DRAFT ONLY. Without council review or approval.
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
June 12, 2012
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Echanove called the Council Meeting to order at 7:00 PM.
ROLL CALL: Council members present: Alison Webb; Bo Ossinger; Cecil Floyd; Connie Newman; Norm Schorzman; Rick Wekenman; Tim Jones. Also present: Police Officer Brian Dentler; Clerk-Treasurer Joyce Beeson; & Deputy Clerk Ann Thompson. Public present: Jens Hegg; Dana Anderson; Caitlyn McGehee; Garth Meyer.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Councilmember Wekenman MOVED to adopt the minutes of the Regular Council Meeting of May 22, 2012. Councilmember Newman seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously.
PUBLIC WORKS REPORT: Supt. Griffin submitted a written report. Mayor asked that PW inspect a tree near AmericanWest Bank that appears to be dead.
POLICE REPORT: May Activity Log was submitted.
NEW BUSINESS:
Dana Anderson & Jens Hegg, Little Sprouts Daycare: Little Sprouts Daycare is looking at a program to recylce cardboard and mixed paper as an ongoing fundraiser. They would like to bring in a recycling dumpster through Empire Disposal which has a program where all proceeds from recycling (after overhead) go back to a non-profit. Little Sprouts asked the City if they have a location to place the dumpster. They would also need a letter of release from the city naming the location and giving Empire Disposal notice of permission for that space. Little Sprouts would oversee the whole operation. The only city-owned location mentioned was the old chipper location. Their other ideas for a location are all privately owned: the lot next to the PCC, on the property next to the PD, or a spot on Spokane Street between the pavement and the railroad tracks. It was suggested to look for space near the school. If this is successful, they could possibly bring in a compartment container for aluminum and glass as well. They will need to look into insurance requirements. Council supports their efforts.
Review draft of the Six-Year Street Plan: Cecil reviewed aloud the draft Six-Year Street Plan. 1. Wall Street Reconstruction from Union to Bluff; 2. North F Street Overlay from Church to Cannon; 3. West Whitman Reconstruction from Bridge to Mill; 4. West Whitman & Fir Street Reconstruction from Mill to Illinois; 5. Wall Street #2 Reconstruction from Union to Park; 6. Culton Street Reconstruction from Park to Holyoke; 7. Park Street reconstruction from Holyoke to Wiley. Councilmember Newman MOVED, seconded by Councilmember Jones, to set July 10th as our public hearing for the six year street plan. Motion carried unanimously.
COMMITTEE REPORTS/REQUESTS:
Parks, Cemetery, & Buildings-Alison Webb. Chair: Committee has some revenue-based issues to act on.
The city is charged a fee every time they use the cc machine for RV park reservations, whether it’s to make reservations or to refund cancellations. A $5.00 charge for cancellations would cover those machine costs and loss of reservation revenue. Councilmember Webb MOVED to implement a $5.00 non-refundable reservation fee (included in rate), seconded by Councilmember Schorzman. Motion carried unanimously.
Councilmember Webb MOVED to implement a policy of two-night minimum reservation on WSU premium weekends (Homecoming, Mom & Dad weekends, and home football games). Councilmember Schorzman seconded and the motion carried unanimously.
Committee would like to consider extending the RV Park to a maximum of 28 days. The city has received numerous requests for 28-day reservations and has had to refuse them. 28 day max would still keep the city under the 30 day threshold for leasehold excise taxes to kick in. Much discussion ensued. Committee will meet again to continue discussion. Councilmember Newman MOVED to make a temporary change to the RV policy allowing up to 3 RV spots a maximum stay of 28 days at the going rate of $150.00/week. Councilmember Webb seconded. Councilmember Floyd voted nay. Motion carried.
Streets & Sidewalks-Cecil Floyd, Chair: Mohr Street Project is coming along.
The estimate for the Cove Road pathway was $400,000 last year. For financial reasons, we decided to split the project into two which brought the cost down half. First half of path would come from Union Street, down Cove Road, around the corner on the highway all the way to the bridge. The match for that is %5 or about $10,000. The call for projects is coming up at the end of the month. Can we come up with the matching money if we’re awarded the grant? Arterial Street fund will have as little as $3,000 or $4,000 carryover in 2012. Councilmember Jones MOVED, seconded by Councilmember Schorzman, to authorize Councilmember Floyd to proceed with Taylor Engineering for the pursuit of grants to accomplish that construction.
