completely, and I'm concerned about the environmental impact these centers will have on El Paso, and I'm urging City Council to vote yes on Action 3 and to end the 380 agreement with Metal.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Diana Ramirez, followed by Maria Garcia.

Good morning.

Good morning, Mayor and Council.

My name is Diana Ramirez.

I'm with the Central Neighborhood Association, and I'm on a set People's Project.

Um a lot of folks here have asked, uh have have made great comments, and we're all on the same page, but I just have one question.

How did we get here?

How did we get so bamboozled by these billionaire companies that we're having to fight for our own water, our own energy?

I just don't understand how what happened with the last council that we're here.

If you all if I guess the folks who were on the on the council at that time, if these companies go from town to town bamboozling us, let's figure out what happened.

Let's figure out how are these billionaire companies coming into our communities and extracting our publicly owned water.

Let's talk to the PSB.

What kind of pressure can we put on the PSB to prevent this from happening?

Let's learn from our mistakes.

It's okay.

I think the the majority of the country still doesn't know.

We don't know how to deal with these new industries because they're new, right?

So it's okay to say, hey, we didn't know this was gonna happen.

They changed the contract on us.

They said they would use solar, and then they don't.

Like it's okay to recognize all those things.

We just need for you to protect us, the public, your voters, not billionaires from out of town coming in to extract our resources.

So thank you, uh representatives Acevedo and Trejo for putting this item on the agenda.

Thank you for adding the a legal review, because it's very important for us to understand how we got here so we can prevent it and fix it if we can.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Maria Garcia.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Good morning, counselors.

More than 10 years ago, I sat in these very chambers every week as a journalist covering this governmental body.

I covered many history-making decisions in this city council.

And sometimes I spoke to city council members who years after a vote came to regret their decisions.

I am here today as a private citizen to tell you that I believe you will regret your vote if you allow data centers in El Paso.

Because make no mistake, this is a legacy defining moment for each of you.

As policymakers and as leaders of our community, our grandchildren, our history, our community will always remember how you voted on this issue.

And in this crucial moment, this is a moment that will strongly define your legacy.

Because this will be one of the most consequential decisions that you will make that will impact future generations for good or for our detriment.

The reason for that is that nearly every single community in which a data center has been erected now faces challenges with water access.

From Northern Virginia to Mesa, Arizona, to Newton County, Georgia, to Joliet, Illinois, and many more.

This is not speculation.

This is fact.

You may cite that Meta has said it will recycle water, but the company has already broken at least one promise, switching from solar panels to natural gas.

And regardless of whether the water is recycled, data centers put an immense amount of pressure on local water systems, leading to higher cost for residents, and most importantly and alarmingly, an existential threat to our communities.

The United Nations has declared a water bankruptcy, meaning the world is running out of drinking water.

What you do today is an existential decision.

So I ask you today, will you show the world that in El Paso we care for each other?

We put people over global corporations here.

We look out for one another.

Meet this moment with conviction, with courage, with care for your people.

In the future, what will draw people to communities will be their abundance of resources, including water.

That's what will make El Paso special.

That at a time when local governments were succumbing to pressures from the metas of the world, you did not.

You resisted powerful forces.

And you stood with your community and with our right to clean water.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Angel Uyoa.

Angel Uyoa star six if you're in the queue.

Angel Uyoa, star six, please, if you're in the queue.

I don't see his phone number in the queue.

We'll go to Arbor Guthrie, star six, please, to unmute your telephone.

Arbor Guthrie, star six, please.

To unmute your telephone.

I don't see that phone number in the queue either.

Wesley Lawrence, star six, please.

Wesley Lawrence.

Star six, please.

Good morning.

You have three minutes.

Hello, can you hear me?

Yes.

Yes.

Good morning, Council.

Um Mayor Johnson.

Um closer to be with you here this morning.

Uh sorry couldn't be here in person, unfortunately, uh, have to go to work today.

Um, but I did just want to take some time just to talk to you a little bit about item 13 and why I'm supporting it.

You know, we are seeing a resurgence of data centers coming to places all across the great state of Texas, um, many of which um are slowly but surely being dwindled down uh due to opposition from communities across the state.

We know that in El Paso that our people are tired of the constant increases on our utility rates, um, and those are only gonna get much worse when we approve this data center, and once it gets fully built.

We know that Meta is lying about their closed loop system.

We know the damages um that these data centers bring to our communities, things such as destroying infrastructure, destroying people's appliances, uh increasing cancer rates in communities where these data centers are being built.

Those are things we cannot afford here in El Paso.

So I just have a couple of asks for you.

Uh to Mayor Johnson, um, I'm asking that you work with the county commissioners and the county judge uh to look into moving El Paso into the fourth stage of a water restriction similar to what they just did in Hayes County to stop their data center.

Um I wanna be clear, I I don't think we should be talking about continuing this data center.

We should be having talks on breaking this contract at whatever cost that is going to incur um because at the end of the day, we cannot just just magically get water back.

I'm also asking offering asking you to stop offering uh incentives um to these data centers or any corporation or business that uses massive amounts of waters.

You know, my grandmother, God bless her soul, um, had to do a lot of budgeting, and one of those was your water bill.

You know, her having to make these massive restrictions on her daily lifestyle just to be able to afford her water bill is something that corporations should also have to do.

I also ask that you end the 380 agreement with Meta and really ensure that we take a microscopic look at these 3.8 agreements, making sure that they work for working class families and not the billionaires, not the millionaires, and not these oligarchs that have bought most of council.

Um we know that working class families through no fault of their own are being left behind by the mistakes that our city has made currently and in the past.

I also want you to use your influence over the publicly owned water utility, the PSB, uh, to stop them from signing an agreement with Meta or any data center that promises continuous access to our drinking water uh 24-7.

Again, we have a water restriction here in El Paso.

We need up that to at least stage four so we can really have a con conversation about conserving water.

Um, and just also just continue intervening in El Paso Electric's application for a power plant.

We know that through no fault of our own, that we are going to be dealt with the damage by these massive polluters.

So we need a city council that is willing to stand up for the people like they haven't done in the past.

Just thank you for this item and thank you uh for the time you have today.

And thank you, Mr.

Lawrence.

And I hope they have speakers the next speaker is Cynthia Marentes.

Cynthia Marentes, star six, please, to unmute your telephone.

Cynthia Marentes, star six, please.

Your microphone is still on mute.

Ms.

Marentes, star six, please to unmute.

You're still on mute, Ms.

Manites.

We'll move on to Philip Sullivan, if you're in the queue.

Star six, please.

Philip Sullivan, star six, please.

Destiny Garcia, star six, please.

Destiny Garcia.

Star six, please.

You're still on mute.

We'll try Cynthia Marentes.

Star six, please.

Hello, can you hear me?

Yes.

Go ahead, Ms.

Garcia.

Hi, okay, thank you.

Um, our elected officials and other city leaders made agreements to allow data centers in our hometown, they failed us.

I don't think you guys are malintentioned, intentionally trying to screw us over.

I know that at the time these agreements were made.

You weren't fully aware of the consequences of these decisions.

So I give you that benefit of the doubt.

But towns across the nation are now warning us of the irreversible damage their homes are facing.

Despite what these corporations claim, we know that these data centers are depleting towns of their water.

We know that these towns are seeing skyrocketing electricity clay electric rates, and that their hometowns are being seeing increases in pollution and other environmental damages.

We know that the jobs that they claim to bring are going to be short term, and we also know that these companies are getting tax uh tax breaks.

So what are we getting from this deal?

I beg you, please put an end to this.

Do everything in your power to do what is right for the people of our city.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Cynthia Davila, star six, please.

Cynthia Davila.

Star six, please.

Davila, star six, please.

We'll try Cynthia Marentes, star six, please.

Cynthia Marentes.

Star 6.

Go ahead.

Good morning.

Yes.

Good morning, Mayor Johnson, Council members and guests.

My name is Cynthia Matis.

I'm currently in graduate research assistant at UK Austin, focusing on environmental communication and a longtime resident of Enfaso.

I would like to address item 13, which I urge you to vote yes on, but treading carefully and critically with future 380 agreements.

As you move forward with drafting your policy, I want to offer my comments, which I believe are generative to this process to ensure that this policy not only reflects what are the city's development priorities, but how these will be accomplished.

Ultimately, you should be equipped to be able to answer basic questions that are often not clearly communicated to the public or that they can understand, such as how would the data center work, what information does it store, who has access to this data, and separately, how is it shared with others?

For what purposes would it be using water?

How many millions of gallons of water will it draw and from what sources?

How would the close proximity of other data centers, such as the 1400-acre project Jupiter in Bunya Anna County impact shared water resources?

What is the environmental impact to the community?

Does the center have a mitigation plan for potential pollution, waste, etc.?

What tax base and economic benefit will it bring to the city?

What investment is the city eliciting from these tech corporations besides jobs that are created?

What capital will remain in the city?

Are there other technologies that the city can pursue that to not use significant amounts of water and energy?

And what sanctions can the city legally enforce if these tech corporations fail to adhere to this policy?

Most importantly, this policy acknowledges that you may be accepting a degree of extraction of our natural resources and an ecological impact to our border community, which despite claims to sustainability and promises of green infrastructure, you may not be able to get fully comprehend.

I leave you with these two research findings as you deliberate this matter.

Data centered cooling systems, efficiency are impacted by geographic and climatic variations.

Methods that work in some sites may not work in others.

And number two, research varies on savings of energy and water consumption using different methods, with one study saying that performance is affected by such things as weather.

Thank you for your time and thank you for listening.

Thank you.

Go ahead, Miss Davila.

Cynthia Davila, your microphone is ready.

Cynthia, can you hear me?

Yes.

All right.

My name is Cynthia Davila, and I'm calling to support item 13 and ask city council to then stop data center operations in our city.

Data centers have already proven they are energy guzzlers to include resources like water and electricity.

A Bloomberg article showed how electricity bills went up for residents who weren't even near a data center because of wholesale electricity costs increasing due to power usage by data centers.

Microsoft Stargate campus in Abilene, Texas, use 463 million gallons of water in two years, with projections hitting 400 billion by 2030.

Residents were told to take shorter showers and limit lawn watering while the data center was left unregulated.

Most of the cooling water they use evaporates, which means it is not being recycled.

If we do not force data centers to find a way to operate sustainably, they will have no incentive to challenge themselves to do things in a way that protects people and not their bottom line.

Texas as a whole is already strained with water resources, so this is not the time to be giving what little water we have here in the desert to machines over human life.

The state already forgets about us due to our distance from the capital.

So please don't make it easier for them to neglect resource issues we brought upon ourselves by allowing data centers to operate here.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Council I've called everyone that signed up to speak at 10.

That brings us, we'll now move to call to the public.

Okay.

And on call to the public.

Use this form for political statements or campaigning.

Please note that during call to the public, the city council may not deliberate or decide any subject that is not on the agenda.

However, council may propose that a topic brought forth be posted on a future agenda.

Please note that during call to the public, the city council may not deliberate or decide any subject that is not on the agenda.

This morning we have 15 people signed up to speak.

The first person is Claudia Contreras Siller.

Ms.

topic is all our animals should be protected from cruelty.

She will be followed by Josie Karen.

Good morning.

Hello, good morning.

I'm here two weeks ago.

I I stated that I saw two persons trapping our pigeons.

They need hunting license to be trapping our pigeons.

I have uh some screenshots.

Can I use the monitor, please?

Also, I want to read what the main trapper of El Paso is posting in on next door.

Uh I asked, what are you what are they used for?

He says uh pigeons can are taken outside of Texas to other states.

I don't ask to where or for what.

Some say for training hunting dogs.

Others say to release them at free range shaken farms.

Uh some joke around saying maybe they use them for shaking nuggets or restaurants.

If a person that is trapping 1,200 pigeons every two weeks, and he's saying that this is happening to the birds.

If he's joking, there needs to be an investigation.

I contacted the National Pigeon Association, and here's an email.

IT, we need the ML, please.

They say that they do not support this.

And for him to take down the logo from next door.

This person has the logo on next door with the National Pigeon Association using his platform only to trap our pigeons.

He gets 1200 every two weeks.

This is a trailer full of pigeons that he posted, and it's a public platform.

That's why I'm using it.

This person is stating that nothing works only to trap them and kill them.

You know, so trapping 1200 pigeons every two weeks is not normal.

This is messing up our ecosystem.

Other birds need to prey on and they need to feed.

Also, I want to show another uh screenshot.

I'm sorry.

If people are trapping our pigeons, they need the hunting license.

The police needs to start asking why are they trapping our pigeons?

Why are they going to our parks?

You can see the nets here.

I just asked them what do you do with them?

So there's many.

There's not only one, there's several.

And please uh advocate for our birds.

We need them in the ecosystem.

They eat the insects, and it's our culture.

Even our our flag has a bird.

And what kind of world do we live in if we don't want birds in the sky?

Please listen to our main wildlife rescue.

She's here.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Jose Kara.

Followed by Raul Castañeda Bullet.

Barbara Valencia.

Good morning, Miss Karen.

Good morning.

Good morning, Miss Carol.

Nice to address you all again.

We have pigeons are not protected birds.

Some of the birds and mammals are not protected.

But the torture of unprotected animals or birds is another category.

It's a legal category.

And we have a Texas penal code 42.092, also called locus law, applies to non-lifestock animals.

So any animals, any animals that exist should not be tortured.

The moment a person captures a bird, it falls under this penal code.

And you can write that down and look it up.

42.092.

It states that torturing an animal, defined as causing unjustifiable pain or suffering, is a state jail felony.

A state hunting license is required, as Claudia stated, to hunt or take them.

I don't know if any of these trappers have that state license.

But that is one thing that we need to see from them is a state hunting license.

That comes from Texas Parks and Wildlife, not from me.

Capturing pigeons and stuffing them in a cage on wheels, as she showed you the picture, is totally it's totally unsufferable.

They don't they take a take a good look at the trailer cages holding hundreds of pigeons every trip that they take.

They may not be protected, but the animal cruelty law still applies.

And they can't move, they can't flap their wings, they can't hardly even breathe.

Removing any adult birds that are sitting on nets on nests of immature birds automatically kills those birds.

They have they have no way of surviving without their parents.

So you're not only taking the parents, you're also killing the babies.

But it's not a quick death, it's a prolonged death.

They suffer from starvation, from hypothermia.

Babies are very adult, very delicate, and they need to be protected by those parents.

Such as the hawks, the owls, the falcons, the fox, the coyotes, they all depend on wildlife to eat.

And they are taking away one of the best food uh nourishment from other wildlife by trapping these pigeons and killing them.

They are killing them.

Our ecosystem and balance of nature is totally out of whack.

Uh wildlife is disappearing at an alarming rate in the last 54 years.

Listen to these numbers.

In the last 54 years, we have lost 73% of all wildlife.

