HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-09-09 Regular Meeting of the La Porte City Council LOUIS RIGBY 0BILL BENTLEY
Mayor , 0 Councilperson District 3
BRANDON LUNSFORD I. 9 Mayor Pro-Tern
Councilperson At Large A ii J THOMAS GARZA
STEVE GILLETT ` Councilperson District 4
Councilperson At Large B
DANNY EARP � JAY MARTIN 000
Councilperson District 1 Councilperson District 5
NANCY OJEDA
CHUCK ENGELKEN Councilperson District 6
Councilperson District 2
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE
SEPTEMBER 9, 2019
The City Council of the City of La Porte met in a regular meeting on Monday, September 9, 2019, at the City Hall
Council Chambers, 604 West Fairmont Parkway, La Porte,Texas, at 6:00 p.m., with the following in attendance:
Councilpersons present: Louis Rigby,Thomas Garza, Steve Gillett, Chuck Engelken, Bill Bentley, Brandon Lunsford, Jay
Martin, Nancy Ojeda
Councilpersons absent: Danny Earp
Council-appointed officers present: Corby Alexander, City Manager; Lee Woodward, City Secretary; Clark Askins,
Assistant City Attorney
1. CALL TO ORDER—Mayor Rigby called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
2. INVOCATION—The invocation was given by Councilperson Nancy Ojeda.
PLEDGES—The pledges of allegiance to the U.S. and Texas flags were led by Kaleb Little of Boy Scout Troop 930.
3. PUBLIC COMMENTS (Limited to five minutes per person.) Donna O'Conner thanked the Council for supporting Kaleb
Little's flag depository boxes, noting that his family was not able to cover all the costs of this Eagle Scout project and
would accept donations.
4. CONSENT AGENDA (Approval of Consent Agenda items authorizes each to be implemented in accordance with staff
recommendations provided. An item may be removed from the Consent Agenda and added to the Statutory Agenda for
full discussion upon request by a member of the Council present at this meeting)
(a) Approve the minutes of the City Council meeting held on August 26, 2019. [Louis R. Rigby, Mayor]
(b) Accept the Tax Assessor's certified 2019 ad valorem anticipated collection rate for the City of La Porte.
[Michael Dolby, Finance Director]
(c) Ratify the City Manager's appointment of Victor Peres to the Civil Service Commission for a three-year term
expiring August 31, 2022. [Corby Alexander, City Manager]
(d) Adopt Resolution 2019-13,authorizing the resale of tax delinquent property located at Lots 11 and 12,Block
988,Town of La Porte. [Shelley Wolny, Treasurer]
(e) Adopt Resolution 2019-14, authorizing the City Manager to sign a grant award and other documents for the
Traffic Control STEP Grant. [Ron Parker, Chief of Police]
(f) Adopt Resolution 2019-15,authorizing the City Manager to sign a grant award and other documents for the
Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) STEP grant. [Ron Parker, Chief of Police]
(g) Adopt Ordinance 2019-3755, amending Chapter 86 of the City of La Porte Development Code. [Clark T.
Askins, Assistant City Attorney]
(h) Adopt Resolution 2019-17, approving a nomination for the Harris County Appraisal District (HCAD) board
member representing cities other than the City of Houston. [Louis R. Rigby, Mayor]
Councilperson Garza asked to pull item (h). Councilperson Engelken moved to approve the consent agenda; the
motion was adopted, 8-0.
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Councilperson Engelken moved to adopt item (h). Councilmember Garza moved to postpone the item until
September 23; the motion was not adopted, 2-6, Councilpersons Garza and Gillett voting in support. The original
motion was adopted 7-1, Councilperson Garza voting against.
5. PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ASSOCIATED ORDINANCES
(a) The City Council will hold a public hearing to receive comments regarding their consideration of the
proposed budget for the City's FY 2019-20; followed by discussion and possible action to adopt Ordinance
2019-3756, approving the City's Fiscal Year 2019-20 Proposed Budget. [Michael Dolby, Finance Director
and Matt Hartleib, HR Manager]
Mayor Rigby opened the public hearing at 6:19 p.m. Michael Dolby, Finance Director, provided a presentation on
changes to the published proposed budget. Matt Hartleib presented compensation and classification study
recommendations. Councilpersons Engelken and Bentley volunteered for the proposed work group. Councilperson
Engelken suggested the Council follow the staff recommendation to form a compensation and classification work
group, with the hope it can report at the first meeting in October. Bill Scott asked for more information on total
compensation packages. The Mayor closed the public hearing at 6:56 p.m.
Councilperson Engelken moved to adopt Ordinance 2019-3756 approving the City's Fiscal Year 2019-20 Proposed
Budget and to form a work group for the salary and classification review.
Councilperson Bentley moved to amend the budget by including a line item for recommendations potentially coming
from the Parks Master Plan survey. Following discussion, without objection, the motion was withdrawn.
The main motion was adopted, 6-2, Councilpersons Garza and Gillett voting against. The Mayor appointed
Councilpersons Engelken, Bentley, and Lunsford as Council representatives to the compensation and classification
work group with staff.
6. STATUTORY AGENDA
(a) Presentation, discussion, and possible action to adopt a City sponsorship policy. [Corby Alexander, City
Manager]
Councilperson Garza moved to set aside (blank) for sponsorships and direct the City Manager to develop policies
and procedures to approve sponsorships up to (blank). The motion was not seconded and was not considered.
Councilperson Ojeda moved to adopt a policy for City sponsorships as presented, providing that the City pay no
more than half an applicant's budget, and considering that hotel/motel funds be subject to an application process,
before and after reporting, submission of an advertising budget, and proof of hotel stays. The motion was not
seconded and was not considered.
Councilperson Garza moved to strike the second, eleventh, and fifteenth bullet points in Section II. Policy of the
proposed policy. Councilperson Engelken moved to postpone the item and allow staff to bring back a revised policy
at the second meeting in October; the motion was adopted, 8-0.
(b) Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding the City's participation as a sponsor for regatta
events during 2019-2020 at the Houston Yacht Club. [Jason Weeks,Assistant City Manager]
Councilperson Engelken moved that the City participate as a sponsor for regatta events during 2019-2020 at the
Houston Yacht Club, the motion was adopted, 7-1, Councilperson Ojeda voting against. (The Council took a ten-
minute recess at 8:01 p.m.)
(c) Presentation, discussion, and possible action to adopt Resolution 2019-16, accepting the 2019 HCAD
certified appraisal roll. [Michael Dolby, Finance Director]
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September 9, 2019, Council Meeting Minutes
Councilperson Bentley moved to adopt Resolution 2019-16, accepting the 2019 HCAD certified appraisal roll, the
motion was adopted, 8-0.
(d) Presentation, discussion, and possible action on a proposed tax rate of $0.71, and approval of the
recommended dates of September 19 and September 23, 2019, for public hearings on the City's tax rate.
[Michael Dolby, Finance Director]
Councilperson Engelken moved that the City hold public hearings for the proposed tax rate of$0.71 for fiscal year
2019-2020 on September 19 at 5:30 p.m. and September 23 at 6:00 p.m.
Councilperson Garza moved to amend the tax rate to lower the rate to the effective rate of$0.685. The motion was
not seconded and was not considered. The main motion was adopted, 8-0.
(e) Presentation, discussion, and possible action to adopt Ordinance 2019-3747, amending Chapter 82,
"Buildings and Building Regulations" -Appendix A'Fees'of the Code of Ordinances of the City of La Porte,
for the purpose of changing fees for city residential building permits and residential mechanical permits.
[Corby Alexander, City Manager]
Councilperson Engelken moved to adopt Ordinance 2019-3747, amending Chapter 82, "Buildings and Building
Regulations" - Appendix A 'Fees' of the Code of Ordinances of the City of La Porte, for the purpose of changing
fees for city residential building permits and residential mechanical permits; the motion was adopted 8-0.
(f) Presentation and discussion on Ordinance 2019-3758,to amend the Council Rules of Procedure and Ethics
Policy. [Louis R. Rigby, Mayor]
Without objection, the proposed amendment was designated as a standing agenda item until the Council had an
opportunity to work its way through it.
(g) Presentation, discussion and possible action regarding the City's approach to locations for
warehouse/wholesaler/distribution operations in La Porte. [Louis R. Rigby, Mayor]
The Mayor to direct staff to place an administrative hold on any new or pending zoning change and/or SCUP
application for warehouse/wholesale/distribution proposed for the City of La Porte and to appoint a special
committee of Councilpersons Ojeda (as the chair), Martin, and Earp to work closely with Planning to determine the
philosophy for accepting development applications. (The Mayor added that he would not require a schedule or a
reporting time for the committee.)
Councilperson Garza moved to amend the motion to allow that the administrative hold only be in effect until the first
meeting in October. The motion was not seconded and was not considered. The main motion was adopted, 7-1,
Councilperson Garza voting against.
7. REPORTS
(a) Receive a report of the Drainage and Flooding Committee Meeting. [Councilperson Jay Martin]
Councilperson Martin reported on the Drainage and Flooding Committee meeting, relaying that the Harris County
Flood District Representative was not in attendance and that Lorenzo Wingate, City Engineer, had provided an
update on projects and funding to be allocated by the General Land Office (GLO).
8. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS
• City Council Special Session, Thursday, September 19, 2019
• Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting, Thursday, September 19, 2019
• City Council Meeting, Monday, September 23, 2019
•Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting, Thursday, September 26, 2019
• City Council Special Session, Monday, September 30, 2019
City Manager Corby Alexander said there was no report.
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September 9, 2019, Council Meeting Minutes
9. 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 thanked staff for remaining through the meeting; expressed appreciation to Kaleb Little for the flag
depository boxes; offered regrets for having to vote against the budget since it was part of a combined motion; fondly
remembered former Councilperson Charlie Young, who passed away last week at 100; recognized City Secretary Lee
Woodward for accomplishments at last week's National Association of Parliamentarians conference;thanked Ray Mayo
and his staff for recent sidewalk repairs; thanked City Manager Corby Alexander and staff and the Finance Department
for their work 71 the budget.
ADJOURN With ut yiection, Mayoryor Ri bb adiourned the meeting at 9:27 p.m.
•
LLee oodward, Cit cretary
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September 9, 2019, Council Meeting Minutes