2002 06 27 WS MinutesMINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION
OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN
June 27, 2002
The City Council of the City of Baytown, Texas, met in work session on June 27, 2002, at
4:30 p.m. in the Auditorium of the Baytown Community Center, 2407 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
Gary M. Jackson
Interim 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 schedule for the Street Bond Program.
Pursuant to the direction from City Council to contact the Bond Streets, Signalization and
Sidewalks Committee, interim City Manager Gary Jackson reported that meetings have
been scheduled in July. The software is to be completed by July 12. The information will
be provided to the Committee during the week of July 15. They will be given the
information from Fugro -BRE and the Council Member's lists of streets. The
recommendation to City Council is expected in August.
Discuss the Community Center Master Plan.
Assistant City Manager Bob Leiper reported that funding was provided through the bond
election for the replacement of the roof, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and for
improvements to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act for the Community
Center. Bricker Cannady Associates (BCA) was retained to prepare a master plan for the
Community Center.
David Lidsky, BCA, reported that the systems in the Center were beyond their service life.
The Center is an asset to the community, but is under - utilized.
Matt Seltzer, BCA, described that the master plan was developed through a series of
interviews, questionnaires and workshops with users of the facility. No exterior changes
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Minutes of the Work Session —June 27, 2002
are proposed, only a redesign of the interior space. The Parks & Recreation offices serve
to divide the uses of the building. The master plan proposes that the administrative uses be
collected to one end of the building, with a separate entrance off Market Street. The public
uses would be gathered to the other end of the building and the entrance would be the main
entrance. The plan proposes a redivision of the existing spaces to allow more optimal use
of the space and facility. Vestibules would be created to ease the navigation of the
building.
Mr. Leiper reported that the roof, HVAC, and ADA work would cost $1.5 million. The
administrative changes would cost $500,000. The meeting room improvements would
cost S1 million. The administrative and meeting room changes are not recommended due
to fiscal constraints. Cost savings could be recognized if all the work were done at the
same time. Additional costs would be incurred if the work were done in stages. Some of
the new improvements would be removed in later renovations.
Council requested information on the savings that would be realized if the work were done
at one time, including the impact on staff relocations.
Discuss proposed amendments to the food and food service establishment ordinance.
Mike Lester, Director of Health and Emergency Medical Services, provided Council with
the information related to the percentage of the food service establishment inspection
budget that would be recovered by varying inspection fees. Under the current organization
and ordinance, the inspection fees cover 9.8% of the costs of food service inspections. Mr.
Lester outlined the three fee options, which provide a range of recovery of the costs of
food service inspections from 15.9% to 22.5 %.
Council Member Murray encouraged determination of an industry standard of the
percentage of inspection costs recovered by inspection fees.
Discuss application to the U. S. Department of Housing & Urban Development for
2002 -2003 Community Development Block Grant funds.
The Community Development Advisory Committee and the staff have submitted a joint
report and have concurred on the recommendations to City Council.
Mayor Alfaro inquired the impact on "Families Learning Together" from the award at a
level lower than requested. Librarian, Denise Fischer, responded that one site would be
closed, impacting 30 adults and 45 children.
Mayor Alfaro announced that he served on the Board of "Our Promise for West Baytown"
and that he would not participate in any discussion or action related to the organization.
In response to an inquiry from Council Member Murray, Tiffany Foster, Community
Development Planner, informed the Council that funding for the Main Street Coordinator
could be from different sources and is from different sources. The goal is for the Main
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Minutes of the Work Session —June 27, 2002
Street Program to develop other funding sources to support its activities. Council Member
Sheley reported that office space and other items had been donated to the Main Street
Program.
Gregory Stubbs, Director of Planning, told Council that the goals for the first year of the
Main Street Program would include becoming part of the National Program, establishing a
501(c)(3) corporation, making public presentations, applying for grants, and making policy
recommendations for the downtown area. The focus of the program will include all of the
older retail areas of Baytown; the initial focus will be on Texas Avenue. While the entire
community must be involved in the program, it will be governed by a board of 11 to 13
members, including bankers, school representatives, businesspersons, and developers.
Discuss proposed amendment of water billing for RV parks.
The Council was not ready to discuss this item.
Discuss the city manager recruitment process.
Alison Smith, Director of Human Resources, reviewed four options for Council to consider
if a search firm is used. The first option is a full search. The cost is estimated to be
$21,000 to $22,000. The recruiter will be involved from the initial discussions with
Council and the preparation of a profile through salary negotiations and coaching Council
with interviews.
Option 2 utilizes the search firm on the front end. The recruiter collects resumes and
utilizes contacts in the field. The cost is estimated to $13,750. There will be little face -to-
face contact between the recruiter and the candidates.
Option 3 utilizes the search firm in the review and evaluation of the resumes and
applications. The recruiter would conduct preliminary interviews and check references, as
well as assist with the compensation package. The cost is estimated to be 524,000
including staff time.
Option 4 is a targeted search. The cost is estimated to be $17,700. This search seeks
specific candidates.
Previous searches for city managers have been done internally. In response to questions
from Council Member Renteria concerning the selection of the two previous City
Managers, Ms. Smith replied that if Council chooses to have the search done internally, the
process that is in place for recruitment will be used.
In response to an inquiry from Council Member Murray, Ms. Smith responded that a front -
end search may attract candidates that would not otherwise apply by utilizing a recruiter's
contacts.
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Minutes of the Work Session —June 27, 2002
Council discussed the process used during the last city manager search. Council Member
Renteria urged that the selection process be competitive and fair. Council Member Sheley
supported the front -end search. Council Member Mundinger stated that he was not
comfortable with any of the four options. Mayor Alfaro supported the front -end search.
Council Member Godwin stated his preference for an in -house search. Council Member
Murray requested that the profile be prepared in -house and the decision concerning the use
of a recruiter be delayed.
Discuss Chief of Police recruitment and appointment process.
Interim City Manager, Gary Jackson, explained that information related to the recruitment
process was provided in the Council packets. Seventy -three applications were received, of
which forty -seven met the minimum requirements. The screening process was detailed.
The finalists were interviewed by a panel that included the City Manager, Assistant City
Manager, Director of Finance, City Attorney, Director of Human Resources and a Chief of
Police from the Houston area. Uniform questions were posed. Based on the process, the
City Manager (Monte Mercer) determined that Byron Jones was the most qualified and
recommended his appointment on June 13, 2002.
Council Member Renteria observed that Jones was recommended by former Chief Shaffer;
Shaffer by former Chief Henscey; and Henscey by his predecessor.
Alison Smith, Director of Human Resources, responded that the selection process used is
standardized. Additionally, she noted that benefits are achieved from in -house hiring.
Council Member Renteria asked for more competitiveness in the selection process.
Discuss appointments.
Mayor Pro Tem.
Council Member Murray stated that he would nominate Council Member
Anderson. Council Member Renteria stated that he would nominate Council
Member Sheley.
Baytown Municipal Development District.
Council Member Sheley stated that he would nominate Fritz Lanham. Council
asked that Mr. Leonard Stasney be contacted to determine if he desired to serve
another term.
Baytown Area Water Authority
Council Member Mundinger stated that he would nominate Dan Conejo to serve on
the BAWA board.
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Minutes of the Work Session —June 27, 2002
Baytown Area Community Long Range Planning Commission.
Council Member Renteria stated that he was ready to nominate a person to
complete the term of Aline Reineke, who recently passed away.
Board of Adjustment.
Council Member Godwin announced that he was prepared to nominate a person to
complete the term of Bill Reinke.
Baytown Housing Authority.
Mayor Alfwo stated that he would announce the reappointment of Linda
Winkleman, Hector Meza and Wayne Hanson to the Baytown Housing Authority
and that he would ask that the same persons be reappointed to the Baytown
Housing Finance Corporation.
Adjourn.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6:13 p.m.
,..
Ga6 W. Smith
City Clerk