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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Workshop Minutes 08.26.2008MINUTES COUNCIL WORKSHOP AUGUST 26, 2008 6:30 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS A Council Workshop was held in the Council Chambers and called to order by Mayer Ken Olson at 6:30 p.m. on August 26, 2008. 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 Mazy Embleton Bill Sheridan Kurt Markegard James Caniglia Mike Zuhoski Jan Faught Chad Hanson, Great West Engineering Public In ut 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 no public input. Presentation on historic sign in Riverside Park Emelie Eaton explained the updated information that Michelle Steffens submitted regazding the sign. The barbed wire will be looped across the top of the sign, and there will be a metal or wooden pole behind the wire attached horizontally. Each loop of wire will be attached so it cannot be stretched and pulled down. The posts on the side will be wrapped in wire for the top two feet. The sign will be about ten feet high. The sign will be weighed so Kurt Mazkegazd can check with an engineer to determine the size of posts to hold the sign. Emelie mentioned that the Centennial Committee agreed to pay the difference between the $1,500 and the $2,400 price. She provided Mayor Olson with the informatian needed for the Centennial Committee to make the contribution. Any individuals desiring to contnbute to the funding for the sign need to do so by tomorrow. The sign will include the names ofthe Yellowstone Historic Society for providing the sign, the Centennial Committee for providing some funding, and any other contributors. Fire Department: • Resolution -Equipment agreement with the Montana DNRC for participation in the Department of Defense Firefighting Property Transfer Program Council Workshop Minutes of August 26, 2008 Bill Sheridan stated that the fire department received a used piece of equipment, a 6x6, that is useful far grass and timber fires. The resolution to accept the equipment will be on the September 2„a council agenda. Clerk/Treasurer: • Presentation of 2008-2009 Preliminary Budget Mary Embleton stated that the Preliminary Budget is not ready for presentation, as same key factors are not yet available. She provided a revised budget calendar. By statute, the city is required to adopt the budget within 45 days of receiving the certified mill. Mary explained that the certified mill went up about $500 per mill. The TIF District value is below her initial conservative estimate. She questioned the Department of Revenue on that and they agreed to do some checking. She will pursue it further if the council or mayor thinks it is needed. She does not know how many total mills apply to that, and that information will be available in October. On the certified mill sheet, the incremental value of the Laurel Urban Renewal Tax Increment is $266,291. Mary figured it would be higher. The Laurel City-County Planning value went up substantially. The big contributing factor is the Coker unit and the improvements done at Cenex. Mary explained the revised budget calendar and the need to be in compliance with state statute. The preliminary budget, which is subject to change, will be presented at the council meeting on September 2°a. The public hearing will be advertised on September 3'~ and l0a' and held at the council meeting on September 16ai. After the public hearing, the council could schedule a special meeting to adopt the final budget on September 22"a or waive the rule on September 16`h and adopt the final budget at that time. The presentation of the 2008-2009 Preliminary Budget will be on the September 2na council agenda. Resolution -Auditor contract Mary stated that two responses were received for the request for proposals. Olness and Associates, which has done the city's audit for several years, is an experienced firm with good staff and resources. The second firm is a smaller firm that does not have the resources or the experience needed for cities of this complex nature. The bid from Olness and Associates is less expensive than the smaller firm's bid. Mary recommended approval of the three-year contract with Olness and Associates for the auditor contract. Mary explained that Olness and Associates have added additional staff to pmvide technical assistance throughout the year. She may present an additional smaller contract soon to allow Norm Klein to assist her on a quarterly basis and to prepare for year-end. The resolution will be on the September 2na council agenda. Chief Administrative Officer: • Resolution -Change Order No. 1 with Winkler Excavating for the Laurel Library parking lot Bill stated that Winkler Excavating did an excellent job on the library parking lot. The engineers did not include the four pazking spaces in the rear of the building in the specifications. The second item in the change order is for two layers of fabric put down by the contractor to ensure that water would not come up into the parking lot. The resolution will be on the September 2na council agenda. • Resolution - Momison-Maierle, Amendment No. 1 for Preliminary Engineering Study for Lift Stations and I-90 Crossing Bill stated that Morrison-Maierle is working on improvements at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. In addition to that, the city needs them to deal with the sewer lift stations along Main Street. There is a concern regarding getting sanitary waste to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. It appears that major improvements, if not complete changeovers, are needed to both of the lift stations or perhaps make a 2 Council Workshop Minutes of August 26, 2008 lazge one station system that gets the sanitary sewer to the crossing over to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. There has been a problem with the transmission line under Interstate 90. The city has to do something and either build a new Grassing ar make same major improvements to open the pipe to get the sewer water to the treatment plant. This was not figured in the greater scope of Morrison- Maierle's work. Amendment No. 1 to Task Order No. 1 for $10,800 will allow Morrison-Maierle to provide the city with a preliminary engineering study for the lift stations and the I-90 crossing to ensure that the city can handle a substantial amount of sanitary sewer on the eastern part of the city and make the crossing underneath I-90 to the treatment plant. The resolution will be on the September 2"d council agenda. • Police Union tentative agreement package review Bill stated that some progress is being made to come to an agreement. Someone from the State will be here on Thursday, September 4`'' to help resolve the agreement. Executive review: • Resolution -Amendment to Cenex Fire Contract Mayor Olson stated that a resolution will be prepared for the council to allow the city to amend the agreement with the additional verbiage "as the CHS properties" in the contract with Cenex. The wording does not change the contract by any substantive manner. It is just something that indicates a map that is attached. The resolution will be on the September 2"d council agenda. Mayor Olson thanked Chairman Poehls for his diligence on this issue. • Discussion ofstreet maintenance assessment for 2057 East Maryland Lane Mayor Olson stated that Sam will meet with the county attorney on Friday to discuss this street maintenance assessment issue. The item will be on the September 9't' council workshop agenda. • Discussion of ordinance for creation of Urban Renewal Agency Mayor Olson stated that the draft ordinance was distributed. The ordinance will create the Laurel Urban Renewal Agency. He asked the council to review the draft for further discussion at the September 9t" council workshop. Montana Code Annotated Section 7-15-4233 was also distributed to the council. Under "Agency authority and duties", it states that "the city council shall assign the Agency the appropriate powers listed in MCA Section 7-15-4233 by resolution." • Councillssues: o Update on right hand only turn lane on 1st Avenue South off the interstate (Council Member Dickerson) In the next couple weeks, Bi11 will schedule a time far council members to accompany him to the location to get ideas of where signs should be located. Other items Bill stated that the Montana Department of Transportation has decided to extend the 3`a to 8t" Avenue project to 1st to 8t~ Avenue, which is an additional two blocks. There are some concerns and problems with right-of--way and ownership. Chad Hanson, Great West Engineering, will work on the issues of ownership and aligning certain parts of the street. 3 Council Workshop Minutes of August 26, 2008 Chad explained that the project is complicated because it is a cooperative effort between the maintenance and construction departments in MDT and the City of Laurel. Bill and Kurt have been adamant that the final two blocks be added to the project. MDT is going to overlay from the interstate through the underpass and everything going east, as well as everything going west. It would not look good if the two blocks in the middle did not get done. The project has been pushed back to 2010 and the cost for the sidewalks will increase slightly. MDT is ready to go ahead with the design, except for concerns with a couple right-of--way issues, mainly at the intersections of Fifth Avenue and Main Street and Fourth Avenue. Chad had the land surveyor prepare an estimate. Great West will do a physical survey ofthe area concerned, locate the property corners and replace them if needed, and do title seazches on the parcels in question to see what easements do and do not exist, find out what paperwork needs to be done to get the right-of--way done, and prepaze any exhibits so the city can move forward with acquiring easements for the right-of--way. MDT will not move forward with design until this is resolved. Amendment No. 1 to Task Order No. 2 with Great West will cost $9,200, as compazed to the $50,000 estimate from MDT. The resolution will be on the September 2°d council agenda. Mayor Olson explained an issue with the container site. An individual recently wanted to dispose of some 2x4's that had screws in them The container site operator informed the individual he would be chazged as the materials appeazed to be part of a demolition project. The resident indicated that he pays city taxes and garbage rates and said it was not posted that there was an additional cost for demolition. Mayor Olson has asked the chairman of the Public Works Committee to review and make an assessment of the fees associated with the solid waste department and opportunities for recycling. Review of draft council a ends for S tember 2 2008 • Public Hearing: o Ordinance No. 008-08: An ordinance approving the recodification of ordinances adopted by the City Council that have been compiled as the "Laurel Municipal Code" in accordance with MCA § 7-5-107. (First reading - 08/05/2008) The 2008-2009 Preliminary Budget will be added to Scheduled Matters on the September 2°d council agenda. Attendance at the S tember 2"d council meetin All council members will attend. Announcements Alex Wilkins attended the Big Sky EDA meeting last week and stated that Wal-Mart has donated $50,000 to the Yellowstone County Veterans' Cemetery. Mark Mace asked if council members planned to attend the joint city-county meeting on September 18a' and if there were any agenda items. Mayor Olson plans to submit the raikoad resolution that came from the City of Missoula in support of the southern route as an agenda item. The next joint city-county meeting will be hosted by the City of Lawel in January 2009. Agenda items for the September 18~' meeting should be submitted to the council secretary. 4 Council Workshop Minutes of August 26, 200$ Mary reminded the council and staff that the League of Cities and Towns Conference will be held in Missoula on October $~' through 10~'. Reservations need to be confirmed as soon as possible. The council workshop adjourned at 7:20 p.m. Respectfully submitted, ~r~~, ~A rV. `" 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.