TIRZ board approves KCI invoices pending engineering verification; Salinas RFQ set for advertising

LAREDO — The Downtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone No. 1 board approved payment of three invoices submitted by KCI Technologies on Feb. 10, contingent on engineering staff verifying the invoices do not cause the contract to exceed the 25% amendment threshold.

Board members reviewed three invoices covering November, December and January activity, and KCI representatives said the amounts relate to administration and landscape-architecture tasks included in a prior consolidated amendment. The invoice amounts discussed were approximately $11,002.50, $900 and $2,522.50; the board motioned to approve the invoices pending departmental verification and approved that motion by voice vote.

Separately, staff provided a procurement update for the Salinas street-improvement project funded through a transportation alternative set-aside program. Staff said TxDOT requested the city update procurement policy language to meet grant requirements; advertising for the request for qualifications was tentatively scheduled to begin the following Sunday and the city council award is now expected in April because TxDOT must concur on the consultant selection.

Board members noted the scheduling consequences of state concurrence and the 30-day local-government timelines that can push awards into later months. The motion approving KCI invoices carried on a voice vote; the board directed engineering staff to confirm contract amendment thresholds before processing payments and said no additional board action would be required unless verification fails.

Next steps: engineering staff will verify the amendment threshold for KCI invoices and staff will proceed with RFQ advertising once procurement language is updated to satisfy TxDOT grant requirements.