HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980.06.17_City Council MinutesOn Tuesday, June 17, 1980, the Owasso City Council met in regular session, in
the Council Chambers at City Hall, per the Notice of Public Meeting and Agenda,
posted on City Hall bulletin board at 2:30 PM on June 13, 1980, and by reference
made a part hereof.
Present: Boyd M. Spencer, Mayor
Robbie Fickle, Vice Mayor
Al Lambert, Councilman
Dennis Burke, Councilman
Clyde Fry, Councilman
Kenneth Thompson, City Manager
Harold Charney, City Attorney
Wauhilleau Webb, City Clerk
Absent: None
Mayor Spencer called the Owasso City Council to order at 7:02 PM.
ITEM 1 - APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS.
Mayor Spencer directed Item D, Approve Acceptance of Paving in El Rio Vista, be
striken from the Consent Agenda.
Motion was made by Robbie Fickle, seconded by Dennis Burke, to approve Consent
Agenda items, as follows, as published in the Owasso Reporter on June 12, 1980,
and by reference made a part hereof.
A. Approve Minutes of June 3, 1980 Meeting.
B. Approve Warrants for Payment.
C. Approve Fire Run Contract to International American Ceramics (Cherokee
Industrial District).
Ayes - Messrs. Spencer, Lambert, Burke, Fry, Mrs. Fickle
Nays - None
Motion carried.
ITEM 2 - APPROVE ADDITIONAL WARRANTS FOR PAYMENT.
Motion was made by Robbie Fickle, seconded by Clyde Fry, to approve additional
warrants for payment, and by reference made a part hereof.
Ayes - Messrs. Spencer, Lambert, Burke, Fry, Mrs. Fickle
Nays - None
Motion carried.
ITEM 3 - APPROVE ADOPTION OF GENERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 1980-
1981.
City Manager said there are only a few minor changes from the original budget
presented to them. Ken Kite informed Council they need to pass a resolution
on proposal to Excise Board regarding ad valorem taxes. He had consulted Mr.
Owasso City Council
June 17, 1980
Page Two
Charney, as the resolution was not on the Agenda, and Mr. Charney said it can
be adopted as part of the budget. Mayor Spencer questioned why the request for
the resolution at this late date, and Mr. Kite replied that he was unable to
have the figures until just recently.
Motion was made by Boyd Spencer, seconded by Al Lambert, to adopt General Gov-
ernment Budget for Fiscal Year 1980-1981.
Ayes - Messrs. Spencer, Lambert, Burke, Fry, Mrs. Fickle
Nays - None
Motion carried.
ITEM 4 - ADOPTION OF GENERAL REVENUE SHARING BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 1980-1981.
Mr. Lambert expressed his wishes that, although he had not done a thorough stud},
the City have a central location for storage of equipment rather than separate
ones throughout the City.
Mayor Spencer questioned the storage garage at the Park; that maybe we need a
small building for small tools. He said he would like to take $6,000 of that
money and place it in a fund to buy the lot back of City Hall. P~Ir. Burke asked
if the $3,000 budgeted is for a building or asphalt, and Mr. Thompson replied it
goes towards the cost of the asphalt. Mrs. Fickle asked Mr. Thompson to explain
his need for storage at the Park, and Mr. Thompson replied to keep mowers and
supplies, and that it might be more than we need, but we do need some storage
shelter as we are having trouble with vandalism. Mr. Lambert suggested a car-
port type structure enclosed by a chain length fence.
Motion was made by Boyd Spencer, seconded by Dennis Burke, to adopt General Rev-
enue Budget for Fiscal Year 1980-1981, with the exception of the $7,500.00 for
storage shelter garage at the park being reduced to $1,500.00 and the addition-
al $6,000.00 being applied to a fund to purchase the lot behind City Hall.
Ayes - Messrs. Spencer, Burke, Fry, Mrs. Fickle
Nays - Mrs. Lambert
Motion carried.
ITEM 5 - APPROVE APPOINTMENTS TO BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
Carol Dickey advised the Council that Leon Trammel's and Richard Helm's term of
office expires June 30, 1980. She said she had spoken with both gentlemen and
they are willing to serve another term of office. Ms. Dickey recommended their
reappointment. °'` `~
Owasso City Council
June 17, 1980
Page Three
Motion was made by Boyd Spencer, seconded by Al Lambert, to reappoint Mr. Leon
Trammel and Mr. Richard Helm to the Board of Adjustment, both terms expiring
June 30, 1983.
Ayes - Messrs. Spencer, Lambert, Burke, Fry, Mrs. Fickle
Nays - None
Motion carried.
ITEM 6 - PROGRESS REPORT ON CABLE TELEVISION
Tom Belcher, President of Community Development Cable Television, thanked the
City Council and staff for their assistance. He said they have opened their
offices here and feel at home in Owasso, and are participating in community
affairs.
Jack. Morris reported to the City Council that some Owasso residents will start
receiving cable television within the next two weeks. He said installation is
virtually complete with the exception of Meadowcrest and Hale Acres, and tests
reveal excellent satellite reception. 1,232 homes have subscribed and 871 have
been prewired. Mr. Morris said they will initially start with 22 channels and
two optional channels--home box office and show time. He said we will have the
capacity for 35 channels and they will be added as we grow and as demand re-
quires. Also, they will be carrying the new news channel at no extra charge to
the subscribers. Council was informed that weather radar equipment has been
purchased by Community Development to keep Owasso informed on weather conditions
and they are the first company in the state of Oklahoma to provide this service,
and it will be at no charge. Mr. Morris reported the following coverage:
Channel Programming
2, 6 & 8 Tulsa Stations
3 WGN in Chicago
4 Nickelodeon (Children)
5 Show Time
7 Religious
g Satellite
10 SBM
11 PBC
12 Time and Weather
13 Program Guide
14 Home Box Office
15 USA Net Work
16 Radar Service
17 WTBS Atlanta
18 Cable News Network
19 ESPN Sports
20 Owasso Public Schools
21 Local Religious Channel
22 PTL Club
Owasso City Council
June 17, 1980
Page Four
Mr. Burke questioned if the Steed and Longshore additions will be hooked up with
Meadowcrest and Hale Acres, to which Mr. Belcher replied not until they have the
entire City limits hooked up. He said Villa Village Trailer Park will be the
first area outside of the City limits to be serviced.
ITEM 7 - REQUEST TO PURCHASE RIDING MOWER FOR CEMETERY.
Mr. Thompson asked the Council if they questioned the need for this mower, as he
felt it was needed. He said the Heckendorn is too expensive and he feels the
42" Yazoo would be the next best. He said it would be purchased from the Ceme-
tery fund. Mayor Spencer commented the Yazoo would be hard to beat.
Motion was made by Dennis Burke, seconded by Clyde Fry, to purchase a Yazoo YR42
mower from Lahmeyer Kart Shop, at a cost of $2,600.00.
Ayes - Mesrrs. Spencer, Lambert, Burke, Fry, Mrs. Fickle
Nays - None
Motion carried.
ITEM 8 - DISCUSS BIDS RECEIVED FOR STORAGE BUILDING FOR AMBULANCE AND FIRE
EQUIPMENT .
Mr. Thompson explained this building is to shelter equipment during the winter
that we cannot get inside. He wants to locate the building on South Birch at
the shop, then later it can be used for Public Works equipment. The size recom-
mended is 20 x 24 and 14 feet high. Mr. Thompson said there is no rush but we
will need it by winter. The cost that was bid would be only for the slab and
building, nothing else such as insulation. Mrs. Fickle asked what would be
stored in the building, and Mr. Thompson said an ambulance and tanker truck. He
said they are stand-by units, not kept at City Hall.
Motion was made by Boyd Spencer, seconded by Clyde Fry, to accept City Manager's
recommendation on bid for storage building, and by reference made a part hereof.
Ayes - Messrs. Spencer, Lambert, Burke, Fry
Nays - None
Abstain - Mrs. Fickle
Motion carried.
ITEM 9 - DISCUSS ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY CODE AUTHORIZING THE MUNICIPAL JUDGE TO
LEVY IMPRISONMENT UP TO 30 DAYS FOR CODE VIOLATORS.
Mr. Charney explained to Council that our present ordinance provides a maximum
of $100.00 fine, and the Judge has requested an ordinance to provide up to 30
Owasso City Council
June 17, 1980
Page Five
days imprisonment. He said the Judge requested this in order to have an option
for those people who continually buy their way off with the $100.00 fine. Mr.
Charney said he did not have a recommendation one way or the other. Mrs. Fickle
asked if we would become a Court of Record by passing this ordinance, to which
Mr. Charney said no. Mr. Burke asked if our cells meet requirements and Mr.
Charney said Judge Pickerill said there are no standards and our jail would be
adequate.
Motion was made by Robbie Fickle, seconded by Al Lambert, to adopt Ordinance No.
285 allowing for up to thirty day imprisonment, and by reference made a part
hereof.
Ayes - Messrs. Spencer, Lambert, Fry, Mrs. Fickle
Nays - Mr. Burke
Motion carried.
Motion was made by Robbie Fickle, seconded by Al Lambert, to approve Emergency
Clause to Ordinance No. 285.
