HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-05-03 Agenda and BackupCity Council
City of Denton
Meeting Agenda
City Hall
215 E. McKinney St.
Denton, Texas 76201
www.cityofdenton.com
Council Work Session Room12:00 PMMonday, May 3, 2021
Note: Mayor Gerard Hudspeth, Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Davis and Council Members Birdia Johnson, Connie
Baker, John Ryan, Deb Armintor and Paul Meltzer will be participating in the work session and closed meeting
via video/teleconference.
After determining that a quorum is present, the City Council of the City of Denton, Texas will convene in a
Work Session on Monday, May 3, 2021, at 12:00 p.m. in the Council Work Session Room at City Hall, 215
E. McKinney Street, Denton, Texas at which the following items will be considered:
WORK SESSION
1. Work Session Reports
Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding an update on the
87th Session of the Texas State Legislature
ID 21-080A.
Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding the 2021 Winter
Weather After Action Report and Plan.
ID 21-785B.
Following the completion of the Work Session, the City Council will convene in a Closed Meeting to consider
specific item(s) when these items are listed below under the Closed Meeting section of this agenda. 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, or as otherwise allowed by law.
1. Closed Meeting:
Deliberations regarding Personnel Matters - Under Texas Government Code 551.074;
and Consultation with Attorneys - Under Texas Government Code 551.071.
Deliberate and discuss the appointment, employment, duties, and retirement of the City
Attorney, including the appointment of an interim City Attorney; consultation with the
City’s attorneys regarding associated legal issues where public discussion associated with
these legal matters would conflict with the duty of the City’s attorneys to the City of
Denton and the Denton City Council under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional
Conduct of the State Bar of Texas.
ID 21-887A.
Any final action, decision, or vote on a matter deliberated in a Closed Meeting will only be taken in an Open
Meeting that is held in compliance with Texas Government Code, Chapter 551, except to the extent such final
decision, or vote is taken in the Closed Meeting in accordance with the provisions of Section 551.086 of the
Texas Government Code (the ‘Public Power Exception’). The City Council reserves the right to adjourn into a
Closed Meeting or Executive Session as authorized by Texas Government Code, Section 551.001, et seq.
(The Texas Open Meetings Act) on any item on its open meeting agenda or to reconvene in a continuation of
the Closed Meeting on the Closed Meeting items noted above, in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings
Act, including, without limitation Sections 551.071-551.086 of the Texas Open Meetings Act.
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May 3, 2021City Council Meeting Agenda
C E R T I F I C A T E
I certify that the above notice of meeting was posted on the official website
(https://www.cityofdenton.com/en-us/government/open/agendas-minutes) and bulletin board at City Hall, 215
E. McKinney Street, Denton, Texas, on Friday, April 30, 2021, in advance of the 72-hour posting deadline, as
applicable, and in accordance with Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code.
__________________________________________
CITY SECRETARY
NOTE: THE CITY OF DENTON'S DESIGNATED PUBLIC MEETING FACILITIES ARE
ACCESSIBLE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT. THE CITY
WILL PROVIDE ACCOMMODATION, SUCH AS 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 940-349-8309 OR
USE TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICES FOR THE DEAF (TDD) BY CALLING 1-800-RELAY-TX
SO THAT REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION CAN BE ARRANGED.
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City of Denton
Legislation Text
City Hall
215 E. McKinney St.
Denton, Texas 76201
www.cityofdenton.com
File #:ID 21-080,Version:1
AGENDA CAPTION
Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding an update on the 87th Session of the Texas
State Legislature
City of Denton Printed on 4/30/2021Page 1 of 1
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City of Denton
_____________________________________________________________________________________
AGENDA INFORMATION SHEET
DEPARTMENT: City Manager’s Office
CM/ DCM/ ACM: Sara Hensley, Interim City Manager
DATE: May 3, 2021
SUBJECT
Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding an update on the 87th Session of the
Texas State Legislature.
BACKGROUND
On January 11, 2021, the State of Texas 87th Legislative Session convened in Austin; early bill filing began
in November 2020. As such, staff developed the City’s 2021 legislative program which Council adopted on
January 5, 2021. The legislative program is the City’s primary state legislative policy document, states the
City’s official position on legislative issues, and directs what level of action the City will take as bills are
filed and considered.
As a full-service city, there are numerous issues and bills which may have an impact on City operations,
both positively and negatively. To develop position statements that cover the most important issues facing
the City, the legislative program was developed through coordinated efforts among City departments and
in coordination and consultation with our proposed legislative consultants, Focused Advocacy and Jackson
Walker, LLP, and the Texas Municipal League.
DISCUSSION
The City’s two legislative advocacy consultants, Jackson Walker (general government issues) and Focused
Advocacy (electric utility issues) will present an update on the progress of the 87th Session of the Texas
Legislature, including:
General background on the Session;
Significant proposed legislation, their impacts, actions taken by the City of Denton;
Considerations for the remainder of the session; and
Important dates and legislative deadlines
The advocacy consultants will be available for questions regarding legislation. Additionally, select staff
will be available for questions on the impact of legislation.
Summary of 2021 Legislative Action Taken
As bills begin to move through committees and progress to the floor, City staff and legislative consultants
have been actively involved in upholding Council’s adopted 2021 legislative program. Letters addressed
from the Mayor and staff and/or formal comments in support or opposition were submitted in relation to:
SB 987 – a bill relating to camping in public spaces;
SB 10 and HB 749 – regarding the banning of taxpayer-funded legislative consultants;
City Hall
215 E. McKinney Street
Denton, Texas
www.cityofdenton.com
4
Several similar law enforcement defunding bills being heard before the House Ways and Means and
State Affairs Committees;
HB 1869 – a bill that would limit the ability of cities to issue routine, non-bond debt by limiting its
repayment to the Maintenance & Operations tax rate, as opposed to the Interest & Sinking tax rate;
SB 2142 – a bill that will require ERCOT to resettle energy and ancillary service prices for the last
32 hours of the winter storm of February 14; and
HB 610 – a super preemption bill that erodes local regulatory authority.
For a complete list of bills on which the City has taken action, the Friday Reports dated March 19, March 26,
April 2, April 9, April 16, and April 23 may be accessed here.
City staff and legislative consultants have also actively engaged the local delegation and various authors of
bills to express concerns and support on bills that may impact the City of Denton and the community. Staff
will continue to act on bills that impact Denton in alignment with Council’s adopted legislative program.
PRIOR ACTION/REVIEW (Council, Boards, Commissions)
A legislative update was provided to City Council in Informal Staff Report 2021-017 in the
March 19 Friday Report.
The Program was adopted by City Council on January 5.
EXHIBITS
Exhibit 1 – Agenda Information Sheet
Exhibit 2 – Adopted Legislative Program
Exhibit 3 – Presentations
Respectfully submitted:
Rachel Balthrop Mendoza
Assistant to the City Manager
Reviewed by Legal:
Amanda Brown
Deputy City Attorney
5
Statement of Purpose
The fundamental objective of the City's legislative activities is to produce positive outcomes for the
Denton community. Numerous proposals in the Texas Legislature have the potential to seriously impact
the ability of the City to carry out its overall mission. By taking a proactive role in monitoring and
engaging the Texas Legislature on proposed legislation, the City is working to ensure that policy
decisions can continue to be made locally and that the Denton community can continue to enjoy the
quality of life they have come to expect and deserve.
General Policies
As a general policy, the City will oppose any legislation that:
Is viewed as detrimental to the Denton's strategic goals or would limit its home rule authority;
Is contrary to the health, safety, and welfare of its residents;
Mandates increased costs or loss of revenues;
Would adversely impact municipal operations; or
Would diminish the fundamental authority of the City.
As a general policy, the City supports any legislation that:
Would advance the City's strategic goals and interests;
Improve the health, safety, and welfare of its residents; or
Responsibly raise sufficient revenues.
Partnerships and Coalitions
The City will form strategic partnerships with other cities, political subdivisions, private sector and non-
profit entities, and other appropriate stakeholders that share common goals with the City of Denton.
Additionally, the City will work in coordination with organizations such as the Texas Municipal League,
when their adopted positions are in line with the legislative objectives and goals of the City. The
formation of strategic partnerships and coordinated efforts is intended to provide the City with a
stronger presence in the legislative process.
General Government
The City of Denton will work to protect Denton residents’ right to govern themselves and work with
their local government and local elected officials to make decisions about their community at the local
level. The City supports legislation that protects or advances the principle of local control to allow for
locally elected officials to make decisions that are beneficial to the interests of City residents or that are
otherwise beneficial to the City's interest. The City of Denton opposes the pre-emption of municipal
authority and the imposition of unfunded mandates.
The City of Denton supports legislation that improves government transparency, so long as such
legislation does not create legal confusion, duplicate existing disclosure requirements, or cause an
undue burden as an unfunded mandate to the City.
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Revenue and Taxation
The City of Denton will work to protect the ability of the City's elected governing body to set its own
budget, raise the revenue necessary to provide services to City residents and businesses, and effectively
respond to the needs of the Denton community. The City of Denton further supports flexibility in the
sources and generation of revenues and opposes the imposition of unfunded mandates.
Economic Development
The City of Denton will continue to support access to economic development tools that could expand
our tax base, bring jobs to our community, and support businesses and industries that have chosen to
locate in Denton.
Land Use and Resources
The City of Denton will work to protect the City's ability to regulate growth and land development,
promote good land use, and manage development within the city limits and our extraterritorial
jurisdiction. The City of Denton further supports tools and authority to promote and regulate the health,
safety, and welfare of the city and opposes restrictions to local control and flexibility in land
development regulations and processes.
Mobility and Transportation
The City of Denton will continue efforts to improve and enhance the mobility and transportation system
throughout the state, region, and within the City of Denton, including advocating for increased funding,
support for non-vehicular mobility opportunities, including increasing bike and pedestrian routes and
improving safety, and pursuing collaborative and innovative solutions.
Utilities
The City of Denton will work to protect the City’s ability to manage our utilities, rights-of-way, and
publicly owned land and maintain our authority to make decisions about how our utilities are governed,
funded, and operated. The City of Denton further supports the preservation of authority and structure
of municipally owned utilities and opposes legislation that diminishes the ability for the City to provide
needed utility services at rates set by residents through the Denton City Council.
Community Development and Human Services
The City of Denton will work to encourage expansion of human services to the Denton community,
including access to affordable housing, social support for addressing homelessness and
behavioral/mental health, and access to high quality childcare and education.
Public Safety and Municipal Court
The City of Denton will continue efforts to ensure the safety or our residents and administer efficient
and effective public safety services and municipal court operations. The City of Denton further supports
flexibility and resources for disaster response, increased availability of training and technology resources
for public safety, statewide standards that uniformly enhance public safety, and the preservation of
judicial discretion within the municipal court.
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City of Denton Partners
The City of Denton will continue to support local, regional, and state partners in meaningful ways that
benefit the Denton community. To accomplish this goal, the City will:
Support legislation that directly benefits Denton County Transportation Authority, if such
proposals do not adversely affect the City's interests.
Support legislation that directly benefits NCTC, UNT, and/or TWU and Denton lSD, if such
proposals do not adversely affect the City's interests.
Support legislation that directly benefits non-profit partners serving the Denton community and
their ability to provide critical services to Denton residents in need, if such proposals do not
adversely affect the City’s interests.
Oppose legislation that would further reduce funding to Denton lSD, if such proposals do not
adversely affect the City's interests.
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The 2021
Legislative
Session
Denise Rose
Partner
Kate Goodrich
Associate
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AUSTIN | DALLAS | FORT WORTH | HOUSTON | SAN ANGELO | SAN ANTONIO | TEXARKANA | JW.com
Priority Bills for City of Denton
Ban on Tax-Payer Funded Lobbying
•SB 10 (Bettencourt) is the most-likely to pass bill. It
has passed the Senate and been referred to House
State Affairs Committee.
•The intent is that cities and counties would not be
able to hire contract lobbyists or consultants.
•It would not ban cities or counties from sending
representatives to come testify, but they would
need to be full-time employees of the city.
•It passed out of the Senate despite a total of 76
witnesses expressing opposition and only 15
witnesses expressing support.
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Priority Bills for the City of Denton
•HB 749 (Middleton) is the House version of the ban
on taxpayer-funded lobbying.
•Heard March 25 in House State Affairs and remains
pending.
•72 people registered to testify; bill was taken up at
1:00 am, so approximately 20 testified for and 20
against.
•No substitute language has been offered for this bill.
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Priority Bills for City of Denton
Statewide Public Camping Ban
•SB 987 (Buckingham) and HB 1925 (Capriglione)
•Both bills have been heard in their respective
committees.
•The House Bill has been set for a vote on the House
Floor, while the Senate Bill awaits a vote in
committee still.
•These bills would impose fines and penalties for
camping in a public place.
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Priority Bills for City of Denton
Stop Local Police Defunding
•SB 23 (Huffman) passed the Senate on April 13.
•This bill would prevent local governments from cutting
police budgets without voter approval.
•The bill would require cities or counties to hold an
election before reducing police funding from the
previous year, lower the number of officers, or reduce
funds per officer for training and recruitment.
•The bill passed the Senate on a bipartisan vote of 28-2.
•This bill is one among several similar bills, including HB
1900 (Goldman).
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Priority Bills for City of Denton
Limiting City Debt
•HB 1869 (Burrows) passed out of Ways and Means
Committee.
•The original primary focus was to modify the
definition of “debt” for purposes of the debt service
property tax rate calculation to only include debt
approved at an election and to restrict the use of
certificates of obligation (COs).
•City leaders voiced their opposition, and the new
Committee Substitute contains multiple changes to
accommodate those concerns.
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Priority Bills for City of Denton
State License Holders
•The Committee Substitute of HB 610 (Swanson) passed
out of Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence.
•The bill erodes local control and would authorize a person
who, or entity that, holds a state license in order to
practice the individual’s occupation or conduct the
entity’s business to bring legal action against a city to
enjoin the enforcement of a local law that:
•(1) establishes requirements for, imposes restrictions on, or
otherwise regulates the occupation or business activity of the
license holder in a manner that is more stringent than the
requirements, restrictions, and regulations imposed on the
license holder under state law; or
•(2) results in an adverse economic impact on the license holder.
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•Revenue and taxation
•Including relevant property tax issues and
protecting against unfunded mandates.
•Public Safety policy and budgeting
•Including homelessness, policing, and criminal
justice reform.
•Infrastructure issues
•Including solid waste and transportation.
•Public Information Act changes
Other Issues We Are Covering for Denton
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Larger Session Issues/Emergency Items
•Power balance between cities and state
•Scope of Executive Office authority
•COVID-19
•Winter Storm Uri*
•State acceptance and use of federal
funds
•CMS’ Withdrawal of 1115 Medicaid
Waiver
*Emergency item; other emergency items included bail reform, election integrity, rural broadband,
punishing cities that “defund the police,” and civil liability for businesses open during the pandemic.
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The 87th(R) Legislative Session is
January 12 through May 31
Important Deadlines*:
•Last day for House bills to be considered on Second Reading:
May 13
•Last day for the House to consider Local bills: May 21
•Last day for the House to consider Senate bills on Second
Reading: May 25
•Last day for the Senate to consider ALL bills: May 26
•Last day for all Conference Committee Reports to be adopted:
May 30
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THANK YOU!
Kate Goodrich
kgoodrich@jw.com
Denise Rose
drose@jw.com
19
ELECTRIC LEGISLATION UPDATE
DENTON CITY COUNCIL
MAY 3, 2021
CURTIS L. SEIDLITS, FOUNDER & CEO, FOCUSED ADVOCACY
20
SEVERE
WINTER EVENT
2
•Winter Storm Uri: February 14th –19th
•ERCOT power cost:
•before Uri: $5B
•week of Uri: $45.6B
•Customers went without electricity for an average of 42 hours
•52k megawatts lost
•ERCOT $3B shortfall
•3 PUC board members resigned
•6 ERCOT board members resigned
•Impact to DME: $141M ($207 million in energy purchases)
Legistar ID: 21-080 May 3, 2021 21
3
Customer
Interface Financial Reliability
ERCOT &
PUC
Reform
LEGISLATIVE QUESTION:
HOW DO WE STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN?
•Improving
communications:
ERCOT
DME
Customers
•Staggering losses
•Loss adjustments
•Repricing
•State guaranteed
loans
•Rainy day fund
•AG investigation on
price gouging
•Gas bills
•Federal funds
•ERCOT uplifts ($3B
payable $2.5M
monthly over 96
years)
•Securitization
•New state
regulated
generation
•Wind and solar
back-up
•Capacity market
•Demand market
•Number of
commissioners and
board members
•Texas centric
•Qualifications
Legistar ID: 21-080 May 3, 2021 22
LEADERSHIP AND
LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
4
Governor Abbott emergency items:
•ERCOT reform
•Mandating winterization for Texas’s power system (as well as ensuring the necessary funding)
•Correction of billing errors by ERCOT including any inaccurate excessive charges and any issues regarding ancillary service prices
Lieutenant Governor Patrick priorities:
•SB 2 (Hancock): ERCOT Reform
•SB 3 (Schwertner): Power Grid Stability
Key committees and players:
•Senate Business and Commerce (Sen. Hancock & Sen. Schwertner)
•Senate Jurisprudence (Sen. Huffman & Sen. Hughes)
•House State Affairs (Rep. Paddie, Rep. P. King, Rep. Raymond)
Speaker Phelan priorities:
•HB 10 (Paddie): Reforming ERCOT Leadership
•HB 11 (Paddie): Protecting Consumers and Hardening Facilities for Extreme Weather
•HB 12 (Raymond): Alerting Texans During Emergencies
•HB 13 (Paddie): Improving Coordination During Disasters
•HB 14 (Goldman): Weatherizing Natural Gas Infrastructure
•HB 16 (Hernandez): Defending Ratepayers
•HB 17 (Deshotel): Protecting Homeowners Rights
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IMPACT AND PATH
FORWARD FOR DME
5
1.Review all legislative proposals and participate in the debate
2.Work within stakeholder discussions including Texas Public Power Association and other market
participants
3.Support legislation that lessens financial impact
4.Support legislation that preserves cities preference for generation choices
5.Preserve DME role in future market structure
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LEGISLATIVE
DATES OF INTEREST
6
House and Senate Calendar Deadlines
•May 31st: last day of 87th regular session (sine die)
•June 20th: last day for Governor to sign or veto
Special Session(s)?
•July 2021: Medicaid funding and federal funds
•September 2021: redistricting
•Unknown on whether there will be a special session to address electric policy
Questions?
Legistar ID: 21-080 May 3, 2021 25
APPENDIX
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City of Denton
Legislation Text
City Hall
215 E. McKinney St.
Denton, Texas 76201
www.cityofdenton.com
File #:ID 21-785,Version:1
AGENDA CAPTION
Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding the 2021 Winter Weather After Action
Report and Plan.
City of Denton Printed on 4/30/2021Page 1 of 1
powered by Legistar™27
City of Denton
_____________________________________________________________________________________
AGENDA INFORMATION SHEET
DEPARTMENT: City Manager’s Office
ICM: Sara Hensley
DATE: May 3, 2021
SUBJECT
Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding the 2021 Winter Weather After Action
Report and Plan.
BACKGROUND
On February 14, 2021, severe inclement weather impacted the City of Denton and resulted in an
unprecedented demand for services which impacted departments city-wide. An emergency/disaster event
of this magnitude required a thorough review of departmental processes, impacts, and results of service
delivery.
Staff in various departments were asked to update City Council in the following areas as applicable to their
respective service delivery areas:
1. What were the intended results of your department operation/s?
2. What was supposed to happen during this weather event under your departments areas of
responsibilities?
3. What were the actual results? What actually happened under your departmental areas of
responsibilities? Did you have to vary operations under these circumstances? If so, what?
4. What caused the results of your operations and what were the differences, if any.
5. What worked, what did not and why?
6. What will we sustain and what do we need to improve regarding the operations of your areas of
responsibilities?
City departments presented information specific to their area using the following schedule:
• March 2 Work Session: Solid Waste and Recycling, Technology Services, Customer Service,
Animal Services
• March 16 Work Session: Facilities, Police/Fire/Emergency Management, Public Works: Streets,
Drainage and Traffic, Human Resources/Risk Management
• March 23 Joint Meeting with the Public Utilities Board: Denton Municipal Electric
• March 23 Work Session: Parks and Recreation & Community Services, Finance and Procurement,
Public Affairs
• April 5 Joint Meeting with the Public Utilities Board: Water/Wastewater Utilities
• April 6 Work Session: Public Works: Fleet
City Hall
215 E. McKinney Street
Denton, Texas
www.cityofdenton.com
28
Following the presentations, staff incorporated City Council feedback to develop a final 2021 Winter
Weather After Action Report and Plan (Exhibit 2) that includes a list of identified action items, assigned
department, anticipated timeline, and estimated budget impacts.
Many of the items are updates to departmental/city policy and procedures to ensure that staff is prepared
for an extended emergency weather event such as what was experienced in February. Departments assigned
to update specific policies include Finance, Procurement, Streets, Emergency Management, Public Affairs,
Police, Fire, HR, Fleet, Facilities, and DME.
There are other action items included in the report that require an expense. Some of the items are included
in department operational budgets, while other expenses are not and will be brought forward for City
Council consideration during the FY21/22 budget process.
Additionally, Emergency Services Consulting International has provided the City with an Emergency
Management Program Assessment draft report, which reviewed the emergency management response to
the winter weather event and includes recommendations for improvement. The report is still in draft form
and is currently being finalized. Staff will continue to review the report and provide information to City
Council at a later date, including information from the report and implementation considerations, where
applicable.
Moving forward, the City Manager’s Office and Internal Audit will review progress toward the action plan.
This information will be posted using the Internal Audit dashboard and will be available on the City’s
website for the City Council and public to view and track progress.
EXHIBITS
Exhibit 1 – Agenda Information Sheet
Exhibit 2 – 2021 Winter Weather After Action Report and Plan
Exhibit 3 – Presentation
Respectfully submitted:
Stuart Birdseye
Assistant to the City Manager
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Facilities
Item Owner Other Departments
Affected
Anticipated
Timeline Estimated Cost Other Notes
Determine back-up generator needs for City buildings,
create a priority list, and develop a plan and budget Facilities Water, Wastewater,
DME (DEC), Airport, Fire
Staff evaluation
concluded as part of
FY 21-22 Budget
Preparations.
Cost will be
determined following
the priority list
Staff has identified four generators that need to
be upgraded immediately for Fire Stations 1, 5, 6,
and 7. We have also identified 11 additional
locations we are recommending either new
generator installation or the installation of
transfer switches to allow for easy use of
portable generators.
Develop a plan and a budget to winterize fire suppression
systems for all City buildings Facilities
Estimated
Conclusion
September 2021.
<$50,000
Staff is evaluating locations and coordinating with
the Fire Marshall. Costs would be associated with
installing heaters near fire suppression lines at
occupied buildings.
Update electronic building access to improve building
security and access during power outages Facilities
Requesting funds as
supplemental in FY
21-22 Budget.
$200,000
Depending on location, door mechanics, as well
as the door, and frame need to be replaced to
ensure doors "fail secure." This means the door
will safely allow an exit in an emergency, but will
not allow entry during a power failure with a
manual key to enter.
Review list of critical infrastructure and hospitals for rolling
power outages DME EMO July 2021 Minimal DME are reviewing critical lists and updating as
necessary
Vehicles
Item Owner Other Departments
Affected
Anticipated
Timeline Estimated Cost Other Notes
Develop a plan/procedures to properly winterize City
vehicles, including plan to prevent fuel gelling Fleet Services All Fall 2021 None Develop PM Winterization task list and assign PM-
W schedules to all vehicles and equipment
Create plan to utilize fleet vehicles for plowing, road
maintenance, etc.Fleet Services Streets, Parks Fall/Winter 2021 None Develop list of currently compatible snow
clearing vehicles matched with equipment.
Determine best practices for winterizing Fire emergency
vehicles Fleet Services Fire Fall/Winter 2021 None Research apparatus freeze protection options
and best practices with peers in affected areas.
Procure plow attachments, sand spreaders, and other road
maintenance needs for major arterials in the City Fleet Services Streets, Parks,
Procurement Summer 2022 $50,000
Determine minimum equipment levels by class
and perform inventory of viable equipment.
Estimate procurement costs to fill any equipment
gaps.
Develop SOPs and train staff for sanding/plowing activities
for major arterials in the City Streets Fleet, Parks Fall/Winter 2021 None
Will create SOP's for sanding equipment and
plowing equipment. All Staff will be trained and
have yearly refreshers to prepare for the season.
Winter Weather After Action Items
By Category
30
Determine proper fuel stock and delivery methods for
emergency generators Facilities/Fleet Buildings with
Generators
Estimated
Conclusion
September 2021.
$11,200
Staff are coordinating with Fleet on the purchase
of a 600 gal Fuel Trailer using funds from FY 20-
21 operating budget.
Improve communication with departments as weather is
impending regarding shared resources/vehicles Fleet, Warehouse Summer 2021 None Develop interdepartmental communication
standard for pre-event notices.
Emergency Services/Business Services
Item Owner Other Departments
Affected
Anticipated
Timeline Estimated Cost Other Notes
Review Departmental Emergency Action Plans Emergency Management
Office (EMO)All Departments June 2022 Included in current
budget
EM Note: The EMP goes through an entire
update every 4 years. Updates will begin
summer of 21 and be completed in June 22.
Establish business continuity/contingency plans Tech Services All Departments October 2021 Included in current
budget EM Note: Update the plan for EM
Develop a plan for departmental WiFi hotspots for
essential staff to maintain internet connectivity Tech Services All Departments Completed None EM Note: EM Office has a FirstNet Hot Spot
Update Human Resource's Inclement Weather Policy for
City Employees Human Resources All Departments May 1, 2021 None
Improve city-wide emergency communication by setting
up a Live Status Board that EOC leadership can access and
see the status of specific issues, any current needs, and
how items are being handled throughout the COD
EMO March 2022 $5,000
Amend EOC procedures to include holding daily calls with
leadership to discuss major issues within the City EMO June 2022 None
EM Note: This will be placed in writing as part of
the EMP update planned to be completed by
June 22. In the interim this will go into effect
immediately when the EOC is utilized.
Review Police and Fire staffing levels for emergency events
and increased calls Fire/Police August 2021 None A winter weather response policy will be created
to capture staffing modifications
Secure a minimum of two traction control devices for all
vehicles Fire Procurement August 2021 $20,000
Procure replacement devices in off season to
reduce costs and have in place prior to winter
2021
Staffing plan/training to stand up short-term and long-
term community response needs
EMO, Parks, Community
Services
Start first training
July 2021 None Improve scheduling and training for events
Connect with local partners to form a wholistic view of
Emergency Management EMO Begin Fall 2021 Included in current
budget
Develop specific stages of winter weather with specific
trigger points to keep department aware of pending
operational changes
EMO June 2022 $5,000
EM Note: This item ties into the EMP and likely
into the new software solution we are
investigating. A basic template and plan will be
in place by the fall and the formalization of the
completed plan as part of the EMP and new
software.
Public Communications
Item Owner Other Departments
Affected
Anticipated
Timeline Estimated Cost Other Notes
31
Update communications protocols for outages, boil water
notices Public Affairs/Water DME June 30, 2021 None
Incorporate into protocols:
-additional communications channels/staff
-town hall/live updates
-structured rumor response actions
-Spanish-language procedures and guidelines
Public Affairs Various June 30, 2021 None
Create crisis preparation webpages (convert to response
pages)Public Affairs Various July 31, 2021 None
Consider reverse notification tools in 311/CRM
procurement Public Affairs Various May 30, 2021 None Solicitation in progress. Council approval in
summer
DME/Denton Energy Center
Item Owner Other Departments
Affected
Anticipated
Timeline Estimated Cost Other Notes
Increase Natural Gas Fuel Reliability DME Real Estate
Engineering, October
2021;
Analysis and
Recommendations,
December 2021
To be determined
Engineering and cost estimation of options
underway. Enterprise pipeline has provide 8.3
million proposal for new compression
Swap intermittent renewables for fixed shape and price DME November 2021 Not known at this time DME will seek 3 year or less proposal from
enabled counterparties.
