Minutes - 03/18/2014 MINUTES FROM THE HUNTSVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON THE 18TH DAY OF MARCH 2014, IN THE CITY
HALL,LOCATED AT 1212 AVENUE M IN THE CITY OF HUNTSVILLE,COUNTY OF WALKER,TEXAS,AT 5:30 PM.
The Council met In a regular session with the following:
COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Mac Woodward, Andy Brauninger, Lydia Montgomery, Don H. Johnson, Keith D. Olson, Joe Emmett, Tish
Humphrey,Ronald Allen,Joe P.Rodriquez
COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT:None
OFFICERS PRESENT:Matt Benoit.City Manager,Leonard Schneider,City Attorney,Lee Woodward.City Secretary
WORKSHOP SESSION [5:30 PM] - Discussion of Code Enforcement and neighborhood improvement policies and
procedures.
The City Manager presented an update of the proposed neighborhood clean-up process. Councilmember Emmett asked that an
end to the voluntary compliance period be eliminated, and Councilmember Allen suggested bilingual materials and employees be
utilized in the area under consideration.
MAIN SESSION[6:0013M]
1. CALL TO ORDER—Mayor Woodward called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m.
2. INVOCATION AND PLEDGES—Councilmember Brauninger gave an invocation and Aiden and Ryan Gross from the YMCA
led the pledges.
3. PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS
- Amanda Nowlin-O'Banion on National Book Awards events
- Presentation of City Secretary intern Demi Glover
- Sheila Cannon,Director of United Way Walker County,on UW grants for 2014
- Presentation of audit report for FY12-13 from Patillo,Brown,and Hill,LLP.
4. PUBLIC COMMENT
Jerry DeWitt urged the City Council Rules of Procedure Ad Hoc Committee maintain the procedures for Public Comment and
suggested the City seek remuneration from franchises to help pay for easements. Michael Lindgren asked for clarification on
differences in easement compensation.
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 March 4,2014.[Lee Woodward,City Secretary]
b. Award bid for the East Mosley Lane Reconstruction (project No. 10-10-24) and adopt Ordinance 2014-24 for
associated budget amendment, second reading. [Aron Kulhavy, Director of Community and Economic
Development]
c. Authorize the Mayor to sign the Second Amendment to the City Manager's contract.[Mayor Woodward]
d. Authorize the City Manager to purchase one Pierce Impel 75'Custom Cab Ladder Truck,for the Fire Department,
second reading.[Fire Chief Tom Grisham and Fleet Manager Mike Clouds]
e. Approve purchase of generator to be placed at the Elkins Lake Dam Lift Station and adopt Ordinance 2014-26 for
associated budget amendment.[Carol Reed,Director of Public Works]
f. Approve the inclusion of Dually Certified Area in the Proposed Riverside Special Utility District Boundary. [Carol
Reed,Director of Public Works]
g. Authorize the City Manager to purchase five 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe police patrol vehicles through the Texas Local
Government Purchasing Cooperative - Buy Board, from Caldwell Country for $137,135.00, and needed
accessories from various vendors through the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC)and/or Buy Board, not
to exceed$91,485.75.[Mike Clouds,Fleet Manager,and Chief Kevin Lunsford,Director of Public Safety]
h. Approve the renewal of a blanket purchase order for new and retread tires.[Carol Reed,Director of Public Works]
Councilmember Humphrey asked to pull items a andg. Councilmember Johnson moved to approve the consent agenda
and was seconded by Councilmember Montgomery. The motion to approve items a, b,c,d,f,and h passed unanimously.
Councilmember Humphrey moved to approve the purchase of a generator to be placed at the Elkins Lake Dam Lift
Station and adopt Ordinance 2014-26 for associated budget amendment and was seconded by Councilmember Olson. In
response to Council questions about selecting local bidders over the low bid, the City Attorney referenced Local
Government Code (LGC) Chapters 271.905 and 271.9051 on purchasing public works services, noting the local
preference option cannot be used for purchases over $100,000 but that there is disagreement as to whether this is
preempted by LGC Chapter 2269 which requires"best-value"bidding for public works. He noted the decision matrix for to
use in 3%or 5%variance in relation to purchase amount and whether something is affixed to real property, and also that
written findings would have to be made for the local bidder by the Council. The Mayor also noted there was the
consideration of purchasing through a cooperative.
Mayor Woodward moved to amend the motion to replace Generators of Houston with McCaffety Electric for the purchase
and was seconded by Councilmember Brauninger. The Mayor amended his amended motion so that it be contingent on
presentation of the required findings and was seconded by Councilmember Montgomery. The amendment to the
v
amended motion passed unanimously. The amended motion passed unanimously. The amended main motion passed
unanimously.
Councilmember Olson moved to authorize the City Manager to purchase five 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe police patrol vehicles
through the Texas Local Government Purchasing Cooperative - Buy Board, from Caldwell Country for$137,135.00, and
needed accessories from various vendors through the Houston-Galveston Area Council(H-GAC)and/or Buy Board, not to
exceed$91,485.75, and was seconded by Councilmember Johnson. The motion passed unanimously.
6. STATUTORY AGENDA
a. Presentation, discussion,and possible action to accept the Fiscal Year 2012-2013 audit as presented by Pattillo,
Brown,&Hill,LLP.[Steve Ritter,Finance Director]
During the Presentation portion of the meeting, Chris Pruitt, CPA noted awards the City had received for its financial
reporting, and that the City had received a single audit which was unmodified,with no material weaknesses or findings.
