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Home My WebLink About080921 CC MinThe City of West University Place A Neighborhood City CITY COUNCIL STAFF Susan Sample, Mayor David J. Beach, City Manager John Montgomery, Mayor Pro Tem Scott Bounds, Olson and Olson, City Attorney John P. Barnes, Councilmember Thelma Gilliam, City Secretary Melanie Bell, Councilmember Shannon Carroll, Councilmember CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES The City Council of the City of West University Place, Texas, met in a workshop and regular meeting on Monday, August 9, at 6:00 p.m., in the Municipal Building at 3800 University Boulevard, for the purpose of considering the agenda of items listed. The meeting was held in person, but the public was also able attend via Zoom. Agenda of as follows: Workshop (6:00 p.m.) 1. Call to Order/Roll Call Mayor Sample called the workshop to order at 6:00 p.m. Mayor Pro Tem Montgomery and Councilmembers Barnes, Bell, and Carroll were present. Staff present were City Manager Beach, City Secretary Gilliam, City Attorney Bounds, Public Works Director Barrera, and Police Chief Walker. Mike Shelton, AICP, PLA, Michael Moriarty, P.E., and Hannah Rietveld, Civil Analyst, with Kimley-Horn and Associates were also present. 2. Wastewater Treatment Plant Plan Matters related to updates for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Master Plan Project. Recommended Action: Discuss and provide feedback. Mr. Gerardo Barrera, Public Works Director Public Works Director Barrera introduced Mike Shelton with Kimley-Horn who presented the Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) for the Wastewater Treatment Plant improvements Mr. Shelton provided and discussed the following agenda: • Preliminary Engineering Report o November 2020 WWTP Master Plan completed  Existing WWTP Process Documentation  WWTP Process Evaluation  WWTP Operation Evaluation  Capital Improvement Plan – Identifying projects to get the plant into compliance o Current phase: PER  Defines equipment for the recommended upgrades  Updates cost estimates  Preliminary Permitting Coordination (Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD), City of Houston, etc.) City Council Meeting Minutes, August 9, 2021 2 of 5 • WWTP Location o Located outside the West U City limits, within the HCFCD and City of Houston jurisdictions. • Why upgrade the WWTP? o Age and Condition  Built in 1982  Some equipment condition at end of expected service life  Minor structural concrete repairs needed o Flood Plain/Flood Resiliency  Water levels came within inches of flooding the Motor Control Center during Hurricane Harvey in 2017  IDS study recommends raising existing equipment above 53.85-feet level o Safety Improvements  Coarse vs Fine Bubble: Operators are exposed to wastewater due to splashing  Gas vs Liquid Chlorine: Pressurized gas chlorine is a potential airborne hazard o Operation & Maintenance Cost Savings  Screw Pumps run 24/7  Submersible pumps would only run when wet well level is high enough  Basins are filling up with grit  Reducing capacity of aeration o Improve current and future Regulatory Compliance • What upgrades are recommended (prioritized) o Priority Electrical Improvements o Process / Fine Diffusers / Blowers o Electrical Improvements o Disinfection Improvements o Submersible Lift Station o Mechanical Step Screen o Grit Removal System o O&M Manual o Lab Admin Building o Site Work o Structural Evaluation o Convert Thickener to Digester o Plant Security Cameras o Make non-potable Water System more reliable o Admin building location options (East or West)  East option constructability issues • Flood plain requirements: raise to 53.85 elevation, requires piers • Electrical conduit: need to maintain operations during construction • Electrical conduit: conflict with piers • Property Line: 3.2-feet and 1.8-feet to existing building Councilmember Barnes asked if one location has more functionality over the other. Mr. Shelton responded that the west location would make more sense and that the overall costs can stay mostly within the amount shown in the Master Plan. City Council Meeting Minutes, August 9, 2021 3 of 5 • Next Steps o Decision on West vs. East options for Administration Building o Decision on reuse of existing conduit o Finalize Equipment Selection o Continue development of Opinions of Probable Construction Cost o Proceed with 30% Design o Begin funding analysis 3. Adjourn At 6:31 p.m., Mayor Sample adjourned the workshop. Audio of this workshop in its entirety is temporarily on the City’s website. If the audio is no longer on the website, contact the City Secretary’s office for a copy. REGULAR MEETING (6:30 p.m.) 4. Call to Order/Roll Call Mayor Sample called the regular meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. Mayor Pro Tem Montgomery and Councilmembers Barnes, Bell, and Carroll were present. Staff present were City Manager Beach, City Secretary Gilliam, City Attorney Bounds, Finance Director DuBose, Public Works Director Barrera, and Police Chief Walker 5. Pledge of Allegiance Councilmember Bell led the Pledge. 