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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1977-09-13233 Regular Meeting Euless City Council September 13, 1977 CALL TO ORDER The regular meeting of the Euless City Council was called to order at 8 :00 p.m., in the Council Chambers of Euless City Hall by Mayor Harold Samuels. Other members present were Mrs. Willie Mae McCormick, Messrs. Raymond Ozebek, Charles Hunt, and Robert Pippin. (Absent was Mr. Glenn Walker.) Also present were City Manager W. M. Sustaire, City Secretary Della Houy, City Attorney Bob McFarland, City Engineer B i l l Flowers, and Assistant City Manager John Lynch, IV. V ISITORS Visitors in attendance were Messrs. Louis Saunders, L. B. Holmes, Walter A. Elliott, Jr., and Harvey Barbee; Mesdms. Myrtle Hall, Jacqueline Wick, Blanche Saunders, Bertha Nixon, L. B. Holmes, Helen Krelian, Helen Davies, and Hazel Boardway. INVOCATION The invocation was given by Mrs. Willie Mae McCormick. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes of the regular meeting dated August 23, 1977, were approved as written. ORDINANCE NO. 522, INCREASING THE AD VALOREM EXEMPT ION ON RESIDENCE HOMESTEADS FOR PERSONS SIXTY - FIVE (65) YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER TO $7.000 Mr. Pippin moved to approve the second and final reading of Ordinance No. 522, increasing the ad valorem tax exemption on residence homesteads for persons sixty -five (65) years of age or older to $7,000. Mrs. McCormick seconded the motion and the vote is as follows: Ayes: Mr. Pippin, Mrs. McCormick, Messrs. Hunt and Ozebek Nays: None Mayor Samuels declared the motion carried. N° 234 (Page Two, Regular Meeting, Euless City Council, September 13, 1977) ORDINANCE NO. 523, FOR CHANGE CF ZONING FROM " I -1" LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT WITH "SP" SPECIFIC USE PERMIT TO "C -2" COMMUNITY BUSINESS DISTRICT ON TRACT 1E, JOHN H. HAVENS SURVEY, ABSTRACT 685 Mr. Ozebek moved to approve second and final reading of Ordinance No. 523, for change of zoning from "1 -1" Light Industrial District with "SP" Specific Use Permit to "C -2" Community Business District on Tract 1E, John H. Havens Survey, Abstract No. 685. Mr. Pippin seconded the motion and the vote i s as follows: Ayes: Messrs. Ozebek, Pippin, Hunt, and Mrs. McCormick Nays: None Mayor Samuels declared the motion carried. ORDINANCE NO. 524, APPROVING THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 1977 -78 Mrs. McCormick moved to approve second and final reading of Ordinance No. 524, approving the budget for fiscal year 1977 -78. Mr. Hunt seconded the motion and the vote i s as follows: Ayes: Mrs. McCormick, Messrs. Hunt, Ozebek, and Pippin Nays: None Mayor Samuels declared the motion carried. IV CONSIDER PRELIMINARY PLAT - WESTPARK CENTRAL ADDITION - REQUEST OF MR. HARRY HUNSICKER Mayor Samuels recognized Mr. Wal t e r Elliott, who stated he is representing Mr. Harry Hunsicker, developer of Westpark Central Addition. Mr. Elliott stated that this is a continuation of the development of Westpark Central Addition, which began in 1969. He stated the property is located on Westpark Way, at the intersection of Westpark Way and Tibbets Drive. He stated there is an 141° 235 (Page Three, Regular Meeting, Euless City Council, September 13, 1977) office complex on Tract 2R and 3R, and Mr. Hunsicker will build on Tract 9, the other tracts are strictly speculative at this time, as he does not have a tennant for these tracts. He further stated Westpark Circle will go in with the other improvements so that the tracts can be developed as he gains tennants. He stated the office complex on Tracts 2R and Tract 3R, is acquiring twenty -five (25) additional feet to give them better access and better parking facilities for their complex. He stated he will be back before the Council with the final plans within sixty (60) days. Mr. Hunt inquired where the additional parking w i l l be located on Tract 2R and Tract 3R. Mr. Elliott stated the twenty -five (25) feet w i l l be located on the north side of the property. Mr. Pippin moved to concur with the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission and approve the preliminary plat of Westpark Central Addition. Mrs. McCormick seconded the motion and the vote is as follows: Ayes: Mr. Pippin, Mrs. McCormick, Messrs. Ozebek, and Hunt