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Home My WebLink About2012-01-23 Regular Meeting of the La Porte City CouncilLOUIS RIGBY Mayor JOHN ZEMANEK Councilmember at Large A DOTTIE KAMINSKI Councilmerber at Large B MIKE MOSTEIT Councilmember District 1 CHUCK ENGELKEN Mayor Pro Tem Councilmember District 2 MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE JANUARY 23, 2012 DARYLLEONARD Councilmember District 3 TOMMY MOSER Councilmember District 4 JAY MARTIN Councilmember District 5 MIKE CLAUSEN Councilmember District 6 The City Council of the City of La Porte met in a regular meeting on Monday, January 23, 2012, at the City Hall Council Chambers, 604 West Fairmont Parkway, La Porte, Texas, at 6:00 p.m. to consider the following items of business: 1. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Rigby called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Members of Council present: Councilmembers Zemanek, Kaminski, Mosteit, Engelken, Leonard, Moser, Martin and Clausen. Also present were City Secretary Patrice Fogarty, Interim City Manager Steve Gillett, Assistant City Manager Traci Leach and Assistant City Attorney Clark Askins. 2. INVOCATION - The invocation was given by Father Gary Rickles, St. Mary's Catholic Church. 3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Councilmember Daryl Leonard. 4. PUBLIC COMMENTS (Limited to five minutes per person.) Chuck Rosa, 812 S. Virginia St., La Porte, addressed Council with concerns regarding the Planning and Zoning Commission, and asked Patrice Fogarty to pass out information he provided to council. Tony Villarreal, 3903 Barracuda Lane, La Porte, addressed Council concerning the mediation with the Port of Houston. Mr. Villarreal also commented on the continued noise and air pollution. 6. CONSENT AGENDA — Consent agenda items are considered routine by the City Council and will be enacted by one motion. A Councilmember may remove any item for discussion and/or separate action. (a) Consider approval or other action of the minutes of the Special City Council meeting held on January 4, 2012, and Regular City Council meeting held on January 9, 2012 — P. Fogarty (b) Consider approval or other action to accept Forest Service Grant and amend the Fire Department budget to allow for ten percent (10%) match to purchase additional personal protective equipment — D. Ladd (c) Consider approval or other action awarding RFP #12504 for radio equipment for Fire Department — D. Ladd Councilmember Engelken moved to approve the consent agenda as presented. Councilmember Leonard seconded. MOTION PASSED. Ayes: Mayor Rigby, Councilmembers Mosteit, Clausen, Zemanek, Engelken, Moser, Kaminski, Martin and Leonard Nays: None Absent: None Page 1 of 4 January 23, 2012, City Council Meeting Minutes 6. AUTHORIZATIONS (a) Consider approval or other action regarding an amendment to the current Meet and Confer Agreement between the La Porte Police Officers' Association and the City of La Porte — K. Adcox Chief of Police Ken Adcox presented a summary. Councilmember Engelken moved to approve an amendment to the current Meet and Confer Agreement between the La Porte Police Officers' Association and the City of La Porte. Councilmember Leonard seconded. MOTION PASSED. Ayes: Mayor Rigby, Councilmembers Leonard, Mosteit, Clausen, Zemanek, Engelken, Moser, Kaminski and Martin Nays: None Absent: None (b) Consider approval or other action awarding a design services contract for design and construction phase monitoring for improvements to Lomax Park, for a cost not to exceed $130,000.00 — S. Barr Director of Parks and Recreation Stephen Barr presented a summary. Councilmember Mosteit moved to approve awarding a design services contract for design and construction phase monitoring for improvements to Lomax Park, for a cost not to exceed $130,000.00. Councilmember Kaminski seconded. MOTION PASSED. Ayes: Mayor Rigby, Councilmembers Leonard, Mosteit, Clausen, Zemanek, Engelken, Moser, Kaminski and Martin Nays: None Absent: None 7. DICUSSION OR OTHER ACTION (a) Discussion or other action regarding revised proposed drainage benefits from the Pasadena Convention Center improvements — T. Tietjens Planning Director Tim Tietjens discussed revised proposed drainage benefits for the City of La Porte from the Pasadena Convention Center improvements. It was the consensus of Council that they are open to continuing this discussion with Pasadena, subject to them providing us more information on issues such as the location of driveways into the development, more detailed information about what the proposed development south of Fairmont was going to consist of, and the potential impact on insurance rates for homeowners in Brookglen as a result of drainage