HomeMy WebLinkAboutDepartment Head Meetings Minutes 01.17.2006 MINUTES
DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETING
JANUARY 17, 2006 8:30 A.M.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
PRESENT:
Perry Asher
Larry McCann
Jan Faught
Rick Musson
Mary Embleton
Peggy Arnold
Steve Klotz (9:07 a.m.)
Council A~,enda - January 17~ 2006
· Appointment of David Firebaugh as a police officer is on the agenda.
o Rick does not need to attend the council meeting, as the new police officer was
introduced at the council workshop last week.
· Discussion regarding swearing in officers at a council meeting
o The department has held informal swearing in ceremonies in the past.
o Formal ceremony would have more meaning and be good public relations for the
department.
o David Firebangh will be sworn in at the council meeting on February 7th.
· Discussion regarding appointments of department heads
o Pen'y stated that it is only a formality, except for contracted employees.
o There was a lengthy discussion regarding prior appointments, requirements in
State code, and an illustration given by Ken Weaver at a council retreat.
o Unless required by law, the appointments should not be done.
o Perry will disenss the issue with Sam to draft an ordinance to clarify this issue.
· Discussion regarding non-exempt vs. exempt employees
o Perry will give the list of rules to Peg.
o All department head positions, except the clerk-treasurer, are exempt.
o Discussion regarding call out pay issues
o Clarity and consistency are needed regarding ail of these issues.
o Suggestion to review the issues while the job descriptions are being updated
Council Workshon Aoenda - January 24~ 2006
· Perry will present the budget revenue projections at the council workshop on January
24~.
· Mary will present the Mid-Year Budget Review at the council workshop on January 3 l't.
· Solutions for the Ambulance Service space issue will be added to the January 24th council
workshop agenda.
· Discussion regarding the computer system
o Bart Haskell gave a presentation at the council workshop on January 10a'.
o The department heads had a lengthy discussion regarding the options.
· Mary expressed concerns about leaving SummitNet as the ISP.
· A firewall is needed between the City of Laurel and Yellowstone County.
o Discussion regarding the need for more IP addresses
· Mary will check to see if more addresses are available.
o Discussion regarding a web page
Deparlment Head Meeting Minutes of January 17, 2006
· GIS and Technical Edge host city web pages at this time.
o Discussion regarding in-house having e-mail:
· City of Laurel would need a server.
· Outlook Exchange is a tool that allows department heeds to access other
department head calendars and schedule meetings.
o Perry will contact Bart regarding presenting the computer information to the
department heads on Friday, January 20th, at 9:00 a.m.
Council Workshon Aeenda - January 31~ 2006
· Johnson Controls will make a presentation at the workshop on January 31 ~t.
· The resolution to annex two wholly surrounded properties in Laurmac Subdivision will
be on the February 7th council agenda
o One property owner has asked regarding the tax increase for the property, and
Mary will get the information~
· The public hearing on the ordinance to amend the zoning map relating to Elena
Subdivision will be on the council agenda on February 7*.
· The annexation and final plat for Elena Subdivision were approved by the council on
January 3, 2006.
o Mary mentioned that the engineers are scheduled to bring the final plat to the city
for city signatures today.
Announcements:
· Discussion regarding emergency contact phone numbers
o Department heads need to get an emergency phone number for all employees by
February 1 a.
· Discussion regarding Cable Montana
o Rick and Jan would like to have cable TV at the FAP and possibly at all city
buildings.
o Perry has contacted Cable Montana about the possibilities of showing recordings
and/or live broadcasts of council and committee meetings on the public service
channel and having a leader board for city and community events.
· Discussion regarding a franchise ordinance
o Mary gave a history ofthe Cable Montana franchise agreement.
· A ten-year franchise agreement was approved during Bud Johnson's term
as mayor.
· Cable TV is the only utility that can legally be charged a franchise fee.
o Perry will have Sam review the issue and get Cable Montana to pay the required
fees.
· Friends of the Library would like to build a storage building by the library.
o Perry told Peg to contact Gary regarding this.
· Discussion regarding information signs to direct the public to the library, ambulance
service, police department, and city hall.
o Peg will give Steve suggested locations and designs for the signs.
· Discussion regarding someone to work on the library's computers
o City has a contract with Technical Edge for a certain number of hours at a lower
rate.
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Departmeat Head Meeting Minutes of January 17, 2006
o An individual fxom Edwards Aviation was recommended to Peg at $50 per hour.
o Peg will check references and make sure that a business license is obtained if the
services are used.
* A memo from Mayor Olson regarding the deadline for submission of agenda items and
documents will be distributed soon.
* Copies of the signature page of the union contract were distributed to the department
heads at this meeting.
o At~er discussion, it was determined that the union should distribute copies to the
union members.
· Rick asked regarding year-end and mid-year reports to the council.
o Perry stated that the mid-year reports should be written, and brief verbal
presentations will be made to the council on February 14~''
· Pen-y will contact Sam regarding annexation of Riverside Park, the water treatment plant,
the waste water treatment plant, and the cemetery.
o Annexation is needed so the police department can patrol these areas.
o By state law, Cenex cannot be annexed into the City of Laurel.
· A drat~ of the Federal appropriations request has been distributed to the department
heads.
· Discussion regarding abandonment of the right of way on 7~ Avenue between Main
Street and the city shop
o Steve will present the issue to the council to see if this should go forward.
o Steve sto~ed that the city should enforce current ordinances regarding this issue or
get rid of the city propel~ty.
o Discussion:
· The adjacent property owners should have to purclmse thc abandoned
property at fair market value.
· Stipulation included requiring the property owner to fence the back of the
property so there is not access to the city property.
o Steve asked for input from the department heads.
· Discussion regarding abandonment of other properties in the city
o Mary will compile a list of properties for Steve, who will present them to the
council at a council workshop.
· Bruce Barrett will attend the council meeting on February 7th to discuss priorities.
o The council will discuss the priorities at the council workshop on January 31~t.
The meeting adjourned at 9:55 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Cindy Allen
Council Secretary