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MIN CC 10/25/19881 MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 25, 1988 COUNCIL MEETING BOOK "P" 177 MINUTES OF THE HUNTSVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON THE OCTOBER 25, 1988 IN THE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS, LOCATED AT 1212 AVENUE M IN THE CITY OF HUNTSVILLE, COUNTY OF WALKER, TEXAS AT 6:45 P.M. The Council met in a regular session with the foltowing members present: Percy Howard, Jr., Mayor pro tem 0. Eugene Barrett Gary Bell James L. Carter Ila G. Gaines William B. Green William H. Knotts, Jr. Members absent: City Officers Present: Jane Monday, Mayor Gene Pipes, City Manager William L. Hammock Scott Bounds, City Attorney Ruth DeShaw, City Secretary ATTENDING CITIZEN Reverend Cecil McKee, Methodist Minister, appeared to remind the Council of the Election Eve Prayer Meeting at the Walker County Courthouse, East Lawn, on November 7, 1988 at 7:00 P.M. He noted in the case of inclement weather, the event will be held in the County Courtroom. He advised there will be a ten piece brass ensemble, singing, and speakers from various groups on hand. FORMAL SESSION Mayor Pro tem Howard then opened the formal session. Reverend Cloid Adams of the Greater Zion Baptist Church presented the invocation. Mayor Howard then introduced the new Huntsville Item reporter, Ms. Shana McKay and welcomed her to the City Halt beat. CONSIDER THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS Councilmember Barrett made the motion to approve of the minutes of October 4 and October 7. 1988 and Councitmember Carter seconded the motion. Correction: Councilmember Ila Gaines noted Councilmember Hammack was in attendance at the October 7, 1988 meeting but he is shown as being absent. With this amendment to the October 7. 1988 minutes, the amendment being approved by Councilmemmbers Barrett and Carter. the nation then passed unanimously. CONSIDER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GRANT Consider Resolution No. 88 -11 authorizing the submission of a grant application for Community Development Funds and authorizing the City Manager to act on behalf of the City for the purposes of this project. Gene Pipes, City Manager, presented this resolution, the caption of which is as follows: RESOLUTION NO. 88 -11 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HUNTSVILLE, TEXAS, AUTHORIZING THE SUBMISSION OF A TEXAS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM APPLICATION TO THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND; AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ACT AS THE CITY'S EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE IN ALL MATTERS PERTAINING TO THE CITY'S PARTICIPATION IN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. Mr. Pipes advised this application is for $331,614 in grant funds to carry out sanitary sewage facility construction in three separate areas of the city. He stated the city's contribution is $82,462 to this project from its water and sewer fund will be the city's in -kind cash contribution toward the construction activities of this sanitary sewerage project, for a total project cost of $414,076. The areas pinpointed for sewer facilities construction are: north on Avenue M across from the Diagnostic Unit; the area off of Ryan's Ferry Road at Watkins Street; and the area off of FM 1374 (Possum Walk Road) across from the entrances to Spring Lake and Pine Shadows, on the west side of Possum Walk. Councilmember Knotts made the motion to approve of this resotution_ and Councitmember Gaines seconded the motion. Alt were in favor and the motion passed unanimoust MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 25, 1988 COUNCIL MEETING BOOK "P" 178 CONSIDER ELKINS LAKE MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT SEWER LINE REPAIRS Mr. Gene Pipes, City Manager, recapped this project to repair the 101, sewer line along the west bank if Camellia Lake in Elkins Lake M.U.D., noting the ELMUD has already approved $8,000 to $12,000 to dewater he line and identify the problems ($3,100 spent to- date), and additional funds in the amount of $51,769 sere then authorized by ELMUD to inspect, clean the line, and rehabilitate the manhole ($10,000 spent to late). He advised it was found that almost every joint in this line was disjointed at some point in time, ihich accounted for the volume of silt that had accumulated in the line. He said approximately 2 /3rds of is capacity had been used up by take-bed material that had seeped into the line. He noted ELMUD has now pproved of this contract with Insituform Gulf South for the installation of 6 mm Insitutube in 1,770 LF of his 10" sewer line. He asked the Council's approval of this expenditure, noting it is to be reimbursed to he City by ELMUD (see letter of authorization from Mr. R. R. Story, President, Board of Directors, Elkins ake Municipal Utility District, dated October 25, 1988). Mr. Pipes advised by virtue of a contract, the ity is the maintenance authority for that system, but ELMUD retains ownership and pays for the repair ,xpenses on projects such as this. Mr. Pipes advised there has been considerable savings in the costs so ar on this project and there is every indication this may continue. Councilmember Barrett made the motion to approve of this contract as outlined above and ouncilmember Gaines seconded the motion. Discussion: Councilmember Bell asked if it would not be cheaper o put down a new section of pipe around the periphery of the lake rather than insituform through the pipe n the lake. Mr. Pipes noted while this is a