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MIN CC 12/15/1987MINUTES OF DECEMBER 15, 1987 MEETING BOOK 40" MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF DECEMBER 15, 1987 HELD IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, LOCATED AT 1212 AVENUE M IN THE CITY OF HUNTSVILLE, COUNTY OF WALKER, TEXAS AT 6:45 P.M. The Council met in a regular session with the following members present: Jane Monday, Mayor 0. Eugene Barrett Gary Bell Jim Carter William B. Green William L. Hammock Percy Howard, Jr. Bill Knotts Member absent: Ile G. Gaines City Officers Present: Gene Pipes, City Manager Scott Bounds, City Attorney Ruth DeShaw, City Secretary FORMAL SESSION Mayor Jane Monday called the meeting to order. The invocation was presented by the Honorable Frank Robinson, Walker County Judge. CONSIDER THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING Councilmember Barrett made the motion to approve the minutes of December 8. 1987. es corrected b' the City Secretary. Ruth DeShaw. and Councilmember Howard seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously CONSIDER ORDINANCE Consider Ordinance No. 87 -41 authorizing publication of notice of intent to issue certificates of obligation for a landfill compactor for the sanitation division Mr. Gene Pipes, City Manager, presented this ordinance, the caption of which is as follows: ORDINANCE NO. 87-41 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING PUBLICATION OF NOTICE TO BIDDERS AND NOTICE OF INTENTION TO ISSUE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION FOR A LANDFILL COMPACTOR, AND MAKING VARIOUS PROVISIONS RELATED THERETO Mr. Pipes noted since the Council has decided to retain the landfill method of solid waste disposal, it is now necessary to proceed with the acquisition of equipment needed, as anticipated when the budget was prepared. He noted the landfill compactor and a set of scales were deemed needed to continue in the landfill business. He noted this compactor will be purchased with a four year certificate of obligation and will replace the old compactor which was purchased in 1977. He noted it is anticipated this compactor will last much longer than the estimated life expectancy of four years. Councilmember Knotts made the motion to approve of Ordinance No. 87 -41 and Councilmember Barrett seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. CONSIDER BID Consider bid for water supplies for materials to construct a water line on University Avenue to Big State Utility in the amount of S22.650.65 to be paid from C.I.P. funds The City Manager advised seven bids were received for these materials, ranging in amounts from S24,880.75 to S22,650.65. He then recommended approving the bid of Big State Utility, the low bidder at 522,650.65. He said the city has done business with Big State Utility in the past and they have been very satisfactory. MINUTES OF DECEMBER 15, 1987 MEETING BOOK "0" Councilmember Barrett made the motion to approve of the bid to Big State Utility. as discussed above and Councilmember Howard seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. Consider the options and award of bids for sewer reconstruction work on the Sam Houston Park Area (A) and Avenue M (8) sewer lines. as detailed by staff Mr. Gene Pipes, City Manager, presented the following two bid proposals from Insituform for the Avenue M sewer renovations for the Council's consideration: A. Park Area (Sam Houston Park from 19th Street to 17th Street): $84,395 ($108,000 currently budgeted) B. Avenue M (Approximately from 11th Street to 17th Street): $243,272 (Funds not allocated at this time) Mr. Pipes advised these bid prices do not include point repsirs, obstruction removal, water for completing the project, dung site for debris generated from project, access to right -of -way and easements, and coordination of traffic control. He recommended awarding the bid to insituform for area A due to the sensitivity of the heavily wooded park area. Councilmember Bill Knotts made the motion to approve of the contract with Insituform Gulf South. Inc. to rehabilitate the sewer line in the Sam Houston Park area from 19th Street to 17th Street in the amount of $84.395 and Councilmember Howard seconded the motion. After some discussion for clarification, all were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. Mr. Pipes then advised the area under the street on Avenue M can be approached in one of three ways, as follows: 1. Construct new parallel 15" (in- house): 2. Construct new parallel 15" (contractor): 3. insituform existing lines: $154,117 (materiels and labor costs)* (3 -5 months) $200,352 (estimate only)* $243,272 *Does not include design engineering costs to prepare plans and specifications. (6 -8 weeks) Mr. Pipes felt Insituforming the existing lines would be the logical choice considering traffic control, business interruptions, completion time and interruption of the in-house construction crews water line replacement schedule and the Fire Station, EMS and city hall parking lot traffic interruption. He advised unallocated funds in the wort of $655,000 are currently available for this project. The City Manager said it is his recommendation that the Council award the bid to Insituform Gulf South, Inc. After some discussion among members of the Council regarding the advantages of going out for bid, the effect on the staff's time, and