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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Minutes 04.05.1994Minutes of the City Council of Laurel April 5, 1994 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 Charles Rodgers at 7:00 p.m., on April 5, 1994. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Lonnie Kellogg Albert Ehrlick John Minch Chuck Dickerson Gay Easton Bob Graham Ron Marshall COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Donna Kilpatrick INVOCATION: Invocation was given by Reverend Magnum. MINUTES: Motion by Alderman Marshall to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of March 15, 1994, as presented, seconded by Alderman Minch. Motion carried 7--0. CORRESPONDENCE: Received a letter from the Helena Chemical Company regarding their proposed warehouse in Laurel. (Jan Stingley's building at Main Street and 5th Avenue.) Received a letter from Beartooth RC&D regarding appointments and dues. Received a letter from Alderman Lonnie Kellogg regarding the hiring of a consultant to upgrade our personnel manual, etc. Received a letter and proposal preparation of job descriptions, manual. from Richard Larsen regarding the a city policy manual and a procedures Received a memo from the Montana League of Cities and Towns regarding the Community Transportation Enhancement Program. Received a newsletter from MMIA, dated April, 1994. Discussion regarding ISTEA money and it was stated that Cal Cumin is working on this. Two proposals were submitted and the Chief Joseph proposal is the one that received recognition. A committee will review this and it was stated that we have the matching funds in our budget. CLAIMS: Claims for the month of March were reviewed by the Budget/Finance Committee and recommended that they be paid. Motion by Alderman Marshall to approve all claims in the amount of $ 231,463.82 for the month of March, 1994, seconded by Alderman Graham. Motion carried 7--0. STEVE COSNER, CPA - 1992-93 AUDIT: Steve Cosner presented and reviewed the 1992-93 Audit report with the City Council. A copy of the audit was distributed to each council member. Lonnie Kellogg asked Steve if the City looks in good shape and Steve said we do. Motion by Alderman Graham to accept the 1992-93 Audit as presented, seconded by Alderman Dickerson. Motion carried 7--0. RICHARD LARSEN PROPOSAL - POLICY & PROCEDURES MANUAL: (Richard Larsen attended a Special City Council Committee of the Whole meeting on March 17th. He runs his own private consulting service and we asked him to review our Personnel Manual and Union Contract and give us some direction. At this meeting, he explained the process he goes through to accomplish this. The council then asked him to submit a proposal for the preparation of job descriptions, a City policy manual and a City procedures manual.! The City received two Dromosalm from Richard l.armen and the Mayor Minutes of the City Council of Laurel Page 2 Council Meeting of April 5, 1994 it is hard to discuss problems without hurting someone. He has found this to be true on the Personnel Committee and he feels that by bringing in an outside person, we can avoid a lot of the "small town politics" and deal with our problems objectively. In regard to the letter submitted by Lonnie Kellogg, Bob said he agrees that we cannot drag our feet in getting a Maintenance Director or an Engineer. Gay Easton commented that he feels we need an engineer, but it is not as simple as just hiring an engineer. He gave an example of how there are so many different areas of engineering that are required within a single city that no one man can be expected to have the expertise to cover it all. Gay feels we need to look far and beyond just an engineer. We need to put other things together to make it work. He agrees that someone from the outside can better assess our problems and he feels they need to have some knowledge of what is required. If it is done in-house as suggested, Gay said he does not have the knowledge or time to contribute to this process. In light of this, he is in favor of Richard Larsen's proposal. Chuck said his objective descriptions and personnel ADA regulations. He feels outside. when he started this was to get the job manual updated so we are in compliance with we need the perspective of someone from the John Minch stated that he is not in favor of hiring Richard Larsen. Re was elected by the people and he feels the council needs to come up with a solution. He feels we need a maintenance director and an engineer, someone to oversee things at the shop. Chuck asked him if we need both and John said person. John feels this money can be better towards the wage of a good engineer. we need just one good spent by applying it Albert said an engineer should help us steer in the right direction. We have not had many problems with our rules and regulations. In regard to Bob's comment about personality conflicts on the Personnel Committee, John feels that you are never going to make everyone happy, but he feels the City can handle this. Bob said the conflict is throughout the City, not just in the Personnel Committee. There is a lot of finger pointing going on and things are not being resolved. It is hard for us to determine just where the problems are. We're getting a different story from everyone. Chuck