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HomeMy WebLinkAbout072301S CC Min CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL SESSION MONDAY, JULY 23, 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 July 23, 2001, with the following members present: Mayor Lewis presiding, Council Members May, Farley, Griffin, and Jackson. The City Manager, City Secretary, City Attorney, Fire Chief, Police Chief, Finance Director, Public Works Director and Building Official were also present. The notice for this meeting was posted in accordance with the Texas Government Code, th Chapter 551, on the 20 day of July 2001 at 4:00 p.m. Agenda Review: The City Council reviewed the regular meeting agenda and discussed items under consideration with the Staff. Recycling report and request. Matters related to a report from the Recycling and Solid Waste Reduction Board and budget requests. Rick Jenkins, Chairman of the Recycling and Solid Waste Reduction Board, made the following 2002 budget requests: $7,500 for cleanup, paint and a maintenance program at the RecyclExpress; $5,000 for public education including signage, handouts and brochures; $1,000 for 200 more blue recycling bins. These items will be considered by the City Council during the budget process. Flood study. Matters related to the flood study being conducted by Claunch & Miller, Inc. James Andrews, Vice President of Claunch & Miller, Inc., reported that they were very close to finalizing their proposal to perform the drainage study. They have met with a number of agencies and individuals who will provide valuable information for the study. Prices have been obtained from two sewer inspection companies to televise the storm sewer line that runs from University to Bellaire Boulevard and then to Poor Farm Ditch through Southside Place. New flood plain mapping documents have been obtained that are currently being reviewed by FEMA and the Harris County Flood Control District has provided the current computer model of Brays Bayou. City Council Special Session, July 23, 2001 The scope of the study will include: Issuing a questionnaire to residents within the study area to determine frequency and level of flooding and high water elevations experienced during Allison. Surveying a selected number of those elevations along with pavement elevations using both the City?s benchmarks and FEMA?s benchmarks to correlate with floodplain depths. Perform a hydraulic analysis on Poor Farm Ditch, the large diameter outfall pipe and lateral storm sewers in the study area for various rainfall events Recommend improvements to reduce the probability of flooding Dr. Phil Bedient of Rice will be part of the presentation to specifically address the June 8 and 9 flood and the Flood Alert System he is developing. Public Works Director Ed Menville reported that the final proposal and detailed scope of services would be provided at the next meeting. Albans Street tree protection. Matters related to tree protection during the infrastructure improvements on Albans Street. Mr. Menville reported that Mr. Hal Collins, a resident of 3212 Albans Street, has requested the City narrow the street where he lives in order to protect two large oak trees growing next to the existing curb. This section of Albans Street is located in Infrastructure Priority Area 7B, currently under contract. In consultation with Claunch and Miller, three options have been identified: ? Option 1 - Narrows pavement and median a total of three feet in entire $3,490 block ? . ? Option 2 - Shifts both moving lanes one foot away from the trees, $4,332 therefore narrowing the median by two feet ? . ? Option 3 - Narrows pavement and median a total of three feet only where $2,249 the trees exist ? . Costs for such options would be charged against infrastructures improvement bonds. The City Council addressed each option. A fourth option would be to follow the current plans already in place for Priority Area 7B. It was suggested that some of the root pruning had already taken place, which would reduce the cost of each option. The Public Works Director will determine if the root pruning has already been done and will notify the City Council. Mayor Lewis stated that the current tree protection on Albans Street was not inconsistent with all the other street improvements. 2 City Council Special Session, July 23, 2001 Council Member Farley commented that tree protection should be followed but consistent with all the other infrastructure plans. After considering all options, the City Council agreed to accept Option 3. Public safety salary report. Matters related to a report on public safety salaries. City Manager Sherman Yehl reported that in 2000 a policy was adopted that committed the City to paying a competitive salary to public safety employees that was set five percent above market. Market was defined as the average salary among selected area cities that included Bellaire, Missouri City, Sugar Land, Memorial Villages, Houston, and Hedwig Village. Adjustments were made in the salary structure in September, 2000. As part of that policy, the City Manager was directed to conduct an annual salary survey in preparation of submitting the proposed annual operating budget. A representative from HCC Employee Benefits, Inc. has assisted the City in its efforts this year to analyze the salary data and prepare a base recommendation for any needed adjustments to the pay plan. Because cities in the survey do not adjust salaries and ranges at the same time, the survey data represents a snapshot. Since the City is resetting ranges to be effective for all of calendar year 2002, market changes must be anticipated and a decision whether to lag them, lead them, or be somewhere in the middle needs to be made. In the latter case, the City would build in a portion of the anticipated increases in the beginning of the year and lead the market target, then match the market during the middle segment of next year, ending the year lagging the market ? this is referred to as a lead-lag posture. Using the lead-lag approach, survey data was increased by 4.95%. The tables below compare the Target Range set at five percent above survey data to the proposed lead-lag ranges for West U. The survey data shows that the City is substantially below targets for maximum salary ranges. The proposal corrects this discrepancy. West U Current West U Lead-Lag Position Minimum Maximum Position Minimum Maximum Fire Department Fire Department FF/Paramedic 34,676 43,012FF/Paramedic 36,392 50,967 Lieutenant 46,213 50,867Lieutenant 47,107 60,743 Captain/Fire Marshall 55,954 59,650Captain/Fire Marshall 55,638 70,626 Chief 71,093 78,191Chief 74,672 98,301 Police Department Police Department ? A (MV minimum) Dispatcher 25,591 35,286Dispatcher 29,959 39,379 Officer 35,697 43,248Officer 37,464 50,381 Sergeant 47,573 52,364Sergeant 49,928 62,225 3 City Council Special Session, July 23, 2001 Lieutenant 56,769 58,614Lieutenant 57,581 76,046 Captain/Asst. Chief 61,544 67,697Captain/Asst. Chief 62,775 78,254 Chief 71,083 78,191Chief 79,079 106,686 Police Department ? B (MV maximum) Dispatcher 30,581 40,516 Officer 39,393 50,782 Sergeant 50,728 63,253 Lieutenant 57,581 76,046 Captain/Asst. Chief 63,154 80,892 Chief 86,586 101,824 Memorial Village, which has single rates for each police position rather than salary ranges, remains an anomaly in the calculations. It is the recommendation of the consultant to include the average of either the minimum or the maximum of the range, but not both. The two charts reflect this approach and the Council could accept either and have the City remain in a competitive salary system. The cost of implementing the proposed public safety salary adjustments would add approximately $350,000 to the 2002 budget. Prior to submitting the proposed 2002 budget, the staff may tweak the proposed levels as well as prepare a similar schedule for non-public safety employees. Mr. Yehl stated that it is the staff?s recommendation that the proposed public safety survey and market analysis be used in adjusting the public safety salary schedule for the year 2002. Mayor Lewis commented that 80% of the City?s operating budget was in salaries. She stated that if the City continues to pay top dollar for salaries then a comparable tax increase may have to be considered. Council Member Jackson commented that he thought morale in the Police Department was good. The City Council recessed the Special Session at 7:30 p.m. to convene in Regular Session. The Special Session reconvened at 9:20 p.m. Traffic Task Force action items. Matters related to action items submitted by the Traffic Task Force. 4 City Council Special Session, July 23, 2001 Mr. Yehl reported that most of the action items were either being implemented or pending. The use of speed humps on Ruskin and speed turtles on Wakeforest were two items for future consideration. Board and Commission member term limits. Matters related to setting term limits for Board and Commission members. The City Council requested that an ordinance be presented at the next meeting to set term limits for board and commission members. Report from Board or Commission Liaisons. The City Council reported on Board or Commission meetings attended by the liaisons. Council Member Griffin commented that the ZPC would be considering the issue of signs. She also commented that the Senior Services Board was developing a data base of the seniors living in the area. Matters related to the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property. Property located at 4210 Bellaire Boulevard known as Y.M.C.A. The City Council recessed the Special Session and convened in Executive Session at 9:55 p.m. The City Council adjourned the Executive Session at 10:25 p.m. and reconvened in open session. Mayor Lewis called for a motion. A motion was made by Council Member Griffin, seconded by Council Member Farley, to purchase the Y.M.C.A. A vote was taken on the motion with the following result: Voting Aye: Mayor Lewis, Council Members May, Farley, Griffin and Jackson Voting Nay: None Absent: None Adjournment. 5 City Council Special Session, July 23, 2001 With no further business to come before the City Council at this time, a motion was made by Council Member Griffin, seconded by Council Member May, to adjourn. The Special Session adjourned at 10:30 p.m. 6