City Council

TH MINUTESFROMTHEHUNTSVILLECITYCOUNCILMEETINGHELDONTHE19 DAYOFFEBRUARY2013,INTHECITYHALL, LOCATEDAT1212AVENUEMINTHECITYOFHUNTSVILLE, COUNTYOFWALKER, TEXASAT6:00PM. TheCouncilmetinaregularsessionwiththefollowing: COUNCILMEMBERSPRESENT: MacWoodward,LydiaMontgomery,DonH.Johnson,KeithD.Olson,JoeEmmett,TishHumphrey,RonaldAllen,ClydeLoll COUNCILMEMBERSABSENT: JamesFitch OFFICERSPRESENT: MattBenoit,CityManager,LeonardSchneider,CityAttorney,LeeWoodward,CitySecretary____________________________ REGULARSESSION [6:00PM] 1. CALLTOORDER - Inthepresenceofaquorum,MayorWoodwardcalledthemeetingtoorderat6:00PM. 2. INVOCATIONANDPLEDGES - CouncilmemberLollgavetheinvocationandBreleeNichols oftheSanJacintoGirlScoutsledthe pledges. 3. PRESENTATIONSANDPROCLAMATIONS PeaceCorpsWeek 4. PUBLICCOMMENT Therewerenopubliccomments. 5. CONSENTAGENDA ApprovalofConsentAgendaauthorizestheCityManagertoimplementeachiteminaccordancewithstaffrecommendations. An itemmayberemovedfromtheConsentAgendaandaddedtotheStatutoryAgendaforfulldiscussionbyrequestofamemberof Council.) a. ApprovetheminutesoftheCityCouncilRegularSessionheldonFebruary5,2013. [LeeWoodward, CitySecretary] b. RatifytheagreementwithBuxtonforaretailrecruitmentandretentionsolution,previouslyconsideredandactedupon byCouncilonNovember27,2012. [MattBenoit,CityManager] c. AuthorizetheCityManagertoapplyfora2014 JAGGrantfromtheH-GAC/TexasCriminalJusticeDivisionandadopt Resolution2013-03insupportofsame. [Dr.SherryMcKibben,CommunityDevelopmentSpecialist] CouncilmemberHumphreymovedtoapprovetheConsentAgendaandwassecondedbyCouncilmemberMontgomery. The MayornotedtheCouncilhadreceivedslightcorrectionstotheminutes. CouncilmemberAllenaskedtopullitemb. Themotion carriedunanimously, 8-0. CouncilmemberJohnsonmovedtoapprovetheitemandwassecondedbyCouncilmemberOlson. CouncilmemberAllenasked howtheitemwasbeingbroughtbeforetheCouncilagainandMattBenoit, CityManager,saidtheprohibitionintheRulesof Procedurerequiredfivedaysforavoteafterafirstpresentationinaworkshopofatopic. Henotedtheviolationunintentional andthatthecontractsignedwasvalid. CityAttorneyLeonardSchneideragreed,sayingtheCouncilwasresponsibleforitself. HeaddedthatBuxtonwasowedforanyworkcompletedthusfar. CouncilmemberAllenaskedhowmuchhadbeencompleted andMr.Benoittoldhimitappearedtobeaboutathirdofthework. CouncilmemberAllensaidhestillopposedthecontractand thatretailwascomingtotheareaonitsown. CouncilmemberJohnsonsaidherememberedtherehadbeendiscussionandhisunderstandingwasthatthesurveywould provideadditionalanalysisbeyondretail. CouncilmemberAllensaidhefoundonlyretaildiscussedinthematerialintheCouncil packetandthathewouldliketobeshownwhereitwasstatedthatBuxtonwouldworkonareasotherthanretail. TheMayor saidAronKulhavy, DirectorofCommunityandEconomicDevelopment, wouldbeaskedtosetupameetingwith CouncilmemberAllen. CouncilmemberAllenaskedthattheCityManagerandtheBuxtonrepresentativealsobepresent. Themotioncarried, 7-1,CouncilmemberAllenvotingagainst. 6. STATUTORYAGENDA a. Presentation,discussion, andpossibleaction toconsidertheabandonmentoftheremainingportionofa20' sanitary sewereasementasfiledinVolume 210,page464,WalkerCountyPublicRecords. [AronKulhavy,Directorof CommunityandEconomicDevelopment] CouncilmemberMontgomerymadeamotiontoapprovetheabandonment andwassecondedbyCouncilmemberEmmett. The MayorconfirmedwithMr.Kulhavythattherewasnosewerlineintheeasement. Themotionpassedunanimously, 8-0. b. Presentation, discussion,andpossibleaction toapproveOrdinance2013-15,amendingthebudgetforFY12-13. [Steve Ritter,InterimFinanceDirector] CouncilmemberOlsonmadeamotiontoapprovetheordinanceandwassecondedbyCouncilmemberHumphrey. Themotion passedunanimously, 8-0. 7. MAYOR/CITYCOUNCIL/CITYMANAGER/CITYATTORNEYREPORT a. Presentation,discussion,andpossibleactiontoapprovenominationstoaCharterReviewCommittee. [MayorWoodward] TheMayornominatedCharlesSmither, Jr.,JohnEscobedo,RhondaReddoch, MariaMcIver, James “Mickey” Anderson,VanettaMills, BillDaugette, andMikeYawntotheCharterReviewCommittee. TheMayornotedalltheindividualshadexpressedinterestinservingandaddedthathewouldneitherdesignateachairpersonnor appointamemberofCounciltothecommittee. Themotionpassedunanimously, 8-0.  CouncilmemberHumphreyaskedabouttheprocessandwastoldbytheMayorthathehadaskedtheCityAttorneytoattendthefirst meetingofthegrouptoprovideinitialinformation. Headdedthatthegroupwouldmakeitsowndecisionaboutpublicinputduringtheir processandwouldpossiblymakerecommendationstoCouncil. TheCouncilwouldthenconsideranyrecommendationsfromthe committee,couldpresentsuggestionsoftheirown,coulddecidetohaveadditionalpublicforums,andwouldthenvoteonproposalsto beplacedontheNovember2013ballot. b. Presentation, discussion, andpossibleactiontoapprovenominationofLetaReinertotheCityofHuntsville,TexasVeterans AffairsAdvisoryBoard. [MayorWoodward] TheMayor’snominationpassedunanimously, 8-0. c. CityManager’sReport 1. UpdatesonCityconstruction, grants,studies,Cityprojects,Citypurchases, andeconomicdevelopment. CityManagerMattBenoitsaidtheCity’sBeautificationCommitteewouldbeholdingtheirannualgolftournamentatRaven NestonFebruary21andthatmoreinformationwasavailablefromPennyJoinerat936-291-5708. Mr.Benoit congratulatedClaireWillsonand StacySmithofthepolicedepartmenthadrecentlycompletedaneventinSanAntonio runningamileandthen952stepsintheTowerofAmericas Building. HealsogavepraisetoKimMcAuliffe, MainStreet Coordinator, astheprogramhadreceivednationalrecognitionforthethirdyearinarow. 8. PUBLICCOMMENT Therewerenopubliccomments. 9. MEDIAINQUIRIESRELATEDTOMATTERSONTHEAGENDA BrandonScottofTheHuntsvilleItemspokeaboutConsentitemb,sayingherecalledtherewasdissentinthevoteinNovemberand respectfullyaskedCouncilmemberswhovotedinsupportoftheitemabouttheneedfor “haste.” CouncilmemberJohnsonnotedthe Councilwastonightactingingoodfaithwhentheerrorwasfoundbutfelttheinitialvotewasnottakeninarushbutfeltthevotewas timelywhenitwastaken. TheMayoragreedandCouncilmemberHumphreynotedthereviewoftheRulesofProcedurewasan annualprocessandnotinrelationtotheBuxtonvote. CouncilmemberOlsonaddedthattheCouncil’sRulescouldhavechanges votedonatanytimeandthatCouncilwasnotthesponsoroftheitem. TheMayornotedtheprojectwasbudgetedandthatthe Councilknewtheitemwouldbecomingbeforethem. CouncilmemberAllensaidhefelttheitemwasrushedandthatthegoodthing wastherulewasinplace. Mr.ScottaskedforthenamesofthemembersapprovedfortheCharterReviewCommittee. TheywereCharlesSmither, Jr.,John Escobedo, RhondaReddoch, MariaMcIver, James “Mickey” Anderson, VanettaMills,BillDaugette, andMikeYawn. 10. ITEMSOFCOMMUNITYINTEREST TheMayornotedtodaywasPonchoRoberts’81st birthday! HenotedtheTrashBashwouldbeheldSaturday, March2,andalso listedthepubliceventsforSamHouston’sbirthdayandTexasIndependenceDay. TheMayorannouncedE-wasteDayonApril6 andthatTexasWeekwascomingup. HefinishedwithinformationontwohistoricmarkerstobeplacedatRogersvilleandtheFirst MissionaryBaptistChurchat1pmon10th StreetatAvenueP. CouncilmemberHumphreyremindedallofAllPawsInatSHSUon March2. KendallScuddernoteditwouldalsoincludetheSHSUcampusinTheWoodlandsthisyear. LindaPease, WynneHome Coordinator, notedthebeginningofFestivalInspiraciononMarch4attheWynneHomeandcontinuingfortwoweekswithevents aroundtownandoncampus. 11. EXECUTIVESESSION a. CityCouncilwillconveneinclosedsessionasauthorizedbyTexasGovernmentCode,Chapter551,Section551.071 - to receivelegalupdateonobtainingeasementsforwaterlineprojectonHighway190. [LeonardSchneider,CityAttorney] b. CityCouncilwillconveneinclosedsessionasauthorizedbyTexasGovernmentCode,Chapter551,Section551.071 – toreceivelegaladviceonthesettlementbetweenArborsandWCADofthecontestoftaxesbyAHFArborsat HuntsvilleILLCv.WalkerCountyAppraisalDist. [MayorWoodward] c. CityCouncilwillconveneinclosedsessionasauthorizedbyTexasGovernmentCode,Chapter551,Section551.071 – toreceivelegaladviceonpossibleclaimsandpendingclaims,includingbutnotlimitedtoSOAHfilingbyRichards, andadviceoncurrentemployeepolicyandprocedures. [LeonardSchneider,CityAttorney] MayorWoodwardadjournedtheCouncilintoExecutiveSessionat6:42p.m. 12. RECONVENE a. Takeaction,ifnecessary,onitemsaddressedduringExecutiveSession. b. ApproveOrdinance2013-16,amendingthebudgetforFY12-13. MayorWoodwardreconvenedthemeetingat7:38 p.m. Councilmember Olson madeamotiontoapprovetheamountof 434,707.78 toreimbursetaxespaidbyTheArbors, pursuanttothesettlementagreementwiththeWalkerCountyAppraisal District, andwassecondedbyCouncilmember Humphrey. Themotionpassedunanimously, 8-0. CouncilmemberOlsonmadeamotiontoapproveOrdinance2013-16andwassecondedbyCouncilmember Loll. Themotion passedunanimously, 8-0. 13. ADJOURNMENT TheMayoradjournedthemeetingat7:39pm. Respectfullysubmitted, LeeWoodward,CitySecretary