CITY OF SCHULENBURG SCHULENBURG, TX December 2, 2024 The City Council of the City of Schulenburg met in regular session on Monday, December 2, 2024, at 6:30 P.M. in the Council Chambers located at 607 Upton Avenue, Schulenburg, Texas. The elected officials present included Mayor, Connie Koopmann, Alderwoman, Kathy Kleiber, Aldermen, Greg Thomas, Frank Wick III, and Clarence Ahlschlager. City Staff present were City Administrator, Tami Walker, Police Sergeant, Terry Rusty" Roggenkamp, and City Secretary, Mason Florus. Visitors included Darrell Vyvjala of the Schulenburg Sticker, Stephen Stokinger, Joshua Mendel, and Ivân Velasquez. Mayor Koopmann called role. Mason Florus said a prayer over the meeting and its members. Mayor Koopmann led the Pledge of Allegiance and the Texas Pledge. Alderman Wick made a motion, seconded Alderman Thomas, to accept Consent Agenda Items A and B. The motion passed unanimously. A. The minutes from the Regular Scheduled Council Meeting held on November 18, 2024 B. Payment of Current Bills Mrs. Walker led discussion on installing a Fire Sprinkler System at the Civic Center. Mrs. Walker reminded Council that the bid for the sprinkler system and fire alarm system were included in Council's packets. Mrs. Walker announced that this morning she met with Cutright and Prihoda along with Fire Marshal Strickland, and Projects Coordinator, Glenn Polasek. Mrs. Walker explained that because the renovations are modifying less than 40% of the building, the City is not requiring a sprinkler system. Also, since Fire Marshal Strickland was classifying the Civic Center as an, A2 Structure. It was a compromise to not sprinkle the building but install a fire alarm. Mrs. Walker then read an email from Joanna Prihoda-Rogers with Cutright & Prihoda Architects: * After discussion about the new occupancies and the scope of the work, as it pertains to the buildings and fire codes, we mutually agreed on a fire alarm system that will be provided. A fire sprinkler system is not required at this time. Please reach out to your fire alarm company and others to get a proposal for design and installation on a fire alarm system with manual pulls, annunciators, and detectors. The system will need to be connected with the Fayette County Sherrif's Office Communications Division." 7 Mrs. Walker professed to Council all though it is not a system to combat fires, it's a means to alert patrons and get them out of the building. Mrs. Walker said we are waiting on numbers but Mrs. Prihoda-Rogers estimated that this would cost the City roughly $15,000. Alderwoman Kleiber agreed, saying that's better than $58,000 ( the bid for the sprinkler system came in at $58,305). Alderwoman Kleiber made a motion, seconded by Alderman Ahlschlager, to not install the sprinkler system but to install a fire alarm in the Civic Center. The motion passed unanimously. Mrs. Walker invited City Secretary, Mason Florus, to lead discussion on Approving by Ordinance a Plan Change to TMRS. Florus explained that there was new legislation to allow cities to enter into a non-retroactive COLA. This would provide a savings to the City of Schulenburg while having a minimum impact on retirees' benefits. TMRS states that the impact of the new COLA Option on each retiree depends on many factors. However, no retiree's current monthly benefit will be reduced. Mrs. Walker interjected that she is recommending the non-retroactive COLA because it's her job to look out for the City, and this will save the City just over $160,000. Mrs. Walker cited TMRS' email stating that this COLA is simpler, and more equitable (all retirees receive the same percentage increase in their current annuity each year). Mrs. Walker then read the Ordinance. Alderman Thomas made a motion, seconded by Alderwoman Kleiber, to accept the Ordinance. The motion passed 3-0 with Alderman Ahlschlager abstaining. Mrs. Walker led discussion on setting a date for a Workshop to discuss the future of City Hall. Mrs. Walker announced to Council that after the Holidays, all the forensic structural engineers' reports should be in. Right after the new year would be a perfect time to discuss the next phase of the building. Alderman Ahlschlager made a motion, seconded by Alderwoman Kleiber, to set a workshop date for Monday, January 13th, at 4:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers. The motion passed unanimously. Mrs. Walker led discussion on setting a date for a Workshop to discuss the future of the Swimming Pool. Alderman Wick made a motion, seconded by Alderman Thomas, to set a workshop date for Monday, February 