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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Workshop Minutes 03.25.2003 MINUTES COUNCIL WORKSHOP MARCH 25, 2003 6:30 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS A Council Workshop was held in the Council Chambers and called to order by Mayor Bud Johnson at 6:30 p.m. on March 25, 2003. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: _x_ Lauren Van Roekel Ken Olson _x_ Gay Easton (6:48 p.m.) _x_ Dan Mears _x_ Doug PoeMs x Mark Mace _x_ Daniel Dart _x_ John Oakes OTHERS PRESENT: Larry McCann Cai Cumin Matt Erekson Gary Colley Casey Joyce Jean Kerr Solid Waste presentation, Part II - Steve · Not given Water intake and pump house - Larry, · Larry showed pictures and gave an update of the progress at the water intake and pump house project. · Larry invited the council to view the project at thc river. Resolution to authorize submission of Application and Agreement to Certifications for Application for Montana Department of Commerce HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) - Casey Joyce · Casey Joyce will resubmit a HOME Grant application. · Casey invited the council members to a public meeting at the Laurel Senior Center. o Discuss the housing needs of Laurel and get some involvement with the senior citizens o Meeting is at noon on Thursday, March 26, 2003 o Call Mary Sickle at the Senior Center before 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday to make reservations for lunch on Thursday. · HOME application submitted last November was not funded. · Letter received from the State in January said that the request for Laurel was denied funding. · Decided to look at resubmitting it for fiscal year 2003. · Department of Commerce said that Laurel's request was a little high, so we scaled it back. Council Workshop Minutes of March 25, 2003 We are asking for some Housing Preservation Grant monies through USDA Rural Development. · Our total project or program cost still comes to $1,122,500. · Casey brought the documents for the Mayor's signature. · HOME application is for $380,000 · Local banks - 1st Citizen's, Western Security Bank, and Yellowstone Bank - are participating in $500,000 loan pool fund. · Looking at other programs through the HRDC and Fannie Mae programs participating at $85,000 · City of Laurel program income is $100,000. · Communities will be notified in May. · Plan to get everything started on July 1 st. · USDA Rural Development monies will be available at the same time. · Housing Rehab and HOME Buyer Program would go from July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2004. Ordinance update discussion - Jean Kerr · Jean Kerr stated that the ordinance (8.12.030) was written vague so that it could apply to many different situations. · Gary is steadily trying to enforce this ordinance throughout the City. · Complaints are being received from people who say their items are not junk · People are questioning where their rights are to park vehicles on their property. · Jean and Gary asked for guidance in order to do their jobs and make explanations to people. · Jean showed some pictures of a pending case regarding vehicles and car parts o Three trucks and four cars involved - all except one vehicle are licensed · Discussion regarding loopholes · Discussion regarding restoration of old vehicles · Discussion regarding time limits · Gary has gone through town enforcing the ordinance o Will have written over 300 letters by the time he is finished · His philosophy has been to get the job done o Has not set a time limit on many of these people except for telling them that they have ten days to contact him in order to work something out. · Discussion regarding people that have been building garages for two or three years and have not completed siding the building; · Question regarding when a building permit ends · Discussion regarding ordinance: o Five junk vehicles considered junk dealer; however, the vehicles in the pending case are licensed o Jean said that one man's treasure is another man's big concern. o Jean asked for guidelines from the council. · Dan Dart explained junk vehicle situation in his neighborhood. o Concerned about property values o Neighbors hope Gary addresses thc issues o Need to put backbone into this to clean up the city 2 Council Workshop Minutes of March 25, 2003 · John Oakes is glad this problem came to light o Suggested compiling and reviewing all the subdivision restrictive covenants in Laurel to prepare an ordinance. o Automobiles and parts should be stored in a building. o Junk degrades a neighbor's property. o Need to improve the looks and environment of the city · Discussion regarding subdivision covenant contracts o Covenants are agreements put together with a group of homeowners. o Covenants have nothing to do with the City and are a difficult process. o Matt's explanation · Covenants would require a neighbor to take another neighbor to court on a civil action; filing the suit; paying an attorney; run up a big bill; and make an enemy for life · Question if an existing ordinance allows a certain amount of property to be covered · Casey Joyce suggested Neighborhood Task Forces o Formed in Billings to address problems o Group of advisers goes around in the neighborhood and looks at problems or situations and addresses them in the neighborhood · Cal suggested adopting an ordinance o No more than three vehicles are allowed on a residential lot o No vehicles that do not run stored in your yard o Vehicles that do not run would have to be stored under a permanent or stick built structure · Gay stated the need to research all ordinances that pertain o Group them some way o Get rid of what is not needed or add to it · Need to review decay ordinance · Suggested to take issue to Public Works Committee for input · Jean and Gary again questioned how to interpret the ordinance. · Mayor stated that Public Works Committee would review. Resolutions: · Resolution regarding a Cooperative Purchasing Agreement with the State of Montana. · Resolution relating to certain matter not to be placed in receptacles. · Resolution adopting HIPAA Policy and