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MIN CC 08/31/1993CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF AUGUST 31, 1993 BOOK 'R" 226 MINUTES OF THE HUNTSVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON THE 31ST DAY OF AUGUST, 1993, IN THE CITY HALL, LOCATED AT 1212 AVENUE M IN THE CITY OF HUNTSVILLE, COUNTY OF WALKER, TEXAS AT 5:15 P.M The Council met in a regular session with the following members present: W. H. Hodges, Mayor Officers: Dan S. Davis Harold L. Norton Gene Pipes, City Manager William B. Green JoAnn Matthews Scott Bounds, City Attorney Ronald L. Lange Ila G. Gaines Danna Welter, City Secretary Jim Carter Dave Luning CITIZEN INPUTANQUIRY Dwight Ashburger. Mr. Ashburger stated that he lived on the corner of S. H. 75 and Pleasant Street. He stated that the guard rail is one concession for safety he received when the Highway Department widened Highway 75. It was a part of the granted easement given to the City by him and does not want the City to remove the guard rail. He stated that the speed limit signs are not highly visible, not complied with, and not enforced enough. Mayor Hodges thanked Mr. Ashburger and stated that City Council was aware of the problems at the intersection - incmased traffic, speed and accidents. He asked the City Manager to have staff evaluate the situation and have the Police Department increase patrol the area. Councilmember Luring stated that he had looked at the intersection and the guard rail did seem needed, but coming from Pleasant to Highway 75 North there is a blind spot caused by the rail that needs attention. Councilmember Green stated that the guard rail might be sloped towards the intersection. Councilmember Davis asked Mr. Ashburger about suggestions to correct the problem. Mr. Ashburger stated that he felt the problem was the speed of the traffic. Mr. Ashburger was concerned that there was no school crossing sign posted since the widening of Highway 75. Mr. Pipes stated that the schools provide bus transportation to all students who across an arterial street, such as Highway 75, on the way to school. Ritchen Matthews. Mr. Matthews stated that he has a petition signed by 500 citizens requesting a curfew ordinance for our youth. He stated that this is a problem involving children of all ages and should be addressed. Mayor Hodges stated that he would have staff check into this issue. Steve Ritter. Mr. Ritter expressed his support for a curfew being adopted. He feels it is a step in the right direction. He feels that City Council will receive the support of the community on the issue. Mayor Hodges stated that he would ask this item be addressed at the next agenda. REGULAR SESSION - CALL TO ORDER Mayor Hodges called the meeting to order. INVOCATION Invocation by J. D. Schindler, Director of General Services. CONSIDER MINUTES OF AUGUST 24, 1993 seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. OPEN PUBLIC HEARING (RECEIVE COMMENTS CONCERNING THE PROPOSED FY 1993 -94 BUDGET, BUDGET TAX, UTILITY AND SANITATION RATES) Betty Herlong. Ms. Herlong stated that she is a commissioner on the Arts Commission and requested that the Huntsville 2020 Cultural Plan be returned to the Arts Commission to spearhead the plan for the next year. Ms. Herlong asked that the funds for the cultural facilitator be carried forward and used. Also, the Arts Commission requested an additional one cent be added to the City's ad valorem tax rate for the arts. CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF AUGUST 31, 1993 BOOK "R" li Mr. Pipes stated that the Huntsville 2020 Plan is at this time under review by the Planning Commission as part of the I -! Comprehensive Plan. He feels that the staff should shepherd the 2020 plan until the review is complete. Ann Holder. Ms. Holder stated that as President of the Library Board she requests funds for retrospective conversion of catalog and records to machine readable format. The library received a grant from the Houston Area Library for $4,950, contingent on matching funds from the City. The Library Board also requests that City Council provide additional funding this year for library 227 resources and materials. Mayor Hodges stated that the public hearing would be continued on September 21, 1993. CONSIDER BIDS AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF STAFF TO CONSTRUCT A SOLID WASTE TRANSFER STATION Staff and S.C.S. Engineers feel it is not in the best interest of the City to enter into a contract for the construction for a transfer station with the bids received. Councilmember Norton made a motion to reject the bids received on the construction of a solid waste transfer station, and Councilmember Lumina seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. Staff recommends that the City close the contract with S.C.S. Engineers on the construction of the solid waste transfer station and proceed independently on the project. Councilmember Lange made the motion to close the contract with S.C.S. Engineers regarding the solid waste transfer station, and Councilmember Norton seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. STATUS UPDATE ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF A TEMPORARY SOLID WASTE TRANSFER FACILITY Mr. Wilder stated that staff plans to construct a concrete pad in the location of the proposed employee parking area; construct the water and sewer lines to the site; purchase and install sand/oil separator; purchase a "grapple" attachment for the City's trackhoe; construct temporary push walls around one end of the concrete slab; construct permanent and temporary access roads; and purchase front end loader to be used in temporary and permanent transfer facility. With the exception of the grapple attachment, temporary push walls and a small amount of temporary road work, all these items will be used (and were planned) in the permanent transfer facility. The estimated cost for the proposed temporary transfer station and associated equipment is $126,400. of these expenses only $19,500 would not be used in the permanent facility. Staff is proposing to fund the $19,500 from the capital set -aside in the sanitation fund. The remainder would be funded from the funds already set aside for the permanent structure. For the facility to be constructed by October 9; all dirt work, concrete form construction, steel placement and road construction will be performed by the Street Department personnel; all utility construction will be performed by the CIP construction crew; and engineering design and field construction staking will be performed by the Engineering staff in the community development division. There will be no effort to obtain a permit through the TWC for the temporary or permanent transfer station as per interpretation of Senate Bill 1051. The utility division trackhoe will be used in the temporary transfer operation. Councilmember Green made the motion to authorize staff to proceed with the construction of a temporary solid waste transfer station, and Councilmember Luning seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. CONSIDER RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE TRUSTEES TO AMEND THE EMPLOYEE'S HEALTH PLAN Mr. Schindler stated that the Trustees of the City Health Insurance recommend the following amendments to the Employee's Health Plan: Pay 100% for generic drugs after deductible; delete hospital deductible; cover children who are in the process of being adopted (when they are placed in the home and custody of their prospective parents); delete documentation requirements that dependents be certified as eligible with marriage license or birth certificate, but require that they provide social security numbers for each dependent enrolled; and that employees hired before 10.01 -92 be subject to one year pre - existing limitations and employees on or after 10 -01 -92 are subject to two years of pre- existing limitation. The fond is in good financial shape. Councilmember Gaines made the motion to approve the recommendations to the Employee's Health Plan from the Trustees of the Plan, and Councilmember Matthews seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF AUGUST 31, 1993 BOOK'R" 228 RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION (6:17 P.M.) RECONVENE INTO REGULAR SESSION (6:35 P.M.) CONSIDER ORDINANCE 93- 5-31.1 AUTHORIZING THE CITY ATTORNEY TO MAKE AN OFFER FOR THE ACQUISITION OF CERTAIN INTERESTS IN PROPERTIES AT 509 UNIVERSITY AVENUE THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR PUBLIC PURPOSE AND TO INSTITUTE CONDEMNATION PROCEEDINGS IF THE OFFER OF $750 IS REFUSED All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. CITY COUNCILMEMBER ACTION MEDIA INQUIRIES ADJOURNMENT Council recessed into a Work Session to continue review on the FY 1993 -94 proposed budget. Danna Welter, City Secretary ' 1