Councilmember Olson moved to accept the Fiscal Year 2013 audit as presented and was seconded by Councilmember
Montgomery. The motion passed unanimously.
b. Presentation, discussion, and possible action to consider the award of bid for Renovation of Elkins Lake Post
Office Lift Station Project(#13-10-23).[Y.S.Ramachandra,City Engineer]
Councilmember Montgomery moved to award of bid for Renovation of Elkins Lake Post Office Lift Station Project(#13-10-
23)to 5-T Utilities Company. Inc.and was seconded by Councilmember Rodriquez. The motion passed unanimously.
c. Presentation, discussion, and possible action to consider a Utility Extension Request from Mohammed F. Karim
for a sanitary sewer line extension to the property located at 663 IH 46 South and adopt Ordinance 2014-28 for
associated budget amendment.[Aron Kulhavy,Director of Community and Economic Development]
Councilmember Humphrey moved to authorize a Utility Extension Request from Mohammed F. Karim for a sanitary sewer
line extension to the property located at 563 IH 45 South and adopt Ordinance 2014-28 for associated budget amendment
and was seconded by Councilmember Johnson. The motion passed unanimously.
7. MAYOR/CITY COUNCIL/CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY REPORT
a. Presentation, discussion, and possible action to consider and select topics for application for the 2014 Texas
Municipal League Municipal Excellence Awards.[Mayor Woodward]
Councilmember Johnson moved to direct the City Manager and City Secretary to develop full submissions for the 2014
Texas Municipal League Municipal Excellence Awards. and was seconded by Councilmember Humphrey.
Councilmember Johnson moved to recommend Using Audience Response Systems for Employee Benefit Changes and
was seconded by Councilmember Olson. The motion passed unanimously. Councilmember Humphrey moved to
recommend Ten Pins, Six Charities — City employee multi-charity bowling tournament and was seconded by
Councilmember Montgomery. The motion passed, 7-2. Councilmember Johnson moved to amend the amended main
motion to also include This Week in Huntsville—Utilizing email subscriptions to deliver current City updates and Ensuring
Water for Huntsville's Future and was seconded by Councilmember Humphrey. The motion passed unanimously.
b. Presentation, discussion, and possible action on nominations for the annual Rules of Procedure review ad hoc
committee.[Mayor Woodward]
Mayor Woodward nominated Councilmembers Olson, Humphrey,and Rodriquez.The motion passed unanimously.
c. City Manager's Report
1. Updates on City construction,grants,studies,City projects,City purchases,and economic development.
City Engineer Y.S."Ram"Ramachandra updated the Council on the waterline extension on Highway 190. Trey
Greer,AIA,of Fitzpatrick Architects explained using a"construction manager at-risk"approach for the Tornado Safe
Room/Boys&Girls Club.
8. PUBLIC COMMENT
There were no comments.
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.)
Mayor Woodward provided information on the following items:
HPD is accepting applications through March 28 for Citizens Police Academy—call 291-5480 for more information.
The Texas State Association of Parliamentarians(TSAP)will be holding a parliamentary procedures workshop at the
library on April 5. This is a great opportunity for those new to parliamentary procedure or needing a brush up to help
their meetings run more efficiently. Register online at texasparliamentarians.org.
Start planning for the Ph Annual E-waste Day,from 9-noon on April 5 at the Recycling Center.
The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) is offering housing recovery services for low- to moderate-income
households, to both renters and owners. FEMA is opening a statewide Hazard Mitigation Grant Program through
May 30. Contact Dr. Sherry McKibben in the City's Neighborhood Services office at 936-291-5428 for more
information.
The Huntsville Board of REALTORS®will be holding a BBQ lunch fundraiser for Chuck& Lord Lehman on Monday,
March 24. They will take orders through Friday, March 21; contact Bill Tutor at 662-3311 or Sherri Barrett at 291-
8800.
Please mark your calendars for March 30`"&315`as 2013 National Book Award finalists visit Huntsville! There will be
a meet & greet from 4:30-6 on Sunday, March 30 at The Wynne Home Art Center, and readings and interviews
onstage at SHSU's Gaertner Performing Arts Center from 7-9 pm on Monday, March 315`
Rock'n the Arts!is coming to the Wynne Home March 24-29 with artist Jesus Moroles.
Councilmember Olson congratulated the Huntsville Police Department and Chief Kevin Lunsford for their being named a
Recognized Law Enforcement Agency by the Texas Police Chiefs Association. Councilmember Humphrey noted SHSU
did very well in the Southland Conference Tournament recently. She also highlighted the information in This Week in
Huntsville and its special issue on the TxDoT project at 1-45 and Highway 75.
11. EXECUTIVE SESSION
a. City Council will convene in closed session as authorized by Texas Government Code, Section 551.071— to
receive legal advice and Section 551.072 — deliberation regarding purchase, exchange, lease or value of real
property on claims for easement by Jerry DeWitt and on easement process.[Mayor Mac Woodward]
b. City Council will convene in closed session as authorized by Texas Government Code, Section 551. 071 —
consultation with counsel on legal matters regarding drainage issues.[Matt Benoit,City Manager]
c. City Council will convene in closed session as authorized by Texas Government Code, Chapter 551, Section
551.074 - personnel matters regarding the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties,
discipline, or dismissal of a public officer or employee, of City Attorney Leonard Schneider. [Councilmember
Allen]
d. City Council will convene in closed session as authorized by Texas Government Code, Chapter 551, Section
551.074 - personnel matters regarding the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties,
discipline,or dismissal of a public officer or employee,for City Secretary Lee Woodward. [Mayor Woodward]
The Mayor adioumed the City Council into Executive Session at 8:14 p.m.
12. RECONVENE
a. Take action,if necessary,on items addressed during Executive Session.
The City Council reconvened at 10:27 p.m. No further action was taken.
13. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Woodward adjourned the meeting at 10:28 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Lee Woodward,City Secretary
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