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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 2007-06-14 Minutes MINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS HELD IN THE CITY HALL, PRE-COUNCIL ROOM, 7301 NORTHEAST LOOP 820, JUNE 14, 2007 - 6:00 P.M. 1. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Trevino called the work session to order at 6:10 p.m. Present: Oscar Trevino Suzy Compton John Lewis Ken Sapp Tim Barth David Whitson Tim Welch Staff Members: Larry J. Cunningham Ogden Bo Bass Jim Starr Karen Bostic Patricia Hutson Larry Koonce Drew Corn Mary Edwards Elizabeth Reining Patrick Hillis Mike Curtis Absent: Scott Turnage Mayor Mayor Pro Tem, Council Place 3 Council, Place 1 Council, Place 2 Council, Place 4 Council, Place 5 Council, Place 7 City Manager Assistant City Manager Interim Assistant City Manager Managing Director Administrative/Fiscal Services City Secretary Director of Finance Budget Director Public Information Officer Assistant to City Manager Human Resources Director Public Works Director Council, Place 6 2. DISCUSS PLANNING AND PROGRAM OF SERVICES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2007/2008 City Manager Cunningham outlined the agenda. Purpose of the work session is to provide information regarding the City's 2007/2008 preliminary budget, information on current and future issues that will affect city services and impact the budget and to receive input from Council on planning next year's program of services. During budget preparations, the Council's goals and priorities, department priorities and needs of the community were taken into consideration. Council was reminded that information being presented and discussed was very preliminary. City Council Work Session Minutes June 14,2007 Page 2 of 7 Mr. Larry Koonce, Finance Director, presented information on fiscal year 2005/06 Fund Balances and the use of fund reserves and rebuilding reserves. Mr. Koonce discussed the reason for declining reserves in recent years and the efforts in 2006 to rebuild the reserves. Council was advised of challenges faced in the reserve funds for Information Services, Equipment Services, Building Services, Permanent Street Maintenance, CIP Pay-As-You-Go and the Insurance Fund. Councilman Barth present at 6:30 p.m. Mr. Drew Corn, Budget Director, reviewed the preliminary 2007 revised vs. adopted budget revenues and expenditures for the General and Utility Funds and highlighted the major impacts to the revenues and expenditures in the General Fund. Mr. Koonce discussed with Council the preliminary tax roll for 2007, the distribution of tax revenues and how the estimated General Fund Tax Revenues are calculated. Mr. Koonce explained the effective tax rate and the preliminary calculation of the effective tax rate at 57 cents. A brief overview was given of the fiscal year 2008 preliminary budget and a comparison was given of the 2007 adopted versus 2008 preliminary budget. Impacts to revenues and expenses in the General Fund for fiscal year 2008 were highlighted. Staff presented Council with the following current issues: · 2007 Citizen Survey - Council previously discussed conducting a survey every two years to receive feedback and understanding of citizen attitudes and perceptions about the quality of life in North Richland Hills and services provided by the City. Ms. Bostic discussed with council the citizen survey conducted in 2005 and plans to use it as a benchmark for future surveys. Staff sought direction from Council on whether they were supportive of conducting the Citizen Survey in 2007 and in continuing the survey process every two years. After a brief discussion by Council, the Council was supportive of conducting a survey in 2007 and confirmed their support of continuing the survey process every two years thereafter. · Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) - Mr. Starr presented information on a possible RFID Program in the Library. The implementation of an RFID Program in the Library would replace the current tagging system and allow more self-check out and introduce self check in. The system will tag and identify the library's collections, track loans, control inventory and provide security. The benefits of moving to the new system were explained. If funding were to be provided in FY 2007/2008, the Library Director does not believe the system would be implemented in time for the opening of the new Library and implementation would occur about May 2008. In order for the new system to coincide with the opening of the new library, the program would need to be funded in FY 2006/2007. Staff sought direction from Council on their support of City Council Work Session Minutes June 14, 2007 Page 3 of 7 the new technology, if they waned to amend the current budget by $231,300 for RFID and if Council supported including implementation of a RFID system as part of the capital program next fiscal year. Council questioned what other larger surrounding cities were using the system. Council requested Staff to further research and compare to libraries similar to North Richland Hills. Council was interested in the following information: ratios of the number of employees per book checked out since implemented, actual savings, percentage of loss, staffing to check-in books, etc. The Council agreed that they would like to receive more information before making a decision to support moving to the technology and they did not support the funding of the system in the 2006 budget. · New Library Opening and Transition - The opening of the new library will expand the City's library space by 18,000 square feet and circulation is anticipated to increase 25%, adding 175,000 circulation transactions to employees' workloads. Council was advised of the projected increased costs to provide service and maintain the facility. Staff discussed with Council the physical move of the library's collections to the new facility. Because much of the shelving from the existing library is scheduled to be re-used, the move will require unloading the shelves, disassembling and moving steel shelving, re-installing in the new location and then moving the collection to its new location. Staff is recommending the library be closed to the public during the process, which could take three to four working weeks. Plans are to coordinate with other libraries in the community to accommodate North Richland Hills' residents during the transition. Staff requested direction from the Council on their support of the closing of the library during the move to the new facility for three to four weeks or having Staff evaluate keeping a portion of the Library open to provide minimal needs. The consensus of the Council was not to leave the library open to the public during the transition and Staff will look at options to accommodate the City's residents during the move. · Municipal Wireless Network - Council discussed at last year's Mid-Year Budget Work Session municipal wireless networking and directed Staff to acquire services for an assessment of the cost and feasibility of providing a City-wide mesh network. The City has negotiated a no cost assessment with Red Moon Inc. and the Information Services Department is in the process of completing a site/asset questionnaire from RedMoon. Upon completion, RedMoon will begin a physical assessment of the City and its assets. The next step will be for the City to implement a pilot wireless mesh system which will provide feedback regarding range, speed and reliability, as well as supply solid data regarding what applications and functions the City performs that can be mobilized. The pilot would cover a one square mile area and would be implemented and operational in fiscal year 2007/2008. A City-wide wireless mesh system implementation plan would be presented through the budget process as a capital project for fiscal year 2008/2009. Staff requested direction from the Council on their support of moving forward with a pilot wireless mesh network for the mobilization of City applications and after the pilot project is completed, does Council want Staff to explore the feasibility of expanding the wireless network to citizens in the future. City Council Work Session Minutes June 14,2007 Page 4 of 7 Council asked to be provided with information on the costs to other cities that had a wireless network. After discussion, the consensus of the Council was to move forward with the pilot wireless network and for Staff to explore the feasibility of expanding the network. · Preventive Street Maintenance Program - Council approved in the current fiscal year an increase of $200,000 in the Preventive Street Maintenance Program from the Gas Fund. With the additional funding, Staff anticipated being able to improve the condition of many more streets, but due to inflation Staff was not able to improve as many as originally anticipated. Staff discussed with Council the impact inflation had on the program and provided Council with a comparison of what was estimated to be accomplished and what actually was accomplished. Staff sought direction from the Council on their desire to fund the program at the same level as last year ($800,000) or fund at the previous year's level ($600,000) if General Fund monies were to be used. Council was also asked if they were receptive to using the Gas Fund or General Fund Balance if Staff could not find excess of $600,000 in the General Fund for the program. After discussion, the consensus of the Council was to fund the program at the $800,000 level and to revisit the inflation factor next budget year. Council was also receptive to using the Gas Fund or General Fund Balance if monies in the General Fund could not be found to fund the excess of the $600,000. · Traffic Signal Synchronization - Mr. Curtis discussed with Council updating the timing plans for Davis Boulevard, Boulevard 26 and Mid Cities Boulevard and the effect it will have on improving traffic flow. The current timing plan is based on 2005 volumes and patterns and in the past two years there has been a significant increase in volume along the three thoroughfares. The least amount of improvement in traffic congestion will occur along Davis Boulevard due to the need for TxDOT to add additional lanes. It is estimated that the additional lanes will not be added for another two years. Council was asked if they would like to proceed with the updated timing plan for Davis Boulevard or wait until the additional lanes are added to the road. After discussion, the Council decided they preferred not to proceed with the updated timing plan for Davis Boulevard. · Increased Activity at Municipal Court - Ms. Bostic updated Council on workload increases in Municipal Court. Council was advised that a survey on the seven most written violations had been conducted among area cities and as a result of the survey, the Judge is proposing increases to fines in four areas. The Court is proposing the addition of personnel for document imaging, to implement state mandates that become effective September 1 and a collection program that would be run by the Municipal Court. Council was asked if they would be receptive to adding some additional personnel recognizing that additional revenues from adjusted fines can cover increased proposed expenditures. After discussion, the Council concurred that they would be receptive to some additional personnel. · Economic Development Initiatives - Mr. Starr discussed an economic development program that would encourage private investment in single-tenant buildings and community strip centers along the City's mature corridors - Rufe City Council Work Session Minutes June 14, 2007 Page 5 of 7 Snow Drive, Davis Boulevard and Boulevard 26. Three separate matching grant programs are proposed that will target needed improvements in the areas of sign removal, sign construction and façade improvement. Council