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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Workshop Minutes 11.14.2006 MINUTES COUNCIL WORKSHOP NOVEMBER 14, 2006 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.nx on November 14, 2006. COUNCIL MEMBEr8 PRESENT: _x_ Dick Fritzler _x_ Kate Hart __x_ Gay Easton _x_ Jennifer Johnson OTHERS PRESENT: x Doug Poehls _x_ Mark Mace _x_ Chuck Dickerson _x_ Norm Stamper Mary Embleton Sam Painter Perry Asher Cai Cumin Mark Richards Jared Schoch, Johnson Controls Public Innut (three-minute limif). Citizer~ may address the Council regarding any item of City business not on the agend~ The duration for an individual spealdng under Public Input is limited to three minutes. [ghtle all comments are welcome, the Council will not take action on any item not on the agenda. · None Mayor Olson removed the resolution accepting conveyance of portions of East Maryland and Alder Avenue and the resolution approving a reconciliation change order for the East First Street projeet ii, om the council workshop agenda. Piannina Board issues: Resolution: Notice of intent to vacate a portion of Bernhardt Road Mark Richards stated that this should be the end of the problems with the Wal-Mart plat in order to get the plat filed. A small piece of a cul-de-sac needs to be abandoned, and this resolution addresses that. Mark read part of the resolution of intent for the city council to vacate a certain platted cul-de-sac in the Laurel Business Park Subdivision as requested by property owners within such subdivisinr~ The legal description is included in the resolution. There was a question about when Wal-Mart will actually start building. Mark will inform the council when he finds out. · Mace Subdivision - Preliminary Plat, zone change, and annexation Cai Cumin stated that the Planning Board met last week on the major plat for Mace Subdivision. A public hearing was held and there were no protests. The Planning Board recommends approval of Coua¢il Workshop Minutes of November 14, 2006 the preliminary plat and annexation by the city council. The annexation has been specifically requested, because in the past, it has not been acceptable to have it as an addition to the City of Laurel. There is also a zoning request. The Planning Board recommends approval subject to these five items: 1. A concrete alley approach be provided where the interior alley of the subdivision intersects West 4th Street (to keep the gravel from coming up on the paved road). 2. In the Subdivision Imp~vements Agreement (SLA), delete the reference to park areas on page 5, paragraph 3 (because there are no parks). 3. Approve the variance request to waive the paving on West 3~ Street, and the Planning Board recommends supporting that. 4. Waive the requirement for a turnaround in the alley. (The city garbage pickup will use containers picked up in front of the units until such time in the future as the alley extends southward.) The soils in the alley are bad, and the Subdivision Improvements Agreement requires that the gravel put in the alley be adequate to address the subsoil conditions in the site. 5. "Require" not "recommend" geotechnical analysis of subsurface before construction, and put this requirement in the Subdivision Iraprovements Agreement. Cai said that there was a specific request for annexation. As he has stated previously regarding the annexation process, state law encourages that local governments combine annexation with subdivision. The Planning Board feels that this is a good project for Laurel. It addresses housing needs at a time of high and anticipated higher demand. Most importantly, this is an infill project which can be served by city services within the city service area. Most communities across the country try to encourage infill projects. Cai stated that the council needs to set a public hearing for the zoning issue. He explained the location of the subdivision on a map. The applicant bas requested a zone change from Residential Tracts to Residential 6000, which is the current zoning directly across the adjacent streets to the north and east. There was discussion regarding West Third Street, which will not be paved until phase two (Lots 5, 6, 7, mud 8) of the project is completed. The road will be built, the services will be put in, but the paving will not be done until the second phase is done. Chuck stated that there is a situation on Juniper where a subdivision was built. The portion that was annexed into the city was paved, but the other side of the street is in the county and tbat part of the street has not been paved yet. However, the city required that the paving be done for the half of the street that was in the city. He questioned if paving of the whole street (West Third Street) will he waived until Lots 5, 6, 7, and 8 are done. The paving on the street completely will be waived until the property is developed to the south of the first phase. The curb and gutter will be done al~er the constmctinn is done and before the street is paved. Cai stated that this issue should be on the agenda next week. Mary asked Mayor Olson for clarification regarding the documents, which were not distributed at the council workshop. A resolution for the preliminary plat and annexation and an ordinance for the zone change will he distr~buted this week. The public hearing will be set after the first reading of the ordinance. 