Agenda


AGENDA CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION City of Garland REMOTE MEETING Monday, June 15, 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_vB6EmxekSXipNAAoEsK-Uw 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: 979 3013 8779 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.	Medical District Area Plan This request is to authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract with Ninigret Partners in the amount of $136,740.00 for a redevelopment plan of the Medical District Area, anchored by the Garland VA Medical Center. This bid item is included for formal consideration on the June 16, 2020 Regular City Council meeting agenda.

	b.	Amend Authorized TexPool Representatives TexPool is a state-wide investment pool available to Texas cities and other public entities. TexPool is an investment option allowed by the Public Funds Investment Act (Chapter 2256, Tx. Govt. Code) that provides security, liquidity and efficiency for the management of public funds. TexPool is operated by the Comptroller of Public Accounts and administered by Federated Investors. The City utilized TexPool to meet and manage its daily liquidity needs.

4.		Verbal Briefings:

	a.	DART Update Council will be updated on DART's services, activities, programs and projects within Garland.

	b.	Interviews for Appointment to the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Board Dallas Area Rapid Transit notified the City that terms for Mark C. Enoch and Jonathan R. Kelly will expire on June 30, 2020. Information was posted on the City's website for 21 days regarding the qualifications of a DART Board Member in order to provide an opportunity for citizens to apply for the position. Applications and/or resumes were received from four (4) applicants. Council is scheduled to formally appoint a representative to the DART Board of Directors at the June 16, 2020 Regular Meeting.

	c.	Revision of Guidelines for Neighborhood Vitality Matching Grant Program. Community Services Committee recommends the following revisions to the current Neighborhood Vitality Matching Grant program guidelines: Registered voluntary associations can apply for up to $10,000 for an eligible project without providing a match. Every dollar over $10,000 requires a 25% match from the applicant. Registered mandatory associations can apply for any eligible project up to $100,000 or 25% of the project cost, whichever is greater, up to $75,000 for the City’s matching contribution.

	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: Boards and Commissions COVID Funding - Community Programs Other COVID Updates

	e.	2020-2021 Final Discussion of the CDBG, HOME and ESG Federal Grant Allocations Information is being provided to Council for final review of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Infill Partnership Grant (HOME) and the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funding allocations.

	f.	Discuss the FY 21 Preliminary Budget Forecast, Property Tax Exemptions, and The Property Tax Rate At the June 1, 2020, Work Session staff provided information related to the preliminary FY 2021 budget forecast and the impacts of increasing certain City of Garland property tax exemptions. In addition, the impacts of adjusting the property tax rates beyond the 3.5% threshold for new revenue as authorized under Chapter 26 of Texas Tax Code was presented.

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

GARLAND
CITY COUNCIL ITEM SUMMARY SHEET


City Council Work Session Agenda		Work Session Item 3.a.
Meeting Date:	06/15/2020
Item Title:	Medical District Area Plan
Submitted By:	Angela Self, Comprehensive Planning Administrator

Summary of Request/Problem
This request is for the development of a Medical District Area Plan. The plan will establish a revitalization/redevelopment concept incorporating physical analysis, a market assessment, and stakeholder engagement for a proposed Medical District anchored by the Garland VA Medical Center, including connections to the Forest/Jupiter DART station. This project will engage key stakeholders to confirm priorities and assess partnership opportunities. In addition, the project will identify infrastructure and mobility improvements providing added value to the area. A Purchasing Report for a contract with Ninigret Partners, LLC is on the June 16, 2020 City Council meeting agenda for consideration. The amount is for $136,740. This amount is in line with previous catalyst area plans. Ninigret Partners, LLC was founded in 2001, to provide customized business strategy consulting services blending customer insights, behavioral economics, and design principles to achieve desired economic outcomes. They describe their process as one that allows them to watch, listen, and learn to assist their clients to better understand the issues they face to provide them with relevant, usable information for better decisions. Ninigret Partners has been a part of several projects in the North Texas region, including the following: Arapaho TOD Innovation District, Richardson, Texas (North Texas CLIDE Award, Texas American Planning Association Economic Development Award) Connected Dallas Strategic Mobility Plan Farmers Branch I-35 District Plan In addition, they have completed several medical district plans, including the following: Pittsburg Oakland Innovation District Assessment (University of Pittsburg Medical Center, Pittsburgh VA Hospital) New Haven, Connecticut, Downtown Crossing/ Yale Medical District Plan (including commuter rail) Detroit Innovation District Plan (Detroit Medical Center & Henry Ford Hospital (including streetcar) Ninigret Partners will collaborate with Interface Studio and WGI, Inc. Interface Studio is a full-service planning and urban design firm providing expertise in redevelopment and action planning, placemaking, and consensus building. WGI is a full-service firm providing a range of infrastructure services, including land development and municipal engineering, transportation engineering, and landscape architecture. A scope of work for Ninigret Partners is attached.
Recommendation/Action Requested and Justification
A Purchasing Report is on the June 16, 2020 City Council meeting agenda for consideration.

Attachments
Medical District Scope of Work Attachment

GARLAND
POLICY REPORT


City Council Work Session Agenda		Work Session Item 3.b.
Meeting Date:	06/15/2020
Item Title:	Amend Authorized TexPool Representatives
Submitted By:	Matt Watson, Finance Director
Strategic Focus Areas:	Sound Governance and Finances

ISSUE
Amend authorized representatives who can perform and inquire on TexPool transactions.
OPTIONS
Approve Resolution amending authorized TexPool Representatives. Do not approve the Resolution amending authorized TexPool Representatives.
RECOMMENDATION
Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration at the June 16, 2020 Regular Meeting.
BACKGROUND
TexPool is a state-wide investment pool available to Texas cities and other public entities. TexPool is an investment option allowed by the Public Funds Investment Act (Chapter 2256, Tx. Govt. Code) that provides security, liquidity and efficiency for the management of public funds. TexPool is operated by the Comptroller of Public Accounts and administered by Federated Investors. The City utilized TexPool to meet and manage its daily liquidity needs. Texpool requires Council approval in order to make changes to the individuals authorized to transmit, withdraw, issue a letter of instruction, or view reports related to the investment of City funds. The Financial Services Department is requesting to add Cameron Thatcher, Cash and Debt Manager, to the list of authorized representatives. If Council concurs, the list of authorized representatives with TexPool will include the following individuals and roles. Matt Watson, Finance Director, authorized representative with primary responsibility for TexPool transactions and receiving confirmations and monthly statements. Kathryn Ritchie, Controller, authorized representative of the City to transmit and withdraw funds. Cameron Thatcher, Cash & Debt Manager, authorized representative of the City to transmit and withdraw funds. John Corley, Accountant, designated with inquiry rights only to allow for access to reports for the month-end reconciliation process. This individual cannot perform transactions.
CONSIDERATION
For security purposes, TexPool requires the governing body approve a resolution to amend the list of authorized representatives. This request is in compliance with the Public Funds Investment Act and the City Council Investment Policy.

Attachments
TexPool Resolution