Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN 02.26.2007 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 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; Jim Briggs, Assistant City Manager for Utility Operations; Patricia E. Carls, City Attorney; Sandra D. Lee, City Secretary; Micki Rundell, Director of Finance and Administration; Leticia Zavala, Controller; Lorie Lankford, Chief Accountant; Lisa Haines, Accountant 11; Joe Lara, Chief Financial Analyst; Glenn Dishong, Water Services Manager; Ken Finn, Animal Services Manager; Shelly Hargrove, Tourism Director and Main Street Manager; Cari Miller, Convention and Visitors Bureau Coordinator; David Morgan, Police Chief; Mike Mayben, Energy Services Manager; Mark Thomas, Economic Development Director Policy Development/Review Workshop ® Call to order at 4.00 P A Workshop discussion of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2006 -- Leticia Zavala, Controller and Micki Rundell, Director Finance and Administration Rundell gave Council a brief overview of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), including an introduction, highlights of the year's operations, and reports on various funds. She noted that the City has received the Award of Excellence for the 19th consecutive year. Zavala explained the government -wide statements: net assets, as well as a statement of activities. She said the City received a "clean" opinion. Zavala introduced Lisa McKinnon of Brockway, Gershback, McKinnon and Neimeyer, who told the Council this is their second year to do the City's audit. She commended the Finance Department for their cooperation and willingness to provide information. She said the financial statements were fairly presented, received an unqualified opinion, with no issues and no findings that are material to the statements. She said the Report on Controls had no weaknesses, and the City is within the target range on fund balance. Smith clarified that there is a value of all of the streets. Rundell said streets are prioritized by a Pavement Management System that is funded annually; therefore, depreciation is not recorded. She noted that these priorities are evaluated every three years with the City engineer. Rundell thanked her staff for their timely response to the auditors. B Presentation by Dr. James Petrick, Associate Department Head for Graduate Studies of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences at Texas A & M University regarding tourism trends, potential strategies, and the impact on economic development -- Shelly Hargrove, Main Street Manager and Director of Tourism and Randy Morrow, Director of Community Services Hargrove introduced Dr. James Petrick, who explained the "local awareness" that tourism plays on economic development. He said tourism is the number one service export, saying tourism is one of the largest City Council Meeting Minutes/February 26, 2007 Page 1 of 3 Pages employers, of nearly 18 milirun people. He noted that Texas receives $49.2 Nil on per year from Tourism. He said $3.4 million in tourism taxes is distributed throughout Texas, the second largest tourism state in the country. He gave reasons why tourism is important to the economy of Georgetown, saying Georgetown needs to get the word out everywhere, especially on the Internet. There were questions and comments from the Council. C Presentation and update of the City's current outstanding and proposed debt obligations -- Micki Rundell, Director Finance & Administration Rundell gave Council an overview of the types of debts and a preview of the upcoming debt issue to consider in the next few weeks. There were questions and comments from the Council. She said there will be a total of $38.5 million of upcoming bond issues of several different types, saying this will be the largest ever done by City. D Animal Services Task Force recommendations regarding the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) Report regarding the Georgetown Animal Shelter Brandenburg explained that a study was done in 2005 to benchmark the City against other shelters in the country. He said a Task Force was given the charge of reviewing the entire report. He described the report provided in the packet, and commended the Task Force for all their work. Task Force member, Debra Frase, asked Council if they had any questions about the book that was provided in the Council packet. Oliver confirmed with Brandenburg that no dollars had been put toward these suggestions yet. Frase listed priorities, including: external and directional signage, particularly on the automatic gate on the outside of the Shelter; storage space; and eyewash stations. Oliver asked why the concrete floors were not sealed in the construction phase. Brandenburg said some items were cut back to save money and stay under budget. Berryman asked about pedigree dogs going to rescue organizations instead of being available for Georgetown citizens. Frase explained that when the shelter is full, those types of dogs are sent to Animal Outreach. She said as soon as the dogs come in, they are put on Pet Finder. Mayor Nelon thanked the Task Force. E Update on and direction to staff regarding wastewater service to and development of lands west of IH -35, including a discussion of both public and private financing and land development issues — Glenn Dishong, Water Services Manager; Jim Briggs, Assistant City Manager for Utility Operations; Micki Rundell, Director of Finance and Administration; Tom Yantis, Assistant City Manager; and Paul Brandenburg, City Manager Brandenburg noted that the following subjects would be discussed: Issue of regional provider for wastewater; the Lively Tract to the west; an update on the ABG Development; and the Rottheli Agreement. He said development has grown in the west and the City has been contacted by developers about wastewater. Briggs reminded Council about the partnership with LCRA and BRA. He said BRA wants to be involved in the San Gabriel Basin and noted the City of Georgetown is the entitiy with the largest amount of facility in the Basin. He acknowledged the large amount of people in the audience, saying everyone is interested in being able to go forward with development in the area. He said BRA would like to join in as a regional provider for wastewater. Nelon asked Mayor Pro Tem,Doug Smith, as Chair of GUS Board, to respond. Smith said the GUS Board was unanimous in wanting to pursue regional wastewater treatement. He said BRA and the City of Georgetown are competent operators, and he feels one of those two should do it. Briggs said there may be a partnership in the beginning, and BRA would grow to become the regional provider. Nelon noted that this discussion deals with development in the ETJ and within the City Limits and some of it only for wastewater service in some areas that will not be included in our future tax revenue. Sansing said we need to be responsible to the environment to protect the Aquifer; and therefore, he thinks Georgetown should be the provider because the smaller cities don't have the abiilty to do it. He said he would prefer that Georgetown step forward and figure a way to cover it financially. Rundell said, she hopes BRA will be the funding entity. She said if Georgetown takes it on alone, there would be the risk that the rest of the rate base would have to refund the City's contributions. She said the City must be very careful not to burden the current wastewater customers with large rate increases. She said it may not be an issue today, but could be in 10 to 15 years. Carr asked the downside of not doing anything or pricing too high. Briggs said there would be a number of projects that would develop with onsite treatment systems. Nelon emphasized that there are two different universes of customers, inside the City or ETJ and outside the ETJ. Yantis noted that the map on display color codes the areas that would be provided by the City, the areas looking for regional partners, and the areas that would go forth and "do their own thing." He said the City has established a policy of not approving MUD's within areas that may be annexed into the City in the future. Yantis noted that the Lively Tract, a conservation subdivision, is outside the City ETJ line, but inside the area City Council Meeting Minutes/February 26, 2007 Page 2 of 3 Pages that could eventually be included in our annexations. He said there needs to`oe discussion about the implications on certain players, saying it isn't a very level playing field. There were more comments from the Council. Yantis and Briggs said there should be a law that says when the development is platted, the capacity for water and wastewater must be available. 6:08 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. F 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 - Residual Partners LLC v. City of Georgetown, Cause No. 07-093-C26, in the 26"' Judicial District, Williamson County, TX. - Mark Shelton v. Rodney Eric Wise, Shanna Elaine Shelly, David Earl Morgan, City of Georgetown , Cause No. A07 CA063 LY, In the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division G 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, Brown & Carls, LLP, City Attorney - Consideration and possible action concerning the acquisition from Joe L. Zavala of a 0.407 -acre tract of land called Tract "A" and a 0.643 -acre tract of land called Tract "B" for a temporary construction easement in connection with the Pecan Branch 16" Reuse Irrigation Line Project. H Sec.551.086: Competitive Matters (Forwarded from the GUS Board) - Consideration and possible action to renew the contract, between the City of Georgetown and Flowers Construction Company, L.P., for electric system maintenance and construction services and Electric System Construction Trenching and Conduit Installation for F.Y. 2007. -- Mike Mayben, Energy Services Manager, Jim Briggs, Assistant City Manager for Utility Operations - Consideration and possible recommendation for extension of the contract between McCord Engineering, and Georgetown Utility Systems, to provide engineering services related to the planning, design, and review of the City's electric system improvements, system construction, system expansion (due to development), and system mapping. -- Mike Mayben, Energy Services Manager, Jim Briggs, Assistant City Manager for Utility Operations - Consideration and possible recommendation for execution of a contract between Schneider Engineering, LTD, and Georgetown Utility Systems, to provide engineering services related to the planning, design, and review of the City's electric system improvements, system construction, system expansion (due to development), and system mapping and coordination studies. -- Mike Mayben, Energy Services Manager, Jim Briggs, Assistant City Manager for Utility Operations - Consideration and possible regarding a Nondisclosure Agreement by and between the City of Georgetown and Citicorp North America, Inc. relating to nondisclosure of confidential electric utility system information and confidential competitive matters I 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 - Project Fortress 7:00 p.m. -- returned to Open Session and adjourned The meeting was adjourned at 07:00 PM1 01 e, City Council Meeting Minutes/February 26, 2007 Page 3 of 3 Pages