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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes City Council - 09/20/20051 HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Corpus Christi City Council of September 20, 2005, which were approved by the City Council on October 11. 2005. WITNESSETH MY HAND AND SEAL, on this the 1 l th day of October, 2005. Armando Chapa City Secretary E A 1. MIN UI'ES CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI. TEXAS Regular Meeting September 20, 2005 — 10:00 a.m. PRESENT Mayor Henry Garrett Mayor Pro Tem Melody Cooper Council Members: Brent Chesney Jerry Garcia Rex Kinnison Bill Kelly John E. Marez Jesse Noyola Mark Scott City Staff: City Manager George K. Noe City Attorney Mary Kay Fischer City Secretary Armando Chapa Mayor Garrett called the meeting to order in the Council Chambers of City Hall. The invocation was delivered by Deacon Michael Mantz of the Corpus Christi Cathedral and the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag was led by Council Member Chesney. Mayor Garrett called for approval of the minutes of the regular Council meeting of September 13. 2005. A motion was made, seconded, and passed to approve the minutes as presented * * * * * * * * * * * * * Mayor Garrett referred to Item 2 and the following board appointments were made: Commission on Children and Youth Miles D. Toren (Appointed) Nueces County Community Action Agency Council Member Bill Kelly (Reappointed) Council Member John Marez (Reappointed) ( ouncil Member Jesse Noyola (Reappointed) Museum of Science and History Advisory Committee Cheryl Gillenwater (Appointed) Dr. Grady Price Blount (Reappointed) Randall Meredith (Appointed) Water Resources Advisory Committee Captain Timothy Coolidge (Appointed) * * * * * * * * * ** Nueces County Tax Appraisal District Paul Grivich (Reappointed) Robert Adler (Appointed) Regional Health Awareness Board Lillian Murray (Reappointed) Kai -Li Tsai (Appointed) ** Minutes - Regular Council Meeting September 20. 2005 — Page 2 Mayor Garrett called for consideration of the consent agenda (Items 3 - 14). Mr. Bill Kopecky. 3609 Topeka, requested that Item 6 be pulled for individual consideration. Council members requested that Items 3, 7, 11. and 12 be pulled for individual consideration. A motion was made. seconded. and passed to approve Items 3 through 14, constituting the consent agenda, except for Items 3, 6. 7. 11, and 12, which were pulled for individual consideration. City Secretary Chapa polled the Council for their votes as follows: 4 a. MOTION NO. 2005-325 Motion authorizing the City Manager or his designee to accept a grant in the amount of $42,294 from the State of Texas, Criminal Justice Division for Year 1 funding of a Crime Scene Technician grant in the Corpus Christi Police Department and to execute all related documents. The foregoing motion was passed and approved with the following vote: Garrett, Chesney, Cooper, Garcia, Kelly, Kinnison, Marez, Noyola, and Scott, voting "Aye". 4 h. ORDINANCE NO. 026464 Ordinance appropriating $42,294 from the State of Texas, Criminal Justice Division in the No. 1061 Police Grants Fund and authorizing the transfer of $20,717 from the No. 1020 Cash Contribution to Grants Fund to the No. 1061 Police Grants Fund as matching funds. all for Year 1 funding of a Crime Scene Technician grant in the Corpus Christi Police Department. An emergency was declared, and the foregoing ordinance was passed and approved with the following vote: Garrett. Chesney, Cooper. Garcia, Kelly, Kinnison, Marez, Noyola, and Scott, voting "Aye". s a. MOTION NO. 2005-326 Motion authorizing the City Manager or his designee to accept a grant in the amount of $64,929 from the State of Texas, Criminal Justice Division for continuation funding available under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Fund and to execute all related documents. The foregoing motion was passed and approved with the following vote: Garrett, Chesney. Cooper, Garcia, Kelly, Kinnison, Marez, Noyola, and Scott, voting "Aye". Minutes - Regular Council Meeting September 20. 2005 — Page 3 h. ORDINANCE NO. 026465 Ordinance appropriating $64,929 from the State of Texas. Criminal Justice Division in the No. 1061 Police Grants Fund for continuation funding available under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Fund. An emergency was declared. and the foregoing ordinance was passed and approved with the following vote: Garrett. Chesney, Cooper, Garcia. Kelly, Kinnison, Marez, Noyola, and Scott, voting "Aye" 8 MOTION NO. 2005-329 Motion authorizing the City Manager or his designee to execute a construction contract with DMB Construction, of Corpus Christi. Texas in the amount of $173,227.03 for the Everhart - Staples Street Lift Station Odor Control System. The foregoing motion was passed and approved with the following vote: Garrett, Chesney. Cooper. Garcia, Kelly, Kinnison, Marez, Noyola, and Scott, voting "Aye". MOTION NO. 2005-330 Motion authorizing the City Manager or his designee to execute a Right of Way and Utility Easement Instrument with Theodore Dimopoulos for the acquisition of Parcel 520 in the total amount of $25,000, containing a Utility, Right -of -Way, and Temporary Construction Easement. necessary for the Southside Water Transmission Main, Phase 5, Project #8391, and for other municipal purposes. The foregoing motion was passed and approved with the following vote: Garrett, Chesney. Cooper. Garcia, Kelly. Kinnison, Marez, Noyola, and Scott, voting "Aye". 10.a MOTION NO. 2005-331 Motion authorizing the City Manager or his designee to execute a contract with Vertical VAR, LLC, of Atlanta, Georgia to purchase replacement IBM servers for the HTE systems, in an amount not to exceed $200,580. This purchase includes two IBM I -Series servers (installed) with 3 year hardware/software extended maintenance. The HTE modules supported are: Utilities Business Office, Central Cashiering, Accounts Receivable. Collections, Development Services. and Housing and Community Development. Lease purchase is over a three year period. The foregoing motion was passed and approved with the following vote: Garrett, Chesney. Cooper, Garcia, Kelly, Kinnison, Marez, Noyola, and Scott, voting "Aye". Minutes Regular Council Meeting September 20. 2005 - Page 4 011 MOTION NO. 2005-332 Motion authorizing the City Manager or his designee to execute a contract with DATASEEK, of San Antonio, Texas for additional hardware/software and installation services in an amount not to exceed $71.260. DATASEEK will provide additional hardware. software_ and technical expertise to connect the new IBM I -Series servers to the existing Storage Area Network. Lease purchase is over a three year period. The foregoing motion was passed and approved with the following vote: Garrett, Chesney, Cooper, Garcia, Kelly. Kinnison, Marez, Noyola, and Scott, voting "Aye". ORDINANCE NO. 026469 Ordinance authorizing the City Manager or his designee to execute a Use Privilege Agreement with The Port of Corpus Christi Authority (Owner), for the right to construct, operate, repair, replace, and maintain four (4) railroad tracks (each track consisting of two rails, cross ties, and ballast) across the Sam Rankin Street public right-of-way and four (4) railroad tracks (each track consisting of two rails, cross ties, and ballast) across the North Tancahua Street public right-of-way_ between Brewster Street and Resaca Street; establishing a fee of $6,543. An emergency was declared, and the foregoing ordinance was passed and approved with the following vote: Garrett, Chesney, Cooper, Garcia, Kelly, Kinnison, Marez, Noyola, and Scott, voting "Aye" ±4_a ORDINANCE NO. 026470 Ordinance authorizing the City Manager or his designee to execute an amendment to a Use Privilege Agreement, approved by Ordinance No. 026334 on July 12, 2005, with BL Real Estate Holding Company. L.P. The