HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/09/1997 - Workshop Minutes City CouncilMayor
LYNN MCILHANEY
Mayor Pro Tempore
HUB KENNADY
City Manager
GEORGE K. NOE
COLLEGE STATION
Council Members
STEVE ESMOND
LARRY MARIOTT
DAVID HICKSON
DICK BIRDWELL
SWIKI ANDERSON
MINUTES
COLLEGE STATION CITY COUNCIL
Workshop Meeting at 3:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 9, 1997
Council Chambers, 1101 Texas Avenue
COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT:Mayor Mcllhaney, Mayor Protem Kennady,
Councilmembers Hickson, Mariott, Birdwell,
Anderson, Esmond
STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Noe, Assistant City Manager Brymer, City
Secretary Hooks, City Attorney Cargill, Interim Director of Fiscal Services Cryan,
MIS Director Burnside, Director of OTIS Piwonka, Public Utilities Director
Woody, Public Relations and Marketing Director Calliham
Mayor Mcllhaney called the meeting to order at 3:10 p.m.
Agenda Item No. 1 -- Discuss consent and statutory a,qenda items listed for
regular meeting of October 9, 1997.
Councilman Birdwell asked that the minutes reflect an additional statement as
follows: Page 4 of September 25, 1997: "Councilman Birdwell asked that
interest cost be added to the impact fee and staff agreed."
Agenda Item No. 2 -- Present Strategic Issue #16 - Communications with
Citzens and Youth.
Council heard a presentation from Public Relations and Marketing Director
Peggy Calliham on the proposed 1997-98 Communication Plan. Council
discussed the pros and cons of different options to convey city council actions
and strategic issues to the citizens while utilizing the $12,000 budgeted monies
effectively. Also discussed were proposed plans to tape and rebroadcast City
Council meetings. Councilmembers expressed varying opinions about this
topic.
Providing Customer Service Exceflence
Council Workshop 10/9/97
Page 2
Councilmembers concluded their discussion by accepting the proposed
communications plan with the exception of televising council meetings. Staff
was directed to bring a plan back to council which provides an effective means
of communicating council goals to the citizens with the allotted $12,000.
Agenda Item No. 3 -- Discuss and possible action on a contract for
consulting services to review and recommend solution for Year 2000
compliance problems on Utility Customer Information Service Computer
System.
Linda Piwonka and John Woody made a presentation on the Year 2000
compliance issues for the utility customer service system. Staff asked council to
support the use of outside consulting services to assist in the review of the
current Year 2000 programming work that has been done, as well an evaluation
of currently available software to meet future needs.
Councilmembers expressed concerns about the use of $55,000 toward this
project. Action on this item will occur during the regular meeting.
Agenda Items No. 4 and No. 5 -- Discuss and possible action on Charter
Amendment provision regardin.q term limits and len,qth of council terms.
Councilmembers expressed their views on the issue.
Former Mayor Gary Halter expressed opposition to the term limits because it
appears that a problem does not exist with councilmembers in office for longer
than six years.
Councilman Birdwell made a motion to authorize staff to draft an ordinance and
bring back to the council at the appropriate time with two issues on the ballot:
1. To limit the city council and mayor terms to six consecutive years.
2. To change the length of term from two years to three years.
The motion was intended to include that an interested person could file for office
after a year of absence from council position.
The motion was seconded by Councilman Hickson which carried by a vote of
5-2.
FOR: Hickson, Anderson, Birdwell, Esmond, Mariott
AGAINST: Mayor Mcllhaney and Mayor Protem Kennady
If approved by voters, the change will affect the prospective council places.
Council Workshop 10/9/97 Page 3
Agenda Item No, 6 -- Discuss and possible action on Charter Amendment
provision regarding change in one year budget to two year budget.
Mayor Mcllhaney noted that the Texas Local Government Code requires cities to
adopt a budget annually because the Council must adopt the tax rate each year.
Councilmembers asked staff to come back with a two year plan for the budget
process.
Agenda Item No. 7 -- Committee Reports.
No reports were made.
Agenda Item No. 8 -- Agenda Requests by Councilmembers
Mayor Mcllhaney placed the discussion of the drainage policy related to the
comprehensive plan on the next agenda. This is in reference to the presentation
and discussion held at the Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting on
October 2nd.
Councilman Birdwell also asked staff to place on the agenda a status report on
directional signs to George Bush Library.
Agenda Item No. 9 - Council Calendars
TML Conference, October 29-November 1 Fort Worth
Council Workshop and Regular Meetings, October 23, 1997
City Affairs Committee, October 16, 1997
Council Engineering Committee, October 17, 1997
Bill Erwin Toast Banquet, October 21,997
City Affairs Committee, AMCC Planning Committee, October 24, 1997
Chamber of Commerce Banquet, October 27, 1997
Agenda Item No. 10 -- Executive Session
Staff and Legal Reports {LGC 551.075}
a. Regional Athletic Facility
Pending and Contemplated Litigation {LGC 551.071}
Personnel {LGC 551.074}
Council Workshop 10/9/97 Page 4
Staff moved into executive session at 4:45 p.m. The workshop and executive
sessions will adjourn following the regular meeting.
PASSED AND APPROVED this 13th day of November, 1997.
APPROVED:
Mayd/r Lynn Mcllhane~
ATTEST:
City Secretary Connie Hooks