January 07, 2019 MinutesCITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
January 7, 2019
After determining that a quorum was present, the City Council of the City of Denton, Texas
convened in a Closed Meeting on Monday, January 7, 2019 at 8:02 a.m. in the Council Work
Session Room at City Hall.
PRESENT: Council Member Briggs, Council Member Meltzer, Council Member Duff, and
Mayor Watts.
ABSENT: Council Member Hudspeth, Council Member Armintor, and Mayor Pro Tem Ryan.
1. Closed Meeting:
A. ID 19-001 Deliberations regarding Personnel Matters - Under Texas Government Code
Section 551.074. Conduct Municipal Judge candidate interviews and discuss and deliberate
regarding the evaluation of candidates and the appointment/employment of a Municipal
Judge.
Council Member Hudspeth arrived at the meeting.
Council Member Armintor arrived at the meeting.
Mayor Pro Tem Ryan arrived at the meeting.
Following the completion of the Closed Meeting, the City Council convened in a Work Session at
12:33 p.m. to consider the following items:
1. Work Session Reports
A. ID 19-031 Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding the revised
draft FY2018-2019 Citywide Strategic Plan.
Rachel Wood, Chief of Staff, reviewed what the strategic plan was and was not. She reviewed the
mission, vision and core values of the City. She stated that the plan was revised based on feedback
that staff had received from the City Council. Feedback included — provide better connectivity
from Key Focus Areas to Goals, Work Plan Items, and Performance Measures; ensure alignment
with Council Priorities identified during the August 25 retreat; and expand the number of
capital/infrastructure projects listed.
Wood reviewed the Components of the Strategic Plan. The Key Focus Area communicated the
City Council's priorities to the organization and the community. The Goal answered the question,
what do we want to accomplish within each KFA? The Work Plan Item included strategies that
helped operationalize the Goals; answered the question, how will we implement policy direction
from City Council? The Performance Measure helped gauge the success of implementing and
achieving Work Plan Items and Goals.
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January 7, 2019
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As the revised draft Strategic Plan was finalized, several cross-departmental themes emerged
including the development of departmental strategic plans and master plan documents, enhanced
communication and community outreach efforts, and the development and implementation of new
processes and systems. Next steps included incorporating additional feedback from City Council,
distributing a revised draft, City Council adoption; and refining performance dashboard and
improving quarterly performance reporting.
B. ID 19-032 Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding the Denton
Public Library's annual report and performance report for FY 2017-2018, the new Denton
Public Library 2019-2021 Strategic Plan, and the future direction of library operations for
the City of Denton.
Jennifer Bekker, Director of Libraries, provided an overview of the 2017-18 year. There were
506,5811ibrary visits; 153,966 questions were answered; 1,151,962 items were checked out; 1,551
classes and events were offered; 55,719 attended classes and events; and 7,478 interlibrary loans
processed. Interlibrary loans were very popular. She stated that the library received a
reimbursement from the Texas State Library for interlibrary loans. She stated that the library had
launched an online library card sign up option; received the 2017 Achievement of Excellence in
Libraries Award. She stated that all branches had added Discovery Kits backpacks filled with
hands-on learning activities.
Bekker reviewed the annual performance report - collection turnover, strong programming, library
visits; cost efficient, and circulation per capita. Performance opportunities included circulation
trends, average program attendance, visits trends, and items per capita.
Council discussion included notification when Adult Discovery kits were available, follow-up on
survey questions.
Bekker presented the new strategic plan for the Library. She stated they had received input from
Library leadership, Library staff inembers, Library Board, Teen Advisory Board, public meetings,
and 212 responses from an online survey. She stated they had identified values and developed a
new mission statement and goals.
Strategic plan highlights for 2019 included starting off the Library Master Plan; grant
opportunities; technology and workforce development classes and events; eliminate overdue fines;
Municipal Archive; Adult Discovery Kits and Wi-Fi hotspots; and facility updates.
Council discussion included volunteers, availability on audio books, no overdue fees.
C. ID 19-091 Receive a report, hold a discussion and give staff direction regarding potential
polling locations for the May 4, 2019 City Council election.
Jennifer Walters, City Secretary, reviewed the polling locations that were required, and the
additional polling locations provided in 2018 along with the additional cost for those locations.
She reviewed the number of ballots cast by location on Election Day 2018. She stated that these
locations were not used for early voting. She stated that Council could continue with the current
four sites without additional locations; add one additional location in each Council District; or add
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January 7, 2019
Page 3
additional locations to limited Council Districts based on prior year voter turnout or some other
methodology.
Council discussion included looking at an additional location on the LTNT campus for election day;
an additional location on the TWU campus; doing more on election day to educate people; data on
number of registered voters at campuses; looking at location more at center of town for District 3.
Consensus of Council was to keep the eight locations and look into early voting locations on
campuses.
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 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 Hudspeth asked about the feasibility of adding public lockers at City facilities
for short-term storage while residents use City facilities or attend public events.
Council Member Armintor asked for information on the process to add a memorial bench at
Quakertown Park for the young woman involved in a pedestrian fatality on East Hickory Street.
Council Member Armintor asked for information on pedestrian safety on East Hickory Street
between the City Hall East parking lot and DCTA station.
The Council reconvened in closed meeting at 1:37 p.m.
A. ID 19-001 Deliberations regarding Personnel Matters - Under Texas Government Code
Section 551.074. Conduct Municipal Judge candidate interviews and discuss and deliberate
regarding the evaluation of candidates and the appointment/employment of a Municipal
Judge.
The Closed Meeting ended at 1:40 p.m.
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January 7, 2019
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With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 1:40 p.m.
CHRIS WATTS
MAYOR
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS
JANE RICHARDSON
ASSISTANT CITY SECRETARY
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS