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08 Council Minutes (08/30/01)MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL August 30, 2001 The City Council of the City of Paris met in special session Thursday, August 30, 2001, 6:00 P. M., Paris Junior College, Applied Technology Building, Room 1016, 2400 Clarksville Street, Paris, Texas. Mayor Michael J. Pfiester called the meeting to order with the following Council Members present: John F. Bell, Joe E. McCarthy, Richard Manning, Kevin Gray, and Benny Plata. Also present were City Manager Michael E. Malone, City Attorney Larry W. Schenk, and City Clerk Mattie Cunningham. Invocation was given by Gene Anderson, Director of Finance for the City of Paris. Mayor Pfiester announced that the first item was to receive input from interested citizens of Paris proposing services or projects to be included in the 2001-2002 City of Paris Budget, and called for anyone who wished to speak to come forward. Mary Clark, Attorney, appeared before the City Council informing them that one of the goals of Keep Paris Beautiful is to have vibrant well-maintained neighborhoods in the City of Paris. Ms. Clark said there is a provision in the proposed city budget that reduces that opportunity which is a concern in terms of obtaining that goal. Ms. Clark wanted to bring the City Council up to date on volunteer efforts that are directed towards the housing situation in Paris. Ms. Clark explained that she is aware of City Council support of the efforts of Keep Paris Beautiful and she thanked the Council for the $5,000.00 that they had already committed in the proposed budget. She said that within Keep Paris Beautiful was a clean- up program and also a Housing Committee that has been filled with the most dedicated Committee Members that she has ever been involved with. That Housing Committee was able to begin a grant program for the areas on South Main Street, South Church Street, and First Street S. W. This program encourages the homeowners in that area to restore and clean up their homes. Special City Council Meeting August 30, 2001 Page 2 She said they have evidence of clean up and quite a bit of effort has been put into iilhose areas, and they hope to move out of that area into more target areas. Ms. Clark advised City Council that an enormous amount of work has been accomplished by volunteers. The committee is also exploring and working with the City Attorney on the idea of the Homestead Program. She was also excited about the plan to bring to Paris a Community Development Corporation, which is a non-profit corporation that is organized within a community. This type of organization has been very successful in other communities in bringing back neighborhoods. Ms. Clark spoke regarding this process which would increase the taxes for the city. Ms. Clark said they have to have the support of the City of Paris in helping them reach their goals. Ms. Clark said what the City Council brings to the table is code enforcement, and no one else can do code enforcement. There are two ordinances that affect the efforts of Keep Paris Beautiful. The first deals with dilapidated housing and the second requires that lots be mowed. When these ordinances are enforced a neighborhood feels good about itself and help bring a neighborhood back because the majority of people want to live in a well maintained neighborhood. Ms. Clark said that there had been $283,500.00 in last year's budget to maintain lots. The proposed budget for this year showed $180,000.00 for the removal of structures and $100,000.00 for maintaining lots. This had then been reduced to $96,000.00. This is a declined of two-thirds from last year's budget. Ms. Clark urged City Council to reconsider cutting these expenditures. Phillip Cecil was present stating that he is in favor of what Ms. Clark has submitted to the City Council. He felt that the Council should continue with the efforts that they have made in the beatification and clean up of our city. Mr. Cecil said the most critical part of beautification is being able to move the dilapidated houses that we have in the city. Mr. Cecil said he would Special City Council Meeting August 30, 2001 Page 3 appreciate it if the Council could find a way not to cut these funds. Randy Bunch, a member of the Paris Municipal Band, appeared before the City Council telling them that the Paris Municipal Band has existed for seventy-two years under the Texas Local Government Code, which provides for the establishment of funding from municipalities. He said that during the year hundreds of citizens of Paris and Lamar County came and enjoyed the Band. Mr. Bunch said the Band could probably perform before approximately nine to ten thousand people each year. Mr. Bunch discussed the expenditures in the Paris Band and submitted to the City Council that the $10,000.00 placed in their budget is an insufficient amount to operate the Paris Band. He requested an additional amount from the City Council. After discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council to place an additional $10,000.00 in the budget for the Paris Municipal Band. Discussion regarding the weather sirens followed. By consensus, the City Council agreed to place $22,000.00 for one emergency weather siren back in the Police Department's budget. The City Council agreed by consensus to place $47,000.00 into the budget for the Emergency Medical Service Department and the Fire Department budgets in support of the 28-7day pay cycle. The City Council was also in agreement by consensus to place $50,000.00 additional funds in the Community Development Department for removal of dilapidated structures. Herb Campbell, Director of Utilities, came forward telling the City Council that the City of Paris has a population of 26,000 and that our water treatment plant is designed to serve a bedroom community like Plano, Texas. It will serve up to 240,000 people. We are not talking about a small water plant sitting out here on the edge of town, we are talking about a big water plant and a little town. The reason for that is the corporate users such as Campbell Soup, Special City Council Meeting August 30, 2001 