Loading...
MIN CC 05/08/2001CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MAY 8 2001 BOOKS 323 I MINUTES OF THE HUNTSVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON THE 8TH DAY OF MAY, 2001, IN THE CITY HALL, LOCATED AT 1212 AVENUE M IN THE CITY OF HUNTSVILLE, COUNTY OF WALKER, TEXAS AT 5:15 P.M. The Council met in a regular session with the following members present: COUNCILMEMBER: William B. Green, Mayor Ralph A. Davis, Jr. Officers: MarK Erb JoAnn Castille Bob Hart, City Manager David Martinez Steed Smith Paul Isham, City Attorney Vance Howard John Escobedo Danna Welter, City Secretary Gary Crawford Absent: Marjorie Rex, Dave Luning CALL TO ORDER [5:15 p.m.] Mayor Green called the meeting to order. INVOCATION Invocation by Bob Hart, City Manager. ELECTION MATTERS 1. Approve Ordinance 2001 -05 -08.1 canvassing the regular municipal election held within the City of Huntsville on the 5'" day of May, 2001, for the purpose of electing a Mayor At- Large, as presented by Danna Welter, City Secretary. ORDINANCE NO. 2001 -05 -08.1 AN ORDINANCE CANVASSING THE RETURNS OF THE REGULAR MUNICIPAL ELECTION HELD WITHIN THE CITY OF HUNTSVILLE ON THE 5TH DAY OF MAY 2001, FOR THE PURPOSE OF ELECTING A MAYOR AT- LARGE; DECLARING THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION; FINDING THAT NOTICE OF THE ELECTION WAS DULY AND PROPERLY GIVEN, THAT THE ELECTION WAS PROPERLY HELD AND RETURNS THEREOF MADE BY THE PROPER OFFICIALS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE. FOR MAYOR AT -LARGE LEROY BAILEY, SR. 399 BILL GREEN 1066 CITY OFFICERS ELECTION RESULTS VOTERS BY CITY PRECINCTS POSITION/ CANDIDATE EARLY 101 .102 201 205 206 S 301 X01 70TAL MAYOR LEROY BAILEY, SR. 84 45 45 24 52 41 85 23 399 BILL GREEN 1 335 19 120 90 338 56 53 55 10 Total voters casting ballots in Early Voting - 419 Total voters casting ballots in Precinct 101 - 65 Total voters casting ballots in Precinct 102 - 166 Total voters casting ballots in Precinct 201 -116 Total voters casting ballots in Precinct 205 -390 Total voters casting ballots in Precinct 206 - 97 Total voters casting ballots in Precinct 301 - 135 29% of total; 4% of total; 11 % of total; 8% of total; 27% of total; 7% of total; 9% of total; CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MAY 8, 2001 Total voters casting ballots in Precinct 401 - 78 TOTAL NUMBER OF VOTERS CASTING BALLOTS TOTAL NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS - 101 TOTAL NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS - 102 TOTAL NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS - 201 TOTAL NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS - 205 TOTAL NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS - 206 TOTAL NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS - 301 TOTAL NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS - 401 BOOK'S" IN THIS ELECTION 2129 2781 2189 2008 692 2346 2726 TOTAL NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS 14,871 PERCENTAGE OF REGISTERED VOTERS WHO VOTED 10% 1466 5% of total, 1. Councilmember Castille made a motion to approve Ordinance 2001-05-08.1 canvassing the regular municipal election' held within the City of Huntsville on the 5" day of May, 2001 electing William B Green as Mayor At -Large and Councilmember Howard seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. 2. Administration of the Oath of Office to the newly elected members of City Council, as presented by Danna Welter. City Secretary Danna Welter administered the Oath of Office to: Mark Erb, Councilmember Ward 1, John Escobedo, Councilmember Ward 2, Gary Crawford, Councilmember Ward 3, Ralph A. Davis, Jr., Councilmember Ward 4, and Bill Green, Mayor. , 3. Consider the election of a Mayor Pro Tem. Councilmember Howard made a motion to elect Marjorie Rex as Mayor Pro Tem and Councilmember Erb seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. PUBLIC HEARING Receive input on amendments to the Development Code - Flood Hazard District. Mayor Green opened the public hearing and continued it until May 22. PUBLIC COMMENTS Charles Smither, Jr. Mr. Smither commented that the new members of Council should read all materials presented before voting on issues. 2. Dan Davis. Mr. Davis noted that this is National Small Business Week and Tourism Week. 3. Recognize remaining two winners of the Golf Course Naming Contest — Anne Sigler and Kenneth Scheffer. Mayor Green presented Ms. Sigler and Mr. Scheffer with a certificate, $50.00 and a Titlest golf club, and thanked them fortheir entry of Raven Nest. CONSENTAGENDA 1. Approve Amendment No. 1 to the Airport Project Participation Agreement- Master Plan, to revise the project cost from $100,000 to $130,000 and the City's participation from $10,000 to $13,000. 2. Accept the gift of 0.261 acres on 1 V Street between Avenue J and University Avenue by Don Mathews and extend our thanks for his generous offer. 3. Approve Resolution 2001 -05 -08.1 supporting the nomination of a tract of land containing approximately 67 acres to the Enterprise Zone Map, as a potential industrial site. ' 4. Approve Resolution 2001 -05 -08.2 giving consent to a project for Huntsville Memorial Hospital. Councilmember Howard made a motion toapprove the ConsentAgenda, and Councilmember Erbseconded the motion. . The motion passed unanimously. STATUTORY AGENDA - CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MAY 8 2001 BOOKS 325 -- 1. Approve architectural firm of Wagner and Klein Inc of Fredericksburg as the architects for the Wynne Home Project, on behalf of the Huntsville Arts Commission and the Wynne Home Project Physical Structure Team at a cost not to is exceed $80,000, as presented by J. D. Schindler, Director of Community Services. The City of Huntsville has accepted the gift of the historic Wynne Home, 1428 11'" Street, from Samuella Palmer and has agreed to rehabilitate and use the structure forcultural activities, according to the terms of the gift deed. After a public - input process, the City Council agreed that the structure would be converted into an arts center with secondary use of meeting space and administrative offices. The Huntsville Arts Commission has appointed five teams to work on the Wynne Home Art Center development, and now together with the Physical Structure Team, makes the recommendation to contract with Wagner and Klein, Inc. of Fredericksburg as the architects for the Wynne Home Project. Councilmember Martinez made a motion to authorizethe City Managerto execute an architectural contractwith Wagner and Klein Inc for the Wynne Home Proiect at a cost not to exceed $80,000 to be funded from budgeted funds, and Councilmember Davis seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. 