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1978 09 20 CC Minutes, Special80920 -1 MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN, TEXAS September 20, 1978 The City Council of the City of Baytown, Texas, met in Special Session on Wednesday, September 20, 1978, at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber of the Baytown City Hall with the following members in attendance: Jody Lander Jimmy Johnnson Ted Kloesel Mary E. Wilbanks Eileen Caffey Allen Cannon Emmett 0. Hutto Fritz Lanham Dan Savage Scott Bounds Karen Petru Absent: Eileen P. Hall Councilman Councilman Councilman Councilwoman Councilwoman Councilman Mayor City Manager Assistant City Manager City Attorney Deputy City Clerk City Clerk Mayor Hutto called the special meeting to order. Consider Approval of Assessment Rolls as Returned by the Board of Equalization and the Adoption of Same for the Collection of Taxes Mrs. Dorothy Vidrine, Chairman of the Board of Equalization, commented that the Board would like to congratulate the Tax Department for a fine job during the past year and for providing good public relations with the citizens of the City of Baytown. After hearing all the evidence by the taxpayers, the Board of Equalization accepted the Tax Department's evaluations or made adjustments deemed necessary to complete and equalize the Tax Rolls which resulted in an assessed value of $427,647.490.00, based on 50% of fair market value. Mayor Hutto expressed Council's appreciation to the Board for their efforts and time spent in this regard. Councilman Kloesel mentioned that there was one major change in the Tax Roll from the original presentation - -the roll back to 1977 evaluations. Councilman Kloesel moved to adopt the assessment roll as presented by the Board of Equalization; Councilman Johnson seconded the motion. The vote follows: Ayes: Council members Lander, Johnson, Kloesel, Wilbanks, Caffey, and Cannon Mayor Hutto Nays: None Ordinance - Fixing the Ad Valorem Tax Rate Levy for the 1978 -79 Fiscal Year This ordinance provides for a $1.44 would be distributed as follows: $0.969 for General Fund Obligations, and $0.471 for payment of bonded indebtedness. The reduction of $.08 from last year's $1.52 Administration recommended approval of t tax rate which would be appropriated for debt services $1.44 tax rate is a tax rate. The he ordinance. Councilwoman Wilbanks moved for adoption of the ordinance; Councilwoman Caffey seconded the motion. The vote follows: Ayes: Council members Lander, Johnson, Kloesel, Wilbanks, Caffey, and Cannon Mayor Hutto Nays: None 80920 -2 Minutes of the Special Meeting September 20, 1978 ORDINANCE NO. 2542 AN ORDINANCE FIXING THE RATE AND TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF BAYTOWN FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1979, UPON ALL TAXABLE PROPERTY IN SAID CITY OF BAYTOWN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE CHARTER PROVISIONS AND ORDINANCES OF SAID CITY; AND REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT THEREWITH. Ordinance - Adopting the Budget for the 1978 -79 Fiscal Year The proposed ordinance has been prepared to reflect changes made by Council during budget and work sessions. The major change is that $200,000 which had been proposed for the installation of traffic signals in the General Fund Budget will be appropriated from Revenue Sharing. Previously, $177,000 in Revenue Sharing Funds were designated toward sliplining. The Administration is now recommending that the $177,000 be appropriated for traffic signal improvements. Mr. Lanham explained that the city had a $198,000 deficit in the proposed General Fund Budget due to the roll back in taxes prior to the changes discussed above. The ordinance provides that funds be appropriated as follows: General Fund $10,602,681.00 Waterworks and Sanitary Sewer $ 3,280,982.00 General Fund Debt Service $ 2,093,111.00 Waterworks and Sanitary Sewer Debt Service $ 354,238.00 The Administration recommended approval of the ordinance. Mr. Lanham pointed out that a $10,000 homestead exemption for senior citizens is included in the revenue estimate. Councilman Lander moved for adoption of the ordinance; Councilman Kloesel seconded the motion. The vote follows: Ayes: Council members Lander, Johnson, Kloesel, Wilbanks, Caffey, and Cannon Mayor Hutto Nays: None ORDINANCE NO. 2543 AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING A BUDGET FOR THE ENSUING FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 1978, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1979, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CHARTER AND ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN AND PROVIDING FOR THE PUBLICATION OF THIS ORDINANCE. Ordinance - Adopting the Budget for the Entitlement X Revenue Sharing Funds Mr. Lanham explained that the proposed ordinance includes the same recommendations that were given to Council a month ago with the exception that $52,000 has been included for a street striper, and $177,203 has been allocated toward traffic signals instead of sliplining. Councilman Kloesel inquired how the funds could be allocated under a specific category toward a purpose other than originally authorized. Mr. Lanham explained that the procedure would be the same as changes to the operating budget. There would have to be an item on the agenda and Council would have to make a transfer. The total amount for Revenue Sharing Funds for the Entitlement X period is $552,203.00. The Administration recommended approval of the ordinance. In response to a question from Councilwoman Wilbanks, Assistant City Manager Dan Savage explained that some of the projects planned under the environmental protection category include repainting of the West Main water storage tank, reworking the well on Decker Drive, the purchase of a backhoe, 80920 -3 Minutes of the Special Meeting September 20, 1978 and work to be done at Woodlawn lift station. Mr. Lanham explained that these classifications are established by federal regulations. Therefore, all proposals must fit under one of the classifications provided. Councilman Cannon moved for the adoption of the ordinance with one change - -that the $15,000 earmarked for the health classification be combined with the enviromental protection classification; Councilman Kloesel seconded the motion. In response to a question from Mayor Hutto, Councilman Cannon clarified that the $15,000 would eliminate funds for animal sterilization. Councilman Kloesel stated that the results of a survey which he