City of Abilene

PRE-COUNCIL WORK SESSION, THURSDAY

February 11, 1999, 8:30 A.M.

CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ABILENE, TEXAS,

BASEMENT CONFERENCE ROOM, CITY HALL

The City Council of the City of Abilene, Texas, met in a Pre-Council Work Session on February 11, 1999, at 8:30 A.M. in the Basement Conference Room of City Hall. Mayor Gary D. McCaleb was present and presiding with Councilman A. Don Drennan, Councilwoman Carol Martinez, Councilmen Rob Beckham and Versie L. 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. Councilman Paul R. Vasquez was absent.

City Manager Roy McDaniel introduced Brent Black, new CityLink General Manager. Mayor McCaleb, on behalf on the City Council, expressed appreciation to former General Manager John Autry for the excellent job he did raising public awareness of mass transportation, the important addition of the trolleys, and the professional way in which complaints were handled, and welcomed Mr. Black. Mr. McDaniel also introduced Dirk Philpott, reporter for the Abilene Reporter-News. The Council briefly discussed various consent and regular agenda items. There being no further discussion, the meeting was recessed until 9:00 a.m. for the regular Council Meeting.

REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING

February 11, 1999, 9:00 A.M.

CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ABILENE, TEXAS

CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF CITY HALL

Mayor McCaleb convened the City Council of the City of Abilene, Texas, into Regular Session February 11, 1999, at 9:00 a.m. in the City Council Chambers of City Hall.

Councilman Don Drennan gave the invocation.

Pledge of Allegiance was led by Bryan Thomas, fifth grader at Bassetti Elementary, who was accompanied by his principal, Jennifer Raney and his parents, Paul and Jill Thomas.

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

30 Years, Jim Aldis, Maintenance Services Mgr., Administrative Services

20 Years, Gerald Lewis, Heavy Equip. Operator I, Street & Drainage Services

20 Years, Jerry Prince, Heavy Equip. Operator II, Street & Drainage Services

Karen Thomas, Chair of the Human Relations Committee, presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Mayor Gary D. McCaleb.

Mayor McCaleb presented a Proclamation for February 14-20, 1999 as Career and Technology Week.

DISPOSITION OF MINUTES

There being no corrections, additions, or deletions to the minutes of the Pre-Council Session and Regular City Council Meeting held January 28, 1999, Councilwoman Martinez moved to approve the minutes as printed. Councilman Brown seconded the motion and the motion carried.

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

NAYS: None.

CONSENT AGENDA

Councilman Brown moved to approve consent agenda items 3.1, 3.3 through 3.6, and approval of first reading for items 3.7 through 3.10 as recommended by staff. Item 3.2 was removed from the Consent Agenda to be considered separately at the request of Councilwoman Alexander. Councilwoman Alexander seconded the motion and the motion carried.

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

NAYS: None.

Resolutions

    1. Oral Resolution approving a Street Use license request from Hendrick Medical Center for the purposes of installing conduit under the Cypress Street and N. 18th Street right-of-way in order to connect communication lines between Hendrick facilities.

    2. Resolution ratifying an agreement between Central & Southwest Corp. (CSW) and City of Abilene Steering Committee regarding the merger of CSW & American Electric Power Company (AEP) currently pending before the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) as Docket No. 19265. Removed from the Consent Agenda to be considered separately.

    3. Oral Resolution authorizing City Manager to execute a contract with Honeywell, Inc. for the Civic Center’s air conditioning/heating system update into Year 2000 compliance for $17,142 and automate the original facility for $79,000; with a total cost for both projects of $96,142.
    4. Oral Resolution authorizing payment of $17,000 to B & M Engine Co. of Houston, TX for the emergency repairs to the air blower at the Wastewater Treatment Plant.

      5. Bid Awards

    5. Mowers for Parks Division, Bid #CB-9028. The bid was awarded as follows: Item 1 to Abilene Farm Supply and Item 2 to Abilene New Holland, Inc. representing the low responsible bidders in the amount of $33,812.35 as recommended by staff.

      6. Eleven replacement buses for CityLink, Bid #CB-9012. The bid was awarded to Lasseter Bus & Mobility for up to 11 buses with the total amount not to exceed $2,319,616, as recommended by staff.

      Ordinances

    6. Approval of first reading - Ordinance to amend Chapter 12, "Franchises", of the Abilene Municipal Code by adding Article III entitled "Telecommunications Franchise", and set a public hearing for February 25, 1999 at 9:00 a.m.

      7. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ABILENE AMENDING CHAPTER 12, "FRANCHISES", OF THE ABILENE MUNICIPAL CODE, PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, DECLARING A PENALTY AND CALLING A PUBLIC HEARING.

    7. Approval of first reading - TC-00499 – Thoroughfare abandonment of the east 2’ X 40.3’ of a north-south alley located between S. 5th & S. 6th Streets and S. Treadaway and China Streets, and set a public hearing for February 25, 1999 at 9:00 a.m.

      8. AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE ABANDONMENT OF A PORTION OF PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY; PROVIDING FOR THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SUCH ABANDONMENT, AND CALLING A PUBLIC HEARING.

    8. Z-00599 – Rezone from RS-8 (Residential Single Family) to RM-3 (Residential Multi-Family) district located at Ambler Avenue & Avenue D, and set a public hearing for February 25, 1999 at 9:00 a.m.

      9. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 23, "PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT", SUBPART E, "ZONING," OF THE ABILENE MUNICIPAL CODE, BY CHANGING THE ZONING DISTRICT BOUNDARIES AFFECTING CERTAIN PROPERTIES, AS DESCRIBED BELOW; DECLARING A PENALTY, AND CALLING A PUBLIC HEARING.

    9. Ordinance amending Sections 23-312, "Schedule of District Regulations" and 23-328, "Shopping Center District" of the Zoning Ordinance to change setback requirements in SC (Shopping Center) district, and set a public hearing for February 25, 1999 at 9:00 a.m.

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 23, "PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT," SUBPART E, "ZONING," OF THE ABILENE MUNICIPAL CODE, BY AMENDING CERTAIN SECTIONS AS SET OUT BELOW; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; DECLARING A PENALTY AND CALLING A PUBLIC HEARING.

REGULAR AGENDA

Resolutions

3.2 Sharon Hicks, City Attorney, briefed the Council on a Resolution ratifying an agreement between Central & Southwest Corp. (CSW) and City of Abilene Steering Committee regarding the merger of CSW & American Electric Power Company (AEP) currently pending before the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) as Docket No. 19265. Abilene intervened in the merger in order to review it and to seek to gain the best possible benefit for WTU ratepayers. If the PUC approves the stipulation and the merger occurs, the ratepayers should receive a $5 million rate reduction that will be applicable for six years.

Councilwoman Alexander stated she had the item removed from the Consent Agenda to be considered separately, because she felt it important for the citizens to understand the issue.

Councilwoman Alexander moved to approve the Resolution ratifying an agreement between Central & Southwest Corp. (CSW) and City of Abilene Steering Committee regarding the merger of CSW & American Electric Power Company (AEP) currently pending before the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) as Docket No. 19265. Councilman Beckham seconded the motion and the motion carried.

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

NAYS: None.

The Resolution is numbered 2-1999 and is captioned as follows:

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ABILENE RATIFYING THE AGREEMENT REACHED BETWEEN CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST CORPORATION AND THE STEERING COMMITTEE OF CITIES SERVED BY WEST TEXAS UTILITY REGARDING PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION DOCKET NO. 19265, "APPLICATION FOR PUBLIC INTEREST FINDINGS ASSOCIATED WITH THE MERGER OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST AND AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY"; AUTHORIZING CONTINUED INVOLVEMENT BY THE STEERING COMMITTEE ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF ABILENE IN DOCKET NO. 19265 FOR SO LONG AS THE CASE IS PENDING AT THE COMMISSION OR IS ON APPEAL IN THE COURTS.

4.1 James Condry, Assistant Director of Public Works, briefed the Council on an Oral Resolution approving a Street Use License request from Abilene Preservation League and Museums of Abilene. Mr. Condry noted representatives from the sponsoring agencies are present today, and introduced Judy Godfrey, Executive Director of the Grace Museum. Ms. Godfrey stated they want to help make the Celebrate Abilene festival successful and profitable.

Councilwoman Martinez moved to approve by Oral Resolution a Street Use License request from Abilene Preservation League and Museums of Abilene. Councilman Brown seconded the motion and the motion carried.

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

NAYS: None.

4.2 James Condry, Assistant Director of Public Works, briefed the Council on an Oral Resolution approving a request from the Abilene Preservation League and Museums of Abilene for City participation in the Celebrate Abilene Festival. Mr. Condry then introduced Ms. Ruby Perez, Abilene Preservation League, who stated this is a formal request from the Abilene Preservation League, which does understand this will probably be the last year for this type of City participation, and announced Karen Dansby will be the new coordinator.

Councilman Drennan moved to approve by Oral Resolution a request from the Abilene Preservation League and Museums of Abilene for City participation in the Celebrate Abilene Festival. Councilwoman Martinez seconded the motion and the motion carried.

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

NAYS: None.

4.3 Elizabeth Grindstaff, Downtown Manager, briefed the Council on an Oral Resolution approving $25,000 of Reinvestment Zone #1 (TIF) funds to the Taylor County Veteran’s Memorial Committee for creation of a Veteran’s Memorial Plaza at Taylor County Courthouse. Mrs. Grindstaff then introduced Architect Jimmy Tittle and Taylor County Judge Lee Hamilton. Judge Hamilton gave a background summary on the project and request, and Mr. Tittle described the planned plaza and statue.

Councilman Beckham moved to approve by Oral Resolution a request for $25,000 of Reinvestment Zone #1 (TIF) funds to the Taylor County Veteran’s Memorial Committee for creation of a Veteran’s Memorial Plaza at the Taylor County Courthouse. Councilman Drennan seconded the motion and the motion carried.

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

NAYS: None.

Other Business

Mayor McCaleb recessed the Council into executive session pursuant to Sections 551.071 and 551.074 of the Open Meetings Act, 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 reported no action taken.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 11:05 a.m.

_____________________________

Jo Moore, City Secretary

_____________________________

Gary D. McCaleb, Mayor

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