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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Minutes - January 04, 2023 1 Mayor Jerry Merrill Council Members: Robert Chambers Jordan Busby Mikel Walker Tisha Flora Colin Erickson Bryanna Johnson City Staff: Stephen Zollinger – City Attorney Matt Nielson – Finance Officer Keith Davidson – Public Works Director Alan Parkinson – Planning & Zoning Administrator Scott Johnson – Economic Development Director Deborah Lovejoy – City Clerk 6:30 P.M. City Hall (0:05:06) Council Member Johnson said the prayer Council Member Erickson led the pledge Roll Call of Council Members: Attending: Council Member Flora, Council Member Johnson, Council Member Chambers, Council Member Erickson, Council Member Walker, Council President Busby, and Mayor Merrill. Amend the Agenda as per Idaho State Statute §74-204(4)(b): Amendment to include addition of LID Discussion on Item 6(2) Public Works Staff Reports and removal of Item 4 Presentation. (0:06:40) Presentation: Potential Development Projects – Adyen Rennaker, Real Estate and Business Development Moved to February 1, 2023, City Council meeting. Council Member Walker moved to Amend the Agenda as per Idaho State Statute §74-204(4)(b): Amendment to include addition of LID Discussion on Item 6(2) Public Works Staff Reports and removal of Item 4 Presentation; Council Member Flora seconded the motion; Mayor Merrill asked for a vote: Those voting aye Those voting nay Council Member Flora None Council Member Johnson Council Member Chambers Council Member Erickson Council Member Walker Council President Busby The motion carried. 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. Staff Reports: (0:07:55) A. Finance: - Matt Nielson 1. Budget Adjustment Vehicle Department Transfer from Building Department Finance Officer Nielson explained at the last City Council Meeting, city staff was requesting the approval to surplus a used Chevy truck; however, the Councilmembers recommended that city staff offer the truck to other city departments. He said he offered the truck internally and three departments responded to the need of the truck. He recommended the Building Department sell the truck to the 35 North 1st East Rexburg, ID 83440 Phone: 208.359.3020 x 2101 Fax: 208.359.3022 deborahl@rexburg.org www.rexburg.org City Council Minutes January 04, 2023 2 Recreation Department and the Recreation Department will then sell their older truck to the Arts Department. Council President Busby moved to approve the Budget Adjustment for the Vehicle Transfer from Building Department to the Recreation and Arts Department; Council Member Erickson seconded the motion; Mayor Merrill asked for a vote: Those voting aye Those voting nay Council Member Flora None Council Member Johnson Council Member Chambers Council Member Erickson Council Member Walker Council President Busby The motion carried. Council President Busby asked if the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is quick to respond to the repairs of potholes. Public Works Director Davidson said city staff and residents can notify ITD of a pothole on a state highway. There is an ITD representative in Madison County, they can contact directly. The city street crew will repair the potholes on the state highway when ITD cannot fix the potholes in a timely manner. The city street crew will also repair the potholes in the city streets and residents can report potholes in the streets to city hall staff. Discussion regarding removing ice and snow from storm drains to prevent water from running on to the street. Public Works Director Davidson said plugged storm drains also cause water from melting snow to pool, the excess water then seeps through cracks into the road and weakens the asphalt causing potholes. B. Public Works: - Keith Davidson and Noah Phethean – Local Improvement District (LID) Discussion (0:25:02) Public Works Director Davidson explained the Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan is the tool city staff and Councilmembers use to prioritize the streets needing reconstructed. The city engineers begin to assess the streets needing reconstruction a year before they recommend creating an LID to the Councilmembers. Some of the items the engineers assess are the curb, gutter, sidewalks, and infrastructure such as, water lines, sewer lines, and storm drains. He reviewed the costs and the replacement criteria for LID 52. 3 Discussion regarding Urban Renewal funding for road construction. Public Works Director Davidson explained the Urban Renewal funds allocated to a Urban Renewal District can only be in used for that district. 4 Public Works Director Davidson explained when there are serious drainage issues along the entire road and they need to tear out the entire curb and gutter to reconstruct the drain, the city would only charge the property owners for the failing pieces according to the city’s replacement criteria. The city would pick up the remaining costs. The property owner’s responsibility is the replacement of the water and sewer lines from their house to the main line. The city requires the replacement of the old Orangeburg pipes used for water and sewer lines because these pipes are prone to collapse. City Staff Accountant Noah Phethean explained many residents question if property taxes should pay for the costs of LIDs; however, the city only recieves 25.7% of property taxes. The majority of the funds for streets comes from fuel taxes, franchise fees, and grants; however, the funds collected from these sources are not sufficient to fund all of the street improvements. Staff Accountant Phethean reviewed the Five Year Street Improvement Projects found online at https://www.rexburg.org/public-works/page/streets. He reviewed a map indicating the streets included in the upcoming LIDs. The LID notices are mailed in September of the prior year before the creation of the LID. 5 Staff Accountant Phethean mentioned the following link https://www.rexburg.org/finance/page/local- improvement-district has information regarding Idaho State Statute (Idaho Code Section 50-1710) and other important information regarding LIDs. He also reviewed the frequently asked questions regarding LIDs. Discussion regarding when the work would begin for LID 52. Public Works Director Davidson explained the city engineers are currently finalizing the plans for LID 52 and sending the estimated assessments to the property owners so they understand the costs of their portion of LID 52. The next step is to put the work for LID 52 out to bid. Once the contractors submit their bids and the Councilmembers approve the low bid then the city engineers will meet with the contractor to review the work