ccswks 02-12-1997
SPECIAL WORKSHOP SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FEBRUARY 12, 1997
The Schertz City Council convened in Special Workshop Session
on Wednesday, February 12, 1997 at 7:00 p.m. in the
Conference Room of the Municipal Complex, 1400 Schertz
Parkway, Schertz, Texas. The following members were present:
Mayor Hal Baldwin, presiding; Councilmembers Charles
McDonald; Earl Sawyer and Ken Greenwald. Absent:
Councilmembers Joe Potempa and Timothy Swinney. Staff
present were City Manager Kerry Sweatt and City Secretary
Norma Althouse.
#1 HEARING OF RESIDENTS
No one had signed up to speak.
#2 ORDINANCE: Consider and take action on final
reading of ordinance calling a Home Rule Charter Amendment
election to be held in the City of Schertz, Texas on May 3,
1997; making provision for the conduct of the election; and
resolving other matters incident and related to such
election.
Mayor Baldwin introduced an ordinance and read the caption as
follows:
ORDINANCE NO. 97-E-8
AN ORDINANCE CALLING A HOME RULE
AMENDMENT ELECTION TO BE HELD IN THE
SCHERTZ, TEXAS ON MAY 3, 1997; MAKING
FOR THE CONDUCT OF THE ELECTION; AND
OTHER MATTERS INCIDENT AND RELATED
ELECTION.
CHARTER
CITY OF
PROVISION
RESOLVING
TO SUCH
Mr. Greenwald moved to approve the final reading of an
ordinance calling a Home Rule Charter Amendment election to
be held in the City of Schertz, Texas on May 3, 1997; making
provision for the conduct of the election; and resolving
other matters incident and related to such election. Mr.
Sawyer seconded the motion.
Mr. Sweatt advised this is the first election to be held
under the arrangement with the Guadalupe County Elections
Administrator. There were some minor changes made to this
ordinance since the first reading to accommodate several
things Mr. Perez and Mr. Spain needed to resolve. Under
Section III, it does name the election judges for both early
and regular voting.
Mayor Baldwin commented he spoke with Mr. Perez today and he
seemed a little overwhelmed at the size of the ballot for
this first joint election. Mr. McDonald was concerned the
voters will get tired of reading.
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There was a brief discussion on how to publicize the Charter
Amendment election. Mr. Greenwald felt Council should take
out an ad in the newspaper. Mr. Sawyer felt a message
should be included on the water bills. Mr. Sweatt said they
have the Newsletter to get the message out.
At this time the vote was taken and the motion carried as
follows:
AYES: Councilmembers McDonald, sawyer and Greenwald.
NAYS: None.
#3 Discuss EAA Irrigation Suspension Program.
Mr. Sweatt indicated the City is a participant in the
Irrigation Suspension Program whether they send another
dollar or not. The original request by the EAA was that each
water purveyor, and others, participate by contributing to
funds for the program. There were no guidelines or rules.
Council approved participation for the City at $1.00 for each
active water meter. Several other purveyors used that
guideline as well. In the meantime SAWS, as well as several
others, asked EAA how much they wanted them to contribute to
participate. They came up with a formula based on the
entity's percentage of total pumpage from the Edwards in 1995
as that percentage related to the amount needed to fund the
Irrigation Suspension Program. By the deadline there was a
mixed bag of circumstances and the Edwards didn't have
enough money.
The EAA has now said they would like everyone to
participate on the basis of their percentage of pumpage from
the Edwards. That would raise participation by the City from
$4,897 to a total of $22,800. It is his understanding they
reached, temporarily, their one-third payment by an increased
payment from SAWS. They mayor may not have increased
participation by the time the second payment comes due.
Mr. Sweatt went on to say what we're really doing is
buying insurance for 10% more water and if it rains, we won't
need it. Mr. McDonald asked how much of what is being
pledged will actually go to the irrigators and Mr. Sweatt
replied 100%. Mayor Baldwin commented he doesn't see how the
City can not do it. Mr. Greenwald wondered how they will
police it. Mr. Sweatt replied he understands the question,
but doesn't have an answer. Mr. McDonald inquired where the
money is coming from to pay for the City's contribution and
Mr. Sweatt replied from the capital recovery fund.
