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

July 11, 2005

The regular semi-monthly meeting, of the City Council of the City of Connell was called to order by the Mayor at 7:30 pm 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 , Monica Pruett, Ron Boyer and Andy Sawyer.

STAFF:            City Administrator Art Tackett , Chief of Police Rick Rochleau, Public Works Supervisor Larry Turner and Deputy City Clerk-Treasurer Maria ChavezPeńa.

VISITORS:      Judith Gidley and Beverley Rowland, Community Action Committee; and Ross Bushong, Museum and Car Show.

CORRESPONDENCE

1)                  GET -  Guaranteed Education Tuition – This program would allow purchase of future college tuition at current prices.

CONSENT CALENDAR

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

a)      Minutes of the June 27, 2005 Regular Meeting,

Councilmember Sawyer seconded motion. Motion carried unanimously.

CITIZEN COMMENT/NON-AGENDA ITEMS

Councilmember Sawyer commented that a request had been made to put a sidewalk in to the pavilion for wheelchair access.

Mayor Walton noted that the 4th of July celebration had a good turnout and the volunteers had done a great job.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Mayor Walton made the following changes to the Agenda:

            Addition of 13 a) School grant Support, and

                                13 b) Interagency agreement with DOC

            Removal of 11) USDA Water System Improvements, and

                                12) Iribarren Short Plat

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

ORDER OF BUSINESS

COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE (CAC)

Judith Gidley, Executive Director of the Benton Franklin Community Action Committee, introduced herself to Council. Ms. Gidley advised that the agency had been serving low income people in Benton and Franklin Counties for over 39 years and that the Board of Directors was interested in having a Connell Councilmember serve as a representative.

Ms. Gidley described some of the programs the CAC were involved with and discussed the Plan of Action for the Benton and Franklin Counties Continuum of Care Plan for the Homeless, whose goal was to reduce homelessness by 50% in the next 10 years. A Point-In-Time Count survey was conducted in January 2005 where it was estimated that there were more than 483 homeless individuals in the bi-county area.  Another Point-In-Time Count would be completed in the summer.

CAR SHOW UPDATE

Ross Bushong, President of the Fast & the Past Car Show, reported on the success of last years car show and updated Council on the activities scheduled for the upcoming Fall Festival Weekend. A slow drag would take place on Friday night.  Two additional car classes were added, street rod and low rider, for a total of 14 classes.  Had received notice that the other car show would not be returning.

MUSEUM UPDATE

Ross Bushong, Vice President, advised that the Museum would be holding its second annual ice cream social July 31st from 5pm to 7 pm .  Music would be provided by local fiddlers. 

RAILROAD CROSSING

City Administrator Tackett advised that the bill for the railroad crossing on Clark Street , in the amount of $40,896.76 was reimbursable by DOT.

Motion: Councilmember Skoglund moved to approve payment to BNSF Railway in the amount of $40.896.76 and for the Mayor to sign the Federal Aid Progress billing.  Councilmember Pruett seconded motion, motion carried unanimously.

SCHOOL GRANT SUPPORT

City Administrator Tackett advised that he had submitted a letter of support on behalf of the School District who was applying for a grant.

Motion: Councilmember Skoglund moved to approve the letter of support for the School District .  Councilmember Martinez seconded motion, motion carried unanimously.

INTERAGENCY AGREEMENT WITH DOC

City Administrator Tackett advised that at a previous meeting Council had discussed Anderson Perry doing some engineering work for offsite infrastructure improvements. The City had just received the Interagency Agreement with DOC.

Motion: Councilmember Sawyer moved to approve the Interagency Agreement with DOC.  Councilmember Boyer seconded.  Motion carried unanimously.

Motion: Councilmember Sawyer moved to approve the agreements between Anderson Perry and Connell for doing the project for CRCC. Councilmember Martinez seconded, motion carried unanimously.

PAYMENT OF BILLS           

Motion: Councilmember Skoglund moved to pay the vouchers and payroll in the amount of $139,711.70. Councilmember Pruett seconded, motion carried unanimously.

COMMITTEE / DEPARTMENT REPORTS

PUBLIC WORKS – Public Works Supervisor Larry Turner

1)                  Cleaning up main street

2)                  Still working on taking care of the duplex on E. Clark Street .

CITY HALL DEPARTMENT – Deputy City Clerk-Treasurer Maria ChavezPeńa

1)                  Currently being audited on excise and sales tax.

2)                  Would be audited by the State the following week.

CITY ATTORNEY’S REPORT – Deputy Clerk-Treasurer for Attorney Tanner

1)                  Court appointed Public Defender Silvia Cornish submitted her resignation, hoped to have a list of candidates at the next council meeting.

2)                  Would be in attendance at the July 25, 2005 meeting.

POLICE DEPARTMENT – Chief of Police Rick Rochleau

1)                  Dealt with unauthorized fireworks on 4th of July.

2)                  Dealing with graffiti.

3)                  Sergeant Williams would no longer be with the Connell Police Department.

Council members voiced their concern about four wheelers and mini bikes failing to stop and obey traffic laws.  

CITY ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT – City Administrator Art Tackett

1)                  The extension request for the IAC ballfields grant was approved.

2)                  Would be in Spokane visiting Cantwell’s office in regards to the Energy Park on Wednesday, July 13.

3)                  Thursday, July 14th would be attending an RC&D meeting in Ritzville.

4)                  Friday, July 15th would be attending a Coulee Corridor meeting in Omak.

5)                  Monday, July 18th  would be attending a meeting with DOE an DOH in Spokane on water reuse.

6)                  Had met with the Economic Development Group who discussed setting up a committee to work with the impacts that were coming up.

MEETING RECESSED

Mayor Walton recessed the regular meeting at 8:32 pm to go into executive session for approximately 10 minutes to discuss personnel issues.

MEETING ADJOURNED

There being no further business to be heard before the City Council, Mayor Walton adjourned the meeting at 8:50 pm .