Minutes - 08/05/2014
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MINUTES FROM THE HUNTSVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON THE 5 DAY OF AUGUST 2014, IN THE CITY HALL,
LOCATED AT 1212 AVENUE M IN THE CITY OF HUNTSVILLE, COUNTY OF WALKER, TEXAS, AT 6:00 PM.
The Council met in a regular session with the following:
COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Mac Woodward, Andy Brauninger, Lydia Montgomery, Don H. Johnson, Keith D. Olson, Tish Humphrey, Ronald
Allen, Joe P. Rodriquez
COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT: Joe Emmett
OFFICERS PRESENT: Matt Benoit, City Manager, Leonard Schneider, City Attorney, Lee Woodward, City Secretary_____________________________
MAIN SESSION \[6:00 P.M.\]
1. CALL TO ORDER – Mayor Woodward called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
2. INVOCATION AND PLEDGES – Councilmember Rodriquez gave an invocation and Walker King of the YMCA led the
pledges.
3. PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS (A presenter arrived late and was handled at Requests for Citizen Participation.)
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 Regular Session held on July 15, 2014 and the Special Session for the
Budget on July 22, 2014. \[Lee Woodward, City Secretary\]
b. Adopt Ordinance 2014-37 calling the November 4, 2014 municipal general election for the purpose of electing
four (4) at-large Councilmembers, single reading required. \[Lee Woodward, City Secretary\]
c. Approve the 2014 Joint Election Agreement and Election Services Contract with Walker County for the November
4, 2014 election. \[Lee Woodward, City Secretary\]
Councilmember Brauninger moved to approve the consent agenda and was seconded by Councilmember Montgomery.
The motion passed unanimously, 8-0.
5. STATUTORY AGENDA
a. Presentation, public comment, discussion, and possible action to consider a contract for the design and contract
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administration of way-finding signage for the City of Huntsville (item postponed from July 15 meeting). \[Dr.
Sherry McKibben, Neighborhood Resources Director\]
The motion to approve, from the July 15, 2014 meeting, was postponed to this meeting and is the pending motion.
Councilmember Johnson moved again to consider a contract for the design and contract administration of way-finding
signage for the City of Huntsville and was seconded by Councilmember Humphrey. Karl Davidson presented a
smartphone app he was developing that he felt would provide way-finding with flexibility at a reduced cost. City Manager
Matt Benoit said monument signs had been indefinitely postponed but said he would, if this item was approved tonight,
propose to the Finance Committee that the other $250,000 be moved to General Fund Capital so it would not expire with
the end of the current fiscal year. It was confirmed that this vote was only for the first phase’s $13,600.00. The motion
passed unanimously, 8-0.
b. Presentation, public comment, discussion, and possible action to consider authorizing the City Manager to enter
into an agreement with Klotz Associates for professional engineering services for Town Creek Sanitary Sewer
Replacement Project #12-11-04, Phase II design. \[Y.S. “Ram” Ramachandra, City Engineer\]
Councilmember Montgomery moved to authorize the City Manager to enter into an agreement with Klotz Associates for
professional engineering services for Town Creek Sanitary Sewer Replacement Project #12-11-04, Phase II design and
was seconded by Councilmember Olson. The motion was adopted unanimously, 8-0.
c. Presentation, public comment, discussion, and possible action to consider placing a proposal to adopt a
property tax rate of $0.4136 per $100 valuation for the 2014-2015 Fiscal Year (Tax Year 2014) on the agenda of the
September 16, 2014 Council meeting. \[Steve Ritter\]
Councilmember Olson moved to place a proposal to adopt a property tax rate of $0.4136 per $100 valuation for the 2014-
2015 Fiscal Year (Tax Year 2014) on the agenda of the September 16, 2014 Council meeting and was seconded by
Councilmember Montgomery. The motion was adopted unanimously, 8-0.
6. MAYOR/CITY COUNCIL/CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY REPORT
a. Presentation, public comment, discussion, and possible action to approve nominations for City boards,
committees, and commissions. \[Mayor Woodward\]
The Mayor moved his nominations (below), which were approved unanimously, 8-0.
Huntsville Arts Commission Cemetery Advisory Board
Ann Hodges - reappointment Dr. Gene Barrett, reappointment
Una Grace Nash - reappointment Joe Boaz - reappointment
James Patton – reappointment
D’Anne Crews - reappointment Gaye Clements – appointment to open position
Donna Coffen – appointment to open position
City of Huntsville, Texas Veterans Affairs Advisory
Historic Preservation Commission - initial appts. Board
Lindsey Lauher, Historic Preservation Officer Charlotte Oleinik - reappointment
Cheryl Spencer
Todd Armstrong Parks & Recreation Advisory Board
Linda Patteson Woody Woods - reappointment
Beverly Hansen
Steve Goetz Planning & Zoning Commission
James Patton Woody Woods - reappointment
George Russell – ex-officio
Walker County Public Safety Communications
Huntsville Housing Authority Center Executive Board
Debra Daugette – reappointment Jeff Dugas, HPD – reappointment
Main Street Advisory Board Zoning Board of Adjustment
Ferne Frosch – reappointment Mari Montgomery – reappointment
Cheryl Spencer – reappointment John Cromer, Alternate A – reappointment
Ariel Traub – appointment to open position David Zuniga, Alternate B – reappointment
b. City Manager’s Report
1. Updates on City construction, grants, studies, City projects, City purchases, and economic development.
Mike Goebel, CIP Manager, updated the Council on downtown brick sidewalk projects soon to be bid, noting the work
would be done at night to prevent business interruptions.
7. REQUESTS FOR CITIZEN PARTICIPATION
No requests were submitted by noon on July 22, 2014. The Mayor made allowance for Zach Johnson’s presentation, as he
was not able to arrive earlier. Mr. Johnson announced a food drive on August 25 from 1-5 p.m. at the pool at The Connection
to benefit the Good Shepherd Mission, and asked for the City’s and community’s support.
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 Woodward made the following announcements:
- Congratulations to Deputy City Secretary Kristin Edwards, who received her master’s degree from SHSU on Saturday.
- Many thanks to Deputy City Secretary Kristin Edwards and SHSU graduate Trey Shewell for the summer City activities
video, now available on the City web site. Activities staff from Parks & Leisure, the Wynne Home, and the Library are
featured, and information on programs for the public is highlighted.
- Packet pick up for the Heart Walk continues this week, Wednesday evening at El Chico and Thursday evening at
DoubleDave’s Pizza. Participating restaurants are also donating a portion of proceeds, so plan to stay for dinner!
- The SHSU August 23 football game on ESPN will be the very first game of the entire collegiate season.
Councilmember Humphrey called attention to the genealogical article in the most recent issue of Postcards and the upcoming
show at The Satellite Gallery in conjunction with Scott McCarley’s new play at the Old Town Theatre.
10. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Woodward adjourned the meeting at 6:51 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Lee Woodward, City Secretary