CALEXICO — The city plans to better connect with the community through a town hall meeting in March and will plan out more town hall meetings throughout the year.
Councilman John Moreno said he couldn’t recall a town hall meeting for the city since 2009.
The agenda item was requested by councilman Bill Hodge to provide “an informal atmosphere where residents may feel more comfortable conveying their concerns and ideas with the council,” according to the agenda’s backup information.
Moreno and Hodge were appointed to serve on a subcommittee to work out town hall details such as location and other logistics.
City Manager Oscar Rodriquez said he felt it would be best for the first town hall to be simply to listen to citizen concerns before coming back to address specific issues.
Council decides against more meetings
The city shot down the idea to have four council meetings a month, an idea requested by councilman Luis Castro in Tuesday night’s meeting.
Castro proposed the idea stating that “in order to make progress in the city, we need to attend more meetings.”
However, other City Council members disagreed, saying it would incur unnecessary extra expense and didn’t see a specific need for them. Councilman John Moreno said the council should instead “work smarter, not harder.”
Other council members agreed that they believed town hall meetings or workshops would be a better option.
Mayor to hear on border issues
Mayor Daniel Romero will attend the Bi-national Summit for USA-Mexico Border Mayors in Tijuana this Friday.
City Council approved $560 for the trip where Romero will hear on topics such as public safety, border crossings, economic development and migration affairs.
The summit is held by the USA-Mexico Border Mayors Association, which makes recommendations to federal agencies, federal cabinet members, Congress and the Senate.
Event speakers will include U.S. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary of International Affairs Alan Bersin, General Alfonso Duarte Múgica, Commander of the Mexican Army’s Second Military Region in Baja California, Mexico’s Ministry of the Interior Alejandro Poiré Romero and U.S. Customs and Border Protection San Diego Director of Field Operations Christopher D. Maston.
$5 million loan for affordable housing
City Council voted 4-1 to authorize the city manager to execute paperwork necessary for a $5 million loan for an affordable housing project for seniors at the Historic De Anza Hotel.
The council had already approved an application to the California Department of Housing and Community Development for Home funds for the De Anza II Senior Apartments Project a year ago.
The city received the grant and has already executed the grant agreement.
The funds for the project were provided through federal and state funding through the HOME Investment Partnerships Program. The funding requires the city to loan the money to the developer and must be repaid over 55 years.
No city funds will ultimately be used for the project.
The project will provide 54 rental units for seniors, most of which exclusively for low- and very low-income households.
Councilman Luis Castro was the dissenting vote and wanted to pull the item until he could review agreements yet councilman John Moreno said that he believed a year was long enough to go over any project concerns.
City Manager Oscar Rodriquez said he believed it’s necessary to act sooner in order to not jeopardize the deal.
Staff Writer Chelcey Adami can be reached at 760-337-3452 or cadami@ivpressonline.com
Councilman John Moreno said he couldn’t recall a town hall meeting for the city since 2009.
The agenda item was requested by councilman Bill Hodge to provide “an informal atmosphere where residents may feel more comfortable conveying their concerns and ideas with the council,” according to the agenda’s backup information.
Moreno and Hodge were appointed to serve on a subcommittee to work out town hall details such as location and other logistics.
City Manager Oscar Rodriquez said he felt it would be best for the first town hall to be simply to listen to citizen concerns before coming back to address specific issues.
Council decides against more meetings
The city shot down the idea to have four council meetings a month, an idea requested by councilman Luis Castro in Tuesday night’s meeting.
Castro proposed the idea stating that “in order to make progress in the city, we need to attend more meetings.”
However, other City Council members disagreed, saying it would incur unnecessary extra expense and didn’t see a specific need for them. Councilman John Moreno said the council should instead “work smarter, not harder.”
Other council members agreed that they believed town hall meetings or workshops would be a better option.
Mayor to hear on border issues
Mayor Daniel Romero will attend the Bi-national Summit for USA-Mexico Border Mayors in Tijuana this Friday.
City Council approved $560 for the trip where Romero will hear on topics such as public safety, border crossings, economic development and migration affairs.
The summit is held by the USA-Mexico Border Mayors Association, which makes recommendations to federal agencies, federal cabinet members, Congress and the Senate.
Event speakers will include U.S. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary of International Affairs Alan Bersin, General Alfonso Duarte Múgica, Commander of the Mexican Army’s Second Military Region in Baja California, Mexico’s Ministry of the Interior Alejandro Poiré Romero and U.S. Customs and Border Protection San Diego Director of Field Operations Christopher D. Maston.
$5 million loan for affordable housing
City Council voted 4-1 to authorize the city manager to execute paperwork necessary for a $5 million loan for an affordable housing project for seniors at the Historic De Anza Hotel.
The council had already approved an application to the California Department of Housing and Community Development for Home funds for the De Anza II Senior Apartments Project a year ago.
The city received the grant and has already executed the grant agreement.
The funds for the project were provided through federal and state funding through the HOME Investment Partnerships Program. The funding requires the city to loan the money to the developer and must be repaid over 55 years.
No city funds will ultimately be used for the project.
The project will provide 54 rental units for seniors, most of which exclusively for low- and very low-income households.
Councilman Luis Castro was the dissenting vote and wanted to pull the item until he could review agreements yet councilman John Moreno said that he believed a year was long enough to go over any project concerns.
City Manager Oscar Rodriquez said he believed it’s necessary to act sooner in order to not jeopardize the deal.
Staff Writer Chelcey Adami can be reached at 760-337-3452 or cadami@ivpressonline.com
