City of Farmers Branch

City Council Regular Meeting Agenda

City Hall Plaza

13000 William Dodson Parkway

Farmers Branch, Texas

Monday, February 16, 2004

7:30 P.M.

The following members of the City Council were present:

Mayor Bob Phelps

Mayor Pro Tem Paul Walden

Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Bill Moses

Councilmembers Charlie Bird

Junie Smith

Ben Robinson

The following members of Administration were present:

City Manager Linda Groomer

Assistant City Manager Mary Jane Stevenson

Assistant City Manager Greg Vick

City Secretary Cindee Peters

Assistant to the City Manager Margaret Somereve

Assistant to the City Manager John Roach

Director of Economic Development Norma Nichols

City Attorney John Boyle

Fire Chief Kyle King

Police Chief Jimmy Fawcett

Acting Library Director Kate Lyon

City Engineer Jerry Murawski

Director of Communications Tom Bryson

Director of Public Works Mark Pavageaux

Director of Equipment Services Don Moore

Director of Parks and Recreation Jeff Fuller

Recording Secretary Suzanne Reynolds

Mayor Phelps called the City Council meeting of February 16, 2004 to order at 7:30 p.m. The meeting was televised.

A.1 INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

Councilman Bird gave the invocation and Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Moses led the pledge of allegiance.

A.2 RECOGNITION OF CINDEE PETERS, CITY SECRETARY, IN OBTAINING RECERTIFICATION FROM THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL CLERKS CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.

Mayor Phelps presented to City Secretary Cindee Peters a certificate for her recertification as a Certified Texas Municipal Clerk. Ms. Peters received her recertification in Austin on January 29, 2004.

A.3 CONSIDER ACCEPTING A $10,000 DONATION FROM THE CARROLLTON FARMERS BRANCH ROTARY CLUB FOR PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT FOR GUSSIE FIELD WATTERWORTH PARK AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION.

Mayor Phelps presented the following information. The Carrollton Farmers Branch Rotary Club would like to donate $10,000 to the City of Farmers Branch for the purchase of a piece of handicapped accessible playground equipment to be installed in the Gussie Field Watterworth Park playground. The Rotary Club is interested in partnering with the City to provide play opportunities for children of all abilities.

The goal of the organization is to help provide and install equipment in several parks in the area for children with special needs so that all children throughout the Metroplex can enjoy city park equipment. In that spirit, the Carrollton Farmers Branch Rotary Club is making a similar donation to the City of Carrollton. Members of the Carrollton Farmers Branch Rotary Club will assist with installation of the equipment in both Farmers Branch and Carrollton.

Officers of the Carrollton/Farmers Branch Rotary Club were not able to be in attendance tonight. Following installation of the playground equipment, staff will place an item on the City Council agenda to recognize this group for their very generous donation.

A motion by Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Moses, seconded by Councilwoman Smith, all voting “aye,” accepted the $10,000 donation from the Carrollton/Farmers Branch Rotary Club with appropriate thank you letter.

A.4 PRESENTATION OF BOARD APPLICATIONS.

There were no board applications presented.

A.5 REPORT ON STUDY SESSION ITEMS.

Mayor Phelps and the City Council gave a brief summary of the items discussed in Study Session prior to the regular meeting.

B.0 CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING AS CONSENT ITEMS AND TAKE THE APPROPRIATE ACTION.

Mayor Phelps stated consent items are items that are to be considered and action taken that may not need discussion individually. Any member of the City Council or the audience may request to withdraw any item from the consent items and place the item before the Council for full discussion. The concept for the consent items is established in order to speed up discussion for those items that need more time for discussion.

A motion by Mayor Pro Tem Walden, seconded by Councilman Robinson, all voting “aye,” adopted the Consent Agenda as submitted.

B.1 APPROVED MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF FEBRUARY 2, 2004.

B.2 ADOPTED RESOLUTION NO. 2004-025 AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A JOINT ELECTION CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY OF DALLAS FOR THE MAY 15, 2004 CITY COUNCIL ELECTION.