Dickerson said that if we accept this proposal and have this work done, it will involve City employees who are working under a Union Contract. Can the Union turn around and challenge the job descriptions and procedures that pertain to the running of the City? The Mayor said this is possible, but we hope that if all employees have input in this process, it would eliminate this from happening. Chuck Dickerson said this could end up being a $ 7,500.00 that needs restructuring to comply with the Union. For this he hates to see this amount of effort and money spent on it. proposal Albert Ehrlick said Billings is having the same problems we are having and Richard Larsen is their Mayor. Ron Marshall said he is in favor of going through with this proposal. It is not set in stone that we implement everything that Richard says, but Ron does feels it would give us a refreshing outlook on what we should be doing. Hopefully, we could take his ideas and our own and implement them into something good that will work for us. Chuck Dickerson said that if we decide to go ahead with this proposal, the council needs to stay on top of things and implement and enforce the decisions that are made. Cal Cumin stated that if the City is going to hire Richard, make him Minutes of the City Council of Laurel Page 3 Council Meeting of April 5~ 1994 Motion by Alderman Graham to accept the contract from Richard Larsen with the addition of him addressing compatibility with the union contract, compatibility with existing multiple job functions and addressing personnel problems, seconded by Alderman Easton. There being a division of the house, a roll call vote was taken. Aldermen Easton~ Marshall and Graham voted~ "YES". Aldermen Minch, Ehrlick~ Kellogg and Dickerson voted, "NO". Motion defeated 4--3. The Mayor asked the council where they want to go from here. Albert said the City needs to hire an engineer, Chuck Dickerson said we need to hire someone to do the policy and procedures manual because Don Hackmann does not have the time to do it and Chuck said no one else has the time or the expertise to do it either. We are faced with including all the new ADA regulations. Lonnie said we have the manual on ADA regulations and he suggested that we give it to each department head and they can come back with recommendations. Don Hackmann commented that it is more complicated than that. He attended a seminar recently and saw some job descriptions that are 10-15 pages long. There is a lot of detail and they are very elaborate. Don said he does not have the expertise to do this. MMIA has sent us some sample job descriptions that are not as elaborate and Don will hand these out and let everyone look at them. The Mayor said he received literature from a company in California. We would send them our policies and procedures and they would update them without any contact between us, at a base cost of $ 12,000.00. More discussion followed and Bob related a situation at the water plant where we had a problem because of the job description. Management is telling an employee to do something and other employees are telling him he cannot do what he has been directed to do. Chuck Dickerson said it seems that we are being dictated to by the employees and if this is so, we have more of a problem than just job procedures. Laurel is too small of a city to have an employee specialized in just one area. Bob Graham cited Cal Cumin as an example of someone who was hired from the outside to help us because the City Council did not know what to do regarding zoning issues and Cal has done a great The Mayor agreed with Bob and time to think about this and he next time. said he feels asked them to the council needs some come back with an answer Chuck Dickerson said Donna is missing tonight and she is as much involved as anyone else and he feels she has the right to cast her vote for this also. Once this is done, the council can proceed from there. Chuck said he feels the full council needs to sit down and discuss this prior to the next council meeting and find out what everyone is thSnking. He said he would be willing to make a motion so it can be voted on again if this is done. COMMITTEE REPORTS: --Budget/Finance Committee minutes of March 15, 1994 were presented and reviewed. Dave said the City of Billings has a single axle truck for sale. We were hoping for a tandem but this is what they have and we never know from year to year if they will have one or what will be available. Dave recommends that we purchase this truck because our White Truck has a bent box and would take a lot to rebuild it. Before buying it~ we would have the truck inspected. Motion by Alderman Easton to enter the Budget/Finance minutes of March 15~ 1994, into the record, seconded by Marshall. Motion carried 7--0. Committee Alderman Minutes of the City Council of Laurel Page 4 Council Meeting of April 5, 1994 Motion by Alderman Dickerson to enter the City Council Committee of the Whole minutes of March 15, 1994, into the record~ seconded by Alderman Marshall. Motion carried 7--0. --Special City Council Committee of the Whole minutes of March 17, 1994 were presented. Motion by Alderman Graham to enter the Special City Committee of the Whole minutes of March 17, 1994, into the seconded by Alderman Ehrlick. Motion carried 7--0. Council