MEETING OF THE CITY OF CONNELL, WASHINGTON

CONNELL, FRANKLIN COUNTY, WASHINGTON

 

May 13, 2002

 

The regular semi-monthly meeting of the City Council of the City of Connell was called to order by Mayor Walton at 7:33 p.m. in the City Hall and was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

ROLL CALL

 

PRESENT:   PRESENT:   Mayor Gary Walton, Councilmembers Monica Pruett, Ron Boyer, Roel Martinez and Andrew Sawyer.

 

EXCUSED:   EXCUSED:   Mayor Pro-Tem Perry Skoglund

 

STAFF:        STAFF:   City Administrator Art Tackett, Chief of Police Rick Rochleau, Fire Chief Robert Koch, City Attorney Terry Tanner and Deputy City Clerk Maria Chavez.

 

VISITORS:      Larry Seibel, Anderson Perry; Kathy Bingham, Graphic; Dan McCary, running for Franklin County Sheriff.

 

PRESENTATIONS

 

The Mayor made the following presentations for Yard of the Month:

1)                  Councilmember Roel Martinez

2)                  Elena Barrera

3)                  Heidi Dolezal

4)                  Fernando Galvan

5)                  Larry Learnard

 

CORRESPONDENCE

 

1)                  Anderson Perry & Associates - Announcing the opening of their new office at 249 N. Columbia Ave.

 

CONSENT CALENDAR

 

Councilmember Martinez moved to approve the Consent Calendar as follows:

Minutes of the April 22, 2002 Regular Meeting  

Councilmember Sawyer seconded motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

 

CITIZEN COMMENT

 

Dan McCary - Introduced himself to the Council.  Mr. McCary communicated that he was running for Franklin County Sheriff. Mr. McCary had lived in Franklin County for 16 years and had worked in law enforcement for 15 years.  Mr. McCary stated that he would like to build a better partnership between the County and the Sheriffs Department.

Mayor Walton read a letter from Rosebel Marroquin withdrawing his bid for the house on Burke.

 

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

 

Councilmember Sawyer moved to approve the agenda as listed.  Councilmember Martinez seconded motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

 

ORDER OF BUSINESS

 

CAMP PROPERTY - PUBLIC HEARING

Postponed till June 10th.

 

WASTEWATER FACILITY

Larry Seibel of Anderson Perry was present to update the Mayor and Council on the progress of the projects.

 

A test run had been done at the treatment plant.  The electrical work at Lift Stations 5 & 4 had been completed.  Lift Station 5 was not pumping as it should have been.  Had been granted approval to use lift station without the pump at Lift Station 5.  The water level had gone down at the small reservoir.  This was not a result of taking water out of the hydrant.   No more water would be pumped until the problem was resolved.  The contractor had performed test runs and demonstration on the aerators and the motor control center had been examined and was fine.  The contractor would re-demonstrate the items that had problems.

 

City Administrator Tackett advised that the Change Orders approved by Council were considered ineligible cost by the Department of Ecology for grant funds.  This would be discussed with the Governor's Office.

 

WATER RESERVOIR

Larry Seibel of Anderson Perry reported that the modeling had been completed for the water system to see how it would operate while the reservoir was out of service.  There was a potential complication with the booster pump station for the Department of Correction which came of the main line for the reservoir.  A fire flow pump for CRCC was located in the booster pump station.  If the booster pump were to come on while the reservoir was out of service it would create negative pressure in the main line.  There would be no fire flow protection to CRCC.

 

Fire Chief Koch recommended a fire pump be rented and inmates trained on how to use it while the reservoir was down.

 

Mayor Walton advised Chief Koch work with Larry Seibel to come up with a solution.

 

WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS - PROJECT UPDATE

Larry Seibel of Anderson Perry reported that no more work had been done on the design.  Had been working on the USDA application which had been submitted the previous week.

 

The release of retainage was received from L & I for Garfield Road. 

 

A special meeting for water rates was set for June 3rd at 7:00 p.m.

 

City Administrator Tackett reported that the City had received an Agreement for Professional Services from Anderson Perry. The Agreement was for items relating to the USDA application.  This item would be brought back at the next meeting for approval.

 

TIB- CLARK STREET - PROJECT UPDATE

Phase I - Larry Seibel recommended the project be awarded to Selland Construction, who was the lowest bidder.  Construction would  begin June 10th.  A preconstruction meeting would be scheduled for the last part of May.

 

Councilmember Sawyer moved to accept the bid from Selland Construction in the amount of $470,000.  Councilmember Pruett seconded motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

 

TRUCK PROPOSAL - CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Councilmember Pruett, Chamber of Commerce Treasurer, was excused but chose not to step down from the council bench.

