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

June 26, 2006

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 Ron Boyer, Councilmembers Monica Pruett , Rhonda Quinton, Kent Mosbrucker, and Jim Klindworth.

STAFF:            City Administrator Art Tackett , Police Chief Rick Rochleau, Planning & Building Clerk Jed Crowther, Fire Chief Bob Koch and Deputy Clerk Treasurer Maria ChavezPeña.

VISITORS:      Kevin Loresch, Scott Frakes, Larry Hueter, Sam Harris, Nancy Archer, Jack Olson, DOC; Jake Hollopeter , Anderson Perry; Mollie Kunkel; Burl Booker; and Kathy Bingham, Franklin County Graphic .

 

CONSENT CALENDAR

Motion: Councilmember Pruett moved to approve the Consent Calendar with a correction to the Minutes of June 12, 2006 , Page 1 Existing CRCC Facility – Impact Fees correcting ‘Water impact ($100)’ to ‘Water impact ($100,000)’;

a)      Minutes of the June 12, 2006 Workshop & Regular Council Meeting

b)      Warrants for June 26, 2006 for $88,299.07

c)      Payroll  for June 26, 2006 for $ 97,501.98

d)      Motion to surplus vehicles a listed on attachment

e)      Motion to adopt Ordinance No. 805 setting sanitation rates

            Councilmember Quinton seconded motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

 

CITIZEN COMMENT/NON-AGENDA ITEMS

Jack Olson of DOC thanked Council, Anderson Perry, and staff for getting the waterline construction going. Robert Herzog, Airway Heights Associate Superintendent, would be the contact person to interact with Council in regards to impact fees. Mr. Olson provided a Fiscal Impact Analysis for the expansion. The subcontractor for the design builder would be moving onto the job site within the week. Jack Olson commented that there had been some discussion in regards to assisting the city to lessen sewer impacts by building a lift station adjacent to the existing facility to pump directly into Lift Station 5.

Mr. Olson introduced Sam Harris, Administrative Clerk of the Works for DOC.

Mollie Kunkel expressed that although it was nice to be able to use the Community Center to celebrate special occasions without having travel out of town, there was a shortage of tables and chairs. Several large gatherings had found the need to rent additional tables and chairs from the Tri-cities.  She was present that night to make Council and the Community Center Committee aware of the situation and hoped that they would find a way to equip it to capacity by purchasing 100 to 150 chairs and build up the table supply to about 35 round six foot tables.

A Community Center Committee meeting was set for July 11 at 6:30 with Councilmember Klindworth and Councilmember Boyer to be on the Committee.  Mollie Kunkel also agreed to be on the Committee.

Councilmember Klindworth urged that the impact issue for the extra 200 beds be brought to a conclusion as the next go around for the new expansion would be beginning.

Councilmember Klindworth inquired about the money from the Chamber for the float truck.

Councilmember Pruett mentioned that the bills had just gone out and once the money came in it would be paid.

Councilmember Klindworth brought up the fowl ordinance and that an exception should be made for CRCC who raised pigeons.  There was also the fact that the City had a lot of Ag land and someone living in that area perhaps would want to have chickens.

A public hearing to discuss fowl keeping had been set for July 10th.

 

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Mayor Walton made the following change to the Agenda:

            Item 13. Ordinance No. 800 – Vacating CRCC Road Right-of-way was tabled.

Motion: Councilmember Mosbrucker moved to approve the agenda as changed. Councilmember Quinton seconded motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

 

ORDER OF BUSINESS

CLOSED RECORD HEARING – CASE NO. 007-06 HOGABOAM REQUEST TO AMEND THE ZONING MAP

            Mayor Walton opened the closed record hearing at 7:48 in regards to a request by Hogaboams to amend the zoning map.

            There being no reason not to proceed City Administrator Tackett provided the staff report.

Zoning Ordinance Amendment:

Property Owner:           Hogaboam Family LLC / Forrest & Sharon Hogaboam

Site Location:               Parcel Nos. 109-802-395 and 109-802-386, located west of Almira Avenue between Adams Street and Borah Street .

Zoning:             Residential Medium Density

Proposed Use:              Residential High Density

Conclusions:              A.           The proposal was consistent with the City of Connell Comprehensive Plan , GMA-based city codes, and the type and character of land use proposed on the project site.  

B.         Adequate public services existed to serve the proposal.

C.        If approved the proposed rezone would make adequate provisions for the public health, safety and general welfare.

 

Staff Recommendation: Approval of the proposed rezone was recommended.

City Administrator Tackett provided that public comments had been received at the Open Public Hearing on June 20th. 

            Mayor Walton then opened the hearing up for comments from Council.

A question was raised in regards to notice to residents of the zoning changes made in 1996.  Letters had been mailed to all water utility customers on November 8, 1996 . 

Councilmember Klindworth was insistent that transition set backs be followed as well as off street parking requirements. 

            Mayor Walton closed the Closed Record Hearing at 8:10 pm .

Motion: Councilmember Klindworth moved to approve the rezone as requested by Hogaboams to rezone Parcel No. 109-802-395 and 109-802-386 from Residential Medium Density to Residential High Density.  Councilmember Pruett seconded motion. Motion carried unanimously.

CLOSED RECORD HEARING – CASE NO. 008-06 OLLIFE REQUEST TO AMEND THE ZONING MAP

            Mayor Walton opened the closed record hearing at 8:13 in regards to a request by Matt Olliffe to amend the zoning map.

            There being no reason not to proceed City Administrator Tackett provided the staff report.

Zoning Ordinance Amendment:

Property Owner:           Olliffe Property Hlds LLC / Matt Olliffe

Site Location:               Parcel Nos. 109-801-163 and 109-801-172, located east of Almira Avenue between Adams Street and Borah Street , commonly known as Moon Apartments.

