Loading...
HomeMy Public PortalAbout20050722 emergency waterEMERGENCY SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING JULY 22, 2005 1 CALL TO ORDER An Emergency Special Council Meeting was called for July 22, 2005 due to depleted water reserves within the city. The meeting was convened at 3:10 P.M. by Mayor John Landwehr. ROLL CAL The following Council Members were present for the roll call: Present: Berry (via conference call), Crane (via conference call), Harvey, Layton, Pope, and Vogel Absent: Brown, Ferguson, Martin, and Schnitzler A quorum was declared present. City Counselor Nathan Nickolaus indicated that in emergency situations, it is legally permissible to have a quorum using the conference call system. Several members of the Cole County government, water company and water district personnel, emergency management personnel, and fire and law enforcement personnel for both city and county were also in attendance. Mayor John Landwehr explained that the reason for the meeting is the continuous drop in the water reserves for the city reported to him this morning by Missouri American Water Company. He indicated they reported that the levels of water, when low at the end of the day, are normally replenished overnight and are back to normal by morning. However, the past several days, the level in the morning was actually lower than the previous evening. Mayor Landwehr stated that the water company feels that at this rate, the city needs to take action to ensure there is enough water available in the case of a major fire or similar emergency which would require the use of water. Mayor Landwehr also explained that the method the city currently must follow to address the situation is to receive requests by water providers and other affected entities (emergency, fire, etc.) to take this kind of action. He stated that City Counselor Nathan Nickolaus has drafted the ordinance which will be before the Council today that will address today's situation, but at the same time codify the process so that the city will not have to go through as many steps to take needed action in the future. BILLS INTRODUCED Bill 2005 -42, sponsored by Councilman Vogel, entitled: EMERGENCY SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING JULY 22, 2005 2 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF JEFFERSON, MISSOURI, AMENDING CHAPTER 11 OF THE CITY CODE BY AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO DECLARE A WATER EMERGENCY AND PROHIBIT CERTAIN USES OF WATER WITHIN THE CITY NO ESSENTIAL TO PUBLIC WELL BEING, AUTHORIZING THE TERMINATION OF WATER SERVICE, PRESCRIBING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATING ITS PROVISIONS AND DECLARING THE PRESENCE OF AN EMERGENCY. Bill 2005 -42 was read second time by title. Councilman Edith Vogel requested that the rules be suspended and Bill 2005 -42 placed on final passage to address the water shortage. There were no objections to the request for suspension of the rules. Bill 2005 -42 was then read third time by title and placed on final passage. Following discussion, Councilman Bryan Pope moved to amend the bill by adding the following language in Section 6, paragraph (C), of the bill, the language being added indicated herein with bold type: (C) until otherwise repealed or modified totally, or in part, by the mayor or city council. The motion to amend was seconded by Councilman Mike Harvey, and approved unanimously. Bill 2005 -42 was then approved, as amended, by the following roll -call vote as Ord. 13905: Aye: Berry (via conference call), Crane (via conference call), Harvey, Layton, Pope, and Vogel Nay: None At this point in the meeting, Mr. Bob Watson, Jefferson City News Tribune reporter, arrived at the meeting and stated he wished to protest the meeting because he believed it did not comply with Missouri Sunshine Law and that the media did not receive sufficient notice. Mayor John Landwehr explained how the meeting transpired, the timeline of events leading up to the meeting, and stated that the meeting was an "emergency meeting" as provided for in the Missouri Sunshine Law. Mayor Landwehr stated the City has called a press conference for 4:00 P.M. and all media were notified of that earlier in the day, but that the City was not able to make contact with enough Council Members to establish a quorum for an Emergency Council Meeting until 2:55 P.M. ADJOURN MENT There being no further business to come before the Council at this time, a motion was made by Councilman Edith Vogel for adjournment, seconded by Councilman Mike Harvey, and approved unanimously at 3:30 P.M.