The Mayor and Sachse City Council request that all cell phones be turned off or set to vibrate. Members of the audience are requested to step outside the Council Chambers to respond or to conduct a phone conversation.
BACKGROUND
Halff & Associates was selected by the City of Sachse to perform the engineering analysis and design for the Merritt Road Capital Improvement Project. The project is in the early stages of analysis. The consulting team and City staff are working to begin the formal processes required by TxDOT as a part of the project.
OVERVIEW
Halff & Associates will provide a project overview and update on the status of the project.
POLICY CONSIDERATIONS
There are no policy considerations affiliated with this item.
RECOMMENDATION
There are no recommendations affiliated with this item. This item is for information only.
Please note: These items are for discussion purposes only and no City Council action will be taken. The workshop session is for City Council and staff discussion. Citizen input is not permitted on this agenda.
The Mayor and Sachse City Council request that all cell phones be turned off or set to vibrate. Members of the audience are requested to step outside the Council Chambers to respond or to conduct a phone conversation.
BACKGROUND
Minutes of the April 1, 2019, combined meeting.
POLICY CONSIDERATIONS
There are no policy considerations affiliated with this item.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the minutes of the April 1, 2019, combined meeting.
BACKGROUND
On August 20, 2015 the City Council approved a depository services agreement with American National Bank. The agreement covered an initial period of twenty months from October 1, 2015 through May 31, 2017, with options for three one-year extensions. This will be the final extension available for the current contract.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager to extend the depository contract with American National Bank through May 31, 2020.
BACKGROUND
The City's existing depository services agreement is with American National Bank. A separate signature resolution is necessary to utilize Treasury Management services. The purpose of this action is to update the list of authorized signers.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve a resolution amending authorized signers to transact business on behalf of the City of Sachse and American National Bank related to Treasury Management Services and providing for an effective date.
Citizens who wish to speak may fill out the attached card and bring to the City Council meeting or email to the City Secretary prior to the meeting.
BACKGROUND
In August 2014, City Council adopted a five-year rate plan for water and sewer service fees. At that time, revenues were not sufficient to cover operating expenses. The City was in the third year of mandatory watering restrictions due to drought conditions, and in order to restore financial viability to the Utility Fund, a five-year rate plan that included annual increases was adopted. The rate model that was adopted was designed to fund approximately half of the anticipated capital and rehabilitation projects that were planned during that five-year window.
Drought restrictions were lifted in 2015 and revenues exceeded expectations for the ensuing two years. The additional revenue made it possible to fund additional capital and rehab projects and delay issuance of debt. The FY 2018-2019 budget included funding for an update to the 2014 rate study, and the results of that study were presented to City Council on March 4. The study was conducted using a cost-of-service model, which involves building known and projected costs for operation, maintenance and enhancements to service. Consumption trends, growth projections and inflationary assumptions are included in building the cost-of-service model, with a goal of structuring rates to cover costs, maintain financial health of the fund, and provide funding for future growth and expansion, as well as maintenance and rehabilitation of aging infrastructure.
OVERVIEW
One finding from the 2019 update was that sewer charges are not currently covering the cost of providing sewer services; the sewer segment of the fund is being subsidized by water revenues. One of the two rate options that was presented on March 4 was to maintain the current rate design for the foreseeable future, but it did not address this subsidy. The other option was to raise sewer base charges and volume rates to cover the costs of providing sewer service, but offset those increases with volume price reductions for water. An additional option presented was to implement the rate changes at mid-year of FY 2019 rather than wait until October. This will provide maximum rate relief during the months that typically include the highest outdoor water use. The reduced volume rates for water will also help to compensate for the contractual increase in solid waste services and the increase to sewer base and volume charges.
The proposal before City Council tonight is to adopt the rates as shown in the attached presentation effective April 1, 2019. The revised rates include the elimination of one of the volume tiers, reducing the total tiers from five to four. The new rates will be used in computing bills for water consumed in April, which will be issued on May 6.
Immediately following this item in tonight's agenda will be adoption of a revised master fee schedule, which will include the revisions to water, sewer and solid waste charges effective April 1, 2019.
POLICY CONSIDERATIONS
Utility rates shall be set at levels sufficient to cover operating expenditures (direct and indirect), meet debt obligations and debt service coverage, provide fund for capital improvements and provide adequate levels of working capital.
RECOMMENDATION
Conduct a public hearing and take action on a revised water and sewer rate plan.
BACKGROUND
The Master Fee Schedule is a convenient tool for citizens and customers to access to acquaint themselves with various charges for City services. The schedule can be updated periodically for necessary changes without amending the associated Ordinance.
OVERVIEW
The Master Fee Schedule is considered annually during the budget approval process. Amendments that occur during the year are presented as necessary for effective date consideration. Library Service Fees were approved by the Library Board on March 11, 2019, for inclusion mid-year. Building Permits includes clarification language and reorganization by category without any fee changes. Refuse service fees were approved during Solid Waste RFP acceptance for inclusion with new contract effective date, April 1. Water and Wastewater rates were presented and considered during the 2019 Water Rate Study discussions performed by NewGen Strategies and Solutions.
POLICY CONSIDERATIONS
There are no policy considerations affiliated with this item.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve a resolution amending the Master Fee Schedule by amending library service fees, building permits, refuse service fees, and water and wastewater rates and providing an effective date.
