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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1965/05/17-Agenda-Pre-Council A G E N D A PRE-CO(JNCIL CONFERENCE 8:30 A.M. Monday, May 17, 1965 1) County-wide Municipal Conference - May 18, 1965 2) Port Study Committee - Councilman .Jones 3) Lake worth Casino Ballroom Lease (M&C C-511) 4) Inter-American Municipal Association Membership 5) Rental of Overhead Street Space (M&C G-801) 6) North Side Paving Lmprovements (M&C G-798) 7) Long Range Capital Improvement Program (M&C G-797) 8) Amendment to Commercial Building :standards Ordinance (M&C G-793 and I.R. 733) 9) Group Health and Life Insurance Program (M&C C-491 and I.R. 732) 10) Library Site Purchases (M&C L-664-669) 11) GSIA Clear Zone Access Road (M&C L-670) 12) Maintenance of 'Trinity Cemetery (I.R. 's 710 and 734) 13) Other M&C's of May 17, 1965 14) Other Item Am*- MIN L'I'ES PRE-COUNCIL CONFERENCE MAY 17, 1965 Present: Late: Absent : 1. Barr 7. Jones (Item 1) None 2. Shannon 8. Eagle (Item 3) 3. Stovall 9. Hoover (Item 8) 4. Mrs. Deen 5. Haran 6. Kemble I T E M Follow-up: 1. Chamber of Commerce Letter Regarding Joint Rail NAN Yards Classification System Mayor Barr asked the City Council if they had received copies of this letter. Councilman Stovall replied that he had received a copy but no other Council Members mentioned having received one. The Mayor asked all Councilmen to attend a meeting called by the Chamber of Commerce for Thursday, May 20, to discuss the proposal of Central Cleveland Corporation. 2. Federal Economic Opportunity Program in Texas Meeting was held on May 18, Cities attended by all of Council except Mrs. Deen. Mr. Blodgett discussed The City Manager reported that Mr. W. Terrell the Economic Opportunity Act and Blodgett , Director , Texas Office of Economic Opportunity, its application in Texas cozmnuni- Austin, Texas , would be visiting the City of Fort Worth ties. He advised that most Texas on Tuesday and would welcome the opportunity to visit with cities having multiple action the Council informally to answer any questions regarding programs had formed a new non- the Economic Opportunity Act and to explain possible profit corporation to coordinate provisions that could apply to the City of Fort Worth. the poverty programs and approve The general consensus of the Council was that they applications. One , Austin, had would like to discuss the Economic Opportunity Act with assigned this function to the Mr. Blodgett informally. The City Manager inquired as Community Council. to what time would be most convenient with the Council Members. The general consensus of the Council was 4:00 P.M. , Tuesday, May 18. 3. United States Vice-President's Conference with NAN City Managers The Mayor reported that the City Manager has been invited to attend a Vice-President's conference with ci.y managers in Washington, D. C. on May 20 and 21, 1965. The City Manager reported Lhat this meeting i.s a follow-up of the Mayors meeting recently held in Washington, D. C. He further reported that the city managers present would be from cities of 50,000 population or more. No objection was stated to rhe City Manager attending the conference. 4. County-wide Municipal Conference, May 18, 1965 NAN The Mayor reminded the City Council of the upcoming County-wide municipal conference to be held May 18, 1965 in the Round-Up Inn. He requested as many Councilmen as possible attend this meeting, -l- ,,, 5. Lake Worth Casino Ballroom Lease (M&C C-511) NAN The City Manager reported that all necessary prerequisites and lease requirements for Lake Worth Casino Ballroom had been fulfilled vxcept the provision for liabi.l i ,.y insurance in the amount of $1 ,000,0001 for any one accident on the premises. The City Manager reported that coverage in the amount of $300,000 for each accident is the maximum coverage from insurance companies which is available at this time. The City Manager stated that the corporate venture indicated thatliability insurance up to $1 ,000,000 might be available sometime in the future at an increased premium. Councilman Kemble inquired if the City could gec the same policy with $300,000 deductible. The City Manager replied that the City would not need liability insurance because it does not assume liability in this case. Mayor Barr inquired if this was the maximum ins-rance that the corporation could get . The City Manager replied that at the present time this is the maximum coverage the corporation can obtain. Councilman Hamm stated that if the liability insurance for the Lake Worth Casino Ballroom was in line with the liability insurance required a• the concessions and ride facilities in the Park and Recreation Department , it would be acceptable to him. The City Manager replied that he did not know at this Lime if this liability insurance was comparable in amount co the liability insurance taken out by the :oncessions and ride facilities in the Park and Recreation Department. Mayor Barr inquired if the users of clic: Municipal Buildings West facilities assumed liability insurance responsibility while using the facilities. The City Manager replied that this was the procedure. The City does not carry liability insurance at Municipal Buildings West facilities. The general consensus of the Council was to approve the Lake Worth Casino Ballroom leas, with the reduction of coverage for one accident from $1,00U,000 to $300,000 and such action was taken at the regular Council meeting. 