HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-09-26 MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING
OF THE
EULESS CITY COUNCIL
SEPTEMBER 26, 2006
CALL TO ORDER
A regular meeting of the Euless City Council was called to order by Mayor Pro Tem
Linda Martin at 4:07 p.m. on Tuesday, September 26, 2006, in the Precouncil
Conference Room of City Hall, 201 N. Ector Drive. Those present included: Mayor Pro
Tem Linda Martin, Council Members Carl Tyson, Leon Hogg, Glenn Porterfield, and
Michael Brown. Council Member Charlie Miller arrived at 5:00 p.m. and Mayor Mary Lib
Saleh arrived at 6:10 p.m. The precouncil meeting included an Arbor Daze 2007 update
by Director of Parks and Community Services Ray McDonald; financial reports for the
month of August by Finance Administrator Vicki Rodriquez; a development code update
by Director of Planning and Development Mike Collins; a regional transit report by City
Manager Joe Hennig; and a review of agenda items.
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 scheduled items.
STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT
City Manager Joe Hennig, Deputy City Manager Gary McKamie, Assistant City Manager
Loretta Getchell, City Attorney Bob McFarland, City Secretary Susan Crim, Deputy City
Secretary Becky Null, Director of Economic Development Bill Ridgway, Director of
Planning and Development Mike Collins, Director of Parks and Community Services
Ray McDonald, Director of Public Works Ron Young, Fire Chief Lee Koontz, Assistant
Police Chief Bob Freeman, Assistant Police Chief Harland Westmoreland, Assistant
Fire Chief Robert Isbell, Fire Division Chief/EMS Jeff Morris, City Engineer Robert
Barker, Finance Administrator Vicki Rodriquez, Texas Star General Manager Glenda
Hartsell-Shelton, Library Administrator Kate Lyon, Human Resources/Risk Administrator
J. T. Ackerman, Municipal Courts Manager Teresa Alexander, Planning and
Development Manager Chris Barker, Water Office Billing Manager Kathryn Tipton, Fire
Training Officer Dale Skinner, Police Sgt. Joe Foran, Police Sgt. Troy Remington, Police
Sgt. David S. Chaney, Police Sgt. Ron Williamson, Police Sgt. Casey Sanders, Police
Sgt. Gary Landers, Police Corporal Bill Richardson, Police Corporal Mark Harris, Senior
Police Officer Ray Hinojosa, Finance Office Technician Tamra Lewis, Utility Billing Clerk
Ana McFadden, Public Service Officer Alisha Johnson, Information Services
Administrator Dan McLain, Computer Services Specialist Jake Dilliplane,
Communications/Marketing Manager Betsy Boyett, and Reserve Police Officer Clyde
Cullum.
City Council Minutes Page 2 of 6 September 26, 2006
VISITORS
Lance May, Don Martin, Lark Koontz, Tamra, Ken, and K. J. Beavers, Andre Lewis,
Shelby Haggart, Gina Foran, Brenda Richardson, Regena and Taylor English, Jay &
Amy Hill, Faye & Tim Stinneford, Julie Ratliff, Al & Betty Heinemann, Della Ferris, Richard
& Barbara Girouard, Helen Voss, Nadine Barnes, Annette Briggs, Patsy Howell, Dr.
David Mishkin, Barney Snitz, Billy Owens, and others as noted in the visitor register.
INVOCATION
Reverend Lance May, Life Outreach International, gave the invocation.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Council Member Glenn Porterfield led the Pledge of Allegiance.
ITEM NO. 1 PRESENTATION OF SERVICE PINS
Assistant City Manager Loretta Getchell and Finance Administrator Vicki Rodriquez
introduced Finance Office Technician Tamra Lewis, her husband, Andre, and daughter
Shelby. Assistant City Manager Loretta Getchell and Water Office Manager Kathryn
Tipton introduced Utility Billing Clerk Ana McFadden. Assistant Police Chiefs Bob
Freeman and Harland Westmoreland introduced Police Sgt. Troy Remington and Police
Sgt. Joe Foran and his wife, Gina. Deputy City Manager Gary McKamie introduced Fire
Chief Lee Koontz, his wife, Lark, daughter and son-in-law, Tamra and Ken Beavers, and
grandson, Ken (K. J.), Jr. Mayor Saleh presented 5-year service pins to Tamra Lewis
and Ana McFadden, a 20-year service pin to Troy Remington, and 25-year service pins
to Joe Foran and Lee Koontz.
ITEM NO. 2 PRESENTATION OF EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH FOR OCTOBER
Assistant Police Chiefs Bob Freeman and Harland Westmoreland and Police Sgt. Joe
Foran introduced Public Service Officer Alisha Johnson, her husband, Casey, brother,
Joel, and mother and father, Tanya and Joe. Mayor Saleh presented Alisha with a
plaque for being selected employee of the month for October.
ITEM NO. 3 PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATION
Assistant Police Chiefs Bob Freeman and Harland Westmoreland introduced Police
Corporal Bill Richardson, his wife, Brenda, daughter, Regena English, grandchild,
Taylor, and daughter and son-in-law, Jay and Amy Hill. Mayor Saleh presented a
proclamation to Bill on his retirement September 30, after twenty-six years of service
with the Euless Police Department.
ITEM NO. 4 APPROVAL OF SECOND AND FINAL READING OF ORDINANCE
NO. 1748
Mayor Saleh stated that she had received several speaker opinion forms from citizens
not wanting to speak, but who were in favor of the proposed .4895 ad valorem tax rate.
City Council Minutes Page 3 of 6 September 26, 2006
She read the following names: Nadine Barnes, Jim Adair, Richard Crow, Don Martin,
r•- Tim and Faye Stinneford, Sylvia Paul, Diana Kopecky, Roslyn Moore, Teresa and Jay
Alexander, Leah Bennett, Susan Vest, Helen Voss, Rose-Marie Stevens, Treavor and
Kerri Mellott, Bill Stone, and Kristi Olvera.
Mayor Pro Tern Martin motioned that property taxes be increased by the adoption of a
tax rate of .4895, with second and final reading of Ordinance No. 1748 adopting a tax
rate for the City of Euless for tax year 2006, providing for certain exemptions, providing
for publication and an effective date.
Council Member Hogg seconded the motion.
Council Member Tyson stated he wanted to propose an alternative tax rate of .472131,
which would give the same expenses, citing fees and revenues that are up this year.
He stated that although expenses could not be changed, projected revenues could be
increased and cited revenue projections that he believed could be increased.
Council Member Tyson made an amendment to the motion to adopt an ad valorem tax
rate of .472131 per $100 valuation on all taxable property within the City of Euless for
the year 2006.
Council Member Miller seconded the amended motion.
Council Member Miller stated that there is one-time money left unspent out of the
General Revenue Fund, $619,410, which could be added to the 60-day reserves. He
requested that page 114 of the Preliminary Budget which, was distributed to the council
in August, be added to the minutes.
The vote on the amendment was as follows:
Ayes: Council Members Tyson, Miller, and Porterfield
Nays: Mayor Saleh, Mayor Pro Tem Martin, Council Members Hogg and Brown
Mayor Saleh declared the motion failed.
The vote on the original motion adopting an ad valorem tax rate of .4895 per $100
valuation on all taxable property within the City of Euless for the year 2006, was as
follows:
Ayes: Mayor Saleh, Mayor Pro Tem Martin, Council Members Hogg, and Brown
Nays: Council Members Tyson, Miller, and Porterfield
Mayor Saleh declared the motion carried.
City Council Minutes Page 4 of 6 September 26, 2006
ITEM NO. 5 RENEWAL OF BID NO. 029-04
Council Member Hogg motioned to approve Renewal of Bid No. 029-04 to Workforce
2000, Bedford, Texas, for professional employee leasing at Texas Star Golf Course,
Conference Centre, and Raven's Grille in the estimated expenditure of $216,813. This
is the first of two, one-year renewal options with the terms and conditions remaining the
same.
Mayor Pro Tern Martin seconded the motion.
Ayes: Mayor Saleh, Mayor Pro Tem Martin, Council Members Tyson, Hogg, Miller,
Porterfield, and Brown
Nays: None
Mayor Saleh declared the motion carried.
ITEM NO. 6 APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION NO. 06-1233
Director of Parks and Community Services Ray McDonald stated that funding for the
Texas Recreation and Parks Account (TRPA) has decreased from $15.5 million prior to
the 78th Legislature to $5 million by the 79th Legislature resulting in park closures,
reduced hours and days of operation, and layoffs of staff.
Council Member Miller motioned to approve Resolution No. 06-1233 requesting
increased funding for the Texas Recreation and Parks Account Local Park Grant
Program and the State Park System.
