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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Minutes 08.01.2000MINIJTF. S OF THE (, ITY OF I, AIJRF, L August 1, 2000 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 Chuck Rodgers at 7:00 p.m. on August 1, 2000. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS AB SENT: Lauren Van Roekel Ken Olson Gay Easton Bill Staudinger None Gary Temple Mark Mace Daniel Dart Bud Johnson Mayor Rodgers asked the council to observe a moment of silence in behalf of the family of Miranda Fenner. MINUTES: Motion by Alderman Easton to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of July 18, 2000, as presented, seconded by Alderman Olson. Motion carried 8-0. Laurel Chamber of Commerce: Notice of change of date for Grand Opening for the Visitor Information Center. b. Census 2000: Letter of July 7, 2000. c. Letter of July 25, 2000, regarding Yellowstone Conservation District appointment of Marieanne Hanser. CONSENT ITEMS: a. Claims for the month of July 2000 in the amount of $334,478.51. A complete listing of the claims and their amounts is on file in the Clerk-Treasurer's Office. b. Receiving the Committee Reports into the Record. --Insurance Committee minutes of June 15, 2000 were presented. --Budget/Finance Committee minutes of July 14, 2000 were presented. --Budget/Finance Committee minutes of July 17, 2000 were presented. --City Council Committee of the Whole minutes of July 18, 2000 were presented. --Budget/Finance Committee minutes of July 19, 2000 were presented. --Emergency Services Committee minutes of July 24, 2000 were presented. --Budget/Finance Committee minutes of July 25, 2000 were presented. --Insurance Committee minutes of July 26, 2000 were presented. --Budget/Finance Committee minutes of July 26, 2000 were presented. c. Resolutions. 1) Resolution No. R00-44: A resolution terminating New West Health Plan and approving Yellowstone Community Health Plan, a managed health care plan. CORRESPONDENCE: a. Council Minutes of August 1, 2000 RESOLUTION NO. R00-44 A RESOLUTION TERMINATING NEW WEST HEALTH PLAN AND APPROVING YELLOWSTONE COMMUNITY HEALTH PLAN, A MANAGED HEALTH CARE PLAN. 2) Resolution No. R00-45: Establishing the disinterment fees for the Laurel Cemetery. RESOLUTION NO. R00-45 ESTABLISHING THE DISINTERMENT FEES FOR THE LAUREL CEMETERY. The mayor asked if there was any separation of consent items. There was none. Motion by Alderman Johnson to approve the consent items as presented, seconded by Alderman Standinger. Motion carried 8-0. SCHEDULED MATTERS: a. Confirmation of Appointments. Yellowstone Conservation District Board: Mayor Rodgers appointed Marieanne Hanser to the Yellowstone Conservation District Board for the mayors' appointment for the Urban Representative for a four-year term beginning May 31, 2000. Motion by Alderman Johnson to confirm the appointment of Marieanne Hanser to the Yellowstone Conservation District Board, seconded by Alderman Mace. Motion carried 8-0. Mayor Rodgers mentioned that the City-County Planning Board meeting would be held at 6:00 p.m., instead of 7:00 p.m., on Thursday, August 3, 2000. Paul Thomae: Request for alley vacation on Tract lB, Certificate of Survey 1780 in the SE ¼ of Section 8 T S W, R 24 E., P.M.M. Paul Thomae was not presen~ at the meeting at this time. Larry McCann explained that the lots are located west of 8th Avenue at 7th Street. Mr. Thomae planned to build duplexes on the lots, but there is not enough property to do so. The alley at this location is currently a dedicated easement. Larry could not find a reason to have a dedicated easement at this location and alley vacation is being requested. Mayor Rodgers requested that the matter should be sent to the Public Works Committee for review. Alderman Temple asked Larry to make sure that Paul Thomae would be present at that meeting. c. Roy Williams: Log Cabin Project update. Roy Williams, a Laurel citizen, has been involved with the Log Cabin Project for the past six years. When the project started six years ago, Mr. Williams did not think it would be completed very quickly. However, the project has come together and is almost finished. The cabin is now the Chamber of Commerce office, a museum and a tourist information center. Because of the limited space inside the cabin, interpretive displays are located on the sidewalk outside the building. The purpose of the displays is to depict the history of the area with regard to agriculture, the refinery, the railroad, the Garden Club, the school system, and various other subjects. The cornerstone and the bell from the North Park School will be available for viewing at the Log Cabin. The story of Laurel is presently shown in a display outside the Log Cabin. Mr. Williams thanked the council for their participation in and dedication to the Log Cabin Project. The City of Laurel was the sponsor of the CTEP Grant, which provided funds for the remodeling of the cabin. Roy Williams thanked Larry McCann for his efforts and involvement in the project, and he emphasized that the great cooperative effort brought the project to completion. Council Minutes of August 1, 2000 In order to complete the plan of the Tourist Assessment Program, a computer, Internet service, a television, a VCR, or possibly a DVD, are still needed. This equipment would allow tourists access to travel and historical informationl It is possible that a grant from the National Park Service would provide this equipment. Mr. Williams again stated that he is pleased with the outcome of the project. Mayor Rodgers mentioned that Roy Williams is the Chairman of the Tourism Committee and thanked him for his work with the Log Cabin Project. d. Presentation of 2000-2001 Preliminary Budget. Mary Embleton, City Clerk-Treasurer, presented the 2000-2001 Preliminary Budget to the council. Mary stated that the budget process was long and difficult this year. The taxable value was just recently received from the Department of Revenue. The taxable value for 1999-2000 was $6,708,327. The taxable value for 2000-2001 is $6,063,743. This means that each mill that is levied is worth $700 less than it was worth last year. The city is fortunate that the total taxable value of newly taxable property, the floating mill, is $211,865. The General Fund will be allowed to raise $10,000 more revenue from taxes this year than last year. The mill levies for the last five years were: 1996 - $6,200; 1997 - $6,500; 1998 - $6,873; 1999 - $6,708; 2000 - $6,063. Mary stated that cities are now asked to do more with less revenue. The Preliminary Budget is subject to change. Mary thanked the Budget/Finance Committee for their hard work on this year's budget. Final Budget approval is scheduled for August 15th. Mayor Rodgers thanked Mary for her work. Alderman Mace stated that he had no idea of the amount of work involved in preparing the city's budget, and he thanked the committee chairman and Mary Embleton for their work on the budget. UNSCHEDULED MATTERS: Alderman Temple asked Larry McCann regarding discussion with Thomae Lumber about the condition of the streets by the business. Larry stated that the streets would be repaired after the crew is finished with the water line project. Mayor Rodgers complimented Lar~ McCann and the crew for their work in patching the streets that were torn up during the water line repair. Mayor Rodgers welcomed Alderman Daniel Dart to his first council meeting. There being no further business to come before the council at this time, the meeting was adjourned at 7:24 p.m. Cindy Allen? Secretary Approved by the Mayor and passed by the City Council of the City of Laurel, Montana, this 15th day of August, 2000. Charles G. Rodgers, Mayor Attest: Ma K ~h ~ eton, Clerk-Treasurer