San Angelo City Council 11-7-16

[0:00:00] before and it's time to get this meeting starting we will begin with a prayer and with the Pledge of Allegiance this morning if you would please bow with me as we go to the Heavenly Father with the word of Prayer I definitely father we thank you so very much today that you have allowed us to come together and this assembly to make decisions for the city of San Angelo we thank you very much for this area that you've allowed us and your part of creation to live and to raise our children and we thank you for the many blessings that we enjoy in this area we are thankful father for the rains that you have sent and would ask that you continue to send them and if you would send them on our watersheds so that our lakes and our streams and our wells might be filled up and the balance of nature might be returned to this area we've gathered here this morning father to talk about a very important a very important thing that is needed for our city and I would ask you to give us a portion of the strength that you gave to Samson to give us a portion of the wisdom that you gave to Solomon and to give us a portion of the patients that you gave to job and allow this council to make the right decision that would be best for our city for our citizens and for this area forgive us and love us protect us and help us it's in the name of jesus said we pray amen if you would please stand as you're able and we've all and the Texas honor the Texas flag pledge allegiance to the we've got a very important decision to make here today but before we're going

[0:02:03] to able to be able to do it we do need to break for just a few minutes it shouldn't take long should it Theresa well that's pins on you but I would think probably close to 45 minutes to an hour maybe okay we do need to break and we do need to go to an executive so that we can work out the final details of this and when we get through with the executive then we will be back in here and you all know what is going on here today so if you would let me read the legalities of this and with to read the legalities and the council will go to the to our area and we will deal with the executive executive session under the provision of government code title 5 open government septic subtitle a open government chapter 5 51 / meeting subchapter d acceptance requirement the meetings be opened unto the following sections item number a section 5 5 10 7 12 to consult with attorney when the government of body sexy advice of its attorney on a matter in which the duty of the attorney to the governmental body under the Texas disciplinary rules professional conduct of the State Bar of Texas clearly conflicts with this chapter regarding water rights on the Ford ranch assignment and item number B is section 55 1072 deliberations about real property what time is a brain in 37 we are going into executive we will be back as soon as possible the attorney says we're gonna need about 45 minutes so yes all I'd like to consult our city attorney Teresa to explain that our legal are posting legal requirements it's did before we ever posted this meeting because I realized questions like that often occur I had my deputy city attorney Dan salary do an independent legal opinion in writing for me regarding the legalities I the posting and he on the posting as it is legal he had some questions then we are now in executive I've been 49 and it's time to call this meeting of the City Council back to

[0:04:08] order under the follow-up and administrative issues on our agenda is item number a which is to consider items discussed in the executive closed session if needed and we do have some things that we need to discuss in my almost 14 years on the council I don't know that I have ever made a decision like we are going to make today give you just a brief overview and there will be a press conference on this after after the meeting but just to give our breeders just a brief overview of what we're talking about back in 1971 our City Council bought the rights to the water in hit green which is in McCulloch concho and Menard County this is about 32,000 acres at this time it belonged to a ranching family that had been ownership of the ranch for almost a hundred years those things have changed in 2008 the city spent 120 million dollars to develop a well-filled if the Hickory in McCulloch County and we developed a pipeline they've been bringing it into San Angelo and we developed a building where we could clean this water up and we have made probably have made nine million gallons of water per day available to the cities of San Angelo out of this whale field we have an opportunity which is an opportunity they did not have in 1971 to buy this ranch it is for sale and for the last two months we have been negotiating for the sale of this ranch and we now have an agreement that allows us to purchase the entire 32,000 acres of the Ford ranch that will guarantee the water supply that San Angelo has in hickory it will also guarantee that there will be no restrictions on this water and it protects the citizens of San Angelo and it text the rights that we have as a city to develop to keep to maintain and

[0:06:14] to use the water that we will own right of capture in McCulloch County and that is what we have met here today to do is to get the city council's Authority so that we will be able to buy this well field now there are plans that we have that we will discussing later on we have ways that we will be able to hopefully recoup some most of the money that we are spending so there is a plan in place so that we would be able to to recoup the money that we are spending this is almost a 43 million dollar purchases for 32,000 acres of ground there will be a press conference immediately after this meeting of the top floor second floor so that all members of the news media will be able to answer questions and to get the answers that they need we also have a meeting with the standard-times this afternoon the editorial board and wood will be answering questions for the standard time so that there can be a so that there can be an article we also have a meeting this afternoon with Joe hide with San Angelo life so that he also will be able to to ask the questions that he has we are making this as transparent as possible but we have finally come to the part of this where we need the authority of the City Council before we can move forward I think this is a tremendous opportunity for our city and it's something that is never presented itself before this is the way that we can protect the investment that we have already made and protect the water that we must have for our city out of the aquifer in McCulloch County you like to clarify one statement that you made you all have made a decision to move forward today but what the action is actually going to be is to authorize the negotiation and execution of a contract so there is no final contract with the ranch at this time this is the authority to move forward to make a final contract with the ranch for purchase of the 32,000 acres I'm going to break protocol a little bit because

