The County of El Paso Commissioners Court met in work session on Monday, February 23 at 9:30 a.m. and considered an agenda that included the following highlights:
ADOPTION OF STRATEGIES TO ALLEVIATE THE FORECLOSURE CRISIS
The members of the Commissioners Court approved and adopted a resolution in support of strategies to alleviate the current foreclosure crisis.In a monthly basis, the El Paso County Clerk office files between 200 and 400 foreclosure proceedings, including 375 scheduled for March 3, 2009.
The resolution, sponsored by County Commissioner Pct. 2 Veronica Escobar and seconded by County Commissioner Willie Gandara Jr. was approved by a 4 to 1 vote.
County Commissioner Daniel R. Haggerty voted against it. The adopted resolution pushes for mandatory mediation between borrower and lender or servicer.
This will provide borrowers with an ability to request mediation with their lender so is a real opportunity to enable borrowers to workout a loan modification plan to avoid foreclosure and gain assistance of credit counseling organizations. It also extends the time period to cure a mortgage default from 20 to 90 days; requires a fiduciary duty to ensure the mortgage brokers are acting on behalf of the best interests of their client, and not their own self-interest.
Additionally, borrowers will be required to obtain loan counseling prior to closing a high risk home loan.
SUPORTING THE RE-ESTABLISHING OF GAMING ON YSLETA DEL SUR DEL PUEBLO RESERVATION
County Commissioner Pct. 3 Willie Gandara today introduced a resolution to support the El Paso Legislative Delegation efforts to re-establishing gaming on the Ysleta Sur del Pueblo Reservation. The resolution was passed without opposition by the members of commissioners' court. COURT APROVES TAX INCENTIVE TO PRIVATE DEVELOPER
In a 3 to 2 vote, members of the Commissioners Court approved a motion to provide up to $4 million in tax incentives to a private developer looking after remodeling the old Farah building to create a state of the art shopping center.
For over four hours the members of the El Paso County Commissioners Court heard points of view of proponents and opponents of the project presented by Hawkins Regency, LLC.
After the presentations and public comment, Pct. 1 Commissioner Anna Perez, who represents the area in which the Farah property is located, made a motion to approve the reimbursement of sale and property taxes to the private developer. Her motion was seconded by Veronica Escobar, County Commissioner Pct. 2.
Voting in favor of the incentive were County Commissioner Pct. 1, Anna Perez; County Commissioner Pct. 2, Veronica Escobar and County Commissioner Pct 3, Willie Gandara Jr.
County Judge, Anthony Cobos and County Commissioner Pct 4, Daniel Haggerty voted against the proposal.
BOARD APPOINMENT
After reviewing 22 applicants for the Sheriff's Civil Service Board, County Commissioner Pct 3. Willie Gandara, moved to appoint Mr. Jesus Olivas to serve effective immediately. The motion passed unanimously.
The first meeting for the Sheriff's Civil Service Board is scheduled for March 02, 2009. Mr. Olivas will be replacing Irene Ramirez, which term expires February 25, 2009.
(CC-02-09-020)