The City Council of the City of Columbus, Texas met in regular session on Monday, March 12, 2007 at 6:30 p.m., in the Council Chambers of City Hall located at 605 Spring Street, Columbus, Texas, with the following present:
Mayor - Richard Heffley
Mayor Pro Tem - Chuck Rankin
Councilman - Brian Berger
Councilwoman - Lori Sprague
Councilman - Curtiss Schonenberg
Councilman - Milton Wavra
City Manager - David Meisell
City Secretary - Patti Glaeser
1. Call to Order.
Mayor Heffley called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
2. Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation.
Mayor Heffley led the Pledge of Allegiance and the Invocation.
Mayor Heffley then moved to Item #7.
7. Public Hearing : GrantWorks and Mercer Engineering will present maps and texts produced for the City’s TxCDBG Planning Study Contract No. 725024.
Mayor Heffley opened the Public Hearing at 6:32pm. Donald Warschak of Mercer Engineering and Kari Banta and Charlie Davis from Grantworks presented their prospective parts to the Planning Study. Mr. Davis discussed a Housing Occupancy Map which depicts conditions and occupancy of every house in the city. He also presented a Land Use Map. Mr. Warschak discussed the current Water System Map. He also discussed the Water System Map improvements in the current Water and Sewer Project. In addition he suggested that the City obtain an inventory of the working valves throughout the City. Mr. Warschak then presented a new Sewer Map which showed improvements to the two current sewer plants at McCormick and the Industrial Park. He suggest the control panel be replaced at the McCormick Plant. He also said of the $800,000 currently budgeted in the Water and Sewer Project, $80,000 be used to testing of the lines. Mayor Heffley asked Mr. Warschak how far the $80,000 would go. Mr. Warschak responded that it will cost $2.00 - $2.50 per foot.
Mr. Warschak went on to explain the Storm Sewer Map and the Drainage System Map. The main areas he suggested for the Drainage was to secure drainage easements in the unimproved area south of Montezuma Street and through the Butler Addition. He also suggest the obtaining easements north of Krupka and south of the Soccer Fields on Montezuma Street. He said another important area to work on drainage is the Business 71 and Spur 52 area. He suggested enclosing the ditches and including boxed coverlets. Mr. Meisell added that the South side of this area is the most costly and that the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) is thinking of helping the City. Mayor Heffley asked what stage TXDOT would help with. Mr. Meisell responded that TXDOT would do the construction. The City would design the project. There is no current timeline for the project.
Mr. Warschak continued by showing a Street System map with the conditions of the streets depicted as excellent, good and fair. Mr. Warschak measured all the streets. He continued by explaining a Traffic Map, a Curbing Map, Paving History Map, and a proposed Street Maintenance Map which suggested the City repave streets every 6 years with the north part of the City being completed in 2007at a cost of approximately $201,000 and $147,000 for 2008. The City’s current budget for street seal coating is $75,000.
Ms. Banta discussed the Parks and Recreation Map. She said the City is in good shape as far as Parks and Recreation go. She suggested that the School district allow the public more access to their properties. She went on to discuss a proposed Thoroughfare map which included the TXDOT addition of two lanes from Ratliff Creek to the Highway 71 Bypass on Interstate 10. They also suggested an Overpass at Cardinal Lane and completing frontage roads in this area. Also included were closing Veterans Drive at the Cardinal Lane/Walnut Street intersection and TXDOT installing new lights at key intersections. It was also mentioned that there is not way to get around the city, ie, no loop.
Next, several maps were presented on Circulation Patterns and Amenities which discussed parking, ADA access and sidewalks.
Mayor Heffley closed the public hearing at 7:45 pm.
8. Review text and maps associated with TxCDBG Planning Grant, Contract No. 725024, and consider request to forward to Office of Rural Community affairs for its review.
Mayor Heffley reopened the regular meeting at 7:50 pm. Councilwoman Sprague moved to accept the text and maps associated with TxCDBG Planning Grant, Contract No. 725024, and forward it to the Office of Rural Community Affairs for its review. Councilman Rankin seconded the motion. The vote was as follows:
Ayes: Councilman Berger, Schonenberg, Rankin, Wavra
Councilwoman Sprague
The motion passed.
9. Discussion with Marion Schonenberg regarding Columbus Trash Off.
Marion Schonenberg and JoAnn Sebesta of the Garden Club were present to promote the Columbus Trash Off Day scheduled for April 14, 2007. Mrs. Schonenberg explained that this is an effort to have a city-wide clean up day. She added that the Veteran Memorial Center has volunteered their facility as a gathering location. Keep America Beautiful will provide the supplies and garbage bags. She said that there have been a number of businesses that have donated the use of their dumpsters to collect trash bags on this day. She said that these businesses will be given an extra trash pickup from Texas Disposal Systems. Mrs. Schonenberg said she would like the City Council to talk about the project, volunteer, recruit a pickup team, explore how to expand the project or maybe fund a roll-off for heavy objects. Mr. Meisell suggested the City might add limb-grinding service to the project. Mayor Heffley suggested that the City talk to the metal roll-off people to see if they would add more rolloffs for that day. Mr. Meisell suggested they get volunteers to pick up heavy items and take them to the collection site for people. Mayor Heffley volunteered to help talk to people to get their participation.
10. Consideration and Action to Accept Bid for Drilling of Water Well.
Donald Warschak of Mercer Engineering discussed the results of the bidding for the drilling of the water well. He said J&S Water Well Service of Bellville was the lowest bidder at $386,200. Other bidders included Friedel Drilling Co of Yoakum with a bid of $462, 205 and Crowell Drilling Co of Louisewith a bid of $686,879. Mr. Meisell said the City’s estimate was $450,000. Councilman Wavra asked Mr. Warschak if J&S had done work for Mercer before. Mr. Warschak said J&S has done work in Garwood and Weimar and are currently finishing a well in Shiner. Mr. Warschak said he would recommend them. Councilman Wavra asked if drilling the well 500 feet was not deep enough to hit water, would it cost more. Mr. Warschak said the material cost would be increased.
Councilwoman Sprague moved to accept the bid from J&S Water Well Service for $386,200 to drill a new water well at the Spring Street well location. Councilman Wavra seconded the motion. The vote was as follows:
Ayes: Councilman Berger, Schonenberg, Rankin, Wavra
Councilwoman Sprague
The motion passed.
11. Discussion and Action to Approve a Proposed Subdivision of a 1.0 Acre Tract located in the Butler Survey, Lot 2A 215 Oak Cluster; Such Application Requesting Said Tract be Subdivided into Two (2) Lots (.353 Acres and .647 Acres), As Recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Councilwoman Sprague moved to approve a subdivision of a 1.0 acre tract located in the Butler Survey, Lot 2A , 215 Oak Cluster; such application requesting said tract be subdivided into two lots (.353Acres and .647 Acres as recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission. Councilman Berger seconded the motion. The vote was as follows:
Ayes: Councilman Berger, Schonenberg, Rankin, Wavra
Councilwoman Sprague
The motion passed.
12. Discussion and Action to Approve a Proposed Subdivision of a .4247 Acre Tract located in the E.Tumlinson Survey (A-44), 1404 Rampart; Such Application Requesting Said Tract be Subdivided into Two (2) Lots (.2162 Acres and .2085 Acres), As Recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Councilman Berger moved to approva a subdivision of a .4247 Acre Tract located in the E. Tumlinson Survey A-44 1404 Rampart; such application requesting said Tract be subdivided into two lots (.2162 Acres and .2085 Acres) as recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission
3. Consent Agenda:
b. Approval of invoices.
c. Approval of Minutes of February 26, 2007 Regular Meeting.
d. Approval of Minutes of March 5, 2007, Special Meeting.
There were not questions on any invoices. Mr. Meisell said that the gas discount from Municipal Gas…. was finally received. It was approximately $4,700.
Mayor Heffley then moved to the February 26, 2007 minutes. Mayor Heffley asked about the status of the Fire Truck conversion to a lift truck. Mr. Meisell said it should be completed by the end of the week.
Mayor Heffley then moved to the March 5, 2007 minutes. Mr. Meisell said $250,000 from the sale of the Pipeline System to San Felipe was already deposited into the bank on Wednesday. Mr. Meisell recapped it took 11 months to complete the sale of the pipeline.
Councilman Rankin pointed out a grammar error on Item #11. He said the word ‘been’ should be deleted.
Councilman Schonenberg moved to approve the consent agenda with the correction to the March 5, 2007 minutes, Item#11, deleting “been” from the sentence. Councilwoman Sprague seconded the motion. The vote was as follows:
Ayes: Councilman Berger, Schonenberg, Rankin, Wavra
Councilwoman Sprague
The motion passed.
4. Consideration and Action to Approve invoice from Curtiss Automotive.
Councilman Berger moved to approve an invoice form Curtiss Automotive. Councilman Rankikn seconded the motion. The vote was as follows:
Ayes: Councilman Berger, Rankin, Wavra
Councilwoman Sprague
Abstain: Councilman Schonenberg
The motion passed.
5. Citizen’s presentations and comments.[i]
There were no citizen’s presentations or comments.
6. Discussion of City Manager’s Report including Water Delivery Project, Drainage Project, Drying Bed Construction, Truck Issues, H-GAC Grant Scoring, Incode Installation, Water Pumpage History, Revenue Update, Dog Pound Inspection, Water Well Update, Girl Scout Hut.
C ity Manager, David Meisell presented his City Manager’s Reports which are attaché to the minutes.
13. Consideration and Action to Approve Ordinance 65-07 – Solid Waste Management.
Councilman Rankin asked what changes were included in this ordinance. Patti Glaeser said only the rates and deposits were changed. Councilman Rankin said he would still like to address the issue of dumpster placement throughout the City.
Councilman Berger moved to approve Ordinance 65-07 – Solid Waste Management with the understanding that it be revisited in three months specifically to the section - Obligation of Customers. Councilman Wavra seconded the motion. The vote was as follows:
Ayes: Councilman Berger, Schonenberg, Rankin, Wavra
Councilwoman Sprague
The motion passed.
14. Consider and Act to Confirm the Mayor’s Nominations to the Planning and Zoning Commission; Confirmation of Two Members Nominated for Three -year Terms Beginning March 12, 2007 and Ending December 31, 2009.
Mayor Heffley said he would like to reappoint Mary Ellen Prause to a three year term and to appoint, Chris Arthur, an original member, to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a three year term ending December 31, 2009.
Councilman Rankin moved to to reappoint Mary Ellen Prause to a three year term and to appoint, Chris Arthur, an original member, to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a three year term ending December 31, 2009. Councilman Schonenberg seconded the motion. The vote was as follows:
Ayes: Councilman Berger, Schonenberg, Rankin, Wavra
Councilwoman Sprague
The motion passed.
15. Consideration and Action to approve Dennis Holder to fill an expired term on the Library Board, From April 1, 2007 until October 1, 2010.
Councilman Rankin moved to appoint Dennis Holder to fill an expired term on the Library Board from April 1, 2007 until October 1, 2010. Councilman Berger seconded the motion. The vote was as follows:
Ayes: Councilman Berger, Schonenberg, Rankin, Wavra
Councilwoman Sprague
The motion passed.
16. Consideration and Action to Approve a Budget Amendment for Safe Route to School (SRTS).
Councilwoman Sprague moved to approve a $10,000 Budget Amendment for the Safe Route to School (SRTS) project. Councilman Berger seconded the motion. The vote was as follows:
Ayes: Councilman Berger, Schonenberg, Rankin, Wavra
Councilwoman Sprague
The motion passed.
17. Consideration and Action to Approve a Budget Amendment for the Infrastructure Planning and Analysis Grant.
Councilman Berger moved to approve a budget amendment for the Infrastructure Planning and Analysis Grant for $53, 580 for total expenses, including a $49,200 grant with a local match of $7,380. Councilwoman Sprague seconded the motion. The vote was as follows:
Ayes: Councilman Berger, Schonenberg, Rankin, Wavra
Councilwoman Sprague
The motion passed.
18. Items from Councilmembers.2
Councilman Warva – no comment.
Councilman Rankin – no comment.
Councilman Schonenberg –no comment.
Councilwoman Sprague – no comment.
Councilman Berger – no comment.
Mayor Heffley asked Patti Glaeser for an update on the Code of Ordinances. She responded that the work has been completed and she is waiting on them (Franklin Publishing) to set up an appointment to review the document. Mayor Heffley asked Mr. Meisell if there would be a LCRA response at the next meeting. Mr. Meisell responded that he hoped so. Mayor Heffley asked Council to consider the a new city truck for Mr. Meisell to replace the sedan he currently drives. Mayor Heffley thanked Patti Glaeser and the office staff for the work they have done on installing the new utility billing system from Incode.
19. Announcements.
There were no additional announcements.
20. Adjournment.
There being no further business, Mayor Heffley declared the meeting adjourned at 9:10 pm.
____________________________
Richard Heffley, Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________
Patti Glaeser, City Secretary