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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996.09.18 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES~l,?~ DATE: (091896) CITY COUNCIL 09-18-96 7:30 p.m. Present: Mayor, Nile L. Boyle Councilmembers: Glen Pond Farrell Young Nyle Fullmer Kay W. Beck Marsha Bjornn City Attorney: Stephen Zollinger City Engineer: Joe Laird Excused: Bruce Sutherland Rose Bagley, City Clerk Richard Horner, Finance Officer Minutes: Janet Williamson Ny1e Fullmer made a motion to approve the minutes of 9/4/96. Kay Beck seconded the motion. All Aye. RE: SOROPTIMIST CLUB GIFT $3000 FOR PLAYGROUND EQ. FOR PARKS TOPIC: (20,154,,,SOR0PTIMIST CLUB,PARKS,SMITH PARK, PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT) Sherry Anderson and Gina Humphries from the Soroptimist Club presented the Mayor and Council with a $3,000 check to be used to help buy playground equipment for Smith Park. The Mayor and Council thanked them for their generous gift and said they would put some money with it to helpupdate the playground equipment. RE: TRAFFIC ON 2ND EAST TOPIC: (20,154,,,ST0P LIGHTS,TRAFFIC,K MART,TRAFFIC SIGNALS) No one was present to talk about the traffic on 2nd North. The Mayor announced that 2 months ago they received a letter from K Mart requesting a light by the exit of Valley River Shopping Center. They also have had numerous requests for one at 2nd N. and 2nd E. They have sent a letter to the State Highway Department in Rigby asking that those be studied to see if either one of those warrant a traffic light. A traffic signal costs about $180,000. Since that is on a 5t ate Highway they would pay half and we would have to pay half for the 2 side streets. Kay mentioned that someone had called him and they were more concerned with the speed of the high school kids on 2nd N. trying to get to and from school. Nyle will contact the police to watch this area. RE: CURFEW ORDINANCE - 2ND READING TOPIC: (20,154,,,CURFEW ORDINANCE,CURFEW,VANDALISM,PARKS) Next on the agenda was the 2nd reading of the Curfew Ordinance. Meghan Miller - 236 Nez Perce, was at the meeting. She had a petition against the Curfew Ordinance signed by over 300 students at Madison High School. The petition states: We, as students of Madison High School, join our voices against the proposed curfew for Rexburg. We feel that it takes the responsibility away from the teenagers and deprives parents of their right to raise and discipline their children as they deem necessary. It punishes the vast majority of the good kids because of the small minority of bad. It would cause tension and conflict between the youth and the adults. We suggest that there must be a better way to address the problems that have caused the curfew to be considered. A "park watch" program could be organized between students and other community members to deter vandalism. Perhaps park and community-area improvements could be included in such a proposal. A program like this would give young people the opportunity to get together with friends and do good at the same time. We believe that such a program would create a feeling of ownership and responsibility toward our parks and instill a feeling of community spirit and pride. An issue like vandalism and crime can be handled in one of several ways. A curfew would create unnecessary tension. AN alternative f' 7 f~ $ S j ..., program could have the potential to improve our community. Thank you for your consideration. (Petition, statement, and letter from her father are on file.) Kay Beck told Meghan her suggestions sounded great. He wondered if she had talked to any clubs at the high school who would be willing to do it. The only problem he sees is the hours we would be talking about - 12:30 to 5:00 a.m. Mayor Boyle said he agreed whole heartily with Meghan and believes that 95~ of the kids are good and don't cause problems. This is the first opposition we have had to this ordinance. All the calls and letters -.