City Council Regular Meeting

Minutes of City Council The City Council Regular Meeting of Monday, December 9, 2019 BE IT KNOWN THAT, a City Council Regular Meeting of the City Council of City of Richwood was held Monday, December 9, 2019, beginning at 6:00 PM in the Richwood City Hall, 1800 N. Brazosport Blvd. Richwood, Texas. I. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 6:01 p.m. II. INVOCATION The invocation was led by Lindsay Koskiniemi. III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The pledges were led by Mayor Boykin. IV. ROLL CALL OF COUNCIL MEMBERS Steve Boykin, Mayor Mike Johnson, Position 1 – Absent Melissa Strawn, Position 2 Matthew Yarborough, Position 3 Mark Brown II, Position 4 Katie Johnson, Position 5 Others Present: Kirsten Garcia, City Secretary; Lindsay Koskiniemi, Interim City Manager; Clif Custer, Public Works Director; Matt Allen, City Attorney V. PUBLIC COMMENTS All commends will be subject to the following rules: All speakers will be permitted to speak not longer than 3 minutes; all speakers will only be permitted to speak once; speakers cannot defer their 3 minutes to another speaker. Discussion is not allowed on items no posted on the agenda. John Stanford – 156 ½ Hickory Drive – addressed council regarding rental inspections and water bills. Stated he is paying registration fees for rental property he is not receiving inspections for. He is also questioning his responsibility for the water bill regarding a rental property. Lindsay stated that she agrees with Mr. Stanford and staff is looking into addressing this policy regarding landlords being responsible for delinquent billing. VI. COUNCIL CONSIDERATION AND ACTION ITEMS A. Discussion and Possible Action authorizing the Mayor to sign an amendment to the City's Clute-Richwood Regional Sewerage System Agreement with the  Brazos River Authority. Lindsay Koskiniemi stated she spoke with City Manager of Clute and was advised this agreement does not incur additional expense, just includes new equipment. The City of Clute has already approved and signed the agreement. On a motion by Matthew Yarborough, second by Mark Brown II, and with all present members voting aye, Council authorizes the Mayor to sign and amendment to the City’s Clute-Richwood Regional Sewerage System Agreement with the Brazos River Authority. B. Discussion and consideration of approving King Solution Services as the contractor to perform pipe bursting work on Walnut and Cedar streets utilizing the City of Richwood's 2018 CDBG allotment. Clif presented information regarding the bid process to find contractors and advised King Solution Services was lowest bidder. On a motion by Mark Brown II, second by Matthew Yarborough, and all present members voting aye, Council approved approving King Solution Services as the contractor to perform pipe bursting work on Walnut and Cedar streets utilizing the City of Richwood's 2018 CDBG allotment. C. Presentation, Discussion and Possible Action listing real property at 215 Halbert for sale. Lindsay Koskiniemi presented. Matthew Yarborough asked regarding the sale of 215 Halbert, if we have to look out for bids or can we look at offers that have already been made. Matt Allen stated we would have to go out for bids. Discussion held on play features in the plans for future parks. Discussion held on plan for current Freedom Park located next to the fire department. Melissa Strawn asked if the property at 215 Halbert was sold, could the funds be allocated to KRB for parks? Lindsay Koskiniemi stated yes, Council can allocate how they choose.  On a motion by Matthew Yarborough, second by Mark Brown II and all present members voting aye, Council approved listing real property at 215 Halbert for sale. Discussion held on amending motions. D. Discussion and consideration of decommissioning Freedom Park and relocating memorials to other City property. Discussion held on use of remaining properties. Mark Brown II stated he does not want to decommission park property and the memorials just sit in storage without a place to go. E. Discussion and possible action turning former Freedom Park property over to Fire Department for training use once rezoning requirements are met. Discussion held on when monuments would be moved. Discussion held on current and potential property values. F. Discussion and possible action moving forward with rezoning process of Old Pool Site on Oyster Creek Drive Kim Mayer, KRB Executive Director, presented plan for community garden. Mark Brown II asked if there is a reason why no one else has a community garden. Mrs. Mayer stated she spoke with someone with A&M ag-extension and she doesn’t believe there is a specific reason any other community does not have this program. Discussion held on liability and surrounding community gardens. Discussion held on community survey response and possible operations of a Community Garden. Matthew Yarborough motioned to rezone the old pool location to be used as park, memorial, community garden and orchard, no second. Motion died.  On a motion by Mark Brown II, second by Katie Johnson, with Melissa Strawn, Mark Brown, Katie Johnson voting “aye” and Matthew Yarborough voting “nay”, the motion carries to table agenda items “D”, “E”, “F” until staff gets value of property located on Oyster Creek Drive. G. Discussion and consideration of reaching out to local schools to participate in a contest to develop a new logo for the City. Lindsay presented plan for logo contest. Mayor Boykin asked what age groups this would be for. Lindsay Koskiniemi advised Polk Elementary, Foundations Prep and Our Lady Queen of Peace. Mark Brown II stated that we are a business, and we may obligate ourselves to put a logo that isn’t that professional as something to represent the City. Discussion held on effects of the logo being designed by a child and possibly extending it out to college students, high school students, and residents. No action necessary. Regular session recessed to Executive Session at 7:48p.m. VII. EXECUTIVE SESSION 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: A. City Manager Regular session reconvened at 9:05 p.m. ACTION AS A RESULT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION Mayor stated we will need to move our regular meeting January 13; we would like to set up interviews of candidates for City Manager for the 25 and 26 of January. Mayor directed Kirsten Garcia to send copy of compensation study to Chris Hartung and council. VIII. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT Christmas in Park is December 14 at the Municipal Park. IX. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Items “D,E,F”, if possible to January meeting X. COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS AND REPORTS No report. XI. MAYOR'S REPORT No report. XII. ADJOURNMENT Being there no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:08pm These minutes were read and approved on this 13th day of January, 2020. __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: ______________________________________