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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1972-12-05 - Regular City Council.: City Hall Stephenville, Texas The City Council met in regular session December S, 1972, with Mayor Don Jones presiding and the following members present: Toby Stone, Garland Loudermilk, W. M. Irwin, Charles Riggins, Raymond Anderson, Larry Hammett, Jack Curtis, and Doug Smithey. Others present were: City Administrator Shelton, Director of Public Works Gann, and City Attorney Chandler. Minutes of the meetings of Nobember 4th, November 7th and November 8th were read. The minutes of November 4th and November 7th were approved as read. The approval of the November 8th minutes was held for correction later. The Mayor had a letter from Mrs. W. F. Jarrett concerning property here in the City. The pro- perty had a house on it which burned in February, 1970. This has continued to be assessed for tax purposes as improved property. Ellis Insurance Co. has paid total loss on this house and Tax Assessor Groves recommends, after inspecting the property himself, lowering the assessment. Councilman Loudermilk-moved to amend this assessment and lower the assessment and tax on this particular property, Councilman Riggins made the second. Motion carried. Mayor Jones brought up for discussion the Kenneth Currier property on Blackjack St. The Council in a called meeting on November 8th had approved Mr. Currier a non - conforming permit for a storage building. The Mayor stated that he had not understood that the Zonir}g Commission had denied the request. Several members of the Council said they had not understood it that way either. Mr. Kenneth Currier was present and stated that he had been told that the permit had been approved and on this basis had been out the expense of the paper work on a loan for his storage building. Mr. E. A. Blanchard, a member of the Zoning Commission, stated that the Zoning Commission had denied the permit because it did not comply with the Zoning Ordinance. Several residents in the area spoke before the Council against the permit and after much discussion, Councilman Irwin moved to table this matter until members of the Council can k look at the property in question. Councilman Loudermilk made the second: Motion carried. City Administrator Shelton gave a progress report on the landfill site and recommendations on the operations of whatever site was decided on. The engineering report on the coring indicated a minimum of forty acres,and not sure of how much more would be useable on the Smithey Property. The report has gone to the Health Dept. The Mayor also read a letter from the County Commissioners stating they would endorse any site the City decided on. Councilman Stone brought up for discussion the possiblity of leasing land for the landfill on maybe a five or ten year period. He stated that, in his opinion, it would be no more expensive and would not have the opposition from residents in the area if it were to be for a shorter period of time. - City Administrator Shelton reported that he, Director of Public Works Gann, and Councilman Hammett had been talking to Mr. Bill Bledsoe concerning Mr. Bledsoe taking over the entire operation and the City getting out of it entirely and they would like to know the feelings of the Council on this. Some members of the Council suggested pursuing this idea. Council- man Stone said he thought the Council would need to specify some control in order that the City would have some recourse in case Mr. Bledsoe did not operate the landfill and collection of garbage to the satisfaction of the City. City Administrator Shelton suggested a contract with Mr. Bledsoe, in which he would actually be working for the City. Mayor Jones suggested following up on this to see how Mr. Bledsoe felt about this. After much more discussion, Councilman Irwin moved that in the event we do not have the States approval on the Smithey Property when the option expires, that we'extend the option another thirty days. Councilman Higgins made the second. Councilman Stone asked the Council if they were not going to consider the leasing of land for the landfill site? Councilman Irwin _ said he was not in favor of leasing. Councilman Curtis said he would be in favor of looking into the possibility of leasing and asked some of the area residents present how they would feel about the leasing of the property for a five or ten year period. Mr. Gary Crow said they would be for it as they felt they could put up with most anything if they knew it would not be permanent. After much more discussion, the Mayor asked for a vote on the above motion. Motion carried. Mr. Raymond Noah, an attorney and also the Mayor of Richardson, spoke to the`Council in be- half of the area residents of the Smithey Property. Mr. Noah stated several reasons that he and the people he represented did not want the landfill on the Smithey Property. Mayor Jones reported that Dublin had approached him, showing an interest in participating in whatever land site we purchased. They would go in on the purchase price as well as the use. It was also decided that the County should pay 25% of the purchase price and 25% of operating cost or charge for county vehicles at the gate. Should the land be sold, the County would be reimbursed. The Mayor brought up for consideration the deeding of the property to allow for an offset on Cleveland St. near the Jaycee Park. Councilman Stone said he thought there would be a problem of overloading the sewer line if the put a 100 bed nursing home in the 1600 block of the Lingleville Highway. Director of Public Works Gann explained