Loading...
November 02, 2015 MinutesCITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL MINUTES November 2, 2015 After determining that a quorum was present, the City Council convened in a Work Session on Monday, November 2, 2015 at 11:30 a.m. in the Council Work Session Room at City Hall. PRESENT: Council Member Roden, Council Member Johnson, Council Member Hawkins, Council Member Briggs, Mayor Pro Tem Gregory, Council Member Wazny, and Mayor Watts. ABSENT: None. Work Session Reports A. ID 15 -1074 Receive a report and hold a discussion regarding the 114th Congress, First Session, and outlook for the 114th Congress, Second Session, to include Budget and Tax Issues, Municipal Bonds, Highway and Transit Reauthorization, Public Safety, Community Development, the Marketplace Fairness Act, and other topics impacting local government. Ralph Garboushian and Joy Grewatz of CapitalEdge presented information concerning the federal legislative update. Broad highlights of the budget deal presented to the President were presented along with the cuts between defense and non - defense spending. The differences between the President's budget and Congress' budget were reviewed. A compromise had been reached regarding the budget in that any future budget battles would be postponed until after the presidential election. Other areas reviewed included: Budget overview — FY 2015 Appropriations HOME Program— a Senate bill omitted the HOME program with community development advocates pushing to put it back in the budget. It was still to be determined if it would receive funding. What happened in the future would depend on what happened with the election Council Member Wazny asked what CapitalEdge did for the city of Denton to justify their agreement. Garboushian stated that city officials were the best lobbyists. His role was to keep Council informed on the issues and provide direction on how to proceed. They also dealt with specific issues such as CDBG and HOME projects and preservation of that funding. Currently they were also working on PEG funding and preservation of that funding plus the highway transit bill to get more funds down to the local level. Their main form of contact was the weekly overview of what happened during the week in Congress. Mayor Pro Tem Gregory stated that their role also included identification of funds to other agencies that the City would benefit by informing staff and Council on those situations. Garboushian stated that his firm kept track of all kinds of grants that would benefit the City. While their role was one of a lobbyist, their goal was to provide staff support and point staff and Council in the right direction. City of Denton City Council Minutes November 2, 2015 Page 2 Council Member Hawkins questioned what sequestration would look like the day after this expired. Garboushian stated that it would depend on who would be in office at that time. It would go away when there was lots of mandatory spending of Social Security and Medicare. Council Member Roden stated that elected representatives did not think about the effect on municipalities when they made decisions but cities needed advocates to help remind them of how it would affect a city perspective. Mayor Pro Tem Gregory stated that another area to follow was any issue that might erode local control such as the cell tower issues. Garboushian continued with information on surface transportation and the transportation alternatives program. Council Member Wazny asked about red flags for 2015 -16, 2016 -17 and what the City needed to be proactive on. Garboushian stated that in 2016 the fight would be for local government programs, PEG grants, and after the election, a rewrite of the telecommunications program which would probably cause problems for cities. Council discussed renewables for Denton and the effect on future regulations that might affect Denton. A briefing on future topics might be considered. Garboushian stated that future issues included air transportation issues and the contract tower program. Council Member Hawkins asked about the Marketplace Fairness Act. Garboushian stated that it was part of the Internet Tax Freedom Act/Sale Tax Fairness /Local authority. 2. Concluding Items A. Under Section 551.042 of the Texas Open Meetings Act, respond to inquiries from the City Council or the public with specific factual information or recitation of policy, or accept a proposal to place the matter on the agenda for an upcoming meeting AND Under Section 551.0415 of the Texas Open Meetings Act, provide reports about items of community interest regarding which no action will be taken, to include: expressions of thanks, congratulations, or condolence; information regarding holiday schedules; an honorary or salutary recognition of a public official, public employee, or other citizen; a reminder about an upcoming event organized or sponsored by the governing body; information regarding a social, ceremonial, or community event organized or sponsored by an entity other than the governing body that was attended or is scheduled to be attended by a member of the governing body City of Denton City Council Minutes November 2, 2015 Page 3 or an official or employee of the municipality; or an announcement involving an imminent threat to the public health and safety of people in the municipality that has arisen after the posting of the agenda. Council Member Johnson stated that he had requested an Informal Staff Report on consulting fees but that CIP projects had been left out. He requested that the report be redone and include the CIP projects. Council Member Briggs requested a discussion regarding DME and gas wells. Council Member Wazny recommended that the meeting for November 10' be both a Work Session and a Regular meeting. Hold the discussion on DME and the convention center at the evening portion of the meeting so the public could attend. With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 1:01 p.m. CHRIS WATTS MAYOR CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS JE I E1Z A:L` 1 -"MS "1" TARY Cl OF DENTON, TEXAS