HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommittee of the Whole Minutes 06.18.2002 MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
JUNE 18, 2002 6:30 P.M.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Bud Johnson
Lauren Van Roekel Doug Poehls (6:45)
Ken Olson Mark Mace
Gay Easton Daniel Dart
John Oakes
OTHERS PRESENT: Matt Erekson Les Hilliard - Fibervision
Larry McCann Cad Anderson - HKM
Jan Faught Gary Elwell - HKM
Les Hilliard recently presented Matt Erekson a request to renew the franchise and transfer to
Cable Montana, LL.C. Mr. Hilliard is retiring after thirty years in the cable business and is
selling the entire company, including cable systems in several communities in Montana and
the State of Washington.
Matt Erekson stated that the FCC regulates cable systems, but the city is allowed to give
franchise agreement based on the use of our fight of way. Renewal of the present fifteen-year
agreement is being done after thirteen years because of the sale of the franchise.
There was discussion regarding the $300 franchise fee included in the resolution and the 5%
franchise fee for fight of way use. The $300 fee is basically a business license fee. The
council considered the 5% franchise fee for use of the right of way some time ago. Mr.
Hilliard stated that the city should treat the cable business in the same manner as the other
utility companies are treated. This resolution did not address a 5% franchise fee.
Mark Mace asked regarding the availability of the city's use of a channel for public service
announcements. A want ad channel is available to post notices, and the city would be allowed
to use those services. The FCC requires cable companies to provide a community access
channel, but the company is not required to provide the equipment or the personnel to man the
channel.
Mayor Johnson stated that the $300 fee in the resolution is the licensing fee for the new
company, Cable Montana. Mayor Johnson thanked Les Hilliard.
Carl Anderson and Gary Elwell, from HKM Engineering, presented information regarding the
second intake at the river. Carl presented design illustrations of the two options: the
infiltration gallery and the passive intake screens.
City Council Committee of thc Whole minutes of June 18, 2002
An infiltration gallery would place about 1,000 feet of pipe in the fiver bottom and requires a
significant number of lines from the north bank pumping station to back flush the system.
Although buffed in the fiver, there would be a risk that ice could take out the system at any
point along the 1,000 feet. There have been problems with this design in other locations on
the Yellowstone River. Since the infiltration gallery is buried, access is difficult.
A protected passive screen intake would be located in the south channel of the river. The
screen would be protected with steel and concrete enclosure under water, and the passive
screen would be set on a cement base that extends into the river bottom. The cost factor is
less for passive screens, and regular maintenance of back flushing the system simplifies the
operation. The design is for 20 million gallons a day, and the system should serve the City of
Laurel for 50 years. Since the passive screens are above the fiver bottom, access is available.
HKM Engineering recommends the protected passive screen for the intake at the fiver.
The meeting adjourned at 7:11 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Cindy Allen
Council Secretary