Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout062705R CC Min CITY COUNCIL REGULAR AND WORKSHOP SESSION MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2005 MUNICIPAL BUILDING 3800 UNIVERSITY BLVD. 6:30 P.M. The City Council convened in Regular and Workshop Session in the Municipal Building (3800 University Blvd.) on June 27, 2005, with the following members present: Mayor Ballanfant presiding, Council Members Cohen, Segal and Yehle. The City Manager, City Secretary, City Attorney, Assistant City Manager/Public Works Director, Police Chief, Fire Chief, Parks and Recreation Director, City Planner, Public Works Coordinator and Assistant Finance Director were also present. Council Member Woods was absent. The notice for this meeting was posted in accordance with the Texas Government Code, rd Chapter 551, on the 23 day of June 2005 at 4:00 p.m. Formal Session (in the Council Chambers) Citizen Comments. Mayor Ballanfant invited citizens who wished to address the City Council to come forward as their names were called. Margie Fields, 6503 Belmont, commented that she did not have access to her driveway because of the road construction. She also commented that a vacant house on Belmont was dilapidated and needed the City?s attention. Susan Rachlin, 2915 Pittsburg, commented that her family did not have a safe access to their house because of the road construction. Gary Rachlin, 2915 Pittsburg, commented that he would front end the cost to complete his driveway so that his family would have immediate access to their home. Deborah Wiggins, 2911 Pittsburg, commented that she did not have access to her home because of the road construction. She asked why the contractor was allowed to dredge up the street if the City knew a month ago that the company was filing bankruptcy. Parks and Recreation Master Planning. Matters related to Parks and Recreation Master Planning including a report from the Task Force regarding recent activity. Nina Springer, Chair of the Parks and Recreation Master Planning Task Force, reported on the progress of the Parks Master Plan Task Force. She stated that the Task Force is City Council Regular Session, June 27, 2005 working primarily in two areas. The first is to develop some specific scenarios that will be used to present to the focus groups. The scenarios fall into five categories which are courts, fields, pools, indoor facilities and miscellaneous. The second area the Task Force is working on is the selection of the people who actually will be on these focus groups. The groups will each consist of 11 to 12 people. Mrs. Springer reported that there are costs for the focus groups. The cost consists of the facility, preparation and facilitation. For the facilities, Professor Andrew Perkins of Rice University will give an in-kind value of about $1,500. He is also giving his professional assistance in the design of the focus groups, which has an equivalent of about $3,500. For facilitation, the Task Force has one professional quote of approximately $1,800. They are looking for alternatives in hopes of getting a lower price. Rice Pocket Park. Matters related to the Rice Pocket Park including a report from the Task Force regarding recent activity. Parks and Recreation Director Tim O?Connor presented a brief update on the status of the Task Force effort, relative to the Rice Pocket Park & Library Courtyard Action Plan. He distributed meeting summaries from the Task Force meetings that have been conducted to date. He also presented a proposed action plan and timeline for obtaining requests for qualifications for a landscape architect. Mayor Ballanfant requested that a fountain be considered in the design of the park. Council Member Segal commented that a fountain is obviously a Council decision but the Task Force considered the water feature and for various reasons unanimously decided against recommending it. Friends of West University Place Parks Fund. Matters related to the Friends of West University Place Parks Fund including Resolution No. 2005-05 appointing Susan Boyce as a member. Mr. O?Connor commented that the Friends would like for Council to consider appointing Susan Boyce as a member of the Board of Directors of the Friends of West University Place Parks Fund, Inc. Ms. Boyce?s credentials are commendable and the Friends believe she will be a tremendous asset to the board. Council Member Segal suggested that the Council have an opportunity to interview Ms. Boyce prior to appointing her to the Board. The Council will interview Ms. Boyce before the next Regular Session. 2 City Council Regular Session, June 27, 2005 A motion was made by Council Member Cohen, seconded by Council Member Yehle, to table consideration of Resolution No. 2005-05 until the next meeting. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Ballanfant, Council Members Cohen, Segal and Yehle Voting Nay: None Absent: Council Member Woods National Incident Management System. Matters related to a National Incident Management System including Ordinance No. 1805 Mayor Ballanfant read the caption of Ordinance No. 1805 as follows: An ordinance relating to Homeland Security and the National Incident Management System; amending the code of Ordinances of the City of West University Place, Texas; and containing findings and provisions relating to the subject. Copies of Ordinance No. 1805, in the form proposed for adoption, were available in the Council Chambers. Fire Chief Steve Ralls reported that developed by the Secretary of Homeland Security at the request of the President, the National Incident Management System (NIMS) integrates effective practices in emergency preparedness and response into a comprehensive national framework for incident management. The NIMS will enable responders at all levels to work together more effectively to manage domestic incidents no matter what the cause, size or complexity. Further, for the City to remain eligible for Federal and State Grant and other Emergency funding, the City must formally adopt NIMS to serve as its official Incident Management System. Council Member Yehle asked if there were any obligations that the City would pick up with the NIMS or would it oblige the City to spend monies to be in some preparedness program to their standard. Mr. Ralls stated that there is some required internet based training that is free. A motion was made by Council Member Segal, seconded by Council Member Cohen, to adopt Ordinance No. 1805 on the first reading. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Ballanfant, Council Members Cohen, Segal and Yehle 3 City Council Regular Session, June 27, 2005 Voting Nay: None Absent: Council Member Woods Budget and orientation. Matters related to the 2006 Budget including orientation, meeting schedule, procedures and liaisons. City Manager Michael Ross presented the following report: The city?s budget officer (the City Manager) must prepare a proposed budget for the City Council?s consideration (); Local Government Code The City Council must adopt an Annual Budget and conduct the financial affairs of the city in conformance with that Budget (); Local Government Code Council must adopt a Budget before taxes are levied (; Charter) The Budget for each fiscal year must be adopted before the first day of the fiscal year (January 1, 2006) (); Local Government Code Failure to adopt the Annual Budget results in the appropriations of the last budget adopted to be considered adopted (); Charter The Budget must be adopted no later than 60 days after the City receives the Certified Tax Roll or by September 30, 2005, whichever is later (); Tax Code The budget must be on file with the City Secretary available for inspection by any taxpayer for at least 30 days before adoption (); Local Government Code The City Council must conduct a public hearing which must be at least 15 days after the budget is filed with the City Secretary (); Local Government Code The City must publish several comparison tax rates, including the effective tax which is the rate that will produce the same tax revenue as the prior year, and rate a which is 8% over last years maintenance rate plus the current debt rollback rate service rate (); Tax Code If the tax rate proposed in the Budget exceeds the effective tax rate, Council must take a record vote and the City must publish a quarter page notice in a local newspaper and set a public hearing (). Tax Code After the first public hearing, Council sets a date and time to vote on the tax rate and publishes another quarter page notice (). Tax Code New legislation requires a second public hearing, the timing of which is unclear (). Tax Code A tentative schedule has been prepared to meet these regulations that: Calls for Council to receive Budget Workbooks on August 22, 2005. Provides for several budget workshops. Calls for a record vote on tax rate increase on September 12, 2005. Provides for Public Hearings on September 26, October 3, and October 10 2005. Calls for a first and final reading of the ordinances on October 10, 2005 4 City Council Regular Session, June 27, 2005 Changes in the enacted by the most recent congress of the State Legislature Tax Code have added a public hearing and increased the requirements to publish notices. These changes are still under consideration by the State Comptroller, who has the responsibility of issuing regulations on implementing the new requirements. The Staff has made an effort to include the new requirements in the attached Calendar, but changes may be necessary once the regulations are released. Members of the City Council asked questions about the orientation procedures. Council Member Segal suggested that members of the City Council be included in the departmental budget meetings with the City Manager. City Council minutes Matters related to the minutes of the Special and Regular Session conducted on June 13, 2005. A motion was made by Council Member Woods, seconded by Council Member Cohen, to approve the minutes of the Special and Regular Sessions conducted on June 13, 2005 as presented. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Ballanfant, Council Members Cohen, Segal and Yehle Voting Nay: None Absent: Council Member Woods Intergovernmental & Infrastructure Issues; Staff or Council Report. Matters relating to intergovernmental relations and agreements including negotiations, extra jurisdictional meetings, regional issues, Interlocal Agreements with the City of Southside Place, Metropolitan Transit Authority agreements, infrastructure projects, drainage, flooding, Kirby Drive construction, Center Point Energy Entex, gas rates and coalition, City owned properties, potential purchase of property, City Center project, streetlights, railroad quiet zones and task force, board and commission liaison reports and related matters. This may include report(s) from staff and reports and directives to staff from Council Members. Mr. Ross reported that the Staff has preliminary plans and specifications for the streetlights in the City Center. Center Point Energy is reviewing the plans to see if they have any comments. Mayor Ballanfant inquired about the railroad quiet zone. 5 City Council Regular Session, June 27, 2005 Mr. Ross stated that the City of Houston has sent out a request for comments from anyone who could be affected by the crossings. The Staff has sent a letter to the City of Houston stating that the City of West University supports their efforts to establish the quiet zones. Mayor Ballanfant asked if the City Council would be interested in having the City?s representatives from the Metropolitan Transit Authority report on their most recent efforts. Council Member Yehle stated that he would be interested in hearing the representatives talk about things that they might be promoting or things that they are aware of that might affect our area. The City Council recessed the Regular Session at 7:26 p.m. and reconvened in Workshop Session at 7:35 p.m. Workshop Session (in the Bill Watson Conference Room) Infrastructure work in Priority Areas 10 and 11B. Matters related to infrastructure work in Priority Area 10 and 11B and Contractor Technology, LTD. City Attorney Jim Dougherty reported on the bankruptcy of Contractor Technology, LTD. The City Council asked numerous questions regarding the bond company and finding a replacement contractor to complete the infrastructure work. They also discussed problems with driveway access and exposed waterlines. A motion was made by Council Member Segal, seconded by Council Member Yehle, to authorize the City Manager to spend up to $25,000 to correct deficiencies in water lines on Nottingham between Kirby and Wakeforest. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Ballanfant, Council Members Cohen, Segal and Yehle Voting Nay: None Absent: Council Member Woods 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 questions, house under construction, legal defense, permits, administrative proceedings, pending or 6 City Council Regular Session, June 27, 2005 contemplated litigation or a settlement offer, and purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property and related issues. Present at the meeting were Mayor Ballanfant, Council Members Cohen, Segal and Yehle. A motion was made by Council Member Segal, seconded by Council Member Woods, to allow City Attorney Jim Dougherty, City Manager Michael Ross, City Secretary Kaylynn Holloway, Assistant City Manager/Public Works Director Ron Wicker, City Planner Nes Tesno and Special Counsel Mark Breeding to attend the Executive Session. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Ballanfant, Council Members Cohen, Segal and Yehle Voting Nay: None Absent: Council Member Woods 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 Sections 551.071 and 551.072, Texas Government Code After the announcement, the City Council conducted a closed, executive session beginning at 8:10 p.m. After the closed, executive session, the Mayor announced, in open session, that the City Council had concluded its closed, executive session at 9:10 p.m. 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 Yehle, to adjourn. The Council meeting adjourned at 9:11 p.m. 7