2 Com~¢il Workshop Minute~ of November 14, 2006 Clerk/Treasurer: · Resolution - AAIG Financing Contract Mary spoke regarding the resolution to accept the AAIG Financing Contracting portion of the Johnson Commls Performance Contract project. Mayor Olson stated that some of the details of the contract are still being reviewed. If additional review time is needed, the resolution will be removed from the November 21~t council agenda. Mary agreed that some additional review should be done so all issues are addressed, as this is something new for the city. She pointed out some of the highlights of the contract. The interest rate will be 4.2 percent, which is an excellent rate of interest, and the term is for twelve years. The money will be held in an escrow account on behalf of the city. The city will make payments to AAIG when the project is finished next spring. In the meantime, the money will earn interest and that will pay down the principle. AAIG will make the payments to Johnson Controls, but the city will review and approve the payments. As the contract is set up, it will require the city's one-time capital contn'bution of about $720,000, of which $650,000 will come ~om water and the rest will come from various other sources that benefit from the facilities portion of the contract. · Correction of Payroll Register amount for PPE 10/22/06 Mary explained that the wrong payroll register was reviewed at the Budget/Finance Committee meeting last week. Typically, the payroll register that needs to be reviewed is the last one done; owever, the November 5 pay period was completed early because of the holidays last week. She grabbed the wrong one and that is why the figures did not match. On the next consent agenda, there will be three dates and three figures: the October 22'~ pay period with the correct figure, a small payroll register of about $1,500 for insurance purposes, and the November 5th payroll register. The payroll figures need to be corrected for the record. Administrative Assistant: Resolution No. R06-116: A resolution of the City Council approving the Performance Contract by and between the City of Laurel and Johnson Controls, Inc. (Delayed 10/17/2006 md 11/08/2006) Perry stated that a new version of the contract was received yesterday. Some staff members were concerned about several things, and Johnson Coutrels has addressed those issues. Perry stated that the item is ready to go. Updated copies of the contract will be distributed to the council. Jared Schoch commended the city and staff for being one of the first cities in Montana to go thn~ugh this process and for being a leader in the process. Montana is the 49th state to approve legislation to let public sector entities do these types of projects. Jared has been impressed with Sam, Mayor Olson, Perry, Mary and the whole teara. · Resolution: Declaring trash pump as surplus 3 Council Workshop Minutes of November 14, 2006 Perry spoke regarding the resolution to declare a 4,000-gallon pump as surplus and to authorize its disposal. Normally, all city items are declared surplus at the same time. Since Larry expects that the pump could bring in about $10,000, it is worth doing it separately. There was a brief discussion regarding where the proceeds of the sale would go. Mary explained that the proceeds would stay in the Water Fund, since the pump was purchased as part of the intake project to provide temporary water. A statement will be included in the resolution to clarify that the proceeds of the sale will go in the Water Fund. · Ordinance: Changing the City of Laurel Truck Route Perry stated that Steve Klotz asked that the truck routes be addressed. The current truck routes are two parallel streets that do not connect or go anywhere. First Avenue is the north/south truck route, but it does not connect to Eighth Avenue. The ordinance is an effort to develop a set of truck routes in the city that makes sense. The proposed City of Laurel Truck Route is: First Avenue, North and South; Main Street, East and West; West Railroad Street from First Avenue South to South Fifth Avenue; and South Filth Avenue fi'om West Main Street to West Railroad Street. Signage for the truck routes will be posted. There was discussion regarding available state funding for truck routes to repair Railroad Street from First Avenue South to Filth Avenue. Mayor Olson explained that Eighth Avenue and Railroad Street are urban funded routes. Laurel has obligated is urban funds to the Eighth Avenue project, which diminishes the opportunity to spread that revenue into other urban-funded routes. Doug suggested that monies for truck routes might be available. Research will be done. Chuck asked regarding the possibility of removing the triangle island at East Railroad and First Avenue South in order to help trucks turn easier. The triangle previously located at First Avenue and Main Street was successfully removed, which made it easier for trucks to negotiate the turn. The suggestion will be reviewed. Executive review: · Park Board Appointments: Mayor Olson stated that the following Park Board appointments would be presented on the November 21't council agenda: Kate Hart, four-year term; Norm Stamper, two-year t~m~; and Mark Mace, two-year t~,tL According to the ordinance, the Park Board will have seven members. Three merohers will be aldermen and there will be four members-at-large. Chuck stated that he would like to serve as a member-at-large on the Park Board, since he lives across the street froro one of the bigger parks in the city. 4 Council Workshop Minutes of November 14, 2006 There was further discussion regarding the members as stated in the ordinance. The Park Board ordinance states that the board consists of seven members, which constitutes three sitting members oftha city council and four members at large who must reside within the city or must live within two miles of LaureL Mayor Oison will keep Chuck's offer in mind. · City-County Planning Board Appointment: Mayor Olson stated that Miles Walton, who previously served on the city council and the planning board, would be a good representative for the city. The appointment will be on the council agenda on November 21 st. · City Council Appointment: A letter of resignation, effective December 31, 2006, has been received from Ward 4 council member Jennifer Johnson. Mayor Oison stated his appreciation for Jennifer's time, effort, and service on the council, as well as on various committees and boards. Copies of the code regarding vacancy of office were distributed to the council. Mayor Oison stated that the vacancy will bo advertised when the resignation becomes effective on December 31, 2006. Review of draft council a~,enda for November 21~ 2006: There was no discussion. Almouncements: Doug mentioned that three community members are needed for the Emergency Services Committee, and he asked for suggestions from the council. Doug, Chuck, Norm and Dick are the council members on the committee and Pat Kimmet is a member ~om the community. Mark Mace spoke regarding the process of subdivision development, as he has personally experienced the process in the last few months. He thinks the process was fair, and he commended the city staff There was discussion regarding permission for the fire department to set off fireworks, particularly at the Christmas to Remember festivities on December 3~a. The mayor is authorized to grant permission to set off fim~works, and no council action is necessary. Norm commended the mayor and everyone involved with the Veterans' Day ceremony last Saturday. He thought it was a great success and looks gorward to the annual event. Mayor Olson stated that the Veterans' Day celebration will continue while this administration is in office. He also spoke regarding the successful ceremony. Jennifer mentioned that the Daughters of the American Revolution will assist with the naturalization ceremonies on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. at the court house in Billings. Forty-six people 5 Council Workshop Minutes of November 14, 2006 will receive their citizenship. Jennifer stated that the experience ofwimessing the ceremony is very moving and will not he forgotten. Gay spoke regarding growth within the city, particularly near the proposed Mace Subdivision. When Gay was young, there wore no houses from Fifth Avenue to Mark's current house. The infill projects will bring the city back together. Mayor Olson and Mark Mace recently met with Ozzie Blevins of Billings to discuss bike paths. Laurel adopted a BikePed Plan, which is a guideline and is not set in stone. Mayor Olson and Josh Middleton will meet tomorrow morning to discuss the school resource officer issues and the water and storm drainage issues on Alder and Washington Avenues. A joint meeting with the Laurel School Board will be scheduled soon. The South Fourth Street Task Force will meet on Wednesday, November 15th, at 8:00 Attendance at the November 21~t council mee~-'~'- Gay Easton will be gone on November 21~. Jennifer Johnson will be gone on November 28s. Other items None. The council workshop adjourned at 7:35 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. 6 PREMMINARY PLAT OF MACE SUBDIVISION AN ADDITION TO THE CITY OF LAUREL LAUREL, YELLOWSTONE COUN1Y, MONTANA UNPLATI~D