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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/08/2011 - Special Minutes City CouncilMINUTES OF THE SPECIAL CITY COUNCILMEETING CITY OF COLLEGE STATION JUNE 8, 2011 STATE OF TEXAS § COUNTY OF BRAZOS § Present: Nancy Berry Council: Blanch Brick Jess Fields, absent Karl Mooney Katy-Marie Lyles Julie Schultz Dave Ruesink Citv Staff: David Neeley, City Manager Kathy Merrill, Assistant City Manager Carla Robinson, City Attorney Mary Ann Powell, Assistant City Attorney Sherry Mashburn, City Secretary 1. Call to Order and Announce a Ouorum is Present With a quorum present, the Special Meeting of the College Station City Council was called to order by Mayor Nancy Berry at 8:44 a.m. on Wednesday, June 8, 2011 in the Council Chambers of the City of College Station City Hall, 1101 Texas Avenue, College Station, Texas 77842. 2. Welcome by City Manager. David Neelev. David Neeley, City Manager, welcomed the Council and expressed his appreciation for their attendance. 3. Presentation and discussion on Open Meetings and Conflict of Interest by City Attornev. Carla Robinson. Carla Robinson, City Attorney, provided an analysis of the Conflict of Interest laws. An affidavit must be filed with the City Secretary prior to the meeting, and the affected SM060811 Minutes Page 1 Councilmember must remove himself from the dais and the meeting room for the duration of the discussion. Ms. Robinson advised the Council to not talk about what goes on in Executive Session. It may or may not be a criminal violation, but a lot of what is discussed is attorney-client privilege, which could be waived if it is discussed outside Executive Session. It is also a matter of trust within the group. In 2005 we entered into an agreed judgment that we would tape record our Executive Session so we do not prepare a certified agenda. The Council then viewed the Open Meetings training video from the Attorney General. 4. Presentation and discussion on Understanding the Roles of the Council-Manager Form of Government, Policv Develooment, and Citv Council/Staff Relations by City Manager, David Neelev. David Neeley, City Manager, provided an overview of the role of the Council-Manager Form of Government. The system has been around since 1914 and combines political leadership with professional management. The Council serves as the policy makers and the City Manager oversees the operations. The role of the City Manager is to provide leadership to staff and implement Council directives. The City Manager also provides policy recommendations to the Council and prepares and administers the City's annual budget. The Council and Mayor serve as a non-partisan legislative body, developing the City's long-term strategic plan and establishing policies that affect the overall operations. The City Council provides policy direction, and the City Manager administers the execution of Council policies and directives. Both must be responsive and adaptive to the citizens' needs. He emphasized that the City Manager must listen to one collective voice from the Council. As for the relationship between Council and staff, Article III, Section 24 of the Charter states, "...the City Council and its members shall deal with the administrative service solely through the City Manager." This is not meant to stifle discussion between the Council and City departments. 5. Presentation and discussion on Oven Records and Public Information, Council Agenda Process. Parliamentarv Procedure, and the Council Relations Policv and Code of Ethics by Citv Secretarv, Sherrv Mashburn. Sherry Mashburn, City Secretary, provided the Council with a notebook containing the Public Information Administrative Policy/Procedure, Council Meeting Procedures, Parliamentary Procedure, and the Council Relations Policy and Code of Ethics. A brief overview was also provided. Information on upcoming seminars for newly elected City officials was given. 6. Presentation and discussion on the Budget Policv and Process by Chief Financial Officer. Jeff Kersten. Jeff Kersten, Chief Financial Officer, explained the statement of purpose for the City is to enable the City to achieve a long-term stable and positive financial condition. The operating budget must be a balanced budget, which means current revenues must be greater or equal to current expenditures. The budget process is coordinated so as to identify major policy issues for the City Council. Other policies include capital budget and program, capital maintenance and SM060811 Minutes Page 2 replacement, and accounting, auditing and financial reporting. Assess management, debt management, and financial conditions, reserves, and stability ratios are other policies, as well. Mr. Kersten also provided a brief overview of purchasing policies and procedures. Purchasing decisions are based on economic and business merit. We have executed interlocal cooperative purchasing agreements with TAMU, City of Bryan, Brazos County, State of Texas, etc. Mayor Berry left the meeting early. 7. Presentation and discussion on Communications and Handline Media Inquiries by Public Communications Director. Jav Socol. Jay Socol, Director of Communications, reported his department handles communications, media, crisis management, etc. He stressed that the Council collectively and individually, the staff, City programs, are the brand for College Station. The Council are the cheerleaders for the City. They have various venues to get their message across. The focus has shifted to "You care, listen and respond". The City is also being smart and strategic in addressing controversial or negative items on the agenda. Mr. Socol demonstrated some of the ways the City utilizes social media. 8. Presentation, possible action, and discussion on an amendment to the ordinance that created the Sunset Advisorv Commission. and aooointin2 three Councilmembers to the Sunset Advisorv Commission. This item was not discussed. 9. Executive Session There was no Executive Session. 9. Adiournment MOTION: There being no further business, Mayor Pro Tern Ruesink adjourned the Special Meeting of the College Station City Council at 1:33 p.m. on Wednesday, June 8, 2011. The motion carried unanimously. r 1v Nancy Berry, Mayor ATTEST: herry Mas rn, City Secretary SM060811 Minutes Page 3