City Council Meeting

MINUTES RICHWOOD CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, September 12, 2022 at 6:15 PM BE IT KNOWN THAT a City of Richwood City Council will meet Monday, September 12, 2022, beginning at 6:15 PM at Richwood City Hall, located at 1800 Brazosport Blvd. N., Richwood, Texas 77531 with the following agenda: I. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 6:43 p.m. II. ROLL CALL OF COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT Steve Boykin Mike Johnson Melissa Strawn Matthew Yarborough Rory Escalante ABSENT Carey Lankford Others present: Eric Foerster, City Manager; Kirsten Garcia, City Secretary; Tricia Ditto, Finance Director; Clif Custer, Public Works Director; Stephen Mayer, Chief of Police; Phillip Knop, City Attorney III. PUBLIC COMMENTS Mr. Challenger – spoke on taxes. He stated he see the City has proposed lower tax rate which is appreciated. Added that he supports the City to lower taxes as much as possible. He stated that he believes its counterproductive to increase taxes at this time. IV. CONSENT AGENDA A. Approval of minutes from regular meeting held August 8, 2022. B. Investment Report, Q3 FY 2022 C. Budget Report, July 2022 D. Budget Report, August 2022 Motion to approve consent agenda. Motion made by Mike Johnson, Seconded by Rory Escalante. Voting Yea: Mike Johnson, Melissa Strawn, Matthew Yarborough, Rory Escalante Motion carried. V. PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED 2022-2023 BUDGET Discussion held on street maintenance planned for end of FY 23. Discussion held on expenditures for code enforcement Discussion held on animal controls services.  Discussion held on contracts and staying on top of reviewing contracts. Closed public hearing at 7:22 p.m. VI. PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED 2022-2023 TAX RATE Discussion held on streams of revenue. Discussion held on the city presenting a lower tax rate and the lack of control over appraisals. Closed public hearing at 7:33 p.m. VII. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS A. Discussion and possible action concerning any final changes to the FY 2022-2023 Proposed Budget. No action taken. B. Discussion and consider adopting Ordinance 22-497, an ordinance appropriating adopting a budget for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2022 and ending September 30, 2023. Motion to adopt Ordinance 22-497, an ordinance appropriating adopting a budget for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2022 and ending September 30, 2023. Motion made by Matthew Yarborough, Seconded by Mike Johnson. Voting Yea: Mike Johnson, Melissa Strawn, Matthew Yarborough, Rory Escalante Motion carries. C. Discuss and consider Ordinance 2022-498, an ordinance adopting a tax rate of $0.606810 and levying taxes for the use and support of the Municipal Government of the City of Richwood, Texas and providing for the interest and sinking fund of the taxable year 2022. I MOVE THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE DECREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF $0.606810, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 6.97 PERCENT DECREASE IN THE TAX RATE. Motion made by Mike Johnson, Seconded by Matthew Yarborough. Voting Yea: Mike Johnson, Melissa Strawn, Matthew Yarborough, Rory Escalante Motion carries. D. Discuss and consider approval of resolution #22-R-67 setting a joint public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council for October 10, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. for purposes of considering amendments to Appendix B Zoning Ordinance of the Richwood Code of Ordinances. Motion to approve resolution #22-R-67 setting a joint public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council for October 10, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. for purposes of considering amendments to Appendix B Zoning Ordinance of the Richwood Code of Ordinances. Motion made by Matthew Yarborough; Motion dies for lack of second. Discussion held on when to hold public hearing. Motion to approve resolution #22-R-67 setting a joint public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council for October 18, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. for purposes of considering amendments to Appendix B Zoning Ordinance of the Richwood Code of Ordinances.  Motion made by Matthew Yarborough, Seconded by Mike Johnson. Voting Yea: Mike Johnson, Melissa Strawn, Matthew Yarborough, Rory Escalante E. Discuss and consider Ordinance 496 amending Chapter 20 Traffic and Vehicles of the City of Richwood Code of Ordinances to establish speed limits for listed streets and correct street name at established stop intersections. Discussion held on stop intersections that may not be listed and Council member Strawn requested this be looked into. Motion to adopt Ordinance 496 amending Chapter 20 Traffic and Vehicles of the City of Richwood Code of Ordinances to establish speed limits for listed streets and correct street name at established stop intersections. Motion made by Melissa Strawn, Seconded by Rory Escalante. Voting Yea: Mike Johnson, Melissa Strawn, Matthew Yarborough, Rory Escalante Motion carries F. Discuss, consider, and select an engineering service provider to complete project implementation for the Community Development Block Grant - Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) funding administered by the Texas General Land Office (GLO) Kirsten Garcia presented bid information. Discussion held on bid process. Motion to select Strand as engineering service provider to complete project implementation for the Community Development Block Grant - Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) funding administered by the Texas General Land Office (GLO) Motion made by Mike Johnson, Seconded by Melissa Strawn. Voting Yea: Mike Johnson, Melissa Strawn, Rory Escalante Voting Nay: Matthew Yarborough Motion carries. G. Discuss and consider approval of a $25,000 increase to the City of Angleton/City of Richwood Annual Animal Control Services Contract. Discussion held on volume of calls or if we are limited. Motion to approve a $25,000 increase to the City of Angleton/City of Richwood Annual Animal Control Services Contract. Motion made by Mike Johnson, Seconded by Rory Escalante. Voting Yea: Mike Johnson, Melissa Strawn, Matthew Yarborough, Rory Escalante Motion carries.  H. Discuss and consider resolution #22-R-68 designating representative and alternate to serve on the Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC) 2023 General Assembly Board of Directors. Discussion held on what kind of time commitment this is. Will bring back next month. I. Discuss and consider approving City Manager to execute contracts for Insurance Coverage. Eric presented. Motion to approve City Manager to execute contracts for Insurance Coverage. Motion made by Matthew Yarborough, Seconded by Mike Johnson. Voting Yea: Mike Johnson, Melissa Strawn, Matthew Yarborough, Rory Escalante Motion carries. J. Discuss and consider awarding Richwood's 2022 Asphalt Crack Sealing Project to SRC Civil Construction, LLC inclusive of 15% contingency in an amount not to exceed $100,334.00. Clif Custer presented. Motion to award Richwood's 2022 Asphalt Crack Sealing Project to SRC Civil Construction, LLC inclusive of 15% contingency in an amount not to exceed $100,334.00. Motion made by Mike Johnson, Seconded by Matthew Yarborough. Voting Yea: Mike Johnson, Melissa Strawn, Matthew Yarborough, Rory Escalante Motion carries. VIII. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS UPDATE Clif Custer presented. IX. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT Eric reported on meeting with AT&T regarding overbilling - will be bringing more of that in time. X. COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS & REPORTS Johnson - congrats again on budget award, great presentation tonight. KRB tomorrow night. Yarborough - adv he attended a parliamentary procedure class, adv they did a very good job making things clear. Adv he thinks its beneficial to have all council members attend. Escalant - kudos to staff for locking in the electric rate, very hard to find anything that low at this time. Tricia great job on the budget, it's gotten better every year. XI. MAYOR'S REPORT Mayor reported thanked staff for all the work on the budget and tax rate. Also updated regarding the school district threats, appreciates the Chief for reaching out to BISD and offering assistance and having  officers at OLQP and CP the Montessori school. Adv he is proud of all local le and how they stepped up during this time. Also updated on LNG class, discussed properties and issues that could occur with emergency in LNG. XII. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Melissa Strawn requests topics pertaining to charter review committee and regarding CM being able to serve as reserve officer. City Attorney requests we break in to executive session. Recessed into Executive Session at 8:30 p.m. Reconvened 9:18 p.m. No action at this time – City Attorney will follow up. XIII. ADJOURNMENT Being there no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:18 p.m. These minutes were read and approved on this 10th day of October 2022. __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: ______________________________________ City Secretary