City Council authorizes City Manager to pursue partnership with Customs Border Protection

By: Jose G. Landa, Copyright 2013, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.

The Eagle Pass City Council unanimously approved to authorize City Manager Gloria Barrientos to move forward with a public/private partnership with the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for payment of additional CBP personnel or inspectors at the City of Eagle Pass International Bridges during peak seasons under the 559 Program at their regular meeting held on December 16, 2014.

City Manager Gloria Barrientos presented City Council an update on the progress of the 559 and Sentry Lane Programs at their meeting held on December 4, 2014.

Barrientos stated that recently there had been a presentation by CBP on how to bring a plan of action agreement.

“Basically there is a window of about 60 days to come up with a business plan that will meet their criteria that they requested. We would need to locate the funding sources and how much are we willing to contribute. We also have to meet with CBP to seek further information such as when are their peak hours. When is it that they need the help, is it just in overtime or just in infrastructure? One of the things that were discussed was the current expansion plan and that in the newer programs that can be used as part of the duration agreement. We plan to bring this to council for action to have you direct us to where we are to commit the funding from and other things that need to be decided,” said Barrientos.

Mayor Ramsey English Cantu noted that the proper use of organizations such as the Border Trade Alliance to assist the City implement these types of services such as the 559 program and not lose out on opportunities for increased international crossings at the City’s International Bridges.

Cantu noted he had spoken to Jesse Hereford of the Border Trade Alliance and that he was in the process of sending vital information in regards to the proposed program to assist the city to move forward with the 559 program in an efficient manner.

City Council then concurred that this item was to be brought to city council in form of an action item at a future meeting of City Council for consideration and possible approval.

At the December 16th meeting, City Council approved to authorize City Manager Barrientos to utilize funds from the Contingency Fund to contract a firm to prepare an application for the 559 Customs and Border Protection program for the City of Eagle Pass and authorized the City Manager to negotiate and execute a contract with the best qualified agency.

The 559 program is a Public-Private Partnership within the CBP Resource Optimization Strategy that includes Business Transformation Initiatives, a data-driven Workload Staffing Model and alternative sources of funding that include public-private partnerships — like the reimbursable service pilots authorized last year under Section 560.

The City of Eagle Pass seeks to hire additional CBP personnel or inspectors during peak seasons to facilitate the processing of international crossings at the City’s international bridges to increase revenues for the City, which depends on City International Bridge revenues for up to 30 percent of its annual budget. The City of Eagle Pass would reimburse the federal government for the extra personnel costs of increased CBP inspectors during peak seasons. This is an established federal program that is a win, win proposition for many U.S.-Mexico border communities which have implemented this program. The City of Eagle Pass now seeks to join and participate in this federal 559 Program.