record, --Garbage Committee reviewed. minutes of March 21, 1994 were presented and Motion by Alderman Dickerson to enter the Garbage minutes of March 21, 1994~ into the record, seconded by Ehrlick. Motion carried 7--0. Committee Alderman --Investment Committee minutes of March 23, 1993 were presented and reviewed. Motion by Alderman Kellogg to enter the Investment minutes of March 23, 1994, into the record, seconded by Dickerson. Motion carried 7--0. Committee Alderman --Parks Committee minutes of March 24, 1994 were presented and reviewed. Motion by Alderman Kellogg to of March 24, 1994, into the record, Motion carried 7--0. enter the Parks Committee minutes seconded by Alderman Dickerson. --Police Committee reviewed. minutes of March 26, 1994 were presented and AIRPORT POLICE PROTECTION At the committee meeting John Smith, representing the Airport Authority Board, asked if the City could provide police protection since they recently had two cases of vandalism. The Board had contacted the County Sheriff's Office and they didn't appear to be concerned about it. It was stated that this area is out of the City's jurisdiction and we do not have the manpower to patrol out there. Don Hackmann reminded the council that the Airport Authority is a separate entity from the City. The only thing the council has to do with them is appoint their Board. PANHANDLING IN CITY LIMITS There was discussion at the committee meeting about the number of panhandlers in the city limits. Ron reported on how other cities are handling this problem and he would like to see us pass an ordinance to restrict panhandling. Motion by Alderman Marshall to have the City Attorney draw up an ordinance to restrict panhandling, seconded by Alderman Ehrlick. Motion carried 7--0. TOWING CHARGES AND IMPOUND FEES Discussion about the number of vehicles that the City is having to tow and the expense it is costing us. It was stated that the owner of the vehicle has to pay the charges before the vehicle is released to them but a lot of the vehicles are junked and the owner never claims them. These cars are sitting at our city shop. More discussion about what constitutes abandonment and how this fits in with our current ordinances. The Mayor recommended that these issues be taken back to the committee for further discussion and a possible solution. Motion by Alderman Marshall to enter the Police Committee minutes of March 26, 1994, into the record, seconded by Alderman Graham. Motion carried 7--0. --Street and Alley Committee minutes of March 17, 1994 were presented and reviewed. Minutes of the City Council of Laurel Page 5 Council Meeting of April 5, 1994 is owned by his elderly uncle and they have tried to sell it but alley has always been a problem. this A map of the area was presented with the minutes and discussion followed. Dave Michael explained the area and where future utility lines would be located and he did not see any problem with vacating it. Cal Cumin said this is city property and he recommended that the city set a fee and get something out of it. It is nice for the adjacent land owners~ but there is time and expense involved in doing this and you don't want to give it away. Gary stated that his uncle went through the expense to deed this land to the City many years ago. More discussion followed and there was some confusion as to what we can legally do. Motion by Alderman Graham City Attorney can review it~ carried 7--0. to postpone action on this until the seconded by Alderman Easton. Motion Motion by Alderman Ehrlick to enter the Street and Alley Committee minutes of March 17, 1994, into the record, seconded by Alderman Graham. Motion carried 7--0. COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE: None APPOINTMENTS: The Mayor appointed Wesley Scott Hafer to the Ambulance Reserve. Motion by Alderman Graham to confirm the Mayor's appointment of Wesley Scott Mafer to the Ambulance Reserve, seconded by Alderman Ehrlick. Motion carried 7--0. MAYOR'S COMMENTS: The Mayor stated he received a letter from Merle Cherry explaining why his equipment has been placed outside his shop. He stated it is temporary, just until he can finish the inside of the shop. The Mayor received a letter from United Way, informing us that April 17-23 is National Volunteer Week. The Mayor so proclaimed that Laurel will recognize April 17-23 as National Volunteer Week. CLOSE AIRPORT ROAD (Discussion took place at the City Council Committee of the Whole meeting on April 5, 1994 at 6:30 p.m. regarding the closing of Airport Road for activities during Aviation Week.) Motion by Alderman Dickerson that the City of Laurel accept the recommendation to close Airport Road on Friday~ April 29th for Aviation Week from the Cemetery to Yard Office Road, if approved by the County Commissioners as requested, seconded by Alderman Graham. Motion carried 7--0. Gay stated there will be a meeting on Wednesday, April 6th at 3:45 p.m. with Jack Rayne at Thomson Park. We will know more about what streets in town they want closed after this meeting. There being no further business to come before the City Council this time, the meeting was adjourned at 8:31 p.m. Donald L. Hackmann, City Clerk at Approved by the Mayor and passed by the City Council of the City of Laurel, Montana, this 19th day of April, 1994. ATTEST: