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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN 07.26.2011 CC-WMNA a • c, • • • • ® 0: • • , of - City •Georgetown, ,i Texas Tuesday,r , 2011 The City Council of the City of Georgetown, Texas, met in Regular Session on the above date with Mayor George Garver presiding. Council Present: Council Absent.a Patty Eason, Danny Meigs, Bill Sattler, Pat All Council Present Berryman, Tommy Gonzalez, Rachael Jonrowe, Troy Hellmann Staff Present: Paul E Brandenburg, City Manager; Jordan Maddox, Principal Planner, Elizabeth Cook, Community Development Director; Jessica Brettle, City Secretary Minutes • - • • rINKIR III INIIII• •IIIIIIIIII III I • • • - 1 i 1 A Social Services and Youth Program Funding Presentations -- Paul E. Brandenburg, City Manager Eason, Berryman, Jonrowe absent. Mayor called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone to the meeting. Mayor introduced the item to the audience. Jonrowe arrived at the dais. Brandenburg described the process for the social services and youth program funding grant applications. He said each organization will have three minutes to talk about their programs. He noted, at the next meeting, the Council will think about the presentations and determine the funding allocations for each organization. Mayor thanked the audience for their courtesy and for their service to the community. Berryman and Eason arrived at the dais. Assistance League of Georgetown Area Speaker Linda Ledbetter, Treasurer of Assistance League of Georgetown, introduced herself to the Council. She said the members of the Assistance League are all volunteers. She said they are one of 120 chapters in the United States. She said Operation School Bell is the signature program for their organization, which provides appropriate school clothing for children in need. She said they will be providing new clothes and shoes for children in the community. She said these new clothes help the children arrive at school better prepared to learn. She said the benefits of the program are measurable by the pride and self esteem that carries the children beyond the school day. She described how a child becomes eligible for this service. She spoke about the program and how it works. She said last year's budget was $75,000, which clothed 626 children in Georgetown. She said their biggest fundraiser is their thrift shop. She said their chapter's commitment for the next school year is $90,000 total, but they are asking for $10,000 from Georgetown through the social services program. She thanked the Council for their previous donations and continued support. Bluebonnet Trails MHMR Pride Early Childhood Intervention City Council Meeting Minutes/ Page 1 of 6 Pages No representative was present to speak. X re TINII Speaker Edna Johnson, Director of Communication for CARTS, said they are a public entity serving many cities in the surrounding area.. She said, last year, they provided 8,000 one way trips in Georgetown and about 2,000 in other areas. She said, last year, they opened their facility off of Austin Avenue in Georgetown. She said the City is all made from recyclable material and added they have a rain water catchment tank. She said, from that facility, they are doing a park and ride.; She spoke about the two new services that were started in January to the Lakeline area and Tech Ridge. She spoke about an inner urban route that is starting this year. She thanked Council for the funding and added they look forward to working with Council and City staff. CASA of Williamson County Speaker, Alisa De Luna is from CASA of Williamson County as Executive Director. She described CASA or Court Appointed Special Advocates Program for the Council. She spoke about what exactly CASA does for the community. She said they train volunteers to be the hope and stability in the lives of foster children in the community. She said a CASA volunteer gathers information and helps the Court make an informed decision on the future of a foster child. She said the volunteers commits to a child and his or her future. She said, until October 2009, Williamson County was one of the largest counties without a CASA program. She said since they opened they have served 47 children. She said, over the next year, they hope to reach a volunteer pool of 100 with the capability of serving over 150 children. She said the vision established by them is to ensure that every child in Williamson County has a safe and permanent home. She said 15 of the 47 children served are removed from or placed in homes in Georgetown. She said they are requesting $5,000 or 2% of their budget to continue serving the youth in Georgetown. Berryman asked and De Luna spoke about their relationship with Child Protective Services. Faith in Actin Caregivers- Georgetown Speaker, Rita Handley, thanked Council for helping them serve seniors in Georgetown. She said they are an interfaith organization that provide free transportation and other support services to people who live in Georgetown. She said they currently have 350 seniors enrolled in their services. She said their program is the only agency in Georgetown that provides personalized transportation services to seniors who live in their own homes. She said more of their clients are unable to access public transportation services. She said 64% of their clients have low to moderate incomes. She said the majority of their transportation services are for medically related appointments. She said they provided 4,850 point to point transportation services last year. She said they contributed over 11,000 hours of service to the community. She said they moved to the community resource center last year to have much better access but, the bad news is, they are now paying rent. She said the funds requested from the City will help keep the program more viable and able to recruit more volunteers. Georgetown Caring Place Speaker, John Stock, said the Caring Place's business continues to be at record levels. She said their food pantry was able to serve 41 % more food then the previous year. He said over the past year, they have helped 377 families for the first time. He said their request is for $55,000 or 3.9% of the budget. He said their programs remain pretty much the same as what was described last year. He described these programs for the Council. He noted they made two changes to a couple