From City of Chewelah
Regular Council Minutes: August 1, 2007
By
Aug 22, 2007, 08:07
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
AUGUST 1, 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 Attorney Pat Monasmith; Clerk/Treasurer Pamela McCart.
Absent: City Administrator Curt Kelling
The Mayor called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM.
Agenda Additions, Deletions, Changes: None.
Audience Comments:
· Gina Greenwood, Chewelah resident and founder of Greenwood Institute D’Art and Gloria de los Santos Geary, President of the Colville Arts Foundation, requested support of the City for a “Wellness Through the Arts” fair behind Sporty’s Bar on Saturday, September 22nd from 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM hosted by Greenwood Institute D’ Art, Colville Arts Foundation and the Orient/Inchelium/Valley Arts Consortium. The fair would offer an alternative venue for youth to express themselves and would also serve as a fund-raiser for Chewelah resident, Tammy Carr. The event is partially funded by a Washington State Arts Commission Grant. Ms. Greenwood requested City support in the form of street closure. Motion by Councilman Rolstad to support the “Wellness Through the Arts Fair” on September 22nd with the closure of Second Street East between Clay and Main, seconded by Councilwoman Mowrey. Roll call vote taken with all in favor. Motion carried.
· Eliza Alby, Chewelah resident asked for assistance from the City regarding reducing the level of noise emitted from the exterior commercial refrigeration compressor located on the north side of Bauman’s Meats. She thought that the City should have regulations/guidelines regarding this type of equipment – there are acoustical panels that can be set up around this type of equipment which would dramatically reduce the noise level. The compressor kicks on and off 24 hours a day and faces her house. She has communicated with Allan Marshal for 1 ˝ years regarding this. In the spring of 2006 he erected a wooden fence but removed it a few weeks later stating that it was causing the unit to overheat. He indicated that he would do something in the future but nothing has yet been done. Mrs. Alby followed up in the fall after which he propped up a piece of plywood which promptly fell down and is still lying in the grass. The police have been involved on a few occasions and correspondence was submitted to Council last year regarding this. Mr. Monasmith suggested speaking with the Building Inspector to see if it could be addressed within the Building Code – he did not see anything relevant as defined in the City’s Nuisance Ordinance. He reminded Mrs. Alby that she always had a private remedy as anyone is free to sue another person if an activity on a neighboring property unreasonably interferes with the use of her property.
· Theresa Brooks, Social Worker with the Department of Children and Family Services, made the Council aware that she was working on a project to bring a Drug Court Model to Stevens County which would encompass dependency, criminal and juvenile cases. The national recidivism rate for traditional treatments (prison, juvenile treatment facilities) is 45% -- for drug court participants it is 4%. There’s also a significant cost savings benefit to the taxpayer. Drug Court entails a higher level of accountability and service participation. Ms. Brooks stated that she is also working on establishing a Local Indian Child Welfare Advisory Committee which will serve rural Indian children and families for the Tri-County area. It will be an independent body which will make recommendations and advise service plans for all Indian dependency cases.
Mail Received and Announcements:.
· Mr. Monasmith read correspondence from Bob Carstens of Gainsville Georgia commending the ambulance crew and St. Joseph’s Hospital for their professional and kind care during a recent visit to the City.
· The Mayor stated that a vacancy on the Planning Commission would be advertised due to the resignation of Janette Slaughter.
· Per request of the C/A & Mayor, Council scheduled a retreat/workshop for September 22nd from 9:00 AM until approximately 1:00 PM.
Consent Agenda:
· Motion by Councilwoman Ludwig to approve the Consent Agenda consisting of the July 5th Regular Minutes; payment of claim vouchers # 55432 – 55567 totaling $174,708.46; and payment of payroll warrants # 18110 - 18192 totaling $160,196.78, seconded by Councilman Haskell. Roll call vote taken with all in favor. Motion carried.
Committee Reports:
· A Finance Committee meeting was scheduled for August 20th at 4:00 PM.
· An Airport Committee meeting was scheduled for August 13th at 2:00 PM. The Mayor appointed Councilwomen Mowrey and McMillin to attend for the absences of Councilmen Rolstad and Haskell.
City Administrator Report: None.
Old Business:
· Motion by Councilman Rolstad to reschedule public hearings for proposed Harrison and proposed Martin annexation requests from August 1st to September 5th 2007, seconded by Councilman Haskell. Roll call vote taken with all in favor. Motion carried.
