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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMn. 2011.11.01 413 MINUTES AGENDA #2824 CITY COUNCIL MEETING CITY OF UNIVERSITY PARK, TEXAS COUNCIL CHAMBER - CITY HALL TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1,2011,5:00 P.M. 3:00 - 4:00 P.M. Director of Finance Kent Austin briefed the Council on the history and status of the City's retirement plans, TMRS and FRRF. No action was taken. Council Conference Room, City Hall. 4:00 - 5:00 P.M. WORK SESSION FOR AGENDA REVIEW COUNCIL CONFERENCE ROOM, SECOND FLOOR, CITY HALL I. CALL TO ORDER The Regular City Council Meeting was called into session at 5:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber at City Hall. Present were Councilmember Stewart, Mayor Pro Tern Grable, Mayor Davis, Councilmember Clark, and Councilmember Begert. Also in attendance were City Manager Livingston, and City Attorney Dillard. A. INVOCATION: Councilmember Bob Begert B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Councilmember Bob Begert C. INTRODUCTION OF COUNCIL: Mayor W. Richard Davis D. INTRODUCTION OF STAFF: City Manager Bob Livingston Staff in attendance included: Community Information Officer Steve Mace, Director of Information Services Jim Criswell, Police Chief Gary Adams, Director of Public Works Bud Smallwood, City Secretary Liz Spector, Director of Community Development Robbie Corder, Fire Chief Randy Howell, Administrative Assistant George Ertle, Director of Human Resources Luanne Hanford, Director of Finance Kent Austin, and Assistant Director of Public Works Jacob Speer. III. CONSENT AGENDA A. REPORT: Investment report for quarter ended September 30,2011 B. CONSIDER AND ACT: on a request by SMU Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority to conduct 5k race on certain city streets C. CONSIDER AND ACT: on a request for "2-Hour" parking along the 6400 block of Thackery D. CONSIDER AND ACT: on a request from Dive restaurant for two short-term parking spaces along the 3400 block of Rankin E. CONSIDER AND ACT: on a request from Park Cities Animal Hospital to designate one parking space "30-Minute" parking 414 F. CONSIDER AND ACT: on a resolution accepting the resignation of Raymond D. Noah from the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Board of Directors and affirming the appointment of Gary A. Slagel to complete the term ending July 1,2012 as the City's shared representative G. CONSIDER AND ACT: on minutes of the October 18,2011 City Council Meeting City Manager Livingston summarized the consent agenda items for the audience. He statcd that any item may be removed for individual consideration if requested by any Councilmember. No items wcre requested to be considered separately and Mayor Davis asked for a motion. Council member Clark made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda. Councilmembcr Stewart seconded, and the motion carried unanimously. IV. MAIN AGENDA A. CONSIDER AND ACT: on a request for reimbursement of expenses resulting from a sanitary sewer backup at 2927 Lovers Lane City Manager Livingston asked Public Works Director Bud Smallwood to address thc Council with more details related to the sanitary sewer overflow into thc rcsidcnce locatcd at 2927 Lovers Lane on April 29, 2011. Mr. Smallwood displayed a map which depicted the locations of the manholes and cleanouts near the address in question. He said once the homeowner reported the backup he sent a crew to the site to check the manhole and found it full of wastewater. Mr. Smallwood said once the correct flow direction of the wastewater was determined, the line was cleared using a high-pressure hose and appropriate flow was returned. During the clearing of the line, naturally occurring waste debris along with a brick was pulled from the sanitary sewer. Mr. Smallwood stated that the brick was the probable cause of the blocked line. Mr. Smallwood also stated that none of the manholes in that area are constructed with brick. He also stated that the day after the line was cleared, staff televiscd the sewer line and found it was in very good condition, with no cracks or misaligned joints. He said thc same line had been televised two years before during routine maintenance and it was in the same condition at that time. Mr. Smallwood said the following week, staff returned to the site to repair where the cap had been removed on the east side of the manhole in question. At that time, he said staff decided as long as excavation was going to be done, a new line could be laid from the manhole west of the home in question through the alley to the sewer line in Dublin, connecting that portion of sanitary sewer to a more direct route. Mr. Smallwood stated the existing line was then cut and plugged between the two homes. He said that line now acts only as a service line to the adjacent property. Councilmember Begert asked Mr. Smallwood about the gravel that the homeowner said was found in the sewer line. Mr. Smallwood said that when the crew initially went to 415 unblock the line, they went to the closest cleanout, thinking that was the direction of flow, but they then determined that it was not. He said the crew had attempted to run the cleanout in a direction that there was no line and that was where the gravel came from. He said it was not connected to the line that caused the backup. Mayor Davis asked the homeowner to address the Council. Mrs. Higley, 2927 Lovers Lane, addressed the Council. She requested the Council authorize reimbursement of $3,952.21 for expenses she incurred cleaning up the sewage backup into her home. She said her insurance will not cover the event and she said that there was negligence involved causing the backup. Councilmember Clark asked about the debris that was removed from the homeowner's sewer line. Mr. Smallwood said the debris that was found did not come from anything staff had done and was expected wastewater debris, with the exception of the brick. He said both manholes are pre-cast manholes and no bricks are used in their construction. Mr. Smallwood stated that all Infrastructure Maintenance staff have access to the sewer cleanouts, but the cleanouts are also vulnerable to vandalism. Councilmember Begert asked if that had been other instances of overflow damage to homes in the City. Mr. Smallwood said there had been several sewer backups over the years, but no waiver of immunity had ever been granted. Risk Manager Luanne Hanford agreed. Mayor Davis asked if there were any more questions from the Council. There were none, and Mayor Davis asked for a motion. Councilmember Begert made a motion to deny the request for reimbursement. Mayor Pro Tern Grable seconded, and the motion carried unanimously. B. CONSIDER AND ACT: on a request to abandon a certain alley right-of-way Public Works Director Bud Smallwood addressed the Council. He said the owners of 6517 Hillcrest and its adjacent parking lot requested the City abandon the Haynie/Daniel alley running parallel to Hillcrest which bisects the two properties. Mr. Smallwood said the alley right-of-way was valued by an outside appraiser at $125 per square foot. Mayor Davis asked if there was any discussion from the Council on this request. Councilmember Stewart said he didn't see any need for the City to abandon this right- of-way as there were no development plans underway. He said he would make a motion. Councilmember Stewart made a motion to not enter into discussions related to selling the alley right-of-way until such time that there is a City-approved development plan for properties located to the east and/or west of the alley that incorporates use of the alley. Mayor Pro Tern Grable seconded, and the motion carried unanimously. C. CONSIDER AND ACT: on an ordinance opting out of goods-in-transit exemption Finance Director Kent Austin addressed the Council regarding Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), recently passed by the state legislature. He said this bill includes an exemption for property taxes on business personal property, such as inventory, temporarily stored in 416 public warehouses, also known as goods-in-transit. Mr. Austin said although there are no public warehouses in the City at this time, there may be some in the future. He said unless the taxing entity (City) chooses to opt out, this exemption will take effect at the end of the year. Mr. Austin said staff and the Finance Advisory Committee recommend opting out of this exemption. He said this law has little or no current impact on the City's tax rcvenue, but there could be a future development that would make it applicable. Mayor Davis asked if there were any questions related to this item. There were none, and Mayor Davis asked for a motion. Councilmember Clark made a motion to approve the ordinance opting out of the goods- in-transit exemption. Councilmember Begert seconded, and the motion carried unanimously. D. CONSIDER AND ACT: on a resolution casting the Council's vote for the fourth member of the Board of Directors of the Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD) City Manager Livingston addressed the Council regarding the Council's vote for the fourth member of the Dallas Central Appraisal District Board of Directors. He said this member would represent the suburban cities on the Board. He said the Council should vote for either Michael Hurtt, the current representative nominated by the cities of DeSoto, Sachse, Seagoville, Farmers Branch and Richardson, or Paul Norman, nominated by the City of Combine. Councilmember Begert made a motion to approve a resolution casting the Council's vote for the fourth member of the Board of Directors of the Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD) for Mr. Michael Hurtt. Mayor Pro Tern Grable seconded, and the motion carried unanimously. V. ITEMS FROM THE FLOOR A. CONSIDER AND ACT: on donation request from Dallas Metropolitan Ballet Guild City Manager Livingston addressed the audience regarding addressing the Council during open session. He also mentioned that he received a request from the Dallas Metropolitan Ballet to address the Council, but that their representative did not attend the meeting. As there were no requests to address the Council, Mayor Davis adjourned the meeting. Considered and approved this 15th day of November, 2011. U/V~ W. Richard Davis, Mayor