Minutes

MINUTES
Special Meeting of the City Council
of the City of Texarkana, Texas
Municipal Building
220 Texas Blvd
West 3rd Street and Texas Boulevard
Texarkana, Texas
October 14, 2013
6: 00 p.m.
Call to Order, Roll Call, Establishment of Quorum( 6: 02 p.m.)
The following Council Members were present:
Bradfield Casteel
Willie
Council Member, Ward 1
Ray
Council Member, Ward 2
Tina Veal-Gooch
Council Member, Ward 3
Brian Matthews
Council Member, Ward 4
Bill Miller
Council Member, Ward 5
Josh Davis
Council Member, Ward 6
Bob Bruggeman
Mayor
Staff Present: City Manager John Whitson, Jennifer Evans, Karey Parker, Charlie Bassett,
Shirley Jaster, Pam Burns, Dan Shiner, Bill King, Craig Lindholm, and Jerry Sparks.
Legal Counsel: None
I.
Invocation by Council Member Josh Davis and Pledge led by Phoenix Patrol Boy
Scouts ( 6: 04 p.m.)
H.
Important Dates, Public Recognition, Presentations, Appointments to Boards and
Commissions( 6: 20 p.m.)
Important Dates to remember:
City Council Meetings:
Monday, October 28, 2013 at 6: 00 p.m.
Monday, November 11, 2013 at 6: 00 p.m.*
Monday, November 25, 2013 at 6: 00 p.m.*
Please Note: Mayor Bruggeman stated that Council will review November and
December council meeting dates at tonight' s meeting for possible holiday schedule
adjustments.)
Parks & Recreation Events:
Third Annual Fall Festival&
17th: "
October
Para Norman"
Movies in the Park at Spring Lake Park
Movies in the Park at Spring Lake Park
October
24th: "
The Town that Dreaded Sundown"
Outdoor Channel- Fishing
October
24th
University
Meet &
Greet at Spring Lake Park,
Outdoor Channel- Fishing University School Program at Texas High,
October 25th
Community Garage Sale/ Electronics Recycling Day at Spring Lake Park,
October 26th
Make a Difference Day at Bringle Lake, October 26th
Softball Tournament
at
Karrh& Wallace Park, October 26th
Mayor Bruggeman announced the NAACP Freedom Fund Awards Banquet will be
held on October 26th at the Texarkana Convention Center at 7: 00 p.m. Mayor
Bruggeman recognized Russian foreign exchange student Ann Kharlamova who is
part of the FLEX program ( Future Leaders Exchange) and attends Texas High.
Mayor Bruggeman congratulated Monica Washington for being named the 2014
Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year. Ms. Washington teaches AP and enriched
English III at Texas High and will represent Texas in the National Teacher of the
Year competition.
Presentation by Mayor- Keep Texarkana Beautiful Yard of the Month Awards
Mayor Bruggeman presented business recipients Dr. James and Dr. Sandra
Shambarger
and
residential
recipients
David &
Carolyn Wilson with Keep
Texarkana Beautiful October Landscaping Awards.
Appointments to Boards&
Commissions
Council Member Miller requested that Council consider the re- appointments of
Greg Davis and Fred Meisenheimer to the Planning and Zoning Commission.
A motion was made by Council Member Matthews that the above re-appointments
be approved, seconded by Council Member Veal- Gooch. ( 6: 19 p.m.)
The
following
Council
Members
voted:
Ayes:
Casteel,
Ray, Veal- Gooch,
Matthews, Miller and Davis. Nays: None.
III.
Open Forum: Comments from the
public(
Limit 5
minutes each) (
6: 43 p.m.)
Michael Wilson addressed Council about Morris Lane construction.
Becky Robertson addressed Council about Morris Lane construction.
Cliff Robertson addressed Council about Morris Lane construction.
Emery Lange addressed Council about Morris Lane construction.
Allen Bills addressed Council about Morris Lane construction.
IV.
Items for Consideration
Consent Items:
1.
Consider approval of the minutes of the Regular Council meeting held on
September 23, 2013 at 6: 00 p.m.
2.
Consider approval of the minutes of the Special Council Workshop with Keep
Texarkana Beautiful( KTB) held
on
October 3, 2013
at
5: 30 p. m.
3.
Resolution No. 140- 2013 accepting bids and authorizing the City Manager to enter
into contracts with Tanner Industries, Inc. for Anhydrous Ammonia and Brenntag
Southwest for Liquid Caustic Soda for the purchase of chemicals for water and
wastewater treatment for the Texarkana, Texas Water and Sewer Operations for FY
2013- 2014.
4.
Resolution No. 141- 2013 prescribing duties of the City Manager for administrative
supervision of the management and operation of the Texarkana Convention Center.
5.
Resolution No. 145- 2013 accepting a bid and authorizing the City Manager to enter
into a contract with Colonial Cleaners of Texarkana, Texas to supply eleven ( 11)
sets of uniforms with service and maintenance for the Texarkana Water Utilities
Department Personnel annually for three ( 3) years for a grand total amount not to
exceed THIRTY-FIVE THOUSAND THIRTY AND NO/ 100 DOLLARS
35, 030) with the Texarkana, Texas portion not to exceed TWENTY-THREE
THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-EIGHT AND NO/ 100 DOLLARS
23, 128) annually.
A motion was made by Council Member Veal- Gooch that these items be approved,
seconded by Council Member Matthews. ( 6: 44 p.m.)
The
following
Council
Members
voted:
Ayes:
Casteel,
Ray,
Veal-Gooch,
Matthews, Miller and Davis. Nays: None.
Action Items:
6.
Resolution No. 157- 2013 nominating one( 1) of five( 5) candidates for membership
on the Board of Directors of the Bowie Central Appraisal District.
Council agreed to nominate Council Member Josh Davis.
A motion was made by Council Member Veal- Gooch that this item be approved,
seconded by Council Member Miller. (6: 46 p.m.)
The
following
Council
Members
voted:
Ayes:
Casteel,
Ray, Veal- Gooch,
Matthews, Miller and Davis. Nays: None.
V.
Public Hearings
None
VI.
First Briefings( 7: 21 p. m.)
7.
Ordinance No. 147- 2013 regulating the speed of motor vehicles upon a certain
section of IH30 main lanes within the corporate limits of the City of Texarkana,
Texas; authorizing the Texas Department of Transportation( TxDOT) to erect signs.
Kyle Dooley briefed this item.
City Council Vote Date— October 28, 2013
8.
Ordinance No. 148- 2013 regulating the speed of motor vehicles upon a certain
section of II130 frontage roads within the corporate limits of the City of Texarkana,
Texas; authorizing the Texas Department of Transportation( TxDOT) to erect signs.
Kyle
Dooley briefed
this item.
Council Vote Date— October 28, 2013
City
9.
Resolution No. 149- 2013 accepting the Bi-State Justice Center Budget for the
Calendar Year 2014.
Dan Shiner briefed this item.
Public Hearing- October 28, 2013
City Council Vote Date— November 11, 2013
10.
Resolution No. 151- 2013 approving and authorizing the City Manager to execute
Contract No. 2014-045096, between the City of Texarkana, Texas, for and in behalf
of the Texarkana-Bowie County Family Health and the Department of State Health
Services ( DSHS) to provide funding for the DSHS Program: Special Nutrition
Program for Women, Infants, and Children ( WIC) for the term October 1, 2013,
through March 31, 2014.
Craig Lindholm briefed this item.
City
11.
Council Vote Date— October 28, 2013
Resolution No. 152- 2013 acknowledging a citizen petition and confirming the
current street design for the Morris Lane Improvements Project ( Galleria Oaks
Drive) as previously approved.
City Manager John Whitson briefed this item. Michael Wilson spoke to this item.
Please Note: Council Member Miller moved to have the Open Forum section ofthe
September 23, 2013 Regular Meeting minutes pertaining to citizen Michael Wilson
be
amended.
The
amended portion
of the
minutes
reads
as
follows: " Michael
Wilson, resident of 15 Tamar Drive, addressed Council about Morris Lane
construction and gave Council a petition signed by residents in that area to
respectfully petition the City Council to change the design to ensure our four (4)
residential streets remain cul-de-sacs by installing barriers such as the ones
installed along Galleria Oaks Drive at Lanshire Drive, at Heatherwood Drive and
at the alley behind the houses on the West side ofHeatherwood".
A motion was made by Council Member Miller that the above amendment to the
Open Forum section of the September 23, 2013 Regular Meeting minutes pertaining
to citizen Michael Wilson be approved, seconded by Council Member Veal-Gooch.
7: 20 p.m.)
The
following Council
Members
voted:
Ayes:
Casteel,
Ray,
Veal- Gooch,
Matthews, Miller and Davis. Nays: None.