possibility, along with that of a lift station to lift the ffluent that comes to the upper manhole across the lake and dam into a line that is not leaking, each of hose have limitations. He said the line in place today cannot be reasonably relocated because of the way he lots were developed, the telephone cable and other utility lines interior to this and the shoreline xisting today. He said the lake is higher than originally planned. He said any other plan will require he acquisition of easement from all 60 lot owners, who are scattered all over the world (Japan, etc.). He aid acquiring easements and acquiring the land in a timely fashion cannot be reasonably accomplished. He aid there is not an expectation that building a line in another location will save a great amount of money. e said the expediency consideration is important in this case. He said the line is not in bad shape, it as just separated at the joints. He said the insituform process is tailor -made for this project. He ssured every possible angle has been researched. Upon a vote of the motion on the floor, it passed CONSIDER WATER MAIN ON FM 1374 Mr. Gene Pipes, City Manager, advised of the recommendation of the staff to award the bid to Brazos alley utilities for Bid No. 1 in the amount of $146,784.50 to complete a 12 inch water tine to Elks Drive or future extension and an 8 inch tie to IH -45. He noted should the overall water development plan not be dopted at this tie, then the lowest responsible bidder for Bid No. 2 would be Brazos Valley Utilities for 100,508.75 for the construction of an 8 inch water line from Sam Houston Avenue to IH -45. It was noted the ouncil has authorized $100,000 for this project. Mr. Pipes reminded the Council the TDHPT has announced it will widen FM 1374 (Possum Walk Road) from n Houston Avenue South out to the Interstate and widening the overpass over the Interstate to a four lane. said one of the problems in going ahead with the project is the location of our water line, as it exists day, in the Possum Walk right -of -way. He said at the time the Council discussed this, Councilmember )tts asked why, when we were building arterial lines of 12 inches in other areas, were we not paralleling is particular road with a 12 inch line. He said the explanation was that the circulation in this 1 1 MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 25, 1988 COUNCIL MEETING BOOK "P" 179 particular area was tooped by the Spring Lake system and the 12 inch outer main around the outside and that did not seem necessary at the time. He said because of the questions he raised, Mr. Boyd Wilder and Mr. Glenn Isbell went back and employed the computer program the city is so proud of in terms of being able to calculate the flows and pressures, etc. in our entire system, and started posing for the computer's consideration, various scenarios that would indicate what benefit might be derived from building a 12 inch or oversized line and where the problems might be if that particular option is taken. in the meantime, he said, we went out for bid. He said we bid an 8 inch water line which is what is in place today and the 12 inch option. Mr. Pipes reminded the council that in the city's overall capital improvements program, the city has projected for some time the need for a 24 inch radial tie from the Palm Street Plant to the west side of the interstate north of the hospital for water service needs, both today and in the future. He said the city didn't expect there would be any services or service connections off of that 24 inch line and that it would simply be a direct feed from the water tower, water storage facilities to the outer loop. He said at that time it was projected the cost of it would be $638,000 approximately. He said that project has not been specifically approved nor funded, but has been in the city's five year comprehensive plan for capital improvements and it is down the road somewhere. He said the city also knows it has been trying to resolve a water pressure problem in the 19th, 20th, 21st and 22nd Street areas from Sam Houston Avenue over to Avenues R and S and Normal Park for some time. He said the city expects and has approved a capital construction project for that area this year to relieve the age old low pressure problem on the top of the hill there at 20th Street and Avenues N and 0. He said in working with the computer we have found that with a considerable savings, over the entire project of approaching $200,000, we can accomplish the same thing that we would accomplish by building the 24 inch radial tie to the west side of the interstate, by doing a combination of projects. Hence, the recommendation tonight, he said, which exceeds the 5100,000 estimate by some $46,000. That recommendation was made for the 8 inch line back in July or August whenever the staff sought the Council's approval to go out for bids. Mr. Pipes then pointed out the Palm Street plant on the map. He pointed out Possum Walk Road and Sam Houston Avenue on the map, noting the city proposes to build an 8 inch line outside the pavement surface to just get out from the way of the highway department project. He said what the city is proposing now is to build a 12 inch from Sam Houston Avenue out Possum Walk (FM 1374) to Elks Drive and at a later time, connect with Elks Drive where there is a 12 inch tie to the outer loop system coming in from Spring Lake. He said that part of the system is already in place. He said this would service those along there and will assist the city is getting a larger volume of water out to, and initially across the interstate. He said what the city