BACKGROUND
During the Stormwater Utility project in 2017, the City of Sachse identified a drainage maintenance concern in the easements on and across the properties located along the south side of Ponderosa Drive and the north side of Vicksburg Drive. The project was included as one of the key projects to be completed through the establishment of a Stormwater Utility for the City of Sachse. This item is to award the project for construction.
OVERVIEW
There are existing drainage concerns along the drainage easement, utility easement, and bridle path located on the property line between the southern lots on Ponderosa Drive and the northern lots on Vicksburg Drive. During the large rainfall events of 2015, several homeowners on Vicksburg Drive reported having water damage on their properties and in their homes. This area is not located within the floodplain.
The existing 30' drainage easement along the Vicksburg lots contains a poorly defined drainage swale which has been insufficient in handling stormwater. In addition, for many years, property owners on Vicksburg Drive have constructed fences, carports, and other structures within the 30' drainage easement. Not every property has these items within the easement, but many do. Many of these DIY projects were completed without a permit, City review, or approval. Images of this can be seen in Attachment 1. These non-permitted improvements have negatively impacted drainage. Some homeowners have installed small diameter storm pipes in the easement, which are undersized for the actual volume of runoff.
Staff completed in in-house design project for a storm system to capture and convey the stormwater down to the existing creek to the west. This is in accordance with the natural drainage pattern for the area and will not negatively impact the existing creek. Due to the location of private improvements within the existing 30' drainage easement and the use of the adjacent area as a bridle path, the only available design solution was to construct an underground storm system with inlets within the existing utility easement and bridle path on the back side of the Ponderosa lots. The design includes large 4'x4' grate inlets along the main line, and smaller catch basins to be located further in on private property. These catch basins will be placed in a location determined by the property owner, will allow for the drainage of low-lying areas, and will serve as a connection point for private drainage systems on the property.
Staff sent letters out to all surrounding property owners and has been meeting with property owners individually to discuss the project.
The project was advertised in the Sachse News, and two bids were received. The lowest qualified bid was receive from KIK Underground LLC, in the amount of 421,408.75. This includes a $25,000 contingency. The bid tabulation is attached. However, staff is recommending to include an additional $30,000 in contingency funding after meeting with many property owners on Vicksburg and Ponderosa, and reviewing all of their concerns. The additional contingency funds will allow staff and the contractor to make sure that the project adequately addresses citizen concerns.
The Stormwater Utility only generates approximately $200,000 per year. In order to ensure that the Stormwater Utility remains viable and other smaller annual projects are able to be completed, staff is recommending that the Utility Fund be utilized to provide the initial project funding. The Stormwater Utility will then make an annual payment of $75,000/year to the Utility Fund to reimburse the project costs. The estimated payback period is just over six years. Staff has confirmed that this is an acceptable method by which to finance the project.
POLICY CONSIDERATIONS
The City of Sachse created the Stormwater Utility in 2018 in order to fund important drainage projects in the City. This project is listed in the City's Capital Improvement Plan for the FY 18-19 budget.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends approval of a resolution awarding the bid for the construction of the Vicksburg-Ponderosa Drainage Improvement Project to KIK Underground, LLC in an amount not to exceed four hundred fifty-one thousand four hundred eight dollars and seventy-five cents ($451,408.75).
BACKGROUND
In 2014 the City contracted with Evergreen Consulting to conduct a citywide compensation and classification study. In 2015 eighteen (18) market comparison cities were recommended by Evergreen and implemented by the City. Those cities are used for market adjustments, which is referenced in Section 8.09 of the City of Sachse's Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual. Currently, the section addressing market adjustments reads:
“The City Council establishes benchmark cities to serve as a resource to generate comparable data regarding employee compensation. To retain a skilled workforce and to remain competitive in the market, the City Council will periodically authorize a compensation market study and implement market adjustments specific to positions that are deemed below acceptable market levels. The City Council selected the following cities to serve as benchmarks for compensation analysis:”
Please note, the aforementioned section currently ends in an incomplete sentence in the City of Sachse's Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual. Addressing the incomplete sentence is one of the recommendations in the amendment of the statement.
POLICY CONSIDERATIONS
The proposed amended language is as follows:
"To retain a skilled workforce and to remain competitive in the market, the City Council may periodically authorize a compensation market study and implement market adjustments specific to positions that are deemed below acceptable market levels. The City Council establishes benchmark cities that may be used as a resource to generate comparable data regarding employee compensation for purposes of a compensation study.”
This amendment cleans up the current language and removes references to any specific market cities in the Manual.
In addition, staff is proposing several modifications to the current list of market cities as a part of this item. The current list includes:
Cities with the (*) indicate recommended removal.
Proposed addition:
Staff will make recommendations to remove several cities and add others, based on comparable data.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the item as presented.
BACKGROUND
As part of the approved 2019 Marketing Plan, the SEDC has been working in conjunction with the City of Sachse to implement the design and hanging of street pole banners on State Highway 78. Options were presented to the SEDC Board of Directors at its regular meeting on March 21, 2019. The designs are being presented to Council for final comment and approval.
OVERVIEW
Sachse EDC, CEO Leslyn Blake will be presenting the design options.
POLICY CONSIDERATIONS
There are no policy considerations affiliated with this item.
RECOMMENDATION
Discuss and provide feedback on the proposed design options.