With a petition campaign to recall him under way, Mayor John Cook delivered his third state-of-the-city address to a record crowd of more than 700 people Wednesday, listing the city’s accomplishments and hoping to cool some of the business community’s opposition to the new and embattled stormwater utility.
The Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce sponsored the 10th annual state of the city luncheon at the Civic Center.
The chamber’s marketing manager, Patrick Espinosa speculated that the unusually large attendance “could be because many people were wanting to hear what they mayor had to say about the stormwater fee.”
Cook left that issue for last in a 10½-page, prepared speech that was too long after his office cut it down, leaving it to him to edit his remarks down at the microphone.
“This administration has demonstrated that it will not shy away from tackling some very long-standing chronic issues,” he said at the beginning. “We know that ignoring problems will only make them worse, and we refuse to accept that fate.”
His list of tough issues started with his administration’s effort to keep Asarco closed and went on to the Downtown revitalization plan, significant investment incentives, revamping the city’s land development rules, turning Sun Metro around, tackling the $300 million police and fire pension deficit, and the aftermath of the biggest disaster in El Paso’s experience, the flooding of 2006.
People who heard the address gave Cook and his administration credit for boldness even as they noted the city’s enormous miscalculation over the stormwater utility.
“They’re not afraid to go after things,” said Janette Coon, who is president of Del Norte First American Title and active with the Greater Chamber and the Central Business Association. “But, I’m glad to see them back off this storm drainage issue and lower the rates.
“With the Central Business Association, people from the city have started coming to our meetings, and they’re trying to get more involved. We’re glad because we really were feeling like they weren’t listening to the public at all.”
There are still issues Downtown to be resolved that include the revitalization plan and clean up efforts and, she said, the new smart growth policies make her nervous.
“They’re very subjective, and that’s scary,” she said. “I hope they look at those very closely and get more public opinion.
“Overall though, I think they’re doing a great job, and they’re ready to tackle anything. That’s a real positive thing for a change.”
El Paso County Attorney Jose Rodriguez, who has been allied with the Cook administration on the legal battle against Asarco and the border wall, acknowledged that the stormwater utility has spawned more opposition than anyone dreamed it would.
“It is ironic that he would be giving this speech the week that the recall is filed,” Rodriguez said.
A customary question-and-answer period was eliminated from the program, evidently because of time pressure, and that, Rodriguez said, was disappointing.
Cook has said he intends to run for re-election next spring, and Rodriguez conceded that the stormwater utility issue, if not put to rest, could mean trouble for the mayor and other council members seeking re-election.
Afterward, Cook took media questions about the effort to gather about 8,000 signatures on petitions for a recall election.
Notice of that drive was filed with the city clerk’s office Friday by Gary Hoff, owner of The Blimp, a restaurant on Texas.
Hoff has said his beef with the city and the mayor in particular is the stormwater fee that appeared on his March water bill.
“His bill is 60 cents a day,” Cook said. “That’s a dill pickle. I don’t know what he wants us to do, make it 30 cents a day and instead of getting the projects done in 11 years, make it 22?
“Remember, we’re just trying to fix the damage from 2006. This is really not a choice. We can’t just leave it.”
Hoff’s role in the issue changed this week when he received an apparent warning.
On Monday, Hoff said he arrived at his restaurant to find a message spray painted near the rear of his building that read, “Mr. Blimp, Back off or.”
Police are investigating.
Another of the leaders behind the petition drive, businessman Lee Urias, was furious Wednesday to find a red notice from the PSB warning him that he had 24-hours to pay his stormwater fee on one building or the water service would be turned off.
He said he with has withheld payment in protest and was unaware that the utility would disconnect the water for nonpayment.
“The retaliation continues,” Urias said. “We knew this was coming.”
Later, Urias contacted the utility and notified them that he is contesting the stormwater bill on grounds that it was miscalculated.
“They put it on hold,” he said afterward regarding the disconnect notice. “On the other building, they said pay half, $108.
“I don’t want to buck the system.”
Urias is part of a group backing the recall petition, a lawsuit challenging the legality of the stormwater utility and an initiative petition to push through an ordinance – by an election, if necessary – to bring control of the storm water utility back to City Council.
Cook said that’s not the answer.
“I don’t think bringing it back and making it part of the political process of City Council is healthy, I really don’t,” he said. “You’ve seen what’s happened over the years: it gets cut.”
David Crowder can be reached at dcrowder@epmediagroup.com and 351-0605
