By Louis Zylka
The 830 Times
City council members recently approved two resolutions for improvements at Del Rio International Airport.
City council members discussed two resolutions for electrical improvements at the airport during their regular meeting on Aug 27. These improvements will comply with federal aviation regulations.
The first resolution was to accept a bid and award a construction contract for airfield
improvements at the airport, and the second resolution was to issue a work order to Kindle, Stone & Associates Engineers Inc. for the construction phase of the electrical improvements project at the airport.
Councilwoman Carmen Gutierrez asked Interim City Manager Manuel Chavez a question about the budget for the second resolution.
“For transparency’s sake, and I want to make sure I am understanding that the budgeted amount of this capital improvement fund is $269,900, and our amount requested is $92,084. My question is since you budgeted $269,900, is that what you currently have or do you have a different balance there?” Gutierrez asked.
Assistant Finance Director Roxy Soto answered Gutierrez’s question and said the $269,900 is the balance the city currently has for the airport project.
Mayor Pro-tem Jim DeReus asked Chavez where the extra money would be coming from for the electrical improvement projects.
“This is a project that is funded through Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funding. The amount that has been authorized under FAA is not the total amount that has been budgeted for this particular fiscal year,” Chavez said.
Chavez then asked Del Rio Airport Manager Juan Onofre for more details about the FAA grant that was awarded for the electrical improvements projects. Onofre was in attendance during the meeting and answered questions at the podium.
“For this project, we are going to have the authorized $260,000 plus the $92,000 of the $370,000 total of the grant. Out of that $37,000, we are going to be responsible for 10 percent of it, so it will be $370,000, and they will give us back 90 percent,” Onofre said, and then DeReus asked another question.
“Although they are going to refund us, we have to pay for that money, and then we will be refunded, so we are basically throwing $100 on the table and then eventually we will get $90 back. So, since it is a ‘shell game,’ where are we getting that money for that initial payment?” DeReus asked.
Chavez responded saying, “Any funds will be utilized through reserves until we get the funds back to replenish.”
DeReus then asked how long the refund process will take, and Onofre said it takes a week for the reverse process to complete.
“Did I hear you say the words ‘quick’ and ‘federal government’ in the same sentence?” DeReus jokingly asked, which made the other council members laugh as well.
Gutierrez asked another question to Chavez about where the budgeted amount is going to be taken from.
Chavez answered saying the budgeted amount is going to be taken from the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) funding account.
“There is a reserved and CIP funding . . . For the portion that is local, we use the CIP funding. The portion that belongs to FAA will be submitted for reimbursement. But we do budget a certain amount from the Capital Improvement Plan,” Chavez said.
Gutierrez then asked to confirm more details. “If I am understanding you correctly, the $92,084 will come out of the CIP fund account? And then the 90 percent, which is reimbursed by FAA, will come out of the fund balance, so that means we will return it? Is that right?”
“You do have an amount (from CIP funds) that was set aside for this particular project. (90% of) the project could actually be reimbursed from FAA, as (we) are not going to be charged the entire amount upfront. As the invoices come in for the project, Mr. Onofre will submit those and will receive the 90 percent,” Chavez said.
“At any point (we) won’t use the entire budget amount, but yes, the local portion will come out of the Capital Improvement Plan funds,” Chavez added.
The council unanimously approved both resolutions without further questions and moved on to the next topic.
