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Home My WebLink AboutCC Minutes 1977-01-24 Regular . . . _ -__._.'___.��t��'��. MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE FRIENDSWOOD CITY COUNCIL January 24 , 1977 A Regular Meeting of the Friendswood City Council was held at the City Hall on Monday, January 24 , 1977 , at 7 : 30 p .m. - � with the following members present : _I Mayor Ralph Lowe Councilman Benny Baker Councilman Richard Haken Councilman Tom Lay Councilman Bill Patton Councilman Paul Maaz With a quorum present , and with Councilman Zeitler absent, the following business was transacted : � � NO MINUTES WERE PRESENTED FOR APPROVAL. . � ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE MAYOR � Mrs . Doris Heard was presented with a Distinguished Citizen' s award by the local Jaycees at their brunch last Saturday. OPENING OF BIDS ON CITY AUTOMOBILES - The following sealed �yC_7'"/ bids were opened and read : With Radio Bud Brown Ford $5 ,181. 57 +$56 . 44 Norm Livermore Dodge 5 ,117 . 42 $5 ,174 . 97 Pearson Chevrolet 5 , 234 . 31 includes radio I Robertson Chevrolet 5 , 352 . 21 includes radio Thomas Ford 5 ,081 . 19 _ ' Sollock Chrysler 4 , 780 . 00 includes radio MOTION: (Maaz) To refer the bids to the City Manager for review and recommendation to Council. Second: Haken Vote : Unanimous FOR MOTION CARRIED RECREATION COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS - In consideration of a �S-_ 7 7 recommendation from the Recreation Committee , the following action was taken: MOTION : (Baker) To reappoint Doris Heard, R. J . Blanken, Dr. Bill Jones , Grace Baker, and Dr. Sky Hoff to the Committee ; new appointments to Janice Berthiaume , Carmac Taylor, and John C. Williams . Second: Haken Vote : Unanimous FOR MOTION CARRIED VARIANCE ON SLAB ELEVATION - Mr. Marvin Mangrum has requested the variamce £rom flood insurance requirements based on the fact that his lot at 108 Imperial is on the level with existing houses on all sides and to build up to the required slab elevation would put water on his neighbors and kill trees i on the lot . Council felt that they needed more information � to vote on the matter, and Mr. Morgan is to furnish them with — such information. ENGINEERING FIRM FOR SURFAC'� WATER STUDY - �6._ �� MOTION: (Patton) To engage Walsh Engineering and appropriate funds from the Industrial District for the water study. Second: Baker Vote : Unanimous FOR MOTION CARRIED _ _ _ _ _ - - --- _ _ __ � �� _ __ . KINGSPARK- WHITEHALL LAND LEASE CONTRACT - This three-year ��l77 contract covering conditions for the City to lease the subdivision park, install playground equipment, and maintain as a city park, has been reviewed by the Attorney who feels that a renewal of the contract is not detrimental to the city . MOTION: (Haken) To authorize Mr. Morgan to renew the land lease agreement with Kingspark-Whitehall or remove the city' s equipment from the park. Second: Baker Vote : Unanimous FOR MOTION CARRIED ��7_7� EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES TO H-GAC FOR 1977 MOTION: (Baker) To support the roster as presented, i. e. President: Mayor Benny Howard, Richwood; Vice Pres : Commissioner Tom Bass , Harris County; Sec. -Treas . : Commissioner Charles Doyle , Texas City. Second: Haken Vote : Unanimous FOR MOTION CARRIED /9'7'/ RATE INCREASE REQUEST FROM CPS - Mr. Morgan presented the opinion of the City Attorney in the matter and a letter for the Mayor' s signature written at the direction of the attorney. The letter stated that in Council ' s opinion the proposed new rates are excessive and not sufficiently documented or supported; therefore their operations is suspended for a period oP 120 days beyond the date on which such sehedule of rates would otherwise go into effect. MOTION: (Lay) To approve signing and transmitting of this letter to CPS . Second: Patton Vote : Unanimous FOR MOTION CARRIED MOTION: (Lay) I move that the proposed new schedule of ! � rates filed by Community Public Service Company ! be suspended for 120 days beyond the date on which - s.chedule of rates would otherwise go into effect, and further that we schedule a public hearing for 7 : 30 p.m. , February 21 , 1977 on this matter. Second: Haken Vote : Unanimous FOR MOTION CARRIED RATE INCREASE FOR ENTEX - The City Attorney is to have a report of his opinion on this request at the next Council meeting. �� ..