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1964 09 24 CC Minutes2063 MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF BAYTOWN September 24, 1964 The City Council of the City of Baytown. Texas met in regular session on Thurs- day, September 24, 1964 at 6 :30 p.m. in the Council Room in the Baytown City Hall with the following members in attendance: J. Hobert Barnes Councilman Kenneth E. Badgett Councilman Seaborn Cravey Councilman M. E. Lively Councilman J. C. Huron Councilman C. L. Liggett., M. D. Mayor Fritz Lanham City Manager George Chandler City Attorney Edna Oliver . City Clerk Absent: David C. Clark Councilman The Mayor called the meeting to order, the Invocation was offered afterwhich the City Clerk was instructed to read the minutes of the September 10 regular meeting. Councilman Barnes moved to dispense with reading of the minutes; they be approved as submitted in written form. Councilman Badgett seconded the motion. The vote follows: Ayes: Councilmen Barnes. Badgett, Cravey, Liv* and Huron Mayor Liggett Nays: None Receive Petition Mr. G. S. Tharp presented petitions, with signatures of approximately 600 residents of the Wooster area, requesting the City Council to continue the collection station in Wooster, formerly fresh Water District No. 8 Water Office, for the convenience of the residents of said area. The petition further stated that the discontinuance of the station would work a hardship on the residents and result in an additional expense of paying telephone, lights, gas and water bills by mail. The petitions were accepted but discussion was delayed until later in the meeting. Bids - Phase III of the Street Improvement Program Councilman Badgett moved to accept the recommendation of the City Manager - to accept the low bid of Walter M. Mischer Company for Phase No. III Street Improvement Projects; base material bids based upon the shell with sand admixture at a total project bid of $59,495.70. Councilman Barnes seconded the motion. The vote follows: Ayes: Councilmen Barnes, Badgett, Cravey, Lively and Huron Mayor Liggett Nays: None Committee Reports Mayor Liggett will call a meeting of the Baytown Charter Advisory Board and the City Council after he has contacted the Advisory Board Chairman and discussed the most feasible date for the meeting. Councilman B. E. Lively, Chairman of the Committee appointed to study the City's Street Assessment Resolution, presented copies of a proposed paving policy which provided a basis for property owner participation in the cost of major street improvements. The Council will study the proposed policy and make its decision at a later date. /, y f,i ' Committee Reports - Continued 2064 Councilman Cravey reported the concern of the Council Traffic Committee over the rising number of traffic accidents; the problems discussed at a recent meeting and possible solutions such as an educational program to promote an all -out safety program throughout the entire city. In its study, the Traffic Committee found that tle greatest cause of the rise was improper driving and the committee may solicit the aid of a safety expert from the National Safety Council in its educational effort. Also, the Committee will propose revisions to an existing ordinance or the drafting of a new ordinance for the removal of shrubs, bushes, etc which obscure stop signs at intersections. IE. 0. Cambern - Telephone Service E. 0. Cambern, District Manager of the General Telephone Company, met with the Council to discuss the company's plans for the Baytown system regarding direct dial service to Houston. This meeting had been requested by the City Council August 13, In his presentation, Mr. Cambern briefly reviewed the Southwestern Bell's metropolitan plan for Houston and the outlying areas. Baytown has an opportunity to participate in a second -tier office program and officials of the Southern Bell and General Telephone Companies have met and discussed the desire of the Council for direct dialing into the Houston area. Two major problems have developed; first, the geographic area completely out of portion and secondly, lack of studies at this point to determine the cost of providing trunking facilities to the desired area. The long -range plan for Baytown - direct distance dialing by 1968. Upgrading services will be a vital part of the overall plan and it is hoped that by 1%8 the Company can com a to the City Council and ask that they no longer provide 4 -party service as this type service is becoming a thing of the past. Councilman Barnes expressed his dissatisfaction by pointing out several points brought out by Mr. Cambern in his report, such as, the 85 direct lines to Houston being such a small per cent of the whole, direct distance dialing being a different proposition than the Council's initial request to be placed on the Houston exchange and stated that this was the same answer given the City Council in 1961 when the General Telephone Company's officials were requested to make a study of the cost of providing direct dialing into the Houston system. He enumerated the items of similarity in the 1961 and 1964 reports and mentioned the Garland- Dallas exchange agreement. In his opinion, some- thing is wrong in the Baytown- Houston area as mechanically this is possible, economically it is not prohibitive. After some further discussion, Councilman Badgett moved to adopt a resolution giving the General Telephone Company official notice of a hearing for the purpose of upgrading the services of the utility on or before January 14, 1965. Councilman Huron seconded the motion. The vote follows: Ayes: Councilmen Barnes, Badgett, Cravey, Lively and Huron Mayor Liggett Nays: None ' The caption of the resolution follows: RESOLUTION NO. 59 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN GIVING THE GENERAL TELEPHONE COMPANY OF THE SOUTHWEST OFFICIAL NOTICE, PURSUANT