The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutCC Minutes 2006-09-18 Special 9/18/06 2547 STATE OF TEXAS )( CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD )( COUNTIES OF GALVESTON/HARRIS )( SEPTEMBER 18, 2006 )( MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE FRIENDSWOOD CITY COUNCIL THAT WAS HELD ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2006, AT 2:30 PM AND A PUBLIC HEARING AT 7:00 PM AT FRIENDSWOOD CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 910 S. FRIENDSWOOD DRIVE, FRIENDSWOOD, . TEXAS, WITH THE FOLLOWING PRESENT CONSTITUTING A QUORUM: MAYOR DAVID SMITH MAYOR PRO-TEM CHRIS PEDEN (arr. 6:17 pm) COUNCILMEMBER LAURA EWING COUNCILMEMBER JOHN LECOUR COUNCILMEMBER JIM HILL COUNCILMEMBER JAY HORECKY COUNCILMEMBER MEL MEASELES ACTING CITY MANAGER ROGER ROECKER CITY SECRETARY DELORIS MCKENZIE Mayor Smith called the meeting to order. 2:30 PM—SPECIAL MEETING Discussion was held between Council and Staff regarding the City of Friendswood proposed Operating Budget for FY2006-2007. Mayor Smith made opening remarks regarding the goal of Council to adopt the budget before October 1, continued discussion regarding items that were not included in the Supplemental Requests, statement to Staff why limits regarding staffing is necessary due to funding needed for Capital Improvements without selling Bonds, understanding scope of ineeting today, Capital Projects and planning for those projects, discussed not talking about Capital Projects today, complete discussion regarding request for addition of one Fire Marshal, move City Attorney funding to City Council budget, discussion regarding Council budget and the shortfall this year, Public Education Government Access (PEG) Channel, Library expansion, parking lot at City Hall, lighting at Centennial Park, little league baseball facilities, Downtown Revitalization funding, changes to receptionist desk for security purposes, cameras at Centennial Park, shutters for City Hall, customer service/security counter in the City Secretary's Office, unfunded mandates relative to Municipal Court, Fund Balance reserve funds policy, Council discussed issues relative to varying items, Municipal Court unfunded mandates, adding funding in the budget for temporary relief in Municipal Court and if needed after installation of OSSI hardware electronic ticketing writing systems in the patrol cars consider adding additional personnel mid-budget year, look at Municipal Court Judge duties, amount of time and funding, adding on or moving reception desk relative to security issues, panic buttons should go directly to police department, Council concurred to include this item in the budget, include $2,500 in the budget for PEG Channe► by using portable camera and see how this process works, publish and track feedback and develop media policy, adding an additional Councilmember to Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership Keep it Sold Committee to support keeping NASA which has a direct impact on Friendswood, discussed funding $55,000 for a pool of contracted employees to provide for additional Fire Marshal Staff to the Fire Marshal's Office (FMO), can bring back to Council if need is determined for a full time employee, discussed connecting City Hall parking lot to swimming pool parking lot as an overflow lot with a one lane driveway with a cobblestone look or pervious concrete, best case for park and protect trees or look at converting the drainage area to a closed culvert between City Hall and the Fire Department building, suggest putting $100,000 in the budget and Staff will bring back a proposal, discussed drainage mowing crew and equipment to allow the City to do work rather than contract out, add two employees and a slope mower for $78,000 using the existing $90,000 to purchase the equipment, additional storm shutters for City Hall in the amount of $7,500, security camera for Centennial Park in the amount of $7,578, discussion regarding customer 9/18/06 2548 service/security counter for the City Secretary's Office (CSO) in the amount of $10,000, Mayor and Council (M&C) budget Travel and Training has proposed $8,000, suggested Council look at that fund and cut it to $4,000 and then if additional funds are needed, can request allocation as needed, a lengthy debate was held regarding the value of Council attending meetings for education and participation purposes, it was determined to leave the budget as proposed, discussion was held regarding moving legal into the M&C budget or other budget areas with information to be obtained from the City Attorney, discussed lighting at Centennial Park to relieve use at Renwick Park in the amount of $180,000, may need additional parking, debated the need to determine how to address Capital Projects and how to fund . those projects specifically drainage projects, a number of projects in progress Clover Acres, Fire Station 4, Mission Estates outfall, Brittany Lakes and Friendswood Lakes are being paid for out of bond funds, next top five projects beginning 2007, Animal Control facility $1.8, FM 2351 drainage $3.4 million in phases, remaining phases of Sunmeadow $2.1 million and Annalea $1.0 million drainage and Library expansion $1.8 million, a lengthy discussion was held regarding the best way to address funding these types of projects, discussed the plans for the Library and the request to expand and/or move to the old Public Safety Building properties, discussed Downtown Revitalization funding and discussed pros and cons of whether or not to do this project, discussed Animal Control facility if built on existing property could possibly be reduced to approximately $80,000, discussed values of certain processes, need to take care of safety and life issues, will schedule an update on the Capital Improvement Projects and workshop with Council to outline the projects and for a discussion regarding funding for those projects and the long term financial plan, possibly look at user fees for use of playing field including electricity and having financial participation from the users, Fire Department has requested funding for a fire truck for the new station with a possible payout of seven years or however Council determines funding, Fire Department is developing a 15-year replacement plan for vehicles, possibly look at funding out of reserves rather than General Fund, may be best to put into budget over two years, Council would like more information, look at taking one-time expenditures and pay for out of fund balance rather than out of the General Fund. PUBLIC HEARING Mayor Smith called a Public Hearing to order, to receive comments from the public, either oral or written, regarding the City of Friendswood Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2006-07 and a Public Hearing to receive comments from the public, either oral or written, regarding the City of Friendswood Proposed Tax Rate for 2006 (.5821). Elisabeth Wagner, 4427 Peridot Lane, stated a lot of work was put into the budget work, read about cutting taxes, taxes comparable to surrounding areas, thinks would be better served by not doing tax refund and use those funds for other projects in the community asked if the barge for cleanup on Clear Creek is in this budget, with Mayor Smith advising it is, still continuing through Galveston County Consolidated Drainage District, stated she hopes the City keeps Friendswood a friendly community. Deirdre Brown, 3354 Prince George Drive, two concerns with the Budget, concerned with economic development and lowering tax rate. Beamer Road Sanitary Sewer Improvements three phases, to be completed by 2013, in Capital Improvement Projects plan, very important to economic development, no development in this area because lack of service, at least three companies want to develop in this area, losing revenue by not having infrastructure available, ask to look at getting funds in this budget for approximately $1.5 million to help the development in this area, reducing tax rate, still competitive at $.604, does not want to get to the point if the rate is reduced now, will have to increase again later, can push burden from homeowners to commercial, decrease the taxes to homeowners. Councilmember Peden stated he believes that the City has misdirected spending in the past, investments like Beamer Road increase tax revenue and pay for the City Parks, as opposed to building the parks first which become a burden to maintain and operate. Mayor Smith stated he agreed with some of Councilmember Peden's statements, Sewer project needs to move forward quickly for diversification of tax base. 9/18/06 2549 Don Johnson, 810 Myrtlewood, stated he was the Director of Clear Lake Water Authority for four years, worked at trying to understand how you plan for infrastructure, what he learned was it is not common for cities to pay for infrastructure, normally paid for by Developers. Elisabeth Wagner, 4427 Peridot Lane, stated there has been a lot of improvements in Forest Bend over the last three years, doubt anyone said thank you, stated there are a few more streets and some drainage problems that would ask the City to look at, very appreciative of the work that has been done. This meeting was adjourned at 8:00 PM. Mayor David . . Smith Attest: . � D loris McKenzie, T C City Secretary 04 ��,E��'� � �°o c; o * * �'� � ��