HomeMy WebLinkAbout95 0425 min MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
City of Plainview
April 25, 1995
The Plainview City Council held a meeting at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 25, 1995, in the
Council Chambers of the Plainview City Hall at 901 Broadway. The Council met in Pre-Session
at 7:00 p.m. Mayor Lloyd C. Woods presided. Councilmembers present were: Alton Jackson
Sr.-Precinct 1, Mary Virginia Kirchhoff-Precinct 2, Rey Rosas-Precinct 3, Mike Hutcherson-
Precinct 4, Dwain Dodson-Precinct 6, and Irene Favila-Precinct 7. Barbara Dorman-Precinct
5, was absent.
Staff members present were: James P. Jeffers-City Manager, Ches Carthel-Director of Public
Works, Roy L. Osborne-Chief of Police, Dale Simpson-Civil Service Director, Roland Asebedo-
Asst. Fire Chief, Muff London-Director for Community Development, Norman Huggins-
Director of Finance and Karen McBeth-City Secretary.
News media present: Richard Orr-Plainview Daily Herald.
OPEN MEETING
1. Invocation - Irene Favila
2. Recognitions/Oath of Office - There were none.
3. Consent Calendar - Rey Rosas moved the Consent Calendar be approved as presented;
Mike Hutcherson seconded the motion; the motion carried unanimously.
a)
b)
c)
Minutes were approved.
Departmental Reports were received and approved.
Expenditures were approved.
d)
Board, Committee and Commission Appointments. Board of Health, and Parks
Advisory Commission. No appointments were made.
Building - License and Permit Bonds. Second Reading. Ordinance No. 95-
3039. An Ordinance of the City of Plainview, Hale County, Texas, amending
the City of Plainview Code of Ordinances, repealing sections 6-2, 1-75, and 20-
121 in entirety, Electrical Code, Ordinance No. 84-2550, Section 10-66-2, 10-62-
2 and 4.15, Plumbing code, Ordinance No. 85-2587, Chapter 10; Repealing the
bond requirements for electricians, plumbers and general contractors;
Cumulativeness clause; Conflicts clause; Severability clause; And effective date.
Ordinance No. 95-3039 was approved and adopted.
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REGULAR AGENDA ITEM,~ -~
4. Health Insurance - City Council. Second Reading. Ordinance No. 95-3040. An
ordinance of the City of Plainview, Texas, authorizing elected officials to obtain major medical
health insurance pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 172 of the Texas Local Government
Code; Providing for the classification of elected officials; Cumulativeness clause; Conflicts
clause; And effective date. City Manager Jim Jeffers provided some background on the issue
of councilmembers having the health insurance coverage as provided to the city employees. He
stated that when he came to Plainview ten years ago the City Council was covered on the city's
health policy, and in fact a widow of a former councilmember was still covered by the policy.
He reported that State law provides that elected officials are in a "class" by themselves, and are
a "class" eligible for coverage. State law also provides that only the City Council can vote to
allow not only this council, but those that will follow, to participate in health insurance
coverage. If they vote to allow such participation, the councilmembers will be paying the entire
premium for their coverage as well as any dependents they wish to add. Once a councilmember
has served a full four year term, and by continuing to pay 100% of their premium, they can
remain on the group coverage.
Lucile Davis, 1109 Yonkers, spoke to the Council stating she did not believe this action should
be taken because she vieWed the Council as "volunteers" and she never knew of volunteers being
on any group health insurance policy. And, if they did allow themselves to be covered while
they are on the council, they certainly should not be covered after they are no longer serving on
the City Council. She said she felt it would be an increased burden on the taxpayers at some
time in the future due to higher premiums for city employees.
Mayor Woods stated that when he served on the City Council before the councilmembers were
allowed to be on the insurance plan. He stated he saw no problem with allowing the coverage.
Mary Virginia Kirchhoff, Councilmember Precinct 2, stated that although she was ineligible for
the coverage because she is covered by Medicare, she saw no reason why others should not be
allowed this coverage.
Irene Favila, Councilmember Precinct 7, made a motion to approve Ordinance No. 95-3040;
Rey Rosas seconded the motion; the motion was passed unanimously by the six councilmembers
present.
5. Youth - S.A.F.E. Consider approving the proposal submitted by Texas Migrant Council
for the operation of the summer recreation program. Irene Favila provided a brief background
on the S.A.F.E. program, which is a summer recreation program provided to city children ages
six to fifteen years of age. Last summer the program served 643 children at a cost to the City
of $16,500. The program was provided last year by the YMCA, Texas Migrant Council,
Plainview Independent School District, Wee Care Child Center, M.E.T. and Caprock
Community Action all working together. This year Texas Migrant Council has offered to
provide and coordinate this summer recreation program. Ms. Favila introduced Ernestina
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Gomez and Dimis Garcia of the Texas Migrant Council.
Ms. Gomez said the Texas Migrant Council has been in the "youth program" business in
Plainview for 20 years and they operate the Head Start Program. The plan they offer for the
summer is a structured recreational program for children ages 6 to 15, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00
p.m. for a nine week period. Activities will include swimming, music, quiet games, outdoor
games, arts and crafts. Three schools will be used; Hillcrest, Ash and Coronado, and they will
provide the food services.
Councilmember Alton Jackson asked if there would be an ethnic balance to the workers/teachers
who will conduct the summer program, and if there would be enough workers to help manage
a group of 600 plus children. Ms. Gomez stated that M.E.T. will furnish the workers, and the
City will furnish the coordinators and site manager, and they will hire all races and the care
givers will be hired on a "best one for the job" basis, regardless of race. She stated that
transportation from one site to another will not be a problem, but parents will be responsible for
getting the children to the program site in the morning and picking them up when the day is
over.
Dwain Dodson asked how many total dollars it will take to run the program for nine weeks. Ms.
Gomez stated that at this time she did not really know. The $20,000 the City has budgeted will
be used to pay for the main program manager and the site managers. She reported that a fee will
be charged, whether it will be $1.00 per day or $1.00 per week. She stated they need to be
certain they operate "in the black" but need to select a group to head up the project. Ms.
Gomez said they do not want to spend more .than the $20,000 budgeted by the City. She stated
that should they need to, they will shorten the number of days the program will run in order to
save rfiohey. Rey Rosas made a motion thaCthe City enter into an agreement with Texas
Migrant Council to operate the S.A.F.E. program for the summer; Irene Favila seconded the
motion. The motion carried unanimously.
6. Water Canadian River Municipal Water Authority Desalinization Project.
Resolution No. R95-110. A Resolution by the City Council of the City of Plainview, Texas,
prescribing the form and substance of a contract to improve the water quality in Lake Meredith
between the City of Plainview, Texas and the Canadian River Municipal Water Authority and
authorizing the Mayor and City Secretary to execute said contract on behalf of the City Council.
Mr. Jeffers quickly reviewed the desalinization project which has been discussed for the past ten
years by the City and the Canadian River Water Authority. The salt water which flows into
Lake Meredith comes from New Mexico, and the Authority must get Federal funding to begin
correcting the amount of salt water that comes from New Mexico by drilling wells to relieve the
artesian pressure so brine will not be pushed into the river. Mr. Jeffers shows slides depicting
this process. City Attorney Wally Hatch reviewed the proposed contract and he has made some
favorable changes. Two member cities of the Authority have City Charter provisions which
would require an election prior to their committing money to participate in the desalinization
project. Total cost of the project is estimated to be $9.5 million; with $2.9 million being
federally funded; $2.9 million coming from the state; and Plalnview's share estimated to be
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$131,000. Mr. Jeffers stated the impact of the Roberts County well input and the changes
proposed by this contract will require a rate increase. Mike Hutcherson made a motion the
Mayor and City Secretary be authorized to execute said contract between the City of Plainview
and the Canadian River Municipal Water Authority by approving REsolution R95-110; Rey
Rosas seconded the motion; the motion carried unanimously.
7. "Turn Around Texas" - Consider making application for the "Turn Around Texas"
program. Lt. Michael Carroll reported on his recent visit to Taylor, Texas, which started the
Turn Around Taylor program for ridding their city of drug dealers, which is the prototype for
the "Turn Around Texas" program. He explained that a group of citizens decided they were
tired of and mad at the drug dealers in their city. The group got together and literally ran them
out of town and destroyed the "crack houses" from which they did business. He said Plainview
citizens could do the exact same thing, they only had to get mad enough and organize into a
group willing to physically march into the area of town where drugs dealers do business and to
literally "run them out" and demolish the houses from which they operate. There is a program,
which is available to citizens for organizing this type of resistance. Mike Hutcherson moved that
the City of Plainview apply for the "Turn Around Texas" program; Alton Jackson seconded the
motion; the motion passed by unanimous vote.
7. Adjournment. Mayor Woods adjourned the meeting at 8:35 p.m.
Passed and approved on May 9, 1995.
Lloyd C. Woods, Mayor
ATTEST:
Karen McBeth, City Secretary
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