City of Laredo, Texas Laredo Center for Urban Agriculture and Sustainability, 13 Jan 2022

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LAREDO CENTER FOR URBAN AGRICULTURE AND SUSTAINABILITY 011322

A

You know I was thinking, get him off since I'm over here um with in austin, it's a little hard for me. I don't want to you, know, disrespect anyone's time. Would you mind uh taking the lead on it and running the meeting.

B

No, no problem um I'll go ahead and uh call the meeting to order. um The time is 137 and I've already uh taken roll call jose you're in hello, okay, yes, okay, hi, jose! Thank you for joining us.

B

Okay. As of as of right now, we have no public comments.

C

A

Well, you know I just want to say this, as this is my last meeting uh moving to austin next week, and I really look forward to all that. I appreciate you all of you being understanding and and just having a great you know, collaboration over the last really like three years we brought on jose, and you know I'm really happy with the progress he's made. You know and just how these organizations developed, because we wanted to you know, take the opportunity to thank everyone.

A

I'm glad that you know we were able to meet quorum today and you know have fresh new faces and new leadership, and you know I'm always here support y'all in any way. You know now that I'm out here too, you know anything from austin to connect. You know maybe there's opportunities for regional food systems uh distribution. I still have the warehouses.

A

And services exports imports anything you need. You know, I'm also happy to use these assets and resources here at your disposal. um So you know.

D

A

Want to thank you all for for the time, I'm still always going to be a part of this anything you ever need that I can help with I'm happy to help. So you know, aside from that, I would say you know the incubator program, I think, is just something that I think we should continue to develop and I'd be happy to continue advising um as a non-board member, more of as an advisor. I think that's where we really need to encourage uh entrepreneurs and farmers.

A

Entrepreneurs to you know really take hold of this mission rather than you know us as a as a municipality and also with limited funds, trying to do everything.

A

So really you know creating those resources and assets for them with what says: leadership and training them and showing them how to do what he does best and you know supporting them. You know we even have a program where we'll give them the tools that they need. So it's really, you know it's a comprehensive package for them to create their own farms and sustainable living.

A

So um I think that's going to be a really key part in the future of this so happy to continue helping and if again, if you guys ever need anything I'll, just leave it at that. Thank you.

B

Thank you roger.

B

So what we're really doing is we're following the uh the agenda that was posted, but it's actually the agenda from december.

B

Did uh secretary last uh last month, but if it's okay with her I'll just go ahead and go through the agenda.

B

Hands-On stuff is that, okay with you maitha.

E

Yes, of course, thank you. I actually appreciate.

B

Them on the agenda uh for secretaries is the nomination and election of lcuas president.

B

Obviously, no longer with us, we need to a new president.

B

B

This is something for us to to still think about and discuss.

F

Did we ever um did anybody reach out to.

F

A

E

A

Out to her shoes.

C

Organization, but she said she was unable to do it. She might move out of the city and she won't be able to join the organization. Okay,.

A

I should have said she respectfully declined. I'm sorry, I'm walking over here. um I apologize for framing it. That way.

B

So what we can do is we can table this to the next meeting until we have a, I guess, a better hold of who would want to be president and uh the secretary could just run the meetings as uh as they're as as as possible. So the next item would be nomination and selection of new board members.

B

So going down the list, um I did speak to morgan floyd's this morning and she does live in dallas now. So she is no longer part of the.

B

She's no longer officially part of the canseco group, because you know she doesn't live here, but on paper she is part of the board and you know she did say that she would log on if needed, for a vote or or something like that, but I think it's in bed in everybody's best interest for us to find someone to to replace her.

B

um So, furthermore, we also have uh rogers position that needs to be replaced and and cecilia's position that needs to be replaced.

B

Last uh non-meeting, we did go around the table a couple of times, so I know viviana frank is interested in joining the board, so she could be one who would uh take the place of the economic development and incentives advisor, which is roger's position.

B

All we would have to do is just get a nomination, a second and a vote, and then.

B

Jose had some ideas about people that could also join the committee. I don't know if you spoke to marilyn bautista, jose.

G

Yes, she's interested, but she was not able to join the meeting today.

D

G

Work but yeah she's interested in becoming a part of the world as a bully ramp.

F

Okay, so in what position? I'm sorry I'll say it as what volunteer? Oh okay, that that would fulfill morgan's, correct right, yeah.

