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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Minutes 06.06.2000MINUTES OF THF. CITY COUNCIL OF LAUREL June 6, 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 June 6, 2000. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Lauren Van Roekel Ken Olson Gay Easton Gary Temple Mark Mace Bud Johnson COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Bill Staudinger Norman Orr Mayor Rodgers asked the council to observe a moment of silence in behalf of the family of Miranda Fenner. MINUTES: Motion by Alderman Temple to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of May 16, 2000, as presented, seconded by Alderman Johnson. Motion carried 6-0. CORRESPONDENCE: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana: Information regarding Governor's Cup on Saturday, June 3, 2000 in downtown Helena. b. MMIA Newsletter: May 2000 Spring Issue. Montana Department of Commerce: 2000 Annual Performance Report. Montana League of Cities and Towns: Letter of May 26, 2000 regarding increased cost of employee health insurance. PUBLIC HEARING: Proposed garbage rate increase to all city users of the City of Laurel solid waste system. Mayor Rodgers opened the public hearing. Mayor Rodgers asked if there were any proponents. Public Works Director Larry McCann stated that the City of Laurel has reached a point where our current system can no longer be maintained. The rate increase would help to implement a regular replacement schedule for the equipment. The city continues to see a steady increase in the tonnage hauled, which is an indication of growth in the City of Laurel. It also indicates that we do need to distribute information to the public regarding ways to cut down on the tonnage being hauled. One way to cut the tonnage would be to compost grass clippings. The projected landfill rate increases by the City of Billings for the next five years will greatly affect the City of Laurel. The City of Laurel has implemented some cost-saving measures by starting once-a-week pickup in some areas and is currently reviewing purchasing a $30,000 compactor for use at the container site. Once-a-week pickup reduces the miles on the garbage trucks and the number of trips made to the City of Billings Landfill. The garbage trucks are wearing out quickly and need to be replaced on a regular schedule. Larry McCann also stated that the garbage rate increase provides for an additional full-time position to provide the manpower necessary to do an efficient job. Mayor Rodgers stated that three minutes would be allowed for each speaker. Mayor Rodgers asked three times if any other proponents wished to speak. There were none. Mayor Rodgers asked if there were any opponents. Larry McCann received a letter regarding the garbage rate increase from Dale Loucks of 201 East 12th Street. Mr. Loucks, an opponent of the rate increase, asked Lar~ to present the letter to the clerk-treasurer. Council Minutes of June 6, 2000 Janet Johnson, 201 4th Avenue, stated that she has heard the pros for raising the garbage rates, that we are cutting back on services, and that we are hauling more and adding more customers to the list. She stated that she has not heard a cost accounting, and the residents of the City of Laurel deserve to see what is being paid out currently, what the city plans on doing and how the city plans on doing it. Byron Guenthner stated that this public hearing should not have been scheduled on Election Day. He also stated that the garbage service was recently changed from twice-a-week pickup to once-a- week pickup, and now the city is asking for a rate increase. He does not think that the proper study was done to review the costs and need for a garbage rate increase. Lauren Van Roekel mentioned that a contingent voiced concerns about the cut in service and the increase in garbage charges while on a fixed income. Don Nelson, 622 Elm, stated that he is not for or against the issue. He stated that the east and south sides of Laurel have been on once-a-week pickup for several years. Mayor Rodgers called three times for any other opponents. There were none. Motion by Alderman Johnson to close the public hearing, seconded by Alderman Mace. Motion carried 6-0. Mayor Rodgers stated that the issues would be considered at the Public Works Committee meeting on June 12th and action would be taken at the next council meeting on June 20th. CONSENT ITEMS: a. Claims for the month of May 2000 in the amount of $231,595.31. 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. --Budget/Finance Committee minutes of May 9, 2000 were presented. --Budget/Finance Committee minutes of May 15, 2000 were presented. --City Council Committee of the Whole minutes of May 16, 2000 were presented. --Budget/Finance Committee minutes of May 18, 2000 were presented. --Emergency Services Committee minutes of May 22, 2000 were presented. c. Resolutions. 1) Resolution No. R00-30: A resolution approving an agreement between the City of Laurel and the City of Billings, said agreement relating to solid waste disposal. RESOLUTION NO. R00-30 A RESOLUTION APPROVING AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF LAUREL AND THE CITY OF BILLINGS, SAID AGREEMENT RELATING TO SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL. 2) Resolution No. R00-31: A resolution approving agreements between the City of Laurel and Laurel Fire District No. 7, said agreements relating to fire protection. RESOLUTION NO. R00-31 A RESOLUTION APPROVING AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE CITY OF LAUREL AND LAUREL FIRE DISTRICT NO. 7, SAID AGREEMENTS RELATING TO FIRE PROTECTION. Council Minutes of June 6, 2000 3) Resolution No. R00-32: Elimination of city-owned water fill station on First Street across from City Hall. RESOLUTION NO. R00-32 ELIMINATION OF CITY-OWNED WATER FILL STATION ON FIRST STREET ACROSS FROM CITY ItALL. 