Meeting Report March 29, 2007
The meeting was over in 67 minutes which must be close to some kind of record. The previous minutes were adopted with few comments. The mayor had no report. Council members had few comments but had a few questions for Administrator Florencio Sauceda. Oscar Martinez asked when a certain postponed item would be put back on the agenda. Sauceda said it was council's prerogative. He also asked about the permit review committee. Sauceda replied some had offered and reconsidered. He suggested working with the Sentinel to solicit more volunteers. He then asked about the police chief position. The city has four applications that Sauceda is reviewing. He hoped for five or six. Starting salary is $35,000 or so.
Sauceda gave his administrator's report. He mentioned the Boys and Girls Club event at the pool this weekend and the need for three lifeguards. He mentioned the recent notice in the BBS asking citizens to clean up yards after the recent rain. The city is sending out letters to properties that need attention. Phil Vickers of the police department is the code enforcement officer now for a grant that will expire at the end of the summer. He is looking at properties and junk vehicles around town. When asked by an audience member, Sauceda clarified that the vehicle ordinance only dealt with vehicles on public right of way and not private property. Cleanup on Mimms draw will be looked at soon. The city is still advertising for a certified public works employee but may need to lower their standards.
Leo Salgado asked the administrator to look at cleanup for property at the corner of Galveston & Ridge and the corner of Bonnie & Yale. There is a vacant house at the fist intersection, and an empty field next to the Chinati Foundation's old hospital property at the other intersection. He mentioned that the city needs to take care of its streets before worrying about alleys and mentioned a tree growing in one street. When asked, Sauceda said the city plans to bill property owners for an city cleanup work. When asked about the sewer relocation for the Humble property, Sauceda said that there have been many meetings and a proposal will be presented to council for decision.
On to the first order of business, the Mayor's award. Lanman presented awards to Gary Mitschke of the Marfa Volunteer Fire Department and employees Jesse Pena and Bert Lagarde of the city EMS department. He thanked them for their service and professional contributions. Each one expressed appreciation for their colleagues contributions and asked the public to thank other members of the fire department or EMS when they see them about town.
The only item of real business on the agenda regarded the city authorizing the gas company to act as its agent for executing contracts. Council spent about 50 minutes on the subject before voting to slow down to get independent legal advice and to specifically not recognize the authority of SWTMG to execute and deliver the contract with MuniGas.
The Sentinel reported that the Mayor voted against this contract at a gas board meeting a week ago, but he clarified that he did vote for it. Dr Rangra, president of the SWMTG board, and Melvin Davis, executive director of SWTMG, gave a short presentation on the contract. There was a great deal of discussion of the merits of the contract. We learned that the attorney for SWTMG is also an attorney for West Texas Gas (WTG) the distributor that owns the pipe to Alpine. He also authored the resolution presented to council for approval that evening.
The contract was described in an earlier post. SWTMG describes it as a no-risk way to save up to 5% on gas over 20 years; they could have saved $40,000 in the last two months and rebuilt the operating reserve fund. They see it as an opportunity to save money with no payment to get in and no payment to exit. SWTMG is looking for ways to bring better value to customers by making more money available for improvements.
Alpine Mayor Mickey Clouse spoke against the contract and said she planned to recommend that Alpine not endorse the contract.
The contract has not been reviewed by many people. Administrator Sauceda has not seen it. Council members received a copy today of the 30-50 page contract. Monte Akers has not reviewed it. Alpine's attorney, Rod Ponton, has not read it because he could not get a copy. Oscar Martinez complained about the breakdown in communication between Marfa's representatives to the gas board (mayor and three citizens) and the city council. Mayor Lanman had seen the contract but had not shared it with council.
Keller Doss of Marfa introduced himself as an attorney since 1974 with 27 years in oil and gas work. He commented that it is a complicated agreement with five parties. He was only allowed two hours with the document and was unable to get past page six. MuniGas is not obligated to give Marfa any discount at all. It is a supply contract and not a price contract. The opt out clause has a complicated formula to be considered. He asked the council to exercise due diligence.
Melvin handed council copies of letters from three cities (Boerne, Brenham and Fort Stockton) that are saving money with the MuniGas contract. Dr. Rangra stressed that they have always had the authority to execute contracts and are trying to do the best job for customers.
Dan Petrosky made a motion to postpone followed by a lengthy discussion and withdrawal of the motion. Keller Doss made a recommendation that council table the matter until Marfa has time to review the contract, furthermore the city should put all parties on notice that for this particular contract at this particular time, SWTMG does not have the agency power to deliver this contract. Petrosky motioned that statement and it was seconded. Oscar Martinez stated that he has always supported the gas company and did not have a problem with one-year of five-year contracts but felt that 20 years needed more serious attention. Petrosky, Martinez and Williams voted in favor of the motion. Salgado opposed. Motion passed.
With no citizen comments and no further business from council, Lanman adjourned the meeting at 7:07PM.
Sauceda gave his administrator's report. He mentioned the Boys and Girls Club event at the pool this weekend and the need for three lifeguards. He mentioned the recent notice in the BBS asking citizens to clean up yards after the recent rain. The city is sending out letters to properties that need attention. Phil Vickers of the police department is the code enforcement officer now for a grant that will expire at the end of the summer. He is looking at properties and junk vehicles around town. When asked by an audience member, Sauceda clarified that the vehicle ordinance only dealt with vehicles on public right of way and not private property. Cleanup on Mimms draw will be looked at soon. The city is still advertising for a certified public works employee but may need to lower their standards.
Leo Salgado asked the administrator to look at cleanup for property at the corner of Galveston & Ridge and the corner of Bonnie & Yale. There is a vacant house at the fist intersection, and an empty field next to the Chinati Foundation's old hospital property at the other intersection. He mentioned that the city needs to take care of its streets before worrying about alleys and mentioned a tree growing in one street. When asked, Sauceda said the city plans to bill property owners for an city cleanup work. When asked about the sewer relocation for the Humble property, Sauceda said that there have been many meetings and a proposal will be presented to council for decision.
On to the first order of business, the Mayor's award. Lanman presented awards to Gary Mitschke of the Marfa Volunteer Fire Department and employees Jesse Pena and Bert Lagarde of the city EMS department. He thanked them for their service and professional contributions. Each one expressed appreciation for their colleagues contributions and asked the public to thank other members of the fire department or EMS when they see them about town.
The only item of real business on the agenda regarded the city authorizing the gas company to act as its agent for executing contracts. Council spent about 50 minutes on the subject before voting to slow down to get independent legal advice and to specifically not recognize the authority of SWTMG to execute and deliver the contract with MuniGas.
The Sentinel reported that the Mayor voted against this contract at a gas board meeting a week ago, but he clarified that he did vote for it. Dr Rangra, president of the SWMTG board, and Melvin Davis, executive director of SWTMG, gave a short presentation on the contract. There was a great deal of discussion of the merits of the contract. We learned that the attorney for SWTMG is also an attorney for West Texas Gas (WTG) the distributor that owns the pipe to Alpine. He also authored the resolution presented to council for approval that evening.
The contract was described in an earlier post. SWTMG describes it as a no-risk way to save up to 5% on gas over 20 years; they could have saved $40,000 in the last two months and rebuilt the operating reserve fund. They see it as an opportunity to save money with no payment to get in and no payment to exit. SWTMG is looking for ways to bring better value to customers by making more money available for improvements.
Alpine Mayor Mickey Clouse spoke against the contract and said she planned to recommend that Alpine not endorse the contract.
The contract has not been reviewed by many people. Administrator Sauceda has not seen it. Council members received a copy today of the 30-50 page contract. Monte Akers has not reviewed it. Alpine's attorney, Rod Ponton, has not read it because he could not get a copy. Oscar Martinez complained about the breakdown in communication between Marfa's representatives to the gas board (mayor and three citizens) and the city council. Mayor Lanman had seen the contract but had not shared it with council.
Keller Doss of Marfa introduced himself as an attorney since 1974 with 27 years in oil and gas work. He commented that it is a complicated agreement with five parties. He was only allowed two hours with the document and was unable to get past page six. MuniGas is not obligated to give Marfa any discount at all. It is a supply contract and not a price contract. The opt out clause has a complicated formula to be considered. He asked the council to exercise due diligence.
Melvin handed council copies of letters from three cities (Boerne, Brenham and Fort Stockton) that are saving money with the MuniGas contract. Dr. Rangra stressed that they have always had the authority to execute contracts and are trying to do the best job for customers.
