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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Minutes - October 18, 2017.pdf 1 October 18, 2017 Mayor Jerry Merrill Council Members: Christopher Mann Jordan Busby Donna Benfield Tisha Flora Brad Wolfe Sally Smith City Staff: Stephen Zollinger – City Attorney Matt Nielson – Finance Officer Keith Davidson – Public Works Director Val Christensen – Community Development Director Scott Johnson – Economic Development Director Blair Kay – City Clerk 6:30 P.M. City Hall Jill Anderson said the prayer Peter Tiegen led the pledge Roll Call of Council Members: Attending: Council President Smith, Council Member Flora, Council Member Wolfe, and Mayor Merrill. Council Member Benfield joined the meeting via teleconference. Council Member Busby and Council Member Mann asked to be excused. Public Comment: not scheduled on the agenda (limit 3 minutes); issues may be considered for discussion on a future agenda. Please keep comments on point and respectful. Victor Harrison said he lives three miles from NorthPoint Apartments where a roof top dance party was held. The music being played at the party could be heard by him and his neighbors. He proposed a sound decibel level be set and added to the city’s noise ordinance. He hopes that it will help keep the noise level down. His second comment was regarding the condition of the city roads. There are a number of roads that need seal coated. Mayor Merrill said seal coating the city roads is something the street crew works on every summer. The city tries to seal coat as many street as the budget allows. Mayor Merrill indicated the city has a five-year plan when it comes to rebuilding and maintaining the city streets. Mr. Harrison asked if there is a way to increase the budget to better maintain the streets. Jill Anderson said she has concerns regarding the parking issues on College Avenue to Carlson Avenue and Main Street. The parking issues affect 15 different businesses surrounding the streets she mentioned. There is also concern with how the newly constructed Center Street will affect snow removal. She reviewed the handout she gave to City Council. 35 North 1st East Rexburg, ID 83440 Phone: 208.359.3020 x2313 Fax: 208.359.3022 blairk@rexburg.org www.rexburg.org City Council Minutes October 18, 2017 2 3 Chris Banta said the road base at the Ricks Subdivision is in great need of repair. He said a stop light is needed on Main Street and the south exit ramp. The traffic gets backed up at that intersection. He has watched people turn right to head west and then make a U-turn in the middle of the road to go east on Main Street. Mayor Merrill explained the city has discussed this issue with the Idaho Transportation Department. ITD has reviewed that intersection and has put it on their list for a possible stop light. Mr. Banta mentioned there is also a need for more parking near the Cottonwood Apartments and surrounding areas. Mayor Merrill said the city is working on trying to get more parking for that location in the near future. Presentations: A. TREE CITY USA – Gerry Bates at 2445 John Adams Parkway Idaho Falls, ID 83401 208- 681-5964 / plantingidaho@gmail.com (One of the great strengths of the TREE CITY USA program is that it encourages and recognizes long-term commitment to community forestry. After becoming a Tree City, annual recertification provides an opportunity for each TREE CITY USA to review its program and to tell the Arbor Day Foundation and us just how well your city is doing.) Gerry Bates said he is South Idaho’s Urban Forester and is responsible for helping Idaho cities with their tree programs. One of the programs that he administers is the Tree City USA program. Rexburg has been a member of the Tree City USA for ten years. He reviewed the four standards a city needs to do to be in the Tree City USA program. Gerry Bates recognized the City of Rexburg as a ten-year Tree City USA participant. He awarded the city with a flag and plaque to recognize the City of Rexburg’s participation. Mayor Merrill mentioned he is grateful for this recognition. Rexburg has cut down some trees that where diseased and planted new ones in their place. They also cut down some trees that weren’t the right fit for the location they were in and new trees were planted to replace those trees. The City also had a college intern take inventory of all of the public trees. 4 Committee Liaison Assignments for 2017: A. Council Member Mann: Golf Board · Emergency Services Board · GIS Oversight · Development Workshop Council Member Mann was excused from the meeting. B. Council Member Busby: · Airport Board · Traffic & Safety · Trails of Madison County Council Member Busby was excused from the meeting. C. Council Member Benfield: Police · MYAB· Parks & Recreation Council Member Benfield reported the Recreation Department is busy with the fall registration sign-ups. Some of the programs include: girl’s basketball, co-ed adult volleyball, youth volleyball, youth indoor soccer and the mommy and me program. The Plasma Center sponsored the girls’ basketball program this year. They purchased new jerseys for the girls participating in the basketball program to wear. The Mayor’s Youth Advisory Board met today. They are working on the final details of their Halloween safety skits to perform to the elementary school’s students on Halloween. The MYAB also received a $750.00 grant from the American Lung Association. They will be raising awareness about the effects tobacco has on the youth and advocating the minimum age to purchase tobacco products be changed to 21 years. They are also busy helping with the High Five Grant and their Christmas service projects. Council Member Benfield reported the Rexburg Police Department is also busy with receiving accreditation. The accreditation process happens every two years. The Police Department has passed with flying colors each time