CITY OF BUNKER HILL VILLAGE

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL

OF THE CITY OF BUNKER HILL VILLAGE, TEXAS

June 16, 2009 – 5:00 P.M.

I.                   CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Mayor Essary called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 11977 Memorial Drive, Houston, Texas.

Present:                                                                   Also in Attendance:

Mayor Derry D. Essary                                            Ruthie Sager, City Administrator

Councilman Keith Brown                                          Loren Smith, City Attorney

Councilman Dave Ellis                                               Kelly Johnson, City Secretary/Director of Finance           

Councilwoman Cooky Mays                                      

Steve Smith, Director of Public Works

Councilwoman Susan Schwartz                                              

Councilman Jay Smyre           

II.                CITIZENS’ COMMENTS

Bob Newman talked about the storm water drainage on Chapel Belle.  Mr. Glover talked about flooding along Blalock Road and Blalock Lane.

III.             MAYOR’S REPORT

A.  JUNE 2 MEETING WITH DISTRICT DIRECTOR, MIKE TALBOTT AND CHIEF ENGINEER, STEVE FITZGERALD OF THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT

      Mayor Essary and Ruthie Sager met with Mike Talbott and Steve Fitzgerald of Harris County Flood Control District.  Mayor Essary said HCFC has the first draft of the recommendations on W151 but they have not released it yet.  Mayor Essary stated that the solution is going to be a combination of retention, widening, and deepening of W151.  The mayor said he believed the cost estimate would come in somewhere between $40,000,000 and $50,000,000.

B.   APRIL 28, 2009 STORM AND FLOOD INFORMATION FROM HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT

      Mayor Essary said the rain event that occurred on April 28^th probably classified in our area as somewhere between a 120 year and a 180 year event.  The mayor also stated that there are some residents that continue to believe the flooding was acerbated by the release of water from Addicks Reservoir.  Mayor Essary said that simply is not true.  He said if it had not been for the reservoir, flooding would have been much worse.

C.   DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING APPOINTMENT OF MAYOR PRO TEM

      Motion was made by Councilman Smyre and seconded by Councilwoman Mays to approve Councilman Ellis as Mayor Pro Tem for one year.        Motion carried 5-0.

D.  FORMATION OF RESIDENTS’ TASK FORCE CONCERNING DRAINAGE AND FLOODING ISSUES

      Councilman Ellis attended the meeting on June 8, 2009 along with 11 residents.  Councilman Ellis stated that all had a sincere interest in seeking a solution.           

IV.              JOHN DAVIS, P.E., LANGFORD ENGINEERING, STATUS OF THE SURFACE WATER LINE CONNECTION AT CITY HALL

John Davis discussed the surface water line and said that the plans are complete.  The estimated cost of the project is $474,000.  Mr. Davis said the project has to go to Harris County Flood Control, TCEQ, City of Houston, Entex, AT&T, and Centerpoint Energy for final approval.  Mr. Davis said he expects this time next month to have the approvals back from all the various agencies and be ready to go out for bid.  Mr. Davis stated the project should be complete in seven months.

Mr. Davis said the cost has gone up for a couple of reasons.

1. Directional boring

2. Replacing the water line that runs down Stoney Creek

V.                 DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING RECOMMENDATION FOR TWO YEAR APPOINTMENTS TO THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS:

1.         FIRE COMMISSIONER AND ALTERNATE FIRE COMMISSIONER

            David Keith Brown, Fire Commissioner

            Jay Smyre, Alternate Fire Commissioner

2.         POLICE COMMISSIONER AND ALTERNATE POLICE COMMISSIONER

            Peter Slot, Police Commissioner

            Dave Ellis, Alternate Police Commissioner

3.   BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT MEMBERS (FIVE REGULAR MEMBERS & FOUR ALTERNATES)

      Ben Wilkelman, Chairman

      Henry Houston, Vice Chairman

Michelle Belco

      Mark Allen

      Jean Krivan

      David Light, Alternate

      B.A. Newman, Alternate

      Mark Worthen, Alternate

      Vacant, Alternate

4.   PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION MEMBERS (SEVEN MEMBERS)

            William R. (Bill) Purifoy, Chairman

            Robert Croyle, Vice Chairman

            Alan Augustine

            Gary Orr

            Joel Phipps

            Gerald Teel

            Vacant

5.         MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE

            Carl Moerer

6.         MUNICIPAL COURT ALTERNATE JUDGE

            Brian Chandler

7.         MUNICIPAL COURT PROSECUTOR

            Stanley Topek

      Motion was made by Councilman Ellis and seconded by Councilwoman Mays to approve the appointments made by Mayor Essary for the various positions shown under tab V for Planning and Zoning, Board of Adjustments, Municipal Judge, Municipal Court Alternate Judge, Municipal Court Prosecutor, Fire Commissioner,  Alternate Fire Commissioner, Police Commissioner, and Alternate Police Commissioner.        Motion carried 5-0.

VI.              CONSENT AGENDA

“ALL MATTERS LISTED UNDER CONSENT AGENDA ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION, THERE WILL NOT BE SEPARATE DISCUSSION OF THESE ITEMS.  IF DISCUSSION IS DESIRED, THAT ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND WILL BE CONSIDERED SEPARATELY.”