2. Authorize the Huntsville Convention & Visitors Bureau to enter into a contract with Chandler, Brooks & Donahoe, Inc. to prepare a Tourism Assessment and Recommendations for the City of Huntsville and the Huntsville- Walker County Chamber of Commerce in an amount not to exceed $28,000 and authorize the transfer of $3,000 from the Visitors Center Reserves, as presented by J. D. Schindler. A tourism assessment study will be conducted for the overall enhancement and improvement of the image of the community and the continued growth of the local market and tourism industry. This assessment will focus on Marketing issues - advertising, public outreach and marketing materials; Community issues: curb appeal, ease of getting around (wayfinding & signage) and the appearance of the entrances to the city(beautification); and Business - lodging, dining, entertainment options, business signage, attractions and amenities. The report and recommendations from this study will help community leaders to prioritize opportunities to enhance the community and to attract more visitors. The tourism industry has become one of the fastest growing industries in the in the State of Texas. Tourism in the City of Huntsville has also grown significantly, but multiple opportunities for growth and improvement are pending now and it seems to be a prime time to assess the local environment and plan to capture more of the tourism market that passes daily on Interstate 45. A request for qualifications was sent to several firms in the tourism promotion and development industry and two proposals were received. Travel Destination Company of Marietta, Georgia and Chandler, Brooks & Donahoe, Inc. of Olympia, Washington submitted proposals. Both firms are highly qualified in this field. Councilmember Howard made a motion to authorize the Huntsville Convention & Visitors Bureau to enter into a contract with Chandler Brooks & Donahoe Inc to prepare a Tourism Assessment and Recommendations for the City of Huntsville and the Huntsville - Walker County Chamber of Commerce in an amount not to exceed $28,000, and authorize the transfer of $3,000 from the Visitors Center Reserves and Councilmember Erb seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. MAYOR ACTIVITY REPORT 1. Appointment of City Council standing committees. Mayor Green stated that Personnel Committee would consist of Councilmember Rex as Chairman, and Councilmembers Davis, Martinez and Escobedo. The Finance Committee would be Chaired by Councilmember Howard, with Councilmembers Erb, Smith and Crawford as members. 2. Approve appointment of Ed Owens, Jr. as a Commission on the Huntsville Arts Commission, as recommended by the Commission. Councilmember Howard made a motion to approve the appointment of Ed Owens, Jr. as Commission on the Arts Commission and Councilmember Smith seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. - 3. Approve appointments to the Walker County Public Safety Communication Center Executive Board. Mayor Green stated that he would like to appoint Councilmember Rex as the Council Representative to the Board. He also stated that Donna Zuniga had resigned and he would like to replace her with Dave Luning. Councilmember Howard made a motion to appoint Councilmember Rex as the City Councilmember Representative and l to appoint Dave Luning to the unexpired term of Donna Zuniga and Councilmember Erb seconded the motion The motion passed unanimously. CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MAY 8, 2001 BOOK "S" 4. Pre - Budget Work Shop - May 18 and 19. Mayor Green reminded City Councilmembers of the Work Shop on May 18 and 19. 326 CITY COUNCILMEMBER REPORT 1. Authorize allocation of S14,060, with Walker County allocating $14,060, for a Communication System Study, as' recommended by the Walker County Public Safety Communication Center Executive Board, to be funded from reserve' -,j for special projects, as presented by Councilmember Howard. Twenty different agencies utilize the Walker County Public Safety Communication Center for dispatch services. The'. communication system between the Dispatch Center and among the various agencies is not currently entirely compatible.l'. In earlier budget discussions the need for a comprehensive study was identified. However such a study was not included' in the budget because an agreement had not been reached with the Walker County Public Safety Communication Center Executive Board and the Commissioners Court of Walker County. An agreement has been reached to engage TCS Consultants Inc. to conduct such a study. The request for the placement of this agenda item come from City Council representatives on the Board - Councilmember Vance Howard, and former Councilmember Dave Luning. Councilmember Howard made a motion to Authorize allocation of $14,060, with Walker County allocating $14,060, to contract with TCS Consultants. Inc. for a Communication System Study, as recommended by the Walker County Public Safety Communication Center Executive Board to be funded from reserve for special pro acts, and Councilmember Erb seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. WORK SESSION [6:05 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.] Discuss community wellness report. ADJOURNMENT [7:00 p.m. Danna Welter, City Secretary