HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Minutes 05.19.1981Minutes of the City Council of Laurel
May 19, 1981
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 Larry D.
Herman, at 7:00 p.m., on May 19, 198i.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Albert Ehrlick
Harold Burns
Donald Meyers
Bill Brennan
Susan Carter
Terry Fink
Ervin Metzger
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Duane Behm
INVOCATION: Invocation given by Reverend Whanger.
MINUTES: Minutes of the regular meeting of May 5, 1981, approved as
presented.
CORRESPONDENCE: none
CITY CLERK'S AND CITY TREASURER'S FINANCIAL STATEMENT: City Clerk's and
City Treasurer's Financial Statements for the month of April were presented
for review and approval.
Motion by Alderman Metzger to approve the City Clerk's and City
Treasurer's April Financial Statements as presented, seconded by Alderwoman
Carter. Carried.
ORDINANCE NO. 691 {second reading)
BEING AN ORDINANCE REPEALING TITLE 14, CHAPTER 14.04,
SECTIONS 14.04.010 THROUGH 14.04.070 OF THE REVISED
ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF LAUREL, MONTANA.
Motion by Alderman Fink that Ordinance No. 691 be passed and adopted,
seconded by Alderman Ehrlick. Upon taking a roll call vote, all aldermen
present voted "yes."
ERVIN METZGER ~ BUDGET COMMITTEE: Alderman Metzger presented and reviewed
the Budget Committee minutes of May 6, 11, 12, and 18. With no objections
from the Council, the minutes were entered into the record.
TOM BRADLEY - SID ORDINANCES: Larry has prepared two proposed ordinances
regarding SIDs. It gives the City more control over the SID district.
In the past, the property owner went out and picked the engineer and either
the property owner or the engineer picked the attorney. As a consequence,
we have no real control over the district because they own their alle-
gience to the property owner and all we were supposed to do is routinely
approve what they did, and we have had some bad luck on SIDs.
One ordinance is to give the Mayor authority, with the City Council's
approval, to appoint the engineer for the district. If there is some
engineer ~hat We think has done a bad job in the past, we do not have
to give him the district.
The other ordinance is that the Mayor, with the approval of the City
Council, will appoint the attorney for the district. The attorney could
also be the City Attorney and the Council will control the compensation.
Such compensation shall not exceed 5% of the first $50,000 of the district's
bond issue, and 2% in excess of the $50,000, except that it shall not be
less than $1,000. This is less than what has been charged in the past.
page 2 Minutes of the City Council of Laurel
So with these two proposed ordinances, you will have more control
over the key personnel in the SID districts.
Mayor Herman - My concern, as you know, is that we have had developers
come up with their own attorney and engineer and both ordinances spell
out the duties, more so than what we have had in the past.
ORDINANCE NO. 692 (first reading)
ATTORNEY FOR SPECIAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS
Motion by Alderman Meyers that Ordinance No. 692 be passed and
seconded by Alderwoman Carter. (Second reading will be June 2,
adopted,
1981.)
ORDINANCE NO. 693 (first reading)
ENGINEER FOR SPECIAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS
Motion by Alderman Metzger. that Ordinance No. 693 be passed and
adopted, seconded by Alderman Ehrliek. {Second reading will be June 2,
1981.}
CURT McKENZIE - PROPOSED SID: We ran through a cost estimate some time
ago and it was 20.61¢ per square.foot. Since then there was a price in-
crease in the asphalt of about 40% and the new estimate is 26.37~ per
square foot. This morning I checked with a contractor and he indicated
that it could possibly still be done for the old estimated prices.
We have about 77% of the people in the district which have signed
petitions, some portions we have had 100%. The Mayor pointed out that
when the bids are in excess of the engineer's estimate, it automatically
kills the district. It can be bid out again within two years.
Tom Bradley pointed out that it takes more than 50% of the property
owners, or area, to protest and defeat the proposed SID.
Someone from the audience mentioned that they expect protestors
from 8th Avenue.
Curt pointed out that 8th Avenue will have a 3" layer of asphalt and
that the County was going to participate in approximately 3½ blocks on
this street.
The Mayor mentioned that we are doing something that we should not
be doing from the City, and that is we are going to provide some money
out of the General Fund; but, technically, the district is supposed to
pay for everything. But because we do want to get it going, we are going
to provide $43,000 worth of gravel. What is happening, you people in the
district are going to get something done which the rest of the City might
yell about.
The Mayor also mentioned that the $400,000 HUD grant we were working
on was not approved for the City of Laurel. It went to Black Eagle.
A~question was asked, "Where do we go from here?"
The Mayor informed the people that since you have shown an interest
to the Council, and they have directed the City Attorney to prepare the
resolution to create the district, then there will be notices sent out to
the property owners by regular mail~ then a hearing, awarding the contracts
and issuing the bonds. You are looking at a time table of 60--90 days.
page 3 Minutes of the City Council of Laurel
SUE CARTER - PERSONNEL MEETING: Alderwoman Carter requested a special
closed meeting immediately foilowing the regular Council meeting.
John MacMartin has presented an ordinance from the Planning Board
regarding the amendment of zoning requirements.
ORDINANCE NO. 694 (first reading)
AMENDING CHAPTER 17 OF THE LAUREL MUNICIPAL CODE.
Motion by Alderman Ehrlick that Ordinance No. 694 be passed and
adopted, seconded by Alderman Meyers. (Second reading will be June 2,
1981.)
MAYOR'S COMMENTS: Reported on the May 14th meeting put on by the League
of Cities and Towns.
There was a question from the audience regarding having a driver
examiner come to Laurel to give driving tests for motorcycles. The
person was informed that he would have to contact the highway patrol
about the matter.
A comment was made that the storm sewer worked well during the last
rain we had.
Alderman Metzger asked Tom Bradley about the garbage protest payments
which have been made the past several months, and wanted to know how long
we have to keep it separated from other garbage money.
Tom indicated he would look it up and let the City Clerk know tomorrow.
There being no further business to come before the Council at this
time, the meeting was adjourned at, p.m. ~ ~.,
'Donald . Hackmann, C-~-~ C~
Approved by the Mayor and passed by the City Council of the City of
Laurel, Montana, this 2nd day of June, 1981.
ATTEST: ~
Donald L. Hackmann, City Clerk