2005 06 23 WS MinutesMINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION
OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN
June 23, 2005
The City Council of the City of Baytown, Texas, met in work session on June 23, 2005, at 4:15 p.m.
in the Council Chamber, Baytown City Hall, 2401 Market Street, Baytown, Texas, with the
following in attendance:
Ronnie Anderson
Brandon Capetillo
Sammy Mahan
Don Murray
Scott Sheley
Calvin Mundinger
Gary M. Jackson
Bob Leiper
Kelvin Knauf
Ignacio Ramirez, Sr.
Gary W. Smith
Council Member
Council Member
Council Member
Council Member
Council Member
Mayor
City Manager
Deputy City Manager
Assistant City Manager
City Attorney
City Clerk.
Absent was: Mercedes Renteria III, Council Member.
The meeting was opened with a quorum present after which the following business was conducted:
Receive and discuss the report from Baytown Outdoor, Inc., on the 2005 Long Neck Wildlife
Festival.
Mike Beard, President of Baytown Outdoor, Inc. (BOI), reported that a summary report had been
submitted. BOI has completed after - action committee reports. It is the consensus of BOI that the
event was successful and that there was positive community support. BOI has received comments
from the public. BOI will seek guidance from Council on future events.
The event saw cooperation from local governmental entities, especially City staff and the Parks
Department. There was support from local businesses and volunteers.
The estimated attendance was as follows:
Wetlands Center - 3,500,
Baytown Nature Center - 2,000, and
Community Center - 3,000.
The report reviewed the major issues, the positive aspects, the things done well, and the things that
need to be improved.
The attendance at the event was affected by the Art Car Show and Buzzfest in Houston.
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Minutes of the Work Session — June 23, 2005
Mr. Beard reviewed the revenues and expenses. The total income was $228,606.51. The total
expenses were $228,602.65. Mr. Beard projected savings in expenses for future events by the
retention of items and the consolidation of venues.
Mr. Beard reviewed the public relations, marketing and advertising for the event. BOI is discussing
consolidation of venues, timing of the event, the event date, patron comfort, parking, signage,
carnival rides, entertainment, gate access and site security, gate sales and documentation, committee
organization, communications, insurance and liability.
Mr. Beard stated that City Council will be asked to provide input on the City's participation in
future events, selection of a date for future events, locations, revised schedules, and revised
procedures.
Mr. Beard provided a detailed review of the revenues and expenditures from Hotel Occupancy Tax
funds and from other sources.
Mr. Beard responded to a question about efforts to increase attendance by saying that BOI has not
discussed the topic yet, but from discussions with other festivals, the attendance was good and the
changes under consideration should result in attendance of 10,000 at the next event.
Mayor Mundinger stated that it was a remarkable citywide event and that discussions on festivals
will occur during the budget process.
Responding to a question about the cost to the general fund, Gary Jackson, City Manager, stated
that the administrative time consumed on the festival was not tracked. The expenditures from
authorized Hotel Occupancy Tax funds have been tracked for a total of approximately $61,000.
Council Member Mahan commended the Chamber of Commerce for its participation and urged
consideration of the contribution to the Chamber during the budget process.
When questioned about business and corporate sponsors returning for a future event, Mr. Beard
stated that BOI had not talked to all the sponsors, but the one sponsor that he talked to say that they
would sponsor the event in 2006.
Mayor Mundinger thanked Mr. Beard, BOI and the City employees for their work in holding the
festival.
Discuss the annexation process.
Mr. Jackson reviewed the process followed in annexations. Texas Local Government Code, Section
43.052 requires each municipality to adopt an annexation plan. An annexation under the plan may
occur only after three years have elapsed following adoption of the plan. The law provides for
several exceptions to the annexation plan. The exceptions include annexation after the property
owner petitions for annexation. Baytown adopted a plan that provides that it will only annex when
the annexation is exempt from the annexation plan requirements.
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Minutes of the Work Session — June 23, 2005
The focus has been on property owners who petition to have their property annexed. After the
petition is received, City Council considers it. If the petition is granted, two public hearings are
held. The annexation ordinance must be approved in two readings. Notifications are sent to the
Department of Justice for voting rights preclearance and to many other entities.
The policy governing the provision of utilities outside the city limits was adopted to try to reserve
capacity for city residents and taxpayers. Generally, utilities are not provided outside the city
limits. The exception in the policy allows utilities to be provided to major employers in the
industrial districts.
Annexation decisions have been made on a case -by -case basis. The increased cost of service is very
hard to project. There is accumulative affect on the cost of service with multiple annexations. To
attempt to analyze the cost of service and the benefit from annexation, staff developed a conceptual
model. The model considers the incremental cost of service from general fund departments and for
utility service and the projected revenues. The model is more accurately a growth model than an
annexation model. The model applies in the undeveloped areas within the city limits. The costs in
the model reflect whether the development is inside or outside an emergency response zone. The
model considers three types of developments, single - family residential subdivisions, multi - family
residential developments, and commercial developments.
Travis Doughty, Purchasing Agent, explained that the model's cost of service is based on the
budget. The developments outside the emergency response zones include the incremental cost of
future stations and substations. The residential developments include franchise fees and ad valorem
taxes with homestead, tax freeze, and the collection rate included. The commercial developments
include sales tax and ad valorem taxes with the collection rate included.
Mr. Jackson stated that the model does not include incremental sales tax for residential
developments. Residential developers are showing a great deal of interest in the area. As
residential development increases, commercial development increases. It is very hard to quantify
the return the City receives on residential development. The model is simply a tool in helping to
project the return from development. With the Comprehensive Plan update and the development of
the Unified Land Development Code, staff may bring new growth management techniques, tools,
and ideas for Council's consideration.
Discuss the proposed 2005 -06 Community Development Block Grant budget.
Mr. Jackson stated that the Community Development Advisory Committee (CDAC) had met and
that Tiffany Foster would summarize the process and budget.
Tiffany Foster, Planning Manager, stated that $948,000 was granted which is $55,000 less than the
current year. There is $122,802 in unexpended funds from the current year and $82,000 in program
income. Twenty-seven proposals were received. CDAC held two public hearings and an additional
meeting to make recommendations for funding. After the recommendations were made, an
additional $25,900 was found. The additional funding was included in approved programs, based
on the comments of CDAC.
Council Member Sheley requested the percentage of the funding used for administration compared
to the percentage used on actual improvements.
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Minutes of the Work Session — June 23, 2005
Ms. Foster responded that the administrative funding in the budget pays for the staff who administer
the funds.
Council Member Mahan commended CDAC for its hard work and long hours. He commended Joe
Frank Robbins for his work on the committee.
Discuss establishment of a beautification committee.
Mayor Mundinger stated that the item was included on the agenda to open a dialogue for the
focused beautification efforts and a commission to support the efforts. The commission will focus
on litter abatement and landscaping or other tasks as the City Council or commission might
propose. The commission is not intended to revise the landscape ordinance, rather it could be a 7 or
15 member commission to develop plans and seek donations for the landscaping of the entryways
and serve as a volunteer corps to implement the plans.
In discussion, City Council expressed an interest in not precluding the commission from
recommendations on ordinances that affect beautification. Education against littering was
encouraged. Outdoor art and murals could be included. Tree preservation could also be included.
The topic is to be included on the next work session agenda with appointments to be considered
during the second Council meeting in July.
Discuss residential solid waste contract.
Mr. Doughty reported that the residential solid waste contract was bid in July 2000. Waste
Management was the low bidder. Since then, Waste Management has received two increases,
totaling a 4.1% increase. The consumer price index has increased 16% over that period. Staff has
negotiated an extension of the contract with Waste Management. The terms of the extension
provide a lower rate through the ninth year than the second low bidder bid in July 2000.
Responding to the question of why the contract is not being bid, Mr. Jackson stated that the City is
not required to bid for waste hauling services and that if the contract were put to bid, an increase in
rates is anticipated. If the contract is not bid, it will be the ninth year after the July 2000 bid before
the rates exceed the second low bid from July 2000.
Mr. Jackson explained that the item on the regular agenda only extends the existing contract for 60
days to match the City's fiscal year.
Council expressed a consensus for the new residential waste collection and disposal contract on the
July 14 agenda.
Discuss appointments.
Baytown Municipal Development District.
Council Member Capetillo stated that he would move the reappointment of Kitty Allen and
Terry Sain to the Baytown Municipal Development District.
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Minutes of the Work Session — June 23, 2005
00' Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals.
Council was not ready for action on this item.
Tow Truck Committee.
Council Member Sheley stated that he would move the appointment of B. C. Hudman to the
Tow Truck Committee.
Houston Area Library System Advisory Council.
Council Member Murray stated that he would move the reappointment of Carol Bartz as Lay
Representative and Eileen P. Hall as Alternate Lay Representative to the Houston Area
Library System Advisory Council.
Adjourn.
Council Member Mahan moved that the meeting adjourn. Council Member Anderson seconded the
motion. The vote follows:
Ayes: Council Members Anderson, Capetillo, Mahan, Murray, and Sheley
Mayor Mundinger.
Nays: None.
The motion carried. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6:17 p.m.