[00:00:01]
THE REGULAR MEETING AT CITY[CALL TO ORDER]
OF SANTO CITY COMMISSION MARCH 18TH, 2025.ITEM NUMBER TWO AND THREE IS A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO YOU AS FLAG AND TICK FLAG, AND PLEASE REMAIN STAND FOR THE VOCATION.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH WE SAY, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH ROUTINE JUSTICE PER UNDER A TEXAS FLAG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE INDIVISIBLE COMMISSIONER, OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.
WE BOW OUR HEADS TOGETHER THIS EVENING AND GREAT GRATITUDE.
AND TODAY FOR OUR HOME, OUR COUNTRY, FOR THE THINGS THAT ARE GOOD AND RIGHT, THAT WHERE WE CAN GO ABOUT AND, AND ACT AND DO ACCORDING TO OUR OWN WILLS AND DESIRES.
WE PRAY FOR SAFETY FOR OUR COMMUNITY, THAT EACH OTHER WILL BE RESPECTFUL AND KIND AND CARING FOR EACH OTHER AS WE SHOULD BE.
WE ALSO PAY FOR THE SICK AND THE NEEDY THIS EVENING, PARTICULARLY THOSE LIKE COMMISSIONER MORALES'S, GRANDSON, UH, JOSE DAVILA, THAT THEY WILL BE WELL AND THEN RECOVER FROM THEIR ILLNESSES AND THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE.
WE PRAY THAT WE MAKE RIGHT AND, AND WHOLE AND CORRECT DECISIONS HERE THIS EVENING THAT WILL BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITY AND IT WILL TAKE US FORWARD AND PREPARE US FOR THOSE THINGS TO COME IN THE FUTURE.
ALWAYS WE PRAY UNDER THEE IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY, ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS RIGHT NOW? ANYBODY?
[PUBLIC COMMENTS]
COMMENTS.RUSSELL LANE, SAN BENITO, TEXAS.
UM, I GOT A LOT OF STUFF I WANNA TALK ABOUT, SO I'M GONNA JUMP INTO IT.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA GIVE A QUICK SHOUT OUT.
UH, CAME OVER AND OUTSIDE IS A SUPER FANTASTIC BRUSH TRUCK THAT I AM WAY ECSTATIC THAT MY TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING TO BUY THAT KIND OF EQUIPMENT.
AND YOU MAY REMEMBER I SPOKE, UH, PREVIOUSLY BRUSH FIRE THING IN A BRUSH, BUT THIS IS LIGHT YEARS OVER THE ONE THAT CAME OUT BACK THEN.
UH, ANYWAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UH, AND I, WHATEVER IT'S WORTH, AS A CITIZEN, A TAXPAYER, I APPROVE THAT, UH, BUYING THAT.
UM, SO I SAW THE HEADLINE MEDIA GROUP, SUE CITY, AND FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS ONE OF THE, THE PROMOTERS TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED AND GOT CANCELED AND THIS AND THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S LIKE COMPLAINING STUFF.
BUT THEN I READ IT AND I SAYS, UH, OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR GOOD FRIEND MR. WAYNE DINO.
AND SO I THOUGHT, OKAY, THIS IS, THIS IS ABOUT RIGHT.
UH, AS GRANDPA KAY BACK ON RUSH CREEK IN OKLAHOMA, USED TO SAY, UH, I STUDIED UP ABOUT HIM, AND THIS IS PART OF HIS TACTICS.
HE HAS, UH, FIRST OF ALL, HE COMES IN WITH BLUSTER, WHICH HE DID.
WE WERE OVER IN THE OTHER, UH, FACILITY, THE OTHER VENUE OVER THERE.
UH, AND THEN HE COMES IN DEMANDING THIS, AND THAT'S UNREALISTIC, YOU KNOW, STANDING ON HIS ME AWARDING OR AWARDING, UH, PHOTOJOURNALISM INVESTIGATIVE, WHATEVER WAY BACK WHEN IN HOUSTON WITH CHANNEL 13 OR WHATEVER IT WAS.
BUT THESE DAYS HE IS JUST A PAID MEDIA, MEDIA HITMAN.
HE'S PAID TO SAY WHATEVER IT IS, THE PEOPLE YET UNDISCLOSED.
BUT I HAVE MY SUSPICIONS AS I THINK WE ALL DO.
I'VE, I'VE TOLD HIM SIMILAR THINGS
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BEFORE WHEN HE SAT HERE.AND THE ONLY ONLY REGRET I HAVE IS THAT ONE TIME WHEN HE WENT, I WERE HERE TOGETHER, BUT I LEFT EARLY BECAUSE Y'ALL WENT INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AND AFTER THAT, HE WAS OUT THERE TRYING TO AMBUSH Y'ALL.
I, I REGRET NOT BEING HERE FOR THAT.
SO ANYWAY, THAT'S ANOTHER STORY.
HE, HE DOES A, A BUCKET LOAD OF INFORMATION, REQUESTS, A BUCKET LOAD, THINGS THAT ARE NOT EVEN ASSOCIATED WITH WHATEVER THE TOPIC AT HAND IS.
AND THEN WHEN IT'S NOT TIMELY, HE THREATENS, IN THIS CASE, I GUESS HE OBVIOUSLY WENT THROUGH WITH IT, OKAY? AS A TAXPAYER, I TOTALLY AUTHORIZE YOU TO DO WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO.
SPEND MY TAX MONEY TO FIGHT THIS RIGHT HERE.
AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO CONTRIBUTE TO ANY LEGAL FUNDAGE, WHATEVER WE CAN TALK ABOUT AT SOME PRIVATE TIME AT A DIFFERENT VENUE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING TO ME.
