City Council Meetings

MINUTES REGULAR MEETING MINERAL WELLS CITY COUNCIL CITY HALL ANNEX May 21, 2019 - 6:00 pm Audio recordings of the City Council meetings are available on the City's website at mineralwellstx.gov City Councilmembers present were Mayor Pro-Tern Tammy Underwood, Councilmembers Brian Shoemaker, Regan Johnson, Jerrel Tomlin, Beth Watson and Doyle Light. Mayor Christopher M. Perricone was absent. A quorum of City Councilmembers was present. Staff members present were City Manager Randy Criswell, Finance Director John Moran, Police Chief Dean Sullivan, Fire Chief Mike Pool, Public Works J::>irector Bob Neal, City Clerk Peggy Clifton, and City Attorney Andy Messer. Mayor Pro-Tern Tammy Underwood called the meeting to order. Pastor Jake Grogan oflndian Creek Baptist Church led the invocation, and the Pledges of Allegiance to the U.S. and Texas flags were recited. CITIZEN COMMENT Two people had signed to speak and Mayor Pro-Tern Tammy Underwood recognized each one in turn. Terri Blevins of2807 North Murco Drive spoke about the Baker Hotel. Doug Jefferson of 607 NE 39111 Avenue spoke of the accomplishments of the Community Christian School. Mayor Pro-Tern Tammy Underwood questioned Item #2 on the consent agenda asking why we were over budget for payment to TML. Mr. Moran stated that this will be fixed with a budget amendment but was due to various things like the City Manager search. Following a motion made by Mr. Shoemaker, seconded by Ms. Johnson, the following CONSENT AGENDA was approved by a vote of 6-0: 1. Consider approval of minutes of meetings held May 7, 2019 and May 14, 2019. 2. Consider approval of budgeted expenditures over $500. 3. Consider approval of Financial Report for the month ended February 2019. 4. Consider approval of the Investment Report for the Quarter ended March 2019. 5. Consider and take action regarding the approval of a contract with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for the use of the Mineral Wells Activity Center. 6. Consider and take action awarding a Request for Proposal solicitation for mowing services. ll Page 7. Consider and take action on Change Order No. 3 and Pay Application No. 8 to B&L Construction Co. in the amount of $51,873.43 for the 16-inch Water Line Installation Project (Phase I) on US Hwy. 180 West. ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION 8. Item #8 was moved to take place after Item #11. 9. Mayor Pro-Tern Tammy Underwood opened a Public Hearing at 6: 17 to consider a plat of 500 Hwy 337, being a 4.148 acre tract of land out of the Northeast V4 of Section NO. 52, Block "A". E.O.B., M.E.P. & P.RR Co. survey (W. Pierce Survey), Abstract NO. 376, Palo Pinto County, Texas; being part of certain 3 .217 acre tract described in Volume 694, Page 685 of the Deed Records and all of a certain 1.658 acre tract described in Volume 226, Page 409 of the Official Public Records, Palo Pinto County to Narcomey Acres Lot 1 & Lot 2, Mineral Wells, Palo Pinto County, Texas. Mayor Pro-Tern Tammy Underwood closed the Public Hearing at 6:17. Mr. Pool stated that the Planning & Zoning Commission had approved this plat. Ms. Johnson moved and Mr. Light seconded to approve a plat of 500 Hwy 337, being a 4.148 acre tract of land out of the Northeast V4 of Section NO. 52, Block "A". E.O.B., M.E.P. & P.RR Co. survey (W. Pierce Survey), Abstract NO. 376, Palo Pinto County, Texas; being part of certain 3.217 acre tract described in Volume 694, Page 685 of the Deed Records and all of a certain 1.658 acre tract described in Volume 226, Page 409 of the Official Public Records, Palo Pinto County to Narcomey Acres Lot 1 & Lot 2, Mineral Wells, Palo Pinto County, Texas. Motion canied 6-0. 10. Mayor Pro-Tern Tammy Underwood opened a Public Hearing at 6: 19 to consider a re-plat of 900 SE 11th Ave, being 0.551 acres, Lots 1-4, Block 4, Richards #1 Addition, Mineral Wells, Palo Pinto County, Texas to Lots IR, 3R & 4R, Bloc 4, Richards #1 Addition, Mineral Wells, Palo Pinto County, Texas, in order to place an additional manufactured home on property. Mr. Pool stated that the Planning & Zoning Commission had approved this plat. Mayor Pro-Tern Tammy Underwood closed the Public Hearing at 6:19. Mr. Shoemaker moved and Mrs. Watson seconded to approve a re-plat of 900 SE 1 lth Ave, being 0.551 acres, Lots 1-4, Block 4, Richards #1 Addition, Mineral Wells, Palo Pinto County, Texas to Lots IR, 3R & 4R, Bloc 4, Richards #1 Addition, Mineral Wells, Palo Pinto County, Texas. Motion caiTied 6-0. 11. Mr. Criswell stated that Council had been presented an Economic Development Plan through the Economic Development Task Force. He gave the Council his assessment of some of the recommendations that were presented with the plan. The first recommendation is to establish an Economic Development Corporation. The Economic Development Corporation is not different than the Community Development Corporation. Because the Task Force is wanting to start new, a change of name from our existing Corporation could easily be done with the State. After the name change, Council would appoint or reappoint new Board members. The Board would consist of seven members. Up to four of the members could be members of the Council. 