 

City Administrator Tackett reported that the City had received a proposal from the Chamber of Commerce to purchase a truck for the City with Hotel/Motel tax to tow the float to various functions during the year.  It was anticipated that the cost would not exceed $5,000. In the past Lambweston had provided transportation for the float but would no longer continue to do this.

 

The Mayor advised that he had spoken to Clerk Treasurer Eckman, and that there were $29, 000 in the H/M Tax fund and approximately $10,000 had been scheduled to be used for this year, so there were sufficient funds in the Hotel/Motel Tax fund to cover the expenditure.  The Mayor also advised that he had checked into the permitted uses for these funds and that this would be a permitted use.  The Mayor also advised that the City should have a contract with the Chamber.

 

Councilmember Boyer moved to authorize the Chamber of Commerce purchase a truck for the purpose of pulling the float for a maximum of $5,000.  Councilmember Martinez seconded.  Motion carried unanimously.

 

The issue of who would be responsible for maintenance was brought up as was the issue of retaining ownership.

 

CROSS CONNECTION ORDINANCE

Mayor Walton reported that letters had gone out to businesses in regards to back flow prevention.  An ordinance was being reviewed by staff and a final draft would be brought back to Council at a latter date.

               

Councilmember Boyer voiced a concern in regards to the time frame expected for businesses to have the backflow device installed and requested that Public Works Director meet with the businesses to review the requirements.

 

ORDINANCE NO. 750 - SANITATION RATE INCREASE

City Administrator Tackett advised Council to review the sanitation ordinance to be brought back to Council at the June 10th meeting.

           

Deputy Clerk Chavez advised Council that the rates had to be advertised 45 days in advance before they could be adopted.  BDI raised its sanitation rates every July.  The rates presented to council were the ones advertised.  If changes were to be made the City would have to re-advertise and would not be able to pass the increase to the residential users until the August 20th-September 20th billing cycle.

 

City Administrator Tackett recommended that BDI be asked to attend the June 10th meeting to discuss the rate increase along with other issues.

 

PAYMENT OF BILLS –

Mayor Walton temporarily appointed Councilmember Martinez to the Finance Committee for approval of the bills.

 

Councilmember Pruett moved to pay the payroll and bills in the amount of $97,836.55  Councilmember Sawyer seconded, motion carried unanimously.

 

DEPARTMENT REPORTS

 

FIRE CHIEF REPORT - Fire Chief Robert Koch

1.         Thanked everyone for support during his recuperation.

2.                  2.    Raised $5,000 from a spaghetti feed for an imaging camera. Received a $1,000 grant from Caring Neighbors for the imaging camera.

3.                  3.    Had contact with the Lieutenant Governor's office and had a picture with the fire truck placed in the Lieutenant Governor's Book.

4.        Had on going training.

 

POLICE REPORT - Chief of Police Rick Rochleau

1.                  Officer Turner would be graduating July 12th.

2.                  Sergeant Williams due back mid August

3.                  Working on the Department Policy Manual

4.                  Would be ordering four video cameras from grant money received.

5.                  Would be gone the following week to a WA Association of Sheriff's and Police Chief's Conference.  Main topic on racial profiling.

6.                  EVOC Training would be held on Tuesday and Wednesday in the Tri-Cities.

 

CITY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT - City Administrator Art Tackett

1.                  Met with AWC and scheduled a groundwater meeting for June.  There were complications with water and annexation issues.

2.                  Requested an Executive Meeting on Water Rights.

3.                  Placed an add in the paper for a Downtown Development Meeting.

4.                  Economic Development Council met and discussed additional steps to take.

5.                  Submitted an application for water projects.

6.                  Will be attending a Critical Areas Conference.  The Critical Areas Ordinance needs to be updates.

7.                  Have set up a meeting with mayors and state legislatures on sales tax for May 24th.

8.                  Still looking into funding for the golf course.

 

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE - Deputy City Clerk Maria Chavez

1.                  Cross training was continuing.

2.                  Accounting Clerk Norstedt  would be gone on vacation the following week.

3.                  City Clerk Treasurer Eckman would be out of the office for two weeks for surgery.

4.                  Had posted and advertised for Conditional Use Permit request.

 

MEETING RECESSED

 

Mayor Walton recessed the meeting at 9:18 to go into executive session relating to water rights till approximately 9:30 p.m.

 

MEETING ADJOURNED

 

There being no further business to be heard before the City Council of the City of Connell, Mayor Walton adjourned the meeting at 9:36 p.m.