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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Minutes 06.09.2020MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF LAUREL JUNE 9, 2020 A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Laurel, Montana, was held in the Council Chambers and called to order by Mayor Tom Nelson at 6:33 p.m. on June 9, 2020. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Emelie Eaton Bruce McGee Richard Klose COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Scot Stokes OTHER STAFF PRESENT: None Mayor Nelson led the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag. Mayor Nelson asked the council to observe a moment of silence. MINUTES: Heidi Sparks Richard Herr Iry Wilke Don Nelson Motion by Council Member McGee to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of May 26, 2020, as presented, seconded by Council Member Eaton. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All six council members present voted aye. Motion carried 6-0. CORRESPONDENCE: • Laurel Airport Authority'Minutes of April 28, 2020. • Letter from Yellowstone County to Judy Goldsby. COUNCIL DISCLOSURE OF EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS: None. PUBLIC HEARING: None. CONSENT ITEMS: • Claims entered through June 5, 2020, in the amount of $1,263,101.63. A complete listing of the claims and their amounts is on file in the Clerk/Treasurer's Office. • Clerk/Treasurer Financial Statements for the month of April 2020. • Approval of Payroll Register for PPE 5/31/2020, totaling $211,124.01. • Approval of Workshop Minutes of May 5, 2020. The Mayor asked if there was any separation of consent items. There was none. Motion by Council Member Eaton to approve the consent items as presented, seconded by Council Member McGee. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All.six council members present voted aye. Motion carried 6-0. CEREMONIAL CALENDAR: None. REPORTS OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS: • Budget/Finance Committee Minutes of May 26, 2020. • Park Board Minutes of March 5, 2020. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION (THREE-MINUTE LIMIT): Council Minutes of June 9, 2020 Brent Peters, Fire Chief, stated that after watching the Workshop meeting from last week, there seems to be a lot of miscommunication. In particular, regarding. the fireworks. There was no request for the Fire Association to be present at that meeting. He had shared the plan with Council Member McGee. The Fire Association had been waiting to see what phase we would be in before moving forward with their plans. Once it was clear what phase we would be in, then the plan needed to go through Riverstone Health, County Commissioner, and County DES for their review and endorsement—then needed to talk with the Fire Association as the cost would be coming out of their pockets. Then work on getting permission from the landowners. The idea is to keep the locations undisclosed to keep the public from congregating while still being able to have a fireworks display. He thanked the Mayor for keeping their plan under wraps until the Fire Association was ready to announce their plans. There are no additional City resources other than fire trucks, as the Fire Association plans to take care of everything else. They needed to put together a well thought out plan before bringing that plan forward. Camila Nelson, Laurel Chamber of Commerce, stated they had a meeting last week to submit'a new plan due to COVID. They are still working through the plan. They did not have an answer to be able to present at last week's Workshop. They have a plan in the works, and once it is set in stone, they will announce what those plans are. Stan Langve, Police Chief, stated that given the 41h of July falls on a weekend, there will be some O.T., but that they will utilize Reserves as well. The Parks will be closed at 10:00 p.m. Kent Kulesa, Assistant Fire Chief and 01 of July Chairmen, handed out the attached poster. Five people will know the location the fireworks will be shot off from, and only those five will know. The ATF requires a certain distance to shoot off fireworks; those distances will be followed. SCHEDULED MATTERS: • Resolution No. R20-29: A Resolution Approving Amendment No. 1 To The Previously Approved Task Order Authorizing Kadrmas, Lee & Jackson, Inc. To Provide Additional Services For The City Of Laurel's 2020 Pavement Maintenance Project. Motion by Council Member Sparks to approve Resolution No. R20-29, seconded by Council Member Klose. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All six council members present voted aye. Motion carried 6-0. • Resolution No. R20-30: A Resolution Approving An Agreement Between The City Of Laurel And Yellowstone Boys And Girls Ranch, Relating To Fire Protection. Motion by Council Member Herr to approve Resolution No. R20-30, seconded by Council Member Wilke. Brent Peters, Fire Chief, stated last week there were questions regarding who does Fire Inspections. There is a team of people who will do fire inspections. The Building Inspector, the Code Enforcement Officer, the Fire Marshall, and himself all do inspections. There was no council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All six council members present voted aye. Motion carried 6-0. • Resolution No. R20-31: A Resolution Of The City Council Authorizing The Mayor To Sign A Memorandum Of Agreement With The Montana Department Of Transportation For The Provision Of Grant Assistance For The City's Public Transportation System. Motion by Council Member Wilke to approve Resolution No. R20-31, seconded by Council Member Sparks. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All six council members present voted aye. Motion carried 6-0. 2 Council Minutes of June 9, 2020 • Resolution No. R20-32: A Resolution Of The City Council Authorizing The Mayor To Sign An Operating Contract With The Montana Department Of Transportation To Provide Assistance With The City's Public Transportation System. Motion by Council Member Klose to approve Resolution No. R20-32, seconded by Council Member Sparks. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the motion. All six council members present voted aye. Motion carried 6-0. ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA: None. COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS (ONE -MINUTE LIMIT): This Sunday is Flag Day. In the past, the American Legion and VFW of Laurel has held a Flag Day demonstration showing how to retire a flag properly. This year's ceremony is at 6:00 p.m. at the National Cemetery. COUNCIL DISCUSSION: A Council Member stated that they owed the Fire Association an apology. They were overzealous about getting information about the fireworks. Mayor Nelson also apologized to the Fire Association for not getting out in front of comments on this issue. k Council requested a discussion at next week's Workshop to discuss the following items. Capital improvement and depreciation fund for the street sweeper and jet rodder replacements. Discussion on solid waste revenues in particular that we do not charge at the site itself. A five -dollar fee would not be outrageous. Discussion on the difference between the Fire Department and Fire Association and who can speak on who's behalf. The Clerk/Treasurer was requested to attend the next Council Workshop. A Council Member noted that Billings Police Chief recently made a statement regarding the use of force and diversity within their community. They stated it would be nice to hear Laurel's Police Chief make a similar statement. Public Works Committee will meet on June 15, 2020, at 6:00 p.m. in Council Conference Room. Council thanked both the Fire Association and the Laurel Chamber of Commerce for their work in creating a plan to have festivities during a pandemic. A Council Member asked if local businesses can put out tubs for donations for fireworks. It was stated that information would be passed onto the fundraising committee at the Fire Association. They are exploring several options to fundraise this year. Donations can be dropped off at the Police Department or sent to the Fire Associations P.O. Box. (P.O. Box 1191). MAYOR UPDATE: Thanked everyone who came this evening. He stated he did not know what questions would be posed regarding the fourth of July and didn't know who to have present during that conversation. UNSCHEDULED MATTERS: None. ADJOURNMENT: Motion by Council Member McGee to adjourn the council meeting, seconded by Council Member Klose. There was no public comment or council discussion. A vote was taken on the - , motion. All six council members present voted aye. Motion carried 6-0. There being no further business to come before the council at this time, the meeting was adjourned at 7:10 p.m. AI Brittney oorm, Administrative Assistant Council Minutes of June 9, 2020 Approved by the Mayor and passed by the City Council of the City of Laurel, Montana, this 23`d day of June 2020. Thomas C. Nelson, Mayor Attest: Bethany Langve, Cl rl Tre, purer —50 The Laurel Volunteer Fire Association is proud to announce that the annual 4th of July Firework Show will go on. With nearly 70 years of tradition of presenting one the most spectacular firework displays in the Northwest, the residents will experience fireworks at a different level than in the past. Due to the current pandemic of COVID-19 we are asking everyone to view the show from the comforts and safety of their homes by simply, looking up. • please join us by following the Governor's Phase Two directives. These directives can be found on the State of Montana website. • The firework show WILL NOT be shot from Thompson Parkas it has in the past. Instead the Firefighters have developed a plan to stay in compliance to the State of Montana Phase Two directives by everyone seeing and enjoying the show from their homes starting at 10:30. Come outside and look up. Join in the celebration. See if you can outdo the Firefighters with your own at home show at the same time. • This year, due to social distancing and during desperate times, the 35 members of the Fire Association will be paying for the show out of their pockets. Donations to help with the costs will be accepted and can be mailed to the Laurel Volunteer Fire Association; PO Box 1191; Laurel, Mt 59044 or dropped of at the Laurel Police Department. Thank you for your understanding and support Mo. 1', 17U TUM, Rl OIL VA. 2a I R RmouRt dt 11 VON - 245 " "