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Home My WebLink About121498R CC Min CITY COUNCIL REGULAR SESSION MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1998 COMMUNITY BUILDING 6104 AUDEN 7:30 P.M. The City Council convened in Regular Session in the Community Building (6104 Auden) on December 14, 1998, with the following members present: Mayor Fogler presiding, Council Members Davis, Neal, Sparkman and Starich. The City Manager, City Secretary, City Attorney, Police Chief, Public Works Director and Finance Director were also present. Council Member Neal led the Pledge of Allegiance. CITIZEN COMMENTS: Mayor Fogler invited citizens who wished to address the City Council to come forward as their names were called. Art Hirdler, 6416 Community, stated that he opposed the planting of vegetation and installing stepping stones at the sanitary sewer lift station adjacent to his property. Carolyn Rappazzo, 2907 Bissonnet, complained about the Tree Ordinance, yard mowing on Sundays and the times for placement of garbage. RESOLUTION RELATING TO STATE PARKING LAWS: Consideration will be given to Resolution No. 98-20 relating to State parking laws. The City Council requested that a statement be added to the Resolution relating to the support of enforcing parking laws by the citizens attending the Town Meetings. A motion was made by Council Member Starich, seconded by Council Member Neal, to table consideration of Resolution No. 98-20. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: V oting Aye: Mayor Fogler, Council Members Davis, Neal, Sparkman and Starich None None Voting Nay: Absent: ORDINANCE AMENDING 1998 BUDGET: Consideration was given to the fIrst reading of Ordinance No. 1610. Mayor Fogler read the caption of Ordinance No. 1610 as follows: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE BUDGET OF THE CITY OF WEST UNIVERSITY PLACE, TEXAS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 1998; AND CONTAINING FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE SUBJECT Copies of Ordinance No. 1610, in the form proposed for adoption, were available in the Community Building. Ordinance 1610 will increase appropriations as follows: 1998 Original Budget $ 6,893,250 3,126,150 2,945,880 2,252,500 6,706,660 Fund Total Amendments $ 135,000 172,800 610,740 335,000 1,050,000 1998 Amended Budget General Fund Debt Service Fund Water and Sewer Utility Fund Capital Project Fund Infrastructure Replacment Fund .' 3,298,950 3,556,620 2,587,500 7,756,660 Finance Director Walter Thomas reported that the need to amend the 1998 budget has been caused by either an underestimate of the original cost or a change in the timing or cost of a capital project. The $135,000 amendment to the General Fund provides $50,000 to administration to cover salary costs that were higher than anticipated and $85,000 to Public Works to pay for costs created hy a banner year in building. The amendment to the Debt Service Fund is to provide funding for additional debt service resulting from a Tax Contract Note to American Bank approved in December 1997. The Note provided short-term financing for the purchase of computer systems. These additional costs will be funded by available reserves and added revenue. Last summer's drought impacted expenditures in the City's Water and Sewer Fund, principally by increasing the amount of surface water purchased from the City of Houston. The Drought also increased revenues, which will be used to finance the additional, unexpected costs. The City adopts an annual budget, while the life of a capital project often spans more than one year. So capital projects have two budgets, one annual and one for the entire project. Problems arise when capital project expenditures are allocated between fiscal years. If projects do not progress at the pace budgeted, then it becomes necessary to amend the budget of the next year in order to "move" the funds from one budget year to the next. In addition to the problems with timing, capital projects are difficult to budget because the estimates used in budgeting are not based on bids and the actual cost of the project can vary from the estimate. 2 l-=:r::::::I. ~. ------~---I"T~m:l'JJ'rrmrrr'll. Funding for changes in the capitalproj ect budget will come from reserves and cost underruns on other projects. A motion was made by Council Member Sparkman, seconded by Council Member Starich, to approve Ordinance No. 1610 on the first reading. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Fogler, Council Members Davis, Neal, Sparkman and Starich None None Voting Nay: Absent: ORDINANCE CALLING JOINT PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration was given to the first and final reading of Ordinance No. 1612. Mayor Fogler read the caption of Ordinance No. 1612 as follows: AN ORDINANCE CALLING A JOINT PUBLIC HEARING ON REVISED PROPOSALS TO AMEND THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF WEST UNIVERSITY PLACE, TEXAS RELATING TO TOWNHOUSES AND HIGHER . DENSITY RESIDENTIAL USES, WITH COMPANION AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER20 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES; PRESCRIBING PROCEDURES AND NOTICES; CONTAINING FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE SUBJECT; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. Copies of Ordinance No. 1612, in the form proposed for adoption, were available in the Community Building. City Attorney Jim Dougherty read and discussed the preliminary report submitted by the Zoning and Planning Commission in detail. 