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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Minutes 08.18.1998 MINIJT! S OF THE CITY COIJNCIL OF ! XU'RI ,L August 18, 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 August 18, 1998. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Dirk Kroll Gary Temple Ken Olson Miles Walton Gay Easton Norman Orr Bill Staudinger Bud Johnson COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: None MINUTES: Motion by Alderman Kroll to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of August 4, 1998, as presented, seconded by Alderman Staudinger. Motion carried. CONSENT ITEMS: a. Clerk/Treasurer Financial Statements for the month of July. b. Correspondence Nancy Hollingshead Laurel Public Schools M.M.I.A. U. S. Department of Agriculture Yellowstone Heritage Partnership 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 Orr. Motion carried. SCHEDULED MATTERS: a. Confirmation of Appointments. Ambulance Reserves: Mayor Rodgers appointed Dan Koch~ Jr. and Ron Stanford to the Ambulance Reserves, effective March 1998. Motion by Alderman Kroll to confirm the appointments of Dan Koch, Jr. and Ron Stanford to the Ambulance Reserves, effective March 1998, seconded by Alderman Olson. Motion carried. b. Committee Reports. --Budget/Finance Committee minutes of August 4, 1998 were presented. --City Council Conunittee of the Whole minutes of August 4, 1998 were presented. --City-County Planning, Board minutes of August 13, 1998 were presented. --Police Committee minutes of August 8, 1998 were presented. --Public Utilities Committee minutes of August 10, 1998 were presented. Motion by Alderman Johnson to enter the committee minutes into the record, seconded by Alderman Orr. Motion carried. Council Minutes of August 18, 1998 c. Home Occupation: Marcy Buster - Medical Billing Service. Marcy Buster, 2830 North Ramshorn, is requesting approval for a home occupation for a Medical Billing Service. Since she lives outside of the city limits, she does not need a business license. She has sixteen years of management experience and has recently completed a correspondence course for a medical billing specialist. There will be no traffic to her home as it will all be done electronically or she will pick up the paperwork. Cat Cumin stated that he recommended approval based on conditions of the application which states that there would be no traffic to the house. Motion bv Alderman Johnson to grant approval to Marcy Buster for a home occupation, seconded by Alderman Orr. Motion carried. Public Hearing on Sturman zone change - 1009 U.S. Highway 10. Planning Board recommends approval. This being the time and place advertised, a public hearing was held. Linda Sturman said that they are purchasing the house and have applied for a zone change in order to receive approval for their loan. If the house would be 49 percent or morn destroyed, it could not be rebuilt on the present site. There were no opponents present. Motion by Aldernmn Walton to close the public hearing on the Sturman zone change, seconded by Alderman Johnson. Motion carried. Motion by Alderman Johnson to approve the Sturman zone change, seconded by Alderman Walton. Motion carried. Resolution Relating to the Water System and $5,250,000 Revenue Bond (DNRC Drinking Water Revolving Loan Program), Series 1998; Creating Special Funds and Accounts for the Administration of Money Derived Therefrom and Authorizing the Issuance and Sale and Defining the Terms and the Mmmer of Payment of Such Bond. RESOLUTION NO. R98-47 RESOLUTION RELATING TO THE WATER SYSTEM AND $5,250,000 REVENUE BOND (DNRC DRINKING WATER REVOLVING LOAN PROGRAM), SERIES 1998; CREATING SPECIAL FUNDS AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF MONEY DERIVED THEREFROM AND AUTHORIZING THE 1SSUANCE AND SALE AND DEFINING THE TERMS AND THE MANNER OF PAYMENT OF SUCH BOND. Motion bv Aldennan Johnson that Resolution R98-47 be passed and adopted, seconded by Alderman Olson. Motion carried. An Ordinance of the City of Laurel, Montana, Electing to Participate in the Municipal Police Officer's Retirement System (Statewide Plan) Under Section 19-9-207, M.C.A., and Repealing All Other Ordinances and Pans of Ordinances, or Code Sections in Conflict Herewith and Providing for the Effective Date of this Ordinance. ORDINANCE NO. O98-3 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF LAUREL, MONTANA, ELECTING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MUNICIPAL POLICE OFFICER'S RETIREMENT SYSTEM (STATEWIDE PLAN) UNDER SECTION 19-9-207, M.C.A., AND REPEALING ALL OTHER ORDINANCES AND PARTS OF ORDINANCES, OR CODE SECTIONS IN CONFLICT HEREWITH AND PROVIDING FOR THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS ORDINANCE. The public hearing for Ordinance O98-3 will be held at the council meeting on September 1, 1998. Alderman Johnson mentioned that the Police Department looked very closely at their options during the budget process and chose this particular one. He said that it could affect the future of the Police Council Minutes of August 18, 1998 Department in that we may be able to hold officers for a longer time period because of the 20-year retirement plan instead of the current 30-year plan. Bud thinks this would have a positive, long- reaching effect. Mike Zuhoski explained that this plan is only for the police officers and the conm~unications officers would continue under the current plan. Motion by Alderman Kroll to approve Ordinance No. O98-3, seconded by Alderman Johnson. A roll call vote was taken on the motion to approve Ordinance No. 098-3. All eight aldermen voted aye. Motion carried. g. Final approval for Drug Dog Program. Police Committee recommends approval. Motion bv Alderman Johnson to approve the Drug Dog Program through the end of the fiscal year on June 30, 1999, and to be used at the discretion of the Laurel Police Department, seconded by Alderman Kroll. Norm Orr said that he understood at the committee meeting that the Drug Dog Program was to be established on a permanent basis and not on a time frame. Bill Staudinger said that his motion at the Police Committee meeting was for it to be a permanent program. Miles questioned whether or not the drug dog has been used very much in the last few months. He feels that the drug dog needs to be used regularly in Laurel. Officer Mike Zuhoski explained that Travis Pitts has recently been working as a Field Training Officer to train Jason Wells. The drug dog has been very active and has been used in several major cases. With the council's approval, Officer Pitts will begin using the drug dog this weekend after a platform is built in the police car. Last year there was some miscommunication about using the drug dog in the schools. Captain Musson recently had a meeting with the school administration to work out the details regarding the use of the drug dog in the high school and the middle school. The dog has been used on an on-call basis in the past, but will now be used regularly. The costs for the dog are very minimal and Mike is confident that the Drug Dog Program can easily be supported. Miles said that he would like to see active use of the drug dog in our efforts to end the drug problem in the City of Laurel. Bill stated that he is strongly in favor of using this dog in the Drug Dog Program. A roll call vote was taken on the motion to approve the Drug Dog Program through the end of the fiscal year on June 30, 1999 and to be used at the discretion of the Laurel Police Department. Aldermen Kroll, Olson, Easton, Temple and Johnson voted aye. Aldermen Staudinger, Walton and Orr voted nay. Motion carried. Approve Change Order No. 3 on the water storage tanks, for the replacement of the overflow on the 1.5 million-gallon concrete tank and for installation of rain gutters on the new tank cover, in the amount of $ 7,414.38. Motion by Alderman Kroll to approve Change Order No. 3, seconded by Alderman Johnson. Motion carried. UN SCHEDULED MATTERS: Mayor Rodgers reported that he hired Mike Ludwig as Maintenance I, effective August 17, 1998. Mayor Rodgers reported that he hired Duke Nieskens as the Utility Plant Superintendent, effective September 14, 1998. The mayor asked the council for their opinions regarding the letter Cat Camin drafted to send to the Montana Department of Transportation. During the pre-council meeting, Cal explained that he had received a letter regarding planned modifications in the CTEP enhancement funds program. He feels strongly that the old policies should remain in effect. Miles agreed with Cal that the CTEP projects can be extremely difficuk to administer and that the current process should not be changed. Council Minutes of August 18, 1998 Mayor Rodgers, A1 McMillan and Joe Leckie are working on a resolution to address the drug and alcohol problem in Laurel. The Laurel School Board will consider the resolution at their August 24th meeting. The council will possibly review it at the September 1st meeting. The mayor said that a core group needs to be started for people who would be interested in serving on a drug and alcohol committee. There being no further business to come before the council at this time, the meeting was adjourned at 7:37p.m. Cindy Alien, ~ecretary Approved by the Mayor and passed by the City Council of the City of Laurel, Montana, this 1st day of September, 1998. Charles Rodgers, Mayor Attest: Donald L. Hackmann, Clerk-Treasurer 4