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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/22/1973 - Regular Minutes City Council MINUTES City Council Meeting City of College Station, Texas October 22, 1973 7:00 P.M. MEMBERS PRESENT- Mayor J. B. Hervey; Councilmen Don Dale, J. D. Lindsay, C. A. Bonnen, Fred Brison, Homer Adams, R. D. Radeleff; City Manager Ran Boswell; Assistant Manager North Bardell; City Engineer George Ford; City Planner W. F. Koehler; and Administrative Secretary Sadie Holligan. MEMBERS ABSENT: None VISITORS PRESENT- See guest register. The regular meeting of the College Station City Council was called to order by Mayor Hervey at 7:00 P.M., October 22 at the City Hall in the Council Chambers. Mayor Hervey welcomed all visitors present. The first item on the agenda for the meeting was approval of the minutes of the meeting of September 24, 1973. The Mayor asked for comments regarding these minutes. On motion by Councilman Bonnen seconded by Councilman Brison, the minutes were unanimously approved as read. Mr. Bill Cepeda stood before the council to be heard regarding the garbage collection. He recently moved to College Station and purchased a home and gave a brief objection regarding the cost of the bags. Mayor Hervey advised Mr. Cepeda that there had been two public hearings regarding the garbage ordinance (Ordinance No. 885) and this was discussed at length at this time. Mayor Hervey thanked Mr. Cepeda for bringing this forward to the council. Mr. Jim Wright, President of the Bryan-College Station Chamber of Commerce, and Mr. Robert A. Lacey, Vice-President of the organization, showed a short slide presentation regarding a Bureau of Tourist and Conventions, which the Chamber of Commerce feels would enable the Bryan-College Station area to draw more industry and business to the twin cities. Mr. Wright advised that the Chamber of Commerce would like to suggest that the city council of College Station allocate a large part of the hotel-motel tax revenue to the Bureau of Tourist and Conventions. Mayor Hervey called on Mr. Holly, a local owner and operator in the hotel-motel business to give his opinion of this suggestion. Mr. Holly advised that he was very much in favor of this suggestion as it would promote week-end business as well as weekday business. Councilman Dale questioned as to where the location of the bureau would be. Mr. Wright stated that no location has been determined as of yet. However, he would not object MINUTES, City Council Meeting October 22, 1973 Page 2 to it being located in College Station, Bryan, or on the boundary if possible. He said that a committee would need to be set up in order to determine this among other questions. Mr. Wright advised that the bureau would be separate from the Chamber of Commerce, but that he hoped that it would coordinate with the Chamber of Commerce's efforts. This item was taken under advisement by the council for further action. The third agenda item was that of consideration of the A&M University Student Body resolution pertaining to the ward system of city elections. Mayor Hervey advised the council and the citizens that a resolution was presented to the council by the TAMU Student Senate regarding changing of the election system of the city council. Mayor. Hervey asked what action the council wanted to take on this resolution, while adding, that by state law residents must vote on a charter amendment. Councilman Radeleff suggested that.-a committee be appointed to look into this matter as this had been brought up several years ago, and consider it, as no action could be taken at this time. Councilman Dale moved that Mayor Hervey be authorized to form a committee to look into this matter for further action. The motion was seconded by Councilman Lindsay. Mayor Hervey explained that the charter could not be amended until two years from the present charter. This would mean that the present charter could not be amended until April, 1974. The motion carried unanimously. The fourth agenda item was the second resolution submitted to the council by the TAMU Student Senate at the last regular council meeting. This resolution was in regards to changing the polling place on the TAMU campus from Cushing Library to the University Center for the next city election in April, 1974. Councilman Brison stated similar requests had been brought forward and moved that it is the sentiment of this council that it looks with favor upon a polling place that will be most convenient for the students and that it will be pleased to consider with the External Affairs Committee of the TAMU Student Senate an appropriate polling place before another election is announced in the city. Councilman Bonnen seconded the motion as did Councilman Dale, and was unanimously carried. The fifth agenda item was a brief discussion regarding Ordinance No. 893, an ordinance calling for a public hearing on the question of rezoning certain property in the Lake Village Place Subdivision. Upon motion of Councilman Dale seconded by Councilman Bonnen, Ordinance No. 893 was adopted calling for the public hearing. The sixth agenda item was consideration of renewing the contract with Ernest L. Brown of Moroney & Beissner & Co., as financial advisor for the city. Mayor Hervey called on City Manager Boswell for a recommendation regarding this matter. Mr. Boswell stated that he recommended to the council that Mr. Brown be re-employed, as Mr. Brown had done a good job in the past. Councilman Adams asked that the terms of employment be read, and Mr. David Fetzer MINUTES, City Council Meeting October 22, 1973 Page 3 of Moroney & Beissner & Co. complied with this request. Mayor Hervey asked what the arrangements were regarding Mr. Brown's fee and Councilman Brison requested that the fee arrangements be made public before a motion was made. City Manager Boswell obtained a copy of the contract and Mr. Fetzer read this aloud before the council and the citizens. It was determined that Mr. Brown's fee for the last contract as financial advisor was $9,250. Councilman Dale observed that the AA rating for recent selling of bonds was due to Mr. Brown's assistance and moved that the council accept and approve the extension of the contract. The motion was seconded by Councilman Bonnen. Councilman Adams took issue on Councilman Dale's statement regarding the AA rating being obtained due to Mr. Brown's assistance. Councilman Adams felt that the past and present financial statement of the city was responsible for the AA rating. Question was called for on the motion. The motion carried with Mr. Adams going on record as voting no to the motion. Agenda item seven was the tabulation of police car bids. Assistant City Manager Bardell gave the tabulation of the bids. Mr. Bardell stated that the city recommended the bid of Halsell Dodge of $7050. Councilman Dale stated that he had no recommen- dation but that his personal experience and the experience of the city with Dodge cars was bad. After considerable discussion regarding these bids, Councilman Adams moved the low bid of $7050, be accepted from Halsell Dodge. The motion was seconded by Councilman Bonnen and carried. Councilman Dale goes on record as voting no to this motion. Agenda item eight, Assistant City Manager Bardell's report on alley survey, was as follows: There are 8.65 miles of alley existing in the City of College Station, most of which contain underground utilities, overhead utilities, trees, shrubbery, etc. With very few exceptions, these alleys are not open to vehicular traffic and were not intended for vehicular traffic when dedicated during development. They were primarily intended for utility installation and have been utilized in this manner. Projecting costs of paving or graveling a roadway in these alleys we estimate a figure of $4.84 per linear foot for a 6 inch thick black base roadway 11 feet wide. Should the city of College Station assume the responsibility for work in these alleys, we would face up to $234,859.00 worth of construction costs which does not include the necessary utility adjustments which are difficult to estimate. It is felt that opening these roadways in the alleys would not provide benefits to the general citizenry of College Station and the only benefits would accrue to the property owners abutting the alley proper. Therefore MINUTES, City Council Meeting October 22, 1973 Page 4 we would expect the abutting property owners to assume the entire expense of such a project. Examination of the alley running from Jersey Street to Burt Street between Suffolk and Dexter reveals that the clear space between f'ences varies from 15' to 16' but that an existing overhead telephone line and poles reduces this to 10' of clear space. Further complicating this is the growth of hedges and shrubs which intrude upon the alley and one large oak tree which is located in the middle of the alley. Extensive clearing and cutting of shrubbery, trees and hedges would be necessary for vehicular access and work room for construction equipment. Councilman Brison moved that Mr. Bardell's survey become a part of the minutes of this meeting and that it is the sentiment of this council that it is not in position to maintain the alleys in a manner substantially different from that which now prevails, except as necessity arises. If interested property owners in full agreement are disposed to changes in the physical character and use of alleys without detriment to their present use, at owners expense the city will provide technical council in making such changes. The motion was seconded by Councilman Radeleff and carried unanimously. In agenda item nine, there was no other business. Agenda item ten, adjourn, Mayor Hervey declared the meeting adjourned at 8-25 P.M. ATTEST Secretary APPROVED ~-,'~- ~..~.-,~.~-~ ~ayor