After being asked by Mayor Baldwin, Council agreed they
were ready for this item to be included on next Tuesday
night's agenda.
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#4 Discuss approval of Semi-Annual Water/Wastewater
Impact Fee report.
Mr. Sweatt reminded Council the Planning and Zoning
Commission serves as the advisory board for the
Water/Wastewater Impact Fee program. Mr. Bierschwa1e,
Public Works Director, met with them in January and made a
report of the system and of pre-payment collections. He also
reported on projects underway now. Mr. Bierschwale's
recommendation is that capital recovery fees remain at the
current level. Planning and Zoning agreed and has made the
same recommendation. Water is $750 per living unit
equivalent and sewer at $315 per living unit equivalent. The
City also collects CCMA's sewer capital recovery fee at the
same time and that's another $985 per living unit equivalent,
but it's not ours. Council needs to officially receive the
report at their next meeting. No action would be necessary
unless they want to discuss changing the fees.
Council indicated their readiness for this item to be
included on next Tuesday night's agenda.
#5 Discuss appointments to Library Advisory Board.
Mr. Sweatt
list of those
serve on the
Grosskopf, Juan
reminded Council they have in their packet a
who have expressed a desire to continue to
Library Advisory Board. They are John
Thorn, Barbara Ricks and Pattie Lovelady.
Mayor Baldwin asked if these
the bond committee and Mr. Sweatt
Mayor then commented all the
volunteers.
people are on the list
replied some of them.
board members are
for
The
good
Council admitted they were prepared for this item to be
included on next Tuesday night's agenda.
#6 Discuss status of water study.
Mr. Sweatt related the original contract was with
Hennings, Durham and Richardson (HDR) of Austin, along with
attorney Crockett Camp, to conduct a potential groundwater
study in the Carrizo-Wi1cox Aquifer area. After a lot of
review, there was found to be concern about a conflict of
interest with an ongoing study that firm was doing for Trans
Texas Water Plan. HDR asked to be released from the contract
so they could remove any possible conflict of interest
issues.
They have talked with Mr. Camp about the opportunity to
proceed with the project, using another engineer outside of
this area who has no contact with any of the water purveyors,
SARA or GBRA. Mr. Clay Roming, who has an engineering firm
in the Waco area and has done extensive water supply studies,
will be the new engineer for the study. They believe a big
part of the issue will be those
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of legal concern and feel keeping Mr. Camp in charge of the
project and working with Mr. Roming will give them the best
of both worlds. These gentlemen feel they can do the work
that was set out originally in phases one and two of the
program. It will probably take about six months to complete.
It is recommended Council acknowledge dissolution of the
agreement with HDR and authorize a new agreement with
Crockett Camp and Clay Roming.
Mr. Sawyer asked if it will be the same amount of money and
was told by Mr. Sweatt it will be. Mr. Sawyer had no
objections, saying we've already committed to do the study.
We should charge on.
Mayor Baldwin inquired if the new contract will be on the
agenda for next Tuesday and Mr. Sweatt answered he would at
least like to place a minute order on the agenda for action
by Council to dissolve the old contract and authorize the new
one. Council was in agreement.
#7 CITY MANAGER'S REPORT: A. Deferred to Judge
Cinnamon who was present to tell Council about the new Teen
Court Administrator and how they plan to get the Teen Court
up and running again. Mayor Baldwin asked if it hadn't been
running and Judge Cinnamon replied it had been running, but
not under that title. He has been handling it through
Municipal Court in the same manner, but without the teen
jury.
Judge Cinnamon related the new person is Henry Castro and
he's a night auditor. An inquiry was conducted concerning
him and came back clean as a whistle. He is a very
knowledgeable man in the handling of children and very
confident in his personality that he can converse with them.
He handles himself well.
Judge Cinnamon advised he has a schedule set up to start
training in the high school. It will begin on February 18th
and then be held again on February 25th in the high school
library. The first Teen Court will be on the 6th of March at
4:00 p.m. After that, they will always be on Thursday
afternoon at 4:00 p.m. A lot of interest has been shown to
get it started again. Newer training materials are
available.
