MIN CC 03/01/2005CITY COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 1, 2005 BOOK "T'
202
MINUTES OF THE HUNTSVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON THE 1ST DAY OF MARCH 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: Steed Smith
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
Absent: Gary Crawford
WORK SESSION [5:15 p.m. — 5:55 p.m.]
City Council and staff discussed City cell phones and options for continued use.
CALL TO ORDER [6:04 p.m.]
Mayor Pro Tem Steed Smith called the regular session to order.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE to US AND TEXAS FLAGS, INVOCATION
Ray Black, Director of Parks and Recreation led the invocation.
PUBLIC COMMENTS (Agenda Items Only)
None.
Councilmember Kayse recognized Sam Beck, Huntsville Youth Council.
PRESENTATIONS
a. John Fortner, HISD, presented a short slide show on the 2004 HEAP Program.
CONSENT AGENDA
a. Approve the minutes of February 15, 2005 ( Danna Welter).
b. Approve an agreement with HISD to administer the 2005 HEAP program in an amount not to exceed
$20,240, to be funded from Parks and Recreation budgeted funds (Ray Black).
motion. The motion passed unanimously.
STATUTORY AGENDA
a. Consider and take action to address the drainage problem located on Bush Drive, as presented by Charlie
and Paulin Folmar (residents on Bush Drive).
Ms. Folmar addressed Council on the drainage problem located on Bush Drive and stated the problem continues to
worsen.
City Council stated that this item would be discussed in Executive Session.
b. Consider and take action to approve the Heritage Foundation's project to identify and mark the various historical
districts in Walker County with signs to be attached to street signs to be funded from donated funds, as presented
by Pam Markham, Walker County Heritage Foundation.
Ms. Markham read the following statement:
The vision statement of the City of Huntsville says 'The City of Huntsville is a community that is beautiful, historic,
culturally diverse, affordable, safe and well planned with great opportunity for our citizens ".
The Walker County Heritage Foundation vision statement states that the foundation believes that by supporting
preservation and growth, the past can be celebrated and incorporated in to our future.
The Heritage Foundation has developed a plan to incorporate these two visions into a project that will enhance our
community and recognize the heritage and history of our area. It is the plan of the Heritage Foundation to identify and
mark the various historical districts in our county beginning with the area once owned by our most famous historical
citizen Sam Houston. Sam Houston once owned approximately 200 acres acquired in three separate but contiguous
tracts. It is our desire to mark this area with signs to be attached to street signs. The monies needed for this project will
be raised by the Walker County Heritage Foundation by selling certificates to homeowners in these tracts stating that
their property was once owned by Sam Houston. No signs will be produced until there is money to do so. The
Foundation will be responsible for the production, verification and distribution of the certificates. The Foundation would
then give the city the money to produce and install the signs.
At the conclusion of this first phase, the Foundation would then move on to another historic area and repeat the
process. At this time our second project will likely be Rogersville.
Teaching our citizens about the history of our City of Huntsville is a way to bring us together, give us pride in from
whom and from where we have come and help us focus on where we want to go and who we want to be.
We, the citizens of Walker County Heritage Foundation, ask for your approval of this project.
After discussion, it was the consensus of Council to approve this request conceptually and the Foundation would
bring back more details as the project progresses.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 1, 2005 BOOK T" 203
Councilmember Choate made a motion to approve the Heritage Foundations project to identify and mark various (r
historical areas in Walker County conceptually and according to code with the details to be brought back for approval at a
later date and Councilmember Willett seconded the motion All were in favor except Councilmember Tavenner. The
motion passed 6 -1..i
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C. Authorize the City Manager to execute a joint application with Walker County for the 2005 Justice Assistance
Grant (JAG) funding and the proposed memorandum of understanding with Walker County.
The federal government has restructured this police equipment grant. In this new structure, Walker County and the City
of Huntsville must applyjointly for funding and execute a memorandum of understanding to split the funding allocation. Walker
County will execute the grant application and reporting and issue half of the funds to the City. II;
It is planned to purchase five new In Car Video System (ICVS) units to replace aging patrol equipment handed down to
the School Resource Officer Unit vehicles.
Councilmember Kayse made a motion to authorize the City Manager to execute a joint application with Walker County
'.. for the 2005 Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) funding and the proposed memorandum of understanding with Walker County,
and Councilmember Evans seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
d. Approve acceptance of the FEMA Air Pack /Air Bottle Grant in the amount of 107,235, with a cash match
of 11,915, to be funded from Fire Department budgeted funds, as presented by Tom Grisham, Fire Chief.
Huntsville Fire Department currently has an air bottle replacement program line item 552 - 54052, $6,500, which is used
to replace air bottles as the are needed. Over the ears MSA has designed better safety features, and repositioned various
P Y Y
instruments. This requires different fire fighters to carry different packs and requires training on all packs. During
emergencies situations fire fighters safety is a concern, during a stressful situation they could possibly forget which model
they are utilizing. This FEMA Grant will allow replacement of the air packs and bottles and the Huntsville Fire Department will
have only one model of the MSA with all the same features on each unit.
It is planned to purchase thirty -one (31) Mine Safety Appliances, MSA thirty (30) minute air packs, two (2) MSA Rapid
Intervention Team, RIT, emergency air packs and eight (8) thirty (30) minute air bottles for a total cost of $119,150.00.
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107,235, with a cash match of 11,915, to be funded from Fire Department budgeted funds and Councilmember Woodward
seconded the motion The motion passed unanimously.
e. Authorize the City Manager to amend the engineering contract with McClure & Browne Engineering /Surveying,
Inc. for an additional amount of $23,200 for the design of additional water and wastewater services for the
Highway 75 South Industrial Park Project, to be paid for from budgeted funds, as presented by Steve Stacy,
City Engineer.
The City received a grant from the United States Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration
(EDA) in May of 2003. The grant was for an amount of $1 million with a City match amount of $250,000 for a grand total of
$1.25 million available for the project.
This amendment will allow for the design of extension of the water system to Evelyn Lane and down Park Road 40 for
approximately 1,700 linear feet. Also, a grinder pump station will be designed for the statue site. This will allow the existing
aerobic system to be abandoned and all sewer associated with the statue site to be pumped into the new sewer system. This
':. work will be incorporated into the current construction contract by change order.
f. Consider and take action to authorize the City Manager to implement the organizational changes,within the
Administration /Finance /Administrative Services Departments, as presented by Stephanie Brim, Assistant to the City
Manager.
A review of current selected employees' responsibilities by position and current budgeted positions, both filled and
unfilled, yielded several issues. The attached proposed solution would eliminate two'student worker' positions (budgeted,
unfilled), combine the duties of the part-time Administrative Clerk (budgeted, filled) and the Staffing Coordinator (budgeted,
filled), reclassify one Network Administrator (budgeted, unfilled due to promotion within division), and create a full -time Payroll
Specialist (Finance) and IT assistant (Information Technology /Administrative Services) through those salary savings.
Creation of the IT Assistant would help not only with administrative duties within that division but also help prepare for
Cultural Services staff move to the Wynne Home, as processing passports would be a primary duty of that position. In
addition, creating the Payroll Specialist position within Finance will satisfy the auditor's request that the payroll function be
moved back to Finance from Human Resources.
This information was presented to the Finance Committee on Wednesday, February 23, and to the Personnel
Committee on Friday, February 25, 2005.
Results to be achieved include: increase in departmental /divisional productivity in several areas, planning for additional
assistance in passport processing, and within budgeted funds for FY 2004 -05.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 1, 2005 BOOK "T" 204
g. Consider and take action to extend accepting insurance submissions to Employer Plan Services, Inc. for the plan year
FY 03 -04 through March 31, 2005, as presented by Winston Duke, Finance Director and Victor Pena, Administrative
Services Director.
Mr. Duke stated that Employer Plan Services, Inc., has requested the City to extend accepting insurance submissions
for service prior to September 30, 2004. The deadline was December3l, 2004, and the request is to extend it until March 31,
2005. There are $31,000 pending claims received priorto October 1, 2004, and another $8,749 received after the December
deadline. It is estimated that if this is approved, approximately $10,000 more in claims maybe allowed.
If this is not approved, it would require the employees to bear the burden of these monies.
unanimously.
MAYOR 1 COUNCILMEMBER / CITY MANAGER REPORT
a. Update on pending or contemplated litigation.
b. Update on land acquisition.
City Council recessed into executive session to discuss these issues. No action taken.
C. Consider and take action to approve the request from the Forrest Masonic Lodge to level the cornerstone at the
new Fire Station, as presented by Councilmember Woodward.
Councilmember Woodward made a motion to approve the request from the Forrest Masonic Lodge to level the
cornerstone at the new Fire Station. and Councilmember Willett seconded the motion The motion passed unanimously.
d. Consider and take action to approve a request for one time funding for the Walker County Historical Commission to
replace the fan housing and heat exchanger and utility costs in an amount of $4,600 to be funded from hotel -motel
funds for the Gibbs- Powell House, as presented by Councilmember Woodward.
Councilmember Woodward stated that he was not a member of the Walker County Historical Commission and had
no personal interest. The only interest he has is in preservation and tourism.
Willett seconded the amendment. All were in favor except Councilmembers Tavenner and Evans The motion passed 5-
2.
Councilmember Woodward asked that staff prepare a list of users of City facilities to include building and park
facilities.
e. Consider and take action to appoint Keith Williams to the Arts Commission Advisory Board.
Councilmember Ka se made a motion to appoint Keith Williams to the Arts Commission Advisory Board and
Councilmember Woodward seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Present and discuss personnel matter(s) regarding the election, appointment and/or duties of one or more officers
and /or employees in the Public Services Department and Municipal Court.
City Council discussed this item in executive session.
g. Consider and take action to appoint a swimming pool design review committee.
Mayor Pro Tem Smith stated that he recommended Glenn Isbell, Steve Stacy, Ray Black, Joseph Wiggs, Mike
Roempke, David Barker, Dalene Zander (Parks and Recreation Board), and Councilmembers Woodward and
Smith to the swimming pool design review committee.
Councilmember Choate made a motion to approve the recommended appointments to the swimming pool design
review committee, and Councilmember Kayse seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
None.
MEDIA
None.
EXECUTIVE SESSION [7:35 p.m. — 8:15 p.m.]
The City Council conducted a closed session as authorized by Texas Government Code, Chapter 551.
ADJOURNMENT [8:16 p.m.]
Danna Welter, City Secretary