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Home My WebLink AboutCity Council Minutes 03.14.20231 MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF LAUREL MARCH 14, 2023 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 Dave Waggoner at 6:31 p.m. on March 14, 2023. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: OTHER STAFF PRESENT: Emelie Eaton Heidi Sparks Michelle Mize Richard Herr Casey Wheeler Iry Wilke Richard Klose Jodi Mackay None Michele, Braukmann, Civil City Attorney Brittney Moorman, Administrative Assistant Kurt Markegard, Public Works & Planning Director Matt Wheeler, Public Works Superintendent Stan Langve, Police Chief Jackson Booth, Police Officer Ben Spencer, Police Officer Kelly Strecker, Clerk/Treasurer Mayor Waggoner led the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag. latlet"11 W*1 Motion by Council Member Wilke to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of February 28, 2023, as presented, seconded by Council Member Eaton. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All eight council members present voted aye. Motion carried 8-0. CORRESPONDENCE: • Police Monthly Report — February 2023. • Beartooth RC&D Correspondence. COUNCIL DISCLOSURE OF EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS: None. PUBLIC HEARING: Public Hearing: An Ordinance Amending Title Six Of The Laurel Municipal Code (LMC § 6.16.010) Relating To Prohibited Certain Animals. Mayor Waggoner stated this is the time and place set for the public hearing on the City of Laurel's Public Hearing: An Ordinance Amending Title Six Of The Laurel Municipal Code (LMC § 6.16.010) Relating To Prohibited Certain Animals. Mayor Waggoner opened the public hearing and asked Staff to present the item. Michele Braukmann, Civil City Attorney, briefly reviewed this ordinance's changes. She highlighted that residents wanting to have chickens would need to license them. Mayor Waggoner opened the floor for public comment and stated that copies of the rules governing the public hearing were posted in the council chambers. Mayor Waggoner asked if there were any proponents. DJ Poolet, 809 8th Avenue, stated she had given her reasons for wanting chickens at the previous City Council meeting. She is in favor of this ordinance and feels it would be great for the community. Megan Keys, 420 7th Avenue, thanked Council for the opportunity to own chickens. M Council Minutes of March 14, 2023 Mayor Waggoner asked one (1) additional times if there were any proponents. There were none. Mayor Waggoner asked if there were any opponents. Mayor Waggoner read the attached letter of opposition from Clete Knaub of 1501 Cherry Hills Dr. Mayor Waggoner asked two (2) times if there were any opponents. There were none. Mayor Waggoner stated that he would not have Staff respond to questions as there were none. Mayor Waggoner closed the public hearing. CONSENT ITEMS: • Claims entered through March 10, 2023. A complete listing of the claims and their amounts is on file in the Clerk/Treasurer's Office. • Approval of Payroll Register for PPE 3/5/2023 totaling 5226,402.30. • Council Workshop Minutes of October 4, 2022. The Mayor asked if there was any separation of consent items. There was none. Motion by Council Member Klose 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 eight council members present voted aye. Motion carried 8-0. CEREMONIAL CALENDAR: None. REPORTS OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS: • Budget/Finance Committee Minutes of February 28, 2023. • Park Board Minutes of March 2, 2023, AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION (THREE-MINUTE LIMIT): None. SCHEDULED MATTERS: • Appointment of Thomas Scott to the Laurel Police Department. Motion by Council Member Sparks to approve the Mayor's appointment of Thomas Scott to the Laurel Police Department, seconded by Council Member Wilke. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All eight council members present voted aye. Motion carried 8-0. Stan Langve, Police Chief, did a pinning ceremony for Officer Scott. He received his badge and recited the code of ethics with all law enforcement members present. • Appointment of Kurt Markegard as Planning Director. Motion by Council Member Herr to approve the Mayor's appointment of Kurt Markegard as Planning Director, seconded by Council Member Wilke. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All eight council members present voted aye. Motion carried 8-0. • Appointment of Matt Wheeler as Public Works Director. Motion by Council Member Mackay to approve the Mayor's appointment of Matt Wheeler as Public Works Director, seconded by Council Member Wilke. Kurt Markegard, Planning Director, stated this is a bittersweet transition. Mr. Wheeler has worked for the City for the past 14 years, and he has been working towards the day he could pass the baton. H, Council Minutes of March 14, 2023 There was no council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All eight council members present voted aye. Motion carried 8-0. • Resolution No. R23-17: A Resolution Of The City Council Approving Accrued Vacation Pay -Out For City Clerk -Treasurer. Motion by Council Member Wheeler to approve Resolution No. R23-17, seconded by Council Member Eaton. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All eight council members present voted aye. Motion carried 8-0. • Resolution No. R23-18: A Resolution Of The City Council Authorizing The Mayor To Execute An Independent Contractor Service Contract With True North Contracting. Motion by Council Member Mize to approve Resolution No. R23-18, seconded by Council Member Eaton. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All eight council members present voted aye. Motion carried 8-0. Ordinance No. 023-01: An Ordinance Amending Title Six Of The Laurel Municipal Code (LMC § 6.16.010) Relating To Prohibited Certain Animals. (Second Reading) Motion by Council Member Mize to adopt Ordinance No. 023-01, seconded by Council Member Eaton. There was no public comment or council discussion. A roll call vote was taken on the motion. Council Members Sparks, Herr, Wilke, Mackay, Wheeler, Mize, and Eaton voted aye. Council Member Klose voted no. Motion carried 8-0. ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA: None. COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS (ONE -MINUTE LIMIT): Council noted that Council Member Wilke recently received a lifetime achievement award for his work with Hunter's Education. The Art Walk will be this Thursday from 5:00 to 7:00. Two artists will be in Council Chambers, and a local food truck will be in front of City Hall for the event. Tomorrow is the American Legion's 104th birthday. The American Legion invites vets and their spouses to have cake at the Senior Center at 6:00 p.m. COUNCIL DISCUSSION: Public Works Committee's next meeting is Monday, March 20, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers. Council asked if the City could explore lighting Bernhardt Road. Council noted some sizable potholes at the exit of the Walmart parking lot, and it was requested that those be patched. MAYOR UPDATES: The City learned today that there could only be one license plate design per EIN. We are looking into the option of working with an outside organization to be able to have both plates available. The City will need to have its response back within two weeks. The Mayor asked that all Board Chairs have their board members update their contact information via the form that was handed out and returned to the Council Secretary. UNSCHEDULED MATTERS: None. ADJOURNMENT: Motion by Council Member Mackay to adjourn the council meeting, seconded by Council Member Wilke. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All eight council members present voted aye. Motion carried 8-0. There being no further business to come before the Council at this time, the meeting was adjourned at 6:59 p.m. 1 Council Minutes of March 14, 2023 Brittney Mooro n, Administrative Assistant Approved by the Mayor and passed by the City Council of the City of Laurel, Montana, this 281h day of March 2023. DLvo Ov')' C-7 Dave Waggoner, Mayor Attest: SOF10(q'' ► �`'9F / e tr lerk/Treasurer SEAL).-a.a = IW.► '~ Brittallv Moorman pave vvi2000vAer Mayor City of Laurel, Montana (406) 628-8456 extension 5501 City Mayor Monday, March 13, 2023 3:53 PM Civil Attorney; Brittney Moorman FW: Chickens From: Clete Knaub <bigsky4ever@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, March 13, 2023 11:08 AM To: City Mayor <citymayor@laurel.mt.gov> Subject: Chickens Dear Mayor Waggoner, Sir, I wish to extend to you my vigorous opposition to allowing chickens in the city of Laurel for the following reasons. 1. Reduction in property values. Imagine spending a lot of time and money to improve your home and property and have your neighbor build a chicken coup next to your land. Obviously that will negatively affect property values. So allowing chickens, in Laurel, adversely impacts neighbors. Not a good policy. 2. Image. Allowing chickens in the city portrays Laurel as a distasteful, backwards, place to live, visit and do business. Is this really the type of image we wish to portray to the world? I think not. 3. Smell. Have you ever cleaned out a chicken coup? I have, on many occasions. It is very unpleasant. 4. Good order of the city is jeopardized. Allowing chickens is an unneeded addition of another complicating factor making life in our city more uncomfortable and contentious. I respectfully request you give up this attempt to introduce chickens in our city. Thank you for your time, I do appreciate it. Respectfully, Clete Knaub 1501 Cherry Hills Dr