B

So um so then we would only have one position left, which is the api culturalist or it could be another um local community garden advocate which would be a volunteer or anybody who's interested in um in community gardening.

B

So do I have the nominations.

F

Well I'll nominate vienna, frank um to to kind of step into rogers uh board.

B

Position, okay, I'll second, that do. I have anybody opposed.

B

No okay, well we'll go ahead and carry that motion and uh do I have any more.

F

One second hang on.

B

So we have viviana frank as the newest board member as part of the economic development and incentives advisor category. Do I have anybody else nominating anyone for the board.

G

And I nominate or ask to be a board member.

B

It has to be a board member, so um I can nominate marilyn bautista as a board member to replace morgan flores in the volunteer capacity.

F

B

Okay, uh is there anybody opposed.

B

Okay, so we'll go ahead and pass that one as well and and we're moving right along. Yes,.

B

Okay, now, the the next item that we did need to discuss was the discussion with possible action for the grant writer proposal. The november meeting we went over the groundwriter proposal. Everything was in order. She submitted a contract.

B

So what we need right now is to um have a motion to pay the grant writer for the work that she has already done. Correct. Yes,.

D

G

B

Total amount of that jose.

G

Three thousand dollars.

B

Okay, so this was something that was already approved in the november election uh in the november meeting, so we just actually have to authorize the check to be cut.

B

Okay, so I'll go ahead and execution yeah make a motion to to go ahead and uh and pay the grant writer for work. That has already been done in the amount of three thousand dollars.

F

B

Second, all in favor all opposed okay, we're good.

B

And the last um item under secretary's report would be discussion with possible action action regarding the contract of the executive director.

B

So back in july of 2021, we extended jose's contract by six months, which runs all the way to february 14th. um We, uh let's see.

B

It was agreed that this contract would be uh the position would be increased by six months, and the pay for the position would remain the same at the current rate. So.

B

And then it comes out to about twenty five thousand dollars for another six months. If we choose to do so bobby, do we have twenty five thousand dollars in the account.

F

B

um What is the total amount of funds that we have in the account uh funds.

F

Right now are 53 anything.

F

Fifty three thousand seven hundred three dollars and fifteen cents- um I don't know if we have anything to deposit from december without all december and and um I've been uh quarantined since the beginning of the year. uh So I haven't been able to really uh meet up with jose. um Do we have uh any funds to to deposit.

G

In december we had the christmas event. We worked with the city of laredo and mr martinez, but we didn't charge for the people for for that, so we we don't have funds, I mean we didn't fundraise in december. Okay,.

F

B

So, where we stand right now, okay, well, considering we have money in the account and uh to ensure continuity of our project. I moved to extend the contract for the executive director at the same rate for another six months. I second all in favor all opposed anyone.

G

Yes, sir, sounds good. Thank you.

B

Outstanding because we definitely need you on this one, so um hopefully these next six months, we can see some some big, uh some big awards of grants and that way we can secure lcuas moving forward.

G

We are I'm waiting for a couple of resolutions, one from obb and one from texas parks and wildlife.

G

B

Soon right, so the next item on the agenda is the treasurer's report.

F

um I don't have anything formal put together uh for the meeting- sorry about that, but I did give you the the balance we have right now: expenses.

F

For the month of december, basically, it was just for the.

F

A charge uh yesterday of twenty four dollars.

B

All it today, okay, thank you mommy. uh I don't think, there's a volunteer report since we don't have a volunteer coordinator, anymore, um executive director report. Jose do you have anything.

G

We're martinez in the city of blue radio, we had, we opened our garden for three days. We they decorated the the house and we had lots of people very happy um enjoyed the the weather and the events. uh That's pretty much for december. The first two weeks of december happened this now this coming saturday. It will be our first volunteer day opportunity day. I have four or five persons interested that they are making community hours for for the municipal court.

G

So yes, I'm organizing that for this coming saturday- and also I want to let uh media and people from the farmers market know that we have lots of food right now. We have lots of kale lots of sweet, sharp, several varieties of chiles peppers, and we have also some broccoli, some cauliflower and carrots beets, brown ravanus radishes.

G

We have lots of food right now, so we need to put together a plan to have a food drive or allocate that that food in some good way.

