ccswks 09-09-1992
284
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
SEPTEMBER 9, 1992
The Schertz City Council convened in Special Workshop Session,
Wednesday September 9, 1992 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,
presidingi Joe Potempa, Hal Baldwin; Barbara Stanhopei Mary
Marsh and Ken Greenwald. Staff present were City Manager Kerry
Sweatt and Deputy City Secretary Alice Austin.
#1 HEARING OF RESIDENTS: None.
#2 Discussion of awarding bid on the removal of underground
storage tanks.
Mr. Sweatt advised that one of our requirements is that we
dispose of two underground sealed storage tanks. The tanks are
located one behind the Municipal Complex and the other at the
Streets and Parks assembly area on FM 1518. Both of the tanks
are a number of years old and have gone out of service due to our
new arrangements with the fueling operation. As they are no
longer in use and are at a stage that we could not certify their
compliance with certain kinds of tests, they must be either
removed or proved that they are not leaking. He said that we
believe that we should dispose of these tanks and in the future
if we decide to go back into fueling operation it would be
necessary to reinstall new types of tanks.
He advised that we solicited bids to remove the tanks in
accordance with State law and EPA requirements. He advised that
bids had been received ranging from an apparent low bid of M & M
Construction, Inc. with a base bid of $4,775.00 to an apparent
high bid of DUP's of San Antonio with a base bid totalling
$8,957.00. He advised that we had reviewed the proposals and
made an estimate on a number of other items that would possibly
be involved. The base bid provides merely for the removal of the
overburden and removal of the tanks. If there is any
contamination found, that triggers the next round of items that
are over the base. He advised that based on the bids and the
background of those particular bidders, that it appears to us the
bid offered by Certified Properties in the amount of $4,984.00
with and anticipation of at least some drum disposal charges and
very likely some contamination soil removal and placement of the
additional polyurethane material to store the contaminated soil
represents the lowest and best bid and that we would be
recommending to Council next meeting that they award the contract
to Certified Properties.
Mr. Greenwald advised that EPA laws had changed where we would be
required to have double lined tanks.
Mrs. Stanhope said that the way we were handling it now seemed
to be working very well.
I
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Mr. Sweatt advised that it was and we were getting good service
from Diamond Shamrock.
Mr. Potempa ask how long did we anticipate it would take to
complete the job.
Mr. Sweatt advised that it would be 30 days and then depending on
what was found it could require some additional action.
Mayor Sawyer advised that this item be placed on the September 15
agenda.
#3 Discussion of
renewals.
health/major medical/life insurance
Mr. Sweatt advised that we had gone through some troubling times
in providing hospitalization insurance for employees. He advised
that Mr. Fike had gone out and solicited proposals from several
companies to test the market. We received a number of replies
mostly negative. Pacificare has proposed an increase averaging
10.7% which Mr. Fike says industry wide represents a very low
rate. The proposed new rate of Pacificare is $118.23 per
employee. We have also negotiated a lowering of the life
insurance rate at 33 cents per thousand with a 3 year rate
guarantee. He advised that Mr. Fike was here to answer
questions about the insurance industry generally, but that we are
recommending staying with Pacificare at least one additional
year. He advised that overall city employees reaction to
Pacificare has been positive.
Mr. Fike advised that what he had found in talking to a lot of
the companies is that they could not be competitive with the rate
increase from Pacificare. A number of companies sent written
responses that we did not have a stability history with carriers.
The existing plan that Pacificare can give us with the rate
increase at 10.7% is not a bad increase and that this was the
best rate that could be negotiated based on our loss ratio.
Mrs. Stanhope asked if the employees were satisfied. Mr.
Sweatt advised her yes.
Mr. Sweatt advised that the rate increase was provided for in
the proposed budget.
Mayor Sawyer advised to place this item on the September 15
agenda for consideration.
#4 Discussion of holding a public hearing on the proposed
budget for FY 1992-93.
Mr. Sweatt advised that the Public Hearing on September 10 was
on the Tax rate increase. On September 15 the Public Hearing
would be on the budget.
#5 Discussion of ordinance adopting the budget for FY
1992-93.
286
Mr. Sweatt advised that included in packet was a proposed
ordinance that would be on the Agenda for the regular September
15 meeting, unless there are other changes that come about
because of the public hearings, to consider adopting a General
Fund operating budget in the amount of $2,612,074.16.
Mayor Sawyer asked this item be placed on the September 15
agenda.
#6 Discussion of an ordinance setting the tax rate for FY
1992.
Mr. Sweatt advised that again depending on action that might
come as a result of the public hearings there is a draft
ordinance that would set the tax rate at 42.55 cents per $100.00
value. Mayor Sawyer asked what the percent of increase would be.
Mr. Sweatt advised that it was 7.13, he thought.
Mayor Sawyer asked this item be placed on the September 15
agenda.
#7 CITY MANAGER'S REPORT
1. Changes to table of organization and manning document as
discussed were proposed as follows: to revise Deputy City
Secretary to designate Norma Althouse as Deputy City Secretary
and designate Alice Austin as Office Manager/Data Processing
System Administrator; to clarify 2 utility clerks and to add a
Lieutenant in the Fire service.
Other changes proposed are to assign the Animal Control to the
Water/Wastewater Superintendant which will provide more direct
supervision and move the Building Services to the Asst. City
Manager.
2. Samuel Clemens bonfire and pep rally to be held on October 7.
3. Woodmen of the World are collecting material for the victims
of the hurricane.
4. Bids on sub-contracting for the Animal Shelter are due to be
in later in the month. We have several sub-contracts out for
bids. Will have raw data on the September 30 workshop.
5. The old cVADAc building is just about gone. Would like to
remove that part of the building and make a parking lot for the
small pavilion. Consensus of Council was to tear down the
building.
#8 ITEMS BY COUNCIL:
Mary Marsh: Need to take interest in garage sale signs. There
were some illegal signs on city property. Need to make an extra
effort to enforce ordinance.
Hal Baldwin: 1. Asked what the latest word from Excel
what feedback we had received from other cities. Mr.
advised that Excel says they are still players but are
fully funded and that the other cities are interested.
was and
Sweatt
not yet
, <37
2. The street light in the 700 block of Brooks has not worked in
about a week.
Ken Greenwald: 1.Advised that there was a sign nailed to the
poll at FM-78 and 1st advertising child care.
2. Jim Shriver's services were excellent.
that he had full military honors.
Mrs. Marsh advised
#9 ITEMS BY MAYOR:
1. Advised that we had three of our real good friends
citizens pass away within the passed few weeks. Lois Moore
was one of our prime volunteers at the Library; Mr. McHardy
was very active in the city for many years and Mr. Shriver
served the city well.
and
who
who
who
2. Advised that 5 people on the Fire Department were just
enough. Need to stress that we need volunteers.
not
3. The fence at the animal shelter is falling down and we
to do something about it.
Deed
4. Advised that Pacificare is a good company and advised that
they had had some very bad experiences with Humana Care for some
of his working folks on the base.
5. Bexar County Council of Mayors which we are a member of has
decided to file a resolution from the Council of Mayors to be
against the proposed ad valorem tax rate of 26.9 cents for the
Bexar County Hospital District.
6. Letter from Judith Zafferini, who was our State Senator and
did an outstanding job while she was in office, wishing us well
an advising that she was still willing to pursue some of what we
had asked her to pursue. One of the things she was asked to
pursue was assistance for disadvantaged children.
Mr. Sweatt advised that Mrs. Richard was in Humana Village Oaks
hospital.
Mr. Potempa advised that the exit off of IH-35 at Mobile
was very dangerous. Mr. Sweatt advised that once
construction was completed the Highway Department would
changing these to one-way access roads.
Villa
the
be
#10.
8:09 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT: Mayor Sawyer adjourned the meeting at
~~i~Chert2
ATTEST:
___~0!_~~ ..
Alice Austin, Deputy City Secretary
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288
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
SEPTEMBER 10, 1992
The Schertz City Council convened in Special Workshop Session,
Thursday, September 10, 1992 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council
Chambers of the Municipal Complex, 1400 Schertz Parkway, Schertz,
Texas. The following members were present: Mayor Earl W.
Sawyer, presiding; Joe Potempa; Hal Baldwin; Barbara Stanhope;
Mary Marsh and Ken Greenwald. Staff present were City Manager
Kerry Sweatt and Deputy City Secretary Alice Austin.
Mayor Sawyer opened the meeting and asked that everyone stand and
join in the Pledge of Allegiance.
#1 PUBLIC HEARING:
Mayor Sawyer advised that the single purpose of the Public
Hearing was to receive citizen comments on the proposed tax rate
increase. He advised that that would be the only thing addressed
at this meeting.
He asked if anyone wished to speak.
Mr. Sweatt advised that the official publication for the City of
Schertz is the Commercial Recorder and we run the notice in that
paper. We also run the notices in the Herald to make sure the
citizens are notified.
Mayor Sawyer advised that City Council, City Manager and
Staff spent long hours working out this budget and it is the
we could come up with. We think that we have been fair to
citizens on the rate increase and kept as low as possible.
City
best
our
Mayor asked Mr. Sweatt to make brief presentation.
Mr. Sweatt advised that the tax rate is made up of a number of
factors. It is based on the total assessed values in the
community. For the 1991/92 tax year our total assessed value was
$269,354,784. The new preliminary certified assessed value from
the Guadalupe County Appraisal District for our tax year 92/93 is
$261,123,895. That is a reduction in total assessed value of
$8,230,889. In determining what rate it would require to produce
the same amount of income in ad valorem taxes next year and then
to determine what additional requirements are needed to be met,
the tax rate is looked at to determine first what is the
effective tax rate. That is, what tax rate would produce the
same income in ad valorem taxes for fiscal 92/93 as the previous
fiscal year. That calculation would result in a tax rate of
40.12 cents per $100.00 value. That is compared to the 91/92 tax
rate of 38.89 cents per $100.00 value. All calculations are made
based on the effective tax rate. He advised that as we went
through the budget and looked at both operating and maintenance
costs as well as debt service requirements, our ultimate
recommended tax rate to the City Council was a rate of 42.55
cents per $100.00 value. That compared to the effective rate
"'U<9
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represented a 6.2% increase above that effective rate, or 2.43
cent per $100.00 value. The proposed tax rate stands today at
the recommended rate of 42.55 cents per $100.00 value. Of the
tax rate, 35 cents relates to maintenance and operation, 7.4
cents representing debt service portion of tax rate. He advised
that we are pleased to recommend that rate because it still
represents one of the lowest in this area.
Mayor Sawyer closed the public hearing at 6:09 p.m.
p.m.
#2 ADJOURNMENT: Mayor Sawyer adjourned the meeting at 6: 10
~~ii~~SChertz
ATTEST:
____ ~_n~__p_____
Ali~~stin, Deputy City Secretary