would propose to do, is substitute for the $638,000 24 inch radial tie, which at some point in the future - -many years down the road- -the city will have to build a radial tie of some sort. He said the city simply cannot depend on the capillary system to get the volume of water out after each successive rain into the distribution system. He said we have to have the spokes of the wheel. At some point of time, he said, we will have to build a radial tie, but it will be far enough down the road into the future, that the city wilt actually know where the growth and development is going to be rather than speculate that it is going to be west or north or east, etc. Mr. Pipes said the Council will by itself the time, by building a 12 inch main, instead of a 6 inch main in the following locations: 19th Street from Sam Houston Avenue to Normal Park- -the city plans to replace that line in the project as part of the pressure problem solution in this area. He said the city will be putting a 12 inch in a six inch hole, along this tine segment, in conjunction with this line segment to get that much more water out to the pressure problems the city knows exists today. He said the city will also be proposing to build a 12 inch down 22nd Street out to the Normal park area and by combination of these three lines, the city can get the water moved in the general direction it needs to in order to get the water pressure on the west side brought up. He said these lines will cross the interstate. He said there is a tine on the west side of the interstate. He said there is a line to the hospital, at the Smither Overpass to West Hills Mall and back and is all looped together on the west side. He said there are also MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 25, 1988 COUNCIL MEETING BOOK "P° 180 ome lines associated with getting the problem solved; one is to come out of the Palm Street Plant to Sam ouston Avenue with an 18 inch, noting there is no problem with rights -of -way or easements or areas of isturbance here so that line can be done, but we have to get a bulk volume of water out of the plant into he distribution system and now we are bottlenecked at the plant with a 12 inch. He said we can only get so uch water through a 12 inch no matter how big the lines are after that. He said we will also need to come ut of the plant, go to Palm Street over to Sycamore in a couple of different directions, noting there are lternatives here. He said we need to get the lines up to Bower's Boulevard and put a 12 inch main down owers to connect and give an alternate source of feed through the east side of the campus. He said at the resent time, there is a tine that comes out of the Palm Street plant (10 inch) over to the University ealth Education Building, which is the major feed to the University with everything else turned off, except n an emergency, and the entire system is isolated. He said the city needs to come down with its lines from venue H to Bowers, then back to Bowers with a 12 inch, and then an 18 inch line out from the plant to ycamore to equalize and improve the distribution system overall. He said while this sounds like a lot of ines to solve the problem, the city had projected, without having a specific route in mind, that to get to he west side of the interstate, with a 24 inch radial tie, the city would have to come out of the Palm treet plant, down across Sam Houston Avenue by the Armory, come up the armory property line, cross omewhere in the area of the Johnson property, by coming out onto Possum Walk, down through the Windsor ubdivision or some yet to be developed area, this subdivision by Moore Henry Motors down to the College arm area and across in order to get a clear enough route to build a 24 inch lane in the first place. He aid this is where some of the projections of the $638,000 had come into consideration. He said the city annot build the 24 inch along Possum Walk because we are using the maximum in the right-of -way as it s - -all the utilities are already in place. There just simply is not enough space. He said the city will ave to find another route if it chooses to go with the 24 inch radial. Mr. Pipes said the alternate is a great deal more flexible. He said the city has no problem with ight -of -way down Bowers Boulevard and up Avenue H. He said it will give, by tying this connection, a econdary feed to the University which at the present time they don't have off of the high pressure system. e said in the future, part of the city's plan that has created a problem in terms of figuring out what to o is a water main that goes up Avenue I from Sam Houston Avenue through part of the campus that is now the all and progresses down to tie back into the line where Avenue H ties back around by the Feed Store. He aid when the city closed that street in the mid- 1970's so the University could develop that mall area by he Lowman Student Center, the city knew that line was there and the University knows that line is there. e said the city has held its breath against the day that something would happen and they would have a water ain break up in that area. he said the city has not been able to take it out of service because it has so any interconnects and so much responsibility for the overall low pressure distribution system. Let it run hrough the heart of the campus as it exists today. He said the only way to kill that line out is in the rojects that we have on the drawing board at the present time --come up Avenue I and across and back down to he Avenue J tower so that the city can take that altitude valve down by the movie theater and Second