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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMin - City Council - 1983 - 02/12 - Special CalledALLEN CITY COUNCIL CALLED - SPECIAL SESSION February 12, 1983 Present: Mickey Pierson, Mayor Council Members• Joe Farmer, Mayor Pro Tem Jim McClure H. R. Daugherty Don Rodenbaugh Ward Paxton Dennis Offutt City Staff: Jon McCarty, City Manager Marty Hendrix, City Secretary The Called - Special Session of the Allen City Council was called to order by Mayor Pierson at 8:00 a.m, on Saturday, February 12, 1983, at the Central Fire Station, 302 W. McDermott. Items Relating to the Collin County Farmers' Market (Agenda Item II) Mayor Pierson provided background information on the Farmers' Market and the work done by the subcommittee for the proposed bond program and their recommendations. He also advised of the agreement the City of Allen has with the County in regard to this site and the temporary nature of it. Councilman Rodenbaugh advised the Council of input received at the last Collin County Farmers' Market Board meeting, of which he is a member, and reviewed the proposed bond program which con- sists of the following funds: a. Purchase a minimum of ten acres adjacent to Farmers Market $ 165,000 b. Install 8,000 square feet of covered stalls for vendors 64,000 C. Seal coat 3 acres of parking 140,000 d. Removal of precinct barn 5,000 e. Funds for highway signs 2,000 Total $ 376,000 The Council discussed the long term investment of these pro- posed funds at this existing site, changing the location but keeping it within the City of Allen, the necessity for additional land at this time, whether the city wants to stand behind additional funds being expended for this facility for any improvements, and providing assistance to the County in looking for another site within Allen. MOTION: Upon a motion made by Mayor Pro Tem Farmer and seconded by Councilman McClure, the Council voted 7 - 0 to advise the Collin County Commissioners of the city's interest in keeping the Farmers' Market in the city, but no expenditure of funds for permanent facilities at the existing location. The motion carried. ALLEN CITY COUNCIL February 12, 1983 Page 2 Items Relating to the Hillside Softball Fields (Agenda Item III) Mayor Pierson advised of the action taken by the City Council at their regular meeting held on February 3, 1983 regarding the city staff's recommendations relating to Hillside Park and the Council's direction to city staff to provide other alternatives and information for their review and consideration. Mark Thornton, Director of Parks & Recreation, presented to the City Council recommendations and information obtained on the alternatives suggested by the City Council, which included upgrading of the Jupiter Road fields, improvements to Hillside Park, the use of the Texas instruments Rod and Gun Club field on weekends, lighting the Allen High School baseball field and other improvements to this field, proposals for a new facility, a projected spring schedule of league play to be scheduled at Jupiter Road, with over flow at Reed Park and minimal use at Hillside Park, and the budget figures for all of these recommendations. The City Council had a lengthy discussion on these recom- mendations pertaining to the scheduling of play at Jupiter Road fields, the cost difference between providing lighting at the high school and a new facility, the distances of the fields at the various parks from the adjoining residences, the city definitely getting a lease agreement with the Texas Instruments facility with charges to be made up in the fees charged to the leagues for tournament play, making sure the gap in the proposed netting at Hillside Park does not allow foul balls to hit nearby residences, the resting and maintenance period for Jupiter fields, improvements to be made to the Jupiter Road fields and parking lot and road to facility, the need for adequate lighting at Jupiter fields, the city purchasing the old stadium lights from the school and making use of them, and re-emphasizing the fact that no men's or co-ed softball would be played at Hillside fields. Ron Workman, Chairman of the Parks & Recreation Board, spoke before the Council on the concerns that the Park Board had on the city staff's recommendations in regard to the proposed cage extension on the backstop at Hillside and the need for more adequate lighting at the Jupiter fields than proposed by the recommendations. The following individuals involved in the men's softball leagues in the city spoke before the Council on their opinion of the city staff's recommendations: Joe Perks, Route 1 Charles Blakemore, 1 Horseshoe Trail, McKinney John Welsh, 921 Rivercrest Steve Meek, 415 Allenwood Drive There was further discussion on the city's strict enforcement of violations at the Hillside fields regarding damage to the property there, the city staff working out a schedule of the fields to provide the teams with practice fields, establishing a curfew at Hillside for 11:00 p.m., and in some way utilizing the high school facility after their season is over. MOTION: Upon a motion made by Council Rodenbaugh and seconded by Councilman McClure, the Council voted 7 - 0 to accept the recommendations of the city staff, including the incorporation of the rules for Hillside Park softball fields as presented by the city staff at the Council Meeting of February 3, 1983; contracting with the Texas Instruments Rod and Gun Club for the softball season; and making use of the Reed Park field for overflow needs, with minimal use of the Hillside Park softball fields. The motion carried. Mayor Pierson recessed the called - special session of the Allen City Council at 10:05 a.m. The meeting reconvened at 10:15 a.m. UC ALLEN CITY COUNCIL February 12, 1983 Page 3 Issues Relating to the Lone Star Gas Rate Increase Request Appeal to the Railroad Commission (Agenda Item IV) Mayor Pierson advised the Council of the meeting with the attorney Lou Nichols, and his recommendations regarding the way to proceed with the handling of the Lone Star Gas Company's appeal to the Railroad Commission in regard to their rate increase request. City Manager Jon McCarty advised the Council of his con- versation with Lou Nichols and his findings on certain questions which had been posed at that meeting. Mr. McCarty advised that the Railroad Commission would use the data from the new test year and he provided the figures that resulted from that new data and the resulting rate increase request. He also advised that if the city were to respond to the new data, then a postponement was needed in order to do so. Then the consultant would have to redo all of his work using the new data and he would have to substantiate those findings with his testimony at the pre-trial hearing. Mr. McCarty advised that Mr. Nichols had recommended that the City Council go back and meet with Lone Star Gas Company, thus using the old test year data, and perhaps negotiating a settlement of the rate which in turn would result in Lone Star Gas Company rescinding their appeal to the Railroad Commission. The Council discussed the costs of the appeal of the rate case being built back into the costs to the customers, Mr. Nichols' recommendation on the effectiveness of the Council's testimony at the pre-trial hearing, Mr. Nichols' recommendation as to what Lone Star Gas Company might accept as a rate increase, timeframe for making a response to the Railroad Commission, meeting with Lone Star Gas Company to negotiate a settlement emphasizing however that the city is not pleased with these continual requests for rate increase every year, and requesting that Lone Star Gas postpone their appeal before the Railroad Commission in order to meet with the city to negotiate. MOTION: Upon a motion made by Councilman McClure and seconded Mayor Pro Tem Farmer, the Council voted 7 - 0 to direct the city staff to contact Lone Star Gas Company and arrange to meet with them in order to negotiate a settle- ment with a request that they postpone the hearing before the Railroad Commission. The motion carried. Adjournment MOTION: Upon a motion made by Councilman Daugherty and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Farmer, the Council voted 7 - 0 to adjourn the meeting at 10:36 a.m. The motion carried. 1983. These minutes approved on the 17th day of February 70/�Z-Z M. B. Pierson, MAYOR MartyHendrix, C TY SECRETARY