ccswks 03-30-1994
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SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
MARCH 30, 1994
The Schertz City Council convened in Special Workshop
Session Wednesday, March 30, 1994 at 7:00 p.m. in the
Conference Room of the Municipal Complex, 1400 Schertz
Parkway, Schertz, Texas. The following members were
present: Mayor Earl W. Sawyer, presiding; Hal Baldwin;
Barbara Stanhope; Mary Marsh and Ken Greenwald. Absent:
Joe Potempa. Staff present were City Manager Kerry Sweatt,
City Secretary June Krause, Chief of Police Norman Agee.
#1 HEARING OF RESIDENTS: George Mower of 501 Brooks
Avenue stated he was very amazed and pleasantly surprised to
see the Police and Fire Departments patrolling the streets
and being so helpful during the storm early Sunday morning.
#2
amending
streets.
Discuss final consideration
the Subdivision Ordinance
of an
regarding
ordinance
private
Mr. Sweatt reminded that the first reading of this
ordinance was approved at the last meeting. Planning and
Zoning had some concerns about developing private streets in
the community. Because of their concern for security, a
number of home owners have pushed for security gates and
such. We had no specifications or regulations on this, so
the P&Z made this recommendation. Private streets may be
authorized in the City if a homeowners association is
established to maintain and upkeep all streets and if the
private streets are constructed in accordance with the
City's standards for public streets.
Mr. Greenwald
need to make
secured area
maintenance of
said he expressed at the P&Z meeting that you
sure all the people who bought homes in a
fully realized they had to pay for the
the streets.
Mr. Baldwin asked if the home owners would be asked for
this.
Mr. Sweatt read the section about the maintenance agreement
that would appear on the subdivision plat regarding the
street construction, upkeep and maintenance to include the
mowing of shoulders and right-of-way, removal of weeds and
unclogging of culverts. All this will be the responsibility
of the homeowners association.
During further discussion, it was brought out that periodic
inspections of streets by a public official who is
authorized to enforce complaints about poor maintenance be
permitted.
Answering a citizen's question, Mr. Sweatt advised that if
the homeowners association dissolved, the property owners
would still be responsible for the streets.
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There being no further comments, Mayor Sawyer asked that
this be on the next action agenda.
#3 Discuss Community Development Block Grant Agreement
concerning the Rittimann Addition Utility Project.
Mayor Sawyer reminded that this has been discussed at length
and that the City over saw the water project and now this
addition is getting a sewer system under this grant.
Mr. Sweatt advised the grant in the amount of $164,594 is
for Rittimann Addition sewer lines that will connect to CCMA
mains. Because this is not in the city limits of Schertz,
Bexar County will oversee the project but have asked to use
our engineer. They will solicit and award bids and our
responsibility would be to inspect the project because we
will be assuming future maintenance responsibilities.
There were no further comments or discussion on this item.
#4 Discuss proposed resolution and name of NAFTA
Highway for Interstate 35.
Mayor Sawyer said we have been asked by several entities to
refer to Interstate 35 as the NAFTA Highway. This will be
from the US-Mexico border at Laredo through the center of
the United States to the US-Canada border near Duluth,
Minnesota. Mayor Sawyer advised that if there were no
objections, this would be on the next action agenda.
Mr. Sweatt added that this is not really a name change but
just a reference designation.
#5 Discuss agreement with DEA.
Mr. Sweatt said we have been a member of the Alamo Area
Narcotics Task Force (AANTF) for several years. He added
that Chief Agee and he had discussed ending our
participation with AANTF and to affiliate with the Drug
Enforcement Agency (DEA). He said they believe our overall
effectiveness and training and experience to deal with
narcotic traffic would be enhanced by joining the DEA. They
now have an arrangement with New Braunfels and would like to
have this area covered.
Mrs. Marsh had several questions on this subject. She
asked how the AANTF would take our non participation and
Chief Agee said he did not think there would be any
animosity.
Mrs. Marsh then asked if there was enough monetary
involvement to make the change worthwhile. Chief Agee
answered that with the current Task Force, we do not get in
on any seizures and would with the DEA. If our officer was
directly involved in developing the case, we would get a
percentage; however, if he was just a member of the team,
~.
1]3
our percentage goes down. New Braunfels has built quite a
war chest and Universal City has done the same.
Mrs.
what
Agee
said
very
Marsh said she was aware of the training involved but
cooperation would we get under the DEA umbrella. Chief
said they all come together and help each other. He
he had worked in the past with the DEA and they are
unselfish.
Mr. Baldwin commented that our sole commitment is that we
provide an officer and we pay his salary.
Mrs. Stanhope asked if the duties of the officer would be
the same. Chief Agee answered that the DEA deals with a
much higher level - the stakes are much higher with the DEA.
Mr. Baldwin asked that at that level, what would we stand
to gain. Chief Agee replied that the bigger dope deals have
a lot of cash on hand that is seized and we would get a
share.
Mr. Sweatt added we are interested in our officer
more training and he would still be under the
control and can be taken out within ninety days.
getting
Chief's
Mr. Baldwin said from the non-monetary standpoint, it makes
more sense to work with the Alamo Area Group and deal with
narcotics on the local level than throw in with the DEA on
the National level where our man may be anywhere in the
United States.
