THE STATE OF TEXAS CITY OF BROWNSVILLE S COUNTY OF CAMERON $  MINUTES ofa Special Meeting oft the City Commission oft the City ofBrownsville, Texas, held on Tuesday, March 24, 2020, at 5:00 P.M., with the following members present via Zoom  Teleconference Meeting by logging on at: https://z0om.US/5/658433003 Meeting Number: 958433.003  TREY MIENDEL JOHN F. COWEN,JR. ROSE GOWEN NURITH GALONSKY PIZANA JESSICA TETREAU JOEL: MUNGUIA BEN NEECE NOEL BERNAL HELEN RAMIREZ BRYANT WALKER RENE DE COSS GRISELDA ROSAS ABSENT  Mayor COMMISSIONERS AtLarge "A" At-Large "B" District1 District2 District3 District 4 CITY MANAGER DEPUTY CITY MANAGER ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER CITY ATTORNEY INTERIM CITY SECRETARY ELIZABETH WALKER Assistant City Manager  CALLTO ORDER a) Roll Call  A quorum being present, Ms. Griselda Rosas, Interim City Secretary, read the call to order to consider the matters as posted and filed for the record in The Office oft the City  Secretary on March 20, 2020.  b) Invocation  Invocation was not delivered.  c) Pledge of Allegiance  United States Pledge and Texas Pledge  Pledge of Allegiance was not delivered.  Minutes Special Emergency March 24, 2020- - Page 1 of4    PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD  Ms. Teresa Saldivar, Ms. Stephanie Dominguez, and Mr. Alfonso Saldana, signed up for Public Comment, and did not wish to address the Mayor and Commission, but did  request that their opinion be registered for the record.  ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION  1. Consideration and ACTION to approve the City Manager to authorize purchases above the formal solicitation threshold in response to COVID-19. (Finance Lupe Granado, Finance Director, briefly updated the Commission that the City was facing unfamiliar territory and being proactive was a main component in dealing with the pandemic. The authorization to approve purchases above our current threshold might arise  Department)  as the City faced the pandemic.  Commissioner Nurith Galonsky Pizana expressed concerns over the limit of the Commissioner Jessica Tetreau recommended a seal amount of $250,000 as a cap. If the circumstances were to change and an even greater amount were needed, a special Commissioner Jessica Tetreau moved that the City Manager, be authorized, purchases above the formal solicitation threshold in response to COVID-19, with a cap of $250,000. The: motion was seconded by Commissioner Rose Gowen and carried as follow: Ayes: Commissioners Tetreau, Gowen, Munguia, Cowen, Jr., and Mayor Mendez  amount.  meeting would be scheduled.  Nays: Commissioners Galonsky Pizana, Neece  2. Consideration and ACTION to approve City Manager to delegate authority to Deputy/Assistant City Manager or Emergency Management Coordinator for approval of purchases above the formal solicitation threshold in response to Commissioner Nurith Galonsky Pizana moved that the City Manager delegate authority to the Deputy/Assistant City Manager or the Emergency Management Coordinator for approval of purchases above the formal solicitation threshold in response to COVID-19 with a cap of $50,000 per expenditure, be approved. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Ben Neece and carried as follow: Ayes: Commissioners Galonsky Pizana, Gowen, Munguia, Neece, Tetreau and  COVID-19.  Mayor Mendez  Nay: Commissioner Cowen  3. Consideration and ACTION to approve. Resolution Number 2020-028 expanding  the Scope of Services of the Public Health Department.  Dr. Arturo Rodriguez, Director ofP Public Health informed the Commission on how implementing extra measures would be necessary to combat the virus, in which the necessary actions would assist in identifying community diseases to better educate and  Minutes Special Emergency March 24, 2020 - Page 2 of4    scope suspected cases, clusters and hot spots within our community. Dr. Joseph McCormick supported and applauded both Dr. Rodriguez's initiative and the Commissioner Jessica Tetreau moved that Resolution Number 2020-028 expanding the Scope of Services of the Public Health Department, be approved. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Rose Gowen and carried unanimously. 4. Consideration and ACTION to amend the City of Brownsville Personnel Policy  Commission' s actions in staying ahead oft the pandemic.  Manual to allow the establishment of a Sick Leave Pool.  Ms. Marina Zolezzi, Assistant to the City Manager briefly explained the Sick Leave Pool, noting that the City had recognized the necessity to create a sick leave pool and bank to cover employees who may need to utilize sick leave due to the current health issue concerning COVID-19. Ms. Zolezzi further noted that the amendment would also assist new employees whom may not have sick leave accrual balances nor Commissioner Jessica Tetreau moved that the City of Brownsville Personnel Policy Manual to allow the establishment of a Sick Leave Pool, be amended and approved. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Joel Munguia and carried 5. Consideration and ACTION to amend Declaration of Local State of Disaster for  qualify for Telecommuting arrangements.  unanimously.  Public Health Emergency.  Mr. Noel Bernal, City Manager along with Mayor Trey Mendez and Ms. Helen Ramirez, Deputy City Manager briefly informed the Commission oft the new amended items made to the declaration. It was mentioned that some of the items included. but not limited to; restaurants, elective medical procedures'surgerites were prohibited, religious services are to be conducted by video/teleconterence, daycares are limited to 10 children per room, adult daycares are limited to 10 residents; libraries were to remain closed, city events were cancelled, general public and private events were cancelled, and residents were encouraged to conduct online City services; bus services Mr. Felipe Romero, Director of Communications and Marketing mentioned that the City created the BTX CARES website, where information was continuously Brief discussion ensued amongst the Commission in regards to the amended Dr. Joseph McCormick stressed the urgency that more testing sites bei in place and Commissioner Jessica Tetreau moved that the Declaration of Local State of Disaster for Public Health Emergency, be amended and approved. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Joel Munguia and carried unanimously.  were limited to 10j patrons and the airport had limited access.  updated for the public.  Declaration ofLocal State ofDisaster for Public Health Emergency.  would like the support of the Commission.  Minutes Special Emergency March 24, 2020 - Page 3 of4    ADJOURNMENT  There being no further business to come before the Commission, upon duly made  motion the meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m. Approved this 7th day of  July  2020.  Trey  R  Attest: LR Griselda Rosas Interim City Secretary  Respctfully submitted by: JOA. Gonzales, Refèrence Librarian  ORRT   hfatiats oft the Cily Secretary  Minutes Special Emergency March 24, 2020 - Page 4 of4