HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN 07.12.2004 CC-RThe City Council of the City of Georgetown, Texas, met in Regular Session on the above date with Mayor
Gary Nelon presiding.
Council Present:
Mayor Gary Nelon, Patty Eason, Farley Snell,
Henry Carr, John Kirby, Gabe Sansing
Council Absent.
Doug Smith, Ben Oliver
Staff Present:
Paul Brandenburg, City Manager, Tom Yantis, Assistant City Manager, Jim Briggs, Assistant City
Manager for Utility Operations, Micki Rundell, Director of Finance and Administration, Trish Carts, City
Attorney, Shirley Rinn, Deputy City Secretary, Randy Morrow, Director of Community Services, David
Morgan, Chief of Police, Anthony Lincoln, Fire Chief, Kevin Russell, Acting Human Resource Director
A Social Service Funding Applicant Presentations -- Paul Brandenburg, City Manager
Representatives from the following organizations made presentations to the Council regarding their
requests for Social Service Funding:
1. CARTS - Capital Area Rural Transportation Systems
Donald Hale requested $8,000 from Council to support the program and described the program and its
funding structure. He confirmed that they are the only public transportation in Georgetown. He said that
fares are nationally set and subsized by government and that ridership from Georgetown in 2003 was
10,761 riders.
2. Family Eldercare, Inc.
Joyce Haag requested continued funding and described services to the Council. She explained why
they were asking for an increase in funding and clarified the cost of guardianship is about $2,000 per
year per guardianship.
3. Georgetown Area United Way
Janet McTigue gave a presentation to Council regarding a home repair program for low income
housing that the United Way has partnered with several other organizations to provide. She discussed
home repair programs in other cities, as well as affordable housing and low income housing in general.
There was additional discussion as to how the program would be run if the funding became available.
She said that the funding would be used to purchase home repair supplies at a reduced rate and the
labor is volunteer. There was also a question as to whether or not Hotel Occupancy Tax could be used
to fund a portion of this. The City Attorney will research this issue and get back to Council.
4. Georgetown Community Clinic
Jack Hunnicut and Pete Perry Ellis discussed the history of the Clinic and its role in the community.
They told Council that the Clinic should be able to qualify as a FQHC clinic by the end of the year.
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5. Georgetown Community Service Center (The Caring Place)
Holly Doggett talked about the history of the Caring Place and the services it provides to the
community.
6. Georgetown Interfaith Caregivers
Roger Herrin described the services the organization provides the elderly and requested $15,000 in
funding from the City.
7. The Georgetown Project
Barbara Pearce introduced a number of board members of the Georgetown Project to the Council.
She gave a brief overview of the needs of the youth in the community and the services that the
Georgetown Project offers to those youth at risk.
8. Habitat of Humanity of Greater Georgetown, Texas
Bili Peel thanked the Council for past support. He told Council that they for the first time have sufficient
land to build affordable homes and therefore would like to request that Council award funding to Habitat
to help build 6 homes in the next 12 months.
9. Literacy Council of Williamson County
Gloria Cueva told Council that they are the only non-profit agency in Williamson County that provides
literacy for adults and described some of their success stories.
10. Project Graduation/Parents for Pride
Deanne Schiftier described the history and purpose of Project Graduation and told them how much
they have appreciated the support they have received in the past. There was additional discussion
regarding the source of funding that was used last year's request.
11. Ride On Center for Kids (R.O.C.K.)
Nancy O'Meara talked to Council about the about their program and its benefits and how the requested
funding of $5,000 would help with their budget. She also said that they would even accept an in-kind
donation of water.
12. Stonehaven Senior Center
Harold McGrath described the services provided by the center and requested that the City continue to
support from the City.
13, Williamson Co. & Cities Health District
Mona Bartosh requested that the City increase its funding level to $1.65 per capita. She told council
that they need this level of funding to maintain their current level of service and that they are facing
cuts at the state and federal level. She asked that the City use its currenttupdated population numbers
when determining its funding level. She told Council that all other cities increased their per capita rate
to the $1.65 level last year and the the City of Georgetown was the only one that didn't.
14. Williamson County Crisis Center
Theresa Leftwich described the services provided by the Center. She told the Council that they are
facing cuts at the state and federal level and need the funding to keep providing services.
16. Williamson -Burnet County Opportunities, Inc.
Robert Howard and Carolyn Liverman described to council the services provided by WBCO.
During the course of the workshop there was discussion regarding the types of services that fall under
the Council's criteria for funding and the need for agencies to be sensitive of the criteria when they fill
out their funding applications.
Recessed at 5:05 pm.
Reconvened at 5:15pm.
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B Budget Reviews
1. Public Safety (Police & Fire) -- David Morgan, Police Chief; Anthony Lincoln, Fire Chief; and
Micki Rundell, Director of Finance and Administration
Paul Brandenburg told Council that staff thought that it was important to have several separate
stand-alone meetings to discuss the cost of growth on this community, including staffing,
equipment, facilities, etc. and how that growth impacts the budget. He also talked about how
Scenario "H° impacted the public safety budgets.