B.3 AUTHORIZED THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A PARKING AGREEMENT WITH LSF II METRO, L.P. C/O CAPSTAR COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE SERVICES FOR USE OF ITS PARKING FACILITIES FOR SPECIAL EVENTS DURING THE 2004 CALENDAR YEAR.

C.1 CITIZEN PARTICIPATION.

John Oechsner, 2509 Brookline, expressed his concerns about the Stars Center.

John Wells, 13521 Heartside Place, stated if the Manske Library were renovated and a temporary place provided he would like to see that all citizens have the same services, as they do now. Mr. Wells also stated he would not like the City to prohibit the keeping of animals such as chickens and rabbits.

D.1 CONSIDER ADOPTING ORDINANCE NO. 2758 ISSUING THE ELECTION ORDER CALLING FOR A CITY COUNCIL ELECTION FOR PLACE 1 AND PLACE 4 ON MAY 15, 2004 AND TAKE THE APPROPRIATE ACTION.

Mayor Phelps presented the following information. On May 15, 2004 an election for Place 1 and City Council Place 4 will be held at the Farmers Branch Manske Library, 13613 Webb Chapel Road, and the Crosby Road Recreation Center at 1610 Crosby Road, Carrollton, Texas. Place 1 and Place 4 will serve three-year terms.

Early voting shall be conducted in the city hall on the following dates: Wednesday, April 28, 2004, and continue through Friday, April 30, 2004, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.; Monday, May 3, 2004, and continue through Friday, May 7, 2004, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.; Saturday, May 8, 2004, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.; Sunday, May 9, 2004, between 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.; and Monday, May 10, 2004, and Tuesday, May 11, 2004, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

The City Secretary recommends the issuance of the Election Order by adopting Ordinance No. 2758.

There being no discussion, a motion by Councilman Bird, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Walden, all voting “aye,” adopted the following captioned Ordinance No. 2758 issuing the Election Order calling for a City Council Election for Place 1 and Place 4 to be held on May 15, 2004.

ORDER CALLING AN ELECTION FOR COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE 1 AND COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE 4.

D.2 CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION NO. 2004-017 AUTHORIZING THE PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF INTENTION TO ISSUE COMBINATION TAX AND REVENUE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION TO FUND THE DR PEPPER STARS/CONFERENCE CENTER AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION.

Mayor Phelps presented the following information. Financing arrangements for the Dr Pepper/Stars Conference Center to be located at 12700 N. Stemmons are near completion and staff has developed a plan to issue certificates of obligation for the improvements. These taxable and tax-exempt certificates will be repaid over twenty-five years primarily through lease payments received from the Dallas Stars. The certificates of obligation will be guaranteed by a pledge of property tax revenues in order to secure a lower interest rate. An escrow account funded by the Dallas Stars and a pledge of surplus water and sewer revenues will provide additional security for the certificates.

The first step in issuing certificates of obligation is to publish a “Notice of Intention to Issue Certificates of Obligation” in a newspaper of general circulation at least 14 days before the date set for passage of an ordinance authorizing the issuance of such certificates. The notice must provide a maximum issuance amount that may be lowered, but not raised, with Council approval at any time prior to the adoption of the ordinance authorizing the debt. The actual bond issue including costs of issuance will not exceed a principal amount of $8.9 million.

There being no discussion, a motion by Councilwoman Smith, seconded by Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Moses, all voting “aye,” adopted Resolution No. 2004-017 authorizing the Notice of Intention to Issue City of Farmers Branch, Texas, Combination Tax and Revenue Certificates of Obligation, Series 2004, in a principal amount not to exceed $8,900,000.

D.3 CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION NO. 2004-021 AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO PURCHASE DESKTOP COMPUTERS, NETWORK COMPUTER SERVERS AND LAPTOP TABLET COMPUTERS UTILIZING THE STATE OF TEXAS CATALOG PURCHASING PROCEDURES FOR AUTOMATED INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION.

Mayor Phelps presented the following information. Thirty-eight desktop computers, five network computer servers and twenty-four laptop tablet computers are budgeted for replacement or as new additions in the 2003-2004 fiscal year.

Quotes were requested from thirteen vendors. Seven responses were received. Five vendors met or exceeded the City’s minimum configuration and reliability standards for desktop computers. Two vendors met or exceeded the City’s minimum configuration and standards for laptop tablet computers, and four vendors met or exceeded the City’s minimum configuration and reliability standards for network computer servers.

Gateway submitted the lowest state catalog price of $31,464.00 for the desktop computers and $48,240.00 for the laptop tablet PCs. Dell submitted the lowest state catalog price of $13,297.80 for the network servers. The total purchase price for all items is $93,001.80.

Dell and Gateway have been certified by the Texas Building and Procurement Commission as qualified vendors for Catalog Information Systems Vendor (CISV) purchases. Funds totaling $97,000 are budgeted in the 2003-2004 departmental budgets for these computer purchases.

Staff recommends the purchase of thirty-eight desktop computers for $31,464 and twenty-four laptop tablet computers for $48,240 from Gateway; and five network computer servers for $13,297.80 from Dell. This total expenditure of $93,001.80 is recommended to be made using the State of Texas catalog purchasing procedures.

There being no discussion, a motion by Mayor Pro Tem Walden, seconded by Councilman Robinson, all voting “aye,” adopted Resolution No. 2004-021 authorizing the purchase of desktop computers, network computer servers and laptop tablet computers utilizing the state of Texas catalog purchasing procedures for automated information systems.

D.4 CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION NO. 2004-023 AWARDING A BID FOR UTILITY CUT REPAIRS AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION.

Mayor Phelps presented the following information. The Public Works Department is responsible for the maintenance of street infrastructure and requests annual bids for pavement repairs necessitated by utility repair work. Fifteen bids were requested and three were received and opened for utility cut repairs at various locations. All items met specifications. The lowest bid was submitted by Pavecon Inc.

These utility cut repair items were bid on a unit price basis and will be used only as necessary. The most common repairs include curb and gutter, sidewalk and street pavement replacement. The Utilities Division budget contains $110,000.00 for this work. The contract for the repairs will be for a one-year period with an option for an additional one-year period, if agreeable to both parties.

There being no discussion, a motion by Mayor Pro Tem Walden, seconded by Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Moses, all voting “aye,” adopted Resolution No. 2004-023 awarding a bid for utility cut repairs at various locations.

D.5 CONSIDER APPOINTMENTS TO THE HISTORICAL PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION BOARD AND THE SCHOOL-COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION.

A motion by Councilman Bird, seconded by Councilman Robinson, all voting “aye,” reappointed Rebecca Crawford to the Historical Preservation and Restoration Board.

D.6 CONSIDER COUNCIL TRAVEL REPORTS AND REQUESTS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION.

There were no travel reports or requests.

D.7 PRESENTATION OF COUNCIL COMMITTEE AND ORGANIZATION REPORTS.

Councilwoman Smith stated she attended the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting on February 9^th at which Dr. Hissong presented “Tax Increment Financing Districts- Do’s and Don’ts”. She stated the program was well worth the time and highly recommended attending the final program. On January 17^th she attended the Metrocrest Hospital Authority Board meeting regarding the improvements of R.H.D. and Trinity Medical Center Hospitals. On February 11^th the Metrocrest Medical Foundation celebrated their 25^th anniversary with a reception. On Sunday, February 15^th she attended the Youth Etiquette Symposium at their first annual art reception and display which took place at the Manske Library. Councilwoman Smith encouraged the audience to visit the Manske Library to see the artwork on display.

Mayor Phelps stated on February 7^th the Senior Center had their game night with more than 300 people in attendance.

E.1 CONSIDER NECESSARY ACTION ON ITEMS DISCUSSED IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.

There were no items on the executive session.

E.2 A motion by Councilman Bird, second by Councilman Robinson, all voting “aye”, adjourned the City Council meeting of February 16, 2004 at 8:07 p.m.

___________________________ ___________________________

Bob Phelps, Mayor Cindee Peters, City Secretary