Ayes - Messrs. Spencer, Lambert, Fry, Mrs. Fickle
Nays - None
Abstain - Mr. Burke
Motion carried.
ITEM 10 - ACCEPTANCE OF MAY 1980 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
Motion was made by Boyd Spencer, seconded by Dennis Burke, to accept May 1980
Financial Statements, and by reference are made a part hereof.
Ayes - Messrs. Spencer, Lambert, Burke, Fry, Mrs. Fickle
Nays - None
Motion carried.
ITEM 11 - APPROVE SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION.
Mr. Kite explained to Mr. Fry the purpose of the Supplemental Appropriation, and
Mayor Spencer questioned if this would be the last one, to which Mr. Kite said:
yes.
Motion was made by Al Lambert, seconded by Robbie Fickle, to approve Supplement-
al Appropriation, and by reference made a part hereof.
Owasso City Council
June 17, 1980
Page Six
Ayes - Messrs. Spencer, Lambert, Burke, Fry, Mrs. Fickle
Nays - None
Motion carried.
ITEM 12 - NEW BUSINESS.
Item
P~layor Spencer read City Clerk's resignation letter notifying Council of her ter-
mination from the City on June 30, to accept position of City Clerk and Finance
Director with the City of Broken Arrow. The Council's warm and kind remarks
were deeply appreciated by the City Clerk.
Item
A gentleman questioned the Council about what they had decided regarding the
park property in Ator that some residents wish to purchase. Mr. Burke reminded
him that item was tabled to July 1, 1980.
Item
Dr. Steve Clark was again present expressing his concern to the City Council
about the consolidation of the Ambulance-Fire-Police Departments. He presented
the Council with a proposal requesting them to take a little more time to de-
cide on this change. Dr. Clark said he did not know who conceived this idea,
but he did not agree with it as he felt lives were at stake. Mayor Spencer
said he was one person who had considered the consolidation and he had made the
suggestion to the City Manager.
Mayor Spencer also commented that the Council and City Manager can make this
work if it is given a chance, and if people would refrain from agitating the
firemen. Mr. Spencer said he has questioned many cities, while attending the
National League of Cities conferences, as to where they have the most problems,
and he is always told in the Fire Department, and that certainly holds true in
Owasso, he felt. He said in cities that have this consolidation there is less
confusion in the Fire Department. He said Ottawa, Kansas, has this system and
they have been up to see it and it is a good system. He said he talked to the
City Manager in Durham, North Carolina, and the manager said the reason it did
not work there was because they had so much outside agitation.
Dr. Clark commented he was told the Firemen's pension would be affected with
this change. Mr. Burke asked where he got his information as he had understood
it would create no problems as far as pensions. Mayor Spencer asked which fire-
man gave him that information, and a woman in the audience, who did not have the
floor, said "it's none of your business".
Owasso City Council
June 17, 1980
Page Seven
Several comments were made about the consolidation purpose being to save money,
to which Mr. Thompson said that was not the reason. He said the purpose is two-
fold. First, to provide better service to the community and secondly, better
pay and benefits to the emergency personnel.
Shirley Spears questioned how the City could abolish an ambulance district after
it was voted on by the people. Council tried to explain it would not be affect~l
in any way, but no one would allow them to speak.
Mr. Thompson repeatedly tried to explain there would always be EMT's in the am-
bulance and there would be no reduction in services, that they would actually be
improved, but the audience consistently kept interrupting the City Manager and
Council when they tried to clarify the false information people were referring
to.
Mr. Lambert commented that if the City Manager has confidence this consolidation
will work, he is for it as he has complete confidence in the City Manager. He
said the Council looked for a long time at City Managers and he feels they found
the best. Mayor Spencer agreed with Mr. Lambert.
Mr. David Kimball, District Fire Chief for the City of Tulsa, after more discus-
sion regarding pensions, said: "Let me assure you that the. pension plans are in
jeopardy--well, it may or may not be, as it was not determined, and all we are
asking for is the 90 day delay--you gave a delay for the trash service."
Councilman Fry commented that what he saw in Kansas is very workable and is a
very good operation. The City and the people are proud of it. He said it is a
system he feels we could be proud of also, but he would be against it if it
jeopardizes the men's pensions.
After much more conversation, of which nothing was accomplished as everyone kept
interrupting everyone else, Mayor Spencer directed this item be place on the
July 1 agenda.
Mrs. Fickle commented that none of the Council would do anything to deliberately
jeopardize anyone.
Being no further business before the Owasso City Council, Chair adjourned at
8:50 PM.
,~~ ~ ~ ~ .~
MAYOR
CITY CLERK