amendment will require the owner's compliance with the provisions of a Private Wastewater System Service Agreement. An emergency was declared, and the foregoing ordinance was passed and approved with the following vote: Garrett, Chesney, Cooper, Garcia, Kelly, Kinnison, Marez, Noyola, and Scott. voting "Aye" Minutes Regular Council Meeting September 20, 2005 — Page 5 4.b ORDINANCE NO. 026471 Ordinance authorizing the City Manager or his designee to execute a Private Wastewater System Service Agreement with BL Real Estate Holding Company, L.P. to allow the use and operation of a private wastewater system. including a temporary lift station and force main, until the properties subject to this agreement can be directly connected to the City's wastewater system in conformance with the Master Plan for Sanitary Sewers in Flour Bluff, as amended, and other City requirements. An emergency was declared, and the foregoing ordinance was passed and approved with the following vote: Garrett, Chesney, Cooper, Garcia, Kelly, Kinnison, Marez, Noyola, and Scott, voting "Aye" Mayor Garrett opened discussion on Item 6 regarding a change order for the I Indale/Chenoweth Outfall portion of the Storm Water Major Outfalls project. Mr. Bill Kopecky, 3609 Topeka, expressed concern that the next phase of this project would involve simultaneously closing portions of Santa Fe Drive and Alameda Street since these were major traffic arteries. He suggested minimizing the effect by asking the contractor to do the work on weekends if possible. City Engineer Angel Escobar replied the closing of Santa Fe Drive was part of the existing contract, and would probably occur within the next two weeks for a 20 -week duration. The Alameda Street closure was in the design phase and would not occur until next ,,ummer. Thus, Santa Fe Drive and Alameda Street would not be closed simultaneously. City Secretary Chapa polled the Council for their votes as follows: 6 MOTION NO. 2005-327 Motion authorizing the City Manager or his designee to execute Change Order No. 1 to the Construction Contract with Ramos Industries, of Pasadena, Texas in the amount of $635,643.62 for the Storm Water Major Outfalls - Lindale/Chenoweth Outfall. The foregoing motion was passed and approved with the following vote: Garrett, Chesney. Cooper, Garcia, Kelly. Kinnison, Marez. Noyola, and Scott, voting "Aye". Mayor Garrett opened discussion on Item 3 regarding the purchase of a pothole patcher machine. Mr. Garcia asked if the pothole patcher machine would be used in conjunction with hot rnix asphalt. Mr. Noe replied hot mix asphalt would be used, and would be a more permanent fix than the cold mix asphalt. especially when applied to a dry surface. He stated that 1 second pothole crew had been added and would use the pothole patcher machine. Mr. Kelly ,_ommented that the city was dramatically expanding its ability to repair potholes in response to public concerns. City Secretary Chapa polled the Council for their votes as follows: MOTION NO. 2005-324 Minutes - Regular Council Meeting September 20, 2005 - Page 6 Motion approving the lease purchase of a pothole patcher machine from Houston Freightliner, of Houston. Texas for the total amount of $100,596. The award is based on the cooperative purchasing agreement with the Houston Galveston Area Council (HGAC). This equipment will he used by the Street Department. Funds have been budgeted by the Street Services Division. This unit is an addition to the fleet. The foregoing motion was passed and approved with the following vote: Garrett, Chesney, Cooper, Garcia, Kelly. Kinnison, Marez. Noyola. and Scott, voting "Aye". Mayor Garrett opened discussion on Item 7 regarding the construction of ADA Co -Ed Dire Station #13. Regarding Item 7.b.. Mr. Garcia stated he understood that Local contractors were not given the opportunity to hid for this contract. If so, he asked for staff's rationale in this decision. City Engineer Angel Escobar replied staff was incorporating a new construction method called a Job Order Contract that had been successfully used by the military and school systems. In this method, the architect and the contractor visit the site and evaluate the scope and ost of the work to be accurately detailed before award. The Job Order Contract was employed through the Texas Cooperative Purchasing Network (TCPN), which advertised and competitively awarded the Corpus Christi areas to Centennial Contractors, Inc. of San Antonio. he award was based on contractors offering the hest discount factor to published construction unit price books. Mr. Escobar said staff wished to test the effectiveness of the Job Order ontract method on this ADA tire station to determine whether it could be used on the remainder or the fire station construction contracts. Mr. Garcia thanked Mr. Escobar for his explanation, stating his only concern was whether the contract could have been awarded locally. City Secretary Chapa polled the Council for their votes as follows: RESOLUTION NO. 026466 Resolution approving the terms and conditions of an Interlocal Agreement between the Region IV Education Service Center, which sponsors the Texas Cooperative Purchasing Network (TCPN), providing for a Cooperative Purchasing Program for goods and services, designating George K. Noe, City Manager or his designee as official representative of the City of Corpus Christi relating to the program. (BOND ISSUE 2004) The foregoing resolution was passed and approved with the following vote: Garrett, Chesney. Cooper. Garcia, Kelly. Kinnison, Marez. Noyola. and Scott, voting "Aye". 7 h MOTION NO. 2005-328 Motion authorizing the City Manager or his designee to execute a construction contract with Centennial Construction, Inc., of San Antonio, Texas in the amount of $75,048 for ADA Co -Ed Fire Station #13. (BOND ISSUE 2004) The foregoing motion was passed and approved with the following vote: Garrett, Chesney. Cooper, Garcia. Kelly, Kinnison, Marez. Noyola. and Scott, voting "Aye". Minutes - Regular Council Meeting September 20. 2005 -• Page 7 Mayor Garrett opened discussion on Item 11 regarding the city's Emergency Incident Management plan. Mr. Kelly asked what steps the city would need to take to comply with the National Incident Management System. City Manager Noe answered that today's action adopting the system as our standard was the first step towards compliance, adding that this was a requirement for federal funding. He said the city had operated the Emergency Operations Center EO('.) using the National Incident Management System for a number of years. The Council would be briefed on the additional training requirements outlined in the system, which needed to he met by the 2006 deadline. The purpose of the system was to allow multiple agencies to operate under a single command structure. City Secretary Chapa polled the Council for their otes as follows: RESOLUTION NO. 026467 Resolution adopting the National Incident Management System (NIMS) including the Incident Command System as the standard for Emergency Incident Management by the City of Corpus Christi. fhe foregoing resolution was passed and approved with the following vote: Garrett, Chesney. Cooper, Garcia, Kelly. Kinnison, Marez. Noyola. and Scott, voting "Aye". Mayor Garrett opened discussion on Item 12 regarding an appropriation of surplus funds for the Development Services department. Mr. Kinnison stated he wished to verify the funding source for the appropriation. City Manager Noe replied the Development Services department operated out of a separate fund per the city's commitment to the development community that any funds received through fees and charges would be allocated for development activities. He said the Development Services department collected revenues that were higher than projected, and also experienced a decrease in expenditures, resulting in a higher fund balance than projected. Mr. Noe said