anticipated street construction delays, Councilmember Green noted that given the uncertainties and what additional costs may be there or may yet arise, he would recommend going with the Insituform bid. Councilmember Green then made the motion to approve of the Insituform bid for the sewer renovation work for Avenue M (approximately from 11th to 17th Street) in the amount of $243.272 and Councilmember Bell seconded the motion. All were in favor of the motion EXCEPT COUNCILMEMBER KNOTTS. who voted against the motion. The motion. however. passed by a vote of seven to one (note Councilmember Gaines is absent). Consider authorization for the Fixed Based Operator at Huntsville Airport to proceed with construction of an additional hangar in accordance with the F.B.O. contract Mr. Pipes, City Manager, then presented the request of Huntsville Aviation, dated October 30, 1987, to construct an of the F.B.O. lease area. He noted the size will be 50 feet conventional metallic building upon a concrete slab. Mr. agreement with Article III, Section 1, Paragraph 3 of the Mr. Wade Gillespie, Jr., General Manager of aircraft storage hangar within the boundary by 60 feet with 14 foot eaves and will be Pipes said the proposed construction is in Lease Agreement for Fixed Based Operating MINUTES OF DECEMBER 15, 1987 MEETING BOOK "0" 991 Service by and between the City and Huntsville Aviation, dated June 21, 1983. He noted he would ask the Council to approve this conditionally; the condition being that the building be constructed in such a fashion that at a later date it can be added onto according to our master plan, for a series of T- hangars, rather than one single hangar. Councilmember Howard made the motion to approve of the authorization for this additional hanger on the condition that it be constructed in such a way that it can be built onto at a later date. as discussed above. and Councilmember Green seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT- -GENE PIPES Tour of Storm Sewers Mr. Pipes reported on the tour the Council took on this date to view the damages done to the city's storm sewer system. He noted the city engineer and his staff need to dedicate their time to maintenance of the information system and the design and construction work planned already and authorized by the voters under the capital construction program; and, if the Council approves, proceed through an independent consultant to make the necessary studies and calculations on this portion of town branch that we visited today, in order to give us the besis of information on which to decide what course of action to take. He said we do know that 5240,000 is already planned, but will only address the 10th Street problem and a portion of the Avenue 1 problem and does not address the Avenue M or 11th Street bottlenecks in the Town Branch drainage system, nor does it speak to any impact that retention ponds that may or may not be available, would have on the overall runoff in a five, ten, fifteen, fifty or one hundred year flood. He said the major urgency is that we have a water line exposed cn 10th Street that we have no way to put back into service, and while this is not an emergency now, if another water line in that system were to break, then this line presently out of service, will become very critical as far as an alternate back feed that would ordinarily be in place. He said if the Council prefers that the city simply put the headwall back on the northern side of 10th Street and cope with the situation as best we can in the foreseeable future while we develop an overall master plan for drainage on the town branch system, the staff will do that. If, however, the Council wants to try to determine what the ultimate cost is before we put any money in this, we will expedite the design engineering costs (noting we have no money for either solution). Mayor Monday noted she is still not comfortable making a decision as she feels she still does not have sufficient information. Councilmember Knotts suggested supporting and holding that water line in place temporarily with creosote posts buried eight to ten feet. Mr. Wilder, Director of Public Utilities, noted they could do that or go back into the bank with some steel encasement to support the pipe. Councilmember Knotts expressed concern for the city's liability in the event someone's property is flooded because of the condition of controlled drainage facilities. He said he feels the City needs a longer range study on drainage. He said we already have two hydraulic studies on this problem and we would not be too far out of line if we used those studies in order to save some costs. He felt we do need to look at a consulting engineer to do the structural design of the boxes. He also suggested asking the Highway Department for emergency funds or regular funds for the 11th Street drainage problem. He urged the city to be careful about giving variances and to be more strict in its enforcement of the codes as it concerns our drainage system (concerning building structures over them, etc.), and to work closely with and support the Planning Commission concerning matters such as this. The staff was asked to review again the possibility and costs for a temporary repair to the washed out water line at 10th Street and to investigate using the existing hydraulic studies and the possibility of the updates needed on those in order to