DRAFT ONLY. Without council review or approval.
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
December 13, 2011
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Echanove called the Council Meeting to order at 7:00 PM.
ROLL CALL: Council members present: Cecil Floyd; Tim Jones; Mike Milano; Connie Newman; Norm Schorzman; Jeff Snook; Rick Wekenman. Also present: Public Works Superintendent Dwayne Griffin; Police Chief Jerry Neumann; Clerk-Treasurer Joyce Beeson; & Deputy Clerk Ann Thompson. Public present: Bo Ossinger.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Councilmember Schorzman MOVED to adopt the minutes of the Regular Council Meeting of November 22, 2011. Councilmember Newman seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously.
PUBLIC WORKS REPORT: PW Supt. Griffin submitted a written report. He has been talking with Avista about any unnecessary lights around the city that could be shut off or taken down. The city rents street lights throughout town from Avista. The only lights the city owns are the ones on Main Street and Whitman Street. There are two lights at the pool Dwayne will work with Avista on to sign over ownership to the city. We would then be able to turn them off during the months that the pool is closed. Greg Partch is getting some information about replacing street lights with LED lights.
City will put up barricades and a sign at the compost facility preventing people from using the chipper site.
The pool circulating pump is being sent to Spokane for an estimate. They will also be doing work on the pool manifolds and filters.
POLICE REPORT: Chief submitted the November Activity Log. The work on the police department is done. It took approximately 200 man hours between the officers and volunteers. Materials costs were right at $2,900. Time will tell the effects on the energy bills but a 30% savings is expected.
A reminder to all to be extra kind and careful with animals this time of year. Bring them in at night if possible or provide them with a heat source. Be sure water is kept available and unfrozen.
OLD BUSINESS:
Resolution No. 2011-11: 2012 Fee Schedule. Mayor read aloud the resolution. No changes from the last meeting. Councilmember Milano MOVED, seconded by Councilmember Jones, to adopt Resolution No. 2011-11. Motion carried unanimously.
Resolution No. 2011-12: 2012 Salary Schedule. Mayor read aloud the resolution. This has been discussed at prior two council meetings. No changes. Councilmember Milano MOVED, seconded by Councilmember Snook to adopt Resolution No. 2011-12. Motion carried unanimously.
Ordinance No. 895: Closing certain funds and transferring balance to new fund. Mayor read aloud the ordinance in its entirety. Fund 306 Police Car Reserve Fund and Fund 307 Police Equipment Reserve Fund will be closed and money transferred into one new fund 311 Police Car and Equipment Fund. Councilmember Milano MOVED, seconded by Councilmember Wekenman to adopt Ordinance No. 895. Motion carried unanimously.
Ordinance No. 896: 2012 Budget and Budget Message. Councilmember Milano MOVED, seconded by Councilmember Snook to suspend the rules of reading the ordinance. Motion carried unanimously. Mayor read the ordinance by title and the budget message. The 2012 budget as proposed is approximately 8.13% lower than 2011. Total budgeted expenditures for 2012 are $1,248,875, a decrease of $110,574. This decrease is primarily due to general budget cuts where possible and reductions in compensation and benefits to full-time employees. Councilmember Milano MOVED to approve the budget with one correction to the maturity date of our loan. Councilmember Schorzman seconded to adopt Ordinance No. 896. Motion carried unanimously.
In light of economic downturn, Councilmember Floyd MOVED to close Heritage Park Restrooms November through March. Councilmember Newman seconded. Much discussion ensued. If the vote goes to not close it, perhaps it would be wise to discuss insulating it. Councilmembers Newman and Floyd voted aye. Motion failed.
Regarding the Bridge Street reader board, we have not yet heard from anyone wanting to take on that expense. We need to decide by next council meeting whether or not to eliminate keeping that lit, or cutting the hours of running it. Currently there are many bulbs that need to be replaced by a professional which is an expense as well.
COMMITTEE REPORTS/REQUESTS:
Streets & Sidewalks-Cecil Floyd, Chair: Committee will go to professional services roster and begin looking at engineers for the TIB sidewalk project.
Planning Commission (PC) is still working diligently on Title 17. Appointments to the PC should be coming up in January.
Water & Sewer-Connie Newman, Chair: Committee and Taylor Engineering are continuing work on WSP and revising the maps associated. We have our existing service area which holds a duty to provide. Discussion on city’s water rights and how that impacts the future service area map will be continuing for the WSP. We are still defining the future service area which shows the capacity we could potentially serve over the next 20 years but holds no duty to serve. A draft copy of WSP should be submitted by March 2012 to the Department of Health. The WSP is not changing any city boundaries, codes or policies. Annexation will be required to hook up to city water if you are outside city limits. The infrastructure will eventually require a new reservoir. We have scoped out a site by the cemetery. Connie wants to apply for funding for this capital improvement project. Water demand forecasting is being done by the engineers.
Finance, Property, & Equipment-Mike Milano, Chair: Wattage use was calculated to run the Main Street holiday lights during HP and Christmas and the Palouse Chamber of Commerce paid $320 to cover those costs.
MAYOR’S REPORT:
Next council meeting is Tuesday, Dec. 20th. We had a great Brownfields public meeting on Dec. 1st. Six people from DOE, three from MFA, numerous city officials were present. The Gazette had a great review of the meeting.
ALLOW PAYMENT OF BILLS: Councilmember Schorzman MOVED that the bills against the city be allowed. Councilmember Snook seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously.
ADJOURN: Councilmember Schorzman MOVED to adjourn. Councilmember Wekenman seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously. The council meeting adjourned at 8:13 PM.
The following checks are approved for payment:
Payroll Paid Ck. No. 3633-3657 & EFT $36,381.56
Claims Paid Ck. No. 3658-3697 & EFT $34,510.19
$70,891.75
APPROVED: ________________________________ ATTEST: ________________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment