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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Minutes 03.16.1982Minutes of the City CounCil of Laurel March 16, 1982 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 Albert Ehrlick at 7:00 p.m., on March 16, 1982. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Lonnie Kellogg Marvin Carter Duane Behm Donald MeYers none Bill Brennan Susan Carter Bob Gauthier of March 2, 1982, as presented, CORRESPONDENCE: Letter from T. Curtis McKenzie~ City Engineer, stating that March Blst will be his last day of work. Received a letter and a summary of the Energy Audit at the PAP Complex which was completed by Richard S. Christian, AIA. Received a letter from Federal Emergency Management Agency regarding the flood insurance study and that there is now a 90-day appeal period and this will be advertised in the Laurel Outlook~ Appeals of the proposed base flood elevations shall be based only upon scientific and technical evidence contrary to that of the FEMA study. Received the minutes of the meeting of the Interlocal Cooperation Commis- sion of February 24 and March 3, 1982. Received the activity report for the month of February, 1982, from the Yellowstone County Air Pollution Control Board. Received notification that the new flag Flying over City Hall was flown over the United States Capitol on February 18, 1982, at the request of the Honorable Ron Marlenee, member of Congress. This flag was flown for the Order of DeMolay, Laurel, Montana. A letter addressed to Mayor Albert Ehrlick from T. Curtis McKenzie, City Engineer, dated March 15~ 1982, stating his reasons for leaving the city was read. Motion by Alderman Meyers to accept T. Curtis McKenzie's resignation effective March Bi, 1982, seconded by Alderman Brennan. Carried. Since Dick Metzger's resignation letter had not been acted upon, the Mayor entertained a motion to do so at this time. Motion by Alderman Meyers to accept Dick Metzger's resignation effective March B1, 1982, seconded by Alderman Kellogg. Carried. CITY CLERK'S AND CITY TREASURER'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS: The City Clerk's and City Treasurer's Financial Statements for the month of February were presented for review and approval. Motion by Alderman Marvin Carter that the City Clerk's and City Treasurer's report be approved as presented, seconded by Alderwoman Carter. Carried. DAVE GORTON - YELLOWSTONE COUNTY COMMISSIONER--COUNTY JAIL: It is obvious to me and my fellow commissioners that the jail is too small and we need to do a great deal of work on it. As you know we have a trial beginning March 29th in Federal of the regular meeting seconded by Alderwoman Sue Carter. Carried. COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: INVOCATION: Invocation given by Reverend Whanger. MINUTES: Motion by Alderman M~y. ers. to approve the minutes page 2 Minutes of the City Council of Laurel Court on the issue. Mr. Gorton asked that the City Council join the County Commissioners, the City of Billings and the town of Broadview in executing a joint resolution in support of a 2.2 million dollar bond issue election to correct the problems in the jail. This would be taking the 7th floor of the courthouse, which is unfinished and unoccupied, and turning it into a minimum security jail, taking the 8th floor, which is currently maximum security, and modifying it, by putting in adequate ventiIation and some other minor changes. The alternative is a new facility and land acquisition, which would run in the neighborhood of 9--10 million dollars. I appear here tonight to ask your consideration of the resolution. I really feel that of the various alternatives available to us, this is the best, most feasible and the one that can be aecomplished in the least amount of time. What this does is put you.on record supporting the concept of utilizing the 7th floor for additional jail and supporting the election in November, 1982, if signatures are seeured. What we antieipate doing is securing the support of various elected bodies, first of all, then going forward with the petition drive beginning April 1st. That has to be aceomplished within 90 days. SO we only have three months within which to secure approximately 10,000 signatures to place the issue on the ballot. The current jail eapacity is 62. Since the time that it was built in 1961, things have changed in terms of how you segregate prisoners. It's almost impos- sible to get 62 in the jail and segregate them properly. By segregation meaning felons from misdemeanors, men from women~ juveniles from adults~ and pretrial from convictions. This plan does not do anything physically to the bunking arrangements on the 8th floor. It will remain at 62 capacity. It will add an additional 84 on 7th. In the~past two weeks we have had as many as 95 prisoners in the jail at one time, and a year ago we were in excess of 100. Discussion. RESOLUTION NO. 1899 A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE COUNTY-WIDE BOND ISSUE PETITION DRIVE FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE YELLOWSTONE COUNTY JAIL. Motion by. Alderman Mar~in Carter that Resolution No. 1899 be passed and adopted, seconded by Alderman Brennan. Motion passed 6--1, with Alderman Kellogg voting, "NO." TOM ALBERT~ CPA -- 1980-81 AUDIT: Mr. Albert presented the completed audit for fiscal year ending June 30, 1981, and reviewed the exceptions on pages 23, 24, and 25. The main discussion centered around exception no. 5 regarding Revenue Sharing money used on SID No. 106. He said the city was in pretty good shape--better than 6--7 years ago. Motion by Alderman Kellogg to accept the 1980-81 audit report, seconded by Alderman Meyers. Carried. REPLACEMENT FOR ALDERMAN FINK: Four letters were received expressing an interest in the vacant council seat in Ward I as follows: Robert Weatherford 411 Cedar Ave. Grant Lawyer 202 5th Ave. Robert W. Harris 320 Forrest Ave. Henry Kaiser 602 West 1st Street page 3 Minutes of the City CounCil of Laurel Joe Bradley said that the only guidelines set up were that it takes a majority vote of the council, which would be four votes in this case. Discussion. Motion by Alderman Brennan to set up a committee consisting of Lonnie Kellogg from Ward I, Council President Sue Carter and Council Vice President Don Meyers to review the four letters submitted and to select two candidates and then have an election by the entire council, seconded by Alderman Qauthier. Upon a roll call vote the motion was defeated 4--3 as follows: Alderman Brennan - yes Alderman Marvin Carter no Alderman.Gauthier~ yes Alderman Behm no Alderwoman Sue Carter no Alderman Meyers - no Alderman Kellogg - yes Discussion. Motion by Alderman Marvin Carter to hold the election tonight by secret ballot, seconded by Alderman Meyers. Carried. The tally on the first ballot was as follows: Harris 3 Lawver 1 Weatherford 2 Kaiser 1 Since there was not a majority vote, a run-off election was held between the top two candidates. The second ballot was as follows: Harris 4 Weatherford 3 Motion by Alderman Marvin Carter that the City Council accept Rob Harris to fill the remainder of Terry Fink's term on the City Council, seconded by Alderman Brennan. Upon a roll call vote, all aldermen present voted,"Yes," except Alderman Gauthier who voted~ "No." Motion carried 6--1. Donald Meyers was appointed as Chairman of the Park and Recreation Committee and Rob Harris is to assume all of Terry Fink's other duties. LONNIE KELLOGG - PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMITTEE: Discussion centered on the needed repair of the water reservoir; $50,000 has been budgeted, and the committee recommends that Dave Michael be given authority to do the "take down" of the city water reservoir approximately May 1st, so contractor can look at in preparation of bids. Discussion. Motion by Alderman Behm to give Dave Michael authority to put out the call for bids on repairing of the water reservoir, seconded by Alderman Meyers. Carried] Motion by Alderman .Kellogg to enter into the record the Public Utilities Committee minutes of March 9, 1982, seconded by Alderman Meyers. Carried. LARRY DeNAEYER - REQUEST FOR HOME OCCUPATION DESIGNATION: Larry DeNaeyer was not present. Motion by Alderman Behm to accept the Planning Board's recommendation that the petition for a home occupation designation be denied, seconded by Alderman Marvin Carter. Carried. page MinUtes of the City Council of Laurel BUDGET/FINANCE COMMITTEE and CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE AS A WHOLE: Motion by Alderman Gauthier to enter into the record the minutes of the Budget/Finance Committee meeting of March 2, 1982, and the minutes of the City Council Committee as a Whole meeting of March B, 1982, seconded by Alderwoman Sue Carter. Carried. DAVE MICHAEL: Reported that the cost of alum, which is a chemical used to treat dirty water, increased in price from $225 a ton last year to $270 a ton in 1982. The old ~imer's club in Firemen's Park is having sewer problems. They are able to buy the pipe, but permission from the City Council is requested to dig through the park and for use of the backhoe and a man to operate it. Volunteer labor will be used to lay the pipe. Discussion. Motion by Alderman Meyers to give Dick Metzger authority to assist in the best possible way he d~termines, seconded by Alderman Kellogg. Carried. Dave also reported that he went to Livingston last Wednesday and looked at their new sewer.plant, which will be similar to the one we will have built. Pictures were taken for the council to look at after the meeting tonight. MAYOR'S COMMENTS: Mayor Ehrlick reported that we only have three or four Laurel Municipal Code books left out of the 15 originally printed several years ago. Larry Herman has one, but he claims it is his own, plus he also has a tape recorder which belongs to the city. The code books that Pat and Don have are the only two current ones at this time. Mayor Ehrlick suggested that when someone takes a code book, they should sign for it. Discussion. Motion by Alderman Marvin Carter to update three more copies of the code and to budget for a legal intern for recodification of the Laurel Municipal Code, seconded by Alderman Kellogg. Motion carried 6--1 with Alderman Gauthier voting, ,No.~~ Alderwoman Sue Carter requested permission to leave the state. Motion by Alderman Marvin Carter to grant Sue Carter permission to ieave the state, seconded by Alderman Behm. Carried. It was announced that the Personnel Committee will meet Thursday, March 18, 1982, at 7:00 a.m., to review job descriptions for the City Engineer and Main- tenance Director. Alderman Marvin Carter thanked Dick Metzger and Curt McKenzie for their service to the city. Dick has spent many many years with the city, and he has done an excellent job. This was also seconded by Don Meyers and was the general consensus of the council. Alderwoman Sue Carter thanked Curt McKenzie, City Engineer, for his service to the city. He has given os a lot and has gone through a lot of growing pains. MIKE BLOOM: Presented the activity breakdown of the police department for January and February. Next month he will have a synopsis of the activity from the summer of 1979 through the current month. Mr. Bloom also informed the council that angle parking has been eliminated by the grain elevators and this will be enforced as well as all parking areas in town that are posted. page S Minutes of the City Council of Laurel There being no further business to co~q~q~before the council at this time, the meeting was adjourned at 8:38 p.m. ~ 1 ~ ~. y'~ Donald L. ~n, City Clerk Approved by the Mayor and passed by the City Council of the City of Laurel, Montana, this 6th day of April, 1982. ATTEST: