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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDepartment Head Meetings Minutes 06.09.2009MINUTES DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETING JUNE 9, 2009 3:00 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Ken Olson Mary Embleton Bill Sheridan Kurt Markegard Sam Painter Nancy Schmidt James Caniglia Council Workshop Agenda -.Tune 9 2009 Rick Musson Jan Faught Derek Yeager Fire D artrnent: • Resolutions - Fire District Contracts Derek stated that the resolutions are for the one-year Yellowstone Boys & Girls Ranch contract and the three-year LUFSA contracts. Six more contracts will be presented as they are received. Public Works Department • Resolution - Agreement with MDOT to accept millings from the 2002 Turn Lane Project Kurt stated that an estimated 3,000 cubic yards of millings will be removed from the project. The contractor will deliver the millings to the sites specified by the public works director. The agreement is for the city to accept the millings from MDT. The project will start thirty days after the Notice to Award is completed. Planning Department: • Resolution - Old City Dump Grant James received word yesterday that the city was awarded $15,000 of a $25,000 grant. This would not cover the costs for the project. James will apply for a $10,000 non-match grant from DNRC. No resolution is needed at this time, but a resolution will be needed to accept the grant. Executive review: • Resolution - Right-of-way agreement for Riverside Sand and Gravel Bill will present a report regarding the 1.4 acre right-of-way, payment for the property, and fencing at tonight's council workshop. A resolution will not be presented tonight as the item is not ready to go forward. Kurt will print Google maps of the aerial site for the council. • Appointments: o Board of Appeals: Reappointments of Ed Thurner and Don Brown to 2-year terms ending June 30, 2011 o Laurel Airport Authority: ¦ Reappointment of Robert Western to a 5-year term ending June 30, 2014 o Cemetery Commission: • Reappointments of Norm Stamper and Dick Fritzler to 2-year terms ending June 30, 2011 o Tree Board: ¦ Reappointment of Emelie Eaton to a 3-year term ending June 30, 2012 o City-County Planning Board: Reappointment of Hazel Klein to a 2-year term ending June 30, 2011 Department Head Meeting Minutes of June 9, 2009 The reappointment of Lee Barndt to the Cemetery Commission will also be on the agenda. • Council Issues: o Cemetery Commission -- Drilling holes in containers (Norm Stamper) Mayor Olson stated that the Cemetery Commission recommended a contract to drill holes for flower pots in the veterans' section of the Laurel cemetery. The cost would be $20 per hole for 160 holes for a total of $3,200, as this does not meet the $5,000 cap for an asset or improvement. There was discussion regarding the need for a budget transfer from the CIP Fund to the General Fund. Mayor Olson will ask Mary to report on the process at tonight's council workshop. o Tree Board (Emelie Eaton) The Tree Board will host a conference on October I" through 3'd. Mary will meet with Emelie Eaton on Wednesday to discuss the financial items for the conference. Kurt spoke regarding Emelie's recent e-mail about Lois Markegard's position on the Tree Board. Emelie does not want to lose the valuable resource in Lois serving on the board. Expanding the membership of the Tree Board would require an amendment to the ordinance. o Irrigation issues at 408 West 2nd Street (Emelie Eaton) There was a lengthy discussion regarding the irrigation issues, the process for code enforcement to address the issues with current ordinances, the differences between the executive, administrative, and judicial systems, and the need for the council to realize that it sets policy but the administration enforces policy. Mayor Olson asked Bill to prepare a memo stating that staff takes orders from the chief administrative officer, not the council. Other items: Derek will present a resolution regarding paying the debt to AMR at tonight's council workshop. A resolution for a new contract with AMR will be reviewed further before presentation to the council. Mary asked what funds would be used for the payment to AMR. Mayor Olson stated that further discussion is needed. De artment Re orts• Ambulance Service Sam will provide Jan with a template to update the ambulance mutual aid agreements. Jan requested permission to leave the meeting at 4:20. Clerk/Treasurer • Health Insurance Committee Mary asked if the unions had been contacted regarding their representatives on the committee. Bill recently wrote a letter to the unions stating that the city could not change from MMIA at this time. • Budget Mary has scheduled a budget meeting with the police chief, but she has received no response from other department heads. Nancy will discuss this at the Library Board meeting tonight and let Mary know which dates would be best. According to the original budget calendar, meetings should have been scheduled in May. 2 Department Head Meeting Minutes of June 9, 2009 The Department of Revenue recently sent word that the taxable values would be released by the end of August. Mary asked that Mayor Olson write a letter stating that the timeframe is unacceptable, as it will be difficult to set the levies and get the budget finalized in an acceptable time. The final budget document is due to the State of Montana forty-five days after the certified mill levy is received. Mary attended three days of classes last week. The classes included the TSEP Grant, legislative updates, and ARRA requirements. Mary will provide information to department heads and the council. Mary asked regarding the timeframe to start the $116,000 irrigation ditch mitigation project. There was discussion regarding the project, the need to complete the project before school starts, and the location of the project. A scope of work will be prepared for the engineers with the stipulation that the project go forward if the