Minutes October 24, 1989236
CITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
OCTOBER 24, 1989
The Council convened into the Work Session at 5:30 p.m. in the
Civil Defense Room.
PRESENT:
Mayor Stephens: Mayor Pro Tem Ayer; Council
Members Alexander, Boyd, Gorton, and McAdams.
ABSENT:
Council Member Hopkins
1. The Council received a report concerning SPAN's plans
for delivering transportation services in the City of Denton.
Roger Nelson, Administrative Assistant, stated that SPAN was
developing a fixed route-fixed schedule transportation schedule
for the City of Denton. The three preliminary routes would be
serviced by trollies. Route ~1 would 'serve the central
business district, the universities and some apartment areas
with a start date of November 16, 1989. Route #2 would serve
areas in southeast Denton, the hospitals, the Square and the
mall with a start date of January 15, 1990. Route #3 would
serve the universities, utility offices, government offices and
the Square with no definite start date as yet determined. The
routes were flexible and with the addition of new trollies,
might be changed. The proposed routes might not serve all
parts of the community at that time but would be useful to many
Denton citizens.
Roberta Donsbach, SPAN, reviewed the background of the
acquisition of the trollies. She stated that SPAN had received
the support of the Central Business District which would help
in raising money for the purchase of the trollies. The
trollies would be operating 5 days a week with possible
expansion as the program continued. Route #1 and ~2 would
operate 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. with one later night possible.
When all three routes were on-line, the hours might be changed
to 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
2. The Council received a report on the comprehensive
study and re-evaluation of the City of Denton's Compensation/
Classification Program by Mercer Meidinger Hansen and discussed
Council's direction on setting compensation policy.
Tom Klinck, Director of Personnel, stated that Mercer Meidinger
Hansen was in the process of studying the City's
classification/compensation program. He reviewed the
background of the study. Phase I included job analysis and Dob
description review. Phase II included market analysis and
salary structure review, Phase III included performance
management/program design and Phase IV included final report
and program implementation. The overall project would be
City of Denton City Council Minutes
October 24, 1989
Page 2
completed in the spring of 1990. Thus far, the project had
included meeting with executives, directors and division
managers to solicit their employee pay suggestions and
philosophy as well as designing a position questionnaire.
Pre-testing the position questionnaire with forty-five
employees of varying levels within the organization had been
done and also collection of information on the current salary
surveys, pay structures, pay plans and performance evaluation
system.
Tom Riley, Mercer Meidinger Hansen, stated that the firm would
like to provide the opportunity for as many people as possible
to express opinions regarding their jobs. They had met with
the management team regarding the current program and what the
team would like to see in the future. They were requesting
Council philosophy in the areas of competitiveness, internal
equity and objectivity, how pay should relate to performance
and perceptions of the best methods to evaluate performance.
He asked Council for their impressions of merit pay.
Mayor Pro Tem Ayer stated that he was in favor of merit pay but
that it was very difficult to evaluate. It had to be
accurately measured and in a way that employees would
understand.
Council Member McAdams stated that merit pay had to be not too
subjective. If there were some objectivity, it might come
close to being fair.
Council Member Boyd was concerned about some jobs being
misclassified. Some might be intentionally misclassified in
order to keep them in the budget and some part-time jobs were
really not part-time thus preventing the employee from
receiving full benefits.
Council Member Gorton felt managers needed to be trained
properly for the proper format of increases. Department
supervisors must justify merit increases or no merit
increases. Written comments were needed, not just the checking
off of items.
Council Member Alexander stated that the City needed to plan
ahead to train managers at each level to implement a merit
system at each level of City government. It must be objective
and must be justified in written form. He felt it was
important that the merits be rewarded and to make sure that
employees got increases.
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City of Denton City Council Minutes
October 24, 1989
Page 3
Council Member McAdams stated that the merit pay must be
reachable. Incentives must be in place that the employee could
reach. There needed to be a range of merit pay, not an all or
none situation.
Council Member Alexander also felt that caps needed to be taken
off salary ranges. There would be more flexibility for merit
pay if there were no caps and employees would not reach the top
of the range too soon.