aptist Church out of service and get the water around to the Avenue J tower, then the city will progress up venue J to 22nd Street, come across and bore under the line in Sam Houston Avenue and tie back to the 12 nch distribution system we are talking about. He said this will give the University an alternate high pressure source of feeds, will put an ltitude valve at the Avenue J water tower so that the lower areas of town that already have sufficient ressure and another 20 -30 pound jump in pressure would create problems for them, keep them on the low ressure system, get a second and a third source of feed to the University via a cross connection, and then e able to improve our overall pressure distribution system throughout. He said it starts tonight with the ouncil's approval of $146,000 for a 12 inch main on Possum Walk, rather than an 8 inch that was originally imply a replacement project. He said he realizes this is an awful lot to throw at the Council in terms of an overall master plan and in terms of approving one bid. Obviously, he said this one bid does not lock our feet in C 1 MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 25, 1988 COUNCIL MEETING BOOK "P" 181 concrete either, it is simply a situation that if we are going to get the necessary pressure and volume improvements to the west side, we need this one as well as the others and then if we don't go ahead with the others, we can go with the 24 inch and we have not hurt ourselves at all because obviously, Mr. Knotts was right - -most of our arterial roads are paralleled by a 12 inch main. He said this additional money comes out of water and sewer capital construction funds and there are more than sufficient funds there to fund this project at the present time. He said the staff wilt be coming back to the Council with a more defined comprehensive took at the overall plan of work, obviously for next year and subsequent meetings in the next several months. He said this is the scope and nature of the whole program and he recommends the approval of Brazos Valley Utilities in the amount of $146,784.50 to be funded out of allocated funds and the additional $46,784 to come out of capital construction utility funds in the capital utility budget. Discussion Councilmember Bell asked if there is a 12 inch water line under Elks Drive under the interstate tying into that on the other side of the interstate. Mr. Pipes said "no." Mr. Boyd Wilder, Director of Public Works, advised the 12 inch comes under the interstate and ties to an 8 inch in front of Ward Electric and there is a 6 inch on Elks Drive now. He said the tie between the two will be at a later date. He said the 12 inch Mr. Pipes is talking about gets it to Elks Drive. He said at some future date, the city will have to build a 12 inch from FM 1374 paralleling Elks Drive, down to where Ward Electric is on the Interstate. Mr. Pipes said the bore under the interstate is a 12 inch line and it is in place. Councilmember Bell asked if there was a 12 inch at 19th and 22nd Street. Mr. Pipes said there is a 12 inch at 19th and there is an attitude value there that controls the pressure on both sides of the system, but not at 22nd. He said this is part of the tie back on Normal Park. He said there is no crossing at 22nd. Councilmember Carter asked what two or three gains the city will be making by this alternative project. Mr. Pipes said the city is getting three things: 1) an ample volume of water to the west side of the interstate from these three 12 inch pipes that the city would be getting out of one 24 inch that wouldn't have any other services off it. Councilmember Carter said if we are going to build that 24 inch anyway some day. . . Mr. Pipes said "No, you're going to build a radial tie some time in the future, 10, 15 years, whenever the growth on the outskirts of the service area or in the area on the other limits of our distribution system grows sufficiently to demand the water." Councilmember Green asked if the city is going to parallel it on the outside as it is really taking the same direction anyway. Mr. Pipes said it will not necessarily be a parallel line. He said if growth occurs west, we're going to have to get a greater and greater volume west. He said if growth is north, the city can come off of the TRA 30 inch transmission line with a major trunk line and we wilt build another Spring Creek Plant on the north side of town to serve the development that is north just like we did for the development to the south in the early 1970's with Spring Creek. Councilmember Carter noted then we will not build the 24 inch. Mr. Pipes said we would not build it out of here at all at that point in the future. Councilmember Carter said we don't need that much volume of water out there now. Mr. Pipes said we need a greater volume today. Councilmember Carter noted we need pressure at 19th, 20th, etc. Mr. Pipes said that is one problem, but on the west side of the interstate, for instance, last year, when we were talking about aborting he hotel -motel convention center complex, we didn't have sufficient water on the west side of the interstate to pressure a sprinkler system in a ten story hotel. We just didn't have it, he noted. Councilmember Green asked how we are going to get the water over there. Mr.. Pipes said this 12 inch service tie will put additional water in the system in several areas and we will be able to get additional water out of the Palm Street Plant over to this general area and it will have another way to go in case service is interrupted. Councilmember Green said we still have a six inch line that goes down Elks