Board Minutes Archive

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 2004
TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE
3RD FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM
AUSTIN, TX

INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIES

Those in attendance were: President Larry Gilley, City Manager, Abilene; President-Elect Craig Lonon, City Administrator, Conroe; Region 1 Director Courtney Sharp, Assistant City Manager, Canyon; Region 2 Director John Gayle, City Manager, Snyder; Region 3 Director Matthew Benoit, Assistant City Manager, Wichita Falls; Region 6 Director Joe Dickson, City Manager, Santa Fe; Region 7 Director Bert Lumbreras, Assistant City Manager, Waco; Region 8 Director Jack Hamlett, City Manager, Seguin; Region 9 Director Charles Windwehen, Assistant City Manager, Victoria; Region 10 Director Mike Perez, City Manager, McAllen; Director-at-large Karen Daly, City Manager, Greenville. Guest: Melissa Byrne Vossmer, Assistant City Manager, San Antonio. TML Staff: Frank Sturzl, Gary Watkins, Gwena Cearley, and Kyle Jung.

President Larry Gilley called the meeting to order at 11:00 a.m. and welcomed the guests and members in attendance.

Larry Gilley moved the report on TML-Related Activities on the agenda to receive a legislative update from Frank Sturzl, TML Executive Director, about the on-going Special Session on Public School Finance.

On a motion by Karen Daly and a second by Courtney Sharp, the Board excused the absence of Rickey Childers, Ed Thatcher, Jay Stokes, and Tom Muehlenbeck.

Regional representatives updated the Board concerning regional activities and openings.

MEETING MINUTES

Upon a motion by Joe Dickson and a second from Mike Perez, the Board approved the January 30, 2004 TCMA Board meeting minutes as presented.

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS

Upon a motion by Bert Lumbreras and a second from John Gayle, the following memberships were approved:

LIFE
David Maddox, Former City Manager, Sweetwater, Dalhart, and Panhandle

FULL
Edward Brown, CM, Sweetwater
Stephen Giesbrecht, CA, Electra
Tom Ginter, CM, Madisonville
Paul Isham CA, Jonestown
Jeff Jenkins, CM, Cactus
William McDonald, Jr. CM, Hubbard
Rick Osburn, CM, Levelland
Juan Rodriguez, ACM, Edinburg
Mary Jane Stevenson, ACM, Farmers Branch

AFFILIATE
Kenneth Williams, Dir. of Public Works, Lufkin

COOPERATING
Terry Childers CEO, The Childers Group
Douglas Watson, Professor, UT – Dallas
Kyle Ratcliff, Branch Mgr, A.G. Edwards
Alex Pettit, Dir, Tech Services, Denton

STUDENT/INTERN
Kacey Bess, Intern, Richardson Student, UT, Arlington

RECEIVE REPORT FROM TCMA COMMITTEES

Jack Hamlett, member of the Nominating Committee provided the Board with the results of the 2004 election for statewide offices. Rickey Childers, CM, Longview (President Elect) and David Landis, CM, Perryton (TML Board Representative) were both unopposed. For Vice President: Mark McDaniel, ACM, Corpus Christi (183 votes), Joe Dickson, CM, Santa Fe (136 votes), 3 unmarked votes, and 1 later and unopened vote. On a motion by Charles Windwehen and second by Courtney Sharp, the Board accepted the results of the election as presented.

The Nominating Committee recommended a pilot program for one year (July 2004 – December 2005) to combine the TCMA Associate and Affiliate membership classifications and change the membership dues to $2.00 per thousand of base salary. At the end of this time, the Board will determine if this program is successful to consider changing the TCMA Constitution accordingly. On a motion by Karen Daly and second by Matt Benoit, the pilot program was approved as presented.

The Nominating Committee recommended ballot language for the proposed position on the TCMA Board for a Representative of the Assistants’ Organizations. After a discussion of the Committee’s proposed language, Craig Lonon moved and Karen Daly seconded a motion to approve the ballot language with two changes (1. To reduce the proposed 50 percent TCMA membership requirement for an Assistant’s Organization to be eligible to hold the TCMA Board position to 15 percent of an Assistant’s Organization’s members must be TCMA members to be eligible to hold the TCMA Board position, and 2. To have this position filled at the conclusion of the TCMA Annual Conference in June 2004). The motion was approved with Bert Lumbreras objecting.

