City Council

RD MINUTESFROMTHEHUNTSVILLECITYCOUNCILMEETINGHELDONTHE3 DAYOFDECEMBER2013,INTHECITY HALL,LOCATEDAT1212AVENUEMINTHECITYOFHUNTSVILLE, COUNTYOFWALKER, TEXAS,AT6:00PM. TheCouncilmetinaregularsessionwiththefollowing: COUNCILMEMBERSPRESENT: MacWoodward,AndyBrauninger,KeithD.Olson,DonH.Johnson,JoeEmmett,TishHumphrey,RonaldAllen,Joe P.Rodriquez COUNCILMEMBERSABSENT: LydiaMontgomery OFFICERSPRESENT:MattBenoit,CityManager,LeonardSchneider,CityAttorney,LeeWoodward,CitySecretary_____________________________ MAINSESSION \[6:00PM\] 1. CALLTOORDER 2. INVOCATIONANDPLEDGES – CouncilmemberHumphrey gaveaninvocationandguestpledgers fromFaith Lutheran Schoolledthepledges. CouncilmemberHumphreypresentedtheFaithLutheranSchoolthirdandfourthgradeclasswithaproclamationin recognitionoftheirpoliticalengagementstudyunitandconductoftheirstudentcouncilelections. 3. PUBLICCOMMENT Therewerenopubliccomments. 4. CONSENTAGENDA ApprovalofConsentAgendaauthorizestheCityManagertoimplementeachiteminaccordancewithstaffrecommendations. AnitemmayberemovedfromtheConsentAgendaandaddedtotheStatutoryAgendaforfulldiscussionbyrequestofa memberofCouncil.) a. ApprovetheminutesoftheCityCouncilRegular SessionheldonNovember19, 2013. \[LeeWoodward,City Secretary\] b. AdoptOrdinance2014-13,toamendtheFY2013-14budget. \[SteveRitter,DirectorofFinance\] CouncilmemberOlson movedtoapprovetheconsent agendaandwassecondedbyCouncilmemberHumphrey. CouncilmemberBrauningeraskedtopullitemb. Themotionpassedunanimously,8-0. CouncilmemberJohnsonmovedtoapproveitembandwassecondedbyCouncilmemberBrauninger. Themotion passedunanimously, 8-0. 5. STATUTORYAGENDA a. Presentation, discussion,andpossibleaction to considerarequesttochangethenameofLegionRoadto GordonRoadandadoptOrdinance2014-11,firstreading. \[AronKulhavy,DirectorofCommunityandEconomic Development\] CouncilmemberOlsonmovedtosuspendthetwo-readingrequirementandwassecondedbyCouncilmemberAllen. The motionpassedunanimously. CouncilmemberOlsonmovedtoapprovetherequesttochangethenameofLegionRoadto GordonRoadandadoptOrdinance2014-11andwassecondedbyCouncilmember Allen.Themotionpassed unanimously, 8-0. b. Presentation, discussion,andpossibleaction toadoptOrdinance2014-05 toestablishCityofHuntsville’s retirementprovisionsintheTexasMunicipalRetirementSystem (TMRS)onthe “50%repeatingCOLA (cost-of- livingadjustment)” andthe “50%repeatingUpdatedServiceCredits” basis,firstreading. \[SteveRitter,Finance Director\] CouncilmembersAllenandHumphreysignedconflictofinterestformsanddidnotparticipateintheitem. SteveRitter, FinanceDirector, recappedabudget presentation ontheprovisions (availableontheCitywebsite). Councilmember Brauningerrequestedacceptablelevelsforunfundedliabilityontheissueandraisedthepossibilityofself-funding. CouncilmemberJohnsonaskedforasetofcleardefinitionsontermsandclarificationonhistoricalexpenses. c. Presentation, discussion,andpossibleaction toadoptOrdinance2014-13toamendChapter14oftheCodeof Ordinances,specificallyarticleVI “SecondhandJewelryandPreciousMetals”; makingotherprovisions and findingsthereto; anddeclaringaneffectivedate,firstreading. \[ChiefKevinLunsford,DirectorofPublicSafety\] CouncilmemberOlsonsigned aconflictofinterestformanddidnotparticipateintheitem. ChiefKevinLunsford, Director ofPublicSafety, discussedtheintenttorefinetheefficiencyoftheordinanceinpractice. d. Presentation,discussion,andpossibleaction toadoptOrdinance2014-14,removingSection2-26 fromChapter 2,Administration, oftheCodeofOrdinances,pursuanttotheCharterelectionremovaloftheemployeegrievance appealtotheCityCouncil,firstreading. \[MattBenoit,CityManager,andLeonardSchneider, CityAttorney\] TheMayornotedthisOrdinancewasintendedtobringtheCodeofOrdinancesinlinewiththeCharter, followingthe November5,2013Charterelection. CouncilmemberHumphreymovedtosuspendthetwo-readingruleandwas secondedbyCouncilmemberOlson. Themotionpassedunanimously, 8-0. CouncilmemberHumphreymovedtoadopt Ordinance2014-14,removingSection2-26fromChapter2,Administration, oftheCodeofOrdinances,pursuanttothe CharterelectionremovaloftheemployeegrievanceappealtotheCityCouncilandwas secondedbyCouncilmember  Johnson. Themotionpassedunanimously, 8-0. 