I KNOW MY TIME HAS EXPIRED, BUT THANK YOU.
ANYBODY ELSE? UM, MR. EDDIE LOA.
EDDIE EDDIE LOA 2 48, UH, CHARLES BARBER ROAD, SANTO, TEXAS.
I'M HERE AGAIN TO ADDRESS THE EASTMAN SITUATION.
IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT THE CITY OF SANTO COMMISSION DOES NOT WANT PART IN THIS MATTER.
I HAVE BEEN PATIENT FOR THE PAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS NOW, AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE FROM HERE ON NOW.
I WILL KEEP COMING HERE TO EXERCISE MY RIGHTS AS THE CITY OF SANTO RESIDENTS TO SPEAK UP AND TRY TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER.
IN THE NEXT CITY COMMISSIONER'S MEETING, I WILL BE ATTENDING AND DISCLOSING INFORMATION THAT A LOT OF THE CITY SANTO RESIDENTS ARE NOT AWARE OF.
TEXAS EAST EASEMENT LAW STATES THAT YOU CAN GET AN EASEMENT AS LONG AS UTILITIES AND NEIGHBORS HAVE ACCESS TO EASEMENT.
I HAVE ALREADY MET WITH SOME OF YOU GUYS REGARDING THIS MATTER, BUT STILL KEEP DRAGGING IT ON.
I HAVE AN EMAIL WHERE FUN AND SON STATES AND WROTE TO THE CITY OFFICIAL STATING THAT THEY OWN THE EASEMENT TILL THE TILL THIS DATE, FUN AND SON HAS NOT PRODUCED ANY LEGAL DOCUMENTS STATING THE EASEMENT BELONGS TO THEM.
FUND AND SON, REGIONAL MANAGER EMAILED CITY OFFICIAL WAS ASKING TO SECURE WHERE MY GATE IS OPEN, ON MY BACK OF MY PROPERTY, MY GATE'S OPEN.
IT SEEMS TO BE BOTHERING THEM.
HE WANTS TO PUT A GATE WITH A LOCKABLE GATE TO SECURE THEIR PROPERTY.
IF THEY ARE SO SURE THAT THE EASEMENT IS THEIR PROPERTY, WHY ARE THEY NOT ASKING FOR PERMISSION? DOES THIS MAKE ANY SENSE? THIS EMAIL THAT I'M GONNA READ RIGHT NOW IS TO, IN RESPONSE TO THE FUND AND SON, REGIONAL MANAGER ANSWERING HIS QUESTION ABOUT SECURING THE GATE AND THEY RESPONDED THE GATE, CURRENTLY OUR PAPERWORK CLEARLY SHOWS DEDICATED ALLEY TO THE REAR OF THE RESIDENCE.
ONLY THE PROPERTY OWNERS ALONG CHARLES BARBARA ROAD, THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO ACCESS THE ALLEY AT ANY TIME.
BECAUSE IT'S CITY PROPERTY, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY DOCUMENTATION FROM YOUR TEAM THAT STAYS OTHERWISE.
SO, IF I UNDERSTAND THIS RIGHT, EASTMAN BELONGS TO THE CITY OF SAN BENITO, BUT DOES NOT PART, DOES NOT WANT ANY PART IN IT.
[CONSENT AGENDA ITEM(S)]
AGENDAS.MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE ITEMS ONE THROUGH EIGHT, ONE THROUGH EIGHT, ALL ON ONE PAGE.
UH, THEIR CONSENT, TAKE THOSE ITEMS ON AT THIS TIME, ONE SINGLE VOTE OR WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE ANY FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
WE CAN DO SO AT THIS TIME AS WELL.
COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY TAKING OUT THE FROM ONE THROUGH EIGHT? YES, MA'AM.
I'D LIKE TO PULL OUT ITEM 2, 3, 4, AND SEVEN.
SO WHAT'S LEFT OVER IS, UH, ANYBODY ELSE? NO.
SO DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR ADAM? NUMBER ONE, FIVE AND SIX.
MOTION? YOU GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MORALES? SECOND.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER NAVARRO.
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PASSES.[2. Consideration and possible action to approve the Second and Final Reading of Ordinance Number 2252-AF-03-2025, an ordinance amending Ordinance Number 2252 and amending the zoning map of the City of San Benito to change the zoning of a property bearing a Legal Description of: Being a 5.13 acre tract of land out of Block One Hundred Twenty-One (121), of the San Benito Land and Water Company Subdivision, as recorded in Volume 1, Page 6 of the Map Records of Cameron County, Texas from AO “Agriculture and Open Space” to C-2 “Commercial General Retail Business”. Applicant: Juan Ruben Vela.]
NUMBER TWO.CONSIDERATION POSSIBLE ACTION APPROVED.
ORDINANCE NUMBER 2 2 5 2 DASH AF DASH OH THREE DASH 2025.
UM, AND THAT IS THE FINAL READING FOR, UH, IT'S GOING FROM AGRICULTURAL OPEN SPACE TO C TWO COMMERCIAL GENERAL RETAIL, AND THE APPLICANT IS JUAN VELA.
I'M MONICA RODRIGUEZ, THE PLANNER HERE WITH THE CITY.
I'LL BE PRESENTING, UH, ITEMS ONE AND TWO, I MEAN TWO AND THREE FOR YOU.
THE APPLICANT'S REQUESTING TO REZONE FROM AO AGRICULTURAL OPEN SPACE TO SEE TO COMMERCIAL GENERAL RETAIL BUSINESS FOR, UM, A WOOD MOLDING AND HARD HARDWARE FOR CABINET MAKERS.
UM, THE, THE PROPERTY WILL NEED TO BE REZONED TO COMPLY WITH CITY ORDINANCES.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THIS REZONE.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS? NO MOTION TO APPROVE.
AND I GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER UH, GOODMAN.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MORALES.
[3. Consideration and possible action to approve the Second and Final Reading of Ordinance Number 2252-AG-03-2025, an ordinance amending Ordinance Number 2252 and amending the zoning map of the City of San Benito to change the zoning of a property bearing a Legal Description of: Being a 3.636 acre tract of land, more or less, out of block 40, San Benito Land and Water Company Subdivision, as per Map or Plat thereof recorded in Volume 1, Page 6, Map Records, Cameron County, Texas from SF-1 “Single Family One” to C-2 “Commercial General Retail Business”. Applicant: Arturo Martinez.]
ITEM NUMBER THREE IS CONSIDER POSSIBLE ACTION APPROVED.SECOND AND FINAL READING OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 2 2 5 2 DASH AG DASH OH THREE DASH 2025.
AND THAT IS, AGAIN, FINAL READING TO, UH, CHANGE THE ZONE FROM SINGLE FAMILY ONE SF ONE TO C TWO COMMERCIAL GENERAL RETAIL BUSINESS AND THE APPLICANT IS ARTURO MARTINEZ.
THE APPLICANT REQUESTS TO REZONE FROM SF ONE SINGLE FAMILY ONE TO C TWO COMMERCIAL GENERAL RETAIL BUSINESS FOR COMMERCIAL USE.
THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED OFF SOUTH SAN HOUSTON, A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE IN SAN BENITO.
THE SURROUNDING AREA IS NOT ZONED FOR COMMERCIAL USE.
UH, THEY'RE PROPOSING TO BUILD A COMMERCIAL PLAZA, UM, FOR NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES, PLANNING AND ZONING RECOMMENDED APPROVAL.
COMMISSIONER, ANY QUESTIONS? NO, I'M SORRY, MAYOR, I HAD NOTES BUT THEY DIDN'T STAY ON HERE, SO I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
I GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MORE MORALES SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GOODMAN.
[4. Consideration and possible action to approve the 2025 Consumer Price Index (CPI) adjustment to municipal telecommunications right-of-way access line rates.]
FOUR, CONSIDERATION POSSIBLE ACTION IMPROVE 2025.CONSUMER PRICE INDEX ADJUSTMENT TO MUNICIPAL TELECOM RIGHT OF WAY ACCESS LINE RATES.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS? MOTION TO DENY? UH, IS THAT, IS THAT THE RIGHT MOTION? WELL, THERE'S QUESTIONS ON THE TABLE.
WELL, I GUESS JUST BASICALLY EXPLAIN IT,
UH, WE GET, UH, THESE ARE, THESE ARE NORMAL.
UM, WHEN FOLKS GO INTO THE RIGHT OF WAY WITH DIFFERENT TELECOM AND, UM, AND THEY PUT THEIR, THEY PLACE THEIR UTILITIES THERE, THEY'RE CHARGED, UH, THEY'RE CHARGED AN ACCESS RATE.
AND UH, THIS IS A CONSUMER PRICE INDEX ADJUSTMENT THAT HAPPENS PERIODICALLY AND NOT REALLY MUCH.
DON'T NECESSARILY CHARGE US, THEY CHARGE THE OTHER USERS.
SO THIS WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE INCREASED, RIGHT? YES, MA'AM.
SO I'VE, I'VE SEEN IN THE PAST WITH OTHER UTILITY COMPANIES, THEIR FEE CAN GO UP PRETTY HIGH, UM, OR AGGRESSIVELY.
AND MUNICIPALITIES WILL GATHER TOGETHER AND WE'LL KIND OF, WE'LL FIGHT, WE'LL FIGHT 'EM OFF IN COURT TO TRY TO LOWER THE FEE.
BUT IN THIS CASE, THE FEE IS ONLY A 1.4785% INCREASE, WHICH SEEMS REASONABLE TO ME.
SO, RESIDENTIAL SIDE, IT'S GOING UP ONE PENNY NON-RESIDENTIAL, IT'S GOING UP TWO PENNIES AND POINT TO POINT ACCESS.
DO WE, UH, COLLECT A FRANCHISE FEE ON UTILITIES RIGHT OF WAY? I THINK WE DO.
DO WE KNOW WHAT THE RATE IS? STUFF, DO WE, BUT THERE'S ALSO SOME ISSUES IN LITIGATION REGARD REGARDING THAT ISSUE, SIR.
WENT TO THE 13TH COURT OF APPEALS.
I KNOW IT'S GOING TO PROBABLY THE SUPREME COURT, UM, MCALLEN'S KIND OF LEADING THE WAY ON THAT LITIGATION.
'CAUSE THERE A LOT OF THE TIMES THEY'RE TRYING TO
[00:15:01]
NOW GET RIGHT, RIGHT AWAY FOR FREE.SO THERE'S DIFFERENT ISSUES, BUT THIS ONE IS NOT THAT.
SO THIS ONE WE JUST TAKE NO ACTION.
UH, CONSTABLE, IT'S CONTRACTUAL.
THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL HAVE IN THERE.
I JUST ALWAYS WANNA BE ON THE RECORD OF NOT TRYING TO ADVANCE ANY THE OTHER FEES MORE THAN WE HAVE TO.
YEAH, IT'S LIKE ONE OR 2 CENTS.
EVEN THOUGH IT'S, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A MI IT'S A MINOR NUMBER, THEY'RE GONNA GO FORWARD WITH IT.
IF THEY CAN'T, IF WE CAN'T ENCOURAGE THEM TO, TO WORK WITHIN THEIR MEANS THAT THEY'VE GOT THEM, THEN I'M JUST GONNA SAY NOPE.
JUST I'VE GOT BECOMES A STANDARD PRACTICE.
SO ANY MORE, IF NOT, ANY MORE QUESTIONS? WE GO WITH THE NO.
SO ITEM BEFORE IS GONNA BE A NO.
WELL, I'LL RETRACT MY MOTION AS LONG AS WHATEVER IT IS, JUST TO SAY NO, THERE'S NO ACTION.
NOT SAYING NO, JUST NO ACTION.
MOTION TO DENY, WHICH IS WHAT THAT WAS.
SO I GOT A MOTION, UH, BY COMMISSIONER.
YEAH, WE GOT, I GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER GUTMAN FOR TO DENY.
AND THEN WE'LL GOT A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER NAVARRO.
ANY NAYS? MOTION PASSES TO DENY.
[7. Consideration and possible action to ratify payment to Level-Up Retail Services for the installation of the National Fitness Campaign Studio Fitness Court Equipment in the amount of $34,500.00.]
CONSIDERATION POSSIBLE ACTION TO RATIFY PAYMENT TO LEVEL UP RETAIL SERVICES.UM, WE HAVE TO BE CLEAR, ARE WE TAKING, UM, IS THERE NO ACTION OR WE'RE MO DENYING THE INCREASE? WE'RE DENYING THE INCREASE.
THIS IS GONNA HAPPEN ANYWAYS, BUT WE'RE VOTING AGAINST IT NOT OKAY.
UM, ITEM SEVEN IS RATIFY PAYMENT TO LEVEL UP RETAIL SERVICES FOR THE INSTALLATION OF NATIONAL FITNESS CAMPAIGN STUDIO, FITNESS COURT EQUIPMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $34,500.
THIS WAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY THE BOARD AND THIS IS JUST, UH, THE LAST PAYMENT AND FULFILLMENT OF THAT.
ASSISTANT MANAGER, MS.
THE LAUNCH IS SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 17TH AND, UM, THE THIRD PARTY COMPANY NEEDS TO BE THE ONE TO INSTALL IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE IN WITHIN WARRANTY COMPLIANCE AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
UM, DO YOU HAVE YOUR, IS IT ON? IT'S, YEAH, IT'S, OH, IT IS.
I CAN'T REACH THE FLOOR, MAYOR.
OKAY, SO THIS IS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE'RE UNDER WARRANTY.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A THIRD PARTY, UH, COME AND INSTALL THE EQUIPMENT.
AND THIS IS IN FULFILLMENT OF THE GRANT.
THE LAUNCH IS ON APRIL 17TH AT 10:30 AM SO THAT WOULD BE THE RIBBON CUTTING OR RIBBON CUTTING SLASH LAUNCH.
SO THEY'LL BE BRINGING DOWN NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES AND, UH, WE'LL BE INVITING OUR NEIGHBORS TO SHOWCASE WHAT SAN BENITO THE PUBLIC IS DOING.
TELL, ARE WELCOME TO GO THAT WAY.
SO BRING YOUR ZUMBA UNIFORMS. YES.
WE'LL HAVE A FRIENDLY THREE ON THREE BETWEEN PD AND FIRE TO DO THE DIFFERENT STATIONS YOU HAVEN'T HEARD.
THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING CHIEF.
MS. STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND APPROVING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MOTION TO APPROVE.
MAYOR, I GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER, UH, MORALES.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER NAVARRO.
[8. Consideration and possible action to approve Payment Number Ten to Ferguson Service Systems, Inc., as recommended by Hanson Professional Services, Inc., for the five percent Retainage on El Camino Number 1 Lift Station Improvements Project, in the amount of $29,209.50.]
CONS.UH, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, CONSIDERING POSSIBLE ACTION APPROVED PAYMENT NUMBER 10 TO FERGUSON SERVICE SYSTEMS INC.
AS RECOMMENDED BY HANSON PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, INC.
FOR THE 5% RETAINAGE ON EL CAMINO.
ONE LIFT STATION IMPROVEMENTS PROJECTS IN THE AMOUNT OF 29,000 209 5 OH.
AND THIS IS JUST THE RETAINAGE ON THAT PROJECT.
UH, AND WHERE WERE YOU AT? I MEAN, ARE WE CLOSE TO FINISHING, UH, CLOSING IT OUT.
WHAT, WHAT'S, WHERE WERE WE AT? YES.
MAYOR PROTE, ENRIQUE HERNANDEZ, ENGINEERING ASSISTANT, GS ANALYST FOR CITY.
UH, SO BASICALLY THIS PROJECT WAS COMPLETED, UH, 2023.
UH, AS FAR AS ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, SEWER, SEWER LINES, LIFT STATION, EVERYTHING.
THE ONLY THING THAT WAS PENDING WAS THE CANOPY, WHICH, UH, THEY TOOK THEM A WHILE SINCE IT WASN'T WINDSTORM CERTIFIED.
UH, BUT IT WAS COMPLETED SINCE, UH, 2023.
IT'S JUST THE FINAL PAYMENT FOR THE 5% RETAINAGE FOR THE TOTAL COST.
SO THEY ALREADY PUT UP THE CANOPY? YES.
EVERYTHING'S BEEN, UH, APPROVED AND INSPECTED AND IT'S STILL UNDER WARRANTY UNTIL AUGUST 1ST OF THIS YEAR.
SO YEAH, IT, IT WE'RE CLOSING.
YES, THEY SUBMITTED ALL THE CLOSING DOCUMENTS AND WE'RE GOOD TO GO.
COMMISSIONER, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'M, I'M
[00:20:01]
HAVING A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING THE WHY THIS PAYMENT'S GOING OUT SO LATE.YEAH, I, I TALKED TO, UH, HANSON, UH, WHICH REPRESENTS, UH, THE CITY AND THEY SAID THAT BASICALLY IT WAS A CANOPY.
IT TOOK HIM SO LONG, IT TOOK HIM PROBABLY ABOUT A YEAR.
UH, THEY FOUND OUT IT WASN'T WINS CERTIFIED, SO THEY HAD TO UNINS, UH, REMOVE IT, REDO IT, GET IT WINS CERTIFIED.
AND THEN THERE WAS SOME, UH, PENDING, UH, DOCUMENTS THAT THEY HADN'T SUBMITTED.
SO TILL FEBRUARY, THIS LAST MONTH, THAT'S WHEN THEY SUBMITTED EVERYTHING.
AND, UH, THEY, THEY HAD INITIALLY SUBMITTED 2023, THE, THE PAY UP 10, BUT SINCE THERE WAS SO THINGS WRONG THERE, SO THAT'S WHY IT TOOK SO LONG.
BUT, SO THIS, UM, THIS CAME IN OVER BUDGET OR UNDER WHAT? THE PROPOSED BUDGET? NO, IT'S, UH, FROM THE PROPOSED BUDGET, THE FUND 51, THIS IS JUST, UH, 5% OF THE 584,000, WHICH WAS A TOTAL CAN FRED, WHAT IS THAT RETAINAGE? WHAT IS THIS? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT'S, UH, IT'S A WHOLE BACK THAT THEY, THAT THEY PUT IN EVERY CONTRACT.
UH, ONCE THEY FINISH EVERYTHING, ALL THE, ALL THE FINAL, UH, DOCUMENTS ARE SUBMITTED THEN, THEN THAT, THAT LAST PAYMENT IS RELEASED.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE A LAST, SEEMS LIKE A SALES TAX OR SOMETHING? NO, IT'S A RANDOM 5%.
NO, IT'S PART OF THE ORIGINAL TOTAL.
JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CONTRACTOR INSTALLS EVERYTHING ACCORDINGLY JUST TO RETAINAGE.
WE WITH WE'RE WITHHOLDING 5% OF THIS? YES.
IT SEEMS LIKE A NOMINAL AMOUNT FOR A HALF A MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT.
NO, IT'S, IT'S JUST, WELL, WHAT I'M SAYING IS LIKE IF I WERE THEM, I'D BE LIKE 29 K, WHAT IS THAT CONSIDERED? I MEAN, IT'S NOTHING TO THEM WHEN THEY GOT 500 AND SOMETHING THOUSAND.
WOULD BEG THE QUESTION OF MAYBE WE SHOULD RAISE OR RETAIN IT DAMAGES.
WAS THERE ANY LIQUIDATED DAMAGES? NO, NO, NO.
MAYBE RAISING THAT RETAINAGE GENERALLY 5%.
IS THERE A GENERAL LIMIT? I I THINK IT'S 5% LEGALLY.
WELL MAYBE WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING OURSELVES.
MAYOR PRO TEM, IT'S 5% PER INVOICE.
EVERY, EVERY TIME THEY INVOICE US, WE STAY WITH 5%.
AND THEN WHENEVER THEY FINISH THAT, WHATEVER THEY INVOICE FOR, THEN THEY CHARGE US FOR THE 5%.
THIS IS JUST THE 10TH THAT THEY STAKE, THE 10TH, THE 10 PAYMENTS.
THAT'S WHAT WE NOW HAVE TO RELEASE IT.
DO I HAVE A MOTION OF THIS? MOTION TO APPROVE? I GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER GOODMAN.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MORALE.
ANY NEEDS MOTION PASSES? THANK YOU, JUDGE.
MAKING SURE THEY GET IT RIGHT.
[1. Discussion and possible action to approve a proposal for document scanning services for the City of San Benito.]
UH, ITEM FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATIONS.UH, DISCUSSION, POSSIBLE ACTION AND PROOF PROPOSAL FOR DOCUMENT SCANNING SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF SAN BENITO.
MAYOR COMMISSIONERS, UH, BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS THING OFF THE GROUND.
WE'VE BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH SINCE I GOT HERE.
UM, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF FILES THAT ARE ANTIQUATED.
UH, IF Y'ALL RECALL, WHEN I GOT HERE, WE HAD MOVED OUT OF THIS BUILDING, UH, BECAUSE OF, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AND A LOT OF THOSE DOCUMENTS WERE, UM, TERMINATED.
WELL, THEY WERE, THEY WERE COMPROMISED, LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY.
SO WE, UM, WE'VE SINCE REALIZED THAT, YOU KNOW, GOING FORWARD AND MODERNIZE AND ALSO TO HAVE A SUCCESSION PLANNING IN CASE THERE IS A NATURAL DISASTER, WE NEED TO GO BACKWARDS AND SCAN EVERYTHING WE CAN.
THAT, THAT IS WITHIN OUR RETAINING SCHEDULE.
THAT SO THAT WE CAN NOT ONLY COMPLY WITH WHAT WE HA WHAT WE NEED GOING FORWARD, UH, BUT ALSO WITH WHAT WE NEED GOING BACKWARDS.
UM, GOOD EXAMPLE IS, YOU KNOW, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, HUD UH, THESE FOLKS THAT DO OUR, UH, DO OUR CDBG ARE REQUIRING EVERYTHING TO BE SUBMITTED, YOU KNOW, UH, DIGITALLY.
SO, UM, THEY WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY, ANY SCAN DOCUMENTS.
I MEAN, WELL HARD HARD DOCUMENTS ANYMORE.
EVERYTHING HAS TO BE SCANNED AND THERE'S, THERE'S A CERTAIN PROCEDURE THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FOLLOW.
AND A LOT OF THESE NEWER, UH, REGULATIONS ARE COMING DOWN.
BUT THIS IS JUST GOOD, GOOD SUCCESSION PLANNING FOR US.
UH, WE CAN HAVE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT STORAGE AREAS, UH, AND THEY WILL NOT, UH, THEY WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY NATURAL DISASTER.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING LONG OVERDUE.
UM, THERE IS A, A PRICE POINT FOR IT DOWN HAS GOTTEN A FEW BIDS FOR US.
WE'VE GOT THREE BIDS, UH, BUT WE DO NEED TO GET STARTED.
[00:25:01]
WE'VE GOT SOME, WE'VE GOT SOME BUSINESS, SHE'LL GO OVER WITH Y'ALL AND THEN, UH, WE CAN GO FORWARD FROM THERE.ANY QUESTIONS? DONNA, WHO, WHO'S, WHO ARE YOU RECOMMENDING? WELL, WE'VE GOTTEN THREE QUOTES FROM THREE DIFFERENT BY BOARD VENDORS.
UM, TWO OF THE THREE HAVE ACTUALLY COME DOWN AND, UM, DONE A WALKTHROUGH OF ALL OF OUR FILES.
UM, IT DIDN'T RUN FOR THE HILLS, SO THAT'S GOOD.
UM, WE HAVE, I RECOMMEND ARC SCANNING SERVICES.
THEY'RE, UH, THE MOST REASONABLY PRICED FROM THE THREE.
THEY'RE WILLING TO WORK WITH US ON A MONTH TO MONTH BASIS AS FAR AS BILLING'S CONCERNED.
AND, UH, IF WE HAVE A, WE, WE GAVE THEM APPROXIMATELY 200 TO 300 BOXES OF FILES.
UM, AND THEY SAID THAT WOULD TAKE ABOUT SIX MONTHS, AND IT'S REALLY AT OUR PACE AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN BOX 'EM UP, THEY'LL PICK 'EM UP AND SCAN THEM FOR US.
THEY'RE ALSO WILLING TO DO, UH, AN ENCRYPTED HARD DRIVE FOR US, AS WELL AS, UH, SEND THEM VIA EMAIL FOR FREE.
UM, ALSO SECURELY SENT, UM, YEAH, SO THE CHEAPEST, WHICH IS ARC IS $87,575.
MIND YOU, THIS IS NOT JUST FOR WHAT WE HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE, BUT IT'S ALSO WHAT WE HAVE IN PD, OUR PLANS AND EVERYTHING AND PLANNING, YOU KNOW, OUR ENTIRE CITY FILES.
UM, THE NEXT RUNNER UP WAS IRON MOUNTAIN GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS AT $248,000.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY THEY ONLY SCAN IN BLACK AND WHITE WHILE ARC DOES COLORS.
AND THEN I KNOW I'M GOING WITH THE MOST REASONABLY PRICED STEPHANIE.
AND THEN, UH, TARA LOGIC, UM, IS THE THIRD HIGHEST AT $537,000.
THAT, THAT, THAT'S, BUT THIS IS YEARS OF FILES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN DIGITIZED.
THAT'S A WIDE RANGE OF CORRECT PRICING.
I I WHAT ANY IDEA WHY THAT THAT ONE IS SO LESS EXPENSIVE? UM, I THINK IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE, LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH US ON A MONTH TO MONTH BASIS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY IT'S, UM, THE FIRST MONTH, I GUESS, OR THE 87,000 IS FOR 300 BOXES.
SO LET'S SAY WE HAVE MORE THAN 300 BOXES, UM, THE PRICE WILL INCREASE, BUT THEY'LL ONLY BILL US ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
SO THE MOST, UM, I GUESS THOROUGH QUOTE WOULD BE THE TERROR LOGIC, WHICH WAS THE MOST, WELL, YEAH, THE MOST EXPENSIVE AT $537,000.
NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GETTING CAUGHT UP FROM THE PAST.
AND WHAT, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE, GOING FORWARD, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN GOING FORWARD? WE NEED TO CREATE A STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE THAT REQUIRES ALL DEPARTMENTS AS THEY'RE CREATING DOCUMENTS, THEY'RE ALSO BEING SAVED DIGITALLY, UM, WITHIN THE, THE CLOUD SYSTEM THAT WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO, TO CREATE.
DOES THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE ADDITIONAL PURCHASE OF CERTAIN EQUIPMENT, SCANNING EQUIPMENT, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS? NOT NECESSARILY.
A LOT OF OUR MAJOR PRINTERS HAVE, UM, HIGH SCANNING CAPABILITIES AND A LOT OF THE DOCUMENTS WE DO PRODUCE ARE PRODUCED ON OUR COMPUTERS SO THEY CAN LIVE, LITERALLY BE SAVED AS THEY'RE CREATED FROM HERE ON OUT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE ARE LIKE, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT YEARS AND YEARS OF DOCUMENT APPROXIMATELY 300 BOXES OF MATERIALS THAT NEED TO BE SCANNED FOR NOW? YES, FOR NOW.
AND THAT'S NOT, I MEAN, WE'RE STILL NEED, WE STILL NEED TO GO THROUGH AND MAKE SURE THAT NONE OF THEM HAVE TO BE, UM, REMOVED AND SHREDDED BECAUSE THEY'RE PAST X AMOUNT OF DATES.
SO THIS IS JUST A, THESE ARE ALL BALLPARK FOR NOW.
BUT WHEN YOU SAY THEY'RE WILLING TO WORK WITH US ON A MONTH TO MONTH IS WHAT IS, WHAT IS I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS.
SO IT, IT DEPENDS ON OUR SPEED.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF RUTH, UM, YLI AND I ARE ABLE TO BOX ALL OF THE ORDINANCES THAT SHE MAY OR MAY NOT USE.
SO THEY'RE NOT CURRENTLY BOXED RIGHT NOW.
I HAVEN'T BEEN DOWNSTAIRS, SO I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
LIKE THEY'RE NOT DOWNSTAIRS ANYMORE AND IT'S DO ANYMORE.
WE NEED TO RELIEVE SPACE HERE.
AND, UH, ALL OF OUR OFFICES WE'RE GROWING ADDING STAFF MEMBERS AND YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, OKAY, SO THE ADDITIONAL COST REALLY COMES IN TAKING THE TIME TO PUT THESE INBOXES AND SEND 'EM TO BE SCANNED? NOT NECESSARILY.
THAT'S, THAT'S AN INTERNAL, BUT THAT'S, TO ME THAT'S COST.
THERE'S COST, LABOR COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
SO I, THE WAY I LOOK AT IT IS THAT IF WE'RE ALREADY PREPARING THESE PACKAGES RIGHT, TO BE SHIPPED OFF ORGANIZED, THAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING THAT PART, AND IF WE CAN ORGANIZE WHAT WE HAVE NOW, WHICH IS A LOT PROBABLY I'M FINE WITH BECAUSE I'M BANKING ON THAT SOMEONE FROM THE 18 HUNDREDS IS NOT GONNA COME LOOKING FOR THEIR DEATH CERTIFICATE.
NOW, HERE, MOVING FORWARD, AN SOP SHOULD BE CREATED TO TAKE US TO THE 21ST CENTURY.
BECAUSE I'VE ASKED THE CITY FOR RECORDS BEFORE AND THEY SAY WE CAN'T FIND IT.
EXACTLY, BECAUSE THAT'S MUCH EASIER TO SAY THAN GO DOWNSTAIRS.
[00:30:01]
IS BEFORE I WAS A COMMISSIONER.IT'S MUCH EASIER TO SAY THAN GO DOWNSTAIRS AND SEARCH FOR HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS.
UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARY TO SCAN THINGS THAT ARE THAT FAR BACK THAT SOMEONE FROM THE 18 HUNDREDS IS NOT GONNA COME ASKING FOR IT EXCEPT FOR ONE PERSON.
I KNOW HE'S FROM THE 18 HUNDREDS, HE LOOKS LIKE IT
SO DON'T TALK ABOUT YOUR FATHER LIKE THAT.
WELL, WE STILL NEED TO, WE STILL NEED TO SORT THROUGH AND MAKE SURE A LOT OF THESE FILES MAY NEED TO BE REMOVED.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
AND UM, ARC SCANNING SERVICES WILL, LET'S SAY WE JUST PUT TOGETHER HUGE BOXES.
THEY'LL TAKE OUT THE STAPLES, THE POST-IT NOTES AND ALL THAT.
THEY'RE HIGH RESOLUTION COLOR.
IF, IF ANYTHING HAS SIGNATURES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, IT WON'T BE BLACK AND WHITE.
SO, SO BASICALLY THOUGH, HOW MUCH COST PER BOX, THE COST PER BOX, I CAN GIVE THAT TO YOU.
AND COMMISSIONERS, YOU, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I CAME IN IN 2018, UH, BOTTOM STAIRS WAS OFF LIMITS.
UH, WHAT THE PREVIOUS CITY MANAGER KEPT TELLING ME WAS, THERE'S MOLD, EVERYTHING IS MOLD.
YOU DIDN'T GO DOWNSTAIRS ON THIS.
YOU GO WITH THE, UM, WITH THE COVERAGE MASK AND EVERYTHING ON THERE.
SO THEY WOULDN'T, AND ALL THAT.
SO IT WAS NOT UNTIL WE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, SOMETHING'S GONNA HAPPEN.
SO WHEN THIS NEW CITY MANAGER CAME IN AND SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE HAVE TO CLEAN UP ON THE BOTTOM PORTION AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.
UH, EVERYTHING WAS TAKEN OUT AND NOW WE NEED TO DO THAT.
THERE'S NO QUESTION THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE 100%.
LET'S MOVE THE OFFICE DOWNSTAIRS.
IS IT THAT POINT? AND ALSO DEANNA, I'D LIKE TO KNOW, I I WISH WE WOULD'VE GOT THEM THREE QUOTES GIVEN TO US IN OUR, IN OUR AGENDA.
I ALWAYS LIKE TO SEE THEM NOT GO BY.
WE'RE WAITING FOR ONE TO COME IN TODAY AT THREE.
SO JUST TO HAVE ALL THEM, THEM THREE QUOTES AGAIN, HOW MUCH PER BOX AND ALSO SURE.
WHERE WERE EACH OF THESE LOCATED AT EACH OF THESE COMPANIES? WHERE ARE THEY FROM? OF COURSE.
SO PER BOX, THE ARC SCANNING SERVICES IS ABOUT APPROXIMATELY 2 75.
