The City of Balcones Heights

Regular City Council Meeting

3300 Hillcrest Drive

Balcones Heights, Texas 78201

MINUTES

DATE: April 25, 2016TIME: 6:00 p.m.

Members Present:Suzanne de Leon (Mayor)Jack Burton (Mayor Pro Tem)

Charles WhiteLamar Gillian

Linda PohlMadeline Slay(6:12 p.m.)

Members Absent:None

Sign in Sheet:Roger LawheadGina DawsonHenry Hannasch

Angelica Garza

CALL TO ORDER AND RECORDING OF QUORUM

Meeting was called to order and quorum was present.

Invocation and Pledges of Allegiance to the U. S. A. and Texas Flags

Councilmember Gillian gave the invocation and led the pledges.

Public Comment Period

There were no citizens signed up to be heard.

  1. PRESENTATIONS and REPORTS:
  1. Legislative Update – Congressman Joaquin Castro

Mayor de Leon introduced Congressman Joaquin Castro, who represents District 20 and spoke on the following topics:

  • Grants
  • Service calls and emails
  • Legislation
  • US Japan Caucus – 70 members of Democrats and Republicans
  • Pre K Caucus – 30 members of Democrats and Republicans
  • Homeland Security Committee – Bill
  • Foreign Affairs – Bill
  • Readiness Committee
  • Question and answer period

Councilmember Slay arrived at 6:12 p.m.

Mayor called for a recess at 6:20 p.m. to escort the Congressman out of the building.

Meeting was reconvened at 6:25 p.m.

  1. Presentation – San Antonio River Authority (SARA) Services and Programs by General Manager Steve Graham

Assistant General Manager Steve Graham, P.E., CFM came up and spoke on the following topics:

  • Watershed Engineering
  • Watershed Master Planning
  • Environmental Sciences
  • Instream and Environmental Flows
  • Bay and Estuary Support
  • Environmental Investigators
  • Watershed & Parks Operations
  • Utilities & Community Assistance
  • River Reach
  • Woodlawn Lake Study – Option 1 and Option 2 (Presented by Erin Cavazos, P.E.)
  • Questions
  1. Proclamation to be presented to Fire Department byMuscular Dystrophy Association (MDA)

A proclamation was presented by Mayor de Leon to Fire Chief Brock Ward in recognition of the Fire Department.

  1. Falls Prevention Program presented by Dr. Gina Dawson P.T.

Dr. Gina Dawson came up to inform the council that this effort was to Increase awareness on fall related injuries.

  1. Proclamation – Lupus Awareness

A proclamation was presented to Angelica Garza for an awareness campaign to inform the community and make them aware and offer education in regards to Lupus.

  1. Update from Consultant Walter Serna (Serna)

Some of the updates were as follows:

  • Housing Finance Corporation/Local Government Corporation
  • Conference Call – VIA and Balcones Heights

In order to save time Mayor de Leon asked council that if they had any questions on reports included in packet regarding Items 1g through 1k to ask them at this time instead of each Department Head giving a report.

  1. Economic Development/Public Affairs Department Report –March 2016 (Nastasi)
  1. Police Department Report – March 2016 (Volz)
  1. Fire Department Report – March 2016 (Ward)
  1. Community Development Report and Code Compliance Update –March 2016(Hoyl)
  1. Finance Department Update (Messick)
  1. Consent Agenda Items:
  1. Approval of minutes for Regular Meeting of March 28, 2016
  2. Approval of Financial Report for month of March 2016
  3. Quarterly Investment Report for quarter ending March 31, 2016

MOTION: I make a motion that we accept in its entirety.

Motion by: Councilmember PohlSecond: Councilmember Gillian5/0/0PASSED

BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS

  1. Consideration and ACTION to appoint members to the Planning and Zoning Commission.

A nominee application was submitted by Ashley Leising and was presented by Mayor de Leon.

MOTION: I make a motion to approve.

Motion by: Councilmember SlaySecond: Councilmember Gillian5/0/0PASSED

PUBLIC HEARINGS:

BUSINESS ITEMS:

  1. Consideration and ACTION to adopt an ordinance amending the Council Relations Policy for the appointment of Mayor Pro Tempore. (Mayor)

Mayor de Leon is proposing a Mayor Pro Tempore be appointed in rotation beginning with Councilmember Place One.

MOTION: So moved. (to approve)

Motion by: Councilmember GillianSecond: Councilmember Slay5/0/0PASSED

  1. Consideration and ACTION to adopt a Resolution to amend authorized representatives on the city’s Texpool account. (Messick)

Mr. Messick requested approval of another form to submit to Texpool for authorized representatives.

MOTION: I make a motion to approve the request to authorize representative for the Texpool account.

Motion by: Councilmember WhiteSecond: Councilmember Pohl5/0/0PASSED

  1. Discussion regarding the Strategic Plan Draft. (Mayor)

Mayor de Leon and City Administrator will meet to plan the next steps for the implementation of the Strategic Plan.

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REQUESTS:

  1. Announcements by City Administrator
  1. Citizen Kudos
  2. Recognition of City employee actions
  3. New Departmental Initiatives
  • C6 Disposal has new driver and is in training
  • Circus coming to town on April 29th
  • Brush Pick-Up postponed a week
  • VIA – Lighting of the Chroma Tower
  • Spurs Picture – April 29th @ 9:30 a.m.
  • New Police Badges - May 1st
  1. Requests by Mayor and Council Members for items to be placed on a future City Council agenda.
  • Research concerning reimbursements from VIA. (White)
  1. Announcements by Mayor and Council Members
  1. City and community events attended and to be attended
  • Real Estate – Fight Night – Black Tie event attended by Councilmember Slay, Mayor Suzanne de Leon and City Administrator David Harris – Kuddos were given to Balcones Heights
  1. City Council Committee and Liaison Assignments
  • Committee Assignments – October 27, 2014

Website Design / P&Z
Linda Pohl / Madeline Slay
Charles White / Jack Burton
Community Initiatives / City Administrator
Audit/Investment/Budget Committee / Parks & Facility Planning
Linda Pohl / Jack Burton
Lamar Gillian / Charles White
City Administrator / Community Development Services
Finance Director / Fire Chief
Code Enforcement / BHPOA Negotiations
Linda Pohl / Lamar Gillian
Madeline Slay / City Administrator
Community Development Services / City Attorney
Chief of Police / Infrastructure
Charles White
City Admin.
Community Development Services

Mayor de Leon informed council if they are interested in serving in a different committee to just let her know.

Councilmember Slay stated she would be happy to serve anyway she can once Councilmember Valverde takes office.

  1. Continuing education events attended and to be attended
  • Councilmember White attended Ethics workshop
  1. Recognition of actions by City employees
  2. Recognition of actions by community volunteers

EXECUTIVE SESSION:

  1. Discussion pursuant to §551.086 of the Texas Government Code (Economic Development) regarding economic development matters.
  1. Discussion pursuant to §551.086 of the Texas Government Code (Economic Development) regarding Economic IncentivePolicy.

RE-CONVENE IN OPEN SESSION:

  1. Council may take ACTION in open session on items discussed in Executive Session.

Council did not go into Executive session.

Adjournment:

Meeting was adjourned at 7:48 p.m.

Submitted by:

DELIA FLORES, TRMC

City Secretary

Minutes approved by Council on May 23, 2016.

Minutes – April 25, 2016

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