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Home My WebLink About1976-03-11 - Special City CouncilSPECIAL SESSION - THURSDAY MARCH 11, 1976 - 4 :00 P.M. CHAMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY HALL, CITY OF STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS The City Coun,"l,of the City of Stephenville, Texas, met in Special Session Thursday, March 11, 1976 at 4 :00 p.m., with Mayor Donald R. Jones present and presiding. Councilmen W. M. Irwin, Cal McGee, Charles Biggins, Ray- mond Anderson, Jesse Sexton, and Larry Hammett were present. " Councilmen Jim Chambers and Neal Guthrie were absent. Also attending the meeting were City Administrator Marshall Shelton and City Secretary Joyce Pemberton. Mayor Jones called the meeting to order and explained that the purpose of this meeting was to consider the Lone Star Gas Company Rate Ordinance and also to consider sale of alley to Roy Parnell Mayor Jones reviewed past actions of the Council concerning the Lone Star Gas Company rates, in which he explained that the rate ordinance passed December 2, 1975, had been ,rescinded and in the meeting of March 3rd, the Council had voted to pass an ordinance identical to the one in effect prior to December 2nd. Due to the fact this had not been an agenda item and had not been posted publicly, it was necessary to have this meeting. Mayor Jones then read the ordinance to be considered. Mr. J. W. Beck, local manager of Lone Star Gas Company, came before the Council requesting that a clause containing the Lo -Vaca Pass -on charge be included in the rate ordinance Mayor Jones had just read. The Clause being as follows: "Effective with first gas bill rendered on or after sixty (60) days from passage of this ordinance Lone Star Gas Company shall be allowed to in- clude in the rates set out above the actual increased Lo -Vaca gas costs computed on Lo -Vaca purchases for the second preceding month." After lengthy discussion, Councilman Irwin made the motion to adopt the Lone Star Gas Company Rate Ordinance as read, which are the rates that went into effect with the passage of the ordinance June 5, 1973. Council- man Sexton made the second. Motion carried unanimously. City Administrator Shelton advised the Council that Mr. George Black had brought an agreement from the State Department of Highways and Public Transportation concerning the installation of railroad signals for the crossings on Frey St. and Lillian St. The City's cost to be 5% of the total cost which will be approximately $4,059.32. After discussion, it was the consensus of the Mayor and Council to delay signing this agreement until City Attorney Chandler had a chance to read - it and make his recommendations. The Council will consider again at the March 30th meeting. City Administrator Shelton reported that Roy Parnell had offered $100.00 for the purchase of the alley which is the southerly 16' X 200' of Lot 9, Block 39, City Addition, City of Stephenville, Texas, or permission to use said property and that Mr. Parnell is not planning to erect a build- ing of any kind on this property. After some discussion, Councilman McGee made the motion to sell the a- bove alley to Roy Parnell for the sum of $100.00. Councilman Riggins made the second. Motion carried by a vote of five (5) for and one (1) against. Councilman Irwin voting against.. City Administrator Shelton reported that Taylor Almon had called to inform him that the City would receive a grant or loan from the Texas Water De- velopment Board in the amount of $400,000 for the Water Improvement System. The Council discussed the possibility of the City doing some of the work on the laying of water lines, etc. from the water supply field, as they did on the north sewer outfall line. Mayor Jones asked that copies of reports, ordinances or agreements that are to be brought before the Council, be given to him and the Council a week before, if possible, in order for them to read and study them before taking action at the regular council meetings. i I j 6 After discussion, it was the consensus of the Mayor and Council to have a Special Session on each Friday before the Regular Session for the pur- pose of examining the coming agenda. There being no other business, Mayor Jones adjourned the meeting at 5 :30 p.m. 4yeLr4- : treta ry Mayor AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CERTAIN GENERAL SERVICE RATES TO BE CHARGED BY LONE STAR GAS COMPANY WITHIN THE CITY OF STEPHENVILLE TO RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS; PROVIDING THAT THE RATES HEREIN ESTAB- LISHED SHALL BE IDENTICAL TO THOSE RATES APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF STEPHENVILLE ON JUNE 5, 1973; PROVIDING THAT THIS ORDINANCE IS CUMULATIVE OF ALL OTHER ORDINANCES NOT IN CONFLICT HEREWITH; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES AND PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT WITH THIS ORDINANCE; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY TO EXIST. WHEREAS, the City Council of Stephenville, Texas, finds that the setting of the general service rates for Lone Star Gas Company as established by ordinance on December 2, 1975, was determined amidst such misunderstanding and confusion of facts as represented to and received by the City Council that the said rate is likely to be other than an appropriate and reasonable rate; and, WHEREAS, acting to remedy the possibility of the citizens of Stephenville being burdened with any incomplete or incorrect rate for an essential ser- vice, the City Council, acting on January 30, 1976, did rescind said rate ordinance passed on December 2, 1975; and. WHEREAS, in order to grant the citizens of Stephenville relief from the so established rate structure of December 2, 1975, providing thereby the City administration sufficient time and ability to assess the needs of its citizens, and to provide a rate structure for Lone Star Gas Company imme- diately effective, the City Council of Stephenville hereby re- establishes as the set rate schedule for gas service to the citizens of Stephenville a rate schedule being the same as was in effect prior to the referenced change by ordinance on December 2, 1975; now, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF STEPHENVILLE: Section One Effective on the date of final approval of this ordinance, Lone Star Gas Company, its successors and assigns, shall charge for sales of natural gas rendered to residential and commercial customers within the city limits of Stephenville, Texas, a maximum service rate as herein fixed and determined as follows: First 1,000 cu.ft. Net .867 (or fraction Mcf Net thereof at) per Next 3,000 cu.ft. at Next 6,000 cu.ft. at Next 15,000 cu.ft. at Next 75,000 cu.ft. at All Over 100,000 cu.ft. at $2,2856 per Mcf Gross; $1.0744 per Mcf Gross; .9633 per Mcf Gross; .8744 per Mcf Gross; .8189 per Mcf Gross; .7967 per Mcf Gross; $2.057 per Mcf Net .967 per Mcf Net .867 per Mcf Net .787 per Mcf Net .737 per Mcf Net .717 per Mcf Net No gas bill will be rendered to any residential or commercial consumer served under the above rate consuming no gas during any monthly billing period. Any and all gas bills rendered to consumers after the effective date of this ordinance shall reflect the above rate where the monthly meter reading and /or the monthly billing period falls after or includes any days following the effective date of this ordinance. Section Two Net rate shall apply to all bills paid within ten days from the monthly billing date; gross rate shall be applicable thereafter. Section Three The rate set forth in Section One may be changed, modified, or altered by action of the City Council of Stephenville or by any other manner as provided by law. Section Four Except as may be herein provided, this ordinance shall be cumulative of all previously enacted and existing ordinances or parts of ordinances which are in conflict with the provisions of this ordinance are hereby repealed as to those parts in conflict only. Section Five It is hereby found and determined that the meeting at which this ordinance was passed was open to the public and that all notices required by Texas law were provided. Section Six Due to the emergency created by the immediate necessity to provide for the health, safety, and general welfare of the citizens of Stephenville, Texas, by insuring._ that natural gas is available at reasonable rates to all persons so situated for their individual health, safety, and welfare; the requirement that this, become effective thirty days after passage is found to endanger the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Stephenville, Texas, and, therefore, this ordinance, due to said emergency, shall become effective immediately upon its passage and approval. PASSED AND APPROVED on this the day of March, A.D., 1976. Mayor I i