April 06, 2015 MinutesCITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
April 6, 2015
After determining that a quorum was present, the City Council of the City of Denton, Texas
convened in a Work Session on Monday, April 6, 2015 at 11:30 a.m. in Municipal Court at City
Hall East, 601 E. Hickory Street, Denton, Texas.
PRESENT: Mayor Pro Tem Engelbrecht, Council Member Gregory, Council Member Hawkins,
Council Member Johnson, Council Member Roden, and Council Member Ryan and
Mayor Watts
ABSENT: None
1. Work Session Reports
A. ID 15 -278 Receive an update on Municipal Court and participate in a tour of the
facility
Robin Ramsay, Municipal Judge, presented an update of the Municipal Court. He reviewed the
history of the current building and the Court complex. The Court was a statutory Court of
Record primarily dealing with criminal court and a fine only court. He reviewed the range of
fines and Court costs paid to the State. The Municipal Court was a blend of various departments
including the Judge's office, Finance Department with the Municipal Court Clerk and the City
Attorney Office with the prosecutor. The number of cases seen by the Court was reviewed along
with the types of cases.
The Court also had magisterial jurisdiction in support of Denton Police Department and other
law enforcement agencies such as arrest and search warrants; animal cruelty, dangerous animals,
property and weapons dispositions, and emergency protective orders.
B. ID 15 -282 Receive an update on the Denton Public Safety Training Center, 719 E.
Hickory Street, and participate in a tour of the facility.
Lee Howell, Chief of Police, reviewed the history of the training facility. He noted that the
facility enabled Denton to do its own policy academy which allowed training in Denton's
methods. This assisted new officers when incorporated into the Denton police department.
Council began a tour of the facility at 1:40 p.m.
Following the completion of the tour, the City Council convened in a Closed Meeting at 2:09
p.m. in the Council Work Session Room at City Hall, 215 E. McKinney Street to consider the
specific items listed below under the Closed Meeting section of this agenda.
1. Closed Meeting:
A. ID 15 -244 Deliberation regarding Personnel Matters - Under Texas Government
Code Section 551.074.
Deliberate and discuss the evaluation, duties, discipline, procedures, and contracts of the
City Attorney, Municipal Court Judge, and City Manager.
City of Denton City Council Minutes
April 6, 2015
Page 2
B. ID 15 -299 Consultation with Attorneys - Under Texas Government Code, Section
551.071.
Consult with and provide direction to City's attorneys regarding legal issues and
strategies associated with the current Gas Well Ordinance, and proposed Gas Well
Ordinance amendment, regulation of gas well drilling and production within the City
Limits and the extraterritorial jurisdiction, including: Constitutional limitations, statutory
limitations upon municipal regulatory authority; statutory preemption and vested rights;
impacts of federal and state law and regulations; impacts of gas well drilling upon
protected uses and vice - versa; current and proposed extension to moratorium on drilling
and production; other concerns about municipal regulatory authority or matters relating to
enforcement of the Gas Well Ordinance, both current and proposed; settlement matters
concerning gas well drilling in the City; surface development issues involving surface
and mineral estates; and legal matters associated with a citizen's initiative ordinance and
pending litigation styled Jerry Patterson, Commissioner, Texas General Land Office v.
City of Denton Texas, Cause No. D- 1- GN -14- 004628 currently pending in the 53rd
District Court of Travis County and Texas Oil and Gas Association v. City of Denton,
Cause No. 14- 09833 -431 currently pending in the 431st District Court of Denton County
regarding hydraulic fracturing where a public discussion of these legal matters would
conflict with the duty of the City's attorneys under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of
Professional Conduct of the State Bar of Texas.
Council reconvened in Open Session at 4:28 p.m. and with no further business, the meeting was
adjourned.
1iS W 'I "Is
MAYOR
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS