Limited Notes on PIPA Meeting June 6 2019

I videotaped the proceedings, but sadly, as a new adopter of this technology, I forgot to turn on the external microphone, but had it plugged in, so there was no sound.
I will not make this mistake again.

Attached are my notes from the meeting. Notes are limited due to a dying iPad battery. Most of the meeting is covered but not all.
Notes on Presidio International Port Authority Meeting 4 pm Thursday June 6, 2019

Present: treasurer Jim White, Mayor John Ferguson, Judge Cinderela Guevara,

Port Authority Director Jake Giesbrecht

Quorum at 4:08 pm

Alonso Valenzuela, Mexico electric company rep.

Pledge

Public comments:
Guest: Alonso Valenzuela Cerro Alto Electric
Intro in Spanish

County judge communications: cannot go to all the border meetings, apologizes.

Mayor Ferguson: President of Mexico is coming to Ojinaga next Friday. Related to Ferromex rail bridge project.
Went to San Diego binational border crossing event. MNy presentations about automation. Shared Presidio Port commercial traffic problems with them. They were amazed. Here all commercial traffic is delayed by secondary inspections.
Now times have been greatly improved. From two hour wait average to sometimes as little as fifteen minutes.

Treasurers report and pay reimbursements in one item. 29,932 in expenses since last meeting.

Isela Nuñez arrives at meeting. 4:24 pm

Jim White updates financials. PIPA had just over 23,000 in bank. Presidio County owes PIPA funding. Currently short about 456.00. 16,000 owed by County and also City of Presidio.

Jake will be at commissioners court next Wed the 12th to get paid and present to commissioners.

Report approved unanimously

Judge motions to table 8 and 9 and move on to item ten.
Approved

Reimbursements: approved, not all immediate.

Item 8: executive director report: Jake Giesbrecht
Jake: Borderplex alliance opposes tariffs.
Talking about tariffs and Trumps rationale.
Cattle exports through Ojinaga are on the rise.
Median federal government is going to spend a lot of money on the Ferromex rail line to the rail bridge.
Joe Portillo enters meeting at 4:49

TXDOT requires an MOU for the bridge construction. Money is now budgeted, but this was a hold up.
NADBANK generating plant- working with Alonso of CFE.
Public private partnership.
Cattle group meeting in Chihuahua did not go well. Santa Teresa interests in Chihuahua. State of Chihuahua wants to help us, though.
42,000 head of cattle crossed so far this year. Building up again.
Mexico is now the US number one trading partner, as often few weeks ago.
Our port is now doing 100 trucks a day, up from 30.
Problems with being in the El Paso MPO TXDOT sector. They put El Paso  above rural.
Report accepted unanimously

Item 9: 559 funding item.
There are reasons to keep this, whether we use it or not.
Portillo explains how the CBP can use the local government
(Battery to iPad died at this point)