MIN CC 02/01/2005CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 1, 2005 BOOK "T" 194
MINUTES OF THE HUNTSVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON THE 1STDAY OF FEBRUARY 2005, 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 members present:
COUNCILMEMBERS:
Gary Crawford
OFFICERS:
Jack Choate
Bob Tavenner
Kevin Evans, City Manager
Mickey Evans
Jim Willett
Danna Welter, City Secretary
Judy Kayse
Mac Woodward
Thomas Leeper, City Attorney
Steed Smith
WORK SESSION [5:04 p.m. — 6:00 p.m.]
Discuss the Eastham- Thomason Park 2004 Texas Parks and Wildlife grant (including proposed swimming pool).
CALL TO ORDER [6:15 p.m.]
Mayor Pro Tem Steed Smith called the regular session to order.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE to US AND TEXAS FLAGS, INVOCATION
Ray Black, Parks and Recreation Director led the invocation.
PUBLIC COMMENTS (Agenda Items Only)
Lydia Klespis. Ms. Klespis spoke in favor of the proposed eight lane swimming pool.
Judy Thornton. Ms. Thornton spoke in favor of the proposed eight lane swimming pool.
Daniel Cazort (and swimming team). Mr. Cazort, a member of the Huntsville High School swimming team, spoke in
favor of the proposed eight lane swimming pool.
CONSENT AGENDA
a. Approve the minutes of January 13 and 18, 2005 (Danna Welter).
b. Approve Ordinance 2005 -02 -01.1 ordering a municipal election to be held on the 7" day of May 2005, for the
purpose of election a Mayor At -Large and four Ward Councilmembers, one from each of the City's four wards
(Danna Welter /Thomas Leeper).
C. Authorize the Huntsville Garden Club to utilize the area around City Hall, the Jane Monday Amphitheater and Town
Creek Park for the Herb festival to be held on April 23, 2005, and allow the Club to charge a booth rental fee and to sell
food with the proceeds being used to support club project.
d. Approve Trust Property Bids as requested by Grover Cook, Walker County Appraisal District.
Councilmember Crawford asked that item d. be pulled from the consent agenda, and Councilmember Tavenner asked
that item c. be pulled from the consent agenda.
Councilmember Woodward made a motion to approve the consent agenda (items a. and b.) and Councilmember
Crawford seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
C. Authorize the Huntsville Garden Club to utilize the area around City Hall, the Jane Monday Amphitheater and Town I
Creek Park for the Herb festival to be held on April 23, 2005, and allow the Club to charge a booth rental fee and to sell
food with the proceeds being used to support club project.
Councilmember Tavenner asked about the request to use City Hall during the Herb Festival. City Manager Kevin Evans'
stated that it was not allowed the previous year. The facility is not designed to be used by the public during non - working hours
without a representative from the City present.
Councilmember Tavenner made a motion to authorize the Huntsville Garden Club to utilize the area around City Hall.
The motion passed unanimously.
d. Approve Trust Property Bids as requested by Grover Cook, Walker County Appraisal District.
Councilmember Crawford requested that this item be tabled until he could receive additional information in the steps that
are taken for these property bids.
Councilmember Crawford made a motion to table this item until more information is received. and Councilmember
Woodward seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
STATUTORY AGENDA
a. Consider and fake action to approve Ordinance 2005 -02 -01.2 amending Title 30 Code Of Ordinances to reflect an
increase in charges for wastewater taps and location of existing stub fees to be effective March 1, 2005, as presented '.
by Bill Daugette, Operations Manager.
Councilmember Crawford made a motion to approve Ordinance 2005 -02 -01.2 amending Title 30 Code Of Ordinances to
reflect an increase in charges for wastewater taps and location of existing stub fees to be effective March 1. 2005. and
Councilmember Evans seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
I
CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 1, 2005 BOOK '7" 195
b. Consider and take action to authorize staff to establish a scope of protect and funding source for the capital
construction and annual operations for the proposed swimming pool, as presented by Dalene Zander, Chairperson,
Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.
