2001 08 06 WS Minutesla
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MINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION
OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN
August 6, 2001
The City Council of the City of Baytown, Texas, met in work session on August 6, 2001,
at 7:00 a.m. in the Hullum Conference Room of Baytown City Hall, 2401 Market Street,
Baytown, Texas, with the following in attendance:
Ronnie Anderson Council Member
Coleman Godwin Council Member
Calvin Mundinger Council Member
Don Murray Council Member
Pete C. Alfaro Mayor
Monte Mercer City Manager
Gary W. Smith City Clerk
Absent: Mercedes Renteria, III Council Member
Scott Sheley Council Member
The meeting was opened with a quorum present after which the following business was
conducted:
Discuss proposed fiscal year 2001 -2002 budget.
Mayor Alfaro reviewed the rules of the meeting.
• All participate
• Courteous —no interrupting
• Respect views and opinions of others
• Stay on issues
• Common good — entire Council
• No one dominate discussion.
Consensus is the agreement of the majority of the Council. Staff guidance is by consensus.
City Manager Monte Mercer reviewed the proposed budget. The budget combines the
goals of the comprehensive plan, bonds and municipal development district. The past year
saw the start of the redevelopment of San Jacinto Mall, the start of construction of the
Home Depot Regional Warehouse, the opening of the largest Super Wal -Mart in the state,
the Chevron Phillips /Solvay joint venture, and the announcement of the relocation of the
Bayer Corporate Engineering to Baytown. The City was awarded the prestigious Texas
Environmental Excellence Award.
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Minutes of the Work Session — August 6, 2001
The priorities established by Council in the meetings in June were Infrastructure, Traffic
and Transportation, Image and Beautification, Personnel and Compensation, Planning and
Zoning, and Economic Development.
The proposed budget is balanced. Fund balance is used for the purchase of non - recurring
items. 67% of the General Fund budget relates to staffing. The budget is a policy
document and following the plan set forth in the previous years' budgets has given the City
an AA rating.
The budget maintains service levels with no increase in property tax rates or sanitation
rates. An increase is proposed in water and wastewater to provide for operations and debt
service.
Donna Sams, Rhonda Young, and Teri Roche were recognized for their exceptional efforts
in compiling the proposed budget.
$20,000,000 in bond funds will be available for streets, to be expended in $4,000,000
increments over five years. $1,250,000 is provided for debt service funding to offset future
debt service increases. $50,000 is proposed for capital drainage with another $50,000 in
drainage improvements to be done in- house. The work will complete drainage projects in
Abbe Addition, Park, Rollingwood, and Bowie.
The funding for the concrete work has significantly reduced the delay in repairing streets,
sidewalks and driveways. The slab- raising concrete repair program is funded through the
concrete work section of the budget.
S1,350,000 is budgeted through the Municipal Development District for signal
synchronization on Main, Garth and Alexander. Signals are budgeted for Hutto and
Rollingbrook and Pinehurst and Highway 146. A study is required to determine the
equipment necessary for the intersections.
The Comprehensive Plan established a thoroughfare plan for the City and sets the base for
development for the next 15 to 20 years. Funding is proposed through the Municipal
Development District for right of way acquisition. Council Member Murray encouraged
the expeditious acquisition of the necessary right of way for the extension of Hutto.
An Image Campaign is funded to develop a branding strategy for the City. Key messages
will be developed. Advertising will be designed. Press releases for information and to
reinforce the message are planned.
An enhanced Internet presence is planned to provide good data in attractive and improved
access. This will include information on local attractions and events. An electronic
message board is planned along a major thoroughfare. This will provide ready access to
local information. The sign replacement program is continuing.
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Minutes of the Work Session — August 6, 2001
Funding is provided for the Roseland Park Sprayground, the Jenkins Park baseball fences,
and replacement of the main electrical disconnect at the Sports Complex. The ongoing
playground equipment replacement program is continued.
Funds are provided to continue to improve the appearance of the City. Ten streets have
been adopted in the Adopt -a- Street program. A Clean City Commission should be
redeveloped to provide the necessary public support.
Compensation increases are proposed for the Police Department (Civil Service) employees
and the non Civil Service employees to maintain a compensation plan that is competitive
with the employment market. Funding is provided to address the difficulty in professional
recruitment. Additional information will be provided to Council as the plan is developed.
Part-time compensation is being addressed to maintain the employees at the competitive
market level.
Many cities are looking at 30% to 50% increases in health care costs. The rates were not
increased for 7 years. The City will continue to bear 90% of the employee coverage and
80% of the dependent coverage.
The Reinvestment Zone around the Mall will provide development at the Garth Road/I -10
intersection. Funding is provided for a development study of the I -10 corridor to include
Garth Road and North Main Street.
Two part time positions in the Inspections Division are proposed to be upgraded to full
time. Software will be acquired to allow the inspectors to use handheld devices to access
codes and input information for later upload to the City system. This will provide better
information at the location and more readily accessible information.
Economic Development will be addressed through the Reinvestment Zone, the Municipal
Development District and the Economic Development Foundation.
Funding is provided to fully staff a third Mobile Intensive Care Unit. The increase in
usage supports the increase in staffing. An associate medical director will provide
additional coverage and proficiency for EMS.
The Opticom program is being continued. This has helped to maintain the response time
for Fire and EMS. The thermal imaging camera program is continued. It allows the fire
fighters to locate a person 60% faster.
Handheld units will be provided to public health for inspections. The Codes and
background will be accessible during inspections. Digital signatures will be possible with
the units. Record keeping will be improved.
Funding is provided for additional time for mosquito spraying during outbreaks. The
larvicide program is being increased. The adulticide program is being expanded.
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Minutes of the Work Session — August 6, 2001
A project manager is proposed to oversee the various public works projects that will be in
progress through the bonds and the Municipal Development District. Funding is provided
for personnel, hardware and software. The Parks Planner will be converted to a Projects
Manager.
Although costs have come down, funding is provided for the increased energy costs.
Additional personnel is proposed for the PC Help Desk to handle the administrative
matters and free the other personnel in ITS to perform their primary functions.
The GIS project will be begun. A person will be required to do the work.
New financial software is budgeted. The current software will not longer be supported.
Software for Parks and Recreation will be "Windows" based and usable in conjunction
with our website.
$575,000 is budgeted for street and traffic lights. This will cover the new lights in the new
subdivisions.
The projected increased revenues are as follows:
• Ad valorem tax
$814,000
• Industrial District payments
$826,834
• Franchise tax
$269,874
• License & Permits
$141,450
• Charges for services
$367,450
• Operating transfers
$150,000.
An increase of $0.19 is proposed for both water and wastewater charges to offset debt
service fees and increased utility costs. The effect will be a 5 to 6% increase for the
average consumer. The tap fees will be increased to recover actual costs.
No increase is proposed for the Sanitation Fund. The permit fee for the drop -off center is
proposed to be increased by $5 to $10 to cover the costs of the center.
40% of the increase in the budget is in personnel.
Council Member Mundinger spoke in support of the proposed budget as it helps with
personnel and training without increasing staffing.
Council Member Murray requested additional information on the funding for Image and
Beautification.
Council concurred that the meeting scheduled for Tuesday, August 7, could be cancelled
and the final discussion of the budget will occur at the meeting scheduled for Wednesday,
August 8.
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Minutes of the Work Session — August 6, 2001
Adjourn.
Council Member Mundinger moved adjournment. Council Member Godwin seconded the
motion. The vote follows:
Ayes: Council Members Anderson, Godwin, Mundinger, and Murray
Mayor Alfaro
Nays: None.
There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 8:35 a.m.
G W. mith
City Clerk