[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:03]
NOTICE OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY OF SANTO COMMISSION.
MS. RUTH MCGINNIS, CAN WE HAVE ROLL CALL PLEASE? YES, SIR.
PRESENT, UH, MAYOR PROTE, JOE NAVARRO, PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER, UH, RICARDO PEREZ.
HERE, COMMISSIONER DANIEL CORTEZ.
HERE, COMMISSIONER VICTOR GONZALEZ, PRESENT ATTORNEY ERIC FLORES.
BUT KAYLEE MORGAN, GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL.
WE'LL PROCEED WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND THEN PLEASE REMAIN STANDING.
JOSE GARCIA WILL LEAD US IN OUR INVOCATION PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, LIBERTY JUSTICE LAW.
ONE STATE MARY COMMISSIONERS, LET US PRAY.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU TODAY WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS.
THANK YOU FOR THE GIFT OF THIS COMMUNITY AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER HERE.
WE ASK THAT YOU GRANT MAYOR GALBAN, COMMISSIONER PEREZ, COMMISSIONER CORTEZ, COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ, AND MAYOR PROTE NAVARRO, WISDOM, DISCERNMENT, AND A CLEAR VISION AS THEY CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF OUR BELOVED CITY OF SAN BENITO.
GIVE THEM THE SPIRIT OF HUMILITY, FAIRNESS, AND DEEP CARE FOR EVERY RESIDENT THEY SERVE.
HELP THEM TO LISTEN WELL TO ONE ANOTHER AND TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT PROMOTE PEACE, SAFETY, AND PROSPERITY FOR ALL NEIGHBORHOODS.
BLESS OUR CITY STAFF OR LAW ENFORCEMENT OR FIREFIGHTERS, FIRST RESPONDERS, AND ALL WHO WORK TO KEEP THE CITY SAFE AND RUNNING SMOOTHLY.
PROTECT THEM IN THEIR DAILY DUTIES.
SO THEY'RE ALL DISCUSSIONS AND ACTIONS THIS EVENING WILL BE FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF OUR PEOPLE AND FOR YOUR HONOR AND YOUR GLORY.
AND WE PRAY THIS IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER OF THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.
[PROCLAMATION(S) ]
THE PROCLAMATION.MS. MCGEES THE PROCLAMATION PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATION HONORING JOSE MORALE FOR HIS DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
UH, THE CITY COMMISSION WILL READ FROM LEFT TO RIGHT.
WE'LL START FROM COMMISSIONER CORTEZ, JUST ONE ON EACH.
WHEREAS JOSE MORALES WAS BORN ON JUNE 11TH, 1970 IN BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS, AND WAS RAISED IN A HUMBLE, CLOSE KNIT COMMUNITY WHERE FAMILY, FAITH, HARD WORK, PERSEVERANCE, AND SERVICE WERE DEEPLY VALUED.
JUST LIKE SAN BENITO FROM AN EARLY AGE, HE LEARNED THE DIGNITY AND IMPORTANCE OF HARD WORK.
AT THE AGE OF 12, HE BEGAN HIS FIRST SUMMER JOB, POLISHING SCHOOL FLOORS, EVEN HIS EARNINGS TO HELP HIS PARENTS WITH HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES AND TO PURCHASE SCHOOL CLOTHES.
HE CONTINUED HIS WORK THROUGHOUT HIS EARLY TEENAGE YEARS, DEVELOPING A STRONG WORK ETHIC THAT WOULD BECOME A DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC OF HIS LIFE.
AND WHEREAS JOSE EL MORALES AT THE AGE OF 13 MET THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE.
DEBRA ANN MORALES, A HAMBURG JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL.
THERE'S SEVENTH GRADE YEAR ON THE STAIRWAY OF A HUNDREDTH HALL.
THEIR FRIENDSHIP BLOSSOMED 'EM INTO A FIVE YEAR COURTSHIP, BLA THEIR MARRIAGE.
ON FEBRUARY 18TH, 1989, TOGETHER, JOSE AND DEBORAH BEGAN BUILDING LIFE CENTERED ON FAMILY FATE, PERSEVERANCE, AND SERVICE.
THEY'RE PROUD PARENTS OF FOUR CHILDREN, JESUS, GABRIEL, JESSICA, AND OSCAR, AND GRANDPARENTS OF FIVE WITH ANOTHER GRANDCHILD ON THE WAY, JESSE, ARIEL, JOSE, ISABELLA NATALIA, AND BABY SANTIAGO.
THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, JOSE HAS REMAINED DEVOTED TO HIS FAMILY AND DEMONSTRATED THROUGHOUT HIS ACTIONS THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING PRESENT AND ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE LIVES AND EDUCATION OF HIS CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN.
HE DEVOTED COUNTLESS HOURS TO VOLUNTEERING AT HIS CHILDREN'S SCHOOLS, SERVING AS PARENT TEACHER, ORGANIZATION PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT, HOMEROOM PARENT AND ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN SCHOOL FUNCTIONS AND PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT INITIATIVES.
AND WHEREAS JOSE EL MORALES IN 1998, AFTER MOVING TO THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY
[00:05:01]
AND SETTLING IN SANTO, MR. MORALES DEDICATED DECADES OF HIS LIFE SERVING HIS COMMUNITY.HE ESTABLISHED A DISTINGUISHED CAREER IN THE FUNERAL INDUSTRY WORKING FOR THE NUMBER ONE COMPANY, STEWART ENTERPRISES AND LATER SERVICE CORPORATION INTERNATIONAL, WHERE HE EARNED NUMEROUS PROFESSIONAL HONORS, INCLUDING ROOKIE OF THE YEAR TOP MANAGER AND HOUSTON TOP REGION SALES MANAGER OF THE YEAR, WHICH HE TOOK THIS POSITION TO HEART.
HE LEARNED THE IMPORTANCE OF SERVING WITH A SERVANT'S HEART FOR MORE THAN THESE, UH, THREE DECADES IN THE FUNERAL INDUSTRY.
HE SERVED FAMILIES DURING SOME OF THE MOST DIFFICULT MOMENTS OF THEIR LIVES, APPROACHING EACH FAMILY WITH COMPASSION, DIGNITY, GRACE, AND RESPECT.
WHEREAS JOSE EL MORALES IN 1999 BEGAN HIS JOURNEY IN PUBLIC AND COMMUNITY SERVICE.
WHEN ASKED BY THE MAYOR, CESAR GONZALEZ, THE DECEASED, TO ACCEPT A NOMINATION TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ADVISORY BOARD.
FROM THAT POINT FORWARD, HE CONTINUED ANSWERING THE CALL TO SERVE, WORKING WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS AS MAYOR BENJAMIN GOMEZ AND MAYOR RICARDO GURA, AND ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE PLANNING AND ZONING, SAN BENITO, EDC, SAN BENITO, CISD, SUPERINTENDENTS ADVISORY BOARD.
AND AS AN AMBASSADOR FOR THE CITY OF SAN BENITO.
HE ALSO DEVOTED MORE THAN 10 YEARS TO THE ED DOWNS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AS A PTO PRESIDENT, AND PARTICIPATED MORE THAN A DECADE IN THE SANTO CISD PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT PROGRAM.
AND WHEREAS JOSE EL MORALES CONTINUED HIS COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE THROUGH HIS ELECTION IN MAY, 2023, AS PORT ISABEL SANTO NAVIGATION DISTRICT COMMISSIONER PLACED THREE FURTHER DEMONSTRATING HIS DEDICATION TO THE FUTURE AND PROSPERITY OF THE REGION.
IN JULY, 2026, JOSE FACED A SERIOUS PERSONAL HEALTH CHALLENGE WITH A DIAGNOSIS OF RENAL CELL CARCINOMA.
FOLLOWING SURGERY ON AUGUST 21ST, 2026, HE WAS DECLARED CANCER-FREE.
HIS COURAGE, FAITH, AND PERSEVERANCE THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT CHAPTER STANDS AS ANOTHER TESTAMENT TO THE CHARACTER AND STRENGTH HE HAS DEMONSTRATED THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE.
HE HAS SHOWN THAT TRUE LEADERSHIP IS NOT DEFINED BY TITLE, BUT BY WILLINGNESS TO SERVE, TO STAND BESIDE OTHERS AND TO MAKE A LASTING DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THOSE AROUND HIM.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED.
I PEDRO GALVAN, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN BENITO, CAMERON COUNTY, TEXAS, DO HEREBY DECLARE JUNE 11TH, 2026 AS JOSE EL MORALES DAY COMMEMORATING HIS BIRTHDAY IN THE CITY OF SAN BENITO.
IT IS OUR PRIVILEGE TO RECOGNIZE MR. JOSE EL MORALES FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS OF DEDICATED COMMUNITY SERVICE AND FOR EXEMPLIFYING THE SPIRIT OF SERVING WITH A SERVANT'S HEART.
IF YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I HERE UNTO SET MY HAND AND CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF SANTO TO BE AFFIXED THIS 15TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER IN THE YEAR OF THE LORD, 2020 6 1 2 3.
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WE WILL[Additional Item]
MOVE ON TO ANNOUNCEMENTS.UM, MR. MCGINNIS, DO YOU HAVE, DOES IS SOMEONE, MR. DENNA, IS SOMEONE GONNA BE GIVING THE PUBLIC COMMENT, THE ANNOUNCEMENTS? DO YOU HAVE THEM? I COULD TAKE THE LEAD HERE ON SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2026 FROM FIVE 30 TO EIGHT 30, THE IMAGINE WORLD OF MANUEL MIRANDA ART EXHIBITION AND MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY AT THE SANTO CULTURAL HERITAGE MUSEUM, TWO 50 HAYWOOD STREET, CELEBRATING HISPANIC HERITAGE, ART, MUSIC AND CULTURE.
SEPTEMBER 19TH, 2026 FROM 8:00 AM TO 10:00 AM SAN NEEDLE POLICE COMMUNITY BIKE RIDE, STARTING AT THE HAVEN PARK AMPHITHEATER, 7 0 5 NORTH BUOY.
OCTOBER 10TH, 2026 FROM 6:00 PM TO 10:00 PM MARKET DAYS ON HISTORIC ROBERTSON STREET, 174 WEST ROBERTSON STREET.
OUR MOST RECENT MARKET DAY EVENT WAS A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS WITH MORE THAN A HUNDRED VENDORS.
THANK YOU TO OUR DEDICATED STAFF, UH, CHRISTINA AND HER TEAM.
HER TEAM OF DEPARTMENT OF ONE, BUT OF MANY, UH, IN THE, IN THE CITY THAT HELP HELP HER IN THAT DEPARTMENT.
SO THANK YOU TO THE CITY SANTO STAFF AND THE COMMUNITY FOR COMING OUT AND SUPPORTING THOSE EVENTS.
THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF EVENTS WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE.
[PUBLIC COMMENTS ]
COMMENTS.UH, MS. MCGINNIS, DO WE HAVE ANYONE PRESENT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? YES, MAYOR, WE HAVE, UM, COMMISSIONER DEBRA MORALES.
MAYOR PROAM COMMISSIONERS AND THE COMMUNITY.
I JUST WANNA ELABORATE ON WHAT YOU JUST SAID ABOUT MARKET DAYS.
UM, THIS FIRST TIME THAT I HAD A BOOTH THERE, CHRISTINA, I HAVE TO SAY, HER AND THE, AND THE LADIES, THE STAFF OF THE GENTLEMEN DID AN AMAZING JOB.
WE HAD, I THINK OVER 120 VENDORS THAT SIGNED UP THAT STAYED TILL 10 O'CLOCK AND IT WAS BOOMING.
SO I JUST WANNA CONGRATULATE CHRISTINA AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT WAS THERE THAT PARTICIPATED JOB.
NOW, I JUST HAVE A SUGGESTION TO MAYBE ENHANCE IT NEXT TIME.
I KNOW MY DAUGHTER'S SAYING THEY'RE DOING AN ENTREPRENEUR OF THEM DOING THAT, AND LET'S MAKE IT A LESSON FOR THEM WHERE YOU DO MAYBE A SHEETS OF PROFIT AND LOSS OR SOMETHING.
IT SAYS A LEARNING EXPENSE, YOU KNOW, TO SEE HOW RUNNING A BUSINESS IS.
SO, BUT IT'S JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
BUT CONGRATULATIONS, CHRISTINA, JOB WELL DONE.
[PRESENTATION(S)]
ON TO PRESENTATIONS CITY MANAGER CARLOS ERENA, PRESENTING THE ITEM OF THE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT.YES, UH, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
UH, FOLLOWING UP ON THE MARKET DAYS, I WANTED TO GIVE A QUICK RUNDOWN ON, UH, THE SEPTEMBER THE, UH, THE, THE OUR MARKET DAYS.
UM, WE HAD OVER A HUNDRED PLUS VENDORS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE SEPTEMBER 12 MARKET, UH, DAYS ON ROBERTSON STREET.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO REPORT THAT WE HAVE OVER 60 PLUS VENDORS THAT HAVE ALREADY SIGNED UP FOR THE OCTOBER MARKET, UH, DAYS, UH, SINCE MONDAY.
UH, THE VENDOR FEEDBACK HAS BEEN, UH, OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE, PARTICULARLY REGARDING THE FAMILY, FRIENDS FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE, THE EVENING FORMAT, THE LIVE MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT.
UM, SEVERAL AND MOST OF THE VENDORS REPORTED SELLING OUT AND HAVING VERY STRONG SALES.
UH, THE VENDORS APPRECIATE THE EVOLVING AS A SAN BENITO SCHOOL, UH, DISTRICT AND THE LOCAL PERFORMERS.
SO WE WANNA CERTAINLY THANK THE, THE SCHOOL, UH, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR, UH, UH, HELPING US PARTICIPATE IN THIS EVENT.
I WANNA THANK ALL THE STAFF, UH, CHRISTINA
[00:15:01]
ELIDA, UM, EVERYBODY THAT HELPED PARTICIPATE IN THE EVENT, UH, PUBLIC WORKS, UH, UH, PARKS THAT HELP US WITH SET UP.I ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE EL THIS YEAR.
HE, HE HELPED US SET UP THE, UH, ALL THE ELECTRICAL EL THANK YOU FOR GETTING THE, THAT DONE.
HE WORKED TIRELESS, UH, ALONG WITH AN A EP ALSO FOR HELPING US GET THAT THE, UH, BASICALLY WITHIN A DAY OR TWO TO GET IT SET UP.
SO BECAUSE OF THAT, WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE THE ELECTRICAL OUTLETS READY FOR THE, UH, THE, THE MOVIES AT THE OLD SKATE PARK.
UH, SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY WITH THE TURNOUT AND, AND, UH, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVE A GREAT, UH, EVENT IN OCTOBER.
I ALSO WANTED TO GIVE AN UPDATE, AND MONICA, MAYBE WE CAN GIVE THEM COPIES OF THE, UH, OF THE, UM, THE PARK ZONE MAPS AND THE FIX THAT WE HAVE COLLECTED SO FAR.
UM, WANTED TO REPORT TO THE, TO THE MAYOR AND THE COMMISSION THAT, UH, FOR ZONE ONE, WE HAVE COLLECTED $50,400 FOR ZONE TWO $21,600.
UH, WE HAVE NOT COLLECTED ANYTHING FOR ZONE THREE, UH, ZONE IN FORD, 90, $9,600 FOR A TOTAL OF 81,600 FOR THE, UH, FOR THE FOUR ZONES.
