By Laura Swift

Discussions over the Murphy Community Center and the use of iPads for city business became heated during a Nov. 15 City Council meeting.

“Thank you for discounting my comments,” Councilmember Dave Brandon said after Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Colleen Halbert clarified why Council directed city staff to include annual membership rates and proposed hours of operation for the Murphy Community Center (MCC).

“I only have three issues with this [MCC proposed policies],” Brandon said. “First we wanted to have limited hours and then we had a discussion and now we’re having big hours. I understand that Sunday we’re closed and Friday we’re closed. We were going to start small and grow. We only have [room for] growth now for two days.

“I really wish we didn’t serve alcohol. That’s my personal preference. And the whole idea of membership. This is a city building that we’re all paying for,” Brandon concluded.

Halbert said there isn’t a recreation center in the area where membership fees are not required, and that the MCC’s annual membership fees are a good deal.

Mayor Bret Baldwin said he shared Brandon’s view on membership rates. “I don’t see the need to have this [memberships],” Baldwin said. “I think membership rates will discourage use. I don’t think the benefit is going to rise to the level of administration hassle.”

Mayor Pro Tem John Daugherty said the annual membership rates are necessary because they will contribute to the MCC’s operational costs. “In order to maintain the facility and hire staff, you have to have membership fees,” Daugherty said. “Or the city would have to absorb the operational costs.”

“Electricity, water, staff, maintenance and insurance; the facility would be a significant increase in costs to the city [if there were no fees],” Councilmember Scott Bradley said.

Council also weighed the pros and cons of implementing administrative fees for room rentals, including a setup and tear-down fee and a room rental fee. Halbert said administrative fees and a refundable deposit will encourage renters to treat the facility and chairs/tables with care.

In addition, Council discussed rental fees for nonprofit organizations, alcohol licensure and the catering policy for the MCC. Council directed city staff to include changes to the MCC proposed policy document.

The MCC proposed hours and member/non-member fees can be found at http://www.murphytx.org.

The other big topic of the night was the use of iPads for City Council members and Murphy employees. City Secretary Aimee Nemer said a number of cities and towns in North Texas have gone paperless and have purchased iPads for City Council use, including Allen, Lewisville and Anna.

Councilmember Bernard Grant said using an iPad during meetings is beneficial because it allows councilmembers to access documents, maps, websites, etc., for reference during discussions. “The iPad should be city property used solely for city purposes only,” Grant said. “After a councilmember’s term, the device should be wiped and sold at public auction. I was against iPad use at first but after I’ve used one I’m strongly in favor of them now.”

After Council deliberated the pros and cons of city-owned versus privately owned iPads, the Council passed the Employee and City Council Member iPad Purchase and Use Agreements, making the following amendments:
• Delete the item saying that a councilmember will pay half the cost for the purchase of the iPad and that a city employee will pay 60 percent of the cost to purchase an iPad.
• Delete the item stating the iPad becomes the councilmember’s or city employee’s property after one year.
• Include that the iPad is city property and that it must be requested by the councilmember. All purchases at the end of a councilmember’s term will be sold through regular auction.

In other news, Council passed an addendum to the Collin County 381 program, adding language that requires city of Murphy approval of proposed economic projects. Collin County 381 is a tax incentive program geared to encourage the creation and relocation of new businesses to Collin County on or after Jan. 1, 2012.

Council also authorized city staff to proceed with the “Adopt-a-Street” program, which was created to encourage residents, business and civic organizations to help beautify the city by volunteering to collect litter along Murphy’s streets.

Following the meeting’s closed executive session, the Council appointed Natalie Banuelos as Murphy’s municipal judge effective Dec. 1, 2011, and removed Chrissi Gumbert as municipal judge and appointed her as the alternate effective Dec 1, 2011.