AI-1193   Proclamation declaring May 2011 Motorcycle Awareness Month.

WHEREAS, today’s society is finding more citizens involved in motorcycling on the roads of our country; and WHEREAS, motorcyclists are roughly unprotected and much more likely to be injured or killed in a crash than other vehicle drivers; and WHEREAS, campaigns have helped inform riders and motorists alike on motorcycle safety issues to reduce motorcycle related risks, injuries, and most of all fatalities, through a comprehensive approach to motorcycle safety; and WHEREAS, it is the responsibility of all who put themselves behind the wheel, to become aware of motorcyclists, regarding them with the same respect as any other vehicle traveling the highways of this country; and WHEREAS, urging all of our community to become aware of the inherent danger involved in operating a motorcycle and give the operator the respect on the road they deserve; NOW, THEREFORE, I, Matthew T. Doyle, Mayor of the City of Texas City, Texas do hereby proclaim the month of May 2011 as MOTORCYCLE SAFETY AND AWARENESS MONTH.

Rick Nizol, President of the Bay Area V-Twins motorcycle club, thanked the Mayor and City Commission for their support. He asked everyone not to text and drive and to watch out for motorcycles and they would do the same. 

AI-1240   Service Awards

William Andoe	Fire Dept.	5 Yrs-5/15/2006
Chad Sullivan	Public Works	5 Yrs-5/15/2006
Vera Bivens	Rec & Tourism	5 Yrs-5/04/2006
Steven Booker	Public Works	15 Yrs-5/13/1996
Edna Patterson	Planning	15 Yrs-5/13/1996

Retirements

Ernesto Martinez	Utilities	9 Yrs
Betty Burns	Library	22 Yrs

Betty Burns thank the Mayor, Commissioners' and Staff for her time here at the City.

AI-1263   Texas-New Mexico Power Company Report on recent Power Outages.

Neal Walker, Vice President of Operations with Texas-New Mexico Power Company addressed the Commission:  Mr. Walker reported on the April 19, 2011 through April 30, 2011 power outage in Texas City.  Mr. Walker explained Texas-New Mexico Power and two of its transmission customers experienced numerous flash over incidents in the Texas City Industrial Area.  A Flash over can occur on insulators when contamination creates a conductive path to the ground.  These flash overs caused faults on the transmission system resulting in voltage dips that impacted the Texas City transmission network.  During this time frame, TNMP experienced some faults on its system that resulted in a momentary outage to one customer and a 3-hour outage to another customer.  However, many of the faults occurred on customer-owned transmission facilities.

TNMP believes the flashover incidents are due to accumulated industrial and saline contamination that have built up over a sustained period without rainfall, in conjunction with optimal atmospheric conditions for tracking and flashover.  TNMP has experienced isolated flashover incidents in the industrial area in the past.  However, the incidents that have occurred in the last two weeks have been more numerous, frequent, and widespread.   Employees working in the Texas City area for 40 years have not seen such widespread flashover events.  The incidents of April 19 and 20 occurred in one location, and TNMP suspected that these incidents may have been due to direct, visible contamination from a nearby industrial facility.  However, on April 25 and 26 there were several incidents in other locations in the Texas City industrial area.  TNMP and the industrial customers in Texas City are not the only entities experiencing these events; Centerpoint, AEP and Entergy are also experiencing flashover faults in their Gulf Coast service territories.  As soon as it became evident that the Texas City industrial area transmission system was at risk of insulator flashovers, TNMP mobilized to address the problem.

On Tuesday morning April 26 two contractor crews and two Company crews were working in 4 different situations to clean and treat insulator bushings with silicon sealant. A schedule was developed that would result in all stations that had experienced flashover events to be cleaned or cleaned/treated by the end of the weekend May 1.  These efforts were planned so as to avoid customer outages due to the cleaning activities performed.  TNMP made the decision to clean and treat all situations in the Texas City industrial area south of 5th Avenue.  The approximate cost was $500,000.00.

Commissioner Singleton asked what were those glass bulbs you see on the electricity lines.  Mr. Walker said for insulation purposes.

Commissioner Land wanted to know what TNMP plans to do for future preventative maintenance. Mr. Walker reported TNMP will review and modify its maintenance procedures for station and line insulators to prevent these types of failures in the future.

AI-1233   Ernie Flohr/IBEW request to rezone from “A” (Single Family Residential) to “E” (General Business) to construct an office building being 2.1737 acres out of Lot 13, Waterman’s Subd. located at 2509 Mall of the Mainland Parkway.