Drive. Mr. Pipes said we will be connecting this 12 inch with a 12 inch bore under the interstate at some point in the future. Councilmember Green said he understands, but said at this point we don't need any more water to the west side. Mr. Pipes said "No, as all this project really does is get the Council out of the highway department's way so they can go on with their project, but it gets us out of the way with the size of line we are going to need for the overall desired improvements." MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 25, 1988 COUNCIL MEETING BOOK "P" 182 Councilmember Carter said: ". . . if it develops on the west side, but Mr. Pipes has also said it ight be that it develops on the north." He said the city may be creating the line or the capacity a 24 nch loop would give us later. He said it appears we are planning ahead without any development taking Lace and having a capacity we may not need so we are spending money we may not need to spend. He asked hat are we going with this that we need presently. Mr. Pipes said the beauty, in his view, is that we are Ding to dig this 6 inch line and relocate it this year and we are going to have all those services off that inch line disconnected and reconnected. He said if we put a 12 inch line in there while we are doing hat, then the future needs will be taken care of for some additional expenditure, but the city will be ndefinitely postponing the expenditure of $638,000 by at least $200,000. He said the city will be spending dditional money for each of these lines, but we wilt be saving a future expenditure that, if in fact the evelopment takes on the north end, what we will have is another Spring Creek type plant on the outer radial ether than coming out of the Palm Street plant. He said that is a future consideration. Councilmember reen asked if there is a need now for water on the other side? Mr. Pipes said at the altitude values at rosstimbers, there is a bore across the interstate and we have a 12 inch connection there and an altitude alve. He said we have a 12 inch connection here at 19th Street with an altitude valve and what comes and ets pumped up from the Spring Creek plant up this system and out through and around by this its a very ircuitous route to get service around to some of these areas today. He said this is part of our pressure roblems on the west side. He said the Hospital is out of water because we can only put so much soda hrough that straw. He said when they are at a greater altitude we can pump against, they have a problem. Mr. Glenn Isbell, Director of Design Engineering, said essentially we are solving three problems and are trying to solve them all simultaneously and economically: 1) the duplicating of the 24 inch radial the west side; 2) the 19th -22nd Street low pressure problem, which we can significantly increase the essures in that area by doing that; and 3) with the University, the city ties to the University system th an alternate feed and in an emergency situation, the University has a high pressure emergency feed ere now they are tied to our city system. He said such as in the Old Main fire, when we opened the lines, ey were on the high pressure, but the emergency feed was on the low pressure side. He said they would ve a high pressure emergency feed rather than a low pressure emergency fee. Mr. Pipes said we would also be killing out the Avenue I line that goes to the middle of the campus nd that line is as old as any line we have in town. He said there is no reason to keep it in service when here is an alternate way to do it. Mr. Isbell said this is not just one scenario, but there are four or ix eggs in the basket that the city is trying to cook all at the same time. Councilmember Carter said he an see two of these advantages, but he does not understand the use of the word "duplicating" the 24 inch ine, as it seems we are creating a redundant system that will do the same thing, if we are still going to ave to build the 24 inch line somewhere down the line. Mr. Pipes said we simply do not know how many years e can postpone it and he would be foolish to tell the Council that we are not going to have to do it for 20 ears and then maybe in 15 we will have to. Mr. Boyd Wilder, Director of Public Utilities, said the hospital had to put in some booster pumps to ,ide enough pressure for them simply because the Spring Creek water plant will not provide enough water the west side of the interstate in peak usage time. He said getting these 12 inches out there to assist ling that wilt help the city get water across the interstate to assist the Spring Creek Plant in , iding that waste over there and will, hopefully, put off maybe never having to build the 24 inch line, maybe we will. He said this will keep us from having to spend that money to put it over there if we can it over here with these several 12 inch feeds. Councilmember Carter said he is just asking, because he needs to understand this and it sounds tike Lot of money too. He asked if the Spring Creek Plant is working, and not out of service as it is now, if his is needed. Mr. Wilder said yes, because where we have problems with the Spring Creek Plant is in the igh usage time of the year -- especially in the summer because the city cannot provide enough water He said e do have peaks and valleys in the pressures over there. Mr. Wilder said this will help get more water to he west side. Councilmember Green said he understands how we get more water on a 12 inch, but if it stilt 1 L. MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 25, 1988 COUNCIL MEETING BOOK "P" 183 fits a 6 inch, we still