03-26-20021
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* * OFFICIAL MINUTES * *
APPROVED BY MEMBERS OF THE SPIN STANDING COMMITTEE
JOINT CITY COUNCIL / SPIN STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING
SOUTHLAKE TOWN HALL — TRAINING ROOMS #3C AND #3D
1400 MAIN STREET
SOUTHLAKE, TEXAS 76092
MINUTES
March 26, 2002
SPIN Standing Committee Members Present: Andrea Brankin (#15), Chair; Brandon Bledsoe
(#9e), Vice -Chair; Bob Walker (#16), Secretary; Cara White (#1); Martin Schelling (#2);
Alan Hochstein (0); Jeff Wang (#7); Rick Phillips (#12); Mike Conrads (#14); Bob Walker
(#16); David Baltimore (Senior Representative).
SPIN Standing Committee Members Absent: Jan Francis (#5); Tim Miller (#6); Pattie Minder
(0); Al Morin (#10); Roger Hutton (#11); Trish Waters (#13); Garrett Mills (Youth Co -
Representative); Frith Dabkowski (Youth Co -Representative).
City Council Members Present: Rick Stacy, Mayor; Greg Standerfer, Place 4; Tom Stephen,
Place 5.
SPIN Liaisons Present: Naomi Cornelius (0).
City Staff Present: Bruce Payne, Director of Planning; John Eaglen, Assistant to the City
Manager.
Agenda Item No. 1, Call to Order — Mayor Rick Stacy called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
Agenda Item No. 2, Administrative Comments — Chair Andrea Brankin covered the following
items:
■ SPIN Meeting Recap (Zoning changes along Highway 26 from I2 / AG to I1, Thomas
Soccer Complex, MTP Amendments, Remington Retirement Community, Granite Office
Building, Commercial Developers Roundtable Recap).
■ Chair Brankin stated that she would like to get more feedback on SPIN from the
development community on how they perceive SPIN. Mr. Schelling replied that part of
the issue with developers is the non-professional manner that they are sometimes exposed
to by the general public.
■ Recap of discussions with members of the City Council as to how SPIN can be a more
effective tool for the Council.
■ Candidate's Forum runthrough for City Council on April 9, and discussing the decision to
agree to host the Carroll I.S.D's forum on April 151". Bob Walker announced he would
be out of town on April 9`h, Mike Conrads will serve as backup moderator.
Joint City Council /SPIN Standing Committee Meeting —March 26, 2002 Page 1 of 5
* *-OFFICIAL MINUTES * *
APPROVED BY MEMBERS OF THE SPIN STANDING COMMITTEE
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Agenda Item No. 3, Approval of the Minutes from the February 6, 2002 SPIN Standing
Committee Retreat —
Motion to approve the minutes as submitted.
Motion: Conrads
Second: Schelling
Motion was unanimously approved.
Agenda Item No. 5, City Council Reports — This item was moved forward on the agenda.
■ Councilmember Standerfer — One thing that would help is to focus on real
communication and less spin, getting to a point where taking positions is not happening.
Suggestions for improving SPIN include some of the following ideas:
1. have agendas for each meeting, and posting agendas on website and in the City
Secretary's Office;
2. development of email notification system;
3. regularly scheduled meeting times and agenda (2"d and 41h Tuesdays);
4. have all SPIN meetings at Town Hall, 3' Floor;
5. televise the meetings on Cable Channel;
6. full or part-time SPIN Liaison.
The best improvements for SPIN center around increased standardization and increased
use of technology. Mayor Stacy replied that he feels that it is a big step to have a fixed
time and location for meetings.
Councilmember Stephen stated that it would also be helpful to give the developer a
chance to respond to SPIN meeting questions, he doesn't always get how things end up,
even though he has the issues and questions raised at the meeting. Having the full picture
would help the Council. Mr. Payne replied that some developers would be willing to do
this, some would blow this step off and proceed to Planning and Zoning Commission.
Mr. Conrads asked what the SPIN role is in the community, and suggested that SPIN
flush through this and then address the City Council with the findings.
Mr. Schelling stated that while we have always talked about rights as a resident, it is
always ignored that SPIN Representatives get a lot of inside information, then some
people turn around and use it against the Council. He suggested that we need to look at
the Code of Conduct and have everyone agree to follow it. Mr. Walker replied that SPIN
Representatives are provided public information readily available to anyone who asks.
Joint City Council /SPIN Standing Committee Meeting —March 26, 2002 Page 2 of S
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* * OFFICIAL MINUTES * *
APPROVED BY MEMBERS OF THE SPIN STANDING COMMITTEE
Councilmember Standerfer stated that he feels that it is fundamentally wrong to be a
SPIN Representative and a political activist, and that he may have the minority opinion
on this subject.
