Regular Council Meeting Minutes Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at 6:30 PM 8301 Westview Drive, Houston, Texas 77055 1. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Buesinger called the meeting to order at 6:31 PM. 1.A. Invocation was given by Council Member Huber 1.B. Pledge of Allegiance 1.C. PRESENT Mayor Bob Buesinger Council Member Mike Gordy Council Member Justin Crawford Mayor Pro Tem Andy Carey Council Member Mark Huber Council Member Kristi Cooper Also Present: City Attorney Bounds & Hayes, Olson & Olson, Spring Valley Police Department Spriggs & Menchaca, HDR Engineers Him & Moylan, Village Fire Department Deputy Chief Witt, City Secretary Stephens and Assistant City Secretary Ray. 2. CITIZEN'S COMMENTS None 3. REPORTS TO COUNCIL 3.A. Spring Valley Police Report Lieutenant Menchaca reported that in the month of March, the department conducted1,047 calls with 857 business checks and 80 house watches. There were 20 total citations issued, resulting in 38 violations and one warrant arrest from a traffic stop. Menchaca advised to secure weapons, and hide from sight if kept in a vehicle. 3.B. Fire Commissioner's Report Deputy Chief Witt reported that one firefighter is currently out due to injury. There were two fire calls and five EMS calls in Hilshire Village, with a 5:33 average response time. One incident involved a homeowner burning a tree stump in their yard. The department continues to work on updates to the Mitigation and Emergency Management Plan. The 2026 VFD Budget process is underway and fire hydrant inspections have begun. This week is recognized as Telecommuter's Week.' I The next Fire Commission meeting is scheduled for April 23, 2025. Pagel1 3.C. City Engineer's Report 1209 Pine Chase & Friarcreek Lane Drainage Easement: Three quotes have been received for 1209 Pine Chase slope repair, paving, and wing wall installation. These will be discussed under action items later in the meeting. Meetings were held with the neighboring Friarcreek property owners regarding channel improvement options. The residents agreed with the proposed open channel and drop manhole structure. The current channel meanders into adjacent properties, and property owners want to maintain flow within the existing layout. Attorney Bounds recommended the dedication of a new easement. Council inquired if a slope study is necessary--the response was yes. Hilshire Green: The project is now expected to be completed by mid-May, ahead of the originally scheduled June 26 deadline. Crews are currently working on paving along the north side. A pay estimate is included in the action items. Wirt Rd: Coordination is ongoing with Urban Forester Craig Koehl regarding potential City liability involving a tree near Hickory Shadows. If exploratory digging reveals root damage, the tree will be recommended for removal. An official copy of the deed for the easement dedication at the School of the Woods has been received. Harris County will manage construction, traffic control, and project oversight. Council Member Gordy asked if the easement dedication is delaying permit issuance, Engineer Him responded "no". The next step is to get on the County's construction schedule. Jason Hains is the new County representative. Council Member Gordy requested regular updates to maintain communication. It was reported that Commissioner Ramsey offered to mitigate replacement plantings that may be required in the City of Houston's right of way. Hickory Shadows: The project includes paving, drainage, and waterline improvements. The timeline remains unchanged. The 70% plan submittal is expected to be sent for initial review on Monday, April 21. City staff will coordinate a town hall meeting with residents and HDR for review and discussion. Pine Chase Grove Water Meters: The City has collected ICS data and is awaiting the City of Houston to schedule panel relocation. A meeting is scheduled for next week to discuss all of the improvements. Ditch Grading: Additional locations have been added to the grading and culvert cleaning list. Quotes have been requested and will be presented at the next Council meeting. Council Member Gordy asked if a pre-construction meeting will be held with the awarded contractor, as this will be a long-term relationship if the initial work is done to the City's standards. Engineer Him confirmed that a pre-construction meeting would be held for the awarded contractor to outline construction expectations and goals. The No Parking Zone discussion was delayed until later in the meeting under action items. Page 12 3.D. Building Official's Report In the month of March, there were 11 permits issued and 42 inspections conducted with 1 cancellation and 4 failed inspections. Assistant Secretary Ray reported that some property owners and contractors were hesitating with development due to economic uncertainty. 3.E. Mayor Buesinger's Report Mayor Buesinger thanked the Civic Club for organizing the successful Spring Event and extended a "Happy Birthday" to the City, which celebrates its 70th anniversary today-having been incorporated on this day in 1955. 