ccreg 09-04-01
Schertz City Council-Regular Session
Tuesday, September 4, 2001
The Schertz City Council convened in Regular Session on Tuesday, September 4, 2001 at
7:00pm in the Municipal Complex Council Chambers, 1400 Schertz Parkway, Schertz,
Texas. The following members were present: Mayor Hal Baldwin, presiding;
Councilmembers Norma Head, Tim Swinney, Ken Greenwald, Reginna Agee, and Billy
Pitts. Staff members present were: Dewey Cashwell City Manager and Mary Ybarra
Planning and Zoning Secretary.
Mayor Baldwin called the meeting to order at 7:00pm and asked everyone to rise and join
him in the Pledge of Allegiance.
#1 Public Hearing: To receive citizen comments on proposed tax rate and on
proposal to increase total tax revenues from properties on the tax roll.
Mr. Cashwell noted that this years tax rate as published is .3825 vs. last year's rate of
.3405. He stated that the increase in taxation on the typical home would go from $339.14
to $406.02.
Mr. Cashwell explained that there are two possibilities to bring down the public rate. The
first one is a debt service reserve fund, which was set aside for the purpose of buying
down debt. The second is an actual payment already being made on that debt (interest
payment). The total amount to buy down that debt is approximately $100,000.00 (going
into the new fiscal year). With that in consideration, the appropriate tax rate should be
the following: Maintenance and operations should be .3209 and the I&S tax rate would
be.0500. The increase over last year would be just over 3 cents. The increase on the
average home (annually) would be approximately $54.57.
Mr. Jain felt these are realistic numbers, considering the growth of the City.
Mr. Greenwald asked what the maximum roll back would be. Mr. Cashwell stated that
the rollback would have been .3827. He also commented that the City is substantially
below that figure.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: A citizen asked why they were increasing the tax rate. Mr.
Cashwell explained that the majority of the increase (over 75%) is for the Schertz
Parkway Project.
Mayor Baldwin asked for any additional questions or comments. He then adjourned the
public hearing.
Following the public hearing Council convened in Regular session in the Municipal
Complex Conference Room, 1400 Schertz Parkway, Schertz, Texas.
(
Meeting was called to order by Mayor Baldwin at 7:20pm.
264
#1 Hearing of Residents: No one signed up to speak.
#2 Request curfew extension for Samuel Clemens Homecoming Dance.
Jennifer Dennis explained that she is asking City Council to extend curfew the night of
September 28, 2001. She stated that the dance is going to be after the game and they are
hoping that they can have the dance until 1 :OOam.
Wyatt Agee stated that he would like the curfew to be extended until 1 :30am so that the
students from the dance have time to get home afterwards.
Without further discussion, Mr. Swinney moved to approve the request for curfew
extension for Samuel Clemens Homecoming Dance to 1 :30am. Mr. Greenwald seconded
that motion. A vote was taken and the motion carried.
#3 Approval of Minutes: Regular Session 3-06-2001, Special Workshop
Session 3-14-2001, Regular Session 3-20-2001, and Special Workshop Session 3-28-
2001.
Without further discussion Mr. Greenwald moved to approve the minutes of 3-06-2001,
3-14-2001,3-20-2001, and 3-28-2001 as written. Mrs. Agee seconded the motion, which
carried with the following votes:
AYES: Councilmembers Head, Agee, Pitts, Swinney, and Greenwald
NAYS: None
#4 Request Public Hearing for junk vehicle at 108 Schertz Parkway.
It was stated that the vehicle is at the location of Main St. and Schertz Parkway. The
vehicle is next to the English TeaRoom and other businesses. It was commented that the
car was apparently damaged in the flood of 1998, you can see the water marks on the car.
Once the vehicle is in public trust, it is disposed of.
Ken Anderson explained that there have been two certified letters sent to the owner, and
both those came back as received. Apparently the owner of the vehicle claims that he
sold the car to JR Auto. There has been no response from JR Auto. Mr. Anderson
requested there be a public hearing to remove the vehicle.
Mary Ybarra stated that before they can have the public hearing, they have to put an ad in
the paper advertising the public hearing. She suggested that the public hearing be set for
September 18, 2001 as long as she could get the ad into the paper on time. Otherwise the
public hearing would have to be at the following meeting.
265
Without further discussion Mr. Greenwald moved that Council approve setting a public
hearing for a junk vehicle on Schertz Parkway tentatively set for September 18, 2001.
Mr. Swinney seconded the motion, which carried with the following votes:
AYES: Councilmembers Head, Agee, Pitts, Swinney, and Greenwald
NAYS: None
#5 Resolution: Consider and take action authorizing certain actions including
proceedings in eminent domain in connection with the acquisition of certain waterline
and temporary construction easements in Gonzales and Guadalupe counties and related
matters.
Mayor Baldwin introduced a resolution and read the caption as follows:
RESOLUTION NO.OI-R-28
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CERTAIN ACTIONS INCLUDING
PROCEEDINGS IN EMINENT DOMAIN IN CONNECTION WITH THE
ACQUISITION OF CERTAIN WATERLINE AND TEMPORARY
CONSTRUCTION EASEMENTS IN GONZALES AND GUADALUPE
COUNTIES AND RELATED MATTERS
Mayor Baldwin stated that this a necessary easement needed to provide the space to
install a waterline.
Without further discussion Mr. Greenwald moved to approve the resolution authorizing
certain actions including proceedings in eminent domain in connection with the
acquisition of certain waterline and temporary construction easements in Gonzales and
Guadalupe counties and related matters. Mrs. Agee seconded the motion, which carried
with the following votes:
AYES: Councilmembers Head, Agee, Pitts, Swinney, and Greenwald
NAYS: None
#6 General discussion of Budget issues.
Mr. Pitts asked Mr. Cashwell to describe this year's budget.
Mr. Cashwell described this year's budget as a transitioning budget and a building effort.
This year the City has a number of challenges, some of those are: the infrastructure,
information technology, compensationlbenefits, Schertz Parkway, HR function, shelter
operator, finance operations, customer care person, and an additional rank of corporal.
266
Mr. Swinney asked if the City is going to be hiring a Leisure Services Director at the end
of the year. Mr. Cashwell stated that they are going to try and hire that person before the
first of the year.
Mr. Pitts asked if this year's budget is more of catching up on some areas that are behind
in market place. Mr. Cashwell stated that in terms of compensation, that is correct.
Mr. Swinney asked if there is any way to refurbish the swimming pool, or if it is just
going to be shut down. Mr. Cashwell stated that the swimming pool has outlived its
usefulness in terms of the cost benefit of repairing it to appropriate condition.
#7 Executive Session: Called under Chapter 551 of the Texas Govemment code,
Sub-Section 551-071, personnel issues.
An Executive Session was held from 7:45pm until 9:45pm.
#8 Action, if any, on above Executive Session: No action necessary.
#9 Adjournment: There being no further business to discuss, Mayor Baldwin
adjourned the meeting at 9:45pm.
,
Mayor, City of Schertz, Texas
ATTEST:
'!?l~if: ~A"<-
Dep y Ci S retary, City of Schertz, Texas
267