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