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Min 09/18/1973 824 Wichita Falls, Texas Memorial Auditorium Building September 18, 1973 Item l & 2 The Board of Aldermen of the City of Wichita Falls, Texas, met in regular session on the above date in the Council Room of the Memorial Auditorium Building i at 10:00 o'clock A.M. , with the following members present. I J. Winston Wallander Mayor Harry Campsey Harrison E. Taylor X Lonny Morrison Aldermen Willard Still J. C. Boyd, Jr. Peggy McCullough Gerald Fox City Manager H. P. Hodge, Jr. City Attorney Evelyn M. Lesh Assistant City Clerk The invocation was given by Alderman Still. Item 3a An ordinance was presented closing Bridge Street between Block 7 and Block 8 of the Original Town of the City of Wichita Falls. ORDINANCE NO. 2820 AN ORDINANCE CLOSING AND ABANDONING ALL THAT PORTION OF BRIDGE STREET LYING BETWEEN BLOCK 7 AND BLOCK 8 OF THE ORIGINAL TOWN OF THE CITY OF WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS. Moved by Alderman Boyd that Ordinance No. 2820 be passed. Motion seconded by Alderwoman McCullough, and carried by the following vote: Ayes : Aldermen Campsey, Taylor, Morrison, Still, Boyd, and McCullough Nays : None. Item 3b I An ordinance was presented amending Section 32-57 of the Code of Ordinances establishing sewer service charges. },f - ORDINANCE NO. 2821 ORDINANCE AMENDING SUBSECTIONS (a) AND (c) , REPEALING SUBSECTION (d) , OF SECTION 32-57 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCE, TO CHANGE THE METHOD OF COMPUTING RESIDENTIAL SEWER CHARGES AND TO REDUCE CERTAIN MINIMUM SEWER CHARGES, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. City Manager Gerald Fox stated that we found we were penalizing users where water was not getting back into the sewer system. Alderwoman McCullough stated that Mr. Fox mentioned in his letter that it would project lesser revenues. It will reduce our revenues by about $3,000 per month. Moved by Alderman Still that Ordinance No. 2821 be passed. Motion seconded by Alderman Taylor, and carried by the following vote : Ayes : Aldermen Campsey, Taylor, Morrison, Still, Boyd, and McCullough Nays : None. The City Manager stated that the customers that have paid over what they should have will be credited against their subsequent bills until it is caught up. i i 825 831 Alderman Campsey stated that he would like to look at Page 11 - Fire and Fire Prevention Departments. He wondered if there is any way of combining the depart- ments, and with less money. The City Manager explained the necessity of having the fire prevention department separately in order to comply with the fire code. The five people in that department we feel are necessary to meet our requirements under the fire code. We are required to inspect buildings on an annual basis to comply with the fire code. We couldn't assign the complete inspection department to firemen. They are in fact doing some of that now. Alderman Campsey referred to Page 13 and mentioned the possibility of letting a contract to do the work that is done in the sanitation department. He asked if a study had been done. The City Manager explained that some cities provide that service on a contract basis, but no larger cities. We haven't looked at it recently, for contractors to do this type work. Sheppard Air Force Base and Burk has this kind of service and the customers are paying more than the citizens of Wichita Falls. Alderman Campsey stated that if it could be contracted it would be worth looking at. Alderwoman McCullough asked if it seems to work better in smaller cities. City Manager Geralf Fox stated that fewer cities have it. Alderman Boyd asked if the disposal service was to do the collecting. The City Manager explained that in some cases the City has an incinerator, and in some cases the City owns this type service. Alderman Campsey referred to Page 14, regarding the increase in the cemetery account. City Manager Gerald Fox stated that every 5 or 6 years we have to re- place the machinery and that this year we have to replace a backhoe. Alderman Boyd stated that Traffic maintenance in 1972-73 was $10,700. City Manager Gerald Fox explained that the increase was because of some large equip- ment being purchased. Alderman Campsey asked about the charged in Central Garage. All is charged out to other departments. Do we have records to show which departments are charged for these services? The City Manager stated that each month the department head is provided a summary sheet. Alderman Campsey stated that he would like to have a copy of the charges for each department for the year. City Manager Gerald Fox stated that the Finance Deparrment could provide him with that. Alderman Boyd inquired about the Water Distribution Maintenance. City Manager Gerald Fox explained the necessity of replacing some of the meters. Some meters in the ground are thirty years old. Other expenses are repair parts. Alderman Campsey asked if meter service was available. He has called three different places and they said they would be glad to furnish this service. Two of the parties have never done meter repair in the past. One has never done any repair service, but all three are very interested in taking a look at this thing. He would like to take a look at this and see if private enterprise can do this service for us at a saving to the City. Gerald Fox, City Manager, urged that we begin this plan as quickly as possible, and would like to ask that the money be left in the budget because it would cost as much. Joe