This is a live blog from the College Station City Council’s workshop and regular meetings on Thursday, April 11. It’s not the official minutes.
Both meetings are being broadcast live on Suddenlink Channel 19 and can also be watched online. An archive of previous council meetings is available on the website.
6:15 p.m.
The workshop has started.
6:25 p.m.
The council discussed its calendar, future agenda items and received committee reports.
6:28 p.m.
Proclamation: Interact Sports Attack Day
Mayor Nancy Berry proclaimed Saturday as Interact Sports Attack Day with a presentation to Project UNIFY. Interact Sports Attack is a unified sporting event featuring teams with disabled and non-disabled athletes. Joining Mayor Nancy Berry was Katherine Kimball, Interact Club Treasurer at A&M Consolidated High School.
6:30 p.m.
Proclamation: National Library Week
Mayor Berry proclaimed next week (April 14-20) as National Library Week with a presentation to Kathy Nixie of the Larry J. Ringer Public Library:
Proclamation: March for Babies Day
Mayor Berry proclaimed April 20 as March for Babies Day with a presentation to the March of Dimes. Pictured with Mayor Berry: Mark Malsberger, chairman of March of Dimes board of directors; Katy Scott, community director for March of Dimes; Sherri Welch, chief nursing officer at The Med and March of Dimes board member; and Libby and Foster Scott:
6:38 p.m.
Proclamation: Brazos Valley Earth Day
Mayor Berry proclaimed April 20 as Brazos Valley Earth Day. The mayor recognized this unique, annual collaboration among College Station, Bryan, Texas A&M, Keep Brazos Beautiful, Twin Oaks Landfill and the Brazos Valley Council of Governments. Pictured with Mayor Berry (l-r): Brian Griesbach, Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency; Susan Russell, Texas A&M; Amy Reed, Keep Brazos Beautiful; Heather Qualls, City of College Station; Candilyn McLean, Brazos Valley Council of Governments; and Tom Marshall, Texas A&M:
6:41 p.m.
Proclamation: Safe Digging Month
Mayor Berry proclaimed the month of April as College Station Safe Digging Month with a presentation to College Station Utilities. The proclamation was accepted by College Station Utilities Electric’s Tony Michalsky and Stacy Engelmann on behalf of the Lower Brazos Damage Prevention Council and the Common Ground Alliance:
6:45 p.m.
Recognition: Municipal Court Traffic Safety Award
Mayor Berry recognized the College Station Municipal Court for its outstanding efforts to increase traffic safety. The court recently won a state award for its initiatives. Pictured with Mayor Berry are Judge Ed Spillane and the entire staff of CS Municipal Court:
6:50 p.m.
Proclamation: National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week
Mayor Berry proclaimed next week (April 14 -20) as National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week with a presentation recognizing College Station’s police dispatchers. Pictured with the mayor are (l-r): Police Chief Jeff Capps, Amanda Jaramillo, Brian Hagen, Temeshia Gentry, Talena Butters, Adrienne Bishop, Chelsie Reilly, Ashley Arredondo and Ted Thompson.
6:51 p.m.
The workshop was adjourned. The regular meeting will start in a few minutes.
7:03 p.m.
The regular meeting has started. Council member Karl Mooney led the Pledge of Allegiance and opening prayer.
7:05 p.m.
No one signed up to speak during Hear Visitors, when citizens may address the council on any item that doesn’t appear on the posted agenda.
7:06 p.m.
Consent Agenda
The council unanimously approved the entire consent agenda:
- A contract for $93,818.99 with Presidio Networked Solutions, Inc., to upgrade the phone system in city departments.
- A contract for $3.45 million with Power Secure, Inc., for the construction of the Northgate electric substation.
- An administrative services agreement of $423,837 with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas for medical, dental and prescription drug plan for 2013.
7:08 p.m.
Public Utility Easement Abandonment
The council unanimously approved the abandonment of a 2,722-square foot, 20-foot wide public utility easement at 1401 University Drive East to allow for development.
8:34 p.m.
Vehicle Towing and Storage Services
After a public hearing, the council voted 5-2 to awarding a primary contract for vehicle towing and storage services to Excel Towing and a secondary contract to Kalinec Towing Co., Inc., for city-generated tows. Councilmembers Jess Fields and Karl Mooney voted against the motion. The city received and evaluated eight proposals.
Here is the PowerPoint presentation received by the council:
8:36 p.m.
Tow Truck & Vehicle Business Regulations
The council voted 6-1 to remove from the the city’s Code of Ordinances the rotation requirement for towing services and to allow the city to select the most qualified operators for city-generated tows. Councilmember Fields voted against the motion. Under the rotation system, the Police Department annually inspected 61 wreckers and 11 vehicle storage facilities belonging to 29 different wrecker companies. The change will reduce the annual staff hours spent on these inspections from 256 to about 24.
8:37 p.m.
The council meeting has been adjourned. The council meets again April 25.