That's that's how long my boys have been alive.

53, 54 years.

During their lifetime, we have lost 73% of all wildlife.

That's scary.

Thank you, Miss Karen.

Thank you, Miss Carol.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Raul Castañeda Bullet.

Followed by Barbara Valencia, Ron Como, René Corral, Chris Velez.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Good morning, Mayor and City Council.

I have my fellow old pastlines.

I'm not here demanding anything because I hate when people demand.

That is so uh childish.

I'm here because I have questions for you all.

I I I like I like pigeons, I like the birds.

I grew up in this hometown.

They've been here from since when I grew up in the 50s and 60s.

And what I would like to ask is are you city council mayor?

Are you authorizing for the pigeons to be captured?

What's the mission and what's the goal?

That's that that's what I want to ask.

Because we need to educate our people and say, look, we're trying to get rid of uh the pigeons from downtown, we're authorizing it, but we need to be transparent about doing this, and that's all I come to do is ask because I I don't believe in demanding anything, okay?

So I will just leave you with one last thing.

If you want to find out what really happened with our closure as an aviator, I'd be more than happy to share that with you at another time whenever you want.

But if we're here, I just want to know why our pigeons are leaving.

Are you authorizing that?

Is that a mission on your part?

And what's the goal?

Thank you very much for your time.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Barbara Valencia.

Ms.

Valencia's topic is propaganda has no place in animal welfare.

Good morning.

Good morning, everybody.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Um calling Animal Services Community Return to Owner Program a success is misleading between the years 2022 and 2024, because 2025 numbers have not been released.

8,755 animals entered the program.

Only 1,957 were returned to their owners, while 6,798 remain missing or unaccounted for.

With 78% of the animals becoming lost within this program, this is far from being a successful program as claimed.

That's propaganda.

Boasting about the community education program, claiming it offers robust spay neuter education.

Yet in the past 30 days, 99% of male dogs brought into animal services are not neutered, reflecting the reality of the larger scale of unneutered dogs out in our community.

This raises doubts about whether the so-called robust program is actually effective.

Or is it that education alone is pointless without the necessary tools for success?

The program lacks essential resources, and claiming success when evidence shows otherwise, that's propaganda.

One of the biggest complaints from community members is backyard breeding.

Two key measures to combat this are requiring litter permits and stopping the illegal sales of puppies.

In 2025, only 109 citations were issued for not having a litter permit, and just 39 for illegally selling puppies.

That's for the entire year.

Backyard breeding goes unchecked, and puppies are being sold in Walmart parking lots and on social media, all in violation of the city ordinance.

It's basically a free-for-all, with very few of few being held accountable under a self-proclaimed successful non-enforcement policy, claiming the non-enforcement policy as a six as a success while adding more animals to our pet overpopulation.

That's propaganda.

FYI, just four litter permits were issued by the city and animal services in 2025.

Just four.

Referencing local rescues and advocates as detractors, enemies, and agitators because they dare to disagree with or question misinformation coming from a city council representative.

This has driven away supporters and donors from the very rescues the city depends on to help manage animal services shelter population.

With less funding and backing, these rescues can't take animals out of the shelter, thus leaving the animals stuck in the kennels at the shelter for longer periods, sometimes indefinitely.

Vilifying local rescues and advocates, that's propaganda.

A city council representative has truly mastered the art of propaganda, and his role on the animal advisory committee gives him free reign to spread it without restraint.

Propaganda has no place in animal welfare.

Thank you.

Next speaker is Ron Como.

Mr.

Como's topic is exercising his constitutional rights to the rescue 1983 animal services.

He will be followed by René Corral, Chris Velez, Rosa Escorza, Lourdes Pollar.

Sorry.

IT will need the Elmo for Mr.

Como.

I'm sorry.

You're going to place pictures on the morning.

Morning.

How are we doing today?

IT, we need the Elmo, please.

Yes, sir.

Okay.

Tuesday.

We're here again.

Um El Paso Animal Services Shelter Advisory Committee, ASAC.

They're supposed to be doing promoting animal health, welfare, and the safety, and while supporting 90% greater live release rate.

Okay.

So here we sit.

We already discussed a few things.

Since the implement implementation of the Haas sheltering plan, we have left 50,815 strays running loose on the streets of El Paso.

This information comes from El Paso Animal Services Shelter Reports.

So I'm giving you factual information with the proof of what's happening.

I'd like somebody to answer where they are and come up with proof.

Not best friends in Austin Pets Alive propaganda.

We already know Austin Pets Alive and Best Friends and their Haas Plan is doing this disaster across the country.

So now we sit with the state of Texas is now offering $13 million to promote spay and neuters in the state of Texas because of the stray crisis.

We have a stray crisis because cities and counties across the state of Texas were ignorant enough to implement the Haas sheltering plan.

You leave unaltered strays running loose, they end up running in packs, they end up attacking people, there's more disease, there's more puppies, and we are not fixing the problem.

We need once again to go back to our original plan, which actually promoted a no-kill deal, and we were close until it got taken out.

Folks, you you know I don't understand.

We keep coming up here with facts and figures.

And because somebody's a friend or somebody's relative, you know, we're not getting this fixed.

So my problem is if we're after all these years of having these conversations and we're not getting it fixed, then we have the wrong people making the decisions.

Period.

We have people hiring people with no qualifications and no clue.

We have people that are making the decisions that shouldn't be.

We got an ASAC committee that does not take care of 50,000 eight hundred and fifteen animals because the Haas plan doesn't care about the ones left on the street.

If you read their propaganda, it only says the animals in the shelter.

This is now your fault.

And we're tired.

We're tired of animals paying the price.

This is an example of a waste of money that shouldn't be, because the money has been set aside to actually accomplish good for the city of El Paso.

We have plenty of room for shelters for dogs, and we're not doing anything.

You have the budget to put people in place.

And what have you done?

You couldn't even keep the people in place at the shelter we have now.

Whose fault is that?

A year and a half ago, I told you about the toxic work.

Well, other people, and they did nothing.

I told them about the problem with the dealing with people.

They didn't have a chance.

Thank you, Mr.

Como you've reached the three minutes.

The next speaker is René Corral.

Mr.

Corral's topic is animal welfare.

He will be followed by Chris Villes.

Good morning.

Good morning, Renee.

Good morning.

So I've seen some disturbing photos on Nextdoor app showing these hundreds of trapped pigeons in cages.

And it's my understanding that there is an individual that is operating in the city of El Paso trapping these pigeons and then selling them to unknown individuals or other businesses for profit and disposal that may be considered animal cruelty.

Even though pigeons are not a protected species, the trapping of these pigeons for profit without oversight from this city of the El Paso or proper permits may be unlawful.

Feral pigeons, like all wildlife, play an important role in their ecosystem.

As opportunistic feeders, they help maintain a balance of consuming a variety of seeds, grains, and food scraps.

Their feeding habits can assist in seed dispersal, helping other plant species and maintain biodiversity in urban environments where native wildlife may be scarce.

Additionally, pigeons serve as prey for various predators, including hawks and falcons, contributing to the food chain and ecosystem.

Now, some people may consider feral pigeons as pests, but feral pigeons are far more mere than pests.

They are resilient, adaptable, and valuable members of our urban ecosystems.

Pigeons deserve our respect and thoughtful consideration.

My ask is that you, Mayor Johnson, and members of City Council, take a look into this individual's practices to make sure he is not breaking any city ordinance or any other laws.

With that said, I've also noticed that the loose dog and straight dog situation has not improved.

It seems to be getting worse.

And I'm I'm trying to figure out why.

I travel over the country.

I don't see this problem in other cities, in other bigger cities.

Why is it that we cannot get a handle on this situation?

Why is it that we have allowed this situation to go unchecked for so many years?

Now I know all of you know that the majority of people care deeply about dogs running loose, not just animal lovers, but joggers, they don't feel safe.

It's not just an animal situation, uh an animal advocate situation.

It's a safety situation.

Why?

Why?

Why can't we get a handle on this situation?

What is it that you all need to do to get a handle of the situation?

We are better than this.

We can do better.

And for those of you that just are tired of hearing it, I'm tired of coming here.

I got better things to do.

But I come here because it's important because I love the city, and we're better than that.

Please do something.

The next speaker is Chris Veles.

Chris Veles.

Rosa Escorza.

Rosa Scorza.

Lourdes Polar.

Lourdes Porlar's topic is uh issues at 7001 Casaloma Circle with security, trash, suspicious people coming and going from the home.

Okay, so Sandra Olivas.

Her topic is discussion of ongoing neighborhood-related concerns at 701 Casaloma affecting safety noise and neighborhood quality of life.

Good morning, Mayor Johnson.

Good morning.

And City Council members.

Um I live near 7001 Casaloma.

And with me today are six of my neighbors.

And the reason I'm here is because the situation at that home has become an ongoing safety, sanitation, and quality of life concern for our neighborhood.

I work from home and I take my dogs for walks four to five times a day.

And so I walk near the property and I'm a witness to a lot of what's going on, and I am the one that has to call the police and codes.

In July 2024, my dog Mickey was mauled in front of me.

He was killed by a loose dog.

That's just one of the problems because if I was to go over all the situations that I've witnessed, I wouldn't need more than three minutes.

But some of the examples are individuals coming into my driveway, my backyard.

I have video of that, have provided it to the police.

Residents from that property coming to my house, uh telling me that they have guns.

Earlier this month, I observed several young men taking guns out of their pockets, throwing them into cars.

Um I see people dropping what appears to be a drug package in the mailbox.

Numerous men jumping the backyard of that house.

They have broken my neighbor's windows.

There is no water.

I witnessed a man pulling out the electrical meter from the wall or breaking it.

There's no water, no gas.

Animals are in the backyard.

I've called animal control many times.

On November of last year, the home was raided by numerous law enforcement, canines with ARs, and many people were arrested.

After my dog was mauled and killed, I continue to walk my other dogs because I don't have any other choice.

I work from home.

I have had other dogs that come from that house attacking my dog after that.

I have witnessed fights in front of that house.

I have witnessed people camping in front of the house, loose dogs roaming the streets.

I have provided video, photos, evidence to the police department.

Grossy carts were left in the middle of the street, are still being left in the middle of the street.

At one time for almost an entire year, the RV that they had, there was sewage leaking out.

Um there's trash from the property blowing into the neighborhoods.

I attempted to speak to the people that live there, and I was just met with profanity and screaming.

So we are here to beg for help.

We have resourced to this because we don't know what else to do.

This has been going on for two years, and we are here to respectfully ask Mr.

Mayor, the council members to review the situation at this address.

Please review the situation, ensure that city ordinances are being followed, that the animals that are there are being taken care of.

Thank you, ma'am.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Celinda Cruz.

Celinda Cruz.

Her topic is a need for city medical entomologist.

Good morning.

Good morning.

I have things for you, but they're not as nice as you'll meet them in.

Good morning, honorable mayor and council members.

I speak to you today as an El Pasuan concerned about the city's ability to monitor and address public health concerns resulting from the interactions between insects, other animals, humans, and the environment.

These interactions can have negative effect on the negative effects on the health of El Pasuans.

Simply, insects can impact the health of animals and humans.

Transmission of disease from insects to an animal or human is not that straightforward.

For example, the environment plays a role.

Urbanization has created the need for water reservoirs.

Water reservoirs that do not drain and create a breeding site for mosquitoes can result in an increase in the circulation of West Nile virus and thus an increase in human cases.

A second example is when construction destroys the natural habitat of kissing bugs.

These kissing bugs disperse, and this can put them in contact with humans and increase the risk of transmission of chagus disease, a debilitating disease for which there is no cure.

In a recent UTEP study, all the kissing bugs collected in the Franklin Mountains tested positive for the parasites that cause Chagas disease.

To my knowledge, the city of El Paso has no medical entomologist position in city government.

A city the size of El Paso, almost 700,000 people should have an entomologist to lead vector control in their efforts to minimize vector borne disease threats by one tracking vector population and thus disease threats over time, coordinating with animal services to monitor for vector borne disease in the domestic and feral animal populations, and three to monitor environmental conditions that may increase the incidence of vector borne diseases and propose actions to mitigate those threats.

The entomologist could proactively coordinate with the City of El Paso Public Health, the Texas Department of State Health Services Veterinarian and Zonosis Control, the state's entomologist, the Texas Department of State Health Services Laboratory for Zonotic Virology Group, the Department of State Health Services Office of Border Public Health, Universities, other border municipalities and counterparts in Sudaduarez.

Other large Texas cities have these positions.

Establishment of this position for El Paso is long overdue.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And I love the next speaker is Patricia Osman.

Strange, Ms.

Rocha isn't here.

So I sent you all some email.

And I think everybody is well, some of you who actually get on social media have seen Fitfam seen that GIMP that goes in uh hangs out in District One, Miss Chavez, street corners, little GIMP mask, a little BDSM, whip.

I ask, is it fine that children are driving in their cars with their parents and have to ask their parents what's that person doing?

Should a parent have to ask answer the question what a GIMP is?

I would hope not.

Ms.

Rocha mentioned it to her over the phone.

She thought it was funny.

Oh, the dancer?

No, it's not a dancer.

We have we have had in Mr.

Fierro, Mr.

Canales and Acevedo will know that I've brought this up before.

We've had a BDSM group working out, it's a prostitution group working out of El Paso for a while now.

For a bit, thanks to not local law enforcement.

They kind of went under the under the radar for a bit.

But back up.

Same person who is associated with social media as being a counselor for the rainbow center.

I've got those screenshots to prove it.

And I did reach out to the rainbow center.

They were aware of it.

Yet it's not valid credentials this person has.

It's the same thing that the National Center for Sexual Exploitation puts out that the porn industry uses and sex workers use.

Is that the sexual assaults that are happening at the detention center?

People's privates getting crushed and everything else.

If you don't think that's associated, it has any connection with this, then you're lying to yourselves and you're lying to the community.

But quite frankly, something needs to be done because one, the GIMP.

That's that's still against the law.

Obscenity.

Yet PD went over there, didn't do anything.

Should have arrested them, didn't.

And that the prostitution that's online and being promoted in porn, you also against the law in Texas.

You can't be producing and distributing that in the state of Texas.

Yet it's happening out of El Paso.

So do something.

Thank you, Miss Osman.

The next speaker is Jose Gastón Barriga.

He will be followed by Elizabeth Crawford.

Mr.

Barriga's topic is a return on investment.

Good morning.

Good morning, Mr.

Mayor.

Good morning, Council.

Mayor Johnson, Council members.

My name is Jose Gastón Barriga.

I'm here to address the communication failures highlighted by the Southern FAA airspace shutdown last week.

Mayor, you rightly stated then that El Paso deserve better communication and more respect.

Noting that a midnight shutdown notification endangered life.

However, I want to I want to draw attention to a to a perspective rooted in the training the city provide itself providing me.

Thank you to the city sponsorship many years ago.

I completed advanced training with ICS 300 and 400, advanced incident command.

What I observed in the recent failures, the major water outage, communication breakdown, and now the FAA airspace issue.

Frankly, if I manage an incident the way that the past two weeks has been handled, I will have failed the course of the US sponsored.

We're seeing a dangerous pattern of leadership operating in silos.

My request to this council is urgent and specific.

A standing joint information center that mandates liaison from the city, the county, and our federal partners.

We need a robust system to guarantee that when the next pipe bursts or the next airspace airspace is arise, the city, county, and state speak in one unified voice from the very first minute.

The frustration you experienced last Wednesday is shared by the entire public.

Let's commit to the standard of unified command that you yourself taught us.

Thank you.

Good morning, Miss Crawford.

Thank you.

Good morning.

Thank you.

I'd like to start with an acronym, G-R-A-C-E, Grace, God's riches at Christ's expense.

Ephesians chapter 2, verses 8 and 9.

For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourself is the gift of God, not of work, lest any man should vote.

Grace, many of us are familiar with the song, Amazing Grace.

It was written by John Newton, a former slave trader, a wicked man whom God mercifully saved and transformed.

John Newton became close friends with William Wilberforce, a British Parliament member who is a Christian that God used mightily for the abolishment of the transatlantic street, transatlantic slave trade in England.

We uh, as pro-lifers are crying out to God to abolish abortion in our nation, as he miraculously abolished the wicked transatlantic slave trade in the 1800s.

If you would have mercy and bring to an end the practice of abortion in our nation.

As a white person, I often find myself stuck in circles where I hear racist comments about Hispanic andor Black Americans, about immigrants.

When we stand on the sidewalk to save babies from abortion, we hear racist comments from two groups.

Some of those groups are the passers by.

It's um the one center where I've often served in New Jersey as an affluent community.

Um, some of the comments come from the the passers by there, also from the pro-choice uh clinic escorts, as they call themselves.

This is where the brazen race racist comments do come from when we're on the sidewalk.

Comments about welfare babies, about people who can't support these kids, so you abort them.

It's wicked racism.

It's the highest form of racism.

Um, and it's it's based on demographic, economics, etc.

We're told in God's word, therefore, if any man be in Christ, he's a new creature.

Old things are passed away.

Behold, all things are become new.

We had pro-lifers long that God would do a mighty work and one day abolish abortion in our nation to make it unthinkable, as was done with the transatlantic slave trade.

One of my favorite um pieces that was penned by someone who's quite obscure.

Um, a missionary um last century in Africa discovered what a uh pastor in Zimbabwe had penned.

Um he was very soon after that martyr.

Um, it's a beautiful piece, fellowship of the unashamed, uh, an African martyr's prayer.

Um just a beautiful piece, and and as we think this month of um Black History Month, this is probably one of my favorite pieces, probably my favorite piece of literature um that is that is written uh by someone who's black.

I'm part of the fellowship of the unashamed.

I have holy spirit power, my past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure, unfinished with no living.

Thank you, Miss Crawford.

You've reached the three minutes, ma'am.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

That concludes call to the public.

Council per the rules of order, no use of personal cellular devices nor personal communication should take place on the dais while the meeting is in session.

Once you obtain the floor from the mayor, you will have up to 10 minutes for debate and may speak twice per debatable motion.

Please speak into the microphone and refrain from side conversations at the day as well the meeting is in session.

If you're joining through teams, please make sure your microphones are muted to reduce any background noise.

That brings us to the consent agenda.

All matters listed under the consent agenda will be considered by city council to be routine and will be enacted by one motion unless separate discussion is requested by council members.

Prior to the vote, members of the audience may ask questions regarding items on the consent agenda.

When the vote has been taken, if an item has not been called out for separate discussion, the item has been approved.

Council may, however, reconsider any item at any time during the meeting.

Mayor Potem.

Thank you, Ms.

Prime.

I make a motion to approve the consent agenda with the following revisions.

Page nine, item 26.

Postpone two weeks per capital improvement.

Okay, we have a motion.

Is there a second?

Okay.

Ms.

Bryan.

There's a motion made by Mayor Pro Tem Chavez.

Seconded by Representative Limon, and this is to approve the consent agenda as revised on that motion.

Call for the vote.

And the voting session.

And that motion passes unanimously.

Representative Maldonado Rocha not present.

We now turn to page number four.

This is the introduction of ordinances.

These are items seven and eight.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Okay, we have a motion and a second.

Ms.

Bryan.

There's a motion made by Mayor Potem Chavez.

Second by alternate mayor Potem Piero to introduce the ordinances.

These are items seven and eight.

On that motion, call for the vote.

And the voting session.

That motion passes unanimously.

Representative Madonado Rocha not present.

We now turn to page number five to the public hearings.

Item number nine is a public hearing of an ordinance authorizing the conveyance of real property owned by the city of El Paso to JC GAR Ventures LLC for the purchase price of $51,000.

Such property described as portion of lots 1819, block six, Alameda Acre, City of Alpaso, Al Paso County, Texas.

Ms.

Fry, can we take 9, 10, and 11 together?

Yes, sir.

Item 10 is a public hearing of an ordinance authorizing the conveyance of real property owned by the City of El Paso to Juan Martinez for the purchase price of 49,000.

The real property described as portion of lots 8, 9, and 10, block 3, Lancaster Edition, Unit 3 in City of El Paso, El Paso County, Texas.

Item 11 is an a public hearing of an ordinance authorizing the conveyance of real property owned by the City of El Paso to Torres Day Ventures LLC for the purchase price of $25,000.

Such property described as portion of Tract 9B, Block 36, is Leda Grant, also known as portion of Tract 1 Spur Edition, in addition to the City of Al Paso, El Paso County, Texas.

Move to approve.

Okay, there's a motion to approve items 9 through 11.

Mary Lou.

Good morning, Mayor and Council.

Mary Louis Vinosa with the real estate division for the record.

Okay, this first presentation is for a property sale agreement on Auburn and Delta, PID 28592.

This property was brought before council in September of 2025.

City Council vetted the surplus property and approved its listing.

It was listed in accordance with the Texas local government code, section 253014, and the property was marketed via a broker and listed for 30 days on that multi-listing service.

The property size is 0.16 acres, zoned R for residential.

It was listed on October the 8th, 2025.

The proposed buyer is JCGAR L L C.

The appraised value on that property was 47,000.

The purchase price is 51,000 plus closing cost.

We received one offer, and we recommend selling the property to the highest offer.

Was that all three?

That's the first one.

Yes, please.

Okay.

Okay, this next one is a property sale agreement on Thames and Elgin.

Property identification number two eight zero eight seven one.

This property was also brought before council in September of 2025.

Council vetted this as surplus property and approved the listing.

It was listed in accordance with the Texas local government code, section 253.014.

The property was marketed via a broker, and it was listed for at least 30 days on that multiple listing service.

The size of the property is 0.21 acres.

It's zoned R4 residential.

It was listed in September of 2025.

The proposed buyer is Juan Martinez.

The appraised value is 49,000.

The purchase price is 49,000 plus closing costs.

We received one offer, and we recommend selling the property to the highest offerer.

Okay.

And the last item is a property sale agreement for Pendale and Roseway.

Property identification number 68379.

This was also brought before council in May of 2025, where the property was vetted in a surplus.

It was listed in accordance with the Texas local government code, section 253.014.

The property was marketed via a broker and listed for at least 30 days.

The property is 1.39 acres in size.

It is zoned R for residential, C1 commercial special contract, and apartment mobile home special contract.

The property was listed in on June 6th of 2025.

The proposed buyer is Torres Day Ventures LLC.

The appraised value of the property is $23,000.

It was uh the appraised appraisal was done in August of 2025.

The purchase price is $25,000 plus closing cost.

We received two offers on this property, and we recommend selling the property to the highest offerer.

All right, thank you.

Any questions for Mary Lou on items number nine, ten, or eleven?

Representative.

May I do Mary Lou by any chance, and you know it's um very early.

Um what on item 11?

What the plans are for that property.

I can get that information for you, representative.

Thank you very much.

Of course.

Okay.

Any other questions for Mary Lou on items nine through eleven?

All right, Miss Pry.

There was a motion made by Representative Limon, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Chavez to adopt the ordinances on items 9, 10, and 11.

Call for the vote.

And the voting session.

And that motion passes unanimously.

Representative Maldonado Rocha not present.

Okay, let's take item number 12.

Item 12 is a public hearing of an ordinance authorizing the city manager to execute a tax resale deed conveying all right, title and interest and real property described as a portion of Lot 18, Block 13A, Logan Heights addition to the City of Al Paso, El Paso County, Texas to Umberto Lozano, in accordance with section 34.05 H of the Texas Tax Code.

Okay, is there a motion to approve this item?

Okay.

There's no presentation, is there?

No.

Okay.

Any questions for staff on item number 12?

Okay.

Ms.

Pryne.

There was a motion made by Representative Acevedo, seconded by Representative Limone, and this is to adopt the ordinance on item 12.

There's no public comment on that motion.

Call for the vote.

And the voting session.

The motion passes unanimously.

Representative Maldonado Rocha not present.

Okay.

Let's take item number 13.

Item 13 is discussion and action authorizing the city manager to develop within 60 days a proposed data center policy framework for the city of Al Paso.

The framework shall prioritize community engagement, utility providers, local, state, and regional government in implementation considerations, evaluate long-term impacts on infrastructure and utilities during development of the framework, city negotiations or development discussions related to new data center projects shall be paused.

Further direct the city attorney to conduct a legal analysis of all current 380 agreements with data centers.

This item was placed by representatives Boyar Trejo and Acevedo.

Okay, Representative Trehill.

Thank you, Mayor.

I have uh prepared a motion for action to consider, and I've emailed this to Ms.

Prang.

Uh the change on this is uh right after the 380 agreements.

Do I read the whole thing, Ms.

Prang?

Ms.

Pryde, do we need a motion on the process?

She needs to make a motion.

Okay.

Well, Ms.

Trejo, you need to read the motion to approve.

You need to read the motion as you would like it to say.

Oh, okay.

Please discussion and action authorizing the city manager to develop a 60-day to develop within 60 days the proposed data center policy policy framework for the city of El Paso.

The framework shall prioritize community engagement, utility providers, local, state, and regional governments for implementation considerations, evaluate long-term impacts on infrastructure and utilities.

During development of the framework, city negotiations or development discussions related to the new data center projects shall be paused.

Further direct the city attorney to conduct legal analysis of all current 380 agreements with data centers to identify best practices, lessons learned, and opportunities to develop a new framework.

And so the only change on this is right after 380 agreements includes with data centers to identify best practices, lessons learned, and opportunities to develop a new framework.

So motion motion to approve.

Is that right?

Okay, there's a motion and a second.

Okay.

Okay.

Thank you.

And this was the email to Ms.

Pryne, so you all have that information.

I just sent it to Catholic.

Thank you so much.

So I brought this item forward along with Representative Acevedo because it is both needed and necessary to have this discussion to carefully consider the direction of data center development in El Paso.

Before bringing this item forward, I met with members of the community, business community, residents, activists, to gain a holistic perspective of opportunities, concerns, and the broader implications of this industry.

Through these conversations, it became clear that there were some misunderstandings and misconceptions on multiple sites.

And so that's why I felt it was important to bring this forward to hear from residents, businesses, and including Meta directly.

Mayor, I have invited a representative from speak.

She accepted and is present online and is signed up to speak.

And so when it's appropriate, I respectfully ask that you uh give her a few minutes to speak.

Again, it's so important that we have this open dialogue with all so that we can all have a better understanding.

Public opposition on data centers is increasing.

There are real concerns regarding water consumption, power generation, air quality, and the potential impact on utility rates.

These concerns require thoughtful consideration and careful analysis supported by data and long-term forecasting.

We also have to take a look at the bigger picture, policy, uh, the bigger policy picture.

State leadership has advanced a vision of Texas as a national leader in the data center development, and recent state legislation has narrowed the scope of what local government can regulate.

The city and county operate within si within state and federal law, and utilities cannot refuse service to lawful customers.

However, cities and counties retain authority over land use, zoning, infrastructure coordination, and development conditions tied to supply demand and public interests.

That authority carries responsibility.

Those scales of complexity of data center development requires coordinated leadership.

Effective governments in this space requires collaboration along with the city, county, utilities, regional partners, and business community and our residents to plan accordingly.

My position on data centers is neutral.

I am not opposed to data centers, nor am I fully supportive of unlimited expansion.

I support economic development because it drives growth and opportunity for our community.

At the same time, we must be thoughtful in attracting business that aligns with El Paso's long-term interest and sustainability.

This item being proposed is not about making changes to any existing contracts or agreements.

Existing agreements are binding contracts that cannot be unilaterally altered.

And with respect to Meta, the project went on uh underwent thorough a thorough review process by prior council and city before uh it was approved.

The city approached this project through a thorough review process, and Meta has engaged as a collaborative and constructive partner.

And to date, they have engaged collaboratively with collaboratively with the city and my office to evaluate water restoration initiatives in the Northeast and other areas of El Paso.

The company has expressed an intention to restore more water than it consumes, reflecting a commitment of long-term stability, I mean uh long-term stewardship and sustainability.

In the consideration of additional data center development, this item includes a temporary pause on a new and pen on any new and pending negotiations to allow for a coordinated process to develop framework and regulatory guidelines.

To be clear, this would not be a moratorium.

It is a to a temporary pause to develop framework.

The framework would include an examination of how incentives are structured, how performance metrics are evaluated, and how corporate responsibility responsibility aligns with long-term community sustainability.

Incentives should be considered as well as infrastructure capacity, fiscal impact, and regional resource planning.

It's important that the framework is adopted and balanced.

If it becomes overly restrictive or unclear, development could simply move outside the city.

Then the city would not benefit from tax revenue but share but share on the resources that we use, like our water and our power, and it would still affect the outcome of El Paso.

That would not serve El Paso well.

By adopting this measure, we can ensure we move forward with a clear and balanced framework, welcoming responsible investment, remaining competitive while safeguarding our resources.

Thank you.

Representative uh Fierro.

Thank you, Mayor.

Mayor, first and foremost, there's no one up here who is against saving resources in our community or and keeping our community this beautiful uh city that we have.

Um whereas I I agree with some of uh Representative Trejo's amendments to to the motion.

I think it's important for us to also take into account that your leadership and the leadership of Betsy Keller and the county uh by allowing us to partner with them, hence saving tax dollars, um, using the resources that we have with with you and Ms.

Mack and her staff becoming members of that of that committee.

Again, saving uh tax dollars for our community, not duplicating services, and then coming back to this body with what the findings are of the committee.

Um I plan on making a motion or make a motion that we we postpone or delete this item until after that committee has come back with its uh results and and shared with this council.

And at that point, uh Representative Trejo and uh Representative Um Josh, I'm sorry, Dr.

Acevedo can can decide whether they want to put their motion back in play.

So I'm Ms.

Prime I make a motion that we delete this item until Ms.

Mack uh and and uh our legal counsel uh Ms.

Neiman are able to after participating in the county's um in the county's uh uh committee to come back with us with uh recommendations and then and then we can fine-tune them for for the city.

Okay, is there a second on this amendment?

Second for discussion.

Okay.

And and before we move on on on the amendment, so I I think we're all trying to get to the the same place.

And that is a data center framework.

And I I want the council to know that when I heard that the county was looking at hiring a consultant to look at best practices for data centers during one of our monthly meetings.

So we have a monthly meeting where I meet with the county along with the uh the county administrator and the city manager.

And I asked if they would be uh able to incorporate the city into the best practices, and they agree that they would work with our city manager and staff to do this.

I know it is important to have a collaborative on best practices guidelines with the county, so we could all be on the same page as a region.

The collaborative will address infrastructure, resource strain, environmental impacts, and long-term community cost.

So by aligning our efforts, the city and the county can better minimize unintended negative impacts and create a more coordinated approach to development that benefits both our jurisdictions and the community as a whole.

Ms.

Mack just received something in writing on Wednesday, so a council who wasn't able to come to council, she just got it on Wednesday, February the 11th from the county, and it outlined a concept of the working relationship between the city and the county.

I think we need to give our city manager uh the time to continue it has already been started.

In addition, our city's attorney's office has already been proactive in reaching out to other communities to gain information on governance around data centers.

I think we need to give them more time to bring us a comprehensive city and county plan so that we don't make decisions at the city that push data centers into the county, and the county doesn't make decisions that push data centers into the city.

So that's what Representative Fiero was was was mentioning in his amendment.

A lot of the work that is mentioned in item number 13 has already been taking place at the city and county level again with our city manager, our city attorney, and the county administrator and the county judge to make sure we're we're approaching this from a community and not just in silo or in in isolation.

So that is what the amendment was.

And on the amendment, is there any further discussion?

Representative.

And mayor, it wouldn't be an amendment if he's making a motion to delete it, would just be a separate motion altogether just to delete the item.

Okay.

So there was a motion and a second.

That's correct.

Yeah, for discussion.

Okay.

Call for the vote.

Okay.

So the motion was made by alternate mayoral seconded by representative.

Limon to delete.

A motion to delete an item is not a debatable motion.

The the vote is supposed to happen immediately.

Okay.

That's right.

Go ahead.

Representative Pierre.

Mayor, then my deletion, can we postpone it?

Um I would like to make an um a correction in my in my motion to postpone it until after Ms.

Mack and um Ms.

Neiman and the mayor's committee can come back and update us.

60 days.

Well, it was just it would just be to delete.

Okay, well then.

So it was right to delete.

So Ms.

Bryan, he his motion cannot instruct the city staff to come back in a period of time.

That would be a separate motion if he wants to if he wants to amend the motion.

Okay.

He can amend the motion on the floor that was made by Representative Boya Trejo.

If that's to amend, or he can just make a separate motion just to delete the item.

Okay.

Mayor, the problem with with amending for uh putting a timeline on it is is I'd like to give um the city manager and her team and whoever you or whomever you appoint from council enough time for that committee to finish before they come back and give us a report.

So couldn't couldn't we delete it until the report has been completed and at that time put it on his agenda item.

You can just delete it with the understanding that they would bring it forward at a later time.

That would be my motion.

So do you want me to call it?

Yeah, call for the vote.

Yep.

Call for the vote on Representative Fierro's.

Okay.

So the motion was made, and this is it has the same meaning to delete or postpone indefinitely.

Indefinitely means to delete.

I mean it has the same meaning in Robert's rules.

The correct term is postpone indefinitely.

Go ask the question.

On that motion.

One second.

Representative.

But in either motion, we don't have the ability for discussion.

That's what I second.

I I second it specifically and stated I second the motion for discussion purposes.

It can be the postponed indefinitely or delete can be debated.

It can it can C A N, right?

Yes.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Okay.

Representative.

That's what we were doing.

Yeah, reference.

I was pretty sure it could be um debated or just discussed.

I I wanted to say that I did not want to support deleting this because I think there's more to discuss.

And I'm actually gonna offer an amendment if this continues on giving direction with the county.

And I'm prepared to do that, but I understand that we're talking about the deletion right now, but I just wanted to state that for the record.

Okay.

Representative Limon.

I passed.

Okay.

Okay.

We're just talking about the Okay.

Representative Canales.

Okay.

Representative Trejell.

This is just on the postponement.

Number four.

Yeah.

Number four.

Thank you, Mayor.

So the this item is already asking for what they're working on.

But it does cover more areas, you know, and it goes into the backup.

If you look at the backup, it covers more.

I think it's more in depth on what is being asked.

And I think it's really something that should be considered because if if it is something that they're already working with the with the county, and then uh representative Acivedo is is gonna uh is wanting to bring an amendment to include that.

I think it covers the whole aspect of it, so I'm asking if if we could just continue this conversation so that we can hear the full aspect of what's being asked here, and if the decision is later to go along with with which we all are proposing, I'm fine with that as well.

But I just want to make sure that the the conversation continues.

Thank you.

Okay, represent okay Represent Canals.

Thank you, Mayor.

Yeah, if a lot of the work is already taking place, then I don't see the problem with proceeding with some direction to continue that work with some additional specific parameters or areas of focus, like working with the county, for example.

So thank you.

All right, Miss Bryan, can you figure this out on the amendments?

So the motion on the floor right now is to delete or postpone indefinitely.

Okay.

And that takes precedence over the main motion.

Okay, call for the vote.

On that motion, call for the vote.

And the voting session.

And the motion fails.

Two to six.

Representatives Piero Limon voting aye, the remainder of council voting nay.

That motion fails.

Okay.

Now we're back on the main motion.

Correct.

Okay.

Representative was first.

Okay.

Representative.

Thank you, Mayor.

I just kind of want to thank everyone for making time to come sign up for public comment, whether at 10 a.m.

or for the item.

This has been a topic that I have not been able to escape anywhere that I go, whether it's community meetings and we're talking about streets and then we end up talking about data centers and there's there's a lot of um heartburn with this, and I think for me, I like to listen to constituents.

I've seen it from all spectrums of the political spectrum, just all sides of it, which in this um polarizing world that we have, I feel like this is something that the community is really uniting.

But at the same time, I've done a lot of conversations with people in the business community, other local elected officials, other governments, uh just to kind of understand what is happening, what everybody is seeing, what kind of perspectives they they are offering on this.

And so what I see in this item is the city giving the direction that the city manager and the city attorney don't have.

There's been a lot of great information that they have proactively given to us, but this council has not given them any sort of direction on what to do with this.

Um I'm not sure if they have been receiving things from the community on this and they're responding as it is as it's coming in.

But what's important here is is the direction.

And so what I want to offer is an amendment to really strengthen that direction so we know where we're going.

I had a great conversation with Betsy Keller, the the chief administrator at the county of Al Paso yesterday.

And she shared that Ms.

Mac and her have had good conversations about this.

There's that committee that's formed that the mayor was talking about, and they are looking to get a consultant on this topic.

And what makes this important is that we have a lot of people pulling us in many different directions.

But what I think the consultant can do is give us that independent review that will give us an understanding of how this is gonna affect our utilities, how this is going to affect our community in the long run.

And as they're kind of figuring that out in the next few weeks, they still don't have a cost associated, but at the same time, what Ms.

Mack can do is continue engaging with the mayor in those conversations and then have an understanding of what is happening with those costs as they come in, and then at that time Ms.

Mac can have that authority depending on how much it costs to engage in it, or she could come back to city council.

So what I'm offering as an amendment is in the first sentence of the item where it ends with City of El Paso instead instead of ending with the period there, it would say with El Paso County to share cost in hiring a consultant that will analyze the impacts of data centers and other developments that may have potentially large demands on our resources.

So um I moved to make that amendment.

Sorry, I forgot to say move before.

Okay.

Is is there a second?

Second.

Okay.

And I'll send you the language, Ms.

Pine.

So when everybody receives the language, it it's the area in red that would be at it.

Who was a second?

I'm sorry I didn't hear.

Representative Trail.

Did you get that, Miss Prime?

I did uh got it in Teams.

Okay.

I'm pasting it to an email.

And you're you're just adding the font in red, correct?

Yes, it's it's in red, and that would be to the first sentence, which gives direction to formally work with the county and Ms.

Keller said that they would love to have that formalized and was very supportive of this motion.

Okay, I just sent it to council.

Ms.

Beck, I don't know if you wanted to speak to what you've been doing with the county.

You're okay.

Yeah, on the amendment.

Are we done, Representative Speck?

Okay, any questions on the amendment?

Representative uh Fierrow.

Thank you, Mayor.

Mayor, it's my understanding.

Had we allowed you to put your agenda item for next next meeting, this would be the discussion that we would be having as a as a council as a whole, and as a whole, be able to form the direction, the guidelines, and and maybe not even have to like representative um just uh committed ourselves to paying half of the the the consulting fees.

I don't remember that was any part of Bentse communicating that to you.

And I just think that this is I still I still stand by my motion.

I think this is premature.

We should have allowed you to put your agenda item on and you to work out the details instead of us doing this on the fly up here at the at the moment.

And we wouldn't have committed the council to monies to the county.

Okay.

Representative Rocha.

Does anybody else have the amendment?

Yes.

I'm going to speak on the amendment really quick.

And I I do feel that there needs to be the framework that needs to be built in at this time.

I don't know if anybody tuned in yesterday to uh to Robert Cortines' presentation on the five-year outlook for the city of El Paso, or if you tuned in to FOAC on Thursday of last week when we talked about the debt service rate that we're at.

Basically, as to sum it up, he told us that we cannot take on additional expenses at this time without coming back and talking about what the trade-off is.

And I know that part of what uh Mayor Johnson was going to do was to work and and really allow and and if you heard the the meeting that the county had back in January, Ms.

Keller was very forthcoming, and she says that this will take a very specialized type of consultant to come in because just the commissioners like ourselves are not the experts in this.

I also want to say that part of what the gatekeeping process already is that maybe many of you have not, maybe you know, maybe you don't know, is that the city works very closely with Borderplex Alliance.

They are the gatekeepers for all of any type of economic development that comes through and do a lot of the upfront work that this that you're asking the city to already do.

Ours comes with the price tag.

We need to give the county the opportunity to bring in the city and to be able to do that.

Or we need to understand from Repacevedo and Rep Trejo, what are you willing to trade off?

Because this is going to be costly.

To sit and Ms.

Mack, I know we haven't spoken specifically about about this.

I don't know if Rep Trejo or Rep Acevedo spoke to you individually or if they spoke to Ms.

Ms.

Neiman as to what it would cost.

This is the first time hearing about the consultant services.

I have not had that conversation with Ms.

Keller either.

I'm just back and forth with my team right now, and we just believe in terms of what it would take for us to bring that online, and if you're really talking about the community engagement and the level that I think that council would expect if you're bringing a consultant on, we're thinking that that's going to take 18 months to two years.

So I just want to make sure that as we're adopting, you know, we're talking about an iterative report back to get that data and information together so we can tell you what that would look like.

I do not believe that we would be bringing more back a framework within 60 days as stated.

Thank you, Ms.

Mack.

And and just to add to it, you know, sitting on the Financial Oversight Committee, we have to look at every single penny that is that is spent.

Rep Acevedo, you're the former chairman for that for that particular um for that committee.

And so it it's it's our responsibility to make sure that I heard a from everyone today.

But when it comes to what the price tag is on that, we need to we need to know.

Everything that's laid out here on the amendment shows that it there's cost to it.

What is that cost?

We don't know what the cost is on the consultant, but there's also cost that goes into what staff is going to take.

If there's any outreach, that's going to re require overtime.

So all of this requires cost at some point that we need to tally up.

We're on the hook now for for this for this shared price of the consultant.

So thank you, Mayor.

Any further discussion on the amendment?

So I I I agree with the Representative Rocha, and I I think you know, as a body needs to make the decision on spending the resources for the taxpayers.

And again, at the end of the day, we all want to get to the same place, but you have to work with the county.

I mean, we we are the city and there is the county.

For those of you, and I know you know this, there is other data centers proposed in the county.

So if we work collectively, we can make sure that we protect the resources as the entire region.

And we had already had these discussions ongoing.

Uh and again, Ms.

And and I think we should have let that work a little bit longer so we could be more prepared in messaging out to the community on what we were doing and the direction we were going.

So what I was saying earlier is that I think they need more time.

I can tell you that our city attorney's office has reached out to other communities that have data centers to see what the best practices are with ordinances so we could protect El Paso.

So that is the type of work that's been ongoing and you know we we need to make sure that whatever we do as a community that we're protecting El Paso.

That that is first and foremost.

But at the same time we're in El Paso County so we got to do it collectively and make sure that we get it done right.

So I don't disagree with Representative Rocha or Representative Vier on their comment.

So this is on the amendment okay Mayor I have to question and this is for Ms.

Neiman and and Mrs Mack can a council member make a commitment a financial commitment on a project on an issue and bring it to the touncil one council member by themselves representative the one member of council doesn't bind the body all financial decisions regarding budgetary movement is done by the whole or by budget resolution.

Okay.

Mayor it my understanding is this wouldn't even be valid to vote on because we have somebody already commit to spending the the city's resources.

So we should go back to the original motion of just postponing this until the committee can come back with and allow you Ms.

Mack to negotiate hopefully for less than what's already been committed to move us forward.

Okay.

And okay we'll go we'll go we'll come back.

We'll come back representative Trejo.

I'm trying to understand thank you Mayor I'm trying to understand how what what is being proposed here originally is different than what's being asked.

Because within within the uh the line item it says to uh to work with local county state regional so it's not just county it's everyone who has an interest in El Paso the city the county and of course with regional you know talk uh speak with our our regional we're looking at this as a whole region I think by just having this conversation about the county we're missing other entities I think that this proposal that I originally brought covers all entities including the county and having that conversation and planning in addition with the county what I what I'm including on here is you know speaking to the business community and to our residents.

So you know that that's why I think it's important that we look at this it's not to go against anything that's being asked Mayor that you're bringing forth I'm just saying this look at a broader scope of what's what's what we should be looking at.

So and I think the disconnect is the work is already ongoing.

It's it's already in process and and this is is maybe different from the work that's being performed with our county partner because there's there's work being done.

So now we're proposing some work here at the city that Ms.

Mack and her staff are ultimately going to have to carry to the county that's the difference.

We have to determine which direction we want to go and do we want to let the city staff the city manager and our city attorney continue to gather information and bring it back to the body as a whole at some point or do we want to change the direction and go go this direction and that's up to the to the body here.

