Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN 03.12.2007 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 Sansing, Doug Smith, Henry All Council Present Carr, Pat Berryman, Farley Snell, Ben Oliver Staff Present: Paul Brandenburg, City Manager; Tom Yantis, Assistant City Manager; Patricia E. Carls, City Attorney; Sandra D. Lee, City Secretary; Micki Rundell, Director of Finance and Administration; Dennis Schoenborn, Information Technology Director; John Aldridge, Transportation Engineer Policy Development/Review Workshop - Called to order at 4:00 P A Presentation of new audio visual equipment in the Council Chamber -- Dennis Schoenborn, Information Technology Director Schoenborn explained the new audio/visual system, which includes new volume regulating microphones on the dais; a stationery personal computer at the podium for presentations; capability of using a laptop computer; DVD and VCR display capabilities; three ceiling -mounted pull-down projection screens for ease of viewing displayed material by the Council from the dais and by the audience; speakers above the dais; portable wireless microphone; wireless lavalier microphone; a document camera; and back-up audio recording, all directed by a wireless controller. He noted there are also additional speakers in the conference room, foyer, and sidewalk outside the building to take care of an overflow attendance. He said Phase 2 would include flat screens so video as well as audio can be broadcast outside the chamber. Council and staff on the dais participated in a microphone check. B Discussion and possible direction to staff regarding the County Road Bond Package with Williamson County Precinct 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey -- John Aldridge, Transportation Engineer and Paul Brandenburg, City Manager Brandenburg gave a brief background of the item. He said staff, elected officials, and members of the Georgetown Transportation Enhancement Corporation {GTEC} did much research and prepared a priority list of road projects. He said it was determined that the first priority is to get truck traffic off of SH29; saying widening would not be a good idea due to the proximity of historic properties and heritage trees, so that became the impetus for the Southwest Bypass to remove trucks and through -traffic use on University. He said, therefore, the Southwest Bypass became the number one priority. He said the County requested a list of the City's priorities be submitted to them. He said a letter was sent to County Judge John Doerfler and the County Commissioners in May of 2006, to designate the City's priorities, which were: Southwest Bypass from SH29 to IH35; Northwest Blvd. Bridge from Northewest Blvd. to FM971; Southeast Inner Loop widening and Southeast Arterial 1 connection to SH130; Westinghouse Road Rehabilitation and widening from IH35 to FM1460; and the northbound frontage road completion from FM2243 to Lakeway Drive. He noted that GTEC funds could be used for specific parts of some of the above projects, and at the same time, the City was dealing with TXDOT regarding pass-through financing. He said he spoke today with Bob Daigh who said TXDOT has made some revised priorities that the City and County would need to abide by. He said there will possibly be environmental issues, and TXDOT said they would help pay for some of the environmental issues along the Southwest Bypass, but would not pay for the entire road. Brandenburg asked Aldridge to explain the priority projects. Aldridge began by describing the project involving the Northwest Blvd. bridge to FM971. He said the project at County Road 104 and SH29 is needed due to the location of the new high school, and staff will see if it can City Council Meeting Minutes/March 12, 2007 Page 1 of 3 Pages be tied into the Southwest Bypass. He said the project at Westinghouse Road and its improvements is almost "ready to go." He told Council that the City has $3 million from County road bonds to do the widening at InnerLoop. He said the plans for the Southeast Arterial One are near completion, the environmental issues are clear, and the City is in the process of buying right of way. He noted that TXDOT is asking for "braided ramps" for the frontage road from Blue Springs to SH29, and described "braided ramps" as being a ramp over the top of another ramp which requires a bridge. There were questions and comments from Council involving the environmental issues regarding the Southwest Bypass. Berryman said the State has never seen the City's environmental work. Oliver confirmed that the City will acquire right of way for four lanes. Berryman asked about the original route for the bypass and there was discussion about design problems and the need to stay north of the quarry. Snell confirmed that of the City's priority projects, Southeast One is the "most ready to go." Eason pointed out that the City of Georgetown was the first city to join the Williamson County Conservation Foundation, with the promise of the ability to mitigate and not go through the process with U. S. Fish and Wildlife, etc. to get our projects accomplished. Mayor said this whole issue centers around time, and he said we need to think about how long it will take to get through the environmental constraints. He said the Council needs to hear from County Commissioner Covey. Covey said she also wants the Loop built because she lives off of Leander Road. She said there was a Georgetown/Williamson County Summit on January 29, with City, County, schools, and TXDOT attending to see what was planned and wanted. She said, the next week, on February 7, the City, County and TXDOT met again to try to figure out how to get the Loop built. She said the goal was stated there that the City wants a bypass from SH29 out west of DB Wood and SH29 east to SH130. She said no one was opposed to that plan, but in talking about that plan was when the time period extended. She said Daigh said that because that was a state highway, there would be some "hoops" to be jumped through and there needed to be an environmental study done on the entire loop and that could take five years. She said discussing the elements on the west side, such as the quarry and the caves, crossing the river, and tying into a federal highway, made the time period grow to seven years. She said Daigh brought up frontage roads and ramps. She said she asked Briggs what he wanted the County to do. She demonstrated with a map showing the discussion regarding a frontage road and ramps that would come out of "old" bond money that is actually a part of the Precinct 1 money. She said the piece from Leander to 29 was a new discussion, she said the money for that would come from the Loop's money. She said there was not enough money to do the frontage road and the bridge and the loop. She said she asked Briggs and he responded that because the City had federal money to use, he suggested that the County do the frontage road and ramps and the City would "work on the loop." She said the next week, the City and County met again with GISD because of CR104, and from those meetings came a draft interlocal agreement. She said the County has not yet voted on the road money and "nothing is set." She said each County Commissioner is working on the road projects in their precinct that could actually be accomplished. She said the draft agreement has never included any roads that the County expected the City to take over. She said there had been some communications that had not gone through her and she said she has no intent in working that way. She said she wants to work with the City and find the viable projects. She asked to know the City's intent regarding the bypass and whether they expect the State to take it over and re-route truck traffic, saying if that is the City's intent, there are requirements to be dealt with, such as issues regarding tying into federal highways. She said she asked Briggs to put together a timeline and dollar amounts to show what it would take to construct the project, especially on the west side. She said she also asked the County's engineering firm to work on that as well. She demonstrated a road bond project calculator sheet, and pointed out the proposed money to be spent inside Georgetown which is approximately $28 million, and added the money from Precinct 1 that would be spent on the south side of the Loop, saying the total to be spent inside Georgetown is approximately $51 million, plus $4 million from a previous bond. She acknowledged that Georgetown is partnering with the County and pooling money to help build better roads in Georgetown. She said she found out that the City's engineering firm had not issued the environmental info to TXDOT as of last November. She said the City's contribution from SH29 to Leander Road (appoximately 1.9 mile) for construction alone, not right of way, would cost from $16 to $21 million for four lanes, $9 to $12 million for two lanes, plus design and environmental costs of $8.25 million. She said the time period for the environmental for SH29 East to SH29 West would take 3.5 to 5 years, and would cost $3.5 to $5 million. Nelon asked, and Covey said the potential bond money in August would be $60 to $65 million, to be divided by four precincts, but she said if Precinct 3 (Georgetown) has a viable project, Precinct 3 would get the money to accomplish it. She said the SH29 and CR104 project is ready to go. She said she met with Joe Dan Lee, and he was clear that he does not have permission from the State to do any roadwork on SH29 or CR104. She said the rush is on for that road project because the bus barn will be there this year and there will be students in the school in 2008. Covey said "what it really boils down to" is where the money will be spent that was going to be spent on the Loop, aproximately $15 million. She reminded Council that she had already said that the on and off ramps and the frontage road up to Leander Road does not affect that money. She said she thought they could get started on that piece this year and be finished in a year and a half. Nelon asked about the Northwest Blvd. Bridge, asking if it was eliminated because of the braided ramps and the CR104 project. Covey said the money is not coming off of the bridge to build the ramps. She asked for the positon of the City on that project. Aldridge said he has a proposal from an engineering firm to prepare the proposed route and connection. Covey said she has $5 million to put toward that project, but it might not be viable at this time if the timing is not good since the engineering hasn't been done yet. Nelon said the City has always been asked for priorities and the priorities are put into the CAMPO Plan and City Council Meeting Minutes/March 12, 2007 Page 2 of 3 Pages the TIF. He said Georgetown traditionally hasn't thought about it from a money standpoint. He said the City is now reacting to a single meeting that was held with TXDOT about new environmental issues that are pushing projects away. He said the City must spend some of the money it has to use according to restrictions such as the roads for economic development. He said the City needs to get with the County to find out what money is available and find out where the City is in the program. Covey said she does have the money to do the frontage road and because there are no environmental issues, it could be built before five years. She said another aspect is that with the frontage road, the hospital would have a direct entrance to IH35. She said nothing has been voted on, but they need to know within the next few weeks. She said she is willing to work with the City to see what can be accomplished. Nelon said GTEC and GTAB need to go back to the drawing board and see where they can take some of the money and put it on certain projects. C Workshop overview and discussion of the 2007/08 Council Budget Priority Setting Process -- Micki Rundell, Director of Finance and Administration and Paul E. Brandenburg, City Manager Rundell noted that she had supplied a budget workbook on the dais. She said there are 12 priority areas/broad goals. She described the contents of the workbook. She asked for Council to fill out the "blue sheets" to indicate their priorities, by next Thursday at noon, for discussion at a special workshop on Monday, March 19. 6:05 p.m. - 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 - Stanford v. City of Georgetown , Cause No. 06-634-C26, filed in the 26th Judicial District of Williamson County, Texas - Discussion and possible action regarding Williamson County MUD No. 19, request for sewer Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (Application No. 35375-C) (SOAR Docket No. 582-07-0786; TCEQ Docket No. 2006 - 1810 - UCR) - Discussion and possible action relating to retention of outside counsel to review new standard form contracts, and other experts to advise and assist on contract administration E Sec 551.072: Deliberations about Real Property - Consideration and possible action concerning the authorization of a proposed Right of Entry, Possession and Construction Easement between the City and Williamson County concerning the acquisition of a 0.473 -acre easement and a 0.776 -acre easement and related temporary construction easement for the construction of underground electric service in connection with Project Lone Star -- Jim Briggs, Assistant City Manager for Utility Operations, and Mike Mayben, Energy Services Manager - 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 6:55 p.m. -- returned to Executive Session and adjourned The meeting Was adjourned at 06:55 PM1 City Council Meeting Minutes/March 12, 2007 Page 3 of 3 Pages ity Secretary Sandra Lee