Minutes - 06/06/2017MINUTES FROM THE HUNTSVILLE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING HELD ON THE 6TH DAY OF JUNE 2017, IN THE CITY
HALL, LOCATED AT 1212 AVENUE M, IN THE CITY OF HUNTSVILLE, COUNTY OF WALKER, TEXAS, AT 6:00 P.M.
The Council met in a regular session with the following:
COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Andy Brauninger, Keith D. Olson, Joe Emmett, Tish Humphrey, Ronald Allen, Joe P.
Rodriquez, Clyde D. Loll, Tyler McCaffety,
COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT: Paul Davidhizar
OFFICERS PRESENT: Matt Benoit, City Manager; Leonard Schneider, City Attorney; Lee Woodward, City Secretary
WORKSESSION [5:15-6:00 P.M.] — Representatives of Texas Central will speak before the City Council concerning a
proposed high speed rail project.
Holly Reed, David Hagy, Steve Pringle, and Dennis Gehrig of Texas Central shared the planning for a proposed high-speed train
from Dallas to Houston, with a single stop between Huntsville and College Station. (Councilmember Allen arrived at 5:30 p.m.;
Councilmember McCaffety did not attend the workshop. The workshop ended at 5:48 p.m.)
MAIN SESSION [6:00 p.m.]
CALL TO ORDER — Mayor Brauninger called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
2. INVOCATION AND PLEDGES
U.S. Flag
Texas Flag: Honor the Texas Flag. I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state, under God, one, and indivisible.
Councilmember Loll gave an invocation and Scout Samuel Seppanen led the pledges.
3. CONSENT AGENDA
Public Comments will be called for by the presiding officer before action is taken on these items. (Approval of Consent
Agenda authorizes the City Manager to implement each item in accordance with staff recommendations. An item may
be removed from the Consent Agenda and added to the Statutory Agenda for full discussion by request of a member
of Council.)
a. Approve the minutes of the City Council meeting held on May 16, 2017. [Lee Woodward, City Secretary]
b. Authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract with Routeware, Inc. to provide automated routing technology
for Solid Waste fleet vehicles. [Daryl Uptmore, Assistant Director of Public Works]
c. Authorize the City Manager to execute the necessary documents to abandon the existing utility easements on the
Sam Houston State University Agriculture Complex property located on Avenue M. [Aron Kulhavy, Community &
Economic Development Director; Y. S. "Ram" Ramachandra, City Engineer]
d. Authorize the City Manager to issue an Industrial User Discharge Permit for the City of Huntsville Solid Waste
Transfer Station. [Carol Reed, Public Works Director]
Mayor Pro Tem Olson moved to approve the consent agenda. Councilmember Loll seconded the motion. The motion was
unanimously adopted, 8-0.
4. STATUTORY AGENDA
a. Presentation, public comment, discussion, and possible action to consider authorizing the City Manager to sign
an interlocal agreement with Sam Houston State University (SHSU) to grant an access easement, to administer
construction for a sidewalk connecting proposed parking at the Old Batch Plant Location, and to award the
construction contract for the Batch Plant Sidewalk Construction Project No. 17-04-03; and adopting Ordinance
2017-37 to amend the budget for FY 16-17. [Matt Benoit, City Manager]
Councilmember Humphrey moved to authorize the City Manager to sign an interlocal agreement with Sam Houston State
University to grant an access easement; to administer construction for a sidewalk connecting proposed parking at the Batch
Plant Sidewalk Construction Project location; and award the construction contract to Solid Bridge Construction, LLC for the
construction of Sidewalk Construction Project No. 17-04-03 in the amount of $117,835.00, and adopt Ordinance 2017-37
to amend the budget for FY 16-17.Councilmember Rodriquez seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously adopted,
8-0.
b. Presentation, public comment, discussion, and possible action to consider adopting Ordinance 2017-38 to approve
the GRIP rates proposed by CenterPoint Energy, first reading. [Leonard Schneider, City Attorney]
First reading, no action taken.
5. REQUESTS FOR CITIZEN PARTICIPATION
An opportunity for citizens to be heard on any topic and for the City Council to participate in the discussion. No action will be
taken.
No requests were received by noon on Tuesday, May 30, 2017.
