City Council Meetings

665 MINUTES REGULAR MEETING MINERAL WELLS CITY COUNCIL CITY HALL ANNEX December 05, 2017 - 6:00 pm City Councilmembers present were Mayor Mike Allen, Mayor Pro-Tern Tammy Underwood, Councilmembers Brian Shoemaker, Regan Johnson, Jerrel Tomlin, John Upham, and Doyle Light. A quorum of City Councilmembers was present. Staff members present were City Manager Lance Howerton, Finance Director John Moran, Public Works Director Kelly Jones, Fire Chief Mike Pool, Administrative Clerk Peggy Clifton, City Clerk Juanita Formby, and City Attorney Mack Reinwand. Police Chief Dean Sullivan was absent. Mayor Allen called the meeting to order, Pastor Margie Holmes of Central Methodist Church of Mineral Wells led the invocation, and the Pledges of Allegiance to the U.S. and Texas flags were recited. CITIZEN COMMENT 1. Charles Thompson had asked to address the City Council regarding the recent lighted Christmas Parade and "Merry Wells" celebration in the downtown area, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Thompson said that cars were parked on the curb along the parade route (U.S. Highway 281), obstructing the view, and small children were going between the cars and into the street to get a better view, creating a safety concern. Mr. Thompson suggested that in the future, parking along the parade route be restricted, and parking offered elsewhere, with shuttle service to the downtown area. Mayor Allen recognized Vyncent Hemphill, who had signed a speaker card to address the City Council. Mr. Hemphill said that .0e .had created an on-line survey to ask water customers of the City their opinions about the City's water service. He included questions about water quality, water meters, water billing, and customer service. He had generated bar graphs and pie charts of his findings, and shared this with the City Council. He said that most of those responding were not satisfied with the various aspects of the water service, and he told the City Council that they should address these concerns. He said that some of the respondents did not wish Mineral Wells City Council Minutes 12/05/2017 Page 1of6 666 to be identified because they feared retaliation, and said that when customers visit the water customer service window, they do not get satisfactory answers to their concerns. He also referenced a TCEQ violation that had occurred earlier this year. Mr. Howerton responded to some of the issues raised, gave Mr. Hemphill his card, and said that anyone having problems with the water customer service was welcome to visit him and he would look into any problems they might have. After a brief discussion, City Attorney advised the Mayor and this was not a posted agenda item, and the discussion should be curtailed. Following a motion made by Mr. Upham, seconded by Mrs. Underwood, the following CONSENT AGENDA was approved by a vote of 7-0: 2. Consider approval of minutes of previous meetings held on November 17 and November 21, 2017. 3. Consider approval of budgeted expenditures over $500. ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION 4. Mr. Moran introduced students from the University of Texas at Arlington's Master of Public Administration Program . The program requires graduate students to complete a ~real world" project prior to graduation. UTA is Mr. Moran's alma mater and he was contacted and asked if the City of Mineral Wells has any projects they could undertake to meet this requirement, and also assist the City with something that is needed. Mr. Moran suggested a formal ethics policy, which would be something desirable that the City does not currently have. Fatema Nasreen, assisted by Christopher Hoc NhuNhan, gave a power point presentation that spoke of the desirability of having such a policy, and distributed copies of a draft policy for the Council to consider at a later date. The students were thanked for their work; no action was taken at this time. 5. Mr. Howerton reminded the City Council that they had previously authorized staff to advertise and receive bids for the demolition of condemned structures. Two bids were received and opened on November 21st, from Area Wide Construction of Weatherford, Tex~s and from Matrix Demolition of Aledo, Texas. The opening revealed that the total bid submitted by the two contracts were the exact same, $22,600. The City Attorney had told the staff that Mineral Wells City Council Minutes 12/05/2017 Page 2 of 6  667 in such a circumstance, the staff could make the recommendation based on past experience with