have the same problem. Mr. Isbell said that 6 inch will ultimately be a part of the scenario to be replaced. Mr. Pipes said this will only get us out of the way of the highway department as the first step. Councitmember Green said then what we are actually committing to do, before we solve any problem on the west side, is that we are also going to have to go back and replace those 6 inches with 12 inch or something else, which isn't part of this but is part of the whole scheme and that ought to be included in terms of what the cost is going to be. Mr. Pipes said this is a precursor of additional work that will have to be committed and agreed to at a later date. He said the city has done the financial scenario to indicate that in terms of $638,000 for the 24 inch radial tie, this can be done for about $180,000 to $200,000 less than that project, totaling them all up at the known construction costs today, we can save about $200,000 in terms of total capital construction money. He said it is true we haven't told you we have to do the 24 inch radial tie in three years because in fact we've got more than we can accomplish and budget for at the present time. He said we are at the juncture of where if we are going to solve the water pressure problems in the 19th 20th, 21st street area, that this work has to go forward and some instructions have got to be given to the Design Engineering Department to design it as a 12 inch or not. He said there is a basic commitment. Councitmember Green said if we did the 24 inch tine, we're talking $600,000 and what we are saying is that increasing the size of these pipes, changing the configuration, and going through and connecting and adding those, all of that together is still going to cost us about $400,000 more than we had planned to spend. Mr. Pipes disagreed, noting the council had planned to spend $638,000. Councilmember Carter asked if this $400,000 for this project is on top of the 24 inch line project, we are either going to have a duplicate system or we need it, but we are going to end up spending a million dollars to get it. Mr. Isbell said if growth happens east, then the 24 inch needs to go east. Councitmember Carter said then his question is why do we need this much water. Mr. Isbell said because you need that to handle the system as it exists today west. Mr. Pipes said we have a problem with Spring Lake today and we can't take the water plant out of service and haven't been able to since 1972 because we didn't have any alternate feed to the west side of the interstate. Councilmember Carter said he wasn't aware until tonight of the problems at Spring Lake. Mr. Pipes said this is the reason the city didn't do any tank maintenance for the last 20 years and the reason the roof had to be replaced when we finally did because we could not shut down the Spring Creek Plant to do it. Councilmember Carter indicated his concern that we are either building a duplicate system or we are building a system we might not need. He said we have a couple of problems he can see we need to solve and that is the University problem and the pressure problem. Councitmember Barrett said we are sitting down here making decisions and talking about stuff that the staff has run through the computer and they have engineering degrees and here this council is talking about whether we need it or not. He said the staff is saying we need it, we need to do it, we need to plan for the future, and we're saving money down the line. He said he feels we have discussed it enough and he is ready to vote. Councitmember Barrett recommended the Council accent the bid of of Brazos Valley utilities for $146.784.50 to build the 12 inch water tine to Elks Drive and Councilmember Bell seconded the motion. Discussion after the motion: Councitmember Carter asked what kind of disturbance will we have on 19th and 20th Street, in addition to what is already planned. Mr. Pipes said we are going to put a 12 inch line where we have a 6 inch and there is going to be a six inch larger ditch. Councitmember Carter asked about trees, shrubs, rights-of-way and how much disturbance there will be in that area. Mr. Pipes said in a relative right-of -way configuration its going to cause the same type of disturbance one would have with a 6 inch. Mr. Pipes said we have a machine sufficient to dig the ditch as we dig 12 inch lines all the time. He said he would be misleading the Council to say the volume of dirt that comes out of a 12 inch excavation or 18 inch excavation, etc. is not larger in terms of piles of dirt. Councilmember Carter said he is more concerned about trees. Mr. Pipes said if we have to take a tree out for a six inch, we are going to have to do the same for a 12 inch. Councitmember Carter noted then we are back to the question debated a year ago which is that he hopes that when we design any of these projects through 19th, 20th and 21st streets, in that whole neighborhood, that we make every effort to protect every tree that comes in the way. Mr. Pipes said the staff has had that instruction before and is certainly sensitive to that. Councitmember Carter said he will probably vote for this project tonight, but he is not convinced about the full project. He MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 25, 1988 COUNCIL MEETING BOOK uPu 184 id it seems to him we may be in need of some further discussion of this before we get much farther down e line. Mr. Pipes said except for this one limited line length, there will be extensive analysis, scussion and explanation of the overall project before we seek any other endorsements or approvals. He id obviously, with this line in need of being replaced for the length of where it is conflict with Possum Lk Road, we felt we had to go forward with it at least to this point. Councilmember Bell asked for a clarification. He said it seems to him if we put this in, the city will be postponing the need for the 24 inch line maybe as many as 10 -15 additional years. He said he knows we have been talking about the 24 inch line ever since he became a councilmember and it has been something on the back burner, and especially when we have problems with Elkins Lake, we talk seriously about spending it at that point, although it is three quarters of a million dollars. He said it seems to him to be a warranted project only because we are going to be postponing the inevitable, or perhaps it's not inevitable, three quarters of a million dollars expenditure by maybe as many as 20 years, noting he will be long off the Council by then and can breathe easier. Mayor Howard asked for a vote on the motion on the floor. All CONSIDER CHAMBER BROCHURES Mr. Gene Pipes, City Manager, advised a request has been made to authorize the expenditure of some S13,000 in funds necessary to print approximately a three year supply of brochures for information distribution by the Tourism Division of the Chamber of Commerce. He said this require full council approval because it had not been specifically budgeted in last year's budget. These funds to be paid from reserve funds that have accumulated in the hotel -motel tax fund over the last several years in the Chamber or Commerce operation. Councilmember Gaines made the motion to approve of this $13.000 expenditure for a three year supply of tourism brochures and Councilmember Barrett seconded the motion Discussion: Councilmember Green asked why they need three years worth. Mr. Pipes said there is a significant price break at a certain volume and by their experience, that amount would last about three years in their normal distribution rate pattern. Councilmember Green indicated he can understand their wanting to realize the price break savings, but likewise, a brochure designed to last three years tends to be worthless after awhile and needs to be changed. Mr. Pipes suggested that more be distributed in a shorter period of time. All were in favor and CONSIDER EMERGENCY GENERATORS Consider a contract for professional services for electrical engineering for emergency generators at the Spring Creek Water Plant and the City Service Center in the amount of $9,500 as budgeted Mr. Gene Pipes, City Manager, advised of earlier budget discussions concerning the need for emergency power to the Spring Creek Plant and the Service Center, at which time an an overall explanation of the was given. He said the only change of significant interest is the indication that if we could size the generator at the Spring Creek plant to power Water Well No. 19, in the event of a storm, and even if the major power sources to the TRA surface water plant were to fail, that we would have an alternate water supply in an emergency. He said by being able to power the well itself, we will also be able to power the Spring Creek Plant so that we will be able, even in the extreme rarity of being out of power for a significant period of time to supply water to the water customers through the system, while not at the same pressure or volume as accustomed, but with that particular situation there is a very redundant benefit of having the generator at the Spring Creek Plant capable of powering that water well and lifting the water from the aquifer should the TRA plant ever be out of service for any length of time such as during a major hurricane, etc. He said while this is a budgeted project, the staff had not considered that as a major goal but simply wanted to be able to power the Spring Creek Plant so that when power shuts on and off out there we will at least be able to keep the water pressure static and stop the oscillation back and forth. He then requested the Council's approval for the $9,500 in professional service contracts for the design of this II 1 MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 25, 1988 COUNCIL MEETING BOOK "P" 185 system. Councilmember Bell made the motion to approve of this professional contract for emergency generators in the amount of $9.500 and Councilmember Barrett seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion Dassed unanimously. CONSIDER BID FOR REPAIR TO TRACK LOADER UNDERCARRIAGE Consider bids for undercarriaae repairs for the Landfill's John Deere 855 Track Loader, which is in daily use at the city landfill, to East Texas Welding and Press in the amount of $7,867.00 to be paid from Sanitation Division budgeted Funds Mr. Gene Pipes, City Manager, advised while this item was ready for Council's consideration, it was inadvertently omitted form the agenda, but will require action this evening due to the emergency need for this equipment. He said it is an annually recurring undercarriage job on the machine used in the landfill application and is something we need very badly for our daily cover of garbage at the landfill. He said the machine had been down in the shop being prepared for this work for two weeks. He said the bid from East Texas Welding and Press is a very good bid and these people have experience in this area. He then recommended the bid for Council's approval. Councitmember Gaines made the motion to approve of this bid as Presented and Councilmember Barrett seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT - -GENE PIPES Consider a request by Mr. Clayton Waits. Principal of Mance Park Junior High School to close