Del Rio City Council roundup
By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Five of the seven members of the city council were present at Tuesday night’s Del Rio City Council meeting. Mayor Al Arreola was out of
town at a meeting of the Binational Bridges and Border Crossings Group in Mexico City. Councilman J.P. Sanchez was also absent. Mayor Pro-tem Jim DeReus presided over the
meeting in Arreola’s absence.
Here’s what happened at the meeting:
Council members announce upcoming events
• Mayor Pro-tem Jim DeReus announced he will host another town hall meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 25. DeReus’ meetings, which are open to everyone, are typically held in the Cottonwood Room on the south end of the civic center, 1915 Veterans Blvd.
Councilwoman Carmen Gutierrez invited area residents to a Juneteenth celebration at the
city’s Sidney Blanks Park, located at the corner of Bridge and Gillis Avenues. The event
will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 19, with an opening ceremony set
for 10:30 a.m. The celebration is free and open to the public.
Council hears presentation on use of HOT funds
• Council members heard a presentation on how the city may use hotel occupancy tax
(HOT) revenues, given by Scott Joslove, president and chief executive officer of the
Texas Hotel and Lodging Association. Joslove said city councils have a great deal of
discretion in how to spend HOT monies, although expenditures for some categories, such
as funds for historic preservation and the arts, are capped at a percentage of revenue
received. Joslove’s extremely detailed look at HOT funds also emphasized that all
expenditures must directly promote tourism or the hotel/convention industry.
Council postpones action on proposed code of ethics, evaluations
• Council members voted 5-0 to postpone action on an ordinance establishing a proposed
code of ethics for city officials. The council voted unanimously to resume consideration
of the code of ethics during a special council meeting set for Tuesday, June 17. The
council also voted 5-0 to postpone action on setting dates for the evaluations of the city
attorney and the city secretary.
Council approves contract for children’s summer rec program
• Council members voted 5-0 to approve a resolution authorizing City Manager Shawna
Burkhart to execute a contract with the Boys and Girls Club of Del Rio Inc. to provide a
youth summer recreation program. The summer rec program operates five days a week
and runs from June 9 through Aug. 1. The program serves about 200 participants and
costs the city $10,000.
Council approves establishing committee for Envision Del Rio
• Council members voted 4-1, with Councilwoman Carmen Gutierrez opposed, to
approve a resolution establishing a committee of 11 volunteers from the community to discuss and make recommendations to the council on the implementation of the city’s
Envision Del Rio comprehensive plan. City Planning and Zoning Director Janice Pokrant
requested the formation of the committee. Gutierrez said she understood and appreciated
the request, but said she believed city staff members need to focus their time and efforts
on addressing pressing problems with the city’s water, wastewater and streets and
drainage infrastructure. Council members were asked to bring back names of prospective
committee members to a future meeting.
Council approves land exchange with Val Verde County
• Council members voted 5-0 to approve a resolution ratifying an exchange of city-owned
parcels of land with Val Verde County for some county-owned properties and ratifying
the city manager’s execution of the necessary documents. The county will receive three
tracts of land in the Brodbent Addition in far south Del Rio, and the city will receive two
tracts of land in the Greenwood Addition in south Del Rio near The Bank & Trust Field
off Ogden Street.
Council approves application for low-interest loan for water projects
• Council members voted 5-0 to approve a resolution authorizing City Manager Shawna
Burkhart to submit an application for $17,003,580 to the Texas Military Value Revolving
Loan Fund for the rehabilitation of the San Felipe Springs East Spring containment wall
and the expansion of the water treatment plant “to enhance water supply reliability for the
city of Del Rio and provide critical infrastructure support to Laughlin Air Force Base.”
Del Rio is officially recognized as a “defense community” because of the presence of
Laughlin AFB, and the Texas Military Value Revolving Loan Fund provides low-interest
loans for “infrastructure projects that support military installations.” The city provides all
of Laughlin Air Force Base’s drinking water.
Council approves purchase of four police vehicles
• Council members voted 5-0 to approve a resolution authorizing City Manager Shawna
Burkhart to approve the purchase of four Chevrolet Silverado 1500 4WD crew cab work
trucks for the Del Rio Police Department at a cost of $203,961 from Sames Laredo
Chevrolet in Laredo, Texas. The cost of the vehicles will be paid through the city’s
portion of the state’s Operation Lone Star grant.
Council approves grant application for Bedell Avenue sidewalks
• Council members voted 4-0 to approve a resolution authorizing City Manager Shawna
Burkhart to submit a transportation alternative grant application to the Texas Department
of Transportation (TxDOT) for the construction of sidewalks along Bedell Avenue,
Braddie Drive and Dodson Avenue. The city is seeking $996,461 to construct slightly
more than 7,600 feet of sidewalks along the named streets. The grant request will be part
of TxDOT’s 2025 call for projects to be funded from Fiscal Year 2027-2029 federal
appropriations. Councilwoman Ernestina “Tina” Martinez did not vote on the resolution
because she briefly stepped out of council chambers.
Council approves funding for repairs at wastewater treatment plant
• Council members voted 5-0 to approve an ordinance amending the city’s Fiscal Year
2024-2025 budget for the emergency procurement of parts and services to repair and
replace a rotor and shaft at the Silverlake Wastewater Treatment Plant. The cost of the
emergency repair and replacement of the shaft was $23,500 and was paid to Texas
Machine Shop Pump Services LLC of Edinburg, Texas, which did the work.
Council approves funding agreement for bridge replacement
• Council members voted 5-0 to approve an ordinance authorizing and directing City
Manager Shawna Burkhart to enter into an advanced funding agreement with the Texas
Department of Transportation (TxDOT) for $761,854.08 for the replacement of the
bridge over the San Felipe Creek at Academy Street. Michael Garcia, assistant to the city
manager and the city’s grants writer, told the council the city will be required to provide a
2.9 percent local match totaling $22,753.62 to be funded in the city’s Fiscal Year 2027-
2028 budget. Garcia said because of the presence of an endangered species of fish in the
San Felipe Creek, TxDOT may take up to two years to complete the environmental
survey required before the bridge can be replaced.
Council approves utility easement changes off East Gibbs
• Council members voted 5-0 to approve an ordinance providing for the abandonment and
retaining of a 15-foot utility easement of a 20-foot alley off East Gibbs Street between
Avenue I and Avenue J. City Planner Eivon Garcia spoke to the council about the
abandonment request, noting it had been made by Westwood Professional Services,
representing JJIJ Lone Star Investments LLC, which plans to redevelop the block with a
new commercial development, identified as an AutoZone store. Staff also recommended
that the right-of-way should be sold to the developer for $14,000, a 50 percent reduction
of the appraised value of $28,000. Council members reduced the cost further, approving
the sale of the right-of-way for $7,000. After taking this action, the council also voted 5-0
to approve an ordinance allowing the developer to replat five lots into a single lot,
abandoning a 20-foot alley and retaining a 15-foot utility easement.
Reach the writer at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com
