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MIN CC 03/01/1988MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MARCH 1, 1988 BOOK "P° 36 NUTES OF THE HUNTSVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON THE 1ST DAY OF MARCH, 1988 IN THE CITY HALL COUNCIL AMBERS, LOCATED AT 1212 AVENUE M IN THE CITY OF HUNTSVILLE AND COUNTY OF WALKER, TEXAS AT 6:30 P.M. The Council met in a regular session with the following members present: Jane Monday, Mayor Gary Bell City Officers Present: 0. Eugene Barrett Ila G. Gaines Scott Bounds, City Attorney James L. Carter William L. Hammock Gene Pipes, City Manager William B. Green William H. Knotts, Jr. Ruth DeShaw, City Secretary Percy Howard, Jr. EXECUTIVE SESSION The Council meeting was then called to order at 6:30 P.M. by the Honorable Jane Monday, Mayor. The ayor then immediately recessed the meeting into an Executive Session to discuss pending litigation, to -wit: chaper V. City of Huntsville; and Acker V. City of Huntsville, et.al. The Executive Session terminated at :05 P.M. with no action taken. The Mayor then reconvened the formal session at 7:05 P.M. Pastor Larry all of the Friendship Baptist Church presented the invocation. CONSIDER THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING Councilmember Barrett made the motion to approve of the minutes of February 23, 1988 and CONSIDER UTILITY EXTENSION REQUEST Mr. Pipes, City Manager, noted this request is for a sewer line extension to Mr. Sydow's residence 930 Fish Hatchery Road. He recommended extending the six inch line, which runs north -south approximately feet east of Mr. Sydow's tract, some 200 feet west to serve Mr. Sydow's residence only. He advised the al cost estimate for this extension is $2,639.25, of which Mr. Sydow has already deposited his 50 percent re of $1,319.60. He advised the remaining funds in the utility extension fund are more than adequate to ,er the city's 50 percent share of the project. Councilmember Knotts made the motion to approve of this Consider Financing Option for Landfill Scales Mr. Gene Pipes, City Manager, advised as a part of the budget, scales and related computer equipment ere approved for use at the landfill with funding to be with a certificate of obligation. He advised the stimated total cost was $40,000 with the low bid on the computer system coming in this week at $2,224 from ackard -Bell. He recommended purchasing the Packard -Bell computer system. He further recommended paying or the system from finds in the sanitation capital reserve. He advised, according to Patricia Allen's emorandum of February 25, 1988, the balance at the beginning of this year was $186,000 and after a review f the audit, there is $103,041 additional carry forward in the sanitation fund that can be added to this und. He then expressed the staff's recommendation that a Certificate of Obligation not be issued for the andfill scales and equipment, but rather that unallocated capital reserve funds be used. He said approval f the computer equipment is also needed at this time. Councilmember Howard made the motion to approve the MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MARCH 1, 1988 BOOK "P" 37 Discussion: Councilmember Green expressed his concern as to the quality of the Packard Bell computer, noting he is not familiar with this brand; cautioning low bid is not always the best equipment. Ms. Patricia Allen, Director of Finance, noted this company is located in Houston and there is a 40 month warranty on the equipment, but it will need to be taken to Houston for repair. She said it will use R -base System 5 data base program and will be used to create a data base to use in Sanitation; is equipped with a 40 megabyte hard disk drive and has 28 milliseconds speed and a meg of memory. Mr. Pipes, City Manager, advised what will actually happen is that a computer in the in -house Computer Programmer's Office at City Hall will be moved to the Landfill for that application and the new Packard Bell, because it is a faster machine that can better facilitate program development will be moved to the computer programmer's data processing office. Ms. Allen said it will be used to develop all of the software for sanitation and the warehouse. CounciLmember Carter expressed his concern for why the city didn't specify a machine that would be compatible for the need at the landfill because it would have been much less expensive if it requires Less capacity, rather than shifting an exiting computer out there and purchasing a higher capacity, A.T. compatible computer for yet another application. He said it has been indicated to the Council that this computer is being purchased for the landfill, when in fact it will not be used at the landfill, but rather in a different department. He said it bothers him that we bid purchased a computer for a specific application, when in fact we're going to use it for something else. He indicated he finds this very disturbing. Mr. Pipes said the city has one person functioning as the program development operator for all systems: sanitation, water and sewer, and all applications in the city and it is good logic to have the best available equipment at that point to speed and expedite development of those programs. He said at the time the city bought some of the original equipment, it would have been over twice as expensive as this purchase for this higher speed, greater capability machine. He said this machine could be put at the Landfill, but we are getting more efficiency by moving the available equipment to its greatest, most productive need and getting the most service for the dollar. Ms. Allen noted it was an attempt to serve two needs at one time, because the city does not have the funds at this time to ask for a faster computer for the finance department. Councilmember Carter still felt the city should have bid a less powerful computer for the landfill scales, noting if we needed a different type of computer for the finance office, then that is what we should have bid. Patricia Allen noted for the Landfill application, a less powerful computer will do, but to develop the software for that application, we need the computer that we bid here. Mayor Monday noted this particular purchase will be utilized in sanitation and this level of computer was needed to develop the software program that will support the Landfill needs for this year and the years to came; so it will be utilized in sanitation and we could not have bid a smaller and less expensive model and accomplish that software need. She felt it is a legitimate purchase in Sanitation. Upon a vote on the motion on the floor, all were in favor except Councilmenber Carter, who voted no The nation however, Passed by a vote of eight to one, and therefore passed Consider Electronic Scoreboard Consider a request from Dixie Boys Baseball to install an electronic scoreboard on Field 7 at Ross Park Mr. Pipes, City Manager, advised Fields 1 through 5 already have electronic scoreboards; however, Field 7, the new field on the lower northern part of Ross Park, does not have one. He then presented a Letter from Raymond Dailey, President of the Huntsville Dixie Boys Baseball Association, requesting permission to install a Nevco Model 1000 scoreboard on Field 7 in the vicinity of the 3rd base line on the outside of the outfield fence. He said the Association will assume all purchase and installation costs. He said an agreement would be made up between the Huntsville Dixie Boys Baseball Association and the City, similar to the other contracts the city has concerning the electronic scoreboards. Councilmember Knotts made the motion to approve of the installation of the electronic scoreboard on Field 7 as specified above and Councilmember Howard seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MARCH 1, 1988 BOOK °P° 38 CONSIDER AGREEMENTS Mr. Gene Pipes, City Manager, then presented the annual contracts between the City and the untsville Dixie Boys and Huntsville Girls Softball Association; and the Huntsville Youth baseball ssociation for the operation of their programs and the use of the city facilities and the concession stand o generate the necessary funds to operate their programs. He said it is the same contract the Council pproved last year for these facilities, but it is recommended that a paragraph be added that would tipulate that there is a time limitation of 10:00 P.M. on school nights, meaning the lights go out at 10:00 .M. on school nights at Ross Park, as a condition of these contracts. Mayor Monday advised the 10:00 P.M. ime limitation has been an understanding now for the past several years and it is a request of the PTA and he HISD. She recommended adding that paragraph to the contracts. Councilmember Barrett made the motion to CONSIDER RE- OPENING OF FISH HATCHERY Councilmember Bill Knotts advised there is a possibility of re- opening the Huntsville Fish Hatchery hrough a Lone Star Lunker Program. He then introduced Mr. Bill Rutledge, Chief of Fisheries of the Texas arks and Wildlife Department. Mr. Rutledge said the local Huntsville State Fish Hatchery began in the arty 19301s. He said historically, fish hatcheries being located in communities in Texas was a very big eat because they were constructed during the CCC and WPA projects and a fish hatchery in town meant jobs nd the ethics of the sportsmen. Back in the 1920's and 1930's there was a very strong involvement by the saac Walton League Chapters all over the state. He said the communities really got behind their fish atcheries. Over the years the state hatchery system has not tried to integrate itself into the community s much as it did in the old days, he said, and this is something they are now in the process of correcting. e said the Huntsville Fish Hatchery has been a very integral part of the state hatchery system for a number f years. Unfortunately, he said, in 1985 the dam that supplies the water to the facility was wiped out by flood. He said the Department was able to raise fish one more year by pumping water out of Harmon Creek, ut that finally proved to be more trouble than it was worth and the Hatchery was closed. He said the tate had every intention of maintaining that facility whenever it received funding to re -open it. He said n the past session of the Legislature, the Department was successful in receiving a $2 million ppropriation for the repair of the dam and subsequent re- opening of the hatchery. He said the State is ow in the process of renovating all of the state fish hatcheries to put them back into service and to bring hem technologically into the 21st century. The Huntsville Hatchery is a 1930 fish hatchery that is planned o be upgraded to a 1991 or 1992 fish hatchery. Mr. Rutledge said over the past two years, there has been an increase in federal funding that the state has been able to acquire for fisheries projects. He said anytime someone buys a rod and reel, fishing tackle, gas for a boat (some 25 items), one pays tax at the manufacturer's level - -a hidden excise tax - -which funds go into a fund in Washington, D. C. to be reapportioned to the states for sports fisheries restoration, based on a formula derived from the number of fishermen in