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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublicity Vol. 63 (Jan. 8, 1999 - Dec. 30, 1999)s The Eagle 'It AT C®lleae Station Date: Dec. 30, 1 q 9 2 • Good deal for Bryan O ver the past several years, I have periodically served as a volunteer for the city of Bryan relating to economic devel- opment. First, I was asked to serve on the Bryan Development Foundation board. Today, I am involved with the joint cities and county econom- ic development effort. I believe I have some sense of the city's prob- lems and the tools available to overcome them. I have witnessed firsthand how our dedicated and hardworking elected officials and city staff have scratched and scraped and fought for every significant economic event that has happened to our city over the past several years. I have seen thoughtful profes- sionalism displayed throughout the process of determining what is or is not a good deal for the citi- zens of Bryan. Whether it is the new Blinn College campus, the LaSalle Hotel project or the Park Hudson busi- ness park, our elected officials and city staff have always been mind- ful of two things: improve the qual- ity of life for all of the citizens of Bryan and be supportive of our sis- ter city, College Station, Texas A &M University and Brazos County. They have succeeded at every turn. The recently announced west side golf course, hotel /conference center and residential project has been thoroughly evaluated and approved by a duly elected and, on this issue, united City Council rep- resenting all areas of town. Coun- cil members have analyzed this complicated project many times over and know it has potential for spectacular success. How and where the project will be done has to some extent been influenced by forces and events 1 1WS outside of the city's control. If all of the money contemplated for this investment is ultimately spent, Bryan will have hit a home run. That is, the city and school district will be in possession of a tax revenue stream that will serve us long after the city's investment has been returned. Even if the pro- ject hits a snag along the way, ade- quate safeguards are in place to limit the city's risk. This project has Texas A &M as its neighbor and partner. It has the premier club operator in the coun- try in Club Corporation of Amer- ica. It will have a major hotel oper- ating under a well-known flag. It has a large and financially sound real estate construction and devel- opment firm in C.F. Jordan as its residential developer, and it has the world renowned Jack Nicklaus as the golf course architect and investor. It will happen on some of our city's most beautiful property which is "across the street" from Easterwood Airport, the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum and Texas A &M's rapidly growing West Campus. There is no better opportunity for success. When I moved back home to Bryan nine years ago, everyone concerned about a declining tax base was screaming "we need to do something" to get our city moving again. Fortunately, we have recently elected City Councils who have said "yes," but always in a prudent and fiscally responsible manner. Count me in as a supporter of this west side economic develop- ment project. It is the right thing in the right place at the right time and with the right people. This last ingredient, the right people, also means you and me, supporters of a growing and prosperous Bryan. TIM BRYAN Bryan CS • to open e p mer enc sites S g y pecaal to The ­­ The ¢g e The city of College Station, in preparation for New Year's Eve, will open the city's Emergency Operating Center as a central information base and nine manned Y2K emergency reporting sites as part of precautionary measures, officials said Wednes- day. The emergency reporting sites will function only as community information branches where resi- dents can report problems and get information should the city expe- rience a communications break- down. Reporting sites will be open from 10 p.m. on Friday through 2 a.m. Saturday (or as long as need- ed) at the following locations: ■ Northgate COPP Office, 105 College Main. ■ College Hills Elementary School, 1101 Williams. ■ Lincoln COPP Office, 1000 Eleanor. ■ Fire Station No. 1, 304 Holle- man Dr. E. ■ Fire Station No. 2, 2100 Rio Grande. ■ College Station Teen Center, 1520 Rock Prairie Road. ■ Lutheran Church (Sebesta Road), 1200 Foxfire. • Fire Station No. 3, 4180 Texas 6. • Pebble Creek Elementary, 200. City safety officials also are reminding residents that 911 is an emergency number only. In order to reduce stress on the system, people reporting non- emergen- cies, such as noise and fireworks violations, should call 764 -3600 or 764 -3700. These numbers are non - emergency police and fire dis- patch numbers. Location maps for the nine emergency reporting sites can be picked up from the Police Depart- ment, City Hall and grocery stores in College Station, officials said. Each site will be manned by at least two officers and fire and civilian personnel, and should be used to report emergency situa- tions in the unlikely event that the city loses power or communi- cations. I The sites are strategically locat- ed in areas that are familiar to most residents, such as churches and schools, officials said. There will be signs outside each site to help identify them. 0 .-'-�. For gas space heaters, make sure to: ✓ Use approved, flexible line rather than old rubber tubing to connect your heater to the gas line. ✓ Have heaters checked fre- quently, about once a year, for old or faulty hoses and valves or gas leaks. ✓ Make sure your heater is vent- ed or, if it isn't, buy a carbon monoxide detector, which will mea- sure the level of carbon monoxide in the air. For electric space heaters: ✓ Do not plug electric space heaters into extension cords or to overcrowded electrical outlets. ✓ Place the heater at least 36 inches away from anything (walls, curtains, clothing, furniture). ✓ Always unplug heaters when not in use. For all heaters: ✓ Follow the manufacturer's instructions closely. ✓ Don't pile things on top of a heater or place things close to the heater to dry. ✓ Buy only heaters with the Underwriter's Laboratories (UL) listing. ✓ Check to see if your heater is properly installed. ✓ Never leave combustibles close to a heater. ✓ Never use a kitchen oven or range to heat your home. CS official offers tips for home heating safety House fire prompts cautions about heaters By MARIA LUISA TUCKER Eagle Staff Writer A College Station house fire that apparently was caused by an old gas heater prompted fire officials Tuesday to warn residents about heaters that may not have modern safety features. Willie Mae Sterling, 71, lost her home Monday when a faulty gas wall heater in the bathroom caught fire. Sterling and her adopted son, Alex, lost virtually everything in the fire, including just- opened Christmas presents. "You learn from past disasters, past misfortunes," College Station Fire Department Arson Investiga- tor Raymond Olson said, warning others to take preventive mea- sures. The porcelain radiant gas heater was not installed properly, Olson said. The heater did not have a fire guard around it and the back of it was facing a closet full of clothes, he said. Automatic shut -off and safety valves, which can prevent fires, often are absent in older heaters. "They're dangerous," Olson said. A lot of the old homes in Bryan and College Station still have heaters without safety valves, automatic shut -offs and a thermo- stat- control mechanism, and many people keep the porcelain wall heaters because they are dec- orative, Olson said. Though old heaters can be dan- gerous, they are only occasionally the cause ,of structure fires. "This is the first one this year that was caused by heaters," Olson said. In a year, usually one or two of the fires in College Station are caused by heaters. The last fire caused by a heater, more than a year ago, was a result of a space heater being used to dry some clothes, Olson said. More often, fires are started by ciga- rettes, kitchen fires or electrical problems. Another worry that comes with heating is the threat of carbon monoxide. Olson said older heaters with safety vents may emit carbon monoxide, a deadly gas. Fire- places also can give off carbon monoxide, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. To prevent this, chimneys should be cleaned See HEATERS, Page A13 Y 0 Heaters :From A9 and inspected annually. Carbon monoxide detectors, which check -for dangerous levels of the gas, can be purchased at most hard- ware stores for about $2o to $50. In addition to following preven- -tive measures, a working smoke alarm is the number one fire sur- vival tool of any home. Make sure to check the batteries frequently. For more information on fire Prevention, check the U.S. Fire Administration Web site at " www.usfa.fema.gov. For a con - sumer safety guide or fire safety 4 brochures, write Underwriters ``Laboratories Inc. at Public Infor- mation and Education Services, 333 Pfmgsten Road, Northbrook, ;=IL 60062. To heat your home safely, fol- low these tips: For gas space heaters, make sure to: ■ Use approved, flexible line "rather than old rubber tubing to ,.. your heater to the gas line. ■ Have heaters checked fre- quently, about once a year, for old or faulty hoses and valves or gas leaks. ■ Make sure your heater is vented or, if it isn't, buy a carbon < <This is the first one this year that was caused by heaters. > — RAYMOND OLSON College Station Fire Department arson investigator monoxide detector, which will measure the level of carbon monoxide in the air. For electric space heaters: ■ Do not plug electric space heaters into extension cords or to overcrowded electrical outlets. ■ Place the heater at least 36 inches away from anything (walls, curtains, clothing, furni- ture). ■ Always unplug heaters when not in use. For all heaters: ■ Follow the manufacturer's instructions closely. ■ Don't pile things on top of a heater or place things close to the heater to dry. ■ Buy only heaters with the Underwriter's Laboratories (UL) listing. ■ Check to see if your heater is properly installed. ■ Never leave combustibles close to a heater. ■ Never use a kitchen oven or range to heat our h Y ome. The Eagle City of College Station News AMML Date: VC Spend money wisely 0 ver the past few weeks, the city of Bryan has placed large ads in The Eagle adver- tising the planned golf course and development. The citizens of Bryan would be astounded to know how much these ads have cost. I know from inquiring on advertising costs that these ads have cost between $15,000 and $20,000 so far, not even taking into consideration the radio ads. If this is such a great investment for the city and our citizens, why is it necessary to spend this amount of our tax dollars on trying to con- vince the citizens to back this pro- ject? I believe the city of Bryan could use this money more wisely than I_ advertising, especially knowing there are areas in Bryan without paved streets and sewers and other necessities ordinarily furnished to all citizens. a This is especially disturbing since they are spending these tax dollars to advertise a project of this enormity that the citizens have not even been given an opportunity to y vote on. The City Council should try to spend the money delegated to their care by the citizens of Bryan more carefully. U'17'3 ` PAT LINDSEY -MATA Bryan Let the people vote I agree with Milton Pack and others who say we need to insist the golf course project be placed on a ballot for a vote by the people. I have voiced this to the mayor and to the Bryan City Council. In fact, I begged them to please remember how democracy works and bring this matter to the voters. Naturally, both sides should be 1 fully informed and, as yet, I don't �V think that has happened. Why wouldn't our city officials trust the voters to make an intelligent deci- sion? Let's suppose this project is the best thing to come down the pike. Why must the name — Tradition Golf and Country Club at University Ranch — associate it with the university and not with Bryan? If we have any hopes of this project coming to fruition, why wouldn't Bryan want to claim it as its own? We would not even have bragging rights without first explaining that it really belongs to us. It makes one wonder who is pushing the buttons. I think we've been snookered one more time. Now, let's suppose this project falls flat. How could we ever recov- er from the loss? The only recourse may be to move to College Station. JOY TAYLOR Bryan Too man Editor's Note: The following is a column by the chairman and cochairman of Citizens in Action in response to a pro-west side project column by opinions editor Robert C. Borden that ed on this page Nov. 28. BrBETH PRICE and LOUIS NEWMAN Special to The Eagle 1 2) 1� J l l R is abs obert Borden abs lutel cor- rect. The city of Bryan's proposed west side project should be viewed as an investment, not as a golf course development, and he correctly notes that public funds should be invested carefully with minimal risks. As any successful investor can tell you, there are good and bad invest- ments, and the key to success is distin- guishing between the two. The city of Bryan has recently engaged in an after the fact, highly expensive effort to sell the public on the economic benefits of the proposed west side project. We take it as a given that Bryan city officials who are backing this project sincerely believe that it will reap benefits for the citizens for many years. The problem is that the current analysis does not meet the high standards of successfiil investors. The following are just some of the issues raised by the available informa- tion relative to the west side project obtained through open records requests. ■ City paying $4,266,486 in excess of appraised value for the land — The city of Bryan's proposed site for the pro- ject was appraised in 1999 by the city 's own highly qualified appraiser for $2,410,000. Yet, the city has obtained options to buy the property for $6,676,486, nearly three times the appraised value. ■ Giving away expensive land — ,NLe city is giving 200 acres to Tradition Club and 25 acres to Campus Hotels isconsin, as required under exist- in contracts. The city will have paid $1,834,490 for the 225 acres and intends to give away that entire sum. 1) It is dis- appointing that the city would annex the land without disclosing its motiva- tion; 2) It is baffling that the city would pay more for land than its own appraised value, and 3) It is unthinkable that the city would then give away this entire parcel of highly over - priced land. ■ No master plan; no certainty as to costs or revenue — A master devel- opment plan for the project was request- ed from the city, and Tom Coyle, the city's project manager, responded that no such plan existed. A master plan is necessary to determine where streets, culverts, bridges and utilities will be placed and how much they will cost, how many lots will be available for sale, how big will they be, and how much they will cost. Current projections as to the economic outcome of the project are pure speculation. If there is no master development plan, there is no certainty of the development costs or estimated revenue. Additionally, there are unknown costs associated with the extension of utilities that will be required to reach this site, such as sewer requirements. ■ No financial statements — Financial statements for the three com- panies (Tradition Golf, Jordan Community Properties, L.P., and Campus Hotels) that will develop the project were not obtained or even requested by the city, according to Tom le. What certainty do we have that companies can fulfill their contrac- obligations since the parent compa- nies, CF Jordan and C1ubCorp of America, have no obligation whatsoev- er? ■ No feasibility study — No detailed feasibility study has been conducted to determine with any reliability the num- ber of lot sales that can be expected in the proposed development. The city has projected 100 lot sales per year, with an F-y rm" nue average improved lot and home value of example, why did the city staff negotiates bility — Prominent Realtors in the com- $200,000. Data compiled over the past to give the golf course land to Tradition munity have expressed concern as to several years reveals that, in all of Golf without any participation in profits the viability of the project due to con - Brazos County, there were only between from a potential sale? Why did the city stant airplane traffic overhead, the need 115 to 125 lot and home sales per year staff negotiate and give Jordan the to cross railroad tracks at grade to that had improved lot values exceeding major project improvements, a cost that reach other parts of the community, and $150,000. Therefore, there does not is normally borne by the developer? the potential for relocation of the rail - appear to be any solid basis for the Why did staff allow Jordan to have road tracks down the adjacent Texas 47. city's projected 100 lot sales per year options on the commercial property These Realtors have also expressed con - with an improved lot value of $200,000 that also allows access to the property siderable reservations as to the volume in the west side development. from Villa Maria Road? Why did the of home sales projected. We have no evi- ■ Hotel has a "very high -risk pro- city agree to provide Tradition Golf the dence that the city has engaged in Me" —The city of Bryan projects that golf course drainage and clearing work informed discussions with local real its proposed 120 -room hotel will achieve for free, provide a letter of credit to estate professionals as to what will or 70 percent year -round occupancy at an build the hotel, provide free water to the will not sell in this market. It would be average nightly rate of $115. By compar- golf course, and provide interest -free appropriate for the city to appoint a ison, the College Station Hilton is hav- financing for the land Jordan is to group of skilled and qualified profes- ing its best year ever and is expected to develop? Why can the contractors walk sionals who would willingly lend their achieve 70 percent occupancy at an away from the project without any lia• expertise, provide input and direction average nightly rate of $82. The city's bility? Here is why: Prudent business - in the form of an advisory committee. estimates are questionable, particularly men such as the city's contractors ■ Potential de- annexation may in light of forthcoming competition (Tradition Golf, Jordan, and Campus make issues moot — The city should from the LaSalle Hotel (another project Hotels) would not enter into contracts immediately stop its advertising and in which the city of Bryan has invested with so many unidentified costs unless stop its staff from working full -time on heavily). The PKF study, commissioned the city made the deal so lucrative for this project, as it has been reported in by the city, is hardly a glowing endorse- the contractors that they could not lose The Eagle that there is a petition being ment for potential success of the hotel. money. This is exactly what has circulated which, if successful, might Rather, the PKF study states that in the occurred. de -annex the proposed site. consultant's opinion, there is sufficient ■ Violation of sound economic ■ Truth in advertising — Why is the and potential market demand to support development principles — The Bryan- city spending large amounts of public the proposed hotel. However, the report College Station Economic Development funds after the contracts have been further states that estimating potential Corporation has long adhered to four signed on advertisements to justify this demand is somewhat difficult and that basic principles of sound economic project? Why do these advertisements the potential level of enthusiasm among development, all of which are violated not include a disclaimer that states surveyed meeting planners for the pro- by the proposed development: 1. Do no their expected results are based upon posed hotel is medium to low. Economic harm — restricted from granting incen. assumptions that may or may not be Research Association of San Francisco, tives to any business that would com- achieved and do not clearly identity that Calif., on the other hand, has deter - pete with local businesses. The pro- the investment may be subject to loss? mined that a west side hotel has a very posed development will compete direct- What is the purpose of these advertise- high-risk profile at this time. Economic ly with privately owned existing golf ments anyway, since the citizens cur - Research Association also deemed a courses, existing and future real estate rently do not have a right to vote for or hotel of this type would be a high risk developments and the local hotel -motel against the project? anywhere in the Brazos Valley at this industry. 2. Do not commit future coun• When the city government veers from time. Economic Research Association is cils to ongoing economic development traditional services into economic an internationally recognized firm in issues — The TIF bonds will remain development of the magnitude of the the area of providing feasibility studies outstanding until 2025, in light of the $40-million plus west side project and for real estate research, golf course unsupported economic assumptions for when the risks associated with city gov developments, convention centers and ernrnent are not be' minimized, citi- repayment of the bonds, and create the frig theme parks. ■ Impact of economic downturn substantial risk of sizable debt to be ser- zees should be allowed to decide if such not considered co None of the turn a- viced by future City Councils. 3. Cities activity is desired. How many citizens, are prohibited from granting the credit when casting their vote for the mayor tion provided by the city considers what of the municipality to anyone — the city or council members, ever envisioned happens if the 100 lot sales per year do has agreed to provide a $2 million "cred- that they would be electing these indi- not occur as projected. As a nation and it enhancement" to Campus Hotels, to viduals to represent them in a $40-mid- community, we have enjoyed a tremen- assist in obtaining financing for the pro• lion plus upscale residential develop - dous economic expansion over the past ject hotel. 4. The Economic ment, golf course and hotel transaction? decade, unparalleled in our history. Development Corporation is prohibited When Ray Perryman, a nationally Experience tells us that the expansion from granting or negotiating financial known economist and economic devel- will not continue forever. One only has incentives to anyone until they have opment strategist, while appearing at a to look back to the mid -'80s when real local luncheon, was asked if the west provided full financial information. estate development almost came to a side project is consistent with other pro - complete standstill in the Brazos Valley. ■ No public bid — In its rush to com- jests that he has seen, he said, "No." He What is the impact of an economic slow- plete a deal, the city has skipped the went on to say it was his fundamental down upon the proposed project? What customary public bidding process, belief that governmental entities should does a 50 percent, 60 percent or 70 per- which would have brought market leave endeavors such as country clubs, cent reduction in the assumed 100 lot forces to bear and placed the city in a residential subdivisions and hotels to sales do to the project economics? Can better negotiating position. the private sector. the TIF bonds be repaid? Do the citizens ■ Public not informed — Borden Unfortunately, a sound and thorough ever get any return of their investment? has stated that this project has been economic analysis of the proposed pro- ■ No TIF bonds, no commission — talked about for four years. If so, where ject has not been performed. Therefore, The city's bond salesman, a representa- are the minutes of these discussions and the City Council had no basis upon tive of the First Southwest Company, the notification to the public that such which to make an informed decision reported to the City Council that other talks were taking place? Where is the that this project should move forward. Texas cities have also engaged in simi- information that was provided to the No further action should be taken by lar efforts of economic development via citizens for review? If the city of Bryan the city until a comprehensive econom- public- private partnerships. However, had expended the sums to inform the is analysis from a qualified third party the bond salesman failed to tell the public and obtain feasibility studies reflecting all costs of the residential, whole story. The three examples cited that are currently being expended to hotel and golf components of the west included the construction of a city hall, run newsprint and radio promotions, side project is prepared (including feasi- a library and construction of a parking the citizens might have had the appro- bility studies and existing contracts). lot for a shopping mall where none priate facts to make an informed deci- City staff should present such an analy- exists. To compare these with the real sion on the project. This entire issue sis to the council so that it may deter - estate project proposed by the city of might not be before the people in a con- mine if this project is worthy of invest - Bryan is, at best, misleading. One needs troversial environment. ment. if such a comprehensive analysis to consider the credibility of First ■ Who pays for public services for is favorable, and the project is endorsed Southwest Company, as it could be the west side project? — Since a sub- by the City Council, the decision of biased. If this project does not proceed, stantial portion of tax revenue from the whether to proceed should then be made it will have no bonds to sell — thus, no development must be used to repay the by the citizens of Bryan. Public hear- commission. The City Council used this TIF bond obligation, what is the source irigs should be held, at which time com- report as the essential motivation for of funds for city services to be provided plete information should be provided signing the contracts. to the proposed west side project during and ultimately considered in a public ■ Contracts the fair way? — Since the life of the TIF, such as police and referendum. If the project is viable, the the economic analysis of the proposed fire protection? Will general tax rev- risks are acceptable and the majority of project is so incomplete, city staff was enues from the rest of the city (meaning the citizens want to proceed, then the in no position to negotiate effectively from you and me) be required to subsi- project should go forward because, in with the other parties. How could staff dize city services for the proposed devel- our democratic society, the majority members know what they were negoti- opment? rules. ating if they did not know the cost? For ■ Prominent Realtors question via- While we respect the journalistic ect to qualifications and career of Robert Borden, he does not appear to have the background or resources necessary to analyze this project based upon the information that is currently available from the city. In fact, no one can. As Tom Coyle stated, this is a "bold move" for a city the size of Bryan. We agree. It is a very bold move, one fraught with risk. Only after careful and thorough analysis is conducted, and all the facts are made public, can the citizens of Bryan determine the future of this pro- ject. It is not too late for the city to re- evaluate the project. While there may be costs associated with cancellation of outstanding contracts, those costs may pale in comparison to the costs incurred if the project goes forward. We appreciate The Eagle affording us the opportunity to submit this response to Borden's column and we thank each of our fellow citizens who have taken time to read and consider our views. ■ Beth Price is chairman of Citizens in Action, a political action committee formed in opposition to the city of Bryan's planned west side development project. Louis Newman is co- chairman. C itv of Collefye Station Dews Date: DeC- �b ,1999 $30,000 to assist CS firm EDC approves development aid By BLAIR FANNIN Eagle Staff Writer // I I Vr The Bryan- College Station Eco- nomic Development Corp. on Wednesday gave $30,000 from its development fund to Recharge- able Battery Company in College Station, which is planning to expand and add 14 new employ- ees. Rechargeable Battery Company is a former Bryan- College Station Technology Incubator tenant that recently was awarded a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Advanced Technolo- gy Program. The grant, plus at least $1.8 million of the company's funds, will be used to cover devel- opment costs over the next three years. Officials said the company is in need of more space for its offices and research and development laboratories. The company has grown from two employees to 10 full -time and three part -time employees during the past two years. Officials anticipate adding 14 employees over the next three years. The 14 new jobs would create $510,000 in new annual gross pay- roll for an average of $36,429 per oft new job. The company anticipates spending $840,000 for new testing equipment, computers, software and other equipment for its new offices. Company officials are consider- ing leasing space at either 3310 Longmire Drive in College Station or in the Gateway Technology Center in the Business Center at College Station. The company had given consideration to moving to Austin. The $30,000 is contingent upon company officials signing a lease somewhere in College Station, and the company will have to pro- vide documentation of a signed lease. The payments will be made in the amount of $2,500 a month for a year. "They've got tremendous poten- tial," said Gary Basinger, manag- er of business development for the Bryan - College Station Chamber of See EDC, Page A2 EDC [ From Al Commerce. "Three years down the road, when they get to the commercial- ization point and are ready to manufacture rechargeable batter- ies, they will be looking at build- ing a large facility employing a significant number of people," he said. Basinger said companies in the industry usually build a 100,000 square -foot facility and employ between 300 and 500 people. The technology used in the bat- teries is Secondary Zinc Alkaline Manganese dioxide (SZAM), a patented technology that uses bis- muth modified manganese diox- ide cathode, a zinc anode, and a special patented separator. The SZAM technology offers the advantages of alkaline cell batteries, but with significantly. higher energy density. It also has long -cycle life rechargeability. �11 • — rhe Bryan group files petition documents Citizens In Action have filed docu- ments with the city of Bryan in support of any petitions that would force an election to recall the City Council or require a vote for any expenditures on a golf course development in west Bryan. Louis Newman, a Citizens In Action member, said the committee has no immediate intention of circulating recall petitions. To force a recall election, petitions cir- culated in council member's districts must have enough signatures to equal 25 percent of the votes cast in the dis- trict when the member was elected, city secretary Mary Lynne Stratta said. dent of operations for Hartman News- papers, is vice - president; and Greg Shrader, editor and publisher of the Kerrville Daily Times, will be treasurer. Dan Savage, publisher of the Waco Tri- bune- Herald, will become chairman of the executive committee in 2000. Joining the board as new directors in 2000 are: Donnis Baggett, publisher and editor of The Bryan -College Station Eagle; Rollie D. Hyde, publisher of the Plainview Daily Herald; Robert W. Mong Jr., president and general manager of The Dallas Morning News; and Mack Quintana, president_ and publisher of the El Paso Times. Founded in 1921, the association represents the state's daily newspa- pers. It represents the newspaper industry at the state Legislature and conducts a variety of programs such as newspaper internships for college stu- dents, awards and statistical surveys. Staff reports C %,,ompiaint ntect against city official Eagle Staff` Report A member of Citizens In Action filed a complaint Tuesday with Bryan City Manager Mike Conduff, saying that the city's spokesman was rude and unprofessional in a recent telephone conversation. Bryan resident Tina Gandy said that Joe Brown called her at home on Saturday asking about informa tion published in a Letter to the Editor in the Saturday edition of The Bryan - College Station Eagle about the city's golf course and resort project. Brown, who has been Bryan's public information officer for 10 years, asked Gandy why her letter said Bryan's cost in Tradition Club at University Ranch will be $30 mil- lion. City officials said the cost in funds will be $13 million, with the rest created through a tax incre- ment finance zone. "He didn't threaten me," Gandy said. "But, he was obviously very upset, and said he was sick and tired of people throwing out num- bers that are false. That's the infor mation I got [from Citizens in Action." Brown, who has never had a complaint filed against him and has never been reprimanded, said he apologized to the chairman of the committee, Beth Price, on Mon- day and asked that she pass on the apology to Gandy. He said it was his first and last time to call a citi zen about an issue. "If I offended Ms. Gandy in any way, I offer my sincere apologies," he said. "She was very pleasant to me on the phone and thanked me for calling. I deeply respect the rights of every citizen to their opin- ion, but as the public information officer, I feel it's my duty to the cit- izens to make sure they have the correct data." In July, the city announced its plans to develop the westside golf course and resort project and, in August, Bryan businessman Don Adam announced plans to develop a similar project on the east side without the city's involvement. Citizens In Action is a political action committee that recently formed to get the golf course pro- ject on a ballot. The group wants to let Bryan residents decide whether to spend public money on the golf course. Adam, chairman and chief exec- utive officer of the Adam Corpora - tion/Group, joined the committee at its first meeting in November, saying that, as a Bryan resident, he was concerned with how the city was spending public money. The committee estimates that the city will spend more than $43 million on the project. City officials said the project will cost $27 million, a majority of which will be created from a tax - increment finance zone. The rest will be funded through oil and gas funds, Elf Atochem settlement funds and lot reimbursement funds. No ad valorem taxes will be used, officials said. Dallas -based ClubCorp USA, which teamed with the city and Texas A &M University in July for the project, will develop the golf course. The championship course will be designed and partly owned by legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus. Campus Hotels, based in Chicago, will develop the hotel and confer ence center and CF Jordan, based in El Paso with regional headquar- ters in College Station, will develop the residential area. Officials said that during the next 25 years, the city will get its initial investment back and net $9.4 million. Also, the project will put money into the local economy, offi- cials said, generating an estimated $1.35 million in construction fees, $2.2 million in county taxes, $11.2 million in hotel occupancy taxes and $82.6 million in school district taxes. Gandy, who is the marketing coordinator at First American Bank of Texas, which is owned by Adam, said she wanted to know why the money was not being spent on programs to help children now instead of during the next 25 years. She said part of Brown's job is to represent her as a citizen, but instead Brown, whom she has never met, was unprofessional and unpleasant. Gandy said that his attitude was confrontational, which scared her. "He wasn't nice at the beginning, but I think after he realized that he backed off," she said. "He said, `I have been totally rude, and truly apologize.' He said he was never going to call again and asked me to forget the conversation, but I said, `well, it already happened. "' Conduff said any complaint against a city official is taken seri- ously and investigated. "Joe is the city's public informa- tion officer, and that includes not just disseminating to the communi- ty but also visiting with individual citizens. In this case, Joe felt like he was being helpful, and unfortu- nately, the citizen took exception to that and like in most businesses, the customer is always right." Council selects , 0 review advisory committee By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer The Bryan City Council appointed 14 residents to a charter review advisory committee Tuesday, and contracted with the Department of Housing and Urban Development for the Bryan- College Station Community Health Center. "I have to say that I was kind of disappointed that I did not have a citizen call me to be on the committee," Bryan Mayor Lonnie Stabler said of the charter advisory committee. "I contacted six people who said they were excited about being asked, but no one called me." 0 In the workshop session, the council adhered to the same com- mittee process it used when the charter was revised in 1994 — each council member would nominated two people, and the mayor would nominate two and appoint the chairman. Committee members appoint- ed during the regular meeting are: Penny Beaumont, Dan Galvin, Randy Haynes, Cathy Conlee, Pat Stacy, Tom McDon- ald, Jackie Bell, Wilbert Mason, Daniel Hernandez, Albert Navar- ro, Sharon Reece, Kent Potts and Dale Ison. Ron Schmidt will chair the committee. Annaleslie Muncy, a consul- tant in the 1994 charter review process, considered one of the state's leading experts in elec- tion law and other issues relative to city charters, will consult with the committee during the process. The committee will: ■ See that the charter con- forms to state law. ■ Make sure business prac- tices employed by the city reflect modern practices. ■ Review and make recom- mendations to the council on res. ident- circulated petitions. ■ Review the sections of the charter about compensation and term limits for council members. ■ Write a preamble to the char- ter stating its purpose. The committee will meet once a week for eight weeks, begin- ning on Jan. 6. It will make rec- ommendations to the council, which must submit any special election items to the U.S. Depart- ment of Justice for approval by March 7. In other action, the city's com- munity development staff sub- mitted a loan application for $1.2 million, which will cover partial construction costs of the Bryan- College Station Community Health Center. HUD has agreed to the loan, which will be repaid from community development block grant funds during 10 years. The land and building are required collateral to secure the loan. Council members also approved three zoning ordinance amendments. The first zoning ordinance amendment adds requirements to developing manufactured housing. It would increase build- ing setbacks, distances between the homes and visitor parking, sidewalk and landscaping requirements. The second ordinance differen- tiates between temporary and permanent small commercial structures with requirements for each. And, professional offices would be allowed in single -fami- ly districts under conditional - use permits. Medical offices, however, will be excluded. Council also: ■ Adopted an investment poli- cy, as required by the 1999 Texas Legislature. ■ Contracted with HLS Enter- prises of Texas Inc. for $437, 927 in landscape improvements to the Park Hudson development. HLS submitted the lowest bid, and the improvements will be paid through tax - increment financing and the developer. ■ Changed the speed limit on Harvey Mitchell Parkway (F.M. 2818) to 60 miles per hour, with a 35 mile - per -hour school zone limit at Jane Long Middle School. The speed limit is consis- tent with College Station's on Harvey Mitchell Parkway. ■ Reappointed Terry Jones and Don Engelage to the board of directors of the Greater Texas Student Loan Corporation. The two vacant terms would expire .Dec. 1, 2001. CITIZENS IN ACTION HAS LEARNED: � T E 'CITY OF BRYAN HAS OMITTED ALL COSTS OF FINANCING IN THEIR PRIOR $$ PROJECTIONS RELEASED TO MEDIA. As first reported by City of Bryan staff, the total project cost was $13,000,000. Then in response to questions by Beth Price, Tom Coyle, the city's project director, reported the cost to be $27,000,000. Now we find upon review by Mr. Frank Thurmond (a forty year construction executive) the true cost to be in excess of $44,000,000 AND CLIMBING, This entire sum will be exceeded as the city has many additional obligations that run into the millions of dollars. LAND PURCH 818.87 acreas (MAI appraisal for city, $2,410,000) $6,676,486 Interest on 418.04 AC tract (per agreement) $ 629,213 Average cost per acre $8,922 $7,305,699 Public land aquisition $ 750,000 Total Land Cost $8,055,699 a/ ,, FAIRWAYS" OFTHE GOLF COURSE PROJECT: • This project started off on the wrong foot. The City had an MAI appraisal done to value the land. The appraiser appraised the land at $2,410,000. The City is paying $6,676,486 for the land. The City is paying $4,266,486 for the land in excess of their own appraised value. A multiple of 2.77 times appraised value. Why did the City pay for appraisals that were ignored? • CLUBCORP has the right to sell the project without Bryan's consent. The only requirement is to repay the $1,000,000 loan. Then, Bryan would receive NO REIMBURSEMENT for other funds spent in behalf of the golf course or share in any of the profits from the sale of the facilities. • The City projects 100 new home sales per year at an average of $200,000 per home. These numbers are totally unrealistic as to an 'average' home cost and as to the number of homes. Drive around Bryan streets and see how many average homes you find for $200,000. Can 100 of those be sold each year on the west side of Bryan? We don't think so. • If Campus Hotels does not develop their hotel within 3 years, CF JORDAN RECEIVES THAT LAND FREE AND CLEAR. • No financial information has been gathered for the City of Bryan to even consider the credit- worthiness of the residential contractor, golf course operator or hotel owner. Can anyone believe giving these sums of your money - and the city didn't ask nor receive a financial statement? THE MISSION OF CITIZENS IN ACTION Citizens in Action was formed as a group of concerned citizens who want more information about this proposed high -risk, extremely speculative venture. Our group exists to obtain this information and to make it readily available to the general public for consideration. The information presented is based on our interpretations of the agreement documents approved by the Bryan City Council and on discussions with Tom Coyle of the City of Bryan. Our goal Is t th lull voting pstbllc of rvan OTHER COST O DEVELOPM City of Bryan 1/2 of planning $ 125,000 Public streets and utilities $11,405,000 Land clearing public streets & Golf Course $ 433,500 Dirt work for public streets & Golf Course $ 1,178,000 Irrigation infrastructure for Golf Course + 10% $ 1,232,000 Interest free loan for Golf Club $ 1,000,000 Storm drainage for Golf Course $ 300,000 Other requirements of city and intangibles $ Unknown SUBTOTAL $23,729'199 Interest on $16,050,000 bond issue $14,193,545 Total COST if hotel is not built $37,922,744 Hotel Conference Center Contributions $ 2,400,000 Interest on Conference Center Bonds $ 2,152,422 Loan Guarantee or other enhancement $ 2,000,000 TOTAL COST if hotel is built $ 44,475,166 TOTAL COST $44, 475,166 to have the Cffv of Bryan place this Important Issue on the ballot for a vo e b v e We hope that you will join in our efforts. Please call Citizens In Action at (409) 822 -3915 and a member --- T US PLEASE JOIN US VOTE will contact of our group w you L o1w aid 0V Citizens in Action, Beth Price, Chairman and Treasurer • 1312 Brook Hollow Drive, Bryan, Texas 77802 NUMEROUS CONCERNS EXIST IN THE CITY OF BRYAN'S PORTRAYAL OF THE ECONOMIC The Eagle Citv of ColleLye St3&&wAeA*iv Date: DeC, I L- ) 9 q q E - mails discuss Bonfire Bowen `bets' it continues Staff and Wire Reports Texas A &M President. Ray Bowen has told alumni, engineers and the general public that he "would bet" the tradition of Aggie Bonfire will continue despite this year's tragic collapse, but only if it were safe. The statement was included in 1 an e -mail he sent to a 1991 gradu- ate who worked on the construc- tion of Bonfire in the past­-; "If I had to bet, I would bet that it continues," Bowen wrote Nov. 30 to Malcolm Hartman Jr., who identified himself as a 1991 gradu- ate who had worked on Bonfire. "However, . I will not support anything that will cause the hor- ror of the past many days to revis- it our students," Bowen wrote. Bowen could not be reached for comment Saturday. University spokesman Lane Stephenson said, "Obviously, it's a very innocuous statement if you take into consideration the quali- fiers he put on it." It was not the fast time Bowen had spoken ; about Ahe future of Bonfire. On.'Nov.'19, he told The Bryan - College Station Eagle that "it's highly `probable Bonfire will continue. I can't be more explicit at this point." He said the university will study and analyze the Bonfire dis- .-aster. "Will we learn things which - might 'cause' changes ?" Bowen asked.' "It's highly- probable. But until we know for sure, we can't just make the absolute statement, unqualified statement, that we'll have Bonfire next year." Bowen said it is too early to speculate on what, if any, changes Bonfire, From Al may be made in one of the uni- versity's most honored tradi- tions. On Friday, A &M began to release more than 2,000 memos, letters, a -mails and other docu- ments relating to the 90- year -old Bonfire. Students supervise and build the five -level Bonfire, which is lighted on the eve of the annual football game with rival Univer- sity of Texas. Eleven students and one recent graduate were killed when the uncompleted Bonfire collapsed Nov. 18. Students had built 40 feet of the 55 -foot tall structure. The accident also injured 27 students. Only one student remains hospitalized. John Com- stock of Richardson was listed in critical condition Saturday night at College Station Medical Cen- ter. The documents. offer a history of the tradition that was not prob- lem -free. Before the collapse this year, students were treated for ,injuries ranging from allergies to cuts from mishandled axes. Alcohol also has been a contin- uing problem during the con- struction of Bonfire, despite a zero - tolerance policy. Int nal i 111-11lu mentioning students' and administrators' concerns about the dangers of alcohol at Bonfire go as far back as 1985. A student whose hand was crushed under a log during a log cut in 1985 told investigators then that accidents could be prevented if the students leading the activi- ty were sober. Two of the students who died in the accident this year had been drinking before they began work on their midnight to 6 a.m. shifts. Toxicology reports show the blood - alcohol level of Jerry Don Self, 20, of Arlington was .161 — twice the legal limit. The blood - alcohol level of Jeremy Richard Frampton, 22, of Turlock, Calif., was .316 — almost four times the legal limit. Under state law, the defmition of intoxication is .08 and higher. Bill Kibler, associate vice pres- ident for student affairs at A &M and a former Bonfire faculty adviser, said there was no sign that alcohol contributed to the accident. "You are going to have prob- lems with alcohol. You are going to have, from time to time, stu- dents get injured," Kibler told the Houston Chronicle. Kibler said that, when he took over as adviser in 1983, he "was shocked over how `out of control' the program was in many respects." The university also has received numerous warnings about the design of Bonfire, the documents show. Kelly •DeWitt, a 1977 graduate, wrote an e -mail to J. Malon Southerland, vice president - for student affairs, saying he and other Bonfire veterans told this I Year's builders that not enough logs were being used to support the cemerpole. Many students on the stack during the collapse said they felt it shift and heard the centerpole crack before it tumbled to the ground. A &M officials have said there Bonfire From A2 implemented. Also among the documents were hundreds of a -mails and let- ters defending Aggie Bonfire, and others saying it had become is no blueprint for the structure, and veteran students teach the next group how to build the tow- ering pyramid of 7,000 logs. The records also show that Harry J. Stiteler Jr., director of safety and health at the universi- ty, each year would suggest ways to make Bonfire safer. In 1986, he suggested that Bon- fire be half as large, and the fol- lowing year suggested that stu- dents work only during the day. Those suggestions were not See BONFIRE, Page A4 CORRECTION ■ On Page A9 on Nov. 28, a col- umn misidentified the Texas A &M University senior who first placed his Aggie ring on a makeshift shrine for the victims of the Bonfire collapse. The stu- dent was Jeff Whiting. too unsafe to continue. "Bonfire is bigger than all of us, and should not be denied to future Aggies for one horrible accident in 1999," one alumnus wrote. Another wrote: "Please let this end now, and don't let another group of parents have to feel this pain. A commission, headed by Leo Linbeck Jr., that is investigating the fatal accident Friday named two members of a worldwide management consulting firm to coordinate its inquiries. Jon Zagrodzsky and Kent Liet- zau of McKinsey & Co. will pro- vide support for all activities undertaken by the five -member panel. Zagrodzsky, a senior engage- ment manager, works in the Houston office of McKinsey & Co. Lietzau works in the firm's Dal- las office. The company has agreed to provide free assistance. The independent commission has been asked by Bowen to report its findings on the cause of the accident by March 31. Mumbo jumbo I read Robert Borden's glowing endorsement of the west side golf project. I have contacted individuals involved in this decision and they have not been able to give me infor- mation that I requested. Please let me know what busi- ness background Borden has that makes him an expert in such com- plicated financial mumbo jumbo the public has been fed. JEANNETTE H. ROMAN College Station Tell the whole truth S everal readers have objected to The Eagle's reporting of the toxicology results for the young people tragically killed in the Bonfire collapse. If a building under construction collapsed, killing a dozen workers and maiming dozens more, would these same people object if The Eagle reported some of the work- ers.were drunk, even though it made the workers and construc- tion company look bad? of course `not. Would these same people, and the families of the victims, be outraged at the management of the construction company for their laxity, and demand that those responsible for safety be held accountable? We should hope so. To dismiss the significance of alcohol in the Bonfire collapse is absurd. If the toxicology results are, extrapolated to the 60 or 70 people on stack, the conclusion is that perhaps a dozen were legally drunk, some so drunk they could hardly tie their own shoes, let alone safely and h&Tiedly con- struct an intricate structure. We need not know the physical cause of the collapse to know that alco- hol, added to a cocktail of youth, haste, darkness, complexity and fatigue, creates a recipe for disas- ter. Prevalent alcohol consump- tion is compelling evidence of poor management. We hope the Linbeck commission will be able to shed enough light on the proce- dural and physical causes of the disaster to prevent any future loss of life and limb. Many letters to The Eagle have expressed anger or resentment at those outside Texas A &M for their views on the Bonfire col- lapse. To us, this anger seems misdi- rected, for it is entirely the actions, and failures to act, of peo- ple within Texas A &M that led to this horrible calamity. We are thankful for the First Amendment, and we applaud The Eagle and Kelly Brown for their independent efforts to report the truth. BOB STANDAERT VANESSA MULDROW Bryan Bonfire praised despite tragedy Several parents say it should go on Associated Press AUSTIN —The parents of several stu- 3ents killed in the Texas A &M University Bonfire collapse say they don't blame the School for their loss and believe the hal- lowed 90 -year tradition should continue. Some parents also said they have no plans to sue the university over the Nov. 18 iccident that claimed the lives of 11 stu- ients and one recent graduate. Another 27 Students were injured, including John Comstock of Richardson, who remains hos- pitalized in critical condition. "It's a wonderful tradition that A &M has," John Breen, whose son died in the ;ollapse, is quoted as saying in Sunday edi- tions of the Austin American - Statesman. Breen's 25- year -old son, Christopher, a 1997 graduate, had returned to campus to help build the stack that was to tower 55- feet high and be lighted before the Aggies' football game against its archrival, the Uni- versity of Texas. Until this year, the Bon- fire had been canceled only once, after President Kennedy's 1963 assassination. Texas A &M President Ray Bowen, in an e -mail sent to a 1991 graduate, said he "would bet" the tradition of Aggie Bonfire will continue, but only if it was safe. Breen, a professor of civil engineering at the University of Texas, said his son would want the tradition to continue if it is "modified to make sure there's no risk or reasonable risk to participants." Parents of some others killed in the collapse agreed. "We absolutely want it to con- tinue," said Judi Frampton of Turlock, Calif., mother of Jeremy Frampton, 22, a senior psycholo- gy major. "We want them to fig- ure out what went wrong. And we want them to correct that." Neva Hand, mother of Jamie Hand, a 19- year -old freshman in environmental design from Hen- derson, Texas, said it would be "an additional tragedy" if the z 5 21�? l �q school ended the tradition. "It was important enough to my daughter that she worked on it constantly," Hand said. "She loved every minute of it. Bonfire itself is more than just a big fire. It's a symbol of the Aggie family." As far as litigation against the school, Les Heard, father of Chris Heard, a 19- year -old freshman from Houston, said he had no interest in it. "We're not after a witch hunt or anything," he said. "Anybody who looks at the situation can realize these kids were in charge and that engineers had not looked at it. You had a house of cards that, if any part of it fell down, the rest would, too." Parents of several students injured in the collapse also said they wanted Bonfire to continue, but in a safer manner. Judy Hill of Crockett, Texas, whose son Caleb, a sophomore, suffered a broken wrist and nose, said university officials have been "wonderful." "This is a tragic situation. But it's not something we would ever seek legal advice for," she said. Dianna Thiel of Livingston, Texas, mother of Milton "Chip" Thiel, a senior who suffered a Punctured lung and a broken leg, also said she has no interest in Pursuing legal action. Howard Davis of Bellaire, Texas, said his son Bill, a sopho- more whose elbow was pinned by a log, was spending three hours a day rehabilitating his arm and faces eight to nine months .more of the exercises. Davis, an information technol- ogy manager who is between jobs, said he still does not know the total costs of his son's medical treatment and rehabilitation. "We may need some help. We'll be talking to the university about what their part of that is," he said. �w 1 � /�l Council to consider advisory committee Group would By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer evaluate City Charter The Bryan City Council on Tuesday will consider appoint- ments to a charter review adviso- ry committee and a contract with the Department of Housing and Urban Development for the Bryan- College Station Communi- ty Health Center. The council also will consider approving the final readings of three zoning ordinance amend- ments. A charter review committee would have until May to review areas of the City Charter that may need updating and the peti- tions being circulated by citizen groups. It would make recom- mendations to the council. The committee and its.purpose will be discussed during the workshop session. The city's community develop- ment staff submitted a loan appli- cation for $1.2 million, which would cover partial construction costs of the health center. HUD has agreed to the loan, which would be repaid from community development block grant funds during 10 years. The land and building are required collateral to secure the loan. The first zoning ordinance amendment adds requirements to developing manufactured housing. It would increase build- ing setbacks, distances between the homes and visitor parking, sidewalk and landscaping requirements. The second would differentiate between temporary and perma- nent small commercial struc- tures with requirements for each. Under the third proposed change, professional offices would be allowed in single -fami- ly districts under conditional -use permits. Medical offices, howev- er, would be excluded. In other action, the council will consider: ■ Adopting an investment poli- cy, as required by the 1999 Texas Legislature. ■ Contracting with HLS Enter- prises of Texas Inc. for $437, 927 in landscape improvements to the Park Hudson development. HLS submitted the lowest bid, and the improvements will be paid for through tax- increment financing and the developer. ■ Approving the final reading of an ordinance that changes the speed limit on Harvey Mitchell Parkway to 60 miles per hour, with a 35 mile- per -hour school zone limit at Jane Long Middle School. The speed limit would be consistent with College Station's on Harvey Mitchell Parkway. ■ Reappointing two people to the board of directors of the Greater Texas Student Loan Cor- poration. The two vacant terms would expire Dec. 1, 2001. ■ Releasing the interest from a lien against property on Coulter Street. The property owner has agreed to pay the $103 original lien, and the interest is $147. The workshop session is sched- uled for 4 p.m. Tuesday in the basement training room of the municipal building, 300 S. Texas Ave. The regular meeting is set for 6 p.m. in the council cham- bers of the building. / zz� 13199 Can't hide the news I n the past few days, there have been letters criticizing The Eagle for publishing the comments made by the professor at Colorado State who had been the Bonfire adviser for 12 years, and the report on the alcohol lev- els found in the bodies of three of the bonfire victims. You are doing the right thing by publishing the news. These statements weren't rumor. They are the news and it is your job to publish it As an Aggie and a Bryan- College Station resident, I don't expect you or anyone else to "protect" me from the news. I do not expect if to be censored. I also take the Houston - Chronicle and watch both local and national news. Wouldn't I be shocked to find them reporting this news and it not be in my local paper? Keep up the good work and ignore those who cast stones at you for printing the news. SHARON JASPER College Station Clean up the lake have been reading as much as I can about the proposed development on the west side of Bryan and have yet to see or hear about another use of the money. Since the city's settlement with Elf Atochem was never actually designated for clean up of the lake, how about the novel idea of using the money for exactly that purpose: Clean up the lake on the existing golf course. Wow. What a concept. Apparently, someone felt it would cost that amount to clean it up. If we don't do it now while we have the money, in 20 years Bryan will want to sell the land around it and will be forced to spend (by taxing or taking from other projects) possibly three or four times the current amount. The turtles glow and the ducks have odd growths on them. Please, let's clean it up. Everyone in Bryan will benefit from that since it is also a public park. MIKE ORMAN Bryan A no brainer idea ongratulations to Bryan Mayor Lonnie Stabler and the Bryan City Council for bringing the golf course and upscale housing project to Bryan. With Texas A &M already lined up as a client, doing this is a no brainer. If the people who are against it had their way, we'd still be a one horse town next door, to the city of College Station. Either that or they're one of Don Adam's yes men. WILLIE BENNETT Bryan Why not have a vote greatly admire Beth Price and Citizens in Action. It appears to me, after every- thing I've read on the subject, that the City Council of Bryan plans to ramrod the proposed golf course whether the citizens want it or not. I believe that's called a dictatorship. .. Why would the council mem- bers oppose putting it to a vote? Haven't they ever heard of tfixa- tion without representation? I just hope more citizens will speak up and let the council know how they feel. If they put it to a vote and it passes, them I would say "so be it. ,, GRACE HART Bryan 2 managers to aid probe of Bonfire By KELLY BROWN. Eagle Staff Writer Two management consultants with McKin~;y & Co. - were named Friday to help a fact- finding"mis - sion discover what caused the Texas A &M University. Bonfire to collapse. Houston -based Jon Zagrodzky and Kent Lietzau in Dallas will coordinate the efforts by scores of experts expected to be asked to help research the cause of the Nov. 18 accident. 0 t even students and one former ent were killed when the 40- tiered stack of timber col- lapsed, pinning some under the weight of thousands of logs. Twenty -seven students were injured and all but one have been released from hospital care. John Comstock remained in critical condition late Friday in College Station Medical Center. Zagrodzky and Lietzau will report directly to a five -member independent commission leading the investigation. Houston construction executive Leo E. Linbeck Jr., the commis- sion's chairman, said the board chose McKinsey & Co., which then offered its services for free. The selection of Zagrodzky and Lietzau was made by top execu- tives within the firm. Zagrodzky said the first order of business will be to pull together all the available resources and determine what others are need- ed. "Mr. Linbeck and the commis- sion have charged us with fact - finding," he said. "We will be gathering information and will * be making any type of deci- < <Our sole mission is to develop facts and present them.9 > —JON ZAGRODZKY McKinsey & Co. ■ Elementary students remember victim /A9 sions or passing judgment, nor will we make any recommenda- tions. Our sole mission is to devel- op facts and present them." Like the members of the com- mission, Zagrodzky and Lietzau do not have ties to A &M. Zagrodzky, a senior manager, has been on staff for five years with McKinsey & Co., which has offices throughout the world. The 36- year -old Texas native earned his undergraduate degree in economics and romance lan- guages at Washington and Lee University. He received an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Lietzau began work at McKin- sey & Co. in Dallas earlier this year. He is an honor graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and earned an MBA from Harvard. He also holds a master's of science in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "The McKinsey staffers assigned to this task are both experienced and well- educated." Linbeck said. "Both have the skills necessary to support the commission. What we're doing Bonfire from` Al here is basically processed man- agement." Also reporting to the commis- sion will be a team of A &M pro- fessors led by John A. Weese, a mechanical engineering profes- sor. A &M President Ray Bowen appointed both Linbeck and Weese to the volunteer tasks. . Lietzau and Zagrodzky will keep in regular contact with Lin- beck and the other commission members, and will not hire con- sultants without the consent of the commission. The commission is scheduled to meet for a second time during the first week of January in Col- lege Station. Among the scores of engineers who have offered to aid A &M in its inquiry has been the Texas Board of Professional Engineers, which met Friday. Initially, board members said they might look, into whether it should inves- tigate the collapse. Jimmy Smith, interim director of the board, said Friday that was not the case. Expressing sympathy to "all those affected by the Bonfire acci- dent," Smith said they have no knowledge of any of the facts or circumstances surrounding the accident. "Consequently, the board takes no position pending further con - sideratibn -and guidance from the Texas Attorney General's office," he said. Representatives with that office could not be reached Fri- day afternoon. l Bry caution's a ainst Pe titions g City links annexation, future By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer Bryan officials Friday asked residents to consider the long- term consequences of two anti- annexation petitions before they sign either and possibly "amend the City Charter. "When you amend a City,Char, ter, it's like amending the - city's constitution, City Attorney Michael Cosentino said. "Folks , ed to take a larger, broader, ng -term view of this " Members. of the .political action committee Citizens Against Annexation began circulating - the petitions this week to get two pro- posed charter amendments on the May ballot. They need 1,326 signa- tures on both petitions to take the issues to the polls. - One petition would determine who ha$ the authority — voters or the City, Council - to incorporate land into the city limits, and the other ; would give residents annexed within the past two years the choice 'to stay in Bryan or get out of the city, limits % s . territorial jurisdiction — - land Under state law�� can that, In the foreseeable future, annex land up to 30 it of its will be p of the city. current area. Citizens Against Annexation is z The right to anne - accordiii g g trying to change that and, if its members succeed, voter approval to law, includes a duty to provide services within a specific period, will be required in all future including police and fire protec- annexations. Members plan to spend Saturday Sunday get tion, street - and : park'. mainte- .gnd �g signatures at Sue : Haswell nance, solid -waste collection, and and Sul Ross parks. sewer and water se A Currently, Bry If the second petition gets on the May ballot and passes, the the City Count < „; ex lamed within its until would be required to "dis ex" any, J, area recently annexed if a valid petition ha been signed by 75 percent . of th( qualified voters in the area. City officials said the seconc petition: ■ Would let a small group fort( the 'council to disannex a neigh bor from the city limits withow that neighbor's consent and with out any vote. ■ Would let a.small group fort( the council to disannex their property after . Bryan , resident` have paid to provide or extend municipal services to the proper- ty. or begin paying interest on long -term bonds issued to extend such services. ■ Would establish a questi able process for disannexati not consistent with the process Texas law. Cosentino said state law refe to disannexation when a city fa' to provide services it said would in the required servi Plan, Which sets a time frame f annexed residents to receive ci services. "This would suggest disanne ation, even though the city doing what it's supposed to do, he said. "It's not just because group wakes up and decides the don't want to b in the city limite any more." Local attorney Patrick Ge droll, who represents the commit tee, said those claims are untrue "Current state law allows Property owner to request to annexed, and the city can the annex without voter approval,' he said. "If others tried to disan nex [a neighbor] that wanted t be annexed, that state law provi sion would trump the charter Provision concerning disannexa- tion." Gendron also said a disannexa- tion charter amendment would give additional rights to county residents who are not protected adequately by state law or by the City Charter. City officials said the petition for a charter amendment requir- ing voter approval for all future annexations would let one person who lives outside the city limits stop the annexation, even if thou- sands of Bryan residents vote in favor of the annexation. Gendron disagreed, saying a majority of voters in the annexed area and a majority in the city on- would make the decision. on The Texas Legislature studied in municipal annexation laws in 1999 and enacted a reform that rs further protects residents of ils areas proposed for future city -ini- it tiated annexation, city officials ce said. or Cities must notify residents ty who might be annexed three Years before the annexation is x scheduled to take place. Full city 's services also must be provided 11 within 2 1/2 Years from the date a of the annexation. Y City officials said the Legisla- tune also soundly rejected propos- als that "would have given spe- Gen cial interest groups or a few indi- viduals who live outside a city the ability to stop municipal a growth and development by be requiring annexation elections in n territories proposed for city- initi- ated annexation." State Rep. Fred Brown, R -Col. o lege Station, said he was disap- Pointed the legislation to require elections in territories proposed for annexation did not pass, and Plans to bring it up again in the next legislative session. "I strongly believe in their right to vote," he said. "Some want to be annexed, and some move to the country for a rea- son." In July, the council annexed 6,368 acres to Bryan, despite pleas by Citizens Against Annexation to let residents decide. The council, Planning and Zon- ing Commission and city employ- ees had studied the issue for more than a year, and the council annexed 135 acres less than it could have. Citizens Against Annexation spokeswoman Karen Hall said the group "simply wants to get the issue on the ballot." "This issue is now about voting rights as much as annexation," she said. "We intend that this be on the May ballot, and the voters can make their desires known at that time." Council members said the annexation would help promote orderly growth and expansion, encourage development, enhance community gateways and clear up the city's boundaries. "When considering annexa- tion, Bryan councils, past and present, have been diligent in fol- lowing an orderly, time - tested process that encourages public input at all levels," city spokesman Joe Brown said. "it intends to continue this process for the good of all Bryan resi- dents." •,. On Tuesday, the council decid- ed to form a committee to review a broad spectrum of topics in the City Charter. The details will be hammered out at a workshop ses- sion scheduled at 4 p.m. Tuesday in the basement training room of the municipal building, 300 S. Texas Ave. 7he Z� Zr 1A111 �9� c. Seek permission T he picture of Jack Nicklaus on the front page of the paper was unmis- takable. A celebrity golfer would make any project look great. However, reading the fine print that the city of Bryan has decided to become a private business developer makes me sit up and take notice. I am truly surprised that the Bryan City Council members are in such a hurry to make a decision about a costly project to build a hotel and exclusive private golf course on the west side of town. It's also surprising that cost projections keep rising from $6 million to almost $30 million. The city of Bryan should get our permission before it goes one step further. To not ask our opinion is inconsistent with rules other private corpora- tions have to follow. My husband and I are in our first home, and we're working and saving for our future, plan- ning for where we'll build our next home. The proposed west side devel- opment does not appeal to us, and many of our friends feel the same way. Actual costs to the taxpayers are surely going to be far greater than $30 million when it's all over. Are we prepared to pay that? Why not poll the citi- zens and let us vote? With $30 million, we could address so many important problems. Improvement of our roads is a primary concern. We could improve low- income resi- dential areas or increase pro- gramming for the children and families who need it so much. As a volunteer in the HOSTS program, I can see where so much could be accomplished if more city funds were devoted there. Before these hasty decisions become a done deal, I would ask city leadership to seek out the permission of Bryan residents before continuing this endeav- or. TINA GANDY Bryan 1 q q Benefiting only a few A chilling statement I 'm aaocal businessman who's , _ Co ntinuing a famil busin s a. native of Bryan, I must A over express m dee concern Our family's' livehhiiod and .. the proposed west side future is right here. We've never "` golf equrse project that the city of asked for one dime of.;city money `, Bryan is planning. for any, special favors. Until now, the entire project has It's disturbing to see the city of been kelit ° so iow profile that I'm Bryan just giving away assets to sure that the majority of my neigh- out-of-town companies whq.could bors and friends haven't really had care less about the people of our a chance •to hear the important community or what's best for all; of details ab6i '. V this project and we US. Bryan city leaders keep'quoting would all.hke to know more about their consultant's report that says Bryan can support all these golf it. When f t heard of thus project, courses — despite giving away mil I thought'the proposed cost of lions of dollars to sweeten the pot almost $30 million was outrageous. `money and lure the vendors into partici- The city 9' planning to. take pating in this risky and highly from'a contamination settlement, other'inoney 01i top of that. . speculative project. Who is PKF Consultants? Its plus Instea -:thought it would be using Internet Web site shows its head- that moniit� "improve our city quarters in San Francisco, with' many offices nationwide. & a : a city Among its big -name clients are Hilton Hotels, ITT Sheraton, PGA ry ` " � laz►e #o take yo-gr car into of America, Long -Term Credit : .. Bank of Japan and the Ritz- for a reaIigrinient, Yiy rtant it _;. Carlton. Is that what we want? is e ty _ o �x our is as Forget our small-town roots and its first priority, rather than build bring in big guns to tell us they think we can support three private another golf , course.* In fact, about 1 percent of the country clubs in Bryan, including pegWle I know would even use or be the city project as well as the east- ir&rrested it joining the City's pro { golf course. Because I Per- fi n side project funded solely by pri- vate`enterprise with no public dot- sonally volunteer my time on behalf of my" daughter's' elementary As a developer and property school, I see many ways in which any extra, taxpayer funds the city owner on the west side of Bryan, I'm all for development, but I'm not might could be better spent, in favor of using huge sums of pub- especially on education for our lic resources for a private country children.. I just don't think its right and I'd club to benefit only a few. like to voice my opinion against MITCH MOREHEAD this project before the city starts Bryan working on it. LORI BOMNSKI Bryan The Eagle City of College Station Dews Date: Zoning request rejected CS council sends draft to planners By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer The College Station City Coun- cil on Thursday sent a commer- cial rezoning request back to city planners, and reallocated $39,100 in community development funds to three social service agencies. The council also approved the by -laws and an agreement for ser- vices for the College Station Busi- ness Development Corporation Inc. During the workshop session, the council discussed two- pro- posed amendments to zoning ordi- nances that affect residential ai cis. Council members asked that city employees draft an ordi- . nance that would suspend resi- dential development in certain areas of the city until the council decides whether to amend the zon- ing ordinances. The rezoning request for two separate plans, a bar and grill and an office building, was for 8.03 acres on the southwest corner of Texas 30 and Pamela Lane. Resi- dents of the Harvey Hillsides sub- Council From Al division, who packed the council chambers to show their opposi- tion, said changing the property from agricultural open to com- mercial — where any number of businesses are allowed — would be too drastic. After almost three hours of hearing from landowners, two developers and other interested parties, council members voted 6- 0 to send the request back to the Planning and Zoning Commis- sion. Councilwoman Winnie Gar- ner abstained from the discus- sion and vote. "I'm convinced there's got to be a compromise somewhere," Councilman James Massey said. Part of the problem, officials said, is that the city does not yet have a land -use plan in the area. The council asked city staff to meet with all the property own- ers and developers to develop a plan for the area. Councilman Dennis Maloney said the city should take advan- tage of the residents' willingness to help with the plan. "Everyone knows something has to be done, and nothing has been," he said. "It's unreasonable to think there's not going to be development on a major thor- oughfare." Mark Dudley of R.M. Dudley Construction owns 5.3 of those acres and said he would like to build an 18,000 square -foot office building on two of those. Delph Ross, the owner of Koppe Bridge Bar & Grill, has requested commercial zoning to build a bar and grill on the land of the former Jose's restaurant, which burned down several years ago. As to the reallocation of com- munity development funds, Twin City Mission will receive $29,741 of the $39,100 in funds withdrawn from Brazos Valley Interfaith Outreach. The mission will use the funding to establish a food pantry and clothing giveaway program in College Station. The Joint Relief Funding Review Committee made the rec- ommendation last week after hearing from seven agencies that requested part of the available funds. Elder Aid and Scotty's House will split the remaining funds, also on the committee's recommendation. On another topic, the city will assist the College Station Busi- ness Development Corporation Inc. with administrative and legal services. The nonprofit corporation will serve as a council advisory board to handle economic development opportunities not covered by the Bryan - College Station Chamber of Commerce and the Bryan -Col- lege Station Economic Develop- ment Corporation, including retail, hotel and motel, entertain- ment, tourism, retirement com- munity and large commercial development opportunities, city officials said. The proposed residential ordi- nance changes stem from discus- sions at a Nov. 9 joint meeting among the council, Planning and Zoning Commission and the Zon- ing Board of Adjustments. One of the proposed zoning ordinance changes would remove single - family residential zoning from the provision that allows multiple principal structures on one lot. The other would create an overlay district that has sever- al provisions: ■ Lot sizes are set as the platted lot or building plot on the date the overlay is effective. ■ Any newly - platted lots be a minimum of 8,500 square feet. The Planning and Zoning Com- MuWS mission will make a recommen- dation to the council after its Jan. 6 meeting, and the council will consider the amendments at its second January meeting. The moratorium ordinance, freezing development on certain areas, will come before the council at its first January meeting. During the workshop session, the council: ■ Asked that an ordinance be drafted and presented in January or February that will allow the city to absorb the increases in electric rates so they are not passed on to customers. The rates will go up Jan. 1, when the city's contract with Texas Utilities is renewed. ■ Revised the site scope of the city center planning ad hoc com- mittee. The committee asked the council to allow it to look at pos- sible sites outside the study area — property bounded by Texas Avenue, Krenek Tap Road, Har- vey Mitchell Parkway and Earl Rudder Freeway. On Nov. 3, 1998, College Station residents approved $1.56 million for the acquisition of land for a future municipal office center. In other action, the council: ■ Adopted an annexation plan that provides a three -year no before a specific tract can be annexed. Currently, no specific tracts have been identified for annexation. All Texas cities must adcot an annexation plan by Dec. 31 and new regulations were establshed for annexation in the last session of the state Legislature. ■ Contracted with Brown Reynolds Watford Architects Inc. for the expansion and renovation of Fire Station No. 2. The contract will not exceed $90,000 and will be paid by obligation bond funds. ■ Approved a drainage utility agreement with the College Sta- tion school district for participa- tion in the design and construc- tion costs of a regional detention facility on the Willow Branch campus. The city exempted the district from drainage utility fees, and the district agreed to allow for regional detention facil- ities to be constructed on district property. The city's request is not the cause for a loss of native pecan trees in the area, officials said. le. [ of s t a ff S ou g4 t Bonfire panel to choose today By KELLY BROWN Eagle Staff Wrfter A key official in helping to determine .what caused the Texas A &M University Bonfu-e to collapse'will be named Friday, according #o the chairman of the commis t The chief `!. Sion leading of staff Wl the inquiry. im p lement Leo E. Lin the p , k Jr. said : direction, - ursday the policies and commission's: chief, of staff strategies of the will come from commission.> McKinsey I & Co., a — LEO E. UNBECK vtrient consult - J R. Ong :firm that q has offices Bonfire inquiry panel worldwide. chairman The five-per- son commis sion met for the first time Dec. 3 and came up with scores of questions relating to the Nov. 18 Bonfire accident, which killed 11 students and one former student. Anoth- er 27 students were injured, including the final 'Bonfire victim still hospitalized, John Comstock, who remained in critical condition late Thursday in College Sta- tion Medical Center. - ,: The McKinsey & Co. official who is based in the Houston offices of the com- pany, will be in charge of finding the answers to the questions posed by the commission. "This person will take each'category of questions we came up with and assign them to who would best be gble, to look those issues," Linbeck said, adding the , commission will rely largely pn consultants "from outside A &M. A team of A &M professors also is being formed to assist the commission, but the commission , 'is - - working independently and none of its members have ties to 7 � %C 17_1 If 0n A &M. The inquiry will be funded by A &M. Linbeck said a budget will be created once the chief of staff officially comes on board to assist the commission, much like a city manager assists a city council. Each commission member is a volunteer. Linbeck said McKin- sey & Co. has offered its services free of charge. "This is one of the premier management consulting firms in the world," he said. "We're very gratified that the partners decid- ed this is an issue that deserved a pro bono response." The chief of staff will not inde- pendently make decisions about hiring consultants: He will get approval from the commission, which Linbeck said will commu- nicate largely through e -mail or phone conversations until its early January meeting. "Many of these initial issues will lend themselves to written analysis," he said. "What we're basically doing here is processed management. "The chief of staff will iMPle -: ment the direction," policies and strategies of the commission, while the commission will make policy decisions and evaluate the finished products of the teams," Linbeck said. "We'll look at each team effort and see where that leads us." A second analysis and addition- al research may be warranted President Ray Bowen to lead the ,40 Mb ount� d1. id � _ inquiry then chose the other four Linbeck - 'said "it is unlikely the ' commission members. commission will interview any of "We feel that a systematic those directly involved with the approach is the best here," he accident, including Red Pots, a said. "We will get the answers group of students who are in more accurately and more quick - charge of building Bonfire from ly once the chief of staff and his start to finish. assistants start their work." "There's a mountain of infor- mation about Bonfire, and this data is overwhelming," he said. "It's going to have to be put in an orderly format." The biggest challenge that lies ahead, Linbeck said, will be bringing all the data together in a form that makes it relevant. "All the commission members have come to this with an open mind and uneducated frame of reference as to Bonfire," said Lin- beck, who was picked by A &M Arizona &olumnist faults A &M Eagle Staff Report An Arizona Republic columnist on Thursday blasted Texas A &M University President Ray Bowen for rejecting a $10,000.peace offer- ing from the newspaper. "Twelve Texas 'A &M University students died horribly ' on ` his watch, and the thing Ray Bowen really wants you to be upset about is an editorial cartoon," E.J: Mon - tim wrote in a column published Thursday. "Twenty seven young people were hurt. Another remains in critical condition. All of the injuries, all of the deaths; could have been prevented by uni- versity President Bowen and other grown -ups in charge." On Monday, Bowen rejected a $10,000 donation from the newspa- per, saying that it would "violate our ethical standards to accept it." The donation, intended for the nfire memorial funds, was sent after the newspaper printed a car - toon comparing the fatal Bonfire collapse to the 1993 Branch David - ian inferno and the murder of a black man in Jasper. University Relations director Cindy Lawson said Thursday night she had seen the column, but had nothing to say about it. "But I will -tell you that Dr. Bowen's comment is -that it speaks for,itself," she said. The comparison, by political cartoonist Steve Benson, ignited a storm of protests, prompting the paper to retract it a few days later. It triggered a wave of criticism from Aggies and others, charging that it inflicted additional pain on victims and their families and friends. The newspaper, reacting to the protest, pulled the; c qo,n off its Web site and o -hav- ing published it en In' .a % 1 tier S ' enclosing Ahe c ck rial page' editor Keven` Adu i� fey e said the Republic rece thou- sands of a -mails ab'o the car - toom c She apologized, asking the uni- versity to accept..the .checks. "as tokens of the sincerity of our to your community's pain and suf- fering." In his letter refusing the 'dona- tion, which included the two checks, Bowen denounced the newspaper for its "cruel - and thoughtless act" "Your newspaper has violated the ethical standards of your pro- fession," he wrote. "`Your cartoon insulted and attacked the inno- cent victims of the . Bonfire tragedy. For no beneficial . pur- pose, the actions of the' Arizona Republic have added to the hurt being endured by the families who have lost their loved ones. The Arizona Republic has taken shock journalism to a new low." Arizona Republic officials' could not be reached for comment Thursday night. ' - In the Thursday column, also posted on the newspaper's Web site - , at www.azeentral.com/news /cols / 09montini.shtml ` Montin wrote that the university could have outlawed Bonfire, a revered Aggie tradition for 90 years, and denounced the cutting down and burning of trees in the name of a "tradition." He went on to write that Bowen should have added to his letter another statement: - Instead, I'd like to deflect the criticism we should be receiving by 'raising a big stink over a car- toon. "Nice try. "Bjit when the. smoke lears, a oTence done U We W 1 standards at Texas A &M will have been self- inflicted." FacuRy doubted bonfire's stability ■ Records indicate A &M structural engineers kept quiet after colleague was ignored BY RALPH K.M HAURWITZ AND L AYLAN COPELIN American- Statesman Staff COLLEGE STATION — Several faculty members in structural engineering at Texas A &M University regarded the design of the Aggie Bonfire as unstable but did not speak up because warnings by one of their most highly regarded colleagues were ignored for years, according to records released Thursday. "I suppose we all have some re- grets now that we kept quiet, even ? though we thought it futile to speak up," Loren Lutes, a profes- sor of civil engineering and asso- ciate head of the civil engineering department, said in an e-mail to Ray Bowen, president of the Ray Bowen: university. E -mails to and Lutes e- mailed Bowen on Nov. from A&M 19, one day after the four -story president are stack of logs for the annual bonfire being released collapsed, killing 11 students and by university. one recent graduate and injuring 27 students. The university released about 1,400 e- mails to or from Bowen in response to requests under the Texas Open Records Act. A special commission has been appointed to in- vestigate the collapse, and questions about the design and stability of the giant woodpile are expected to be central to the inquiry. Several engineers unaffiliated with A &M or the investigation have suggested that ■ Records indicate professors kept quiet after colleague's recommendations were ignored Continued from Al the layers of logs might have be- come unbalanced, causing the structure to topple. Lutes told Bowen that T.J. "Teddy" Hirsch, formerly head of the structural engineering section of the civil engineering depart- ment, had expressed the view "for years" that the stack design was fundamentally flawed. Hirsch took his concerns to the university's Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, probably before 1994, and pro- posed a more stable design, but the university administration ig- nored the recommendations, Lutes said. Bowen, who holds bachelor's and doctoral degrees in mechani- cal engineering from A &M, said in an interview Thursday evening that such information could be important. "I'm trying to keep at arm's length of the necessary analysis that is taking place," Bowen said. "I hope that professor will provide that information to the commis- sion and they will decide whether it's relevant or not. I have a lot of confidence in their ability to do that." Lutes was traveling Thursday and could not be reached for com- ment. Hirsch, who is retired, de- clined to comment. Despite A &M's reputation as a leading engineering school, the A &M engineering staff has no re- sponsibility for the bonfire. A faculty adviser, who is not an en- gineer, helps students, but the Aggie tradition is for students to take the lead in building the structure. No blueprint for the structure exists; each class is ex- pected to teach the next one how to build the bonfire. "Many structural engineering faculty members are well aware of Teddy's unsuccessful attempt to have the design of the stack al- tered," Lutes told Bowen in the e- mail. "I think there has been a widespread feeling that if he couldn't do it, none of the rest of us had a chance ofhaving any effect." Lutes also said he had spoken with several faculty members and found "general agreement" that �7/t %eS g z1,o /�7 V a A &M engineering faculty doubted bonfire's stability "It just didn't look sturdy at all," said a sophomore crew chief who asked that his name not be used. "When I looked at it, it looked a little shifted. It didn't look quite right." The crew chief, who was re- sponsible for a student crew wir- ing logs in place, said he thought the stack leaned slightly in the direction it eventually fell. Al- though each log in the 40 -foot stack must be wired to three other logs with heavy baling wire, the crew chief said there were too many loose logs. "They were tightening loose logs all night," the chief said of his crew. The student, who had worked on the bonfire the year before, the stack had been built in an un- stable way in recent years. "In that situation it does not re- ally matter whether the immedi- ate triggering effect on Thursday (Nov. 18) was due to soil problems, the splice in the center pole or some other detail. As evidence of instability, I point out the fact that the stack has fallen very quickly in recent years.... To me this is a clear indication that the structure was only marginally stable before it was lit." Just hours before the bonfire collapsed, there were questions. Shortly after the midnight shift change, some students thought something was wrong with the stack — and it was a topic of conversation. blamed a lack of training for the loose wiring. Unlike cutting or loading the logs, he said, there is no class to teach wiring. Each crew chief teaches his group on the stack. He said there were just too many workers — A &M has esti- mated 70 students on the stack that night — to train adequately. A &M officials also have admitted that many freshmen and sophomores were on the upper stacks, a viola- tion of university policy. The crew chief said a majority of the workers from his dorm "just went out there and just started wiring" this year. He added, how- ever, "Most of them caught on." Under A &M's military -style or- ganization for building the bon- fire, 18 seniors and juniors — called "red pots" for their helmets — are responsible for safety. But they work in shifts, so only a few were there that night. "The red pots check for sturdi- ness," the crew chief said of the wiring. "I don't think there is any way you can check every single log, especially when the stack gets really big. People just need to learn how to wire." Another student with experience on past bonfires is Bill Theissen, 22, a senior man- agement major from Bedford. He said he thought the first stack, the base for the structure, was narrower than in previous years: "There wasn't much room to stand." Theissen said he climbed up to the top at one point and thought the structure seemed fine. But he said others complained that the stack did not have enough cables supporting it. Two years ago when Theissen was a bonfire leader from his dorm, he said, they cinched the first two stacks with cables, much like a belt, at least twice before the stack was completed. "People were talking about how they didn't do that this year," he said. Both Theissen and the crew chief escaped injury when the bonfire collapsed. You may contact Ralph K.M. Haurwitz at rhaurwitz @statesman.com or 445 -3604 and Laylan Copelin at Icopelin @statesman.com or 445 -3617. Loyalty and tradition notice two things after the Bonfire collapse that especially impressed non - Aggies: our unusual loyalty and love for tradi- tion, and the unique closeness that exists among Aggies. Our tradi- tions have produced this closeness and our closeness perpetuates the traditions. t Traditions develop because we ( want to maintain the things we love. Aggies don't want everything we love about Aggieland to change. t So, those before us created tradi- t tions, and we protect those tradi- tions. Tradition then unifies because it gives people from different back- grounds something in common. Most of the students expressing their love for the Bonfire victims didn't know them personally. But we know that the victims loved many of the same things we all love: the traditions. Thus, we feel we know each other because of that automatic bond and common inter- est. The diverse groups on stack that night were unified by their love for Aggie traditions. Since traditions don't change, Aggies who graduated 50 years ago still have much in common with current students. They can come to A &M and watch a Bonfire like the ones they built. They can watch the band play the traditional songs as they march the same way they have for decades. They can yell the same cheers they yelled as students. As long as tradition is protected, Aggies of all ages will feel a connec- tion to Aggieland. If we allow all our precious tions to end, we will certainly lose the closeness that makes Aggieland so special. What will unite us if traditions like Bonfire are gone and every- thing constantly changes? For A &M to remain the special place that it is, we must maintain the traditions. Those traditions will then maintain the closeness. 