a portion of 8th Street adiacent to the school during the school day. Mr. Gene Pipes, City Manager, presented this request for the closing of 8th Street between Avenue J and 9th Street during the hours of 11:00 A.M. until 1:30 P.M. on school days to protect children who are playing in the school yard and who occasionally get out into the street while paying, coming into risk of the cars passing the campus. Mr. Pipes advised he felt it would be inappropriate for the Council to authorize the closing of this street at this time. He said the school board will be discussing this problem in their next meeting and he is trying to get with Dr. Barry Tacker, Superintendent, to discuss the matter. He asked for the Council's consideration to request of the school district, that all these many, varied, and diverse requests coming to the city be directed through the Superintendent's office rather than through the individual school principals, or their parent- teacher organization, or their individual parents, because the city is simply being besieged by problems that are particularly applicable to the schools. Mr. Pipes said he will make himself available for the school board meeting Thursday night if that is appropriate and in order, but he requests that the Council concur in the request of the school district that all requests for traffic control and assistance be directed either through the Superintendent's office or through the Board of Education rather than coming from individuals or the individual school campuses because it is simply difficult to sort it all out and address all the problems in a shotgun fashion. Mayor Howard asked Mr. Pipes to keep the Council abreast of this situation. Mayor Howard then reiterated the need for all information concerning traffic or safety to go through the Superintendent's office who can better deal with it than each individual campus. MAYOR'S REPORT- -PERCY HOWARD, JR. Highway 19 Association Meeting in Athens Mayor Howard noted the Athens meeting was a success. He said every town and village along the way had a delegation there. He said Huntsville's delegation consisted of Mr. Tom Randle, Judge Frank Robinson, Mr. Jerry Nemec, City Manager Gene Pipes and himself. He said Mr. Nemec gave an excellent pictorial overview which highlighted the traffic hazards along the Highway 19 corridor. This overview seemed to motivate all of them to urge the continued push to get state support or whatever is necessary to get this job done. He said the main focus of the meeting was to develop a format and a strategy to use in the upcoming meeting in Austin on November 29. MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 25, 1988 COUNCIL MEETING BOOK "P" 186 Texas Municipal League Meeting in Dallas Mayor Howard reminded those present of the TML meeting in Dallas on November 3 -5. He said the Council should designate one of those who will be attending as the city's voting delegate for that Saturday morning business meeting. Councilmember Barrett nominated Mayor Howard serve as the City's voting delegate and Councilmember Bell seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed unanimously. Mayor Howard indicated he would be happy to serve in that capacity. COUNCILMEMBER ACTION Councilmember Bell Introduces Boy Scouts Councilmember Bell then introduced the scout masters and some of the members of two Boy Scout Troops (Troop 114 and 1046) who were in attendance, noting they are working on their "Citizenship in the Community" Merit Badges. Government by Experts Councilmember Carter said without implying any lack of confidence in our own experts, he had to say he does not believe in government by experts. in fact, he said, he believes in making expertise work for the city, but holding that expertise accountable to the elected officials who are ultimately responsible to the people. He said we have the duty and responsibility there and he appreciates their answers when they ask them questions. Signal at _FM 247 with FM 2821 Councilmember Green reported a need for checking the sequence of the signal for traffic moving east on FM 2821, as there is a considerable bottleneck in the mornings because the traffic going west has a protected turn and after the protected turn, they have some green light time to go without a protected turn; however, traffic moving east has no protected turn and the sequencing is about 15 seconds. Mr. Pipes said he thinks there has been some delay on the part of the highway department pending completion of the construction project, which seems to be quite complete at this time. He said he will bring this to their attention. Councilmember Green said he would like to see a protected left there at the start of that cycle, or a longer green light for east bound traffic, noting it would improve the traffic flow. Highway 19 Association Presentation to Texas Highway Commission--Gene Pipes Gene Pipes, City Manager, noted there will be a presentation to the Texas Highway Commission in Austin on November 29. A reception will be held from 6:00 to 7:30 P.M. on November 28 (Monday night prior to that), at the Radisson Hotel in Austin for the purpose of getting all of the delegation together and polishing the program and presentation and becoming more familiar still with all of the interested individuals and parties that have an affiliation or association with the Highway 19 program. He presented a reservation form for those who wish to participate and he urged the Council to turn that in to him or the City Secretary should they wish to attend. ADJOURNMENT Respectfully submitted, P Ruth DeShaw, City Secretary October 25, 1988