ccwks 08-15-01
Schertz City Council- Special Workshop
Wednesday, August 15,2001
The Schertz City Council convened in Special Workshop session at 7:00p.m. on
Wednesday, August 15,2001 in the Conference Room of the Municipal Complex, 1400
Schertz Parkway, Schertz, Texas. Those present were as follows: Mayor Hal Baldwin,
presiding; Councilmembers Reginna Agee, Ken Greenwald, Norma Head, Billy Pitts, and
Tim Swinney. Staff members present were City Manager Dewey Cashwell and Planning
and Zoning Secretary Mary Ybarra.
Mayor Baldwin called the meeting to order at 7:00pm.
#1 Hearing of Residents
None signed up to speak.
#2 Appointment of Deputy City S",~. ",;..ries under section 6.06 of City Charter,
appointing Deputy City S",..",;..ries Mary Ybarra and Bernadette Sanabria.
Mr. Cashwell explained that the reason Mrs. Ybarra and Mrs. Sanabria be appointed
deputy City Secretary is due to the sudden illness of the City Secretary Norma Althouse.
Without further discussion, Mr. Greenwald moved to appoint Mary Ybarra and
Bernadette Sanabria Deputy City Secretaries. Mrs. Agee seconded the motion, which
carried with the following votes:
AYES: Councilmembers Head, Pitts, Agee, Swinney, and Greenwald
NAYS: None
#3 Consider and take action on Construction bid Award for Pilot Channel for
West Dietz Creek.
Mr. Cashwell stated that there is a need to move on with this project, having to do with
the drainage situations in west Dietz creek. There is a winning bid on the project.
The pilot channel will be the centerline of the proposed FEMA channel. The channel will
help funnel water even faster down to the Dietz creek. The channel is currently about
three feet wide and one foot deep and this will open it up to about eight feet wide and
approximately five feet deep.
Without further discussion, Mr. Pitts moved to award a bid for a pilot channel for West
Dietz Creek to French in the amount of $48,686.00. Mrs. Head seconded the motion,
which carried with the following votes:
AYES: Councilmembers Head, Pitts, Agee, Swinney, and Greenwald
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NAYS: None
#4 Consider and take action on use of Right-of-Way for installation of fiber
optics for AT&T.
Mr. Cashwell stated that he felt it inappropriate to take it up for consideration at this time.
Material is not adequate for the purpose. In 1999 there was an ordinance proposed to
deal with such issues. This ordinance would have provided for registration and
construction permits, right of way construction, construction standards, and plans for
record. This ordinance however, did not make it to Council.
Without further discussion, Mr. Greenwald moved to table the action on right of way for
installation of fiber optics for AT&T. Mr. Pitts seconded the motion, which carried with
the following votes:
AYES: Councilmembers Head, Pitts, Agee, Swinney, and Greenwald
NAYS: None
#5
Budget Workshop
Municipal Court
Schertz EMS
Fire Department
Police Department
Animal Shelter
Legal Services
Municipal Court: Judge Padgett stated that they are limited to Class C complaints. The
court hears municipal ordinance complaints, railroad, police, dangerous dogs, school
district complaints, and some warrants from the Texas rangers. In the 1999-2000 year the
court processed approximately 6,000 complaints. They are complaints from citations as
well as complaints from citizens. Some of the current challenges the court is facing are
the computer technology, credit card acceptance and transportation for the warrant
officer. Judge Padgett explained that the court is going to start up teen court again.
Schertz EMS: Presentation: notes on the presentation were passed out.
To assist in increasing the management of documentation, the Regional Advisory Council
is going to buy software and servers to maintain the data and then license the software to
the EMS for the number of ambulances they have. The software will allow the EMS to
collect the data from the patient electronically. The cost of the lap tops is about
$19,000.00. That is about 40% of the cost of what it would be if Schertz went to that
system on its own.
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Increasing rates to customers: Current rates for BLS are $250.00 and it is being proposed
to change that to $435.00. The ALS rates are $300.00 and would change to $525.00.
Supplies are currently billed "at cost" which does not include shipping cost. The EMS is
looking into increasing the cost of supplies to the cost of supplies plus 20%.
Mr. Cashwell stated that Guadalupe County wants to discuss escalating costs of EMS and
that they do not have the money to support the increase. Mr. Cashwell also mentioned
that Guadalupe County might just start their own service and then Schertz wouldn't see
about $85,000.00 of the money projected.
Medicine Account is the fee that the EMS pays the medical director (Dr. Butter). Would
like to pay him closer to the market price.
Fire Department: Chief Woodward explained that the biggest challenge is maintaining
department's ISO insurance rating at a class four. The Chief stated they will never be a
class three rating until they have a substation (especially on the south side). The response
time was 17 minutes. One of the things that he put in the budget is for an aerial platform
truck. Ferrara will sell their demo truck for $613,000.00 with savings of$150,000.00.
The City of Schertz is a regional provider and needs to have the trucks that will assist in
putting out the fires.
It was under consideration to bring up the issue of the aerial platform as an agenda item.
Included in the budget is a request for a brush truck. Another request is for a pick-up for
the fire inspector. The total cost for both the vehicles would be $84,000.00.
Police Department: Police Chief Smith explained that 83% of his budget is personnel.
He stated that there would be an increase of overtime. That increase is due to the three
animal control people transferred into the Police Department. The department has only
paid out between 25-30% of the overtime. The rest comes from rent and DEA funds.
Chief Smith stated that the bid on the four police cars is still $88,000.00 and that money
will come out of this year's budget.
Chief Smith indicated the station would like to have four lap tops for the cars. The lap
tops are Panasonic Tough Boy. The main purpose of the system is for officer safety. The
new computers would help in the aspect that they would be able to get information on the
vehicle and driver before they even get out of the squad car. They can also take
statements with the system. The unit price is $8,000.00 each.
Chief Smith stated that the speed trailer that they are asking for would help determine
whether or not the speeding in a certain area is a pro blem.
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Chief Smith also requested that there be three Corporal positions added. The position
would not ask for additional officers, but an additional position between the rank of
patrol and Sergeant.
Animal Shelter: The shelter is asking for an Animal Control Manager to run and
maintain the shelter. The shelter is also asking for a $1,500.00 certification pay to one
water and sewer worker who is a certified euthanasia person. The purpose is so that the
other workers don't have to develop a relationship with the animals and then have to put
them to sleep.
Legal Services: It was noted that the dollars that have been expended for legal services
over a period of time have been climbing.
#6 Adjournment: there being no further business to discuss, Mayor Baldwin
adjourned the meeting at 10:35pm.
r
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Mayor, CitY of Schertz, Texas..
ATTEST:
A/L.t1. ~
retary, City of Schertz, Texas
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