Mayor Pro Tem Ayer stated that merit pay was full of pitfalls.
An example would be if a department head were given a lump sum
of money for merit increases, he might divide the money equally
among his employees which would defeat the merit system. The
question was how to get to the base pay on real merit. If
everyone were on a merit system, there would come a time when
inequities would get in the pay scale. Small across the board
increases were needed for cost of living, etc.
Mayor Stephens asked the Mercer Meidinger Hansen people to take
a look at the pay parity between the branches of public
safety. He stated that there were some )ohs in the City that
did not require certain skills or education but that were
needed. He wanted those jobs looked at for possible incentives
for employees to remain in those ~obs. He was also concerned
about supervisors who had remained on the ~ob so long that they
no longer received increases while those employees he was
supervising were still receiving increases and may in fact earn
more money than the supervisor.
Council Member McAdams suggested looking into those positions
that lend themselves to sharing employees. Part-time work for
two people rather than one full time employee
Debra Drayovitch, City Attorney, stated that uniform standards
should be applied throughout the City to reduce the potential
claims against the City.
3. The Council did not meet in Executive Session during the
Work Session.
The Council then convened into the Special Called Session at
7:00 P.m. in the Council Chamb~rp.
PRESENT:
Mayor Stephens; Mayor Pro Tem Ayer; Council
Members Alexander, Boyd, Gorton, and McAdams.
ABSENT:
Council Member Hopkins
City of Denton City Council Minutes
October 24, 1989
Page 4
1. The Council received and opened bids regarding the
City of Denton $20,000,000, Series 1989, Revenue Bonds.
David Medanich, First Southwest Company, stated that there were
7 bids received for the revenue bonds. He presented the bids
with' the effective interest rate: Merrill Lynch, 7.1364:
Chemical Securities, Inc., 7.0960: Rauscher, Pierce and Refnes,
7.072968: Goldman Sachs, 7.2743; Marine Midland Capital
Markets, 7.06188: Kemper Financial, 7.1099: and Van Kamp and
Merit, 7.1687. He stated that he would retire and check the
validity of the bids.
2. The Council received and opened bids regarding the City of
Denton $1,550,000, Series 1989-A, Certificates of Obligation.
David Medanich stated that seven bids had also been received
for the certificates of obligation. The following were the
bids received with their effective interest rate: Bank One,
6.735201; Merrill Lynch, 7.1308; First Southwest Company,
6.944174; Eppler, Guerin and Turner, 6.774515: Kemper Financial
Companies, 7.0077: NCNB, 6.90703; and Rauscher, Pierce and
Refnes, 6.854611. He stated that they would retire and check
the bids for accuracy.
Mayor Stephens asked Medanich to detail to Council the ratings
from the rating companies.
Medanich replied that the General Obligation rating was AA-
from Standard and Poors and an A1 from Moody's, On the Revenue
Bonds the rating was A+ from Standard and Poors and an A from
Moody's. The response received from the rating companies
regarding the ratings were due to the economic condition of
Texas. Moody's had not given any increases in the last year or
tWO.
John McGrane, Executive Director for Finance, stated that that
was not a downgrade and was an upgrade from the General
Obligation standpoint.
3. The Council held a public hearing and considered an
ordinance adopting a Detailed Plan for approximately 2.117
acres of land that was currently zoned Planned Development.
This was a petition by Bill Deberry within PD 5. (Z-89-015)
(Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval.)
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City of Denton City Council Meeting
October 24, 1989
Page 5
The Mayor opened the public hearing.
Bill Deberry requested approval of the detailed plan. He felt
the development would enhance the area by the landscaping he
would be putting in. He would be planting a greenway wall
between Emery Street to the back of his property. He had
donated a 10' easement for future underground utilities on the
southwest corner of the property so there would be no greenery
there. Traffic problems would be at a minimum as he would have
people directing traffic before any funeral and two police
officers would direct traffic after any funeral. Also the
funerals were scheduled during non-rush hours.
