October 07, 2013 Minutes
CITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
October 7, 2013
After determining that a quorum was present, the City Council of the City of Denton, Texas
convened in a Work Session on Monday, October 7, 2013 at 11:30 a.m. in the Facilities
Management Conference Room at 869 S. Woodrow Lane, Denton, Texas.
PRESENT: Mayor Burroughs, Council Member Engelbrecht, Council Member Gregory,
Council Member Hawkins, Council Member Kamp, and Council Member Roden.
ABSENT: Council Member King.
1. Receive a report, hold a discussion, and provide staff with direction concerning the
development of a capital improvement bond program which will be considered by the
voters in November 2014.
Mayor Burroughs called the meeting to order at 11:40 a.m.
City Manager George Campbell stated that during the budget process a 2014 bond election had
been discussed. He stated that staff had compiled a list of potential projects by service area. He
stated that staff needed direction on some of these projects and the makeup of the bond
committee. He stated that depending on the discussion today, there could possibly be another
work session on October 21 to finish discussions.
Chuck Springer, Director of Finance, presented additional bond sizing scenarios based on
different levels of debt service tax rates. He reviewed a bond election with an estimated size of
$50.8 million and an estimated one cent debt service tax increase. This included streets,
reconstruction of two fire stations, vehicle replacements, facilities maintenance, matching fund
road improvement projects, and a GO bond program.
Council Member Roden asked why the fire stations were separated out from the other facilities
maintenance.
Springer stated that the repairs to the fire stations were significant.
Council Member Gregory asked if the street funding was additional money that was needed or if
it was from the 2012 election.
Springer stated that it was from the 2012 election.
Council Member Gregory asked what the one cent increase would mean to the average
homeowner.
Springer stated that Tony Puente, Assistant Director of Finance, would work on a figure.
Springer reviewed a bond election with an estimated size of $31.8 million with no debt service
tax increase. He also reviewed a bond election with an estimated size of $63.8 million and an
estimated two cent debt service tax increase.
Springer stated that with the no tax increase option, $21.6 million in vehicle replacements could
be eliminated and they could receive $55.0 million in long term debt capacity.
City of Denton City Council Minutes
October 7, 2013
Page 2
Springer reviewed the Staff Project Listing by functions – Street Reconstruction, Traffic,
Mobility Improvement, Drainage, Fire, Police, Parks, Library and Facilities.
Springer stated that staff had identified prioritization criteria – replacement of existing
infrastructure, required reconstruction of existing infrastructure, reduce flooding to structures,
efficiently meet demands of growth, and maintain current levels of service.
Council Member Roden stated he appreciated the prioritization criteria and asked if staff had
done a general priority list.
City Manager Campbell stated that staff had not done that. They did not want to pre-empt any
prioritization by the bond committee.
Springer reviewed the draft schedule for the bond election. The City Council could appoint a
bond election committee and approve a charge during November 2013. There could be between
six and ten Bond Election Committee meetings December 2013 through May 2014. The
Committee could bring their recommendation to the City Council in June 2014. The City
Council could discuss the Bond Committee recommendations during June and July 2014. The
City Council could hold a public hearing in August 2014. The City Council could consider an
ordinance calling the bond election in August 2014. The date of the election could be November
4, 2014. The City Council could canvass the election results in November 2014.
Tony Puente, Assistant Director of Finance, stated that for a home with an approximate value of
$154,000, a one cent tax increase would be $16.01.
Mayor Burroughs reviewed the process the Council used the last time a bond election was done.
He stated that now was the time to discuss the projects – for and against – and what they wanted
to include in the charge for the committee. He asked the Council if they wanted to include in the
charge to the committee – the fire station improvements and a minimum on streets of $4 million
over a three-year period. General consensus of the Council was to include these.
Council Member Roden stated that it was important to note that if they went with these, they
would be at $19 million already.
City Manager Campbell stated that Howard Martin would review the transportation projects.
Howard Martin, Assistant City Manager, reviewed how the projects identified within the Street
Reconstruction division were part of an ongoing effort to provide overall improvements to the
condition of City streets through the reconstruction and rehabilitation of existing pavements.
The reconstruction projects listed were selected on the basis of their overall condition index
(OCI): projects with an OCI of 0-25 that had no corresponding water/wastewater utility
reconstruction / replacement needs or projects with an OCI of 0-40 that had corresponding
water/wastewater utility reconstruction/replacement needs. Sidewalk replacements were
prioritized based on feedback from citizens or in conjunction with street rehabilitation projects.
Martin reviewed how staff had identified Traffic projects. Traffic signals listed were prioritized
first on the basis of age. Poles were replaced at a 20-year life and overall signal replacement was
planned at no later than a 40-year life. In addition to age, the design justifications for installation
and traffic and safety issues added to the priority assessed on a particular signal.
