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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - Special - 12/7/1973410 DEC 7 197, SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING December 7, 197 The City Council of the City of Lubbock, Texas, met at 10:00 a.m. in the regular meeting place at City Hall. The following members thereof being present to -wit: Mayor Morris W. Turner, Councilman Lonnie F. Hollingsworth, Councilwoman Carolyn Jordan, Counci man Jack Baker, Councilman Bryce Campbell, City Manager N. B. McCullough, City Attorney Fred 0. Senter, Jr., and City Secretary -Treasurer Lavenia Lowe. Absent: None 73-32-473-1167 The invocation was given by Larry Cunningham, Assistant City Manager. (1) 73-32-474-1168 The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was given in unison by those present in the Council Chambe (2) 73-32-474-1169 Motion was made by Councilman Hollingsworth, seconded by Councilman Baker, motion carried, (3) Mayor Turner and Councilmen Hollingsworth, Jordan, Baker and Campbell voting Yea, none voting Nay to reject all bids received December 6, 1973, for the construction of the Memorial Civic Center. Bob Brummal, President of the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce, appeared before the City Council and presented the following resolution urging the City Council to take immediate action to effect the re -bidding process for the construction of the Civic Center. LUBBOCK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RESOLUTION WHEREAS the City Council finds that it is necessary to submit the Civic Center plans for new bids, and WHEREAS, the City must have all of its funds for construction of the Center in hand at the time the contract is let, and WHEREAS, additional funds in the amount of approximately $3.5 million dollars are needed to build the Center, and WHEREAS, it appears 'that the most logical plan for financing the project is the certifi- cate of obligation method, which will not require r tax increase - THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Board of Directors of the Lubbock Cr--amber of Commerce strongly urges the Council to take immediate action to effect the re -bidding process and that it finance the needed $3.5 million dollars for construction, by adopting the certificate of obligation method, thereby allowing the Civic Center plans to go to contract and for construc- tion to begin at the earliest Dossible date. Sterling Miller, Director of Finance, and Joe Smith, representing the First Southwest Co., financial advisors to the City, appeared before the City Council and discussed the money that is available for this construction and ways of raising additional. funds., There was general discussion of this subject. Bob Nash, representing the Lubbock Civic Centers Board, appeared before the City Council and read the following resolution: LUBBOCK CIVIC CENTERS BOARD RESOLUTION WHEREAS, the City Council finds that it is necessary to submit the Civic Center plans for new bids, and WHEREAS, the City must have all of its funds for construction of the Center in hand at the time the contract is let, and WHEREAS, additional funds in the amount of approximately $3.5 million dollars are needed to build the Center, and WHEREAS, it appears that the most logical plan for financing the project is the certifi- cate of obligation method, which will not require a tax increase: THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Board of Directors of the LuT,lock Civic Centers requests the Council to take immediate action to effect the re -bidding process and that it finance the needed $3.5 million dollars for construction, by adopting the certificate of obligation method, thereby.allowing the Civic Center plans to go to contract and for construction to beinn at the earliest possible date. Jim Price, Chairman of the Urban Renewal Board, appeared before the City Council and stated that the Urban Renewal Board is in favor of the construction of the Civic Center as well as the air- port project. Marion Key, Attorney, appeared before the City Council in favor of the City Council doing every- thing possible to effect the construction of the Civic Center complex. Everette L. Abernathie, President of the Lubbock Board of Realtors, appeared and presented the following resolution: 14 DEC 7 19711 RESOLUTION BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE LUBBOCK BOARD OF REALTORS IN A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING ON DECEMBER 6, 1973, UNANIMOUSLY APPROVE AND SUPPORT THE CITY COUNCIL IN TAKING IMMEDI- ATE ACTION TO PROCEED WITH CONSTRUCTION OF THE MEMORIAL CIVIC CENTER SUBSTANTIALLY IN ACCORD WITH PRESENT PLANS, AND ISSUE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION TO FINANCE CONSTRUCTION COSTS IN EXCESS OF CONSTRUCTION FUNDS AVAILABLE. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE AND WE URGE THAT THE CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM BE ACCELERATED IN EVERY MANNER POSSIBLE. WITNESS MY HAND THIS 6th DAY OF DECEMBER, 1973. /s/ Everette L. Abernathie President Lubbock Board of Realtors George ?Miller, representing Downtown Lubbock, Inc., appeared before the City Council and pre- sented the following resolution: Downtown Lubbock, Inc. RESOLUTION Whereas the voters of Lubbock have voted to build a civic center and the city has obligated themselves to investors to do so and Whereas the renter is crutial to the welfare of downtown Lubbock as well a�, being benefi- cial to the rest of Lubbock: Therefore, be it resolved that the members of Downtown Lubbock, Inc. strongly urges the Council to take immediate action to effect the re -bidding process and that it finance the aeed- ed money for construction, by adopting the certificate of obligation method, thereby allowing the Civic Center Mans to go to contract and for construction to begin at the earliest possible date. Real efforts should be made on the plans to keep the costs as low as possible while keep- ing the basic plan intact. Approved this 7th day of December 1973. /s/ David Hester President James G. ?Marshall appeared and read a statement in which it was requested that the City Council not authorize construction of the Civic Center complex in excess of the 51/2 Million dollars voted for this construction. Bill McAllister appeared before the City Council in support of the Civic Center project being constructed as it is now planned. Mr. J. R. Blumrosen, Attorney, appeared stating that he is against the issuance of Cer.tifientes of Obligation for construction of the Civic Center Project. R. C. Messersmith and Arnold Maeker, Architects, appeared in support of the construction of the Civic Center as it is plan-ied. rtr.. Maeker made the following statement: "I sat back here and thought about the day when I came up here at a called meeting of the Council., ':ef,3re t`ie CAC was created, to say in effect,"look, we have had a terrible storm a few days ago and we are faced with a City that is threatened to lose its whale center or core and what we do from this point forward is going to determine to a large extent, the City of the future". If you go back and read the minutes of the Council action, from about May 15 of 1970 until September of 1970, it will amaze you how the citizens of this to'.an To.r., led together to say "We are not going to let this thing defeat us. We are not going to let this thing tear our town up", and this was just one element that came out of this. But I believe the same spirit that put this thing together can see us through it. I arm not wise enough to know all of the answers, but I believe that we have within this community, the people who will bear the burden, do what is right to build the community worthy of the reputation we have". Mayor Turner spoke at this time and stated that there appear -to be five choices: 1. Abandon this facility completely. 2. Redesign it into a monetary position that we can live with. It will take about one year to do this. 3. Revise the drawings whereby we will cut out some of the facilities and change the func- tion of some of the buildings. This would require some re -drawing and -would require about five months. 4. Re -bidding without re -drawing and re -bidding on a basis of changed specifications. This can be accomplished in the next ten days for a bid letting on January 18, which would reflect the various cost reductions that we have all been looking for. DEC 7 1 5. Do nothing. At this time, the City Council recessed until 1:30 p.m. At 1:30 p.m. the City Council reconvened for further consideration of the construction of the Memorial Civic Center project. Paul King, Architect, appeared before the City Council and stated that it would be necessary to readvertis.e for new bids for the construction of the Civic Center. The architects on this project would have the plans and specifications ready for the contractors in approximately si days. After further discussion, motion was made by Councilwoman Jordan, seconded by Councilman Holl worth that the decision as to this construction be tabled until the City Council meeting of December 13. This motion failed by the following vote: Councilwoman Jordan and Councilman Hollingsworth voting Yea, Mayor Turner, Councilmen Baker and Campbell voting Nay. After further discussion the following motion was made by Councilman Baker and seconded by Councilman Campbell: That we instruct the architects to set the date to rebid the Civic Center Complex with certai adendums added to reduce the costs by January 18. Along with this bidding procedure that the contractors be put on notice that a -.-certain portion of the total cost be paid with Certifi- cates of Obligation of up to 3.5 million dollars. The certificates should also carry the pro vision of early redemption and that the Council go on record that a tax increase of 4 or 5 cents be levied next fall and committed to capital projects. At this time Councilman Baker made the following statement: "I would like to point out that so far, the Council has constantly tried to hold down tax increases and that this modest 4 or 5 cent increase, plus the 7G already levied, falls far short of the 28e,, projected for these projects." After additional comments by the City Council, the Mayor called for a vote on this motion. This motion carried by the following vote: Mayor Turner, Councilmen Baker and Campbell votin Yea, Councilman Hollingsworth and Councilwoman Jordan voting Nay. NO FURTHER BUSINESS COMING UP FOR CONSIDERATION, THE CITY COUNCIL ADJOURNED FROM SPECIAL MEETING, December 7, 1973. MORRIS W. TURNER, MAYOR ATTEST: Lavenia Lowe, City Secretary -Treasurer READ AND APPROVED THIS THE 20th day of December, 1973. Laveni'd Lowe, C ty Secretary -Treasurer x M0RRf6 W. TURNER, MAYOR