HomeMy WebLinkAbout14 0128 Council minutesThe Plainview City Council met on January 28, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council
Chambers of the Plainview City Hall at 901 Broadway. The agenda for this meeting
was posted in City Hall at 4:30 p.m. on January 24, 2014. Mayor Wendell Dunlap
presided. Councilmembers present were: Cathy Waggoner- District 2, David Garcia -
District 3, V. O. Ortega- District 4, Susan Blackerby- District 5, Lionel Garcia- District 6
and Eric Hastey- District 7. Councilmember Charles Starnes - District 1 was absent.
Staff members present were: Greg Ingham -City Manager, Jeffrey Snyder- Assistant City
Manager, Leslie Pearce -City Attorney, William Mull - Police Chief, Mike Gilliland- Director
of Public Works, Rusty Powers -Fire Chief, Isauro Gutierrez - Information Technology
Specialist, Sarianne Beversdorf- Director of Finance and Belinda Hinojosa -City
Secretary.
News Media Present: Ryan Crowe - Plainview Herald and Caleb Hatch -KKYN
Guests Present: John Bertsch, Kevin Carter, and Patty Ingham
Mayor Pro Tem Cathy Waggoner delivered the invocation and led in the pledge of
allegiance.
Mayor Pro Tem Waggoner moved to adopt the consent calendar. The motion was duly
seconded by Councilmember David Garcia and carried by unanimous vote. Items
approved on the consent calendar included the granting of an excused absence to
Councilmember Charles Starnes, the approval of the Minutes of January 9, 2014 and
January 14, 2014; and the approval of the Financial Reports.
Mayor Dunlap presented for consideration on second reading, Ordinance No. 14 -3606,
an Ordinance Amending the Zoning Map of the City of Plainview By Issuance of a Specific
Use Permit to Operate a Custom Personal Service Shop (Beauty Salon) in an Office ("0")
Zoning District, Said Parcel Being Lots 7 And 8 of Block 91 in the Alexander -
Westmoreland Addition; Same Being 701 Houston Street, City of Plainview, Hale County,
Texas; Cumulativeness Clause; Conflicts Clause; Severability Clause; And Effective Date.
Since this was the second of two readings, the Council chose to forego the staff briefing
and asked for public comment. There was no public comment.
Councilmember David Garcia moved to approve Ordinance No. 14 -3606 on second
reading. The motion was duly seconded by Councilmember Blackerby and carried by
unanimous vote.
Mr. Ingham presented for consideration Resolution R14 -304, a Resolution by the City of
Plainview, Texas ( "City ") Suspending the Effective Date For Ninety Days In Connection
with the Rate Increase Filing Of Southwestern Public Service Company Made On Or
About January 7, 2014; Authorizing the City to Join With Other Cities in the Alliance Of
Xcel Municipalities ( "AXM ") to Direct the Activities of Lawyers And Consultants;
Authorizing the Hiring of Attorneys and Consultants; Requiring Reimbursement of
Reasonable Legal and Consultant Expenses; Finding That the Meeting Complies With
the Open Meetings Act; Making Other Findings and Provisions Related to the Subject;
and Declaring an Effective Date.
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We are addressing the January 7, 2014 rate request in the amount of $81.5 million in
annual revenue, which represents an increase in base revenue of about 17.63 %. SPS'
application requests an effective date of February 11, 2014 for its proposed increase in
rates. The City is working with several cities in the area in the Alliance of Xcel
Municipalities. We need more time to look at the rate case and Xcel knows we are
going to do this.
A residential customer using 1000 kWh per month, would see a monthly increase of
about $13.33 in the summer and $12.52 in the winter. The City's goal is to reduce all
those numbers.
Staff is asking Council to authorize us to work with the Alliance of Xcel Municipalities.
Attorney fees will be covered under Public Utility Commission rules. Citizens do not
have to pay them out of their pockets directly. The Resolution would suspend the rate
request for 90 days.
Mayor Dunlap asked for public comment. There was no public comment.
