5 things to watch at Thursday’s city council meetings
By Colin Killian, Public Communications Manager
The College Station City Council gathers Thursday at city hall for its workshop (5 p.m.) and regular (6 p.m.) meetings.
Here are five items to watch:
- Employee of the Year: Before the workshop, the council will recognize the city’s employee of the year along with employees reaching 20, 25, 30 and 35 years of service.
- Legislative Update: In the workshop, the council will receive a legislative update and a preview of the 86th Texas State Legislature.
- Parks & Recreation Survey: The council will hear a workshop presentation and discuss the results of the Parks & Recreation Needs Assessment survey conducted this fall by National Service Research.
- Lick Creek Dog Leash Ordinance: Among the items on the consent agenda is an ordinance removing the Lick Creek Park exception to the city’s dog leash requirement and adding a designated leash-free area.
- Rezoning Behind Emerald Forest: After a public hearing, the council will consider a request to change the zoning from Rural to Restricted Suburban and Natural Areas Protected for about 46 acres near North Forest Parkway north of the Emerald Forest Subdivision. The change will allow for residential development.
The meetings can be watched live on Suddenlink Channel 19 or online. We’ll post a detailed live blog on this site.
Related Links:
About the Blogger
Colin Killian (@ColinKillian) has been with the City of College Station since 2010 after serving 23 years as associate media relations director for the Texas A&M Athletics Department. Killian has also worked as a reporter and editor for the Corpus Christi Caller-Times and Lewisville News. A native of Hobbs, N.M., he graduated from Texas Tech with a bachelor’s degree in journalism/political science.
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Podcast: Why our citizen survey results look like others in Texas
By Jay Socol, Public Communications Director
Last spring, the city of College Station conducted its first comprehensive citizen survey in four years. The idea, of course, was to measure how College Station citizens feel about the services and programs we deliver, along with other quality-of-life aspects. In the end, the data helps city council and staff make budget and policy decisions.
In this edition of the podcast, City Manager Kelly Templin discusses which survey results really stood out to him and why similar results are being seen in almost every Texas city.
Click below to listen. If Soundcloud doesn’t play in your older version of Internet Explorer, click here to hear to the audio file from your system.
About the Author
Jay Socol (@jaysocol) is in his seventh year as College Station’s public communications director. A 1991 graduate of Texas A&M. Jay has also been communications director for the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, public information officer for the City of Bryan, and news director at several Bryan-College Station area radio stations. He’s a native of Breckenridge.
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Live Blog: Thursday’s city council meetings (June 23)
ByColin Killian, Public Communications Manager
Welcome to our live blog from the College Station City Council’s workshop and regular meetings on Thursday, June 23. 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.
5:37 p.m.
The workshop has started. Mayor Nancy Berry and Councilman James Benham are absent tonight, but Benham is participating via teleconference.
5:45 p.m.
Consent Agenda Discussion
The council will vote on items listed on the consent agenda during tonight’s regular meeting. Councilmembers pulled this consent item for workshop discussion:
- Easterwood Funding Agreement: The agreement would provide$141,300 in hotel tax funds to Easterwood Airport for advertising, solicitation activities and promotional programs to attract tourists and conventions to the area.
6:07 p.m.
Community Development Budget and Action Plan
The council heard a presentation about the proposed FY17 Community Development budget and PY16 Action Plan. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires the city to submit an annual action plan describing projects and activities funded with community development grants.
New grant amounts include $983,111 in Community Development Block Grant funds and $372,121 in HOME Investment Partnership Grant funds. The budget includes previously programmed but unspent CDBG ($291,526) and HOME ($747,466) grant funds, along with expected income of $33,930 from HOME reconstruction loans and recaptured CDBG ($2.4 million) funds from the sale of property.
CDBG and HOME funds may only be used to benefit low- and moderate-income people, aid in the elimination of slum and blighting influences, or meet an urgent need. CDBG funds may also be used to meet local needs through community development efforts while HOME funds may only be used for affordable housing activities.
The proposed plans and budget were developed with public input through a series of hearings, program committee meetings, and other citizen input. The final draft of the action plan and budget will be presented to council on July 28.
Here’s the PowerPoint presentation:
6:30 p.m.
RVP Compliance Report
The council discussed the Research Valley Partnership’s 2015 Compliance Report.
Here’s the PowerPoint presentation:
6:37 p.m.
Impact Fees Progress Report
The council heard a progress update on water, wastewater and roadway impact fees. Early this year, engineering firms were hired to study the possible implementation of the impact fees, and the council established Impact Fee Advisory Committees.
In the coming months, several items will be presented to the council for action.
Here’s the PowerPoint presentation:
6:59 p.m.
Citizen Survey Results
The council received a presentation on the results of the 2016 citizen survey conducted in April. Participants were asked to rate various city services, quality of life issues and community characteristics, and to rank their priorities.
The vast majority of respondents rated the overall quality of city services as good or excellent (84 percent). The city’s customer service also received high marks (85 percent). Traffic congestion was the respondents’ biggest priority and concern, followed by street and road maintenance. The top-rated desired community trait was “ease of car travel around town.”
About 90 percent of the respondents gave good or excellent ratings to College Station as a place to live and raise a family, and about the same number would recommend College Station as a place to live. Most the ratings were similar to the 2012 survey, but the city showed significant improvement as a place to do business (up five points) and for image and reputation (up seven points).
The city paid NSR $9,850 to administer the survey.
Here’s the PowerPoint presentation:
Here’s the complete summary report from NSR:
7:04 p.m.
After the council discussed its calendar, future agenda items, and committee reports, Mayor Pro Tem John Nichols adjourned the workshop. The regular meeting will start after a short break.
7:14 p.m.
The regular meeting has started.
7:24 p.m.
Hear Visitors
Two people spoke during Hear Visitors when citizens may address the council on any item that doesn’t appear on the posted agenda:
- Ben Roper recognized Army Staff Sgt. Joe L. Dunigan, Jr. as part of the Fallen Heroes Memorial program. The 37-year-old Belton native died March 11, 2004 when his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device in Fallujah, Iraq.
- Karen Pitts spoke against development near the Nantucket subdivision, especially planned roads, in South College Station.
- Tim Powell, an Indian Lakes resident, also spoke against the expanded roads that would support the development.
7:24 p.m.
Consent Agenda
The council voted unanimously to approve the entire consent agenda:
- An inter-local agreement with Brazos County for the conduct and management of the City of College Station General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016.
- A $141,300 funding agreement with Easterwood Airport and the airport’s FY16 budget.
- A $60,823.81 contract with Gomez Floor Covering for the installation of new flooring at the Utility Customer Service building and Fire Station No. 5.
- The $156,630 purchase of vehicle detection equipment from Iteris to replace outdated video processors.
- A letter agreement with Ingram, Wallis & Co. for professional auditing for the year ending Sept. 30, 2016 ($102,000) and for the year ending September 30, 2017 ($105,000).
- A $30,000 blanket order with The Eagle for a new not-to-exceed total of $78,000 for FY16.
- A five-year, $706,186 agreement with TASER International for the purchase and support of TASER products and services, including body cameras, in-car video cameras, and data storage.
7:28 p.m.
3120 Holleman Drive South Rezoning
After a public hearing, the council voted 5-0 to approve a request to change the zoning from Multi-Family to Townhome for about 14½ acres south of Cain Road at 3120 Holleman Drive South between Holleman Drive and Old Wellborn Road. Councilwoman Julie Schultz recused herself from the vote.
The change allows for townhome development consistent with the city’s Comprehensive Plan.
Here’s the PowerPoint presentation received by the council:
7:28 p.m.
The mayor pro tem adjourned the meeting. The council meets again on Thursday, July 14.
About the Author
Colin Killian (@ColinKillian)has been with the City of College Station since 2010. He previously served 23 years as associate media relations director for the Texas A&M Athletics Department. Killian has also done extensive volunteer work for the U.S. Olympic Committee and worked as a reporter and editor for the Corpus Christi Caller-Times and Lewisville News. A native of Hobbs, N.M., he graduated from Texas Tech with a bachelor’s degree in journalism/political science.
If you found value in this blog post, please share it with your social network and friends!
5 things to watch at Thursday’s city council meetings
By Colin Killian, Public Communications Manager
The College Station City Council gathers Thursday at city hall for its workshop (5:30 p.m.) and regular (7 p.m.) meetings. Here are five items to watch:
- Community Development Action Plan: The council will hear a workshop presentation on the proposed FY17 Community Development Budget and PY16 Action Plan to be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
- Impact Fees: The council will hear a progress update on the study of water, wastewater and roadway impact fees.
- Citizen Survey Results: The council will receive the results of the 2016 citizen survey that was conducted in April to help assess and prioritize a wide range of services and needs.
- Easterwood Airport Funding: As part of the consent agenda, the council will consider an agreement to provide $141,300 in hotel tax funds as part of Easterwood Airport’s FY16 budget.
- Police Cameras: The council will consider a five-year, $706,000 agreement with TASER International for body and in-car video cameras and data storage.
The meetings can be watched live on Suddenlink Ch. 19, or online. The website includes an archive of previous council meetings. We’ll post a detailed live blog on this site.
Related links:
About the Author
Colin Killian (@ColinKillian)has been with the City of College Station since 2010. He previously served 23 years as associate media relations director for the Texas A&M Athletics Department. Killian has also done extensive volunteer work for the U.S. Olympic Committee and worked as a reporter and editor for the Corpus Christi Caller-Times and Lewisville News. A native of Hobbs, N.M., he graduated from Texas Tech with a bachelor’s degree in journalism/political science.
If you found value in this blog post, please share it with your social network and friends!
A closer look at College Station’s 2012 Citizen Survey
When I was a kid, I absolutely adored sports statistics. Batting averages, shooting percentages, passing efficiency – you name it, I ate it up. I never dreamed I would someday be just as enamored by the vast array of statistical data in your average citizen survey.
National Service Research conducted the City of College Station’s survey in May and presented the 49-page summary report to the city council on Wednesday. About 150 pages of the raw survey data sits on my desk. What kind of stat nerd would spend hours of his life pouring over this stuff? Yep, this guy. And despite what you might think, some of the numbers are actually pretty interesting, especially when compared to state and national averages.
Citizen Survey Will Help Set College Station’s Priorities
One of my greatest annoyances is reaching into my mailbox after a long day and — instead of the winning entry in a sweepstakes — finding a long, tedious survey sent from some political party, corporation or other group. Many of these surveys have no obvious or tangible benefit and, if you’re like me, you promptly file them in the nearest wastebasket.
Our 2012 Citizen Survey, which was mailed two weeks ago to about 8,000 randomly selected College Station addresses, is not one of those surveys. Why is this particular survey worth your time and effort? The answer is simple: you’re helping us determine the best and most efficient use of your hard-earned tax dollars.