AND UH, THEIR COMPANY IS BASED OUT OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE IRON MOUNTAIN GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS.
THEY ARE BASED OUT OF, I BELIEVE IT'S AUSTIN IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
AND THEIRS IS, WELL THERE'S DEPENDS BECAUSE THEY HAVE LARGE SCANNING, WHICH IS OUR PLAS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, THAT'S A HIGHER RATE, HIGHER RESOLUTION THAN, UM, REGULAR.
AND THAT'S ONE FOR A HALF A MILLION, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND THEN, UM, THE TERRA LOGIC IS THEY WERE THE ONLY ONES THAT GAVE US NOT ONLY PER BOX, BUT THEY ALSO DID PER, PER PAGE.
AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT AROUND 11 CENTS PER PAGE.
SO, AND IT'S OVER THOUSANDS OF IMAGES.
SO THERE'S, AND THAT ONE WAS, WHICH ONE? THIS IS TERRA LOGIC.
SO I KNOW THE COUNTY HAS A PRETTY NICE SYSTEM.
YOU CAN GO AND LOOK AT DEATH CERTIFICATES, DEEDS, MARRIAGE CERTIFICATES, PLAT RECORDS.
WHEN SOMEONE ASKS ME, I JUST GO ONLINE AND I LOOK FOR IT.
AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE, ALL THE, ALL THESE BIGGER, LARGER ENTITIES, THEY HAVE SOME TYPE OF HARDWARE SYSTEM, SO, OR CLOUD SERVICES.
AND THEN YOU PAY A FEE TO PULL WHATEVER DOCUMENT YOU WANT.
UM, I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE IN THIS DIRECTION, BUT I THINK WE STILL NEED SOME MORE INFORMATION.
UM, AND GET THAT ONE MORE QUOTE BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE A BIG EXPENSE AND HOW FAR BACK ARE WE WILLING TO GO? SO I THINK FOR NOW, I THINK THE SAFETY THING IS JUST TO TABLE IT UNTIL WE GATHER ALL THE INFORMATION.
THIS IS ONE STEP TOWARDS ALSO, UH, STREAMLINING LIKE OUR PIR REQUESTS.
UM, WE ALSO, THE NEXT STEP WOULD ALSO BE TO UPDATING OUR WEBSITE TO BE ABLE TO, UM, ACCOMMODATE, UM, APPS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, TO DOWNLOAD THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO YES, THIS IS LIKE THE FIRST STEP IN ORDER FOR US TO, UM, STREAMLINE OUR SERVICES AND RETAIN OUR INFORMATION GIVEN THE, GIVEN THE, THE, UH, DISPARITY BETWEEN THE PRICE AMOUNTS.
I'M THINKING WE SIGNED IN THIS AGREEMENT WITH THE 87,000 TO RUN BEFORE THEY CHANGED THEIR MIND.
I, I THINK SO TOO, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO REALIZE, I MEAN, WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M EVEN APPROVING.
IT SOUNDS GOOD, BUT THEY'RE NOT, MAYBE THEY'RE NOT DOING LARGE PLOTS.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO COMPARE APPLES TO ORANGES, BUT WE DON'T GOT NOTHING IN FRONT OF US TO REALLY SEE SOMETHING THAT'S CONCRETE.
I MEAN, YOU'RE GIVING US NUMBERS AND THERE'S JUST SUCH A LARGE GAP IN BETWEEN THAT FIRST AND THE SECOND ONE.
[00:35:01]
RAISES A CAUTIOUS FLAG THAT MAYBE THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE IN BETWEEN AS WELL.I'M, I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT A, UH, HOUSE RECORDS I ASKED FROM.
I ALREADY TORE THE HOUSE DOWN, SO IT'S GOOD.
COULDN'T BE, THEY WEREN'T, WEREN'T UNABLE TO BE FILED, MAYOR, SO IT'S NO PROBLEM.
SO WHAT, WHAT MOTIONS DO YOU HAVE? I WANNA MOTION THE TABLE FOR NOW.
SO THE ISSUES ARE IF YOU TABLE WILL COME BACK TO THE NEXT MEETING.
YOU TAKE NO ACTION WHENEVER YOU CAN DENY OR YOU CAN APPROVE INFORMATION BY THE NEXT MEETING.
I THINK TABLE, IF NOT WE'LL TABLE IT.
OKAY, SO WHICH ONE IS IT? DO YOU WANT TO, UH, MR. MAYOR WANTS IT BACK.
SO LET'S TABLE TILL NEXT MEETING.
SO MOTION TO TABLE TO THE NEXT MEETING.
SO I GOT A MOTION BY, UH, MAYOR PRO TIM WAN TO TABLE.
UH, DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MORALES.
ANY NAYS? MOTION PASSES TO TABLE.
THANK YOU FOR STAYING ON THIS, DEANNA.
OH YEAH, WE'RE GONNA GET IT DONE SOMEWHERE.
[EXECUTIVE SESSION]
THEN, UH, UH, THE TIME IS, UH, SIX 12 AND WE'RE GOING TO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.OPINION ADAM, TO DISCUSS OR OFFER SECTION TIME IS, UH, SIX 12.
COUNSEL, YOU GOOD? I THINK SO.
[POSSIBLE ACTION ON ANY ITEM(S) AS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION]
SESSION.ITEM NUMBER ONE, DO I HAVE MOTION TO PROCEED AS REQUESTED AS A MOTION TO PROCEED AS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION ON MOTION NUMBER ONE? OKAY.
I GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER GOODMAN.
I GOT A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MORALES.
OKAY, NO ACTION ON NUMBER TWO.