MIN CC 01/13/1987MINUTES OF THE FIRST MEETING OF a +87 -- .
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MINUTES OF THE HUNTSVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING, HELD ON THE 13TH DAY OF JANUARY, 1987, IN THE CITY HALL COUNCIL
CHAMBERS, LOCATED AT 1212 AVENUE M IN THE CITY OF HUNTSVILLE, COUNTY OF WALKER, TEXAS AT 7:00 P.M.
The Council met in a regular session vith the following members present:
Jane Monday, Mayor
0. Eugene Barrett
Gary Bell
Stephen E. Davie
Jerry L. Dowling
Ile C. Gaines
William B. Green
Percy Howard, Jr.
Member absent:
Dick Wharton
City Officers Present:
Gene Pipes, City Manager
Ruth DeShaw, City Secretary
Scott Bounds, City Attorney
CITIZEN INPUT
Wendall Baker, Rt. 2, Box 60, 295 -5866 -- in support of renaming all of Avenue F as Martin Luther King Drive
Mr. Baker presented a three page listing of names in support of changing the name of Avenue F to Martin
uther King Drive. He said these people are interested in a single designation, or the entire street rather
han just that portion of it between let Street and FM 2821, to be named Martin Luther King Drive. He asked
he Council to do this rather than have a dual designation. He said he heard there was some objection from
the residents about this, but in checking with the postal service, he learned this would really he no problem.
e said one of the list of names contains names of persons who live on Avenue F and it includes just about ever
body who live: on Avenue F tthere are about 21 homes on ant sides and 2e on the other and a couple of businesses).
ht said if the Council thinks there is opposition there, will show there is none. He said he represents,
in this request, the following churches and membership: First __t Church, r lend hir Baptist Church
and the Greater Zion Baptist Church. He said these pastors asked him to make this request on behalf of them
all.
Mayor Monday then called the formal meeting to order.
PUSEBTXTTOT
Mayor Monday then presented a plaque to Reverend Ron Sumter, commemorating his terr of service on the
It. Parks Advisory Board. She noted Reverend Sumter was unable to attend the October Reception, so she is making
this separate presentation to him this evening.
1 ;1"OCA11cY.
Reverend Ron Sumter then presented the invocation.
CONSIDER THE MINUTES
Councilmember Barrett made the motion to approve of the minutes of the previous meeting of December 23,
1966 and Councilmember Howard seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously.
ATTENDING CITIZEN
Mr. Herman Wright representing concerned Elkins Lake residents, to address the Council and present a petition
concerning annexation or incorporation
*:r. Wright said he and some of his neighbors are h,rc tonight to present this petition to the Council. He
statements art, as follows:
"I know you are aware that this is the third effort by a group from Elkins to incorporate the
stlbdi,iien. I wish 1 ce_lc tell you tin.: . e.._ certain tL t the outc n _ ....sin st iffcrer_t it order r
t. justify heirs ^.r, a::<'. ; rE=.:-ri e ti.E t �.. -. � t c t ??' .
entiticd to at least know what justifies us in ._king the client to gtt tilt eiection.
"First of all, this is the first time that an effort has been made to incorporate the totality
of the subdivision. Both of the other efforts were to incorporate only a portion of the subdivision.
That Lys creates, in tenth instance., di:ier.enesi cnr ptaple cut there. WL b ' le that
the fact that we are now able to come to you and seek the incorporation of the totality of the sub-
division will eliminate some of that divisiveness among us.
"Secondly, we have conducted some rather extensive and detailed studies of our problems out
there. I suppose if it were feasible for you to annex us any tine soon., you aright be able to help
us solve the problems without us incorporating. But as I understand the financial picture, there
is little liklihood that the City of Huntsville will be interested in annexing us any time soon.
Among the problems that we have studied is the matter of our streets. We've discovered that our
streets are deteriorating at a rather rapid pace and that unless something can be done with respect
to them some time soon, we're liable to be in a position where we are almost starting from scratch
to put the streets back down. We see no alternative to raising that kind of money other than incor-
porating the subdivision.
