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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 2008-02-25 MinutesMINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION AND REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS, HELD IN THE CITY HALL, 7301 NORTHEAST LOOP 820 -FEBRUARY 25, 2008 WORK SESSION The City Council of the City of North Richland Hills, Texas met in work session on the 25t" day of February, 2008 at 5:45 p.m. in the Council Work Room prior to the 7:00 p.m. regular Council meeting. Present: Oscar Trevino Mayor Suzy Compton Mayor Pro Tem, Council Place 3 John Lewis Council, Place 1 Ken Sapp Council, Place 2 Tim Barth Council, Place 4 David Whitson Council, Place 5 Scott Turnage Council, Place 6 Tim Welch Council, Place 7 Staff Members: Larry J. Cunningham City Manager Ogden Bo Bass Assistant City Manager Jared Miller Assistant City Manager Karen Bostic Managing Director Patricia Hutson City Secretary George Staples City Attorney Mary Peters Public Information Officer Elizabeth Reining Assistant to City Manager John Pitstick Director of Planning & Development Larry Koonce Finance Director Mike Curtis Public Works Director Vickie Loftice Parks & Recreation Director Thomas Powell Support Services Director Jimmy Perdue Police Chief Thad Chambers Economic Development Director Mark Mills Budget Director Laury Fiorello Assistant Finance Director Bill Thornton Assistant Parks Director Angel Bellard Utility Services Manager Call to Order Mayor Trevino called the work session to order at 5:45 p.m. A.1 Discuss Items from Regular Citv Council Meeting There were no questions. City Council Minutes February 25, 2008 Page 2 Ms. Karen Bostic, Managing Director, introduced to the City Council the City's new Budget Director, Mark Mills. Mayor Trevino recognized Ms. Sally Proffitt from Tarrant County College Northeast and students from her Business Leadership course. A.2 IR 2008-026 Presentation by North Texas Tollwav Authority Regarding Agreement to Allow ToIlTags to be issued in North Richland Hills Mr. John Pitstick, Director of Planning & Development, introduced Mr. Neesh Sharma and Ms. Joni Williams, representatives from North Texas Tollway Authority. Mr. Sharma presented a PowerPoint presentation explaining the ToIITag Third Party Vendor Program and the benefits of the program to the City. The City's approval of the agreement with North Texas Tollway will allow the City to issue ToIlTags and provide convenience to citizens who travel and work throughout the region. Mayor Trevino advised that the purchase of ToIlTags have a direct funding impact on the community and explained that the North Texas Tollway Authority releases funds for general transportation improvements based on the percentage of ToIITag users within each county. A.3 IR 2008-027 Report on Transition to Duncan Disposal Ms. Karen Bostic, Managing Director, updated the Council on the City's transition from Allied Waste Services to Duncan Disposal. Ms. Bostic reported that initially there was some confusion about the change in collection days and there have been some issues with residents adjusting to the new collection times. The number of complaint calls is decreasing. Council was advised that there have been some issues with missing recycling bins and a misunderstanding during the first week regarding the placement of trash at residences that were designated as backdoor customers. Some of the commercial customers reduced their service levels at the onset of the contract to save money and are now requesting a higher level of service to meet their needs. Duncan is on schedule to take delivery of ten new residential vehicles in March. They are operating two new commercial vehicles and anticipate the delivery of a third vehicle and two new roll-off vehicles. Council was advised that the City had printed door hangers for Code Enforcement to place on doors when they observe trash being put out on the wrong pick-up day. A.4 IR 2008-028 Review Development Plan for the Grand Ave Park Plaza Ms. Vickie Loftice, Director of Parks and Recreation, advised the development plan for the Grand Avenue Park Plaza project was designed in-house. The project involves the City Council Minutes February 25, 2008 Page 3 design and construction of an urban park to be located in HomeTown at the intersection of Hawk Street and Grand Avenue, between the Venue at HomeTown and the Public Library. Mr. Bill Thornton, Assistant Parks Director, and Mr. Joe Pack, Capital Projects Superintendent, presented a PowerPoint presentation of the proposed Master Concept Plan. Council was shown how some of the architectural features of The Venue and the Library were incorporated into the plan along with other considerations. The Parks Board reviewed the concept plan on February 4 and supports the plan. Highlights of the plan include a central pedestrian plaza with seating, landscaped areas, shade trees, and an open lawn space with sidewalks, landscaping and shade trees. In response to questions from the