since 2010. The Police Department dealt with a barricaded subject about a week ago. The barricaded subject was a suspect in a car theft incident in Rexburg. The situation ended peacefully within two hours and with the capture of the suspect. D. Council President Smith: Legacy Flight Museum · Beautification Committee · M.E.P.I. Council President Smith reported the Legacy Flight Museum has not met. They have started meeting bi- monthly. Glenn Embree one of the Legacy Flight Museum Committee Members passed away. She said it was a pleasure to work with him and she has great admiration for the service he rendered as a Legacy Flight Museum Committee Member. He was an incredible asset to the committee and he will be dearly missed by all. Council President Smith said the Beautification Committee is looking forward to meeting again next spring. M.E.P.I. met this month. They are working on the Startup Weekend Event on October 26-28. They reported 5 the participants signing up for the event look great. The committee also looked at the Center Street project that is near completion. The upgrades made to the street look great. She encouraged everyone to go and look at what has been completed so far. She said it is nice to have such a pretty and unique pedestrian friendly area for people walk and gather. Mayor Merrill explained what the Startup Weekend Event is all about. He encouraged all of the City Council Members to attend the event because it is amazing to see all of the different business ideas being pitched. E. Council Member Flora: School Board · Rexburg Arts Council/ Museum of Rexburg Council Member Flora reported some time has passed since she last reported. She mentioned the events that have taken place since then include: the school bond passed, the Storytelling Festival, the eclipse and the Experience Rexburg/Heritage Festival happened. She was pleased to have been involved in helping at these events. The Historical Committee met. They toured the Romance Theater to look at the gold leaf painting and other restoration projects that are being worked on. She said the Cultural Arts Department will be showing movies at The Romance Theater. Some of the movies include: Jaws, Hocus Pocus, and The Nightmare before Christmas. The Upper Valley Arts Council met. They are sponsoring a production of Handel’s Messiah in December. They welcome everyone that would like to participate in singing in the production’s choir or anyone interested in auditioning for a solo part is welcome to do so, too. Council Member Flora reported she and Council Member Wolfe are on the short term rental task force. There will be a hearing to review the task force’s recommendations at the November 2nd Planning and Zoning Meeting. Council Member Flora mentioned the city has applied for a couple of grants for Part Street Park. The city received a national grant for $15,000.00 for the park. F. Council Member Wolfe: Planning & Zoning · Urban Renewal Agency · IBC Council Member Wolfe reported Planning and Zoning has met. They have gone through several land use changes. They have another public hearing for a Comprehensive Plan change on 2nd East; that public hearing will be held at tomorrow night’s meeting. He mentioned the short term rental task force is made up of two City Council Members, two Planning and Zoning Commissioners, and three Rexburg citizens. The task force came up with recommendations for short term rentals and submitted them to the Planning and Zoning Commissioners. Council Member Wolfe reported the Urban Renewal Agency has not met; however, you can see the agency’s funds being used on streets like 2nd East by the new Wal-Mart and downtown. The Urban Renewal Agency is actively engaged and has helped the city immensely. Staff Reports: A. Human Resources - Employee Benefits changes (rates) - Terri Hill Terri Hill indicated the city did a request for proposal for an insurance broker. They had seven different brokers responed to the request. Four of the brokers presented their proposal to the Employee Committee Representatives and the Oversite Committee. Both of the committees recommended that we retain Archibald Insurance Agency. Mrs. Hill reviewed the employee benefits rate changes on the overhead screen. 6 Finance Officer Nielson reviewed the budget recommendations for the employee benefits rate changes. There will be no changes to the employee/employer deductions this year. Council Member Wolfe moved to approve the 2018 renewal recommendations; Council Member Flora seconded the motion; Mayor Merrill asked for a vote: Those voting aye Those voting nay Council President Smith None Council Member Flora Council Member Wolfe Council Member Benfield The motion carried B. Finance: - Matt Nielson 1. Budget Reports Finance Officer Nielson reviewed the two budget adjustments requests. The first request is from the Public Works Department to replace an old generator that failed at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. The second request is from the Parks Department. They need to replace a grass sweeper. The Parks Department received three bids from the following vendors. RMT EQUIPMENT $36,150.00 STAN BONHAM CO. $38,350.00 BR BAR LEASING, INC. $39,800.00 7 Council President Smith moved to approve the two budget adjustments for fiscal year 2018; Council Member Flora seconded the motion; Mayor Merrill asked for a vote: Those voting aye Those voting nay Council President Smith None Council Member Flora Council Member Wolfe Council Member Benfield The motion carried C. Public Works and Engineering: - Keith Davidson Public Works Director Davidson reported on the current projects going on through the city. He said 2nd East project the widening of the street by the new Wal-Mart is going well; it is being paved. He mentioned the other projects aren’t going as well. There have been delays with the concrete contractors that are installing the curb and gutter; it’s about a two-week delay. There are smaller concrete contractors installing the curb and gutter at Ricks Avenue and N. 2nd W. The larger concrete contractor will not get to 4th West and 5th West for two weeks. Public Works Director Davidson reported the Public Works Department has started to put together new projects for next summer. One of the main projects they will be working on is trying to obtain a surplus eliminator grant from the State of Idaho. The grant is about one million dollars per district. The grant will help with street maintenance projects. Council Member Wolfe requested an update on the wastewater treatment plant. Public Works Director Davidson explained they are still working on the process of getting the bio-solids to a class A. They are also working with DEQ to see what their requirements will be and hope to complete the process by November. Until then they are hauling off the solids to the land fill. Council President Smith asked if the city’s five-year plan for street maintenance is on the city’s web-site for review. She also asked if the city owns chip sealing equipment. Public Works Director Davidson said he believes the city’s five-year plan is on the city’s web-site, if not he will have it put on. He explained the city has crack sealing equipment; however, the city doesn’t own chip sealing equipment. The number of roads 8 that can be chip sealed depends on the amount of funds budgeted for street maintenance. She said there was more funds budgeted for this coming year so that should help. Mayor’s Report: Mayor Merrill reported he has been participating in the Mayor’s Challenge Walkathon “ Walktober”at the elementry schools in Rexburg. Whenever he has the chance to go and walk with the elementry students, he does. The Blue Cross Foundation is sponsoring this challenge. He will need to walk 10,000 steps everyday for the duration of the challenge. If he completes the challege, they will award $1,000.00 for the use of something healthy to go into the park. He said he has enjoyed participating in the challenge and for the oppurtunity it gives him to visit with the children when he walks with them. Mayor Merrill reported a strategy meeting was held with some of the city’s senior staff to discuss what they would like to accomplish in the next ten years. He said they are planing a more robust strategy meeting to be held on November 16th ; it will be an all day meeting and the public will be invited to attend the meeting. Mayor Merrill reported the lights at Riverside Park are awesome. They light the entire area of the field without any dark spots in the corners of the field. The lights can also be operated by remote control. There was an incident where the lights didn’t turn on at the time they were programed to be on. He made a phone call to the Recreation Director Jeff Crowther regarding the issue with lights not being on. Director Crowther was able to turn the lights on remotely from where he was in Rigby. Council Member Wolfe asked if there is a reason why the lights are on during the day. Public Works Director indicate the lights have to have 100 hours of burn time before the company that installed the lights can calibrate them. Mayor Merrill mentioned he attended a meeting in Idaho Falls regarding private property rights. The group is meeting tonight at the Romance Theater he encouraged everyone to attend the meeting to learn more about private property rights. Mayor Merrill reported on the Octuberfest event at the Madison County Fair Grounds. He said it will be a fun event and encouraged everyone to attend. Public Hearings: – NONE Items for Consideration: Calendared Bills and Tabled Items: A. “LAND USE ACTION” – Bills Recommended/Approved in a Land Use Public Hearing Procedure (Recommend Suspension of the Rules): B. BILL Introduction: – NONE C. Second Reading: Those items which have been first read: NONE D. Third Reading: Those items which have been second read: NONE Discussion: Mayor’s Business: A. Set a WORK MEETING date with the Targhee Regional Public Transportation Authority (TRPTA) to discuss possible options for TRPTA to start a fixed route bus system in Rexburg. (The work meeting is being requested by TRPTA) Council President Smith said a representative from the Idaho Fish and Game contacted her to inform her that they raised the fees for fishing and hunting licenses. They would like to use some of the funds generated from the purchase of the licenses to give back to the communities. They are looking at a project for the Teton River and since some of that river 9 runs through Rexburg, he would like to meet with City Council regarding the project. The project could possibly include stocking the river with fish and adding water flow from one of the other forks in the river. Discussion: setting the time and date for the work meeting with the Idaho Fish and Game and Targhee Regional Public Transportation Authority (TRPTA) was set for November 15th at 5:00 p.m. Consent Calendar: The consent calendar includes items which require formal City Council action, however they are typically routine or not of great controversy. Individual Council members may ask that any specific item be removed from the consent calendar for discussion in greater detail. Explanatory information is included in the City Council’s agenda packet regarding these items. A. Minutes from October 04, 2017 meeting B. Approve the City of Rexburg Bills Council Member Flora moved to approve the Consent Calendar containing the minutes and city bills; Council President Smith seconded the motion; Mayor Merrill asked for a vote: Those voting aye Those voting nay Council President Smith None Council Member Flora Council Member Wolfe Council Member Benfield The motion carried Adjournment 7:44 P.M. APPROVED: ____________________________ Jerry Merrill, Mayor Attest: ____________________________________ Marianna Gonzalez, Deputy City Clerk