That's where we're at.

Thank you.

Sure.

Sure representative Nino Thank you mayor and just for you know the benefit of the public I'm going to read the letter that the county sent over to Ms.

Mack if that's okay.

It says good evening Ms.

Mack as we give the date of that too it says Wednesday February 11th 739 p.m.

Good evening Ms.

Mack as we have recently discussed as development interests and data centers and other high resource demand projects continues to grow the county will like to explore working collaboratively with the city to establish shared best practices guides.

Our goal would be to be proactive address infrastructure resource strain environmental impacts and long term community costs while ensuring responsible economic growth by lining our efforts I believe we could better minimize unintended negative impacts and create a more coordinated approach to development that benefits both our jurisdiction and the community as a whole it would also streamline navigating these standards for businesses.

By lining our efforts, I believe we could better minimize unintended negative impacts and create a more coordinated approach to development that benefits both our jurisdiction and the community as a whole.

It would also streamline navigating these standards for businesses.

The process would begin with an internal working team and may involve the use of a consultant to help develop the guidelines to for that our entities would consider for adopt that our entities could consider for adoption.

If the city is interested in participating, please identify the appropriate staff members and we could coordinate as we begin this process.

We appreciate your consideration of for this partnership and look forward to partnering up with you on this important effort.

I just felt it was important to read that uh so that you know we all are aware of what the county shared with us whenever this important decision is an important and it's a valid concern amongst all of us and our a lot of our community members, but um I thought it was important to just read that mayor.

Thank you.

Representative Trajo Thank you.

I have a question.

So I I am confused.

So it's my understanding that in order for the city and staff and and Miss Mack to work on something, they need a directive from the from the council.

Is there a directive here to ask them to do that?

Should that be a motion?

Yeah, so right now that said what was the last line of your statement there?

If you're willing to what high school, uh from the county.

If the city is interested in participating, could you please identify the appropriate staff members we should coordinate with as we begin the process?

We appreciate your consideration for this partnership and look forward to partnering up with you on this important effort.

Okay.

And so have they've already been, have you already been working with the county?

Yes.

So we've we've spoken to the county, we really consider this an extension of our climate work.

You know, so I when we start to talk about a consultant, I really would like us to figure out where our resources are.

You know, I would bring the climate team, that's a team of three.

We're bringing our strategic and legislative affairs people who are working on policy.

So we have a lot of staff internally who I think have you know some specializations in some of these areas, get together with the county, come together with some framing, and then really understand where we think we need additional resource.

We also want to make sure that we have alignment between what we see as our ability and our regular regulatory authority locally to ensure that anything that we're developing is something that really can be impactful.

We really don't want something that's going to sit on the shelf.

We don't want something that doesn't allow for both the city and the county to have the ability to feel that they can have some teeth and some type of policy that can move us forward.

And so, in some ways, I think the wording is kind of like you know, putting some suspenders on us in terms of the things that we want to get done, and we would probably end up coming back to you anyway with some type of guideline in terms of how we believe that we can approach this under our legal framework with the assistance of our of our uh attorney.

Okay.

Thank you, Ms.

Mack.

You know, when we had conversations, I had asked if you were working with the county in in putting together something, and you had mentioned that you that you were not.

So that's why I'm confused.

I responded to Ms.

Keller, so we had um we had informal conversations about this for about a month and a half.

I think we spoke the same week that the item came to um their um commissioners court, and at that time she uh uh said she was going to actually meet with each one of them to make sure she had clear direction on the work that was going to happen, and then we had a meeting on Tuesday in person, and she sent uh the requests formally on Wednesday, and I named the staff people and gave her, you know, the folks who will be working on it.

So I think she has clearer direction on what was going to happen on her side and what our responsibility and what our joint work would be.

Okay, so my question is the the motion on the table right now is to direct what's the what's the direction?

Ms.

Yeah, Ms.

Ms.

Prime, you had but but before we get there, we're still talking, I believe, on the amendment.

Ms.

uh Neiman, I I know that you're still gathering information from other and this just is happening as we're going, but I believe you are looking at other contracts and ordinances and other communities to help put guardrails around what we need to do here in Alpha.

Are you just are barely getting some of this?

So it's very preliminary work, Mayor, um, just in terms of what other cities specifically in Arizona have been doing.

And I asked for copies of two contracts out of the city of NISA that have uh agreements or 380 or some sort of agreements with Google and Facebook.

However, we wouldn't recommend making any ordinance amendments until we see what the work that Ms.

Mack and the County are doing in terms of what that looks like before we recommend any um ordinance changes.

Okay.

And again, we all we're all trying to get to the same place there.

Representative.

So I I just needed to clarify.

I, as a council member, did not commit to a county administrator that we're gonna commit money to this.

Like that's why it's part of the motion to see if the body wanted to do that.

I'll give you another example.

A few months ago, we all voted unanimously to hire a consultant for the purchasing department, and no one was asking how much that was gonna cost.

Everybody approved it because we needed it.

And so I thought that if the county is doing a lot of this work, Miss Mack has not been given direction, Miss Neiman has not been given direction, then why not join the county in sharing costs for this?

That's the intent.

The county does not have a number yet.

And if this council thought that that money was too much, and we wanted Ms.

Mack to come back and tell us that she can do that.

But I don't want to be working parallel to the county, we should be working in tandem with them, and more collaboration between the city and the county should be happening.

So I thought out of fairness, it would be good to share costs with them.

And so that's what this is is putting forth.

The council can say no, the council could say yes, but I just didn't want words to be put in my mouth on this just because that's not what the intent was.

But at the same time, I think that Miss Neiman, um, I'm not sure where you started doing the preliminary work to look at Arizona, which is great.

But are you doing preliminary work just because you've been getting things in your office or what what was the intent there?

Because my knowledge is that you're not gonna do a deep dive.

You or Ms.

Mack will not do a deep dive without any council direction.

Correct.

There has been no deep dive.

The mayor has been discussing, having conversations, and he mentioned the city of Mesa, Arizona.

I have a list of ordinances.

That's it.

But if you got more direction, then you would do a deeper dive, correct?

So so rewriting ordinances is is not a is not an insignificant task.

It takes a substantial amount of city resources to rewrite ordinances, and this will traditionally require stakeholder input.

So I I would not undertake rewriting ordinances until we get further direction on what those ordinances should look like and what the framework looks like and what other communities have done.

So it's that's a long ways away in terms of the work that I've done at this point.

It's simply gathering a few ordinances and getting a summary of what they look like.

Correct.

Thank you.

Okay, Ms.

Pine.

I think we are on this amendment.

If you can read this one back where we're at.

Yes.

So the amendment is to insert the words, and this is after the first sentence to insert the words with El Paso County to share costs in hiring a consultant that will analyze the impacts of data centers and other developments that may have potentially large demands on our resources.

Okay, call for the vote on this one.

On the amendment call for the vote, and the voting session.

And the motion fails.

62 representatives Acevedo Canales voting aye, the remainder of council voting nay.

The motion fails.

Okay.

Now we're back on the main motion, Ms.

Bryan.

That's correct.

Yeah.

There is there another amendment, Ms.

No.

Okay.

No, that was the amendment from Representative Acevedo.

Is there another there's no more amendments?

There's no amount of the code.

So we're on the main motion.

Okay, Representative Lima.

Representative.

Thank you, Mayor.

We gave our ACE away.

I I I don't understand what we just did, but we we really gave potentially funding away.

Well we we could have.

Well, we did give it because it's out there in public.

We voted no.

When we I attended the El Paso Water Utilities meeting at uh the Mission Valley uh Regional Command Center, the question of data centers was brought up.

And an interesting comment made by John Ballou, and he said there's a lot of data centers in our area.

So they're not just huge.

They're not Metas, but there's a lot of them in the city already and in the county.

This item is critical, it's vital, it's super important, and we need to take action.

I like the idea of the collaboration with the county, but if we're gonna have to wait and determine whether there's going to be funding or no funding, whether we have to do whatever it is that we need to do.

I think we have capable people within our city.

And I think that Ms.

Mack, uh Ms.

Neiman and our staff are able to do these evaluations that get us going.

We cannot continue to sustain a business that's gonna come into our community with low paying jobs when we only focus on construction, those are limited, and then those go away.

Sustained high paying jobs is not where we're seeing.

It's not i you know, we can see it over and over.

This is a service industry.

I am I'm just putting a lot of faith and a lot of trust, Mayor, in the work that you and Ms.

Mack are going to do.

Um I'm worried about 60 days, and I worry about other data centers coming into the city without any proper controls.

Um what what happened with with Meta, um, we weren't here, so we it's not on our shoulders.

But we need to get on the right track.

We need to make sure that if another one comes in of that capacity that we put the the strength, the guardrails, um, the infrastructure that this community today made loud and clear to us.

So that's my concern, my proposal.

Thank you, Mayor.

Representative Canalis.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um I first have a question.

The language uh discusses uh that first amendment, the language in that first amendment discusses uh.

Let me see, negotiations or development discussions related to new data center projects.

Um that would be uh held for 60 days.

Do are there any ongoing negotiations or development discussions related to doing data center projects that we're aware of?

I'm not aware of any in particular.

Okay.

So it would be essentially a cessation for 60 days of entering into any kind of new conversation like that, but there are none that are ongoing that would be put on hold.

That would be impacted in that time frame, nothing that I'm aware of.

Okay.

Um I thank you, representatives Acevedo and Bar Trejo for putting this on the agenda.

I think sorry.

Thank you to Representative Acevedo and Bar Treco for putting this on the agenda.

I think it makes a lot of sense to have our own staff looking into this.

Clearly, we're hearing a lot of that work is already is already happening.

Um formalizing that direction is very important.

Uh we want our staff to be working at the direction of council.

Uh and so I I think we want that that work that's already being done to continue and to produce uh a work product that we can use, and that's what this item directs.

Um Frankly, I I was very, very surprised when I saw El Paso Electric's filing for for their certificate of convenience and necessity for a natural gas plant to serve uh the the meta development.

That to me runs so contrary to what the company represented about their project uh to the people of El Paso in in 2023 and since, and it really runs contrary to the goals that we laid out in our climate action plan that we've adopted since.

Um really it gives me great pause.

It makes me uh question what else might change from what was represented to to El Paso in 2023.

So I think when the next data center uh project pops up in El Paso and inevitably it will, we need to be prepared to respond to it.

And I think we need a better evaluation framework, we need a stronger regulatory framework, and directing our staff to continue their work on that on that preparation is what we're considering today.

To me, that's a no-brainer.

Um again, they're already working on it.

Uh I hope that we can give them the direction to formalize that work.

Thank you, Mayor.

Representative Field.

Thank you, Mayor.

I need clarification on this vote.

If we vote it down, this my understanding is this will allow you to put your agenda item maybe have some numbers to back it up and then for us to be able to come prepared to give concise direction to the city manager.

Is that correct?

Yeah, so what this will do will give our city manager time to work with the county to develop some of the the work that they've already started working on.

This agenda item.

Oh not this one.

Right.

To allow you to bring one next council meeting and post it.

Okay.

That's when we have time, yes.

We we would do that.

So you're bringing it later.

So there's there's work already being what he's asking is the work that's being done at the county that the letter that you read.

Once Ms.

Mack says that she wants to go in that direction with her staff, they will develop and bring back to council something we can take action on.

Because this just happened on Wednesday, February the 11th.

That's why we're getting the information as we're getting it.

We can make the decision today on this item, and it would primarily be the city, and then the amendments have been the county and go in that direction.

But we got to make sure we're communicating on both sides.

Representative Chavez.

Thank you, Mayor.

I um well, I have a few comments and and questions as well for Ms.

Mack and Ms.

Neiman.

Um I I believe that having uh a data center policy framework would be beneficial to the community.

Um and it's important that we think of things very thoroughly before making decisions, especially when it comes to the utilization of resources and protecting those for for our constituents is our responsibility, and I take that responsibility at heart.

Um I I have uh just a few questions on the agenda item itself, because I I think I just need a little bit more clarity.

Um I'm a little bit concerned with some of the wording on it, and I just I I need more clarity either from Representative Trejo, possibly.

Um I think Ms.

Mack just said that there are no new data center projects uh right now, currently no applications through the city of El Paso.

Okay.

So I guess my first question would be if Representative Trejo could ask why why why is it important to put a pause on this, or why did you add that to the agenda item?

What is the reasoning?

I was not I wasn't aware if there was a any pending negotiations.

And so that pause is there so that we have the time to make sure we have the framework in place.

Moving forward.

And 60 days, I thought, you know, would that be sufficient to give them the opportunity to put that together?

Okay.

And because we're we are collaborating with the county, and I think it's important that we do that uh so that we don't work in a silo and that we look at the region as a whole.

Um I don't know if if 60 days is gonna be sufficient time for us to come up with the framework if we're working alongside the county.

Um and so that sentence in itself um concerns me only because we just we just established that data centers are interested in coming to our region.

Some are coming to Fort Bliss, some are coming to Santa Teresa, the the area that abuts my district, district one on the west side.

Um and so I just think that we need to understand that if we pause a negotiation, they could very well establish themselves outside of the city limits.

And the only reason why this concerns me is because if we pause a negotiation as a city and they establish themselves outside of city limits, they're still gonna tap into our resources, but then we don't have a seat at the table to make this negotiation productively for our community.

And that concerns me because then it's like a lose-lose situation for the city.

We don't get any economic benefit from it, and they're still gonna be using our resources.

And so I just would not like for us to be ousted in those conversations, and that is why that sentence concerns me, only because I'm not sure that within 60 days we're gonna complete the framework.

So that's the first concern I have.

Um and thank you for clarifying it.

Um representative Drichholm.

The next question I have is regarding the the last sentence.

Um I think we established, and I you you commented it right now in your comments, which I thought were very well put together.

I appreciate those comments.

Um you commented that we are not talking about the meta agreement at this time because that as we have already discussed was something that occurred prior to us coming on council, many of us coming on council.

So when it says a legal analysis of all current 380 agreements, I'm not sure what the purpose is for that.

Um I don't know if you could maybe speak on that a little bit.

Okay.

Yeah, I I think the the clarity that was added was to kind of look at those who understand the best practices and kind of use all of that legal analysis for any future development that might happen in terms of data centers.

I think that's why there was more added in the amendment earlier.

Or not the amendment, but I'm sorry, but um the actual main motion to provide that clarity.

And and the reason why that concerns me a little bit only because it makes people believe that we're going to open up an agreement that's already established that's already set, and and given giving them an a hope or a misunderstanding that somehow that that agreement's gonna change.

And I know that because we received some emails from from the community, assuming that maybe that's what the discussion was about today.

And so I just want to be very clear that I don't believe that that's the intention behind that, or that that's even at on the table today.

So that language concerns me uh as well.

Um again, establishing the framework is extremely important.

I agree with the mayor.

You know, we're all on the same page in trying to get to a better place for our community to ensure that we are uh representing our constituents and our natural resources are protected at the same time, but that we're also being very thoughtful in our economic development strategy, because it is about a strategy, it is about bringing opportunity for our community in a way that benefits us in the long term.

And and there is there is opportunity out there, and again, this is more than a framework, it's a strategy, I think, on how we move forward with all of these things.

So I I like the idea of us as a council giving clear direction to the city manager and the city attorney.

I like the idea of working with the county.

I like the idea of uh community engagement, utility providers, other language in this uh agenda item.

And I'm not trying to make things very complicated, but I would like to offer an amendment just from what we just discussed.

I I would like to propose to strike uh Ms.

Prine the sentence during development of the framework city negotiation city negotiations or development discussions related to new data center projects shall be paused.

I'd like to strike that language again to give us the opportunity to be at the table in case this framework cannot come back in 60 days for whatever reason, and I would also like to strike the word uh current when it says further direct the city attorney to conduct a legal analysis of and then strike the words all and current uh just just to make sure that she can she can do a legal analysis of of 380 agreements in general on data centers, uh maybe here or maybe in other places to ensure that going forward she can bring us whatever proposal she uh she and her team uh think is is best practices as as we move forward with this.

So that is my amendment and I I appreciate I appreciate everything that you have mentioned today, Representative Trequenas.

Thank you.

There's a motion in the second discussion on the amendment to strike the language, all right.

Ms.

Bryan, so the the motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Chavez, seconded by Representative Nino, and this is to strike the words to amend the motion to strike the words during development of the framework city negotiation or development discussions related to a new data center project shall be paused and to also strike the words all current.

And to also strike the words all current.

Is that correct?

Yes.

Okay, this is on the motion that Representative Theryl made, and this is on the second part of the motion to strike the first sentence that reads during development of the framework, city negotiations or development discussions related to new data center projects shall be paused.

It's to strike the first sentence of the second part of the motion.

Okay.

And then it where it continues and it says further direct the city attorney to conduct a legal analysis of and this is to strike the words all current.

Okay.

Does everyone have it?

You don't have that, Representative?

Okay.

And I don't have it, I don't have it.

I'm just reading from what Mayor Pratem Chavez said.

I don't have it in writing.

She's gonna send it to you.

Okay.

Okay, does everyone have it now?

I am working on it, Mayor.

Okay, counsel.

I sent you the motion with the with the amendment.

Highlighted or stricken out.

If you can see the the language is it's to strike out those words during development of the framework city negotiations or development discussions related to new data center projects shall be paused, striking out that sentence, and then on the following sentence to strike out the words all current.

Yep, representative uh Nino.

Thank you, Mayor.

And again, this is an extremely important topic.

Um it's a valid topic, and it's something that's not just impacting El Paso, it's impacting cities, counties, and state across as we're trying to figure out in real time how to deal with this new industry, right?

Data centers are complex, they touch utilities, land use, water, energy infrastructure capacity, and long-term economic strategy.

And this is not a single department conversation.

It's multi-layered and involves so many stakeholders.

And you know, we heard it from the city manager that about sixty days might not be something that's feasible.

So I want to make an amendment to the amendment to strike off to develop and then remove within sixty days, and say to develop a proposed data center policy framework for the city of O Paso, that that it gives it ample time to again coordinate work with the county, work with the different departments, work with different community stakeholders to be able to identify these best practices that essentially I feel are important for all of us.

Um so that would be my motion to the amendment to remove the sixty days.

Thank you, Mayor.

Okay.

Okay.

Did you get that, Ms.

Bryan?

No.

Okay.

And he's he's he his he wants to also include to strike out sixty days.

To remove the sixty days portion.

To develop and where it says within sixty days to cross.

To remove within sixty days.

Correct.

All right.

So as we're confused, I'm sure the public is confused and everyone sitting in the audience.

Is there any way to to read this back to where we mayor?

I would I would ask that you would take representative Mayor Cavas' amendment first.

Okay, and just read that so we we're everyone that can't see it is clear what we're doing.

Okay.

So representative Chavez's amendment is to strike out the words.

It's to strike out the words on the second part of the motion to strike out where it says during development of the framework, city negotiations or development discussions related to new data center projects shall be paused.

Is to strike out that sentence and also to strike out the words all current where it relates to 380 agreements to strike out all current.

All right, and Miss Bryant, I know it's it's a lot to ask, but can you read it with this the revisions of what we're going to be voting on, what the amendment would look like striking that out?

Yeah.

The length the full language with the strike.

If the amendment were to were to pass, the motion would read to authorize the city manager to develop within 60 days a proposed data center policy framework for the city of El Paso.

The same framework shall prioritize community engagement, utility providers, local, state, and regional government in implementation considerations, evaluate long-term impacts on infrastructure and utilities, further direct the city attorney to conduct a legal analysis of 380 agreements with data centers to identify best practices, lessons learned, and opportunities to develop a new framework.

Okay, Representative Chavez, was that your amendment?

Yes.

That was your amendment.

Okay.

Right.

Okay.

On the amendment.

Call for the vote.

Mayor, there's a tie-up.

And the voting session.

And the motion passes five to four.

Representatives Chavez Rocha Trejo Nino.

The mayor voting aye.

Representative Zacevedo Fierro Limon Canales voting nay.

The motion passes with the mayor breaking the tie.

Okay, let's take the um the next amendment.

The next amendment was made by Representative, seconded by Representative Trejo.

And this is this is to strike out the words within 60 days.

Is that correct?

Correct.

And this is to strike out the words within 60 days.

Correct.

On that amendment, call for the vote.

In the voting session, that motion passes 622.

Representatives Limon Canales voting nay, the remainder of council voting.

Aye, the motion carries.

Okay.

Are we back on the main motion?

That's correct.

Okay.

Any further discussion on the main motion?

What is the main motion look like now, Ms.

Bryan?

It reads.

To authorize the city manager to develop a proposed data center policy framework for the city of Al Paso, the framework shall prioritize community engagement, utility providers, local, state, and regional government in implementation considerations, evaluate long-term impacts on infrastructure and utilities, further direct the city attorney to conduct a legal analysis of 380 agreements with data centers to identify best practices, lessons learned, and opportunities to develop a new framework.

Okay.

Representative Brocha.

Thank you, Mayor.

So question on this because going back to the main motion, there's in the backup, there's data center policy framework components to this.

So once this is passed, do all those components go into that into effect as well.

So historically, representative, the backup on the agenda is determined by the member of council who posts it.

So I would recommend that you discuss that amongst yourselves in terms of what the purpose of the backup is intended to do for the item.

Thank you.

So with that, the reason that I bring it up is because there are some uh great pieces in this.

However, there's already these pieces are already being done, uh, especially item number one, which is intergovernmental and utility coordination.

Uh it says here collaboration with El Paso County, Electric, Water Gas, and other utility providers, as well as local and regional governmental partners to assess infrastructure capacity, long-term demand and system impacts.

Um I know that uh I see John Brella in the in the audience.

He works with Borderplex Alliance.

They already do this for um for both the county and the city.

The first call, if I'm not mistaken, goes to utilities, which is uh water and electric and gas, and anybody else that's identified in that piece to be able to to say you know, can we sustain it, can we not?

However, I do want to make make um note that borderplex not only provides this this service, they also um have turned away a lot of data data centers, data centers that none of us know about because they stopped at the gate at borderplex.

And so I don't know if it's if it's okay, Mayor, if we can have uh John Borella speak a little to what that means or how to do that.

I'll have to take them during public comment because we've got a number of members here.

You're right, sorry, sir.

And then um the workforce and economic opportunity as well, is my understanding that's already in place.

And and I don't know if you can confirm that, Ms.

Mack or or Miss Neiman, but I believe that that's already in place.

Uh the higher El Paso first provision, if I'm not mistaken.

Uh then the the this is why I ask if if once we add this piece to it, uh it it actually does not it does not include from what I'm reading Borderplex Alliance that already does that work.

So I'm I guess my question is to to rep Trejo or Rep Acevedo as to what um the intention on this was and if you had a conversation with what Borderplex already does.

Yeah, Representative Trail.

Thank you, Mayor.

So the intention of this policy framework, the components of it is we don't have anything in place right now.

Well, as far as item one, just items.

Right, but I'm answering to the whole because you know your your question in all all of it, uh some of it actually.

And so, do we have something formal in place that has given direction to staff to look at these items?

So there is components of you know the 360 where we have workforce uh possibility and there where there's uh uh collaboration with other entities.

Each each 380 agreement is individual and separate.

So is there a framework, policy framework, complete policy framework that includes all these components, and is there's direction that's giving formal direction that's giving the city uh to city staff to Ms.

Mack to put this together?

Can we add to it?

Yes, can there be some adjustments?

Yes, but is there anything in place currently for that?

Well, I and I think the the item that I have issue with is number one specifically, because there is already a memorandum of understanding, and my understanding is with Borderplex Alliance that does this already.

And so I don't know if you can speak to that or we do business with.

I I don't know how else to frame it, Ms.

Mack.

I don't have the agreement in front of me, ma'am.

Okay, but there is an agreement that exists to my to my knowledge.

Um and I know Mr.

Brella could probably speak to that a little bit later, but it's more specifically on on whether BorderPlex Alliance has shared what they do on their end and as far as gatekeeping because they have a framework that exists already as to what data centers are allowed and what aren't.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh yes, you know, I've been talking to to John Barela, and and they are working very actively on making sure that they're bringing in good business.

And and you know, there's there's a lot of trust between uh Borderplex Alliance and the city.

But I go back to is there a formal something formal written in regards to data center?

That's the question.

You know, do we have the framework in line with those entities that we're making these decisions with?

Is there something formal in writing?

And that's the intention of this.

Thank you, Mayor.

Representative Theor.

Thank you, Mayor.

In and I'm gonna go to where I started from the very beginning.

I think we should allow you to post your agenda item two weeks from now, the next board the next council meeting, for all of us to be able to put our input, answer the questions.

I mean, Representative Rocha just brought up some good points that that I think it seems like we're overlooked when that when this this motion was put together with all good intentions, but I think we have resources that we haven't touched on yet.

I we're leaving out the most important part is partnering up, saving money and and joining and coming up with a policy like you said, that's not an asilo, but it's a it's a county-wide policy.

Representative Chavez brought up a great point.

We can come up with the toughest policy out there, and they'll just move outside the the county limits or city limits, and they're still using our resources.

I again, Mayor, I I hate to harp on this, but I just really believe that we should postpone this item, wait until the the the your giant agenda item is on there, and we can all have input and and have uh the resources that are out there take your bank to them.

Okay.

Representative.

Thank you, Mayor.

Ums Prime, there's no part of the main motion currently on the table that discusses adoption of the components document that was included in the backup, correct?

That's not included in the language.

It's not it's not on the motion.

I mean, members of council when they post an item can post whatever they'd like in the backup.

I've posted items with uh uh news articles in the backup or other information that the council can read and consider.

But in this, you know, in in the case where we're formally adopting a document, the motion typically says that the language on the agenda typically says that.

It doesn't say that in this case.

So I I read that as you know the the thinking of the members who put this on the agenda, but the I don't think that is incorporated into the direction that the council is giving.

It's you know the the language of the motion is the language of the motion.

Um I I don't disagree with some of the concerns raised about what's written in that document, but that's not what we're being asked to adopt today.

Okay, thank you, Mayor.

Okay, Miss Bryan, we have public comment on this item.

Yes, Mayor.

We'll begin with Mary Woodruff.

Mary Woodruff.

She's coming.

Followed by Miguel Escotto, Holly Davis, Saul Gonzalez, Celina Galicia, Josh Simmons.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

Um thank you for for allowing me to speak with council and mayor.

I appreciate um your support and all the increases.

Um I'm from District One, and I'm here to speak um in behalf of Los Access de la BUI as well as Sabrando Esperanzas.

There's a couple of things that the previous speakers did not mention.

And one of those is the Meta is a partner, is the parent company of you know, all the ones a messenger, Instagram, what's what's up, and etc.

And they're DP involved in um obtaining um personal information, gathering data, uh the AI systems, um, and those systems uh often powered by massive data centers.

And uh recently, well, they've been involved in in uh recent um lawsuit allegations of um copyright um books and things to feed the AI.

Um, and they do this without permission or compensation to the artists.

Uh transparency must be required, not negotiated behind NDAs.

Um non-disclosure agreements, uh, and that's their MO.

Um further, there's a proposed COSA, which is uh the kids' online safety act uh that recognizes that uh platforms should take responsibility to protect our minors from exploitation, uh addictive designs and mental health harm.

Uh privacy and safety settings should be a default, not a not an afterthought.

Further, um children, our children and grandchildren are watching.

Economic development should never come at the expense of a senior choosing between medication or keeping warm at night, or a child navigating an online environment without safeguards.

Do not become complicit to such unethical, dangerous, and irresponsible practices.

Um we are stewards of our natural resources and and public trust.

Um growth must be responsible, transparent, and above all, equitable.

Um do not allow today's actions or inactions uh rob us from our future.

I urge you to protect our residents, our resources, protect our children, and demand full accountability.

Thank you for moving forward.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Miguel Escoto.

Miguel Escoto, followed by Saul Gonzalez.

Good afternoon.

Hello, Mayor Council.

Good afternoon.

My name is Miguel Escoto.

I am a lifelong old Pasuan homeowner in District 2.

And I'm a part of two organizations which I think can be very, very helpful in the crisis that you are in right now.

Right now you're where you're sitting.

I don't envy your position.

You're in a bad place.

You don't have power, and your opponent, your negotiating opponent, is a multi-billion dollar company that lies to you, as has been established already.

So you're in a tough spot.

And I'm part of two organizations that can help you in where you're at.

First is a manaseta People's Project.

We have been campaigning for years on clean air, clean water.

Data centers harm both of those.

We have been doing info sessions all throughout the city.

And as you I'm sure are already know, people are enraged.

Um Miss Limon, you were mentioning how a lot of this has to do with what happened previously, and it's not on your shoulders.

That's why I don't envy you being in your position.

Unfortunately, that will be your legacy.

It's being constructed right now.

People don't care what happened two years ago.

People care about what you can do right now.

And there is a lot of action that we can do.

There's a lot of ways that we can work together as a community because you're on actually on our side, not in the side of Meta or Borderplex Alliance.

Second is oil field witness.

Oil field witness has years of conducting oil and gas emission research in the Permian Basin oil fields.

Certified thermographer Sharon Wilson has been documenting emissions from the oil and gas industry for years, including in gas plants, which this would lead to.

Number one, is this normal?

Is this a normal data center?

No, it's not.

There are data centers at power, uh the internet and on in this building.

But this is not a normal data center.

