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Home My WebLink About062804R CC Min CITY COUNCIL REGULAR SESSION MONDAY, JUNE 28, 2004 MUNICIPAL BUILDING 3800 UNIVERSITY BLVD. 6:30 P.M. The City Council convened in Regular Session in the Municipal Building Council Chambers (3800 University Blvd.) on June 28, 2004, with the following members present: Mayor Ballanfant presiding, Council Members Segal, Fogler and Woods. The City Manager, City Secretary, City Attorney, Assistant City Manager/Public Works Director, Finance Director and Police Chief were also present. Council Member Farley was absent. The notice for this meeting was posted in accordance with the Texas Government Code, th Chapter 551, on the 24 day of June 2004 at 6:00 p.m. Citizen Comments Mayor Ballanfant invited citizens who wished to address the City Council to come forward as their names were called. Denis Powers, 2704 Robinhood, spoke about drainage. He requested that the City Council proceed with the College Street proposal. Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. Matters related to the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. Finance Director Walter Thomas reported that the City is required each year to submit its books and records to an annual audit by an independent firm of certified public accountants. When the audit is complete the auditor issues a report on the results of that audit. The 2003 audit report included in the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) is a ?clean opinion?, meaning that the auditors found that the 2003 Financial Statements fairly present the City?s financial activity. The 2003 CAFR is a major departure from past reports in that it was prepared following the reporting model established by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board?s (GASB) Opinion 34. Complying with GASB 34 required an extensive restatement of information presented in prior years, delaying the delivery of the report. The Comprehensive Annual Financial Report is used primarily by rating and regulatory agencies as a source for financial information about the City. It also serves as the primary archival document about the City?s financial activity in 2003. City Council Workshop and Regular Session, June 28, 2004 Mr. Thomas stated that in planning and performing the City?s audit, the auditors provided comments and suggestions about how internal controls could be improved. City Center pedestrian enhancement project. Matters related to the City Center pedestrian enhancement project, including change orders for sidewalks, fencing and electrical conduit for streetlights. City Manager Michael Ross reported that the enhancement portion of the Center City Pedestrian Project along Edloe and University is now well underway. Upon completion of the current project by TXDOT, the City will only have to address the issue of streetlights. After paying the current contract price, approximately $40,000 in project funds will be leftover (80%, or $32,000, from State/Federal funds which have been matched by 20%, or $8,000 already paid to the State by the City). Any expenditure over the estimated $40,000.00 will be 100% City expense. The suggested change orders include $35,000 for electrical conduit for streetlights; $55,000 for corner work, fencing and columns along Auden Avenue to the first existing fence opening; $75,000 for additional columns and fencing along Auden to Rice Pocket Park; $25,000 for replacement of sidewalk with brick pavers along University from HISD parking lot entrance to Auden ; and $45,000 for the replacement of sidewalk with brick pavers along Auden from University to Rice Pocket Park. With explicit Council approval, the cost of these change orders can be paid for from the sidewalk bond funds. If all of the change orders were added at this time, the City would have to fund an additional $ 206,750 ($246,750 less the estimated $40,000 in leftover project funds). The City Council asked numerous questions regarding the requested change orders. A motion was made by Council Member Fogler, seconded by Council Member Segal, to authorize the City Manager to negotiate a change order for the electrical conduit for streetlights on Auden, Edloe and University not to exceed an amount of $35,000 and proceed with that work under the original grant financing arrangement. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Ballanfant, Council Members Segal, Fogler and Woods Voting Nay: None Absent: Council Member Farley A motion was made by Council Member Woods, seconded by Council Member Fogler, to authorize the City Manager to negotiate change orders in an amount not to exceed $200,000, to find and determine that such change orders will all provide for construction and improvement of City sidewalks and related street improvements, as authorized by the 2 City Council Workshop and Regular Session, June 28, 2004 voters, to authorize payment of the cost of such change orders out of the sidewalk bond funds, and to request that the city staff bring forward an ordinance amending the current City budget to include such expenditures for proposed change orders 2, 3, 4 and 5 as presented. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Ballanfant, Council Members Segal, Fogler and Woods Voting Nay: None Absent: Council Member Farley City Council minutes. Matters related to the minutes of the Regular Session conducted on June 14, 2004. A motion was made by Council Member Segal, seconded by Council Member Woods, to approve the minutes as amended. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Ballanfant, Council Members Segal, Fogler and Woods Voting Nay: None Absent: Council Member Farley Intergovernmental & Infrastructure Issues; Staff or Council Report. Matters relating to intergovernmental relations and agreements including negotiations, extra jurisdictional meetings, regional issues, City of Houston Water Rate Increase, Metropolitan Transit Authority agreements, infrastructure projects, drainage, flooding, Kirby Drive construction, Center Point Energy Entex, gas rates and coalition, Cason Street entrance to the West University Recreation Center, 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 presented a conceptual drawing for the Cason Street entrance to the West University Recreation Center. Council Member Fogler pointed out that the plans do show that the trees in the location can remain and that a sidewalk would not be installed on the southern side of the street in order to protect those trees. 3 City Council Workshop and Regular Session, June 28, 2004 Mr. Ross reported that the City received another extension on the proposed gas rate increase from CenterPoint Energy. He also pointed out that the City received a notice from the City of Houston that water rates have already been increased. The analysis to determine the impact on West University has not been determined. Mr. Ross reported that Claunch & Miller, Inc. would be holding a meeting to determine specifically what, if anything has changed in regards to the 100-year elevation on Poor Farm Ditch. Mayor Ballanfant commented that he would be setting up a meeting with the City of Houston?s designated liaison and one of the topics would include the water rate increase. Council Member Fogler reported that the Zoning and Planning Commission met and issued their final report on the ?framed area?. This will be presented to the City Council at the next meeting. Adjournment. With no further business to come before the City Council at this time, a motion was made by Council Member Fogler, seconded by Council Member Segal, to adjourn. The Council meeting adjourned at 7:04 p.m. 4