[00:00:03] >> NOW FROM MCALLEN CITY HALL, A MEETING OF THE MCALLEN PUBLIC UTILITY BOARD. [MUSIC] >> I CALL OUR MEETING IN ORDER. IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE STAND FOR OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND INVOCATION. [CALL TO ORDER] KIND AND MOST GRACIOUS HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ONCE AGAIN COME AND DO THE BUSINESS OF THIS UTILITY. WE ASK YOUR GUIDANCE AND LEADERSHIP IN EVERYTHING WE DO, [PLEDGE] [INVOCATION] THAT WE'D BE MINDFUL OF THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE. WE PRAY THESE THINGS IN YOUR PRECIOUS NAME. AMEN. >> AMEN. >> AMEN. [NOISE] >> FIRST ITEM WE HAVE IS PRESENTATION. >> YES, SIR. [OVERLAPPING] MR. CHAIRMAN, MAYOR, BOARD MEMBERS, WE'LL HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR THE EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH AWARD, AND THIS LAST MONTH WAS UTILITY ENGINEERING. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CARLOS GONZALEZ COME UP HERE AND PRESENT THE RECIPIENT OF THE EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH AWARD. MR. BALDERAS, CARLOS. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS. >> AFTERNOON, CARLOS. [PRESENTATION OF EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH - RAFAEL BALDERAS (UTILITY ENGINEERING)] >> TODAY WE'RE HONORED HERE TO PRESENT RAFAEL BALDERAS AS EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH, NO STRANGER TO THIS BOARD. RAF HAS BEEN WITH US FOR ABOUT EIGHT YEARS NOW, AND HE DOES A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING, HELPS OUT MARK, MYSELF, AND THE REST OF OUR GROUP, HARDWORKING GUY. HE FOLLOWS BILL BELICHICK'S LUNCH PAIL WORK ETHIC. THAT'S CURRENTLY ONE OF HIS ROLE MODELS, BUT HE'S A GREAT ASSET TO OUR GROUP HERE AND WE'RE VERY GLAD HE'S ON OUR TEAM. RAF? >> CONGRATULATIONS, RAFAEL. [APPLAUSE] >> JUST I WANT TO THANK GOD. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES, CARLOS, EVERYONE THAT I WORK WITH, MARK, THE BOARD. IT'S A PLEASURE WORKING FOR THE CITY OF MCALLEN, MCALLEN PUBLIC UTILITY. I KNOW MY DEPARTMENT, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WORK HARD, ADMIN, THEY WORK HARD AS WELL, AND SO I'M JUST THANKFUL TO RECEIVE THE AWARD. >> THANK YOU, RAFAEL. >> WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED HARD WORK. >> YES, SIR. [OVERLAPPING] >> THANK YOU FOR THE NUMBER OF YEARS OF SERVICE. [APPLAUSE] >> NEXT ITEM. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, WE HAVE ITEM 1A, WHICH IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THE REGULAR MEETING HELD SEPTEMBER 28TH. >> I MOVE. >> I HAVE A MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> ANY ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. [1. MINUTES:] [a) Approval of Minutes for the Regular Meeting held September 28, 2021 and Workshop held September 14, 2021.] >> AYE. >> OPPOSE, SAME SIGN. MOTION PASSES. NEXT ITEM PLEASE. >> ITEM 2A IS AWARD OF PURCHASE CONTRACT, PURCHASE OF ONE 2100I VACTOR TRUCK. DAVID? >> IF IT'S THROUGH THE BUYBOARD, I MOVE TO APPROVE. >> IT IS THROUGH THE BUYBOARD. [2. BIDS AND CONTRACTS:] >> SECOND. >> I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. [a) Award of Purchase Contract - Purchase of One (1) 2100i Vactor Truck.] ANY DISCUSSION? ONLY QUESTION I HAVE WAS DELIVERY IS AUGUST [OVERLAPPING] OF NEXT YEAR? >> 2022, YES. [LAUGHTER] >> THANK YOU, DAVID. >> THANK YOU, DAVID. >> I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. >> ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSE, SAME SIGN. MOTION PASSES. NEXT ITEM PLEASE. >> ITEM 2B IS CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF THE SELECTION AND AWARD OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ENGINEERING CONTRACT FOR THE DAFFODIL AVENUE WATERLINE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. CARLOS? >> WELL, IT WAS BASED ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND WHO'S BEEN THERE AND EVERYTHING, [b) Consideration and approval of the selection and award of a Professional Services Engineering Contract for the Daffodil Avenue Waterline Improvement Project.] I'D RECOMMEND OR I MOVE TO [INAUDIBLE] >> SECOND. >> I'VE HEARD A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY QUESTIONS, DISCUSSIONS? ALL IN FAVOR OF THE ITEM, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSE, SAME SIGN. MOTION PASSES. NEXT ITEM. >> THANK YOU, CARLOS. ITEM 3A IS PRESENTATION OF REGIONAL WATER BOARDS WITH MR. FORMER MAYOR JIM DARLING. >> THANK YOU. I'LL TRY TO BE QUICK IN DEFERENCE TO, I THINK I CALL HIM, MAYOR MOTION. [3. MANAGER'S REPORT:] [a) Presentation of Regional Water Boards - James E. Darling.] [LAUGHTER] BUT I APPRECIATE THAT. I WAS TALKING TO MARK, I GOT PRETTY ACTIVE IN WATER, WAS, AND NOW I'M EVEN MORE SO. I THOUGHT I'D GIVE YOU GUYS A LITTLE UPDATE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE WATER THAT COULD AFFECT US. I MIGHT FIRST LET YOU KNOW THAT, BY THE WAY, I'M A COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS. I'M ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FOR COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, AND THEY'RE IMPORTANT TO US BECAUSE THEY DO ALL THE ADMINISTRATIVE THINGS FOR REGION AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE BODY. [00:05:04] THEY ALSO MANAGE ALL THE LOANS AND GRANTS TO WHATEVER, ANYTHING THAT'S REGIONAL. THEY'RE PRETTY IMPORTANT FROM THAT. I'M NOW CHAIRMAN OF THE REGIONAL WATER AUTHORITY, HAS BEEN OUT SINCE 2004. I'LL BE A CHAIR TILL 2025 IF I LIVE THAT LONG. THE REASON THAT IS BECAUSE WE JUST STARTED A NEW FIVE-YEAR PLAN. THE 2021 WAS THE END OF THE FIFTH YEAR PLAN, THE FIFTH CYCLE. NOW WE'RE WORKING ON THE NEW PLAN. IN FACT, I JUST GOT OFF A 4 1/2 HOUR MEETING WITH THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD AND THE NEW PLAN STUFF. IF THAT DOESN'T PUT YOU TO SLEEP, NOTHING WILL. I'M THE REGIONAL WATER PLANNING AND TECHNICAL COMMITTEE WITH THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD THAT WAS PART OF THIS MEETING TODAY. I'M AN INTERREGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL WHICH IS TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD. IT'S A MEMBER OF ALL THE REGIONAL PLANTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. THEN I'M PAST PRESIDENT AND BOARD MEMBER PRESENTLY AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF REGIONAL WATER AUTHORITY. LAST, I'M BOARD MEMBER ON THE REGIONAL WATER RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHICH IS CREATED BY THE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, WHICH NOW HAS BEEN FUNDED ON VARIOUS PROJECTS. LASTLY, I'M ON THE BOARD OF 25 GULF TASK FORCE, LOWER GRANDE WATER QUALITY INITIATIVE. THAT'S A SPIN OFF OF NADBANK WAY BACK WHEN, AND THEY DO A FIVE-YEAR PLAN, BUT IT INVOLVES MEXICO AND UNITED STATES, PRETTY INTERESTING FROM THAT STANDPOINT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING NOW IS MORE AND MORE MONEY FOR WATER QUALITY ISSUES. WE HAVE NOW THREE GRANTS THAT ARE PENDING. ONE IS A WATER QUALITY ISSUE AND BROWNSVILLE SHIP CHANNEL, THE ROYAL COLORADO, AND THE RAYMONDVILLE DRAIN. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO THE MCALLEN PUBLIC UTILITY BOARD? BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE OUR SEWER WATER GOES, EXCEPT FOR NORTH WHERE YOU REUSE ALMOST EVERYTHING. ALTHOUGH YOU DO HAVE REUSE BYPRODUCT THAT GOES INTO A WATER DISTRICT DITCH, EITHER THAT OR IN THE MISSION DRAIN AND ULTIMATELY ENDS UP IN THERE. WHAT I'VE TRIED TO DO IS TELL PEOPLE BEFORE YOU QUANTIFY SOMETHING, YOU BETTER HAVE A SOLUTION OR PLAN FOR A SOLUTION. THAT'S WHAT I SAY ALMOST EVERY TIME, BUT I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT YOU SHOULDN'T CLEAN UP THE ROYAL COLORADO. I RUN A JET SKI ONE TIME, THEY SAID NEVER FALL OFF THE JET SKI. EVERYBODY KNOWS IT'S POLLUTED, WE KNOW IT IS. BUT WHEN YOU START DETERMINING HOW AND WHAT AND WHO'S CONTRIBUTING, THE END USER WILL BE RESPONSIBLE ULTIMATELY FOR THAT. HOPEFULLY, THAT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT THEY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, SOMETHING I ALWAYS URGE. THE RIVER THAT'S BEING PLANNED WITH IBWC AND ALLOW THAT AS FARMLAND BECAUSE THERE'S SHIT FLOW INTO THE RIVER WHICH POLLUTES IT, BUT THERE ARE POLLUTION SOURCES FROM THAT STANDPOINT, AND SO THAT'S IMPORTANT. THE OTHER THING IS EL MORILLO DRAIN WHICH GOES THROUGH MEXICO AND DIVERT SOME SALINITY FROM THE RIVER. WE DON'T REALLY SEE IT BECAUSE WE'RE UPRIVER VERSION POINT, BUT THEN THEY COULD BE CHANGED AND ALL THOSE THINGS. THERE'S WHOLE BUNCH OF PROGRAMS GOING ON AND THE CITIES DON'T PARTICIPATE VERY MUCH, PRIMARILY BECAUSE THEY GET THEIR WATER FROM IRRIGATION DISTRICTS THAT FIGURE IRRIGATION DISTRICTS ARE WATCHING OUT FOR THEM. I GOING TO TELL YOU THEY'RE NOT FROM THAT STANDPOINT. THERE'S JUST NOT ALLOT OF MUNICIPAL INVOLVEMENT. THERE'S UNIVERSITY INVOLVEMENT, THERE'S SOME SPECIAL INTERESTS, COMMISSIONER GARZA GOT FROM CAMERON COUNTY. GREAT, GREAT GUY, REALLY WANTS TO CLEAN UP LAGUNA MADRE AND HE'S SPEARHEADING SOME OF THIS, AND THEN COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT PEOPLE WHICH AREN'T REALLY MUNICIPAL PEOPLE PER SE. ALTHOUGH THEIR MEMBERSHIPS IS MUNICIPALITY AND THEY'RE BOARD, BUT NOT A MAJORITY OF IT, SO LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M WATCHING THIS. I COULD REPORTS IF YOU WANT. I TALKED TO MARK ONCE IN A WHILE ON THAT STUFF, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US PROVIDE SOME LEADERSHIP ROLE IN THESE PROCESSES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE SOUND JUDGMENTS WHEN WE GET INVOLVED IN IT. I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART. IN THAT PIECE, MERCHANT, ANYBODY IS INVOLVED IN IT, BUT SOME PEOPLE HAVE A SPECIAL INTEREST AND THEIR SPECIAL INTEREST AND THEY DO THE TUNNEL VISION AND NOT LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE. I THINK REGION M IS A GREAT EXAMPLE. WE HAD A GREAT DISCUSSION ON THE DROUGHT TODAY AND DROUGHT PRESENTATION FOR REGION M. BY THE WAY, WATER REUSE, THERE'S A BIG PROJECT. I'M SURE YOU DISCUSSED IT. THAT WOULD NOT QUALIFY UNDER EXISTING REGION M PROJECTS AS EITHER A LOAN OR A GRANT FUND. I DIDN'T ASK THEM TODAY. I DID ASK SOME GENERAL QUESTIONS ON THAT. REGION M AND THE WATER PLANNING GROUP IS PRIMARILY FOR THE PURPOSES OF WHETHER OR NOT [00:10:01] THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD WILL EITHER LEND YOU MONEY OR GRANTS YOU MONEY. YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T VIOLATE YOUR PERMITS, [NOISE] BUT YOU WON'T GET PAID FOR IT, OR YOU CAN'T BORROW MONEY FOR IT. THAT'S WHERE REGION M REALLY COMES INTO PLAY. OTHERWISE TCQ MANAGES WHAT WE DO, BUT NOT SO MUCH REGION M OR TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD. AT ANY RATE, UNLESS THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, THAT'S MY REPORT. I'VE BEEN GOING A LOT OF MEETINGS AND THINKING OF YOU GUYS AT THESE MEETINGS. SINCE I'M WITH THE BRIDGE, BUT NOT THE CITY OR UTILITY BOARD, I DIDN'T WANT TO BE SPEAKING OUT OF TURN WITH HIM, BUT LET YOU KNOW MY POSITION IN THESE GROUPS. >> CERTAINLY, WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO UPDATE US ON WHAT YOU'RE UP TO AND ALSO WHAT'S OF IMPORTANCE TO US AS A COMMUNITY. A FEW PEOPLE REALIZE ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN WHAT WE DO, ALL OF THE MOVING PIECES THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY AND DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS. >> WE'RE SO MUCH DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF MEXICO. SEVENTY PERCENT OF OUR WATER COMES OUT OF MEXICO, 95 PERCENT OF OUR WATER CHARGE ZONES ARE IN MEXICO, NOT IN UNITED STATES. MOSTLY, WE'RE IN THE NUECES FOREGROUND BASIN BECAUSE OUR WATER SHEET FLOWS TO THE NORTH AND EAST. THERE IS A WATER AUTHORITY FOR THAT, 100 PERCENT OF THE MEMBERS ARE FROM NUECES COUNTY AND ZERO FROM HIDALGO COUNTY. THERE'S ISSUES THAT WE ARE JUST DIFFERENT AND SOME NO REPRESENTATION, SOME A LITTLE REPRESENTATION, BUT I THINK RELATIVELY IMPORTANT. >> GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> THANKS A LOT, MAYOR. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [OVERLAPPING] WE LOOK FORWARD TO REACHING OUT TO YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> THANK YOU. >> MAY I HAVE YOUR PERMISSION TO LEAVE? [LAUGHTER] >> YES. [LAUGHTER] [BACKGROUND] >> SURE. WE CAN ASK TO TABLE, ITEM 4 PLEASE. >> ITEM 4 IS FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. BOARD MEMBERS, IF YOU ALL WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING OR SEE SOMETHING FURTHER DISCUSSED IN A WORKSHOP SETTING, [4. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS:] PLEASE LET US KNOW AND THEN WE'LL PUT THAT ON FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. [BACKGROUND] >> ANY ADDITIONS TO THAT? COUNCILOR, ANYTHING ON 5A? >> NO, THAT'S THERE IN CASE YOU WANTED TO ASK ME QUESTIONS, BUT I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING I NEED TO REPORT. >> THAT COMPLETES OUR AGENDA. [5. EXECUTIVE SESSION, CHAPTER 551, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, SECTION 551.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY, SECTION 551.072 LAND TRANSACTION, SECTION 551.074 PERSONNEL MATTERS; SECTION 551.087 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS:] MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN PLEASE? [a) Consultation with City Attorney regarding potential litigation before the PUC. (T.G.C. 551.071)] >> TO MOVE. >> MOTION AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> WE'RE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> [MUSIC] WITH THAT ACTION, THIS MEETING OF THE MCALLEN PUBLIC UTILITY BOARD IS NOW ADJOURNED. REGULAR PUB MEETINGS ARE HELD ON THE 2ND AND 4TH TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH. LOOK FOR REPEATS OF THIS MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY, AND SUNDAY ON THE MCALLEN CABLE NETWORK. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.