6. MEDIA INQUIRIES RELATED TO MATTERS ON THE AGENDA
There were no media inquiries.
7. 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.)
Mayor Brauninger announced:
- The Huntsville Public Library turns 50 this year! Take a moment to stop by the City Hall lobby to glance back in time to 1967.
Many thanks to Deputy City Secretary Megan Kaltenbach & volunteer Rosalia Orozco for this groovy display!
I hope everyone is planning to join the City at Kate Barr Ross Park on Tuesday, July 4th to celebrate our country's birthday!
July 4th is the first Tuesday of the month, so the Council will meet on July 11th instead.
- We are so excited some pictures from the recent Flick & Float event at the aquatic center. The Parks & Leisure Department
showed The Secret Life of Pets and 450 people showed up to watch it while floating in the pool! What a great turnout! Stay
tuned to the City's social media and the City Connection in your utility bill for information on the next Flick & Float!
Mayor Pro Tem Olson gave an HISD Minute! - School is out, so keep eyes out for kids playing on our streets, crossing roads to
get to parks, walking pets, or chasing a ball out of a yard into traffic. Use special attention at dusk, when it's harder to see. Also
be on the lookout for kids who need special time and attention from you. If you can help feed a kid, teach them a skill or a hobby,
or just be a good example — do it! It's for the good of our community and its future, and it will make your heart smile, too!
Councilmember Humphrey said the SHSU Baseball team was competing in a special playoff in Florida. She also noted that last
week the Council had a wonderful opportunity to tour the City's new Transfer Station building with Public Works Director Carol
Reed. City staff has worked hard to make sure this facility is going to run efficiently and safely and help keep our city cleaner.
Part of the new building will house recycling services, so I'd like to remind everyone how important it is to recycle and to be sure
what goes in your recycling bin is correct. Even a little bit of the "wrong" stuff can cause other recyclables to have to be thrown
away, defeating the effort.
If you're not sure how or what to recycle, please review the Curbside Recycling information flyer on the City website at
www.HuntsvilleTX.gov/Recycling. All of us can recycle things like magazines, newspapers, and paper towel and toilet paper
cores, so start with something and learn more. Thanks for helping keep Home Sweet Huntsville clean! Public Works Director
Carol Reed announced the new Transfer Station was expected to open the last week of June.
Mayor Brauninger announced that summer is here and so is HEAP! The Huntsville Enrichment Activities Program has been a
local institution since 1969. Applications and scholarship information is available in the lobby here at City Hall and also at area
elementary schools. This year they've even started a HEAP Sports program, too! Find the online link from the HISD website at
http://www.Huntsville-ISD.org/ for ages, fees, & more!
Councilmember Loll reminded everyone that it's June in Texas, which means we're in hurricane season until the end of
November. He asked citizens to make sure households are ready by reviewing the City's preparedness page at
www.HuntsvilleTX.gov/ReadyHuntsville to find supply kit lists, a link to the City's social media platforms, area maps, and a special
preparedness issue of This Week in Huntsville. #ReadyHuntsville The Mayor announced that he and the City Secretary's office
had joined emergency staff and other local organizations this week for a full scale hurricane readiness exercise at the Walker
County OEM.
Mayor Brauninger asked all to please take a moment to help out by completing the Communications Survey on the City's
Facebook page! It's only six questions and will just take a second to share thoughts on what residents want to know and how
they want to hear about it. He thanked all for their help.
8. EXECUTIVE SESSION
a. City Council will convene in closed session as authorized by Texas Government Code Chapter 551, Section 551.071
-consultation with counsel on legal matters to receive legal advice on contemplated litigation on employment claim
by Kimberly Webb. [Leonard Schneider, City Attorney].
b. City Council will convene in closed session as authorized by Texas Government Code Chapter 551, Section 551.071
- consultation with counsel on legal matters to receive legal advice and Texas Government Code Chapter 551,
Section 551.072 — deliberation regarding purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property on 457 Interstate
Highway 45 South, Huntsville. [Matt Benoit, City Manager]
The Council adjourned to Executive Session at 6:36 p.m.
9. RECONVENE
The Council reconvened at 7:54 p.m. There was no action taken.
10. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Brauninger adjourned the meeting without objection at 7:54 p.m.
Lee Woodward, City Secretary