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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Workshop Minutes 02.14.2012 MINUTES COUNCIL WORKSHOP FEBRUARY 14, 2012 6:30 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS A Council Workshop was held in the Council Chambers and called to order by Mayor Ken Olson at 6:30 p.m. on February 14, 2012. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Emelie Eaton _x_ Doug Poehls x Bruce McGee x Mark Mace x Scot Stokes x Chuck Dickerson Tom Nelson x Norm Stamper OTHERS PRESENT: Heidi Jensen Public Input (three - minute limit): Citizens may address the Council regarding any item of City business not on the agenda. The duration for an individual speaking under Public Input is limited to three minutes. While all comments are welcome, the Council will not take action on any item not on the agenda. There was no public input. General items There were none. Executive Review: • Resolution — Approve Local 316 Union Contract Heidi stated that the first item was a resolution approving a three -year agreement between the city and the Local 316 Union, which is the Public Works Union. The council's packets included a copy of the contract that the city's negotiating team and the Union agreed on. The city and the union went to mediation over the contract, and Heidi explained the following nine points that were agreed upon to end the mediation last October. First, the three -year contract includes a $.25 raise for the first year, $.25 raise for the second year, and a two (2) percent raise for the third year. The second thing negotiated was that pay would be retroactive to July 1, 2011, which is when the previous contract expired. Third, the union asked for additional personal leave and the City did not wish to grant that. Fourth, there would be no increase to the Utility Maintenance Worker II's base wage to equal the Water Plant Operator II's base wage. Fifth, there would be no increase to the Utility Maintenance Worker III's base wage to equal to the Water Plant Chief Operator base wage. Sixth, a relief operator would be added to the contract in Addendum B #7. This states that, if the relief worker is working as the operator of the plant, they would receive the wage of the operator. Seventh, the city's one -year probationary period would continue. Eighth, a number of grammar and spelling errors in the document were corrected. Ninth, the addition of $.15 per hour for the first license to meet the current position requirements. A DEQ training program was added in Addendum E. A lot of city employees that are reaching the 30 -year mark hold operator licenses for the water and sewer plants. The city wanted to have an incentive for Council Workshop Minutes of February 14, 2012 employees to join a training program so that licenses would be kept up -to -date in order to smoothly transition new people as employees retire. • Resolution — Lease with American Legion for shed at the Laurel Cemetery Heidi explained the resolution for approval of a lease agreement between the city and the American Legion providing for use of the city -owned storage shed at the cemetery. Article I, Purpose of Lease, ensures that no supplies would be given to the American Legion for placement of headstones or any other volunteers that work at the cemetery. It would be a liability for the city to provide them with equipment that could result in an injury and they would not be directly covered under the city's MMIA insurance. The term of the lease is for five years. Other items There were no other items. Review of draft council agenda for February 21, 2012 • Public Hearing: o Ordinance No. 012 -01: An ordinance amending Chapter 18.02 of the Laurel Municipal Code relating to the composition of the Laurel Urban Renewal Agency. (First reading — February 7, 2012) Attendance at the February 21, 2012 council meeting All council members present will attend. Announcements Mark asked the council to read the Park Board minutes, as some action might be needed at the next Park Board meeting regarding the school superintendent's recent request. Bruce asked regarding a letter received recently about the speed zone change on East Railroad Street and whether the council voted to approve the speed limit change. Heidi stated that the council approved city staff to move forward with it. She will contact the city attorney tomorrow to make sure the city is complying with the state law with the designations for arterials and streets. Mayor Olson will respond to the person that wrote the letter. Mayor asked Heidi for an update on the levee. Heidi stated that the city has run into a couple of obstacles in the last four days. On Friday afternoon, Shannon Johnson from the Army Corps e- mailed that she wanted to meet with the city on Monday, which is fast timing for the Army Corps. Five minutes later, Heidi got an e -mail from Great West Engineering with some information about what the Army Corps was saying about the permit and their unwillingness to grant approval as written. Great West came down to the meeting with the Army Corps on Monday. The Army Corps is struggling with approving our 404 Permit, which is the big permit to get the levee rebuilt, because the intake is not directly threatened. The application states that, as the river continues to migrate south, it will become an imminent threat. But since it is working right now, Shannon does not see the imminent need to approve the 404 Permit. On January 30 the city had a problem with the intake. The water is so shallow where the intake currently is that 2 Council Workshop Minutes of February 14, 2012 ice is forming over the top of the lids. The city was not able to draw in enough water to keep the refinery on raw water and had to move them over to processed city water, which is a great expense for them. The city does not like to do that because it lowers the reserves and the ability to keep the reservoir full. Heidi stated that it is really a lose /lose situation for the city and the refinery. The comment period closes on February 21 and is followed by a 30 -day period in which the city can respond to any concerns that the Army Corps has. One of their concerns is going to be that the intake is not in imminent danger of creating a public health and safety hazard, but the city says that it is. The city will wait until February 21 to receive all of the comments. Some environmental groups that are active on the Yellowstone will have things to say about the application. The city will have 30 days to respond, but we do not want to wait that long as every day is one more day out of the construction season. The city will then simultaneously apply for a 404 Permit with the DEQ. The application fee will be 1 percent of the total cost of the project to rebuild the levee. The city does not want to apply unless the Army Corps is going to grant the 404 Permit with them, as the city would lose almost $10,000 on the permit for DEQ. It is unknown as to how quickly this will be done. The city finally has a FEMA contact regarding the $1.9 million. The review left Washington and is now in the Denver office. The contact, Gary Tubach, has requested information as to what the levee used to look like at any date. Heidi requested any photos of what the levee used to look like. There was discussion regarding possibilities to find pictures of the levee. It was suggested that Heidi check with Peaks to Prairie, Stateline Construction, and the Yellowstone planner. Heidi stated that the levee is a registered historical structure, along with the buildings at Riverside Park. If needed, she could go to Helena and look through the state's historical boxes for more information. There was further discussion regarding the construction of weirs in the river in the past in order to have water in the intake, the fact that it is too late for anything to be done before spring runoff this year, and the need to contact the highway department and the railroad to remove their bridges that are causing the problem. Heidi stated that the city has contacted the highway department and the railroad. The MDT bridge is being eaten away, their riprap is going and their fabric underneath is exposed. Heidi mentioned that everything seems to be reactive and there is no proactive approach, which she explained to the Army Corps representative on Monday. The City of Laurel is trying to get ahead of the runoff and future issues, but they want the city to be behind and always reacting to the worst possible situation. The council workshop adjourned at 6:53 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Cindy Allen Council Secretary NOTE: This meeting is open to the public. This meeting is for information and discussion of the Council for the listed workshop agenda items. 3