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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1979-02-06 - Regular City Councilme REGULAR MEETING - TUESDAY FEBRUARY 6, 1979 - 7:00 P.M. CHAMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY HALL, CITY OF STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS The City Council of the City of Stephenville, Texas, met in Regular Session Tuesday, February 6, 1979 at 7:00 p.m. with Mayor Donald R. Jones present and presiding. Councilmembers Mike Leese, W. M. Irwin, Calvin A. McGee, Charles Riggins, E. W. Ferguson, and Linda Chew were present. Councilmen Raymond Anderson and Larry Hammett were absent. Others attending the meeting were City Administrator Marshall Shelton, Administrative Assistant Kurt Ackermann, Director of Public Works R. Y. Gann, Chief of Police Mike Watkins, Fire Marshall Kenneth Haley, Director of Parks & Recreation Ronnie Isham, Director of Utilities Danny Johnson, Tax Assessor - Collector Robert Groves, City Secretary Joyce Pemberton, Water Superintendent J. D. Chapman, Street Superintendent Clinton Hicks, Mr. J. W. Beck, Mr. Cleve Cole, members of the press and many others. ITEM I: APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES Mayor Jones asked that Item 2, paragraph 3, of the January 9, 1979, minutes be corrected to read "that the city could be involved with the cost of oversize pipe for water and sewer" rather than "would be involved with the cost of oversize pipe for water and sewer ". Councilman Irwin moved, seconded by Councilwoman Chew, to approve the minutes of the January 9, 1979 meeting, with the above correction, as written. Motion carried unanimously by those members present. ITEM II: COMMITTEE REPORT ON INDUSTRIAL PARK Councilman McGee, reporting for the Industrial Park Committee, said that the committee had met and discussed the cost factors and did go into a lengthy discussion of the best routes to be followed, either from the Genaut area or from Bingham street, to provide a 12" extension of the water service to the area under discussion. They did not have the opportunity to have a formal meeting with the parties involved. Councilman McGee said that the committee recommends that this item be tabled at this time to afford the committee the opportunity to meet with the parties involved to see what they are proposing. In answer to the Mayor's question, Councilman McGee said that this ex- tension is over and above the Comprehensive Plan requirements. The Com- prehensive Plan does go in that direction, but it is more of an 8" line and does not go the route to take in the property at the intersection of US Highway 281 and State Highway 108. There being no other discussion, Mayor Jones tabled this item until the committee has a chance to meet with the parties involved. ITEM III: BUDGET REVISION - 4k102 City Administrator Shelton explained that item 1 was a donation of $4,000 from The Norton Company to the Parks & Recreation Department for a ballfield. Item 2 is.money borrowed from the Water Resource Board for the Water Works Improvement Program and was not needed and must be paid back. Councilman McGee moved, seconded by Councilman Riggins, that the City Council approve the budget revision as follows: 1. $4,000 from the General Revenue Fund Acct. #1402A to the Park & Recreation Department Acct. #527. 2. $85,197.79 from the General Fund (Revenue Sharing bank acct.) to the Water & Sanitation Fund to reduce the General Obligation Bond Payable to the Water Resource Board. The motion carried unanimously by those members present. 220 ITEM IV: TO INVITE BIDS FOR A PICKUP FOR T Councilman Leese moved, seconded by Councilman Ferguson, to authorize the invitation of bids for a new pickup for the Water & Sanitation De- partment - $4,200 is in the budget for said pickup. Motion carried unani- mously by those members present. ITEM V: COMMITTEE REPORT ON REQUEST FOR RATE INCREASE BY LONE STAR GAS COMPANY Mayor Jones reminded the Council that the extension of time for final action on the rate increase request by Lone Star Gas Company expires on April 6th. He said he would hear the committee's report and would probably set a public hearing for the March regular council meeting. Councilman Irwin, reporting for his committee, said he had more or less a progress report rather than a recommendation. He said the com- mittee had met with Mr. J. W. Beck on two occasions and have gone through the items in the proposal and Mr. Beck has afforded them all the information they have asked for. Councilman Irwin said the substance of the request was that under the present rates the gas company has a 2.84% rate of return on an adjusted normal basis and they are requesting a 7.74% rate of return on an adjusted normal basis. Said,7.74% rate of return being after taxes. To generate the 7.74% rate of return Lone Star Gas has proposed an increase in their service charges and in their gas rates. It seems that to accomplish the said rate of return will require a 10% to 15% increase in the gas rates to the consumer. One portion of this increase would be a $3.00 basic charge whether there is gas consumption or not. Another change would be a summer and winter rate - - low rates in the summer and higher rates in the winter Councilman Irwin said the committee has not reached any