MINUTES

WORKSHOP

WATAUGA CITY COUNCIL

CITY HALL PRE-COUNCIL CHAMBER, 7105 WHITLEY ROAD

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2006

6:30 P.M.

Notice is hereby given that Mayor Jeffries has called a meeting of the City Council and City Manager of the City of Watauga to conduct a workshop on Monday, September 25, 2006 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Pre-Council Chamber, 7105 Whitley Road, Watauga, Texas.

Purpose of said workshop is to discuss the Department of Public Safety Police Division building facility construction and reconstruction.

The City Council and City Manager of the City of Watauga held a workshop in the City Hall Pre-Council Chamber, 7105 Whitley Road, Watauga, Texas on Monday, September 25, 2006 at 6:30 p.m. with the following members present:

Mike Steele Mayor Pro Tem

Ernest P. Koontz Council Member

Richard Helmick Council Member

Lee Griffin Council Member

Jerry Adams Council Member

and

Kerry Lacy City Manager

Kathleen Wedell City Secretary

with

Mayor Henry J. Jeffries, Council Member Pete Beierschmitt and Council Member Seth Thomas absent.

City Attorney Mark G. Daniel was not required to attend this meeting.

Mayor Pro Tem Steele called the workshop to order at 6:30 p.m. and read the notice of workshop. Mayor Pro Tem Steele then called on City Manager Kerry Lacy.

City Manager Kerry Lacy gave an overview of how the construction/reconstruction of the DPS facilities could be phased. He explained that there were three (3) options available for the building, all of which would have to be completed in phases, including New Construction on-site, to include razing of the current facilities, at a cost of $4,277,756.00 with current funds available of $2,145,000.00; New Construction off-site at a cost of $4,747,257.00; and use of the existing building at a cost of $1,999,478.00 with additions to include additional parking, drive and expansion at a cost of $500,000.00 for a total cost of $2,499,478.00, the third option being the one that Mr. Lacy was recommending. Mr. Lacy indicated that the architect fees were going to increase by $181,250.00 because the projected price would increase by $500,000.00, and there would also be $645,000 needed for furnishings, equipment, testing, and city furnished materials, therefore his total funding need for the building would be $3,145,000.00. He indicated that current available funds from existing Certificate of Obligation issues and General Fund Capital Project were $2,145,000.00

Mr. Lacy stated that if there was an amendment to the Watauga Crime Control District fund balance of $500,000.00 and an amendment to the Fund Balance of the General Fund of $500,000.00, the funds would be available to meet the project.

Mr. Lacy explained that he was planning on presenting an amendment to the agreement with GSBS Batenhorst to include the additional expansion plan and this would be presented to the City Council at a meeting in the near future.

Council Member Koontz asked Mr. Lacy if there would be a secure parking lot put in place.

Mr. Lacy indicated he did not know at this time.

Council Member Koontz asked about how much jail space would be available in the renovation.

Mr. Lacy indicated there would be enough space for 8 females, 8 males, 1 juvenile, 1 detoxification center for males and 1 detoxification center for females.

Council Member Adams asked Mr. Lacy about what the cost estimates were based on.

Mr. Lacy indicated it would be $150 to $200 per square foot for new construction or $80 per square foot for renovation and the jail will be $250 per square foot.

Council Member Adams asked what the cost would be for the jail construction.

Mr. Lacy indicated it would be the square footage of the jail area times $250.00 per square foot.

Council Member Adams then questioned whether the building would end up looking comparable to current city facilities.

Mr. Lacy indicated that it would be total renovation and would look different than it does now.

Council Member Griffin had questions regarding the timeline of how the facility would be built.

Mr. Lacy indicated that the new construction on the west side of the building would be built first, then the Administration, training, CID, and patrol area would be the next phase with records and public area being completed last with the intention of keeping everything as functional as possible.

Council Member Adams stated he felt that Council should give the City Manager general requirements on what they want built, but leave it up to the City Manager to build per the requirements.

Mr. Lacy explained that he was going to present an amendment to the architectural contract in October to increase the architectural fee to allow for an increase in the DPS Police Division proposed construction cost by $500,000.00.

Council Member Helmick had concerns about waiting for construction on the fire department side.

Mr. Lacy indicated that work could be started on the fire department within a year or two.

Council Member Koontz questioned if any money would be saved by having the architect design the whole DPS facilities rather than just the police side.

Mr. Lacy indicated he would prefer to finish this design before starting another one.

With there being no further discussion, Mayor Pro Tem Steele closed the workshop at 7:31 p.m.

APPROVED: this _____ day of __________, 2006

SIGNED: this _____ day of __________, 2006

APPROVED:

___________________

Henry J. Jeffries, Mayor

ATTEST:

__________________________

Kathleen Wedell, City Secretary

I hereby certify these minutes were posted on Thursday, October 19, 2006 at 2:00 p.m.

_________________________

Kathleen Wedell, City Secretary