-= have been from adults and have been for it, but he knew there was another side out there and he is happy that she brought it to their attention and came in. Marsha said that her daughter signed the petition but after she talked it over with her she decided that it wasn't that restrictive. Meghan felt that in the Summer time it might be too limiting. Mayor Boyle read a letter from Linda Milam, Mayor of Idaho Fa11s. There is a resolution passed by I.F. and Bonneville county supporting the Settlement Agreement and opposing Initiative 3. It is to support Governor Batts stand on nuclear waste. The Mayor will draw up a resolution and they can decide on it in the meeting on October 2nd. RE: SWIMMING POOL - DIANE PERRYS PROPOSAL TO LEASE TOPIC: (20,155,,,SWIMMING POOL,PERRY*DIANE) Diane Perry - 442 West 2000 South, presented the Council with their proposal for leasing the City Swimming Pool. (Proposal on file.) She has done a lot of research on the swimming pool. She believes that private enterprise is the way to go. She and her husband have discussed this with their children and as a family they are willing to work hard to save the pool. Kay felt she needed to work with the swimming pool committee and go to the county as well as the city for funding. Marsha suggested that she talk with Clair Boyle to get a better understanding of the major problems that exist with the pool. The Mayor asked Marsha to meet with the recreation committee and evaluate and consider the Perry's proposal and also what the Swimming Pool Committee has come up with then report back to the Council. Next on the agenda - Joint Power Agreement. Stephen said the County Commissioners will be meeting Monday and then they will get back to the City. RE: LOT WATERING AGREEMENT DISCUSSED TOPIC: (20,155,,,LOTS,WATER, PORTER*RANDALL) Ny1e Fullmer discussed the Lot Watering Agreement. Stephen has drawn up an agreement between the City and Randall & Trudy Porter. Basically it states the City will provide the water for the lot between Randall Porters home and Miyasaki Ha11 on 2nd East if the Porters will improve and maintain the lot, allow the public to use it and either party may terminate the agreement with 90 days prior notice. There are multiple hydrants there from when H.U.D. was there. Kay felt it should be metered. Glen asked how many others we have in existence now with this type of agreement. There is one on Maple that is watered but there is no written agreement. Glen wondered if we want to continue with this precedent. Nyle said, with the Council's blessing he will present this agreement to Randall Porter and see if it is what he wants. Nyle will then bring it back to the Council. (Agreement on file.) RE: TRAFFIC SPEED ON 2ND NORTH TOPIC: (20,155,,,TRAFFIC,2ND NORTH,MADISON HIGH SCHOOL,SPEED) Shelley Williamson - 265 East 2nd North, was at the meeting to discuss the traffic on 2nd North. She and her neighbors feel that it is like a drag race on 2nd North with the high school kids trying to get to school. Her daughter has been late for school several times because she cannot cross the street. She doesn't feel it is right tc ask the ~~ ~~ police to be there all the time but would like to ask that there be a stop sign on 2nd North at 3rd East to prevent the teenagers from having a straight shoot to the high school. It seems to be very dangerous for the elementary school children. Kay wondered if there could be a crossing guard there. She said the Police do check there once in awhile. Mayor Boyle asked Nyle to mention this to the Police and see what could be done about it. RE: 5TH WEST BY THE FAIRGROUNDS & NATURE PARK DISCUSSED TOPIC: (20,156,,,5TH WEST,FAZRGROUNDS,MADISON COUNTY,NATURE PARK) Discussion on 5th West by the Fairgrounds. Mayor Eoyle announced that the change the City is proposing would do away with having cutter races there but would nat hurt the posse or high school rodeos. Stephen explained the proposed change on the map. Approximately 100 feet are effected. With respect to the posses, there is a buffer of about 45 feet between the starting line and the area that will be fenced. There is plenty of area for staging. He spent the entire day down there when the posse was taking place. At no time did they come within 15 feet of the area where the road would be coming across the track. The finish line for their 440 race is 100 feet inside the arena (just about the middle of the main grand stand) and leaves them a 200 foot run out after their 440 race. In speaking with the snowmobile speed radar group, they don't have any problem with the 440 run. As the Mayor pointed out, the only group effected by this proposal would be the cutters. That is not something that we decided lightly. We, as a City, would certainly enjoy seeing cutter racing come back. It hasn't though for the last 10 years. The actual purpose for changing the road is safety for anyone using it. The bicycle path is what initially prompted us to start looking at it. As it existed the bicycle path could not be connected between the counties system and