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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Minutes 02.20.2001MINUTF, S OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF LAURI:,L February 20, 2001 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 February 20, 2001. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Lauren Van Roekel Ken Olson Gay Easton Bill Staudinger Gary Temple Mark Mace Daniel Dart Bud Johnson COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: None Mayor Rodgers asked the council to observe a moment of silence in behalf of the family of Miranda Fenner. MINUTES: Motion by Alderman Staudinger to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of February 6, 2001, as presented, seconded by Alderman Temple. Motion carried 8-0. CORRESPONDENCE: a. Montana Taxpayer: January 2001. b. Montana League of Cities and Towns: Legislative Bulletin #2001-2. Yellowstone County Air Pollution Control Board: Minutes of January 9, 2001; Activity Report for January 2001; Agenda for February 13, 2001. Yellowstone County Commissioner Bill Kennedy: Letter of February 6, 2001, regarding Nutting Drain Board. TCSP Oversight Committee Minutes of January 11, 2001; Agenda for February 15, 2001. Alderman Olson asked the council to review correspondence item b., Montana League of Cities and Towns Legislative Bulletin #2001-2. The President's Message to the Membership asked for support of the League's position on the list of bills in the bulletin. Alderman Olson asked how the council should respond to the League's request. Larry McCann previously sent letters voicing opposition to HB-278 regarding allowing private vendors into the city to haul garbage. This bill has moved out of the Natural Resources Committee and to the House. This bill would allow citizens to use private vendors for garbage service, which would affect the city's alleys and streets, as well as the garbage fund. Alderman Olson referred to the statement that "the hills the League is opposing singularly or in various combinations will weaken city governments and make it more d~fficult for mayors and councils to provide services and build better communities." He stated that, understanding that this is the criterion upon which the League is asking for support, the City of Laurel should support the efforts. Alderman Temple stated that he would not support the Local Option Sales Tax in SB-155, which was supported by the League. After further discussion, Aldermen Temple, Olson, and Dart agreed to form a committee to examine the Legislative bills and to report back to the council at the next meeting. CONSENT ITEMS: a. Clerk/Treasurer Financial Statements for the month of January 2001. Council Minutes of February 20, 2001 b. Receiving the Committee Reports into the Record. --Budget/Finance Committee minutes of January 16, 2001 were presented. --Budget/Finance Committee minutes of January 29, 2001 were presented. --City Council Committee of the Whole minutes of February 6, 2001 were presented. --Public Works Committee minutes of February 12, 2001 were presented. Resolution No. R01-5: A resolution declaring certain items of the city as surplus available for sale to the public. RESOLUTION NO. R01-5 A RESOLUTION DECLARING CERTAIN ITEMS OF THE CITY AS SURPLUS AVAILABLE FOR SALE TO THE PUBLIC. The mayor asked if there was any separation of consent items. There was none. Motion by Alderman Johnson to approve the consent items as presented, seconded by Alderman Temple. Motion carded 8-0. SCHEDULED MATTERS: a. Confirmation of Appointments. Police Commission: Mayor Rodgers appointed Mike Michunovich to the Police Commission for a three-year term ending December 31, 2003. Motion by Alderman Olson to approve the appointment of Mike Michunovich to the Police Commission for a three-year term ending December 31, 2003, seconded by Alderman Johnson. Motion carried 8-0. Ambulance Attendant: Mayor Rodgers appointed Aaron Harris as an Ambulance Attendant. Motion by Alderman Staudinger to approve the appointment of Aaron Harris as an Ambulance Attendant, seconded by Alderman Johnson. Motion carried 8-0. b. Jose Santana - Montana Legend Brand Meats. Derek Kampfe, a representative of Natural Meats Montana, introduced several members of the organization: Jose Santana, the Production Director; Kevin Derynck, the Sales Director; Christian McKay, Live Cattle Operationsi and Patrick , the Plant Manager. The organization raises natural Black Angus cattle and shipped beef to businesses in nine states in December. The business has reached the point of needing to build its own fabrication facility. A buy-sell contract is pending on a lot in Entertainment Park Subdivision on East Railroad Street, and they plan to break ground in the spring. There will be no kill operations at this location. Twelve new jobs would be available within this business. Jose Santana has raised natural Black Angus cattle in Carbon County for a number of years. Natural cattle, as defined by their company, indicates that the cattle have never been sick, have never received antibiotics, have never been implanted, and have never been sprayed with chemicals. Producers have to live within the company's criterion, and Natural Meats Montana pays a premium to producers that produce a natural calf for them. The company and the Beartooth Veterinary Service enforce the criterion, which is based on an abiding respect for the environment and the need for sustainable agriculture. Council Minutes of Febmar/20, 2001 Omni Consultants designed the plant with an acute awareness of the water issue in Laurel. A plan to recycle all of the water through a natural process was developed into this plant, causing very little water to go through the city's sewer system. The Wash down water and the water containing FOGs (fats, oils, and greases) would be recycled into a wetlands project, which would in turn be processed through microbiological actions and natural processes and then brought back into the plant. The slaughter process has been done in Butte, but the plant is inadequate and there were quality control issues. They have contracted with an out-of-state facility, but they plan to build their own kill and rendering facilities in the future. Kevin explained that the company has a niche in the gourmet deli departments within retail stores, but gourmet white tablecloth restaurants would be the backbone of their business. Since the price point of this product is like gold bouillon, not everyone can afford it, but anyone who eats it will buy it again. Kevin described the facility plan as a beautifully landscaped showpiece. Natural Meats Montana established markets in New York City, California, and other places across the country. Their goal is to locate the company facilities completely in Yellowstone and Carbon Counties. Jose asked if there were any water crisis issues that the company needed to consider. Mayor Rodgers agreed that this is a great concern, but adequate water supplies are available at the present time. Jose Santana stated that the business desires to be a responsible part of the community and good neighbors within the City of Lanrel. Mayor Rodgers thanked them for bringing their business to Laurel and encouraged them to provide quality service. Alderman Easton commended Natural Meats Montana on their new venture, welcomed them to Laurel, and offered his support. c. Mid-Year Budget ReView:' Clerk-Treasurer. Mary Embleton had distributed copies of the 2000-2001 Mid-Year Budget Review to the council in the packets prior to this meeting. The report included the following funds: General Fund, Lighting Districts Funds, Street Maintenance Fund, Sweeping District fund, State Gas Tax Fund, Water Fund, Sewer Fund, and Solid Waste Fund. The reports compared budget to actual revenues and expenditures for the current fiscal year and also compared actual revenues and expenditures for the current fiscal year to last year for the same six- month period. Mary used the overhead projector to present color charts and graphs that had been included in the Mid-Year Budget Review to clearly show the revenues, expenditures, and cash flows for each fund for the 1999-2000 fiscal year and the first six months of 2000-2001. For this fiscal year, all funds budgeted for street work in the General Fund were reappropriated and split between the Street Maintenance District and Gas Tax Funds, resulting in less of a burden in the General Fund. A total of $50,000 was appropriated for professional services to prepare for improvements and to redefine and improve the two lighting districts. The lighting district project is expected to be ready for implementation in the next fiscal year. The Street Maintenance and Sweeping District Funds are assessments, but the Gas Tax Fund receives monthly revenue from the State of Montana. Spending increased in the Street Maintenance and Gas Tax Funds because more work has been done. Expenditures have outpaced revenues because the city has used cash reserves to complete certain projects. Revenues in the Water Fund are ahead of expenses, and sewer revenues are behind the expenses. The garbage rate increase adopted by the city in July is improving the financial well-being of this fund by showing a positive cash flow for the first six months of this fiscal year. Council Minutes of February 20, 200 ! Alderman Olson commented that the graphs were a great way to focus on the direction of the funds, and he thanked Mary for the presentation. Alderman Temple also thanked Mary for the !nformation. Mayor Rodgers thanked Mary for hef presentation. UNSCHEDULED MATTERS: a. Springsted Incorporated contract. Alderman Temple: Point of order, Mr. Mayor. Were you going to then force the agenda for this tonight? Mayor Rodgers: under the unscheduled -- Alderman Temple: Yes. Mayor Rodgers: Does council wish to make a motion to accept the -- Alderman Temple: Mr. Mayor, I make a motion to bring to the floor, I guess we have to do it that way first, put it on the agenda under unscheduled matters, the agreement for Springsted for the City of Laurel. Mayor Rodgers: O,k., consulting