Nays: None Mayor Samuels declared the motion carried. V CONSIDER PLAT REVISION - OAKWOOD ACRES ESTATES Mayor Samuels recognized Mr. Walter Elliott, who stated he is representing Regional Properties. Mr. Elliott stated that on the preliminary and final plat there was some discussion on an alleyway for traffic to serve homes f r o n t i n g on North Main Street but t h i s w i l l be a private ingress/ egress. He further stated that on the filed plat, this ingress /egress was not included, and the lot lines on this plat include the ingress /egress. Mr. Hunt stated as he understands it, the actual dimensions of the lots are not changed, but the figures as to the size of the lots are being brought into line of what they actually are. Mr. Elliott repl ied affirmatively. Mr. Hunt moved to concur with the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission and approve the plat revision of Oakwood Acres Estates. N° 236 (Pape Four, Regular Meeting, Euless City Council, September 13, 1977) Mr. Pippin seconded the motion and the vote is as follows: Ayes: Messrs. Hunt, Pippin, Ozebek, and Mrs. McCormick Nays: None Mayor Samuels declared the motion carried. VI PUBLIC HEARING - WATER AND SEWER RATE INCREASE Mayor Samuels opened the public hearing on the water and sewer rate increase request of the City of Euless, and recognized Mr. John Lynch, Assistant City Manager. Mr. Lynch stated that the primary reason the City is forced to consider this rate increase is because of the increased debt requirement that we sustain through our contract with the Trinity River Authority, which is the source of our treated water, other than our wells, and also our sewer treatment. He stated that this year there is a $248,000 increase in our debt service requirements to TRA. He stated the foremost expense now is that since the inception of the waste water plant, we have received a federal grant, that has off -set our debt payments to TRA but the grant expired last year, and i t was contributing approximately $100,000 to our debt requirement. He further stated this year a new sewerage treatment plant goes on the line and there will be a large start -up expense involved with this. He stated the second reason for the increase is the cost is going up for the City of Euless because our population has not grown in proportion with the projection numbers that were used to develop our debt retirement plan when the contracts were entered into. He further stated that the population projection indicated that there should be 10,800 water connections in the City of Euless by fiscal year 1977-78, and at this time we only have approximately 8600 water and sewer connections. He stated that based on our current rates, one connection produces approximately $102.00 revenue per year. Mr. Lynch reviewed the present water and sewer rates for the citizens; he then read the proposed rates, as follows: MONTHLY WITHIN OUTSIDE CHARGES FOR SERVICES CORPORATE LIMITS CORPORATE LIMITS First 2,000 Next 11,000 Next 17,000 All over 30,000 WATER SERVICES = ALL USERS $6.00 (Minimum) 1.00 per 1,000 gal. .85 per 1,000 gal. .75 per 1,000 gal. SEWER SERVICE - RESIDENTIAL Each Family Dwelling Unit $6.00 $7.00 (Minimum) 1.00 per 1,000 gal. .85 per 1,000 gal. .75 per 1,000 gal. $7.00 le 237 (Page Five, Regular Meeting, Euless City Council, September 13, 1977) SEWER SERV ICE - COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL Each Business Establishment $7.50 minimum f o r fi r s t six outlets plus $1.00 for each additional outlet p l u s 20% of water b i l l over minimum of $7.50 $8.50 minimum f o r fi r s t six outlets plus $1.00 for each additional outlet plus 20 %of water bill over minimum of $8.50 Mr. Lynch stated that with these rates plus $125,000 beginning balance, the City is able to balance the water and sewer budget, which means we are operating at a deficit over all, and this also means that the proposed rate will only take care of this year and possibly next year if the City continues to grow with additional connections to the City system. Mr. Sustaire stated that at the time these projections were made and the contract entered into with TRA, the City had reached the peak the wells would produce and this was the only available source and the City has not grown at the rate that TRA had anticipated. He stated that negotiations began in 1969, the contracts were signed in 1973, and it went on line in 1975. Mr. L. B. Holmes, 806 Oakwood, inquired when the City started taking tax on sewer. Mr. Sustaire stated that the City has always had a sewer charge. He stated that the City did not originally own the water and sewer department, and sewer charges were separate from water. He further stated that Euless bought the water system in 1965. Mayor Samuels stated that the City outgrew their sewer treatment plants and at about this time the Environ- mental Protection Agency and the Texas Water Quality Board served notice on the City that if we did not clean up our discharge into the Trinity River we would be taken to court. He further stated that there wasn't any way the City could conform to the regulations, either size or quality wise, and since the City had a contract underway with TRA for surface water, we then entered into a contract with TRA for sewer treatment service. He stated the City is in the contract with fourteen (14) other cities for wastewater treatment. Mr. Sustaire stated that the City's cost for 1979 will be 6.9% of total cost and that cost figure is $550,940, which is approximately $200,000 more than this year. Mr. Leon Sheppard, 1109 Raider Drive, inquired if normally isn't the water and sewer system pretty self- sustaining. costs. Mr. Sustaire replied affirmatively. Mr. Sheppard inquired what a sewer tap N? 238 (Page Six, Regular Meeting, Euless City Council, September 13, 1977) Mr. Sustaire stated the sewer tap is $150.00. Mrs. M. C. Boardway, 1110 Aransas, stated that when the citizens voted on a bond election for water and sewer, weren't the citizens told that there would not be a rate increase, and what year were the bonds voted on. Mayor Samuels stated it was 1967 or 1968, and he does know what was said at that time. He further stated that the City did not have enough water for fire protection when the contracts were being negotiated. Mrs. Boardway inquired if when they have bond e l e c t i o n s , d o n ' t they say they w i l l not have a rate increase. Mayor Samuels stated that most cities may say that for the foreseeable future, and he's sure they may have said that in 1967, but we have only had one rate increase since that time, and when they say that they are saying for the next budget or maybe next two budget years. Mr. Lynch stated there have been a multitude of federal requirements since the contract was entered into and the cost of the plant has doubled what it was six (6) or eight (8) years ago, and this is something that is not forseeable. Mayor Samuels stated that if some legislature that was passed nationally, to clean up the sewer before it enters streams and rivers, the treatment could cost many times what it is today, and by 1983, they say that streams wi l l be clean enough to drink from. Mr. Richard Karanian, 610 Oakwood Drive, stated he read in the newsletter there would be a $25.00 minimum bill and he was wondering if this was for water only, or for water and sewer. Mr. Sustaire stated this was a quote from him, and he was looking at what he could see happening unless we had some additional homes added to meet our debt requirement for water and sewer. Mr. Karanian inquired when the City entered into the TRA contract. Mr. Sustaire stated that negotiations began in 1969, contract entered into in 1973, and went on line in 1975, and the wastewater contract was entered i nto i n 1971. N° 239 (Page Seven, Regular Meeting, Euless City Council, September 13, 1977) In reply to a question from Mr. Karanian, Mr. Sustaire stated he refers to 2100 additional connections, and 7000 additional population. Mr. Harvey Barbee, 511 East Huitt, inquired if we do not have growth in Euless and the water bill does go the $25.00 a month, how do you expect to entice people to move here. Mr. Sustaire stated he hopes that this does not happen, and we do have some encouragement, that we have five or six plats that are underway and it looks like we will get some additional rooftops in the near future. He further stated that the water and sewer charges are less than they are in the cities of Arlington, Irving, and Grand Prairie and about the same in Bedford. Mr. Samuels stated that there is not a great deal that the Council or citizens can do to get growth, but what hurt Euless was the land value went too high with the building of the airport and people