the contractors (both of whom have done business with the City before) . Based on their exemplary performance on past jobs, staff now recommended that the bid be awarded to Area Wide Construction in the amount of $22,600. Mr. Shoemaker moved and Mr. Upham seconded to award the bid to Area Wide Construction as recommended, and the motion carried 7-0. The structures subject to this demolition bid are located as follows: 515 N.W. 4ili Street 516 S.W. 17th Street 2400 S.W. 2nd Avenue 614 S. E. 2nd Avenue 1800 S. E. 12th Street 514 S.W. 11ili Street 6. Mr. Howerton reminded the City Council that the City participates with TxDOT Aviation to maintain and upgrade the Mineral Wells Municipal Airport, and has expressed its interest that the City would like to participate in the TxDOT Aviation Capital Improvements Program in order to maintain and rehabilitate runways and taxiways at the Airport. TxDOT Aviation is now requesting that the City of Mineral Wells approve a resolution authorizing its participation in this program. The proposed program is divided into ' three components in three separate State Fiscal Years. Year 1 (State FY 2018) contemplates the completion of project engineering at a cost of $166,666. Year 2 (State FY 2019) proposes the initial construction activity involving rehabilitation of Runway 13-31 and adjoining taxiways at a cost of $908,700. Year 3 (State FY 2020) proposes continuation of apron and taxiway improvements at a cost of $639,600. The total cost of the project is $1,715,000 of which the City's matching share would be 10% or $171,500. Mr. Howerton said that it has been about 10 years since the most recent runway and taxiway rehabilitation project was completed. Individual project contracts will be executed for each fiscal year activity. Matching share monies required for this project would be provided through the Airport Fund. Following the presentation, Mr. Upham moved and Mr. Light seconded to approve the resolution expressing the interest in the City's participation in the subject TxDOT Aviation Capital Improvements Program Project. Motion carried 7-0. Mineral Wells City Council Minutes 12/05/2017 Page 3 of 6 668 7. Mrs. Formby advised the City Council that staggered terms of the Palo Pinto County Municipal Water District No. 1 Board expire on the last day of December each year, this year it is the terms of Board members Ronny Collins, Bob Sturdivant, and Wesley Ellis. Correspondence from Board President Dr. David Turk indicates that Mr. Ellis and Dr. Collins do not wish to be reappointed. Dr. Turk is recommending new appointments, Mr. Richard Kidwell and Mr. Howard Huffman, and the reappointment of Bob Sturdivant. Staggered terms on the Mineral Wells Housing Authority Board expire on the last day of January 2018. Mr. Raymond Davis and Mr. Eric Douglas have each agreed to serve additional terms. Mrs. Formby said that the Mayor's Committee on Boards and Commissions (Councilmembers Underwood and Upham) is recommending new appointments to the Water Board, Richard Kidwell and Howard Huffman, and reappointment of Bob Sturdivant, to terms which will expire December 31, 2019. The Committee further recommends reappointment of Raymond Davis and Eric Douglas to the Housing Authority Board, to terms which will expire January 31, 2020. Mr. Shoemaker moved and Ms. Johnson seconded to make the appointments/reappointments to the PPCMWD No. 1 and Housing Authority Boards as recommended by the Mayor's Committee on Boards and Commissions, and the motion carried 7-0. 8. Mrs. Formby informed the City Council that the Mineral Wells volunteer firefighters are members of the Texas Emergency Services Retirement System, a state-wide retirement system particularly for volunteers, and the City pays for each firefighter. There is a Local Board made up of three volunteer firefighters appointed by the volunteer department; two civilians appointed by the Board itself, and one representative of the governing body, appointed by the City Council. The representative of the governing body has typically been the City Clerk, and this term will expire on December 31, 2017. Mrs. Formby's retirement will also be effective that day, and her replacement, Peggy Clifton, has been unofficially selected by the City Council. Mrs. Formby said that if the City Council so chose, it would be appropriate to appoint Ms. Clifton effective January 1, 2018. Mrs. Regan moved and Mr. Light seconded to appoint Peggy Clifton to a new term as the governing body's representative on the Local Board of