City of Alton 0 City Commission Regular Meeting 7:30 pm January 28, 2025 Minutes * ST 1978 Members Present Mayor Salvador Vela Mayor Pro Tem Arturo Galvan Jr. Commissioner Ricardo Garza Commissioner Emilio Cantu Jr. Commissioner Richard Arevalo City Staff Present Jeff Underwood Baudelia Rojas Ricardo Gonzalez Janie Flores Cecilia Sanchez Cristina Garcia Kristian Galvan Mark Perez Ruben Lozano Janie Gaytan Mauro Sandoval Roel Garza I. CALLTO ORDER AND ANNOUNCE A QUORUM IS PRESENT With a quorum of the Alton City Commission present, Mayor Salvador Vela called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m. II. CERTIFICATION OF POSTING III. PUBLIC COMMENT No comments available. IV. CONSENT AGENDA 1. Approve the minutes of the City Commission Meeting of. January 14, 2025. 2. Discuss and consider approval of Ordinance 2025-01, to rezone a tract of land at 1828 E. La Pointe Ave. from "R-2" Single Family Residential-Standard Lot District to "MF-1 Multi-Family-Low Density District requested by owner, Juan Manuel Alonso Contreras, waiving second and third reading. Alton City Commission Minutes Regular Meeting January 28, 2025 3. Discuss and consider approval of Ordinance 2025-02, to rezone a tract at 1327 N. Maple St., from "R-2 Single-Family Residential-Standard Lot District to "C-2" General Commercial District requested by owner, Ricardo Delgado, waiving second and third reading. Motion to approve the Consent Agenda was moved by Mayor Pro-Tem Arturo Galvan Jr. and seconded by Commissioner Ricardo Garza. Motion carried 5-0. V. NEW BUSINESS 1. Discuss and consider approving Resolution 2025-03-0128R, a resolution setting aside Resolution 2025-02-0114R and in its place a resolution reauthorizing the City of Alton, a Municipal Corporation to purchase real property; subject to certain contractual provisions; authorizing its Mayor to execute any and all necessary documents to effectuate the purchase; approving an agreement between the parties and providing a severance clause. Jeff Underwood, City Manager, stated that Resolution 2025-02-0114R, discussed at the last meeting, contained a minor typographical error that required correction. At the request of the title company, it was recommended that the original resolution be set aside and replaced. The property in question remains an 8.55-acre tract of land located at 720 S. Alton Blvd. Staff recommends approval. Motion to approve was moved by Mayor Pro-Tem Arturo Galvan Jr. and seconded by Commissioner Ricardo Garza. Motion carried 5-0. 2. Discuss and consider approval of Resolution 2025-04, authorizing the submission of a contract amendment for Texas Community Development Block Grant Program contract number 23-152-001-E068 between the City of Alton and the Texas General Land Office. Baudelia Rojas, Deputy City Manager, stated that this item pertains to three alternates submitted as an amendment to the contract. These amendments primarily address pavement improvements in areas located east and west of 6 Mile Line, near St. Jude, and south of Mayberry, before 5 Mile Line. All relevant information has been submitted to the General Land Office (GLO), which has reviewed the environmental assessments, and the beneficiary surveys have been completed. Staff recommends approval. Motion to approve was moved by Mayor Pro-Tem Arturo Galvan Jr. and seconded by Commissioner Ricardo Garza. Motion carried 5-0. 3. Discuss and consider approval of Resolution 2025-05, committing local funds to the Community Development Block Grant = Disaster Recovery Program contract number 23-152-001-E068. Baudelia Rojas, Deputy City Manager, stated that this item also pertains to the Mayberry Project. While the bids received were competitively priced, the inclusion of the three alternates resulted in a slight budget overage. As a result, an additional $18,980 in local funds is requested to cover the cost. Staff recommends approval. Motion to approve was moved by Mayor Pro-Tem Arturo Galvan Jr. and seconded by Commissioner Ricardo Garza. Motion carried 5-0. Page 2 of 5 Alton City Commission Minutes Regular Meeting January 28, 2025 4. Discuss and consider approval of Resolution 2025-06, granting authority to apply for the FY2026 Criminal Justice Grant Program to fund the Community Oriented Police Officer position and naming the Chief of Police as the authorized official. Mark Perez, Police Chief, stated that the purpose of this grant is to support the Community Oriented Police Officer program, which aims to improve the relationship between the Police Department and the community. The department has received this grant since last year, and Officer Rojas was appointed to the role. She has been in the position for three months, during which time she has completed 42 community outreach activities and attended numerous events, including National Night Out. This grant also helps fill the gap by allowing a dedicated officer for community engagement, rather than pulling someone from patrol. Staff recommends approval. Motion to approve was moved by Mayor Pro-Tem Arturo Galvan Jr. and seconded by Commissioner Ricardo Garza. Motion carried 5-0. 5. Discuss and consider approval of Resolution 2025-07, granting authority to apply for the FY2026 Victims of Crime Act Formula Grant Program to fund the Crime Victim Liaison position and naming the Chief ofPolice as the authorized official. Mark Perez, Police Chief, stated that this grant supports the Crime Victim Liaison program, which has been successful in previous years. The purpose of this grant is to provide services and assistance directly to victims of crime, helping to expedite their recovery and support them through the criminal justice process. Last year, Jianna Gonzales, Crime Victim Liaison, reported that 732 victims were served, including 35 individuals who received emergency protective orders and 16 who were assisted with new Visa's. Staff recommends approval. Motion to approve was moved by Mayor Pro- Tem Arturo Galvan Jr. and seconded by Commissioner Ricardo Garza. Motion carried 5-0. 6. Discuss and consider approval of Resolution 2025-08, granting authority to apply for the FY2026 First Responder Mental Health Program to fund our Mental Health & Resiliency Program (which includes Marketplace Chaplains) and naming the Chief of Police as the authorized official. Mark Perez, Police Chief, stated that this grant is to continue the department's successful partnership with Marketplace Chaplains. This program has proven to be highly beneficial for personnel in both the Police and Fire Departments. The grant will provide critical services and support to first responders, addressing both direct and indirect trauma experienced in the line of duty. Staff recommends approval. Motion to approve was moved by Mayor Pro-Tem Arturo Galvan Jr. and seconded by Commissioner Ricardo Garza. Motion carried 5-0. 7. Discuss and consider approval of Resolution 2025-09, granting authority to apply for the FY2026 Violence Against Women Formula Grant to fund the Sex Crimes Investigator Project and naming the Chief of Police as the authorized official. Mark Perez, Police Chief, stated that this grant is intended to continue funding the Sex Crimes Investigator Project, which enhances the response to violent crimes against women, including domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. Page 3 of 5 Alton City Commission Minutes Regular Meeting January 28, 2025 Previously, sex crimes investigations were handled by multiple investigators; however, this grant allows for a dedicated investigator, increasing the team from three to four, ensuring a specialized focus on these crimes while the other investigators handle property crimes, thefts, and robberies. Investigator Lopez, who was assigned to sex crimes last year, handled 171 cases in 2024, including 36 sex crimes cases involving sexual assault and indecency with a child, as well as 80 family violence cases. Staff recommends approval. Motion to approve was moved by Mayor Pro-Tem Arturo Galvan Jr. and seconded by Commissioner Ricardo Garza. Motion carried 5-0. 8. Discuss and consider a request to include City of Alton municipal and extraterritorial jurisdiction territory within the territorial boundaries of proposed Hidalgo County Emergency Services District No. 6, including approving an Order to consent inclusion of such territory. Jorge Arcaute, Hidalgo County Precinct 3, stated that a year ago, he was appointed to a working committee with the county to assess the rising costs of emergency ambulance services. During this time, the City of Alton encountered significant challenges related to these services. Additionally, the committee recognized the Alton Fire Department's extensive efforts in serving both the county and rural areas. As the study progressed, the need for an Emergency Services District (ESD) in Precinct 3 became evident. While other precincts in the county have established Emergency Services Districts, Precinct 3 did not. Following the withdrawal of Pharr's ambulance service, the county faced difficulties in maintaining emergency coverage for rural areas. The committee ultimately recommended the creation of two Emergency Services Districts one for emergency medical services and another for fire suppression to ensure adequate service and funding. To move this initiative forward, the City of Alton Fire Chief and other stakeholders recently gathered signatures for two petitions, which were submitted to the county judge. These petitions are the first step in establishing the Emergency Service Districts. According to state law, each city within the proposed district must decide whether to opt in or out and determine if they will allow the county to oversee emergency services within their extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). Additionally, this resolution must be voter-approved before implementation. Staff recommends approval. Motion to approve was moved by Mayor Pro-Tem Arturo Galvan Jr. and seconded by Commissioner Ricardo Garza. Motion carried 5-0. VI. EXECUTIVE SESSION: Pursuant to Government Code Section 551.0718551.072 a) Pending and/or potential litigation b) Personnel c) Real Estate VII. RETURN TO OPEN SESSION FOR POSSIBLE ACTION a) Pending and/or potential litigation b) Personnel c) Real Estate VIII.CITY MANAGER'S REPORT Jeff Underwood, City Manager, expressed his appreciation to Mr. Garza for the successful event held last night to conclude the flag football season. He commended the efforts put into organizing the event, noting that it was well-executed and enjoyable for all involved. Page 4 of 5 Alton City Commission Minutes -Regular Meeting January 28, 2025 Mr. Underwood also mentioned that the opening ceremonies for baseball will be taking place soon and emphasized the city's commitment to continuing these initiatives and providing quality recreational opportunities for the community. IX. ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:54 p.m. was moved by Mayor Pro Tem Arturo Galvan Jr. and was seconded by Commissioner Ricardo Garza. Motion carried 5-0. CITY OF ALTON Kel Salvador Vela, Mayor ATTEST: 7 a Here Conii Janie Flores, CPM City Secretary * * APPROVED BY CITY COMMISSION ON FEBRUARY 11, 2025 Page 5 of 5