Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommittee of the Whole Minutes 05.18.1999 MINUTES CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE May 18, 1999 6:30 P.M. Council Chambers MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Chuck Rodgers Dirk Kroll (6:50 p.m.) Ken Olson Gay Easton Bill Staudinger Gary Temple Norman Orr Bud Johnson OTHERS PRESENT: V. Joe Leckie Cai Cumin Mary Embleton Larry McCann Jim Stevens Mike Zuhoski Mary Embleton informed the council that the Budget/Finance Committee reviewed the four audit proposals. Proposals were received from Paul Strom & Associates, Joseph Eve & Company, Olness Associates, and Denning and Downey. After review of the aspects in the proposals, the committee chose Olness Associates. Mary reminded the council that the Legislative Update and BARS Seminar is scheduled for Thursday, June 10th, in Billings. Registration forms must be sent in by Friday, May 21st, and council members should let Mary know if they are interested in attending the seminar. Larry and Mary attended the Montana League of Cities and Towns District Meeting on Tuesday, May 18th. Alec Hansen reviewed the legislation that affected cities and towns and discussed the financial impacts that would result. Initiative 1-105 and Senate Bill 195 are gone. Cities have a little latitude regarding how to set the mill levies. It will be based on total dollars generated last year, not numbers of mills. Business equipment will have an impact on our taxable value, as will motor vehicles. We will be allowed to increase property taxes to make up the difference in motor vehicle taxes. The state will reimburse the cities, but not at 100%. For this and the next biennium, the governor will have to budget for reimbursable money that is due to cities and towns. Senate Bill 500 increases the amount of levy support for the volunteer firefighters from 4% to 10%. Alee Hansen will check on the effective date, as it will be subject to voter approval. Gambling revenue may decrease because of a House Bill that set up an electronic monitoring system. The money used to do that is coming from the cities and towns share of the gambling revenue. Mayor Rodgers mentioned that the Friends of Canyon Creek would be meeting in the Council Chambers on Thursday, May 20t~, at 7:00 p.m. Liz Pratt, from M.M.I.A., will be presenting an informational meeting for mayors and council members on Wednesday, May 19, 1999, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers. Mayor Rodgers mentioned that no action needed to be taken on the motion made by Gay Easton which is included on page two of the minutes of the May 10, 1999 meeting of the Joint Parks, Public Utilities, Street and Alley Committees. The motion made by Miles Walton regarding the one-year moratorium on the drainage requirements for paving of parking lots with the specific downtown area boundaries identified will be on the June 1st agenda. Mayor Rodgers mentioned that there would be an opening on the City-County Planning Board as Charlie Fischer has informed him that he does not want to serve another term. Gary Temple mentioned that the word "contract" should read "contact" in the second paragraph of the May 10, 1999 minutes of the Joint Parks, Public Utilities, and Street and Alley Committee. Bill Staudinger mentioned that there are already some tall weeds and grass around town. Jim Stevens informed the council that the Yellowstone County Superintendent of Schools has prepared a forum that will address school emergencies, disasters and crises. The forum is scheduled for Wednesday, May 26th, at 6:30 p.m. at the Montana Pavilion in MetraPark in Billings. Ten panelists will address concerns regarding the tragedy that happened in Colorado. Chief Masson and Chief Stevens will be attending the forum. Cal Cumin gave an overview of the T.C.S.P. Grant that the City received. Out of 500 applications, Laurel was one of 28 communities throughout the United States to receive the grant. The grant is a $110,000 project. This includes $85,000 of federal highway monies, $10,000 from the current planning budget, $10,000 from next year's planning budget, and $5,000 from the Public Works Department budget. We have also applied through RC&D for $10,000 of Community Development Block Grant. Cai does not know how we will receive the money yet. The process of administering the funds locally will come as a recommendation later in this process, possibly as part of the Oversight Committee's work. The first stage of the program will be the selection of the team members and this process will probably take three months. One of the key components of this program is the public participation which will promote the local ownership of the program. The team members that Cal brings in will help to facilitate the expression of that ownership. The Oversight Committee will consist of members such as several City Council members, the Mayor, the Public Works Director, Cai Cumin, the Laurel Revitalization Association, and the Montana Department of Transportation. An Advisory Panel has committed to helping us on this project, and Cal said they are very qualified people from across the United States. The first activity will be a community meeting to develop a 20-year vision of what Laurel wants to be and what the citizens expect from this project. The meeting will focus on four areas: developing the vision, downtown revitalization, analysis and recommendations and options for the transportation system, and the development of sustainable land use practices. An extensive evaluation program needs to be done so the federal govemment can take this project to another community to show them how Laurel's project was done. Cai said that the Friends of Canyon Creek meeting is an important meeting. Milt Wester is trying to obtain a sketch of what will be at that site. When he receives the sketch, he will be able to go to the landowner to finalize the easement. An architect has not been hired and the project has not been approved by the state. Cal applied for a Fish, Wildlife and Parks Grant. Fifty pement was approved and will go toward the South Pond project. Laixy McCann has hired four seasonal employees who will start working next week. The twelve people hired for the pool will begin working on June 7~h. Alison McMilan will manage the pool this summer. Jayne Barnes has done an excellent job coordinating the Summer Recreation Program for the summer. One employee is on light duty and another is off with pulled back muscles, so the shop is shorthanded. Larry talked with Jim Kraft of Cenex about a FEMA Program called IMPACT Grants that is available. It is a countywide grant which provides money for major projects. Jim wrote the letter to get the paperwork to apply for this grant. The City of Laurel could use this money for the intake project or for repair of the leaky ditch. The grant is available for hazard mitigation and would allow us to hire an administrator to administer the grant. The City of Libby received $400,000 through this grant last year. Larry said that no response has been received regarding the application for the grant to repair the Willow Drive ditch. The meeting was adjourned at 6:55 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Cindy Allen City Council Secretary