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CITY OF SULPHUR SPRINGS, TEXAS REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
May 3, 2005 7:00 p.m.
Councilman Garry Jordan called the regular meeting of the Sulphur Springs City Council to order at 6:30 p.m. Councilman Joe Crouch moved to adjourn to executive session in accordance with Texas Government Code 551.072, deliberations on real property. Councilwoman Lydia Bryant seconded the motion. There was no one present to speak to the issue. The vote was unanimous. The following council members and staff were present:
Mayor Chris Brown Mayor Pro Tem Clay Walker Councilman Garry Jordan Councilman Joe Crouch Councilman Freddie Taylor Councilman Larry Powers Councilwoman Lydia Bryant
Staff: Marc Maxwell, City Manager Gale Roberts, City Secretary James Litzler, Acting City Attorney Johnny Vance, Dir. Community Development Peter Karstens, Finance Director – 7:00 p.m.
Absent: None
OPEN SESSION Mayor Brown reconvened the meeting in open session at 7:00 p.m.
PLEDGE AND INVOCATION Mayor Brown led in the pledge to the flag and Councilman Taylor led the invocation.
PLAQUE PRESENTED TO OUTGOING COUNCILWOMAN LYDIA BRYANTMayor Chris Brown presented a plaque to outgoing Councilwoman Lydia Bryant.
MANAGER’S REPORT
CARTER STREET - We completed the Carter Street water/sewer/street project this month. This was a small project between College and Jefferson. New water lines and sewer lines were installed and the street was rebuilt with reinforced concrete. You may recall that we replaced water lines and sewer lines in Carter Street in 2002, and then resurfaced the street with plant mix. This section between College and Jefferson was not done in 2002. This project should take care of the remaining water and sewer needs on Carter Street north of the KCS railroad tracks.
CALVERT - Construction is progressing very well on the Calvert Street water line replacement project. This project will replace 1,200 feet of water line on Calvert Street, and it will tie the new line into an existing 12” water line on Como. The combination should improve fire protection capabilities and water pressure in the area. Calvert is also scheduled for a plant-mix overlay this summer.
REMAINING CIP PROJECTS - The following table shows the progress of our CIP program year-to-date. Items highlighted in yellow are completed. The Pacific Park spray ground and Holiday Drive are not included in this table, though the projects are being constructed by the Capital Construction Division.
PACIFIC PARK SPRAY GROUND - Construction is progressing rapidly on this project. I expect that children will be playing on the new spray ground as soon as school adjourns for the summer.
HOLIDAY DRIVE - Phase I is complete. Phase II and III are large enough to require a bid process for materials. We will not likely resume work on Holiday Drive until next fall. In 2003 the City received a grant from the Texas Department of Agriculture (Texas Capital Fund) for the Lowes project. Among other things, the grant provided $240,800 for the reconstruction of Holiday Drive from S.H. 154 to the new intersection with S.H. 11. This is a project that we can accomplish in bits and pieces, so we will work on it in between other capital construction projects. We are reconstructing the road with reinforced concrete.
SPRING CLEAN-UP - The annual tradition went very well this year. Altogether, Duncan Disposal hauled off 113 40-yard containers. Their Contractual obligation is 120 containers.
ACCIDENTS AND CLAIMS - We had no worker’s compensation claims in April, but we did receive 3 liability claims. Two for damages resulting from sewer stoppages, one for a trip and fall in Coleman Park. We also had a little wind damage at the Municipal Pool. One of the April storms blew the fence over.
FINANCIAL REPORT - Finance Director, Peter Karstens will give a summary of year to date revenues and expenditures.
CONSENT AGENDAThe following items on the Consent Agenda were reviewed: Consider for approval: regular City Council minutes of April 5, 2005; Planning and Zoning Commission minutes of April 18, 2005; Zoning Board of Adjustments minutes of April 19, 2005; and the Economic Development Corporation minutes of February 28 and March 28, 2005. Councilwoman Bryant moved to approve the items from the consent agenda as presented. Councilman Taylor seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous.
DISCUSSION/ACTION ON FINAL REPLAT OF LOTS 12 & 13 OF WALNUT HILL ADDITION Property owner Gregg Price is requesting to replat property located at 1604 S. Broadway Street, being further described as Lots 12 & 13, Block 210-2 into one single lot for the development of an office building. Community Development Director Johnny Vance presented the staff report stating that there may be a need for an onsite fire hydrant depending on type of structure and the existing sewer will not accommodate the change to commercial development. However, the owner is proposing to replace the sewer with a new sewer main across the back of his property and across the lot to the south to tie into a new sewer main on the north side of the car wash. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommends approval contingent upon a Community Facilities Contract being signed. There was no one else to speak to the issue. Councilman Powers moved to approve the replat. Councilwoman Bryant seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous.
DISCUSSION/ACTION ON FINAL PLAT OF GREGG PRICE NO. 1 ADDITION Property owner Gregg Price is requesting that to replat property located at 1408 & 1412 S. Broadway, being further described as Lots 16 & 17, Block 210-1 into one single lot for development of an office building and strip center. Community Development Director Johnny Vance presented the staff report stating that there may be a need for an onsite fire hydrant depending on the type of structure. There was no one else to speak to the issue. Councilman Powers moved to approve the replat. Councilwoman Bryant seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous.
DISCUSSION/ACTION ON CONVERTING OLD AIRPORT GROUND LEASES TO NEW FORMAT Finance Director Peter Karstens presented the staff report stating that last year the City Council approved two different types of leases for four individuals that built hangars at the airport. Since then we have obtained an Attorney General’s opinion written in May of last year concerning a 1995 law which states that any leases at the airport can only be granted for a maximum of 40 years. TxDOT Aviation recommends 20 years as a standard. Staff recommends that we offer the option for those that have 50-year leases to convert to the 35-year lease format and to authorize the City manager to enter into these specific lease agreements. There was no one else to speak to the issue. Councilman Powers moved to approve converting the old airport ground leases to the new format. Councilwoman Bryant seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous.
DISCUSSION/ACTION ON MODIFICATION TO 2002 HANGAR LEASE AND APPROVAL OF NEW GROUND LEASE FOR ALPHA OMEGA HANGER Finance Director Peter Karstens presented the staff report stating that Alpha Omega would like to change the 2002 lease to a long-term lease and cancel the transfer of ownership this summer of the hangar in exchange for $200,000. The new 40-year lease will be with Darin Hart and Alpha Omega. This lease will include the provision that the City intends to locate all manufacturing at the airport in an industrial park on the west side and to eventually reserve all hanger space on the apron for jets and other high performance aircraft and maintenance facilities and retains the option for the city to construct a new building of similar size and functionality in the industrial park and then transfer this lease to the new building. City Manager Marc Maxwell informed the City Council that a change had been implemented to the draft lease agreement lowering the minimum insurance amount from $1,000,000 to $500,000. The $200,000 becomes an unrestricted part of the Airport Fund as we continue to receive rent for the land. There was no one else to speak to the issue. Councilman Powers made a motion to approve the new ground lease for the Alpha Omega hangar. Councilwoman Bryant seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous.
DISCUSSION/ACTION ON RESOLUTION NO. 887 MATCHING FUNDS FOR AIRPORT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT GRANT Finance Director Peter Karstens presented the staff report stating that TxDOT Aviation is ready to submit to the Texas Transportation Commission their recommendations for grant funding for CIP projects in 2006 and 2007. They are proposing improvements with a total budget of $3,375,000 for Sulphur Springs’ airport. By passing this resolution the City is stating that it will provide the match for the grants if they are approved which is estimated to be $44,000 in FY 2006 when the engineering is to be done and $293,500 in FY 2007 when the actual construction is done. There was no one else to speak to the issue. Councilman Jordan made a motion to approve Resolution No. 887 as presented. Councilman Walker seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous.
City Manager Marc Maxwell commented that he believes this is probably the largest grant received to date by the City of Sulphur Springs and is due, in no small part, to the relationships Mr. Karstens has built with the staff at TxDOT and the confidence that those relationships inspire.
DISCUSSION/ACTION ON PROJECT SCOPE OF 2004/2005 ENTITLEMENT GRANTS FOR AIRPORT Finance Director Peter Karstens presented the staff report stating that each year we receive a small grant from the FAA through TxDOT Aviation specifically designated for use at the airport. The 2004 grant was held up in the federal budget but it has just been released along with the 2005. The 2004 grant is $79,000 while the 2005 grant is for $155,0000. This is the first time and perhaps the only time these grants can be used for building hangars. The grant requires a 10% match for most projects; however, if we use the funds for constructing hangars it will require a 25% match. Staff recommends that City Council direct staff to obtain grant with the intent to use these funds for both building hangars and taxiways. It is also recommended that the $50,000 match be obtained from the $200,000 currently in the Airport Fund, as it is freed form obligation with Alpha Omega. The rest of the match ($9,500) is already in the budget allocated to be used for these grants. There was no one else to speak to the issue. Councilwoman Bryant made a motion for approval. Councilman Jordan seconded and the vote was as follows:
Ayes: Brown, Walker, Jordan, Taylor, Powers, Bryant Nays: Crouch
The motion carried.
DISCUSSION/ACTION ON DRAINAGE ISSUES PER REQUEST OF COUNCILMAN JOE CROUCH Ms. Margie Pope, 305 Lee Street, addressed the City Council regarding drainage issues at her property. Her taxes have been paid, the previous owners paid their taxes, and she believes this property has always had drainage issues. These drainage problems occur on her property but affect the property behind her as well. Councilman Powers told Ms. Pope that he appreciated her patience with the City Council. Community Development Director Johnny Vance stated the solution could be to install 24” and 18” RCP with 2 curb inlets and 3 surface drain boxes plus tree removal and fence replacements or repairs, as required. The estimated cost to for these recommended repairs is $62,000. City Manager Marc Maxwell requests that the work be done in the early fall due to previous commitments during the summer months if the City Council should approve the repairs for 305 Lee Street. The City Manager also stated that hopefully the costs could be absorbed in the current CIP but there remains the possibility of coming back to City Council for a budget amendment. There was no one else to speak to this issue. Councilman Crouch made a motion to approve the repairs to 305 Lee Street. Councilman Powers seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous.
DISCUSSION/ACTION ON EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM REGARDING REAL PROPERTY No action was taken.
VISITORS/PUBLIC FORUM City Manager Marc Maxwell recognized Airport Manager Gary Cadenhead and the tremendous job that he does at the airport.
City Secretary Gale Roberts suggested to the City Council, if they so desire, to conduct a special meeting May 17th at 5:30 p.m. to canvass the May 7th election and have the City Council Retreat at 6:00 p.m. that same evening at The Lodge, if they so desire. The City Council agreed with the dates except for Garry Jordan who will be on vacation.
Mayor Chris Brown thanked Councilwoman Bryant for serving on the City Council and extended his appreciation for all she has done for the City of Sulphur Springs including serving on various committees for the betterment of our community.
ADJOURN With all business complete the meeting adjourned at 7:31 p.m. |
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