HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Minutes 02.17.2009MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF LAUREL
February 17, 2009
A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Laurel, Montana, was held in the
Council Chambers and called to order by Mayor Ken Olson at 6:30 p.m. on February 17, 2009.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT
Emelie. Eaton
Kate Hart
Chuck Rodgers
Alex Wilkins
Doug Poehls
Mark Mace
Norm Stamper
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT:
OTHER STAFF PRESENT:
Chuck Dickerson
Mary Embleton
Sam Painter
Mayor Olson led the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.
Mayor Olson asked the council to observe a moment of silence.
MINUTES:
Bill Sheridan
Kurt Markegard
Motion by Council Member Mace to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of February
3, 2009, as presented, seconded by Council Member Poehls. There was no public comment or
council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All seven council members present voted aye.
Motion carried 7-0.
CORRESPONDENCE:
Montana Department of Revenue: Letter of February 4, 2009 regarding Application for Transfer of
Ownership of Montana All-Alcoholic Beverages License No. 03-044-9140-001, LUCKY LOUIE'S
TAVERN & CASINO (formerly LAUREL BOARD OF TRADE), 117'/2 East Main, Laurel,
Yellowstone County, Montana.
PUBLIC HEARING: None.
CONSENT ITEMS:
• Clerk/Treasurer Financial Statements for the month of January 2009.
• Approval of Payroll Register for PPE 02/08/2009 totaling $137,960.95.
0 Receiving the Committee Reports into the Record.
--Budget/Finance Committee minutes of February 3, 2009 were presented.
--City-County Planning Board minutes of February 5, 2009 were presented.
--Public Works Committee minutes of February 9, 2009 were presented.
--Council Workshop minutes of February 10, 2009 were presented.
--Laurel Airport Authority minutes of November 25, 2009 were presented.
--Laurel Airport Authority minutes of February 5, 2009 were presented.
--Tree Board minutes of February 5, 2009 were presented.
The mayor asked if there was any separation of consent items. There was none.
Council Minutes of February 17, 2009
Motion by Council Member Hart to approve the consent items as presented, seconded by
Council Member Eaton. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on
the motion. All seven council members present voted aye. Motion carried 7-0.
CEREMONIAL CALENDAR: None.
REPORTS OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS: None.
AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION (THREE-MINUTE LIMIT): None.
SCHEDULED MATTERS:
• Confirmation of Appointments.
Laurel Police Reserves:
Mayor Olson appointed Justin Bickford, Byron Johnson, Tony Contreraz, Zachary Hurd, and Grant
Morrison to the Laurel Police Reserves.
Motion b Council Member Poehls to approve the appointments of Justin Bickford, Byron
Johnson, Tony Contreraz, Zachary Hurd, and Grant Morrison to the Laurel Police Reserves,
seconded by Council Member Mace. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote
was taken on the motion. All seven council members present voted aye. Motion carried 7-0.
Big Sky EDA Ex-Officio Member:
Mayor Olson reappointed of Alex Wilkins to a five-year term ending December 31, 2013 as the Ex-
Officio member on the Big Sky EDA.
Motion b Council Member Eaton to approve the Mayor's reappointment of Alex Wilkins to
a five-year term ending December 31, 2013, as the Ex-Officio member on the Big Sky EDA,
seconded by Council Member Hart. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote
was taken on the motion. All seven council members present voted aye. Motion carried 7-0.
• Ordinance No. 009-03: Ordinance amending Section 2.68.100 of the Laurel Municipal
Code, amending the Judge's salary. First reading.
Motion b Council Member Stamper to adopt Ordinance No. 009-03, seconded by Council
Member Hart. There was no public comment or council discussion. A roll call vote was taken on
the motion. All seven council members present-voted aye. Motion carried 7-0.
The public hearing for Ordinance No. 009-03 will be on the March 3, 2009, council agenda.
• Resolution No. R09-12: Resolution authorizing participation in the Board of
Investments of the State of Montana Annual Adjustable Rate Tender Option Municipal
Finance Consolidation Act Bonds (INTERCAP Revolving Program), approving the
form and terms of the Loan Agreement and authorizing the execution and delivery of
documents related thereto.
