Mayor Mask called the formal session open. Council member Robbins gave the invocation and all joined in the pledge.

Transcription

1 MINUTES OF THE CROCKETT CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON THE 20 th DAY OF MARCH 2012 IN THE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS, LOCATED AT 200 NORTH FIFTH IN THE CITY OF CROCKETT, HOUSTON COUNTY TEXAS AT 6:00 P.M. THE COUNCIL MET IN SPECIAL SESSION WITH THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS PRESENT: WAYNE MASK, CHRIS GUNNELS, ROBERT MEADOWS, LARRY ROBBINS & JACKIE JONES. CITY OFFICIALS PRESENT: CITY ADMINISTRATOR RONALD DUNCAN, CITY SECRETARY MITZI THOMPSON AND FIRE CHIEF JOHN ANGERSTEIN. MAYOR PRO TEM HOLCOMB NOT PRESENT DUE TO MEETING OUT OF TOWN. 1. OPEN MEETING WITH INVOCATION AND PLEDGE Mayor Mask called the formal session open. Council member Robbins gave the invocation and all joined in the pledge. 2. RECOGNITION OF VISITORS Mayor Mask recognized all visitors present. Mayor Mask thanked the County, Chamber and City for sponsoring the US Army Band Choir Concert at the Civic Center on Monday night. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: REGULAR MEETING FEBRUARY 6, 2012 Council member Meadows made a motion to approve the minutes of the February 6, 2012 Regular Meeting. Council member Jones seconded the motion. Motion passes PRESENTATION BY WANDA VANCE, GARY TRAYLOR & ASSOCIATES, ON STATUS OF CURRENT TEXAS COMMUNITY BLOCK DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM APPLICATION AND THE UPCOMING APPLICATION CYCLE Ms. Wanda Vance, Gary Traylor & Associates, informed council of the City s status on the application that was submitted last year. The funding cycle continues to decline over the years taking a 15% cut from 2010 to The estimates for 2013 are even lower, which puts the City in eighth place for funding. The application process will go forward and Traylor & Associates will continue to keep the city posted on the status of the grant. 5. REPORTS: CITY ADMINISTRATOR: A) AUDIT UPDATE Audit should be presented at the April council meeting. 2 nd qtr. budget review was presented to council. Possible changes to water restrictions will be announced soon

2 B) ONCOR METER REPLACEMENT PROGRAM UPDATE process of upgrading to advanced meters will soon start C) YOUNG STREET CLOSING UPDATE all materials necessary to begin have arrived and work has started on closure D) JULY 4, 2012 FIREWORKS DISPLAY Coca Cola Bottling Company will sponsor fireworks show E) CROCKETT LIBRARY TOCKER GRANT AWARD library received a grant for $20,035 from Tocker Foundation 6. POLICE DEPARTMENT MANPOWER & CRIMINAL INCIDENT REPORT FOR FEBRUARY 2012 Sergeant Harrell reported for February 2012; 16 total manpower, 4 reserve manpower, 2,231 total manpower hours, 491total calls and 17 total accidents. A breakdown of the criminal reports is included in the packets. Council member Gunnels asked Sergeant Harrell if Chief Fisher was out of town; City Administrator Duncan informed council that Chief Fisher did call to say he would be teaching a class. Council member Gunnels also requested to see the ranking of police officers on the report to council. 7. FIRE DEPARTMENT MONTHLY ACTIVITY AND STATUS REPORT FOR FEBRUARY 2012 Fire Chief Angerstein reported for the month of February the following: 29 total calls. A breakdown is included in the packets. Council member Gunnels asked Chief Angerstein to breakout the response to fires by paid fireman and volunteer fireman in dollar amounts in the monthly report. 8. CONSIDER AND APPROVE APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD Council member Jones made a motion to approve Andrew Miller and Roberta Mason as members to the Library Advisory Board. Council member Gunnels seconded the motion. Motion passes CONSIDER AND APPROVE RESOLUTION AND AGREEMENT WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF STATE RIGHT OF WAY FOR HOUSTON COUNTY S 175 th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION Council member Gunnels made a motion to approve the Resolution and Agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation for the temporary closure of State Right of Way for Houston County s 175 th Birthday Celebration. Council member Meadows seconded the motion. Motion passes 4-0.

3 10. CONSIDER AND APPROVE CITY SECRETARY CERTIFICATION OF UNOPPOSED CANDIDATES IN PRECINCT #3, PRECINCT #4 AND PRECINCT #5 Council member Meadows made a motion to approve the City Secretary s Certification of Unopposed Candidates in Precinct #3, Precinct #4 and Precinct #5. Council member Gunnels seconded the motion. Motion passes CONSIDER AND APPROVE AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CROCKETT, TEXAS, DECLARING THE UNOPPOSED CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBER PRECINCT 3, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER PRECINCT 4 AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBER PRECINCT 5 AS ELECTED; PROVIDING THAT THE MAY 12, 2012 GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION SHALL NOT BE HELD; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT; FINDING AND DETERMINING THAT THE MEETING AT WHICH THIS ORDINANCE WAS PASSED WAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AS REQUIRED BY LAW; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE Mayor Mask stated to council the swearing in of council members will be on the May 21, 2012 Agenda. Council member Gunnels made a motion to approve the Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Crockett, Texas, declaring the unopposed candidates for the office of City Council Member Precinct 3, City Council Member Precinct 4 and City Council Member Precinct 5 as elected; providing that the May 12, 2012 General Municipal Election shall not be held; repealing all ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict; finding and determining that the meeting at which this ordinance was passed was open to the public as required by law; and providing for an effective date. Council member Meadows seconded the motion. Motion passes CONSIDER AND APPROVE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 4, ANIMALS AND FOWL, OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF CROCKETT, TEXAS; PROHIBITING CRUELTY TO ANIMALS; PROVIDING RESTRICTIONS ON ENCLOSURES IN WHICH ANIMALS ARE KEPT; PROHIBITING ANIMALS BEING KEPT CLOSE TO RESIDENCES; PROHIBITING THE KEEPING OF DISEASED ANIMALS; PROHIBITING STAKING LIVESTOCK; PROHIBITING INTERFERENCE WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER; PROVIDING DEFINITIONS; PROHIBITING ANIMALS RUNNING AT LARGE AND DECLARING A NUISANCE; PROVIDING FOR CONFINEMENT OF DOGS AND CATS DURING ESTRUS; PROVIDING FOR REGULATION OF DOGS THAT ATTACK PERSONS OR ARE DANGEROUS TO PERSONS; PROVIDING REGULATIONS FOR DOGS AND COYOTES THAT ARE A DANGER TO ANIMALS; PROVIDING REGULATIONS FOR DANGEROUS DOGS; PROHIBITING THE KEEPING OF WILD ANIMALS; PROVIDING RESTRICTIONS ON THE NUMBERS OF CATS AND DOGS WHICH MAY BE KEPT; PROHIBITING LEAVING AN ANIMAL UNATTENDED IN A VEHICLE; PROVIDING FOR RABIES

4 CONTROL AND VACCINATION; REQUIRING RABIES TAGS; REQUESTING PROOF OF VACCINATION; PROHIBITING HARBORING UNVACCINATED ANIMALS; PROVIDING FOR ANIMALS EXPOSED TO RABIES; PROVIDING FOR REPORTING BITES THAT ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO RABIES; PROVIDING FOR IMPOUNDMENT OF ANIMALS; PROVIDING IMPOUNDMENT FEES; PROVIDING FOR DISPOSITION OF IMPOUNDED ANIMALS; PROVIDING FOR DISPOSITION OF INJURED AND DISEASED ANIMALS; PROVIDING FOR PET ADOPTIONS; PROVIDING FINES AND PENALTIES; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; CONTAINING A REPEALING CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE City Administrator Duncan stated this ordinance is designed to protect animals from abuse and to allow the City s Animal Control Officer to do his job; this ordinance does not define dangerous dogs by breed but by unprovoked attacks. After discussion of several points of the ordinance, Council member Meadows made a motion to approve the Ordinance amending Chapter 4, animals and fowl, of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Crockett, Texas; prohibiting cruelty to animals; providing restrictions on enclosures in which animals are kept; prohibiting animals being kept close to residences; prohibiting the keeping of diseased animals; prohibiting staking livestock; prohibiting interference with the police department and animal control officer; providing definitions; prohibiting animals running at large and declaring a nuisance; providing for confinement of dogs and cats during estrus; providing for regulation of dogs that attack persons or are dangerous to persons; providing regulations for dogs and coyotes that are a danger to animals; providing regulations for dangerous dogs; prohibiting the keeping of wild animals; providing restrictions on the numbers of cats and dogs which may be kept; prohibiting leaving an animal unattended in a vehicle; providing for rabies control and vaccination; requiring rabies tags; requesting proof of vaccination; prohibiting harboring unvaccinated animals; providing for animals exposed to rabies; providing for reporting bites that are susceptible to rabies; providing for impoundment of animals; providing impoundment fees; providing for disposition of impounded animals; providing for disposition of injured and diseased animals; providing for pet adoptions; providing fines and penalties; providing a severability clause; containing a repealing clause; and providing an effective date. Council member Robbins seconded the motion. Motion passes COMMENTS FROM AUDIENCE OR COUNCIL Wayne Tubbs questions on new meters and comments on animal ordinance Thelma Poole question about animals on leashes and chains Jerry Sewell commented citizens need to be educated about ordinances

5 Council member Meadows suggested taking this ordinance to the veterinary clinics in town, copy out in city hall and also on the city website. Council member Gunnels stated he would like to know about Crockett Economic Development issues before they come out in newspaper. Also would like to see Mr. Lambert report to council periodically. 14. ADJOURNMENT With no more business to consider, meeting was adjourned at 7:20 P.M. Wayne Mask, Mayor ATTEST: Mitzi Thompson, City Secretary