Assistant City Manager Oscar Martinez and staff looked at the proposed expenditures and felt they were in keeping with the city's commitment. City Secretary Chapa rolled the Council for their votes as follows: ORDINANCE NO. 026468 Ordinance appropriating $235,230 in surplus revenues from unappropriated fund balance in the Development Services Fund No. 4670 FY2005-2006 Budget for increased operational costs due to the high volume of development activity; amending the FY2005- 2006 Budget adopted by Ordinance No. 026385 by increasing appropriations by $235,230. An emergency was declared, and the foregoing ordinance was passed and approved with the following vote: Garrett, Chesney. Cooper, Garcia, Kelly, Kinnison, Marez, Noyola, and Scott, voting "Aye". * * * * * * * * * * * * * Mayor Garrett referred to the presentations on the day's agenda. The first presentation was Item 15. a report on Hurricane Katrina evacuee relief efforts given by City Manager Noe. Minutes - Regular Council Meeting September 20, 2005 — Page 8 He reported that the Governor's Office had asked the city for assistance in housing Hurricane Katrina evacuees on Friday, September 2. Staff was informed the evacuees would begin arriving un Monday, September 5. but they actually began arriving on Saturday, September 3 with little more than twenty minutes notice. Mr. Noe stated staff worked quickly to accommodate the approximately 1300 evacuees in various city facilities. He emphasized a significant team effort was involved, including the Texas Department of Public Safety, Regional Transportation \uthority. all city departments. Police, and Fire. Mr Noe reported that nearly half of the City of orpus Christi's workforce was involved in the relief effort in some way. In addition, Mr. Noe reported there was a tremendous outpouring of donations and volunteer efforts from the ,;ornmunity, including nearly 300.000 pounds of clothing and 60,000 pairs of shoes, and more than 2.000 registered volunteers. Mr. Noe reported there were currently approximately 225 evacuees remaining in the city's shelter program. including those individuals housed in Kingsville and Port Aransas. In light of the approaching Hurricane Rita. he said the city. in conjunction with the State and the Red Cross, were working to transfer the evacuees to other sites, subsequently shutting down the ,)peration in a few days. Mr. Noe then showed a brief video depicting the city's relief efforts. * * * * * * * * * * * * * Mayor Garrett referred to Item 16, a presentation on job growth and job attraction given by City Manager Noe. Mr. Noe reported a number of surveys conducted in the community, including the city's 2004 Citizen Survey. repeatedly indicated that job growth and job attraction are major priorities for the city. Similarly, the Council identified job growth and job attraction as one of six Council Focus Areas at their May 2005 retreat. City Manager Noe explained that staff thought about economic development in the broadest sense to encompass the goals of helping existing employers to grow as well as attracting new employers to the community. increased incomes, small businesses, large businesses, education. and tourism were also parts of economic development strategies. Mr. Noe stated one of the advantages and challenges of economic development was working with the many partners interested in economic development. One of the lead agencies was the Regional Economic Development Corporation, but he listed a number of other players as Follows: Chambers of Commerce; Convention and Visitors Bureau; Port of Corpus Christi; 1 exas A&M University -College Station; Del Mar College (Small Business Development {'orporation); school districts; health care industry; Work Force -- 1; Nueces County; Downtown Management District; Regional Transportation Authority; and other community stakeholders. Mr. Noe highlighted the efforts of the Regional Economic Development Corporation FDC) as the city's lead agency in economic development. The EDC's mission is to organize, coordinate. and lead the expansion of the Corpus Christi region's economic base through actions and programs that encourage and cause retention, expansion, and recruitment of industrial, manufacturing. distribution, and service employers. The city holds a contract with the EDC to provide these services. contributing $475,000 annually to the agency (approximately 40 percent f the EDC budget). In addition, the city appoints four out of 15 of the EDC Board's members. Minutes — Regular Council Meeting September 20. 2005 — Page 9 l finally. the EDC provides a quarterly report to the City Council to brief them on their activities and accomplishments. Mr. Noe also mentioned the roles of the various Chambers of Commerce. First, he described the mission of the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce as follows: to foster husiness growth by advocating business issues, enhancing the business climate and providing service to its members. Second, the Black Chamber of Commerce's goal was to promote the growth and stability of black and minority enterprises in Corpus Christi and the surrounding areas Third, the Hispanic Chamber's role was to serve the business community by developing positive changes through active participation in education, leadership, and public affairs; and creating business opportunities for their members. with a focus on small, minority, and women- ,wned businesses. Finally_ City Manager Noe discussed the role of the Convention and Visitors Bureau in economic development. He said the CVB was a full-service area travel information center, providing marketing support for the tourism and convention industries in the community. The city provides $2.550,870 in funding from the Hotel Occupancy Fund, virtually 99 percent of their entire budget. City Manager Noe discussed the city's current role in economic development. First, the city served as a liaison with the various economic development partners. Second, the city supported the Economic Development Corporation, assisting with issues related to infrastructure, city programs. and permit needs for potential new businesses. Third, the city provided administrative support to the 4A Board, which oversaw the distribution of $1.5 million a year for lob creation and training. Fourth. the city's Economic Development policy included business incentives for allocation to prospective businesses. Fifth, infrastructure development was a key issue for attracting businesses. Sixth, he mentioned a number of downtown initiatives such as the coliseum redevelopment played a supporting role in downtown redevelopment. Seventh, he referred to the relatively new Small Business Development Center, a joint venture with Del Mar t_'ollege, to support small business development. City Manager Noe covered a number of proposed initiatives to promote job growth and creation as follows: Mayor's Economic Summit; review of Economic Development policies; M011 with CCREDC; and WiFi initiatives. He discussed each initiative in more detail. First, he discussed the Mayor's call for an Economic Summit, hosted and facilitated by the EDC, to be held in January 2006. He said the core partners in the discussion would be the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce and the Convention and Visitors Bureau. The end product of the discussion would be some form of Economic Development Plan for the future. Second, Mr. Noe discussed the opportunity to review and revise the city's Economic incentives Policy. He noted the city's policies were created four to five years ago and prioritized attracting large-scale businesses creating 50 or more jobs. The EDC has pointed out, however, that the policies exclude many potential smaller projects. He said the EDC and staff would discuss the policies and recommend revisions that would better fit the city's long-term goals. Third, City Manager Noe advocated creating a more detailed Memorandum of nderstanding (MOU) with the Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corporation. MMinutes— Regular Council Meeting September 20, 2005 - Page 10 The roles and responsibilities of the city. the 4A Board. and the EDC were informal at this point, and he and EDC President Roland Mower agreed that there was a lack of specific measures. Fourth, Mr. Noe stated the WiFi project can and should be an economic generator. Staff recognized that WiFi can add value to quality of life issues. He said the city's discussions with specific industries interested in the WiFi initiative have emphasized the importance of job creation as a priority. In addition. he said the city had discussed the creation of a business incubator focused on WiFi products and software development, possibly funded and operated through Texas A&M University — Corpus Christi. In conclusion, Mr. Noe stated these four high-priority initiatives were created in response ici the Council's focus on job growth and attraction. Mr. Scott asked questions about the city's partnerships with the Chambers of Commerce and the Port of Corpus Christi. He said he would like to see the planned revisions to the EDC's Memorandum of Understanding with the city worked on quickly, with an emphasis on job creation. He also asked if the EDC required additional resources to coordinate the Economic Summit. Mr. Noe replied affirmatively. saying EDC President Roland Mower had indicated there would be additional costs. 1 -le asked Mr. Mower to submit a plan to see if staff could find additional resources. Mr. Noyola asked if the 4A Board had been approached about funding infrastructure improvements necessary to attract businesses to the airport industrial park, specifically mentioning the extension of Junior Beck Street to Old Brownsville Road. Mr. Noe replied 4A funds could only be used for those prospects that would actually create jobs; the funds can not be used speculatively. He said staff would develop an estimate for the construction costs and investigate alternative funding sources for these improvements, including the possibility of assessments. Mr. Noyola emphasized the industrial park's potential to forward the city's economic development. and thus he said it was important to repair Junior Beck Street. Mr. Marez asked how the city's business incentives compared with other cities. City Manager Noe replied it was difficult to answer this question. He said this would be discussed as part of the review of the city's incentive policy. in conjunction with the EDC. Staff would provide the Council with a detailed review upon completion. In response to Mr. Garcia's question, City Manager Noe replied the city had a shortage of space available for lease, or existing buildings to purchase. The city was working with the EDC to facilitate the construction of speculative industrial space available for business prospects. The airport industrial park project. for example, involved a process in which a developer would construct a building. the city would develop the infrastructure, and the 4A Board would assist as necessary with financial guarantees to attract a business prospect. Mr. Garcia spoke in support if ventures like the industrial park because they would attract more businesses to the area. * * * * * * * * * * * * * Mayor Garrett opened discussion on Item 17, a resolution approving the Nancy Todd Garrett Memorial Park Master Plan. Director of Parks and Recreation Sally Gavlik introduced Minutes - Regular Council Meeting tieptember 20, 2005 Page 11 i andscape Architect Art Sosa, who would be making the presentation. Mr. Sosa stated staff 'ocused their efforts on the mostly undeveloped west end of the park. The east end of the park +was already widely used because of the baseball park located there. Mr. Sosa described the park master plan, saying it included picnic areas with shade trees, and relocated the playground equipment to an enclosure to comply with safety requirements. he basketball court and goals would be completely rebuilt. The park would be fully accessible and. if funding could be secured, would include an automatic irrigation system. Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee Chairwoman Sandy Billish reported on the park dedication ceremony. Ms. Billish stated a portion of the improvements to the park would be funded through donations acquired by the Friends of the Park organization that she headed. At this point. she reported they had received sufficient donations to install one park bench, one picnic table, three crepe myrtle trees, and two oak trees. The Friends of the Park wished to emphasize that they were available to help other neighborhoods develop their parks, focusing on memorial trees and benches as fundraisers. There were no comments from the audience. Ms. Gavlik announced that the Nancy Todd t.iarrett Memorial Park dedication ceremony had been rescheduled from this Saturday to October at 10:30 a.m. She said the park was located off of the Crosstown Expressway and Horne Road. itv Secretary Chapa polled the Council for their votes as follows: RESOLUTION NO. 026472 Resolution approving the Nancy Todd Garrett Memorial Park Master Plan. The foregoing resolution was passed and approved with the following vote: Garrett, Chesney, Cooper, Garcia, Kelly, Kinnison, Marez, Noyola, and Scott, voting "Aye". Mayor Garrett opened discussion on Item 18 regarding the approval of the Cole Park Master Plan. City Secretary Chapa announced that Mr. Chesney would be abstaining from the rote and discussion on this item. Director of Parks and Recreation Sally Gavlik introduced Mr. Tim Carrillo with Halff and Associates who would be making the presentation. Mr. Carrillo stated that Cole Park was designated as one of the "district" parks in the Corpus Christi Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces Master Plan approved by the Council on November 19, 2002. A general outline of enhancements for Cole Park was provided at that time, but a detailed master plan was not included. Mr. Carrillo stated part of today's presentation would inform the Council on the large- scale plan for Cole Park. An additional issue that has developed over the last year is the siting of a skate park in Cole Park. Because of its prominent and unique location, he said it was important to have a detailed site plan, complete with amenities and long-range planning for growth. He noted there were problems with erosion along the shoreline. needed improvements to the pier in the area. parking renovations, and the need for more amenities for picnicking. Mr. Carrillo discussed the Cole Park Master Plan in more detail, recommending a series ut' improvements. Regarding Oleander Point, a popular site for windsports, he said the Minutes - Regular Council Meeting September 20, 2005 Page 12 indsports community had asked for a number of improvements, including better facilities to )trash boards, better access to the beach area, picnicking amenities, and a pavilion. Within the central portion of the park, Mr. Carrillo said there were areas that provided onderful overviews of the city. and these areas should have more shaded areas to allow for enjoyment. Regarding KidsPlace, he recommended additional shaded seating areas for parents. Finally, regarding the amphitheater. Mr. Carrillo said the facility was about 30 years old and needed additional improvements. such as more storage area, a backstage area, restrooms and changing facilities. He also recommended more shaded areas, a new facade, and regrading. The key problem with the amphitheater was that it did not have provisions for large trucks to drive up io the facility. Currently, trucks were being driven parallel to the Bay Trail on the dirt, causing significant erosion. To address this problem, Mr. Carrillo recommended expanding a segment of the Bay Trail to create a "paseo" for large vehicles- In addition, he recommended additional picnic areas, with at least one major rental pavilion on the waterfront for large gatherings. Mr. Carrillo then focused on the three potential sites for the Junior League's proposed skate park. Site A, located in the center of the park, near the pier area; was an accessible site with sufficient parking. Since it was in the center of park, however, the skate park would become the focal point of Cole Park. He said this was a premier area of the park that could be used to hold other events. Mr. Carrillo said Site B was located in the southern area of the park near the end of Louisiana Parkway, and was more constrained in terms of size. In addition, it had a number of existing drainage issues related to Louisiana Parkway. Site C was located on the northern portion of the park at the end of the existing parking ots. Mr Carrillo said the existing parking lots would be connected to the skate park site to create a drop-off area for skaters. He added that he would recommend connecting the parking lots even if the skate park was not placed there because it would provide better access. Mr. Carrillo reviewed the criteria for evaluation of the alternate skate park locations in tole Park as follows: proximity to adjacent residential area: potential noise impact; cost effectiveness; geotechnical analysis of area soils: compatibility with remainder of Cole Park; ease of construction; ability to drain;. nighttime light impact; ability to expand; and proximity to support infrastructure. Each of the proposed sites was evaluated on these criteria and given a positive, negative, or neutral score. He weighed all the criteria equally to avoid the appearance .f a bias. Based on the evaluation tool, Mr. Carrillo reported Site A received a total score of 2, site B received a score of (-4). and Site C received a score of 5. Thus, the recommended site based on the evaluation tool used would he Site C since it received the highest score. Mr Carrillo provided a preliminary summary of the potential cost items in Cole Park. He said priority items were additional picnic areas and pavilions, service area for the amphitheater, .mprovements to Oleander Point, pier renovation. improvements in the picnic area and near the skate park. and additional facilities for the amphitheater. The potential cost range was $2 to $3.6 million in construction costs alone. In conclusion, he recommended making as many of these Improvements as possible once funding became available. Minutes - Regular Council Meeting September 20, 2005 — Page 13 Mayor Garrett asked for the total cost of the Skate Park. Ms. Gavlik replied the Junior League provided figures in the $350,000 to $400,000 ranges for the Skate Park. Grindline, the skate park developer, estimated that construction costs for Sites A and C would remain the same, while Site B would incur an additional $68,500 in construction costs. Halff and Associates also estimated that construction costs for Sites A and C would remain the same, but Site B was projected to incur an additional $75,000 in construction costs plus an additional $15,000 for ;atety railings. Mayor Garrett asked if the construction costs would be the same if the skate park was relocated to another site in the city. Ms. Gavlik replied the new site may not have the same ssues in Cole Park such as drainage issues. Mayor Garrett asked if the city's portion of the costs was S100.000. Ms. Gavlik answered affirmatively. Mayor Garrett asked if the Junior League had raised the remaining funds. Ms. Lavonne Garrison with the Junior League clarified that Grindline had estimated the total cost of the skate park was in the $350,000 to $375,000 ranges. She replied they had raised $230,000 in cash and $60,000 in-kind for a total of approximately `6300,000 Mayor Garrett asked if the cash amount included the city's share of $100,000. Ms. Garrison answered affirmatively. Ms. Garrison added the Junior League began their fundraising dfforts in January hut site selection issues had distracted them for the past six months. Mayor Garrett asked if it mattered to the Junior League where the skate park was located. 'Vls. Garrison replied since October of last year, the discussion had moved to locating the skate park in Cole Park. The Council approved the locating of the skate park in Cole Park and directed that the skate park be included in the Cole Park Master Plan. She said fundraising brochures referred to the Cole Park site, and was the basis for their fundraising efforts. Mr. Kinnison commented that Ms. Garrison had stated that according to the Grindline cost estimate of $375,000, the Junior League was only $75,000 away from its goal. He asked if the 5375,000 estimate included the lighting and fencing improvements that had been previously discussed as necessary components of the plan. Mr. Noe replied negatively, saying these improvements were not included in this estimate. Ms. Gavlik stated the estimated lighting costs were $50.000, but staff did not have a fencing cost estimate. Mr. Noe pointed out each site would have its own unique costs, so the final cost would not be known until a site was chosen. Mr. Marez spoke in support of locating the skate park in Site A. He believed two of the .criteria. the impact on adjacent residential areas and the potential noise impact, were more important and thus should be weighed rnore than the others. He thanked the Junior League for their efforts. Mr. Marez also asked if the lower water table depths at Site A would affect the project cost. Ms. Gavlik replied negatively, saying Sites A and C were estimated to have the ;ame cost In response to Mr. Kelly's question, Mr. Carrillo answered that Site A was in the core section of the park, which could be used for other events. Mr. Kelly pointed out that if Site C was not selected, then this area of the park could be used to hold other special events. He asked what types of uses the community could expect to see if Site A was used for the skate park and Site C was used for other events. Mr. Carrillo replied Site C could be used for many events, including festivals. tournaments, and small band performances. Minutes Regular Council Meeting September 20. 2005 -- Page 14 In response to Mr. (iarcia's question, Ms. Gavlik stated the city's contract with the Junior League stipulated that the cost of the skate park and any lighting and fencing costs would be their expense. If the skate park was located at the most expensive site, then the total cost with the lighting and fencing costs could be as high as $500,000. Mr. Garcia commented that 5'i00,000 was a large sum of money to raise, and noted that the city's portion of the funding was limited to $100,000. Referring to Mayor Garretts earlier statement about relocating the skate park to another site, he said the cost at another location could be less expensive. There did not appear to be another alternative, however, except to place the skate park in Cole Park since the ouncil had approved this site in a previous action. Mr. Noyola asked how much Site A would cost to construct, including the lighting and fencing requirements. Ms. Gavlik replied Site A and C would cost approximately $450,000 including the lighting and fencing requirements; Site B would cost approximately $525,000. Mr. Noy ola asked if staff had considered any other suitable sites for the skate park in the city, in the vent the Council decided to change venues. Ms. Gavlik answered the only other step taken had keen to include a provision in the State School Master Plan for a $400,000 skate park. Mr. \ovola asked if staff had considered the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Park or McCaughen Park. Ms. avIik replied staff was in the process of developing the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Park Master Plan, .ind lithe Council wished to change the skate park location to this site, then it was possible. Ms. Cooper asked if Site A was acceptable to the Junior League. Ms. Garrison replied the League did not have a preference. They were in favor of any site that was conducive to the design and would not represent any additional costs. Ms. Cooper spoke in favor of locating the skate park in Site A if Cole Park remained the chosen site. Mayor Garrett asked for a 30 -minute recess to present proclamations. ************* Mayor Garrett called for petitions from the audience. Mr. David Burkett and Ms. Marsha Burkett, 15102 Care Harbor, spoke regarding their concerns about the lack of a curbed sidewalk on Whitecap Boulevard, and the maintenance of the existing sidewalks on the east side of the park road . They cited the recent death of a pedestrian as an indication of the problem. Mayor Garrett asked Mr. Noe for a status report on the Whitecap Boulevard improvements. Mr. Noe replied the Engineering staff was working on the street improvements, and staff was working on identifying funding for the sidewalks and bike trails along this roadway. Mr. Scott provided additional background on the issue. He said that five years ago, the Padre Island Property Owners Association (POA) asked the city to assist them in obtaining a grant for Whitecap Boulevard sidewalk improvements. Subsequently, the city and the POA i'htained the grant from the Texas General Land Office, but ultimately had to postpone the work because the cost exceeded the estimates. He suggested working with the POA to obtain the changes. Mr. Scott also asked about maintaining the east side of the sidewalk. Mr. Noe said he would provide a report. Minutes - Regular Council Meeting September 20, 2005 - Page 15 Mr. Abel Alonzo, 1701 Thames. also expressed concern about the lack of sidewalks and i:urh cuts on city streets in general. * * * * * * * * * * * * * Mayor Garrett continued the discussion on Item 18, the Cole Park Master Plan. He asked for public comment. Ms. Sandy Billish. Park and Recreation Advisory Committee chairwoman, spoke against locating the skate park in Cole Park because of its high usage. The committee recommended locating the skate park in the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Park or the State School Park. Mr. Hank Read, 1400 Ocean Drive. stated he was the general manager of the Marina Del Sol Condominiums. On behalf of the residents. he spoke against locating the skate park in Cole Park. citing problems with noise. He had collected 140 signatures in support of this position. He mentioned that he knew an individual who would donate $30,000 towards a skate park if it was not located in Cole Park. Mr. Kelly asked if the Marina del Sol residents would be in favor of placing the park in Site A Mr. Read replied negatively. saying that he believed the skate park would detrimentally change the dynamics of Cole Park. Mr. Marez spoke in support of placing the skate park in Site A. He said when he met with the Marina Del Sol residents. he had understood that they were not opposed to locating the park in Site A or B, as long as the park was not situated near the Marina Del Sol. He said the city could always change the master plan, but feels Site A would better address the residents' concerns. Mr. Read answered at that time, the residents felt Site A was better than Site C, but did not realize what types of problems a skate park could bring to an area. After conducting more research, he said the residents had changed their position, and were now opposed to ocating the skate park in Cole Park. Mr. Kinnison asked if there was any research on noise issues in skate parks. He said he wasn't aware of any noise issues. Mr. Read replied that the main problems he was aware of were noise issues and trash. Ms. Gavlik added that Grindline stated the skate park would not cause noise problems, but could depend on how hard the skaters hit the concrete. Mr. Carrillo added generally. the noise levels are 65 to 70 decibels, and added there would be other ambient noise such as the wind, the ocean, and kids playing. The 300 feet distance in Site C should not present a problem to the Marina Del Sol residents. The following individuals spoke against placing the skate park in Cole Park and asked the Council to consider an alternate site: Mr. Ned Bowersox; Dr. Randy Cutliff; Ms. Nan Bailey, ;21 Naples; Mr. James Eskew; and Ms. Donna General. Ms. Nancy Beauchamp. 1901 Ocean Drive. said that as a member of the Junior League, ,;he wished to inform the Council that the Cole Park issue had polarized the membership. She stated the majority of the membership did not want the skate park to be located in Cole Park site, and asked the Council to consider another site. Minutes- Regular Council Meeting September 20. 2005 - Page 16 Ms. Lavonne Garrison with the Junior League refuted Ms. Beauchamp's comments, saying the issue was put to a vote before the full membership in September. The membership ti oted 124 for and 10 against to relocate the skate park from the Boys and Girls Club to Cole Park She said the League members who dissented lived in the Del Mar area. Mr. Scott asked if noise from the skate park would affect the amphitheater. Ms. Gavlik replied it was possible that the noise from the skate park could affect the amphitheater. She said t irindline had stated there should not be any more noise from the skate park than would be expected from KidsPlace. Mr. Scott commented the skate park could be shut down during a performance. Ms. Gavlik replied affirmatively. Mr. Abel Alonzo reminded the Council that they should vote in a way that would benefit the entire community, not just to appease one neighborhood. He said Cole Park was a public park that did not belong to anyone. Mr. Noyola asked how well the Park and Recreation department had studied the Cole Park site before recommending it. Ms. Gavlik said of the downtown parks, Cole Park was the hest tit for the skate park. Mr. Noe added that one of the reasons staff recommended the master planning process was to incorporate the skate park site with the long-term uses of Cole Park. Mr_ Noyola asked if the city had considered any other sites. Mr. Noe said the Junior League had requested a site that was in the downtown area and centrally located. In addition, it needed to make sense in terms of the use of the overall park. Mr. Noyola felt the initial site at the Boys and Girls Club on Greenwood Drive was centrally located. Mr. Noyola spoke against staff's recommendation to locate the skate park in Site C. Mr. Marez commented that the Council made a unanimous decision to support the Cole Park site for the skate park. and the Junior League was also committed to this area. He wanted to protect the residents of the Marina del Sol, and he did not feel noise or overuse would be issues. He thought that done properly, the Cole Park site was the right thing to do for the community. Mr. Marez made a motion to amend the ('ole Park Master Plan to locate the skate park in Site A, seconded by Ms. Cooper. The motion passed unanimously (Chesney abstained). Mr. Chapa polled the Council for their votes on the resolution as amended as follows: RESOLUTION NO.026473 Resolution approving the Cole Park Master Plan The foregoing resolution was passed and approved as amended with the following vote: Garrett. Cooper, Garcia, Kelly, Kinnison, Marez, Noyola, and Scott, voting "Aye"; Chesney abstained. Mr. Scott asked staff to fund improvements to the irrigation system in Cole Park so the grass was green all year long, possibly through a bond issue. * * * * * * * * * * * * * Minutes - Regular Council Meeting September 20. 2005 - Page 17 Mayor Garrett opened discussion on Item 19. a first reading ordinance regarding the curfew at Cole Park. Director of Park and Recreation Sally Gavlik stated the current curfew at Cole Park was from 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. This item would change the curfew to 10 p.m. and 6 m.. except on the fishing pier. She said the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee voted in ,upport of the curfew change on June 8. Mr. Noyola clarified that the people on the pier actually had to be fishing with a license to be exempt. Mr. Kinnison asked how the curfew would affect special events that lasted past 10 p.m. Ms. Gavlik replied that the special event permit would allow the event to proceed past curfew. Mr. Kinnison asked about strengthening enforcement efforts to prevent people from sleeping in The park. Mr. Noe replied the new curfew ordinance would allow for better enforcement. City Secretary Chapa polled the Council for their votes as follows: FIRST READING ORDINANCE Amending the Corpus Christi City Code of Ordinances, Chapter 36 - Parks, Recreation, etc.. Article I - In General, Section 36-10 - Curfew', etc., by changing the curfew at Cole Park to the hours between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., but excluding the fishing pier; providing for penalties under Section 1-6, City Code of Ordinances. The foregoing ordinance was passed and approved on its first reading with the following votes: Garrett. Cooper, Garcia. Kelly. Kinnison, Marez, Noyola, and Scott, voting "Aye"; Chesney abstained. ************* Mayor Garrett opened discussion on Item 20 regarding a contract with the Downtown Management District. He stated that this item was being withdrawn. 20_ WITHDRAWN activities, * * * * * * * * * * * * * Mayor Garrett opened discussion on Item 21 regarding a consultant contract for performance improvement in the Land Development Review System project. Assistant City Manager Margie Rose stated staff asked a consultant to assist the Development Services department in assessing their systems and finding areas for improvement. As part of the assessment, Ms. Rose said a Development Services Advisory Group, comprised of 21 members from various sections of the development community, was created to provide their feedback. He also spoke with staff to obtain their input. Ms. Rose said staff was requesting the Council's Minutes - Regular Council Meeting September 20. 2005 — Page 18 permission to implement many of the findings. She introduced Mr. George Arimes, a consultant with Horizon Centre, to present his findings. Mr. Arimes said today's objectives were as follows: provide an overview of the system assessment and improvement planning process: define the customer's expectations for success; and summarize the improvement strategies. Mr. Arimes reported the development system review was composed of a number of building blocks as follows: core business processes; people interactions; regulatory framework; technology; physical space; and organizational structure. Mr. Arimes discussed the system assessment and improvement plan. He looked at staff and customer generated current system problems and the customer's expectations for success. With this input, improvement strategies and an action plan were generated. The next step was to develop a system operational design and then begin implementation (Phases 2 and 3). To make the proposed improvements, Mr. Arimes and staff created a number of teams to focus on changing the management structure. These teams were comprised of the City Council; { ity Manager; Mr. Arimes; Development Services Advisory Group; Staff Steering Committee; and the Staff Action Team. He defined the roles each team played in the effort. The City Council and City Manager provided sponsorship, allocated resources, and provided policy direction. Mr. Arimes would facilitate and coach the effort. The Development Services advisory Group would define success, monitor implementation, and provide ongoing support. 1 he Staff Steering Committee would create accountability, provide resources, and give direction. inally. the Staff Action Team would provide operational design, testing and piloting efforts, and coordinate the implementation effort. Mr. Arimes introduced Mr. Lon Hipp, the Development Services Advisory Group DSAG) chairman. Mr. Hipp stated hundreds of hours of work went into this process, and it would probably take an additional ten or eleven months to complete. The draft report generated a total of 40 outcomes the group would like to see implemented. He described the composition «,t the DSAG as follows: associated builders and contractors; associated general contractors; builders' association; engineers: architects; planners; and other customers. The group felt it was crucial that Development Services become a more streamlined and effective organization. He asked the Council to support the proposed plan. Mr. Arimes discussed the desired outcome themes as follows: accountability for quality and consistency of decision-making; implementation of city goals and policies; communication of regulations, requirements, and process; responsiveness and service to customers; and predictability of process and results. Mr. Arimes reported on the key customer expectations as follows: define standard operating procedures that are predictable and consistent; make the rules clear enough to know how to design without asking a person; "Time is money' so make the process timely; staff make decisions and "stick" with them: set performance standards and meet them; and have sufficient resources to meet the service demand. Minutes Regular Council Meeting September 20. 2005 — Page 19 Mr. Arimes covered the proposed plan. The customer's objectives were as follows: receive reliable interpretations or information; get a project decision; and occupy or use their facility. To address these concerns, Mr. Arimes said the focus would be to create understandable processing: accountability for decision-making; and communication of requirements; staff responsiveness and service to customers: predictability and reliability of process; reliability of interpretations: consistency of interpretations; communication of requirements and process; and staff responsiveness and service. Mr. Arimes then discussed each of the system design changes recommended to achieve these outcomes. The changes included allowing the customer to define their project; assign a point of contact or project manager; work with customers to provide early, comprehensive and reliable information on project feasibility; integrate the development services center; establish performance measurement program; document discussions and agreements between the customer and assigned staff; create a Unified Land Development Code; automate key data sources: perform a cost -of -service study and evaluate additional funding opportunities. Finally, Mr. Arimes discussed how to ensure the desired results. He said there was a comprehensive plan in the report with a number of components that addressed all aspects of the system. With the ongoing support of all the teams, he felt the implementation would be a success Mr. Scott asked what role the new director of economic development, Ms. Irma Caballero. would play in this project. Mr. Noe replied her main role was to work with the [economic Development Corporation and head the city's economic development programs. Ms. Caballero would shepherd important economic development projects through the development services process. Mr. Arimes added the plan was tailored to include members from other departments to help with the needs of a specific project. Mr. Scott stated he wished to see a philosophy that made it clear that if a staff member was not cooperating, then they should move on. Mr. Arimes said by far, the majority of the staff wanted to improve the process. He said the way to change behavior is to address the regulations and business plan to make expectations. roles and responsibilities clear. Mr. Noe added things were going well in regards to the city's growth and development, which made staff's workload so high that it was difficult to assess and improve the system. Thus, he said staff felt they needed to bring in someone from the outside to help. Mr. Garcia commented after reviewing the presentation, he was in support of the proposed plan because he thought it would lead to success. He asked Mr. Arimes for his thoughts on how quickly the recommendations could be implemented. Mr. Arimes replied the timeframe depended on the time and resources staff and the city were willing to commit. The challenge was juggling the workload while transforming the department. He said the city needed to define what resources will expedite the implementation. Mr. Garcia spoke in favor of expediting the project to move it forward. He said management and staff were in favor of the changes. Mr. Arimes stated said our goal was to make significant progress in the Fall, provide status reports to the team to expedite the process; and then make a second push in the Spring. City Secretary Chapa polled the Council for their votes as follows Minutes Regular Council Meeting September 20, 2005 — Page 20 21.a. ORDINANCE NO. 026474 Ordinance appropriating $88,300 from unappropriated fund balance in the Development Services Fund No. 4670 FY2005-2006 Budget for Consultant Services for the Performance Improvement in the Land Development Review System Project; amending the FY 2005-2006 Budget adopted by Ordinance No. 026385 by increasing appropriations by $88,300. An emergency was declared, and the foregoing ordinance was passed and approved with the following vote: Garrett, Chesney, Cooper, Garcia, Kelly, Kinnison, Marez, Noyola, and Scott, voting "Aye" I b MOTION NO. 2005-333 Motion authorizing the City Manager or his designee to execute a Consultant Services Contract with Horizon Centre, of Glenelg, Maryland in the amount of $95,980 for the Performance Improvement in the Land Development Review System Project. The foregoing motion was passed and approved with the following vote: Garrett, Chesney, Cooper. Garcia, Kelly, Kinnison, Marez, Noyola. and Scott, voting "Aye". * * * * * * * * * * * * * Mayor Garrett opened discussion on Item 22, an ordinance canvassing the returns of the Sept 10, 2005 special election. City Secretary Chapa explained the canvassing required a comparison of the results tabulated by his office to the results provided by the election judges. Mayor Garrett selected three precincts, and no discrepancies were found. City Secretary Chapa polled the Council for their votes as follows: ORDINANCE NO. 026475 Ordinance canvassing returns and declaring the results of the Special Election held on September 10, 2005 in the City of Corpus Christi on question of prohibiting all smoking inside restaurants. An emergency was declared, and the foregoing ordinance was passed and approved with the following vote: Garrett. Chesney, Cooper. Garcia, Kelly, Kinnison, Marez, Noyola, and Scott, voting "Aye". * * * * * * * * * * * * * Mayor Garrett announced the executive session, which was listed on the agenda as follows: Executive session under Texas Government Code Section 551.071 regarding consultation with attorney about legal matters related to the design and construction of Whataburger Field, including possible discussion and action related thereto in open session. Minutes - Regular Council Meeting September 20, 2005 - Page 21 The Council went into executive session. * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Council returned from executive session, and Mayor Garrett called for the City Manager's report. City Manager Noe welcomed the new Director of Economic Development Irma Caballero. He reported there was no new information on Hurricane Rita. He said staff would be having a phone conference today and would keep the Council informed on the status. anv call for evacuation would be determined tomorrow. Mr. Noe also reported the city was hosting a second informational meeting with restaurant owners regarding the smoking ordinance on Thursday, September 22, at 2:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers. Mayor Garrett asked staff to provide additional police protection on Whitecap Boulevard. Mr. Noe replied additional coverage began this morning. Mayor Garrett called for Council concerns and reports. Mr. Marez reported last week he met with Corpus Christi Beach Association and they had a number of concerns. They claimed the city had removed lighting from the jetties on the north side of Corpus Christi Beach, which was a safety hazard. Mr. Noe said he would research this. Mr. Marez also asked about the city's efforts to promote recycling. Assistant City Manager Ron Massey replied staff has initiated a pilot program with individual neighborhoods to increase participation, but the participation rates remained low. He said staff was in the process of hiring a new recycling contractor which created an opportunity to discuss other ways to promote recycling. In the past, the Council and staff had discussed the funding issues involved. Mr. Noe added staff had discussed once a week collection, or commingling the recycling. He said all the options incurred different costs that the city was not willing to commit at that time. Mr. Marez stated more promotion might be helpful in raising awareness. Mr. Marez mentioned a number of pothole repairs needed on Beach and Seal Roads on Corpus Christi Beach. He also asked staff to increase the police presence around San Diego Park_ saying residents were concerned about vagrants. Mr. Marez also asked about changing the downtown trash pick-up cycle from Saturdays to a weekday. Mr. Massey replied changing the pick-up cycle would affect many residences. Mr. Noe asked Mr Marez to provide the names of businesses concerned so staff could work with them on an individual basis. Finally, Mr Marez reported the elderly residents of Sea Gulf Villa wished to know what the city could do to help in the event of a hurricane evacuation. Mr. Noe said the facility was responsible for having their own hurricane evacuation plan, and the city would contact the facility to see what issues they had. Mr. Marez encouraged citizens to make their own arrangements when possible, rather than relying on the city. Minutes - Regular Council Meeting September 20, 2005 — Page 22 Mr. Scott thanked everyone who attended the Island meeting last night, saying he thought A generally went well. He also reported on a storm water inlet near a driveway on Santa Fe Drive across Camille that appeared to be damaged due to construction. Regarding the issue of limiting beach vehicle access, Mr. Scott asked staff to determine how many linear feet of beachfront from Port Aransas to Port Mansfield was and was not accessible to vehicles. Mr Scott asked for an update on the Jehovah's Witness conference that couldn't pay the arena rates. Mr. Noe understood they had signed a deal for two years with an additional three- vear option. He needed to confirm this because there was one outstanding issue that needed to he resolved involving the Port. Mr. Scott commented the last religious function held had paid the regular rates, so it was possible. Finally, he reiterated his comments that Cole Park should be dean and green all year. and asked staff to include a discussion on funding the next fiscal year. Mr. Kinnison stated during the Council retreat, the Council requested a Financial Policies 'rorkshop in the fall. He asked staff to let the Council know when it would be scheduled. Mr. Noyola welcomed Ms. Irma Caballero, the new director of economic development, to the city. He reported on a problem with signage at the Lexington Manor Apartments that was identified by Code Enforcement. He asked staffto look into it. He also asked about the status of litigation regarding dues check -off Mr. Noe said he would schedule a briefing on this lawsuit during closed session. There being no further business to come before the Council, Mayor Garrett adjourned the Council meeting at 3:30 p.m. on September 20, 2005. * * * * * * * * * * * * *