Council Member Brown seconded the motion.
Ayes: Mayor Saleh, Mayor Pro Tem Martin, Council Members Tyson, Hogg, Miller,
Porterfield, and Brown
Nays: None
Mayor Saleh declared the motion carried.
ITEM NO. 7 APPROVAL OF FIRST AND FINAL READING OF ORDINANCE NO.
1755
Council Member Hogg motioned to approve the first and final reading of Ordinance No.
1755 amending Article III, "Officers and Employees" of Chapter 2, "Administration", of
the Code of Ordinances, to create a Juvenile Case Manager Fund and to authorize
collection of a Juvenile Case Manager fee in the amount of $3.00 as a cost of court for
cases disposed of in the Euless Municipal Court of Record; authorizing the Judge of the
Euless Municipal Court of Record to waive the fee in case of financial hardship; stating
authorized uses of the fund; and authorizing, on further approval of the city council, the
hiring of one or more full-time Juvenile Case Managers.
City Council Minutes Page 5 of 6 September 26, 2006
Mayor Pro Tern Martin seconded the motion.
N..
Ayes: Mayor Saleh, Mayor Pro Tern Martin, Council Members Tyson, Hogg, Miller,
Porterfield, and Brown
Nays: None
Mayor Saleh declared the motion carried.
ITEM NO. 8 APPROVAL OF CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
Council Member Brown motioned to approve the minutes of the Regular City Council
Meeting of September 12, 2006.
Council Member Miller seconded the motion.
Ayes: Mayor Saleh, Mayor Pro Tem Martin, Council Members Tyson, Hogg, Miller, and
Brown
Nays: Council Member Porterfield
Mayor Saleh declared the motion carried.
ITEM NO. 9 PUBLIC COMMENTS
There were no public comments.
ITEM NO. 10 REPORTS
STAFF REPORT
There was no staff report.
CITY MANAGER
City Manager Joe Hennig stated it was good to see Della Farris at the meeting. He
congratulated the employees who received service pins tonight, stating they are a real
asset to the city and are a special group of employees. He noted that Ray Saleh is not
doing well tonight, and expressed to the mayor that Ray will be in our prayers.
CITY ATTORNEY
City Attorney Bob McFarland explained the process to amend motions. He also stated
that the reason for adopting a $3.00 fee to fund a Juvenile Case Manager is that the
Texas Legislature established additional procedures as unfunded mandates for courts
involving minors and established the fee to fund handling of the additional mandates.
City Council Minutes Page 6 of 6 September 26, 2006
CITY COUNCIL
Council Member Porterfield stated that he applauds the employees recognized tonight.
Council Member Miller congratulated the employees honored tonight noting that Bill
Richardson's daughter was one of a group of friends with one of his daughters in high
school.
Mayor Pro Tem Martin stated there is no possible way to thank the employees for all
they have done, noting this past month has possibly been the most stressful month in
any of their careers. She apologized to each employee for the stress they were caused.
She thanked the employees for their continued service, stating there is no possible way
the council can thank them enough for what they do on a daily basis.
Council Member Hogg thanked the employees and stated he appreciated them very
much.
Council Member Tyson stated the employees deserve a lot of congratulations and noted
that there were 113 years of combined service recognized tonight.
Council Member Brown congratulated the employees and stated the council can hash
out the tax rate, but that the City of Euless is not the tax rate, budget, or numbers, but it
is people. He stated he is proud to be a part of it.
�.. Mayor Saleh read the following comments: "After two seemingly extra long months, the
budget and tax rate have been approved. This is the first time during my 13-year tenure
that the council did not all agree to go forward as one unit to support the tax rate. The
council did agree on many items of the budget, along with additional items that will
enhance the city. As we work together during this next year I hope our employees and
our citizens can focus on the good things we do and continue to support one another in
all our efforts. Tonight we recognized over 113 years of service from several of our
employees. That shows dedication to our city and that you care for the work you do. I
applaud you and I'm so proud of you and hope we will continue to have employees who
choose to make Euless their lifetime career. Let us begin our new budget year with our
Mission Statement: To provide our citizens the most efficient services possible that
protect and enhance the quality of life, through planning and visionary leadership."
ITEM NO. 11 ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Saleh adjourned the meeting at 8:03 p.m.
APPROVED: ATTEST:
Mary Li% Saleh, Mayor Susan Cri , TRMC, City Secretary