of their program and he described those changes for the Council. He said they have switched to a free choice pantry where people can select the food that is most appropriate for their particular family on that day. He added the other change they made was to give HEB gift cards to the families during the holidays so those families can pick food appropriate to their cultural heritage. He noted their biggest change is their new building. Georgetown Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association Speaker, Inez Vance, said their group is a non-profit association with unpaid employees and volunteers who support the programs of the police department. She spoke about their new program called Silver Bells, which is a Christmas related program geared toward senior citizens in nursing homes in Georgetown. She noted their research indicates there are no other programs like this. She said this program will support 300 to 350 citizens in the community. She said our seniors have given so much of their lives to get us where we are today and it is time to give back. She said this program will provide gifts and fellowship during the Holiday season in Georgetown. She noted they are asking for $10,000 to support this program. City Council Meeting Minutes/ Page 2 of 6 Pages Habitat for Humanity Speaker, Debbie Hoffman, said their program continues to be the same providing safe, decent and affordable home ownership opportunities in Georgetown. She said, since 1999, they have placed over 30 homes. She said the principle payment continues to be the same over the life of the mortgage of their homes. She noted the Council has helped make a reality of the Old Mill Village subdivision. She said the funds that Council contributes for this fiscal year will finish out that subdivision. Berryman asked and Hoffman, said they completed three houses over the past year. Hoffman described where they get their financial support as well as volunteers. Light Texas Speaker, Erin Kiltz, introduced herself as Executive Director of Light Texas. She said Gracey, her third child, was born with down's syndrome. She noted she can not walk, talk or feed herself, but she won over the students at Georgetown High School and was named Homecoming Queen her senior year. She spoke about how there are few options for adults with intellectual disabilities who are graduating high school. She said they have planted 1500 sunflowers and are planning on selling those as well as other products they have made at local markets. She spoke about the Brookwood Community and how it has decided to expand to Georgetown Texas and absorb this program. She said the City grants will help subsidize citizens tuition and help the people's participation in the program more viable. Another representative of the program said she has been with Georgetown for 25 years and serving as a transition coordinator in the area. She said, according to the 2009 census, they have over 29,000 people with disabilities in Williamson County. There were many questions about the program. Literacy Council of Williamson County Speaker Robert Pinhero, Executive Director of the program said they have been serving Georgetown for over 25 years. He said they work with folks that are trying to approve their reading skills and trying to earn their GED or with folks who are trying to write and speak English. He said they are asking for $4,500, which represents about 4% of their community budget. He noted 33% of their students from the Georgetown area. He said they teach reading in the context of real life and he continued to describe their program He said there are $200,000 billion wasted every year because of people's poor health literacy. He said they did a survey around the County and determined about 30% of the adults who were surveyed did not know enough about their health. He spoke about how this program helps the students in the working world. Lone Star Circle of Care Speaker, Jack Hunnicut, said he is the Board Chair of Lone Star Circle of Care. He said their program is now ten years old. He spoke about the history of the program and said their model is now well known around the country as the "Georgetown Model." He said this year they will do over 20,000 encounters of totally uninsured Georgetown people at a cost to their program of over $3.6 million. He noted they do not receive federal or state money to fund their program. He said they are not a free clinic, but a sliding scale clinic. He said the grant they are requesting today is for funds to support medical services to the uninsured of the community. Berryman thanked them for the service to the community and for basing their headquarters in Georgetown. There was much discussion about the program. Stonehaven Senior Center Speaker, Pat Schneider, introduced herself as the Director at Stonehaven. She said the Center is 43 years old. She said it was understood when it was created that the center would be a non-profit center that would serve the seniors in the community. She said, with the Stonehaven housing units nearby, it makes it convenient for those seniors to get to the center. She said the center is for anyone aged 50 or older in Georgetown and the surrounding area. She said seniors find the center to be a warm place to come and socialize with others their age. She said they offer a variety of programs and she listed those for the Council. She said they serve soup and a light lunch on Mondays. There were many questions. Williamson County Crisis Center DDA Hope Alliance Speaker, Patty Conner introduced herself as the CEO of Hope Alliance Crisis Center. She thanked Council for their service and she said they fully appreciate the task that lies before them. She said Hope Alliance is the only comprehensive service for victims of violence in the community. She said they operate the only shelter for woman and children in the community and they house over 30 clients. She said they operate satellite offices in Georgetown. She said, in 2010, 88% of their clients report they would have been homeless had they not been able to get into their shelter when they did. She noted 9% of their clients overall were Georgetown City Council Meeting Minutes/ Page 3 of 6 Pages residents.She said it is important to mention that they use the Georgetown funding as part of a 20% state required match. She said their request is for $45,000, or 4% of their budget. She