The City Council of the City of Abilene, Texas, met in a Pre-Council Work Session on October 8, 1998, at 8:30 a.m. in the Basement Conference Room of City Hall. Mayor Gary D. McCaleb was present and presiding with Councilmen Paul R. Vasquez and A. Don Drennan, Councilwoman Carol Martinez, Councilmen Rob Beckham and V. L. "Versie" Brown, Jr., and Councilwoman Kay Alexander. Also present were City Manager Roy L. McDaniel, Assistant City Manager Mike Morrison, City Attorney Sharon Hicks, City Secretary Jo Moore, and various members of the City staff.

Mayor McCaleb stated Councilwoman Martinez would be going with a delegation at 10:00 a.m. today to Ft. Worth to attend a National Level Conference on the first four years of a child's development. City Manager Roy McDaniel noted staff had distributed to the Council page 7 of Item 3.4, which list the conditions to the street use license request from Enprotec, Inc. for monitoring wells, and a new exhibit on page 7 of Item 3.10, Z-03498 - Ordinance amending PDD 65 concerning acreage and permitted uses located at I-20 and Loop 322. Item 3.15, Ordinance amending Section 23-263 of the Subdivision Regulations pertaining to Alternative Design Standards was tabled by the Planning and Zoning Commission and would be removed from the Consent Agenda to be considered at a later date. Mr. McDaniel also noted that John Clark, chair of the Capital Improvements Program Committee, had presented a status report to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a $21 million, 5 proposition proposed bond election. At the conclusion of the presentation, Mr. Clark stated the Zoological Society was awarded a $1 million grant toward a $3.8 million Otter exhibit, and announced that the Capital Improvements Program Committee would be hearing a request from the Zoological Society at their meeting October 19 for matching funds to be included as part of the potential bond package. The Council briefly discussed various other consent and regular agenda items, and there being no further discussion, the meeting was recessed to the City Council Chambers until 9:00 a.m. for the regular Council Meeting.

Mayor McCaleb reconvened the City Council of the City of Abilene, Texas, into Regular Session October 8, 1998, at 9:00 a.m. in the City Council Chambers of City Hall.

Councilwoman Kay Alexander gave the invocation.

Pledge of Allegiance was led by Donovan Wells, fifth-grader at Reagan Elementary, who was accompanied by his principal, Mr. Lockett.

Mayor McCaleb, assisted by City Secretary Jo Moore, presented Employee Service Awards to the following individuals for their years of service:

25 Years, Elizabeth A. Johns, Principal Librarian, Library

25 Years, James D. Becker, Police Officer, Police Department

25 Years, Thad N. Carey, Police Sergeant II, Police Department

25 Years, Michael D. Smith, Police Officer, Police Department

25 Years, Richard Valdez, Police Officer, Police Department

20 Years, M. G. Gonzalez, Jr., Equipment Operator I, Street & Drainage Services

Mayor McCaleb presented proclamations as follows:

October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and

October as Fire Prevention Month.

There being no corrections, additions, or deletions to the minutes of the September 24, 1998 Pre-Council and Regular City Council Meetings, Councilman Vasquez moved to approve the minutes as printed. Councilwoman Martinez seconded the motion and the motion carried.

AYES: Councilmen Vasquez and Drennan, Councilwoman Martinez, Councilmen Beckham and Brown, Councilwoman Alexander, and Mayor McCaleb.

NAYS: None.

Councilman Beckham moved to approve consent agenda items 3.1 through 3.9, and approval of first reading of items 3.10 through 3.14 as recommended by staff. Item 3.15 was tabled by the Planning and Zoning Commission, and therefore pulled from the Council agenda. City Attorney Sharon Hicks noted on Items 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, and 3.6 with Council approval of these items, the City Manager will be authorized to execute the documents. Councilman Brown seconded the motion and the motion carried.

AYES: Councilmen Vasquez and Drennan, Councilwoman Martinez, Councilmen Beckham and Brown, Councilwoman Alexander, and Mayor McCaleb.

