CITY OF BUNKER HILL VILLAGE

MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL

OF THE CITY OF BUNKER HILL VILLAGE, TEXAS

July 21, 2009 – 11:30 A.M.

I.                   CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL

Mayor Essary called the meeting to order at 11:35 a.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                                                        Kelly Johnson, City Secretary/Director of Finance           

Councilman Dave Ellis                                                             Steve Smith, Director of Public Works                                   

Councilwoman Cooky Mays                                      

Councilwoman Susan Schwartz                                              

Councilman Jay Smyre           

II.                FINANCIAL REPORT – 2009 REVENUE & EXPENSE

Ms. Johnson gave a review of the financials as of June 30, 2009. 

III.             UPDATE REGARDING MEMORIAL VILLAGES POLICE DEPARTMENT 2010 PROPOSED BUDGET

Councilman Ellis stated that the Police Commission met last night and approved the 2010 Memorial Villages Police Department Budget.  He also stated that the 2010 budget came in $176,000 or 4.2% under the 2009 budget.  In the 2010 budget TMRS was approved at 2 to 1.

IV.              STATUS OF PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE AT BLALOCK ROAD AND GREENBAY

Mr. Smith said that the construction has started on the bridge.  Mayor Essary said that the bridge will be completed by the time school starts in August.

V.                 STATUS OF SURFACE WATER LINE FROM VALLEY STAR TO CITY HALL

Mr. Smith said that the City of Houston and Harris County Flood Control have approved the plans and he said they are waiting on TCEQ approval.  Once they get the final approval from TCEQ the project will be ready to go out for bid.

VI.              UPDATE ON W151 DRAINAGE STRUCTURE, LOCATED WEST OF STREY LANE

Mayor Essary said that they have been in contact with Harris County Flood Control and they are ready to discuss W151.  He also said that the report that we desperately need is still being held up in engineering.  Mayor Essary said we know what the problem is and what the solution is and the question becomes who’s going to pay for it.  We have to get the report before we can go forward.

VII.           UPDATE ON BLALOCK LANE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS

Mr. Smith stated we have $20,000 sitting in an escrow account specifically for Blalock Lane for this type of work.  Mr. Smith will send out a letter to the residents on Blalock Lane, if council approves, detailing the work.  The project does not include any paving, it’s strictly pipe and inlets.  Mr. Smith said it will be installed by the city crew.  The cost is all being paid from the escrow account with no cost to the city or residents.

VIII.        DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING DRAINAGE ISSUES ON THE FOLLOWING STREETS:

A.        CAROLANE TRAIL

      Mayor Essary stated there is not a unanimous view on what Bunker Hill Village should do on Carolane Trail.  He said if the city took a survey today on Carolane Trail there would be an estimated 80% approval for drainage and pavement improvements.  Mayor Essary stated we are approaching the 2010 budget and it’s the city’s responsibility to get water out of houses where we can.  The mayor proposed writing a letter to the residents on Carolane Trail saying Bunker Hill Village wants to consider improvements on Carolane Trail in the 2010 budget.

      The mayor also stated that we have a preliminary estimate for the improvements on Carolane Trail of $485,000.  Councilman Ellis said there is no practical solution to fixing the drainage without fixing the street.  The mayor said the residents on Carolane Trail want the drainage fixed without fixing the street. 

B.         ARBORDALE

Mr. Smith stated initially Arbordale was an open ditch street.  Sometime in the last few years the homeowners have put pipe in those ditches and covered them.  The inlets that are on Arbordale are the Home Depot style 4” plastic inlets.  He went on to say there is nowhere for the water to drain off those lots.  Mr. Smith said it simply is not adequate drainage.  Mr. Smith recommended taking the pipe out and reinstituting the open ditch system.

Mayor Essary said he was proposing to write a letter to the residents on Arbordale and say in order to insure drainage on Arbordale, the city is going to open the ditches along their street.  Mr. Smith said the culverts under the driveways are also the incorrect size.  Mr. Smith stated the expense to do the whole street is between $18,000 - $25,000.

C.        WINWOOD – EAST OF STREY LANE

Mr. Smith stated it’s an open ditch street with culverts sloping the wrong direction and wrong size.  The total cost of the project including upgrading the culverts, repairs to driveways, and re-digging the ditches is $24,000.   

Mayor  Essary asked what is the city‘s policy about the redirection of the culverts.  Mr. Smith stated that city policy has been if there has been a city required repair on a city facility on a city right of way the city has picked up the tab.  The mayor said it was his opinion if this is an important enough project to do the only effective way to pay for it is to have the city pay for it.  He said arguing with residents about who and what the residents are going to pay for becomes a losing battle.

      Motion was made by Councilwoman Mays and seconded by Councilman Brown to move forward and realign the culverts and ditches and clean out the ditches on Winwood East of Strey Lane at the city’s expense.

      Motion carried 4-0.  Councilman Ellis abstained from the vote.

D.        WINSHIRE CIRCLE

Mr. Smith said that the city has upgraded the inlet at the end of the cul-de-sac from a 24 x 24  type A inlet to a full type double B curb and gutter style system.  The mayor said the residents of Winshire Circle have retained their own engineer and have come to the city with a group of proposals.  One of the things their engineers proposed was upgrading the inlets to a type E inlet.  The mayor reminded council that was originally proposed for that street but the residents opposed it.  The estimated cost to upgrade the inlets to type E is $5,000.

The mayor said that there are a couple of issues on Winshire Circle, one being the water coming from Wood Lane.  Mayor Essary said with council approval he wanted to obtain a drainage easement behind a couple of houses that are the problem.  Mayor Essary also reminded council that Wood Lane is a private street and Winshire Circle is a public street.  The mayor said he wanted to get the water that currently is coming from Wood Lane onto Winshire Circle into W146.

IX.              PROPOSED CHANGE TO DEFINITION OF “NEW CONSTRUCTION”

Mr. Smith said the change in the definition is to bring it up to the zoning ordinances the City has in place.  The mayor said currently people are getting around the definition so they will not have to bring their houses up to current code.  He said they simply are lying and there is nothing the city can do about it.  With the change in the definition it would stop that.  Mr. Smith said he was requesting it to go to Planning and Zoning for review and City Council agreed.

X.                 DISCUSSION REGARDING POLICY FOR DRIVEWAY REPLACEMENT

Mr. Smith stated that the current requirement is to have a 24” culvert under the driveway whether or not it’s an open ditch or not.  Mr. Smith said the policy for driveway replacement is to replace the driveway with the original material less any aesthetics.  Councilman Ellis went on to say if the homeowner wants an upgrade the city will give them a cost estimate.

XI.              ADJOURN

Motion was made by Councilman Ellis and seconded by Councilman Brown to adjourn the meeting at 12:58 p.m.

Approved and accepted on August 18, 2009.

_______________________________________

DERRY D. ESSARY, Mayor

ATTEST:

_______________________________________

Kelly Johnson, City Secretary