HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes City Council - 07/19/1978 (2)PRESENT:
Mayor Gabe Lozano, Sr.
Mayor Pro Tem Bob Gulley
Council Members:
David Diaz
Ruth Gill
Joe Holt
Tony Juarez, Jr.
Edward L. Sample
MINUTES
CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS
RECESSED REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
JULY 19, 1978
RECONVENED JULY 27, 1978
2:00 P.M.
City Manager R. Marvin Townsend
City Attorney J. Bruce Aycock
City Secretary Bill G. Read
Mayor Gabe Lozano, Sr. called the meeting to order in the Council Chambers
of City Hall.
Motion by Gulley that the recessed Regular Council Meeting of July 19,
1978 be reconvened; seconded by Holt; and passed unanimously.
City Secretary Read noted that the necessary quorum and the required
Charter Officers were present to conduct a legally constituted meeting.
City Manager R. Marvin Townsend reminded the Council that by motion on
July 26, 1978, the Council had set the tax rate at 80c per $100 based on 100%
valuation of property. He pointed out, however, that using the 100% valuation
would necessitate the amount of $13,666 for the senior citizen homestead exemp-
tion which was approved by the Council previously. Mr. Townsend suggested that
the amount of this homestead exemption be set at either $13,700 or $13,500. It
was the Council's consensus that the homestead exemption for citizens over 65
years of age be $13,500.
City Manager Townsend presented the Council with copies of the General
Fund Budget Summary for review. He explained that several of the items listed
under Revenues had been changed to reflect the current estimated income for the
fiscal year 1978-79, noting that the General Property Taxes had been decreased
from $12,361,565 to $10,964,384 to reflect the necessary adjustment to compensate
for the 7% tax reduction authorized by the Council. Mr. Townsend also explained
that the staff had taken into consideration the anticipated increase in fees and
had increased a number of the revenue estimates for a number of categories. He
summarized by informing the Council that the figure listed as Total Available
Minutes
Recessed Regular Council Meeting
July 19, 1978
Reconvened July 27, 1978
Page 2
Resources in the General Fund was now $38,659,957.
City Manager Townsend referred to the list of suggested Budget Deletions
by Priority which had previously been submitted for Council consideration and
noted that the anticipated total revenue would allow funding all of the items
included in the First and Second Priority list, with a few minor changes, as
well as the following additions from the Third Priority list: $6,000 for fund-
ing for the Sister City Program and $5,000 for Violet Road Pool.
City Manager Townsend informed the Council that total program revisions
in the amount of $590,200 would have to be deleted from the proposed budget to
allow for the approval of the budget within the available revenue.
City Manager Townsend also suggested that the recommended increases in
fees in the Park and Recreation budget be reviewed by that department and the
Park Board before the ordinances under consideration are finally passed.
Mayor Pro Tem Gulley expressed the opinion that those fees are basically
for services used by only a small percentage of citizens, and they should be
self-sustaining, whereas, increases for garbage pickup would affect all citizens.
Council Member Diaz indicated agreement with the recommended electrical
permit fee increase.
City Manager Townsend also informed the Council that the staff would
recommend that the increase in fees for vital statistics information would be
studied and possibly revised, since the recommended fees would generate income
slightly over the cost of the service provided, and it is not the intent of the
City to make a profit on such services.
Mayor Pro Tem Gulley referred to the General Fund Budget Summary in regard
to the Administration Charges included in the General Fund Revenue and suggested
that the administration costs for the Gas Division, Wastewater Services, Water
Maintenance operation and the Airport fund be increased approximately 10% in order
to increase the General Fund Revenue by approximately $132,000.
City Manager Townsend agreed that this could be accomplished but that it
would take some time to study the matter. He explained that this figure is just a
"paper figure" and the staff has just not had time to study the feasibility of
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Minutes
Recessed Regular Council Meeting
July 19, 1978
Reconvened July 27, 1978
Page 3
revising the method of computing the charges.
Later during the meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Gulley requested that a change in
the computation of the Administration Charges be considered and a report provided.
Council Member Holt agreed and suggested that the charges be revised and
increased somewhere between 5% and 10%, noting that this is the approximate rate
of inflation.
After further discussion of this matter, City Manager Townsend informed
the Council that these charges could only be applied to utilities.
City Manager Townsend summarized the budget deletion discussion by point—
ing out that the total amount available for the General Fund budget is $38,659,957;
the proposed program deletions recommended total $590,200; and stated that if the
Council agrees to the recommendations of the staff, the ordinance adopting the
budget can be so prepared and adopted on Wednesday, August 2, 1978.
Council Member Diaz inquired if any of the changes will affect any of the
CETA positions, and City Manager Townsend assured him that none of the current
programs will be affected.
Motion by Holt that the Council accept the recommendations of the staff
and eliminate the items listed under Third Priority, as amended, for a total of
$590,200 to balance the budget, with the Library and Park and Recreation Budgets
to be revised to conform with the` budget amount approved by the Council; seconded by Diaz.
General discussion followed for clarification of the items to be deleted,
and Council Member Holt stated that he would agree with the recommended funding
for school crossing guards at this time, but he still was of the opinion that the
Corpus Christi Independent School District should participate in the funding and
that he will pursue the matter at a later date.
Mayor Lozano and Council Member Sample both agreed that the School District
should pay some portion of the costs of the school crossing guards.
Mayor Lozano called for the vote on Council Member Holt's motion to adopt
the recommended budget, and the motion passed unanimously.
Council Member Diaz requested that a closed meeting to discuss personnel
matters be included on the agenda for August 2, 1978. The Council indicated their
Minutes
Recessed Regular Council Meeting
July 19, 1978
Reconvened July 27, 1978
Page 4
concurrence with this request.
There being no further business to come before the Council, on motion by
Holt, seconded by Juarez, and passed unanimously, the Regular Council Meeting of
July 19, 1978 was recessed at 3:31 p.m., July 27, 1978, to be reconvened at 2:00
p.m., August 2, 1978.
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