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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Minutes 10.21.2003 MINIITES OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF IAIJRI L October 21, 2003 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 Bud Johnson at 6:30 p.m. on October 21, 2003. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Lauren Van Roekel Doug Poehls Ken Olson Mark Mace Dan Mears Daniel Dart COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Gay Easton John Oakes Mayor Johnson asked the council to observe a moment of silence. Mayor Johnson led the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag. MINUTES: Motion by Alderman Poehls to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of October 7, 2003, as presented, seconded by Alderman Mace: Motion carried 6-0. CORRESPONDENCE: Montana Department of Commerce: Letter of September 29, 2003, from Ellen M. Hanpa regarding closeout of the City of Laurel's Treasure State Endowment Program (TSEP) contract. Montana Department of Conmaerce: Letter of September 30, 2003, from Ethan Stapp regarding contract for 2003 HOME Grant Funds. Montana Department of Commerce: Letter of September 30, 2003, from Gus Byrom, CDBG Program Manager, regarding attendance at ribbon cutting ceremony. Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative: Letter announcing the formation of a generation and transmission cooperative called Southern Montana Electric Generation and Transmission Cooperative (SMEG&T). Employee Benefit Management Services (EBMS): Letter of October 6, 2003, from Gary Hablutzel, Marketing Director. Air Pollution Control Board: Agenda of October 14, 2003; Minutes of September 16, 2003; Minutes of August 26, 2003. Laurel High School Pep Club: Letter of thanks for allowing the homecoming parade. City of Billings Public Works Department: Agenda for Landfill Users Summit on October 22, 2003. PUBLIC HEARING: Budget amendments for fiscal year 2003-2004. Mayor Johnson opened the public hearing. Mayor Johnson asked if anyone would like to comment regarding the budget amendments or the process. Mary Embleton, clerk-treasurer, stated that the budget amendments proposed would be set for the next meeting's agenda. The majority of the changes are being brought about due to auditors' findings. The main change is that workers' comp costs need to come out of the General Fund rather than the Comprehensive Insurance Fund. The other major changes are due to unknowns at the time of passage of the budget. The awarding of the COPS Grant for the school resource officer requires amendment of the budget in order to add a fund for the grant, as well as the additional funding for that officer. The other big change was the award of a $500,000 CDBG Grant for the sewer, which requires a $268,000 match from the city. There are also a couple of housekeeping items, and budget amendments are required for all of the changes. Council Minutes of October 21, 2003 Mayor Johnson asked twice if there were any other comments regmding the budget amendments. No further comments were made~ Mayor Johnson closed the public hearing. CONSENT ITEMS: · Clerk/Treasurer Financial Statements fOr the mouth of September 2003. · Approval of Payroll Register for PPE 10/12/03 totaling $118,983.96. · Receiving the Committee Reports into the Record. --Budget/Finance Committee minutes of September 15, 2003 were presented. --Council Workshop minutes of October 14, 2003 were presented. --Oversight Committee minutes of September 11, 2003 were presented. · Resolutions. Resolution No. R03-109: A resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign Task Order No. 4 with Morrison-Maierle, Inc., for CDBG Wastewater Grant engineering. Resolution No, R03-110: Resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign a Limited Use Agreement with B-PAD Group, Inc. Resolution No. R03-111: A resolution establishing Volunteer Ambulance Service compensation and increasing compensation for the Ambulance DirectOr. The mayor asked if there was any separation of consent items There was none. Motion by Alderman Olson to approve the consent items as presented, seconded by Alderman Dart. Motion carried 6-0. CEREMONIAL CALENDAR: None. REPORTS OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS: None. COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS (ONE-MINUTE LIMIT): None. SCHEDULED MATTERS: · Confirmation of Appointments. Current Board/Committee vacancies Board of Appeals: three positions - two-year terms to begin immediately DrUg and Alcohol Task Force Chairman Board of Adjustments - two positions to fill terms expiring 06/30/04 and 06/30/05 Mayor Johnson stated that one of the existing vacancies is the Drug and Alcohol Task Force chairperson. During a recem conversation with the most recent chairperson, Carolyn Boyd, it was suggested that the task force either needs some fresh blood or it needs to wait until the need arises for future activities. Mayor Johnson offered opportunity for comments at this time, but there were none. He stated that, unless there were comments to the contrary, the vacancy would be removed from the agenda until a later time when those activities are needed. Emergency Disaster Coordinator Mayor Johnson appointed Chief Rick Musson as the Emergency Disaster Coordinator. Motion by Alderman Olson tO approve the appointment of Chief Rick Musson as the Emergency Disaster Coordinator, seconded by Alderman Poehls. Motion carried 6-0. Council Mhautes of October 21, 2003 · Ordinance No. 002-32: City of Laurel Municipal Sign Code. (First reading 06/18/02; public heating on 07/16/02; 08/06/02 - set additional public hearing for 08/20/02; public heating on 08/20/02; continued to 09/03/02; continued to 11/19/02; continued to 01/21/03; continued to 02/18/03; continued to 08/05/03; continued to 09/02/03; continued to 10/07/03; public heating closed 10/07/03) Second reading. Motion by Alderman Poehls to adopt Ordinance No. 002-32, the City of Laurel Municipal Sign Code, seconded by Alderman Mears. A roll call vote was taken on the motion. All six aldermen present voted aye. Motion carried 6-0. ITEMS REMOVED FROM TIlE CONSENT AGENDA: None. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION (TIIREE-MINUTE LIMIT): None. COUNCIL DISCUSSION: Mayor Johnson recently attended a meeting with the City Manager from the City of Billings, Bill Kennedy, Chairman of the County Commissioners, and Russ Boschee, Director of the Air Pollution Control Board. There is a movement to find a different structure for the Air Pollution Control Board to operate under, and two possibilities have been identified. One possibility would be a structure that is similar to the City-County Planning currently in place in Billings. The other possibility would be to place it under the umbrella of the Yellowstone City-County Health Department. A meeting is scheduled for Thursday of this week to discuss the possibility of putting it underneath the Health Department, which would be similar to the disposition of that Board in other parts of Montana. Mayor Johnson will keep the council apprised of that. Alderman John Oakes is serving on that board and would continue to serve. The actual board would stay intact; however, it would serve in a different function than it has in the past. Mayor Johnson stated that the council had received copies of the response that the City of Laurel received from the State regarding their inspection of the court area regarding for mold. Some questions have been posed to try to clarify some direction. Alderman Poehls attended a meeting today at the Laurel Middle School. He mentioned the:need for disaster preparedness on their part, and they did not realize that tabletop exercises were being done. Alderman Poehls referred the school officials to Alderman Mace for more information, as he was sure the schools would want to be part of a future simulated disaster exercise. Alderman Mace stated his willingness to take the calls, and he stated that representatives of the Laurel School District would be welcome at the LEPC meetings. School District No. 2 is presently the only participating school district. Alderman Mace emphasized that the Laurel School District should be involved and have a representative attend those meetings. · Review of Committee Minutes: Mayor Johnson stated that the Pttb!ic Works Committee reviewed the draft nuisance ordinance at the meeting on October 16th. The council will review the nuisance ordinance at the council workshop on October 28th. UNSCIIEDULED MATTERS: Mayor Johnson mentioned that a section of the street east of the Town and Country Cenex would be closed for a short time on Friday during their open house. There being no further business to come before the council at this time, the meeting was adjourned at 6:44 p.m. Cindy Allen, lYecretary Approved by the Mayor and passed by the City Council of the City of Laurel, Montana, this 4th day of November, 2003. Council Minutes of October 21, 2003 Attest: erk-Treasurer 4