The city manager’s 2015 Mid-year Operations Report highlights some of the accomplishments of city staff.
We would normally expect that the list of achievements for each section of city government would start with the most significant ones followed by the lesser but still important ones.
In the case of the economic development group a $40 million dollar capital expansion by one of our local employers along with 1,100 new jobs did not make it to the top of the list. Neither did the investment of $21.5 million by a company from out of town. That deal will bring us 445 jobs.
Instead, the list was topped with “Providing support for the partial relocation of El Paso Independent School District offices to the Downtown area.” Wow! Second on the list was “Coordinating the relocation of the Metropolitan Planning Organization offices to the Downtown area”.
See for yourself:
This tells us what the city thinks is important.
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
coordinating and providing<created
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They also likely believe that they have accomplished a great thing with the City’s removal of that sculpture from the roundabout on the newly (finally) repaved Country Club Road, too.
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Obviously, we need to change some titles, like from City Manager to Downtown Manager and Mayor to Downtown Mayor and City Council to Downtown Council, etc,, etc. It’s all about “Downtown, where all the lights are bright..” By the way a recent letter to the editor about the Downtown Manager’s plan to put a splash pond in every district never got published, but his plans to raid Community Development funds on this splash pond proposal also tells us that the current thinking is that our communities are in dire need of splash ponds more than anything else. We can all chlll in our local splash ponds and that will keep us all happy as the bulk of attention goes downtown. We can also all look forward to the EPISD land deal giving our property taxes a much needed boost as well.
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The interesting part is the partial relocation of EPISD offices to downtown. So now the city staff is acting as a real estate leasing agent for downtown property owners.
Which private party is now leasing space to EPISD?
Which EPISD departments are moving downtown?
Why downtown?
Is this a result of the city forcing EPISD to relocate?
Why are they relocating offices before they vacate their current headquarters?
Are the downtown offices temporary or permanent?
Was this ever discussed at an EPISD board meeting?
Why no local news coverage about this?
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I hadn’t heard anything about Downtown EPISD offices either. If the new, unnecessary, poorly thought out, and non-voter approved multi million dollar facility is being planned for the Transmountain area, I certainly hope the Downtown thing is temporary. Remember the fiasco in years past when EPISD admin was located downtown. I suppose the boon to the City with the two meeting relocations to Downtown will be in parking meter revenues!! ka-ching! ka-ching!
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The city can’t force EPISD to do anything except vacate its city-owned HQ. That said, DTEP wouldn’t be such a bad idea IF they own their building. At least it would generate some foot traffic for businesses.
Knowing El Paso, they will end up paying rent to Foster or the Usual Suspects, more corporate welfare.
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Jerry – Whew! Thank goodness you’re still here! Fess up. You love it here!
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The city manager’s report is a load of hogwash! It is heavy on PR fluff and light on substance.
The last page indicates that city management draws its inspiration from Bill Belichick, coach of the New England Patriots. That’s an interesting choice of role models and a small but telling example of bad judgment at city hall. Belichick and his team are known for cheating and disregarding the rules.
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giving an alcohol license to a downtown business is listed under the Quality of Life strategic goal on the council agenda – really?
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Another example of misplaced priorities is Strategic Goal # 3:
Strategic Goal 3
PROMOTE THE VISUAL IMAGE OF EL PASO
3.1 Provide business friendly permitting and inspection processes
3.2 Improve the visual impression of the community
This section only mentions accomplishments for 3.2.
There is NOT ONE SINGLE ITEM listed for 3.1
Go figure…..
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I am still trying to figure out what business friendly permitting and inspection have to do with the city’s visual image. They’ve never defined what constitutes a desirable or positive visual image in the minds of city council or management. Maybe the idea is to make it even easier to clutter the city with high-elevation signage and billboards rather than the low visibility signage standards adopted by many communities.
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Blue Flame Building as EPISD HQ.That was a “Free building” donated by EPNG to EPISD that ended up costing more than $3,000,000 to renovate and bring up to code. It now sits vacant, with only an occasional asbestos ceiling tile falling down to make any noise.
Those that cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
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