NAYS: None.

4.1 Councilman Drennan moved to remove from the table an Oral Resolution approving the 9-1-1 Emergency Communications District revised FY 1997/98 and proposed FY 1998-99 Budgets. Councilman Vasquez seconded the motion and the motion carried.

AYES: Councilmen Vasquez and Drennan, Councilwoman Martinez, Councilmen Beckham and Brown, Councilwoman Alexander, and Mayor McCaleb.

NAYS: None.

Roy McDaniel, City Manager, briefed the Council on Item 4.1, stating there has been six weeks of discussion among the various entities involved. Mr. McDaniel stated discussion included the 9-1-1 Board's consideration of funding dispatchers for the Sheriff's office. Sheriff Dieken originally requested two dispatchers be funded through 9-1-1, which the 9-1-1 Board approved on a 3 to 2 vote at their September 8 meeting. At the September 29^th 9-1-1 Board meeting, Sheriff Dieken amended the request from two dispatchers to one dispatcher. The 9-1-1 Board did amend the budget for approval to include one dispatcher for the Sheriff's Office. Taylor County Commissioners have approved the 9-1-1 District Budgets including the request for one dispatcher.

Mr. McDaniel stated the sheriff wants a deputy sheriff to also respond to every 9-1-1 call. Councilman Vasquez questioned the reference to Taylor County calls that states "will now be routed to the Sheriff's Office", noting it should state Taylor County Calls "outside the City limits will now be routed to the Sheriff's Office" since the City of Abilene is in Taylor County and those calls will not go to the Sheriff's Office.

The Council voiced concerns about the response procedures now including one additional step with calls coming to the Abilene Police Department, who will then relay them to the Sheriff's Office where they will then be dispatched. Mayor McCaleb asked Mr. McDaniel to relay back to the Sheriff their concerns about adding an additional step in the response procedure. Mr. McDaniel stated the City has requested reports be submitted from the Sheriff's Department in order to monitor the workload and efficiency of the 9-1-1 dispatching service.

Councilman Drennan moved to approve by Oral Resolution the 9-1-1 Emergency Communications District revised FY 1997/98 and proposed FY 1998-99 Budgets, as recommended by staff. Councilwoman Alexander seconded the motion and the motion carried.

AYES: Councilmen Vasquez and Drennan, Councilwoman Martinez, Councilmen Beckham and Brown, Councilwoman Alexander, and Mayor McCaleb.

NAYS: None.

Councilwoman Martinez left the meeting.

4.2 Cassie Hughes, Building Official, briefed the Council on an Ordinance adopting the 1997 Uniform Building Code with amendments. The Board of Building Standards and staff recommends approval.

Mayor McCaleb opened a public hearing on the item and the following individual spoke in favor of the request:

Councilman Drennan asked if there were any objections to the Code?

Mr. Williams answered that there was a lengthy discussion regarding foundation changes, but added in his personal opinion the Building Code and inspections are handled excellently in Abilene.

Mayor McCaleb stated the guidelines are to protect the citizens from faulty construction, for the safety of occupants and users, and that the merging of two codes into one reference (common point reference) enhances flexibility, which is part of the work together spirit.

There being no one else present and desiring to be heard, the public hearing was closed.

Councilman Brown moved to approve the Ordinance adopting the 1997 Uniform Building Code with amendments, as recommended by staff. Councilman Vasquez seconded the motion and the motion carried.

AYES: Councilmen Vasquez, Drennan, Beckham, and Brown, Councilwoman Alexander, and Mayor McCaleb.

NAYS: None.

The Ordinance is numbered 51-1998 and is captioned as follows:

Mayor McCaleb recessed the Council into executive session pursuant to Sections 551.071 and 551.074 of the Open Meetings Act, and to seek the advice of the City Attorney with respect to pending and contemplated litigation and to consider the appointment and evaluation of public officers.

The Council reconvened from executive session, and stated no action was taken.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 12:00 noon.

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Jo Moore, City Secretary

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Gary D. McCaleb, Mayor