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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1987/09/08-Agenda-Pre-Council PRE-COUNCIL MEETING SEPTEMBER 8, 1987 ""1' � � COUNCIL CHAMBER ��# ABSENT: None. L ITEMS: 1. QUESTIONS/ANSWERS CONCERNING CURRENT AGENDA ITEMS - DOUGLAS HARMAN, CITY MANAGER Council was presented with an update of work in progress on two houses scheduled for demolition. At the previous City Council meeting, Council granted a one week delay in order for staff to conduct on site investigations. Staff investigations of the houses indicated enough work in progress to justify further delays in demolition. 2. NOTICE OF COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETINGS - MAYOR BOB BOLEN Mayor Bolen reminded the other Council members about the issue of open meetings and suggested that they be prepared to inform committee chairpersons of the changes in the Open Meetings Act and how the changes will affect council committee meetings. Depending on the opinion of City Attorney Wade Adkins, council committees may be required to post meetings seventy-two hours in advance and allow the public and press to attend. 3. PROPOSAL FOR USE OF EDA GRANTS IN THE STOCKYARDS AREA - COUNCILMAN WILLIAM GARRISON Councilman William Garrison updated Council on the city's proposal to use EDA grants to acquire part of the stockyards. Councilman Garrison indicated that the boundaries to the stockyards have been expanded beyond the historical boundaries for purposes of the grants. The proposed acquistion includes the Stockyard Exhibit Building, a parking lot, and some of the animal pins. Councilman Russell Lancaster asked if the properties have been offered for sale. Mr. Garrison indicated that the city is conducting preliminary investigations and that the properties have not yet been offered for sale. It was noted that the EDA money has already been earmarked for Fort Worth but that the federal government must decide how the money can be spent. Councilman Garrison expressed his view that the stockyards is part of the national heritage and needs to be preserved. Because of the need for preservation, Mr. Garrison believes the stockyards should be under city ownership and control. Councilman Lancaster agreed that the city should own the stockyards and asked if the city has a comprehensive plan for the area. Councilman Garrison indicated that according to consultants working for Stockyards '85, the current uses, which include a night club, daytime family entertainment, and museums, are viable. Councilman Gilley stated that the purpose of today's discussion is to inform Council of the plan for the stockyards and to determine if Council supports it. Councilman Lancaster suggested that the city develop a business-like plan for the stockyards, not necessarily dependent on EDA funds. 4. PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION: FORT WORTH ZOO PLAN - DARRELL GLENN, CHAIRMAN, PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD Gary Kutilek, Park & Recreation Assistant Director for Planning and Development, presented the Park and Recreation Advisory Board's plan for the Fort Worth Zoo. The plan calls for expanding the fifty-seven acre zoo by fourteen acres, for a total of seventy-one acres. The improvements to the park and zoo will be phased in over a fifteen year period. Mr. Kutilek highlighted three main issues of the proposed plan. The first major issue is traffic and parking, both now and in the future. According to a study, two percent of the traffic on University Drive and one percent of the traffic on Forest Park Boulevard is zoo traffic, while in the year 2000, these figures will increase to three percent and two percent respectively. Mr. Kutilek suggested that as many as 2300 parking spaces will be needed in the future to adequately handle zoo parking needs. Councilman Zapata asked if the location of the Texas Diarama created any special parking problems. Mr. Kutilek responded that adequate parking is available within comfortable walking distance of the Diarama. The second major isssue of the zoo expansion is the fate of the public swimming pool. Mr. Kutilek indicated that the current zoo plan does not include the swimming pool. He suggested that a separate study be conducted to determine the costs of repairing the pool, current and longterm swimming trends, and how the pool fits into the city's aquatic program. The pool, which holds 800,000 gallons of water, is losing 300,000 gallons per day. Councilman Williams asked Mr. Kutilek if the Park and Recreation Department has talked to the Fort Worth Independent School District about a joint swimming program at the pool. Mr. Kutilek indicated that preliminary talks have been conducted but no definite plans or arrangements have been developed. The third major issue is the plan for an African Savannah. A typical savannah in which animals roam free requires eight to twelve acres. One alternative, where animals would be enclosed in separate paddocks, could be constructed with less land. The current plan calls for construction of the larger savannah. Councilman Williams suggested that additions to the zoo be constructed with security in mind. Projected costs for the improvements to Forest Park, to come from future bonds, total $2. 