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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Workshop Minutes 01.28.2014 MINUTES COUNCIL WORKSHOP JANUARY 28, 2014 6:30 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS A Council Workshop was held in the Council Chambers and called to order by Mayor Mark Mace at 6:30 p.m. on January 28, 2014. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: _x Emelie Eaton _x_ Doug Poehls x Bruce McGee Vacant x Scot Stokes x Chuck Dickerson x Tom Nelson x Bill Mountsier OTHERS PRESENT: Heidi Jensen, CAO Shirley Ewan, Clerk/Treasurer Monica Plecker, Planning Director Public Input (three - minute limit): Richard Herr, 517 Seventh Avenue, invited everyone to a six -week video program about the United States Constitution at the theater every Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. General items: • Appointments: o Yellowstone County Historic Preservation Board: Judy Goldsby to fill a term ending December 31, 2016 o Laurel Urban Renewal Agency: Steve Arveschoug as an Advisory Member for a term ending December 31, 2016 and Mardie Spalinger as an Advisory Member for a term ending December 31, 2017 The appointments will be on the February 4` council agenda. Executive Review: • Resolution — Calling for an election on the question of conducting a Local Government Review Shirley Ewan explained that the question of conducting a Local Government Review must be presented to the residents via ballot every ten years. If the residents of Laurel vote to review the city's government, a study commission must be formed. If the ballot issue is voted down, it will be brought up again in ten years. She stated that it is difficult to get people to run for the study commission in the general election in November. If no one runs for the positions, the Mayor and council must appoint three people to do the study. The study is tasked to review the form of government. The resolution must be passed and put on the ballot in June so the residents can decide whether or not to proceed with the Local Government Review. In 2005, the Local Government Review was allotted $5,000 for the review, which is mandated by the State of Montana and must be completed in 2015. One council member must serve as an ex officio, non - voting member. The June ballot will probably be a mail in ballot. • Resolution — Revise Credit Card Use Policy Council Workshop Minutes of January 28, 2014 Shirley explained that Three Rivers Bank requested an update to the resolution and the policy, which was last updated in 2004. The city currently has six credit cards with Three Rivers Bank. Each card has a maximum limit of $5,000 for a total of $30,000. There was a question and discussion regarding the verbiage change in the policy. Shirley explained that the original credit card was only used for travel, but now the credit cards are used for various purchases. Heidi stated that the intent of the change is to broaden the scope so the use of the card is "limited for the purposes of purchasing necessary items" instead of actually listing lodging, meals, fuel, emergency city vehicle repairs," etc. The change will make the purchasing policy easier as technology becomes more available more purchasing is done online. There was a question regarding access to the credit cards. Shirley explained that the credit cards are checked out of the clerk's office. • Resolution — Contract with Olness & Associates Shirley stated that, after Olness & Associates finished the audit recently, she asked if they were interested in another three -year contract and what the price would be. They agreed to a three -year contract for the same price of $15,000.00 per audit. It would cost $500 or more to go out for requests for proposals (RFP) for the audit. Shirley thought it was a good deal to keep the same price for another three years. She mentioned that next year's audit will require an additional single audit because of the FEMA money and that audit will cost $3,000 more. This year's audit took three days, as Shirley was able to do more of the closing this year. There was discussion regarding the substantial savings with this contract versus going out for proposals. Shirley suggested that the savings would be quite a bit. Heidi mentioned that she serves as Laurel's representative for Head Start and is on the Finance Committee. Head Start recently had an audit done on its $3 million budget for a cost of $18,500. Since the City of Laurel's budget is much larger, the standard rate of $15,000 per year for three years is a good deal. • Resolution — Approve the new City of Laurel logo Monica Plecker explained the process of how the logo was started as a LURA project. Staff worked with a company called 45 Degrees North out of Bozeman. LURA is interested in strengthening the TIFD and the Laurel community. Monica stated that the city logo is incredibly dated and shows an image portraying refinery holding tanks and railroad tracks. While that is an important part of the community, Laurel has more than that and it is important to move forward with the times. She thinks it is important for Laurel to have a logo that portrays it is a vibrant community with many facets and more than an industrial town. A committee consisting of Monica, Heidi Jensen, the previous mayor and two LURA board members met with 45 Degrees North to discuss the things to be portrayed in the logo. There was a question regarding the city's ownership of the rights to the logo. Monica stated that the city would have the final rights and digital formats for print, for web, for commercial purposes, and any other use. The city logo is displayed on equipment and various other 2 Council Workshop Minutes of January 28, 2014 things. Monica stated that LURA and the city staff think this is the beginning of what could come, as economic development efforts are happening for the TIFD. Laurel can start building an identity around the logo, and it is exciting to look more modern. The cost of the logo was less than $5,000 for the design and it came out of the TIF District funds. There was a question about where the city logo is used. Monica explained that the logo is used on city letterhead and envelopes, on city vehicles, on the garbage trucks, on business cards, on the website and on anything that says the City of Laurel on it. Emelie asked regarding the expense the city will incur to get the new logo put on. Heidi explained that, when she worked in previous cities, they replaced the logo as equipment and office supplies were replaced. The new items would be modified with the new logo. It takes time to implement but the cost is not extravagant up front. Bruce asked for an explanation of the symbolism of the logo. Monica explained that one thing the committee emphasized was that Laurel is fortunate to be located along the Yellowstone River and still have the industrial presence like the railroad. People are proud of the schools and the Locomotives. The short two -story buildings in the logo represent Main Street. The surrounding rural property is meant to be the Beartooth Mountains. The bridge where the train is located is actually just south of town. The committee wanted the logo to be warm and welcoming and give a sense of community. Monica stated that the logo shows that Laurel has a little bit of everything and the symbolism