City Council

CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES CITY OF ODESSA, TEXAS September 20, 2022 On September 20, 2022, a work session meeting of the Odessa City Council was held at 3:02 p.m., Council Chamber, fifth floor, City Hall, 411 W. 8th St., Odessa, Texas. City Council present: Mayor Javier Joven; Council members: Mark Matta, District One; Detra White, District Three; Tom Sprawls, District Four; and Mari Willis, District Five. City Council absent: Council members Steven P. Thompson, District Two and Denise Swanner, At-Large. Others present: Michael Marrero, City Manager; Norma Aguilar-Grimaldo, City Secretary; Natasha Brooks, City Attorney; Cindy Muncy, Assistant City Manager; and other members of City staff. A quorum being present, Mayor Joven called the meeting to order, and the following proceedings were held: Council member Willis gave the invocation. Provision of properties located along 5th Street from Grant to Texas for the purpose of Downtown redevelopment using a Chapter 380 agreement. No discussion. Discuss request by Family Promise of Odessa for an extension of time to expend CDBG funds. Merita Sandoval, Director of Community Development, stated that Family Promise requested for time extension to expend its funds of $12,107. It would help with the upcoming year as there were three families on its wait list for assistance. The extension would be for one year. Discuss purchase of two replacement engines and one replacement ladder truck. Saul Ortega, Assistant Fire Chief, stated that two engines and one ladder truck would be purchased for $3,313,332.51. The time estimation to build the equipment was 30 months. The engines each cost was $896,115.36 and the ladder truck cost was $1,719,967. The units were scheduled for replacement in 2025 but due to the time of receiving them in three years, they were being ordered at this time. Mrs. Muncy stated that the funds would be paid out from the Equipment Replacement Fund. Assistant Fire Chief Ortega stated that options were considered for financing, but discounts would be lost if the other options were chosen. Discuss purchase of Fire Rescue uniforms for all OFR personnel. John Alvarez, Fire Chief, stated that the purchase of two sets of uniforms would be for each employee. The cost was $91,788.11. Funding would be from the wearing apparel account and the Conoco Phillips donation of $45,000. Discuss approval of the Ector County Utility District (ECUD) wholesale water rate for FY 2022-23. Tom Kerr, Director of Public Works/Utilities, stated that on November 10, 2020 the City Council approved a new wholesale water supply contract with ECUD for the City to supply water to ECUD for the purpose of resale to its customers. This contract has a rate model which both the City and ECUD agreed to use to calculate the wholesale rate ECUD Council Work Session Minutes September 20, 2022 Page 2 would pay the City. Council was to review the rate. NewGen calculated the new rate at a monthly fixed charge of $139,724 plus a volumetric charge of $1.2829/1000 gallons for a comparative rate of $3.83/1000 gallons. The rate would be effective October 1, 2022. The increase in cost was associated with the debt service at the Water Treatment Plant. The ECUD Board approved the rate with concerns. Council member White stated that the citizens were receiving a water rate increase. In the past, ECUD had approximately 5,500 connections. Ordinance 2022-25 - Levying the tax for the 2022 Tax Year, 2022-23 Fiscal Year. Mrs. Muncy stated the no new revenue tax rate was 48.3791 cents per $100 valuation. Motion was made by Council member Sprawls and seconded by Council member Willis to approve the ordinance on final approval. The motion was approved by the following vote: Aye: Joven, Matta, White, Sprawls, and Willis Nay: None Discuss Council travel policy. Mrs. Grimaldo reviewed the housing keeping changes on the Council travel policy. Changes including removing The Finance Committee and replaced with the Mayor or the Mayor Pro Tem as there was no longer a Finance Committee. Auto reimbursement could be made for local travel to city related events but typically it was not utilized for the local auto reimbursement. Mayor Joven stated to include in the travel policy for clarification. Motion was made by Council member Sprawls and seconded by Council member Matta to adjourn the meeting. The motion was approved by the following vote: Aye: Joven, Matta, White, Sprawls, and Willis Nay: None The meeting adjourned at 4:53 p.m. ATTEST: APPROVED: Norma Aguilar-Grimaldo, TRMC, CMC Javier Joven City Secretary Mayor