REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
DECEMBER 5, 2007
Officials in attendance were Mayor Clancy Bauman; Councilmembers Carra Nupp, David Haskell, Harvey Savitz, Sharon Ludwig, Barbara Mowrey, Roberta McMillin and Greg Rolstad; City Administrator Curt Kelling; City Attorney Pat Monasmith; Clerk/Treasurer Pamela McCart.
The Mayor called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM.
Agenda Additions, Deletions, Changes: None.
Audience Comments:
· Sheila Stolp, Assistant to Congresswoman Cathy McMorris, introduced herself and stated that any questions/concerns could be directed to the Colville office at 555 W. Main Street, open daily from 9 AM – 4 PM, phone 684-3481.
Mail Received and Announcements:
· The Mayor thanked Harvey Savitz for his services as Councilman. Councilman Savitz stated that health issues prevented him from running for another term.
Consent Agenda:
· Motion by Councilwoman Ludwig to approve the Consent Agenda consisting of the November 7th Regular Minutes; payment of claim vouchers # 55966 – 56085 totaling $414,854.97; payment of pre-authorized debits to BPA totaling $69,397.00; and payment of payroll warrants #18402 - 18468 totaling $140,907.41, seconded by Councilman Haskell. Roll call vote taken with all in favor. Motion carried.
Public Hearing on Budget for Fiscal Year Ending 12/31/08:
The Mayor opened the public hearing and set forth the format that would be followed. There were no objections to the Mayor participating as chairman. There were no objections to any Councilperson’s participating in the proceedings. No Councilperson acknowledged any communications outside of this hearing and no Councilperson acknowledged any gain or interest with regard to this matter.
C/A, Staff Report: There are no large projects going on next year – all the grant funding that applications were submitted for were turned down by TIB. There will be one small residual project from the Main Street and also providing some kind of entry way on the east end of the City. The budget does reflect two significant issues: 1) the restructure of the Public Works Department and 2) a substantial investment in law enforcement services -- increasing that budget by one full time officer and setting aside $75,000 to go with the initial $25,000 that was set aside at the beginning of the year. This is for looking into updating things service wise and getting our officers electronically dispatched out of the County -- getting them integrated into the County wide database that is being used for law enforcement. Another $25,000 was transferred to reserve to deal with police vehicles. The rest of the budget is essentially similar to budgets over the past few years. The 1% property tax increase has been implemented as well as a small increase in garbage fees to absorb the increased costs of fuel and tipping fees.
The Mayor opened the hearing to Public Testimony:
There was no written or oral testimony.
The Mayor closed the public hearing.
Committee Reports:
· The C/A stated that the Finance Committee has been talking with a performing arts group with regard to use of the City Shop building located next to the Museum. Preliminary meetings have taken place as to whether the City would be willing to enter into further discussion for the non-profit group to ultimately use or remodel that building for use as a theatre. At this point we haven’t progressed any further than that. We’re just bringing the idea before Council just for a bit of consensus -- there really isn’t a decision to make at this time. We’re looking into putting together a memorandum of understanding that would probably be brought back to the Council in January -- that memorandum would be non-binding and would simply state that the concept sounds reasonable and that the concept may be able to be worked out in the future between this non-profit group and the City The City will ultimately have some interest in those discussions. Staff has started to look at what would be done with the current use of that building as a shop/maintenance area. In looking at the capital facility planning, we’ve started talking about consolidation and perhaps moving some of the public work employees collectively into the old fire station on Main which the Water Department is currently utilizing. There is room there for some expansion and there may be adjacent property available should we decide that this option looks practical in the future. It would be an interesting use for a historical building and it would qualify well for grants because that building was originally constructed by the federal government. Councilwoman Ludwig added that it would expand the recreational area from the City Park almost all the way to City Hall because then you’d have the little league field, the museum, the cultural center and then the pool. Community Celebrations has had the goal of having some kind of cultural arts center but they never had enough money – Liz Riley left a major portion of her estate for this purpose and so a group was formed out of Community Celebrations which is in the position to proceed with this project. The C/A said that it may not be too far down the road that the Indian Heritage building is offered up to the City.
City Administrator Report:
· The C/A stated that nothing has been done to change any transportation alternatives on the couplet. They are being reviewed at the Planning Commission level. Nothing has changed and they will be brought back to the table. I’m guessing that Council will have an opportunity to meet with the Planning Commission in the spring to bring forth a proposal for a community planning assistance team to perform an entire review process – to go through all the alternatives that were there before and see if there are any new ones or anything else that comes out of that review.
· Although work on Segment C was determined to be substantially complete on the 22nd of October, the project has been left open. There are two spots on Stingy Lane and Main where water collects at the sewer lines. The contractor will be back out in the spring to address those issues – retainage is being withheld for this reason. If the contractor attempted to repair it now, the pavement would have to be torn out and replaced. The good news is that the overall project is coming in about 3% under budget. We also managed to obtain additional funding from the State, saving about $104,000 of City water/sewer funds.
Old Business:
· Motion by Councilwoman Mowrey to read Ordinances 795 – 798 by title, seconded by Councilman Haskell. Roll call vote taken with all in favor. Motion carried.
· Mr. Monasmith read Ordinance 795 by title. Motion by Councilwoman Mowrey to adopt Ordinance # 795 Vacating a Portion of North Bernard Street, seconded by Councilwoman Nupp. Roll call vote taken with all in favor. Motion carried.
· Mr. Monasmith read Ordinance 796 by title. Motion by Councilwoman Nupp to adopt Ordinance # 796 Fixing the Property Tax Levy for 2008, seconded by Councilwoman Mowrey. Roll call vote taken with all in favor. Motion carried.
· Mr. Monasmith read Ordinance 797 by title. Motion by Councilwoman Mowrey to adopt Ordinance # 797 Adopting the 2008 Budget, seconded by Councilwoman Nupp. Roll call vote taken with all in favor. Motion carried.
· Mr. Monasmith read Ordinance 798 by title. Motion by Councilwoman Nupp to adopt Ordinance # 798 Providing for Highway Access Management, Access Permits and Administrative Process, seconded by Councilman Haskell. Roll call vote taken with all in favor. Motion carried.
· The C/A stated that although Chewelah Crest I and II are in different locations, they’ve been worked on simultaneously so most of the improvements are already in for Chewelah Crest II. A bond has been received for those improvements that still need to be done, so they have met their conditions. Everything in the water system, etc. was done through the summer and fall. The big construction issue to make the water system work had been accomplished in Chewelah Crest I -- the tanks and pumps and all that -- so this lower subdivision is not as complicated. Nothing has changed since the decision meeting – the subdivision hasn’t changed, the lots are the same. Motion by Councilwoman Mowrey to approve Final Plat for Chewelah Crest II Subdivision, seconded by Councilman Haskell. Roll call vote taken with all in favor. Motion carried.
New Business:
· The C/A stated that these three job descriptions go along with the reorganization that was completed and proposed in the budget – job descriptions for Maintenance Supervisor and Maintenance Lead Position will follow. Motion by Councilwoman McMillin to approve Job Descriptions for Deputy Billing Clerk, Public Works Maintenance I and Public Works Maintenance II, seconded by Councilwoman Mowrey. Roll call vote taken with all in favor. Motion carried.
· Motion by Councilwoman Mowrey to adopt Resolution 07-14 Revising Garbage Rates/Outlining Policies, seconded by Councilwoman McMillin. Roll call vote taken with all in favor. Motion carried.
· Mr. Monasmith read introduction of Ordinance # 799 Providing for a Zone Change.
· Mr. Monsamith read introduction of Ordinance # 800 Amending the 2007 Budget.
Audience Comments: None.
The Mayor adjourned the meeting at 7:47 PM.
Mayor ___________________________ Clerk/Treasurer ___________________________