Council, Staff advised that there was not a handicap ramp but that handicap accessibility had been taken into consideration. The pedestrian sidewalk that goes throughout the park is a handicap accessible route with a grade of less than five percent. Staffs intention is to plant some 8" and 6" caliber trees in the central focus areas and pedestrian areas and 2" to 3" caliber trees along the peripheral edges. Council concurred with the proposed concept plan. A.5 IR 2008-029 North Richland Hills Police Department Annual Report Chief Perdue presented a PowerPoint presentation highlighting the 2007 Police Department's Annual Report. Chief Perdue discussed and reviewed the comparative statistics in the FBI Uniform Crime Report and the conversion to the National Incident based Reporting System. Chief Perdue reviewed accomplishments for 2007 and programs being planned. Chief Perdue advised of the implementation of the new Bike Program and presented to the Council one of the bike officers with his bike. Council was advised that the citizens would begin seeing the bike officers in the parks and on the trails within the next 30 days. A.6 IR 2008-033 Update on Completion of Citv Council Goals and Action Items Because of time constraints, Council agreed to hold this item until the March 17, 2007 Council Work Session. B.1 Executive Session: Deliberation Reaardina Economic Development Neaotiations as Authorized by Section 551.087 -South Boulevard 26 Mayor Trevino announced at 6:40 p.m. that the Council would adjourn to Executive Session pursuant to the provisions of Section 551.087, Texas Government Code for deliberation on economic development negotiations in the area of South Boulevard 26. C.0 Adjournment City Council Minutes February 25, 2008 Page 4 Mayor Trevino announced at 6:58 p.m. that the Council would adjourn to the regular Council meeting. REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING A.0 CALL TO ORDER Mayor Trevino called the meeting to order February 25, 2008 at 7:07 p.m. ROLL CALL Present: Oscar Trevino Suzy Compton John Lewis Ken Sapp Tim Barth David Whitson Scott Turnage Tim Welch Staff: Larry J. Cunningham Ogden Bo Bass Patricia Hutson George Staples Mayor Mayor Pro Tem, Council Place 3 Council, Place 1 Council, Place 2 Council, Place 4 Council, Place 5 Council, Place 6 Council, Place 7 City Manager Assistant City Manager City Secretary Attorney A.1 INVOCATION Councilman Sapp gave the invocation. A.2 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Councilman Sapp led the pledge of allegiance. Mayor Trevino recognized Ms. Sally Proffitt from Tarrant County College Northeast and students from her Business Leadership course. City Council Minutes February 25, 2008 Page 5 A.3 SPECIAL PRESENTATION(S) AND RECOGNITIONS) A.4 SPECIAL PRESENTATION IR 2008-030 Special Presentation -Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the Comprehensive Financial Report ending September 30, 2006 Mr. Larry Koonce, Finance Director, introduced Mr. Fred Werner, Director of Finance with the City of Grapevine and past President of the Government Finance Officers Association of Texas. Mr. Fred Werner presented the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the Comprehensive Financial Report to the City. The City has received the Certificate of Achievement Award for the last 24 years. Fourteen percent of the cities in the State of Texas and five percent of the cities in the United States received the award. A.5 CITIZENS PRESENTATION None. A.6 REMOVAL OF ITEM(S) FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA None. B.0 APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS APPROVED B.1 APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 11, 2008 CITY COUNCIL MEETING B.2 GN 2008-014 RESCHEDULE THE MARCH 10 COUNCIL MEETING TO MARCH 17 AND THE MAY 26 COUNCIL MEETING TO MAY 27 City Council Minutes February 25, 2008 Page 6 COUNCILMAN TURNAGE MOVED TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. COUNCILMAN WHITSON SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION TO APPROVE CARRIED 7-O. PUBLIC HEARINGS C.1 GN 2008-017 CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE 34TH YEAR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM Mayor Trevino opened the Public Hearing. Ms. Elizabeth Reining, Assistant to City Manager, presented the item. The City participates in the CDBG program and each year the City must prepare and submit a CDBG program outlining the use of the funds in accordance with HUD guidelines. The City is proposing to use the funds for the 34th CDBG program in the following manner: • $188,556.08 for the design and reconstruction of a portion of the 3700 block of Charles Street (approximately 475 feet from midblock of Marie and Jannie Streets to Onyx Drive North). • $45,000 to be allocated and use for the rehabilitation of residential homes located within the target area identified by the most recent census as being of low to moderate income. The City has submitted application to Tarrant County who administers