|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
CITY OF SULPHUR SPRINGS, TEXAS REGULAR
MEETING OF THE CITY
COUNCIL JULY
6, 2004 7:00
p.m. The
regular meeting of the Sulphur Springs City Council was called to order
at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor Chris Brown.
Mayor Brown led in the pledge to the flag and the invocation. The following council members and staff were present for the
meeting:
Mayor Chris Brown
Mayor Pro Tem Clay Walker
Councilman Joe Crouch
Councilman Freddie Taylor
Councilman Larry Powers
Council woman Lydia Bryant Absent:
Councilman Garry Jordan Staff:
Marc Maxwell, City Manager
Sharon Ricketson, City Secretary
Gale Roberts, Secretary Trainee
Johnny Vance, Community Development Director
Peter Karstens, Finance Director
Jim McLeroy, City Attorney OATH OF OFFICE City
Secretary Sharon Ricketson gave the oath of office to councilman elect
Larry Powers. MANAGER’S REPORT City
Manager Marc Maxwell reported to council that the plant-mix program is
underway. Drake
Construction is placing mix on 11.3 miles of city streets at a budgeted
cost of $540,000. At the
end of the project the City will have plant-mix sealed over 26 miles of
streets in the past few years. The
following streets are to sealed this summer: Ardis, Atkins, Bergin,
Charles, Davis, Dabbs, Easy, Fore, Gail, Garrison, Gena, Hinnant,
Holiday Dr., Junell, Lemon, Locust, Magnolia, McCann, Merrell, Mulberry,
Putman, Reservoir, Robertson, Rogers, Rosemont, Spence, Spring, Sprite,
Sunset, Tomlinson, Watcholder, Woodcrest and Woodlawn.
The Original Town Outfall sewer project is completed with the
exception of re-paving the affected streets.
The project had a budget of $342,140 for Phase II.
The budget included a 35% contingency and assumed some
complications such as road bores, etc.
The project has gone well and staff completed Phase II and Phase
III for about $170,200. The
Highway 19 relocation project is underway.
TxDOT requires the city to relocate any utilities in conflict
with the widening project. The
Council approved a budget of $149,642 at a previous meeting.
This budget is divided among six separate utility relocation
projects. On the agenda is
a request of an additional $63,300 to replace a previously unidentified
segment of water line. There
were three worker’s compensation claims in June. Two claims were for minor injuries. The third happened when an employee kicked a running
lawnmower, nearly amputating his great right toe.
He is back at work after only 2 days.
There were no liability claims.
The
wastewater treatment plant had a good month, producing effluent with a
daily average total suspended solids (TSS) count of 2.99 mg/L. Peter
Karstens, Finance Director gave a financial report. CONSENT AGENDA The
following items from the Consent Agenda were reviewed: regular City
Council meeting minutes of June 1, 2004, Special City Council meeting
minutes of June 22, 2003; Planning and Zoning Commission minutes of June
21, 2004, Zoning Board of Adjustment minutes of June 22, 2004, Economic
Development Corporation minutes of May 17, 2004; HOME Board minutes of
June 22, 2004 and the Appraisal District Budget for 2005.
Council woman Bryant moved to approve the items from the Consent
Agenda. Councilman Taylor
seconded and the vote was unanimous. DISCUSSION/ACTION ON FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 2403, A REQUEST FROM
TAMMY PEARSON ON BEHALF OF WOMEN OFFERING WOMEN SUPPORT A
request has been received from Tammy Pearson to re-zone property located
at 1335 Jefferson Street, described as lot 1 block 523 from Single
Family 6000 to Heavy Commercial. The
property is being renovated to become a Women’s Shelter and will
provide a community-based, peer oriented residential program to provide
appropriate treatment and supportive services in a chemical free
environment for persons in a recovery process.
The Development Manual does not have a classification for a
shelter. The Planning and
Zoning Commission recommended to the Zoning Board of Adjustment that the
Special Use permit be granted. The
Zoning Board of Adjustment approved the permit contingent upon Council
approval to re-zone the property to Heavy Commercial. There was no one
present to speak to the issue. Councilman Powers moved to approve the
ordinance on first reading. Council
woman Bryant seconded and the vote was unanimous. DISCUSSION/ACTION ON FINAL PLAT FOR HOPKINS COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL Hopkins
County Memorial Hospital has requested to re-plat property located on
the West side of Church Street, north of Airport Road, further described
as lot 1-R block 5. The
re-plat will allow the Hospital to abandon Memorial Drive and
accommodate a new medical office building.
The Planning and Zoning Commission recommends approval.
There was no one present to speak to the issue.
Councilman Powers moved to approve the re-plat.
Councilman Taylor seconded and the vote was unanimous. DISCUSSION/ONLY ON COMPLAINTS ASSOCIATED WITH SULPHUR SPRINGS CULTURE This
item was placed on the agenda as a result of a continuing odor problems
in and around the area of Sulphur Springs Culture plant located on
Jackson Street. Mr. Chuck Nash presented a letter to Council detailing
the problems that the odor has caused not only for him but for other
residents of the area. Mr.
Nash stated that the odor was so foul that the appraisal district had
lowered the value of his home by some $22,000.
Mr. Nash was very adamant that the city could do something to
alleviate the problem. Approximately five other residents of the area also spoke.
City Manager Maxwell told Mr. Nash and the Council that the city
permits the pre-treatment facility at the plant and that we monitor them
monthly, if they exceed that permit then they receive a surcharge.
The regulatory agencies such as the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality (TCEQ) are aware of the problem.
Mr. Ron Wehner, local plant manager, told council that he had
only been at the plant for six weeks, but is keeping the superiors in
his company informed of the problems they are experiencing.
There was no action to take at this time, however Council
instructed the City Manager to work with the company in trying to find a
way to resolve the problem and to report back to the Council in thirty
days. DISCUSSION/ACTION ON THE NINTH QUALIFIED PERSON FOR THE HOME PROJECT Earlier
in the year, Council approved a HOME grant to assist 9 qualified persons
for construction of a new home. Thirteen
applications were received, 9 of those were qualified however one has
passed away leaving 8. Since
the original applications, there have been changes in the income
guidelines and one of the original 13 now qualifies,
Ms. Evelyn Dial. Councilman
Powers moved to approve Ms. Dial as the 9th applicant. Council woman Bryant seconded and the vote was unanimous. DISCUSSION/ACTION ON BID FOR CONSTRUCTION OF 9 STRUCTURES FOR THE HOME
PROGRAM Staff
advertised for bids for the construction on nine homes for the HOME
project. Bids were received
on June 22, 2004. The
Housing Review Board reviewed all six bids and recommends the low bid of
Industrial Laminates Corporation at a base bid per home of $44,478.
Councilman Powers moved to approve the low bid of Industrial
Laminates. Council woman
Bryant seconded and the vote was unanimous. DISCUSSION/ACTION ON AMENDMENT TO THE COST OF HIGHWAY 19 RELOCATION
PROJECT Council
previously approved $149,640 for the relocation of utilities for the
Highway 19 reconstruction and widening.
Since the original budget number an additional 12 inch water main
from Azalea to Lakeview has been identified that will also need to be
relocated at an additional cost of $63,300.
Council woman Bryant moved to approve the additional cost.
Councilman Taylor seconded and the vote was unanimous. DISCUSSION/ACTION ON PRESENTATION FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR SALARY
INCREASES Some
of the police officers and dispatchers are members of the Sulphur
Springs Law Enforcement Association (SSLEA), and they are requesting a
raise for police personnel. Criminal
Investigator Sergeant David Gilmore presented the results of a salary
survey of the cities of Paris, Bonham, Greenville, Terrell, Mt. Pleasant
and Hopkins County. The starting salaries are comparable, the difference
is in the top pay of each rank. In
a staff report, council was given three options to consider, do nothing,
place the request on a referendum ballot, or to pay for the increases
from the asset forfeiture account paying increases of 4% over three
years above the cost of living (COLA).
The forfeiture account has approximately $74,000 at the present,
there is an additional $212,322 working it’s way through the process.
There is no guarantee that it will be awarded, or a in a definite
time frame. If council
feels there needs to be an election in order to increase taxes to pay
for the raises, then it would need to be called at this meeting to
comply with deadlines for a September 11, 2004 uniform election date.
A discussion followed, in the discussion council ruled out
calling an election. City
Manager Maxwell offered one additional consideration for funding.
He stated that cities charge a franchise fee to utilities that
use rights of way for their businesses.
He went on to say that some cities general fund charges a
franchise fee to their water and sewer or enterprise fund just as they
would to any other utility. This
is the vehicle used to get the money from the Enterprise fund to the
General fund. Another discussion was held concerning this funding
source. Mayor Brown moved
to have staff prepare information regarding funding sources to leave
starting pay for officers as it is and to increase the step plan to top
out with the Mt. Pleasant salaries excluding dispatch.
Councilman Powers seconded and the vote was unanimous. DISCUSSION/ACTION ON PRESENTATION FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR SALARY
INCREASES The
Fire Department has also done a salary survey and have determined their
step plan to be less than those surveyed.
The cities in their survey included Paris, Mt. Pleasant, Sherman,
Greenville and Terrell. Their
concern is similar to the police in that the starting salaries are not
the problem but the top out salaries.
After a brief discussion, Mayor Brown moved to have staff prepare
funding to provide salary increases at a midpoint between the provided
average and the City of Mt. Pleasant.
Councilman Powers seconded and the vote was unanimous.
RECESS Mayor
Brown called for a five minute recess. 9:14 p.m. RECONVENE Mayor
Brown reconvened the meeting at 9:21 p.m. DISCUSSION/ACTION ON REQUEST FOR A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR JOE’S LAST
STAND Property
owner Joe Crouch has made application for a Specific Use Permit for his
property located at 1125 Mockingbird for the sale of alcoholic
beverages. The City
Attorney has determined that the business is in compliance with the
terms of the Texas Liquor Control Act and the City of Sulphur Springs
City Ordinance and there are no legal grounds for the refusal of a
Specific Use Permit for this location.
Councilman Powers moved to approve the request for a Specific Use
Permit. Councilman Taylor
seconded and the vote was as follows: Ayes:
Walker, Brown, Taylor, Powers, Bryant Nays:
none Abstain:
Crouch The
motion carried. DISCUSSION/ACTION ON FINAL PLAT FOR CITY OF SULPHUR SPRINGS ANNEX The
City of Sulphur Springs is proposing to re-plat property located on the
north side of Middle Street and the west and north side of Jackson
Street, described as lots 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 10 & 11
block 66 into one lot. The
property was acquired by the City as part of the county and school land
swap and is now clear of all issues.
The re-platting is to properly accommodate future renovations and
development of the property. Councilman Powers moved to approve the
final plat. Council woman
Bryant seconded and the vote was unanimous. DISCUSSION/ACTION ON CONTINUATION OF FUNDING FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS
PLAN AND ON CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROJECTS FOR 2005 City
Manager Maxwell told Council that before getting too far into the
presentation, staff needed direction from Council on how to proceed with
the funding for the Capital Improvements Plan.
He told Council that in 1998 the Council chose to fund the
program for infrastructure replacement at about half the rate of decay.
Although this was not enough to stop the overall decay of water,
sewer and roads, it was better than nothing at all.
However, recently Councilman Crouch has expressed desire to
change the way the program is implemented.
Councilman Crouch stated that he indeed believe that as opposed
to spreading the projects out over five years, that we should bid the
projects to outside contractors and spend the balance of the bond money.
He stated that with interest rates being so low that the money in
the bank was not making any money to speak of and that it would be a
better use of the citizens money to do all the work as far as the money
would go. A discussion was
held concerning this approach. Councilwoman
Bryant moved to continue funding for the Capital Improvements Plan for
the five years as was originally intended.
Councilman Powers seconded and the vote was as follows: Ayes:
Walker, Brown, Taylor, Powers, Bryant Nays:
Crouch The
motion carried. The
proposed streets for the 2005 year are: Northwood, Amberwood, segments
of Woodbridge, Ardis, Booker, Craig, Calvert water, Highland sewer,
Belview/Kyle water, Carter water and sewer, Lamar sewer, Como Street
overlay and various water and sewer projects. Councilwoman Bryant moved
to approve the proposed projects. Councilman
Powers seconded and the vote was as follows: Ayes:
Walker, Brown, Taylor, Powers, Bryant Nays:
none Abstain:
Crouch The
motion carries. VISITORS/PUBLIC FORUM none ADJOURN With
all business complete the meeting adjourned at 10:22 p.m.
|
||||||
