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Home My WebLink AboutMIN 06.07.2004 CC-RThe City Council of the City of Georgetown, Texas, met in Regular Session on the above date with Mayor Pro Tem, Doug Smith, presiding. Council Present: Council Absent: Patty Eason, Doug Smith, Henry Carr, John Kirby, Mayor Gary Nelon, Gabe Sansing Farley Snell, Ben Oliver • i - Paul Brandenburg, City Manager; Jim Briggs, Assistant City Manager; Tom Yantis, Assistant City Manager for Utilities; Trish Carls, City Attorney; Sandra Lee, City Secretary; Micki Rundell, Director of Finance and Administration; Randy Morrow, Director of Community Services; Amelia Sondgeroth, Director of Planning and Development; Laurie Brewer, Controller; Laticia Zavala, Chief Accountant; Glenn Dishong, Water Services Manager; Mark Miller, Transportation Services Manager; Mike Mayben, Energy Services Manager; Mike Stasny, Utility System Information Manager; Joe Lara, Utility Financial Analyst; Rachel Osgood, Key Account Manager; Tom Benz, System Engineering Manager A Update on progress of Airport Masterplan -- Tom Yantis, Assistant City Manager Yantis introduced consultant, Chuck Willis of GRW Willis, Inc., who reviewed the action from the Airport Planning Advisory Board Meeting this afternoon regarding airport minimum standards (rules and regulations), the airport land use plan, aircraft parking issues, auto parking at the Airport, and the air traffic control tower. He said he recommends restructuring and revising the ordinance. He said the main focus, on land use and noise strategies, centers around the airport control tower that will be central to controlling the noise. He said he will submit a report in August and the Airport Planning Advisory Board will meet a couple of times before that submission to Council. Yantis noted that this information is on the website under Airport Master Plan. Yantis asked Council to email comments for relay to Willis. B Update on the Progress of the New Collection Program at the Utility Office -- Kathy Ragsdale, Utility Office Director and Micki Rundell, Director of Finance and Administration Rundell explained that this program was developed in order to increase collections at the Utilty Department and reduce bad debt. She said at the seven-month point, the program has already paid for itself. She introduced Kathy Ragsdale, Director of the Utility Office, who explained that there were accounts closing with large balances, due to not being able to process them before the large balances developed. She said meter readers were on-call for half a year due to a lack of a sufficient number of employees. She explained the program and the duties of the special employees hired to implement the program, saying they are handling the past due active accounts, past due inactive accounts, hot checks, and bankruptcies. She said there is a large volume of phone calls for the customer service representatives. Smith noted that the Caring Place can help some of the customers who are unable to make their payment. Ragsdale also mentioned that WBCO can also assist. She told Council that, after 120 days, the past -due accounts (currently less than 112 % of the total billed) are turned over to a collection agency that receives a percentage of what they collect. She said hot checks are turned over to the District Attorney. City Council Meeting Minutes/June 7, 2004 Page 1 of 3 Pages C Presentation and discussion on the City's proposed 2004/05 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Review -- Micki Rundell, Director of Finance and Administration; Jim Briggs, Assistant City Manager for Utility Operations; and Paul Brandenburg, City Manager Brandenburg reviewed the Executive Summary of the CIP Program notebook distributed to Council and provided a power point presentation showing the Water Projects such as the Rabbit Hill Pump, and the Westloop Water Line; the Wastewater Projects such as line updgrades, Dove Springs Plant Expansion, Edwards Aquifer Compliance, Rock Street Lift Station, Pecan Branch Interceptor, Phase 3, and Pecan Branch Reuse Line - Irrigation; the Streets and Drainage Projects on Main Street, Ranch Road and Parkway, Maple Street, Forrest Street, Morrow Street, College and Ash Streets, Vine, Laurel and Olive Street; the Future Projects such as Williams Drive and other areas; the Stormwater Drainage Projects such as Riverbend, and the Water Quality Ponds; the General Capital Projects such as Parks, New Fire Station 1, Appraisal District Building Purchase, Downtown Master Plan, Grace Heritage Center Roof; the Building Improvements such as security cameras and fire alarm system for the City Hall, GMC Improvements such as installation of automatic gates for security and floor problems, the Parks Administration Community Room, Westside Park; the Park Improvements such as a concrete slab for a skate park; and Other Projects as may be determined and finalized during the budget process. Kirby asked about repair of Airport Road. It was explained that the repairs to the City's section (from Lakeway to the Fire Station) will be done in this budget year. Kirby expressed concern about coordination with the County. Brandenburg noted that the CIP Plan will be officially adopted as part of the 2004/2005 budget process. Kirby asked about a particular wastewater problem on Olive Street. Briggs explained that the project to bring the City into compliance with the Edwards Aquifer is taking care of those kinds of problems. He said it is ongoing and will be continued. Briggs noted that any input from the Councilmembers is valuable and will be checked out if staff is not already aware of the problem. Oliver asked about the projects that would not be funded. Briggs said the most critical projects will be put first, using the current money available, listing others as priorities in future years. He assured Council if it were a project that had an immediate priority and wasn't capable of being funded this year without a rate increase, that project would be brought forward and necessary funding would be found. Snell asked if there are projects that don't make the five-year plan. Rundell said there have been service demands that have been moved forward. Briggs said they coordinate maintenance projects with the street projects. Kirby asked and Briggs explained the Rabbit Hill Pump Project. D Presentation and discussion on revisions to the Fiscal and Budgetary Policy for 2004/05 -- Micki Rundell, Director of Finance and Administration Rundell gave a historical overview of the budget practices, saying the Fiscal and Budgetary Policy was developed in the 2001/02 budget to provide "fiscal discipline" and provides guidelines for day-to-day planning and operations of the City's financial management. She explained that the current policy states that current revenues must fund on-going expenses, requiring 1.5 times coverage ratio for all funds with debt service requirements. When asked, Rundell explained that the extra 50% of funding is used for cash -funding improvements. She explained each of the Policy Areas and explained the additions to the policy that will be enacted with the adoption of the annual budget. E Council Calendar - Regular Council Meeting on Tuesday, June 8, 2004, beginning with a workshop at 5:00 p.m. and Regular Session at 6:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. -- recessed to convene 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 - Pending or Threatened Litigation City Council Meeting Minutes/June 7, 2004 Page 2 of 3 Pages - 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" G Sec.551.087: Deliberations Regarding Economic Development Negotiations - Potential abatements and incentives for prospective downtown development projects H Sec.551.086 competitive matters Presentation and possible action to approve the 2004/2005 Electric Capital Improvement Projects Plan -- Michael W. Mayben, Energy Services Manager and Jim Briggs, Assistant City Manager for Utility Operations 7:31 p.m. -- reconvened Open Session and adjourned City Council Meeting Minutes/June 7, 2004 Page 3 of 3 Pages Attest: vim. , -� P City Secretary Sandra Lee