Dan Petrosky made a motion to postpone followed by a lengthy discussion and withdrawal of the motion. Keller Doss made a recommendation that council table the matter until Marfa has time to review the contract, furthermore the city should put all parties on notice that for this particular contract at this particular time, SWTMG does not have the agency power to deliver this contract. Petrosky motioned that statement and it was seconded. Oscar Martinez stated that he has always supported the gas company and did not have a problem with one-year of five-year contracts but felt that 20 years needed more serious attention. Petrosky, Martinez and Williams voted in favor of the motion. Salgado opposed. Motion passed.
With no citizen comments and no further business from council, Lanman adjourned the meeting at 7:07PM.
posted by RobC at 8:23 PM
7 Comments:
Let me get this straight...Sauceda and Lanman have always controlled the agenda, refusing items from council members time and again. Oscar asks about a tabled item, when it will again be addressed, and all of a sudden it is "council's prerogative???" That man is incompetent.
You have it "straight." Council virtually begs the administrator to include agenda items. He works for them? Whose fault is this? Council has shirked its responsibilities repeatedly in demanding full accounting by this clever fellow who manages pay raises for himself while cutting back on jobs held by genuine city employees. And then turns table on council by stating the great truth, "council's
prerogative."
And, at last, an explanation for the strange behaviour exhibited by the FD and EMS personnel in solidly backing Flo's cooperation, even to driving the ambulance. Congrats to FD Chief and EMS on their recent awards.
Here's another thing. Sauceda did not report to council on the status of the ORCA pool grant. Lanman didn't either. The grant paperwork is a disaster. ORCA is asking for explanations about payments and contracts. Sauceda is hiding this from council. We may have trouble getting another ORCA grant.
Wow, Mayor Clouse and Mayor Lanman didn't vote alike on the gas contract??? They are usually joined at the hip.
I found out which agenda item Oscar was following up on...the sticky vacation sell back item. When last we saw it much speechifying had been made but no action.
That's right. I didn't quite hear Oscar while I was taking notes. He was asking when Flo would bring back the agenda item that would allow council to take action on the policy that allows Flo to give himself a bonus once a year by selling a week of vacation.
Flo put it on the agenda a while ago, but craftily worded the agenda to take away council's ability to take action (Discuss and Consider but no Action). They talked about it but did nothing because Flo wouldn't let them.
So Oscar wanted to know when it would be on the agenda for proper action. Flo said it was "council's prerogative." That was a slap in the face to council. Flo denied our elected council the right to act on it. They complained. Flo never returned it to the agenda. When council asked about it, he blamed council for lack of action!
The amazing thing is that Flo was slapping Oscar's face on this matter. Everybody knows that Flo worded the agenda to keep his vacation sales. Everybody knows that Flo refused to put it on the agenda properly. Everybody knows that Oscar has been Flo's biggest supporter from hiring, to defending, to giving a raise, to giving another contract. And this is how Flo thanks Oscar. Blow him off with all the polite disrespect he can muster.
What Sauceda does not realize is that when a council member stakes his reputation by backing him, he better conduct his affairs in a way that makes that council member look good. His sweet talking is not backed up by honest work. What is left of Flo's good will is running short, even with his supporters.
And where has our flip-flop wearing flip-flop mayor been on all this? He stated at two meetings that he was opposed to vacation sales but he approved them twice for Flo. He watched as Flo swindled council on the agenda wording but never forced Flo to do the right thing and return it to the agenda for action.
Spring is here. Fresh air. A time to clean house. Aaaahhhh.
Yes, the gas board agenda item had some humor in it. Lanman voted in favor of the MuniGas deal at the gas board meeting. He presided at the council meeting in the direction of holding off for legal review.
Oscar Martinez complained that they had not recieved a copy of the MuniGas contract until the morning of the council meeting. Dr. Rangra pointed out that a copy of the contract had been presented long ago to all of the members of the gas board which includes, you guessed it, our Mayor.
It was a few months ago that Mayor Lanman reported to council that he would not be giving any reports to council on gas board activity, as if he ever did. He told them that if they wanted to know what was going on, they should go to the meeting themselves. So much for representation.
Post a Comment
<< Home