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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Minutes 12.19.2000 MINUTF. S OF THF. CITY COUNCIL OF LAUREL December 19, 2000 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 December 19, 2000. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Lauren Van Roekel Gary Temple Ken Olson Daniel Dart Gay Easton Bud Johnson Bill Staudinger COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Mark Mace Mayor Rodgers asked the council to observe a moment of silence in behalf of the family of Miranda Fenner. Mayor Rodgers welcomed Boy Scout Troop 370 to the council meeting. The young men observed the meeting in order to earn a merit badge. MINUTES: Motion by Alderman Olson to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of December 5, 2000, as presented, seconded by Alderman Staudinger. Motion carried 7-0. CORRESPONDENCE: a. Montana Fair Housing information. b. Yellowstone County Air Pollution Control Board: Minutes of October 10, 2000; Activity Report for November 2000; Agenda for December 12, 2000. c. Cai Cumin: Letter of December 12, 2000, regarding preliminary plat of Amended Lot 2, Block 1, Entertainment Park Subdivision. d. Montana Department of Commerce: Information on potential changes for the Montana HOME Program. e. MMIA Newsletter: December 2000 Winter Issue. CONSENT ITEMS: a. Clerk/Treasurer Financial Statements for the month of November 2000. b. Receiving the Committee Reports into the Record. --Budget/Finance Committee minutes of November 20, 2000 were presented. --Emergency Services Committee minutes of November 27, 2000 were presented. --City Council Committee of the Whole minutes of December 5, 2000 were presented. --City-County Planning Board minutes of December 7, 2000 were presented. --Public Works Committee minutes of December 11, 2000 were presented. c. Resolutions. 1) Resolution No. R00-83: Amending the contract amount of Resolution No. R00-76. Council Minutes of Deceraber 19, 2000 RESOLUTION NO. R00-83 AMENDING THE CONTRACT AMOUNT OF RESOLUTION NO. R00-76. 2) Resolution No. R00-84: City's water intake. An emergency declaration to maintain water to the RESOLUTION NO. R00-84 AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION TO MAINTAIN WATER TO THE CITY'S WATER INTAKE. 3) Resolution No. R00-85: A resolution amending a resolution of intent to increase the sewer rates to become effective February 10, 2001, and setting public hearing date. RESOLUTION NO. R00-85 A RESOLUTION AMENDING A RESOLUTION OF INTENT TO INCREASE THE SEWER RATES TO BECOME EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 10, 2001, AND SETTING PUBLIC HEARING DATE. 4) Resolution No. R00-86: Resolution for recertification by the Montana Department of Commerce Economic Development Division: Montana Certified Communities. RESOLUTION NO. R00-86 RESOLUTION FOR RECERTH?ICATION BY THE MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION: MONTANA CERTIEIED COMMUNITIES. 5) Resolution No. R00-87: Resolution accepting an agreement with Beartooth Resource, Conservation, & Development as the City's lead organization for the Certified Communities Program. RESOLUTION NO. R00-87 RESOLUTION ACCEPTING AN AGREEMENT WITH BEARTOOTH RESOURCE, CONSERVATION, & DEVELOPMENT AS THE CITY'S LEAD ORGANIZATION FOR THE CERTIFIED COMMUNITIES PROGRAM. The mayor asked if there was any separation of consent items. Alderman Easton separated item 5.b.5) out of the consent agenda. Item 5.b.5) became item 6.d. under scheduled matters. Motion by Alderman Johnson to approve the consent items as presented, seconded by Alderman Olson. Motion carried 7-0. SCHEDULED MATTERS: a. Confirmation of Appointments. Public Works Committee: Mayor Rodgers appointed Dan Mears to the Public Works Committee. Motion by Alderman Johnson to confirm the appointment of Dan Mears to the Public Works Committee, seconded by Alderman Temple. Motion carried 7-0. Council Minutes of December 19, 2000 b. Ordinance No, 000-6: An ordinance providing for the repeal of previous Ordinances No. 822 and No. 1080 and eliminates the creation of loading zones on Wyoming and Washington Avenues: First reading. ORDINANCE NO. 000-6 AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL OF PREVIOUS ORDINANCES NO. 822 AND NO. 1080 AND ELIMINATES THE CREATION OF LOADING ZONES ON WYOMING AND WASHINGTON AVENUES. Motion by Alderman Johnson to approve Ordinance No. 000-6, seconded by Alderman Temple. A roll call vote was taken on the motion to approve Ordinance No. 000-6. All seven aldermen present voted aye. Motion carried 7-0. The public hearing and second reading of Ordinance No. 000-6 will be held on January 2, 2001. Approval of the preliminary plat of Amended Lot 2, Block 1, Entertainment Park Subdivision. Cai Cumin introduced Ernie Dutton, the owner of this property, to explain the project. Ernie Dutton explained that Plum Building Systems has located in this lot. He was required to buy ten acres and is now ready to split the remaining five acres into three lots. The excess property would share a common entrance, with a second entrance available to the east. Landscaping and a sprinkler system were installed in this area as a requirement for the variance that was granted to allow Plum Building Systems to locate in this area. Cai Cumin stated that the Planning Board recommended approval of this subdivision with the condition that they meet the codes of the City of Laurel. Since