By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Here’s what happened at the meeting:
Six members of the city council were present. Councilwoman Carmen Gutierrez was
absent.
City manager gives 2nd quarter update on city projects
• City Manager Shawna Burkhart began her report to council by acknowledging
Neighborhood Services Director John Atnipp and his staff for getting their certifications.
In her second quarter report for Fiscal Year 2024-2025, Burkhart spoke about continuing
work being done on priority water and wastewater projects, as well as work being done
on drainage projects, financial reconciliation, development services issues and economic
development.
City manager reports on funding sources for water and wastewater projects
• City Manager Shawna Burkhart gave the council a bird’s-eye view of the nearly $50
million worth of water and wastewater projects the city needs to fund. She said city staff,
consulting engineers and financial advisors have been meeting to seek out a variety of
funding sources, including low-interest loans from the Texas Water Development Board
(TWDB) Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund Program, the TWDB State Water
Implementation Fund for Texas, the Texas Military Value Revolving Loan Fund
Program, the EPA Water Infrastructure and Innovation Act, the Department of the
Interior WaterSMART Drought Resiliency Project and the Defense Economic
Adjustment Assistance Grant.
Council authorizes city manager to move forward with theater rehab agreement
• Council members unanimously approved a resolution authorizing City Manager
Shawna Burkhart to approve a contract in the amount of $246,425 between the city and
Able City, the city’s architectural consultants for Phase 2 of the rehabilitation of the Paul
Poag Theatre for the Performing Arts on South Main Street. The second phase of the
project will include professional services for the development of plans for the building.
Once those plans are completed, the city will use those plans to seek bids for the
rehabilitation work needed to re-open the theater.
Council hears presentation from Del Rio Little League
• Council heard a presentation from Balde Briones, of the Del Rio Little League, and Scot
Carcasi, the city’s operations and compliance auditor, about the use of fields, concession
stands and buildings located at the City of Del Rio William S. Nixon Field of Our
Dreams Sports Complex, Bill Jewell Field, UCO Park Field and Pop Word Field.
Following the presentation, City Attorney Ana Markowski Smith told the council the
requests being made by Briones could be accomplished by establishing city policies, not
by enacting a formal legal document between the city and the baseball league.
Council formally names skate park
• Council unanimously named the city’s new skate park, the “Del Rio Skate Garden,”
located in a larger area called the Severiano Perez Parkway along the San Felipe Creek.
Scot Carcasi, the city’s operations and compliance auditor, told council members the
skate garden’s designer, Shane Yee, had asked for the new designation and said it would
be the first skate garden in Texas.
Council appoints new members to building standards commission
• Council members unanimously approved the appointment of Gracie Rosales, Lupita De
La Paz, Jorge Garcia and Alex Alonso to the Del Rio Building Standards Commission. A
fifth applicant’s name was withdrawn from consideration when it was learned she resides
outside the Del Rio city limits.
Council appoints new members to airport commission
• Council members unanimously approved the appointment of Elizabeth Music and
Andrew Pavlinski to the Del Rio International Airport Commission.
Council approves DREDC funding for marketing efforts
• Council members unanimously approved a resolution to authorize funding by the Del
Rio Economic Development Corporation to support marketing efforts by the approval of
a professional services agreement between the DREDC and The Retail Coach.
Council approves renewal of contract for aviation consultant services
• Council members unanimously approved a resolution authorizing City Manager
Shawna Burkhart to award a one-year contract with four one-year optional renewals to
Volaire Aviation Inc. for aviation consultant services. The city received two proposals for
the service, and a committee consisting of city staff members recommended Volaire.
Volaire held a previous contract to assist the city in re-establishing commercial airline
service for Del Rio International Airport.
Council approves resolution for bridge toll system maintenance
• Council members unanimously approved a resolution authorizing City Manager
Shawna Burkhart to approve a five-year contract in the amount of $513,565.92 for toll
system maintenance services at the Del Rio International Bridge with the company called
E-Transit. The new contract will mean a cost of $84,200 for Fiscal Year 2024-2025.
Council approves MOU with chambers of commerce, county
• Council members on a 5-1 vote approved a resolution approving a memorandum of
understanding (MOU) between the city, Val Verde County, the Del Rio Chamber of
Commerce and the Del Rio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for payment and
subscription of Placer.ai services in the amount of $4,856.25. Placer.ai provides location
data collection and analytics software that will allow the chambers, the city and county to
track some information regarding visitors to local events, as well as businesses patronized
by those visitors. Mayor Pro-tem Jim DeReus was the only council member to vote
against the motion to approve the resolution.
Council approves expenditure of HOT funds for birding event
• Council members unanimously approved the expenditure of $6,000 from the city’s hotel
occupancy tax (HOT) funds for advertisement and promotion of Texas A&M AgriLife
Extension’s “Birding the Border,” an annual event that will bring approximately 60 out-
of-town birders to Del Rio May 1 through May 4. The event was initially held here in
2019.
Council approves expenditure of HOT fund for 6th Annual Del Rio Comic-Con
• Council members unanimously approved an amount not to exceed $8,900 from the
city’s HOT funds for Del Rio Comic-Con, which will be held here May 3 and May 4.
The requestor, Del Rio Comic-Con Executive Director Paul Mancha, noted in his
application the event is expected to draw an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 attendees. Mancha
in his application said he has not previously kept records of out-of-town participants, but
promised a survey will be conducted at this year’s event.
Council approves ordinance accepting Stonegarden funds for DRPD
• Council members unanimously approved an ordinance directing City Manager Shawna
Burkhart to accept $80,800 in funding from the Fiscal Year 2024 Operation Stonegarden
grant program by the Office of the Texas Governor, Homeland Security grants division.
According to information supplied to the council, Operation Stonegarden “supports
enhanced cooperation and coordination among Customs and Border Protection (CBP),
the United States Border Patrol and federal, state, local, tribal and territorial law
enforcement agencies to improve border security. The funds allow the Del Rio Police
Department to participate in joint activities with federal law enforcement agencies to
interdict illegal activity.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com .
