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Minutes September 13, 1988225 CITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL MINUTES September 13, 1988 The Council convened.into the Work Session at 5:30 p.m. in the Civil Defense Room. PRESENT: Mayor Stephens; Mayor Pro Tem Hopkins; Council Members Alexander, Ayer, Boyd, Gorton. ABSENT: Council Member McAdams 1. The Council held a discussion regarding alternate bids for the Teasley Lane project. Rick Svehla, Deputy City Manager, presented three options for the Council to consider regarding the construction on Teasley Lane. The first option would consist of an approximately 60 day construction period and would close Teasley except for an entrance near the Winn Dixie. The second option would allow access while construction was proceeding. This option would take approximately 80 days. The third option was to rebid the project at a later date so as to not affect the businesses during the Christmas holidays. Svehla stated that good bids had been received and if the project were delayed the price might go up as much as 10-15%. Council Member McAdams joined the meeting. Staff was suggesting visits to the businesses to obtain input from the merchants and present those options at the next Council meeting. 2. The Council held a discussion regarding the proposed ordinance setting new water rates. Bob Nelson, Executive Director for Utilities, stated that the reason for the increase was the debt service on Ray Roberts Lake. Without the increase, there would be a negative cash flow in the future. The current rate was $2.09/1000 gallons of water and the proposed new rate would be $2.26/1000 gallons of water. The increase would amount to a 9.75% increase in residential costs and a 7.18% increase in commercial costs. The overall total increase would be 8.5%. Dipa Dutia, Financial Analyst, presented the specific changes in the rate ordinance. She reviewed the rate changes for residential customers, commercial customers, wholesale customers, and governmental customers. Dutia presented comparisons of water rates with other cities. Rachel Reece, Consultant, reviewed the specifics of the rate study. City of Denton City Council Minutes September 13, 1988 Page 2 3. The Council received an update on the City health insurance program. ~ Tom Klinck, Personnel Director, provided an update on the City's self-insurance fund and reviewed the history of claims. Staff was recommending $170,000 be placed in the insurance fund, an increase in the employee rate for insurance, and minor plan/coverage changes. He stated that staff was having discussions with the Denton Independent School District regarding joint coverage for both sets of employees. e The Council did not meet in Executive Session. The Council convened into a special called meeting at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers. PRESENT: Mayor Stephens; Mayor Pro Tem Hopkins; Council Members Alexander, Ayer, Boyd, Gorton and McAdams. ABSENT: None 1. The Council held a public hearing regarding the proposed 1988-89 City of Denton Program of Services. Lloyd Harrell, City Manager, stated that the budget process had begun on July 5 with major budget issues being presented to Council. A formal proposed budget had been submitted to Council with formal workshops presented by various departments. Formal adoption of the budget was scheduled for September 20, 1988. This budget was the most optimistic he had presented as the tax rate was constant and had not changed, the budget would allow for a few new employees and some new issues plus a salary increase for City employees. The Mayor opened the public hearing. Kenneth Stout stated that the Council needed to take a look at the increases in the budget and determine how much revenue was from reappraisals. The City was in need of new growth and not only an increase in appraisals. The citizens were at their limits now for taxes. Dorothy Damico, Chairman - Human Resources Committee, spoke in support of the recommendations presented by the Committee. She stated that several new agencies had been added to the proposed budget due to increases in unemployment and the loss of a public hospital. The Committee was requesting emergency funding to agencies in health care areas. City of Denton City Council Minutes September 13, 1988 Page 3 Council Member McAd~ms asked why the Committee recommended a cut in funding to the SPAN services when the City did not have enough transportation services. Damico replied that the Committee felt transportation services were not the same as other human resource services and felt that transportation should find another funding source in the City budget. The two dollar amounts for SPAN and Handihop comprised over 40% of the budget. The Mayor closed the public hearing. Following the public hearing the Council convened in a work session in the Civil Defense Room. 1. The Council held a discussion regarding the proposed 1988-89 City of Denton Program of Services. Lloyd Harrell, City Manager, stated that there were several budget issues that still needed to be resolved. Those issues included: ADD DELETE 1. Environmental Health budget and revenue 1. $44,800 excess health funds 2. Legislative Consulting 2. Streets Library SPAN and Handihop TMRS buy-back - Prior Service - Military New Human Resources Programs - Parents Anonymous - Life Planning - Ann's Hospice - Pre-Natal Clinic A discussion followed dealing with the above issues with the consensus of the Council being: 1. Funding would be allocated for the environmental health budget ($87,410) and revenue ($122,037). 2. Funding would be allocated for legislative consulting ($30,000), streets ($10,500), library ($10,500), SPAN ($2,000) and Handihop ($2,000). 3. Funding would not be allocated for TMRS buy-back and due to legal considerations, funding to the proposed new Human Resource programs would not be allocated. City of Denton City Council Minutes September 13, 1988 Page 4 With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m. yI FER~WALTERS SECRETARY CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS 231 2985C