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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000.03.15 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES DATE: (031500) MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING March 15, 2000 7:00 p.m. STATE OF IDAHO) County of Madison) SS City of Rexburg) Present were the following: Mayor:Bruce Sutherland Council members:Kay Beck Paul Pugmire - arrived later Farrell Young Marsha Bjornn Glen Pond Donna Benfield City Clerk:Marilyn Hansen Finance Officer:Richard Horner P.F.C.:John Millar Excused:Stephen Zollinger, City Attorney Pledge to the flag. Mayor Sutherland welcomed County Commissioners Gerald Jeppesen and Brooke Passey. Public Hearing with ECIPDA for Community Development Mayor Bruce Sutherland read the Notice of Public Hearing then turned the time to Ted Hendricks with ECIPDA. Also present were Garth Miller from ARTCO and Rick Miller with ECIPDA. Ted explained the public hearing for the submission of a block grant from the State of Idaho. ARTCO, purchased a new facility from New York and is in the process of relocating that company to Rexburg which will create approximately 130 additional jobs. The State of Idaho Department of Commerce will allow applications for economic development in the process of creating jobs. The City will in turn take the moneys, if funded, to build infrastructure and help facilitate the new business expansion. ECIPDA has been able to secure some other assistance for ARTCO with Madison Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO) for a regional development alliance grant in the amount of $250,000 which will help relocate the business from New York to Rexburg. A grant from the State of Idaho for training dollars has been awarded in the amount of $170,000. In addition 1 applications have been sent to Bechtel, the new provider at INEEL, and this application to the State of Idaho for a $500,000 block grant. ECIPDA and the City of Rexburg have met with ARTCO and worked out a proposed project for this application which will entail widening the Salem Highway from the railroad crossing at Horkley’s north to 500-600 feet passed the main intersection at ARTCO. This portion of the project is approximately $700,000 in cost, including $35-40,000 contingency. With that the block grant looks favorable in coming to fund but will be short approximately $200,000 of additional injection that has not been received. ARTCO feels fairly good in meeting with Rexburg and negotiating a participation on that amount of 50-50%. John Millar explained the construction component of the project. In this stretch of road the asphalt will be widened from the existing 28' to approximately 52' which will allow 4 lanes, 2 in each direction which will then transition back to the two lanes at about 400-500' north of ARTCO. Also included is an overlay for the entire road area in that vicinity, lighting and a traffic signal at the main ARTCO intersection, extending water, sewer and storm sewer facilities north of that intersection so they will be there and not have to dig up the road in the future for this facility. The hard construction and the soft costs including engineering and administration is approximately $700,000. This project is a little over $6.8 million, ARTCO has spent approximately that much money in acquiring the business, bringing it out here, training the employees and other things. This is a tremendous economic development. We could have a decision by late April or early May and at that point the City Engineering Department and ECIPDA would move ahead with the project. It would take 45-60 days to get ready to move ahead, construction could be started in late July if all goes well. The residents of the City of Rexburg are made up of approximately 60% of what the government refers to as low-moderate income households. The majority of these jobs that ARTCO is providing will benefit those low and moderate households with jobs and benefits. Discussion of designation of highways, time lines, Bechtel money and funding. Instead of cutting anything out of the project at this time to meet a lower budget amount which could be harmful to the project it has been determined to go in at this level then if the extra money cannot be obtained the work can then be scaled down. Mayor Sutherland commented on the benefits of this project and feels the City would be ill- advised not to go after the full grant. Jerry Jeppesen - Madison County Commissioner 2 The County has been involved with this from the beginning. It is a good project, one that has been needed for a long long time and he sees all the entities working together to make sure this happens. Salem Highway has become a very heavily traveled road. The County looks forward to working with the City on this project as well as the other entities involved. Kay Beck declared a possible conflict of interest. Close public hearing Mayor Sutherland read the Resolution and entertained a motion to approve. Glen made a motion to approve the resolution as read, said motion was seconded by Donna. Voting aye:Marsha Bjornn Farrell Young Glen Pond Donna Benfield Kay Beck Voting nay:None th Introduction of Scouts, 4 grade students and high school students. Marsha made a motion to approve the minutes. Motion was seconded by Farrell Young. All voted aye, none opposed. Review of Driving Emergency Vehicle Policies. Spence Larsen reviewed the Driving Emergency Vehicle Policy. Glen questioned the item under Requirements to Drive #C which read: “Anyone driving a departmental vehicle must be a member of the department and is insured by the department as a driver and has been approved by the Chief to drive” Glen wondered if there were ever a time when the Chief would want someone else driving that vehicle. Spence stated there were times when this would be applicable like when the Council drove the fire truck in a parade or he had to send someone after parts. It was suggested that #C be changed to read “Anyone driving a departmental vehicle must be a member of the department and/or be insured by the department as a driver and have been approved by the Chief to drive. Kay made a motion to accept this Emergency Vehicle Policy with the suggested change, motion was seconded by Glen. All vote aye, none opposed. 