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Home My WebLink AboutMIN 03.26.2007 CC-WThe City Council of the City of Georgetown, Texas, met in Regular Session on the above date with Mayor Gary Nelon presiding. Council Present. Council Absent: Patty Eason, Gabe Sansinig, Doug Smith, Henry All Council present Carr, Pat Berryman, Farley Snell, Ben Oliver Staff Present: Paul Brandenburg, City Manager; Tom Yantis, Assistant City Manager; Jim Briggs, Assistant City Manager for Utility Operations; Patricia E. Carls, City Attorney; Sandra D. Lee, City Secretary; John Aldridge, Transportation Engineer; Joe Lara, Chief Financial Analyst; Leticia Zavala, Controller; Ken Finr Animal Services Manager; Randy Morrow, Director of Community Services; Kimberly Garrett, Parks and Recreation Director; Rod Moore, Technical Support Specialist I; Mark Miller, Transportation Services Manager; Mark Thomas, Economic Development Director; Keith Hutchinson, Public Information Officer; Jessica Hamilton, Assistant City Secretary Policy Development/Review Workshop ® Called to order at 4:00 P A Low Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic -- Ken Finn, Animal Services Manager and David Morgan, Police Chief Finn told Council he researched this program with the City of Austin, and said the new Williamson County Animal Shelter is also performing this service and invites the City of Georgetown to participate. He asked Council to consider a future interlocal agreement with the County to provide spay/neuter services for the City of Georgetown. Sansing said he hopes the City can share in the information available with the County, and suggested joint purchase programs to help save money and to assist the animals. Finn said the City currently has several cooperative projects. Berryman asked for the timeline, and Finn said the City's goal is to have it happen this year, and regarding the City using the County's services, the County would like for the City to come on board as soon as possible. Brandenburg said there will be public education for this process. B Update on Status of Dog Park -- Kimberly Garrett, Parks and Recreation Director and Randy Morrow, Director of Community Services Garrett told Council that the Dog Park is in this year's budget. She recognized Mark Ramsey and Kent Buikema from the Parks Board. She introduced Mike Simpson from the Parks Board who gave a slide show presentation. He noted that dog parks are growing in popularity across the nation. He said the statistics show that Georgetown probably has from 9,000 to 19,000 canine pets inside the City Limits. He described the requirements of quality dog parks, such as fencing, drinking water, refuse containers, shade, and strict usage rules. He said the proposed location would be at Holly Street in the pecan grove behind McMaster Fields. Sansing suggested using gray water from the nearby wastewater treatment plant to begin the irrigation project in Phase 1, instead of waiting until Phase 2. Simpson said he hopes the bid packages will go out in April with construction in May and opening in July. Oliver asked about staffing and was told that mowing is already taking place at the grove. There were other questions from the Council. Snell confirmed that the park is generally unsupervised, not staffed; and Simpson said hopefully manned by volunteers. C Discussion on City Transportation Projects, Planning, and Funding -- John Aldridge, Transportation Engineer and Paul Brandenburg, City Manager Brandenburg said since the Council Meeting on March 12, there has been a meeting with the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) and the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) to find out City Council Meeting Minutes/March 26, 2007 Page 1 of 2 Pages which projects can be done immediately and how that matches with the plans of the Council, the Georgetown Transportation Advisory Board (GTAB), and the Georgetown Transporation Enhancement Corporation (GTEC). He said for Council's consideration on the Council Meeting agenda for tomorrow there will be item to approve working with TXDOT, and an item to work with CTRMA for a mobility study. Briggs displayed a map and said the original intent was to move truck traffic off of SH29. He said TXDOT still has a commitment to work on the southwest section, but it will take time. He said Williamson County wants to be able to solve near-term issues and move traffic from SH 130 along the southern part of the community, up IH35 and out on SH29 west. He said in recent discussions, Bob Daigh, indicated that if this section were constructed to accept truck traffic, he would support that as an interim truck route using local roads if the City accepts the responsibility to allow the traffic to be there. Briggs said that is a large step in achieving the primary goal. Therefore, the section already approved by GTEC, will be constructed by GTEC, and the County will consider that as part of the leverage and local participation. He said the County would spend $3 million of their bond money to connect with an area that is already authorized from previous bond money, to connect with Leander Road, and then make a full connection to SH130. He said the Northwest Boulevard Bridge is also a part of the proposed projects, with the County and City sharing the expense of the project. There were questions and comments from the Council. Briggs explained a spread sheet showing the amounts to be allocated to each of the proposed road projects. There were further questions and comments from the Council regarding 400 -foot right of way as opposed to 200 -foot right of way. Carr asked for Briggs to bring back tomorrow two additional columns on the spread sheet to show what GTEC and TXDOT are contributing to each project. Briggs said TXDOT is not contributing anything to this phase of construction projects. Council asked for numbers at tomorrow's meeting regarding the increase in cost to secure 400 feet instead of 200 feet. There was further discussion with County Commissioner Valerie Covey in the audience, regarding costs. 6:18 p.m. -- recessed to Executive Session Executive Session In compliance with the Open Meetings Act, Chapter 551, Government Code, Vernon's Texas Codes, Annotated, the items listed below will be discussed in closed session and are subject to action in the regular session that follows. D Sec.551.071: Consultation with Attorney - Advice from attorney about pending or contemplated litigation and other matters on which the attorney has a duty to advise the City Council, including agenda items -Transamerican Underground vs. Arch Insurance Co., C. C. Carleton Industries, and Third Party Defendant the City of Georgetown, Cause No. 06-121-C277, District Court of Williamson County, 277th Judicial District - Henderson v. City of Georgetown and Bishop Gregory Aymond for the Dioceses of Austin , Cause No. A06CA082 SS; United States District Court, Western District of Texas - Discussion and possible action regarding Williamson County MUD No. 19, request for sewer Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (Application No. 35375-C) (SOAH Docket No. 582-07-0786; TCEQ Docket No. 2006 - 1810 - UCR) E Sec 551.072: Deliberations about Real Property - Discussion and possible action concerning the acquisition of a 0.04 -acre Clear Zone Easement and denial of access on property owned by Threadgill Oil Co., Inc., located at 705 N. Austin Avenue in connection with the proposed Texas Department of Transportation/Austin Avenue Maintenance Project -- Jim Briggs, Assistant City Manager for Utility Operations and Patricia E. Carls, City Attorney - Consideration and possible action concerning the acquisition of a 0.473 -acre easement and a 0.776 -acre easement and related temporary construction easement from Williamson County for the construction of underground electric service in connection with Project Lone Star --Jim Briggs, Assistant City Manager and Patricia E. Carls, City Attorney F Sec. 551.087: Deliberation Regarding Economic Development Negotiations - Discussion and possible action regarding commercial or financial information that the governmental body has received from a business prospect that the governmental body seeks to have locate, stay, or expand in or near the territory of the governmental body and with which the governmental body is conducting economic development negotiations; and deliberation of the offer of a financial or other incentive to a business prospect described above - Airborn 7:07 p.m. -- returned to Open Session and adjourned The meeting was adjourned at 07:07 PM. City Council Meeting Minutes/March 26, 2007 Page 2 of 2 Pages