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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998.04.01 CITY COUNCIL MINUTESDATE: (040198) City Council 4/1/98 7:30 P. M. Presentwere: Mayor: Nile Boyle Councilmembers: Kay Beck Nyle Fullmer Farrell Young Marsha Hjornn Hruce Sutherland Excused: Glen Pond City Clerk: Rose Bagley Finance Officer: Richard Horner Attorney: Stephen Zollinger Engineer: Joe Laird Assistant Engineer: Val Christensen Pledge to the flag. Introduction of Scouts and Students. A motion was made by Nyle Fullmer and seconded by Farrell Young to approve the minutes. A11 Aye RE: BEAUTIFICATION OF CITY ENTRANCE TOPIC: (22,16,,,MERRILL*GLADE,BEAUTIFICATION,RICKS COLLEGE) Marsha told the council she had a letter from Glade Merrill discussing the beautification of the entrances to the City. He has been trying to head up a committee for this. Glade had a verbal agreement with President Bennion, when he was president, that the college would help us. Glade wondered if some of the city council should spearhead it instead of him. It looks like he is handing it back to the city. The mayor said he had talked to Glade and he will still be involved. What we need to do is to get a plan drawn up. We have the water close and need to get the water ran to the entrances. He and Joe had talked to the highway department. He did not see much problem in moving forward with it. He thought Reid Wyatt was still going to help us work on the plan. Marsha said Glade wanted ua as city officials to get together with President Bednar and see if we can get any help from the college such as equipment and other things. RE: FEES FOR SUMMER RECREATION PROGRAM TOPIC: (22,16,,,RECREATION,FEES,RECREATION FEES,COUNTY) The mayor reminded the council we are starting the Summer Recreation Program and we need to discuss the fees. The Baseball Association have already registered so we would not be able to change those fees. We had talked to the county about having a dual system if the county would put some money into it. The county say they will put some money in next year. Richard said the fees right now are $27.50. Rose and Richard told them there is quite a few other counties that come in and participate in the Recreation program. (discussion) A motion was made by Nyle Fullmer and seconded by Bruce Sutherland that non city residents be charged $5 more on Recreation Fees. (Baseball did not budget for it this year, but after this year they will have to be raised.) All Aye to the motion. RE: IMMUNIZATION AGAINST PREVENTABLE DISEASES TOPIC: (22,16,,,PROCLAMATIONS,IMMUNIZATION) Mayor Boyle read a Proclamation of Immunization Against Preventable Disease. April 1998 as National Infant Immunization Month. (copy on file) RE: CLOSURE & ABANDONMENT OF 4TH SOUTH TOPIC: (22,17,,,VIKING DR,PUBLIC HEARING,RICKS COLLEGE,CLOSURE, ABANDONMENT,7TH S.,4TH S.) 7:45 P. M. Public Hearing pertaining to the permanent closure and abandonment of the Street known as 4th South (Viking Drive) running between Center Street and 1st East. Spokesman for Ricks College- Jim Smith- referring to letter that had ', been sent to the City Council requesting the closure of Viking Drive !. (4th South) running between Center Street and 1st East. (copy on file) ___.._ This request is pertaining to the agreement signed effective November 29, 1993. (on File) The circumstances are the same as in 1993 and consistent with the request in that agreement. The two buildings that led to that action, one is complete and the other is well underway and due to be completed one year from now. Conditions that would necessitate this is mainly the student crossing. They are grateful they have gone through this past winter with the numbers of students that cross there with out any accidents. The need is identical with the need 4 1/2 years ago. Marsha stated she was not on the council in 1993 and would like to hear it. The mayor summarized the agreement. Chuck Frost stated that he talked to H&K yesterday and they said they would start on 7th South next week. The time frame is 55 days from the start of construction, but it will go faster. They are changing the grade on Center Street and lst West; they are going to be lower. Chuck said they are ready to bid the job right now on Viking Drive. They wouldn't start it until 7th South is completed. They are hesitant to issue contracts on Viking Drive unless we own the land. The mayor asked for comments from the audience. Someone from the audience asked about the intersection by Erickson Pontiac? The mayor told them they had several engineers look at that and they have not come up with a better plan. Stephen told her when Viking Drive is closed, it will help. Bruce stated the one concern he has always had with this project is not the abandonment of 4th South, it is the use totally of all city funds strictly for the construction of 7th South from 2nd East to 2nd West that is completely on Ricks College property. He felt there should have been some funds set back for a light down by the Middle School. He felt the City Council was in error in doing that. Stephen asked if it posed any problem if we vacate 4th South out right if that that would get the college to point of bidding as long as we preserve in terms of the agreement that you can't start construction until 7th South is completed? Chuck said that would not be any problem, in fact that was there intent. Stephen said we want to preserve anything we have to make sure 7th South is completed. Chuck stated it would be to their advantage to have 7th South completed. Stephen told him we would transfer ownership of the street as early as tomorrow if the council votes on it, but it will be with the condition you can't enter upon the property until 7th South is completed. Mayor Boyle closed the hearing. A motion was made by Nyle Fullmer to vacate and close 4th South (Viking Drive) between Center Street and 1st East turning ownership aver to Ricks College contingent upon the completion of 7th South. Seconded by Farrell Young. Those voting aye: Farrell Young, Nyle Fullmer, Kay Beck, Marsha Bjornn, Bruce Sutherland Chuck Frost told the council they should have plans to the contractors within a week. Bid opening scheduled the later part of this month contingent of approval of the board of trustees. On the east end of Viking Drive ie where construction will be and there will be a lot of heavy trucks. l ~' Bruce stated when they met previously with President Bennion, one of the things that was discussed but still kind of open was providing better access to Manwaring Center on both the west and east. Chuck stated that the long term plan to provide access on the west which is in the budget for next year is to put an elevator in on the west side of the student center. RE: AUTHORIZATION TO SIGN ICRIMP INSURANCE POLICY TOPIC: (22,18,,,INSURANCE) We need an authorization from the City Council to sign the ICRIMP Insurance Policy. A motion was made by Nyle Fullmer and seconded by Farrell to authorize the mayor to sign the ICRIMP Insurance Policy. A11 Aye RE: ZONING ORDINANCE HOUSEKEEPING AMENDMENTS TOPIC: (22,18,,,RIGHT-OF-WAY,SIDEWALKS,LANDSCAPING,ZONZNG ORDINANCE) Bruce Sutherland read the amendment to the Zoning Ordinance which was passed by the Planning & Zoning regarding sidewalks and landscaping. "The property owners would be required to place sidewalks and landscaping in any right-a-way which allows for placement of the sidewalk up to and including 7 foot of landscaping or ae existing conditions dictates." (Discussion) A motion was made by Bruce to approve the Housekeeping Amendments to the Zoning Ordinance as recommended by the Planning & Zoning. Seconded by Kay Beck. All Aye RE: SEWER PROJECT ON 3RD SOUTH TOPIC: (22,18,,,3RD SOUTH,SEWER LINES,SEWER,TREES,SIDEWALK, LANDSCAPE) The mayor discussed the sewer line project on South 3rd East. The way the motion was made last year was if it didn't increase the cost of the •--- project over $10,000 we would save the trees along the street. Val !, Christensen explained we did our best. We looked into putting the '' sewer line in the sidewalk area and even got started but what they are '°° finding ie about two foot of rock removal all the way up the hill. They are holding off to re-evaluate this. He discussed the options and cost and gave out handouts. Option #1 Continue at Sidewalk Area- Is the additional cost they would incur to put it under the sidewalk which would be $61,400. Option #2 Pipe Bursting- is to save the trees and getting it Pipe Bursting for an additional $37,404. Option #3- As Originally Planned which is more money than originally planned. Val explained. By putting it back into the landscape strip we will have to put in another $7000 for bypass pumping. There would be sod and sprinkler repair. Cost being $11,149. Bruce suggested that we would need to add some money in to replace the trees. Option #3 as originally planned would take out the trees. (discussion) The council did not feel they could go with the increase of cost. A motion was made by Marsha Bjornn to take option #3 for the tree removal because of the difference in cost and to replace the trees. Seconded by Kay Beck. All Aye The council felt we needed to contact the property owners individually. Val said he would contact them. RE: COMPLAINTS ON SKATEBOARD PARK AT SMITH PARK TOPIC: (22,18,,,SMITH PARK,SKATEBOARD PARK,RECREATION) The mayor stated that he had some calls from people living around Smith Park that did not want the Skateboard Park in that park. He also had a letter from Helen and Maxine Lamprecht questioning putting the Skateboard Park in Smith Park. (copy on file) Kay said the only question is maybe closing it before it gets too late in the evening. If Paul suggested closing it at dark he did not think we should let it stay open later. Bruce said he agreed. Marsha stated that Cliff Jaussi talked to her about when the city got that property from the Smith Family for a park one of the stipulations was that there would be no activity there on Sunday. The mayor said the first time we took a Federal Grant there is no way we can limit the use to no use on Sunday. Marsha said Cliff also commented that the park should be closed at sundown. The mayor discussed the dual system for paying for recreation. If the County participates with us next fall it will work out okay, but if they don't you will have people in the county saying why are you able to use the schools. He felt if this happens we will have to pay the schools to use the gyms for basketball and then charge them for the water at the Middle School. RE: MEDICAL INSURANCE INCREASE IN 1998 TOPIC: (22,19,,,INSURANCE,BLUE SHIELD) Richard reviewed the Medical Insurance. He had received a new price from Blue Shield effective May 1. They are raising our rates 21.68. He gave a handout on different options and discussed them. When the Retirement System reduced the withholding for employees and the amount the city was putting in, the employees wanted that added to their paychecks. He and the mayor talked about it and decided to hold off until we saw what would happen to health insurance and possibly the council would take that savings and run it against the insurance increase. The savings was about $28,800. The employee savings was about 1.9~. He said we budgeted for a 20~ increase. A motion was made by Bruce Sutherland to allow for a $30,000 increase for Insurance costs for the next Insurance year and allow Richard to negotiate with the Employees and the Insurance Company. Seconded by Kay Beck All Aye Marsha asked about what is happening with the Bike Path. Joe and the Mayor gave an update. RE: BUDGET CALENDAR TOPIC: (22,19,,,BUDGET) Richard presented the Budget Calendar. He would like to start Budget work sessions ae early as April 15. The mayor told the council the Bill passed to raise the Mill Levy .004. There would have to be an election with a 608 majority vote. We will do some checking. RE: POLICE DEPARTMENT CERTIFICATION RAISES TOPIC: (22,19,,,BUDGET,POLICE DEPT.,RAISE,SCHOOLS,CERTIFICATIONS) Chief Archibald was at the meeting to discuss raises for his department for Certification. He gave a handout. He discussed Intermediate Certification and Advanced Certification and the number of classroom hours required for each. He discussed not giving raises for rank but for certification. They send the officers for training that will benefit them in the field that they are interested in and do on the job. The mayor stated that the Water and Wastewater Departments get raises for certifications but the police put in more classroom time and don't get a raise. The council felt that the police deserve raises for all the time they put in classrooms for certification. The council discussed the amount of raises. The mayor felt we should look into all the departments. It was felt we should check it out and review it at budget time. A motion was made by Ny1e Fullmer and seconded by Kay Beck to pay the bills. All Aye Discussion on the Hike Path. Meeting adjourned. ~~ ~~~~ i,'i. ,~ ,% Mayor, Ni e L. Boyle ~~ i /~ City 61erk, Ro e`B~-Ejley