ccswks 06-09-1993
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SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
JUNE 9, 1993
The Schertz City Council convened in Special Workshop
Session Wednesday, June 9, 1993 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, presiding1 Joe Potempa 1
Barbara Stanhope 1 Mary Marsh and Ken Greenwald. Staff
present were City Manager Kerry Sweatt and City Secretary
June Krause.
*1 HEARING OF RESIDENTS: Mr. Bill Neller advised
that the following Monday - June 14th, Flag Day - they would
have the Flag Burning Ceremonies at the Fire Station at 7:00
p.m. Mr. Neller said they would be folding the flags early
in the afternoon and that Mayor Sawyer and Rep. Kuempel
would be the torch barriers for the ceremonies.
*2 Discuss recycling proposals and alternatives.
Mr. Sweatt reminded Council that some time ago they had
requested that we reactivate the Recycling Committee to see
where we are, where we might go and discuss the issue of the
recycling plant. Mr. Sweatt gave a brief background of the
committee recommendations and alternatives. He said that
lately, the committee has been meeting weekly the
committee consisting of Gail Douglas, Mark Marquez, Henry
Gutierrez and himself.
Ms. Douglas related that in December of 1992 we started
collecting recyclables at the Library the first Saturday of
each month. The hours were expanded later by one hour with
the new hours being from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The
previous Saturday, they had over 75 cars stop by and all
five bins were filled in those three hours. Ms. Douglas
said they are getting more participation that they can
handle right now and that is why they have transferred the
recycling collection to the Alamo Waste site on FM 3009.
She said they do operate with volunteers and she can get
plenty of those.
Mr. Gutierrez added that this has been expanded to the
first and third Saturday of each month, where company
personnel will be utilized as well as volunteers. He said
they will take plastic milk and soda bottles, newspapers,
corrugated cardboard and of course the aluminum and tin
cans. He said they are limited to what Acco Waste, which is
part of BFI, will take. The committee has also discussed
different types of residential recycling services. He said
they have ruled out bagging as that will only work well for
yard waste. He was recommending 18 gallon containers as the
only thing that really works. They send a truck by that has
the different compartments for recycling. That is what most
everyone is going to in this area. He then introduced Tom
Fulman, who previously worked with Moore Industrial Disposal
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and several other disposal companies and has been involved
with the recycling program in Universal City and City of
Converse.
Council then discussed the three alternatives for mandatory
curb-side collection. (1) continue twice per week garbage
collection with once per week recycle collection and once
per week yard waste collection - additional $1.75 per month.
(2) once per week garbage collection, once per
recycling collection, and once per week yard
collection - additional $1.75 per month.
week
waste
(3) nine
week recycling
three months of
week recycling
additional $1.75
months of once per week garbage, once per
and once per week yard waste collection
twice per week garbage collection, once per
and once per week yard waste collection
per month.
Mr. Gutierrez said that coming regulation, probablY by the
first of October, would require all disposal companies to
extract the yard waste because it does not go to the
landfill. That is the reason for separating this at this
time.
In discussing the diverting of waste from the landfills, the
question was asked if the tipping fees would not or should
not be less.
Mark Marquez said that any landfill owner has fixed costs so
if you reduce the amount of waste going to the landfill, you
might have to raise the cost of the tipping fees to cover
his own costs. Mr. Marquez reminded Council that he had
briefed them last year on some things he was working on. It
is really coming along quicker than expected. He said he
had found a company who can do what we need done. We are
talking about diverting between 80 and 90% from the
landfills, without any curbside or anything, they will just
take it. Last year he estimated this type plant would cost
about $15,000,000. This company says they can bring in a
1000 ton a day plant for $8,500,000. He said he has been
working with this company.for several months and they have
now found private financing. However, there is a catch to
this they want to use the City's bond rate as part of
their financing package, making a potential for liability on
our tax rate. We are negotiating that problem today. They
are willing to bond probably up to $6,500,000 of the cost
and Mr. Marquez said we are now looking for financing for
that other $2,500,000. The way it is now structured, 10% of
the net revenues would come to the City - that could equate
to $250,000 a year. Mr. Marquez said the man he has been
talking with said the Texas Department of Transportation
would take every bit of compost we could produce.
Mr. Sweatt advised that in the meantime the Texas Water
Commission has funded various studies. We are participating
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with the Alamo Area Council of Governments for a feasibility
study for this. The City of Schertz will be a party to the
feasibility study to such a proposal. There is some study
money out there.
Mrs. Marsh aqreed it is better to qet started now and
ahead of the qame. She recommended proceedinq to
arranqement of twice per week qarbaqe collection with
per week recycle collection and once per week yard
collection, for an additional $1.75 per month.
qet
final
once
waste
When Mayor Sawyer polled the Council Members, they aqreed to
continue with arranqements and then brinq it back to Council
for final approval. He requested this information be in
writinq along with facts and costs of this.
#3 Discuss the Planninq
Comprehensive Plan Report.
Be
Zonlnq
COlIIIRlsslon
Mr. Sweatt said staff believes that overall the Planninq
and Zoninq is on tarqet with this document and the
appendixes that are not in this but do qo into detaIl. He
said he believes it is an excellent quide. He added that
P&Z needs to know what Council thinks about it and what they
recommend chanqinq. He said he had suqqested addlnq an
executive summary.
Mayor Sawyer went throuqh his recommended chanqes by paqe.
Mrs. Stanhope had her recommendations in writinq, which she
turned over to the City Manaqer.
Mrs. Marsh felt P&Z did a qood job on the plan and only one
thinq worried her. She recommended stronqly that every
department of the City should have a lonq ranqe plan, not
just the few.
Mr.
plan,
seen.
Potempa felt that P&Z did a tremendous job on this
with Mayor Sawyer addinq this is the best one he has
#4 DIscuss BOA hearlnq of June 15th for a request by
Dennis Little of 1028 Gettysburq for a Special Exception
allowinq him to construct a carport within 6- of the
property line.
Mr. Sweatt noted the request was routed throuqh P&Z and
they recommend schedulinq a Board of Adjustment hearinq for
June 15th and they also recommend approval.
Mr. Potempa pointed out that the next door neiqhbor had no
objection.
Mr. Greenwald advised that the way he has channeled the
water, it would run on his property, not the neiqhbors.
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#5 Discuss proposed Table of Organization changes.
Mayor Sawyer commented that the City had the Public Works
concept at one time and it worked well. He said he did not
know why it was changed back.
Mrs. Krause explained that at the time the Public Works
Director resigned, we advertised for a replacement and could
not find anyone with the qualifications that the City could
afford to hire.
Mr. Sweatt said in management you deal with people and with
the best talent you have. He proposed the Director of
Public Works is one of our employees, who has been an
excellent employee and giving him more responsibility will
be both good for him and the City. He advised that, as
Councilmembers were unanimously in agreement with this
concept, he would ask the Council to approve a new Table of
Organization at the next meeting.
#6 EXECUTIVE SESSION: Mayor Sawyer advised that this
would not be necessary. It was on the agenda in case needed
to discuss the planned change: however since Council is in
agreement with the change, no executive session is
necessary.
#7 Consider and take action, if any, on the above
executive session.
No action necessary for the same reason as item #6.
#8 CITY MANAGER'S REPORT: A. Received notice from
AACOG of their annual meeting on Tuesday, June 29th.
B. With Council permission, he would place on the next
agenda recommendation for new members to the P&Z. Mrs.
Vonado and Mr. Nelson have both resigned and P&Z has
interviewed prospects. They have recommended Pia Jarman and
Tony Moreno.
c. P&Z has also recommended Council appoint Merwin Willman
as Secretary of the Commission, which will also be an agenda
item.
D. He circulated copies of the proposed agenda for the
Opening Day Ceremonies for the new Animal Shelter, asking
for suggestions or comments.
E. Mr. Sweatt then thanked Council for their support on
his recommendation for the new Table of Organization for the
City.
#9 ITEMS BY COUNCIL: Mr. Potemoa commented that it
was great to have the railroad tracks at FM 3009 and FM 78
repaired.
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Mrs. Stanhooe said she really had a qreat time at the
Firemen's Supper.
Mr. Greenwald advised that if the building construction
stays as it is now, the City will be out of available lots
by January. He went on to say that with the additional
subdivisions cominq in, our ordinance speaks of zero
landscapinq, but he felt it should be mandated.
Mayor Sawyer said he hated to mandate that but did think it
should be encouraqed.
#10 ITEMS BY MAYOR: Complimented P&Z on the
Comprehensive Plan, sayinq he thouqht it the best he had
seen, even better than the one the City paid to have done.
Mayor
p.m.
#11 ADJOURNMENT: There beinq no further business,
Sawyer declared the meetinq to be adjourned at 8:51
ATTEST:
y. ~
~~/ i~~J-/
Mayor, City of s~rtz, TX
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