ccswks 05-12-1993
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SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
MAY 12, 1993
The Schertz City Council convened in Special Workshop
Session Tuesday, May 12, 1993 at 7:00 p.m. in the
Conference Room of the Municipal Complex, 1400 Schertz
Parkway, Schertz, Texas. The followinq members were
present: Earl W. Sawyer, presiding; Joe Potempa, Hal
Baldwin, Barbara Stanhope and Ken Greenwald. Absent: Mary
Marsh. Staff present were City Manaqer Kerry Sweatt and
City Secretary June Krause.
#1 HEARING OF RESIDENTS: Bill Neller said he had
talked with Representative Kuempel and he will definitely be
here for the June 14th Flaq Burninq Ceremonies. The VFW is
also qoinq to try to have some of their members present.
Mr. Neller also was concerned about havinq to qo to two
different places to vote on the last election day. Mrs.
Krause explained that by law the county had to hold the
election votinq in all three of their precincts in Schertz;
but all the other elections were in one place the
Community Center.
*2 Discuss current leqislation relatinq to the Edwards
Aquifer.
Mr. Sweatt had asked David Davenport of Canyon Reqional
Water Authority to qive an update on the leqislation beinq
considered in Austin. He also reminded Council that we have
two representatives to the Canyon Reqional John
Bierschwale and Ken Greenwald.
Mr. Davenport qave a brief outline of the bill creatinq the
Edwards Aquifer Authority. The Board will consist of nine
directors - two from Bexar County appointed by the City of
San Antonio; one from Bexar County appointed by Bexar
County; one from Comal County or the City of New Braunfels
- appointed by Comal County; one from Hays County appointed
by the City of San Marcos; one from Medina County appointed
by the Medina County Underqround Water District; one from
Uvalde County appointed by the Uvalde County Underqround
Water District; one alternatinq on four year terms from
Bexar County to represent the interest of Bexar County
irrigators appointed by Bexar County and Atascosa County
appointed by the Everqreen Underqround Water Conservation
District; and one alternating on four year terms (12 years)
in Guadalupe County, Hays County, Comal County selected by
the Commissioner's courts of the counties.
Mr. Davenport said the way this bill developed was that
they put on the Senate side, San Antonio, New Braunfels and
San Marcos and some industrial users on the Guadalupe and a
couple of entities into a room and basically started votinq
on what was and was not goinq to go into the bill. This
rather pointed the views to their needs and not particularly
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to the needs of others in the district. As is, it went on
through the Senate and was passed the previous day and was
sent on to the House.
The above outline of the Board was from the Senate version
but Mr. Davenport did not seem to think it would be much
different and would make it through the legislature.
Mr. Davenport said an important part of the bill
the Guadalupe portion is included in the district
all the rights and privileges of anyone else
district, whether representation is there or not.
is
and
in
that
has
the
There are two boards and that is rather unusual. The first
board is an advisory board made up of these counties and
Guadalupe will have a place on that and they are to write
part of the management plan. There is also a Downstream
Water Committee, made up of users on the Guadalupe. Both of
these boards do have the ability to appeal to the Texas
Water Commission.
The Authority is empowered to enter into contracts and may
also create and contract for water supply facilities. Their
first goal is to reduce pumpage to 450,000 acre feet and
reduce to 400,000 acre feet on January 1, 2008. Each water
purveyor who owns a well will draw and apply to the new
Edwards Authority for it's grandfather rights and initial
permit withdrawing. They will look at the permit to be sure
there is no waste or over use and if none is found, they
will issue that initial permit. They will total the entire
permits up and whatever is over the 450,000 acre feet will
proportionally reduce everyone's permit. The plan is that
they will go out and find enough people who are willing to
give up their initial permit, buy them out, trade off to
take up that additional 50,000 acre feet. If they are not
able to do this, then we will see the second reduction to
400,000 acre feet.
Mr. Davenport went on to say the Authority must prepare and
enforce a Conservation and Reuse Plan, a Management Plan and
a Demand Management Plan and conduct research. He said the
Authority may not levy a property tax. A fee will be
assessed on aquifer users and downstream water rights
holders to finance it's administrative expenses and special
fees to retire water riqhts. It may also levy fees for
permits, registration, ~tc..
Mr. Davenport said one .,point they have been trying to get,
and which may conflict with the interest of the City of
Schertz, is for non well owners to acquire a permit in their
own right. He said the City of San Antonio has opposed this
because of their water contracts and he did not know if it
would pass.
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Mr. Davenport said he believed it is in our best interest
to support this legislation because without it we would not
have a management plan and the Federal Government will come
in and start withdrawing federal dollars. He said the
governor is willing to call a special session if this bill
does not pass the regular session. We believe
Representative Kuempel will be very supportive of this bill.
Mr. Sweatt said we all know that surface water is a big
issue and there will be a lot of activity in leasing and
buying water rights.
Mr. Davenport advised they have begun construction of their
water treatment plant, which will be an alternate source,
using Guadalupe River as a base.
Council then discussed this issue at length.
Mr. Greenwald said this bill will have an impact on
everything - industrial, housing, farming, etc. and we must
come up with an alternate source of water.
#3 Discuss funding for Animal Control Building sign.
Mayor Sawyer said Mr. Sweatt informed him that we do not
have the money to put up the sign.
Mr. Sweatt recommended transferring $4,000 from 1990
Certificates of Obligation. In the bond issue, we did list
a number of projects and did not earmark the dollar amounts.
Among the list was the funding for a fueling system and you
will recall that soon after issuing these bonds, the
decision was made to remove our old tanks and go to using a
commercial fueling service, which has proved quite
effective. But those funds, after removing the tanks and
other related expenses, remain at $49,683.26. As we do not
anticipate reinstituting the fueling system, we ask that you
allow us to transfer $4,000 of those funds for the purpose
of building a sign in front of the animal shelter facility
similar to the one in front of our city hall building.
There was some
change-board sign
main arteries.
discussion of the effectiveness
on the top, since this will be
of
off
the
the
Mr. Sweatt said staff feels it would be beneficial and the
bidder said they would only subtract $200 to remove the
display board from the top of the sign.
After further discussion, Council
building the sign but did feel
proposals before accepting one.
had no
we should
problem with
get further
#4 Discuss awarding bid on City
Replacement.
Complex
Roof
158
Mr. Sweatt advised that there was money in the budqet to
complete reworkinq the roof of the Municipal Complex
buildinq. With this project, we will complete foam coatinq
the entire buildinq. We beqan two years aqo usinq this foam
and are very pleased with it.
Mr. Baldwin said he was still concerned that we only qet
one bid when we go out for proposals.
*5 Discuss agreement with other taxinq jurisdictions
regarding Schertz Parkway Tax Increment Financing District.
Mr. Sweatt reminded that a public hearing was held after
discussing this with the School District and the County.
After drawing up the agreement, we sent copies to both the
School District and County, asking them to contact us if
they had any questions and to return it by the 21st. He
said we have heard back from the County and they have
executed the agreement. We have heard from the School
District but do not have a signed agreement.
Mr. Baldwin explained that they are waitinG to see how they
will be effected by the state fundinq before siqninq the
agreement. He said they should have some idea by June 1st.
After further discussion, Mayor Sawyer sUGqested holdinq off
on this until some time in June so that Dr. Steele can be
contacted on this matter.
*6 Discuss final consideration of an ordinance
granting a franchise to Paragon Cable for cable service.
Mr. Sweatt mentioned that it seems this has been
discussed for months; however, at the next meetinq Council
will consider the final readinq of the ordinance extendinq a
franchise to Paragon Cable. This is a fifteen year
franchise that proposes to beqin November 9, 1992, which
will be a common date for a number of cities in the area.
This franchise does allow us to take advantaGe of
technoloqical improvements. We have received no negative
comments on this franchise; therefore recommend approval.
Mr. Potempa asked about the 10% discount he had read about.
Mr. Sweatt said he would have that information at the next
meeting.
*7 Discuss 5-18-93 BOA Hearinq on a request by Sue
Martin of 2705 Hidden Grove Lane for a Special Exception
allowinq her to extend a deck and cover 4' into the required
rear yard setback.
Mayor Sawyer advised that Planninq & zoninq has heard this
case and recommends approval after holding the public
hearinq. As there were no comments from Council, Mayor
Sawyer asked that this be set for May 18th meetinq.
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#8 Discuss proposed updated Comprehensive Plan as
presented by the Planninq & Zoninq Commission.
Mayor Sawyer felt that Planning & Zoning had worked quite
extensively on this document.
Mr. Greenwald said the basic thought was for Councilmembers
to take two or three weeks to go over this Plan and if they
have suggestions or changes, get them back to P&Z as this is
just a draft.
Mayor Sawyer received approval of Council for this to be
brought back in about three weeks.
#9 CITY MANAGER'S REPORT: A. Reminded Council of the
Texas Department of Transportation's I-35 Opening Ceremonies
at 10:00 a.m. on May 17th at the Schertz Parkway overpass.
B. Also reminded that on Friday, May 14th at 10:00 a.m.,
there would be a Pre-construction Conference for the FM 3009
Project with contractors, engineers, utilities, etc..
C. Called to Council's attention that staff is continuing
discussions with Randolph Air Force Base for use of Lower
Seguin Road. He added that we need to get load zoning on
this road and do it fast.
D. Reminder that the Schertz Pool will be opening Memorial
Day with schedules and lessons information to be in the next
Newsletter.
#10 ITEMS BY COUNCIL:
Mr. Potempa asked if the City is still working with Beck
Concrete about the dirt on FM 78. Mr. Sweatt said he had
it on his list to remind them it needs sweeping again.
Mr. Greenwald advised that he and John Bierschwale attended
their first official meeting as directors of the Canyon
Regional Water Association. The ground-breaking of the
treatment plant will be on the 20th of May, with the
schedule of completion in June of 1994. There are still a
lot of questions to be answered.
#11 ITEMS BY MAYOR: A. The Heidi Search Center will
have an Open House on May 22nd.
B. He attended ceremonies at the High School where they
awarded some 80 teenagers, who attended Teen Court, with
certificates. This is really a worthwhile project. Some of
the children are sentenced to work at Autumn Winds and find
it so rewarding they go back after the sentence is over.
100
C. He had received a letter from the owner of Batter Up
concerning last year's fireworks fallout littering the
Batter Up, and wanting to make sure it doesn't happen again
this year. He asked that the fireworks display be moved so
that the debris will not fall on his property.
#12 ADJOURNMENT:
meeting was declared
Sawyer.
There being no further business, the
adjourned at 8:36 p.m. by Mayor
ATTEST:
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~;or, City of Sch~Z, TX
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Ci~s~cretary,vCity of 9shertz