The Daily Hustle: 4/5/11

City Council's back at it this Thursday with a semi-heady agenda: More open meetings concerns, plus a prelude to upcoming city budget season, a permitting clean-up for farmers markets, and a delay of game in naming a new citywide recycler.

City Council agenda highlights for Thursday, April 7:

Item 14: First tentatively vetted at a council work session, a resolution addressing “the transaction of city business on personal accounts and personal communication devices.” It states the following:

1. City accounts shall be used to conduct city business.
2. If circumstances require a City official or employee to conduct city business on a non-city account, the official or employee shall forward the associated electronic communications to a city account. Once forwarded to a city account, the communication will be public information as set out in the Texas Public Information Act.
3. This policy does not waive any exception under the Texas Public Information Act.

It also says “This policy applies to all communications occurring immediately after the adoption of this resolution.”

Items 18, 19: Two resolutions pertaining to the creation of a “special district” and municipal utility district, respectively, for the 2,130 acre Rio de Vida project and 2,214 acre Pilot Knob MUD. representing new council policy in creating the districts, the resolutions call for approval if they meet criteria laid out by the city pertaining to competitive tax rates, sustainable development, and more.

Items 21-59: A massive Purchasing Office agenda.

Item 60: The item that would award the city's long term, single stream recycling contract. In a memo sent April 1, Solid Waste Services director Bob Geddert says “since we have not reached final contract language,” the item must be postponed until April 21.

Item 64: Item from lead sponsor Randi Shade simplifying food vendor permitting at farmers markets.

Item 65: Item from Bill Spelman and Laura Morrison regarding city budget issues, calling for the city manager to deliver an overview of budget performance measures and objectives to council. Discussed at their work session this morning, it seems the more contentious issues raised by the document – like whether the presentations should be made to council subcommittees or the whole, and the document's initial April 15 deadline for reports – mean it might be postponed.

Item 71: Setting a public hearing for April 12 regarding a million dollar incentive deal proposed with eBay.

What the hell else is happening?

On the city calendar: The Zoning and Platting Commission meets in Council Chambers, 6pm .

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