Procedures for the Laurel Ambulance Service. · Resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign contracts with ail entities relating to implementation of HIPAA. · Resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign an agreement with the Laurel Public Schools for the School Resource Officer Program. · Resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign Change Order No. 4 for the new water intake and pump station. o Actual documents for Change Order No. 3 and Change Order No. 4 have not yet been received. o Water leakage occurred when sheet pilings were raised to run the pipes out. o Decision made to put cement in there instead of slurry seal. 3 Council Workshop Minutes of March 25, 2003 o $400.00 change order. o Mayor said chang~ orders should be available by the end of the week. A resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign a Task Order with Mordson-Maierle, Inc., to complete a Water Facilities Plan. Agenda discussion · Two annexations · Second reading of two ordinances · Requests from the Chamber for permission to hold the circus on June 13th, the Chief Joseph Run on July 4th, and the 4th of July Parade. · No questions or comments from the council City Attorney position · Need direction from council for process to fill attorney position · Discussion regarding hiring one attorney position or two contract attorneys · Discussion regarding human resource needs o Dick Larsen has retired. o The group we have chosen to provide us with human resource consulting was here today. o Did a human resource audit to review all of our processes with regard to the files and necessary procedures. o Through discussion, found out that most attorneys are not well versed in human resources. o Human resource needs can be acquired in other ways. · Contractual review, ordinance/resolution review, and parliamentary procedure are unique aspects of a city attorney position. · Discussion regarding contract review o Simple contracts for handling all the properties within the city take a fair amount of time to review. o Six of the seven resolutions reviewed tonight were contracts that needed to be read and reviewed prior to drafting of the resolution and presentation to council. · Mayor stated that the contractual issue presents the greatest need. · City signs contracts provided by other entities; should be developing our own contracts. · The League of Cities should provide input to smaller communities for a contract that could be widely accepted across the state that would protect both entities. · Discussion regarding prosecution services because we have a city court. o Joliet, Red Lodge, Bridger, Fromberg, and Roundup have city courts. o Broadview does not have a city court, but writes everything into Yellowstone County. · Discussion regarding how to proceed · Difficult to find the dollars for a full-time position unless council directs. · Discussion regarding attorney work hours o Matt puts in 20 hours a week, but is not getting the work done. 4 Council Workshop Minutes of March 25, 2003 Discussion regarding need for attorney to attend council workshops and council meetings o Could have workshop without an attorney present o Attorney needed as parliamentarian at formal council meetings · Proposal for contractual type of arrangement o Take the dollars that are spent for benefits and turning those into service hours rather than benefit hours · Need to structure something for a proposal · Discussion regarding request for proposal for contractual attorney positions · Civil legal services attorney needs to attend council meetings and department head meetings · More flexibility available for prosecution services · Could structure so prosecution would be under the city attorney, but that may limit choices. · Prosecution services o Matt works consistently over 15 hours per week on prosecution services o Realistically at least a half-time position · Civil services o Matt spends 5-10 hours per week; o Realistically could spent 10-15 hours a week o Includes contract review o Does not include time spent at council and workshop meetings o Does not include human resources o Does not address more review of and changes to the ordinances o Need to review how contracts are being approved and how contracts are being negotiated o City is open to some liability based on the way some contracts are done · Process o John - come back to next workshop with idea of how to handle it o Doug - RFP and see where we sit with some firms or individual attorneys Announcements · Lauren stated that Joyce Bratlund recently expressed interest to participate in EZD and sign code issues o Joyce would like to share thoughts by way of writing a letter o Dan and Ken in charge of Task Force to receive comments on sign code. o Set a date for informal setting for folks to come in and offer some comments before any changes are made. o Sign code public heating was continued until August · Emergency Services Committee meeting o Did not have an agenda for March 24th meeting o Did not have a quorum at the meeting o Mike Zuhoski, Jan Faught, Lauren, Ken, and Dan were present. o Will have an agenda for furore meetings · Discussion regarding keg ordinance 5 Council Workshop Minutes of March 25, 2003 o Senate is considering the issue in HB 660. o Keg ordinance was successful in Billings. o Tavern Association supported the ordinance. o A coordinator at the Billings Police Department was involved in this. o Need process in place to provide mechanism to verify identification number on kegs. Bicycle helmet law o Harold Hanser approached Gay regarding a bicycle helmet law. o Mr. Hanser worked with Billings and got their ordinance in place. o Child on a bicycle hit last week by West School; child was wearing a helmet or would have been hurt badly o Emergency Services Committee will consider o Mr. Hanser would be willing to speak to the group; call Dan Dart o Fits in well with our PD getting a motorcycle soon Other items · No discussion The council workshop adjourned at 7:58 p.m. Cindy AII~b, Council Secretary NOTE: This meeting is open to the public. This meeting is for information and discussion by the Council.