'Once an Aggie, always an Aggie" can only remain true if being an Aggie remains the same. So, let's do what is necessary to ensure Bonfire's safety, but leave it unchanged as much as possible. LON YOUNG, '97 Houston course, a proposal of this size should be put to a vote by the tax- payers and anyone who uses city services. Whether we like it or not, taxpay- ers just paid for a two -page ad espousing the proposed city of Bryan's elite golf course venture. And there will be more ads. Too bad Beth Price doesn't have public funds to state the opposing view. Since this proposal is to benefit mainly the A &M golf team and wealthy homeowners (the average person certainly can't afford a $200,000 home and $300 monthly dues) then perhaps wealthy A &M alumni, (who are constantly giving huge gifts to the university) should provide the funding. Besides, this community cannot support four upscale private golf courses. The Engle recently stated that our homeless population is increas. ing and that the Twin City Mission is desperately in need of $1.5 mil- lion to build additional facilities. This is where our city leaders' con- cerns should be directed. The risk of $27 million should be a grave concern for all involved. Additionally, we should explore what our city leaders are spending money on (i.e. the luxury box fias- co) that we haven't discovered yet. BILL and OLGA CATALENA JIM SKRHAK Bryan Favoring golf course I am writing in agreement with the letter in favor of building the golf course and housing addition in west Bryan. I, too, am in favor of this new venture. After a conversation with one of our council members and taking a closer look, I have noticed that College Station has gotten most of the new businesses that have come to the Brazos Valley. They also build the nicest hous- ing additions and the nicest streets. Why? Maybe because they have taken the steps that are necessary in attracting more people and busi- nesses to their city than we have. Building the golf course and housing addition may be a big step for us, but isn't any good thing in life started with a step, maybe even a step of faith? Even if it fails, it won't be because we didn't try. If we don't try because we are afraid, maybe we have failed already. If it succeeds, it can only mean a great development for west Bryan, something I would like to see. Keep in mind also that Don Adam will do as he has decided no matter what the city does. USA ADAMS Bryan Better uses of money S ome $27 million of our money for a speculative venture with no citizen input — sounds like a dictatorship. The majority of our community will not be able or allowed to use the facilities. Of 1� rs; CS council to consider reallocation Community development funds, annexation plan, rezoning on agenda By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer The College Station City Council on Thursday will consider approving the reallocation of $39,100 in community development funds to three social service agencies. The council also will consider adopting an annexation plan and rezoning property on the southwest corner of Texas 30 and Pamela Lane. During the workshop session, the coun- cil will consider two proposed amend- ments to zoning ordinances that affect res- idential areas. The proposed changes stem from discussions at a Nov. 9 joint meeting of the council, Planning and Zoning Com- mission and the Zoning Board of Adjust- ments. The Joint Relief Funding Review Com- mittee recommended allocating $29,741 of the $39,100 withdrawn from Brazos Valley Interfaith Outreach to Twin City Mission for expansion. Those plans include a food pantry and clothing giveaway program in College Station. The committee recommended that Elder Aid and Scotty's House split the remaining funds. All Texas cities must adopt an annexa- tion plan by Dec. 31, and new regulations were established for annexation in the last session of the state Legislature. The plan would provide a three -year notice before a specific tract could be annexed. Currently, no specific tracts have been identified for annexation. The proposed change of 8 acres from agricultural open to business commercial and rural residential has been opposed by residents in the area. City staff has recom- mended denial without prejudice until a special area study may be completed. One of the proposed zoning ordinance changes that will be discussed during the workshop session would remove single - family residential zoning from the provi- sion that allows multiple principal struc- tures on one lot. The other would create an overlay district that has several provi- sions: Council From A9 facilities to be constructed on dis- trict property. The city's request is not the cause for a loss of native pecan trees in the area, officials said. ■ Discussing in the workshop electric rates that will go up Jan. 1, when the city's contract with Texas Utilities is renewed. City staff had recommended that Col- lege Station absorb those rate increases and not pass them on to its customers. The workshop session will start at 3 p.m. in the council chambers of City Hall, 1101 Texas Ave. The regular meeting is scheduled at 7 p.m. in the council chambers. ■ Lot sizes are set as the platted lot or building plot on the date the overlay is effective. ■ Any newly platted lots be a minimum of 8,500 square -feet. The Planning and Zoning Commission will make a recommendation after a pub- lic hearing and consideration of the amendments. In other action, the council will consid- er: ■ Contracting with Brown Reynolds Watford Architects, Inc. for the expansion and renovation of Fire Station No. 2. The contract will not exceed $90,000 and will be paid by obligation bond funds. ■ Approving a drainage utility agree- ment with the College Station school dis- trict for participation in the design and construction costs of a regional detention facility on the Willow Branch campus. The city exempted the district from drainage utility fees, and the district agreed to allow for regional detention See COUNCIL, Page ASS 0 �� J 4 ge S tation No need to gamble f W hy is the city of Bryan entering into a project that the private community is willing to do? We just moved to this area this year and, to my surprise, my prop- erty tax rates are higher than Plano, Texas, from where we moved. I understand that politics exist everywhere, but what is going on here? Private money is willing to build a golf course, hotel facility and housing and not ask the tax- payers to guarantee it. I will not be able to afford to play this golf course or live in the hous- ing, but I will guarantee the bonds as a taxpayer. Why? I can under- stand the government using its powers to undertake projects to stimulate areas when the private sector is not willing or able. However, here the private sector is evidently willing and able to under- take a very similar project. Growth is taking place all over the Bryan- College Station area. Why does Bryan feel it is necessary to compete with the private sector at this time? Yes, meetings were held and con- sultants reported, but who has ever seen a consultant's report that does not fit the desires of those who are paying the bill? What is the hous- ing absorption rate in the Bryan- College Station area for $200,000 homes? What will happen to the "extra" money coming to the schools from this project with regards to the state "Robin Hood" requirements? Why must the golf course company be guaranteed a profit before the city receives any money? The city is using the monetary guarantee for this project. Our tax rates are too high already. The city is taking an extremely big gamble on something it does not even need to undertake. TOM O'NEILL Bryan News QW Rates changed at CS parking lot Rates for parking in the North - gate Parking Lot on the corner of Boyett and Church streets have changed, city officials announced Thursday. Hourly rates from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. now are 50 cents per hour, while the rates from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. will remain the same, $1 per hour. The daily maximum parking fee is $4. The parking lot payment machine accepts dollar bills, dollar coins, quarters, dimes and nick- els, but cannot make change. ' Z� 3 Staff reports The Eagle Vol The Dallas Moming News file photo Jack Nicklaus ponders a shot earlier this year during a golf tournament In Avondale, Pa. Views , Golfe r 4 to. share own 1.. ersii By COLLEEN HAVANA T Of w�}ich, would he funded through °'� w "+" �2_ � �r luaus' ,extols Bryan ,site a tax-increment finance zone. In tax-increment:. will legendary er.Jack Nicklaus women's golf teams: Officials said opportunity to create a quality business or.residential owners in own part of : Bryan's, : 800 -acre Nicklaus was �;o;: impressed with golf experience that will be both the zone "will pay property taxes golf course and .resort .project, the land and. A&M during his challenging phd playable for all that look exactly the same as Tradition , Club, at University' . site Visit; #mt be wanted levels of golfers. :those of other Bryan residents, Ranch, officials said Wednesday. to become part owner ` ' some- ve certainly hope it. will be an but their tax payments would go Nicklaus', : company, ,; G thing that does not happen very envied addition to the Big 12, and to the zone rather than to the city Bear International ,worked out a often, further promote the quality of golf and county. School taxes within Private agreement with ClubCorp ,7he topography of the property in the conference "he said. the zone would go the Bryan USA of ,Dallas to become part exceeds our initial - expectations, ' The atmo .m ent comes one school district. owner of the future 1 18 -hole chain- which were already high prior to month after the Bryan City Coun- The rest of the $20 mill ion -plus pionship -golf course W west our recent visit, Nicklaus said in cil approved three development would come from oil and gas Bryan. , I a statement_ "Bryan's "Bryan's commit - agreements . for the :golf course, funds, Elf Atochem asttl eement Nicklaus' original involvement mentto such a property provides ; hotel and residential parts of the funds and lot reimbursement was to design. the course, -which Jackie [Nicklaus' son and - co project. ' funds. will be , the -home of the •Texas ..designer of the project], me. and The city's `estimated costs are A&M University men's - and the Nicklaus Design, staff: the ;more than $20 million, a majority See NICKLAUS, Page AS Nickl r a said the course should be r eady by the fall of 2001. Since Nicklaus unveiled his first design in 1970, he has From Al designed, co- designed or redesigned 147 courses that are No ad valorem taxes will be open for play. used, officials said. Since the council's unanimous approval of the agreements, a political action committee, Citi- zens In Action, has formed in opposition to the project and the city's use of public funds for it. Organizers said they want Bryan residents to vote on the project. Tom Coyle, project coordinator and Bryan's director of develop- ment services, said Wednesday that Nicklaus' confidence in the project gives the plans even more credibility. "It's based largely in part on what he sees as the promise of the facility," Coyle said. "He doesn't do this all the time, only when he sees a high - caliber project." Groundbreaking is scheduled for the spring of 2000, and offi- SIMON G. t A F I. R) Pygmalioy First College Station council meeting was_ a simple Editor's Note: As the new millennium approaches, it is an appropriate time to look back on our community and reflect on where we have come from. In this continu- ing series of articles from the archives of The Bryan - College Station Eagle, we will look back at those historical moments. This installment looks at early government in College Station. It is by Gary Halter, a former mayor of College Station who teach- es political science at Texas A &M University. i 1 I q First council meeting The first meeting of the College Station City Council was held in Room 400 of the new Agricultural Building. The space over in the Northgate area was rented for $17.50 per month, all util- ities paid. The first year's budget was $4,320, and the voters approved a property tax levy to raise the money. It was, accord- ing to council members, a bare -bones budget and the city still was heavily dependent upon the college for services. The Board of Directors of the college agreed to provide garbage collection and fire protection and to assist in police matters. The college police were to work as deputy city marshals and students were employed part-time to help with traffic - control duties. THE MILLENN PROJECT 2000 THE BRYAN - COLLEGE STATION EAGLE It is to this simple beginning that pre- sent -day College Station can be traced. Since 1939, Texas A&M and the city of College Station have grown apart, each becoming less dependent upon the other..: To some degree, the university is more dependent'.upon the city for ser- vices, while the converse was true in the beginning. Except for the president and vice president for student services, no facul- ty members live on campus. Most of the students live off campus in privately - owned housing. The young faculty member's wife no longer has to pass muster for the president's wife, and few ever meet her. The faculty, staff and administrators no longer have to vie for campus hous- ing and the attendant status associated with place of residence on campus. They now vie for assigned parking spaces. A rather substantial business com- munity has developed in the city, with affair College Station becoming the dominant retail center for a multi-county region- al area. The "college" become a smaller part of the econ. " of the community, but we should t the importance the college pla the formation of the city of College °motion. The College.Statibfa depot where the city began, unfortunately, no longer is in existence. This symbol of the city's name disappeared in 1966 when Wellborn Road was expanded. It remains only in old photographs and in the memory of those who arrived on passenger trains. NEXT: Surveying in Brazos County New golf course project is a winner for Brvan Editor's note: The controversy over the the city of Bryan's plans to develop a resort, country club and residential develop- ment on the city's west side has been intensifying in recent weeks. The following column by Opinions editor Robert C. Borden reflects his personal opinion on the issue. Equal space has been offered to opponents of the plan, and we expect to receive and publish their opinion in a future Sunday edi- tion. The editorial board of The Eagle will invite both sides to present their arguments before the newspaper takes an official edi- torial position on the matter. — Donnis Baggett Publisher and Editor B ryan's planned golf course project n the city's west side has gener- a o ted a lot of controversy from peo- ple who think the city's share of the cost could be better spent on other projects. That certainly is a legitimate point of view. But people should not look at this as a golf course project. Rather, they should t view it as an invest- s ment in the city's — and our — future. As an analogy, let's use a family that ROBERT C. wants to remodel the BORDEN kitchen of their home. Things work, but per- haps not as well or as conveniently as they could, and, to be honest, it just looks shabby. Every month, the family sets aside some money to one day pay for the kitchen project. Then, a favorite aunt dies and leaves them, say, $10,000. The family is faced with two choices. It can use the money to help pay for the remodeling project. When it is done, they will have a nice kitchen, but they won't reap any further benefits from the aunt's bequest. Or, the family can take the aunt's money and invest it. If done wisely, that money can generate substantial income over a period of many years, income that can be used to remodel the kitchen, help pay for the kids' college education, go on vacations or whatever. And the $10,000 will still be there, earning still more money. Money for years to come If the family is patient, and continues to set aside the money for the kitchen remodeling every month as it has been doing, it will eventually have the new kitchen it wants. And, if it invests the inherited money carefully, it will con- tinue to receive benefits for years to come. That may be oversimplified, but the concept is the same. And, of course, the key is to invest the money carefully in as close to a sure thing as possible while minimizing the risks. That is exactly what the city of Bryan is doing with the golf course venture. It isn't building a golf course for the peo- ple of Bryan — although they will be able to use it if they can pony up the fees. The city already has a really nice municipal golf course that anyone can use at a pretty reasonable fee. Rather, the city is taking money it has set aside for a significant public pur- been dumping arsenic into a holding pond that eventually fed into Bryan Lake adjacent to the municipal golf course. The problem dragged on for Years until Pennwalt, under court order, took steps to alleviate the prob- lems it created. For the good will of the people A number of residents in the area around the lake sued Elf Atochem, the successor corporation to Pennwalt, for causing their health problems. The city also sued, not for the health problems but because of the damage the whole mess did to the city's reputation and the loss of the good will of its citizens. The city and Elf Atochem reached a $4.8 million settlement, payable over a 10 -year period. The settlement says the money is to be used by the city for pro- jects that will help restore Bryan's good image. To that end, the first year of the Discover Bryan campaign was paid for out of the settlement. That leaves a little more than $4 million for the city to spend on what the City Council has decided should be a major project. Traditionally, the oil and gas rev- enues have been used for one -time major projects, rather than routine maintenance. Wisely, city officials have not dedicated any of that money to rou- tine maintenance and other similar areas. As everyone knows, the amount of money coming in from oil and gas royalties continues to decline and it is good the city hasn't become dependent on that money for everyday expenses. Combined, the two funds total some $6 million, the major portion of the city's commitment for the golf course land purchase. Some people have suggested that money would be better spent filling in potholes or other projects. Perhaps, but if the city were to do that, then, once spent, the money would be gone. It would not bring in any new money to the city. Already budgeted The city already budgets money for road repairs. As Bryan City Manager Mike Conduff says, the city could spend the $6 million repairing South College Avenue — "and it needs it," he adds but then the city would have a nice street but no return on its investment. By investing in the golf course pro. ject, the city would generate money that could be used to help fill potholes and provide other services desired by the citizens of Bryan. Other people have said the money should be used to build an overpass over the railroad tracks at Villa Maria Road and Wellborn Road. The city can- not do that, although it has tried. In 1984, the citizens of Bryan approved $3 million in bonds to pay for a grade sepa- ration there, but the bonds were not sold because the economy went sour and city officials rightly worried about the city's ability to repay the bonds at that time. Then, when the LoTrack idea of low- ering the railroad tracks and Wellborn Road into a trench through the Texas A&M campus developed a decade ago, the city of Bryan committed its $3 mil- lion to the project, which was to be man- aged by what is now the Texas officials agreed to move up the start date for the overpass project, which now is expected to begin in about a year and a half. The really good news is that Bryan's share of the project is now only $600,000, not the original $3 million. There's no question the overpass is badly needed. Long trains too often tie UP traffic and the railroad tracks have served as a barrier to the growth of West Bryan for too long. The planned overpass and the golf course project should go a long way toward promoting the growth of West Bryan, and the golf course project will help shape the nature of that growth. Already, the twin projects are creat- ing a lot of interest in the city's west side. A major grocery store chain reportedly is looking at building a shop- ping center somewhere along Earl Rudder Parkway in Bryan. The over- pass and golf course can't help but gen- erate business for banks, stores and gas stations already located on the west side, and the incentive for new busi. nesses and housing developments to locate west of the tracks naturally will increase. Special taxing district The second component of the city's investment in the golf course project is $13 million for infrastructure — major roads, sewer and water lines, electric lines — for the upscale housing project associated with the golf course and for a conference center be built adjacent to a hotel that will be part of the project. Bonds will be sold to pay for this part of the project, and the bonds will be repaid, in part, by a special tax incre- ment financing district created strictly for the project. People who live in homes in the new subdivision will pay city taxes, just like everyone else in Bryan. But their taxes will be dedicated to repaying the bonds. Additional money will come from hotel taxes charged people staying in the new hotel, and fi the sale of lots in the new golf course subdivision. The city will get 30 percent of each lot's sales price. The city conservatively estimates that the lots will sell for some $35,000 each. Plans call for the construction of 11000 homes over a 10 -year period, 100 a year. For planning purposes, the city esti- mates the homes will be appraised at $200,000. That figure is deliberately underestimated by the city's financial experts to be on the safe side. It is likely the homes will be valued at much, much more. Just look at Pebble Creek in College Station. The greater the valua- tion, the more money the city brings in each year in taxes and the sooner the bonds can be retired. When that hap- pens, the tax increment financing dis. trict will cease to exist, but the taxes will continue to be paid into the city's generalfund. Higher returns probable And if more than 100 homes a year are built — which is likely, particularly in the first few years of the project — then more city tax money will be gener- ated annually to pay off the debt. Because the homes will be new and will be marketed to older people, the neighborhood will place less demand on Goff Course Site (Bryan officials have approved devel- iopment agreements for an 800 -acre ;golf course and resort project near I Easterwood Airport. �a T, B V s rp4 Easterwood <1 Airport Eagle graphic /Bryan Butler University Ranch — to its former stu- dents. That is a huge and loyal market. Studies show that many old Ags want to retire in this area because of their love for the university and this area, and liv- ing next to a golf course with strong A &M ties will be a big incentive for moving to Bryan. Other universities have similar golf courses nearby and they are highly attractive to graduates of those schools. Making it more attractive Making the new Bryan golf course more attractive is that it will be designed by golfing great Jack Nicklaus. His name alone will sell many people on the idea of moving to the new develop- ment. The new hotel will be a major compo. nent of the golf course project. Campus Hotels will build the lWroom hotel and 50 golf villas, while the city will pay $2.4 million for the construction of the con- ference center. The conference center will not be in direct competition with the city of College Station's private -pub- lic hotel-convention center, if it is ever built. Bryan's conference center will be smaller and will be designed primarily to allow organizations who desire to hold a golf tournament a place to hold associated meetings. What do the people of Bryan have to gain from the project? City officials say that over the 20 -year life of the bonds, the project will generate $9 million in lot sales for the city, $2 million in hotel occupancy taxes and $4 million in sales taxes, all on top of the property tax money that will go toward repaying the bonded debt. That's additional money, not money taken from some other part of the city. Schools are the big winner The big winner will be the Bryan school district, which expects to get some $82 million in school taxes from MOAT IN MINTOi Associated Press ndav is SHWA.. Mm. 9a rhu 000,.,; 4 W The Eagle City of College Station News Date: Nov. 24, 1 Bryan council hears views on olf g course Some seek to have issue put on ballot By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer ` Z • Bryan's plans for an 800 -acre golf course and resort project were the hot topic at. the City Council's Tuesday meeting, despite its absence on the agenda. Of the 50 or so people who attended the meeting, seven resi- dents — two supporting and five opposing — addressed the council during the Hear Citizens portion of the meeting. Hear Citizens is not an open discussion. Beth Price, chairwoman of a Political action committee oppos- ing the golf course, formally requested a referendum to take the Tradition Golf Club at Univer- sity Ranch project to the polls. Businessmen Mike Southerland and Randy Haynes commended the council for its efforts in a pro ject they said will benefit the city and its residents. "Your responsibility is to choose the best course for all the citizens of Bryan," Haynes said. "If you call a referendum based on special interests, you would vio- _ late the trust that the voters of I oppose this because it's putting Public money at risk. Please, let the public vote on it. > — JODY QU51BY Bryan resident Bryan have given you." Those opposed to the project said they are against the city using public money on a project that will compete with a private endeavor. "This is a good example of poor judgment," Bryan resident Jody Quimby said. "It leaves public money at risk for a long period of time — much longer than any of you will be in office. "I oppose this because it's I utting public money at risk. Please, let the public vote on it." In July, the city announced plans to develop the west side golf See COUNCIL, Page A2 F_� L Council From Al - - -� course and resort project. Four months later, the City Council unanimously approved three development agreements for the project, which will include a golf course, hotel, conference center, resort, and residential area. The project will cost the city more than $20 million, a majority of which will be generated from a tax- increment finance zone. The rest will come from oil and gas funds, Elf Atochem lawsuit settle- ment funds and lot- reimburse- ment funds. 1�1 If a tax - increment finance zone is approved, business or residen- tial owners in the zone will pay property tars that look exactly the same as those of other Bryan residents, but their tax payments would go to the zone rather than the city and county. School taxes within the zone would go to the Bryan school district. Without the zone, the city does not have the $27 million neces- sary for the project, officials said. In August, Bryan businessman Don Adam announced plans to develop a similar project on the east side, without the city's involvement. Organizers of Citizens In Action, the group opposing the project, said Monday night they may try to recall the council if voters are not allowed to decide the issue. Also during the meeting, the council unanimously amended the city's comprehensive plan to remove the proposed Avondale extension from the thoroughfare plan. The landowners and develop - ers asked the council to take the section ' located between Carter Creek Parkway and Villa Maria Road out because a road exten- sion would hinder future devel- opment. On Nov. 4, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 3 -2 to remove the extension. The council appointed 20 peo- ple to serve on city boards, coun- cils and commissions. Those appointments include: ■ Mel Morgan and Roberts cher to the Board of Adjustm and Appeals. r� ■ John Hamilton and Kenrifh Norsworthy to the Board of Sign Control and Appeals. ■ Joy Marshall- Caldwell, J44n Bienski and Frank Steelmait,to the Bryan Business Council. ■ Eddie Hare and Josoh Williams to the Building Arid Standards Commission. ■ Ken Medders Jr. to the Civil Service Commission. ■ Valerie Bush, Anth6hy Ramirez and Willie Ada Hickffib to the Bryan Housing Authority Commission. ■ Charles Lind Jr., John Gilla , Ray Grossman, Shelly Batson, Joe Marin, Bob Abraham Ad Mark Ritter to the Parks acid Recreation Advisory Board. olf course foes TU = r5 bA Y consider recall NOVC-MbUg Z 3 of Bryan council ' By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer Opponents of the city of Bryan's plans for a golf course and resort project said Monday that they might try to recall the City Council if voters are not allowed to decide the issue. Beth Price, chairman of the recently formed political action committee, Citizens In Action, said the group will ask the City Council at Tues- day's meeting to take the issue to the polls. "Call your city council, show up at meetings," Price urged the 85 people who attended the com- mittee's first meeting. Bryan Mayor Lonnie Stabler defended the city's Tradition Golf Club at University Ranch, which would be home to Texas A &M's golf teams. He said the council is charged with making such operational decisions, and the city will benefit from the public - private partnership. In July, the city announced plans to develop the west side golf course and resort project. The See GOLF, Page A8 Golf From Al project will cost the city $27 mil- lion, a majority of which will be generated from a tax- increment finance zone. The rest will come from oil and gas funds, Elf Atochem settlement funds and lot- reimbursement funds. If a tax- increment finance zone is approved, business or residen- tial owners in the zone will pay property taxes that look exactly the same as those of other Bryan residents, but their tax payments would go to the zone rather that the city and county. School taxes within the zone would go to the Bryan school district. Without the zone, the city does not have all of the $27 million nec- essary for the project, officials said. At a Nov. 2 special meeting, the City Council unanimously approved three development agreements for the 800 -acre pro- ject, which will include a golf course developed by C1ubCorp USA, a hotel, conference center, resort, and residential area. Louis Newman III, the presi- dent of Newman Printing and a member of Citizens In Action, said the group's goals are not impossible. "There are still critical junc- tions," he said. He cited the required public hearings when tax- increment financing is used and C1ubCorp's trigger number of at least 800 memberships before the development agreements can move forward. "We have reason to believe that some council people are willing to rethink the issue, and I hope they will," Newman said. Newman, who is immediate past president of the Bryan-Col- lege Station Economic Develop- ment Corp. board of directors, said there are three basic points of economic development for a city — do not provide incentives to any competing business, do not commit future councils to eco- nomic development issues and do not grant credit of a municipality to anyone. "All three are being violated," he said. "And, in my opinion, they are being grossly violated." In August, Bryan businessman Don Adam announced plans to develop a similar project on the east side without the city's involvement. On Tuesday, Adam joined the committee, saying the issue was not about his development or about golf. "Our project is going forward, and what the city does has no bearing on what I do or choose to do," he said. Adam said he has hired a nationally recognized market analysis firm to conduct a feasi- bility study on his project. "The study we have undertaken is somewhat in preliminary stages, but I assure you that the end result will reflect concerns that should be of considerable concern to the city," he said. "It appears that the risks are greater than the rewards." Price, Newman and Adam have filed two open records requests with the city for all financial records related to the project. Adam said he will have his ana- lysts review the information. THE EACLS MoWbAY NOY6MPOEZ 18 lqqq Definitely unhappy T he members of the Bryan City Council may fmd out to their detriment that Kandy Rose (Eagle, Nov. 14) erred in her belief that most of the citizens who oppose the golf course supported by the City Council are "in the company of George Lea," an employee of First American Bank and that "the source_ of the unhappiness is Mr. Adam." I don't know either of those gentlemen, but I am definitely unhappy about the City Council's going forward in such an arrogant display of power to help fund a private golf club. Most of the citizens of Bryan- College Station will never be able to play on either of the two existing private courses or the A &M course. What makes the City Council think we will all suddenly flock to its private club? Will Bryan- College Station be able to sustain four (including Adam's planned course) private and one state -owned golf club? I think we should use our — the taxpayers' — money for purposes other than helping to build a facility most of us will never be able to use. I hope the City Council will reconsider its position and put the matter before the taxpayers of Bryan for a vote. KEVIN J. O'NEILL Bryan TV4 E EA GL E Vote on golf course M Ost people have been able to connect the dots between the recent annexation and the city of Bryan's proposed golf course on the west side of town. Many citizens do not want their money used in development specu- lation. The argument that it is not tax dollars does not alter the fact that it is city money — money that should be used to do the city's busi- ness (roads, water, sewer, police and fire protection). If the golf course development is economical- ly feasible, why is there no private sector financing? So far, no one has stepped for- ward to formally protest this ven- ture. Last summer, a charter amendment petition was unsuc- cessful in placing the issue of annexation on a ballot. That peti- tion is currently being rewritten and will again be circulated in the near future. I hope that the annexa- tion petition's failure has not dis- couraged opposition to this golf course project. Once people lose hope, it is usually replaced by apa- thy. Citizens are asking for a chance to vote on a large and costly en- deavor ($27 million). An expendi- ture of this magnitude and contro- versy should be put on a ballot. Let both sides explain their respective positions and let the voters decide what they want for their city. This process is called democracy. On a national level, our govern- ment works on a system of checks and balances. The executive branch can veto the actions of th Congress, and Congress can over- ride the veto with a large enough block of votes. The state of Texas operates on a similar system. What is the system of checks and bal- ances here in Bryan? KAREN HALL Bryan MONbAy a0VEM6& i5, 1999 The rc7--a, Ic- M OVO ILfil`199 Bryan- College Station Eagle Sunday, November 14, 1999 Dear Fellow Citizens, Recently, the Bryan City Council voted to move ahead with a private, members -only, golf course and country club development on the west side of Bryan. The Council has approved a $27 million expenditure of public funds for this project without approval from the citizens to whom this money belongs. I am not against development on the west side of Bryan or opposed to the responsible use of public funds in the best interest of the citizens. However, the City of Bryan's actions raise many questions: I. How will the City of Bryan pay its $27 million commitment to the project? The City intends to finance their development, without a public referendum, utilizing approximately $6 million of cash, from the Elf Atochem settlement (which was recovered in a legal settlement for contamination of the lake on the municipal golf course property on Villa Maria) and with revenues from oil and gas production on City-owned property, money which belongs to the citizens of Bryan. In addition, the City is proposing to form a "TIF ", a tax increment financing district, which will sell bonds to pay for approximately $17 million of additional infrastructure costs for its development. 2. What if the City's optimistic projections for project sales are not met? The TIF will only have money to repay the $17 million infrastructure costs if lot sales projected by the City for the development are actually achieved, a highly speculative 0 rospect. If the TIF does not generate sufficient funds to repay the infrastructure costs, default will occur on the infrastructure bonds, severely impacting the City's ability to bonds for more worthy projects in the future. In effect, Bryan is taking a huge gamble, with public money, that the west side project will live up to the City's optimistic jections. The Texas legislature recognized the potential for risky and irresponsible utilization of TIF's by local municipalities. In its 1999 session, the legislature greatly restricted the use of local school taxes to repay TIF obligations. This limitation protects local school districts from the economic risks of speculative TIF investments. However, since no school tax revenue will be available to repay the City of Bryan's commitments, the financial exposure to Bryan's citizens is even greater. 3. Why has the City engaged out of town developers, on very developer-friendly terms, to build its project? The City of Bryan has committed to deals vvith a golf course developer from Dallas, a contractor from El Paso, and a hotel company from Wisconsin. None of these contracts were put out to public bid, and each of the development entities will receive lucrative incentives. The City is proposing to spend $7 million of public funds to acquire the land for its project (for about four times its value on the tax rolls) and then to immediately make an outright gift of much of the land to the golf course and hotel developers! In addition, the golf course developer will receive a long term $1,000,000 interest free loan for the clubhouse; and the City of Bryan will lend $2,000,000 of "credit enhancement" toward the hotel. Each of the developers was awarded its contract without a public bid and without public input regarding the nature or amount of the incentives. The golf course developer is a wholly owned subsidiary of Club Corporation of America, the entity which closed the Plaza Club in the old First City building once its free rent period ran out, abandoning many local patrons who had paid initiation fees to join that club. 4. Aren't there higher and better uses for the $27 million the City is proposing to spend on this project? The City of Bryan is proposing to take millions of dollars which belong to the public and to spend the money on a private golf course which will benefit only a very small segment of our community. Many of our local citizens do not enjoy an adequate standard of living and could receive far more benefit if the funds were utilized for other purposes. Expenditure of such large sums for a members -only golf course, and the enormous risk the City is taking on the TIF, are highly irresponsible actions which ignore the needs of the vast majority of Bryan residents. Some possible better uses of these public funds include: (i) pavement of streets which have yet to be paved, (ii) repair of the many city streets which are in gross disrepair, (iii) additional support for the Boys' and Girls' Clubs, which benefit many young people, (iv) increased dedication of resources to eliminate drug trafficking, (v) enhanced salaries and benefits for police and other public servants, and (vi) landscaping, hardscape and aesthetic enhancements, such as those undertaken by the City of College Station. Are Mayor Stabler and this Bryan City Council afraid to hold a referendum to put this matter to a vote of the taxpaying citizens? Is it too late to stop the City's project? &� olutely not! The City must still conduct public hearings on the proposed TIF and satisfy all legal requirements to form the TIF. In addition, the development agreements the City's contractors contain extensive conditions which must be satisfied before the contractors have any obligation to proceed. It is not too late to stop the highly irresponsible speculation and expenditures favored by the City Council. 7. What can I do to prevent the gross misuse of public funds proposed by the City? Please contact your elected City, representatives. Call or write Mayor Lonnie Stabler, at -large City Councilman Kandy Rose, and the City Councilman for your district. Ask them to submit the decision on this huge expenditure to a public referendum. Each of these elected representatives can be written to at Bryan City Hall, 300 South Texas Avenue, Bryan 77803, or reached by telephone at the numbers set out below. Attend meetings of the Bryan City Council to voice your objection to the City's proposed expenditure of public funds for a high -end private golf club. Let the Mayor and the Council know that you prefer that the funds be used for uses which will benefit all of Bryan's citizens, not out of town developers and a small segment of the public. Discuss this matter with your friends, family and neighbors, to increase their awareness of what is happening, to voice objection to formation of the TIF and to object to proposed expenditure of the Elf Atochem settlement and the City's oil and gas revenues on a members -only golf course. Contact Citizens In Action a group which has been organized to prevent the City from this huge expenditure of public funds without a referendum I feel there is nothing more important for the future of Bryan than preventing the irresponsible misuse of public funds which is proposed by the City of Bryan. Along with other concerned Bryan citizens, I have formed Citizens In Action (CIA), to stop the City of Bryan from spending an enormous amount of public money on a speculative project. CIA is not [J segment of our community. Many of our local citizens do not enjoy an adequate standard of living and could receive far more benefit if the funds were utilized for other purposes. Expenditure of such large sums for a members -only golf course, and the enormous risk the City is taking on the TIF, are highly irresponsible actions which ignore the needs of the vast majority of Bryan residents. Some possible better uses of these public funds include: (i) pavement of streets which have yet to be paved, (ii) repair of the many city streets which are in gross disrepair, (iii) additional support for the Boys' and Girls' Clubs, which benefit many young people, (iv) increased dedication of resources to eliminate drug trafficking, (v) enhanced salaries and benefits for police and other public servants, and (vi) landscaping, hardscape and aesthetic enhancements, such as those undertaken by the City of College Station. 5 '' Mayor Stabler and this Bryan City Council afraid to hold a referendum to put this matter to a vote of the taxpaying citizens? 6. Is it too late to stop he City's project? P h' P 1 Absolutely not! The City must still conduct public hearings on the proposed TIF and satisfy all legal requirements to form the TIF. In addition, the development agreements with the City's contractors contain extensive conditions which must be satisfied before the contractors have any obligation to proceed. It is not too late to stop the highly irresponsible speculation and expenditures favored by the City Council. 7. What can I do to prevent the gross misuse of public funds proposed by the City? Please contact your elected City representatives Call or write Mayor Lonnie Stabler, at -large City Councilman Kandy Rose, and the City Councilman for your district. Ask them to submit the decision on this huge expenditure to a public referendum. Each of these elected representatives can be written to at Bryan City Hall, 300 South Texas Avenue, Bryan 77803, or reached by telephone at the numbers set out below. Attend meetings of the Bryan Ci1y Council to voice your objection to the City's proposed expenditure of public funds for a high -end private golf club Let the Mayor and the Council know that you prefer that the funds be used for uses which will benefit all of Bryan's citizens, not out of town developers and a small segment of the public. Discuss this matter with your friends , fan* fam and neighbors to increase their awareness of what is happening, to voice objection to formation of the TIF and to object to proposed expenditure of the Elf Atochem settlement and the City's oil and gas revenues on a members -only golf course. Contact Citizens In Action, a group which has been organized to prevent the City from this huge expenditure of public funds without a referendum I feel there is nothing more important for the future of Bryan than preventing the irresponsible misuse of public funds which is proposed by the City of Bryan. Along with other concerned Bryan citizens, I have formed Citizens In Action (CIA), to stop the City of Bryan from spending an enormous amount of public money on a speculative project. CIA is not against development on the west side or against efforts to facilitate positive growth in our community. Our primary concern and purpose is to ensure that City funds are used to benefit the majority of our citizens from all walks of life. We hope that you will join in our efforts. Please call CIA at (409) 822 -3915 and a member of our group will contact you. The City staff has publicly stated that this act is a bold step for a city the size of Bryan. It would appear that more traditional and conservative management of our city would be in the best interest of all citizens. Sincerely, M rs. Beth Price, Chairman and Treasurer, Citizens In Action Mike ConduR 776 -8714 home Mike Beal 846 -0018 home Annette Stephney 823-7828 home Lonnie Stabler 822 -4495 home 361 -3601 work 764 -2100 work Greg Rodriquez 822 -1130 home 822 -5715 work Russell Bradley 775.6730 home 779 -5262 work Kandy Rose 846 -7439 home 693 -1511 work CITIZENS IN ACTION Paid for by Citizens in Action, Beth Price, Chairman and Treasurer, 1312 Brook Hollow Drive, Bryan, Texas 77802 NJ The Eagle City of Colle .i4 ews C ity's role i*n resort draws fire Officials defend Bryan's investmen By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff writer Bryan officials have launched an educational campaign to pro- vide residents with information about the city's planned 800 -acre golf course and resort. The campaign to boost the city's Tradition Golf Club at University Ranch comes at the same time as an opposition group is forming to seek a vote by residents on the project In July, the city announced plans to develop the west side golf course and resort project and, in August, Bryan businessman Don Adam announced plans to develop a similar project on the east side without the city's involvement. Since that time, some residents have objected to the city using public money on a project that will compete with a private endeavor. Beth Price, chairwoman of Citi- zens In Action, said the city's intent to use public funds for pri- vate development should be taken to the polls. With that goal, she said her political action commit- tee is working to recruit residents who have concerns about the resort project. City officials have praised the < ( People in opposition [to city involvement] may not be so if they had additional information. > > — MIKE BEAL Bryan City Council member numerous benefits the project will bring to Bryan — recouping all funds invested, plus an estimated $9.4 million; bringing economic t in golf co development to the city; and being home to the Texas A&M Universi- ty men's and women's golf teams. In Sunday's edition of The Bryan - College Station Eagle, both the city and the committee have placed full-page ads stressing the reasons behind their support or opposition to the golf course development. The Bryan City Council recent- ly asked city employees to find ways to get details about the development out to residents so they will know exactly what the city's role is and what its estimat- ed investment return will be on the project. COL project "I just feel there may be a mis- understanding in the community about the project," Councilman Mike Beal said. "There may be a lack of complete education on the project and its effect on the com- munity, and people in opposition may not be so if they had addi- tional information." Citizens In Action, Price said, will serve as an "avenue for any- one interested in having a voice." "Any information that I find out, I certainly want the public to have access to it," she said. "Most citizens I feel don't know all the Course From Al details, and there are a lot of questions that need to be answered." Price long has been active in community affairs, including chairing the Brazos County Citi- zens' Crime Commission in the early '90s and volunteering for the Bryan Police Department. She said her initial interest in the resort began with questions about the financing for the $236 million project, of which the city's portion is estimated to be $27 million. Officials said the city's invest- ment will be funded through oil • and gas funds, Elf Atochem settle- ment funds, tax - increment finance zone revenues and lot reimbursement funds. No ad val- orem taxes will be used, officials said In a tax - increment finance zone, business or residential owners in the zone will pay prop- erty taxes that look exactly the same as those of other Bryan res- idents, but their tax payments would go to the zone rather than to the city and county. School taxes within the zone would go to the Bryan school district. The majority of Bryan's contri- bution will be ftmded through the tax - increment finance zone, offi- cials said, with the rest of the pro- ject paid through private funds. At a Nov. 2 special meeting, the City Council approved the devel- opment agreements for the pro- ject in west Bryan, which will include 225 acres for the golf course and 25 acres for a hotel, conference center and resort area. The remaining land will include a variety of residential housing, officials said. Dallas -based C1ubCorp USA, which teamed with the city and A &M in July for the project, will develop the golf course. Campus Hotels, based in Chicago, will develop the hotel and conference center and CF Jordan, based in El Paso with regional headquarters in College Station, will develop the residential area. At the Nov. 2 meeting, the city's bond attorney said other Texas cities — such as Grand Prairie, Grapevine and South Lake — are using incentive combinations to spur economic development. Price knew that Grand Prairie voters had made the decision about city incentives, and she said she talked to Grapevine and South Lake officials last week. In all three instances, the issues were taken to the polls. "I am not against development, I just want to be sure that is the right development — best for the city of Bryan," she said. "If they let citizens vote, and they approve it, that's fine." Officials at the meeting said the benefits to Bryan from the project over the next 25 years include the city getting its total investment back and netting $9.4 million from lot sales and sales taxes. The project also will put money into the local economy, officials said, generating an estimated $1.35 million in construction fees, $2.2 million in county taxes, $11.2 million in hotel occupancy taxes and $82.6 million in school dis- trict taxes. In the 26th year and each year thereafter, the project is estimat- ed to bring in more than $8.5 mil- lion in taxes annually, officials said, and no tax abatements are planned for the project. Councilwoman Kandy Rose defended Bryan's decision to move forward with the project. "It is difficult to understand how someone who has the best interests of the citizens at heart could be in opposition to this," she said. Price said, however, that the estimated figures are based on the project's successes, "a big if." "Twenty-five years is a very long time to ask citizens to wait to see if the investment is going to be good," she said. See COURSE, Page A4 Letter of opposition Investment details The council supported the Course City Manager Mike Conduff city's educational campaign at a stressed the long -term benefit an Nov. 9 council meeting. Before the meeting, council members From A4 investment like the city's golf read a five -page letter attributed doesn't concern me. That's his course and resort can bring to Bryan. to Adam, who plans to build a' $100 million development that money. What the city of Bryan He said some people have asked will include a 27 -hole golf course does with its money does because why the city does not use the pro and hotel on the city's east side. that's taxpayer money. "I jest money to fix streets i Bryan. "You The letter, dated Nov. 3, said hope every citizen and can use $6 million for a the council "rubber - stamped" the owner wants questions ion nice street," said. "When development agreements, but "it answered, answered, too," she said. you're done, you'll have a nice is vital to understand, however, Opposition's concerns street — for a while. Or, you can that this matter is far from con- Price said she has mailed two take that $6 million, invest it, and use the return to fix streets." eluded." In August, Adam, chairman lists of questions about the pro- jest to city officials, only one of The golf course agreement calls and chief executive officer of the which was answered. Because the for the city to give C1ubCorp the Adam Corporation/Group, told answers left more questions, 225 acres it acquires, clear the land, pay about $250,000 in The Eagle that one of the compa- ny's subsidiaries will fund the Price said, she joined forces with Louis Newman III, the president drainage improvements and loan development. of Newman Print' and a mem- C1ubCorp $1 million for club - Adam could not be reached for comment on whether he is a ber of Citizens in Action, and TAC Services Inc. request house construction. ClubCorp is expected to build member of the opposition group information torn torn ci the city. the $l0- million, Jack Nicklaus - to verify that he wrote the let -' They have hired Austin lawyer designed golf course and repay t r ter. Diana Granger, whose emphasis the loan when it receives a 15 The letter was supposedly sent in municipal law is on annexa- cent return on investment for project. to hundreds of "colleagues in Bryan and College Station," and tion and land project develop- ment and open records requests. Conduff also said C1ubCorp, discusses specific concerns Granger is working with Bryan g ry with A &M's help, must sell at regarding financing and the use la to find least 800 memberships to the if of public funds for a development answer answers to the group's questions course in order for the develop- o p- that will benefit "only a very through an open records request, ment agreement to move for - small segment of our communi- which was filed with the city ward. That trigger number, he ty." It also stressed that the letter Nov. 5. said, ensures the project is feasi- writer is "not against develop- The lengthy request lists 31 ble and helps keep B low. p P ry an's risks ments on the west side or efforts to facilitate positive growth in groups of information, including: ■ All economic, financial and The hotel operator has not yet the community." legal analyses and budgets per - been chosen, but Campus Hotels "If you share my concerns formed by city staff or its consul - will develop the hotel and confer - regarding the city's proposed development," the letter states, "I tants for the project; ■ The council agendas for 1999; ence center. The company will build 180 rooms in a two -phase am requesting that you discuss ■ Copies of all memoranda of project and build about 50 villas this matter with your friends, understanding, letters of intent, to rent or purchase. A development agreement family and neighbors, to increase their awareness of what is hap• development agreements and other contracts entered into b Y names Campus Hotels as the con - peeing, to voice objection to for the city and its agents or repre- ference center builder, with Bryan reimbursing the company finance of the TIF [tax - increment finance zone] and to object to proi. sentatives with respect addressing the project, including for the construction of the $2.4 posed expenditure of the Elf drafts of such documents; million facility. Those funds are citochem settlement and the Y reports, E An re rt , memoranda or supposed to come from the city's city's oil and gas revenues on a other documents that reflect any hotel occupancy tax, officials said. private golf course ... "Our companies employ other city grants, tax abatements, cost- sharing arrangements or Campus Hotels has proposed to approximately 600 people in other financial incentives dedicate the conference center to Bryan and College Station," the. offered, committed or owned to the city and operate and maintain letter states. "We contribute sig:, third Parties by the city or any of CF Jordan it at no cost to B oran ro an. proposes ses to build nificantly to the local economy, and we are one of the largest tax- the city's agencies for construc- lion projects or real estate devel- the residential neighborhoods payers in Bryan. It is only appro• opment projects for the past 10 and install local infrastructure, including streets, sidewalks and priate that we actively partici- pate in matters of local im years. City Secretary ewer and water lines that con - lance. There is nothing more ore Stratta said her office an d about nett the lots to a main street. important for the future of Bryan seven other departments are , Bryan's Co Tom Y director of development o ment services, said CF than preventing the gross misuse 4 of public funds that is proposed! working to get the information copied. will et 8 the fees percent by the city of Bryan " 1 In my nine years, this is the units' sales d C1uof r p Rose said she has noticed most i biggest request we've ever got - will get 4 percent. Of the remain - of the residents who have been • ten," she said. "I cannot even esti- mg profits from the sales, CF Jor- opposed to the project have been mate how much it's going to be. dart will get 70 percent and Bryan "in the company" of George Lea, But we'll do the best we can and will get 30 percent. senior executive vice president of work as diligently as we can." Coyle said the split is relatively First American Bank, which is; Price said she just wants equal, based on the costs Bryan owned by the Adam Corporation. + "This piece of information indi -e answers. I still would like to know wh " Y u pay to acquire the land and the infrastructure costs CF Jor- sates to me that the source of the' the city is funding these multi - dan would have. unhappiness is Mr. Adam;' she', million -dollar corporations," she Councilman Beal said the said. a said. "All of the corporations development agreements are a Lea, who has attended at leasti one recent council meeting + have money to come in and devel- op this, so why is the city funding win for Bryan. No deal is perfect unless you where the golf course issue was it ? get to write all the terms," he discussed, declined to verify the said. "This one certainly is not letter or to comment on whether perfect, but it's an excellent he was a member of the opposi - opportunity and a good deal for tion group. He referred calls tot Bryan." the spokesperson for the political; See COURSE, Page A6 action committee. -- Price said she has not seen the letter and has no stake in either! golf course project. She said, however, that she has talked to Lea about the group she and about 10 others helped form, and that Adam has expressed an: interest in Citizens In Action. "As a businessman, I hope he's as concerned as I am," Price said. "What he does with his money: Course FF ro m A5 Price said her next step is recruiting people who share her concerns. They can call their council members, too," she said. "Maybe if we can put pressure on them, they will answer questions for their citizens." Rose said she welcomes phone calls and questions. Council members will speak to certain groups or at meetings if they are asked, she said. "Council members are elected to study the issues and make deci- sions that will benefit the city of Bryan, and we acted as duly elect- ed," she said. "I'm excited about the benefits this is going to bring for the citizens of Bryan." See COURSE, Page AS The Eagle City of College Station News _____TDate: 11 CS emplo ees to receive By COLLEEN KAVANAGH W`1 J ,1" h City employees saved $1.015 million Eagle Staff Writer during fiscal 1999, two -thirds of which $500 bonus include a requirement for a sidewalk with landscaping and benches from the The City Council: ■ Postponed a vote on an or& goes back to the city. The remaining perimeter of a development to its main nance amendment for the wolf Pen Creek Zoning District The College Station City Council on Thursday approved a program that will third is distributed among the city's employees. After benefits and taxes are entrance. "It's poor timing and poor planning," ■ Contracted with a consultant fora p ay plan study not to ay pla give 550 city employees a $500 bonus, and a vote on a proposed ordi- taken out, eligible employees each will receive $500, officials said. he said. The council asked that city staff and a exceed Fox Lawson & Associates of Phoenix is the firm postponed nance amendment for the Wolf Pen Several developers and landowners opposed the ordinance amendment dur- Planning and Zoning Commission sub - committee work with Wolf Pen Creek recommended for the project. ■ Supported the College Creek Zoning District. More than $330,000 will be distributed among employees as a part of the city's ing a public hearing, with many saying they did not feel they were adequately landowners and developers to make some minor changes to the proposal, tion Soccer Club's application for gainsharing program, which is designed notified or involved in the amendment's which includes individual buildings larger than 20,000 square -feet and any grant funds from the United States Soccer Foundation. to encourage employees to find ways to reduce costs and generate budget sav- development process. Developer Paul Clarke questioned See COUNCIL, Page AS ings. some of the amendment's details, which 11 1_ From A 1 additional residential uses in the district. Council members James Massey, Winnie Garner, Ron Sil- via and Dennis Maloney said they support the ordinance, but minor details need to be figured out. "This ordinance is something I'm going to support as soon as we get those few things worked out," Garner said. "I'd like to see it brought back as soon as possible and move on with it." The other proposed changes include: ■ Defining large and small retail development and pedestri- an character, and adding design criteria to address the aesthetics of the exterior building and park- ing lot. ■ Giving the Design Review Board more authority to decide minor changes to existing sites. Examples of minor changes include modifying signs and repainting buildings. The changes still can be appealed to the commission if the applicant is not satisfied with the review board's decision. According to the proposed ordi- nance, development should con- sist largely of retail commercial uses, restaurants and entertain- ment uses that will enhance and support tourism in the area. In other action, the council: ■ Contracted with a consultant for a pay plan study not to exceed $50,000. A request for proposals was sent to potential consultants in September and received in October. After interviewing three firms, staff recommended Fox Lawson & Associates of Phoenix for $44,060. ■ Supported the College Station Soccer Club's application for grant funds from the United States Soccer Foundation. The funds would be used to install lighting on four of the soccer fields to be constructed at the Vet- erans Park and Athletic Complex. C7 h� Q � 0 Poo 4 r 0 V A 0 ' r 4_4 V E Wolf Pen zoning on council agenda By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer '' f 1 0 The College Station City Coun- cil on Thursday will consider sev- eral changes to Wolf Pen Creek Zoning District regulations, one of which includes prohibiting indi- vidual buildings larger than 20,000 square -feet. The council also will consider distributing $336,401 among employees eligible for the city's gainsharing program. In June 1998, the council adopt- ed the revised Wolf Pen Creek Master Plan. An ordinance amendment implementing the land -use portion of the plan was approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission and denied by the council. One year later, the commission directed staff to bring the amend- ment up again. The commission had a public hearing on the amendment in August and tabled it to clarify some of the language. In October, the commission rec- ommended approval by a 4 -3 vote. The other proposed changes in the amendment are: ■ Defining large and small retail development and pedestrian character, and adding design cri- teria to address the aesthetics of the exterior building and parking lot. ■ Permitting only apartments that were built before July 1, 1998. ■ Prohibiting any more resi- dential uses in the district. ■ Giving the Design Review Board more authority to decide minor changes to existing sites. Examples of minor changes include modifying signs and repainting buildings. The changes can still be appealed to the com- mission if the applicant is not sat- isfied with the review board's decision. According to the proposed ordi- nance, development should con- sist largely of retail commercial uses and restaurants and enter- tainment uses that will enhance and support tourism in the vision of the master plan. In another item, city employees could receive $500 from the city's gainsharing program if approved by the council. The program is designed to encourage employees to find ways to reduce costs and generate bud- get savings. City employees saved $1.015 mil- lion during fiscal 1999, two- thirds of which goes back to the city. The remaining third is distributed among the city's employees. If the council approves the gainsharing distribution for this year, every eligible employee will receive $500. Budget manager Jeff Kersten said the program has helped See COUNCIL, Page A14 Council From A9 employees think about what they are doing and has increased effi- ciency. "The whole point of the pro- gram is to try to get employees to look at things they do on a daily basis to be more productive, save money and provide better service at lower cost," he said. "They see the benefit at the end of the year if they're able to do that." In other action, the council will consider: ■ Contracting with a consul- tant for a pay plan study not to exceed $50,000. A request for pro- posals was sent to potential con- sultants in September and received in October. After inter- viewing three firms, staff is rec- ommending Fox Lawson & Asso- ciates of Phoenix for $44,060. ■ Approving Tom Brymer's employee agreement for city manager. ■ Supporting the College Sta- tion Soccer Club's application for grant funds from the United States Soccer Foundation. The funds would be used to install lighting on four of the soccer fields to be constructed at the Vet- erans Park and Athletic Complex. The workshop will start at 4 P.m. in the council chambers at City Hall, 1101 Texas Ave. The reg- ular meeting will begin at 7 p.m. W C� W l� O ,J e ■..I e V ON ON o A V 0 • ordinance changes C ouncil to re- examine ent boards and council, with Concerns raised about US development action items and timelines, so that we know these things are going to get worked on in a timeframe that's reasonable to expect com- pletion," she said. Much of the discussion centered on neighborhood integrity, pre- serving older neighborhoods and the effect rental properties have on the neighborhoods. Councilman Dennis Maloney said it is not rental properties that are the problem with deteriorat- ing older neighborhoods. "I have no problem with rental properties because I live in a col- lege town," he said. "My problem is when you can pick out the rental properties from home - owned properties." See CHANGES, Page A8 By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer I �� I O Any changes to ollege Sta- tion's subdivision and develop- ment ordinances will come after the City Council further examines concerns raised Tuesday at a joint meeting with the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Zon- ing Board of Adjustments. Members of the three groups discussed development codes and regulations, citing specific parts of ordinances that may need to be revised. Concerns included the number of unrelated residents in single- family dwellings, land- scape requirements, parking, lot izes and the number of principal I tructures allowed on a single lot. "I think that the fact that these boards and commissions see issues and now have the oppor- tunity to have those issues addressed is what's impor- tant," Mayor Lynn McII- haney said. "We McILHANEY are all here to serve the community and make sure we give direction to staff that will protect the quality of life in the community while making sure that we don't jeopardize not only the ordinances, but the enforcement of those ordinances because we are going through a growth period." City staff will brief the council on the concerns raised, and the council will pri- oritize them. The board and commis- sion will review the list again before the coun- cil takes final action, which MALONEY could come as early as January, McIlhaney said. "The feedback I've gotten, like tonight, is that the Planning and Zoning Commission members are appreciative that they had this opportunity to sit down and talk about these issues," she said. "But this isn't just about talking, it's also about action. "Each of the things brought up will be brought back to the differ- dAw 9 Changes From Al ; Other concerns included the Northgate area, infill develop- ments, buffering elements, the number of bedrooms allowed per apartment, and design standards for special zoning districts. In addition to ordinance reviews, officials suggested stricter enforcement of ordi- nances, removing on- street park ing at night, and placing time lim- its on conditional -use permits issued by the commission. On Monday, the three bodies discussed the city's comprehen- sive plan and areas of the city that either are not addressed by the plan or have changed since the plan was adopted in 1997. The three bodies plan to meet at least twice a year to follow through on concerns from the two meetings and discuss con- cerns as they arise in the future. V The Eagle City of College Station News Date: Council discusses growth Board, zoning panel may hire consultant By COLLEEN KAVANAGH \ rq Eagle Staff Writer College Station officials on Monday dis- cussed hiring an outside consultant to focus on areas of the city that are either not addressed by the comprehensive plan or have changed since the plan's adoption in 1997. The City Council met with the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Zoning Board of Adjustments to discuss the plan and list areas within the city that they are con- cerned about, including the F.M. 158 -Texas 30- F.M. 60 triangle, Earl Rudder Freeway South (Texas 6) and Wolf Pen Creek. "Some are areas not McILHANEY addressed by the com prehensive plan, and others are areas we've experienced growth or economic changes in and need to be updated," said Mayor Lynn McIl- haney. The commission and city staff will review the lengthy list and work together to determine which items they can handle and which ones they need outside help to address. Staff will bring the prioritized list back to the council, which will decide if the issues can be addressed with existing resources, if the planning star' needs addi- tional resources or if a consultant needs to be hired. The list of areas and concerns also includes: the Rock Prairie Road realign- ment, infill development, the � lellborn road corridor, transportation through the city, code enforcement and getting the city ahead of development. "I feel like we've been in a time warp for the past two and a half years trying to catch up with development," McIlhaney said. Members of all three entities agreed that the city needs resident input osier what areas of the city need to be addressed and how to fix or prevent problems that come with speedy growth. See COUNCIL, Page A2 Council From Al The city's comprehensive plan is designed to guide decisions about the physical development of the community, and is used citywide for long -range planning. College Station's current plan was adopted after four years of preparations and has projections through 2015. The three boards will meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the Utility Ser- vice Center on Graham Road to discuss development codes and regulations. W W . 0 On/ 0 0 POO Council to consider attractions D By COLLEEN KA' A (� Eagle Staff Writer \` 1 ` ) matters, transportation is always at the top of V the list of important issues to Bryan citi- zens," Bryan Mayor Lonnie Stabler said in a At its only meeting in November, the Bryan statement. City Council will consider supporting an "We've had the opportunity to hear from integrated attractions preliminary plan pro- some very knowledgeable transportation posed by the Bryan - College Station's Cham- experts and community partners over the ber of Commerce's special attractions com- past few meetings, but now we want to hear mittee. from `owners' — the citizens of Bryan," he If the council decides at Tuesday's meeting said. to support the plan, it will appoint two repre- Rick Conner, Bryan's director of public sentatives to a task force that will examine works, encouraged anyone with overall the viability of the establishment of a linear transportation concepts, such as movement park, entertainment centers, museums and getting from the east to west in Bryan, to campus tours. attend the meeting. The council also is reviewing its goals for "We need people to address how people overall transportation in the city. move through this city short term and long "Whether it be streets, traffic signals, speed term," he said. limits, mass transit or any number of related In other action, the council will consider: ■ Renewing an agreement with First Southwest Company for financial services from January 2000 to December 2004. ■ Approving the project and financing plan for the Park Hudson reinvestment zone. ■ Changing the zoning on 5.8 acres at 1821 East 29th St., northwest of University Hills Nursing Home, from agricultural open to retail. There will be a public hearing on the change at the meeting. ■ Changing the zoning on one acre at the northwest corner of Beck Street and Palasota Road from mixed -use residential to planned development business. A public hearing is scheduled during the meeting. There will be no workshop meeting. The regular meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the council chambers of the Bryan Municipal Building, 300 South Texas Ave. • . - -- The Eagle City of College Station News Date: NlOV . CS board denies rezoning of 8 acres The College Station Planning and Zoning Commission has denied the rezoning of 8 acres at the southwest corner of Texas 30 and Pamela Lane from agricultural open to business commercial. The rezoning request will go to the College Station City Council with rec- ommendations for denial from the commission and city staff. The commission at its Thursday meeting also issued a permit and site plan for a sorority house that would be built on the south side of Universi- ty Oaks between Munson Avenue and Rhett Butler Drive. The Kar a Delta sorority house would �e developed on 1.54 acres -fined high - density multifamily. • R on News Course pacts approved Golf Course Site Bryan officials approved development agreements for an 800 -acre golf course and resort project near Easterwood Airport. � , s A� �o Easterwood Airport Eagle graphic /Bryan Butler Bryan endorses deals for 800 -acre project By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer The Bryan City Council on Tues- day night unanimously approved three development agreements for the Tradition Golf Club at Universi- ty Ranch, the city's 800 -acre golf course and resort project. "These agreements were negotiat- ed in good faith by all parties, and the city of Bryan negotiated a good deal for the citizens of Bryan;" Councilman Mike Beal said. "I believe this is a win for the city of Bryan." The project in west Bryan will See COURSE, Page A8 tax- increment finance zone rev- enues and lot reimbursement funds. The majority of Bryan's contribution will be funded through a tax- increment finance zone, officials said. Six Bryan and two Kurten resi- dents asked the council to recon- sider the project. Their concerns included the risk involved in con- tributing public funds to aid with a private development and the reasons why the corporations involved needed Bryan's finan- cial assistance. "If this is such a good deal, why are they not putting up the money ?" Beth Price of Bryan asked. Price also questioned the num- bers used to calculate future prof- Course From Al include 225 acres of golf course space and 25 acres for a hotel, conference center and resort area. The remaining acreage will include a variety of residential housing, officials said. C1ubCorp USA will develop the golf course, Campus Hotels will develop the hotel and conference center, and CF Jordan will devel- op the residential area. Officials said the city will finance its $24 million part of the estimated $236 million develop- ment through oil and gas funds, Elf Atochem settlement funds, 3,19W News r its from the development. "[The calculations] did not account for any proposed east side development," she said, referring to Bryan businessman Don Adam's plans for a $100 mil- lion development that will include a 27 -hole golf course and hotel. Several people said the issue should be voted on by Bryan resi- dents. Steven Adams, the city's bond counsel from First Southwest Company, told the council that many other Texas cities — such as Grand Prairie, Grapevine and South Lake — are using incentive combinations for economic devel- opment. Successful cities are entrepre- neurial, take calculated risks and invest in themselves, he said. No tax abatements are planned for the project, officials said. Ronnie Craig, a certified public accountant in Bryan, said that, based on conservative estimates, projected benefits for the next 25 years .include the city getting its total investment back and netting $9.4 million from lot sales and sales taxes. The project also will generate $1.35 million in con- struction fees, $2.2 million in county taxes, $11.2 million in hotel occupancy taxes and $82.6 million in school district taxes over the next 25 years, Craig said. After the first 25 years, the pro- ject will bring in more than $8.5 million in taxes annually, he said. The golf course will be designed by legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus' company for Club - Corp, which teamed with the city of Bryan and Texas A &M Univer- sity in July for the project. According to the golf course agreement, the city will give ClubCorp the 225 acres it acquires, clear the land, pay for about $250,000 in drainage improvements, and loan Club - Corp $1 million for clubhouse construction. In turn, ClubCorp will build the $10- million, 18 -hole champi- onship course and repay the loan when it receives a 15 percent return on investment for the pro- ject. The hotel operator has not yet been chosen, said Tom Coyle, Bryan's director of development services, but Campus Hotels will develop the hotel and conference center. The company will build 180 rooms in a two -phase project, and build about 50 villas. Campus Hotels also will con- struct the conference center, and Bryan will reimburse the compa- ny for the construction of the $2.4 million facility. Those funds will come from the city's hotel occu- pancy tax. Campus Hotels will dedicate the conference center to the city, and operate and main- tain it at no cost to Bryan. Revenues from the tax- incre- ment finance zone will help the city build an arterial loop street that will connect to Villa Maria Road, Gabbard Road and Turkey Creek Road. CF Jordan will build the resi- dential neighborhoods and install local infrastructure, including streets, sidewalks and sewer and water lines that con- nect the lots to the arterial road. Coyle said CF Jordan will get 8 percent of the units' sales fees and ClubCorp will get 4 percent. Of the remaining profits from the sales, CF Jordan will get 70 per- cent and Bryan will get 30 per- cent. "Our estimates, based upon infrastructure costs, are $30,000 per acre," he said. "The cost for the city in the land purchase is $10,000 per acre, so they roughly equate." The residential acreage also includes up to 15 acres for com- mercial development, Coyle said. In addition to council approval, ClubCorp must sell at least 800 memberships in order for the agreements to move forward, offi- cials said. The master plan for the project showing the golf course and resi- dential layout should be complete in about a month, Coyle said. The council also toured the LaSalle Hotel in Downtown Bryan to check on the status of the building's renovations. The seven -story building will have 55 modern, computer -com- patible rooms, and renovations are scheduled to be finished in the spring of 2000. Cit of LIJ Council to ponder land _ deals By COLLEEN KAVANAGH area. will build 180 rooms in a two - Eagle Staff Writer No'v. 2, � 99 The remaining acreage will phase project. .� 0 Zuring a special meeting Tues- day, the Bryan City Council will consider three development agreements for Tradition Golf Club at University Ranch, the city's 800 -acre golf course and resort project. A council vote on the agree- ments was postponed in October, Wit Tom Coyle. Bryan's director of support services, said all of the documents have been signed. The 800 -acre golf course and resort project in west Bryan will include 225 acres of golf course space and 25 acres for a hotel, conference center and resort include a variety residential housing, officials said. The council will consider agreements for the construction of the golf course, the hotel and conference center and the resi- dential area. The golf course will be designed by legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus' company Club - Corp USA of Dallas, which teamed with the city of Bryan and Texas A &M University in July for the project. Campus Hotels will develop the hotel and conference center, and, according to the terms of the pro- posed agreement, the company Cr Jordan, a construction firm based in E1 Paso, will be the pro- ject's residential developer. The hotel operator has not yet been chosen, Coyle said. In other action, the council will take a tour of the LaSalle Hotel and discuss the status of hotel renovations with the developer and job superintendent before the regular meeting. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the council chambers of the Bryan Municipal Building, 300 South Texas Ave. The tour will begin at 4 p.m. with the council meeting at the Stevens Furniture Building, 218 South Main. Council names Brymer as new CS city manager er g By COLLEEN KAVANAGH neering firm to design a Veterans Park Eagle Staff Writer and Athletic Complex. The motion to name Brymer city man- . The College Station City Council on Thursday night promoted Acting City Manager Tom Brymer to city manager. The council also: ■ Set up two November meetings with the Planning and Zoning Commission to discuss the city's comprehensive plan and ordinances as they relate to planning issues and development standards. ■ Lowered parking fees in the North- gate Promenade. ■ Contracted with a Brenham engi- ager came after an executive session, and Mayor Lynn McIlhaney said his "con- tract will be worked out with the city attorney." Brymer was named acting city manag- er Sept. 8, after the resignation of City Manager Skip Noe, who accepted a posi- tion as deputy city manager in Corpus Christi on Sept. 30. Brymer has been assistant city manag- er since January 1989 and, from October 1994 to July 1995, he also was acting city News MEETING HIGHLIGHTS On Thursday night, the College Station City Council; ■ Set up meetings with the Planning and Zoning Commision. ■ Lowered parking fees in the Northgate Promenade. ■ Approved the final bid for the proposed Northgate parking garage. ■ Contracted with Arkitex Studios Inc. for the City Hall decompression /renovation. manager after the resignation of City Manager Ron Ragland. His base salary as assistant city manager was more than $94,000. On Sept. 22, the council raised his salary as acting city manager to $110,000. See COUNCIL, Page A8 ouncil From Al Mcllhaney said Thursday night that Brymer's contract as city manager will include a "base salary of $118,000, with a car allowance, health insurance for his family and life insurance for him." Earlier on Thursday, the coun- cil had a joint workshop session with the Planning and Zoning Commission to discuss residen- tial development, zoning and sub- division standards and growth - related issues. "There are immediate prob- lems that we need to address right now," Councilman Ron Sil- via said. "We need to look at the ordinances and how they allow lots to be developed and cut up in some of these older neighbor- hoods." Members of the council and commission decided to identify areas that need attention, and W discussed the possibility of sus- pending development in certain areas until they review the city's ordinances. The group invited members of the Zoning Board of Adjustments to take part in the discussions. The meetings are tentatively scheduled Nov. 8 and Nov. 9 at the public utilities building on Graham Road. On the Northgate Promenade issue, the council unanimously decided to lower the parking fees to 50 cents per hour from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and maintain the $1 per hour fee from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., which is consistent with a feasi- adult softball fields, soccer fields, utility extensions, parking and drainage improvements. The 1998 municipal bond pro- gram contained more than $2 mil- lion for design fees and construc- tion, and funds for the project are in the fiscal 2000 parks capital project fund. The city will con- tract with O'Malley Engineers to design the park and athletic com- plex for $168,200. Also in the workshop session, the council unanimously approved the final design phase and construction /design bid process for the proposed North- gate parking garage and adopted bility analysis. "Our goal is to increase usage during the day," Mcllhaney said. "The lot's paying for itself because of all of the usage in the evening, but maybe we can spread that out." The fees will take effect in Jan- uary to give the city time to make the changes and to coincide with the start of Texas A &M Universi- ty's spring semester, officials said. Bonds issued in 1995 and 1998 included funding for the pur- chase of the Veterans Park and its first phase of development, which includes the installation of its 1999 -2000 strategic issues. The proposal is to build a 725- space garage to assist with the redevelopment of Northgate. Staff has worked with John DeS- hazo, a traffic engineering/park- ing consultant for almost 25 years, to determine the feasibility of a garage. In 1998, the construc- tion of a fee -based parking garage was approved in a referendum. The estimated cost is $6.8 mil- lion, and the total design contract with Arkitex Studio is $399,615. The council has 24 strategic issues, including the Wolf Pen Creek master plan, public trans- portation and other issues. Elm I E- (;l News e: CS council p lans workshop with zonin g commission 10 Meeting will cover planning issues, development By COLLEEN KAVANAGH ■ Growth and growth management-relat- Eagle Staff Writer ed issues. City staff will discuss key planning and The College Station City Council on development issues and ordinances. Thursday will hold a joint workshop with This is the second time since November the Planning and Zoning Commission to discuss city planning issues and develop - 1998 that the council will consider lowering the parking fees. Since then, Carl Walker ment standards. Associates, a group that specializes in At the regular meeting, the council will parking lot management and operations, consider lowering the Northgate Prome- studied the issue. The group recommended nade parking fees, contracting with a Bren- the rates be changed to 50 cents per half ham engineering firm to design a Veterans hour to allow for short -term parking needs Park and Athletic Complex, and authoriz- ing final design and construction for the of local businesses. City staff is recommending that the College Main parking garage in the North- council lower the fees to 50 cents per hour gate area. from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and maintain the $1 Possible topics at the joint workshop per hour fee from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., which is include: consistent with a feasibility analysis. ■ Zoning and subdivision standards as The change could result in an increase in they apply to infill development. revenue if the number of vehicles parking ■ Comprehensive plan and development in the lot during daytime hours increases, standards updates or revisions. according to the city's report. If there is not ■ Residential development and land -use conflicts. See COUNCIL, Page A14 1 �r Council From AJ •"r ' an increase in daytime parking, there will be a slight decrease in revenue, the report states. Bond issues in 1995 and 1998 included funding for the pur- chase of Veterans Park and its first phase of development, which includes the installation of adult softball fields, soccer fields, utility extensions, park- ing and drainage improvements. ,.. The 1998 municipal bond pro- gram contained more than $2 million for design fees and con - struction, and funds for the pro- ject are in the fiscal 2000 parks capital project fund. Staff recom- mends contracting with O'Mal- ley Engineers to design the park and athletic complex for $168,200. The current parking garage proposal is to build a 725 -space garage to assist with the redevel- opment of Northgate. Staff has been working with John DeShazo, a consultant with DeShazo, Tang and Associates, to determine the feasibility of a garage. In 1998, the construction of a fee -based parking garage ` t was approved in a referendum. w DeShazo is expected to provide an updated feasibility analysis and comprehensive report on the garage at the council meeting. The estimated cost is $6.8 mil - -- lion, and the total design con- tract with Arkitex Studio is $399, - 615. m� In other action, the council T will consider: ■ Approving the proposed by- laws for the College Station Busi- ness Development Corporation Inc. and an agreement between the corporation and the city for administrative support and legal services. The corporation was created to address areas of eco- nomic development not being addressed by existing economic development mechanisms, such as retail, hotel/motel and retire- ment communities. If the agreement is approved, the city's director of economic development, attorney and finance department will assist the corporation. ■ Contracting with Arkitex Studios Inc. for the City Hall decompression and renovation College Station wins tenth budget award The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada recently announced that Col- lege Station has received the associa- tion's distinguished budget presenta- tion award for 1998 -199 This is the 10th consecutive year that the city has received the award, which is based on g uidelines d Ps i gni d to assess how: well an entity's budget serves as a policy document, financial plan and an operations and communi- cations guide. CS parks employee wins statewide award Tony Scazzero, the College Station parks and recreation's athletic events supervisor, recently received the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation Presi- dent's Excellence Award at the federa- i tion's 74th annual meeting last month in Del Lago, Texas. It The award is given annually to indi- viduals who have demonstrated out- s standing service to the federation and its president. The award also honors I individuals for their work and dedica- tion in promoting local, regional and statewide athletic programs. project for an amount not to exceed $54,000. ■ Contracting with Dacon Cor- poration for a switch station addition, Post Oak Mall substa- tion circuit addition and meter- ing modification at the Greens Prairie and Southwood Valley substations. Dacon was the low- est bidder, at $398,909, which would come from the utility bond fund. ■ Approving a resolution to support Proposition 17, an amendment to the Texas Consti- tution relating to the investment of the Permanent University Fund and the distribution from the fund to the available univer- sity fund. The workshop discussion will begin at 3 p.m. in the former util- ity billing office on the north side of City Hall, 1101 Texas Ave. The joint meeting is scheduled at 4 P.m., followed by Hear Visitors at 5:45 p.m. in the utility office. The regular meeting will be at 7 p.m. in the council chambers. Elq 1"W A &M studies building apartment -style dorm By JOHN KIRSCH I O 1Z Eagle Staff Writer �J Texas A &M University is con- sidering building the school's first apartment -type residence hall to compete with private, amenities - rich student apartment buildings sprouting up near campus. Ron Sasse, the director of resi- dence life at A &M, stressed that planning for the 300 -bed building is in very preliminary stages. "We're somewhat interested in having an apartment option because if students want that kind of option ... then why not create some of that ?" he said. "If that keeps 300 students with us who have moved off campus, then that's great." The Callaway House, a private student residence on George Bush Drive near campus, opened this fall with features such as a dining room, a swimming pool, an exer- cise room and a theater. The building can accommodate up to 500 students. Officials at Spirit Development Inc. of Dallas are thinking of building a $25 million private, upscale student apartment build- ing in the Northgate area. The structure would house up to 440 students. Michael Hanley, general man- ager of Callaway House, said mar- keting research showed that there is a market among A &M students for high -rent, apartment -style liv- ing arrangements. If A &M does build an apart- ment -style residence hall, Sasse See DORM, Page A2 Dorm From Al said, it likely would be "self-sup- Porting," meaning the university would charge high rent. That is because A &M does not want to add to the $48 million in housing - related debt it now carries, he said. "It would add another option to our repertoire that we have for students to choose from. I don't know that it would be an upper- ; class students' [facility], but it ff seems to be what upper -class stu- _ - dMts want. T_hpv move ., r qn , Pus] for that," Sasse said. Once A &M has paid off its hous- ing debt, the university is likely to have a major expansion of on- campus housing, he said. That move, however, probably would not happen for eight or nine years, he said. Sasse said 10,400 of the univer- sity's 43,500 students live on cam- pus. / Injunction cools off CS housing dispute By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer Both sides in a housing con- struction battle have agreed to a temporary injunction over two houses being built in the 600 block of Welsh Avenue in College Sta- tion. In the injunction, property owner Nelson Nagle of Round Rock, Texas, agreed to halt con- struction until a February trial date. Four Southside Historic Dis- trict residents, on behalf of the College Park Subdivision, filed for a temporary restraining order and permanent injunction on Oct. 8, citing a violation of deed restrictions. State law does not allow cities to enforce deed restrictions, which are private agreements among property owners. In order to solve deed restriction disagreements, property owners must take civil action. When construction is complete, there will be three houses, each on See ORDER, Page A6 Order "I don't even know what fur- ther issues exist," Nagle said. "I still very much would like to build the home d till think From Al a 100 -by -50 foot lot as required by city ordinances. Southside resi- dents say allowing the construc- tion of the two four - bedroom, sin- gle- family residences will destroy the historical aspects of the neighborhood. At least until February, under the injunction signed Wednes- day, the only thing Nagle can build on the property is a privacy fence between his property and surrounding neighbors. Nagle said Thursday his devel- opment is sensitive to the neigh- borhood, and that he agreed to the temporary injunction because it will give him time to evaluate and decide what approach to take. s an s they will be sensitive to the neighborhood." The residents have led a cam- paign in the city of College Sta- tion to halt the construction. The city's Zoning Board of Adjust- ments decided Wednesday evening that city planning offi- cials followed ordinances that fell under the board's jurisdiction. They residents also have asked the Planning and Zoning Com- mission, which never reviewed the development plans, and the City Council to step in and review the case. "All of this started in March, and we didn't find out about it until about three weeks ago," Helen Pugh, one of the four plain- tiff's in the case, said Thursday. "That's not rieht." By COLLEEN KAVANAGH and LAURA HIPP Eagle Staff Writers A College Station 'zoning board Wednesday night upheld the decision of city planning officials on parking and side setback requirements for two hous- es being built in the 600 block of Welsh Avenue. In a 5 -0 vote, the Zoning Board of Adjustments decided that city planning officials followed ordinances that fell under the board's jurisdiction. "We were working within the con- straints of what our mandate is as a board," chairman David Alexander said. "We made the only choice we could make." The special meeting was scheduled after resident Norma Miller filed an appeal that included a variety of rea- sons to stop the construction of two houses on property owned by Nelson Nagle of Round Rock, Texas. When construction is complete, there will be three houses, each on a 100- by -50- foot lot as required by city ordinances. The parking and side setback require- ments were the only two items in Miller's appeal deemed within the board's jurisdiction. People representing both sides packed the council chambers at City Hall dur- Zoning From Al ing the 4 -hour meeting. Board members spent most of the meet- ing listening to what members of the audience had to say. Opponents to the construction emphasized maintaining the neighborhood's historic legacy. Miller said more than half of the historic plaques in College Station are in her southside area. "We're proud of that neighbor- hood, proud of that integrity," she said. Nagle said he worked closely with city staff to ensure that all rules and regulations for single - family residences were followed and that development would match the historical style of the neighborhood. "I would like the right to devel- op property I own in accordance to city ordinances," he said. "I'm willing to look at any recommen- dations you have." Miller said she will take her appeal one step further — to dis- trict court. "I'm not surprised," she said. "I'm not a bit surprised." City Planner Jane Kee said city staff will enforce zoning ordinances, as has been done, unless a court rules otherwise. "Until that time, we'll contin- ue to apply them as we did to this case," Kee said. Miller and three of her neigh- bors, on behalf of the College Park Subdivision, will appear in District Judge J.D. Langley's court Thursday afternoon. They are requesting a tempo- rary and permanent injunction based on a violation of deed restrictions. Langley will hear and determine the merits of their case. See ZONING, Page A6 Southside zoning in CS upheld Preserve CS history )is nee more, the Historic District of College Station under assault. When will it stop? What does it take? Instead of living under a civi- lized canopy, those of us in the Historic District (and I might include also the whole area com- prising College Station) feel a continuous attack against a qual- l ity of life which we are attempt- ing to maintain. When the issue of opening Welsh Avenue rose its ugly head several years ago, the "powers that be" should have begun a plan to keep the Historic District intact. Now, once again, here we are. I applaud Norma Miller and j her neighbors and give them my full support as a fellow resident of the Historic District. What happens to one section of this district will eventually affect all of us. We, the residents, are the city of College Station. Is it our desire to forfeit the integrity of our neighborhoods for economic profit? Is it all right so long as it doesn't touch our backyard? We had better heed the best of American political wisdom that a civilization cannot exist with human quality unless there is full participation by all members for the benefit of all. PATRICIA McDERMOTT College Station The Battalion City of College Station News 1017-5 Northgate/ p olice office helps area officials sa BY AMANDA SMITH The Battalion Local officials conclude that having police presence at North- gate has had continued success in keeping violence, parking viola- tion and theft incidents down. The community police station opened last spring in Northgate, located at 105 College Main just off University Drive. Mayor Lynn McIlhaney of Col- lege Station said the community police station has been well re- ceived by residents, retailers and visitors to the Northgate area. "I spoke with a couple of police officers patrolling the area, having an opportunity to meet with some visitors and residents in North- gate," McIlhaney said. "The feed- back I have gotten so far has been very positive." Liza Phillips, an officer with the College Station Police Depart- ment, said the Northgate area tra- ditionally has many cars, pedes- trians and bicyclists. "There is a lot of traffic in the Northgate area," Phillips said. "We are so much more approachable than we are in our patrol cars." Phillips said many students have come by and filed reports, mainly concerning bicycle thefts, since the police station opened. "We have everything here [in the station] to file a report," Phillips said. "We also like people to come -in-here-and ask questions about anything, about parking tickets or about bicycle registration." Phillips said she encourages students to register their bicycles in order to increase the likelyhood of recovery, in case of theft. The community police station in Northgate is equipped with mate- rials for engraving the bicycles, in- cluding specific parts like tire rims which are sometimes stolen. Phillips said emergency blue phones similar to those on cam- pus, will be erected soon but they are still in the planning stages. The community police station in Northgate additionally provides in- formation on alcohol and drug use, family violence and home security. In the first few months of oper- ation, the community police sta- tion sent out an officer on bike to SEE POLICE ON PAGE 2. POLICE Continued from Page 1 patrol the Northgate area. Phillips said the College Station Police Department currently has a limited number of officers and must keep the officers within the office, rather than sending one or two out to patrol on bike or foot. Officers keep hours Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. and Thurs- day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and in the evening from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Northgate Community Office is one of three offices in College Sta- tion; including one at Windsor Pointe and another at Lincoln Center. ' w w a ste ag ency t to advise C CS nge o ore By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer The former executive director of the Brazos Valley Solid Waste Man- agement Agency will serve as a con- sultant for the city of College Station ,un t he agency for six months while being paid his usual salary. Bill Angelo, who was asked to resign last week, will be paid in accordance with his $73,500 salary and will be individually covered by College Station's hospitalization plan Ion py m � College Station attorney Har- vey Cargill said that Angelo's con- sulting wages would be paid joint- ly by the two cities, "just like any other expense." Angelo, who served as the agency's only executive director for more than five years, had an annual salary of $73,500. His personnel file, parts of which were obtained by The Bryan- College Station Eagle through a Texas Open Records request, shows that he was hired in April of 1994 with a starting for the next six months unless he accepts full-time employment. At a special meeting of the agency's board of directors Monday, Bryan Mayor Lonnie Stabler, who serves as chairman, said he asked for specific reasons for Angelo's resigna- tion. He said he was told that it was a personnel matter in College Station based on performance - related issues:_ "My interest at this point is seeing that the public's interest is served," Stabler said. Bryan attorney Michael Cosentino salary of $60,000. He received performance -based raises in November 1994, October ;11195,Janua'y 1997, February.1998 afro February 1999. Tom Brvmer, College Station's acting city manager, said he expects to name an interim execu- tive director this week to take over the agency. Agency and city officials are in the middle of selecting a site for a new landfill. Officials said they have to act quickly because the Rock Prairie Road landfill will reach capacity by 2006. It will take between four and six years to construct a new landfill. Officials said they are in the process of reviewing six potential sites. said the two cities managers and attorneys agreed to discuss the gov- ernance of the agency and develop options on how it could be governed. "It may be the same or different than it is now," he said. The agency is an interlocal agree- ment between Bryan and College.Sta- tion. The board of directors, com- prised of both city managers and an appointed official from each city, oversees the agency. The chairman position rotates between the two mayors every two years. Under the agreement, College Sta- tion operates the landfill, and all agency employees are listed under College Station's payroll. The agency's board of directors hired Angelo, set his salary and eval- uated his performance on an annual basis. The city of College Station asked Angelo to resign because the agency needs a change in direction, College Station city officials said last week. See AGENCY, Page AS a CS zoning battle heats up ��� <; unhappy with new development By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer A resident in College Station's Southside Historic District looks out her window to watch the progress of some homes she says will destroy the neighborhood she has lived in for more than 40 years. When construction behind Norma Miller's home is completed, neigh- boring property owner Nelson Nagle of Round Rock, Texas, will have three homes on a single lot in the 600 block of Welsh Avenue. "Permitting three homes on one lot behind my house will open the flood- gates and begin the end of our his- toric Southside neighborhood," Miller said. "Single family residen- tial homes are being turned into bona fide commercial rental houses." Although several city officials have sympathized with her campaign to halt the construction, they say Nagle has followed all of College Station's rules and regulations for single fami- ly residences. "I'm very interested in doing some- thing that is sensitive to the neigh- borhood history, and these houses are," Nagle said. "I'm building them for my children who are currently attending Texas A &M, and I believe that the development will help improve the neighborhood." The fine balance in many neighbor- hoods between family homes and enough housing for thousands of col- lege students is something College Station has struggled with for a long time, city officials said. City planner Jane Kee said College Station ordinances allow for more than one structure to be built on a 50- by- 100 -foot lot, such as Nagle's, and for four unrelated adults to occupy houses in areas that have been zoned single family residential. College Station City Council mem- bers have discussed rewriting ordi- nances to stop developers from build- ing more than one structure on a lot. Councilman Dennis Maloney, who See ZONING, Page A10 �w Southside Historic District residents Eagle photo /Butch Ireland College Station resident Norma Miller (left) and some of her neighbors are upset with plans of a fellow neighbor to have three houses on a single lot in the Southside Historic District. • Zoning From A 1 lives in Miller's neighborhood, said the city does not have an ordinance to protect people who have invested in neighborhoods. "We need to protect older neighborhoods," Maloney said. "We need to get on that, I Mean yesterday. All neighborhoods by campus have problems, and if you have a 50 -by -100 piece of dirt, you can build anything there. "There is a policy problem that we have vowed to correct," he said. But. Kee said, her fear is the city will make sweeping ordi- nance changes that will cause problems in other areas. "It all goes back to code enforcement," she said. "If we start changing ordinances, there may be people in other areas who are in violation. We may need to change things in one area, and we need some basis for treating one area with single family zoning differently than another." Miller's appeal Miller said she learned of the development behind her home about a month ago. when an elec- trician drove into her driveway to put up it temporary electric pole. Shortly after, Miller said, trees and plants she had grown accus- tomed to string behind her house were torn down to lay the founda- tion for two ne%y houses to be built on a lot with it house already on it. That's when Miller began her battle to stop construction. She appealed to the city's zon- ing hoard of adjustments, which had a special meeting on Oct. 5 to determine whether her case should be heard. Her appeal included a variety of reasons to stop construction. She alleged Nagle's structures violated deed restrictions, park- ing requirements, building per- mits and side setback require - ntents. About 25 neighborhood resi- dents, as well as council members Maloney and Anne Hazen, attend- ed the meeting that would deter- mine whether Miller's case would be heard at a later date. "It's always difficult to chal- lenge or question it professional's decision," Steve Esmond, a for- mer College Station council mem- ber who represented Miller, said at the meeting. "This is not an attack on city staff. "I'm asking that you decide that a mistake was made and oveilurn it." The zoning board has sched- uled an emergency meeting for 6 p.m. Wednesday to review the parking requirements and the side setback requirements, the only two items on Miller's appeal deemed within the board's juris- diction. State law does not allow cities to enforce deed restrictions, which are private agreements among property owners. In order to solve deed restriction disagree- ments, property owners must take civil action. On Oct. 8, three days after the zoning board meeting, Miller and three others, on behalf of the Col- lege Park subdivision, filed for a temporary restraining order to stop construction on Nagle's lot at least until after a hearing set for Thursday, which is based on the violation of deed restrictions. Miller and three other neigh- bors are requesting a temporary and permanent injunction, and District Judge J.D. Langley will hear and determine the merits of their case. "By stopping development at this time, we have a chance to turn back the clock and bring back the 'family' in single family residential neighborhoods," Miller said. Nagle's response "Many houses there are deteri- orating, falling apart," Nagle said. "I've met with several neighbors who are pleased and excited about the development. I think it's quite an improvement in the neighborhood, and it's sen- sitive to the turn of the century when everyone had 50 -foot lots." Nagle said he does not under- stand the basis of the opposition to his development. "There are 33 property owners in the subdivision, which is only four blocks," Nagle estimated. "Of those 33, 66 percent of that is rental property, and of that rental property, 90 percent is occupied by students." He had several meetings with the planning and zoning depart- ment asking for its help with the development, hired an architect, and believes he has done every- thing according to city ordi- nances. The two, four - bedroom houses are scheduled to be completed by the end of this year. "I'm very interested in doing something that's sensitive to the neighborhood but also provide student housing," he said. "I do not feel that the plaintiffs represent the view of the majori- ty of the property owners in the subdivision," Nagle said. "These people don't seem to be happy with any of the ordinances." After learning he was being sued for violation of deed restric- tions, Nagle sent a letter to other people in the neighborhood. The letter describes the houses' exteriors as being modeled after the "turn of the century bunga- low -style housing that is appar- ent throughout this subdivision as well as the streets in the Col- lege Park area that surround it." Included with the letter was a copy of the lawsuit, site plans and floor plans for the two houses and encouragement to get involved. "I have a vested interest in my property and new construction that exceeds $150,000," Nagle's letter states. "Your interests regarding the property in this subdivision are also at stake. Any court rulings will directly affect you regarding the use of your property either by you or your tenants, now and in the future." Nagle said he and his attorney are questioning all of the deed restrictions, which date back to the 1940s and only apply to a small group of houses in the area. They do not apply to houses across the street from his proper- ty. "One even states that only white people can live in the neighborhood," he said. "All of the property owners violate deed restrictions." Most importantly, Nagle said. is his right as a property owner to develop on that land. "If these people wanted to con- trol what happened to the proper- ty, they certainly had ample opportunity to purchase it," he Said. Others involved The College Station City Coun- cil and the Planning and Zoning Commission are scheduled to have a joint workshop meeting on Oct. 28 to discuss neighborhoods and city ordinances. At a recent discussion of the council's strategic issues. Coun- cilman Ron Silvia said neighbor- hood problems need to be addressed immediately. "I think an ordinance review is something we need to put at the top of our list," Silvia said. "We can study things all day long, but the problems will still be there." At its last meeting, the Historic Preservation Committee dis- cussed the issue and decided to recommend some proposed guidelines for preserving College Station's older neighborhoods to the council at the Oct. 28 meeting. Kee said the council and com- mission will determine what changes, if any, need to be trade. "We need a lot of different sin- gle family housing types so every- one can afford to live there," Kee said. "But there's no question that all along our goal has been preserving the neighborhoods." • • Residents to receive w Officials say Bryan, By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer More than 41,000 Bryan and College Station residents will be receiving con- sumer confidence reports on the cities' tap water, and officials said Friday that both cities passed the test with flying colors. "The information gives citizens a look at the statistics and shows that we have an adequate supply of water and that water is of high quality," Bryan spokesman Joe Brown said. "There are probably some misconceptions that municipal water is not good, but this report shows that they're not true." College Station pas s In 1996, the Environmental Protec- tion Agency mandated that all public water suppliers distribute a report informing people of the substances found in their drinking water by Oct. 19, 1999. So, each city has put together a detailed brochure that explains their water content, quality and distribution systems. In addition to mailing the brochure to electric and water cus- tomers, officials said city offices soon will have extra copies. Officials have had to compile and report to the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission the content and quality of the water in the past, and Water From A9 taken. For example, Goldapp said, the detected sodium level was 211 parts per million when the sample was taken in 1999. On Sept. 16, that level was 190 parts per million. The cities add fluoride to the ater reports high- quality test the information always has been avail- able to residents. This is the first time, however, that it has been distributed. Both cities use aquifers in the north- west part of the county, and both have similar contents and amounts in their tap water. All levels are well below the maximum level allowed by the TNRCC, officials said. Karl Goldapp, College Station's envi- ronmental superintendent, said the report shows that the cities have good sources of groundwater. The levels vary slightly depending on the time of year that the sample is See WATER, Page A14 water for dental health, but offi. cials said its level still is well below the maximum level allowed. The consumer confidence report will be distributed annu- ally, and residents can expect their next report to arrive in the mail by July 1, 2000. "It boils down to good drink- ing water and stable drinking water," Goldapp said. "Consis- tency is the key." Es Adamson Lagoon pool renovations approved By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer The College Station City Council on Thurs- day night unanimously approved renovating the Adamson Lagoon swimming pool and declared it a public necessity to acquire prop - erty in three areas for separate extension and improvement projects. The council also: ■ Added $7 in security and technology fees to Municipal Court citations. ■ Funded one -third of the Bryan- College Station Economic Development Corporation's cost to hire a firm for information /technology business attraction and consultation. The council accepted the lowest bid of $747,600 from Progressive Chemicals, Inc. for the pool's major renovations. Those will include replacing all concrete decks, the gut- ter system and the entire pump and filter sys- tem, as well as plastering the pool and adding a second slide. Adamson Lagoon, located in Bee Creek MEETING HIGH � During Thursday's meeting, the College Sta- tion City Council: ■ Added $7 in security and technology fees to Municipal Court citations. ■ Funded one -third of the Economic Develop- ment Corporation's cost to hire a consultant. ■ Reappointed Bob Joiner to the Brazos Coun- ty Appraisal District board of directors and Col- lege Station Police Chief Edgar Feldman to the Brazos County Emergency Communications District board of managers. Park, is the largest pool operated by the city. Renovations will be funded from the park pro- jects fund, fiscal 2000 capital improvements and 1998 bonds. Property acquisition resolutions that the council approved determine it a public neces- sity to acquire the property, give notice of the resolution and establish procedures for prop- erty acquisition in the three areas. According to city staff, the city must acquire additional rights of way width to accommo- date the improvements to Cherry Street, locat- ed in the Northgate area. The city also must acquire additional rights of way width in order to proceed with two extension projects: The George Bush Drive East extension, which will link Harvey Road and Holleman Drive, and the North Forest Parkway extension, which extends the park- way to Earl Rudder Freeway South (Texas 6). As for partially funding the EDC item, EDC officials have requested that Bryan, College Station and Brazos County each contribute $20,000 to place Angelou Economic Advisors of Austin on retainer for one year. "If we take the lead on this, perhaps they'll follow, Councilwoman Winnie Garner said. As to the Municipal Court fee, the Texas Legislature has authorized cities to add a fee to citations where a fine is assessed. A $3 security fee will pay for at least a por- tion of the salary of the full-time bailiff, secu- rity equipment, supplies and other authorized uses and is estimated to generate between $60,000 and $70,000 per year, officials said. A $4 technology fee will pay for technology, which includes computer hardware and soft- ware and communication devices, to improve See COUNCIL, Page A8 Council the court's efficiency. Officials said it would generate an estimat- ed $80,000 to $90,000 per year. Both fees will take effect Nov. 1, and the technology fee will expire Sept. 1, 2005. In other action, the council: ■ Reappointed Bob Joiner to the Brazos County Appraisal Dis- trict board of directors and Col- lege Station Police Chief Edgar Feldman to the Brazos County Emergency Communications Dis- trict board of managers. as ec i t representative on he Brazos Valley Groundwater Con- servation District board of direc- tors. ■ Contracted with Camp, Dresser and McKee Inc. for engi- neering design and construction management of the Lick Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion. ■ Contracted with Advantage Contract Services for the rehabil- itation of he Dowling Road pump station and the demolition of the University Drive water storage tank. The project, which will cost $281,950, will be funded from the fiscal 1999 water fund budget and cash remains in he fund. ■ Entered into an agreement With Texas A &M University to interconnect the fiber -optic cable networks of the two entities so they will not have duplicate net- works. ■ Renewed an interlocal agree- ment with the College Station Independent School District for joint operation of Kids Klub, an afternoon child -care service. The city's responsibilities include providing staff to hire and manage the program's staff, administering programs, order- ing supplies and providing inter- agency comma F7 • mcations. • City discontinues mail, faxes and e-mail C By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer College Station officials say they have changed the city's poli- cy on distributing City Council and planning and zoning commis- sion agendas because they have received so many requests for copies. Agendas no longer will be mailed, faxed or e- mailed to resi- dents, City Secretary Connie Hooks said. City officials will post the agendas on the city's Web site, www.ci.college- station.tx.us. "This is mainly a time issue," Hooks said. The agendas still will be posted at City Hall and on Cable Channel 19. They will be published in the newspaper and be available for < (People seem to be more interested in what the council is doing every Thursday night. — CoNNIE HooKs CS city secretary review at the library and the city secretary's office. If residents want to obtain copies of the agendas, they will be charged 10 cents per page. The city mails about 125 agen- das, faxes nine and a -mails seven See AGENDAS, Page AS Agendas From Al for each meeting, Hooks said. Most people on that list have a standing request to receive all of the agendas, she said. Hooks said she attributes the growing number of requests for agendas to an increase in resi- dents' desire to stay informed about city government issues. "I think the increase is related to several issues that have been ongoing," she said. "People seem to be more interested in what the council is doing every Thursday night. "For the past two or three years, we've spent Fridays doing the seven packets for the City Council," she said. "If there are seven pieces of paper, it takes a half a day to stuff envelopes and get them ready. We've had more and more people want the agen- das, but we couldn't get the pack- ets out until late Friday, so the agendas wouldn't be mailed until Monday or Tuesday." The city sent everyone on its agendas list a letter last week informing them of the new policy, officials said. "This procedure has become unmanageable for the city staff, and we have thus taken a differ- ent approach by offering agendas through other sources," it stated. College Station officials said results from the 1999 Technolo- gies Survey show that 88 percent of the city's residents have access to the Internet. Hooks said she hopes the new policy helps everyone save time and get the agendas in a timely, efficient manner. Bryan City Secretary Mary Lynne Stratta said the city does not get many requests from indi- vidual residents, but they can be put on the city's mailing list for three months free of charge or on the city's e-mail distribution list. Bryan also posts the agenda on its Web site and at the Municipal Building, and it is published in the newspaper. Copies can be obtained in the city secretary'% office free of charge, she said. on posting agendas El n *,- CS plans to flush water lines today The city of College Station's water /wastewater division will begin flushing the water distribu- tion system at 10 p.m. Thursday to reduce or eliminate sediment in the lines, which officials said will help prevent discolored water. This is the second phase of the flushing process, officials said, and should be completed by 6 a.m. Friday. The city's water system has been divided into sections. The main sections that will be flushed Thursday are the areas between Harvey Mitchell Parkway South (F.M. 2818), Texas Avenue, George Bush Drive and Wellborn Road. Satellite areas that will be flushed are Krenek Tap Road, Park Place Shopping Center and the areas west of Wellborn Road. People who experience problems with their water service during the flushing process can call College Station Public Utilities Dispatch at 764 -3638. • Waste agency sets special By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer A special meeting of the Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency's board of directors has been scheduled Tuesday morning, officials said Wednesday, one day after they confirmed that agency director Bill Angelo will resign. Bryan Mayor Lonnie Stabler, who took over as board chairman of the agency in May, called the special meeting to discuss the duties and responsibilities of the direc- tor in executive session. "We need to lay this out and see if there is anything that the board needs to be aware of," he said. 0 • «We need to lay this out and see if there is anything that the board needs to be aware of. > > — LONNEE STABLER Bryan mayor College Station Acting City Manager Tom Brymer confirmed Tuesday that the city is in the process of receiving Angelo's resignation. Brymer said there was a consensus between the two cities that the agency session needs a new direction. He said Angelo, who has been the agency's only director for more than five years, wants to pursue other interests. Angelo did not return phone calls Tues- day or Wednesday. Bryan City Manager Mike Conduff, who serves on the board of directors, said Wednesday that Brymer called Tuesday to notify Bryan officials that he was in the process of accepting Angelo's resignation. "He told us in advance," Conduff said. "We had conversations for a week or two about the issue, and we found out yester- day." The agency is an interlocal agreement between Bryan and College Station. The Agency From A 11 Sion that it would be a decision of the board [to handle Angelo's res- ignation], but technically what's been done is legitimate because Bill is listed as a College Station employee," he said. "Technically what's been done is legitimate, and now we have to see where we l;o from here. - Brymer said he expects Ange- lo's resignation from the $73,500 Position to be final by the end of the week. The special meeting is scheduled at 8 a.m. Tuesday in the Bryan Municipal Building's basement training room. the Agency o selecting the site a new landfill. Officials said they have to act quickly because the Rock Prairie Road landfill will reach capacity by 2006. It will take between four and six years to construct a new land. fill. Officials said they are in the process of reviewing six potential sites. Officials from both cities said they will have to re- evaluate the agency's needs and direction, but they do not want Angelo's resig- nation to be the end of the agency. 