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CITY OF ALPINE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 1, 2004 5:30 P.M. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: MAYOR MICKEY CLOUSE; COUNCIL MEMBERS: AVINASH RANGRA; KATIE ELMS-LAWRENCE; NANCY DEWITT; AND JESUS (KACHOO) VALENZUELA. COUNCILOR PORTILLO CAME IN AFTER ITEM NO. 5. CITY STAFF PRESENT: CITY ATTORNEY STEVE HOUSTON; DIRECTOR OF
FINANCE RICKY CHAVEZ AND ASSISTANT SECRETARY GRISELL GONZALES. OTHERS PRESENT: APPROXIMATELY 10 CITIZENS WERE PRESENT INCLUDING THE NEWS MEDIA. THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY MAYOR CLOUSE . THE INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WAS GIVEN BY MAYOR AND ASCERTAINED THAT A QUORUM WAS PRESENT AND ACCORDING TO ARTICLE 6252-17, VTCS THE NOTICE OF THE MEETING HAD BEEN POSTED AT 4:00 P.M. ON FEBRUARY 13, 2004. ITEM NO. 5. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES: REGULAR MEETING: FEBRUARY 17, 2004. MOTION BY COUNCILOR RANGRA, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR DEWITT THAT THE MINUTES FOR FEBRUARY 17, 2004 BE APPROVED AS AMENDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. ITEM NO. 6. A. APPOINTING A STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE WATER/SEWER IMPROVEMENT AND EXPANSION MASTER PLAN IN COORDINATION WITH THE BORDER ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION COMMISSION (BECC). (C.M. PHILIPPI). CITY COUNCIL IS ASKED TO APPOINT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO WILL HELP BUILD SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT AS WELL AS HELP IMPLEMENT THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PHASE. PUBLIC HEARINGS WILL BE HELD AND A FULL REPORT OF PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT THE PROJECT WILL BE SUBMITTED TO BECC, ALONG WITH THE TECHNICAL PLANS FOR THE PROJECT. THIS COMMITTEE WILL SERVE MARCH, 2004 UNTIL THE PROJECT IS CERTIFIED BY THE COMMISSION. THERE ALSO NEEDS TO BE A DESIGNATED TECHNICAL SECRETARY AND A FACILITATOR TO COORDINATE ACTIVITIES BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND BECC. ONCE THE PROJECT IS CERTIFIED BY BECC, THEY WILL CREATE A FINANCIAL PACKAGE WHICH COMBINES GRANTS, AWARDS, AND LOW-INTEREST LOANS TO THE NAD BANK FOR FINANCING. CITY MANAGER PHILIPPI SUBMITTED A LIST OF NAMES: TALLIE RABY; RUDY KITTLITZ; BERTA VALENZUELA; DEBORAH CLOUSE; ROXANNE CHAVEZ; JOEY DEHART; LAWANNA LENNINGTON; LEO DOMINGUEZ; ROWLAND GARZA; CONRAD ARRIOLA; JACK MCNAMARA; LAWRENCE NEU; PAUL WILL; LORIE REBENSER; BECKY SOTELLO; LAUREN SPEAR; LEO OFENSTEIN; MELINDA MOORE; SHERIE FERGUSON AND MANFRED FRITSCHE. MOTION BY COUNCILOR RANGRA, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR LAWRENCE THAT RESOLUTION NO. 2004-02-19 THAT EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER INCLUDING THE MAYOR APPOINT TWO MEMBERS TO THIS COMMITTEE. I WILL KEEP THE ALTERNATE OUT JUST TWO MEMBERS PER COUNCILMAN AND THOSE NAMES WE INCLUDE FROM THIS LIST OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN CONTACTED AND READY TO SERVE OR NOT CONTACTED, IT DOESN’T MATTER, OR YOU CAN COME UP WITH NEW NAMES DEPENDING UPON YOUR WISH. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. NANCY DEWITT APPOINTED TALLIE RABY AND BERTA VALENZUELA; JOE PORTILLO APPOINTED ROWLAND GARZA AND CONRAD JOHN ARRIOLA; KATIE ELMS-LAWRENCE APPOINTED BECKY SOTELLO AND LEO OFENSTEIN; MAYOR CLOUSE APPOINTED LAWANNA LENNINGTON AND MANFRED FRITSCHE; KACHOO VALENZUELA APPOINTED ROXANNE CHAVEZ AND LEO DOMINGUEZ; AVINASH RANGRA APPOINTED JACK MCNAMARA AND DR. PAUL WILL.
MOTION BY COUNCILOR LAWRENCE, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR DEWITT THAT RESOLUTION NO. 2004-03-20 I MOVE TO APPROVE THE NAMES SUBMITTED BY COUNCIL AND MAYOR TO TURN OVER TO KAREN PHILIPPI. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. B. DISCUSS AND CONSIDER AMENDING ORDINANCE CHAPTER 22; BUSINESSES-ARTICLE III. PEDDLERS; SOLICITORS; TRANSIENT MERCHANTS. (COUNCILORS ELMS-LAWRENCE). COUNCILOR ELMS-LAWRENCE WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE THE EXISTING FEE TO A HIGHER PERMIT FEE; CHANGE THE LENGTH OF TIME; OR ABOLISH THE ENTIRE ORDINANCE AND IT IS A DETRIMENT TO CITY BUSINESSES AND THE CITIZENS PAY TAXES, AD-VALOREM TAXES, SALES TAXES AND IT IS HURTING THEIR BUSINESSES. CITY ATTORNEY HOUSTON STATED HE WOULD HAVE TO CONTACT THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY STATUTE OR AGENCY PROCEDURES INVOLVED WITH PEDDLERS. THERE ARE PEDDLERS ALL OVER TEXAS AND WE DON'T KNOW HOW THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE DEALS WITH COLLECTING THE SALES TAX ON THESE PARTICULAR PEDDLERS. CONCENSUS OF COUNCIL TO LOOK INTO RAISING THE FEES FOR THE PEDDLER ORDINANCE. CITY ATTORNEY HOUSTON SUGGESTED TO COUNCIL TO GET INFORMATION FROM OTHER CITIES DEALING WITH PEDDLARS AND HOW THEY HANDLE IT AND ALSO ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS ABOUT SALES TAX AND RATES AND COME BACK TO YOU. YOU NEED TO TELL US ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE AND WE WILL FIND OUT AND COME BACK TO YOU AT A LATER DATE. MOTION BY COUNCILOR DEWITT, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR VALENZUELA THAT RESOLUTION NO. 2004-03-21 THIS ITEM BE POSTPONED FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THE DETAILS AND CHANGES. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. CITIZENS COMMENTS: BOB LITTON ASKED WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE LIKE SCHWANS; MRS. ROBERTSON COMMENTED THAT ON VALENTINES DAY THERE WERE SO MANY VENDORS IN ALPINE SHE HEARD THEY HAD TAKEN OUT 18 THOUSAND DOLLARS AND THEY PAY NO SALES TAX; GLENN RAMSDALE COMMENTED THAT THE CITY SHOULD CONSIDER DOING BACKGROUND CHECKS ON THESE VENDORS AND THEN ENFORCE THEM. C. APPOINTMENT OF DEBRA CUTTING AS LABOR STANDARDS OFFICER FOR TCDP 722001 (GALLEGO STREET PROJECT). (C.M. PHILIPPI). THIS ASSIGNMENT IS TO OVERSEE THE LABOR PORTION OF THE CONTRACT AND WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSURING COMPLIANCE WITH ALL REQUIREMENTS. MAYOR CLOUSE ASKED WHAT DEPARTMENT WAS DEBRA CUTTING BEING PAID FROM? JERRY CARVAJAL EXPLAINED THAT THIS ITEM IS A HOUSEKEEPING ITEM AND THIS APPOINTMENT IS BY NAME ONLY. TXDOT IS IN CHARGE OF COMPLIANCE AND ONLY NEEDS A PERSON APPOINTED FOR COMPLIANCE. THE SALARY THAT DEBRA CUTTING IS BEING PAID FROM IS THE SAME DEPARTMENT. MOTION BY COUNCILOR DEWITT, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR PORTILLO THAT RESOLUTION NO. 2004-03-22 DEBRA CUTTING BE APPROVED AS THE LABOR STANDARDS OFFICER FOR TCDP 722001. CITIZEN COMMENTS: MCNAMARA ASKED THAT THERE WAS A VERY LARGE COMPONENT OF IN-KIND LABOR FOR THIS PROJECT THAT WAS PLANNED FOR BY THE CITY IN THE AMOUNT OF $30,000? CARVAJAL EXPLAINED THAT THE $30,000, ACCORDING TO JOY CHEW DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES, IT WILL BE USED FOR MAN HOLE ADJUSTMENTS AND LABOR. MOTION BY COUNCILOR PORTILLO, SECONDED BY
COUNCILOR DEWITT TO MOVE TO THE QUESTION. COUNCILORS RANGRA AND ELMS-LAWRENCE
OPPOSED. COUNCILORS PORTILLO, DEWITT AND
VALENZUELA VOTED AYE. MOTION CARRIED. END OF DISCUSSION IMMEDIATELY AFTER A MOVE
TO THE QUESTION IS MADE AND SECONDED AND MOVE ON TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION AND A
CALL OF VOTE. MOTION BY COUNCILOR DEWITT, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR PORTILLO
THAT RESOLUTION NO. 2004-03-22 DEBRA CUTTING BE
APPROVED AS THE LABOR STANDARDS OFFICER FOR TCDP 722001. COUNCILOR ELMS-LAWRENCE OPPOSED. COUNCILORS RANGRA, DEWITT,
PORTILLO AND VALENZUELA VOTED AYE. MOTION
CARRIED. C. APPROVE CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSED PROCEDURES FOR REIMBURSING THE CITY FOR PERSONAL USE OF CELL PHONE. (C.M. PHILIPPI) A CELLULAR PHONE FOR THE CITY MANAGER SHALL BE PROVIDED HEREUNDER, AS WELL AT CITY'S EXPENSE FOR OFFICIAL USE OF CITY MANAGER. WITHIN THIRTY (30) DAYS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE HEREOF, CITY MANAGER SHALL ESTABLISH PROPOSED PROCEDURES AND SUBMIT SAME TO THE COUNCIL FOR REVIEW, REVISION AND/OR APPROVAL, FOR MONTHLY REIMBURSEMENT TO THE CITY BY CITY MANAGER FOR ANY ADDITIONAL EXPENSES TO THE CITY CAUSED BY ANY UNOFFICIAL USE OF SUCH CELLULAR PHONE. CITY MANAGER KAREN PHILIPPI SUBMITTED A LETTER TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL STATING: TO ADDRESS THE REIMBURSEMENT ISSUE AS REQUIRED IN THE CONTRACT, I PROPOSE THE FOLLOWING: SINCE MANY OF THE JANUARY CALLS WERE MY PERSONAL CALL, I HAVE REIMBURSED THE CITY FOR THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE JANUARY BILL, $124.64. DURING JANUARY, I USED THE PHONE EXTENSIVELY TO CONTACT MY FAMILY, UTILITY COMPANIES, ETC. BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE MY HOME PHONE INSTALLED FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. NOW THAT I HAVE A LAND LINE, I USE THE CELL PHONE VERY LITTLE FOR PERSONAL CALLS. THERFORE, I PROPOSE THT IN FUTURE MONTHS, WHEN AN ITEMIZED STATEMENT IS RECEIVED, I WILL REIMBURSE THE CITY FOR ANY PERSONAL CALLS THAT CAUSE THE CITY TO INCUR ANY EXPENSE ABOVE THE MINIMUM BILL. I BELIEVE THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH EXISTING CITY POLICY FOR OTHER CITY-ISSUED CELLULAR PHONES. MOTION BY COUNCILOR RANGRA, SECONDED BY COUNCILOR VALENZUELA THAT RESOLUTION NO. 2004-03-23 THE PROPOSED PROCEDURES FOR REIMBURSING THE CITY FOR PERSONAL USE OF CELL PHONE BY CITY MANAGER KAREN PHILIPPI BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. ITEM NO. 7. DISCUSSION ITEMS: A. PRESENTATION AND UPDATE FROM E-BIG BEND. (C.M. PHILIPPI) KEITH WILLIAMS ADDRESSED THE COUNCIL TO EXPLAIN PLANS TO OFFER A CENTRALIZED ONLINE RESOURCE TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION ABOUT ALL GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES IN THE AREA INCLUDING POSTING AGENDAS OF ALL PUBLIC MEETINGS. EBIGBEND, INC. HAS PARTNERED WITH SEVERAL BIG BEND AREA NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO PROVIDE FREE PUBLIC ACCESS COMPUTER LOCATIONS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADVANCING THE AWARENESS, EDUCATION AND USE OF INTERNET AND COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY IN BREWSTER COUNTY. E-GOVERNMENT PROJECT--E BIG BEND HAS LONG CONSIDERED WAYS IN WHICH ITS RESOURCES COULD BE USED TO ASSIST GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN DISSEMINATING INFORMATION TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE BIG BEND AREA. BASED ON CONVERSATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, WE HAVE BEGUN TO DEVELOP A CENTRALIZED EGOVERNMENT WEB SITE WHERE AREA RESIDENTS CAN GO TO FOR INFORMATION ABOUT GOVERNMENT RESOURCES IN THE BIG BEND AREA. ITEM NO. 8. COUNCILMEMBER'S COMMENTS AND ANSWERS: COUNCILOR DEWITT COMMENTED: E-MAIL FROM LINDA POWERS ZACOUR & ASSOCIATES, INC., TO-WIT: I WAS IN ALPINE LAST WEEKEND WITH THE BUILDER AND A MORTGAGE COMPANY. WE MET WITH RHONDA COLE AT WEST TEXAS NATIONAL BANK AND GOT SO MUCH ACCOMPLISHED. ALL OF US MET WITH THE PEOPLE WHO HAD EXPRESSED INTEREST IN PURCHASING A HOME FROM LAST FALL'S HOMEBUYER'S SESSIONS. THREE PEOPLE PURCHASED HOMES THIS WEEKEND, AND WE HAVE A COUPLE MORE PENDING. WE ARE RUNNING ARTICLES IN THE NEWSPAPER AND I WILL CONTACT THE RADIO STATION TO GET A LITTLE ADVERTISEMENT. BASICALLY, THE PROGRAM WE HAVE COME UP WITH FOR PEOPLE TO PURCHASE THE HOMES IS THE HOME INCLUDING FENCE AND FRONT YARD LANDSCAPING AND THE CLOSING COSTS ARE ALL ROLLED INTO THE LOAN. BASED ON THEIR INCOME AND CREDIT RATING, PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO PURCHASE THE HOMES FOR VERY LITTLE OR NO MONEY DOWN. RHONDA COLE IS PRE-QUALIFYING THE BUYERS THERE AT THE BANK PRIOR TO THEM MEETING WITH THE BUILDER, SO THE PURCHASERS KNOW WHAT THEY QUALIFY FOR IN ADVANCE. WTNB WILL BE HANDLING ALL OF THE INTERIM LOANS, AND IT LOOKS LIKE MOST OF THE PERMANENT FINANCING, TOO. WE MET WITH LJ, THE MANAGER AT FOXWORTH GALBRAITH, WHILE WE WERE IN TOWN, WE ARE HAVING A LOT OF THE SUBS CONTACT THE BUILDER NOW TO BID ON THE SUB-CONTRACTING JOBS. SEVERAL EVEN CAME BY LAST WEEKEND WHEN WE WERE MEETING WITH THE BUYERS. I WILL HAVE A LIST LATER THIS WEEK OR THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WITH ALL OF THE ALPINE SUBCONTRACTORS THAT I WILL FORWARD TO YOU. SO IT LOOKS LIKE THE MAJORITY OF FINANCING, MATERIALS AND LABOR WILL BE FROM ALPINE--WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT! COUNCILOR RANGRA COMMENTED: CITY'S PROJECT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. WAITING FOR CITY MANAGER TO GEVE US ALL THE DETAILS ON THIS PROJECT; WHO AUTHORIZED THE $7,000 CHECK TO DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES? MAYOR CLOUSE COMMENTED: WHY IS WEST TEXAS NATIONAL BANK HANDLING ALL LOANS FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AND NOT FORT-DAVIS SECURITY BANK AND TRANS-PECOS BANK.? ITEM NO. 9. CITY ATTORNEY REPORT: NO REPORT. ITEM NO. 10. CITY MANAGERS REPORT: NO REPORT. ITEM NO. 11. CITIZEN'S COMMENTS: JACK MCNAMARA COMMENTED THAT MR. CARRASCO DID NOT INCLUDE SUL ROSS IN HIS STUDY. BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS MAYOR CLOUSE MOVED ADJOURNMENT AT 6:47 P.M. ____________________________________ MICKEY CLOUSE, MAYOR ATTEST: ____________________________________________ ANNABEL M. HOLGUIN, CITY SECRETARY CERTIFICATE I, ANNABEL M. HOLGUIN, CITY SECRETARY, DO HEREBY CERTIFY THAT I POSTED A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF THE NOTICE OF THE MEETING AT THE CITY HALL OF ALPINE, TEXAS AT A PLACE CONVENIENT AND READILY ACCESSIBLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AT ALL TIMES AND SAID NOTICE WAS POSTED AT 4:00 P.M. ON FEBRUARY 27, 2004 AND REMAINED SO POSTED CONTINUOUSLY FOR AT LEAST 72 HOURS PRECEDING THE SCHEDULED TIME OF SAID MEETING. __________________________________________ ANNABEL M. HOLGUIN, CITY SECRETARY |