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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Workshop Minutes 11.13.2012MINUTES COUNCIL WORKSHOP NOVEMBER 13, 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 November 13, 2012. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: x Emelie Eaton x Bruce McGee x Scot Stokes Tom Nelson _x Doug Poehls _x Mark Mace _ Chuck Dickerson X Bill Mountsier OTHERS PRESENT: Heidi Jensen Jan Faught 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: • Appointments: o Laurel Ambulance Service: Michelle Tristan and Taylor Faught Ambulance Director Jan Faught introduced Michelle Tristan and Taylor Faught, who recently completed an EMT class and have their National Registry Certifications and State of Montana license. The appointments will be on the November 20` council agenda. Executive Review: • Resolution — Engagement Letter with Dorsey & Whitney for refinance of water and sewer loans Heidi Jensen explained the resolution for an Engagement Letter with Dorsey & Whitney for the refinance of the water and sewer loans. Dorsey & Whitney is the city's bond counsel and the fee for completion of the process is $10,000. The clerk/treasurer recently distributed a spreadsheet showing the amount of money that would be saved by refinancing the loans. The figures did not include the Dorsey & Whitney's $10,000 fee for bond counsel. The interest rate reduction would be on the sewer loans, which are being refinanced and were not paid off. Some of the water loans were recently paid off and some will be refinanced. Approximately $321,000 of savings will be realized over the lifetime of the water loans that were paid off. • Resolution — Water System Revenue Bonds • Resolution — Sewer System Revenue Bonds Council Workshop Minutes of November 13, 2012 Heidi explained that the two resolutions are for the water and sewer loan bonds. The certificates authorize the mayor to sign for the refinancing of the sewer loans and the refinancing of the water loans, and the individual documents address each loan. Other items • Lease Task Force Update Mayor Olson stated that the lease task force members asked if the item could be a permanent item of discussion at workshops for the foreseeable future. In Tom's absence, Mayor Olson asked Bruce to present the update regarding the lease task force. Bruce spoke regarding the headway with the leases at Riverside Park pertaining to the shooting organizations that use the park and the change in direction from the council concerning the sunset period for shooting. He stated that he needed to bring a couple things to the council's attention and mentioned the need to provide the minutes and have discussion in a timely manner to get the council's direction. Bruce stated that the shooting organizations are aware of council's desire for a sunset clause. The club is working with the National Rifle Association to get a concept for a safe and secure shooting facility. They are also working on getting bids and costs for fencing the range. The next step would be to see if the city's sunset period and the total expenses coincide. Bruce stated that two other issues have come to his attention. One issue is that, with a sunset period, the council needs to decide how to address the lead that has been deposited in the bank throughout the years. The second issue is the situation with the police shooting range, which needs improvement. He questioned whether, if shooting is allowed in the park, there could be terms of use so the police department could also shoot on city land. These items will be discussed at future task force meetings. There was discussion regarding the police department using Riverside Park for practice shooting, the issues with the organizations that had leases, the past decision for the police department to use a different facility, and the issues involved in the use of the public shooting facility. There was further discussion regarding the need and timeframe for the sunset clause, the need to know the costs for fencing, the city's liability coverage with MMIA, the need for this council to address the shooting issues and finalize leases with the clubs, the various clubs in Riverside Park that need leases, the suggestion that a sunset clause needs to apply to all of the clubs, the explanation that the sunset clause applies to shooting and not to use of the buildings, the fact that the city's liability lies with the shooting aspects of the leases, and the status of the flooded buildings in Riverside Park. Heidi stated that the 2012 -2013 budget includes funding for repairs to the Rod and Gun Club and the caretaker's residence. However, in discussion with the public works director, they thought it might not be in the city's best interests to spend the money until there is a definitive answer from FEMA as to when the bank will be restored. If the bank is still unstable and subject to flooding, the buildings in the lowest part of the park could be flooded again. It could be a vicious repair cycle, so the repairs have been delayed indefinitely. Mayor Olson stated that the organizations should be informed of that, as it would not pay for the city to use taxpayer dollars if the investment cannot be protected. Mayor Olson spoke regarding the issue of utilization of parks, the challenges of a small community with limited resources for parks, the challenges for the council to strive to find the best way to make 2 Council Workshop Minutes of November 13, 2012 the resources stretch, and that the only way to best utilize the taxpayer dollar and the city's resources of land and buildings is to ensure that the process around those assets allow everyone an equal opportunity for enjoyment. That will be one of the challenges for the task force, as restraints and conditions from the council are needed for the clubs so every person can use the park. Review of the draft council agenda for November 20 2012 The agenda will be as stated. Attendance at the November 20, 2012 council meeting All council members present will attend. Announcements Bruce asked for an update on the police union negotiations. Heidi explained that the negotiations with the 303 union went to mediation, but the mediation did not result in a consensus between the administration and the union. At the request of the police union, there will be a second mediation. The police union has asked the state for another mediator, as the first mediator was new and not totally familiar with Montana law. Bruce asked if a council member from Budget/Finance sits in the negotiations. Heidi stated that the clerk/treasurer sits in the negotiations and provides the cost figures for the city. The Budget/Finance Committee receives updates on the union negotiations and the council will review the final decision of the mediation. Bruce requested further discussion regarding annexations at the next council workshop. Emelie asked regarding the location of the training scheduled in Big Timber on Thursday. The location will be determined and someone will let her know tomorrow. Mayor Olson asked Heidi to report on today's conference call with FEMA. Heidi stated that there are a lot of different players on these calls because of Hurricane Sandy, so the first few minutes of every call seem to be an update. Today's phone call focused primarily on the three project worksheets. The first project worksheet, which has been written, is for the sediment removal. The second project worksheet, which needs to be written, is for the permanent bank stabilization and includes the boat ramp. The third project worksheet is for the emergency work that the city has done. The first project worksheet is in process. The second project worksheet is not in process because work is still being done with Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the pipeline companies to ensure that the pipelines where the ramp would be located near are abandoned. Great West Engineering is working with Williston Basin Interstate Pipeline Company to ensure that the pipes will either be removed or that they are dead lines. The third project worksheet is the emergency work that was done in August and September that the city is having a difficult time getting the Army Corps to permit. FEMA will not consider writing a project worksheet unless some sort of permit is issued from the Army Corps. The phone call also dealt with the FEMA flood maps known as a CLOMAR, a Conditional Letter of Map Revision, and a LOMAR, a Letter of Map Revision. If the base flood elevation (the elevation in which a building can sit in a floodplain) is increased by anything over an inch, the maps have to be redone. The bank stabilization project will increase the base flood elevation Council Workshop Minutes of November 13, 2012 more than an inch, so the city is going through the federal process of updating the maps. Ryan Holm of Great West Engineering is working with FEMA to prepare the first application of the CLOMAR (Conditional Letter of Map Revision). The next phone call is scheduled on November 27 at 2:00 p.m. There was a question regarding the Army Corps' problem with issuing the permit. Heidi explained that the Army Corps was not happy that the city entered the river without permits. However, the work that was done probably would not have been permitted, and the material will be removed once a permanent solution is established. The city proceeded within state guidelines within the federal FEMA guidelines, but federal Army Corps is under a different set of rules. Mayor Olson stated that the process has been moving quicker lately than it was two months ago. The council workshop adjourned at 7:27 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. 4