HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Workshop Minutes 10.26.2004 MINUTES
COUNCIL WORKSHOP
OCTOBER 26, 2004 6:30 P.M.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
A Council Workshop was held in the Council Chambers and called to order by Mayor Ken Olson
at 6:30 p.m. on October 26, 2004.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT:
x Dick Fritzler x Doug Poehls
Kate Stevenson x Mark Mace
x Gay Easton Daniel Dart
x Jennifer Johnson x John Oakes
OTHERS PRESENT:
Sam Painter
Officer Mark Guy
Larry McCann
Cal Cumin
Public Input (three-minute limit):
Citizens may address the Council regarding any item of City business not on the agenda, The duration for an
individual speaking under Public Input is limited to three minutes. While all comments are welcome, the Council
will not take action on any item not on the agenda.
· None
Police Department:
· Montana Department of Transportation: State Highway Traffic Safety Office Standard
Agreement
o Officer Mark Guy explained the block grant from the Montana Board of Crime
Control.
o Grant would provide $9,999 for a patrol car.
o CIP includes $16,000 for a patrol car.
o Resolution will be on the November 2"d council agenda.
· Highway Traffic Safety Office Contract - Laurel STEP OT
o $10,100 grant for DUI and seatbelt enforcement
o Grant money is used for extra shifts for New Year's, 4th of July, and Labor Day.
o Remaining dollars would be used for extra shifts for traffic enforcement at the
chief's discretion.
o Resolution will be on the November 2na council agenda.
Public Works Department:
· Stop sign needed at 5th Street and Alder Avenue
o Every street that intersects Alder Avenue has a stop sign except 5th Street.
o By ordinance, requests for stop signs need to be submitted by the police
department.
· Other intersections need stop signs.
Council Workshop Minutes of October 26, 2004
· Good time to get a comprehensive study done and then present to council.
o Discussion regarding need to post a speed limit sign on Alder Avenue
o Discussion regarding the ditch and liability issues
Laurel Drain Ditch
o Larry has discussed DEQ's requirements with Cenex Refinery.
o Larry submitted a memo to the council regarding the Laurel Drain crossing the
Billings Bench Water irrigation ditch.
· Copy of the memo is attached to these minutes.
o Cenex Refinery is connected to the pipe and uses it to discharge their treated
lagoon water.
o Cenex has agreed to pay up to $12,500 in the cost of replacing the drain.
o Cenex will be responsible for any additional cost if their connection is a problem.
o COP Construction will do the work, which is scheduled for the second week of
November.
o Resolution will be on the November 2nd council agenda.
Planning Board issues:
· Elena Subdivision/Maryland Bridge
o Elena Subdivision has been proposed as an addition to the City of Laurel
o Issue is the requirement of a bridge over the Big Ditch where Maryland Lane
extends west.
· Cai stated that the bridge is needed and should be paid for by the
developers.
o Discussion regarding the Transportation Plan for Laurel, Montana.
· Plan states that "Project No. 12 is the construction of Maryland Lane from
7th Avenue west to the Westside Arterial. As noted, Maryland Lane
should be constructed to collector street standards. This project would
entail the construction of a slight transition street between Maryland Lane
on the west side of 8th Avenue and Maryland Lane on the east side of 8t~
Avenue. Today, there is a 100-£oot jog at 8th Avenue, but vacant land at
the northeast coruer of 8th and Maryland exists to enable a better
connection to be made."
o Discussion regarding arterial and major collector streets.
o Discussion regarding the MDT's proposal to rebuild the interchange in five to
seven years
· Bruce Barrett had stated that the full interchange would become the west
boundary interchange of the greater metropolitan area.
o Property owner does not want the bridge in order to keep a closed community in
Cherry Hills Subdivision.
o Bridge would become the property of the City of Laurel and a maintenance
program would be necessary.
· According to decision in the last legislative session, the county maintains
all current bridges; any future bridges become the responsibility of the
entity that built the bridge.
· Technology for building bridges has been changed, as they are a concrete
structure that is set in the location.
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Council Workshop Minutes of October 26, 2004
Property owners, Newman and Bequette, need to share the costs of the bridge and
of extending water and sewer to the developments.
o Discussion regarding the houses in Ward 4.
· John Oakes asked Cal how to rebuild the 4th Ward with newer quality
homes and bring it up to standard.
· Cai stated that improvement to private property is market driven.
· Mark mentioned that a sidewalk program would start an
improvement process and drive up the market.
o Cal questioned whether the bridge issue needed further council action.
· Since the Transportation Plan formerly approved by council is still in
effect and is also part of the Growth Management Plan, no further council
action is necessary.
Pool Study
o Pool Committee has $18,000 available for a pool study.
o Engineering analysis is needed to show where the pool should be located, what
the pool should consist of, how much the pool will cost, and the necessary
maintenance.
o Resolution to approve up to $9,600 for a pool study will be on the November 2nd
council agenda.
Executive review:
· Paper reduction
o Some documents still need to be distributed as hard copies.
o Documents will be e-mailed to the council when possible.
o If there are no changes after the council workshop, documents will not be
redistributed to the council.
· Council agenda
o Mayor explained the changes on the council agenda.
· Consent calendar will include claims, financial statements, payroll
register, and committee minutes.
· According to the ordinance, there will be no public discussion
regarding the consent calendar.
· Resolutions will be listed under Scheduled Matters.
· Audience Participation (three-minute limi0 is now before Scheduled
Matters, and the Community Announcements (one-minnte limit) is after
the Items Removed From the Consent Agenda.
· Public hearing on the intent to increase sewer rates - November 2, 2004
o Erl Tufte, Morrison-Maierle, will present an overview of the wastewater rates.
o Public input will be received, but no debate or discussion is allowed.
· People needed for Local Government Study Commission
o Election is on November 2ha.
o Richard Bamhart is only one listed on the ballot.
o Two individuals need to be appointed within twenty days after the election.
o Two-year commitment for three city residents to review Laurel's form of
government
· Resolution for annexation of Lots 6 through 15, Block 2, Mathis Subdivision
Council Workshop Minutes of October 26, 2004
o Annexation was approved by motion at the October 19th council meeting, but
annexations need to be approved by resolution.
o Resolution to approve the annexation will be on the November 2na council
agenda.
Resolutions: · MDT Grant
· Highway Traffic Safety Office Contract - Laurel STEP OT
· Laurel Drain Ditch
· Pool study
· Resolution for annexation of Lots 6 through 15, Block 2, Mathis Subdivision
Announcements
· Committee meetings
o Jenny Johnson mentioned that a quorum was not present at the Emergency
Services Committee meeting on Monday, October 25th.
o Discussion regarding:
· Committees versus task forces
· Public feedback is important.
· Items for committee agendas
· Important to have agendas with specific items for committee
meetings
· Suggestion to appoint individuals who will attend the meetings
· Suggestion to get staff's input regarding committee meetings
o Mayor will contact Ken Weaver regarding input on goal setting and committees at
the next council retreat in January 2005.
· Park on Washington Avenue
o Doug Poehls is still proceeding on the park and possible land swap on
Washington Avenue with Grace Bible Church and the Laurel Middle School.
· Drug Task Force
o Gay represented the city in a classroom of about twenty students today.
· Court remodel
o Painting is being done now, carpet will be installed soon, and then some offices
will be moved.
o Completion is still scheduled for November 15th.
· Allocation of space for Dave Ward, the county juvenile officer
o Opportunity to go before the county commissioners next week to ask for
participation for funding of the court relocation
o Approach the issue of lease rent for Dave Ward's office
o Gay, Sam, and John will attend the meeting.
· Insurance Committee
o Chris Shay, who was a non-union member on the committee, has joined the
union.
o Mayor will announce at the November 2~d council meeting that Mike Zuhoski will
be a non-union member on the committee.
· Park and Recreation Committee
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Council Workshop Minutes of October 26, 2004
o Mayor will appoint the following members at the November 2na council meeting.
· Kate Stevenson, Dan Dart, Mark Mace, Jenny Johnson
State Soccer Championship
o Laurel will host the state girls' soccer championship this weekend.
o Mayor granted request for fire department to set off fireworks at the game. · Notice will be published in the newspaper.
· Ambulance and fare track will be at the location.
Attendance at the November 2nd council meetin~
* All present will attend.
Other items
· Paving project at the post office
o A large bog hole was discovered next to Fimt Avenue.
o We attempted to bridge it by putting down more base with a fabric and more
millings on it, but it sunk down again today.
o Staff informed mayor that a couple of options need to be presented to the
Budget/Finance Committee.
· Mayor asked for a special Budget/Finance Committee meeting on
Thursday at 5:00 p.m.
o An allocation of funds needs to be approved by the Budget/Finance Committee
since it is an additional cost to the project.
o Explanation of two possible options
· One option is to dig down six inches below grade, put down 1 ½ inches of
asphalt, let it set for a day, put down another 1 ½ inches of asphalt, hoping
that the three inches would bridge across the hole, and then overlay the
total with another three inches of asphalt.
· Another option is to put millings over it now, and then dig it up and fix it
next spring.
· Mayor said other options are being developed, but it is one of those things
that we had no way of knowing would be encountered.
o Mark stated that he would rather have it fixed correctly now so the new asphalt is
not dug up next spring.
o John stated that research will need to be done to determine how large the area
really is, but it should be fixed while the weather is still good.
o Mayor stated that we are fortunate that this was found on this project.
· The project from Ricci's to the mortuary will probably uncover similar
problems.
· A project of that magnitude would have enough advance notification to
provide available options before it has to be done.
o Mark suggested that it could be used in the bidding process to prevent change
orders.
o Gay explained that an old irrigation waterbed ran through there before the
swimming pool was put in and they had to dig down six feet from 6th Street to 7th
Street.
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Council Workshop Minutes of October 26, 2004
Je. ~n~my asked if the street would be repaved at the location of the water problem at the end
of 5 Street and Washington Avenue.
o Larry stated that the street would be patched.
Discussion regarding the need for a water line replacement schedule
~ Larry is researching grants for the purpose of replacing sewer and water lines,
curb, gutter, and streets on the south side of Laurel.
The council workshop adjourned at 8:07 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Cindy Allen
Council Secretary
NOTE: This meeting is open to the public. This meeting is for information and discussion
of the Council for the listed workshop agenda items.
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To: Mayor Ken Olson and Laurel City Council
From: Larry McCann Public Utilities Director
Re: Laurel Drain crossing the Billings Bench Water Irrigation Ditch
The following is presented to clear up confusion over the cost of installing new pipe for
the Laurel drain.
Cost of pipe
a. 42 inch - 280 feet- $9044.00
b. 24 inch- 80 feet - $1436.00
c. 10-42 inch bands - $702.80
d. 2 - 24 inch bands - $70.38
Total cost of pipe $11,253.18
2. Cost to install pipe $13,200.00
Total cost of project is $24,453.18.
Cenex Refinery is connected to this pipe and uses it to discharge the treated lagoon water.
Cenex has proper discharge permits from the Department of Environmental Quality.
Because this pipe is as important for Cenex as it is to the City, Cenex refinery is
participating in the cost to replace this drain. Cenex has agreed to participate up to $12,
500.00.
Cop Construction will be doing the work and it is planned to take place the second week
of November. The pipe will not be on site until that date because it has to be
manufactured.
We can save about $135.00 dollars offthe installation cost if we furnish 2 track ioads of
millings. In meeting with Cenex we have agreed to split the cost equally. We also agreed
if their connection becomes a problem they will be responsible for all of that cost.