'It's one of the great success stories of cooperation between the two cities," Conduff said. "Neither of us can afford to own and operate a landfill at near what the cost is now. There is no sense for communities our size to Start their own landfills." on director board of directors, comprised of both cities' managers and an appointed official from each city, oversees the agency. The two cities' mayors alternate serving as the angency's chairperson every two years. Under the agreement, College Station operates the landfill, and all agency employees are listed under College Sta- tion's payroll. Conduff said that, although Angelo is considered a College Station employee, the board of directors hired him, set his salary and evaluated his performance on an annu- al basis. "The [interlocal] agreement would envi- See AGENCY, Page A2 • • Solid waste agency director By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer to resign, officials say The executive director of the Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency has been asked to resign in the midst of the agency's search for a new landfill site, officials confirmed Tuesday. College Station Acting City Manager Tom Brymer said the city "is in the process of receiving Bill Angelo's resig- nation." Angelo has served as the agency's only director since its creation more than five years ago. "Basically, there was a consensus between the two cities that we feel at this time the agency needs a change in direc- tion," Brymer said. "At the same time, Bill recognizes that this will be optimal for the agency, and he has other interests he'd like to pursue." Bryan Mayor Lonnie Stabler, who took over as chairman of the agency in May, said Tuesday night that he was unaware of the upcoming resignation. "I have not heard from anyone with regard to this issue," he said. Angelo's resignation is expected to be final less than six weeks after City Man- ager Skip Noe resigned unexpectedly after four years on the job and after the College Station City Council withdrew its support from a proposed landfill site at Texas 6 and F.M. la Angelo could not be reached for com- ment Tuesday. The agency is an interlocal agreement between Bryan and College Station. An administrative board of directors, com- prised of both city managers and an appointed official from each city, over- sees the agency. The chairman position rotates between the two mayors every two years. Under the agreement, College Station operates the landfill, and all agency employees are listed under College Sta- Agency_ From Al with representatives from Bryan. It's the result of discussions we've been having over the last five or six months. We are at a juncture where we can reassess what we're doing and how we're doing it. "Obviously, every organization goes through a maturation process where key decisions need to be made, and this is one of them," he said. Brymer said he has met with Angelo over the past few days to discuss his resignation, and he plans to meet with Angelo on Wednesday, morning. He was quick to compliment Angelo on his accomplishments. "He's an accomplished profes- sional in his field, and we would- n't be where we are today without Bill." Brymer said. "Many orga- nizations will be interested in pursuing him to use his talents and abilities." Angelo's resignation should be final by the end of this week, Brymer said, and an interim director will be named when it is finalized. Angelo's salary is $73,500 per year. "We're working out the transi- tion process right now," he said. "The board and probably the two cities will enter into a serious dialogue about the structure of BVSMA in the future." Noe resigned Sept. 8 after the council spent seven and a half hours in executive session. City officials said at the time that the council was looking for a new management style and direc- tion. He has since accepted a posi- tion's payroll. Both city councils must approve of anc expenditures greater than S15.000, Brymer said. Brymer said that, under the current structure, it was appropriate for him to discuss with Angelo his resignation because it is a personnel matter. "Ultimately, it was my responsibility, he said. "But it was done in consultation See AGENCY. Page AS tion as deputy manager for the city of Corpus Christi. The council decided against the f south Brazos County landfill site i after an agreement to buy the property was terminated. The action effectively killed the plans for the south Brazos Coun- ty landfill because any final site must be approved by both city councils. The agency revealed the pro- posed site in ,June after five years unis. Board members suggested an agreement between the cities and Peach Creek Development Co. to acquire the property, but compa- ny officials did not sign the docu. ments by the agency's Aug. 31 deadline. Since then, city and agency offi- cials have resumed the search process, saying they need to act ITAPM " quickly because the Rock Prairie Road landfill will reach capacity by 2oo6. It will take between four and six years to construct a new land- fill. Officials said they are in the Process of reviewing seven poten- tial sites for a new landfill in Bra- zos County. Brymer said College Station will work with Bryan to analyze the agency's needs, missions and structure. ' BVSMA is almost a 10 -year cooperative effort between the two cities," he said. "It is an example of the positive things that can occur between the two cities, and we look forward to working together on this venture in the future." c 0 Council debates feasibility of Northgate -area garag „ e Battalio BY AMANDA . - Another 725 parking spaces could be added to the Northgate area, if the city of College Station continues its plans for building a $G.8 million Parking garage. The Northgate parking garage plans, which were previously approved by College Station vot- ers in a referendum vote, will tentatively occupy a 1.6 -acre site just north of Church Street and College Main. Tom Brymer, acting city manager of College Station, said building the parking garage is a like- lihood as the end of the design and development stage with DeShazo, Tang and Associates, Inc.,. an engineering and planning firm, nears. "The feasibility analysis indicates that it is go- ing to be a financially viable project basically funded by the users of the garage," he said. `A parking garage will have an impact on the North - gate area. However, Dick Birdwell, a former College Sta- tion City Council member and an engineer, said he is concerned that the parking garage will not pay for itself and taxpayers will be left to pay the remaining costs of the project. "The forecasted revenue from - the project has been grossly overestimated," Birdwell said. "I am convinced it's going to cost the taxpayers money. They have not taken a good hard look at the data." Brymer said DeShazo, Tang and Associates' estimates indicate that the parking garage will 1 pay for itself in 18 to 20 years, based on estimat- t ed fees for the parking garage. �Tbf0AT . 9 . opt -�„ A ©F>RtTIOMAL IF 2 J PARKtXq SPACES C OST E5 JI MILLI OCCUPY ACRES L XOlRTH all GFI R STREET SI D' CQ4:4 E KAtit "You fine tune that until you open," Bryrmer said. "We will be sensitive to the economy." DeShazo, Tang and Associates estimates that the Northgate garage will generate $2,072 per space during the next five years, compared to the $864 per space generated from the new Patricia Street Promenade Lot during the past year. In order to add the garage to the Northgate area, the city must remove 50 percent of the on- street parking, a removal of 175 spaces. Birdwell said he fears Northgate businesses will suffer as a result of limited free on- street parking forcing customers to go elsewhere. "What is going to happen is the businesses are going to lose business," he said. "People are go- ng to go to other places where they do not have o pay to park. " SEE GARAGE ON PAGE 2. GARAGE Continued from Page 1 Brymer said the parking garage is one of the projects the city of Col- lege Station has undertaken to im- prove the Northgate district, since the Northgate Revitalization Board (NRB) was organized in 1994. "The city has undertaken a lot of public infrastructure improve- ments including improvements on College Main, the Patricia Street promenade and the addi- tional parking there." Don Ganter, owner of the Dix- ie Chicken, the Dry Bean Saloon and Shadow Canyon, said he be- lieves the Northgate parking garage is necessary to provide more parking spaces to the North - gate area. "That's a sort of no- brainer," Ganter said. "There is a big sign [that] we need parking in Northgate." Ganter is scheduled to open a barbecue and steak restaurant in Northgate later this year and an- ticipates an increased need for parking in the Northgate area. He said the area needs more parking than what is currently provided by on-street' parking. J The Eagle 0 51 ity of College Station News ate: X+ I I Pool • renovation on * CS agend a Council also to consider land deal By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer The College Station City Coun- cil on Thursday will consider ren- ovating the Adamson Lagoon swimming pool and declaring it a Public necessity to acquire prop- erty in three areas for separate extension and improvement pro- jects. The council also will consider adding $7 in security and technol- ogy fees to Municipal Court cita- tions. City staff has recommended that the council accept the lowest bid of $747,600 from Progressive Chemicals, Inc. for the pool's major renovations. Those include replacing all concrete decks, the gutter system and the entire pump and filter system, as well as plas- tering the pool and adding a sec- ond slide. Adamson Lagoon, located in Bee Creek Park, is the largest pool operated by the city. Renovations will be funded from the park pro- jects fund, fiscal 2000 capital improvements and 1998 bonds. If passed, the property acquisi- tion resolutions would determine it a public necessity to acquire the property, give notice of the resolu- tion and establish procedures for property acquisition. According to city stag, the city must acquire additional rights -of way width to accommodate the improvements to Cherry Street, located in the Northgate area. The city also must acquire addi- tional rights-of-way width in order to proceed with the George Bush Drive East extension and North Forest Parkway extension projects, according to city staff. As to the Municipal Court fee, the Texas Legislature has autho- rized cities to adopt a fee to cita- tions where a fine is assessed. A $3 security fee will be set aside for at least a portion of the salary of the full -time bailiff, secu- rity equipment, supplies and See RENOVATE, Page A14 Renovate From A9 i other authorized uses. The security fee is estimated to generate between $60,000 and $70,000 per year. A $4 technology fee may be used to pay for technology, which includes computer hard- ware and software and commu- nication devices, to improve the court's efficiency. The fee would generate an esti- mated $80,000 to $90,000 per year, and will expire on Sept. 1, 2005. In other action, the council will consider: ■ Funding a third of the Bryan - College Station Economic Development Corporation's cost to hire Angelou Economic Advi- sors of Austin for information /technology busi- ness attraction and consulta- tion. The EDC has requested that Bryan, College Station and Brazos County each contribute $20,000 to place Angelou on retainer for one year. ■ Contracting with Camp, Dresser and McKee, Inc. for engineering design and con- struction management of the Lick Creek Wastewater Treat- ment Plant expansion. ■ Contracting with Advantage Contract Services for the reha- bilitation of the Dowling Road Pump station and the demolition of the University Drive water storage tank. The project, which would cost $281,950, would be funded from the fiscal 1999 water fund budget and cash remains in the fund. ■ Entering into an agreement with Texas A &M University to interconnect the fiber optic cable networks of the two enti- ties. 0 The Eagle City of College Station News Date: • Local officials unveil Rudder Freeway sign By GENEVA WHITMARSH Eagle Staff Writer Local dignitaries Thursday unveiled a highway sign proclaiming a 12 -mile stretch of Texas 6 through Bryan and College Station the Earl Rudder Free- way. The designation, in honor of the late war hero and former president of Texas A &M University, was approved by the Bryan and College Station city councils in 1998. The name change went into effect Aug. 1, but the sign, located just north of Rock Prairie Road in College Station, remained covered until the cere- mony. Rudder's widow, Margaret, was among the people attending the unveil- ing. "I take a lot of pride in this," she said. "It shows my husband is well remem- bered, even though he died more than 30 years ago." Representatives from Bryan and Col- lege Station presented Mrs. Rudder with a replica of the sign prior to the unveil- ing. "I just want to let you know how proud I am of your husband," Bryan Mayor Lonnie Stabler told Mrs. Rudder during the ceremony. "I grew up in this commu- See FREEWAY. Page A6 - -garet Rudder, the widow of Earl Rudder, addresses the crowd gathered for the unveiling of a highway sign proclaiming a 12 -mile stretch of Texas 6 through Bryan and College Station the Earl Rudder Freeway. Freeway From Ai nity when he was at the universi- ty, and he made a deep impres- sion on me and all the people he came into contact with." Seven of Rudder's relatives were in attendance, including James Earl Rudder Jr., who called the renaming a reminder of his father's service to A &M and the community. "Anytime something like this happens to honor Dad, it reminds others what a noble effort public service is," he said. "That was what Dad was all about." Rudder served as president of A &M for six years and as presi- dent of the A &M system for five years. He generally is credited with the vision of allowing women to enroll at the staid mili- tary school starting in 1963. He also served as the comman- der of the 2nd Ranger Battalion, which scaled loo -foot cliffs at Pointe du Hoc during the D -Day invasion of World War II, and has been honored in the U.S. Army Hall of Fame and as a distin- guished alumnus of A &M. The recommendation for the change was made several years ago to honor Rudder, but plans to rename the highway were stalled temporarily when officials learned that Texas 6 already was designated the Korean War Veter- ans Memorial Highway. Texas Department of Trans- portation officials said the stretch through Bryan and College Sta- tion could be named for Rudder, as long as the designation was a separate sign and not placed on an existing state sign. "I hope everyone has a feeling of pride and gratefulness to Gen- eral Rudder every time they drive through this part of town," Col- lege Station Councilwoman Win - nie Garner said. The stretch of highway will be known as North Earl Rudder Freeway in Bryan and Earl Rud- der Freeway South in College Sta- tion. The council resolutions that approved the Rudder designation also renamed F.M. 2818 after Har- vey Mitchell, known as the "Father of Education in Brazos County." That change also took effect Aug. 1. P i 9_ The Eagle City of College Station Nevus te: A political motive? he full-page ad in The Eagle is very disheartening when we know it cost the citizens of College Station money. We congratulate the 32 winners of the 1999 Environmental Excellence Awards, but why did only four of the City Council members need to be in each of the 21 photos (the only four up for re- election in May). This is political and costly of our tax money and a terrible use of city funds. Why was there no required dis- claimer? Also, I would like to invite the citizens to drive by 601 Welsh Ave. to see what the planning department is doing to our resi- dential area with many historical plaques on one homes. This act sbows no respect to a residential neighborhood: cutting down big trees, crepe myrtle trees and any- thing in the way — plus a portable toilet by the street. HELEN PUGH College Station The Battalion City of College Station News ___F Date: October 8, 1999 Northgate chosen as site of new hall BY BROOKE HODGES The Battalion A new private residence hall to be named "'Traditions at Northgate," is in its initial stages and is sched- uled to open in the fall 2001. Private residence halls can ac- commodate those students wanting the experience of residence hall life, at an off - campus location. Tom Kirkland, developer of Ra- ditions at Northgate and Class of '76, said the plans consist of twin Ave -story towers with a suspended walkway on the fifth floor connect- ing the two towers. The building will contain approximately 400 rooms. "Most rooms will [have] two bedrooms and a living room, with a refrigerator and a microwave," he said. "Each room will have its own bathroom, not suite style, where two apartments share a bathroom. " Tom Brymer, College Station city manager, said the residence hall to be built where the A&M Presbyter- ian Church now sits at the corner of Church Avenue and Boyett Street. Kirkland said A&M's main rea- son for deciding to building the res- idence hall is because of its proxim- ity to campus. "The location is fantastic — we are fortunate to have found the property," he said. "The Presbyter- ian Church, which has been there for 57 years, is merging with anoth- er church and building a new facili- ty. Brymer said agreements and ne- gotiations regarding the residence hall are still being made. Kirkland said he expects con- struction to begin this January, and he anticipates the hall to open in fall 2001. He said the residence hall will be privately funded. R C� eel c� V 0 e .y I� U r--� 00 4.0 A Highway Bypass dedicated in BY JEANErrE SIMPSON The Battalion 6 renamed memory o f Earl Rudder In 1941, Rudder was working in Brady, as a coach and teacher and when he was called away to serve his count ' W ld The Texas State Highway 6 bypass of College Station was dedicated yesterday in honor of Maj. Gen. James Earl Rudder, Class of '32, and former president of Texas A&M. Ron Silvia, City of College Station council mem- ber, spoke to a crowd of Rudder's family, friends and members of the Bryan- College Station com- munity as a portion of Highway 6 bypass was des- ignated the James Earl Rudder Memorial Highway. "I am so proud to be here today to honor our ometown hero with this dedication," he said. "I ow that each time I drive by this sign I will think 'of Rudder and all that he brought to the area." Rudder changed A&M from a small all-male mil- itary college into a major research university. Dur- ing Rudder's tenure as president of the University, from 1959 to 1970, his administration was respon- sible for doubling the school's enrollment, initiat- ing a $100 million building program and gaining University status by offering graduate degrees. Rudder also played a major role in changing A&M to a coed, non - regulation military school. ry m or War H. Rudder led the 2nd Ranger Battalion atop the 100 -foot cliffs at Point du Hoc, Normandy on D -Day. In 1944 Rudder and his 109th Infantry Regiment were credited with defeating of the last counter- offensive of the Germans at the Battle of the Bulge. Rudder received numerous awards ,including the Silver Star, the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantryman's Badge and the Distinguished Service Cross. Before serving as A&M president, Rudder was Texas Land Commissioner from 1955 to 1958. Margaret Rudder, Rudder's widow, was in at- tendance of the dedication of the highway. She was given a replica of the new sign posted on the highway that is on both the north and south ends of the bypass in College Station. "I would like to express a word of thanks to the city and City Council for naming this freeway af- ter my husband," she said. "It is a great honor. Dif- ferent magazines can rate their places to live, but for me the place to live is here. This is my family. " 4 ANTONY DISALVO /Tun: BATTALION Officials present Margaret Rudder with the new sign denoting the new narne for Highway 6. Earl Rudder Freeway. The Eagle City of College Station News Date: • 0 New Bryan golf course, resort named Construction expected to begin in spring, club told By BLAIR FANNIN Eagle Staff Writer The city of Bryan's new golf course and resort, which will be located west of the city, will be known as Tradition Golf Club at University Ranch, a city official said Wednesday. Tom Coyle, director of development services for the city, was the featured speaker at Wednesday's Bryan Rotary Club meeting. He said the 800 -acre project will include 225 acres of golf course space and 25 acres designated for the new hotel and resort area. The hotel operator, or "flagging" of the hotel, may be known in next 30 days, Coyle said. The remaining acreage will include residential housing, which calls for 1,500 square -foot homes up to large -lot custom homes, along the golf course, he said. "We anticipate construction to begin in spring 2000," Coyle said. "And we expect the completion date sometime during spring 2001. The signature hole on the golf course will be a par 3, 200 -yard hole that will be used in all of the marketing materials." The city of Bryan has pledged more than $13 mil- lion in funds and loans for the golf course and resort project that will be the home of Texas A &M Univer- sity's golf teams. Coyle said Phase I of the hotel project will include 120 rooms, then an additional 180 rooms will be con- structed in the second phase. Plans also call for the construction of 75 villas that can be purchased by individuals. He said the golf course will be semi- private, Witt See RESORT, Page Al: Resort From A7 friends of club members given the opportunity to play the course. Those staying at the hotel also will be able to play the course, Coyle said. The city of Bryan has teamed with ClubCorp USA of Dallas and A &M in planning the project. The project includes an athlet- ic endorsement and marketing affiliation between A &M and C1ubCorp USA, after the compa- ny deemed the 800 -acre tract of land in west Bryan the best site for the project in July. The city of Bryan initially put out a request for bids for the golf course and resort in early 1998. C1ubCorp is one of the largest builders and operators of private golf courses in the world. The company's only other Texas golf course and resort is Austin's Bar- ton Creek. The, Eagle City of College Station News Date: 0 (�l L"� Fomier CS chief moves up Corpus Christi hires Noe as deputy manager By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer Former City Manager Skip Noe has been hired as deputy city manager in Corpus Christi, three weeks after he resigned from his College Station job, officials said Thursday. He will be second in command and oversee the South Texas city's day -to -day operations, Corpus Christi City Manager David Garcia said. Noe's first day on the job will be Oct. 11, and his base salary reported - ly will be $113,000. Garcia said Noe's assistance will help him work more directly with the city council and community 8s -and devote more time to deal- ing with the major issues facing the community. I'm excited about Noe joining the NOE organization," he said in the statement. "He has effec- tively directed activities in College Station, and he'll be a great asset to our management team. "Noe is a talented, motivated manager who's done a lot of innovative things for College Station, and who will do the same for us here in Corpus Christi," Garcia said. Corpus Christi's population is 275 — about four times bigger than College Station. "It's a much larger community and a much larger organization," Noe said Thursday. "I'm excited about the opportunity it presents for me and my family pro- fessionally, as well as personally." Noe submitted his letter of resignation, which took effect immediately, on Sept. 8 after four years on the job. That same day, Assistant City Manager Tom Brymer was named acting city manager. On Sept. 22, Noe was given a severance package that included six months' salary plus vacation pay. He came to College Station in July 1995 after having served as director of management services in San Antonio, deputy city manager in Fort Collins, Colo., and city manager in Kingsville, Texas. Noe said he met Garcia about 20 years ago when the two worked in San Antonio. The Eagle City of College Station News loses 3 million g allons By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Sluff Writer College Station lost about 3 mil- lion gallons of water and some water pressure Wednesday morn- ing after part of a water main sep- arated from the valve and left a 24- inch opening, city officials said. Dale Schepers, plant operations superintendent of the city's water and wastewater ivision, said the leak, which was clue to corrosion, occurred about 1 a.m. at a line near Barron Road and Texas 6. The incident emptied the bowls on the city's two water towers, Schepers said, but the system did not go dry. 1 Residents may have experi- enced low -water pressure or murky water, he said. "The pressure in the entire city was low early this morning," Schepers said. "We usually have between 80 and 90 pounds of pres- Water See WATER, Page Al2 From A7 An automated control system in the water production facility alerted dispatchers that there was a problem in the water sys- tem, Schepers said. "This is not a routine thing, but we responded to the emergency and pulled out all the stops, if you will," he said. The city also followed the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission's guidelines to ensure that the correct amount of disinfec- tant was in the water to avoid con- tamination, Schepers said. C S water main break' We lost a lot of water in a very short time.> > — DALE SCHEPERS Plant operations superintendent sure, but we were down to 20 pounds in some areas. System crews completed the repairs with- in a couple of hours, and the vol- umes in the tanks were elevated by noontime." The city opened its interconnec- tions with the city of Bryan and Texas A &M University to build water volume and pressure quick- ly, Schepers said. "We lost a lot of water in a very short time," he said. "We opened the interconnects to keep a bad situation from getting worse." The Eagle � City of College Station News D ate: ," D1 A) tickets weld Nu��iia�cu. CS wins awardsgr( for communication The city of College Station won two awards from the City- County Communications Marketing Associ- ation, the leading organization in local government focused on devel- oping better two -way communica- tion with residents. The city won a first place "Savvy Award" for resident participation, Population 150,000, for an entry that highlighted three of the city's Youth programs: The Teen Advisory Board; Teen Court; and Youth in Government Day. The city also picked up a second place "Silver Circle of Excellence Award" for publication, population 40,000 to 120,000. The city sub- mitted its annual report, Celebrate 1998. The association and the Nation- al League of Cities sponsor the competition, which had 678 entries. 0 Eagle • City of College Station News Date:r;1 %, CS see.kc expert for work on future City Hall - 1 By COLLEEN KAVANAGHI -1 F,agle Staff Writer The city of College Station has sent out a request for proposals for a consultant to assist with con- ceptual planning on a site for a future City Hall. The request, which is due Oct. 20, will be used to assist a 5-mem- ber residents' advisory committee during the site selection and plan- ning phases of the project. The committee then will make a rec- ommendation to the City Council, city officials said Wednesday. In a 1998 bond election, College Station residents approved a pro- posal to use $1.56 million to pur- chase land for a new municipal complex, with links to existing city facilities and room for expan- sion and additions. Acting City Manager Tom Brymer said Wednesday the funds for the purchase of land are not in this year's budget, but are sched- uled to be in the fiscal 2000 -2001 budget. "I'm not sure we'll utilize the responses [from the proposal requests]. It depends on them," he said. "We don't even know if there's someone out there who's been through this type of thing that can help. This is more to see what's out there." Plans for a new city center are in the beginning stages, Brymer said, but it has been a long process up to this point. City staff members have been working on creating a new com- plex for city services since 1995. City officials have said there are no plans for a new City Hall right now, only for land acquisition that was approved in the 1998 bond election. A new facility would not be built for another five to seven years, they said. If chosen, a consulting firm will be expected to: ■ Determine criteria for suit- able sites in the area recommend- ed by city staff. • Develop site layout options. • Develop at least three concep- tual layouts on the recommended site. ■ Identify possible uses in each layout. "One of the intentions of the city center project is to relocate City Hall to an area of College Sta- tion that is more centrally locat- ed," the request states. "The study area for the new facility is that area bounded by Texas Avenue, Highway 6, Krenek Tap Road and W F.M. 2818." Included in the request is a copy of a 1995 study by HOK Consulting that recommends the creation of a city center with a city hall/munic- ipal office complex and space for a future civic center. It lists site planning data for three "generic footprints:" ■ A two-story, 42,000 square - foot building on 8.85 acres. ■ A one - story, 67,000 square -foot See HALL, Page AS Hall From Al building on 10.14 acres. ■ A one - story, 29,000 square - foot building on 4.14 acres. In June, the city moved its util- ities division. The new 16,500 square -foot. Utility Customer Ser- vice building is located on Krenek Tap Road. On Sept. 23, the council approved a $500,000 City Hall decompression project in the fis- cal 1999 -2000 budget. The money will fund renovations to the cur- rent City Hall so the facility can be used since the utility billing and other operations have moved to'the new Utility Customer Ser- vice building. Es- 0 The Eagle Cty of College Station News Date: CS council adopts $144 million budget • By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer Lr ' The College Station 6ty Coun- cil on Thursday adopted a $144.35 million budget without raising the tax rate for 1999 -2000, and amended a real estate contract for a Texadelphia Sandwich and Sports restaurant in Northgate. The budget, adopted after six workshop sessions, is about $550,000 higher than the proposed budget. Additions include pay adjustments for all city employ - ees, City Hall renovations, a full- time librarian position and a part - time position in the city secre- tary's office. Additions totaled almost $827,000, but city staff reduced the originally proposed requests by $274,000. "The department heads came up with cuts to increase salaries of employees by one percent, which was included in the belt tighten- ing," Councilman Dennis Mal- oney said. City employees will receive a four percent increase in the upcoming fiscal year. Budget manager Jeff Kersten said the city also made adjust- ments by funding certain projects differently. The additional funds include MEETING HIGHLIGHTS The College Station City Council: ■ Amended real estate contract for Texadelphia Sandwich and Sports restaurant in Northgate. ■ Approved the Brazos County Emergency District's $2.02 mil- lion budget for 1999 -2000. $5,800 toward outside agencies. The council decided that, in the future, all outside agency requests would have to go through the city's joint relief committee, which in turn would present them to the council. The tax rate will be .4293 per $100 of assessed valuation, which is the same as last year's. That means a tax bill on a $100,000 home would be $429.30. On the real estate issue, the council extended the deadline on a contract between the city and William J. Madden Jr. regarding property at 201 College Main and 321 Patricia streets. Maloney and Councilman Ron Silvia asked Madden why there has been no changes made to the building since November 1998, when the council first extended See BUDGET, Page A8 • 1\C11 U Budget From Al his deadline to Dec. 31, 1999. Madden said part of the delay was because he recently changed contractors and architects. He could not give an exact date as to when construction would start, but said they were ready to move forward. Maloney and Silvia said that, because this was their first encounter with the situation, they would vote to extend the con- tract — but it would be the first and last time. "I think you're feeling a strong sentiment that we mean busi- ness," Mayor Lynn Mcllhaney said after the unanimous vote. Madden's new deadline is July 31, 2000. If he does not meet that deadline, the city can repurchase the property for $230,000, the price he paid for it in 1997. The council denied a rezoning request on 6.8 acres at 300 South- west Parkway from low- density apartments to medium - density apartments for a three -story apartment complex. Council members said they decided to accept the Planning and Zoning Commission's recom- mendation to deny the request. Councilwoman Anne Hazen was absent for the deadline exten- sion and the rezoning votes. In other business, the council also: N Approved the Brazos County Emergency District's $2.02 mil- lion budget for 1999 -2000. ■ Supported the Bryan- College Station Chamber of Commerce special attractions committee's integrated attraction plan, but Postponed appointing two repre- sentatives to the attractions task force. ■ Contracted with R.M. Dudley Construction for the installation of concrete walks, site lighting and a pedestrian bridge on the south side of Harvey Road between Johnny Carino's and the Kona Ranch Steakhouse. The pro- ject will cost $72,684. The project follows the revised Wolf Pen Creek Master Plan that the council approved in July 1998. ■ Approved an agreement for the College Station Police Depart- ment's Safe and Sober Selective Traffic Enforcement grant. The federally funded, grant covers overtime costs for police officers to address driving- while - intoxi- cated offenses. ■ After an executive session, the council approved increasing the city attorney's annual salary to $90,00.0. The vote was 6-0, with Hazen absent. The Eagle City of College Station News Date: 'Z4 Z I ' • N rA R O S'o .� � cD n� •"-' .A . N O p � � R.y n dA w n mEm,d I �°� w w� . Som - ° wm o m < .• boa 3°p :3 0 K7z °23 w 'a �a �7 • �L �o -0 0 O ' 0 Fx � 0 C O F I n�. CL W. - +? tp fD N (D 0 om£m ID ° - O p O ' 0 C O W- V G O 70 �D ~ O O G O O N p. N c5 CD � � n � �' � pq .•j cD Y ^ E DOq n N O vi 000 N O •G �? �' Q7 �° � m F Q'm . O . N ^ M p R p' `G N a•' A� O . y IQ c ID o w w IJ c� The Eagle City of College Station News Date:: c� 2. CS council to consider budget, tax adoption By COLLEEN KAVANAGH I Z Eagle Staff Writer The College Station City Coun- cil will consider adopting a budget and tax rate for 1999 -2000, and amending a real estate contract for a Texadelphia Sandwich and Sports restaurant at Northgate at its Thursday meeting. On Sept. 9, the council post- poned any decisions on the $143.8 million budget and property tax rate. A final budget workshop is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Wednes- day, and the city charter requires that final action on the budget be taken on or before Sept. 27. No action on the tax rate can be taken until a budget is adopted. The proposed ad valorem tax rate is .4293 per $100 of assessed valua- tion, which is the same as last year's. That means a tax bill on a $100,000 home would be $429.30. The rate cannot be higher than .4293, but the council can adopt a lower tax rate. The council will consider extending the deadline on a con tract between the city and William J. Madden Jr. regarding property at 201 College Main and 321 Patricia Street. The city sold the property to Madden in January 1997, and the property was to be renovated for the restaurant. On Nov. 12, 1998, the city amended the real estate contract and extended toe dead- line for the renovation to Dec.'31, 1999. Madden has requested an exten- sion to July 31, 2000. Council can approve the exten- sion as staff has recommended, or See COUNCIL, Page A14 Council From A9 repurchase the property for $230,000. Thursday's meeting also includes a public hearing on rezoning 6.8 acres at 300 South- west Parkway from low- density apartments to medium - density apartments for a three -story apartment complex. The planning and zoning com- mission recommended denying the request. Staff recommended rezoning to planned district development instead of medium density. The council also will consider: ■ Approving the Brazos Coun- ty Emergency District's $2.02 mil- lion budget for 1999 -2000. ■ Increasing the city's annual allocation of matching funds to the Bryan- College Station Eco- nomic Development Corpora- tion's economic incentive devel- opment fund, from $50,000 to $100,000. ■ Supporting. the Bryan -Col- lege Station Chamber of Com- merce special attractions com- mittee's integrated attraction plan, and appointing two repre- sentatives to the attractions task force. ■ Contracting with R.M. Dud- ley Construction for the installa- tion of concrete walks, site light- ing and a pedestrian bridge on the south side of Harvey Road between Johnny Carino's and the Kona Ranch Steakhouse. The pro- ject would cost $72,684. The project follows the revised Wolf Pen Creek Master Plan that was approved by the city council in July 1998. A workshop session is sched- uled for 4 p.m. Thursday in the council chambers of city hall at 1101 Texas Ave. The regular meeting will follow at 7 p.m. The budget workshop, which also includes discussion of for- mer City Manager Skip Noe's res- ignation, is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the council chambers. The Eagle City of College Station News Date: 'D� , I ` ' `1 `� Councilman elected league president . ,l._ z College Station Councilman Ron Silvia has been elected president of the Texas Municipal League's Region 10, which is made up of 70 cities in 15 counties and has a population of 944,000. Silvia, who has served on the City Council since May 1998, was elected at the league's quarterly meeting Sept. 16 in Lockhart, Texas. He has served on the city's plan- ning and zoning commission and cap- ital improvements advisory commit- tee and has lived in College Station for 21 years. The league's purposes include pro- moting cooperative relationships among cities representing the inter- ests of member cities before state and federal legislative, administra- tive, and judicial bodies at the state and federal levels. CS presents environmental awards h� 7 � I� 4a r� 0 0 V y C� A By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer The city of College Station hon- ored businesses, organizations, teachers and individuals Tuesday for projects and programs that have benefited the community's environment. Seven environmental partner awards and 15 environmental excellence awards were announced at the city's Environ- mental Excellence Awards Ban- quet at Pebble Creek Country Club. Recycling Coordinator Katie Fritz said the environmental part- ner award winners were those who worked with the city on com- munity programs. The excellence awards recognized outstanding projects and programs done vol- untarily. "Citizens who are interested and concerned about our environ- ment have helped spread the word and raised the level of environ- mental awareness in the commu- nity," she said. "That multiplies the effect. It's pretty impressive for a city our size to have this many programs going on." Environmental partners hon- ored were: Brazos Beautiful Inc., 461t , s pretty impressive for a city our size to have this many pro- grams going on. > — KATIE FRITz College Station recycling coordinator the Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency, the city of Bryan's solid waste division, Junction 505, the Texas A &M Uni- versity physical plant, Texas Commercial Waste and the Texas Natural Conservation Commis- sion. The environmental excellence awards were divided into cate- gories. In the energy category, Dennis Husfeld of Husfeld Homes was named Good Cents Builder of the Year, and the Hilton College Sta- tion LP & Conference Center was recognized for commercial energy conservation. Brazos Greenways Council received an award in the civic /nonprofit organization cate- gory, Brazos County 4 -H Equestri- an Club was recognized in the r youth leadership category and Roy Hartman, a retired A &M pro- fessor, received the individual leadership award. The Freddie A. Wolters, Arthur Olden and Morgan Cook families were recognized in the water /recycling category. In the small business category, the Campus Photo Center received the good neighbor /litter prevention award, and Cafe Eccell received the recycling award. In the large business category, Target was recognized for its recy- cling programs. Karen Mattingly of Rock Prairie Elementary School, Naveen Cunha of Oakwood Intermediate School, Janice Attaway of College Station Junior High and Randy Seagraves, a former teacher at Southwood Valley Elementary School, were honored in the envi- ronmental education category. College Station was recognized by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission and the governor as a winner at the 1998 Texas Environmental Excel- lence Awards. The banquet hon- ored those who helped the city earn the award and to celebrate National Pollution Week, Sept. 20 to 25. Applications for next year's environmental awards will be available at city hall, the public works department and on the city's Web site. Winners will be chosen by a citizen committee appointed by the city council. 1 C� W a� .0 7 1® � �� ( ` ( C v � A PLACE OF TH1;IR OWN IN center built upon teen input By KELI.I LEVEY Eagle Staff Writer 9 12-) few dozen teens disregarded the EXIT sign above the door after school and entered their new College Station Teen Center. The grand opening for the center, named EXIT, was Monday. "On behalf of the teens of College Station, I want to thank you," said Carter Hall, president of the Teen Advisory Board created in 1997 to help formulate the format of the center. The center will be open weekday evenings and Saturday afternoon and nights. Dances are scheduled this weekend for junior high and high school students, and a band will per- form on Saturday night. During the day, the center will be used for senior citizen and community education programs. The idea for the center came from a 1996 survey of all students in the Col- lege Station junior and senior high schools. Many of the more than 2,000 responses indicated the teens' desire to "have a place of their own," said Steve Beachy, director of College Station's Parks and Recreation Department. Teens provided input so architect Fred Patterson could tailor the build- ing to their needs. It includes a big - screen TV, pool and foosball tables and athletic equipment, as well as comput- ers and study areas for tutoring ses- sions with Texas A &M University stu- dents. College Station Mayor Lynn Mcll- haney said she was impressed with the feedback from the teens. "They weren't there saying, `What are you going to do for usT They got involved," she said. "We were only facilitators in helping you achieve your goal." The building cost about $400,000, but that was cheap compared to the alter- natives, Beachy said. "In 1998, Brazos County opened a juvenile justice center and it cost $5 1/2 million," he said. Eagle photo /Dave McDermand A crowd gathers Monday afternoon for the grand opening of the new College Station Teen Center in Southwood Athletic Park. The Eagle City of College Station Nevus Date: 5et)-t . Ib, I L i q CS human resources director resigns post � By BLAIR FANNIN Eagle Staff Writer t 1LJ Karen Pavlinski, director of human resources for the city of Col- lege Station, said Friday she is resigning after an 18 -year career with the city. Pavlinski, whose resignation is effective Oct. 15, said she will become a human resources consul- tant with Waters Consulting Group of Dallas. Pavlinski said the Dallas firm con- tacted her a year ago with a job offer, but she declined. When the firm con- tacted her a second time after learn- ing of the resignation of former City Manager Skip Noe, Pavlinski said she felt it was time to move on. "I have been through four city managers, and I knew more changes were coming," she said. "They asked if I was ready to move, and I said, `Well, maybe it's time to do some- thing."' Noe resigned earlier this month after a four -year stint as city manag- er. He did not give specifics about the reason for his resignation, saying only that, "The Council had a direc- tion they wanted to go, and after much discussion, I decided my resig- nation would be the best thing." See DIRECTOR, Page A4 Director From Al Pavlinski said her agreement with the Dallas firm calls for her to continue living in College Sta- tion, although her new position will require some travel. "I've seen a lot of changes and a lot of growth," she said. "We've gone from a small town to a boom- ing community. There were only 250 employees when I first start- ed, and now there are over 600. We had some real changes and real growth here. "The employees here have always been great, employees that would always go the extra mile. I've loved working for the city," Pavlinski said. Acting College Station City Manager Tom Brymer said, "Karen has served the city of Col- lege Station with strong, heartfelt devotion and commitment. We wish her every success in her new career and future endeavors." Julie O'Connell, who has worked for the city as assistant human resources director for more than nine years, will serve as acting human resources direc- tor starting Oct. 16. Prior to joining the city, O'Con- nell held management positions at Southwestern Bell and Proxy Communications, both in Dallas. She holds a master's degree in public administration from Texas A &M University and a bachelor's degree in psychology from St. Mary's University in San Anto- nio. M The Eagle City of College Station News Date: - l` CS zoning panel ` -YI16 to consider waiver The College Station Planning and Zoning Commission on Thursday will consider a request to waive the 180 - day waiting period for a rezoning application. The request involves the rezoning of property northeast of Earl Rudder Freeway (Texas 6) and Raintree Roa, from single - family residential and agn cultural open to planned developmen district housing. A request to rezone the 14.23 acres for apartments and townhomes was denied by the commission and the City Council in August, and an applicant is required to wait 180 days before making another request. A new rezoning request would include only the 12 three -story townhomes. A public hearing also is scheduled on a request for a conditional -use per- mit for a service station and conve- nience store on the northwest corner of F.M. 158 and Texas 30. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in the council chambers of City Hall, 1101 Texas Ave. CS residents can join mayor for brunch College Station officials have announced that residents again will have the opportunity to discuss city matters with the mayor during a monthly Mayor's Brunch. The first brunch will be held Friday. Although participants are selected at random, College Station residents interested in attending can call Priscil- la Henchel in the Mayor's Office at 764 -3516 for more information. Staff reports t I t 4 t t� r 4 CS d umps 1 an f �l 1 p l ans Council blocks proposal for Peach Creek ro er By COLLEEN RAVANAG councils. p p Eagle Staff Writer (> 1 14 Now, if we property. — 1 " Both councils approved the con - The College Station City Council over, titstart rea all cep but required that the agree - on Monday withdrew its support concerns me," ment be brought back to them for from a proposed landfill site at Conner said. final approval. Texas 6 and F.M. 159 after an "The city coup The solid waste agency's board agreement to buy the property was cils will direct of directors recently declared the terminated. proposed agreement void after "This is a setback in what has us, and we will Peach Creek Development Compa- get their direc McILHANEY ny did not sign the documents by been a long Conner, a Bra oo Valley d Solid an e and guid the agency's Aug. 31 deadline. Waste Management Agency board The agency revealed the M cEhaney College Station Mayor Lynn said the failed member. posed site in June after five years ment was the main reason behind The council's action effectively of searching. Board members sug- the council's unanimous decision kills the plans for the south Brazos gested an agreement between the Monday. County landfill because any final cities and Peach Creek Develop - site must be approved by both city ment Company to acquire the See LANDFILL, Page A2 La ndfill Agency board members studied the south Brazos County site for more than a year, Conner said. From A 1 Both city managers and an appointed official from each city we made a decision in June make up the board members. The chairman position rotates between based on a concept, and that con- cept didn't work," she "Our the two mayors every two years. said. main goal is to get a landfill in Bryan Mayor Lonnie Stabler took site Bryan or College Station in place, over from McIlhaney as board chairman about four months and that takes five or six years. Part of the process is to look ago. McIlhaney said the College Sta- tion at a particular site, but that doesn't council never was set on the site. necessarily mean that's going to be the site." "We always said that we'd be McIlhaney said the decision was open if someone had another site, and a landowner has brought not based on opposition from area residents who, in July, formed the one forward," she said, declining to South Texas Citizens for Intelli- name where the site was. Bryan officials said a landowner gent Development. Everyone wants their garbage with 900 acres in neighboring Grimes County has picked up, but no one wants it put down," "There offered his land as a possible site. But there she said. will always be opposition to a landfill, It are certain problems with the land, including an existing is important for the councils to listen to their ceme- tery and a creek that runs directly concerns and make sure their concerns are through the property, officials said. addressed." Conner, who is Bryan's director Regardless of how the search of public works, said the search for process resumes, officials said they have to act quickly because a site was critical when it began more than four years ago because the Rock Prairie Road landfill will of the time it takes to reach capacity by 2006, and it will get permits and build a landfill. take between four and six years to construct a new landfill. The Eagle City of College Station News Date: Y- = I L', ! `A`j CS C' decision By COLLEEN KAVANAGH a Eagle Staff Writer / 1.10 on $143.8 million budget The College Station City Council post- poned any decisions on the proposed 1999- 2000 budget and property tax rate so that acting City Manager Tom Brymer could review some of the items the council dis- cussed, officials said Thursday. The council also renewed a contract with TXU Electric for five years of electric Power and an agreement for development and tax abatement in a re zone established for a local corporation. The next budget workshop is scheduled "This will give Tom an opportunity to sit down and look at some of the items council had been talking about," McIlhaney said, "and if council has any other items that haven't been brought forward, they can bring them to him before the workshop." In order to fund those budget items, city staff recommends this year's tax rate of .4293 per $100 of assessed valuation be car- ried over for fiscal 1999 -2000. That means a tax bill on a $100,000 home at the advertised rate would be $429.30. City staff originally proposed a .0013 -cent decrease in the rates, which would cost the city about $26,000 in lost revenues, officials Sept. 22, and the council will vote on the l 23 meeting. The Cityl Charter requires that t final action on the proposed budget take Place on or before Sept. 27. Brymer, who took over after City Manag- er Skip Noe resigned Wednesday, sent the council a memo regarding budget items that had been brought before the council during budget hearings and workshop ses- sions, Mayor Lynn McIlhaney said. Those items include additional funds for televised meetings, two outside agencies, a salary study and added staff for the city sec- retary's office. said. That money would go toward any added budget items if the rate remains the same, officials said. The contract with TXU Electric, which was approved unanimously, becomes effec- tive Jan. 1. TXU Electric was recommended because of the company's proposed cost stability and offer to absorb a portion of the trans- mission costs, a diverse fuel base and no conversion costs. The contract will cost the city about $5 million per year because of overall market MEETING HIGHLIGHTS The CS Council: XD Renewed contract with TXU Electric for 5 years Approved economic development plan Granted oil- and -gas operations permit Contracted to demolish Meridian Apartments The council's next workshop meeting is scheduled Sept. 22 See BUDGET, Page A8 volw Budget From Al increases in the cost of electric power, officials said. The city will absorb the remaining utility increase costs, paid by operating funds and revenues. Council members unanimously approved an economic develop- ment agreement among the city, the Bryan - College Station Eco- nomic Development Corporation and HTRI Corporation. Council- woman Winnie Garner abstained from the vote. The corporation, which researches heat transfer and fluid flow and sells engineering design software, is currently leas- ing space in Texas A &M Univer- sity's Research Park and will move to 4.5 acres in the city's business park. In return for the land title and an 8 -year partial tax abatement, which total $163,690, the corpora- tion will build a $2.2 million facil- ity by March 2001, hire three employees with a gross payroll of $205,000 and retain 32 employees with an average salary of $68,000. The 4.5 -acre site has an estimat- ed 1999 tax year value of $91,500. In other business, the council: ■ Granted an oil- and -gas opera- tions permit for the Brazos Coal Terry "B" Unit, located northeast of the Texas World Speedway, east of Texas 6 and south of Greens Prairie Road. There is an existing well on the drilling site that was permitted as a rural well in 1993. Union Pacific Resources of Fort Worth request- ed drilling a second well in the opposite direction of the existing well. There are no residents with- in 1,000 feet of the well, officials said. ■ Contracted Laughlin Envi- ronmental Inc. to demolish Meridian Apartments for $163,673. ■ Ratified a $17,917 payment to Davis & Shank, P.C. for profes- sional services regarding a civil suit against the city. On Sept. 23, the council also will consider approving an unspecified amount not to exceed $50,000 for services rendered through July 31. The city is responsible for a $25,000 insur- ance deductible, and insurance will cover the remaining pay- ment. The Eagle City of College Station News Date•, BY COLLEEN KAVANAGH 0 1 G� Eagle Staff Writer ` 1 College Station City Manager Skip Noe resigned Wednesday after four years on the job, but both he and the City Council remained tight - lipped over the reasons behind it. "The council had a direction they wanted to go and, after much discussion, I decided my res- ignation would be the best thing," Noe said, adding that he has no immediate job plans. Noe and Mayor Lynn McIlhaney declined further comment about the reasons behind his unexpected resignation, which is effective immediately. Noe's letter of resignation came the morning after a 5 1/2 hour executive session meeting in which the council continued Noe's annual eval- uation. They first discussed his evaluation in an Aug. 12 executive session that lasted more CS city manager Noe resigns post than three hours. "Pursuant to our conversations on Septem- ber 7 and 8, I hereby submit my resignation from the position of city man- ager effective at the end of the day today," Noe wrote. "It is my understanding that the council will honor the sever- ance provisions of my employment agreement as well as the other items dis- cussed. "College Station is a great NOE city with a great future," he .wrote. " I have been proud to serve this city and to be a part of this organiza- tion. I wish the council, staff and citizens of College Station all the best in years ahead." See MANAGER, Page A2 :qftlh� q9 M anager Fr om Al Assistant City Manager Tom Brymer will act as city manager during the transition period, Mayor McIlhaney announced after a special emergency council meeting. 7 . Noe will work until FYiday to help Brymer prepare for his new responsibilities, she said. McIlhaney praised Noe's pro- fessionalism during his tenure. "The City Council carefully considered his letter of resigna- tion and has agreed to accept it," McIlhaney said. "We want to take this opportunity to publicly acknowledge his leadership role during a difficult time in College Station's history. We wish him success in his future endeavors." McIlhaney said the decision to accept Noe's resignation was a difficult one,- but naming Brymer as acting city manager was an easy one. "When you're in the public business, things change very quickly," she said. "From a coun- cil standpoint, it is important that the transition is as smooth as possible." McEhaney said the council has not yet decided how to perma- nently fill the position. Noe came to College Station in July 1995 after having served as director of management services in San Antonio, deputy city man- ager in Fort Collins, Colo., and city manager in Kingsville, Texas. His base salary was $113,500. Brymer has been College Sta- tion's assistant city manager since January 1989, and this is his second time as acting city manager. From October 1994 to July 1995, he took over after former City Manager Ron Ragland resigned. Brymer did not say whether he would formally apply for the posi- tion, but that the city would take a "wait- and -see approach" before deciding how to fill it permanent- ly. Brymer said his focus will be to make sure that people know that the council and city staff will con- tinue to work to provide the best level of services to residents with the resources available. "That's why we're here," he said. "The strength of our organi- zation as a municipal entity is in our employees." ./ The Eagle City of College Station News Date: '1 CS counci to co nsider Council TXU electricity contract By COLLEEN KAVANAGH assessed valuation, a .0013 -cent Eagle Staff Writer n C 1 Q 0 decrease from the current rate. I That means a tax bill on a The College Station City Coun- $100,000 home at the advertised cil on Thursday will consider rate would be $429.30. The pro - adopting the proposed $143.8 mil- posed lower tax rate would put lion budget and contracting with that bill at $248. TXU Electric for five years of elec- The council still can adopt the tric power. proposed lower tax rate, but the The meeting will be the coun- rate cannot be higher than the cil's first at its new time, 7 p.m. current one. The workshop session has The .0013 decrease will cost the changed to 4 p.m., and Hear Visi- city about $26,000 in lost revenues, tors will be at 5:45 p.m. officials said. Thursday's meeting also The council will discuss city includes a public hearing about staff's recommendation to renew the advertised ad valorem tax rate TXU Electric's contract, which for 1999 -2000. would be effective Jan. 1, 2000. • The proposed budget almost is $24 million higher than the 1998 - 1999 budget, city officials said, with capital projects and improve- ments accounting for 61 percent of the increase. On Aug. 27, the council decided to advertise the ad valorem tax rate for fiscal 1999 -2000 as the cur- rent tax rate, which is .4293 per $100 of assessed valuation. The proposed budget includes a tax rate of .4280 per $100 of Staff received five responses to its request for proposals, all of which increased the cost of elec- tricity, officials said. The five were narrowed to TXU Electric and the Calpine Corporation. TXU Electric was recommended because of the company's pro- posed cost stability and offer to absorb a portion of the transmis- sion costs, a diverse fuel base and See COUNCIL, Page Al2 rr The council also will consider approving an unspecified amount not to exceed $50,000 for services rendered through July 31, 1999. The city is responsible for a $25,000 - insurance deductible, and insurance will cover the remain- ing payment. The meeting and the workshop will be in the council chambers at City Hall, 1101 Texas Avenue. From A9 no conversion costs. The contract would cost the city about $5 million per year, while Calpine's proposal would cost $6 million per year. Officials said the increases are due to over- all market increases in the cost of electric power. The city proposes to absorb the remaining utility increase costs, paid for from operating funds and revenues, officials said. In other business, the council will consider: ■ An economic development agreement among the city, the Bryan- College Station Economic Development Corporation and HTRI Corporation. The council will decide whether to approve an agreement for development and tax abate- ment in a reinvestment zone established for the corporation, which conducts research on heat transfer and fluid flow. They are leasing space in Texas A &M University's Research Park, and would like to move to 4.5 acres in the city's business park. In return for the land title and an 8 -year partial tax abatement, which total $163,690, the corpora- tion will build a $2.2 million facil- ity by March 2001, hire three employees with a gross payroll of $205,000 and retain 32 employees with an average salary of $68,000. The 4.5 -acre site has an estimat- ed 1999 tax year value of $91,500. ■ Contracting Laughlil. Envi- ronmental Inc. to demolish Meridian Apartments for $163,673. O Ratifying a $17,917 payment to Davis & Shank, P.C. for profes- sional services regarding a civil suit against the city. S E P U 1 1999 Sunday, Aug. 29, 1999 Houston Chronicle . * ** Neighborhood connections made at conference By CAROL CHRISTIAN Houston Chronicle Betty Jacobs' dream is to find a building for the Teen R.A.P. Organi- zation that she started in 1993. R.A.P. stands for Rappin' About Prevention — of things such as teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted dis- eases and quitting school. Until last year, Jacobs, a nurse for the Houston Independent School District, ran the organization out of the trunk of her car. Now the group has a tiny office at 4302 Reed Road, which is too small for the rap sessions that Jacobs and her small band of volunteers conduct in apartment buildings, churches and community centers. They need a building so they can expand their rap sessions and school - supplies pantry and to offer phonics classes for elementary school children, Jacobs said. That's why she joined more than 1,000 other local residents Saturday at the third - annual Neighborhood Connections Conference at the George R. Brown Convention Center. "I'm here today for several reasons — one is to find out where the money is so that we can expand our pro- gram," Jacobs said during the lunch break at the daylong conference, or- ganized by the city's Planning and Development Department. "I think if all of us just take an ac- tive role, whatever small role it is, we can make a big difference for all our children," Jacobs said. Giao Do, a member of the Houston chapter of the worldwide Vietnamese Professional Society, was also shop- ping for suggestions Saturday on how his group can get a youth center built. "We've been brainstorming this project for some time," Do said of the center that might offer tutoring, com- puter classes, cultural programs and athletic activities. The conference helped address the society's questions about drumming up funding, said Do, a mechanical en- gineer. In one of the day's 19 workshops, the planning department's Jennifer Ostlind talked about ways that neigh- borhood organizations can improve their ability to get grants. Basic to presenting a good case is a clear mission statement that is short and easy to remember, Ostlind said. "You shouldn't have to look it UP. " Once the group has a clear mis- sion, leaders should establish goals . in order of importance and a time line for meeting them. "Grantors will look at what planning you're doing," Ostlind said. "Are you organized or floundering around ?" It's also important for a group to build its roster of volumteers because that shows community support, Os- dind said. To get volunteers, organizations should not simply ask for them be- cause that's too vague, Pete Bolds of the Greater Heights Community Alli- ance said in a workshop on building community support. A more effective strategy is asking people to help with a well - defined task, said Bolds, whose organization had more than 100 people show up for its National Night Out earlier this month. "Take goals and break them down into tasks that can be accomplished," Bolds said. "People are much more likely to get involved if they know what they're doing." Neighborhood problems through- out the city have some similar ele- ments, Mayor Lee Brown told confer- ence participants. That similarity is part of the reason behind the mayor's "neighborhood- oriented govern- ment," which includes the delinea- tion of 88 geographic "super neigh- borhoods" and super - neighborhood councils. As super- neighborhood councils form, each will be assigned a city em- ployee liaison, the mayor said. "I'm convinced this is going to be a better way of delivering our ser- vices," Brown said. "We're not creat- ing new bureaucracies; we're taking existing leadership — that being you who are here today — to work with us to make your neighborhood a bet- ter place in which to live." 0 Hnena ine meeting 0 n Sept. 9, the College Station City Council will vote on the 1999 -2000 budget. If you pay taxes in College Station, you should be interested in attending the meet- ing. If you like the council spending $3 million plus on the Northgate parking garage, one that will have reserved parking for a student dorm next door, then don't come. If you like the council spending $3 million plus on the Wolf Pen Creek convention center next door to the Wolf Pen Creek "swamp," when it would have direct competi- tion with Bryan's convention cen- ter and Don Adam's development, then don't bother. If you believe in spending who knows how many millions on a new city hall when we have a per- fectly good one now, then stay at home. If you agree that we should keep spending tons of money at Northgate, then keep quiet. If you think that we don't have a serious overload of lawsuits and oversupply of lawyers on the pay- roll, but can't have an ethics ordi- nance, then smile while they pat your head. If it makes sense to you to sup- port more than $2 million for a landfill built in the flood plain, _ over a water supply for Navasota, over three earthquake fault lines, then vote with your silence. If spending money having me retreats and meetings in Conroe where decisions that directly affect residents are held out of easy access to those same residents is OK, but spending a penny for tele- vising council meetings is wrong, then forever hold your peace. Since this is a public hearing and You are a member of the public, if you don't like where your tax dol- lars are going, then come to the 6 P.M. meeting and ask your council to act more fiscally responsible with your taxes. j I L BENITO FLORES -MEATH College Station f LJ 1 US considers re s i d • 9 ✓- By LAURA HIPP en is y Eagle Staff Writer r- s Students who park t eir c along streets, block mailboxes an Play loud music are an increasin Problem in older neighborhood a College Station city councilma was told Monday night during neighborhood meeting at the Lin Coln Center. Resident Monte Trenckmann told Councilman Dennis Maloney he finds it difficult to park near his house during the day. "We have to find ways we can coexist," Maloney said. Maloney was the guest speaker at a meeting of the neighborhood group We The People. City officials should make a move to stop landlords from allowing numerous students to live in one house, Maloney said. Many landlords will buy a house, renovate it to accommodate numerous students and pave the lawn for parking, he said. The city must find a way to encourage residents to buy homes m s and bring more families into older d neighborhoods, he said g This could make residents more s, concerned for their neighbors, n which would eventually cut down a on crime. "It's got to be as safe to walk around here as it is in Pebble Creek," he said. The group also discussed con- cerns about the proposed landfill at Texas 6 and F.M. 159. We The People members said the city should consider other sites for the landfill. Maloney said officials are still looking at the issue. "It's not a done deal," he said. "In the end, I'm sure this issue will be studied like crazy." Member Ed Valenta said the city should find other sites out- side of Brazos County for the site He said the site could contami- complaint nate well water and Peach Creek, Which is next to the proposed site. L Thanks to officers H elen Wright's letter of Aug. 9 complains of officers patrolling a specific intersec- tion, implying their presence is personal harassment. Police offi- cers patrolling a particular area are often in response to citizens' requests. If Wright ever needs an officer's assistance, perhaps she should call the receptionist who is able to keep watch on patrol cars. N Wright asks whether crime is 1� nonexistent in the area. She likely knows crime does exist in our com- munity. Our law enforcement officers are on patrol all day, every day, answering calls for assistance from any citizen, including Wright. Many crimes are solved by profes- sional and efficient officers. Every day, they work to remove murder- ers, rapists, child pornographers, robbers, counterfeiters, etc., from our community. Her brief observation at one intersection caused her to write an unkind letter. Perhaps she should spend a few hours riding with an officer on patrol, or even attend the Citizens Police Academy programs offered by both Bryan and College Station police departments. All local law enforcement officers are sons, daughters, moms, dads, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles of many families in our communi- ty. They are loved and their fami- lies worry about what they will encounter every day in doing the job that protects everyone. MI I hope the writer of that letter never needs police assistance but, if she does, officers will respond with courtesy, competency and pro- fessionalism that overlooks her dis- respect. If she needs them, all she has to do is call and they will help. She is safer because of the job they do, and those officers deserve an apolo- gy. Responsible citizens of our com- munity support and encourage our law enforcement officers and for that I am thankful. RUTH FLEEGER College Station Council OKs tax -rate plan By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer The College Station City Council on Thurs- day unanimously decided to advertise the ad valorem tax rate for fiscal 1999 -2000 as the cur- rent tax rate, which is .4293 per $100 of assessed valuation. The proposed budget includes a tax rate of .4280 per $100 of assessed valuation, a .0013 - cent decrease from the current rate. That means that a tax bill on a $100,000 home at the advertised rate would be $429.30. The proposed lower tax rate would put that bill at $428. The council still can adopt the proposed lower tax rate, but Thursday's vote means that the rate cannot be any higher than the current one, officials said. The .0013 decrease will cost the city about $26,000 in lost revenues, officials said. Residents had a chance to voice their opin- ions about the proposed $143.8 million budget for 1999 -2000, which is almost $24 million high- er than the 1998 -99 budget. Officials from two area agencies, the Dis- pute Resolution Center and the Brazos County Senior Citizens Association, asked the council to help with funding. Each agency requested $5,000. College Station resident Benito Flores - Meath questioned funding for the city's Wolf Pen Creek Hotel and Conference Center. Flores -Meath asked if any studies had been done on the center's compatibility with Bryan's plans for a golf course, hotel and resort in west Bryan and local businessman Don Adam's plans for a golf course, hotel and new corporate headquarters for his compa- nies in east Bryan. Mayor Lynn McIlhaney said the city's pro- ject is different than the two Bryan projects. • Tax -rate consideration • Proposed $143.8 million budget • Agencies ask for funding assistance • Council denies rezoning request • Mayor discusses Wolf Pen Creek Hotel and Conference Center "This is a very different market than the destination conference center they're looking for with a golf course," she said. `We will not be in the same competition as the golf courses. The Adam one was just announced, and it's seen as more in competition with the Bryan . one, based on the studies we've seen." Council members will consider adopting the " budget at its Sept. 9 meeting, and a public hearing on the tax rate also will be held Sept. 9. See COUNCIL, Page A8 " C ncil • unanimously denied A rezoning request of .54 acres on Dominik Drive between George Bush Drive East and Puryear Drive from neighborhood commercial to apartments of medium density. "I think this is inappropriate for this piece of property," said Councilwoman Anne Hazen, cit- ing concerns for area residents and site accessibility. During the workshop session, the city's public utilities director, John Woody, presented a staff recommendation to renew the ity's contract with Texas Utili- ties Electric for electric power. The current contract expires Dec. 31, and a new power supply contract would be effective Jan. 1, 2000. City staff received five respons- es to its request for proposals, all of which increased the cost of electricity, Woody said. The five were narrowed to TXU Electric and the Calpine Corporation. A five -year contract with TXU Electric was recommended because of the company's pro- posed cost stability and offer to absorb a portion of the transmis- sion costs, a diverse fuel base and no conversion costs. The contract would cost the city about $5 million per year, while Calpine's proposal would cost $6 million per year. Woody said the increases are due to overall mar- ket increases in the cost of elec- tric power. The city proposes to absorb the remaining utility increase costs, paid for from operating funds and revenues, fiscal services director Charles Cryan said. "We had planned for [the increase]," he said. "We knew we got a good deal with the contract [with TXU in 1996], so we set aside revenues to make up the differ- ence." The council will vote on the contract at its Sept. 9 meeting. The council also honored the College Station Little League Girl's fast pitch softball all-star team and the Brazos Valley Force Little League and College Station Little League teams for their suc- cessful seasons. c: g Analyze the costs eriodically The Eagle runs articles regarding various public projects suggested by local committees or councils for study or consideration. The objec- tive is usually to increase services and/or tax revenue. A recent example on Aug. 11 included a list of ideas for area projects to increase tourism in the area. My concern is that all projects get a complete economic analysis to help guide decision making. I have previously suggested to College Station City Council mem- bers, as well as city department heads, the need for increased eco- nomic analysis for projects that will use public funds. All projects should include a detailed business plan that justifies the need for the project, including the calculation of a return on investment. The business plan also must include the impact cost on infrastructure facilities. In the past, College Station has not included the return on invest- ment analysis for projects, and thus has not always provided the details needed to make an informed decision. No well-man- aged commercial business would proceed on a project without such an economic analysis, and neither should a municipality where investment mistakes are correct- ed by increasing property taxes. As an example, the parking garage project at Northgate may not have made it to a public vote if the needed economic analysis had been made and publicized. ' Afterward, an official advised me that the project had a 19 -year pay - {` back. If true, the return on invest - ment would have been very low or negative, and would explain why It • r: CS council plans hearing on budget The College Station City Council on Thursday will discuss the 1999- 2000 proposed budget and tax rate. Residents will have a chance to speak about the budget at a public hearing during the council meeting. The council is several weeks away from approving the proposed $143.8 million budget, which is almost $24 million higher than the 1998 -99 budget. The proposed budget includes a tax rate of .4280 per $100 of assessed valuation, a .0013-cent decrease from the current rate of .4293. That means a tax bill on a $100,000 home would be $429.30. During the workshop session, council members will discuss a new power supply contract that starts in January 2000. City officials said they predict a new power supply con- tract starting in January 2000 will increase power costs. The workshop session will begin at 3 p.m. in the council chambers of City Hall, 1101 Texas Ave. The regu- lar meeting will ) begin at 6 p.m. in the council chambers. Staff reports • Hot display I Eagle photo /Dave McDermand Casey Unger (left) and Reade Sitton of Bryan check out a Recreation. Dozens of pre -1973 restored and original mus- 1923 Ford hot rod at Central Park on Sunday at the 8th cle cars and hot rods from Texas and beyond were on dis- Ever Rod Run sponsored by College Station Parks and play Saturday and Sunday. L u • • Traffic light added at CS intersection A four -way traffic light now is operational at the intersection of Wellborn, Rock Prairie and Gandy roads, Texas Department of Trans- portation officials announced Thursday. The light replaces a stop sign previously located at the intersec- tion of Rock Prairie and Wellborn roads. The opening of the new Gandy Road has warranted the placement of a signal to ensure driver safety and mobility, officials said. o f ZO w ■ !■ ■ • CS council focuses on The fiscal year runs Sept. 30, 2000. Total operating expenditures are esti- mated to be $100.9 mil- lion, a 3 percent increase over 1998. Capital project exi ditures are estimated at $42.8 million, which include general, utility and drainage projects. Salaries and benefits are the largest ^ ^* * ��,N KAVANAGHC J Nriter 2 1 F? lege Station City Council dis- tes ranging from what it costs community safe to a potential to hike during a budget work - on Wednesday. ncil is several weeks away from the proposed $143.8 million uch is almost $24 million high e 1998 -99 budget. The proposed budget includes a tax rate of .4280 per $100 of assessed valua- tion, a .0013 -cent decrease from the cur- rent rate of .4293. That means a tax bill on a $100,000 home would be $429.30. A public hearing on the budget is scheduled Aug. 26, and the council will consider adopting the budget at its Sept. 9 meeting. A public hearing on the tax rate also will he held Sept. 9. city Y funds is $55.59 million, a 6 percent increase from fiscal 1999. Proposed electric fund operating expenditures are $31.2 million. an increase of 20 percent from last year's final estimate. City officials said the primary cause of the increase is an increase in the costs of purchasing power. In January. the city will enter into a the proposed bud- get, accounting for 58.7 percent of operat- ing and maintenance expenditures. There are 27 new positions proposed in the base budget and 28 in the service level adjustments budget. A total of 731.5 full- time equivalent positions are proposed. The largest city department, public utilities, has requested $35 million for its electric, water and wastewater fund expenditures. Projected revenues from the three See BUDGET, Page AS tn fo�r perce the n $24 a million 12 64 percent in wastewater e xpected to be retained from a 2,00o more calls expected to he increase in the proposed budget. g . operating expenditures. Non - operating costs in the elec- tric fund are estimated to decrease, while increasing in the water and wastewater funds. The three funds propose almost $1.1 million for service level adjustments, which are addition- al expenses used to add or keep up the existing service level, offi- cials said. Service level adjustments in the public utilities budget include: ■ $60,000 for infrastructure management software replace- ment. ■ $105,500 for a liquid sludge truck. ■ $60,00o for centrifuge recon- ditioning. ■ $135,000 for an asset manage- ment and strategic plan study. ■ $30,8600 for substation main- tenance. The police department has requested $7.38 million, up from $6.78 million in the 19% -99 bud- get. Almost $7 million of the pro- • 0 p ropose d ti oui Oct. 1, 1999, to category of expenses i n received by the department this a posed budget is the base budget, g grant. cts ye l Other p posed increases B p vice level adjustments. , add T ,652 for shift differen- _ T Twenty -one percent of the gen• f "We need more motorcycle offs- s and $35,450 for public From Al o department. c cers to work, and the reason s has lic td The s direct t get are two mo terc - b gar Feldman Feldman told the •counc 1. $ $1 last yearn, u t o cle�o�er g The permit yl i n d ed dtn b ayoa wgrant m makes upropos $1.87 ill on, while ser- sion at its ne meeting. c ca c Partially a vice level adjustmetts account There are no proposed changes g guards. $75,000 in alarm permitting fees, f for itl cty Operating expenditures in the o ffi o officials s decrease 6 percent, while increas- $ $148 084, of wh ch e neededc T g . operating expenditures. Non - operating costs in the elec- tric fund are estimated to decrease, while increasing in the water and wastewater funds. The three funds propose almost $1.1 million for service level adjustments, which are addition- al expenses used to add or keep up the existing service level, offi- cials said. Service level adjustments in the public utilities budget include: ■ $60,000 for infrastructure management software replace- ment. ■ $105,500 for a liquid sludge truck. ■ $60,00o for centrifuge recon- ditioning. ■ $135,000 for an asset manage- ment and strategic plan study. ■ $30,8600 for substation main- tenance. The police department has requested $7.38 million, up from $6.78 million in the 19% -99 bud- get. Almost $7 million of the pro- • 0 p ropose d ti oui Oct. 1, 1999, to category of expenses i Page A10 The Bryan - College station Eagle Wednesday, August 18. The Eagle Golf course plan needs a new look B ryan may be about to get its second and third private luxury golf courses, to go along with a members-only course in College Station and public golf courses in lit yan and at 'Texas A&M University. The city of Bryan is planning on helping develop a tournament - quality golf course - hotel- conference center - upscale housing project in west Bryan, while Don Adam, chairman and CEO of the Adam Corporation /Group, says he will go forward with his plans for a luxury course - housing development on the city's east side. Perhaps before going forward with its plans, it would bene. fit the city of Bryan to restudy the idea of a westside golf course- hotelconference center- housing development project in light of other similar projects already tinder way or announced. The two new golf courses presumably would compete with the venerable Briarcrest County Club in Bryan and Pebble Creek Country Club in College Station. Those country clubs 0 and the two proposed clubs are designed for members only. The A &M golf course and Bryan Municipal Golf Course would remain the only ones in the county open to the general public. Bryan officials announced several weeks ago that they will partner with ClubCorp USA of Dallas to build the west Bryan course. The city will pay some $6.45 million for the 800 acres of land on which the course will be built between F.M. 60, Villa Maria Road and cast of Texas 47. The city also will pro- vide a $1 million 10 -year loan at no interest to ClubCorp. The looney will come from a variety of non -tax sources and from a special taxing district set up in the area around the pro- posed course. The city plans to build a hotel-conference center that would make the new course a "destination" course for People to come to the Bryan - College Station area to play golf, attend A &M sporting events and conferences. In fact, the Bryan- ClubCorp USA project has the official blessing of A&M, which will use the new course as home for its men's and women's golf teams. A &M also will market the course to alumni. The west Bryan site was selected : deer lengthy discussions with Adam, who long has dreamed of a luxury course on the east side of town. Those discussions fell through and Adam announced he still plans to build his course in the area along F.M. 158 and F.M. 1179. Bryan's plans for a golf course- hotel- conference center had their beginnings in discussions with the city of College Station and Brazos County for a similar joint project, most likely along the James Earl Rudder Freeway (East Bypass) and University Drive. Those plans died when College Station decided unexpectedly to go with its own hotel - conference am ter still planned for the Wolf Pen Creek area. While the idea of the new golf courses and hotel - convention facilities is exciting. it also raises several questions. The hilt one, of course, is whether Bryan and College Station can sup. Port two new luxury courses. Golf courses are expensive to build and maintain and, while golf is one of the hottest activi- ties around, there are concerns about the ability of the market to sustain four private courses. And, if College Station's hotel- conference center opens as planned, can the city of Bryan support a second one, even with an adjacent Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course? We don't know the answers to these questions, and we doubt that anyone else here does, either. The city of Bryan hired PKF Consulting of Houston in 1997 to conduct a feasibility study for what then was a combined cities-count project. Before Bryan spends any more money, it might be wise to invite PKF to come back and revisit the study in light of the Adam project and the College Station hotel - convention center Project. Perhaps the area can support all the golf courses and con. ventioion facilities. If so, that would be great. But if not, would- n't it be better to know before more public money is spent? CS nears deal on site for 2nd high school o.. — rr rvVry ation school district could from closing on a deal to ,cond high school. rid earnest money last fall -es south of Rock Prairie f Texas 6. tthwest of the intersection me and Barron Road. ials executed an earnest for $3.500 on Sept. 21, ,cith D pay 5,,000 an acre — a D0. The deal hinges on Seaback's ability to find a comparable piece of property to buy when he sells the land to the district. "We agreed on this a long time ago, and I'm going to stick by it," Seaback said. "I've just got to find something to replace it." Seaback said he prefers to buy in Col- lege Station. He said he found land that he likes, and is negotiating the details regard- ing right of way. ­Fm the one losing money by not selling it." said Seaback, who owns several night- clubs in College Station. "I'll be happy as swn a> 1 get that thing signed over, but I don't have anything else right now. I want to reinvest into the town, but I also want to keep my investments in property." Access to the site was a key factor for the district. The city plans to extend Vic- toria Avenue to intersect with the pro- posed Texas 40, which will link Wellborn Road and Texas 6. "It's perfect for them, with the highway going through there," Seaback said. David Neal, the school district's deputy superintendent for business and opera- tions, concurred with Seaback that the deal would benefit everyone involved. "If this all goes through, we'll be in real good shape regarding planning," Neal said. "And it's a pretty easy piece of prop- erty, as far as what would need to be done to get it ready for a school. "Also, it will help all he citizens in the area," he said. "I feel sure it will help improve the value of the rest of the prop- erty out there, so the neighbors ought to be pleased about it." Enrollment and financial projections indicate it will be seven to eight years before a second school is needed, Neal said. "The year 2008 would probably be an ideal time from the budget standpoint, but I guess demographics will drive that," he said. "It depends on how crowded things get at the high school. See SITE, Page A2 Site From AmFro 1 "We set it up fn our debt schedule so when he time came we would have dropped off our rather debt and could handle this constru rroject," Neal said. ' ction The i N ntent was that, hen this happens, there wouldn't be too loticeable a difference in our budget" n date 2,500 students otlicials said. Enr in nent this year is projected at 2,050. A planning committee for a 1995 bond issue 'ecommended renovating the existing high ,chool and buying land soon for a second earn- .)Us. The 1995 bond issue contained funds to buy personnel, Scales sai the property, said College Station school d. Superintendent J Jim Scales said. Money to l build the school would have to come from a real planning for four or five a years any bond issue, in which t the voters would autho- y Texas AI as 6 P o ra cy Vi a I oa a o PSG Proposed school site Mm_ Texas 40 (proposed) J J • J J • SPORTS: Aggies rank No. 7 in AP Top 25 poll, B1. REGION: Squadron flies WWII vintage planes, A9. Sunday August 15, 1999 1rhe F_...aiile Vol. 125, No. 227,6 sections 61.25 City pledges $13 million for resort Private developers question city's actions By BLAIIt FANT ther. Instead, Bryan officials and COLLEEN Eel VANAGH opted for the city to act as its own Eagle Staff Writers developer in an 800 -acre area that was about to be anneNed by the Bryan officials say if the private city. sector can develop an area, they In July, The Bryan - College Sta- will give it the chance to do so. tion Eagle filed open records "When you watch us operate, requests inquiring about the pro - our belief is that if the private sec- jest. The records revealed details for can do it, let theta do it," City of the city's discussions with local Manager Mike Conduff said. developers, city consultants and a But that did not happen when the Dallas -based company hired to city decided to build a premiere choose a site for a new golf course country club resort, hotel and con- to serve Texas A &M University. ference center in west Bryan. Records show that local develop - "In this case, there was not a er Ramiro Galindo proposed a developer that had the ability to $46.5 utillion golf and resort Cen- put the land together and bring ter, plus a residential develop - the development components ment, on the west side of the city. together," Conduff said. Don Adam, chairman and CEO of More than a year ago, the city the Adam Corporation /Group, decided to seek out developers had discussions with the city interested in building a top - quali- about a proposed development on ty resort on the west side featuring the east side. a hotel, conference center and Adam said Thursday that he championship golf course. Two will go forward with his plan fora local businessmen roslxmded. The city decided to go with nei- See PRIVATE. Page A4 High 101, Low 75 Mostly sunny and humid Forecast /A7 liryan officials say cost easily justified By COLLEEN ILAV,\NAGH and BLAIR FANKIN Eagle Staff Writers The city of Bryan has pledged more than $13 million in ftmds and loans for the golf course and resort project that will be the home of Texas A &M University golf teanu- Documents show that the city has contracted to p : three times the appraised value of 800 acres of land for the west side project. City officials also hate promised to make a $1 million loan at no interest for 10 vears to the company that will operate the golf course. Bryan officials estimate that the city's return oil the investment will include a $275 million project that should bring in $1.7 million in city taxes, $1.25 million in count) taxes and $3.8 million in school taxes every year - "I think what we get out of it is we jump -start develop ment of a sector of this community that otherwise would take years to Conduff City Manager Mike Condu said. "We get a substantial additional residential communiq and additional commercial development of all this still that will spin off having residential. there." The city of Bryan has teamed with ClubCorp USA of Dallas and Texas A &M University in planning the pro- ject "We will more firmly establish a partnership with See PROJECT. Page A4 `On the road to winnin ' g Bush's straw poll victory seals front -runnf . _...,, ratus Station, _ he principalst.'` Bryan city Manager Mike Conduff says the $13 million in funds and loans that the city has pledged for a golf course and resort project on the west side that will be the home of Texas A&M Unjversity golf teams "will jump -start development of a sector of this com- munity that otherwise would take years to grow." Don Adam, chairman and CEO of the Adam Corporation /Group, says he will go forward with his plan for a $100 million development on the city's east side that includes a coun- try club, hotel, new corporate head- quarters and commercial and resi- dential development. Local businessman Ramiro Galindo was the only developer to submit a written proposal in 1998 when Bryan asked for bids on a golf course /hotel project for the city's west side. Tom Coyle, Bryan's director of develop- ment services, said the tax money generated through a proposed tax - increment finance zone for the west side project would be used to repay the cost of incentives that were neces- sary to attract the project. Pa page A4 the Bryan - College Station Eagle Sunday, August 15, 1999 Resort in Bryan Project From Al A &M," Conduff said. "Everybody recog- nizes and acknowledges A &M as the eco- nomic instrument of the Brazos Valley. To the extent that Bryan and College Sta- tion as a community can partner with A &M, we do — to be successful in all that we do." University officials established an ath- letic endorsement and marketing affilia- tion with ClubCorp after corporation offi- cials deemed an 800 -acre tract of land in west Bryan the best site for the project. In addition to the Jack Nicklaus-design golf course, plans are in the works for a hotel, conference center and elite residen- tial area near the site, which is located north of Easterwood Airport, south of Villa Maria Road and west of F.M. 2818. Financing Even though the golf course would be the home of A &M's golf teams, A&-ht would not develop or manage the course. Those duties go to ClubCorp, the city of Bryan and any other developers brought into the project, officials said. The city of Bryan is in the process of acquiring the property for the project. The acreage is under option agreements from three estate trusts. The land acquisition will cost $6.45 mil- lion, $3.45 million of which will be paid in 2000. The other $3 million will be financed over seven years, with annual payments of $518,459. According to tax appraisal district fig- ures cited in city documents, Bryan agreed to pay almost three times as much as the appraised value of the property. City officials said, however, that the sales price is less than what the property own- ers originally asked. They maintain that appraised values often are exceeded in economic development projects. About $4 million of the cost to acquire the land will be paid for by the city's set- tlement with the Elf Atochem chemical plant after a lawsuit over arsenic contam- ination in the city. About $2 million will come from the city's oil and gas fund, a separate account for royalty money col- lected from city properties. "These are both funds that the council has set aside for a major project, and this certainly qualifies," Conduff said. The remainder of the costs, which include $6 million for public infrastruc- ture and streets over two years, will be funded through a proposed tax- increment hi ch will not affect —net'- al and ad valorem taxes, city officials said. Tom Coyle, the city's director of devel- opment services, said the tax money gen- erated from the zone would be used to repay the cost of incentives that were nec- essary to attract• the project. Business or residential owners in the zone will pay property taxes that look exactly the same as other Bryan resi- dents, but their tax payments will go to the TIF rather than to the city and county, Coyle said. School taxes within the zone would go to the Bryan school district. "The beauty of this is that the TIF pro- vides a financing vehicle that is other- wise not there, so it's a good business decision," he said. "It's also a good political decision because those who are benefiting are the ones who are paying for it," Coyle said. Both the Atochem and oil and gas funds, Conduff said, will be reimbursed from the tax- increment finance rev- enues. Any short-term loans to start the zone would come from short-term cash accounts that the city keeps on hand, he said. They will be reimbursed from zone revenues at a 5- percent interest rate. "We will sell a bond for future- antici- pated revenues," Conduff said. "We will loan the TIF district money until the bond is sold. As soon as the bond proceeds are funded, we will pay ourselves back, and charge the same amount of interest as we could earn somewhere else." As part of the financial incentives offered by the city, ClubCorp will receive a $1 million interest -free loan to be paid back to the city over 10 years. The money will be used to build a clubhouse, officials said. The loan will allow ClubCorp to save $600,000 in interest over 10 years, city offi- cials said. Ken Kasten, ClubCorp's senior vice president of new business development, said an interest -free loan from a develop- er is not uncommon. "A lot of times, we get a direct contribu- tion from developers in an amount much greater than that to just offset the cost of development costs," he said. "To build a $10 million facility, a Jack Nicklaus-design course, doesn't make any economic sense ... where, if we were building that course in the Dallas market, we'd be charging $35,000 for an initiation fee and we'd be charging well over $330 a month in dues. Now, you're going to do it in a market like Bryan - College Station, where you can't charge that. "That's [the loan] more specific to the deal terms, the market and the type of facility that we're going to build," Kasten said. "Sometimes none of that is required, and sometimes the contribution may need to be thuch greater than that. There are a lot of variables in doing these deals. That's what we needed to make this thing work for us." Mark Dotzour, chief economist for A &M's Real Estate Center, said the loan is a public incentive to get private develop- ment started. "It's a city contribution to make the deal fly," he said. "It's not unusual, whether it's for a shopping mall, redevel- opment of downtown or golf courses, for that matter. This is economic develop- merit and the city is creating another rea- son to come to Bryan- College Station." Jennifer Evans, a research associate at the real estate center, said Bryan is spend- ing money toward the project that would be spent regardless of the agreement with ClubCorp. "Well, $6 million of public and street improvements — you figure the city would have done anyway," she said. "The $6 million for a big project would have been used even if it wasn't for the golf course. So, that leaves about $1 million frankly, left and, that's just not very much money for a city to spend." The beginning The city's interest in a golf course pro- ject began before A &M entered the pic- ture, city officials said. In 1997, the city had PKF Consulting of Houston study the market for a proposed 15o -room hotel and golf course. PKF determined that there is sufficient existing and potential market demand to support the project, according to the firm's final report. The consultants studied three potential sites: the east side of Bryan, the west side of Bryan and property surrounding Lake Bryan. According to the report, the site located on the west side of Bryan and northwest of Easterwood Airport "offers more inter- esting topography and landscape, which would enhance the attractiveness and potential marketability of the golf course and hotel." "The site is within a five - minute dri- ving distance from major attractions, including the Bush Library and Texas A&M University," the report states. Bryan sent out a request for proposals in early 1998, which specified a develop ment in west Bryan based on the PKF study. Ramiro Galindo, a Bryan resident for 26 years and the developer of subdivisions and a fitness center in west Bryan, was the only person to submit a written proposal. His proposal, submitted in February 1998, was for a $46.5 million golf and resort center, plus a residential develop- ment on the property ranked highest by PKF. Bryan officials said they were con- cerned with the small amount of equity lin Galindo would have invested in his deal. Also, they said. Galindo proposed a golf course on a smaller scale than they had envisioned. City officials also discussed working with the Adam Corporation/Group, but that possibility fell through when they could not agree on a site. Adam officials wanted the development in east Bryan, while city officials preferred west Bryan. Don Adam, chairman and chief execu- tive officer of the Adam Corporation/Group, said Thursday that he will go ahead with his plans to build a championship 2, -hole golf course, a hotel and new corporate headquarters for his companies in east Bryan. Adam said he plans to break ground on his $loo million project by the end of this year. AW's role A&M entered the picture in November, when university officials seeking a home m for the university's golf teas sent out a request for proposals. A &M received responses from two companies — Club - Corp and University Clubs of America in Columbia, S.C. A &M's request for proposals listed seven minimum requirements for any golf course developer interested in an A &M affiliation. One of the requirements would be to provide a club facility with food and bev- erage services, swimming pool and ten- nis courts for use by former students, fac- ulty, staff and students of A &M. In turn, A &M would provide mailing lists or directory information for faculty, staff, students and the 12th Man Founda- tion members, the request states. The ur course would not be open to non -member students and staff, however; only mem- bers, guests and A &M golf team members could play there. A &M officials said they need an upscale facility where they can hold Big 12 tournaments — something they do not have now. The golf course on A &M's cam- pus will remain open for public use, uni- versity officials said. In late February, A &M chose ClubCorp to run the country club facility. A letter of intent was signed last month. ClubCorp is one of the largest builders and operators of private golf courses in the world, officials said. The corpora- tion's only other Texas golf course and resort is Austin's Barton Creek. Kasten said A &M's involvemen for a top-quality course at an a8 cost. "People are going to get comet good as anything in Houston, D: Ausjin for half of what you pay i cities," he said. ClubCorp was responsible for at possible sites in the area and 1 ing A &M officials with the sit thought was best suited for the pr ClubCorp decided between tw• one on Bryan's west side and one i College Station. ClubCorp announced in July had chosen the Bryan site. "What Bryan has chosen to do some of its assets and reinvest its can add some new growth," Condt "Essentially, what we heard abt project was it was either going t Bryan or College Station. So, the Bryan's council felt it had to take for its community." Dotzour said ClubCorp's reputal premiere golf courses could help establish itself as a national -c lib He said that was an incentive to cl corporation rather than a local d er. "People will drive home from h and tell coworkers that they sp< weekend playing golf on a Jack N course." he said. "From an ec standpoint, this will bring tour i lays. Bryan's giving people anoth son to come to the community." Development deals City officials said development ments are being negotiated and h: yet been finalized. CF Jordan Construction will c the 1,000 to 1,400 new homes in tl dential area, but an operator for t room hotel has not been selected. Coyle said the city looked for a h developer with experience, loca ence and name recognition with regional development industry. "Jordan met those criteria," h "One of the things we liked about . was they showed the capacity to c of things well, and this was a nicl were aggressively pursuing. This sents an expansion of their compa ClubCorp has signed letters of with Bryan and CF Jordan, but no agreement has been signed. City officials said the entire plat incentives and responsibilities, t presented to the council for final before January 2000. The golf course is tentatively sch to open in the the spring of 2001, o said. finance zone, w project cost of $46,.5 million. could benefit from a development "Your proposal is particularly another direction, thinkin Private o heeling said that, in order for Resort C hrnology like this, it got down to a point disturbing in light of the long his - would do something else." the project to be considered by the where either it was going to go to tory of discussions we have had P' said he didn't city. an equity investment of at Bryan or College Station. with you concerning the east side w wise for his coml "So, the Bryan council felt it had development. When we first met loc, the west side of t From Al least 'LO percent was needed. h I – protect wst ui �fu.o uu�wu' said that, in order for Private be by the like this, it got down to a disturbing in light of the long his- would do something else." Resort Chronology where either it was going to go to tory of discussions we have had Adam said he didn't feel it the east side would be wise for his company to e project to considered the city, an equity investment of at Bryan or College Station. with you concerning --So, the Bryan council felt it had development. When we first met locate on the west side of the city least 2D percent was needed. From Al Galindo had estmated it would i 1 1 to take a stand for its community, with you, Mike Conduff and others when he already owned on have it in last summer, we discussed our the east side. cost x1.9 million t develop a golf s$ Early 1998: City of Bryan to say we would like,to like to be one of plans for a golf course mixed-used Ultimately. A &M and ClubCotp $100 million development that come includes a country club, hotel, course. Keeling said in his "As we discussed dur• outs out request for proposals for a top-quality hotel, golf course groan. We would the ones to step up to the plate and development on the east side of chose Bryan's west side to be the hall." Bryan, which would include sub site to serve as the new home to new corporate headquarters and spondence, and residential Bevel- ing Yom' presentation. the golf and conference center. take some swings at this Bryan officials continued to stantial property already owned the men's and women's golf teams. commercial opment. The project will be situat- course is to be a championship ed on the east side of the city on quality, destination resort-orient- that a t express interest in Adam's propos• by my company. al, but the Bryan council eventual - As you may further recall, this Playing developer? result of the city's City officials say they like to property inside the Copperfield ed facility. It is our opinion course of the caliber desired February 1998: Ramiro 26 ly chose to stay with plans to meeting was a Stabler open invitation for interested par- look at the private sector first and, subdivision, and property under golf that surrounds the resi- for this project cost upwards of $6 Galindo, a Bryan resident for years who is responsible for the develop the west side. aga corresponded with Adam, ties or developers to submit pro- if the private sector responds, forward contract dential area. million." is Meanwhile, officials with the development of subdivisions and a fitness center on the city's extending an invitation for his posals for this type of develop- there is no need to move to relocate on the west ment. Our hope was that such a in development. "What we would be looking at the creation of another major Adam Corporation /Group had with Bryan west side, is the only developer to submit a written proposal — company side. development could include a pre- "Historically, we've taken that center facility role when we've identified there is impact area;' Adam said. held discussions Mayor Lonnie Stabler and other a $46.5 million golf and resort In a letter from Stabler to Adam miere conference June 9, 1999, the city offered to for the benefit of the citizens of a need there, and two, if it isn't Choosing a developer city officials about a possible development on the east side. center, plus a residential development. on buy land for Adam's new corpo- Bryan, that the city of Bryan heft met by the private sector," headquarters if he would would see the benefit of providing Coyle said. "We did this with the After consulting fain PKF coin- Discussions continued for sev D pleted a study in August 1997 er the feasibility of such a l months between the Adam 3 I rate agree to relocate to the west side. such a facility to the community, Bryan Business Park. We've been "Mr. Adam, after much earnest and that the city of Bryan would actively involved in property the along these examining resort, PKF ultimately chose the group and the city, with the com- to build and pay 1 May 4,1998: City officials discussion, the Council asked that provide assistance in making development much I conference center a real- lines for a number of years. Col - side as the best location. In pant proposing wrest s Bryan asked for bids on for a golf course, hotel and corpo- early 1998, Bryan 998. headquarters. Adam offered discuss working with the Adam /Corporation Group, but eventually falls before I did anything else, proposed inquire as to whether or not you ity. lege Station does the same thing. 