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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Workshop Minutes 09.25.2007 MINUTES COUNCIL WORKSHOP SEPTEMBER 25, 2007 6:52 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS A Council Workshop was held in the Council Chambers and called to order by Mayor Ken Olson at 6:52 p.m. on September 25, 2007. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: _x_ Emelie Eaton x Kate Hart x Gay Easton x Alex Wilkins _x_ Doug Poehls _x_ Mark Mace _x_ Chuck Dickerson _x_ Norm Stamper OTHERS PRESENT: Sam Painter Mary Embleton Steve Klotz James Caniglia Kurt Markagard Jean Kerr Scott Wilm Jan Faught Steve Zeier, BSEDA Public Innut ~'three-minute limit): Citizens may address the Council regarding any item of City business not on the agenda. The duration for an individual speaking under Public Input is limited to three minutes. While all comments are welcome, the Council will not take action on any item not on the agenda. There was none. Jean Kerr: Court remodel update Jean Kerr informed the council that the reconfiguration in the court area has been completed. She thanked the council for allowing this to happen and stated that it is a better, safor area. The air conditioning portion of the remodel for the courtroom, the court clerk offices, and the motor vehicle office has not been done yet. Two bids were received: the high bid was lbr $16,000 and the low bid was for $5,500. Mayor Olson and Jean will meet to discuss this issue. Jean mentioned that Laurel City Court will be closed next week, as she and the court clerks will attend Jndgas' School in Butte. Laurel Ambulance Service: · Ambulance Reserve Appointments: Anna Gatzemeier and Sue Leuthold Ambulance Director Jan Faught requested the appointments of Anna Gatzemeier and Sue Leuthold to the Ambulance Reserves. Anna is a student at MSU-B and ha.~ been an EMT for one and one-half years. Sue is a firefighter and works in the Quick Response Unit in Molt. The appointments will be on the council agenda on October 2~. Planning Board: · Public Heari~_~: Subsequent Minor Plat of Amended Lot 2D-l, Canyon Creek Station Subdivision 2'~ Filing, Preliminary Plat Council Workshop Minutes of September 25, 2007 James Caniglia stated that this issue would not normally come before the council. There was a miscommunication, as the Billings Planning Department has been taking care of this and thought it had to be presented at the council worksho.~ James stated that the findings of fact are complete. The public hearing will be held at the October 2 council meeting. Fire D~_ artment: · Resolution - Small Services Contract with CTA Amhiteets Fire Chief Scott Wiim requested permission for the mayor to sign a small service contract with CTA Architects. The fire department is looking into the possibility of a new fire halL USDA contacted the department and told them that money is available. The depat'tment must complete a preliminary application and get a drawing of the proposed new station. Scott and Derek Yeager have been doing the footwork for this. They took the plans of the current fire station to CTA to discuss the future goals. There has been discussion with Vince Ricei regarding the property on the north side of his new store. Vince does not have plans for the property fight now, so it is an option that the department is reviewing. The contact at USDA told Scott that the preliminary application should be accepted within a short period of time after it is submitted. The department is looking at requesting $1.5 to $1.75 million loan for a new fire hell for a term of twenty, thirty, or forty years. There are space concerns at the Fa, p, and the fire department decided to take the first step. Once the drawings are completed, the department can start soliciting support from the community. Scott asked for the council's consideration of less than $5,000 for the small services contract with CTA Architects. There was further discussion regarding the proposed structure. Scott stated that the department is looking at a two-story pole hem structure which would provide six to eight stalls and have dorms upstairs for ten to twelve firemen. The structure would be strictly for the fire department, and the police and ambulance departments would remain in the FAP complex. Communications would still be done at the present complex. Scott explained that the department is looking to the future poss~ility that Laurel will be required to have a full-time paid fire department. An elevator will be required in the new building to meet ADA requirements. Mark thanked Scott for his work and asked him to thank Derek for his work. Executive review: · Resolution of intent for detenulnation of blight - Urban Renewal Plan Steve Zeier, Big Sky EDA, stated that TIFD dollars could be used to fund a new fire hall if it is located within the boundaries ofa TIF District. Steve explained that a TIF District is not an increase of property taxes. A TIF Dislxiot geographically defines a particular boundary, and all of the property tax values within that boundary are frozen for a period of fifteen years. Thc fund can be used on public infi'aatructure, fire halls, water, sewer, wastewater, storm water management, curb, gutter, sidewalks, streets, and anything considered to be public infrastructure. There is still a matter of contention whether personnel can be funded with a TIF District since the dollars are to be expended within the TIF District itseli~ and funding personnel could cause some gray area. The TIFD is a function of economic and community development and is one of very few tools available to municipalities across the state to effectively fund projects. Every municipality has issues of declining funds and revenues, and Laurel is no exception. This is one way to maintain local control over all of tho tax dollars collected within the district. 2 Council Workahop Minut~ of September 25, 2007 There was discussion regarding the effect of declining property values on a TIF District, the fact that county property is excluded from a district, the addition of annexations to a district, and the boundaries of the proposed TIF District. The boundaries ora TIF District can be adjusted whenever the council decides it is necessary. The current district would be dissolved and a new district would be developed with any adjustments to the boundaries. There was discussion regarding resetting the base, which is allowed by statute. Mayor Olson thanked Steve for his presentation and stated that this will be a learning process for the council. · Resolution- Code Enforcement Inspector job description Mayor Olson stated that Resolution No. R07-85 includes the proposed job description, which is a culmination o.f three job descriptions. The resolution was delayed at the council meeting on September 18 TM and will be on the October 2nd council agenda. · Report on Code Enfomement Inspector position Mayor Olson stated that the deadline for applications closed on Friday, September 21~t. A committee will be formed to review the eighteen applications that were received. · Report on Public Works Director position Mayor Olson stated that ads for the position have been published in the Billings Gazette and on the APWA (American Public Works Association) website. There have been several requests for applications. The deadline for applications is Friday, October 12th. · Town Meeting on October 15t~ Mayor Oison stated that the town meeting regarding the proposed change in the form of government is scheduled for Monday, October 15th, at 7:00 p.m. in the high school auditorium. Iftbe new chairs have not been set up in the auditorium, the meeting will be held in the commons area. Dr. Ken Weaver and Judy Mathre will attend the meeting to answer questions and provide information. Mayor Olson requested that the council attend the meeting. Mayor Olson will attend the meetings of various civic groups to provide information. He encouraged the council members to attend the meetings with him and/or make presentations to groups to which they belong. · Cemetery Report (Council Member Stamper) Norm Stamper stated that the Steering Committee for the Veterans' Cemetery met last Thursday. A copy of the conceptual drawings of the master plan for the cemetery was circulated for the council to view. Norm stated that there was discussion regarding the need to grant an easement for the extension of Airport Road. He has asked the county to send the request to the city, and it should come forward soon. At the meeting, there was also a brief discussion on negotiations with the county to purebase the land from the City of Laurel. When the city purchased the land from the Rosselot family, some concessions were made, and the city wants to ensure that those concessions are passed on to the county. One concession was that the family would be allowed to have eight plots in the cemetery. The Cemetery Coaistdssion will meet on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. regarding the city's cemetery. Bill Enright, Interstate Engineering, will speak regarding the master plan for the city's cemetery and how it could be dovetailed with the Veterans' Cemetery. Mayor Olson thanked Norm for his service on the Steering Committee for the Veterans' Cemetery and the city's Cemetery Commission. Council Workshop Minutes of S~ptember 25, 200'/ Norm stated that the Veteran's Cemetery is basically a county Veterans' Cemetery because it receives no funding ~om the state or the federal government. The intent is to build the cemetery to National Veterans' Cemetery standards, with the idea that federal funding could be received in the future and it might evenOmlly become a National Veterans' Cemetery. The size of the cemetery is large enough to meet national standards for a Veterans' Cemetery and there is also additional land to the north of the cemetery. Current estimates are that it will take between eighty and one hundred years to fill the cemetery. The lower portion of the cemetery that belongs to the city will last up to ten years, based on three burials per month. * Council Issues: o Weeds (Council Member Dickerson) Steve Klotz stated that the city is currently addressing the weed issue in the city parks and rights-of- way. The city tries to cut the weeds two or three times each year. If anyone sees city property of concern, they should notify the public works department. When weeds on private properties are reported to the code enforcement depaxtment, the inspector works with the individual property owner to address the issue. Steve stated th_at the depas[ment has been in a reactionary mode for code enforcement of weeds. When the new code enforcement position is filled, two inspectors will be available to do the job. Chuck Dickerson asked regarding a complaint he recently submitted about a property at Eighth Avenue and Tweffih Street. Steve stated that the timefi'ame begins once the property owner is notified of the issue. Steve stated that the complaints are addressed as staff is allowed, but the complaints may not be addressed as quickly as hoped because of the amount of activity required in the Building Department. If the City of Laurel contracts to have weeds cut on private properties, the city can assess the cost on the property owner's taxes. Doug mentioned that the weeds on the railroad propexty on the south side of Laurel have been cut twice this year. Chuck stated that the city parks look great this year. Steve stated that Kurt and the crew have worked hard on the parks. As this is Steve's last week with the city, Doug thanked him for his service to the City of Laurel and wished him luck in the future. Mayor Olson also thanked Steve for his service to the city. The city will miss the resource he provided during his tenure as code enforcement inspector, assistant public works director, and public works director. Mayor Olson wished him good luck in the future. Other items: Mayor Olson stated that the League of Cities and Towns Conferance will meet in Bozeman on October 3~ through 5~'. Mark Mace will attend the meetings. The joint city-county meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 25~, at 5:30 p.n~ The location of the meeting will be determined soor~ Mayor Olson stated that the appointments of James Caniglia to the HOME Program Advisory Board and as the CTEP Administrator will be added to the October 2'a council agenda. 4 Couacil Workshop Mi-utes of September 25, 2007 Mayor Olson stated that Craig Wright, Johnson Contmis, will present the Performance Commct Review at the council meeting on October 2na. The City of Laurel will participate in a symposium regarding performance contracting at the League meeting in Bozeman next week. Mayor Oison stated that a resolution for the extension of the TSEP contract would be added to the October 2"d council agenda. Copies of the draft resolution were distributed to the council. Norm asked regarding the circumstances of a motomycle business that wanted to move into the railroad-owned building located across from the Owl Caf& Steve explained the situation and the issues of installing a sewer line to the building, off-street parking requirements, and connecting to the storm sewer system. Chuck asked regarding the status of updating the city's website. Steve explained that James Huertas will be working on the website during the next couple months. Emelie Eaton asked regarding the feas~ility of a fall cleanup day in Laurel. Kurt explained that a fall cleanup will be scheduled after the leaves have fallen off*the trees and residents have had opportunity to clean up yards and property. Clean up weeks are scheduled in the spring and in the fall. Review ofdra~ council aoenda for October 2, 2007: Mayor Olson stated that the resolution and small services comract for CTA Architects will be distributed to the council by Friday. Attendance at the October 2nd council mectine: All will attend. Announcements.'. There were none. The council workshop adjourned at 8:30 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.