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HomeMy WebLinkAbout072406R CC Min CITY COUNCIL REGULAR AND SPECIAL SESSION MONDAY, JULY 24, 2006 MUNICIPAL BUILDING 3800 UNIVERSITY BLVD. 5:30 P.M. The City Council convened in Regular and Special Session in the Municipal Building (3800 University Blvd.) on July 24, 2006, with the following members present: Mayor Ballanfant presiding, Council Members Cohen, Segal, Woods and Yehle. The City Manager, City Secretary, City Attorney, Assistant City Manager/Public Works Director, Finance Director, Parks and Recreation Director, Fire Chief, Police Chief, and Assistant to the City Manager were also present. The notice for this meeting was posted in accordance with the Texas Government Code, Chapter 551, on the 20th day of July 2006 at 4:50 p.m. Special Session Boards and Commissions. Matters related to the Boards and Commissions including an interview with a volunteer that would like to serve on the Senior Services Board. The City Council interviewed Craft Hughes for a position on the Senior Services Board. Conceptual Design of the West U Recreation Center & Colonial Park. Matters related to the conceptual design of the West U Recreation Center & Colonial Park Pool. Jeff Gerber from PGAL and David Stephan, Chair of the Parks and Recreation Board, were present at the meeting. Parks and Recreation Director Tim O?Connor presented the amended Conceptual Designs for the th West U Recreation Center and Colonial Park Aquatic Facility with the incorporated June 26 thth City Council established general guidelines, comments received at the July 5 & 19 Parks th Board Meetings and the July 10 City Council Meeting. Below are the general guidelines approved at the June 26City Council meeting: 1. Colonial Park will become the City's Aquatic Facility (where both municipal pools are located). 2. The Recreation Center will not have a pool in the new design. 3. The new Colonial Park Aquatic Facility will have a second pool with a permanent enclosure. The proposed location for the enclosed pool will be where the existing tennis City Council Regular and Special Session, July 24, 2006 courts are located. The existing pool would be renovated and operated exclusively as a seasonal pool. 4. The tennis courts will be removed from Colonial Park and a minimum of two new tennis courts would be built at the Recreation Center. A summary of the Parks Board overall comments was also presented. The City Council discussed the conceptual plans and asked questions regarding the permanent enclosure at the Colonial Park Aquatic Facility. They requested more details on price options for a pool cover, as well as more information on potential property acquisitions in the area. PGAL will develop cost estimates and a project budget at the next meeting. The City Council recessed the Special Session at 6:30 p.m. to convene in Regular Session. Formal Session Citizen Comments. Mayor Ballanfant invited citizens who wished to address the City Council to come forward as their names were called. Baroque Fineberg, 4127 Cason, requested that the Bellaire entrance to the Recreation Center not be closed. He commented that the traffic on Cason would be more congested on his street if the Bellaire entrance was closed. John Fields, 2727 Talbot, stated that he was representing Encore Bank. He commented that Encore Bank always sponsors numerous events benefiting the City. He requested that the City Council select Encore Bank as the City?s depository. Cara Wallin Reid, 3311 Albans, encouraged the Council to select Encore Bank as the City?s depository. Wayne Knupp, 4136 Cason, requested that the Bellaire entrance to the Recreation Center not be closed. Kay Medford, 2915 Rice, encouraged the City Council to purchase the property on Pittsburg to be used as parkland. April Schofield, 3735 Georgetown, encouraged the Council to select Encore Bank as the City?s depository. Charter Review Committee. Matters related to the Charter Review Committee including the appointment of members. 2 City Council Regular and Special Session, July 24, 2006 A motion was made by Council Member Segal, seconded by Council Member Yehle, to appoint Charles Nelson, Robert Corrigan, John Neighbors, Mark Vance and Kelli Chism Jones to the Charter Review Committee. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Ballanfant, Council Members Cohen, Segal, Woods and Yehle Voting Nay: None Absent: None Senior Services Board. Matters related to the Senior Services Board including Resolution No. 2006-16 appointing Craft Hughes as a member. A motion was made by Council Member Cohen, seconded by Council Member Segal, to adopt Resolution No. 2006-16 appointed Craft Hughes to the Senior Services Board. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Ballanfant, Council Members Cohen, Segal, Woods and Yehle Voting Nay: None Absent: None Bank Depository. Matters related to the bank depository including proposals received June 15, 2006. Finance Director Walter Thomas reported that in June 2006, the City initiated a Request for Proposals (RFP) for depository and banking services. This is routinely done every few years to ensure that the City is receiving the best rates and lowest fees available. The City advertised in the West University Place Examiner and the Banker?s Digest, as well as, sent a copy of the RFP to financial institutions in the Houston Metropolitan area. The City has a policy expressly permitting the consideration of applications for depositories not located within the City limits as required by the Local Government Code Section 105.11 (2). The City received five proposals and three of the responding banks are doing business within the City (Chase, Amegy and Bank of Texas), while Wells Fargo Bank and Encore Bank have locations just outside the City limits. All of the responding financial institutions offered service equal to or exceeding the City?s current level of service. The RFP specified the following selection criteria: 3 City Council Regular and Special Session, July 24, 2006 40% - responsiveness and ability to provide services required. 40% - banking service costs. 15% - experience and continuity of bank and bank officials 15% - creditworthiness of bank. The results of analysis of the submitted RFPs against these criteria are summarized in the table below: Analysis of Bank Proposals WellsBank of JP MorganFargoTexasAmegyEncore Ability to provide Services40 30 4040 35 Cost of Services (net)40 30 2010 - Experience and continuity15 15 1515 15 Credit worthiness5 5 55 5 Rating100 80 80 70 55 Cost of Service:$613$788$894$1,127$1,129 ? All of the respondent banks are thought to be able to provide the Ability to provide services required services but banks with offices in West U were rated higher because of the time involved making the daily trip to the bank. ? JP Morgan Chase Bank?s proposal was the lowest cost to the city with Cost of services estimated monthly costs of $613 and has offered to waive the analysis fees for the first three months to offset transition costs. ? All five banks were deemed equal in experience and continuity. Experience & continuity ? All five banks are creditworthy. Credit worthiness Bank Signatures: Mr. Thomas stated that, as required, Resolution No. 2006-13 authorizes the Mayor and the City Manager to co-sign checks and allows the Finance Director and City Manager to authorize the substitution or withdrawal of securities pledged as collateral. The City Charter policy requires that checks drawn on City accounts must be signed by the Finance Director (acting as City Treasurer) and co-signed by another officer of the City approved by the City Council. In the past the City has authorized the Mayor and the City Manager. Additionally, the City?s Depository Agreement allows the substitution or withdrawal of securities held by the Federal Reserve Bank as collateral for the City?s deposits in its depository bank only with the City?s written authorization. In the past the Finance Director authorized the release or substitution of these securities. Authorizing both the Finance Director and the City Manager will 4 City Council Regular and Special Session, July 24, 2006 help to make sure an authorized official is available to approve the release or substitution of pledged securities. Government Money Market Fund: Resolution No. 2006-14 has been prepared authorizing the investment of City funds in a money market fund offered by J.P. Morgan Chase NA (Chase Bank). The City?s Depository Agreement requires that all funds on deposit with Chase Bank be invested overnight. In order to accomplish this, the Bank will ?sweep? all funds in the City?s demand checking accounts into a money market mutual fund. State Law (Section 2256.014) authorizes investment in mutual funds that meet specific requirements. The City?s investment policy authorizes investment in mutual funds that meet the State?s requirements. Chase Bank offers several money market funds that meet the requirements of Section 2256.014 and the City?s investment policy, but the J.P. Morgan Chase Government Money Market Fund is the most consistent with the City?s investment policy. Mr. Thomas stated that the staff recommends that City Council: 1. Approve Resolution No. 2006-12 selecting J.P. Morgan Chase Bank NA as the City?s depository subject to the final execution of all required contracts; 2. Approve Resolution No. 2006-13 authorizing the Mayor and City Manager to co-sign checks drawn on City accounts and authorizing the Finance Director or the City Manager to authorize the release or substitution of securities held as collateral for the City?s deposits; and 3. Approve Resolution No. 2006-14 authorizing investment in the J.P. Morgan Chase Government Money Market Fund. After a complete discussion of this item, the City Council requested that the Finance Director meet with individual contact persons with the banks to provide more details on the relationship and services each institution offers. A motion was made by Council Member Woods, seconded by Council Member Cohen, to table consideration of this item. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Ballanfant, Council Members Cohen, Segal, Woods and Yehle Voting Nay: None Absent: None City Council minutes. Matters related to the minutes of the Regular and Special Session conducted on July 10, 2006. 5 City Council Regular and Special Session, July 24, 2006 A motion was made by Council Member Cohen, seconded by Council Member Yehle, to approve the minutes as amended. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Ballanfant, Council Members Cohen, Segal, Woods and Yehle Voting Nay: None Absent: None Council Members Reports. There were not any reports given during this agenda item. City Manager Report. Mr. Ross reported that he has asked the City?s Traffic Engineer to provide a detail review of the City of Southside Place?s Parking and Traffic Study and compile comments related to the proposed development of Southside?s Town Center. Mayor Ballanfant requested information on whether entities in West University ever used parking spaces in Southside Place to meet the West University Place parking requirements. The City Council adjourned the Regular Session at 7:07 p.m. and reconvened in Special Session. 3936 Marlowe Street; Weslayan Street. Matters related to 3936 Marlowe Street (Peden property) and Weslayan Street (from Bissonnet Street to Bellaire Boulevard), including easement or right-of-way matters, house under construction, legal defense, permits, administrative proceedings, pending or contemplated litigation or a settlement offer, and purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property and related issues. The City Council agreed to allow City Manager Michael Ross, City Secretary Kaylynn Holloway and City Attorney Alan Petrov to attend the Executive Session because their presence is necessary for the Council?s consideration of the issues. At this point in the meeting, the Mayor publicly announced that a closed, executive session would be held and identified the section of the Open Meetings Law under which the meeting would be held. Closed Executive Session to be held under Section 551.071 and Section 551.072 Texas Government Code. After the announcement, the City Council conducted a closed, executive session beginning at 7:10 p.m. 6 City Council Regular and Special Session, July 24, 2006 After the closed, executive session, the Mayor announced, in open session, that the City Council had concluded its closed, executive session at 7:25 p.m. Park property. Matters related to the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property for park purposes. The City Council agreed to allow City Manager Michael Ross, City Secretary Kaylynn Holloway, City Attorney Alan Petrov, and Parks and Recreation Director Tim O?Connor to attend the Executive Session because their presence is necessary for the Council?s consideration of the issues. At this point in the meeting, the Mayor publicly announced that a closed, executive session would be held and identified the section of the Open Meetings Law under which the meeting would be held. Closed Executive Session to be held under Section 551.072 Texas Government Code. After the announcement, the City Council conducted a closed, executive session beginning at 7:26 p.m. After the closed, executive session, the Mayor announced, in open session, that the City Council had concluded its closed, executive session at 7:35 p.m. Bond Election. Matters related to a Bond Election including improvements to the Recreation Center and Colonial Park, purchase of parkland and public safety improvements. The City Council discussed holding a bond election in November and what items should be placed on the ballot. Adjournment. With no further business to come before the City Council at this time, a motion was made by Council Member Cohen, seconded by Council Member Woods, to adjourn the Special Session. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Ballanfant, Council Members Cohen, Segal, Woods and Yehle Voting Nay: None Absent: None The City Council adjourned the Special Session at 7:50 p.m. 7