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Home My WebLink About1977-01-04 - Regular City CouncilREGULAR SESSION - TUESDAY JANUARY 4, 1977 - 7:00 P.M CHAMBER OF THE CITY.COUNCIL CITY HALL, CITY OF STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS maw LIM i The City Council of the City of Stephenville, Texas, met in Regular Session, Tuesday, January 4, 1977, at 7:00 p.m., with Mayor Donald R. Jones present and presiding. Councilmembers Jim Chambers, W.M.Irwin, Calvin McGee, Charles Riggins, Raymond Anderson, Ermer Ferguson, Larry Hammett and Betty Heath were present Others attending the meeting were City Administrator Marshall Shelton, Assistant City Attorney Randy Chandler, City Secretary Joyce Pemberton, Director of Public Works R.Y.Gann, Administrative Assistant Kurt Ackermann, Accountant Betty Chew, Director of Utilities Danny Johnson, Chief of Police Mike Watkins, Director of Parks & Recreation Ronnie Isham, Reverend Ralph Starling, Jerry Singleton, Garland Sargent, Don Metsgar and Don Taylor. , Mayor Jones called the meeting to order and Reverend Starling gave the invocation. Councilman McGee moved that the minutes of the previous meetings on December 7th, 17th and 21st, 1976, be approved as written. Councilman Chambers r made the second. Motion carried unanimously. Mr. Don Taylor, after he had examined the present needs of the City, pre- sented the insurance specifications needed to provide the City with an efficient "Risk Management" program for the present needs with the flexibility necessary to meet changing conditions in the future. Mr. Taylor gave a detailed report on the specifications for uniform insurance program for (1) Real Property, Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment, (2) Automobile Liability and Physical Damage Coverage and (3) General Liability. After considerable discussion, Councilman Irwin made the motion that the City adopt the recommendations outlined by Mr. Taylor and that Mr. Taylor and Mr. Shelton work out the details of maturity dates for present insurance policies and bid procedure for new policies. Councilman Anderson made the second. Motion carried unanimously. Mr. Jerry Singleton, local manager for Texas Power & Light Company, came before the Council regarding a rate increase application, filed with the City of Stephenville on December 22, 1976, to be effective January 26, 1977. Mr. Singleton gave a very detailed report stating the reasons Texas Power and Light,Company was requesting a 34 % rate increase. After considerable discussion, Councilman Chambers made the motion, seconded by Councilwoman Heath, that the: --City of Stephenville suspend the schedule on operations at this time up to 120 days ;`pending further study and investigation and the results of findings of the Public Utilities Commission of the recent application filed by Texas Power & Light Company on its rates and services outside the corporate city and further direct this to be submitted to Texas Power & Light Company in writing. Motion carried unanimously. Mayor Jones appointed a committee of Councilwoman Heath, Chairperson, and Councilmen Chambers and Riggins, members, to examine this rate increase request and to keep up with the Public Utilities Commission haraings on their outside corporate hearings and would like for any or all of the Council to attend the hearings in Austin, on January 6th. Mayor Jones read the following bids that had been received for the Park Im- provement Program: 500 62 ft. 5" to 6" dia. penetreated posts. Barnes & McCullough Lbr. Co.--- - - - - -@ $1.94 ea.------------------ - - - - - $ 970.00 Stephenville, Texas (4" to 5" dia. @ $1.85 ea.----------------- - - - - -- 925.00 Higginbotham Bldg. Materials--- - - - - -@ $2.39 ea.----------------- - - - - -- 1195.00 Stephenville, Texas Cook Bros. Lbr. Co.------------ - - - - - @ $2.98 ea.----------------- - - - - -- 1490.00 Stephenville, Texas w74 Bids for 45 Picnic Tables, 34 Trash Receptacles, 20 Benches, and 34 Grills are as follows: Miracle Recreation Equipment ------------------------------------ $ 8627.00 1701 Collins Blvd. Richardson, Texas 75080 Modlin Recreation Equipment ------------------------------------ $10,185.69 P.O. Box 5087 Richardson, Texas 75080 Vaughn & Associates --------------------------------------------- $8364.00 2852 Walnut Hill Lane Dallas, Texas 75229 Central Texas Iron Works---------------------------------- - - - - -- $5046,00 Waco, Texas ;No bid on 34 Trash Receptacles) Director of Parks &. Recreation Ronnie Isham came before the Council and made his Fecommendations on the above listed bids. Mr. Isham recommended that the Council not ccept the low bids on the trash receptacles and benches as he did not believe they were as good quality for_the money. i After some discussion, Councilman McGee made the motion that the bids be a- on the basis of Mr. Isham's recommendations as follows: Barnes & McCullough - -500 penetreated posts - -@ $1.94 ea.