Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said the filing deadline for City Council races is this week. The deadline is Aug. 22.
This is your Friday update, which takes a quick look at the week ahead and some developments that El Paso Matters is following.
Potential City Council candidates step forward: People who want to run for the four City Council races to be determined in November can’t officially seek a place on the ballot until July 23, but seven potential candidates have taken an initial step of designating a campaign treasurer. That allows them to raise and spend money for an election. In West El Paso’s District 1, Analisa Cordova Silverstein has filed a campaign treasurer designation. Incumbent city Rep. Peter Svarzbein cannot run for reelection since he has served two full four-year terms. Joe Pickett and Richard Genera have filed treasurer designations for District 5 in Far East El Paso, where Rep. Isabel Salcido is serving her first term. Salcido is eligible for reelection, but has yet to designate a treasurer. Cristian Botello, Art Fierro and incumbent Claudia Rodriguez have filed campaign treasurer designations for the Lower Valley’s District 6 seat. Richard Wright, who unsuccessfully sought the District 8 seat in 2018, has submitted a treasurer designation for the seat. Incumbent Cissy Lizarraga is eligible for re-election to the seat covering Downtown and parts of West El Paso, but hasn’t yet designated a treasurer. Candidates have until Aug. 22 to apply for a place on the ballot.
Juneteenth Holiday Closures: All non-essential federal, state, county, and city offices and services will be closed Monday in observance of Juneteenth. This is the second year that Juneteenth is a federal holiday. Parks will be open, as will city bus service. While the actual holiday is June 19, the holiday is being honored on Monday.
School District Budget Votes: The boards for the county’s three largest school districts are set to approve multi-million dollar budgets, which include teacher compensation packages, for the 2023-24 school year next week. The Ysleta Independent School District is expected to propose a 2.5% teacher raise when the board meets Wednesday at 6 p.m. Both the Socorro and El Paso independent school districts are proposing 5% pay raises for teachers. SISD meets Tuesday at 6 p.m. and EPISD on Thursday at 5 p.m.
Multi-Purpose Center Meeting: A public meeting to talk about the economic impact of the proposed multipurpose center will be at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, June 23, at the Center for Center Engagement, 17th floor (Room C) of the Blue Flame Building, 304 Texas Ave., in Downtown El Paso. Those who want to view it and participate online may do so here. The public meeting will be conducted by Gensler and Associates, the architect consulting company hired by the city in April. The consultant is supposed to explore financial models that include estimates of capital and operating costs, public-private opportunities, opportunities for preservation of existing buildings and the historic character of the neighborhood, as well as how to protect dilapidated buildings.
