Loading...
Minutes - 03/15/2011City Council Meetings of March 2011 Book "V" MINUTES FROM THE HUNTSVILLE CiTY COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON THE 15TM DAY OF MARCH 2011, IN THE CITY HALL, LOCATED AT 1212 AVENUE M IN THE CITY OF HUNTSVILLE, COUNTY OF WALKER, TEXAS AT 5PM. illThe Council met in a regular session with the following: COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: J. Tumer, Tom Cole, Mac Woodward, Jack Wagamon, Wayne Barrett, James Fitch, Lydia Montgomery, Don H. Johnson, Keith D. Olson COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT: None OFFICERS PRESENT: Bill Baine, City Manager, Leonard Schneider, City Attorney, Lee Woodward, City Secretary WORKSHOP SESSION [5:00] — Presentation of Fire Department staffing assessment and needs. [Kevin Lunsford, Director of Public Safety] Kevin Lunsford, Director of Public Safety, and Fire Chief Tom Grisham outlined the staffing needs for the Fire Department, with the aim of hiring five Firefighters per year to reach a goal of 42 paid Firefighters In six years. They also mentioned the Volunteer Firefighter Program. There was general discussion about ways to upgrade older structures and efforts to reach a higher ISO classification. [PowerPoint presentation is available through the City Secretary's office.] The workshop ended at 5:48PM. REGULAR SESSION' [6:OOPM] 1. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Tumer called the meeting to order at 6:OOpm. 2. PLEDGES OF ALLEGIANCE AND INVOCATION Councilmember Barrett gave the Invocation. PROCLAMATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS a. Employee recognition by City Manager Bill Baine. Mr. Baine recognized Kelvin Ford of Solid Waste and his dedication and many years of service to the City. Mr. Baine recognized Sandra Cuevas for her committed service to a number of departments throughout the City. • 4. PUBLIC COMMENT John Cromer spoke in response to Councilmember Olson's comment at the last meeting on Mr. Cromer's complaint against Councilmember Olson's residency and candidacy eligibility. Councilmember Olson responded, saying Mr. Cromer had a confusion about permanent address and residency. Delora King called from the audience for a point of order, saying that the Council cannot directly answer a Public Comment. The Mayor clarified the Personal Privilege allowance in the Rules of Procedure. CONSENT AGENDA (Approval of Consent Agenda authorizes the City Manager to implement each Rem In accordance with staff recommendations. An Item may be removed from the Consent Agenda and added to the Statutory Agenda for hill discussion by request of a member of Council.) a. Approve the minutes of the City Council Special [corrected to Regular, as discussed below] Session held on March 1, 2011. [Lee Woodward, City Secretary] b. Authorize the City Manager to apply for, accept if awarded, and Implement the National Endowment for the Arts grant for $20,000, with $10,000 match. [Dr. Sherry McKibben, Community Development Specialist] c. Approval for the construction of a gravity sanitary sewer from the existing lift station located at Highway 75 and Southwood Drive to a proposed manhole at the Intersection of Highway 19 and Southwood Drive. [Carol Reed, Director of Public Utilities] d. Approve Ordinance 2011 -27, amending the budget for FY10.11. [Winston Duke, Finance Director] The Mayor noted that item a should read °Regular° not °Special" Session. The City Secretary noted the change. Councilmember Woodward made a motion to anaroye the Consent Agenda and Councilmembers Johnson and Montgomery seconded. Councilmember Barrett asked to pull item c, but then chose to ask about the Item to highlight the cooperation with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, and recommended this be called to attention in Austin, as a legislative bill to remove the TDCJ headquarters to Austin only had been filed. The motion passed unanimously. 6. STATUTORY AGENDA a. Presentation, discussion, and possible action to approve Ordinance 2011 -29, amending the traffic schedule to ratify No Parking signs on 14"' Street between Avenue N and Avenue 0, 161 reading. [Aron Kulhavy, Director of Public Works] Mr. Baine described the item as self - explanatory, and the Mayor reminded the Council this was a first reading. b. Presentation, discussion, and possible action to present the City's water plan for citizen approval. [8111 Baine, City Manager and Mayor Pro Tem Woodward] City Council Meetings of March 2011 Book "V" Mr. Baine gave a PowerPoint presentation on the water system's production, capacity, issues, and challenges. [The PowerPoint presentation Is available from the City Secretary's office.] Councilmember Woodward discussed the Finance Committee's work on this issue (below). �1r� .'24.'1 Objective: Review rate models to meet the future water needs of Huntsville. Considerations: Water rates to customers, water plant Improvements, capital improvements, increase in raw water costs 2020, debt service, and flnandal planning. Goals: No increase in minimum rate Maintain equal % Increase regardless of usage volume Maintain sixty day reserve in fund balance Continue QP Structure debt service Additional goal: Add additional funds for debt service and /or future improvements Councilmember Wagamon said he echoed Councilmember Woodward's comments about the Flnance Committee's desire to minimize the impact on the customers with the lowest usage rates. Councilmember Barrett favorably pointed out the $16.04 increase over twenty years to a $22 water bill, saying he hoped this was a smooth and accommodating way to do what the City needed to do over the coming years. Councilmember Olson called this more of a financial plan, characterizing it as proactive. The Mayor thanked the Flnance Committee and the staff for their effort, describing it as compromise at its finest. Councilmember Montgomery discussed the upgrade to the plant as critical, and again called attention to paying off the new debt before the significant Increase In the cost to raw water in 2020. Councilmember Woodward made a motion to instruct the staff to (a) draft an Ordinance t� call an election to meet the requirements to improve the water plant and to (b) draft an ordinance to implement the water rate plan to meet the requirement of the city. The Mayor seconded. The motion passed unanimously. 7. MAYOR/CITY COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER REPORT a. Presentation, discussion, and possible action to approve Ordinance 2011 -26 to set up triennial sunset review process for, non - mandated Boards, Commission, or Committees, 2id reading. [Mayor Turner] The Mayor made a motion to approve the Ordinance. Councllmember Barrett seconded. The Mayor read the list of Commissions subject to the Ordinance. The Mayor said this provided an opportunity to periodically review Boards and Commissions. Councilmember Woodward pointed out that statutory boards were not included. Councilmember Woodward made a motion to amend the Ordinance to include the HOT Board. Councilmember Johnso seconded the motion. The City Attorney said this was a Board dealing with taxes, that there was a contract with another entity relating to the TIRZ, and that he felt dissolving the TIRZ Board would be counterproductive and inappropriate. Councllmember Cole made a motion to amend the amendment to add the TIRZ Board to the triennial sunset ordinance and making the mandatory expiration effective December 2013. The Mayor seconded. The Mayor withdrew his second to the amendment to the amendment In view of the legal opinion. Councilmember Waaamon seconded the amendment to Councilmember Cole's amendment. Councilmember Barrett said he did not feel it was appropriate to include the TIRZ Board in the Ordinance. Councilmember Cole said he agreed and that there should be no Board so sacrosanct that it not be reviewed. Councllmember Fitch asked if the Council was only reviewing whether a Board should be disbanded, and the Mayor confirmed it was. Councilmember Fitch said he thought a review of the Boards was good, but that he had a concern that more not be discussed. The Mayor said he thought that would be part of the process, that it was a matter of trying to fine tune how the Boards operate. The City Attorney located the statute that required the formation of a TIRZ Board for a TIRZ Councilmember Olson said he would heed the City Attorney's advice. Councilmember Fitch said he thought the Council needed to know what the process of review would involve. The Mayor said he understood the concern and said he would withdrew his original motion to approve the Ordinance and would try to craft something that addressed evervon 's concems. b. Presentation, discussion, and possible action to approve Ordinance 2011 -25 to amend Veterans Affairs Advisory Board. requirement for a quorum to six (6) members, 2"d reading. [Mayor Turner] The Mayor made a motion to approve the Ordin . Councilmembers Woodward and Montgomery seconded. The motion passed unanimously. City Council Meetings of March 2011 Book °V° c. Presentation, discussion, and possible action to approve Ordinance 2011 -28, updating Ordinance 2004-16 to reflect changes In TiRZ Board of Directors to match the Interlocal Agreement with Walker County, 14 reading. [Leonard Schneider, City Attorney] Councilmember Woodward confirmed the update to this Ordinance merely brought it In line with the interlocal agreement between the City and the County. d. Presentation, discussion, and possible action to nominate Bill Gibson to the open seat on the TiRZ #1 Board of Directors. [Mayor Turner] The Mayor pulled this item. e. City Manager's Report 1. Updates on City construction, grants, studies, City projects, City purchases, and economic development. The City Manager said there was progress on the Library and the Ward lot. He said the City would have to rebid the engineering on Town Creek. Mr. Baine said there had been five ruptures on McGary Creek and that the pipe alone would cost several hundred thousand dollars to come into compliance. Councilmember Woodward asked about recourse, but Mr. Baine said there were several