HomeMy WebLinkAboutDepartment Head Meetings Minutes 09.23.2008MINUTES
DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETING
SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 3:00 P.M.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
PRESENT: Bill Sheridan Jan Fought Sam Painter
James Caniglia Rick Musson ~ Gay Easton
Mayor Ken Olson Nancy Schmidt
Draft Council Workshop Asenda - Ser~tember 30.2008
Fire Department:
• Update on proposed fire hall
Need to move on requests.
Ambulance:
• Resolution -step raises/on-call rates
Resolution breaks down every 2 years. Jan asks that the resolution not cap at 10 years but keep going
up at two-year increments.
Clerk/Treasurer:
• Resolution No. R08-114: A resolution adopting wage increases for non-union employees of
the City of Laurel.
This has not been resolved as yet but hopeful for the September 30~' council workshop meeting.
Chief Administrative Officer:
• Resolution -Adopting revised job description far Maintenance Shop Superintendent position
Public Works needs a permanent supervisor at the Maintenance Shop full time.
• Resolution -- Adapting new job description for Utility Plants Superintendent position
City needs afull-time supervisor for both Water and Wastewater Plants.
• Resolution ~- Maintenance Agreement for the Yellowstone County Veterans' Cemetery
There is a meeting this week to finalize answers to outstanding questions. Bill is hopeful that the
County and City can reach an agreement.
Executive Review:
• Discussion of street maintenance assessment for 2057 E Maryland Lane
The owner would like to see the SID from the City waived. Sam recommended that he write a letter
on behalf of the city to lay out our position about the SID charges she receives. Mayor Olson stated
that the Council is waiting for a document to be presented to them that will explain our position and
options. Further discussion followed between Mayor Olson and Sam.
• Discussion ofPlanning Interlocal,4greement:
The by-laws were handed out last Tuesday. Meeting next Tuesday to discuss the changes and then
return to Executive Committee for further changes to the proposed agreement. James will be gone
October 19~' to November 3'~ to Italy.
Council Issues:
o Ditch issues on Washington Avenue (Chuck Dickerson) and open ditches (Norm
Stamper)
Some ditches in town are open and present hazards far children walking to and from school. There is
a drainage and irrigation ditch by Graff School and 8`~ Street that is partly open at Alder Avenue. The
headgates aze exposed at this location and no sidewalks for students to use. Discussion followed about
exploring options to negate hazards to children going south from Alder Avenue. The open land is no
longer used for farming. The suggestion was made to close the ditch (Mayor Olson).
o Schedule date and time for council tour of Riverside Fark (Chuck Dickerson)
Alderman Dickerson has suggested that a date and time be chosen to give the Laurel residents a tour
of Riverside Park. Mayor Olson stated that we need to make citizens aware of the facilities available
for their use. A comprehensive plan for use of the park needs to be established.
Review of draft council a enda for October 7 2008
• Ordinance No. 008-09: Ordinance creating the Laurel Urban Renewal Agency pursuant to
MCA § 7-15-4232 and to codify the ordinance as Title 18 of the Laurel Municipal Code.
(First reading - 09/16/2008)
Bill stated that it is ready to go.
Department Reports:
Ambulance:
Jan requested that updates for job descriptions be made available. Bill suggested that she make
changes to existing job descriptions and bring them forwazd to him for further discussion.
Park City has signed a mutual aid agreement with Laurel and Jan is working with Sam to update old
MUAs.
There have been a number of high stress calls for strokes and heart attacks.
The Service will be losing two crewmembers that have been called to active duty and are destined far
Kuwait.
A patient contacted Bill about there being too much expense involved in his recent ambulance trip.
The patient stated that he is receiving bills for his trip. Jan stated that we have not billed him and any
bills that he has received he should not be paying because his Medicaid paid for the ambulance. She
also stated that these may be balanced billing from another entity and should not have received a bill
at all. Jan stated that he was a lazge patient that lived in a motor home and it took a lot of effort on
behalf of the ambulance crew to get him out of his home.
Cit Council President:
There was nothing to report.
Clerk/Treasurer:
There was nothing to report.
Fire Department:
• Report on new brush truck
No new brush truck as of yet.
• Preparations for new fire station
A lot of work for a new fire station (Bill).
Librarv:
Nancy attended atwo-day workshop in Livingston last week sponsored by the Montana State Library.
She attended four sessions which included Library Law for new librarians (less than 2 years in job),
fund raising, leadership and E-Rate. Nancy stated that, while the whole workshop was informative,
the library law and E-Rate were the most beneficial to her. The E-Rate funds are provided by the
Federal Government through a charge on each person's phone bill for telecommunication access. If
librazies are not asking for E-Rate funding, their patrons aze losing out on telecommunication services
that aze available to them.
Police Department:
Rick stated that his press release to KULR-S for the road rage case worked really well. The
department had received a call from the suspect before it went to air because the Billings Gazette had
posted the information online. The suspect was upset that his name was in the press.
GM is sponsoring two sessions on hybrid cars for emergency workers because they have airbags that
deploy after vehicles have been in a crash and EMS is already on scene, causing injuries to emergency
personnel. Jan and Rick both stated that they will be attending one of the sessions in Billings at 1:00
p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. They both emphasized the fact that it is hard to tell a hybrid
vehicle from a regulaz gas vehicle until they aze already inside trying to help a victim.
City Planner:
James stated that there are County agricultural issues. He will be attending a Census Bureau workshop
in Lewistown on Wednesday. Next Monday and Tuesday he will be attending a meeting for Montana
Main Street about revitalizing downtown.
• Annexation of Riverside Park
James has tried to contact Dan McGee about the Riverside Park land survey, but there has been not
response back.
Public Works Department:
• Streets -fall patching
Bill stated that there is one permanent full-time crew ready to do the fall patching of city streets. He
is going to advertise for part-time help for two more crews.
• Cemetery Agreement /irrigation water
Bi11 will meet with Commissioner Bill Kennedy on Wednesday or Thursday about the cemetery
agreement. He is hopeful that a mutual agreement can be reached.
• Report on progress with South Laurel Business SID
Work will begin soon on 1~ Ave South and 4~' Street SE on the storm sewer system. Be aware of
traffic and signs.
• Potential bth Street SID project
The 6th Street SID is lacking funding, but Bill will keep pursuing it.
• Right-of--way considerations -1st through 8th
The right-0f--way considerations will be talked about in a meeting with MDT officials to discuss
progress ofthe project for next summer.
Cit Attorne
* Purchase and Procurement Policy
Sam stated that the Purchase and Procurement Policy has not changed and will be scheduled for next
week's meeting.
+ Street maintenance assessment for 2057 East Maryland Lane
This was discussed previously.
Mayor:
There was nothing to report.
CAO:
* Preparation for fall and winter conditions
Bill stated that he has started making preparations for fall and winter roads conditions.
Other:
Rick has asked that a walk bridge be considered over 1st Avenue South for pedestrian traffic. Another
option would be a sign that could be changed to let pedestrians pass while stopping traffic. He asked
that alternatives be discussed with MDT while work is being done on 1st Avenue South.
Rick also requested that the issue of truck routes in Laurel be revisited. With the heavier truck traffic
flow on 4th Street SE, the consideration for a parking area for trucks may need to be considered since
most of the drivers are delivering to businesses in that area anyway.
Respectfully submitted,
Nancy Sidt
Library Director