ccss 05-19-1997
SPECIAL SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
MAY 19, 1997
The Schertz City Council convened in Special Session on
Monday, May 19, 1997 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers
of the Municipal Complex, 1400 Schertz Parkway, Schertz,
Texas. The following members were present: Mayor Pro-Tem
Joe Potempa, presiding; Councilmembers Charles McDonald;
Norman Agee, Sr.; Timothy Swinney and Ken Greenwald.
Absent: Mayor Hal Baldwin. Staff present were City
Manager Kerry Sweatt and City Secretary Norma Althouse.
t1 PUBLIC HEARING: Capital Improvement
report and other bond issue items.
Committee
Mayor Pro-Tem Potempa announced they are here tonight to
talk about the capital improvement bond issues that will be
coming up for a vote in August. That discussion will
include the results of the Monday night meetings by the
Capital Improvement Study Committee. The Committee has
come up with a proposal to present to the citizens.
Mr. Sweatt commented the Council has copy of a draft from
the Committee. Some of the members of the sub-committees
are here tonight. The report is proposed for signature by
each sub-committee chairman and the coordinator. The
report describes the seven meetings that were held
beginning March 31st and concluding on May 12th.
Paragraph 4 of the report describes a number of projects
and suggests those be considered for individual ballot
proposals. After the Council received this report in their
packets, he spoke with the City Attorney who has given
additional advice. The City Attorney's comments up to this
point suggest that the Police Building & Land be a separate
issue; the Fire Station & Land be a separate issue; the
EMS Facility be a separate issue; the Town Center and
Library be divided so the Library is a stand-alone project
and the Town Center is a stand-along project; and
Improvements to the Community Center be a separate issue.
From that point on there is a listing of five additional
projects (All-Weather Enclosure for Swimming Pool,
Recreation Center, Satellite/Neighborhood Parks &
Equipment, Improvements to Existing Parks and Improvements
to Existing Ballfields) that could be combined into one or
more issues depending upon the Council's and the
Committee's recommendations.
Mr. Sweatt went on to say the grand total of the
recommended bond issue is $8,950,000.00. The sub-committee
chairmen have not had an opportunity to comment on this
report other than in generality. Several are here tonight,
he heard from one by phone today, and perhaps Mr. Swinney
has spoken with the others. Mr. Swinney admitted he had
not received calls from any of the sub-committee chairmen.
-263-
Mayor Pro-Tern Potempa thanked Mr. Swinney for all his hard
work in heading up the Capital Improvement Study Committee
and told him how much it is appreciated. Mr. swinney
acknowledged all the hard work by the committees, the staff
and Mr. Sweatt.
At this time, chairmen from the various sub-committees, who
were present, spoke. Dickie Day, Parks & Recreation
Sub-Committee, commended Mr. swinney for an excellent job.
She suggested the all-weather enclosure to the swimming
pool and the improvements to the existing parks be combined
into one issue. Mr. Swinney thought that was a good
suggestion he doesn't see the swimming pool being as
controversial an issue as originally thought.
Mr. Agee wondered what input the school district has in
the swimming pool program. Mr. Swinney answered that in
an ideal situation, they would be very active in
participating with the City. A lease-type situation would
probably be looked into for the school year. They would be
getting a good deal for their money, but that's still being
worked out. It's not known if they have the funds or the
desire to fund. Having the school district participate
would certainly make the program attractive, but if they
don't participate, it's not a total no-go situation.
Juan Thorn, Community Services Sub-Committee, also thanked
Mr. Swinney and said he appreciated being able to
participate. Their idea was to expand the community Center
to get better use out of it. The idea of the Town Center
was to move several of the historic buildings (the old shoe
store, a house and a storage facility) to the general area
of the library and utilize it as a means to provide a
positive image for Schertz. Several other cities have done
this and were very successful. When the buildings are
moved, they will be put to use for specific purposes.
The third issue was the bricking of the library and that
was approved by the committee as well.
Mr. McDonald asked what happens if they don't relocate the
historic buildings. Mr. Thorn replied they will be
catalogued, numbered and then eventually destroyed. There
was a brief discussion about whether they can be destroyed
or whether they have to be stored. Mr. Sweatt explained
they understand that under certain conditions they can be
destroyed.
Mr. Sweatt commented he had heard from the Public Safety
Sub-Committee Chairman and his only comment was he would
prefer some wording in the report to indicate that the
Sub-Committee Chairmen were signing as to the
recommendation of the subject matter of their individual
sub-committees.
.264-
James Harris of FM 1518 and Schaefer Road made the
following comments and suggestions:
A. Asked to revisit the 15,000 square foot police
facility. It needs to be looked at very carefully.
Perhaps a compromise should be considered. In all the
presentations, Chief Smith used 10,000 square feet and if
that wasn't enough, he should have said so in the
beginning. We're talking about a lot of money to go from
10,000 square feet to 15,000 square feet. Mr. Harris
indicated he would not be opposed to 12,000 square feet.
B. Would like for the swimming pool to be a separate
issue.
C. Likes the idea of combining the last five items into
one issue.
D. Would like more consideration given to City trails.
Would what was discussed be for just the big park or for
the others also? He was informed it is only feasible for
the big park.
E.
the
able
Stated he thought this was
process of the bond issues
to serve.
the right way to go
and he appreciated
about
being
Tony Paulson,
comments about
facility. That
120 Thomas Edison, seconded
revisiting the 15,000 square
may be a little excessive.
Mr. Harris's
foot police
Mr. Paulson then remarked he would like future recycling
money to be used for sidewalks and trails. Anyone who has
a child walking from Elbel Road to Dobie school knows
that's a dangerous situation. We need sidewalks.
Mr. Sweatt, referring to the comments about the increase
in the square footage of the police facility, mentioned
they plan to look at the national standards before going
ahead and building it. His suggestion is to leave it at
the amount recommended by the committee. If it's
overfunded, that amount can go back to the debt service
fund.
Following Mr. Sweatt's remarks, there was a rather lengthy
discussion on the proposed size of the police facility.
Chief Smith explained the 15,000 square feet would give
them about 5 times their current working space and he was
told by a consultant out of Fort Worth that they need the
15,000 .square feet for future growth. He doesn't envision
Schertz having a sub-station. They are basically mobile
and everything done at the headquarters building has to do
mostly with investigative procedures, storage,
communications and jail facilities. Chief Smith mentioned
he will be attending a class in June in Houston where they
will help you properly plan your facility.
-265-
There was discussion about the number of holding cells
needed, about building up instead of out, about the area
needed for restroom and locker facilities, about traffic
patterns, about jail standards, about monitoring prisoners,
about the separation required between adult and juvenile
prisoners, about ADA standards, and about square footage.
After consideration of several different
consensus of Council was to go with 13,000
Mayor Pro-Tem Potempa thanked Chief Smith for
figures, the
square feet.
his time.
Mayor Pro-Tem potempa asked if they plan to discuss each
and every item tonight that's on the bond issue. Mr.
Swinney replied that's what on the table, but he doesn't
see a lot of the items being controversial. Mr. Sweatt
emphasized they need to leave the meeting tonight with
determination of individual ballot items.
After
should
hearing
clarification of what the City
be on the ballot as separate
was closed.
Attorney
items,
recommends
the public
'2 Consider and take action on rec .,',~ ,dations from
Capital Impr,., ,.",ent committee.
Mr. Sweatt advised the draft report contains the most
recent numbers for each item. The original grand total was
$8,950,000, but with the change to the police department
building, it should now be $8,750,000.
Mayor Pro-Tem potempa, saying the Police
had already been discussed, reviewed the
bond issue items as follows:
Buildina and Land
list of remaining
fire station & Land
2,068,754
No one had concerns.
f:MS Facilitv
1,969,842
No one had concerns.
Town Center
320,922
Mr. Sweatt reminded Council the City Attorney advises
dividing the Town Center and the Library so each is a
stand-alone issue. Therefore the Library would be $80,000
and the Town Center would be $240,922. Council had no
problem with that.
Imnrovements to Communitv Center
454,812
Mr. Swinney asked if it will still have a basketball court
and Mr. Simonson replied they will leave the existing one
in there, they will not take it out. Mr. Sweatt mentioned
the Community Center will be extended at the back wall.
-266-
Mr. Swinney, noting plans for the Recreation Center also
include a basketball court, asked the advantage of having
two of them. Could we save money by not having one in the
Recreation Center? Mr. Bierschwale commented the one in
the Community Center is a 3/4 court and the one in the
Recreation Center will be a full court. Mr. Swinney then
observed the larger one would be for sanctioned use and was
told that's correct.
Mr. McDonald questioned, if they eliminate the Recreation
Center, what would it take to upgrade the one in the
Community Center to a full court. If they enlarge the
Community Center, all they plan to do in the Recreation
could be done there and they could save money by not having
to build a new facility. Mr. Swinney answered he
understood they envisioned using the Community Center for
important business meetings and civic activities and he
just doesn't see that coinciding with the noise of a huge
recreation area.
Mr. McDonald didn't see it that way and wondered if they
need two recreation facilities. Mr. Swinney pointed out
they- don't have two recreation facilities. The Community
Center would be used for business meetings and civic
activities. Mr. McDonald stressed they're leaving the 3/4
basketball court in there which can get noisy. Why not do
it right and have one big Community Center? It would be
less money and maintenance and better supervision could be
provided. It would also be in close proximity to City
Hall. The operating costs for a Recreation Center will be
tremendous.
Mr. Swinney asked Mr. Simonson the wisdom of getting by
with a full-size court at the Recreation Center and not
having a court at the Community Center and using that space
for a one or two-story meeting facility. Mr. Simonson
commented the cost Council has before them is the cost of
not spending any more money on the existing building than
they have to. It is possible to take out the existing
basketball court and put in a second floor later on if they
so desire. They felt, however, the best option was to go
straight back because there is no lateral width available.
They feel Mr. Bierschwale's design is cost effective. You
can take the basketball court out or leave it in, it
doesn't matter. Mr. Swinney then asked if noise from the
basketball court would interfere with meetings. Mr.
Simonson replied no because the entrance is at the back.
There were no other concerns.
All-Weather Enclosure - Swimmina Pool
198,583
Mayor Pro-Tem Potempa reminded Council there was a
suggestion to combine that with Improvements to Existing
Parks. Mr. Swinney felt the pool had enough support that
it would not detract from the parks and vice-versa.
-267-
Mr. McDonald thought the pool ought to be a separate issue
because he would hate to see the parks fail because of it.
Let the voters decide. The consensus of Council was to
make the All-Weather Enclosure - Swimmina Pool and the
Imorovements to Existino Parks each a separate issue.
Recreation Cente~
1,129,089
Mr. McDonald stated emphatically he is opposed to spending
$l,OOO,OOO for a recreation center. It will make the
City's taxes higher than those in San Antonio and will shut
down' growth. It should be built with private funds, not
tax money. The consensus of Council was to let the voters
decide.
Satellite/Neiahborhood Parks & EauiDment
356,413
Mr. Swinney mentioned it has been discussed that the City
needs to disperse parks to growth areas.
The consensus of Council was for this to be a separate
issue.
Imorovements to Existina Parks
510,385
Already discussed and approved as a separate issue.
Tmorovements to Existina Ballfields
928,872
Mr. Sweatt related this consists of turning the fields
around, a major drainage project, and adding a new
concession stand and restrooms. By moving the existing
City yard and storage area, room is gained for parking and
creating two additional fields in the area. The backstops
for the dugouts will be replaced on all the fields.
Mr. Swinney asked if this will be along the same lines as
the Universal City park where they have the big concession
facility in the middle of all the ballfields. Mr.
McDonald asked if there isn't office space in the
concession stand for BVYA. Mr. Bierschwale explained they
put . enough money in the proposal for an 1800 square foot
building. It's up to City Council, but they're looking at
the building being available for BVYA and other City
functions such as Homeowners Association meetings. They
would tear down the old building and the new building would
go in the corner where the scout hut is. The A-3 ballfield
will be turned around to face toward center. The current
pony field will be four T-ba1l fields back to back. Each
field will have its own storage area.
Mr. Swinney moved to accept the recommendations from the
Capital Improvement Committee and the City Attorney
regarding arrangement of the bond ballot proposals. The
eleven (II) separate items (discussed in the paragraphs
above) are as follows:
-268-
Police Building & Land
Fire Station & Land
EMS Facility
Town Center
Library
Improvements to Community Center
All-Weather Enclosure - Swimming Pool
Recreation Center
Satellite/Neighborhood Parks & Equipment
Improvements to Existing Parks
Improvements to Existing Ballfields
1,868,754
l,969,842
l,012,328
240,922
80,000
454,812
198,583
1,129,089
356,413
510,385
928,872
$8,750,000
Mr. Greenwald seconded the motion, which carried with the
following votes:
AYES: Counci1members Agee, Swinney and Greenwald.
NAYS: None.
ABSTENTIONS: Councilmember McDonald.
Mayer Pro-Tem Potempa thanked everyone involved and said
now they have the challenge of convincing the voters.
Along with the bond
election, and Mr.
initiative failed
citizen support.
Mr. Greenwald advised that if any of the Homeowners
Associations want someone to come and speak to them, he and
other Councilmembers are available to do so.
election there will also be a sales
McDonald reminded Council the sales
the last time because there was
tax
tax
no
Ms. Day asked if they, as citizens, are going to have a
handout of each item. Mr. Swinney replied he didn't think
providing them with a fact sheet is a problem.
Mr. Harris emphasized it needs to be explained how the
sales tax ties in. Education of the citizens is important.
Also, don't forget about the survey results. That would be
helpful.
Ms. Day suggested getting some of the committee members
back together once they get a fact sheet and doing some
canvassing and advertising in the newspapers.
On a motion by Mr. Agee, seconded by Mr. Swinney and
unanimously carried, the meeting was adjourned at 8:50 p.m.
-269-
() 8/,
~!~
Mayor p~Tem, CityVof Schertz, Texas
ATTEST:
~ tlj?~
City Secretary, City of Schertz
-270-