21 P age  The second recommendation is to employ a full time Economic Development Director. Mr. Criswell's experience is that typically an Economic Development Corporation does fund its administration. If not paid by the Corporation, this would come out of the General Fund. He stated that a third party could be used to assist in filling this position if needed to be done in a hurry. Much discussion was held regarding how this would be funded. The third recommendation is to employ an Urban Planner. He stated that we could diversify a job description for a position that would serve as Director of Planning, Development, Building Inspections, Code Enforcement, and Flood Plain Administration. Mr. Criswell was given direction to move ahead to start planning for that positon. The fomih recommendation is to strengthen and focus the Chamber of Commerce. There are changes that could be made via the collection of Hotel Occupancy Tax. An election would have to be held to increase the amount collected for the Hotel Occupancy Tax. The fifth recommendation is to adopt a 380 Incentive Policy. This is a policy that Council could adopt fairly quickly. The final recommendations he discussed were to complete a Comprehensive Plan which is a lengthy process that could possibly take one to two years, to actively invest Type B funds into eligible projects, to aggressively promote Opportunity Zones, and to continue to use the Texas Capital Fund. Ms. Johnson moved and Mr. Shoemaker seconded to change the name of the Community Development Corporation to the Economic Development Corporation, to approve the Mineral Wells Economic Development Strategic Plan, to authorize staff to move forward with the recommendations presented. Motion carried 6-0. 8. Mr. Moran presented the results of a Community Survey that was performed by students of the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) to determine what Economic Development Projects the citizens would like to see. He stated that the survey would be made available on the City's website and that the survey would need to be done again to get more responses. No action taken. 12. Mr. Moran stated that the downtown area is eligible for inclusion in the National Register Historic District. The nomination form to the Texas Historical Commission, including the final preparation of documents for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, will cost $25,000. There would be a Community Meeting, if the Council chose to do this, before the submission to answer questions, hear concerns, or allow the community to voice their opinions. Those concerns would be sent to the Texas Historical Commission as paii of the application process. If Council decides to proceed in this fiscal year, the funds will have to come out of fund balance (reserves) as it was not budgeted. He will need to incorporate this in the upcoming budget amendment. If Council decides to proceed in the next fiscal year, staff will need to incorporate this in the budget process, but the funds will likely originate out of fund balance (reserves) in any event. 3I Page  Council recommended delaying this item until after the next TIRZ meeting and the Board bringing back a recommendation to Council. Mr. Light moved and Ms. Johnson seconded to table this item until after the TIRZ Board has a chance to meet and come back with a recommendation. Motion caiTied 6-0. 13 . Mr. Moran had presented the Council an ordinance to deny the proposed change in rates of Oncor Electric Delivery Company, LLC, finding and determining that the meeting at which the ordinance is passed is open to the public as required by law, and declaring an emergency. On April 8, 2019 Oncor Electric Delivery filed a proposed rate increase to recover certain plant investment costs incun-ed in calendar year 2019. If approved, the rate increase would take effect September 1, 2019 and would result in a 68 ¢ per month increase to the bill of the average residential customer utilizing 1,300 kWh per month. The City of Mineral Wells had 60 days in order to take action with respect to this requested rate increase. If the City were to take no action during that period of time, the rate increase would immediately be appealed to the Public Utility Commission in Austin. Were the City to deny the rate increase, this would also be appealed to the Public Utility Commission. Oncor Electric Delivery has recommended that cities having original jurisdiction, such as the City of Mineral Wells, deny the rate increase, thereby effectively sending the case to the Public Utility Commission for review and final disposition. This would allow the Public Utility Commission to determine the appropriateness of the rate increase and would also allow for Oncor Electric Delivery to have a system-wide rate. That being the case, it was recommended that the ordinance be adopted denying the proposed change in rates as requested by Oncor Electric Delivery Company, LLC. Mrs. Watson moved and Ms. Johnson seconded to approve an ordinance denying the proposed change in rates of Oncor Electric Delivery Company, LLC, finding and determining that the meeting at which the ordinance is passed is open to the public as required by law, and declaring an emergency. Motion caiTied 6-0. 14. Mr. Shoemaker asked to get an update on the Downtown Streetscape Project and Downtown Conceptual Plan on the next agenda. No action taken. 15. There was no further business and the meeting adjourned at 7:41 p.m. a//~ ~ tr &~ Christopher M. Pen-icone, Mayor ATTEST: Pe~ln,~ APPROVED: . 0 6/O'f/c;OI 9 41 Page