11-20-1973
17
6. Article 6.06 - City Secretary - Mrs. Funk felt that for
better working relations, the City Secretary should be hired by
and work under the City Manager. Mr. Stu1b stated the CVlwllission
felt the City Secretary was a secretary for the Council and
should be under the control of the Council. It was a1so brought
out the name City Secretary should be used throughout the charter
instead of the City Clerk as sometimes stated. Mr. Harris said
about the only cities using the term "City Clerk" are Commission
form of Governments.
7. Article 7.08 - Purchasing Procedures - Legislature has
changed this from $2,000 to $3,000.
Mr. Stu1b closed by saying if the Commission still has legal
authority to work on the charter, they will meet soon (December
6, 1973). He feels that if there is nothing harmful in this
charter, the Cvuuuission should represent it as it is written but
he cannot say how the individual members of the Cvuuuission will
feel about it. He said personally he would like to see even a
one page charter if possible but the CUlluuission felt the only
way the ordinary citizens would ever see the state laws were if
they were placed in and made a part of the Schertz Home Rule
Charter.
Mr. Hal Baldwin, Chairman of the CAC, feels that from
talking with the members of his committee, if the law suit
did not do anything else, it at least stimulated interest
in the charter and gave the citizens at least another month
or two to study the charter.
There being no further discussion, Mayor Bueker declared
the meeting adjourned at 9:00 P.M.
i ..
ATTEST:
r::L~' (: J:J,'i~-/
~ayor Robert C. Bueker
k,~~ a._....
June G.Krause
REGULAR SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
NOVEMBER lO, 19/3
The City Council convened in Regular Session in the City
Council Chambers 01 Tuesday, November 20, 1973 at 7:02 P.M. with
the following members present: Mayor Bueker, presiding; Mrs. Koch,
Mrs. Funk, Mr. Sandifer, Mr. Koo1e and Mr. Schwartz.
Mayor Bueker requested the minutes of the meeting of November
6, 1973 be changed as follows: 10th paragraph, page 1 - should
read: "Mayor Bueker explained he wanted to give Mr. Arnold authority
to rent necessary equipment and pay, on an in-house operation, a
qualified operator to do the preliminary work on the south drainage
ditch." Mrs. Funk moved to accept these minutes as amended. Mr.
Sandifer seconded the motion with all members voting aye. F" r '.
,
"'"
18
Mr. Clifford Harris of the CAC addressea the Council concerning
the Home Rule Charter. He was questioning the section (Article 6.06)
concerning the City Secretary; namely, i1 the City Manager and City
Secretary are now working as one office, why separate the two by
placing the City Secretary directly under the Council. Mayor Bueker
explained the City Secretary should be an appointed office, one of
long tenure. If placed under the City Manager, tenure of office
could suffer. He then said the question should be presented to the
ChErter Writing COIDilli~::ion who will be meeting on December 6, 1973.
Mr. Harris asked if the Council as individuals would give their
opinions of the present charter. Mrs. Funk and Mr. Schwartz stated
they are against the charter as it is now written. Mr~. Koch said it
is impossible to satisfy everyone, so she will go along with the
present charter. Mr. Bueker said we could live with everything in
the charter with one exception - Article 4.09, Section f (1) which
states the penal ordinaces should be published twice within 15 days
after passage, which of course is a physical imposibility.
Bid proposals on the Employee ?ension Plan were opened from
the following companies:
1. Bankers Life of Des Moines.
2. Agent Securities Corp. - Richardson
3. Employers National Life Insurance Co. - Des Moines
4. Etna Life Insurance Co.
~. Connecticut General Life Ins. Co.
6. Investers Diversified Services Co.
7. Investers Diversified Services Co.
8. Massachusetts Mutual Life Ins. Co.
9. Great Southern Life Ins. Co.
10. Etna Life Ins. Co. - Koebig Ins. Agent
11. Travelers Insurance Companies.
Mrs. Schwartz moved to table any further discussion or decision
on these proposals until the City Manager could have time to
evaluate them and bring his recvlwuendations back to the Council.
