County approves $1 million toward downtown Deck Park design after contentious debate

The El Paso County Commissioners Court voted 3-2 on June 30 to commit $1 million toward the design phase of the proposed downtown Deck Park Plaza and to begin negotiating an agreement with the city and private partners for future participation.

The court’s decision came after more than two hours of presentations and public comment — including multiple speakers who urged the court to reject the county contribution because they said the project would not address urgent needs in outlying neighborhoods. Veronica Carbajal, a climate and civil-rights organizer, told the court: “We oppose any governmental investment in the deck park. Please vote no on item 8B.”

County staff and project backers, including city representatives and members of the Downtown Deck Park Foundation, framed the $1 million as a necessary, time‑sensitive commitment to pay for design and “future‑proofing” work that must be coordinated with Texas Department of Transportation plans for I‑10 reconstruction. Tracy Yellen,…