the Nature Park system. When we started looking at the total picture at the end of the race track and we realized we were in a dangerous situation from a traffic stand point. The line of sight problem that exists on a hairpin turn could not be ignored. Doug Barney suggested they make a portable cutter starting gate and a see through fence and you would have your visibility. With your proposal you still have the hairpin turn. Stephen said you do not have that same corner. Instead of a 180° turn we have softened it to 145° turn which, just by itself, would be an advantage. It also gives you the ability to bring the intersection in at the apex rather then on one of the legs. Stephen explained that basically we have 3 options: 1) Cut off access to the whole Nature Park and close that whole area down; 2) open 5th West which splits the Fair right in half eliminating cutter races, posse meets, riding clubs and it may effect rodeo clubs; or, 3) the compromise which leaves the Nature Park in place, leaves posses in place, rodeo clubs, riding clubs but does away with cutter races. Glen asked what if you don't let them drive into the Nature Park through that road behind the city shops. What if we closed that off. Can't people park and walk into the Nature Park? Why do we have to allow vehicle traffic into the Nature Park? Stephen said people would not be willing to carry coolers, etc. in. The Mayor said you couldn't close it off to other people and then allow the City and Walters to use it. Glen was just talking about closing the street into the Nature Park, not the hairpin curve. Stephen says that still leaves us with a dangerous turn. It still leaves the cutters with the same problem that is one of the reasons they left. We could not allow a non-see-through fence to be erected at that end. Without a boarding system that would prevent their horses from getting into the fence it was a liability to their cutter horses. One thing they all insist on is a boarded fence at the end where they are turning their teams into the starting point. Mayor Boyle had been told that the reason the cutters left is that the Fair Board raised their prices. Doug asked about closing down the road to the south and having the access into the Nature Park coming in from the County sheds and 3rd West. Ny1e Fullmer said the problem there is the City trucks and ' _, ~~ ~ Walters trucks. We are getting close to where they will be made to go down 5th West because they are tearing up the other City streets. 5th West was designed for that type of traffic. (Other options discussed) Max Wades concern is to not take away from anything or detract from anything that goes on down there because that is a money making deal there (at the fair grounds) and what your proposing is no money making at a11. Stephen said what we are proposing would not detract from anything they have done in the last 5 - 10 years. If anything it might enhance it. You could have a barbecue at the shelter and walk across the street and go to the rodeo. It really has the ability to work in unison with the fair grounds. Nyle Fullmer said this would not effect anyone adversely. He moved that we set the public hearing for October 16th. Kay seconded the motion. A11 Aye. RE: DENTAL INSURANCE CHANGE RECOMMENDED BY EMPLOYEES COMMITTEE TOPIC: (20,157,,,DENTAL INSURANCE,EMPLOYEE COMMITTEE) Robert Foster, representing the Employee's Committee, gave the Council a handout asking that the dental insurance be changed from Delta Dental to Blue Shield of Idaho. Glen moved to go along with the employee's suggestion to change dental insurance. Nyle seconded the motion. Farrell Young abstained from voting due to a conflict of interest. A11 others aye. RE: KEY BANK LOW BID FOR POLICE CARS TOPIC: (20,157,,,KEY BANK,POLICE CARS,POLICE DEPARTMENT,BIDS) Low bid for the 2 police cars was Key Sank with a 5.15 low lease for $42,367.50. Nyle moved to accept the bid. Glen seconded the motion. All Aye. Nyle moved to approve the bills. Kay seconded the motion. A11 Aye. RE: NOISE AT LOUISIANA-PACIFIC ON 2ND NORTH TOPIC: (20,157,,,NOIBE,LOUISIANA-PACIFIC,2ND NORTH) Stephen said he has received 3 complaints concerning the heavy equipment and the noise at Louisiana-Pacific on 2nd North. They start work about 3:D0 a. m. in the morning. He would like the Councils permission to contact Louisiana-Pacific or the heavy equipment people. The Council gave him permission to go ahead. Meeting Adjourned. 7 Mayor, i1e L. Boyle r" _ C~c~!~ . __i° . ~ s ~, ~ City Clerk, Rose B g1e,