Mr. Sandifer seconded the motion with all members voting aye.
Mrs. Chambless addressed the Council concerning the street
name changes proposed at the Public Hearing of the P&Z of Nov-
ember 14, 1973. She asked why Aviation Avenue was presented for
change. Mr. Schwartz answered, since he was the one making the
original motion, stating there is some confusion since the street
at the low-water crossing is called Aviation Blvd.
In addition to Mrs. Chambless, Mrs. Pena, Mrs. Fontenot, Mrs. Gary
and Mr. Harris spoke against any street name changes in the City.
Mrs. Funk moved to accept the minutes of the Planning & Zoning
Committee meeting of November 14, 1973. Mrs. Koch seconded the
motion with all members voting aye.
Mrs. Funk moved to go along with Mr. Chambless' motion in
the P&Z minutes to disapprove the renaming of any streets and in
,)the future look at the names before accepting the plat. Mr. Sandi-
~ fer seconded the motion with the vote as follows: Voting for,
9 Mrs. Funk, Mr. Sandifer, Mrs. Koch and Mr. Koole. Against: Mr.
Schwartz. Motion carried.
Mr. Arnold was asked by Mayor Bueker to order the name
plates for the Planning & Zoning Committee members as requested
in their minutes.
19 '
Mr. Schwartz moved to approve Mr. U.C. Wheatley's appeal
for a variance to the zoning Ordinance. Mrs. Funk seconded the '.
motion with all members voting aye.
Mayor Bueker explained the-invoice for final audit payment
for Workmens Compensation & CUl11l1rehensive General Liability by
stating it was a normal yearly item. Mr. Arnold said the auditors
will allow the City to place this item in last year's budget since,
it is a 1972-73 item. Mr.Sandifer moved to pay $2,207.00 Final (
audit payment for Workmens Compensation & Comprehensive General J
Liability to Koebig Insurance Agency. Mrs. Koch seconded the
motion with all members voting aye.
Mrs. Funk moved to table both ordinances concerning the sale
of land parcels 3-2 and 3-3 by Urban Renewal to Mr. Nordmeyer
until he can be present and state his desires concerning this ~
land. Mr. Sanidfer se~ded the motion with four voting for the
motion. Mr. Koo1e abstained from voting. Motion carried.
After discussing the repealing of Ordinance No. 274 (second
agreement with Urban Renewal) and No. 275 (relating to authorizing
payment to UR for purchase of park land), Mr. Sandifer moved ~ 'i
to table any decision until the next meeting when legal repre- ~.
sentative from Urban Renewal and the attorney for the City could
be present. Mrs. Funk seconded the motion with all members voting
aye.
Mr. Arnold apprised the Council he had a copy of a letter
from Walter Schertz to HUD explaining that at the time UR closes
out, the City will take over the disposition of land and listing
the parcels unsold.
Mr. Arnold presented a statement from Kelly Construction Co,
Change Order No.1, final in the amount of $8,807.18 covering
the paving, sidewalks and curbing at the Police and Fire Depart~
ments areas. Mrs. Funk moved to pay the statement from Kelly ~
Construction Co. as presented. Mr. Schwartz seconded the motion
with all members voting aye. Mr. Arnold was asked to get the
figures from the City Engineer of the portion pertaining to the
Fire Department.
Mrs. Funk moved for payment of the final bill of Change ./ J.J ~D
Order No. 1 on the Live Oak Road Improvement Project from ~. ,
Mr. Howard Gaddis, City Engineer. Mrs. Koch seconded the motion
with all members voting aye.
Mayor Bueker called a recess at 8:55 P.M. in order for the
Council to meet in Universal City with their Council.
The meeting reconvened in the Universal City Council Chambers
at 9:20 PM with Mayor John F. Prater presiding and the complete
Universal City Council present in addition to the Schertz Counci.
Mayor Prater and Mayor Bueker introduced their respective
Council Members; after which Mayor Prater explained the purpose
of the joint meeting was to try to find a solution to the pro-
blem of the low water crossing. This is not only a problem
20
of school children crossing but also presents a problem at peak
traffic hours for vehicular traffic. Mayor Prater introduced a
Resolution from the Samuel C1emens/0 Henry Jr. High Parent-Teachers
Association requesting the two cities to effect immediate action
relative to the construction of an appropriate walk bridge over
Cibolo Creek; and during construction, make Aviation Blvd. one-way
(east)in the AM and one-way (west) in the PM from Cibolo Creek to
the intersection of Main Street in Schertz, Texas. He went on to
say that since the school District had made their decision not to
participate, U.C. Council voted to construct a pedestrian bridge
at a cost of $6,000 but when it came time to sign the contract,
the man would not sign for that amount. He then presented four bid
proposals for the pedestrian bridge ranging from approximately
S12,000 to $18,000.
Mayor Bueker stated we must look at a long range solution
rather than expend monies on the temporary solution of the ped-
estrain bridge.
Mrs. Funk submitted the proposal of using school buses for
the remainder of this year. She had talked with Mr. Nalls, School
Supt. and several of the School Board members and found they do
have several surplus buses this year they felt could be used if
the two cities pay the driver and gasolene and have the school
monitor the use. The driver would cost between a minimum of
$60.00 to a maximum of $120.00 per month. This would not only
get the Universal City children to school safely in all kinds
of weather but also transport the children living in Lone Oak
(that now walk along Highway 78) to Cibolo to School.
Mayor Prater explained U.C. cannot use tax monies for this
purpose because some of their tax payers have children going to
another school district and would therefore cvwplain their
children didn't have the same bus service.
Mr. Adame, UC Councilman, said he felt Mrs. Funk's proposal
a good one and that the two Councils should try to get together
on this idea.
Mayor Bueker said he feels tax monies could be used for this
purpose but there could be internal problems. He reiter~ted we
should be looking at the long range solution of getting the Highway
Dept. to reroute 1518 and build a proper vehicle bridge. On a
temporary basis, the safety factor of busing the children alone
is for more practical than a pedestrian bridge that could wash
away or at least be under water the next time it rains.
Mayor Prater agreed that phi~osophy was good but not practical
when they have first graders walking almost 2 miles that also need
to be bussed. He emphasized he gets extremely mad when there is
mention of U.C. children getting to school when Schertz has some
responsibility to the kids in their ETJ (Rittiman Addition).
When questioned as to the height of the pedestrian bridge
proposed, Mr. Mullins - UC engineer - stated it is to be 2'
above normal water level. The Schertz Council feels this would
not solve the problem since the present low water bridge is
about It' above normal water level and the majority of this
school year, the low water crossing has been under at least 2'
of water.
I ·
I
21
Mayor Prater said a permanent vehicle bridge is out of
context; but he can guarantee that if this pedestrian bridge
participation is voted down by Schertz, you could never get a
Bond issue passed for a permanent bridge.
Ma~or Prater asked if he could have a roll call vote from
the Schertz Council. Mayor Bueker said of course he had already
stated his feelings in that money should be spent on a permanent
solution rather than this temporary solution. Mr. Koo1e stated
he is against Schertz participating. Mrs. Funk is against the
pedestrian bridge and still thinks the busing proposal is the
best temporary solution. Mr. Schwartz stated he is against the
pedestrian bridge. Mrs. Koch stated she represents the people
of Schertz and no one wan,ts the pedestrian bridge. She suggested
the possibility of the two cities forming their own transportation
system. Mayor Prater then asked if UC decides to build it alone,
will Schertz allow U.C. to attach it to Schertz side of the creek.
Schertz Council could see no reason why they could not.
Meeting adjourned at 11:02 P.M.
ATTEST:
/}/' '. ./") /~)
/f!..p..c/v{ (~~L2:<<'~~t: \..---'
Mayor Robert C. Bueker
(~A g ~ J~~" ~ ,) --'_
~ Secretary 'JUne G. Krause