Evaluate cost of outage insurance for winter and summer;
revised hedge targets for winter and summer DME Risk Management,
Procurement Summer 2021 In progress
Budgeted purchase for summer 2021 and will
integrate new estimate for winter 2022. Hedge
plan changes implemented after approval of
Energy Risk Management Policy in May.
Develop a plan for how to communicate and work with
major industrial users and commercial properties to reduce
the power loads
DME March 2022 Not known at this time
Voluntary reduction by commercial and industrial
customers upon appeal by DME. Long-term
demand side management plan will be premised
upon ERCOT market design
Department Specific
Item Owner Other Departments
Affected
Anticipated
Timeline Estimated Cost Other Notes
Completion of back up Customer Service operation center Customer Service May 30, 2021 None Currently in progress. Coordinating with Tech.
Services.
Develop plan and procure temporary street signage in case
of traffic signal failure Streets Public Safety Summer 2021 $8,150 This would be for 50 Temp. Working on quotes
then will work with purchasing.
Test and replace battery backup systems for all signals.
Due to the extreme cold the gel inside the batteries froze
and were rendered useless. LCD screens also froze and
cracked.
Streets Winter 2021, Spring
2022 $400,000
We need to focus on major Intersections first.
Will include these in our PM schedule and check/
replace as needed.
130 total signals estimate about 100 need
replaced at $4,000 each
Purchase generators for long-term signal power outages Streets Procurement Summer 2021 $3,000 This would be for 3 Honda EU200 Generators or
equivalent
32
Establish remote processes for most functions within
Finance; Implementation of Accounts Payable Automation
Software will further encourage use of ACH payments to
vendors
Finance All Departments 18 months In progress
In addition to automating the AP process, this
software will be used by Procurement to manage
vendors.
Review policies related to emergency expenses to make
recommendation for future emergencies Finance All Departments In progress None The updated Financial Disaster Plan is currently
being reviewed by internal stakeholders.
Establish minimum and maximum levels for emergency
supplies available to departments in the Warehouse Procurement All Departments October 1, 2021 None
Establish a list of readily available supplies and contracts to
be utilized during future emergencies Procurement/Warehouse All Departments October 1, 2021 None
Review existing policies related to food and lodging to
make recommendations for future emergencies Procurement All Departments October 1, 2021 None
Geocode water/wastewater infrastructure, update GIS
database Water/Wastewater DME - Meter reading 12 to 18 months $100,000
Staff is currently working with DME staff to
Geocode water meters. This data will be pulled
into GIS database
Set new winter inventory levels for water/wastewater
treatment plants Water/Wastewater 12 to 18 months $500,000 Emergency Generators, Fuel trailers and vehicle,
Additionally chemical inventory stock for winter.
Determine and secure proper levels of sand storage for
weather event Streets Streets, Parks On Going Materials Cost
This event we dispersed nearly 500 Tons. Normal
years are around 10-30 Tons. Currently supply is
replenished (around 300 Tons) Will continue to
monitor throughout the year to maintain current
levels. Will need to plan and increase if a big
event is eminent.
33
Winter Weather Action Plan
Wrap Up
May 3, 2021City Council Luncheon
34
Background
•During the week of February 14, 2021, Denton (and the State of
Texas) experienced a significant winter weather event.
•Following the event, individual departments presented after-action
reports to the City Council to review responses and identify areas
for improvement.
•The following slides combine those action items, including
anticipated timelines and budget considerations.
•The City Manager’s Office and Internal Audit will continue to
review progress toward these items and report to Council.
221-785 May 3, 2021
35
Facilities
3
•Rolling outages caused electronic building locks to repeatedly
disengage, causing staff to manually lock impacted locations.
•Some generators were not installed with the intent of
supporting HVAC systems.
•Buildings could be better winterized, including fire suppression
systems.
•Critical infrastructure experienced rolling outages
21-785 May 3, 2021
36
4 of 11
Facilities
Item Owner Other Departments
Affected
Anticipated
Timeline Estimated Cost Other Notes
Determine back-up generator needs for City buildings,
create a priority list, and develop a plan and budget Facilities Water, Wastewater,
DME (DEC), Airport, Fire
Staff evaluation
concluded as part of
FY 21-22 Budget
Preparations.
Cost will be
determined following
the priority list
Staff has identified four generators that need to
be upgraded immediately for Fire Stations 1, 5,
6, and 7. We have also identified 11 additional
locations we are recommending either new
generator installation or the installation of
transfer switches to allow for easy use of
portable generators.
Develop a plan and a budget to winterize fire suppression
systems for all City buildings Facilities
Estimated
Conclusion
September 2021.
<$50,000
Staff is evaluating locations and coordinating
with the Fire Marshall. Costs would be
associated with installing heaters near fire
suppression lines at occupied buildings.
Update electronic building access to improve building
security and access during power outages Facilities
Requesting funds as
supplemental in FY
21-22 Budget.
$200,000
Depending on location, door mechanics, as well
as the door, and frame need to be replaced to
ensure doors "fail secure." This means the door
will safely allow an exit in an emergency, but
will not allow entry during a power failure with
a manual key to enter.
Review list of critical infrastructure and hospitals for
rolling power outages DME EMO July 2021 Minimal DME are reviewing critical lists and updating as
necessary
37
Vehicles
•Some diesel fuel experienced gelling.
•Stocks of sand were depleted because of the length of the winter
weather event.
•Some vehicles were not winterized properly for the extreme
temperatures.
521-785 May 3, 2021
38
6 of 11
Vehicles
Item Owner Other Departments
Affected
Anticipated
Timeline Estimated Cost Other Notes
Develop a plan/procedures to properly winterize City
vehicles, including plan to prevent fuel gelling Fleet Services All Fall 2021 None Develop PM Winterization task list and assign
PM-W schedules to all vehicles and equipment
Create plan to utilize fleet vehicles for plowing, road
maintenance, etc.Fleet Services Streets, Parks Fall/Winter 2021 None Develop list of currently compatible snow
clearing vehicles matched with equipment.
Determine best practices for winterizing Fire emergency
vehicles Fleet Services Fire Fall/Winter 2021 None Research apparatus freeze protection options
and best practices with peers in affected areas.
Procure plow attachments, sand spreaders, and other
road maintenance needs for major arterials in the City Fleet Services Streets, Parks,
Procurement Summer 2022 $50,000
Determine minimum equipment levels by class
and perform inventory of viable equipment.
Estimate procurement costs to fill any
equipment gaps.
Develop SOPs and train staff for sanding/plowing
activities for major arterials in the City Streets Fleet, Parks Fall/Winter 2021 None
Will create SOP's for sanding equipment and
plowing equipment. All Staff will be trained and
have yearly refreshers to prepare for the
season.
Determine proper fuel stock and delivery methods for
emergency generators Facilities/Fleet Buildings with
Generators
Estimated
Conclusion
September 2021.
$11,200
Staff are coordinating with Fleet on the
purchase of a 600 gal Fuel Trailer using funds
from FY 20-21 operating budget.
Improve communication with departments as weather is
impending regarding shared resources/vehicles Fleet, Warehouse Summer 2021 None Develop interdepartmental communication
standard for pre-event notices.
39
Emergency Services/Business Services
•Departmental Emergency Action Plans need to be reviewed.
•Staff lost internet access at home during outages.
•Need for improvement of internal emergency communications and
coordination.
•Need to connect with local partners to form a holistic view of
emergency management.
721-785 May 3, 2021
40
8 of 11
Emergency Services/Business Services
Item Owner Other Departments
Affected
Anticipated
Timeline Estimated Cost Other Notes
Review Departmental Emergency Action Plans Emergency Management
Office (EMO)All Departments June 2022 Included in current
budget
EM Note: The EMP goes through an entire
update every 4 years. Updates will begin
summer of 21 and be completed in June 22.
Establish business continuity/contingency plans Tech Services All Departments October 2021 Included in current
budget EM Note: Update the plan for EM
Develop a plan for departmental WiFi hotspots for
essential staff to maintain internet connectivity Tech Services All Departments Completed None EM Note: EM Office has a FirstNet Hot Spot
Update Human Resource's Inclement Weather Policy for
City Employees Human Resources All Departments May 1, 2021 None
Improve city-wide emergency communication by setting
up a Live Status Board that EOC leadership can access
and see the status of specific issues, any current needs,
and how items are being handled throughout the COD
EMO March 2022 $5,000
Amend EOC procedures to include holding daily calls with
leadership to discuss major issues within the City EMO June 2022 None
EM Note: This will be placed in writing as part
of the EMP update planned to be completed by
June 22. In the interim this will go into effect
immediately when the EOC is utilized.
Review Police and Fire staffing levels for emergency
events and increased calls Fire/Police August 2021 None A winter weather response policy will be
created to capture staffing modifications
Secure a minimum of two traction control devices for all
vehicles Fire Procurement August 2021 $20,000
Procure replacement devices in off season to
reduce costs and have in place prior to winter
2021
Staffing plan/training to stand up short-term and long-
term community response needs
EMO, Parks, Community
Services
Start first training
July 2021 None Improve scheduling and training for events
Connect with local partners to form a wholistic view of
Emergency Management EMO Begin Fall 2021 Included in current
budget
Develop specific stages of winter weather with specific
trigger points to keep department aware of pending
operational changes
EMO June 2022 $5,000
EM Note: This item ties into the EMP and likely
into the new software solution we are
investigating. A basic template and plan will be
in place by the fall and the formalization of the
completed plan as part of the EMP and new
software.41
Highlights from Emergency Management
Program Assessment
•A consultant has performed an assessment and provided the following recommendations:
1.Hire a full-time Emergency Management Coordinator
2.Engage the community with focused public education campaign
3.Update OEM planning documents
4.Increase OEM activities funding
5.Improve internal disaster preparedness and response education
6.Ensure all employees designated to work in the EOC receive appropriate training
•Clear delineation should be made between EOC roles and Incident Command.
•Outside partner agencies and businesses should be included in disaster preparedness and response.
•Internal organizational research conducted provided review of 13 comparable municipalities to identify OEM departmental placement, with the majority placing within Fire Department or reporting to a Public Safety Director.
921-785 May 3, 2021
42
Public Communications
•Limited avenues to deliver emergency messaging to community.
•Anticipate follow up questions to communications to ensure that
the public fully understands the situation.
•Limited Spanish language translation available.
•Need to update communications protocols.
1021-785 May 3, 2021
43
11 of 11
Public Communications
Item Owner Other Departments
Affected
Anticipated
Timeline Estimated Cost Other Notes
Update communications protocols for outages, boil
water notices Public Affairs/Water DME June 30, 2021 None
Incorporate into protocols:
-additional communications channels/staff
-town hall/live updates
-structured rumor response actions
-Spanish-language procedures and guidelines
Public Affairs Various June 30, 2021 None
Create crisis preparation webpages (convert to response
pages)Public Affairs Various July 31, 2021 None
Consider reverse notification tools in 311/CRM
procurement Public Affairs Various May 30, 2021 None Solicitation in progress. Council approval in
summer
44
DME/Denton Energy Center (DEC)
•Limited fuel supply available for the DEC.