spoke about how, on Mother's Day weekend, they received a call about three Georgetown residents who were murdered. She said she wondered if one of the victims was a client and what she was going to say to the 30 women in their shelter who already fear for their lives. She said she also wondered when they will have a shelter that isn't turning away over 15 families a year. Jonrowe asked and Conner explained what they would need in order to not have turn someone away. Conner added they will need a new 60 bed shelter to be able to serve the need and noted they are almost ten years away from reaching that goal. Mayor asked and Conner said last year they had a 72% increase in need due to both the economy and the fact they are raising awareness of their program in the community. Williamson Burnet County Opportunities Speaker Paula Goodsen, Director of Senior Nutrition for WBCO, thanked Council for its past support. She said, in 2010, they served 39,538 meals to citizens in the community. She said a recent survey demonstrated how their program allowed for seniors in the community to stay in their homes. She spoke about the expansion of their facility. She said, with the growth of senior communities in Georgetown, the numbers of people asking for services will only increase. She said there is no other program in Georgetown that offers these services. She described what they are requesting from the Council. Williamson Council on Alcohol and Drugs, dba LifeSteps Speaker, Afrain Gavila, described the program and said it was created to address the issue of drugs and alcohol in children. He said they mainly do prevention and intervention. He said he is coming up on his 40th year working with at risk kids. He said his passion is to get kids who are unfocused and get them to see a vision and move forward with their lives in a positive way. He said the school districts throughout this county are going to have a hard time trying to keep some students focused. He noted he has proposed a neighborhood conference committee, which is truancy abatement run by volunteers. He said they need to continue to work hard at recruiting volunteers. Boys & Girls Club of Georgetown Speaker Daniel Anstee, Branch Director of the Boys and Girls Club of Georgetown, thanked the City for its past support over the years. He said their program continues to grow in daily attendance and membership and added they are dependent on community financial support in many ways. He said for at least two days, they had over 200 children using their facility. He said they continue to service from 150-200 children per day this year. He said their current membership is around 455 and will more likely finish the year at around 600. He noted they will need to restrict their membership or open a second facility to address the needs in the community. He said their hope is to provide services on the west side of town at this point next year. He noted the fund application was submitted with only one facility in mind and he asked that Council keep the possibility of second facility in mind. Meigs asked and Anstee spoke abut the five core curriculum areas they are required to provide to the children. Meigs said the after school homework program is something that is always impressive to him. Mayor asked and Anstee said this is a great time to visit the facilities. Georgetown Cultural Citizen Memorial Association, Inc. Speaker, Paulette Taylor, spoke of the Willie Hall Center's Helping Hands Tutorial Program. She said that program has now folded and does not exist, but the children remain. She noted the Willie Hall Center will still thrive in that they still have the facility located in a crucial part of the community. She said they are requesting funds to continue to provide tutoring and other cultural events within the community. Berryman asked and Taylor said they concentrate on serving the children in grades K-5. There was much discussion. The Georgetown Project Speaker Leslie Janca, Executive Director of the Georgetown Project, thanked Council and introduced Nikki Hodges who will be a senior at Southwestern to the Council. She said Hodges will be doing the Capstone project and is also a volunteer on their program this year. She said they are requesting $25,000. She said they are requesting funding for their oldest program, Kid City, and their newest program, the Eagle's Nest Program. She noted Kid City is for Georgetown ISD K -5th graders that are qualified for free and reduced lunch programs. She said it allows those students to have a summer vacation experience they may not usually have. She said in the last four or five years: they are spending a lot of their time keeping kids active. She said many of these kids may not have been able to go to parks, movies or bowling alleys without their program. She said they have had 77 children in the program over the past year. She said the second program they are asking assistance for is City Council Meeting Minutes/ Page 4 of 6 Pages the Eagles Nest program and shelter for teens who are living in transition here in the community. She noted she hopes Eagle's Nest will be a safe haven after school where they can take care of their basic needs. She said, at the shelter, they can do their homework in a quiet place, have a warm meal and wash their clothes. Berryman asked and speaker said they have learned that the students just need to find a place to go after school gets out. She noted their funding request is for 8% of their annual operating budget. There were a few additional questions from Council Getsemani Community Center Speaker, Isaac Lopez, said the Getsemani Community Center is located in the heart of the Hispanic barrio in Georgetown. He said it provides many programs and services to the under -served minorities in the community. He described the programs and services provided by the center. He said the past support from this fund has provided many services and he listed those services for the Council. He said they have provided space for the literacy Council as well as other organizations in the area. He said the center is not limited to that area of the community, but to all people throughout Georgetown. He spoke about the future plans for the facility. He described their fundraising activities. Georgetown Partners in Education Speaker Erich Prinze, the Chair for Partners in Education, introduced their new Executive Director to the Council. The Director said she wanted to describe their vision and expansion for the program to the Council. She noted they lost 142 educators because of budget cuts and added they also lost a lot of social agencies that partnered with them. She said, of the class of 2009, over 9% dropped out. She continued to provide drop out rates of students for the Council. She said their vision is to empower students to become lifelong learners and productive citizens in society. She said the monies they are asking for represents about 23% of the budget and they are targeting marketing and a continued partnership with the Boys and Girls Club and other charitable organizations in the community. Berryman asked and Prinze said they are expanding their programming now. She said they need people who are willing to come into the classroom 90 minutes a week to help with tutoring and re -teaching in real time. She continued to describe how they are going to improve upon their programs. Meigs asked and she described the collaboration they do with other organizations around the City. Mayor spoke about the August 9, 2011 Council meeting. He said an item allowing for an decision to be made regarding allocation of funds to each organization will be on that agenda. He said in the past, they have done the allocation as either a committee of the whole or as a subcommittee. He asked Council how they would like to handle this issue this year. Berryman suggested, in the interest of open government, this be done as a committee of the whole. Mayor said Shirley Rinn has been working on this diligently and will be bringing the cost allocations and budgets with her to the next meeting. Gonzalez said they have received requests totaling around $65,000 more than what is budgeted. Rinn said she will provide Council with an excel spreadsheet showing the requests and what is allowed in the budget. B Consideration and discussion to staff regarding the proposed 2011 Annexation Areas -- Jordan J. Maddox, AICP, Principal Planner and Elizabeth A. Cook, Community Development Director With a Powerpoint Presentation, Maddox gave a brief presentation over the possible areas to be annexed in 2011. He said 9 areas were considered high priority by Council in May, 17 total reconfigured areas have been studied and there was a financial impact analysis done to each of those areas. He said, over the 17 areas, 1974 acres were studied. He said the total property valuation of the 17 areas is about $119 million. He spoke about the 2011 goals and objectives of properties to annex and said they are areas that are served with utilities or other services, have economic development potential or they are infill (donut holes). He said they have done an extensive study on how to bring utilities and get the property in the southeast development zone "shovel ready." He described the financial analysis of the area and spoke about the projected fiscal impact, minimum cost of annexation and potential CIP improvements options. He said the goal of this year's annexation is to consolidate, have better delivery and efficient services in certain areas and to annex areas that are already served or have development potential. He showed Council a map of each proposed annexation area (areas 1-17) to be considered and described those for the Council. He spoke about the agricultural exemption agreements that would apply to any areas with "AG" exemption. He said 4 parcels are eligible for an agreement. He said those agreements delay annexation for over 15 years while these properties are under agreement. He said in some of the areas where they are looking for economic development potential, they may be looking at a special taxing district if AG agreements come into play. He said a potential AG agreement would break contiguity and will create a possible special district. He reviewed other important considerations about some of the areas. He said, regarding area 7 (Westinghouse Road) there are construction improvements being discussed with the County. He said a consideration for area 10 (Escalera/Preserve) is the distance from the nearest fire station. He noted, for areas 14-17 (Shell Road) each area can be reconfigured. He said the staff City Council Meeting Minutes/ Page 5 of 6 Pages recommendation is to approve all areas except for Area 13, 14 and 16. He said the rest of the areas would bring a net positive for the City. He spoke about the next steps in this annexation process. He said there is an item on the agenda to determine which areas Council would like to annex. He said a Resolution would be brought forward on August 23, notification begins in September, two public hearings in October, a potential special meeting in mid-November and the effective date would be December 30. Mayor said and Maddox agreed there will be an item on the Regular Agenda where Council will be able to choose which areas to move forward with. Mayor spoke about the "donut holes" in the area and how those have made it very difficult for the City to do certain things around the area. He said this topic warrants a larger workshop discussion regarding long term annexation planning. Brandenburg said this is an ongoing process that started back in 2003 that tries to answer the question about what the City wants to look like when it "grows up." He spoke about the annexation process in 2006. He said the purpose of this workshop tonight was to ask questions about the proposed areas before approving a final list. He said the annexation in the past has been driven by economic development, environmental issues and growth strategies. There was much discussion. Gonzalez asked and Maddox said staff brought to Council an annexation priority map back in May. He spoke about what elements were considered in the creation of that map. He added some of the donut holes were disqualified for cost. There was much discussion. Berryman asked that Maddox look areas 13-17. She said she would like to have Council consider being able to have some coverage for the development in that area. She noted she wants to be able to protect that one corridor. Meeting recessed to Executive Session under Sections 551.071, 551.072 and 551.087 -- 5:09 PM Council returned to Open Session and adjourned -- 6:05 PM City Council Meeting Minutes/ Page 6 of 6 Pages Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 06:05 PM. Attest: y Secreta ssica Brettie