services. Alderman Temple: I need a second. Alderman Dart: I second. Mayor Rodgers: O.k., Dan. Do we have any questions or comments on this? Alderman Olson: I just have a p~int of order and I don't know how it fits in. Do we have to have a recognition to accept this into the record or her presentation to... accept it as the record? Mayor Rodgers: We should. It would be appropriate to just, I think we'd have to -- Alderman Temple: This is, that's a separate deal. Alderman Olson: Oh, o.k. Mayor Rodgers: This is... he's on the consulting services. O.k.? Alderman Olson: Fine. Mayor Rodgers: That's his point. Alderman Johnson: Mr. Mayor, I guess, and I wholeheartedly and, you know, really in support of doing this. I guess what I'm, ah, let's see here, this may be, well, and I don't know whether this is the proper moment for discussion. I think we can discuss this motion; can't we? They put it on the agenda7 O.k., Well, the question that I've got is is that the final result is is that we'll put it on the agenda and we would approve the agreement. And I guess I don't know, is the agreement done? To me, I kind of got the impression we were, you know, we're scratching out Minnesota and putting in Montana, and I guess, to me, that's, I don't.., so I guess this is in, this is directed towards Matt. Matt Erekson: And what I would like to see happen is, and I'm not sure exactly of the motion you just discussing back there that's before the co__. Right now what I would like to suggest is that we pass this so that we can get started with the condition and stipulation that we still are negotiating that point. So that you -- Alderman Johnson: O.k. Matt Erekson: You give me authority to negotiate that one point before I give it to the Mayor. 4 Council Minutes of February 20, 2001 Alderman Johnson: ! think, I think, I think then I'm comfortable in what we're doing then. Mayor Rodgers: Anybody else make a comment? Alderman Easton: Question. Mayor Rodgers: O.k. The question has been called £0r. That's tO place this motion onto the agenda this evening. All those in favor say aye. Council: Aye. Mayor Rodgers: Those opposed. Motion has been carried. Alderman Temple: Mr. Mayor, I make a motion that we approve the Springsted Public Financial Advisers agreement subject to allowing the latitude to our City Attorney to negotiate the proper, properly for the City, for the benefit of the City of Laurel. Alderman Johnson: Mr. Mayor, I'd like to make a substitute motion that we give staff direction to negotiate a contract with Springsted, with the final result that Nathan become our -- Mayor Rodgers: O.k. we don't have a second to the first motion, so -- Alderman Johnson: I'm offering a substitute in place of the other -- Alderman Temple: I'm not going to get into a bunch of rhetoric with the Alderman Johnson. He's going to go at it hard, so let's just let it go and get it over with. Alderman Easton: I'll second -- second it. Mayor Rodgers: The first motion has been seconded. Any comment .? Now do you just want to do the amendment? Any comment? Alderman Johnson: It's not an amendment. It's a substitute motion, so it's the same thing. Alderman Olson: Point of order. Ah, what, what was seconded, which motion was seconded? Mayor Rodgers: Gary's motion was seconded. Alderman Easton: No, I, I seconded Bud's. I seconded -- Mayor Rodgers: Oh, I thought, you seconded Bud's. O.k., I thought you was seconding Gary's. Alderman Easton: No. Alderman Temple: Mr. Mayor, I withdraw my motion so that Mr. Johnson can continue on. Mayor Rodgers: O.k. Councilman Johnson. Do you want to make your motion then? Alderman Johnson: Yea, I did, I, what, essentially what I was trying to do was what Matt has indicated. Mayor Rodgers: O.k. Did you get that, Cindy? Cindy Allen: I think so. Alderman Temple: ...Cindy, could you bring it, read it back? Cindy Allen: I think I have it. Mayor Kodgers: Yes, and Gay seconded it. Is there any question or comment? Alderman Temple: Question. Council Minutes of February 20, 2001 Mary Embleton: My question is do we need a resolution, assign it a number, do we do that next meeting? Usually you have a resolution entering into an agreement. I wondered where the resolution will come in and when you want to assign a number, It's a pretty cut and dried type of thing, so. Mayor Rodgers: We'll need to come back with a resolution then. Matt Erekson: Yeah. Mary Embleton: O.k. Mayor Rodgers: Any other questions? All those in favor of the motion then say aye. Council: Aye. Mayor Kodgers: Those opposed. Thank you. b. Mid-Year Budget Review 2000-2001. Motion by Alderman Olson to accept the Mid-Year Budget Review 2000-2001, seconded by Alderman Staudinger. Motion carried 8-0. There being no further business to come before the council at this time, the meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m. Cindy Alle~ Secretary Approved by the Mayor and passed by the City Council of the City of Laurel, Montana, this 6th day of March, 2001. Attest: Mary K. l~bleton, Clerk-Treasurer Charles G. Rodgers, Ma3)ol( ~'