3 Liquor License Law Var Parkinson went before the County Commissioners on February 14. It has been understood for 53 years that Madison County was a dry county, but in his research he found that it is not a dry county. The County did adopt the state code on liquor. He has been working with Stephen Zollinger trying to find records that will clarify this issue. Var would like to see liquor brought into the community especially for hotel businesses and the possibility of a fine dining establishment. He feels it would bring revenue into the community rather than have tourists stop in other cities for fine meals and a drink. Mayor Sutherland explained that in the research they have found articles in the Post Register and Rexburg Standard Journal newspapers stating that in 1947 it was voted overwhelmingly for Rexburg to be a dry City. The question is where are the records, what happened to them and what happens next. Stephen is still in Boise at this time researching the state records with the Attorney General. A motion was made by Glen Pond to table this issue until Stephen has a chance to finish his research in Boise and more information is provided. Motion was seconded by Kay. Voted aye:Paul Pugmire Glen Pond Kay Beck Marsha Bjornn Donna Benfield Farrell Young Voted nay:None Student Action Committee Ordinance - Mayor spoke about the Student Action Committee Ordinance No. 825 which may allow for one student to be assigned to the various City committees including Planning & Zoning, Airport Board, Golf Board and Traffic and Safety Committee. This ordinance will require a serious obligation and dedication on the part of students on these committees which will allow them a vote on all issues. Mayor commended Glen Pond for all his research and groundwork on this project. Kay made a motion to suspend the rules on Ordinance 825. Glen seconded the motion to suspend the rules. Paul spoke in favor of the Ordinance but against the current motion. He felt that in this particular case the process of involving and teaching them the process of government the Council should follow the process and take the Ordinance through the first reading and to its conclusion. 4 The motion and second before the Council to suspend the rules of Ordinance 825 was voted on: Voting aye:Kay Beck Donna Benfield Marsha Bjornn Farrell Young Glen Pond Voting nay:Paul Pugmire Glen made a motion to approve Ordinance 825, said motion was seconded by Paul. Voting aye:Kay Beck Paul Pugmire Donna Benfield Glen Pond Marsha Bjornn Farrell Young The Mayor explained to Riley Bowman, Chairman of the Student Action Committee, that these assignments on the committees will be a special term for one year for up to four successive terms. He commended Riley and his group of students for the pleasure it has been to work with this project and what a benefit this will be to the community. Riley was asked to introduce the committee of students present. Update on projects by John Millar The remodeling of City Hall is proceeding. The carpet has been selected, bids have been received on the carpet and we are working our way through the project trying to do it in the least disruptive way and at a minimal cost. A grant application has been turned in on the development of the Louisiana Pacific property last week. We are seeking a direct congressional appropriation and it will be working its way through the budget process. The total project is about $3.5 million and we are asking $3 million in grant. Zollingers have had two hydraulic excavators working this week digging holes and burying very large concrete slabs. Discussion of the work being done on this site. During the budget process we had budgeted for the purchase of a truck body that could have a dump bed put on that we purchased last year at a state auction. The budget was $45,000 for a used truck of which we received bids on 4 different trucks. Only one bid met the specifications, it has 97,000 miles, a 10-wheeler that will have the frame shortened which will give two trucks for moving dirt and other work as necessary. The recommendation is to purchase the truck from L&M Truck Sales in Spokane for $40,500, they will deliver to Rexburg and have it ready to install the bed. Kay made a motion to purchase the recommended truck, motion was seconded by Marsha. All vote aye, none opposed. 5 The pile of asphalt that has been accumulated over the years was discussed. The pile was surveyed, there are approximately 20,000 cubic yards of asphalt in the pile, it is to the point that something needs to be done. Due to site constraints it has been moved around a couple of times. This project went to bid and to crush that down into 3" minus size aggregate to be utilized on road construction as granular barrow low bidder was Siepert Crushing, Inc. at $3.00/yd for $60,000 to crush and stockpile the material. This can be utilized up to a three year window before it begins to set up again. If it can be used for granular barrow it will be as cheap or cheaper than having granular barrow brought in. It is a cost, but a reasonable cost and will be beneficial in the long run. Suggestions for use of this asphalt was for North Highway, road passed Walters Ready Mix, the Wastewater Treatment Plant and to look at moving the pile for a possible BMX track. Marsha made a motion to approve the cost for the asphalt crushing, seconded by Kay. All voted aye, opposed none. Discussion on the lights at Frontier Pies, the potholes on the road west of Broulims and the reconstruction of that section of road, and the paving of the road to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Kay mentioned the Safety Committee is in the process of being reformed. Bart will be replaced after 14 years of service on this committee. Glen reported that the police have applied for a grant to fund an additional officer for 3 years. It th will pay 75% of the officer for 3 years then 25% for the 4 year. Mayor Sutherland read the official Census Proclamation. Motion to approve the proclamation was made by Donna , seconded by Glen. All voted aye, none opposed. Residential spring clean-up was suggested to begin April 1 through May 15 with a possible two week extension. Motion to accept these dates for spring clean-up was made by Glen and seconded by Kay. All voted aye, none opposed. It was determined to table the Business Park Lot issue until someone from MEDCO is present. Glen made a motion to pay the bills, seconded by Kay. All voted aye, none opposed. John mentioned about 12 trees that are old, diseased and unsafe have been taken out of Smith and Porter Park. These will be replanted with some of the trees out of the arboretum tree farm. Marsha commented on the unsightly dirt pile at Porter Park between the Carousel and the pool. John agreed and stated that all of the sand is in the pool now and that dirt pile will be cleaned up this summer. 6 Motion to adjourn to a work meeting was made by Glen, seconded by Donna. All voted aye, none opposed. Meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m. _______________________________________ Bruce Sutherland, Mayor ________________________________ Marilyn Hansen, City Clerk 7