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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMn 09-05-06 94 MINUTES #2618 CITY COUNCIL MEETING CITY OF UNIVERSITY PARK, TEXAS CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2006,5:00 P.M. Mayor Blackie Holmes opened the meeting. Present were Mayor Pro Tempore Harry Shawver, Councilmembers Syd Carter, Kelly Walker and Jerry Grable. Also in attendance were City Manager Bob Livingston, City Attorney Rob Dillard and City Secretary Nina Wilson. A WARDS AND RECOGNITION DEPARTMENT PINS: City Manager Bob Livingston presented Gardener II Jorge Martinez, Park Department, with a 30-year pin and Accounting Manager Judy Martin, Finance Department, with a 15-year pin for a total of 45 years of service to the city. Councilmember Walker moved approval of the Consent Agenda. Councilmember Grable seconded, and the vote was unanimous to approve the following: CONSENT AGENDA CONSIDER APPROVAL OF ANNUAL CONTRACT FOR UTILITY PARTS, BID #06-04: The contract was approved for bids from Municipal Waterworks, Metro Valve, National Waterworks, Techline and Ferguson for a total amount of$182,812.19. CONSIDER FOOD ESTABLISHMENT INSPECTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AGREEMENT FY2007: The agreement is for October 1, 2006-September 30, 2007 for inspections and environmental health services between the Dallas County Department of Health and Human Services and the city. CONSIDER HEALTH SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH DALLAS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT FY2007: The city will pay $48.00 for the fiscal year October 1, 2006- September 30, 2007 for health services including tuberculosis control, sexually-transmitted disease control, communicable disease control, and laboratory services. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES: For August 22, 2006. MAIN AGENDA UPDATE ON TXU TRANSMISSION LINE PROJECT: On Wednesday, August 30, 2006, members of the Transmission Line Steering Committee met with representatives from TXU Electric Delivery to discuss options and costs associated with revamping a 138 kV transmission line that runs in the alley between Stanford and Amherst, from Boedeker to the Dallas North Tollway. TXU recently made a request to revamp the line using a larger diameter conductor. The request will require an addendum to the recently completed, independent, feasibility study conducted by Sega, Inc. TXU will pay $5,000 for additional information by Sega, Inc. Ms. Kitsy Haiman, 4232 Amherst, spoke before the council giving her interpretation on the facts of the issue. DISCUSS RESIDENTIAL SPEED LIMIT: Traffic Engineer Dannie Cummings reviewed statistics which showed the average speed on most residential streets is 27 mph; however, staff had identified seven locations where the average speed was higher and the 85th percentile speed was in excess of the 30 mph speed limit. Mr. Cummings suggested that a review of those locations, together with some targeted police enforcement, may have some impact. Over several 93 renovation of the existing facility. Von Gallagher of Gallagher Construction Services will serve as the in-house construction manager-agent for construction administration. As such, he reviewed the bids of twenty-three contractors and three professional service companies. Mayor Pro Tempore Shawver moved that bids be approved per Von Gallagher's letter, which recommended the award of contracts to twenty-three companies, the award of the masonry contract to the second bidder as the low bidder had an error in his bid, the award of contracts to three professional service companies detailed in his letter, reject bid packages BP 12-D, Horizontal Blinds & Louvers, and BP 10-G, Identification Devices, and make all awards contingent to further negotiations with Von Gallagher and receipt of required bonds and insurance. Councilmember Grable seconded, and the vote was unanimous to approve the award of bids for the City Hall renovation reconstruction. ITEMS FROM THE FLOOR Susan and Chris Cooper, 3848 Bryn Mawr, discussed the inability to build a secondary structure on an adjacent lot unless there is already a primary structure on it. They requested permission to construct a fence and play set on the lot they own that is adjacent to their house. They will confer with Community Development Manager Harry Persaud, who will place it on the September 5, 2006 agenda. Ms. Carolyn Loy thanked the council for the mosquito control the city is using, the decision on the basketball goals, Coach Doherty's basketball clinic and receiving taxes from Dallas that had gone to them inadvertently. Kitty Holleman requested the council lower the height of houses 25 feet, make side yards wider, require more green areas in backyards, and give blue ribbons to builders who are remodeling. There being no further business, Mayor Holmes adjourned the meeting. PASSED AND APPROVED this 5th day of September 2006. ATTEST: ~ 95 months, staff conducted the following process in response to his recommendations: another speed study in each location; the week following each speed study, police targeted the location with enforcement efforts; a week following the police enforcement effort, another speed study was conducted for each location. Feedback from the police department detailed very few speeding violations during the targeted enforcement, and the follow-up speed study did not illustrate any appreciable difference in the average speed in any of the locations for either of the two previous speed studies. Mr. Cummings suggested a pilot study be conducted to determine if changing the speed limit to 25 mph would change the speed that residents drive, and he also suggested a six-month temporary change to 25 mph be made for the target area bounded by Lovers Lane, Southwestern, Hillcrest and Boedeker. Speed studies will be conducted at specific locations within the target area prior to the posting of 25 mph signs. At the end of the study period, speed studies will be conducted and Mr. Cummings will tabulate the results and provide a report which will include a recommendation in regard to making a permanent change in the speed limit for all residential streets. Mayor Pro Tempore Shawver moved that the staff be authorized to proceed with the study returning to the council with the conclusions and an ordinance for review relative to the 25 mph speed limit. Councilmember Walker seconded, and the vote was unanimous to approve the study. CONSIDER REQUEST TO BUILD SECONDARY STRUCTURE ON LOT ADJACENT TO PRIMARY PROPERTY: Chris and Susan Cooper purchased a vacant, single-family lot located at 3844 Bryn Mawr adjacent to their current residence, 3848 Bryn Mawr. The Coopers contacted the city regarding the installation of a fence and playset on the vacant lot and were informed that it would be necessary to amend the plat to combine the two single-family lots into one building site. In this way, their existing home would serve as the main or primary building on the lot and the other accessory structures would then be allowed in accordance with the zoning ordinance. The Coopers are reluctant to combine the lots because they want to preserve their right to sell the other lot in the future, if they so desire, and are concerned that the zoning ordinance may change in the future to prohibit the division of the combined lots. They requested a written guarantee that the zoning ordinance will not change affecting the lot dimensions. Even though it is very unlikely that the lot dimensions in the current ordinance will change, the city cannot provide such a written guarantee. Mayor Holmes moved that the request be sent to the Zoning Ordinance Advisory Committee (ZOAC) for review and recommendation. Councilmember Carter seconded, and the vote was unanimous to obtain a recommendation from ZOAC. CONSIDER PROPOSAL FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT OF GOAR P ARKJPEEK CENTER DISPATCH IMPROVEMENTS: Gallagher Construction Services has worked closely with city staff, the oversight committee, council, and project consultants to develop the city hall project in an extremely cost effective and efficient manner. Mr. Gallagher submitted a proposal to provide his services for two associated projects: improvements to Goar Park and the construction of a back-up dispatch facility and emergency operations center (EOC) at the Peek Service Center. The EOC will be used to temporarily house the police department during the renovation of the existing city hall. The proposed fees for the two projects will be based on a percentage of the total construction costs. Contracts for each project would amount to: 6.8% for Goar Park, based upon a very preliminary estimate and assuming a construction cost of $700,000 to $1,000,000 with fees of approximately $47,600-$68,000, and 7.25% for Peek Center improvements based on a preliminary estimate of $1,000,000, resulting in a fee of $72.500. Councilmember Carter moved approval of the proposal. Councilmember Walker seconded, and the vote was unanimous to approve the proposal of Gallagher Construction Services for construction management services on miscellaneous projects. CONSIDER RESOLUTION RENEWING CITY INVESTMENT POLICY: There were no changes from the existing policy. The resolution adopts the investment policy and names the 96 Finance Director, City Manager and Controller as investment officers. Mayor Pro Tempore Shawver moved approval of the resolution. Councilmember Grable seconded, and the vote was unanimous to approve the resolution renewing the City Investment Policy. RESOLUTION NO. 06-16 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF UNIVERSITY PARK, TEXAS, ADOPTING THE INVESTMENT POLICY OF THE CITY OF UNIVERSITY PARK HERETOFORE ADOPTED BY RESOLUTION NO. 05-19; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF AGREEMENT WITH REDFLEX TRAFFIC SYSTEMS, INC. FOR PHOTO RED LIGHT ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM: At the August 22nd meeting, the city council had some concerns regarding the agreement between the City of University Park and Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc. for the Photo Red Light Enforcement Program. The agreement is for a term of 36 months, not 60 months, as listed in the earlier version of the contract. In the earlier version of the contract also, the only way to terminate the contract was for cause. Language was added to the contract to allow the city to terminate for convenience. The council expressed concern that the city was required to indemnify Redflex against the willful misconduct of a city employee. Liability claims arising from willful misconduct are not covered by the city's insurance. Redflex agreed to change the contract language in Section 8.2, Indemnification by Customer, to read "negligence of the Customer." Liability claims arising from employee negligence would be covered. Mayor Pro Tempore Shawver moved approval of the agreement. Councilmember Carter seconded, and the vote was unanimous to approve the agreement with Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc. for a Photo Red Light Enforcement Program. CONSIDER CHANGING DATE OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING FROM OCTOBER 17 TO OCTOBER 24: Since two councilmembers will be absent on October 17, the city council meeting for that date will be moved to October 24. Mayor Holmes moved approval of the change of date. Councilmember Walker seconded, and the vote was unanimous to meet on October 24, 2006. ITEMS FROM THE FLOOR Mr. Norman Radford, 4108 Purdue, addressed cars parking in the wrong direction on the wrong side of the street. He stated that it was a safety issue and requested the police department enforce the state statute regarding it. There being no further business, Mayor Holmes adjourned the meeting. PASSED AND APPROVED this 26th day of September 2006.