There is still the ongoing issue between the neighbors about the corner of Harrison and Sumner. Citizen requested a sign on the corner so the public would realize where the street was and not cut through private property. This issue is not just a streets committee issue, but also a police issue regarding public safety. There will be another committee meeting with the police department and public works included.
Personnel & Pool-Tim Jones, Chair: Pool is opening June 20th. Local resident Kelly Dow has started a Palouse Swim Team.
Water & Sewer-Connie Newman, Chair:
Water System Plan went through Dept of Ecology review and is now in the hands of the DOH. We’re still on the timeline to get that back in July.
The Sewer Extension Policy draft is currently in Attorney Bishop’s hands. Hoping to have that back in July and bring it back to council for review and approval. It should look similar to the Water Extension Policy as far as policy and procedure for the application process.
In 2007 the city did an extension to the Breeding’s Sewer Project. The revenue generated from sewer connection charges paid by Breeding’s Addition property did not come in as anticipated. We must set up a payment plan for the remaining interfund loan for this extension. There will be a resolution at the next meeting setting the terms of the repayment for council to consider.
W/S committee will be reevaluating the rate schedule, with potential $1 raise to sewer. We have to address conservation efforts in our rate system. We will bring back recommendations to council before the first of the year.
Connie will be attending the AWC conference next week in Vancouver.
Police, Fire, & Safety-Rick Wekenman, Chair: Committee met to discuss the potential for burning the yard waste or chipping the yard waste. We discussed the following options: 1. Do nothing, keeping with the current program. Options of disposal are out there for the public: free disposal at the Moscow and Pullman landfills and the Moscow recycling center. It’s a service we’d like to offer but aren’t obligated to provide. 2. Attempt to find a spot for a 40 Yard dumpster. The county is investigating whether they would provide a large dumpster to the city and the fees the city charged for permits would cover the dump fees. This option would require a location, compaction, security, man hours, and monitors. Not very feasible. 3. A one-day chipper program. The citizens would be asked to pay a fee ($30 or $40) for a one-day, all you can deliver event. You would need monitors on site, with no intention of chipping anything that day, just accumulating a pile. No commercial customers. At $30, we’d need a minimum of 20 participants to break even. After one attempt, we would learn if $30 was enough to cover the expense. However, if someone trims limbs in April, they won’t want to wait three months to get rid of it. 4. Allowing a day of individual burning of small disposal piles at individual residences. This is risky health-wise and very difficult to monitor. If the FD responds to one call, it costs between $100-$150 out of their budget each time. And it would have to be an approved day by DOE. DOE could call at 10 am and say it’s okay to burn, then call back at noon and say the weather is changing, fires have to be put out. 5. Burning outside of city, central location. Permit fee paid to the FD to monitor the blaze, one-day collection and burn a different day that DOE stipulates, with the same problems. That would also require monitoring during the dumping period. The money involved is substantial, would have to mobilize a fire crew on the burn day. Logistics are uncertain as to weather conditions. Health issues are quite real on all of these things and the city needs to be sensitive to that. There are resources available to those who don’t have the means to transport yard waste. The committee recommends option one – No change to the current program. If the economic climate were better we could buy our own chipper and hire someone to man it.
Finance, Property, & Equipment:
Policy & Administration-Bo Ossinger, Chair:
OLD BUSINESS:
Resolution #2012-02: fee schedule. Changed the private pool rental fee to $75 for 1.5 hours with three guards provided, and added the $5 RV park non-refundable reservation cancellation charge. Councilmember Jones MOVED to adopt Resolution #2012-02. Councilmember Schorzman seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
MAYOR’S REPORT: Three liquor license renewal requests: Special occasion license for the PCC at Hayton Greene Park for beer garden at the 2012 Music Festival; yearly licensing for McLeod’s Market; and yearly licensing for Palouse Act II Tavern. No objections.
Larson’s Demolition has begun work on the Brownfields site demo.
2013 Revenue Source public hearing will be scheduled soon.
Discussion ensued on who would chair the finance committee. Councilmember Wekenman is going to chair it along with the Police, Fire, & Safety committee.
ALLOW PAYMENT OF BILLS: Councilmember Jones MOVED that the bills against the city be allowed. Councilmember Schorzman 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 9:15 PM.
The following checks are approved for payment:
Payroll Paid, May 30, 2012. Ck. #4036-4053 & EFT $36,644.72
Claims Paid, June 12, 2012. Ck. #4054-4096 & EFT $65,028.29
APPROVED: ________________________________ ATTEST: ________________________________
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