City Council

CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES CITY OF ODESSA, TEXAS April 21, 2020 On April 21, 2020, a work session meeting of the Odessa City Council was held at 10:05 a.m. in the Council Chambers, City Hall, 411 West 8th Street, Odessa, Texas. Due to the COVID-19, the meeting was teleconferenced, as allowed by the Governor’s executive order. City Council was present through teleconference. City Council present: Mayor David R. Turner; Council members: Dewey Bryant, District Two and Detra White, District Three; Tom Sprawls, District Four; Mari Willis, District Five; and Peggy Dean, At-Large. Others present: Michael Marrero, City Manager; Norma Aguilar-Grimaldo, City Secretary; Natasha Brooks, City Attorney; Phillip Urrutia, Assistant City Manager; Cindy Muncy, Interim Assistant City Manager; and other members of City staff. Mayor Turner gave the invocation. Discuss and consider the applications for the vacancy of Council member District One (Texas Government Code 551.074). Motion was made by Council member White and seconded by Council member Bryant to go into executive session under 551.074. The motion was approved by the following vote: Aye: Turner, Bryant, White, Sprawls, Willis, and Dean Nay: None The Council reconvened in open session. No action taken in executive session. Apply, accept, and appropriate funds from 2020 BJA Coronavirus Emergency Funding program. Mike Gerke, Police Chief, stated that that the awarded grant funds of $242,862 was for the purchase of equipment and overtime. Master Thoroughfare Plan Presentation. Hal Feldman, Traffic Engineer, explained the plan was a living document and would be revised as necessary. He explained the roadway classifications and the types of streets. He reported that the revised plan had five roadway changes. Four roadways were proposed to be downgraded due to the conditions of traffic and other factors. He explained Dixie being downgraded to a minor arterial as there were two main arterials to handle the traffic. Mission Blvd. was proposed to be upgraded to a minor arterial and it was a five line roadway. He explained the other four roadways. Tom Kerr, Director of Public Works, stated that with the long-term expectation, the roadway needed to reflect the expectation of the roadway and needed to be adjusted. It would also reduce the amount of payment and its maintenance. The plan was to provide planning and expectations for the future. Recommending citizens to wear masks in public settings. Mayor Turner stated that some cities were requiring the wearing of masks to protect other people. Council member Willis stated that if the city was reopening it would be a level of protection for people. Mayor Work Session Minutes April 21, 2020 Page 2 Turner provided statistics of tests and the explained the testing. ORMC would have a machine with two hour results but the cartridges of the machines may be difficult to obtain through the State. Council member Bryant stated that precautionary measures should be taken and recommended wearing a mask as well as the other measures of maintaining distance. It would prevent the spread to others and help to eradicate the virus. Council member Sprawls leaned on individual rights and we shouldn’t tell how others to act. Council member Willis stated to strongly suggest wearing the mask to keep numbers down. Mayor Turner stated that steps were needed to take place to open up the economy. The masks were protecting other people. Council member Dean suggested a PSA for wearing masks. Mayor Turner would issue a declaration recommending wearing masks. Council member Bryant left the meeting at 1:12 p.m. Ms. Brooks stated that it could just be a recommendation and a declaration was not needed. Discuss and consider approval of agreement between the City of Odessa and TEC Excavation for the emergency replacement of a collapsed sewer line. Mr. Kerr explained the corrosion of the sewer pipe. The cost for the replacement was $220,475 plus $55,000 for contingency. He identified the location. The repair could not be replaced in- house. The work would take 60 days to complete. Mr. Marrero stated that due to the critical nature it was not bided out due to the emergency. Motion was made by Council member Dean and seconded by Council member White to approve the emergency replacement of the sewer line as recommended. The motion was approved by the following vote: Aye: Turner, White, Sprawls, Willis, and Dean Nay: None Discuss and consider the phased West Texas Plan to gradually reopen our communities during the Covid-19 epidemic. Mayor Turner stated that the Governor has a committee to review city’s plan to open its community. He was working with six other Mayors from the area to provide a flexible plan that would meet the needs to each community. The plan included opening up businesses through the percentage of occupancy. Council member White was concerned with the occupant load as it would be difficult to enforce. She stated it should not include the employees. Council member Dean stated that there needed to be an effort to track the stats by age and race. Mayor would work with the health department. Council member Sprawls stated that there must be a balance with the plan and adequately be enforced. Council would be sent the updated plan to get people back to work. There was no further business, the meeting adjourned at 1:41 p.m. ATTEST: APPROVED: Norma Aguilar-Grimaldo, TRMC, CMC David R. Turner City Secretary Mayor