UM, WE ARE ANTICIPATING TO, UH, TO COLLECT, UH, APPROXIMATELY AROUND 508,200, $200 FOR THE PARK ZONES, UM, IN THE DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT ZONES.
AND THIS IS DUE TO THE DEVELOPMENTS THAT, THAT ARE COMING IN THE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS.
AND THAT IS MONEY TO BE UTILIZED IN, UH, FOR EXISTING PARKS IN, IN THE, IN THOSE ZONES.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE THAT UPDATE TO, TO THE COMMISSIONERS.
WANTED TO, UH, WE HAVE A CHECK PRESENTATION, UH, FROM COMMISSIONER VICTOR GONZALEZ, UH, IN CELEBRATION OF THE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, UH, TO ALIDA GARCIA, OUR, OUR CULTURAL ARTS DIRECTOR.
SO WE CAN HAVE MS. ALIDA, UM, STEP UP SO WE CAN GET THE, THE CHECK PRESENTATION FROM COMM COMMISSIONER VICTOR GONZALEZ.
NO, I JUST WANT TO THANK HER FOR HER HARD WORK AND EACH AND ONE OF Y'ALL THAT WORKED VERY HARD, NHE AL, JB, EVERY, EVERYBODY, ALL OUR EMPLOYEES THAT WORKED VERY HARD, ESPECIALLY DURING THE HARD, UH, HE, UH, I'VE BEEN THERE, I'VE BEEN IN YOUR SHOES.
I WORKED FOR THE CITY BACK IN THE NINETIES, SO I, I KNOW HOW HARD THAT, THAT JOB IS.
UH, AND I APPRECIATE EACH AND ONE OF Y'ALL THAT WORKED VERY HARD.
I MAY NOT SAY IT, BUT I APPRECIATE Y'ALL.
AND, UH, THIS IS JUST SOMETHING TO HELP HER WITH THE CELEBRATION AND SOMETHING FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO ANYTHING CORRECT COMMUNITY, I'M GONNA, SO THANK YOU LADY.
KEEP AN EYE ON THAT LARGE CHECK THERE AND GO TOO FAR.
[PUBLIC HEARING(S)]
PUBLIC HEARINGS.THEY HAVE, WE HAVE THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
MONICA RODRIGUEZ, PLANNING MANAGER PRESENTING THIS ITEM.
DO, DO YOU WANNA JUST REVIEW 'EM FIRST AND THEN YES.
AND THEN WE'LL OPEN THE FLOOR OR DO, OR YOU WANNA SPEAK ON THEM AND THEN WE CAN, OR DO YOU WANT ME TO OPEN THE FLOOR FIRST? UM, LET ME READ THEM AND THEN WE CAN OPEN.
THE FIRST ONE IS A PUBLIC HEARING ON A REQUEST FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO PLACE A STORAGE BUILDING GREATER THAN 200 SQUARE FEET AT A PROPERTY LOCATED AT 27 60 EAST EXPRESSWAY, 83 ZONE C TWO COMMERCIAL.
UM, THE APPLICANT IS JOE A. GARCIA, PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER TWO IS A REQUEST FOR A VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION OF A PROPERTY LOCATED ON LINE 17 ROAD.
VERY, A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF 3.33
[00:20:01]
ACRES OF LAND OUTTA SIX POINT 17 ACRES.UM, THE APPLICANT IS ANDY VTAL AND PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER THREE IS A REQUEST FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO OPERATE A PUBLIC SCHOOL AT A PROPERTY LOCATED AT 400 SOUTH HELEN MOORE ROAD.
UM, AND THIS IS FOR SOUTH TEXAS ISD.
ALRIGHT, UH, THE TIME IS 5:52 PM WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE FLOOR FOR PUBLIC HEARING.
SO ANYBODY FOR OR AGAINST, WE HAVE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION OF A PIECE OF PROPERTY, AND THEN A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL.
COMMISSIONERS, QUESTIONS, CONCERNS.
THE TIME IS 5:52 PM WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
[CONSENT AGENDA ITEM(S)]
ON TO CONSENT, AGENDA ITEMS, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE, WELL, THERE'S 2 1 2, 3, 4.I GUESS WE DON'T HAVE TO READ 'EM.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR THE CONSENT AND AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE MINUTES? WE HAVE THE MINUTES, UH, SECOND AND FINAL READING OF THE NEW ORDINANCE FOR THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT TO ALLOW ALCOHOL BEVERAGES ONLY DURING CITY FUNCTION EVENTS.
AND NUMBER THREE, SECOND FINAL READING OR ORDINANCE OF THE BACKFLOW PREVENTION DEVICES, WHICH IS JUST AN UPDATE REGULATORY REQUIREMENT THROUGH TCQ.
AND THEN NUMBER FOUR IS JUST A SECOND FINAL READING OF, UH, THE TECHNICAL PERMIT AND FACILITY ARE GROUND FEES AND THE COMPREHENSIVE SCHEDULE FEES.
I DID WANTED TO, I DID WANT TO REVIEW FOUR SO I CAN PULL THAT ONE OUT.
YOU HAVE A MOTION COMMISSIONER? YES.
UH, I'LL MOTION TO APPROVE ONE, TWO, AND THREE.
UH, COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ FOR ONE, TWO, AND THREE.
SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TEMP NOVATO.
MOTION CARRIES TO FOR CONSENT AND AGENDA ITEMS ONE, TWO, AND THREE UNANIMOUSLY WE'LL
[4. Consideration and possible action to approve the Second and Final Reading of Ordinance Number 2573-D-10-2026, an ordinance amending Ordinance Numbers 2573, 2573-A-08-2024, 2573-B-10-2024, and 2573-C-06-2025, amending the Technical Permit Fees and Facility and/or Ground Fees in the Comprehensive Schedule of Fees. ]
MOVE ON TO NUMBER CONSENT.AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR GOT PULLED OUT.
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THE SECOND AND FINAL READING OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 25 73 DASH D DASH 10 DASH 2026.
AND ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 2 5 73 2 5 7 3 A DASH ZERO EIGHT DASH 2024.
SOME OTHER GREAT NUMBERS AMENDING THE TECHNICAL PERMIT FEES AND FACILITY AND OR GROUND FEES AND THE COMPREHENSIVE SCHEDULE FEES.
MONICA RODRIGUEZ, PLANNING MANAGER PRESENTING THE ITEM STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL ON THIS ITEM.
THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT UPDATES THE TECHNICAL PERMIT FEES AND FACILITY AND OR GROUND FEES TO BETTER REFLECT THE CITY'S CURRENT COSTS FOR PERMIT PROCESSING PLAN REVIEW INSPECTIONS AND RELATED SERVICES.
RECENT PERMIT ACTIVITY SHOWS AN INCREASE IN THE VALUE AND COMPLEXITY OF COMMERCIAL PROJECTS.
WHILE THE EXISTING FEE SCHEDULE DOES NOT CONSISTENTLY REFLECT THE LEVEL OF SERVICES REQUIRED, THE AMENDMENT WILL PROVIDE A MORE EQUITABLE, CONSISTENT AS SUSTAINABLE FEE STRUCTURE WHILE MAINTAINING REASONABLE COSTS FOR APPLICANTS AND SUPPORTING THE CITY'S DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
ANY QUESTIONS? I HAD A QUESTION JUST BASED ON, UM, HOW DOES THIS FEE SCHEDULE COMPARE TO THE MOST RECENT ONE? IS THERE A SLIGHT INCREASE? THERE IS AN INCREASE ON ESPECIALLY COMMERCIAL PROJECTS AND A LITTLE BIT ON MECHANICAL, PLUMBING AND RESIDENTIAL.
I MEAN, MECHANICAL, PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL SUBCONTRACTOR PERMITS.
WE UPPED THAT BASE FEE ABOUT 15 BUCKS.
NOT TOO MUCH TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE WITH THE OTHER CITIES.
I SAW SOME THIS INCLUDED ALSO SOME PARK FEES.
UM, RENTALS FOR SOME OF THE, FOR THE FACILITIES HERE, PUBLIC SPACES? CORRECT.
I THINK THERE WAS A, A FAIRGROUNDS, THERE WAS SOME BUILDINGS THERE.
THE NEWMAN BUILDING AND JAINA, UH, JAINA.
IS IT JUDEA ARENA? ISN'T THAT TAKEN OUT? IS THAT STILL THERE? I THOUGHT WE HAD CLEARED IT FOR PARKING.
BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT ARENA'S THERE ANYMORE.
DOES IT HAVE ANY, DOES THAT NAME HAVE ANY SIGNIFICANCE? THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD THING TO LOOK UP? JUST TO BE SAFE.
THAT MAKES, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEONE, UH, NAMED THE ARENA AFTER SOMEBODY, I DON'T WANT TO JUST DO AWAY WITH IT.
WE NAMED THE STREET OR SOMETHING ELSE THERE.
[00:25:01]
THE LIVESTOCK BARN.I DON'T THINK, I THINK WE, WE TORN DOWN TWO RIGHT.
I THINK THE ONLY ONE THAT'S THERE IS THE NEWMAN BUILDING.
JUST SO THAT THERE'S NO CONFUSION THERE.
AND THEN IS THERE A PLATFORM CURRENTLY SET UP FOR HOW PEOPLE COULD GO ABOUT, UM, REGISTERING OR RENTING THESE SPACES? I KNOW THERE'S A, THERE WAS A LINK ONLINE AND THEN IT GOT PULLED OFF 'CAUSE WE WERE TRYING TO FI WORK THIS OUT FIRST.
DO WE HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT SET UP YET FOR THE RENTAL? WE HAVE A RENTAL, A RENTAL APPLICATION.
AND IT MIGHT BE WORTH TO BE LOOKED AT AS WELL.
STEPHANIE SAR HERNANDEZ, FINANCE DIRECTOR.
WE HAVE A RENTAL USE APPLICATION, UM, THAT THEY FILLED OUT AND IT STATES, UM, ABOUT THE DEPOSIT ABOUT, UM, IF THEY LEAVE THE FACILITIES IN GOOD CONDITION.
W UH, GETTING THE $50, UH, CLEAN FEE BACK AND THE DEPOSIT BACK AND IT STAYS THE RULES AND REGULATIONS RIGHT NOW.
BUT IT, IT MIGHT BE WORTH TO, TO LOOK AT JUST TO MAKE SURE IT INCLUDES ALL OF THIS, UM, SPECIFICS THAT THIS ORDINANCE CARRIED.
SO JUST TO MAKE MAYBE, UH, MAKE IT A LITTLE EASIER FOR SOMEONE TO RENT A SPACE AND THEN BE ABLE TO KNOW IF THE SPACE IS OCCUPIED OR VACANT FOR THAT DAY BEFORE THEY REQUEST IT.
'CAUSE NORMALLY THEY WILL COME TO THE OFFICE HERE, UH, IN PERSON AND THEN WE'LL CHECK IN THE CALENDAR, SEE IF IT'S AVAILABLE AND IF IT, IF IT IS, WE PROVIDE THE APPLICATION, THEN THAT APPLICATION, UH, THEY FILL IT OUT, WE SEND IT TO PARKS, WE'LL MAKE SURE PARKS IS OKAY WITH IT.
THEN IT GOES THROUGH PLANNING, PLANNING REVIEWS THAT IF THERE WAS PERMIT HEALTH, THEY WERE OUT.
UM, AND THEN IF THERE'S GONNA BE SOME SORT OF ALCOHOL, THEN THEY WILL HAVE TO BE PROVIDED SECURITY AND IT STAYS THERE IN THAT RENTAL USE FEE.
UM, SPECIFICS OF HOW MANY SECURITY THEY WOULD, THEY'RE REQUIRED IF THERE'S ALCOHOL INVOLVED IN THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE ON WHAT, WHAT BUILDING THEY'RE USING.
SO IT'S REALLY, REALLY DETAILED, BUT IT MIGHT BE, UM, REASONABLE TO, TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND MAKE SURE WE'RE INCLUDING EVERYTHING IN IT.
AND I THINK THAT WHAT WAS HAPPENING ALSO IS FOR LIKE, SOME OF THE RECREATIONAL SPACES.
UM, DIFFERENT TEAMS WERE PRACTICING AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND MAYBE ONE ELECTED OFFICIAL GAVE A PERMISSION AND RECEIVED PERMISSION, BUT IT WASN'T DOCUMENTED ANYWHERE.
AND THEN, SO THEY WERE KICKING OUT OTHER GROUPS OF KIDS SAYING, WELL WE HAVE THIS TILL WHATEVER YOU NEED TO MOVE.
AND THAT BECAME UNFAIR AND IT WASN'T VERY TRANSPARENT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS AN AREA THAT EVERYBODY COULD JUST GO ONLINE AND SAY, OKAY, WELL IT'S, IT'S BLOCKED FOR THIS HOUR OR TWO HOURS.
SO THAT WAY THERE'S JUST NO CONFUSION AND IT'S TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHO'S USING THE SPACES AND ALSO BE ABLE TO FILL IT OUT ONLINE INSTEAD OF THEM COMING AND SIGNING ONLINE.
IT WOULD ALSO BE A GOOD IDEA TOO.
HOPEFULLY THAT APP WILL BE COMING SOON.
THERE'S AN APP FOR EVERYTHING.
UM, WHAT ELSE? OH, UM, EDDIE, UH, WE HAVE THE CHIEF BUILDING OFFICIAL HERE.
DID I'M JUST, I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF YOU HAD ANY COMMENTS.
YOU HAVE, I'M HERE TO TRY AND ANSWER QUESTIONS NOT TO ASK THE QUESTION.
JUST MAKING SURE THAT THE FEES ARE INLINING WITH, UM, THE DEMANDS OF THE DEPARTMENT.
ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.
FIRST QUESTION IS ARE WHAT ARE WE DOING TO PROMOTE THAT? WE HAVE THESE FACILITIES OPEN FOR ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY.
ARE WE PROMOTING THAT? I'D SAY WE LOOK, WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY BUILDING.
WE HAVE PARKS OUT THERE IN THE STOKEY PARK, THE PAVILION.
'CAUSE I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY OF THAT AROUND.
UM, RIGHT NOW, I, YOU KNOW, TOUCHING ON WHAT THE MAYOR JUST SAID, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, UM, ESPECIALLY TO MODERNIZE OUR PROCESSES AND PUT THE APPLICATION ONLINE THAT WAY THAT ALL OF US INTERNALLY CAN SEE THAT IT'S BOOKED AND THAT, SO IT DOESN'T GET DOUBLE BOOKED OR TRIPLE BOOKED.
UM, CIVIC PLUS DOES OUR WEBSITE.
THEY ALSO HAVE TOOLS TO ALLOW US TO DO THIS.
UM, THAT WOULD ALSO ALLOW STAFF AND SAVE THEM TIME SO THAT, UM, RESIDENTS DON'T HAVE TO COME IN PERSON TO THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT OR TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
IT CAN BE DONE ONLINE AND RESERVED ONLINE.
UM, SO THIS IS A TOOL THAT, UM, WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO THEM ABOUT.
UM, IT'S JUST KIND OF PENDING.
SO HOPEFULLY, UM, OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT CAN GET TOGETHER WITH US SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT PROJECT.
[00:30:01]
RESIDENTS TO PAY THINGS ONLINE, INCLUDING, UM, FEES FOR EVEN VENDORS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.UM, AND THAT WOULD SPEED UP THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS AS WELL.
UM, ONCE WE GET THAT IN PLACE, I THINK THAT WOULD ALLOW US A GOOD POSITION TO BE PROMOTING THIS.
UM, RIGHT NOW, I KNOW THE FACILITIES WEREN'T AVAILABLE AND THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, THINGS WE WERE WORKING OUT, BUT, UM, NOW THAT THAT'S BEEN WORKED OUT, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND, AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT AND THEN START PROMOTING THAT THESE FACILITIES ARE AVAILABLE, INCLUDING ON OUR WEBSITE.
YOUR NAME AND POSITION FOR THE RECORD? CHRISTINA GARCIA, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER.
AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS ON THE, UH, THE FEES, UM, DO WE HAVE IT ONLINE WHERE EVERYBODY CAN GO ON THERE AND SEE FOR THEMSELVES HOW MUCH THE FEE IS? OR DO THE THEY HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THEY GET HERE TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH THE FEE IS? UM, THERE IS GONNA BE, ONCE IT'S UPLOADED TO, UH, CIVICPLUS PACIFIC PLEX IS ALSO THE ONE THAT DOES THE ORDINANCES FOR US.
WE CAN, I GUESS, UM, ADVISE THEM TO UPLOAD IT ONCE IT'S APPROVED.
BECAUSE I WOULD HATE TO, YOU KNOW, GET TO, TO PERMITS AND THEN LIKE, MAN, BOY, I DIDN'T BRING ENOUGH MONEY OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, TO
ONE QUESTION AS AS FAR AS GETTING SECURITY FOR NO, I'M SEEING THAT THERE'S GOTTA BE A MINIMUM OF FOUR HOURS OR WHATEVER.
IS THIS SOMETHING WE'RE TYING DOWN P THAT HAS TO BE PD OUR CITY? OR CAN IT BE THEIR OWN PRIVATE? IS THAT SPECIFIED? I THINK IT'S, EXCUSE ME.
UM, I THINK, I THINK IT HAS TO BE, OR, OR POLICE OFFICERS.
NOT NECESSARILY OR PD, BUT THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT OR I'M NOT TOO SURE.
DO YOU, DO YOU RECALL WHENEVER WE PROVIDE SECURITY TO THE, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE CITY PD? YEAH.
WHAT, WHAT MEASURES AS FAR AS, I KNOW WE GOT FEES THERE FOR PAVILION AND STUFF, BUT, UM, ANYBODY CAN GO UP AND USE A PAVILION AT ANY TIME.
HOW, HOW YOU PLAN TO PUT THAT ASIDE FOR SOMEONE FOR A SPECIFIC HOUR PAVILION, LET'S SAY AKA A LOT OF PEOPLE USE IT FOR RA PRACTICES.
SOMEONE CAN SHOW UP RIGHT NOW, THEY COULD BE THERE RIGHT NOW, THEY DIDN'T PAY, THEY'RE JUST KIDS.
BUT IF YOU PUT IT ASIDE FOR SOMEBODY, HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU PLAN TO MANAGE THAT? THAT THAT'S REALLY A, A PARKS QUESTION.
I'M NOT TOO SURE ANA GARCIA FOR THE RECORD.
UM, I DON'T THINK THOSE, THE SMALLER, UH, VENUES ARE FOR RENT.
IT'S OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
WE DO HAVE, I THINK THE GAN UH, THE PAVILION THAT JUST WENT UP, UH, LAST YEAR OR SO, I THINK THAT ONE IS, IT'S LIKE A HUNDRED DOLLARS FEE PARK PION DAY.
AND SO WHAT WE USUALLY DO IS WE PUT UP SIGNAGE SAYING IT'S RENTED FOR THAT TIME.
AND THEN IF THEY HAVE ANY ISSUES, WE USUALLY HAVE WHOEVER'S GONNA BE OPENING UP THE RESTROOMS AT THAT TIME, THAT'S THE CONTACT PERSON.
SO IF THERE'S ANY ISSUES THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, LET THEM KNOW IT'S, IT'S RENTED FOR THAT SPECIFIC TYPE.
SO WE JUST, WE PUT UP SIGNAGE SO DON'T PUT SOMETHING UP.
WE'LL PUT UP A SIGNAGE THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, IT'S TYPICAL IN ALL PARKS IS THAT THEY USUALLY JUST PUT UP A NICE LITTLE RED SIGN THAT SAYS RESERVED FROM THIS TIME TO THIS TIME.
AND THEN THE PERSON'S NAME, I'VE, I'VE RENTED, UH, WITH MY FAMILY, THE, UM, THE PARK AT THE, AT THE OSAKA TRAIL, UM, WITH NO ISSUES.
AND IF SOMEONE WAS LINGERING AROUND, WE INVITED THEM TO A PARTY MORE THAN MARY.
UM, THE, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
I WAS THINKING ABOUT, UH, NONPROFIT RENTALS.
SO IS THAT INCLUDED HERE? IF NONPROFITS WANT TO RENT A SPACE, IF WE COULD, I WOULD MAYBE CONSIDER ADDING NONPROFITS TO HAVE A REDUCED FEE OR ZERO FEE.
UM, IF THEY MEET, UM, IF THEY HAVE NONPROFIT, UH, TAX ID.
AND THEN THROUGH THE DISCRETION OF THE CITY MANAGER.
'CAUSE I WOULD IMAGINE WE WOULD HAVE SOME PRETTY WIDE VARIETY OF NONPROFITS.
UM, AND THAT WOULD LEAVE, THAT WOULD CLOSE THAT, THAT LOOP FROM JUST ANY RANDOM NONPROFIT FROM RUNNING THE SPACE.
'CAUSE I CAN ONLY, I'VE HEARD SOME STORIES
UM, IF IS THAT POSSIBLE TO INCLUDE THERE, MARY, THIS IS THE SECOND AND FINAL READING.
SO DO WE, WOULD, WOULD WE HAVE TO TAKE IT AGAIN AND DO ANOTHER READING OR IS CAN WE JUST MOVE IT FORWARD? LIKE, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU CAN DO THAT AMENDMENT RIGHT NOW, BUT WE DO HAVE LEGAL COUNSEL FOR THAT.
I WOULD RECOMMEND DOING THE AMENDMENT RIGHT NOW IF IT'S A VOTE ON IT.
UM, ULTIMATELY THOUGH, IF Y'ALL WANT TO POSTPONE IT, 'CAUSE Y'ALL WANT TO MAKE OTHER MODIFICATIONS OR ADD OTHER LINES AND HAVE LEGAL REVIEW THAT YOU CAN ALWAYS PUT IT ON A NEXT AGENDA FOR IT TO BE ESSENTIALLY DON'T
[00:35:01]
ACT AT THIS POINT AND IT'LL BE A TABLING OF IT.AND THEN Y'ALL CAN EDIT TO THE NEXT AGENDA TO ADDRESS ANY CHANGES Y'ALL WANT THAT TIME.
COMMISSIONERS, ARE YOU COMFORTABLE MOVING FORWARD? UM, I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY AMENDMENT I WOULD LIKE IS THAT WE INCLUDE A NONPROFIT $0 FEE WITH DISCRETION OF CM.
SO CM WOULD HAVE TO HAVE SOME OVERSIGHT THERE TO JUST MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE A VERY WEALTHY NONPROFIT TRYING TO RENT A SPACE.
IS THAT OR UNLESS YOU WANT A TABLE FOR NEXT MEETING, IS THAT OKAY? SO I CAN MAKE, UH, MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE SECOND AND FINAL READING.
UM, JUST ADDING THE LINE ITEM OF INCLUDING NON-PROFITS AT A, UH, ZERO, ZERO FEE, $0 FEE, UM, WITH APPROVAL AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
SO THAT WOULD BE NON-PROFITS, NON-PROFIT WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE CITY MANAGER PRIOR TO CORRECT.
BECAUSE WHAT, WHAT I WOULD IMAGINE IS NON NONPROFITS DO MAKE MONEY TO SOME EXTENT, BUT IS IT JUST A LOCAL CHURCH GROUP, A LOCAL ACTIVIST GROUP THAT WANTS TO RENT A SPACE JUST TO HAVE MEETING TIMES? AND WE'VE HAD SOME OF THOSE FOLKS THAT, THAT WANT TO COME IN AND RENT THE SPACE.
I THINK WE HAVE A GROUP THAT'S DOING, UM, CHILD EDUCATION, UM, FOR, UM, GETTING THEIR CONSENT TO CARRY.
UM, AND THEN, UM, WE HAD ANOTHER GROUP THAT WANTED TO TEACH ABOUT, UM, MASTER GARDENERS.
SO JUST GOOD THINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW.
HUNTER'S EDUCATION WAS THE ONE THAT RECENTLY HAPPENED.
WOULD THEY BE LIMITED AS FAR AS, UH, HOW MANY TIMES? HOW MANY TIMES? THAT'S A GOOD POINT TOO.
SO MAYOR, I MADE A MOTION IF, IF, IF I MIGHT, SORRY, AGAIN A SECOND.
UM, SO JUST TO GIVE YOU ALL AN EXAMPLE, WE RECENTLY HAD A LOCAL NONPROFIT ASKING FOR OUR BASEBALL FIELDS TO HAVE A BENEFIT TOURNAMENT.
AND SOME OF THE DOCUMENTATION THAT THEY PROVIDED WAS THEIR EIN YOU KNOW, VERIFICATION LETTER STATING THAT THEY ARE AN OFFICIAL NONPROFIT.
SO THAT IS THE KIND OF DOCUMENTATION THAT WE CAN REQUIRE OR REQUEST FROM NONPROFITS IN ORDER FOR THEM TO RECEIVE THE, THE ZERO RATE.
UM, BUT YEAH, THAT DOES HAPPEN.
THEY DO COME AND THEY'LL BRING THE, TYPICALLY THEY'LL BRING THEIR EIN LETTER THAT STATES THAT THEY HAVE A, I I THINK IT WOULD PROBABLY BE BEST IF WE MAYBE GET IT REVISED, GET SOME FRAMEWORK.
I CAN RESEND MY MOTION AND THEN WE CAN GET SOME WORDING ON WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE BEFORE A FINAL VOTE.
IS THAT OKAY? UH, MOTION TO TABLE SECOND.
PENDING THOSE, UH, MODIFICATIONS.
I HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CORTEZ.
MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY FOR TABLE.
[1. Consideration and possible action to approve a request for a Conditional Use Permit to place a Storage Building greater than 200 square feet at a property located at 2760 East Expressway 83 zoned C-2 “Commercial General Retail Business” bearing a Legal Description of: Being a 0.50 acre tract of land, more or less, out of a 1.00 acre tract of Block Fifteen (15), San Benito Land and Water Company Subdivision, Concepcion de Carricitos Grant, Cameron County, Texas, according to map of said subdivision recorded in Volume 1, Page 6, Map Records of Cameron County, Texas. Applicant: Joe A. Gracia. ]
FAR.ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
PLANNING MANAGER PRESENTING THIS ITEM CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE A REQUEST FOR CONDITION USE PERMIT TO PLACE A STORAGE BUILDING GREATER THAN 200 SQUARE FEET AT A PROPERTY LOCATED AT 27 60 EAST EXPRESSWAY.
83 ZONE C TWO COMMERCIAL GENERAL RETAIL BUSINESS.
THE APPLICANT IS JOE A. GARCIA.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM.
THE APPLICANT'S REQUESTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO PLACE THE STORAGE BUILDING GREATER THAN 200 SQUARE FEET.
THE STORAGE BUILDING IS APPROXIMATELY 576 SQUARE FEET AND WILL MEET BUILDING SETBACKS.
THE NON-USE CHART REQUIRES A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, THEREFORE, THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IS NEEDED TO COMPLY WITH CITY ORDINANCE.
THE PROPOSED CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT DOES NOT DIRECTLY ADVANCE THE SPECIFIC NUMBER GOAL OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
HOWEVER, THE REQUEST IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PLAN'S OVERALL FRAMEWORK FOR COORDINATED GROWTH AND APPROPRIATE LAND USE.
SO MY QUESTION BECOMES THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
WE COULD PULL THAT AT ANY TIME.
SO LIKE THEY, THEY BUILD A STRUCTURE AND THEN WE, WE PULL IT FIVE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
NEW COMMISSION, NEW LAND USE RULES, THEN SOMEONE DOESN'T LIKE THE STORAGE AND THEN THEY PULL IT.
SO ARE THEY GONNA TEAR THE BUILDING DOWN? WE'LL GIVE THEM A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO REMOVE IT OR REDUCE IT.
I FEEL LIKE MAYBE IT'S MAYBE UNNECESSARY TO DO CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS.
IS THIS COMMON PRACTICE FOR ANYTHING OVER 200 SQUARE FEET?
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YES.WHERE, WHERE WOULD THERE BE A CASE WHERE YOU WOULD GO AND SAY, HEY, THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN ONE
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? CORRECT.
SO LIKE, WHY, WHY ARE WE JUST GET A PERMIT, BUILD IT BECAUSE NOW THEY'RE WAITING FOR THIS TO HAPPEN.
IT PROBABLY, DID IT GO TO PLANNING AND ZONING FIRST? IT DID GO TO PLANNING AND ZONING.
AND THEN IT CAME TO US, WHICH IS PROBABLY 45 DAYS FROM BENCHMARK TO HERE.
SO I, I'D JUST LIKE TO SEE MAYBE WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING WITH, FOR THAT ASPECT.
THIS IS PROBABLY LIKE THE SECOND OR THIRD TIME FOR A STORAGE SHED.
AND I, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE DON'T WANT THEM TO START LIVING IN THE STORAGE SHED.
UM, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
THOSE ARE ADUS, ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS, GRANNY FLATS, WHATEVER WE WANT MOTHER-IN-LAW SUITES.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING I WANT TO DISCUSS WITH THE COMMISSION AND CITY STAFF LATER.
UM, 'CAUSE THAT ADDS TO THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS, RIGHT? HOMES, PEOPLE WANT TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THEIR MOTHER-IN-LAW INTO, UH, SOMETHING RIGHT BEHIND THEIR HOUSE.
SO I I DON'T HAVE A CONCERN NOW.
I JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S UNNECESSARY.
UM, SO WE WE CAN LOOK INTO IT.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS? THE NAME IS JOE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? A MOTION TO APPROVE.
MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TEMP NOVATO.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
[2. Consideration and possible action to approve a request for a Conditional Use Permit to operate a Public School on a property located at 400 South Helen Moore Road bearing a Legal Description of: A tract of land containing 42.14 acres out of the East Half of Block 149, San Benito Land and Water Company Subdivision, Cameron County, Texas, according to the map or plat thereof recorded in Volume 1, Page 6, Map Records, Cameron County, Texas. Applicants: South Texas ISD.]
ON TO THE SECOND ITEM.PLAN MANAGER PRESENTING THIS ITEM.
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE A REQUEST FOR CONDITION.
USE PERMIT TO OPERATE A PUBLIC SCHOOL ON A PROPERTY LOCATED AT 400 SOUTH HELEN MOORE ROAD, BEARING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF A TRACK OF LAND CONTAINING 42.2 ACRES OUT OF THE EAST HALF BLOCK OF 1 49.
SAN BERNARDINO, ORLANDO WATER COMPANY SUBDIVISION.
