HomeMy WebLinkAbout091100R CC MinCITY COI. NOLREGULAR SESSION
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2000
MUNICIPAL.BUILDING COUNCIL;CHAMBERS
3800 UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD
7:30 P.M.
The..City. Council convened. n Regular Session in the Municipal Building. Council
Chambers on September 11, 2000, *tb the following members present: Mayor Lewis
presiding, Council Members Ballanfant, Bertini, Grubb and May. The City Manager,
City Secretary, City. Attorney, Finance Director, Public Works Director and Utilities
Superintendent were also present.
The notice for this meeting was posted in accordance with the Texas Government Code,
Chapter 551, on the a day: of September 2000 at 6;20 p.m.
Citizen Comments.
Mayor Lewis invited,citizens who wished to address the City Council to come forward as
their names were called.
Pearl Chiu, 6538 Mercer, spoke.to the.City.Council about the ordinance relating to
townhomes. She requested that the ordinance be amended.
Ken Hoffman, 4212 Ruskin, expressed his gratitude and appreciation for the wall that
was constructed on Ruskin Street.
Carolyn Allen, 6204 Kirby, spoke to the City Council about the ordinance relating to
townhomes. She requested that the ordinance be amended in orderto increase the value
of her property.
Rich Langenstein, 6528 Westchester, presented a supplement initiative petition to the
City Secretary. . -
Stacey Harrison, 2712 Carolina Way., encouraged the Council to'. enforce the existing
ordinance relating to. sidewalks.
Steve Brown, 3305 Rice, stated that he agreed with Mrs. Harrison's comments and that
the city should find a better way to pay for sidewalks.
Jerry Parish, 4015 Browning, stated that he also agreed with the last two speakers and he
encouraged the council to make exceptions for senior citizens.
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City Council Regular Session, September 11, 2000
Certification of the Public Safety Officer` Competitive Pay Initiative.
Matters related to the Public Safety Officer Competitive Pay Initiative as certified by the
City Secretary.
City Secretary Kaylynn Holloway reported that on August 15, 2000, a Public Safety
Officer Competitive Pay Initiative was filed -The original petition was examined and the
certificate from-the City Secretary will show the petition'to be insufficient.
The City Council acknowledged receipt of thepetition.
Resolution appointing member to Zoning Board of Adjustment.
Matters related to Resolution No. 2000 -13 appointing Elizabeth Wilder and reappointing
Steve Mazoff to the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
A motion was made by Council Member Ballanfant, seconded by Council Member
Bertini, to approve Resolution No. 2000 -I3 appointing Elizabeth Wilder as Alternate A
and reappointing Steve Mazoffto Position 1 of the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
A vote was taken on the motion with the following result:
Voting Aye:
Voting Nay:
Absent:
Health code-ordinance.
Mayor Lewis, Council Members Ballanfant, Bertini, Grubb
and -May
None
None
Matters related to the second and final reading of Ordinance No. 1652.
Mayor Lewis read the caption of Ordinance No. 1652 as follows:
An ordinance relating to 'health, sanitation` and 'food service; amending the code of
ordinances of the City of West University Place, Texas; providing-for a health authority;
confirming an intergovernmental agreement with Hams County, Texas; and containing
findings and provisions.--relating to the •subject
Copies of Ordinance No. 1652, in the form proposed for adoption, were available in the
Council Chambers.
A motion was made by Council Member Bertini, seconded by Council Member May, to
adopt Ordinance No. 1652 on the second and final reading.
A vote was taken on the motion with the following result:
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City Council Regular Session, September 11, 2000
Voting Aye:: Mayor l�ewis, Council Members Ballanfam, Bertini, Grubb
: :. and May.
Voting Nay: None
Absent: None
Sidewalks and funding program.. .
(a) Matters related to a recommendation on a sidewalk policy and funding program.
(b) Matters related to the issuance of certificates of obligation
(c) Matters related to the first and final reading of Ordinance No: 1653 (An ordinance
calling bond election; making provisions for the conduct of such election; and
declaring an- emergency).
A motion was made by Council Member Ballanfant, seconded by Council Member
Grubb, to adopt Ordinance No. 1653 calling a bond election for the November ballot in
the amount of $5,000,000 for the repair, replacement and construction of sidewalks:
Council. Member: May,commented thatthe, issue of fairness is something -the Council
needed to address and he felt that the Bond Election would not do this. He stated that he
agreed with Mrs. Harrison's statement in that there. are many: alternative ways°to finance
sidewalks. He agreed that the city needed to have•good sidewalks and it needs to be done
in the most expeditious and fairest way possible. He suggested that it should be
presented to_ the votem:with: an alternative:::
- -� Council Member Bertini commented that he wonders why the City has not been. .
compelled to do something sooner about sidewalks based on the current law. He quoted
a section in the State Law that-stated the:sidewalks were part of the street and the duty
rested on the city and not on the abutting:: property_ owners. Council Member Bertini
stated that the City should bring itself into compliance with the law.
Council Member Grubb stated that he agreed with Council Member Bertim's comments
and that sidewalks were a fundamental_ public service that the city- has. The fact that one
person does or does not already have a sidewalk does:not help a senior citizen who is
trying to walk around the city. He stated that since the density in the city has increased,
this council has tried to encourage citizens to walk instead of drive and he felt the voters
should have the option of funding sidewalks.
Council Member Ballanfant commented that the Sidewalk Committee raised the same
questions as Mrs. Harrison and Mr:.Parish.but the longer. they talked, the more they
realized.there.were a multitude of special- exceptions and-cases. The:Committee agreed
that the simplest,•safest and most expeditious way.to:go would be for the city to take
responsibility for the sidewalks.
Mayor Lewis, commented that she was definitely for sidewalks but she believed
sidewalks could be accomplished.withoutmaking them a burden for'anyone. She stated
that until she is convinced that this city has made every effort it can make to enforce its
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City Council Regular Session, September 11, 2000 '
own ordinances and to get people to comply with what. is already on the books as
individual responsibilities, she cannot support the city funding sidewalks throughout the
City-
Council Member Ballanfant pointed out that his motion does not impose any solution, but
merely gives the voters an opportunity to vote.
Mayor. Lewis: called.for a vote on the motion:
A vote was taken on the motion with the following result:
Voting Aye: Council Members Ball"anfant,• Bertini and Grubb
Voting Nay: Mayor Lewis and Council Member May
Absent: None'
The motion passed.: p
Final report from Charter Review Committee and Ordinance calling election.
Matters related to the final report from, the Charter 'Review Co and the first and
final reading of Ordinance No. 1654:..
An ordinance ordering an election within the City of West University Place; Texas for the
purpose of submitting proposed charter amendments to the qualified voters of the city;
making - provisions for the eonduct of such election; and declaring'an emergency.
A motion was made by Council Member.May; seconded by Council Member Grubb, to
table the: consideration.of Ordinance No. 1654.
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 calling election on competitive pay initiative.
Matters related to,•the. first and final reading of Ordinance No. i655
(a) An ordinance ordering an election with the City of West - University Place, Texas
for the purpose of submitting an initiated ordinance to the qualified voters of the
City; making provisions for the conduct of such election; and declaring an
emergency.
(b) An ordinance ordering an election with the City of West University Place, Texas
for.tlie purpose of submitting: both an initiated ordinance and an alternative
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City Council Regular Session, September 11, 2000
ordinance, to the qualified voters of the. City; making provisions for the: conduct of
such. election; and declaring.an emergency.
A motion was made by. Council Membex Grubb, seconded by Council Member
Ballanfant, to table consideration of Ordinance No. 1655.
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
Waiver of Penalties and interest on dglinquad tgg,
Matters related to a request'to waive penalties and interest on delinquent taxes due from
Stuart and Shelly Solomon.
Finance Director Walter Thomas reported that Section 33.011 of the Property Tax Code
requires the City Council to waive .penalties and allows for.the waiver of interest on a
delinquent tax if either the City or the Appraisal I.. Wet caused the taxpayer to fail to pay
the tax before it became delinquent. In this case, HCAD did not process the taxpayer's
change of address in time to allow payment of the bill before delinquency. The tax bill
—J was paid as soon as the taxpayer became aware of an amount due.
A motion was made by Council Member. Bertini, seconded by Council Member May, to
approve the waiver of penalties amounting to $374.76 and interest totaling $219.61 on
Stuart and Shelley Solomon's 1999 property taxes.
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
Bid award for storm sewer reuairs.
Matters related to bids received August 23, 2000 for storm sewer repairs in Priority Area
4A.
Public Works Director Ed Menville reported that this project is intended to repair an
existing 24" storm sewer pipe in Rice Boulevard between Academy Street and West
Point Street. The storm sewer line was found to be in a deteriorated condition as
evidenced by longitudinal cracking. The last fifty feet ' oft he pipe nearest. Academy Street
was constructed in such away as to create a reverse siphon over a Southwestern Bell
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City Council Regular Session, September 11, 2000
Telephone duct system. The-projectconsists of 699 feet-of cured-in-place trenchless
construction and 50 feet of pipe near Academy Street, which is to be repaired using open
cut construction. Restoration of the concrete surface in the open cut section will be
carried out using standards recently approved by council. for work on newly constructed
roadways.
The following bids were received:
Bidder Bid Amount
Bearden Contracting Company $ 97,992.00
Garver Construction, Ltd. $ 85,877.00
Gibbons SW Construction Co. $102,132.00
A motion was made by Council Member May, seconded by Council Member Bertmi, to
approve the award of a contract to Garver Construction, Ltd. based. on their bid of
$85,877.00. . .
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
Bid award for water storage tanks rehabilitation.
Matters related to bids received September 6, 2000 for the rehabilitation and coating of
two water storage tanks.
Mr. Menville reported that the tanks, a 0.4 million gallon ground storage tank at Milton
and College and the 0.5 ing elevated storage tank at Wakeforest and Westpark, will be
cleaned and sandblasted as necessary. The tanks will be painted the.same light blue as the
1.5 mg tank on Milton Street.
The 0.4 mg tank at College is 43 years old and in good condition. The exterior surface
will be cleaned and topcoated. The interior coating will be removed and replaced. The
piping from the tank to the suction header for the booster pumps will be modified.
The 0.5 mg elevated tank at Wakeforest is nine years old and in good condition. The
exterior surface will be cleaned and top - coated. The interior coating_ will be removed and
replaced.
This project was included in the 2000 Capital Improvement Plan budget and $190,000
was appropriated for this activity.
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City Council Regular Session, September 11, 2000
Bids were advertised and opened on this project on September 6, 2000. Eight _bids on this
project were received. The base bids ranged from $129,400.00 with alternates totaling
$9,000.00 to $177,724,80 with alternates totaling $10,280.00. The low bidder was Blue
Ribbon Lining & Painting of Houston,. Texas. This. bidder has considerable experience in
the rehabilitation and maintenance of steel water storage tanks.
A motion was made by Council Member Grubb, seconded by Council Member May, to
award the contract for the Water Storage Tank Rehabilitation Project to Blue Ribbon
Lining & Painting of Houston, Texas in the amount of $129,400.00 plus contingency
funds, the total not to exceed $145,000.00.
A vote was taken on the motion with the following result:
Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members Ballaufant, Bertini, Grubb
and May
Voting Nay: None
Absent: None
Staff Report.
City Manager Sherman Yehl reported that three additional dispatchers were hired and
internal interviews are being conducted for the promotion of officers. He also reported
that the plans and specifications for the dispatch center were almost complete.
—� Council comments.
Council May commented that the testing for new police officers went from about three
candidates last time to thirty or more this time and this is attributed to the pay increase
approved a few months ago.
Council Member Bertini commented that the Recycling and Solid Waste Reduction
Board would be meeting on Tuesday, September 12 in the Public Works Lunchroom at
6:30 p.m.
Council Member Ballanfant inquired about the number of people who applied for the
police officers position this time.
The City Manager reported that there were approximately 60 applicants of which about
35 met the minimum requirements. Out of those 35, testing was administered to around
19 to 25.
Mayor Lewis commented that the Zoning & Planning Commission would be meeting on
Thursday, September 141h at 6:45 p.m.
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City Council Regular Session, September 11, 2000
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• Adjournment.
With no further business to come before the City Council of this time, a motion was made
by Council Member Bertini, seconded by Council Member Ballanfant, to adjourn. The
Regular Session adjoumed at 8:15 p.m.
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