---- - - - - -- -$ 970.00 Central Tex.Iron Works - - -45 Picnic Tables - - -@ 70.00 ea.------ - - - - -- $3150,00 Miracle Rec. Equip. - -34 Trash Receptacles - - -@ 57.50 ea.------ - - - - -- $1955.00 Modlin Rec. Equip. - - -20 Benches ------------- @ 48.77 ea.------------ $- 975.40 Central Tex. Iron Works - -34 Grills ---------- @ 36.60 ea.------ - - - - -- $1244.00 Total of all bids -------------------------------------------------- $8294.40 lman Riggins made the second. Motion carried unanimously. Mayor Jones advised the Council that this is the second and final Public Hear ng on the Community Block Grant. The Green Belt Project along the Bosque River is t e project being considered if the grant is approved. Mayor Jones opened the floor for a Public Hearing for anyone that might have any omments, observations or recommendations in regard as to whether or not the City shou d apply for the Community Block Grant and, if so, for what purpose. After some discussion and there being no comments from the public, Council- woman Beath made the motion that the City of Stephenville submit a pre - application for the Community Block Grant for the Bosque River Green Belt Project. Councilman Irwi; made the second. Motion carried unanimously. City Administrator Shelton advised the Council that approximately 90% of the peop e using the ambulance service was not paying the full amount of $35.00 fee be- caus Medicare pays $25.00 and they do not pay the remainder. Mr. Shelton recommended redwing the ambulance fee from $35.00 to $25.00 so that everone will be paying the same amount. After some discussion, Councilman Irwin made the motion that the City reduce the mbulance fee from $35.00 to $25.00. Councilman Ferguson made the second. Motion carried unanimously. Mayor Jones advised the Council that Director of Utilities Danny Johnson had requ sted authorization to invite bids for a new pickup for the Sewer Department and it i a budgeted item. Councilman Anderson made the motion that Mr. Johnson be authorized to invite bids for the puchase of a new pickup for the Sewer Department. Councilman Irwin made the econd. Motion carried unanimously. Administrative Assistant Kurt Ackermann presented a detailed report on the City's Personnel Department. In this report, Mr. Ackermann stated that the city's full time employees had increased from 72 to 77 in the past year. Most of the increase had teen in the Fire Department due to that department taking over the ambulance and transfer service. According to Mr. Ackermann, the Water and Sewer Departments are operating one man short and the Police Department is the same. In his report, Mr. Ackermann stated that the City has enrolled 14 persons from the CETA Manpower Program and have placed 5 of these persons fulltime, have dismissed 6 and have 3 working which are still in their probationary period. Mr. Ackermann also reviewed the insurance, workman compensation, retirement and recruitment policies. Mr. Shelton in response to , res p Councilman Ferguson's question, reported that he had checked with the Texas Municipal League regarding the police department leading funerals. All the cities they referred to were the large cities, such as Dallas and I i `5 Fort Worth and did not include cities of comparable size. Chief Watkins stated that much of the time the officers either have to go to work early or stay late when there is a funeral at the time of shift changes. Also there are times when all personnel are tied up with funerals if there are two at the same time. After considerable discussion, it was the consensus of the Council that Mr Shelton should check further with other cities of comparable size to see what their policies are on this situation. Mr. Shelton reported that the Probation Officer and the Texas Rehabilitation Commission are using the Council Chamber and that the utilities are becoming a factor and he just wanted the Council to be aware of this. Councilman McGee advised the Council that he had been contacted several times concerning the deposit policy of Gulf States Telephone Company. Mayor Jones said that the City does not have regulatory power over the telephone company. Mayor Jones announced there would be a Special Meeting of the Council on Tues- day, January 10, 1977 at 3:00 p.m., to consider recommendations for the City Zoning Board and an executive session afterwards. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:55 p.m. try> May ATTEST: ty Secretary