ccswks 08-27-1997SPECIAL WORKSHOP SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
AUGUST 27, 1997
The Schertz City Council convened in Special Workshop Session
on Wednesday, August 27, 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
Hal Baldwin, presiding; Councilmembers Charles McDonald;
Norman Agee, Sr. 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.
#3 Discuss final reading of Ordinance authorizing Tax
Abatement and Tax Abatement Agreement with Interplastic
Distribution Group.
Mr. Sweatt, saying this has all been discussed previously,
explained the Economic Development Commission recommended
approval of a 35.66% tax abatement over the next five
years. Interplastic is a distributor of resins used in the
plastics industry. This business will be beneficial to the
City.
Ery Nothnagel was present and told Council they are looking
forward to having a business in the City of Schertz.
Council indicated their readiness for this item to be
included on next Tuesday night's agenda.
#3 Discuss final reading of Ordinance regarding
changes to UDC.
Mr. Sweatt reminded Council the first reading of this
Ordinance had been approved at the last meeting.
Council was prepared to have this item included on next
Tuesday night's agenda.
#4 Discuss final reading of Ordinance regarding
traffic control in the Savannah Drive school zone.
Mr. Sweatt stated this Ordinance provides for a four -way
stop at Savannah Drive and Davenport and a three -way stop
at Savannah Drive (north and south) and Inglewood (east).
They will continue to monitor the situation to see if any
further traffic controls are needed.
Mr. McDonald asked if the crosswalk had been painted in
and Mr. Sweatt replied not yet.
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Mayor Baldwin asked if the City received any complaints
about traffic during the open house at the school and Mr.
Sweatt answered they had not.
Mr. Greenwald wondered if they need school speed limit
signs and Mr. Sweatt answered he thought all the streets
were 20 mph, but he would check it out.
Council agreed they were ready for this item to be included
on next Tuesday night's agenda.
#5 Discuss revisions to parking regulations at Main
Street and Corbett Junior High School.
Mr. Sweatt noted, that after a review of the situation,
they are recommending some changes. No parking on Main
Street on the north side from Lindbergh Avenue to Curtiss
Avenue as well as no parking on the north side west 65'
from Curtiss Avenue, and on the north side in an area 395'
east from Oak Street. Also, no parking on the south side
of Main Street from Lindbergh Avenue to Aviation Avenue
with no parking on the south side from Aviation Avenue 300'
west,. and no parking on the south side beginning 300' west
of the intersection of Aviation Avenue to Oak Street during
school hours.
After discussion of all the above changes, Mr. Greenwald
suggested the City also look at putting up "No U Turn"
signs.
Council felt they had enough information to include this
item on next Tuesday night's agenda.
#6 Consider and take action on plans and
specifications for Elbel Road sidewalk project.
Mr. Sweatt had a copy of the plans /specifications for
Council to review. He commented they meet ADA requirements
and there will be passing spots every 200 feet. The base
project consisting of 1165 linear feet of sidewalk,
including the passing zones and the pedestrian bridge with
handrails, is estimated to be #29,870. An alternate
additive bid of 495 linear feet of sidewalk to go around
the service station and down Borgfeld Road to connect with
the existing Dove Meadows sidewalk is estimated to be. an
additional $4,076. These estimates include the 200 linear
feet of County substation frontage, so based on the City's
policy and estimated cost, approximately $1650 could be
reduced from those estimates. This is not a budgeted
project, so it would be necessary that funds be used from
existing reserves.
Mr. McDonald asked the status of the school district's
plan to put in sidewalks and Mayor Baldwin indicated it
should be approved at their meeting tomorrow night.
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Mr. McDonald stressed how necessary he thinks these
sidewalks are and then asked if there's any economical
benefit to the school district and the City going out for
bids at the same time. Mr. Sweatt replied he did not
know.
Mayor Baldwin asked if they could check on it. The City
could do it all and the school district would pay the City.
He will check with Herb Rehmann in the morning. Mr.
Sweatt mentioned the City will not pay to have another set
of plans drawn up.
Mr. McDonald emphasized the necessity of proceeding
quickly and moved to approve the plans and specifications
for the Elbel Road sidewalk project and to advertise for
bids as soon as possible. (If it works out that it's more
economical for the school district and the City to go out
for bids at the same time, and the school district is ready
to go, that's fine, but if not then the City should
proceed.) Mr. Greenwald seconded the motion, which carried
with the following votes:
AYES: Councilmembers McDonald, Agee and Greenwald.
NAYS: None.
#7 Discuss changes to Guidelines for Naming of
Streets, Roads and Other Facilities.
Mr. Sweatt reminded Council they have in their packets a
copy of the original Guidelines approved in 1989 and a copy
of the changes being suggested by Planning and Zoning.
Planning and Zoning will hold a public hearing on September
22nd regarding a request from Helen Gutierrez to rename
Live Oak Road to Guiterrez Lane. City Council's public
hearing is scheduled for October 7th.
A petition has been received from the property owners along
Live Oak Road opposing the name change. Planning and
Zoning is also opposed to the name change. At the request
of Council, Mr. Sweatt went to his office to get a copy of
the petition.
After looking over the petition, Council agreed they were
ready for this item to be included on next Tuesday night's
agenda.
#8 CITY MANAGER'S REPORT: A. Announced Alamo Waste
is proposing a merger with a company in Connecticut. They
will need approval from Council to transfer the franchise.
He will be getting more details from Henry Gutierrez and
will provide that to Council.
B. Mentioned he will be meeting with a gentleman named
Jack Rowan who owns the old Alamo Waste site. Mr. Rowan
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talked with a reporter from the North East Journal and told
him Schertz is interested in having a hospital built in the
City. Supposedly Mr. Rowan has some interest in that, so
if you hear anything, just remember the City is not
thumping the tub for a hospital.
C. Stated they got some information on money coming to the
TIF. At the present time the percentage from the
participating entities is 758 of base, but they're
considering dropping it this year, on a one -time basis, to
358.
There was some discussion about future growth, bond debt
service, and what the TIF plans to do with the money. Mr.
Sweatt told Council if they wish for the TIF to do
something different, they need to let him know or let the
TIF know.
Mr. McDonald suggested examining it again next year and
asking the TIF to come back with a plan.
D. Commented they budgeted $15,000 toward a street sweeper
this year and with Council's approval, he would like to
include on the next agenda an item for awarding a bid for a
new street sweeper and approving the financing arrangement
for the balance. They would need to finance $68,000 and
are getting an interest rate of 58 from Schertz Bank and
Trust. They are checking with Lone Star to see if they can
beat the 58 and should know by next Tuesday's meeting.
Council consented to having this item on next week's
agenda.
E. Mentioned the City Secretary is considering the
purchase of a new Lanier recording system for the Council
Chambers.
F. Related two Baptist churches would like to rent the
pool for what they call 5th Quarter Activity after the
first home football game. The time would be from 9:30 p.m.
to midnight and they have agreed to employ off -duty police
officers for security. This is beyond the time the pool is
normally open, so he would like Council's approval to
extend the time. The consensus of Council was to extend
the time.
#10 ITEMS BY COUNCIL: Mr. Greenwald: A. Reported that
Planning and Zoning had a plat come in from Taco Bell.
B. Asked if the fact the street sweeper is down is the
reason they are getting grass growing up in the cracks of
the street. Mr. Sweatt replied no, they just haven't been
able to keep up with maintenance.
Mr. McDonald: Noticed they're starting to put the fence
up around the detention pond in Woodland Oaks and there's a
gap between the rail and where the fence ends.
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Mr. Agee: A. Mentioned weeds behind Robert Stevens that
need to be mowed.
B. Commented that when you're going eastbound on Exchange
and Randolph, there's a bush you can't see around.
#11 ITEMS BY MAYOR: A. Told Council they are being
invited by Robert Nichols to meet with officials of TXDoT
on September 3rd at 2:00 p.m. at the City of Boerne
maintenance offices. They want an RSVP by August 29th.
B. Commented everyone, no doubt, has read about Cibolo's
dilemma regarding Dietz Road. He plans on asking the
school district to participate in some way and thinks the
City should also participate. He also thinks it would be a
good idea to put some pressure on Commissioner Wolverton
and Judge Sagebiel to come up with some money from the
County. The students need a good road. Chuck McCullough
from the North East Sun is waiting on a statement from him
in the morning.
Before the meeting was adjourned, Mr. McDonald mentioned
looking. -at the possibility of sidewalks along FM 3009 and
along Schertz Parkway and rescheduling the tour that was
cancelled. It was decided to try and set it up for either
the 20th or 27th of September.
#12 ADJOURBIMENT
On a motion by Mr. McDonald, seconded by Mr. Greenwald
and unanimously carried, the meeting was adjourned at 9:20
p.m.
ATTEST:
City Secretary, City of Schertz
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