Council Member Davis read a letter from a citizen concerning Morris Lane
construction.
Public Hearing- October 28, 2013
2nd Briefing—November 11, 2013
City Council Vote Date— November 28, 2013
VII.
Second Briefing with Updates
None
VIII.
Second Briefing without Updates ( 7: 23 p.m.)
12.
Resolution No. 131- 2013 authorizing the City Manager to enter into a contract with
Sam Pack' s Five Star Ford of Carrollton, Texas for one( 1) Ford F- 750 truck with
dump body through the government Buy Board in an amount not to exceed SIXTYSEVEN THOUSAND SIXTY- ONE AND 08/ 100 DOLLARS ($ 67, 061. 08) with
the
Texarkana,
Texas portion in an amount not to exceed FORTY-ONE
THOUSAND ONE AND 15/ 100 DOLLARS ($41, 001. 15).
City
13.
Council Vote Date— October 28, 2013
Resolution No. 132- 2013 authorizing the City Manager to enter into an extended
contract with the Macedonia- Eylau Municipal Utility District ( MUD) for treated
water for a period of forty( 40) years with the expiration date of October 31, 2053.
City Council
14.
Vote Date— October 28, 2013
Resolution No. 143- 2013 approving and authorizing the City Manager to execute
Contract No. 2014-001084-00, between the City of Texarkana, Texas, for and in
behalf of the Texarkana-Bowie County Family Health and the Department of State
Health Services( DSHS) to provide funding for the DSHS Program: Immunization
Branch— Locals for the term September 1, 2013, through August 31, 2014.
City
15.
Council Vote Date— October 28, 2013
Resolution No. 144- 2013 approving and authorizing the City Manager to execute
Contract No. 2014-001076-00, between the City of Texarkana, Texas, for and in
behalf of the Texarkana-Bowie County Family Health and the Department of State
Health Services ( DSHS) to provide funding for the DSHS Program: RLSS/ LPHS
RLSS/ Local Public Health System-PnP for the term September 1, 2013, through
August 31, 2014.
City
IX.
Council Vote Date— October 28, 2013
Items for Discussion( 7: 40 p.m.)
Appointments to Boards and Commissions
The manner that citizens are appointed by the City Council to committees, boards,
and commissions appears to lack a high level of transparency. Council Member
Miller led the discussion concerning the manner in which citizens are appointed to
the various boards, commissions, and committees. He stated that he had discussed
the matter with the City Manager and asked that Mr. Whitson share with the City
Council his experience and thoughts on the matter. Mr. Whitson reported that he
has worked in a system that included advertising or notifying the public that certain
positions would open for appointment and that citizens interested in serving should
provide an application of interest. The process certainly could be automated such
that applicants would provide information uniformly and for those citizens who did
not apply via the internet, they could email the application or appear in person
wherein a staff person would create the on- line application for the interested party.
When it comes times for the City Council to appoint, the staff could prepare a
briefing
item permitting
a
high level
of
transparency to
the public.
The City Council, by consensus, directed staff to work toward developing a briefing
item for consideration aimed toward improving the transparency of the process.
X.
Administrative Comments( 7: 46 p.m.)
1.
Council—
Discuss November and December council meeting dates
Council decided on the following dates for the upcoming council meetings in
November and December: Monday, November 18, 2013 and Monday, December 9,
2013.
Council Member Veal-Gooch asked for an update on the issue of numerous
collection bins seen around the City. Shirley Jaster informed Council that in
conjunction with the City of Texarkana, Arkansas, surveys have been reviewed and
the process has started of creating guidelines for qualifying collection bins.
Mayor Bruggeman announced KLFI ( Channel 10) is having a fundraiser dinner
with guest speaker Mike Huckabee on Thursday, October 24th at 7: 00 p. m. at the
Arkansas Convention Center.
Council Member Casteel requested notification of upcoming meetings concerning
the Beverly Neighborhood Revitalization project. City Manager John Whitson said
that all council members would be notified prior to these scheduled meetings.
2.
XI.
Staff—None
A motion was made by Council Member Miller to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Council
Member Matthews.
The following Council Members voted: Ayes: Casteel, Ray, Veal-Gooch, Matthews, Miller
and Davis. Nays: None( 7: 54 p.m.)
6)
41
Bob Bruggeman,
ayor
Je•*• •
r
Ev.
ns,
City Secretary