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Home My WebLink About08/28/1997 - Workshop Minutes City CouncilMayor LYNN MCILHANEY Mayor Pro Tempore HUB KENNADY City Manager GEORGE K. NOE COLLEGE STATION Council Members STEVE ESMOND LARRY MARlO'IT DAVID HICKSON DiCK BIRDWELL SWIKI ANDERSON MINUTES COLLEGE STATION CITY COUNCIL Workshop Meeting Thursday, August 28, 1997 at 3:00 p.m. Utility Service Center, 1601 Graham Road Mayor Mcllhaney called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Mcllhaney, Mayor Protem Kennady, Councilmembers Anderson, Birdwell, Esmond, Mariott, Hickson STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Noe, City Secretary Hooks, City Attorney Cargill, Assistant City Manager Brymer, Acting Director Development Services Callaway, Transportation Planner Hard, Public Works Director Smith, PARD Director Beachy, Public Information Manager Calliham, OTIS Director Piwonka Agenda Item No. I -- Discuss consent a.qenda items listed on the re.clula,, a_clenda. Thursday, AuQust 28, 1997. Consent A,qenda Item No. 6b: ~ Removed by Councilman Anderson. Councilman Esmond also inquired about the following strategic issues: Drainage Implementation Plan CIP Plan Code Enforcement Total Quality Management/Accountability Westside Water/Sewer Projects Consent A.qenda Item No. 6c: Interlocal a.qreement with TAMU for purpose of installin_cl, oDeratin.q and maintainin.q "advance pedestrian warnin,I flashers" on Wellborn Road. Removed by Councilman Birdwell. He inquired about the purpose for expenditure by A&M for pedestrian signal lights on Wellborn. Staff responded Providing Customer Service Excellence Council Workshop 8/28/97 Page 2 that A&M asked the city for permission to install the lights. The interlocal agreement provides that the City will install and maintain the lights ifA&M purchased them. Consent A enda Item No. 6f: ~r ementPro amr funds for Removed by Councilman Esmond to ask for a description of the project scope. Staff replied that these funds will be used for three facade improvement projects, eligible for up to $16,000 of block grant funds. Ms. Carroll provided a description of the exterior facades. _Consent A,qenda Item No. 6h: Award to contractor for Wayne Smitl~ _Baseball Com lex - Removed by Councilman Birdwell. He expressed concern about the lack of council's input to the amended scope of the project. He addressed concern about the number of employees available for the numerous capital projects in terms of landscape jobs. Mr. Beachy noted that the work cycles within the Forestry Division are adjusted to meet these projects. On another subject, Mr. Beachy made remarks about the demand for additional soccer fields Mr. Tom Hines, architect for the Wayne Smith Ballfield project answered questions from Councilman Esmond about the change of scope. ,C, on.s.entA endaltemNo. 61: In.stallation of 911 ate on Bent Tree · ~~uon c~ent Tree Drive at ~~taff '---:-' ........ · v~,[leo [nat the homeowner on Bent Tree ~s satisfied with the arrangements for the 911 gate to be installed at Sebesta Road· A enda Item No. 2 -- Discuss and u date re ardin Hotel/Conference Center Pro'ect and the Conference Center Feasibilit Stud . Assistant City Manager Tom Brymer stated the purpose of this item was to provide Council an opportunity to hear an update on the study to date. Dave Moulder from Coopers and Lybrand presented the firm's scope of engagement for the feasibility analysis. Mr. Moulder identified tasks comprised within the market analysis. 1) industry trends 2) community resources 3) visit local tourist amenities 4) historical operations (existing conference center) 5) comparable facilities: ex. Abilene, El Paso, Lubbock, Piano 6) survey local entities (Chamber, TAMU) 7) market demand through telephone interviews and surveys Council Workshop 8128197 Page 3 Mr. Moulder answered questions of the Council related to the scope of services. Councilmembers debated the intent of Council's previous decision made on August 12th. Councilman Birdwell made a motion to reaffirm the Council's previous ranking of Wolf Pen Creek site first and Northgate site second and proceed with negotiations with the Wolf Pen Creek Team. No second was made. Mayor Protem Kennady moved to approve the motion passed at the August 12th meeting made by Councilman Esmond and have Coopers and Lybrand conduct a feasibility study of both sites, recommend the best location of the facility whether or not proposed, and extend the completion deadline to September 19th. Mayor Mcllhaney ruled Mayor Protem Kennady motion out of order if the intent is to change the site selection. Mayor Protem Kennady restated the motion to delete the language "recommend the best location" and instead direct Coopers and Lybrand to "rank the best location". This motion was seconded by Councilman Esmond. Joe DePalma, a member of the Wolf Pen Creek Team strongly urged council to continue to move forward with the feasibility analysis to determine whether or not a facility is needed in this community. Councilman Birdwell made a substitute motion to reaffirm previous action made by Council to rank Wolf Pen Creek as the primary site. Seconded by Councilman Hickson. Councilman Birdwell withdrew his motion. Councilman Birdwell made an amended motion to Mayor Protem Kennady's motion to delete the language "recommend the best location". Seconded by Councilman Hickson. Motion carried by a vote of 4-3. FOR: Mcllhaney, Birdwell, Hickson, Mariott AGAINST: Anderson, Esmond, Kennady The original motion by Mayor Protem Kennady to conduct the feasibility study as amended which carried unanimously, 7-0. Council Workshop 8/28/97 Page 4 Mayor Mcllhaney clarified the action directed to the consultants to conduct a market analysis for a conference center for the city of college station first, if the market analysis shows that this facility is feasible, then the consultants will analyze both sites. City Secretary Hooks restated the motion made at the August 12th meeting and read the action considered above. Council recessed for five minutes. Agenda Item No. 3 -- Review and discuss proposed Public Inforn~a{io~ effort for referendum on Conference Center. Assistant City Manager Brymer placed this item on the agenda to receive direction from council on the proposed public information effort designed to educate our citizens regarding this project. Cost of the public information program will cost approximately $15,000. Councilman Birdwell mentioned that the citizens should be informed of both aspects of the cost, construction and operational/maintenance. Mr. Birdwell suggested the brochure be mailed to registered voters by household with the elimination of apartment units. Councilman Hickson also suggested that the brochure should identify the net effect to the taxpayer. Councilmembers agreed to the suggested input. Public Information Manager Peggy Calliham pointed out the schedule contains numerous speaking engagements to local clubs and organizations. Agenda Item No. 4 -- Present and discuss draft TXDOT Unified Transportation Pro,qram and MPO FY 1998-2000 Transpoi~,~[io. Improvement Program. Transportation Planner Edwin Hard noted that this item was placed on the agenda at council's request as a follow-up to the MPO's presentation from Mike Parks. Mr. Hard identified two TXDOT projects estimated at $6.5 million slated for College Station in a ten year unified transportation plan. The consensus of the Council was to add a major priority project, railroad grade separation at George Bush and Wellborn Road to the ten year UTP plan. Another project of special interest to council was the University Drive and Texas Avenue intersection. Council Workshop 8/28/97 Page 5 Agenda Item No. 5 -- Street Maintenance -- Strategic Issue No. 10: Mark Smith presented an outline of the most recent pavement condition inventory. He summarized current maintenance strategies and progress to date on the evaluation of those strategies. Agenda Item No. 6 -- Status Report and review of development streamlinin.q efforts and direction to staff. Jim Callaway, Acting Director of Development Services presented a status report on the 1996 development streamlining strategic issue, reviewed 1997 action plan and updated council on proposed amending ordinances, and identified a timeline for the completion of the joint construction standards project. Mr. Callaway addressed concerns expressed by councilmembers toward the "one stop shop" service in Development Services. Councilmembers also noted the desire to address regional retention throughout the community as part of the unified development plan. Agenda Item No. 7 -- Committee Reports. Mayor Mcllhaney stated that the council engineering subcommittee will address the issues brought forth to the council by Councilmembers Anderson and Esmond related to construction contract, standard form of agreement, and consultant selection. Mayor Mcllhaney appointed Esmond as Chairman, Birdwell, Hickson as regular members, and Mariott as alternate. Councilman Hickson noted that the City Affairs Committee (Hickson, Mariott, Birdwell as regular members, and Anderson and Esmond as alternate) will meet monthly with the City of Bryan. This same group will meet with members of the School District on a bimontly basis. Mayor Mcllhaney mentioned that the Board of Regents breakfast meetings will be scheduled per quarter and she will notify councilmembers on a rotating basis. Agenda Item No. 8 -- A.qenda Requests by Councilmembers. Councilman Birdwell asked to place three items on a future agenda. _ Review of permit process for livestock _ Rename FM 2818 and Highway 6 _ Consider staff of Municipal Court report to Full Time Judge Council Workshop 8/28/97 Page 6 Agenda Item No. 9 -- Council Calendars. Sept. 24 -- Dinner and General Session with Board of Regents Agenda Item No. 10 -- Executive Session. Staff and Legal Reports {LGC 551.075} Pending and Contemplated Litigation {LGC 551.071} Personnel {551.074} The council moved into closed session at 6:20 p.m. The workshop and executive sessions adjourned following the regular meeting. PASSED AND APPROVED this 11th day of December, 1997. '~y ~e~r~ar~ [;onnie Hooks APPROVED: Mayo~r Lynn Mcllhaney /