Minutes March 22, 1995450
CITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
MARCH 22, 1995
The Council convened into a joint session with the Denton
Independent School District Board of Trustees on Wednesday, March
22, 1995 at 12:00 noon in the Civil Defense Room.
PRESENT:
ABSENT:
Mayor Castleberry; Mayor Pro Tem Brock; Council Members
Chew, Cott, Perry, and Miller.
Council Member Smith
1. The Council received a report and held a discussion regarding
the current City/DISD tax abatement policy.
Lloyd Harrell, City Manager, stated that the Fantus report had
recommended that the current tax abatement policy be critically
examined for relevancy. The current study originated in June of
1989 as a joint study by the City of Denton, the Denton Independent
School District and Denton County. Harrell reviewed the background
of the Committee's policy decision making process and the major
elements of the policy. In December of 1989, the Committee made a
formal recommendation regarding the policy.
Trustee Krueger asked if there was some form of abatement for
current businesses.
Harrell indicated that a current business would be considered for
the value of the improvement times 1.25% for a qualifying project.
Trustee Falbo asked about County involvement.
Harrell stated that the County had not formally approved the
project but that it followed the same policy as the City and School
District.
2. The Council received a report and held a discussion regarding
the City's fiber optics program.
Lloyd Harrell, City Manager, stated that no firm decision had been
made by Council regarding this issue. He noted a handout which
indicated advantages for education with such a fiber optic network.
Those advantages included a connection to the State Education
Network, E-Mail communication between campuses, connection to
University data bases, video broadcast courses to several campuses
and classrooms, video conferencing, teacher training to all
campuses from one broadcast location, and connection to research
data bases such as the Internet and World Wide Web. The City of
Denton had a basic fiber system and was constructing a loop to tie
in the electric substations. Excess capacity would be available.
The Public Utilities Board concluded that the City should make more
use of this type of technology and make it available should there
be inquiries regarding the excess capacity. A proforma developed
suggested that the capacity could be made available at a price less
than that offered by GTE. The current debate for this issue was
whether or not the city should be involved in this type of a
project.
Mayor Pro Tem Brock asked the DISD for its position on fiber
optics.
Dr. Albert Thomas, Superintendent of Schools, indicated that the
District was currently working on a computer bank which would tie
in various computers in the system. Currently it was difficult to
tie in the computers as there was not adequate capacity. In the
long term, the DISD was behind the curve with fiber optics.
3. The Council received an update on the DISD's transportation
facility.
Dr. Thomas stated that the location of the facility would be at
Ryan High School. The project was ready for bid and would be
completed in the fall. The access for Mills would be primarily for
buses with approximately 25-30 buses involved in the beginning. The
District was also getting ready to move forward for approval for a
second south exit at Ryan High School.
4. The Council received a report and held a discussion regarding
the Juvenile Crime Interagency Coalition.
Harlan Jefferson, Director of Fiscal Operations, stated that the
Coalition was ready to begin its work with only one organization
left to appoint a representative. The main goal for the Coalition
would be to prepare an annual report for Council regarding the
juvenile programs. The first meeting of the Coalition was
scheduled for March 30th. A contract/bonus program would be
considered with a report back to Council on the results.
Council Member Miller stated that the legislature was in the
process of updating the regulations associated with juvenile
crimes.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 1:25 p.m.
C~iTNIF~ WALTERS Y S~CRETARY
Y OF DENTON, TEXAS
BOB CASTL~R~
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS
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ACC00262