The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About102599R CC MinCITY COUNCIL REGULAR SESSION MONDAY, OCTOBER 25,1999 MUNICIPAL BUILDING COUNCIL CHAMBERS 3800 UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD 7:30 P.M. The City Council convened in Regular Session in the Municipal Building Council Chambers on October 25, 1999, with the following members present: Mayor Lewis presiding, Council Members Ballanfant, Bertini, Grubb and May. The City Manager, City Secretary, City Attorney, Fire Chief and Utilities Superintendent were also present. The notice for this meeting was posted in accordance with the Texas Government Code, Chapter 551, on the 22 d day of October 1999 at 3:00 p.m. Mayor Lewis invited citizens who wished to address the City Council to come forward as their names were called. Arthur L. Hirdler, 6416 Community, presented a letter dated October 25 regarding the storm water drainage along the railroad tracks. Clint Faulkner, 5820 Annapolis, commented that he thought the City should sell one of the police cars instead of purchasing an additional one because there was always police cars parked at the station and not being used. ORDINANCE APPROVING 2000 BUDGET: Matters relating to the first and final reading of Ordinance No. 1628 Mayor Lewis read the caption of Ordinance No. 1628 as follows: AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AND ADOPTING A BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2000 AND ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2000; APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR SUCH BUDGET; CONTAINING FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE SUBJECT; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY Copies of Ordinance No. 1628, in the form proposed for adoption, were available in the Council Chambers. City Manager Sherman Yehl reported that the City Staff has submitted to the City Council recommended expenditures for fiscal year 2000. Based on the discussions in the Special Session, the Staff is recommending that the general fund budget expenditures be set at $7,944,080. The budget would require a tax rate of $.41 per $100 of assessed valuations. In addition, it is anticipated that there will be approximately a 10% increase City Council Regular Session , October 25, 1999 • in water and sewer rates to address the requirement of the revenue bonds needed to ensure the City's water and sewer infrastructure improvements are completed and paid for. There will also be an increase in solid waste fees of approximately $.50 per month. This is the first increase in solid waste fees in six years. The budget calls for the funding of three additional police officers, and also attempts to reach the goal of achieving an ISO insurance rating of 2 which would lower fire insurance premiums by approximately 13 '/z However, the reduction in insurance premiums would probably not be realized until the year 2002. Expenditures in the Fire and Police budget would be reduced by $50,000 each. A motion was made by Council Member May, seconded by Council Member Ballanfant, to adopt Ordinance No. 1628 on the first and final reading as amended. Council Member Grubb clarified that the budget includes money for the addition of three new police officers, improvements to the dispatch center, the sum of $160,000 for some kind of city center improvement, and also $25,000 for a festival with the City of Southside Place. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members Ballanfant, Bertini, Grubb and May Voting Nay: None Absent: None ORDINANCE LEVYING AND ASSESSING AD VALOREM TAXES FOR TAX YEAR 1999: Matters related to the first and final reading of Ordinance No. 1629. Mayor Lewis read the caption of Ordinance No. 1629 as follows: AN ORDINANCE LEVYING AND ASSESSING AD VALOREM TAXES FOR TAX YEAR 1999; CONFIRMING AND GRANTING EXEMPTIONS; CONTAINING FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE SUBJECT; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY Copies of Ordinance No. 1629, in the form proposed for adoption, were available in the Council Chambers. Mr. Yehl stated that based on the previous action of adopting a budget, the City needs a mechanism to pay for part of the expenditures. Approximately 46% of the expenditures in the general fund budget and almost 95% of the debt service budget is paid for by ad valorem taxes. Ordinance No. 1629 would set the tax rate at $.41 per $100 valuation. The revenue generated by $0.20 of this rate funds City operations and the revenue City Council Regular Set, October 25, 1999 0 generated by the remaining $0.21 would be dedicated to meet the City's debt service requirements. A motion was made by Council Member Bertini, seconded by Council Member May, to adopt Ordinance No. 1629 on the first and final reading as amended. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members Ballanfant, Bertini, Grubb and May Voting Nay: None Absent: None RESOLUTION APPOINTING MEMBER TO PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD: Matters related to Resolution No. 99-30 appointing a member to the Parks and Recreation Board. A motion was made by Council Member Ballanfant, seconded by Council Member Grubb, to approve Resolution No. 99-30 appointing Renelle Cadena to the Parks and Recreation Board. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members Ballanfant, Bertini, Grubb and May Voting Nay: None Absent: None RESOLUTION APPOINTING MEMBER TO NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY BOARD: Matters related to Resolution No. 99-31 appointing a member to the Neighborhood Safety Board. A motion was made by Council Member Grubb, seconded by Council Member May, to approve Resolution No. 99-31 appointing Mary Grace Greenwood to the Neighborhood Safety Board. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members Ballanfant, Bertini, Grubb and May Voting Nay: None Absent: None City Council Regular Sess'on, October 25, 1999 0 BID AWARD FOR STORM SEWER CLEANING: Matters related to bids received October 20, 1999 for the storm sewer cleaning project and authorization to award the bid to Eco Resources, Inc. in the amount of $22,813.12 The following bids were received: Bidder Bid Amount Chief Environmental $43,290.00 ECO Resources, Inc. $22,813.12 AAA Flexible Pipe Cleaning $27,195.00 Shumaker-Harvey Equipment Co. $45,497.00 Utilities Superintendent Patrick Walters reported that, as a portion of the engineering for the priority areas, the storm sewers that are not scheduled to be replaced are cleaned and video taped to insure they are intact and not in need of repair. ECO submitted the low bid and has previously performed work for the City and their services have been excellent. A motion was made by Council Member Bertini, seconded by Council Member May, to award a contract to Eco Resources, Inc. in the amount of $22,813.12 for the storm sewer cleaning project. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Ave: Mayor Lewis, Council Members Ballanfant, Bertini, Grubb and May Voting Nay: None Absent: None CITY COUNCIL MINUTES: Matters related to the minutes of the Workshop and Regular Sessions conducted on October 11, 1999 and Town Meeting conducted on October 18, 1999. A motion was made by Council Member May, seconded by Council Member Bertini, to approve the minutes as presented. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members Ballanfant, Bertini, Grubb and May Voting Nay: None Absent: None 4 City Council Regular Seso October 25, 1999 0 COUNCIL COMMENTS: Council Member Grubb thanked the Boy Scouts for attending the meeting and for leading the pledge of allegiance. Council Member Bertini recognized Victor and Mary Stanek who are proprietors in the JMH Supermarket and are celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary. Council Member Bertini stated that Mr. and Mrs. Stanek are fine members of the community and should be recognized as such. Mayor Lewis congratulated the City Council for having been conscientious in their deliberations in approving the 2000 budget and for allowing the city to move forward in a satisfactory way without increasing the tax rate. ADJOURNMENT: With no further business to come before the City Council at this time, a motion was made by Council Member Grubb, seconded by Council Member Bertini, to adjourn. The Regular Session adjourned at 7:54 p.m.