Zoning:             Residential Medium Density

Proposed Use:              Residential High Density

Conclusions:             A.            The proposal was consistent with the City of Connell Comprehensive Plan , GMA-based city codes, and the type and character of land use existing on the project site.

B.         Adequate public services existed to serve the proposal.

C.        If approved the proposed rezone would make adequate provisions for the public health, safety and general welfare.

Staff Recommendation: Approval of the proposed rezone was recommended.

            Mayor Walton then opened the hearing up for comments from Council.

            Councilmember Klindworth provided that although the property had been “grandfathered” in, the reason for the rezoning was that in the event that the property burned down and had to be rebuilt it would be rebuilt under the proper zoning. 

            Mayor Walton closed the Closed Record Hearing.

Motion: Councilmember Pruett moved to approve the rezone as requested by Matt Olliffe to rezone Parcel No. 109-801-163 and 109-801-172 from Residential Medium Density to Residential High Density.  Councilmember Quinton seconded motion. Motion carried unanimously.

 

SOCCER FIELD REQUEST

             City Administrator Tackett reported that a group of youth had attended the last Summit meeting and had made a request to use City property south of the Franklin County Shop, next to the trailer, court for a soccer field.  They understood that the property was for sale and that they could be moved off at anytime. 

            Ana Medina expressed that the group was not asking for sod, or for anything else except for permission to put up some goals and to use the land for a soccer field and were aware that the land was for sale and that at any time they would be willing to vacate. 

            When asked if the land was even enough or needed to be leveled, Ana Medina responded that they had looked at the land and believed it was level enough to play soccer on.

Councilmember Klindworth suggested letting the City Attorney and City Insurance know about the youth using the land.

Mayor Walton requested that the youth pick up all the rocks and place them in piles for the City crew to pick up. Mayor Walton would also have staff take a look at the field to see if they could finish mowing it.

            Council gave its consensus to authorize the youth to use the land south of the County Shop as a soccer field.

            Ana Medina asked if it would be possible for the group to not allow youth onto the field if they did not help clean the field up.

            Mayor Walton advised that it was public property and if it was opened up for use it had to be open to everyone.

 

CRCC EXPANSION – PHASE I NORTH END WATER MAIN

              Jake Hollopeter reported that dirt was being moved and that he had received verbal approval on Friday afternoon from Bureau of Reclamation to proceed with the construction of the original alignment for the waterline. The goal would be to have the line complete up to where the Department of Corrections water meter would be placed.  

            The proposed lift station was discussed.  This would be designed so that it was compatible with existing City infrastructure and would be built by DOC and turned over to the City once it was completed.

CRCC INMATE AGREEMENT

            City Administrator Tackett reviewed that the City had received the CRCC Inmate Contract Amendment several months ago but that there were at least two concerns that Council and staff had.  One of the concerns dealt with direct supervision and the second concern was with the increase in the amount to be billed per offender hour worked.

            The City had already budgeted for the inmate crews assuming the continued $1.10 per hour charge. The recommendation would be to utilize the crew until funds had run out.  Council and staff would work on a program approach for the inmate crews for the following year.

            Councilmember Boyer suggested rewording the contract to spell out that the City would not be filling up the van for the inmate crew during the months when the inmate crew was not being utilized.

Councilmember Klindworth inquired about direct supervision and how much work was getting done by the City employee when he was supervising.

For the past several weeks staff had not been supervising inmates.        

Motion: Councilmember Pruett moved to approve the Mayor sign the CRCC Offender Work Crew Project Agreement. Councilmember Mosbrucker seconded motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

           

ORDINANCE NO. 801 RV PARKS

            City Administrator Tackett provided a plan of the RV park located in Franklin County next to the TRAC. Instead of using vehicle spaces that included streets etc... the County went with width between vehicles and set backs.

            Councilmember Boyer expressed that the intent of the RV Park Committee was to set guidelines and if Council felt the need for something more concrete then he would suggest that the City hire an expert to provide the necessary requirements.

            Burl Booker commented that he had a friend who had an RV park and one of the issues was that livestock trailers with living quarters also fit the definition of recreational vehicles.  This had led to some damage done by horses.

            This item was tabled for further review.

 

COMMITTEE / DEPARTMENT REPORTS

POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORT – Police Chief Rick Rochleau

1)                  Officer Robertson attended and completed the equivalency academy.

2)                  Continuing with code enforcement.  Currently in the process of sending letters, doing a few at a time.

3)                  This summer had not been too bad but usually had more activity due to the kids being out of school.

 

CITY HALL – Deputy Clerk Treasurer Maria ChavezPeña

1)                  Started a walking program, each participant received a free pedometer and t-shirt.

 

CITY ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT – City Administrator Art Tackett

1)                  Quiet Zone would be placed on the July 10th Agenda.

2)                  Was working on setting up a retreat for Council.

 

FIRE DEPARTMENT – Fire Chief Bob Koch

Fire Chief Koch reported that the Mayor had attended the Fire Commissioners District meeting. The City had taken on a lot more dry land area that the City fire truck could not protect.  Since the City of Connell did not have mutual aid ability the Commissioners had come up with an amount of $250 per hour per fire truck when responding to City calls. The City would continue to pay the firefighters as they always had in the past.

            Councilmember Klindworth expressed that it was important to get a contract in place for this season.

Fire Chief Koch provided that if all the County trucks were already on a fire they would not be able to provide a truck to be used for a City fire.

            Council directed Art to write up a contract for fire protection services.

 

MEETING ADJOURNED

There being no further business to be heard before the City Council, Mayor Walton adjourned the meeting at 9:25 pm .