This wants to use up to one gigawatt of power.

It wants to emit more emissions than all the greenhouse gas emissions of El Paso combined.

Is this normal?

The answer is no.

Really simple.

Number two.

What is gonna be my legacy?

What's gonna be my legacy?

Because right now, what we want from you is initiative and strength that was being showed today by Repacevedrejo.

Initiative and strength and leadership, not excuses.

The third question am I a good negotiator?

Do I have the team that I need to negotiate this fight?

And the answer is simply right now you don't have the team you need.

You have to build that team.

So I hope to be in contact.

Is Saul Gonzalez?

Saul Gonzalez, followed by Selena Galicia.

Good afternoon.

You have three minutes.

Hi, uh good afternoon.

Uh my name is Saul Gonzalez, and I'm an organizer with Sembrando Esperanza.

Uh, as many of you know, uh, we met with you with the exception of the mayor, we met with all of you.

Uh we created a guide outlining our concerns with this data center.

Uh so if the anyone from the public would like to read it, uh, it's on Sembranda Esperanza 915.

Uh so after reviewing the proposed and existing contracts with the city, the county, and El Paso Water, we're deeply concerned about the gap between the verbal promises META has made and what is actually written into those contracts.

In a region where residents are already being asked to conserve more, pay more, and do more with less.

It makes no sense to invite an industry whose businesses model depends on guaranteed 24-7 resources consumption.

No amount of incentives, safeguards or promises changes the fundamental fundamental reality that data centers are incompatible with long-term water system sustainability in a desert community.

Today I'm asking you to vote yes on item 13 and to take the following actions.

Stop offering incentives to 380 agreements to data centers and the 380 agreements with Meta.

Use your influence over our publicly owned water utility, El Paso Water, to ensure no agreement in signed with Meta or any other data center to guarantees continuous 24 access to our drink drinking water.

Continue intervening in El Paso Electric's application for natural gas power plant intended to serve the Meta Data Center, a project that would consume significant amounts of water and increase air pollution.

And we understand that the need for economic development and the desire to attract lar large companies to help ship the burden off residents, but economic growth must align with our community values and practices that includes water conservation in a desert region.

Please vote yes on item 13.

Cancel the 380 agreement with MERA and say no to more data centers in the TASE.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Followed by Veronica Carvajal, Patricia Osmond, Jerry Kurtaika.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon, Mayor Johnson, City Council, this is distinguished city staff.

My name is Joshua Simmons.

I'm a resident and homeowner in District 5, an electrical engineer with experience in system and controls renewable energy and sustainability, and also a software developer and former advisor for the city of El Paso through React.

But this is a difficult spot for me.

Do I want a data center locally?

Yes.

Did I ever think it would be meta?

No.

I would like to have been a local entrepreneur.

Do I want uh said data center to be powered solely by unclean methane uh gas fire generation?

No.

Do I want such an installment to consume uh precious resource such as our water?

No.

I would rather have it powered by a clean renewable energy means.

I seriously think Meta can afford it.

Uh this is where they can innovate a solution that is unique to our region.

Um, and this is something I've pursued, and uh this is also something that is discussed extensively when React was in place.

Um so this is a framework that I do support with all the parameters and criteria that everyone has outlined.

Uh this is an opportunity for innovation, and I support the voices that press for the renewable energy means uh over the unclean natural gas fire generation.

I do want uh opportunities uh here in El Paso that counter the brain drain.

Um not every job an energy and engineer seeks is in a con is a construction-based gig, an aerospace, or a security clearance level defense contractor job.

I dream too.

Don't get me wrong.

I have one I've waited for over a decade for a renewable energy sector to establish a foothold in El Paso.

And with the uh current political culture, that doesn't seem to be possible.

I fear that it will only be delayed for another 10 or 20 years.

Um I'm almost 40.

I cannot wait any longer to claim my prosperity, and I welcome this installment of network processing.

I spent nearly a decade advocating for this community.

With the endangerment findings now repealed, it is a uh certain relative public uh advisories have now been dissolved.

This issue was spoken about many times, and uh many of this framework options could have been hashed out with experts that you know you will obviously need to consult.

How does El Paso incentivize innovation and development that attracts RD and other worthwhile jobs, career paths that stimulate the need to retain such skilled talent towards sustainability and towards prosperity?

I applaud the continued efforts of the community to organize for a cause.

Everyone wants a job that is safe, secure, and fair, and with the rise of AI, such things are variable.

For instance, the technology, uh investment will allow other growth for advanced manufacturing and feed our growing lust for more data and processing.

It is my fear that if this opportunity is passed over, we will not see something this significant come to our uh availability for the next 10 to 20 years.

There are better solutions, they exist, uh, but they are not on this table today.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Veronica Carvajal.

Followed by Patricia Osmond.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

Um Mayor Council, Veronica Carvajal, and I'm asking you to vote yes on item 13.

Thank you, representatives Boyart Trejo and Acevedo for sponsoring this item.

Disappointed with the previous amendments.

Um I am a constituent of District 2.

I'm also an attorney, and I'm here as an organizer with Sembrando Esperanza Coalition, which is made up of nine working class neighborhoods.

Data centers need three things land, water, and energy.

Like all polluters and businesses that are built on extraction, they will follow the path of least resistance.

We are asking you to resist the temptation to trade our scarce water resources, our already compromised air quality, and our future utility rates for some property taxes and a few jobs.

At a return, you as a city of El Paso have the opportunity to not only reject incentives, but to prevent the proliferation of data centers in our desert.

This is because the city owns the water.

We own the public utility that provides water not only to the city but to wholesale customers in the county and Fort Bliss, where these centers are coming up.

The PSB runs EP water, which also owns much of our land.

The PSB board members are appointed by you.

And the mayor sits on the PSB.

In regards to Meta, the PSB sold our land to Meta for the data center.

The PSV sold or will sell our land to Meta for the El Paso Electric Power Plant that will run on natural gas.

And the PSPSV has a draft contract with Meta that exposes us El Pasoans to legal liability if we are not able to provide continuous, uninterrupted water.

And I quote from the draft contract.

So EP Water has agreed to provide continuous water for the operation of Meta's data center, quote, as to induce Meta to acquire the property and developed the project on the property in reliance on such availability and reservation, end quote.

This is on page two of the contract.

That's in draft form.

As was proven on January 11th, El Paso Water cannot keep that promise to us, much less to Meta.

But unlike us, Meta will sue.

So the question is, are you willing to expose us to future liability?

As it is, what we're asking that you please use your influence over the PSB to not sign the agreement with Meta.

They can be another customer like everyone else, but we don't need to make that assurance to them.

That assurance will put us in serious legal troubles down the road.

As it is, the city is having to spend our money to intervene in the El Paso Electric C CN case for the new power plant next to the data center.

And if you have looked at that application, that plant will be our responsibility, us the ratepayers after five years.

We want to co-create with you.

Please regain our trust and let us be a part of future plans, frameworks, and limitations on these terrible data centers.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Patricia Osmond.

You know what as a parent?

That'd leave me watching my children or grandchildren slowly die in front of me.

But it seems people in this room have no problem with that.

I'm just curious who are we going to blame?

Are we going to blame everybody on the dais?

Do we also blame the mayor because he's also sits on the board of the PSB?

And he knows what the NDA is.

Do we blame John Borella, John Balou, Carla Neiman, our city attorney who worked on the contracts?

Who should our children and our grandchildren blame?

For the community and the ancestry that is being killed.

That's what's happening.

And for what?

For a billionaire who is in the Epstein files.

Y'all are selling out the community for the Epstein class.

But you know what?

You also leave a GIMP on the side of the road.

So I guess that's expected.

And then we have Ms.

Rocha.

You know what?

This is I'm sitting there, and I'm thinking, do I smell sell out?

Is this just gaslighting, kick the can down the road?

Because the groundbreaking already happened.

It is ridiculous.

I sit here and it's it's belong beyond political theater, it's puppet theater.

And honestly, the public can already see the strings, people.

You don't want to start it, huh?

Other cities in Texas have said no to data centers, regardless of the state in Abbott's agenda.

It's happened, but apparently you don't know that.

Data centers, the gas.

It pollutes communities.

It drives down property values.

Apparently, you're not talking about that.

Maybe 20 employees at a data center after it's done.

And the workers, unless you're doing this contract, so you give jobs because you know, hire El Paso to hunt in foster.

So that you get more in your uh, you know, some of us have what, 70 grand in our discretionary fund, Ms.

Chavez.

What is the point?

Because killing our community and killing our grandchildren seems to be the point here.

So I just like to know.

Do we just take photos of everybody in the room?

So our kids leave them for our kids so that they know who killed them.

The next speaker is Jerry Kritika.

Jerry Pertaika.

He will be followed by John Barella.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

Honorable mayor and counsel.

It was this morning I was going over this.

And actually, I was gonna say to you, I like the ordinance or the item the way you wrote it.

Um I'm still a little confused on the uh on the amendments.

What uh I thought when I read this was that it applied to Meta.

I was not aware that Meta's a done deal.

And this does not apply to Meta.

So this applies to future data centers that may come here.

I don't know what it is about data centers in the deserts.

I was just down at the water in the desert conference last week on an Alpine.

Very well attended.

And everybody's talking about this.

We have we live in a desert, and it's getting hotter.

And why are data centers interested in deserts where water is a scarce resource?

Begin to think in terms of our bioregion and how we're all connected by water, and certainly and how water runs through everything.

So why are we putting it in producing top pop-up ads?

Because that's basically what Meta's doing.

We're going to be the pop-up ad center of the universe here.

And it's going to be powered by water we don't have to give.

I would ask that as you further consider this.

A project of that size, it seems to me, would require an environmental impact statement.

You probably wouldn't have to follow NEPA guidelines because it's not a federal project, which is good because it means you can apply your own criteria to what is environmentally acceptable and environmentally sustainable.

I'm concerned about things like, of course, its impact on groundwater, but also radio frequency shielding.

This thing's gonna put out a lot of radio waves.

I presume they have it shielded, but if I lived in a neighborhood, I would be a little bit concerned about that.

Also, the life cycle of the plant.

How long is this thing gonna last?

And when you tear it down, what are you gonna do with it?

It's full of toxic materials.

Semiconductors are toxic waste.

They do have gold in them.

The Chinese are very interested in that, but it's gonna be very toxic.

The other thing is putting a power plant there.

Again, another reason to consider making this an environmental impact statement.

There's so many things here.

I'm glad you're taking this up.

As far as I've concerned, you're good ordinance the first time.

Uh, but we'll see how the uh your amendments play out with it.

Thank you for hearing.

Thank you.

The next speaker is John Barella.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon, Mayor, members of council, pleasure to be here.

Thank you.

I uh strangely gonna say there's uh a lot of agreement, uh, even from the people who are uh against Meta.

But unfortunately, there's a lot of misinformation, a lot of misunderstanding about this project and what uh will happen.

What we seek here is balance.

I think they seek balance.

We all want jobs, we all want high-paying jobs with benefits, and this project delivers those promises.

What we're trying to do here is establish these high-paying jobs, but also a high-tech AI ecosystem.

And we've already delivered on that in just four short months after this official announcement.

Consider.

Yeah, there's a hundred meta jobs, but there's going to be four to six hundred contractors highly paid to take care of the servers that are there.

1,800 semi-permanent construction jobs, and that ecosystem is starting to grow.

Faith technologies, which just located here, 400 jobs, 85,000.

We win when we went to Taiwan to recruit them.

Again, part of that AI ecosystem, 500 jobs, 75,000 average salaries.

So it's not just Meta that we're talking about, we're talking about an AI once in a generation possibility here.

And let's talk about the environment for a minute.

I think it's important to point out once again, four months ago what Meta committed to.

Let's start with water.

Meta will be a net water giver, not a net water taker.

It committed to 200%, two times the water that they will use.

And by the way, they're not going to be a top 10 water use in the community.

Excuse me, the members of the public, please make sure you maintain decorum.

Which described our lies or the misrepresentations that were made earlier.

But let me say this.

The line is crossed, and I like to reclaim at least 15 seconds of my time if I might, because of the disc disruptions.

But what I would like to emphasize is the revenue that's becoming to not only the city and the county, but Meta never once asked to abate its education commitments in terms of taxes.

Not once, nor to UMC.

And there will be tens of millions of dollars coming to the education system here, and also to things that are very, very important to health care, as these people mentioned.

So I urge you to consider very strongly and not cross the line.

Thank you, sir.

You've reached the three minutes.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Holly Davis.

Holly Davis here in the queue, Star 6, please to unmute your telephone.

Good afternoon.

You have three minutes.

Honorable Mayor and City Council, my name is Holly Davies, and I'm the community development manager for Meta.

Thank you for welcoming Meta to your community last year when we announced our El Paso Data Center.

This AI optimized data center represents over a 1.5 billion dollar investment in El Paso and will support all our technologies and services, including AI workloads.

And we'll have the ability to scale up to one gigawatt.

As a core value and differentiator for Meta, we are committed to maximizing positive community impact, especially in water and energy stewardship, and are proud to bring this commitment to El Paso.

The El Paso Data Center is designed to minimize the need for water resources.

That's why we plan to use a closed loop liquid cooled system in this data center that will use zero water for a majority of the year.

Our water stewardship program is centered around protecting our water resources and meeting our company wide goal to become water positive in 2030, where we will restore more water to local watersheds than our data centers consume.

In El Paso, we will restore 200% of our water use, beginning with our partnerships alongside Dig Deep and the Texas Water Action Collaborative, and we have more to share in the future.

From the inception of our data center, we have been committed to working closely with El Paso Electric.

Through this partnership, we support and pay for new clean energy through the city approved Green Tariff and collaborate on selecting energy projects that support our clean energy objectives.

Additionally, we partner with El Paso Electric to responsibly meet our energy needs, paying the full cost for the energy used by our data centers so other customers aren't negatively impacted.

Meta will fund hundreds of millions of dollars in new energy infrastructure investments, and we'll also fund an on-site natural gas facility to support our data centers' power needs until adequate grid infrastructure is built.

Meta is paying the full cost of this resource while it serves only us and will continue to pay our full share once it is connected to the grid.

So ratepayers aren't paying any of our share of costs.

We design our data centers for efficiency, and we're proud that we have that our data centers electricity use will be matched with 100% clean and renewable energy and be built to achieve lead gold certification.

The construction of our data center will support more than 1800 jobs for skilled trades, including over 50 local companies already hired.

Once operational, we'll support over 100 jobs working together to run one of the most advanced data centers in the world.

This fall, we will launch our Meta Data Center Community Action Grants Program in El Paso.

These grants are available to public schools and eligible nonprofits that address community needs by supporting STEAM education, using technology for community benefit, and enabling strong sustainable communities.

We're also empowering local small businesses through our free digital skills training programs and helping small businesses leverage AI tools.

