Min 09/04/2018
City of Wichita Falls
City Council Meeting
Minutes
September 4, 2018
Item 1 - Call to Order
The City Council of the City of Wichita Falls, Texas met in regular session on the above
date in the Council Chambers of the Memorial
with the following members present.
Stephen L. Santellana - Mayor
Jesse Brown - Councilors
Jeff Browning -
DeAndra Chenault -
Mitesh Desai -
Eric West -
Bobby Whiteley -
Darron Leiker - City Manager
Kinley Hegglund - City Attorney
Marie Balthrop - City Clerk
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Mayor Santellana called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m.
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Item 2a Invocation
Reverend Dale Snyder, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, gave the invocation.
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Item 2b Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor Santellana led the Pledge of Allegiance.
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Item 3 Presentation Employee of the Month Genaro Meza, Fire Department
8:35 a.m.
Jon Reese, Fire Chief, recognized Genaro Meza, Fire Equipment Operator, as
Employee of the Month for September 2018. Mayor Santellana congratulated Mr. Meza
and presented him with a plaque, letter of appreciation, restaurant voucher and check
and thanked him for his service.
Item 4 - 5 Consent Items
8:39 a.m.
City Manager Darron Leiker gave a briefing on the items listed under the Consent Agenda.
Moved by Councilor Chenault that the consent items be approved.
Motion seconded by Councilor Desai and carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Mayor Santellana, Councilors Brown, Browning, Chenault, Desai, West and Whiteley
Nays: None
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Item 4 Approval of minutes of the August 14, 2018 Special Meeting of the Mayor
and City Council.
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Item 5 Receive Minutes
Minutes of the following boards and commissions were received:
(a) Landmark Commission, May 22, 2018
(b) Landmark Commission, June 26, 2018
(c) Lake Wichita Revitalization Committee, July 10, 2018
(d) Planning & Zoning, July 11, 2018
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Mayor Santellana moved to item 8d
Item 8d Resolution 91-2018
8:40 a.m.
Resolution approving the programs and expenditures of the Wichita Falls 4B Sales Tax
Corporation Board of Directors and amending the budget to include funding up to
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720 Indiana Avenue
Moved by Councilor Chenault to approve Resolution 91-2018.
Motion seconded by Councilor Desai.
Paul Fleming gave an overview of the project and thanked the council and 4B Board for
their support. Mr. Fleming also introduced Madeleine Calcote, new Executive Director
of the Museum of North Texas History.
Motion carried with the following vote:
Ayes: Mayor Santellana, Councilors Brown, Browning, Chenault, Desai, and Whiteley
Nays: None
Councilor West abstained since he serves on this board.
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Item 6 Public Hearing on Proposed Tax Rate for the 2018-2019 Fiscal Year
8:44 a.m.
Mayor Santellana opened the public hearing at 8:44 a.m.
Jim Dockery, Deputy City Manager, addressed the council and discussed the current
proposed budget and tax rate.
There were no public comments.
Councilor Whiteley discussed proposed pay increase options he discussed with staff such
as only adjusting positions that are below average pay. Jim Dockery, Deputy City Manager,
discussed this option and stated that one major problem with this approach is that not every
position within the City was part of the salary survey. There was also a discussion of
deferring the step plans and shifting those funds to the cost of living increase and the pros
and cons of that approach. Staff recommends the 3% across the board pay increase for all
employees and feels this is the most equitable option. Councilor Whiteley stated that based
on the salary survey provided to the council, he still feels that the cost of living increase
should only be given to employees that are below average pay.
Councilor West asked if Police and Fire were further below average than other employees.
Christi Klyn, HR Director, discussed that Police and Fire are 6-7% below average, and
hourly employees are 6% below average. Mrs. Klyn presented a slide that discussed the
number of employees included in the salary survey. There are 214 positions that include
581 employees that are not included in the salary survey, so it would be hard to determine if
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those positions are at or below average pay. It was discussed that increasing below average
employees and holding those at or above average will cause compression in pay grades
eliminating the effectiveness of our current pay plans. There was discussion about the
comprehensive pay plan study completed around 2008, and if there is a need for another
comprehensive study. Staff does not feel another comprehensive study is needed at this
time since we have a good pay plan structure and yearly surveys are being completed. Mrs.
Klyn discussed that our counterpart cities do not complete yearly surveys and only complete
comprehensive studies every 5-10 years.
Councilor Whiteley stated that it is overwhelming to him that 90% or more of our employees
are below average, and stated that he wants to do the most for all of our employees. Mrs.
Klyn stated that giving the 3% across the board accomplishes that. Councilor Whiteley
stated that he does not feel any city employee is overpaid.
Darron Leiker stated that a comprehensive pay study would be a good topic for a strategic
planning session, as well as the major differences in retirement plans between civil service
and non-civil service.
Mayor Santellana closed the public hearing at 9:15 a.m.
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Item 7 Ordinance 38-2018
9:15 a.m.
Ordinance reappointing Mike Whalen and Diane Dockery as Substitute Judges of the
Municipal Court for terms of two years
Moved by Councilor Brown to approve Ordinance 38-2018.
Motion seconded by Councilor Desai and carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Mayor Santellana, Councilors Brown, Browning, Chenault, Desai, West and Whiteley
Nays: None
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Item 8a Resolution 88-2018
9:17 a.m.
