Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes City Council - 08/31/1983 (2)MINUTES CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING AUGUST 31, 1983 2:00 P.M. PRESENT Mayor Luther Jones Mayor Pro Tem Betty Turner Council Members Jack K. Dumphy Bob Gulley Herbert Hawkins, Jr. Dr. Charles Kennedy Cliff Zarsky City Manager Edward Martin City Attorney J. Bruce Aycock City Secretary Bill G. Read Mayor Luther Jones called the meeting to order in Room 225 of the Dayfront Plaza Convention Center. The invocation was given by Dr. Dan E. Solomon. of First United Methodist Church, following which the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States was led by Council Member Eob CuIley. City Secretary Bill G. Read called the roll of required Charter Officers and verified that the necessary quorum was present to conduct a legally constituted meeting and that notice of the meeting had been properly posted. A motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Turner that the minutes of the Regular Council Meeting of July 27, 1983 and August 10, 1983 be approved as presented; seconded by Council Member Hawkins; and passed unanimously. Mayor Jones called for canvassing the returns of the Runoff Election held August 27, 1983. He explained that the usual procedure is to spot check various returns from different precincts. A suggestion was made that precinct 58, polling place Menger School, be checked. The Ceneral Return Sheet was examined and proved to be the same as the computer printout on the results of the election. There were no further requests by any Member of the Council or from the public for additional verifications. A motion was made by Council Member Dumphy that the canvassing of the returns be approved, seconded by Council Member Hawkins. Minutes Regular Council Meeting August 31, 1983 Page 2 City Secretary Read polled the Council for their vote on the ordinance declaring the results of the Runoff Election and the following was passed: ORDINANCE 17809: CANVASSING THE RETURNS AND DECLARING THE RESULTS OF THE RUNOFF ELECTION FOR THE PURPOSE OF ELECTING COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR DISTRICTS 1, 2, 4 AND 5 OF THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI HELD ON THE 27TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1983; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. The Charter Rule was suspended and the foregoing ordinance passed by the following vote: Jones, Turner, Dumphy, Gulley, Hawkins, Kennedy and Zarsky voting "aye". * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Mayor Jones stated that the next order of business would be comments from the Council, but indicated that he would like to make a statement first. Mayor Jones noted that he had served as Mayor for 14 years; he felt that a lot of things had been accomplished by this Council; and stated that it had been a privilege to serve with them. Council Member Hawkins expressed the opinion that this Council had accomplished a great deal and did many good things for the City. He stated that during the past two years he had learned to respect his fellow Council Members a great deal and mentioned in particular the outgoing Council Members Jack Dumphy, Cliff Zarsky and Bob Gulley who had always treated him with respect. He noted that even when they disagreed with each other they were still friends. Council Member Kennedy expressed the opinion that this Council would be one that would be known as one that had accomplished a great deal. He stated that it had been a personal pleasure for him to serve with the other Council Members and he looked forward to working with the new Council and he was of the opinion that they would continue the progress that has been made in the last two years. Mayor Pro Tem Turner addressed the Council from the podium and thanked each one of the members collectively and individually for allowing her the privilege of serving with them. She stated that unequivocally this Council had been a progressive, productive and effective team and she felt that they had been instrumental in making things happen progressively. She enumerated the many accomplishments of this Council and mentioned in particular the many hours they had all given for their City to make this a better place in which to live. Mrs. Turner continued by referring to 1981, at which time this City was not sparkling as it is today and in her opinion, during the last two years a number of things had happened to increase that sparkle. She mentioned in particular that they had been able to move projects ahead that had been in limbo for years. She pointed out to the Council Members that they had created an economic climate locally that is as bright as it has ever been and referred to the publication "Texas Business" which features Corpus Christi with the statement that, "Its time has come." She thanked all of the Council Members for all that they had done these past two years. Minutes Regular Council Meeting August 31, 1983 Page 3 Council Member Zarsl:y stated that the past four years he had served on the Council had been very interesting and very challenging and he felt that the things that have happened to the City during that time have been for the good. He referred to their original 103 separate items of concern that they had discussed at the beginning of their term and stated that he had examined that list to see what had been accomplished and had been surprised to learn that about 70 of them had been completed or started. He stated that he too felt that this is a City whose time had come and noted that there has been a "can do, will do" attitude in this City and he was very proud to have been a part of it and to work with the Council that he considered to be extremely competent. He stated that he felt that there was a cross-section of all residents in the City represented though there were no Mexican Americans, and it his opinion, because there were no Mexican Americans, this Council had been very conscience of being fair to all. He wished all of the new Council Members well and stated that he was grateful for the opportunity to have served his City Council Member Gulley thanked all the people who had supported him over the past few years and enumerated all of the Council Members with whom he had served. He stated that he did not want to take anything away from the previous Councils, but he felt that this present Council was the most productive Council that the City has had in many years. He then complimented City Manager Ed Martin as one of the best administrators in any City. He thanked ether staff members and expressed the opinion that the staff was one of the best he had ever seen in any City. He compared the City to a corporation arc' stated that the Council Members serve the citizens but the staff provides the continuity for this corporation because they are the professionals who are pern anent. He pointed out that in this context, the new Council is like management who serves as the Board of Directors on behalf of the citizens of Corpus Christi. Mr. Gulley also referred to unions and reminded the Council that the public sector unions affect all of the people in the City and suggested that when the issue of dues checkoff comes up (withholding dues from payroll checks) and if the request for this is denied, the Council would not be depriving the employees of belonging to the Union because they are allowed to do so now, but again reminded them that 250,000 citizens would be affected if this is allowed. He also referred to the Budget and reminded the new Council Members that the money the Council approves spending actually belongs to the citizens of this City. He then urged approval of a sign ordinance to control the use of offsite signs. Mr. Gulley referred to what he called the recent power play by Mexican American leaders to control the election of the Mayor Pro Tem. He suggested that a strong Council Member would listen to leaders of the community but make his or her own decision. Council Member Dumphy expressed his disappointment in being defeated in his race for Council Member for District 4, but noted that he would have more time for his job and for his family. He expressed the pleasure he had received in serving on two Councils and also complimented the staff of the City, noting that in his opinion it was the finest in this country. tle pointed out that although there are fewer employees now than there were when he first came into office, they provide everything the Council requests. He suggested that the new Council Members take the time to become acquainted with the staff because they are good at their jobs and have expertise to perform their duties. Minutes Regular Council Meeting August 31 , 1983 Page 4 He stated that it was his pleasure to know all of the Council Members of the previous Council and this Council. He also referred to an article in the newspaper of that day and stated that it is his understanding that the City now has some new Council Members who have demonstrated that they will not be swayed by others but will do the best they can for the citizens of Corpus Christi. He thanked all of the Council Members who had served with him on this Council. There being no further business to cone before the Council, on motion by Council Member Kennedy, seconded by Council Member Hawkins and passed unanimously, the meeting was adjourned at 2:43 p.m., August 31, 1983.