AGENDA

CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
City of Garland

REMOTE MEETING

Monday, May 18, 2020
6:00 p.m.
 
 

DEFINITIONS:

Written Briefing: Items that generally do not require a presentation or discussion by the staff or Council. On these items the staff is seeking direction from the Council or providing information in a written format.

Verbal Briefing: These items do not require written background information or are an update on items previously discussed by the Council.


NOTICE: Due to the COVID-19 emergency, and pursuant to Section 551.125 of the Texas Government Code and the executive orders of Governor Greg Abbott suspending provisions of the Texas Government Code and other applicable laws of the State regarding normal open meetings, the City Council will hold this meeting by internet/telephonic remote means.

The meeting will be broadcast by webinar or telephone at the following URL:

https://garlandtx.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ySq1RXY_RO6dmJ2MI2K_RA

Registration for the online meeting is required.  The meeting will be recorded and will be available for viewing the next day at www.garlandtx.gov.

For those without internet access to the meeting, a dial-in option is available.  The toll-free numbers are:

877-853-5247
888-788-0099

 



Additionally, the meeting may be accessed by phone at the following number:

346-248-7799
470-250-9358
470-381-2552

The Meeting ID is: 949 6286 9891

For participants (online and by phone) who wish to speak, a public comments period is provided as the first item on the agenda.  If you desire to address the City Council on a matter that is posted on this agenda, please be prepared to do so at the beginning of the meeting.  After the City Council has begun its discussion of the agenda, you will not be recognized to speak.  The public comments portion of the meeting is provided for citizen comments.  You are invited to offer a comment or make a statement on any item on the agenda.  However, please bear in mind that offering comments should not be done in the form of posing questions.  Generally, due to legal restrictions, the City Council is not able to answer questions during the public comments portion of the agenda.  Your comments must relate to an item on this agenda - non-germane comments are not in order.  

If an Executive Session is included as part of the agenda for this meeting, the Executive Session will be conducted by teleconference between and among the members of the City Council and relevant City staff.  Public access to that call is prohibited by State law.  












 

 

 


 

NOTICE: The City Council may recess from the open session and convene in a closed executive session if the discussion of any of the listed agenda items concerns one or more of the following matters:
 
(1) Pending/contemplated litigation, settlement offer(s), and matters concerning privileged and unprivileged client information deemed confidential by Rule 1.05 of the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct.  Sec. 551.071, Tex. Gov't Code.

(2)  The purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property, if the deliberation in an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the position of the City in negotiations with a third person.  Sec. 551.072, Tex. Gov't Code.

(3)  A contract for a prospective gift or donation to the City, if the deliberation in an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the position of the City in negotiations with a third person. Sec. 551.073, Tex. Gov't Code.

(4)  Personnel matters involving the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline or dismissal of a public officer or employee or to hear a complaint against an officer or employee.  Sec. 551.074, Tex. Gov't Code.

(5)  The deployment, or specific occasions for implementation of security personnel or devices. Sec.  551.076, Tex. Gov't Code.

(6) Discussions or deliberations regarding commercial or financial information that the City has received from a business prospect that the City seeks to have locate, stay, or expand in or near the territory of the City and with which the City is conducting economic development negotiations; or to deliberate the offer of a financial or other incentive to a business prospect of the sort described in this provision. Sec. 551.087, Tex. Gov't Code.
 
(7) Discussions, deliberations, votes, or other final action on matters related to the City’s competitive activity, including information that would, if disclosed, give advantage to competitors or prospective competitors and is reasonably related to one or more of the following categories of information:
  • generation unit specific and portfolio fixed and variable costs, including forecasts of those costs, capital improvement plans for generation units, and generation unit operating characteristics and outage scheduling;
  • bidding and pricing information for purchased power, generation and fuel, and Electric Reliability Council of Texas bids, prices, offers, and related services and strategies;
  • effective fuel and purchased power agreements and fuel transportation arrangements and contracts;
  • risk management information, contracts, and strategies, including fuel hedging and storage;
  • plans, studies, proposals, and analyses for system improvements, additions, or sales, other than transmission and distribution system improvements inside the service area for which the public power utility is the sole certificated retail provider; and
  • customer billing, contract, and usage information, electric power pricing information, system load characteristics, and electric power marketing analyses and strategies.  Sec. 551.086;  Tex. Gov't Code; Sec. 552.133, Tex. Gov’t Code]
             
1. Public Comments on Work Session Items

Persons who desire to address the City Council on any item on the Work Session agenda are allowed three minutes to speak. Speakers are taken only at the beginning of the meeting, other than invited testimony.

Speakers are grouped by Work Session item and will be taken in the order of the Work Session agenda. Speakers must submit to the City Secretary a completed speaker’s card before the beginning of the meeting. Speaker cards will not be accepted after the Mayor calls the meeting to order. Speaker cards are available in the lobby, at the visitor’s side of the Work Session Room, and from members of staff.

Speakers are limited to addressing items on the Work Session agenda – any item relating to a Regular Session agenda item should be addressed at the Regular Session and any item not on an agenda may be addressed during the open microphone at the end of the Regular Session. 
 
 
2. Consider the Consent Agenda

A member of the City Council may ask for discussion or further information on an item posted as a consent agenda item on the next Regular Meeting of the City Council. The Council Member may also ask that an item on the posted consent agenda be pulled from the consent agenda and considered for a vote separate from consent agenda items on the regular agenda.  All discussions or deliberations on this portion of the work session agenda are limited to posted agenda items and may not include a new or unposted subject matter.   
 
 
3. Written Briefings:  
 
a.   TMPA Office Lease Agreement

Council is requested to approve the lease agreement for office space and covered storage to be used for GPL’s TMPA operations in Bryan, Texas.  Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration at the June 2, 2020 Regular Meeting. 
 
b.   2020 Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding (CESF) Grant Application 

Council is requested to approve submission of a grant application, which if approved by the federal government will pay an estimated $172,233.  This item is scheduled for formal consideration at the May 19, 2020 Regular Meeting.
 
c.    Consider a Resolution Denying the Distribution Cost Recovery Factor Amendment Proposed by Oncor

Council is requested to approve a resolution to deny the Distribution Cost Recovery Factory amendment proposed by Oncor.
 
d.   Consider an Ordinance Temporarily Amending Sec. 25.15(D) of Chapter 25, "Parks and Recreation"

Council is requested to consider adopting an ordinance temporarily amending Section 25.15(D) of Chapter 25, "Parks and Recreation" to provide a temporary limit on the number of persons allowed to be present in Windsurf Bay Park on three major holiday weekends.  This item is scheduled for formal consideration at the May 19, 2020 Regular Meeting. 
 
4. Verbal Briefings:  
 
a.   Briefing on COVID-19 Long Term Recovery Resources

Staff will provide City Council an overview of the types of assistance resources available to meet COVID-19 response and recovery needs in the City of Garland.
 
b.   2020-2021 CDBG, HOME and ESG Federal Grant Allocations

Information provided for Council review regarding the allocation of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, HOME Infill Partnership Grant (HOME) funding and the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funding.  A public hearing will be held on May 19, 2020, during the Regular City Council meeting on this item.  This item will be brought back before the Council at the June 1, 2020 Work Session for discussion of CDBG, HOME and ESG grant proposals.  The final discussion on this item is scheduled for June 15, 2020.
 
c.   Council Update for CDBG-CV CARES Act Proposed Funding Distributions

Staff will provide an update to Council regarding the proposed nonprofit distributions of the CDBG-CV CARES Act funding.  Staff is seeking Council direction to move forward with the distribution of CDBG-CV funding.
 
d.   COVID-19 Response Update and Further Actions 

Staff will provide an update to Council and ask for Council direction on various matters related to COVID-19 and actions being taken by the City:
  • Utility payments
  • Municipal Court
  • Garland Summer Musicals
  • July 4th Event
  • Other COVID-19 related items 
 
e.   Cultural Arts Master Plan Update

Staff will present an update on the Cultural Arts Master Plan and discuss creation of an Advisory Committee charged with providing input and information to City staff and Master Plan consultant.
 
f.   Discuss Implementing a "Parklet Program" 

At the request of Council Member Deborah Morris and Mayor Pro Tem Robert John Smith, Council is requested to discuss implementing a "parklet program," a temporary arrangement under which Garland restaurants can utilize parking spaces abutting their businesses as seating areas for outside dining. 
 
g.   2019 Bond Program - Status Update

Staff will brief Council on progress to date in implementing the 2019 Bond Program.
 
h.   Consider Holding Over the Appointments for Mayor Pro Tem, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem & All Council Committee Assignments Until After the November Election

At the request of Council Member Deborah Morris and Mayor Scott LeMay, Council is requested to consider holding over the appointments for Mayor Pro Tem, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem and all Council Committee assignments until after the November 3rd election. 
 
5. Announce Future Agenda Items

A member of the City Council, with a second by another member, or the Mayor alone, may ask that an item be placed on a future agenda of the City Council or a committee of the City Council. No substantive discussion of that item will take place at this time.
 
 
6. Adjourn