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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN 04.13.2021 CC-WNotice of Meeting of the Governing Body of the City of Georgetown, Texas Tuesday, April 13, 2021 The Georgetown City Council will meet on Tuesday, April 13, 2021 at 2:00 PM at Teleconference. Mayor called the meeting to order at 2:00 p.m. with roll call. Mayor noted that Calixtro and Fought were online and Pitts, Hood, Triggs and Gonzalez were in attendance on -site with the Mayor. Jonrowe was absent. Policy Development/Review Workshop - Call to order at 2:00 PM A. Presentation, discussion, and possible direction regarding the 2021 update to the City's Hazard Mitigation Plan -- Jack Daly, Community Services Director and Raymond Mejia, Emergency Management Specialist Daly presented an overview of the Emergency Management program and gave an overview of the Hazards and Risks. Most of those are tornado, lightning, hail, high winds and severe thunderstorms. He also reviewed the Hazard Mitigation Plan 2014 plan's actions and achievements, including a fire wise public education, upgrade to the plan, hired new staff to implement, upgraded building codes and hired more inspectors .enhanced stormwater management program and developed a new plan of public engagement, giving more public information to encourage their involvement. Daly suggested adding to the new plan: developing improved protection from lightning, more training, hail protection for vulnerable infrastructure, winter weather mitigation and protection and to improve efforts for multi - language outreach. On April 19, a survey will be available to allow public comment on the new plan. With any comments received, this plan will be submitted to TDEM for review, then back to council for adoption. Fought expressed appreciation for the fire -wise program and says Sun City has received reductions in homeowner's insurance rates as a result of the program's implementation. He wants to know if this will be carried through to other areas of the city. Daly says if that is the desire of the council, then it will be added as an action and prioritization and it can be done. Pitts asked about maintenance of storm drains - and whether we clean drains. Daly says staff is happy to provide tour to review specific areas. Pitts asked if communication is part of our plan? Yes, to add emergency language. Calixtro asked about the cost of drainage cleanup projects. Morgan explained those costs are funded from part of the fees charged to residents on their water bill, the stormwater charge that is on everyone's bill is part of the funding of keeping these clean. Daly stated there will be a second opportunity for public participation with a survey being available for one more month, starting on April 19t". He said what's next for Emergency Management in 2021 - Prepare and Practice your plan, including tabletop exercises, winter storm after action plan, check on the outdoor warning system training and maintenance plan, promote WarnCentralTexas and update the emergency operations plans of the city. Fought suggested using other organization's plans and exercises since there are many good ones which have already been developed. Mayor thanked Mr. Daly for his presentation. B. Presentation, review and discussion regarding the City's annual year-end external audit and Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020 -- Elaine S. Wilson, Assistant Finance Director Wilson appreciated her staff for working in two accounting systems and preparing this report on time during the weather events and through challenges associated with that and the pandemic. This report is required by law and demonstrates fiduciary accountability to citizens, bondholders and granting agencies. The primary audience of the report is technical, this is not a sales piece. There is an independent audit performed for this report. This report includes the auditor's report, management's analysis, financial statements of all funds and required supplementary information. Wilson explained the "balance sheet" and the summary statement of net position with an increase (change is assets) is approximately $11M. Most of this increase in assets is shown in the utility's revenue., also the development fees from growth and development in the area. We did not see the decreases that were possible due to the pandemic. Adam McCane, partner, assurance services of Weaver and Tidwell, LLP Auditors, was introduced to answer any questions about the audit that was performed over the past six months. He reviewed the process they used and showed the auditing standards that were used to determine compliance with certain provisions of laws, regulations, contracts and grant agreements, including items such as compliance with PFIA. They took the risk -based approach and focused on expenditures and related liabilities, and revenues with related receivables, cash and investments, and long-term debt. They tested internal controls over financial reporting regarding cash disbursements and payroll. He explained the Audit Results included no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies and no noted noncompliance materials to the financial statements. Mayor asked if they reviewed bonds or capital expenditures. McCane says they reviewed the bond proceeds allocated to the appropriate capital projects. No other questions. C. Presentation and discussion regarding the FY2020 final year-end balances of the General Fund, appropriate one-time uses of funds including transfers to the Council Special Revenue Fund, and potential mid -year FY2021 budget amendments -- Leigh Wallace, Finance Director Leigh Wallace, stated the audit is complete and balances of FY2020 were given, allowing appropriate one-time uses of Available Ending Balances in the General Fund. She reviewed the fiscal and budgetary policy which shows what these one-time expenses can be. She explained we have $5.6M in excess fund balance from FY2020 with sales tax revenue better than projected and department expenses experienced better savings than projected. January 2021 was amended with a current local economy showing strong performance in development and sales tax with a $2.1M excess ending balance. Planning for risk and uncertainty remains a priority and we still have pressure for on -demand city services and infrastructure because we continue to grow, and things continue to change. Wallace said staff is requesting $910,000 to apply to these needs for services. These include small area plans for San Jose and Track Ridge Grasshopper neighborhoods, police investigation one-time costs, winter storm debris removal, winter storm overtime, which includes restoring $10K pulled from salaries to buy a de-icer, and then cash fund two approved trucks for inspections and streets which were approved in the January budget amendment, removing the debt funded approval. She stated restoring transfers and reserves would costs $3.3M to improve the general Fund 90 day contingency reserve and the Economic Stabiliity Reserve for $1.1M. She recommends adding to these funds since they can be used for funding other things in case of emergency need. The final part of the $3.3M is the Parks Maintenance Special Revenue Fund which would restore the budget cut in FY2021. Another request for transfers