City Council Special Meeting, 04/29/2026

The City Council Special Meeting of Laredo on April 29, 2026, focused primarily on critical water resource management and infrastructure issues. Key procurement-related discussions centered on the city's supplemental water supply efforts, including a proposed project with Legacy Water Supply Corporation. The council discussed the urgency of securing water rights and state funding, emphasizing the need to finalize water supply agreements to access up to a billion dollars in state grants and low-cost financing. The Legacy Water Supply project, funded privately with $40 million already invested, awaits city contract approval to move forward, enabling the city to secure supplemental water and protect ratepayers from higher costs. Motions were passed to instruct city management to pursue legal recourse regarding groundwater management authority decisions that adversely affect Laredo's water allocations and to prioritize finalizing the water supply agreements within 30 days. Additionally, the council received updates on ongoing negotiations with the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Border Patrol concerning border infrastructure projects, including engineering studies and property rights issues. The meeting underscored the importance of coordinated regional planning, legal action to protect water rights, and timely procurement decisions to ensure water security and infrastructure resilience for Laredo's future growth.