"Next, we do have something of a security problem out there. We have made some attempt to work
out some sort of patchwork system to give us some help in that regard. without too much success. And
again, the only resolution to the problems that we would see, that is the group I am speaking for, is
to incorporate the subdivision. I would like to say to you in closing, none of us in Elkins Lake are
unhappy with you or anybody else. We hope you are not unhappy with us. We want to be good neighbors
to you. We believe we can be good neighbors whether we are incorporated or not. And we intend to be
• good neighbor to you if we do incorporate. Because of the urgency of our problem, we earnestly ask
that you give this matter some prompt attention and either grant our request or deny it so that we
may proceed on our course. And I now hand you, your honor, the petition."
Mayor Monday thanked Mr. Wright for the information. She said the petition will be turned over to the leg -
department and staff for review and reporting back to the Council. Mr. Wright thanked the Mayor and Council fc
their attention.
Chief Eckhardt presented an organizational description of the Police Department outlining the three main
divisions of the department. He said he is concerned that manpower and resources are used to their fullest
extent, as a result, he is constantly fine tuning the Department. He said with the loss of a clerk position
in this last budget, further adjustments and fine tuning have occurred.
He said since 1981 we have had a 1002 increase in our calls. In 1981, we had 8,007 calls for services
and in 1986, we had 16,239 calls for services. He said our manpower and resources have primarily stayed the
same, although we did increase the officer staff by two during this period. He said this increase in service
calls has required us to be as efficient as possible. He said the total offenses in 1981 were 2,632 as compare
to 3,050 in 1986. He said there is not the same increase as we had in calls for services. He said there are
more demands by the citizens (disturbance calls, prowler calls), which may indicate there is more confidence in
the Police Department or simply because of growth and the current financial situation in Texas.
Chief Eckhardt said there has been publicity on the increases in auto thefts. He said a recent report
claims that auto thefts across the state have increased 132 for the urban areas and 6% for the rural areas; the
City of Fort Worth had an increase of nearly 86% in auto thefts. He said Huntsville has had an increase as vel:
He has determined that approximately 60-65% of Huntsville's auto thefts are not home grown, but are being
experienced because Huntsville site on the corridor between Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth. He said we have
arrested people involved with an auto theft ring in Houston and have been able to determine that these people
leave periodically and decide what areas in the outlying areas of Houston they are going to go to in order to
steal things. He said we have also arrested people from Dallas that are making a trip down I -45, making stops
at tie cities between here and Dallas, stealing cars and parts from cars. This impacts our figures here is
Huntsville. Be said the picture is much broader than just our local City of Huntsville.
e Chief said we have also srtrsated barglais. one nboa'a rap sheet is 5-6 feet long
Comncilmember Crass made an mend motion to include in this ordinanes the 4 tlon of the Emanei,ation
Puri adieu' as tba' rtes Lut• r Beiahborbood Center and Councilmember Be11 seconded the motion. All
meta In favor of Chia amending Notice end it passed unanimously.
Councilmember !ward then made tbe motion to adopt Ordinance No. 87 -2, the caption of which Is as follows.
and Councilmember Barrett eeconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion mooed unanimously.
ORDINANCE O. 87 -2
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITT COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HUNISVILLE, TEXAS. NAMING AND DESIGNATING
A PORTION OF AVENUE F BETWEEN 1ST STREET AND F.N. 2821 AS MARTIN LUTHER RING DRIVE; AND
DESIGNATING THE DIANCIPATION PARK BUILDING AS MARTIN LUTHER KING NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER; AND
HARING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED THERETO.
Mayor Monday noted proper designation signs will be posted on both FM 2821 and llth Street to acknowledge
that the park is there and the Martin Luther Ring Neighborhood Center. She said the Center should be included
in the himcoric•1 and tourism brochure■ to better publicize it.
CONSIDER ARTS FUNDING
Consider • request for approval of a third year funding application to the Texas Commission on the Arta in the
amount of 15.000 on the Challenge Grant Program
Dr. Jack Staggs, Chairman of the Arts Commission, requested the Council's approval of funds for FY 87 -8B
in the amount of $5,000 from the Mainstreet Program account in order that the Arts Commission can make applica-
tion for matching funds for the final year of the Texas Commission on the Arts /National Endowment for the Arts
Challenge Grant. He said these funds would be used for aristic improvements is dow::towv, Huntsville within th.
ruicelinsn el the Mainstreet Project.
Dr. Staggs said Texas was granted a three year $375,000 grant to advance arts at the local level. He said
this is a matching fund program. He said the City ha., participated in this for the last two years; i5,(:Ch cor-
ir.: frcr the Ks- tlora'_ Endo.srrt throuft. the Te' Car.- -.i“,: :. of t.:. Art, j. .° ,-7`i :rr. ti ,.._t rr ift. t:.:.
, . tie ti,.i:,t .: v: l.;o- Arts Conarseiot.. m _.a:t. .;,. h,t Swi .., t. ]u Rterestecetiet of the t....... ,, c... ._,. _...
on the Arts, visited Huntsville in September. He said she was favorably impressed at what we were doing. She
mentioned the possibility of expanding or enlarging the grant for the third year. He said this requires addi-
tional money. He said the mainstreet project had some unused fund_. He asked the Council to consider making.
f .,-. . n.. ,- t n: tl. , e funds available to t :e Arts Coc. -_: t,i:. c;. te en7iirge th. ri,.t _ ntiiit ytigr. E,.
_..iu this will enable as to doobit our grant for tl:, third yo,7 if wt. can get $5,000 fr : tke Mainstreat Project
to the Arts Commission funding. He said most of our ideas for the arts come from the citizens in Huntsville
and Walker County.. He said every year the Commission receives more good proposals from individuals and groups
than it can possibly fund. He said the application is due soon. He said with this transfer of $5,0tf we will then
ht .,..:t to request $20,000 for the third veer.
Mr. Pipes said the money for Mainstreet was allocated last year and the year before and the residual is
there. He said by authorizing the application, should we encounter the prospect that CSU might actually fail the
test and create a financial burden for us, the application will not be fulfilled and the grant funds required
until some time in the fall. Mr. Pipes said the funds can be earmarked at the mid -year budget adjustment time
when we review the overall budget.
Mayor Monday asked if it is contemplated that the money coming out of Mainstreet might be used to further
enhance and finish the Mainstreet Project. Dr. Staggs said the money will be used for the downtown area for
artistic improvement, although at this time, he had no idea what the projects might be. He mentioned Dumas
and Fort Worth (Sundance Square) have done things to enhance their downtowns; Galveston (The Strand). He said
we will be looking for ideas to do that, but the money will be spent for this purpose. Mayor Monday said then
we will be leveraging our existing $5,000 to $10,000 under the concept of matching funds. Dr. Staggs agreed
noting we need the Council's approval to apply fcr the money and although we don't know that we will get the
grant, if we do, the City can always state the money Is not available at that tire.
Councilmember Dowling made the motion that the Arts Commission be authorized to apply for this grant for
third year funding in the amount of $5,000 (to be earmarked and transferred during mid -year budget adjustments
_rcr.. the ... _ - ..._ .. .. t - � ,� - -
inst rest Prefect) and Cc::nct .:er'x-r P:. r.sZt ..:c .. -o' -,t'„- ... we_ _ -, ,.. .,.., .. ___..
}--ed U`..:nin us.`:.
CITY MANAGER'S REPORT
Re;.,.rt on the status of police activity, in resnon se to increases in serious cate.eries of cries statistics
ho chief E: nt, Frkhardt.
Chief Eckhardt presented an organizational description of the Police Department outlining the three main
divisions of the department. He said he is concerned that manpower and resources are used to their fullest
extent, as a result, he is constantly fine tuning the Department. He said with the loss of a clerk position
in this last budget, further adjustments and fine tuning have occurred.
He said since 1981 we have had a 1002 increase in our calls. In 1981, we had 8,007 calls for services
and in 1986, we had 16,239 calls for services. He said our manpower and resources have primarily stayed the
same, although we did increase the officer staff by two during this period. He said this increase in service
calls has required us to be as efficient as possible. He said the total offenses in 1981 were 2,632 as compare
to 3,050 in 1986. He said there is not the same increase as we had in calls for services. He said there are
more demands by the citizens (disturbance calls, prowler calls), which may indicate there is more confidence in
the Police Department or simply because of growth and the current financial situation in Texas.