Motion by Council Member Rodgers to approve Resolution No. R09-12, seconded by
Council Member Wilkins. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken
on the motion. All seven council members present voted aye. Motion carried 7-0.
• Resolution No. R09-13: A resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign an Engagement
Letter with Dorsey & Whitney, LLP, as bond counsel for the issuance of Water System
Revenue Bonds for participation in the State of Montana's Drinking Water State
Revolving Fund Program.
Motion b Council Member Wilkins to approve Resolution No. R09-13, seconded by
Council Member Stamper. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken
on the motion. All seven council members present voted aye. Motion carried 7-0.
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Council Minutes of February 17, 2009
• Resolution No. R09-14: Budget amendment resolution to appropriate funding from the
Water Fund for the Phase I Water Project.
Motion by Council Member Mace to approve Resolution No. R09-14, seconded by Council
Member Poehls. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the
motion. All seven council members present voted aye. Motion carried 7-0.
• Resolution No. R09-15: Resolution of the City Council clarifying the funding of the
South Laurel Storm Water Project by the Tax Increment Financing District (TIFD)
through an inter-fund loan and setting the terms of said loan.
Motion by Council Member Hart to approve Resolution No. R09-15, seconded by Council
Member Eaton. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the
motion. All seven council members present voted aye. Motion carried 7-0.
• Resolution No. R09-16: Resolution of the City Council to create a new position called
the Maintenance Shop Superintendent and to adopt a job description for the
Maintenance Shop Superintendent position.
Motion by Council Member Poehls to approve Resolution No. R09-16, seconded by Council
Member Mace. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the
motion. All seven council members present voted aye. Motion carried 7-0.
• Resolution No. R09-17: An amended resolution of annexation of Lots 2 and 3, Block 1,
Ward Subdivision, and Lots 1-5, Block 1, Laurmac Subdivision Amended, to the City of
Laurel, Yellowstone County, Montana.
Motion b Council Member Eaton to approve Resolution No. R09-17, seconded by Council
Member Hart. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the
motion. All seven council members present voted aye. Motion carried 7-0.
• Resolution No. R09-18: A resolution approving Change Order No. 1 to the contract
with Dick Anderson Construction, Inc. for the rehabilitation of the surface wash
agitators for Phase 1 of the Laurel Water System Improvements Project and
authorizing the Mayor to execute the attached Change Order No. 1 on the City's behalf.
Motion b Council Member Stam er to approve Resolution No. R09-18, seconded by
Council Member Rodgers. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken
on the motion. All seven council members present voted aye. Motion carried 7-0.
ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA: None.
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS (ONE-MINUTE LIMIT): None.
COUNCIL DISCUSSION:
Council Member Poehls stated that the Emergency Services Committee meeting is scheduled on
Monday, February 23`d, at 5:30 p.m.
Council Member Stamper recently spoke with the Chairman of the Boy Scout Board of Directors
about picking up trash in Thomson Park and other parks as part of their community service. He
thought it was a great idea and will present it at their board meeting this weekend.
Council Member Eaton mentioned some dates for upcoming events. The Montana Museum
Association Convention is scheduled on March 12u' in Billings. The Yellowstone Historic
Preservation Board Roundtable is scheduled on March 17th. Two annual awards are given out at
the Roundtable. The Eugene T. Carroll Award is given to an individual who has done work to
preserve an area of history, and the first posthumous award will be given this year. The Best
Practices Award acknowledges a renovated building that has been put into use. The March 17th
meeting will be held at the MSU-B downtown campus building.
Council Member Eaton stated that the Yellowstone Historic Preservation Board is looking for
additional members, which are required to have a certain qualifying area of expertise. Currently,
Council Minutes of February 17, 2009
there are three representatives from architectural firms on the board, and an application was recently
received from an interior designer. People who have expertise in photography of old buildings have
also expressed interest. The Board would like applications from people outside of Billings and
outside the area of architects.