'A conference center would help The leap here is that it's not an a golf el project for the rate to buy the land and do all the that possibility through when they could not would be willing to entertain locating your facility (or even a bring major conferences and con - industrial park. It's a resort devel- west side. Galindo, a 2&year Bryan resi- development construction. He asked that the city pay for the agree on a site for the project. broader project) on land that we ventions to our city — this type of opment." you at no cost in an facility does not exist today. It Mark Dotzour, chief economist dent who is responsible for the development of subdivisions and a construction of a conference yen- ter. t would provide extremely upscale project on the seems the city of Bryan is far more at Texas A&M University's real side of our community" Sta- interested in 'playing developer' estate center, said Bryan's devel- "is fitness center on the city's west , recently June of this Year , July 1, 1999: Land in west west fairly tiler wrote. than in facilitating and supporting opment of the west side side, was the only developer to submit a written proposal• Bryan officials supported Adam's development on the east Bryan is chosen for a golf course and club facility to serve as the _ t you have an infinite Q impact t for co This is o economic develop - Part of Gali o's proposal idea for a included having his development side. But they still were pushing home of the Texas A&M University golf teams. tack�t will have been sating o n this entire area,' Adam inert;' he said. "The city is creat- on, but truly wanted you to know good ing another reason to come to the team manage the tax increment for a west side project. On June 1, 1999, Stabler wrote to that they think this could be a wrote, adding: Everyone who has "I cannot help but think that the Bryan- College Station area. They finance district. The city, acting on the advice of PKF officials, Ate• "The purpose of this letter is to reaffirm the City of Bryan's I5 1 Don Adam, win -win. looked at the property on the west city's resources and efforts would are trying to establish Bryan as a about be better spent facilitating pro- national-ca liber community for decided city officials should con- long-standing commitment to Aug. = 1999 — chairman and chief executive side has been enthusiastic the viability of a golf course and jects like outs than in chasing both golf and housing." in the city may have trol the TIF. City officials said taxes from assist in the development of a cor- porate headquarters for the Adam officer of the Adam Corporation /Group, says he will as amenities there. With land purchases and engaging Dotzour said our considerable presence and development activities which are decided against choosing a local homes butt in the new develop ment will be used to repay the Group a east Bryan. "It been the City Council's forward with his sh00 million plan for a championship 27 -hole Y per because of the prestige knowledge, the scales in the corn- traditionally left to the private sec- developer tor." bonds used W help finance the TIF. has s "I went to the city with a much desire for many years to make lity, and l development a reality, golf course, hotel and new corporate headquarters for his rnunity would certainly be likely to be tipped to this project. Of In an interview with The Eagle "Because if it's someone local ineen. on Thursday. Adam said he didn't doing it, they don't have the firmer plan," Galindo said. "p such a immediately build a subdi- we have taken a number steps to companies in east Bryan. course, other customary would be on the table as feel the city dealt with him in good national cache," he said. "You have ation of CCA that would cement that possibility. With the vision, which I'm already doing tax increment refinance zone now a combinlives well. faith. "I know that this is a bit of "Absolutely not he said. We has a national, big name. eceas right now. i would be investing hard dollars to prove to TIF bond in Place for Park Hudson, the building of the Brazos Valley on the west side. It may well be with a local that we will wish to reconsider differe a Because the m lunch one day [May 4e not have thattype of o buyers that there's already an in. Physician's Hospital and Deci- today. our desire to purchase that prop council thinks so much of what 19981 and, as far as I knew at that The only little new twist of this is development or investment going Oe along extended "f would build an office building sionng a meow Copperfield Drive, ft would seem erty.' and time, they were very favorable. that ft's economic While Bryan continued discus - have done for Bryan y work with you, they was my view' that at the time they residential as opposed to industri- immediately that would start pay- in taxes right away. [ would build that the time is clearl ripe" for in the development, Stabler wrote. wants sions with both Galindo and scants h Adam, Texas A &M University asked Dotzour said a west side that I convey this offer to were very anxious for us to move al development." i on the west side, forward. It took some time for apartment complex immediate ly as scan as the streets are all in A you know, the City Council been working for quite a entered into a joint agreement collaborate behind local with C1ubCorpUSA of Dallas to before I took any other action. to negotiate the large tract behind opment weld strengthen the local Allen Academy. The reason is economy. that would start paying taxes to has also the TIF. And then the hotel will long time to bring a project to IF. An the west side of Bryan. find a new site to be home to its Please give their offer serious men's and women's golf teams. consideration. If it is of any inter- that property has been in the "It will add new tourism dollars family for 100 years or conven state taxes as son as ft's fruition on as u to bri a johns open. Tliat makes a bond buyer a Sin I was that "At could firs be something a that ally sit w your moreby sand. Yo could spend a ay t the that Stabler said he understood there Bush Library, and another day n lot more satisfied," Galindo said. County project to the table, a with what we are talking representatives to discuss the "Tom Stabler wrote. were problems with land acquisi- playing at the CCA golf course. It's "1 offered all that to the city. But, majority of the City Council is again. I guess I was just the local, ear- about," Conduff said. concepts," [Coyle], being the out-of-the-box :edam didn't agree to the city's lion, and that it was the council's economic development enter- to forward. prise." weak little boy that can't be trust- strongly in favor of spending „ Marked funds in the west in order offer. He responded to Stabler in a decision move thinker he is, said, 'Well, why "In business you move forward. Conduff said the city will benefit in that June 11, 1999, letter: �t side develop � B ryan officials said they had to stimulate much needed develop- ment there," the mayor wrote, don't we partner process, I think you go in there and see if we can in inert in the enti f ttlet m l ay it out r s - coun oas s an d nds tthe cc some concerns about Galindo's adding proposal. "in light of this information we some way participate. "' vac some Ultimately, Bryan's west side expressed no interest whatsoever was ready;' Stabler said. "What does the city get out o my corporate head- Adam said he wanted to be this? We're getting a Jack Nick - "One was equity on the table," received today (from .Adam's busi- said 'foul Coyle, director of Bevel- that you have was selected by ClubCorp for the in locating new development. quarters to the west side of the city patient in the land negotiations, taus signature golf course that have an not to create any emotional stress would typically go into ahall -mil- Hess associates] opment services. The second one been approached be representa• of his golf course.' "Essentially, what we heard of Bryan. Neither do I was that it was interest in, nor would I accept, a on the family that owned the land. lion or mi market," he this "And a lot of "It's coming here because of was the scale rives of the city of 6Eege Station John M. Keeling. PKF's senior about building your co corporate said in a November c rate about project as ice exercised said. either going to go to Bryan or Col- donation of land from the city of either Station,' Conduff said. Bry finally were able to A &M, and the fact they can access an for any such facility. i feel it patience, we that was alumni market through A &1.1 vice president, headquarters in a de 1998 letter to Galindo that Galin- a com de ty, I have "Unfortunately, although the would be most unbecoming of a come to a resolution an to meaningful and fair to all;' he is what brings an organization south our dri s proposed S2 million equity rev uested time on th Ilryan City I Corp. to firymt -Co eRe mayor worked very hard for a , nrlarate citizen to expect or ••iyr a Riff when it is not need Off investnu•nt in the ]aojcct was not 's very next :,_••uda to dis- ennuRh drat it ooh reprrscntrsl Council "chases - 1.0 rrr <a the Irmrline I:n u urnlopmrnt number of years to try u, Ret a r St ti C'ub riry when rc,•ryl, { t me..ihe city had spun 0 Page A2 The Bryan - College Station Eagle Friday, August 13, 1999 • Budget From Al from sales and hotel/motel taxes. Expenditures are divided into base expenditures, mandates and service level adjustments. The adjustments are additional axpenses used to add or keep up with the existing service level, ,ity officials said. Twenty-one percent of the gen- I fund is used by the police ��irance agent any n department; 15 percent each goes toward the fine and parks depart- ments; and 14 percent goes toward the public works depart- ment. City employees will receive additional wages for language skills, continued and additional paramedic certifications and police shift differentials, officials said. City officials said they predict that a new power supply contract starting in January 2000 will increase power costs. On Aug. 26, the power supply contract will be presented to the council. No rate adjustments are expect- ed in the water fund, and there are no anticipated rate increases in the waste water fund, accord- ing to the proposed budget. The fiscal year runs from Oct. 1, 1999, to Sept. 30, 2000. A public hearing on the pro- posed budget is scheduled Aug. 26, and the council will consider adopting the budget at its Sept. 9 meeting. A public hearing on the tax rate also will be held Sept. 9. If the budget is increased by more than 10 percent, a second public hearing must be held, according to the City Charter. Final action on the proposed bud- get must take place on or before Sept 27. City officials said the proposed budget was based on the Forecast 2002 Report, strategic issues, citi- zen survey results, vision state- ments and economic indicators. Copies of the budget will be available to the public starting Friday at the city secretary's office and the College Station Public Library. The citizen's budget, a smaller version of the document, is avail- able for free, but residents will be charged for a copy of the entire Proposal. The budget's executive summary will be posted on the city's Web site within the next few days, officials said. $143.8 million budget projects By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle St.-rWriter small tax cut The College Station City Coun- cil on Thursday got its first glimpse at the proposed $143.8 mil- lion 199 -2000 budget, which includes a slight decrease in prop- erty tags. The Proposed budget is almost ill mii_on higher than the 1998- 1999 budget, city officials said, but capital projects and improve - Ments account for 61 percent of the increase. Total operating expenditures are estmiated to be $100.9 million, a 3- per_znt increase over 1998. Capital project expenditures are estimated at $42.8 million, which include general, utility and drainage projects. The capital projects include: ■ Completion of the 1995 bond program. ■ Implementing projects from the 1998 bond authorization. ■ Wolf Pen Creek Hotel and Conference Center. • College Main Parking Garage • Drainage utility. The proposed tax rate is .425 per $100 of assessed valuation, .0013 -cent decrease from the cut rent rate of .4293. City officials said the budge matches the council's vision stab ments, which include: ■ $14.9 million for transport tion and mobility. ■ $43.8 million for health an public safety. C] • L S nixes request Raintree residents oppose apartments, By GENEVA WHITMARSH tr Eagle Stgff Writer The College Station City Council on Thursday denied a zoning request for proposed apartments and townhomes adjacent to the Raintree subdivi- sion. The decision followed heated words from several residents who were concerned that the proposed 180. unit apartment complex and 12 -unit townhome development would lead to lower property values, drainage problems and an increase in noise and traf- fic. "There are no other apartments in the area, and we're opposed to setting a precedent by allowing this complex to be built," said Amy Tremblay, a member of the Raintree neighborhood association. The development would have been built on vacant land between th Raintree subdivision and Texas 6, with a portion lying immediately to the north and bordering single -family lots in the subdivision. D &L Ventures submitted a development plan to the city that included plans for a 35 -foot landscape buffer between the development and the subdivi- sion. The buffer planned for a combination of See ZONING, Page AU — Y — 1111 1 % - — _11 A&v11111% From A 99 canopy and non - canopy trees and an 8 -foot wood fence with brick columns along its southern edge. Developers also planned to fill a floodplain so that the new ground elevation would not exceed the existing ground eleva- tions in the subdivision. Raintree resident Bill Batche- lor told council members that he supported plans for the develop- ment. "I was opposed at first, but I've changed my mind," he said. "This isn't industry, it's not a sexually- oriented business, it's a place where families can live. "If we were afraid of develop- ment a few years back, we'd still be a train stop called College Sta- tion and not the growing commu- nity we are today," he said. The developer's plans, howev- er, weren't enough to appease Tremblay or several other resi- dents who spoke against the pro- posed project. "I'm extremely concerned -, -_ - « more than likely won't affect us, but I want more assurance before they start building." Councilman Dennis Maloney, one of six council members who voted to deny the zoning request, said he remained concerned that the proposed development would lead to an increase in flooding and an overall lack of privacy for Raintree residents. "I hope we can go back to the drawing board and come back with a solution that will satisfy the developers and the residents, who have made a commitment to the future of the neighborhood," he said. Council members also heard a sununmy of the protxwsial 1%A. 2000 budget. The $143.8 million budget is almost $24 million more than last year's. City officials said 61 percent of the increase will be used for capi- tal projects, such as the Wolf Pen Creek Hotel and Conference Cen- ter. The proposed property tax rate for 1999 -2oW is .4280, a .0013 -cent decrease from last year. • • Citizens police group seeks applications The College Station Police Depart- ment is taking applications for the 26th session of the Citizen's Police Academy. The free 12 -week program begins Sept. 7. Police said the academy teaches participants about the police department and the criminal justice system. Classes will be from 7 to 10 p.m. Tuesdays at the police department. Instructors will teach a variety of subjects, including investigation pro- cedures, criminal law, S.W.A.T. func- tions and gangs and narcotics. Par- ticipants also can ride with a police officer on the streets. The deadline for applying is 5 p.m. ;ept. 1. For more information, call Rick Ves- =11 at 764 -3573. Staff reports • Multi-faceted plan seeks to increase area tourism By KELLY BROWN Eagle Staff Writer Packaging Brazos County to include tours, more museums and better trans- portation links between its two major cities are part of a proposal aimed at lur- ing more overnight visitors to the com- munity. A nine - member group known as the Special Attractions Committee, an off- shoot of the Bryan- College Station Cham- ber of Commerce, studied 34 potential attractions in the area. Now, group members are taking what they've learned to the decision - makers in the community. They started with a presentation before Brazos County Commissioners Court on Tuesday. The same information will be provided Thursday to the College Station City Council and soon to Bryan officials. Committee member Nancy Crouch said the group's goal was to act as a cata- lyst for bringing in additional attrac- tions, so they looked "at the big picture." The result was a plan that integrates the popular locations throughout the area. No price tag was given for the pack- age. Committee member Paul Clark described the first of four features of the plan. It's what they're calling a Linear Park and would link some major area parks. The Special Attractions Committee, an offshoot of the Bryan - College Station Chamber of Commerce, hopes to attract tourism to the area by focusing on certain areas: ■ Developing a linear county park ■ Developing entertainment centers ■ Developing museum clusters ■ Texas A &M campus tours Clark highlighted the group's six pro- posed ideas for the park plan: ■ The county creates a county park district to acquire land, make improve- ments and provide maintenance. ■ The county builds its proposed expo- See TOURISM, Page • News Tourism 0 The county and both cities ■ College Station designates approve tour bus routes as part of locations such as Northgate or the Metropolitan planning Orga- Wolf Pen Creek as museum dis: From Al nization transportation plan. Those three entities tricts, while A &M similarly - sition center on the east side in partially fund a new bus or two that are would designate Research Park or the Riverside Campus. Repre the Carter Creek floodplain as uniquely painted to service the tour routes. sentatives from these areas all one gateway into Linear Park, ■ Bryan and College Station N Bryan designates Downtown would attempt to attract o -� --- museums to those areas. provide fun ding/ personnel for a Bryan as an Urban Entertain- ■ Bryan provides funding feasibili ty study of a Linear Park ment District, while College Sta- the La Belle museum: within their city limits. ■Texas A&M University desig- lion designates Northgate or Wolf Pen Creek as an Urban Entertain- Tapping into the rich trs tions and sites at A&M is i nates a route across campus con- nesting the Wolf Pen Creek part ment District. E The chamber encourages fourth feature listed by the co mittee. of the Linear Park to Research P businesses to be part of an Urban Entertainment District and to The proposal for campus tou includes: ■ College Station develops a soccer locate in Downtown Bryan and College Station's Northgate ■ A&M develops scripts, pn complex as part of Linear Park. or Wolf Pen Creek. vides talent and equipment fa ■ Bryan develops the Brazos 0 The chamber, in association recordings for campus tours. ■ College Station provides pal~ Center area as part of Linear P With the Bryan - College Station Hotel -Motel Association tial start-up funds from the hotel Crouch told commissioners and other businesses along the tour motel fund for purchasing com. pact disc players and advertising about the second feature — crest- Ing what the committee hopes to routes, partially funds advertise- merits to publicize the routes. tours, while providing location and manpower for the compact M11 Urban Entertainment Cen- .er.s: 0 A&M allows convenient bus stops at the Memorial Student disc tour checkout at the police substation in Northgate. A&M. Center and the George Bush Pres- idential Library and Museum provides the same service at vari. Center for tour buses. ous locations on campus. ■ The chamber recruits North. We feel there's a need to con- nect these cities and this would gate businesses to provide free be the way to enhance the experi. compact disc checkout sites in exchange for mentions in adver- ences for both Bryan and College Station," Crouch said. tising. He then detailed the third fea- Crouch said the four -point plan calls for the chamber, county, ture of the proposal, a plan for both cities and A&M leaders to museum clusters that includes: ■ The county attracts other designate a member to their com- museums to the Brazos Center area. mittee and adopt a resolution supporting the four -point propos- ■ Bryan designates the down- town area as a museum district al. Brazos County Judge Al Jones described the plan as ambitious. and attracts other museums to the downtown area. An example . "It's one that needs careful con-, sideration to make a determina- given was a proposed Firemen's Museum. lion on how we can better attract and hold people locally for longer Periods of time," he said. "We're. --""mono" lust going to have to take a look at the entire plan." • ...,.. , -, A13 CS budget plan set for airing By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Sutff Writer The College Station City Council on Thursday will consider the city's $144 million proposed budget for 1999 -2000. A public hearing on the proposed budget, which is $24 million higher than the 1996.1999 budget, is tentatively scheduled Aug. 26, budget manager Jeff Kersten said Tuesday. The council will consider adopting the budget at its Sept. 9 meeting, Karsten said. According to the City Charter, final action on the proposed budget must take place on or before Sept. 27. The fiscal year starts Oct. 1 and ends Sept. 30 next year. On another issue, residents can voice their concerns about a proposed rezoning of almost 19 acres adjacent to the Raintree subdivision at a public hearing during the regular meeting. The rezoning would change the property from single -family residential and agricultural' open to planned development district. The applicant, Darrell Grien for D &L Ven- tures, submitted a development plan that includes a 180 -unit apartment complex, a 12 -unit townhome complex and a 35 -foot buffer between the property and the subdivision. City staff and the Planning and Zoning Com- mission did not recommend approval of the pro- posal. The council also will consider an ordinance establishing an absentee policy for council- appointed boards and committee members. The ordinance would apply to a board or com- mittee member who misses three meetings in a 12 -month period without notifying the chair- man prior to the absences. It would state that the city secretary would notify the member requesting an explanation for the absences. The council then would review the explanation, and could remove the member. During a workshop session scheduled at 3 p.m., the council will discuss the 1999 strategic issue rankings. The top five strategic issues are: traffic management north and south; implemen- tation of the Wolf Pen Creek master plan; public transportation; economic development; and neighborhood programming and policy. In executive session, held between the work- shop session and the regular meeting, the coun- cil will discuss City Manager Skip Noe's annual review. The workshop session will begin at 3 p.m. in the council chambers of City Hall, 1101 Texas Ave., and the regular meeting will begin at 6 p.m. • Don't deserve dump A s a landowner in the Millican area, I am con- cerned with the proposed dump site. The manner in which the Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency has ap- proached this project is very ques- tionable apd should give us an insight of what we are dealing with. Why would the Peach Creek Development group be receiving more than $300,000 from the solid waste agency to pay for road access from F.M. 159 and sewer services? When this is complete, the land will readily develop, encouraging the city of College Station to extend its southern boundary. Why should we be responsible for 14 other. counties which dump their garbage in Brazos County, causing our landfills to run out of space sooner, forcing us to find another location? In using hindsight, the old Millican dump is an example of the Environmental Protection Agency not approving permits because of the risk of contamination of the water in the area. Only about 14 acres of the 150 acres of the Millican dump was usable and the rest is now aban- doned. We do not want garbage trucks entering and leaving our area, which would create not only a haz- ard, but an eyesore — leaving behind damaged roads and trash on the highway. As an example, drive through the Rock Prairie community and look at the deterio- rated roads and trash as well as the smell. Our south Brazos County people have had their share and do not deserve another garbage dump in the area. DAN WILLIAMS College Station `Doonesbury' will return Doonesbury will return after Garry Trudeau's vaca- tion • • Like fish in a barrel T he city of College Station has been quick to offer tax abatements to encourage companies to locate in The Business Center near Pebble Creek, but now it seems that it is trying to recoup lost dollars by imposing a "traffic tax" on the employees who work there. Jokingly referred to by some as College Station's "Revenue Enhancement Zone," the inter- section of Venture and Lakeway streets, two non - through streets, is regularly monitored by one and often two, College Station patrol cars. While this may be warranted during the school year to enforce a neighboring school zone speed limit, what was the rational for two officers there on the morn- ing of July 22? On that morning, the recep- tionist for the company where I work counted eight cars which were pulled over between 7:45 and 9:15 a.m. after allegedly fail- ing to come to a complete stop at the stop sign before proceeding through the intersection. I would guess that all offenders were checked for wants and war- rants while pulled over, ensur- ing that unsuspecting employers did not have felons on their pay- rolls. In my opinion, this smells of entrapment, and with court costs and all the extras, the financial penalty may total $100, or more, per citation. Who really benefits from this activity except the budget of the city of College Station? Is crime so nonexistent in the area that two patrol cars can be devoted to a little known traffic intersection? Do you feel any safer knowing that a certain group of hard- working, taxpaying and other- wise law - abiding citizens have been singled out for additional contributions to the city's rev- enue? It's no wonder to me that a lack of respect is a common com- plaint among police officers; what's there to admire about shooting fish in a barrel? HELEN WRIGHT Bryan Excellent coverage J ust a note to express my thanks to The Bryan- College Station Eagle and its staff, especially reporter Laura Hipp, for the excellent coverage of the third annual Shriners Benefit Team Roping /Barrel Racing event held at the Donny Boggs Arena on July 27. All monies raised at this bene- fit go directly to the Shriners Burns Hospital in Galveston. Those firemen who, either by participation in or financial sup- port of this event, have truly impressed me by their generosi- ty and spirit and I consider them to be the real patrons of our hos- pital. As the community becomes more and more aware of what Shriners are really all about — our children — this event will grow and become one of Bryan - College Station's really meaning- ful charities. RUSSELL DUKE, president Brazos Valley Shrine Club,, College Station A terrible location T he announcement of the proposed landfill site near Texas 6 and F.M. 159 was an affront to the dignity and intelligence of the citizens of south Brazos County. The announcement came without any prior notice to the adjoining landowners whose property values were severely damaged by the mere an- nouncement. Owners of the land within the proposed site were approached under false pretenses with offers to buy their land. These underhanded tactics are both unethical and frowned upon by the Municipal and Industrial Solid Waste Division of the EPA. Philip R. O'Leary and Patrick W. Walsh in Decision Maker's Guide to Solid Waste Management, Volume IT, said, "Choosing a site without input from residents and then weathering the intense opposi -, tion has been called the `decide - announce- defend' strategy. Although it has been used extensively in the past, the increasing sophistication of groups opposed to waste man- agement alternatives make thi,; approach more difficult." The Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency is entering agreements to pur- chase land without environ- mental impact studies having been done on the site, a site that is problematic at best. It is not only in the 100 -year flood plain but does indeed flood often, sometimes several times a year. These flood waters of Peach Creek flow into the Navasota River and then into the Brazos River, risking gross contami- nation. It is also my understanding that the site is near a geological fault. Why would they waste the Bryan- College Station taxpay- er's money purchasing such a site before,seeking an environ- mental study? And why would they choose to put a "dump" at College Station's front door, on the main corridor leading into our city? I can only imagine the Aggie jokes this will prompt. BARBARA FRASER College Station A CS Head Start taking applications The College Station Head Start pro- gram is accepting applications for the 1999 -2000 school year. Openings remain in the income - based program. Applicants must be 4 years old by Sept. 1 and live in Col- lege Station to qualify. Family members may apply at the Head Start office at 1812 Welsh Ave. and should bring proof of residence (a utility bill or lease agreement), the child's birth certificate, income verifi- cation, a Social Security card or pass- port and current immunization records. Families will be notified by mail of their child's acceptance into the pro- gram and of dates for the mandatory orientation process before school Begins. Head Start classes will begin for the introductory half -day sessions without transportation on Aug. 23. Full -day sessions, which will include transportation, will begin on Sept. 7. For more information, call Sharon Jackson at 76V423. CS zoning panel to amend ordinance The College Station Planning and Zoning Commission on Thursday will consider amending the Wolf Pen Creek Zoning District in the city's adopted zoning ordinance. Additions to the ordinance specify that: ■ District development should con- sist largely of retail commercial uses, restaurants and entertainment uses that will enhance and support the hotel /conference center. ■ The Design Review Boaro ha: the sole authority to make decisions about changes in exterior paint, signage, nor changes ings. landscaping and other mi to existing sites, structures or build- ■ Residential uses can be allowed only as part of a mixed use develop- ment and with a conditional use permit. The commission also will consider a site plan for a new restaurant, Rudy's Barbecue, at 504 Harvey Road on the site previously known as Sneakers. The commission will meet at 7 p.rn. in the city council chambers at 1101, Texas Avenue. Staff reports VAW wont sell for $4,000 A disappointing story his is in response to Edward T Valenta's letter (Eagle, July 12) about the terrible location of the new landfill. I remember a few years back when a man was denied permissi to open a nice covered flea market just outside the city limits on Texas 6 South. The reason given was it would create an eyesore on the main corridor to the city. I personally would rather look at the flea market than the garbage dump. MY wife and I own one of the major tracts of land that is to be taken for the new dump. We would like to know who Peach Creek Development Company is, the extent of its involvement, what it is getting out of this and the owners' names. MY wife and I would also like to know where Valenta is getting his information.Where did Valenta get the numbers of $4,000 per acre? There has been no offers made to us nor any mention of an offer. If Valenta is correct about the $4,000, then someone must think us country folk are really stupid or Peach Creek Development did not do its homework. It will cost us from $12,000 to $20,000 per acre plus improvements to replace what we have now. Why would we sell — without a fight — for $4,000 per acre? DARRELL G. PARKER Millican BTX -TV broadcast a story about the arrest of a woman or stalking and harassment. She was released on a total of $25,000 bail. The broadcast ques- tioned whether Sheriff Chris Kirk influenced the decision for bail because the woman is his sister -in- law. The judge in this case gave a statement that he set bond in the course of normal business with no knowledge of the woman's relation- ship to the sheriff. Sheriff Kirk gave a statement that he took no action to influence the bail hear- ing. The Bryan school district issued a statement that it had confi- dence in our local law enforcement. However, KBTX made the decision to broadcast a story that implied that the wrongdoing had occurred. Sheriff Kirk instructed me a week before the arrest-that the woman be given no special treat- ment. Sheriff Kirk asked me to arrange for her to be housed at another county jail to avoid any hint of impropriety based on her relationship to the sheriff. The arrangements for housing had been made in the event that she could not post bond. It is disappointing that this story was broadcast. I believe that it called the character of an ethical and honest man into question when no question existed. WAYNE DICKY Brazos County Jail administrator FM 2818 renamed to honor Mitchell BY STUART HUTSON The Battalion The Bryan and College Station City Councils, in con- junction with the Texas Department of Transportation, renamed Farm to Market Road (FM) 2818 yesterday to Harvey Mitchell Parkway. The name of the road was changed to honor Mitchell, called "the father of Brazos County." Mitchell was a businessman and philanthropist who served as Brazos County's first deputy for the clerk's department, county judge, treasurer, tax collector, and surveyor. He is most remembered for establishing the petition for Texas A&M University. The name change also was made to solve problems caused by the prior labeling of the road, which was originally divided into five different sections: Lance Simms, the building official for College Sta- tion, said this "patchwork labeling" caused many problems such as misdirected mail, slowed emer- gency response times, and confusion for out of town visitors. The new Harvey Mitchell Parkway is divided in to "North Harvey Mitchell Parkway" in Bryan and "Harvey Mitchell Parkway South" in College Station. Simms said both divisions of the street are numbered in a consistent pattern, which will strongly increase the response time of the police and fire departments to that area. "We've got to believe that with the logical block arrangement, it will be much easier to respond to emer- gencies," he said. The resolutions to rename FM 2818 came in April of 1998 from the College Station City Council followed by the Bryan City Council in May 1998. Simms said the application for approval from the Texas Department of Transportation was not sent in un- til this past April. "The delay resulted from the council's failure to no- tify the proper departmental officials within the cities after the resolution was passed," he said. He said the cost for the change of the signs was es- timated to be $9,000. "The price does not include the cost to individuals who must change their address designation outside their homes and businesses," Simms said. . Simms said he has heard almost no negative feed- back from citizens and businesses affected by the change, but instead has received positive comments. "You always face resistance to change," he said. "But I think this will be very beneficial for both cities." is - -- � _ , ra6C Aib I Lan dfill fight Group says it's prepared fo r By COLLEEN EAI' -- Eagle Staff Writer GH Members of a group who oppos a Proposed landfill at Texas 6 o F.M. 159 said Friday they are pre Pared to fight the site, even if that means a long battle in court About 35 members of South Bra - C o In Developme tmet at the current landfill on Rock Prairie Road to show peopie "what the entrance to our' area will look like" if the pro - Posed site, named Cedar Pointe Environmental Center, is a pproved , group member Larry Fraser said. Does this site really make sens e? Is this the first impression we want for Bryan, College Sta- tion and the Brazos Valley ?" he asked. The Brazos Valley Solid Waste (W long court battle Management Agency =Ounc the proposed site at a public mee ing in June. About 600 acres o e land are designated for the site d 310 of which would be used fo r waste disposal. The remainin g acreage will provide buffer zones, agency officials said. Agency director Bill Angelo said the proposed site's natural vegetation would help disguise a new landfill, which would not be visible from Texas 6. "Our goals is, as trucks turn off Highway 6, they basically disap- Pear," he said. "No one will see them or the operation until they turn back on the highway to leave ... It will look like looks from Greens Prair a Road, not from Rock Prairie Road. "If You go to the Pebble Creek subdivision and try to see it thr the trees, that's more of ed what you're going to see," he said. t Angelo said that, at the time the f existing landfill was permitted, officials did not have the space or the time to put in that type of veg- etation. on the proposed site for the new landfill, however, the veg. etation already exists. Fraser said some group mem- bers met Thursday with Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency and College Station city Officials to discuss the site. "It was obvious that they intend to go full speed ah ead with this project," Fraser said. "They don't care a whit by 2006, officials said, and it would take between four and about anything but the money this will generate from six years to construct a new landfill . out - of - c ount y trash receipts and find- The proposed site for the new ing ng a a a place to put their garbage, landfill was chosen by an adviso- They just don't care where it is located." ry committee comprised o Bryan f 13 and College Station f 13 The present landfill on Rock dents. Prairie Road will reach capacity The committee's vote for the different areas, and the benefits proposed site was unanimous, Angelo said, although to three committee members not at the meeting. The coi tee's last meeting was June i Group members said they environmental concerns ove chosen site because of flood, and wetlands but, Angelo See LANDRLL, Page -- ... a, .... escalates e apb;e 7W 1 representing Fraser, said the facility to be built on the landfill La agreement seems more like a pri- site that the developers could use. vate- public development. Angelo said public- private "It's disguised so the public partnerships exist in a number of From A9 will not know that it was devised different areas, and the benefits for the land developers," he said. the landfill would receive are those were factors that made the In the agreement, the Brazos worth the money the agency site attractive and would be used Valley Solid Waste Management would spend in the good neighbor as parts of the buffer zone. Agency agrees to pay $150,000 for agreement. The agency has entered into a a study to see how compatible the The road and sewer services "good neighbor" agreement with landfill is with the Peach Creek are both things the landfill site Peach Creek Development Co., development. would need, he said. dam and Kling also cited problems with Members of South Brazos Massey will head the agency paying for part of a County Citizens for Intelligent not been secondary access road off F.M. Development encouraged Bryan, CS electric division ryan and 159 that the development could College Station and Brazos Coun- councils use — something the developers ty residents who agree with them The city of College Station has al agree- do not currently have. The to write city officials and support named David Massey as electric , brought agency has agreed to provide their cause. division manger. for final wastewater treatments by build- "They're the ones who vote on He will be responsible for the ing a sewer line to existing facili- this, not us," Fraser said. "Our operation of the city's electric attorney ties, or pay up to $185,000 for a hands are tied." transmission and distribution sys- tem, which provides services to 22,000 utility customers. - Massey, a registered engineer, worked for Bryan Texas Utilities for 15 years, most recently as the divi- sion manager of distribution, trans- mission and engineering. • . He holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Texas A &M University. Staff reports -- ... a, .... escalates e apb;e 7W 1 • Group forms to oppose area landfill By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer Area residents Tuesday took their first step in opposing the proposed site of a new landfill at Texas 6 and F.M. 159. About 35 residents formed South Brazos County Citizens for Intelligent Development, member Larry Fraser said. The group will fight the proposed site, which will be called the Cedar Pointe Environmental Center. Fraser, who divides his time between a Sugarland, Texas, home and a home in Brazos County that would overlook the proposed site, said the group plans to advertise and promote the reasons behind its opposition. "I realize garbage has to go some- where, but don't think this is the prop- er site," he said, citing both environ- mental and ethical concerns. "Most people don't dump trash on the front porch, and we don't think it`s a good idea to dump our trash at the front gate to the corridor to the city_." Fraser said. The Brazos Valley Solid Waste Man. y as ; _. - , International Speedway Peach.. ,e _ `s" Texas 6 Situ 21 Location agement Agency announced the pro- posed site at a public meeting in June. About 600 acres of land are designated for the new site, 310 of which would be used for waste disposal. The remaining acreage would provide buffer zones around the landfill, officials said. Navasota resident and group mem- ber Donna Dunlap is no stranger to a fight against placing a landfill in south Brazos County — her Millican land was the first proposed site. If the site at Texas 6 and F.M. 159 is appruved, she said some of her land will be one of the landfill's boundaries. Landfill From Al Graphic special to The Eagle "I think the citizens of College Sta- tion should really be concerned," she said. "I don't think a landfill will impress people traveling through here." Agency officials said the land's vege- tation will help disguise the landfill. The site was chosen by an advisory committee comprised of 13 Bryan and College Station residents. Fraser said the proposed site snuck up on landowners in the area. "They didn't discuss it with the peo- See LANDFILL, Page AS ple who live out here," he said. The present landfill on Rocl Prairie Road will reach capacit, by 2006, officials said, and * would take between four and sia years to construct a new landfill. Levon Hayes, whose home is on the acreage proposed for the land- fill, said she does not want to leave the house where her daugh- ter was born and her husband died. "I've been here more than 30 Years," she said. "It's not a fancy house, but it's mine and it's paid for. I can't afford to start over again, and I'm doing my best to fight this. I'm not going to roll over and play dead. "Sentimental value might not be a lot, but to me it is. Every- thing I've got is here," Hayes said. Vol. 125, No. 207, 2 sections D riving to excess Bryan, CS police detail troublesome intersections By GENEVA WHITMARSH Eagle Staff Writer More traffic accidents have occurred at the 2200 block of Briarcrest Drive this year than any other area in Bryan - College Station, according to statistics pro- vided by both police depart- ments. The area in front of Wal- Mart SuperCenter has been the site of 18 accidents since Jan. 1, the highest number of collisions to occur at a partic- ular location in Bryan or Col- lege Station this year. Twen- ty -nine accidents occurred at the location in all of 1998. The second - highest acci- dent spot in Bryan this year is the 700 block of Villa Maria Road, according to statistics. Thirteen collisions have occurred at the location since the beginning of the year, compared to 16 in all of last year. Overall, the number of accidents in Bryan since the beginning of the year has increased 10 percent from 1998. Two of the city's intersec- tions, however, have so far been eliminated from the top ten list. Texas Avenue and Texas 21, the site of 14 acci- dents last year, and Villa Maria Road and F.M. 2818, the site of 13, have been acci- dent -free this year. Sgt. Ben Smith credited the reduction of accidents at var- ious sites to a crackdown on traffic violators. "In some areas there have been more accidents despite our intentions," Smith said. "It's an intangible where you don't know what the number of accidents could have been had we not been out there. "There could have been 25 accidents [at the 2200 block of Briarcrest], instead of 18," he said. , You just don't know." In College Station, the intersection of University Drive and F.M. 2818 is one of the city's top accident spots, with 13 collisions reported since the beginning of the year. Last year, 30 accidents occurred at the location. Thirteen accidents also have occurred at the inter- section of University Drivc and Texas .Avenue since the beginning of the year. Twen- ty -six collisions occurred there in all of last year. The 200 block of Harvey Road has been the site of 13 accidents this year, up from See TRAFFIC. Page A8 0�0 oiaio °.. �410 5.,i* m Q M cn o ° n e . o o y .. 3 o z�O a> vi v o A 0E" o o m x! M Q V V Q ar � �° cd bA y cn CZ 0 �~ i X00 ao a S �'� a� I %W Dress codes help NyTid'ated how times have changed. estimony from Consol- students at the latest school board meeting was indeed bleak. Wearing long pants in Texas is "dangerous" and students have a "right" to wear shorts. ` most basic of rights is free- dom of expression" another male student chimed in. It was comical to listen to these spoiled, sheltered and pampered teenagers as they painted mental images of bodies stacked up in the school hallways they don't go far enough. A real job in the real world means dress codes, conformity vaind hard work in a competitive these ronment. We are not doing them kids an y favors by coddling or capitulating to their demands. The school system needs to enforce the rules, whatever they may be. As a parent, I will be sup p the school system. That is how the circle is made complete. W.J. ug'L llCollege Station Express yourself co llapsed because of forced trouserse Twenty years ago, I was at Klein High School in Ho , more heat and humidity can oppressive than here in College Station. For fellas, hair could not touch our collars or ears and facial hair was unheard of — just as shorts were. I hated the "hair can't touch the collar" rule, but I under stood its purpose — the fewer dis- tractions the better. Colored and spiked hair, faces full of earring piercings, skimpy clothing and Pants falling off at the hip with the boxer shorts sticking out in plain sight a ll contribute to e an tm pt phere of anything g O discipline and good study habits. I support the dress code changes because they help teachers and staff focus more on instruc and and less on whipping out measures to check if shorts are in he parents of children in the T College Station school district s till have a chance to let their opinions count. If you•feel strongly, as I and many parents I know do, that the new dress code is the wrong thing , please make your voice heard. You may write,to either the junior high or the high school before July 30. You must state if you are against or for the new dress code and You must include your name, address and p number in your letter. You may c s e that gives he reasons for g or le your belie e that clothes do not make the student and I strongly encouz age a ll parents to write. AMY FO i College StBtlOn 0 A &M plans water tower makeover By JOHN KIRSCH Eagle Staff Writer What's 183 feet tall and painted tan? Answer: The main campus water tower at Texas A &M University when a makeover is finished this fall. "Welcome To Aggieland" will be paint- ed on the north- and south - facing portions of the tower's top and "ATM" on the east and west sides. "You'll be able to see it from Texas Avenue. The `T' in ATM will be 18 feet high," said David Godbey, the physical plant official in charge of the $540,000 pro- ject. The tower is located just off Univer- sity Avenue on the campus' north end. Crews are removing blue paint from the tower and have placed a shroud -like cov- ering over the top of the structure to keep dust and dirt from settling on nearby buildings. The tower is being painted tan to blend in with nearby buildings on the north side of the A &M campus, Godbey said. "This is going to be the most scrutinized thing on the campus because it's so visi- ble. It's nice because A &M is a friendly See TOWER, Page A14 y °., • Special to the Eagle An artist's depiction of the repainted water tower. C C he Earl Rudder appear By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Stgry Writer Motorists on a 12 -mile stretch of Texas 6 through Bryan and College Station won't have to learn a new route, but they'll soon have to learn a new name for what's popu- larly called the East Bypass. The renaming of the East Bypass as the Earl Rudder Freeway drew a step closer to reality this week with the installation of a highway sign with the new name in north Bryan. The sign is in place but has not been unveiled. Officials said the formal name change would take nlaca na„r ,n.,n +h Change to take E learned that Texas 6 already was designat- ed the Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. Texas Department of Transportation offi- cials said the stretch through Bryan and College Station could be designated the Earl Rudder Freeway as long as the desig- nation was a separate sign and not placed on an existing state sign. Rick Connor, director of public works for the city of Bryan, said the transportation department helped make the change possi- hlu made several years ago to honor Rudder, who was president of A&M for six years and president of the A &M system for five years. He is remembered as the commander of the 2nd Ranger Battalion, which scaled 100 - foot cliffs at Pointe du Hoc during the D- Day invasion of World War IL Rudder, who died in 1990, has been hon- ored in the U.S. Army Hall of Fame and as a distinguished alumnus of A &M. Officials said street names in Bryan will be addressed as North Earl Rudder Free- way, and street numbers will be changed. Street in College Stalin will be Earl Bypas the Rudder designatiop also renamed F 2818 after Harvey Mitchell, known as Fine From A 1 Date: �`_ 2 C� 5l The commission said he now must file that paperwork. "We want to make sure the city's run the way it should be because we care about it," Flores - O ne fined thing, pay the Meath said. "I'll the right fine, an and learn and grow from it. If I expect my coun- cil to do the right thing, I should too. That's why I'm not fighting or e [the fine o The complaints against the other four residents, Norma Miller, Carl Vargo, Susanne McDonald and George Sopasakis, o a + were dismissed. All were kn o- ually notified over the weekend of the commission's decisions. Former City Councilman David Hickson filed a complaint April Man cited for role 13, accusing the petitioners of forming a political action commit - in CS recall petition signific s pending and soliciting g By COLLEEN KAVANAGH the necessary paperwork. Eagle Staff Writer Hickson could not be reached Monday for comment. one of the residents who led an unsuccessful Councilman Ron Silvia said drive to recall the College Station mayor and there is no reason for people not to four council members was fined $100 by the know the commission's laws. • Texas Ethics Commission for violating a provi- "The laws of the Texas Ethics sion of the Election Code. Commission are clear and explic- Benito Flores -Meath was fined after he paid it," he said. "If you're going to $740 for a Feb. 23 newspaper advertisement sum- raise money for any political marizing the reasons action, you have to file with the for the February peti- city. The information is out there. tion which sought to < (This started out It's even on the commission's Web recall former Coun- group as a rou Of site." cilman David Hick- The state Election Code regu- son, Mayor Lynn people Who lates political funds, campaigns McIlhaney and coun Wanted to do the and groups that form to support or cil members Ron Sil oppose ballot propositions or can - via, Anne Hazen and right thing .... As didates. It also regulates groups Larry Mariott. We found out, that circulate petitions to submit The group, com- , for elections. prised of Flores- you can t beat Miller said she had no doubt the Meath and four oth- city hall > commission would dismiss the ers, did not gather gENITO complaint against her. _ enough signatures to "The charges were trumped up force the recall elec- FLORES. -MEATH at city hall to teach `us' a lesson," tion. Pe she said. "It simply didn't work Any group that out. It is comical; I think that this receives or spends council and Hickson tried to nail more than $500 must elect a treasurer and file the us with ethics violations when details, according to Title 15 of the Election Code. they have done away with their "This started cut as a group of people who own through the political process. wanted to do the right thing and tried to do so by The Texas Ethics Commission following the law," Flores -Meath said. "As we decided wisely and well, and I, for found out, you can't beat city hall." one, would never be deterred from He said he did not know that he had to file another recall attempt if and • paperwork with the city secretary, listing con- when it is necessary." tributions and expenditures until the complaint was filed. See FINE, Page A10. Zoning panel to consider CS shopping center plat By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer The College Station Planning and Zoning Commission on Thursday will consider a prelimi- nary plat of 19 acres for a retail shopping center development. The plat, located at the north- east corner of Texas Avenue and Holleman Drive, would be divided into three lots and is a consolida- tion of. a portion of the Pooh's Park and Tinsley Square subdivi- sions. The commission also will con- sider rezoning 14 acres adjacent to the Raintree subdivision from sin- gle- family residential and agricul- tural open space to a planned development district. The applicant submitted a development plan that includes a 180 -unit apartment complex, a 12- unit townhome development and a 35 -foot landscape buffer between the property and the subdivision. Access to the apartments would be from the Texas 6 frontage road, and access to the townhomes would be from a gated, private entrance off the dead end of Appo- matox Drive. The entrance drive will be required to meet the city's resi- dential street standards. Staff recommended the approval of both projects. If the proposals are approved by the commission, they must be approved by the College Station City Council as well. In other business, the commis- sion will consider: ■ A preliminary plat for 18 acres for the Dawn's Meadows subdivision, located at the south- west corner of the intersection of Texas 30 and Roan's Chapel Road. ■ A preliminary plat for 26 acres in the Pebble Hills Estates subdivision, located at Texas 6 north of Greens Prairie Road. ■ A request for rezoning 14 acres southwest of the Royal Ade- lade Drive and St. Andrews Drive intersection from agricultural open to single - family residential. c: _P J A terrible location C itizens of Brazos County, do.we want {; an eyesore at the southern gateway to College Station, Texas A &M University and the George Bush Presidential Library? If the Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency gets its way, we will have a noisy, stinky garbage dump at the intersection of F.M. 159 and Texas 6. The agency claims that this landfill will be aes- thetically and environmentally pleasing. Make up your own mind: Drive east on Rock Prairie Road on a weekday and observe our present garbage dump in oper- ation. The proposed dump will be next to an identified flood plain with the western boundary to be Peach Creek. Peach Creek floods out of its banks during heavy rains, creating the possibility of polluting Peach Creek, the Navasota River, the Brazos River and drinking water for our citizens to the south. Also, ground water is very close to the surface in this area. Is this environmental- ly prudent? Why did the agency select land covered with trees and foliage that provides the habitat for numerous species of animals when it could have picked open pasture land that would not deprive so many ani- mals of their homes? As everyone knows, College Station has been growing southward in leaps and bounds. Why would we want to stop our southern growth with a garbage dump? This dump is scheduled to last for 100 years. Should our children and grandchil- dren be stuck with this site? The Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency will manage the land- fill, so what is Peach Creek Development Company and why are they involved in offering $1,700 to $4,000 per acre when a working landfill is worth $20,000 to $40,000 per acre? Contrary to rumors, all the big land own- ers in the affected area have not agreed anf will not agree to sell their land. EDWARD W. VALENTA Bryan n u E. A timel Chan y ge A week ago, The Bryan - College Station Eagle criticized the College Station City Council for moving its time to hear con- cerns from citizens to 5 p.m. — a time when many residents said they would be unable to appear because of the press of business or family. Several residents had protested the time change. In the past, the council placed its "Hear Visitors" portion at the end of their regular meetings. That was too late for many people, particularly if the meet- ings had been contentious and long. On Thursday, the council listened to the people and agreed to move Hear Visitors to 5:45 p.m. That is a marvelous compromise and we applaud the council members for hearing what the people had to say. Veterans clinic planned in CS Opening expected in 2 months By BLAIR FANNIN Eagle Staff Writer A new veterans outpatient clin- ic is scheduled to open within the next two months in the College Station Professional Building, a Veterans Affairs official said Fri- day. "We are wanting to bring health care closer to the veterans in the communities where they live," said Liz Crossan, a public affairs officer with the Veterans Admin- istration Medical Center in Tem- ple. The outpatient clinic will be operated as part of the Central Texas Veterans Health Care Sys- tem and is expected to open in approximately two months, Crossan said. The organization currently is in the hiring phase for doctors, nurs- es and other personnel. Once the hiring is completed, she said it could speed up the opening date. In the region, there are veterans 6 6It makes sense to have something right there for them to use. > — LIz CRossAN VA public affairs officer hospitals located in Temple, Waco and Marlin, and outpatient clinics are located in Austin, Hamilton, Palestine and Brownwood. The College Station clinic will offer a number of services, Crossan said. "We will be able to provide pri- mary care, physicals, pharmacy service, vision care and other ser- vices," she said. Crossan said the Bryan- College Station area was chosen for a new outpatient clinic because of the growing number of veterans liv- ing in the community. "Instead of making them travel several hours to Temple or Hous- ton, it makes sense to have some- thing right there for them to use," she said. 1 in 3 CS residents favors council on TV • Online services welcome, survey says By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer One in three College Station res- idents would watch televised City Council meetings and more than half would watch educational and informational programs on the city's cable channel, a citizens' survey has found. Surveys on new technolo- gies and resi- dents' overall satisfaction with city ser- vices were pre - sented to the McILHANEY council Thurs- day. Both sur- veys were done by Texas A &M University's Public Policy Research Institute. About 500 residents were asked 141 questions to gauge their over- all satisfaction with city services. Question topics included the < <The population seems ready to embrace technology. 9 9 — LINDA PIWONKA CS director of technology and information police and fire departments, elec- tric and water services, street con- ditions and utility bills. Results indicated that almost 94 percent of the respondents are sat- isfied with city services. The overall satisfaction levels were similar to those in 1997 and 1998, something that Mayor Lynn McIlhaney said shows the strength and professionalism of the city's staff. This was the fast time that a technologies survey has been done, officials said. About 500 residents were cho- sen at random to help city staff gauge how receptive the residents would be to new online service technologies. Of those surveyed,.88 percent have access to the Internet. "That's an astounding percent- age," City Manager Skip Noe said. "This represents a real opportuni- ty to use that resource and com- municate to provide better ser- vices." The survey concluded that resi- dents would use technology, such as the Internet and telephone, to allow for better customer service, officials said. Linda Piwonka, director of the city's office of technology and information, said the use of tech- nology by the respondents was higher than officials expected. "The population seems ready to embrace technology," she said. Council members will review the surveys' results as they go through the budget process to determine if certain areas need additional funding, McIlhaney said. t I R Parking questions . T onight the College Station City Council is to vote on a memorandum of understand- ing with a company.to lease between 250 and 400 parking spaces at the (not yet constructed) Northgate parking garage. This private company will be building a private dorm on the site of A &M Presbyterian Church at Northgate. The church, which dates back to the 1940s, will be demolished. The dorm will have up to 250 rooms for phase 1 and 200 more for phase 2:... , . That's about one parking space per dorm room. A remainder of only 325 spaces would be available for public use. The parking garage was sold to the public and the voters as a pub- lic project. Why are we to lease spaces in a public parking garage to a private company for 20 years? Why doesn't this company just build its own parking spaces, on its own land, like every other busi- ness and apartment complex in town? The council also will vote tonight to approve purchase of land for the garage totaling $495,000. How much over budget are the land purchases for the garage now? Weren't we told at a council meeting that the city would re- evaluate. the. Northgate parking garage costs? Why are we proceeding with land purchases and special deals - when we don't know if the garage and the Patricia Street parking lot is even profitable? BENITO FLORES -MEATH College Station Groundbreaking set for DecisionOne By BLAIR FANNIN Eagle Sta. jJ`' Writer Groundbreaking ceremonies for DecisionOne Corp., Bryan's first major computer company, are scheduled for 11 a.m. Thurs- day at 3101 University Drive East. The firm is expected to be in operation by the fourth quarter of this Year with a 50,000- square -foot customer support center that will Operate 24 hours a day. The com- PanY will employ 500 people with an annual payroll of $12 million. DecisionOne officials said the new facility will help meet demands for its end -user support services. Currently, it operates three call centers in Minneapolis, Minn., Great Valley, Pa., and Tulsa, Okla. — all authorized sup- port centers for both Microsoft and Lotus. "The new customer support center will position us to expand our business while maintaining our commitment to providing high quality customer service," said Tom Farrell, senior vice pres- ident of end -user support services for DecisionOne. DecisionOne, which employs more than 5,000 people and is headquartered in Philadelphia, offers call support services for software publishers, Internet ser- vice providers, and other users. See DECISION, Page Al2 Decision From A9 Services include support for tra- ditional shrink - wrapped soft- ware, network operating systems, custom applications, call manage- ment software and related techni- cal- support activities. "We are very pleased that Deci- sionOne chose Bryan- College Sta- tion for their expansion facility," said Lynn Stuart, chairman of the Bryan - College Station Economic Development Corp: "We think they will be a great new partner in our business community." Private dor m nne a Developers eye Northgate area By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer A $25 million private dormitory may be built in Northgate at the current location of A &M Presby- terian Church, officials said Tuesday. Spirit Development Inc. of Dallas has an option sales contract with the church to buy the property that is contingent upon certain conditions, includ- ing Spirit's negotiations with the city of College Station about leasing spaces in the Northgate Parking Garage. The College Station City Council on Thursday will consider negotiating a lease agreement between the city and Spirit for up to 400 spaces at $125 each per month. Dr. Thomas Estes, pastor of A &M Presbyterian Church, said the 200- member congregation plans to unite with Trinity Presbyterian Church and move to a new location near Rock Prairie Road and Edelweiss Avenue. The church has been at its Northgate location for 77 years, he said. If the council approves the negotiations for a 20- year lease agreement and a lease agreement is reached, it would be presented to the council again for approval. City staff determined that a lease agreement would be feasible from a financial standpoint and would accommodate the project, which fits the council's 1998 strategic issue of increasing North - See DORM, Page A8 Dorm From Al gate development. If the dormitory is completed by 2002, staff estimated that it would generate $16,000 annually in city ad valorem and sales taxes. The council also will consider four real estate contracts on land for the parking garage. The total cost of the property is $496,000, which will be funded by the capi- tal projects budget. Speed limits on all streets in the Northgate area except College Main and Nagle streets may be lowered from 30 to 25 miles per hour if the council approves a proposed ordinance. Streets affected by the ordinance would include Louise, Cherry, Boyett, Patricia and Church. Business owners and church representatives asked the city to lower the speed limit because of a high amount of pedestrians, bicy- cle riders and on- street parking in the area. During the workshop session, the council will discuss its meet- ing procedures, as well as the results of the 1999 Citizen Survey and the Centralized Customer Service Survey. The workshop meeting will begin at 3 p.m., and the regular meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Thursday. Both will be in the council's chambers in City Hall at 1101 Texas Ave. The Eagle City of College Station News Date: 7 - Z -99 gation, officials said. CS Fire Department buys new engine College Station Fire Department officials on Thursday announced the purchase of a new fire engine. The 1999 Pierce Dash engine cost $258,900 and will replace a 1977 Pierce model, officials said. The engine will be in use within two to three weeks, department spokesman Bart Humphries said. The department will inspect the vehicle before entering it into ser- vice. The engine will feature a fire- fighting foam system, which gives the user the option of using water or foam as the situation demands. Officials said it also has a sepa- rate air conditioning system to keep certain medications at a safe temperature. Previously, the sys- tem was connected to the vehi- cle's electrical system. A fire engine typically is used for 20 years, officials said. CS police to target speedy Seat -belt use College Station police said Thursday they will be on the look- out for people who are not buckled up this holiday weekend. More police officers will be on the road looking for speeders and people not wearing their seat belts, Lt. Mike Mathews said. Offi- cers will be stationed in different areas throughout College Station. The department received a grant for the project that helps pay for the cost of additional officers is said. working on the weekend, he pro Mathews said h eo le to observe ject encourages p p speed limits and use seat belts. The project is part of a statewide campaign during the Fourth of July weekend, officials said. Staff reports io The Eagle City of College Station News Date: Eagle photo/Butch Ireland Area and Blinn College officials break ground at the site The $9.5 million project will nearly double the number of the school's Phase 11 construction Thursday morning. of classrooms at the college's Bryan campus. The Eagle City of College Station News Date: - 2 - Thur July 1, 1999 � A &M considers By COLLEEN KAVANAGH and BLAIR FANNIN Eagle Staff Writers Texas A &M University officials will meet with Club Corporation of America representatives Thursday to discuss a possible site for a golf course and club acility that would be named the some of the A &M golf teams. A&M would not own, develop or Manage the course, said Rick loyd, associate vice president for < We are looking for an upscale facility where we can hold Big 12 tournaments.» — RICK FLOYD A&M rtarociate mIm president for Bounum finance at A &M, but would have an athletic department endorse- ment- marketing affiliation with m Enk Thurs"y, Jury 1, 1889 1 • golf Club Corporation of America. "We are looking for an upscale facility where we can hold Big 12 tournaments," he said Wednes- day. "We don't have the facilities right now for that." He said A&M, which sent out requests for golf course proposals in November, received responses from two companies, Club Corpo- ration of America in Dallas and University Clubs of America in Columbia, S.C. A&M initiated a letter of intent with Club Corporation in late Feb- ruary, Floyd said. Club Corporation then was responsible for looking at possible sites in the area and presenting A &M officials with the site they deemed best for the project, offi- cials said. Floyd said Club Corporation officials may reveal which site they have chosen at Thursday's meeting. Club Corporation offi- cials could not be reached for com- ment Wednesday. A &M officials can choose to accept or reject any proposal from Club Corporation since no con- tract has been signed. Floyd said. The city of Bryan approached Club Corporation about building a golf course in west Bryan near Turkey Creek South, city officials said. Councilwoman Kandy Rose said Wednesday she believes the rela- tionship between Club Corpora- See GOLF, Page As course, club facility News have been told that Club Corpora. pion is considering four sites — Poration officials on Jane 23 to ss discu the site, but the city has current golf course is not used by licit teams." arcrest Country Club, said up for the future, he said. three in Bryan and one in College Stan . not been notified of any company Floyd saltl the details of the Wednesday that dub officials are "Our aware of A&M's interest in l off crest, being here at Briar - "A&M has been u p&nnt with decision. "I wish I cold be a ay on the Proposal and agreement have not been worked out. but that g ing one of the few private course/club facility. but do not clubs, is we're doing a lot of repo- believe us." she said. ' told us they wall in [heir meeting [Thurs- Stu- dents cold use such a new facili- such a project will devel- vanon to the golf course. We are op in the next five t urned to Club Corp, to make a and a recommendation day];' Rose said. Houston ty lf they were members. years. putting Champigps Bermuda on •' We kn now something is up, but 'the greens that aQe comparable to to A &M about what site they attorney Tim Crowley said he was contacted by Club A&M's request for proposals listed seven minimum require- we don't know exactly the details The Woodlands. We have of what's he "I think best e She said she rrwt with Club Cor- Corporation officials about the possibility of building a golf menu for any golf course/ devel- oper interested in an A&M li,- going on," said. regressed the fairways with 419 know there has been a push, but . Tifway;' he saidve �. course on 735 acres Crowley owns N south College Station. aff tion. we're not ezactly positive that Flynn said he doesn't think project will go through in the that an A &M project would ' We've talked and exchanged One of the requirements would to to of a club facility with next five years. We do have both decrease Membership at Briar- plans," he d. "I understand they've looked at multiple sites in food and beverage services, swimming tennis men's and women's golf team crest . players that are members of the "I don't think you would see both cities. No deal has been made, but I would be waling to do pool and courts for use by former students, £acid- ty dub. We've bent over backwards [our members] leaving Briam est to give them a good financial sit- to use that facility." he said. "If a project with them." Floyd , staff and ant en of A&M. In turn, A &M would provide nation to use our course. anything, you might get some "I wouldn't be surprised if [a dual use. With the rate of said that even ff A&M becomes affiliated with another mailing lists or directory infor- mation for faculty, staff, students growth new course] happens. It's been in this town, it wouldn't mean talked for golf course, the course on the main campus will stay open. and 12th Man Foundation mom- bete, the request about several years necessarily a threat for Briar. around town," Flynn said. crest, but maybe for Pebble Creek It would not replace the cur- states. Ken Flynn, chief operating of l- If the construction of an A" because they let in a lot of outside golf course does develop, Briar. play." rent golf course ;' he said. "Our car and general manager at Bri- crest officials already are gearing Davis Young, vice President of Pebble Creek Development and - Country Club. said he is not aware of A &M's scope for the pro- jeer. I don't know the details of [A &M's] project. From what 1 understand, they've given Club Corp. an option to make a propos. at" Young said. "I'm not aware of any other clubs ... (A&M is) talk ing with." Maintaining a golf course — especially one of championship quality — requires a sizeable ! amount of revenue each year, 1 Flynn said. ff it's strictly golf. to support and maintain a golf course pro p erly, you've got to spend X;50,000 to 3400,000 to keep it in tiptop shape, including irrigation, man. power, equipment, etc.;' he said. "Some of the top courses in the state spend much more than that. IL"n'sl Crown Colony went from one of the top 10 mum es in the state to No. 1 in Texas, spending 3gOD,000 to $700.000 in maintenance costs. "1'm sure A&M has done all of the numbers. If they are going to go for it. I'm sure they are plan- ning to pay for it," Flynn said. "A&M B one of the largest uni- versities in the nation, if not the world. It gets a lot of participa- tion from its alumni. I wouldn't be surprised if they couldn't fig. ure out a way to do it." Flynn said he is not surprised ( by talk of a new golf course, con. sidering the growth that is being seen in the golf industry. "The golfing world is growing leaps and bounds," he said. an era of change in the golf ins •Austry" course, club facility Cite of College Station News Date. 0 Renovations raise q uestions City of College Station plans changes to former church building BY CARRIE 13ENNEfT The Battalion The property at 303 Boyett in :ollege Station that was built in the 930s has been undergoing reno- ations that will transform the wilding into a barbecue and steak estaurant, which is scheduled for ompletion in August. The structure, which had been noved from its original location at 01 College Main, was historically parsonage for the First Baptist :hutch and has been vacant for a cumber of years. Benito Flores- Meath, Class of 33, said the renovations did not )llow a College Station ordinance and would ruin a potentially his- toric landmark. The ordinance states a struc- ture must be at least 50 years old, be reflected as a high or medium priority by the Northgate Historic Resources Survey, or have been designated as a historic site by the National Register of Historic Places. Flores -Meath said a survey con- ducted by the city, consisting half of A&M students and faculty and half of College Station citizens, found this Northgate zone to be rated as medium to high priority. He said renovating this building is to direct violation of nine out of 10 guidelines under this city ordinance. "What bothers me is not even so much the fact about the historical aspects of it, but the fact that the city was in direct violation of their own laws," he said. Flores -Meath said he thinks the council members who voted on this renovation were not pro perly informed before hand on all the rules and guidelines. "Many times we are portrayed in a very negative way," he said. "I am not trying to accuse anyone of any wrongdoing. I'm just in- terested in the preservation of historically significant places in the city." Michael Wheeler, a College Sta- tion resident who regularly attends City Council meetings, said he thinks that since the city is under certain guidelines they should not make any exceptions. "If citizens try to point out that that they [the city] are doing some- thing wrong, the city ust doesn't listen," Wheeler said . Once some- thing goes wrong, they just say oops, we made a mistake." wheeler said more than the his- torical value, he is concerned that the renovations are being paid for in part by money from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. "1 don't see why taxpayers money are going to go towards this restaurant," he said. "The owner sEE HISTORIC ON PAGE 2. i s Lll� HISTORIC Continued from Page 1 The property at 303 Boyett in College Station, a forrner parsonage, is being renovated as a restaurant despite protests that it is a historic landmark. of the restaurant should be paring for this themselves." Chad Grauke, a principal with Arkitex Studio, the architecture firm that planned the renovations, said the project began regardless of the ordinance because the property had to comply with state requirements. He said the architecture firm con- tacted the Texas Historic Commis- sion and was told the property was not designated as historical and therefore there were no state re- quirements regarding the preserva- tion of the structure. Ned Coleman, an employee in the cemetery preservation office of the Texas Historical Commission, confirmed that the structure had not been officially designated as a historical structure. He said the probable reason for this was because the structure had been moved from its original envi- ronment. Coleman said the movement of a structure from one piece of prop- erty to another was a major reason some structures are not considered for historical designation. Grauke said the renovations were funded by the facade grant program, which distributes federal funds through the community de- velopment sector of the city of Col- lege Station. These grants are used to improve the exteriors of structures and have been used to renovate Burger Boy, University Book Store and Loupot's Bookstore in Northgate. Randy Brumley, housing pro- grams coordinator for the Commu- nity Development in College Station and facade program liaison for the project, said changes being made to the structure include aesthetic changes, utility improvements and restaurant capabilities. Brumley said the air condi- tioning, plumbing and electric services are being brought up to code. He said in addition to these changes some new aspects will be added to the structure, and some of the original materials will be used. "A new roof, new siding and some new windows will be added, but some of the older windows are being used," Brumley said. He said the building will have a "sense of the era" and will feature plantation style columns in the front. Grauke said the restaurant will bring College Station increased rev- enue. "The property value will in- crease and the increased property tax will benefit the city of College Station," Grauke said. "Basically the city got this for free since the project was funded by a federal grant, not by the taxpayers of Col- lege Station." - AL CODY WAGES /r ", B,­, - The Eagle City of College Stab ®n News Date: G- 3&_91 Hiding from the public R ecent actions of the current College Station mayor and City Council majority appear designed to strangle openness, democracy and free speech — and to hide the activities of the govern- ment from public scrutiny. This is an unwholesome and regressive tendency, which many years of experience have taught us is a mistake. It is also a sign of insecurity and weakness. If the members of the City Council want our respect, they will cherish openness and honesty, and shun any attempts by the mayor or others to suppress the very ideals that have made this country great. It is not going too far to say that attempts to suppress input from citizens is un- American. ROLAND ALLEN College Station The Bryan - College Station Chamber Following Ribbon Cutting ceremonies: Integrity -Built Homes - June 1 Steven Wells of Integrity -Built Homes, is a new builder h homes will be Integrity -Built Homes' specialty and affordable housing projects such as the Cedar Crest su information call Steven Wells. 409.693.1922. 1 vard [ley. Mate call Johnny Carino's Country Italian Restaurant Tune 14 Johnny Carino's Country Italian is a casual Italian restaurant, catering to families and parties of all sizes. The menu, inspired from southern Italian country recipes, serves traditional favorites. For more information call Brett Oldham at 409.764 7374 620 Harve Plantation Gardens - June 10 y ' Plantation Gardens recently remodeled store is located off Rock Prarie Road on Highway 6 South. Recent expansions will help to serve the Brazos Valley with landscaping, designing and installation needs. For more information call Jennifer Pearce at 409.690.6045. 1804 Southern Plantation Drive. `"IV Kona Ranch Steakhouse - June 14 Kona Ranch is a casual, ranch -style restaurant. An open kitchen inspired by big ranch working kitchens, Kona Ranch serves a variety of entrees. For more information call Monte Jungman at 409.694.4618. 520 Harvey Road. . The Chamber of Commerce gratefully acknowledges and appreciates the continued coverage of these ceremonies by Mark Sykes of Mark Sykes Photography. yr ' , ' I j S — yes C� PNR1RGflRPN4 OTIrml COLLEGE STATION, TX Business Briefs is a weekly feature written and edited by Eagle Advertising as a special service to our customers. To submit your item for this service, drop it by the Eagle or mail to: Special Editions Editor, Business Briefs, P.O. Box 3000, Bryan, Texas 77805. Deadline is Wednesday a 10 A.M. ,ale The Eagle # City of College Stab ®n (Date: � Z 9 -Jy 1 Northgate lot raises concerns BY RYAN WEST The Battalion After a year, students and busi- nesses are experiencing effects from the Promenade parking lot, the pay parking lot behind Northgate. SEE RELATED COLUMN O Ahmad Moady, manager of The Cow Hop, said although he is pleased the area is fixed -up, he is not happy with the lot. Moady said the issue with cus- tomers is not so much the dollar that people pay to park, but the fact they have to pay at all. He said they now have to work harder and offer more specials to maintain the business. "At night, people don't mind paying to have fun and go out drinking," Moady said. "But during the day, people aren't interested in paying money to park and eat." Bernie Gessner, owner of Aggie Cleaners, said the parking lot puts his store at a competitive disad- vantage as a commercial district. "During the lunch rush, people want to come in and drop their clothes off, but because we're fight- ing against the restaurants, it's dif- ficult for our customers to get a parking place anywhere other than in paid parking," he said. Gessner said the paid parking dilutes the enforcement of time limitations on the street as well. He said during the day, there are usu- ally between 10 and 12 cars parked in paid spots "We tried to petition [College Station] City Council to lower the rate to 50 cents during the day, but SEE PARKING ON PAGE 2. CODY WAGES/TH-. BArrm.10N Some Northgate business owners say the Promenade paid parking lot has made it harder for their establishments to attract customers. PARKING Continued from Page 1 the rate to 50 cents during the day, but there are conflicts with the [planned] parking garage." Richard Benning, owner of Duddley's Draw, said having to pay for parking is a fair trade -off for the improvements made dur- ing recent construction around Northgate. Monica Wofford, a junior Eng- lish and history major, said she sees the parking lot as a major in- convenience. She said many times she will end up going and paying for a couple of hours, but then she and her friends will decide to stay longer. They usually have to go back and wait in line for another half -hour to pay for additional parking time. "Another problem is that I dri- ve by myself up to Northgate to .. , moo ...r r� rn i ME v.J CS council approves landfill agreement The Battalion The College Station City Council voted unan- imously Thursday to make changes to the process by which residents have a chance to voice their opinions. It also took action on the proposed landfill. The City Council moved the time allotted for community feedback, known as Hear Visitors, from near the end of the Council meeting to 5 p.m. The City Council meeting starts at 6 p.m. Speakers will be limited to 15 minutes, which will allow five citizens who have signed up to speak for three minutes each. If a sixth citizen signs up to speak, the time could be extended. Citizens expressed their disapproval for the change, and said that it may be difficult for peo- ple to reach City Hall in time to speak on an is- sue because many cannot leave work until 5 p.m. The Council also conditionally approved the good neighbor agreement between the city of College Station and the Peach Creek Develop- ment Company for the proposed landfill site, which will be drawn up and brought back to the Council. Mike Carleton, a representative for HDR En- gineering Inc., said the company wants to work with the owners of the site and land owners around the proposed site to come up with ways to achieve their goals, of which their main goal is to "protect the environmental qualities of the region." Other goals of the good neighbor agreement include providing a vital service to the commu- nity, maintaining a long -term commitment to care for the site and establishing trust and a long -term cooperative relationship between cit- izens and the development company. Of the total 626 acres of the proposed site, lo- cated at Highway 6 and FM 159, more than half will be used to screen the landfill. "The area is large enough to allow for visu- al screening and buffer contouring, so we will be adding trees into the design," Carleton said. Jeff Milburn, a resident of the Nantucket sub- division, said one objection he had to the pro- posed landfill site is that it will be at the main gateway to a new community. He said some of his worries included trash on the road, vermin in the area and a significant amount of garbage - truck traffic in the community because of the landfill. Milburn said he was concerned about what effect the landfill would have on the continued growth of the city to the south. "We're talking about putting this to the south of town, which has been the primary develop - men[ direction for the city of College Station for the last 22 years," he said. "I don't think it is a good idea to put a landfill upwind of your city." Council member Dennis Maloney said the city will go to great lengths to ensure that more than half the site will be green space used to beautify the area. "The fact is you have to get rid of your trash," Maloney said. "It behooves us to bite the bul- let, show leadership and do it." • • The Eagle Ounnis B.MAt Jh Ntichnel Feist Robert C. &trden Publisher and Fditnr \Innnging Fditnr Opinions Fditnr Council should reconsider time I t is hard to find anyone who is opposed to the concept of open government, at least publicly. The real question is just how open that government is to be. Twenty -five years ago, Texas enacted one of the first laws in the nation requir- ing government meetings to be held in the open and declaring that most information created by or gathered by the govern- ment is open for inspection. Over the years, attempts have been made to weaken those laws, primarily by those who don't want the public — their employers — messing in their business. Fortunately, the Legislature pretty much has ignored those efforts, although every session a new battle looms. Open meetings laws require governmental bodies to hold most discussions in public. Notice of the meetings must be posted in advance and the public must be given an idea of what subjects are to be discussed. There is more to the concept of open government than sim- ply letting the public in. There is an understanding that gov- ernmental meetings must be held at a time and place when Joe or Jane Citizen can participate. In other words, meetings can't be held in the middle of the night in a place not accessi- ble to the public. But there is more. Governmental bodies should encourage public participation. One of the ways many groups do this is a portion set aside to hear concerns from the public. City councils in both College Station and Bryan have time set aside to "Hear Visitors." People who wish to speak are required to sign a card stating their name and address for the record. They also are limited to three minutes — enough time to state their concern in most cases. People can speak on issues before the council or issues they think should be. Now, the College Station City Council wants to limit such public discussion. On Thursday, council members moved the Hear Visitors section from the end of the regular council meetings to a no-man's time of 5 p.m. That falls between the council's two public meetings: the 3 p.m. workshop sessions and the 6 p.m. regular council meeting. Will they post a sepa- rate notice for the Hear Visitors meeting? Council members say they moved the time to make it more convenient for the public. Before Thursday, people wishing to speak had to sit through often long and sometimes con- tentious meetings in order to address the council. We applaud the council for wishing to spare citizens that wait. But 5 p.m. is simply too early for many people who wish to speak to the council. Most people don't get off work until 5 p.m. and then they have to fight the ever - increasing traffic to get to City Hall. By the time they get there, the Hear Visitors session most likely will be over. We agree with those in the audience Thursday night who suggested the Hear Visitors portion be moved to early in the regular meeting, sometime shortly after 6 p.m., as the Bryan City Council does. That would give visitors time to get to City Hall, sign in and prepare to speak. We hope College Station City Council members will recon- sider the time for Hear Visitors. If they value open govern- ment as much as they say, we are confident they will. The Eagle Ci of College Station New Dated C,2 -q -y Z� IYCWS • L 71 Cou From Ai An audience member spoke up during the council's discussion. "What are you people afraid oi?" he asked. "We're not afraid of a damn thing," Maloney said. "Why don't You come up here and talk to us ?" The exchange ended when Mayor Lynn McIlhaney stepped in to remind everyone that it was a council discussion, not art open dialogue. "I think we'll be better able to serve the citizens with Hear Visi- tors at 5 because staff will be here," she said. The ethics ordinance, which was drawn up with the recom- mendations of three former may- ors, has been criticized for finan- cial disclosure requirements that many city board and committee members felt were personal and unconnected with city business. One of the chief complaints was a requirement that members annually report a stake exc, ing one percent in any property in the city, including private property homes. Another provi- sion required members to report any gift of more than $50 they received from any person. includ- ing a relative. The council adopted the ordi- nance Oct. 22, RN. and decided to implement it Jan. 1, 1999. On Dec. 17, the council decided to delay its implementation until members of the boards and com- mittees had been briefed. Without the ordinance, mem- bers of the council and six other boards and committees still fatll tinder the conflict of interest pro- visions embodied in the Texas Local Government Code and the City Charter, officials said. On another issue, council members approved the Rood neighbor agreement for the pro- posed landfill on the condition that the agreement be worked out and brought back to the council for approval. The city also has the right to exercise a number of property options after the land is acquired if the agreement does not happen. council members said. Jeff Milburn. a resident of the Nantucket subdivision, said that. If the landfill is built on the pro- posed site in southern Brazos County, it will ruin a main gate- way to the community and hin- der the city's development, which has moved south. "I also don't think it's a good idea to put a landfill upwind from NAT From Al Solana said at an afternoon news conference. He spoke after meeting with Serbian and Albanian representa- tives, including Hashhn Thaci. Political leader of the rebel Koso- the city," he said. Maloney encouraged the coun. cil to approve the agreement, and said the council would work with landowners in and around the proposed site. "This is the best site of the options we had." he said. "The fad is, we have to get rid of trash, so we should bite the bullet, show some leadership and do it and, in the end, hope it to be a good choice." The Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency would fund the new landfill through its cash reserves. In other business, the council: ■ Contracted with The Sanita- tion Specialist for Northgate Promenade cleanup. The Sanita- tion Specialist was the lowest bid at $18,000. In April, the council discussed a two-year agreement with the Northgate Merchant's Associa- tion in which the association would provide litter control and help with special event coordina- tion. The association would receive $1,000 per month for litter control and $500 for special event coordination, officials said. The proposal was tabled because of concerns that other groups might be willing to pro- vide both services for a lower price. Bids will be accepted for spe- cial event coordination at a later date, officials said. ■ Made property within the city limits eligible for single -fam- ily housing for people of low and moderate income. This housing will be finanrad h- In ^ -- --_.,e Change brings chticism CS Council alters ,,.time for comments .COLLEEN KAVANAGH to Staff Writer , t e College Station City Council, despite grum•. flrom some of the more than 50 people in atten- , unanimously voted Thursday to move Hear Ift to an earlier time. The council also 'repealed its controversial ethics ordinance and conditionally approved a good neigh- bor agreement between the Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency end Peach Development t Co Pww for a proubmd laramn at Texaa B,snd F.M. 159 in southern Brazos County. Hear Visitors, usually the last agenda item at reg- ular council meetings, is a time when residents can address the council on city- related Issues not on the agenda. The council moved it to 5 p.m., after its workshop sessions. Hear Visitors will be scheduled from 5 to 5:15 p.m. and could extend beyond the 15 minutes if there are more than six residents who wish to address the council, officials said. Residents said they were concerned with the move because people would have trouble after work get- ting to City Hall by 5 p.m. "I haven't found a single thing that encourages us to come and talk to you," Benito Flores -Meath said. "After the invocation [at council meetings] is most convenient for your citizens — the people who put you there — to speak." Council members said they discussed changing the time because people would not have to waft until the end of each meeting to address the council. "I thought this move would allow more people access to the council," Councilman Dennis Maloney said. "One thing is true about College Station poli- tics — people have access to the City Council. "I think five o'clock makes it easier for people," he said. "We need to find a way to get more people up here to talk, and people wait way too long to talk." See COUNCIL, Page AS from the proceeds of the Brazos County Housing Finance Corpo- ration's single -family mortgage revenue bonds. ■ Approved a franchise agree- ment with American Medical Waste Management Inc. for col- lection and disposal services for treated and untreated medical waste. This is the third and final reading of the 5 -year agreement proposal. ■ Tabled an ordinance that establishes an absentee policy for council- appointed boards and committee members. Councilman James Massey said he was concerned that the proposed ordinance requires committee members to resign after three unexcused absences in a 12 -month period. The ordi- nance was referred to city staff. N n n 7^N r: /'f n ti City of College Station News Date: SchoolS CS schools update crisis control pla By KELLI LEVEY Eagle Staff Writer Campus principals in the Col- lege Station school district soon will begin learning about the dis- trict's updated crisis management plan, officials said Wednesday. The addition of a 24 -hour crisis hotline is the biggest change in the plan, said John Rouse, the dis- trict's director of state and federal programs .and student services. "The key thing was to have one contact phone number and a per- son to answer that at all times," Rouse said. "We've never had that, and it really seems like it will streamline the whole process." The school district has formed a Safe Schools Partnership with Texas Communications and AT &T Wireless Services. Texas Communications donated a pager and air time, and waived activation fees. AT &T Wireless donated a cellular phone and waived activation and monthly fees. "We expect the hotline will enable us to handle serious prob- < We expect the hotline will enable us to handle serious problems. > > j — JM SCALES I CS school district superintendent i lems that need immediate atten- tion and cannot wait until the next work day," district Superin- tendent Jim Scales said. Officials in August began updat- ing the district's Crisis Manage- ment Handbook. A 22- member committee of parents, teachers, nurses, counselors and campus and district administrators met numerous times during the school year to discuss the crisis manage- ment plan. "We also had representatives from the city of College Station, the fire department, the police department, the medical commu- nity and citizens," Rouse said. "The process was valuable in that SCHOOLS, Page A6 From Al it increased communications between the school district . and other members of the community "Now we have a copy of the city's plan and they have a copy of ours, an d I think we all have a bet- ter people do," " he said. h ot r people real - ly helped strengthen communica- tion structures with the other entities." Rouse said the process started long before the end -of -the -year rash of violence in schools around the nation, but the infor- mation in the handbook will help school administrators deal with all types of situations. The handbook covers topics ranging from bus accidents to dis- orderly visitors to missing chil- dren. It also outlines staff respon- sibilities during a crisis. In an introduction to the hand- book, Scales wrote that he hopes the response procedures never are needed. "A crisis, whether it is an acci- dent, a willful disruption, or a natural disaster, stops the educa- tional process immediately and often for a long time afterward," he said. "This handbook suggests ways of avoiding such situations through preparedness and w ness. It continues by providing response procedures for dealing with a crisis." Training sessions will begin in August for employees throughout the district, Rouse said. c near ua sc-s- lald//t— toLu7y J investments in growth have turned an old critic into a new fan, Page T3. T HE TEXAS MLS HOUSING- SALES INDEX increased 7.9% MLS Housing— Sales Index in April, a decline from the percentage earlier 8.7% growth rate in the previous (six -month moving average) month. The index measures 2 5w 5 Arlington statewide sales of existing (not 38 Austin 1992 new) residential properties. Among lox, 1998 97 the large metropolitan areas, Dallas 1998 f4 Houston posted the greatest drop in its index 50 — - 1997 hom the year - earlier period, and Irving 1999 37 Houston posted another sharp de- 10,, - San Antonio cline. Fort Worth's index, though 24 weaker than last year, remained' strong, followed closely by the in- I -; dexes of Austin and San Antonio. The cities along the Mexican border L 1 saw a housing-market rebound, led' ` 1997 1998 1999 by strong growth in McAllen. Region by Region Percentage change in the MLS Housing -Sales Index from year - earlier period ®Jan.