Regarding juvenile probation, Judge Cinnamon mentioned there
was a special session called on Friday of the Juvenile
Probation Board and with pressure from the Commissioners
Court and others, they terminated juvenile detention. There
isn't any in Guadalupe County anymore.
Mr. McDonald commented they decertified the facility and
Judge Cinnamon responded that's not quite true. They had
granted a waiver as long as the Commission would say they
were working on it. The Commission said they weren't working
on it - close it. The Juvenile Probation office is
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still open and
their certified
will suffer.
situation.
will continue to function. They are losing
officers. The children and their families
There was a brief discussion about the
Mayor Baldwin asked if they are working on a plan and Judge
Cinnamon replied no. The situation needs to get unpolitical.
B. Announced the public hearing for the FM 78 right-of-way
is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. tomorrow.
#8 ITEMS BY COUNCIL: Mr. Sawyer: A. Noted the signs
on Schertz Parkway are up. One of them says 33 mph and the
other says 28 mph and they are stirring up a lot of people.
That's good, that's what we wanted. Mr. Sweatt mentioned
that in two weeks they will ask the Highway Department to do
a recount on FM 3009 for signalization.
B. Stated there will be a dinner and dance at the Knights of
Columbus Hall on Valentine's Day. It will be sponsored by
the Lion's Club and the Humane Society.
C. Reminded everyone the grand opening for Berry Creek is
tomorrow.
Mr. McDonald: Remarked he would like to see the names of
Juan Thorn and James Harris added to the bond committee list.
Mr. Greenwald: A. Reported attending a CRWA meeting on
Monday. He will have the minutes for Council's next package.
Michael Spain will be doing the water treatment contract.
We're still in the master contract with everybody else.
We're going to figure out a way to delete ourselves and buy
our own water.
Mayor Baldwin commented he thought they were all in this
thing together to get some water. Mr. Greenwald assured him
they are not trying to cut off CRWA, but they are looking at
the fact if EAA goes to the 1989 pumping averages, they can't
supply this City.
Mayor Baldwin asked if they could find an alternate
that quickly. Mr. Sweatt pointed out if the City
their own water, as opposed to CRWA owning it, they
contract with anybody to treat x number of acre feet of
wherever they could get the nearest pipeline.
source
owned
could
it to
Mr. Greenwald mentioned the idea of the City getting it's
own plant and this prompted a lot of discussion by Council.
Mr. Sweatt acknowledged the possibility of trading the water
because it is a marketable item, a valuable commodity. The
options if we own the water are a lot better than if we let
someone else buy it. The consensus of Council was for the
City Manager to press on and get a contract to buy the water.
Mr. Sawyer asked how much we would have to raise the water
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rates to come up with the money. Mr. Sweatt replied that
today it's budgeted.
B. Related that at last
Steve Simonson gave
single-family housing
phenomenal.
night's Planning and
then all a chart
growth from 1982 to
zoning meeting,
showing the
1996. It is
19 ITEMS BY MAYOR: A. Read a letter from United Way
thanking the city for it's participation in this year's
campaign. Evelyn Boggess organized the effort on behalf of
the City of Schertz and they thanked her for her efforts and
invited her to attend a reception at Trinity University on
February lath. Mayor Baldwin also extended his thanks to
Mrs. Boggess on behalf of Council.
B. Read another letter, this time from the Buffalo Valley
Lion's Club, informing the Council they will be conducting a
clinic for free eye examinations on February 22nd from lO:OO
a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the K of C parking lot.
It was decided to present them with a Proclamation at next
Tuesday's meeting.
C. Stated that Samuel Clemens High School will host an
academic decathalon for medium-sized schools next week and on
Saturday, February 22nd, they will have what's called a Super
Quiz. He encouraged Council to attend the Super Quiz. The
other events are pretty much closed, but this one is open.
# 1 0 ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Baldwin adjourned the meeting at 8:23 p.m.
a
,
Mayor, City of Schertz, Texas
ATTEST:
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City Secretary, City of Schertz
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