· Decision Regarding Highland Ridge Estates:
Chaz Bates, City Planner: During the July 2007 Council meeting the Council had amended the subdivision code and changed where the single hearing was held for preliminary plats from the City Council to the Planning Commission -- to be consistent with state law the Council still makes the decision on the approval of that but it does not hold a public hearing. New testimony would not be accepted tonight and only the things that were brought up at the Planning Commission meeting or reasonably related to the Planning Commission meeting are up for discussion. I’m here to review the Planning Commission’s recommendation on File # PPA-01-07 which is the Highland Ridge Estates Preliminary Plat. This is a proposal to divide approximately 7 acres into 14 lots and based on the findings of the staff report the Planning Commission recommended unconditional approval. Most of the conditions of approval are typical of preliminary plats – one is not and I’d like to open that up for discussion. It’s the first condition – the Department of Archeology and Historic Preservation submitted a letter at the time of SEPA notice that the possibility exists that the first site of the St. Frances Regis Mission and cemetery appear to be located within the boundary of PPA-01-07. Cemeteries and archaeological sites have protection under Washington state law. Mr. Monasmith and members of Council stated that they did not have this finding in their version of the Staff Report. Mr. Bates acknowledged that the Council packets included the older version of the staff report which he had initially prepared for the Planning Commission to review. Mr. Bates read Condition #1 as listed in the final version of the staff report: “Prior to any ground disturbance activity approval must be granted by DAHP (Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation). If approval is not granted, then a professional archeological survey of the project site shall be completed. The purpose of the survey will be to produce a report consistent with DAHP standards. The report shall be reviewed and accepted by the City of Chewelah and DAHP prior to ground disturbance activities.” Prior to receiving final plat approval the applicant would have to conduct this survey to DAHP standards and that survey would have to be accepted by DAHP as well as by the City of Chewelah. A letter later received from the Kalispel tribe is related to the letter from DAHP in the sense that it is asking for a survey and it asks that proton-magnetometry, ground penetrating radar, and soil electrical resistance methods be utilized. In my discussions with Curt Kelling, I think that a professional survey to DAHP standards as listed in condition # 1 is broad enough to encompass those things if needed. At this point, it is not certain that this is the site on which they are located. I think an archeological survey would allow the opportunity to review what is in the ground and would allow the experts from the tribe and DAHP an opportunity for their input as to the appropriate path to take in going through the approval process for this. If you choose not to approve this, there is nothing that requires the applicant to move forward with an archeological survey. Motion by Councilwoman Mowrey to approve preliminary plat of Highland Ridge Estates #PPA-01-07 as recommended by the Planning Commission in accordance with findings and conditions of approval of the final version of staff report dated 8/1/07(attached hereto and made a part of these minutes), seconded by Councilwoman Nupp. Roll call vote taken with all in favor. Motion carried.
New Business:
· Motion by Councilwoman Nupp to schedule a public hearing regarding the Draft Shoreline Master Program for the September 5, 2007 regular meeting, seconded by Councilwoman Mowrey. Roll call vote taken with all in favor. Motion carried.
· Mr. Monasmith read Resolution 07-07. Motion by Councilwoman Mowrey to adopt Resolution 07-07 Appointing an Agent to Receive Claims for Damages, seconded by Councilwoman Nupp. Roll call vote taken with all in favor. Motion carried.
· Mr. Monasmith read Resolution 07-08. Motion by Councilwoman Nupp to adopt Resolution 07-08 Establishing Matching Funds of $1,863.50 for Airport Aid Application, seconded by Councilman Haskell. Roll call vote taken with all in favor. Motion carried.
· Motion by Councilman Rolstad authorizing Mayor to sign grant agreement with Department of Transportation for Airport Grant in the Amount of $30,406.50, seconded by Councilwoman Mowrey. Roll call vote taken with all in favor. Motion carried.
· Fire Chief Doug Sassman requested the use of fire reserve funds to purchase various equipment for the recently acquired fire truck at an approximate cost of $23,560. The Clerk stated that it looked like $11,000 was available at this time as she had not yet closed the books for July. Motion by Councilwoman Mowrey authorizing use of up to $11,000 in fire reserve funds with the stipulation that the Fire Chief approach the Council at a later time for additional funding, seconded by Councilwoman Nupp. Roll call vote taken with all in favor. Motion carried.
Audience Comments: None.
The Mayor adjourned the meeting at 8:20 PM.
Mayor ___________________________ Clerk/Treasurer ___________________________
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