By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
All seven members of the Del Rio City Council were present.
Here’s what happened at the meeting:
Mayor, council members congratulate winners, honor veterans
Mayor Al Arreola congratulated County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr., Precinct 2 County Commissioner Juan Carlos Vazquez and Precinct 4 County Commissioner Gustavo “Gus” Flores for winning their reelection bids. He congratulated all other candidates elected to office in the Nov. 3 general election.
Arreola also said he was honored to attend the 120th anniversary celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. Councilwoman Carmen Gutierrez reminded everyone Nov. 10 is the 251st anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Marine Corps, and she invited the community to participate in the annual Veterans Day Parade on Nov. 11. She also thanked local veterans’ organizations for their work.
Councilman LeRoy Briones asked everyone to keep County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. and his family in their prayers as they face Owens’ recent cancer diagnosis.
City manager makes announcements, honors city employees who served
City Manager Manuel Chavez said the holidays are coming up, adding that for anyone interested in participating in the city’s annual Christmas Parade on Dec. 4, there will be a link and additional information on the city’s website.
Chavez said utility bill payments through the city’s website, automated phone system and text-to-pay features are currently unavailable as the city transitions to a new billing system and asked citizens to check the city’s social media for further information.
Chavez also said it was “a great honor and privilege” to recognize city employees who are veterans of military service. He read the names of employees who are veterans, the city department in which they work and the branch of the military in which they served.
Council hears presentation on July flooding
City Council members took no action following a presentation by Van Zabava, Texas Department of Emergency Management district chief, on a local flooding event in July. Zabava said the city and the county proved “resilient” in dealing with the problems caused by the flooding.
Zabava said the emergency management coordinators in his district, including Del Rio Emergency Management Coordinator Amanda Aldaco, “did a fantastic job” coordinating with elected officials and TDEM to get state assets “where they needed to be.”
Zabava attributed the smooth response to ongoing training and planning and lauded the city and the county for working together to protect lives and property. Mayor Al Arreola also recognized Aldaco and thanked her for her work.
Council will decide whether city should add fluoride to water
City Council members will take a vote during some future meeting on whether the city should again add fluoride to its drinking water. The council heard a presentation on “Fluoride in the Del Rio Public Water Systems,” presented by interim Public Works Director Art Villarreal.
Villarreal said the city began adding fluoride to city drinking water in 2006. It quietly stopped adding the chemical in 2017 after it was found to have corroded the storage room where it was kept, as well as some equipment.
Villarreal said if the council wants to resume adding fluoride to city drinking water, it must first rebuild the storage tank, a major unbudgeted expense. He also said fluoride is expensive and becoming more and more difficult to obtain.
The council discussed the issue, then agreed to take a formal vote at some future meeting after city administrators can provide more data about the pros and cons of adding fluoride.
Council approves school district request to close off portion of Waters Avenue
City Council members voted 7-0 to approve a request by the superintendent of the local public school district and the school board of trustees to close off a portion of Waters Avenue adjacent to San Felipe Memorial Middle School in south Del Rio during school hours only.
The superintendent, Carlos Rios, was present and told council members the school district will construct gates at both ends of the portion of Waters Avenue to be closed. The gates, Rios said, will allow the district to control access to the Ricks Gym during school hours.
Council members asked questions about the measure, including access for emergency response vehicles, before voting to approve the request.
Council authorizes funding agreement for Bedell Sidewalk Project
City Council members voted 7-0 to approve a resolution authorizing City Manager Manuel Chavez to execute an advance funding agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation for the Bedell Sidewalk Project.
The project has been awarded $2.3 million in federal funding for the construction of about 7,600 linear feet of sidewalks along North Bedell Avenue and Braddie Drive “to enhance safety and accessibility for residents.” The construction will also include ADA-compliant ramps and crosswalk improvements.
The city will not be required to allocate any matching funds for the project, but the construction will be carried out on a reimbursement basis, with the city putting up the funds through its Capital Improvement Plan, which will be reimbursed by the grant.
Council authorizes city manager to submit pre-application for grant
City Council members voted 7-0 to approve a resolution authorizing and directing City Manager Manuel Chavez to submit a pre-application for the Texas Community Development Block Grant.
The city is seeking $431,100 to build a drainage ditch/water channel from the airport to the Carranza Detention Pond. The city will be required to provide a 15% match of $64,665 if the grant is approved. If the project is selected for funding, the city will be invited to submit a full application by June 1, 2027.
Council amends ordinances dealing with vendors and special events
City Council members voted 7-0 to approve an ordinance amending Chapter 20 of the City of Del Rio Code of Ordinances on “Peddlers, Solicitors, Vendors and Special Events.” Scot Carcasi, the city’s operations and compliance manager, answered council members’ questions about changes being proposed.
Council members asked questions about some of the changes in the ordinance. City Manager Manuel Chavez said city staff is trying to review all city ordinances to make sure they are up to date and easier for citizens to navigate.
Council approves $10,000 in hotel occupancy tax funds for Border Bull Mania
City Council members voted 7-0 to approve an ordinance authorizing the expenditure of up to $10,000 in hotel occupancy tax funds for the Border Bull Mania event, sponsored by the organization FOB Inc., to be held Nov. 13-14 at the county fairgrounds.
Council members asked questions about the event, which features professional bull riding, live entertainment and recognition of military veterans.
Council approves agreement with county for family violence shelter
City Council members voted 7-0 to approve an ordinance authorizing the expenditure of $90,000 from the city’s general fund to Val Verde County for the operation of the Family Violence Shelter and approving an interlocal agreement with the county for funding the Family Violence Shelter program.
Since 2017, the city and the county have maintained an interlocal agreement to evenly divide the cost of operating the shelter. The county oversees operations of the shelter through a contracted third party.
Council approves collective bargaining agreement with police association
City Council members voted 7-0 to approve a three-year collective bargaining agreement with the Del Rio Police Officers Association (DRPOA). City administrators and negotiators have been meeting with DRPOA negotiators for the past two months to hammer out the terms of a new agreement.
City Council members met in executive session for about an hour before returning to open session to approve the proposed contract. DRPOA President Adrian Garcia told The 830 Times while the council was in executive session that a majority of the DRPOA members, 33 of 42, had voted to approve the agreement.
The agreement calls for a 2.5% pay increase for police officers beginning Nov. 14, with officers receiving an additional 0.5% pay raise on March 1. In the second year of the agreement, beginning Oct. 1, 2027, police officers will receive an additional 3.5% salary increase, and at the start of the agreement’s fourth year on Oct. 1, 2028, they will receive an additional 4% pay increase.
The new agreement also includes 36 hours of paid funeral/bereavement leave annually for each civil service employee.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com.