move closer to a final decision on a long range solution to the drainage problems. After some discussion for information, the Mayor moved to the next item on the agenda. MINUTES Of DECEMBER 15, 1987 MEETING BOOK "0" Consider Resolution No. 87 -18 commending Mr. J. C. Loving on the completion of 30 nears of service and his retirement from the City of Huntsville. Mayor Mandey then presented this Resolution commending Mr. J. C. Loving for his 30 years of service to the City for the Council's consideration. Councilmember Howard made the motion to adopt Resolution No. 87 -18 and Councilmember Bell seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. The Council presented the Resolution to Mr. J. C. Loving. Mr. Pipes, City Manager, then presented Mr. Loving with an employee's award plaque for 30 years of service along with a City of Huntsville cap with six stars, one for each five years. Mr. Tae Grisham of the Huntsville Volunteer Fire Department then presented Mr. Loving with another plaque from the Volunteer Fire Department. The City Manager presented another gift from the employees of the City in the form of a fire hydrant painted green and white with brass fittings, because of Mr. Loving's service with the fire hydrant maintenance program. The Council then joined the staff, firemen and friends and Mr. Loving for refreshments and conversation. SUPPLEMENTARY AGENDA ITEM Consider authorizing advertisement for bids for a starter unit for water well no. 18. that exceeds the $5.000 bid price authorization from budgeted funds. Mr. Pipes advised that on December 14, the staff discovered that the starter mechanism for the 300 horse electrical motor on water well 18 malfunctioned over the weekend. He said the cost for a replacement unit is approximately $6,000, and although this is not an emergency, the staff does not have authorization under the current budget to take bids on this item and if something should happen to the TRA plant, then it will become an emergency because water well 18 is very important to our backup water system. Mr. Pipes noted funds were budgeted in the current budget for these type repairs and there is currently S26,000 available for the repairs. He said the staff requests this authorization so that it can bring back to the Council on January 12, the bids it has received. Councilmember Knotts made the motion to authorize the staff to seek bids for this starter mechanism and Councilmember Howard seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. MAYOR'S REPORT--JANE MONDAY Transportation 2020 information Form Mayor Monday asked each of the Council to complete the Transportation 2020 information form for the Highway Department concerning the Council's expression of need for the dedicated highway fud money. She advised that Mr. Carole Ziegler, District Engineer, of the SDHPT, will be proposing in January (for a June letting) the approval of four lane, curb and gutter street construction on Possum Walk Road (Montgomery Roed/FM 1374) from Sam Houston Avenue to 1-45 and the construction of a new four -lane bridge across 1-45 for an extension of Possum Walk Road out several hundred feet on the west side of 1-45 to four lanes, along with signelization for the feeder roads. Mayor Monday said this is a direct result of the work of the Walker County Metropolitan Transportation Committee in having a plan filed with the Highway Department for consideration when their funds become available. Mayor Monday said there is a possibility that the widening of Highway 75 North may be considered in 1988, according to Mr. Ziegler. She said traffic counts are now being taken there and will be sent in to them. Christmas Open House Reception is Wednesday (10 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.) and City Hall Luncheon is Friday Mayor Monday advised the Council of the Christmas Open House and the City Hall luncheon to be held this week at City Hall. She then wished everyone a wonderful Christmas and New Tear. The next meeting to be held on January 12, 1988. MINUTES OF DECEMBER 15, 1987 MEETING CQJNCIL ACTION Tax Abatement Workshop Councilmeeber Knotts asked about the tax abatement workshop and the possibility that Mayor Pro tem Howard work with the City Attorney, Scott Bounds and Dale Brown the City Plainer, to prepare this workshop. Mayor Monday noted the staff can prepare for that work session and certainly Councilmenber Howard's input will be welcomed. Fire Report Councilmember Belt expressed his appreciation for the information on fires fought by the Huntsville Fire Department. He asked that it be broken down to show which fires are fought in the county and which are fought in the city by adding another cotton to the report. ADJOURNMENT The Mayor and Council then wished each other and all present a very Merry Christmas and Happy New year. The meeting then adjourned until January 12, 1988. Respectfully s h DeShaw, City r- a December 15, 1987 HISTORICAL NOTti: The minutes of December 15, 1987 will complete Volume 0 of the Huntsville City Council Minute Book and end the use of the large minute books. Effective January, 1988, the City will move to the use of an 8 1/2 X 11 inch minute book in order to utilize a new computer and laser printer in the preparation of the minutes, and to cooperate with the State of Texas' preference for 8 1/2 X 11 inch standard paper size on all governmental documents and records.