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

April 12, 2004

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

ROLL CALL

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

STAFF:            City Administrator Art Tackett , Police Chief Rick Rochleau, and Deputy Clerk Maria ChavezPeña

VISITORS:      Larry Seibel, Anderson Perry; John White and Brian Benner, Franklin County Mosquito Control District; and Kathy Bingham, Graphic.

CORRESPONDENCE

1)                  WA State Liquor Control Board – Liquor license renewal for Golden Harvest Restaurant.

2)                  Columbia Basin College – Impacts Facts for 2004 had been completed.

3)                  Blue Angels – Provided a signed and framed picture to Mayor Walton for participating on the Pensacola tour.

CONSENT CALENDAR

Motion: Councilmember Pruett moved to approve the Consent Calendar as listed:

Minutes of the March 22, 2004 Regular Meeting, correction to Page 2, Phase III – correcting the word steal to steel.

Councilmember Sawyer seconded motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

CITIZEN COMMENT

John White asked when the project would be completed at Striker.  Larry Seibel of Anderson Perry advised that the contractor would be in town on Wednesday to work on Striker but that the chip sealing would not be completed until June.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Mayor Walton made the following addition to the Agenda:

            Item 15 a – Personnel Item

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

ORDER OF BUSINESS.

MOSQUITO CONTROL

Brian Benner, District Manager for Franklin County Mosquito Control District advised that he had met with Public Works Director Munyan in regards to purchasing the mosquito spray truck.  Mr. Benner commented that he hoped to have the truck remain at the City Shop and hire someone locally to spray Connell and the surrounding areas.  Mr. Benner discussed the different possibilities of chemicals to be used for spraying and reported that currently they were doing habitat management to find the breeding grounds in order to get them treated. 

Motion: Councilmember Skoglund moved to authorize the City proceed with the sale of the spray truck to the Franklin County Mosquito Control District and to work out the details with Public Works Director Munyan.

CLOSED RECORD HEARING – AMENDING THE FLOOD PLAN ORDINANCE

Mayor Walton opened the closed record hearing at 8:00 pm .

City Administrator Tackett reported that the City had received a letter from the Department of Ecology who advised that the Flood Ordinance needed to be updated and provided the necessary changes to staff.  Planning Commission had previously reviewed the changes and recommended approval.

City Administrator Tackett went over the changes with Council.    

  Mayor Walton closed the hearing at 8:12 pm .

Motion:  Councilmember Sawyer moved to adopt Ordinance No. 766, amending the Flood Hazard Districts.  Councilmember Skoglund seconded, motion carried unanimously.

CLOSED RECORD HEARING – ADOPTING AN UPDATE TO THE COMP PLAN

Mayor Walton opened the closed record hearing at 8:13 pm .

City Administrator Tackett reported that the Planning Commission had been working with the Council of Governments to update the Comprehensive Plan.  The Plan was required to be reviewed and updated every five years.  The updated Plan had been submitted to the State for their review but they had not yet responded.

City Administrator Tackett reviewed the changes to the Comprehensive Plan with Council.

Mayor Walton closed the hearing at 8:20 pm .

Motion:  Councilmember Skoglund moved to accept the updated Comprehensive Plan.  Councilmember Sawyer seconded motion, motion carried unanimously.

USDA – WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS

 Larry Seibel of Anderson Perry reported on the following:

Phase I –  The contractor had started demolition of the old concrete reservoir.  The site work would be completed the following week and a pre-final inspection had been scheduled for April 28th.

Council requested a proposal for signs at the new reservoir plant.

Phase II – Pegram was scheduled to be in town Wednesday morning.

Mayor Walton advised that he had several sites that needed to be worked on and that he would get a list to Mr. Seibel.

Phase III – The Plan and Specification documents for the construction of the new reservoir would be submitted to Dept of Health for their review.  They would have 30 days to respond.  Advertisement for bids would go out May 20, bid opening would be done on June 17 and would be awarded June 21.  Construction would begin in August and end in September.

Mr. Seibel reported that the plans for Schedules G and H would be submitted to the Dept of Health in two weeks.   The projects would be advertised May 27, bid opening would be done June 29 and awarded July 12. Construction would begin in August. There could be a 12 to16 week delay in the delivery of steel casings.

City Administrator Tackett advised that in order for the City to get all the water rights converted the water rights would have to be inside the Urban Growth Boundary.    Materials had been submitted to the Conservancy Board and the application fee had been paid.

City Administrator Tackett also advised that the interest rate for the loan had dropped by 1.25%.

STREET PROJECTS - UPDATE

Clark Street Rail Crossing: Larry Seibel of Anderson Perry reported that the Environmental Application had been submitted and that he was waiting to hear if it had been approved.            

WASTEWATER FACILITY  

Attorney Tanner advised that he was working on resolving issues with Apollo.

DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS – OFFENDER WORK CREW PROJECT

Motion: Councilmember Skoglund moved to authorize the Mayor sign the Offender Work Crew agreement.  Councilmember Sawyer seconded, motion carried unanimously.

SPRING FLING

 Deputy City Clerk ChavezPeña requested that the Fall Festival Committee be allowed to close off Columbia Ave at Franklin, Adams and Borah for the Spring Fling on May 1st from 9:00 am until 3:30 pm .

Council gave its consensus to allow the Fall Festival Committee hold the Spring Fling on May 1st and to close off Columbia Ave as requested.

MEETING RECESSED

Mayor Walton recessed the regular meeting to go into Executive Session at 8:52 for approximately 10 minutes to discuss a personnel issue.

MEETING RECONVENED

The regular meeting was called back to order by Mayor Walton at 9:08 and the following business was brought before the City Council:

ORDER OF BUSINESS

PERSONNEL ITEM

City Administrator Tackett requested that Council approve the change of one of the employees to Range 16 Step 1 from Range 10 Step 3.

Motion: Councilmember Pruett moved to authorize the change of range and step for the employee.  Councilmember Sawyer seconded, motion carried unanimously.

PAYMENT OF BILLS –

Councilmember Skoglund inquired about the hospital bill for an inmate and was advised that an individual had to be taken to the hospital before being booked into jail.

Attorney Tanner advised that he would look into a different bill from the hospital for an inmate who got injured while he was being held in jail.

Motion: Councilmember Skoglund moved to pay the payroll and bills in the amount of $91,342.19.  Councilmember Pruett seconded, motion carried unanimously.

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT – Mayor Walton

1)                  Work was being done at the pool

2)                  Crew had been working on the parks

3)                  Spending time up at the Wastewater Plant

POLICE DEPARTMENT – Police Chief Rick Rochleau

1)                  Had a few thefts from storage units

2)                  Found graffiti at the trailer park

3)                  Spring break went well

4)                  On April 2nd had a person flee to Connell who had assaulted someone in Kahlotus.  The County called in the Pasco Swat team who entered the house and detained the suspect.

CITY HALL DEPARTMENT – Deputy City Clerk Maria ChavezPeña

Attended a Wellness Conference in Leavenworth and provided Council with information for the Municipalympic Games.

MEETING ADJOURNED

There being no further business to be heard before the City Council, Mayor Walton adjourned the meeting at 9:17 pm .