Mayor Olson stated that the new fire engine arrived today. The $273,000 vehicle will be the first
responder to interface wild land fires. It has a large capacity for water, a large pump, the ability to
pump foam, and has four-wheel drive. Those attributes make it an exceptional vehicle for the rural
fires to which the fire department has opportunity to respond. Mayor Olson stated that it is good to
see it in the fleet.
Mayor Olson mentioned the tour of the Water Treatment Plant scheduled for Tuesday, February 24tH,
at 5:30 p.m. The Public Works Committee will also be invited to attend the tour. Everyone should
meet at city hall.
Public Works Director Kurt Markegard spoke regarding the sewer line under the interstate. Kurt
stated that recent discussion has been about replacing the sewer line underneath the interstate. He
investigated the situation a little more with the intent to put a camera in the storm water line to see if
it actually crossed into the sewer line and would go in the same casement pipe. The city does not
have very good maps about where the storm is because it is actually railroad storm water, so the city
has no ownership of that storm pipe. Kurt and the crew found a manhole in Juniper Avenue right by
the greenhouse. The manhole was about eight feet away from the sewer manhole. Through
deductive reasoning, one would hope that, if it is eight feet on this side of the interstate and eight feet
on the other side of the interstate, that it would be eight feet apart underneath the interstate. After
they found the first manhole, Kurt walked down to the manhole in which the city attempted to get a
video camera. Kurt had called Pace earlier in the day to ask how far it was where their camera got
stuck. He went down there to see if there was room to dig up the line, expose the bad portion and
saw cut the top open, and put a camera in to get past the bad spot. While looking at the one
manhole, he saw another manhole against the fence that was upside down and had rings sticking out
of the ground. Kurt shined a light down into one of the exposed holes and saw water. They
removed all the dirt, pulled it off, and found another manhole there. This was not previously
identified as a manhole because it was under snow when it was videoed in January or February.
Kurt intended to see if there was room to work in the right-of-way out in the interstate, dig down and
expose the line, cut a whole in the casement pipe and send the camera through. When he saw this,
he thought there might be a good chance to video again. Pace videoed 239 feet of pipe this morning,
and the pipe does not need to be replaced under the interstate, as it is in good condition. They also
found another manhole on the other side of the interstate with the camera between the frontage road
and the interstate. The manhole is under about a foot and a half of dirt, which is part of the reason
the city did not know it was there. There are' two drain ditches right beside it coming off the
interstate, the median, and culverts coming out the side, and when it is cleaned, they covered over
the manhole. There is a dirt pile over the top of the manhole, and a metal detector was used to locate
it. Kurt stated that, through what was seen on the video, there is nothing wrong with the pipe
underneath the interstate. There is probably still a problem from the manhole just off the frontage
road to right on the other side where the new pipe was connected. If anything needs to be done, it is
from the frontage road.
Mayor Olson stated that he had a chance to talk to Kurt this morning and he was very excited. His
intuitiveness and his inquiries to find out the . answers proved very fruitful for the City of Laurel
today. Mayor Olson expressed appreciation for Kurt's hard work and the resulting good news.
Council Member Mace asked regarding having as-builts made.
Kurt stated that the city can actually GPS the manholes and add them to the current maps. He thinks
that the manholes were installed in 1964 when the interstate went through, but was never
documented. There was really no need to have manholes on each side of the interstate except for the
issue of trying to get through the interstate. He thinks that the manholes were put in when the
interstate and casement pipe were put in.
Kurt stated that the video from Pace will be presented to the council in the future after the video has
been edited.
Mayor Olson stated that next week's council workshop agenda is full, but the video would be
scheduled on a future agenda.
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Council Minutes of February 17, 2009
UNSCHEDULED MATTERS: None
ADJOURNMENT:
Motion b Council Member Rod ers to adjourn the council meeting, seconded by Council
Member Poehls. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the
motion. All seven council members present voted aye. Motion carried 7-0.
There being no further business to come before the council at this time, the meeting was adjourned at
6:59 p.m.
Cindy Allen, Secretary
Approved by the Mayor and passed by the City Council of the City of Laurel, Montana, this 3`d day
of March, 2009.
nneth E. Olson, Jr., Ma
Attest:
Mary K. mbleton, Clerk-Treasurer
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