2008-03-04 CC Minutes
. City of Farmers Branch
City Council Regular Meeting Agenda
City Hall Plaza
13000 William Dodson Parkway
Farmers Branch, Texas
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
6:30 P.M.
The following members of the City Council were present:
Mayor Bob Phelps
Mayor Pro Tern Tim O'Hare
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Ben Robinson
Councilmembers Jim Smith
David Koch
Tim Scott
The following members of the Administration were present:
City Manager Gary D. Greer
Assistant City Manager Greg Vick
Assistant City Manager Shanna Sims-Bradish
City Secretary Cindee Peters
City Attorney Michael Kallas
Communications Director Tom Bryson
City Engineer Jerry Murawski
Director of Community Services Michael Spicer
Director of Public Works Mark Pavageaux
Library Director Danita Barber
Police Chief Sid Fuller
Fire Chief Kyle King
Mayor Phelps called the City Council meeting of March 4, 2008 to order at 6:30
p.m. The meeting was televised.
A.1 INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
Mayor Pro Tem. O'Hare gave the invocation and Councilman Smith led the
pledge of allegiance.
A.2 CONSIDER ACCEPTING A DONATION OF $645.40 FROM PETSMART
CHARITIES TO THE CITY OF FARMERS BRANCH ANIMAL SHELTER
AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION.
Mayor Phelps presented the following information. Petsmart has been an active
supporter of the Farmers Branch Animal Shelter, working with local animal
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welfare volunteer groups to host off-site adoption events and donating funds to
animal services operations that increase the opportunity for shelter animals to find
homes.
Mr. Mark Millar, Store Manager for Petsmart, located at 3800 Beltline Road,
presented the donation to Mayor Phelps.
A motion by Councilman Smith, a second by Councilman Robinson, all voting
"aye", accepted the donation from Petsmart with the appropriate thank you letter.
A.3 RECOGNITION OF FIRE DEPARTMENT DEPUTY CHIEF STEVE PARKER
FOR RECEIVING THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF FIRE EDUCATOR'S,
TEXAS TRAINING OFFICER OF THE YEAR AWARD.
Mayor Phelps presented the following information. On February 13, 2008,
Deputy Chief Steve Parker received the Texas Training Officer of the Year award
at the Southwest Fire Rescue Conference in Galveston, Texas. This award
recognized his positive impact on the Texas Fire Service by exemplifying the
goals, objectives and ethics of the Texas Association of Fire Educators.
In July 2000, Chief Parker joined the Farmers Branch Fire Department in the
position of the Deputy Chief of Administration and Training. Over the past 7
years, Chief Parker has interacted with our surrounding departments in delivering
training programs. These multi jurisdictional training classes vary from large-
scale Mass Casualty Incidents and Weapons of Mass Destruction drills to small
hands on pump, search or forcible entry programs.
He has blended the department's training program into the operational and
promotional procedures. This has created a coordinated system that supports and
prepares the firefighters to promote and move through the ranks. A special
emphasis on career advancement programs focuses on the firefighters acquiring a
formal education and advanced professional certifications. Currently, 47% of the
Department has a college degree, and over 50% of the department has advanced
certifications.
With the City's opening of a third fire station in 2007, Chief Parker spent the
better part of the year recruiting and training the 15 new firefighters needed to
staff the facility. Due in part to his recruitment efforts, the department hired a
skilled and exceptional work force. The integrated training and promotional
process allowed the department to smoothly promote 24 firefighters within the
organization.
In 2007, Chief Parker was appointed as the City's National Incident Management
System compliance officer. As part of this new responsibility, Chief Parker spent
last summer teaching NIMS based classes to the City's senior and middle
management staff.
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Mayor Phelps congratulated Chief Parker and presented him with a plaque.
A.4 RECOGNITION OF YARD OF THE MONTH RECIPIENTS FOR
EXEMPLARY EFFORTS IN MAINTAINING THEIR YARDS AND FOR
ADDING BEAUTIFICATION TO THE CITY.
Mayor Phelps presented the following information. One of the Goals of the City
Council is to improve the appearance of The City of Farmers Branch by
encouraging neighborhood beautification. The Yard of the Month program was
put into place to achieve this goal, and to recognize homeowners who added
beauty to their neighborhood with the landscaping and upkeep of their yard.
The awards for March's Yards of the Month are Allen McCraken, 3620
Tanglewood, Phylis Thayer, 3457 Ridgeoak Way, James and Cathy Driskill, 2961
Selma and Jerry and Sue Hays, 2936 Golfing Green.
A.5 PRESENTATION OF BOARD APPLICATIONS AND BOARD AND
COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION.
Mayor Phelps stated this item gives applicants an opportunity to present board
applications to the City Council and the City Council to make appointments to
vacancies on boards and commissions.
There are three vacancies on the Senior Advisory Board.
There is a vacancy on the Historical Preservation and Restoration Board with the
Board Member Emeritus of Glenna Grimmer.
There is a vacancy on the Planning and Zoning Commission due to the
resignation of Harold Froehlich to run for City Council.
The following members of the Animal Shelter Advisory Committee have terms
that will expire on April 1, 2008.
Janie Hodges, DVM
Judi Hacker
The following members of the Community Watch Committee have terms that will
expire April 1, 2008.
Angie Mayo Hal Cone Rena Herod
Wanda Barker Gene Sadler Claire Schoeneck
Terri Harwell Jennifer Maddux
A motion by Mayor Pro Tern O'Hare, a second by Councilman Koch, all voting
"aye", appointed Debbie King to the Planning and Zoning Commission.
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A motion by Councilman Koch, a second by Councilman Scott, all voting "aye",
appointed Bronson Blackson to the Planning and Zoning Commission.
A.6 REPORT ON STUDY SESSION ITEMS.
The City Council gave a brief summary of items discussed in the Study Session.
B.0 CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING AS CONSENT. ITEMS AND TAKE
APPROPRIATE ACTION.
Mayor Phelps stated consent items are items that are to be considered that may
not need discussion individually. Any member of the City Council or the
audience may request to withdraw any item from the consent items and place the
item before the Council for full discussion. The concept for consent items is to
speed up discussion for those items that need more time for discussion.
A motion by Mayor Pro Tem O'Hare, a second by Councilman Robinson, all
voting "aye," approved the consent agenda as submitted.
B.1 APPROVED MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF
FEBRUARY 19, 2008.
B.2 ADOPTED RESOLUTION NO. 2008-015 AWARDING THE BID FOR
REPLACEMENT OF HEATING, VENTILATION AND AIR
CONDITIONING UNITS IN VARIOUS CITY FACILITIES TO
DANIELS AIR, INC. IN THE AMOUNT OF $105,462.
B.3 ADOPTED RESOLUTION NO. 2008-016 AWARDING THE BID FOR
THE 2007-2008 SIDEWALK REPAIR PROGRAM TO STARK BUILT
IN THE AMOUNT OF NOT TO EXCEED $52,900.
B.4 ACCEPTED A $1,000 DONATION FROM MR. DON SWANSON TO
THE CITY OF FARMERS BRANCH ANIMAL SHELTER.
B.5 ADOPTED ORDINANCE NO. 2960 ABANDONING AND CLOSING
CERTAIN STREET RIGHTS-OF-WAY ACROSS THE DALLAS AREA
RAPID TRANSIT LIGHT RAIL LINE.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF FARMERS BRANCH,
TEXAS, ABANDONING AND CLOSING CERTAIN STREET
RIGHTS OF WAY, PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE
AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
B.6 ADOPTED RESOLUTION NO. 2008-017 APPROVING AN
INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH DALLAS AREA RAPID
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TRANSIT RELATIVE TO THE LIGHT RAIL LINE THROUGH
FARMERS BRANCH.
B.7 APPROVED RESOLUTION NO. 2008-018 AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH SABRE
SPOTLIGHT IN THE AMOUNT OF $48,196 FOR ELECTRONIC
MEDIA ADVERTISING.
D.1 CONSIDER COUNCIL TRAVEL REPORTS AND REQUESTS, AND
COUNCIL COMMITTEE AND ORGANIZATION REPORTS, AND TAKE
APPROPRIATE ACTION.
There were no travel reports or requests and no committee reports.
MAYOR PHELPS ANNOUNCED THAT THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA FOR THE
EXECUTIVE SESSION WERE DISCUSSED BEFORE THE REGULAR CITY
COUNCIL MEETING AT 6.30 P.M. THE DISCUSSION BEGAN AT 5:35 P.M. AND
CONCLUDED AT 6:22 P.M. TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 551 OF THE
OPEN MEETING LAW PROVIDES THAT SUCH ITEMS AS PERSONNEL
MATTERS, LAND ACQUISITION AND PENDING AND CONTEMPLATED
LITIGATION MAY BE DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION.
E.1 DISCUSS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES - TEXAS
GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.087.
Mayor Phelps stated there were economic development issues to discuss.
E.2 DISCUSS PENDING AND CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION - TEXAS
GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071.
Ramos v. City of Farmers Branch, 06-12227; 07-04936; 08-01277
Barrietos, et.al., v. Farmers Branch
Villas at Parkside Partners, et. al., v. Farmers Branch
Alfredo Vasquez, et. al., v. Farmers Branch
Valentine Reyes, et.al., v. City of Farmers Branch
Representatives from Strasburger & Price, LLP will be present to discuss pending
litigation.
Mayor Phelps stated there was nothing to update the City Council on regarding
litigation.
E.3 DISCUSS LAND ACQUISITIONS - TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE
SECTION 551.072.
Discuss land sale, purchase, trade or lease of property at Camelot Landfill.
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Mayor Phelps explained that Staff was present to discuss this item with the City
Council.
F.1 CONSIDER NECESSARY ACTION ON ITEMS DISCUSSED IN THE
EXECUTIVE SESSION.
Mayor Phelps stated the City Council was updated on land acquisitions and no
action was necessary.
F.2 ADJOURNMENT.
A motion by Councilman Robinson, a second by Councilman Smith, all voting
"aye", adjourned the City Council meeting March 4, 20 8 at 6:56 p.m.
c
Bob Phelps, Mayor Cindee Peters, City Secretary
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