HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Minutes 12.01.1998MINUTES OF THE CITY COIINCIL OF IAU'RI L
December 1, 1998
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 December 1, 1998.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Gary Temple Bud Johnson
Ken Olson Norman Orr
Gay Easton
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Bill Staudinger Dirk Kroll
Miles Walton
Mayor Rodgers asked the council to observe a moment of silence in behalf of Miranda Fenner and
her family and suggested that this continue until the case is resolved.
MINUTES:
Motion by Alderman Johnson to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of November
17, 1998, as presented, seconded by Alderman Orr. Motion canied.
CORRESPONDENCE:
City of Billings: Notice of meeting on December 8, 1998 at 5:30 p.m.
Laurel City School Task Force on Drugs and Alcohol: Letter to Mayor Rodgers
Laurel City School Task Force on Drugs and Alcohol: Minutes of September 23, 1998.
Montana League of Cities and Towns - CI-75 Information
CONSENT ITEMS:
a. Claims for the month of November in the amount of $748,042.13.
b. Committee Reports.
--Budget/Finance Committee minutes of November 17, 1998 were presented.
--City Council Committee of the Whole minutes of November 17, 1998 were presented.
--Street and Alley Committee minutes of November 18, 1998 were presented.
c. Resolutions.
1) Resolution authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute an agreement
with Wagner Financial Services relating to an IRS 125 Plan.
RESOLUTION NO. R98-57
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND CITY CLERK-TREASURER TO
EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH WAGNER FINANCIAL SERVICES
RELATING TO AN IRS 125 PLAN.
2) Resolution requiring the minutes to reflect the vote of the council in
compliance with the state statutes and city ordinances.
RESOLUTION NO. R98-58
RESOLUTION REQUIRING THE MINUTES TO REFLECT THE VOTE
OF THE COUNCIL IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE STATUTES
AND CITY ORDINANCES.
3) Resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign an agreement with Pelican Oil for
equipment.
Council Minutes of December 1, 1998
RESOLUTION NO. R98-59
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN AN
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF LAUREL AND PELICAN OIL,
SAID AGREEMENT RELATING TO AN OIL PUMP UNIT AT THE
CITY MAINTENANCE SHOP.
The mayor asked if there was any separation of consent items. Aldem~an Easton separated item b.
3 ) out of the consent items for discussion during the scheduled matters.
Motion by Alderman Johnson to approve the consent items as presented, seconded by
Alderman Orr. Motion carried 5-0.
SCHEDULED MATTERS:
Confirmation of Appointments.
None.
Mayor Rodgers received a letter from Dave Michael announcing his retirement eft~ctive November
30, 1998. Dave was employed by the City of Laurel for thirty years.
Janet Davis, 217 Durland - Concerns about utility bill.
Janet Davis was not present, as her concems have been referred to the Public Utilities
Committee.
Separation of Consent Item b.3), the Street and Alley Committee minutes of
November 18, 1998.
Gay Easton distributed some information regarding encroachment permits. Larry McCann talked
with Mr. Fink about the moose encroachment at the Caboose Saloon and he will not pay the
encroachment fee until the City acts. A letter regarding the encroachment was sent to Mr. Fink on
December 4, 1997, but he claimed that he did not receive it. Larry McCann personally delivered
another letter to him a month later. There has been no response.
The new glass shop in Laurel also requires an encroachment for their entryway. The Street and
Alley Committee discussed the problems regarding encroachments at their November 18, 1998,
meeting. The Conunittee suggested that Section 12.16.100, page 250, be amended to reflect a one-
time fee, reviewed annually, for an encroachment permit as set forth in Section 12.16.040. This
would make it necessary to change the ordinance and there was discussion regarding the effects CI-
75 would have on the fee change. Joe Leckie stated that changing the fee schedule would need to be
voted on at the next election. However, if the council changes the ordinance and the fee schedule
remains the same, it does not need voter approval.
Alderman Easton requested that the review of the ordinance regarding encroachments be put on the
next council meeting agenda.
The Street and Alley had also discussed the bus parking problem at the Eagles building on Main
Street. The landowner next door has complained about the buses parking there. Larry McCann has
discussed this with the Montana Department of Transportation and the bus companies. The
committee recommends that a bus loading zone be formed on the west comer of West Main and
Fourth Avenue as per state regulations.
Alderman Easton requested that a resolution regarding the bus loading zone be placed on the next
agenda.
Gay informed the council of a State Floodplain Grant for Willow Drive along the south bank of the
High Line Ditch. This would be a citizen's application for planning and funding for shot crete with
cement. The information that Larry McCann has received from the Floodplain Coordinator of DNRC
requires that the City makes the application and handles the grant. Citizens would have to apply
through a government agency and there are matching funds available. The estimated cost of lining
the ditch is about $60,000 and the application is due February 27th.
Motion by Alderman Johnson to enter the Street and Alley Committee minutes of November
18, 1998, into the record, seconded by Alderman Easton. Motion carried 5 -0.
2
Council Minutes of December 1, 1998
Bud Johnson recommended that the staff be involved in resolving the encroacl~nent issues. He
stated that it is time for a recommendation to be accepted and for the council to act on it.
UN SCHEDULED MATTERS:
Mayor Rodgers read the letter received from the Police Commission regarding the dismissal of Alan
Hovious as Chief of Police.
Ken Olson cancelled the Fourth of July meeting scheduled on Thursday, December 10tn. The next
meeting will be on Thursday, January 14, 1999.
The Police Committee meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 3rd, has been cancelled.
Mayor Rodgers mentioned that work is being done on the structure of the committees.
Laurel Haggart spoke to the council about her concerns of graf~ti on buildings and the teen smoking
problem in Laurel. Bud Johnson told her that these problems are being addressed.
There being no further business to come before the council at this time, the meeting was adjourned at
7:28 p.m.
Cin
Approved by the Mayor and passed by the City Council of the City of Laurel, Montana, this fifteenth
day of December, 1998.
Charles Rodgets, Mayor~ff7
Attest:
Donald L. Hackmann, Clerk-Treasurer