Chief Agee said where he sees the benefit is that there is a
provision in the seizure statutes where we can earmark a
certain amount of seizures to be used in local drug
prevention programs and rehabilitation programs. We have
not been able to do that now, unless we would go into tax
monies. The Council can request, out of that seizure, up to
ten percent to use for programs.
Mr. Greenwald asked if we were planning to cut anything
back on the local level - such as the schools. Chief Agee
said we could get the DEA to come out for programs that the
Alamo Area might have done and of course, our officers will
continue to do the same things we have been doing with the
schools.
Mayor Sawyer asked if there were any more questions and
there were none. He said that at the next meeting we would
be asking Council desires as to whether they wished to go
with the DEA or not.
#6 Discuss agreement with City of Cibolo regarding
Dispatch Service.
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Mayor Sawyer remembered that years ago we
dispatching for the City of Cibolo but he did not
what they paid us.
handled
remember
Mr. Sweatt said we have tried to analyze our costs and
believe the $330 a month proposed would pay for that cost at
the level we anticipate the service of about 1800 calls per
year. We will examine it annually and if the activity are
appreciably different from what they are now, we would want
to increase the total charge. We might leave the per-call
cost the same but the number of calls would be increasing.
Mr. Sweatt added that we have provided a draft of the
agreement.
Mrs. Stanhope reminded that Cibolo will be adding a lot of
homes to the area. She referred to the draft contract where
it states if the call load builds, we would go up on the
charge.
Mr. Sweatt said this issue has been discussed by the City
of Cibolo but has not been acted upon until it was discussed
with Schertz Council. They have been paying Universal City
$330 a month right now. They are requesting us to furnish
service because the City of Universal City is changing their
radio operations and equipment.
Mr. Greenwald asked
upgrading to UHF. Mr.
us will have to upgrade.
if our five-year plan calls
Sweatt said that ultimately all
for
of
#7 CITY MANAGER'S REPORT: A. He said he planned to place
an item on the next agenda, if he gets some information from
the Texas Department of Transportation. Some right of way
acquisition questions have been raised by the TDOT regarding
the possible realignment of FM 3009. We don't have all the
information now but we should by then. Mr. Sweatt said
since it looks like the City might have to acquire
additional right of way, we are making contact now.
Ideally, we will ask for donations but are not too hopeful.
Council then discussed the design of the FM 3009 curve,
which was for 55 miles per hour. Mr. Sweatt said they
indicated that even if it was lowered to 45 miles per hour,
it would not make that much difference.
Mr. Sweatt added that the property owners on
homes side of FM 3009 have approached the
landscape barriers.
the
TDOT
Garden
about
Mayor Sawyer said the best thing would be stop lights and we
can continue to bring a lot of pressure through our
representatives.
#8 ITEMS BY COUNCIL: Mrs. Marsh reported on the
Schertz Business Association meeting, saying their funds are
in good shape and the raffle tickets for the Jubilee are now
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J15
ready for sale. Scholarship applications are now at the
high school. They have changed some of the rules for the
Schertz Sweetheart. Hugo Ackermann will be Grand Marshal
with Billy Feehan named as Honorary Grand Marshal.
Political entries for the Jubilee parade will be charged a
$15.00 entry fee. The Jubilee this year will extend over a
four day period and plans are coming along well. The SBA
donated $100 to Project Graduation this year. Two men from
the United Directory Service spoke to the group regarding a
telephone directory.
M~____Pote~a :
money to start
Villa.
Said he was very happy, we finally got the
the water/sewer/street project in Mobile
Mrs. Stanhone: A. While getting gas for her vehicle, a
man spoke to her with nothing but praise for the City
employees during the recent storm, saying they were doing
things they did not have to do. She said she also got a
couple of phone calls with the same message.
B. She asked if another City tour for Council and P&Z
members has been considered. Mr. Sweatt suggested one
could be conducted after the City election.
C. She said it was neat listening to Sgt. Todd discussing
gangs, saying she is very, very good and gave some good
information. People that are not involved were really
amazed. She added that Sgt. Todd is very proud of being
the first woman sergeant in the City.
Mr. Baldw~n: A.
the Fire, Police,
storm.
Added his comments on the fine action of
and Public Works employees during the
B. Reported on a meeting he and Mr. Sweatt
representatives on the Legislative Committee
There will be a lot of interesting legislation
supporting.
attended as
on Finance.
TML will be
Mr. Greenwald: A. He also thanked everybody on the staff
for the work done the previous weekend, adding he was not
here but saw the results of the storm.
B. Those who missed the BVYA opening on Saturday missed a
good show.
C. Reported that the sound system purchased for the 4th of
July is really terrific. It was used for the Opening Day of
BVYA and was excellent.
#9 ITEMS BY MAYOR: Reported that the City has rented
a large chipper that will chip limbs up to ten inches. If
anyone has limbs down as a result of the storm, they can
call in and get on the chipping schedule.
J 16 '
Chief Agee announced his involvement with the Bowl-a-thon to
help the Project Graduation.
Mayor Sawyer added that there is not much money coming in
right now and they really need help for this worthwhile
project.
#10 ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to
come before Council, the meeting was declared adjourned at
7:56 pm by Mayor Sawyer.
ATTEST:
tl /}J
/;-7 ~ !}Ill. j {U&;;!/J- -
~or, City of ~Ch~Z, Texas
~~bR
Secretary, City of Schertz
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