was asked 1) if an economic development program for the City's three mature corridors is something Council would like to pursue in the upcoming year; 2) if Council wanted to target only one area, which corridor would Council want to focus on; and 3) would Council be receptive of utilizing funds from the Gas Funds to finance the pilot program. Council discussed whether to target the three mature corridors or to focus on only one area. The consensus of the Council was to focus on the City's three mature corridors. The Council was also receptive to utilizing funds from the Gas Fund to finance the pilot program. · Central Recreation Center - Mr. Starr advised of upcoming decisions needed on the proposed location of the new Recreation Center in Home Town, funding and programs to be offered. Citizens first identified a need for a centrally located recreation center in the Park System Master Plan. A 1998 study identified several recreational features as essential facility elements. Council was advised that some of the recommended elements may need to be revised given current trends and demands as well as reducing the scope of the project given current development and construction costs. Staff discussed with Council the Recreation Center's current recovery cost policy and the need for a policy decision if a decision is made to no longer require the new Center to recover operating costs using the current policy. Mr. Curtis discussed with Council the need to decide which method should be used for project delivery when the new Center is built. Three options were presented - Design-Award-Build, Design- Build, and Design-Construction Manager at Risk, and the pros and cons of each were highlighted. Council was asked 1) if they were still comfortable with the elements outlined in the previous studies, or does Council believe they should be different; 2) if there was a level of cost recovery that should be achieved or should an initial threshold amount be determined for membership costs; and 3) would Council be receptive to further evaluation of the Design-Award-Build concept, Design-Build concept or Construction Manager at Risk concept. After discussion, the Council advised they were comfortable with most of the elements outlined in the study and suggested that the Park and Recreation Board review the trends and demands for the various elements. Council also concurred with maintaining the current cost of recovery policy and was receptive to further evaluation of the three project delivery concepts. Staff was also asked to verify the cost recovery on the Center's current programs. · Iron Horse Maintenance Equipment Replacement - Mr. Starr advised that various equipment at the golf course was in need of repair and replacement. Staff discussed with Council that in the past the City loaned the Golf Course money to replace equipment. The Management Contractor for the golf course has created an equipment replacement schedule but never provided funds to pay for the equipment replacement. Staff discussed with Council the debt capacity for the golf course. Council was asked if they wanted to place the Golf Course maintenance equipment on a replacement schedule similar to other North City Council Work Session Minutes June 14,2007 Page 6 of 7 Richland Hills equipment and if they were receptive to loaning the golf course funds to replace its maintenance vehicles and equipment and place on a delayed payment plan. After discussion, Council was in favor of placing the maintenance equipment on a replacement schedule and was receptive to loaning the golf course funds to replace its maintenance vehicles and equipment. · Leadership Career Development Program - Ms. Reining discussed the City's desire to implement a city wide leadership training program. Staff is proposing to implement the program in fiscal year 2007/2008 in the Fire Department. In following fiscal years other departments would be trained. Council was asked if they were willing to spend the needed funds for this purpose and if they supported the Fire Department being the first department to receive training. After discussion, Council was supportive of implementing the program and the Fire Department being the first department to receive the training. Council was also supportive of not only initially training the Fire Department but also including other departments in the initial training. Staff presented Council with the following future issues: · Boulevard 26 - Mr. Curtis discussed with Council the completion of the intersection improvements at Rufe Snow Drive and Glenview Drive later this year. With the completion of the intersection improvements, no other improvements have been planned. Council discussed and concurred with the allocation of capital funds over the next couple of years for new public improvements in the Boulevard 26 Corridor. . Online CitiCable Broadcasts - Ms. Bostic discussed with Council whether to provide streaming of City Council Meetings live on the web site and provide "on demand" playback of meetings or to continue offering a limited number of Citicable programs online at no additional cost to the City. The consensus was to contract with an outside company to provide full service streaming and on demand video services. · Branch Library - Staff discussed with Council possible options and locations for providing a branch library in the southern part of the City. Council indicated that they were still supportive of providing a branch library south of Loop 820. Mr. Hillis updated the Council on the Insurance Fund and the Compensation Plan. City Council Work Session Minutes June 14, 2007 Page 7 of 7 3. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Trevino adjourned the work session at 10:09 p.m. ATTEST: Wßtvci-~ Patr~~ f~¡q¡ City Secretary ~). ~\...........~1t ~~~ ^' '.:...... ·..<ð ~ - Q:/ n \-;s:- ~ := 0: \...... ~ g : ~r- '" ~2j r ¡r~ ~ u.-\ . ;en ª ~ o~ h,.. ... ~ .. ~'fl -r ..... ./.~ ~