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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Minutes 09.15.2015 MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF LAUREL September 15, 2015 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 Mark Mace at 6:30 p.m. on September 15, 2015. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Emelie Eaton Doug Poehls Bruce McGee Richard Herr Chuck Dickerson Scot Stokes Tom Nelson Bill Mountsier COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: None OTHER STAFF PRESENT: Kurt Markegard, Public Works Director Mayor Mace led the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag. Mayor Mace asked the council to observe a moment of silence. MINUTES: Motion by Council Member Herr to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of September 1, 2015, as presented, seconded by Council Member Poehis. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All eight council members present voted aye. Motion carried 8-0. CORRESPONDENCE. Montana Department of Transportation: Letter of August 28, 2015, regarding Montana's Non- Metropolitan Local Official Participation Process. Laurel Chamber of Commerce: Minutes of August 13, 2015; Agenda for September 10, 2015. COUNCIL DISCLOSURE OF EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS. PUBLIC HEARING. CONSENT ITEMS: • Clerk/Treasurer Financial Statements for the month of August 2015. • Approval of Payroll Register for PPE 08/30/2015 totaling$183,168.50. • Receiving the Committee/Board/Commission Reports into the Record. --Budget/Finance Committee minutes of September 1, 2015 were presented. --Special City-County Planning Board minutes of August 20, 2015 were presented. The mayor asked if there was any separation of consent items. There was none. Motion by Council Member Eaton to approve the consent items as presented, seconded by Council Member McGee. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All eight council members present voted aye. Motion carried 8-0. CEREMONIAL CALENDAR: None. REPORTS OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS: None. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION (THREE-MINUTE LIMIT): None. /14 'fit' Council Minutes of September 15,2015 SCHEDULED MATTERS: • Confirmation of Appointments. • Resolution No. R15-99: A resolution accepting the bid and authorizing the Mayor/Chief Administrative Officer to sign a contract with Wharton Asphalt for city street asphalt patching. Motion by Council Member Poehls to approve Resolution No. R15-99, seconded by Council Member Dickerson. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All eight council members present voted aye. Motion carried 8-0. • Resolution No. R15-100: A resolution of the City Council implementing container site fees to be incorporated into the City of Laurel's Schedule of Fees and Charges. Motion by Council Member Dickerson to approve Resolution No. R15-100, seconded by Council Member Mountsier. There was no public comment. Council Member McGee questioned why the resolution does not have an opportunity for the citizens to get rid of a few free tires, once or twice a year or during the annual cleanup, without it costing $5.00 per tire. He thinks most people take advantage of what he does and take their used tires to a tire shop to dispose of them for a fee. He thinks a few people need an opportunity to get rid of tires, but this only allows for paying per tire. He suggested that a mistake is being made by not making an offer to people to at least move a few free tires. He knows that it costs money and to subsidize this would be a bit burdensome to the city, but the city subsidizes other things like the pool. He stated that he is at a loss why this came before the council with no opportunity to rework it. Kurt Markegard explained that tires were previously accepted for free at the container site during the annual cleanup week, as the guy south of town that landfills tires offered that as a service to the community. The city did not offer the service. However, the guy quit offering the service because he thought it was being abused as there would suddenly be 300 tires for disposal. People were taking tires from outside the community up to the container site, as Kurt does not believe there were 300 tires laying around town. The city currently has no opportunity to have tires hauled away and does not accept tires at the container site. If somebody throws a tire in the garbage container, the City of Billings charges $5.00 per tire. The City of Billings does not want tires, so they charge the city a$5.00 penalty on the load tickets for every tire. Regarding the $5.00 fee, Kurt explained that it costs the city $5.00 per tire so there is no net gain to haul the tires to Billings. It will actually be subsidized if the city has to dispose of them at $5.00 per tire. The Schedule of Fees and Charges is reviewed annually in January, so it could be revised if it is not working. Kurt cautioned that it would be hard to monitor the free tires, as the same person is not always at the container site. Staley's Tire takes tires for $2.00 per tire, but they take them from people that purchase an $800 set of tires so it is subsidized in the cost of the tires. Kurt is just trying to cover the city's expenses, not to make money on the tires. A vote was taken on the motion. Council Members Poehls, Herr, Stokes, Mountsier, Nelson Dickerson and Eaton voted aye. Council Member McGee voted nay. Motion carried 7-1. — ' ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA: None. COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS (ONE-MINUTE LIMIT): None. COUNCIL DISCUSSION: Council Member Poehls mentioned the Emergency Services Committee meeting scheduled on Monday, September 21St, at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers. The committee will be working on an editorial concerning the safety mill levy that will be in the Laurel Outlook. This is the appropriate time of year to get the information out as the mail ballots will be coming out. Brochures about the safety mill levy were sent out in the water bills recently. Council Member Herr stated that the Public Works Committee voted to schedule the ribbon cutting at the Wastewater Treatment Plant on Wednesday, September 23rd, instead of Tuesday, September 22nd. The council has been invited to the Laurel School District meeting on Tuesday, September 2 Council Minutes of September 15,2015 2211d, so the conflict caused the date to be changed. The meeting with the School District is from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Laurel Middle School. The ribbon cutting is scheduled at 5:30 p.m. at the �-- plant. Council Member Nelson mentioned the discussion regarding committees at the special workshop with the Local Government Center. He asked that the council have a discussion about some of the proposed changes at a council workshop soon. Mayor Mace will talk to Heidi about putting something together to stay on track with those things. Council Member Dickerson suggested that the council members wear the name tags that the city has provided when attending events in the community. Council Member Eaton presented three items. At last night's meeting, the Public Works Committee voted to support the development of a storm water system maintenance district. It will come forward as the Public Works Director has the time to develop the whole process. Council Member Eaton stated that the Budget/Finance Committee discussed the State Urban Route at today's meeting. A couple years ago, the Public Works Committee voted to have West Railroad Street be the next Urban Route, but it never made it on the State Route. There is $5 million in a fund for the support work that the city will need to do. Council Member Eaton asked that this be on the next council workshop agenda as a discussion item. Council Member Eaton stated that the Budget/Finance Committee wants to know what the council thinks about charging the Fire Association reimbursement on the costs that the city incurs for support work on the 4th of July. City personnel help clean up and haul garbage cans, etc., for the 4th of July and it all happens behind the scenes on the city's ticket. She asked for discussion on the next council workshop agenda. Council Member Eaton invited everyone to attend the ribbon cutting at the Wastewater Treatment Plant at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 23rd. The newspaper and the television stations have been invited. UNSCHEDULED MATTERS: None. ADJOURNMENT: Motion by Council Member Mountsier to adjourn the council meeting, seconded by Council Member Poehls. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All eight council members present voted aye. Motion carried 8-0. There being no further business to come before the council at this time, the meeting was adjourned at 6:49 p.m. Cindy Allen, C" uncil Secretary Approved by the Mayor and passed by the City Council of the City of Laurel, Montana, this 6th day of October, 2015. /'/W(24.6-)/ Mark A. Mace, Mayor Attest: Shirley Ewan, Clfk/Treasurer 3