Chief Eckhardt said there has been publicity on the increases in auto thefts. He said a recent report
claims that auto thefts across the state have increased 132 for the urban areas and 6% for the rural areas; the
City of Fort Worth had an increase of nearly 86% in auto thefts. He said Huntsville has had an increase as vel:
He has determined that approximately 60-65% of Huntsville's auto thefts are not home grown, but are being
experienced because Huntsville site on the corridor between Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth. He said we have
arrested people involved with an auto theft ring in Houston and have been able to determine that these people
leave periodically and decide what areas in the outlying areas of Houston they are going to go to in order to
steal things. He said we have also arrested people from Dallas that are making a trip down I -45, making stops
at tie cities between here and Dallas, stealing cars and parts from cars. This impacts our figures here is
Huntsville. Be said the picture is much broader than just our local City of Huntsville.
e Chief said we have also srtrsated barglais. one nboa'a rap sheet is 5-6 feet long
.7t •
1
Councilmember Barrett asked Chief Eckhardt if be feels be will need additional personal than the two
civilian positions he mentioned here tonight, in the next budget year. Chief Eckhardt said the Police Departmen
wants to do the best job it can, but at this particular time, be does not foresee a request for additional
officers because of the suggestions be made (in the last paragraph).
Consider a request from the Good Shepherd Mission to locate a trailer on a city owned lot on Avenue F
Gene Pipes advised Charles Powell. Administrator of The Good Shepherd Mission. has requested permission
to place • 12' E 54' trailer on the property belonging to the city which joins the mission on the 10th Street
side of the property. He said this would be a temporary building and could be moved within two days notice.
Mr. Pipes said the city staff and city council do not have authority under state law to give city property to
any private concern for its use, no matter how public minded or spirited it is. The City Charter provides that
no lease or real estate shall be made by the Council without first causing it to be advertised for bid by notice
in two consecutive weeks setting out the the property proposed to be leased and the conditions under which the
bids would be received. Mr. Pipes said there might be other individuals who would like to locate on that lot
and everyone should have a reasonable opportunity to make those desires known if that is what the Council wishes
to do. In addition, he said, state law further provides that no conveyance of any interest in the land shall be
made for less than the fair market value of the interest being conveyed to be determined by an appraisal. He
said if the city were to allow use of that lot, we would first need to advertise locally about our intent to
let it be used and then also to affix a price for its use, based on an appraisal. Councilmember Barrett asked
about the extent of the city's liability on this. Gene Pipes noted that is another aspect to be looked at, but
when ve ran into these other regulations, we didn't look any further. He said he would be reporting this infor
oration to Mr. Powell, but he wanted the Council to be aware this request had come to the City.
TML Legislative key contact person designation
Mr. Pipes said each tine the t-. 1o2 : =tore aette in E.=t n, the- TM: seek:' .. Inc. r contact thrcn :., which to
co . . . . . m a t t . infcrm:ti:nal item'., anl th,ir ftttsr,t tt keep hs _ . `rc,ud . .,seine. .ra ,reds...
and effectively in doing that for us_ he said he feels at this point she would be willing to do that again.
He said since she has had that experience, four more months of the Legislature would not get her down too such.
P. thee recommended that the Co r .1 ._. d,S.Fr:- -tc huta ihSXo, a: t,e i_,', coat-ft 7I,E,C7 ICE
Cite Secretary, o_. tilt Corti:[ ... lls; ,e,l nl6t 1, Jest.,. and douhei u..e ,. m. Urine[[ . .e[[ sec.wed
motion. All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously.
Cc-.n =id_r ._ reeucst for uti'i tv estasfor e...r
Mr. Pipes advised the Council o: a utility extension request from Mr. cosh U. Schmieder, Presitent,
Houston West Auto /Truck Center of Brookshire, Texas. He said Mr. Schmieder intends to construct a multi -use
commercial complex at the northwest quadrant of I -45 and US. 75 on a 15 acre commercial site. He is requesting
:d_ t' ....tex and sewer 5crvic. (. ,'i'_ ,r7 .. , .r. _-ur: expexdfthre of s,c!f.e . sohlest ..