No one spoke in opposition.
The Mayor closed the public hearing.
Owen Yost, Urban Planner, stated that the proposal adhered to
the Subdivision Regulations, the landscaping exceeded the
requirements from the landscaping ordinance,and no additional
intensity trips were expected. The Landscape Volume Index was
proposed at 12.35% while prior to any development the LVI was
less than 1%. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended
approval.
The following ordinance was considered:
NO. 89-147
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, PROVIDING
FOR THE APPROVAL OF A PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DETAILED
PLAN FOR 2.116 ACRES OF LAND LOCATED IMMEDIATELY SOUTH
OF UNIVERSITY DRIVE, BETWEEN BONNIE BRAE AND ECTOR
ROADS; PROVIDING FOR A PENALTY IN THE MAXIMUM OF
$2,000 FOR VIOLATIONS THEREOF; AND PROVIDING FOR AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
Gorton motioned, .Ayer seconded to adopt the ordinance. On roll
vote, McAdams "aye," Alexander "aye," Gorton "aye," Ayer "aye,"
Boyd "aye," and Mayor Stephens "aye." Motion carried
unanimously.
4. Ordinances
A. The Council considered adoption of an ordinance
authorizing the issuance, sale, and delivery of City of Denton
Utility System Revenue Bonds, Series 1989, and approving and
authorizing instruments and procedures relating thereto.
City of Denton City Council Minutes
October 24, 1989
Page 6
David Medanich, First Southwest Company, stated that the bids
had been verified and recommended Council accept the bid from
Marine Midland Capital Markets.
Paul Horton, McCall Parkhurst and Horton, stated that as the
City's bond attorney he verified the bid and recommended
passage of the ordinance.
The following ordinance was considered:
NO. 89-148
AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE, SALE, AND
DELIVERY OF CITY OF DENTON UTILITY SYSTEM REVENUE
BONDS, SERIES 1989, AND APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING
INSTRUMENTS AND PROCEDURES RELATING THERETO.
Alexander motioned,
roll vote, McAdams
"aye," Boyd "aye,"
unanimously.
Ayer seconded to adopt the ordinance. On
"aye," Alexander "aye," Gorton "aye," Ayer
and Mayor Stephens "aye." Motion carried
B. The Council considered adoption of an ordinance
authorizing the issuance, sale, and delivery of City of Denton
Certificates of Obligation, Series 1989-A, and approving and
authorizing instruments and procedures relating thereto.
David Medanich, First Southwest Company, stated that he had
checked the bids for accuracy and recommended the bid from Bank
One.
Paul Horton, McCall, Parkhurst and Horton, verified the bid and
recommended passage of the ordinance.
The following ordinance was considered:
NO. 89-149
AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE, SALE, AND
DELIVERY OF CITY OF DENTON CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION,
SERIES 1989-A, AND APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING
INSTRUMENTS AND PROCEDURES RELATING THERETO.
McAdams motioned, Gorton seconded to adopt the ordinance. On
roll vote, McAdams "aye," Alexander "aye," Gorton "aye," Ayer
"aye," Boyd "aye," and Mayor Stephens "aye." Motion carried
unanimously.
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City of Denton City Council Minutes
October 24, 1989
Page 7
Miscellaneous matters from the City Manager.
Lloyd Harrell, City Manager, presented the following item:
mailed.
Ail of the City of Denton tax statements had been
6. There was no Executive Session held during the Work
Session.
7. New Business
Council Members did not have any items of new business for
future agendas.
8. The Council then convened into Executive Session to
discuss legal matters (considered action in Denton County vs.
City and In Re: Flow, in Perry vs. City, et al. and considered
settlement in Bowling vs. City), real estate, and
personnel/board appointments (continued annual performance
evaluation of the Municipal Judge, City Attorney and City
Manager and considered appointments to the Animal Shelter
Advisory Committee, Building Code Board, and NCTCOG Regional
Transportation Council. No official action was taken.
Council Member McAdams left the meeting at 10:07 p.m.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:37
p.m.
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS
3147C