2002 03 28 WS MinutesMINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION
OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN
March 28, 2002
The City Council of the City of Baytown, Texas, met in work session on March 28, 2002,
at 4:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber of Baytown City Hall, 2401 Market Street, Baytown,
Texas, with the following in attendance:
Ronnie Anderson
Council Member
Coleman Godwin
Council Member
Calvin Mundinger
Council Member
Don Murray
Council Member
Mercedes Renteria III
Council Member
Scott Sheley
Council Member
Pete C. Alfaro Mayor
Monte Mercer
City Manager
Ignacio Ramirez
City Attorney
Gary W. Smith
City Clerk
The meeting was opened with a quorum present after which the following business was
conducted:
Discuss the International Building Codes and their application to existing buildings.
Kevin Byal, Chief Building Official, reported that the International Building Codes (IBC)
will provide methods for property owners to improve their properties in compliance with
the codes and to provide protection for health, safety and welfare. IBC is more flexible
than the existing codes. The present codes rely on the building official to make
determinations related to the applications of the current codes. IBC does not require
compliance to most recent code; rather, it requires compliance with the code in effect at the
time of construction. Under the current code, if the height is changed, then the entire
structure must comply with the current code. IBC allows the existing structure to continue
in compliance with the prior code. If the use or occupancy of the building changes, the
existing building is allowed to comply with the prior code, while any new portion must
comply with the new code. The IBC provides an alternate means to comply with the
codes, with greater clarity and less subjectivity than under the current codes.
In response to an inquiry from Council Member Sheley, City Manager Monte Mercer
responded that any new addition would be required to comply with the most recent code,
but any existing structure will only be required to comply with the code in effect when the
building was constructed. Issues related to health, safety and welfare will be determined
on a case -by -case basis and new construction may not adversely impact health, safety and
welfare issues related to the existing building.
Page 2 of 4
Minutes of the Work Session —March 28, 2002
Discuss Fire Department four - person staffing.
City Manager Monte Mercer outlined the three issues involved in the four - person staffing
discussion for the work session.
1. timeline to hire fifteen firefighters.
2. transition costs.
3. recurring expense and budget impact.
The City is working under a federal court order controlling the hiring of fire fighters. State
civil service law significantly impacts the time it takes to hire a fire fighter. Fire fighters
may not be engaged in suppression activities until they are state certified. Under these
constraints, the City is normally able to hire four to six fire fighters from each test. It may
take up to one year to get a new hire on the job and working.
After a non - certified employee is hired, it can take 5 %2 months to provide all the necessary
training before the employee can begin to fight fires (15 weeks in the fire academy and 6
weeks of EMT training).
The average annual recurring costs once all the positions are filled, is $670,000. The
transitional costs maybe higher.
Option 1. Without overtime, four - person staffing would be fully implemented only
after an additional fifteen firefighters are hired.
Option 2. Charter method, overtime will be used to implement four - person staffing
on and after October 1, 2002.
Option 3. Immediate four- person staffing would require the immediate use of
overtime. This would have a significant impact to the budget, estimated to be
$560,000.
Staff has assumed that it takes 60 days after a test to hire the new firefighters. A non -
certified employee hired in July would be able to act as a firefighter in January. Similarly,
a non - certified employee hired in August or November would be able to act as a firefighter
in the following May. The assumption is that five persons will be hired after each test. Of
the persons hired, two will be certified and three will not be. The federal court order
requires the City to hire from two lists until one of the lists is exhausted.
Under option 1, the fiscal impact will be $55,500 in the current year and $610,500 in the
next year. Option 2 would require overtime and the hire of new employees. This would
result in paying for the same position two times. The transition costs would be $346,115
for fiscal year 2003. The recurring costs would be the same as under option 1. The total
costs would be $1,012,115.
When full staffing is achieved with 15 additional personnel, the additional cost will be
$100,000; including the sick and injury leave time. Holiday and vacation accrual caps may
f" have to be adjusted.
Page 3 of 4
Minutes of the Work Session —March 28, 2002
The Civil Service Commission reduced the entry requirement of certification or college
hours to high school graduation to assist in hiring new firefighters. Three vacancies are
expected by May. Fire prevention personnel could be reassigned to suppression to offset
some of the overtime necessary for implementation.
Civil Service Director, Alison Smith, responded to Council Member Anderson's question
concerning test dates and reported that test dates are set, based on advertising and
recruitment and on the expiration of existing eligibility lists.
Mr. Mercer reported that 78% of the cities with a paid fire department and with
populations between 50,000 and 100,000 are taking a wait -and -see approach to four- person
staffing.
Council Member Murray analyzed the issue based on the three components of costs. He
concluded that the issue is the timing and overtime costs.
Council Member Sheley insisted that a funding source must be found prior to a decision to
implement four - person staffing. Mayor Alfaro spoke in opposition to a tax increase.
Mr. Mercer commended Gary Jackson, Assistant City Manager, and Alison Smith, Human
Resources Director /Civil Service Director, for gathering the information related to the
issue.
Discuss proposed amendments to Urban Rehabilitation Standards ordinance.
Bob Leiper, Assistant City Manager, reported that the Urban Rehabilitation Standards
address substandard structures and buildings needing securing from unauthorized entry.
Conflicts were found and the ordinances needed flexibility and better guidance and
description of when repairs are needed. Flexibility will allow the accommodation when
requiring that the building be secured from unauthorized entry. Under the present
ordinance, if one window is broken, then all openings must be secured. Improved
standards will provide a means to determine when a building should be demolished. The
International Building Codes will eliminate many of the problems, but a few will remain.
The goal is to provide better standards for practical and economic rehabilitation of
structures and the protection of neighborhoods. This will provide better guidance to staff
and the Urban Rehabilitation Standards Review Board.
Receive and discuss the updated City of Baytown Development Guide.
The Development Guide began in 1998 and has had three revisions. The Guide will have
the right checklists for different customers. The variance process is clarified and all
necessary applications are included in the book. The Guide provides a roadmap for the
developer to help him get his lots ready for sale.
Page 4 of 4
Minutes of the Work Session —March 28, 2002
OW Adjourn.
Council Member Mundinger moved that the meeting be adjourned. Council Member
Murray seconded the motion. The vote follows:
Aye: Council Members Anderson, Godwin, Mundinger, Murray, Renteria and
Sheley
Mayor Alfaro
Nay: None.
The motion carved and the meeting adjourned at 5:19 p.m.
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