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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommittee of the Whole Minutes 08.03.1999 MINUTES CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE August 3, 1999 6:30 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Chuck Rodgers Dirk Kroll Gary Temple Ken Olson Miles Walton Gay Easton Norman Orr Bill Staudinger Bud Johnson OTHERS PRESENT: Larry McCann Mary Embleton Mike Zuhoski Jim Stevens Cal Cumin Mayor Rodgers mentioned that Joe Leckie would not be attending the meeting. Bud Johnson mentioned that a draft of a countywide planning agreement should be available near the end of August or the beginning of September. Dirk Kroll reported that the EMS Task Force met today to hear a presentation from AMR as to why the ambulance service should remain with their facility. The government affairs person for AMR is involved with a program that donates equipment to cities and towns, and Dirk said that it is a possibility for the city to consider. The Ambulance Service is requesting a report to their Oversight Committee to decide how AMR is dealing with the patients in Laurel and Yellowstone County. The Task Force will continue to meet on the first and third Tuesdays of each month for about six months. Gay Easton mentioned that the Public Works Committee meeting has been rescheduled to August 16th so that the council can attend the Main Street Program meeting at Laurel Ford on August 9th. Gay asked Larry if Fox Lumber is hauling their sawdust and scrap lumber to the Landfill. Larry checked to make sure that it was not being taken to the Landfill. When Fox contacted the city about hauling the loads, Larry told them we would haul it at our normal rate. Fox has been hauling the loads out themselves, but we do not know where the scrap lumber is being dumped. Bill Staudinger said that the dry weeds should be cause for concern for fire danger in some places within the city limits. There are tall weeds within the city limits east of Fiberglass Structures near the Big Sky Nursery. The weed problem continues east of the Quik Lube near the SEG Federal Credit Union and by Western Drug. Miles mentioned that the city contacted the owners of the land near the nursery about the weed problem last year or the year before. At that time, they had agreed to keep the weeds under control. Mary Embleton recently met with Norm Klein of the Department of Commerce to discuss various budget issues, and Mary received some direction regarding how to deal with the present situation. We can only go through the first half of the worksheet to determine what our total dollars are, but we will not know what the other half is until we receive the certified mill levy from the state sometime in the beginning of September. The Budget/Finance Committee has directed that we should continue working on the remainder of the budget. With Don Hackmann's help, the year-end journal entries were completed today, and the reports will be run on Wednesday. Mary expressed appreciation for Don's help with this work. Because of delays in the year-end reports and some computer problems, the claims were not ready for approval at the council meeting. The Budget/Finance Committee recommended that a special council meeting be scheduled for August 10 for the purpose of approving claims. The dollar amounts for Resolution R99-33 were changed after the resolution was distributed last Friday. The corrected resolution was included in the council's notebooks for approval. Mary reminded the council and department heads to bring their codebooks to the Clerk's Office to be updated. A new computer server was ordered last week and should arrive next week. This will enable the city to complete the Y2K conversion. Jim Stevens said that the Fire Department has responded to 113 calls this year. There were 33 runs in July, and six of those were multi-hour calls. A total of 865 hours have been served this year at an average response of 22 firemen per call. Mike Zuhoski distributed the monthly statistic report for the Police Department. There were 804 calls during the month of July, 400 more calls than at this time last year. The Police Department is presently accepting applications for the relief dispatcher position, and testing will be done on Monday, August 9th. Cai Cumin distributed copies of a press release about the national expert who will be assessing downtown Laurel on August 9th, l0th, and 1 lth. Scott Day, Program Associate with the National Main Street Center in Washington, D.C., will arrive in Laurel on Monday evening to begin two days of interviews, tours, and meetings. At the conclusion of the two days, Mr. Day will meet with community leaders to present their observations and to propose a course of action to strengthen the downtown revitalization efforts. The program's objective is to provide direction regarding the downtown revitalization program, as well as the analysis of the transportation systems in Laurel. Cal urged the council to attend the meeting on August 9th. Larry McCann distributed copies of the Annual Drinking Water Quality Report for the City of Laurel. The report has to be out before October 1st. Larry explained that the report would generate some questions and concerns about the water. Duke Nieskens will explain the report at the next Public Works Committee meeting. 2 Larry mentioned that the city submitted the Yellowstone County application for the Project Impact Grant. He asked the mayor to sign a letter expressing the city's interest in participating in this grant. The Chamber of Commerce, Cenex, Yellowstone Bank, and Montana Rail Link will also be sending letters. There is a good chance that the City of Laurel will be the only applicant for those funds in the State of Montana. The funds, from $300,000 to $500,000, would be used at the intake. Another available grant is due by September 29, 1999. Larry contacted Larry Akers about this grant, and Larry will work with Cai to prepare it. The grant addresses comprehensive planning for sustainable growth. The warranty period for the old water tank is over. There is either a spring making a big wet spot or the tank is seeping water. Larry plans to wait until the middle or the end of September to drain the 1.5 million-gallon tank to see what happens. We can operate offthe other tank at that time. The crew has been working on the weed problem. Tour America has purchased twenty acres of the land in Entertainment Subdivision, and the owner plans to clean up the area. A letter has been issued to the owners of the rest of that property and the property beside Jan's IGA. IGA is presently pumping their storm water into that property. The owner wants to take some heavy equipment in to cut down the weeds, but that would that would tear out the drain system. Chetyll Lund is on vacation and a temporary person is working in the office. Mayor Rodgers mentioned that the lot at the FAP Complex has been topped, and the crew is presently working on the road to the Sewer Plant. Mayor Rodgers said that Fran and Dave recently made some tarps that one man can roll on and off of the 30-yard trucks. The tarps were made out of used parts, which saved a considerable amount of money for the city. Mayor Rodgers commended them for their work. An Employee Appreciation Luncheon is scheduled for Tuesday, August 17th, at the Thomson Park Shelter from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Mayor Rodgers asked the councilmen to help with the luncheon. Joe Leckie will return on August 17th and he will contact the office while he is away. The meeting adjourned at 6:54 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Cindy Allen City Council Secretary