[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6179531,"mediaKeyId","5126728-f1719908c2a1435c9d49f99f26661f9f","parentId",5126728,"title","Council hears CIP update and staff’s draft financial policies; district CIP and council support funds proposed","audioSeconds",352,"startMs",10418000,"endMs",10770000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5126728-f1719908c2a1435c9d49f99f26661f9f&start=10418&end=10770","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5126728-f1719908c2a1435c9d49f99f26661f9f/thumbnail_10418000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6179531/Laredo/Webb-County/Texas/Council-hears-CIP-update-and-staffs-draft-financial-policies-district-CIP-and-council-support-funds-proposed","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6179531-48c9156b42a9765455c50d924ee8169b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770971533&Signature=nsv7rZmttGiHkPsuwSjM8rDVwgTigGSLoqTCeFgUVTpIUS67XSr9sJXLKB0Lzn2jblTqf0N5iaXGn5YbgFaZE04JwxZ22YEdw1LaQrOkpinSYWsaidUetNKBBaYiif4HJPo2UaSBkDsVy1-Kesy-8JGfzbdL-pOCLYeEypNTAHUXyYTqgpYGj84uyb8RrW8GtPHW8Q00fqAi~D8t0bc4tBY21Hzxsa-H2htQBJcDsrI282loKZIKgCvXty8Fg2EYHVaIAIItdo3OftBi2zxJenJDmQSHCMEAY9Ym7oDEi5k3L~zNH5jTHSAHD6kb8bivM3X0QEpg1teCdN6qC7~rmg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Laredo, Texas","date","2025-07-02T23:33:18Z","article","City of Laredo staff used the July 1 workshop to present the city’s Capital Improvement Program status, an inventory of projects under design and construction, and a set of proposed financial policy resolutions intended to create predictability for future capital borrowing and district‑level spending.

Why it matters: The CIP presentation quantified current projects — roughly $29.6 million under design and $96 million under construction, with about $39 million completed in the previous three years — and proposed new priorities that would shape the next bond or financing cycle. Staff also recommended resolutions to formalize district CIP allocations and to create a council district support fund for travel, promotion and community‑support activities.

CIP highlights: Assistant city manager Ramon Chavez and CIP staff reviewed major projects under consideration, including the Boulevard of the Americas, land acquisitions, a pedestrian bridge at Father McNabb Bowl, Fire Station 16 (Buena Vista), artificial turf at Max Mandel, and a south‑sector police substation. Staff said the combined list of proposed, unfunded projects totaled about $57 million.

District CIP proposal: Staff proposed building a district CIP allocation into bond issuances by reserving 3% of any bond sale for district priorities. Under the example shown, that would generate an estimated $200,000 per council district from a typical issuance; those funds would be allocated equally unless council directs otherwise. Staff recommended project eligibility and a spending window (staff discussed a suggested multi‑year carryover but noted the council could adopt different timing), and proposed that no single project exceed 50% of a district’s allocation without explicit council authorization.

Council support and promotion funds: Staff also proposed a structured annual allocation for each council district and the mayor combining community support ($25,000), travel ($12,500) and promotion/engagement ($12,500) to replace ad‑hoc waivers and to increase transparency. Staff emphasized the intent was to reduce informal transfers and make event sponsorships, constituent outreach and modest district programs budgeted line items rather than one‑off waivers.

Debt and fund balance policy proposals: Staff previewed draft resolutions on budget/financial planning, cost‑recovery and user‑fee policy, debt management, fund‑balance minimums and grants management. The resolutions aim to require multi‑year financial forecasts, to set a minimum general‑fund reserve policy, and to align borrowing with affordability and rating‑agency best practices. City financial consultants told the council reserves should rise with the city’s growth to protect bond ratings and to reduce the risk of future surprise tax or service disruptions.

Council discussion: Councilmembers asked for time to review specific project costs and timelines; several requested more departmental breakdowns of the revenue reductions shown earlier in the workshop. Councilmembers also discussed the timing of land acquisition for a planned fire station and confirmed police and fire capital priorities were included in staff’s funded equipment and brick‑and‑mortar package.

Next steps: Staff will circulate the draft resolutions and detailed project sheets for council review ahead of the July 21 meeting and the August budget workshops; no formal action was taken on the policy resolutions at the July 1 workshop.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Workshop, 07/01/25","oneSentenceSummary","City staff presented a consolidated Capital Improvement Program (CIP) update, an unfunded project list and a suite of draft financial policy resolutions — including a proposal to dedicate a percentage of bond proceeds to district CIP allocations and to create council district support/travel/promotion allocations.","taxTitle","Laredo, Webb County, Texas","taxId",2820,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6179536,"Council adopts phased changes to employee health plan after staff warning on reserves",285,5938000,6223000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5126728-f1719908c2a1435c9d49f99f26661f9f&start=5938&end=6223","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5126728-f1719908c2a1435c9d49f99f26661f9f/thumbnail_5938000.jpg","/articles/6179536/Laredo/Webb-County/Texas/Council-adopts-phased-changes-to-employee-health-plan-after-staff-warning-on-reserves","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6179536-6ebf0f3df53e1556fe7d7330e4bc9d4a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770971533&Signature=GC~lB7lt7u0SnFxxQWQCZ45jWCU54RhQgdAVrT5t5tev5JPSu2lMFJghSkXHorLQmusmO8W2I3Bk2rafy~kSvvVsmL38onzlmFSywRHuPfybaeXunhI1enaAt7nidU7urEc7mZ4G5AK~XK96nziaYLe1UlSLlbM~eTojnNG7U4SldZirTzx~XKIaZaF0IHsE7qJvMbSsBQFVgO2R-7~uu2julKvQETbes-rgr9v5f32fm6Cgeqm4vCgOtXSKXBeoofutcchEzmNFL2FVEBySGywk53Ko21~vuTB8T-4rph9cZCQNhWZMjxJpnq3jH3~ZIfffwE8p5FbB4cBwTv6NfQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City of Laredo elected leaders on July 1 adopted a revised employee health insurance package and a plan to phase in premium and benefit changes after city staff and consultants warned the plan’s reserve is near depletion.

Why it matters: Human resources and outside consultants said that medical and prescription cost trends, combined with a year of unusually large claims, left the city’s self‑insured fund with insufficient reserves unless the city takes corrective action.

Human resources director Linda Teneyto told council the city must “do something to our plan this year” because otherwise “next year at this time, we're not gonna have the funding to sustain that program.” Teneyto presented staff recommendations developed with consultant Gallagher and the city’s broker to reprice three plan options — a PPO, an HMO and a high‑deductible health plan (HDHP) — and to increase employee premium contributions for some tiers while funding other plans at higher employer share.

Consultant Natalie Haskett of Gallagher said cost drivers include a spike in catastrophic claims and rising prescription drug trend; she described a recommended rebalancing that increases the spread between the PPO, HMO and HDHP so plan costs more closely reflect expected utilization. “Pharmacy trend is knocking on 13%,” Haskett told the council.

Council members raised concerns about higher employee out‑of‑pocket costs, especially for police, fire and families. Several members asked staff to consider alternatives, including a multi‑year phase‑in and stronger demand‑management measures such as expanded on‑site clinic use, telemedicine and preventive care. HR and the insurer described current steps to curb avoidable spending — waiving primary‑care copays, promoting a nurse hotline and offering telemedicine services — and proposed a campaign to increase preventive‑care participation.

Action taken: Council voted to adopt a revised plan structure and to implement changes on a three‑year phase‑in schedule to reduce immediate cost shock to employees while restoring plan reserves. The council also asked staff to return by the July 14 deadline with final plan language and cost estimates. City budget staff estimated the near‑term fiscal impact of the adopted package at approximately $1.3 million across city funds (about $800,000 to general fund), and proposed a combination of funding from the health benefits fund balance and limited general‑fund support to cover the first‑year shortfall.

What staff will do next: Human resources, Gallagher and budget staff will finalize plan documents for open enrollment and produce an updated five‑year forecast showing reserve replenishment under the planned phase‑in. HR committed to targeted education and stepped‑up preventive care outreach, including expanded use of the city clinic and local public‑health services.