6. Public Comments This is an opportunity for citizens to speak to the Council relating to agenda and non-agenda items. Speakers are required to register in advance and must limit their presentations to three minutes each. David Cole, 4104 Cason, spoke regarding the budget. He asked that Council consider switching from “combination” inspectors to “dedicated” building inspectors so there could be inspections for specialized areas such as plumbing and electric. Mr. Cole said, though it increases budget costs, he feels it will better serve the City and citizens. 7. Budget and Tax Rate Hearings Matters related to setting dates for the budget and tax rate hearings. Recommended Action: Set hearing dates. Ms. Katherine DuBose, Finance Director After a brief explanation from Finance Director DuBose that these requested budget and tax rate hearings are in accordance with the Local Government Code and the Texas Code, respectively, Councilmember Barnes moved to approve setting the Budget and Tax Rate hearings for Monday, September 20, 2021 at 6:30 p.m., at a special meeting. Councilmember Bell seconded the motion. MOTION PASSED. Ayes: Sample, Montgomery, Barnes, Bell, Carroll Noes: None Absent: None City Council Meeting Minutes, August 9, 2021 4 of 5 8. Receipt of 2021 Certified Estimated Taxable Value, Collection Rate, and Tax Rate Calculations Matters related to receipt of 2021 Certified Estimated Taxable Value, Collection Rate, and Tax Rate Calculations. Recommended Action: Review and accept. Ms. Katherine DuBose, Finance Director Finance Director DuBose presented and stated that the City received the appraisal district’s final version of the certified estimate last week. She said the Certified Estimated Taxable Value is used to complete the Tax Rate Calculation Worksheet. When the certified appraisal roll is received, the Tax Rate Calculation Worksheet will be updated and submitted to Council. Ms. DuBose explained No-New-Revenue and Voter Approval tax rates. She said, basically, the No- New-Revenue tax rate provides a taxing unit with approximately the same amount of revenue it had the year before if applied to the same properties taxed in both years. She said the Voter Approval tax rate is the rate necessary to raise 3.5 percent more maintenance and operations tax revenue as the year before after taking into account appraisal fluctuations plus the debt service component of the tax rate. Ms. DuBose said if all goes according to plan with the appraisal district, staff will bring back to Council the calculations with the appraisal roll amount and staff will recommend that Council record a vote on the highest amount that can potentially be adopted, but Council could vote on a tax rate that is lower. After a few more questions from Council and answers from staff, Mayor Pro Tem Montgomery moved to approve a resolution taking the following actions: (1) review and accept 2021 Certified Estimated Taxable Value, (2) review and accept the 2021 Certification of Estimated Collection Rate from Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector, and (3) review and accept the 2021 Tax Rate Calculation Worksheet as calculated by the Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector based on the Certified Estimated Taxable Value. Councilmember Barnes seconded the motion. MOTION PASSED. Ayes: Sample, Montgomery, Barnes, Bell, Carroll Noes: None Absent: None 9. Consent Agenda All Consent Agenda items listed are considered to be routine by the City Council and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a Council member requests in which event the item will be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered in its normal sequence on the agenda. A. City Council Meeting Minutes Approve City Council Minutes of Jul6 26, 2021. Recommended Action: Approve City Council Minutes of July 26, 2021. Ms. Thelma Gilliam, City Secretary B. Pavement Condition Assessment Matters related to the awarding contract for pavement condition assessment. Recommended Action: Award the contract to Terracon Engineering Group for the pavement condition assessment in an amount “not to exceed” $74,000, and authorize the City Manager to execute the contract. Mr. Gerardo Barrera, Public Works Director Councilmember Barnes moved to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. Councilmember Bell seconded the motion. MOTION PASSED. Ayes: Sample, Montgomery, Barnes, Bell, Carroll Noes: None Absent: None City Council Meeting Minutes, August 9, 2021 5 of 5 10. Adjourn Meeting With no other business before the Council, Councilmember Bell moved to adjourn the regular meeting at approximately 6:55 p.m. Councilmember Carroll seconded the motion. MOTION PASSED. Audio of the meeting in its entirety is temporarily on the City’s website. If the audio is no longer on the website, you can obtain a copy from the City Secretary’s office. Prepared by: Thelma A. Gilliam, TRMC, City Secretary Council Approved: August 23, 2021