A.  MINUTES OF THE MAY 19, 2009 REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING

B.         MAY 2009 FINANCIALS

      Motion was made by Councilman Brown and seconded by Councilman Smyre to approve the consent agenda.   Motion carried 5-0.

VII.           CITY ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

A.        NOTICE OF ESTIMATED TAXABLE VALUE FOR 2009

Ms. Sager said we have received the preliminary report dated June 3, 2009, for the 2009 taxable and appraised values.   The initial taxable value is $1,356,353,022, which is an increase from what is on the tax rolls for 2008 of 7.90%.  Our taxable value that we based our tax rate on last year was $1,237,913,140 which is a 9.50% increase in taxable value from our 2008 tax rate calculation.

B.   CITY OF HOUSTON CREDIT IN THE AMOUNT OF $896.50 FOR TWO AND ONE HALF DAYS OF NON-DELIVERY OF SURFACE WATER DURING HURRICANE IKE

      Ms. Sager stated after Hurricane Ike we asked City of Houston to give us a credit for the time we did not use surface water because it was not potable water.  We finally heard last week that City of Houston gave us a credit of $896.50.

VIII.        DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING REQUEST FOR CONSENT TO ENCROACH INTO THE REAR SETBACK OF A PROPERTY IN DISTRICT B

Mayor Essary stated that this item has been withdrawn.

IX.              DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS REPORT

A.  DISCUSSION REGARDING CAROLANE TRAIL DRAINAGE AND PAVEMENT IMPROVEMENTS

      Mr. Smith said we looked at what plans were available for paving and drainage for Carolane Trail.  He also said based on those plans as well as what we know is actually on the ground and made minor modifications in pipe size and called a contractor to get an estimate.  The estimate came in at $500,000.

B.   BLALOCK LANE IMPROVEMENTS

      Mr. Smith stated one of the things that we had budgeted this year was the ditch clean out along Blalock Lane.  With the recent rains we wanted to accelerate the ditch clean out of Blalock Lane.  Mr. Smith said we have $20,000 sitting in escrow as a result of a subdivision that was developed a couple of years ago along Blalock Lane.  The money was set aside specifically for the improvement of drainage and paving on Blalock Lane.  Mr. Smith said rather than clean out the ditch along Blalock Lane he was proposing a more permanent solution of putting pipe in.  The funds will not cover piping the whole street but it will get pipe to the lot that has the flooding issues.

X.                 RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BUNKER HILL VILLAGE, TEXAS, ACKNOWLEDGING REVIEW OF THE PUBLIC FUNDS MANAGEMENT AND INVESTMENT POLICY INCLUDING APPOINTMENT OF THE INVESTMENT COMMITTEE

The Mayor said the investment committee consists of the Mayor, Mayor Pro-Tem and the City Administrator.  Motion was made by Councilman Brown and seconded by Councilman Smyre to approve Resolution 06-16-09 acknowledging the review of the Public Funds Management and Investment Policy including the appointment of the Investment Committee consisting of the Mayor, Mayor Pro-Tem and City Administrator.  Motion carried 5-0.

XI.              MEMORIAL VILLAGES POLICE COMMISSIONER’S REPORT

A.        MAY 2009 POLICE ACTIVITY

            No comments

B.         2010 DRAFT OPERATIONS BUDGET

Commissioner Peter Slot said they were able to keep a flat budget for 2010 with additional   savings of $170,000.  Mr. Slot said TMRS settled out at 2 to 1 and nothing else.  The Commission did take the advice of the Mayor and City Council to go with 1½ to 1 but Mr. Slot said to be fair to the officers and staff the Commission felt like it was the best solution to go to 2 to 1.

Mayor Essary stated we have a budget for the Memorial Villages Police Department with TMRS at 2 to 1 and a budget for the Village Fire Department TMRS at 1½  to 1.  Mayor Essary said the only explanation for the difference was social security.  The mayor went on to state his disappointment and said somebody was not listening.  He said not listening from the standpoint of there is $170,000 sitting on the table and it was his intention that it be in the officers pockets in 2010 but it did not happen.  He said it looks like I did exactly what I said I was not going to do, and that was to try and take something away and that is what we have done.

XII.           VILLAGE FIRE DEPARTMENT COMMISSIONER’S REPORT

A.        APRIL 2009 FINANCIALS

            No comments

B.         CONTRACT REIMBURSEMENT FOR PARAMEDIC

            No comments

C.         2010 PROPOSED BUDGET

Councilman Brown reported that the final form of the 2010 proposed budget should be ready by the end of the week.  In the budget TMRS will be reduced to 1½ to 1 and the proposed budget will come in flat.

D.        MANNING ISSUES

Councilman Brown is reviewing the recommended standards of staffing levels.  Councilman Brown reported that most fires in the Villages are two alarm fires which means City of Houston would be called when the second alarm is pulled.

XIII.        ADJOURN

Motion was made by Loren Smith and seconded by Councilman Ellis to adjourn the meeting at 6:45p.m.

Approved and accepted on August 18, 2009.

_______________________________________

DERRY D. ESSARY, Mayor

ATTEST:

_______________________________________

Kelly Johnson, City Secretary