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Home My WebLink About051401R CC Min CITY COUNCIL REGULAR SESSION MONDAY, MAY 14, 2001 MUNICIPAL BUILDING COUNCIL CHAMBERS 3800 UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD 6:30 P.M. The City Council convened in Regular Session in the Municipal Building Council Chambers on May 14, 2001, with the following members present: Mayor Lewis presiding, Council Members Ballanfant, Bertini, Grubb and May. The City Manager, City Secretary, City Attorney and Public Works Director were also present. The notice for this meeting was posted in accordance with the Texas Government Code, th Chapter 551, on the 11 of May 2001 at 4:35 p.m. Proclamation for Peace Officers? Memorial Day. Matters related to a Proclamation designating May 15, 2001 as Peace Officers? Memorial Day. Mayor Lewis read and signed the Proclamation and presented it to the Police Chief. Resolution appointing members to the Friends of West University Place Parks Fund. Matters related to Resolution No. 2001-06 appointing Sue Hanna and Cheryl Butler as members of the Friends of West University Place Parks Fund. A motion was made by Council Member Ballanfant, seconded by Council Member May, to approve Resolution No. 2001-06. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members Ballanfant, Bertini, Grubb and May Voting Nay: None Absent: None COPS Universal Hiring Grant. Matters related to the acceptance of a $150,000 COPS Universal Hiring Grant for the employment of two additional police officers. Police Chief Kevin Begley reported that during the summer of 2000, the US Department of Justice announced the availability of grant funding, which would pay a portion of the salaries of newly hired police officers. It was determined that the City should apply for this funding in an attempt to hire two additional police officers. The application was City Council Regular Session, May 14, 2001 submitted and on January 20, 2001, President Clinton announced that the City?s application had been approved. The DOJ has now forwarded the agreement to the Police Department for execution. Under terms of the grant, the City will receive a total of $150,000 over a three-year period ($50,000 per year), to pay a portion of the base salaries of two additional police officers. The City will be required to maintain these positions for the three-year life of the grant, plus one complete budget cycle following the end of the grant. Further, the grant is to fund only the base beginning police officer salary. Benefits, overtime, equipment, and salary increases are the responsibility of the City. The anticipated budgetary impact to the City?s General Fund over the three year period is $138,543 with a fourth year obligation of $121,733 for a total General Fund obligation of $260,278. There is currently one police officer vacancy in the Department as the result of a resignation. It is the city?s intent to reclassify that vacancy to Animal Control Officer in order to relieve officers of those duties. With this action and the hiring of two officers under the COPS grant, the Department will realize a net gain of one officer (from 25 sworn to 26). That additional position will become a second traffic enforcement officer. The addition of a second traffic officer will address concerns of traffic violations throughout the city and allow more concentrated enforcement seven days a week and more hours per day. A motion was made by Council Member Grubb, seconded by Council Member May, to authorize the City Manager and the Chief of Police to execute the agreement with the Department of Justice and accept the C.O.P.S. Universal Hiring Grant. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members Ballanfant, Bertini, Grubb and May Voting Nay: None Absent: None Bid award for Edloe Street Drainage Facilities and Street Improvements. Matters related to bids received April 30, 2001 for the construction of Edloe Street Drainage Facilities and Street Improvements in Priority Area 6A. The following bids were received: Bidder Bid Amount Jerdon Enterprise, Inc. $671,589.90 Conrad Construction Co. $673,858.00 Bearden Contracting $716,382.00 Troy Construction, L.L.P. $837,597.00 2 City Council Regular Session, May 14, 2001 Public Works Director Ed Menville reported that the timing of the project is such that the work will be carried out when the West University Elementary School is closed for the summer months. The contractor will therefore have 76 days to complete all work. In order to insure that this schedule is met the contract provides for an incentive of $3,000 per day for each day the work is completed before the time limit. A motion was made by Council Member Bertini, seconded by Council Member May, to award the bid for the Edloe Street infrastructure improvements to Jerdon Enterprises, Inc. based on their low bid of $671,589.90. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members Ballanfant, Bertini, Grubb and May Voting Nay: None Absent: None City Center Pedestrian Enhancement Project. Matters related to proposals received April 25, 2001 for the City Center Pedestrian Enhancement Project. City Manager Sherman Yehl reported that the City advertised for landscape architectural and related professional services to assist in preparing final plans and specifications for the City Center Pedestrian Enhancement Project. Four qualifications statements were submitted: SWA Group; Hermes Reed Architects; Knudson & Associates; and Tim Hansen/Lauren Griffith. This project, partially funded by the State through the STEP program, will provide for pedestrian and streetscape enhancements along Edloe Street between Rice and University and University between Edloe and Auden. Improvements include decorative pavers along existing sidewalks and at numerous crosswalk locations; new benches and other street furniture; shade tree plantings and other landscaping; special pedestrian-level lighting and a new landscaped and lighted esplanade along University. The City will also be requesting that the original concept plan be amended to include new fencing along the right-of-way and West U Elementary School. On May 8, 2001, a review committee consisting of Mayor Lewis, Council Member Ballanfant and the Public Works Director heard presentations from all four firms. It was the consensus of the committee that the proposal submitted by Tim Hansen/Lauren Griffith best fit the City?s needs relative to experience, current work load, past performance, and staffing capabilities. Of particular importance to the committee is the current work this partnership is providing to the master plan development of the elementary school. It is recognized that these projects should and will tie together for a unified development of this area. 3 City Council Regular Session, May 14, 2001 A motion was made by Council Member May, seconded by Council Member Ballanfant, to authorize the City Manager to develop a Scope of Services agreement with Tim Hansen/Lauren Griffith for the City Center Pedestrian Enhancement Project. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members Ballanfant, Bertini, Grubb and May Voting Nay: None Absent: None Design of sidewalk improvements. Matters related to the preparation of plans and specifications for sidewalk improvements in Areas C, D, and E. Mr. Menville reported that in November 2000, residents of West U approved the sale of $5,000,000 in General Obligation bonds for the repair and installation of sidewalks throughout the City. Subsequent to that action, Claunch & Miller Engineers, Inc., the City?s design engineers, was authorized to proceed with preparation of a plan for completion of this work. The plan divides the City into eleven areas (A to K). The eleven areas are further divided into five construction packages. Areas A & B, construction package #1, are in design at this time and will go to construction in September 2001. In order for construction of the second grouping to begin in February 2002 design work on it must begin at this time for Areas C, D, and E. A motion was made by Council Member Ballanfant, seconded by Council Member Grubb, to authorize Claunch & Miller, Inc., to proceed with the preparation of plans and specifications for sidewalk improvements for Areas C, D and E. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members Ballanfant, Bertini, Grubb and May Voting Nay: None Absent: None Petition for improved living conditions in the 4000 block of Browning. Matters related to a petition submitted by the residents of the 4000 block of Browning for improving living conditions, safety, health and property values. A motion was made by Council Member Bertini, seconded by Council Member May, to receive and refer the petition to the City Manager for review. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: 4 City Council Regular Session, May 14, 2001 Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members Ballanfant, Bertini, Grubb and May Voting Nay: None Absent: None City Council minutes. Matters related to the minutes of the Regular and Special Sessions conducted on April 23, 2001. A motion was made by Council Member Grubb, seconded by Council Member May, to approve the minutes as presented. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members Ballanfant, Bertini, Grubb and May Voting Nay: None Absent: None Council Comments. Council Member Bertini commented that it was National Oleander month in Galveston. Adjournment. With no further business to come before the City Council at this time, a motion was made by Council Member Grubb, seconded by Council Member May, to adjourn. The Regular Session adjourned at 7:55 p.m. 5