conclusions nor did they have a recommendation, but they would continue to work with the gas company to find a place where the taxpayer can survive and the gas company can furnish them the service they require. Mr. J. W. Beck, local manager for Lone Star Gas Company, came before the Council for discussion. Mr. Beck advised the Council that the pro- posed one -step rate is now being used all over the state and that the four -step rate now in effect does not include the $3.00 basic charge. Mr. Beck gave the Council copies of a comparison sheet comparing the proposed rates with the old rates. This comparison shows an increase of approximately 14% which Mr. Beck said would be an average user. Also that if the Council wanted the 2 or 3 step rates, the company would comply. In answer to Councilman Riggins' question, Mr. Beck said that most of the utility companies were going to the minimum charge. That the electric company was the first to put this into effect. There being no other discussion, either by the Council or from the floor, with the consent of the Council, Mayor Jones set March 6th as the date for the public hearing to consider the proposed rate increase re- quest by Lone Star Gas Company. No further action was taken. ITEM VI: CITY ELECTION CALLED Councilman Irwin moved, seconded by Councilwoman Chew, that the annual City Election be called to be held on April 7, 1979, in accordance with the Election Ordinance on page 86C, Minute Book F, and the State Statute procedure for use of the secret ballot. The election being called for the purpose of electing one councilperson for each place, numbers 1,3,5, and 7, to serve a two year term of office; Mr. Curtis Anglin was appointed Election Judge and Mr. Raymon Pack was appointed Alternate Judge and Mr. Anglin to select his assistants: Motion carried unanimously by those mem- bers present. ITEM VII: COMMITTEE REPORT ON THE EDUCATIONAL INCENTIVE PLAN Councilman Leese, reporting for the Educational Incentive Plan committee, said that he thought the committee had pretty well reached a conclusion. He said that after he and Councilman Hammett had met with the department heads that they felt that the Educational Incentive Plan was a good proposal and the department heads thought it was a good pro- posal. There is always going to be a certain amount of discretion to be used and the only way to solve that is to allow the City Administrator to make those decisions when they arise. 221 Councilman Leese related the following conclusions of the committee after meeting with the department heads: 1. The Educational Incentive Plan should be viewed as something above and beyond the job requirements. It is not something for every employee. 2. Since said plan is above and beyond job requirements, that it should be at the employees' own expense and as far as is possible said education /training should be accomplished during the em- ployee's off -duty hours. If the education /training should occur during the employee's on -duty hours, the employee should be given time off to attend said program. 3. The firemen's EMT training should not be included in this program. Councilman Leese said that the conclusion regarding the firemen's EMT training was reached after a lengthy discussion of whether or not the EMT training is.a job requirement. He said that the com- mittee felt that even though it is not required by the state, it was the general understanding that it was required by the city. The EMT training takes approximately 3 or 4 months to complete and receive the EMT certificate, whereas, most of the other pro- grams discussed would take approximately 2 years to complete, therefore, they felt that the EMT training should not be included in this program. Councilman Leese said that overall the committee thought this was a good plan and should be adopted and should be retroactive to October 1, 1979, as the money had been allocated in the present budget. Administrative Assistant Kurt Ackermann advised the Council that $12„000 had been allocated in the present budget for this program of which $9,000 would be used if the department heads were excluded. Councilman Leese advised the Council that the department heads were in agreement that they should be excluded from the Educational Incentive Plan. Councilman Irwin said that the Educational Incentive Plan would have such a long lasting and continous effect on the personnel. He asked that this program be established as a written policy and given to the City Administrator. Mr. Ackermann advised the Mayor that he did not have a final draft written. It was the consensus of the committee and the department heads that each department head would draw up his own program to be approved by the City Administrator. Councilman Leese asked for Council discussion of whether or not the department heads should be excluded from the Educational Incentive Plan He said he and Councilman Hammett had been divided on this. One thing they had discussed was that quite often it is thought that'a department head is compensated enought in his base salary that he should be excluded, then again, a department head is the one that always has to be there and it is required of them to put in the extra hours and it isn't required of the other employees. The department heads were included at the beginning, then