Council context: The vote followed about an hour of council discussion and public testimony, including remarks from the Railroad Firefighters Association in support of protecting employees and minimizing immediate premium shocks. Several councilmembers said they sought revisions while protecting employees’ access to care.","After a daylong discussion, the council approved changes to the city’s employee health insurance plan and a phased implementation intended to restore the plan’s reserves; staff warned that without action the fund would be unsustainable next year.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6179541,"Laredo council preliminarily adopts third‑party funding slate; Border Olympics granted full hotel/motel budget pending documentation",2797,165000,2962000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5126728-f1719908c2a1435c9d49f99f26661f9f&start=165&end=2962","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5126728-f1719908c2a1435c9d49f99f26661f9f/thumbnail_165000.jpg","/articles/6179541/Laredo/Webb-County/Texas/Laredo-council-preliminarily-adopts-thirdparty-funding-slate-Border-Olympics-granted-full-hotelmotel-budget-pending-documentation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6179541-068efe6dfdf0ed2c326fbc237a06ed45/orig.mp4?Expires=1770971533&Signature=GKH1L6aSeiGwxlwBvF4SksfrrHGaB2PvqxCRAAelcu-jw-mEyHYMGwysatwXclviNzzhpPUUUrNEge6aE~fyL1lnjV~BimlSKMonpcxWGcCY9VEg4tNpk1Z9V7vIAtQBMnTrjpDAn05ECk8-hOFI9i2tCfcPmsQoJBRLK0c2WEdECTSSzLACaSfU5COnDooW~NMj7z8DfA5TCHEuJoIjiGvpESNcTwFDodgFdluybLHq5QSh735-dWu2wh4Y2~fwugOH3zg21mdmPAXj5UiZ7G0~3Y2hHUGEK9xD5YOPdCNT4uiVd~S7JZaB-kYHcH1tRofwhSsOMy4isjIrPhpQ1w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City of Laredo officials on July 1 preliminarily approved the Civic Partnership & Engagement Advisory Committee’s recommendations for third‑party funding from the general fund and hotel/motel tax, adopting committee cuts and several council amendments.

The council’s vote followed a presentation by Tina Martinez, Community Development director, who said the committee screened 25 general‑fund applicants and 13 hotel/motel applicants and recommended $337,009.91 from the general fund and $363,007.50 from hotel/motel tax revenues. Martinez said the city capped general‑fund requests at $25,000 this year and added a three‑year cycle and a volunteer‑service match requirement to broaden support across nonprofit providers. “Applications are now capped at $25,000,” Martinez said. “The committee did look at audits and their financials.”

Why it matters: Councilmembers said the restructuring responds to long‑term budget pressures while attempting to spread limited city support across more organizations. Several councilmembers pushed for targeted increases to preserve services they described as essential to child welfare and health access.

Council actions and amendments began with an initial motion to approve the committee’s general‑fund recommendations. Councilmember Gilbert Gonzales moved and a colleague seconded an amendment to raise Casa Mesa De Correa’s allocation from the committee recommendation to $10,000; the motion carried. Councilmembers also approved raising the Children’s Advocacy Center of Laredo to $15,000 and increasing area health education funding (NAHEC) to $15,000 after committee members explained those agencies’ applications and financial statements. Committee chair Esther Figola said Mercy Ministries was recommended for $0 because the committee found the organization had a “very healthy budget” and incomplete application materials for the competitive award process.

Border Olympics and hotel/motel: Orlando Navarro, representing Border Olympics, urged the council to maintain the organization’s historical funding level because the event brings out‑of‑town visitors and generates hotel room nights. “We put heads in beds,” Navarro said, describing the group’s reimbursable funding model and volunteer structure. Martinez told the council that hotel/motel awards must meet stricter state statutory criteria — including evidence of room‑block reservations and measurable head‑in‑bed impacts — and that some requested activities did not qualify under those criteria. She said the committee did not receive the room‑block documentation needed to verify some requests.

After discussion, the council voted to tentatively budget the Border Olympics for the full $135,000 previously received, while directing staff and the organization to submit the hotel/motel supporting documentation (room blocks, advertising that produced out‑of‑market attendees, and proof of occupancy increases). If the required documentation is supplied and verified, the budget will include the full award; if not, the committee recommendation will stand.

What the committee considered: Committee members told council they reviewed applications, audits and IRS filings and applied a scoring matrix that weighed program goals, demonstrated need and organizational financial position. Martinez said committee members worked about 45 hours reviewing applications and that the committee’s work is newly formalized under a civic engagement model adopted by council in January 2025.

Next steps: Council members approved the recommendations as a preliminary budget action to be finalized when the overall city budget is adopted. Martinez said contracts would not be executed until the new fiscal year begins October 1 and that the council could still modify awards at final budget adoption.

Votes at a glance: Motions to approve the committee’s recommendations as amended, and to budget the Border Olympics’ hotel/motel request pending documentation, were passed by the council during the July 1 workshop session.","City Council preliminarily approved a reduced slate of third‑party grants recommended by the Civic Partnership & Engagement Advisory Committee, with several council amendments. The council also agreed to budget the Border Olympics’ full requested hotel/motel allotment of $135,000 pending submission of required supporting documents.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council hears CIP update and staff’s draft financial policies; district CIP and council support funds proposed

Council adopts phased changes to employee health plan after staff warning on reserves

Laredo council preliminarily adopts third‑party funding slate; Border Olympics granted full hotel/motel budget pending documentation