•Some industrial and commercial properties continued to use
energy with limited to no operations.
1221-785 May 3, 2021
45
13 of 11
DME/Denton Energy Center
Item Owner Other Departments
Affected
Anticipated
Timeline Estimated Cost Other Notes
Increase Natural Gas Fuel Reliability DME Real Estate
Engineering,
October 2021;
Analysis and
Recommendations,
December 2021
To be determined
Engineering and cost estimation of options
underway. Enterprise pipeline has provide 8.3
million proposal for new compression
Swap intermittent renewables for fixed shape and price DME November 2021 Not known at this
time
DME will seek 3 year or less proposal from
enabled counterparties.
Evaluate cost of outage insurance for winter and
summer; revised hedge targets for winter and summer DME Risk Management,
Procurement Summer 2021 In progress
Budgeted purchase for summer 2021 and will
integrate new estimate for winter 2022. Hedge
plan changes implemented after approval of
Energy Risk Management Policy in May.
Develop a plan for how to communicate and work with
major industrial users and commercial properties to
reduce the power loads
DME March 2022 Not known at this
time
Voluntary reduction by commercial and
industrial customers upon appeal by DME. Long-
term demand side management plan will be
premised upon ERCOT market design
46
Department Specific
•Long-term signal failures due to outages caused traffic
congestion/confusion.
•Need review of policies for emergency food purchases and lodging
for critical staff.
•Difficult to locate infrastructure, such as water/wastewater meters,
underneath the snow.
1421-785 May 3, 2021
47
15 of 11
Department Specific
Item Owner Other Departments
Affected
Anticipated
Timeline Estimated Cost Other Notes
Completion of back up Customer Service operation
center Customer Service May 30, 2021 None Currently in progress. Coordinating with Tech.
Services.
Develop plan and procure temporary street signage in
case of traffic signal failure Streets Public Safety Summer 2021 $8,150 This would be for 50 Temp. Working on quotes
then will work with purchasing.
Test and replace battery backup systems for all signals.
Due to the extreme cold the gel inside the batteries froze
and were rendered useless. LCD screens also froze and
cracked.
Streets Winter 2021, Spring
2022 $400,000
We need to focus on major Intersections first.
Will include these in our PM schedule and
check/ replace as needed.
130 total signals estimate about 100 need
replaced at $4,000 each
Purchase generators for long-term signal power outages Streets Procurement Summer 2021 $3,000 This would be for 3 Honda EU200 Generators or
equivalent
Establish remote processes for most functions within
Finance; Implementation of Accounts Payable
Automation Software will further encourage use of ACH
payments to vendors
Finance All Departments 18 months In progress
In addition to automating the AP process, this
software will be used by Procurement to
manage vendors.
Review policies related to emergency expenses to make
recommendation for future emergencies Finance All Departments In progress None The updated Financial Disaster Plan is currently
being reviewed by internal stakeholders.
48
16 of 11
Department Specific
Item Owner Other Departments
Affected
Anticipated
Timeline Estimated Cost Other Notes
Establish minimum and maximum levels for emergency
supplies available to departments in the Warehouse Procurement All Departments October 1, 2021 None
Establish a list of readily available supplies and contracts
to be utilized during future emergencies Procurement/Warehouse All Departments October 1, 2021 None
Review existing policies related to food and lodging to
make recommendations for future emergencies Procurement All Departments October 1, 2021 None
Geocode water/wastewater infrastructure, update GIS
database Water/Wastewater DME - Meter reading 12 to 18 months $100,000
Staff is currently working with DME staff to
Geocode water meters. This data will be pulled
into GIS database
Set new winter inventory levels for water/wastewater
treatment plants Water/Wastewater 12 to 18 months $500,000
Emergency Generators, Fuel trailers and vehicle,
Additionally chemical inventory stock for
winter.
Determine and secure proper levels of sand storage for
weather event Streets Streets, Parks On Going Materials Cost
This event we dispersed nearly 500 Tons.
Normal years are around 10-30 Tons. Currently
supply is replenished (around 300 Tons) Will
continue to monitor throughout the year to
maintain current levels. Will need to plan and
increase if a big event is eminent.
49
Moving Forward
•Some items will be brought forward as Supplemental Budget
requests for Council consideration during this budget cycle.
•Departments will update policy and procedures
•Finance, Procurement, Streets, EMO, Public Affairs, Police, Fire, HR, Fleet, Facilities, DME
•The City Manager’s Office and Internal Audit will review the
progress toward the action plan to track progress and budget.
Progress will be reported through the Internal Audit dashboard.
1721-785 May 3, 2021
50
Questions?
1821-785 May 3, 2021
51
City of Denton
Legislation Text
City Hall
215 E. McKinney St.
Denton, Texas 76201
www.cityofdenton.com
File #:ID 21-887,Version:1
AGENDA CAPTION
Deliberations regarding Personnel Matters - Under Texas Government Code 551.074; and Consultation with Attorneys - Under Texas
Government Code 551.071.
Deliberate and discuss the appointment, employment, duties, and retirement of the City Attorney, including the appointment of an
interim City Attorney; consultation with the City’s attorneys regarding associated legal issues where public discussion associated with
these legal matters would conflict with the duty of the City’s attorneys to the City of Denton and the Denton City Council under the
Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of Texas.
City of Denton Printed on 4/30/2021Page 1 of 1
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