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HomeMy Public PortalAbout11.19.09 Regular Minutes ApprovedMINUTES McCall City Council Regular Meeting Barbara R. Morgan Elementary School Cafeteria November 19, 2009 Agenda Call to Order and Roll Call Work Session Agenda Approval Public Comment Consent Agenda Business Agenda Committee Minutes Council Discussion Executive Session Adjournment CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Mayor Kulesza called the regular meeting of the McCall City Council to order at 5:41 p.m. Council Member Bailey, Council Member Delaney, Mayor Kulesza, and Council Member Witte answered roll call. Council Member Scott was absent. City staff present were Lindley Kirkpatrick, City Manager; Bill Nichols, City Attorney; Michelle Groenevelt, Community Development Director; Monika Trapp, Parks Supervisor; Kurt Wolf, Recreation Supervisor; Carol Coyle, Grant Coordinator; Eric McCormick, Golf Course Superintendent; Tim Swanson, Interim Public Works Director; Linda Stokes, City Treasurer; Dennis Coyle, Parks and Recreation Director; and BessieJo Wagner, City Clerk. COUNCIL WORKSESSION AB 09-250 Value Engineering Presentation from Centra Consulting, Inc Steve West and Jim Coleman, of Centra Consulting, presented to the Council information on value engineering' and how it could be applied to the Wastewater Facility Plan. Council discussed whether Value Engineering was a concept that the Council would consider going further with the Wastewater Facility Plan and whether it would make sense to include the Payette Lakes Water and Sewer District. The Council came to a consensus that they would continue their discussion of Value Engineering AGENDA APPROVAL McCall City Council Regular Meeting November 19, 2009 Page 1 of 7 Mayor Kulesza added a Council discussion time to the end of the meeting. PUBLIC COMMENT Mayor Kulesza called for public comment at 6:36 p.m. Hearing no comments, Mayor Kulesza closed public comment. CONSENT AGENDA Staff recommended approval of the following items: • Minutes August 27, 2009 • Minutes November 4, 2009 • VARHA Report • Warrant Registers printed on 11/12/09 • Payroll Report for Period ending 10/30/09 • AB 09-246 Approval of Summary for Airport Noise Ordinance 869 • AB 09-241 Application for recertification for Tree City USA • AB 09-252 LHTAC Local Rural Highway Improvement Program grant for road reconstruction of a portion of Deinhard Lane • AB 09-253 Clean Vessel Act grant for pumpout station repairs • AB 09-254 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Some discussion took place to clarify the warrant register and correct the minutes. Council Member Bailey moved to approve the Consent Agenda with the minutes corrected. Council Member Delaney seconded the motion. In a roll call vote, Council Member Delaney, Council Member Bailey, Mayor Kulesza, and Council Member Witte, all voted aye and the motion passed. BUSINESS AGENDA AB 09-251 Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) Annual Report to Council Jackie Turnipseed-Aymon, TAC Chairperson, presented the Committee's annual report. Ms. Aymon stated that much of the TAC's priority had been centered on McCall's transit system and the importance of a public education process of the free transit system offered. Council Member Delaney asked to be put on the TAC mailing list. AB 09-233 Tree Committee Member Reappointment - Randy Acker McCall City Council Regular Meeting November 19, 2009 Page 2 of 7 Monika Trapp, Parks Supervisor, stated that the Tree Committee had recommended that the City Council appoint Randy Acker to the Tree Committee for an additional term of three years. Council Member Delaney moved to appoint Randy Acker to the Tree Committee for an additional term of three years to expire November 2012. Council Member Bailey seconded the motion. In a voice vote, all members voted aye and the motion passed. AB 09-245 Downtown Parking Study and Needs Assessment — Adoption Michelle Groenevelt, Community Development Director, stated that the Community Development Department obtained funding to complete a study and needs assessment related to the parking in the downtown south to Colorado Street. The Downtown Parking Committee (DPC), a volunteer citizen committee, worked with staff to develop a scope and identify critical tasks. The goal of the study was to address the parking issues in order to create a vibrant downtown which incorporates smart growth and new urbanism principles. The committee was interested in exploring minimum or no on -site parking requirements to ensure good urban form once an alternative parking system is established. The following priorities were established for the study: • Land Use Demand • Code Updates • Public Parking Lots/Concentrated Parking Concepts • Financing Centralized Structure Parking • Snow Storage/Removal Plan or Strategy for Downtown • A Phasing Recommendation/Implementation Plan There was general discussion on public education as to the process for parking in downtown. Council Member Bailey stated that he would not support parking meters within the next year due the current economic situation. He suggested that the economy needs to recover some prior to implementing paid parking. He said he supports the process, just not the timing. Council Member Bailey questioned the usability of the parking garage owned by the Sabala Foundation. He also questioned the agreements related to the garage and who needs to maintain it. He stated that if Sabala Foundation is responsible, hold them to that responsibility, if not, then the City needs to maintain it. Council Member Bailey questioned the recommendation of not allowing boat trailers to park on City streets. He stated that there needs to be care taken when making those types of rules. Council Member Delaney stated that she did not think that it was good for the City to have a large number of boat trailers lining the streets. The goal should be to encourage the boat trailers to park in the lots. Council asked that the issue with the boat trailer be brought back for Council action prior to establishing a rule. Council Member Delaney stated that she appreciated the work staff had done to put together a timeline of priorities. McCall City Council Regular Meeting Page 3 of 7 November 19, 2009 It was clarified that with the adoption of the parking study as a planning tool, any action item on the timeline of priorities that requires a policy change would come back to Council. The timeline had been amended to add Council action required prior to implementing any paid parking requirements. Council Member Delaney moved to Adopt the Downtown Parking Study and Needs Assessment as a planning document for the City of McCall and direct staff to work on policy changes outlined in the recommendation section of the report. Council Member Witte seconded the motion. In a voice vote all members voted aye and the motion passed. Dave Mathis made a public comment to voice his concern with the possibility of parking meters, he asked that a public hearing happen to get public input on the subject. He stated that parking meters do not meet the character of the small town environment. AB 09-255 Pets In Parks Code Change — Adopt Ordinance Dennis Coyle, Parks and Recreation Director, stated that the McCall Parks and Recreation Advisory Board had requested that the current City Ordinance, MCC 8-14-4(C) (1) be amended to allow pets in selected City parks. Staff requested the code be amended to allow pets with restrictions. The cost for implementing this change would be provided by private donors and the Parks and Recreation Department. All hardware, furniture and signs would be provided by donors, labor and incidental costs would be provided by the City. There was discussion with Council on the language change in the ordinance and what it was that staff was trying to accomplish. Council felt that the language used to change the current ordinance was not any different than the language that was already there. There was discussion on whether to give more authority to staff or if it would take Council action when deciding to allow pets in the City Parks. Council requested that staff come back with a different ordinance that gave better definition as to the goal of allowing dogs in parks. Council Member Witte stated that it was her opinion that leashes should be required except in a park like Fairway Park. She also stated that Brown Park should not allow dogs at all. AB 09-243 SUB-08-05: Spring Mountain Ranch Phase #5 — Final Plat — NOT A PUBLIC HEARING Michelle Groenevelt presented the proposed subdivision consisting of 26 single-family lots located along a new road (Violet Way) between Spring Mt. Ranch Blvd, and Bitterroot Drive. The applicant had received engineering approval from the City Engineer for the construction plans. However, the applicant had altered those plans to realign a driveway, and was in the process of securing renewed engineering approval for construction plans and the final plat. Council Member Bailey stated that a street light needs to be put in on the Bitterroot end of Violet Way. It was confirmed that a dark sky compliant street light would be placed at Bitterroot and Violet Way. Council Member Delaney moved to approve SUB-08-05 subject to the presented Findings and Conclusions. Council Member Witte seconded the motion. In a roll call voted Council McCall City Council Regular Meeting Page 4 of 7 November 19, 2009 Member Delaney, Council Member Witte, Council Member Bailey, and Mayor Kulesza all voted aye and the motion passed. AB 09-256 Water/Sewer Billing Practices Tim Swanson, Interim Public Works Director, stated that staff was recommending that all customers be required to pay the water and sewer base rate if services are available to them. The customer may choose to have their water turned off; however there would be no reduction in the rate. Mr. Swanson stated that the process could be phased in over the next cycle of on/off for the user. The City would notify all customers that when the water is turned on/off again, the base rate would continue to be charged. This would allow customers to plan for the continuous billing. This practice is common in municipalities throughout the country. This recommendation would allow the burden of the DEQ mandates and indebtedness to be distributed to all customers that have water and sewer service, not just the full time residents. Mr. Swanson presented three options for adjusting the current Water/Sewer Billing Practices: 1. No reduction in monthly water and sewer base rates if services are turned off. 2. Availability fee 3. Water Turn off and turn on fee change There was general discussion on the three options. There was general Council consensus that option one made the most sense. There was also a discussion to include option three as well. The Council requested staff to look at the rate model to determine if it would be possible to reduce the base rates. The discussion included the need for a public hearing. AB 09-257 Electronic Statement Presentment and Online Bi11 Pay Linda Stokes, City Treasurer, solicited quotations from three companies providing electronic statement presentation and online bill pay in an effort to provide improved customer service to the City's utility customers. A summary of the quotations were presented to Council, along with a price comparison based on the number of statements mailed during the last billing cycle. Assumptions were made regarding the number of customers that would elect electronic statement presentment and also the number that would elect to pay their bills online. There was discussion as to the cost differences to go to the online bill pay service and the associated fees. Council Member Bailey suggested that the City offer the online bill pay and then a year later evaluate the actual costs and determine at that time whether to charge a convenience fee. Mayor Kulesza and Council Member Delaney stated that the City should start out charging the fee and then consider removing the fee. It was discussed that there were some unknowns relating to costs with the prospect of offering the online payment option. It was clarified that there was potential for significant savings in postage and paper usage with the online payment option. Council Member Bailey felt that the City should absorb the cost of accepting credit card payments. Council directed staff to clarify the fees associated with online payments and propose a contract with Billing Document Specialists for document mailing, online statement presentment, and online bill pay. Council also directed staff to hold a public hearing to charge a convenience fee to utility customers. McCall City Council Regular Meeting Page 5 of 7 November 19, 2009 AB 09-249 Community Forum re: form of government issues - Discussion At previous meetings, the City Council agreed to conduct a public forum to discuss and consider some of the issues raised during the recent election to consider changing the form of government. The forum should be carefully planned, including its purpose and goals, format, the use of a facilitator or not, topics to be covered, any presentations or other information shared in advance, and the venue. Due to Council Member Scott being absent, the Council decided to wait until the entire Council was together to agree on a date and agenda for the meeting. COUNCIL DISCUSSION Council Member Bailey stated that the Council received a letter from the Airport Advisory Committee (AAC) expressing concerns and asking for Council guidance on two issues: 1. Does the Council want the Advisory Committee to remain in their advisory role as it pertains to hangar leases? 2. Does the Airport Advisory Committee continue giving input to the minimum standards? Mayor Kulesza stated that he felt the letter resulted from a communication problem between the Airport Advisory Committee and the Airport Manager, and between the Airport Manager and the City Council. It was Council Member Delaney's opinion that the communication between the Airport Manager and Council needed improvement. She did not feel that the Airport Manager's presentations to Council were direct enough nor did he have answers to many of the Council's questions. Mayor Kulesza observed that the Airport Manager generally did not seem engaged in what the topic was. There was a consensus from Council to send a letter from Council to AAC in response to their two questions and to answer those questions in the affirmative. Mayor Kulesza also stated that the letter should address the issue of communication. It was also stated to express appreciation for the work the Committee does. Council Member Bailey stated that he had read something about an attachment for snow plows that minimize the snow berm during snow plowing. Council asked that Mr. Kirkpatrick and Mr. Swanson to look into the costs and possibility of acquiring the equipment. There was a brief discussion as to the status of hiring an in house engineer; the position should be posted by the week after Thanksgiving. Regarding the Value Engineering discussion, the Council was pleased to see Jerry Vevig and Jamie Melbo from the Payette Lakes Water and Sewer District attend the presentation on Value Engineering. There was some interest in pursuing the assistance of Value Engineering. The concerns expressed were the costs associated with it and the time frames. There was a general consensus from the Council to include the Payette Lakes Water and Sewer District in the process. McCall City Council Regular Meeting Page 6 of 7 November 19, 2009 Mr. Kirkpatrick pointed out that there are two issues to be resolved prior to making a decision on the Value Engineering, the questions raised during the litigation with the Payette Lakes Water and Sewer District: 1. What do the existing agreements mean? 2. What will the City do seven years from now, long term? Mr. Kirkpatrick gave a status update on the malpractice action, stating that the experts on each side had filed their reports. COMMITTEE MINUTES The Council received copies of the following minutes: • McCall Historic Preservation Commission — September 22, 2009 • McCall Historic Preservation Commission — October 20, 2009 EXECUTIVE SESSION At 9:47 p.m. Mayor Kulesza moved to go into executive session for litigation — pursuant to Idaho Code §67-2345(1)(f) To communicate with legal counsel for the public agency to discuss the legal ramifications of and legal options for pending litigation, or controversies not yet being litigated but imminently likely to be litigated. Council Member Bailey seconded the motion. In a roll call vote Mayor Kulesza, Council Member Bailey, Council Member Delaney, and Council Member Witte all voted aye and the motion passed. RETURN TO OPEN SESSION Council Member Witte moved to direct Bill Nichols, City Attorney, to reject the offer for the City to pay legal fees for Glenn Harsh in the Bear Basin lawsuit. Council Member Delaney seconded the motion. In a roll call voted Council Member Witte, Council Member Delaney, Council Member Bailey, and Mayor Kulesza all voted aye and the motion passed. ADJOURNMENT Without further business, the Mayor adjourned the meeting at 10:57 p.m. Bert Kulesza, Mayor ATTEST: BessieJo Wagner, City Clerk McCall City Council Regular Meeting November 19, 2009 Page 7 of 7