1999-05-13City of Southlake, Texas
CITY OF SOUTHLAKE
Joint City Council and SPIN Meeting
Thursday, May 13, 1999
Meeting Minutes
City Council Members Present: Mayor Pro Tem Gary Fawks, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem
Ronnie Kendall, Councilmember Rex Potter, Councilmember Patsy DuPre
Representatives Present: Al Morin (#10), Chair; Mary Georgia (0), Vice -Chair; Milan
Georgia (0); Boyd Dollar (#1); Martin Shelling (#2); Darrell Faglie (#7); Pattie Minder (#8);
Michael Boutte (#9E); Dana Sternfeld (#9W); Bill Stone (#13); Michael Conrads (#14);
Wayne Haney (#15); David Baltimore, Senior representative; Cara White, Park Board Liaison.
Representatives Absent: Cameron McCartha (#12), Secretary; Jan Francis (#5); Bob Walker
(#16).
Guests Present: Mary McMahan, SPIN Liaison (0); Nancy Ritter, SPIN Liaison (#9W).
Staff Present: City Manager Curtis Hawk; Assistant to the City Manager Shelli Siemer;
Director of Engineering Services Ron Harper; Capital Projects Coordinator Shawn Poe.
Agenda Item No. 1--Call to Order.
The meeting was called to order by Gary Fawks at 7:15 p.m.
Agenda Item No. 2--Council Vision for the Future.
Councilmember Ronnie Kendall asked for open dialogue among the City Councilmembers and
SPIN representatives. She reported receiving calls over the past months from SPIN
representatives frustrated and concerned about the SPIN organization. Bringing back SPIN
into the City Manager's Office will help improve the communication issues. Councilmember
Kendall encouraged the SPIN representatives to communicate with Shelli Siemer on a regular
basis.
Pattie Minder stated that she would like to spend less time on the presentations from guest
speakers during the SPIN meetings and allow more time for the neighborhood issues. She also
asked for support for SPIN representatives to attend the City Council meetings.
Al Morin asked the City Councilmembers about their vision for the future of SPIN and
whether there are current or future issues that SPIN should focus energy on. Councilmember
Gary Fawks responded by highlighting the need to participate in the corridor regulations for
Southlake Boulevard, Highland and Kirkwood. Patsy DuPre solicited the need for SPIN
involvement in quality of future development and the City's traffic issues. Councilmember
Kendall stated that it is important for SPIN to host city wide meetings to get information out to
the citizens such as the Town Hall meetings held for the traffic management bond election.
Mary Georgia asked the Councilmembers what kind of information City Council wants
forwarded to them because they receive both positive and negative opinions from citizens.
Does the City Council want the issue handled by the SPIN representatives before it goes to
City Council? Should SPIN representatives be activists and get opinions of the residents to
know what they think and help develop a consensus? Councilmember Gary Fawks indicated
that they want to hear both the positive and negative opinions from the residents. Use SPIN to
help get the information out and work through some issues and problems, but it is not intended
to avoid the City Council from hearing all their opinions. Councilmember Rex Potter stated
that it is not the SPIN representatives' job to interpret the information about who is for or
against an issue, but SPIN should get the information out to the citizens and let them know
how to voice their opinions. The role of SPIN is to host the meetings and share information,
it is not to interpret how many people are supportive or against issues. Milan Georgia stated
that SPIN should try to develop consensus among the citizens regarding an issue.
Councilmember Potter worries about those who cannot attend a particular meeting and are
unable to share their opinions. SPIN representatives are not working for SPIN to be
determinant of an issue, but it is to get the word out to the community. Councilmember Potter
further stated that SPIN representatives should report on all the issues and it is not the job of
SPIN to try to develop consensus.
Councilmember DuPre encouraged City Councilmembers to attend SPIN meetings. She
further stated that SPIN is the ears for the City Council and sometimes a summary of issues
including the consensus of residents is important to hear. Councilmember Kendall indicated
that the developer reports on the results of the SPIN meetings. SPIN needs to encourage
citizens to attend Planning & Zoning meetings in addition to City Council meetings. Mary
Georgia stated that the City Council should get the reports from the neighborhood meetings.
Al Morin indicated that the reports are brief and maybe the results should also be conveyed
through phone calls to the City Councilmembers.
Rex Potter stated that the vision for SPIN should be to inform citizens. We need to capitalize
on the cable channel. SPIN Liaison Nancy Ritter stated the need to update the cable bulletin
board and the web site. Assistant to the City Manager Shelli Siemer reported that the cable
equipment will be installed in the administration building and should allow for quicker updates
of information on the electronic bulletin board and improvements in the airing of the meetings.
The City's web -site is under review and improvements will be made. The staff posts the SPIN
City Manager's Report and meeting agendas every Friday.
Councilmember Fawks stated that there are issues other than development that SPIN will need
to address. Councilmember Potter informed SPIN about his plans to initiate focus groups
between the CISD Board and the City Council. The City Council has offered the CISD the
opportunity to use SPIN as a tool to communicate to citizens. Councilmember Kendall stated
that SPIN will be a great tool to include citizens in the SH 114 enhancements. SPIN should
consider assigning a sub -committee for the MIS TxDOT decisions and work with
Councilmember Kendall. SPIN could also provide input on the portals.
Bill Stone asked about SPIN's use of mass mailings and discussed other avenues to get the
word out to the citizens. Pattie Minder stated that the water billing software is limited and is
not able to include adequate SPIN information on the statements, but suggested using Teen
Court volunteers to help with mailings. Al Morin reported that the costs involved in the city
wide SPIN meeting mailings did not necessarily bring people to the meetings. Milan Georgia
stated that SPIN should have some input on the SPIN budget and would like a discussion on
the June agenda. David Baltimore asked about the plans for the items approved in the traffic
management bond issue. Concilmember Fawks stated that we are in the planning process and
proceeding with the engineering and right-of-way acquisition. Councilmember Kendall stated
that SPIN should hear about the implementation plan for the items in the bond issue. SPIN
Liaison Boyd Dollar said he would like to hear information from the City Councilmembers, to
encourage two way communication.
Agenda Item No. 3--Neighborhood Reports.
SPIN #1: Boyd Dollar reported that there will be meetings on Terra Land Development
located across the street from Bob Jones on White Chapel. The proposed development is 63.4
acres with 84 homes and is currently zoned agricultural.
SPIN #2: Martin Schelling reported no issues or problems from SPIN #2.
SPIN #3: Mary Georgia introduced SPIN Liaison Mary McMahon who reported that Ridge
Crest and other smaller streets had portions still not on Southlake water. She also reported
several complaints regarding equestrians not having access to Corp of Engineers property and
that there is a lot of illegal dumping taking place on Corp of Engineers property. Mary also
asked about how quickly they will get on City sewer because Ridge Crest is one of the oldest
subdivisions and is still on septic.
SPIN #5: Jan Francis was absent.
SPIN #7: Darrell Faglie stated that SPIN #7 had no issues to report to the committee, but
stated the residents are looking forward to Gateway.
SPIN #8: Pattie Minder reported that there have been meetings regarding the Shops of
Southlake development. They have changed the layout of the building because a grocery store
was backed -up the development. The revised concept plan will give 2 1/2 acres of green belt.
There is a city-wide meeting scheduled for June 2 at 7:00 p.m. at the Senior Activity Center.
She also reported the need for the City Council to commit funds for the sidewalk in front of
Chase Bank in Village Center to be finished. Additionally, there is a drainage problem in the
Cambridge Place neighborhood. The Oak Tree sub -division has problems with high weeds
and water moccasins. Pattie was advised to contact code enforcement.
SPIN #9E: Michael Boutte reported no controversial issues for SPIN #9E. A possible public
safety hazard was reported regardingl709 turn lanes being used by motorists as driving lanes.
Michael did report that he attended the city wide meeting on the reconstruction of Continental
Boulevard. Approximately 30 residents attended the meeting where staff presented three
plans, and it was clear that there was a different group of residents who attended the meeting
because the removal of trees was not the issue.
SPIN #9W: Dana Sternfeld reported that Lilac Road is still under construction and citizens
would like to know a completion date. There is also a great deal of mud on Lilac Lane and
construction appears to be inconsistent. She also reported there are ongoing road failures in
Timarron.
SPIN Liaison Nancy Ritter brought up some complaints about the cable service. City
Manager Curtis Hawk explained the FCC regulations.
SPIN #10: Al Morin reported that there is not much going on in his area because it is almost
fully developed. He reported that Eckerd will still have some articulation issues and they will
keep an eye on the intersection of 1709 and White's Chapel.
SPIN #11: Roger Hutton reported that most SPIN #1l's attention is focused on S. Kirkwood
Creek basin. In response to those concerns, an April meeting was held with the City staff to
discuss easements within the basin for drainage. He added that they were encouraged by Bob
Whitehead's presentation & discussion explaining the work they still have to do to explore the
easement possibilities.
SPIN #12: Cameron McCartha was absent, but forwarded a report that stated the City is still
working to obtain the easements for sewer in the Cross Timber Hills area. David Baltimore
reported that the major question in SPIN #12 is the timetable of the sewers and trying to get
easements. He also added that the Senior Advisory Commission meeting will be next week.
SPIN #13: Bill Stone reported that this is his 3rd SPIN meeting as a SPIN representative. He
has been working with the Home Owner's Associations to present SPIN issues and get people
more aware of SPIN's mission. He hosted a meeting about the Presbyterian Church.
SPIN #14: Michael Conrads asked about the traffic light at Shady Oaks. He reported that
Timberlake and Lake Crest neighborhoods are reporting that the Shady Oaks light
synchronization is backing up their neighborhoods.
SPIN #15: Wayne Haney reported the N.E.T. Church on 1709 is under construction.
Southlake Church of Christ is discussing plans for phase II of construction. Barbara Claffey
reported that Michael Drive is moving slowly.
Park Board Representative: Cara White reported as a liaison to the Park Board that the
tennis center hopefully will be done in June. She also reported that Bob Jones Park equestrian
trails are underway and that an Equestrian Association had been established. Boyd Dollar
reported that Bob Jones Park needs mowing.
Agenda Item No. 4--Open Forum.
Nothing was discussed during open forum.
Agenda Item No. 5--Adjournment.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:25 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted:
ameron McCartha, Secretary
Approved:
Al Morin: Chairperson