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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1987/11/24-Agenda-Pre-Council Z � � PRE-COUNCIL MEETING `} NOVEMBER 24, 1987 PRE-COUNCIL CHAMBER ABSENT: None. a 1. PROPOSED RACETRACK DEVELOPMENT POLICIES ADVISORY COMMITTEE - COUNCILMAN GAREY GILLEY Councilman Garey Gilley asked that Council consider forming a special citizen committee to study city policies concerning race tracks. Specifically, Mr. Gilley stated that the committee should focus on physical issues such as infra- structure, traffic and parking considerations. He asked that each Councilmember be prepared to appoint a representative from his or her district to serve on the committee should Council decide that a citizen committee is appropriate. City Manager Douglas Harman reported that County Judge Roy English indicated the County would be happy to cooperate with a Fort Worth citizen committee. 2. AIDS EDUCATION PROGRAM - DR. BROOKS TAYLOR, HEALTH DIRECTOR Lois Kantor, STD Program Coordinator, introduced Paula Jones, Public Education Specialist, to discuss the City's media campaign to educate the public about the dangers of AIDS. Ms. Jones stated that the theme of the public service announcements is "AIDS - Ignorance Can Be Fatal." The announcements are aimed at teenagers and young adults. The goals of the campaign are to educate the public and to reduce the transmission of the AIDS virus. The campaign will consist of bilingual flyers, information sheets, posters, and billboards, as well as two television ads. In addition, a lunch for community leaders and two public forums (Dec. 1 - Central Library; and Dec. 8 - Southwest Regional Library) are planned. Councilman Lancaster asked Ms. Jones if Fort Worth can share its public service announcements with other cities. Ms. Jones stated that Fort Worth is willing to share with other cities and that San Antonio has sent Fort Worth Spanish radio ads. Mr. Lancaster asked if there is any way that prostitutes who are known carriers of the AIDS virus can be publicly identified. Assistant City Attorney D'Metria Benson reported that there is currently no legal means for identifying prostitutes who carry the virus. Councilman Garrison asked Ms. Jones if the City's AIDS campaign is consistent with the recommendations of the United States Surgeon General. Ms. Jones stated that the City's program is consistent with the recommendations of the Surgeon General. 3. REVIEW OF 1987 MOSQUITO CONTROL ACTIVITIES AND UTILIZATION OF $22,564 SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION (I.R. NO. 7229) - DR. BROOKS TAYLOR, HEALTH DIRECTOR No discussion. 4. REVIEW OF EQUESTRIAN CENTER CONSTRUCTION - RUTH ANN MCKINNEY, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND PERRY MCCORD, MCCORD CONSTRUCTION COMPANY Assistant City Manager Ruth Ann McKinney reviewed the results of McCord Construction Company's structural analysis of the new Equestrian Center. Ms. McKinney stated that while the analysis recommends some additional documentation be provided by the project's structural engineer, the overall conclusion is that there is nothing wrong with the construction at the facility. Perry McCord, President of McCord Construction, reiterated that Spaw-Glass has done an excellent job at the Equestrain Center and that the City can be proud of the facility. City Manager Douglas Harman highlighted a report by City Attorney Wade Adkins regarding the City's relationship and legal responsibility to sub-contractors. Councilman Zapata charged that in many instances sub-contractors do all of the difficult work on a project but the general contractor receives all the profits. Mr. Adkins warned that the city is bound by legal restrictions from becoming involved in disputes between sub-contractors and general contractors. 5. PROPOSED CITY COUNCIL RETREAT SCHEDULE - DOUGLAS HARMAN, CITY MANAGER City Manager Douglas Harman suggested that Council consider having a retreat in January 1988 to focus on broad programmatic and departmental issues before the more detailed retreat for considering budget matters, which will likely be held in late March or early April. He suggested January 7 6 8 or January 14 6 15 as possible dates for the first retreat. Councilman Lancaster expressed concern that the City's Long Range Financial Forecast will not be available until February. Mr. Harman indicated that preliminary data may be available in January and restated that the purpose of the retreat is to focus on broad issues rather than specific financial issues. Councilman Williams stated that he does not want to go on a Council retreat unless he is assured that the time will be spent productively. He also expressed concern that any decisions made in January will only be changed once the citizens become involved in budget hearings. Councilwoman Webber stated her belief that a meeting in January would be very helpful. 6. RECEIPT OF STOCKYARDS PROPOSAL Alexis Bedos of Lloyds International presented recommendations on the City's investment in the Stockyards based on a study that his bank conducted for Stockyards 85. The proposal calls for the City to purchase the Livestock Exchange Building, the Exhibit Building, and several of the animal barns from Stockyards 85. Mayor Bolen asked Mr. Bedos what the City's incentive for involvement in the Stockyards is. Mr. Bedos stated that the two main incentives for City involvement are historic preservation and revival of the Northside. He indicated that the second goal can be aided by the development of a western theme park near the Stockyards. Councilman Zapata referenced Baltimore and New York City as examples where redevelopment projects have been successful; however, in each case federal money was involved in the effort. Mr. Zapata stated his hope that the federal government can be persuaded to participate in further development of the Stockyards. Councilman Murrin stated that for the City to become involved in the Stockyards, all of Fort Worth must believe that the project is worthwhile. Mayor Bolen suggested that the Historical Society, the various Chambers of Commerce, and the City's legal and accounting departments be actively involved in evaluating the Stockyards proposal. 7. PROPOSED AMEMDMENT TO FALSE ALARM ORDINANCE (I.R. NO. 7230) - ROD BREMBY, ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER Rod Bremby, Assistant to the City Manager, highlighted portions of proposed amendments to the City's false alarm ordinance. Mr. Bremby stated that the amendments represent four years of research and effort on the part of city staff. The amendments call for the extension of the ordinance to residential alarms. Each permitted residence would receive four free false alarms each twelve months from the time the permit is obtained. After the four free false alarms have been used, a fee will be assessed for each subsequent alarm. The purpose of extending the false alarm ordinance to residential alarms is to recover some of the substantial cost incurred by the Police Department in responding to false alarms. 8. ANIMAL SHELTER OPTIONS (I.R. NO. 7231) - RAMON GUAJARDO, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER Assistant City Manager Ramon Guajardo stated that the issue of animal shelter options would come back to Council at a later date for action. Councilman Murrin requested that the City proceed cautiously with architects. He suggested that the design of a new facility for Fort Worth be based upon successful shelters in other Metroplex cities. 9. QUESTION/ANSWERS CONCERNING CURRENT AGENDA ITEMS - DOUGLAS HARMAN, CITY MANAGER Finance Director Judson Bailiff indicated that the city will collapse a bond issue of the Trinity Housing Corportation for Oakgrove, a development which will never be built. MBank, acting on the City's behalf, will pay off all bond holders. Because the project will never be built, Mr. Bailiff stated that collapsing the bond issue is the appropriate action to take.