UH, THE APPLICANT IS SOUTH TEXAS.
THE PLAN ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM AS WELL.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A CUP TO OPERATE A PUBLIC SCHOOL.
THE LAND USE CHART REQUIRES A CONDITION USE PERMIT.
THEREFORE, CONDITION USE PERMIT IS NEEDED TO COMPLY WITH CITY ORDINANCE.
THE PROPOSED CUP IS CONSISTENT WITH GOAL FIVE.
MAKE SANTO THE MOST LIVABLE CITY IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY.
THE PROPOSED PUBLIC SCHOOL WOULD PROVIDE AN EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY SERVING FACILITY THAT SUPPORTS THE CITY QUALITY OF LIFE AND PROVIDE SERVICES TO AREA RESIDENTS.
SEE, THAT'S ANOTHER ONE, RIGHT? WE'RE GONNA BUILD A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR SCHOOL AND THEN FIVE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, SOMEONE DOESN'T LIKE A PRIVATELY FUNDED SCHOOL AND PULLS THE CUP.
AND THEN WE HAVE AN EMPTY BUILDING.
I MEAN, I'M SURE THERE'S SOME LEGAL PARAMETERS AND WE CAN'T JUST DO THAT, BUT I'VE SEEN CRAZIER THINGS.
UM, I, UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION OR QUESTIONS? A MOTION TO APPROVE.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ.
[3. Consideration and possible action to approve a variance to the 15’ Utility Easement requirement for a proposed one lot subdivision known as Peralez Farms Subdivision, bearing a Legal Description of: A One (1.000) acre tract of land, more or less, out of Block Sixty-Five (65), San Benito Land and Water Company, Cameron County, Texas as per map or plat thereof recorded in Volume 1, Page 6, Map Records, Cameron County Texas. Applicants: Josue and Eunice Peralez.]
MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE.WHY NOT? UM, WE'LL LET YOU FINISH UP, MONICA.
CONSIDERATION OF POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE A VARIANCE TO THE 15 FOOT UTILITY EASEMENT REQUIREMENT FOR PROPOSED ONE LOT SUBDIVISION KNOWN AS LES FARM SUBDIVISION.
UH, BEARING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF A ONE ACRE TRACK OF LAND, MORE OR LESS.
OUT OF BLOCK 65 SANTO LAND AND WATER COMPANY.
THE APPLICANT'S ARE JOSE AND UNES.
THE PLAN AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO DEVELOP A ONE LOT SUBDIVISION FOR RESIDENTIAL USE.
IT'S LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN BENITO'S, ETJ.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A VARIANCE TO PROVIDE ONLY A 15 FOOT UTILITY EASEMENT NEAR THE FRONTAGE OF THE PROPERTY AND TO WAIVE THE REQUIREMENT FOR 15 UTILITY, 15 FOOT UTILITY EASEMENT AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE BLOCK AS SHOWN ON THE ATTACHED PLAT SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE.
SECTION TEN TWO ELEVEN STATES, THESE UTILITY EASEMENTS SHALL BE 15 FEET IN WIDTH AND SHALL BE CONTINUOUS FOR THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE BLOCK.
THESE EASEMENTS SHALL BE PARALLEL AS CLOSELY TO POSSIBLE TO THE STREET LINE FRONTAGE OF THE BLOCK.
THERE SHALL BE NO DEAD END UTILITY EASEMENTS PERMITTED.
THE REQUESTED VARIANCE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE CITY OF SANTO'S.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, PARTICULARLY GOAL FIVE, MAKE SAN BERNARDINO THE MOST LIVABLE CITY AND THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY, WHICH RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES AND APPROPRIATE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CITY'S ETG COMMISSIONERS.
ANY QUESTIONS? WHERE'S THIS LOCATED AT? THIS IS JUST OUTSIDE OUR CITY LIMITS, BUT WITHIN OUR ONE MILE ETJ ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
THIS IS OFF OF F FM 1800 AND SAN HOUSTON.
ANY QUESTIONS? IF NOT, DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION.
MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TEMP NOVATO.
[00:45:01]
AYE.UH, MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
[4. First Reading of Ordinance Number 2252-BN-100626, an Ordinance Extending the Corporate Limits of the City of San Benito by Annexing, a Portion of Land Bearing a Legal Description of: Being 3.33 Acres of Land Out of a 6.17 Acre Tract Out of Lots 9 and 10, Block 83, San Benito Land and Water Company Subdivision, Concepcion de Carricitos Grant, Recorded in Volume 1, Page 25, Map Records of Cameron County, Texas; Binding the Land to all the Acts, Ordinances, Resolutions, and Regulations of the City; Approving an Annexation Services Agreement and Service Plan; Providing for Severability; and Providing an Effective Date.]
MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR.PLAN MANAGER REPRESENTING THE ITEM.
THIS IS THE FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 2252 BN 1 0 6 2 6.
AN ORDINANCE EXTENDING THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE CITY OF SANTO BY ANNEXING A PORTION OF LAND BEARING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF BEING 3.33 ACRES OF LAND OUT OF A SIX POINT 17 ACRE TRACT OF LOTS.
NINE 10 BLOCK 83 SANTO LAND AND WATER COMPANY SUBDIVISION.
UM, THE APPLICANT IS AL THIS IS THE FIRST READING NO ACTION.
THE REQUESTED ANNEXATION IS BEING PROPOSED IN ANTICIPATION OF FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY.
ANNEXATION OF THE REMAINING 3.33 ACRES WOULD BRING THE ENTIRE 6.17 ACRE TRACT UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY OF SAN BENITO AND ALLOW THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY AND TO BE REVIEWED AND REGULATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE CITY ORDINANCES, DEVELOPMENT, REGULATIONS, AND LAND USE REQUIREMENTS.
THE PROPOSED VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION SUPPORTS GOAL FIVE BY FACILITATING THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF PROPERTY THAT IS ALREADY PARTIALLY LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF SANTO.
ANNEXATION OF THE REMAINING 3.33 ACRES COULD BRING THE ENTIRE SIX POINT 17 ACRE TRACT UNDER CITY JURISDICTION, ALLOWING FUTURE DEVELOPMENT TO BE REVIEWED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CITY'S APPLICABLE LAND USE INFRASTRUCTURE AND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS.
THIS PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CITY'S OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE AND ORDERLY GROWTH.
COMMISSIONERS, DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE A MOTION.
BUT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, I'M HERE.
I'M, I SHOULDN'T SAY THAT I WAS BAD.
WELL, UM, CHIEF, JUST A SECOND.
CAN I MOVE ITEM NUMBER? WHERE ARE WE?
[9. Consideration and possible action to approve the Hotel Occupancy Tax Advisory Board’s recommendation to provide Hotel Occupancy Tax funding to the Texas Conjunto Music Hall of Fame and Museum for the Inaugural Conjunto Hall of Fame Music Festival and 22nd Annual Induction Awards, scheduled for November 20–21, 2026. ]
NUMBER NINE.IT'S, UH, CARLOS ENA, CITY MANAGER PRESENTING THIS ITEM.
IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION TO MOVING NINE UP? MR. ENA? YES.
UH, THE, UH, TEXAS CONJUNTO MUSIC HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM, UM, REQUESTED A HOT HOTEL OCCUPANCY TEXT FUNDING TO SUPPORT ITS INAUGURAL CONJUNTO HALL OF FAME MUSIC FESTIVAL AND THE 22ND ANNUAL INDUCTION AWARDS, WHICH IS SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 20TH THROUGH THE 21ST OF THIS YEAR.
UH, AFTER REVIEWING THE REQUEST AT HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX ADVISORY BOARD, UH, IS RECOMMENDING TO THE CITY COMMISSION, UH, AN AMOUNT OF $5,000, UH, FROM THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUNDING, UM, CONTINGENT UPON THE CITY RECEIVING EXTRA EXPENDITURES IN SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION FOR DIRECT MARKETING AND PROMOTION MATERIALS DISTRIBUTED OUTSIDE THE CITY OF SAN BENITO.
UM, UH, THIS IS INTENDED TO SUPPORT THE EVENTS EFFORTS TO ATTRACT OUT OF TOWN VISITORS AND PROMOTE SAN BENITO AS A CULTURAL TOURISM DESTINATION.
AND THAT'S, THIS IS AT THE MEETING THAT WAS HELD YESTERDAY.
WHAT, WHAT WAS THE AMOUNT? $5,000.
AND THIS IS OUT OF THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUNDS, RIGHT? YES.
DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? DO I HAVE A MOTION? HOT HOT FUNDS ARE THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY OCCUPANCY TAX REVENUES.
SO THESE ARE JUST ADVERTISEMENT FOR ADVERTISEMENT DOLLARS, CORRECT? YES, SIR.
THIS IS JUST FOR THE PROGRAMMING, THE ADVERTISING, YES.
A MOTION MOTION BY COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ GONZALEZ.
AND DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CORTEZ.
MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE THE $5,000 FOR THE 22ND ANNUAL INDUCTION AWARDS AND THE INAUGURAL JUNTO HALL OF FAME MUSIC FESTIVAL SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 20TH, THE 21ST.
[5. Consideration and possible action to authorize the Mayor to execute a Master Use Agreement with the Cameron County Emergency Communication District (CCECD) for the Use of the CodeRED Emergency Notification System through the City’s Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), providing mass emergency notifications and critical public safety information to San Benito residents during emergencies and other situations affecting public safety. ]
MOVE BACK TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE, POLICE CHIEF MARIO PERELLA PRESENTING THIS ITEM.UH, CHIEF'S NOT HERE TODAY, SO YOU GET CAPTAIN CORTEZ
UM, GOOD EVENING MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS MAYOR PRO TEM
[00:50:01]
MICHAEL CORTEZ, CAPTAIN SANITA POLICE DEPARTMENT.FOR THE RECORD, UH, THIS ITEM IS, UH, IS BEING PRESENTED, UH, BEFORE YOU, IS FOR THE MAYOR TO ENTER AN, AN AGREEMENT FOR THE CITY, UH, TO UTILIZE THE CODE RED EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM.
THIS CAN BE USED TO QUICKLY NOTIFY RESIDENTS OF EMERGENCIES SUCH AS, UH, SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS, FLOODING, EVACUATION NOTICES, AND MISSING OR ENDANGERED PERSONS.
UH, FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, AND JUST, UH, ABOUT ANY SITUATION WHERE QUICK INFO DISSEMINATION IS IMPORTANT.
THIS AGREEMENT COMES TO THE CITY AT NO COST.
THE CAMERON COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION DISTRICT WILL BE FUNDING THE SERVICE AS PART OF ITS COUNTYWIDE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION EFFORTS, AND THEY'LL ALSO PROVIDE TRAINING TO OUR COMMUNICATION SPECIALISTS, UH, TO BECOME MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE SYSTEM AND SEND NOTIFICATIONS WHEN NEEDED.
THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES THE CITY WITH ANOTHER IMPORTANT TOOL FOR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, AND AGAIN, COMES TO THE CITY AT NO COST.
UH, STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE CAMERON COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION DISTRICT TO UTILIZE THE CODE RED EARLY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS? NO.
THANK YOU CAPTAIN AND CHIEF, UH, FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM FORWARD.
ANY COMMISSIONER SAYS IT LOOKS VERY BENEFICIAL TO THE CITY.
MOTION TO APPROVE BY COMMISSIONER CORTEZ.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ.
[6. Consideration and possible action to authorize the Mayor to sign a five-year Renewal Agreement with SmartCom Telephone, LLC for the San Benito Police Department's internet service.]
AROUND.ITEM NUMBER SIX, CONSIDERING, UH, CAPTAIN CORTEZ PRESENTING THIS ITEM, SIR.
SO THIS IS A RENEWAL AGREEMENT WITH SMART COM.
UH, THIS WILL PROVIDE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH FASTER AND MORE RELIABLE INTERNET SERVICE, WHILE ALSO SAVING THE CITY, UH, MONEY EACH MONTH.
CURRENTLY, UH, WE UTILIZE SMART COM.
THEY PROVIDE A DIRECT CONNECTION OF INTERNET SERVICE TO THE PD AT A HUNDRED MVPS, UH, AND AS A RECOMMENDATION FROM OUR IT DEPARTMENT, THE NEW AGREEMENT WOULD PROVIDE US WITH, UH, 500 MBPS FOR $699 A MONTH.
AND THAT WOULD BE FOR A FIVE YEAR TERM.
UH, WE CURRENTLY PAY $635 A MONTH FOR THE A HUNDRED MBPS, UH, UH, RATING.
THIS WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS FOR OUR CURRENT SPECTRUM, UH, FROM OUR CURRENT SPECTRUM SERVICE WITH THE CITY THAT'S USED AS A BACKUP, UH, WHICH COSTS THE CITY $1,025 AND 54 CENTS MONTHLY.
AND THAT IS ALSO AT A HUNDRED MBPS.
IT DOES NOT, AND WE DO NOT HAVE A CONTRACT IN PLACE WITH THEM.
WE DID ALSO RECEIVE PRICING FROM AT AND T FOR A 500 MVPS SERVICE.
THEY OFFERED IT AT $898 AND 57 CENTS, UH, PER MONTH FOR A ONLY A THREE YEAR AGREEMENT.
SO WITH THAT SAVINGS, UH, FROM, WITH THE NEW SERVICE, UH, FROM SMART COM, IT WOULD ALLOW THE, THE PD TO, UH, DESIGNATE A DIRECT BACKUP INTERNET SERVICE CONNECTION AS WELL.
AND WE WOULD, UH, WE WERE OPTING TO, UH, USE OUR CURRENT CELL PHONE PROVIDER, WHICH IS T-MOBILE, UH, TO PROVIDE A FAIL SAFE, UH, BACKUP IN THE FORM OF A INTERNET CONNECTION, UH, VIA STARLINK.
THIS WOULD ALLOW THE PD CONTINUE TO CONTINUE CRITICAL OPERATIONS IN THE EVENT THAT PRIMARY INTERNET SERVICE GOES DOWN.
UH, WE'VE ATTACHED THE PROPOSALS FROM ALL THREE PROVIDERS IN YOUR AGENDA PACKETS.
AN UPDATED PROPOSAL WAS REQUESTED FROM SPECTRUM, BUT AS OF TODAY, UH, THEY HAVE NOT SENT ONE TO US.
SO, UM, AGAIN, WE CURRENTLY PAY 635 A MONTH.
IT'S JUST AN INCREASE TO $699 A MONTH FOR A FOUR TIMES GREATER, UH, MVPS RATING.
AND WITH THE ADDITION OF STARLINK, UH, WITH THOSE TWO TOGETHER, WE WOULD PAY A TOTAL OF 1051 50 A MONTH.
AND CURRENTLY WITH SMART COMMENT SPECTRUM, WE PAY $1,660 AND 54 CENTS.
SO WE'D BE SAVING, UM, SOME MONEY MONTH TO MONTH.
CAPTAIN, IS THIS A DIRECT LINE? ARE WE THE ONLY ONES ON THE LINE? YES.
SO THE PD CURRENTLY HAS UTILIZES A DIRECT LINE FROM SMART COM IN THE EVENT THAT SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO THAT DIRECT LINE OR, OR SERVICES IS SHUT DOWN.
UH, WE USE BACKUP THROUGH, UH, SPECTRUM.
NOW, SPECTRUM IS NOT A GUARANTEED INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER.
