Karen Gleason
One of the many things the COVID-19 pandemic changed was how citizens interact with their local elected leaders.
Like other local governmental entities, the Del Rio City Council moved to video meetings that made it more difficult for citizens to speak directly to its members, but that is about to change.
City council members on Tuesday voted to reopen council meetings to the public, while following federal and state guidelines for mitigating the spread of the disease.
The council took the vote on reopening meetings while discussing how to follow Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent order to reopen Texas businesses and other establishments.
City Attorney Raul Casso recommended the council repeal a Jan. 12 ordinance it passed requiring citizens to wear face coverings inside businesses and public spaces.
After further discussion, Mayor Bruno “Ralphy” Lozano made the motion to repeal the ordinance so the city could begin administratively applying the applicable provisions of the governor’s order.
“Or we could say, ‘to implement all the measures of GA-34 (governor’s order) that are applicable to the city of Del Rio’,” Casso offered.
“What we’re doing is to make GA-34 fit Del Rio like a shoe,” the city attorney added.
“It’s my belief that’s what the governor’s intent was,” Lozano said, adding the governor’s order allowed municipalities and other jurisdictions to enact more stringent health measures if COVID cases in that area reach certain levels.
Casso said the governor’s order appeared in places “self-contradictory and confusing.”
“I think what he’s trying to do is give everyone enough flexibility to implement, at their discretion, what is best for their communities, so it can’t be a one-size-fits-all for the entire state, so here I think it’s incumbent on us to implement GA-34 as it best fits us, for the benefit of our community,” Casso said.
Councilman Steven Webb gave the second to the mayor’s motion, and the council approved the motion unanimously.
Councilman Alfredo “Fred” Carranza Jr. asked if the governor’s order addressed gatherings, and Casso replied it almost exclusively addresses businesses “and establishments.”
Carranza said he brought up the issue of gatherings to further discuss allowing members of the public back into council meetings to address the council in person.
After additional discussion, Carranza made a motion to continue council meetings in person and allow citizens to be able to attend meetings while still maintaining social distancing and mask requirements, following state and federal guidelines for COVID mitigation.
Lozano gave the second.
Councilwoman Alexandra Falcon Calderon asked if the council should specify a number of persons allowed in the council chambers, but Councilman Jim DeReus pointed out city administrators could work with the local health authority to determine the council chamber’s capacity, but noted seating will be limited and the public should be made aware of that fact.
The council passed the motion unanimously.
