HomeMy WebLinkAboutDepartment Head Meetings Minutes 11.03.2009MINUTES
DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETING
NOVEMBER 3, 2009 3:00 P.M.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
PRESENT: Mayor Ken Olson
Bill Sheridan
Sam Painter
Mary Ernbleton
Kurt Markegard
Nancy Schmidt
Rick Musson
Derek Yeager
James Caniglia
Council Agenda - November 3. 2009
Scheduled Matters:
• Confirmation of Appointments.
• Resolution No. R09-119: A resolution of intent for the City Council to declare Fire Engine 3
used by the Fire Department as surplus property and authorize its sale to the Molt Fire
Department.
• Resolution No. R09-120: A resolution approving Change Order No. 2 for Phase II of the Laurel
Water System Improvements Project for the installation of separation/stabilization fabric on 8'"
Street from Pennsylvania to Wyoming Avenues and authorizing the Mayor to execute the
attached Change Order No. 2 on the City's behalf.
• Resolution No. R09-121: Accepting the bid for a new garbage truck and authorizing the Mayor
to sign the contract to purchase from Jack's Truck & Equipment.
• Resolution No. R09-122: Budget amendment resolution amending revenues, appropriations and
reserves for various funds for fiscal year 2009.
• Resolution No. R09-123: Resolution authorizing the City Clerk to perform certain and specific
budget transfers for the City of Laurel.
• Resolution No. R09-124: Resolution relating to $820,000 Water System Revenue Bonds
(DNRC Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Program), consisting of $500,000 Series 2009C
Bond and $320,000 Series 2009D Bond; authorizing the issuance and fixing the terms and
conditions thereof.
• Resolution No. R09-125: A resolution adopting and approving a wage increase for the listed
non-union employees of the City of Laurel.
• Resolution No. R09-126: A resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign an Engagement Letter with
Dorsey & Whitney, LLP as bond counsel for the issuance of Water System Revenue Bonds for
participation in the State of Montana's Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program.
There was no discussion.
Draft Council Workshop Agenda - November 10, 2009
General items
Clerk/Treasurer:
• Resolution - Agreement with Municipal Code Corporation
Mary stated that the agreement is for the legal review of the city's municipal codes. Sam already
reviewed the proposal, and he will work with Municipal Code Corporation throughout the review
process. Mary mentioned that Municipal Code Corporation will host the city's codes on its website at
no charge for the first year and $400/year for subsequent years. The city's website would post a link to
their website. There was discussion regarding the code review, which will cross reference with
Department Head Meeting Minutes of November 3, 2009
Montana statute and Federal law. The city could choose to have the ordinances codified quarterly
instead of annually.
Chief Administrative Officer:
• Resolution - A resolution of the City Council authorizing the Mayor to sign a Lease Agreement
for City property located on a portion of Riverside Park with the Laurel Jaycees.
Sam will work on the changes to the lease agreement.
Executive Review:
• Intake lids
Mayor Olson stated that the information regarding the intake lids needs to be presented to the council.
Other items
There were no other items presented.
Department Reports:
Clerk/Treasurer
• Budget
Mary stated that the state budget document was mailed last Thursday. Amendments will be brought
forward for some budgets soon.
Mary stated that Pete Shatwell will speak to the department heads next Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. regarding
the wellness screening that is scheduled on December I". Employee sessions are scheduled on
November 1$`h.
Fire /Ambulance
• Preparations for new fire station
Derek stated that a small services contract has been prepared for an architect to upgrade the plan for the
fire station.
• Status of Fire Department grants
There was no discussion.
Library
• Status of City of Laurel's website
Nancy stated that progress is slow. She recently reviewed some websites of other cities. Some of the
sites contain a lot of information, and she questioned whether it was too much. Mary will send a
request to the city clerks soon. There was discussion regarding including the following items on the
website: agendas, minutes, Laurel Municipal Code, rules and regulations, forms, building permits,
business license applications, and employment applications.
Police Department
• Status of hiring process
Rick stated that applications closed on Friday, October 30''. Twelve applications were received, and
eleven applicants are still interested. B-Pad testing is scheduled for November 130' and 14`h, with the
scoring completed the following week. Interviews will be set up the week after Thanksgiving, and a
recommendation should be made soon after.
