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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1986/12/16-Agenda-Pre-Council PRE-COUNCIL MEETING PRE-COUNCIL CHAMBERS December 16, 1986 ABSENT: Councilmen Vance and Gilley ITEMS .19{ 1. CURRENT AGENDA QUESTIONS/ANSWERS - Mr. Douglas Harman, City Manager. Mr. Harman stated that revised MSC P-1968 contained a cost breakdown of the rape examination cost as Council requested. In regards to MSC G-6896 Johnson County Water Supply Company, he stated that the City can not prevent the State from granting this request. 2. C.P. 126 - CITY CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE APPOINTMENT. Councilman Lancaster asked whether the City Auditor could report directly to the Council instead of to the City Manager. He referred to the D/FW Airport. The D/FW Airport auditor now reports directly to the Board of Directors instead of to the administration, after many auditing errors had been made when the auditor reported directly to the administration. If possible he wanted to present this issue in time for an upcoming election. He said that this proposed change would be a limited change to the charter, not a functional change. He is interested in the City's auditor report and in the City considering the Airport's approach. Mayor Pro Tem Williams asked for a charter amendment that would increase the salary of the Council. He said the current salary prevents many from running for this position in his district. The $10 per Council meeting rate has not been adjusted since it was set sixty years ago. He indicated that Council members from other cities say that " we are crazy to accept this pay." Councilman Lancaster stated that this change is needed if the City expects to have a representative Council. He stated that economically, candidates should be able to recover campaigning-related costs, upfront. He added that the present Council members have an understanding partner/employer or are self employed. Mayor Bolen stated that the $10 salary is obviously a problem that affects some districts more so than others when attempting to field candidates. He stated that convincing the public to increase the Council's salary is a perception problem. Most people believe that the Council serves once a week (the day of the Council Meeting). Councilman Zapata stated that he raised this issue of increasing Council's salary, the first day that he took office. In regards to the public's perception that Council works only one day a week, he stated that he works all week including the weekends for his district. He stressed that Council would be negligent if it refused to answer constituents on the weekend. Raising Council 's salary, Mr. Zapata added, has much merit, and he reiterated the Mayor Pro Tem's comment. "We are not in 1926." He indicated that he still wishes to run for his position again in April and that he has learned to live with this salar a r , , increase is not made. Councilman Bagsby stated that he wanted the City Attorney to researc matter. He mentioned that Houston increased their Council's salary wi trout charter amendment. Comparing his work to a Congressman, he stated t:ha '` �� Congressman earns well over $135,000 a year. Many cities pay their Councilmembers at least $50 to $75 a week. Mayor Bolen asked that the issue of a salary increase for Council be reconsidered in a week to research how to do it. He stated that he was not certain that this issue could be placed on the April ballot. He stated that he had concern, that once we placed this amendment on the ballot, another amendment could not be placed on a ballot for another two years. He stated that Council needs to make sure that this issue is thoroughly researched. In addition, he stated that this same issue required much more time in the past and that he was not certain this issue could be ready by April. (Mayor Bolen stated that Council expenses incurred while performing civic duties can be recovered from the City, although no one claims them). Mr. Harman asked that Mr. Tom Davis, Assistant to the City Manager, research C.P. 126. Mr. Davis will present to Council the City's audit report. He will also work on establishing a citizen committee to deal with the proposed charter amendment which would increase the salary of the Council and then present this issue at a Pre-Council meeting. Councilman Zapata stressed that this committee must have citizen representation. 3. AWARD OF CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF EQUESTRIAN CENTER 6 LIVESTOCK FACILITY AT THE WILL ROGERS MEMORIAL COMPLEX (M&C C-10039) - Ms. Ruth Ann McKinney, Assistant City Manager stated that four questions addressed this issue. First, where we are now? (On or about November 25, 1986 the City presented to Council an apparent low bidder; the recipient of the lowest bid was changed. The bid was granted to the most responsive low bidder.) Second, why we are where we are? Third, where do we go from here? And fourth, how do we proceed? Additional representatives for this project included:Mr. Lee Roy Hahnfeld Hahnfeld 6 Associates, (the architect for this project); Mr. John Justin, Justin Industries (one of the project's fund raisers), Ms. Nancy Amos, Transportation/Public Works and Ms. Sundra Davis, the MBE and WBE Coordinator. Ms. McKinney stated that additional costs were estimated and a contingency fund for respective categories was set up. Some of those categories include the following. -Parking; -Parking studies reconstruction of Johnson Drive; -storm drains; -construction of East Drive at Crestline; -rehabilitating the area north of the project (this issue had been and was approved by the Cultural District Committee); -enhancing the current operation of the stock show. She stated that Mr. Jim Moore conducted a marketing study that projected this center would impact the Fort Worth economy by more than $61 million per year. Regarding fund raising, she stated that citizens expressed much interest in � ���� obtaining revenue bonds from the parking lot that the City plans to bui y Mr. Hahnfeld addressed the third question:where do we go from here. He s at +% v that three factors answered this question: the increasing project scope; tie, y increasing project complexity and the increasing site provisions. Scope factors included providing for additions such as -adequate storm drains -dressing rooms, -access to'the construction site, -reconstruction/enlargement of the parking area east of the Will Rogers facility; -mechanical and electrical requirements, including --wastewater and waste requirements for horses and cattle, --ventillation of the barns. (Three veterianarians and a university recommended this factor was crucial for the well being of the animals, especially because this facility will be a compressed building. --the need for a fairly extensive ventillation system; --a veterianarian clinic; --replacememt and enlargement of the fire hall; --paving of wallways and halls; --enhanced horse stalls; --a sound system that could be carried throughout the 9.2 acre facility; --lighting system in the arena and outside of the equestrian center; --centralized and computerized HVAC; --elaborate livestock pens designed to meet more stringent standards. In regards to increasing complexity, he stated that movement of people/animals while maintaining safety/security complicated matters. As the number of animals and people increases, the fire safety and people safety requirements increase; also the building types and code considerations increase; (a concrete system was chosen because of maintenance) the fire sprinkler system had to be designed so that it would not ruin the facility, harm the animals or cause the animals to panic. He stated that the facility would not be luxurious. The third consideration was based on the site. Accomodations had to be made for the poor soil quality of the land the facility will be built upon. The utilities and the storm drainage system had to be adequate enough to carry roof water. Finally, the exterior building design had to fit the 1951 architecture mode that is present in this vicinity. He stated that bidding was competitive. Mayor Pro Tem Williams stated that many of these costs should have been predicted and listed in the first projection report to the Council. The cost has increased from $8 million to $12 million to $17 and a half million now. He asked whether this facility could be built with $12 million. Councilman Bagsby stated that the private sector agreed to raise at least $1.2 million and another million; in addition $1.45 million would be borrowed from the Capital Projects Improvement Reserve Fund. Councilman Zapata stated that he did not want money taken from the $5 million reserve when his district has streets about ready to fall in. He stated that infrastructure and soil problems should have been taken into consideration in the initial report. He stated that he was committed to the project but that someone will owe him for this. Ms. McKinney advised that funds would still be available for Mr. Zapata's district. Mr. Harman added that Mr. Hahnfeld was not employed by the City enrn?-,,D the original projections were made. He stated that the facility would not,,he v V extravagant. Councilman Bagsby commented that the terms "state of art" to him, meant that the facility would be number one and that this would be expensive. The Mayor summarized by saying three options existed: scrap the project, cut- back and then do it, or do it as proposed. He stressed that this project could not be postponed. Councilman Lancaster stated that he was displeased that the facility cost had exceeded the number presented to citizens. He said that the Staff will have to convince him about the merit because he did not want to see one more dollar spent from tax payers' money. Ms. McKinney stated that the City would pay back money borrowed from the reserve through the revenue bond sales and other fund raising. In the interim, she stated that $4.9 million would be needed. In regards to fund raising, Mr. Justin stated that he was working on making up $2 million. Right now he has a $1.2 million commitment from private industry. He added that he needs a little more time to raise the other million dollars, that donations in smaller denominations are coming in daily. He stressed that Fort Worth needs this facility. Mr. Harman stated that the current financial contribution are contingent on the current schedule. At least one million dollars may not be available if this issue is postponed. Councilman Zapata stated that this project would help his district. He asked if waiting until Monday would hinder this project. He commented that the 15 year spread at $100,000 is a question Council would have to deal with. (Councilman Lancaster also stated that he was concerned about this 15 year arrangement. Though the same amount would be returned over this 15 year period, the issue of face value for the total amount of money has not been addressed.) The Mayor stated that waiting another week was possible, however, this project has no other time to spare. Mr. Justin stated that much work and effort has gone into this facility. Cutting back is possible, but in the short-run, Fort Worth would be hurt. This facility will be well done, inorder to make this the livestock capital of the world. Jobs would be created. This facility would help the Cultural District in particular and Fort Worth in general. Much sales-tax would stem from this facility. He stressed that this is an opportunity for Fort Worth to go forward and that to do otherwise would be a terrible mistake. He also commented that $3.2 million is what he is hoping to obtain in contributions. 4. APPROVAL OF ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION, CULTURAL DISTRICT COMMITTEE (M&C G- 6905) - Councilman William Garrison requested that this issue be postponed until next week. 5. OTHER Mayor Pro Tem Williams stated that a rollback election drive fell short ;by ?�� � 1d-� n� approximately 6000 votes. Nevertheless, because of the number of petitions t S ` .�pqy over 12,000), he said that the City Attorney informed him that by law the N fV will have to adopt a resolution to summarize the results of this petitLo d'fv��j�ij,e �rX• at a Council meeting (within 20 days), next week. Mr. Judson Bailiff informed Council that the Sunbelt Industrial Development Corporation requested a postponement of their scheduled meeting until January 1987. Regarding M&C P-1970, page one of 14, Mr. Bailiff informed Council that two unsuccessful bidders would possibly protest at today's meeting. He also stated that EFP Harper, a minority firm that has conducted business with the City, believes that the City's 45 day pay cycle hurts the small business vendor and discriminates against such businesses. Mr. Bailiff informed Council that this period will be reduced to 30 days under state law as of July 1987. Mayor Bolen announced that the next Council meeting will take place Monday morning at eight in the morning, December 22, 1986. �� � X '' ��