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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/06/1983 - Special Minutes City Council MINUTES SPECIAL WORKSHOP CITY COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 1983 4:00 P.M. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Halter, Councilmen Anderson, Reinke, Mcllhaney, Boughton COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Councilmen Runnels, Prause STAFF PRESENT: City Attorney Denton, City Secretary Jones, Director of Capital Improvements Ash, Tax Assessor-Collector Dickson, City Planner Mayo, Asst. City Mgr. Van Dever VISITORS PRESENT: See guest register. Agenda Item No. 1 - Council Concerns Councilman McIlhaney asked if the houses moved from behind the City Hall would be sold by bid or by set price. Assistant City Manager Van Dever replied that the houses would be put up for sale and he did not yet know how the prices would be determined. Mayor Halter stated that the City intended to have contractors bid to rebuild the houses to meet HUD standards; then, to resell them to qualifying buyers. Councilman McIlhaney asked that the staff contact Mary Williams about the sale procedures. Mayor Halter announced that Senator Tower's office notified the City that next year's Community Block Grant has been awarded in the amount of $699,000 so the program will be continued. Councilman Boughton stated that she wanted to call the attention of the public to misinformation in a letter recently published by the Eagle. The letter concerned the city fire department and a house fire on Leona Street, near Councilman Boughton's home. She stated that her neighbors praised the actions of the fire fighters and she pointed out several mis- statements of fact in the letter, which appeared to be signed with a ficticious name. Councilman Boughton stated that Director of Capital Improvements Ash would like to have a date established for a special council meeting to be held for the purpose of having a question-and-answer session on the bond propositions. After further discussion, the council set the date of August 3, 1983 at 7:00 P.M. for a special council meeting to provide information on the capital improvement proposals. 003955 SPECIAL WORKSHOP CITY COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 1983 PAGE 2 Mayor Halter stated that Item No. 3 would be heard before Item No. 2, per the request of the Assistant City Manager. Agenda Item No. 3 - Consideration of bids for City Depository for Capital Projects Funds. Mayor Halter stated that this item was brought forward from the preceding meeting, when the council awarded bids for the depository of two other funds but delayed deciding on the depository for the capital projects' funds. The staff's recommendation was to award the bid to the University National Bank. Mayor Halter stated that city officials and staff members met with officials from the United Bank to go over questions about the bidding. Financial advisors to the city were asked to review the bids, and they agreed with the recommendation of the staff. Assistant City Manager Van Dever stated the staff's recommendation was based on the fact the United Bank's bid did not follow the bid form, along with the need to retain the integrity of the bid process in the long run. Mayor Halter stated that the bids were for funds the city currently has, and additional funds obtained through future bond sales probably will go up for bid also. Assistant City Manager Van Dever explained the difference in the bids. Councilman Anderson noted the importance of maintaining consistency, and stated that the University National Bank bid offered a consistent figure that the city can work with in budgeting. Following further discussion, Councilman Boughton moved to award the Capital Improvement Projects Funds Depository to the University National Bank. Councilman Anderson seconded the motion which passed unanimously. Agenda Item No. 2 - Consideration of request from Stage Center. Mayor Halter stated that a request had been received from Stage Center, for permission to use the Old City Hall Building as a headquarters for its fund raising activities. The organization offered to pay for the utilities used. Councilman Reinke asked about the time period that would be involved. Councilman Mcllhaney estimated that the group would need the. building about six to nine months. Councilman Anderson stated that the Council should determine how the utility billing would be handled. 003956 SPECIAL WORKSHOP CITY COUNCIL MEETING WEDNSEDAY, JULY 6, 1983 PAGE 3 Mayor Halter stated that the city could have an account set up for billing the consumption to Stage Center, and the utility deposit could be waived. Councilman Mcllhaney questioned if the air conditioning unit had been checked for reasons of safety, and if any legal problems would be invol- ved from their use of the facility. City Attorney Lowell Denton stated that he would look into the matter and would work with Stage Center on possible problems. Councilman Boughton moved to allow Stage Center to use the Old City Hall Building for fund-raising purposes with the understanding that Stage Center would pay all utility bills, and that the City Attorney would work with them to solve any liability risk that might be involved. The motion was seconded by