Dalene Zander, Chairman, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board read the following letter:
Dear Mayor and City Council:
On behalf of the Huntsville Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, I am pleased to submit in writing our support for
',. the Eastham- Thomason Park Aquatic Center proposal. There have been many public meetings and continued support
from local citizens, Huntsville Lakers Swim Team, Walker County, and Huntsville Independent School District. The City
was fortunate to receive the Texas Parks and Wildlife matching grant, and now it is our responsibility to enhance our
ij community by creating an aquatic center that will offer the citizens a lifetime activity.
The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board had the task of making recommendations to the City Council on items
concerning the aquatic center. The preliminary figures showed us that we are in need of additional funds or to cut back
on scope of project. On Friday, January 21, 2005, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board unanimously endorsed the
Eastham- Thomason Park Aquatic Center proposal which will be presented at the next City Council meeting. The Board
action was taken with members present that included myself, Keith Jenkins, Michelle Lyons Burnett, Dorothy Shandera,
and Maxie Farris.
The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board would like to recommend the following proposal to the City Council for
their consideration and recommendation to fund this project.
• The aquatic center will include a swimming pool for competition, exercise and instruction, a recreation pool with
a slide and water features, and a bathhouse
• The competition pool will have 8 lanes, include a gutter system, heated, and 25 yards in length
• The depth of the competition pool will be 7 feet on the deep end with 4 Y2 feet depth on the shallow end
• An account will be established to accept annual budgeted funds to enclose the competition pool in the future,
' and allow the public to make donations into this account
Identify additional source of funds in the amount of $433,000 to complete the aquatic center project
Additional funds of $133,858 will need to be budgeted each year to accommodate the new operations and
maintenance budget for the aquatic center
The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board would appreciate the City Council taking a serious look at the proposal
and appropriate the necessary funds for this project.
After considerable discussion, the consensus of the Council was to authorize the Director of Public Services to bring to
the next meeting and architectural and engineering contract to be discussed at that time.
Councilmember Evans commented that although the eight lane, seven foot depth would be beneficial, he cautioned that
the cost may dictate the results.
Councilmembers thanked the High School swim team for being present and supporting the pool project.
C. Consider and take action to approve request for participation in the development of a water line in Timberwilde in an
amount of $42,122.50, as presented by Ben Bius, Caliber Investment Corporation.
Mr. Bius stated that he was developing Timberwilde Section IV. A significant number of lots front on Tanglewood
Drive where there is an existing water line. The line is not sufficient to provide fire protection by the installation of fire
hydrants. City code requires fire protection and he feels that upgrading the line would benefit the residents in
Timberwilde.
He felt that it was equitable that the City participate in the cost of this upgrade to the system. In the area of Section
IV, he is bearing 100% of the cost of providing a system with fire protection and is not seeking assistance with that
cost. Participation is only requested for the part of the system that currently exists. He stated that with the
development of Section IV, it would provide additional revenue for the City. He felt that since the City owns the water
system, it should participate in its upgrade. He requested that the City participate in an amount of $42,122.50.
After much deliberation, the consensus of City Council was to table this item to receive additional information and
' bring back at a subsequent meeting.
Councilmember Evans made a motion to table the request for participate in the development of a water line in
Timberwilde in an amount of $42,122.50, and Councilmember Choate seconded the motion. All were in favor except
Councilmember Woodward. The motion passed 7 -1.
MAYOR / COUNCILMEMBER / CITY MANAGER REPORT
ai a. Update on pending or contemplated litigation.
!i b. Update on land acquisition.
City Council recessed into executive session to discuss these issues. No action taken.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 1, 2005
None.
BOOK "T"
PUBLIC COMMENTS
196
MEDIA
Tom Waddill, with the Huntsville Item, asked about the architectural and engineering contract for the pool and if it
would differentiate costs for the six and eight lanes. Staff responded, yes, it would show all the options and Council could
decide at that time.
EXECUTIVE SESSION [7:33 p.m. — 8:10 p.m.]
The City Council conducted a closed session as authorized by Texas Government Code, Chapter 551.
ADJOURNMENT [8:11 p.m.]
PERSONNEL COMMITTEE MEETING [8:12 p.m. — 8:47 p.m.]
The Personnel Committee met and discussed:
a. Employee leave balances;
b. Personnel policies and other policies;
C. Charter officers' job description updates
Danna Welter, City Secretary