is for cemetery fund to restore the full transfer for maintenance. The final request is for the Joint Services Fund 90 day contingency reserve one-time boost of $1.5M. This would bring this reserve fund into policy compliance for total of $3.5M. Finally, Finance is recommending a transfer to Council Special Revenue Fund for $1M which remains available for future one-time expenses as approved by the Council. All prior funds had been used. It is recommended to leave options open for remainder of FY2021, the remaining $2.6M, for other one-time contingencies. Staff will assist Council with identifying one-time expense opportunities as FY2022 budget is developed over the summer. Morgan explains that there will be other opportunities during the next budget season that will become available and may be of interest in the future which would improve our systems. Feedback: Gonzalez expressed concern about staff making recommendations. He would prefer to put the all the extra in council contingency and not have staff use the "extra" until the council recommends. He does not want staff to believe they will have extra and budget for that. Fought appreciates the funds and wants to build those back up. He is sensitive to not putting funds into general projects that would absorb the extra into their budgets. He was in favor of putting the extra back into reserves until council has time to review with budget. Triggs agrees with Wallace's recommendations but also with Gonzalez and wants to not identify purposes for those funds yet. Pitts asked if all winter storms expenses have been accounted for. Wallace deferred to Wilson who explained the city is still working through the accounting but still looking at invoices for repairs to water systems. The books have not been closed yet. Pitts asked about ability to transfer funds to the electric fund if needed for obligations. Morgan explains there are mechanisms to do that if the council chooses to do that. Pitts agrees to the transfer of funds for those items that are identified for specific projects but wants to allocate the special revenue funds to pay for the legislature required expenses and use that to pay down debt. Then in next year's budget put excess funds in those funds that are needing replenishment. Gonzalez suggested to only budget based on projected revenue. Mayor summarized the council's comments to pay the $910K expenses in the general fund and hold the other funds until budget time when this will be discussed further. D. Presentation and discussion regarding platting requirements for single family condominium developments -- Sofia Nelson, CNU-A, Planning Director Nelson presented in -person with City Attorney, Skye Masson. She presented a quick overview of single-family condominium developments in Georgetown, presented state law requirements for regulation and explained she was seeing council direction on next steps for developing consistency in single-family developments. She gave a definition of condominium for clarification. "A form of real property with portions of the real property designated for separate ownership or occupancy, and the remainder of the real property designated for common ownership or occupancy solely by the owners of those portions." This is a form of ownership, not a use with the zoning district. There are many types of condominiums and she showed examples of such. Masson presented the Texas Uniform Condominium Act which does not affect or diminish the rights of municipalities and counties to approve plats of subdivisions and enforce building codes as may be authorized or required by law. If it looks like a single-family home, then it is subject to the same regulations as a single-family home. Cities may not impose any requirement that it would not impose on a physically identical development under a different form of ownership. Nelson explained what the UDC requirements are that could be applied to a condominium. She compared how they are regulated in contrast to a traditional subdivision. The access to units is a difference. Traditional subdivisions have public streets for access to units. Detached condos have private driveways and fire lanes with a smaller street width. She showed charts with comparisons. Nelson explained the impact to the community and gave short-term and long-term considerations. A short-term consideration is the homeowner perception of ownership when trying to permit fencing, sheds and pools, and zoning of property does not reflect the use. Long-term considerations are that code enforcement is challenging for maintenance of private infrastructures, connectivity and walkability are not the same as in standard single-family subdivisions. Opportunities for next steps - Nelson explained education and outreach will help develop new standards and they will seek perspective on new housing product from developers, residents and other cities. She stated the city needs to see if our code is consistent in regard to connectivity and other code ideas. She asked about additional information the council wants to see and suggested next steps. Fought has looked at two of these sites and agrees that this is more complicated than originally expected. He complimented Nelson for her ability to organize these thoughts and ideas. Calixtro questioned how different requirements for different types of homes are applied. How does the UDC affect these homes today? Nelson explained that different types of product have different regulations and they would like to make them consistent in development standards. Gonzales wants consistency of standards and application of the standards. Triggs wants to make sure the definition of "new development" is considered and wants to be careful of unintended consequences of existing development changing to condo ownership and those regulations being overlooked or non -applicable. Hood expressed agreement about developing consistency in the standards for definitions, including how many units, fencing, setbacks, impervious cover, shared amenities, etc. Mayor appreciated the perspective that is being used and said the city should attempt to shut down any attempts to use this as a mechanism to avert the code, but we want to allow and encourage density. There are legal statutes for common ownership, and he prefers we stay out of that area but do rewrite the condo regulations, and possibly look at commercial common ownerships as well. Adjournment Mayor adjourned the workshop at 4:00 pm convening to Executive Session beginning at 4:10 pm. Executive Session - 4:10 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. E. 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 - Litigation Update - PEC Franchise - Retention of Kristina Silcocks as outside counsel for the Berry Creek Interceptor Project - Alamo Concrete Products Company Temporary Water Use Permit Application (WRTP 13743) Sec. 551.072: Deliberations about Real Property - Parcels 3, 12, & 13 --Travis Baird, Real Estate Services Manager Sec. 551.086: Certain Public Power Utilities: Competitive Matters - Competitive Matters — Purchased Power Update Sec. 551.087: Deliberation Regarding Economic Development Negotiations - Project Diana Sec. 551.074: Personnel Matters - City Attorney - City Manager by the Georgetown Ci Council on2 [ 1_ Date Oelr', Mayor Attest: City Secretary