Smith, Director of Public Utilities, stated that we have three different type meters. We do have a supply of parts for maintenance for these. Alderman Still asked if Alderman Campsey meant to explain the possibility of contracting the service rather than doing it ourselves. Alderman Still, Alder- man Boyd, and Alderwoman McCullough stated it was worth looking into. Alderman Still stated that on Page 24 in the proposed budget there was $11,000 spent for maintenance above the amount that was approved. Also, he mentioned that the variation in figures under Sundry was increased this year from $15,000 to $90,000. City Manager Gerald Fox explained that in his budget mess- age he mentioned that the Lake Kemp project is included in this figure. Improve- ments are to be made according to the requirements of the Corps of Engineers. $30,000 is set aside for salary adjustments. 832 Mayor Wallander stated he had driven 20,000 miles at his own expense. Alder- man Boyd stated he didn't think the Mayor should have to pay expenses out of his own pocket. Mayor Wallander stated that he thinks the dues paid to TML are very important, and cannot see anything but good coming out of this. If we didn't attend the meet- ings, we wouldn't know what was going on in the state legislature. Alderman Still stated that on Page 28, it stated that $81,000 was budgeted for the year 1972-73. We spent $123,000, and have proposed $127,000 this year. The City Manager explained that the Board of Aldermen have approved two resolutions to total the amount. Alderman Still stated that he thinks it is the obligation of the Council to the community to evaluate those programs and determine if they are in fact in the best interest of the City of Wichita Falls. The people that are carrying the burden in this country are the middle class people. This Council has been elected by the people of the City of Wichita Falls. Moved by Alderman Still that the tax rate be set from $1.88 to $1.82 per $100.00 - a 6¢ tax reduction. Motion seconded by Alderman Campsey. Mayor Wallander suggested that the Council have a work session Thursday night at 7:00. Alderman Taylor made a sub-motion that we consider the work session for Thursday night. The motion was seconded by Alderwoman McCullough. After further discussion, it was decided to vote on a work session for Friday, September 21, 1973 at 2 :00 P.M. The motion carried unanimously. i Alderman Still mentioned various phases that he thought could be eliminated from the proposed budget. City Manager Gerald Fox stated that tax reduction comes from the general fund. j Anything that is eliminated as far as tax is concerned has no effect on the water and sewer fund. The meeting adjourned at 12 :37 P.M. PASSED AND APPROVED this O I& day of 1973. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk I ADM INIS;RATION CITY OF WICHITA FALLS INTER-OFFICE MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor & Board of Aldermen DATE: September 13, 1973 FROM: Gerald G. Fox, City Manager SUBJECT: Rosemont Cemetery On August 23, 1973, I submitted to you a memorandum and attachments concerning the above referenced subject. You will recall that this included a summary by the Parks & Recreation Director of the Rosemont Cemetery situation as well as plats showing the layout of the burial park. Subsequent to this memorandum, I have been contacted by Mrs. C. H. Luck concerning progress being made by the City on this matter. It would be my suggestion that the Board of Aldermen take the following action con- cerning this matter: 1. That the City of Wichita falls would only be willing to assume owner- ship, control and operation of the Rosemont Cemetery when certain conditions are met. It is our estimate that including the entire 40.6 acres in the burial park, that there could be an additional 3,000 spaces made available which could provide for future expansion in City ceme- teries. 2. That firm facts will need to be obtained concerning present ownership of the entire park; ownership of occupied spaces as well as sold but unoccupied spaces; and financial condition of the present owners or operators of the cemetery. 3. That the initial cost of the City taking over ownership and operation of the cemetery be no more than the delinquent taxes presently due on this property. No taxes have been paid since 1925 and to date amount to $8,328. With a statute of limitations being in effect for all taxes through 1938, a total of $6,780 is presently legally due. 4. That a trust fund be established for donations which will be utilized to place the cemetery in proper condition. This would include sufficient monies to re-do all the streets in the cemetery; to re-do the water sprinkling system; and to repair or rebuild gravesites and stones. It would be made clear to the interested parties that the City would only consider assuming responsibilities for Rosemont Cemetery under these conditions. Finally, Ct Mayor & Board of Aldermen September 13, 1973 - Page 2 the Board of Aldermen must realize that municipal cemeteries are money losing operations. In spite of our estimate that gravesites could be sold for monies in excess of $30, 000, annual operation and maintenance costs for Rosemont Cemetery could total in excess of $12,000 annually forever. It should also be realized that persons who purchased gravesites in Rosemont Cemetery had the option to purchase gravesites in municipal cemeteries or other private cemeteries but chose to pur- chase sites in the Rosemont Cemetery. Ger d G. Fox City Manager GGF:mc