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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN 08.12.2002 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, Gabe Sansing, Doug Smith, Jack Noble, Sam Llorente Navarrette Pfiester, Farley Snell, Ken Evans Staff Present. Tom Yantis, Interim City Manager; Jo -Christy Brown, City Attorney; Sandra Lee, City Secretary PolicyDevelopment/Review Workshop Called to order at 4:00 p.m. A Discussion of airport planning issues with representatives from the Texas Department of Transportation Aviation Division Yantis explained that he had requested of the Director of the Texas Department of Transportation Aviation Division, Dave Fulton, to know what the City can and cannot do in respect to the Airport and the grants that have been received for the Airport. He read the letter he had sent to Fulton and Fulton's response. He encouraged Council to ask questions of Fulton. Nelon and Pfiester thanked Fulton for his participation. Pfiester announced that Fulton will also attend a Fulton said Town Hall Plan Meeting should at be Berry Creek Country Club on August 20 at 7:00 p.m. Pfiester asked about amending the Airport Master Plan to eliminate further expansion of the facilities. Fulton explained that the Master Plan cannot be artificially limited or amended, saying the Airport must be available to all users in a non-discriminatory manner. Fulton said a new Master Plan could be done to reflect current and future conditions, but no restrictions could be placed on the person doing the Plan. Nelon asked how much leeway the Council has regarding who uses the space provided by the leases, as far as noise. Fulton said the City could address the levels of undesirable levels of noise through minimum standards for the airport operators. Fulton said it is a contractual agreement that the airport must remain open to all classes of aviation public. Evans asked if there were ways that could influence the FAA and the State that would allow Georgetown to move the airport. Fulton said the FAA and the State would not be interested in paying for a new airport that might have the same problems 15 to 20 years from now that this airport does. He said he doesn't recall that ever happening except when an airport is landlocked and it becomes impossible to handle any further expansion. Noble asked and was told that the way to estimate capacity can be determined and should be included in the Master Plan. Smith asked Fulton to define the term "artificial." Fulton said anything that would limit the authenticity of the Master Plan should be avoided. Fulton described the airport at Addison. He confirmed that Addison has a City Council Meeting Minutes/August 12, 2002 Page 1 of 3 Pages control tower. Sansing asked if Addison has flight schools and whether a control tower is worthwhile without radar. Fulton said the FAA provides professional trained air controllers. He said he doesn't think there are any flight schools and no "touch and go" landing at Addison Airport. He said there is always an area for negotiation with the FAA, particiularly if it involves safety. Sansing asked and was told by Fulton about new relatively inexpensive radar technology to assist controllers. Snell asked about contractual obligations at the Georgetown Airport and Fulton responded that airports that use federal funds or used to be surplus government airports, such as old army airfields, etc. there is no limit to that obligation --it goes on forever unless released by the FAA. Snell asked if there is any scenario that would allow the airport to be supported by the City General Fund. Yantis responded that would be against City policy. Snell asked and Yantis responded that if the revenues were short, services would be cut back. Pfiester asked and Fulton confirmed that a control tower would alleviate some noise. Pfiester asked Fulton to describe the FAR Part 150 Noise Study and its purpose. Fulton explained that the Study enables the City to mitigate some of the noise by a variety of methods with federal funding. Michelle Hannah, Airport Planner with the Texas Department of Transportation, Aviation Division, noted that a sampling is not used in the modeling, except to check the need for the Study. Sansing confirmed with Fulton that the City is not required by TXDOT to build a control tower. Pfiester asked about "not applying" for any future grants. Yantis clarified that grant funds of $500,000 are being requested for maintaining the roadways at the airport. If the grant were not used, the financial obligtion would fall on the City. Snell confirmed that there would be no grant issued unless requested by the City. Fulton said 90% or more of the 267 municipal airports are not self-sufficient. B Discussion regarding proposed amendments to the City Charter that will be submitted to the Voters of Georgetown at the November 5, 2002 Election Yantis noted that the Charter Review Committee has suggested a comprehensive revision of the City Charter, but he feels that a complete Charter revision could not be on the ballot in November because it would require the election of a Charter Commission. He recommended that Council select the most critical elements and consider putting those on the ballot. He directed Council to a memo from Jo -Christy Brown regarding 10 priorty items to be considered for the ballot in November. Pfiester asked for explanation as to the way the items would be worded the ballot. Brown explained that every change would need to be a separate item on the ballot. She said the alternative would be to elect a Charter Commission which would revise the entire Charter and put it on the ballot as a "take it or leave it" action. She noted that the Charter can only be revised every two years. Evans suggested the "recall" ambiguous language and Snell suggested the "nepotism" issue. It was determined that there is not a lot of time to spend on this issue in order to get the ballot language approved at the November election. Council was advised to bring motions to the meeting tomorrow night with specific language. There was discussion regarding the efforts of the Committee and it was explained that the Committee was charged with making recomendations, but the Council would have the decision-making authority as to what goes on the ballot. Carl Doering, a member of the Charter Review Committee, suggested that the Council put the election of a Charter Commission on the ballot in order to obtain a complete rewrite, rather than just a limited number of amendments. Renee Hanson said the Committee was charged with redoing the language to make it more easily readable and would that be covered by Item 10? Jo -Christy said that wouldn't fit the item because it would be one person's opinion of "more readable." She suggested putting on the ballot a definition of whether the Mayor is a Councilmember or a member of the Council. City Council Meeting Minutes/August 12, 2002 Page 2 of 3 Pages Sansing asked for clarification about the two-year rule about appointing a Commisison. Brown explained that 15 members would be listed on the ballot in November to be elected to a Commission. Then those people would prepare a complete rewrite that would be voted "yes" or "no" on the ballot at the May General Election. She noted that the Council would have no further input on the rewrite once the Commission is elected. C Council Calendar - Regular Council Meeting on Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - Council Workshop and Executive Session on Monday, August 26, 2002 - Regular Council Meeting on Tuesday, August 27, 2002 6:02 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 -Pending Litigation -Georgetown Waterpark, Ltd. v. City, at al.; Cause No. 00-209-C277 (277th District Court of Williamson County) -Walker and Shell Road Golf Center, Inc. v. City, Cause No. 00-083-C277 (277th District Court, Williamson County) -City v. Doug and Doris Pierce; Cause No. 00-552-C26 (26th District Court, Williamson County) -Rivery Partners, Ltd. v. City of Georgetown, Cause No. 01-695-C368 ( 368th Judicial District of Williamson County) -Georgetown Healthcare v. Electa Oncology, Cause No. 01-340-C368 (368th District, Williamson County) - Potential Litigation - Code Enforcement Actions - Legal Advice regarding agenda items E Sec.551.086 deliberation regarding economic development - Discussion of Economic Development Prospects F Sec.551.074 personnel matters - Performance Review of Council -appointed employees - Interim City Manager G Sec.551.072 deliberation on real property - Purchase, exchange, lease, or sale of real property H Sec.551.086 competitive matters - City Council will go into Executive Session under Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code to discuss matters or take action on a "competitive matter" of the Energy Services Department as provided for under Section 551.086 Consideration and possible action to direct staff to address issues related to the dual service electric territory. Michael W. Mayben, Energy Services Manager and Jim Briggs, Assistant City Manager for Utility Operations. 7:13 p.m. -- returned to Open Session and adjourned The meeting was adjourned at 07:13 PM. Approved Mayor ary iVelon City Council Meeting Minutes/August 12, 2002 Page 3 of 3 Pages City Secretary Sandra Lee