By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
A majority of city council has authorized negotiations for an economic incentive agreement with the owner of a local restaurant.
The council, on a 4-2-1 vote, approved a resolution authorizing Interim City Manager Manuel Chavez “to negotiate an economic development agreement pursuant to Del Rio Code of Ordinances Chapter 31, Economic Development and Incentives, with Molcajetes Restaurant.”
The council took the action during its May 28 meeting.
After City Secretary Mari Acosta read the heading of the agenda item, Mayor Al Arreola asked for a motion on the resolution. Councilwoman Ernestina “Tina” Martinez made the motion to approve the resolution, with Councilman Jesus Lopez Jr. giving the second.
Arreola looked around the dais briefly, then said, “Okay. We have a first and a second.”
Councilman Jim DeReus interjected, saying, “Stand by. I have a comment. I’m going to say the same thing I said back there. I don’t know how we can approve a resolution that is incomplete. There are three blanks (in the body of the resolution), and there are a couple of other vague places, so I applaud the owners of the restaurant for leaning forward and investing in the city. Thank you. But we cannot approve a resolution that is not complete.”
Arreola seemed to briefly confer with the council’s attorney, then asked if there were any other comments from the dais.
Hearing none, the mayor called for votes in favor of the motion.
The motion passed on a 4-2-1 vote, with DeReus and Mayor Pro-tem Steve Webb opposed, and Councilman Randy Quiñones abstaining.
After the meeting, DeReus made the following comment about the vote: “I am disappointed and concerned that the majority of the city council agreed to a contract that had multiple blanks that will be ‘filled in later.’ That is no way to operate and puts the city at risk. If I approached one of the businessmen on the council and presented them with a partially filled out contract and asked them to sign it before knowing the final details, they would throw me out of their office.”
DeReus also said he spoke with Chavez after the meeting and said the interim city manager indicated he would bring the completed agreement back to council.
At the start of the council meeting, local business owner Sandra Fuentes spoke about the economic development issues before the council and asked them to not take any action until they could consider the issues further and have additional discussions with the city’s attorneys.
During the citizen comments portion of the meeting, Fuentes, who frequently addresses the council as a leader of The Border Organization, a local activist group, said, “I am here representing myself and my family that are business owners. In particular, the items (on the agenda) under ‘economic development,’ items A, B and C, so I took a few minutes and met with Mr. (Interim City Manager Manuel) Chavez to get some clarification on how all this works.”
“My understanding is that the EDC was founded so we can bring in new businesses, but I think it also helps with assisting established local businesses. The business at hand (Molcajetes Restaurant) went to the EDC. I’m assuming it did not meet the criteria for funding, so now it’s in front of the city council. I think the ball was dropped at so many levels, but I am asking, respectfully asking, the council to please not make any changes at this time to any of the ordinances,” Fuentes said.
Fuentes asked the council to “please table this issue” to give members more time to consider repercussions that might arise from the proposed changes to the ordinance, changes to the 380 agreement and the agreement with Molcajetes Restaurant.
“Please take the time to give (these issues) serious consideration. I strongly believe if you make changes to this ordinance, you will have a lot of business owners here with outstretched hands asking for money, which is not in and of itself a bad thing, but I don’t think the city council can afford that, so please, your consideration in tabling this issue until you have further discussion with (your) legal (advisors). Thank you so much,” Fuentes finished.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com .
Previous story can be read here.