the Texas Emergency Services Retirement System effective January 1, 2018. Motion carried 7-0. Mineral Wells City Council Minutes 12/05/2017 Page 4 of 6  669 9. Mr. Moran said that, pursuant to City Council direction, staff had advertised and received Requests for Proposals from auditing firms for the purpose of considering hiring a new firm for the City's annual independent audit. Five responses were received in response to the RFP. Councilmembers Brian Shoemaker and Doyle Light were appointed to a committee to review the RFPs and return with a recommendation for the City Council to consider. Mr. Shoemaker said that he and Mr. Light had thoroughly reviewed each proposal. The auditing firm currently used by the City, George Moran and Sneed, had also submitted a proposal. Mr. Shoemaker said that Carr, Riggs and Ingram out of Dallas, Texas submitted an impressive proposal for an attractive price, and it seemed desirable to select a completely new firm so that the City's financial position would be seen with a fresh perspective. Therefore the Committee recommended Carr, Riggs and Ingram. Mrs. Underwood moved to accept the recommendation, Mr. Upham seconded, and the motion carried 7-0. Mr. Moran said that the staff would return with an Engagement Letter with the chosen firm at a near future date. 10. Fire Chief Pool said that the City has contracted with Emergicon LLC for ambulance billing services since January 2015. Emergicon provides the Fire/EMS with computer software for reporting and billing purposes, and to assist with HIPAA compliance. Chief Pool said that Emergicon found $132,000 for the City through the ambulance supplement program last year. The renewal agreement contemplates 7% for billing (the same as last year) and software is included. Chief Pool recommended that the relationship with Emergicon be renewed for another term. Mrs. Regan moved to adopt a resolution authorizing execution of the renewal agreement with Emergicon, Mr. Upham seconded, and the motion carried 7-0. 11. Mr. Howerton said that this item was placed on the agenda to allow Council to further discuss the next projects to be the subject of a bond election, and that staff would like further guidance and direction from the City Council. He ·said that any election held in May 2018 would have to be called no later than mid-February, and that is a very short time in which many details must be determined; he suggested that a November election would be better. Several of the City Councilmembers were supportive of a new public safety complex, and Mr. Howerton said it is doubtful that even a site for the new complex could be Mineral Wells City Council Minutes 12/05/2017 Page 5 of 6 670 found before the election would have to be called. Mr. Howerton suggested that the City Council to again name a citizens committee to review and recommend projects, with each City Council member nominating three citizens to serve on the Committee. A slate of various projects has already been created, we simply need to revisit those possibilities. He further suggested that a November 2018 or May 2019 election date be considered, which would allow ample time to determine the projects, plan for them, and get the details before the public in advance of the election. Mrs. Underwood wanted to name the citizens committee at the next meeting of the City Council. There was a consensus to have an item on the next agenda for this purpose. 12. Mr. Howerton advised the City Council that there was once again interest from a developer for the construction of a tax credit affordable (subsidized) multi-family housing project in Mineral Wells. He distributed a handout which named the seven (7) existing such apartment complexes, three of which are for senior citizens, which equaled a total of 373 units. He asked the City Council if they would be interested in seeing more projects of this type in the City. Mrs. Underwood said that if it is a complex for seniors, she would not necessarily be opposed, but did not think she would support such a project otherwise. Mr. Shoemaker agreed. He said he felt there were already enough of these in town. Mrs. Underwood also was interested in seeing the number of police calls some of the complexes generated. There was interest in seeing how many such complexes other communities of similar size had. Mr. Upham also expressed that he would rather pass on another such project. There was no further business, and the meeting was adjourned at 7:16 pm. Mineral Wells City Council Minutes 12/05/2017 Page 6 of 6