RMA board renews management agreement with El Paso City and approves a slate of project contracts and grant applications

The Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority board voted Jan. 29 to renew a management services agreement with El Paso City and approved a bundle of resolutions authorizing work authorizations, interlocal agreements and grant-application submittals for projects including the Wyler Bridal Tramway, Howard Lowe Drive, Alamo Alto Trail phase 4 and several county transit and airport efforts.

The management services agreement with El Paso City establishes roles and responsibilities for city support, including office space and access to city-provided services, and is the five-year renewal the authority typically considers; staff proposed extending the term to 10 years and adding a new RMA employee and associated office space. ‘‘This is agreement that establishes the roles and responsibilities of each party as it relates to, the city providing, support to the RMA,’’ Executive Director Raymond Tayas told the board. Tayas said two items remain under review by El Paso City: a request to use City Council chambers for RMA meetings and confirmation of the RMA office location among city-owned sites.

The board also approved a series of project-related amendments and work authorizations and authorized the submission of state grant applications under the Texas Department of Transportation Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside program. Staff described two grant applications the authority will submit on behalf of local partners: a shared-use path on Howard Lowe Drive in Horizon City and Alamo Alto Trail phase 4, which would extend the trail east to the county line. In both cases, the board authorized interlocal agreements with the local sponsor (Horizon City and El Paso County, respectively) and work authorizations with HNTB Corporation to prepare the grant materials.

Votes at a glance

- Management services agreement with El Paso City: approved (resolution) — renews the agreement, proposes term extension to 10 years, includes language to add a new RMA employee and office space; two items (use of council chambers; confirmation of office location) pending city approval.

- Work Authorization No. 46 (Atkins Realis USA Inc.) — Wyler Bridal Tramway phase 1 construction-phase design services: approved (brings original design firm on for construction support).

- TxDOT Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside applications (Howard Lowe Drive and Alamo Alto Trail phase 4): board authorized execution of interlocal agreements with Horizon City and El Paso County and work authorizations with HNTB to prepare applications; staff will submit state-level applications.

- Tornillo–Guadalupe port of entry study: interlocal agreement amendment with El Paso County and Work Authorization No. 65 to Atkins — approved (clarifies permitted uses and authorizes specified outreach in Mexico as part of the study).

- El Paso County transit facility project: amendments to Work Authorization No. 2 (HDR Engineering) and No. 58 (Atkins) — approved (increases scope and fee for additional environmental and right-of-way work; county has reviewed and supports the changes).

- Fabens Airport (AWOS and fuel farm): interlocal agreement amendment with El Paso County to provide construction funding — approved.

- Tierra Este Road project: interlocal amendment with El Paso County and Work Authorization No. 1 with Gannett Fleming (formerly Tannenbaum) for additional utility coordination and design work — approved.

- Annual compliance report to TxDOT (required): approved.

Most motions were approved by voice vote during the meeting; the record shows motions, seconds and affirmative voice votes and the chair announcing "motion carries" for each listed item.

Why it matters

The approvals clear several projects to advance from design toward construction, enable grant applications that could bring state funds to local trail and active-transportation projects, and set the administrative terms for how the RMA and El Paso City will share office space, personnel access and certain services. Several approvals (notably the management agreement negotiating use of City Council chambers and the office location) remain subject to final agreement with El Paso City staff.

Board members asked staff to seek flexibility if El Paso City limits access to council chambers for filming or livestreaming; Tayas said he had ‘‘pitched that to the city’’ and would report back when he hears from the city. The board did not identify any contentions that stopped the votes; where board members expressed concern they sought clarification from staff, which was provided at the meeting.

Ending

Several approvals call for follow-up: staff will return with confirmations when the city responds to the chambers and office-location requests, will proceed to prepare and submit the TxDOT grant applications on behalf of partners, and will carry forward design and environmental work authorized for county-led projects.