El Paso City Council Votes For The Downtown Ballpark! (sorta) [VIDEO]

I was at El Paso City Council yesterday for most of the public comments, and even had a crack at the podium myself.  So, did I crack open the champagne last night?  Nope.  Not yet.  I'm still waiting on the Mayor to decide which way he is going to vote!

Whaaaaaat?

Even though City Reps. Cortney Niland, Ann Morgan Lily, Susie Byrd, and Michael Noe voted 'yes', and City Reps. Eddie Holguin, Emma Acosta, and Carl Robinson voted 'no', the deciding factor is in Mayor John Cook's hands.  He has the opportunity to let the vote stand, which would mean the current City Hall would be torn down and a ballpark would be built on the site, or veto the vote, and all kinds of other drama would begin. 

First, here's the reason why the Mayor can still veto the vote from Tuesday:

"Ordinances and resolutions finally adopted by the Council shall be filed in the office of the City Clerk and signed by the Mayor before they take effect.

If the Mayor vetoes the ordinance or resolution, reasons shall be set forth by the Mayor in writing, and the ordinance or resolution with those reasons shall be returned to the Council.

However, the Mayor shall not have any veto power over any City Council action which removes the City Manager.

To override the Mayor’s veto, three fourths of all of the Representatives must vote in favor of the returned ordinance or resolution, in which event the adopted ordinance or resolution shall become law.

If the Mayor shall either fail to approve or object in writing to any adopted ordinance or resolution within five days after it has been filed with the City Clerk, exclusive of the day of filing, it shall become law."

What all that means is, if Mayor Cook feels the vote by council wasn't in the best interest of the city and wants to veto it, he can.  But, from what I can understand of the wording, he has to have an ordinance or resolution to back up his veto. 

But it doesn't end there!  His veto can be overturned by 3/4 of city council, and that would be the final word. 

We think.....

I didn't even know there was a loophole until last night when Darren called me and told me that he had texted with the Mayor who told him that he would be making and announcing his decision today. 

You know how I feel about this, but, here is what I said at City Council yesterday: