1959 07 01 CC Minutes, Special1352
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN
July 19 1959
The City Council of the City of Baytown, Texas not in special. session
on Wednesday, July lat., 1959, at 7:00 o'clock P.M. in the Council Room of the Bay-
town City Hall with the following members in attendance:
P. H. Mears
K. E. Badgett
Al Clayton
Lacy Lusk
R. H. Pruett
J. B. LeFevre
Absent: W. L. Ward
W. D. Hollaway
James W. Harrison
George Chandler
Edna Oliver
Councilman
Councilman
Councilman
Councilman
Mayor
Acting City Manager
Councilman
Councilman
City Manager
City Attorney
City Clerk
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Pruett afterwhich, the following
action was taken:
Ordinance - Increase Rate - Houston Liahtina and Fbwer Company
At the regular meeting of June 25th, the Council postponed action on a
request of the Houston Lighting and Power Company for the passage of a rate
adjustment ordinance which will compensate for revenue lost through removal of
the demand meters in residential areas of Baytown. It was agreed that a meet-
ing would be held on Tuesday, June 30th, with Mr. Kimmons, District Manager
of the Light Company and other Light Company officials, for a further discus-
sion relative to the proposed rates. At Tuesday's meeting the Council discuss-
ed the new rate schedule and the classification of towns as set forth in the
schedule of the Houston Light and Power Company. Under the existing Classifi-
cation of the Company, Baytown is listed as a suburban or rural area and has
a 35-cent minimum differential rate charge for the first 17 kwh than Houston,
Bellaire, Galena Park, Jacinto City, South Houston and neighboring cities,
this fact the Council protested vigorously. After much discussion, Councilman
Clayton proposed Mayor Pruett be instructed to write a letter setting forth
the Council's objections to the proposed ordinance relative to the 35-cent
minimum rate differential and Section 5 of the ordinance which deals with the
right of the Company to raise or lower rates in accordance with certain cost
variations. At today's meeting a letter of reply from Houston Lighting &
Fbwer Company was presented. The contents of the letter follows:
T. H. Wharton
President
Honorable R. H.
City of Baytown
Baytown, Texas
Dear Mr. Pruett:
HOUSTON LIGHTING & POWER COMPANY
Pruett, Mayor
Houston, Texas
July 1, 1959
Our Mr. Kimmons has referred to me your letter of July lat.
In your letter you raise the question of whether 350 minimum bill
differential now applicable between Baytown and Houston should be continued.
To the end that this matter may be properly decided we now have a thorough
study under way, the results of which should be available by November 1, 1959.
We will welcome an opportunity to go into the matter fully with you at any
1353
time which suits your convenience subsequent to that date.
Insofar as the fuel and tax adjustment clauses are concerned, we
have no intention of making any adjustments in Baytown which would be in
excess of the adjustment being collected in the City of Houston. We are con-
fident we are in a position now to work out this phase of the matter to your
entire satisfaction..
Yours very truly,
/s/ T. H. Wharton
THW: mcc
(Close of Letter)
After some further discussion, relative to Section 5 of the ordinance,
Councilman Lusk moved to adopt the ordinance as amended in, Section 5 which will
guarantee the City of Baytown that no adjustments in rates shall apply to our
City which do not apply to the City of Houston. Such amendments to be made
by the City Attorney in cooperation with the attorneys of the Houston Lighting
and Power Company. Councilman Mears seconded the motion. The roll call vote
was as follows:
Roll Call: Ayes: Councilman Nears Nays: Councilman Clayton
" Badgett Mayor Pruett
" Lusk
The caption of the ordinance follows:
ORDINANCE NO. 550
AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING RATES TO BE CHARGED FOR THE TYPES AND
CLASSES OF SERVICE SPECIFIED BY ALL PERSONS, FIRMS AND CORPORA-
TIONS FURNISHING ELECTRIC SERVICE WITHIN THE CITY OF BAYTOWN;
ESTABLISHING A SCHEDULE OF RATES TO BE KNOWN AS SCHEDULE RS2
FOR RESIDENTIAL SERVICE; ESTABLISHING A SCHEDULE OF RATES TO
BE KNOWN AS SCHEDULE MGS2 FOR MISCELLANEOUS GENERAL SERVICE;
PROVIDING A METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE KVA APPLICABLE TO
SCHEDULE MGS2; PROVIDING THAT SCHEDULES RS2 AND MGS2 SHALL BE
SUBJECT TO CERTAIN ADJUSTMENTS FOR INCREASED FUEL COSTS AND IN-
CREASED TAXES; PROVIDING WHEN BILLS SHALL BE DUE AND MAKING
PROVISIONS CONCERNING PAYMENT; PROVIDING THAT PERSONS, FIRMS
AND CORPORATIONS FURNISHING ELECTRIC SERVICE SHALL MAINTAIN
COPIES OF ALL RATE SCHEDULES ON FILE AND AVAILABLE AT THEIR
PRINCIPAL OFFICE IN THE CITY; REPEALING ORDINANCES INCONSIS-
TENT HEREWITH; CONTAINING A SAVINGS CLAUSE; PRESCRIBING A
MAXIMUM PENALTY OF TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS ($200); PROVIDING AN
EFFECTIVE DATE FOR THE RATES HEREIN ESTABLISHED; AND PROVID-
ING FOR THE PUBLICATION AND EFFECTIVE DATE HEREOF.
Adjournment
Councilman Mears moved for the meeting to adjourn. Councilman Lusk
seconded the motion. The ayes were unanimous and the Mayor declared the
meeting adjourned. // ' , /J�y/
�Y- .�LA�Y
R. H. Pruett, Mayor
ATTEST:
na Oliver, City Clerk