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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes City Council - 01/13/1998I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Regular Council Meeting of the City of Corpus Christi of January 13, 1998, which were approved by the City Council on January 20, 1998. WITNESSETH MY HAND AND SEAL, this 20th day of January, 1998. Armando Chapa City Secretary SEAL MINUTES CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS Regular Council Meeting January 13, 1998 12:00 p.m. PRESENT Mayor Loyd Neal Council Members: Javier Colmenero Melody Cooper* Betty Jean Longoria John Longoria Edward Martin* Dr. David McNichols* ABSENT Mayor Pro Tem Alex L. Garcia Jr. Arnold Gonzales Ci y Staff: City Manager Bill Hennings City Attorney James R. Bray Jr. City Secretary Armando Chapa Mayor Neal called the meeting to order at 12:18 p.m. City Secretary Chapa called the roll and noted that at that time there was not a quorum of the Council present. The Mayor announced the closed session, pursuant to Texas Government Code, Section 551.071 regarding efforts of the Garwood Irrigation Company to obtain the required permit amendment that would authorize the interbasin transfer to and use by the City of Corpus Christi of the Garwood water rights, under the agreement authorized November 26, 1996. The Council went into closed session. (*Council Member McNichols arrived at 12:20 p.m., at which time there was a quorum of the Council present.) The Council returned from closed session. Mayor Neal reconvened the Council meeting in the Council Chambers of City Hall at 2:00 p.m. The invocation was delivered by Father Cristos Matos, St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, following which the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States was led by the Mayor. City Secretary Chapa verified that the necessary quorum of the Council and the required charter officers were present to continue the meeting. (*Council Members Cooper and Martin arrived at the meeting at 2:00 p.m.) Mr. Chapa added that Council Member Garcia was out of town on city business, and Council Member Gonzales was ill. Mayor Neal called for approval of the minutes of the regular Council meeting of January 6, 1998, and there being no corrections, he proclaimed them approved as presented. Minutes Regular Council Meeting January 13, 1998 Page 2 * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Mayor explained that Council Member Javier D. Colmenero, the new District 2 representative, had been officially sworn into office last week in order for him to participate in the closed session earlier on January 13th. He said this ceremony was being conducted for the benefit of Mr. Colmenero's family and friends, many of whom were present, and the public. The Mayor then gave the Oath of Office to Mr. Colmenero, who recognized his family and pledged to the citizens of District 2 that he would work hard to represent them well. * * * * * * * * * * * * * Mayor Neal opened discussion on Item I., a comprehensive overview of water supply alternatives. Mr. James Dodson, Regional Water Director, addressed several aspects of the water supply issue. He explained that beginning in the late 1980s, after the Choke Canyon Reservoir was completed, the city began a series of regional water supply planning studies for the entire Nueces River basin, which revealed that the yield of the Choke Canyon -Lake Corpus Christi reservoir system was much less than originally estimated and which meant that the city would need to develop additional water supplies much sooner than anticipated (in 10 to 15 years rather than 20 to 30 years). Using visual aids, Mr. Dodson discussed strategies that have been developed for a dependable, affordable water supply: maximize existing supplies, which includes water conservation and reuse and refinement of the freshwater inflow operating plan; develop new supplies, which entails identifying and evaluating potential sources, securing rights to new supplies, and developing new supplies as needed; and make it affordable by developing the most affordable sources first, seeking state assistance in financing, and improving funding capabilities. Mr. Dodson pointed out that the Choke Canyon and Lake Corpus Christi reservoirs form the basis of a water supply system that now serves over 400,000 people in seven counties in the Coastal Bend, while the service area actually consists of 12 counties in the Coastal Bend. He noted that Corpus Christi leads the state in water conservation in gallons per capita per day. Council Member Betty Jean Longoria asked Mr. Dodson why he thought Corpus Christi's conservation efforts were successful. He replied that there were several reasons, including a strong effort to educate citizens (beginning on the elementary school level) about the importance of conservation, as well as the real experience of droughts in this area. Mr. Dodson said that in 1992 Corpus Christi entered into another set of regional water planning studies --the Trans -Texas Water Program (TTWP), sponsored in part by the Texas Water Development Board, the City, the Port of Corpus Christi Authority, the Port industries, and the Minutes Regular Council Meeting Janunry 13, 1998 Page 3 Lavaca-Navidad River Authority. He said the purpose was to identify the area's long-term water demand, existing supplies, and future alternatives. Mr. Dodson said that two phases of the Trans - Texas study eventually evaluated 22 water supply alternatives and divided them into four groups: Group 1 - dependable, permanent, affordable supply options; Group 2 - stand-by water supply options (used during drought management periods); Group 3 - potentially dependable, permanent, affordable options; and Group 4 - potential future options. Mr. Dodson further explained that the period of 1993-95 was the lowest three-year period of combined inflows to the reservoir system in the 61 years that stream gauge records have been kept; consequently, it is believed that the 1996 drought will probably define the new drought of record and a new critical period of the drought, which means there is probably less firm yield than anticipated and all of the water supply planning estimates will have to be revised downward. The Regional Water Director said that water supplies that have been developed since the 1995 TTWP report include an amendment to the freshwater inflow operating order and the Lake Texana water purchase contract. He noted, however, that it is estimated this area will need an additional 60,000 to 70,000 acre-feet per year of water supply by the year 2050. The next water supply alternative being sought is the purchase of the Garwood water rights, and the city conditionally exercised that purchase option in November 1996 and the permit application amendment process is underway. Mr. Dodson said that since the passage of Senate Bill 1 last year, some of the water supply alternatives evaluated by TTWP are no longer viable. As a result, other alternatives are being investigated, including possibly acquiring additional water supplies from Lake Texana; blending better quality surface water from Lake Texana with lesser quality ground water from the Gulf Coast Aquifer; utilizing the concept of aquifer storage recovery; increasing the efficiencies of the reservoir system, possibly through additional amendments to the operating policies and construction of certain pipelines; and possibly utilizing desalination. Mr. Dodson also described several aspects of regional water planning as outlined in Senate Bill 1, including definitions of the regions, membership of the planning groups, division of the plan costs, and important planning dates. He noted that Item 3 on the day's agenda is a proposal to endorse the recommendations for membership on the initial regional water planning group that will be sent to the Texas Water Development Board. Mr. Dodson also described opportunities that the City Council will have in the future to set the agenda for future water supply decisions. The next presentation regarded the Lake Texana Pipeline progress report, which was given by Mr. Frank Brogan, Director of Engineering for the Port of Corpus Christi Authority. He explained that about 54% of the overall project has been completed, with over 40 miles of pipe installed (including in the high-priority "prairie chicken" area north of Refugio) and 91 miles of right-of-way acquired. He said the pipe materials for the directional -drilled river contract at the Guadalupe River Minutes Regular Council Meeting January 13, 1998 Page 4 and the Victoria Barge Canal are presently being fabricated with the actual drilling for those contracts to begin in March. Mr. Brogan showed a picture of a "swamp buggy" that the contractor has used to work in very wet areas. Responding to Mayor Neal, Mr. Brogan said they are anticipating that the total expenditures for the construction of the project will be about $115.7 million, which is on target. Mayor Neal called for comments from the audience on Mr. Brogan's report, and there were none. Mr. Dodson then introduced Dr. Ralph Wurbs, a professor at Texas A&M University in the Department of Civil Engineering/Environmental, Ocean and Water Resources. He said Dr. Wurbs has much experience in many areas of water supply/water resources planning and management. Dr. Wurbs referred to his report, entitled "Desalination and Its Role in Meeting Future Water Supply Needs of the Corpus Christi Region." He said in the area of water resources planning and management, one has to think in terms of comprehensive water management, and an alternative such as desalination has to be considered in the context of all the options available to the community. Dr. Wurbs described the classification of salinity levels, noting that seawater averages about 35,000 milligrams per liter of total dissolved solids (TDS), while fresh water has less than 500 mg/1 of TDS, and brackish water ranges from 500 mg/1 to 35,000 mg/1 of TDS. He said there are three main types of desalting techniques --thermal distillation processes; membrane processes (including reverse osmosis and electrodialysis); and ion exchange. Dr. Wurbs also described the history of the development of desalination technology, beginning in the 1950s, as well as a major desalination project that is ongoing in Tampa Bay, Florida, with an expected capacity of 20 million to 50 million gallons per day. He pointed out that most of the desalting plants are located in the Middle East (58.7%), and they are seawater distillation plants; the United States has 15.2% of the total number of plants, with most of those being small reverse osmosis plants, including 75 plants in Texas. He went on to say that according to his comprehensive review of desalination literature in 1997, it costs approximately $3 to $10 per 1,000 gallons to desalt seawater, while desalting brackish water costs much less depending on the amount of total dissolved solids. By comparison, the 1995 Trans -Texas study estimated that the cost for the Texana pipeline project (excluding treatment cost) was estimated to be $1.09 per 1,000 gallons of firm yield. Dr. Wurbs concluded that desalination technology is well established and readily available; however, the cost of desalination relative to other water supply options is a primary factor in whether or not it is utilized. In addition, the quality of the feed water is a primary determinant in the desalination cost. He said desalination is an option in a complex array of possible measures for supplying future water needs in the Corpus Christi region. Mayor Neal asked Dr. Wurbs to comment specifically on multiple -effect distillation. Dr. Minutes Regular Council Meeting January 13, 1998 Page 5 Wurbs replied that that technology has been very popular in the Middle East, and