Minutes - 05/16/2017MINUTES FROM THE HUNTSVILLE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING HELD ON THE 16TH DAY OF MAY 2017, IN THE CITY
HALL, LOCATED AT 1212 AVENUE M, IN THE CITY OF HUNTSVILLE, COUNTY OF WALKER, TEXAS, AT 6:00 P.M.
The Council met in a regular session with the following:
COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Andy Brauninger, Keith D. Olson, Joe Emmett, Tish Humphrey, Ronald Allen, Joe P.
Rodriquez, Clyde D. Loll, Tyler McCaffety, Paul Davidhizar
COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT: None
OFFICERS PRESENT: Matt Benoit, City Manager; Leonard Schneider, City Attorney; Lee Woodward, City Secretary
RECEPTION [5:30-6:00 P.M.] — Employee Scholarship recipients will be honored.
MAIN SESSION [6:00 p.m.]
1. CALL TO ORDER — Mayor Brauninger called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
2. INVOCATION AND PLEDGES
U.S. Flag
Texas Flag: Honor the Texas Flag. I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state, under God, one, and indivisible.
Councilmember Loll gave an invocation and Employee Scholarship recipients Daizlie Marroquin, Jayden Mathis, Katelynne
Marek, and Dustin Nicholas led the pledges.
3. PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS
- City of Huntsville Employee Scholarship recipients
- Public Works Week
4. CONSENT AGENDA
Public Comments will be called for by the presiding officer before action is taken on these items. (Approval of Consent
Agenda authorizes the City Manager to implement each item in accordance with staff recommendations. An item may
be removed from the Consent Agenda and added to the Statutory Agenda for full discussion by request of a member
of Council.)
a. Approve the minutes of the City Council meeting held on May 2, 2017. [Lee Woodward, City Secretary]
b. Ratify acceptance of payment from Texas Grand Ranch I to transfer a+/- 129 acre portion of the City's Water
Certificate of Convenience and Necessity No. 12824 to Quadvest, LP, and to authorize the City Manager to prepare,
file, and prosecute an application(s) at the Public Utility Commission to transfer such portion of the City's water
CCN to Quadvest. [Carol Reed, Public Works Director]
c. Approve tax sale bid for trust properties, Property IDs 25512, 27782 and 27783, as recommended by Walker County
Appraisal District. [Steve Ritter, Finance Director]
Item b was pulled by Councilmember McCaffety and Item c was pulled by the Mayor for separate consideration. Item a was
approved unanimously, 9-0. Item b (to ratify acceptance of payment from Texas Grand Ranch I to transfer a +1- 129 acre
portion of the City's Water Certificate of Convenience and Necessity No. 12824 to Quadvest, LP, and to authorize the City
Manager to prepare, file, and prosecute an application(s) at the Public Utility Commission to transfer such portion of the
City's water CCN to Quadvest) was approved unanimously, 9-0.
Councilmember Loll signed a Conflict of Interest affidavit and did not vote on Item c. Item c (approve tax sale bid for trust
properties, Property IDs 25512, 27782 and 27783, as recommended by Walker County Appraisal District) was approved,
8-0.
5. STATUTORY AGENDA
a. Presentation, public comment, discussion, and possible action to consider adopting Ordinance 2017-35, creating
parking restrictions in the Avenues area, second reading. [Y. S. "Ram" Ramachandra, City Engineer; Kevin
Lunsford, Police Chief; Steve Ritter, Finance Director]
Mayor Pro Tem Olson moved to adopt Ordinance 2017-35, creating parking restrictions in the Avenues area; the motion
was seconded by Councilmember Davidhizar. The motion was unanimously adopted, 9-0.
b. Presentation, public comment, discussion, and possible action to consider authorizing the City Manager to award
the construction contract for Parking Restrictions in the Avenues and Additional Paid Parking adjacent to SHSU
Central Campus (Project No. 17-11-08). [Y. S. "Ram" Ramachandra, City Engineer]
Councilmember Humphrey moved to authorize the City Manager to award the construction contract to AAA Asphalt Paving
Inc. in the amount of $31,465.60 for the construction of the Parking Restrictions & Curb Painting in the Avenues and
Additional Paid Parking adjacent to SHSU Central Campus (Project No. 17-11-08). Mayor Pro Tem Olson seconded the
motion. The motion was unanimously adopted, 9-0.
c. Presentation, public comment, discussion, and possible action to consider rejection of all bids for the Sewer Line
Replacement between IH -45 and Water's Edge Lift Station, Project #16-10-05. [Y. S. "Ram" Ramachandra, City
Engineer]
Councilmember Rodriquez moved to authorize the City Manager to reject all bids for the construction of the Sewer line
Replacement between IH -45 and Water's Edge Lift Station Project #16-10-05.; the motion was seconded by Mayor Pro
Tem Olson. The motion was unanimously adopted, 9-0.
d. Presentation, public comment, discussion, and possible action to consider authorizing the City Manager to enter
into a contract to purchase 2 portable digital signs for $22,200.00, setting a budget for 2 permanent digital signs
not to exceed $156,250.00 and adopting Ordinance 2017-34. [Dr. Sherry McKibben, Neighborhood Resources
Director]
Councilmember Emmett moved to authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract to purchase two portable digital signs
for $22,200.00, set a budget for two permanent digital signs not to exceed $156,250.00 and adopt Ordinance 2017-34; the
motion was seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Olson. Councilmember McCaffety moved to amend by striking "to set a budget
for two permanent digital signs not to exceed $156,250"; the motion was seconded by Councilmember Rodriquez. The
Council and Finance Director acknowledged that if approved the exhibit to the ordinance would be appropriately scaled by
percentages. The amendment was adopted, 7-2, Mayor Brauninger and Councilmember Emmett voting against. The main
motion as amended was adopted, 7-2, Mayor Brauninger and Councilmember Emmett voting against.
