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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-05-15 - Special City CouncilMINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING City of Stephenville - City Council - TUESDAY, MAY 19, 1998 - 5:30 P.M. The City Council of the City of Stephenville, Texas, convened in special session on Tuesday, May 19, 1998, at 5:30 p.m., in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 298 West Washington Street, with the meeting being open to the public and notice of said meeting, giving the date, time, place and subject thereof, having been posted as prescribed by Chapter 551, Government Code, Vernon's Texas Codes Annotated, with the following members present, to wit: Mayor: Councilmembers: Others Attending: I. CALL TO ORDER. John Moser Marshall Shelton Joel Hillin K. H. Conatser Bea Marin Rusty Jergins Barbara Terrell Jerry B. Madkins Wm. H. (Bill) Stanley Don Davis, City Administrator Cindy L. Stafford, City Secretary Randy Thomas, City Attorney Mayor Moser called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. and declared a quorum present. Moser introduced Rudy Izzard, Republican candidate for the Texas 17th Congressional District, and thanked him for attending. Mr. Izzard thanked Mayor Moser for the opportunity to attend the City Council meeting. He acknowledged the commitment to serve made by council members. The mayor then announced that George Williford, First Southwest Company, had been delayed on his trip to Stephenville; and that the council would then proceed with agenda Item III. May 19, 1998 - Minutes of Special Meeting III. CONSIDER CONTINUING THE USE OF COUNCIL COMMITTEES Council member Shelton stated that he would like to discontinue the use of council committees in the interest of time. He said it would save time for the City Administrator, Mayor, and City Secretary. He said it would also save the cost of reproducing materials for all the committee members. Shelton said he had attended a meeting for mayors and council members where 32 cities were represented. Of those 32 cities, only two operated with standing committees, and those two cities had a population over 60,000 each. Shelton said that operating with standing committees is not only unnecessary, but is detrimental. He said that people attending council meetings have a difficult time understanding what the council is doing, much less why they are taking such action. Shelton said agenda matters are "cut and dried" before it reaches the council meeting, and matters are not sufficiently discussed at the council meetings. Council member Terrell spoke in favor of the committee structure. She said that all organizations she has worked with conducts business through committees. She pointed out that committee meetings are open to the public and that full reports are made to all council members. Council member Marin said that committees have the opportunity to fully research issues and can then give better information to the council. Without committees, the council may run the risk of making a quick decision without having been fully educated on the matter. Council member Hillin echoed the comments made in favor of the committee structure. He said committee members get a more thorough background in committee meetings. Council member Stanley said that since he is a newly elected council member, he has no idea how the committees work. He said he anticipates, however, that when a committee makes a recommendation, it is based on supporting documentation and information. Council member Conatser said that it has been utilized over the years to abuse the powers of committees. He said on major committees such as Water Planning, Planning and Development, and Finance that as few as four council member will serve on these committees. Conatser said "if it's handled right, the committee system is all right, but the way it has been used to the exclusion of the balance of the council, in my opinion, it is defmitely an abuse of power ". May 19, 1998 - Minutes of Special Meeting Council member Madkins said that the committee structure allows those people who have jobs the time to serve on the council effectively. He said that he sees no benefit in presenting all the details at a council meeting that might last four or five hours and put undue pressure on the council members to make a decision. Council member Terrell moved to continue with the committee system. Council member Jergins seconded the motion which passed by the following vote: Aes: Council members Madkins, Terrell, Hillin, Stanley, Conatser, Jergins, and Marin. Noes: Council member Shelton. H. CONSIDER ACCEPTANCE OF COMMITMENT BY NATIONS BANK OF TEXAS, N.A. Don Davis introduced George Williford of First Southwest Company; Hadley Woerner, President, NationsBank, Stephenville; and Gary Johnson of NationsBank. George Williford reported that the city has options to the method and place of sale of the bonds. At the time the election was held, NationsBank submitted a commitment to provide the financing for the city to buy the bonds. They offered a rate of 4.43 %, for a ten -year maturity, which NationsBank committed to and held until this time. Williford advised that the rate in the public market at present is 4.67 %. He also advised that area banks had been notified and were given the chance to submit bids. Only one other bank submitted a bid, and it was not competitive with NationsBank bid. Council member Mann moved to accept the commitment on behalf of NationsBank. Council member Madkins seconded the motion which passed by unanimous roll call vote. IV CONSIDER COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS Council member Conatser made a motion to accept the following committee assignments: Finance Committee: Marshall Shelton, Chairperson; Joel Ellin, Rusty Jergins, and Barbara Terrell. Solid Waste Management Committee: Joel Hillin, Chairperson; Rusty Jergins, Jerry Madkins, and Bea Marin. Personnel Committee: Jerry Madkins, Chairperson; Marshall Shelton, Bill Stanley, and Bea Marin. May 19, 1998 - Minutes of Special Meeting Planning and Development Committee: Rusty Jergins, Chairperson; Barbara Terrell, Bill Stanley; and K. H. Conatser. Public Health and Safety Committee: Bea Marin, Chairperson; Jerry Madkins, K. H. Conatser, and Rusty Jergins. Nominations Committee: K. H. Conatser, Chairperson; Joel Hillin, Bea Marin, and Barbara Terrell. Water Planning Committee: Barbara Terrell, Chairperson; K. H. Conatser, Marshall Shelton, and Bill Stanley. V. ELECT A MAYOR PRO -TEM Mayor Moser proposed a different way for electing the Mayor Pro -Tem so that potential misunderstandings are avoided. He stated that in order to vote in this manner, the council would need to suspend the Rules of Procedure. Council member Conatser made a motion, with a second by Council member Jergins, to suspend the Rules of Procedure and vote by paper ballot. The motion passed by the following roll call vote: Ayes: Council members Madkins, Terrell, Shelton, Hillin, Stanley, Conatser, and Jergins. Noes: Council member Marin. The Mayor then passed to each of the eight council members a ballot containing all eight council members' names. Council members Madkins, Marin, and Stanley asked that their names be removed from consideration for Mayor Pro -Tem. The first ballot was voted by the council members, and the two members receiving the most votes were Barbara Terrell and Rusty Jergins. The second and third ballots each ended in a tie vote between Barbara Terrell and Rusty Jergins. Council member Conatser asked the Mayor if he could change his vote from Rusty Jergins to Barbara Terrell. Mayor Moser said that he would like a motion to allow Council member Conatser to change his vote. Council member Madkins moved to allow Council member Conatser to change his vote. Council member Shelton seconded the motion, which was passed by unanimous vote. Mayor Moser then declared Barbara Terrell as the Mayor Pro -Tem. VI. CONSIDER CHANGING THE DATE OF SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING Moser advised that several members of the council are members of the American Legion, which holds its meeting on the same day of the month as the special council meeting. After discussion, it was generally determined that changing the time of the May 19, 1998 - Minutes of Special Meeting special council meeting to 5:00 p.m. would satisfy the conflict. Council member Hillin moved to act on this item at the next council meeting. Council member Marin seconded the motion, which passed by unanimous vote. VII. DISCUSS TEXAS PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT AND OPEN MEETINGS ACT The council and those in the audience then watched a film furnished by the Texas Municipal League concerning the Texas Open Meetings Law and the Texas Public Information Act. VIII. ADJOURN There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6:30 p.m. i JoY Moser, Mayor ATTEST: in � .. . May 19, 1998 - Minutes of Special Meeting