By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
All seven members of the Del Rio City Council were present for both the special meeting.
Here’s what happened at the meeting:
Special city council meeting gets a late start
- Tuesday’s special city council meeting, set for 5:30 p.m., got a late start. At 5:30 p.m., Mayor Al Arreola announced the meeting would start at 5:45 p.m. because Tony Jaso, of the city’s financial advisors, Estrada Hinojosa, was running late. Jaso, who was coming in from San Antonio, was scheduled to speak to the council about the certificates of obligation the city planned to issue for water system improvement projects. The special meeting actually began at 6 p.m., after Jaso arrived in council chambers.
Council members approve resolution for lead pipe replacement project
- City council members voted 7-0 to approve a resolution approving the execution and delivery of a principal forgiveness agreement for a lead service line replacement program. In a memo to the council, Assistant Finance Director Roxy Soto noted in 2024, “the city applied for and was awarded funds from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Lead Service Line Replacement Program.” Soto wrote the program will allow the city to replace 8,800 lead service lines and provides funding “to complete (a) lead service line inventory or remove and replace lead service lines.” Soto said the city received $1,204,082 in financial assistance from the program, noting the funding includes $590,000 in certificates of obligation issued by the city and $614,082 in principal forgiveness.
Council members approve $590,000 in certificates of obligation
- City council members voted 7-0 to approve an ordinance authorizing the issuance and sale of $590,000 City of Del Rio Combination Tax and Surplus Revenue Certificates of Obligation (COs) Taxable Series 2026A to the Texas Water Development Board to fund water system improvement projects. Tony Jaso, of the firm Estrada Hinojosa, the city’s financial advisors, said although the city is pledging property taxes to pay back to COs, the revenues generated by the city’s water department will be enough to meet the loan payments.
Council members approve $265,000 in certificates of obligation
- City council members voted 7-0 to approve an ordinance authorizing the issuance and sale of approximately $265,000 in City of Del Rio Combination Tax and Surplus Revenue Certificates of Obligation (COs) Series 2026B to the Texas Water Development Board to fund water system improvement projects. Again, Tony Jaso, of Estrada Hinojosa, the city’s financial advisors, told the council that although the language of the ordinance indicated the city would use property tax revenue and water fund revenues to make the payments on the loan, he believed the revenues from the water fund would be sufficient to make those payments, and the city would not have to use any property tax revenues to pay back the loan.
Council members approve $17 million in certificates of obligation
- City council members voted 7-0 to approve an ordinance authorizing the issuance and sale of approximately $17,003,580 in City of Del Rio Combination Tax and Revenue Certificates of Obligation (COs) Series 2026 to the Texas Military Preparedness Commission to fund water system improvement projects. Councilman J.P. Sanchez noted the COs from Tuesday’s special meeting will increase the city’s total debt to $109 million, and City Manager Shawna Burkhart told the council she will make a presentation on the city’s total debt at a future meeting. In a memo to the council, Assistant Finance Director Roxy Soto wrote the $17 million will be used to fund the reconstruction of a crumbling and damaged retaining wall around the city’s East Spring, one of two sources of the city’s drinking water, and will also fund expanding the capacity of the city’s water treatment plant.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com
