Live Blog: Thursday’s city council meetings (July 14)

Welcome to our live blog from the College Station City Council’s workshop and regular meetings on Thursday, July 14. It’s not the official minutes.

The meeting is being broadcast live on Suddenlink Channel 19 and streamed online. An archive of previous council meetings is available on the website.

5:43 p.m.

The workshop has started.

6:05 p.m.

Consent Agenda Discussion

The council will vote on items listed on the consent agenda during tonight’s regular meeting. Councilmembers pulled these consent items for workshop discussion:

Takings Impact Assessment: Since possible water and wastewater impact fees have the potential to be enacted in only portions of the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, a required Takings Impact Assessment was conducted and found that the proposed fees do not constitute a regulatory taking.
Parks Mobile Stage: The $160,000 mobile stage would enhance the city’s tournaments and special events. Hotel Occupancy Tax funds were allocated in the FY15 budget for the purchase and were transferred to the FY16 in February.
Parks Fishing Piers: Contracts totaling about $65,000 would cover repairs to the fishing pier at Brothers Pond Park and replacing the pier at Central Park with a floating pier that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Traffic Adjustments Near Schools: Proposed changes to traffic movements near Oakwood Intermediate and College View High School include no left turns from Holik Street into the Oakwood and College View driveways, no left turns from Timber Street into the College View driveway, removal of stopping, standing and parking along streets around College View, Oakwood and A&M Consolidated Middle School, and the addition of a 30-minute parking zone near the schools along Holik Street.

6:19 p.m.

BVSWMA Budget

The council voted unanimously to approve the FY17 budget for the Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency (BVSWMA). The budget includes revenues of about $7.55 million and expenses of about $8.26 million. It also reduces the gate rate for College Station and Bryan from $21.19 per ton to $20.50.

Here’s the PowerPoint presentation:

7:00 p.m.

Wireless Communication Devices While Driving

After a presentation by Police Chief Scott McCollum, the council directed staff to bring back a draft ordinance regarding the use of wireless communications devices by drivers. The ordinance modification would provide a mechanism for enforcement and deterrence.

McCollum said driver inattention while using wireless communication devices is a growing public safety concern. While the state legislature has recently considered laws regarding the use of these devices while driving, the bills have failed.

Here’s the PowerPoint presentation:

7:00 p.m.

The workshop has been suspended and will resume after the regular meeting, which will start after a short break.

7:07 p.m.

The regular meeting has started.

7:11 p.m.

Hear Visitors

One person spoke during Hear Visitors when citizens may address the council on any item that doesn’t appear on the posted agenda. Jerry Smith asked for an ordinance amendment to allow small markers at the Aggie Field of Honor for family or double monuments placed on adjoining spaces.

7:12 p.m.

Consent Agenda

The council voted unanimously to approve the consent agenda:

Approved a $160,000 mobile stage for the Parks and Recreation Department.
Adopted a Takings Impact Assessment in the event impact fees for water and sewer service are adopted.
A $291,000 bid award to KBS Electrical Distributors for single phase pad-mounted transformers.
Contracts totaling about $65,000 with Jamail and Smith Construction and EZ Dock of Texas for the repair of the Brothers Pond Park fishing pier and the installation of new, ADA compliant, fishing pier at Central Park.
Renewal of the annual blanket order not to exceed $816,500 with Brazos Paving for cement stabilized base rock and Type D grade recycled crushed concrete base.
A $144,000 contract with Jamail & Smith Construction for replacing A/C chillers at the Police Department.
Amended the traffic code to prohibit left turns from Holik Street into the Oakwood Intermediate and College View High School driveways and left turns from Timber Street into the College View High School driveway.
Amended the traffic code to prohibit stopping, standing, and parking near the schools along George Bush Drive, Holik Street, Timber Street, Anna Street and Glade Street.
Amended the traffic code to add a 30-minute parking zone near the schools along Holik Street.
Authorized city staff to negotiate the purchase of land needed for the Royder Road Expansion Project.
An annual blanket order not to exceed $95,194.40 with BWI Companies for athletic field maintenance materials including fertilizers, chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, infield material, grass seed, and turf amendments.
A contract renewal not to exceed $526,000 with Knife River Corporation for the annual purchase of Type II, FGSMA hot mix asphalt.
Contracts for temporary staffing services to Spherion Staffing (not to exceed $380,000) and Kelly Services (not to exceed $80,000), ratification of FY16 expenditures for temporary employment services with Express Services ($17,588.22) and Spherion ($35,011.27), and anticipated expenses with Spherion ($21,744.40).

7:15 p.m.

Land Use Assumptions/Capital Improvement Plans

City Engineer Alan Gibbs gave a short presentation on land use assumptions and capital improvement plans for potential water, wastewater and roadway impact fees. The presentation introduced the next two items.