Resolution authorizing the transfer of ownership of Trustee properties at 816 Dallas
Street, 707 Jalonick Street, and 713 Jalonick Street to Habitat for Humanity for the
construction of low to moderate income housing and authorizing the City Manager to
execute the deed
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Moved by Councilor Chenault to approve Resolution 88-2018.
Motion seconded by Councilor Desai and carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Mayor Santellana, Councilors Brown, Browning, Chenault, Desai, West and Whiteley
Nays: None
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Item 8b Resolution 89-2018
9:20 a.m.
Resolution allowing one (1) trustee property, 1010 Talley Ln., to be sold to Armored
Roofing Company for less than the total amount of the judgment against said property
as authorized by Section 34.05(i) of the Texas Tax Code
Moved by Councilor Brown to approve Resolution 89-2018.
Motion seconded by Councilor Desai and carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Mayor Santellana, Councilors Brown, Browning, Chenault, Desai, West and Whiteley
Nays: None
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Item 8c Resolution 90-2018
9:22 a.m.
Resolution allowing one (1) trustee property, 2607 Inglewood Dr., to be sold to Barry
Deuschle for less than the total amount of the judgment against said properties as
authorized by Section 34.05(i) of the Texas Tax Code
Moved by Councilor Desai to approve Resolution 90-2018.
Motion seconded by Councilor Brown and carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Mayor Santellana, Councilors Brown, Browning, Chenault, Desai, West and Whiteley
Nays: None
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Item 8e Resolution 92-2018
9:26 a.m.
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Resolution approving a negotiated settlement between the Atmos Cities Steering
Committee and Atmos Energy Corp., Mid-
rate review mechanism filings
Moved by Councilor Desai to approve Resolution 92-2018.
Motion seconded by Councilor Brown and carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Mayor Santellana, Councilors Brown, Browning, Chenault, Desai, West and Whiteley
Nays: None
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Item 8f Resolution 93-2018
9:28 a.m.
Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a professional services agreement
with Corlett, Probst & Boyd, P.L.L.C. for the design of the Taft Boulevard Improvement
Project in the amount of $565,000
Moved by Councilor Chenault to approve Resolution 93-2018.
Motion seconded by Councilor Desai and carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Mayor Santellana, Councilors Brown, Browning, Chenault, Desai, West and Whiteley
Nays: None
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Item 8g Resolution 94-2018
9:32 a.m.
Resolution authorizing the City Manager to approve Change Order No. 1 for the 2018
Concrete Street Rehabilitation Project in the amount of $28,818.80
Moved by Councilor Desai to approve Resolution 94-2018.
Motion seconded by Councilor Browning and carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Mayor Santellana, Councilors Brown, Browning, Chenault, Desai, West and Whiteley
Nays: None
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Item 8h Resolution 95-2018
9:33 a.m.
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Resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into a contract with Kimley-Horn and
Associates, Inc. for professional design services for Lake Wichita Revitalization Projects
in the amount not-to-exceed $398,000
Moved by Councilor Desai to approve Resolution 95-2018.
Motion seconded by Councilor Browning and carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Mayor Santellana, Councilors Brown, Browning, Chenault, Desai, and West
Nays: Councilor Whiteley
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Item 9a Staff Reports National Health and Nutrition Examination Lou
Kreidler/Health Department
9:43 a.m.
Amy Fagan, Assistant Director of Health, presented a video on the National Health and
Nutrition Examination Survey program. Wichita County has been randomly selected to
participate in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and community
members will be randomly selected to participate. The team will be in town September
21, 2018 and letters have been sent out this week. Mobile Exam Centers will be on site
at the health department for an open house. Ms. Fagan asked for support getting the
word out to the community.
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Item 9b Items of Concern to Members of the City Council
9:53 a.m.
Members of the City Council presented the following matters:
Councilor Whiteley - Recognized Mark Spadin, a boy scout in the audience who is
working towards his Citizenship in the Community badge, and thanked him for his
attendance and attention. Councilor Whiteley followed up on the employee of the
month for the Fire Department and congratulated Mr. Meza.
Councilor Chenault - Good morning and thank you for attending.
Coucilor Desai Happy Birthday to DeAndra and it is football season GO HUSKIES!
Mayor Santellana - Congratulations to Eric West for the money raised for Dancing for
the Stars. Thank you to the staff for all the work on the budget and to Christi Klyn for all
the information provided on salaries.
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Item 10 Comments from the Public to Members of the City Council Concerning
Items That Are Not on the City Council Agenda.
9:57 a.m.
There were no public comments.
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Item 11 Executive Session
City Council went into Executive Session at 9:57 a.m. in accordance with Texas
Government Code §551.087 to discuss or deliberate the offer of a financial or other
incentive to a business prospect that the City Council seeks to have, locate, stay, or
expand in or near the territory of the City of Wichita Falls and with which the City and/or
economic development corporations created by the City are conducting economic
development negotiations (including, but not limited to, economic development update).
City Council reconvened at 10:52 a.m.
Mayor Santellana announced that no votes or polls were taken.
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Item 12 Adjourn
Mayor Santellana adjourned the meeting at 10:52 a.m.
th
PASSED AND APPROVED this 11 day of September, 2018.
________________________________
Stephen L. Santellana, Mayor
ATTEST:
____________________________________
Marie Balthrop, TRMC, CMC
City Clerk
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