6. Port Study Committee - Councilman Jones NAN Councilman Jones read a resolution regarding the Port Study Committee and its report. This resolution acknowledged receipt of the Port Study Committee report and recommended the committee's current membership be retained on a stand-by basis for future study. Councilman Hamm stated that of all of the reports received by the Council recently, this report was one of the most thorough and best presented. The general consensus of the Council was to approve the resolution introduced by Councilman Jones and such action was taken at the regular Council meeting. A.. - - 7. Inter-American Municipal Association Membership NAN Mayor Barr inquired of the Council their attitude as to coining the Inter-American Municipal Association. Mayor Barr stated that he personally did not think it necessary to join this Association. Councilman Jones inquired as to the cost of the membership in this Association. The City Manager replied that the cost was $200 per year. Mayor Barr inquired if this Association was affiliated with other similar municipal associations. Councilman Hamm replied that this Association is affiliated with other municipal associations , Mayor Barr asked the City Manager if there was any particular reason the City of Fort Worth should be a member of the Inter-American Municipal Association. The City Manager replied that it was not necessary for the City to become a member of chis Association unless the Council desired to. The general consensi.ts of the Council was not to _join the Inter-American Municipal Association. 8. Rental of Overhead Street Space (M&C G-801) NAN Councilman Stovall inquired it this rental arrangement for overhead street space would affect cunnection with the rental of underground street space now in litigation. The City Manager replied that there wo„ld be no effect, but that the same basis was used in computing the rental rates for the overhead street space as that used in determining the underground street rental rates. Mayor Barr inquired if a contract for overhead street rental space was between the City and an individual. The City Manager replied that this was correct . Mayor Barr in(iiiired if the City gave its approval for overhead street rental space only upon completion of a signed contract. The City Manager replied that this also was correct . Councilman Hamm inquired as to what the overhead street rental charge was compared to and requested information on the charge method for the overhead street space. (This was provided at the meeting, in the form of a copy of Chapter 33, Section 38 of the Code.) The City Manager reported that the current renting and leasing value of the land on which the parking garage is to be constructed is $1 per square foot per year. The City Manager further reported that in computing the overhead street rental rate for this seven story parking garage under the existing formula resulted in a charge of approximately $1 .51) per square foot per year. This $1.50 per square foot per year represented approximately a 50 per cent increase } over the marketable value for leasing and renting land at ' hi.s location. The City Manager reported that under the proposed formula the charge per square foot per year would be $1.10. -4- IftA Councilman Hamm inquired if the proposed formula would produce rental rates comparable to market values when applied to all levels. The City Manager replied that the proposed formula would create a charge for the first level chat would be lower than the market value In the ininediate area, but when the proposed form,nla is applied ro overhead street space in exce-as of three levels aboveground or for two levels below ground, the formula would be fairly comparable to thr market value in the area. The City Manager reported that the existing method of computing charges is based upon the assessed value of ad_;acent property, the rax rate, and the sgtiare footage of the over and under street pro_fecrions at each level. The charge is highest for the first over- head and undergroiind level , then a lesser amount is charged for cacti additional building level projecting into public right-of-way. Application of the charges to one and two story projections approved by the City Council to date, has resulted in a low rental rate in comparison to prevailing ground rentals in adjacent areas. Until the parking garage request , the City had never computed a charge for projections at more than two overhead levels . in reviewing the parking garage rental for the six overhead projections, it was Indicated that the standard charge rates would result In a rental rate about 50 per cent higher than pre- vailing ad;acent ground rentals. In order to adjust the Dublic space rental rate for multi-story buildings to make the charge mure comparable to adjacent ground rental costs, it was decided that the charge Rhotild be applied only to the First three tipper levels and two basement levels, regardless of the number of levels over or under the street that may be constructed. Adjustment of the charge rate appears to be justified because the greatest public inconvenience is at the lower levels of the overhead projection in terms of restricted site distance, screening adjacent bi,ildings, the "canyon" effect, and the reduced space available for fire fighting;. Mayor Barr inquired if the proposed formula was applied to a building in a high priced area that would have overhead use on only the first level , if the formula would produce a lower than market value charge per square Coot. The City Manager replied that this would be true in all areas regardless of their economic value. Mayor Barr inquired if this would be good. Mayor Barr inquired if this proposed formula was asking for a general policy change for all levels in excess of three overhead levels and two underground levels. The City Manager replied that this was correct. Councilman Jones inquired if the City Council would approve all such overhead street space rental contracts,. -5- .ftk The City Manager replied that overhead or basement street rental space contracts require the Council 's .approval.. Mayor Barr inquired if this policy change should be made by M&C or by ordinance amendment. The City Manager replied that such policy change could be made in a Mayor and Council Communication. The general consensus of the Council was to approve the proposed formula revision and such action was taken at the regular Council meeting. 