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

October 13, 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 Roel Martinez , Ron Boyer, and Monica Pruett.

EXCUSED:      Councilmember Andy Sawyer

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

VISITORS:      Alan Schroeder and Larry Seibel , Anderson Perry; Kathy Bingham, Graphic; and Mrs. Wolf, Wheatland Apartments.

CORRESPONDENCE

1)                  IIMC – Designation of Certified Municipal Clerk earned by Deputy City Clerk Maria Chavez Peña.

2)                  TIB – Plaque presented to City of Connell and Mayor Walton in recognition of successful partnership in completing Clark Street . 

The Mayor thanked the High School Jazz Band and the Junior Miss for their participation.

CONSENT CALENDAR

Motion: Councilmember Pruett moved to approve the Consent Calendar as listed.  Councilmember Martinez seconded motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

CITIZEN COMMENT

Mrs. Wolf, manager of the Wheatland Apartments, voiced her concerns about the on going problem with the noise disturbance from the Community Center as well as inappropriate behavior taking place outside the Center.  She showed Council some of the garbage that she had picked up outside the Apartments that came from the Center as well as a full soda can that had been thrown in her direction. She also noted that the residents were sometimes afraid to call the Police due to possible retaliation from those at the Center. Mr. Wolf had attended a Council Meeting a while back and had raised some of these same concerns.

Council discussed the installation of alarms on the outside doors that would go off when opened.  Renters of the facility would be made aware that the doors would need to remain closed during the event.

Chief Rochleau advised that he would direct the officers to check on the back of the facility more often.  Chief Rochleau also noted that residents who contacted the police could request no contact when reporting an incident that way the police would not try to contact the person making the report and instead would go directly to the Center.

Kathy Bingham provided Council with a picture of the sign placed by the Wrestling Team on the Welcome to Connell sign.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

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

ORDER OF BUSINESS

USDA – WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS

Larry Seibel of Anderson Perry reported on the following:

Phase I – Moving along, the work under the railroad was nearly completed, piping was installed at the new reservoir and was ready to be connected to the main line.  The steel for building the tank would arrive within the next two weeks.  Repairs were being finished up on the concrete reservoir.

Larry advised that they should have a good handle on what was happening by the first of November.  A power shut off was scheduled for November 16th and if the reservoir was not ready by then a small generator would be brought in.

City Administrator Tackett advised that when the change orders were submitted to USDA they did not approve the expenditure for the signs at the reservoirs.  The cost was approximately $3,800 for both sides of the tank.

Motion: Councilmember Skoglund moved to authorize the expenditure of $3,800 for the signs to be placed on the water reservoir.  Councilmember Pruett seconded motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

Motion: Councilmember Skoglund moved to approve Application for Payment No. 2 –Phase I to Morse Construction Group in the around of $148,172.19.  Councilmember Martinez seconded motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

Phase II – All the main lines had been installed and pressure tested.  In Terrace Heights all the main lines had been installed and would be pressure tested on October 14.  Currently the main lines were being installed at Sagewood Acres.  Larry Seibel explained that all the moving around was due to trying to get all the main lines in and patching done while the weather was still good.  Pegram would be cleaning up the lawns at Striker and was currently ahead of schedule.

Motion: Councilmember Martinez moved to approve Application for Payment No. 2 – Phase II to Pegram Construction in the amount of $277,808.64.  Councilmember Pruett seconded motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

Phase III -  Work was continuing on the design.  Had met with City Administrator Tackett and Public Works Director Munyan to go over the proposals for the controls for the wells and the farm.

TIB – CLARK STREET – PROJECT UPDATE

          City Administrator Tackett reported that the dedication had gone well.  Provided a tour of the City to the director of TIB to advise him of areas that needed to be addressed.

          Larry Seibel advised that the street lights were schedule to be shipped from Canada on November 7th and that the work needed on Elm street would be done at the same time the patch work was done on Striker.

          Larry Seibel presented a change order on Brentwood to include Chelan and Ephrata overlays and pavement of Date Street and the Fire Hall parking lot.

Motion: Councilmember Pruett moved to approve Change Order No. 1 for Brentwood Overlays to Transtate paving in the amount of $15,493.48.  Councilmember Skoglund seconded motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

Motion:  Councilmember Pruett moved to approve Application for Payment No 1 for Brentwood Overlays to Transtate Paving Co. in the amount of $80,098.28  Councilmember Martinez seconded motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

WASTEWATER FACILITY  

This item was tabled to be discussed in Executive Session.

SEWER PROJECT STATUS

Alan Schroeder reported that this project was substantially completed.  There were two items remaining, asphalt patch at Curry Road and hydro seeding at Lift Station No. 6.

Motion:  Councilmember Skoglund moved to approve Application for Payment No. 4 for the sewer projects from Paragon Construction Co. in the amount of $34,421.90.  Councilmember Pruett seconded motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

CONTRACT WITH SMICK

City Administrator Tackett presented to Council the City’s contract with Neal Smick to provide services to the City in maintaining and monitoring a crop in CRP on City property.  With this contract the City would get 50% of the rental receipts received from USDA.

Motion: Councilmember Skoglund moved to approve the Mayor sign the Agreement for CRP Funds.  Councilmember Martinez seconded motion.  Motion carried  unanimously.

RESOLUTION NO. 2003-03 - IAC

City Administrator Tackett reported that a grant request was submitted to IAC regarding the purchase of property from Moore and Bennett north of the existing Pioneer Park and that in-kind match would be suitable to leverage funding from IAC, the City would not have to come up with any money.

City Administrator Tackett presented Resolution No. 2003-03 authorizing the application for funding assistance for a youth Athletic Facilities Program (YAF) project to Council for approval.

Motion: Councilmember Martinez moved to adopt Resolution No. 2003-03.  Councilmember Boyer seconded motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

COMMUNITY CENTER REQUEST

City Administrator Tackett reported that a citizen had requested to utilize the Health Room at the Community Center to mix spices for a cottage business and to store materials at the Center.  Storage had been an on going battle at the Center with those entities that normally use it.  This request did not fit any category that the city had for rental of the Center but it did raise the issue regarding the support and expansion of local businesses and their ability to find facilities that they can occupy as they expand.

Council consensus was not to approve use of the Community Center for storage of materials.

PRELIMINARY BUDGET

City Administrator Tackett read the updated Preliminary Budget Summary provided by City Clerk Treasurer Eckman.  Administrator Tackett went over areas of concern such as Pool fees, which only paid 18% of the Pool expenditures and the 28% increase for the cost of health insurance.

            Council discussed options for the money received from the utility tax.

City Clerk-Treasurer Eckman advised that there had been more expended in the Museum and Community Center funds than there had been received and advised that that could be a potential problem if it continued.

A Public Hearing for the Preliminary Budget was set for November 10th and a special meeting would be held on November 4th at 6:00 pm to discuss the budget.

PAYMENT OF BILLS

Motion: Councilmember Skoglund moved to pay the payroll and bills in the amount of $843,346.84.  Councilmember Pruett seconded, motion carried unanimously.

B/F HEALTH DEPARTMENT- Mayor Garland Walton

Mayor Walton advised that there had not been any cases reported of the West Nile Virus that originated in the State of Washington .

The WIC program had received a grant that would allow children to remain on the program longer. 

ADMINISTRATION OFFICE – City Clerk-Treasurer Joan Eckman

1)         Would be on vacation the following week

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT – Public Works Director Pat Munyan

1)                  Had a broken sewer line that was being fixed

2)                  Had a broken water line that was being fixed

POLICE DEPARTMENT – Chief of Police Rick Rochleau

1)                  Had a rash of bike thefts

2)                  Working with the Police Department in Othello to help stop the fighting going on between the youths.  One of the Connell Officers helped to patrol at a game in Othello.

CITY ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT – City Administrator Art Tackett

1)                  Reminded everyone about the Staff Appreciation Breakfast on Friday at 7:00 am .

2)                  Requested that Council approve the payment of payroll and vouchers for October 27 since there would not be a Council meeting on that day.

Motion:  Councilmember Pruett moved to authorize payment of payroll and vouchers for October 27, 2003 .  Councilmember Martinez seconded motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

Councilmember Skoglund requested that the Chief of Police and Mayor be judges for the Chili Contest.

MEETING RECESSED

The Mayor recessed the regular meeting at 9:15 pm to take a five minute break and then go into executive session to discuss the Wastewater Facility until approximately 9:45 pm .

ORDER OF BUSINESS

CONTRACT

A contract with Pegram to replace the sewer line that extends under Clark Street was presented to Council.  Apollo would be given the option to repair the line first if they chose not to then the contract would go to Pegram.

Motion: Councilmember Pruett moved to authorize the Mayor to sign the contract.  Councilmember Martinez seconded motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

MEETING ADJOURNED

There being no further business to be heard before the City Council, Mayor Walton adjourned the meeting at 9:55 pm.