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Home My WebLink About1997/10/10-Minutes-City Council-Emergency AM r CITY COUNCIL MEETING CITY OF FORT WORTH OCTOBER 10, 1997 On Friday, October 10, 1997, the City Council of the City of Fort Werth met in special emergency session at 10:00 a.m.. in the City Council Chambers, 2d Floor Municipal Building, 1000 Throckmorton, Fort Worth, Texas. The Mayor called the meeting to order, and the following members were present: Mayor Kenneth Barr, Mayor Pro Tem Eugene McCray, Council Members Jim Lane, Chuck Silcox, Becky Raskin, Jeff Wentworth, Ralph McCloud, and Cathy Hirt, City Manager Bob Terrell, City Attorney Wade Adkins, and City Secretary Alice Church. Council Member Clyde Picht was absent. With a quorum present, the following business was transacted: EXECUTIVE SESSION At 10:02 a.m. the City Council met in a closed session to seek the advice of its attorneys with respect to the following contemplated litigation: A declaratory judgment suit against the City of Dallas and ether parties conceming proposed changes to the Wright Amendment an enforcement of the DIFW Inte ational Airport on covenants As authorized by Section 551.071 of the Texas Government Code. The Ciq, Council reconvened In open session at 10-17 a.m. a October 10, 1997 Page 2. ACTION ITEM Mayor Barr asked City Attorney Adkins to explain what the Council would be doing, and Mr. Adkins stated that the Council would authorize the attorneys to file in the Tarrant County District Court a lawsuit against the City of Dallas, the D/FW Airport Beard, Jeff Fegan, Executive Director of the D/FW, Legends Airlines, and Astria Aviation, Inc. (Dalfort Airlines). Mr. Adkins further stated that the action was based on the 1968 band ordinance and contract and agreement between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth. He said that the suit would ask the District court to declare that under the bond ordinance that Dallas was prevented from allowing interstate flights from beyond the four contiguous states. He said that the recent change in the federal law caused the City to ask that the court decide if Dallas had a continuing duty to comply with the covenants. Mr. Adkins further stated that if it was a violation of the bond covenants, the bands could be put in default. Council Member Silcox made a motion to authorize the City of Fort Worth to File a lawsuit in the Tarrant County District Court against the City of Dallas, the D/FW International Airport Board, Jeff Fegan, Executive Director of D/FW, Legends Airlines, and Astria Aviation, Inc.., Dalfort) concerning the changes in the fright Amendment. Council Member Lane seconded the motion,, and the motion carried unanimously. Mayor Barr stated that Council Member Picht was out of the City, but he (Mayor) had spoken to him, and that he was ax-vare of the matter, an er�' supportive ve of this action. e said that it unanimous action of the -its` Council Fort Worth. October 14, 1997 Page 3. Mayor Barr made a brief statement regarding this matter, stating that this was not an action against the City of Dallas, et al, but an effort to preserve and protect what the two cities had tried to protect over the past twenty years. He said that the City of Fort Worth could not allow traffic to be moved away from D/FW without financial damage to the city. The Mayor further stated that while many people thought that the Wright Amendment should be changed, the people who had spent hundreds of hours on this felt that it was necessary to take this action at this time. The Mayor reviewed the history of the agreement. He also spoke of the realities of "discounted" fares and said that D/FW was actually less expensive that any other hub in the country, and that Southwest could fly out of D/FW any time they wanted — it was their decision. Mayor Barr also read a statement made in 1977 by J. Erik Jonson, a former Mayor of Dallas who was instrumental in developing D/FW, regarding the unprecedented cooperation and the economic importance of D/FW. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 10:27 a.m. City Secretary Mayor NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING Notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Fort Worth will hold a special meeting in the Council Chambers, 2"d Floor, City Hall, 1000 Throcmorton, Fort Worth, Texas, commencing at 10:00 am. on October 10, 1997, to consider the following matters: 1. CALL TO ORDER II. EXECUTIVE SESSION The City Council will meet in a closed session to seek the advice of its attorneys with respect to the following contemplated litigation: a declaratory judgment suit against the City of Dallas and other parties concerning proposed changes to the Wright Amendment and enforcement of the D/FW International Airport bond covenants as authorized by Section 551.071 of the Texas Government Code. III. ACTION ITEM Discussion and vote by the City Council to direct the attorneys for the City to file a declaratory judgment suit against the City of Dallas and other parties concerning the effect of proposed changes to the Wright Amendment and enforcement of the D/FW International Airport bond covenants. IV. ADJOURNMENT An emergency and case of urgent public necessity exist with regard to the above matters because changes to the Wright Amendment constitute a reasonably unforseeable situation requiring immediate action by the Fort Worth City Council. I hereby certify that I posted the above notice at 7:55 a.m, on October 10, 1997, n A -- ` Wade Adkins To Members of the Fort Worth City Council: On October 10, 1997, by delivery of a copy of this notice, I hereby call a special meeting of the Fort Worth City Council at 10:010 a.m. on October 103, 1997, in accordance with Chapter III, Section 5 of the Fort Worth City Charter. The object of the meeting is to discuss and act upon the matters listed on the attached notice and no other business shall be transacted at such meeting. Kenneth Barr Mayor