— April '98 Jan.—April '99 aow 25% tow . 15% 10% 5% na TE7UR Nouxtnn nAllnx FL Worth eon Mlonin Auxtin Tho anrdrr' 'arowmville, E.1 Pen, I.emdu, WAllrn ECONOMIC FOCUS Home Ownership Rises, But Still Trails the Nation By PATRICK B ANTA .�nnr u, „n,•r „J'nu.: wA.i. urn 1 -r. r.n„urvAr. More people are buying homes in Texas than at any time since the early 1980s. Yet the percentage of Texas house- holds that own their own dwellings is be- low where it was in 1981. a nd it continues to lag behind that of most other slates. Although the state's homeownership rate has edged up since the early 1990s, to 62.5% as of last year, it is still below the 64.3'% registered in 1980, according to the Texas A &M Real Estate Center in College Station and the U.S. Census Bureau. Of the four Texas cities covered by a new Real Estate Center study — Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio and Houston —all but Houston have experienced declining home - ownership rates during the period. (The study covers detached houses, apartments and other types of a steady influx of both low- income immi- granls tmel Iransient workers — especially in high -tech industries —who are less likely to buy homes than older, estab- lished residents. Thomas Toland, a 27-year-old law - school graduate who moved this summer from New Orleans to work for a Dallas law firm, isn't in a rush to buy a house. "I want to make sure that I'm financially stable enough to warrant actually mak- ing such a considerable purchase.” says Mr. Toland. What's more, he adds, by not buying a house, "1'm more mobile." Demographics may also explain why Texans are less likely to buy their homes than people elsewhere, say economists. The population in the Texas cities is younger than that in the 42 cities Sur- veyed, and the median age is rising more slowly. While the median age in all four TEXAS JOURNAL Good Times Spur Citi New Parks and Spruce AWAu. er.Ar.N1u Roundup Urban Texans, having done their best to pave paradise, are putting up parks again. Texas cities are embarking on a park - building boom, adding hike - and -bike trails, greenbelts, soccer fields and other outdoor amenities at a rate faster than anything experts have seen in decades. Among the most ambitious park pro- jects of recent years is a $73.5 million plan in Dallas to turn the mosquito-infested Trinity River flood plain into a string of lakes, parks and trails. And in San Anto- nio, voters over the past five years have set aside $65 million in pond money forparks— the first bond packages the city has ap- proved for parks since 1970. It isn't only space-hungry urbanites who are leading the new loom. College Sta- tion recently approved a bond package to bury up flood -plain land for dedicated green space, while more than a half dozen North Texas suburbs have recently built or are in the process of building new city parks. Just two weeks ago, voters in the tiny but fast- growing burg of Allen, north of Dallas, approved $22 million in bond money for new parks —an average of about $760 for every one of its 29,000 residents. "l think there's enough data to suggest that we could be entering a golden era" of municipal -park development in Texas, says Ted Sift, director of government af- fairs for the Texas office of the Trust for Public Land, a San Frarecisco-based park - advocacy organization. The last time Texas saw such a crop of new parks was in the postwar years of the 1950s and 1960s, when a flush economy en- abled cities to build hundreds of parks for the scores of new suburbs sprouting up across the state. Today, Texas cities are flush again, fol- lowing the state's 11th straight year of eco- nomic expansion. And residents, alarmed by suburban sprawl, are haranguing their elected officials to set aside more land for public use. "People are always more receptive to spending on parks U they're happy with their fire, police, streets and flood control first," says Oliver B. Spellman Jr., director of the Houston Parks and Recreation De- partment. "Right now, we have an oppor- tunity." But what they're asking for, often- times, is something far different from the prototypical suburban park of yesteryear, a cV U u Irap A.r Ull JWNN to service Dell Compf• facility in Nashville, es to Sprout Util Up Old Ones C ou The Greening of Texas Texas cities have passed a series of major bond initiatives in recent years to raise money for parkland acquisition and park improvements Here are some of the bond packages approved this decade CITY Y AMOUNT in millions Allen 1999 $22 Arlington 1994 5 Arlington 1997 38 Austin 1992 70 Austin 1998 97 Dallas 1998 f4 Houston 1992 50 Houston 1997 -�" Irving 1999 37 San Antonio 1994 41 San Antonio 1 24 � 0 Aaaa Despite all the recent spending on parks, however, large differences remain in the amount of parkland in Texas cities 'includes about 8,000 acres of limited- access nature preserve t includes lakes Sources, rrusr for Public Land, the cities with its swing sets, seesaws and baseball diamonds bounded by four paved roads. While those are still popular, today's Tex- ans also want more rugged pleasures, such as rustic hike - and -bike trails that connect distant parks (or even cities), and even un- touched forest lands. Here's a lonk at the park - building activ- ities of a few Texas cities. HOUSTON ........................... When it comes to parks, the Bayou City is playing catch up. . Houstonians pay about 16 million visits to city parks in a year, walking and jog- ging, picnicking and playing organized sports, thanks to year -round warm weather and the fact that it lakes it lung time to drive out of the sprawling city. Yet the city has less park acreage for each res- ident than Dallas, Fort Worth or Austin, and falls well below national averages. "We're considered park -poor here," says Mr. Spellman, the Houston Parks and Recreation director. To remedy the problem, the city is preparing a citywide master plan for its parks, which will determine and guide Houston's park needs for the next z0 years and make it easier for the city to quality for state and federal park grants. The plan, still in its draft phase, recommends adding GS new parks for an additional 1,700 acres and expanding 16 of the 311 existing parks. To develop the plan, city officials counted the number of school-aged chil- dren in each neighborhood, projected fu- ture growth corridors, and surveyed exist- ing undeveloped green space that could be purchased, leased or shared. Officials are taking the plan to neighborhmxl groups this summer, and it will go before the mayor and city council for final considera- tion in the fall. Costs for the first phase of the plan are estimated at about MO million. Mr. Spellman says. The city isn't waiting for the adoption of the master plan to begin its catching up. It's in the middle of an eight -year park -ren- ovation program financed with Wi million in bonds approved by voters in 1992 and 1997. In addition to the bond - financed reno- vation, the biggest current park project is the $100 million makeover of Hermann Please Turn to 1"age T5, Column 1 a AII WSTQE XFT 6 -i3 -99 PARK ACRES PER C ACRES 1,000 PEOPLE Austin 23,208' 41.2 Gallas 21,000' 215 El Paso 1,475 2.1 Houston 70.537 11 0 San Antonio 7,575 6. 7 'includes about 8,000 acres of limited- access nature preserve t includes lakes Sources, rrusr for Public Land, the cities with its swing sets, seesaws and baseball diamonds bounded by four paved roads. While those are still popular, today's Tex- ans also want more rugged pleasures, such as rustic hike - and -bike trails that connect distant parks (or even cities), and even un- touched forest lands. Here's a lonk at the park - building activ- ities of a few Texas cities. HOUSTON ........................... When it comes to parks, the Bayou City is playing catch up. . Houstonians pay about 16 million visits to city parks in a year, walking and jog- ging, picnicking and playing organized sports, thanks to year -round warm weather and the fact that it lakes it lung time to drive out of the sprawling city. Yet the city has less park acreage for each res- ident than Dallas, Fort Worth or Austin, and falls well below national averages. "We're considered park -poor here," says Mr. Spellman, the Houston Parks and Recreation director. To remedy the problem, the city is preparing a citywide master plan for its parks, which will determine and guide Houston's park needs for the next z0 years and make it easier for the city to quality for state and federal park grants. The plan, still in its draft phase, recommends adding GS new parks for an additional 1,700 acres and expanding 16 of the 311 existing parks. To develop the plan, city officials counted the number of school-aged chil- dren in each neighborhood, projected fu- ture growth corridors, and surveyed exist- ing undeveloped green space that could be purchased, leased or shared. Officials are taking the plan to neighborhmxl groups this summer, and it will go before the mayor and city council for final considera- tion in the fall. Costs for the first phase of the plan are estimated at about MO million. Mr. Spellman says. The city isn't waiting for the adoption of the master plan to begin its catching up. It's in the middle of an eight -year park -ren- ovation program financed with Wi million in bonds approved by voters in 1992 and 1997. In addition to the bond - financed reno- vation, the biggest current park project is the $100 million makeover of Hermann Please Turn to 1"age T5, Column 1 a AII WSTQE XFT 6 -i3 -99 TEXAS JOURNAL Cities Sprout New Parks, Spruce Up Old Ones Continued FYotn Page 72 Park, a 410-acre regional park near Rice University and the Texas Medical Center south of downtown. Using funds from the city's general- improvement account and $13 million in private donations raised by the Friends of Hermann Park, a nonprofit group, the first phase of the long- needed renovation includes rebuilding the 85 -year- old park's scenic reflecting pond, land- scaping the 18 -hole golf course and updat- ing the park's outdoor theater. A separate $75 million fund is being used to upgrade the park's Houston Zoological Gardens. And Harris County, which has its own park system in addition to undeveloped green space used for flood control, has slated a November bond election that in- cludes $12 million for parks. DALLAS For landlocked Dallas, surrounded by suburbs, acquiring new parklands isn't usually an option. "When land is going for S150,000 an acre, it's a little hard for us to put money into a program to buy at those rates," says Steven Park, assistant direc- tor for the Dallas Parks and Recreation Department. So the city is mostly fixing up its exist- ing parks, concentrating on the big tourist destinations such as the Dallas Zoo and Fair Park, home of the Texas Stale Fail'. Using funds from bond projects in 199S and 1998, Dallas park officials are spending up to $10 million on the zoo, adding a new tiger exhibit and constructing a children's zto. They're spending S.30 million at Fair Park to restore Art Deco buildings and other construction projects. It isn't all showcase projects; city offi- cials also are putting about St.:; million into each of several area playgrounds, mainly to bring them into compliance with new safety regulations. The Trinity River project, rejected by voters in the 1970s. gives Dallas it rare op- portunity to add new parklands through file lirrride:m task of transforming the floa4pione Trinity into what promoters say will INv a crown jewel of lakes, parks and jugging if dose to downtown. Vot ers last year narrowly approved 5246 mil- lion in bonds to finance the project, which eventually will include a loll road and new flan]- cnnh'ol 1VVVvS, tlrspite nplNisilinu from if broad coalition that included envi runniental groups that objected M any pro jecis in the Trinity flood plain. The parks portion is expected to cost about S42 million, mainly to acquire the Great Trinity Forest, the nation's largest urban forest, and to build a visitor center, canoe launches and hiking trails in the park. Another $31.5 million is set aside for a 135 -acre lake or chain of lakes. Both pro- to tie into another massive parks develop- ment in North Texas: the 250-mile pro- posed Trinity Trails System, which plan- ners hope eventually will connect Texas cities along the river from Dallas to the Ok- lahoma line. About 55 miles of the trail have been completed so far. AUSTIN Austin, ground zero for "smart growth" in Texas- development that seeks to avoid such urban ills as traffic and overbuild- ing -has been on a park spending spree. With 23,208 acres designated as parkland, the city has almost doubled its park acreage since 1990. - However, some of the new parkland will never see a soccer field. In 1993, the city ac- quired 7,000 acres in the Balcones Canyon- lands west of Austin for parkland, mainly to protect the habitats of several endan- gered species. But only a small portion is accessible to bicyclists and hikers, and of- ficials don't plan on traditional park devel- velopment of Town Lake Park, along the Colorado River on the south edge of downtown. Town Lake is already the site of one of Austin's best -known features, a 10 -mile hike - and -bike trail, and city Offi- cials are planning to add to the trail with construction of a $21 million park on city - owned land along the river in conjunction with a new community and performance center, financed by a new 57. tax on car rentals. "People who have been around Austin for more than a decade have seen a lot of growth," says Stuart Strong, the city Parks and Recreation Department's division manager for planning, design and con- struction. "People have decided to put the dollars down [for parklands] or face the city, like a lot of others, being overdevel- oped." AN ANTONIO S _ ...... ............................... For years San Antonio has enjoyed the dubious distinction of having the least park 1000 0- space per , pe Public Property pie any major In Houston, the biggest project is the makeover of Hermann Park, Texas s city except 410 acres just south 01 downtown that were given to the city in 1914 th an seven acres of Paso, with less by philanthropist George Hermann th parkland for every Renovations Include: 1,000 residents. • Hermann Park lake: Residents have enlarging and deepening - - 'Y'= grumbled that the 4.9 acres into 7.9 acres, city's Parks and adding islands, wetlands, Recreation Depart- trees and walkway. merit spends too adding a boat house >„». much money rot ■Hermann Park - "'''. amenities for Golf Coarse: reconfigur- -�- tourists, like Mir- ing the holes, landscaping and irrigation, new clubhouse ket Square and the is Reflecting Pool: adding cascading water, new children's fountain whicr ch t it m both of whi manages. as Houston Zoological Gardens: redoing the tropical -bird house, cre- This year, the Be- ating a new entrance, new children's zoo partment will ■ Miller Outdoor Theater: improved mechanical, air - conditioning spend S3 million of and electrical systems, new lighting and sound systems, additional its $28 million bud - public restwoms, new ticket office, new walkways and a raised gel on the Rive dining terrace Walk alone. But file picture has begun to improve in recent years: In 1994, voters approved S41 million in bind money for parks, the first little they had authorized bonding for parks since 1970. They followed that up with an additional $24.2 million approved in May of this - year. Now life city is on if park-enhancement and park - building tear. It has some 115 pro- jects in various stages of development -m- eluding adding trails and athletic fields at some sites, as well as creating more than a half-dozen new parks- compared with an average of 20 to 30 projects at any given time in the 1970s and 1980s. Among the biggest projects: develop- ment of The 202 -ac eBebnWml Park north' opmenl there. Austin voters have also ap- proved M5 million in binds to buv 15,000 acres in the environmentally sensitive Ed- wards Aquifer recharge zone west of Austin, partly for traditional park use and partly for rugged hiking and camping. Willi prorrds from if $97:1 trillion Nu- veniber bond eleelion, Austin officials are phuming more h'adilional pai li develop- ment. The biggest is the long-platmed de- velopment of 363 acres in east Austin called the Colorado River Park, designed to serve the traditionally park -poor eastern part of the city. So far, planners have set aside $10 million to begin development of the park. which will include eight soccer fields, two basketball courts and a children's Play- _,.. ..,'erY Is _ "We're in a real growth mode," says Dale Bransford, park projects manager for the city's Parks and Recreation Depart- ment. But even that isn't enough, he says. Thanks to the crush of new subdivisions go- ing up, mostly in the northern stretches of town, demand continues to grow "faster than we can keep up with." EL PASO Parks in El Paso have periodically taken a back bench to other development, but city officials are planning for a park - building boom. As in most Texas cities, parkland ac- quisition fell off to nothing during the bust years of the 1980s and early '90s, and now the city has about 1,500 acres of park- land -about 30% below what a city its size should have, municipal officials say. Parks are full on weekends, and the short- age is especially acute in a city with a large Hispanic population that regularly uses parks for family and social gather- ings. In an attempt to remedy the situation, the city adopted its first parkland-dedica- tion ordinance in 1989; it required devel- opers to set aside one acre of parkland for every 200 single - family or 425 multifam- ily housing units, or pay a fee to the city. But with demand for housing so strong, most developers just pay the fees, city of- ficials say. Since the measure was re- vised in 1995, the city has added only about 20 acres of parks through the pro- gram. The program also "doesn't address the question of larger parks where you can put hall fields," says Charles Nutter, director of tilt- El Paso Parks and Recreation De- partment. To that end, city officials are preparing what they call a "Quality of Life" bond issue, with $T2 million of the $136 million proposal dedicated for parks and recreation facilities. It's unclear when the measure might go before voters, but some say it is unlikely to make the Novem- ber ballot. Parks officials have ambitious plans for the money: In addition to paying for im- provements on nearly all of the city's 112 parks, they want to add five new parks, in- cluding two regional parks of more than 100 acres each that combine a full range of sports and recreational activities. They want to build a new sports complex, along with three new recreational centers, and improve lighting on existing ball fields. The plans also call for development of a "linear" park along 14 miles of the Rio Grande that isn't part of the border with Mexico. (The rest of the riverfront is con- trolled by the U.S. Border Patrol and largely fenced or walled off to deterlllegal � JJJ IJ P -1 A Their Trophy Case: Thy- Stars loin the smolvy Cup —tilt first Sun Bell team to take lwme the National Hockey League hon„r. ♦ Michael Dell: The Dell Corp. chairman, with an estimated nel worth of $16.5 billion, leads the list of 12 7kxans in Forbes magazine's roster of the world's richest people. A Water Users: The Dallas City Council recommends rescinding a year -old hike in water rates because orhigher- -than- expected revenue from last summer's heat wave. .Losers ♦ Texas Government: hbron-r Lt. Go, Bob Brdhsk, a ucteroa ofmor, than 40 years of public service, die: at his Austin home. ♦ Compaq Computer, The Houston PC maker says it will lose 15 cents n share in the second quarter and cut additional jobs because ofprice wars and management problerim V School Choice: 77ie 7ksas Ranger: are investigating a Waco charter school alter an auditor finds a .$400,000 deficit and inadequate /:seal cai.lrol -.. Lette to t he Editor Behind Insurance Pool's Rate Rise Your June 9 article "Health Pool Will Raise Rates by 207 falsely implies that I dictated a Texas health insurance risk pool rate increase double what the pool's board of directors wanted. The article quotes a perennial critic of the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) - without rebuttal -as saying this was done solely to enrich the insurance industry. These inaccuracies do me an injustice and damage The Wall Street Journal's credibility in the eyes of those who know and understand the underlying law and the actual sequence of events. Here are the facts, which TDI's asso- ciate commissioner for life /health insur- ance /managed care and I both described to your reporter in considerable detail. Based on its actuary's recommenda- tion, the pool board approved a 10 rate increase, subject to my approval. When TDI received the pool's rate filing, a staff actuary immediately noticed that it left out elements -such as claim experience and other expenses -that Texas law re- quires the pool's rates to recognize. Our actuary contacted the pool's actu- ary, who immediately acknowledged the inadvertent omission of the statutorily required elements from her rate calcula- tions. After receiving its actuary's cor- rected calculations, the pool board, of its own volition, withdrew its earlier rate fit -- ink, unanimously adopted an increase of 20% and sent it to TDI for my approval. The 20% increase, which I approved, was reasonable and reflected the pool boarEU desire to minimize rate shock for its poll- eyholders. Contrary to your article, neither I TDI staff nor I urged or even suggest that the pool board raise its rates by 20 Our job is to enforce the law as given to by the Legislature. When the pool sent rates that were not calculated in see- dance with the law, staff had a duty which it met -to call that deficiency The pool board itself pulled down its original rate recommendation,46 the pool's attention. Upon receiving vised rate calculations, the pool board self pulled down Its original -life reco mendatilm and laanlmously adopted t 20% rate increase. _. I recognize that any rate Increase any line of insurance may work a ha ship on those who can g ford the coverage, It's ' that rates in ]flat 1t marke4 MW such , such as the pool. must voluntary markets because 111 f:rea'' claim potential of the polighQIde )6 The law as enacted by the te& lalti Tacna Joule" u ers tmxs required -.r_ m-- _ . _ _ J � The Eagle City of College Station News LS to reconsider ethics ordinance r� ges AW will be financed by loans made C ouncil from the proceeds of the Brazos County Housing Finance Corpora - +;--,. ci.,nln_fnmite rnorteaee rev- By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer The College Station City Council on Thursday will consider repeal- ing its controversial ethics ordi- nance and moving Hear Visitors, usually the council's last agenda item, to 5 p.m. The council discussed both agen- da items during its annual retreat in May. The ethics ordinance, which was drawn up with the recommenda- tions of three former mayors, has been criticized for financial disclo- sure requirements that many city board and committee members felt were personal and unconnected Date: 6 - z 3 - y5 with city business. One of the chief complaints was a requirement that members annu- ally report their stake exceeding one percent in any property in the city, including private property homes. Another provision required members to report any gift of more than $50 they received from any person, including a rela- tive. The council adopted the ordi- nance on Oct. 22, 1998, and decided to implement it on Jan. 1, 1999. On Dec. 17, the council decided to delay its implementation until members of the boards and com- mittees had been briefed. Without the ordinance, members of the council and six other boards and committees still fall under the conflict of interest provisions embodied in the Texas Local Gov- ernment Code and the City Char- ter, officials said. The council will consider sched- uling Hear Visitors from 5 to 5:15 p.m., after the workshop session. Hear Visitors could extend beyond 15 minutes to ensure that all visi- tors have a chance to speak, offi- cials said. In other business, the council will consider: ■ Contracting with The Sanita- tion Specialist for Northgate Prom- See COUNCIL, Page A14 From A9 enade cleanup. The Sanitation Specialist was the lowest bid at $18,000. In April, the council discussed a two -year agreement with the Northgate Merchant's Associa- tion, in which the association would provide litter control and help with special event coordina- tion. The association would receive $1,000 per month for litter control and $500 for special event coordi- nation, officials said. The proposal was tabled because of concerns that other groups might be willing to pro- vide both services for a lower price. Bids will be accepted for special event coordination at a later date, officials said. ■ Making property within the city limits eligible for single -fami- ly housing for people of low and moderate income. This housing enue bonds. ■ Approving a franchise agree- ment with American Medical Waste Management Inc. for collec- tion and disposal services for treated and untreated medical waste. This is the third and final reading of the 5 -year agreement proposal. ■ Approving a good neighbor agreement between the Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency and the Peach Creek Development Company for a pro- posed landfill at Texas 6 and F.M. 158 in southern Brazos County. The agency would fund the new landfill through its cash reserves. ■ Approving an ordinance that establishes an absence policy for council- appointed boards and committee members. The ordi- nance will limit unexcused absences to three per year. The council will meet at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall, 1101 Texas Ave., following a 3 p.m. workshop. 1� 17t • • • to annexes e. �l ides set Ut e Chan C � com lete th g By SUZANNE BRABECK of city hall. The mailing address is We Unless legislation changes, resi- The Battalion P.O. Box 10320, College Station,.TX . de oice for their s ut utility service a 77842. Business hours are 8 a.r m. Monday through Friday. Customers involved in the Areas annexed by the city of Col- to The new facility will have the en an ac- lege Station will have their utility lace a security deposit. Is providers switched to College Sta- follow entn addition to the standard co ng °Wipforomation will be trans - tion Utilities as the city unveils its p rocedures: personnel at the front Account to Colle new facility for its utility cus- procedures: four drive-through os tbox aft after- Utilities, which is exed s publicty ownedn tourers. When College Station ann Kelly Chapman, public relations and a night deposit and marketing manager for the city hour transactions. Coll Station, said today the Chapman said to ensure a the area, the cities of College ta of g contract that stated College Station it ° of College Station will begin smooth transition by the change, c and the stated c li to electrical on cy providing electric service to all ar- who will e eas annexed by College Station B,TU work College er Station neously c ustomers within College Station's to remove BTU's meters and install city limits," Chapman said. "Since since 1994. Two hundred accounts ill be the Co this will be affected by this change. g process, The new utility building w eLVgce w 11 notlbeeinterr pit contra has been finalized by located at 310 Krenek Tap Road. All theirs which has now U t ili ty customer services will be ed. take 12 the Public Commission of Texas handled at the new building instead It is estimated it will . 2 Site proposed for landfill BY SUZANNE BRABECK The Battalion 11 Brazos Valley's community offi- cials and citizens have been work- ing together for the past five years to develop a new landfill for the area because the Rock Prairie Landfill serving Bryan, College Station and Brazos County will fill to capacity in the next five to six years. Officials said it would not be cost - efficient to drive to the next closest landfill in Austin and they said it would be inconvenient. The Brazos Valley Solid Waste Manage- ment Agency (BVSWMA) estab- lished a Citizens Advisory Commit- tee (CAC) to ensure both citizens and officials agreed on the site of the new landfill. The CAC is comprised of com- munity representatives, including environmental groups, business representatives, concerned citizens, geologists and educators. The main duties of the CAC are to understand issues related to landfill site selec- tions and potential impacts, to eval- uate areas for potential landfill de- velopment and to select acceptable search areas, to identify and evalu- ate specific sites for consideration and to recommend to the BVSWMA Board a specific site for develop- ment. Michael Carleton, an engineer for HDR Engineering, Inc., which also helped in the development of the Rock Prairie landfill, said many un- desirable criteria for the location of the landfill have been defined by federal, state and local regulations. Carleton said a site in the South- em portion of Brazos County near the junction of State Highway 6 and FM 159 is under negotiation with the owners. He said a benefit of the site is the fact it has few land owners which have control of the desired 626 acres. "The proposed facility will not be just a landfill," Carleton said. "The preliminary design for the facility will include options for recycling and composting, with two signifi- cant buffer areas between landfill activities and the property bound- ary-" The Peach Creek Development company, which owns the land, and BVSWMA have a 'good neighbor' agreement which is a joint plan en- suring the safety and aesthetic val- ue of the new landfill, which will en- sure a peaceful coexistence among the citizens and the facility. "There will be landscaping of land adjacent to major roadways to screen the day to day operations of an active landfill and joint development of util- ities and transportation improve- ments in the area, "Carleton said. One -half of the 626 acres making up the desired site for the landfill will be needed for disposal purpos- es. CAC has proposed cooperative land uses of the remaining territory such as park areas and long -term green spaces for public use or agri- culture. Ed Peel, chairman of the CAC, said in order to ensure the safety of the area, certain precautions have been planned. Questions can be ad- dressed to: www.bvswma@cicol- lege_station.txus Completion timeline • Property procurement 3 to 6 months • Permit proposition: 12 to 16 months • Texas Natural Resource Conservati on Committee Review: 6 to 9 months • Public hearings: 3 to 12 months • Construction: 12 to 15 months. Area safety precautions: • Screening of waste for unacceptable materials • Providing public access and controlling use • Exercising local control over costs • Restricting liquid - waste. disposal • Maintaining accesd roads and route to the site • Maintaining the final cover y • Maintaining the site for a minimum 3o -year closure period • Prucidinti a dependable, long -term solutih solid-waste disposal. llldesirable features • � mrt zones dplain areas / - impact Culuyra! s • Sieni c sites al site: ;AA • • W • r City of College, Station New . Date: , 9 - ,�q CS Utilities relocates to Krenek Tap Road New building offers more lanes, options By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer College Station residents no longer will take care of utility bills, questions or complaints at city hall. After four years of planning, a new 16,500 - square foot College Sta- tion Utilities building will open Monday at 310 Krenek Tap Road. The new building features four drive- through lanes and a consul- tation room for people who need to privately discuss billing con- cerns, officials said. Linda Piwonka, the director of technology and information ser- vices, said at Krenek Tap Road, the building is closer to utilities customers. "It's more centrally located to 65 percent of our customers," she said. "And with four drive - through lanes instead of two, there is less congestion getting to US." Customer services are on the left side of the building, Piwonka said, which makes it easy for peo- ple to get things done. "City hall has so many different departments, that people had to go there, fmd a reception desk and ask where they needed to go," she said. "Now they just go to the left." The new center offers different ways to pay utilities bills: in per- son at the front counter; a night deposit box for payments made after 5 p.m. and on weekends; bank drafts; and advance pay- ments using a debit card. < < The new location will be a positive improvement for service. > — LINDA PIWONKA CS director df technology and informatiot3 services The new center will provide electric service to all areas annexed by College Station since 1994. These areas, which affect about 200 customers, had been ser- viced by Bryan Texas Utilities. Customers will not have to open a new account or place a security deposit because College Station Utilities will obtain all account information from Bryan. Piwonka said the building will not only benefit customers but also employees. "The new location will be a pos- itive improvement for service," she said. "All employees are proud of the building." The building's new mailing address is P.O. Box 10320, College Station, 77842. College Station Utilities can be contacted through the city's Web site at: www.ci.college- station.tx.us. To report any service disrup- tion, call (409) 764 -3638. For ques- tions about billing and customer services or for more information, call (409) 764 -3535. CS group OKs rezoning request The College Station Planning and Zoning Commission on Thursday approved a rezoning request of four acres on Holleman Drive and Welsh Avenue from single - family residen- tial to planned development dis- trict. The commission's recommenda- tion will be presented to the Col- lege Station City Council. �• — —J -Ml REGION BRIEFS Landfill open house set for today Residents with concerns or ques- tions about a proposal to build a new landfill in southern Brazos County at Texas 6 and F.M. 159 are encouraged to attend an open house from 3 to 7 p.m, Saturday at The Brazos Center. Valley Re presentatives from the Brazos Solid Waste Management Agenc Y the project's engineering and technical team and its consul- tants will provide information about the site, its selection process and the landfill's construction and oper- ation. For more information, contact the Cedar Pointe Environmental Center at (409) 693 -8721, The center's Web site is: www.collee- station /bvsma /private /landfi 112. g ht M. Questions can be e mailed to bvsma @ci.college- station.tx. us. • r • r I" • uryan- College Sta tion, 1 exas High 88, Low 69 Partly cloudy The Ea le and warm Forecast/A7 Friday, June 18, 1999 Site selected for count y landfill Proposal requires approval from B -CS '— By COLLEEN KAVANAGH nated for the new site, 310 of which permit costs would push that num- N III T ti" al Eagle Staff Writer would be used for waste disposal. ber to between $B million and $9 - -. -�- The remaining acreage would pro- million. \Speedw# The Brazos Valley Solid Waste vide buffer zones around the land - The agency wants to keep dis- Management Agency on Thursday fill, officials said. posal prices at current levels, 1? unveiled a proposal to build a new The Rock Prairie Road landfill Angelo said, but rates would landfill at Texas 6 and F.M. 159 in will reach capacity by 2006, offi- depend on the amount of trash southern Brazos County. cials said, and it would take received — the more trash dis- The plan was presented to the between four and six years to con- posed, the lower the rates. Bryan and College Station City struct a new landfill. Agency offi- He said more than half of the Site Councils and the Brazos Comity cials estimated that the new land - land for the proposed site already \ Commissioners Court at a public fill would last for 50 years. has been acquired, and officials Location meeting, but the proposal requires Agency director Bill Angelo said need to meet with another six approval from the two councils. all of the funding for a new landfill landowners to discuss the plans. a� The new landfill would be more would be drawn from the agency's The site was chosen by an advi- than four times as large as the cur- cash reserves. The land would cost sory committee made up of 13 rent landfill on Rock Prairie Road. between $2 million and $2.5 mil - About 600 acres of land is desig- lion, he said, while building and See LANDFILL, Page A2 WWII C Y w Ij spe" is The LM News Landfill From Al Bryan and College Station resi- dents. Committee chairman Wesley Peel said the committee estab- lished and prioritized criteria for the site, which included: • Preserving wetlands. • The impact on health and safety. • Air quality. • Site access. • The impact on traffic in sur- rounding areas. • Endangered species. • Water quality and the loca- tion of major aquifers. Officials said there also are fed- eral, state and local regulations that restrict state landfills from being near specific sites, includ- ing: • Airport zones. • Floodplain areas. • Wetlands. • Unstable geological condi- tions ■ Endangered species popula- tions. The committee narrowed 40 potential sites to the proposed site in a process that took almost five years, Peel said. The proposed acreage is mainly pasture lands and vegetation, Angelo said, and vegetation will help disguise the landfill. He said bad odors, wind -blown wastes and rodents — problems associated with older landfills — can be controlled in modern land- fills and no longer are nuisances. The Rock Prairie Road site sits on 119 acres, 70 of which are fill space. The landfill opened for use in 1981 for use by College Station. In 1986, the agency allowed Texas A &M University to use the facility. A joint agreement in 1990 opened the facility to Bryan and Brazos County and established an open -gate policy. The policy allowed other cities and counties to use the landfill, but they paid higher rates to dispose of trash. The agency must provide post - closure care at the Rock Prairie Road landfill for at least 30 years after its closure, officials said. The agency is working with the city of College Station's Parks and Recreation Department to Residents with concerns or questions about a proposal to build a new landfill in southern Brazos County at Texas 6 and F.M. 159 may express them in the fol- lowing ways: ■ Project managers, planners and agency officials will be pre- sent at an open house from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday at The Brazos Center. ■ Both the Bryan and College Station City Councils and the Bra- zos County Commissioners Court will schedule public hearings. ■ Brazos Valley Solid Waste Agency officials can be contacted by calling (409) 693 -8721 or visit- ing the agency's Web site at bvsma@ci.college-station.tx.us. decide what to do with the land. Possible uses include a remote - controlled airplane facility, a lake for fishing and remote -con- trolled boating, hiking trails and a frisbee golf course, officials said. The Eagle City of Cone e station News Date: 6 - I� REGION BRIEFS CS counting cars on Munson Avenue The city of College Station put two traffic counters on Munson Avenue this week to compare sum- mer and fall traffic in the area, offi- cials said Thursday. Scott Hester, a transportation analyst for the city, said some City Council members requested the comparison. Officials said the survey is a not an in -depth study, but a way to keep on eye on the traffic. As of Thursday, no data had been retrieved from the counters, officials said. CS police phones experience outage College Station police experi- enced telephone difficulties for more than an hour Wednesday, police said. Around 3 p.m., the non -emer- gency phone line stopped working because there were problems with the line at the police station, police said. The line was repaired by late afternoon, officials said, and no emergency calls were affected. The school began phasing in the high- school grades four years ago. CS will participate in clean files day The city of College Station has been chosen to participate Friday in the U.S. Conference of Mayors' National Office Paper Recycling Pro- ject, known as "Clean Your Files Day." The project will help increase recov- ery of recyclable paper from offices and also allows the city to observe National Records Information Man- agement Month, officials said. Clean Your Files Day helps city departments focus on three needs: 1. Increased awareness of recy- cling unneeded documents and publi- cations, which take up storage space. C . Increased awareness of the need to clean out unneeded comput- er documents and messaggs, which occupy valuable server space on the system. 3. Increased awareness of the importance of record management in the daily operations of city offices. Councils, court set landfill meeting The Bryan and College Station city councils and Brazos County Commis- sioners Court on Thursday will dis- cuss the location and price of a future landfill site operated by the Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency. The public hearing is scheduled at 7 p.m. at the Brazos Center, 3232 Briarcrest Drive in Bryan. Staff reports CS schools change hours for summer By KELLI LEVEY Eagle Staff Writer Office hours at some College Station school buildings are changing and some facilities are closing for part of the summer. All College Station campuses will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The elementary and intermediate campuses will be open through June 23, then will close until July 26. The elementary summer school office at Southwood Valley Elementary School will be open from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. through July 2. College Station Junior High School, A &M Consolidated High School and Timber Acade- my offices will be open throughout the summer. All parents who want to register children should arrive at the appropriate campuses before 3 p.m. to ensure ample time to complete paperwork, officials said. The central administration building, located at 1812 Welsh Ave., will remain open through- out the summer. Office hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with two departmental exceptions: Head Start offices will be open from 8 a.m. to noon until July 26, when the office will reopen for full hours; and Child Nutrition offices will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., as normal. The district offices will be closed July 5 to rec- ognize the Fourth of July holiday. Teachers will report for duty Aug. 9, and school will begin Aug. 12. For more information, call 764 -5402. Car thefts double in CS Burglaries from vehicles d ecreas e in Bryan, College Station By LAURA HIPP ering most of the vehicles at some point Eagle Staff Writer ((� L I C ll in time" he said tho h the car ma Car thefts have more than doubled in College Station over the past year, police said, but burglaries from cars have decreased. Reported incidents of both crimes are down in Bryan. From January to May, College Sta- tion police had 40 reports of stolen cars, Sgt Gary Bishop said. In 1998, that number was 17. "Our problem in College Station is nothing compared to Houston," Bishop said can n be difficult to catch the thieves because they must be "caught in the act," Sgt Chuck Fleeger said. *4i;$_1'Itey•pick areas that they have .,_;: ;. ur pro em In o ege Station is nothing compared to Houston.» — GARY BISHOP College Sntion police sergeant access to vehicles and they have easy getaway access from," he said. "They have a choice of what they want to take, and attract little attention to them- selves." Physical evidence also is difficult to gather, Fleeger said. Sometimes, the only thing left behind is broken glass. "For the most part, we end up recov- ug y not be in the best condition or location - In Bryan, 44 vehicles were reported stolen between January and April of this year, down from 69 a year ago. Bryan Police Sgt. Ernie Montoya said. He said increased public education efforts and police enforcement were the main reasons for the drop. Crimes such as shoplifting usually have cameras filming the scene and there are more witnesses, said Jerry Moore, a Bryan crime prevention offi- cer. Auto crimes often occur at night when people are sleeping. The thieves, who often are groups of See THEFTS, Page AS ' n ens "blend r t r inals in real easllR" he said. From Al I Crow ded parking lots teens, us i. Y go GM to places where Pickup there are a lot of people 2. Ford Pickup on the campus of Texas A &M University can be a "sho pp' spree" for car and a lot Of cars, he said 3. GM Suburban They cart through Cutlass oftthe University Police Ir a lot of 5. GM vanb�le kl cars very quicklyda Accord Moore said. 6. Hon Entertainment events, meet. Between January and May clubs, 7. D'" odge pickup bars and apartment complexes rota Camr e. To are Popular this of year, 28 burglaries from vehicles have been reported, places for oar thieves 9. Jeep Cherokee to strike because those places 10. Oldsmobile 88 often do not have he said. Only one vehicle has been stolen. In 1998 more than ad oath rity, he said. Sometimes Source: Texas Automobile Theft borhoods will be rimes, ne h- Prevention Authority targeted 60 bur - glaries were repotted and eight vehicles were stolen . as well. Often, Wiatt said, a group Of "They'll hit a lot of cars in one ishment was two to 10 people will Participate in the act. night's work," he said. Years in Both Bryan and College Station p Now, the and up to a $10,000 criminals fine. have experienced Moore said, decline One will be a lookout an d another a in often receive probation. ra Bet e e� will steal from the car. Jane• of deter change Baling this year, there were Brazos County Sheriff Christo- Kirk said catching 287Areril cars, of burglaries from a vehiclnin Moore said, and the act of steal- Bryan, Montoya g or burglarizing it y card' There who people difficultb�auseethees can be property 376 bur often were can go unnoticed. burglaries from a vehicl d in" those months in e ur- "They're not 1998. prone to stolen cannot be easil identified. The sheriffs department being spotted," he said. When those numbers start Police often catch car fluctuating, the officers re corded six stolen vehicle 12 re Of car burglaries are more durin thieves vigilant," he said. They change crimes, he arrests different d_ '"May the way they pa between Jan and may of thj Is year, he said ere items sold to pawn shop trace A 1994 change in the law, how- "You tart ever, fs m catch them in th making w ere In the coon glaries re and potted from a enforcement or you ma e act more difficult for police, Y catch them in other said. Moore investig Moore cle. vehi- Local law enforcement said. Five yea In College Station , there have lature reduced ago e been 63 burglaries from offer officials ventinthecaiollowing tips for pre - g theme °r ft vehicles o theft he felony to a misde, said. reductO t m Bishop id, a Y sace The laws have changed ote than 50 ies: ca burglar- ■Pla valuables in th in the cent. There were 334 burglar r- few years and it made it more last from cars difficult to keep them Ben Janu n ot . ■ m sight Lock al s all doors. bars," Moore said. arY and behind May of 19 � Get a ■ Get a alarm. The crime, now a Class A Oils- get e � s d enced car thief can " Be aware of where th car is demeanor, get it moving in Prareked' and Park in a well- lighted carries of up toa pr punishment very short amount " a 'th fm� a said. Previously, M eager of time, ■Know the license plate num ber as a th' of the vehicle. A high number of vehicles and ■ Pazk the trddegree felony, the pun - People in the area h car' in a the -- Ps trim- _ -- ■ Keep the windows endows closed. Page 5 • Wednesday, June 16, 1 999 The fate of Northgate Northgate's social scene should diversify establishments instead of adding more trendy bars orthgate used to be a vital area near campus. Students could grab a cup of coffee, buy a few cheap CDs from any one of three record stores and then grab a few condoms from Condom- V 4: nation before heading back to the dorms. Nowadays, all students can do AARON is get really drunk and maybe grab MEMR a burrito if the line at Freebird's is- n't going out the door. What used to be the social mecca for the entire campus has turned into a place strictly for weekend partyers and Sunday church goers. While the slow death of Northgate began when the City of College Station decided to turn it into a tourist destination, the pace has picked up consid- erably in the past year. Last summer, one of the few truly unique places in College Station closed its doors for the last time. The Copasetic Cafe, which originally opened up its door as Dead Lazlo's, a vague, but innovative homage to "Laverne and Shirley," offered a late - night alternative to people who didn't want to trade tequila shots on a weeknight. At that time, the coffee bar /social romper room even sported a glass- covered coffin pulling duty as a coffee table and a nice looking motorcycle that would have my Harley- riding dad grinning from ear to ear. Eventually, the owners of Lazlo's, who also own Sweet Eugene's House of Java, ditched its morbid image and turned into Copasetic, a place that still was a lone standout in the rapidly dimming lights of Northgate. Then, one day, everything wasn't copasetic any- more. The owners decided to expand and with the drastic drop in business during the summer and winter breaks, closed Copasetic Cafe. While this decision was reached economically, it is just another example in a long process of ho- mogenization in Northgate. People not interested in getting blitzed were left without an option along Northgate, unless they want to hang out at the copy center and make Xe- rox copies of their faces, which management isn't likely to appreciate. In place of Copasetic, a bar is scheduled to open. What an original idea. Maybe it could have wooden tables that people could carve their names or their fraternity letters in. Maybe it could have two drunk girls who are single - handedly keeping AquaNet in business danc- ing, even though there is no dance floor in sight. Maybe they could wear Rocky Mountains that are two sizes too small. Now that would really be something College Sta- tion needs. And for those of us who do occasionally partake of alcohol, the options are limited. Places such as Club Ozone and The Cue have been closed for — you guessed it — another bar where shelling peanuts is considered live entertainment. The only remaining options are bars where dominoes out - number the cumulative IQ of the clientele or bars where your history professor is likely to ask about your lecture attendance. It's a basic theory of economics that if the mar- ket is flooded with the same type of business, then sooner or later some of these businesses are going to fail. The community's entrepreneurs need to take note and attempt to diversify the existing so- cial scene in Bryan - College Station. And while carving the name of a loved one will always be a time - honored tradition, those two drunk girls really need a break from running from bar to bar. Aaron Meier is a senior political science major. tip. • . e` Q t, O oti o ap ��D 0 po• GAanl6 RIlpp�rHE BAitAL10N 0 • Nike defends its Nike is fully committed to provid- uct of 32 nations. But gross domes - 1J ann�ng pornograp y course ng its workers a fair wage, which, in tic product does not reflect the stain ._....,.....rn1 ;. I �i n +f ho fifr A-4 of I....nn — �h. �. —I of nn ,+n 4� 0 W n r QX Q CS h onors Agg f or fire rescue Hurt congratulated the girls for "performing acts of kindness and caring." Moore said this was not the first act of hero- ism for her. Two weeks before alerting the Crumbley family, she said she alerted another family in her hometown of Brownwood of a fire. "One night during an electrical storm, my boyfriend and I were driving to my house at about 11:30 at night and noticed smoke coming from another house two houses down from mine," Moore said. "We were the first ones to that fire also." Moore said she has invested in carbon monoxide and fire detectors since these two in- cdents. BY CARRIE BENNETT The Battalion A last minute decision by two Texas A &M students to take an early morning walk saved the lives of a College Station family. At last week's City Council meeting the City of College Station and the College Station Fire Department presented Kathy Chatham and Jen- ny Moore, both child psychology graduate stu- dents, with a plaque for their "heroic efforts" in saving the lives of the Crumbley family. At 6:40 a.m. on May 19, Chatham and Moore were walking down Munson Avenue and no- ticed a garage burning on Holt Drive. They went to the house and began knocking on the door. "It was really early so we were knocking hard to try to wake the family up," Moore said. Moore then went to a neighbor's house and knocked on the door and called 911, while Chatham continued knocking on the Crumb - ley's door until she alerted them of the fire. Eric Hurt, assistant fire chief for the Col- lege Station Fire Department, said the family heard the knocking and escaped the house just as smoke entered the living area of the house. Chatham said they had never been out for an early morning walk before and they decid- ed to take that route along Munson Avenue. "I am just thankful that we came along when we did," Chatham said. 1 The Eagle City of College Station News -- TDa — te. CS man gets 20 years in sex case "It sends the appropriate message for B y KN.i.I BROWN Eagk Stajwriter (( I hope you continue such a serious offense," Gore said. The man pleaded guilty to indecency A College Station man was sentenced treatment once you're out of with a child, a second - degree felony. The victim's mother filed for divorce Wednesday to 20 years in prison after pros- ecutors told jurors he lived in a cruel, cold prison because there's no P I know of. > > from the defendant after learning last sum - mer about the incidents that took place silence while molesting his stepson for six cure that while she was on business trips or at work. yam• The 30- year -old man, who wept during — J.D. I ANGLEY J The defendant, who initially was the boy's baby sitter, worked part-time and was the testimony, showed no emotion as District Judge J.D. Langley read the verdict. District judge primary care -giver at home. The abuse sent the youth into deep ; It was the maximum punishment allowed depression for years, according to his testi- f under the law and included a $10,000 fine. be eligible to be considered for dant if it identifies a victim of a sexual Was atthe root of his p not roblems, m which 1 He will parole in 10 years. during the two -day trial assault. Langley told the defendant that he felt included him refusing to bathe. The youth t his teeth are decayed to the point Testimony showed that the victim, who was fondled by starting at the age of 8, was in sorry for his family, but not for him. "I hope you continue treatment once said where he already needs dentures. Once the boy moved in with his father his stepfather his early teens when the man began sexual- you're out of prison because there's no cure that I know of," Langley said, referring to t and stepmother last year, he told them of ly assaulting him. Now 16, the victim declined to address at the close of the trial. A vic- sex offenders. Brazos County Assistant District Attor- the abuse. Defense attorney John Quinn trig jurors ents that during closing ar gum his attacker tim's rights law allows for such a statement is assessed. ney Glynis Gore said the prosecution was "extremely pleased" with the jury's ver- their had taken responsibility for his crime, was to be made after punishment It is the policy of The Bryan - College Sta- diet. It took jurors 11/2 hours to make See SENTENCE, Page A14 tion Eagle not to print the name of a defen- decision. CS police seeking escaped woman College Station police said Wednesday night they are search- ing for a woman who escaped from custody earlier in the day. Tisa Marie Blair, 19, who was being held in a forgery case, fled from the College Station Police Department about 3:45 p.m. She was described as being 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing about 140 pounds, and wearing blue jeans, a brown T -shirt and white shoes. She last was seen running across Texas ,Avenue toward the goods between Valley View Street and Bee Creek Park, police said. w - The Eagle City of College Station ?News c. Power switch nears CS to acquire BTU clients By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer About 200 residents in south- west College Station, whose prop- erty was annexed in 1994, will have their utility services switched from Bryan to College Station starting June 17, officials said Wednesday. The switching process, which will occur in phases over 12 weeks, will start after Public Util- ity Commission officials sign the order allowing it to happen, Col- lege Station spokeswoman Kelley Chapman said. She said the first seven homes officially will be notified at the time Public Utility Commission officials authorize the switch. College Station crews already have begun putting utility poles into residential yards to speed up the switching process, Chapman said. "We're going ahead and starting the process because it is supposed to be uncontested by Bryan," she said. Chapman said the city has not received any complaints about the early start of the process. Some residents, however, said Wednesday that they were unhap- py about the switching process. Westminster resident Billy Showman said he shut his front gate and would not let crews leave his property Wednesday until they agreed to fill in the ruts they had left and replaced one of the trees that was knocked down in the process of setting up utility poles in the subdivision. College Station resident Mary Ann Oprisko, who lives in the Needam Estates subdivision near Barron Road, said city crews start ed putting poles in on the road in April. Now, her street has two sets of poles, one for Bryan Texas Utilities and one for College Date: Switch "College Station prevailed on the litigation side," he said. "Col- lege Station insisted on switching as soon as possible because they From Al want customers as soon as they can get them. Station Utilities. It's the only one of its kind No additional work had been where one party gave up cus- done until Monday, she said, tomers and got nothing in when crews told residents that return," Wilkerson said. "We their service providers were built the transportation and lose being switched. the customers and don't get a "I don't like it," she said. "I had thing." not been notified about anything until Monday, and I was one of two who were home on my street during the day to be told. I want Bryan Utilities." Dan Wilkerson, the city of Bryan's director of public utili- ties, said College Station has the right to take over utilities in annexed areas because of an agreement between the two cities that was signed in i980. The agreement said that, upon annexation, rural residents who were Bryan Utilities customers would have their services switched to College Station. Wilkerson said Bryan protest- ed the agreement in 1996 because it was more than 10 years old, something that does not comply with the Bryan city charter. Love, ° Kim & Neil , See SWITCH, Page A3 n delovc Happy 40 Birthday! Mike Martensen I... Where's the justice? he article, "State investigat- ing 5 CS recall petitioners" (Eagle, May 26), confirmed the fears of those who have fore- sight about campaign finance reform. These apprehensions are coming true in this case of five citi- zens of Brazos County who filed the recall petition of members of the College Station City Council. While I neither supported nor voted for the recall petition, one of the five citizens is a friend of mine and hardly has the resources to defend himself in a criminal inves- tigation. These good citizens have been caught in the technicalities of cam- paign finance reform. While I do not know David Hickson, I certain- ly think poorly of hiri for his actions in attacking a grassroots political activity. It is the epitome of what is to be feared from cam- paign finance reform — stifling the participation of citizens in the political process without the expen- sive aid and counsel of attorneys. Is the government now saying to private citizens that they should "take the bus and leave the driving to us ? I fear that when the convo- luted campaign finance reforms are all in place that the citizens of the United States will lose their right to express their opinion as firmly as possible. Has the day arrived when I, a cit- izen of the United States and a vet eran of three wars, can no longer purchase newspaper advertise- ments or billboard advertisements for a candidate or political cause I support? What then has happened to the free and unrestrained com- munication of ideas and opinions? Where are the civil libertarians at this juncture? BOB SPOEDE College Station „` Deal reached in CS By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer open - records dispute An open- records dispute between two for- mer councilmen and the city of College Sta tion ended Friday in a compromise agree- ment approved by g5th District Cu Judge J.D. Langley. le y' Swiki g Anderson, Steve Esmond and city officials met Thursday and hammered out an men agreement on how to provide the two tors forltmedicalntreatmen s of t doc p o y ees. Langley accepted the deal in a 10- minute hearing Friday in the Brazos County Cour thouse. Anderson and Esmond rewrote their original open- records request in order to get copies of the fronts of checks and bank statements over a three -year period, and agreed to pay at least $450 for copying costs. o The city agreed to the rewriting of the pen- records request and will provide the documents by June 12. Anderson said the agreement is a coin- promise to a no -win situation. "I feel like I'm representing those citi- zens who want to know what's really going on," he said. "And we need to get that information before we can." City Attorney Harvey Cargill said he agreed to the compromise after discussing it with Mayor Pro -Tem Larry Mariott and City Manager Skip Noe. "They wanted to do what was in the best interests of the city to get this behind them," Cargill said. Attorney Barbara Palmer, who repre- sented Anderson and Esmond, said the compromise provides that confidential information, including anything that iden- tifies the treatment or procedures doctors used, would be eliminated from the docu- ments. "It's about 12,000 documents that will be copied, and Anderson and Esmond will pay $450, the estimated costs," she said. "Esmond and Anderson don't wish to obtain invoices that go with checks. They See SUIT, Page A8 �r pJ � V n Suit From 'A 1 will pay the deposit, and the city will release them [invoices] in the future if they want them and they [Esmond and Anderson] will pay for them." The compromise was the latest development in a dispute that began in December when Esmond and Anderson -filed an open records request for invoic- es, checks and other documents. Pay for the photocopying of the documents. The city would not compile the information, she wrote, until they agreed to pay. On May 5, Esmond and Ander- son filed a petition for a writ of mandamus, a legal command for Performance of a duty, asking the court to hand over the informa- tion. On May 14, the two men filed a notice of oral deposition for City Secretary Connie Hooks that asked her to present the docu- ments June 1. The city responded six days later with a motion for a protec- The city denied that request, saying the information was privi- leged. In March, the Texas attor- ney general ruled that most of the information could be disclosed. In an April 1 letter to Esmond and Anderson, former Assistant City Attorney Carla Robinson said some of the information could be released, but only after city staff sorted through an esti- mated 25,000 documents. She said confidential informa- tion would have to be removed, and photocopying costs were esti- mated at $2,500. Robinson told the two men that they would have to tive order asking the court to delay Hooks' deposition until after Friday's hearing. Langley granted the city's request May 28. Hooks said Friday the petition for a writ was unnecessary because the information Ander- son and Esmond will receive has been available to them since April 1— they just had to pay the deposit, as they will now do. "They'd get the records if there was a suit or not, she said. "For me, this means that four city workers will be at a copy machine for the next five days and supervisors will be verifying what they're doing." Sft. 'r- TEA awards area schools $847,000 Grant to link rural, urban classrooms and resources Special to The Eagle A coalition of Brazos Valley schools has received an $847,000 grant to establish distance learning and add technology projects to the science curriculum. College Station, Snook, Madisonville and Richards school districts, as well as Allen Academy, Alta Vista Christian Academy and St. Thomas Early Learning Center, will be part of a network of C -SMART schools. Funding for the Technology Integration in Education grant is provided by the Texas Education Agency. Linda Ray, instructional technology coordinator for the College Station school district, said the collab= oration will allow area public school districts and pri- vate schools to share their unique expertise. "College Station ISD < < College Station and other C -SMART ISD and other ... schools will establish distance learning to link schools will our rural and urban establish distance schools to share class- room teachers and pro- learning to link our fessional development," rural and urban Ray said. "For example, CSISD is excited to be schools. > able to share a Spanish — LINDA RAY teacher with students in Instructional technology Richards ISD." coordinator, CSISD Funding for the grant will provide profession- al development and activities such as cyber field trips; Web - publishing activities; participation in interpersonal exchanges involving global classrooms and video conferencing; increased use of online resources to improve reading, writing and mathemat- ics skills; and a Spanish I class offered to participat- ing schools via video conferencing. One of the major activities of the project will be the implementation of the Global Learning and Observa- tions to Benefit the Environment, a hands -on, inter- national environmental science and education pro- gram. It links students, teachers and the scientific research community in an effort to learn more about the environment. The program's goal is to integrate math, science and technology by getting students to observe their environments, make measurements and record their data on the Internet to link students with other par- ticipating students around the world and with scien- tists who use the data. Each campus participating in the program will receive a portable video conferencing unit and train- ing on the equipment. 12 evacuated after gas leak By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writer Residents of three houses were evacuated for two hours Thursday afternoon after a Col- lege Station utility crew installing a new light Pole hit a two -inch gas line. The gas leak, at the intersection of Todd Trail and Shenandoah Drive in South College Station, affected six houses between the 1100 and 1200 blocks of Todd Trail. Three of the houses were vacant, officials `r. said. About 12 people were evacuated, and no one was injured in the incident. Crew members immediately shut down the gas line and notified Lone Star Gas officials, who clamped both sides of the main, College Station Fire Department Lt. Rodney Zalobney said. "Once it's clamped on both sides, it's under control," he said. "It was fixed pretty quick." Kelley Chapman, public relations and mar- keting manager for the city of College Station, said the utility crew in April filed a locate request, a standard procedure to determine the location of gas lines. "The locate request is not valid after 10 days, and the crew did not get a new one before they went out and dug," she said. Two hours after the incident, everything was fixed and residents were allowed to return to their homes, Zalobney said. Perry praises session Teacher raises, tax cuts touted By BOB SCHOBER Eagle Staff Writer Residents of Bryan will harvest a 16 -cent property tax -rate reduction and teachers in Bryan and College Station will receive a $3,000 pay increase as a result of the "best legislative session in this state's history," Lt. Gov. Rick Perry said Wednesday. Perry stopped at the Boys and Girls Club of the Brazos Valley in Bryan as one stop in a statewide tour to tout the accomplishments of the Legislature, which wrapped up its busi- ness late Monday. The Legislature approved a "historic" $3.8 billion school - funding increase and adopted a $1.35 billion tax cut. Legislators also approved a $929 million increase to reduce school debt and $50 million to address fast - growth prob- lems, he said. The additional money will reduce Bryan property taxes by about 16 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, said state Rep. Fred Brown, R- College Station, who attended the event. College Station taxpayers, he said, probably won't see a similar reduction because that city's school district is growing so rapidly. But College Station may be able to tap the extra $50 million the Legislature approved to help burgeoning districts handle new growth without exceeding tax -rate limits, Perry said. "Fast growth in the state is putting tremen- aous pressure on our schools, so we put some ery needed money in for fast - growing dis- *'" f icts," he said. See PERRY, Page A10 Perry From A7 The $3,000 raise for every teacher in the state will improve Texas' national standing in teacher pay, Perry said. Exactly how much, though, he wasn't sure. At the start of the legislative session, Texas ranked about 35th among the states in teacher pay. His assistant, Richard Powell, said the ongoing economic boom was distorting Texas' true rank. "Texas is a growing state and we've been hiring a tremendous number of new teachers, which drags our average down," he said. Perry heaped praise on a new program that will grant college scholarships to high- achieving high school students from low - income families. "I suggest that this will be a very successful program," he said to applause. "The kids that will- use this program are in the Boys and Girls Club today." Perry singled out state Sen. Steve Ogden, R -Bryan, and Brown for special praise. He called Ogden a "fabulous" senator, and said Brown had a "fabulous rookti ie year." "We had a great session .. because we had the talent in the Senate that is unequaled in many years," he said. "I expect [OgdeiZ will be a major chairman of T major committee." Perry said he was really proud of the bipartisanship that imbued the session. "Our friends in Washingto0g could do well to watch a videotape of how well Republicans and Democrats worked together," he said. Other dignitaries in attendance, . included Brazos County Judge Jones, Brazos County District- Attorney Bill Turner and Bryan Mayor Lonnie Stabler. Great job, gymnasts W hile most high school seniors were home thinking about their last days in school, A &M Consol- idated's Michael Coffman, along. with Bryan High School's Nicholas Palmos and Brewer Witcher, traveled to Lincoln, Neb., to represent Texas at the 1999 National High School Gymnastics Championships. These fine athletes led Team Texas to a seventh - straight national championship. Along the way, Coffman won two indi- vidual national titles on pommel horse and parallel bars. With all the bad publicity pub- lic schools are getting nation- wide, these boys represent what is outstanding in our schools and should be commended. Gymnastics doesn't get the attention other sports do. However, gymnastics training regimens may be tougher than any other sport. Gymnasts work hard year - round to stay competitive, unlike most other team sports with an off - season. Congratulations Michael, Nick, Brewer and your coaches. Our community and state could not be prouder of you. RICHARD DIZEREGA Assistant gymnastics coach Bryan High School Please drive carefully I am 10 years old and I am writing to complain about the reckless driving that occurs in parking lots and on roads. On May 12, my mom and sis- ter were almost hit by a truck in the St. Joseph Regional Health Center parking lot. Recently, I was putting up the cart at . Albertson's in College Station. I saw an empty cart just sit- ting there, so I decided to put it away, too, because it would be a good deed. So I got it and was walking across a pedestrian crossing and nearly got hit. I think that the speed limit should be enforced better. An example is where I used to live. There, you would get a ticket for driving 10 mph over the speed limit. Here, I see drivers going 15 mph and 20 mph over the speed limit. Another idea of mine is that maybe tickets should be given out to reckless drivers. Every day, nine out of 10 drivers pull into the far lane, even though they are supposed to pull into the close one. Although I am not old enough to drive, I hope the drivers of College Station and Bryan listen to my comments. NATE PHILLIPS College Station "I", he E a"l .e College Station News Date: - z - � REGION BRIEFS •a. snE ati n ^red CS pool closed after 911 call Southwood Valley Pool in College Station was closed for an hour Tuesday afternoon when emer- gency officials responded to a call about a possible drowriing. A 6- year -old girl, who was partic- ipating in the city -run Summer Day Camp program, received CPR at the scene, city officials said. She was taken to College Station Med- ical Center, where officials Tues- day night said she was admitted in stable condition. It is standard procedure to close the pool to ensure others' safety when an emergency occurs, said Steve Beachy, director of College Station Parks and Recreation. Beachy is investigating the inci- dent. ��� ZE City of College Stati News Date: 5 - 3 1- » Another good reason 0 n May 22, I had the good for- tune along with more than 150 others to attend the Concerned Black Men's dinner at the newly air conditioned Lincoln Center gym in College Station. More than 30 black men of the Bryan- College Station area saw the need for role models for the youth of their communities and are doing something about it. They began by honoring their God and families, recognizing the contributions of their wives and mothers and pledging to look after the elderly and the youth. Their program included a fine meal, entertainment, a speaker and, most significantly to me, the presenta- tion of four scholarships to high school students from Bryan and College Station from funds the men had raised. We should all be proud of their efforts and this again confirms another reason why Bryan- College Station is a great place to live. ANNE HAZEN College Station What's in the heart F first the tobacco industry, now the firearms industry. Where do we draw the line? Greedy trial lawyers gorged on the spoils of the "Big Tobacco" settlements have another prey in their sights. Their ravenous frenzy now is fueled by the recent tragedies in America's public schools. Choosing to set aside the doc- trine of personal responsibility, we've found another object on which to place the blame. Mean- while, the Clinton Administration pushes for more gun legislation in the guise of protecting our chil- dren, while endorsing the slaugh- ter of millions through abortion. What kind of a mixed message does this send to our nation's youth? Stricter gun laws will do nothing to prevent these types of tragedies from occurring. Ultimately, it's not what is in a person's hand that matters but, rather, it's what is in his or her heart. JOEL HEIN College Station City Council abuse he Bryan City Council is try - mg to block the petition chal- lenging the city's right to annex land without residents' con- sent. I think both the original annexation and the attempt to block a petition represent a fla- grant abuse of power. What right does the city have to unilaterally take over someone else's land and then play some legal game to block a legitimate petition? Texans love to revile the federal government for abuse of power but when it happens in their own back- yard, a strange silence, almost con- sent, seems to be the common atti- tude. Is "almighty progress" more important than a citizen's right to determine whether they want to be part of another community? If such open actions of abuse are occurring by the City Council, what is happening about things most of us know nothing about? The council members' attitude toward this whole affair justifies in my mind voting them out of office. THOMAS CROWLEY Bryan The Eagle L City of College Station News Date: Kids offered a page-turning summer B -CS reading program designed to maintain schoolchildren's language skills By KELLI LEVEY Eagle Staff Writer Kick -off events for the summer reading program will be held on the lawns of the Bryan and Col- t` Station public libraries two ungs this week. IMOPree prizes, face painting, games and refreshments will be offered from 9 to 11 am. Tuesday at the College Station Public Library, 800 F.M. 2818, and at the same time Wednesday at the Bryan Public Library, 201 E. 26th St. The program is designed to help children maintain the reading skills they have learned in school, officials said. Children keep a log of the books they read during the summer. As an incentive, every child who reads for at least five hours will be given a new book to take home, said Robin Jones, a Youth Ser- vices librarian in Bryan. "We try to do things to bring in and attract the younger kids," Jones said. "Even if they're not reading yet, such as with the tod- dlers, their parents can sign up to read to them." The Bryan Public Library has offered a summer reading pro- gram for at least 20 years, commu- nity librarian Clara Mounce said. Last year, 3,230 children regis- tered for the program. Letters about the program were sent to elementary schools and day -care centers, Mounce said. Enrollment is open throughout the summer. "We really target a lot of our efforts at children so that they will learn early to appreciate the joy of reading," she said. "But original- ly, libraries were started for adults to keep them out -of saloons. The Junior League of Bryan- College Station is co-sponsoring the program for the third year. A $7,000 grant will be used to hire entertainers and buy crafts, supplies and the reward books to be given to outstanding partici- pants. Ongoing reading-club activities include movies Saturday morn- ings at the Bryan library and story time for 3- to 6-year-olds at 10:30 a.m. Thursdays. A performance by Austin chil- dren's musician Joe McDermott is scheduled from 2 to 3 p.m. Satur- day in College Station and from 2 to 3 P.M. Sunday in Bryan. Pizza and crafts are planned for the program finale, scheduled Aug. 3 in College Station and Aug. 4 in Bryan. For more information about the program, call 361.3715 in Bryan or 764 -3622 in College Station. LIJ a The Eagle j p City of College Station News Date: s -?%- CS Teen Court volunteers honored A group of College Station teenagers were honored Friday for volunteering to act as prosecutors, defense attorneys, bailiffs and court clerks in College Station Teen Court. Teen Court handles cases involving juveniles from 12 to 19 years old who are enrolled in school and plead guilty to a first - time Class C misdemeanor. The defendants are allowed the oppor- tunity to keep offenses off their permanent records and to perform community service. Adult lawyers act as the judge and the teens fill other roles in the court. The teens and the number of hours volunteered during the past year are: Kevin Capps, 39; Brent Killion, 36; Jose Aguilar Jr., 33; Arpit Dave, 30; Rachel Felderhoff, 30; Luis Rodriquez, 27; Bree Adams, 27; Audrey Reed, 27; Joey Fedorchik, 27; and Jessica Neely, 21. Also, John Robert Scrabanek, 21; Julia Morris, 21; Kerri Barnes, 18; Nicholas Munene, 18; Alan Schueckler, 18; Laren Koran, 18; Katie Reinhart, 18; Qian Gao, 15; Laura Hanson, 15; Marcus Moore, 12; Jennifer Su, 12; Elizabeth Banks, 9; Chris Ware, 9; Jessica Samedi, 9; Anne Stuart, 9; Nancy Chang, 6; Rachel Hudgens, 6; Vanessa Trejo, 6; and Sara Su, 3. Judge delays CS secretary's deposi tion By BOB SCHOBER Eagle Staff Writer A district court judge ruled Friday that College Station City Secretary Connie Hooks should not be deposed until he rules June 4 on a petition seeking the release of some medical payment information from the city. The ruling granted the city's motion May 20 for a protective order that asked 85th District Court Judge J.D. Langley to set Court aside the deposition. Former councilmen Swiki Anderson and Steve Esmond filed a notice of oral deposition May 14, informing Hooks that she would be deposed June 1. Their notice requested that Hooks produce three years of bank statements, canceled checks and other documents pertaining to 61ty employee health coverage. "In my opinion, this deposition is simply Ein attempt to obtain documents that are the primary dispute I will decide on June 4," Langley said. "Until I have a chance to to pay copying costs, I'll file a lawsuit and I'll see all the confi- dential information. I think you'll see a lot more of this." Attorney Barbara Palmer, who appeared on behalf of Anderson, argued that the city was not enti- tled to the protective order because it had not provided "good cause." The deposition was necessary, she said, "to deter- mine what type of documents are there." "Without the documents, there's no way to put the infor- mation together to present to the court [on June 41," Palmer said. Langley asked questions of both sides, at one point stating, "I can't get a straight answer out of either of you." Langley will hold a hearing on the petition for a writ of man- damus at 1:30 p.m. Friday. From A9 requested information is confi- dential and must be edited from documents the two would review. As a result, city staff would have to sort through and photo- copy thousands of separate docu- ments to satisfy the open records request. The city would not com- pile the information, she wrote, until Anderson and Esmond deposited 10 percent of an esti- mated photocopying cost of $2,500. They should not be able to use discovery to gain access to confi- dential information," Cargill said. "The danger is, if I don't want decide the issue, the protective order is granted." After the ruling, Anderson said, "We'll be back." The issue to be decided June 4 is a peti- tion for a writ of mandamus — a legal com- mand for performance of a duty — that Anderson and Esmond filed May 5. The petition seeks to order the city to hand over information on payments to doctors for treatment of city employees. The two men filed an open records request for the infor- mation Dec. 8. City Attorney Harvey Cargill argued Fri- day that Anderson and Esmond were attempting to "use discovery to go on a gen- eral exploration of [city] records." Cargill referred to an April 1 letter for- mer Assistant City Attorney Carla Robin- son wrote to Anderson and Esmond. She argued in the letter that the Texas attorney general ruled that some of the See COURT, Page A14 s� LWOM1 The Eagle City of Colleile Stati Date: News ; ews CS to ask judge to set aside By BOB SCHOBER J 128 Eagle Staff Writer College Station City Attorney Harvey Cargill on Friday will ask a district court judge to set aside a Proposed deposition of City Secre- tary Connie Hooks on Tuesday. Cargill filed the motion for a Protective order May 20 in response to an earlier filing by former councilmen Steve Esmond and Swiki Anderson, who request- ed that Hooks on Tuesday produce three years of bank statements, canceled checks and other docu- ments pertaining to city employee health coverage. "The protective order is to pre- vent discovery of documents we consider to be confidential," Cargill said Thursday evening. Esmond and Anderson filed a notice of oral deposition May 14, informing Hooks that she would be deposed in Anderson's office at 9 a.m. Tuesday. Anderson and Esmond filed a proposed deposition response to the order Thursday, insisting the city was "guilty of attempting to use privilege offen- sively to resist discovery." A hearing on the motion for the protective order will be held before 85th District Court Judge J.D. Langley at 1:30 p.m. Friday in the Brazos County Courthouse. The legal jockeying started May 5 when Esmond and Anderson filed a petition for a writ of man- damus — a legal command for per- formance of a duty — to order the city to hand over information on payments to doctors for treatment of city employees. The two filed an open records request for the infor- mation Dec. 8. The city denied the request, claiming the information was Privileged, and on Dec. 22 asked Texas Attorney General John Cornyn for an opinion. The attorney general ruled March 24 that the city could not withhold information "consisting generally of service provider iden- tifying information." In an April 1 letter to Esmond and Anderson, former Assistant City Attorney Carla Robinson said "a portion" of the information they requested could be disclosed. Robinson also informed the two they would have to pay photo- copying costs she estimated at $2,500. The city would not coinpile the information, Robinson said, until Esmond and Anderson deposited 10 percent of the esti- mated cost. The Eagle City of College Station News Date: 5 l zb H � CS greenways plan adopted By BOB SCHOBER I Eagle Staff Writer The College Station City Council on Thursday unanimously, adopted a greenways plan that will guide the purchase and development of a net- work of open spaces for the next 10 to 20 years. Heeding the advice of John Cromp- ton, a member of the Greenways Implementation Task Force that wrote the plan, the council also decid- ed to discuss funding a position to oversee the implementation of the plan during budget discussions this summer. "This is an extremely complex pro- ject with a lot of momentum behind it, < <The designation and development of greenway systems in and around urban areas can help ... enhance community quality of life in many ways. 9 9 — GREENWAYS IMPLEMENTATION TASK FORCE REPORT and I urge you to appoint a full-time person to sustain the momentum," Crompton said. The plan calls for purchasing flood - plains bordering Wolf Pen Creek, Bee Creek, Alum Creek, Lick Creek and Carter Creek and connecting them by a series of bike paths and walkways. "The designation and development of greenway systems in and around urban areas can help ... enhance com- munity quality of life in many ways," the report stated. The council appointed the 11 -mem- ber task force to prepare the green- ways master plan as part of the August 1997 adoption of the city's Comprehensive Plan. The commit- tee's goal was to define greenways as they relate to the Comprehensive See PROJECT, Page A16 Region Project From A9 Plan, identify potential uses for specific greenways areas, deter- mine ways to acquire the land and prioritize the areas to be devel- oped as greenways. City planner Jane Kee told the council that imminent develop- ment along a greenway and the amount of undeveloped land sur- rounding the greenway probably will determine which areas are purchased or dedicated first. One source of funds will be bonds. In November, voters approved $3.64 million for green- ways and other projects. The city also could accept land dedications, encourage voluntary dedication of greenways by landowners or look for grants. Crompton pointed out that the city could quadruple its available funds for greenways by applying for certain federal and state grants. City Manager Skip Noe called the plan "an excellent step in the right direction." In other business, the council approved an ordinance amend- ment establishing a six-month period for notice of code violations. Before the vote, however, the council debated the original pro- posal, which would have permit- ted city staff to mail out code vio- lation notices good for 12 months. Noe said the one -year time peri- od would help city staff deal with nuisance properties, particularly those with high grass and weeds. Most complaints received by the city come from neighbors of neglected lots, he said. Several council members, how- ever, argued that a 12 -month time period for such notices was too long and could cause compliance problems for some homeowners. The council also decided. three rezoning cases. Council members Dennis Maloney, Winnie Garner and James Massey'abstained•from discussing or voting on the rezon- ing cases because they rendered judgment on the issues as mem- bers of the Planning and Zoning Committee. First, a request to rezone 7.2 acres located off F.M. 2818, just south of R &B Road, was approved by a vote of 4 -0. Second, a request to rezone 5.8 acres along the west side of Texas 6, about 700 feet south of Graham Road, also was approved 4 -0, repeating the council's approval on March 25. This issue came back to the council, however, because fhe owner requested that one of three conditions be dropped — that the zoning not be effective until an east -west minor collector road either is installed or guaranteed. Councilman Ron Silvia argued that the road was part of a "pack- age deal." "The road has to be built," he said. Third, the council unanimously approved a request to rezone 1105 and 1107 Wellborn Road to neigh- borhood commercial so that the owner can remodel an existing building for a beauty salon. Dorcas Moore, a neighbor, urged the council to approve the request, saying there was a great need for black hair care in the city. "This would be a great asset to the neighborhood," she said. At the end of the meeting, sever- al residents criticized the coun- cil's tentative decision to move Hear Visitors to 5 p.m. The coup: cil announced its intention to cord; sider the move during its retreat May 17 -18 in Conroe. "A lot of people have to work and will have trouble getting here by 5 p.m.," Cathy Wheeler said. Hear Visitors currently is scheduled as the last agenda item before adjournment. State g investi g atin 5 CS recall petitioners didates. It also regulates groups that circulate petitions to submit for elections, said Karen Lundquist, general counsel for the commission. Title 15 of the Election Code states that a group receiving or spending more than $SW must elect a treasurer and file the details, Lundquist said. Hickson claimed one of the members paid $740.25 for a Feb. 23 newspaper advertisement sum- By BOB SCHOBER Eagle SftyY Writert {J The Texas Ethics Commission has launched an investigation into allegations that five College Station residents who circulated a recall petition in February and March violated provisions of the state Election Code. Former City Councilman David Hickson filed a complaint April 13 with the commission accusing the petitioners — Norma Miller, Beni- to Flores- Meath, Carl Vargo, Ethics panel looking into group's lack of paperwork Susanne McDonald and George Sopasakis — of forming a political action committee and spending and soliciting "significant dol- lars" without filing "the neces- sary paperwork." The commission announced May 21 that it will conduct a pre- liminary review of the allega- tions. No date has been set for a hearing. Vargo responded to the allega- tions in a May 24 letter to the com- mission. The group never was told of the disclosure requirements, he wrote, even though it met with City Secretary Connie Hooks and City Attorney Harvey Cargill for more than hour when filing affi- davits for the recall petition. "It seems that either Miss Hooks or Mr. Cargill would have instructed us on this if they deemed it necessary," he wrote. Miller said Tuesday that, "so far as the Texas Election Code is con- cerned, I didn't know until this morning that it is my responsibil- ity to know it This I heard from a caller from the [commission.] Funny, at 76 years of age, I thought I was doing my duty by voting in all elections for candi- dates and issues I considered right and vital." The state Election Code regu- lates political funds, campaigns and groups that form to support or oppose ballot propositions or can- See ETHICS, Page AS E J cal expenditures," she said. In his letter, Vargo said the "to Ethic s said that, "When they advertisements were paid for arted advertising in the paper started inform the public that a recall • and calling themselves a recall petition was being circulated, From Ai committee, that to me was a and not for the purpose of solicit [political action committee]. So, I ing any funds." marizing the reasons for the called the city secretary and "The political ad disclosure on recall petition. asked if they had filed, and she the bottom of [the advertisement] Lundquist said state law and said no. Then I called the state was placed there by the Bryan commission rules prohibited her Election Commission, and they Eagle newspaper staff," he wrote. from discussing the specifics of said they hadn't received any- Hickson and Mayor Lynn Mcll- Hickson's complaint. She agreed thing. haney and council members Ron to discuss "the status of the law." "They, just like you and me, Silvia, Anne Hazen and Larry "One of the facts that has to be have to follow the rules and Mariott were the targets of the established is was this activity guidelines the state of Texas has petition drive, which was conducted by a group with the us follow. I don't know whether launched Feb. 19. The group had purpose of collecting political they have violated the law, but I 30 days to gather sig9tures, but contributions and making politi- intend to find out," he said. fell short of the number needed to force a recall election. The group never filed the sig- natures they had gathered with the city. See ETHICS, Page AS E J The Eagle City of College Station News Date: `W I **- CS Council to discuss rezoning requests By BOB SCHOBER Eagle Staff Writer The College Station City Coun- cil on Thursday will have two public hearings on rezoning issues. The first public hearing will involve a request to rezone 7.2 acres located west of F.M. 2818 and south of F &B Road. The owner wants to rezone the parcel from single - family residential to gener- al commercial. City staff is recom- mending that the request be approved. The second public hearing will involve a request to rezone about 5.8 acres located along the west side of Texas 6, and about 700 feet south of Graham Road, from apartments /high density to gener- al commercial. City staff is recom- mending that the request be denied. The council will consider a third rezoning issue. An applicant is requesting that 1105 and 1107 Wellborn Road be rezoned from single family to general commer- cial. City staff is recommending that the request be denied for non- compliance with the city's land - use plan. In other business, the council: ■ Will consider an ordinance amendment to allow notices of code violations to be good for 12 months. The amendment mirrors state statutes, officials said, and will allow the city to correct the viola- tion at the owner's expense with- out further notification. ■ Conduct a first reading of a franchise agreement with Ameri- can Medical Waste Management Inc. for the collection and disposal of treated and untreated medical waste. ■ Consider an interlocal agree- ment with Texas A &M University to allow the city to piggyback with A &M in the purchase of office sup- plies. The city, for example, could receive a 47 percent discount on all office supply purchases, City Manager Skip Noe said. ■ Consider subordinating a Rental Rehabilitation Program lien of $6,000 on a duplex at 1225- 1227 Georgia St. to another lender. The owner intends to sell the property, which was renovated in 1997 with the rehabilitation funds. The buyer, officials said, has been informed of program require- ments. During the workshop session, the council will discuss the pro- posed Greenways Master Plan as submitted by the Greenways Implementation Task Force. The council also will discuss ranking the 1999 Strategic Issues. The workshop will be at 3 p.m. Thursday in the council chambers of City Hall, 1101 Texas Ave. The regular meeting will be at 6 p.m. in the same location. For more information, call 764- 3500. The Eagle City of College Station News O 'Texcon to By BOB SCHOBER p5 12-Z- Eagle Staff Writer Texcon, a Bryan -based utilities contractor, has been awarded a $2.177 million contract to recon- struct Graham Road. The contract, approved by the College Station City Council late Thursday, requires that Texcon widen the stretch of Graham Road in front of the new Cypress Creek Intermediate School before the Date: repair fall semester starts. The company will have until February to com- plete the reconstruction of the road between Shafer Road and Texas 6. Graham Road will be closed to through traffic for the duration of the project, which is expected to begin within two weeks. The city will announce the exact date at a later time, city engineer Bob Moseley said. Drivers will be able to get to the school on Graham Road, but traf- fic going to Wellborn Road from Texas 6 should use Rock Prairie Road, said Frank Simoneaux, the city's graduate civil engineer and manager of the widening project. Phase 2 of the widening project, which encompasses the stretch between Shafer Road and Well- born Road, will be bid and con- structed later, officials said. The See GRAHAM, Page A16 Graham From Al cost of Phase 2 is estimated at $1.42 million, which does not include the purchase of needed rights-of Graham Road will be widened to 47 feet, which will include two lanes with a third turning lane and bike lanes and sidewalks on both sides. The road will be rebuilt with concrete, curbs and gutters, and storm drainage. Public Works director Mark Smith told the council that engi- neering staff recommended using concrete for the road, even though city repair crews lack the equipment to work on concrete roads. "In the long run, I think it will be more cost - effective," he said. L Graham Road Shirking the public t this week's College Jc' ZQ Station City Council re eat in Conroe, the council members had a special meeting where they decided to change the time that citizens can speak dur- ing "Hear Visitors" to 5 p.m. Why didn't they move the time to 6 p.m., a more convenient time for those who work until 5 p.m.? How are residents going to be able to address the council unless they leave work early, battle 5 p.m. traffic, and sign up by the required time? Council members also voted to kill the Ethics Ordinance which would have forced them to expose their finances to the public. The public has a right to know and to trust that council members are not voting on anything that might benefit them or their spouse. This same ordinance went through two long years of development and was approved by a committee of three former mayors, only to be postponed at the Dec. 17 meeting. At that meeting, a citizen request- ed to speak on the Ethics Ordinance and was not allowed to do so by the mayor. The council intends to spend more time and money to research televising its meetings. Bryan's system works. Why not ask what the Bryan council does? Why continuously debate and research this issue when it's clear how to proceed? Are council members afraid that citizens will see what actually happens at their meetings? Why were key decisions that affect the voters directly — hear visitors, Ethics Ordinance, and meeting televising — decided out of town during the work day? Was it because council members did not want voter input? Couldn't they have waited until they got back? There will be a council special meeting at 11 a.m. Friday. Come and ask them why. BENITO FLORES -MEATH College Station 0 rm� OFFICERS OF THE YEAR 51) '''� Special to The Eagle Officers from the Bryan and College Station police departments, ored Thursday during the seventh annual Law Enforcement Appreci- Texas A &M University Police Department, Brazos County Sheriff's ation Day. The "Officers of the Year," posing with their supervisors, Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety were hon- were honored before more than 400 people at the Brazos Center. Five honored for exceptional service in region By GENEVA WHITMARSH Eagle Staff Writer A successful law enforcement officer must exhibit three characteristics, keynote speaker J.C. Dozier told more than 400 people gathered at the Brazos Center on Thursday to celebrate , w Enforcement Appreciation Day. Honesty, integrity and compassion Tre crucial," said Dozier, the executive director of the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. "In a perfect world, the baseball play- ers would be complaining about the big contracts that police officers get, [but] our profession is an affair of the heart, not the pocketbook," he said. Officers from the Bryan and College Station police departments, Texas A &M University Police Department, Brazos County Sheriffs Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety were honored at the seventh annual event. David Bigley was recognized as the Bryan Police Department's "Officer of the Year." A 17 -year veteran of the department, Bigley currently serves in the criminal investigation division, where he documents, processes and, in some cases, re- creates crime scenes that later aid prosecutors in presenting their cases. Fred Kindell was named the Brazos County Sheriffs Department "Officer of the Year." A veteran of the Burleson County Sheriffs Department, Kindell came to Brazos County in 1994 to serve as assistant jail administrator. He currently serves in the investigations division. The Texas A &M University Police Department's "Officer of the Year" is Mike Johnson, an A &M student who is working toward a degree in sociology. Johnson serves as a field training officer and a member of the newly formed See OFFICERS, Page Al2 Ruptured pipeline prompts ev acuations By BOB SCHOBER�'' L r Eagle Staff Writer Residents of about 75 homes in the Pebble Creek subdivision were allowed back into their homes Thursday evening after being forced to evacuate for about four hours because of a gas leak on Greens Prairie Road. Workers trenching for a new ;ewer line nicked an underground iquid petroleum gas pipeline rhursday morning, releasing :louds of vaporized, flammable ,as. The break caused no injuries, emergency officials ordered evacuation early afternoon r Ause air monitoring equip - detected pools of the gas lin- g in low areas in the neigh- College Station Fire thief Dave Giordano said. The :as, which contains propane and Butane, is heavier than air and ■ Gas leak tips /A2 highly combustible. The evacuation ended at 6:33 p.m., officials said, and residents were allowed back in their homes. Representatives of the pipeline company monitored the leak throughout the night Thursday, reporting air - monitoring readings every 30 minutes. Officials said repair crews" would start working early Friday morning. One official said the repair could take about an hour, depending on the available equip- ment and materials, and that Greens Prairie Road east of Texas 6 could be reopened by Friday evening. Earlier in the day, the Public Utilities Department pressurized sewer lines in the subdivision to prevent Pape A2 the Bryan"lage Station Eagle Friday, May 14, 1999 News Gas leak From Ai into the sewer system, Assistant Fire Chief Eric Hurt said During the evacuation, resi- dents with no place to go were bused to the College Station Con- ference Center. Students of Peb- ble Creek Elementary School who live in the evacuated area were kept at the school, where they were picked up by their parents. Other students were bused home as usual, officials said. Golfers at Pebble Creek Country Club also were asked to vacate. The pipe is owned by Seminole Pipeline, which in turn is owned by the Williams Co. Don Hoff- man, a safety consultant for the Williams Co., said about 12 employees of Pumpco, the pipeline contractor that will 'do the repairs, arrived on the scene at 2 p.m. Repairs, however, had to wait for the residual gas to dissipate. Valves containing the leak were separated by about 8 miles of pipe, so repairs were delayed for several hours while the pipeline was emptied of gas. Hoffman said the gas is trans- ported at about 200 pounds of pressure. At 2:30 p.m., he said pressure had dropped to 110 pounds, and was dropping about one pound a minute. He estimat- ed repairs would start at about 9 p.m. and take all night. "We'll cordon off the area and let the pipeline blow down," he said. Firefighters were called to the scene at 9:57 a.m., and police blocked off Greens Prairie Road north of Texas 6 to about a quar- ter -mile south of the entrance to the Pebble Creek subdivision. Still under the pressure, the liq- uid gas vaporized in the air, cre- ating — like dry ice in water — billowing white clouds that drift- ed slowly on a soft, northerly breeze toward the Pebble Creek subdivision. Workers for Texcon, a Bryan- based utilities construction com- pany, were using a track hoe to dig a ditch for a new sewer line in the area of the gas line. The teeth of the track hoe's bucket peeled the top off the pipeline, releasing the gas, according to Texcon The pipe was about 36 inches below ground, which is the proper depth, according to Mary McDaniel, assistant director of pipeline safety for the Texas Rail- road Commission. The commis- sion regulates gas pipelines. the gas from migrating Eagle photo /Dave McDermar A lone firefighter walks past a ditch filled with a gas was ruptured by workers digging a trench on Greer See GAS LEAK, Page A2 cloud that hangs near the ground like tog after a pipeline Prairie Road near Pebble Creek on Thursday. Residents OK after gas leak L� Students wait out leak at center By KELLI LEVEY Eagle Staff Writer V 1 School officials scrambled Thursday afternoon to shuttle stu- dents who live in Pebble Creek across town to a designated emer- gency shelter. A backhoe sheared a 4 -inch LP gas pipeline Thursday morning across from Pebble Creek on Greens Prairie Road. No one was injured in the incident, but sever- al homes in the Pebble Creek sub- division were evacuated. includ- ing those of Juliet Martin and Bill and Marilyn Stine. The trio, and occasionally others, waited in the College Station Conference Center for word that they could return home. That word came Thursday evening. "The police came and I had to leave right away," Martin said. "I couldn't even stop to change my clothes." She said she was allowed to pause and call her son. "All he said was, 'Lots of excite- ment, huh ? "' Martin said. "The policewoman waited the whole time to make sure I left. I could smell the gas even before they came, then I saw them going around to all the houses. I appre- ciate them doing this. You've just got to be careful of something like this." Pebble Creek Elementary School students who normally walk or ride their bicycles to school were kept in the cafeteria after class until their parents arrived. Normally, about 45 students in the fifth through 12th grades who live in the subdivision ride buses to school, district officials said. Ce nter From Ai however, was unimpressed by all the excitement. "I was hoping to go home and do my homework and just have a normal life," she said. "We all got on the bus and they told us the people who live in Pebble Creek weren't going home, but we were coming over here. We really didn't have a choice. Now. all this has set me back at least an hour." Bill Conaway, the College Sta- tion school district's transporta- tion director, said the shuttle arrangements were not hard to coordinate. "It wasn't anything of a prob- lem for us at all he said. "All the kids who live in Pebble Creek ride the same bus anyway, so we just redirected it over here." District spokeswoman Kelly Robic said district officials will monitor progress at the site. "Pebble Creek, the elementary school, was never evacuated, so I don't know if tomorrow it or any- thing else will be affected," she said. "We're hoping they'll get this all cleaned up and it will be over." On Thursday afternoon, on] about a dozen did. "I think a lot of parents were li tening to reports about this all da, and just went on the schools am got their kids," Deborah N. said "I knew my kids were OK," sht said, "but I had Skip [her hus band, College Station City Manag er Skip Noel go out there and ge our dog. I told him do whatever hr had to to get that dog out of there.' Several of the students seemer. to enjoy their detour to tht Yahooz youth center adjacent tr, the conference center. The young sters took advantage of the pool table, games and snacks. "Can I play just a little longer ?" one boy asked his