City Council Meeting

MINUTES RICHWOOD CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, September 11, 2023 at 6:10 PM BE IT KNOWN THAT a City of Richwood City Council will meet Monday, September 11, 2023, beginning at 6:10 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 to order at 6:14 p.m. II. ROLL CALL OF COUNCIL MEMBERS Michael Durham, Mayor: Present Mike Johnson, Position 1: Present Mike Challenger, Position 2: Present Amanda Reynolds, Position 3: Present Rory Escalante, Position 4: Present Jeremy Fountain, Position 5: Present 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 Bob Page - 101 Hummingbird – Mr. Page expressed thanks to everyone on council and to Clif regarding the safety zone placed in the parking lot. He stated he really appreciated the expedition of the action to his request. Mr. Page also addressed Councilman Challenger, regarding the decorum of meetings. IV. CONSENT AGENDA Discussion held on removing the board appointments from consent agenda. A. Approval of minutes from regular meeting held August 14, 2023. B. Appoint Kai York to the Keep Richwood Beautiful Committee. Removed from Consent. C. Appoint Denise York to the Keep Richwood Beautiful Committee. Removed from Consent. D. Appoint William Yearsin as Richwood's 2023-2025 representative for Brazosport Water Authority. Removed from Consent. E. Approval of minutes from special meeting held August 28, 2023. Motion to approve items A and E of consent agenda. Motion made by Mike Johnson, Seconded by Amanda Reynolds. Voting Yea: Mike Johnson, Mike Challenger, Amanda Reynolds, Rory Escalante, Jeremy Fountain Motion carried. V. PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED 2023-2024 BUDGET Tricia Ditto, Finance Director, presented the proposed budget. Discussion held on fire department training budget. There was no public comment. VI. PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED 2023-2024 TAX RATE Tricia Ditto, Finance Director, presented the proposed tax rate. There was no public comment. VII. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS A. Discussion and possible action concerning any final changes to the FY 2023-2024 Proposed Budget. Eric Foerster, Cit Manager presented. Motion to remove the $3.50 ambulance fee from the budget. Motion made by Mike Challenger, Seconded by Mike Johnson. Voting Yea: Mike Challenger Voting Nay: Mike Johnson, Amanda Reynolds, Rory Escalante, Jeremy Fountain Motion failed. Discussion held on fire department training. No action taken. B. Discuss and consider adopting Ordinance 23-509, an ordinance appropriating adopting a budget for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2023, and ending September 30, 2024. Motion to adopt Ordinance 23-509, an ordinance appropriating adopting a budget for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2023, and ending September 30, 2024. Motion made by Mike Johnson, Seconded by Amanda Reynolds. Voting Yea: Mike Johnson, Amanda Reynolds, Rory Escalante, Jeremy Fountain Voting Nay: Mike Challenger Motion carried. C. Discuss and consider Ordinance 23-510, an ordinance adopting a tax rate 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 2023. “I MOVE THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE DECREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF $0.540587, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 10.91 PERCENT DECREASE IN THE TAX RATE.” Motion made by Amanda Reynolds, Seconded by Mike Johnson. Voting Yea: Mike Johnson, Amanda Reynolds, Rory Escalante, Jeremy Fountain Voting Nay: Mike Challenger Motion carried. D. Discuss and consider approving tax resale of property located within the City of Richwood. (Legal Description: Glenwood Bayou (A0066 J E Groce)(Richwood), Reserve H Acres 0.11) Kirsten Garcia, City Secretary, presented.  Motion to approve. Motion made by Amanda Reynolds, Seconded by Jeremy Fountain. Voting Yea: Mike Johnson, Mike Challenger, Amanda Reynolds, Rory Escalante, Jeremy Fountain Motion carried. E. Discuss and consider adopting Ordinance 23-512 amending Appendix C - Fee Schedule of the Code of Ordinances to amend additional fees and voluntary donations to add a mandatory ambulance fee. Eric Foerster, City Manager, presented. Discussion held on how the fee affects the public. William Yearsin, resident, spoke regarding residents who do not have to pay medical bills having to pay for ambulance. Discussion held on how the fee not being approved will affect next years revenues. Motion to adopt Ordinance 23-512 amending Appendix C - Fee Schedule of the Code of Ordinances to amend additional fees and voluntary donations to add a mandatory ambulance fee. Motion made by Mike Johnson, Seconded by Amanda Reynolds. Voting Yea: Mike Johnson, Amanda Reynolds, Rory Escalante, Jeremy Fountain Voting Nay: Mike Challenger Motion carried. F. Discuss and consider adopting Ordinance 23-511, repealing section 20-131 of Chapter 20 Traffic and Vehicles of the Richwood Code of Ordinances, thus removing the one-way traffic requirement during the school zone. Kirsten Garcia, City Secretary, presented. Motion to approve Ordinance 23-511, repealing section 20-131 of Chapter 20 Traffic and Vehicles of the Richwood Code of Ordinances, thus removing the one-way traffic requirement during the school zone. Motion made by Mike Challenger, Seconded by Jeremy Fountain. Voting Yea: Mike Johnson, Mike Challenger, Amanda Reynolds, Rory Escalante, Jeremy Fountain Motion carried. G. Discuss and consider authorizing the City Manager or his designee to solicit competitive bids for Emergency Medical Services. Eric Foerster, City Manager, presented. Motion to extend current agreement with Clute. Motion made by Mike Challenger. Motion dies for lack of second.  Motion to table this item for the addition of option to extend agreement. Discussion held on how many other options we may have. Motion made by Mike Johnson, Seconded by Mike Challenger. Voting Yea: Mike Johnson, Mike Challenger, Amanda Reynolds, Rory Escalante, Jeremy Fountain Motion carried. H. Discuss and consider request to allow street closure of Audubon Woods Dr from North Mahan to Wisteria for Keep Richwood Beautiful to host Trunk or Treat. Kirsten Garcia, City Secretary, presented. Motion to approve item H. Motion made by Amanda Reynolds, Seconded by Jeremy Fountain. Voting Yea: Mike Johnson, Mike Challenger, Amanda Reynolds, Rory Escalante, Jeremy Fountain Motion carried. I. Discussion regarding the contingency fund and future contributions or uses of funds. Eric Foerster, City Manager, presented. Discussion held on how to designate the cap based on percentage versus a set amount. No action taken. J. Consider items removed from consent agenda. B. Appoint Kai York to the Keep Richwood Beautiful Committee. Motion to approve. Motion made by Amanda Reynolds, Seconded by Jeremy Fountain. Voting Yea: Mike Johnson, Mike Challenger, Amanda Reynolds, Rory Escalante, Jeremy Fountain Motion carried. C. Appoint Denise York to the Keep Richwood Beautiful Committee. Discussion held on how we advertised open positions on the board. Motion to approve. Motion made by Amanda Reynolds, Seconded by Mike Johnson. Voting Yea: Mike Johnson, Mike Challenger, Amanda Reynolds, Rory Escalante, Jeremy Fountain Motion carried. D. Appoint William Yearsin as Richwood's 2023-2025 representative for Brazosport Water Authority. Discussion held on importance of continuity of the person who holds this position. Discussion held on how we advertised for this position.  Motion to approve. Motion made by Jeremy Fountain, Seconded by Amanda Reynolds. Voting Yea: Mike Johnson, Mike Challenger, Amanda Reynolds, Rory Escalante, Jeremy Fountain Motion carried. VIII. EXECUTIVE SESSION The council recessed into executive session at 7:45 p.m. A. Pursuant to Chapter 551.0745, Personnel Matters to deliberate the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer or employee, or to hear a complaint or charge against an officer or employee: Michael Challenger, City Council Position 2 B. Pursuant to Chapter 551.0745, Personnel Matters to deliberate the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer or employee, or to hear a complaint or charge against an officer or employee: E. Garcia - Police Department C. Pursuant to Chapter 551.0745, Personnel Matters to deliberate the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer or employee, or to hear a complaint or charge against an officer or employee: J. Estrada - Public Works IX. ACTION AS A RESULT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION Reconvened regular session at 9:23 p.m. A. Pursuant to Chapter 551.0745, Personnel Matters to deliberate the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer or employee, or to hear a complaint or charge against an officer or employee: Michael Challenger, City Council Position 2 No action taken. B. Pursuant to Chapter 551.0745, Personnel Matters to deliberate the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer or employee, or to hear a complaint or charge against an officer or employee: E. Garcia - Police Department Motion to approve leave without pay. Motion made by Amanda Reynolds, Seconded by Jeremy Fountain. Voting Yea: Mike Johnson, Mike Challenger, Amanda Reynolds, Rory Escalante, Jeremy Fountain Motion carried. C. Pursuant to Chapter 551.0745, Personnel Matters to deliberate the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer or employee, or to hear a complaint or charge against an officer or employee:  J. Estrada - Public Works Motion to approve leave without pay. Motion made by Jeremy Fountain, Seconded by Amanda Reynolds. Voting Yea: Mike Johnson, Mike Challenger, Amanda Reynolds, Rory Escalante, Jeremy Fountain Motion carried. X. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS UPDATE Clif Custer, Public Works director, presented. XI. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT Eric Foerster, City Manager, reported on the bond funds and projected savings. He also reported on the safe zone in the parking lot. XII. COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS & REPORTS Mike Johnson thanked everyone who was here tonight, the fire department, Clif and his crew, and Tricia for the budget. Mike Challenger spoke regarding September 11th, stated he was working for Delta at the time and expressed he wants everyone to fight for their freedoms. Amanda Reynolds echoed Councilman Johnson stated she appreciates attendance and feedback. Jeremy Fountain thanked staff, Tricia and Clif for their work and the budget. XIII. MAYOR'S REPORT Mayor Durham expressed thanks to everyone for showing up. He also thanked the Fire Department, Police Department and Staff. Mayor stated he looks forward to future of Richwood. XIV. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Contingency Financial Policies EMS reply Policy procedures BOA meeting for 2 variances XV. ADJOURNMENT Being there no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:39 p.m. These minutes were read and approved on the 9th day of October 2023.  __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: ______________________________________ City Secretary