City Council Meetings

514 MINUTES REGULAR MEETING MINERAL WELLS CITY COUNCIL CITY HALL ANNEX March 7, 2017 - 6:00 pm City Councilmembers present were Mayor Mike Allen, Councilmembers Clif Wright, Brian Reagan, Jerrel Tomlin, Tammy Underwood, and Wayne Johnson. Mayor Pro Tern John Upham was absent. A quorum of City Councilmembers was present Staff members present were City Manager Lance Howerton, Police Chief Dean Sullivan, Finance Director John Moran, Public Works Director Kelly Jones, Fire Chief Mike Pool, City Clerk Juanita Formby, and City Attorney Courtney Kuykendall. Mayor Allen called the meeting to order, Pastor Nathan Buchanan of the First Baptist Church of Mineral Wells gave the invocation, and the Pledges of Allegiance to the U.S. and Texas were recited. CITIZEN COMMENT 1. Mayor Allen recognized Ms. Peggy Clifton, Administrative Clerk in the City Clerk's office. Peggy recently graduated from the Texas Municipal Clerk's Certification Program and is now a Texas Registered Municipal Clerk. Mayor Allen presented her graduation certificate and Peggy was given a standing ovation. 2. Mr. Kris Miller was on the agenda to discuss with the City Council clearance liens that were placed on property in the City that he wished to purchase via tax sale. Mr. · Miller arrived late to the meeting, and this item was not actually discussed until after the last item on the agenda. Mr. · Miller lives in Southlake, Texas. He said he had bid on tax foreclosed property described as Lots 1 and 2 and part of 3, Rogers Addition, aka Abstract 1683, in Mineral Wells, and located at 1208/1210 West Hubbard. Two clearance liens were placed on the property in 2000; one for the removal of a condemned house in the amount of $3,250, and the other for mowing in the amount of $1,200. Mr. Miller was asking the City Council to waive or forgive some or all of the liens. In response to questions from the City Council, he said he had no thoughts for immediate use of the property. There was a lengthy deliberation among the City Councilmembers. Councilman Wright said he was willing to Mineral Wells City Council Minutes 02/21/2017 Page 1of4  515 waive the $1,200 for mowing, but was not willing to forgive the $3,250 for demolition. Others on the Council tended to agree with this. Councilman Reagan, however, argued that it was a 17-year old debt. The City has done without the money for · all this time, and he felt it would be reasonable to forgive half of the total amount - $2,225, arguing that if the City recouped half of the money it was better than none at all, which has been the case for 17 years. Mr. Miller would begin paying taxes on the property and it would again become viable. Mayor Allen and Councilman Tomlin were hesitant to set a precedent for forgiving clearance liens. Councilman Johnson was not inclined to waive the liens. Mr. Wright said that this will not be the last time the Council is approached with this type of request, and suggested that the Council should meet in a workshop situation to discuss how this could best be handled. After a lengthy discussion, Mr. Reagan moved and Mr. Wright seconded to waive the $1,200 mowing lien, but the $3,250 demolition lien would stand. This motion carried 5-1, with Councilman Johnson voting nay. When asked, Mr. Miller said that he would consider if he would still purchase the property with the larger lien still attached. Mr. Reagan moved and Mrs. Underwood seconded to approve the following CONSENT AGENDA, and the motion carried 6-0: 3. Consider minutes of previous meetings held February 21, 2017. 4. Consider approval of budgeted expenditures over $500. 5. Consider Corrosion Eliminator's Application for Payment in the amount of $44,950.27 6. Consider Crawford Roofing's Application for Payment in the amount of $40,464.30. 7. Consider approval of a resolution authorizing execution of Amendment No. 01 to Contract between the City of Mineral Wells and the Texas Department of State Health Services for access to state data-base for the purpose of issuing individual birth records. ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION l Mineral Wells City Council Minutes 02/21/2017 Page 2 of4 516 8. Mr. Howerton said that on February 7, 2017, the City Council had authorized staff to advertise for the demolition of structures which had gone through the condemnation process of the City's Building and Standards Commission. Five bids were received and opened on February 28, 2017, and staff now recommends the bid be awarded to the low bidder, Matrix Demolition, in the amount of $34,275.00 One house was removed from the original list because it did not have a clear title. Mr. Howerton said that Matrix Demolition has worked for the City before, and is a responsible company. The locations of the houses on this demolition list are as follows: 214 S.E. 1 5 t Avenue, 1415 S.W. 4th Avenue, 2700 S.W. 9th Avenue, 1019 S.W. ist Street, 1214 N.W. 1st Avenue, 110 N.W. 7th Street, 514 N. W. lOth Street, and 311 N.E. 7th Avenue. Following a brief discussion, Mr. Wright moved and Mrs. Underwood seconded to award the bid for the demolitions to Matrix Demolition in the amount of $34,275.00, and the motion carried 6-0. 9. Mr. Moran said that a hail storm in May of 2013, which damaged numerous City facilities, also caused water damage to the wood floor at the City gym. The City's property damage insurance carrier, Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool, has said that the repairs would be covered 100% by insurance proceeds; however, there must be a competitive bidding process. Mr. Moran asked the Council to authorize staff to advertise and receive bids until April 11, 2017. A possible award will be made at the City Council meeting to be held on April 18, 2017. Following the discussion, Mr. Reagan moved and Mr. Wright seconded to authorize staff to advertise and receive bids for the repair of the gymnasium floor. Motion carried 6-0. 10. Mr. Moran reminded the City Council that at their previous meeting, they had appointed Mr. Mike Smiddy as the Associate Municipal Court Judge. He presented an ordinance to formalize that action. Mr. Reagan moved and Mrs. Underwood seconded to pass and approve an ordinance of the City of Mineral Wells, Texas appointing an Associate Municipal Court Judge for the Mineral Wells Municipal Court and setting the length of term of appointment; authorizing and ratifying other actions; providing a cumulative clause and severability clause; providing for an effective date. Motion carried 6-0. Mineral Wells City Council Minutes 02/21/2017 Page 3 of4  517 11. Chief Sullivan said that Cricket Wireless hopes to host a block party to honor small businesses in the community, and is asking that a portion of S.E. lOth Avenue be temporarily closed to accommodate the vendors and attendees. The Police Department has conducted a site survey and has no objection to this event. Public Works has allotted sufficient traffic cones and barricades to ensure the safety of the event. Mr. Reagan moved to pass and approve an ordinance providing for the temporary closure of certain streets within the City of Mineral Wells to facilitate a block party sponsored by Cricket Wireless to be held on Saturday, March 25, 2017. Mr. Johnson seconded, and the motion carried 6-0. 1. There was no further business, and the meeting was adjourned at 6:45 pm. Mike~ ATTEST: l Mineral Wells City Council Minutes 02/21/2017 Page 4 of 4