Mayor Pro Tem Olson moved to postpone consideration of the permanent digital signs at the second meeting in July (July
18); the motion was seconded by Councilmember Davidhizar. The motion was adopted, 9-0.
6. CITY COUNCIL/CITY MANAGER/CITY ATTORNEY
a. Presentation, public comment, discussion, and possible action to adopt Ordinance 2017-36, repealing Ordinance
2017-10, an emergency budget amendment for the Huntsville Animal Shelter. [Councilmember Allen]
Councilmember Allen moved to adopt Ordinance 2017-36, repealing Ordinance 2017-10, an emergency budget amendment
for the Huntsville Animal Shelter; the motion was seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Olson. The motion was unanimously adopted,
9-0.
7. REQUESTS FOR CITIZEN PARTICIPATION
An opportunity for citizens to be heard on any topic and for the City Council to participate in the discussion. No action will be
taken.
a. Consideration and discussion on Citizen Participation Request from Dinah Mittelstedt to discuss an Ordinance
related to running bamboo.
Mrs. Mittelstedt expressed her concerns about running bamboo in the community and asked the Council to make Huntsville
the first area in Texas to restrict its local sale, planting, and encouragement of growth. Dr. Autumn Smith of the Institute for
the Study of Invasive Species (based at SHSU and located in the laboratories of the University's Texas Research Institute
for Environmental Studies (TRIES)), spoke in support of Mrs. Mittelstedt's comments about the bamboo's characteristics
and local presence.
8. MEDIA INQUIRIES RELATED TO MATTERS ON THE AGENDA
There were no media inquiries.
9. ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST
(Hear announcements concerning items of community interest from the Mayor, Councilmembers, and City staff, for
which no action will be discussed or taken.)
Mayor Brauninger announced:
- Please remember the City will be closed on Monday, May 29, for Memorial Day. Enjoy that special weekend safely, then join
us at the H.E.A.R.T.S. Museum that Monday evening at 7 pm for their annual free Memorial Day Service and guest speaker.
Call 295-5959 for more information.
- Councilmember Humphrey is going to discuss this more in tonight's CoH Clean Minute, but we can't talk enough about preparing
yourself and your family to fight the mosquitoes that carry the Zika virus. Earlier this month, Governor Abbott and the Texas
Department of State Health Services urged Texas counties and cities to help inform their citizens. Please visit our website page
on infectious disease at HuntsvilleTX.gov/Zika to learn more, or visit TexasZika.org, the state's information page. Be smart and
stay safe this summer!
- Happy Birthday to the Huntsville Public Library! The Library turns 50 this year, so they are celebrating. Stop by now to learn
more and participate in summer reading. Follow the Library on their website and social media for additional activities throughout
2017.
The Mayor also noted that in regards to the smoking ordinance, he said he had received many emails of support. He said he
had attended the ROTC commissioning of ten SHSU students and was very moved by it, commending Col. Mark Davis.
- TxDoT would like everyone to be aware of closures along 1-45 around New Waverly for bridge construction.
Mayor Pro Tem Olson gave an HISD Minute! - HISD has announced some changes and a new hire for next school year's campus
administrators. Mrs. Christy Cross, now the Dean of Student Learning at Huntsville Intermediate, will fill the opening of principal
at Huntsville Elementary School and Mrs. Sara Williams, currently the assistant principal at Scott Johnson, will become principal
at Stewart Elementary. You likely remember Dr. Rosa Readore and her precious students here at the last meeting as guest
pledgers from Gibbs Pre -K. Dr. Readore is going to enjoy a well-deserved retirement — congratulations to her! — and Mrs. Susan
Cryer, currently the principal at Samuel Walker Houston Elementary, will move to her position. We welcome Ms. Renee Royal,
from Judson ISD, will replace Mrs. Cryer to become the new principal at Samuel Walker Elementary. We wish all of these
education professionals the best in their new roles!
Councilmember Humphrey announced: As the Mayor mentioned, keeping Home Sweet Huntsville clean includes keeping it
safe. This summer, consistently use mosquito repellent when outside, wear long sleeves and pants, and use air conditioning or
make sure window screens will keep mosquitoes out of the home and other indoor environments. All Texans should pick up
trash and dump out containers that could hold standing water in and around their homes, schools, outdoor recreation venues,
and businesses to deny mosquitoes a place to lay their eggs. Like Mayor Brauninger mentioned, visit the Zika page on the City's
website or check out www.TexasZika.org. #NoZikalnHuntsville
Councilmember Davidhizar offered an Alpha Omega Academy Second, noting there would be a graduation ceremony this
Saturday at 2 p.m. at University Heights Baptist Church, conducted by the 26 graduating seniors. He invited the public to attend.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Brauninger adjourned the meeting without objection at 7:36 p.m.
Lee Woodward, City Secretary