City of Mesquite, Texas

Transcription

1 City Council Monday, 12:30 PM City Hall Council Chambers 757 N. Galloway Mesquite, TX Present: Mayor John Monaco and Councilmembers Shirley Roberts, Bill Porter, Al Forsythe, Greg Noschese and Dennis Tarpley and City Manager Ted Barron and City Secretary Sonja Land Absent: Councilmember Stan Pickett PRE-MEETING - COUNCIL CONFERENCE ROOM - 12:30 P.M. AGENDA REVIEW STAFF PRESENTATIONS 1 Receive presentation regarding Hotel and Convention Center Lobby renovations at the Hampton Inn & Suites. EXECUTIVE SESSION - EXECUTIVE CONFERENCE ROOM - 12:49 P.M. The City Council met in Executive Session pursuant to Section of the Texas Government Code to consider commercial or financial information regarding business prospects or projects (economic development incentive for a business located within the Towne Centre Tax Increment Finance Reinvestment Zone No. Two); whereupon, the City Council proceeded to meet in the Executive Conference Room. After the closed meeting ended at 1:28 p.m., the City Council reconvened in Open Session. No executive action was necessary. CITY COUNCIL/STAFF WORK SESSION - CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER - 1:35 P.M. 2 Receive presentation of the 2012 i-tree / Urban Forest Effect Model / ECO Study. Travis Sales, Manager of Park Services/Municipal Arborist, stated that the i-tree/urban Forest Effect Model/Eco study began in January 2012 and concluded with a final report in November He thanked Cliff Keheley, Director of Parks and Recreation; Chad Krajca, District Park Supervisor; Suzette Stone, GIS Senior Analyst; Danielle Zucco, GIS Technician; Judy Sales, retired Park Services Secretary; and Al Zelaya and the i-tree team for their support and assistance with this project. Mr. Sales introduced Micah Pace, Regional Urban Forester for the Texas A&M Forest Service who presented the study. Page 1

2 Mr. Pace stated that ecosystem services are usually defined in reference to humans and their well-being. Trees provide environmental benefits such as air quality improvement, carbon sequestration and storage, storm water retention and energy savings as well as social benefits such as aesthetics, lower crime rates, increased health and medical recovery, increased property value and increased retail sales. Mr. Pace explained that the study was conducted using i-tree Eco, a program through the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service that evaluates the entire urban forest including trees that are publically and privately owned. i-tree Eco is designed to use field data from complete inventories or randomly located plots throughout the City along with local hourly air pollution and meteorological data to quantify urban forest structure, environmental effects and value to communities. Mesquite is one of three communities in Texas that has completed an ieco project. Only 773 communities nationwide have completed an ieco study and only 827 projects are registered around the world. The study focused on measuring the structural components of the region s forest to evaluate the environmental services derived from it. The data was collected from May 2012 through August 2012 at 225 field plots across various land cover types and uses throughout the City. Mr. Pace presented key findings from the study. There are a total of over two million trees in the City with 24.4 percent tree coverage. The most common tree species in Mesquite are Sugarberry (Hackberry), Green Ash and Cedar Elm resulting in $996 million in structural value. Mr. Pace stated that due to the continued drought, resources must be managed properly by planting the appropriate tree species and native, drought-tolerant trees at the appropriate times as well as budgeting for the watering and establishment practices of these trees for the first three years. The Parks and Recreation Department maintains a recommended planting list for various tree sizes. Mr. Pace stated that trees are assets to the community with their benefits increasing over time with tree size and health. Proper tree care for existing trees (and installation and establishment for new trees) help to ensure trees reach large beneficial sizes. The three key activities for quality tree care are proper tree selection, planting and early pruning. He recommended a tree inventory to be completed as well as adding a staff forester position to ensure proactive management to protect and enhance the urban forest. Councilmembers thanked staff and Mr. Pace for their detailed work on this analysis. The work session ended at 2:04 p.m. REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING - CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER - 3:05 P.M. INVOCATION Richard Flowers, Pastor, Emmanuel Pentecostal Church, Mesquite, Texas. Page 2

3 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Jeovani Elias, Marlowe Fowler and Jasmine Lowe, Recreation After School Participants from Achziger Elementary School. SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS (1) Charlene Orr, Historical Preservation Officer/Executive Director of Historic Mesquite, Inc., announced that the City of Mesquite celebrated its 125th anniversary in The City celebrated with various events such as a geocaching exercise, Mesquite Meander at the Mesquite Cemetery, the Bark of July, Trash to Treasures and an Art Exhibit at the Mesquite Arts Center featuring historical items from Mesquite s past. She thanked the City Council for their support in the events. Ms. Orr recognized members of the Historic Mesquite, Inc., Board of Directors who were present. (2) Ms. Roberts announced that Old Town Mesquite will be hosting the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Heritage Square on Tuesday, December 4 at 6:00 p.m. (3) Ms. Roberts announced that the 26th annual Christmas in the Park will be held Thursday, December 6 Saturday, December 8, 2012, beginning at 6:00 p.m. at Westlake Park. She invited everyone to come enjoy the holiday festivities. PRESENTATIONS 3 Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Ceremony. Mayor Monaco stated that the Municipal Complex was designed and constructed in two phases with the Police Department, which was completed in March 2009, comprising the first phase. The second phase was completed in August 2011 and consists of Municipal Court, Tax, Finance and Accounting offices, employee training rooms and the City Council Chamber. The City applied for and received the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification. The design and construction of the Mesquite City Hall Project was completed with the intent of meeting the U.S. Green Building Council s (USGBC) Standards for Energy Consciousness. The Mesquite City Hall is the City's first LEED building. According to the USGBC, as of November 1, 2012, there were 13,657 LEED-Certified commercial projects in the United States; however, only 41 are classified as a City Hall. Mayor Monaco stated that several special features were included during the design phase such as space designated to encourage the use of bicycle ridership by the public and City employees, preferential parking spaces for low-emitting and fuel efficient vehicles and the decrease in use of potable water due to specified plumbing fixtures. During the demolition of the old building and the construction phase of the new building, there were LEED-related efforts such as recycling 9,816 tons of material on site, 25 percent of the material used contained recycled content and 53 percent of all wood material was certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Mayor Monaco introduced Denny Boles from Brinkley Sargent Architects; Sean Jeanes, Project Manager, Lee Lewis Construction; and Johnathan P. Kraatz, Executive Director, North Texas Chapter of the USGBC. Page 3

4 Mr. Boles stated that from the beginning of the project the City of Mesquite was committed to a LEED-Certified building. He commended the design team, the sustainable consultant and Lee Lewis Construction. He thanked City staff for their professionalism and commitment to the project. Mr. Jeanes recognized Ricky Donithan and Mark Mayo, on-site Superintendents of the project and Senior Project Manager Mike Green. He thanked Denny Boles and the design team for laying the ground work for achieving the LEED Silver Certification and thanked City staff for their assistance during the design and construction phases. Mr. Kraatz stated that there are 368 LEED-Certified facilities in North Texas, which is leading the country in sustainability. He thanked the Mayor and City Council for their commitment to sustainability. Mr. Kraatz presented Mayor Monaco the official LEED Silver Certification certificate from the USGBC. Mayor Monaco recognized City Manager Ted Barron, Deputy City Manager Carol Zolnerowich and their professional staff who oversaw the totality of the project to ensure it was a success. Mayor Monaco thanked the City Council who helped champion the project with votes of support for the funds and a commitment to complete a facility of this magnitude. CONSENT AGENDA Approval of the Consent Agenda Mr. Noschese moved to remove Item No. 8 from the Consent Agenda to be considered separately. Motion was seconded by Mr. Porter and approved unanimously. Mr. Tarpley moved to approve Item Nos. 4-7 and 9-10 on the Consent Agenda, as follows. Motion was seconded by Mr. Forsythe and approved unanimously. 4 Minutes of the regular City Council meeting held November 19, An ordinance amending Section of the International Building Code, 2009 Edition, codified as Section 5-27(7)(g) of the City Code, to exempt certain aircraft hangars from the requirement to install automatic sprinkler systems. Ordinance No. 4247, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MESQUITE, TEXAS, AMENDING CHAPTER 5 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MESQUITE, TEXAS, AS AMENDED, BY DELETING SECTION 5-27(7)(g) IN ITS ENTIRETY AND ADDING A NEW SECTION 5-27(7)(g) THEREBY PROVIDING A CERTAIN DELETION AND ADDITION TO THE AMENDMENTS TO THE INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE, 2009 EDITION; PROVIDING FOR A REPEALER CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR A PENALTY NOT TO EXCEED TWO THOUSAND ($2,000.00) DOLLARS FOR EACH OFFENSE. (Ordinance No recorded on page of Ordinance Book No. 102.) Page 4