components and it would still have to be repaired. Mr. Baine said Well #13 was on diminished capacity due to sand. Mr. Baine said the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board approved a splash pad for money remaining from the pool project on the old volleyball court by the pool. Mr. Baine discussed economic development, saying the Economic Development Ad Hoc Committee had met regularly. Councilmember Johnson said the Committee had come up with some good stuff , including the fact that the TDCJ headquarters removal to Austin had been taken off the table. Councilmember Johnson covered the Ilst of local advantages the Committee had compiled (below). ADVANTAGES OF HUNTSVILLE 1. Huntsville Is In a strategic location: One hour from Houston on Interstate 45: 90 minutes from Port of Houston 2.5 hours from Dallas /Fort Worth metroplex on Interstate 45 One hour from Bryan /College Station on State Highway 30 Gateway to East Texas Piney Woods via U5 Highway 190 2. One hour from Bush Intematlonal Airport In Houston, and home of the Bruce Brothers Huntsville Regional Airport 3. Raiff service to southern Huntsville via the Union Padfic RR 4. Home of Sam Houston State University with over 17,000 students enrolled 5. Expanding Huntsville Memorial Hospital and comprehensive medical center 6. Home to the Walker County Courthouse, the seat of Walker County government 7. State headquarters of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (the only state agency headquartered outside Austin) 8. International business manufacturing operations 9. Recognized public and private school systems 10. Trained and experienced work force 11. Affordable housing for all Income levels 12. Bountiful water supply, Ciity- provided utilities and reliable electric service 13. Natural beauty of pine and hardwood forests, rolling terrain and two major lakes within 30 minutes 14. Temperate climate with an average annual temperature of 68 degrees and annual rainfall of approximately 45 Inches 15. Ample opportunity for hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities 16. Recreation areas Including athletic fields and golf courses 17. Famous Huntsville State Park within 10 minutes 18. Center of commerce for surrounding towns Including Trinity, Riverside, and New Waverly 19. Residential and retirement developments within dty limits 20. Private and corporate newcomers welcomed by both dtfzens and government 21. Active churches and dvlc organizations for a Interests 22. Widely diversified and alive cultural interest groups 23. Deep roots of Texas culture as well as museums, festivals and traditional celebrations 24. United States' largest statue of a political figure, Sam Houston 25. Visitor accommodations for nightly, weekend, weekly or monthly stays Councilmember Barrett added that the Committee had other activhtles planned and that more information was forthcoming. Mr. Baine said he had met with SHSU about their plans for agricultural department expansion at Gibbs Ranch, noting the City had provided water and was working on sewer in the area under the UU Program. Mr. Baine discussed the congestion around Spur 59. He said most reasons to pursue the improvements were for safety. Mr. Baine showed a map of the liquor zones and directed Interested persons to direct questions to the City Secretary. Mr. Baine said he had discussed Jobs and Tight Industry with the County Commissioners and felt they were very civil. Mr. Baine referred to his notes from the Non-Partisan Business Leaders Luncheon" and that their message was to be positive City Council Meetings of March 2011 Book "V" about Huntsville. 26. PUBLIC COMMENT John Cromer said his problems with Councilmember Olson could be solved with a simple address, and asked the Council, as a body, to 4111) look into the Issue. 27. MEDIA INQUIRIES RELATED TO MATTERS ON THE AGENDA There were no media inquiries. 28. ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST (Hear announcements concerning items of community Interest from the Mayor, Councilmembers, and City staff for which no action will be discussed or taken.) a. Rededication of plaque at Courthouse for Texas Society of the Sons of the American Revolution on Saturday, April 9, at 10 a.m., lunch to follow at the Veterans Shelter, free and open to the public. b. On March 25th, about 4:30pm, Bataan Death March Survivor Sgt. Virgil LaRue will be escorted through town on his way to the airport to be flown to New Mexico for the Death March annual marathon, to be run by a team named in his honor. 29. EXECUTIVE SESSION a. City Council will convene In closed session as authorized by Texas Government Code, Chapter 551, Section 551.074 - personnel matters regarding the evaluation of City Secretary Lee Woodward. [Mayor Turner] The Council adjourned Into Executive Session at 7:29 D.m. 30. RECONVENE a. Take action, if needed, on Items discussed in Executive Session. The Council reconvened at 8:31 o.m. No action was taken. 31. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adioumed at 8:31 p.m, Lee Woodward, City Secretary • •