Chief Lincoln and Chief Morgan addressed the Council regarding service delivery in the
community, as well as the types of calls that are coming in. There was further discussion regarding
staffing requirements for both the police and fire departments. There was also a brief discussion
regarding joint dispatch with Williamson County in the future. There was further discussion
regarding budetary impacts historically and in the future. Kevin Russell provided an overview of
compensation issues relating to public safety and the competitiveness. Brandenburg gave council
an overview of what to expect in the budget with regard to public safety staffing. Council was also
told that the Fire and Police are preparing 5 year strategic plans.
There was further discussion regarding turnover and the indicators that are starting to show up that
we need to plan for. There was additional discussion regarding projecting revenues into the future
possibly as much as 10 years to help with our planning and the need to focus on long range
planning.
There was further discussion regarding the service contract the City has with the County to provide
services outside the City Limits, and the need for an Emergency Service Districts,
2. Parks & Recreation -- Randy Morrow, Director of Community Services and
Micki Rundell, Director of Finance and Administration
Paul Brandenburg told Council that staff was trying to clarify council's priorities with regard to
Neighborhood parks, Community parks and Trails.
Randy discussed with Council the different types of parks that the City has and told Council how
the City has partnered with Home Developers to build park facilities in the subdivisons. He also
discussed the Parks MasterPlan and the trail system. He told Council that Home Depot paid to
have their retention pond look natural. He went on to discuss future park development, including a
100 acre park on the west side of IH35, the construction of a community room at the Parks &
Recreation Administration Building, San Gabriel Park renovation, the addition of new or
replacement of unsafe playgrounds as needed, and the first phase of a Skateboard park. He also
discussed the results of the Parks Survey and the Citizen Survey. He told Council that staff needs
some direction from Council as to what they want to concentrate on - neighborhood parks,
community parks, trails, all of the above, etc. He also discussed ways to fund park development.
There was some additional discussion as to the need to possibly look at developers or
neighborhood associations contributing to the maintenance of the park system. There was further
discussion as to how this discussion ties in to the FY 2004-05 Budget.
There was further discussion as to how the Parks Board can work with Council to ensure that the
green space/river corridor is preserved in the future. Randy explained to Council that the TP&W
grants had conditions that the land would always be park space.
Eason requested that we have a separate workshop on the whole philosophy of the Parks
Department.
3. Affordable Housing -- Tom Yantis, Assistant City Manager and Micki Rundell, Director of Finance
and Administration
Tom Yantis told Council that Affordable Housing has been a priority of the Council for several
years, but a defined program has never been developed over the years and that we have fallen
short. He went on to discuss household income vs, the availability of housing in that income
range. He showed Council that there is very little available housing in the lower income levels and
that affordable housing is a problem in Georgetown. He told Council that the City should establish
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an Affordable Housing Task Force to review affordable housing needs in Georgetown and then
work with Council to develop an affordable housing program for the City of Georgetown. He also
gave the Council an overview of what the City has done to this point with regard to Affordable
Housing. There was discussion regarding the need to look at livable as well as affordable housing
under the perview of the Task Force. Yantis also told Council that the success of some of the
affordable housing programs a lot of times depends on local governments being flexible in their
development codes.
C Council Calendar
- Regular Council Meeting on Tuesday, July 13, 2004, beginning with a workshop at 5:00 p.m. and
Regular Session at 6:00 p.m.
- Special Council Meeting on Wednesday, July 21, 2004, for annual ethics review for the City Council and
meeting procedures for the City Council and Boards and Commissions
Recessed to executive session at 7:00 p.m.
Reconvened at 8:15 p.m.
Motion to Adjourn at 8:15 p.m.
D Sec.551.071: Consultation with ,attorney
- Pending or Threatened Litigation
- Brazos River Authority regarding Operations and Maintenance of the Stillhouse Raw Water Pipeline
- E.O. Sharp Butane Co., Inc. v. City of Georgetown, Texas, Cause No. A -04 -CA -299 -SS, in the United States District
Court, Western District of Texas, Austin Division
- Negotiations with LCRA on Power Agreement
- Legal Advice Regarding Agenda Items and other Matters
- Legal Issues Regarding Proposed Sale of Del Webb/Pulte "Northern Lands"
E Sec.551.072: Deliberation on Real Property
- Discussion and possible action concerning the purchase of right-of-way and easements for improvements to SH 29
West and CR 265
F Sec.551.087: Deliberations Regarding Economic Development Negotiations
- Potential abatements and incentives for prospective downtown development projects
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The meeting Was adjourned at 08:15 PM.
Attest:
Ve 5'`'t t, City Secretary 1hiiii J. Rinn