that because of the gravity flow over a 24 hour period of the sewer line that the nursing home can be handled on the existing sewer line although it is already overloaded. Councilman Stone also said that he thought the people purchasing this property for the nursing home should be made aware of the fact that if they purchase this property , they will have to curb, gutter and pave the street with the necessary utilities connected before they build. After more discussion, Councilman Stone moved that before a building permit is issued for the nursing home that Cleveland St. is to be completely paved, guttered, curbed and all utilities connected. Councilman Curtis made the second. Motion carried. Mayor Jones read the Ordinance. Councilman Irwin Moved that we do agree to take conveyance from Wayne Barham and make conveyance to Wayne Barham moving Cleveland Street over about 40 feet, subject to approval of Planning Commission. Councilman Riggins made the second. Motion carried. This to be in writing and attached to the Ordinance. City Administrator Shelton asked the Council to consider having an annual Service Awards banquet for City employees for each five years service. After some discussion Council- man Smithey moved that we do initiate the program for an awards banquet each year, pre - senting service awards to city employees. Councilman Hammett made the second. Motion carried.:'` City Administrator Shelton said it had been suggested to.!hire a part -time employee to watch for shoplifters from now until Christmas at $1.60 per hour for 4 hours a day. He brought it before the Council as it was over and above the Police Dept. budget. After some discussion, Councilman Stone moved that we provide funds for someone to watch for shoplifters until Christmas. Councilman Curtis made the second. Motion carried. Mayor Jones asked City Administrator Shelton to read the bids on the Radio Alert System for the Fire Dept. The three bids received were: ~ Motorola------- - - - - -- -- $4,448.00 Communication Sales - - - - -- 4,182.00 Texas Alerting Co -------- 3,984.00 Councilman Smithey moved to accept the low bid of Texas Alerting Co. for $3,984.40. Council - man Hammett made the second. Motion carried. M Mr Shelton also read the bids for the remodeling of the City Hall. He also stated that he . had received one bid after the 10:00 A. M. deadline set forth in the letter to the bidders. The bids were: Philip Hale ------------------ ,540,865.00 Eddie Caudle----------- - - - - -- 44,900.00 Arnold Hale------------ - - - - -- 43,634.00 Vernon Gunn------------ - - - - -- 33,391.00 -- Late - -2:00 P. M. After some discussion, Councilman Irwin moved to accept the low bid of the three that were in by the deadline which was Phillip Hale's at $40,865.00. Councilman Anderson made the second. The Mayor pointed out that we would have to accept one of the three that were in by the deadline or reject all bids and reopen the bidding to be fair to all concerned. Councilman Curtis said he thought we needed to reject all bids and reopen the bidding. After more discussion, the above motion carried with Councilman Curtis voting against. Mayor Jones said it had been recommended by the insurance key rate people to adopt a build- ing and electrical code. Mr. Shelton said he thought the City had an employee that could handle the inspections and permits on these codes and would not have to hire additional per- sonnel. Councilman Irwin recommended that City Administrator Shelton request the Planning Commission to study and recommend a building and electrical code. Mayor Jones reported that there would be a one day seminar December 13, 1972 on Revenue Sharing in Austin, Councilman Irwin moved that City Administrator Shelton attend the one day seminar in Austin or to designate someone to go in his place. Councilman Stone made the second. Motion carried. Councilman Riggins reported that he had a report on a survey taken of the - Downtown Retail Merchant's Association. Of the 20 surveyed, 14 wanted parking meters enforced on Saturdays and 6 did not. They were mainly concerned with the Christmas holidays. City Attorney Chandler said they should be enforced all the time or not at all. After more discussion Councilman Loudermilk moved that�we do enforce all parking meters on Saturdays. Council- man Riggins made the second. Motion carried. Mayor-Jones asked the Council to authorize someone to sign the papers for application for Sanitary Sewer Outfall Line. Councilman Loudermilk moved that we submit request for Federal Funds for Sanitary Sewer Outfall Line and that Mayor Jones be authorized to sign all papers. Councilman Irwin made the second. Motion carried. Councilman Irwin reported that the Finance Committee had met and discussed the delinquent tax situation which had been discussed at the last council meeting. He said that the committee had decided they should look at each case individually. Tax Assessor Groves was not present with the report so that the Council could take action. The Mayor asked the Council to consider taking bids for codification of City Ordinances. After 'some discussion, Councilman Irwin moved to take bids for codification of City Ordinances. Councilman Loudermilk made the second. Motion carried. After more discussion, Councilman Irwin moved to accept the minutes of November 8th, 1972, with correction of deleting the sentence which read"Both of these requests have been to the Zoning Commission who denied the non - conforming permit for Mr. Currier and to the Planning Commission." Councilman Riggins made the second. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned. 4CISZe-c-retary ST'