City Council moves to terminate City Manager

During its regular Sep. 05, 2017 meeting, the Forney City Council met and in summary:

• Constitution Week Proclamation
  
• Public Comment Watch Video of:   Ms. Gamble      Mr. Barnes
  
• Ms. Gamble addressed council, same song, verse 10: traffic near school, drivers attempting to go around busses with flashing lights; there are 600 students attending Claybon, during pickup time traffic backs up to 741, cross streets are blocked, blocking postal boxes. Last year in Travis Ranch area a child was struck in a crosswalk. She has been coming before the council for 5 years.
  
• Rick Barnes - he has to speak about the Barrow report; it tries to make the entire admin and CID staff out to be idiots. When he left they had 140 years experience in staff, not including himself. He had employees who went through academy, and worked their butts off. He does not regret a single placement of those people. All cases were worked in-house; they had close relationship with TX rangers. He cannot let council think the people did not know what they were doing. There were people in place who could have stood in as interim, was a waste of 28k that could have been spent elsewhere. Everything was not perfect while he was there, they tried to rotate, dispatchers were hard to keep. He found it funny that during the interim he never received one phone call asking him why or what about anything that was done in the department. Bash him all you want, but not the people still there with careers. He addressed comments about him not working nights. Council should know for a fact: there are people working for them who would put their lives on the line at any time - listen to what they say.
  
• Public hearings for the proposed budget for fiscal year 2017-2018 and 2nd public hearing on a proposal to increase total tax revenues from properties on the tax roll in the preceding tax year by .62 percent.
  Council was briefed by Mr. Fisher, there was one speaker on public input.
  
• Approved renovations to the main structure located at 325 S. Bois D'Arc Street.

• Discussion of Hurricane Harvey relief efforts - there may not be any official city program.
  
• Approved a temporary outdoor ice rink at Community Park.
  
• Approved a modified recommendation from Forney EDC Board of Directors in regard to allocation of Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) funds FY 2018 by adding funds for Forney Lion's Club, and the xeriscape garden. Watch Video
  
• amending the Performance Agreement with Forney RMKP, LLC (Hampton Inn) in regard to the Expiration Date and date of secured financing.
  
• Accepted the on the resignation of Raymond Stephens, Jr. from the North Texas Municipal Water District Board.
  
• regarding Board and Commission vacancies: After some discussion and Q&A with Mr. Grooms at the podium, appointed Mr. Grooms to the NTMWD board, then agreed to advertise other board vacancies.
  
• Denied an Ordinance amending Ordinance 17-20, adopting the 2015 edition of the International Building Code.Watch Video
       Mr. Fisher explained when council adopted this code, there was a 30-day grace period; this code especially affects public facilities concerning tornado safety. FISD had construction plans underway, this will affect them. Mayor Wilson suggested tabling item until FISD could come explain their plan. Ms. Penn, Mr. McGee and Mr. Myers expressed concern about student safety.
  
• Held a 110-minute executive session
  
• Re: Memorandum of Agreement between the City of Forney and the Forney Messenger, moved to give Mr. Thatcher authority to start negotiations per council discussion in executive session.
  
• Took no action on a resolution approving an Economic Development Agreement with Forney Marketplace, LLC, and all related issues.
  
• Approved a resolution approving a professional services agreement for special counsel to the City of Forney, and all related issues.
  
• Moved to have city attorney draw up papers to terminate agreement with city manager. Motion by Ms. Penn, second Mr. Myers, for: Moon, Powers; against: McGee, Johnson, Wilson.