The City Council met in regular session on April 4, 2022 at 6:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers.
Mayor Lester presided
Councilmembers present:
Mike Peterson
Scott Winkler
Beryl Grant
Pete Lane
Dylan Canaday
Amy Farris
City employees present were Chief Newman, Public Works Director Mager, Attorney Green and City Administrator Kennedy.
MINUTES: The meeting was called to order and the minutes of March 21st were approved as presented by Councilor Peterson, seconded by Councilor Canaday. Motion carried by a unanimous vote of the Council present.
VISITORS: Lynn Fredrickson was present requesting permission to use part of the watershed for the Twin Pines Trail Run on July 2nd. In 2019 Mindy Frederickson started the trail run as her senior project. Lee Spencer is a go on his property. They would like to utilize 3-5 miles of the run on the watershed with the proceeds being donated to ARF. Councilor Grant asked if it’s the same map as previous years and Lynn responded yes. On motion by Councilor Winkler, second by Councilor Grant to allow the Twin Pines Trail Run on July 2nd. Motion carried by a unanimous vote of the Council present.
Todd Marek was present asking the City to sponsor a GEM grant for the band shell. Mayor Lester let the Council know the City received notice we did not get the Blue Cross Community Project grant. The maximum GEM grant is $50,000. Councilor Grant asked if there was a match requirement and how much time would it take of City employees. Marek didn’t have that amount but there is a handbook available. The next cycle is the end of June. Administrator Kennedy stated you can apply for Block grant at the same time as a GEM grant. Councilor Winkler felt Kennedy needed to review the GEM grant handbook prior to the Council making a decision.
Jordan Zwygart, Zwygart John & Associates presented the audit for FY21. Overall it was a good, clean audit and no internal control issues. On motion by Councilor Peterson, second by Councilor Grant to accept the Audit for 2020-21. Motion carried by a unanimous vote of the Council present.
COMMITTEE REPORTS: On motion by Councilor Peterson, second by Councilor Farris to accept the Library Minutes of March 17, 2022. Motion carried by a unanimous vote of the Council present.
On motion by Councilor Peterson, second by Councilor Canaday to accept the Planning and Zoning March 29, 2022. Motion carried by a unanimous vote of the Council present.
Administrator Kennedy highlighted information in P&Z’s minutes for the application submitted by Lance Delgado. The commission felt the application should be denied because he had plenty of room on his property to relocate the small shed that was not on a permanent foundation, building so close to the property line would require management of runoff from the new building and would make maintenance on the new building difficult to stay on his own property and could create an issue for a future owner of his neighboring property, even though the current neighbor doesn’t mind. On motion by Councilor Grant, second by Councilor Winkler to accept recommendation for the denial of the variance application submitted by Lance Delgado, 636 Dawn Drive. ROLL CALL VOTE: YES: Farris, Winkler, Lane, Grant, Peterson. NO: Canaday. The motion passed.
Administrator Kennedy stated Timothy and Elizabeth Denton applied for a minor land division to split the property at 1109 S Hall Street into three parcels. The proposal meets the definition and requirements of a minor land division. P&Z recommended approving the minor land division but keeping the three lots at the 100’x100’ rather than allowing a floating boundary between parcel two and three. Councilor Grant asked if curb, gutter and sidewalk would still be required. Kennedy responded it is required for any building permit with a valuation over $75,000. On motion by Councilor Winkler, second by Councilor Grant to accept the recommendation from P&Z to approve the minor land division application submitted by Timothy and Elizabeth Denton for the property at 1109 S Hall Street, keeping all three lots set at the 100’x100’ boundary. ROLL CALL VOTE: YES: Canaday, Farris, Winkler, Lane, Grant, Peterson. NO: none. The motion passed.
