The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About1987/08/18-Agenda-Pre-Council -T AMN yam' tiY4�<,�� PRE-COUNCIL MEETING F-4 ��, AUGUST 18, 1987 PRE-COUNCIL CHAMBER 6 ABSENT: Louis Zapata ITEMS 1. NCTCOG POPULATION PROJECTIONS - PAUL WADDELL, DIRECTOR, REGIONAL SERVICES, NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS Paul Waddell, Director, Regional Services, North Central Texas Council of Governments, presented Council with the NCTCOG population projections for the area. Mr. Waddell stated that NCTCOG, in developing the projections, attempted to develop regionally consistent population and employment figures for the nine county metro area. The effort was overseen by a methodology task force that used computer modeling techniques to develop the projections. NCTCOG projects that the metro area will experience a short term slow down in growth as a result of the current economic conditions. This short term slow down will be followed by a steady increase in growth as the area experiences a shift toward information and service industries. The area will grow from a population of 2.5 million in 1970 to 5 million in 2010. Employment in 2010 should reach 3.3 million. Fort Worth will have several major growth areas in the coming decades according to the NCTCOG projections. The central business district will continue to be the largest employment center. North Fort Worth will experience significant growth resulting from the currency plant, the new IBM complex, and the North Fort Worth Airport. NCTCOG predicts that the development activities of :i►e PeroL Group will create an employment base of 25,000 by 2010. Mr. Waddell indicated that NCTCOG will update the projections every two years or sooner as new data becomes available. Major discrepancies exist between NCTCOG's projections and those of the Perot Group and the city. The Perot Group projects that its development activities in North Fort Worth will result in 186,000 jobs by 2010. Councilman Williams asked Bruce McClendon, Planning Director, if he agreed with NCTCOG'S projections. Mr. McClendon indicated that he disagrees with the projections for both the CBD and North Fort Worth. The projected growth rate for downtown should be closer to the projected growth rate for downtown Dallas, according to Mr. McClendon. He also stated that NCTCOG's projected growth for North Fort Worth is too conservative based on knowledge about previous Perot development efforts. Mayor Bolen asked Mr. Waddell what impact NCTCOG's projections will have. Mr. Weddell indicated that the projections will be used as baseline figures for transportation planning. City Manager Harman stated that the main impact will be on the amount and availability of state highway funds. NCTCOG's lower projections, if too low, could result in serious highway deficiencies in high growth areas. Councilman Williams stressed the need for NCTCOG to work closely with local governments to ensure that the areas growth can be adequately planned and managed. 2. LEGISLATIVE REPORT - JIM WILSON, LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COORDINATOR Jim Wilson, Legislative Affairs Coordinator, reported to Council on all bills in which the City of Fort Worth had a direct or indirect interest in the past regular and special sessions of the state legislature. Mr. Wilson reported that the city's expanded program consisted of thirty-three bills, ten sponsored by the city, twenty-one supported by the city, and two opposed by the city. Of the ten bills sponsored by Fort Worth, eight passed and two failed. Of the twenty- one bills supported by Fort Worth, nineteen passed and two failed. Of the two bills Fort Worth opposed, the city's position prevailed in both instances. Overall, the city's adopted positions prevailed on twenty-nine of the thirty- three bills in the expanded program. The following is a listing of the bills in which the City of Fort Worth had a position: BILLS SPONSORED BY THE CITY: - Award of Identical Bids - passed. - Investment of Public Funds - passed. - Operations of Foreign Trade Subzones by D/FW Airport Board - passed. - D/FW change Order Authority on Certain Construction Contracts - passed. - Signature Authority on Nuisance Abatement Cost Statements - passed. - Regulation of Smoke Detectors by Local Ordinace - passed. - Fort Worth Municipal Court of Record - passed. - Venue (72 Hour Exception for Confinement) - passed. - Local Regulation of Ambulance Services - failed. - Forfeiture of Property Related to Commission of Felony Offense - failed. BILLS SUPPORTED BY THE CITY: - Application to Cities of Statues Governing Corporations - passed. - Civil Practices and Remedies Code (Tort Reform) - (includes six bills) passed. - Speaker's Crime Package ( includes six bills) - passed. - State's Access to Jucicial Review - passed. - Evidence Obtained in Good Faith - passed. - Administrative Adjudication of Parking Violations - passed. - Municipal Court Special Expenses - passed. - Municipal Court Fines and Jurisdiction - passed. - Employment Harmful to Minors - passed. - Maintaining a Common or Public Nuisance - passed. - Public Improvement District Assessment Act - passed. - Additional Penalty on Cost of Collectiong Delinquent Taxes - failed. - Authority to Abandon, Sell or Exchange Parks and Golf Courses - failed. BILLS OPPOSED BY THE CITY: - Texas Open Meetings Act - passed (with amendments favorable to Fort Worth's position). - Mandatory Consolidation of Tax Collections - no bills filed. 3. BRIEFING ON ADULT BASIC EDUCATION/LITERACY PROGRAMS - NANCY WILSON WEBB, FORT WORTH INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT Nancy Wilson Webb, of the Fort Worth Independent School District, spoke to Council about the activities of the Adult Basic Education Program. She stated that the program currently consists of fifty-five co-ops operating in seven city libraries. The program assists adults in learning to read and in obtaining a high school equivalency diplomas (GED). To emphasize the magnitude of the problem of adult illiteracy, Mrs. Webb stated that one out of five Americans is illiterate and one out four Americans is functionally illiterate. Mrs. Webb reported that last year the FWISD Adult Basic Education Program served over 8,000 people. The program is staffed by 110 teachers and 680 volunteers. The program is funded entirely with Texas Education Agency funds. Eighty percent of the programs participants must come to classes at night because of daytime obligations. Councilman Williams indicated that the city should support educational efforts because of the relationship between illiteracy and crime. Mrs. Webb indicated that ninety percent of the crimes committed are done so by illiterates. Mayor Bolen stated that the city supports the efforts of the Adult Education Program, but that all programs may be affected somewhat by the city's budget difficulties. 4. ART COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS - RUTH ANN MCKINNEY, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER Ruth Ann McKinney, Assistant City Manager, reminded Council to appoint citizens to the vacant seats on the city's Art Commission. She indicated that only three districts are currently represented on the Commission and that unless other members are appointed soon, the committee will be forced to proceed with just three members. 5. LAKE COMO DAM RECONSTRUCTION AND DRAINAGE CHANNEL EXPANSION, DAVID A. IVORY, SENIOR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER Mike Pyles, Real Property Director, told Council that the city must purchase rights-of-way from thrity-eight single family residences for the construction of flood controls at Lake Como Dam. The Army Corps of Engineers has told the city that the dam is likely to fail in the event of a hundred-year flood. If the dam fails, thirty-five homes could be destroyed. Flood control plans call for the construction of twelve-feet earthen berms to contain flood waters. The construction of these berms is likely to result in damages ranging from $.25 to $.5 million. Councilman Murrin asked if another dam could be built below the existing dam to protect against a dam break. Mr. Pyles indicated that construction of another dam would not be possible. Mr. Murrin indicated that the city should attempt to minimize the problems of affected property owners by paying fair market values for buy-outs and damages. 6. GOLF MANAGEMENT STUDY (M&C C-10480) - RAMON GUAJARDO, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER No discussion. 7. QUESTIONS/ANSWERS CONCERNING CURRENT AGENDA ITEMS - DOUGLAS HARMAN, CITY MANAGER City Manager Douglas Harman reminded Council that Jeana Yeager and Dick Rutan would be appearing Tuesday night at the Will Rogers Memorial Center for induction into the Fort Worth Aviation Hall of Fame.