October 4, 2011
Those Present: Ada DeClark, Gary Thompson, Bob Van Cleave, Joe DeClark, Marty Nate, Lynette Smith, Doug Thompson, Skylar Allen from Keller Associates
Meeting called to order: 7:10 pm
Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation: Mayor Bob Van Cleave
The chair entertained a motion from Council member Gary Thompson that the council accept the published agenda. Council member Ada DeClark seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion carried the council.
Minutes from the September 6, 2011 council meeting were read. The chair entertained a motion from council member Gary Thompson the council approve the minutes as read with the exception of adding Doug and Marty both attend the Judicial Confirmation. Council member Joe DeClark seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion carried the council.
Skylar Allen of Keller Associates came and updated the council about where we are at on the planning study. The income surveys conducted by the council members will now be taken to the Department of Commerce for eligibility to apply for the Block Grant by November 18th. There will need to be a public hearing for the application for the Grant. We are waiting on a date for the Judicial Confirmation in order to move forward with the loan. The Judicial Confirmation must be done before the loan is official and preferably before we apply for the Grant. The council asked Marty to call City Attorney, Adam McKenzie, to confirm a date for the Judicial Confirmation. Keller’s looked at property with DEQ to purchase for the new lagoons. The land application needs 35 acres and a buffer zone. The application needs a survey of the properties and takes about a week to complete. It would be preferable if the surveys could take place before snow falls. A comment period for the wastewater project was published in the News Examiner and will run from October 6-20th. The DEQ needs a letter from the Mayor or City in relation to the public comments. The segregation of duties must be in place to move forward. The office is to speak with Adam about how to implement the segregation of duties. After the survey of the properties for the land application is completed and the DEQ finds a report of no significance then we can move forward and discuss design plans in November.
Doug Thompson discussed with the Council options for removing the trees between the City Office building and Johnson Meat Cutting’s building. The trees are growing into the power line and are becoming a nuisance for both property owners. Doug wondered who was responsible for the trees; the power company, landowners or the City? Doug is going to see if he can get Vaughn Rasmussen to come and take a look at the trees and see if he can tell us if the power company will take care of the problem.
Council member Ada DeClark brought forth to the Council if in the instance of sickness or absence of Lynette Smith in months and years to come if Marty could come back and work to fill-in. Marty mentioned that working at all would affect her retirement.
Council member Gary Thompson mentioned he had been receiving comments and concerns about the smell of the sewer system near particular homeowners. The Council informed him that the new wastewater project that we are working on will eliminate those problems and to pass the word along to those homeowners.
Police Report: Officer Skinner had 57 contacts.
Maintenance Report: Doug mowed the cemetery and mentioned he may only mow that once more, he got some gravel hauled in and has tried to winterize everything. He hopes to have some time to spray more thistle. He received the water samples back and they are all ok and the nitrates are good. He reported that he measured the springs and that they are way above any measurements previously made. It is the City’s responsibility to maintain the septic at 496 100 East and their septic was pumped. He sent out the EPA report and did more regular testing. The nitrate readings are going up in the sewer ponds and he is monitoring that closely. He winterized the park, serviced the backhoe and had to rebuild the front brakes in the service truck.
Office Report: Marty reported that there are 12 delinquent water and sewer accounts for the month and that there are 2 Candidacy’s for City Council which are Matt Argyle and Joe DeClark. She mentioned to the council she has received flyers for the City Council to attend AIC training and there is a Planning & Zoning meeting the same day at the same location. She also mentioned that Lynette and any other council members who wished to attend, to go on a trip with Doug one day to go throughout the City and learn where everything is and what everything is all about. She also asked the Council about Lynette becoming a Notary. It was decided that there needs to be a Notary within the City and that Lynette should become a Notary and bonded. She inquired of the Council if realtor inspections should be charged for water turn on and off fees and also if someone is living in a home for only 2 weeks out of the year if they should be charged those same fees. There was some discussion and then it was decided that inspections should not be charged the fees because that should be included in the maintenance but to be fair to everyone else, no matter how long someone is in a home that all homeowners should be charged the turn on and off fees when applicable. She mentioned that Darrel Passey came in and claims that the City Park should be named after his dad Newell and wondered if anyone had any insight. Darrel also mentioned that if there is a sign put up honoring his dad that he will pay some money for the sign. Marty asked the Council what they would like to do about the new sewer and water fees so that the office can order the new books for the year. It was decided that we can’t make any changes to the fees until after the Judicial Confirmation. In the meantime, the office might be sending out statements for a month or two until the new books arrive with the new fee schedule. She mentioned again that we need to adopt a segregation of duties and we need to ask City Attorney, Adam McKenzie how to adopt; if by ordinance or add to the employee policy. Lynette should be coming into the office for training two days a week for the month of October. Lynette gave a report on the Clerk’s Conference attended by her and Marty in Boise. She brought forth to the Council a proposal of how to receive a 5% discount on the ICRMP policy for the new year. The Council would need to implement two new policies – a workplace harassment policy and a vehicle use policy in order to apply for the discount. All employees would need to participate in order to get the discount. The Council told her to go ahead and get started on what was needed to get started on the discount. She also mentioned that while at the Clerk’s Conference her and Marty received bid proposals from Software companies to update the office’s utility billing and financial programs. The Council said that they needed more time to learn about the softwares and what was needed in order to make a decision.
The chair entertained a motion from Council member Ada DeClark the council approve checks and vouchers for the month of September 2011 in the amount of $11,932.79 in the general fund, $5,454.19 in the water fund, $10,877.40 in the sewer fund with all funds totaling $28,264.38. Council member Gary Thompson seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion carried the council.
At 8:45 pm, the chair entertained a motion from council member Gary Thompson the council adjourn from the October 2011 council meeting. Council member Joe DeClark seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion carried the council.
Respectfully submitted by,
Lynette Smith, Deputy City Clerk
City of Georgetown