Minutes - 02/04/2014
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MINUTES FROM THE HUNTSVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON THE 4 DAY OF FEBRUARY 2014, IN THE CITY
HALL, LOCATED AT 1212 AVENUE M IN THE CITY OF HUNTSVILLE, COUNTY OF WALKER, TEXAS, AT 6:00 PM.
The Council met in a regular session with the following:
COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Mac Woodward, Andy Brauninger, Lydia Montgomery, Keith D. Olson, Joe Emmett, Tish Humphrey, Ronald Allen,
Joe P. Rodriquez
COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT: Don H. Johnson
OFFICERS PRESENT: Matt Benoit, City Manager, Leonard Schneider, City Attorney, Lee Woodward, City Secretary_____________________________
MAIN SESSION \[6:00PM\]
1. CALL TO ORDER – Mayor Woodward called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
2. INVOCATION AND PLEDGES – Councilmember Brauninger gave an invocation and Nathan and Mathew Schweitzer, their
mother Cathy, and their cousin Sarah, from the YMCA, led the pledges.
3. PRESENTATION
Employee appreciation from SAAFE House
4. PUBLIC COMMENT
Laura Hamilton and Tobias Thompson urged the City Council to consider sidewalks on Montgomery Road.
5. CONSENT AGENDA
(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 Regular Session held on January 21, 2014. \[Lee Woodward, City
Secretary\]
Councilmember Montgomery moved to approve the consent agenda and was seconded by Councilmember Rodriquez.
The motion passed unanimously.
6. STATUTORY AGENDA
a. Presentation, discussion, and possible action to authorize the City Manager to approve Task Order No. 3, per the
General Services Agreement (GSA) dated March 7, 2013, with McClure and Browne Engineering & Surveying,
Inc., for the purpose of engineering design services for the Smith Hill Road 12” Waterline Replacement and
Extension Project #10-10-26. \[Aron Kulhavy, Director of Community and Economic Development\]
Councilmember Olson moved to authorize the City Manager to approve Task Order No. 3, per the General Services
Agreement (GSA) dated March 7, 2013, with McClure and Browne Engineering & Surveying, Inc., for the purpose of
engineering design services for the Smith Hill Road 12” Waterline Replacement and Extension Project #10-10-26, and
the motion was seconded by Councilmember Allen. The motion passed unanimously.
b. FIRST READING Presentation, discussion, and possible action to adopt Ordinance 2014-19, updating the
Municipal Code Chapter 38, Solid Waste, Article II. Residential Service, first reading. \[Carol Reed, Director of
Public Works\]
Councilmember Humphrey moved to suspend the rules requiring two readings for approval and was seconded by
Councilmember Montgomery. The motion passed unanimously. Councilmember Humphrey moved to adopt Ordinance
2014-19, updating the Municipal Code Chapter 38, Solid Waste, Article II. Residential Service, and the motion was
seconded by Councilmember Montgomery. The motion passed unanimously.
7. MAYOR/CITY COUNCIL/CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY REPORT
a. Presentation, discussion, and possible action to nominate Vice-Chair D’Anne Crews to become Chair of the
Cemetery Advisory Board (Mayor’s nomination per Ordinance 2002-18, Section 1(a)). \[Mayor Woodward\]
Mayor Woodward nominated D’Anne Crews to become the Chair of the Cemetery Advisory Board. The motion passed
unanimously.
b. Presentation, discussion, and possible action to consider a proposed easement acquisition policy.
\[Councilmember Allen\]
Councilmember Allen presented the draft and thanked Councilmember Andy Brauninger, former Councilmember James
Fitch, and Debra Durda for their work. Councilmember Allen moved to adopt the easement acquisition policy as
presented and was seconded by Councilmember Brauninger. Councilmember Olson moved to amend the policy to add
the words “and regular mail” to “The letter shall be sent by certified mail” and was seconded by Councilmember
Humphrey. The motion passed unanimously. The original motion, as amended, passed unanimously.
c. FIRST READING Presentation, discussion, and possible action to adopt Ordinance 2014-20, denying the Entergy
rate increase request. \[Leonard Schneider, City Attorney\]
Councilmember Olson moved to suspend the rules requiring two readings for approval and was seconded by
Councilmember Humphrey. The motion passed unanimously. Councilmember Olson moved to adopt Ordinance 2014-
20, denying Entergy’s rate increase request and was seconded by Councilmember Rodriquez. The motion passed
unanimously.
d. City Manager’s Report
1. Updates on City construction, grants, studies, City projects, City purchases, and economic development.
Chief Kevin Lunsford, Director of Public Safety, updated the City Council on the final repairs to Fire Station #2, noting
volunteer and TDCJ inmate work had enabled them to complete everything significantly under budget.
8. PUBLIC COMMENT
Jerry DeWitt spoke again on his claim for payment for his easement.
9. MEDIA INQUIRIES RELATED TO MATTERS ON THE AGENDA
There were no media inquiries.
10. 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.)
The Mayor announced there are lots of activities around town the first weekend in March, including events for Sam Houston’s
Birthday and Texas Independence Day, available on www.huntsvilletexas.com, the Tourism Department’s website. He also
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reminded all of the City of Huntsville’s 19 annual Trash Bash will be held March 1, 8-noon, at the Transfer Station and
SHSU’s All Paws In, to kick off with breakfast on campus the morning of March 1, a welcome at 9:30, and students working on
projects all over town from 10-2. Mayor Woodward spoke on the Shotgun Fred Pirkle BBQ Showdown at the Fairgrounds from
noon-4 p.m. in honor of Fred Pirkle, who was a die-hard SHSU alum and significant donor just before his passing. The Mayor
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also suggested all start planning for the 7 Annual E-waste Day, from 9-noon on April 5 at the Recycling Center.
Councilmember Humphrey complimented SHSU on their Learning to Lead program and its speakers. She also noted
excitement for having All Paws In the same day as Trash Bash.
11. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Woodward adjourned the meeting at 7:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Lee Woodward, City Secretary