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Home My WebLink About07/23/2009 - Workshop Agenda Packet - City CouncilOn Behalf of the Citizens of College Station, Home of Texas A&M University, We will continue to Promote and Advance the Community’s Quality of Life Mayor Councilmembers Ben White John Crompton James Massey Mayor Pro Tem Dennis Maloney Katy-Marie Lyles City Manager Lawrence Stewart Glenn Brown David Ruesink Agenda College Station City Council Workshop Meeting Thursday, July 23, 2009 3:00 p.m. City Hall Council Chambers, 1101 Texas Avenue College Station, Texas 1. Presentation, possible action, and discussion on items listed on the consent agenda. 2. Presentation, possible action and discussion regarding a proposal for pedestrian improvements on University Drive in the Northgate area. 3. Presentation, possible action, and discussion regarding information about 2-1-1 Texas. 4. Presentation, possible action, and discussion regarding an update from the Youth Advisory Council on their activities of the past year. 5. Presentation, possible action, and discussion regarding a professional services contract with HDR Engineers to conduct a study to determine what amount is allowable, under State Law, to be charged for City-wide impact fees for water and wastewater. 6. Presentation, possible action, and discussion concerning the city’s anonymous reporting hotline for city employees. 7. Presentation, possible action, and discussion regarding a report from Mayor White on his trip as part of the Texas High Speed Rail and Transportation Corporation to Washington, D.C., on July 14 - 16, 2009. Topics which may be discussed are as follows: 1) Meeting with members of Congress and key staff to continue the pursuit of funds for high speed rail, extension of federal support for the goals of the THSRTC and include the Brazos Express Corridor route which would run through the College Station/Bryan area. 2) Monitoring and support appropriation requests submitted by the High Speed Rail Congressional Caucus. 3) Seeking additional insight into the appropriation and allocation for funds for high speed rail within the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. 8. Council Calendar August 7 TIPS Executive Briefing and Behind the Scenes Tour, 10:30 a.m. 1 Page | 2 City Council Workshop Meeting Thursday, July 23, 2009 On Behalf of the Citizens of College Station, Home of Texas A&M University, We will continue to Promote and Advance the Community’s Quality of Life August 11-14 12th Annual Texas Transportation Summit at Omni Mandalay at Las Colinas, 8:00 a.m. August 17 Council Budget Workshop in Council Chambers, 12:00 p.m. August 17 Council Workshop/Regular in Council Chambers, 3:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m. 9. Presentation, possible action, and discussion on future agenda items: A Council Member may inquire about a subject for which notice has not been given. A statement of specific factual information or the recitation of existing policy may be given. Any deliberation shall be limited to a proposal to place the subject on an agenda for a subsequent meeting. 10. Discussion, review and possible action regarding the following meetings: Arts Council of the Brazos Valley, Audit Committee, Brazos County Health Dept., Brazos Valley Council of Governments, Brazos Valley Wide Area Communications Task Force, Cemetery Committee, Design Review Board, Historic Preservation Committee, Interfaith Dialogue Association, Intergovernmental Committee, Joint Relief Funding Review Committee, Library Committee, Metropolitan Planning Organization, National League of Cities, Outside Agency Funding Review, Parks and Recreation Board, Planning and Zoning Commission, Sister City Association, TAMU Student Senate, Research Valley Partnership, Regional Transportation Committee for Council of Governments, Texas Municipal League, Transportation Committee, Wolf Pen Creek Oversight Committee, Wolf Pen Creek TIF Board, Zoning Board of Adjustments, BVSWMA, Signature Event Task Force, (Notice of Agendas posted on City Hall bulletin board). 11. Executive Session will immediately follow the workshop meeting in the Administrative Conference Room. Consultation with Attorney {Gov’t Code Section 551.071}; possible action. The City Council may seek advice from its attorney regarding a pending or contemplated litigation subject or settlement offer or attorney-client privileged information. Litigation is an ongoing process and questions may arise as to a litigation tactic or settlement offer, which needs to be discussed with the City Council. Upon occasion the City Council may need information from its attorney as to the status of a pending or contemplated litigation subject or settlement offer or attorney-client privileged information. After executive session discussion, any final action or vote taken will be in public. The following subject(s) may be discussed: a. Application with TCEQ for permits in Westside/Highway 60 area, near Brushy Water Supply Corporation b. Sewer CCN permit requests for Brushy & Wellborn Services Areas c. Water CCN permit requests for Brushy & Wellborn Services Areas d. Bed & Banks Water Rights Discharge Permits for College Station and Bryan e. Legal aspects of Water Well, permits and possible purchase of or lease of water well sites f. Cliff A. Skiles, DVM & C.A. Skiles Family Partnership, Ltd. Water permit applications with the Brazos Valley Groundwater Conservation District g. TMPA v. PUC (College Station filed Intervention) h. City of Bryan suit filed against College Station, Legal issues and advise on Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency contract, on proposed methane gas contract i. Update on legal proceedings for Grimes County Landfill site and contracts for development of Grimes County site j. Weingarten Realty Investors v. College Station, Ron Silvia, David Ruesink, Lynn McIlhaney, and Ben White k. Chavers et al v. Tyrone Morrows, Michael Ikner, City of Bryan, City of College Station, et al l. Rogers Sheridan v. Barbara Schob & Greg Abbott 2 Page | 3 City Council Workshop Meeting Thursday, July 23, 2009 On Behalf of the Citizens of College Station, Home of Texas A&M University, We will continue to Promote and Advance the Community’s Quality of Life m. Clancey v. College Station, Glenn Brown, and Kathy Merrill n. Legal issues related to Economic Development Agreement between City of College Station & Sahara Realty Real Estate {Gov’t Code Section 551.072}; possible action The City Council may deliberate the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property if deliberation in an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the position of the City in negotiations with a third person. After executive session discussion, any final action or vote taken will be in public. The following subject(s) may be discussed: a. Possible Purchase or Exchange of Property near E. University and Tarrow Personnel {Gov’t Code Section 551.074}; possible action The City Council may deliberate the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer. After executive session discussion, any final action or vote taken will be in public. The following subject(s) may be discussed: a. Mayor ProTem b. Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals c. Parks and Recreation Board 12. Action on executive session, or any workshop agenda item not completed or discussed in today’s workshop meeting may be discussed in tonight’s Regular Meeting if necessary. 13. Adjourn. APPROVED: ___________________________________________ City Manager Notice is hereby given that a Workshop Meeting of the City Council of the City of College Station, Texas will be held on the 23rd day of July, 2009 at 3:00 pm in the City Hall Council Chambers, 1101 Texas Avenue, College Station, Texas. The following subjects will be discussed, to wit: See Agenda Posted this 20th day of July, 2009 at 2:00 pm __ E-Signed by Connie Hooks VERIFY authenticity with ApproveIt _________________ City Secretary I, the undersigned, do hereby certify that the above Notice of Meeting of the Governing Body of the City of College Station, Texas, is a true and correct copy of said Notice and that I posted a true and correct copy of said notice on the bulletin board at City Hall, 1101 Texas Avenue, in College Station, Texas, and the City’s website, www.cstx.gov . The Agenda and Notice are readily accessible to the general public at all times. Said Notice and Agenda were posted on July 20, 2009 at 2:00 pm and remained so posted continuously for at least 72 hours proceeding the scheduled time of said meeting. 3 Page | 4 City Council Workshop Meeting Thursday, July 23, 2009 On Behalf of the Citizens of College Station, Home of Texas A&M University, We will continue to Promote and Advance the Community’s Quality of Life This public notice was removed from the official board at the College Station City Hall on the following date and time: _______________________ by ___________________________. Dated this _____day of _______________, 2009. CITY OF COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS By____________________________________ Subscribed and sworn to before me on this the ______day of _________________, ___________________Notary Public – Brazos County, Texas My commission expires:________ This building is wheelchair accessible. Handicap parking spaces are available. Any request for sign interpretive service must be made 48 hours before the meeting. To make arrangements call (979) 764-3517 or (TDD) 1-800-735-2989. Agendas may be viewed on www.cstx.gov. Council meetings are broadcast live on Cable Access Channel 19. 4 July 23, 2009 Workshop Agenda Item No. 2 University Drive Pedestrian Improvements To: Glenn Brown, City Manager From: Mark Smith, Director of Public Works Agenda Caption: Presentation, possible action and discussion regarding an update from TxDOT on the planned pedestrian improvements on University Drive in the Northgate area. Recommendation(s): Summary: TxDOT staff will present an update on the plan of improvements to enhance pedestrian safety along University Drive. This plan has been presented to the City staff. Budget & Financial Summary: Attachments: 5 July 23, 2009 Workshop Agenda Item No. 3 2-1-1 Texas To: Glenn Brown, City Manager From: Hayden Migl, Assistant to the City Manager Agenda Caption: Presentation, possible action, and discussion regarding information about 2-1-1 Texas. Recommendation(s): N/A Summary: A representative from the United Way Brazos Valley will be in attendance to present the principles of 2-1-1 Texas; the free, three-digit phone number that links callers to health and community services. It is a free, confidential information and referral service, staffed 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Callers’ needs are assessed by experts who have access to the most comprehensive database of community-based organizations, government agencies and nonprofits in Texas today. Information is available in more than 90 languages. A call to 2-1-1 Texas can answer questions like these: • Where can I find quality childcare at affordable prices? • Without health insurance, how can my child see a doctor? • Where can I find affordable counseling services? • How will I care for my aging parent? This presentation is meant to inform the Council of this service and help spread the word about 2-1-1 to connect people with the health and human services that can make a difference in their lives and our community. Budget & Financial Summary: N/A Attachments: N/A 6 July 23, 2009 Workshop Agenda Item No. 4 Youth Advisory Council Update To: Glenn Brown, City Manager From: Mike Mullen, Youth Advisory Council Liaison Agenda Caption: Presentation, possible action, and discussion regarding an update from the Youth Advisory Council on their activities of the past year. Recommendation(s): N/A Summary: Representatives from the Youth Advisory Council will be in attendance to give an update on their activities from the previous year. The attached report from the Youth Advisory Council for the 2008/2009 school year was prepared by this year's officers and provides an overview of the history of the council and where it is today. This year, the YAC saw new teen leadership, new members and more involvement than the first year. Members observed numerous city council meetings, developed by-laws, learned more about running business meetings, and conducted a Youth Citizen Satisfaction Survey of their peers. Plans for next year include increasing the visibility and accessibility of the YAC so that teens in our community will better understand how their voice can be heard in College Station. Budget & Financial Summary: N/A Attachments: 1. Youth Advisory Council Annual Update to City Council 7 Youth Advisory Council Annual Update to City Council June 5, 2009 Youth Advisory Council Mission Statement “The purpose of the College Station Youth Advisory Council is to make a positive impact on our community, to present the concerns of our peers to the city council, to assist the city council in making informed decisions concerning the youth, and to be the voice for the thousands of teenagers within our community.” Initially created in the fall of 2007, the Youth Advisory Council originally consisted of seven members: • Chair Jessica Gant • Vice Chair Daniel Laprea • Secretary June Kang • Historian Bianca Hernandez • Mani Singh • Quinn Shafer • Brittany Loretta. During the 07‐08 school year, the Youth Advisory Council successfully constructed the foundation for the Youth Advisory Council through hard work and dedication. The Youth Summit held in February of 2008 provided a plethora of information and helpful nudges to get us started. We observed many other Youth Advisory Council members and listened to what they had to share. Not only did other council members convey their knowledge and experience, but many inspiring speakers came to the summit and taught us the qualities that pertain to a leader. All of our members enjoyed the Youth Summit and we came home with a better idea of what we were trying to achieve. In the preceding two years, the Youth Advisory Council has drastically improved upon its efforts to create a more youth oriented and friendly College Station. The end of the 08‐09 school year consisted of multiple achievements and improvements to the Youth 8 Advisory Council’s foundation and organizational structure. The size of our organization more than doubled; members of the 08‐09 school year consisted of: • Chair June Kang • Vice Chair Bianca Hernandez • Secretary Mani Singh • Treasurer Quinn Shafer • Historian Sallyann Zhou • Lulu Chang • Kristina Raphael • Walker Riley • Lyndi Ruesink • Emily Ryan • Morgan Smith • Robby Smith • Katy Turner • Taylor Vestal • Scott Weaver This past year, we utilized improved ideas on how to efficiently execute meetings and manage our time productively. The Youth Advisory Council successfully created and organized four subcommittees to help its efforts: By‐Laws, Survey, Membership, and Special Events. Each committee helped the Youth Advisory Council differently; By‐laws were created and approved, the membership process was refined, special team building and leadership events helped us get to know each other better, and a survey for the youth of College Station was compiled. Furthermore, in an effort to improve our knowledge of city government, the members of the Youth Advisory Council attended multiple City Council Meetings. We recorded anything we heard or learned at the meetings and relayed this information back to our peers. Our knowledge of the City and ongoing issues improved greatly. As stated above, the Youth Advisory Council’s major project this year was compiling a survey for the youth (Attachment A). This survey pertained to many different elements of the city of College Station, such as safety, entertainment, and efficiency. There were several astonishing statistical values found within the analysis of the survey. For example, to the statement, “I feel my opinions are heard in College Station,” 47 teens completely disagreed while only 7 teens completely agreed. Regarding the advancement of public transportation, 96 students believed it would be beneficial while 29 thought it would not. This first annual survey of the youth by the Youth Advisory Council, will 9 hopefully provide much information regarding the teens of the community. Their opinions are expressed within the analysis of this survey (Attachment B). Currently, the Youth Advisory Council has begun the selection of future members for next year. We have begun our election process and have started to prepare for the 2009‐2010 year. Summer meetings have been planned in order for us to be ready when the new school year begins. We want to thank the City Council for all of the support that they have given us. We want to ensure the City that we are working diligently to understand any problems that the youth has and use this information to improve our wonderful city. 10 Attachment A Youth Citizen Satisfaction Survey Spring 2009 Please select the appropriate response for the following. *for this survey, a=1 b=2 c=3 d=4 & e=5 Demographics 1. Please indicate your gender by marking “a” = male and “b" = female. 2. How long have you lived in College Station? (Mark: “a” = 1 yr. or less; “b” = 1 to 5 yrs.; “c” = 5 to 10 yrs.; and “d” = 10 yrs. or more.) 3. How involved are you in the community? (1 = not involved, 5 = very involved.) 4. Do you drive on a regular basis? Rank from 1 to 5 with 1 = never to 5 = daily. 5. From the chart below, which elementary school is closest to your neighborhood? a. College Hills b. Forest Ridge c. Rock Prairie d. Pebble Creek e. South Knoll a and b. Creek View b and c. Southwood Valley Safety Rate how safe you feel at the following places with 1 = not safe at all to 5 = very safe. 6. School 7. Neighborhoods 8. Parks 9. Shopping centers 10. Restaurants 11. Roads as a driver 12. Roads as a pedestrian 13. Parking lots 14. Public entertainment (movies, arcades etc.) 11 Youth Citizen Satisfaction Survey Spring 2009 City of College Station Youth Advisory Council Page 2 of 3 Cleanliness Rate how clean you think the following places are with 1 = totally unclean to 5 = very clean. 15. School 16. Neighborhoods 17. Parks 18. Shopping centers 19. Restaurants 20. Roads 21. Public entertainment (movies, arcades etc.) Opinions Rank the following with 1 = “I do not agree at all” and 5 =“I definitely agree.” 22. It is easy to voice my opinions in College Station. 23. I feel my opinions are heard in College Station. 24. Do you fell the youth of College Station are treated fairly? 25. Do you feel the City Council acts upon the youth’s opinions? Activities Answer the following in the lined space provided on your scantron. Do not respond so that it exceeds the given space. 26. Do you have enough activities that directly apply to your main interests? 27. What facilities/activities would you want for the entertainment of teens? 28. Do you have fun in College Station. 12 Youth Citizen Satisfaction Survey Spring 2009 City of College Station Youth Advisory Council Page 3 of 3 Transportation For the following, mark “a” = yes and “b” = no. 29. I would use public transportation. 30. I have easy access to public transportation. 31. There is a greater need for bike lanes. 32. There is a greater need for sidewalks and crosswalks. 33. Public transportation needs development in College Station. 34. I feel public transportation would be beneficial in College Station. 35. I am aware of current public transportation in College Station. 36. The form of transportation I mainly use is: a. car b. bus c. bike d. walk e. other 13 Attachment B Results of the First Annual Youth Citizen Satisfaction Survey In order to learn more about the needs of the youth of our community, the Youth Advisory Council decided to conduct a Youth Citizen Satisfaction Survey about our community. After much deliberation and thought by the Youth Advisory Council, the survey was created and comprised of both multiple choice, short answer, and fill-in the blank questions to gain a better understanding of our peers. The survey was distributed at A&M Consolidated H.S. in April with the responses of 158 students gained. The information and statistics have been analyzed and condensed in the pages that follow. We feel this information will help both the Youth Advisory Council and the City Council better understand and serve the youth in our community. We hope to continue this survey in the years to come to continue learning about our community. *A copy of the survey has been included in this report for your reference. 1. 56 males and 73 females took this survey 2. The majority have lived here 10 years or more (62), a medium number have lived here 2 to 9 years (54), and a small amount have lived here 1 year or less (16). 3. The majority of students are not involved in the community (50), others were somewhat involved (69), and the least number were very involved (7). 4. 41 students never drive, 49 students drive on occasion, and 51 students drive daily 5. 18 lived in the College Hills area, 22 lived near Forest Ridge, 43 nearest Rock Prairie, 24 lived near Pebble Creek, and 17 near South Knoll. On Safety: 6. 7 felt schools were not safe at all, 94 thought schools were moderately safe, and 46 thought schools were very safe. 7. 8 felt neighborhoods were not safe at all, 90 thought neighborhoods were moderately safe, and 33 thought neighborhoods were very safe. 8. 10 thought parks were not safe at all, 105 thought parks were moderately safe, and 45 thought parks were very safe. 9. 7 thought shopping centers were not safe at all, 92 thought parks were moderately safe, and 31 thought parks were very safe. 10. 5 thought restaurants were not safe at all, 90 thought restaurants were moderately safe, and 45 thought restaurants to be very safe. 11. 12 thought roads from a driver’s perspective were not safe at all, 108 thought roads from a drivers’ perspective were moderately safe, and 16 thought roads from a driver’s perspective were very safe. 12. 21 thought roads as a pedestrian were unsafe, 116 thought roads as a pedestrian were moderately safe, and 16 thought roads as a pedestrian were very safe. 14 Attachment B 13. 18 thought parking lots were not safe at all, 90 thought parking lots were moderately safe, and 23 thought parking lots were very safe. 14. 6 thought public entertainment facilities were not safe at all, 95 thought public entertainment facilities were moderately safe, and 33 thougth public entertainment facilities were very safe. On Cleanliness: 15. 15 thought schools were very unclean, 118 thought schools were somewhat unclean, and 9 thought schools were very clean. 16. 7 thought neighborhoods were very unclean, 109 thought neighborhoods were somewhat unclean, and 24 thought neighborhoods were very clean. 17. 10 thought parks were very unclean, 109 thought parks were somewhat unclean, and 12 thought parks were very clean. 18. 10 thought shopping centers were very unclean, 114 thought shopping centers were somewhat unclean, 12 thought shopping centers were very clean. 19. 6 thought restaurants were very unclean, 101 thought restaurants were somewhat unclean, and 24 thought restaurants were very clean. 20. 21 thought roads were very unclean, 103 thought roads were somewhat unclean, and 6 thought roads were very clean. 21. 9 thought public entertainment facilities were very unclean, 118 thought public entertainment facilities were somewhat unclean, and 12 thought public entertainment facilities were very clean. On Opinions: 22. “It is easy to voice my opinions in College Station.” 22 completely disagreed and 18 completely agreed. 23. “I feel my opinions are heard in College Station.” 47 completely disagreed and 7 completely agreed. 24. “Do you feel the youth of College Station are treated fairly?” 28 completely disagreed and 10 completely agreed. 25. “Do you feel the City Council acts on the youth’s opinions?” 54 completely disagreed thinking “no” and 4 completely agreed thinking “yes” On Activities: 26. The majority of students thought they had enough activities that directly applied to them, answering “yes” 27. A varied response that includes: More options for safe entertainment, equestrian center, better mall, an amusement park or water park, amusement parks, concert venues, clubs, dance halls, driven in movie theater, CD and music stores, skate park, indoor baseball facilities, better 15 Attachment B mall, cheaper overall entertainment, actual arcade, more places to hang out, place where teens can socialize without paying for everything. 28. A mixed response that included some remarks such as: “When college kids aren’t in town,” “It’s quite boring for high-schoolers,” “Yes but not because of city facilities.” Other responses were numerous yes, no or sometimes. On Transportation: 29. 64 would use public transportation and 61 would not 30. 49 have easy access to public transportation and 76 do not. 31. 53 think there is a greater need for bike lanes and 56 do not. 32. 100 think there is a greater need for sidewalks and crosswalks and 35 do not. 33. 82 think public transportation needs development in College Station and 43 think it does not. 34. 96 think public transportation would be beneficial to College Station and 29 think it would not. 35. 65 are aware of current public transportation in College Station and 64 are unaware. 36. 105 mainly use cars, 10 mainly use buses, 5 mainly use bikes, 3 mainly walk, and 2 mainly use other means. 16 July 23, 2009 Workshop Agenda Item No. 5 Water/Wastewater City-wide Impact Fee Study To: Glenn Brown, City Manager From: David Coleman, Director of Water Services Agenda Caption: Presentation, possible action, and discussion regarding a professional services contract with HDR Engineers to conduct a study to determine what amount is allowable, under State Law, to be charged for City-wide impact fees for water and wastewater. Recommendation: None, this item is to inform City Council. Summary: This item is also on the Consent agenda for action. City Council has previously directed staff to pursue this study of City-wide Impact Fees for Water and Wastewater, but this presentation will ensure Council is fully apprised. Several years ago, the City engaged Rimrock Consulting to study the feasibility of impact fees in College Station. One of the conclusions of that study was that City-wide impact fees are feasible for the Water and Wastewater systems, but that additional information on future capital cost for system capacity expansion was required. Since that time, the City has completed a revision of the Comprehensive Plan, which has enabled an update of the Water and Wastewater master plans. These master plan updates are being conducted by HDR Engineers, and are now at the stage where they have the capital cost projections necessary to perform an impact fee study. If City Council chooses to award the impact fee study, the consultant will determine the maximum impact fees that could be assessed by City Council, according to State Law. Council will then have the option of whether to adopt the impact fees at all, and if they are adopted, at what percent of the maximum allowable. The study would take approximately six months to complete. The consultant must collect the cost data for existing excess system capacities, and add to that the cost of future capital projects for system capacity expansion over the next ten years. Using the formulas dictated by State Law, these capital costs will determine the maximum impact fees, both for water and wastewater. Please note that the contract provides for the consultant to make a presentation to City Council, right after the “data collection” phase is complete. This will allow Council to ask detailed questions of the consultant and review the process that must be followed for implementation of the impact fees. Also, the City already has in place impact fees for specific water and wastewater lines. The consultant will be able to advise us at that time regarding the feasibility of incorporating those into the City-wide impact fees. HDR Engineers was determined to be the most qualified firm to conduct this study, based on the on-going master planning work they have with the Water Services Department. Budget & Financial Summary: A Service Level Adjustment (SLA) for this Study was approved for this fiscal year, and funding is available in the Water and Wastewater operating budgets. Attachment: None 17 July 23, 2009 Workshop Agenda Item No. 6 Anonymous Reporting Hotline To: Mayor and Members of the City Council From: Ty Elliott, City Internal Auditor Agenda Caption: Presentation, possible action, and discussion concerning the city’s anonymous reporting hotline for city employees. Recommendation(s): None Summary: In keeping with a long standing tradition of open and ethical practices, city staff (under the direction of the Audit Committee) has implemented a new program that allows the use of an anonymous, third-party hotline for reporting employee concerns. In order to further promote a culture of accountability, the program was established to provide a problem resolution process and a strict non-retaliation policy to protect employees who report problems and concerns in good faith from retaliation. A summary of the program’s inception is as follows: · January 2008: The City Council inquired about implementing an anonymous reporting hotline for city employees. · November 2008: I received the Certified Fraud Examiners designation in order to enhance my credentials for fraud investigation. · October 2008: The City Council approved the fiscal year 2009 audit plan, which included implementation of an anonymous reporting hotline. · January 2009: The Audit Committee approved a plan to implement an anonymous reporting hotline consisting of hotline policy creation, third-party vendor selection, and communication plan development. · June 2009: Hotline policy created and communicated to department directors. · June 2009: Silent Whistle selected as third-party vendor to provide phone and web- based hotline services. · July 2009: The City Manager distributed the hotline policy to all employees and highlighting key points of the policy along with the intent of the hotline. · July 2009: In conjunction with the Human Resources Department, I have begun to conduct training sessions to large groups of city employees to communicate the intent and proper use of the hotline. Attached is the hotline policy for your review. In addition, I have attached the hotline posters that have begun to be posted in common work areas and wallet cards that will be distributed to all employees. 18 ANONYMOUS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM If you ever have a concern regarding unethical activity, don’t keep it to yourself The SilentWhistle hotline is available to anyone needing to confidentially report business abuse or dishonesty. We encourage you to use the hotline to report any issues of suspicious behavior or concern. Items to report may include (but are not limited to): It’s Simple... Step 1: Connect to the Internet from a computer outside of work Step 2: Type cstx.silentwhistle.com into the address bar and hit “Enter” Step 3: Select your method of anonymous communication or call toll-free 1-877-874-8416 to speak with a live hotline operator  Questionable Accounting  Fraud and Embezzlement  Conflict of Interest  Theft  Unsafe Workplace  Falsification of Information  Unethical Business Practices  Substance Abuse  Sabotage and Vandalism  Violating Policies & Procedures Allegiance is an independent company that provides hot- line services to organizations worldwide. This services is not intended as a substitute for speaking directly with management. It is available if you want help but don’t feel comfortable speaking up in person. 19 If you ever have a concern regarding unethical activity, don’t keep it to yourself. S I L E N T W H I S T L E BY ALLEGIANCE ANONYMOUS COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS cstx.silentwhistle.com ™ 20 S I L E N T W H I S T L E Step1: Connect to the Internet on a computer outside of work Step2: Type cstx.silentwhistle.com into the address bar Step3: Select your method of anonymous communication or call 1-877-874-8416 to speak with a hotline operator ANONYMOUS COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS BY ALLEGIANCE ™ cstx.silentwhistle.com 21