02-23-15 Regular Meeting of La Porte City Council

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Steve Gillett, 2601 S. Broadway #27, addressed Council in regards to the Industrial Waste surcharge fee and advised the surcharge is not a tax to generate revenue but to ensure compliance with the ordinance and an incentive to reduce grease and oil in the collection and treatment system. Mr. Gillett informed the city is currently under an administrative order with Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to reduce overflow and to have an Industrial Waste Ordinance. In addition, Mr. Gillett advised the Waste Water Treatment Plant will be affected due to the design criteria being a 200 Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD). Steve Coycault, Sr., 4315 Maidenhead Dr., addressed Council and asked them to consider freezing City taxes for the disabled and seniors 65 and older. Russell Ybarra, 2601 Underwood (Gringo’s Mexican Kitchen), addressed Council and advised the City of La Porte is the only city that classifies a restaurant as an industrial user and requested the City to consider reducing the surcharge by 50% and require all food establishments to mandate a quarterly grease pumping. Mr. Ybarra also informed he doesn’t feel the ordinance is fair to include restaurants and nursing homes but not the school district. 6. CONSENT AGENDA (All consent agenda items are considered routine by City Council and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a Councilmember requests an item be removed and considered separately.) (a) Consider approval or other action regarding the minutes of the City Council Meeting held on January 26, 2015 – P. Fogarty (b) Consider approval or other action authorizing the City Manager to execute a contract with Port of Houston Authority for the provision of emergency medical services by the City of La Porte EMS for Barbour’s Cut Terminal – P. Fogarty (c) Consider approval or other action to renew the 2013 contract with North Houston Pole Line for sanitary sewer repair, replacement and/or rehabilitation with an approved allocation of $175,000.00 – D. Mick (d) Consider approval or other action awarding Vehicle Replacement for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 to Brookside Equipment through Texas BuyBoard and rescinding the approval at the January 12, 2015 City Council meeting for purchase of Golf Course and Parks equipment through HGAC – D. Mick (e) Consider approval or other action regarding Ordinance 2007-IDA-141, authorizing execution of an Industrial District Agreement between the City of La Porte and Almondwater LLC. – K. Powell (f) Consider approval or other action authorizing the Mayor to execute a Water Service Agreement and a Sanitary Service Agreement with Almondwater LLC. – T. Tietjens Regarding Item c, Councilmember Earp questioned how much was actually billed on the last contract and if they are required to obtain a new bond. Public Works Director Dave Mick responded $182,000 into the contingency and, yes, they are required to get new bonds. Regarding Item d, Councilmember Martin questioned if the gator ATV truck is a new vehicle. Mr. Mick responded yes. 28 Page of February 9, 2015, Council Meeting Minutes