money is received. Fire D artment • Preparations for new fire station - plans being reviewed - financing Derek is entering the data for the grant, which closes on July 10"'. Library • Report on meeting with Bill Cochran, Parmly Billings Library Nancy stated that 186 people used the library services on Monday, which was the second busiest day for the library. Nancy reported that the meeting with Bill Cochran went well. No funding is available for 2009-2010, but they will pursue the process of talking with the boards and commission to work out an agreement. Police Department Rick stated that the process for Enhanced 911 began twelve years ago. Monica has been working on the addressing for the system. The first official test with the phone company was done recently, and the department had an 89 percent rating on the addressing. This was great, but a 95 percent rating is required to begin using the system. Enhanced 911 enables the dispatcher to see where 911 callers are located. Mapping will be the next Enhanced 911 project. City Planner • Various grants for "Laurel Dump Cleanup" There was no further discussion. Public Works Department Kurt stated that the drain covers have been installed at the pool and the pool will be filled today. The pool is scheduled to open on Friday, although weather and cold water might delay that. Pool staff training is scheduled for Thursday morning. Thirteen lifeguards and one pool manager have been hired, and the pool will offer swimming lessons this summer. Kurt spoke regarding Sunday's incident at Riverside Park and the need to work toward a unified response inside the city limits. Derek mentioned that Laurel's needs are often overshadowed at the LEPC meetings, so he plans to offer to chair a sub-committee of LEPC to address Laurel's issues and the NIMS requirements. Kurt stated that the clerk needs to be included, as the financial needs are part of the process. 3 Department Head Meeting Minutes of June 9, 2009 • Construction of a storage building Kurt will get the plans from Guy. • Status of street plan Streets will be crack sealed and chip sealed next week. Hardrives laid 60 tons of asphalt on 6th Street one day last week. Hardrives told Kurt that they like the city's plan, which provides a good service for the community. Good feedback is being received. • Status of Water Plant upgrade Kurt stated that the pump has arrived and Dick Anderson Construction will return to install the pump. Work is continuing on the water line replacement project. Mary mentioned that the first draw down of $500,000 for Phase 1 of the project has been done. • Alder Avenue Kurt stated that Hardrives agreed to return to Laurel to chip seal Alder Avenue after the millings have been laid on the street. A remobilization fee will not be charged. • Status of Main Street from 1st to 8th Avenues There was no discussion. • 1st Avenue South and SE 4th Street Kurt stated that the bid has not been awarded yet. Kurt will discuss this with the State and Sam. There was discussion regarding the property owners' share of the cost for the curb, gutter, sidewalk and approaches. Sam recommends doing the same thing done on the East 1st Street project. • Report on progress with South Laurel Business SID Chad Hanson prepared a cost estimate to repave Southeast 4th Street. There is new legislation regarding SID'S. • Potential 6th Street SID project Pot holes were filled on Oh Street from 1st to 8th Avenue. • Status of Wastewater Plant upgrade Stephanie Seymanski has been working on the lift stations. Kurt and Mary participated in a conference call with the DEQ, SRF, DNRC, and the engineers to review the status of the project. Mary stated that all rules and regulations apply to all funding sources if stimulus money is used for a project. The DEQ will release the commitment letter after the comment period ends on June 12th. • Solid waste truck purchase There was no discussion. • Hiring temporary employees Kurt stated that the pool is staffed. The Riverside Park caretaker has been hired, the park is open for business, and a message needs to be recorded on the phone. Temporary employees hired include one 4 Department Head Meeting Minutes of June 9, 2009 for the cemetery, two in parks, one in streets, and one more might be hired. The irrigation system will be running this week. City Attorney There was no discussion. Ma or Olson 0 City calendar There was no discussion. Chief Administrative Officer • 120-day moratorium on water resale rates Bill, Mary, and Kurt attended a meeting with Harry Whalen and Rory Schmidt from Montana Rural Water today. The City of Laurel has undervalued its water. Harry Whalen will return on Thursday to get financial information from Mary. Kurt stated that Montana Rural Water is a great resource for the city, and he recommends using their services instead of Morrison-Maierle to set the water rates. Mary concurred with Kurt and stated that Montana Rural Water gave a presentation to the city on the EDU's and system development fees nine years ago. Montana Rural Water is a neutral third party with years of experience to address citizens at public hearings. Work needs to be done on the city's water rates right away. There was discussion regarding informing Morrison-Maierle that their services are not needed for the EDU's. Mary mentioned Harry's statement that contract water sales should be done with a contract. Forsyth charges $10 per 1,000 gallons. • Schedule of Fees and Charges There was no discussion. • City of Laurel's website Nancy and James Huertas will meet to discuss the city's website. • City's lease of railroad property on Main Street for various uses There was discussion regarding the railroad leases, who to contact, the need to determine the city's vision, and the work needed to secure this particular lease in conjunction with the pipes. James, Bill, and Mayor Olson will meet to discuss the vision for the lease. Other There was no discussion. The meeting adjourned at 4:22 p.m. Respectfully submitted, G? Cindy Allen Council Secretary 5