City of Marfa Council Meeting 02/09/2016 6PM, Marfa City Hall
All council members present. City Administrator Jim Mustard present. City Atty Teresa Todd present.
Convene into meeting at 6:00.
Citizen comments:
Melissa Bent : requests that city create or reconstitute a citizen feedback committee regarding law enforcement. Sheriff's office is not responsive and she would like for council to consider having a way for citizens to file grievances.
David Beebe: brings up that County did not approve the City's contract for law enforcement. Main reasons were that Sheriff had not provided any information to commissioners, including whether or not he had even seen the contract, and that commissioners wanted to be certain that the terms in the contract specifying financial reporting to the City on how City's dollars are accounted for is followed. This is because the Sheriff's Office refuses to provide these same numbers to the Commissioners. Beebe also supports having a way for citizens to file comments on law enforcement activities within the city, contrasted for by the City.
Item 4: Approve minutes:
Approved
Item 5: Mayor's Report:
New ambulance update. Mayor and Bert LaGarde will travel to Houston to meet with Frazer co to specify ambulance order. Process will be on its way at that point. Funds for travel will be paid by grant fund. Proposal for radio addition is approx $4700. Radios to be installed and programmed by mid-May. Ambulance could arrive as early as mid-July.
Administrator's Report:
One matter: City of Andrews TML meeting. Registration needed by Thursday. Baeza will attend, Simpson will attend, Bassham will attend, Mayor will not, Mustard will attend. Scott and Stanley unknown.
Trip starts the 19th. Bid openings for library project same afternoon at 3 PM.
City atty will open bid.
Senior citizens meal program. City contracts with RGCOG to serve food at MAC. Portions, menu, execution requirements set by the COG.
There is paperwork involved as a recipient of the program to allow participation.
Currently about 20 meals on wheels. Highest number of served in person is 24.
Mustard says there is one new person who wants to be a congregate member at MAC. It is to the city's benefit to have more people right now.
Texas Railroad Commission. Gas company problems. TRRC assessed a penalty of $2500 yesterday for a violation from last year. Dig test controversy regarding Coke drilling by contractor on city streets. Request for dig test was for 75 feet from that point. Contractor drilled hole in wrong place, outside of 75 foot radius. Mustard protested to RRC and they dismissed the fine but still assessed a violation. RRC says that because city marked some lines outside of 75 feet but not all then city was still in violation. Frustrating. No penalty outside of a violation on record.
Dealing with TRRC becomes harder everyday.
Simpson asks about West Stripes easement situation. Concrete over gas line. Resolved. Library position still open. Four or five applications have been received.
New gas line will be put in out to the field.
What about railroad containers? Are they the same thing as travel trailers? No, not a mobile home as defined by HUD. City does not have architectural controls. 20 unit container hotel has been approved in front of Pizza Foundation building.
Item 7- no council member comments, no presentations,
New Business:
Item 1- Discussion with action regarding Hotel Paisano outdoor signage. Mustard says city has both an electric sign ordinance and an outdoor lighting ordinance. Outdoor lighting ordinance is detailed.
Joe Duncan has asked to have item tabled. Design changes.
Design is to replace the original long gone sign on top of the Paisano Hotel.
In this situation Mustard would usually call Observatory. Bill Wren from Observatory has been working with designers to get this sign into good graces with Observatory.
Mustard has item on agenda since it will still not comply to the word with existing outdoor lighting ordinance. Item will appear on a future agenda once it is ready.
Item tabled unanimously.
Item 2- Malorie Cano to use USO for wedding on March 12, 2016 without charge. Death bed marriage for Ms. Cano. Tragic story. Deposit has already been made. Manny Baeza moves to waive fee. Mark Scott seconds. Regular fee for use with kitchen is 480. Unanimous.
Item 3- Resolution 16-01 to designate admin and engineering service providers for 2015 CDBG . Replacing Yale St from Galveston to San Antonio and Galveston St from Yale to Hoover St. Two blocks total. Jerry Carvahal from Grantworks is here on behalf of Grantworks. Only one proposal received. From Grantworks. Two proposals received for engineering. Parkhill Smith and Cooper scored best and is recommended by Mustard, Dunlap and Peter Stanley, scoring committee.
Manny Baeza wants to review scoring sheets. Given sheet to review.
Other engineering bid was from Burgess our of Midland. Does work for Davis County.
Awarded as recommended. Scott makes motion, Bassham seconds. All in favor minus Manny Baeza dissenting.
Item 4- Resolution 16-02 to designate signatories for contractual documents for above Grant activities. Approved. Mayor, city administrator and Councilmember Peter Stanley reviewed items. Josie Simpson asks why the rest of council was not included. Just asking, not demanding.
Item 5- Resolution 16-03 adopting required CDBG civil rights policies. Passed from HUD to state to city in order to qualify for grant funding. Jerry Carvahal clarifies this.
Includes excessive force policy re: law enforcement. Complaint procedures.
April to be declared "Fair Housing Month" as well as part of the requirements.
Approved. Unanimous.
Item 6- Resolution 16-04 designating a planning service provider for the 2015 CDBG Planning and Capacity Building Fund Contract 7215114. City long term planning requirement. One proposal received from Grantworks. Produces long term goals, creates map to be posted. Approved unanimously.
Item 7- Resolution 16-05 designating signatories for 2015 CDBG Planning Capacity a Building Fund Contract.
Mayor, city administrator and Peter Stanley. Manny Baeza would like to add at least one name. Checks require two signatures. Simpson recommended. She moves to adopt as presented without adding her name. Unanimous.
Item 8- Monthly Revenue and Expenditure Reports and Accounts Payable Reports.
Simpson wants to know what vehicle service receipts are for. All vehicles combined are on invoice.
Odessa mechanical bill for water system repair parts.
Stalker radar- vendor. Municipal Court purchased two radar units for traffic tickets.
Sheriff's office. City purchased for Sheriff's Office.
Mayor mentions professional services agreement- code enforcement fees are applied there, not budgeted there. Melendez is working as a contractor, not an a ploys.
Page five has radar expense. Technology fund expense from minus court.
Ambulance EMS vehicle maintenance budget over. $2000 for Dodge repairs on big ambulance. Work done was diesel exhaust fluid system refurbishment, other repairs.
Facility rental- $11,232 for year to date to city.
Recycling program- money is available through solid waste grants at RGCOG. Budgeted $5000 but could be more. Mark Scott interested in a citywide cleanup. Possible free roll-offs to be place around city for large trash. Run about $1500 per roll-off. Something to consider. Normally city does tire collection but there are not as many as usual at the composting area.
City can use employees to help collect trash for citywide cleanup and pay them wages as part of grant funding. Volunteers plus city workers could get a good bit done.
Conversation about when, what day of the week. Best for weekends for volunteers.
Natural gas utility: cold weather coming up, Nat gas sales are not too good this year thus far. Hopefully boosted up soon, but for year will probably be below original budget projections.
Rental income from USO and MAC going well, still some empty dates during busy seasons. Simpson brings up AC/Heat repair/replace upgrade at MAC as a potential project soon. Wants to place it on next agenda to discuss air conditioning for MAC.
Approved unanimously
Adjourn at 7:03 PM
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