Minutes May 19, 2003CITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
May 19, 2003
After determining that a quorum was present, the City of Denton City Council convened in a
Work Session on Monday, May 19, 2003 at 11:30 a.m. in the City Council Work Session Room.
PRESENT:
Mayor Brock; Mayor Pro Tern Burroughs; Council Members Kamp, McNeill,
Montgomery, Redmon and Thomson.
ABSENT: None
1. The Council received a report and held a discussion regarding the Denton County
Transportation Authority, including but not limited to general funding options for transportation
needs.
Joe Roy, Vice-Chair- Denton County Transportation Authority, presented funding options for the
Authority plus a review of the history of the establishment of the committee. He indicated near
term milestones including sales tax election dates and dates to call the sales tax election. Sales
tax issues included proposed legislation currently under consideration that could place county
transportation authorities under TxDot control. Roy reviewed various sales tax rate scenarios as
found in the handout provided to Council. Remaining questions to answer included
concentrating efforts for the election in the five largest cities, deciding on the minimum uniform
rate, and which of the larger cities would support a rate higher than the minimum uniform rate.
Council discussion included which major cities would be included in the additional funding
request, which cities had only ~A% sales tax available, whether or not all of the smaller cities
were included and if the smaller cities not originally included could come back later and ask for
service even though they might not be supplying funding.
Ed Snyder, Deputy City Attorney, stated that a review of the statute seemed to indicate that there
were two separate issues when calling the election. One dealt with the minimum uniform rate
and the other would be the additional funding request for the larger cities. The Transportation
Authority would call for the minimum uniform rate and the City would call for the extra rate. A
question had been raised whether these two questions could be placed on one ballot. He felt
there might be a legal problem to do so. The minimum uniform rate had to be established first
and then the additional rate, not done at the same time.
Council Member McNeill stated that at a prior planning session there had been discussion about
allocating 1/8% tax for street maintenance over a 4 year period.
Mayor Brock asked what guidance Roy needed for his upcoming meeting.
Roy indicated that he needed to know what should be the minimum rate and what cities should
be chosen to call the election.
Council discussion included giving voters the option of 1/8% for street maintenance and 3/8%
for the Transportation Authority; going with the 3/8% would extend Denton's service to 11
years; replacing 1/8 sales tax would cause an 8 cent increase in ad valorem tax; changing the
level of service to accommodate the change in sales tax; and the fact that there was a need to
have a plan to take care of the streets.
City of Denton City Council Minutes
May 19, 2003
Page 2
Chuck Carpenter, Denton Chamber of Commerce, indicated that the Board had a policy support
for both issues. Access into and out of Denton was very important. The amounts were not
important if Denton were able to support DCTA and address the issue of streets.
Roy felt that if Denton went to 3/8%, the other larger cities would do the same and not go ~A%.
However, he was reluctant to have the minimum uniform rate set at 3/8%. He would prefer the
minimum uniform rate at ~A% and then see if the larger cities would go the extra ~A%.
2. The Council received a report and held a discussion regarding plans for future City
Council meetings.
Mayor Brock felt that it would be beneficial to have luncheon meetings on a more regular basis
and asked for possible dates and discussion topics.
Council Member McNeill suggested holding them more than quarterly.
Council Member Redmon suggested holding one work session in the community with an open
forum topic.
City Manager Conduff indicated that staff would develop a list of topics for Council to consider.
Council suggested the following topics for future luncheon meetings: boards and commissions;
joint meetings with the major boards and commissions; council ethics policy; tree preservation
associated with Development Code revisions; dedication of mineral resource money for specific
purposes; diversity; itinerant vendors and community forum meetings with an open forum for
citizens to discuss issues important to them.
City Manager Conduff stated that staff would work with the Council Agenda Committee to
develop a possible list of dates, structure of the meetings, topics of discussion and logistics of
holding meetings out of City Hall.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 1:50 p.m.
EUL1NEBROCK
MAYOR
CITY OFDENTON, TEXAS
JENNIFER WALTERS
CITY SECRETARY
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS