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MIN CC 11/05/1991''.. MINUTES OF THE HUNTSVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON THE 5TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 1991 IN THE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS, LOCATED AT 1212 AVENUE M IN THE CITY OF HUNTSVILLE, COUNTY OF WALKER, TEXAS AT 5:15 P.N. The Council met in a regular session with the following members present: W. H. Hodges, Mayor William B. Green City officers present: Gary BeLL William H. Knotts, Jr. Scott Bounds, City Attorney . Ila G. Gaines Ronald L. Lange James L. Carter Charles Robinson Member Absent: Councilmember 0. Eugene Barrett FORMAL MEETING CONVENED Mayor Hodges called the meeting to order at 5:15 P.M. CONSIDER THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS - OCTOBER. 15 AND OCTOBER 22 Councilmenber Gaines made the motion to approve the minutes of October 15 with one correction on page 514 to read,'-. . . Counci Imenber Knotts voted against the motion . .--,and Counci [member Knotts seconded the motion. ALL were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. [Note: Counci Lmember Barrett is absent.] Counci Lmember Gaines made the motion to approve the minutes of October 22, and Councilmember Knotts seconded the motion. ALL were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. CITIZEN INPUT /INQUIRY SESSION Mr. Charles Smither--Minutes of October 22, 1991 Mr. Smither noted that Concilmeaber Carter and Mr. Pipes discussed a Lot in Pine Shadows which stated that the lot was purchased from Mr. Smither. Mr. Smither stated that this was technically not correct, the lot ' was purchased from Area Management Services, Inc. Mr. Smither is President of Area Management Services, Inc. Mr. Charles Smither--Property owned by Oaklawn Cemetery Mr. Smither advised Council he had received a Letter from City Attorney, Scott Bounds, regarding the trading of an easement for City owned property in the future and had forwarded the letter to the Cemetery Board. Mr. Smither also advised that he felt the Cemetery Board would want additional clarification. Grievance Appeal of Mr. Kennith Johnson Mayor Hodges asked Mr. Bounds to review with Council the City procedure for grievance hearings. Mr. Bounds distributed copies of the portions of the Code of Ordinances applicable to the grievance procedures and a summary of that procedure. Mr. Bounds stated that Mr. Johnson had called earlier in the week to postpone the ii hearing due to the fact that his attorney could not be present and Mr. Bounds had informed him that it would be a decision of Council. Since Mr. Pipes, City Manager, could not be here tonight to present the City's case, l' Mr. Bounds had talked to Mr. Johnson (present at the meeting) and they had agreed to exchange documents between his attorney and the City Manager to help expedite the hearing before Council. Mr. Bounds suggested that the hearing be opened, than recessed to a time convenient to Council and the parties, and start the hearings process at that time. He also suggested that Council issue a subpoena to Mr. Johnson asking that when he come back to the hearing that he bring him his cellular phone records for the date in question (August 3, 1991) and that he be ordered to present those phone documents. _ At this time, Mayor Hodges called the grievance hearing of Mr. Kennith Johnson open. Councilmember Lance made the motion to issue a subpoena for the mobile phone records for August 3. 1991. and CounciLmember Gaines seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. Mayor Hodges than asked Mr. Johnson if it was acceptable to him to postpone the hearing on his behalf - due to the fact that his attorney could not be present and on the City's behalf because the City Manager could not be here because of illness in his family. Mr. Johnson responded that it was acceptable. CounciLmember Green made the motion to recess the hearing to a time that would be mutually acceptable to both the Council and Mr. Johnson. and Counci Lmember Gaines seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion Passed unanimously. Mayor Hodges then asked Mr. Johnson to get in touch with City Attorney Scott Bounds and work out a mutually agreeable date to reopen the hearing. CONSIDER BIDS FOR LIGHTING AT KATE BARR ROSS PARK Consider bids (one) for lighting at Kate Barr Ross Park. Staff recommends rejection of the bid received and authorization to re -bid on a modified set of specifications. CounciLmxmber Green made the motion to accept Staff's recommendation to re-ect the bid received and re -bid Councilmember Gaines seconded the motion. ALL were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. CONSIDER BID NO. 92-5 Consider bids on five heavy 112 ton pickups to Huntsville Chrys Ler- Plymouth-Dodge in the amount of 856,900 as budgeted. Counci Lmember Bell made the motion to accept the bid of $56,900, and Counci Lmember Gaines seconded the motion. j The question of standard vs. automatic was discussed. Mr. Schindler advised Council that staff took bids on standard and automatic pickups. The price for standard was approximately 8750 Less per vehicle, but because of repair costs and also the conditions in Huntsville (hills and terrain) that the automatic pickups be j'. purchased. A vote was taken and all were in favor and the motion passed unanimousLy. CONSIDER RESOLUTION NO. 91- 11 -5.1 'I Consider resolution authorizing balloting for the Walker County Appraisal District Board of Directors for 1992- '':.' 94 term. Counci Lmember Gaines made the motion to approve Resolution No. 91- 11 -5.1. and Councilmember Knotts seconded the motion. AIL were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. City Manager's Report- -Gene Pipes Report on Walker County JaiL Financing Mayor Hodges advised Council he had asked Mr. Pipes to give a report on the Walker County Jail financing, but since Mr. Pipes was absent due to illness in the family, the report would be presented at a later date. CounciLmember Green requested information regarding the number of inmates at the Walker County jail i; should be at T.D.C.J. be jncLuded in the report. COUNCILMEMBER ACTION Traffic Lights Councilmember Lange asked staff if we had turned over maintenance of traffic lights to the State ". ICI Department of Highways and PubLic Transportation and staff acknowledged this. It was noted that over the weekend, a traffic light was out for an extended period of time. Mayor Hodges asked staff for the procedure I' on maintenance of lights and Mr. Poteete, Director of Public Works informed Council that when calls come in to the Police Department, they in turn call the T.H.D.P.T. The Highway Department has an employee locally to maintain small problems, but the Bryan office is called for any major repairs. Cavender's Boot City Landscaping Councilmember Lange has received numerous complaints about the landscaping at Cavender's Boot City and asked staff for a report on the greenspace requirements at the next Council meeting. Councilmember Carter suggested expanding discussion on this to a worksession on the landscape ordinance. Traffic Light Synchronization Grant Councilmember Knotts reported he understood 85 million was approved by the State for traffic light synchronization. Mayor Hodges asked staff the procedure to qualify for a grant. Mr. Poteete Councilmember Knotts asked that we look at a light or some traffic control on 22nd Street and Sam ' -.- Houston Avenue at Fire Station #2. He noted that there is a short sight distance for traffic going south. - - - trxr ' Summary of Planning Commission Meeting l JE Councalmember Gaines reported that on Monday, the Mayor, Tom Rand e, Judy Hunter and herself met with the Planning Commission. She noted that this group had come up with an idea to combine the Library with the 'I new Cultural Civic Center to be built on the 17 acres on 7th Street. She stated that they also had plans to discuss with the Planning Commission taking on the project of doing some ground working on this particular project in coming up with some feasibility studies and some ideas that might be put into action as far as getting something off the ground. Councilmember Gaines said she felt the meeting on Monday went very well and thought from the consensus that the Commission had an interest in working on this project. She also stated that there would be another meeting for further discussion on November 19th at 12:00 if anyone would like to attend. j Councilmember Gaines had also attended a Tourism Committee workshop. At that time it was mentioned that a survey was needed for the City of Huntsville as to the available space that was here, who it belonged to, what the criteria would be for renting that space. The Committee felt this would be a valuable tool for us also in looking at concept of a building that we would be thinking about for the City's Cultural Center. Ms. Gaines has contacted Dee McFarland at the Chamber and asked her to expedite this survey. Councilmember Gaines asked it for any input on this project. Councilmember Green commented that in the planning process that the Planning Commission should be ;I instructed to consider transportation plans relative to 7th Street, FM 247 and the configuration of streets around the area. n Councilmember Carter commented that he hoped in discussion environmental sensitivity to be exhibited on that site was examined. Councilmember Lange informed Council that he would gladly take any that wished to go on a tour of the 7th Street property. Ethics Ordinance Councilmember Bell felt Council should adopt an ethics ordinance to precede the Charter amendment that !: would prohibit Councilmembers from selling to the City. Mayor Hodges stated that the Charter amendments would be coming up in a future meeting and discussion could be held then. Councilmember Bell then encouraged Scott Bounds to begin Looking at a possible structure of an ethics ordinance that would supplement the Charter revisions. Cultural Planning CounciLmember Carter is not pleased with the general attitude of the Cultural Planner. He has indicated :1 a desire to drop by or be present at some points during the initial discussions and was discouraged and /or told he cannot be present. He asked that someone explain these actions to the Council. Taxi Ordinance Councilmember Robinson asked about the progress on the Taxi ordinance. Scott Bounds stated that he and Officer Michaelson had discussed the amendments to the ordinance and it is in the process of being redrafted. Redistricting Process Scott Bounds stated that he and Dale Brown had been working with representatives of the County to come up with a new redistricting plan for the County. At this point, none of the alternatives drafted were acceptable to the County. At this time, although staff is assured the County will try to come up with a plan soon, staff if unsure that an acceptable plan will be ready soon. Calling the Election Mr. Bounds gave Council two alternatives in calling the election: 1) calling the election under the old lines and recognizing that there may be considerable confusion as voters get new voter registration cards telling that they have to remember their old number and new number; 2) a more practical solution since this " is an at -large election (electing four councilmonbers at- large) would be best to consolidate the election and have one voting box. - ' NOTE: Councilaaernber Barrett is absent due to illness, therefore, the Personnel Committee meeting will be postponed until a later date. / ADJOURNMENT