Councilmember Hastey moved to adopt Resolution R14 -304. The motion was duly
seconded by Councilmember Lionel Garcia and carried by unanimous vote.
Mr. Ingham presented for consideration on first reading, Ordinance No. 14 -3607, an
Ordinance Authorizing the Offering of Health Benefits Coverage to City of Plainview,
Texas Retirees; Repealer; Conflicts Clause; Severability Clause; Open Meetings
Clause; and Effective Date. The City is in the process of updating and modifying its
partially self- funded Health Insurance Program which is administered by the TML
Intergovernmental Employee Benefits Pool. The City had to transfer $1 million into its
Health Insurance Fund from operating funds last year due to high claims losses.
One element of this process involves the City's retiree health program. This Ordinance
consolidates and more clearly defines how the retiree program operates as the City
provides health benefits coverage to its retirees through the TML Intergovernmental
Employee Benefits Pool under the Pool's Interlocal Agreement.
The essence is it is clarifying that if an individual is over 65 and Medicare eligible, they
will be required to use Medicare as their primary coverage. Staff has met with those
folks and they have found Medicare supplement plans that were roughly the same or
less. It is an important step as the City modifies their health plan.
Mr. Ingham stated we had a question at the work session about moving an over 65
active employee to Medicare. The TML folks strongly recommended against that.
Mayor Dunlap asked for public comment. There was no public comment.
Councilmember Ortega moved adopt Ordinance No. 14 -3607 on first reading. The
motion was duly seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Waggoner.
Councilmember Hastey asked if we provided health insurance to full -time employees.
He was advised yes.
Councilmember Lionel Garcia asked if employees would get a notice before they retire.
He was advised yes; we want to keep our employees informed and stay in touch with
our pre -65 employees. He asked if new Obamacare law could affect any of this. He
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January 28, 2014 Page 2 of 5
was advised that on a broad basis it will affect all our costs. Right now we have a $2
million max insurance benefit, which is going away. It is going to drive our overall costs
in providing insurance.
Mayor Dunlap asked for a vote on the matter. The motion carried by unanimous vote.
Mr. Ingham presented for consideration Resolution R14 -305, a Resolution of the City
Council of the City of Plainview, Texas, Adopting a Section 504 Grievance Procedure to
Comply With 24 C.F.R., Subpart A, Section 8.4 (A), 29 U.S.C. 794, of The United States
Department Of Housing And Urban Development Act Of 1968, As Amended, Declaring
That The Policy Serves A Public Purpose; And Agreeing To Comply With Regulations.
This Resolution is to update our policy to comply with HUD requirements such as
handicap access. It also changes the individual in charge of implementing policy from
Director of Community Services to Community Development Manager.
Mayor Dunlap asked for public comment. Mayor Pro Tem Waggoner moved to adopt
Resolution R14 -305. The motion was duly seconded by Councilmember David Garcia
and carried by unanimous vote.
Mr. Mike Gilliland, Director of Public Works presented for consideration Resolution R14-
306, a Resolution of City of Plainview, Texas Authorizing the Filing of a Grant
Application With the South Plains Association of Governments for a Regional Solid
Waste Program Grant; Declaring that Such Action Serves a Public Purpose; Authorizing
the Mayor to Act on Behalf of the City of Plainview in all Matters Related to the
Application; and Agreeing to Comply With the Grant Requirements of the South Plains
Association of Governments, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the
State of Texas. This Resolution is part of an application packet that was submitted to
SPAG. This has been tentatively approved with the City scoring fourth. We applied for
a solid waste grant through SPAG which is funded through TCEQ. City staff asked for
$12,599.50 to use to buy a tire cutter. This cuts tires into quarters and then we are
permitted to dispose of in landfill.
Mayor Dunlap asked for public comment. There was no public comment.
Councilmember Blackerby moved to approve Resolution R14 -306. The motion was
duly seconded by Councilmember Lionel Garcia.
Mayor Dunlap asked why you do not want to put a tire in the landfill. He stated that
when you bury tires, they find their way back up to the surface unless you cut them up.
Councilmember Hastey asked if this was a stationery unit. He was advised that it is a
mobile unit on a trailer. We do not intend to move.
Mayor Dunlap added that this is a matching funds grant with city also matching
$12,599.50.
Councilmember Lionel Garcia added that we are not encouraging people to put tires in
the trash can. Mr. Gilliland stated we are not encouraging people to put tires in
dumpsters. We charge $2.00 to take tires to landfill. Tires that do end up in the landfill,
costs us $2 a piece to handle. We have 6,000 tires a year and have $11,000 budgeted
to take care of tire disposal.
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284 Mayor Dunlap asked for a vote on the matter. The motion carried by unanimous vote.
Councilmember Ortega moved to go into closed meeting to deliberate the appointment,
employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline or dismissal of a public officer
or employee, or to hear a complaint or charge against an officer or employee. [Tex.
Gov't. Code, Section 551.074]. City Manager. Appointments to the following boards
and commissions: Board of Adjustments, Plainview /Hale County Board of Health,
Retired & Senior Volunteer Program Community Advisory Group, Main Street
Program/Tourism Board, Planning and Zoning Commission, Board of Minimum Housing
Library Board and Civil Service Commission. The motion was duly seconded by Mayor
Pro Tem Waggoner and carried by unanimous vote.
Mayor Dunlap recessed the meeting at 7:31 p.m.
Mayor Dunlap called the meeting back in open session at 8:11 p.m.
Mayor Pro Tem moved to make the following board appointments:
1) Reappoint Mark Hardin, Kevin Carter and JoeFrank Rodriguez to the Board of
Adjustment with said terms to expire on January 1, 2016.
2) Reappoint Sandra Dulakis, Dr. Ruth Rector - Wright and Nancy Cox to the Board
of Health with said terms to expire on January 1, 2016.
3) Appoint Susan Blackerby to the Board of Health with said term to expire on
January 1, 2016.
4) Reappoint Nicki Logan, Minnie Ruth Rigler, Rodney Watson, Elsa Cooper and
Gary Stennett to the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program Community Advisory
Group with said terms to expire on December 2016.
5) Reappoint Janice Payne to the Main Street Program/Tourism Coordinating Board
with said term to expire on January 1, 2016.
6)
Appointment of Teressa King to the Main Street Program/Tourism Coordinating
Board with said term to expire on January 1, 2016.
7) Reappoint Mark Hardin, Kevin Sweeney, Jerry Rodriguez to the Planning and
Zoning Commission with said terms to expire on January 1, 2016.
8) Reappoint Ricky Burke as Alternate to the Planning and Zoning Commission with
said term to expire on January 1, 2016
9) Reappoint Arthur Williams, Mark Hardin and Gerardo Rodriguez to the Board of
Minimum Housing with said terms to expire on January 1, 2016.
10)Appoint Kevin Whisenant to the Board of Minimum Housing with said term to
expire on January 1, 2016.
11)Appoint Joe Ed Sullivan and Leticia Gaucin to the Library Board with said terms
to expire on January 1, 2017.
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12)Appoint Ron Appling to the Civil Service Commission with said term to expire on
January 1, 2018.
The motion was duly seconded by Councilmember David Garcia and carried by
unanimous vote.
Mr. Ingham announced his retirement with a target date of June 2014. He added that
he does recognize that Plainview has a lot of things going on that could be affected by
this transition process, so if the Council feels it would be beneficial for him to delay that
date a few months, he would be glad to work with the Mayor and City Council on that.
Mayor Dunlap announced that no Council action is required. He thanked Mr. Ingham
for everything he has done for the City of Plainview. The last ten years have been good
years. The City is financially stable because of his work on the budget. The City
received AA- rating through Standard and Poors and he appreciates everything Mr.
Ingham did with regard to that.
There being no further business, Mayor Dunlap adjourned the meeting at 8:18 p.m.
A l,(At-dd
Belinda Hinojosa
City Secretary
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