Loading...
2005 07 14 WS MinutesMINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN July 14, 2005 The City Council of the City of Baytown, Texas, met in work session on July 14, 2005, at 4:00 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 Mercedes Renteria III 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 Council Member Mayor City Manager Deputy City Manager Assistant City Manager City Attorney City Clerk. The meeting was opened with a quorum present after which the following business was conducted: Receive and discuss the presentation from Park Lake Communities, L. P. on the Thompson Road project. Shay Shafie, Park Lake Communities, L. P., a division of Royce Builders, described the proposed development on Thompson Road. The project will be a 400 -acre master planned community. Multiple builders will be used to provide multiple products. At build -out the project will contain 1,400 single - family residences. The increased appraisal value will be $180,000,000. It will be a deed restricted community of town homes and homes built on lots ranging in width from forty feet to sixty feet. The market study of the Baytown area indicates that the homes being constructed are in the $100,000 to $150,000 price range. The amenities of the development will include entry features, landscape setbacks, a 22 -acre lake, a trail system, a recreation facility with a community pool, and open space and pocket parks to be maintained by the homeowners association. Council discussed the advisability for additional access other than from Thompson Road, saving trees, and utility availability. Mr. Shafie concluded by stating that the developer will request the following from the City: annexation, an in -City MUD, and a zoning change to allow the mixed product proposed within the community. Page 2 of 5 Minutes of the Work Session — July 14, 2005 Discuss the policy for election of a Mayor Pro Tem. Mayor Mundinger stated that the proposed policy had been developed by the ad hoc committee composed of Mayor Mundinger and Council Members Murray and Sheley. The committee met twice to develop the proposed policy. The proposed policy begins with the Charter mandate that City Council select a Mayor Pro Tem an continues with the following: • The Mayor Pro Tem shall be elected from within the Council and each Council Member shall vote for the best interests of the City. • The position serves the entire City. • No criteria or ground rules will prevent a Council Member from voting his or her conscience. • The selection shall be made by a vote of the majority of the quorum present. • The selection will be made at the first regular Council meeting in July of each year. • Prior to nominating a person for Mayor Pro Tem, the person must be contacted and must agree to serve. The nominee must review the document outlining the duties of the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem. The nominee must state that he/she understands the duties and commits to performing the duties. • After election the Mayor Pro Tem must attend an orientation meeting with the Mayor and out -going Mayor Pro Tem. • The nominee must have served on City Council for at least one year. • The Mayor Pro Tem must attend an elected city official training program within three months. • A Council Member may nominate himself/herself. • Each Council Member should vote on the selection. The proposed guidelines prevent selection of the Mayor Pro Tem at the July 14, 2005 regular meeting. Council discussed the importance of education and understanding the duties of the office. Council discussed the obligation of each Council Member to vote on the selection of the Mayor Pro Tem. Council Member Renteria questioned the need for the policy. Seniority had served as the policy in the past. Council stated a general belief that the new policy will provide a benefit to the Council in the selection of the Mayor Pro Tem. Council Member Renteria urged that the policy contain a provision for replacing the Mayor Pro Tem should the position become vacant. Council Member Murray and Mayor Mundinger stated that a provision could be added to provide for filling the vacancy upon the voluntary resignation of the Mayor Pro Tem. Council Member Anderson thanked the committee for its work in developing the policy. Council Member Renteria left the meeting at 5:05 p.m. Page 3 of 5 Minutes of the Work Session — July 14, 2005 Discuss establishment of a beautification committee. Gary Jackson, City Manager, stated that following Council's discussion of forming a beautification committee, he asked Mike Lester to research the issue. Mr. Lester found that organizations exist that have the formations and the structures for the committee that City Council appears to desire. Keep America Beautiful has an established program with the support necessary to start and develop a beautification committee. Council is urged to consider the Keep American Beautiful process. This may make committee formation and activity better organized and more effective. Form ordinances are available. The committee is proposed by Keep America Beautiful as a broad based, community -wide organization. Extensive community involvement is encouraged. Council Member Sheley supported use of the Keep America Beautiful and Keep Texas Beautiful model. Council Member Murray asked if the development of landscaping and entryway improvements is within the scope of the Keep America Beautiful program. Mayor Mundinger stated that more information on the organizational process and the scope of activities would be presented at a later date. Mr. Jackson stated that resources are available to assist the Council in meeting its goals for Baytown. Receive presentation and discuss report from Public Sector Personnel Consultants on the compensation plan market study. Alison Smith, Director of Human Resources, stated that the City has used the same firm for many years to assist in the development of the compensation plan. The firm is Public Sector Personnel Consultants. Robert Miles, Public Sector Personnel Consultants, stated that the project included looking at the jobs to update job titles and classifications, a comprehensive salary survey, a custom benefits survey, and updating the job titles and groups to be consistent with the survey. Seventy employees were interviewed to see if the jobs had changed. Management was consulted to make sure they were going in the right direction. For 91% of the jobs, there was not change. Job titles were changed for 7% and 3% were reclassified. The salary surveys were conducted by types of jobs, executive and senior management surveyed cities with a population between 60,000 and 125,000. Non - management surveyed the Houston area. Police surveyed the Houston area. Fire surveyed the collective bargaining cities. The midpoints were compared for noncivil service jobs. The tiers in the civil service jobs were compared. Market has been defined as plus or minus 5% of the prevailing rates. 95 benchmark jobs were compared. In the executive and senior management, 53% were competitive and 47% were not competitive. In nonmanagement 65% were competitive and 35% were not competitive. The comprehensive benefit study considered all benefits. Generally, the group premiums are lower than other cities. Page 4 of 5 Minutes of the Work Session — July 14, 2005 When the market midpoint is higher than the current midpoint, then the job is moved to a higher pay grade. If the current midpoint is greater than the market midpoint, no change is made. Ms. Smith noted that if the individual is paid above the pay grade, then no adjustment will be made to the salary. If an across the board increase I given, then a lump sum payment will be made to the employee. It is recommended that the evaluation to market be maintained, or market equals plus or minus 5% of market midpoint. The proposals include bringing the noncivil service positions to market while providing fiscal discretion (funding availability). The proposals consider time in position and anticipate five years in position will pay the individual at midpoint. Any across the board increases are to be considered in the budget process. Mr. Miles reviewed the various options and costs for noncivil service employees, for police civil service employees, and for fire civil service employees. The plan is to be updated annually and Alison Smith is commended for conducting annual surveys. If the proposals are approved, the plan will provide internal equity, competitiveness in the market, and financial constraints. Council Member Murray encouraged inclusion of a merit -based system. Discuss appointments. The discussion of appointments was delayed until the regular meeting. The work session meeting was recessed at 5:56 p.m. The work session meeting reconvened at 6:19 p.m. Receive and discuss the Annual Water Quality Report at 6:20 p.m. Armando Martinez, Lab Supervisor of Baytown Area Water Authority, reviewed the report. The report describes the source of the water, how it is process, and how it is distributed. The report notifies customers of possible contaminants. Not all possible contaminants are bad, some are naturally occurring. A table of constituents is included, with maximum allowable concentrations shown, and the local values. Non - regulated substances are also included, along with definitions and total organic concentration and chlorine residual. The report is posted on the City's website and the Baytown Area Water Authority website. Mayor Mundinger commended the BAWA employees for providing the city with safe drinking water. Adjourn. Council Member Anderson moved that the meeting adjourn. Council Member Capetillo seconded the motion. The vote follows: Page 5 of 5 Minutes of the Work Session — July 14, 2005 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 6:26 p.m. OPI r