Published: August 20, 2008 12:33 pm         

City council revises fees

The City Council met Tuesday evening with Council member of Ward 2 Ray Nichols and Council member of Ward 6, Vince Rippy absent.

The City Council authorized, with a 5-0-2 vote, the Department of the Army Corps of Engineers to continue with project implementation of the Pecan Creek Local Flood Damage Reduction Project. City Manager Barry Sullivana said the agreement with the Corps read that if the cost were to exceed $9 million the city must authorize in writing to the Corps that the implementation of the project should continue. Sullivant said the cost of the project was estimated at $12,371,898 and the city’s portion was $6,485,000. He said TxDOT agreed to cover $1.6 million of the city’s portion leaving the city with about $4.8 million.

He said, “We have some wiggle room for contingency spending.” Sullivant said TxDOT agree to replace 2 bridges over the creek -- one at California Street and one at Broadway. The city’s portion of the project is to be paid from general obligation bond funds approved in a February 2002 election. The complete project entails removal of residential and commercial structures, formation of a grass lined channel about 7,859 feet long, bridge replacements, utility relocations and acquisition and improvement of lands described in the Pecan Creek detailed project report.

With a 5-0-2 vote, tihe members of the Council also authorized the city manager to execute an agreement with HDR Engineering, Inc. for professional services to relocate Pecan Creek Sanitary Sewer from Belcher Street to the southern end of Lindsay Street. as part of the Pecan Creek Flood Damage Reduction Project for the City of Gainesville at a cost of about $294,000. Sullivant told the Council there was a possibility of $100,000 extra for extra lines to allow the city to eliminate a lift station. He said the amount might be cost effective considering the corrosive sewer gases and possible lift station failure. Sullivan anticipated the work would begin in 2009.

With a 5-0-2 vote on first reading of an Ordinance requiring annual consideration of fees charged by the city for services. Included among the fees affected were the water, sewage, solid waste, pavilion rental, civic center rental, airport space rental and cemetery fees. For example, the impact on the average residential utility bill, would be a 5.96 percent increase in the water bill, a 6.96 percent increase in sewage fees, a 1.5 percent increase in solid waste fees. The stormwater fee, which helps reduce the bond debt on stormwater projects, is to increase from $2 to $3.50. If the resident uses 5,000 gallons of water, the utility bill -- assuming a 4,000 gallon winter usage -- would increase from $78.72 to $84.89, an increase of $6.17 per month.

The city manager noted that the water, sewage and solid waste departments are enterprise funded — which means each must charge enough to be self supporting. He said the cool, wet summers from previous years reduced usage and consequently the water service was not self sufficient — at the water department costs increased 17 percent since the last increase. The cost of deisel fuel drove the solid waste expenses up more than 50 percent and the tipping fees at the landfill — to pay for maintaining the site — increased by 17 percent.

The Council passed into law with a 5-0-2 vote, the Moss Lake Properties amendments pertaining to buildings and building regulations, construction of fixed structures, floating facilities, private use of lake water, boating and personal watercraft regulations and boats generally. City Manager Sullivan said there were minor language changes to the previous regulations and that the docks can’t be wider than 52 feet. He said there also could be no toilets or pressurized pipes for gas or petroleum products because of environmental concerns. Councilman Goldsworthy included language in the finalized document that would waive the Volunteer Fire Department boat permit fees during the department’s 2-day fund-raising tournament.with or without notification of the city of the tournament dates.

With a 5-0-2 vote, the Council members approved on second and final reading the actions of the Gainesville Economic Development Corporation, which voted to approve purchase of the watershop property from the city of Gainesville for the amount of $25,000. Mayor Loch reminded the Councilmen the GEDC had already leased the land for $410,000 so the total price for the land was $435,000.

Since there was no one to speak at the public hearing on final plat for Sam Enderby Office Park, the Council voted to close the public hearing and approve with a 5-0-2 vote the first reading of an ordinance providing for the approval of the final plat of 14.37 acres in the W.C. Winters Survey Abstract 1086, to be known as the Sam Enderby Office Park. The property is adjacent to the new jail and extends to U.S. Highway 82.

The members of the City Council authorized the City Manager, with a 5-0-2 vote, to accept deeds of certain real estate properties as requested by Gainesville Habitat for Humanity. Sullivant said the deeds were in the flood plain and therefore, “All I can see is adding to our cost.” Goldsworthy told the council he felt that, “if there’s some owner of contiguous property who would want to acquire the property for $1, $5, $100 whatever, to add to this private owner’s greenspace I think we should let them have it.” Draper said, “I would be in favor of taking the property and exploring the option presented.

The original resolution before the Council called for a 90 moratorium on outbuildings. Councilman Charles Draper suggested, “how about making it 30 days extension and revisit the issue on Sept. 2? The resolution passed 4-1-2 Councilman Jim Goldsworthy was the sole member present opposing the Resolution ordering a 30-day extension of the moratorium on building permits for the construction or building of any shed, garage, carport, shop or shelter which is not attached to a residence on any lot or parcel of land within said city. Goldsworthy said, “We pretty much put the handy-man and out building people out of business. We’ve had 90 days (to come to a decision) and we’re holding folks hostage. Could we say we are putting a moratorium on metal carports and buildings above a certain height so Home Depot could sell some sheds?”

There were no comments from residents on the first public hearing on the proposed tax rate of $0.647 per $100 valuation for City of Gainesville for the Fiscal Year 2008-2009

The consent agenda which was approved by a 5-0-2 vote included the:

A. Minutes of August 5, 2008 Regular City Council Meeting

B. New appointments to GEDC Board of Directors were Joe Wallace and Tommy James until August 2010, replacing Charles Brown and Charles Woolfolk whose terms expired this month. The Council also reappointed Frank Morris and Keith Clegg. Brown and Woolfolk were appointed as ex-officio members of the board.

Larry Pool addressed the Council about what he said was a continuing problem. He noted that the culvert under the old Katy Railroad line, near Star Street, was a problem. He said area constantly flooded and the earth on the east side of the culvert was being eroded and consequently the road bed was being washed away. He said a study the city commissioned in 1999 estimated the cost to alleviate the problem was more than $60,000. He said it was his belief the problem might be solved by replacing the culvert with some round pipe with an elbow. He said he thought this would redirect the water into a different channel and relieve the flooding and road bed erosion.

Sam West gave the city Water Quality Report. He said, “Test results were clean.” The state of Texas rated the water quality as superior.

Krista Erin Brewer Day was proclaimed for Sept. 6 and Mayor Glenn Loch read the proclamation to Brewer and her family, present at the meeting.