MEETING OF THE CITY OF CONNELL , WASHINGTON  
CONNELL, FRANKLIN COUNTY , WASHINGTON

November 24, 2003

The regular semi-monthly meeting of the City Council of the City of Connell was called to order by Mayor Walton at 7:30 p.m. in the City Hall and was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.

ROLL CALL

PRESENT:       Mayor Gary Walton, Mayor Pro-Tem Perry Skoglund, Councilmembers Monica Pruett, Ron Boyer, and Andy Sawyer.

EXCUSED:      Councilmember Roel Martinez

STAFF:            City Administrator Art Tackett , City Clerk-Treasurer Joan Eckman , Chief of Police Rick Rochleau, Public Works Director Pat Munyan and Deputy City Clerk Maria Chavez Peña.

VISITORS:      Alan Schroeder, Anderson Perry; Kathy Bingham, Graphic.

CONSENT CALENDAR

Motion: Councilmember Skoglund moved to approve the Consent Calendar as listed.

Minutes of the November 5, 2003 Special Meeting.

Minutes of the November 10, 2003 Regular Meeting.

Minutes of the November 18, 2003 Special Meeting.

Councilmember Pruett seconded motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

CITIZEN COMMENT

Councilmember Skoglund requested the City look into purchasing a new tape recorder for the Council room.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Motion: Councilmember Skoglund moved to approve the agenda as listed. Councilmember Pruett seconded motion.   Motion carried unanimously.

ORDER OF BUSINESS

PUBLIC HEARING – PARKS & REC COMP PLAN

Mayor Walton opened the Public Hearing to discuss the Park & Recreation Comprehensive Plan at 7:39 .

City Administrator Tackett reported that every six years the P & R Comp Plan was updated.  It included an inventory of facilities, City Park Policies, future needs, objectives, strategies, goals and implementation of the Park Plan. 

City Administrator Tackett reviewed the updated P & R Comp Plan with Council.  The four major projects included; Pioneer Park Expansion, Old Town Park Expansion, General Upgrade of Remaining Parks, and Expansion of Trail System.

There being no further discussion the Mayor closed the Public Hearing at 7:49

RESOLUTION NO. 2003-06 – PARK & REC COMP PLAN

This item was tabled until the December 8th Council Meeting.

PUBLIC HEARING – 2003 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET AMENDMENT

Mayor Walton opened the Public Hearing on the 2003 Fiscal Year Budget Amendment at 7:50 .

City Clerk Treasurer Eckman provided that a lot of decisions had been made that affected the 2003 Budget.  Some of the decisions included; payoff of Community Center project, roof repair and replacement, purchase of the Caboose, purchase of Water Reservoir Signs, and street overlay projects.   The funds affected included; General, Grants Management, DWSRF, Capital Facilities, Water, Sewer, Hotel/Motel, and Remittance.  These changes resulted in an increase of the total 2003 FY Budget by $621,618.00 for an ending budget of $11,841,827.00. 

There being no further discussion the Mayor closed the Public Hearing at 7:56     

ORDINANCE NO. 763 – AMENDING 2003 BUDGET

City Clerk Treasurer Eckman read through Ordinance No. 763 amending Ordinance No. 757 relating to the adoption of the 2003 FY Budget. 

Motion: Councilmember Sawyer moved to adopt Ordinance No. 763 amending the 2003 FY Budget for a total budget of $11,841,827.00.  Councilmember Boyer seconded motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

PUBLIC HEARING – 2004 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET

Mayor Walton opened the Public Hearing on the 2004 Fiscal Year Budget at 7:59 .

City Clerk Treasurer Eckman advised that as per Council’s direction changes had been made that would impact the budget.  The utility tax was changed and would impact the Water, Sewer and Solid Waste Funds. The Water/Sewer Bond Redemption fund would be increased to allow for the payoff to the Department of Transportation for the Wastewater Facility land purchase.

Mayor Walton thanked City Clerk Treasurer Eckman for her work on the budget.

There being no further comments Mayor Walton closed the Public Hearing at 8:04 .

ORDINANCE NO. 764 – ADOPTING THE 2004 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET

City Clerk Treasurer Eckman read Ordinance No. 764 setting the 2004 budget at $9,869,902.00.