10th, at 4:00 P.M. at the Council Chambers. The motion passed unanimously. Mrs. Walker led discussion on amending the Employee Handbook for' Vacation Leave. Mrs. Walker professed to Council that the City is always looking to recruit candidates and retain current employees by adding benefits. The proposed accrual scale will contain the following: Service with the City Vacation Days Hours Per Week Hours Earned Per Month 0-4 Years 12 40 8 5-9 Years 15 40 10 10-14 Years 20 40 13.33 15-19 Years 25 40 16.66 20 Years or More 30 40 20 Mrs. Walker added that the employees will still only be able to carry over 80 hours per year. Alderman Wick stated he's all for increasing employee's benefits. Alderwoman Kleiber agreed adding that this benefit won't cost the tax payers any additional money. Alderman Wick made a motion, seconded by Alderwoman Kleiber, to accept the amendment to the Employee Handbook for Vacation Leave. The motion passed unanimously. Mrs. Walker led discussion on amending the Employee Health Benefits defined contribution for City employees and authorizing City Administrator to select Insurance Broker and Consultant Services. Mrs. Walker said we've gotten some numbers back and we are looking at approximately a 13% increase. As a result, Mrs. Walker is proposing increasing the defined contribution from $975 to $1,000 per employee. Alderwoman Kleiber asked how this would affect the budget. Mrs. Walker answered that we budgeted for that amount. Alderwoman Kleiber made a motion, seconded by Alderman Ahlschlager, to amend the Employee Health Benefits defined contribution for City employees to $1,000, and authorizing City Administrator to select Insurance Broker and Consultant Services. The motion passed unanimously. Mrs. Walker led discussion on rescheduling the Regular Scheduled Meeting set for January 20th due to the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday. Alderman Ahlschlager made a motion, seconded by Alderman Wick, to reschedule the meeting for Tuesday, January 21st. The motion passed unanimously. Municipal Court Judge, Kayla Peters', Police and Code Enforcement, Chief Brenek's, Library Director, Thadious Polasek's, and Fire Marshal, Steve Strickland's, reports were all included in Council's packets. Mrs. Walker, read Operations Manager, Darryl Moeller's report to Council: MC Fonseca are executing final concrete work and final clean up on the 77 Project. Civic Center is seeing contractors continuing the electrical work and they started the rough plumbing, and installing insulation. Babylon Clarifier- on December 11th Drive Unit should come in. Ray's Crane Service is scheduled to install the part on December 12th. Garbage Department hauled 4 compactors, 6 open tops, and 5 containers of sludge. Street department hauled 17 loads of limestone to Avenues A and B. They also attended a pumps and motors class in Houston put on by Pumps of Houston. Parks Department trimmed Trees at the Sports Complex, aeriated fields 2, 3, and 5, sprayed the fence lines of the newly installed fences at the water plants, filled cracks in the ground, helped prepare Downtown for the Christmas Parade, and fixed a leak in the Cemetery. Water Department cleaned up at Well 9 and Henderson Hill, installed new meters, conducted connects and disconnects, helped on the leak at the Sports Complex, flushed dead end mains, installed a tap at the Boneyard Lift Station, and conducted line locates. Sewer Department attended the Pumps of Houston training, swapped contact chambers, replaced Boneyard Lift Station float, wasted sludge, aquazyme is hauling for us since half of the plant is down. Mayor Koopmann asked if everything was fixed from the spill by Pilot. Mrs. Walker answered yes. Mrs. Walker reported the following to Council: Attended the meeting for the Civic Center design selections. Darryl and I went to Bastrop to Sherman Williams to inquire about paint for the Civic Center. Joanna has given the City a two-week deadline for selections for the Civic Center. Mayor Koopmann thanked Mrs. Walker for driving in the Lighted Christmas Parade and thanked Alderman Thomas and Alderwoman Kleiber for riding. Mayor also commended the Chamber for putting on a great event. Alderman Wick wanted to note that one of the main reasons he is comfortable with not having a sprinkler system at the Civic Center is because the Schulenburg Volunteer Fire Department is one of the fasted responding departments in the County. Council agreed. Alderman Ahlschlager made a motion, seconded by Alderman Wick, to adjourn the meeting at 7:34. The motion passed unanimously.