mother when she came to take him home. Seventh - grader Megan Noe, See CENTER, Page A2 Eagle photo /Butch Ireland ollege Station school district students register with volunteers at the thooz youth center after a gas leak Thursday afternoon kept them from leir homes. Their parents later came to the center to pick them up. CS OKs Wolf Pen project By BOB SCHOBER ) l Eagle Staff' Writer 5 1 The College Station City Coun- cil on Thursday unanimously approved a price agreement for a proposed city -owned conference center, allowing the Wolf Pen Creek Hotel/Conference Center to move into the final design phase. City staff and the developer of the project, Wolf Pen Creek Limit- ed, negotiated a $6,459,996 guaran- teed maximum price for the con- ference center and $120,000 for construction management. The price was not a bid, but the maxi- , mum figure the city will pay for es Council construction of the conference center. Any costs over that will be paid by the developer, Assistant City Manager Tom Brymer told the council. Councilman Larry Mariott questioned Dal -Mac Construction Co. representative Rick Bachmey- er about why the guaranteed max- imum prices jumped $500,000 over previous estimates. Dal -Mac Con- struction Co. will be the construc- tion manager for the conference center. Mariott, a home builder, point- ed out that concrete prices are not as high as assumed in the price ti mation. "I see you haven't done your homework in concrete prices, and I'm wondering about other items here," he said. Bachmeyer said the increase was due in part to higher con- struction costs, including materi- als and a tight labor market that is pushing up wages. Councilman Dennis Maloney said he was not happy with the price increase, but that the guar- antee maximum price was just that — a guarantee, not a bid. "We hope to see it come in at the original price, or reasonably close See COUNCIL, Page Al2 Once the ink is dry on the financing arrangements, Brymer said the architect will draw final design plans and bid out the con- struction. Groundbreaking could take place in late July, with construc- tion completed within 18 to 20 months. In other business, the council turned down a request for a con- ditional -use permit to allow Bra- zos Valley Community Church to occupy the vacant Wolfe Nursery lot at the corner of Holleman Drive and Texas 6. By a vote of 3 -1, with Mayor Lynn Mcllhaney voting no, the council denied an appeal by the church to overturn a previous unanimous denial by the Plan- ning and Zoning Commission for the conditional -use permit. New council members Maloney, Win- nie Garner and James Massey, who heard the request as mem- bers of the commission, abstained from the discussion and vote. Pastor Timothy Green, repre- sented by attorney Rob Holt, argued that the church was com- patible with development plans for the Wolf Pen Creek corridor, From A3 to it," he said. The city will finance the con- ference center with $5.5 million in certificates of obligation and $500,000 from other loan funds. The bonds will be paid back over 20 years by revenue collected in a Tax Increment Financing district already set up for the Wolf Pen Creek area and hotel/motel tax revenues from the 200 -room Sher- aton Hotel that will be built next door with private funds provided by the developer. The developer has agreed to invest at least $21 million in the hotel and other facilities, which will provide the tax base neces- sary to repay the debt through ad valorem taxes without raising property taxes. Don Reel, representing two firms that will provide debt financing and some equity fund- ing for the hotel, said the final financing commitments and th agreements would be ready in ye- about 30 days. o - would support neighboring busi- nesses that wanted to serve alco holic beverages, and had strong property and constitutionat rights to occupy the site. The church would have used the existing building for services and established a day -care facility for about 100 children. Councilman Ron Silvia argued that the day -care center and con- gregation would face safety prob lems at that location, but Holt said patrons of any other busi- ness that would locate on the site would face the same safety cow cerns. "It will be the same issue fe everyone there," Holt said. – Afterward, Green said he wis disappointed, but his church of 60 members would look for another site. The council also unanimously approved a $253,900 contract for design and construction manage- ment of odor control improve ; ments at the Carter Creek Waste-: water Plant, and an agreement with Callaway House College Sta- tion for the installation of a traf- fic signal at the intersection of George Bush Drive and Olsen, Boulevard. �n- Wolf Pen complex gets funds By BOB SCHOBER 5 7113 Eagle Staff Writer The Wolf Pen Creek Hotel /Con- ference Center project took a giant leap forward Wednesday when officials announced that two investment firms have pledged to finance the $19- million hotel. Jim Allen and Davis McGill, who head up an investment group that will provide equity funding for the project, announced .Wednesday at City Hall that Oxford International of Bethesda, Md., and Corpfinance Internation- al Inc. of Toronto will complete the legal and financial documents within three weeks. Allen announced March 3 that the two companies would finance the project, but Wednesday's announcement provided the guar- See WOLF PEN, Page Al2 Wolf Pen From A7 antee. "It's now a matter for the attor- neys doing the legal work and get- ting documents prepared," he said. The project is a public - private partnership between the develop- er, Wolf Pen Creek Limited, and the city of College Station. The developer will own the 200 -room Sheraton Hotel and the city will own the 45,000 square -foot confer- ence center. The developer will invest at least $21 million in the project, which will allow repay- ment of bonds the city will issue to fund the conference center through ad valorem taxes. The last chapter in the fmanc- ing for the project will unfold Thursday when the City Council considers a guaranteed maxi- mum price of $6,459,996 for the conference center. The figure was negotiated between the developer and city staff. In 1997, voters gave approval for the city to issue $6 million in revenue bonds for the conference center. The additional $500,000 price tag is a result of higher con- struction and other costs, City Manager Skip Noe said. If the council approves the negotiated price, construction drawings for the project will be made complete within 75 days, Assistant City Manager Tom Brymer said. Groundbreaking ceremonies will be held in late July, officials said, and the project completed about 18 months after that. Mayor Lynn McIlhaney expressed relief that the financ- ing had been attained. "I'm glad we've finally gotten to this point," she said. "This is the first step for us to get into the [convention business] we want to reach. Hopefully, we can have the project completed in 18 to 20 months that everyone can be proud of." The Eagle City of College Station News Date: �511 9`i Wolf Pen Creek center awaits vote By BOB SCHOBER �� t�7 Eagle Staff Writer / L- A guaranteed maximum price for the city of College Station's conference cen- ter to be built at Wolf Pen Creek has been negotiated and awaits City Council approval Thursday. The council will be asked to approve a $6,459,996 maximum price for the con- ference center. Existing agreements with the developer, Wolf Pen Creek, Ltd., and Dal -Mac Construction Co., the construction manager for the project, include a $6 million maximum price and also will have to be amended, Assistant City Manager Tom Brymer said Tues- day. The project must be put out for bids, y and all costs above the $6.459 million fig- ure, excluding city - initiated construc- tion change orders, will be absorbed by the developer, City Manager Skip Noe said. The council also will have a public hearing and consider an appeal by Tim- othy Green, pastor of Brazos Valley Community Church, which asks the council to overturn a denial of his con- ditional -use permit request. Green requested the conditional -use permit for a church and day care facili- ty to be located at 6900 E. Bypass. The Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously denied his request. In other business, the council will: ■ Consider a $253,900 contract for engineering design and construction management to fix odor problems at the Carter Creek Wastewater Treatment plant. ■ Consider a $209,140 contract with Boegner General Contractors of Bryan to develop Edelweiss Park. ■ Consider an agreement with Call- away House College Station Ltd. for the installation of a traffic signal at the intersection of George Bush Drive and Olsen Boulevard. Callaway House will pay the city $21,904 of the estimated $100,000 cost. ■ Consider allocating $43,000 of the city's Community Development Block Grant funds. The Parks and Recreation Department has asked that the Parks Department Kids Club receive $24,750 and the Human Resources Teen Appren- ticeship program receive $18,250. The requests are the same as last year, offi- cials said. During the workshop session, the See CENTER, Page A13 Center From A9 council will discuss criteria for gelecting and appointing resi- dents to various residents' com- mittees. The Planning and Zoning Commission, for example, lost three members May 1 when chair- persons James Massey, Winnie Garner and Dennis Maloney were elected to the City Council. The workshop session will be at 4 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall, 1101 Texas Ave. The regular meeting will be at 6 P.M. in the same location. For more information, call 764 -3500. r • 1 CS group to focus on roads Association to ask city to delay Bush project By BOB SCHOBER �' Eagle Staff Writer If the College Station City Council thought it had earned a reprieve from the traffic fuss in the College Hills area, Roland Allen intends to make it a tempo- rary one. "We're going to present a petition to the council Thursday asking them to put on hold the George Bush Drive East widening project," he said Tuesday. The "we" Allen referred to was the College Hills Neighborhood Association, which he conceived and which officially formed Tuesday evening. Members of all 1,440 households in the College Hills area — from Texas Avenue to Texas 6 and University Drive to Harvey Road — are eligible to join, but only about 30 people showed up for the organizational meeting in the College Hills Elementary School cafeteria. Those 30 unanimously voted to urge the council to halt the George Bush Drive East project. The project would widen the street to four lanes with a median between Texas Avenue and Harvey Road and elimi- nate all the houses along the north side of George Bush Drive East. "It channels traffic into our neighborhood and will cause some people to lose their homes," Allen said. "This is a bad plan for our neighborhood." The group also will urge the city to install orna- mental entrances with signs on streets leading into the neighborhood, work with residents to improve the general condition of the neighborhood, and on traffic planning and street modifications. " feel this group needs to organize to maintain our streets and protect our neighborhood," he said. The group passed its resolutions after heated argu- ments about who could be a member. Allen started the evening by insisting that mem- bership be denied to members of other neighborhood associations, specifically the College Woodlands Neighborhood Association, which formed several years ago to fight for closing Munson Avenue. He wrote that provision into a proposed set of bylaws for the group. ' Dan Harrison, who lives on Dominik Drive, object- ed and urged open membership. "The City Council basically mucked up the whole issue," he said. "The more strength we have, the more we can speak with one voice. If we can get together, we'll have that much greater push and pull." Allen later was overruled by a solid majority, but only after officers were elected. He was elected pres- ident of the group. Peter Hugill, president of the College Woodlands group, said, "I'll work with anybody who is dedicat- ed to working for neighborhood integrity and elimi- nating cut - through traffic in established neighbor- hoods." Wedni J� 12- K iwanis Club applauds police officers' efforts By COLLEEN KAVANAGH Eagle Staff Writers Three local police officers were honored for their service to the community Tuesday during the College Station Kiwanis Club's annual police appreciation awards banquet. Texas A &M University Police Department Officer James Michael "Mike" Johnson, College Station Police Department Detec- tive Pat Massey and Bryan Police Department Detective David Bigley were nominated by their respective departments for the banquet, held at the Ramada Inn in College Station. Johnson has been in law enforcement for six years. He started at the Brazos County Sher- iff's Department and has worked at the University Police Depart- ment for three and a half years. At the department, he trains rookie officers and is a certified mounted horse officer. University Police Director Bob Wiatt said Johnson is highly regarded by everyone, including students at A &M. "He gets along with the students and does a superb job," Wiatt said. "He is highly thought of, hard- working and loyal." Massey joined the College Sta- tion Police Department in October 1987, was promoted to senior offi- cer in 1991, and was promoted to his present rank in 1992. His pri- mary area of investigation is bur- glaries. Police Chief Edgar Feldman said Massey helped recover $56,000 in property in 1998. "Detective Massey consistently does an excellent job, and has received letters of appreciation from the public and his supervi- sors," Feldman said. Bigley has been with the Bryan Police Department since 1982 and is a crime scene technician, col- on Kiwanis Club Officers of the Year (left to right) are: James M. Johnson, who serves Texas A &M University; Pat Massey, with the College Station Police Department; and David Bigley, who works with the Bryan Police Depart- ment. Also pictured are chiefs Lee Freeman of Bryan; Edgar Feldman of Col- lege Station and Bob Wiatt with A &M. lecting evidence to help identify Bigley has been an asset to the suspects in connection with department because of his leader - crimes. He also works with the ship. department's fingerprinting pro- "He always gives 110 percent," gram. he said. "It seems like day by day Police Chief Lee Freeman said he just works harder." I Photo Special to The Eagle The M agi. City of College Station News Date: I i i I �1 � 11 Page A8 The Bryan - College Station Eagle Tuesday, May 11, 1999 Business ProdiGene holds grand opening Facilities include 17,000 square feet of laboratories, offices By BLAIR FANNIN Eagle Staff Writer ProdiGene unveiled its new facility at The Business Center in College Station Monday in front of elected officials- and individu- als from the business communi- ty. ProdiGene develops and com- mercializes proteins from traps- genic plants used in chenlleal markets. The company also researches the development of edible vaccines for animals and humans. ProdiGene's new facility has more than 17,000 square feet of laboratories and offices, and a state -of- -the -art 6,000- square -foot greenhouse. Lee Deviney, assistant commis- sioner for finance and agribusi- ness development at the Texas Department of Agriculture, told attendees, "We would like to see more value -added businesses like ProdiGene in the future. We think companies like ProdiGene will help Texas become more of a hub for biotechnology." ProdiGene currently employs 30, but that could increase to 50 employees in the next two years, said John Howard, ProdiGene president and CEO. "We are expecting continued growth," Howard said. "We can go as high as 80 employees [in this facility]. We are continuing to be a strong company and are Eagle photo /Butch Ireland fortunate to have a really good John Howard. president and CEO of ProdiGene, said on Monday that the group of excellent employees." firm, which currently employs 30 workers, could increase to 50 in two The company formed in 1995 years. and moved to the Texas A &M University Research Park in "Edible vaccines would allow ProdiGene is the second tenant 1997 people to get vaccinated by sim- to hold a grand opening at The ProdiGene is testing the pro- duction of cost - effective vaccines ply eating a candy bar and with - Business Center. out the use of needles," Howard In April, Universal Computer that can be fed to livestock rather is told the group. "Imagine using Systems, which supplies software this in of the country where and hardware support to the than injected. The company also looking into edible human parts they don't have access to these automobile industry, held its rib - vaccines. materials." bon- cutting ceremony. The Eagle Cite of College S tation News Date: 5 Group a es future of Colleg Hills y By BOB SCHOBER George Bush Drive East extension pro- through traffic, he said. �_ Eagle Staff Writer )q < (There are 1,400 ject, which he said will bring heavy The group's organizational meeting households in our area, traffic into the neighborhood and elim- will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the College low that the "Munson shoot -out" is inate several houses. Hills Elementary School cafeteria. Offi- r, Roland Allen and other College so there are a lot of The group also will study construc- cers will be elected, bylaws for the ills residents are forming the Greater issues out there.> > tion and rezoning proposals near Lin - group considered and traffic and other College Hills Neighborhood Associa _ RoLAND AL LEN coln Drive and other locations "that issues discussed. tion to speak out on traffic, zoning and chew away" at the edges of the neigh- College Hills residents who live in development issues that threaten "this Greater College Hills Neighborhood borhood. the area bounded by Texas Avenue, great, old historic neighborhood." Association member The association will ask the city to Texas 6, University Drive and Harvey "The idea is to form a neighborhood- extend the required notification dis- Road are eligible to join. He said mem- wide association to deal with our area closing off Munson Avenue should be tance from 200 feet to 300 yards to allow bers of a similar group, however, can - as neighborhood associations do in taken down, but the May 1 election did greater neighborhood input in rezon- not join "to avoid dual representation." newer neighborhoods," he said. "There not end traffic issues for the neighbor - ing proposals. It also will ask for orna- For more information, check the are 1,400 households in our area, so hood, said Allen, who lives on Ashburn mental gates with signs at street group's Web site at: www.college- there are a lot of issues out there." Avenue. entrances to College Hills to promote hills.org or contact Allen at e- Voters decided that the barricades Topping the list of concerns is the community pride and deter cut- mail @collegehills.org. • The Eagle City of College Station News Date: 5 Munson Avenue opened 15 1 Eagle photo /Butch Ireland The barricades that closed Munson Avenue at Lincoln Drive in College Station since Octo- ber lie on the bed of a city truck after workers dismantled them Friday afternoon. The workers waited until just after 2 p.m., when the City Council canvassed the May 1 elec- tion results and an ordinance requiring the opening of Munson Avenue took effect. Voters approved the ordinance by a two -to-one margin on Election Day. • CS Council swearing -in 518 College Station Mayor Lynn Mcllhaney (left) congratulates new City Council members James Massey, Place 1 (second from left), Winnie Garner, Place 3, and Dennis Maloney, Place 5, after swearing -in cere- monies Friday afternoon at City Hall. Eagle photo /Butch Ireland Two seek release of C S records Anderson, Esmond ask judge to open medical payments, invoice "We're just trying to find out and Anderson had not agreed where the city's money is going," pay about $2,500 in copying cc Anderson said. "If a lot of people to "provide the information in are making big money off the city, format they requested." I don't have a problem with that Mayor Lynn Mcllhaney said as long as it's being done in a cost- was not very familiar with competitive way. If not, I want to issue. know about it." "It's hard to comment, of City Attorney Harvey Cargill than to say we have a city at said the city had not been served ney to deal with the legal aspec with the petition as of Thursday she said. "We've just cc afternoon. He said, however, that through an election, and w the information had not been com- privileged, and on Dec. 22 asked the Texas Attorney General for an piled or released because Esmond See SUIT, Page By BOB SCHOBER mandamus — a legal command for Eagle Staff Writer performance of a duty — and pub- lic hearing on their open records Two outgoing College Station city councilmen have asked a dis- request. The councilmen filed the trict judge to order the city to request for the information Dec. 8. hand over information on pay - The city denied the request, t ments to doctors for treatment of claiming that the information was city employees. Steve Esmond and Swiki Ander- privileged, and on Dec. 22 asked the Texas Attorney General for an ANDERSON ESMOND son, who did not run for re-elec- opinion. The attorney general of service provider identifying tion and will officially leave the City Council on Friday, filed a issued a ruling March 24, stating that the city could not withhold information." As of Thursday, the city had not petition Wednesday for a writ of information "consisting generally released the information. Suit From Al —� have a new council that will be sworn in tomorrow. The council will need to work together to make good public policy, and I hope we'll continue to do that." On April 1, former Assistant City Attorney Carla Robinson wrote to Esmond and Anderson about the attorney general's rul- ing. She stated that "a portion" of the information they requested could be disclosed. "There are criminal penalties for releasing information that is not public information," Cargill said. Esmond said, "We don't need or want copies of everything. We don't want to know private and confidential information. We're looking for very narrow informa- tion. if they don't honor the attor- ney general's opinion, the facts will come out in court." Robinson, who told Esmond and Anderson that they would have to pay for the photocopying of documents, said about 12,000 canceled checks made out to health -care providers are com- mingled with canceled checks made out to city employees for medical reimbursements. City staff would have to separate the checks, edit out confidential information and make photo- copies of each, she said. The city would not compile the information, Robinson said, until Esmond and Anderson deposited 10 percent of the estimated cost. "I don't see the sense in paying for all that information that we don't need, "Anderson said. "We wanted the opportunity to look at the information and, clearly, a lot of it is of no interest to us at all." Esmond and Anderson, in a joint statement released Thurs- day, said they suspected the delay in making the documents avail- able was connected to a delay in implementing the city's ethics ordinance. The council passed the ordinance — which rgquires financial disclosure by members of the City Council, Planning and Zoning Commission and other city boards and committees — in October, but has not yet imple- mented it. "The unimplemented ethics ordinance would require certain public officials to file disclosure of their assets and income annu- ally," the councilmen said in their statement. "Although provi- sion for monitoring financial gain is up to city ordinance, con- cealing transfers of public funds to a public official, their business or spouse is already a violation of state law." Esmond would not identify individuals alluded to. "I don't want this to be a politi- cal issue," he said. "This is a legal proceeding, not a political forum. That's why we waited until the last minute and after the election. If I had wanted to run for reelec- tion, this would have been a great political issue." A hearing date had not been set as of late Thursday. The man- damus request will be heard by 85th District Court Judge J.D. Langley. 0 J Students learn how t* hall operate • About two dozen students from the Bryan and College Station high schools spent Wednesday morning shadowing municipal leaders in their respective cities. The government students were selected to participate in the 37th manual Youth in Government Day. —City employees and elected offi- cials led tours of the municipal build- ings and explained their jobs. Then the students from both cities dined with their temporary mentors at the Elks Lodge in Bryan. In the afternoon, the students led mock city council meetings and con- tinued their orientations. College Sta- tion students played City Jeopardy, which included questions based on what they had learned that morning. The students also were assigned special duties for the day. Justin Smith, for example, was promoted to mayor of Bryan. "They told me I was going to be mayor and I didn't really have any objections," he said. Amy Bergbreiter, a Bryan council member for the day, said she longed fora little more action. "The council doesn't have a lot going on right now, so we couldn't fol- low them today," she said. "Right now, we're just watching people work." No charges filed in H The Eagle 0 City of College Station News Date: b �j 1 '1'1 CS to weigh rezoning area for multifamily housing By BOB SCHOBER Springbrook - Oakgrove subdivi- Eagle Staff Writer sion. ■ Edelweiss Estates Phase 15 -B. A proposal to build duplexes ■ Wheeler subdivision Phase 2, and fourplexes on a four -acre plot located along the south side of at Holleman Drive and Welsh University Drive and west of the Avenue will be considered by the Lincoln Avenue intersection. College Station Planning and Zon- ■ Holleman Village Addition, ing Commission on Thursday. located at 2001 Holleman Drive The project requires rezoning West. the land to low- density multifami- Public hearings also will be • ly, and the commission will hold a public hearing to gather neighbor- held on requests to rezone: hood input. The tract will provide M Nos. 1105 and 1107 Wellborn Road for a beauty salon. a transition between the commer- M 7.2 acres located south of F &B cial lot at the corner of Holleman Drive and Welsh Avenue and Road and west of F.M. 2818 from existing single - family residences single - family to commercial. to the south and east. 0 5.8 acres on the west side of The commission will gather Texas 6, about 700 feet south of public input on a proposal to con- Graham Road, from apart - ;trict a self-service car wash at the ments /high density to commer- .orner of Puryear Drive and cial. )ominik Drive. The commission will meet at 7 In other business, the commis- p.m. Thursday in the council ion will consider final plats for: chambers at City Hall, 1101 Texas ■ Alexandria subdivision Phase Ave. For more information, call on Barron Road, next to the 764 -3500. The Battalion City of College Station News Date: 51419 � Voters open Munson c BY CARRIE BENNETT The Battalion The removal of the barri- cades and traffic calming de- vices on Munson Avenue will begin Friday as a result of voters passing an ordinance prohibit- ing the city from closing the street in Saturday's election. The proposition passed by a 2 -1 margin with 3,099 voting for the removal of the barricades and 1,504 people voting against the removal. Kayla Glover, who led the or- ganization opposed to the barri- cades, Friends of Our Commu- nity, said she was not surprised the outcome. "I wasn't surprised that we won by that large of a margin," Glover said. "I am glad we did win and I was also pleased with the [voter] turnout that seemed better than normal." Stephen Miller, a member of the organization in support of the barricades, Citizens for Neighborhood Integrity, said he felt having 1,300 voters that showed support for the barri- cades was good considering the thousands of drivers with whom they competed. "The first thing is we, essen- tially, are families living on Munson and adjacent streets [voting] against thousands of drivers," Miller said. College Station City Manager, Skip Noe, said the barricades will be removed on Friday after the College Station City Council MUNSON xKZ Continued from Page 1 certifies the ordinance. He said the speed humps will be re- moved after the city staff coor- dinates a time with a construc- tion crew. Noe said the removal of the speed humps is more compli- cated than the removal of the barricades, but construction workers should be working on the removal next week. Glover said she does not ob- ject to methods of traffic calm- ing along Munson Avenue. In February, the City Council dis- cussed the possibility and costs of widening Munson Avenue if the voters chose to open the street. "I don't think Munson will be SEE MUNSON ON PAGE Z. widened immediately," Glover said. "Munson can be widened to the size of Francis [Drive] or Do- minik [Drive] by using the ease- ments instead of taking property from people." • The Battalion City of College Station News Date: A pt) 1 30, P offs to o to decl _ate of un son Avenue 4 3 U lf CARRIE BENNETT �! The Battalion if College Station voters will determine to- morrow the fate of Munson Avenue, once a congested thoroughfare through the commu- nity, now a residential street blocked to non - neighborhood through traffic. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information and locations call the Brazos County Voter Registration Office at 361- 4490. Design and measurements designate Mun- son Avenue, which runs parallel to Texas Av- enue between Harvey Road and Lincoln Drive, as an urban residential street, which can carry up to 1,000 vehicles per day and is 50 feet wide. It was originally to be a minor collector street, which can carry up to 5,000 cars and is 60 feet wide. Minor collector streets in the area include Lincoln Drive and Dominik Drive. After 1996 traffic counts, before Texas Av- enue widening construction began, Munson Avenue was carrying up to 7,000 vehicles per day. The day after construction to widen Texas Avenue began, 7,500 to 8,000 cars were re- ported to have traveled Munson Avenue. City staff said that 1,000 of the cars traveling Mun- son Avenue each day were doing so because of the Texas Avenue construction. In September 1996, city staff estimated that the move of the Blinn College campus to Bryan resulted in about a 10 percent drop in traffic. After campaigning for the last few weeks, neighborhood organizations opposing the re- moval of the barricade are ready for the voters to make their decision. Kayla Glover, resident of the College Hills neighborhood which houses Munson Avenue, leads the group Friends of Our Community, which supports the barricade removal. She said she is optimistic about the outcome of the election. "We feel pretty good about it," Glover said. "I think the majority of people already had their minds made up before the campaigning even began." Glover said she thinks the voters will elect to remove the barricades. "We might not win by a big margin, but in a lot of ways I feel like we have already won," Glover said. "I consider myself a winner no matter what the outcome of the election is, be- cause I got the petition going, and we got it on the ballot, so the people can vote for them- selves." Stephen Miller, a member of Citizens for Neighborhood Integrity, the organization in fa- vor of the barricades, said he is reluctant to make predictions regarding the outcome of the election. "Mayor Lynn Mcllhaney said this would be an educational process for everybody, and that is ultimately what I hope it was," Miller, a 10- year resident of Munson Avenue, said. "If it was, then people learned that neighborhoods are at risk due to increased traffic." Friends of Our Community wants to con- tinue with the city's original plan, which was to widen Munson Avenue so it would be able SEE MAN ON PAGE The Battalion M Continued from Page 1 to carry higher amounts of traffic. Mike McMichen, a member of Friends of Our Community, said the city has been planning for the high- er traffic counts for 40 years, and the plan should be carried out. "We believe Munson Avenue should be opened and possibly widened to handle the increase in traffic," McMichen said. "A proper study needs to be done to measure the traffic demands on Munson Av- enue." Citizens for Neighborhood In- tegrity believes the preservation of the neighborhood is at stake. Mem- bers say the traffic is dangerous for children and will eventually lower the property values of the homes in the area. Miller said the vandalism and garbage he has seen in the neigh- borhood has become intolerable. "I have seen trenching and garbage in the yards," Miller said. "It is very tense to live in such a high- traffic area." In 1997, a partial closure was ex- ecuted with five speed humps, a 20 mph speed limit, and stop signs were installed on Munson Avenue at Rose Circle, Holt Street and Uni- versity Oaks Boulevard. On Oct. 8, 1998, the College Sta- tion City Council voted unani- mously to install a permanent bar- ricade at Munson Avenue and Lincoln Drive. In August 1998, a petition began to circulate requesting the the Col- lege Station voters be allowed to de- termine the fate of the street. On Nov. 6, the petition was presented to city secretary Connie Hooks with 1,233 signatures. On Jan. 7, 1999, the College Sta- tion City Council voted to place the initiative ordinance, which would prohibit any closure of, traffic re- duction, or traffic calming mea- sures on Munson Avenue, on the May 1 ballot as Proposition 1. The ]Eagle City of College Station News D ate: it pt i') Work together for all neighborhoods By ROBERT S. BEDNARZ Z 4 12.9 Special to The Eagle 1 0 n Saturday, voters will decide whether to prohibit our local government from regulating traffic in a residential neighbor- hood. How should you vote? What's best for you and your community? Before you decide, make sure you know the facts. ■ Munson Avenue is closed at the north end at its intersection with Lincoln Avenue. Access to the rest of the street is good. ■ Dropping off and picking up students at College Hills Elementary School is not inconvenient. • Emergency vehicles can enter and exit without a problem. • Cities everywhere have controlled traffic in residential neigh- borhoods. ■ In College Station, the city used cul- de-sac streets to protect Dominik Drive at the East Bypass, Dexter Drive at Gabbard Park, Francis Drive at Glenhaven Street and Cardinal Street at Springbrook Street. ■ The city refused to open Appomattox Street, Welsh Avenue and Anderson Street to through traffic. ■ The city lowered speed limits, created one -way streets, and installed a 911 gate at Bent Tree Drive and Sebesta Road. ■ The issue is safety. The traffic volume made crossing or walk- ing, jogging, or biking along the Munson Avenue neighborhood street dangerous for young and old. ■ Neighborhood children cross and walk along Munson Avenue to get to school. The crossing guard reported it was often difficult for children to cross Munson Avenue even when she was present. ■ More than 350 traffic tickets were issued along Munson Avenue in 1996 for driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, speeding and failing to stop. ■ Many people, young and old, jog along Munson Avenue and Francis Drive to get to Thomas Park at all hours. ■ Residents could not safely enter their driveways — let alone back out — for fear of being rear - ended. ■ Excessive traffic has been proven to degrade residential neigh- borhoods. One reason zoning was introduced was to prevent traffic from destroying residential areas. ■•The traffic on Munson Avenue was truly excessive — 6,600 to 8,000 cars per day — even before work began on Texas Avenue. That's seven to eight times the maximum number engineers say the street can carry safely. ■ More than 400 cars per day used Munson Avenue between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m., more than comparable streets carry in a day. That leaves more than a car every 10 seconds, on average, supposing those other 7,000 cars traveled between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. ■ Munson Avenue did not connect to Lincoln Avenue until 1983. The residents asked that the street be left unconnected, but the city said that no more than 1,000 cars would use the street and decided to make the connection. R ■ The City Council has tried to correct its mistake. It has studied the problem carefully and tried several solutions. ■ The closing at Lincoln Avenue is the result of comments by College Station residents from all over the city. When disagreements arose, the Munson Avenue Traffic Committee was established. Representatives from the whole area, from Foster Avenue to the East Bypass and from Lincoln Avenue to Dominik Drive, stated six principles: maintain the neighborhood's integrity, improve access to the school, route traffic around the neighborhood, use barriers causing minimal disruption, reduce traffic on all streets carrying more than 1,000 cars per day, and cre- ate no thoroughfares and take no property. If these facts and figures don't convince you, come look at Munson Avenue. Ask yourself if this street should carry more than one car every 10 seconds from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and 400 cars from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. Supporters of the ordinance say Munson Avenue is a public street everyone should be able to use. It is. Anyone can drive on Munson Avenue. It will be a cul -de -sac just like many other streets. They say Munson Avenue was on the master plan as a thorough- fare. Using today's standards, Munson Avenue cannot be more than a "minor collector," a street that should not carry more than 1,000 cars per day. They say that closing Munson Avenue increases traffic on other streets. Let's work together to protect all streets. If one neighbor- hood can't count on support from other neighborhoods, everyone will lose in the end. No neighborhood has, enough votes to win a city -wide election. They say progress means increased traffic, and people should have known this when they bought their homes. The average resi- dent on Munson Avenue has lived there for 25 years. They were promised that no more than 1,000 cars would use their street. As the city grows, let's protect neighborhoods more carefully, not abandon them to increased unsafe traffic. They say another street, like Williams Street, might be punched through. Heard that scary rumor? This weird idea was, and still is, considered unacceptable by all. They say the Munson Avenue group is a bunch of elitists who want special treatment. Come see for yourself how "elite" the neighborhood is. Newer neighborhoods already enjoy what this older neighborhood asks for: one cul -de -sac to prevent cut - through traffic. Help us and work together to protect all neighborhoods. Or is it every neighborhood for itself? Will we stand united or fall divided? ■ Robert S. Bednarz is treasurer of Citizens for Neighborhood Integrity, which opposes Proposition 1 that would reopen Munson Avenue. 0 ziorOp giving spe Cldl L;V11�lUCl illiVi� By MIKE McMICHEN /I I ?_9 Special to The Eagle "� T he area bordered by Texas Avenue, the East Bypass, University Drive and Harvey Road contains more than 1,000 single - family homes and was devel- oped as multiple neighborhoods. The loud outcry to close Munson Avenue began a few years ago from just one of those neigh- borhoods, the College Hills /Woodlands Neighborhood Association. Munson Avenue appears on transporta- tion plans as a through street connecting with 29th Street in Bryan as early as April 1961. Although Munson Avenue was fast a gravel or dirt road, the plan was to improve and expand the road concurrent with growth. The Bryan - College Station Eagle in its editorial opposing Saturday's proposition to reopen the street characterizes the Munson Avenue issue as neighborhood integrity vs. the rights of all people to drive on city streets. While this is one of the arguments, it is not the main issue. The majority of the residents in the area defined above want Munson Avenue to carry its fair share of the traffic. The peti- tion to open Munson Avenue was signed by 596 residents in the residential area defined above. This includes 18 on Rose Circle, six on Holt Street and eight on Ashburn Avenue, streets within the College Hills /Woodlands Neighborhood Association. High traffic counts are important, but they are not the issue. There are at least three reasons for the Munson Avenue traf- fic problem: ■ For several years, Texas Avenue was undersized for its vehicular demand. Residents began using Munson Avenue as an alternative to Texas Avenue. ■ Blinn College had a campus in the Woodstone Center at the corner of Munson Avenue and Harvey Road. A second cam- pus was located in the Townshire Center in Bryan. Most of the several thousand Blinn students would have classes on both cam- puses on the same day. ■ On top of all this, major construction began on Texas Avenue. These three factors combined with the natural density of the neighborhoods in the area produced the high traffic counts of 7,000 cars per day that are being quoted by those who want the street to remain closed. Construction on Texas Avenue is com- plete. Blinn College no longer has a campus in the Woodstone Center. These two major causes of the high traffic count have been eliminated The City Council has twice refused to reopen Munson Avenue to allow for new counts which would show more truthfully and reliably the traffic impact on Munson Avenue and the other streets in the area. Munson Avenue should be opened to carry its fair share of the traffic. Neighborhood integrity is important, but it is not the issue. Most of the lots on Munson Avenue are large lots — some as large as five acres — with ample room for children to play. Munson Avenue is well lit with street lights and has a sidewalk. When Munson Avenue is closed, all traf- fic is forced onto streets such as Ashburn Avenue, Westover Street, Merry Oaks Drive and Berkeley Street, streets without sidewalks, smaller lots and fewer or no street lights and where the greatest num- ber of children live and play. If you close Munson Avenue in the name of neighbor- hood integrity, then you degrade the integrity of these other neighborhoods in the area. Safety is important, but it is not the issue. Those who want to close Munson Avenue often say the safety of the children is important. When the city fast installed the partial closures at the north end of Munson Avenue and Ashburn Avenue, Mayor Lynn Mcllhaney told me that the "solution to the Munson Avenue problem was to extend Williams Street, a thorougt fare adjacent to the front door of College Hills Elementary School. Plans for this street were already in existence, as con- firmed by several high - ranking city staff members. After much public outcry against exten ing the street, the mayor said Williams Street was no longer being considered. Ot week after this statement, the 1998 Capita Improvements Committee was presented with a Williams Street proposal. If safety is the issue, why would the cit; plan to close a street with few or no chil- dren and persistently propose to build a thoroughfare adjacent to the school atten ed by 637 children? Safety of the children important, but if Munson Avenue is close children are at greater risk with the alter natives. The Munson Avenue citizens committe had begun to evaluate several options for protection of the entire area before it was abruptly terminated by the City Council. These options are too complex and in- volved for this discussion. There are better options available whit do not include the closure of Munson Avenue. The best of these options combine safet aesthetic value, neighborhood integrity and fairness for the entire residential arc not just one street. The real issue is: It is time to stop givi special consideration to a small, well- financed, politically connected, vocal gro of College Station residents at the expens of the surrounding neighborhoods. Vote to open Munson Avenue. Vote ye. on Proposition 1 on Saturday. Let's see what the current traffic patterns are and develop a more comprehensive, fair plan for all concerned. ■ Mike McMichen is a resident of the neighborho around Munson Avenue and the owner of the issues.org Web site. C The Eagle s I City of College Station News Stop interest group Date: -A or 1 I x,19 Stick to the plans t should be of interest to note that money, and lots of it, may truly influence Satur- day's election regarding Mun- son Avenue. For parents with students in College Hills Elementary School, there is another issue which hopefully won't get lost in all the hype, smoke and mirrors by the city and others in the special interest group supporting the permanent closure of Munson Avenue. This issue is the serious consideration for a major traffic collector street to run directly in front of College Hills Elementary School to connect University Drive via Tarrow Street and Williams Street to Dominik Drive, splitting this neighbor- hood in half and increasing the danger to hundreds of kids walk- ing and riding bikes to and from school within the neighborhood — all because the city and others want to divert traffic from Mun- son Avenue. How's that for neighborhood integrity? I've heard the reasons given for closing Munson Avenue: safe- ty, peacefulness and protecting our neighborhood from so much outside traffic, but I've also seen and heard of the Williams Boulevard proposal. And the lat- ter is a very real possibility if Munson Avenue is permanently closed. It's not too much to ask that all streets in our neighbor- hood share in the traffic increas- es we are experiencing due to the city's growth. But for those pri- marily along one street in the neighborhood to get everything they want at the expense of everyone else is simply unfair and wrong. The city's refusal to conduct a current traffic count on Munson Avenue has allowed those sup- porting closure to continue spouting outdated and inflated traffic counts to scare citizens into feeling sorry for their plight. Vote yes on Proposition 1 to open Munson Avenue. Don't let a small special interest group buy its haven at the expense of others in our neighborhood. DAVID COOPER College Station Reasonable request will be voting against Proposition 1, even though I live nowhere near Munson Avenue. The City Council had it right in spirit, if not in action, �1 when it sought to protect the College Hills neighborhood from traffic pressures caused by growth. For most of us, the greatest . investment we make is in our homes and if we are not reason- ably safe from losing our savings and sanity for the sake of popu- lar convenience, then this city will be a far less appealing place to live. There will be many other simi- lar choices to make as the twin cities grow, so it makes sense to favor "neighborhood integrity" whenever possible. Plus, this proposition is just plain ugly. It is an attempt to force an unpleasant solution on the City Council and the neigh- borhood. Its basis is the belief that we should be able to drive unrestricted wherever we wish, our neighbors be darned, and that the Munson Avenue area residents are somehow getting special treatment. No one has denied anyone the right to drive down Munson Avenue. At issue is whether the city can make restrictions that make it less convenient. Every day you face restrictions on your right to drive. For example, you cannot legally make a U -turn in the middle of Texas Avenue even though it might save you a few minutes. As for the Munson -area resi- dents, they are simply asking that their homes and neighbor- hood not be sacrificed. Is this special treatment? Perhaps, but I would hope that any reasonable request to preserve neighbor- hoods would be given special treatment by the city. WILLIAM W. SAGER College Station ave you wondered why the College Station City Coun- cil basically supports the closure of Munson Avenue? We have been told by city employees that if they can keep Munson Avenue closed then this would open the way for the infamous "Williams corridor." Williams Street is the street that runs in front of College Hills Elementary School. They feel that Williams Street ties in better with Stallings Drive and Tarrow Street to form a north -south major collector. We feel the north -south collec- tor street should be Munson Avenue simply because it was originally planned to be the north -south collector and is already in existence. Also, it would require minimal tax dol- lars to complete when being com- pared to the cost of the Williams Street project. The Munson Avenue residents would have you believe that "safety" of their children is a big issue with the reopening of Munson Avenue. Compare that scenario to the opening of Williams Street, which runs only a few feet from the front door of College Hills Elementary School. Yes, the other schools in College Station have major streets running near them, but they all have buffer zones so the children are protected. College Hills would not have that luxury. And that leads us to another major problem with the Williams corridor proposal. In order to build the Williams corridor, the backyards of those on Walton Drive would be used for the right-of-way, not leaving enough room for the buffer zone to the school. Imagine the reaction of the res- idents on Walton Drive with a minor collector street in their front yard and a major collector street in their backyard. We strongly support Proposition 1 to reopen Munson Avenue. JANET BEIER College Station Think of students he problem that has arisen concerning the traffic on Munson Avenue can be directly affiliated with the num- ber of students who use this street. If there had never been a student who drove on Munson Avenue, this subject would have never surfaced. The handful of residents on Munson Avenue who have attempted to spread their propa- ganda throughout the city just happen to include two members who have stated publicly that Texas A &M students are not first -class citizens in this town. When asked why the students are not first -class citizens, the answer was "they do not pay city taxes here." To prevent my boring you with the obvious answers to this ridiculous statement, I would simply ask you to consider where we would be without the students. Also, when you see their TV commercials, remem- ber who is at the brunt of the commercial theme. Vote for true neighborhood integrity by voting yes to Proposition 1. SONNY JAMISON College Station Points to ponder W ha a joy. An editorial page filled with letters from folks who under- stand the plight of us maligned, infamous Munson Avenue resi- dents (I'm a 37 -year vet). For those who are wavering about Proposition 1 on Saturday, please ponder these pertinent platitudes plucked from my col- lection: ■ "There are too many people in too many cars, in too much of a hurry, going too fast in too many directions to get some- where or other." ■ "A really happy man is one who can enjoy the scenery when he has to take a detour." ■ "Progress is often the exchange of one nuisance for another." ■ "Keep your cool, curb your road rage — anger is not a very good argument." ■ "Courage comes when we are in the minority; tolerance, when we are in the majority." Please weigh the consequences before voting. Solutions exist M y thanks to The Eagle for fighting for the integrity of our neighborhood. I resided at the corner of Francis Drive and Munson Avenue, where my parents have lived for the past four decades. During visits at home, I have noticed progressively louder night traffic (especially after bar closings); now earplugs are desirable for sleep. Students cut through our neighborhood (via University Drive, Lincoln Avenue and Munson Avenue) to their Texas 30 neighborhoods. Daily traffic includes students and Bryan - College Station resi- dents going to the mall. During morning walks, I am amazed at traffic volume and auto fumes. Was I in Houston? Please preserve the neighbor- hood with the solution of the "911 gate" at the north end of Munson Avenue. Other city neighborhoods with increased traffic have fought this issue. Dallas successfully implemented "speed humps" without police /fire /ambulance traffic problems. The "speed humps" previously on Munson Avenue controlled traffic volume and speed. This is a solution to re- implement. Another solution already exists: the East Bypass. City planners had foresight years ago to build a bypass of the neighbor- hoods. Imagine. Efficient traffic with increased utilization of existing arteries (Briarcrest Drive, University Drive, Texas 30) to and from the East Bypass, to and from the cities of Bryan and College Station, Texas A &M University, schools and Post Oak Mall. Residents and students alike will be surprised at the effi- ciency of this solution, if they would just utilize it. MIA ZWOLINSKI Dallas Manipulated results erving on the Munson Avenue committee was my first exposure to working on a city - related project. It was very educational. After very few meetings, it was obvious that this committee was being manipulated to reach a certain conclusion: to close Munson. When it became obvious that this conclusion was not going to be the end result, the committee was abruptly dismissed by the mayor and City Council. The members of the close Munson Avenue group repre- sents a small but politically con- nected group who want the bene- fits of living in a very convenient location, but do not want to share in any downside. The point was clearly made in the committee meetings that they do not want anyone in this area unless they live there, and they do not want renters or stu- dents living there. They seem to think that would diminish their quality of life. I urge the citizens of College Station to think about traffic carefully and not to be manipu- lated by this group. Closing a public street does not really solve the problem. It only shifts it a block or two, passing the problem to someone else for han- dling. Remember that Munson Avenue had been designated as a north -south corridor many years ago and long before most of the current residents moved there. Children who play in their yards are as safe on Munson Avenue as those playing in their yards in any area of this city. Streets are not playgrounds. We do not want College Station turned into a large group of gated communities at taxpayer expense. Please vote yes on Proposition 1 to remove the bar- ricade on Munson Avenue and then hold the city accountable for addressing traffic manage- ment that will benefit all College Station citizens. CLYDEAN NORRIS College Station WANDA McGUIRE College Station A voice of moderation he upcoming election gives the voters in College Station an opportunity to elect Dennis Maloney to its City � ncil — and in so doing, restore an ,ie voice who will represent the thou- sands of residents in all the city's oldest, historic neighborhoods. Dennis Maloney's concerns for our city are reflected in his years of conscientious and unselfish service on both the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Historic Preservation Committee. His passionate commitment to protecting and preserving the city's older neighborhoods reflects his sincere, thoughtful understanding of the needs of all the people of our city. Dennis is a longtime College Station resi- dent and a successful independent busi- nessman who is dedicated to improving the quality of living in all our neighborhoods. His presence on the council will restore a much needed voice of moderation and sound perspective to the council and the citizenry. We need Dennis Maloney on the City Council, and I urge you on Election Day to get to your polling place and vote for Dennis Maloney. DOCK BURKE College Station A historic perspective ne of the issues that voters will make a decision on during the May 1 elec- tion is the Munson Avenue issue. hi order to make a well- informed decision, voters need to be provided with informa- tion on all aspects of the issue. One aspect that needs to be considered is the historical nature of the Eastgate neighborhood, of which Munson Avenue is a part, and the historical aspects of Munson Avenue itself. Eastgate was one of the earliest College Station neighborhoods and there are seven homes on Munson Avenue that have College Station historical plaques. In addi- tion to these homes, there are a number of other homes on the street that have histori- cal significance. Homes are designated as historical by the city's Historic Preservation Committee, based upon age, architectural significance, or the contributions of their residents to the city or to the area's history. The Eastgate area was home to many distin- guished early residents whose contribu- tions to College Station were immeasur- able. Actions such as widening Munson Avenue can have a detrimental effect on the preservation of these homes and the neighborhood itself. The city of College Station and its citi- need to protect historic neighbor- ds. Progress and expansion of a city is natur- al and necessary for the economic health of an area. However, respect for history and the past should not be neglected in this expansion. Cities which have wonderful historic dis- tricts, such as New Orleans, Vicksburg, Miss., and Williamsburg, Va., made the commitments early in their development to preserve their heritage. College Station, which is relatively youthful as a city, has the opportunity to make the same commitment. Members of the Historic Preservation Committee urge voters to consider the impacts of actions regarding Munson Avenue as it pertains to the preservation of the history of College Station when they cast their ballots. DEBORAH JASEK, chairman and 8 other members CS Historic Preservation Committee Reasons to reopen Munson I m writing to voice my support for Proposition 1 regarding keeping Munson Avenue open. I am voting for the ordinance for the following reasons: ■ All city streets should be accessible to citizens of College Station Since tax dollars pay to construct the streets, citizens have a right to use them. Closing Munson Avenue sets a dangerous precedent of closing pub- lic streets to benefit the few and exclude the many. ■ Since 1961, professional city planners and traffic experts have recommended that Munson Avenue be a north -south collector street to serve the citizens of College Station. Keeping Munson Avenue open makes sense to the experts, and it makes sense to the people who travel in the, area on a regular basis. ■ Obstructing or eliminating traffic on Munson Avenue simply moves the traffic to other residential streets that are equally ill- prepared for it. Instead of moving the problem or applying bandage fixes, the city needs to work on long -term solutions to manage the traffic problem. Please vote for the ordinance during early voting through April 27, or on Election Day, May 1. NANCY CROUCH College Station Send a piece of your mind T ake out that light blue pamphlet sent to you by the College Station City Council concerning Munson Avenue and follow along with me. Do you see where the pamphlet states that the inten- tion of the council was to preserve one of the oldest neighborhoods in town? Put a big red check here because this is false. The reason for closing the street was because several residents complained about heavy traffic. What will the city do for the other streets in this old neighborhood which have been inundated with cut - through traffic and have become unsafe? No one can give me the answer. Maybe the city will build a sidewalk or two. Well, that should solve everything. Find the detailed maps provided to 1 manipulate us. Can anyone find anything wrong? No? That's because it's not on these clever little drawings. Munson Avenue was on the thoroughfare plan back in the 1960s but because some very influential people lived there, it was removed. Can anyone see why Munson Avenue should also be designated as a major collec- tor? Notice where it sits within the neigh- borhood? Notice also that the traffic counts are missing? Why? Because these other col- lectors are getting way more traffic than Munson Avenue was when the -city spent thousands of your tax dollars to appease the Munson Avenue crew with speed humps and traffic signs. Check out these major collectors, which are also streets within this neighborhood with real live people living on them. Can anyone tell me which resident deserves a better life than the other does? The. City Council has manipulated word and maps to skew your impression of what - is really going on. Mark your calendars for May 1. Let's give the council and the old heads on Munson Avenue a piece of our minds and vote to open this vital street. SARA LAMMEW'I College Statio Representing everyone 1 I encourage the voters of College Station to join me and vote for Dennis Maloney for City Council Place 5. I've known Dennis for many years and know he cares about his community. He has willingly given his time to work on var- , ious committees and commissions. He has proven himself to be very knowledgeable about city government. As The Eagle Editorial Board stated in April 1998, "Maloney is a ... persuasive moderate with ' a lot of common sense." Let's take advantage of that common sense and move into the year 2000, confi- dent that we have a sensible councilman who truly represents the people of College Station. PATTI UUNGDAHL College Station Letter deadline set All letters to the editor concerning candidates and issues in the May 1 city and school elections must be received at The Bryan - College Station Eagle by 5 p.m. on April 26. All elec- tion letters will be printed by April 28. Generally, The Eagle does not run election letters from candidates, their families or campaign managers. If space does not permit printing all political letters about particular can- didates, they will be printed in pro- portion to the numbers received. 1�1 Schunicht faces Massey for seat on CS council By BOB SCHOBER 4�z's Eagle Staff Writer On May 1, voters in College Station will choose a new representa- tive in a two -way race for Place 1 on ELECTIONS the City Council. The Bryan -Col- lege Station Eagle College Station asked each candi City Council Place 1 date to give his thoughts in writ- ing about some issues affecting Col- lege Station. Each candidate submitted writ- ten answers of 125 words or less that were edited for punctuation only. The biographies were written with information provided by the candidates. Steve Esmond, who held the seat MASSEY for two years, is not running for re- election. The candidates are: James Massey: married to his - wife, Susan, for 21 years and the father of two children. Massey, 44, is a 1977 and 1981 graduate of Texas A &M University with a bachelor's degree in biomedical science and a master's degree in epidemiology. SCHUNICHT He has lived in College Station for 25 years and has been employed by A &M for 17 years. He currently serves as director of the Office of Facilities Coordination. See COUNCIL, Page AS a eaWe newmaudy, )Wij Ae &oub 4. News C From Al He was appointed to the Plan- ning and Zoning Commission in 1996 and named chairman in 1997. He is a member of the Wolf Pen Creek Design Review Board, Greenways Implementation Task Force, Wolf Pen Creek Mas- ter Plan Implementation Adviso- ry Committee and is the commis- sion's representative to the Northgate Revitalization Board and Project Review Committee. He participates in the Regional Cooperation Advisory Commit- tee of the Brazos Valley Council of Governments and the College Station Neighborhood Forum Program. He served on the Com- prehensive Landuse Plan. Shannon Schunicht: is single and has been a resident of Col- lege Station since 1987. Schu- nicht, 37, is a real estate manag- er. He graduated from A &M in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in biology and a bachelor's degree in microbiology. In 1983, he earned a bachelor's degree in political science and philosophy from Florida State University. He was listed in the 1983 Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities. He served in the U.S. Army from 1983 to 1985 and was sta- tioned at Fort Hood, Texas. He was second in command of a M -2 Infantry Fighting Vehicle Company, commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant and served as a nuclear, biological and chemical officer. Schunicht is a member of American Legion Post No. 159, Lions Club and Kiwanis Club. He graduated from the College Station Citizen's University in 1998. What personal attributes will you bring to the City Council to make College Sta- tion city government work more efficiently for resi- dents? Massey: Operating city gov- ernment can be a multifaceted challenge. In my role as a city councilman, I will bring the capability to work with a wide range of people and interests that are typically set in dynamic situations. In addition to living in the community for nearly 25 years, my professional skills have been developed through my 17 years of experience as the facilities coordinator for A &M. In that position, I have worked within a complex organization and managed intricate details related to the operation of the university. This, along with my three years on the Planning and Zoning Commission, has given me the insight needed to help the city work more efficiently for my family, friends and neighbors. Schunicht: The biggest attribute this author hopes to being to the City Council is tenacity. This tenacity will be coupled with the real world lead- ership knowledge gained as a U.S. Army infantry officer. My tenacious spirit will be used in following a project through to completion. The militaty leader- ship has taught me how the lead- ers should serve their voting cit- izens, and how one must contin- ue to serve one's voting public and regain confidence in our local government. It can be assimilated to a simple chain, which is only as strong as its weakest link. It is our responsi- bility to be a unified council. What are the key issues the city should address in the next 5 -10 years? How would you plan for them now? Massey: e�ant issues facing the city in the next five to 10 years are related to the chal- lenge of maintaining the quality of life that we all enjoy. Whether discussing the projected growth in our population, the strength of our economy, the integrity of our neighborhoods, or most any other point related to the city's well- being, the bottom line remains the maintenance of quality of life for our family, friends and neighbors. To main- tain this valuable commodity will not necessarily be an easy task. We should lay plans that provide for parks and other green spaces, attract businesses that will complement our lifestyles while bolstering our economy, and include plans that focus on the individual citizen as the foundational value of our future. each future plan thought through. This is the main tech- nique that should be applied to each problem as it arises. The council could begin preparing for these growth factors by mak- ing some broad parameters, such as percentage of green space per acre, saving trees greater than 12 inches in diameter, etc., then del- egating these parameters to the Planning and Zoning board to be followed and supported. What role should the city take in economic development and revitalization and main- taining neighborhoods? Massey: With proper leader- ship and planning by the city, both the development of our economy and the maintenance of the well-being of our neighbor- hoods can be accomplished with- out deterring the quality of either. As the city collaborates and participates in local and regional partnerships to improve our economic status, a balance can be attained by being selective as we encourage the growth of our current businesses and work to attract new ones to our community. We need to bal- ance this growth with the philos- ophy that, as we encourage this change, the most important fun- damental component should be the well-being of each individual person involved in and impacted by these changes. The city should take the lead in directing our growth based on these prin- ciples. Schunicht: The city's role in economic development should be passive, rather than active, by offering tax reward /incentives for relocation here. Whereas, the revitalization incentives should be actively promoted. Neighbor- hood integrity needs to be main- tained at all costs. Should the cit- izens' referendum to open Mun- son prevail, rigid enforcement of a minimal speed limit of 20 mph needs to be automatically enforced. This way, should it pass, those who wanted it open will be forced to conform to speed limit rules and find Texas 6 /Business 6 faster than the excessive number of speeding tickets they will get in the long run. Please discuss any topic of your choice. Massey: College Station should become an active partner and leader in addressing the regional needs and opportunities present in the Brazos Valley. As the eco- nomic and population center of the region, we in College Station and Bryan have the chance to assure that the future of our cities and surrounding counties will be solid. Such a bright future can be shared by all of the regional participants by working together to develop plans and programs that take advantage of the rich resources available. The greatest of these assets are the people of the Brazos Valley. We need to encourage the promotion of that asset through the collabo- ration currently occurring through the Regional Coopera- tion Advisory Committee of the Brazos Valley Council of Govern- ments. Our future depends on it. Schunicht: Future problems can be prevented by beginning to work together as a whole com- munity — Bryan, A &M and Col- lege Station — to exemplify uni- fication. College Station has sur- passed all by exceeding popula- tion growth estimates. However, its origin is due to the establish- ment of the Agricultural and Mechanical [College] of Texas, and its location here by the citi- zens of Bryan. These citizens found that the distance between the town and the school encour- aged development of an indepen- dent community closer to the col- lege, leading to the birth of Col- lege Station. May this author suggest that various members of each council or board rotate in visiting their neighboring cities' meetings. This way, each meet- ing will then have a representa- tive present at meetings to view and integrate neighboring plans. POLLS: The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 1. For poll information, call College Station City Secretary Connie Hooks at 7643541 or the Brazos County Voter Registration Office at 361.4490. m – itl op =o� : R'Oy e Ct . .S y �. >;dm�. y . sS7 w � y 0.r f. U y r. W 0 0 a) >— t9 p w ,. A to , r" 0 '.3 =, , 1 y:3 h W C� opa,�y y° O,oc�i y W 0 ' -:. :boa, d• -•�ao� >md�. P x GC ° l w'.+�3A3 • • t 'the (3A+ .,1 id ry College Station Utility Customer Services s We're Moving! walmart FM 181R ❑ Po * 9 Our new site a rn Conical Uilllty Cu ;tourer y opens Park Servkxs *' Cit Krcnol: Tap R °ad CamBfe� June 21, 1999 The new address is 310 Krenek Tap Road 7643535 www.c i.col iege- station.m us 1 i Vote Agai Prop Prop. 1 p rohibits speed zones, p p p speed humps, dead ends, cul -de -sacs, & 911 gates. Munson entering Lincoln at 5 m, 1996 Munson Traffic Facts � p • 7,000 + Vehicles'' a day. This means 1 vehicle every 12 seconds. • The average neighborhood street carries 300 vehicles per day. Munson carried 400 vehicleS* between 11 pm & 3 am • 350 traffic citations in 1996' on the 2 block residential section for: failure to stop, speeding, & DWI. *1 City of College Station Transportation Planning *2 City of College Station Transportation Planning *3 City of College Station Police Report for 1996 �p %:oun LL : 1 J w *4.. No longer a problem I t was shortly after the petition for Proposition 1 that City Council mem- bers voted to remove the median bar- ricade at Francis Drive and Ashburn Avenue. I think it finally became obvi- ous to them that it was a major traffic hazard. On numerous occasions I encoun- tered city trucks, Munson Avenue resi- dents and other vehicles coming at me in the wrong lane as they tried to cir- cumnavigate that barrier. I consider Proposition 1 as an effort to try to restrain a City Council that I view as inept or devious or both from taking capricious actions affecting a broader community. This council has committed taxpayer funds, unwisely, to projects that should have been relegated to the private sector and has condemned business property for resale to other businesses which it preferred, in addition to ignoring much �• of the College Hills neighborhood on the Munson Avenue question. When you vote on Proposition 1, keep in mind that the opening of Munson Avenue will have very little effect on the nicest and most impacted part of the street; that it should be difficult for a City Council to close or place traffic bar- riers on a street; and the entire neigh- borhood, not just those on one street, should be considered in these cases. Safety considerations would be an excellent and acceptable reason to main- tain the stop signs and speed bumps on Munson Avenue, but to prevent other neighborhood residents, whose tax dol- lars support maintenance on Munson Avenue, from using it, is unfair and unwise. Most residents in College Hills do not support the closing of Munson Avenue because, now that Texas Avenue is fully open, the level of traffic would not pose a major problem for those few currently benefiting from the closure. D. G. NAUGLE College Station Not solving the problem n his letter to The Eagle, John Richards voiced his disappointment in citizens who are for opening of Munson Avenue. He calls them selfish, with "no knowledge of the words `neigh- borhood safety' nor the words `neigh- borhood integrity.' " I am one of those citizens and I feel uniquely qualified to talk about neigh- borhood safety. You see, I do not drive a car, so I walk to nearby shopping centers. During the past 11 years I traveled each and every street of this neighborhood and I wit- nessed first -hand how dangerous this part of town has become. But after a long and careful considera- tion I decided that the only way to go is to keep Munson Avenue open. Closing a street or two doesn't really solve traffic problems. It only channels them else- where. It doesn't protect our neighborhood. It protects the few at the cost to the others. So who is really selfish? I hope that by reopening Munson Avenue we can force city government to seriously consider what should be done with the dangers posed by speeding cars in all old parts of the city, on all of neighborhood streets for all of neighborhood children. BOGDA MOSKAL KOBIELA College Station Letter difficult to digest O n the Friday Opinions page of The Eagle, there was a letter that I have a difficult time digesting. I have read the letter at least 20 times and each time my blood boils higher. I felt I must respond to this ludicrous letter written by John Richards saying he was disappointed in those who speak out in favor of reopening Munson Avenue. I feel that these accusations only demonstrate immense hypocrisy. He needs to look in the mirror and admit that the personal convenience at stake here is his own — the convenience of the few is the inconvenience of the many. I realize that the socialistic form of government has had some positive effects in other parts of the world, but not here in the good old U.S.A. I still feel that the democratic process is the one of choice by American citizens. I am quite certain that the people on our side of this issue have the right to put a sign in their yard if they so choose and speak out publicly on this issue when they so desire. I will conclude by saying if you and the other 40 residents on Munson Avenue want a country style of living, then move to the country. Please vote yes to Proposition 1. J.H. GLOVER College Station Using fear, intimidation W hen the facts do not support your cause, then you must use fear and moral intimidation. This is the means by which the City Council and a small group of College Station citizens hope to convince you to vote in their favor. Vote yes for Proposition 1 to send a clear message to the City Council and the residents of Munson Avenue that the use of fear and moral intimidation is not acceptable. It's neither neighborly nor a sign of integrity. BRUCE ROSE College Station Respect neighborhoods will be voting no on Proposition 1 on \1 Saturday. I think neighborhoods need to be conserved and respected. When our family moved from Bryan to College Station last year we chose a house on Bent Tree Drive, which has a 911 gate at one end. Very few cars drive by our house each day that don't belong to the neighbors. I want to raise a broader issue than just preserving the quality of life for the College Hills neighborhood and other older residential neighborhoods in our communities. I refer to the issue of unplanned and uncontrolled growth, growth for its own sake. Every time I open The Eagle and see the Chamber of Commerce or the Economic Develop- ment Corp. congratulating itself on bringing another business to our com- munity, I cringe. Economic growth brings some bene- fits to the community, undoubtedly, but at what cost to the quality of life of those of us who already live here? Another 350 jobs are great. Except where will those people live? Where will their kids go to school? Where will the additional'traffic go? I've seen acre after acre of oak forest clear cut and paved, pollution increase, and the traffic grow beyond belief. Anyone who tries to drive down Texas Avenue gets caught in major gridlock, as a very poorly set -up infrastructure tries to accommodate too many cars. Across the country, just as other com- munities have worked to preserve neighborhood integrity through traffic barriers, they have worked to control growth, recognizing that there is more to life than just how many businesses an area has. I hope that everyone will vote no on Proposition 1, and I also hope that peo- ple will start giving serious considera- tion to what we want our community to be like in 5, 10, 20 years and more. KATHERINE A. DETTWYLER College Station Your street may be next W hen you bought your home, you chose it because it met certain requirements (size, location, price, etc.). If you wanted to be "close to the action," you bought in a more popu- lated area, with major thoroughfares nearby. If, however, you wanted a qui- eter lifestyle, you bought on the out- skirts of town or in an older, well- estab- lished . neighborhood. Most of the families who live on Munson Avenue have either been there for many years or moved there because they desired that quieter lifestyle Now that Munson Avenue has been closed at Lincoln Avenue for six months, all those who previously used it as a thoroughfare have discovered that the alternative routes of Texas Avenue and the East Bypass are quite accept- able and oftentimes even quicker than winding through the neighborhood on an extremely narrow lane. To those who complain that they pay taxes to use all the streets, there are at least a dozen cul -de -sac and dead -end streets in this area. If you drive on them, do you complain that they are not through streets? Perhaps you are just being lazy and inconsiderate by using Munson Avenue when the larger routes now serve your purposes quite ade- quately. How much longer until the street by your home becomes a major thorough- fare? Is that what you want for your lifestyle? Returning Munson Avenue to the dead -end street it once was is cor- recting an error and will not inconve- nience you anymore than not driving through on current cul -de -sac and dead - end streets. Placement of barriers at Dominik Drive was a mistake. Had the barriers first been placed at Lincoln Avenue, the petition that necessitated this vote would never have occurred. Please vote no and keep our neighbor- hoods intact and safe. Yours might be the next window to have 7,000 or more cars go by each day. BONNIE BURLBAW College Station Not a bad precedent' oting to close Munson Avenue would not set a bad precedent.: In fact this would not be the first time that the College Station citizens have diverted traffic from a neighbor- hood. This past fall, voters authorized the issuance of bonds for a new street (AMS Street) to run from Emerald Parkway to Sebesta Road. This will eliminate cut - through traffic in Emerald Forest that was bound for the Foxfire and Sandstone subdivisions. The City Council has also helped to establish a precedent of protecting neighborhoods by using speed zones and cul -de -sacs in other neighborhoods to reduce the negative impact of cut - through traffic. M All progress comes at a price, but I cannot believe that College Station vot- ers want that price to be paid by neigh- bors who live on streets where drivers have found a way to avoid the conges- tion caused by that progress. Other cities throughout the country (Portland, Ore., Berkeley, Calif., and Houston, to name a few) have discov- ered the folly of letting drivers dictate traffic patterns and are now retroactive- ly taking steps to restore neighborhoods to precongestion conditions. It has been suggested that Munson Avenue remain open because 30 years ago it was planned to be a thoroughfare, even though it has never had the capaci- ty to handle the amount of traffic that has resulted. As we enter a new millennium, should we revert to a 30- year -old con- cept that never anticipated the growth our city has experienced and its nega- tive impacts on our neighborhoods? Closing Munson Avenue is a step in the right direction. It shouldn't be the end of the process. All College Station neighborhoods deserve to be reviewed and their needs considered. After all, which time do we value most: the time we spend in our cars or the time We spend at home with our families? r C.L. SHEFFIELD College Station Continue the search I am writing regarding the Munson Avenue vote to be held Saturday. The proposed ordinance offers what seems to be a simple end to a complicat- ed problem. Having served on the Munson Avenue Traffic Committee, I was exposed to a great deal of information describing various alternatives and how other cities have dealt with this issue. This information also included the inevitable and detrimental consequences that will result by not providing some protection for these at -risk residential areas. The passage of this proposition will prevent any chance of finding a truly equitable solution. Please vote against the proposition so we can continue searching for a way to provide for rea- r' sonable traffic flow as well as preserva- tion of neighborhood integrity. Both are w important. f,. JOAN PERRY College Station Watching over CS C an anyone turn on the TV today and then say an extended family, friends and neighbors are not vitally important? We need to be involved with our children, families and neighbors. Finding ways to stay con- nected seems complicated. A 5- year -old I had never met before and I had a chance to talk. She asked if my teenage daughter was "big enough" to cross the street and visit friends by herself. I said yes, thinking of all the additional risks a teenager faces every day. But, her words also reminded me that College Station has a simple way to help keep families and neighbors con- nected. Preserve established neighbor- hoods. Small -town historic neighborhoods were not planned like today's- fast -grow- ing Emerald Forest or Pebble Creek sub- divisions. Choosing to destroy a town's historic heart and a neighborhood of families should not be taken for the lightweight reason of convenience. I want my home of College Station to be a place where families and neighbor- hoods are put first. Vote against Proposition 1 on Saturday. Decide at what age a child can walk out and safely cross the street alone. Are all of the voters watching over College Station? JACQUELINE GRAMANN College Station The Eagle O I City of College Station News Date: Hprll z`+,Ly�� Make Munson a toll road by not have the people on Munson Avenue have their road remain closed, but pay a toll to get off the street and onto others. That would still make it fair for taxpayers living in College Station who do not live on Munson Avenue. CHRISTY WAGER College Station Rein in the development 0 n Thursday, Norman and Linda Guinasso wrote to oppose the open- • ing of Munson Avenue. I strongly support their position, and generally favor quality neighborhoods, greenspaces, and other quality -of -life enhancements. To be frank, these are really all the College Station -Bryan area has to offer, and if we fritter them away we will be just another cafe stop in East Texas. One of the points made by the Guinassos was that "every new neighborhood in our town has been designed to restrict through traffic." Oh that it were so. Even as the Munson Avenue debate rages, the City Hall sages have opened one cut - through route between the Wood Creek and Foxfire subdi- visions (via Foxfire Drive) and are going to be laying the asphalt to open another cut - through route within the next few days (on Faulkner Street). Strategic planning and common sense are not the strong suit of most politicians, so I'm afraid it is going to be up to the citi- zens of College Station to rein in the devel- opment-at- any -cost interests at City Hall by voting to keep Munson Avenue closed and thereby salvage at least a part of our com- munity for those who choose the American Dream rather than a quick buck. RICHARD M. CROOKS College Station The E a gl e City of College Station News Date: H by 1 1 Z-' `t, I � T 1`j A watershed election What all the hoopla? that - h is hey have a lot of traffic on their ( 4un uite a number of people state hat its all the hoopla with this street? Most of College Station's W voters street and cannot see why the people don't even use this street, so on son Avenue should get special why should they care? treatment. Let me point out a couple of things that I agree. The people on Munson Avenue should every voter should consider. This street was never designed for the type of traffic it not get special treatment. If you have lots of traffic on your street, would carry if it were reopened. This street is only 28 feet wide and was designed to the city should do something about it. carry less than 1,000 cars a day. When However, if the Munson Avenue ordinance don't expect future City Council opened, this street was carrying anywhere day. Would passes, members to stick their necks out and solve between 3,000 -7,000 cars a you let your children ride their bikes on this your problem. Council members have taken enough street? Would you and your spouse take a walk down this busy thoroughfare? abuse in trying to solve the Munson Ave- traffic problem and will be justified in But this is the smaller of the two issues I nue refusing to act. The petition -happy crowd want to bring up. The other could be devas- tating to many other neighborhoods. would be after them like a duck after a During my tenure on the City Council, June bug. Rather than voting on this ordinance, we many thoroughfare streets have been pro - posed through neighborhoods such as should be voting on one that says that traffic volume on a residential Raintree, Windwood, Woodcreek and whenever street exceeds 1,000 cars a day, the city Emerald Forest, as well as Welsh Avenue. At the time, the residents sufficiently must take action to reduce it. Governments are always asked to choose explained why they did not want a major thoroughfare through their neighborhoods between competing values. In this case, the two values are the safety and the council agreed with them. and protection of neighborhoods versus the Should the voters say yes to this proposi- convenience of automobile drivers to use tion, they are in fact saying yes to allowing any street. major thoroughfares through all of the This election is a watershed vote on what above mentioned neighborhoods. College Station will be in the future. Will it A "yes" vote means "no" to neighbor - be a city of quiet family- oriented neighbor- hood integrity and yes to traffic flow. hoods or a city that yields to the automo- I hope that citizens look at this proposi- bile? The choice is yours. tion as one that could eventually affect GARY HALTER their neighborhoods. This proposition will College Station be used as the justification for conversion of other streets throughout College Station to allow better traffic flow regardless of the impact to the neighborhoods. Vote no to Proposition 1 on May 1 and say yes to our children and neighborhoods. DAVID HICKSON College Station The Eagle City of College Station News Date: 4IZ41 T WAn ongoing CS battle T he Munson Avenue issue is the latest episode in the ongoing debate of whether College Station neighbor- hoods should be sacrificed to add a mod- icum of additional convenience for traffic. Veterans of this debate will recall similar controversies over the past two decades. In the 1970s, we argued against Dominik Drive going through to the East Bypass. In the 1980s, the focus was on preventing Francis Drive from being connected to the East Bypass, and Appomattox Street from connecting the Windwood, Raintree and Emerald Forest subdivisions. In the early 1990s, the battle was to keep Welsh Avenue from being widened and put through to George Bush Drive. In each of these cases, the City Council reaffirmed that neighborhood integrity was the pre - eminent value of the city, and the community supported those decisions by aw their actions at election time. The spotlight is now on Munson Avenue, but the same questions are being asked: Are we prepared to desecrate a well- estab- lished, historic neighborhood to facilitate easier vehicular movement? Do we support the kind of "progress" that means destroy- ing the quality of life of those of us who have lived in this neighborhood for 25 years? Munson Avenue is a narrow residential street designed to handle up to 1,000 vehi- cles per day. The closure at Lincoln Avenue means that to traverse through the neighborhood, vehicles are required to zig- zag. As a result, "only" 1,500 -2,000 vehicles now go along Munson Avenue each day. If this ordinance is adopted, then the city's traffic count data indicate that 6,500- 7,000 vehicles per day will again travel along Munson Avenue. I urge residents to vote against Proposition 1. Such a vote will reaffirm our community's long established priority and keep College Station a neigh- borhood city. JOHN L. CROMPTON College Station CS council accepts bond bids, discusses trash By BOB SCHOBER Eagle Staff Writer Last meeting for members Esmond, Anderson Colle Station will ge pay less in bond is over Wolf Pen Creek to Esmond said the Texas Local Govern- Holleman Drive. than expected for its 1999 bond issue due ue to ment Code requires the city to get bids for Thursday evening was substantially lower interest bids from investors, the College Station City Council any contract worth more than $15,000. the last meeting of the "Why not put it out for bid," he asked learned Thursday. council before Election . " I know people who would love to The lowest bid, which the council unani- mously accepted, was about 10 percent Day and the last for Coun- id on this." b bid Br yi t Steve Es mond and said, compared what it below the interest rate the city is paying S cos t us to do th dot of Anderson, neither would d cost work, and it was whom is running for its 1998 bond issue. Lower interest rates es save taxpayers interest costs over the life of much more cost-effective for the No reelection. rthgate re ESMOND District Association to do the work." the bonds "We never would have �� this," Esmond questioned Later, he said the contract would save the Assistant City Manager Tom Brymer on city about $4,000 a year. C great endorsementof the sai mance of the the legal aspects of a proposed litter agree. City Attorney Harvey Cargill said the ment with the Northgate District Associa- code exempted personal and professional city of College Station." The $6.23 million bond issue will fund tton. service contracts from the bid require - Under the agreement, the city would pay ments. street and park improvements and various other projects. A $850,000 bond issue will the association $1,500 a month for two Esmond told John Raney, president of yew to pick up and dispose of trash in the the association, that the event coordination pay for extending George Bush Drive East Northgate area and $500 a month for two part of the agreement was acceptable. He years for event coordination. r moved to put the I ittrr control part of the Frown Al In opening presentations, Mayor Lynn McIlhaney pro- claimed the week of May 9 -16 as Police Week, the week of May 2 -8 as Water Awareness Week, May 6 as National Day of Prayer, and the week of April 18 -24 as Profes- sional Secretaries Week in Col- lege Station. She also declared April 22 as Concerned Black Men Day in honor of the Concerned Black Men organization. McIlhaney presented Stylecraft Homebuilders and Woodstone Shopping Center with certificates of appreciation for landscaping efforts from the Community AppEarance Committee. • contract out for bid. The motion failed on tie vote. Councilwoman Anne Hazen moved t table the agreement to allow city staff t• review the contract and inform studen organizations of the agreement. It wa approved on a 42 vote, with Esmond an Anderson voting against. The council also voted 4-2, with Esmonr and Anderson voting against, to renec Ordinance 2361 establishing the Plannin and Zoning Commission as the authority in plat review. The council adopted the ordi Dance in December, with an expiration date of April 30. Esmond moved and Anderson seconded; motion to table the ordinance, urging thr council to continue receiving plat request on its consent agenda. That motion faile< on a 4-2 vote. SM SOMMI , Pye AN Elf debates • C garbage BY CARRIE BENNETr The Battalion The College Station City Council postponed a vote on a proposed agreement last night with the Northgate Merchants Association for litter control and event coordination in the Northgate area. Kelley Chapman, public relations and market- ing manager for College Station, said the proposed agreement would make the Northgate Merchants Association responsible for removing garbage and would require them to sponsor a minimum of 12 events per year for two years in the promenade area behind the Dixie Chicken and other North- gate businesses. The garbage clean -up and event coordination were linked in the proposal because they both in- volved an agreement between College Station and the Northgate Merchants Association. Steve Esmond, city council member, expressed concern over the fact that the service work was not put up for public bid so that private businesses in the area would be able to compete for the job. "it is awkward not bidding out work like this because we bid out janitorial work, which is also considered service work, Esmond said. George K. Noe, city manager, said based on past experience, letting the Northgate Merchants As- sociation clean up the trash is more cost effective. Esmond disagreed. "This is private property, so why is it cost ef- fective to pay someone to clean up their own property ?" he said. Benito Flores -Meath said the student -run or- ganization, Bottoms Up Clean Up, has been clean- ing the Northgate area voluntarily for two years. 'The students start cleaning at 1 a.m. on Sun- day and collect at least one bag of bottles, two bags of cans and two bags of trash each time," Flores -Meath said. "Some of the trash has been faded by the sun, which makes it appear that the Northgate Merchants Association is not doing an adequate job of cleaning the area." Northgate merchants have been responsible for cleaning up their respective areas from Sept. 1, 1998 until this past December. John Raney, president of the Northgate Mer- chants Association, said he would like to assess members for the cost of trash pick -up, which in- volves charging the Northgate business owners a price to pick up the garbage. However, he said he thinks the theory is unrealistic. "Most of the area is city property, which in- cludes the promenade," Raney said. "We wanted to be good neighbors and include the area church- es.. Raney said he thought the association was be- ing generous by offering to clean up the trash for a small amount. Lynn Mclihaney, College Station mayor, said the staff will get more background and legal in- formation concerning the issue, and the event co- ordination agreement will be deferred to the Texas A&M Student Senate to review. Council (IV Need an ethics plan n article in The Eagle (April 8) mentioned that different council and board members in College Station were against financial disclosure. Financial disclosure is a common practice in many areas of government, and it is needed in College Station imme- diately. New council and board mem- bers need to know what is expected of them before they enter office. By waiting until a post - election retreat on May 14 and May 15 to put together an ethics plan, as suggested by the mayor, new council and board members will not know the rules they are to serve under before entering office. They might be put in an awkward position of voting for rules that will affect their behavior after they are in office. This appears to be a conflict of interest. Last year, when the mayor and other members of the council majority wrongly decided that Councilman Swiki Anderson had to be investigated for possible ethics violations, they seemed to make a strong statement to the community that they expected all council members to adhere to the strongest principles of behav- ior. So, why at this time are they backing down from demanding financial disclosure and other measures that would allow us to maintain the highest standards in our local government? There are several alleged con- flicts of interest in City Hall. Rumors are circulating of com- plaints to the city attorney, dis- trict attorney, and even state and federal authorities about differ- ent types of misconduct at City Hall. Shouldn't we be certain we do what we can before the May elec- tions to assure we have in place the best rules possible for the future? M.H. WHEELER College Station • • Show that you care I had the privilege of growing up on Munson Avenue, and visit there at least once a month. I now live in Dallas in an older neighborhood with many traffic pressures. The city has respond- ed by calming the flow with speed humps and stop signs. In the nearby Turtle Creek area, two streets have been closed to through traffic because it was determined that the vast majori- ty was cut through and seriously threatened the integrity of the neighborhood. What I see going on in my hometown is most disturbing. Letters to The Eagle mention the amount of money the city has spent trying to calm the alarm- ing number and speed of vehicles on the once quiet Munson Avenue. A key point they omit is that part of that expenditure was for a study that showed 89 per - c6nt of the traffic was cut through. Munson Avenue was not designed for that volume and no neighborhood street should be expected to carry it. City Council members, acting wisely and with all the facts at hand, voted unanimously to close Munson Avenue to through traffic. This was a decision reached not by an elite group of residents but by elected officials who could evaluate the situation and make a difficult but essential decision. College Station needs to con- tinue to protect and promote all of its neighborhoods, especially ones with the unique qualities of College Hills. Voters, please show the city you care about preserving all neighborhoods. Cities through- out the country are doing what- ever is necessary. College Station can be a leader in preser- vation by voting against Proposition 1. DAVID M. MOORE Dallas More than Munson M Y house is only 15 feet off Munson Avenue, a nar- row obviously of des r igned to carry the traffic of a boulevard or col- lector street. The City Council has agreed that there is a safety issue here, but this is. about more than Munson Avenue. Every property owner in College Station should be concerned when the city can open Your street to through traf. fic and essentially destroy your neighborhood without regard for the residents' wishes. If Munson Avenue is opened and eventually widened, we w ill have to move, rental property Will predominate, property val- ues will Plummet, and our neigh- borhood will be lost. All children living east of Munson Avenue will need to be bused to College Hills Elementary School because Munson Avenue will be a hazard to children walking or riding bikes. Is there no advantage to the city of College Station in preserv- ing the second - oldest neighbor- hood in College Station as a place where families can live, children can ride bikes, and peo- ple can walk and jog? At one time, this neighborhood was College Station. Should it be destroyed in the name of conve- nience? We are not snobs. We are peo- ple who love our community and don't think that progress neces- sarily has to come at the cost of our quality of life. It is unfortunate that better planning wasn't done in the beginning, but the traffic situa- tion is only going to get worse as College Station and Bryan con- tinue to grow. The traffic prob- lem is a tremendous challenge to the outstanding members of our City Council and city staff. Can we work as a community to pre- serve our neighborhoods while continuing to grow as a city? AMY HOBBS College Station What would you do? I am truly disappointed at our citizens who have chosen to put up signs or speak out pub- licly about their desire to open Munson Avenue to unlimited traffic. These citizens have no knowl- edge of the words "neighborhood safety" nor the words "neighbor- hood integrity." Their knowl- edge of this problem lies solely in the words "personal conve- nience." This selfish value system is not only self - destructive, but impedes our chosen identity as a Wonderful town to live in and raise our families. The cornerstone of any city is the stability and safety of its neighborhoods. This must be rec- ognized and protected at all costs. I challenge every neighbor- hood in College Station to protect the safety, quality of life and even property values in the College Hills area by voting against the ordinance to open Munson to unlimited traffic. What would you do if it was your neighborhood? JOHN RICHARDS College Station _ 17M Every neighborhood 1 L • unson Avenue is not just a street. It's a neighbor- hood. And at this time, it's all our neighborhoods. Everyone who worries about traffic on residential streets needs to vote no on Proposition 1 on May 1. If you don't vote now, the next neighborhood to be torn apart could be yours. I know and like some of the people promoting Proposition 1, but they are wrong. I just don't understand how they can look in the mirror each day without admitting they are the ones being selfish. Their entire agen- da is based on cutting a few min- utes off their commute to work or to the mall. Surely, there are enough con- cerned voters in College Station to set this matter right once and for all and let the City Council maintain control of our streets. To do otherwise is to endorse chaos. As Edmund Burke once said, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." JERRY COOPER College Station • Rental concerns unson Avenue, sadly, could be the next oppor- tunity for rental housing owners if you just vote yes on Proposition 1 on May 1. Vote yes and conclude that neighborhoods don't matter. Then wonder when the next neighborhood will fall because impatient drivers "need" to cut through. On average, Munson Avenue families have lived here more than 20 years, and because of the closing at Lincoln Avenue, we now can safely walk on our side- walks. However, several of my neighbors have said that they will move if the majority vote yes on Proposition 1. Certainly the majority does rule. A majority voted for our City Council members and charged them with conducting city business. This is called rep- resentative government. In 1983, the City Council voted to open Munson Avenue at Lincoln Avenue and assured s that the design goal of per day would not be violated. B 1996, the traffic count in- creased to more than 7,000 cars per day. The current City Council acknowledged the error of 1983 and voted to correct this error. Now, Munson Avenue i s ing about 1,200 cars per day . Please vote no on Proposition 1 and continue this restoration. Signal to our City Council that our neighborhood and your neighborhood are pp SPRINGER College Station (W Is this a solution? W ant to know why you should vote against Proposition 1 on May 1? Go back and re -read Mike McMichen's letter (Eagle, April 20). He wants to open Munson Avenue. At the beginning of his letter, he describes, in very positive terms, what a neighborhood should be like — people crossing the street without fear of being hit by cars, young and old people enjoying their neighbors and their surroundings. What's McMichen's plan? Destroy this situation by return- ing Munson Avenue to a street that carries 7,000 to 8,000 cars cutting through the neighbor- hood every day. Is this a solu- tion? By the way, Munson Avenue is designated as a minor collector street on the city plan, designed and intended to carry no more than 1,000 cars per day. SARAH WITHAM BEDNARZ College Station A reformed user I am a reformed Munson Avenue user. I was not a Munson Avenue abuser, which is to say that it was not my wont to take my car for a quick spin across peoples' yards, or to discard beer bottles out the window, or to broadcast bass notes from the stereo, or to zoom at 60 mph on the straight bit, but I was a user. Of course, it was a handy shortcut. The roadblock changed all that. Now I go around on the main arterials, and it doesn't bother me a bit. I know the City Council helped me break a bad habit when it erected the barri- ers. I suspect it put an end to fun for the midnight maniacs who abused Munson Avenue and tor- mented Munson Avenue resi- dents. I encourage the voters of College Station to support that neighborhood and permanently restrict traffic on Munson Avenue. Left uncontrolled, it's simply too tempting, both for the casual Munson Avenue user and the hard -core Munson Avenue abuser. - JONATHAN M. SMITH Bryan L B -CS may need new area code By BOB SCHOBER Eagle Staff Writer White-hot demand for telephone lines for fax machines and com- puters in area code 409 will exhaust all available telephone numbers by early 2000, according to the Public Utility Commission of Texas. There are three ways to provide more numbers — officially called "area code relief' — and all three involve introducing 'new area codes, the College Station City Council was told Thursday. A three -digit area code provides • • • GS council hears telephone options about 7.8 million individual tele- phone numbers, said Greg Petrey, executive director of the Brazos County Emergency Communica- tion District. Area code 409 could be overlaid with another area code, which could mean that two area codes would serve one location. That scenario would require 10 -digit dialing throughout area code 409, Petrey said. Another possibility is to split area code 409 into three sections. One section would stay 409 and the other two would receive new area codes. In a three -way split, Navasota and the Bryan- College Station area would be in different area codes. The third solution, which Petrey said the commission is most likely to recommend, would be to assign a new area code for the three fastest - growing areas — Bryan- College Station, Huntsville and Galveston. The remaining area would stay as the 409 area code. This solution would provide about a 10 -year supply of new numbers in the Bryan- College Sta- tion area, which already has the largest number of telephone num- ber prefixies in 409, he said. The number of area codes in the state has grown from four in 1947 to 18 this year. In 2000, there will be 20 area codes. By 2007, the num- ber of three -digit area codes in the country will be exhausted and four or five digit area codes wi become the norm, Petrey said He said four or five digit are codes and 10 -digit dialing wi become common features c everyday life in the future as neN technology debuts. "If you speak with people Houston or Dallas, they'll say tha 10 -digit dialing has become a wa of life," Petrey said. "With nex technology coming forth, 10 -digi dialing is here to stay." The council directed city staff t study the three options an- inform the commission of its prei erence. A bad precedent y wife and I, with our children, have been resi- dents of the College Hills community since 1972 and for 20 of those years owned our home on the corner of Munson Avenue and Francis Drive. I have transited every direc- tion in the community during every season and time of day. I have worked on both the Bryan and College Station Blinn cam- puses. During my travels, I pur- posely did not use Munson Avenue, except to go to or from my own residence, because my experience had clearly shown me that the major arterials were, in fact, faster and more convenient — Munson Avenue or any College Hills cut - through, in the majority of situations, is simply not a time- saver. Passing Proposition 1 will not simply result in the reopening of a beautiful little tree -lined neigh- borhood street for unobstructed public use. We can assume that a reopen- ing of Munson Avenue will not only return the traffic density to its original levels, but with the opening of the hotel and confer- ence center, the real potential is there for increased traffic levels far beyond anything we have heretofore experienced. A recent article in The Eagle pointed out the road construc- tion alternatives that the city of College Station will be obligated to initiate to accommodate the resultant traffic if Munson Avenue is reopened without restriction. To bring the roadway up to current municipal standard, the traffic density levels that must be prepared for will require a street - widening project that will result in the condemnation of private property for public use. If Proposition 1 passes, we have set a dangerous precedent for the orderly progress of our community; where the things that bring people to our commu- nity in the beginning matter pre- cious little in the end. Please vote no on Proposition 1 on May 1. DWIGHT R. ALLEN Jr. College Station • Club's money woes halt expansion plan BY RACHEL HOLLAND r�, The Battalion Plans for a five -club entertainment center at Epicenter will not be imple- mented because of insufficient parking. Sri Kandalam, owner of Epicenter, said he is unable to fulfill the original plan for five clubs because it would vi- olate the conditional -use permit, which calculates how much square footage can be occupied in relation to the number of parking spots available. Epicenter currently consists of a sports bar and a dance club, and Kan - dalam said a martini bar will open in May. Lance Simms, a building official with College Station, said under the conditional use permit, only half of the entertainment center can be used be- cause of the insufficient parking. "There is not enough parking for the amount of club space they want to oc- cupy," he said. "But they are currently in accordance with all regulations." Kandalam said it is not cost effectivE to pay for the construction and rent of a building when only half of it is in use He said he is able to keep Epicenter fi. nancially secure through profit from other businesses he has owned. "The economics of the plan did no come through," he said. "The five clubs did not fall intc place. Some people called me crazy fot following through, but I am proud o Epicenter and intend to see it through.' . Lee Battle, senior planner with Col lege Station, said further expansion o'. Epicenter would require another con ditional -use permit. He said the permits, however, are is sued with the best interest of the city it mind, and requests for use of adjacen parking lots or to decrease the numbe of required spots are likely to be de nied. The Eagle_ City of College Station News Date: -4) L2_1 `1 L� F L-1 No good purpose4 e are going to vote no on the Munson Avenue initia- tive in the upcoming College Station election because we truly believe that opening Munson Avenue will eventually lead to the trashing of a good part of the sur- rounding neighborhood. Closing Munson Avenue at its north end is not an inconvenience to us. Opening the street to 7,000 or more cars a day would harm. every- one from children trying to get to College Hills Elementary School to residents blocks away trying to get to sleep at night. People with business within the neighborhood can find their way in and out, and the indirect route dis- courages people who just want to take a shortcut through the neigh- borhood. Traffic is now at accept- able levels. Every new neighborhood in our town has been designed to restrict through traffic. There are real rea- sons for this, accepted by cities across Texas and the nation. Through traffic degrades the quali- ty of life, degrades property values, and generally makes a neighbor- hood a less desirable place to live. Nowhere is it acceptable for a residential street to be subjected to 7,000 cars a day. This number is more appropriate for a parkway or freeway. It is hard for us to under- stand why a few residents of our neighborhood want to bring back this onslaught. Opening Munson Avenue and returning traffic to these levels would most likely result in the widening of Ashburn Avenue and Munson Avenue, dam- aging and destroying valuable homesteads on these streets and disrupting normal life throughout the neighborhood. Proposition 1 serves no construc- tive purpose. We urge everyone to vote against the ordinance. NORMAN and LINDA GUINASSO College Station Don't restrict MY I am a retired city planner living in Berkeley, Calif. I frequently visit my sister in College Station and am familiar with the College Hills /Woodlands area and the streets surrounding it. I like the residential character of the area and would hope the citizens of College Station would not adopt the referendum ordinance to mandate that nothing be done to restrict the volume of traffic on Munson Avenue. My town of Berkeley, also a col- lege town, adopted an elaborate series of diverters that force right or left turns on streets that other- wise would be through streets. This very effectively induces through traffic to use major thoroughfares. It imposes some modest inconve- nience on the local residents, but it has successfully preserved the tranquility and residential charac- ter of the neighborhoods with the result that Berkeley has main- tained some of the most desirable residential neighborhoods in the San Francisco Bay area despite substantial growth in adjacent areas and overall increases in auto usage. The College Hills /Wood- lands area deserves similar protec- tion. Leaving Munson Avenue open to high -speed traffic in ever increas- ing volumes, as more property along University Avenue and Harvey Road is commercially developed, will not only degrade the properties along Munson Ave- nue but will adversely impact the desirable residential quality and "image" of the larger College Hills /Woodlands area. College Station is fortunate to have the East Bypass and Texas Avenue, to which most of the through traffic would be diverted if Munson Avenue were closed at its northern end and other lesser traffic - calming techniques on surrounding streets, to complete the diversion of through traffic, were adopted. It would be a serious mistake to adopt an ordinance restricting the city's ability to develop a reason- able solution to a community prob- lem that would benefit everyone by preserving the residential integrity of the neighborhoods. GEORGE WILLIAMS Berkeley, Calif. r City of College Station News Date: • CS council to hear telephone update Northgate litter event scheduling By BOB SCHOBER Eagle Staff Writer disposal, promenade al The Public Utility Commission of Texas will decide April 29 whether to add another telephone area code, require 10 -digit dialing or implement another system to create more telephone numbers in the Bryan- College Station area. The College Station City Coun- cil on Thursday will hear an update on the issue from Greg Petrey, executive director of the Brazos County Emergency Com- munications District. The growth of telephone lines in the area, due mainly to multiple users for fax machines and com- puters, means the existing area code numbering system will be unable to meet the projected demand for new numbers, offi- cials said. In other business, the council will discuss: ■ A proposal to pay the North- gate Association $1,500 a month for two years to pick up and dis- pose of litter and trash in the Northgate area and coordinate at least 12 events a year in .the Prom- enade area. ■ An ordinance making the so on agenda Planning and Zoning Commission the authority for plat reviews. The ordinance would make the City Council the authority for review and approval of development agreements and oversize partici- pation requests. ■ Issuing $6.23 million in gener- al obligation improvement bonds for various street, drainage and park improvement projects, traf- fic signalization and the rehabili- tation of Fire Station 2. Also scheduled for discussion is an ordinance authorizing the issuance of $850,000 in certificates of obligation to fund the extension of George Bush Drive East across Wolf Pen Creek to Holleman Drive. ■ Authorizing the city to change addresses along F.M. 2818 as part of changing the name of the highway to Harvey Mitchell Parkway. There currently are five different 100 blocks along the highway in the city limits, offi- cials said. A workshop will not be held Thursday. The 6 p.m. regular meeting will be held in the council chambers of City Hall, 1101 Texas Ave. For more information, call 764 -3500. G 0 3dodaC' °E. <c ° n- ? _.o:. o00 ° 2 ' H g y d c�d ^_ ^$•�00 ° cF • ` d " ' o � A D' C o N d n$ S O ` ry o C. O• C £ rnD o a o.o o . . R aeon - OrD •<k R N O . A 3 VIC - A ^ £ C 0. o O = d C �Dy rD O o H� °= c a e�� 3 n�� ro ay a°a<- <.aa �0�y����co� �yC21 0 6 O ^ y O 7 y° d S^ -'�'' .d., n0 d :. O a N d^ N ^. O d C C vi 6 N N N C �• N ,^S A 40 d n, N .d. A 2 O A O d O S -. C - C V' n 6C d T N O. w E: O^ O d O- 7 N o 3on ^ £'E �9. -yH�= o. w a� A n n m" Sc = n B a n d^ y o x y m y P i n = .oa o n d 3 D H a d a o o ° 3 0 •< � ° n ^'< ` d � c o o ° a - . ' a "p D y £ a � d c B � a Er -q Mon , = o m � y < d 3 d D ,r o £ ° A on c ooc U.