HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/25/2011 - Regular Minutes City Council (100 MINUTES OF THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
CITY OF COLLEGE STATION
AUSGUST 25, 2011
STATE OF TEXAS §
COUNTY OF BRAZOS §
Present:
Nancy Berry
Council:
Blanche Brick
Jess Fields
Karl Mooney
Katy -Marie Lyles
Julie Schultz
Dave Ruesink
City Staff:
David Neely, City Manager
Kathy Merrill, Assistant City Manager
Frank Simpson, Assistant City Manager
Carla Robinson, City Attorney
Sherry Mashburn, City Secretary
Tanya McNutt, Deputy City Secretary
Call to Order and Announce a Quorum is Present
With a quorum present, the Regular Meeting of the College Station City Council was called to
order by Mayor Nancy Berry at 8:04 p.m. on Thursday, August 25, 2011 in the Council
Chambers of the City of College Station City Hall, 1101 Texas Avenue, College Station, Texas
77842.
1. Pledge of Allegiance, Invocation, consider absence request.
Mayor Berry announced it was College Colors Day,
Citizen Comments
Tina Hanna, 1707 Serval Lane, stated she has been a volunteer in the Project Hold office since
January 2010. In that time, she has scanned and digitized 35,910 pages. This year they also
have three interns to assist with exhibits, research, and scanning. The program is about
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education, tourism, and fun. The City Museum is a great place to learn about the City, and
Project Hold is a place where people can search anytime 24/7. She has heard this program can
be done with volunteers. However, this program requires and deserves a full -time supervisor.
Susan Irza, 605 Summerglen, Chair of the Historic Preservation Committee, stated that while
other boards and commissions were told in advance of their dissolution, they were not. They had
to see online that the supervisor was cut in half and to be moved to another facility away from
the exhibits. They were told that only the personnel was cut in half, not the program. She asked
how can a full time program work without a full time director. Volunteers will not develop new
programs to help new people to the community. They were told the Council does not deal with
personnel matters. This is a smokescreen to obscure the fundamental question of whether we
will have a heritage program. The program is highly valued by the people in the community and
is recognized at state and national levels. Why is this being cut just at the celebration of 75
years? She asked the Council to please keep the program coordinator a full time position and to
make the statement that College Station values its heritage and heritage program.
Jerry Cooper, 602 Bell, spoke about maintaining the full time position of the heritage program.
He stated he has the solution to this problem and other budget issues such as road repair and
public safety. He stated the Council is proposing to lower the tax rate by one cent. This will put
$15 back into the pocket of taxpayers, but will cost the City $500,000 in property taxes. He
asked Council to direct staff to schedule to budget hearings to keep the tax rate exactly the same
as it is now.
Linda Harvell, 504 Guernsey, stated she is a member of the Historical Preservation Committee
and the chair for the 75th anniversary celebration. She has concerns about cutting the Heritage
Coordinator position in half. She was told there would be no modifications to the programs,
including the history lunch series; the only cut is program staff. No one has told the HPC how
this can be done. They have questions but have received no answers. If the coordinator position
is cut half time, who will answer those questions on the City's history? What about people that
want to donate to Project Hope? Where are they going to store those treasures, and where will
they be displayed? She understands that tough decisions must be made in the budget process,
but the information online states that it is imperative we retain the best and most highly qualified
staff; that is your coordinator. She asked the Council to keep her on full time and keep the
programs intact.
Libby Vastano, 2756 Cloisters Drive, said she believes a town must be fiscally responsible, but it
should do all in its power to preserve all those aspects that contribute to quality of life. People
want to move to College Station, and the largest group is senior citizens because of the quality of
life available. This quality of life is heightened by the heritage programs. These programs have
taken years to develop, and they are being constantly revised. These programs are Project Hold,
Hot Rocks, lectures, history series luncheons; this is more than a full time job. With this
reduction the quality of the programs will be affected. She also noted that she enjoys water
aerobics, but those funds have also been cut. She asked the Council to please don't diminish this
program. Why does city have to lower the tax rate by 1 cent? A majority of citizens favor fiscal
responsibility, but they also favor quality of life.
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111.• CONSENT AGENDA
2a. Presentation, possible action, and discussion of minutes for:
• August 8, 2011 Special Meeting
• August 11, 2011 Workshop and Regular Council Meeting
• August 15, 2011 Joint Meeting with City of Bryan, Brazos County and CVB
• August 15, 2011 Budget Workshop
• August 16, 2011 Budget Workshop
• August 17,2011 Budget Workshop
• August 18, 2011 Budget Workshop
2b. Presentation, possible action, and discussion regarding update to the existing Taxi
ordinance regulating Jitneys operating within the city limits of College Station.
2c. Presentation, possible action, and discussion regarding approval of a "Resolution
Declaring Intention to Reimburse Certain Expenditures with Proceeds from Debt" for
expenditures related to Wastewater Utility Capital projects.
2d. Presentation, possible action, and discussion Semi - Annual Report on Impact Fees 92-
01, 97 -01, 97 -02B, 99 -01, 03 -02, and consideration for a Resolution to support and execute a
Compliance Certification Letter to the Attorney General.
2e. Presentation, possible action, and discussion on a resolution to award a contract to Cal's
Body Shop for annual automobile and truck paint and body repairs in an amount not to
exceed $60,000.00.
2f. Presentation, possible action, and discussion regarding a resolution approving
construction contract #11 -310 with Elliott Construction, LLC authorizing the expenditure
of funds, in an amount not to exceed, $667,182.82 for the construction of a lift station near
the intersection of Rock Prairie Road and State Highway 6.
2g. Presentation, possible action, and discussion regarding the approval of a Landfill Gas
Purchase Agreement with the Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency, Inc.
(BVSWMA) in partnership with the City of Bryan.
2h. Presentation, possible action, and discussion regarding a contract for equipment
upgrade of the Northgate Street Meter System in the amount of $95,594.00.
2i. Presentation, possible action, and discussion regarding a deductive change order to the
construction contract with Dudley Construction Ltd. (contract # 11 -003) in the amount of
$68,115.39 for the Tauber & Stasney Street & Utility Rehabilitation Project.
2j. Presentation, possible action and discussion on an ordinance amending Chapter 10
"Traffic Code ", to remove parking along the east side of Tauber and Stasney Streets
C ir between University Drive and Church St., the east side of Stasney St. between Church St.
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fir► and Cherry St., the west side of Tauber between Cross St. and Cherry St. as part of the
Tauber & Stasney Street and Utility Rehabilitation Project.
2k. Presentation, possible action, and discussion regarding approval of two Wireline
Crossing Agreements with Union Pacific Railroad for fiber optic line relocation to support
the Texas A &M grade separation project at Wellborn Rd and Old Main Dr. Permit fees for
the two wireline crossings total $6,900.00.
21. Presentation, possible action, and discussion regarding approval of estimated annual
expenditures related to copying and printing services as follows: Tops Printing $60,000;
Texas Printing Co. $35,000; Office Max $35,000.
Staff removed Items 2h and 2i from the Consent Agenda by staff and were not acted on. Item 2c
was erroneously stated in the workshop as also being withdrawn.
MOTION: Upon a motion made by Councilmember Fields and a second by Councilmember
Mooney, the City Council voted seven (7) for and none (0) opposed, to approve the Consent
Agenda, less items 2h and 2i. The motion carried unanimously.
REGULAR AGENDA
1. Public Hearing, possible action, and discussion on Ordinance No. , Budget
Amendment #3 amending Ordinance Number 3290, which will amend the budget for the
2010 -2011 Fiscal Year in the amount of $7,699,757 and presentation, possible action and
discussion on two contingency transfers and one interfund transfer.
At approximately 8:34 p.m., Mayor Berry opened the Public Hearing.
There being no comments, the Public Hearing was closed at 8:34 p.m.
MOTION: Upon a motion made by Councilmember Fields and a second by Councilmember
Lyles, the City Council voted six (6) for and one (1) opposed, with Councilmember Mooney
voting against, to adopt Ordinance No. , Budget Amendment #3 amending Ordinance
Number 3290, amending the budget for the 2010 -2011 Fiscal including two contingency
transfers and one interfund transfer, with the exception of item 12 (pulled for a separate vote).
The motion carried.
MOTION: Upon a motion made by Councilmember Lyles and a second by Councilmember
Ruesink, the City Council voted six (6) for and one (1) opposed, with Councilmember Fields
voting against, to adopt item 12 in the budget amendment. The motion carried.
2. Public Hearing, presentation, possible action, and discussion regarding Ordinance No.
, approving an increase in rates for Atmos Energy pursuant to the Rate Review
Mechanism tariff approved in 2008.
At approximately 8:47 p.m., Mayor Berry opened the Public Hearing.
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There being no comments, the Public Hearing was closed at 8:47 p.m.
MOTION: Upon a motion made by Councilmember Schultz and a second by Councilmember
Brick, the City Council voted seven (7) for and none (0) opposed, to adopt Ordinance No. ,
approving an increase in rates for Atmos Energy pursuant to the Rate Review Mechanism tariff
approved in 2008. The motion carried unanimously.
3. Presentation, possible action, and discussion on Ordinance No. , providing for the
issuance of $7,935,000 City of College Station, Texas Certificates of Obligation, Series 2011
and ordaining other matters relating to the subject, including immediate effectiveness.
4. Presentation, possible action and discussion on Ordinance No. , providing for the
issuance of $1,960,000 City of College Station, Texas General Obligation Improvement
bonds, Series 2011 and ordaining other matters relating to the subject, including immediate
effectiveness.
Items 3 and 4 were discussed together.
MOTION: Upon a motion made by Councilmember Mooney and a second by Councilmember
Brick, the City Council voted seven (7) for and none (0) opposed, to adopt Ordinance No. ,
providing for the issuance of $7,935,000 City of College Station, Texas Certificates of
L Obligation, Series 2011 and ordaining other matters relating to the subject, including immediate
effectiveness. The motion carried unanimously.
MOTION: Upon a motion made by Councilmember Mooney and a second by Councilmember
Fields, the City Council voted seven (7) for and none (0) opposed, to adopt Ordinance No.
, providing for the issuance of $1,960,000 City of College Station, Texas General
Obligation Improvement bonds, Series 2011 and ordaining other matters relating to the subject,
including immediate effectiveness. The motion carried unanimously.
5. Adjournment.
MOTION: There being no further business, Mayor Berry adjourned the Regular Meeting of the
City Council at 9:09 p.m. on Thursday, August25, 2011.
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Nancy Berry, Mayor
ATTEST:
I I
Sherry Mas 411 urn, City Secretary
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