the program. The City is required to hold a public hearing to receive comments and input from citizens regarding the proposed 34th CDBG program. Following the public hearing, a resolution to approve the program is required. Mayor Trevino called for comments on the 34th year CDBG program. There being no one wishing to speak, Mayor Trevino closed the public hearing. C.2 GN 2008-018 APPROVE 34TH YEAR (2008/2009) COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM -RESOLUTION NO. 2008-012 (THIS ITEM IS NOT A PUBLIC HEARING BUT RELATED TO ITEM C.1) APPROVED Ms. Elizabeth Reining, Assistant to City Manager presented the item. Item is the second part of the CDBG process. Following the public hearing, the City Council is City Council Minutes February 25, 2008 Page 7 required to take action on the projects to be included in the 34th year CDBG entitlement program. The funds will be used as presented in Agenda Item C.1 above. COUNCILMAN LEWIS MOVED TO APPROVE GN 2008-018, RESOLUTION NO. 2008-012. COUNCILMAN SAPP SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION TO APPROVE CARRIED 7-O. D.0 PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT There were no items for this category. PUBLIC WORKS E.1 PW 2008-006 APPROVE NO PARKING ANYTIME ZONES ALONG BRIDGE STREET, ICE HOUSE DRIVE, AND HAWK AVENUE -ORDINANCE NO. 2982 APPROVED Mr. Mike Curtis, Public Works Director, presented the item. The Police and Public Works Department have received several calls from motorists and residents concerning parking problems on Bridge Street, Ice House Drive and Hawk Avenue. NYTEX Complex visitors are parking and leaving their vehicles unattended on Bridge Street, Ice House Drive and Hawk Avenue creating traffic hazards, congestion and sight visibility issues at various intersections. Complaints have also been received about people who park and leave their vehicles unattended near Walker Elementary School. Staff is recommending approval of Ordinance No. 2982 authorizing that "No Parking Anytime" zones be installed as follows: • Both sides of Bridge Street from Ice House Drive to Lake Way (does not include the head-in parking adjacent to the frontage of Walker Creek Elementary). • Ice House Drive and Bridge Street intersection - No parking anytime on the south side of Ice House Drive, 50 feet east and west of Bridge street intersection. • Ice House Drive and Hawk Avenue intersection - No parking anytime on the south side of Ice House Drive, 50 feet west of Hawk Avenue intersection. • Hawk Avenue and Cardinal Lane intersection - No parking anytime on the west side of Hawk Avenue, 50 feet north and south of Cardinal Lane intersection. • Hawk Avenue and Ice House Drive intersection - No parking anytime on the west side of Hawk Avenue, 50 feet north and south of Ice House Drive intersection. City Council Minutes February 25, 2008 Page 8 • Hawk Avenue and the private driveway for BISD - No parking anytime on the east side of Hawk Avenue, 50 feet north and south of the BISD driveway intersection. MAYOR PRO TEM COMPTON MOVED TO APPROVE PW 2008-006, ORDINANCE NO. 2982. COUNCILMAN WHITSON SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION TO APPROVE CARRIED 7-O. GENERAL ITEMS F.1 GN 2008-015 APPROVE AGREEMENT WITH NORTH TEXAS TOLLWAY AUTHORITY (NTTA) TO ALLOW THE CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS TO ISSUE TOLLTAGS -RESOLUTION NO. 2008-011 APPROVED Mr. John Pitstick, Director of Planning and Development introduced Mr. Neesh Sharma and Ms. Joni Williams, representatives from North Texas Tollway Authority. Mr. Sharma and Ms. Williams presented a PowerPoint presentation explaining the ToIITag Third Party Vendor Program and the benefits of the program to the City. The North Texas Tollway Authority is seeking to establish third party vendor programs to provide convenience for the traveling public. The agreement is a nonexclusive distribution agreement allowing the City to issue ToIlTags. The agreement is for a ten year period with a 30 day termination clause. ToIlTags can be issued one of three ways - 1) by staff, 2) customers input their own information at a Kiosk and pickup from Utility Billing and 3) a link on the City's website. Mr. Pitstick advised that citizens will be able to use a dedicated computer in the Utility Billing Office to enter their appropriate information and Staff will verify the information and issue the ToIITag. Eventually a kiosk will be made available for the public's use. Citizens who enter their information on the Internet will also be able to pick up their tag from the Utility Billing Office. COUNCILMAN WELCH MOVED TO APPROVE GN 2008-015, RESOLUTION NO. 2008-011, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT WITH THE NORTH TEXAS TOLLWAY AUTHORITY FOR ISSUING TOLLTAGS IN NORTH RICHLAND HILLS. COUNCILMAN TURNAGE SECONDED THE MOTION. Mayor Trevino advised that the City is making the ToIlTags available to citizens not only as a matter of convenience, but that it is a way for the City to continue to receive funding for the construction of 820 and different transportation projects in the Fort Worth/Tarrant County region. Mayor Trevino explained that Senate Bill 792 provides City Council Minutes February 25, 2008 Page 9 that excess revenue from the North Texas Tollway Authority will be distributed to the four major counties in the region -Dallas, Collin, Denton and Tarrant. The counties will receive the excess revenue by the percentage of use by those four counties on the tollway. The more Tarrant County users using State Hwy 121 or in the future, State Hwy. 161 or the Dallas North Tollway or other tollroads, the more money by percentage will Tarrant County receive for the county. Mayor Trevino also reminded everyone that the ToIlTags could be used at DFW Airport, Love Field, remote parking at the airports and if used on a tollway, a discounted rate is received. MOTION TO APPROVE CARRIED 7-O. F.2 GN 2008-016 PRESENTATION OF FISCAL YEAR 2007 AUDITED FINANCIAL REPORT APPROVED Mr. Larry Koonce, Finance Director, summarized the results of the 2007 Audited Financial Report advising of year-end results and fund balance data for the various funds. Mr. Todd Pruitt, representing the audit firm, Patillo, Brown and Hill, presented the audit opinion. Mr. Pruitt explained that there are two separate components to the audit. The first component is the audit of the city's financial statements that are included in the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report and the second component is a compliance audit with the City's Federal Awards Programs. The independent auditor's opinion on the financial statements is an unqualified opinion or "clean" opinion meaning the report has been audited and in the auditor's opinion, the financial statements are free of any material misstatements and are presented fairly in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. This is the highest opinion that can be issued. The programs selected for the compliance audit of the City's Federal Awards Programs were those programs passed through to the City from Texas Department of Transportation, the federal highway and construction programs. Each of the programs were tested for compliance with up to fourteen different compliance requirements. Mr. Pruitt reported that there were no findings or question costs that arose as a result of the compliance audit. COUNCILMAN WHITSON MOVED TO APPROVE GN 2008-01 C. COUNCILMAN BARTH SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION TO APPROVE CARRIED 7-O. City Council Minutes February 25, 2008 Page 10 F.3 PU 2008-007 AWARD RFP 08-008 TO DRYTEC ROOF CONSULTANTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $52,320 FOR THE ROOF CONSULTING SERVICES APPROVED Mr. Thomas Powell, Director of Support Services, presented the item. Item is for the award of roofing consulting services. The project is for miscellaneous roof repairs at several city facilities and the replacement of three city facility roofs damaged during the April 2007 hail storm. The consulting services will include evaluating each roof, preparing the bid documents and construction specifications and construction management though out the projects. After evaluation of the proposals received, the selection committee is recommending award of the RFP to DryTec Roof Consultants in an amount not to exceed $52,320, plus reimbursables. COUNCILMAN TURNAGE MOVED TO APPROVE PU 2008-007. COUNCILMAN BARTH SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION TO APPROVE CARRIED 7-O. G.1 ACTION ON ANY ITEM DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION LISTED ON WORK SESSION AGENDA No action needed. H.1 INFORMATION AND REPORTS Councilman Barth made the following announcements. The March 10th City Council Meeting has been rescheduled to Monday, March 17th. The meeting will begin at the regular time of 7:00 p.m. Hop on out and join us on for North Richland Hills' 19th Annual Easter in the Park celebration. This event is scheduled from 10:00 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 15, at Green Valley Park, 7701 Smithfield Road. For more details, contact the Recreation Center at 817-427-6600. As a convenience to residents, the City is now issuing garage sale permits online. Residents may also view a list of upcoming garage sales on the City's web site. To take City Council Minutes February 25, 2008 Page 11 advantage of these new services log onto www.nrhtx.com and go to the Online Services tab on the left side of the home page. A garage sale permit costs only $6. Kudos Korner -Fire Department. A resident sent a letter of appreciation for the Fire Department's quick response to a grass fire in her neighborhood. She said the Department's actions resulted in 3 homes being saved. She also praised the firefighters for being professional, courteous and caring, and said they should be recognized as heroes. H.2 ADJOURNMENT Mayor Trevino adjourned the meeting at 7:53 p.m. ~~~~~/' Oscar Tr~no -Mayor A i i EST: ty Secretary ~_ ~ ~m 2`'~ti h~f~ac , v ~~~ ~~~~,~11 ~~~ ;,` , ~~~ ~ N c~