9. North Side Paving Improvements (M&C G-798) NAN The City Manager inquired of the Council if they had any questions regarding the North Side paving improvements project. It was brought to the attention of the Council that this was the project on which Mr. Moore appeared offering his ob ,ections a couple of weeks ago. The City Council expressed no objections to the paving improvemen*. program and M&C G-798 was approved in the regular Council meeting. 10. Long Range Capital Improvement Program GENE - Include on the May 24th (M&C G-797) Pre-Council. Conference Agenda. The City Manager requested the opportunity to present the Capital Improvement Program in informal meetings to the Council for their study at their 'ROtonvenience. The general consensus of the Council was to decide upon a meeting date at the next Counc;l meeting. 11 . ;.mendment to Conw ercial Building Standards BATEMA14 - plen:;e handle Ordinance (M&C G-793 and I.R. 733) The City Manager inquired if any Council Members had grestions regarding the proposed amendment to the Commercial Building Standards Ordinance. Councilman Rantti stated that lie was in agreement with the recommenda- tions of the Informal Report 733. The general consensus of .he Council was to approve the amendment to the Commercial Building Standards Ordinance, as altered by I.R. 733, and such action was taken at the regular Council meeting. 12. Group Health and Life Insurance Program WOOD - follow-up on implementation (M&C C-491 and I.R. 732) The City Manager inquired if any Council Members had additional questions regarding the proposed group insurance program for City employees. Councilman .cones stated that he had been contacted by the administrator of Harris Hospital regarding the proposed plan, who stated that Blue Crass-Blue Shield would offer the best services at Lite least possible cost of any major insurance company. t -6- Ask Councilman Hatton stated that h(- wished to hold t:he City's participation to the current rate of 45 per cent. He stated that the City could expect an increased premium cost in 2 years which would provide a significant built-in additional cost to the City If the City's participation was increased from 45 to uU per cent . Councilman Hamm further stated that the City is currently carrying over 300 retired people on its' insurance program for which the Ciry pays 100 per cent of their insurance cost. Councilman Hamm stated that in industry the normal procedure for retired employees was to guarantee them the right of conversion and to provide them non-cancellable insurance. Councilman Hamm maintained that it the City would adopt this procedure it would: 1) cut down the insurance risk, and 2) make the carrier f;et up a definite plan for retired people, therefore nor penaiyzing the rest of the City employee, In the Insurance program due to higher insurance costs of re' ired employees. Councilman Kemble state(] to Mr. Hamm that he did noknow how anyone could predict for certain that there would be an increase in premiums two years from now. Councilman Kemble stated that if the City has a good record , rhe premium increase in 2 years, if th re is one, should be in an amu,int the City could afford. In answk.r to Councilman Kemble, Councilman Hamm stated that he is still in favor of keeping the City's participation at thu same level it currently is to avoid possible increased cost . Councilman Shannon stated that the City of Fort Worth could not compare its insurance program benefits with other cities because we do not knew what the other cities' fringe benefits are. Councilman Hamm stated that he would be in favor of taking the $12,000 savings realized by contracting with Blue Gross-Blue Shield and apply this back to the employees in the form of a pay increase. Mayor Barr stated that $12,000 brought back for pay increases to the ewployees would be an intinitesimat ;unuunt , nog_ sivi.ificant for any employee. Mayor Barr asked Councilman Hamm if he was in favor of changing the Cit.y's specifications for the insurance program. Councilman Hamm stac.ed that he was not in favor of changing the specifica- t ions. Councilman Hoover seated than he felt in order for the City to get a favorable comparison with other cities it would be necessary to analyze the total amount of money being paid to City employees, including fringe benefits. Mayor Barr requested of the Council that in the regular Council meeting, two motions be presented: 1) to accept the proposed contract , and 2) ti, set the Ci ,yls rate of participation. The 1,onnral consensus of the Council was to make such motions during the regular Council meeting and such motions were made and accepted in the regular Council. meeting. H. Library Site Purchases (M&C L-064 - 669) NAN The City Manager inquired if any Council Members had gi.iestions regarding the library site purchases. The City Counc 1 expressed no obiections to the proposed 1 ,hrary Site purchases and such purchases were• approved in the regular Council meeting. 14 . balance of Pre-Council Conference Agenda Items CFNP. - put Trinity Cemetery on Informal Agenda for 5-24-0 The City Council did not discuss the other items li::. ed on r_he May 17, 1965 Pre-Council Conference Agenc:a.