2
Department Head Meeting Minutes of November 3, 2009
City Planner
• Various grants for "Laurel Dump Cleanup"
There was no discussion.
James has been working on development issues in preparation for this week's Planning Board meeting.
Public Works Department
• Construction of a storage building
There was no discussion.
• Status of water distribution upgrade
Kurt stated that the waterline installation has been completed. An update is scheduled on Wednesday at
10:00 a.m. The emergency generator pad in Murray Park is not finished yet. Five pumps need to be
replaced at the WTP and there were some electrical issues.
• Alder Avenue
Kurt contacted Scott Reiter regarding issues with students crossing Alder Avenue to the soccer field.
• Status of Main Street from 1 s` to 8t' Avenues
Kurt stated that the State will send the finalized design plan to Helena, and he asked them for a copy of
the plan. The city needs to resolve the outstanding issues with property owners. A meeting is
scheduled on Friday.
• SE 4t' Street
There was no discussion.
• Report on progress with South Laurel Business SID
There was no discussion.
• Status of Wastewater Plant upgrade
Kurt stated that a pre-construction meeting is scheduled next week. Installation of the waterline from
the WTP to the WWTP is scheduled next Thursday.
• Solid waste truck purchase
The documents are ready for signatures tonight.
• Ditch mitigation ARRA grant project -- 7`h Street
Kurt will contact Chad Hanson regarding the documents.
The crew has been patching some city streets.
An advertisement will run in the Laurel Outlook for the mechanic position, and applications will close
on November 20th.
A small service contract for $4,300 for work on the shop roof is ready for the mayor's signature.
3
Department Head Meeting Minutes of November 3, 2009
A new employee will start on November 9 h. The recommendation for the relief water operator will be
submitted to the mayor today.
Randy Swenson will have a house on 12th Street demolished soon. That property and a house behind
the Railside were photographed prior to demolition.
Kurt stated that Rutt's is expanding on the south side of Main Street, where they will build a three-bay
garage with solar lighting and a rainwater collection system.
Mayor Olson asked for an update regarding the underpass. Kurt stated that Riverside is paving East
Main, but he does not know the status of the underpass. Kurt invoiced the State of Montana for $515
today for issues the contractors caused on October 180' when they put rocks in the city's sewer system.
Kurt expects the contractors to clean out and check the system. Kurt spoke regarding issues and
concerns caused when the contractors paved and buried the city storm and sewer manholes. The
contractor will raise the manholes and valves to grade at the end of the project. When new footings
were put in for the traffic light, the state hit a concrete pipe.
Kurt is scheduled to be on vacation next week. He plans to attend the DOT meeting on Tuesday from
9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and the Sewer Project pre-construction meeting on Tuesday afternoon.
City Attorney
Since he was out last week, Sam needs to catch up on a zillion things.
Mayor Olson
Mayor Olson spoke regarding last week's meeting with the County Commissioners about the Veterans'
Cemetery. The Commissioners thought the city's preliminary estimate for continued maintenance of
the cemetery was too high, and they plan to RFP for the maintenance contract. The current contract will
remain in effect through June 30, 2010.
Chief Administrative Officer
• Schedule of Fees and Charges
Bill asked department heads to respond with suggestions within a week.
• Moratorium on water resale rates and other water rates
Bill stated that a meeting is needed to establish the water resale rates.
o Impact Fees
Bill stated that work needs to be done on impact fees.
a City's lease of railroad property on Main Street for various uses
Bill stated that the lease of railroad property would eventually be completed.
• Bus Transit System
Bill stated that the proposal is finished and money and buses are needed to get the program going.
Other
Rick asked regarding the Planning Board agenda item regarding the West Laurel interchange. James
stated that the interchange is planned for 2014, but that could change if stimulus funding is available.
Zoning issues at that location will be discussed by the Planning Board.
4
Department Head Meeting Minutes of November 3, 2009
Mary asked regarding the city's proposal to the County for planning. There was no discussion with the
County Commissioners. Mary stated that the planning jurisdiction is not taxing enough area.
There was discussion regarding parking issues, traffic congestion, and parking vs. driving lanes on East
8'' Street. The `no parking' signs on the fence are difficult to see and the curbs are not painted yellow.
A review is needed. The street should be paved this week.
The meeting adjourned at 3:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
a,et? 6U-111?
Cindy Allen
Council Secretary
5