E

um Maybe we can think of something and coordinate something we did have to postpone our farmers market for this saturday due to the covet cases uh rising, but um I'm pretty sure we can talk after the meeting or tomorrow, whenever you're available and think of something where we don't.

E

We can figure out where these uh produce doesn't go to waste or anything more than happy to help.

C

G

C

Pretty much it for my.

G

B

Hey, thank you jose.

G

Is interested in organizing and dinner or an event on site in casa canseco, it's just a matter of organizing putting together the schedule.

B

Good, thank you, sir uh grant update on the agenda. I have something that says: ratification of grants previously applied. So what happened was um I I imagine between september october november, we did uh apply for some grants and uh what we had decided was that every time lcuas goes out.

B

Know about it beforehand, so.

F

B

Sorry and we have to approve it, and we have to approve it absolutely so what this uh ratification of grants previously applied does basically goes back and um says that we approve the grants that hosea applied for back in august september and october. So um if we can just go ahead and get a motion.

F

Which grant for those four jose.

G

Okay, it was the.

G

It's called the pepper project. We are requesting that I'm not mistaking about eight eight thousand dollars.

F

And that's the lbv or the pepper project is something different.

G

But that's the lbp.

F

Okay um and it's l, b v, like victor or.

G

Lamar vergara, okay,.

F

Okay and then, which other one was it texas parks and wildlife.

G

The other one is the texas parks and wildlife.

G

um That's a project in conjunction with the castle, and it's it's about working with youth with high schoolers and and children, and to teach them how to how to grow food.

F

Okay, so it's those two okay.

G

We are requesting about forty thousand dollars if I'm not mistaken,.

F

Okay and it's it's only those two- yes just those two okay, so I'll make a motion to uh uh to ratify. um I guess, if I were this correctly, to ratify the um the grants that were previously applied for uh for the lbd foundation, the amount of eight thousand.

F

Three thousand dollars.

B

F

C

F

There anything else on the table. That's coming up that we need to uh any other grants that we need to uh give you authorization to pursue.

G

um I need to have a meeting with our grand writer because I'm you know I know we had some deadlines. We made some deadlines in december, but I mean it's just a matter of meeting with her again and see what deadline we have in february and march and now.

F

We need to be sure before the agenda gets published, that it's in the agenda so that we don't miss it in in the next meeting. So we have to know at least a week before.

G

Yeah: let's try it in rs in the agenda so that next time we might have two or three.

F

Okay, awesome: okay,.

B

Okay, so we'll go ahead and and do that we'll leave this section grant update for you jose. So you could write down the grants that you're interested in applying for and you can have all the information. So that way you can get an approval, but you have to specifically ask for the approval on those.

B

Strategy, roger has already covered most of this before roger. You have any final words for this one.

F

Do we need to go on an.

B

Executive session or.

F

B

That's up to roger.

A

um No, I guess this was just if there was anything that you wanted to talk about before on this last meeting into a private session. If there was anything that y'all needed uh to discuss in terms of anything really, um I wanted to leave it there and open for real.

F

Okay, no at this time, I don't think I don't have anything to say other than then we need to just keep trying to find grants um and uh hopefully get some luck and and try not to pass up any any uh opportunities we may have. um So, let's just make sure that if, if something does come out that it's on the agenda agree.

A

Definitely I think dr middleton is going to do a great job for us to serve the conversations we have with her. um I'm pretty hopeful that we're gonna get some of those and then that money can help us apply for more with her. So I think we should be a very well-funded organization in the near future.

B

Okay, so then the last um thing I want to mention is that if this time works out for everybody, the next meeting will be february 10th at 1 30..

B

um Well, we're going to try to get it virtual because I know virtual works for everybody, but just depending upon when the uh I guess the state of the city is, if there's still an emergency declaration, it will be virtual. If there's not an emergency declaration, it will have to be in person.

B

But I want to thank everybody for joining us today and that's all I have.

B

Anybody want to make a motion to a jury.

F

I'll make a motion adjourn great meeting, short and sweet and to the point, and that's great coach, thank you for for joining. I know. uh Thank you guys. It's two o'clock on the dot.

D

Exactly if I come right here, they're outside after waiting, but I just told him, I'm almost done so appreciate it. Let me know if I can help you out all right. Thank you.

B

Thank you guys have a good uh have a good month stay safe out there. Thank you.

E

Bye, everybody have a good day.

E