Additionally, we support impactful local workforce development programs to provide hands-on immersive experience for students and skilled traits.

In closing, we sincerely thank you for your dedication and service to the residents of El Paso, and we look forward to contributing as an active business member of your community.

Thank you, Ms.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Elizabeth Plata.

Elizabeth Plata, if you're in the queue, star six, please to unmute your telephone.

Elizabeth Plata, Star 6.

We'll move on to Paulina Aburto.

Star 6, please.

Paulina Aburto, Star 6.

I see you in the queue.

Paulina Aburto, Star 6, we'll unmute your telephone.

Good afternoon.

You have three minutes.

All right, thank you.

Um sorry.

Okay.

Um I apologize that I cannot be here today.

I am currently 600 miles away at university.

Um, but I am calling because I I love our gorgeous subsidies, which is why I'm calling to support item 13.

Um, this month, the United Nations deemed the world to gain a water.

Uh I'm so sorry.

Baker C.

Um, this means that we are in debt when it comes to water.

We have over-extracted groundwater to the point that it'll be difficult for water systems to ever return to their historical baselines.

In the time of water baker baker seat, I'm sorry.

Clean water belongs to the people and not machines.

Generative AI has no real benefit.

If you allow the AI center to be built, you are writing away our future.

And for what?

Just so kids can cheat on their homework, so that people online can make misinformation, or that so creeps can generate inappropriate photos of women and children.

Is any of that worth our water supply?

Water is the basis of life, and I shouldn't have to debate whether I should start a family because I'm scared for my non-existing child to be the victim of a doomed planet.

For the sake of future generations, please do not be the villain of a children's book and instead be the hero.

Put your people and yourself before profit.

The best thing I think you can do today is approve item 13 and postpone the construction of the center.

But the best thing I think you can do for El Paso is ban Meta from our city.

Thank you for listening.

The next speaker is Ulysses Gorgova.

Yes, good afternoon.

You have three minutes.

Hi.

To me, it's very clear that so many of the people that have talked today in the public have been voicing um very strong feelings over like being against these data centers.

And the only voices that have been for it have been uh the meta representative and uh the borderplex uh owner who is uh now that representative Rocha has like stated that they have a stake in this um, but the people of El Paso don't have a stake in this.

And we vote you, we we vote you into office to uh back us up um in situations like this where we could easily be taken advantage of by big corporate entities um for our natural resources and for what we have here and it's very clear to me uh who on this board is siding with this and who is um already kind of had their mate my their mind made up for this.

Um and to me it's it's uh it's very distressing um that I have voted for for somebody that that seems to be not in favor for what I want uh in my city.

I'm I've lived here all my life, and it's heartbreaking to see this, and anyway, I've heard so many other opinions that have said things much better than I have, and I just want to say thank you for your time.

That's it for me.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Philip Sullivan.

Philip Sullivan Hello, yes, my name is Philip Sullivan.

Thank you guys for hearing me.

I wanted to uh say uh that I really appreciate everything that everyone's brought forward from the community.

Um I want to applaud and commend a lot of people.

They've you have a lot of very serious, qualified people here.

Um, you know, a lot of ecologists, scientists, people that are very qualified to speak on this subject.

And just as the the last speaker just said, I haven't heard anyone that is for this situation except for the representatives of Meta, people that are gonna come forward and it's in their interest in some way financially.

Um I want to I want to say that there was someone earlier who said that you know, how have we come to this position that we got bamboozled?

And this is actually nothing that's new.

With our federal government, this kind of is very historically uh documented.

The the federal government is always going to protect these companies because these companies represent the domestic growth of the United States.

Uh companies like Meta and Google and Amazon, they're they are gonna defend them over our local uh community every time.

It's it's been shown every single time.

Uh there was a lawsuit in 1899.

It was between the United States government and the Rio Gran Dam and Irrigation Company.

Um there was there was language in this lawsuit that said that they did not want the Rio Grande to be damned because it was going to impede all the um the traffic along the Rio Grande.

It was gonna kill the Rio Grande, basically.

And no one alive today has ever seen what the Rio Grande should like look like, what this valley should look like.

I come from uh fifth irrigation uh fifth generation uh cotton farmers and alfalfa farmers here in the upper valley, and I for 40 years I've watched this valley get decimated.

I've watched the cottonwoods die, I've watched so much happen in this valley.

It's it's horrible.

It's terrible to watch the good farmland get used up for projects like this, for you know terrible housing communities that are overpriced that are built like garbage.

They're not up to code, these things slide, and you're ruining good farmland.

You guys, the water is crucial, is absolutely crucial in this situation.

This is gonna be the most important item that's ever gonna come up for your guys' terms, all most of you, probably all of you.

You guys need to be careful.

Take your time with this.

Meta does not care about El Paso.

They might be offering you guys all this stuff.

The federal government always promises all this stuff.

They're going to back Meta.

They're gonna back the corporations because the corporations own the federal government.

They've lobbied their way in.

This has happened for decades.

Decades, you guys.

We're not blind to this.

In 1905, the act for the Rio Grande project was passed, and they've got to be able to do that.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Teresa Sealick.

Teresa Sealig.

You've reached the three minutes, sir.

Look at how Elephant Beauty is going.

Sir, you've reached the three minutes.

Look at how it's going.

They promised us to the city.

The next speaker is Teresa Sealing.

Teresa Sealek, Star 6, please.

Teresa Sealig.

I see you in the queue, Star 6.

Good afternoon.

You have three minutes.

Can you hear me?

Yes.

Okay.

Um, my name is Teresa Seeley.

I'm a systems engineer.

Um, I have worked in environmental in the past, and this is a very near-and-dear project to my heart.

Um, so El Paso is a dead is a desert region with already scarce water resources, and it does not need and cannot afford to incorporate data centers with existing water forecast models at our disposal.

Water is every generation's inheritance and should be scrutinized closely before giving out giving out of town investors and or biddening companies access to one of our most precious resources or even tax kickbacks.

Data centers require water at every operational turn to cool the digital brain of artificial intelligence, which Meta has already incorporated into its search engines on Instagram and Facebook, which it's the parent of, the parent company of.

I would encourage every city council member to read existing research found on open practice, specifically a research paper titled AI's First, AI's Heat, and AI's Waste, which highlights how indirect first direct water should be studied with utmost scrutiny.

Research found that indirect water use, which is off-site water used by power plants to generate the elec uh the electricity data consumed accounted for 80 percent or more of total data center water footprint.

So you need to look at indirect versus direct uh water usage.

And El Paso should require that anyone tapping tapping into our water, anyone requiring that wells be drilled, or even ones that have access to wells be transparent about their true energy consumption, their water usage and carbon footprints, the single greatest barrier to governance.

El Paso needs to prioritize counting water on the same level as counting pennies on the dollar.

Trying to recruit companies to set up shop in El Paso in the name of job creation should not come at the expense of present and future residents access to clean water, clean air, or increasing out-of-pocket cost to consumers.

I am asking the city of El Paso.

Um you guys already kind of went through this with about the 60-day deliverable.

My recommendation was to uh add more time for research in the event that time is needed for the city manager to conduct thorough research and create a thorough framework that goes beyond minimum requirements outlined in the data center policy framework components.

Research deliverables should be provided on a periodic basis to show progress to deliver quality product so that we as El Pasoans remain informed.

And please stop offering 380 agreements to data centers and the 380 agreement with Meta and require environmental impact studies as environmental as a preliminary step in anyone looking to establish business in El Paso and tap into the U.S.

So you've reached the three minutes.

Thank you.

The final speaker is Amanda Garcia.

Amanda Garcia.

Amanda Garcia.

I don't see her phone number in the queue that concludes public comment on that.

Okay.

Is there any more comments on item number 13?

Okay, Miss Bryan.

Okay.

Oh, represent representative.

So I I do have a question.

And I'm trying to understand.

So I I we've got all these amendments.

We've cleared that up.

And the question that I have is what is the difference between what is left and what you proposed.

Representative Pierre, please.

Representative.

Thank you, Representative Lamont.

What I proposed was would allow us the mayor to put an agenda item on to just to have the discussion.

It would go from now to that next council meeting for us to come out with specific input, specific ideas, specific research that we want input into the agenda item.

So it's one consent agenda item.

It would include the county and their participation.

It would include Ms.

Neiman's legal work, Ms.

Mack's teamwork.

It would help us put gel all these ideas together to come up with the best plan to keep El Paso safe and to keep our water and energy for our consumers.

So it would would it be correct for me to say that in two weeks we would have an item, an agenda item that Ms.

Mack and Ms.

Neiman would bring us.

A template, a skeleton, a beginning process, not all the pieces filled in, because all the pieces cannot be filled out in two weeks.

But a skeleton, a template, a process.

Just a template.

Just a guide.

Yes.

Okay.

I want to I want to make sure, though.

We've um outlined utility providers, local, state, regional government, and community engagement.

But to me, that is going to be the critical piece, the community engagement.

We have heard from numerous very qualified people that have come forth at all levels, from citizens of our community, constituents, to everyone else that's here.

And I'm going to that's what I would like to see.

That we come back in two weeks with a template, with a guide, and that you lightly pencil in or put together how all of these different components are going to come, and that perhaps at that time you'd be able to say we can touch base, we can touch base with people within two, three weeks.

We won't have a finished product right away.

But it isn't until you get into a meeting and to you set up the goals, the objectives, the timeline, then we would have a finished product, say later on down the line.

And so where are we now?

Are we going now we're going to vote for the agenda item as presented?

If it fails, then we would come back with a motion, which would be that motion.

And critical the inclusion of community engagement.

Correct.

Thank you, Mayor.

Representative Trail.

Thank you.

I'm still confused as to how this is any different that's already here.

What's different than what's already being laid out here?

If the if the concern is that the uh city manager and city attorney come back in two weeks, we can add that to this language.

But I don't see a difference.

And we shouldn't be rushing for the framework that is going to affect the entire community.

I don't disagree with a lot of the speakers.

The community has to be involved in in the process.

And right now, we're doing this in a vacuum to where we need to listen to the community.

We need to listen to the stakeholders, figure out what the long-term impacts are on our community, the costs.

There's a lot more to it than I think what we're discussing here.

And again, it we I always go back to the El Paso community and making sure that we're listening to what they want.

But I think this gives us time to work together to, you know, with the county to align our efforts to better minimize the unintended consequences.

I don't think this is well thought out enough that we're we're doing that yet.

So I think what what I'm hearing on one side and on the other is I think it needs to be very well thought out.

I don't think we should rush this.

I think we need to get it right.

And I think we need to involve the community to make sure we get it right.

Because this is coming at us like a freight train.

This this is this is a lot.

But we cannot do this in a vacuum.

We're making these decisions without community input, county input, and other stakeholder input.

Yeah.

Thank you, Mayor.

That's exactly what this item is asking for.

That's exactly what this item is asking for.

It's it's asking that we prioritize community engagement.

Yeah, I think what but even this community, the gentleman got up here and said because of all the amendments, so that tells you the document wasn't well thought out.

We're still making changes on the fly.

Right.

So I mean, i if if we knew what the document said, we wouldn't be we've been on this one item for the last two, three hours.

Because it wasn't well thought out enough.

If we take our time, we can get this right.

Yeah.

And I and I think what we'll do is when we come back as a group, everyone will have buy-in at this point.

But representative Acevedo, then we'll come back.

Yeah, I I think that this is naturally kind of played out with um amendments and stuff based on where everybody kind of stands on the issue.

But I still think that there's a lot here that can move the direction forward.

What I'm getting a little confused on though, just wanted to get clarification because earlier um I believe Representative Fierro said that Mayor he were bringing something in two weeks, and then now Ms.

Mack said that she can bring something in two weeks.

So what what is going on there?

So what what Representative Fierro is talking about is giving us the time to work with the county to bring something back to council that should work as a framework.

Getting the county's input as well.

But is that something you're gonna bring or Ms.

Mac?

I certainly can bring it or m I'll work with Ms.

Mack to bring it.

Okay, that gives me a little bit of clarity.

I I think overall there's still like I'll reiterate, I think there's still a lot here that I do that can give direction.

Right.

And and um one thing that I've learned being at the city for a little over two years now is that the city manager and city attorney are not gonna do anything without direction.

And at least the what this would do here is give direction and probably inform the conversations that need to happen with the county um with Ms.

Mack, Miss Niemann kind of looking at what they're doing with their consultant.

Um there's there's a committee that's formed that I think you're part of Mayor, Ms.

Mack is part of it, so I feel like that has some action, and then if there is more that is happening in two weeks, then we could add to it.

I don't think it it hurts to add to it because then in two weeks I feel that we'll get into amendments on this on amendments on that because something is missing and we're gonna play it all out, and at least we got somewhere today after various amendments were proposed, and then whatever is left over, we could propose as amendments next time or just have more of a framework for what the actual motion would be next time.

But I think this is a great first second, third step, and then we could further that discussion in two weeks.

Okay.

Representative Fierro.

Thank you, Mayor.

Mayor, this this um is a great starting point.

But the representative is correct.

We we need to we need to get Ms.

Lamont's amendment hopeful when we if we get to that point to bring focus and clarity to this so that when we come back in two weeks and whenever the m whenever that time is that gives us enough time to get some community input to get our input, then we can really hone down on what we really want and what the committee wants for the growth of our our community.

Okay.

All right, Ms.

Prime, we um we're gonna go ahead and call for the vote on this one.

Yes, sir.

So the motion was made the by representative Boyartrejo, seconded by Representative Acevedo, and it reads as amended to authorize the city manager to develop a proposed data center policy framework for the city of Al Paso.

The framework shall prioritize community engagement, utility providers, local, state, and regional government in implementation considerations, evaluate long-term impacts on infrastructure and utilities, further direct the city attorney to conduct a legal analysis of 380 agreements with data centers to identify best practices, lessons learned, and opportunities to develop a new framework.

On that motion, call for the vote.

And the voting session?

The motion carries.

Okay.

No, we're going to go to the remote.

Representative Lamont.

Mayor, I'd like to make a motion that we recess for one hour.

That works.

Is there a second?

There's a motion and a second to recess the city council meeting.

All in favor?

Aye.

Anyone opposed?

And the city council meetings.

Actually, Mayor, before I'm sorry, I pull it back.

I reconsideration.

I just have an announcement.

Okay.

Mayor, um, there's a notification.

Uh representative Borrier Trejo.

Um, El Paso Water is going to temporarily shut off water in northeast El Paso tomorrow from 10 to 4.

That will impact 300 homes.

No reason given why they're shutting down.

And that is that topic is not posted for discussion.

There was a second motion and a second to recess the meeting for one hour.

Yes.

All in favor?

Anyone opposed?

The meeting is at recess at 1 36 p.m.

and we'll reconvene in one hour.

And thank you to the public for coming out today.

Okay, Ms.

Prime, we're ready.