_ _ C u r ` , .ect ilnancino .:rl c e . .. . _e. _ , .3 tilt wit,. li, , t. h_ _...plot',_ c...
The Council was advised the City has planned, in its capital improvements program, the extension of the
12 -inch outer loop main around the northwest corner. He said this year, we went out Avenue F to FM 2821, down
PM 2821 past the high school, across Old Highway 19 to connect with the 12 inch main installed several years
ago, and back into town. He said we also came out from Sycamore Avenue to Boettcher's Mill across under the
railroad underpass there, north to Old Colony Road and put an altitude valve at Highway 190 to loop that side
and also to proceed south from Master Chemical to Old 75 South to tie into the 12 -inch main on Sam Houston
Avenue. He said our next project would be the 12 -inch main along the vest side of 1 -45 from Boettcher Drive
up to the Chicken Shack (in design phase at present time -- easement being negotiated). Mr. Pipes said we will
have completed everything on the north and east side all the way up to Crosstimbers on the northwest side.
Mr. Pipes said what the city would propose, in our next phase of our capital improvements program on the
12 -inch outer loop water maim:, is t; go north from Crosst in.bers, across the TLC tract to Walker Burr'. on the
north side, w'hcre we have rade a previous connectior., and tit across to what is now c six inch r..ain in front
of t. e airport pro-',rt. Pe said t.`,:- w-... _ north's,:. Ei<L _ . __ _-:e `. 0,3,E ,f la repnin cf our co :spier, ["rite. _. t' 1. ....,. fECE ....
ifinally across the Wynne Unit down to Martinez Garage on FM 2821. This will complete our outer loop in about
a two year period of time.
proposal to provide utilities to this site simply works to accelerate our plan for that particular segment
on the northwest as far as water is concerned. He said the utility extension program of the City as it applies
to water is very much complied with by his request, although we don't have the specific dollars to allocate to
watt:, the._ -are s eve ts1 olter...._.e. __ .... said .. ...... _ _ (` : ....c
be met by his $200,000 participation. Mr. Pipes said with a truck wash and the normal activities related to
a truck stop, certainly a septic tank system which is optional in some respects, simply is undesirable and would
not work. He said we have no sewer service on the west side of I -45 at the present time. He said on the
north end, beyond the Service Center and Ross Park, there is no standard city sewer except for a contract exten-
sion that we entered into with Brown Oil Tools when they came here in 1982. He said that contract /extension is
a lift station and force main that comes up 01d 75 and ties into a main there in front of the Service Center
and gravities on back to the Woods Addition Lift Station where it is pumped over the hill to the North Huntsvil:
collection system. Mr. Pipes said Mr. Schmieder's truck can sewer itself with a simple lift station /force main
pumping back over and tying in and equalizing the pressure to the Brown Oil Tool force main and adequately sewer
their property.
The Council was advised the city does not have a standard extension policy on sewer, like we do on water,
because every sewer situation is unique. He said we have the Brown Oil Tools contract, as an example, that
allows the individual to capitalize all of the costs related to the sewer service and then recapture it back
through the revenues and fees paid over the years. He said this is a possibility. Mr. Pipes said there is
a large area of real estate to the vest and northwest side of Huntsville that has historically been limited in
its growth and development because there are no basic utilities out there. He said the options range from a
$50.000 minimum figure to simply sewer Mr. Schmieder's truck stop to a $325,000 figure to sewer a much larger
area of the McGary Creek System. The question is how forward thinking and how progressive and how far does the
City Council want to go in opening up a totally new watershed for sewer service for the first time in our
history, He said it is extremely important for the City's growth and development to get the water to the
northwest corner of the City. He said the business and commercial interests on old Highway 75 North are on
the Pine Prairie Water System and this system has suffered from the availability of water in their system. He
said if this area is to continue to be • viable, productive growth area for commercial and industrial interests,
having volumes of water will be very critical. He said taking Mr. Schmieder at his offer and letting him pays
} ortion of our 12 -inch outer main loop extension seemed to biota be very practical mathematics •nd tininess.
Try
•
BOOK "0" CITY KENNER or JANUARY 11i• fool
:4YOR'S REPORT
Various board AppointrOfl$.
Board of Adjustmeges and Appeals
Mayor Mondra, recommended the re- appointment of the following board members, whose two year term
expired on Janua€y 1. 1987: Allan'Pritchardr Joe Sandel and Ron Howell. She noted the other members
of this board are Bill Nowlin and Dawn Miller.
Councilmember Barrett made the motion to approve of these three reappointments and Councilmember Howard
seconded the motion.- All were n favor and the motion passed unanimously.
Parks Advisory Board
Mayor Mond recommended the re- appointment of the following board membbers, whose three year term
expired on Jarnotif 1, 1987: Barbara Hart and, Ralph Pease. She noted the other members of this board
are Gary BonnerOarry Tacker, Janet Fair, Judge Horton, Nancy Tiller and Laverne Warner.
Councilmember Davis made the motion to approve of these two reappointments and Councilmember Bell seconded
the motion. A14were in favor:and the motion passed unanimously.
Chicago Trip to Visit With Fantus Corporation
Manor Monday said i)ie joined others. from Huntsville for r: trip t0 visit the fantur- Corporation in Ci.ic::-
on Monday to make a community presentation to fi c ti d eu- corpany, a, a practice. run c- to how tc prese:.t ear
ccr .uritc to are industri2'i prosT,ct. it Rant..- (,..:::::ti .. tort. ddyiscd u; on ti, : tr.: :th and
.... ♦ __
our presentation. She -said she learned alot not only in Chicago, but in the advance work that went into the
preparation of the presentation. She said the Fantus Corporation cave her alot of good ideas on how t: ad dress
potential industrial_ prospects.
COUNCIL ACI1O N
ITDC Trustee Carp
,_u r:cilrcr.;.r Frog' . , ,.... _ constrr , th, _....t... -. .. '1ru-t c ..-, .. th, sOLtn,
he considers that a prime piece of real estate as opposed to some other place with less value. he said if TLC
is concerned about leasing out land, etc., this decision didn't make sense to him. Mayor Monday noted the
city was made aware of their plans and they did visit. with the staff about this. She said they are locating
near th. ■■nno Unit for th, convtnienot of heir, close to _t.
Abandonec Buildings
Councilmember Bell expressed concern for the number of abandoned buildings around town. Mr. Pipes said
the City has recently completed the demolition of the College Courtyard Apartments, the funding of which totally
exhausted our funds. He said these costs come out of local funds until such time as we can recapture these
costs, through a lien on the property, at some future time down the road. He said the Building Department has
other buildings it fe..trying to have removed, but we.are without funds. Councilmember Bell noted the burned out
building, formerly occupied by Casa Tomas, is a real hazard. Mr. Pipes indicated there is a commercial interest
now interested in that building site and that situation will be going to the Planning Commission soon to request
some variances.
Resignation of Councilmember Davis in late Februarr'or early March, 1987
Councilmember Davis announced he will be resigning from the City Council (position 3 at- large) either
late February or early- March doe to tile fact he has - purchased a 1..7e outside the city lir.its and ¢s, t,e r.
into it is early as March. Hs said he is arranging his resignations: atosov. tLt city the expense ofha:i"1
a special election and announcing his plans early enough so that the position he holds can be included on the
ballot for the April election.
Councilmember Barrett thanked the Mayor for taking her personal time to go to Chicago, at her own expense,
on behalf of the City and for the benefit of the community.
No Parking -- Avenue M at 17th Street
Councilmember Dowling noted since the demolition of College Courtyard Apartments is complete, the c
can now in;*itute the no- parking signs along Avenue 1'1 at the intersection of M with 17th Street.
Afterasome news media questions germane to the - procedure for processing the annexation petition and some
follow -up questions on the Police Chief's report, the .Council then adjourned for the evening.
MEDIA INQUIRIES
ADJOURNMENT
ully subm _ted,
aw, City Secre ary
July 13, 1987