improvements. (b) Discussion or other action regarding proposed water interconnect between the City of La Porte and the City of Shoreacres — Mayor Rigby Interim City Manager Steve Gillett discussed the proposed water interconnect between the City of La Porte and the City of Shoreacres. The City of Shoreacres will pay for construction and hardware, and the City of La Porte's Public Works Dept. will be responsible for opening the interconnect when called upon and needed. Page 2 of 4 January 23, 2012, City Council Meeting Minutes Councilmember Clausen moved to go forward with the proposed water interconnect between the City of La Porte and the City of Shoreacres Councilmember Martin seconded. MOTION PASSED. Ayes: Mayor Rigby, Councilmembers Leonard, Mosteit, Clausen, Zemanek, Engelken, Moser, Kaminski and Martin Nays: None Absent: None 8. COMMITTEE REPORTS (a) Receive Report of Fiscal Affairs Committee — Councilmember Engelken Councilmember Engelken provided a report from the Fiscal Affairs Committee. The next Fiscal Affairs Committee meeting will be March 26, 2012, at 5:00 p.m. (b) Receive Report of Drainage and Flooding Committee — Councilmember Mosteit Councilmember Mosteit provided a report from the Drainage and Flooding and Drainage Committee. Senior Engineer Julian Garza reported the next Drainage and Flooding Committee meeting will be held March 19, 2012. 9. STAFF REPORTS (a) Receive update and provide staff with direction regarding permit fees and Blue Tarps — D. Wilmore. Chief Building Official Debbie Wilmore provided an update on Blue Tarps and requested direction regarding permit fees. Councilmember Moser commented to continue waiving permit fees allowing citizens to repair roofs when affordable and to replace old tarps with new ones. Councilmember Martin requested a list of homes occupied and list of citizens in need of a tarp but cannot afford one. It was the consensus of Council to continue waiving fees for all Ike -related permits. (b) Receive report regarding random city survey — T. Leach Assistant City Manager Traci Leach provided a report regarding the current City survey and how recipients are randomly selected. 10. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS (a) City Council Meeting, Monday, February 13, 2012 (b) City Council Meeting, Monday, February 27, 2012 (c) Council Retreat, Saturday, April 14, 2012 Interim City Manager Steve Gillett requested input on items for discussion at the April Council Retreat. 11. COUNCIL COMMENTS regarding matters appearing on the agenda; recognition of community members, city employees, and upcoming events; inquiry of staff regarding specific factual Page 3 of 4 January 23, 2012, City Council Meeting Minutes information or existing policies - Councilmembers Moser, Kaminski, Zemanek, Leonard, Engelken, Mosteit, Clausen, Martin, and Mayor Rigby. Councilmember Martin congratulated Walter Lee on his recent award of "Employee of the Quarter." Mayor Rigby wished Councilmember Clausen and Assistant City Manager Traci Leach a Happy Birthday. 12. EXECUTIVE SESSION The City Council reserves the right to meet in closed session on any agenda item should the need arise and if applicable pursuant to authorization by Title 5, Chapter 551, of the Texas Government Code, including, but not limited to, the following: Texas Government Code, Section 551.072 - Deliberation regarding purchase, exchange, lease, or value of real property: Discussion of possible closure and/or use of street rights -of -way in Bayfront Addition. Texas Government Code, Section 551.072 - Deliberation regarding purchase, exchange, lease, or value of real property: Discussion of possible purchase of real estate located near new Fire Station No. 1. City Council recessed the regular meeting to convene an executive session at 7:40 p.m. 13. RECONVENE into regular session and consider action, if any, on items discussed in executive session. The regular meeting reconvened at 8:15 p.m. Regarding the Bayfront Addition item, Councilmember Engelken moved to direct staff not to move forward with a lease but to come back with a street closure for consideration. Councilmember Zemanek seconded. MOTION PASSED. Ayes: Mayor Rigby, Councilmembers Leonard, Mosteit, Clausen, Zemanek, Engelken, Moser, Kaminski and Martin Nays: None Absent: None Regarding the property near the new Fire Station No. 1, Council directed staff to go back to the property owner for a sale price. 14. ADJOURN There being no further business, at 8:17 p.m. Councilmember Engelken moved to adjourn the meeting. Re ectfully submitted, &16th� Jqol:�� Patrice Fogarty, Ci Secret Passed a4fp r,o'-*d on,the 13th of February, 2012. Mavbr Lbuis R. Page 4 of 4 January 23, 2012, City Council Meeting Minutes