HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-0830 Special Meeting MinutesTrophy Club Municipal Utility District No.1 August 30, 2016 Special Meeting Minutes SPECIAL SESSION MINUTES TROPHY CLUB MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NO. 1 BOARD OF DIRECTORS August 30, 2016 at 6:00P.M. 100 Municipal Drive, Trophy Club, Texas 76262 The Trophy Club Municipal Utility District No. 1 Board of Directors, of Denton and Tarrant Counties, met in a Special Session on August 30, 2016 at 6:00P.M., in the Boardroom of the Administration Building, 100 Municipal Drive, Trophy Club, Texas 76262. The meeting was held within the boundaries of the District, and was open to the public. STATE OF TEXAS § COUNTIES OF DENTON AND TARRANT § DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT Kevin R. Carr Greg Wilson Jim Hase Jim Thomas Bill Rose STAFF PRESENT: Laurie Slaght Renae Gonzales Mike McMahon Paul Liston President Vice President Secretary/Treasurer Director Director District Secretary Finance Manager Water Superintendent General Legal Counsel CALL TO ORDER AND ANNOUNCE A QUORUM President Carr announced the date of, 2016, and called the meeting to order and announced a quorum present at 6:01 p.m. CITIZEN COMMENTS Mayor Nick Sanders SPECIAL SESSION 1. Consider and take appropriate action regarding open positions: a.General Manager b.Administration Manager Director Wilson met with Aerotek last week and provided a draft contract to the Board for consideration. Director Thomas stated that this is the firm that was recommended by AWBD (Association of Water Board Directors). Director Carr stated that he has been in talks with SGR (Strategic Government Resources). Director Thomas prefers that the District seeks a permanent replacement to fill these positions instead of seeking interim. Director Thomas is going to send the job description to Ms. Lisa Bloomfield of Kathi Dye, CPA, P.C and also the AWBD Advisory Board. Director Hase would also like to seek a permanent placement for both position. Director Wilson would like to utilize both firms. 1 of 5
Trophy Club Municipal Utility District No. 1 August 30, 2016 Special Meeting Minutes Director Rose asked Renae Gonzales, Finance Manager for her input regarding the filling of the open positions. Gonzales stated that we are a very lean District and it would be preferable and more efficient to train one person. Director Rose stated that he would like to utilize both companies and inquired as to what Aerotek provides regarding a temporary person or permanent placement. Director Wilson stated that Aerotek offered both options. Director Carr stated that SGR offered both options as well and had offered to temporarily fill the General Manager position at no cost to the District. Director Wilson would like to move forward with both Aerotek and SGR as no funds would be expended unless a candidate was hired by the Board. Wilson would like any employment contract to include the provision for a 6 month probationary period. Director Rose has concerns about going outside of professional search firms for candidates due to the lack of vetting processes and recommends that if a candidate is brought forth from outside the purview of the designated search firms, the candidate is then directed through the process of the one of the companies. Rose would like to evaluate more than one candidate. Motion by Director Thomas and seconded by Director Wilson to appoint Director Carr and Director Wilson to engage and finalize the services of SGR (Strategic Government Resources) and Aerotek to find candidates for permanent placement to fill the open positions within the District and include a six month probationary term to any employment contract extended for these positions. Motion carried unanimously 2. Consider and take appropriate action regarding interim organizational reporting and roles of Officers and Directors. Director Carr feels that staff that must have a contact person on the Board. Director Wilson is not comfortable having the Board President as the contact due to recent issues but would be comfortable utilizing the Board Secretary/Treasurer Director Hase in that role. Director Rose feels that Finance Manager Renae Gonzales who has been with the District for nearly 25 years should be placed as the interim General Manager. Director Rose feels that it would be good to have more than one monthly meeting to assist staff with direction and he also stated that it is the responsibility of the Board to put off projects that can be put off until a new General Manager is in place. Finance Manager Gonzales thanked Director Rose for his kind words and confidence in her abilities but stated that she feels the managers in place work best as a team and that is how she would like to continue. Director Thomas stated that the MUD management team is excellent and well prepared to execute their daily jobs, but in the absence of a General Manager, and a major open position, we need to put a clear but simple structure in place that will help them accomplish their daily duties. Motion by Director Thomas and seconded by Director Carr that until such time as we locate and hire a new General Manager, the Board President and Board Secretary/Treasurer be authorized to communicate with MUD senior staff, our engineers, our consultants, and our lawyers, as needed, and vice versa, for any questions the Senior Staff, or MUD Directors may have in regards to District operations. All financial questions should be filtered through the MUD Secretary/Treasurer and all other questions should be filtered through the MUD Board President. Director Rose asked for clarification regarding the word ucommunicateu in the motion. He asked 2 of 5
Trophy Club Municipal Utility District No.1 August 30, 2016 Special Meeting Minutes Director Thomas to clarify if he means "communicate" by definition or if he is saying, "direct" staff. Director Thomas stated that it means "communicate" only, not to "direct". For: Hase, Carr, Thomas Against: Rose, Wilson Motion passed 3 -2 3. Consider and take appropriate action regarding Fire Department operations: a.Standard Operating Procedures b.lnterlocal Cooperation Agreement for Administration of Fire Protections Services Motion by Director Hase and seconded by Director Thomas to approve the current standard operating procedures that are currently in the firehouse. For: Hase, Thomas, Rose and Carr Abstain: Wilson Motion passed 4-1 Director Carr asked the District Secretary to read the motions made from the August 161h meeting regarding Agenda Item No. 11. District Secretary, Laurie Slaght read the following: "Motion made by Director Wilson and seconded by Director Carr Direct staff to work with the Town to draft an agreement within 45 days to transfer operations and management to the Town. Motion amended by the first and second to include specific deadlines for ESC/, SOP's come up with the components that create a solid /LA by Sept 15 and turn over to Legal and by the end of September. Motion is amended by the first and the second to extend the deadline to November 15, 2016. Motion approve the amendment as amended is unanimous. General Manager McKnight stated that she feels that ESC/ and Chief Lasky should work together because they are experts and can come up with measurable goals so as we move forward the Board can be assured that the District assets are being taken care of because these are the measures we are going to look for on an annual basis. McKnight added that having two experts put these items into an /LA is the best option because the /LA's that are in place are not working and she does not think the Board should continue to use the /LA's that have not worked in the past whether it be the Town that writes them or the District. McKnight added that the motion was to direct staff and she feels confident that Chief Lasky is the right staff for the Town and that ESC/ is the right staff for the District. McKnight stated that if the Board is choosing not to use ESC/, they need to be specific on what staff they are directing to represent the District. Motion made by Director Rose and seconded by Director Wilson to remove ESC/ from this motion. For: Rose, Hose, Wilson and Thomas. 3 of 5
Trophy Club Municipal Utility District No. 1 August 30, 2016 Special Meeting Minutes Against: Carr Amendment remove ESC/ from the amendment to the main motion passed 4-1 THE MAIN MOTION IS AMENDED BY THE FIRST AND SECOND TO STATE: Motion to amend the main motion by the first, Director Wilson and the second, Director Carr to finalize the agreement to transfer the maintenance and operations of the fire station to the Town with the District approving the budget and setting the tax rate. If the District so desires to bring in a third party to assist with the transition, that decision can be made during the negotiation process. Motion amending the main motion carried unanimously (Motion is amended by the first and the second to extend the deadline to November 15, 2016. Motion approve the amendment as amended is unanimous.)" Motion by Director Hase and seconded by to reconsider an item from the August 16, 2016 regular meeting agenda. The item was No. 11 -Consider and take appropriate action regarding fire protections services including options for management and operations of the District Fire Department. For: Carr, Hase, and Thomas Against: Wilson, Rose Motion passed 3-2 and the item will be reconsidered Motion by Director Hase and seconded by Director Thomas that the interlocal agreement that Director Hase worked on and legal approved and that was presented to the Board as a handout be approved and presented to the Town Council for approval. Motion is withdrawn by the first and second. Mayor Nick Sanders passed out a document highlighting his concerns with the ILA the Board is reviewing. Sanders does not understand the need for the audit by the District as the agreement would have the Town assuming all responsibilities. Finance Manager Renae Gonzales will speak to the District Auditors and get there opinion as to how to proceed Mayor Nick Sanders passed out a document to the Board which highlighted his concerns with the ILA the Board is reviewing. Sanders does not understand why the need for the audit by the District as the agreement would have the Town assuming all responsibilities. Finance Manager Renae Gonzales will speak to the District Auditors and get there opinion as to how to proceed. Motion made by Director Rose and seconded by Director Hase that the Board President is designated to work with the Town Mayor to hold a joint meeting between the Board of Directors and the Town Council and to use the Town document as the starting point. For: Wilson, Hase, Rose and Thomas Against: Carr 4 of 5
Trophy Club Municipal Utility District No. 1 August 30, 2016 Special Meeting Minutes Motion passed 4-1 ADJOURN Motion by Director Wilson and seconded by Director Thomas to adjourn the meeting. 5 of 5