Minutes March 7, 2005
CITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
March 7,2005
After determining that a quorum was present, the City Council convened in a Special Called
Meeting on Monday, March 7,2005 at 11 :30 a.m. in the Council Work: Session Room.
PRESENT:
Mayor Brock:; Mayor Pro Tem McNeill; Council Members Kamp, Montgomery,
Mulroy, and Thomson.
ABSENT:
Council Member Redmon
1. The Council received a report, held a discussion and gave staff direction on Street
Construction Issues within the City of Denton.
Jim Coulter, Director of Water/Wastewater Services, presented street construction issues that
included the Denia area and Austin Street construction proj ects, the inspection process, street
failures, Pavement Focus Group discussion and the Subgrade Focus Group discussion.
.
Denia area/Austin Street construction projects
Coulter reviewed the time line for the project. He stated that the challenge of the project was
fragmented, as there was no overview of the entire proj ect area. A proj ect checkJist to be
completed by all involved departments for proj ects was being developed which should solve this
problem. Changes in the Engineering Department structure and CIP work: would tak:e care of the
lack: of the overview of the project. Contractor problems also affected some of the timing of the
projects. Incentives might be considered for contractors to complete projects on time.
.
Inspection process
Currently the City was using similar practices employed by other municipalities. Testing was
funded through the proj ect for CIP proj ects in terms of inspector schedules and monitor testing.
F or private developments, the developers provided their own scheduling and testing. In the past,
the City performed testing for private developments but due to liability and budget reasons, the
responsibility was transferred to the developer. It was felt that there was a need to establish and
require a standard pattern or frequency for concrete sampling.
.
Street failures
Coulter reviewed the procedure of mudjack:ing versus reconstructions; the conditions during
1999/2000 that helped contribute to street failures including the drought period and what
occurred during those years; the lane miles added versus lane miles failed; and what could be
done to lower the failure percentage.
Council discussed the inspection/monitoring processes and what needed to be improved during
periods of drought/wet weather; whether to hire staff for inspections or use an outside agency to
do the inspections; and a charge should be returned to the developer for any city-initiated
inspection.
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March 7,2005
Page 2
.
Pavement Focus Group
Coulter stated that the Pavement Focus Group had developed a Transportation Design Criteria
Manual that included the revised street design standards adopted as a part of the new
Development Code. The Design Criteria Manual specified minimum thiclrness for both asphalt
and concrete. Two areas of concern from the Group were that the asphalt pavement was not an
option for high use roads such as primary or secondary arterials and the pavement design criteria
was not documented with asphalt and concrete pavement thiclrness possibly not structurally
equivalent.
.
Sub grade Focus Group
Coulter indicated that there was a need for improvements associated with the specifications and
standards dealing with sub grade and trenchlines. A focus group was recommended that would
mak:e recommendations on needed improvements with testing, quality control appropriate soil
moisture content. The group would define a mission statement, coordinate meetings and bring
forward recommendations.
Coulter stated that an action plan for improvements would include the development of public
infrastructure procedures/processes that would be legally defensible during and after construction
time, develop a sufficient time for problem identification; and support timely remediation of
failures.
Council adjourned to Closed Session at 12:30 p.m. and resumed open session at 1 :00 p.m.
2. The Council held a discussion regarding the newly approved CIP Program including
timing of proj ects, issuance of debt, potential tax rate changes and associated operational and
maintenance costs.
Kathy DuBose, Assistant City Manager, presented timing scenarios regarding the CIP project.
Assumptions included an 8% annual growth in the ad valorem value with no appraisal/property
tax caps. This could change if the ad valorem values were lower or higher than 8%, if projects
were moved up or deferred and if the bond interest rates went up or down.
Council discussed a possible policy issue change, which would change to a level payment debt as
opposed to level principle debt. The level payment debt would pay the same amount each month
and would possibly mean the full 4-cent tax increase would not be needed. A question was
ask:ed about the prospects of raising the bond rating and if this practice would help with that
increase. DuBose responded that this was one area look:ed at by the rating agencies and should
not adversely affect it. Another suggestion by Council was that it might be smarter to borrow
more now, as the interest rates were lower.
Council discussed the process involved with deferring proj ects or moving proj ects ahead on the
proposed schedule. In the past, the Blue Ribbon Committee made recommendations to the
Council on those issues. However, that was before the Council had established a Mobility
Committee. The initial suggestion by Council was to have the Blue Ribbon Committee review
any proposed changes to the schedule and mak:e recommendations to the Mobility Committee,
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March 7,2005
Page 3
which would report to Council. The Blue Ribbon Committee would understand that the Mobility
Committee might mak:e changes to their recommendation. Council further discussed that the
process might not work: the same as in prior bond issues as the Mobility Committee had been
formed to help with some of these issues. Council refined the suggested process to have the
Mobility Committee put together the details of proj ects, coordinating information from outside
agencies, present a recommendation to the Blue Ribbon Committee and the Blue Ribbon
Committee would present those recommendations to Council.
Council discussed some of the proj ects and felt that Western Boulevard should not be delayed
and staff should look: ahead for parkJand acquisition.
DuBose stated that the runway extension and the multimodal station had been tak:en out of the
bond proj ects and would be funded with certificates of obligation. Council ask:ed about the
associated operation and maintenance costs of the proposed five-year CIP. DuBose stated that
those costs were included in the scenarios. She also detailed an explanation of the tax rate and
how it was really two pieces - one for operation and maintenance and the other for debt service.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 1 :45 p.m.
EULINE BROCK
MAYOR
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS
JENNIFER W ALTERS
CITY SECRETARY
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS