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Home My WebLink About2014-03-10 Regular Meeting of La Porte City CouncilLOUIS RIGBY Mayor JOHN ZEMANEK Councilmember At Large A DOTTIE KAMINSKI Councilmember At Large B MIKE MOSTEIT Councilmember District 1 CHUCK ENGELKEN Councilmember District 2 DARYL LEONARD Councilmember District 3 TOMMY MOSER Councilmember District 4 JAY MARTIN Mayor Pro Tern Councilmember District 5 MIKE CLAUSEN Councilmember District 6 MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE MARCH 10, 2014 The City Council of the City of La Porte met in a regular meeting on Monday, March 10, 2014, 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 Engelken, Zemanek, Kaminski, Clausen, Mosteit, Moser and Martin. Absent: Councilmember Leonard. Also present were City Secretary Patrice Fogarty, City Manager Corby Alexander, and Assistant City Attorney Clark Askins. 2. INVOCATION - The invocation was given by Councilmember Jay Martin. 3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Councilmember Jay Martin. 4. PRESENATIONS, PROCLAMATION, and RECONITIONS (a) Proclamation — Texas History Month — Mayor Rigby Mayor Rigby presented the Texas History Month proclamation to Dottie Blankenship. Ms. Blankenship briefly shared some comments. S. PUBLIC COMMENTS (Limited to five minutes per person.) There were no public comments. 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 regular city council meeting held on February 24, 2014, and the minutes of the town hall special meeting held on February 27, 2014 - P. Fogarty (b) Consider approval or other action regarding a Resolution designating the City Manager as the authorizing grant official and approving the grant application for Digital Forensics Examination and Analysis equipment and training through the Criminal Justice Division, Governor's Office - K. Adcox (c) Consider approval or other action regarding an ordinance vacating, abandoning, and closing a 600-square-foot tract out of the West 'D' Street right-of-way, and authorize the execution and delivery of a deed to the adjoining landowner - T. Tietjens (d) Consider approval or other action regarding RFP # 14502 Franchise Fee Audit for Telephone, Electrical, Cable and Natural Gas - M. Dolby (e) Consider approval or other action awarding Bid # 14071 for Tractor/Loader Backhoe with Concrete Breaker - D. Mick Page 1 of 4 March 10, 2014, Council Meeting Minutes M Consider approval or other action authorizing the City Manager to enter into a Professional Service Contract with LJA Engineering, Inc., for the design, bidding and construction phase services for the Scotchmoss Lane Improvements with a total authorization equal to $79,500.00 - D. Mick Councilmember Zemanek moved to approve the Consent Agenda pursuant to staff recommendations. Councilmember Kaminski seconded. MOTION PASSED. Ayes: Mayor Rigby, Councilmembers Engelken, Clausen, Kaminski, Zemanek, Mosteit, Moser and Martin Nays: None Abstain: Councilmember Engelken on Consent Item D Absent: Councilmember Leonard Prior to Council vote, Assistant City Attorney Clark Askins read the caption of the following ordinance: Ordinance 2014-3512: AN ORDINANCE VACATING, ABANDONING AND CLOSING A PORTION OF THE WEST "D" STREET RIGHT-OF-WAY, LA PORTE, HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF A DEED TO THE ADJOINING LANDOWNER, FINDING COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE HEREOF. 7. AUTHORIZATIONS (a) Consider approval or other action authorizing the completion of all phases of the Dispatch Center Console/Workstation project by utilizing currently budgeted funds plus funding from the CIP Fund Balance — K. Adcox/M. Boaze Chief of Police Ken Adcox presented a summary. Councilmember Engelken moved to authorize the completion of all phases of the Dispatch Center Console/Workstation project by utilizing currently budgeted funds plus funding from the CIP Fund Balance. Councilmember Zemanek seconded. MOTION PASSED. Ayes: Mayor Rigby, Councilmembers Engelken, Zemanek, Moser, Clausen, Kaminski, Mosteit and Martin Nays: None Absent: Councilmember Leonard 8. DISCUSSION OR OTHER ACTION (a) Discussion regarding the Council -appointed committee for the Truck Study — C. Alexander City Manager Corby Alexander presented a summary regarding a Council -appointed committee for a Truck Study and recommended the committee be comprised of local residents, commercial businesses, and the trucking industry. Mayor Rigby commented he would like each Councilmember to have an appointment and appoint from the business and trucking industry as a whole. Councilmember Zemanek questioned if all of the committee members would consist of citizens of La Porte. Mayor Rigby responded that is a Council decision. Councilmember Clausen asked what is the responsibility of the committee. City Manager Corby Alexander responded it is his understanding the committee will work directly with the consultant that will collect and analyze trucking industry information within the community. Mr. Alexander also added the consultant will present facts and suggestions to the committee for workable solutions similar to a focus group. Page 2 of 4 March 10, 2014, Council Meeting Minutes Councilmember Moser commented there needs to be a member of the committee who can advise of the law. City Manager Corby Alexander advised that will be the responsibility of staff liaisons, which includes someone from the Police Department, the City Attorney's Office, and himself. Mayor Rigby questioned Council how many committee members should there be from commercial business and the trucking industry. Council agreed two committee members for both commercial business and the trucking industry. Mayor Rigby questioned Council if the two committee members from the trucking industry need to be citizens of La Porte. Councilmember Engelken responded yes. Councilmember Zemanek responded especially the ones representing business. Councilmember Mosteit commented there will be a pretty good pool from the business side but it may be difficult from the trucking side and to consider restricting the trucking industry appointee to have a business in La Porte. Councilmember Clausen commented he would prefer to see someone from the trucking industry who actually drives a truck dealing with the regulations be appointed on the committee rather than someone in charge of a trucking union. Councilmember Moser commented he would like the hoteliers involved on the committee, as well. This item will appear on the next agenda, and those thereafter, until the committee is appointed. 9. REPORTS (a) Receive report of Fiscal Affairs Committee — Councilmember Engelken Councilmember Engelken reported the Fiscal Affairs Committee elected to extend the Franchise Fee Audit Contract for Whitley Penn for another year, and it will be on the next agenda for Council approval. (b) Receive 2013 Comprehensive Annual Financial (CAFR) Report — M. Dolby Finance Director Michael Dolby presented the 2013 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). Council received the CAFR. 10. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS (a) Receive report from City Manager • La Porte Development Corporation Board Meeting, Monday, March 24, 2014 • City Council Meeting, Monday, March 24, 2014 • Council Budget Retreat, Saturday, April 12, 2014 • City Council Meeting, Monday, April 14, 2014 • City Council Meeting, Monday, April 28, 2014 City Manager Corby Alexander reminded Council of the Battleship of Texas Centennial event this coming weekend and advised City Secretary Patrice Fogarty has tickets for Council to attend. 11. COUNCIL COMMENTS regarding matters appearing on the agenda; recognition of community members, city employees, and upcoming events; inquiry of staff regarding specific factual information or existing policies — Councilmembers Clausen, Martin, Moser, Kaminski, Zemanek, Leonard, Engelken, Mosteit and Mayor Rigby. Councilmember Martin congratulated Councilmember Leonard on the birth of his new grandson; Councilmember Zemanek congratulated Councilmember Kaminski for being the runner up finalist for Public Official of the Year; Councilmember Mosteit thanked everyone who attended the dedication for the Lomax Arena and staff for their work; and Mayor Rigby congratulated Councilmember Engelken for being elected Vice Chairman of Houston -Galveston Area Council, commented is was a pleasure to present a proclamation in honor of Texas History Month and thanked all of staff in the City Secretary Office for preparing for the Battleship of Texas Centennial events on the upcoming Wednesday and Saturday. Page 3 of 4 March 10, 2014, Council Meeting Minutes 12. ADJOURN There being no further business, Councilmember Engelken moved to adjourn the meeting at 6:42 p.m. Councilmember Zemanek seconded. MOTION PASSED. 00-01m.w. W-�RwOoMex- - W� Passed and/ap,)tpy14dJon March 24, 2014. Louis R. 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