and set a beginning date and end date of the project. Discussion regarding the landscape strip between the road and the sidewalk. Some neighborhoods do not have a landscape strip. He said Park Street was one of the streets without a landscape strip; however, the road was narrowed so they could add the landscape strip. The property owner maintains the landscape strip. Mayor’s Report: (0:10:59) Mayor Merrill reported the Association of Idaho Cities (AIC) representatives are coming to Rexburg tomorrow. They have created a book about Idaho cities and the name of the book is Readers becoming Leaders. He and the representatives from the AIC will be reading the book at several of the elementary schools to the students. Council President Busby asked at which elementary schools are they presenting the book. Mayor Merrill replied he is presenting the book at the Kennedy and Adams Elementary Schools. The same representatives are hosting the Tandem Tour regarding Mental Health and Drug Prevention Awareness on Friday, December 6th at 2:45 P.M. at City Hall. Public Hearing 7:00 P.M. Intent to Create Local Improvement District 52 (LID 52). (1:15:33) Designated as Ordinance No 1295 if motion passes and considered first read – Keith Davidson Mayor Merrill opened the public hearing. Public Testimony in favor of the proposal (5-minute limit): None Public Testimony neutral to the proposal (5-minute limit): None Public Testimony opposed to the proposal (5-minute limit): None Mayor Merrill closed the public hearing. Council Member Flora said when she first moved into the city, she purchased a home that had participated in an LID so she had to finance the remaining costs of that LID. The second home she purchased was also included in an LID. After paying for the second LID, she built a home and paid for the 6 sidewalk. Some property owners question the reason why the city does not pay for the entire LID. One of the reasons the city cannot pay for the entire costs of an LID is due to the limited street budget. They increase the street budget every year; however, there are still insufficient funds to pay for all the street improvements. The city has increased their percentage of shared costs for an LID making the property owners shared costs less. The Councilmembers understand the costs to participate in an LID has been a burden for property owners, so they have been trying to mitigate those costs. Council Member Flora said the streets are on a 40-year replacement cycle when it should be a 20-year replacement cycle. When water and sewer issues arise, the only way to keep up with the costs are through LIDs. The city is trying to find ways to balance the costs of LIDs and mitigate those costs so that they do not burden the property owners. Council Member Johnson said the city increasing their percentage of the share costs for LIDs indicates the city can make incremental changes for the city to pick up more of the costs. She said the city could pick up the cost of the curb. Mayor Merrill said it is a difficult cost sharing balance between the city and property owners due to the limited street budget. Council Member Walker moved to approve Ordinance No 1295 Create Local Improvement District 52 (LID 52) and consider first read; Council President Busby seconded the motion; Mayor Merrill asked for a vote: Those voting aye Those voting nay Council Member Flora None Council Member Johnson Council Member Chambers Council Member Erickson Council Member Walker Council President Busby The motion carried. Items for Consideration: (0:17:48) A. City Staff recommendation to approve destruction of Building Plan hard copies that have been archived digitally in the City’s designated records archive system. Designated as Resolution 2023 – 01 if motion passes – Deborah Lovejoy Council Member Flora moved to approve Resolution 2023 – 01 the Destruction of Building Plan hard copies that have been archived digitally in the City’s designated records archive system; Council Member Chambers seconded the motion; Mayor Merrill asked for a vote: Those voting aye Those voting nay Council Member Flora None Council Member Johnson Council Member Chambers Council Member Erickson Council Member Walker Council President Busby The motion carried. Calendared Bills: (0:18:44) A. Second Reading: Those items which have been first read: NONE B. Third Reading: Those items which have been second read: 1. Ordinance No 1294 Rezone at approximately 301 S 12th W, Parcel No. RPRXBCA0254499, from Rural Residential 2 (RR2) to Low-Density Residential 1 (LDR1) and Low-Density Residential 2 (LDR2) zones – Alan Parkinson ORDINANCE NO. 1294 7 Rezone Approximately 301 S 12th W from Rural Residential 2 (RR2) to Low Density Residential 1 (LDR1) and Low Density Residential 2 (LDR2) AN ORDINANCE AMENDING AND CHANGING THE ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF REXBURG, IDAHO, AND PROVIDING THAT THE ZONED DESIGNATION OF THAT CERTAIN PROPERTY HEREINAFTER DESCRIBED, SITUATED IN REXBURG, MADISON COUNTY, IDAHO, BE CHANGED AS HEREINAFTER DESIGNATED; AND PROVIDING WHEN THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE. Council Member Johnson moved to approve Ordinance No. 1294 a Rezone at approximately 301 S 12th W, Parcel No. RPRXBCA0254499, from Rural Residential 2 (RR2) to Low-Density Residential 1 (LDR1) and Low-Density Residential 2 (LDR2) Zones and consider third read; Council Member Walker seconded the motion; Mayor Merrill asked for a vote: Those voting aye Those voting nay Council Member Flora Council Member Erickson Council Member Johnson Council Member Chambers Council Member Walker Council President Busby The motion carried. Mayor’s Business: (0:20:18) Mayor Merrill said he would be attending the inauguration of Governor Brad Little in Boise. He is hoping to be able to meet with State Transportation and Recreation Department Representatives while in Boise. Discussion regarding the condition of the ice-skating rink at the Winter Park. Mayor Merrill said the city might need to invest in a machine that makes a smooth ice sheet. Consent Calendar: (0:20:45) 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 December 21, 2022 B. Approve the City of Rexburg Bills 8 Council Member Flora moved to approve the Consent Calendar containing the minutes and city bills; Council Member Erickson seconded the motion; Mayor Merrill asked a vote: Those voting aye Those voting nay Council Member Flora None Council Member Johnson Council Member Chambers Council Member Erickson Council Member Walker Council President Busby The motion carried. Adjournment 7:53 P.M. APPROVED: ________________________________ Jerry Merrill, Mayor Attest: _____________________________ Marianna Gonzalez, Deputy Clerk