it seemed that the department heads agreed that they - should be ex- cluded. Mayor Jones said that, in his opinion, the department heads should be excluded because usually they already have the experience and training or they would not be department heads. If the city is not compensating the department heads sufficiently for -their additional responsibilities and the additional service required of department heads, then the Council needs to reconsider their base salaries, but as for the Educational In- centive Plan, the department heads should be excluded from incentive pay. Mayor Jones suggested that the committee and Mr. Ackermann draft, in resolution form, the policies recommended in a general form and, as each department develops what their incentive program is, submit it to the City Administrator for approval through the Council to be added to the employees' handbook. ITEM VIII: PLANNING & INSPECTIONS DEPARTMENT REPORT BY R. Y. GANN Director of Public Works R. Y.- Gann, reporting for his department, explained to the Countil the progress that has been made over the past 10 years in the water and sewer facilities and street improvements and how they relate to the Comprehensive Plan. 222 During the discussion, Mayor Jones asked how long before the city would have to install the sourht sewer outfall line. Mr. Gann answered J that the sewer lift station was already overloaded and, if there is to be any development in that area, the Council should start preliminary preparations toward the installation of a south sewer outfall line now or in the very near future. i i OLD BUSINESS 1. BARBER SHOP, 121 PARK DRIVE, GREENVIEW ADDITION: Councilman McGee asked about the current status of Mrs. Mamie Carpenter's barber shop located at 121 Park Drive, Greenview Addition, City of Stephenville, Texas.(a business operating in a R -1 district) City Administrator Shelton said that he had thought the State was going to take some action regarding their state license, therefore, the city had not taken any action. It is a situation that the city should act on. Councilman McGee reminded the Council that been suggested that the city proceed with legal to correct this situation in accordance with ci that the necessary permits required by the city necessary inspections have not been made. Also zoning in that district has not been changed to a business in a residential area. in past meetings it had action (if necessary) ty ordinances. He said were not obtained; the that to knowledge, the permit the operation of After some discussion, Councilman McGee moved, seconded by Council- man Ferguson, that the city proceed with the necessary legal action to insure that the unauthorized business in a residential neighborhood be brought into line with the city codes and city requirements. That the barber shop at 121 Park Drive, City of Stephenville, Texas, be closed if necessary. Motion carried unanimously by those members present. 2. COUNCIL RETREAT: Mayor Jones reminded the Council of the discussion of a council re- treat in a previous meeting. He said that Chief Watkins had checked and made reservations for the latter part of April which is probably the only date available at Thurber. He advised that, after talking with several of the council, they felt this was too early in the year as the prelim- inary budget information would not be available. `It was the consensus of those to whom he had talked to put said retreat off until later, pro- bably a Saturday or two in the councilroom sometime in June. Mayor Jones said that at the time of the retreat he would like to discuss the following items: _ 1. The preliminary budget - preliminary budget with ments in the priority of to be made whether it is 2. The Comprehensive Plan - need to be considered. the department heads to submit their 3n itemized list of capital improve - their importance -- this itemized list included in the budget or not, capital expenditures for the future a. South sewer outfall line b. Extension of Harbin Dr. to Swan C. The Long St. project d. 'The need to update the Comprehensive Plan or not in the light of what has already been done. 3. The proposed revisions of the Zoning Ordinance. 4. Talk with County Judge Mary McCoy about some cooperative efforts between the city and the county. 3. REPORT ON DELINQUENT TAXES Assistant City Attorney Randy Chandler reported that all delinquent' tax suits have been filed and they are in the process of waiting out the necessary time period to take judgements. He said they have had a good response from the defendants. Some are coming in and making the necessary arrangements to pay the delinquent taxes. Mr. Chandler said that if the city is going to assess and collect personal property taxes that some sort of uniform system is needed to regulate the transfer of personal property from one business to another. Mayor Jones said this could be discussed at the retreat. It is his opinion that a uniform policy for the collection of delinquent taxes is needed. Mayor Jones asked the Council to be making a list of items to be discussed at the retreat and let him or the City Administrator know so that they can draft an agenda to try to cover all these items. There being no other business to come before the Council, Mayor Jones adjourned the meeting at 8:35 p.m. ATTEST: Secretary 223