Don Carroll addressed the Commission: The request was vetted by Staff and Zoning Commission on April 19,  2011 during the Public Hearing.  The request is not in conflict with the Zoning Ordinance or Land Use Plan.  There was no opposition cited. The applicant was made aware of all relevant development stipulations required by the City and has affirmed that they will comply with those stipulations.  

AI-1234   Consider Ernie Flohr/IBEW's request to rezone from “A” (Single Family Residential to) “E” (General Business) to construct an office building being 2.1737 acres out of Lot 13, Waterman’s Subd. located at 2509 Mall of the Mainland Parkway.

AI-1248   Consider approval of the minutes from the May 4, 2011 regular called City Commission meeting.

AI-1245   Resolution No. 11-032 awarding an annual contract for the purchase and delivery of water meters.

RESOLUTION NO. 11-032; A RESOLUTION AWARDING A BID AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT FOR THE ANNUAL PURCHASE AND DELIVERY OF WATER METERS; AND PROVIDING THAT THIS RESOLUTION SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE FROM AND AFTER ITS PASSAGE AND ADOPTION.

AI-1249   Resolution No. 11-035 awarding an annual contract for Emergency Pharmaceuticals, Medical Supplies and Equipment.



RESOLUTION NO. 11-035; RESOLUTION AWARDING A BID AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO AN ANNUAL CONTRACT FOR EMERGENCY PHARMACEUTICALS, MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT; AND PROVIDING THAT THIS RESOLUTION SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE FROM AND AFTER ITS PASSAGE AND ADOPTION.

AI-1256   Resolution No. 11-036 supporting Galveston County Transit District becoming an additional Federal Transit Administration Grantee to pursue Federal and State Transit funding.

RESOLUTION NO. 11-036;A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE GALVESTON COUNTY TRANSIT DISTRICT BECOMING AN ADDITIONAL FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION GRANTEE SPECIFICALLY TO PURSUE FEDERAL AND STATE TRANSIT FUNDING TO SUPPORT REGIONAL TRANSIT CONNECTIVITY; AND PROVIDING THAT THIS RESOLUTION SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE FROM AND AFTER ITS PASSAGE AND ADOPTION.

AI-1255   Resolution No. 11-037 supporting State House Bill 578 and Senate Bill 505 to protect and "Hold Harmless" the City of Texas City’s State Public Transit Funding.

RESOLUTION NO. 11-037; A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF HOUSE BILL 578 AND SENATE BILL 505 WHICH, IF ENACTED, WILL PROTECT AND “HOLD HARMLESS” THE CITY OF TEXAS CITY’S STATE PUBLIC TRANSIT FUNDING; AND PROVIDING THAT THIS RESOLUTION SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE FROM AND AFTER ITS PASSAGE AND ADOPTION.

AI-1246   Resolution No. 11-033 approving the purchase of a CAL-MK3 Caliber EOD Tactical Robotic device for the Police Department from ICOR Technologies.

AI-1250   Consider second reading of Ordinance No. 11-15, amending the City of Texas City Comprehensive Land Use Plan - Activity Corridor along FM 646, FM 3436 and Public Institutions along Hughes Road and Thoroughfare Plan alignment.



ORDINANCE NO. 11-15; AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE “MASTER LAND USE PLAN” OF THE GOALS 2000 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF THE CITY OF TEXAS CITY, GALVESTON COUNTY, TEXAS, BY ADDING (A) EXPANSION OF ACTIVITY CORRIDOR SOUTH ALONG FM 646 AND ON BOTH SIDES OF FM 3436 TO FM 517 AND ALONG FM 517 EAST TO HIGHWAY 146; (B) PUBLIC INSTITUTIONAL AREA ON HUGHES ROAD TO INCLUDE BOTH MCADAMS JUNIOR HIGH AND HUGHES ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS; AND (C) THOROUGHFARE PLAN WITH PROPOSED ALIGNMENT FOR HOLLAND ROAD, CENTRAL PARK ROAD, WILLOW STREET EXTENSION AND LAGO MAR DRIVE, TO THE LIST OF SPECIFIED LAND USE AREAS AND BY AMENDING THE LAND USE PLAN MAP, ATTACHED AS EXHIBIT A, TO REFLECT THE ADDITION OF THESE NEW LAND USE AREAS; PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL OF ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT THEREWITH; PROVIDING FOR THE READING OF THIS ORDINANCE ON THREE (3) SEPARATE DAYS; AND PROVIDING THAT THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE FROM AND AFTER ITS PASSAGE AND ADOPTION AND PUBLICATION BY CAPTION ONLY IN THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY.

Don Carroll addressed the Commission: He reported there were no changes from the last City Commission meeting on the proposed changes to the Land Use Plan.