Page 4 Earthgrains, Kimberly-Clark, and Lamar Power. You have to keep that in mind when you are talking about how much money it takes to maintain this plant. Mr. Campbell said that the Wastewater Treatment Plant will serve a city of 75,000 people. Mr. Campbell said that the city has doubled the size of the plant in the past six years. Mr. Campbell said another major requirement that he is looking at in the next one to two years is a west side, two million gallon, storage tank. Mr. Campbell discussed the importance of this need. Mr. Campbell said that he starts out with a zero base line budget. He estimates how much water they are going treat and then estimates the cost by accounts. He and Mr. Malone will go over the budget and make the necessary cuts. Mr. Campbell said he was satisfied with the budgets for his departments. Mr. Campbell said that the water treatment plant is not the big source of the expenses. It is the distribution system and debt service. He said there is a fifty million dollar Water Treatment Plant out there. The new rules and regulations of the TNRCC increase the cost of meeting state requirements. Mr. Campbell discussed the need for a larger tractor to mow the sludge disposal field at the Water Treatment Plant and also discussed the leveling of the sludge field. It was the consensus of the City Council to cut the expenditures for a computer from $2,500.00 to $1,200.00 in the Water Treatment Plant's budget. Under the Communication Systems, the City Council removed the $2,000.00 amount budgeted as the project has been completed. Mayor Pfiester said the next budget for consideration is the Wastewater Treatment. Mr. Campbell pointed out that the overtime is showing $30,000.00 which should be $16,000.00 in this account. Councilman Plata called the Council's attention to the account for Office Supplies and it appears that the expenditures have doubled. After discussion, it was determined that this must be an error, Special City Council Meeting August 30, 2001 Page 5 and the City Council agreed to cut the account back to $5,000.00. Mayor Pfiester questioned why there was a need for a fence around the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Mr. Campbell advised the Mayor and City Council that TNRCC has just written the city a letter that we were in violation of the rules and regulations because we did not have a fence around the Wastewater Treatment Plant. It is mandatory by law. The City Council was in agreement to leave the fence in the budget. After discussion ora Snapper Mower for this department, it was the consensus of the City Council to eliminate this item from the budget in the amount of $6,000.00. There were no changes in the Lift Stations Division. The next department for consideration was the Water Distribution Division, and Terry Townsend, Director of Public Works, came forward telling the City Council that one of the cuts made in this budget was the Streets and Alleys account, and it is a high priority item. Mr. Townsend said this is used for repair, preparation for the hot mix overlay, and the repair of utility cuts made by others. There were no changes in the Water Distribution Division. In the Sewer Maintenance Division, Mr. Townsend said that he had placed a 4-Wheel Drive Cab Extendahoe in the amount of $78,500.00 in the budget. He said that this item is really needed. After discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council that the Extendahoe be left in the budget. City Attorney Schenk said that Mr. Haynes and Mr. Anderson have attempted to keep track of all of the changes made to the City Manager's proposed budget. The changes made in the proposed budget will be the amendments to Special City Council Meeting August 30, 2001 Page 6 the City Manager's original budget by motion because the City Council will have to have a public hearing on the amendments. Now that you have a zero increase budget, as he understands, and no tax increase, the City Council can dispense with a lot of the other items and he will go through those as they appear on the agenda. A motion was made by Councilman Bell, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Manning, to approve the changes that have been made to the City Manager's proposed budget. The motion carried 6 ayes, 0 nays. Mayor Pfiester called for consideration and discussion on deleting or adding additional City Council work sessions regarding the budget and tax rate. A motion was made by Councilman Bell, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Manning, that the City Council has finished with the work sessions regarding the budget and tax rate. The motion carried 6 ayes, 0 nays. A motion was made by Councilman McCarthy, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Manning, that there is to be no tax increase for the calendar year 2001 for the City of Paris. The motion carried 6 ayes, 0 nays. Resolution No. 2001-135, setting a public hearing for the 17th day of September, 2001, at 6:00 P. M. in the Paris Junior College Applied Technology Building, Room 1016, 2400 Clarksville Street, Paris, Texas, for the purpose of hearing written and oral comments from the citizens of the City of Paris concerning the proposed amendments to the City Manager's proposed annual budget for fiscal year beginning October 1, 2001, and ending September 30, 2002, was presented. A motion was made by Councilman McCarthy, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Manning for approval of the resolution. The motion carried 6 ayes, 0 nays. A motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Manning, seconded by Councilman Plata, that no action is required on a resolution setting a public hearing on the proposed tax increase required to fund and balance the proposed budget for Special City Council Meeting August 30, 2001 Page 7 fiscal year 2001-2002 as there is no tax increase. The motion carried 6 ayes, 0 nays. There being no further business, a motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Manning, seconded by Councilman Plata, to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried 6 ayes, 0 nays. MICHAEL J. PFIESTER, MAYOR ATTEST: MATTIE CUNNINGHAM CITY CLERK