he said if Corpus Christi was to build a seawater desalting plant, all of the technologies should be considered. He said another possibility is combining electric power generating plants with the desalting plant. On the other hand, he said, the membrane desalting processes were better utilized for brackish water, which has a much lower concentration of salt. Council Member Martin said that Dr. Wurbs' report was a compilation of the information that is available concerning desalination, and Dr. Wurbs agreed that it is not an engineering feasibility study in the sense of designing plants, nor did he develop any cost data. Mr. Martin briefly discussed raw water and treated water costs, and Mr. Hennings stated that the preliminary estimate of the cost of the Lake Texana water is $400 per acre-foot including the treatment, although more review of that cost is needed. Mr. Dodson said it is believed that the cost of the raw Lake Texana water is substantially lower than originally estimated because of the savings on the pipeline project and other elements. Mr. Dodson went on to say that the Regional Water Supply Task Force has again reviewed Dr. Wurbs' report and at the task force's recent meeting they made some recommendations in that regard: that the Council direct the Regional Water Supply Task Force and city staff to closely monitor the progress of the Tampa Bay project; that the Council provide the necessary resources to obtain professional consulting services to help evaluate the Tampa Bay information so as to consider it in the context of the Corpus Christi region's water supply situation; and that regional studies be initiated of the hydrogeology of the Gulf Coast Aquifer in the Corpus Christi area, especially with respect to the availability of significant quantities of brackish ground water. Council Member McNichols also discussed various factors that affect the cost of the desalination process, and Dr. Wurbs said that the only way to know what it would cost to desalt seawater in Corpus Christi would be to actually engage in that process, which would involve a feasibility study and a major commitment of resources to do that. He added that the most important cost factor would be the amount of salt that is being removed from the water; another cost factor would be the ability to tie the desalting process into an electric power plant. Council Member Colmenero asked about the disposal of residuals or potential contaminants that would result from the desalting process. Dr. Wurbs replied that he was unsure if there was an extensive amount of literature currently in existence regarding that issue. He added that by the time a plant was constructed and in operation in Corpus Christi, the city would have commissioned studies to support the city's permitting process, which is not a simple process. Mr. Colmenero also asked if the membranes used in some desalting processes were recyclable, and Dr. Wurbs said there has been some effort to actually sell the salt that results from that process. Responding to Mayor Neal, Mr. Dodson said that a permit would not be required for an entity to conduct a feasibility study, but a permit would be required in order to construct a pilot -scale Minutes Regular Council Meeting January 13, 1998 Page 6 desalting plant. In his concluding remarks, Mr. Dodson added that under Senate Bill 1, desalination is one of the altematives that is eligible for state funding for assistance in planning and development of those kinds of facilities. He said that in addition to following the progress of the Tampa Bay project, he would also recommend that the city begin to determine how it might obtain some state or federal assistance for its own initiatives. Mr. Jerry Kane, Co -Chairman with Dr. McNichols of the Regional Water Supply Task Force, said that initially the task force was moving toward recommending to the City Council that a $5 million -$10 million pilot desalination plant be constructed in Corpus Christi; however, they decided instead to first closely monitor the progress of the Tampa Bay project and analyze their experiences in the context of Corpus Christi's circumstances. Mayor Neal called for comments from the audience on the desalination issue. Mr. Byron Wooldridge, 6705 Deerwood, President of the South Texas Research Foundation, noted that he had sent a letter to the Council describing how members of that organization are in disagreement with some of the findings from Dr. Wurbs' report. He added that he had information on costs associated with the Tampa Bay project, and he noted some projects that had not been discussed in Dr. Wurbs' report. Mr. John Hartley said that on May 1, 1998, there will be a workshop in Corpus Christi regarding aspects of membrane technology desalination. He added that several cities have been working to attain a charter from the state of Texas to form the South -Central Desal Association which will incorporate Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas. Mr. Hartley said there is a large amount of information that has been compiled by local citizens, and he said that additional study and progress can be made on this issue if people work together on it. Mr. Leon Perez, 904 Buford, commented that he had spent years on ships where desalination technology has been used successfully to provide plentiful amounts of water. He also questioned why the water from Lake Texana would be brought to Lake Corpus Christi when there are problems associated with the Wesley Seale Dam. Mayor Neal pointed out that the Lake Texana water will go directly to the city's water treatment plant and not to Lake Corpus Christi. Mr Jimmie Till said that he had spent over a month on a troop ship and despite desalination, fresh water on the ship was not plentiful; in fact, he said, they bathed in salt water. On another subject, Mr. Till said he objected to members of the news media asking Council members for interviews while the Council meetings are going on. * * * * * * * * * * * * * Mayor Neal called for petitions from the audience. Minutes Regular Council Meeting January 13, 1998 Page 7 Mr. Byron Wooldridge urged the Council to contact Foster Wheeler or a similar company that makes trash -to -steam boilers. He said there are 14 major power -generating facilities in the U.S. that utilize municipal waste that are operating within their EPA -mandated limits, and he briefly described specific cost estimates about that issue. Mayor Neal pointed out that a lengthy study involving many years has been conducted on the city's new landfill project. Mr. J.E. O'Brien, 4130 Pompano, questioned the city's natural gas costs. He also reiterated his contention made the previous week that the city had overspent during the last 10 years, and he cited specific figures on page 205 of the city's annual financial report to support his argument. Mr. O'Brien added that the Council should let the citizens vote on the Garwood water issue. Mayor Neal asked Mr. O'Brien to review the figures he had cited, and the Mayor said that the city did not overspend by $54 million but rather it collected less than it spent over the 10 -year period by $6 million. He said that amount was made up out of the reserves, which this Council has committed to try not to do in the future. Mr. O'Brien said that proves the point of overspending by previous Councils. Mr. Leon Perez complained about the increase in the cost to use pay phones. Mayor Neal and City Manager Hennings pointed out that the city does not control the cost of pay phones; rather, the Texas Public Utility Commission regulates the charges levied by telephone companies. Mr. Glynn Pugh, 725 Harrison, continued comments he had made last week about advantages of having a city -owned electric distribution system, including avoiding the issue of excess of cost over market of generation plants, which he described. Council Member Martin said that Mr. Pugh should not just apply the experience of San Antonio's electric system with Corpus Christi because San Antonio's is also a generating system. Mayor Neal pointed out that it would cost millions of dollars for Corpus Christi to establish an electric distribution system. Council Member John Longoria noted that people in San Antonio have been paying for the South Texas Power Plant for years and the history of those costs needs to be considered. * * * * * * * * * * * * Mayor Neal called for a short recess. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Mayor Neal opened discussion on Item 3, Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) appointments. City Manager Hennings said the Regional Water Supply Task Force has recommended that the Council nominate the following people to the TWDB: Ben Figueroa, Judge Josephine Miller, Judge Richard Borchard, Council Member Dr. David McNichols, Jerry Kane, Presnall Cage, Jennifer Prouty, Richard Garza Gonzalo Sandoval, George Finley, Scott Bledsoe III, Carola Serrato, Frank Newchurch, and Bernard Paulson. Minutes Regular Council Meeting January 13, 1998 Page 8 Mayor Neal called for comments from the audience, and there were none. City Secretary Chapa polled the Council for their votes as follows: 3. RESOLUTION NO. 023184 Resolution recommending that the Texas Water Development Board appoint certain individuals representing eleven different interests categories, as specified in Senate Bill 1, and two additional interests to represent the special needs of the region, to constitute the initial Regional Water Planning Group that will be responsible for implementing the Regional Water Planning Program in Region "N" of the Texas Water Development Board designated planning regions; and directing that the list of names be forwarded to the Texas Water Development Board for their consideration. The foregoing resolution passed by the following vote: Colmenero, Cooper, B. Longoria, McNichols, and Neal voting "Aye"; Garcia, Gonzales, J. Longoria, and Martin absent. * * * * * * * * * * * * * Mayor Neal opened discussion on Item 4, creation of a regional water planning partnership. City Manager Hennings said this item was also a recommendation of the Regional Water Supply Task Force. Mr. Con Mimms, Executive Director of the Nueces River Authority (NRA), stated that the TWDB will only contract with a political subdivision to carry out the requirements of Senate Bill 1. He said the NRA Board unanimously supported the concept of establishing a partnership of political subdivisions in the Coastal Bend consisting of municipalities, water districts, water utilities, and counties that would operate within and under the direction of the Regional Planning Group. He said they are also proposing that the NRA be the managing partner of the political subdivisions within the partnership, which he further described. Mr. Jerry Kane said the City of Corpus Christi and the NRA has a long history of representing the water interests of the entire region. He reassured the Council that this proposal does not hamper the needs of the citizens of Corpus Christi or of the region. Council Member Martin said he thought this was an excellent idea, adding that the NRA has an outstanding history of regional water leadership and would be a good choice to be the managing partner. Council Member McNichols commented on the necessity of accessing state funds in this process. Mayor Neal called for comments from the audience, and there were none. City Secretary Chapa polled the Council for their votes as follows: Minutes Regular Council Meeting January 13, 1998 Page 9 4. M98-002 Motion directing the City Manager or his designee to enter into discussions with the Nueces River Authority and other regional governmental entities to develop an interlocal agreement that creates a Regional Water Planning Partnership. The foregoing motion passed by the following vote: Colmenero, Cooper, B. Longoria, J. Longoria, Martin, McNichols, and Neal voting "Aye"; Garcia and Gonzales absent. * * * * * * * * * * * * * Mayor Neal opened discussion on Item 5, master lease purchase agreement. He called for comments from the audience, and there were none. Responding to Council Member McNichols, City Manager Hennings noted that this financing mechanism has been used in the past, and a recent example is the Council's decision to purchase four new rescue vehicles for the ambulance service rather than one. Dr. McNichols said the overall feeling is that the city should not use this method more than is necessary. Council Member John Longoria commented on a recent news report about the ambulances that were delivered but were not able to be used. Mr. Hennings explained that the ambulances were delivered at a later date than they were supposed to be delivered, and the contract with GE Capital had expired. He added that the renewal of that contract was delayed because staff had to make some amendments to cover the proposed ice hockey equipment. However, the ambulances have been received and are scheduled to go into service February l ; meanwhile, they have been used to train drivers in the Fire Academy. Council Member Martin said the general position of the Council, as stated by Dr. McNichols, has been that lease purchase should not be used as a tool of convenience. He said the ambulances are an example of how lease purchase can be advantageous because the annual cost is no more than if the city had purchased the ambulances one at a time every 15 months for the next five years. Council Member Colmenero asked what the usual fluctuation of interest rates are for lease agreements. Ms. Dorothea Montoya, City Treasurer, said the city does not lock into an interest rate, but rather it locks into the rate that is tied to the five-year treasury note, which she explained. Mr. Colmenero also asked about the situation with the ice hockey team. Mr. Hennings replied that the agreement with the hockey team is different from the situation with the professional basketball team, which recently experienced financial problems. He said the hockey team has agreed to pay for the investment in the ice equipment and other expenses that will be required for a professional operation. He added that whether the hockey team succeeds or fails, the city will not Minutes Regular Council Meeting January 13, 1998 Page 10 be exposed financially. Mr. Martin asked Mr. Hennings to send to the Council the original memo about the hockey team. In reply to Dr. McNichols, Mr. Tom Utter, Assistant City Manager for Development Services, said the suppliers of the ice hockey equipment have agreed to provide the materials at a particular price and if the equipment was not used, they would buy it back for the remaining portion of the indebtedness; any indebtedness to that point is paid for by the hockey team as it becomes due. City Secretary Chapa polled the Council for their votes as follows: 5. M98-003 Motion authorizing the City Manager or his designee to execute a Master Lease Purchase Agreement with GE Capital for a one-year term with a renewal option of one year. The foregoing motion passed by the following vote: Colmenero, Cooper, B. Longoria, J. Longoria, Martin, McNichols, and Neal voting "Aye"; Garcia and Gonzales absent. * * * * * * * * * * * * * Mayor Neal opened discussion on Item 6, Solid Waste Services grants. He called for comments from the audience, and there were none. City Secretary Chapa polled the Council for their votes as follows: 6.a. ORDINANCE NO. 023185 Ordinance authorizing the City Manager or his designee to execute an Interlocal Agreement with the Coastal Bend Council of Governments, which will fund a front-end loader for the City's centralized composting program. An emergency was declared and the foregoing ordinance passed by the following vote: Colmenero, Cooper, B. Longoria, J. Longoria, Martin, McNichols, and Neal voting "Aye"; Garcia and Gonzales absent. 6.b. ORDINANCE NO. 023186 Ordinance authorizing the City Manager or his designee to execute an Interlocal Agreement with the Coastal Bend Council of Governments, that will fund an additional Code Enforcement Officer for Solid Waste Services. Minutes Regular Council Meeting January 13, 1998 Page 11 An emergency was declared and the foregoing ordinance passed by the following vote: Colmenero, Cooper, B. Longoria, J. Longoria, Martin, McNichols, and Neal voting "Aye"; Garcia and Gonzales absent. 6.c. ORDINANCE NO. 023187 Ordinance appropriating $120,000 in the Federal/State Grants Fund No. 162, received from the Coastal Bend Council of Governments, as a pass-through grant from the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, to purchase a front-end loader for the City's centralized composting program. An emergency was declared and the foregoing ordinance passed by the following vote: Colmenero, Cooper, B. Longoria, J. Longoria, Martin, McNichols, and Neal voting "Aye"; Garcia and Gonzales absent. 6.d. ORDINANCE NO. 023188 Ordinance appropriating $24,642 in the Federal/State Grants Fund No. 162, received from the Coastal Bend Council of Governments, as a pass-through grant from the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, to hire an additional Code Enforcement Officer for Solid Waste Services. An emergency was declared and the foregoing ordinance passed by the following vote: Colmenero, Cooper, B. Longoria, J. Longoria, Martin, McNichols, and Neal voting "Aye"; Garcia and Gonzales absent. * * * * * * * * * * * * * Mayor Neal opened discussion on Item 7, a public hearing on Bonita Addition Street improvements assessment roll and related actions. City Secretary Chapa said that Council Member Martin had filed a disclosure affidavit on Item 7.c., and he will abstain from discussing or voting on the item. Mayor Neal called for comments from the audience. A woman said she was speaking on behalf of her mother, who lives at 1413 Date Street. She asked if her mother would be able to receive an exemption from the assessment. Mr. Carl Crull, Assistant City Manager for Public Works and Utilities, replied that since this street project is being financed through the Community Development Block Grant program, there is a provision for people who meet the low and moderate income guidelines to have their assessment taken care of through the CDBG program. He said staff would provide that information to the woman requesting it. Minutes Regular Council Meeting January 13, 1998 Page 12 Responding to Council Member John Longoria, Mr. R.H. Shackelford, Director of Engineering Services, said that when the Council voted last November to set the public hearing date for this item, certified letters were sent to the applicable residents and they were advised of the amount of their proposed assessment. He added that this is not part of the voluntary paving program. In reply to Council Member Betty Jean Longoria, Mr. Shackelford said it was up to the citizen to contact city staff to determine whether he or she meets the income guidelines for assistance through the CDBG program. Mrs. Longoria also asked about COF Corporation, and Mr. Shackelford said that Mr. W.T. Young is one of the principal officers in that corporation. Council Member Colmenero asked about city staff's contact with the residents, and Mr. Shackelford verified that personnel had been in that area contacting the residents. He added that the final assessment will be made on the basis of any changes that the resident may request. City Secretary Chapa polled the Council for their votes as follows: 7.b. ORDINANCE NO. 023189 Ordinance closing the public hearing on proposed assessments for improvements to the following highways in Corpus Christi, Nueces County, Texas: Fig Street - Baldwin Boulevard to 18"' Street Isabel Street - Bonita Avenue to 18`" Street Bonita Avenue - Terrace Street to Ayers Street Date Street - Fig Street to Ayers imposing assessments totaling $135,566.89 against property abutting the improvements, affected railways, and property and railway owners; fixing corresponding liens on property and charges against property owners; providing for subsequent adjustment of assessment amounts and the corresponding liens and charges based on as -built conditions; specifying assessment payment terms and lien enforcement measures. An emergency was declared and the foregoing ordinance passed by the following vote: Colmenero, Cooper, B. Longoria, J. Longoria, McNichols, and Neal voting "Aye"; Martin abstaining; Garcia and Gonzales absent. 7.c. M98-005 Motion awarding a construction contract in the amount of $763,670 to COF Corporation, Corpus Christi, Texas for the Bonita Addition Street Improvements. The foregoing motion passed by the following vote: Colmenero, Cooper, B. Longoria, J. Longoria, McNichols, and Neal voting "Aye"; Martin abstaining; Garcia and Gonzales absent. Minutes Regular Council Meeting January 13, 1998 Page 13 * * * * * * * * * * * ** Mayor Neal opened the public hearing on the following zoning case: 8. Case No. 1297-3 - Ricardo and Maria M Lopez: A change of zoning from an "R -1B" One - family Dwelling District to an "R -1C" One -family Dwelling District and `B-1" Neighborhood Business District on Hudson Acres, Block 2, Lot 1, located on the southwest corner of Main Drive and Erne Street. City Secretary Chapa said the Planning Commission and staff recommended denial of the "R -1C" District and approval of the `B-1" District with a Special Permit for one 5,000 -square foot residential lot subject to two (2) conditions. Mayor Neal called for comments from the audience. Mr. Antonio Contreras, 3801 Bertram St., raised concerns about traffic and litter on the subject property, and he questioned uses that are allowed in `B-1." Council Member Betty Jean Longoria made a motion to close the public hearing, seconded by Council Member John Longoria, and passed unanimously. Council Member Martin asked about the statement on page 121 of the agenda material which stated that the special permit included three conditions. Mr. Brandol Harvey, Director of Planning and Development, said that was an error and there are two conditions being recommended. He added that if the grocery store received over 50% damage, it would have to meet all of the current standards, including landscaping and parking. Mr. Martin asked if "R -1C" zoning was not being recommended for the residence because that area is to transition into a business use over time and "R -1C" would increase the residential density, and Mr. Harvey said that was correct. He noted that Mr. Contreras had attended the Planning Commission hearing and it was explained at that time that a bar or tavern cannot be operated in "B-1" zoning. Council Member Betty Jean Longoria asked staff to meet with Mr. Contreras to ensure that he understands the zoning change. City Secretary Chapa polled the Council for their votes as follows: ORDINANCE NO. 023190 Amending the Zoning Ordinance upon application by Ricardo and Maria M. Lopez, by changing the zoning map in reference to Hudson Acres, Block 2, Lot 1 from "R -1B" One - Family Dwelling District to `B-1" Neighborhood Business District and granting a Special Permit for one (1), 5,000 square foot residential lot. Minutes Regular Council Meeting January 13, 1998 Page 14 An emergency was declared and the foregoing ordinance passed by the following vote: Colmenero, Cooper, B. Longoria, J. Longoria, Martin, McNichols, and Neal voting "Aye"; Garcia and Gonzales absent. * * * * * * * * * * * * * Mayor Neal opened the public hearing on the following zoning case: 9. Case No. 1297-4 - I.R C.: A change of zoning from a "B-4" General Business District and "B-4" General Business District with a Special Permit to an "I-2" Light Industrial District on South Staples Center, all of Block A, and 5.91 acres out of Lot B-1, bounded by South Staples Street, Everhart Road, Jacquelyn Drive, Caddo Street, and Gollihar Road. City Secretary Chapa said the Planning Commission and staff recommended denial of the "I-2" District, and in lieu thereof, approval of a Special Permit for a resistor assembly plant subject to a site plan and eight (8) conditions. No one appeared in opposition to the zoning change. Council Member McNichols made a motion to close the public hearing, seconded by Council Member Cooper, and passed unanimously. City Secretary Chapa polled the Council for their votes as follows: ORDINANCE NO. 023191 Amending the Zoning Ordinance upon application by I.R.C. by granting a Special Permit for a resistor assembly plant to South Staples Center, all of Block A and 5.91 acres out of Lot B-1. An emergency was declared and the foregoing ordinance passed by the following vote: Colmenero, Cooper, B. Longoria, J. Longoria, Martin, McNichols, and Neal voting "Aye"; Garcia and Gonzales absent. * * * * * * * * * * * * Mayor Neal called for consideration of consent motions, resolutions, ordinances and ordinances from previous meetings on Items 10 through 14, and Council members requested Item 10 be withheld for discussion. Mr. Chapa polled the Council for their votes and the following passed: 11. ORDINANCE NO. 023192 Ordinance closing and abandoning a 1,643.82 -square foot portion of a 5 -foot wide electrical easement out of Lot 1A, Block D, Wilkey Addition, subject to compliance with the specified conditions and the owner, PPI McArdle, LTD, replatting the property within 180 days at its expense. Minutes Regular Council Meeting January 13, 1998 Page 15 An emergency was declared and the foregoing ordinance passed by the following vote: Colmenero, Cooper, B. Longoria, J. Longoria, Martin, McNichols, and Neal voting "Aye"; Garcia and Gonzales absent. 12.a. ORDINANCE NO. 023193 Ordinance authorizing the City Manager or his designee to terminate the lease authorized by Ordinance No. 022048 on September 27, 1994, and the first amendment to the lease, authorized by Ordinance No. 022468 on January 16, 1996 with the Instituto de Cultura Hispanica. An emergency was declared and the foregoing ordinance passed by the following vote: Colmenero, Cooper, B. Longoria, J. Longoria, Martin, McNichols, and Neal voting "Aye"; Garcia and Gonzales absent. 12.b. FIRST READING ORDINANCE Authorizing the City Manager or his designee to execute a twenty-year lease agreement with the Instituto de Cultura Hispanica for the Lichtenstein House in Heritage Park, Lots 5 and 6, Block 70, Beach Portion, Corpus Christi, Texas, to use as their business office and educational center, in consideration of monthly rent of $300. The foregoing ordinance passed on first reading by the following vote: Colmenero, Cooper, B. Longoria, J. Longoria, Martin, McNichols, and Neal voting "Aye"; Garcia and Gonzales absent. 13.a. FIRST READING ORDINANCE Authorizing the City Manager or his designee to execute a twenty-year lease with the Camp Fire Council of Corpus Christi Area, Inc. for the Gugenheim House in Heritage Park, Lots 1 and 2, Block 70, Beach Portion, Corpus Christi, Texas to use as their business office and as meeting space in consideration of monthly rent of $210, which may be partially or fully offset by services rendered to the City and will be renegotiated every five years. The foregoing ordinance passed on first reading by the following vote: Colmenero, Cooper, B. Longoria, J. Longoria, Martin, McNichols, and Neal voting "Aye"; Garcia and Gonzales absent. 13.b. FIRST READING ORDINANCE Authorizing the City Manager or his designee to execute approximately a four-year lease, Minutes Regular Council Meeting January 13, 1998 Page 16 terminating May 31, 2001, with the Junior League of Corpus Christi, Inc. for the Sidbury House in Heritage Park, Lots 3 and 4, Block 70, Beach Portion, Corpus Christi, Texas to use as a historical restoration of an early Corpus Christi home in consideration of monthly rent of $310, which may be partially or fully offset by services rendered to the City. The foregoing ordinance passed on first reading by the following vote: Colmenero, Cooper, B. Longoria, J. Longoria, Martin, McNichols, and Neal voting "Aye"; Garcia and Gonzales absent. 14. ORDINANCE NO. 023194 Authorizing the City Manager or his designee to execute a five-year lease with the Corpus Christi Softball Association for Price Field and the Yellow and Green Fields at Greenwood Softball Complex in consideration of Corpus Christi Softball Association paying all costs associated with maintaining and operating an adult softball program on these three fields. The foregoing ordinance passed on second reading by the following vote: Colmenero, Cooper, B. Longoria, J. Longoria, Martin, McNichols, and Neal voting "Aye"; Garcia and Gonzales absent. * * * * * * * * * * * * * Mayor Neal opened discussion on Item 10, city manager recruitment consultant agreement. Council Member Martin said it was a shame that the media reported that the Council had selected the most expensive firm (although it was not the most expensive), rather than reporting that the Council felt that firm was the best for the city's needs. In reply to Mayor Neal, City Attorney Bray said the contract was drawn up jointly with the city and the executive search firm. Mr. Martin asked if it represented the city's needs with regard to disclosure, and Mr. Bray said it did. City Secretary Chapa polled the Council for their votes as follows: 10. M98-004 Motion approving an agreement with Ralph Andersen & Associates to provide professional services to recruit City Manager candidates for consideration by the City for a fee of $13,500 and reimbursement of reasonable and customary expenses. The foregoing motion passed by the following vote: Colmenero, Cooper, B. Longoria, J. Longoria, Martin, McNichols, and Neal voting "Aye"; Garcia and Gonzales absent. Minutes