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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/22/1984 - Workshop Minutes City Council MINUTES WORKSHOP CITY COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1984 5:00 P.M. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: STAFF PRESENT: VISITORS PRESENT: Mayor Pro-Tem Runnels, Councilmen Anderson, Boughton, McIlhaney, Prause, Reinke Mayor Halter Capital Improvements Director Ash, Parks Director Beachy, City Secretary Jones, Acting City Attorney Locke, Utilities Office Manager Piwonka, Assistant Utilities Office Manager Albright, Deputy Finance Director Schroeder, Traffic Engineer Black, Forester Ploeger, Council Coordinator Jones See guest register. .~genda Item No. 1 - Council Concerns. the City Council met in Workshop Session on August 22, 1984, with Mayor Pro-Tem Runnels presiding. ~ouncilman Anderson asked when the crosswalk at the intersection of Texas Avenue and Jersey was scheduled to be repainted. traffic Engineer Black stated that he would attempt to have the crosswalk painted before school starts. ~ouncilman Boughton expressed concern over the negative statements being directed at city staff. She suggested that more than one city staff member ~e in attendance at all meetings with individuals not employed by the city. ~ouncilman Reinke stated that the city would be in a better position to deal with these statements if some type of documentation of what took place is available. She suggested that minutes be taken or some type of nemorandum be written to summarize the events. 3irector of Capital Improvements Ash stated that the development staff will )e having weekly meetings to discuss pending items. He noted that a packet is being organized which outlines the procedural process for land ~evelopment and each council member will receive a copy. ~ouncilman Boughton stated that she had been contacted by a woman ~oncerning her mother's utility bill. She explained that the elderly ¢oman's utility bill becomes due each month before she receives her 'etirement check and therefore she pays the penalty charge each month. She ~uggested that the Council consider exempting those people on fixed incomes !rom the penalty charge and if so then some criteria as to who shall be ~xempted needs to be established. 00 6,73 WORKSHOP CITY COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1984 PAGE 2 Utilities Office Manager Piwonka listed two possible methods for exempting individuals on fixed incomes from the late payment penalty charge as follows: (1) totally exempt them from the penalty; or (2) leave their accounts in their regular cycle and code them to be due on the first of every month. She suggested that the Council establish some perimeters concerning the individuals to be exempted. Councilman Boughton requested that this matter be scheduled on the next regular meeting agenda. She asked Utilities Office Manager Piwonka to develop some recommendations concerning the exemption criteria. Councilman Reinke stated that the arrows painted on the pavement at the intersection of Tarrow and University are faded and need repainting. She asked Traffic Engineer Black to check the timing at this intersection and provide more time to the traffic on Tarrow Street. Councilman Boughton requested that the timing of the signal at University Drive and College Avenue be checked also. Councilman Runnels asked Utilities Office Manager Piwonka to make some comments on the progress of the demand control program initiated by the city. Utilities Office Manager Piwonka stated that there has been a steady rise in the demand consumption due to an increase in the number of utility accounts. She expressed her opinion that Monday, August 27, 1984 would be the day that the city will reach its peak demand for the year. She further stated that there has been tremendous response from the citizens of College Station to this program and that the city has made the public aware of its Energy Department. Councilman McIlhaney stated that the Manager of Beall's Department Store was very complimentary of the Utility Department in a recent conversation she had with him. She noted that his comment to her was that he hoped the media would give more attention to the subject. Councilman Runnels presented former City Attorney Lowell Denton with a plaque recognizing his professional service to the City of College Station. Mr. Denton accepted the plaque and thanked the Council for their consideration. He stated that he had enjoyed every minute of his time with the City of College Station. A~enda Item No. 2 - Discussion of ~roposed park site. Parks Director Beachy presented the item. Pointing out the proposed park site on the map, he noted that the site is approximately 400 acres with a majority of the acreage located in the Lick Creek flood plain. He explained that the proposed park site will be classified as a regional park. He explained that the Parks Board agreed that the site, if approved by Council, be developed as a natural park with emphasis on activities such WORKSHOP CITY COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1984 PAGE 3 as camping, hiking, and nature study. He presented slides of the proposed park site. He further stated that the Parks Board recommended that the acquisition money approved in the 1981 bond election for a large park be devoted to the development of this site. He noted that these funds can be used as the local share in an attempt to secure matching funds through the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. He explained that maintenance requirements of the proposed park will be determined by the intensity of the plans approved for the park. Parks Director Beachy listed the procedural steps that will occur if the Council is favorable to this concept, as follows: (1) Parks Planning Staff will develop a master plan for the park; (2) Based on a thorough site analysis and guidance received from both the Parks Board and the City Council, a "proposed pro(]ram" will be developed; (3) Public Hearings will be held to determine the accuracy of the proposed program elements; (4) "Design Concepts" will be prepared based on input from the public hearings; (5) After Council approval of the "design concept" , a preliminary site plan for the park will be developed and presented to Council for approval; (6) After the site plan is approved by Council, actual design can begin and application for matching funds can be submitted. Councilman McIlhaney asked about time limits for making the necessary decisions. Parks Director Beachy stated that the applications for funds must be made in January. Councilman Prause stated that he is very pleased with the ideas submitted and suggested that the staff contact other cities with parks of this size and inquire about the problems they have experienced. Councilman Reinke moved to direct the Parks Staff to proceed with the development of a plan for this site as a nature or wilderness park. Councilman Prause seconded the motion which was approved unanimously, 6-0. Councilman Reinke questioned how soon the Parks Staff would be able to present some proposals to the Council. Parks Director Beachy stated that the amount of time needed would be determined by how much base data is already available. He estimated that it would be between forty-five and sixty days before he would be submitting any additional information to the Council. 00 75 WORKSHOP CITY COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1984 PAGE 4 Agenda Item No. 3 - Discussion of pro~)osed TAMU Shuttlebus route on Anderson Street. Traffic Engineer Black presented the item. He stated that the Manager of the TAMU Bus Operations had contacted him concerning a proposed change to combine their existing Holleman route and Anderson route. He explained that to accommodate this change the city will be required to mark the Anderson approach to the Jersey St. intersection for one lane. He noted that at present a separate right-turn and left-turn lane does not allow a shuttlebus or large truck to make a right-turn from Jersey onto Anderson without encroaching on the left-turn lane. He further stated that after reviewing traffic counts and signal timing he feels that combining these two lanes will not add any delay to traffic stopped on the Anderson approach. He noted that the right-turn lane from Anderson onto Jersey is now signed "No Right On Red" which defers its effectiveness. Traffic Engineer Black noted that the TAMU Bus Operations is the eighth largest privately owned and operated transit system in the country. He pointed out that last year the bus operation carried approximately 2,733,000 passengers and recognized what a relief this provides to the traffic congestion problem in this city. The Council concurred on TAMU Bus Operations proposed change to combine their existing Holleman and Anderson routes. Agenda Item No. 4 - Adjourn. Mayor Pro-Tem Runnels adjourned the meeting. 'an Jones~ity Secretary Robert C. Runnels, Mayor Pro-Tem 00/,,./.,-76