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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMay 11, 2006 Agenda AGENDA CITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL May 11, 2006 After determining that a quorum is present, the City Council of the City of Denton, Texas will convene in a Special Called Meeting on Thursday, May 11, 2006 at 5:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 215 E. McKinney, Denton, Texas at which the following item will be considered: 1.Consider approval of a resolution accepting a $100,000 donation to the Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center for the construction of an interim staging facility and programming for underprivileged youth in Denton, and accepting matching funds requirements of the donation. NOTE: The City Council reserves the right to adjourn into a Closed Meeting on any item on its Open Meeting agenda consistent with Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code, as amended, including without limitation, Sections 551.071-551.086 of the Texas Open Meetings Act. C E R T I F I C A T E I certify that the above notice of meeting was posted on the bulletin board at the City Hall of the City of Denton, Texas, on the ________day of ___________________, 2006 at ________o'clock (a.m.) (p.m.) ____________________________________ CITY SECRETARY NOTE:THE CITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS IS ACCESSIBLE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT. THE CITY WILL PROVIDE SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED IF REQUESTED AT LEAST 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE SCHEDULED MEETING. PLEASE CALL THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 349-8309 OR USE TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICES FOR THE DEAF (TDD) BY CALLING 1-800- RELAY-TX SO THAT A SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER CAN BE SCHEDULED THROUGH THE CITY SECRETARY’S OFFICE. AGENDA INFORMATION SHEET AGENDA DATE: May 11, 2006 DEPARTMENT: Utilities CM: Howard Martin, 349-8232 SUBJECT Consider adoption of a resolution accepting a $100,000 donation to the Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center for the construction of an interim staging facility and programming for underprivileged youth in Denton, and accepting matching funds requirements of the donation; providing for an effective date. BACKGROUND The Clear Creek Natural Heritage Area is a valuable resource to the citizens of Denton and the surrounding communities. The CCNHA has the potential to be a regional destination for environmental education and outdoor activities. The City of Denton has been involved with this project since the late 1990’s when the property was first leased from the U.S. Corps of Engineers as part of a restoration project. The City, University of North Texas and Denton ISD undertook the task of bring the CCNHA to the forefront and proposed constructing a nature education facility on the site. The Corps approved this proposal and a steering committee was formed to investigate the full potential. The partnerships formed through the steering committee provide the base for establishing the full potential of the site for education, research, volunteer activities, youth and adult outdoor activities. Daily use of the site has drastically increased over the past year, with several day trips being planned by civic organizations and volunteers, and continued use by the Elm Fork Education Center scheduled this summer. There is a need for facilities on site to accommodate the expanding visitor base. Restroom facilities, indoor learning space and an established presence will bring additional programming to the Area. Additionally, the goal of annexation has been discussed with the planning department and a plan for the future annexation is being developed. FISCAL INFORMATION Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center project was included in the 2005 CIP package and $600,000 was designated for use in year 4 of the program. The funds were identified for trails and parking and as a match for seeking grant funds. A private donation, which would be designated for construction of an interim staging facility to serve the immediate needs of the visiting public and to provide programs for underprivileged children, was made available to the City of Denton. The anonymous donation is currently being held in the Denton Parks Foundation and will be restricted for the purpose intended. PRIOR ACTIONS Presented to the Committee on the Environment March 6, 2006, Committee requested that a request to accelerate project funds be submitted to CIP Oversight Committee at first opportunity. Presented to CIP Oversight Committee March 23, 2006, Committee approved request to accelerate funds. OPTIONS 1. Accept donation and accelerate funds as approved by the CIP oversight committee. 2. Reject donation and maintain current CIP funding for Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center. RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommends acceptance of donation and acceleration of $100,000 of CIP funds. EXHIBITS 1. Resolution Respectfully submitted: Katherine Barnett Special Projects Coordinator RESOLUTION R2006-______ CONSIDER ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING A $100,000 DONATION TO THE CLEAR CREEK NATURAL HERITAGE CENTER FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN INTERIM STAGING FACILITY AND PROGRAMMING FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED YOUTH IN DENTON, AND ACCEPTING MATCHING FUNDS REQUIREMENTS OF THE DONATION; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the Clear Creek Natural Heritage Area (“CCNHA”) and Center are a valuable resource to the citizens of the City of Denton and the surrounding communities; and WHEREAS, the CCNHA has the potential to be a regional destination for environmental education and outdoor activities; and WHEREAS, the City of Denton has been involved with this project since the late 1990’s as the lead partner on the Clear Creek Natural Heritage Steering Committee with the University of North Texas and Denton Independent School District, with the goal of constructing a nature education facility on the site; and WHEREAS, the partnerships formed through the Steering Committee, which consists of representatives from the City of Denton, Denton Independent School District, University of North Texas, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Texas Woman’s University, Denton County, Elm Fork Chapter Master Naturalists and Texas Parks and Wildlife, provide the base for establishing the full potential of the site for education, research, volunteer activities, youth and adult outdoor activities; and WHEREAS, daily use of the site has drastically increased over the past year, with several day trips being planned by civic organizations and volunteers, and continued use by the Elm Fork Education Center scheduled this summer; and there is a need for facilities (restroom, classroom) on site to accommodate the expanding visitor base; and WHEREAS, an anonymous donation has been made available to the City of Denton for $100,000 to fund the construction of an initial facility and to provide programming for youth of the City of Denton; and WHEREAS, the anonymous donation to the City of Denton provides that the City of Denton make available matching funds in the amount of $100,000 to conduct engineering and site surveys, site planning, and construct necessary parking and driveways on site; and WHEREAS, a portion of Capital Improvement Program funds identified for the Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center and scheduled for expenditure for 2009 can be accelerated by the City of Denton to be used as matching funds to qualify for the receipt of the matching funds for the services incident to provide for engineering and site surveys, site planning, construct necessary parking and driveways on site; and WHEREAS, the construction of a facility and the site engineering, planning and infrastructure at the CCNHA site will benefit the citizens of the City of Denton, Texas and that the acceptance of the anonymous donation, and the authorization of the city matching amount of $100,000, to be accomplished by accelerated project funds from the Capital Improvement Plan for the year 2009, is in the best interests of the citizens of the City of Denton; THEREFORE THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DENTON HEREBY RESOLVES: SECTION 1. That the City Council hereby recognizes acceptance of the private donation of $100,000 for the Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center being held in the Denton Parks Foundation from an Anonymous Donor. SECTION 2. That the City Council, considering the approval of acceleration of the funds by the Capital Improvement Oversight Committee, does hereby accelerate $100,000 of approved funding from the year 2009 for the Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center to be used exclusively to complete the necessary planning, surveying, infrastructure, building construction and programming for underprivileged youth of the City of Denton, and any other requirements of the gift, at the Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center. SECTION 3. That this resolution shall become effective from and after the date of City Council approval. SIGNED this the _____ day of ________________, 2006. _____________________________ EULINE BROCK, MAYOR ATTEST: JENNIFER WALTERS, CITY SECRETARY By: __________________________________ APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM: EDWIN M. SNYDER, CITY ATTORNEY By: ___________________________________ S:\Our Documents\Resolutions\06\CCNHA Resolution-2006.doc