CONSENT AGENDA
2. REQUEST TO EXCUSE ABESNT COUNCIL MEMBERS
Representative Melina Castro
3D. That the City Manager be authorized to sign an agreement by and between the City of El Paso, in its capacity as the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization for the El Paso Urban Transportation Study Area (“MPO”), and the International Communities Research Center (“ICRC”) as the developer and keeper of the Transborder Travel Demand Model (“TTDM”) on international traffic forecasting for the El Paso-Ciudad Juarez region. This Agreement provides for fore ICRC to update the TTDM’s validation for year 2005 in order to make it consistent with more recent El Paso and Ciudad Juarez travel forecasting models and demographic data recently prepared by Instituto Municipal de Investigacion y Planeacion (“IMIP”). This agreement is for the period February 29, 2008, until February 28, 2009. The total payment to ICRC shall not exceed $54,000. (All Districts)
[Metropolitan Planning Organization, Roy Gilyard, (915) 591-9735]
Consent Agenda approved 6 – 0.
REGULAR AGENDA – OTHER BIDS, CONTRACTS, PROCUREMENTS
8. FINANCIAL SERVICES
8B. Discussion and action on the award of Solicitation No. 2008-056 (EPIA Terminal Modifications and Additional Public Concessions) to VISTACON, Inc. for a total amount of $9,645,000.
Department: El Paso International Airport
Award to: VISTACON, Inc.
El Paso, Texas
Items: Base Bid: $9,4250,000
Alternate 1: $65,000
Alternate 2: $155,000
Total Estimated Award: $9,645,000
Account No. 62620028-PAP0037-410077-508027
Funding Source: EPIA Enterprise Funds
District: 2
It is requested that the City Manager of the City of El Paso be authorized to sign any contracts or other documents required to effectuate this award.
As part of the award of this contract, the City Engineer is authorized to approve contract changes which are necessary for proper construction of the work and carrying out the intent of the design, but which do not increase the scope of the contract as awarded, in an amount not to exceed $25,000 per numbered change order without further authorization by City Council.
This is a lump-sum contract.
The Financial Services – Purchasing Division, Engineering and El Paso International Airport Departments recommend award to the bidder offering the best value bid.
[Engineering, Alan Shubert, (915) 541-4423]
Approved 6 – 0 with Item 9. Quintana not present.
9. ENGINEERING
Discussion and action on a Resolution authorizing the City Manager to sign a Professional Services Agreement between the City of El Paso and Paragon Project Resources, Inc., a Texas corporation, to perform consulting services for a project known as “Construction Management Services – EPIA Terminal Renovations” for an amount not to exceed $836,255.19. (District 2)
[Engineering, R. Alan Shubert, (915) 541-4423]
Approved 6 – 0 with Item 8B. Quintana not present.
REGULAR AGENDA – PUBLIC HEARINGS
10F. An ordinance approving the assignment of a Special Privilege granted to Warren T. Burns Jr. by Ordinance No. 014331 to Clean Group, L.P., permitting the encroachment of an outdoor patio café onto portions of public rights-of-way within block 170, Campbell Addition SP98-137. (District 8)
[Development Services/Planning, Esther Guerrero, (915) 541-4720]
Approved 6 – 0.
REGULAR AGENDA – OTHER BUSINESS
11. MAYOR AND COUNCIL:
11A. Discussion and action on a Resolution that the City Manager be authorized to sign a Professional Services Agreement by and between the City of El Paso and Murray, Montgomery and O’Donnel for outside counsel in connection with the City of El Paso’s federal legislative program. The contract term will be from February 12, 2008, through and including February 11, 2009, with one renewal term of one year. Compensation for each year shall not exceed $116,000. (All Districts)
[Mayor’s Office, Sylvia Borunda Firth, (915) 541-4656]
Approved 6 – 0.
11B. Discussion and action on a resolution approving the City of El Paso 2008 Federal Legislative Priorities and 2009 Appropriations Requests and adopting a statement of policy for the City of El Paso regarding Federal Legislation and actions before Federal Administrative agencies. (All Districts)
[Mayor’s Office, Sylvia Borunda Firth, (915) 541-4656]
Approved 6 – 0.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
EX1. Discussion and action regarding litigation issues related to the El Paso Empowerment Zone Corporation. (551.071)
[City Attorney’s Office, Marie Taylor, (915) 541-4550]
Vote 6 – 0 to continue possible litigation to recoup money related to the Empowerment Zone.
EX3. Discussion and action regarding strategies and options related to Asarco litigation, bankruptcy, TCEQ permit process, and other legal matters involving Asarco. (551.071)
[City Attorney’s Office, Raymond L. Telles, (915) 541-4550]
Approved 5 – 0 to authorize outside to appeal the TCEQ’s recent renewal of Asarco’s air emissions permit.
Rep. Rachel Quintana questioned whether voters could be allowed to decide whether to pursue continued legal action in the city’s fight against the smelter’s re-opening. Quintana was told by Assistant City Attorney Laura Gordon that such a measure could not be put before the voters.
Quintana abstained from the vote, saying she was neither in favor of nor against Asarco, but that she was “not comfortable spending any more public money to fight a private corporation.”
