2003 01 30 WS MinutesMINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION
°^ OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN
January 30, 2003
The City Council of the City of Baytown, Texas, met in work session on January 30, 2003, at 3:00
p.m. in the Mockingbird Room of the Baytown Community Center, 2407 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
Scott Sheley
Council Member
Pete C. Alfaro Mayor
Gary M. Jackson City Manager
Ignacio Ramirez, Sr. City Attorney
Gary W. Smith City Clerk
Absent was: Mercedes Renteria III Council Member
The meeting was opened with a quorum present after which the following business was conducted:
Presentation and discussion of current City services.
City Manager Gary Jackson explained that the meeting was designed to allow the department
directors to give City Council a brief summary of the services that are currently provided through
the general fund. The general fund is most susceptible to economic trends. The events in the last
fiscal year and the decline in sales tax revenues, franchise fee collection and ad valorem tax
collection have put pressure on the general fund.
The general fund is used to account for traditional government and those items not required to be
accounted in another fund, as an enterprise fund or a proprietary fund. The organizational structure
was reviewed, along with overall activities. The interrelation of the general fund with the other
activities and enterprise and proprietary funds was explained. The budget approved 492.55 full -
time employees.
Assistant City Manager Bob Leiper explained general administration, facilities and overhead.
Finance Director, Donna Sams explained fiscal services; treasury, accounting, procurement and
budget. Asim Khan, Director of Information Technology Services, described the interrelation of
ITS with the activities of the other departments of the City. Gregory Stubbs, Director of Planning
and Development Services, explained the roles and activities of planning, inspections, and
community development. Human Resources Director, Alison Smith, explained the duties of
employment process, compensation and benefits, training and development, employee relations,
risk management, and civil service /collective bargaining. Gary Smith, City Clerk, reported on the
activities of records creation and management, elections, and municipal court. City Attorney
Ignacio Ramirez, Sr. explained the roles of the City's legal staff. Byron Jones, Chief of Police,
detailed the activities of the five divisions of the police department, patrol, community services,
support services, criminal investigations, and administrative. Dale Palmer, Fire Chief, explained the
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Minutes of the Work Session — January 30, 2003
services provided by administration and operations. Malcolm Swinney, Director of
Communications, detailed the duties of dispatch and the radio shop. Mike Lester, Director of
Health and Emergency Medical Services reviewed the roles of environmental health, neighborhood
protection and emergency medical services. Fred Pack, Director of Public Works, explained the
services provided under the general fund, administration, streets and drainage, and traffic control.
He also explained that the department provided services through other funds in equipment
maintenance, solid waste, utilities, and Baytown Area Water Authority. Bill Pedersen, Director of
Engineering Services, related the two functions of the department. Design works on a project from
inception through preconstruction, Project management takes over the projects after
preconstmction through project closeout. Parks and Recreation Director Scott Johnson, reported the
services provided through administration, recreation, parks, Bayland Island and wetlands. Denise
Fischer, Librarian, explained the services provided by Sterling Municipal Library, in circulation,
technical services, reference, youth services, extension services, city print shop, literacy and
administration.
Mr. Jackson summarized the meeting. The City is service oriented. After the first quarter of the
fiscal year, sales tax receipts are down 9% compared to last year. If the trend continues, the City
will receive $1,000,000 less than projected in the fiscal year. Council must decide bow resources
will be allocated. Council must decide how revenues and expenditures will balance. The fund
balance is necessary for debt and for emergencies. Additional meetings will be scheduled. The
department directors and those who assisted in preparing the presentation were thanked. Council
was thanked for their attention.
Adjourn.
There being no further business, Council Member Mundinger moved adjournment. Council
Member Anderson seconded the motion. The vote follows:
Aye: Council Members Anderson, Godwin, Mundinger, Murray, and Sheley
Mayor Alfaro.
Nay: None.
The motion carried and the meeting adjourned at 5:48 p.m.
G W. mit
City Clerk