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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublic Works Committee Minutes 03.11.2002MINUTES PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE MARCH 11, 2002 5:00 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS MEMBERS PRESENT Chairman Gay Easton Mark Mace John Oakes Dan Mears Marvin Carter Lorraine Craig Ed Steffans Bill Staudinger OTHERS PRESENT: Larry McCann Ronald Yost, Jaycee President Jeanette Koch James Eastman, Jaycees Parks and club's use of city orouerty - develoa committee Gay explained that a committee is being developed to complete a review of the needs of the various clubs regarding use of city property. The committee will consist of unbiased members who will meet with each of the clubs to identify their various needs. Issues such as adequate compensation to the City of Laurel and upkeep of city property will be addressed. Ron Yost and James Eastman expressed questions regazding the process. Gay explained that the City of Laurel does not intend to run the clubs out of the property, but the needs of each club must be determined. Recvcline - Charlie W hite Chalie White was not present at the meeting. Weed coffins uolicv Larry distributed copies of the following brief outline of the proposed weed complaint process. This policy would be included in the Rules and Regulations, which would be approved by ordinance. After approval of the Rules and Regulations, any necessary changes would be approved by resolution. 1. A complaint is received by the Code Enforcement Department from a Code Enforcement Officer, phoned in by a Laurel resident, or through verbal communication with the public. 2. The complaint is then logged and assigned to staffpersonnel through a work order. 3. The complaint site is then visited by a Code Enforcement Officer to determine if the complaint is a violation of Laurel Municipal Code. 4. If the complaint is not in violation of Laurel Municipal Code, it is noted and filed. 5. If the complaint is a Laurel Municipal Code (LMC) violation, it is recorded as so, and compliance is sought by the following method: a. The property owner of the violation site either contacted in person, by phone, or by certified mail. b. A code violation is explained, proper notice to bring the violation into compliance is given, and the non-compliance consequences are explained. c. The name of the Code Enforcement Officer and phone number is given as a contact for any questions or concerns. 6. When the time given to bring the violation to compliance is up, a Code Enforcement Officer visits the site to determine if the complaint is in compliance. 7. If the violation is determined to be in compliance, the complaint is noted as so and filed. 8. If the complaint is determined to not be in compliance when the time given to bring the violation to compliance is up, the property owner is attempted to be contacted to determine if a problem has arisen or if circumstances have caused the violation remediation to be prolonged. 9. When valid problems or circumstances have prolonged the violation remediation, the time frame is discussed and an extension may be granted. 10. When a remedy to the LMC violation cannot be reached between the responsible party and the Code Enforcement Officer, the City of Laurel will cause the necessary work to be performed. The cost of such work, plus an administration fee, will be assessed to the property owner's taxes. On occasion, some cases encountered are somewhat unique and deviation from the above complaint process is sometimes necessary. The committee discussed the proposed policy. The information will be included in the City of Laurel Newsletter and will be published in the Laurel Outlook. Billing and adjustments Larry distributed copies of the proposed policy for adjustments of wastewater bills. A copy of the proposed policy is attached to these minutes. This policy would be included in the Rules and Regulations, which would be approved by ordinance. After approval of the Rules and Regulations, any necessary changes would be approved by resolution. Jeanette recently received a letter from Badger Meter that explains that a meter would drag but would not speed up if it were defective. Jeanette also mentioned that leaky toilets are the biggest cause of high bills for residential customers. The committee discussed the present and the proposed policy at length. The proposed policy would require any adjustments to be approved by the City Council, not the Public Works Committee. Unscheduled matters Name two Darks At the February meeting, the Public Works Committee discussed the need to name the park located at Birch and East Main and the soccer field park at Eighth and Fir. Gay proposed the name of Ponderosa Park for the soccer field pazk at Eighth and Fir. A Ponderosa pine tree, which is the state tree of Montana, would be planted in the center of the pazk, and a kiosk displaying the development of the pazk would be located nearby. The soccer field within Ponderosa Park would continue to be called the Fir Avenue soccer field. Gay suggested planting disease resistant American elm trees as a buffer on the Elm Avenue side of the park. He also suggested planting fir trees as a buffer on the Fir Avenue side of the park. Two dedicated trees, one for the school and one for the City of Laurel, would be planted neaz the restrooms and concession stand. There is a block-long street south of the pazk that is called Pine Avenue, and the other tree-named streets surround the park area. Gay explained that the Soil Conservation Service program furnishes trees from a nursery in North Dakota, and he will check into this next week. A copy of the proposed Ponderosa Park is attached to these minutes. Gay could not find any information regazding whether the Rotary Club dedicated the park located at Birch and East Main. Marvin Carter will reseazch the minutes of the Rotary Club to determine if the park had previously been dedicated. If not, Gay suggested Rotary Pazk as the name of this park. Gay will present the proposed park names for council approval. Motion by Marvin Carter to name the two nazks as Ponderosa Park and Rotary Park. seconded by Lorraine Crai¢. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 5:52 p.m Respectfully submitted, Cindy Allen Council Secretary 7.11 ADNSTMENTS OF WASTEW"ATERBILLS The wastewater rates, charges, and fees ma~ be adjusted, as applied to a particulaz premises by the procedures set forth below; where it appears that: 7.11.1 The chazacter of the wastewater from any manufacturing, industrial, or other plant, building, or premises is such that that the wastewater rates provided are unfair, inequitable, unreasonable, or inadequate to pay the cost of wastewater service to such premises; 7.11.? The entire amount of water delivered through the metered line, such as a line with a sprinkling meter, to any commercial premises is used for such purpose and in such a manner as to establish beyond reasonable doubt that such water does not enter the municipal wastewater system; 7.113 The entire amount of water delivered through a secondary meter on any commercial premises is used for such a purpose and in such a manner as to establish beyond reasonable doubt that water so delivered does not enter the municipal wastewater system As _ _ provided under Section 10 ~3, secondary wastewater meters shall be furnished at the customer's expense and shall be of a type, size, and make and set at such place as shall be designated by the Public Works Director. 7.11.4 The wastewater chazges based offthe primary meter must establish beyond reasonable doubt that such water did not enter the municipal wastewater system. For example: A mobile home plumbing breaks, the water registered could not enter the municipal wastewater system under the premises due to a closed sewer service, no floor drains, or sump pumps. Any adjustments will be based from previous yeazs average. Any person who considers the wastewater rates, chazges, and fees applicable to his/her premises unfair, inequitable, or unreasonable may present his/her complaints in person to the City Public Works Committee, stating the facts and mounds of complaint. The committee shall advise the Public Works Director of any need for investigation and a report of the investigation shall be made to council. The Public Works Committee, shall consider each and all of such complaints and reports and coordinate its recommendations with the Public Works Director, and The City Council. Where the entire amount of water or any metered portion thereof delivered to any premises does not enter the municipal wastewater system, this fact shall be part of the report. Any adjustments must be approved by City Council. Any persons tiling for adjustments must be present at the Public Works Committee, and City Council meetings. ~~ `L ~) I ~: c w ~, 'U i i~ :-.., i i i ~. ,, j: ~i ! ." ; ; ~~ ~~. ~_ jp i `~,- -.+. .y c i ". ~ .. != _e._ .. ,,, r k ti:. - .. V.. n ti 1 r7 ,~_ ~, ;, ,~ '' .- ,, ; ~. ;I, ~, s s' fi a -i ~~ =i v~~r°