=D ° °° ti ,9y m '° d o❑ ° sa .moo. d o o �'. �A d a °',� �v vn c o rD ? m rD G A A n d3oc ^ n o30 n o c o 0 Q A n `G O 6 vai m� ��dan -dwS � ? �y o. rD o H , �.c. oy-, d n d 3 3 ^9m no3rB� _ _. 7.d A 7 >> 6 �• H S d N 6 C •' 0. N ^j yy z y C c = ri S A cr O zn °'O < '$ 0 G . F O C E - 2 N < o o 2, N cL b A oD R. c° ncA nrDE.�HagpOiD' C `acy"oxa Ate° ° c 000,� Sod n o A a s 3 y H a o ao m o a•O c ° m 0. ado = °c °? 5 . � cd W W O y Q O 0 N O p •�-' 6 C ^ o d d O coo d I c a• a d= h� a c ^o a ` 3 o a C O a � = dtn Y 5" FAV C 11-2 J� V �n 0 O • 0 A V �J e� �v A er �-i toll O o 9 • lay, April 21, 1999 The Bryan - College Station Eagle Page All One of College Station's Oldest Neighborhoods Vote ® AGAINST THE ORDINANCE e &4*e* aod 74* I&a Sao Before Traffic Calming Munson Ave. had 350 Traffic Citations (including DWIs & Reckless Driving!) Political ad paid for by Citizens for Neighborhood Integrity, Treasure, Bob Bednarz, 1101 Marsteliar, C.S. • The Eagle 0 City of College Station N ews Date: -+ 1 Li iL i - Computer firm marks opening of new facilities Universal Computer employs 500 • By BLAIR FANNIN /` 12j 199 Eagle Staff Writer `� Even Universal Computer Systems President and CEO Bob Brockman still is trying to find his way around the company's new 284,000 - square -foot facility at The Business Center in College Station. Brockman, speaking before more than 100 people gathered at the company's ribbon - cutting cer- emony Tuesday, said, "I hold here in my hand maps because that's what you need to get around this place." Even with the aid of tour guides, visitors perhaps still would have had problems remem- bering their way out of the mas- sive facility after taking in scores of computer terminals, monitors, keyboards and employees that make up the $30 million software firm's new facility. "I didn't ever think we would get to this point," College Station Mayor Lynn McIlhaney told the crowd. "Finally, we can say wel- come. We are excited that you are officially an active part of this community." Following the ribbon - cutting ceremony, the crowd was treated to a walking tour of the facility, home to 500 employees that will reach 700 iii' the next few years, Brockman said. Houston -based Universal Computer Systems supplies auto dealerships with hardware, soft- ware and support systems deal- ing with all facets of the business, including accounting, inventory and more. The company is the first of what economic officials hope will lead to many high -tech companies locating locally in the future. The College Station facility fea- tures hardware support, bench repair, parts inventory, software support with call center support; and personal computer rental. The company also rents projec- tors and display equipment for conventions. "That's the fastest growing part of the company," Brockman said. The company offers its ser- vices not only in the United States, but across the world. It has expanded its business into the United Kingdom, Mexico, China, Boliva, Brazil and Argentina. Local economic officials put together an incentive plan that beat out Norman, Okla., and Auburn, Ala. The incentive pack- age included 32 acres of land, $350,000 in cash over three years and a partial tax abatement for 10 years. In return, the company is mak- ing a $20 million capital invest- ment and is expected to employ up to 1,560 employees with an annual payroll of $14.7 million within 10 years. Brockman said he was accus- tomed to experiencing grief as a businessman in Houston before deciding to locate the new facility to College Station. "To be a part of this community is a different experience," he said. "As a businessman, govern- ment gives me grief. I had visions of getting grief [from local gov- ernment] but, as it turned out, this is a nice place to be. We feel wanted and I want to thank the officials of Bryan and College Station for making this work and get going." Council candidates discuss B -CS issues BY JEFF WOLFSHOHLW The Battalion The Munson Avenue controversy, Proposition One on the May 1 election ballot, was the major discussion top- ic last night by Bryan and College Sta- tion city council candidates concern- ing the attraction of businesses into the community. The local candidates forum, spon- sored by the Bryan - College Station Chamber of Commerce, was at the College Station Hilton and Conference Center. Dennis Maloney, a College Station place five candidate, said the road should remain closed to preserve the safety of families and homes. He said exposing the road to the traffic in- crease would decrease the property values of the residential area sur- rounding Munson Avenue. Bill Davis, another College Station place five candidate, and Winnie Gar- ner, College Station place three can- didate, spoke in favor of opening the street. They said Munson Avenue was originally closed with safety hazards in mind, and that if it is reopened, the city should conduct experiments to properly address the danger concerns. All of the candidates agreed that the closure decision should be made by the voters May 1. Other elements of business attrac- tion discussed were tax breaks, an- nexation, ways to increase tourism through tax - revenue spending, and growth and its impact on the com- munity. James Massey, a College Station place one candidate, and Garner said the city should use the tax revenue to market the community, but Shannon Schunicht, the other College Station place one candidate, said the councils should reinvest the money to improve its existing attractions. A question posed by an audience member addressed the projected pop- ulation growth of Bryan and College Station collectively to 300,000 citizens within the next 25 years. The audi- ence member questioned whether or not the cities are prepared to ade- quately assess the needs of the ex- panding community. Dr. Russell Bradley, a Bryan district three candidate, said the city should help citizens adapt as they encounter changes, and people should begin planning for future housing needs and neighborhood expansions before the drastic population increase be- gins. B -CS City Council Candidates • College Station Candidates i Dennis Maloney, place 5 Joe Dan Franklin, place 5 Bill Davis, place 5 Winnie Garner, place 3 Shannon Schunicht, place 1 James Massey, place 1 Bryan Candidates Rudy Schultz, district 3 Dr. Russell Bradley, district 3 City "of�C Date: Bryan, College Station gain as economic boom continues Tax revenues up and bond ratings high, annual audits say By BOB SCHOBER` Eagle Staff Writer The ongoing national economic boom has pro- duced flush finances , for Bryan and College Station, resulting in swelling tax revenues and high bond ratings, according to annual audits published this week. Rising sales and ad valorem tax revenues show the cities are healthy and growing, Bryan Fiscal Ser- vices director Bob Biles said. High bond ratings help taxpayers, College Station Fiscal Services director Charles Cryan said, because the cities can pay lower interest rates on the money they borrow. Both cities end their fiscal years Sept. 30 and issue an annual report, which outlines the financial story of each of the major funds for the fiscal year just ended. Independent auditors review and certify the information provided by city staff as a fair represen- tation of the facts, Cryan said. 11eReStationFNews Standard & Poors and Moody's Investors Service, the two major bond rating companies, use the finan- cial information to set bond ratings for investors around the world who buy the certificates of obliga- tion and general obligation bonds used to finance local projects. "The rating is their estimation on how likely we are to pay back the debt," Cryan said. Both cities on their last bond issues received Stan- dard & Poors and Moody's third- highest ratings, A+ and Al, respectively. Ratings are important to every taxpayer's pocket- book, Cryan said. In November, College Station vot- ers approved a $24.24 million capital improvements program largely that will be financed by city- backed bonds. One rating point decline, he said, could mean taxpayers would have to pay $1 million more in interest for the bonds over 20 years. See AUDIT, Page A2 Audit From Al The two cities face different challenges in maintaining their bond ratings, officials said. Bryan, which owns electric generating plants,, must manage the transition into a competitive electricity market, Biles said. The Texas Legislature is debat- ing electric utility deregulation, which would allow other power companies to compete for Bryan Texas Utility customers. College Station needs more eco- nomic diversity, Cryan said, because its economy is dominat- ed by Texas A &M University, which does not pay real estate taxes to the city. Bryan's Electric Utility Fund, by, far the largest of the city's funds, contributed about $4.5 mil- lion to the city's General Fund last year, City Manager Mike Conduff said. The ad valorem tax rate for Bryan residents is about 30 cents per $100 of assessed valuation lower because taxpayers own the utility, he said. Biles said managing deregula- tion, therefore, is a high priority for the city. The bond companies survey Bryan and see a diverse econo- my. "They're always happy to see that we have a lot of businesses," he said. "And they look at A &M and say, `We're not too worried about them leaving the area. "' Last year, Biles said sales tax revenues grew and total property values rose about 6 percent. In College Station, however, Cryan said A &M is such a major employer and economic engine that bond companies worry about its impact. "They're looking for us to diversify because, if something happens to A &M, it will adverse- ly impact us," he said. "Our response is, if something happens to A &M, it will impact the whole state." The report shows that College Station has real economic strengths, Cryan said. Sales tax and hotel /motel tax revenues were much higher than expected last year, largely due to several major retailers opening up and tourists flooding in to visit the George Bush Library and Muse- um Center. "The Bryan - College Station area had a 66 percent hotel occu- pancy rate, which is by far the highest in the state," he said. The growth rate for those taxes will lessen this year, Cryan said, although the city will see another $100 million in property value added to the tax rolls. "We have had steady, signifi- cant growth in nearly all of our measures," he said. F , ' e ;Eogle City' of C6110 St' ' i fit.News Date: liln Iqq Best Buy to op en CS store By BLAIR FANNIN Eagle Staff Writer Specialty retailer Best Buy will open a new store by late summer at the Lone Star Pavilion shop- ping center at 1101 Texas Ave. in College Station, officials said Wednesday. "We are happy to be locating there," company spokeswoman Joy Harris said. "We expect to do a lot of great things in the commu- nity." Best Buy specializes in con- sumer electronics, personal com- puters, appliances and entertain- ment software. The College Sta- tion store will be 30,000- square- feet, and Harris said the company will hire 75 full- and part -time See BEST BUY, Page A14 it Best Bu From A9 employees. "We will be hiring people in various positions, including cashiers, customer service and sales people that will be noncom- missioned," she said. Harris said the hiring will be conducted a few months prior to the store's opening. She said Best Buy will occupy space in the shopping center for- merly held by Zuka Juice, and add new construction toward Lin- coln Drive to form the 30,000 - square -foot store. Best Buy had $10 billion in sales last year. The company operates 311 stores in 36 states, and has 36 stores in the Dallas - Fort Worth and Houston areas. The College Station store is one of the first stores designed to operate.in smaller communities, Harris said. "It's designed to serve commu- nities with populations that are smaller in size than our typical markets," she said. "The store, while smaller in square footage, will definitely offer the same product categories to customers in the College Station area. It still offers the best of Best Buy." A r\ L__A xiEa #ghe . r •'T WY .� ;K 5 J<WHY«,�.z+'�L.l° 1 7'°"at �I �� CYt of�College stati ;News Concrete memories I have been reading with some amusement and a bit of exasper- ation the recent chain of articles and letters concerning concrete drainage ditches. The debate has centered on whether these "drainage improvements" are real- ly improvements to the overall quality of life. As a child, I was fortunate to live near a small, tree -lined intermit- tent stream, one much like the trib- utary of Bee Creek which was recently bulldozed, dredged and concreted. My brothers and I spent many hours there doing what boys do: building little dams, catching frogs and climbing trees. I cannot recall ever saying to my brothers, "Gee, I wish we had more concrete to play on." Now I live in Bryan and spend most of my time raising my 1 -year- old daughter. We often walk to Tanglewood Park near our home. Unfortunately, we have to walk in the street. Why is that? The short- sighted city planners of 40 years ago decided it was more important to line Burton Creek with concrete (in order to help the water move more easily) than it was to put in concrete sidewalks (in order to help children move more easily). The Burton Creek channel is ster- ile and unappealing. When my daughter and I want to have some real outdoor fun, we have to get in the car and drive out to the Brazos Center where there is a wonderful nature trail and a real stream, which, to my daughter, is as wild and exciting as the Amazon. Don't you remember seeing those first lovely redbuds blooming along our streamsides this spring? I have seen many nature calendars with a beautiful image of some tranquil brook, but never one with a picture of a "drainage improvement pro- ject." Why is that? Lets leave a legacy of improved parks, not paved creeks. DAVE WADE Bryan Vote for family life s early voting begins this week, I would like to remind the citizens of College Station that Munson Avenue is more than just a street for cars to travel on. It is an integral part of a traditional neighborhood. The pas- sion that has arisen over the past few years is an effort to preserve the quality of life in this neighborhood and the sense of community that characterizes tra- ditional neighborhoods. In the past, neighborhoods were defined on the basis of local ele- mentary schools. The network of children and parents provided the glue that held a neighborhood together. This unified spirit remains strong today but is also rooted in the longevity of home ownership on Munson Avenue and the surrounding streets. Many, many people have resided in this neighborhood for 20, 30, and 40 years — a few even as long as 50 years. Multiple generations of fami- lies are found throughout. All are concerned about the safety of their children and elderly parents or neighbors, preserving their proper- ty values, and living in a peaceful environment. These are concerns common to all neighborhoods. Many of the homes on Munson Avenue were built in the 1940s and are a visible reminder of this tradi- tional way of life. Several have been designated as historic homes to commemorate the roles that peo- ple like J.C. Culpepper and Phil Gramm played in shaping our city's history. Returning Munson Avenue to the cul -de -sac that it was for nearly 50 years will protect this history as well as the safety of its residents. Your vote against the initiative ordinance will help promote safe neighborhoods and retain tradi- tional family life for all in College Station. SHAWN CARLSON College Station Letter deadline set All letters to the editor con- cerning candidates and issues in the May 1 city and school elections must be received at The Bryan- College Station Eagle by 5 p.m. on April 26. All election letters will be printed by April 28. Generally, The Eagle does not run election letters from candidates, their families or campaign managers. If space does not permit printing all political letters about particular candidates, they will be printed in pro- portion to the numbers received. � 'he Eaa e r't ,�' �+:K iw..µvgf +x-`6. x _s• % }.a`Sis,. , City of 11ege StationFNews Date: 4111 qa Majority should rule he Munson Avenue debate soon will be resolved. The issue is not about preserving neighborhood integrity, restricting "outsider" use of the street, or traf- fic control techniques. It is about letting the will of the people prevail and doing the most good for the most people. With support from several city �� officials, 41 petitioners have been trying to get the street closed per- manently. They don't seem to mind that more than 960 people peti- tioned to reopen the street, that the response time for the firemen, police, ambulance and school bus drivers had been substantially increased, or that many people spend considerably more time sim- ply trying to get in and out of our neighborhood. This issue should never been allowed to develop into a major dis- pute. The Eagle recently stated that the city should try to balance neighborhood integrity with effi- cient traffic flow. This is the right approach, but where is the balance when a street is totally blocked off for the benefit of a very few at the expense of a large number of peo- ple? Munson Avenue has been a busy street ever since the real estate boom of the late 1970s, and most people now living on Munson Avenue moved there after that period. After the installation of speed bumps, additional stop signs, and a 20 mph speed limit the traffic count dropped by more than 50 percent to 3,200 cars per day and the traffic flowed at a much slower speed. After wasting many months, thousands of dollars, inconvenienc- ing a great many people and mounting opposition in the neigh- borhood, the City Council decided that a general referendum would reduce criticism of their actions and expense to the general public. On May 1, I hope voters will sup- port the concepts of majority rule and provide the greatest good to the greatest number of people. ARTHUR WRIGHT College Station Letter deadline set All letters to the editor con- cerning candidates and issues in the May 1 city and school elections must be received at The Bryan- College Station Eagle by 5 p.m. on April 26. All election letters will be printed by April 28. Generally, The Eagle does not run election letters from candidates, their families or campaign managers. If space does not permit printing all political letters about particular candidates, they will be printed in pro- portion to the numbers received. i VI FIZO C� 0 B set t By iMAER FANNIN Eagle Staff Writer S The Bryan College Station area is well posi- tioned to expand its economy into the 21st cen- tury, according to speakers at an economic outlook conference held Friday at the Brazos Center. The conference, hosted by the Bryan- College Station Chamber of Commerce, featured i updates in the areas of economic development, ^.� tourism, transportation, technology and high- ' er education. Louis Newman, chairman of the Bryan-Col- lege Station Economic Development Corp., discussed successes and failures on the local economic front. "Economic developing is far from being an exact science," Newman said. "It can be the best of times, and it also can be the worst of O gr ow, S times." He cited the closing of Northrop Grumman, and the loss of two retailers in Service Mer- chandise and Montgomery Ward in the local area. W�c i I I But Newman, said Deci- FORESTER a — ne s opening of a plant in Bryan will bring 50o new jobs to the local area, a $12 Million payroll and a $6.8 million capital investment. "The DecisionOne project was one of the first of many to be brought to us by a site selection team," Newman said. "Site selection teams are becoming bigger players in economic development today." Newman also discussed the additions of Koch Microelectronics Service Co., Universal Computers Systems, Sanderson Farms and aakers sa y other businesses that have added new jobs to the local area. Since October 1990, economic development efforts have led to 3,242 full-time employees with a direct annual payroll of over $65 mil- lion. Biotechnology, which combines medicine and agricultural advances, is one type of busi- ness that local economic developers will be attempting to attract, Newman said. "That's something we feel really compli- ments the Bryan- College Station area," New- man said. "We think the area can be to biotechnology what Austin has been to the information and technology business." Dick Forester, director of the Bryan- College Station Convention & Visitors Bureau, pre- sented an update on local tourism and how the See ECONOMY, Page A7 Econ o m almost a 7 percent jump com- y pared to 1997, according to Source Strategies Inc., a San From Al area is quickly becoming one of the state leaders. "The national average leisure traveler spends $81.70 [a day]," he said. "In Bryan and College Station, the average leisure traveler spends $65.70 a day," Forester said. "The average in Texas is over $70. Brazos County in 1997 ranked 24th in Texas out of 254 counties in tourism dollars spent." Forester also noted the area had the highest hotel occupancy rate in 1998 at 66.2 percent, Al1LV111V 1u111 L11aL Ll CIUA0 L1C11U5 in the hotel industry. "Our hotel occupancy rate has grown and the availability of rooms has remained steady," Forester said. "We've added Quality Suites, and the demand has remained high. There are a lot of hotel developers that are looking at this area. "It's going to be very important to continue to be aggressive in this market place. "We need to continue to focus on being aggressive, continue to invite people to come to the Bryan- College Station area, and bring conventions and meetings to our area." NeN presented to city council ne Battalion Mike Mullen, the City of College Station volunteer co- ordinator, presented the new City Municipal Volunteer Program to the College Station City Council last night. The Municipal Volunteer Program has been in devel- opment since December when Mullen was hired as the part-time volunteer coordinator in charge of creating the program. The objective of the program is to increase citizen in- volvement in the local government. Mullen said he began by researching other cities and heir volunteer programs to see how they were organized 1mrand what their success rate has been. He then looked into the history of volunteering in the Brazos Valley and what departments in the city of College Station would be in- terested in utilizing volunteers. "Now we are ready to go," Mullen said. "We are be- ginning to recruit volunteers and fill positions.' Volunteers can choose from a variety of time com- mitments which can vary from a few hours to a few days to more involved projects that last at least three months. Internships are also available for students seeking work experience while earning credit hours. Mullen said volunteers make a difference in their own lives and the community. "Volunteering is not a one -way street," Mullen said. "Volunteers can explore new career paths, learn new skills and help others." Mullen said anyone can volunteer and make a differ- SEE PROOMM ON PAGE Z. PROGRAM Continued from Page 1 ence. "Volunteers share a common thread which is the motivation to be involved in the community," Mullen said. "Volunteers come from all ages and all demograph- ics." Departments currently in need of volunteers are the College Sta- tion Fire Department, Human Re- sources and Parks and Recreation. Mullen invited interested citi- zens to learn more about the Mu- nicipal Volunteer Program on the City of College Station Website. He said applications are available on- line. "As more positions become available they will be posted on the website," Mullen said. Mullen said the city will hold a volunteer and coordinator work- shop May 18, in conjunction with local organizations. "The program is an exciting pro- ject and a lot of positive things can come from it," Mullen said. is hVyi ��t �tiiC Org anic matter CS to sell low -cost composting bins By PAT ABERNATHEY �( \� Eagle Staff Writer Do not throw those fruit and vegetable scraps in the trash, throw them i n the backyard. While you are 0 Garden /Al2 at it, pile on grass clippings and leaves. v ,,College Station residents can get a start in composting Saturday when the city offers low -cost com- posting bins. The sale of the bins will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Public Works Department, located behind the police station on King Cole Street. "We've been trying to promote backyard composting in an effort to keep bagged leaves and grass out of the landfill," said Katie Fritz, recycling coordinator for College Station. "It is fairly easy to do." Fritz said brush is taken to the composting facility in Bryan, but bagged grass and leaves can not be unbagged and eventually wind up in the landfill. officials estimate 20 percent of the waste in the land- fill is bagged leaves, grass and other organic material. A grant from the Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commis- sion through the Brazos Valley Council of Governments will allow the city to sell the bins for $10, quite a bit under the original $30 price. The bins themselves are 3 -foot square, with an aerator, and are made of vinyl- coated recycled Date. _. 1- 4 1 1 1__I Bins From A9 steel. They fold flat for easy trans- portation. Jennifer Nations, environmen- tal compliance officer for the Bra- zos Valley Solid Waste Manage - ment Agency, says compost is a great soil amendment. "Some of the benefits of adding compost to soil are that it helps prevent erosion, maintains soil moisture, keeps organic wastes out of landfill and recycles it back into the natural landscape, and improves soil structure," she said. "Some soil around here is 'ews 4 heavy clay, and adding compost to that soil helps water penetrate better." Nations said people can com- post any type of vegetative waste such as hay, grass, leaves, fruit and vegetable scraps. She said not to compost meats, dairy prod- ucts, fats, grease, bones and fish. Avoid adding dog and cat waste, but horse and cow manure makes good compost. Also, treated wood is a bad idea, along with weeds or diseased plants. The bins will include a com- posting guide to help get people started. Also, Nations is offering a mas- ter composter training course in the coming weeks. Register by calling 764 -3806. See BINS, Page A16 Concrete has its place the recent letter C oncff.rning from a Bryan resident opposed to concrete drainage ditches, I would like to offer a bal- anced perspective. Floodplains and, in particular, wetlands do offer water quality improvement benefits to storm water run -off as well as a habitat for wildlife. The College Station greenways activi- ties and November bond authoriza- tion to purchase substantial areas of undeveloped floodplain demon- strates the desire to preserve these natural areas. Current drainage policies require detention of storm water run -off releases to pre - development levels. Streams are critical for the conveyance of storm water and to be efficient must be unimpeded by obstructions. With an adequate floodplain area, the flood water can simply spread out to compensate for the obstructions. With our recent drainage improvement pro- ject, an open flood plain area of adequate width to reduce storm water flow velocities within the channel to acceptable erosion lev- els did not exist and would have required displacement of residents to acquire. Therefore hard surfac- ing of the channel was the only fea- sible alternative for improvement of storm water conveyance and minimization of erosion. The hard surface does not pro- vide a haven for mosquitoes or other nuisances nor does it create pollution. In fact, it reduces pollu- tion. Soils in the local area are very susceptible to erosion and become extremely polluted by the silt and sediment that is generated from that erosion as evidenced at Wolf Pen Creek. Planned drainage improvements such as the portion of Bee Creek from Texas Avenue to FM 2818 and Southwest Parkway is being designed to utilize vegetative side - walls with only a minimum of hard surface. Site specific conditions dictate the necessity of hard sur- face protection and there is a need for both. BOB MOSLEY College Station city engineer College Station Letter deadline set All letters to the editor con- cerning candidates and issues in the May 1 city and school elections must be received at The Bryan - College Station Eagle by 5 p.m. on April 26. All election letters will be printed by April 28. Generally, The Eagle does not run election letters from candidates, their families or campaign managers. If space does not permit printing all political letters about particular candidates, they will be printed in pro- portion to the numbers received. .4 Date: Commun*tv prepares for vote to determine fate of Munson BY CARRIE BENNETT The Battalion Campaigning will soon begin for both sides on the issue of the Mun- son Avenue barricades for the May 1 special election. Kayla Glover, resident of the Col- lege Hills neighborhood through which Munson Avenue runs, leads Friends of Our Community, an or- ganization supporting the perma- nent removal of the barricades. Glover said the members of the group have been planning their campaign at meetings during the past few months. "Saturday morning we will put 500 signs out all over town for the `Open Munson Campaign; Glover said, She said the members of Friends of Our Community will call people and get permission to place signs in yards around the area. "Signs and mailers will be the majority of our advertising," she said. "We will try to do some tele- vision ads, but we need more funds first." Glover said the main objective of the campaign is to encourage people to vote. Shawn Carlson, a College Hills resident and a member of Citizens for Neighborhood Integrity, the or- ganization in favor of barricading Munson Avenue, said she hopes to show voters that blocking streets and zoning to preserve neighbor- hoods is not a new idea. "Next week sometime, we will begin with mailers and signs in or- der to convey our message," Carl- son said.! She said the traffic congestion on Munson Avenue can be danger- ous to small children and the el- derly, who may not have fast re- flexes. Tie congestion will cause property values to decrease, which will disrupt the tax base of the city, she said. Sharron Knutson, a member of Friends of Our Community, said she thinks controversy over the Munson ((Avenue issue will contin- ue regardless of the outcome of the election. "This is an on -going struggle," she said, "and I don't think the elec- tion will be the end of this issue." Knutson said campaign plans include hone calls and providing transpor ation for voters to the polls May 1. CS council to weigh bonds sale 1%W Proposed funds to pay for streets, new cemetery land By BOB SCHOBER Eagle Staff Writer 4 I1 The College Station City Coun- cil on Thursday will consider authorizing the sale of $6.23 mil- lion in general obligation bonds and $850,000 of certificates of obligation to fund several street and park projects. The council will consider approving a Preliminary Issuance Statement, which will detail the uses of the funds and the city's ability to repay the debt. The proposed bond issuance will not raise the ad valorem tax rate, said Charles Cryan, fiscal services director. The bonds will fund, among other projects, the extension of George Bush east to Holleman Drive, the Graham Road upgrade, three traffic signals and a traffic signal pre - emption system, drainage improvements in Bee Creek and Wolf Pen Creek, the ini- tial phase of greenbelt acquisi- tion, rehabilitation of Fire Station 2, acquisition of land for a new city cemetery, design of the Regional Athletic Park and acqui- sition of land for a new communi- ty park, Cryan said. In other business, the council will hold two public hearings on rezoning requests. The first request is to rezone 8.72 acres located about 300 feet from the intersection of F.M. 2818 and Holleman Drive from R -1 sin- gle family to R -5 apartment medi- um density. The second request is to rezone an 0.85 -acre lot, currently the site of the Clay Oven Indian Restau- rant, from Wolf Pen Creek to C -1 general commercial. Volunteer coordinator Mike Mullen will present an overview of a new pilot volunteer program that he has researched, developed and implemented. A city munici- pal volunteer program was adopt- ed in 1998 by the council as its Strategic Issue 10. A workshop session will not be held on Thursday. The 6 p.m. reg- ular meeting will be at the City Hall Council Chambers, 1101 Texas Ave. For more information, call 764- 3500. Conference to focus on local economy By BLAIR FANNIN Eagle Staff Writer 4 The latest developments on key economic issues in the local business community will be the focus of the 1999 Economic Out- look Conference scheduled for Friday at the Brazos Center. The conference, which kicks off with the first regular session at 8:30 a.m., will offer four ses- sions, plus a keynote speaker. The conference will end at 1:30 p.m. Tickets to the event are $25 for individuals or $350 for corporate tables of eight. The deadline to register for the event is Monday by 5 p.m. To register, call the Bryan -Col- lege Station Chamber of Com- merce at 260 -5200. The sessions include: ■ An update by Walter Wendler on Texas A &M Univer- sity's 2020 project. ■ An overview on the growth of tourism in the area by Tracy McDaniel, executive director of tourism for the Texas Depart- ment of Economic Development and Dick Forester, director of the Bryan- College Station Con- vention and Visitor Bureau for the Chamber of Commerce. ■ An update on the efforts of the Bryan- College Station Eco- nomic Development Corp. on attracting new business to the area by Louis Newman, board chairman. ■ A look at what the future of the region's state highways and byways by Mike Behrens, Texas Department of Transportation, assistant executive director for engineering. "As the conference was put together, we focused on a region- al committee, getting represen- tatives from around the Brazos Valley to give input and focus on issues that tie us together as a regional economy," said Tim Ottinger, chairman of the con- ference committee. "From that, we came up with a list of topics that were appealing to everyone, including transportation, Texas A &M University, and other top- ics. Whether you are a restau- rant owner or into technology or a retailer, ... there is something of interest in the conference for you to listen to and hear about, See ECONOMY, Page A13 ."Econom From A9 from what we think will shape the ­,,region and how it grows." The luncheon program will fea- ture Jon Roberts of Angelou Eco- "-- nnomic Advisors, who will speak ­, the information technology boom from a global and local standpoint. A new feature to this year's event is an optional 7:15 a.m. ,'_breakfast session, which will allow participants, to visit with government leaders who partici- pate in the Brazos Valley Region- al Cooperation Advisory Commit- tee. Registration for the early ses- sion will begin at 7 a.m. and con - tinue until 8:25 a.m. Date: 413 � c CS leaders to open W.A. Ta rrow Park College Station city leaders will dedicate W.A. Tarrow Park at 2 p.m. Saturday. The 21.2 -acre park is located between Wellborn Road, Holleman Drive, Eleanor Street and Luther Avenue, and includes the Lincoln Recreation center, the new Wayne Smith Baseball Fields, basketball courts, picnic facilities and play- grounds. The park is named for W.A. Tar - row, the former principal of Lincoln High School. The baseball fields at the park are named for Wayne Smith, a 14- year volunteer in College Station Little League. Smith, who died in 1966, led the efforts to have the first Little League fields built in College Station. W _ . � C • � S ... The Eagle City of College Station Nevus Date: Saturda March 13, 1999 >u cent, 2 sa y CS council broke law mayor attorney de char y� y es g Anderson, Esmond allege Open Meetings Act not followed IIS aoa sceoeea Fx 3 113 le Saar Writer Two members of the College Station City Council have accused Mayor Lynn McIl- haney and City Attorney Harvey Cargill of violating the Texas Open Meetings AM in their conduct of executive sessions. McIl- haney and Cargill strongly denied the alle- gations. Councilmen Steve Esmond and Swiki Anderson presented affidavits to The Brian- College Station Eagle in which they informed the mayor and council that he fied the meetings were being conducted would not attend executive sessions for according to the law. that reason as long as "illegal practices "I've never had any problem with [the exist. " certified agendas]," Silvia said. "I've Cargill denied the accusations without checked with Harvey and he assured me we commenting on specific topics discussed in were applying the proper procedures." past closed meetings. The Open Meetings Act requires all gov- "I can't talk about what was ...[discussed] ernmental bodies to keep either a certified in executive session because it's privi- agenda or a tape recording of each closed leged," he said. "As far as the closed meet- executive session. ings go, we post [notice], the mayor sticks The lone exception is seeking advice closely to the items on the agenda, and she from the governmental body's attorney tries her very best to adhere to what the act about pending or contemplated litigation accuse Mcilhaney and Cargill of keeping Act.]" requires." or a settlement offer, or when the attor- msufficient minutes of closed sessions and Anderson and Esmond claim that the McIlhaney said, "The only people who ney's professional responsibility to the gov- of not giving proper public notice that mat- executive session minutes — known as have violated the law are Steve and Swiki ernmental body conflicts with the open ters of special public interest were going to "certified agendas" — are so vague that for releasing information about the certi- meetings law. • be discussed. council members may be committing a fied agendas." The minutes of the City Council's open "It's not true." McIlhaney said. "We are Class C misdemeanor by merely attending Councilman Ron Silvia and Council - in compliance [with the Open Meetings the meetings. Anderson stated he had woman Anne Hazen said they were satis- See OPEN, Page A7 - I qNW : �j News Open From Al meetings are public documents, but certified agendas can be made public only by court order. Without a court order, certified agendas can be reviewed only by council members who attended the closed session. Those council members can review the record only within 10 days of the meet. ing. The certified agendas then are sealed and kept for at least two years. The law requires that certified agendas "state the subject of each deliberation." In his affidavit, Esmond said "such a record does not exist." Esmond said the certified agen- das reflect only the time the meet. ing was convened and adjourned and the topic, not a summary o f the substance of any discussion. "Since the minutes of nearly all the meetings ... [contain] virtual- ly the same thing, there is no actual record of the council's action," he wrote. "Previous agendas under for- mer mayors of College Station were very specific as to what would be discussed during execu- tive session. If the agendas are all alike, then none of them mean anything. "If the Attorney General should inspect the 'minutes,' he would find that each and every one reads like: 'Council convened in executive session at 6:15 p.m. discussed personnel and legal issues, and adjourned at 6:45 P.m.' Since the minutes of nearly all the meetings say virtually the same thing, there is no actual record of Council's delibera- tions," Esmond wrote. The open meetings law states that council members who partic. ipate in a closed meeting know. ing that a certified agenda is not being kept could be guilty of a Class C misdemeanor. Also, action taken by the council could be voided if a court rules that the meeting was improper. The attor- ney general lacks authority under the law to review certified agendas or recordings of closed sessions for compliance, accord- ing to the 1996 Open Meetings Handbook issued by former Texas Attorney General Dan Morales. Brazos County Assistant Dis. trict Attorney Margaret Lalk has not reviewed the affidavits. She has, however, reviewed the coun- cil's publicly posted meeting agendas. "There's nothing been brought to our attention that appears to be a criminal violation of law as far as the Open Meetings Act," she said this week. Esmond said he started check- ing the certified agendas last summer when Anderson was being investigated by a Brazos County grand jury for a possible conflict of interest. Anderson was no-billed Aug. 5. The minutes started containing more detail in the fall "because Swiki and I started asking about it," Esmond said. McIlhaney said she responded at that time by telling City Secre. tary Connie Hooks to add more detail. "The certified agendas have always had more detail than .,. [Esmond] says. If they had a prob. lem with them, they could have gone to the city secretary [and said] that more should have been stated, but they didn't do that," she said. "As far as I was concerned, the council was in agreement that ANDERSON ESMOND Since the minutes of nearly all the meet- ings ... [contain] virtual- ly the same thing, there is no actual record of the council's action. 9 9 — STEVE ESMOND college Station muncilman the certified agenda was correct. Because of the comments they have been making,I told Connie to put as much information in as was necessary." Cargill said the minutes "are compiled in compliance with the Open Meetings Act." On Thursday, Esmond said the issue could not be decided until a judge ordered the certified agen- das unsealed. "Open up the records, and let's have a look," he said. "I've seen the records. I know what's there." Esmond and Anderson have not filed complaints on these issues with the Brazos County District Attorney. Esmond and Anderson also claim that the council used gen- eral postings to shield the public from knowing what specific issues were to be discussed in closed session. Esmond said Cargill used a method of posting that was so broad as to allow general discus- sion of every topic. In a telephone interview, Esmond said he had questioned Cargill and McIlhaney several times about this issue since being elected to the council in 1997. "When I first got on the coun- cil, Harvey [Cargill] said we were covered, that we could discuss basically everything. A lot of my concern had to do with comments made about Swiki [Anderson] in executive session, and I didn't think it was proper. I requested the opportunity to view the min. utes." McIlhaney and Cargill denied the accusations. "I think [the agendas] are as specific as the law allows," Cargill said. "I think a person of reasonable intelligence can fig- ure out what will be discussed." "At no time have we not been complying with the letter and spirit of the law," McIlhaney said. The Open Meetings Act allows several narrowly drawn excep- tions to the rule that meetings be open to the public. They include deliberations about property, gifts and donations, certain per- sonnel matters, security devices and consultations with an attor- ney. In the 1986 case Cox Enterprises D. Board of Trustees, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that a gov- ernmental body must give the Public advance notice of the sub- jects it will discuss in closed ses. sion. The Open Meetings Hand- book states that anything less than "frill disclosure" is not "sub- stantial compliance" with the law. Rob Wiley, president of the Freedom of Information Founda- tion of Texas, referred to that case while commenting on the allegations. "Cox says you have to say what you're going to discuss," he said. "There has to be specific particu. larity to give the public a real understanding of what will be discussed. I think a 'global' post- ing violates the act." McIlhaney and Cargill dis- missed as "lies" or "untrue" sev- eral allegations made in the affi- davits. Esmond claims that, dur- ing the July 23, 1998, executive session, Cargill and McIlhaney discussed whether the council should initiate an investigation into conflict of interest allega- tions against Anderson. Esmond claims the discussion violated the act because the coun- cil was not authorized to deliber- ate on this subject in closed ses- sion and the subject was not post- ed. "That's a lie" that Anderson was discussed, Mcnhaney said. "We did not discuss Anderson or a charter violation at all." Cargill said he talked with Bra- zos County District Attorney Bill Turner that morning and told him that he would inform the council on a legal issue involving a company with which Anderson was accused of having a conflict of interest. A Brazos County grand jury investigated the alle- gations and no-billed Anderson on Aug. 5. "My understanding was that, when we discussed a legal issue, we were OK," he said. "[To say] that I stated Anderson violated the charter is definitely not true." Esmond and Anderson claim that the council discussed the fir- ing of four city employees during the Aug. 12, 1997, executive ses- sion. Cargill was absent from that meeting. Esmond claimed the dis- cussion was "not legal" because there was no notice given in the agenda suggesting reassignment, termination or dismissal. "I can tell you that I would not allow anything not legal to be dis- cussed in executive session." Mcnhaney said. Anderson said he filed his affi. davit because of Cargill's "bla. tant disregard" for the law. "I have seen situations where we've violated the Open Meetings Act," he said in an interview. "It's not right, it's not lawful and it's really not ethical." Esmond said he presented his affidavit "with the goal of getting the executive sessions tape - recorded." "If they had agreed to record the meetings last fall when we asked them to, I wouldn't have presented the affidavit," he said. Esmond said the executive agenda for Thursday's meeting looked good" and he said he noticed Hooks taking a lot of notes. "But there's nothing in place to prevent a continuation of the same problem," he said. "After we leave the council, who's going to care?" Esmond and Anderson, both engineers, have announced they are not running for reelection May 1. Anderson, however, has indicated he may run for mayor at some point. Councilman David Hickson could not be reached for com- ment on the allegations. Councilman Larry Mariott said he trusted Cargill's judgment. "I think the two engineers need to practice engineering, not legal," he said. "We have one of the best city attorneys in the state, and I have confidence in Harvey Cargill that we won't vio- late any laws. I'd take his word over theirs any day." • i s • MORE THAN BEER NUTS Proposal to force Northgate bars to install kitchen facilities misdirected, ineffective As a part of recent efforts to limit the harmful effects of alcohol on Texas A &M University students, the A &M administration is working with the City of College Station in requiring that bars earn a certain percentage of income from non -al- coholic products. More accurately, President Dr. Ray M. Bowen said, at the Jan. 26 Student Leader Advisory Board (SLAB) meeting, the administra- tion would request that Northgate area businesses that serve alcohol also serve food as well. In implementing this plan, the administration is placing its faith solely in statistics that show pa- trons of establishments that serve food as well as alcohol are in- volved in fewer drinking- and -dri- ving- related deaths. What the administration fails to recognize in relying on these sta- tistics is that not all Northgate es- tablishments are setup to support kitchen facilities. The shot bars Coupe de Ville's and Dry Bean are cramped quar- ters as it is. Forcing them to install kitchen facilities would most likely cause these businesses to shut- down — a result that is not only unwanted but unfair as well. Furthermore,the administration is naive in thinking that simply be- cause the option of eating while consuming alcoholic beverages is available to students, the effects of alcohol will be less severe. Regardless of whether food is available or not, students who are at the bar to drink and socialize will not eat if they do not want to. Also, in targeting only North- gate area establishments, the ad- ministration is overlooking an even larger negative effect of alco- hol-- drinking and driving. For many students, Northgate is a sim- ple jaunt across campus and drink- ing and driving is never really an issue. there are many more bars and nightclubs in Bryan - College Station that require students to drive home from after a night out. If the administration wishes to work with the city to reduce the harmful effects of alcohol, then maybe the students would be bet- ter served if it pushed for the es- tablishment of a designated driver program in the area. While the effort of the adminis- tration is well intended, it simply is neither a business - friendly or feasible one. If the administration truly wish- es to decrease the harmful effects of alcohol on A &M students, the resources that have been devoted to this plan could be better utilized by focusing on a broader scope of prevention — alcohol awareness and education. Y { ra D RAINAGE DREAMS Eagle photo /Dave McDermand College Station city engineer Bob Mosley stands by the new The project, which was started In 1998, was largely com- canal on Deacon Road in College Station on Wednesday. pleted earlier this month. Concrete channel ready for heaviest rains By BOB SC11OBER Eagle Staff Writer •�� drainage channel in Bee Creek, whose banks were scarred by erosion and often flooded after downpours, has been dredged, lined with concrete and made ready to handle the heaviest rains at a cost of $1.25 million, Col- lege Station city engineer Bob Mosley announced Wednesday. The channel runs about 4,200 feet from near Rock Prairie Road to a tributary of Bee Creek. The newly graded and concreted channel runs below Deacon Road west of Long - mire Road. The project was started in February 1998 and was largely completed in early March to the joy of nearby homeowners, he said. "Most of the residents feel a lot more comfortable with this here," Mosley said. Handling runoff may be only part of its function. He said the concrete base is an excellent surface for skateboarders and rollerbladers. "They've been using it as a recre- ational area," Mosley said. The project was the Bee Creek Phase 2 portion of the Flood Safe Program that will attempt to cor- rect major drainage problems on Bee Creek and Wolf Pen Creek by 2001. The concrete channel was paid for by a $3.50 monthly drainage utility fee that has been collected from each household since 1995. The fees are set to expire in 2000. The city also installed 3,400 feet of new sewer line, which was buried beneath the channel. The sewer line was paid for by the sani- tary sewer utility fund. The city also will use the funds to pay the $1.7 million cost of drainage improvements in Bee Creek from Texas Avenue to F.M. 2818 to Southwest Parkway, Mosley _said. That section will be left in a nat- ural state, but the channel will be cleaned out and the banks graded to stabilize erosion and increase water- carrying capacity. Mosley said the city had no choice but to use concrete in the channel. "People envision little mountain streams, but the- kind of soils here are particularly susceptible to ero- sion," he said. "Concreting the channel was the only real practical solution because the narrowness of the channel prevented us from lay- ing the banks back enough to pre- vent erosion." ... City lift _ Date: 3� Losing public trust I agree with Ed McKenzie on the unanswered questions concerning the College Station City Council. Someone needs to confront the council members concerning their con- duct in regard to public trust and responsibility with public funds. The council should get out of Private enterprise and let the community determine for itself what projects are viable and which are not. Just look at Wolf Pen Creek to see the excellent job done to date. BILL SCOTT College Station Temper the remarks I 'E m writing in response to Dwight Conway's letter ( March 18). Conway, feigning innocence concerning the issue of not let- ting the President Clinton mat- ter drop, is hypocritical at best. He seems to be doing a fine job keeping it alive all by himself. He seems unwilling to accept the decision the Senate came to. Continuing to rant after the Senate has made its judgment only shows immaturity. I would liken it to children throwing a tantrum when they don't get their way. If the Senate came to the con- clusion that there was not enough evidence to warrant the President's removal from office, why not accept it and move on? Maybe Conway doesn't want to move on because then what issue would he take up? Let me move on to another statement he made. He talked about the president committing the crime of per- jury that would send the aver- age citizen to jail. I suggest that he look into the issue of perjury in any court of law in this coun- try. He will find that perjury is WT le lege Stati ft"News 24-199 probably the least prosecuted crime there is. Common sense tells us that when we have a plaintiff and a defendant each telling their own story, some- body's not telling the truth. They both can't be right. Prosecutors realize this and understand that making a per- jury case is difficult at best. The Senate realized this as well. That's why there were fewer senators who voted for this article than there were for the obstruction of justice charge. So, unless Conway is positive about his claim of who would go to jail for perjury, he would' do well to temper his remarks with the facts. STEVE BEIKIRCH Iola Vote yes or, Munson T he 1990s will go down in history as the epoch of the children. The copious idiocies that flow from every politician's lips are "for the children." This sickness has fallen upon the City Council of College Station and it, too, is out to protect the children. The children I'm referring to are the "children" residing on and adjacent to Munson Avenue. These people are chil- dren in the spiritual sense of the word and not in the numeri- cal age group itself. They are the wards of our paternalistic council, which wants to appease their every whim. It's about time for the rest of the commu- nity to practice a little tough love on these children and to alert the council of the errors of its ways in coddling these chil- dren for its own political ends. I urge the voters of College Station to vote yes for Proposi- tion 1 on May 1 to open Munson Avenue again. BRUCE ROSE College Station The Eagle City of College Station News Date: Page A14 The Bryan - College Station Eagle Wednesday, March 24, 199 Region ' pla C S council to hear road By BOB SCHOBER The Anderson Street rehabilita- In other business, the council list for 1999 as approv( Eagle Staff writer tion project also will be on the will consider a resolution autho- council. agenda. The council will consider rizing the city to notify the public The council also will c The College Station City Coun- awarding Young Contractors that it will issue $850,000 in cer- resolution giving city al cil on Thursday will consider $474,116.10 to resurface Anderson tificates of deposit to pay for the the formation of Brazo awarding a $628,513.75 contract to Street between Park Place and extension of George Bush Drive Rural Fire Protection Di Texcon General Contractors for Southwest Parkway. Young will East from Harvey Road to Holle- Brazos County. The dish the construction of a section of recycle the asphalt and resurface man Drive, including a bridge encompass the city's exh Gateway Boulevard and Gateway the road. over Wolf Pen Creek. The public rial jurisdiction. Drive in the College Station Busi- The section between Park Place notice is required by law, Noe There will not be a ness Center. and George Bush Drive will be up said. session Thursday. The 6 The council also will conduct for bid at a later date and the reha- The bonds will be paid for with ular meeting will take pl four different public hearings on bilitation completed this summer, ad valorem taxes. The project was council chambers at C rezoning issues. The council will City Manager Skip Noe said. included in the capital projects 1101 Texas Ave. consider requests to rezone: ■ A 1 -acre First Methodist Church tract near Holleman ` Drive and Texas Avenue from Wolf Pen Creek zoning to C -1 gen- eral commercial. ■ A 42.88 -acre parcel in Pebble Creek from agriculture-open to R- ; 1 single family. ■ A 7.2 -acre site about 290 feet west of F.M. 2818, south of F &B Road, from R -1 single family to C -2 commercial industrial. ■ A 5.8 -acre site on the west side of Texas 6 about 600 feet south of Graham Road from R-6 apart- , ment/ high density to general j commercial. 1 l�anV Alcohol 3124'9q (*A., re tions considered BY MELISSA JORDAN Tlne Battalion The Texas A&M administration will work with the city of College Station to limit harmful effects of alcohol on A&M students and the community, possibly approaching the city counci about — quiringbars to eam a certain p ercenta ge o mcome ore — Tno n-a coho� products. Dr. J. Malon Souther an , vice presi- dent for student affairs, said the idea is in preliminary planning stages, and the administration is still discussing possi- ble options -for t:aking.6odon against the problems alcohol causes. "We are at a very high level of inter- est and concern for this issue," he said. PresideritD ;TayB,oyi►ezissid:Xlie ad– ministration may present education and regulation ideas to the city council, and if action is taken by the council, it would not occur until the summer or next fall. Dr. Dennis Reardon, coordinator of alcohol and drug education programs, said alcohol is it difficult industry to reg- ulate at the local level because of the large amount of regulation by the state. Bowen said the administration's con- cern-stems frorn national events involv- ing students and alcohol, the promi- nence of alcohol in many student groups, alcohol related deaths of A&M students and the institution's responsi- bility for students' well being. Bowen said one question included in the ad- ministration's discussion has been whether or not it is appropriate for A&M students to live near establishments pri- marily selling liquor. Bowen said the ad- ministration will continue preliminary discussion with city leaders to determine if policies can be implemented to reduce the effects alcohol has on students. Reardon said alcohol is a steady problem on campus, but many students seem to be more knowledgeable of its effects. Reardon said most students do not abuse alcohol, but a large portion still harbor the idea of college being a time to party and have fun, and many view alcohol as a necessary part of that. Reardon s4ic 40 -to 45.percent of stu- - &ats . naritappate yin .a Wive 'alcoliol drinking, which is characterized by five or more drinks in a row for men and four or more drinks for women. Reardon said abusive drinking causes immediate problems including drunk driving and injury and may expand into alcoholism, a more permanent problem. "It's this kind of drinking that leads to long -term problems," Reardon said. Reardon said it is important for stu- dents to learn the damaging effects of al- cohol as early as possible. "We want people to understand as soon as possible what negative effects al- cohol will have on their college careers, and other drugs as well," Reardon said. (AW iF Y k 5 to ..aY•T,i t�S. y{�X3✓ d i.�k Ys'�r. YS .G1•,z''1. �:. M;ft. CityofCollegeStation� =News Date: CS council member calls for `new blood' By BOB SCHOBER Eagle Staff Writer Saying "new blood" and new ideas were needed, College Sta- tion City Councilman David Hick- son said Thursday he was retiring from the council. Hickson, who has represented Place 5 for six years, made his remarks one day after candidate filing for the May 1 election ended. "When I started my third term, I decided I would impose term lim- its on myself and, after looking at the candidates, I think there's enough good new candidates to bring new ideas to the council," he said. Hickson said he was especially proud of helping pass the 1995 bond election, which provided money to build the College Station Library and fix many city streets. "I took that on really seriously, and I'm proud that we were able to do that without a tax increase," he said. Hickson said he also helped rally the coun- cil behind the recruitment of Universal Com- puter Systems for The Busi- ness Park, which has helped the city diversify its HICKSON economic base. - "It's helped us not be so depeni dent on [Texas] A &M [Universr ty]," he said. "Hopefully, the coup- cil will continue [that process]." Three men are competing to succeed Hickson: Bill Davis, 50, who is self - employed and presi- dent -elect of the College Station Kiwanis Club; Joe Dan Franklin, 69, who is chaplain for the College Station Police Department; and Dennis Maloney, 48, who is a member of the Planning and Zon- ing Commission. The new representative will be able to serve three consecutive, two -year terms under a term lim- its ordinance approved in 1998. rv�.� �`The��agle 'y'of #C�ollegeStati`onNews ....... A &M student files ELE.111C f or council seat 3 1 $ City council races ° fir►. By BOB SCHOBER Eagle Staff Writer Texas A &M University student Finn -Erik Juliussen beat the Wednesday deadline for filing for the May 1 election by a few hours and will vie for a seat on the Col- lege Station City Council. College Station voters will decide two contested races for City Council and Bryan voters will decide one. COLLEGE STATION In College Station, voters will select representatives for City Council Places 1, 3 and 5. The city's term limits ordinance, passed in the May 1998 election, kicks in with the May 1 election. The ordinance restricts council members and the mayor to serv- ing three consecutive two -year terms. The ballot will include an initia- tive ordinance election. The ordi- nance prohibits the city from clos- ing or obstructing traffic on Mun- son Avenue. The candidates, who provided biographical information, are: Place 1 — Finn -Erik Juliussen, James Massey and Shannon Schu- nicht. Place 1 Councilman Steve Esmond is not running for anoth- er term. ■ Juliussen, 27, is a Texas A &M University student. He has lived in College Station for eight years. Juliussen could not be reached Wednesday for comment. ■ Massey, 44, is a 1977 and 1981 graduate of A &M, where he f ■ No election in Wixon Valley /A2 ■ Area races/A7 earned a bachelor's degree in bio- medical science and a master's degree in epidemiology. He has been a College Station resident since 1974 and an employee of A &M'since 1981, where he is direc- tor of the Office of Facilities Coor- dination. Massey was appointed to the Planning and Zoning Commission in 1996 and was named chairman in 1997. He also is a member of several other committees, includ- ing the Wolf Pen Creek Master Plan Implementation Advisory Committee and the Greenways Implementation Task Force. He is See COUNCIL, Page A2 Council From Al married to Susan and is the father of two children. This is his first run for elected office. ■ Shannon Schunicht, 36, has lived in College Station since 1987 and is a real estate manager. He holds three undergraduate degrees: political science and phi- losophy, 1983, from Florida State University; and biology and microbiology, 1994, from A &M. He joined the U.S.'Army in 1983 and was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, for four years, where he was second in command of a M -2 Bradley Fighting Unit, mainte- nance and supply officer, and a nuclear, biological and chemical officer. He was discharged as a 1st lieutenant. He graduated from the College Station Citizens Uni- versity in 1998. He is a member of the Lions Club, Kiwanis Club, the Ameri- can Association of Microbiology and the International Leprosy Association. Schunicht is not married. He ran unsuccessfully for Col- lege Station City Council Place 4 in the May 1998 election. Place 3 — Winnie Garner will be unopposed. Place 3 Council- man Swiki Anderson is not run- ning for re- election. Place 5 — Bill Davis, Joe Dan Franklin and Dennis Maloney. Place 5 Councilman David Hick- son is not running for re -election. ■ Davis, 50, has been a College Station resident since 1996. He owns his own business, The Piano Place, and retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1996. He was superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Band, a logistics and sup- ply specialist and a personnel spe- cialist. He earned a master's degree in general administration from the University of Maryland University College in 1995. Davis is president -elect of the College Station Kiwanis Club and a member of the Bryan- College Station Chamber of Commerce. He served on the 1998 Capital Improvements Project Citizens Committee. He graduated from the College Station Citizens Uni- versity in 1998. He is married to Jorja and is the father of two daughters. This is his first run for elected office. ■ Franklin, 69, has been a Col- lege Station resident for three years. He is chaplain for the Col- lege Station Police Department and American Legion Post No. 159 and is enrolled in the Citizens Police Academy. He has been pas- tor of Anderson Baptist Church in Anderson since 1997. Since 1998, he has been a docent at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum Center and a member of the Lincoln Recre- ational Center board of directors. He graduated from the College Station Citizens University in 1998. He was a student at A &M for the 1947 -48 school year and enrolled in the University of Houston in fall of 1948. He served in Korea with the First Marine Division of the U.S. Marine Corps in 1951 -52, and as chaplain in the U.S. Air Force from 1967 to 1974. He received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Houston in 1955 and attended the Southwest- ern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, where he earned a bachelor's of divinity degree in theology and a master's degree in theology. He is married to Mary Louise and is the father of five children. This is his first run for elected office. ■ Maloney, 48, has resided in College Station since 1970. He received a bachelor's degree in English in 1974 from A &M. He is a self-employed painting contrac- tor. Maloney was appointed to the Planning and Zoning Commis- sion in 1998 and is the commis- sion liaison to the Wolf Pen Creek Oversight Committee. He is co- chairman of the College Station Historical Preservation Commit- tee, participating in the Wolf Pen Creek corridor study and in workshops for the city's compre- hensive plan. He is married to Frances and is the father of two children. He ran unsuccessfully for Place 2 in the May 1998 election. BRYAN In Bryan, voters in City Coun- cil Single Member District 3 will decide between Russell Bradley and Rudy Schultz. District 3 Councilman Dan Galvin is not running for re- election. ■ Bradley, 49, has lived in Bryan for 22 years and in District 3 for 12 years. He is serving his second term on the Planning and Zoning Commission. If elected to the council, he will have to resign his seat on the commission, according to City Secretary Mary Lynne Galloway - Stratta. He is married and a dentist with an office in College Station. He is married to Norma and is the father of three children. This is his first run for elected office. ■ Schultz, 48, served on the Bryan City Council from 1991 to 1993. He has lived in District 3 in Bryan for 52 years and received a bachelor's degree in accounting from A &M in 1988. He has worked for A &M since 1989 and is acade- mic business administrator in the department of Petroleum Engineering. He is married to Linda and is the father of two children. He ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 1993. Incumbent District 4 Council- man G. Kenny Mallard Jr. is run- ning unopposed for a third term, his last permitted under the Bryan term limits ordinance. The election for this position will be canceled, Galloway - Stratta said. ../ L 6 t Tired of councilmen s a former employee of the city of College Station, I remember that occasional- ly a controversial issue would incite debate on the City Council and cause a little excitement. That's only to be expected and is a healthy part of the process. However, I personally have grown sick and tired of the scan - dal -a -week mentality that Coun- cilmen Swiki Anderson and Steve Esmond seem to thrive on. Enough, already. There's real work to be done. Let's vote them. out at our earliest opportunity. College Station deserves better. BOB YANCY College Station l ANIV1 student tiles for council seat ; By BOB SCHOBER m members and the mayor to serv- Qagle Staff Writer i ing three consecutive two -year terms. Texas A &M University student T The ballot will include an initia- Finn -Erik Juliussen beat the t tive ordinance election. The ordi- Wednesday deadline for filing for n nance prohibits the city from clos man Swiki Anderson is not run a and is the father of five children. the May 1 election by a few hours i ning for re-election. This is his first run for elected and will vie for a seat on the Col- s son Avenue. n Place 5 — Bill Davis, Joe Dan o office. College Station voters will b biographical information, are: F Franklin and D College Station since 1970. He decide two contested races for P James Massey and Shannon Schu- son is not running for re- election. r received a bachelor's degree in City Council and Bryan voters J nicht. Place 1 Councilman Steve ■ ■ Davis, 50, has been a College E English in 1974 from A &M. He is a will decide one. n Esmond is not running for anoth- S Station resident since 1996. He s self- employed painting contrac- COLLEGE STATION er term. o owns his own business, The t tor. select representatives for City U University student. He has lived U U.S. Air Force in 1996. He was P Planning and Zoning Commis - Council Places 1, 3 and 5. The i in College Station for eight years. s superintendent o sion liaison to the Wolf Pen Creek city's t Wednesday for comment, p ply specialist and a personnel spe- O Oversight Committee. He is co- kicks in with the May 1 election. ■ graduate of A &M, where he d degree in general administration H Historical Preservation Commit- - e earned a bachelor's degree in bio- f University College in 1995. C Creek corridor study and in degree in epidemiology. He has D Davis is president -elect of the w workshops for the city's compre- been a College Station resident C College Station Kiwanis Club and h hensive plan. since 1974 and an employee of a a m the father of two children. He ran for of the Office of Facilities Coor- H He served on the 1998 Capital u unsuccessfully f dination. I Committee. He graduated from B BRYm Planning and Zoning Commission t versity in 1998. He is married to c cil Single Member District 3 will in 1997. He also is a member of J Jorja and is the father of two d and Rudy Schultz. District 3 several other committees, includ- d elected office. C Councilman Dan Galvin is not Plan Implementation Advisory ■ ■ Franklin, 69, has been a Col- r ■Bradley, 49, has lived in Committee and the Greenways l lege Station resident for three Bryan for 22 years and in District Implementation Task Force. He is y years. He is chaplain for the Col B 3 for 12 years. He is serving his married to Susan and is the l lege Station Police Department s second term on the Planning and father of two children. This is his a and American Legion Post No. Z Zoning Commission. If elected to first run for elected office. 1 159 and is enrolled in the Citizens t the council, he will have to resign ■ Shannon Schunicht, 36, has P Police Academy. He has been pas- h his seat on the commission, lived i College Station since 1987 f for of Anderson Baptist Church a according to City Secretary Mary and is a real estate manager. He i in Anderson since 1 Lynne Galloway - Stratta. holds three undergraduate 1 George Bush Presidential w with an office in College Station. losophy, 1983, from Florida State L a member of the Lincoln Recre- f married t University; and b ational Center board of directors. h his first run for elected office. microbiology, 1 He graduated from the College ■ ■ Schultz, 48, served on the was stationed at Fort Hood, S Station Citizens University in B Bryan City Council from 1991 to and w 1998. 1 1993. He has lived in District 3 in was second in command o the 1947 -48 school year and b bachelor's degree in accounting and supply officer, and a e enrolled in the University of f from A &M in 1988. He has worked nance a Houston in fall of 1948. f for A &M since 1989 and is acade- officer. He was discharged as a 1st H First Marine Division of the U.S. t mic b lieutenant. H Marine Corps in 1951 -52, and as E Engineering. versity in 1998• c from 1967 to 1974. He received a t the father of two children. Club, Kiwanis Club, the Ameri- ' from the University of Houston in m mayor in 1993. and the International Leprosy 1 man G. Kenny Mallard Jr. is run - Association. S in Fort Worth, where he earned a n ning unopposed for a third term, married. i his last permitted under the Council Place 4 The Battalion Cit y of College Station News Date: Z ' East erwoo receives fire station e BY RICHARD PADDACK The Battalion College Station firefighters moved into a new Texas A&M- owned, jointly operated station at Easterwood Airport. r The new facility, shared by Easter - wood Airport and the College Station ire Department, will serve the airport, i&M, the west and northwest sections of College Station and the FM 2818 and Highway 60 corridors. The station is in addition to the three facilities already serving the city, and it became operable Feb. 8. A press release provided by Kelley Chapman, public relations and market- ing manager for College Station, said the structure was built and funded through the cooperative efforts of A&M, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Easterwood Airport and the city of College Station. A&M provided the land and $800,000 in funds for design and con- struction. FAA provided $900,000 and Easterwood Airport donated $100,000, the release said. College Station provided funds for ra- "The Easterwood [fire] station could decrease response times in the area as much as five or six minutes." — Thomas Goehl battalion chief dio communication equipment, com- puter equipment and networking with city computers. The city will fund 80 percent of the maintenance and opera- tional costs, provide one fire engine and staff the station. The FAA provided an additional $350,000 for the purchase of a new Air- craft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicle, which is one of two ARFF ve- hicles at the airport. Thomas Goehl, battalion chief of the College Station Fire Department, said he is pleased with the added help the new station will provide. "The Easterwood station could de- crease response times in the area as much as five or six minutes," Goehl said. Harry Raisor, director of aviation for Easterwood Airport, said he is pleased with the close proximity of the station and immediate accessibility of the equipment. "With the increase in the size and amount of the jets coming into the air- port, we felt the need to upgrade in emergency personnel and equipment, as required by Federal Aviation Admin- istration," Raisor said. • LJ 4 � - ��Th eagle e City`ofCollege Station` News Date: 3110 q Looking for a leader L et me see if I've got this right. College Station's charter provides for peti- tioned recall elections, but the residents should ignore the recall petition because it is "divisive." That's the exact idea. Divide the electorate into those who think the council majority is on the right track and those who don't. There is plenty of re- spectable opinion that is con- vinced they're not. Alternatively, send a message to the five: Local politics is not for sissies. The council majority was elected. There will be another election soon. A recall election will be expensive, and if suc- cessful, yet another election will be required. How irrele- vant. The recall effort may be a good or bad idea. Those people are not obligated to sit on their hands. The council majority is not obligated to sit on its hands merely because there is orga- nized opposition to any of its agenda, and it is clear that it won't. To some, the whole situation looks something like a cross between George Orwell's Animal Farm and some rarely seen Three Stooges episode that is generally considered just too silly. One hopes that a majority of grown -ups, or a leader who can run a meeting of adults without needing help from the police, exists somewhere. ROBERT E. BIGHAM Bryan 3j 10 L Of Cityof #Co11e Date: 31 Ea�gleh e. Stati6ii' News Ement. 31t CS council to consider p roperty procedures By BOB SCHOBER Eagle Staff Writer The College Station City Council on Thursday will consider proce- dures to buy property required for the Graham Road widening pro- ject. There are 28 parcels, mostly frac- tions of an acre, that need to be pur- chased, City Manager Skip Noe said. Graham Road will be widened between Texas 6 and Wellborn Road. The project was approved in the 1995 capital improvements bond election. The council will consider a reso- lution establishing the need to acquire the property as a way of expediting the purchase of the right -of -way so construction can begin, Noe said. The goal is to com- plete the initial phase of construc- tion by August in time for the open- ing of Cypress Grove Intermediate School on Graham Road. In other business, the council will consider a set of agreements approved by the College Station Economic Development Corp. allowing Stata Corp., a local com- puter software company, to take title to 8 acres of land in the College Station Business Park. In return, Stata Corp. will invest $3.28 million over eight years in the Business Center and hire 44 addi- tional employees with a gross pay- roll of $2.149 million. The workshop session will be at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in the City Hall Council Chambers, 1101 Texas Ave. The 6 p.m. regular meeting will be in the same location. For more information, call 764- 3500. • e ti Red CS moves to clean up Wolf Pen Creek area Planning is under way for aesthetic corridor By BOB SCHOBER Eagle Staff Writer College Station city workers this summer will focus on cleaning up the lake surrounding the Wolf Pen Creek amphitheater in a step toward solving some of the siltation problems in Wolf Pen Creek. They will build a berm or barrier to isolate the lake from the creek channel and con ,truct a "hard surface" that will allow machines to reach in and get the silt out, said Mark Smith, director of Public Works. Smith made his comments Monday to members of 'the Wolf Pen Creek Oversight Committee and other city department heads. Three plans of varying cost and complexity are being devised by McClure Engi- neering to develop the Wolf Pen Creek corridor for public recreation. McClure must create a conceptual plan by April 13 for the corridor extending between the intersection of Texas Avenue and Harvey Road to the intersec- tion of Dartmouth Street and Holleman Drive. The main goal of the project, which could cost as much as $5 million and will include park space, land- scaping, walkways and possibly a band shell, is to design a way to remove silt and minimize bank ero- sion at minimal ongoing cost. "We'll make sure that problem is solved before buying into any plan," Smith said, adding that he and his department have received many calls of complaint about the weed - choked silt islands that have formed in the channel. "To me, the important thing is to make sure it will work." Steve Beachy, director of Parks and Recreation, added: "The number one issue is to fix the creek. That's basic to what we're trying to accomplish." Each of the three plans call for silt traps to be strategically concealed in the channel. Bob Ruth, a landscape architect who is part of the McClure design team for the project, said he is confident that the traps will work. What remains, he said, is to decide on how the cor- ridor will look. "We can solve the drainage problem," he said. "The question is, what kind of place will it be?" His three conceptual designs, which he pegged as Ford, Mercury and Lincoln, included additional amenities that, like the car models, increase the cost. The simplest and cheapest — Ford — calls for a narrow creek channel with terraced banks to con- tain high water. The Mercury shows a wide channel lined with grass and a fancier bridge on George Bush Drive. Ruth said he foresees moving an architecturally sig- nificant home to a spot off Dartmouth Drive to be used for weddings and other special events. The Lincoln plan is a College Station version of the San Antonio Riverwalk, complete with sculp- tures, possible commercial development, multiple levels and bridges. The committee members and department heads said they favor the Ford and Mercury plans, primar- ily for cost. Cryan said that about $5 million is avail- able, the bulk of which will be generated by the Wolf Pen Creek tax increment financing district and drainage utility fees. �w ,. 4 -. J he `�EagleRy 11e a Statiot- News Date: 3 College Station City Council Workshop Meeting Thursday, March 11, 1999 at 4:30 p.m. City Council Chambers, 1101 Texas Avenue Details on any or the following items may be picked up on request in the City Secretary's Office (764 -3541) in the College Station City Hall located at 1101 Texas Avenue. 1. Discussion of consent agenda items listed for Regulat Council Meeting. 2. Council Calendars 1-4. Executive Session; Annual appointment and evaluation of Public Official Personnel: City Secretary and City Judge, Staff and Legal Reports will immediately follow the workshop meeting in the Training Room. 5. Final action on Executive Session, if necessary. Regular City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. 6. Pledge of Allegiance, Invocation Consider request for absence from meeting 7. Consent Agenda 7.1 Consider minutes for City Council regular meeting, February 25, 1999 and corrected minutes of February 11, 1999. 7.2 Bid No. 99 -22 — Discussion and possible action on Harvey Road Electric Distribution Additions in the amount of $178,265.35. Recommend award to Texcon as lowest, responsible bidder meeting specification. 7.3 Bid No. 99 -30 — Discussion and possible action on purchase of Thomas Park Lighting in the amount of $32,551. Recommend award to Excel Electric as lowest, responsible bidder meeting specifications. 7.4 Bid No. 99 -42 — Discussion and possible action on annual contract for Sensus Water Meters in the amount of $107,893.25. Recommend award to U.S, Filter as lowest, responsible bidder meeting specifications. 7.5 Bid No. 99 -48 — Discussion and possible action on purchase of 15Kv Distribu- tion Breakers in the amount of $77,616. Recommend award to Wesco as lowest, responsible bidder meeting specifications. 7.6 Bid No. 99 -56 — Discussion and possible action on purchase of sprinkler materials in the amount of $17,466.44. Recommend award to Z Water Works as lowest, responsible bidder meeting specifications. 7.7 Discussion and possible action on recommended changes to the Gateway Policies and Procedures of the Gateway Program. 7.8 Discussion and possible action on a resolution of the City of College Station, Texas, determining a public necessity to acquire certain property; giving notice of an official determination to acquire property for Graham Road Upgrade project; and establish procedures for the acquisition of property. 7.9 Discussion and possible action on an agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) regarding the planting and maintenance of crepe myrtle trees along FM 2818, and authorize a general fund contingency transfer of $50,000. 7.10 Discussion and possible action on a proposed resolution declaring intention to reimburse certain expenditures with proceeds from debt. 8. Regular Agenda 8.1 Public hearing, discussion and possible action on the creation of Reinvestment Zone, #10 and consider adoption of an Ordinance creating Reinvestment Zone #10 for commercial tax abatement. 8.2 Discussion and possible action on an Agreement for Development and Tax Abatement in Reinvestment Zone #10. 8.3 Discussion and possible action on an Economic Development Agreement between the City of College Station, Bryan /College Station Economic Development Corporation, and Stata Corporation. 8.4 Discussion and possible action on an resolution providing grants for the purchase of eight (8) acres of land to the Economic Development Corporation for Stata Corporation and payment of permit and tap /meter fees to Stata Corporation for economic development. 8.5 Discussion and possible action on a real estate contract between the City of College Station and the Bryan /College Station Economic Development Corporation. 8.6 Discussion and possible action on nominating a representative for the Brazos County Emergency Communications District Board of Managers. 9. Hear Visitors 10. Adjourn The Eagle City of College Date: I l )W( Station News CS moves to clean up W olf Pen Creek area Planning is under way for aesthetic corridor By BOB SCHOBER Eagle StgJJ Writer College Station city workers this summer will focus on cleaning up the lake surrounding the Wolf Pen Greek amphitheater in a step toward solving some of the siltation problems in Wolf Pen Creek. They will build a berm or barrier to isolate the lake from the creek channel and construct a "hard surface" that will allow machines to reach in and get the silt out, said Mark Smith, director of Public Works. Smith made his comments Monday to members of th Wolf Pen Creek oversight Committee and other city department heads. Three Plans of varying cost and complexity are being devised by McClure Engi- neering to develop the Wolf Pen Creek corridor for public recreation. McClure must create a conceptual plan by April 13 for the corridor extending between the intersection of Texas Avenue and Harvey Road to the intersec- tion of Dartmouth Street and Holleman Drive. The main goal of the project, which could cost as much as $5 million and will include park space, land- scaping, walkways and possibly a band shell, is to design a way to remove silt and minimize bank ero- sion at minimal ongoing cost. "We'll make sure that problem is solved before buying into any plan," Smith said, adding that h e and his department have received many calls o f complaint about the weed-choked silt islands tha t have formed in the channel. "To me, the importan t thing is to make sure it will work." Steve Beachy, director of Parks and Recreation, added: The number one issue is to fix the creek. That's basic to what we're trying to accomplish." Each of the three plans call for silt traps to be strategically concealed in th channel. Bob Ruth, a landscape architect who is part of the McClure design team for the Project, said he is confident that the traps will work. What remains, he said, is to decide on how the cor- ridor will look. "We can solve the drainage problem," he said. "The question is, what kind of place will it be?" His three conceptual designs, which he pegged as Ford, Mercury and Lincoln, included additional amenities that, like the car models, increase the cost The simplest and cheapest —Ford —calls for a narrow creek channel with terraced banks to con• tain high water. The Mercury shows a wide channel lined with grass and a fancier bridge on George Bush Drive. Ruth said he foresees moving an architecturally sig- nificant home to a spot off Dartmouth Drive to be used for weddings and other special events. The Lincoln plan is a College Station version of the San Antonio Riverwalk, complete with sculp- tures, possible commercial development, multiple levels and bridges. The committee members and department heads said they favor the Ford and Mercury plans, primar- ily for cost. Cryan said that about $5 million is avail - able, the bulk of which will be generated by the Wolf Pen Creek tax increment financing district and drainage utility fees. • The Eag City of College Station News Date: ' f')Wcn -1 Council should televise sessions S till another initiative petition is circulating in College Station, this one seeking to force the City Council to tele- vise its meetings as well as the meetings of the city's Planning and Zoning Commission. The five backers of the proposed televised- meeting ordi- nance are the same ones who launched an ill- advised recall petition Feb. 19 to remove Mayor Lynn McIlhaney and Council members Anne Hazen, David Hickson, Larry Mariott and Ron Silvia. Some of them also were organizers of unsuc- cessful initiatives on the planned private - public hotel- confer- ence center project at Wolf Pen Creek and a proposed multi- level parking garage at Northgate. In order to have the issue placed on the May 1 city election ballot, supporters of the measure must gather the signatures of 1,010 registered voters in the city by March 22. If the signa- tures are not gathered and certified by the city secretary in time, a separate special election might have to be called at a cost of $18,000 to $20,000 to the city taxpayers. The idea behind the latest initiative is a good one, although we think citizens are tired of constantly having to vote on O issues that should be decided by the people they elect to the City Council. If signatures are certified by the city secretary, the council has the option of doing what the proposed ordinance requires or calling an election on the issue. We hope council members decide to skip the election and begin televising their meet- ings. The Bryan City Council already does, with great suc- cess. Bryan's meetings are taped and replayed several times on its city access channel on TCA Cable. There is no reason why College Station shouldn't follow suit on its city access channel. In its 1997 -98 fiscal budget, the College Station City Council included almost $12,000 to hire a company to tape its meetings and prepare them for broadcast on TCA. But council mem- bers decided not to begin televising their meetings, perhaps for fear that some council members and people in the audi- ence might take to "grandstanding" for the cameras. So what if they do? Lack of cameras in the room hasn't stopped such action in recent years. But, rather, we think the College Station experience with televising its sessions would mirror Bryan's: After a short while, people forget that there is a camera in the back of the room and go about the business of the meeting just as they did in the pre - televised days. The cost of hiring a company to broadcast the College Station meetings would still be about $12,000 a year. No doubt it would cost more to broadcast the Planning and Zoning Commission meetings, too. But that's still a relatively small cost in the city budget compared with the benefits of allowing everyone to tune in and watch the council in action. Perhaps if the College Station meetings were televised, there would be fewer problems and fewer people would be inclined to sign petitions seeking elections to force the coun- cil to act one way or another. Representative government is more representative when people can see their elected officials in action. Sure, everyone could attend the council meetings, but then a much larger O council chamber would have to be built. And to those backing the latest initiative proposal, the way to change the course of the city is to elect enough council members who feel as you do, rather than seeking a vote every time something doesn't go your way. TheREa ' �olle � eStation= News City�of .0 g Date: (o 9 Grand opening in Northgate 5' l Eagle photo /Butch Ireland Visitors at the grand opening of the College Station Police Members donated office space, furniture and computers, and Department's Northgate Community Office wait for the start are supplying the utilities. Police said the establishment of of grand- opening ceremonies Friday morning. The Northgate the office follows the department's shift toward community Community Office was established through donations from policing, through which police will identify the concerns of res- severai members of the Northgate Merchant's Association. idents and merchants and work toward finding solutions. Y2K forum wraps up Health, sa ety, education preparations among f . bj community representatives "We will have 65 percent more staff around the city that night," Freeman said. David Giordano, College Sta- tion fire chief, .said there will be emergency services available Dec. 31, even if Y2K -bug com- plications occur. "Our fire trucks and ambu- lances will start even if there are complications because we have a fleet service that can provide our vehicles with fuel," Gior- dano said. "Our information technology will be ready so students will be able to reg- ister and also re- ceive grades." items discussed BY CARRIE BENNETT The Battalion Brazos Valley health, safety and education preparations un- derway were discussed by a panel of 15 representatiaves from community services and businesses at a Y2K public fo- rum last night at the College Sta- tion Conference Center. The panel consisted of repre- sentatives from Texas A&M, St. Joseph Regional Health Center and the Bryan and College Sta- tion fire and police departments. Kim Reverman, Y2K Coordi- nator for A&M, said the Univer- sity has begun working to pre- vent the Y2K. "The utilities at Texas A &M are compliant," Reverman said. "The Physical Plant and the waste and water systems have been tested and are ready for Dec. 31." Reverman said the emergency department and A.P. Beutel Health Center are compliant and are preparing contingency plans in case of complications. "Our information technology systems will be ready so stu- dents will be able to register and also receive grades," Reverman said. "Financial aid and Aggie Bucks will also be ready and available to students." Lee Freeman, Bryan police chief, said police department will haWadditional staff work- ing Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 in case they are necessary. — Kim Reverman Texas A &M Y2K coordinator to those gathered for an ice storm, thunderstorm or snow storm. "[Citizens] should fill their cars with gas, but do not store large amounts of fuel in the garage," Giordano said. "We recommend buying plenty of batteries and flashlights, but do not buy large amounts of can- dles." Giordano said to have extra cash or traveler's checks avail- able in case of bank problems. He recommended citizens do not panic and withdraw all money from their bank ac- counts. John Phillips, vice president of information services for St. Joseph Regional Health Center, said hospital systems are com- pliant. "We have tested the informa- tion system consisting of patient information, billing and demo- graphics, and it seems to be working well," Phillips said. "Medical devices have been checked and passed surprising- ly well." Phillips said hospitals have to "911 emergency service should function, and if it should go down, we plan to place vehi- cles at predetermined locations around the area in case of emer- gency." Bryan and College Station fire department representatives said they will have additional staff on Dec. 31. Giordano said households should prepare supplies similar be prepared for emergencies re- gardless of Y2K -bug effects, so they will augment the existing contingency plan. "We have back -up electricity in the form of generators, nd we also have a back -up ter supply," Phillips said. "W are stocking up on food and up- plies, so we will have anywhere from a few days to a few weeks excess supply." L IT 0 Page 8 • Friday, March 5, 1999 V g Colle a Station to open Northgate office police Department may add new services as result of new location. BY NONI SRIDHARA The Battalion A new College Station commu- nity police office will officially open with a ribbon - cutting ceremony and reception at 10 a.m. today be- hind the Loupot's bookstore in Northgate. Major Mike Patterson of the Field Operations Bureau with the College Station Police Department (CSPD), said this community office is a natural extension of CSPD's two other offices. The first is located in Lincoln Center and the second is in Windsor Square Apartments. Suanne Pledger, special projects director for Loupot's bookstore, said the location was chosen be- cause Northgate is the center of College Station activity. CSPD is trying to duplicate a program im- plemented in Denton where the College Station officers recently re- ceived formal training. Patterson said another reason for choosing the location of the of- fice is because officers spend a large amount of time patrolling the Northgate area. "We not only have drinking in- cidents," he said, "but sometimes we'll see car burglaries or vandal- ism occurring over there." "We can now deal with these problems more directly if we have some officers over there. We are hoping to see more of a long -term effect." Patterson said, in the beginning, the office will primarily be open during weekends and evenings, with one bicycle officer patrolling the area. He said the space and materials for the center, including the furni- ture, have been donated by the Northgate Merchant's Association. Patterson said they are looking at relocating the office if the North - gate parking garage is built. "If the Northgate parking garage is built, then we will see if we can relocate into the garage," he said, "so we will have more space and it will be more secure." Pledger said the office will also distribute tourist information to area visitors. "The members of the CSPD are acting as community ambas- sadors," she said, "so I hope it will be well embraced by the commu- nity. " 141, The Eagle City of College Station News Date: Hote p l an o n schedule Wolf Pen's funds secured By BOB SCHOBER Eagle Staff Writer Financing for the hotel portion of the If Pen Creek Hotel/Conference Center has been secured and the pro- ject is on schedule, a partner in the venture said Wednes- day. This was the major hurdle,' said Jim Allen of Accord Commercial Inc. Groundbreaking could occur within 90 days, which would put the project on track for an early 2000 comple- tion date, he said. The project is a public - private partnership between the developer, Wolf Pen Creek Limited, and the city of Col- lege Station. The partnership will own the hotel and the city will own the 45,000 -square-foot conference center, which will be built with $6 million in revenue bonds that voters approved in 1997. The developer must guarantee at least a $21 million See HOTEL, Page A2 i s Hotel From Al investment, which Allen of said w ill allow repayment bonds through ad valorem taxes without a tax increase. Corp Finance International Ltd. of Toronto will provide $13 million in debt financing, and Oxford International of Bethes- da, Md., will provide $5.5 million in equity financing to build a 200- room full -ser- vice Sheraton Hotel, Allen said- Another $s million to $7 million will be invested in an extended -stay hotel, not an MdLHANEP office building as originally planned- The project called for an 8,000 square -foot office building to be built next to the hotel, but one of the lenders suggested an extend- ed -stay hotel instead, he said- _ coons WELCOM 00! �� Over IS Years Experience ' h • 0 I hn � r ... �wee OAerE • COMPOSITION SHINGLES Mark Nelson • ROOF REPAIRS O. /Ope,alo TA%IAO® BOO • INSURANCE CLAIMS r • WINOTURRINES ®te • FLAT ROOFS fREE ESTwArEE F1 YRi RESONABLE SaPnw.0 RATES eE,Eerh r F 409- 775 -581 O '~ ­It was very difficult to finance the office building because we would have had to pre -lease about 50 percent of it," Allen aid to the city will probably sign on change because this won't make any difference in our agree Mayor Lynn agreed. My sense is that, so long as [the guaranteed equity of $21 mil - lionj is not affected, an extended - stay hotel versus an office build- ing will not make any differ- ence," she said. • 'Certainly, anything that sup- ports the conference center will be an asset to the community- I do believe we will have a confer- ence center that everyone can be proud of," McnhaneY said- The original Wolf Pen Creek Limited Partnership included De1Mac Investments Corp -, Accord Commercial Inc., DePal- ma Hotel Corp- and investor Davis McGill- Allen, who is said president of the partnership, the partnership probably will change because Oxford Interna- tional will own a "large" portion of the project. 