personally conducted indicated the problem of stray dogs would not actually be reduced by this program. The survey indicated that the owners of animals neutered under this program would have had the animals neutered regardless. Mayor Hutto commented that he felt the Animal Sterilization Program is working and felt that for this $15,000, the citizens would receive as much or more on a per - dollar basis as for any program. The Mayor felt that this is not only animal control but also a rabies control program. The vote follows: Ayes: Council members Kloesel and Cannon Nays: Council members Lander, Johnson, Wilbanks and Caffey Mayor Hutto Councilman Lander moved for adoption of the ordinance as originally proposed; Councilman Johnson seconded the motion. Councilman.Kloesel expressed opposition to the motion because he felt the program to be non - essential. Councilman Cannon stated that although he opposed the Animal Sterilization Program, he did support the other recommendations and the revenue sharing program in general. The vote follows: Ayes: Council members Lander, Johnson, Wilbanks, Caffey and Cannon Mayor Hutto Nays: Councilman Kloesel ORDINANCE NO. 2544 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN TO APPROPRIATE FIVE HUNDRED FIFTY -TWO THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED THREE AND NO 1100 ($552,203.00) DOLLARS FROM THE UNAPPROPRIATED TENTH ENTITLEMENT PERIOD FUNDS OF REVENUE SHARING, 1979, TO THE FOLLOWING BUDGET ACCOUNTS: 8910, PUBLIC SAFETY; 8920, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION; 8930, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION; 8940, HEALTH; 8950, RECREATION; 8960, LIBRARY; 8970, SOCIAL SERVICES; 8980, FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION; DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO FILE AND GIVE NOTICE OF THE AVAILABILITY OF THE ADOPTED BUDGET; AND PROVIDING FOR THE PUBLICATION AND EFFECTIVE DATE HEREOF. Ordinance - Increasing the Senior Citizen Residential Homestead Tax Exemption Mr. Lanham pointed out that the ordinance as originally typed contained an effective date of January 1, 1979. This date has been corrected to January 1, 1978, to correspond with the tax statements to be mailed in October. The amount was left blank, but the figure that Council discussed previously was $10,000. The $10,000 figure was used in developing the revenue projections. This would increase the senior citizens residential homestead tax exemption from $7,000 to $10,000. 80920 -4 Minutes of the Special Meeting September 20, 1978 Councilman Kloesel stated that originally he supported $12,000 exemption, but since Council felt that figure too high, he would move for adoption of the ordinance to include $10,000 of assessed value; Councilman Johnson seconded the motion. Councilman Lander felt that City Council was moving too fast in this area for the following reasons: (1) Evaluations were not increased in 1978; (2) a tax reduction has been granted; and (3) there will probably be other tax reductions in the constitutional proposals coming up this fall. Councilman Cannon inquired what cost in revenue would this represent? The Administration's estimate was $53,697.00, but Mr. Lanham explained that this is a difficult item to estimate because the City does not know how many will request the exemption or how many are already at the ceiling. Councilman Cannon felt that in order for Council to increase the exemption for senior citizens, another group of taxpayers are burdened - -the young people who are struggling to pay house notes on inflated values. He felt that there is much more justification for increasing the tax exemption for school district taxation because senior citizens would not be benefiting from the tax dollars spent in that regard. Mayor Hutto pointed out that the people he is primarily hoping to help are the people who are on fixed incomes and who are confronted with rising medical costs. He felt that younger people have opportunities to increase their living standard and their income. Councilman Cannon stated that the exemption should be based on need and granted according to income. The vote follows: Ayes: Council members Johnson, Kloesel, Wilbanks, and Caffey Mayor Hutto Nays: Council members Lander and Cannon. ORDINANCE NO. 2545 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN AMENDING CHAPTER 28A, "TAXATION," BY REPEALING SUBSECTION 28J.1(b) AS PRESENTLY CONSTITUTED AND SUBSTITUTUING IN ITS PLACE THE PROVISIONS OF A NEW SUBSECTION 28J.1(b); REPEALING ORDINANCES INCONSISTENT HEREWITH; CONTAINING A SAVINGS CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR THE EFFECTIVE DATE HEREOF. Councilman Kloesel felt that at the time the budget ordinance is published that the revenue sharing budget should be included, along with other federal programs in order for Council to be apprised of total expenditures of the city. Mr. Lanham explained that these totals are included in the audit report. J. B. LeFevre, Director of Finance, concurred and explained that Council could be furnished with a print out of the day to day operations on a monthly or quarterly basis. Mr. Lanham stated that the Administration could give Council a report on federal programs separately from the budget. Councilman Cannon stated that he felt that the budget approved by Council contained a very generous compensation package for city employees. He requested that the employees cooperate to be certain that the taxpayers receive the maximum return on tax dollars and he urged the continuation of taxpayer participation and input. He also urged that the Administration continue to look for efficiencies and to begin the trend toward zero -base budgeting concepts for the 1979 -80 budget. 80920 -5 Minutes of the Special Meeting September 20, 1978 Councilman Kloesel expressed complete support of the pay increase for the city employees, but felt in certain areas jobs being handled by two people could be handled by one. Mr. Lanham explained that the Administration held a staff meeting where a number of the things mentioned by Council were discussed and zero -base budgeting is being considered. Mr. Lanham thanked Council on behalf of the Administration and employees for being so generous, and stated that city employees will take steps to provide better service. Adjourn With no further business to be transacted, Councilman Kloesel moved to adjourn; Councilman Lander seconded the motion. The vote for adjournment was unanimous. Karen Petru, Deputy City Clerk APPROVED: Eileen P. Hall, City Cler