TO ARTICLE XI, SECTION 125, OF THE CHARTER OF SUCH CITY, OF A HEARING TO BE HELD BY AND BETWEEN SAID COUNCIL AND UTILITY FOR THE PURPOSE OF UPGRADING THE SERVICES OF SUCH UTILITY; DIRECT- ING THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF OF THE CITY TO MAKE PROPER PREPARATIONS FOR SUCH HEARING AND DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO IMMEDIATELY FURNISH AND EXECUTED COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO THE UTILITY'S LOCAL MANAGER AND THE COMPANY'S PRESIDENT IN SAN ANGELO, TEXAS. Financial Advisory Contract - Underwood. Neuhaus 6 Company, Inc. By unanimous secret ballot, the City Council awarded the financial advisory contract to Underwood, Neuhaus G Company, Inc., Houston, Texas to act as consultant for handling Revenue and General Obligation Bond issues in accordance with schedule of minimum fees as set forth by Municipal Advisory Council of Texas. 2065 Council Decide - Continue Operation - Pay Station Contracts The Council heard Mr. G. S. Tharp as he petitioned the Council to continue its city- operated pay station in the building of the former Water District No. 8 - Wooster. During the budget studies, the Council had decided to close all collecting stations, including two city operated and four contract stations, and go into a direct mailing system for water collections. This fact was made known by the news media. However, recently, a cost estimate was projected and it was learned that the cost of mailing the water bills in envelopes and including self - addressed envelopes for customer use would be cost prohibitive. The Council then discussed maintaining.contract pay stations and closing the two city- operated stations. In his petition, Mr. Tharp asked that the city - operated station be maintained. The reason for the Council's decision was again explained and he was told that the city will operate a contract pay station in the area for the convenience of persons living within the area. The city's present office will be kept open until a contract agreement can be negotiated; the residents will .then be notified of the pay station location and the city -owned station will be closed and possibly the building will be sold at a later date. After some further discussion, Councilman Barnes moved to close the Cedar Bayou and Wooster Stations; keep the existing contract stations opened and negotiate one additional contract stations in the Wooster area and cease the plan for mailing water bills in envelopes, including self- addressed return envelopes, for customer convenience. Councilman Badgett seconded the motion. The vote follows: Ayes: Councilmen Barnes, Badgett, Cravey, Lively and Huron Mayor Liggett Nays: None Transfer Resobtion Councilman Lively moved to adopt a resolution transferring, within the general fund budget, $513.00 for clerical salaries in the Corporation Court Department. Councilman Badgett seconded the motion. The vote follows: Ayes: Councilmen Cravey, Barnes, Badgett, Lively and Huron Mayor Liggett Nays: None The caption of the resolution follows: RESOLUTION NO. 60 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN, TEXAS AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO TRANSFER WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET, CERTAIN FUNDS FROM ONE CLASSIFICATION TO ANOTHER CLASSI- FICATION. Ordinance - Appropriation - Street Improvement - Capital Councilman Lively moved to adopt an appropriation ordinance in the amount of $42,486.89 to provide funds in Account 301 -908 for Capital Improvement of streets. Councilmen Badgett seconded the motion. The vote follows: Ayes: Councilmen Barnes, Badgett, Cravey, Lively and Huron Mayor Liggett Nays: None The caption of the ordinance follows: ORDINANCE NO. 731 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN, TEXAS, TO APPROPRIATE FORTY TWO THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED EIGHTY SIX DOLLARS AND EIGHTY -NIKE ($42,486.89) CENTS FROM UNAPPROPRIATED SURPLUS GENERAL FUND TO BUDGET ACCOUNT 301 -9 -8. 1 2066 Status Report - Street Improvement Proiects City Manager Lanham gave a status report on the street improvement projects now under contract. The administration will continue its study of streets to be in- cluded in the proposed street improvement program for 1964 -65. Bernard Johnson, Engi- neers, the City Planner, is presently making a study of the thoroughfare and collector street needs. The Baytown Planning Commission will receive its recommendations and will be asked to approve, afterwhich, the Council will include the approved projects in its continued study. 7! Seek Bids - Towing Charge Abandoned Cars Councilman Cravey moved to instruct the administration to contact the licensed wrecker operators within the City of Baytown and ask for bids on a per nuti basis, for towing charges for abandoned cars as ordered by the Police Department in accordance with Ordinance No. 726 of the City of Baytown. Councilman-Barnes seconded the motion. The vote follows: Ayes: Councilmen Barnes, Badgett, Cravey, Lively and Huron Mayor Liggett Nays: None Councilman Cravey - Employees to Discuss Problems with Members of Council Councilman Cravey expressed his objection to employees being threatened with possible dismissal if they discussed any problem with members of the City Council. He named no particular person but stated that he had been told not to mention the complaint to the direct supervisor for fear of dismissal as the employee had been told not to discuss a problem with a member of the council. He expressed no desire to override supervisory personnel but was willing and ready to listen to any complaints the city employee may want to discuss. Adiournment Councilman Barnes moved for the meeting to adjourn. Councilman Badgett seconded ' the motion. The ayes were unanimous and the Mayor declared the meeting adjourned. Edna Oliver, City Clerk