By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Six members of the Del Rio City Council were present at Tuesday night’s regular
meeting. Councilman J.P. Sanchez was absent.
Here’s what happened at the meeting:
Citizens comment on city manager, HOT fund processes
• Following opening ceremonies, city council members heard from citizens who had
signed up prior to the meeting to speak during the “Citizen Comments” portion of the
agenda. Three – Pedro Leyva, Myles Jakubowski and Tara Avila – read prepared
statements regarding concerns about a lack of communication between City Manager
Shawna Burkhart and the organization they were representing, The Border Organization.
Del Rioan Ronda Hargrove, a member of Animal Advocacy and Rescue Coalition
(AARC), spoke to express solidarity with the Border Organization members, and Polo
Del Rio, a local hotelier, and Reyna Diaz, a local realtor, spoke about the city’s processes
to allocate hotel occupancy tax funds.
•
Mayor, council members thank staff, urge voting
• After a brief recess so city staff could work on the sound system in council chambers,
Mayor Al Arreola said he had no announcements to make and recognized council
members who wished to make comments or announcements. Mayor Pro-tem Jim DeReus
urged everyone to vote in the Nov. 4 constitutional amendment election. Early voting in
person runs through 7 p.m. Friday, with the polls also open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday,
Nov. 4. Councilwoman Ernestina “Tina” Martinez thanked Fiesta De Amistad Parade
participants. Councilwoman Carmen Gutierrez thanked city employees, as well as county
officials, for their response during and after the thunderstorm that passed over Del Rio on
Oct. 24. Councilman Jesus Lopez Jr. thanked businesses and organizations participating
in Halloween festivities for area children.
•
City manager addresses ‘communication breakdown,’ projects
• City Manager Shawna Burkhart expressed concern about what she called “a
communication breakdown” between herself, city staff and citizens spoken about during
the “Citizen Comments” portion of the agenda. Burkhart assured council members and
the public she would address the concerns raised. She also spoke about a recent city effort
at removing Arundo donax – carrizo cane – from the banks of the San Felipe Creek on
the grounds of the city golf course. Burkhart invited the public to participate in trick-or-
treating at City Hall on Friday, Halloween. She noted Assistant City Manager Manuel
Chavez will be serving as interim finance director until a new finance director can be
hired. She also said the city will be returning to “winter averaging” for wastewater
billing, adding she will speak more about that issue in a future council meeting.
•
Council discusses using, repaying 2023 COs
• City council members took no action following a discussion of the allocation of funds
the city borrowed as certificates of obligation in 2023. Burkhart had previously told the
council the $9 million the city borrowed that year was to go toward funding a new City
Hall, but when a later council pivoted and decided not to move forward on that project,
city staff began looking at other ways to allocate those monies. Burkhart had
recommended the funds be used to reconstruct the city’s Buena Vista swimming pool,
renovate the restrooms in the Joe Ramos Center and make renovations at the existing City
Hall. Councilman J.P. Sanchez had asked staff to look into the possibility of paying back
the COs and not using that money at all, and Tony Jaso of Estrada Hinojosa, the city’s
financial advisors, and Angela Avila, of Parkhurst, Mc Call Parkhurst & Horton, the
city’s bond counsel, discussed that option with the council.
•
Council reviews donations, expenses of 2025 mayor’s reception
• Council members took no action following a presentation by Community Services
Director Esme Meza of the donations the city had accepted and the money spent on the
2025 mayor’s reception, traditionally a part of the Fiesta De Amistad celebrations. Meza
told the council a total of $7,110 in monetary donations and spent a total of $3,243.30.
She also noted individuals and businesses gave in-kind donations, valued at a total of
$10,075. Meza said $3866.70 was left over once all the bills were paid. The consensus of
the council was to use the remaining money to fund an employee Christmas party, which
had not been budgeted.
•
Council approves annual HOT fund application
• City council members voted 6-0 to approve the city’s application for organizations,
individuals or businesses to receive hotel occupancy tax (HOT) funds from the city.
Assistant City Manager Manuel Chavez spoke about the application, noting that on Oct.
21, city staff hosted a town hall meeting on the HOT application, which was attended by
15 persons. Chavez said the only issue before the council was the annual application,
which received “minimal feedback” during the town hall meeting. He said there were few
changes to the annual application.
•
Council takes no action on new ordinance, council procedures
• City council members took no action following presentations by City Attorney Ana
Markowski Smith of a proposed new ordinance governing “mobile amusements,” such as
street fairs, carnivals and pop-up bull riding events like those held in Del Rio over the
past year. Smith also presented the council with a proposed series of rules for council
meeting rules and procedures. Council members asked questions about the new ordinance
and the rules and procedures; Smith said both will be presented again at future meetings
for possible approval.
•
Council rounds out ‘Envision’ implementation committee
• City council members voted 6-0 to appoint two volunteers to fill the remaining seats on
the new Envision Del Rio Implementation Committee. City Planning and Zoning
Director Janice Pokrant told the council the new committee “was established to assist in
reviewing, prioritizing and advancing recommendations from the city’s adopted comprehensive plan. The committee is now comprised of the following members: Bea
Vallejo, Isidro Valdez, Guillermo Garza, Laura Souba, Ken Herrera, Loida Arellano and
Ruben Hernandez. Pokrant also asked the council to consider seating additional members
to represent Laughlin Air Force Base, the Del Rio Chamber of Commerce, the Del Rio
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Del Rio Council of Realtors.
•
City to post notice of intent for $17 million in COs
• City council members voted 6-0 to approve a resolution authorizing the posting and
publication of notice of intention to issue City of Del Rio, Texas, Combination Tax and
Revenue Certificates of Obligation (COs) in a maximum aggregate principal amount not
to exceed $17,005,000. The council previously approved moving forward with the debt.
The money will be borrowed through the Texas Military Value Revolving Fund and will
be used by the city to reconstruct the containment wall around the East Springs, one of
the city’s two sources of drinking water, and to expand and upgrade the membranes and
racks at the city’s water treatment plant.
•
Council authorizes issuance of 2025A, 2025B COs
• City council members voted 6-0 to approve an ordinance authorizing the issuance of
City of Del Rio, Texas, Combination Tax and Revenue Certificates of Obligation Series
2025A, in the principal amount of $265,000. The money will come to the city through a
financing agreement with the Texas Water Development Board, and the money will be
used to fund additions and improvements to the city’s water treatment plant. City council
members also voted 6-0 to approve an ordinance authorizing the issuance of City of Del
Rio, Texas, Combination Tax and Revenue Certificates of Obligation Series 2025B, in
the principal amount of $4,865,000. The money will come to the city through a financing
agreement with the Texas Water Development Board, and the money will be used to fund
the drilling of a new municipal water well and its associated infrastructure.
•
Council votes to authorize stipends for employees
• City council members voted 6-0 to approve a resolution authorizing the payment of a
one-time stipend of $1,200 to each of the city’s full-time employees to be paid from the
Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget. The amount included in the adopted budget for the
payment of the employees stipends is $505,800.
•
Council waits to vote on city manager contract
• City council members voted 6-0 to table discussion and possible action on a resolution
to approve the renewal of the employment contract with City Manager Shawna Burkhart,
noting that Councilman J.P. Sanchez was absent, and the full council should be present to
speak about and cast their vote on the issue.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com