3.F. City Secretary's Report: Secretary Stephens presented the call log. The City has established new contacts with AT&T and is working to address unresolved issues stemming from last year's storms. A proclamation is included in the Consent Agenda for next month's Open House and Anniversary celebration, aimed at increasing citizen engagement. Staff continues to monitor developing state legislation and will report on legislative movements affecting the City as the state hearings occur. 3.G. City Treasurer's Report Secretary Stephens presented the quarterly and monthly finance reports. She noted that the City of Houston continues to increase the water and sewer rates per the multi-year plan, but there was not an added inflationary increase. City Staff is currently working with auditors and have scheduled a progress meeting for tomorrow. 4. CONSENT AGENDA Motion made by Council Member Gordy, Seconded by Council Member Huber. 4.A. Approve Disbursements 4.B. Approve Minutes from the Regular Council Meeting March 18, 2025 4.C. Approve Check Registers March 2025 4.D. Approve Proclamation for Police Week 4.E. Approve Proclamation recognizing Hilshire Village's 70th Anniversary of Incorporation and announcing the Celebration and Open House event. 4.F. Approve Resolution 2025-273 to join the Villages Legislative Committee. Voting Yea: Council Member Gordy, Council Member Crawford, Mayor Pro Tem Carey, Council Member Huber, Council Member Cooper Page/3 The motion carried 5-0 5. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION 5.A. Discussion and possible authorization of payment to Experts Underground Solutions, LLC Invoice for Construction Services provided to the City for the Hilshire Green Paving, Drainage & Utility Improvements Project, Invoice #2 in the amount of $108,616.30 Motion made by Council Member Crawford, Seconded by Council Member Huber. Voting Yea: Council Member Gordy, Council Member Crawford, Mayor Pro Tem Carey, Council Member Huber, Council Member Cooper The motion carried 5-0 5.B. Discussion and possible authorization to award 1209 Pine Chase Drive Drainage Easement Improvements work to Infrastructure Construction Services (ICS), the Contractor with the lowest responsive quote, for a total amount of $13,350.00 Engineer Him highly recommended the contractor, noting they have consistently submitted competitively low bids on recent projects in other cities while maintaining a high standard of quality. Council Member Crawford inquired whether the recently applied stabilizing foam would be removed. Engineer Him explained that the foam will remain in place as installed, and a finishing coat of sealant will be applied. Motion made by Council Member Gordy, Seconded by Council Member Huber. Voting Yea: Council Member Gordy, Council Member Crawford, Mayor Pro Tem Carey, Council Member Huber, Council Member Cooper The motion carried 5-0 5.C. Discussion and possible action to modify the placement of certain No Parking Zone signs. Motion made by Council Member Gordy, Seconded by Council Member Cooper. Engineer Him presented the traffic study along with recommended signage and proposed locations. Council Member Huber suggested considering road widening or the installation of a sidewalk to enhance safety. Lieutenant Menchaca reported that data from the temporary radar showed a maximum recorded speed of 28 mph. Council Member Cooper emphasized that pedestrian safety should remain the top priority. Secretary Stephens noted that the ordinance would need to be revised to update the designated distances accordingly. She also asked whether Council supported removing the parking pad on Ridgeley, to which the response was affirmative. Mayor Pro-Tem Carey requested background information on the parking pad, and Assistant Secretary Ray explained that it had originally been installed without a permit. The property owners later signed an acknowledgment stating that the City could remove the pad at its discretion. Page e14 The Council decided to postpone the installation of any new stop signs until the effectiveness of the adjusted zones in the Ridgeley curve can be evaluated. After further questions and discussions, the motion was amended to develop an ordinance with the following sign and site adjustments: In Zone 1 (Glourie at Westview), the east side sign will be relocated to the left property line of 1334 Glourie Drive and both signs will be updated to read "to the corner" with an arrow pointing toward Westview. In Zone 2 (Ridgeley at Westview), both signs will be updated with the same "to the corner" message pointing toward Westview. For Zone 3 (Ridgeley at Wirt), the north side sign will be relocated directly opposite the property line between 1003 and 1007 Ridgeley Drive, set back at least four feet from the road, and updated to point right to Wirt; the south side sign and pole will be removed entirely. In Zone 4 (Ridgeley Curve), the parking pad at Ridgeley and Mallie Court will be removed and replaced with sod; the homeowner has been notified and will receive a permit refund. Additionally, three signs in this zone will be relocated: the west side southern sign to the property line between 1101 and 1105 Ridgeley, the east side southern sign to the west corner of Ridgeley and Guinea Drive (near 1101 Guinea), and the east side northern sign to a position just north of the 8201 Mallie Court driveway. Across all zones, relocated signs will be angled at 45 degrees to improve visibility for drivers. Voting Yea to the amended motion: Council Member Gordy, Council Member Crawford, Mayor Pro Tem Carey, Council Member Huber, Council Member Cooper The motion carried 5-0 5.D. Discussion and possible approval of Village Fire Department Budget Amendment 2025-02 to fund the lease of an aerial ladder truck during the interim period before construction and delivery of the SME006 aerial ladder truck, which will replace Ladder 1. Motion made by Council Member Cooper, Seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Carey. Deputy Chief Witt explained that the current aerial ladder truck, Ladder One, will be replaced, but delivery of the new SME 006 ladder truck is not expected until the end of 2026. During this interim period, a temporary aerial ladder truck is needed. Purchasing a used truck would cost approximately $500,000, while leasing would be around $400 per day. He stated that over the anticipated lease period, the total cost would be comparable to purchasing when considering depreciation and resale value. One identified truck had approximately 88,000 miles, and the mileage would likely approach 100,000 by the end of the lease, reducing resale value if purchased. Page/5 Council Member Huber inquired about the make and model of the truck. Deputy Chief Witt responded that one of the leading options was a 2010 Pierce Velocity 100-foot ladder truck, and another candidate was a 75-foot Pierce ladder truck. He added that the 100-foot ladder truck is preferable given setback challenges in the service area. He reiterated that this amendment is for the current budget year only and does not require any additional assessment. Voting Yea: Council Member Gordy, Council Member Crawford, Mayor Pro Tem Carey, Council Member Huber, Council Member Cooper The motion carried 5-0 5.E. Discussion and possible action on a draft of the Village Fire Department 2026 Budget including options for retirement contributions. Mayor Buesinger explained that the Fire Commission is seeking input from the member cities regarding the potential adoption of a new retirement benefit package for the Fire Department. Council Member Crawford suggested an alternative approach-using the average salary of the last three years of service to calculate a larger retirement contribution fund. He also expressed a preference for contributions rather than defined benefits, to better control long-term obligations. Council Member Huber raised concerns where policies could encourage overtime spiking to inflate retirement calculations. He cautioned against policies that could inadvertently incentivize this behavior. Deputy Chief Witt noted that the Village Fire Department previously offered retirement benefits, but these were discontinued 14-15 years ago by the cities during a financially unstable period. He emphasized that recruitment and retention have become increasingly difficult, and the department has lacked a full staff for the past two years-a situation he partly attributes to the absence of such benefits. Mayor Pro Tem Carey stated that Hilshire Village cannot afford the increased financial obligations that the proposed benefit structure would create. Council Member Gordy added that he prefers offering salary increases over retirement benefits, as benefits are more difficult to control once implemented. No formal action was taken. The discussion will be forwarded to the Fire Commission for further consideration. 5.F. Discussion and possible action to select a vendor from the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) responses for IT services. Secretary Stephens clarified that she had mistakenly requested quotes during the evaluation process and encouraged Council to focus on the scope and quality of services being offered. Council Member Gordy noted that, based on his experience, IT companies typically charge on a per-seat basis, with estimated costs likely falling between $20,000 and $30,000. He emphasized that while the City has important Page 16 security and data retention requirements, its day-to-day operational needs are minimal. Given the City's size and specific needs, he recommended seeking a provider that offers a-la-carte IT services. The motion was amended to establish a subcommittee, consisting of Council Members Huber and Gordy, with citizen participation, to further study the matter. Voting Yea: Council Member Gordy, Council Member Crawford, Mayor Pro Tem Carey, Council Member Huber, Council Member Cooper The motion carried 5-0 6. FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS Ordinance for No Parking Signs Research potential sidewalk options on Ridgeley curve 7. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Buesinger adjourned meeting at 8:35 PM. RAE, Robert F. Buesinger, Mayor ATTEST: Ahuma Cassie Stephens, City Secretary Page 17