City Council

ND MINUTESFROMTHEHUNTSVILLECITYCOUNCILMEETINGHELDONTHE2 DAYOFSEPTEMBER 2014,INTHECITY HALL,LOCATEDAT1212AVENUEMINTHECITYOFHUNTSVILLE, COUNTYOFWALKER, TEXAS,AT6:00P.M. TheCouncilmetinaregularsessionwiththefollowing: COUNCILMEMBERSPRESENT: MacWoodward,AndyBrauninger,LydiaMontgomery, DonH.Johnson,KeithD.Olson, JoeEmmett,Tish Humphrey,RonaldAllen,JoeP.Rodriquez COUNCILMEMBERSABSENT: None OFFICERSPRESENT:MattBenoit,CityManager,LeonardSchneider,CityAttorney,LeeWoodward,CitySecretary_____________________________ MAINSESSION \[6:00P.M.\] 1. CALLTOORDER –MayorWoodwardcalledthemeetingtoorderat6:00p.m. 2. INVOCATIONANDPLEDGES – CityManagerMattBenoitgaveaninvocationandDanielleHillledthepledges. 3. PRESENTATIONSANDPROCLAMATIONS CouncilmemberHumphreyintroducedTylerLivezey, ExternalAffairsrepresentativeoftheSHSUStudentGovernment Association,whoofferedhisassistance. 4. CONSENTAGENDA PublicCommentswillbecalledforbythepresidingofficerbeforeactionistakenontheseitems. (ApprovalofConsentAgenda authorizestheCityManagertoimplementeachiteminaccordancewithstaffrecommendations. Anitemmayberemoved fromtheConsentAgendaandaddedtotheStatutoryAgendaforfulldiscussionbyrequestofamemberofCouncil.) a. ApprovetheminutesoftheCityCouncilRegularSessionheldon August19, 2014. \[LeeWoodward,City Secretary\] b. ApproveResolution2014-14designatingTheHuntsvilleItemastheofficial newspaperfortheCityofHuntsville forFY2014-15,annualitem. \[LeeWoodward,CitySecretary\] CouncilmemberMontgomery movedtoapprovetheconsentagenda andwassecondedbyCouncilmemberJohnson. Themotionpassedunanimously, 9-0. 5. PUBLICHEARING CityCouncilwillholdapublichearingtoreceivecitizeninputregardingtheFiscalYear2014-2015AnnualBudget. ThePublicHearingwasopenedat6:04p.m. KarlDavidsonofferedbudgetrecommendationsforreducingthetaxrateand revisingthebudget, addressingwhathefeltwaswasteinconsultancyprojects. TheHearingwasclosedat6:16p.m. 6. STATUTORYAGENDA a. Presentation, discussion,andpossibleaction toapprovedecisionpackagesfortheFY14-15budget. \[Matt Benoit,CityManager\] (pagenumbersgivenarebehindtab5inthebudgetnotebook) 1.ProposedUsesofUnallocatedReservesfromeachfund (p.5-1to5-3). 2.City-wideadditionsanddeletionstopositions (p.5-4). 3.Proposedfundingsourcesandlevelsofvariousemployeebenefits (p.5-5to5-6). 4.GeneralFundCapitalImprovementProjects (p.5-7to5-8). 5.SpaceNeedsAssessmentsforCityHall,ServiceCenter/GarageandWarehouse, PoliceDepartmentandFire Station #2 (p.5-9to5-10). 6.WaterFundCapitalImprovementProjects (p.5-11to5-14). 7.WastewaterFundCapitalImprovementProjects (p.5-15to5-17). 8.SolidWasteTransferStationReplacementDesignandPartialConstructionFunding (p.5-18). 9.StreetConditionAssessmentStudy (p.5-19). Councilmember Olson movedtoapprovedecisionpackagesfortheFY14-15budget andwassecondedby CouncilmemberMontgomery. CouncilmemberAllenaskedtopull6a(5)andtheportionof6a(1)relatedtothecostof 6a(5). CouncilmemberBrauningermovedtoincreasetheGeneralFundsalestaxestimateby $22,716, toatotalof $6,822,716, forthefiscalyear2014-2015, andtoincreasetheLibrarypart-timepositioncountbytwopart-timeCirculationClerks,and increasethepart-timesalaryaccountfortheLibraryby $22,716,to a totalof $118,301,effectiveOctober1,2014,and wassecondedbyCouncilmemberHumphrey. Theamendmentwasadoptedunanimously, 9-0. CouncilmemberRodriquezaskedtopullitem6a(7). Theamendedmainmotion (lessitems6a(7)and 6a(5),andthe portionofitem6a(1)relatedtoitem6a(5))passedunanimously, 9-0. Councilmember Olson movedtoapproveitem6a(5)andthefunds for $450,000 relatedtoitinitem6a(1)andwas secondedbyCouncilmember Humphrey. Councilmember Allensaidhedidnotsupportfundingthespaceneeds assessmentsforCityHall,ServiceCenter/GarageandWarehouse, PoliceDepartment,andFireStation #2. Councilmember Brauningerurgedthatanystudiesdonebeutilizedinatimelymannerandaskedforprioritizationofthe studies. CouncilmemberEmmettsuggestedneedsassessmentswerenotneeded,butthatprojectplans and implementationwere. Themotionpassed,8-1,CouncilmemberAllenvotingagainst. CouncilmemberMontgomery movedtoapproveitem6a(7)andwassecondedbyCouncilmemberHumphrey. CouncilmemberRodriquezquestionedtheneedforthe $150,000studyinadditiontothepreviousconditionassessment  conductedin2013. CarolReed,DirectorofPublicWorks,andCityEngineerRamRamachandrasaidtheproposalwould befordetailedengineeringtoperformtheupgradesprioritizedinthepreviousstudy. CityManagerMattBenoitelaborated ontheassessment/design/constructionprocessandtheirrelationtotheCityCharterrequirementsforcompetitionand planningprocess. Themotionpassedunanimously, 9-0. 7. MAYOR/CITYCOUNCIL/CITYMANAGERANDCITYATTORNEYREPORT a. Presentation,publiccomment, discussion,andpossibleaction toapprovenominationsforCityboards, committees,andcommissions. \[MayorWoodward\] TheMayormovedhisnominations (below), whichwereapprovedunanimously, 9-0. HotelOccupancyTaxBoard JoshuaWinston, reappointment ScottyCherryholmes, reappointment CodeyWinston,appointment TIRZ #1BoardofDirectors CityofHuntsville, TexasVeteransAffairsAdvisory DonJohnson,reappointment Board DaleneZender,reappointment RichardYawn,reappointment MichelleBright,appointment YouthAdvisoryBoard StephenBright,appointment DanielleHill,reappointment DavidDeKerlegand, appointment DustinMendoza, reappointment DavidLanoue,appointment b. CityManager’sReport 1. UpdatesonCityconstruction, grants,studies,Cityprojects,Citypurchases, andeconomicdevelopment. a. TRAupdate b. PhaseIproposalforsewerdesign th c. 7 Streetengineeringcontract d. SmithHillwaterlinebid CarolReedpresentedanupdateontheTrinityRiverAuthority (TRA)plantimprovements andwasthankedby theCouncil. CityEngineerRamRamachandradiscussedthePhaseIdesignfortheTownCreeksanitarysewer th andengineeringforalong7 Street to AvenueM,andbiddingforthewaterlineonSmithHill. CityManager Benoitannouncedallgreen-lightprojectsfromthepriorCIPprojectevaluation (conductedsixmonthsago)were comingalongverywellandthathewouldbeprovidingtheCouncilwitha thoroughreviewofallprojects. CouncilmemberAllenaskedtheCityManageraskedforanupdateontheSafeRoutestoSchoolsidewalks projectattheSeptember16CityCouncilmeeting. 8. REQUESTSFORCITIZENPARTICIPATION NorequestswerereceivedbynoononTuesday, August26,2014. TheMayorpermittedJerryDeWitttospeak,who expresseddispleasurewiththeamountproposedforconsultants. KarlDavidsonalsospokeinopposition,andaskedthe Councilmemberstoreviewpriorstudiesandseethattheywerebeingused. KenHolland,acurrentCityU.participant, commendedtheCouncilandstaffwithwhomhehadcomeincontactthroughtheprogram. 9. MEDIAINQUIRIESRELATEDTOMATTERSONTHEAGENDA StephenGreen,TheHuntsvilleItem,askedMr.Benoitaboutpriorbuildingassessments, andwastoldtheywereactuallyon waterandwastewatersystems. Mr.Greenalsoaskedifdesignwasplannedintheyearfollowingtheproposedassessments discussedthisevening,andMr.BenoitreferredtotheCharterrequirementsforballotinitiativesforissuanceofdebt. Rather, Mr.Benoitsaid,heproposedthatplanningandpublicengagementforinputandrecommendationwouldoccurin2016-2017, ascurrentdebtwasbeingretired. 10. ITEMSOFCOMMUNITYINTEREST HearannouncementsconcerningitemsofcommunityinterestfromtheMayor,Councilmembers,andCitystafffor whichnoactionwillbediscussedortaken.) MayorWoodwardmadethefollowingannouncements: Thelibrary’s14th Streetbookdropisopenandreadyforuse. TheHeartWalkwillbeheldSaturday, September27,from9-11a.m.,contactKarenBilsingat291-3411formore information. ThefirstmeetinginOctoberissetforOctober7at5p.m.,sothatwecanpotentiallyfinishearlyandallow CouncilmemberstoattendNationalNightOutevents. Thescheduleofeventshasbeenupdated,theywillbeheldfrom4- 7p.m.attheTargetcenter, butparadesorpartieswithneighborhoodassociationswillbeginat5or5:30 (contactyour neighborhoodassociationliaisonforfinaltimes). Ifyoudon’t haveaneighborhoodgroup,youcancontactOfficerMark Jenkinsat936-291-5480. TheCity’s StateoftheCityaddresswillbeheldonOctober21,withatimeandlocationtobeannounced. TheCitywouldacceptpublicinputonway-findingsignageatthepubliclibraryonMonday, September15,at5:30p.m. Additionally,ithasbeenthepracticeofthelastseveralyearstomovetheCouncilmeetingthatfallsonthefirstTuesdayof November,asitiselectionnight,thisyearNovember4. Itwillbethesamethisyear,cancellingtheNov.4meetingand holdingthesecondregularmeetingdateinNovember,whichwillbeNovember18. DuetoachangeintheElectionCode, theCitymayalsoconductitselectioncanvassonthatdate. TheCitywouldagainhonorPOW/MIARemembranceDayonFriday,September19,at6:45a.m.  CouncilmemberHumphrey remindedallthatjustbecausesomethingwasprinted,factsstillneedtobeverified, andthatCity Councilmembersreceive $10permeeting. ShesaidtheSHSUfootballteamhadextendedtheirwinningstreakandwonlast Saturday. CouncilmemberJohnsonrecommendedallreadthesummerissueoftheSHSUalumnimagazineanditsstoryon thenewprojectsandconstructionplans. 11. ADJOURNMENT MayorWoodwardadjournedthemeetingat8:22p.m. Respectfullysubmitted, LeeWoodward,CitySecretary