6. MAYOR/CITYCOUNCIL/CITYMANAGERANDCITYATTORNEYREPORT a. Presentation,discussion,andpossibleaction toapproveamendmenttotheCityManager’scontract. \[Mayor Woodward\] CouncilmemberOlson movedtoapprovetheamendment totheCityManager’s contract andwassecondedby CouncilmemberJohnson. Themotionpassedunanimously, 8-0. b. Presentation,discussion, andpossibleaction toappointStacyGodbytoanopenadultpositionontheYouth AdvisoryBoard. \[MayorWoodward\] MayorWoodward movedtonominateStacyGodbytoanopenadultpositionontheYouthAdvisoryBoard. Themotion passedunanimously, 8-0. c. CityManager’sReport 1. UpdatesonCityconstruction, grants,studies,Cityprojects,Citypurchases, andeconomicdevelopment. FireChiefTomGrishamupdatedtheCityCouncilonrenovationsandrepairsatFireStation #2,hopingfor completionunderbudgetinlateJanuaryorFebruary. HethankedtheCitycrewswhohaddonesomuchofthework, andDr.SherryMcKibbenandBillieSmithfortheirassistanceindonations, acquisitions, andpurchasing, alsonoting McCoysLumberdonatedallthekitchencabinetry. PoliceChiefKevinLunsfordthankedChiefGrishamandcalled hisworkontheproject “outstanding.” ChiefLunsfordreportedonimplementationofthealarmordinance, sayingitwasgoingwellbutthatnotificationwas theirgreatestcurrentchallenge. Hesaidthedepartment’sgraceperiodwouldendinJanuary,butnoted (with caution) therealreadyseemedtobesomereductioninfalsealarms. TheChiefaddedthatalarminformationcould behadatthePoliceDepartmentorontheirwebsite. TheChiefannouncedthattheofficerwhohadbeenhitrecently wasdoingwellandveryappreciativeoftheresponsetohisaccident. JamieMathewsoftheSamHoustonVisitorCenterinvitedalltotheirvolunteerappreciationtheafternoonof December5andtheDecember6kickoffofHuntsvillefortheHolidayswithinnumerableeventsaroundthe communityallweekend, listedontheCitywebsite. Mrs.Mathewsthankedallthevolunteersmakingtheevents possible. d. Presentation,discussion,andpossibleactiontoauthorizetheCityManagertoenterintoacontractforstrategic planningservices. \[MayorWoodward\] MayorWoodwardnotedheandCouncilmembersJohnsonandRodriquezrecommendedMarcelBrunel. Councilmember JohnsonmovedtoapprovetheselectionofMarcelBrunelandwassecondedbyCouncilmemberRodriquez. CouncilmemberRodriquezsaidMr.Brunel’spresentationwastoassisttheCityCounciltocompleteaplanthatitcould reviseannuallyitselfthereafter. CouncilmemberJohnsonstatedMr.Brunelseemedtobewillingtoinvestagreatdealin theworkandmakeitpossiblefortheCounciltorefineitscurrentstrategicplan. CouncilmemberAllenmovedtopostpone tothenextmeetingandwassecondedbyCouncilmemberRodriquez. CouncilmembersHumphreyandJohnsonurged votingtonighttomoveforwardwiththeprocessandcompleteittimely. CouncilmemberOlsonremindedalltheFinance Committeehadapprovedthefundsandreviewedthegeneralproposal. Themotionfailed, 4-4.CouncilmembersEmmett, Johnson,Olson,andHumphreyvotingagainstthemotion. Themainmotionpassedunanimously, 8-0. 7. PUBLICCOMMENT Therewerenopubliccomments. 8. MEDIAINQUIRIESRELATEDTOMATTERSONTHEAGENDA Therewerenoinquiries. 9. ITEMSOFCOMMUNITYINTEREST HearannouncementsconcerningitemsofcommunityinterestfromtheMayor, Councilmembers, andCitystaffforwhichno actionwillbediscussedortaken.) CouncilmemberHumphrey announcedGibbsBros.wasoneoffiftyhistoricTexasTreasuredBusinessesrecognizedbythe state,proposedbyStateSenatorCharlesSchwertnerandnominatedbyRepresentative JohnOtto. Sheremindedallcitizens tosubscribeorviewThisWeekinHuntsvilleonlinetoreviewtheSolidWastescheduleforChristmas. Councilmember HumphreysharedtheribboncuttingforTeslapoweringstationsattheHolidayInnExpress. SheannouncedSHSUwasin roundtwooftheplayoffsandwouldplayinHammond,LouisianaonSaturday. CouncilmemberJohnsonremindedallthatthe SHSUChristmasMusicFestivalwouldbeThursdayeveningatthePerformingArtsCenter. 10. ADJOURNMENT MayorWoodwardadjournedthemeetingat7:28pm. Respectfullysubmitted, LeeWoodward,CitySecretary