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SISD offers buyouts, Sun Metro worker dies, traffic ticket amnesty ends Saturday [1]

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Date: 2025-03-07

This is your weekly news roundup, which takes a quick look at some developments in government, politics, education, environment and other topics across El Paso.

Socorro ISD to Offer Payout Incentive for Employees Who Resign

Some Socorro Independent School District employees may be able to take a $2,500 payout to resign as the second-largest district in El Paso prepares to lay off 300 workers.

SISD trustees voted unanimously Thursday to approve a $2,500 incentive for the first 100 probationary, non-certified and contracted employees who voluntarily resign at the end of their 2024-25 school year contract.

Trustees Marivel Macias, Pablo Barrera and Ricardo Castellano were absent.

Employees who are thinking of retiring or resigning can take the incentive and potentially reduce the number of staff that need to be laid off, SISD Chief Financial Officer David Solis said.

“While it may not be a one-for-one where if 100 employees resigned that would save 100 employees, because it just depends on where those resignations are, it could potentially save some, so, that’s what we were looking at,” Solis said.

Socorro American Federation of Teachers President Veronica Hernandez told El Paso Matters the district may need to cut more than 300 employees from the budget to stay afloat.

“If they want to bring the budget back to what it was, they’re gonna need more than that, which is scary,” Hernandez said.

Acting Superintendent James Vasquez has said the district needs to reduce its budget by $38 million for the 2025-26 school year or face financial exigency — the equivalent of bankruptcy for financial institutions.

The layoffs and changes approved by the board are expected to cut the budget by about $30 million, leaving it with an $8 million deficit.

Solis said the district hopes the voluntary resignations could close that gap.

Employees have until 5 p.m. April 7 to submit their resignation notice.

Employees who take the incentive may still be able to qualify for unemployment insurance, but it may affect the amount they get in the first few months, Hernandez said.

Second Sun Metro Employee Dies Following Explosion, Fire

A second Sun Metro employee – German Garcia – died Wednesday after he was injured in a Feb. 11 fire and explosion at a city-owned bus maintenance facility, city officials said. Ruben Ibarra, also a Sun Metro employee, died last month as a result of the fire.

Six other Sun Metro workers were injured in the blaze.

“We are heartbroken to lose another dedicated member of our Sun Metro team,” City Manager Dionne Mack said in a statement. “German Garcia was an essential part of the hardworking group that keeps our community moving forward. His loss is immense, and we send our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues during this painful time. The City is steadfast in its commitment to support those affected, ensuring our employees have access to the resources they need in these trying moments.”

Both Ibarra and Garcia began working at Sun Metro in December as fleet maintenance technicians.

The city’s statement Wednesday about Garcia’s death didn’t allude to the explosion and subsequent fire, which took place at Sun Metro’s bus maintenance hub on Montana Avenue. City officials have not commented on the cause or origin of the fire. Lawyers for some of the victims have sought access to investigate the maintenance facility, but the city said last week its investigation is ongoing and the building is still unstable.

Related Few details divulged after Sun Metro hub explosion; Measles outbreak reported in West Texas This week: Sun Metro hub explosion investigation continues; measles outbreak reported in West Texas; UTEP and EPCC report enrollment increases; plus, which Clint and Fabens teachers received $25,000 awards.

During a work session meeting Monday, City Council representatives discussed “requests for preservation of evidence regarding the fire at the Sun Metro facility,” according to the meeting agenda.

“Our team is still coming to terms with these tragic losses,” Sun Metro Director Anthony DeKeyzer said. “Although German and Ruben were with us for a brief time, their impact on our lives is undeniable. We stand united with their families and will continue to extend our support to our employees as we navigate through this devastating period.”

Traffic Citation Amnesty Period Ends Saturday

Drivers with outstanding traffic and parking citations have until Saturday to take advantage of the city of El Paso’s amnesty period when the municipal courts will waive collection and delinquent fees.

You can pay citations online at elpasotexas.gov/municipal-courts or citepayusa.com or by phone at 915-212-0232.