[0:08:18] I'm going to make the motion on this hopefully someone will second it and then we will take a vote one at a time this is a very important vote and I think the citizens of San Angelo need to realize that we are either for this or we are against this so i will take a poll from each individual member of the Council with their single-member district the motion is I am making is I am making a motion to authorize the city manager to negotiate and execute all documents necessary for the purchase of the Ford ranch located in McCulloch County and on which the Hickory oil field is located at a price not to exceed thirteen hundred and fifty dollars an acre including 25% of minerals owned by the seller that is my motion is that acceptable may I have a second it's like it I'm going to take your second on this one Harry so we do have a motion we do have a second so this is something that now something we've got to deal with I I guess at this time I will ask for any council discussion on this after which I will open it up to the public for public discussion is there anyone on the council who wishes to speak any more to this than what I've ever already spoken go decision is not made lightly it's not easy to spend tax dollars it's not easy to find tax dollars and it's even harder to find water securing the water right contract i think is in the best interest of the citizens and securing the right to explore for even more water is in the best interest of citizens in the future and therefore i will support the motion and vote yes for the motion Charlotte by me tax dollar it's actually water revenue money said we're looking at this point it's going to be tax dollars just make sure everybody's gonna look and I might

[0:10:20] also add that this will not impact the rate that people pay for water because this is something that we negotiated in the water rate increases that we made back at the end of 2014 this will not impact water rates lame did you have anything sir that it's just a crucial time for this to prevent any bad outcomes down the road so we presented this and made the decision to help our citizens as much as possible to secure that water that we need for future is Lucy mm-hmm like Charlotte said it's it's a decision that that we need to make and we have always known that water is very precious commodity in a very expensive commodity and that's why we now need to look forward to what's coming up years from now when we're no longer here and for that I will be a proven Harry well I second it i'll say that this kind of helps me fulfill one of my campaign promises back in the spring i wanted to ensure that my granddaughter's that are four and eight have water for their grandchildren so i'm talking 50 years down the road and this is certainly a step in the right direction so I vote for this party yes Harry Harry I'm sorry bill I'm sorry good this I was looking at you a doctor look at him um I support this and I believe it's a good deal for the city and for the citizens and input long-term securing your water rights and I will vote for it I will open it up the public discussion at this time there's any one of the public wishes to speak to this has questions I we're going to have a press conference after it's over most questions will be answered you'll behave given the opportunity of quick questions and answers at that time but if anyways wishes to speak at this time this is the opportunity for public comment and I will call for the boat

[0:12:28] motion has been made that we allow the city managed to negotiate to not exceed 1,300 and 52 thirteen hundred and fifty dollars per acre for a thirty-two thousand acre ranch located in McCulloch concho and menard county and I want to start with you miss farmer do you approve of this or do you not I do Lane do you approve and I Charlotte this single member district one shorter 6 i'm going to come now that this is not hanging over our head I'm going to sleep tonight this has been worrisome single-member districts sakes Charlotte farmer you said yes single-member district 5 Lane Carter what do you say I support single-member district for Lisa Gonzales single-member district 3 Harry Thomas what do you say yes sir single-member district to Marty self what do you say yes single-member district 1 bill Richardson what do you say I say I support and I say yes and then also we're getting twenty-five percent of the minimum rates on the property that's great and as the mayor of the city of San Angelo I think this is a wonderful perfect opportunity possibly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I certainly say yes you may record a 70 vote for that and I guess we're just about through hold on let me let me make one more I had it and I can't find it I ran into the to the people at the cab company yesterday yellow cab I have something underwater huh no it doesn't this is just a final comments that I'm making before we get out of here there it is uh yellow cab and checker cab I talked to them yesterday and they wanted me to make this known is that there would be free rides for any and all veterans active and retired to and from the polls tomorrow on November

[0:14:33] the eighth so if you want to vote and your veteran retired or active call yellow cab it's not going to cost you tomorrow I have nothing else to say are there any things that need to be said I have one thing want to remind everyone if you're out there watching or listening there is a town hall meeting tonight right here in chambers that will be having a discussion on all of the improvements in the road construction out on Sherwood way in my end of town and then the last 30 minutes of the meeting will our city attorney is going to state the position of state of Texas on STRs if nothing else right here I will entertain a motion to adjourn and a second second all in favor say aye aye this meeting is over

Captured 2026-07-26 · source: youtube.com/watch?v=J-tSmTjgU9o