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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1987/04/27-Agenda-Pre-Council A G E N D A PRE-COUNCIL MEETING MONDAY, APRIL 27, 1987 8:30 A.M. PRE-COUNCIL CHAMBER FOR ACTION TODAY 1 ) Bilingual Pay Issues (M&C G-7050) - Charlie Sha and Personnel Director (10 _Mi n.) 2) Resolution Supporting Adoption of S.B. 1417 - Airport Contract Change Orders - Vernell Sturns, Deputy Executive Director, D/FW International Airport ( 10 Min.) 3) Questions/Answers Regarding Current Agenda Items - Douglas Harman, City Manager (10 Min.) FOR DISCUSSION ONLY 4) Review of Annexation Schedule - The Perot Group ( 10 Min.) 5) Retreat Agenda and Location - Charles Boswell , Management Services Director (20 Min.) 6) 911 Update (I.R. #7183) - Rod Bremby, Assistant to the City Manager (20 Min.) FOR FUTURE ACTION 7) Adjustment of Wrecker Fees (I.R. #7184) - Rod Bremby, Assistant to the City Manager ( 5 Min.) rr RECORD The Meeting ends at 9:55 a.m. s SCRET ARY To add or make revisions, please call the City Manager's Office., 870-6140, before 3:00 P.M. , Friday, April 24, 1987 The purpose of the Pre-Council Conference held prior to a regular City Council Meeting is to allow the Mayor and Councilmembers to discuss infor- mally items on the agenda and to secure information from the City Manager and the staff. Although the meeting is open to the public, citizens are requested to reserve comments and questions for the subsequent Council meeting so they will be a part of the public record. PRE-COUNCIL MEETING t PRE-COUNCIL CHAMBER ; APRIL 27, 1987 ABSENT: NONE ITEMS 1. Bilingual Pay Issues (M&C G-7050) - Charlie Shapard, Personnel Director. Mr. Shapard came before Council to discuss the issue of bilingual pay for police officers who serve as translators aside from their regular duties. Mr. Shapard told Council that because officers are asked to perform this duty, time is taken away from their other duties. According to Mr. Shapard, the State of California presently has bilingual pay. Mr. Shapard commented that the City is not addressing the issue of bilingual pay for all employees. The program will be set up whereby police officers that are requesting to serve as translators are administered a proficiency test. Chief Thomas Windham, Police Department, told Council that the bilingual pay assignment will be for all officers who assist in translating spanish and not just hispanics. Councilman Williams asked what number of officers would the program be set up to finance. Chief Windham responded that the number would be between 60-65. Councilman Williams asked what revenues would need to be budgeted for this program. He further commented that employees in the Water Department and other departments perform translating duties and should be compensated. Chief Windham replied that officers serving as translators would be paid an assignment pay in the amount of $25 per month in addition to their regular salaries. Chief Windham commented that he feels that there is a difference between the need for translators in the Police Department than there is in other departments. According to Chief Windham, in the Police Department, officers are confronted with the open public more and are faced with life threatening or emergency situations. City Manager, Douglas Harman, reminded Councilmembers that they had made the decision to budget for bilingual pay in the budget for this year. Councilman Lancaster commented that he sees a budgetary impact on next year's budget and has no intention of impacting upon it, especially when a 2% cutback is already in place. Councilman Lancaster requested that translating duties be written into the job description of spanish speaking officers. Mr. Shapard told Council that individuals have already been hired in other departments to perform translating duties. Councilman Gilley commented that he feels that $25 a month is reasonable for officers who work overtime or beyond their job duties. Councilman Williams reminded Councilmembers that officers are already being paid for overtime work. Councilman Williams asked whether or not the Police Department had methods for recruiting spanish speaking persons. Chief Windham replied that the department does have methods but their methods do not allow the department to hire persons based upon their ethnicity. Councilman Williams asked whether or not it was true that the Police Department would not be involved in the 2% cut back. Mr. Charles Boswell, Budget Director, replied that the department is looking at cut back avenues throughout the department. However, Police, Health and a few other Departments are not able to allow for the full 2% cut back. 2. Resolution Supporting Adoption of S.B. 1417 - Airport Contract Change Orders - Vernell Sturns, Deputy Executive Director, D/FW International Airport. Mr. Sturns came before Council to discuss proposed State legislation which would grant the Airport Board the authority to establish a three member committee who would approve Airport- Contract Change Orders at an amount of $100,000. Councilman Williams asked what persons would be serving on this committee. Mr. Sturns told Councilmembers that three members would be selected from the Board by the Board Chairman to serve on this committee. 3. Questions/Answers Regarding Current Agenda Items - Douglas Harman, City Manager. Councilman Gilley told Councilmembers that they need to show some representation in Austin regarding the proposed bill which would allow citizens to carry guns. Councilman Gilley requested that Chief Windham attend the session in Austin to speak in behalf of Council to oppose the bill. 4. Review of Annexation Schedule - The Perot Group. Mr. Dennis Hopkins, Perot Group, told Councilmembers that their group had appeared before the Development Review Committee on April 23 and all five items in the annexation plan had been approved. He informed Councilmembers that on April 29, the group will appear before the Planning Committee for their approval on four other items. Councilman Lancaster asked what efforts were being made to determine the fiscal impact on the City as a result of annexation. City Manager Douglas Harman told Councilmembers that a fiscal impact analysis would be brought forward. Mr. Rick Salwen, The Perot Group, told Councilmembers that a cost/benefit analysis of the overall annexation has been provided and a narrower analysis of the airport alone will also be provided. The analysis will be a year-by-year analysis. 5. Retreat Agenda and location - Mr. Charles Boswell, OMS Director. Mr. Boswell told Councilmember that a major workshop has been scheduled for Thrusday, May 7 and the City Council Retreat has been scheduled for May 19 and .a 20. Councilmembers requested that the location site for the retreat be the South Holiday Inn or North Holiday Inn. Topics for discussion at the retreat include: 1)the Role of Councilmembers; 2)Growth Issues; 3)Strategic Planning; 4)Economic Development; 5)Improving Intergovernmental Relations; 6)Improving Private Sector Linkages; 7)Human Services; 8)Budget Items; and 9)Recognition of Cable Television Franchise. Councilman Williams requested that reports from North Texas Council of Governments be brought to the retreat so economic conditions can be looked at. Mayor Bolen commented that Economic Development needs to be one of the major presentations. He further commented that policy statements and major presentations are needed to get companies and businesses to locate in Fort Worth. 6. 911 Update - Rod Bremby, Assistant to the City Manager. Mr. Bremby came before Council to discuss what he referred to as 'roadblocks' to a successful implementation of the 911 System. Mr. Bremby told Councilmembers that approximately 628,000 calls a year are received at the Police Department with no priority arrangement. Mr. Bremby told Council that system will be set up whereby calls recognized as being an emergency will be received on 911 . Mr. Bremby requested Council to give their recommendation as to what should be done with non emergency calls. Councilman Williams asked whether or not the Action Center could handle some of those non emergency calls. City Manager Douglas Harman told Councilmembers that a portion of the calls would be referred to the Action Center. Mr. Bremby told Councilmembers that the cost of $.20 per line per month will continued to be paid. He then told Council that as a result of the centralization of calls, additional staff will be needed for 911 operation. Councilman Williams commented that he was not aware that the City would have to take on the responsibility of paying for additional staff members. Councilman Lancaster commented that a campaign needs to be started whereby citizens can be deterred from using the 911 System for non emergency calls. Mr. Robert Terrell, Assistant City Manager, told Councilmembers that the District will be starting a $250,000 campaign for that purpose. He then told Councilmembers that calls for fire and ambulance service will be forwarded to the Police Department to 911. Councilman Garrison commented that he feels that the calls should be separated as much as possible.