�� ACCOUNTING SERVICE - Mr . Morgan reported that Lairson-Fitch � Young, the present city auditors , have recommended that the City engage a "comptroller" who would work approximately one day each month, making a running audit, and closing out the accounts at the end of each month so that figures are more readily available. This firm has offered to do this service at a fee of $200 per month. Mr. Morgan and Councilman Maaz felt that this would be a benefit to the city. MOTION: (Maaz) That the City engage Lairson-Fitch & Young to act in the capacity of comptroller for the fiscal year 1977 , at a cost of $2 ,400 . Second : Baker Vote : Unanimous FOR MOTION CARRIED �1" 7�� LEFT TURN LANE AT FM 2351 AND FM 518 - Pursuant to the City' s I request , the Highway Department is studying this project and stated that it will be necessary for the City to commit for the cost of subsurface drainage for the project. The City Engineer has estimated the cost at 58 , 300 . Cost for the project could come from $30 , 000 drainage bonds which have not been expended. MOTION : (Maaz) To agree to cover cost of subsurface drainage . Second: Lay . Vote : Unanimous FOR MOTION CARRIED _ _---- -_ 4 �� EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT PROGRAM - Councilman Haken presented a chart he has prepared comparing benefits of retirement programs Prom several difFerent insurance companies . He asked that each Councilman study the facts and be prepared to give their comments at the next workshop session. TENNIS COURTS CONSTRUCTION IN STEVENSON PARK - The contractor �� 7 has begun work on the courts but the City has not retained an architect to oversee the job. Council felt that it would be worthwhile to engage an engineer to inspect the work at ! various stages . -- MOTION : (Baker) That the City Manager be given authority to engage an engineer as inspector on the tennis courts project. Second: Maaz Vote : Unanimous FOR MOTION CARRIED WARRANTS FOR APPROVAL - By motion of Councilman Maaz, second and unanimous vote of the Council , the following warrants � were approved for payment : � General Fund � � 3069 - Albritton Trucking $ 1 518 . 75 :7 3070 - Claude Wright & Associates �996 . 00 �7 3071 - CPS -Friendswood g�g , g� 3072 - Wartex Oil 520 . 44 3074 - Spectrum Corp. 1 017 . 50 3075 - Courts , Inc . 2 � 725 . 00 3077 - Lairson, Young & Fitch 1, 961. 50 Water � Sewer Fund 1351 - Lairson, Young � Fitch 1 ,961. 50 1352 - CPS - Friendswood 2 , 407 . 23 1353 - Maintenance Engineering Corp. 1, 455 . 27 _' A bill from McCracken' s , Inc . for $1 , 311 . 32 was held up pending contact by Mr. Morgan for adjustment due to the fact that the controls were placed in the sewer plant improperly. APPROVAL OF SUBDIVISION PLATS BY THE CITY COUNCIL - Councilman �'°3-�� Lay stated that he would like to be better informed regarding new development in the city, and felt that the Council should give final approval for subdivision plats . The rest of the Council concurred and directed that an ordinance to this effect be posted for reading at the next meeting. STREET DEPARTMENT WORK TIME - Councilman Haken asked that Mr. Morgan have a survey made for the next two weeks showing how much time is spent by Street Department employees on street or drainage work and how much time on other duties . LIST OF CHECKS ISSUED BY THE CITY - Councilman Lay requested "� �� that the practice of issuing Council a list of all cheeks paid out by the City each month be resumed. He also suggested that it might be good practice to go out for bids on some purchases even though the amount may be under the required $3 , 000 . CLOSED MEETING RE LITIGATION - Continuation of the discussion on how to make presentation to the TWQB on Thrusday' s hearing in view of pending litigation between TWQB/CCBA and the City. ADJOURNMENT - Motion made and seconded that the me.eting adjourn. The meeting was adjourned. � A`� City Secretary �� APPROVED: Mayo-'��`�,°�`� � �i o4-� ,-