Mike Perez, Vice Chair of the Annual Conference Planning Committee, provided a recommendation from the committee to create a scholarship program for the 2004 TCMA Annual Conference that would be comprised of up to five, $500 scholarships. On a motion by Mike Perez with a second by Craig Lonon, the Board approved the 2004 TCMA Annual Conference Scholarship Program.

On a motion by Karen Daly with a second by Jack Hamlett, the TCMA Board awarded the 2006 TCMA Annual Conference to the City of Corpus Christi.

Bert Lumbreras, Vice Chair of the Professional Development Committee, provided the Board with the recommendations for the Ridley and CPM scholarships. On a motion by Craig Lonon seconded by Mike Perez, the Board awarded the 2004-05 Ridley Scholarship to Chris Ekrut, Graduate Student, Univ. of North Texas and the CPM Scholarships to Ron Faulkenberry, Dir. of Economic Development, Burnet and Paula Rambo-Estill, Assistant to the City Manager, Denton.

The Professional Development Committee recommended the Board agree to support the city manager research project proposed by Joe LaBeau, former City Manager, Midlothian. The research project is intended to identify skills of long tenured city managers. On a motion by Matt Benoit with a second by Karen Daly, the Board authorized spending up to $5,000 on this project with the understanding that the TCMA Professional Development Committee will work with Mr. LaBeau throughout this project and that any resulting products would be jointly usable by both TCMA and Joe LaBeau. The motion was approved.

ICMA proposed to work with TCMA to bring more ICMA University Workshops to Texas. The Board directed the TCMA Professional Development Committee and the TCMA staff to work with ICMA to bring several workshops to Texas with the understanding that any revenue generated by these workshops would be split between ICMA and TCMA.

Joe Dickson, Chair of the Membership/PR Committee informed the Board of the recommendations for the TCMA Professional Awards. On a motion by Bert Lumbreras with a second by Karen Daly, the Board approved the awards as recommended.

The TCMA Board was provided with a list of TCMA members who have not paid their 2004 TCMA dues and will be dropped from non-payment. The Board asked the Membership/PR committee to determine how to add more value to TCMA membership.

The Board discussed the concern of pursuing alleged Ethics Code violations while there are on-going criminal investigations. The Board approved language to address any instances where an alleged violation has occurred and a criminal investigation is underway. This language will be added to the TCMA Rules of Procedure for Enforcement.

Jack Hamlett, Chair of the TCMA Mentoring Committee updated the Board on recent committee activities.

RECEIVE REPORT ON ICMA-RELATED ACTIVITIES

Melissa Byrne Vossmer asked TCMA for support on her application for the ICMA Vice President, non-CEO position. On a motion by Mike Perez with a second by Karen Daly, the Board voted to endorse Melissa’s application for the ICMA Vice President, non-CEO position.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Kyle Jung provided both the February 29, 2004 and March 31, 2004 balance and profit and loss sheets for TCMA and the Texas Foundation for Local Government.

OLD/NEW BUSINESS

The TCMA Board was provided with a draft of the 2004-06 Strategic Plan as developed at the January 29-30, 2004 Strategic Planning Retreat. As part of the draft plan, the TCMA board considered a new TCMA committee and taskforce structure. On a motion by Jack Hamlett with a second by John Gayle, the TCMA Board adopted a new committee and taskforce structure to be implemented as soon as possible.

With the new committee structure, the draft plan will be reworked by the TCMA staff as appropriate.On a motion by Courtney Sharp with a second by Joe Dickson, the Board approved the Strategic Plan as amended.

On a motion by John Gayle with a second by Jack Hamlett, the TCMA Board authorized the TCMA President to create a taskforce (Chaired by Craig Lonon and Co-Chaired by Mike Perez) to meet with TCG Consulting. TCG Consulting has developed a specialized practice in structuring employment agreements, compensation packages, and financial planning services in the public sector.

The TCMA Board authorized up to $500.00 to reimburse the development of an article on the City of El Paso’s adoption of the council-manager form of government.

The Board adjourned for lunch and a presentation by Petrena Barnes on the TCMA web site.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business, the TCMA Board adjourned at 2:30 p.m.

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