everything done on these lots would have to be approved by the Building Department, a lot of restrictions were not specified. It was recommended that landscaping be included along the south side, which Mr. Dutton indicated he would be doing at the time of construction of this site. The Planning Board asked Mr. Dutton to make sure to keep the noxious weeds down, and he promised that he would. Cai asked that this would be included in the recommendation. Motion by Alderman Johnson to approve the preliminary plat of Amended Lot 2, Block 1, Entertainment Park Subdivision accommodating the recommendations of the City-County Planning Board, specifically noting noxious weeds, seconded by Alderman Olson. Motion carried 7-0. d. Public WOrks Committee minutes of December 11, 2000. Alderman Easton explained the recommendation of the Public Works Committee regarding the bus loading zone on Main Street. The situation has become a safety issue because vehicles are often parked in the loading zone when a bus arrives. The committee recommended that the Police Department should enforce the bus loading zone on a 24-hour basis by not allowing parking in the area at any time. Alderman Temple stated that it is fine to instruct the police officers to write tickets for violations, but the tickets needed to be enforced by the city judge and the court system in order to be effective. Chief Musson stated that this has been a long-term issue, but ~the officers are now trying to enforce the loading zone. Alderman Temple mentioned that the Public Works Committee clearly stated that the bus depot is responsible for snow removal in front of the depot and to the corner of the block. Alderman Easton asked ChiefMusson to enforce the loading zone and stated that the court system is a separate issue. Alderman Temple asked regarding the possibility of the mayor writing a letter to the court to require enforcement of tickets. Attorney Leckie stated that there is a separation of powers issue in regards to that. Mayor Rodgers stated that he would work with the police chief and the court system after the first of the year. Motion by Alderman Johnson to enter the Public Works Committee minutes of December 11, 2000, into the record, seconded by Alderman Temple. Motion carried 7-0. Council Minutes of December 19, 2000 UNSCHEDULED MATTERS: a. Council workshop. After discussion regarding possible dates for a workshop with Ken Weaver, the council agreed to schedule a workshop on Saturday, January 13, 2001. b. School resource officer. Aldermen Johnson and Dart volunteered to serve with two school board members and the mayor to locate a school resource officer. c. Person as Primary Point of Contact for Montana Certified Communities. Don Smarsh, Dynamic Designs, has agreed to be the Person as Primary Point of Contact for the Montana Certified Communities Program. Al Jones, Department of Commerce, presented this information at the December 5, 2000, council meeting. d. Recognition for Bruce Teeters. Mayor Rodgers presented Bruce Teeters with a plaque and thanked him for his ten years of service to the City of Laurel as a member of the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department. e. Recognition for Joe Leckie. Mayor Rodgers presented Joe Leckie with a plaque, and he thanked Mr. Leckie for an outstanding job during his years of service as City Attorney for the City of Laurel. f. Introduction of new City Attorney. Mayor Rodgers introduced and welcomed Matt Erekson as the new City Attorney. g. Support for the Renewable Resource Grant Proposal. Alderman Easton asked the council for their support regarding the presentation of the Ground-Water and Salinity Management Feasibility Analysis that was given during the Committee of the Whole meeting tonight. Mayor Rodgers stated that the council supports this proposal and would pass a resolution of support for this legislation. h. Season's greetings from Mayor Rodgers. Mayor Rodgers thanked everyone ,Ifor the past year and wished everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. There being no further business to 7:27 p.m. :ome before the council at this time, the meeting was adjourned at Immediately after adjournment, Jc the sewer rate increase was sched public hearing was rescheduled fo speak to the council, and he asked permission to do so. meeting to allow Mr. Maxson to speak, hn Maxson stated that he understood that the public hearing for lled for this council meeting. Mayor Rodgers explained that the January 16, 2001. Mr. Maxson stated that he was prepared to The council agreed to reopen the council Motion by Alderman Johnson to reopen the council meeting, seconded by Alderman Olson. Motion carried 7-0. The council meeting was reopened at 7:28 p.m. Mr. Maxson studied some information he received from the Public Works Department. He estimated that the increase would provide about $400,000 a year. He expressed his concerns and evaluation of the 67 per cent rate increase and stated that it needed to be reevaluated by basing it on the people and places serviced. Mr. Maxson thanked the council for their time. Council Minutes of December 19, 2000 There being no further business to co&e before the council at this time, the meeting was adjourned at 7:32 p.m. Cind~cretary Approved by the Mayor and passed by the City Council of the City of Laurel, Montana, this 2nd day of January, 2001, Chariest. Rodgers, M~yor' ~ ~ Attest: ~Clerk-Treasurer