the state and the amount of fishing License dollars that are generated. He said Texas is fortunate under this new system in that it has been able to qualify for approximately $8 million a year in federal reimbursement. He said now that Texas has those types of dollars, the Department is in a very heavy capital construction project. He said the first hatchery that has been funded under this program is the renovation of the San Marcos Hatchery which will probably total $13 million and the Department has just completed a $3.5 million expansion of its new salt water hatchery on the coast. MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MARCH 1, 1988 BOOK "P" 39 The Huntsville Hatchery is the next hatchery that is going to came on -line based on those federal dollars. He said for every dollar the state can acquire, it qualifies for $3.00 worth of federal funding. He said the Huntsville Hatchery has $2 million appropriated from the Legislature and through a unique funding program, the Department is trying to generate a million dollars of private donations that it can then use for the facility. He said the organization sponsoring the $1 million worth of private donations is an organization called "Operation Share Lone Star Lunker, Incorporated." He said two years ago the Department began a program whereby fishermen that caught bass that were over 13 pounds could donate them to the hatchery system and for that donation receive a fiberglas reproduction of their fish and the Department would be able to acquire the large brood stock for its genetic improvement program. He said the program was successful and the first fish in the program was the new state record 17 pounds 10 3/4 ounces black bass named Ethel, which drew 6,200 people to the Tyler Fish Hatchery to see that fish. The interest generated in this, he said, prompted the Department's corporate sponsors, primarily the Lone Star Brewery, Cajon Boats, and a small company called Jungle Laboratories of Sibilo, Texas, (which produces "Catch and Release," a product put in a live wall to sedate fish after they are caught) to form a non - profit foundation, called "Operation Share Lone Star Lunker, Incorporated." They have offered public stock in fish hatcheries and all of the proceeds from this stock program go to the renovation of the Huntsville Fish Hatchery. He said the Department has set a goal of $1 million and that money is being generated at a three to one match in federal funds. Presently, he said, the Department is up to $6,800. He said this is non- negotiable stock, a tax deductible donation. Mr. Rutledge said the Department is now in the process of incorporating the support of bass clubs throughout the state and private companies. The Lone Star Brewery has been very active in trying to support this program and this year, he advised, and in the month of April, they have a rebate program on every case of Lone Star and Lone Star Lite that is sold and all the proceeds from that sale, for the month of April, will come into the program. He said this project is basically in its infancy now as support is still being enlisted. He said the $6,800 secured so far has been from dotter donations from children and 5100 donations from bass clubs --a grass roots effort. He said he would at this time like to advise the City of Huntsville and the surrounding area that this program is in existence. He said the Department is Planning to be back at the Huntsville Hatchery within the next three Years if their construction schedule is on line. He said total iobs at the facility will be about 15 Positions which wilt be new Positions here at the Hatchery. He said if the Department is successful in securing $1 million in outside donations. it could be looking at an approximate $10 million construction project He said these are the plans and he hopes to reintegrate the facility into the community unity and that the Huntsville Hatchery will become a tourist attraction. The foundation is for catch and release and for promoting big bass. He said the Huntsville Hatchery will become the focal point for this program, which means all of the large fish that are donated to the Program will come to the Huntsville Hatchery. He said this past weekend the Department picked up three fish that went from 13 pounds to 14 pounds 7 ounces. He said they are hoping this program will generate a lot of interest in the community. He said they are planning to renovate the dam to where the lake that is impounded by the dam will became a fishing lake that the Department will manage for catch and release and to showcase its regulations. The new state record fish is in a bass aquarium shop in Missouri and after the Hatchery is constructed, he could assure that the State will have facilities here where all the big bass will be coming and not going out of state. Mr. Rutledge said the Huntsville Hatchery has already been designated as the "Lone Star Lunker Hatchery," so it will be the seat of those operations regardless of whether the Department can get $6,000 or $1 million. Mr. Knotts said he asked about the possibility of installing a Texas Black Bass Hatt of Fame. Mr. Rutledge said there is already one in Austin, but he has no doubt that the Hall of Fame can be moved to Huntsville. Mayor Monday expressed her appreciation and welcome to Mr. Rutledge and the success of the project to restore the Huntsville Fish Hatchery. Mr. Rutledge then passed out the packets he had prepared which further explains the program. Mr. Rutledge said the primary species to be raised at the Huntsville Hatchery will be large mouth bass and probably some channel catfish during the fall and it may have rainbow trout in the winter. MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MARCH 1, 1988 BOOK "P" 40 CONSIDER 12 INCH WATER LINE Mr. Pipes advised the Council of a request from the Texas Department of Highways and Public Transportation to relocate a portion of the city's water line that falls under the new portion of Highway 247 that is planned to be four lanes, curbed and guttered from FM 2821 out to FM 980. He said the water Line weaves in and out from the centerline of the pavement varying 18 to 26 feet in and out. He said the 'ity can lower the water line where it is and leave it under the roadway; or relocate the line outside of the right -of -way and out from the potential /future roadway. Since the right -of -way is rather tight out there, the line could be put on private property and in the process could be enlarged to a 12 inch main from the FM 2821 12 inch main out north for future development. Mr. Pipes said some 5,000 liner feet of 12 inch mater line (labor and equipment) will cost approximately $40,000, based on a contractor's price. He said the city's water utilities crews are completely tied up in the capital improvement program and it will cause a severe disruption of that schedule to pull off even one of those crews to do this job; therefore, the staff is recommending bidding this project out. He said the City has 4300 linear feet of 12 inch water line naterial in stock with a value of $33,841, which will be charged to this job. He said an additional 700 Linear feet of material would need to be purchased at a cost of $8,400; fire hydrants will cost $6,250; two creek crossings will cost $10,000; and several 12 inch gate valves will cost $6,000, for a total estimated construction cost of $104,491, plus a 20% contingency, which brings the estimated cost to $125,389. He said there are sufficient funds to move this line and enlarge it. He said there are five property owners along the length of the line to be moved and any one of them may not wish to grant a water line easement in front Df their property. He said the state's contractor began his work today, so the Council's decision is needed. Mayor Monday said the SDHPT is providing the County with two very nice projects and it behooves the City to be very cooperative and work hard to make it easy for the state to do business here so that when some of our other requests comes up, we'll have that sort of track record with the state. Councilmember Discussion: Councilmember Knotts advised he spent quite a bit of time this afternoon with the contractor's engineer, and found it is not quite as serious as the city may think. He said there is not that much line under the pavement (about 500 -600 feet) and the pavement will be widened about another 18 feet from the existing 10 feet to make a 28 foot working distance from the centerline on FM 247. He said the line involved is from station 28 or 29 to station 34. He said there will not be any dirtwork on that hill, no cut or anything, and the existing pavement will not change except that it will come up six inches with the overlay. He said all of this area from Town Creek up to about Station 33 or 34 is going to be a filled section where the water line now is two to three feet deep and it will make it probably another two feet deeper. He said the only critical area might be at station 33 or 35 where that water line might occur in a back slope behind the curb. He said there is an 80 foot right -of -way and there will be 26 feet back of the curb on the centerline, which leaves 14 feet of right -of -way from behind that curb to the property line. He suggested going in and moving about 500 to 600 feet of the six inch line to get it out from under the pavement, lower it on the top of that crest at Mahaffey's drive -way, and then the whole thing will be out of the way. He did not recommend the 12 inch, noting we have two subdivisions out there-- Northgate and Pinecrest, and on our comprehensive plan, we call for a 12 inch, but these type subdivisions are going to preclude much of any development out there because they are larger - -five acre tracts. He said the city cannot afford to service those, so he was not sure the city will need that type of service out there. He said if it does, it still has the TRA transmission line right of way that goes from FM 2821 out to FM 980, if, in time that we do possibly need the 12 inch out there. He said the pressure out there is more than adequate- -100 pounds of pressure at FM 2821 as it would tie on at FM 2821 and go to the intersection of FM 247 and FM 980. Mr. Wilder noted it would be the same pressure on a 12 inch and on a 6 inch line there. Councilmember Knotts said we have 14 feet of right -of -way behind the curb to the property line in the event n MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MARCH 1, 1988 BOOK "P" 41 we would want to put in a 12 inch later on, but that would be years from now. He said that for perhaps Less than $10,000, the city can move that much line to where it ought to be moved. Mayor Monday said the City needs to move whatever portion of that water line is necessary out from under the roadway. She said we do have a discussion question here as to whether or not we want to upgrade that 6 inch line to a 12 inch line. She said this is a matter of long range planning and whether or not we think that is something we can delay. Councilmember Green then withdrew his motion if Councilmember Barrett would agree to withdraw his second. Councilmember Barrett agreed to withdraw his second. Mayor Mayor Monday said she is comfortable recommending moving those 500 to 600 feet of six inch line tonight, but we may need further analysis or documentation to make the decision on the 12 inch upgrade. Councilmember Green made the motion to move only that portion of the existing six inch line that needs to be moved out from under the road and put it on whatever grade is necessary and Councilmember Barrett seconded the motion All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. Mayor Monday then asked if anyone has a proposal on the enlargement issue. After some discussion among the Councilmembers and Mr. Boyd Wilder, Director of Public Utilities, it was the consensus of the Council that a decision on this matter be postponed until the Council has more information. MAYOR'S ACTIVITY REPORT- -JANE MONDAY H -GAC Community Block Grant Application Standing Mayor Monday advised the Council that last Wednesday, Mayor Pro tem Howard and City Planner, Dale Brown made a presentation before H -GAC for a Community Development Grant for the City to provide sewer to three minority neighborhoods in the City. She said 46 communities were competing for that money and Huntsville was ranked 43rd on the priority list going in. She said after the city made its presentation, it went from a rank of 43rd to a rank of 16th going on to the state. She said the City received the third highest ranking of any of the presentations made. She said there is a possibility of receiving a grant for $386,000. She commended Mr. Howard and Mr. Brown for their excellent presentations. Meeting in LaPorte- - Economic Renovation of the Community Mayor Monday noted on Wednesday, she and Mr. Gene Pipes, City Manager, will travel to LaPorte for a meeting concerning the economic renovation of that community and the setting of community goals. She said Mayor Henry Cisneros of San Antonio will be participating. She said the city will attempt to learn something from LaPorte's efforts. Letter of Support for the Extension of Smither Farm Road to FM 230 Mayor Monday then read a letter to the State Department of Highways and Public Transportation Commission indicating the City Council's support for a project that would extend Smither Farm Road across the Trinity River to FM 230; noting it will allow the Huntsville emergency services personnel to extend their services to the residents in the Kittrell Cut -off area and will greatly facilitate the operation of TDC in accessing the Eastham Unit and its supply warehouses. She then read the letter to the Council. Councilmember Knotts made the motion to approve of the letter being sent and Councilmember Howard seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT- -GENE PIPES City landfill inspection reports Mr. Gene Pipes, City Manager, advised the Council of recent landfill inspections by the Texas Department of Health. He said since the city was notified in its last inspection that there was some trash MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MARCH 1, 1988 BOOK "P° 42 in the bottom of our fill area that was in contact with water and had not been covered with dirt, there is a Likelihood that we will be watched much more carefully in future inspections. Mr. Pipes advised the Council of a letter from the resident engineer, Mr. Allan Pritchard, advising the city of its responsibilities germane to this project; namely, the handling of three drainage areas within and across the roadway by extending the storm sewer system outside the limits of the right- of-way at centerline stations 12 +00, 27 +00 and 46+82; the handling of the water leaving the storm sewer system at station 37 +32 to the adjacent property; the obtaining of temporary work easements from property owners at these locations so this storm system will function adequately; the adjustment of any conflicting utility Lines within the right -of -way; the relocation or replacement of the water mains outside the curb areas; the adoption of an ordinance to restrict parking within the right -of -way of FM 1374 after construction begins. Mr. Pipes presented a letter from Mr. Luther Jones of Entex indicating that even though there are cost justifications for a rate increase, Entex will not be making such a request in light of the itions of the economy at the present time. He said it is exceedingly commendable of Entex for their gement of their operation that allows them to hold the line of any increases at this time. COUNCIL ACTION Councilmember Carter commended Mr. Glenn Isbell's efforts to organize a utility group consisting of he City, Southwestern Bell Telephone, Gulf States, Entex and Telecable to coordinate mutual project areas nd thereby minimize the inconveniences to the citizens and customers of the City. He noted such a ooperative effort is certainly advantageous for all. Councilmember Knotts agreed, noting previously there ad been an extreme lack of communication among these service companies. Councilmember Barrett noted he wishes to commend Entex for containing their costs so that they can inue providing their level of service without asking for a rate increase. He noted he only wished the r utilities could follow their example. Councilmember Knotts advised the city that he has been asked that the city police department provide police patrol in the areas of the local businesses at closing time to provide some protection as they are Leaving with their day's receipts around 5:00 and 6:00 P.M. He noted just a showing of presence would help Late in the afternoon around closing time. MEDIA 1NOUIRIES ADJOURNMENT �S tfully u Vre �_ ` J // u S aw, ity Sectary March 1, 1988