3 r.-M<:-", ~r;"1 i .1,11':",' ----'---------!I~li11mml1mJ1mr1.I("--- Members of the Zoning and Planning Commission present at the meeting were Chairman Ned Ross, Charles Nelson and Byrlan Cass-Shively. A motion was made by Council Member Starich, seconded by Council Member Davis, to approve the fIrst and final reading of Ordinance No. 1612. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Voting Nay: Absent: Mayor Fogler, Council Members Davis, Neal, Sparkman and Starich None None APPOINTMENT OF ASSISTANT CITY SECRETARY: Consideration was given to the appointment of Alisa Talley as an Assistant City Secretary . A motion was made by Council Member Sparkman, seconded by Council Member Neal, to appoint Alisa Talley as an Assistant City Secretary. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Nay: Absent: Mayor Fogler, Council Members Davis, Neal, Sparkman and Starich None None Voting Aye: BID AWARD FOR PRE-TREATMENT OF TREES: Consideration was given to bids received December 2, 1998 and a contract award to Texas Tree Company in the amount of $6,390. for the pre-treatment of trees in Priority Area 6B. The following bids were received: Bidder Bid Amount Davey Tree Company Trees, Inc. Texas Tree Company $13,530 $11,600 $ 6,390 4 I, ,.1" TlT1!ln r:--tf~ l~TTJ ; .,;.r., - ------rl=1<!llIrrmrl'ffff'I1mfl:'1r'o- Public Works Director Ed Menville reported that the pre-treatment of trees is a process which precedes construction and is designed to protect trees which might be most impacted by the work of the general contractor and, to insure that these same trees have the greatest chance for survival. The work generally includes trimming the umbrella of the tree, root feeding, in some cases tree removal, and treatment for insects. Neslihan Bilir Tesno, Urban Forester, has reviewed all bids and is satisfied that Texas Tree Company meets all recommended performance requirements for this activity. The cost of doing pre-treatment of trees in this priority area is $6,390.00. Funding has been budgeted under the Infrastructure Improvement Program and will be paid for from bond proceeds. A motion was made by Council Member Starich, seconded by Council Member Sparkman, to award a contract to Texas Tree Company for the pre-treatment of trees in Priority Area 6B based on their bid of $6,390.00. A vote waS' taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Fogler, Council Members Davis, Neal, Sparkman and Starich None None Voting Nay: Absent: RENOVATION OF ANIMAL CONTROL SHELTER: Consideration was given to the renovation of the animal control shelter located at 2801 N. Bra.eswood and a contract award to Leaverton Construction in the amount of $12,497.10. Police Chief Gary Brye reported that the city budgeted $10,000 to complete the remodeling/improvements to the shelter. The exterior wood is rotting, the cage panels are breaking away and there is no work area available when having to treat an animal. In March 1998 a single sealed bid was received in the amount of $13,000 for remodeling. At that time staff recommended the bid be declined. George Krug from the Public Works Department checked with contractors in the area trying to identify other interested bidders. Most of those contacted were. not interested in fulfilling the requirements of this relatively small job. In October a state inspection was conducted and several deficiencies were noted in our facility. Mr. Leaverton, who just completed the work on Colonial Park, recently met with Rosemarie Valdes and the Police Chief to discuss the job requirements. Mr. Leaverton 5 provided a written bid in the amount of $12,497.10. This amount will cover the remodeling and improvements as identified by the department and state inspection. The additional funding to cover the overrun is available from the existing budget. A motion was made by CoUncil Member Sparkman, seconded by Council Member Neal, to accept the bid from Leaverton Construction for the renovation of the animal control shelter in the amount of $12,497.10. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Fogler, Council Members Davis, Neal, Sparkman and Starich None None Voting Nay: Absent: CITY COUNCIL MINUTES: Consideration was given to the minutes of the Workshop and Regular Session conducted on November 9, 1998. A motion was made by Council Member Starich, seconded by Council Member Neal, to approve the minutes as presented. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Voting Nay: Absent: Mayor Fogler, Council Members Davis, Neal, Sparkman and Starich None None ADJOURNMENT: With no further business to come before the City Council at this time, a motion was made by Council Member Starich, seconded by Council Member Neal, to adjourn. The Regular Session adjourned at 9: 12 p.m. 6 ~~""::..".."_'-:;"'W-'."0<-;-:-:-'_~,----,--,~~:.c 11 '"H ,1.J.liln ~rr~~i --r......~'1j:;] icL[[,- . ----!'--f""'!llIIJjrnTIlll'lmfrw-:'-------------o-c------,---------