City of New Berlin, City! Hal!  Monday, September 18, 2023-7:00 p.m. Location: 9180 FM 775, La Vernia, 78121  Mailing Address: 275 FM: 2538, New Berlin, TX: 78155  Regular City Council Meeting - Minutes  1. Call Meeting to Order The meeting was called to order at' 7:00 p.m.  2. Rol! Call Assistant to the City Secretary Brenda Dennis provided the roll call with Mayor Williams, noting a quorum of the following Council members Present: 1)Council Member Joyce Wolfe, 2)Council Member Kim Schlichting, 3)Counci Member Beverly Feits, 4)Council Member Mike. Hale,5) Mayor Pro-Tem Erika Gonzales Also present: City Secretary Roxann Pullin, Assistant to the City Secretary Brenda Dennis, Marshal Terreal  Hatcher.  3. Opening: Pledge of Allegiance US Flag and Texas Flag, and Invocation  Mayor Williams asked if anyone knew who wrote thel Pledge of Allegiance to the US flag? He answered it was Francis Bellamy, al Baptist Minister. Pledge of Allegiance to the US Flag and Texas Flag, and Invocation. The Pledges of Allegiance to the US Flag and Texas Flag, and Invocation were performed. The Invocation was led by  Jeff Schlichting. 4. Comments:  a. Mayor Comments Mayor Williams commented on the success ofthe recent Sausage Festival and thanked all b. County Commissioner Comments- - Commissioner Germann also commented on the success and great Sausage Festival event. Commissioner Germann commented on the success oft the recent Town Hall meeting, and it was great getting input from the public. Hei mentioned the amount oftrash hel has seen on the roads and what a problem it has become as well as the road signs that have been damaged or missing. The no through Truck signs are up, ifyous see trucks provide him with the name ofthe trucking company and he will give them He again mentioned calling in and offering comments to the Commission, Regarding thel Interlocal agreement he will make comments when thei item is discussed tonight, but that he does not know when it will bej placed on  those that made it possible.  a call to remind them about the No Through Truck traffic on the specified roads.  their agenda for discussion should the council approve it but will let the city know.  Fire ChiefComments -1 no comments were provided.  d. City Marshal Comments- Marshal Hatcher provided his activity report for the dates August 22, 2023, to  September 18, 2023: Total. Stops - 13 Total citations issued- - 18 Warnings issued- - 10 No/Suspended. DL -3 No Liability Insurance -3 Expired Registration- - 6 Possession. Drug Paraphernalia-3 License Plate falwfaumawhpwprwa- Call fors service/incidents-1 Assist. Agency 1  Marshal Hatcher asked the Council to look into possible ordinances (1) Engine Braking; (2) and ordinance regulating the use of hand-held mobil communication devices and portable electronic devices while driving. e. City Council Members Comments Council Member Felts asked ift the City Marshal could be more active/more presence at City events at the Community center. Speeding during the events, discussion regarding  the city placing temporary signs up during events for traffic to siow down.  Page 1of1    Council Member Schlichting thanked everyone involved with the success of the Sausage Festival. October 21st Fare is coming up questions please contact her. Council Member Hale also thanked all those involved in the County Commissioner Germann stated that he was able to get the speed limit changed on Church Road to 45 f. Public Comments: This time is provided for the public to address the City/Council on issues or concerns. NO CITY COUNCIL ACTION WILL: BE TAKEN AT THIS TIME. Please add your name to the sign-up list BEFORE THE MEETING. Public comment(s): may be limited to 3 minutes per speaker. You will be called upon by the mayor during the meeting. Any person making personal, impertinent, or slanderous remarks while  success oft the Sausage Festival event. miles per hour, signs should go upi in ai month.  addressing the Council may be directed to leave the meeting.  No one spoke. not met.  g. Planning and Zoning Commission Comments: Diana Flippo Strey, Chairperson - no comments as they have  h. Other Committee Comments  1. PARKS and PLAYGROUNDS - Melvin Strey, Chairperson - Mr. Strey stated that they should be hearing about the grant application for the walking path project on the first of October. He stated that inj preparation oft thei installation oft the walking paths he has been killing several red ant beds. Also noted was the City He will report the results of the funds received from the Sausage Festival at the next meeting, but the event 2. ORDINANCES REVIEW/REVISE: - Kim Schlichting, Chairman Council Member Schlichting asked if the City Marshal has looked into the ordinances that were sent to him for review, in answer Marshal  Secretary killed a rattle snake, (actually Mr. Strey came tol killi it).  was a great suçcess.  Hatcher has reviewed them, he is looking at them forj possible changes.  5. Consent Agenda:  a. Discussion/Action on these Consent Agenda items to be acted on in a single motion.  1. Minutes: City Council Special Meeting - August 7, 2023, and City Council l'own Hall Meeting August 21, 3. Resolution No. 2023-007 - Resolution by the City Council oft the City ofl New Berlin, Texas approving a 4. Website design/Dream Host hosting and service expenditure - Consideration and/or action approving an Council Member Beverly Felts motioned toj place consent agenda item 5a (4) on for discussion, Council Council Member Joyce Wolfe motioned to approve consent agenda items 1-3. Council Member Kim  2023.  2. Financial Reports: June, July, & August 2023  Resolution canceling the November 7, 2023, election due to unopposed candidates. expenditure of $3000.00 for redesign and new website hosting service. Member Kim Schlichting seconded the motion. The vote was 5-0. Motion carried. Schlichting seconded the motion. The vote was 5-0. Motion carried.  6. Council Discussion Agenda  5a (4) Website design/Dream Host hosting and service expenditure - Consideration and/or action approving an expenditure of $3000.00 for redesign and new website hosting service. Mayor Williams and City Secretary Roxann Pullin introduced this item stating that going with the Dream Hosting services will: save the city money, website will look more like Santa Clara's website - more user friendly, more capabilities. Training for city staffis also included. Mayor Williams and City Secretary Pullin addressed questions from the Council. Security will also be aj portion of this. This will also prove  Page 2ofi    the city government emails. This will allow us to go for grants if we haye a -gov email. The funds are Council Member Joyce Wolfe motioned to approve the expenditure of $3000.00 for redesign and ai new website hosting service, which will also include security. Mayor Pro-Tem Erika Gonzales seconded the  available in the professional services account.  motion. The vote was 5-0. Motion carried.  a. Resolution No. 2023-008 Discussion and consideration and/or action approving a Resolution by the City Council ofthe City ofNew Berlin Texas, authorizing an Interlocal Governmental. Agreement between Guadalupe County and the City ofNew Berlin for the purpose of improvements to the following roads: Gin Road: and Santa Mayor Williams stated that the Interlocal Agreement indicates the County will do $100,000 for Gin Road and $100,000 per mile for Santa Clara Road. Mayor stated that when RD Builders set up their permitting, they contributed $2500.00 per permit which the city would use: for roads that feed into Century Oaks or Century Oaks roads fort the future. Price for repairs for Gin and Santa Clara roads have risen since first estimated two years ago and we were getting band aid roads. By utilizing the road construction repair techniques outlined by the county for each road, the roads will go from iasting 51 to 10 years to iasting 101 to 20years, we will be getting much better The city will need to come up with $200.000. Wel have $150,000i int the Century Oaks account; SO, he went looking for money in different places. He stated we have the money right now in our money market account, when he started as Mayor the council had $150,000 in our account, we: now have $300,000. Wel have been increasing the money we. have been putting into the account. We have the money to take out the other $50,000 without doing anything or we can take it out of the building and road funds. Wel have theimoney to do Gin Road and a mile of Santa Clara Road. He stated that he would like to do all of Santa Clara Road, but it would probably be another Council Member Schlichting asked what our total contribution would be. In answer, Mayor stated that we are going to start with $200,000, we will: finish Santa Clara Road up to Century Oaks and all ofGin Road. Ifv we did allo of Santa Clara Road, that's $300,000, We would havet to come up with $150,0001 but that does noti include Gin Road. Total to do Gin Road and all of Santa Clara Road would be $400,000, we do not have the money to do thai. His suggestion isi io doar mile ofs Sania Clara Road and all ofour pari ofGin Road, the Couniy wilibe doing their part at the same time. This is not a fixed amount of money, as they said ift they get out there and might run Council Member Felts asked ifthisi is what was discussed and, on the map, handed out at the Town Hall Meeting, Mayor Williams confirmed yes. We are looking at $200,000 but could go up to about $220,000. Guadalupe County Commissioner Stephen Germann stated he believed it will get done, the county has done their budget for this year and this project when approved by the commission will be completed a year from now. He wanted to make sure that they understood this. The city will stilll have to patch and listen to the complaints until the project comes up a year from now to be completed. Mayor Williams stated that he has had conversations with the. Judge and that ifthey cannot do this project for around $200,000 -4 $220,000 then he will give the roads back to the county. Again, Commissioner Germann stated that he believesthe Commission will approve, but he Council Member Mike IIale motioned to approve the Interlocal Agreement with the County in the amount oft up to $220,000. Council Member Joyce Wolfe seconded the motion. The vote was 5-0. Motion carried. b. FY2023 City Budget Adjustments - Discussion and consideration andVor action by the City Council oft the City of New Berlin Texas approving al budget adjustment to thel FY: 2023 City Marshal and Municipal Court Mayor Williams explained that when the city approved their budget and were setting up the budget for the Marshal and the Court, we basically came up with thel Marshal'ss salary, and we put al little money ini for the  Clara Road located within the city limits of City ofNew Berlin.  roads.  $100,000, we could do that because he is unaware ofa any other high dollar expense.  into some issues and that the material costs could go up the mount would increase.  is only one vote.  accounts.  Page3of1    Court and to run thel Marshal's office. We indicated at that time we would have money coming in from the Court as we went through the year. We did not put int the revenue amounts that we would be receiving from the Court. Wel have money coming ini from the citations, and we: need more money to run the Marshal and Court offices. Wel have money that we are not spending and are moving it around for excess expenditures. Wel have the money from the revenue of the court and from other accounts with surplus to make the budget adjustments At this point we have surplus money within the budget that we can move around with the adjustments would not exceed the approved budget amount, ifwe see we are going to exceed our budget, then we would come back to council and adjust it. He recommends approval and that the motion be made to allow the Mayor and Council Member Beverly Felts motioned to allow the Mayor and City Secretary to move money around within the confines of the approved budget as needed and approve the budget adjustments for the City Marshal and Municipal Court accounts. Council Member Kim Schlichting seconded the motion. The vote was 5-0. Motion  for the Marshal and the Court.  City Secretary toi move: money around within the confines oft the approved budget.  carried. Announcements  Mayor Williams indicated that he needs volunteers to sit on the budget committee, those wishing to serve toj please let him know after the meeting. He indicated that Mayor Pro-Tem Gonzales has already indicated she would serve. Citizen Betty Trivette indicated that National Night Out is October 3rd and wanted to know ift the city is going to do anything at the Community Center for this event. Mayor Williams indicated that we could host it here at City Hall and Mayor Williams indicated that we also willl be starting to plan the Christmas Party, Mayor Pro-Tem Erika Gonzales has volunteered to take the lead on this and that shel has already received donations to the tune of$ $2,000. We are looking Mayor Williams indicated that hei is working on ai newsletter and that the only cost would be the postage to mail them 7. Adjournment - Ast there was no future business, Mayor Williams adjourned they meeting at 7:46 pm.  would get the word out. They confirmed October 3rd at 6:00 p.m.  for donations and volunteers. Ifinterested, please contact Erika.  out.  MERS  Walter C. Williams Jr., Mayor  Attested by: npL  Roxann Pullin, City Secretary  Page 4of1