HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommittee of the Whole Minutes 02.02.1999 MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
February 2, 1999 6:30 P.M.
Council Chambers
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Chairman Chuck Rodgers
Dirk Kroll (6:43) Bud Johnson
Ken Olson Miles Walton
Gay Easton Norman Orr
Bill Staudinger
OTHERS PRESENT:
V. Joe Leckie
Larry McCann
Cai Cumin
Rick Musson
Jim Stevens
Mayor Rodgers reported that there was a bomb threat at the Sewer Plant on Friday,
January 22ha. All of the facilities were checked out and nothing happened.
On Sunday, January 24th, we lacked water at the winter suction intake. The line was
silted in with about six feet of cover. COP Construction came in on Monday, January
25th, and fin/shed clearing the line at noon on Tuesday, the 26th.
The interviews for City Clerk-Treasurer were held on January 20th, 21st, and 25th. The
panel selected Mary Embleton from Cut Bank, and confirmation of her acceptance has
been received. Mary's starting date is March 1, 1999.
Mayor Rodgers sent a letter to Senator Max Baucus thanking him for his support on the
fiver issue. Senator Baucus asked to be kept informed as progress is made on this issue.
The mayor mentioned that he had five appointments to the Ambulance Reserves and one
appointment to the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department for the council meeting.
Larry McCann mentioned that the Army Corp of Engineers would be here on February
11t~. There will be two people from Omaha and one of them is involved in the Section 22
grant process. Larry's concern is that they will leave Montana wanting to do a special
study of the Yellowstone River concerning the movement of material in the fiver. Roger
Perkins had hinted about the need to do this study when he did the survey recently. The
study from the Governor's Task Force runs the length of the Yellowstone River, and
Larry does not want to get involved with that. We need help from the Corps to solve our
intake problem, not to study the fiver.
The EPA has come out with a mandate on a Risk Management Plan. If we use one-ton
chlorine cylinders at the Water Plant, we have to put this in process. It will involve the
Fire Department and is an evacuation plan for that whole end of the city and almost all of
Yellowstone County. Larry said that it really gets to be entailed. Larry and Duke
Nieskens have been using the Internet to do research on other cities that have gone to a
new process that uses chlorine tablets. There would be no chlorine gas at either the Sewer
Plant or the Water Plant. Right now we have one-ton cylinders at the Sewer Plant that
require an RMP. The chlorine tablet system would work, and Bozeman has just
converted over to it. We are in contact with two California cities that switched to this
process six months ago, and we are trying to find all available information. Equipment to
run the chlorine gas cylinders has already been delivered to the plant. Duke is
investigating the cost involved to return and restock the cylinders. After finding out the
actual dollar costs, Larry said that it might be necessary to have another meeting of the
Water Task Force to discuss this major issue.
Miles questioned Larry whether the reason for going to the tablet form versus the
cylinder is because the EPA is going to require us to enact an evacuation plan downwind
of the plants. They are looking at a mile radius for the plan. Billings has had five people
working on their RMP for four months and Billings is staying with their one-ton
cylinders. The RMPs are due in April. Cenex also has to do one of their own. Some
cities are continuing to use the 150-pound cylinders like we use. Instead of having three
of them hooked into a manifold, they have eight of them, which is right under the limit of
the RMP. A transfer switch is used to automatically transfer, and the workers change the
cylinders once a day. Chlorine gas can cause some long-term problems, and the city has
never addressed the training required for self-contained breathing apparatus. It would be
a requirement for the Water and Sewer Plant employees to be trained in the use of self-
contained breathing apparatus once a quarter. There are some obsolete units hanging on
the wails at the plants. Larry approached the EPA that his orders to his employees would
be to get out and call trained people to deal with any incidents, but the EPA would not
approve that. Larry will continue to investigate all aspects of the systems available.
Larry distributed a sample agenda for the first joint Public Utilities and Street and Alley
Committees meeting scheduled for Monday, February 8th. The agendas would be
distributed the Friday before each meeting.
Rick Musson thanked the mayor and the council for attending the town meeting on
:~: January 26th. There were 60-100 people in attendance at the meeting which addressed the
status of the investigation of the Miranda Fenner homicide. Rick thanked Gay Easton for
his participation in the hiring process for the relief dispatcher. A background check is
being done on an applicant for this position.
Jim Stevens reported that about twenty-five of the department's firemen and some Cenex
firemen went through the state's smoke trailer that was located at the Fire Hall last week.
The 1998 Statistical Report shows that the Fire Department responded to 179 call outs
last year. This indicates that the area has grown both within and outside of the city limits.
Jim mentioned that the new fireman, Rick Gallegos, would be attending the council
meeting.
Cai Cumin said that the two billboards by the greenhouse are located in a light industrial
zone, which does require a special review process before construction. This was not
done, and Cai will write a letter asking them what they are going to do to address the
situation. The review process needs to go through the City-County Planning Board
before it goes to the council.
Cai stated that the city will need to annex the site before water and sewer can be extended
out to the South Pond Project. Cai asked for direction to annex the site so he can take it
to the Planning Board for the necessary process. This will be a city-initiated annexation.
There is currently no certificate of survey or legal description for the site. Mayor
Rodgers put this item on the next agenda.
Cai questioned the status of the name change for the South Pond. Miles recently received
a call from Mr. Guenthner, who understood that Ken Miller was submitting the request to
the city. Ken Miller had talked with Larry about this after the last Parks Committee
meeting. The request to name it the Laurel Lions Family Park will go before the Parks
Committee.
Cal will report on the downtown planning process at the next meeting.
Bill Staudinger has received calls complaining about the number of dogs running loose
after 3:30 p.m., particularly on the south and north sides of the city.
Dirk Kroll remarked about the article in last Sunday's Billings Gazette regarding the
ambulance service in Billings. Billings is considering switching from AMR to their Fire
Department. Dirk talked with Chuck Tooley, the mayor of Billings, who indicated that
this is only in the preliminary stages. Mr. Tooley said that the outlying areas could be
bidded for even if Billings does change to use of their own Fire Department for
ambulance service. Dirk suggested that this issue be discussed at the joint Police, Fire,
and Ambulance Committees meeting next week.
Ken Olson thanked the Fire Department for allowing the Cenex firemen the opportunity
to use the smoke trailer for training last week.
Gay Easton asked the council to have someone inspect the building to see what is causing
the apparent structural problems in the Council Chambers. Mayor Rodgers asked Larry
McCmm to inspect it.
The meeting adjourned at 6:54 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Cindy Alle?
City Council Secretary