2001 08 08 WS MinutesMINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION
OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN
August 8, 2001
The City Council of the City of Baytown, Texas, met in work session on August 8, 2001,
at 6:00 p.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
Mercedes Renteria III
Council Member
Pete C. Alfaro Mayor
Monte Mercer City Manager
Ignacio Ramirez, Sr. City Attorney
Gary W. Smith City Clerk
Absent: 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, provided the information that Council had requested in the
Work Session held on August 6, 2001. A meeting has been scheduled with Commissioner
Fonteno to discuss the need for a traffic signal at Busch Road and Lynchburg Cedar Bayou
Road. The City Attorney is researching the requisites of an enforceable thoroughfare plan.
The increased spending in the Image and Beautification is as follows: Parks cleaning,
from $200,000 to $260,000; Recycling/Drop -off Center, from $56, 000 to $186,000; and
Promotion/Image, from $70,000 to $203,000. The spending in the area has doubled since
1997 (without Promotion/Image the spending has increased 90 %). The major focus has
been in Neighborhood Protection. Vacant lot mowing has increased from $40,000 to
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Minutes of the Work Session — August 8, 2001
op� $120,000. The proper allocation of administrative costs for grants is being reviewed and a
report will be made to Council. Research is underway to determine the necessity of a
referendum to alter the Zoning Ordinance.
Senate Bill 382 made Texas cities subject to the OSHA rule, commonly known as 2 in -2
out rule. Chief Leiper reported that this bill becomes effective September L The rule
requires that at least two firefighters be outside a burning building before two firefighters
can enter the building to extinguish the fire. Present staffing provides for four personnel
on each engine, but vacations and other leave often provide only three personnel. Three
pieces of equipment are dispatched to each structure fire. The time gap between arrival of
the first unit and second unit is ninety-five seconds. The rule does not prohibit entry to
save a life. A Standard Operating Procedure will be prepared to address the new rule. The
cost to provide four personnel on each engine would be $850,000 per year.
Mr. Mercer reported that difficulties in recruiting certain managerial positions exist. This
is under study and a report will be made to Council.
The public hearing will be held on August 23, 2001. The budget will be scheduled for
approval at the September 8, 2001 Council meeting.
Adjourn.
Council Member Renteria moved adjournment. Council Member Murray seconded the
motion. The vote follows:
Ayes: Council Members Anderson, Godwin, Mundinger, Murray and Renteria
Mayor Alfaro
Nays: None.
There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 6:23 p.m.
S ith
City Jerk