By Louis Zylka
The 830 Times
Council members during Tuesday’s meeting discussed updates on the “Del Rio Days” advocacy trips to Austin, Texas, and Washington, D.C.
Every year, Del Rio City Council members, along with other local elected and business leaders,
take trips to Austin and Washington to meet face-to-face with state representatives and federal
agencies. Assistant City Manager Manuel Chavez talked about the updates of the trips during
the meeting.
Chavez said there had been a separate meeting Tuesday to discuss the trips with local
agencies, including Val Verde County, Val Verde Regional Medical Center, San Felipe Del Rio
Consolidated Independent School District, Laughlin Air Force Base and the Laughlin Air Force
Base Military Affairs Association.
“We are continuing to set up these meetings at least every other week as we continue to
prepare. One thing we did was ask every agency that attended to provide their respective
legislative priorities so that we could put it all together . . . We will continue to build out our plan
and plan out the respective meetings at both D.C. and Austin,” Chavez said.
Chavez said they are planning to schedule the trips for Washington during the week of March 3
through March 6, and for Austin during the week of March 31 through April 4.
During the meeting, Chavez said the update for the advocacy trips also included discussing
which council members will attend.
Mayor Al Arreola asked, “The mayor has responsibilities to go, right?”
Arreola then said he would like to take Councilwoman Carmen Gutierrez and Mayor-Pro tem
Jim DeReus to the meetings. DeReus asked whether there is more value for three council
members going on the trips instead of two members.
Arreola asked DeReus if he would yield from going on the trips if Gutierrez decided to go, and
DeReus said, “I am willing to go if the council requests.”
“There is something to be said for people who have gone before, who have some continuity
going; and there is something to be said for people who have not gone before who have
different perspectives,” DeReus said.
Arreola explained how both Gutierrez and DeReus would be valuable for both meetings, adding
it will be up to the council to decide who goes.
Arreola then asked Chavez if the decision needed to be made at the meeting. Chavez replied it
would be best to have the decision be made soon to help reserve hotel rooms and airline
tickets.
Councilman J.P. Sanchez then mentioned, “DeReus is on his way out,” adding that DeReus has taken part in the Del Rio Days multiple times in the past.
DeReus jokingly asked, “Are you kicking me out?”
The council laughed at the conversation, and Sanchez clarified his comment saying, “You have
been there before, and this will allow Gutierrez to get more knowledge and know more about
what is going on (in these meetings), and I would rather her go after DeDeus than anybody
else.”
Gutierrez said she has experience of being in Washington when working for U.S. Rep. Will
Hurd, who was involved in getting the first sunshades project for Laughlin.
“I am familiar with the legislative aspects and any of the issues that concern this community,”
Gutierrez said. “I am very familiar with the type of activity that happens in these sessions.”
Sanchez made the motion to approve DeReus going on the trip to Washington in 2025. Arreola
mentioned again that Gutierrez would be a valuable asset to the trip to Washington.
“I think the three of us would be great for the trips. I know we are going to swallow up some of
the money that we are going to be spending there, but we can cut ourselves short on the next
trips. The most important trips are the trips to Washington and Austin,” Arreola said.
Sanchez amended his motion to allow Arreola, DeReus and Gutierrez to go on the trips to
Washington and Austin, and Councilwoman Ernestina “Tina” Martinez gave the second.
The council unanimously approved the motion.