You can also pay in person at the following Municipal Bond Office locations:

Downtown : 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 810 E. Overland St.

: 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 810 E. Overland St. Northeast : 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9600 Dyer St.

: 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9600 Dyer St. Pebble Hills : 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10780-A Pebble Hills Drive

: 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10780-A Pebble Hills Drive Mission Valley : 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9011 Escobar Drive

: 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9011 Escobar Drive West Side: 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, 4801 Osborne Drive

Extended hours Saturday: Municipal Court Bond Offices will open from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 8.

The amnesty period began Feb. 17 as an effort to get residents to settle their citations and bring revenue to the city. In 2020, a similar effort drew drivers to pay off nearly 11,900 tickets worth almost $2 million. The city collected $4.3 million in delinquent citations in 2013, and $2.5 million in 2016 during amnesty periods, according to city documents.

Information: 915-212-0215 or ElPasoTexas.gov/municipal-courts.

Cancer Center Plans Move Forward with TTU System Spending Approval

The Texas Tech University System Board of Regents this week approved spending $76.5 million from previously approved funds for the planned Clinical Sciences Building/Comprehensive Cancer Center at Texas Tech Health El Paso.

During its quarterly meeting March 6-7 at the system’s Lubbock headquarters, the regents authorized the release of $48.2 million for the Clinical Sciences Building, or CSB, and $28.3 million for what will be the Steve and Nancy Fox Cancer Center. Each entity is being tracked as a separate project funded by two different streams.

This week’s steps amend the construction management and design professional agreements. The work will include site clearance and subsurface demolition, mass grading and subsurface stormwater retention, site retaining wall, site utilities (water, sewer, storm, gas and telecommunications), stormwater mitigation and erosion control.

The regents had previously approved allocating the anticipated project budget of $204 million for the CSB, which will be nearly 226,000 gross square feet, and $138 million for the cancer center, which is designed at about 131,000 gross square feet. The multistory building will be located on the north end of campus near Interstate 10.

The CSB will house existing clinical practices to include the breast care center, internal medicine, neurology, obstetrics/gynecology, ophthalmology, orthopedic surgery, rehabilitation, and pediatrics. There also will be an emphasis on subspecialities such as urology, cardiothoracic, ENT (ear, nose and throat), and endocrinology.

The cancer center will provide cancer screenings and offer improved treatments. The center will have state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment that will be shared with the CSB, and provide an infusion clinic, radiation and medical oncology clinics with the expected support elements.

The two projects will be funded through the Revenue Finance System, but repayments will come from different budgets, along with gift funds and institutional funds.

TTHEP officials have said that they expect to break ground on the project this spring. TTHEP President Richard Lange told regents Thursday that it could happen in April, but no official date has been announced yet.

El Paso County Accepting Tree, Monetary Donations For Parks

The El Paso County Parks and Recreation Department got approval from the Commissioners Court to accept tree donations or monetary donations to buy trees for county parks.

Most new neighborhoods in the unincorporated areas of El Paso County include small neighborhood parks. (Ramon Bracamontes/El Paso Matters)

Any tree donations would need prior approval from the parks department to ensure they are compliant with the county’s environmental and landscaping standards.

“This is a new initiative. It allows businesses and individuals to contribute to increasing the tree canopy in El Paso County parks by making monetary donations that will be used strictly to purchase trees,” said Parks and Recreation Director Tim Fulton. “There have been donations of trees in the past, the County has planted approximately 250 trees over the past two years, but this will help us increase the number of trees.”

All donations received will go toward the expansion and enhancement of tree coverage within county parks and properties. The county began accepting donations after the parks and recreation master plan identified a need for additional trees.

The county operates and maintains 13 parks in the county. Information: 915-273-3501 or the county parks website. Individuals and businesses wanting to make donations may email Fulton at [email protected].

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[1] Url: https://elpasomatters.org/2025/03/07/el-paso-news-socorro-isd-sun-metro-cancer-center/

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