Reprint from the Progress Times - February 15, 2008
©Progress Times 2008 - All Rights Reserved

Council moves to extend terms

 

By Kathy Olivarez

Citing nationwide trends providing for less disruption of local government, the Mission City Council voted to call an election that would approve four-year council terms for anyone elected in 2008 or thereafter in a city council meeting February 11. Currently all councilmen serve three-year terms.

The election will be held Saturday, May 10. Early voting will begin Monday, April 28 and run through Tuesday, May 6.

According to the 2006-2007 audit, presented to the board, the City of Mission’s net assets amount to $143,547,839. Capital assets of related debt amounted to $124,801,134.  Unrestricted net assets amounted to $13,012,147 while restricted net assets amounted to $5,734,558.

Expenditures amounted to $34,966,607.

The general operating fund had a reserved fund balance of $252,164 and an unreserved fund balance of $5,121,470 for a total of  $5,373,634.

The Debt Service Fund showed revenues of $2,588,601 while expenditures were $2,493,311.

The Utility Fund had operating revenues of $14,285,668 and expenditures of $10,675,991.

The council approved Ordinance #3339, which gives B.F.I. (Allied Waste Management), the right to increase their garbage collection rates.  The rate increase is supposed to be based on the consumer price index, which has been 8.13 percent this year.  However, their contract with Mission prohibits more than a four percent increase.

Residential garbage rates will rise from $13.08 to $13.85 a month while small commercial businesses will rise from $16.35 to $17.69 a month.

Under zoning matters lot one, Peter Piper Pizza Subdivision, located at the northwest corner of Conway Avenue and Mile 2 Road, was rezoned from AO-I to C-3.

Lots A-H of Mountain View Subdivision, Phase I, were rezoned from AO-I to C-3 at the request of Dagoberto Trevino.  The 13.187-acre site is located on the northeast corner of Los Ebanos Road and Mile 2 Road.

Lots 1-139 of Mountain View Subdivision, Phase I, were rezoned from O-I to R-1.  The 39.187-acre site is located on the northeast corner of Los Ebanos Road and Mile 2 Road.

Rezoning of 4.302 acres consisting of 3.388 acres of Lot 186, John H. Shary Subdivision was approved at the request of Cricket Investment, LTD.  The site is 1,000 feet north of Expressway 83 along the north side of Victoria Drive.

A conditional use permit for a home occupation sale of food and other dry goods was approved for the life of use for a Missionite residing at 202 Doherty Avenue at the request of Diane Alejos.  The site is the northeast corner of East Second Street and Doherty Avenue.  Alejos made the request to keep her elderly mother busy during the day.  Only pedestrian traffic is expected from the neighborhood.

Preliminary Plat approval was granted to Las Brisas Subdivision to be created on 43.80 acres of lots 62, 72, 82, and 83, John H. Shary Subdivision, Hunt Valley PUD.  The subdivision is located at the southwest corner of Glasscock Road and San Mateo.

Because there is already a Las Brisas Subdivision in the city, one stipulation was that the name of the division be changed.

Authorization to solicit bids for the construction of the City Hall Annex/Mission Chamber of Commerce building. The estimated cost of the proposed 7,000 square foot building is $800,000.

The council approved work authorization #29 for engineering services for plans, specifications, estimate and surveying for the Stewart Road Bridge Widening Project. The estimated cost is $106,559.43.  This is the last of the small bridges north of FM 495 to be replaced.

All bids for the rehabilitation of the North Bryan Road Lift Station were rejected.

The city manager was authorized to engage Melden and Hunt for professional services related to the North Bryan Lift Station Project.  Engineer Fred Kurth said the problem of wet sand still existed. A self-sinking tank will be used.

The council approved an ordinance prohibiting parking on the west side of the 500 block of North Holland Avenue between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Assistant Chief Dominguez said there had been several accidents at that location and the residents are asking for the ordinance.