5 6 An ordinance amending Section of the International Fire Code, 2009 Edition, codified as Section 6-6(10)(l) of the City Code, to exempt certain aircraft hangars from the requirements to install automatic sprinkler systems Ordinance No. 4248, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MESQUITE, TEXAS, AMENDING CHAPTER 6 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MESQUITE, TEXAS, AS AMENDED, BY DELETING SECTION 6-6(10)(l) IN ITS ENTIRETY AND ADDING A NEW SECTION 6-6(10)(l) THEREBY PROVIDING A CERTAIN DELETION AND ADDITION TO THE AMENDMENTS TO THE INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE, 2009 EDITION; PROVIDING FOR A REPEALER CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR A PENALTY NOT TO EXCEED TWO THOUSAND ($2,000.00) DOLLARS FOR EACH OFFENSE. (Ordinance No recorded on page of Ordinance Book No. 102.) 7 Bid No New City Hall Deferred Landscape. (Authorize the City Manager to execute a contract with AquaGreen Global in the amount of $94, ) 9 Bid No Purchase and Refresh Service of Philips MRx Cardiac Monitor Defibrillators. (Authorize the City Manager to execute a Repair Service Agreement with sole source provider Philips Healthcare in the amount of $135, ) 10 Approve Amendment No. 1 to the Police Seizure Budget in compliance with Chapter 59 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure in the amount of $339, CONSENT AGENDA ITEM CONSIDERED SEPARATELY 8 Bid No Purchase of 2012 Ford F Diesel Chassis Ambulance Remount-4. (Staff recommends award to low bidder Frazer, Ltd., in Houston, Texas, from Sterling McCall Ford through the Houston-Galveston Area Council of Governments Cooperative Purchasing Program, in the amount of $93, ) Mr. Noschese requested Fire Chief Mark Kerby explain the cost management savings received by purchasing an ambulance remount in lieu of a brand-new ambulance. Chief Kerby stated that in 2002 the Fire Department began purchasing ambulances that are designed and manufactured to be remounted. The basic construction of an ambulance consists of a chassis and a module/box, which consists of the part of the ambulance where the patient is being tended to by Page 5

6 the paramedics. When purchasing a remounted ambulance, the box is removed from the chassis, reconditioned and then placed on a new chassis. The cost of a new ambulance is near $150, while a remount costs approximately $93,000.00, saving the City close to $55, per remount. Mr. Noschese moved to approve Bid No Purchase of 2012 Ford F Diesel Chassis Ambulance Remount-4 to low bidder Frazer, Ltd., in Houston, Texas, from Sterling McCall Ford through the Houston-Galveston Area Council of Governments Cooperative Purchasing Program, in the amount of $93, Motion was seconded by Ms. Roberts and approved unanimously. END OF CONSENT AGENDA APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS 11 Consider appointment of five members to the Mesquite Housing Board for terms to expire December 3, Ms. Roberts moved to reappoint James Coleman, Charles Bryant, Betty Leonardo, Ginny Stuit and David Gustof as members of the Mesquite Housing Board for terms to expire December 3, Motion was seconded by Mr. Porter and approved unanimously. 12 Consider appointment of three regular members and one alternate member to the Building Standards Board for terms to expire January 1, Ms. Roberts moved to reappoint Patrick Reyes, James T. Wofford and Richard Walker as regular members and Rick Kennedy as an alternate member of the Building Standards Board for terms to expire January 1, Motion was seconded by Mr. Tarpley and approved unanimously. 13 Consider appointment of two members to the Keep Mesquite Beautiful, Inc., Board of Directors for terms to expire December 31, Mr. Tarpley moved to reappoint Chad Hastings and Dr. Denise Kutch as members of the Keep Mesquite Beautiful, Inc., Board of Directors for terms to expire December 31, Motion was seconded by Mr. Forsythe and approved unanimously. 14 Consider appointment of four members to the Historic Mesquite, Inc., Board of Directors for terms to expire December 31, Ms. Roberts moved to reappoint Emily Tosch, Joshua Kidd and Donna Woodard as members of the Historic Mesquite, Inc., Board of Directors for terms to expire December 31, Motion was seconded by Mr. Noschese and approved unanimously. ADJOURNMENT Mr. Noschese moved to adjourn the meeting. Motion was seconded by Mr. Porter and approved unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 3:36 p.m. Page 6

7 Approved: Attest: John Monaco, Mayor Sonja Land, City Secretary Page 7