Regular Council Meeting January 13, 1998 Page 17 * * * * * * * * * * * * * Mayor Neal called for the City Manager's report. Mr. Hennings said next week's Council meeting will include a discussion about the proposal for electricity service from Corpus Christi Power and Light Company. He said staff would provide a report and additional information to the Council on January 16th. Mr. Hennings said there would also be a presentation on the Texas Department of Transportation loan program, and Mayor Neal asked that a discussion of the toll road also be included. Mr. Hennings also announced that on January 17th, the mulch from Christmas tree recycling, as well as tree seedlings, will be distributed at four locations in the city. In his report, Mayor Neal asked when the Council would discuss the site for the new senior citizen center. Mr. Utter replied that he thought the Senior Citizen Advisory Committee would be making a recommendation on that in about two weeks. The Mayor also noted that a new electronic components manufacturing firm would be opening in Robstown, with the possibility of the firm relocating its home office from California to Corpus Christi. He commended the Greater Corpus Christi Business Alliance, Nueces County and city officials for their efforts in that regard. Council Member John Longoria noted that staff had tentatively scheduled the first reading adopting a residential traffic management program in March, and he asked that staff forward a draft of that proposal to the Council well before they consider it on the agenda. Council Member Betty Jean Longoria asked about the status of discussing the capital improvement programs (CIP). Mayor Neal said his impression was that the Council had discussed the utility CIP, and they will address the rest of the CIP as the budget discussions get underway. Mr. Hennings said since that was a complicated subject it may require a separate discussion. Council Member Cooper reported on a town hall meeting she held the night before, and she requested information that can be distributed to citizens on such issues as how their taxes are divided among the different taxing entities (city, county, school district, etc.). She noted that many people get angry at the city for things that the city has no responsibility or jurisdiction over. Mr. Oscar Soliz, District Clerk, said he had come to the Council meeting to show his support for the lease with the Camp Fire Council of Corpus Christi Area Inc. (Item 13.a. on the agenda). Responding to an earlier question, Mr. Hennings said the gas price on the utility bill lags behind the market by about two months; in addition, the city pays the spot market price plus a mark- up. He added that Corpus Christi citizens' gas bills are among the lowest in the state. There being no further business to come before the Council, Mayor Neal declared the Council meeting adjourned at 5:50 p.m. on January 13, 1998. CITY ENGINEER'S STATEMENT BONITA ADDITION STREET IMPROVEMENTS My name is Robert H. Shackelford. I am the City Engineer for the City of Corpus Christi. I have been so employed for forty (40) months. I am a Professional Engineer, licensed by the State of Texas since 1979. I have 38 years of experience in design of construction and estimating the costs thereof. I am familiar with this project which encompasses: Fig Street - Baldwin to 18th Street Date Street - Fig Street to Ayers Street Bonita Avenue - Terrace Street to Ayers Street Isabel Street - Bonita Avenue to 18th Street The project consists of the reconstruction of the streets and underground drainage and the construction of curb and gutter, sidewalks and driveway aprons. The streets will be reconstructed to 28 feet back-to-back of curb. The plans/specifications provide the details of the design. Also included is the replacement of some of the water and wastewater lines and associated service connections. Funding for street and utility related improvements is available from FY 95 CDBG Program. Prior to this hearing, I had an estimate of project costs prepared. and it compared favorably with the bids received. In my opinion, the costs are true and accurate. The contract specifies completion within 120 working days. Work is expected to begin in March, 1998, with an anticipated completion date of December, 1998. Robert H. Shackelford, P.E. Director of Engineering Services December 16. 1997 Mr. Harry P. Maxim, Field Representative City of Corpus Christi Paving Property Management 1317 Mestina Street Corpus Christi. Texas 78469-9277 RE: Bonita Addition STR 713 Dear Mr. Maxim: I have completed my review and limited appraisal analysis of enhancements to the 62 parcels located in the Bonita Addition Street improvements according to engineering plans. This review consisted of a visual inspection of the exteriors of the parcels listed on your roll and analysis of the owners cost of improvements. Your assessment notices and assessment roll showing owner, property description. description of assessments, rates and total assessment are hereby incorporated herein and made a part of this report. It is my opinion that the properties being assessed in this street improvement project should be enhanced to a minimum of the amount of the improvements assessed. It is noted that this is a voluntary assessment on the owners for street improvements and they are paying only a fraction of the actual cost of the improvement specified. I hereby certify that I have received the project assessment roll and personally examined the exterior of each parcel of land included in the Bonita Addition Street improvement project (STR 713). Each parcel will be benefitted by the improvements to be assessed against it without regard to the overall community benefit. Sincerely, Effbna Ken Combs Ik REALTOR' 4659 EVERHART, SUITE 215 • CORPUS CHRISTI, TX 78411 • (512) 857-2600 REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS • FAX (512) 851-2700