■ Councilmember Stephen — The City has taken an 1.5 million dollar hit from losing Wal-
Mart, roughly $250,000 in property taxes and then the rest in lost sales tax. The General
Fund is going to be tight, the City will need to start focusing on the TIRZ Fund, because
the bonds that have been sold for Town Hall construction have only had interest
payments in the last few years, and next year the City has to start paying interest and
principle. The TIRZ Fund will go negative, and will most likely have to make up the
difference with General Fund revenues. On top of that, the City has a $4.5 million
agreement with the developer of Town Square, and they want to be paid. This payment
situation will be a fight.
■ Mayor Stacy — The City hasn't had to raise the tax rate, but in reality taxes have gone up
every year due to higher property valuations. The City doesn't have to act differently
than any business under similar circumstances since September 11 `h, but we need to
manage our spending wisely.
Mr. Walker mentioned that we shouldn't focus on what is behind us, but rather what is
ahead. Mayor Stacy agreed and stated that we don't need to panic, but we do need to
focus and work together and put a united front on so that we don't lose the next
opportunity. State Highway 114 has to develop, we have got to get this going.
Councilmember Standerfer added that we only have a 2-3 year window to get Hwy. 114
going, after that we will be leapfrogged over.
Agenda Item No. 4, Neighborhood Reports —
■ SPIN #1 — Kaliedescope of Homes at Clariden Ranch in August and September of this
year, hope that this event will help sell some homes.
■ SPIN #2 — No Activity to Report.
■ SPIN #3 — No Activity to Report.
■ SPIN #7 — City needs to do better construction work than the trail section at the
intersection of Continental and Brumlow — that section has had to be replaced due to
safety issues. 1709 / S. Kimball intersection will hopefully get done this year. School on
S. Kimball is a speed trap.
■ SPIN #9e — Chainsaws from contractor going into Timarron creek bed, but the Public
Safety Department did a wonderful job in stopping them before they did anymore
damage. The subcontractor cut down trees without the proper permit. Surprise among
residents that Timarron hired contractor to do this work.
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* * OFFICIAL MINUTES * *
APPROVED BY MEMBERS OF THE SPIN STANDING COMMITTEE
■ SPIN 412 — Cross Timber Hills Sewer meeting held last month, neighborhood has not
gotten the message that the City intends to fix things as they were, concern about their
priority in the new Pavement Management System. Residents feel that there was a lot of
damages done by the contractor to the roads due to negligence. Mayor Stacy replied that
the City still has a lot of money retained from the contractor and that we will get this
neighborhood back to the original condition.
Need to look at the condition of Forest Lane, this is an example of what the roads should
all look like.
■ SPIN #14 —No Activity to Report.
■ SPIN #15 — Lot happening in the area, notice improved, good idea to go forward with
surveying.
■ SPIN #16 —No Activity to Report.
■ Seniors — Remington, the seniors are interested in the facility, but are also aware of the
density and building height issues that have been raised.
Agenda Item No. 6, Close Joint City Council / SPIN Standing Committee Session — The Joint
Session was adjourned by Mayor Stacy at 8:20 p.m.
Agenda Item No. 7, Review SPIN Standing Committee Goals and Objectives — Mr. Baltimore
stated that given the discussion tonight, the Standing Committee needed to look at the
suggestions and digest that information. Mr. Walker added that there needed to be some thought
and planning put into recommendations for the City Council. Mr. Conrads suggested holding
another meeting in April to go over these issues and budget preparation.
The Standing Committee agreed to hold a special planning meeting on Tuesday, April 23`d at
6:30 p.m. The agenda is limited to retreat items and budget planning only. Mr. Eaglen will find
a location and email the information to everyone.
Agenda Item No. 8, Approval of SPIN Meeting Educational Topics —
Motion to approve list of Educational Topics as submitted.
Motion: Schelling
Second: Walker
Motion was unanimously approved.
Agenda Item No. 9, Open Forum — Mr. Hochstein asked questions about the role, what if he
wanted to put a political sign up — could he? The Committee agreed to discuss this issue at the
special meeting on the 23`d of April.
Joint City Council /SPIN Standing Committee Meeting —March 26, 2002 Page 4 of 5
* * OFFICIAL MINUTES * *
APPROVED BY MEMBERS OF THE SPIN STANDING COMMITTEE
1 Aszenda Item No. 10, Adjournment — Chair Andrea Brankin adjourned the meeting at 8:40
2 p.m.
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4 ATTEST:
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9 Andrea Brankin, air
Joint City Council /SPIN Standing Committee Meeting —March 26, 2002 Page S of S