HomeMy WebLinkAbout1987/09/15-REVISED-Agenda-Pre-Council REVISED
A G E N D A
PRE-COUNCIL MEETING
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1987
8:30 A.M.
COUNCIL CHAMBER
FOR ACTION TODAY
1) Review of Perot Annexation (Z-87-063, Z-87-064 and Z-87-065) -
David A. Ivory, Senior Assistant City Manager (25 Min.)
2) Award of Contract for Reroofing Meacham Field Terminal (M&C
C-10513) - Thurman Wolfe, City Architect ( 10 Min.)
3) Purchase of Telephone Station Equipment (M&C P-2118) - J. A.
Marshall , Director, Information Systems and Services (10 Min.)
4) Questions/Answers Concerning Current Agenda Items - Douglas
Harman, City Manager ( 5 Min.)
FOR DISCUSSION ONLY
5) 9-1-1 District Budget - Rod Bremby, Assistant to the City
Manager ( 5 Min.)
6) Budget Status Report - Douglas Harman, City Manager and Charles
Boswell , Budget Director ( 15 Min.)
7) Financial Feasibility Study for the Fort Worth Zoo - Ramon
Guajardo, Assistant City Manager (15 Min.)
8) Crime Watch/Voice Mail Update - Rod Bremby, Assistant to the
City Manager ( 5 Min.)
The Meeting ends at 9:55 a.m.
To add or make revisions, please call the City Manager's Office,
870-6140, before 3:00 p.m. , Monday, September 14, 1987
The purpose of the Pre-Council Conference held prior to a regular
City Council Meeting is to allow the Mayor and Councilmembers to
discuss informally items on the agenda and to secure information
from the City Manager and the staff. Although the meeting is open
to the public, citizens are requested to reserve comments and
questions for the subsequent Council meeting so they will be a
part of the public record. OFFICIAL RECORD
CITY SECRETARY
FT. WORTH TIX.
AM
PRE-COUNCIL MEETING
SEPTEMBER 15, 1987 ,v�O 12
PRE-COUNCIL CHAMBER [�
SEP 25
t- 2100
ABSENT: Councilman Steve Murrin
ITEMS:
1. REVIEW OF PEROT ANNEXATION (Z-87-063, Z-87-064 AND Z-87-065) - DAVID A.
IVORY, SENIOR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER
David Ivory, Senior Assistant City Manager, was present to answer any questions
that Council had concerning the Perot annexation. The proposed annexation
includes 5,619 acres of property in north Fort Worth, the city's largest single-
developer annexation in history. Plans for the property include development of a
municipally-owned airport as well as areas for commercial, industrial, and
residential development.
Councilman Russell Lancaster questioned the proposed funding mix between the
city and the Perot Development Group for portions of the project. Under normal
community facility agreements, the developer pays sixty percent of the
development costs of community facilities, with the city paying the remaining
forty percent. The Perot plan, however, calls for the city to pay sixty percent
of the community facility costs, with the Perot Development Group to pay the
remaining forty percent. Mr. Lancaster's specific concern was the apparent
sudden change in the city's development policy.
Mr. Ivory explained that city staff has carefully reviewed the proposal and
considers it reasonable in light of other components in the development plan. He
stated that focusing on this particular segment of the proposal presents a
distorted view of the entire development project.
Mayor Bolen asked Mr. Ivory if the Perot Group would be doing the engineering
work in the project. Mr. Ivory indicated that the Perot Group would be doing the
engineering for the proposed airport, for which it will be reimbursed, and for
the proposed freeway, for which no reimbursement is anticipated.
Councilman Gilley reiterated the benefits that will result from the development.
He stated that the city's costs in the project will be recouped through the
development of land which was previously undeveloped.
2. AWARD OF CONTRACT FOR REROOFING MEACHAM FIELD TERMINAL (M&C C-10513) -
THURMAN WOLFE, CITY ARCHITECT
Nancy Amos, Assistant Director, Transportation and Public Works, informed
Council that because of unanticipated problems with the bid specifications for
reroofing Meacham Field Terminal, it would be necessary to reject all bids and
rebid the job. The problems with the bid specifications relate to variations in
the different roof warranties available. Ms. Amos indicated that an M&C would be
forthcoming, along with information on the problems associated with the original
specifications.
I Amm�
3. PURCHASE OF TELEPHONE STATION EQUIPMENT (MSC P-2118) - J.A. MARSHALL,
DIRECTOR, INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND SERVICES
J.A. Marshall, Directory of Information Systems and Services, updated Council on
the investigation of alleged bid review problems in the city's proposed purchase
of telephone equipment. Actual purchase of the telephone equipment had been
delayed from the previous council meeting when vendors charged that the bid
review process was flawed. Mr. Marshall indicated that staff had met with the
vendors and that all of their problems and concerns had been resolved
4. QUESTIONS/ANSWERS CONCERNING CURRENT AGENDA ITEMS - DOUGLAS HARMAN, CITY
MANAGER
City Manager Douglas Harman reminded council members of the budget session
scheduled for Friday, September 18th, at 8:30 a.m. He also asked council members
to relay budget questions and input to staff as soon as possible.
5. 9-1-1 DISTRICT BUDGET - ROD BREMBY, ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER
Rod Bremby, Assistant to the City Manger, introduced Bill Munn, Executive
Director of the 9-1-1 District, to update Council on the District's FY87-88
budget. Highlights of the budget include the following:
1. No fee increases are planned;
2. Current fees are the lowest of all Texas 9-1-1 systems;
3. The budget reflects adoption of a formal salary structure;
4. The City of Irving will join the district, providing revenues above the
cost of the additional service; and,
5. A contingency fund has been developed for other potential additions to the
district.
Councilman Williams asked Mr. Munn if the addition of new cities to the district
would bring any fee relief to the citizens of Fort Worth. Mr. Munn indicated
that the addition of other cities to the system might make future fee reductions
possible.
Mr. Williams then asked Mr. Munn if the proposed budget includes any salary
increase. Mr. Munn stated that no formal salary increase is included, but that
some salaries were adjusted in the adoption of a formal pay structure. District
employees are aware that no additional salary increases will be available until
FY88-89.
Mr. Williams also questioned Mr. Munn about the district's affirmative action
efforts. Although the district currently has no minority employees, Mr. Munn
indicated that the addition of two positions should lead to the hiring of at
least one minority.
Mr. Bremby informed council members that it is possible for cordless phones with
weak batteries to randomly dial 9-1-1. Manufacturers of cordless phones are
attempting to eliminate the problem in future models.
6. BUDGET STATUS REPORT - DOUGLAS HARMAN, CITY MANAGER AND CHARLES BOSWELL,
BUDGET DIRECTOR
Budget Director Charles Boswell reviewed some of the budget issues still being
debated by Council. Along with deciding which programs to add to the FY87-88
budget and whether employees will get a salary increase, Council must also
decide whether or not to increase the real property rate, and if so, by how
much.
To assist Council in making the decision about the property tax rate, Mr.
Boswell reviewed four different scenarios, showing the tax rate required to fund
various additions to the City Manager's proposed budget. The scenarios ranged
from no tax increase to the maximum increase allowed without invoking roll back
provisions.
Although time did not permit lengthy discussion of budget issues, Council
members expressed a desire to address the following issues in the FY87-88
budget:
1. Restoration of city custodial staff in Multi-Purpose centers, and
2. Increase in employee salaries.
Further discussion of the proposed budget was delayed until the Friday morning
budget session.
7. FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE FORT WORTH ZOO - RAMON GUAJARDO,
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER
Ramon Guajardo, Assistant City Manager, introduced Jim Moore, President , Moore
Diversified Services, who reviewed the findings of his cost benefit analysis of
proposed zoo improvements. Mr. Moore stated that a survey of zoo visitors
indicated forty-one percent local residents and fifty-nine percent out-of-town
visitors. He predicted a five-percent annual growth in the number of visitors to
the zoo. Mr. Moore suggested that the zoo expansion would provide the city with
an annual direct benefit of approximately $1 .4 million (bed and sales tax), with
an additional $14-$22 million in indirect benefits. He suggested that failure to
expand the zoo would hurt the city in the long run.
Councilman Vance questioned Mr. Moore about the information he used in his
analysis. Mr. Moore indicated that he looked at employment and salary
information as well as information on sales and bed taxes.
Mr. Vance asked Mr. Moore if his formula for calculating economic benefit from
expansion of the zoo was dependent upon increase in acreage or simply the
investment of dollars in improvements. Mr. Moore acknowledged that his
predictions were based on the amount of money spent rather than the number of
acres included in the improvements.
8. CRIME WATCH/VOICE MAIL UPDATE - ROD BREMBY, ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER
Rod Bremby, Assistant to the City Manager, briefed Council on the use of the
voice mail system in the Crime Watch Program. Mr. Bremby indicated that GTE
would be providing a free trial of the system for the Meadowbrook Crime Watch
Association and Octel Communications would provide a trial for a downtown
business watch group. Fort Worth is the first city in the nation to use the
voice mail technology in crime prevention, and Mr. Bremby indicated that costs
of a city-wide program could likely be paid with private donations. Because of
the marketing potential, vendors are eager for Fort Worth to develop and test
the new Crime Watch System.
Mr. Bremby indicated that participants in the TML Conference in October will
also have access to voice mail technology. Octel, the manufacturer of Aspen,
will set up a temporary system at no additional cost to the city.