Motion: Councilmember Skoglund moved to adopt Ordinance no. 764 adopting the 2004 FY Budget.  Councilmember Pruett seconded motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

USDA – WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS

Alan Schroeder of Anderson Perry reported on the following:

Phase I – Schedule A – The pipeline underneath the Rail Road had been completed.  The interior of the new reservoir had been painted and the steel and iron work had been completed.  The exterior of the new reservoir would need to be sandblasted and painted once the weather was appropriate.  The connection to the transmission main would be completed December 1st.  Larry Seibel would be meeting with the contractor to discuss finishing up the project.  Work was completed on the old reservoir except for some correction work to be done on leaks.  The signs had been placed at the old reservoir.

Alan presented a change order for Morse Construction for roof and floor repair.

Motion: Councilmember Skoglund moved to authorize Change Order 3-F to Morse Construction Group in the amount of $12,210.83.  Councilmember Sawyer seconded motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

Phase II –  All pipe work had been completed on this Phase except for a butterfly valve.  Miscellaneous work such as pavement patching and restoration has been ongoing.  Seeding, soding, and chip sealing would be done as weather permitted.

Phase III -  Working with DOT on the permits.  An Environmental Review had been done on the scope of work, since then Phase III had evolved to include an additional reservoir.  Rural Development requested that the Environmental Review be expanded to include an addendum to address the new reservoir site.  An element was included in the budget for this project for Cultural Resources.  An Unanticipated Discovery Plan was but together out of this budget. 

 Alan presented a change order for Pegram Construction for pipe work.

 Discussed was the installation of additional drop-in isolation valves.

Motion: Councilmember Skoglund moved to authorize Change Order No. 1 to Pegram Construction in the amount of $3,272.71.  Councilmember Sawyer seconded motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

STREET PROJECTS - UPDATE

Alan Schroeder reported that the punch list items were complete except for the installation of the street lights on Clark Street and leveling the overlay on Elm Street .  The street lights were scheduled to arrive sometime after Thanksgiving and Elm Street would be completed once it was chip sealed.

WASTEWATER FACILITY  

Alan Schroeder advised that Apollo was working on the repair of the force main.  Jim Bolten from Anderson Perry and Larry Turner would be working with them.  The pump at Lift Station 4 would be installed November 25th once the force main was up and running.

ORDINANCE NO. 765 – OCCUPATION AND USE FEES

City Clerk Treasurer Eckman advised that Ordinance No. 765 took into account Council’s directive to lower the utility taxes to 5% and added a utility tax for cell phones.  Dish television systems were not taxable.  City Clerk Treasurer Eckman read through the ordinance and advised that the City Attorney had reviewed and approved the ordinance. 

City Clerk Treasurer Eckman advised that she would keep an eye on the revenue impacts of this ordinance for a year and would also be forwarding it to the Department of Revenue.  The Department of Revenue would then notify the cell phone companies.

Motion: Councilmember Sawyer moved to adopt Ordinance No. 765 relating to occupation and use fees.  Councilmember Boyer seconded motion, motion carried unanimously.

PUBLIC MEETING – BROWN FIELDS GRANT APPLICATION

 City Administrator Tackett advised that the purpose of the Public Meeting was to provide an opportunity to citizens to ask questions or make comments on this issue. The grant would provide funds to cleanup and fix the old Wastewater Plant to create an industrial site.

            There were no citizen comments.

BROWNFIELD GRANT APPLICATION

Motion: Councilmember Sawyer moved to approve staff submit and the Mayor sign the Brownfield Grant Application.  Councilmember Boyer seconded motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

PAYMENT OF BILLS –

Motion: Councilmember Skoglund moved to pay the payroll and bills in the amount of $133,173.57.  Councilmember Pruett seconded, motion carried unanimously.

POLICE DEPARTMENT – Chief of Police Rick Rochleau

1)                  Attended Chief’s & Sheriff’s Conference.  Topics of discussion included vehicle pursuits and officer involved domestic violence.  Would be working on policies for these items.

CITY ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT – City Administrator Art Tackett

1)                  Interchange for the north entrance was approved.

2)                  Would be meeting with the Department of Corrections to discuss expansion.

3)                  Met with Larry Seibel and Alan Schroeder to discuss planning.

4)                  YAF application would be submitted on Tuesday.

5)                  Brownfield Application would be submitted on Wednesday.

6)                  Attended a meeting in regards to the expansion of Columbia Basin Project.  Bureau of Rec seemed positive.

7)                  Appeal for Additional Water Rights would be held on February 27, 2003 .

MEETING RECESSED

Mayor Walton recessed the regular meeting at 9:00 pm to go into Executive Session to discuss the Wastewater Facility for approximately five minutes.

MEETING ADJOURNED

There being no further business to be heard before the City Council, Mayor Walton adjourned the meeting at 9:10 pm .