could not develop homes and apartments. Mr. Lynch stated it is a credit to the foresight of the City on both the water and wastewater contracts, to provide water and sewer for future growth of Euless. Mr. Sheppard stated that he spoke with M r . B i l l Pitstick of COG and he said the whole HEB area is lucky to be able to tie onto the line. Mr. Karanian inquired if there is p l a t o o r l i m i t to our goal to get bigger water and sewer facilities. Mr. Sustaire stated that the present sewer facility for wastewater treatment will take care of Euless up to 80,000 population, which is the ultimate saturation point of Euless, since we are landlocked, but our water supply is different., that we are looking at a cost for wastewater treatment and water of $2,464,000 in 1979 to $3,298,340 in 1990. Mr. Ozebek stated that the initial investment is the largest cost. A gentleman in audience inquired if some of the tax money could not be used to offset the debt requirement of the water and sewer system, as his ad valorem tax increased 22% after the revaluation. Mr. Sustaire stated that we are using $125,000 from tax this year to balance the budget. N? 240 (Page Eight, Regular Meeting, Euless City Council, September 13, 1977) Mr. Lynch stated that the water and sewer operation is a separate operation and only water and sewer revenue can be used to retire any water and sewer bond indebtedness. He further stated that ad valorem taxes can not be used to retire water and sewer bond indebtedness. Mayor Samuels stated that you can transfer tax funds to water and sewer funds for a year, but over a period of time, the water and sewer has to be self- supporting, in order to keep a good bond rating. Mr. Elliott, 604 Clebud, stated that he hates to see a rate increase, but the City is confronted with the same thing that other businesses have been hit with. He stated they have to clean up the air and clean up the water and the people are paying for things that started years ago. Mayor Samuels stated he would rather keep rate control in Euless, that we don't want to see the bonding company take it over, or TRA, so we have to have the revenue to retire the bonds. Mr. Sheppard inquired what a citizen can expect his water bill to be. Mr. Sustaire stated that if a customer uses 12,000 gallons of water, h i s t o t a l b i l l would be approximately $25.00. Mr. Sustaire stated that if anyone has any questions on the rate increase or about their bill to come to his office, or Mr. Lynch's office, as their door is always open. Mrs. McCormick stated that she has attended many meetings on waste water this year and TRA is doing all they can to keep the cost of sewer treatment down, and TRA has appeared before the Texas Water Quality Board to keep restrictions down and this in turn w i l l keep the cost down. She further stated that if these restrictions are put into effect, the bills will be greater. Mayor Samuels inquired if there were any opponents; there being none, he declared the public hearing closed. ORDINANCE NO. 525, APPROVING WATER AND SEWER RATE INCREASE Mrs. McCormick moved to suspend the requirement for two separate ordinance readings and approve Ordinance No. 525 on first and final reading. Mr. Pippin seconded the motion and the vote is as follows: Ayes: Mrs. McCormick, Messrs. Pippin, Hunt, and Ozebek Nays: None 241 (Pape Nine, Regular Meeting, Euless City Council, September 13, 1977) Mayor Samuels declared the motion carried. VII CITY ENGINEER'S REPORT Mr. Flowers stated that Southwestern Bell Telephone is relocating their lines from Harwood Road to Little Bear Creek along North Main Street. He stated they are putting the lines under- ground, and the cost has increased from $32,000 to $178,000. Mr. Flowers stated that the poles along the street are for Texas Power and Light Company. VIII WORD CF APPREC IAT ION Mr. Louis Saunders, 817 Mountain Terrace, Hurst, stated he is a member of the Hurst - Euless- Bedford Chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons and a representative of the Senior Citizens Alliance of Tarrant County, and he wants to thank the Council for their approval of Ordinance No. 522, on behalf of all citizens sixty -five (65) years of age and over. IX ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m. APPROVED: /s/ Harold D. Samuels Mayor ATTEST : /s/ Della Houy C ity Secretary N ?, 242