is that Laurel is in such close proximity to all these things. People say that Laurel is the hub for people to get to many wonderful activities. The white goal post in the logo represents the new football facility. The little billets around the logo actually originate from the German heritage on the south side of Laurel. • Resolution — Intent to annex a portion of East Main Street Monica stated that last fall the council discussed the portion of East Main Street where only half of the right -of -way is currently in the city limits. Monica contacted MDT and on January 14 MDT made a decision to allow the other half of that state route to come into the city limits. MDT's response to the city's request and a map showing the other half of the right -of -way was distributed to the council. This should resolve the issues of jurisdiction for this section. Passage of this resolution of intent will trigger a notice period in which city residents can protest or support it. A public hearing and the resolution of annexation will be on the March 4 council agenda. • Elect Ward 2 Council Member on February 4 Mayor Mace stated that Richard Herr submitted a letter requesting to fill the Ward 2 council vacancy. As of tonight, there are no other applicants. The council will vote on February 4th • Council Issues: o Minutes regarding the skate park issue (Emelie Eaton) Copies of the council minutes of September 18, 2012, were distributed to the council. Emelie stated her concern that some residents think the city dropped the ball and wonder if the skate park is still being considered. The minutes stated that the council approved a letter of support for a skate park provided that a suitable location is available. Emelie asked regarding the status of the issue. 3 Council Workshop Minutes of January 28, 2014 Mayor Mace explained that the Park Board considered Kiwanis Park for the skate park. However, the residents around Kiwanis Park submitted a protest letter with 30 or more signatures on it. They did not feel that Kiwanis Park should be the place for a skate park, as it is a residential area. The residents thought it should be in a commercial area away from residences. The last thing the council approved was the letter of support provided that a suitable location is available. Mayor Mace mentioned the possibility of the 13 -acre park that the County would like to donate to the City of Laurel for a dog park or something. The school is interested in tennis courts, but probably cannot afford them. There was further discussion regarding the need to find a viable place to build a skate park, the funds that need to be generated, the availability of funds through the Tony Hawk Foundation, and the possibility of further discussion at the Park Board. o Committee List appointments (Doug Poehls) Doug explained the proposed changes to the committee list. The Budget/Finance Committee would be Doug, Emelie Eaton, Tom Nelson and Chuck Dickerson to replace Mark. The Emergency Services Committee would have no changes. The Public Works Committee members would be Emelie Eaton, Chuck Dickerson, Bill Mountsier and the new council member. Scot has asked to be moved off the Public Works Committee due to a conflict with work. Scot is interested in the Park Board, which is actually a mayor appointment. o Lease Task Force update Heidi stated that there was nothing to report. o Update on 2011 Yellowstone River flooding event Heidi updated the council on a recent conference call with Great West Engineering regarding the city's concerns about the final solution, which the engineers were originally scheduled to provide last October. Several deadlines have passed and Great West still has not provided a viable solution and the process continues to drag out. Heidi will continue to push the engineers and to express her concerns with the process. In the original timeframe, February was the time when the city would prepare the documents for the environmental assessment and permit applications, but a solution has not even been proposed at this time. Staff will meet with FEMA again next Tuesday to give a brief update. There was discussion regarding the city's contractual agreement with Great West Engineering, the possibility of going out for RFP for engineering services, whether the project could be moved to a different engineering firm, if the government agencies had provided any guidance about what options they would approve, and the need to move forward with the permitting process in order to begin construction. Other items Tom spoke regarding the angle parking on Montana and Colorado Avenues. He stated that the council was looking into angle parking on those two streets and the city was going to try it to see how it would work. However, the council never passed a resolution for angle parking on those streets and there is no resolution or ordinance that substantiates that type of parking. He would like to make that parking situation conform to city code. Emelie stated that, when James Caniglia was the city planner, he had taken photos of buildings that were going to be demolished for the record. If anything was needed for historic purposes, there was a photo of the last time that building stood. She wondered whether or not that is still a policy or if it was just his preference. 4 Council Workshop Minutes of January 28, 2014 Emelie stated that James Caniglia disliked pole barn buildings. Someone recently pointed out to her that the new building on Main Street is a pole barn building. She assumes that was another one of James Caniglia's preferences and there is nothing in code that said there shall not be pole barn buildings. Heidi stated that the pole barn building going up on Main Street has brought a lot of frustration to the TIF District. Steve Zeier, the economic development coordinator, has been tasked to work on the design standard guidelines in February. He is to work no more than 60 hours this month and provide a draft to LURA in the month of March as to some design standards that could potentially eliminate pole barns in that district. A lot of people do not like pole barns, but city code does not have any design standards, so as long as it conforms with the building code standards within the city, they could build anything they would like on that property. Once LURA reviews and approves the recommendations, they will come to the council for final approval. Mayor Mace asked if the council members would attend the goal setting session on March 1S The session will be from 9:00 to 3:00 with lunch provided. Mayor Mace suggested that the department heads could attend for a short time to give an idea of their goals for their departments. Review of draft council agenda for February 4, 2014 The committee appointments will be added to the council agenda. Attendance at the February 4, 2014 council meeting Tom will not attend. Announcements Doug stated that the Emergency Services Committee discussed the budgets and the possibility of a safety mill levy at last night's meeting. MDT closed the underpass today and filled the pothole with cold mix. MDT also repaired the traffic signal at Southeast Fourth and First Avenue going northbound. The council workshop adjourned at 7:29 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Cindy Alle 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. 5