Gainesville — Tuesday’s regular Gainesville City Council meeting spotlighted a special presentation from Japanese guests.

Mayor Jim Goldsworthy read a proclamation honoring a group of Japanese students who attended the Japan-America Grassroots Summit during the past week. The 12 students and their four chaperones participated in the Metroplex-area summit as part of an annual program intended to foster relations between Japanese and Americans. As part of the program, the guests stayed in homes of Cooke County residents and visited local touchstones such as Frank Buck Zoo, in addition to extensive tours of the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

During the meeting, Goldsworthy presented each student and chaperone with a copy of the proclamation and a “Star of North Texas” medallion — intended as a token of friendship from the City of Gainesville. Members of the group expressed their appreciation for their Gainesville sponsors and local hospitality, and in return, presented city officials with a Japanese silk flag with symbolic characters. The characters, it was explained, translate as “good luck is coming to you.”

Other meeting highlights:

• Council held a public hearing on the proposed city budget for fiscal year 2012-13.  No one came forward to speak either for or against the proposed budget. Goldsworthy announced the city council will consider and take action to adopt the budget at the regularly scheduled meeting at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 18, in council chambers of the Gainesville Municipal Building, 200 S. Rusk St.

• Council held the second public hearing on the proposed tax rate of $0.647000 for the City of Gainesville for fiscal year 2012-13.  No one came forward to speak either for or against the proposed tax rate. Goldsworthy announced that council will vote to set the tax rate at their regularly scheduled meeting at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 18, in council chambers of the Gainesville Municipal Building, 200 S. Rusk St.

• Council completed the first reading of a resolution approving the decision of the Gainesville Economic Development Corporation (GEDC) for an expenditure of $94,500 to Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway for the purchase of right-of-way for improvements on the Highway 82/Interstate 35 frontage road. This area of the city can be used to help develop the corner of the highway and the interstate. In compliance with state law, council took no action on first reading of this resolution. The second reading consideration and action on the resolution is set for the regular city council meeting on Sept. 18.

• Council completed the first reading of a resolution approving the decision of the GEDC in approving expenditure for expansion of parking facilities for Weber Aircraft at the Gainesville Municipal Airport.  The city will build an approximately 57,000 square-foot gravel parking lot on the airport property.  The GEDC has approved $27,119 for materials for the project. City Manager Barry Sullivan said the improvements are a city investment on city land. Council took no action on first reading of the resolution.  Second reading consideration and action on the resolution is scheduled for the regular city council meeting on Sept. 18.

• Council completed first reading of a resolution approving decision of the GEDC to increase the economic development incentive for the GAF company in Gainesville for an amount up to $600,000.  Earlier this year, GAF was approved by the GEDC for financial incentives up to $355,000.  GEDC Director Kent Sharp explained that the State of Texas changed some formulas in the GAF contract, which increased the threshold for the minimum qualifying investment.  He said the GEDC Board of Directors felt the project was too important to Gainesville and thus approved an increase of their incentive amount to prevent the project from stalling out. Council took no action on first reading of this resolution.  Second reading and action is scheduled for the regular city council meeting on Sept. 18.

• Council authorized Sullivan to execute a contract with CareFlite to implement a membership program for all city water utility customers.  The program is an optional enrollment membership program that includes a voluntary opt out for those who do not need or want the coverage. The optional membership will cost utility customers $1 per month per household.  Membership covers all family members living in the household for out of pocket costs for medically necessary air and ground transports provided by CareFlite.  All costs that are not covered by the resident’s/employee’s health insurance are absorbed by the membership program.  

Persons without other health insurance coverage have costs covered at 50 percent for their membership discount.  Medicaid residents of households are not eligible by state regulation.  The program is CareFlite’s standard, state-approved membership program, which includes all members of the household except those excluded by law.  

The membership fee will be billed through the city utility system to customers who sign up for the program at $1 per month unless they opt out.  All water customers will receive notice of the program in their water bills prior to the start of the program.     

• Council approved the City of Gainesville ballot for election of Places 11-14 on the board of trustees for the Texas Municipal League (TML) Intergovernmental Employee Benefits Pool.  

As a member city of the TML pool, Gainesville is entitled to vote for board of trustee members.

• Council approved appointment of Scott Richardson to the Medal of Honor Host City Board of Directors to serve two years, a term spanning October 2012 through October 2014.