By Louis Zylka
The 830 Times
City council members have agreed to continue partnering with a Ft. Worth engineering firm for
consulting services on planning and zoning projects.
The council during its most recent meeting approved a resolution authorizing and directing
City Manager Shawna Burkhart to award a master services agreement to Aoka Engineering
LLC for professional consultant services “for various planning and zoning department projects
and programs.”
Councilman Randy Quinones made a motion to approve the resolution, and Councilwoman
Ernestina “Tina” Martinez gave the second.
In a memo by Purchasing Agent Luis Menchaca, included in the council’s informational packet,
the council approved a resolution in December 2024, “to advertise and give notice of a request
for qualifications for professional consultant services for planning and zoning department
projects and programs.”
A sealed statement of qualifications submitted by Aoka Engineering was received by the city of
Del Rio in March and was reviewed for completion and accuracy by a committee consisting of
various city staff members.
Aoka Engineering is a building-department service company based in Ft. Worth, Texas, and has
helped Del Rio since October 2024 with on-call services. Approval of the April 8 resolution
allows Aoka to continue helping the city on various projects and programs, specifically for the
city’s planning and zoning department.
City Manager Shawna Burkhart told council members once the city’s “$50,000 threshold” was
reached for Aoka’s services in 2024, the city was required to seek out a request for
qualifications. Burkhart mentioned the city spoke to three vendors, but Aoka was the only firm to
submit a statement of qualifications.
Councilwoman Carmen Gutierrez said she believed when the council had discussions about
important new projects like the new Murphy USA gas station planned off Bedell Avenue near
Second Street, it needed to hear from the city’s engineer as well as the developer’s engineer.
“While we don’t have one (a city engineer) on staff, we do have a contracted (engineer), so we
do need that engineering (firm), and if for some reason they’re not going to be present, I believe
every preliminary plat review they have to do for planning and zoning, needs to be noted that
they gave their engineering seal, their approval, it should be noted, on what we’re asked to
approve,” Gutierrez said.
Burkhart replied, “Aoka is serving us in permitting processes and review of plan reviews and
participating in that level, however, anything that has to do with water, we would run it through
ICE (another firm hired by the city), anything that has to do with sewer, it would be RESPEC, as
they are the specific engineers for water and sewer, so it’s on the city staff to make sure that
that occurs.”
“We just need to see that the city’s interests are being protected,” Gutierrez rejoined.
City Attorney Ana Markowski Smith then asked Sanchez if he would feel comfortable abstaining
from the vote, since he is sometimes involved in planning and zoning, and Sanchez said he
would have no problem abstaining and withdrew his motion to approve the resolution.
Martinez, who had given the second, said she would make the motion to approve the resolution,
with Councilman Randy Quiñones giving the second.
Gutierrez also had a comment about the staff scoring of Aoka’s statement of qualifications.
She said, “I believe that if there’s going to be scoring for a request for qualifications for
professional consultant services for various planning and zoning department projects and
programs, it needs to be – and I don’t know that she was here at the time – Ms. (Janice)
Pokrant (the new city planning and zoning director) and Mr. (Greg) Velazquez (the city public
works director), because I believe this is so important that it needs their technical expertise.”
Burkhart noted that she, Assistant City Manager Manuel Chavez and Scot Carcasi, who at the
time was working in development services, spoke with the three firms that had expressed
interest in providing statement of qualifications, and Gutierrez said that type of information
should be provided to council members before they made decisions.
The council then voted on the motion, which passed on a 6-0-1 vote, with Sanchez abstaining.
