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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1988/11/22-REVISED-Agenda-Pre-Council -7440 REVISED PRE-COUNCIL MEETING Tuesday, November 22, 1988 8:30 a.m. Pre-Council Chamber FOR ACTION TODAY 1) Medical Benefits Program (M&C C-11311 ) - Bill Herrington , Director, Risk Management (30 Min.) 2) Questions/Answers Concerning Current Agenda Items - Douglas Harman , City Manager (10 Min.) FOR DISCUSSION ONLY 3) Relocation/Installation of Gas Meters (I . R. No. 7336) - Jodi Eubanks , Assistant to the City Manager (10 Min.) 4) Status Report on West Lancaster Street Project in Cultural District - Gary Santerre, Director, Transportation and Public Works (10 Min.) 5) Cable Billing Issue - Ruth Ann McKinney, Assistant City Manager (10 Min.) 6) Status Report from Council Eagle Mountain Treatment Plant Sub-Committee - Councilman Garey Gilley (10 Min.) The Meeting ends at 9:50 a.m. To add or make revisions, please call the City Manager' s Office, 870-6140, before 3:00 p.m., Monday, November 21, 1988 THE PURPOSE OF THE PRE-COUNCIL CONFERENCE HELD PRIOR TO A REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING IS TO ALLOW THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS 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. OFFICIIII OFCUM (CITY .:7,nPJ'Ijr:TP,!3,Y FT. vio;'f ; T , i PRE-COUNCIL 14F.ETTNG NOVEMBER 22. 1988 PRE-COUNCIL CHAMBERS 8:30 A.M. ITEMS: 9 1. Medical Benefits Program (M&C C-11311 - Bill Herrington, Director, Risk Management Mr. Herrington introduced the new medical benefits program and its features. The new program will combine the indemnity side of insurance with the benefits of a Health Maintenance Organization in order to curtail cost, and keep the same benefit structures. Twenty-one bids were received, in part because of the City's record of longevity with previous insurance companies. These bids were narrowed to three top contenders: New York Life, Travelers, and Trinity. The final decision to choose New York Life was based on two factors: 1. The program allows the City to stay within the budgeted amount for insurance costs. 2. New York Life is able to guarantee there will not be more that a 15% increase in insurance costs in the next year. This, according to the Mr. Herrington, is virtually unheard of in the insurance field today. Employees will see no change in their benefit structure and will in fact have more flexibility in health maintenance. 2. Questions/Answers Concerning Current Agenda Items - Douglas Harman, City Manager None. 3. Relocation/Installation of Gas Meters (I.R. No. 7336) - Jodi Eubanks, Assistant to the City Manager Ms. Eubanks outlined the aspects of gas meter relocation as they effect the public. Homeowners who choose to relocate their meter at the property line bear no expense. Nor do those who relocate meters in front or beside of their house as long as the piping is in compliance with city codes and passes the Lone Star Gas 6 oz pressure test. If the piping does not conform, the homeowner will be required to bring it up to code at their own expense. Homeowners who cannot afford the expense may be eligible for funding through the city's Emergency Repair Program. This program is funded by Community Development Block Grant Funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 4. Status Report on West Lancaster Street Project in Cultural District - Gary Santerre, Director, Transportation and Public Works Mr. Santerre reported that the study to improve Lancaster Street has recommended that the street be widened in order to allow for an eleven foot median which will allow for turn cut-outs. Mr. Santerre also stated that the plan does not require any trees or lampstands to be removed. The lampstands along Lancaster Street date to the 1930s and are virtually irreplacable. Mr. Santerre told Council that the project is not exactly that which the voters approved due to the fact that the project will not cost as much as originally estimated. Therefore, more improvements were added to the final recommendation. Transportation and Public Works Staff is waiting for approval from Council before beginning the project. Councilmember Gilley questioned whether the voters had approved a project or an amount of money. If they voted for a project, Mr. Gilley feels that no more should be done than what was included in the original design. Mr. Harman stated that the Council must also consider whether the street will be simply fixed or enhanced. Mr. Gilson Riecken, Cultural District Committee, stated that the Committee does not wish to see anv trees or lampstands removed and feels that the median would enhance the safety of Cultural District patrons as they cross Lancaster. Mr. Santerre was directed to bring this issue back to Council at the December 13th Council meeting which will be after the next Cultural District meeting. S. Cable Billing Issue - Ruth Ann McKinney, Assistant City Manager Ms. McKinney appeared to explain the cable bill received by Sammons subscribers which stated that a $1 fee for local programming has been added to the bill. Ms. McKinney stated that Sammons Cable was awarded a franchise from the City two years ago, and at that time they agreed to devote a certain amount of money and time to local programming. This was, in part, the reason they were awarded the contact. They have, however, never fulfilled this promise. Therefore, Sammons agreed to provide the City of Fort Worth with $1 per subscriber and to provide the City with a new studio which would allow the City to take over the local programming obligation from Sammons. Ms. McKinnev stated that the City had encouraged Sammons to either decrease the bill by the $1 fee or to assimilate it into the bill. Since the City has no power to regulate cable fees, however, Sammons decided instead to increase the bill by the $1 fee. Both Councilman Garrison and Councilwoman Webber expressed dissatisfaction with the wav in which Sammons has handled this situation. They both felt that Sammons had been less that honest with the citizens of Fort Worth. Ms. McKinney told Council that the City Times, the supplement which is mailed with the water bill, will contain a complete explantion of this matter. 6. Status Report from Council Eagle Mountain Treatment Plant Sub-Committee - t "". Councilmember Garey Gilley Councilmember Gilley told Council that the public is invited to voice their opinion as to the preferred location of the treatment plant during the December 8th evening meeting of Council. This issue will also be on the Workshop agenda for the 8th so that Council can discuss it in depth.