4) Resolution No. R00-33: Resolution authorizing the Mayor to grant an easement to Saint Vincent's Hospital for a parking lot at Laurel Medical Clinic. RESOLUTION NO. R00-33 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO GRANT AN EASEMENT TO SAINT VINCENT'S HOSPITAL FOR A PARKING LOT AT LAUREL MEDICAL CLINIC. 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 Van Roekel. Motion carried 6-0. SCHEDULED MATTERS: a. Confirmation of Appointments. Reserve-in-Training for Laurel Volunteer Ambulance: Mayor Rodgers appointed Aaron Harris as a Reserve-in-Training for the Laurel Volunteer Ambulance. Motion by Alderman Olson to approve the appointment of Aaron Harris as an Ambulance Reserve-in-Training, seconded by Alderman Johnson. Motion carried 6-0. b. Transportation and Community Sustainability Project Grant Oversight Committee: Kathleen Baumgartner and Diana Walker. Kathleen Baumgartner and Diana Walker distributed copies of a Summary of the Spring 2000 TCSP Survey. The Oversight Committee is helping to oversee the Transportation and Community Sustainability Project Grant. The purpose of the grant is to develop a plan for transportation that would keep our town livable and economically viable. A total of 2,616 surveys were sent out and 115 were returned. The committee received mostly positive responses from those that returned the survey. The main themes included in the responses were: repair the streets, gutters, curbs and sidewalks throughout the city before starting any new projects; abandon the roundabout idea at the 1a Avenue and 1a Street intersection; repair the 5th Avenue R.R. crossing; pick up litter and trash all over town; responders like the idea of a Welcome to Laurel sign; create a left turn lane or conversely eliminate all left tums at the 1a Avenue and Main intersection; landscape by the railroad and Cenex; plants for landscaping look nice but would require water and water rates are already too high; taxpayers cannot bear the burden of these proposed projects; misinformation as to how this grant money can be spent; like the idea of sidewalks on both sides of First Avenue South as it would look nice and provide pedestrians with a sense of safety when on these streets; repair and paint the underpass; bike trails on busy streets are a good idea. Ken Olson will be working with the high school to get the younger people involved in these issues. The committee will be contacting other cities that have used roundabouts to find out the success or failure of them. Response regarding the Welcome to Laurel signs has been very positive. A weekly column called Laurel Smart Growth has been placed in the Laurel Outlook to answer questions and provide accurate information for the public. A focus group will be formed soon to get more intense input from residents. Council Minutes of June 6, 2000 The TCSP Oversight Committee and the Laurel Revitalization League will hold a joint meeting on Thursday, June 8t~, at the Western Security Bank meeting room. Paul Reichert, a Helena expert in business improvement districts, will be the guest Speaker. Alderman Temple asked Cai Cumin how this survey coordinates with the slide presentation. Cal said that they complement each other and that the visual preference survey is a standardized survey. Cai referred to one of the Smart Growth columns that stated that successful communities are those communities that have a common vision. He stated that Laurel does not have a common vision, and the committee is trying to find out what people want to see accomplished in Laurel. Kathleen Baumgartner stated that the whole point of the federal program is that the government realizes how expensive it is to make changes to sewer and water lines and to add services to new subdivisions. The ultimate goal is to contain or reduce costs of services that are provided to the public. Alderman Temple asked if business growth is being addressed. Cai Cumin stated that the Laurel Revitalization League is addressing this, but this grant only addresses citywide transportation issues. Business is what drives a community's success. In order to get more feedback from the community, Cai is requesting an extension of time for the project, which was scheduled to be done in November. As soon as Laurel decides what it wants to look like, he will have the experts come back in to help implement a plan. The motorized transportation analysis has been completed, and the non- motorized traffic analysis is just being started by a telephone survey. Mayor Rodgers thanked Diana Walker and Kathleen Baumgartner for their presentation and their work on the committee. Cai Cumin mentioned the various members of the TCSP Grant Oversight Committee and acknowledged the work that is being done. UNSCHEDULED MATTERS: Change date of July 4, 2000 council meeting. Motion by Alderman Temple to place the change of date for the July 4, 2000 council meeting on the agenda, seconded by Alderman Johnson. Motion Carried 6-0. Motion by Alderman Temple to change the regular council meeting from July 4th to July 5th at 7:00 p.m., seconded by Alderman Johnson. Motion carried 6-0. There being no further business to come before the council at this time, the meeting was adjourned at 7:35 p.m. Cindy Alleff, Secretary Approved by the Mayor and passed by the City Council of the City of Laurel, Montana, this 20th day of June, 2000. Charles G. Rodgers, Mayl~r / Attest: ~Treasurer