SO THE STARLINK WOULD PROVIDE US A, UH, UH, A WAY TO MAINTAIN OPERATIONS, UH, CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND OPERATIONS, UH, THROUGHOUT EVEN, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, INTERNET OUTAGES.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S ITS OWN FAIL SAFE TYPE SYSTEM THAT WOULD GIVE US THAT, UH, THAT ABILITY TO RUN OUR, OUR OPERATIONS.
UH, WITH NO INTERRUPTION, I WANNA THANK THE STAFFER GOING BACK AND TAKING A LOOK AT THIS AND GETTING SOME QUOTES.
UM, STAY CONSISTENT WITH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE DOING OUR
[00:55:01]
DUE DILIGENCE AND GETTING MULTIPLE VENDORS TO TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF OUR SERVICES.ALTHOUGH I STILL THINK THE RATE IS PRETTY HIGH AND I THINK WE HAVE, ARE NOT GETTING, UM, THE BEST SERVICE.
UH, 500 MEGABYTES PER SECOND SHOULD BE UNHEARD OF IN THIS GENERATION.
UM, THAT JUST SPEAKS TO THE, UM, THE GROWTH THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY AND THE REGION.
WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE LOOKING AT TALKING ABOUT 10 GIGS AND FIVE GIGS ALREADY, AND WE'RE STILL AT MEGABYTES, WHICH CRAZY TO ME, BUT WHAT CAN WE DO? FRANCHISE FEES, I DON'T KNOW.
ASK SOME PEOPLE TO COME THROW SOME MORE LINES.
HOW DO WE GET THEM HERE? WE HAVE BEEN RUNNING OFF THAT A HUNDRED MBPS SYSTEM AND, AND I MEAN IT FROM TIME TO TIME IT DOES FAIL.
IS IT BECAUSE YOU'RE USING, DO YOU WHAT I'M WONDERING WHY THE RATE IS SO HIGH FOR COMMERCIAL.
LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, FOR MYSELF, I PAY A HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR THREE PHONES AND ONE GIG OF INTERNET, AND YES, IT GOES DOWN, BUT THAT'S WHEN AEP IS WORKING ON THE POWER LINES.
THEY'RE JUST, THAT JUST HAPPENS, RIGHT? SO NOW PEOPLE ARE MO MOVING TO, UH, DIRECT FIBER UNDERGROUND SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE THOSE ISSUES.
AND THEN STARLINK IS A SATELLITE.
UH, BUT IT'S JUST, I JUST FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING THERE, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH.
ANY QUESTIONS, CAPTAIN? SO IS THIS KIND OF LIKE, WELL, I MEAN, YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW, BUT UM, 'CAUSE I KNOW MILITARY USES SOME TYPE ALSO, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I MEAN, THEY HAVE TO STAY ALL ON ALL THE TIME.
IS IT SOMETHING CLOSE TO WHAT THEY USE? UH, DO YOU KNOW BY ANY CHANCE? SO, YEAH, UM, AS THE MAYOR WAS MENTIONING, UH, STARLINK IS A DIFFERENT TYPE OF INTERNET CONNECTION WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PRETTY MUCH GUARANTEED SERVICE EVEN WHEN, UH, WIRED CONNECTIONS, UH, FAIL.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND GETTING IT FROM T-MOBILE AT A, AT A DECENT PRICE, AND WE'D STILL BE SAVING THE MONEY WITH THE TWO AS COMPARED TO WHAT WE'RE PAYING NOW.
UH, WE SAW IT AS A, AS A, A GREAT, GREAT SOLUTION TO THE CURRENT SYSTEM WHERE IF SMART COM GOES DOWN, WE HAVE TO CONTACT OUR IT, THEN THEY HAVE TO PHYSICALLY COME DO SOME SWITCHES.
AND SO THERE'S A SERVICE INTERRUPTION AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE, THAT TIME IS, IS, IS CRITICAL WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH, UH, EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
SO THIS WOULD, THIS WOULD, UH, ALLOW US TO, UH, CONTINUE OPERATIONS WITH WITHOUT THE INTERRUPTION IS I JUST FEEL LIKE THERE'S SO MUCH CONNECTIVITY, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, I HAVE PROBABLY OVER A HUNDRED DEVICES ON MY INTERNET,
I HAVE SMART SWITCHES, SMART LIGHT BULBS, SMART DOOR LOCKS, EVERYTHING.
AND I WOULD IMAGINE THE PD IS MOVING TO MORE CONNECTIVITY WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT A MOBILE APP AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I, I'M, THE ONLY THING THAT CONCERNS ME ABOUT THIS IS THE FIVE YEAR, YOU KNOW, DO WE LOCK OURSELVES INTO, LET'S SAY, ALL OF A SUDDEN, BECAUSE OF ALL THE GROWTH, AND THIS MAP WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE, RIGHT? NORTHWEST REGION IS GETTING ALL THE GROWTH AND THAT'S RIGHT AROUND THE POLICE STATION AND WE WEREN'T ABLE TO, TO GET BETTER CONNECTIVITY THERE.
IT'S JUST, I JUST CAN'T WRAP MY MIND AROUND THAT.
I MEAN, FOR THE MOST PART, FOR, FOR WHAT WE, AND, AND YOU HAD THE EXPANSION OF OSCAR WILLIAMS ROAD WITH THE CAMERON COUNTY REGIONAL MOBILITY AUTHORITY, AND THEY DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T WORK TOGETHER TO SAY, HEY, FOR THE MOST PART, FOR, FOR THE THINGS THAT WE UTILIZE ON, ON A DAY-TO-DAY, UH, AT THE PD, UM, THE CONNECTION THAT WE HAVE, UH, IS ABLE TO SUSTAIN, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT WE'RE USING IT FOR.
UM, BUT IN THE EVENT THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, WEATHER OUTAGES OR YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY ACCIDENTALLY BREAKS A LINE OR SOMETHING, UM, WE HAVE TO GO TO THAT BACKUP SYSTEM.
BUT, UH, FOR THE MOST PART, FOR WHAT WE USE IT FOR, UM, INTERNET AT THE PD COMMUNICATIONS, UH, UH, CENTER, AND, UM, CONNECTIVITY WITH OUR MDTS AND THINGS OF THAT SORT, UH, IT'S BEEN WORKING FINE FOR US.
UH, IT DOESN'T LAG OR, OR WE DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES OF, OF THAT SORT.
WAS, WAS THERE ANY SHORTER TERMS? THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION IS ARE WE LOOKING AT AN ISSUE HERE? DID WE SPECIFICALLY ASK FOR A FIVE YEAR TERM? UM, I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S, IT IS THROUGH A TIPS PURCHASING CONTRACT.
SO YEAH, I, I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT THEY OFFERED.
I KNOW THE STARLINK AGREEMENT WOULD BE A THREE, THREE YEAR COMPARED TO, I WOULD OFFER THAT TOO.
'CAUSE IN FIVE YEARS THINGS CHANGE VERY QUICKLY.
YEAH, AND I WAS GONNA SAY, I MEAN, AS YOU KNOW, I MEAN, NOTHING IS GETTING CHEAPER IN TODAY'S DAY AND AGE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD ANTICIPATE, YOU KNOW, PRICING TO, TO GO UP, UH, IN THE FUTURE.
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IN THIS SPACE THOUGH, I THINK YOU ARE GETTING CHEAPER.I USED TO PAY 150 BUCKS FOR INTERNET AND IT WAS WORSE THAN WHAT I'M GETTING NOW, A GIG.
IT WAS A HUNDRED MEGABYTES THAN 500 MEGABYTES.
AND THEN MY DAD WAS GETTING QUOTED FOR 10 MEGABYTES.
I SAID, WHAT, 10 MEGABYTES? WHO'S STILL QUOTING THAT STUFF? AND IT'S ONE OF THE NICE NEWER NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY, UM, BEHIND WALMART, RIGHT? THE OLD, UH, SOUTHERN COMFORT.
AND NOW THEY'VE ADDED SOME NEW CONNECTIVITY THROUGH AT AND T AND SPECTRUM.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF, EVEN WITH T-MOBILE IN THIS SPACE NOW AND STARLINK, THERE'S A LOT OF COMPETITION.
AND THAT'S THE GOOD THING ABOUT, UM, COMPETITION AND CAPITALISM.
THESE, THESE ORGANIZATIONS START TO COMPETE FOR YOUR BUSINESS.
YOU KNOW, SPECTRUM'S KNOCKING ON MY DOOR AND WE'LL GIVE YOU $30 A MONTH FOR A GIG IF YOU SIGN UP RIGHT NOW, OF COURSE I'LL SIGN UP FOR TWO YEARS.
THAT MAY BE BE FOR THE, UH, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTIAL TYPE SERVICES.
THERE'S A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT FACTORS HERE.
UM, BUT THIS LOOKS LIKE UPLOAD AND DOWNLOAD.
I JUST, AND MAYBE I'M CONCERNED WITH THE FIVE YEAR, IF WE COULD DO A REDUCED JUST IN, 'CAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW THAT NORTHWEST REGION IS GROWING SO FAST, I FEEL LIKE COST TO GET OUT THE CONTRACT.
LEMME SEE, LEMME REVIEW THE TERMS. IS THERE, IS THERE, UM, A CLAUSE IN THERE FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, FREE UPGRADES TO IF THE, IF THE SPEEDS INCREASED, DO WE GET THE FREE UPGRADE TO THE HIGHER SPEED? I KNOW, BUT WE WERE LOCKED IN FOR FIVE YEARS, SO IF IT INCREASES, WE SHOULD GET AUTOMATIC UPGRADE.
UH, OR IS THERE, UM, IF THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE QUOTE OR IN THE, IN THE PROPOSAL THAT SAYS IF IT NO LONGER SUITS US, WE CAN GET OUT.
I UNFORTUNATELY, THE QUOTE GIGABIT FIBER CAME IN RECENTLY, YOU KNOW, VTX, THERE'S SO MANY COMPANIES, I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THIS IS ALL WE'RE WORKING WITH
YEAH, AND, AND LIKE I SAID, SMARTLINE DOES OFFER THAT DIRECT CONNECTION TO US AS FAR AS, UH, YOUR QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER, I, I CAN GO BACK AND RESEARCH AND, AND PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO YOU, BUT, UH, I JUST DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW, SIR.
I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT SPECTRA COMES BACK WITH.
I MEAN, I KNOW, I MEAN, HOW LONG AGO DID IT GET SUBMITTED? THEY DIDN'T RESPOND.
BUT HOW LONG AGO WAS IT THAT THAT WAS SUBMITTED? UM, I BELIEVE, LEMME SEE.
MOST OF THESE BUSINESSES DON'T WANT, THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO LEAVE.
I BELIEVE THIS WAS, THIS WAS THE LAST TIME THAT, UM, I BELIEVE IT WAS TWO MEETINGS AGO WHEN, WHEN Y'ALL HAD THE QUESTIONS, UH, FOR CHIEF.
SO, UM, I KNOW CHIEF REQUESTED IT, UM, SINCE LAST MEETING.
BUT WE USE THE CURRENT, UH, BILL FROM A SPECTRUM TO USE THAT AS A QUOTE BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T TYPICALLY, UM, IT'S NOT LIKE A RESIDENTIAL.
THEY'VE ALREADY HAVE US AS A CUSTOMER.
THEY TELL YOU GO TO CUSTOMER SERVICE, WHICH WE DID AND WE'RE STILL WAITING TO HEAR, UH, FROM THEM.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THE TERMS AND CONDITION, I'M, I'M, I'M TRYING TO FIND, UM, IF THERE'S, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE CAN PROBABLY MAKE IT AT A SHORTER TIME.
UM, WHAT I DO SEE, IT'S THAT THE RATE COMPARE THE RATES WITH THE OTHER TWO WITH AT AND T.
'CAUSE AT T OFFER TWO OPTIONS OFFER 250 AND 500, UM, COMPARABLE TO SMART 500 AND SPECTRUM, WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, IT'S 250.
UM, I DOWN QUOTED IT ON THAT ON THAT, UM, COMPARISON THERE FOR 36, WHICH IS WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS QUOTING.
SO IF WE DO THE 36 MONTH TERM, WHICH THEY'RE NOT OFFERING, THEY'RE OFFERING THE FIVE YEARS, IT'S 25,000 164 COMPARED TO THE OTHER ONES.
SO IT'S THE CHEAPEST OPTION IF YOU USE THE TERMS THAT EVERYBODY'S USING.
IT HELP US BECAUSE THAT ALLOWS US TO KEEP THAT SAME RATE IF RATES WERE TO GO UP FOR FIVE YEARS.
BUT IF THERE'S SOME BETTER, UM, AND WHAT, 'CAUSE I, I TALKED TO CHIEF ABOUT THIS.
I, I, I ASSISTED HIM TO PUT IN THE PROPOSALS BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE LONG PROPOSALS FOR, FOR INTERNET.
UM, LAST THING WE WANT IS, UH, AT AND T PUT A THING SAYING, OH, TERMS CHANGE NOW WE'RE GONNA INCREASE YOUR RATE.
SO WE LOOK IT, LOOK IT UP FAIRLY.
AND WHAT WE FIND OUT, IT'S, YOU HAVE SMART AS YOUR, AS YOUR SET LINE FOR INTERNET.
AND IT GOES BACK TO WHAT MR. UM, PEREZ JUST MENTIONED.
I'M NOT TOO SURE WHAT MILITARY HAS, BUT IT PROBABLY HAS REDUNDANCY AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS, UM, LOOKING FOR.
SO WE WANNA GET SMART TO BE LIKE A SET DE IS INSTEAD OF SPECTRUM RIGHT NOW THAT IT'S BEEN LACKING A LOT AND THE PRICE, WE WILL GET LESS WHAT SMART WILL GIVE US FOR THE SAME PRICE OR A LITTLE BIT MORE.
[01:05:01]
'CAUSE SPECTRUM OFFERS TWO 50 SMART IS GONNA GIVE US 500.I KNOW WE'RE NOT UP THERE, BUT IT'S WHAT THEY'RE WILLING TO OFFER TO US.
UM, SO LATER DOWN THE ROAD, WHAT CHIEF, UH, MR. PERILLA WANTED TO IMPLEMENT IS TO HAVE SOME REDUNDANCY THROUGH T-MOBILE STARLINK.
SO IF MARK WAS TO GO DOWN, STARLINK WILL KICK IN.
AND THAT, UM, UM, LIKE I, LIKE I MENTIONED, I'M NOT TOO SURE WHAT THEY USE, BUT IT'S SOME SORT OF REDUNDANCY THAT THE PD DESPERATELY NEEDS, UH, TO BE ONLINE AT ALL TIMES.
I, I, I KNOW FIVE YEARS MIGHT SEEM LIKE IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME, BUT BELIEVE ME, WE'VE BEEN WITH SPECTRUM LONGER THAN THAT AND IT'S BEEN AN ON AND OFF THING.
SO, UM, I, UM, I THINK STAFF WILL RECOMMEND APPROVAL JUST BECAUSE IT'S AN IMPROVEMENT TO US AND WILL ALLOW US TO KEEP THAT RATE.