Councilman Mcllhaney and was approved by the following vote: FOR: Halter, Boughton, McIlhaney, Reinke AGAINST: None ABSTAINING: Anderson Agenda Item No. 4 - Consideration of budget adjustments. Assistant City Manager Van Dever requested that the council consider three items not included in the 1983-84 Budget, as follows: Funding the Clean Community System for one-half year, $5,325 from the Sanitation Contingency Fund; Funding for the radar guns, $8,500, as previously discussed by the Council; and $50,000 for consultants to implement the merit pay study, with the monies to be derived from the General Fund Contingency ($30,000) the Utility Fund Contingency ($15,000) and the Sanitation Fund Contingency ($5,000). Mr. Van Dever stated that representatives from the firm of Waters & Trego were present and would like to set up meetings with members of the Council about the study. Councilman Boughton moved to authorize the city staff to make the three transfers from contingency funds, as requested. Councilman McIlhaney asked if the staff had confirmed the $5,325 amount with the Clean Community System. Assistant City Manager Van Dever said that he had not talked with the organization's representative, but had verified the amount from city records. After further discussion, the motion was seconded by Councilman Anderson and was approved unanimously. 0039 7 SPECIAL WORKSHOP CITY COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 1983 PAGE 4 Agenda Item No. 5 - Consideration of an ordinance ordering bond election. Mayor Halter introduced Roland Geddie, representing Baker & Botts. Mr. Geddie distributed copies of the proposed election order and explained that the ordinance if approved would authorize both revenue and tax bonds. Mr. Geddie explained the contents of each section of the proposed ordinance, and briefly described the five propositions that involve revenue bonds as follows: (1) $4,950,000, improvements for water works system; (2) $9,500,000, for the sanitary sewer system, (3) $2,920,000, for electric distribution system imnrovements; (4) $3,210,000, for purchase/ construction, utility service center; (5) $3,000,000, for the purpose of participating with others in the construction of new water and sewer lines. He stated that propositions six through ten would relate to tax bonds, as follows: (6) $4,880,000 for police station and fire station construction projects and improvements; (7) $4,075,000 for public park improvements; (8) $2,220,000 for improvements to Appomattox Drive; (9) $11,490,000 for improvements to streets other than Appomattox Drive; and (10) $1,930,000, basically for drainage purposes. Mr. Geddie discussed the other parts of the ordinance including the appointment o£ election officials, the absentee voting arrangements, the fact that one ballott will be used for both the bond propositions and the proposed amendments to the City Charter, the tabulation of ballots, the use of bi-lingual materials , and the posting of notices. After further discussion, Councilman Boughton moved approval of Ordinance No. 1433, ordering a Bond Election. Councilman Anderson seconded the motion. Councilman Reinke stated that she was still concerned about the date of the election. Mayor Halter asked that the council examine the material being sent to the printer for the bond brochure, and to let the Director of Capital Improvements know of any changes needed Mayor Halter called for the vote on the motion, which was approved 3-2 as follows: FOR: AGAINST: Halter, Boughton, Anderson Reinke, McIlhaney Mayor Halter asked if the councilmembers who were opposed to the motion would like to comment. Councilman Mcllhaney stated that her concern was over the date of the election. Councilman Reinke also expressed her concern with holding the bond election in August simultaneously with the charter election instead of having it on a later date. 003958 SPECIAL WORKSHOP CITY COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 1983 PAGE 5 Agenda Item No. 6 - Consideration of contract for services for special election. The item was presented by City Secretary Jones. The proposed contract with Texas Voting Systems is for a total of $6,000. City Secretary Jones stated that the cost for the election services is higher than that for the April 1983 election, because of the length of the ballot and the anticipated need for additional voting machines. City Secretary Jones explained that the long ballot will take each voter up to ten minutes to complete; the extra voting devices will therefore facilitate the voting. The increase in the cost of proposed contract, over the previous contract, is $2500. Assistant City Manager Van Dever stated that the total cost of the election would be brought to the council after August 13th, for approval of a transfer from contingency. After further discussion, Councilman Anderson made a motion to accept the contract with Texas Voting Systems. The motion was seconded by Councilman Boughton, and was approved unanimously. Agenda Item No. 7 - Adjourn. Mayor Halter adjourned the meeting. ATTEST: Dia~n -Jones, ~ty Secretary APPROVED: Ga~y ~alte~, Mayor / 003959 GUEST REGISTER SPECIAL WORKSHOP MEETING OF THE COLLEGE STATION CITY COUNCIL JULY 6, 1983 4=00 P.M. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 56. 47. 48. 49. 50. 0039t 0