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Home My WebLink About1996-01-23 MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING `"" OF THE EULESS CITY COUNCIL JANUARY 23, 1996 CALL TO ORDER A regular meeting of the Euless City Council was called to order by Mayor Mary Lib Saleh at 4:10 p.m. on Tuesday, January 23, 1996, in the downstairs Administration Building Conference Room. Those present included Mayor Mary Lib Saleh, Mayor Pro Tem Bobby Baker and Council Members Carl Tyson, Todd Smith, Charles Miller, Glenn Walker and Katie Edwards. Precouncil discussion was held on agenda items and other scheduled items. A closed session was held to discuss pending litigation and land acquisition as authorized by Sections 551.071 and 551.072 of the Texas Government Code. COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF SCHEDULED ITEMS - COUNCIL CHAMBERS The Euless City Council continued their meeting in the Council Chambers at 7:05 p.m. for the consideration of the scheduled items. Staff Members Present Tom Hart, City Manager; Bob McFarland, City Attorney; Susan Crim, City Secretary; Joe Hennig, ,,ia, Assistant City Manager; Lee Koontz, Fire Chief; Gary McKamie, Police Chief; Paul Kruckemeyer, City Engineer; Diana Ortiz, Director of Finance; Randy Byers, Director of Development and Public Works; Tom Cox, Director of Economic Development and Administrative Services; Rick Herold, Director of Community Services; Police Captain Rod Davis; Police Lt. Bill McLendon; Police Sgt. Troy Remington; Police Corporal Carl Swindell; Police Corporal David Cort-Brassey; Don Wilson, Deputy Fire Chief; Lt. Franchot Thomas, Fire Department; Jack Watson, Battalion Chief; Scott Parsley, Battalion Chief; Gary Thompson, Battalion Chief; Captain Ronnie McClendon; Driver/Engineer Mike Christenson; Fire Fighter Kenny Wroblski; Fire Fighter Tommy Crist; Fire Fighter II James Rowell; Ruth Alley, Personnel Manager; Janina Jewell, Accountant, Finance Department; Keith Martin, Urban Forester; Police Officer Don Meredith; Scott Campbell, Administrative Assistant; Jenny Kratz, Municipal Relations Coordinator; Clyde Cullum, Reserve Police Officer; Cathy DiMaggio, Deputy City Secretary Visitors Geri Donworth and Kathy Haecker, Community Advisory Board; Billy Owens, Planning and Zoning Commission; Bruce Ebert, Parks and Leisure Services Board; Lou Baum, Crime Control and Prevention District Board; Members of Boy Scout Troop #273; and other visitors as noted on the Visitor's Register. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Council Member Walker led the Pledge of Allegiance. INVOCATION Council Member Smith gave the invocation. COUNCIL MEETING JANUARY 23, 1996 PAGE 2 ITEM NO. 1: PRESENTATION OF EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR FOR 1995 Mayor Saleh presented a plaque and gift certificate to Jack Watson, Battalion Chief, Fire Department, as the 1995 Employee of the Year. ITEM NO. 2: PRESENTATION OF EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH FOR JANUARY Mayor Saleh presented a plaque and gift certificate to Janina Jewell, Accountant, Finance Department, as Employee of the Month for January. ITEM NO. 3: PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT AWARD TO POLICE OFFICER DON MEREDITH Mr. Lou Baum, First Vice President, Euless Police Academy Alumni Association, presented a Certificate of Achievement Award to Police Officer Don Meredith from the Morrisdale Neighborhood Association and the Euless Police Academy Alumni. Mr. Baum commended Officer Meredith's constant communication and fast response to a potentially volatile situation in the Morrisdale Subdivision on December 2, 1995. ITEM NO. 4: APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION NO. 96-930, CANVASSING THE RETURNS AND DECLARING THE RESULTS OF THE JANUARY 20, 1996 SPECIAL ELECTION `.. Council Member Miller moved to approve Resolution No. 96-930, canvassing the returns and declaring the results of the January 20, 1996 Special Election as follows: The adoption of an additional sales and use tax within the City at a rate of one- fourth of one percent to be used to reduce the property tax rate. FOR: 550 AGAINST: 102 Total number of voters: 654 Council Member Walker seconded the motion. Ayes: Council Members Tyson, Smith, Miller, Walker and Edwards, Mayor Pro Tem Baker and Mayor Saleh Nays: None Mayor Saleh declared the motion carried. ITEM NO. 5: PUBLIC HEARING FOR 22ND YEAR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) PROJECT - FY 1996-97 Mayor Saleh opened a public hearing at 7:20 p.m. to receive public input as to proposed projects for the City's 22nd year Community Development Block Grant project for Fiscal Year 1996-97. COUNCIL MEETING JANUARY 23, 1996 PAGE 3 `- Randy Byers, Director of Development and Public Works, stated that Community Development Block Grant Funds, distributed through the Tarrant County Consortium of Cities, are federal funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The funds are to be used in areas that have been designated as low to moderate income areas (50% of the households have incomes of less than 80% of the metropolitan area's median income). Mr. Byers stated that the Development Review Committee's recommendation for the FY 1996-97 CDBG project is the reconstruction and upsizing of the sanitary sewer line located behind the houses on Royce Drive and Clebud Drive. There were no citizens who wished to give input regarding a proposed CDBG project for FY 1996- 1997. Mayor Saleh closed the public hearing at 7:30 p.m. ITEM NO. 6: PROJECT SELECTION FOR 22ND YEAR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROJECT - FY 1996-97 Mayor Pro Tern Baker moved to authorize staff to prepare and submit the reconstruction and upsizing, as necessary, of the sanitary sewer line from Simmons Drive to just south of Bayless Drive, running between Royce Drive and Clebud Drive, as the City's 22nd year Community Development Block Grant Project for Fiscal Year 1996-97. Council Member Walker seconded the motion. Ayes: Council Members Tyson, Smith, Miller, Walker and Edwards, Mayor Pro Tern Baker and Mayor Saleh Nays: None Mayor Saleh declared the motion carried. ITEM NO . 7: ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF THE CITY'S ANNUAL AUDIT AND COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT Mayor Pro Tern Baker moved to acknowledge receipt of the City's annual audit and Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. Council Member Miller seconded the motion. Ayes: Council Members Tyson, Smith, Miller, Walker and Edwards, Mayor Pro Tem Baker and Mayor Saleh Nays: None Mayor Saleh declared the motion carried. COUNCIL MEETING JANUARY 23, 1996 PAGE 4 ITEM NO. 8: APPROVAL OF THE FIRST AND FINAL READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 1197 - ANNEXING 157.956 ACRES City Manager Tom Hart explained that this property was purchased to build the golf course and athletic complex. When searching for land for these projects, it was found that properties within the City of Euless were either too expensive or were prime pieces of land for development prospects. Mr. Hart said that the golf course and athletic complex projects should spur development in the area and also enable the residents of Mosier Valley to receive water and sewer utilities that have previously not been available to them. Council Member Miller moved to approve the first and final reading of Ordinance No. 1197, annexing 157.956 acres between South Pipeline Road and the future extension of Trinity Boulevard and between House Anderson Road and the future extension of Airport Drive and providing for the extension of certain boundary limits of the City of Euless. Council Member Edwards seconded the motion. Ayes: Council Members Tyson, Smith, Miller, Walker and Edwards, Mayor Pro Tern Baker and Mayor Saleh Nays: None Mayor Saleh declared the motion carried. **" ITEM NO. 9: APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF EULESS AND THE TARRANT COUNTY CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS Mayor Pro Tem Baker moved to approve an agreement between the City of Euless and the Tarrant County Chapter of the American Red Cross through December 31, 1999 to provide City facilities to be used as mass care shelters for the victims of disasters and detailing operational assignments and responsibilities during a disaster. Council Member Edwards seconded the motion. Ayes: Council Members Tyson, Smith, Miller, Walker and Edwards, Mayor Pro Tern Baker and Mayor Saleh Nays: None Mayor Saleh declared the motion carried. ITEM NO. 10: APPROVAL OF A LIBRARY RECIPROCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF HURST Council Member Walker moved to approve a reciprocal library borrowing agreement with the City of Hurst allowing Hurst residents to utilize the Euless Library at no cost and acknowledging the �,,� waiver of library user fees of the Hurst Library to Euless residents. COUNCIL MEETING JANUARY 23, 1996 PAGE 5 `*4., Council Member Smith seconded the motion. Ayes: Council Members Tyson, Smith, Miller, Walker and Edwards, Mayor Pro Tem Baker and Mayor Saleh Nays: None Mayor Saleh declared the motion carried. ITEM NO. 11: APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 9, 1996 REGULAR MEETING Mayor Pro Tern Baker moved to approve the minutes of the January 9, 1996 Regular Meeting as presented. Council Member Walker seconded the motion. Ayes: Council Members Tyson, Smith, Miller, Walker and Edwards, Mayor Pro Tem Baker and Mayor Saleh Nays: None Mayor Saleh declared the motion carried. �` ITEM NO. 12: REPORTS a) City Manager City Manager Tom Hart had nothing to report. b) City Attorney City Attorney Bob McFarland had nothing to report. c) Staff Urban Forester Keith Martin gave an overview of the "1 + 1 = 2" tree program. In 1986 the City was awarded the designation of Tree City USA. One of the responsibilities of this designation is to develop a tree planting and management program. The 1 + 1 = 2 program is a 10-year commitment to plant one tree for each Euless citizen by the year 2000. So far, 29,944 trees have been planted in Euless. On February 10, 1996, the city will hold an official tree planting day and will encourage schools, churches and citizens to participate by planting 1,000 trees. Many of these 1,000 trees were received through a cooperative program with Texaco Oil Co. and the National Tree Trust. COUNCIL MEETING JANUARY 23, 1996 PAGE 6 d) City Council Council Member Carl Tyson congratulated Jack Watson and Janina Jewell and thanked them for their hard work and commitment to the City of Euless. Mr. Tyson also recognized the members of the Morrisdale Neighborhood Association and commended them for their work. Mr. Tyson also recognized the efforts of Police Officer Don Meredith in assisting the Morrisdale Neighborhood Association. Council Member Todd Smith congratulated the voters on the passage of the 1/4 cent sales tax proposition to reduce property taxes. Mayor Pro Tom Bobby Baker announced that Council Member Todd Smith is running for State Representative in the Republican Primary. Mr. Baker said he is proud to have a Council Member running in that election and commended Mr. Smith for his accomplishments on the City Council. Mr. Baker said he is pleased that the 1/4 cent sales tax passed. Mr. Baker added that the annexation of the golf course and athletic complex property will be an asset to the community for generations to come. Council Member Charlie Miller thanked Keith Martin for his report and reminded citizens that donations may be made to the 1 + 1 = 2 Tree Program. Mr. Miller reported that he attended a session of Teen Court on January 22, and found it to be an interesting as well as educational experience. Mr. Miller attended a Neighborhood Crime Watch meeting with Geri Donworth and was very impressed with the accomplishments of these groups throughout the city. `"` Council Member Glenn Walker attended the Town Hall Meeting at Bear Creek Elementary School on January 18, and announced that the next Town Hall Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 25 at Lakewood Elementary School. Council Member Katie Edwards commended Fire Chief Lee Koontz, Police Chief Gary McKamie and Director of Community Services Rick Herold for their excellent presentations at the Town Hall Meeting. Ms. Edwards also thanked Jenny Kratz, Municipal Relations Coordinator, and Scott Campbell, Administrative Assistant, for their work on the recent 1/4 cent sales tax election. Mayor Mary Lib Saleh invited citizens to attend the Town Hall Meetings scheduled each Thursday at 7:00 p.m. through March 14. Mayor Saleh reported that she and City Manager Tom Hart spoke to the HEB Leadership class, which the city hosted on January 5. Mayor Saleh introduced members of Boy Scout Troop#273. Mr. Walter Wilkinson, Troop Leader, said that the troop was working on a citizenship and community badge. Mayor Saleh asked if anyone in the audience wished to address the Council. Ms. Della Ferris asked when the mall will be built. Mayor Saleh responded that it takes many years of planning and negotiation, but felt confident the mall would be built. Mayor Pro Tern Baker said that the average time for a mall to be built from the time it is first discussed to the beginning of development is ten years. Barbara Lewis stated that she was proud of Euless, the City Council and the Police and Fire Departments and felt that they were doing a great job. COUNCIL MEETING JANUARY 23, 1996 PAGE 7 Executive Session Mayor Saleh recessed the regular meeting and convened a closed session at 8:05 p.m. The closed session was adjourned at 8:25 p.m. ITEM NO. 13: ADJOURN Mayor Saleh adjourned the meeting at 8:26 p.m. APPROVED: .• 4 �.� Mary Li•/.aleh, Mayor ATTEST: I usan Crim, C , City Secretary wpwin/minutes/1-23-96.min