0 v 0 The Eagle of College Station News Date: I I lui ch 4, 111' Eagle photo /Butch Ireland College Station Fire Department Lt. Mike Ruesink talks about the afternoon at College Hills Elementary School in College Station. new "Risk Watch" program at a press conference Wednesday It will be a pilot program this fall. . , CS groups By KELLI LEVEY 3 Eagle Staff Writer 'D The College Station school district has teamed up with the fire and police departments and the American Red Cross to offer "Risk Watch,' a compre- hensive injury prevention curriculum. Six youngsters gave a water safety demonstration — how to select person- al flotation devices — during a Wednes- day afternoon kick -off for the program. A pilot program will begin this fall at College Hills Elementary School, and will be implemented districtwide over the neat three years. The program is funded in part nationally' by Lowe's Home Safety Council, but a local drive will be conducted to obtain additional corporate sponsorships, officials said. The program is designed to reduce the number of accidental injuries, which is the leading cause of death of children between 5 and 14 years old, officials said. About 7,200 American children are killed each year and 50,000 are perma- nently disabled from unintentional injuries, officials said. The curriculum includes lessons on motor vehicle safety, bike and pedestri- an safety, water safety and prevention of fire and burns, choking and suffoca- tion, poisoning, falls and firearms injury. Tami Laza, academic coordinator at College Hills, said an integral part of the program is to bring in people from outside the school to help teach the pro- gram. "It helps to bring people in from dif- ferent parts of the community — the Red Cross and the police and fire departments," she said. "The teacher they hear every day. When you bring in someone new, it heightens their atten- tion and they listen better." Laza said the lessons are designed to help the children in all aspects of their lives. "Hopefully, they can use this infor- mation wherever they are, whether it's at the park or at school or on the way to school," she said. Organizers also plan to hold several programs throughout the community to educate parents and children. DeMerle Wehmeyer, director of the Brazos County chapter of the American Red Cross, said she is eager for the pro- gram to start. "Red Cross is very excited about the program, and it's something that can really grow," she said. "It gets us into the school system and gives us a direct way to teach the kids about things like water safety. Also, it's so good to do a partnership with the police and fire departments and the schools." team up for child- safety program 31L' Deeply disturbed I am very disturbed by the cur- rent attempt to force a recall' of five members of the College Station City Council. As a concerned resident who views recall as an extremely seri- ous sanction, I have examined the recall petition that presents the reasons why these five mem- bers should be removed from office, and I have reached several conclusions: ■ Personal agendas and/or vendettas are masquerading in the petition as pleas for public accountability. ■ Tired arguments, which have been heard in public forums for years, are masquerading as "evi- dence" of wrongdoing. ■ Issues that the residents have directly approved at the polls are presented as council abuses of power. Council members targeted by the recall petition are referred to sarcastically in the petitioners' online remarks as the "Magnifi- cent Five." I don't know about magnifi- cent, but this phrase is a reminder that five is a clear majority on the council, and that majority was put there by a clear majority of voters. Maybe all these voters are wrong, maybe not. Either way, any errors on the public's part are rectifiable at the polls, not through this misguided, frivolous effort to invoke the recall process. No council member has com- mitted an offense for which that process is intended. The petitioners claim to be con- cerned with misspent tax dollars. I cannot think of a bigger waste of such dollars than to hold a vote to recall council members, most of whom were elected less than a year ago by a substantial majori- ty. As a taxpayer, I would deeply resent having this expense thrust on us by a disgruntled handful. I hope that College Station resi- dents will show the petitioners just how little their negativity appeals to the majority in our community, who are doubtless more concerned with the many challenging issues facing us in a time of growth. JOHN HOLDER College Station The Eagle ,. City of College Station News Date: H lur c: 0 Lf I ) ` I- i CS planning, zoning commission to hear one -acre rezoning request By BOB SCHOBER east side of Wellborn Road and tune -open to R -1 single family. Eagle Stag' writer includes the extension of Navarro ■ A rezoning to C -B of Lot 12, Drive and West Ridge Drive. which is located at the northwest The owners of a one -acre lot on Plats for the R -1 and R -113 buffer corner of the intersection of Uni- Texas Avenue near Holleman zone next to the Oakbrook Valley versity Drive and Spring Loop. ■ A rezoning from R -1 single Drive are asking for a rezoning as part of a consolidation of property subdivision will be presented at a future meeting. family to C-2 commercial industri- for a large commercial develop- ment, city officials said. The commission also will con- duct public hearings on and con- al of 7.2 acres located about 290 feet west of F.M. 2818 and south of The lot is known as the First Methodist Church tract and cur- sider: ■ A conditional -use permit for a F &B Road. ■ A rezoning from R-6 apart- rently is zoned WPC -Wolf Pen O Creek. The owners are requesting nightclub addition to Double Dave's Pizza in Northgate. ments/high density to C-1 general commercial of 5.8 acres located C -1 general commercial. ■ A conditional -use permit along the west side of Texas 6 The College Station Planning request to allow a religious facili- about 600 feet south of Graham and Zoning Commission will hear the request Thursday. ty to be located on the southern corner of Rock Prairie Road and Road. . j The meeting will be held at 7 On its consent agenda, the com- Edelweiss Avenue. p.m. Thursday in the council mission will consider the final ■ A rezoning of about 42 acres chambers of City Hall, 1101 Texas plat of Phase 2 and a final plat of located southeast of the intersec- Ave. Phase 3 of the Steeplechase subdi- tion of Pebble Creek Parkway and For more information, call 764 - vision, which is located along the Royal Adelade Drive from agricul- 3500. f 1 The Eagle City of College Station News __TDate: ITV i ssue under stud ma y or say y' � y By BOB SCHOBER culating Mon- where visitors are heard] and how the results has not yet been writ- "Given their track record, Eagle Staff writer day, which calls it has affected attendance at meet- ings in terms of getting citizen ten. The budget cycle usually starts what's so different this year than last year." he said. "We only need The decision to televise College for television broadcasts of feedback in the decision- making with the council's retreat in June to look next door to Bryan to see Station City Council meetings City Council process. That's an important and runs through August or Sep- what they're doing. If Bryan can was delayed until city staff stud- ied the success of such broadcasts and Planning and Zoning aspect. "This issue has been on our tember, he said. The council included $11,880 in do it, why can't we ?" "We know what Bryan does," in other cities, Mayor Lynn McIl- Commission pending agenda and is scheduled the fiscal 1997 -98 budget for tele- Noe said, "but we'll include Bryan haney said Wednesday. She said meetings. to be back on an agenda during vising council meetings, but in the summary we will present to the issue will be brought up at a "Last year, MCILHANEY the budget cycle," Mcllhaney said. added no money for the fiscal 1998- council." Bryan was not included in the future council meeting during the fiscal 1999 -2000 budget process. we weren't ready to televise," she said. "We A survey of 10 medium -sized Texas cities has been completed 99 budget. Benito Flores -Meath, who is one survey of medium -sized cities, McMianey's statement was in response to an initiative ordi- asked staff to survey other cities and find out if they televise work- and shows a majority televise city council meetings, City Manager of the five petitioners, said the petition would be circulated any- which Noe said will show that two of the 10 cities do not televise their nance petition, which began cir- shops or [the portion of meetings Skip Noe said, but a summary of way. meetings. U • Ek 314 • .. Series addresses Y2K nrnhlPm BY CARRIE BENNETT The Battalion As we approach the millennium, questions concerning the effects of the Y2K computer bug increase. Bryan, College Station, Texas A&M, the Bryan - College Station Chamber of Commerce and com- munity businesses and organiza- tions are hosting the second of three public forums to address health, safety and education issues tonight at 7 p.m. at the College Sta- tion Conference Center. Joe Brown, public information officer for the City of Bryan, said the forums inform the public about problems the area could face and the preparations different services and businesses are making for the millennium. "We want to tell people what we are doing about the Y2K computer bug, what to expect and to expect the unexpected," Brown said. Brown said the Bryan - College Station area is conducting tests to insure that computers are Y2K compliant. He said officials discov- ered the Bryan water system com- puters were not compliant, but they are working on correcting the problem. "The Bryan- College Station community is on top of the game in preparing for any Y2K prob- lems," Brown said. "If we do expe- rience any disruptions in this area, it will probably come from outside sources, such as grocery store dis- tribution warehouses or other large distributing sources." The forum will open with a brief overview of the Y2K bug. Repre- sentatives from St. Joseph Regional Health Center, College Station Med- ical Center, the Bryan and College Station police and fire departments and the Bryan and College Station school districts will form a panel. Each panel member will be allowed two minutes to speak about com- puter preparations they have been making. Brown said questions and con- cerns from the audience will be ad- dressed at the end of the forum, s which he said is a good time for an exchange of ideas because the an- swers will not be timed. Brown said one issue that was not discussed at the last forum, but will be discussed at this one, is preparations for disruptions in homes. He said to organize a Red Cross Emergency Home Prepared Kit, which consists of batteries, bottled water and flashlights. "We're not endorsing the mes- sage to hoard food or supplies," Brown said. "We want to inform the public to prevent any drastic ac- tions. " Brown said drastic actions would include withdrawing all money from banks or hoarding food and supplies, which may cause shortages. "We're prepared to deal with the technological component of the Y2K bug, but we're not sure about the human reaction," Brown said. A third forum discussing bank- ing, gas and grocery store prepara- tions will be April 1 at the Brazos Center. C Eagle Cit ` ` of Co11e TeStation News y g Date: :3 _ 3 Davis seeks Place 5 on CS City Council Filing ends March 17; election May 1 DAVIS By BOB SCHOBER 3 Winnie Garner will be on the ballot for Eagle Staff Writer 13 Place 3, currently occupied by Swiki Ander- son. College Station resident Bill Davis filed Anderson recently announced he will not Tuesday as a candidate for City Council run for another term. Place 5. In Bryan, voters will select representa- Davis, 50, is self-employed and has been a tives for Single Member Districts 3 and 4. College Station resident since 1996. He will Councilman Kenny Mallard is running for a face Dennis Maloney for the seat currently third term for Single Member District 4. occupied by David Hickson, Who has not Russell Bradley is the only announced announced if he will run for another term. candidate to succeed Dan Galvin, who has In College Station, voters on May 1 will said he will not run for re- election to Single select representatives for City Council Member District 3. Places 1, 3 and 5. James Massey and Shan- The deadline for candidate filing is March non Schunicht will compete for Place 1, 17. Candidate applications can be picked up which is occupied by Steve Esmond, who at College Station City Hall, 1101 Texas has announced he will not seek another Ave., and at the Bryan Municipal Building, term., 300 S. Texas Ave. ;TheTagle �. Y e �S'tation City of tolleg Date: CITY COUNCIL RECALL PETITION SIGNATURE DRIVE SIGN UP AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS UNTIL MARCH 17. 1�1 Texaco Station Southwest Parkway & Welsh Saturdays 8 AM - 5 PM Historic House #34 (Southside� 504 Guernsey at Welsh Everyday 10 AM - 5 PM Burger Boy Restaurant Northgate (Church & 2n° St.) Everyday 11 AM - 5:30 PM Batchelor Residence 8103 Raintree Drive Saturday 8 AM - Noon Lammerts Residence 1502 Dominik Drive Saturdays 1 PM - 5 PM Crystal Park Plaza West Lot 2700 East Bypass Sunday 2 PM - 5 PM "Join Our Efforts To Preserve Your Future" • Fiscal Responsibility • Controlled Growth • Citizen Oriented Leadership www.issues.org /recal1.html or call 696 -4454 Bring your voter registration card 0 0 Televised sessions sought 5 CS residents file to air board meetings By BOB SCHOBER Eagle Staff Writer College Station City Council and Planning and Zoning Com- mission meetings will be televised if an initiative ordinance petition being circulated since Monday gathers enough signatures and wins voter approval. To make the May 1 ballot, the petitioners will have to file signa- tures from 1,010 College Station registered voters by March 22, City Secretary Connie Hooks said Tuesday. The petition is being circulated by the same five people who on Feb. 19 launched a recall petition drive seeking the removal from office of Mayor Lynn Mcllhaney, Councilmen Larry Mariott, Ron Silvia and David Hickson and Councilwoman Anne Hazen. City Council and commission meetings currently are not tele- vised. The council included $11,880 in its fiscal 1997 -98 budget to televise meetings but budgeted no money in fiscal 1998 -99 for that purpose, according to Fiscal Ser- vices Director Charles Cryan. Once the petition is filed with the city, Hooks will have 10 days to verify the signatures. Once cer- tified, the petition must be pre- sented to the council at its next regular meeting. The council must take final action within 60 days after receiv- ing the petition from the city sec- retary. If the council rejects the ordinance, the city charter requires the council to submit the question to voters not later than 60 days after taking final action. The council can call a special elec- tion if a regular election is not scheduled. A special election would cost $18,000 to $20,000, Cryan said. One of the five petitioners, Ben- ito Flores- Meath, said Tuesday the group is hoping the petition qualifies for the May 1 ballot, which will include contests for three City Council seats and an initiative ordinance prohibiting the city from closing or obstruct- ing traffic on Munson Avenue. "[Televising] should have been done a long time ago," he said. "It would be kind of moronic to spend [the money for a special election] instead of just doing it." P 0 r� CITY COUNCIL RECALL PETITION SIGNATURE DRIVE SIGN UP AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS UNTIL MARCH 17: Texaco Station Burger Boy Restaurant Southwest Parkway and Welsh Northgate (Church & 21 St) Saturdays 8 AM - 5 PM Everyday 11 AM - 5:30 PM Historic House #34 (Southsidej 504 Guernsey at Welsh Everyday 10 AM - 5 PM Batchelor Residence 8103 Raintree Drive Saturday 8 AM - Noon Lammerts Residence 1502 Dominik Drive Saturdays 1 PM - 5 PM Crystal Park Plaza, West Lot 2700 East Bypass Sunday 2 PM - 5 PM Join Our efforts To Preserve Your Auture" • • Fiscal Responsibility • Controlled Growth • Citizen Oriented Leadership www.issues.org/recall.html or call 696 -4454 Bring your voter registration card Political ad paid for by Recall Committee, 901 Val Verde Drive, College Station, TX 77845 -5125 orea3 ���q The Eagle City of College Station News Date: Fib, 'Lb t I 2/z 8/99 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON ADOPTION OF LAND USE ASSUMPTIONS AND IMPACT FEES City of College Station, Texas Service Area 99 -01 To be held at the Regular City of College Station City Council Meeting, 6:00 PM, April 22, 1999, Council Chambers, College Station City Hall, 1 101 Texas Avenue, College Station, Texas. The purpose of the hearing is to consider the adoption of an impact fee for financing capital improvements related to new development within the proposed Service Area 99 -01. The fee will recover costs for capital improvements necessary to provide water services to the Service Area. � SERVICE AREA 99 -01 The City of College Station, Texas intends to adopt land use assumptions, a capital improvements plan, and impact fees at the hearing and does not intend to hold separate hearings to adopt the land use assumptions, capital improvements plan, and impact fees. A person may, by written request, request separate hearings to adopt the land use assumptions and capital improvements plan proposed for the service area. A written request must be submitted no later than 5:00 PM on April 22, 1999. If such request is submitted, the governing body ofthe City of College Station, Texas, must hold separate hearings to adopt the land use assumptions and capital improvements plan. For additional information, or to request separate hearings, contact Jim Callaway, Development Services Director, City of College Station, P.O. Box 9960, College Station, Texas 77842 (409) 764 -3570. The amount ofthe proposed impact fee per Living Unit Equivalent (service unit) is $550.00. Any member ofthe public has the right to appear at the hearing and present evidence for or against the plan and proposed fee. Many questions T he Feb. 13 article concern- ing the call for a police officer to go to the College Station City Council meeting prompts these questions: ■ Did City Manager Skip generate the call for the police officer because he felt that Mayor McIlhaney would be unable to control City Council members' conduct? ■ Did Noe confer with McIlhaney before making the call? ■ If he did, did McIlhaney approve this request? ■ If she did approve, why did she think she would lose control of the meeting? ■ If he didn't confer with her, what has she done to ensure Noe will check with her in the future? ■ The article says that police officers have been dispatched to City Hall in the past. "It's not unusual," Noe said. If that is the case, why did the dispatcher call Maj. Mike Patterson instead Of simply dispatching an offi- cer? ■ If this is not unusual, why did Patterson call Chief Feldman, who was in Houstr n, to inform him of the request instead of simply dispatching an officer? ■ If this is not unusual, why did Feldman tell Patterson to ai accompany the officer to City Hall instead of simply sending a lone officer? The article said Noe had Planned to call earlier in the a week for an officer to be pre- sent, but forgot. I understand that Councilman Swiki Anderson was late for the meet- ing, arriving just around 3:45 P.M.- The officer was dispatched at 3:59 p.m. Are we expected to believe the denial f##'om Noe that Anderson was not fhe reason for the request for the police officer? The article says, finally, that Councilman Anderson filed an Open Records Act request, ask- ing for information about the incident. Did he receive an answer? Was he satisfied? Did the answer shed any light on this apparently very unusual request? 2���/99 The Eagle `ordinance pushed back Delay linked to separate meetings for training By BOB SCHOBER Eagle Staff Writer Implementation of the College Station Ethics Ordinance is being pushed back, according to City Secretary Connie Hooks. The delay has been caused in part by getting members of the various boards together for train - C ng that is required in the provisions of the ordi- ance, Hooks said. She and City Attorney Harvey Cargill have opted to meet separately with each board and commission rather than all together in order to gather individual input from member, she said. In early January, Hooks estimated that training would be completed by the end of February. She said the ordinance probably would be on the coun- cil's April 1 agenda. The council then will either vote to implement or amend the ordinance, she said. . The "Standards of Conduct for Public Officials" ordinance supplements the conflict of interest pro- visions of the City Charter and state law. It will apply to members of the City Council, Planning and Zoning Commission, Zoning Board of Adjust- 0 Ethics From A7 ment, Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals /Build- ing Standards Commission, Elec- trical Examining Board, Parks and Recreation Board and the Ethics Review Commission, which has yet to be appointed. Some members who have gone through the training have severe- ly criticized some provisions, Cargill said. Committee members, for exam- ple, would be required to disclose in writing all property in the city they own or have more than a one - percent interest, and all prop- erty they have bought or sold in a six -month period. "They've told us, `If it's not involved in a zoning issue, what business is it of the council to know our commercial and resi- dential interests ? "' he said. The ordinance requires offi- cials to identify annually the source of any gift or "favor of any money" exceeding $50 in value, excluding gifts from relatives. This provision also has been crit-, icized, Cargill said. The Planning and Zoning Com- mission will hold its training ses- sion March 18. Chairman James Massey, who is running for City Council Place 1, said he has read the ordinance and will wait for the session with Hooks and Cargill before judging it. His only concern, he said, "Is there anything in this that would prohibit people from literally or functionally participating in their government ?" Councilman Steve Esmond, who urged the council in October to immediately implement the ordinance, said Wednesday he was disappointed at the delay. "They've had a year and a half to talk with [the boards and com- missions], so I don't know what the problem is. Beats me," he said. In 1997, the council appointed three former mayors to study an ethics ordinance and report back to the council. In December 1997, Esmond said, the ordinance was in its final form. The ordinance was passed by the council Oct. 22, 1998, and was scheduled to be put in place Jan. 1. On Dec. 17, the council delayed implementation until the various boards and commissions are "educated" in the ordinance, new financial interest disclosure forms are created and a new Ethics Committee appointed. C The Eagle City of College Station News Date: _ H, I qN College Station council to address ethics complaint against Hickson By BOB SCHOBER Eagle Staff Writer An ethics complaint against College Station City Councilman David Hickson will be discussed Thursday by the College Station City Council. The complaint, filed by resi- dent Benito Flores- Meath, alleges that Hickson verbally intimidat- ed Flores -Meath during the Nov. 12 council meeting. Councilman Steve Esmond requested the complaint be brought before the council; the council will discuss and decide Thursday whether to put the issue on a future agenda. The council will also consider the site plan for Edelweiss Park. Edelweiss Park is an undevel- oped neighborhood park, and plans for it include a bas- ketball court, playground, perimeter side- walk, practice fields for youth . ` soccer and baseball, a sand ^Y volleyball park HICKSON and a small shelter. Money for improvements was included in the fiscal 1998 -99 bud- get and in the November bond election. The council could award con- tracts to purchase software to connect with other databases the mobile computers that have been installed in police cars. The soft- ware is estimated to cost $69,250. The council will also consider an appointment to replace Bill Fox on the board of directors for the Bryan - College Station Eco- nomic Development Corp. Fox moved from College Station to take a new job; his term expires May 31. The 3 p.m. workshop session has been canceled. The 6 p.m. reg- ular meeting will be in the City Hall Council Chambers, 1101 Texas Ave. For more information, call 764- 3500. • r Ci V.1 Mm- W ; Q Summary of Recall Petition, filed with College Station City Secretary, February 19,E A Recall Petition, filed with College Station City the Wolf Pen Creek project. The site has been filled with mud Center plans before the final acceptance of the contract. Secretary, for the removal of The Mayor and Council and silt for a number of years. The City invested additional Following this vote, the council closed discussion of three Members Larry Mariott. David Hickson, Ron Silvia, monies, $92,000, to dredge the water area, which have since other consent agenda items on projects that had been and Anne Hazen from office. The reasons that the silted again. The dredging was done without an EPA permit. requested by Councilman Anderson for public discussion . The Council Majority is proceeding to plan and develop a before final contract approval. petition was submitted are: $4 to $8 million City Hall Center. The building has been listed • The Council Majority, at the Oct. 10i 1997 and Sept. 10i • The Council Majority submitted the R -1 rezoning for the at the bottom of the priority list for the Capital Improvement 1998 meetings, voted to refuse televising the City Council Steeplechase subdivision. A large number of directly affected Projects list since 1994. The Council Majority is proceeding Meetings. Citizens have repeatedly requested it, and Benito citizens within the 200 foot notification area strongly voiced with the City Hall Center project, but have not succeeded in Flores -Meath stated at a Council meeting that it would easily their opinion against it. These citizens organized and fixing the Wolf Pen Creek silt problem. prevent problems such as the Steeplechase controversy. submitted proper petitions for supermajority votes on rezoning • Fire Station I was approved by the Council Majority and Moreover, the City has already spent $44,000 for Council and made comprehensive presentations with compelling had the persistence of cracks in the slab, inadequate Chamber remodeling and for Cable Channel 19, for this reasons against such rezoning. ventilation,and lack of personal privacy at Fire Station 1 purpose. The City of Bryan televises its Council Meetings. • Citizens of College Station brought a petition to City (Bryan Eagle, June 4, 1997). The floor elevation at the City • The Council Majority has spent $14,000 for public art Council to prevent closure of Fire Station #2 by the Council Library is too low for the City's own floodplain ordinance. projects. Skip Noe has stated that the City spent $63,000 for Majority. • The Council Majority has condemned citizen's land for food for Fiscal Year 1997. The City has not budgeted the • The entire Munson street issue has caused a once peaceful projects such as the Patricia Street lot and the Northgate $12,000 necessary to televise its meetings. neighborhood to be embittered and the entire community has Parking garage. One of such condemnations ended in a • The Council Majority have voted to transfer power from become divided. The Council Majority voted to close it. lawsuit, when the land was resold for use in the Texadelphia the Council to the City Manager and City Staff, which are not • South Side residents have stated at City Council meetings restaurant, instead of the parking lot as was promised to the elected by the public. t at the Council has underrepresented the South Side residents original lot owners. (Bryan Eagle Nov. 4, 1997) • The Council Majority accepted a large percentage of a d their historical home area. • The Council Majority has purchased property for the campaign contributions from out -of -town sources and local • The Council Majority has provided financial support for Northgate Garage using general and other funds rather than developers, including $1,000 donations each to McIlhaney, p jects benefiting businesses and bars in the Northgate area, from bonds that were authorized but not issued for the project. Marion and Silvia from the Association of General investing over $4,000,000 for special improvements ($100,000 . The Council Majority has invested hundreds of thousands Contractors, Austin, Texas. (The donation records are for sidewalk pavers) in that business area. No similar of dollars from The Facade Improvement Program fund into available from the City Secretary.) comprehensive program has been provided for the rest of the businesses such as bars and restaurants at Northgate. • In summation, the affidavit states the Mayor and above city. • The Council Majority voted, at the Feb I It' meeting, to members of the City Council have not acted as proper • $270,000 has been lost through a lawsuit concerning spend $750,900 to install odor control equipment at the City's stewards of our Taxes, nor have they represented the views, mismanagement of the construction project for the Patricia wastewater treatment plant. At the June 11 11 , 1998 City nor protected the needs of our Citizens. The recall petition Street Lot. No action has been taken to recoup its losses. The Council meeting, Councilman Esmond proposed that the city requests to remove the Mayor and the above listed Council city continues to accept work from the party that caused that consider less expensive and more reliable methods of members. loss. • Citizens of College Station brought a referendum petition wastewater treatment. • The Council Majority conducted an investigation alleging political Ad paid for by the ordinance to the City Council to prevent the Council from charter violations, in which Councilman Swiki Anderson following constructing the Northgate Parking Garage. While the petition stated he felt humiliated and embarrassed. The Council later petitioners: was in waiting for a citywide election, the Council continued voted unanimously to exonerate Councilman Anderson. On Benito Flores - Meath to invest city funds into the project. February 25i agenda item 1. 1, Benito Flores -Meath will be Sue McDonald • The Council Majority continue to support and endorse the presenting a complaint against Councilman Hickson for verbal George Sopasakis Northgate Parking Garage project, purchasing additional land. abuse at the November 12i and December 10 1998 City Norma Miller Councilman Birdwell has submitted letters to the Bryan Eagle Council meetings. He will also discuss the mishandling of the stating "the proposed garage will not pay for itself." (Jan. complaint by Mayor McIlhaney and Councilman Hickson, Carl Vargo 29,1999). Tom Brymer stated that city staff will again review including the possibility that the Texas Open Meeting Act may To respond and for further documentation and proof: DeShazo's feasibility report before starting construction (Feb. have been violated. wwwJssues.org/recall.html or 5,1999). The council approved condemnation of three lots at • At the February 11 Council meeting, Councilman Benito Flores - Meath the Jan. 28 meeting. Anderson proposed that a committee of three local foundation 901 Val Verde Drive • The Coem+e+Majority has invested millions of dollars in experts review dude -fop Wundations for the Teen College Station, TX 77845 -5125 e Eagle � .12 Cit "I f College Station News Date: 1 (� O, 14 Recall election is a divisive idea ome people are unhappy with the College Station City Council. That goes with the territory. When an elected body makes decisions, some people are bound to be dis- pleased. The more important or more controversial the deci- sion, the more people are likely to be upset But apparently, some residents of College Station are more unhappy than others. Five people on Friday presented the city secretary with an affidavit requesting petitions to recall Mayor Lynn McIlhaney and four of the other six members of the City Council. The council members involved — Anne Hazen, David Hickson, Larry Mariott and Ron Silvia — can be described as the more traditional representatives on the council. Not included in the recall movement are council members Swiki Anderson and Steve Esmond, both of whom are often at odds with the rest of the council. Both Anderson and Esmond have indicated they will not seek re- election to second terms in the May 1 balloting. We understand some of the frustrations those filing the aff1- davits feel. The College Station Council hasn't always been as collegial as we might like. Personalities too often come to the forefront during meetings, particularly on potentially divi- sive issues. Courtesy has sometimes been lacking when deal- ing with frequent critics who speak often at council meetings. But a recall election is not the way to change the direction of a council that elects half its members every other year. Yes, residents have a right to petition for such elections, but they are costly, divisive and divert the attention of council mem- bers and residents from important issues. Unless a council member has been grossly negligent in performing his or her duties — and no one on the College Station Council has been — then the way to effect change on the council is through reg- ular elections. In fact, it was less than 10 months ago that College Station voters returned Mayor McIlhaney to office with 67 percent of the vote and Councilman Mariott with 60 percent of the vote. Hazen, who had served on the council in the 1970s, was elect- ed with 52 percent, besting incumbent Dick Birdwell, who captured 36 percent of the vote. Political newcomer Silvia received 42 percent and his closest challenger, Dennis Maloney, won 24 percent of the vote. In other words, it wasn't even close. In every race, voters had clear choices and they made the choices they wanted. The term of the fifth council member targeted for recall, Hickson, is up in May. He hasn't indicated whether he will seek re- election. If some residents are unhappy with the job being done by any of the council members, the solution is to run against them. There's still plenty of time to file for Hickson's seat or the seats being vacated by Anderson and Esmond. Deadline to file is March 17. And if you are unhappy with the job being done by McIlhaney, Hazen, Mariott or Silvia, make plans to run for their positions in May 2000. If you get more votes, then you can begin to implement your ideas and desires. That's the way the system works. What makes a recall election particularly onerous is that, if it is successful, a second election would have to be held to replace any council members removed from office. College Station already has a low voter turnout — fewer than 11 per- cent of the eligible voters went to the polls last May — in part because there are so many elections. Such voter apathy could be disastrous in a recall election, where a handful of disgrun- tled residents could foist their will on the rest of the voters. And many of the issues criticized by the people seeking recall already have been decided by the voters, who approved a Northgate parking garage and a public- private hotel- confer- ence center at Wolf Pen Creek. Residents have forced a May 1 referendum on whether to keep Munson Avenue closed. The voters of College Station certainly have had their say on big issues. Those seeking to recall the five members of the College Station Council would overturn the will of the voters. They must not succeed. If asked to sign a recall petition, just say no. If you are unhappy with members of the council, run against them or vote for those who do. That's the way democracy works in this country. 0 0 • The Battalion 'ty of Collmektation News Date: VVlC1J PCL111V111V1 removal of mayor, council �/ council � 3 1 BY AMANDA SMITH The Battalion members A citizens' petition circulating in College Station aims to remove five members of the College Sta- tion City Council, including Mayor Lynn Mcllhaney. Five College Station registered voters presented an affidavit Friday to City Secretary Connie Hooks re- questing recall petitions. In accor- dance with the city charter, the group has 30 days to gather signa- tures from at least 40 percent of the total number of registered voters who had cast votes for the posi- tions in the May 1998 elections. Swiki Anderson, a City Council member, said he advocates the re- call of the mayor and members of the council because of their lack of consideration for the majority of College Station residents, includ- ing their endorsement of the Northgate parking garage develdp- ment and their responses to the Munson Avenue controversy. "There are some vindictive, controlling and mean people in City Hall now," Anderson, said. "Here, we live in a community which is supposed to be enlight- ened. The voters are now begin- ning to question some of the ac- tions of the City Council." An individual recall election for the mayor and city council mem- bers Ron Silvia, Larry Marion, David Hickson and Anne Hazen will be held if the petition receives enough signatures. Mayor Lynn Mcllhaney said each of the council members being considered for recall faced at least three opponents in the May 1998 elections. "My hope is that people will up- hold the election results from last May," Mcllhaney said. "There will always be at least one to disagree with the decision made by the City Council. Based on the feedback I have received from the public, I am informed the city is well -man- aged and well -run. I feel like we have been very pro- active in get- ting feedback from the citizens." Mcllhaney said that in the 1998 citizen survey, College Station cit- izens gave city services a 93 per- cent approval rating. She said the survey is conducted annually, and 536 citizens were contacted. She said the majority of the services addressed in the survey received a ranking of 90 percent or higher. Hooks said a recall election would require 1,523 signatures for Mcllhaney, 1,482 signatures for Hazen, 1,463 signatures for Mari - ott, 1,444 signatures for Silvia and 435 signatures for Hickson, each based on the number of votes re- ceived by the candidates in May. Benito Flores- Meath, one of the five College Station residents who submitted the affidavit, said the five council members he recom- mends recalling continue to act in the interest of special groups, not the majority. "When the City Council contin- ues to ignore hundreds of people, something is wrong," Flores - Meath said. "Now it is time to re- call and to get a fresh set of faces on the City Council. People are coming out of the woodwork and giving support. We have had a lot of people sign our petitions." After conversations with con- stituents over the weekend, Hazen said she does not think the petition will receive much citizen support. Hazen, who was elected in May 1998, said the city council has acted in the best interest of the majority. "I feel that our council and the city staff have done our best to handle the matters brought before us," Hazen said. "I feel the city council is very representative of the people. It is very unfortunate that it came to this." In a letter released Feb. 20, An- derson said he will not run for re- election to the College Station City Council in the upcoming May elec- tion. SEE PETITION ON PAGE Z. 1 qqq PETITION Continued from Page 1 "College Station can be best served with new faces,,, fresh ideas and allegiances to none other than an involved citizen majority," Anderson said in the letter. "I call upon the mayor, Mcll- haney, Hazen, Marriott, Hickson and Silvia to do likewise — best serve the citizens by removing yourself as a source of infection and allowing the healing to be- gin." Flores -Meath said he will pre- sent his case to the City Council Thursday at the 6 p.m. meeting in hopes of increasing aware- ness of the accusations made against the College Station City Council. In an effort to keep College Sta- tion residents informed of the al- leged violations of the City Coun- cil, Flores -Meath said the citizens petitioning the recall will post in- formation online at http: / /www.is- sues.org /recall.html. Anderson urg colleag to q m*t � Councilman will not seek re- election By BOB SCHOBER � .2 3 /,Ff Eagle Staff Writer College Station City Council- man Swiki Anderson has announced he will not run for re- election in May and has urged five other council members to resign. In a prepared statement, Ander- son, elected to Place 3 in 1997, said he could best serve the city by "removing myself to allow focus on issues and matters besides Swiki Anderson." 1� He called on Mayor Lynn McIl- btaney and council members Anne Hazen, Larry Mariott, David Hickson and Ron Silvia to resign in order for "the healing to Anderson skirmished often with those council members over policy. He is an ardent critic of the proposed Northgate parking garage, which McIlhaney, Hazen, Hickson and Silvia support. The most contentious sparring occurred over allegations that Anderson violated the City Char- ter by voting on a city project that he had a prior interest in. On Aug. 5, a Brazos County grand jury no- billed Anderson after conducting an investigation. On Sept. 11, the council unanimously voted that Anderson had not violated the City Charter, but not before Hazen moved to censure Ander- son. Her motion was defeated 4 -3, with Hazen, Mariott and Silvia in favor. Hickson and McIlhaney voted against that motion. Anderson subsequently labeled the council investigation a "witch hunt," which McIlhaney denied. On Monday, Anderson said he anticipates serving College Station citizens again in a ANDERSON "higher capaci- t ff "If [Councilman Steve] Esmond won't and [former Councilman Dick] Birdwell won't, I just might consider running for mayor," he said Monday. "I view the recall situation as a vote of confidence in the government we have right now. Let's put it to a vote." Anderson referred to an affi- davit filed Friday requesting recall petitions for McIlhaney, Hazen, Silvia and Hickson. In the meantime, Anderson will join fellow Councilman Esmond and Bryan Councilman Dan Galvin on the sidelines on Elec- tion Day. Galvin announced Feb. 1 he would not run, followed by Esmond on Feb. 11. College Station Councilman See ANDERSON, Page A2 Anderson Fro Al David Hickson, Place 5, has not yet declared whether or not he will run for another term. Four College Station residents have filed for candidacy since fil- ing began Feb. 15. Winnie Garner is running for Anderson's seat, and Dennis Maloney is running for Place 5. Shannon Schunicht and James Massey have announced they are seeking elec- tion to Place 1, now held by Esmond. In Bryan, Councilman Kenny Mallard will run for another term in Single Member District 4, and Russell Bradley has declared for Galvin's seat, which is Single Member District 3: Candidate filing will continue through March 17. On May 1, College Station vot- ers will'elect council members for Places 1, 3 and 5. In Bryan, City Council Single Member Districts 3 and 4 will be decided. Candidate applications are available at College Station City Hall, 1101 Texas Ave., and at Bryan Municipal Center, 300 S. Texas Ave. Ll Olk The Eagle City of College Station News IDate: Fel). i L, 149 1 4 fil for city posts ono op ening day p g 2 in Bryan, 2 in CS seek council seats By BOB SCHOBER ,) ) k M Eagle Staff Writer / Two candidates in Bryan and two candidates in College Station filed for city council races Mon- day, the first day of candidate fil- ing for the May 1 ballot. Filing will run through March 17. Incumbent Bryan City Council- man Kenny Mallard will run for another term for Single Member District 4, and Bryan resident Russell Bradley filed for candida- cy and will run for Single Member District 3, the seat currently held by Dan Galvin. Galvin recently announced he will not seek re- election. In College Station, Dennis Mal- oney will run for City Council Place 5, currently held by David tractor and currently serves on See FILING, Page A2 - -' � -a Hickson, and Shannon Schunicht will run for City Council Place 1, currently held by Steve Esmond. Esmond announced Friday he will not run for a second term. Mallard, 48, is a six -year veter- an of the City Council and is vying for a third term, his last permitted under the Bryan term limits ordi- nance. He is an insurance agent. Bradley, 49, is a dentist and is serving his second term on the Bryan Planning and Zoning Com- mission. If elected to the council, Bradley will have to resign his seat on the commission. Schunicht, 36, is a real estate manager who ran unsuccessfully for College Station Place 4 in the May 1998 election. Maloney, 49, is a painting con- Filing From Al ballots for City Council Places 1, 3 and 5. Swiki Anderson, Place 3, has picked up a candidate packet BRADLEY MALLARD MALONEY the College Station Planning and Zoning Commission. He ran unsuccessfully for Place 2 in the May 1998 election. On May 1, Bryan voters will select representatives for City Council Single Member Districts 3 and 4. College Station voters will cast but has not yet announced his intentions. David Hickson, Place 5, has not yet announced his can- didacy. 'i5 Candidate applications can be picked up at College Station CiM Hall, 1101 Texas Ave., and at the Bryan Municipal Building, 300 Su Texas Ave. L e Eagle 1111ILCit 316V College Station News Date: f-f'h. 2-Z, 14 c (L Attorney general gets tough for us A lthough he has been in office less than two months, Texas Attorney General John Cornyn already has established himself as a good friend of open govern- ment. He has served notice to government agencies around the state that he believes the business of government must be open to inspection by the people who pay the bills: the citizens of Texas. That is a refreshing change from some attorneys general in the past who have done little to protect the rights of the peo- ple of Texas to observe how the state conducts its business. A few weeks after taking office, Cornyn — a former district judge and justice of the Supreme Court of Texas — told gov- ernmental agencies he will not allow them to file "reconsid- erations," which are used by some agencies to delay releasing information the attorney general's office says must be released. In the past two years, there have been some 200 gov- ernment requests for reconsideration of an attorney general's ruling. Under Cornyn's edict, a governmental body unhappy with being ordered by the attorney general to release information requested by a citizen of the state must appeal to a district court, a process more difficult and expensive than asking the attorney general's office to reconsider its opinion. On Friday, Cornyn went a step further. He announced he will take agencies that ignore open records rulings to court, something that has been done rarely and then not in the past four years. Cornyn told the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, "Public officials who defied rulings must have come to regard this agency as a paper tiger. Law that goes unenforced is worse than no law at all. We will sue governmental entities that refuse to release documents after we have ruled those documents to public information." Way to go, General Cornyn. The people of Texas applaud your efforts. It is encouraging to have an attorney general who understands the importance of keeping government records open to the public. And it isn't just the media who make use of open government laws, either. In fact, while the media certainly do use the open records laws, the majority of open records requests come from Texans with no connection to the media. Cornyn also said that fostering open government "is now, and will remain, a cornerstone of my administration." It almost makes us giddy with excitement to hear an attor- ney general say such things. Keep up the good work, General Cornyn. • CS planning board cancels meeting The College Station Planning and Zoning meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday has been can- celed. The agenda items will be added to the March 4 commission meet- ing. The agenda included three items: A public hearing on a request to rezone one acre located northeast of Texas Avenue and Holleman Drive from Wolf Pen Creek to commercial; a public hearing for a conditional -use per- mit to allow a nightclub addition above Double Dave's Pizza in NG -1 Historic Northgate; and a public hearing on a request for a condi- tional -use permit for a church to be located at the southeast corner of Rock Prairie Road and Edelweiss Avenue. For more information, call 764- 3570. The Eagle City of College Station News Date: Parking lot fees spa rk q uestions By BOB SCHOBER Eagle Staff Writer The Patricia Street parking lot in Northgate collected more fees last fall than were reported last week by city of College Station officials, according to a financial review of the lot conduct- ed by city staff. Assistant City Manager Tom Brymer attrib- uted the discrepancy to an unintentional account - niz error, saying that some December fee deposits accidentally were entered in the January ledger. College Station Fire Marshal Jon Mies, who is 'in charge of parking enforcement at the lot, recrunched the income numbers and Fiscal Ser- vices director Charles Cryan's staff corrected the error, Brymer said. Brymer announced Feb. 4 that the lot had gen- erated $62,408 in income from Sept.1 through Dec. 31, a figure in which he included $31,667 in park- ing fines. Former City Councilman Dick Birdwell telephoned Brymer and took issue with that accounting. In a Feb. 8 letter to the mayor and City Council, Birdwell argued that the fee history of the lot indicated the proposed Northgate park- ing garage would lose money. Mies said the lot generated $35,644 in fees for the period of Sept. 1 through Dec. 31, which is $4,903 more than Brymer originally had reported. The parking fines figure still stands, Brymer said. M City staff estimated the lot would generate $140,000 a year, or about $1,206 per space, based on parking permit transaction estimates included in a 1997 parking lot management study. Parking consultant John DeShazo, of DeShazo, Tang & Associates, wrote and presented the study to the Northgate Revitalization Board. Based on the updated revenue figure, each of the 116 spaces of the lot generated about $2.52 a day in fees, for an annual average of about $919.30 - per space. From Jan. 1 through Feb. 9, the lot took in $8,177 in fees, according to Mies, for an annual average of $643.23 per space. DeShazo said he estimated there would be about 38,000 transactions in the first four months the lot was . open. Mies reported 19,223 transac- 3eptember- December period. q9 Parkins From Al DeShazo assumed the lot would charge for parking all day on Sunday, a day he projected would be one of the busiest days for the lot. Instead, the city charges only from noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. DeShazo cautioned against drawing premature conclusions. "Generally, a surface lot should turn more frequently than a garage, but we're only looking at the first four months of a 20 -year period," he said. "I think 19,000 transactions is entirely realistic, due to the fact that it's the first four months of operation." DeShazo also wrote a financial feasibility study for the proposed Northgate parking garage. He estimated that a 752 -space garage would bring in about $1.126 mil- lion in revenue, which translates to about $1,497 per space per year. He based the feasibility of the garage in part on the removal of 155 on- street parking spaces and land -use changes in Northgate. DeShazo said students and resi- dents are resisting paying the city for parking, which partially explains the lower- than - expected performance of the lot. "It's a pretty bold move to go from free parking to paid park- ing," he said. "The parker has to be acclimated to pay for it — there's no difference in that between College Station and any other city. All of our revenue and demand numbers are based upon a level projection in a 20 -year period, and obviously that's not the case so far. "But parking will draw more uses to the Northgate area to take advantage of that parking." Brymer said the spaces would not be removed until the garage is built and new businesses, including two new restaurants, in the area would probably increase parking demand. The mud lot was not included in DeS- hazo's study area, but a new hotel planned for that site will elimi- nate several hundred off- street parking spaces, which Brymer said probably would increase demand, too. Birdwell said he would have none of these explanations. "It's clear the income off this lot is about 50 percent of what was predicted, and if you project it out, you won't come close to paying for a 752 -car garage," he said. Referring to the DeShazo report, Birdwell said, "They have grossly over - estimated [parking] demand [in Northgate]." In a Feb. 8 letter addressed to "City Leaders," Birdwell dis- missed the hotel as increasing business for the parking garage, saying the garage would be too far away. "How many of you would park in the Albertson's parking lot and walk to the Hilton? The distance from the proposed parking garage to the mud lot is about the same," he wrote. He also urged them to "take a hard look at the [financial] prospects" of the parking garage. Brymer said city staff will do that before construction starts. He said the lot's performance "is not a cause of concern yet." "Obviously, before the city elects to build, I think it's pru- dent for them to engage in a more detailed analysis because they'll have the hindsight of the lot's performance," he said. "We may re- evaluate whether we move for- ward on the garage. We have other options — don't do the pro- ject at all or put in a surface lot and do the garage later. There are a number of choices, it's just a matter of timing. "Obviously, we're keeping an eye on it," he said, "and we'll make our recommendations accordingly." The Eagle` Gty of= College° Station News ]Date: Q%ru.0 (o 11,1 qqq • "" Lea m a real truth D ig a big hole, fill it with wat- er, let silt build up. Call it the Wolf Pen Creek Preserve. Build a parking lot; few use it. Half of its income is parking fines. Build a parking garage next door. Remove 155 free parking spaces to force users to pay for parking. Where is the logic in these pro- jects? On Thursday, the College Station City Council will start debating the site acquisition and master plan development for the City Hall Center. This is a project that our own Capital Improvement Projects Committee put at the. bot- tom of its priorities list. Estimates for this project start at $8 million. No wonder developers come to College Station. It's the capital of White Elephant Pork Barrel, USA. If you think that things are all right in College Station, why don't you attend a City Council meeting and learn the real truth of what's happening to your tax dollars and make your voice heard. BENITO FLORES -MEATH College Station m� x ^, Ai:, s1 i RS A J Munson By BOB SCHOBER a j lJ - Eagle Staff Writer Widening the north section of Munson Avenue by 9 feet and purchasing an addi- tional 10 feet of right of way will cost $1.486 million, city staff will tell the College Sta- tion City Council Thursday afternoon. The issue will be on the council's 3 p.m. workshop agenda. Another issue that has drawn intense neighborhood interest — rezoning an area adjacent to the Raintree subdivision — was pulled off the regular meeting agenda at the request of developer Darrell Grein. The section of Munson Avenue between Gilchrist and Lincoln streets is 29 feet wide, with a 50- foot -wide right of way. The estimate includes the cost for widening to d ominate CS a ends Munson Avenue into a minor collector street 38 feet wide, with a 60 -foot -wide right of way, constructing sidewalks on both sides and adding street lighting that meets current standards. Funds are not currently budgeted for that project, according to a memorandum written by Public Works Director Mark Smith. On Jan. 7, the council met in special ses. sion and voted to place an initiative ordi- nance prohibiting the city from closing or obstructing traffic on Munson Avenue on the May 1 ballot. At the same time, the council directed City Manager Skip Noe to develop cost estimates for widening Mun- son. In other business, the council will: ■ Discuss options for site and master J Plan development of a future municipal office center, which is Council Strategic Issue 17. In November, voters approved $1.56 million for acquisition of land, and the council has set fiscal 2001 and 2002 for making the purchase. City officials have resumed work on implementing this strate- gic issue, according to a memorandum. ■ Discuss the proposed site plan for Edel- weiss Park, located on Victoria Avenue in the Edelweiss Estates subdivision. The November bond election proposition for parks included $158,000 for the develop- ment of Edelweiss Park. The proposed site plan includes youth soccer and baseball practice fields, a sand volleyball court and other amenities. ■ Consider using $50,000 of hotel/motel tax ftmds to fund the city's part of the F.M. 2818 Crepe Myrtle Project. The city wou work with the Texas Department of Trar portation to plant and maintain the trees ■ Consider awarding a $358,200 constru tion contract for the College Station Te( Center to Marek Brothers Constructic Inc. ■ Hold public hearings on two rezonir requests. The first concerns rezoning two lots of Pooh's Park subdivision to gei eral commercial. The other concerns rezol ing 2.77 acres at 1900 F.M. 158 between Un versity Drive and Harvey Road from R- single family to C -2 commercial industria The 3 p.m. workshop session will tak place in the City Hall Council Chamber: 1101 Texas Ave. The 6 p.m. regular meetin will be held in the same location. For more information, call 764.3500. pq • Proposed ermit Increases Permit Current Proposed • Garage $270 $396 priority • Regular 5240 $348 garage • Red and $75 $125 Blue lots • Yellow lots $100 $132 • Gated lots $100 $198 • Reserved $200 $264 Spaces Motor- $35 $48 cycle Night S35 $48 Access Park- $35 $48 And -Ride All prices are for one Is the emotional PERMITS Task force proposes increase increase fees p g BY BETH MILLER on- and off - campus parking will be the first of three over The Battalion problems, meets every other a six -year period. week. He said the University The Campus Access and Dr. Jerry Gaston, vice plans to inform faculty and Parking Task Force has cre- president for administration, students of the increase be- ated a list of recommended said the increase will go to- fore the Board reviews it. parking - permit -cost increas- ward funding a new parking "We are briefing people es to be evaluated by the garage to be constructed on on campus as we have the Texas A&M Board of Regents West Campus and a tunnel opportunity to do so, in in March. under Wellborn Road from preparation for our presenta- The increases, if approved Kyle Field to the garage. tion to the Board," he said. by the Board, will go into ef- The garage will replace The increases are: fect for students in Fall 1999 Parking Area 56, the lot ad- • student on- campus and for facully members in jacent to Joe Route Boule- garage spaces will increase March 2000. vard, near the Student Recre- from $240 per year to $348 The task force, formed to ation Center. design possible solutions to Gaston said the increase SEE PERMITS ON PAGE 10. Continued from Page i • student garage priority spaces will increase from $270 per year to $396 • student general parking (red and blue) lots will increase from $75 per year to $125 • faculty and staff (yellow) lots will increase from $100 per year to $132 • faculty non- numbered, gated lots will increase from $100 per year to $198 • faculty reserved, numbered spaces will increase from $200 per year to $264 • motorcycle permits will in- crease from $35 per year to $48 • night access permits will in- crease from $35 per year to $48 • park- and -ride permits will in- crease from $35 per year to $48 Peter Schulte, chair of the park- ing sub - committee for Student Sen- ate and a junior business major, said the increase is the first in sev- eral years. He said all parking- facility con- struction is funded by increases like this one. "Everything that has to do with parking is funded through PTTS' budget, which is parking fees, per- mits and citations," he said. He said Student Senate will take student opinions into account con- cerning the increase recommenda- tions. "Student Senate is looking into student reactions to the increase and will vote on a resolution show- ing students' opinions," he said. Schulte said the task force members continued to define, at their meeting last Friday, the park- ing problems they will address throughout the term of the team's existence. He said they have begun to categorize their assignments. • TheEagle city :College"'Stat on � News Date: P-T), '7 , Iqq AN .�c .a r rwnw, , a F,6 r._ ` 1- Northgate lot boo s faith in parking lan p City official says garage still feasible • By BOB SCHOBER Eagle Staff Writer The Patricia Street parking lot at Northgate will at least cover its expenses and may hit its annual revenue forecast, College Station Assistant City Manager Tom Brymer said Thursday. And with key elements of the parking plan for the area still to be instituted, Brymer said he was confident the $6.8 million North - gate parking garage still was financially feasible. "I have no reason to doubt [the DeShazo, Tang & Associates' Parking Garage Feasibility Analysis] is accurate," he said. The lot pulled in $62,408 in park- ing fees for the period from Sep- tember through December, with operating expenses of $29,327. Fewer cars than expected used the lot during the day. The lot should generate $140,000 a year, a figure Brymer said city staff calculated from parking demand estimates provided by John DeShazo in a June 1997 parking lot manage- ment report. "Daytime usage is not what we expected, but nighttime usage remains high," he said. "I'm confi- dent, based on the performance to date, that we should be able to cover our operating expenses." Brymer said he has a "wait -and- see" attitude about seasonal demand for the lot. Texas A &M University home football games and other special events in the fall filled the lot at higher fees for the spaces, but the summer months may be lean. He said two new restaurants and a new hotel pro- posed for the "mud lot," however, should push up daytime demand. The city started charging fees of $1 an hour, $4 daily maximum, for parking in the lot at the start of the fall semester, he said. On Nov. 12, the City Council defeated a proposal to lower the hourly day- time fee to 50 cents. DeShazo recommended that the See PARKING, Page ' • Parking From Al Patricia Street lot and the North - gate parking garage be built to create a parking system in North - gate. His final report, presented June 16, 1998, called for eliminat- ing 155 on- street parking spaces in the study area, which has not yet been done. The study area did not include the "mud lot," which will be developed into a hotel and other retail businesses in place of hun- dreds of parking spaces. "Parking is still an issue in Northgate, and it's a fluid situa- tion," Brymer said. "Closing the `mud lot' will certainly increase demand." City staff again will review DeShazo's feasibility report before starting construction on the 752 -space parking garage, he said. It will take six months to a year to complete land acquisition and construction plans before con- struction can start, Brymer said. The council approved condemna- tion of three lots of the 11 -lot par- cel at the Jan. 28 meeting. "We feel there is adequate money within the $6.8 million to buy the land and build the garage on budget," he said. • civ*15 k got ; .I LA 0 Beware of zoning recent article in Insite maga- zine estimates that the popu- lation of the Bryan- College Station area may approach 300,000 within 25 years. Consequently, every parcel of land within the city of College Station may become desirable to developers. So, before purchasing a home or property in College Station that is adjacent to undeveloped land, investigate the zoning of the unde- veloped property. If the undevel- oped property is zoned A -O (agri- cultural open), understand that you may not have any legal recourse in how that property is developed in the future. Based on his recent interpreta- tion of case law for the city of Garland, the College Station city attorney ruled that land zoned A -O within the city of College Station is considered a "holding zoning" and, as such, is not subject to the 20 per- cent protest rule. The 20 percent protest rule provided for under state law and College Station ordi- nances is a mechanism by which landowners within 200 feet of prop- erty for which a change in zoning has been requested can submit a petition to protest the prospective rezoning. If a valid petition is pre- sented to the city with the signa- tures of 20 percent or more of the landowners within 200 feet, then 75 s percent of the City Council must vote to override the petition for the property to be rezoned. However, ruling that properties zoned A -O do not fall under the 20 percent protest rule means that cit- izens no longer have any legal recourse, and approval for rezoning A -O property to some other, zoning category only requires a simple majority vote by the City Council. SUSANNE McDONALD College Station C� Don't close �n y family and I liv on Foster Avenue, which runs the same direction as Munson Avenue but is only one street over from Texas even Ever since the special people who live on Munson Avenue had then' street closed to public traffic, Foster Avenues try to fmd whelmed by any way through this large neigh- borhood. Foster Avenue is one of the streets that is overrun with traffic since the natural thoroughfare (Munson) has been closed. With its many stop signs, Foster may not be the best way through, but peo- ple will always take a second -rate shortcut rather than endure the stop lights of Texas Avenue. By shutting down the natural flow of traffic, other streets that are even less capable of handling the traffic are subjected to many times their capacity. Whatever happened to the traf- fic studies that were going to show the effects of closing Munson Avenue on other streets? There are fewer than 100 people living on Foster Avenue, but there are at least that many cars driving down my street in a half hour. It is also my understanding that the ex -mayor lives close to Munson Avenue and served on the road - closing committee. Is it possi- ble that powerful people are influ- encing the decision - making process for their own benefit instead of for the general public? The residents of College Station . need to admit to themselves that we are a growing town. The natur- al flow of traffic shows us where people want to go. Obviously, there is a large need for people to travel north and south through College Station between the East Bypass and Texas Avenue. Mun- son Avenue is the only street that accomplishes this. BRETT BLANKNER College Station The Battalion F_ I L J Date: - Lots condemned to make room for garage } BY CARRIE BENNETT I f The Battalion After the College Station City Council voted to begin condemnation of three lots of proper- ty to be used for the Northgate Parking Garage project, citizens have expressed mixed feelings concerning the construction. Tom Brymer, assistant city manager for Col- lege Station, said the three lots approved for condemnation by the City Council Thursday were needed in addition to three lots previous- ly obtained for the project. He said the project requires the acquisition of six more lots before completion. The three lots condemned were originally owned by a family, who, according to the City Council, could not agree on the closure of the land. Ron Silvia, a council member, said the deci- sion to condemn the property was difficult be- cause the property was divided between family members with differing opinions. "It was a difficult situation with this particu- lar piece of land since the family was divided over what to do with it," Silvia said. "Hopeful- ly, with this decision the family will come to the table together and bring some settlement to the issue." Although College Station voters have elected to construct the garage, other citizens are now expressing doubt for the need for paid parking. Steve Esmond, a council member, said the condemnation of private property is one of the reasons he is against building the garage. In a pamphlet created by Esmond and others against the garage, he said, "To undermine pub- lic trust and community good will through con- demnation for this project, smacks of bad faith and poor stewardship." Esmond said the demand for the garage does not seem high enough to spend the money needed to continue the project. He said the parking consultant, DeShazo, Tang & Associ- ates, recommended building a surface lot to test the demand for paid parking. "The Patricia Street lot (the lot directly be- hind Northgate) is rarely full and the greatest demand for the lot is at night when people go to the bars," Esmond said. "The city should not be promoting the liquor industry on Northgate." Esmond said the number of free spaces re- moved will begin with 155 on- street spaces, and the city may remove more if necessary. He said the city is not in the parking business and it ap- pears that the garage will end up losing money since the demand for it has not increased. Silvia said the removal of several on- street parking spaces will be for safety and accessibil- ity reasons. He said the removal of the spaces, the construction of a hotel on what is now Mud lot and other factors will increase the need for the garage. "[How often the lot is used at this point in time] is not indicative of what it is going to be when the garage is there," he said. Benito Flores, a resident of College Station and a graduate of Texas A&M, said he doubts the notion that the spaces are being removed for safety reasons. if there was a big safety issue, which may or may not be true, then why wasn't the on- street parking removed earlier," Flores said. Mayors to { BY SALLIE TURNER The Battalion The Bryan and College Station mayors, a representative from Texas A&M University and students dressed in authentic ethnic cos- tumes will kickoff International Student Awareness Month with a press conference today at 11 a.m. at the Bryan- College Station Cham- ber of Commerce in Bryan. Suzanne Droleskey, executive director of international programs for students, said the press confer- ence will promote understanding of cultures in the community. "in light of the recent problems ity of College Station News concerning the safety of interna- tional students, we felt it was im- portant to bring the community to- gether to celebrate diversity," she said. Regina Roselynn, vice president of public relations for the Interna- tional Student Association (ISA) and a senior industrial engineering major, said the press conference is designed to get the community in- volved in celebrating cultural di- versity. "We planned the press confer- ence with the help of the Chamber of Commerce to celebrate diversity and to get the community in- volved," she said. Roselynn said 1SA and Interna- tional Student Services have set up 24 cultural displays in shop win- dows around Bryan- College Sta- tion. ISA is also working in conjunc- tion with the MSC L.T. Jordan In- stitute on an International Educa- tion outreach Program. The educational programs, scheduled to begin this month, will replace teachers' curriculums by teaching students of all ages about cultures. "We are encouraging the com- munity to be international," Rose- lyn said. "If a first -grade teacher is planning to teach about Mexico, we will get students from Mexico to go and teach the children about life in Mexico." Drolesky said this is the first year International Student Awareness Month has been cele- brated. "This year was chosen to have an awareness month because this is the 20th anniversary of Interna- tional Student Week," she said. "Also, February is a great month because we can link in with Black Awareness Month, which is work- ing to promote diversity as well." International Student Week will be the first week in March. It will include cultural celebrations and diversity Awareness activities. • kick off month -long celebration of diversity Thetl'Eagle Cit of Colle gestatio Y g Date: ) News Board of Regents 2� appropriates funds for new building • BY AMANDA SMITH The Battalion The Texas A&M Universi- ty Board of Regents appro- priated funds for construc- tion of a new architectural building, an expanded northeast campus parking lot and renovations to Sbisa Dining Hall in a list of items approved Friday. The Board of Regents ap- proved an estimated $12 mil- lion for a new architecture building between the two ex- isting buildings of the Lang- ford Architecture Center. The architectural firm of Philip Johnson and Alan Ritchie, Architects of New York has been selected to prepare the architectural de- sign for the building. The 75,000- square -foot building will include a large auditorium and a large lec- ture hall, a Technical Re- source Center, electronic classrooms and laboratories and a defined main en- trance. Funding for the new facil- ity will come from private donations. The Board also appropri- ated $1.4 million for the ad- dition of 600 spaces to Park- ing Area 50, located adjacent to the Zachry Engineering complex. The Board appropriated $1 million for the replace- ment of the air - conditioning system and upgrades to the electrical and the plumbing systems of McInnis Hall. Other renovations will in- clude compliance with fire - and -life safety code and handicap accessibility. In other business, the Board of Regents: • Appropriated $4.4 mil- lion for the replacement of boiler No. 8 in the Central Utility Plant. The construction for the replacement of the boiler is scheduled to be completed by January 2001. • Appropriated $10 mil- lion for the historical archi- tectural work, roof replace- Approved Expenditures 9$12 million -New architecture building •$10 million -Sbisa Dining Hall renovation •$4.4 million - Boiler No. 8 replacement e$1.4 million - Parking Area 50 expansion •$1 million - McInnis Hall renovation ment and the addition of a new heating and air- condi- tioning system to Sbisa Din- ing Hall. • Approved development of the Center for Environ- mental and Rural Health (CERH), which will consist of faculty from the colleges of Veterinary Medicine, Sci- ence, Agriculture, Life Sci- ences, Medicine, the School of Rural Public Health and the Institute of Biosciences and Technology in the Texas A&M University Health Sci- ence Center. CERH faculty will research cellular and molecular mechanisms of toxic injury caused by envi- ronmental factors and devel- op means to restrict harmful environmental exposure. *Authorized request ap- proval from the Texas High- er Education Coordinating Board for a Masters of Geo- science degree from A &M. *Authorized establish- ment of the Center for Hu- manities Research at A &M, with an amendment to allow the Board of Regents chair to serve on the Development Council. The Battalion City of College Station News Date: Citizens meet tois�uss future plans of city council College Station citizens representing various neighborhoods gathered last night to voice concerns about future plans the College Station City Council has in mind for the city. Members of We, The People: Con- cerned Neighborhoods Organization ex- pressed their desires to remove certain city council members they think do not 1 serve in the best interests of the city and i reverse the plans for the Northgate Park- t ing Garage. Leaders at the meeting stressed the g importance of student and community in- a volvement in city issues. E -mail, petitions and door -to -door campaigns are tools the group emphasized for getting the com- munity involved. c. The Battalion City of College Station News ___T Date: teb , i HI . 1 `I C J �. � I q We, The People to address issues We, The People, a neighborhood organization, will hold a meeting tonight at 7 in the Lincoln Center to discuss issues concerning the city's influence in the neighborhoods and businesses of Bryan /College Sta- tion. We, The People founder Norma Miller said the groups' members are concerned with the city's desire to build in the Historic District of College Station, developments be- ing made on Wellborn Road that will increase traffic by 2,500 -3,500 cars per day, and taxpayers' mon- ey being spent on frivolous law- suits. Miller said the group wants to inform others about conflicts that exist between some local residents and city council members. Miller said it is important for students to get involved in issues. "Students are a real asset to the community," she said. "These are students' tax dollars too." David Peter, an educational technology graduate student and a member of We, The People, said group meetings are open to anyone and try to give attendees an equal voice. Peter said the organization em- phasises student involvement in the voting process. He said more than 4,000 students were registered to vote in the last city election, but only 12 percent actually voted. "A lot of people think their votes don't count. 4,000 voters are a very powerful group." C The-Eagle Ctof _Colle y¢ eStaton 'News Y g Date: 3anI 2q Expensive parking he new city parking lot at Northgate has been in opera- tion now for more than four months. Anyone who has visited the Northgate area during the mid- dle of the day has observed that this 115 car lot is less than a third full on weekdays Parking fees for the first four months are about $267 per parking space. Considering this limited operation, I forecast the annual parking fees to be about $800 per parking space per year. The pro- posed 700 -plus parking garage was justified based on an estimate that the annual parking fees would be more than $1,500 per parking space per year. This estimate assumed there would be an average of more than 300 cars in the parking garage at a time when the new surface lot is only a third full. It is obvious that the proposed garage will not pay for itself, even with the planned elimination of 300 on- street parking spaces. J.R. "DICK" BIRDWELL College Station Board of Regents evaluates parking BY AMANDA STIRPE overhead wires. The Battalion They said it will add securi- The Texas A&M University nation and emergency cy hones. Sy Board of Regents will Wine and illimsal also consider the addition of 600 said handicap parking will be parking spaces in PA 50, near added to the first row of the the Zachry Building, today in old parking lot. an attempt to alleviate student No handicap parking is cur - parking problems. rently available due to prob- If approved by the board, the parking lot is scheduled to lems with placement of light - undergo construction begin - ing poles and access aisles. The aesthetic value of the ning November 1999, be com- pleted by Fall 2000 and add to entrance to main campus will be enhanced by a manmade the 1,125 parking spaces cur - hill, which will block the view rently available in the lot. of the parking area from Texas Dr. Jerry Gaston, vice pres- • Avenue and University Drive. ident for administration, said Wine and Williams said the need for additional park- ing is evident. improvement to parking is highly valued, but the on- and "I think the board will be off - campus bus system will be enthusiastic," Gaston said. affected by the additional "We can demonstrate the need parking area. for it." Sherry Wine, associate di- "We try to take into consid- eration any impact on the bus rector for administration for system," Wine said. Parking, Traffic and Trans- "More parking leads to portation Services, and Doug Williams, associate director more people. It should certain - ly help, but it is not a cure all." for enforcement and facilities The Board of Regents will maintenance for PITS, said the project has been under meet again in March and dis- cuss a possible parking garage consideration by the board but to replace PA 61 on West Cam- delayed by the relocation of pus. the lacrosse and archery fields. The parking garage would Wine and Williams said the parking lot extension will pro- include a pedestrian under - pass below the railroad tracks vide power for the Bonfire to allow easier access to main area (polo fields) by adding campus aThe�Eagle ,�. City `of :C St' ti - News Date Ju-n �2 �� 19q Council to discuss capital work plan By BOB SCHOBER Eagle Staff Writer 1 0JJJ A schedule for col mpleting the list of capital improvement pro- jects voters approved in Novem- ber will be discussed during the College Station City Council workshop session Thursday. Voters approved six proposi- tions totaling $24.24 million for road work, park improvements, greenbelt and floodplain acquisi- tion, traffic signalization and a new fire station. The council will review a proposed schedule that initiates some of the projects this year — purchase land for a new city cemetery, for example — and schedules the completion of the remainder by fiscal 2003. During the regular meeting, the council will discuss a resolution condemning three lots for the Northgate parking garage. City Manager Skip Noe said Tuesday that the owner, Mont Lawyer, may close on the property before Thursday. 'Me council also will approve articles of incorporation for the College Station Business Develop- ment Corp. that will focus on retaining existing businesses. The agency initially would not be funded, Noe said, and its activities would not conflict with those oT the Bryan - College Station Eck nomic Develop ment Corp. - The council also will consid- er a faca ft improvement program grant of $100,855 foi Loupot's Book. McILHANEY store, 355 Uni- versity Drive. The grant will be paid with Com- munity Development Block Grant funds and the owner will be required to provide $41,795 in matching funds. In other business, the council will consider a contract for $50,000 with McClure Engineering Inc. to develop a conceptual design for the George Bush Drive East exten- sion and various projects in the See COUNCIL, Page Al2 Council From A7 - -� area included in the Wolf Pen Creek Master Plan. The contract will be paid for by the Wolf Pen Creek Tax Increment Fund. Mayor Lynn McIlhaney will present members of the Texas A &M University football team and head coach R.C. Slocum with a plaque and proclamation honor- ing the 1998 season and their vic- tory as Big 12 Champions. The 3 p.m. workshop session will be held in the council cham- bers at City Hall, 1101 Texas Ave. The 6 p.m. regular meeting will be held in the same location. For more information, call 764- 3500. The Eagle City of College Station News Date:' ate: _ (0 , "1f,L Stay off Carter Creek IIZ4,I T his is in reference! to a letter written from a resident on Munson Avenue wanting to "protect their residential street." Try living on Carter Creek Park- way. It is one of the most traveled residential streets in Bryan. My family has lived there for 20 years and had to constantly fight to get out of our driveway and have had several accidents because peo- ple drive too fast and too close. I doubt very many of the people passing us actually live on my street. Since the residents of Munson Avenue seem to think that closing Munson Avenue to all traffic is the best solution, then please consider closing Carter Creek Parkway to only its residents. We would love to be able to play in the streets and enjoy the quietness that closing it would bring. Instead, we residents know that the high traffic is a part of living on our street, in a growing city. We may not like the traffic, but we will put up with it or we would move. Oh, as for all the residents living on Munson Avenue, please avoid Carter Creek Parkway, for you might disturb us. KIM GUERRERO Bryan '%MW- The Battalion City of College Station News Date: cr) . 2 Mending Munson IPP� Fate of barricades handed to voters on May ballot BY CARRIE BENNETT The Battalion The College Station City Council passed the agenda item calling for a special election to determine the closure status on Munson Avenue, and the election has been scheduled for May 1. Organizations in support of each side of the issue have been formed to campaign prior to the May election. Kayla Glover, resident of the College Hills neighborhood, which houses Munson Avenue, will lead the group Friends of Our Community, the members of which are in support of permanent removal of the barricades. "We will run a full- fledged campaign with advertising on V radio and in newspapers," Glover said. "Our main ob- ective is getting people to vote. " Mike McMichen, a member of Friends of Our Commu- nity, said traffic demands on Munson Avenue have de- creased since the completion of the Texas Avenue con- struction, and he believes there is no reason for the closure. "We are really pushing for the city council to take the bar- ricades down now to get traffic counts on Munson, since the construction on Texas is done," McMichen said. McMichen said students of the local campus of Blinn Ju- nior College once used Munson Avenue as an alternative route when the college was split into two campuses, but it has consolidated and relocated. Connie Hooks, city secretary for College Station, said the barricades will remain until a decision is reached on May 1. Stephen Miller, a member of the organization in favor of the barricades, said he believes the closure prevents traffic congestion, which preserves the quality of the neighborhood. SEE MUNSON ON PAGE 2 MUNSON Continued from Page 1 "Generally, our plan is to inform the people of Col - lege Station about the city council's record of closing streets, placing 911 gates or building dead end roads in order to preserve neighborhood integrity," Miller said. "Through traffic affects single family homeowners, causing them to move out and renters to take over. Renters don't take as good care of the houses, and then the neighborhood quality goes down." During the upcoming months, both organizations will campaign to encourage College Station voters. "Our plan is to inform [College Sta- tion] about the city council's record of closing streets ...." — Stephen Miller Member of the organization in favor of the barricades Barricades were placed on Munson Avenue June 15, 1998. A special election will determine whether or not the barricades will be removed. �� .o W cu O • �y A 'J CS Chizen Special to The Eagle ' Ig The members of the 1999 class for the College Station Citizen University have been announced. The residents will begin a 10- week training course on College Station city government starting Feb. 6. They will receive 30 hours of intense training, with the goal to increase citizen awareness and understanding of the workings of local government. The Citizen University began in 1998, officials said, and is consid- ered a beneficial experience for both staff members and partici- T '00 pants. The class has produced excellent city volunteers and com- munity leaders, and the course received a first -place national award for citizen participation by the City County Communications and Marketing Association. The members of the class are: Jack Adams, self-employed busi- ness broker; Angie Alaniz, research and marketing for Bra- zos Valley Council of Govern- ments; Lee Blank, retired profes- sor emeritus from Texas A &M University; Bonnie Burlbaw, director of medical records at MHMR; Karen Fawcett , financial adviser with the Texas A &M Uni- versity System; Kayla Glover, a self-employed painting contrac- tor; Sara Goode, accounting assis- tant at Alfred A. Martin; Harry Green, Jr., retired from A &M; Lisa Grout, real estate broker with Coventry Glen; Scott Hervey, planner with the Texas Municipal Power Authority; Dell Kelby, a retired registered nurse; Lynette Kuder, a staff accountant at A &M; Judy McFarland, welcome service owner at Brazos Bounty; Jana McMillan, a housewife and com- munity volunteer; Mary Ann Moore, a housewife and communi- ty volunteer; Kerry Noack, an adviser at A &M; Robert Reid, an administrator at Blinn College; Andrew Smith, a Realtor with Century 21; Chris Stanton, a polit- ical science student; Karen Tohkubbi, a community health student; Gale Touchstone, retired and a community volunteer; Michele Walker, an accountant at the Brazos Valley Christian Boak- store; and Quinn Willidrns, a home builder with Legacy Con- struction. 0 the °Eagle City �of:Collegie ation News Date: Uan wv► I 51 199q C S vote u s ets some hom eo p vwners Group says council rezoning decision will lower prop values By BOB SCHOBER p Y meant that approval of the rezoning request Eagle Staff Writer required a vote of three - fourths of the coun- cil, or five of the six votes. The College Station City Council on The Courts Neighborhood Association Thursday voted 4 -2 to approve a, rezoning of : previously had filed a petition recording Sig 28 acres in the Steeplechase subdivision. natures of 23 percent of the homeowners. The vote, disappointed several neighboring City Attorney Harvey Cargill disagreed with homeowners; one of whom said she would the opinion of. McDonald's� attorney . and investigate legal options. ruled that a simple majority vote was appro- Before the vote, Sue McDonald of Cortez . priate. Court presented the council with a legal , After the vote, McDonald said she would opinion. Her attorney argued that a protest confer with her attorney Friday. petition signed by more than 20 percent. of , "We just want to see what:the.options are," thomeowners within the notification area she said. Vote From Al proposal and sent the issue back to the commission with prejudice to consider R -1B. The council also unanimously approved an increase in park land dedication fees for new developments that will go into effect six months after the vote. The vote updated the 1981 park land ordinance and raised the fees to $457 per single- family unit and $345 per unit in multifamily developments. Developers donat- ing land for parks will have to provide one acre of land per 101 single - family units and per 134 duplex or multifamily units. In other business, the council: ■ Unanimously approved a request to rezone from agricul ture -open to R -1 about 93.5 acres; - of the proposed Alexandria sub{ division, which is located nortlik of Barron Road just west of thew Springbrook subdivision. A sub w stitute motion to deny they, request and send the issue back:. to the Planning and Zoning com-'. mission for reconsideration as R 1B zoning was defeated. w ■ Unanimously voted to! appoint Mark Chaloupka chair man of the board of directors forte the Wolf Pen Creek; Office /Hotel /Conference Center, Tax Increment Financing Dis- trict #7 for 1999. ■ Unanimously approved a: modification of the city's downt payment assistance program; which uses federal funds, to!; allow loans of up to $7,500 to income - eligible home buyers. The previous limit was $4,000. The homeowners opposed R -1 zoning for the parcel, arguing that the smaller lots pro- posed under R -1 would lower their property values: At previous meetings, they urged the council and the Planning. and Zoning Commission to require R -1B zoning, which requires a larger minimum lot, The .council's vote' .Thursday approvec rezoning about' 19.57 acres as R -1 and about 8.43 acres abutting the Oakbrook Valley sub division as R -1B. On Nov., 12, the'council defeated a similar See VOTE, Page AS c. t : Fd' s . ir 14 f., Eagle photo /Dave McDermand Kelvin Bank, 14, gets acquainted with his mentor, Lee Robinson, Consolidated High School that was introduced during a meeting at who is the traffic systems superintendent for the city of College Sta- the school Thursday. The program pairs students with city of College tion. The two were paired up in the new mentor program at A &M Station employees. O Ciq workers to teach y GS employees, school district start m it E Eagle S ff Wri HEY F Deborah Grace and Michele Boriskie 1 say they remember their high school days, and they remember some of the pressures they dealt with during that time in their lives. I Those memories were part of what led the two College Station city employees to sign up for a new mentoring program developed between the city and the Col - lege Station School District. I have no children and would like to elp children," Grace said Thursday. "I know the peer pressure put on girls in school, and I think I could probably help my student through that." "I don't have children either," Boriskie said, "but I have a varied work back- ground. I know how difficult transitions < (We're wanting to create in the students a belief in themselves, a sense of the future and an ability to see that what they do in school relates to life.> —JIM SCALES Superintendent can be for teenagers. I hope to be there, be a friend, help with study skills or talk about life in the working world." The two spoke at A &M Consolidated High School while waiting to meet the stu- dents they will mentor for the remainder of the school year. The meeting was the entoring program first official event of the mentor program, dubbed FRIENDS — Forming Relation- ships and Increasing Experiences Needed to Develop Success. The program involves 11 city employees who have been matched with ninth- and 10th - graders. The students and their men- tors will meet once a week at the school. "The students were selected by school counselors, then the counselors brought them in, explained the program and asked if they would want to participate," said Danny Stribling, director of curriculum and instruction for the district. "The stu- dents had choices whether they wanted to participate." Sophomore Laura Galan, who will be meeting with Grace, said she chose to par- ticipate in the program in order to learn See MENTOR, Page A14 Mentor From A9 through others' experiences. "I have always wanted to study law, but I thought it would be interesting to hear from other people and see what they do," she said. District officials said they see the program as a way for stu- dents to interact with workers, and as a way of strengthening their thoughts about the relation- ship between future plans and school success. "It is extremely important for adults to come into the schools, now more than ever," district Superintendent Jim Scales said. "Now, the picture of the work world is not as clear as it once was. The mentoring program will help tie students to the work place. Mentoring is the pin that ties them to the work world." Scales said that, as the work place becomes more information - oriented, students need more exposure to possible job opportu- nities. "We're wanting to create in the students a belief in themselves, a sense of the future and an ability to see that what they do in school relates to life," he said. College Station Police Officer Bob Price said he enjoys working with students, and saw the men - toring program as a way to con- tinue that. "I have a high school kid and it is mind - boggling — the curricu- lum, the peer pressure and other things. There is a lot more than when I was in school," he said. "These kids have a lot of deci- sions to make. I want to help them make some goals, and maybe I can help them iron out what they want to do," Price said. "If I can do something to help kids, then I have accomplished something as a parent and as an adult." Officials with the city and the district say they will monitor the program and evaluate it for future expansion. "One of the things we recognize is that, while we are city govern- ment, we are one of the larger employers in the city," City Man- ager Skip Noe said. "We want to be a good corporate citizen. We want to see this start a trend where other employers become involved with the school dis- trict." VAWr v� . r� q� • CS to weigh giving voters Munson issue Council may OK petition or C, B BOB scHO matter on the b fl ot Eagle Staff Writer `` �ti\ y i� A Munson Avenue on Thursday will be the sub- ject of a special meeting of the College Station City Council, which either must adopt an ini- tiative petition that would pull down the barri- cades at Lincoln Drive or let voters decide the fate of traffic on Munson Avenue, The 6 p.m. meeting at City Hall comes just four days before the 60 -day deadline for action required by the City Charter. The petition for initiative ordinance was submitted to the city Nov. 6 and contains 1,233 certified signatures from registered voters. The ordinance would prohibit the city from restricting or discouraging traffic on Munson Avenue with speed bumps, repetitive stop signs or a "barrier." The ordinance targets the stretch between Lincoln Drive and Harvey Road and would go into effect Thursday if the council adopts it as written. A straight up or down vote is not the only option and the council can make changes as it sees fit, City Attorney Harvey Cargill said Tues- day. Section 109 of the City Charter gives the council authority to adopt the petition ordi- Traffic stacks up behind the barricades at Mun- son Avenue and Lincoln Drive. The College Sta- tion City Council on Thursday will decide whether nance and then amend it, which Cargill pointed out in background information provided to council members. If the council adopts the ordinance, for exam- ple, it could delete Section 2, which calls for immediate implementation, and substitute a future start date. • Or it could adopt the ordi- nance, but delete references to stop signs and speed bumps. "The council could make substantial changes," Cargill said, and legally could go so far as to recast the wording in the ordinance to Eagle file photo /Dave McDermand to adopt an initiative petition that would pull down the barricades or let voters decide the fate of traffic on Munson Avenue. keep the barricades up. Cargill said he did not have "any foreknowledge" that the council will go that far. "I don't see anything [in the Charter] that says they can't, but we're just trying to post enough variations so the council can discuss all the variations and decide what to do," he said. Cargill and City Secretary Connie Hooks rec- ommended in a Jan. 4 memorandum that the council put the issue to the voters. See MUNSON, Page A2 ■ Nov. 1997 — Partial street closings on Munson and Ashburn at Lincoln are removed and stop signs installed on Mun- son at Rose Circle, Holt Street and Univer- sity Oaks. The 20 -mph speed limit for Mun- son is adopted. ■ Dec. 1997 — Five speed bumps are installed on Munson between Lincoln and Dominik. ■ Jan. 1998 — The College Station City Council adopts a 20 -mph speed limit on Ashburn Avenue. ■ Jan. through May — City conducts traffic volume studies in the College Hills area. ■ May 28 — The council votes to close Munson at Dominik on a trial basis and to establish the Munson Traffic Committee to study traffic issues in the College Hills area. ■ June 15 — Barricades are installed at Domink. ■ July 23 — The council receives a peti- tion containing 961 signatures calling for Munson to be reopened, but decides to await input from the Munson Traffic Com- mittee. ■ Aug. 4 — The 28- member Munson Traffic Committee meets for the first time. ■ Oct. 8 — The council votes unani- mously to erect a permanent barricade at Munson at Dominik Drive, effectively dis- solving the Munson Traffic Committee. ■ Oct. 22 — The council passes Ordi- nance 2355 erecting a 911 gate at Mun- son and Lincoln. ■ Oct. 26 — The barricade is moved from Munson at Dominik to Munson at Lin- coln. ■ Nov. 6 — City Secretary Connie Hooks receives a petition from Kayla Glover. ■ Nov. 12 — The council votes 6 -1 to delay final action on the initiative ordi- nance until Jan. 7, making the next possi- ble election date May 1. Staff reports would permit the removal of the SO � barricade before the election. Kayla Glover, who spearheaded the petition drive, said Tuesday From Al she wants the council "to let the voters decide." If the council pass - Cargill listed three options for es the ordinance but delays imple- the council to consider: mentation, Glover said she will ■ Adopt the initiative ordi- look at a "range of options, nance. including recall elections for coun- ■ Adopt the initiative ordinance cil members. and amend it. "I don't want to make any ■ Adopt and approve the ordi- Feats or anything, but I'll look at nance calling for a special election What I have to do to get the neigh - to be held May 1. borhood streets [returned] to Cargil added a fourth action, before speed humps, stop signs that of amending or repealing and barricades," she said. Ordinance 2355, which established The special meeting will be held the 911 gate at Munson Avenue at 6 p.m. Thursday in the council and Lincoln Drive. Repealing or chambers at City Hall, 1101 Texas amending that ordinance, he said, Ave. The��Eagle city" College �Statio"n Date: Hope voters agree As residents of Munson Drive, �� we appreciated the sympa- x thy The Eagle initially appeared to have with our con- cerns over the thousands of cars that used our neighborhood daily as a cut - through. More recently, the paper's sympathy appears to be with those who find a few minutes driving detour anathema to them. However, the Jan. 6 picture of traf- fic as it "stacks up behind the bar- ricades at Munson Drive and Lincoln" is neither representative of the situation, nor accurate. As can be seen from the signpost at the top left corner of the picture, the file photo was taken when the barricade was at Dominik Drive. We have not seen a row of cars at the present location of the barrier, as portrayed in the file photo. As the city grows, it is inevitable that there will be an increase in traffic — but it can also be expected that reaching the desired destina- tion will take an extra few minutes. We understand that a cut - through is attractive. But so are residential areas, and we hope that city voters will agree that they need to be pre- served. TIM and SANDY HALL College Station • Theagle � w�.x v;E`r's�+,�§' ' + <'2'`c�iw �.�s ��d�% � :} �"`C.i�'uaL< <va °t- �w�i` .. :. :.. _$ 61 'A News Date: JdLnWo 12, M9 C ommending wiki lived there less than four years and g knew of the traffic problem when Swiki Anderson should they moved in. I believe be commended for making the The most ridiculous move motion to put the Munson through all of this was the median Avenue issue on the ballot. I served placed on Francis Drive. What a on the Munson Committee and joke. That, by far, was the biggest always felt that it was unfair that a farce I've seen, and a dangerous handful of people should decide the one at that, seeing drivers going fate of a busy street that could down the wrong way and making affect thousands illegal U -turns. Thank goodness I can understand the opinions of this atrocity has been resolved. both sides, but we have a responsi- Now, it's time for the citizens to bility to let the voters decide. The decide on the barricade. good portion of residents who live LORI ADAMS in the Munson Avenue area have 1 J �/ College Station r � A'he 'agle Cityof ,CollegeStatio n��News Date J&f) Area officials seek repellent for Y2K bu By PAT ABERNATHEY Eagle Staff Writer The predictions for what may happen on Jan. 1, 2000, range from doom and gloom to nothing out of the ordinary, but officials in Brazos County want to make sure they are prepared for anything in between. Representatives of College Station, Bryan, Bra- zos County, Texas A &M University, utility compa- nies and banks met Thursday at the Bryan- College Station Chamber of Commerce in one of a series of meetings designed to let the public know they are doing everything they can to keep services in shape in the face of the Year 2000 computer problem. Basically, the Year 2000 computer bug is a poten- tial problem facing anyone who uses a computer or 81 1999 Year 2000 ditch: Computers could interpret the year 2000 as 1900, which would render data inaccurate and useless. Computers systems using a two -digit year are at risk, and officials do not know the extent of what will happen. the data from one, which is just about everybody In the early years of computer programming, mem ory was very expensive and limited, and program mers tried to save memory anywhere they could Programmers used six digits (10/10/98) for date; instead of eight (10/10/1998). As computer cost, dropped, inexpensive memory became available See Y2K, Page A3 k, but'Anany programmers contin- ued "using two digits for the year. The potential problem will arise when 2000 rolls around and the computer reads the year as 00, which it could interpret as the year 1900, which would throw the system into disarray. This could render the systems' data inaccurate and useless. Computer systems using a two - digit year, including some com- puters that run everything from fire alarms and water pumps to bank records and grocery store scanners, are subject to failure. Predictions of how this could is affect the public range from the American civilization ending to a few minor inconveniences. The truth, officials said, is that no one knows the extent of what will happen. Local officials said Thursday they want the public to know they are doing everything in their power to make sure life is disrupted as little as possible on Jan. 1, 2000. "We started meeting to let the public know how the city, coun- ty and other entities are making sure emergency services are in shape," Bryan Assistant City Manager Hugh Walker said. "We want to overcome the doom and gloom by showing people that we are taking care of business." . To answer questions and pro- vide information, officials will hold a public forum at 7 P.M. Feb. 18 at the Brazos Center. The meeting will cover utilities and services, such as water, electric, gas and phones. A second forum will be held at 7 p.m. March 4 at the College Sta- tion Conference Center. That meeting will deal with other essential services, such as fire, police and hospitals. Bryan director of Public Works Rick Conner said the forums will serve a valuable pur- pose. "I think that we want to tell people that we are taking this very seriously," he said. "We are making contingency upon contingency. And we don't think this is an issue of panic, but an issue of understanding, education and working togeth- Friday, Januarl 8, 1999 The Bryan - College Station Eagle Page A3 !WS er." A third meeting is being con- sidered, officials said. he the sponsored by and would deal with businesses such as banks and financial ser- vices, petroleum and grocery stores. Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend the for officialssaid. ,, What some people believe is that, ner Jan. 1, people will start hoding," Walker said. "If we can 't people know that this commurty is taken care of, we can ove:ome that." BrazoCounty Judge Al Jones said theneeting shows the will- ingnessnn the part of so many different entities in the county to plan for potential problems. "As an entire community, we are trying to develop a prudent plan to deal with problems that may exist on Jan. 1, 2000," he said. "All of the agencies and busi- nesses should be commended for being so pro- active." a a . a && A& A A AILAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&I Friday, January 8, 1999 V1 • Poo r ��0ll r� V 0 r � V R Q M unson ra is route - to voters BOB SCHOBER Ea gle Eagle Staff Writer College Station voters will decide the future of traffic control on Munson Avenue after the City Council on Thursday night unanimously voted to place an initiative ordinance on the May 1 ballot. The council also voted 4 -2 to remove the tem- porary median at Ashburn Avenue and Fran- cis Drive. Councilman David Hickson was absent. The barricades closing Munson Avenue at Lincoln Avenue will stay in place until the election. City Manager Skip Noe said he would issue a work order Friday for the removal of the barricades. The initiative ordinance was the result of a petition drive that gathered 1,233 signatures from registered voters. The ordinance would prohibit the city from closing or obstructing traffic on Munson Avenue except temporarily for repairs. The petition was presented to the city Nov. 6. Kayla Glover, who headed the petition drive, said after the vote that she was pleased with the council's action. "They did what they should have done — put it on the ballot," she said. Peter HugW, president of the College Wood- lands Neighborhood Association and an advo- See MUNSON, Page A8 the ballot authorizing the city to issue $5 M un so n million in street improvement bonds for widening Munson Avenue, but the motion died for lack of a second. From A 1 The council directed Noe, however, to develop cost estimates for the project. cate of closing Munson Avenue, said it was "We have to study the cost of consequences appropriate for the ordinance to go before the for Munson," Councilman Ron Silvia said. Voters, but he urged the city to "make plain" About a dozen residents spoke during a to residents what the cost will be for widen- public hearing before the vote, with the mes- ing Munson Avenue. sages split between opening up the street and That issue was discussed. Councilman keeping it closed. Steve Esmond moved to add a provision on Several members of the council stated their support for neighborhood integrity, but acknowledged a higher duty to honor the peti- tion. "Whether you think the petition is valid or not is beside the point," said Councilman Swiki Anderson, who made the original motion to place the ordinance on the ballot. Esmond, after quoting national pedestrian fatality statistics, said he supported closing Munson Avenue because "safety is an extremely important issue." "But we are obligated to put. this before the voters. The citizens are entitled," he said. 5U cents College Station voters will decide on the future of mr p Avenue. Eagle file photo