MEETING OF THE CITY
OF
CONNELL,
The regular semi-monthly meeting of the City Council of the City of
PRESENT:
Mayor Gary Walton, Mayor Pro-Tem Perry Skoglund, Councilmembers Monica
Pruett, Roel Martinez, Andy Sawyer, and Ron Boyer.
STAFF:
City Administrator
VISITORS: John
Larralde, Frank Sanchez, Custom Cruisers; Kandi Jo Schwab, Stephanie Cram, high
school students;
1.
WA State Liquor Control Board –
Discontinued sales and service of liquor for Odom’s Mexican Restaurant.
2.
WA State Gambling Commission –
Gambling License renewal for the Pizza Station.
Motion:
Councilmember Skoglund moved to
approve the Consent Calendar as amended:
Minutes
of the
Councilmember
Sawyer seconded motion. Motion
carried unanimously.
Kandi Jo Schwab presented Council with a petition to open the bowling
alley back up. The owner of the
building had expressed an interest in selling the building to the City.
The current price was at $60,000.
Mayor Walton advised that he had spoken to someone who had looked at the
building and estimated that it would take over $800,000 to fix all the lanes and
re-open the bowling alley. Mayor Walton advised that the City would look into
what could be done. Mayor Walton
also noted that he had spoken to the owners of the Grange Hall and discussed
possible use of the Hall for youth activities.
Frank Sanchez, of the Custom Cruisers, requested sponsorship for the
purchase of jerseys. Lamb Weston had
agreed to sponsor $300. The jerseys
would have “Connell” on the back.
Council suggested Custom Cruisers contact Flying Colors and compare
prices.
City Administrator Tackett advised that Jean Morrison, head cook for the
Keenagers, had requested the City look into leasing a dishwasher for the
Community Center. The current
dishwasher was difficult to load and unload.
Mayor Walton noted that the Keenagers kept loosing volunteers to run the
dishwasher.
Council requested that the City look into how often the dishwasher was
used.
Councilmember Sawyer noted that he had been approached about a
Semi-truck that had been parked on
Other semi-trucks were also reported as being parked in residential
areas.
Mayor Walton brought up the issue of sanitation cans being left on the
street.
City Administrator Tackett advised that a newsletter would go out with
the current ordinance information.
Mayor Walton made
the following addition to the agenda:
Item No. 7 a. Custom Cruisers
Motion:
Councilmember Pruett moved to approve the agenda as amended.
Councilmember Martinez seconded, motion carried unanimously.
CUSTOM CRUISERS
Motion:
Councilmember Boyer moved to authorize $300 for shirts for the Custom Cruisers
with the condition that they seek a competitors bid from a local vendor.
Councilmember Sawyer seconded motion.
Motion carried with four for and one against.
WASTEWATER FACILITY
Larry Seibel
of Anderson Perry reported that the final
checkout on the lift stations had been completed and checked out at 100%.
The changeover took place on March 4th.
Staff received a low level alarm and a seal leak alarm on March 8th.
It was believed that the float caused the problem and all floats would be
replaced.
Mayor
Walton inquired about a man-hole possibly needing to be pumped due to the
accumulation of gravel and sand.
SEWER
PROJECT STATUS
USDA – WATER SYSTEM
IMPROVEMENTS
Larry Seibel
reported the following:
Phase I –
The plans had been completed and would be mailed to DOH.
The funding agency would not allow the City to proceed any further until
the railroad permit had been received as well as clearance from the owners of
the Esquatzel Coulee.
City
Administrator Tackett reported to Council that Bank of America had requested the
City use a variable rate instead of a fixed rate for the loan.
Mr. Tackett advised that there were pro’s and con’s for each.
Council
concurred to use a fixed rate for the loan.
TIB
–
Larry Seibel
reported that there would be several phases to
the Clark Street Project.
Schedule I –
Schedule II –
Schedule III –
and possibly Schedule IV – West end of
Advertisement for bid would be done after April 1st.
City
Administrator Advised that
FARM – POWER OF ATTORNEY
City
Administrator Tackett advised that when he previously requested Power of
Attorney for the two farms a third individual had been left out and needed to be
included. Mrs. Loeber also had
twenty-five acres that the City was involved with.
Motion:
Councilmember Skoglund moved
to authorize the City Administrator be authorized to sign as Power of Attorney
on issues relating to that area that involved the Loeber’s. Councilmember
Martinez seconded motion, motion carried unanimously.
SURPLUS VEHICLES
Mayor Walton advised that Public Works staff requested the surplus of a
1981 Ford pickup, a Flail Mower and miscellaneous computer parts.
Fire Chief Koch also requested the surplus of a 1954 Dodge.
Motion:
Councilmember Sawyer moved to
authorize the surplus of items requested. Councilmember
Pruett seconded motion. Motion
carried unanimously.
PAYMENT OF BILLS –
Motion: Councilmember
Skoglund moved to pay the payroll and bills in the amount of $155,248.77.
Councilmember Pruett seconded, motion carried unanimously.
Mayor
Walton recessed the regular meeting at
The
regular meeting was reconvened at
CITY ADMINISTRATOR’S
REPORT - City Administrator
1. A Downtown Committee meeting was
scheduled for March 18th at
2. Would be setting up a Goals and
Objectives meeting for Council in April.
3. Street Committee would be meeting
on March 17th at
4.
Finance Committee would be meeting
on March 20th at
5. Would be notifying Maryette Camp
that the lease option would be dropped.
6.
The City would be joining the
7.
The City would be looking at
resumes for a new Public Defender.
MAYOR’S REPORT
– Mayor Garland Walton
1.
The Fiddle and Bluegrass
Competition had gone well. Suggested
that the Connell Flyer be available next year to be handed out during this
event.
There being no further
business to be heard before the City Council, Mayor Walton adjourned the meeting
at