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2026-09-01 - City Council

Summary

Built from the official minutes, including statements attached to them. No video is posted, so there is no transcript or timing.

  • Regular meeting called to order at 10:15 a.m. with Mayor Johnson presiding. Boyar Trejo was excused; Acevedo and Maldonado-Rocha arrived at 10:18; Niño left at 1:43 p.m. A recess at 11:35 to 11:51 a.m. opened the Mass Transit Department Board meeting. Adjourned at 4:54 p.m.
  • Ordinance extending the hotel tax to short-term rentals adopted 7-0.
  • Contracts awarded for the Montwood Drive Extension ($18.2 million) and Resler Drive Extension ($12.6 million), both to International Eagle Enterprises, Inc., and for the airport terminal ramp ($21.3 million).
  • Lincoln Park renamed "Lincoln Park - El Paso's Chicano Park" 7-0.
  • The proposed termination of the City's title services contract with WestStar Title was deleted from the agenda 5-2.
  • Four District 7 discretionary fund requests passed 3-2.
  • Two part-time Municipal Magistrate Judges appointed after a closed session.

Short-Term Rental Hotel Tax

  • Ordinance 019907 adopted 7-0 on a motion by Chávez seconded by Fierro.

Montwood Drive Extension

  • Item 30 awarded for $18,172,452.74, 335 working days. Johnson disclosed a contribution from the contractor's principal owner. Niño attached a statement calling it his top infrastructure priority.

Resler Drive Extension

  • Item 29 awarded for $12,598,962.57 after the term was revised from 144 to 239 workweek days. Chávez attached a statement on the Enchanted Hills neighborhood's access.

Airport Terminal Ramp Reconstruction

  • Item 28 awarded to Dan Williams Company for $21,295,295 (FAA grant funded), 7-0.

Lincoln Park Chicano Park

  • Item 26 approved 7-0 on a motion by Acevedo seconded by Limón; applicant Gonzales and Osmond spoke.

Title Services Contract Termination

  • Item 3: moved to the regular agenda 5-2, then deleted 5-2 on a motion by Maldonado-Rocha seconded by Fierro.

District Discretionary Fund Spending

  • Items 22 to 25, District 7: $1,000 Latino Art Now! Conference, $400 Mission Valley Community Fair, $1,000 She Builds Program, $1,750 BOSS Gala tables; 3-2 (Chávez and Maldonado-Rocha against).

Anti-DWI Strategy

  • Item 27 update by Silva and Ortiz; no action. Niño attached a statement.

State Lobbying Services Contract

  • Item 31 awarded to Holland & Knight LLP, $240,000 over two years; 6-0 with Acevedo abstaining.

Substitute Municipal Judge Appointments

  • Item 32 approved 6-0 with Niño abstaining, after a closed session from 2:47 to 4:52 p.m.

Other business

  • Ordinance 019905 rezoned part of a tract in the Ascarate area from C-2/SP to C-4/SP, 7-0, and Ordinance 019906 vacated a ten-foot utility easement in the Paseos del Sol subdivision, 5-1 (Limón against).
  • First readings advertised: the Sunrise Acres infill special permit (hearing September 29), the tattoo studio, public utility communications and two floodplain administrator ordinances (hearing September 15).
  • Consent: six property liens for City clean-up of trash and weeds (individual amounts $476 to $794.50) and a resolution releasing the sales tax portion of earlier liens; a historic property tax exemption for a Montana Avenue building; a 915 Tattoo Fiesta street closure on September 13; a TxDOT agreement for the Paisano Trail; a $107,930 annual interlocal agreement providing public health, code enforcement and environmental services to San Elizario; Municipal Management District No. 1 board nominees; a change in the City's representative to the regional transportation advisory committee; and two tax refunds approved on a good-cause extension.
  • Public comment: two speakers on item 27 and eleven in the general call to the public.

Sources