PUBLIC WORKS REPORT: Public Works Director Mager stated he worked with ITD on the water line along Highway 95 on the northwest side of town and came up with an agreement that it could stay in place. He signed an agreement with the state that if it gets damaged during construction, the City will help fix the line. PumpTech will be here around May 1st to work on Spencer well again. To make sure the well gets fixed, Mager will purchase a pump and they will bring a motor so if there is something wrong with either when they pull it, they will replace with new. EPA and DEQ are involved with water systems and the potential of lead pipes. Any working water system in the United States will have to do this. By Oct 2024, the City will have to have a catalog of water mains, city services, private lines and submit the information to DEQ. The City lines do not have any lead; Mike Curtis and Ken Gortsema did a great job and kept them updated. As soon as DEQ figures out the requirements, the City will start filling it the information. Mager budgeted for the slip line for Herman Acres and the manhole at the LDS church in the collection budget in case the bonds didn’t pass. It makes no sense to spend the money on these projects since the bond passed. He is getting a quote for the fence at Park well. The City thought the harmonic balancer for the plant was ordered but an employee at the supplier quit and it didn’t get ordered. It is now almost $21,000 compared to the $6,000 budgeted. He talked to Jerry Brown and it should be fine to wait for next budget year. Intermountain Machine is getting him a quote for the sliding catwalk over the ditches and then he’ll decide if it’s a good financial decision for this year. The lawn mower that was supposed to be here in February might show up in July. A lot of his budgeted items might need to be rolled over to next budget.
EMS MEETING UPDATE: Councilors Lane and Grant both attended an EMS meeting. They are having problems getting volunteers for the ambulances. Councilor Grant stated they are having problems with bodies; it’s hard to pass the class.
CITY TREASURER APPOINTMENT: Mayor Lester appointed Keely Rowland as the City Treasurer. On motion by Councilor Peterson, second by Councilor Farris to confirm the appointment of Keely Rowland as City Treasurer. ROLL CALL VOTE: YES: Canaday, Farris, Winkler, Lane, Grant, Peterson. NO: none. The motion passed.
GRANGEVILLE RURAL FIRE AGREMENT: Chief Brian Perry and Assistant Fire Chief Jared Andrews were present to discuss the agreement with rural fire. They already met with rural fire to present this same information. Chief Perry stated it is a unique situation that two departments are housed in the same building. The City is bearing the majority of the expense. Rural fire just passed a two-year temporary levy with plans to go for a permanent increase in two years. Perry doesn’t want to split building maintenance; he wants to treat rural fire as a tenant. He figured a square foot rent amount utilizing the cost of renting a storage unit to house the buffalo truck, however the city has cement floor, heats, and covers utilities. Rural fire has three vehicles in the City station which would be a square footage rent of $7,975 annually. Rural fire would also cover a portion of the fire department budget, not including building maintenance, in the amount of $7,725 but for a total annual rent of $15,700. This would be one agreement between the City and rural fire. The rent of $15,700 is due for 2022. The second agreement would be half of the hydrant fees which rural fire currently pays. Perry wanted it clear rural fire will pay that fee forever as 99% of the water pumped from the trucks comes out of the City hydrants, station or water line. Rural fire does not pump from lakes or ponds. This agreement needs to stay in place forever, even if rural fire gets their own station.
Perry proposed renegotiating the agreement in May 2024 because rural fire will need to pass another levy. Perry would like to retain the rental portion of the rent for future capital projects/expenditures. Mayor Lester stated he met with Chief Perry and Public works Director Mager. The City pays the fire chief and assistant chief salaries. Rural fire pays nothing for chiefs. Mayor Lester does not want the fire chief/assistant salaries included in the agreement as the chiefs need to determine how that works. Additional discussion will occur during budget time. Rural fire has never paid rent for the storage and use of the building. They do pay for their own equipment. Chief Perry stated rural fire is changing from field fires to house structures and they are outgrowing what they have. They are being shielded from reality.
Mayor Lester stated in the future if rural fire gets their own station, any fixed equipment or assets may need to be bought out, such as the filling station where rural fire paid for half. If a new station needs to be built, the City originally talked about having a joint new station. With further thought, the City doesn’t need a new station. Our station is good, centrally located, and without rural fire trucks, we have plenty of space.
On motion by Councilor Winkler, second by Councilor Grant to have the square footage annual rent of $7,975 set aside for future capital expenditures specific to the fire department rather than putting it in the general fund. Motion carried by a unanimous vote of the Council present.
AIC SPRING WORKSHOP: The AIC Spring meeting is April 19th in Moscow. If any of the Council were interested in being a District Director, they should attend the meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 7:20 P.M.
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Wes Lester – Mayor
ATTEST:
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Tonya Kennedy – Clerk