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October 7, 2013
Page 3
He stated that staff had contracted with CTC Technologies to conduct a feasibility study
outlining options and needed infrastructure to implement a railroad quiet zone at four Union
Pacific rail crossings in the downtown area as part of the Transit Center revitalization efforts in
downtown Denton. The feasibility study identified specific equipment along the railroad
corridor and street infrastructure enhancements to implement the proposed quiet zone.
Council Member Roden asked when there was street reconstruction scheduled and there were
sidewalks along that street, when they would be done.
Martin replied that they would be done at the same time.
Mayor Burroughs asked if there was any way to project for the committee future funding from
other sources that might shift the prioritization of projects.
Council Member Engelbrecht stated that they would also have to look at funding for additional
personnel.
Council Member Gregory asked about all the intersections with cameras.
Martin stated that the City was working to improve various intersections and the cameras
controlled the signals at those intersections.
Mayor Pro Tem Kamp stated that the City being ready to go with these projects was very
important as far as using funds from RTC.
Martin stated that projects identified within the Mobility Improvement division consisted of the
widening and improvement of existing roadways or the extensions of roadways in new
alignments primarily in order to provide increased capacity or improved connectivity. Priority in
the first phase was given to ongoing right-of-way acquisition and design such as the Bonnie Brae
Street section between I-35 and Scripture or Hickory Creek Road from FM 2181 to Riverpass;
needs for combined improvements in connectivity, capacity and layout such as Hickory Creek
Road from FM 2181 to FM 2499, the extension of Ruddell Street at Mingo Road, the expansion
of Morse Street to full capacity between Loop 288 and Mayhill Road, and the installation of an
additional access point to the Wheeler Ridge subdivision to FM 2181 via Jordan Lane; and
extension of capacity for ongoing system improvements, such as the Bonnie Brae Street section
from University Drive to Windsor Drive.
The priority order in the second phase followed the same philosophy from the extension of
Audra east to Loop 288 through to the improvement of McKinney Street to a modified arterial
status between Bell Street and Campbell Street.
Mayor Burroughs asked if there was a mechanism for the City to be reimbursed for infrastructure
improvements made to a projected area of future development where there would potentially be a
big contributor to the development.
City Engineer Frank Payne stated that the Development Code did not have a mechanism for
payback from developments for infrastructure.
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October 7, 2013
Page 4
Burroughs asked if the committee could get backup information on potential developments that
might help them with their decisions.
P.S. Arora, Assistant Director of Wastewater Utilities, stated that the City could recover some of
those costs through road impact fees.
Martin stated that projects identified within the Drainage division were prioritized on the basis of
extending ongoing drainage basin improvements intended to reduce flooding and to remove
structures from the 100-year floodplain, such as the extension of the Eagle Drive and PEC-4
Drainage Improvement projects. Additional projects were prioritized on the basis of their
relation to the Downtown Improvement Plan.
Mayor Burroughs asked how TIF funding affected drainage improvement projects.
Mayor Pro Tem Kamp stated that the Number 1 priority for TIF funds was a parking garage in
the downtown area.
City Manager Campbell stated that the spending of TIF funds was not exclusive to a TIF project.
Burroughs questioned if a major element of a project was eliminated, did the TIF funds shrink.
He said he would not expect those funds to be reallocated for another project.
Campbell stated that the money would have to be spent within the boundaries of the TIF zone.
Burroughs asked staff to add a footnote to a project as to whether it would be a TIF eligible
project.
Fire Chief Ross Chadwick stated that a high priority for the Fire Department was the training
facility and the remodel of two fire stations. He stated that North Central Texas College was
committed to starting a Fire Science program; and that NCTC was looking for partner to provide
a training facility.
Mayor Pro Tem Kamp suggested that Council may need a field trip to a training facility because
of all the new technology, etc.
Chadwick stated that Vintage Parkway was still the best option for the training facility.
Council Member Hawkins wanted to know more about the NCTC partnership and whether they
had a Fire/EMS program.
Police Chief Lee Howell stated they had submitted three projects for consideration. The number
1 project was the Police Department front lobby remodel. He stated they would like to make it
more customer friendly. He stated another project included remodeling some of the current
office space to provide additional offices and interview rooms for the Criminal Investigations
Bureau, additional work space for police/fire/911 communications and additional administrative
office space. Another project was improvements to the current Police Department firing range.
City of Denton City Council Minutes
October 7, 2013
Page 5
Emerson Vorel, Director of Parks and Recreation, stated that staff had used five criteria to help
prioritize their projects. One of the criteria was regulatory compliance. This included projects
that did not currently meet relevant codes. The projects included: filtration issue at Civic Center
Pool; elements of Eureka! Playground that did not meet standards; Quakertown restroom was not
ADA compliant; other playground improvements that did not meet standards; and Lake Forest
Dam was not in compliance with TCEQ guidelines. Another criteria used was public/council
request. Projects that had been requested by citizens or Council included: Trail Expansion,
Water Works Park, Vela Athletic Complex, Spray Ground/Splash Park, and a new park in the
downtown area.
Vorel stated that the City’s Water Park turned ten years old this year and had not added any new
features, unlike other water parks that added or changed features every few years. He stated that
after children reach about 8 to 10 years of age, they lost interest in the park and wanted to go to
other water parks in the region. Surveys showed that adding a wave pool and additional slides
would attract teens to the park.
Council Member Hawkins asked if the City had ever considered selling the Water Park.
Vorel stated that the Natatorium was tied to Denton ISD, so selling was not an option.
Council Member Gregory stated that he was amazed at the increase in revenue after the new
slide was put in at the Civic Center pool.
Council Member Roden suggested having a separate work session on improvements to the water
park or pool to attract children over age eight or nine.
Vorel stated that another criteria used was demand or capacity. Areas where facilities had
reached maximum capacity included: North Lakes Recreation Center; improvements to the
soccer field at Mack Park; two new lighted tennis courts at South Lakes Park; new water tap at
Denia athletic field for irrigation; and a restroom and pavilion at Lake Forest Park. Another
criteria used was deteriorating infrastructure. Facilities that were in need of replacement
included parking lots at Denia and Lake Forest; the fences and courts at Goldfield Tennis Center
needed to be replaced; ball field improvements were needed at Mack, Denia and North Lakes.
Vorel stated that the final criteria used were expansion/growth/productivity. These projects
would be needed to keep pace with the growth of the city and demand for additional recreational
facilities. Southwest Park Master Plan; Southwest Park Phase 1 Construction; funds to purchase
future park property; construct an indoor soccer/football/lacrosse facility; expand the Service
Center to accommodate additional staff and equipment; and design and construct a small service
center at North Lakes Park to be used by the Park Maintenance staff.
Terri Gibbs, Director of Library Services, stated that a fourth library was needed in the southwest
portion of the city and as a placeholder for further expansion a location in east Denton. In either
case, $500,000 for land acquisition would address those initial needs.
Mark Nelson, Director of Transportation, stated that Facilities Management had used five
different categories for their projects. They included imminent public health and
safety/mandatory-statutory, maintenance items above $10,000, enhancements, non-building
items and maintenance/work orders.
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October 7, 2013
Page 6
Nelson stated that there was a need for a municipal complex space study to determine the need
for a new municipal complex in a centralized location. He also stated that staff was
recommending a fund be established to assist in facilitating strategic property acquisitions. He
stated that from time to time private parcels throughout the community were placed on the
market without notice and acquisition of these parcels by the City might benefit the overall goals
and objectives of the City.
City Manager Campbell stated that many times there were issues at City Hall when
accommodating citizens for Council meetings and that there was insufficient space for
administrative offices. He advised the Council they could have those discussions once a space
study was done.
City Manager Campbell asked the Council to have a discussion of what their expectations were
for the committee.
Mayor Burroughs stated that the structure of the previous bond committees had worked
incredibly well and highly recommended using that structure. He felt a good dynamic group
would significantly impact the outcome of the committee meetings.
Council Member Roden stated that the makeup of the committee sounded fine to him. He stated
that this was a very specific project list that Council had been provided and wanted to know if
there was a process for Council-submitted projects and the process for citizen-submitted projects.
City Manager Campbell stated that the intent of this list was a starting point – so when it got to
the committee, they had something to work with.
Mayor Burroughs stated that residents had suggested a new animal shelter be on the last bond
election, but the committee did not consider it because they did not have good cost estimates in
time.
Mayor Pro Tem Kamp asked that staff prepare a cost estimate for a downtown parking garage so
that it could be considered by the committee.
Council Member Roden suggested that in order to give any citizen-initiated projects full
consideration, including cost estimates, the City could publish the list of proposed projects and
give residents a timeline to submit their suggestions.
Assistant City Manager Brian Langley asked the Council if they wanted to prioritize any of these
projects.
Mayor Burroughs stated that he would like the Council to recommend to the committee that they
include $4 million in street reconstruction each year and the fire station improvements.
Springer said to have anyone interested in serving on the bond committee, contact Jennifer
Walters for more information. There would be two meetings in November requesting
nominations from Council for the bond committee. He stated that they would also be
establishing the charge for the committee at a November meeting.
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October 7, 2013
Page 7
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 2:10 p.m.
_____________________________________
MARK A. BURROUGHS
MAYOR
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS
_____________________________________
JANE RICHARDSON
ASSISTANT CITY SECRETARY
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS