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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993/10/26-REVISED-Agenda-Pre-Council REVISED PRE-COUNCIL MEETING TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1993 8:30 A.M. PRE-COUNCIL CHAMBER 1) Responses to M&C's Continued from a Previous Week a) M&C P-6690 - Purchase of Typewriter from Southwest Office Systems, Third Low Bidder for Fire Department(Cont'd from 10-19-93 by Silcox - Guajardo responding) 2) Questions Concerning Current Agenda Items - bob Terrell, City Manager 3) Introduction of Hungarian Ambassador, Pal Tar 4) Unfunded Federal Mandates (Resolution) - Joe Paniagua, Assistant to the City Manager 5) Discussion of Police Radios - Libby Watson, Assistant City Manager b) City Council Requests for Future Agenda Items OFFICIAL RECORD CITY SECRETARY FT. WORTH, TEX. The Pre-Council Meeting is scheduled to end at 9:45 a.m. THE PURPOSE OFA PRE-COUNCIL MEETING HELD PRIOR TOA REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING IS TO ALLOW THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS TO INFORMALLY DISCUSS ITEMS ON THE AGENDA AND TO SECURE INFORMATION FROM THE CITY MANAGER AND THE STAFF.ALTHOUGH THE MEETING IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, CITIZERS ARE REQUESTED TO RESERVE COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS FOR THE SUBSEQUENT COUNCIL MEETING SO THEY WILL BE A PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD. "This facility is wheelchair accessible. For accommodations or sign interpretive services,please call the City Manager's Office at 871-6140,48 hours in advanoa." .f K NOTES FROM OCTOBER 26, 1993 PRE-COUNCIL AND COUNCIL MEETINGS FOR OCTOBER 27j 1993 CITY MANAGER'S STAFF MEETING PRE-COUNCIL 1. Responses to M&C's Continued from a Previous Week a) M&C P-6690 - Purchase of Typewriter from Southwest Office Systems, Third Low Bidder for Fire Department. SUMMARY: ACM Guajardo stated that staff recommends withdrawing the M&C from the agenda, and that the specifications should have been written more generically. He stated that ISS will talk with the Fire Department to determine their real needs. COUNCIL: Mr. Silcox stated that specifications should not be written for a specific piece of equipment and expressed his desire that this be corrected in the future. ACTION: None. 2. Questions Concerning Current Agenda Items a) Mr. Meadows expressed his support for the revised language in the resolution relating to inclusion of MBE/DBE firms. Mr. Lane expressed his concern that this resolution not conflict with the previously-adopted DBEAC resolution. Ms. Haskin asked if staff will consider the size of the contract. STAFF: Mr. Terrell stated that this resolution is above and beyond our normal DBE requirements. He stated that staff will come back to Council with a proposed implementation strategy. In response to Ms. Haskin, Mr. Terrell stated that staff will consider a number of factors, including the size of the contract, the number of employees in the firm, etc. He stated that staff will not propose anything that would dilute the responsibilities/authority of the DBEAC. ACTION: Develop implementation strategy and bring back to Council. b) M&C P-6698 - Purchase of Street Standards and Globes from Valmount Industries, Inc. , for the Transportation and Public Works Department. COUNCIL: Ms. Woods stated that Valmount is not the lowest bidder on several of the items, and suggested that we purchase from multiple vendors and select the low bidder for - item. OFFICIAL RECORD 1 CITY SECRETARY FT. WORTH, TEX. ACTION: None. C) M&C P-6699 - Purchase Weatherization Services from Various Vendors for the Housing and Human Services Department. COUNCIL: Ms. Woods stated that she has heard complaints of poor work by some of the contractors, and asked if staff is sure that the recommended vendors on this M&C are not those contractors. STAFF: ACM Watson stated that the complaints have been received about contractors working on the Rehabilitation Program, and not the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) . She stated that the WAP has received very high praise. ACTION: None. d) M&C C-14067 - Engineering Agreement with Carter & Burgess, Inc. , for Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation, Contract 20C. COUNCIL: Ms. Woods stated that part of the sewer rehabilitation is located in District 6, and that she would like to know the locations within her district. STAFF: Staff provided this information to Ms. Woods before the Council meeting. ACTION: None. 3. Introduction of Hungarian Ambassador SUMMARY: Mayor Granger introduced Mr. Pal Tar, the Hungarian Ambassador to the United States, to Council. ACTION: None. 4. Unfunded Federal Mandates SUMMARY: Joe Paniagua presented the information found in the report on Unfunded Federal Mandates and the USCM Survey. He stated that the 1993-94 budget includes almost $9.Om in operational costs related to unfunded federal mandates, which requires Council to shift funding away from local priorities in order to fund these federal mandates. He stated that approximately $176m will be spent to fund these federal mandates through 1998. COUNCIL: Mayor Granger stated that we do not have a choice but to fund 2 OFFICIAL RECOO CITY SECRETARY FT. WORTH, TEX. a A0w these federal mandates. She stated that we need to educate the citizens about the mandates, the costs involved, and the impact of these mandates on the local budget. Mr. Meadows stated that we have attempted to discuss this issue with our congressional delegation, but have received no interest from them. Mr. Silcox stated that this is the type of issue that should be included in an informational page, as was discussed at the budget retreat last Saturday. ACTION: None. 5. Discussion of Police Radios SUMMARY: Chief Windham presented the information found in I.R. 7768, and stated that the Citizens on Patrol groups now have 287 radios. He stated that an error was made in purchasing multi-bank chargers, rather than individual chargers, but that individual chargers have been obtained from the Fire Department, and they are looking into trading in some multi-bank chargers for individual chargers. He stated that 287 radios should be sufficient to carry them to the next budget cycle. He also stated that they are reprogramming the radios to allow the Beat Officers the ability to scan and speak to the COPS groups. COUNCIL: Mayor Granger stated that Council knew that not all of the details were worked out when Code:Blue was implemented, and that we are on the cutting edge regarding community policing. STAFF: Chief Windham stated that this is true, and that crime is down 27% from last year as a result. COUNCIL: Mr. Lane asked if this drop in crime can be attributed to the effectiveness of the COPs program. He also asked if staff studied the potential liability of the COPS program. STAFF: Chief Windham stated that he does attribute the drop in crime to the COPs program. Wade Adkins stated that in their training, the COPS groups are provided instruction as to actions they should not be attempting. COUNCIL: Mr. Silcox stated that the biggest complaint that he receives is that the COPS groups do not have sufficient equipment. He stated that we should strive to purchase more equipment at the lowest price. He stated that a vendor would be delivering two radios today that are substantially cheaper than Motorola's, that are compatible with our current system. He stated that we will have them on a trial basis for one week, and suggested that staff test them to determine if they can be used by COPS groups. Mayor Granger asked how we get information out to the COPS groups. OFFICIAL RECORD 3 CITY SECRETARY FT. WORTH, TEX. STAFF: Chief Windham agreed, and stated that they need to have the feature that provides the ability for the Police to speak with the COPS groups. He further stated that Motorola is currently developing a citizens' radio with four channels that will be compatible with the Police system for the COPs groups' use. In response to the Mayor, Deputy Chief Hill stated that each division has a newsletter, they meet quarterly with the COPs groups, and that quarterly activity reports are prepared by the COPs groups. ACTION: None. 6. City Council Requests for Future Agenda Items a) Ms. Haskin asked about the status of the Open Container regulation. STAFF: Wade Adkins stated that we have received the information from the City of Dallas, and that we could provide to Council copies of the information received from Dallas. ACTION: Provide copies of the information received from Dallas to Council next week. COUNCIL MEETING VI. Items to be Withdrawn from the Consent Agenda a) M&C P-6698 - Purchase of Street Standards and Globes from Valmount Industries, Inc. , for the Transportation and Public Works Department. Ms. Woods withdrew this item from the consent agenda. This M&C was later approved as amended to award the purchase to the lowest bidder for each item. ACTION: None. b) M&C G-10394 - Issuance of a Heliport License to Omni Group, Inc. , D/B/A AMCOT Partners, for the Ownership and Operation of Private Use Heliport. Mr. Terrell withdrew this item from the consent agenda, and the M&C was later continued for one week. ACTION: Continue M&C G-10394 for one week (until 11/2) . OFFICIAL RECORD CITY SECRETARY 4 FT. WORTH, TEX. �• ,.\ VII. Staff Items to be Continued or Withdrawn a) M&C P-6690 - Purchase of Typewriter from Southwest Office Systems, Third Low Bidder for Fire Department. Mr. Terrell withdrew this item from the agenda. ACTION: None. IX. Presentations by the City Council 3) A Resolution Relating to Inclusion of Minority and Women Businesses, Individuals, and Other Businesses in Fort Worth Bond Election Projects. This resolution was approved with the revised language. 4) A Resolution Relating to Unfunded Federal Mandates. This resolution was approved. XII. Benefit Hearing for Fort Worth Improvement District No. 3. Following presentations by Ross Meekins and Lloyd Terry in opposition to their assessment, the Benefit Hearing was closed and assessments levied, with the levies reduced for Larry's Shoes, and Mr. Meekins' and Mr. Goodwin's properties. Mayor Granger expressed her concern about exempting properties in the PIDs. ACTION: None. XIII. Report of the City Manager a) M&C G-10396 - Adoption of Downtown Strategic Action Plan. Tom Beech and Alan Taylor spoke in support of the plan. Alan Taylor urged the formation of the implementation committee. Ms. Webber urged the continued inclusion of the minority community in the implementation of the plan. This M&C was approved. ACTION: None. b) M&C P-6712 - Purchase Agreement with Fort Worth Star-Telegram for the Publication of City Notices and Display Advertisements for the City of Fort Worth. COUNCIL: Ms. Woods asked the legal ramifications of7CITYWOSECRETA�RY �&C s TH, TEX. ` ^. since the Star-Telegram was not the low bid. STAFF: Wade Adkins stated that Council has the authority to accept the lowest and best bid. Following presentations by Jerry Scott of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and Arthur Peterson, representing the Commercial Recorder, this M&C was approved with Ms. Webber, Ms. Woods, and Rev. Jackson opposed. ACTION: None. c) M&C C-14067 - Engineering Agreement with Carter & Burgess, Inc. , for Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation, Contract 20C. This M&C was approved with Mr. Meadows abstaining. ACTION: None. XIV. Citizen Presentations 1) Mr. David Thomas spoke about the problems in the Black community. 2) Mr. Sahib Braheem spoke about a film that was shown to the ministers by the FWPD, that he has not been shown. He would like to see the film. COUNCIL: Mayor Granger stated that she will look into the matter. 3) Ms. Stella Houston, Mr. Anthony Rogers, and Ms. Delane Spencer spoke in opposition to the FWPD. Ms. Spencer stated that the investigators have not spoken with her, nor are they contacting anyone else at the scene at the time of the incident. Both Mr. Rogers and Ms. Spencer made complaints against Officer McGuire. OFFICIAL RECORD 6 CITY SECRETARY FT_. WORTH, TEL