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HomeMy WebLinkAbout031201S CC Min CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL SESSION MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2001 MUNICIPAL BUILDING 3800 UNIVERSITY BLVD. 6:30 P.M. The City Council convened in Special Session in the Municipal Building Conference Room (3800 University Blvd.) on March 12, 2001, with the following members present: Mayor Lewis presiding, Council Members Ballanfant, Bertini and May. The City Manager, Assistant City Secretary, City Attorney, Finance Director, Parks and Recreation Director, Public Works Director and Police Chief were also present. Council Member Grubb was absent. The notice for this meeting was posted in accordance with the Texas Government Code, th Chapter 551, on the 9 day of February 2001 at 4:00 p.m. Agenda Review: The City Council reviewed the regular meeting agenda and discussed items under consideration with the Staff. Employee wellness program. Matters related to a proposal to authorize city employee?s use of Colonial Park recreation facilities. Parks and Recreation Director Mark Mailes reported that for at least the past 20 years, City employees have been encouraged to utilize Colonial Park recreation facilities. In 1997, a Heart Healthy program was established to encourage employees to exercise. In 1995, the Fire Department put together a health and fitness program to encourage its employees to maintain their physical well-being. Each shift has had access to Colonial Park. City employees have traditionally utilized these facilities during ?slow? periods, such as midmornings, lunch, and 4:00 when the work shift ends for Public Works. PM There are approximately 10 employees (most from the Police and Public Works departments) and one Fire Department shift (five employees) that use the weight room on a regular basis. In the past, these employees have not been charged a usage fee. In addition, employees and their families have been allowed to swim at no cost. There are three families that take advantage of this and all are West U residents. City Manager Sherman Yehl commented while this ?policy? has been ongoing for a number of years, there has been no official City Council action to approve. He stated that the Staff is recommending that City Council encourage City employees to engage in a City Council Special Session, March 12, 2001 healthy lifestyle that promotes exercise through the use of access to Colonial Park facilities at no cost to the employee. The City Council agreed to allow city employees to use the Colonial Park facilities. Tree replacement. Matters related to the cost associated with tree replacement in Priority Areas 7B, 8 and 12 and suggested list of approved trees in the public right-of-way. City Manager Sherman Yehl reported that City Council had requested staff to develop a tree replacement program. This program was presented to Council during the February 12, 2001 council meeting (see table). Council then requested cost estimates from previous priority areas for tree replacement. Priority areas 7B, 8 and 12 had 36 Class 4 trees removed and 30 Class 1,2 or 3 trees removed. The Class 4 trees would have been replaced with 36 ? 30-gallon trees and the Class 1,2 or 3 trees would have been replaced with 60 ? 30 gallon trees. The current Tree Trust charges $300 per 30-gallon tree. The total replacement costs are estimated at $28,800.00 Tree Replacement Program Condition Class Replacement Size & Replacement Species quantity Healthy 1,2,3 Evaluate & replace % of Determined by Location Diameter Healthy 4 2-30 gallon or 1 ?65 gallon ? Poor Condition or Hazardous 1,2,3 2-30 gallon or 1 ?65 gallon ? Poor Condition or Hazardous 4 1-30 gallon ? Estimated costs of replacing trees in Priority Areas 7B, 8 and 12 Trees to be replaces Quantity # of replacement trees Costs Class 1,2 and 3 30 60 18,000.00 Class 4 36 36 10,800.00 Total 28,800.00 The current balance of the Tree Trust is $39,951.10. Replacement costs would reduce the balance of our current Tree Trust and the City could probably not continue with its free tree plantings at its current level. The Tree Trust planted $26,412.00 in trees during our fall tree planting session. Staff has also identified appropriate trees for planting in small right-of-way areas. These small areas would be defined as any right-of-way less than six feet wide. 2 City Council Special Session, March 12, 2001 Approved Trees ? Small Space Tree Replacement Redbud Southern Waxmyrtle Yaupon Cherry Laurel Mexican Plum Pear Crapemyrtle Holly Texas Persimmon Mr. Yehl stated that it is staff?s recommendation that City Council authorize staff to ? Establish an alternative tree trust fund to be used to fund the costs of 1. replacement trees under a competitive bid formula; and Implement the Small Space Tree Replacement list as outlined above. 2. Mayor Lewis questioned the high maintenance required for the approved trees and requested that the staff continue to work on a tree replacement program. Council Member Ballanfant requested that an aggressive effort be made to notify residents of their options for tree replacement. He also stated that the City should continue to use Trees for Houston until all contributions are exhausted. Electrical aggregation. Matters related to a letter of engagement with CCG, Consulting, Inc., to conduct a Phase I preliminary analysis of electric usage. Mr. Yehl reported that during the last session of the Texas legislature, Senate Bill 7 was passed and signed by the Governor. This bill requires investor-owned electric utilities to provide access to their distributions systems by other power suppliers who choose to enter the Texas market. Texas cities and other political subdivisions are authorized to negotiate with these new suppliers for electric power. In theory, new power suppliers are expected to offer both lower prices and new services that will benefit customers with multiple accounts. Cities can join with other cities and political subdivisions to create a Political Subdivision Corporation to seek the best available service and pricing for their own power needs. With the approval of its citizens, a city could also become a buying unit for residential power as well. After the Texas retail power market opens on January 1, 2002, membership in a buying group with other cities may be the only way for a political subdivision to reliably benefit from the price reductions available in the competitive market. Aggregation joins two or more electricity customers together as a single purchasing unit to negotiate the purchase of electricity. Prior to the City being in a position to maximizing the benefits of the deregulated market it is necessary to analyze its electric energy costs and determine the load characteristics for its corporate use of electricity. This will help determine if our usage, combined with 3 City Council Special Session, March 12, 2001 that of other potential members in a buying unit could attract a supplier at a better price and service level than the one we could find on a stand-alone basis. Several cities in the area have been considering forming a PSC. Should West U desire to participate in a PSC it is appropriate that an energy costs profile be completed. CCG Consulting, Inc. has prepared a proposal to provide Phase I services and complete this preliminary analysis at a cost not to exceed $3,000.00 Mr. Yehl stated that it is staff?s recommendation that the City Council authorize the City Manager to execute a Letter of Engagement with CCG Consulting, Inc. to conduct this analysis. The City Council authorized the City Manager to engage CCG Consulting, Inc. to conduct the analysis. Quarterly report. Matters related to the fourth quarter report. The City Council reviewed the Quarterly report. Council Member Bertini requested information about the cost of providing electrical service to the ball fields. Council Member Ballanfant suggested that the clearance rate for crimes be added to the quarterly report. Report from Board or Commission Liaisons. The City Council reported on Board or Commission meetings attended by the liaisons. Mayor Lewis reported that the Senior Services Board?s was up Good Neighbor Program and running. Inquiries, requests and complaints. The City Council reviewed matters received from the public and referred them to the appropriate department or placed them on a future agenda for consideration or action. The City Council recessed the Special Session at 7:30 p.m. to convene in Regular Session. The Special Session reconvened at 7:55 p.m. Traffic Task Force recommendations. 4 City Council Special Session, March 12, 2001 Matters related to recommendations from the Traffic Task Force including brick pavers, speed turtles and speed humps. Chair of the Traffic Task Force Joe Studlick presented the results of a survey of residents in the 3700 block of Sunset relating to the installation of brick paver panels. As a result of the survey, he stated that the Task Force was recommending that the pavers remain in place. The City Council accepted the report. The City Council considered a request for speed humps in the 4200 block of Ruskin. Mr. Studlick presented the following recommendations from the Task Force: Collect additional pre-install traffic measurements on Ruskin and neighboring streets Design and install 2 COH-style speed humps and signage for 90 days by the Public Works Director. Advertise trial in City Currents Collect traffic measurements during the trial on same streets Poll all residents on block at end of test Make recommendation to Council to install permanently (at a cost of approximately $4,000) or abandon The City Council requested that the City staff provide a cost estimate for speed humps at the next meeting. The Traffic Task Force should continue to collect their traffic measurements. Matters related to pending or contemplated litigation; or a settlement offer. Priority Area 6B and final payment to Contractor Technology, Inc. Closed Executive Session to be held under Sections 551.071 Texas Government Code. The City Council convened in Executive Session at 8:30 p.m. The City Council closed the Executive Session at 8:55 p.m. and reconvened in special session. Adjournment. With no further business to come before the City Council at this time, a motion was made by Council Member May, seconded by Council Member Bertini, to adjourn. The Special Session adjourned at 8:56 p.m. 5