HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/08/2000 City CouncilMINUTES OF THE JOINT SPECIAL SESSION OF CITY COUNCIL
AND THE COLONY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD OF
DIRECTORS (4A) AND A JOINT WORK SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE
TELECOMMUNICATIONS BOARD
HELD ON
MAY 8, 2000
The JOINT SPECIAL SESSION of the CITY COUNCIL and THE COLONY ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT COPRORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS (4A) AND THE JOINT WORK
SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS BOARD of the City of The
Colony, Texas was called to order at 6:10 p.m. on the ~ day of May 2000, at CITY HALL, 6800 Main Street,
The Colony, Texas with the following roll call:
Bill Manning, Mayor Present
John Gordon, Councilmember Present
Lewis Jue, Councilmember Present
David Stanwick, Councilmember Present
A1 Garcia, Councilmember Present
John Dillard, Councilmember Present
Jeff Meyers, Councilmember Present
John Gordon, 4A President Present
A1 Garcia, Member Present
Bob Norris, Member Present
Delaina Hammock, Member Present
Steven Simms, Member Present
Duane Sanders, Chairman Present
Clark Switzer, Member Present
Walter Gillette, Member Present
Bill Harrison, Member Present
Bill Cunningham, Member Present
Russell Raybourn, Member Absent
Allen Harris, Member Absent
ITEM DESCRIPTION SOURCE STATUS
6:11 p.m. EXECUTIVE SESSION as authorized by Section 551.086
1.0 of the Government Code:
A. Deliberation regarding economic development
1.1 negotiations
(1) Discuss or deliberate regarding commercial or Council/
financial information that the City Council has 4A Board
received from business prospects that the City
Council seeks to have locate, stay, expand in or near
the territory of the City of The Colony and with
which the City Council is conducting economic
6:57 p.m. development negotiations.
1.2 Consideration of appropriate action to be taken as a result of
the Executive Session:
A. Action to be taken by the 4A Board
Motion to extend to Home Depot an economic incentive not
to exceed $227,000 for roadway and infrastructure-
Norris; second- Garcia, carried with all ayes.
B. Action to be taken by the City Council
Motion to approve the expenditure of funds by The Colony
Economic Development Corporation (4A) of $227,000 to
Home Depot for roadway and infrastructure - Stanwick;
second -Dillard, carried with all ayes.
Motion to authorize economic development incentive not to
exceed $184,000 for impact and development fees to Home
Depot - Gordon; second - Garcia, carried with all ayes.
Mayor Manning advised the developer of the indoor soccer
facility to be located at Eastvale Park has asked for
guarantee from the city for reimbursement of costs, not to
exceed $200,000 for planting grass seed this spring, in case
the facility does not get approval from the Corps of
Engineers.
Motion to authorize a guarantee not to exceed $200,000 to
Blue Sky for the cost of planting grass, in case the Corps
denies the building - Meyers; second- Stanwick, carried
with all ayes.
WORK SESSION:
Tree Trimming Program
2.0
Mr. Lambert advised the council that we need to decide
2.1 what to cut noting that the proposed $30,000 allocation would Johnston
be used up quickly. Discussion followed regarding the
proposed 7-year program. Items of discussion included:
How to determine which trees to cut.
What to do about those people who have already complied
with the ordinance.
Should we only cut trees for the elderly, disabled or others
unable to do it for themselves?
It was agreed that this program would be inequitable,
helping some and not others. This needs to be a service the
city provides to its citizens. Discussion about contracting
with IESI to pick up the brush, then adding it to the IESI bill
for those that use it.
Suggestion was made to seek bids on a "per tree" charge and
see what kind of bids we received. Further discussion on this
matter is needed.
Whatever program the council chooses must be advertised so
that the public understands.
Street Light Replacement Program
2.2
Mr. Lambert reminded the council there is an ordinance
proposed to establish street light standards, which is at P&Z Lambert
now and will come to council in the near future.
Mr. Lambert advised there are currently 741 streetlights in
the city. He said we need to decide where to start with
replacement the fiberglass poles. There was discussion aboutI
the types of poles and lights. Council agreed we should talkI
to the State about installing streetlights along 433 and 121. I
If the State won't install them, then we should ask if they~
would maintain the lights if the city installs them.
Council also discussed the possibility of laying conduit
while the streets are being repaired for easy installation of
new lights.
Council asked for another work session and to have
samples available at that time for comparison.
Council generally agreed to place money in the budgel
each year to fund the replacement program.
JOINT WORK SESSION WITH THE
2.3 TELECOMMUNICATIONS BOARD.
Telecommunications Board items to be discussed:
a. Budget
The board advised the council that there are more needs
than money. They have been approached about broadcasting Telecomm.
a local news program. Live broadcasts require better Board
equipment than what we currently have on hand.
b. Companies providing cable service
Co-Serv wants to serve only certain areas of the city. Out
franchise agreement requires universal service (whole city'~
and our former city attorney advised against removing tha!
clause from the agreements. Council directed staffto see whal
I the current city attorney says about this clause.
00736 .
Lengthy discussion regarding new cable providers and
what should and can be required from them.
c. Cable service in new subdivisions
Austin Ranch is served by AT&T, but they have the
Carrollton line-up. They do not have access to the public
government Channel 6. AT&T is supposed to be correcting
this problem. Other new areas may not have AT&T
providing their cable service and if so, they will not have
access to Channel 6. This needs to be resolved, since
Channel 6 is where emergency information is broadcast and
local information is available.
d. Websites for fire and police
Board member, Allen Harris, is going to assist the
departments in upgrading and maintaining their websites.
e. Upgrade of television stations
When the upgrade to AT&T cable service is finished, the
city will have two more governmental television channels. We
will need some more equipment when that happens. There
will be an educational channel (Channel 7) which will
broadcast for Collin County Community College District and
will allow people to take course via television.
Channel 6 will remain the public safety channel and
Channel 17 will be the city hall channel.
f. Southwestern Bell Taxes
Mr. Sanders advised that The Colony does not receive the
same service as surrounding cities with regard to lon!e
distance and metro calling. He also noted that some bills
from Southwestern Bell have two municipal charges on them.
Southwestern Bell told him that money goes to the city. Mr.
Lambert is going to investigate this matter to determine if the
city is receiving all the money from Southwestern Bell to
which we are entitled.
With no further business to address, Mayor Manning adjourned the meeting at 8:35 p.m.
t'/Wil~am W. Manning, Mhyor
/
City Secretary