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Home My WebLink About042612S CC Min0 The City of West University Place A Neighborhood City CITY COUNCIL STAFF Bob Fry, Mayor Michael Ross, City Moral Soren Sample, Mayor HO Tom Alan Pehoq Ciry Avomey FA Heal C11tatmemer Thelma Lev, City seco ary ma JOhnmry C"mmlmemlerr, Dick Yehle, C,,mclmemb4 CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MINUTES The City Council of the City of West University Place, Texas, held a special meeting on Thursday, April 26, 2012 M BAO p.m., in the City Hall Conference Room, 3000 University Boulevard, City of West University Place. Call to Order. Mayor Fry called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Council and staff In attendance were: Councilmembers Heathcoft, Johnson, and Yehle, CM Manager Ross, Assistant City Manager /Public Works Director Peter, City Secretary Lenz, Police Chief Walker, Assistant Public Works Director Beach, and Executive Assistant Moody. Mayor Pro Tom Sample was absent. The special meeting was called to discuss the following: 1. Community Survey Matters related a community survey. City Manager Ross presented and informed Council that he and Executive Assistant Moody held a conference call with Dr. Murray earlier in Me day to revew comments and suggestions received from Combat since review of the first drag He said the poll changes to Me revised draft were the removal of Me Colonial Park and Recreation Center questions, as well as questions relating to leaf blowers. Mr. Ross said that Dr. Murray has reviewed the changes M the draft and is comfortable with the changes and the timefreme, which is approximately 10 minutes after removing the Colonial Park and Recreation Center questions. Councilmember Heathcoft said he participates in phone surveys from time to time and 10 minutes is his threshold. Mr. Ross saitl if Council wants to incorporate more survey questions, Dr. Murray suggests they be open -ended questions to minimize response time. Councilmember Yehle tested he feels the survey can be shortened because he thinks there are questions included Mat aren't relevant. Councilmember Yehle said two things that came to mind when he evaluated the questions were (1) the answer needs to lead to something he could do something with and (2) it has to be In a good enough context co Mat the person can understand the question. Mayor Fry said if what stag really wants out of to survey are answers to the garbage issues, then that's what staff should focus on and conduct a more comprehensive Study later. Cfly Council Workshop Minume. April 26, 2012 Councilmember Habitual agreed with Mayor Fry. In response to Mayor Frys question as to whether this survey was basically to get answers regarding trash, Mr. Ross stated that trash was the focal topic of the survey, but thought it would be an opportunity for Council to include other topics Kit found it necessary to do so. Councilmember Johnson stated that her concern is that the Caller I.D. would identify the survey caller as fie Hobby Center for Public Policy and she would prefer it shows that the Guy of West U is calling. She also stated that if or when a caller does pick up, lire first thing they here is 'I'm calling from the Hobby Center for Public Policy at the University of Houston on behalf of the City of West University.- She said by the time you get to 'West University' the caller might hang up, so she West U needs W be identified in the earlier in to opening statement. Councilmember Johnson said she is also concerned Mat there is currently a huge amount of public policy calls regarding the election, so she thinks it is very important that to person picks up the phone because they know it is West U calling. Mr. Ross saitl he will see if mo Caller I.D. could show 'City of West University Place" and start the opening statement with "I'm calling on behalf of the City of West University Place from the Hobby Center for Public Policy. - Councilmember Johnson sad she thinks it is very important to stress that the rating scale is "1' being very disco isiietl and "5 being very satisfieQ so people don't think the opposite. Mr. Ross then reviewed each survey question with discussion on the following questions: • Question 6: How often do you set hash out on your amoral pickup day of 17himdey or FHday? Mayor Fry asked if it could be rewarded. Assistant Public Works (AM) Director Beach said yes, it could be reworded to read 'Him often do you use your second pickup day or something similar. • Question ?: Approximately how many bags of trash (excluding Yard wastel dome yourhousehokf put out fnrpickup each week? Councilmember Yehle asked the relevance of this question because one person might have seven small bags to another person's one big bag, so it doesn't seem to give any needed information. AM Director Beach said he will contact the consultant for an answer /opinion. • Question if: Are you aware West University Place operales a drop-off recycling center? Councilmember Yehle asked If there was a reason why RecyclExpress wasn't named. AM Director Beach said because not many people know the center by name. Councilmember Yehle said to be sure the person asking the survey questions know the name in case someone poses the question you mean RecyclExpress ?" • Question 13: Across the mural many cities are moving toward cart-based trash and recycling rates and to promote operational efficiency... 2 of City Council W«ksbap Minute%APS 25, 2012 Councilmember Johnson stated that to her'YaW mean dollars and so it was suggested, and agreed by Council and staff, to use the word 'Volumes' instead oPYateS'. • Question 14: On a scale of One to Five, where One means "Very opposed" antl Five steel '" supportive, "How supportive would you be of a cart -based program? Councilmember Yehle asked if five answers were necessary. After a brief discussion, Mayor Fry asked staff to keep the range as recommended by the consuhane. • Side note. Councilmember HeathCOtt Stated that the way the questions are will it is assumed that the responder has a certain amount of Education or information about the issue and is able to analyze the question. He said h the responder doesn't have any knowledge of the issue, they would probably give negative responses and so suggested that there be some kind of qualifier. Councilmember Johnson noted that there is a 'not sure' category, So if they don't understand it, they don't have to leave a negative response they can Say 'not sure''. Everyone seemed satisfied with that notation. • Questions 19 and 20: Related to parkland acquisition. After a bnei discussion, it was agreed to remove these have questions and include them in a later survey, maybe mid- November. • Question 11 Ravished. Councilmember Ye le referred back to Question 11 and said the implicit assumption is that the people that are answering the survey are pertla is regular or semi - regular users of the recycling center, so asked if there is a reason to find out about the Irregular users? AM Director Beach responded that Question 12 asks 'him often do you use if and if it's once a month, staff will know it's a non - regular user. Councilmember Yehle responded, but on a service basis, that once a month could be very important to that individual. There were no more comments regarding the survey questions. Councilmember Johnson suggested the survey end with an open -ended question and APW Director Beach suggested adding 'is there anything you would like us to know about solid waste and recycling services in West U" before the demographic survey questions. All agreed. Adiournmem At 6:40 p.m., Councilmember Johnson moved M close the workshop. Councilmember Heatbcoh seconded the motion. MOTION PASSED. Ayes: Fry, Heathcoh, Johnson, Yehle et WFdz sat, Nova: None 4a Rp eM: Sample R i nan alma A. Lenz, Secretary Date Approved 3oi3