1 million. The projected costs for zoo improvements total $33 million, a significant portion of which would come from private sources. Mr. Glenn, Chairman of the Park and Recreation Advisory Board, indicated that prior to the construction of an exhibit, five percent of the total cost of the exhibit will be placed in an endowment fund for future operating costs. Councilman Vance requested a cost analysis of how much money would be required to maintain $33 million in zoo improvements. He also asked for a copy of the questionnaire which was administered to citizens at the public hearings on the zoo plan. Concerning the possibility of fee increases, Councilman Zapata asked why the city would increase fees if the zoo improvements are paid for with private contributions. Mayor Bolen asked if there are plans for one or more of the concession stands to serve the patrons of Forest Park. He suggested that the park patrons would be a good revenue source. s COUNCIL MEETING SEPTEMBER 8, 1987 COUNCIL CHAMBER ABSENT: None. I. ITEMS TO BE CONTINUED/WITHDRAWN MSC P-2118 - PURCHASE OF TELEPHONE EQUIPMENT (HELD OVER FROM A PREVIOUS WEEK) - delayed one week by City Manager Douglas Harman. MSC C-10513 - AWARD OF CONTRACT FOR REROOFING MEACHAM FIELD TERMINAL BUILDING - delayed one week by Councilman Zapata. II. ITEMS TO BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA None. III. BOARD/COMMISSION CHANGES None. IV. COMMENTS AND REQUESTS A. With regard to the proposal to add five lieutenants and delete five sergeants in the Police Department (M&C G-7227), Councilwoman Webber asked if the change would affect the Department's proposed budget. Police Chief Thomas Windham indicated that the net result of the change would be an increase of $11 ,000 per year. The primary purpose of the change is to promote minority officers to higher positions. V. CITIZEN PRESENTATIONS A. City's official newspaper. 1. Mr. Ben Radcliff appeared before Council to request that the "Fort Worth Commercial Recorder" be considered for the city's official newspaper. He argued that the city would save money and still meet its publication obligations by publishing its official notices in the "FWCR". 2. Arthur Petersen, attorney for Mr. Radcliff, also appeared before Council to request that the "Fort Worth Commercial Recorder" be considered for Fort Worth's official newspaper. Mr. Petersen suggested that Council would select the "FWCR" if it truly was interested in the lowest and best cost. Councilman Lancaster asked if the city staff knows what proportion of the city's business requires broad circulation. Councilman Gilley stated his belief that all of the city's business should get the widest circulation. Councilman Williams stated that the same issue had been before Council in the 1 i t past, and that staff had determined that using two papers cost the city more money than using only the "Fort Worth Star-Telegram". B. Sub-standard houses 1. Mr. Pedro Rodriquez appeared before Council to request a sixty day extension to the scheduled demolition of his sub-standard property. 2. Mr. Alan Murphy appeared before Council to request a thirty day extension to the scheduled demolition of his sub-standard property. C. Fort Worth Zoo expansion 1. Mr. David O'Brien appeared before Council to express his concerns over the questionnaire which was administered during the public hearings on the proposed zoo expansion. Mayor Bolen asked Mr. O'Brien if a dialogue between interested parties would help in settling the dispute over the zoo expansion, and if so, would he participate. Mr. O'Brien stated that it would not hurt to talk and that he would participate in a dialogue with Zoo and Park & Recreation officials. Regarding the questionnaire, Councilman Garrison asked if it was possible for persons attending more than one meeting to fill out more than one questionnaire. Mr. O'Brien stated that to his knowledge there was no attempt to keep people from filling out more than one questionnaire. Councilman Williams stated that Council should be suspicious of statistics because of the ease with which they can be manipulated to support or oppose a particular position. 2. Mrs. Wilma Philpot appeared before Council to state her opposition to the Zoo Master Plan. She stated that the future of the zoo should be planned by citizens and city staff, not the Zoological Association. She suggested that the donations of the Zoological Association were the equivalent of bribes. She also implied that bringing African animals into the United States might pose a health hazard as some medical researchers believe the AIDS virus first appeared in African monkeys. Councilman Williams suggested that the citizens of Fort Worth benefit greatly from the gifts of private donors. Councilwoman Webber stated that Mrs. Philpot's implication concerning the AIDS virus and African animals is improper, and that too many rumors about AIDS are based on ignorance such as this. 3. Mrs. Terri Ellis appeared before Council and suggested that the Zoo Master Plan should be invalidated because of the lack of real citizen input. 4. Mr. Bob Adams appeared before Council to state his belief that the Master Plan does not reflect any of what transpired during the public meetings concerning the zoo expansion. Furthermore, he stated that citizens were not allowed to ask questions or get answers during the meetings. S. Mr. Chip Diano appeared before Council to express his opposition to the proposed zoo expansion. 6. Mrs. Lela Standifer appeared before Council to suggest that the city should be able to use the money from the Zoological Association in any way that it sees fit.