UM, I WANNA SAY IT'S LIKE NOT A FUTURE PROBLEM, BUT IF WE SEE THAT SMART, IT'S NOT RELIABLE OR IT'S NOT ACTING WHAT IT IS, MAYBE WE CAN BRING UP LEGAL THEN IN MAYBE 36 MONTHS LIKE THE OTHER ONES AND SEE HEY, THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT PROVIDING WHAT THEY SAY THEY WILL, UM, AND SEE HOW THAT'S GONNA COST.
I DOUBT THEY WILL HAVE, THEY WILL MAKE US PAY THE WHOLE THING.
IT'S USUALLY, WELL, I, I TRY TO FIND IT.
I CANNOT FIND IT, BUT IT'S USUALLY 30 DAYS.
SO MAYBE WE CAN, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND THEN SEE IF LEGAL CAN, CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT, SEE WHAT, WHAT WILL BE YOUR WAY OUT, MAYBE UNDER THAT CONDITION.
I'M NOT TOO SURE, BUT, UM, I HOPE THAT THAT HELPED 'CAUSE I DID, UM, WORK WITH CHIEF ON THIS ONE, SO, UM, IT WAS REALLY DETAILED.
I AM GONNA MOTION TO APPROVE THE SMART COMM CONTRACT WITH THE, THE PROVISION THAT, UH, WE GET LEGAL TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S AN OUT FOR US AND, UH, AND THAT EVERYTHING IS, IS BENEFITING US.
I HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CORTEZ.
SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TEMP NOVATO.
MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY FOR, UH, LEGAL APPROVAL PENDING LEGAL REVIEW.
[7. Consideration and possible action to authorize the Mayor to sign Joint Resolution Number 2026-0915-001(R) with Cameron County to participate in and adopt an Interjurisdictional Emergency Management Plan, establishing a coordinated framework for emergency preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts among jurisdictions. ]
ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.ITEM NUMBER SEVEN IS A JOINT RESOLUTION AGENDA ITEM.
UM, TEXAS CITIES ARE SHIFTING THEIR EMERGENCY PLANS TO EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTION, UH, ESF MODELS INSTEAD OF, UH, TRADITIONAL STANDALONE ANNEXES TO ALIGN 'EM WITH STATE AND FEDERAL STRUCTURES, CREATING A COMMON OPERATIONAL LANGUAGE FOR FASTER, UH, DISASTER RESPONSE.
IN TEXAS, LOCAL JURISDICTIONS HAVE TIMELINE TO COMPLETE THIS TRANSITION.
IT BEGAN ON MAY 26TH OF THIS YEAR, AND THE OFFICIAL DEADLINES ARE SET BY, UH, T DM OR THE TEXAS DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND THEY'RE DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS, UH, FROM IN NOVEMBER, 2027.
CITIES MUST UPDATE THEIR BASIC, UH, PLAN THEIR THEIR CORE BASIC PLAN AND OUTLINE THEIR INITIAL ES, UH, ALIGNMENTS.
AND ON NOVEMBER, 2028, WHICH IS A 30 MONTH DEADLINE, CITIES MUST FULLY TRANSITION ALL THEIR TRADITIONAL LETTERED ANNEXES OVER TO THE STANDARDIZED EMERGENCY SUPPORT, UH, FUNCTION FORMAT.
SEVERAL CITIES THROUGHOUT CAMERON COUNTY HAVE ALREADY ELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CAMERON COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIVISION'S EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTION MODEL.
UH, CHIEF PADEA RECENTLY MET WITH CAMERON COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR, TOM HUSEN, TO DISCUSS THE PROGRAM AND SAN POTENTIAL PARTICIPATION.
DURING THE MEETING COORDINATOR HUTCHIN PROVIDED, UH, CHIEF PERE WITH A JOINT RESOLUTION TEMPLATE THAT HAS BEEN USED AND APPROVED BY OTHER CITIES IN CAMERON COUNTY AND THAT HAVE ELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COUNTYWIDE ESF MODEL BY ADOPTING THE JOINT RESOLUTION, THE CITY OF SAN NATO WOULD FORMALLY JOIN THE PROGRAM AND COORDINATED SOME EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT EFFORTS WITH CAMERON COUNTY AND PARTICIPATING MUNICIPALITIES.
PARTICIPATION IN THE ESF MODEL WILL PROVIDE, UH, THE CITY WITH A MORE COORDINATED APPROACH TO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS RESPONSE AND RECOVERY DURING DISASTERS AND OTHER SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS.
IT'LL ALSO HELP US TO ESTABLISH CLEAR LINES OF COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATED, UH, COORDINATION BETWEEN, UH, CITY OF SANTO AND THE CAMERON COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIVISION.
UH, STAFF IS, UH, RECOMMENDED APPROVAL.
THANK YOU, CAPTAIN COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? DO HAVE A MOTION? A MOTION? MOTION? AYE.
COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ? DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CORTEZ.
[8. Consideration and possible action to approve the road closure request and special parking request for the Saint Theresa Catholic Church Fall Festival to be held on October 3, 2026 and October 4, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. a. Caoba Street from Combes Street to Paseo Union Street b. Encino Street from Combes Street to Paseo Union Street c. Parking at Falligant Park]
UNANIMOUSLY.ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, CAPTAIN CORTEZ PRESENTING THE ITEM.
THIS ITEM IS JUST, UM, A REQUEST FROM ST.
TERESA CATHOLIC CHURCH TO, UH, RUN AND OPERATE THEIR, UH, FALL FESTIVAL.
IT'S GONNA BE HELD ON OCTOBER 3RD OF THIS YEAR AND, AND ALSO EXTEND TO OCTOBER 4TH.
UH, THE, UH, HOURS OF OPERATION ARE FROM 5:00 PM TO 10:00 PM THEY'RE REQUESTING SOME ROAD CLOSURES AS THEY DO, UH, EACH YEAR.
[01:10:01]
UH, THAT'S GONNA BE FROM COBA STREET TO COMBS AND THEN DOWN TO PAAL UNION STREET, UH, ENCINO STREET FROM COMBS, UH, TO POEO UNION.AND THEN, UH, THEY'RE GONNA UTILIZE PARKING AT, UH, GAN PARK.
THEY, THEY USUALLY TAKE A SECTION OF THE, THE, UH, EAST SIDE OF THE PARK, UH, TO PARK SOME VEHICLES THERE.
COMMISSIONER, I HAVE A, ANY QUESTIONS? QUICK QUESTION.
SO HERE, IT STATES FROM FIVE TO 10, CORRECT? YES, SIR.
SCHEDULED TILL 10:00 PM SO THAT MEANS THAT STREETS WILL STILL BE CLOSED A LITTLE AFTER THAT, CORRECT? TILL 10:00 PM UM, ABOUT 10, 10 30, MAYBE 11.
I'M SURE THAT THERE'S, UH, STAFF OUT THERE THAT'S GONNA REMOVE BARRICADES AND THINGS OF THAT SORT WHEN, UH, UH, WHEN IT DOES END, I CAN HAVE, UH, PATROL OFFICERS GO OUT THERE AS WELL TO ENSURE THAT THE ROADS ARE OPEN AND FULLY FUNCTIONING, UH, AFTER THE, THE END OF THE, THE, UH, CEREMONY.
PROBABLY BE AN AN HOUR BEFORE.
AND IT'S BASICALLY THE, THE BLOCK THAT, UH, UH, YES.
THOSE ROADS ARE NOT VERY HEAVILY TRAVELED OR AT LEAST ONE OF 'EM BEHIND THE CHURCH.
UH, BUT, UH, BUT YEAH, IT'S THE SAME, UH, UH, REQUEST THAT THEY MAKE YEARLY.
SO THEY DO THIS EVERY YEAR AND IT'S THE SAME.
SELDOM WE'VE HAD ANY INCIDENTS OUT THERE.
LET'S JUST MAKE SURE TO, UM, LET THE RE SURROUNDING RESIDENTS KNOW THAT'LL BE AFFECTED.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CORTEZ.
SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TEMP NOVATO.
[10. Consideration and possible action to approve a Pilot Program for Smart Meters from Accurate Meter and Supply, in the amount of $25,250.00.]
MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 10.CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER PRESENTING THIS ITEM.
SENATOR FINALS DIRECTOR FOR THE RECORD.
SO I'M PRESENTING TO YOU, UM, CONSERVATION POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE A PO UH, PILOT PROGRAM FOR SMART METERS FROM ACCURATE METER AND SUPPLY IN THE AMOUNT OF $25,250.
UM, THE CITY IS PROPOSING TO STALL 50 METERS TO, UH, FOR US TO TEST OUT HOW, IF WE LIKE, HOW THOSE SMART METERS WORK.
UM, WE WANNA EV EVALUATE THE TECHNOLOGY, THE ACCURACY, THE RE RELIABILITY, THE CONNECTIVITY, AND THE OVERALL, SO, UH, SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE CITY WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.
UM, THE PILOT ALLOWS US TO COLLECT THE READINGS, UM, FROM THE OFFICE.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE TO BE SENDING ME THE READERS.
UM, THE, THE THOUGHT PROCESS WAS WE'RE GONNA DO IT TOO, OR, OR TYPICAL WHAT YOU SAY, TROUBLE READINGS.
BUT, BUT YES, THAT USUALLY THEY'RE, UH, BEHIND, UM, A FENCE AND WE DON'T GET TO IT.
OR THEY'RE, THEY HAVE USUALLY BEES IN IT OR LIKE, AT, THEY'RE HARD FOR US TO READ.
SO WE WANTED TO START WITH A PILOT TO SEE HOW THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
I PRESENTED THREE, UH, PROPOSALS, TWO OF THEM BEING, UH, BY AQUA METRIC FIBER OR TIPS, AQUA METRIC AND, UM, ACCURATE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT ON BUYBOARD, BUT THEY'RE ALSO OFFERED, TWO OF 'EM ARE, UM, BASED WITH, UM, IT'S CALLED, NOT NOT THROUGH CELLULAR, BUT RADIO.
AND THEN THE ONE THAT I'M PROPOSING IS THE ONE THROUGH CELLULAR.
UH, REASON BEING IT'S BECAUSE THOSE, THE OTHER TWO REQUIRE A PANEL THAT IT'S COSTLY AND YOU CAN SEE IT ON YOUR, ON YOUR, UM, ON YOUR PROPOSALS.
SO, UH, WE'RE GOING WITH THE ONE THAT OFFERS THE CELLULAR OPTION JUST FOR US TO IMPROVE A LITTLE BIT.
AND MAINLY I'M BRINGING IT TO YOU AT THIS, AT THE, AT THIS TIME BECAUSE, SO WE HAVE SOME FUNDS AVAILABLE IN OUR METER, UH, READING, UH, DEPARTMENT THAT WOULD NORMALLY WOULD USE TO BUY EQUIPMENT BY METERS.
UM, SO WE, I WANTED TO START GETTING THE NEWER EQUIPMENT INSTEAD OF KEEP ADDING TO OUR INVENTORY, THE OLD EQUIPMENT.
AND IF WE EVER DECIDE TO CHANGE IT, THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REPLACE THOSE THAT WE'RE INVESTING RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO, SO THOSE, THOSE ARE THE PROPOSALS.
THERE'S A LOT OF COMPONENT UNITS.
I TRY TO PUT AS MUCH INFORMATION TOGETHER.
ADDED THE THREE, UM, QUOTES WHERE THEY'RE REALLY DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE ON ITS OWN BECAUSE ONE IS CELLULAR, THE OTHER TWO ARE, UH, VIA RADIO.
UM, ONE OF THE OTHER, UM, I GUESS IMPORTANT THING TO MENTION, IT'S, UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OR SCADA SYSTEM, SEE IF THIS WILL BE COMPATIBLE IN THE MEANTIME THAT THEY'RE NOT, IT'S NEWER EQUIPMENT, NEWER METERS, AND, UM, WE
[01:15:01]
CAN, WE CAN READ IT REMOTELY.UM, THE PROGRAM THAT, THAT I'M, I'M PROPOSING, UM, HAS, UM, FOUR MONTHS FOR TRYOUT.
SO WE COULD GO AS LITTLE AS 50 METERS.
I THINK THE TOPS IS 250, BUT WE WANT TO GIVE IT A, JUST A, JUST A SHOT, RIGHT.
TO SEE IF WE ACTUALLY LIKE HOW IT WORKS.
UM, SO THEY, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE PAYING A FEE FOR THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS.
WE'RE JUST GONNA BE BUYING THE EQUIPMENT ITSELF AND WE'RE GONNA BUY, PAY THE INSTALLATION OF THOSE 50.
UM, I KNOW ALL OF THOSE THREE, UH, CAME TO, TO MY DEPARTMENT AND TO, WITH THE, WITH THE STAFF AND PRESENTED HOW THEY WERE IMPLEMENT THIS.
UM, TWO OF THEM ALREADY DID A PROPAGATION STUDY.
THIS IS THE ONLY ONE THAT ALLOWS US TO LIKE, PINPOINT DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CITY TO TRY IT AND TEST IT, SEE IF THE SIGNAL IT'S FAIR EVERYWHERE, BECAUSE THE OTHER TWO, THEY'RE, THEY'RE THROUGH, THROUGH, UH, RADIO, THROUGH THROUGH ANTENNAS.
SO THEY REQUIRE FOR US TO, UM, BUY SOME EQUIPMENT FOR ANTENNAS, BUY SOME PANELS.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY WE ARE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING, GIVING IT A TRY.
AND THEN WE WANTED TO USE OF COURSE, UH, FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
SO NEXT FISCAL YEAR WE HAVE ANOTHER AMOUNT AVAILABLE IF WE WANNA CONTINUE THE PROCESS.
UM, AND THEN WHAT ALSO ALLOWS US TO APPLY FOR MORE, UM, UH, IF THERE'S SOME GRANTS OUT THERE FOR US TO APPLY, WE'LL BE READY.
AND IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT, UH, WE CAN ALWAYS KEEP THE NEWER EQUIPMENT AND CONTINUE READING IT, DRIVING BY WITHOUT INVESTING IN THOSE, UM, AND THAT BIG INVESTMENT OF LIKE PANELS.
AND IT'S ALSO A LIABILITY FOR THE CITY BECAUSE IF THE PANEL WAS TO BREAK DOWN, WE WOULD HAVE TO ASK FOR MAINTENANCE, UH, FROM THE COMPANY.
AND THEN OF COURSE IT WILL COME WITH A CHARGE.
SO I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTION.
AND I HOPE I PROVIDED AS MUCH DETAIL BECAUSE IT WAS LENGTHY AND IT WAS A LOT
IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THE TOPICS THAT IT'S, IT'S EXTENSIVE.
IS IT, HOW ACCURATE IS THE METER AS FAR AS LIKE THE READING THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO ROLL A TRUCK TO GET A REREAD? THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION.
MY SECOND QUESTION IS, UM, WHAT'S THE WARRANTY ON THOSE METERS? UM, DO WE GET A FIVE YEAR, 10 YEAR WARRANTY? IT'S A 10 YEAR, THEY'RE 10 YEAR, UH, WARRANTY.
AND I, I BELIEVE IT'S ACROSS ALL THREE.
UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A 10 YEAR.
UM, WE HAVE METERS THAT ARE OLDER THAN THAT CURRENTLY.
AND THE, IT'S 0.10, LIKE A 10 OF A GALLON.
THAT'S GONNA BE THAT, THAT YOU MIGHT NOT BE ACCURATE, WHICH IS WAY HIGHER THAN WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
UM, THIS PROPOSAL READS THREE TIMES A DAY.
UH, AND WE CAN SET UP THE TIMES AND IT'LL SEND THE READING TO, UM, OR OFFICE.
UM, AND IT WORKS ON CELLULAR BASE.
AND THEN EVENTUALLY ONCE WE FINISH WITH THE FOUR MONTHS, UM, THEY'LL CHARGE US 97 CENTS PER METER TO READ IT.
SO ONCE WE'VE FINISHED WITH THE FOUR, INSTEAD OF BUYING THE PANELS, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA PAY THOSE 97 CENTS PER PER METER TO READ IT.
AND THEN WE CAN SET IT UP LIKE WE WANT FOR IT TO READ AT EIGHT, SEVEN IN THE MORNING, UH, NOON, AND THEN AT NIGHT.
UM, THIS ALSO COMES WITH A PORTAL.
IT'S CALLED I, IT, IT ALLOWS THE CITIZENS, AND THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE OFFERING FOR FREE FOR THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS.
AND THEN THE 97 CENTS PER METER INCLUDES THAT, UM, IT'S CALLED I, AND IT ALLOWS THE CITIZENS TO DOWNLOAD AN APP AND SEE THE ACTUAL METER AND WATER CONSUMPTION AND IT'LL, IF THEY SET IT UP CORRECTLY, UM, AND THEY'RE WILLING TO COME AND MAKE A PRESENTATION, UM, IF WE LIKE THE PRODUCT AND WE DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD, RIGHT.
UM, TO SHOW HOW YOU CAN LOOK THEM UP AND OR USE THAT TOOL.
LIKE LET'S SAY IF DURING THE NIGHT YOU'RE, YOU'RE SOME, YOU HAVE A LEAK AND YOUR RESTROOM IS RUNNING, IT'LL SEND YOU AN ALERT TO YOUR PHONE.
UM, EACH INDIVIDUAL WILL BE ON THE RESPONSIBILITY TO, TO DOWNLOAD THAT.
AND THE SOFTWARE ITSELF, IT'S, WELL, THE ONE THAT READS THE, THE, THE METERS.
AND WE'VE ALREADY TOUCHED BASE AS THEY'RE FULLY COMPATIBLE WITH OUR CURRENT BILLING.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW, I KNOW IT'S A SMALL, UH, AMOUNT.
WE HAVE 7,200 AND SOME ACCOUNTS, BUT IT'S A START FOR US TO START TRYING NEW TECHNOLOGY.
UM, THAT'S REALLY WHAT THIS IS AIMING FOR.
SO WE CAN, WE CAN LOWER US BUYING OLDER EQUIPMENT AND WE CAN, WE CAN START BUILDING OR INVENTORY ON NEWER EQUIPMENT.
'CAUSE REGARDLESS, NEXT YEAR WE'RE GONNA, IF THERE'S NEW HOMES, I'M GONNA BUY OLD DEVICES.
[01:20:01]
THESE PRICES THE SAME FOR THAT'S, THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WELL, WE FIRST WANNA TRY 'EM OUT AND THEN IF WE LIKE IT, THEN WE PROBABLY CAN MOVE FORWARD.IF, IF THE CASE IT IS, UM, UM, I KNOW WE DISCUSS IT WITH OUR, OUR ENGINEERS ARE DEALING WITH OUR SCADA UM, SYSTEM BECAUSE THERE'S A POSSIBILITY IT MIGHT BE, IT MIGHT INTEGRATE WITH IT.
UM, THEY RECOMMENDED AT, AT THAT TIME, IF WE DO LIKE IT AND WE'D LIKE TO, HEY, MOVE FORWARD OR SEEK SOME, UM, THERE WILL BE LIKE A FURTHER PROCUREMENT AND FURTHER STEPS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO MAKE SURE IT FALLS WITHIN THE SCADA.
UM, THIS PARTICULARLY, UH, IT'S, WE'RE TRYING TO GET IT FROM THE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE IN OUR UTILITIES ACCOUNT FOR METER READER, NOT THROUGH THROUGH FUNDING.
UM, MR. YANA, YOU WANNA ADD SOMETHING? I KNOW I, I EXPLAINED IT TO HIM MULTIPLE TIMES ALREADY TOO.
AS LONG THE, THAT'S WHY WE WANTED TO START SMALL.
'CAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE, WELL THEY, THEY, THEY CLAIM TO BE FULLY COMPATIBLE WITH OUR TYLER TECH AND THEY HAVE OTHER CITIES, UM, THAT THEY'VE DONE THIS FOR AND IT'S FULLY COMPATIBLE WITH IT.
YEAH, THIS AMOUNT THAT'S HERE, THIS IS JUST FOR THE DEVICE.
IT'S 50, UH, METERS OR I BELIEVE $405.
AND THEN, UH, A HUNDRED DOLLARS PER INSTALLATION WHILE INSTALLATION.
THEY'LL BE TRAINING OUR OWN STAFF TO INSTALL THEM.
IT'S NOT THAT MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE OF WHAT WE DO WITH OUR CURRENT ONES, BUT, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING TO INSTALL THOSE 50.
AND THIS IS FOR RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL DOESN'T MATTER.
RESIDENTIAL, THE COMMERCIAL WOULD COST MORE THE YES, THE METERS ARE DIFFERENT.
AND THEN THEY, THEY COST MORE AND THEN THEY ALSO HAVE OTHER ADDITIONAL TOOLS.
LIKE THEY HAVE DIFFERENT TYPE OF METERS.
AND THAT WOULD BE LIKE A BIGGER SCOPE OF WORK.
LIKE IF WE DECIDE TO, LIKE, IT'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE BIDDING PROCESS AND THEN SEE, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND DO THE WHOLE CITY.
UM, IT, THEY, SO THIS IT SAYS ONLY FOR RESIDENTIAL, BUT THEY HAVE OTHER DEVICES THAT THEY DO, UH, MOBILE DISCONNECT.
SO WE, THE BILLING OR THE CASHIERS CAN DISCONNECT RIGHT THERE AND THERE FROM THE OFFICE.
THIS ONE'S, THE ONES THAT WE HAVE.
THOSE WILL STILL REQUIRE WORK ORDERS, UM, TO GO AND RECONNECT AND DISCONNECT.
THE ONLY THING THAT WE'LL BE DOING WILL BE LIKE REMOTELY READING THOSE METERS, WHICH LIKE, LIKE I MENTIONED, WE WANTED TO DO IT FOR THE ONES THAT WE HAVE TROUBLE READING.
WE WANT TO, UM, MINIMIZE THE, THE ESTIMATE READINGS WHEN THEY'RE NOT AVAILABLE TO BE AT HOME OR THE, THEY, IT'S GATED OR IT'S IN THE ALLEY AND SOMEBODY PUT A FENCE AND WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET THERE.
'CAUSE WE DON'T TRESPASS HOMES, UH, THEY'RE CLOSED UNLESS THEY GO AND OPEN THE DOOR FOR US.
SO THAT'S, WE'VE, WE WERE IDENTIFIED THOSE AREAS OR METER READERS WILL, WILL BE THE ONES TELLING US.
UH, DO WE, DO WE KNOW HOW MANY? MORE THAN 50 FOR SURE.
OH, WE'RE ONLY DOING 50 THOUGH.
YEAH, THAT'S CHARGING DOLLAR CHECK.
IN THE FUTURE, WE WANT TO KEEP USING THOSE DEVICES.
WANT WANT TO USE THE SAME ONE, USE A DIFFERENT COMPANY? WELL, THE METER, UM, THE METER ITSELF, UH, IT'LL, IT'LL BE IRRITABLE METER.
LIKE SOMEBODY CAN WALK IN WHETHER WE HAVE THE SOFTWARE OR NOT, AND READ THE METER.
SO, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE STARTING, STARTING SMALL.
I I'M NOT TOO SURE IF IT'LL BE COMPATIBLE WITH ANOTHER SOFTWARE.
UM, BUT THE METER ITSELF WILL STILL WORK, WILL STILL READ, UH, THE WATER CONSUMPTION.
SO IT'LL BE BASICALLY WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
JUST THE A METER THAT READS AND SOMEBODY HAS TO GO AND READ IT.
THAT'S, I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING HERE IS THAT THE PILOT PROGRAM WOULD LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR POTENTIAL GRANT FUNDING IN THE FUTURE.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
I APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, YOUR FEEDBACK ON THIS.
AND UM, HOPEFULLY, UM, AS LONG AS THE SOFTWARE'S COMPATIBLE, IT SHOULD BE ABLE TO WORK WITH SCADA.
WE HAVE SCADA WHERE WE WORK AT, SO AS LONG AS EVERYTHING'S COMPATIBLE AND HOPEFULLY THEY CAN ACTUALLY TIE IT TO GIS AND TRACK EVERYTHING.
'CAUSE THOSE ARE HIGH DOLLAR METERS, SO YOU DON'T WANT THEM TO GET LOST EITHER.
WE, WE NEED TO KEEP GOOD INVENTORY ON 'EM, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO GO WITH BADGER YES.
VIA ACCURATE METER AND SUPPLY.
WHAT, WHAT SALES CELLULAR NETWORK DO THEY WORK WITH? I THINK THEY MENTIONED AT AND T AND VERIZON.
UM, THEY, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE THE PIONEERS OF, THAT'S, THAT'S, AND I'M JUST NOT SELLING FOR THEM, BUT THAT'S WHAT HOW THEY EXPLAINED IT TO ME.
UM, BUT THEY WERE THE PIONEERS OF, UH, BRINGING THIS CELLULAR.
UM, AND THEY WERE THE ONLY ONES THAT WERE LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU DON'T NEED TO INVEST AS MUCH AS THE OTHER TWO COMPANIES.
[01:25:01]
OF LIKE WHAT THE CITY'S AIMING TO.LIKE, I DON'T WANNA PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO SOMETHING THAT I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN OR LIKE, SO I'D RATHER START SMALL AND THEN SEE IF WE DON'T LIKE IT.
IF WE SEE THAT THERE'S AREAS THEY DON'T HAVE SIGNAL, UM, THEY OFFER THIS OTHER OPTION, WHICH IS A DEVICE ON A VEHICLE.
IF WE SEE THAT THERE'S NO, UM, SO THEY CAN DRIVE BY THAT THEY OFFER THAT OTHER OPTION, BUT OF COURSE THAT THAT'LL BE A DIFFERENT COST.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO NAVIGATE AND SEE LITTLE BY LITTLE, HEY, THIS WORKED OUT FOR US OR THIS DIDN'T WORK OUT.
THEY CLAIM THAT THEY DID A PROPAGATION STUDY AND THAT THEY CHECK AROUND THE CITY AND THEY SAY THAT WE WOULD BE COVERED AND THERE WILL BE NO NEED BECAUSE OF THE, UM, SIZE OF THE, I GUESS THE READING.
IT'S SO SMALL THAT IT REQUIRES, REQUIRES REALLY LITTLE, UH, SIGNAL.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE LESS THAN A TEXT MESSAGE.
SO IT'LL GO THROUGH, UM, TO US AT LEAST THE THREE TIMES A DAY.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THE ANTENNA, THEY DID OFFER THE 90 SECONDS.
YOU CAN READ THE METER EVERY 90 SECONDS.
BUT REALISTICALLY, UM, I THAT I DEAL WITH THE BILLING, I I WOULDN'T NEED 90, EVERY 90 SECONDS TO BE READING THE METERS.
UM, ONCE A DAY, IT'LL BE, IT'LL BE PLENTY.
THREE TIMES A DAY, IT'LL BE FANTASTIC.
UM, WE CURRENTLY DO IT ONCE A MONTH, SO IT IS A HUGE IMPROVEMENT WHEN IT COMES TO METER READING BECAUSE WE'RE DOING IT BY, BY HAND, BY MANPOWER, GOING OUT AND READING BY ZONES.
ARE WE HAVING ISSUES GETTING READINGS? UM, YES.
JUST BECAUSE, UM, WHAT KIND OF ISSUES? SO, UM, LIKE I MENTIONED, SOME OF THE METERS ARE INSIDE PROPERTIES.
UM, SOME OF THE METERS ARE BEHIND THE ALLEY.
SOME OF THE PEOPLE DO NOT CUT, CUT THE GRASS.
SO IT'S, IT'S LIKE YOU HAVE TO FIND THE METER.
I KNOW THE EXPERIENCED METER READERS WILL KNOW WHAT EXACTLY IT IS.
UM, THAT ALSO ALLOWS LITTLE ANIMALS, AND I'M LIKE SNAKES, SPIDERS TO BE, BE AROUND THE METER.
UH, SOMETIMES LIKE, HEY, WE'RE GONNA COME BACK.
THERE'S A BIG SNAKE ON THE METER.
UM, THERE'S A DOG, THE METER IS INSIDE, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET IT.
UM, THERE'S BEES ON THE METER, UM, WHICH I DON'T THINK THAT'S GONNA PREVENT THAT, BUT, BUT THE, THE THE, IT DOESN'T STOP YOU FROM GETTING A READING.
IT, I DON'T THINK IT STOPS FROM BEGINNING READING.
THEY'LL GET IT, THEY'LL GET IT, THEY'LL GET A IT EVERY MONTH.
AND IF, IF STEPHANIE, UM, IT, IT, IT IS, IT IS, IT IS PRETTY OFTEN.
UM, I, I WISH I COULD SAY IT'S NOT THAT OFTEN THAT THEY HAVE A DOG OPEN IN WHILE AND THEN WE HAVE TO COME BACK AND THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S A LOT OF TIME CONSUMING.
AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TO THE BILLING, UM, WE HAVE TO HAVE CERTAIN, THE BILLS ON THE POST OFFICE, BUT CERTAIN TIME ON CERTAIN DAY.
SO IF THEY HAD A LOT OF THOSE, THAT TRACKS BACK.
AND I KNOW WE'VE, WE HAD SOME ISSUES, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE LIKE PEOPLE NEEDS TO TAKE VACATIONS AND I'M DOWN ONE METER METER AND IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST ZONE, WHICH IS OWN THREE.
SO IT DOES GETS, IT GETS PRETTY INTERESTING ON STEPHANIE.
UM, HOW MANY TIMES IN A ROW ARE WE ALLOWED TO, UM, ESTIMATE A METER TWO MONTHS AND THEN THE THIRD MONTH WE'RE TRY TO MAKE CONTACT.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S AS MUCH AS I I THINK COMMISSIONER OR MAYOR VARS, RIGHT.
YOU WILL EVENTUALLY GET THE METER.
I THINK THAT THE, THE METER READING, THE GOAL IS TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND MORE ACCURATE.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS METER DO DO FOR US.
YOU KNOW WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS METER? UH, YOU GETTING THE READING THREE TIMES A DAY IS IF SOMEBODY'S TAMPERING, IT'S GONNA CATCH IT.
WE, WHAT I'VE, WHAT I'VE SEEN AT CONFERENCE WHEN TALKING TO THESE FOLKS ASK, DOES IT IMPROVE, UM, ACCURACY? AND IT DOES.
SO WITH THAT, YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT INCREASE, UH, HIGHER INCREASE IN BILLS.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE COMMUNICATE THAT WHERE THESE ARE GETTING INSTALLED, UM, TO THOSE FOLKS, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A NEW METER.
THERE'S, THERE'S GONNA BE A PRO A LEARNING CURVE FOR BOTH OF US.
UM, THE DIFFICULT PART IS EXPLAINING THIS IS YOUR ACTUAL CONSUMPTION.
OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS WE'VE BEEN UNDER READING, UM, THERE'S GONNA BE AN ARGUMENT THEIR WAY AS WELL.
UH, SO WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL HOW WE APPROACH THAT.
UM, SECONDLY, I SEE HERE THAT THERE WAS A HUNDRED DOLLARS A UNIT FOR INSTALL, BUT YOU SAID WE WERE INSTALLING.
SO THE FIRST 50, UM, THEY'RE GONNA COME AND INSTALL IT FOR US AND THEY'RE, UH, THEY'RE GONNA TEACH OUR STAFF HOW TO INSTALL THIS AND, AND THEN MOVING FORWARD, IF WE WANT TO GET MORE, WE, I DON'T THINK WE WOULD REQUIRE INSTALLATION.
'CAUSE OUR OUR OWN STAFF WILL GO AND PLACE THE METERS.
UM, I'M NOT TOO SURE IF WE CAN, UM, TALK TO THEM, SEE IF MAYBE WE DON'T NEED THAT MANY
[01:30:01]
TRAINING 50.BUT I, I THINK IT'S A PRETTY SMALL AMOUNT.
IT SHOULDN'T TAKE THEM THAT THAT MUCH IF THEY SEND A TEAM TO COME AND PUT 'EM TOGETHER.
UM, BUT LIKE TO TRAIN US TO HOW TO READ 'EM.
WELL NOT READ 'EM, BUT HOW TO INSTALL 'EM AND PROGRAM INSTALL 'EM.
AND IF THERE'S SOME SORT OF PROGRAMMING HOW THE, THE LEAD NEEDS TO, TO BE.
WE CAN MAYBE INCORPORATE SOME COUPLE THE FOR RETAIL, FOR NON-RESIDENTIAL TO GIVE IT A TRY.
HOPEFUL FOR THE, I MEAN IF WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT IF IT'S GONNA WORK.
WE GOTTA MAKE SURE OUR IT'S GOING, GONNA WORK, WORK OUT FOR THEM TOO.
SO ESSENTIALLY WILL WE JUST BE A, A BIGGER, BIGGER METER WITH A, WITH A BIGGER PRICE TAG TO IT.
SO, BUT WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO TRY, AND I, I'M NOT SAYING IT'S A BAD IDEA, IT'S A GOOD IDEA, BUT I WANTED TO TRY THE SYSTEM AND SEE IF THE, IF THE SIGNAL IT'S STRONG ENOUGH FOR IT TO GET TO EVERY PLACE IN THE CITY AND THAT IT'S RELIABLE.
UM, THAT I DON'T HAVE TO BE SENDING STILL METER READING BECAUSE THAT'LL BE, THAT WILL BE NO POINT.
BUT EVENTUALLY, IF THAT'S THE WAY TO GO, THEN WE'LL LIKE TO DO LIKE ANOTHER PILOT WITH A FEW LESS.
WE'RE WE'RE GONNA SPEND THIS MONEY ON WATER METERS REGARDLESS WHAT YOU SAID.
LIKE, I STILL GET INVENTORY EVERY YEAR FOR METERS.
I'D RATHER DO, UH, NEWER UPGRADE, FIND OUT IF IT WORKS.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE GOAL, MY GOAL HERE.
AND WE CAN ALWAYS SAY, HEY, WE'RE JUST GONNA CONTINUE READING AS AS WE ARE IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT.
WHAT ARE THE, WHAT OTHER CITY IS USING THIS SAME ONE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO PURCHASE? AND THE OTHER ONE IS, DO WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE ABOUT THE FENCES BY ABOUT THE METER BEING INSIDE THE FENCE? I THOUGHT IT SHOULD ALWAYS BE ON THE OUTSIDE.
I I BELIEVE WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE.
CORRECT, BUT THIS PREDECEASED THE ORDINANCE, THE HOMES ARE BUILT LIKE THAT.
THAT'S REALLY A COURT ENFORCEMENT, UM, SITUATION.
AND THEN I BELIEVE THEY'RE, UM, ONE OF THE ONES THEY, THEY MENTIONED A LOT OF, A LOT OF CITIES, UM, BUT ONE OF THE ONES THAT THEY MENTIONED THAT THE STICK WITH ME WAS, UM, THEY'RE DOING A MAJOR, UM, PROGRAM WITH PUB WITH BRONZEVILLE.
UM, THAT'S WHO THEY'RE GOING WITH, WITH THE CELLULAR AS WELL.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I RECALL.
I THINK THEY MENTIONED A LOT OF A, A FEW CITIES.
I, I, I DON'T HAVE THEM ON TOP OF MY HEAD.
UM, STEPHANIE, DO WE HAVE A RIGHT OF WAY AGENT THAT WILL KEEP AN EYE ON OUR EASEMENTS?
NO, IF, UH, IF SOMEBODY BUILDS INTO THE UTILITY EASEMENT AND THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO RIGHT.
SAY THEY BUILD A FENCE OVER THE WEEKEND AND UM, THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY COOL.
COULD UM, WE DON'T HAVE A RIGHT OF WAY AGENT THERE.
WE'RE KIND OF GOING OFF TOPIC, BUT THAT IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
I WOULD LIKE TO ANSWER TO THAT TOO.
WE HAVE TO STICK, PULL IT BACK A LITTLE BIT.
UM, I COULD SPEAK TO ONE OF THE LOTS THAT I HAVE.
UM, EVERYBODY'S FENCED IT OFF AND ALL THE METERS ARE IN THE ALLEYWAY AND THE METER READER COMES THROUGH THE MY PROPERTY ALL THE TIME TO READ EVERYBODY'S METER.
SO BECAUSE THERE'S NO FENCE ANYMORE, UH, IT UM, I JUST WANTED TO SOME CLARITY ON THE PRICING.
AND THAT'S FOR A PILOT PROGRAM FOR 50.
THEY'RE GONNA INSTALL IT FOR FREE FOR US.
BUT THIS HAS THE A HUNDRED DOLLARS TIMES 50 INCLUDED IN THAT PRICE.
SO DO WE REMOVE 5,000? I BELIEVE I, I BELIEVE 'CAUSE UM, LET ME SEE THE, LET ME SEE THE, THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION.
SO THEY SEND ME TWO, THEY SEND ME A FULL PROPOSAL AND THEN THEY SEND ME, SEND ME THE QUOTE BECAUSE THEN THERE'S ALSO MONTHLY FEES AND THEN THAT'S, THAT'S AFTER THE FOUR MONTHS.
SO THE ESTIMATE ITSELF, SO AFTER FOUR MONTHS, WHAT'S THE MONTHLY FEE? 97 CENTS PER METER THERE.
I THINK THERE'S A, UH, WHAT DID IT SAY DOWN HERE? JUST MAKE SURE YOU'RE READING THE, THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY.
THE MONTHLY OR ANNUALLY AT 97 CENTS PER UNIT.
YES, WE HAVE THAT'S, THAT'S THE WHOLE 7,000 METERS.
SO THEY WERE THE ONLY ONES THAT PROVIDED THE, THE TWO FULL PROPOSALS.
ONE FOR LET'S DO THE OLD 7,080 AND THAT'S THE ONE THAT THEY'RE NOT CHARGING THIS INSTALLATION.
AND THEN THEY, THEY PROVIDED THE ONE FOR THE, THAT'S $87,228 A YEAR.
BUT THAT'S IF WE WERE TO GO TO THE 7,000 METERS.
THE FULL METERS UHHUH, I'M JUST LOOKING AT IT AT A LARGER SCALE.
WE, WE ROLLED IT OUT EVERYWHERE.
[01:35:01]
RESIDENTIAL AND ANY METER SIZE? 90 METERS.IT'S, IT'S A SUBSCRIPTION BASED MODEL FOR LIFE.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE SIGNING UP FOR.
AND THIS IS, IT'S A GOOD BUSINESS MODEL FOR THEM, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING.
UM, THE COST OF LABOR FOR US RIGHT NOW, WE'RE STILL GONNA HAVE TO PAY SOMEONE, WE'RE STILL GONNA HAVE TO DRIVE TO GO DRIVE BY.
IT MIGHT, IT MIGHT REDUCE THE, IT MIGHT, IT MIGHT REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF METEORS, BUT IN THE FUTURE, BUT WE WILL STILL HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY TO DO WORK ORDERS OR, UH, IF WE DON'T GET THE, THE REMOTE DISCONNECTS GO DO DISCONNECTIONS RECONNECTIONS LIKE THAT.
UM, OR TAMPERING OR REMOVE, YEAH.
LOGS OR LIKE ANY DISCREPANCIES.
WE WOULD STILL NEED TO HAVE, I WOULD SAY AT LEAST TWO METER READERS IN THE FUTURE IN HOUSE TO GO DO WORK ORDERS.
87,000 IS PROBABLY FOUR METER READERS AT THE RATE WE WERE PAYING THEM.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT, UH, THE ANNUAL FEES OF THE OTHER COMPANIES? YEAH.
SO, UM, THIS ISN'T THIS, THIS ANNUAL FEE, IT'S ONCE A YEAR, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY ANY EQUIPMENT FOR, FOR THIS.
THE OTHER COMPANIES OFFER, HEY, THEY DON'T HAVE AN ANNUAL FEE, UM, MONTHLY FEE PER METER, BUT YOU HAVE TO BUY THOSE, THE THE PANELS, EACH PANEL ROUGHLY WHAT I WHAT I COULD SEE LIKE 47,000.
UM, AND THEN THAT'S, THAT, THAT WOULD STAY WITH US AND IT'LL BE OUR PROPERTY PLUS THE ANTENNAS PLUS REPEATER IF NEEDED.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO BUY ALL THE EQUIPMENT AND THEN IF THAT EQUIPMENT WAS TO GO DOWN, IT'S ON US HERE.
IF THE SIGNAL GOES OUT, IT'S ON THEM AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE SAYING THAT WE WOULD HAVE SOMEBODY REPRESENTING US LIKE, HEY, HEY, WE, WE DIDN'T RECEIVE THE READING AT THIS TIME.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY, THAT'S WHY WE'RE STARTING SMALL BECAUSE THIS IS A PRE CARRIER.
WE, WE DO GET SOME WAIVERS THEN IF THE, IF THE CELLULAR SERVICES ISN'T WORKING.
IF IT'S NOT, IT WON'T PAY A FEE.
WHEN MY INTERNET'S NOT WORKING, I MAKE SURE TO GET A REBATE DISCOUNT ON MY BILL.
UM, SO TO BE CLEAR, YOU SAID IS IT GONNA BE 55, I MEAN 25 OR 2020? THIS QUOTE? IT'S GONNA BE, IT'S GONNA BE 25.
'CAUSE THERE'S TWO QUOTES THERE.
THE QUOTE FOR THE 50 I, I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE SAYING THAT THEY DON'T CHARGE US AN INSTALLATION.
ONE 70 OF 2 0 6, 50 TIMES A HUNDRED IS 5,000 TACKED ONTO THE BILL.
SOMETIMES THEY'RE IN THE FIVE HUNDREDS, WHICH IS COMMON.
WE JUST LIKE ALL OF OUR, ALL OUR INFORMATION AND IT IS A PILOT.
SO I, THERE IS A RE IF WE DON'T MOVE FORWARD WITH THEM AND WE RETURN THEM, THERE'S A RESTOCKING FEE.
WE JUST ESSENTIALLY KEEP THE EQUIPMENT OURSELVES.
I DON'T THINK, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A RETURN.
'CAUSE HE COULD STILL READ IT MANUALLY.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT ALL OF 'EM ARE OFFERED ON ALL, UH, EVEN ON DIGITAL.
EVEN ON ELECTRONIC SIDE OR JUST ON ALL THE THE METER.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE, I LIKE THE CELLULAR, I APOLOGIZE.
THE COP COPPER, THEY'RE NOT COPPER.
LET'S, LET'S JUST MAKE SURE IF THEY'RE GONNA INRE GONNA INSTALL 'EM FOR FREE, THEN THE BID IS 20,250.
I'LL, I'LL, I'LL FIGHT THAT, BUT I'LL MAKE ANY, ANY PROMISES.
BUT I'LL, I'LL, I'LL TRY TO TALK TO THEM.
SEE IF THEY, NO, BUT YOU SAID THAT THEY WERE GONNA DO TWO.
THEN ARE YOU REPRESENTATIVE FOR THEM? NO, I'M NOT.
THEY WOULD TRAIN OUR EMPLOYEES.
THEY WILL TRAIN OUR EMPLOYEES TO MOVE FORWARD.
LIKE THEY WILL DO THOSE 50 AND THEN WE'LL TRAIN IN PLACE.
BUT I'M WILLING TO TELL THEM, HEY.
SO THESE MOVING FORWARD, IF WE WERE TO MOVE FORWARD, WE WOULD MAKE AN ORDINANCE SAYING THAT NEW SUBDIVISIONS COMING IN WOULD HAVE TO PAY THIS UPFRONT COST FOR THIS NEW METER INSTALLATION.
WHAT'S THE CURRENT COST TO PUT A NEW WATER METER? ABOUT 2, 2 50.
ABOUT $300 DEPENDING ON IT NEEDS A RAZOR OR WHAT, WHAT MIGHT NEED UHHUH?
SO IT, IT IS A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY, BUT IT'S MONEY THAT'S, IF WE GO FOR IT, IT'S GONNA STAY THERE.
WE'RE GONNA KEEP USING IT VERSUS I'M GONNA INVEST IN $300 THAT I MIGHT NEED TO REPLACE SOONER OR LATER.
WE ARE EVERY CITY'S MOVING TO GETTING THIS, UH, FOR ACCURACY.
AND ALSO BECAUSE IT'S, YOU, YOU LESSEN THE MANPOWER.
I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S BABY STEPS, BUT IT'S STEPS.
I WAS TOLD YOU GET LIKE 10% MORE ACCURATE.
THAT'S GONNA BE A HUNDRED DOLLARS BILL IS NOW 110.
JUST FY 'CAUSE YOU GUYS ARE GONNA GET THE CALLS.
SO, UM, STEPHANIE WILL GET THE BRUNT OF THEM.
OLDER METERS TEND TO WORK ON THE, ON THE, I LIKE AN OLDER METER MOST OF THE TIME.
[01:40:01]
IT'S SLOW.WELL JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE COMMUNICATE TO THE RESIDENTS.
I GUESS WHEN WE'RE, WHEN WE'RE REPLACING, I'M, I'M NOT TOO SURE.
I MEAN THERE WILL BE AN ADMINISTRATION, UH, QUESTION.
HOW WOULD HE LIKES US TO PROCEED? IN WHAT AREAS? UM, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE LIKE TACKLE EACH, EACH AREA.
NO, EVERY, EVERY, EVERY CORNER OF THE CITY, EVERY AREA.
JUST TO MAKE SURE THE CELLULAR, UM, CONNECTIVITY IS THERE MORE THAN ANYTHING.
THANKS FOR PUTTING THIS ALL TOGETHER.
THAT LOOKED LIKE A LOT OF WORK.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? I HAVE A MOTION.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ TO APPROVE.
UH, DO I HAVE APPROVE, RIGHT? YES.
OH, AND THEN DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND MOTION.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURNMENT? DO MOTION TO ADJOURN.
THE TIME IS SEVEN 12 UH, PM WE ARE ADJOURNED.