City Council met in regular session on July 16, 2018 at 7:30 P.M. in the Council Chambers of City Hall.
Mayor Lester presided:
Councilmembers present:
Scott Winkler
Mike Peterson
Pete Lane
Beryl Grant
Amy Farris
Dylan Canaday
City employees present were Chief Drew, Attorney Green, Public Works Maintenance Supervisor Mager, and City Clerk Kennedy. Public Works Director McFrederick absent.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
MINUTES: The meeting was called to order and the Council minutes of July 2nd were approved as presented by Councilor Peterson, second by Councilor Lane. Motion carried by a unanimous vote of the Council present.
VISITORS: Sara Espeland, Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) was present to provide the council with revised bench marks for ARF. They have completed the first 6 revised bench marks. Sara stated the creation of a sustainability plan will require additional time. They are talking to CEDA about another USDA grant to help with the plan and hope to have it completed by June 2020. They need to secure construction grants and bids for the build with a target date of December 2021 and then break ground in June 2020. ARF raised over $10,000 at their first annual auction held at the Gallery. They asked if the City would want them to move to the new land that is being donated. Mayor Lester explained that Mr. Miltenberger was going to donate land to the City; however the City has not received the land donation at this time and we have no estimated timeframe. Mayor Lester did state ARF could not build on the area designated as expansion area as the City may need to dig up the sewer main in the location in the future. The City may need the land by the WWTP in the future.
Angela Economen was present to ask the Council to consider crosswalk flags by Les Schwab/Pioneer Park as the intersection is very busy. Lewiston and McCall currently have these flags. Mayor Lester explained the Girls Scouts came in 2016, and the Council didn’t do anything. In Utah this program became too expensive, so the businesses adopted the intersections. Councilor Farris agreed the intersection is very busy. Councilor Grant was not opposed. Clerk Kennedy checked on Amazon and a 10 pack of flags was $25.80. Chief Drew felt talking to businesses would be a good idea. Public Works Maintenance Supervisor Mager suggested visiting with ITD to get their approval. Angela is going to visit with ITD for right of way permission and get back to the Council with additional information.
POLICE AND ANIMAL CONTROL REPORT: The department had 129 calls for service, 29 cases written, 21 citations, and 7 written warnings for June 2018. Officer Graham graduated from POST and did extremely well. Sgt. Quintal attended an excellent fire arms instructor school. On the open position, the department has one officer in background right now but there is still a ways to go.
The Fire Training Minutes of 6/11/18 were accepted on motion by Councilor Peterson, second by Councilor Canaday. Motion carried by a unanimous vote of the Council present.
Public Works Report – Maintenance Supervisor Mager stated the department has worked on the following projects:
• New curb & gutter by Stark’s
• Repair in alley behind Methodist Church
• Hired Will Gerten to replace the driveway approach at Dr. Haug’s office and a driveway approach in Yalbuw’s alley
• S Mill & S Street – curb and gutter
• Warden area on creek – curb and gutter in progress
• 2 new trash receptacles on Main Street
• Sickle mowed in preparation for 4th of July
• Water line by mammoth blew apart and it will be fixed soon
• 2 gates at skateboard park installed to have access for repairs
• 20’ of new water main at Camas Body
• 2 dead locusts at Pioneer Park were removed with the help of Avista
• New bark in the playgounds
• Another new piece of playground equipment will be installed at Pioneer Park
• New sign at WWTP
• Built a containment pond at sewer plant so ditches can be cleaned out. West one is being cleaned now.
• Aerator died and was replaced at the digester at WWTP
• Worked with Summit Utility to mark our lines when they put a new fiber line in from Pine Street to McGregor Company
• Crosswalks painted, then will be refreshed in mid-August
• Sewer lines completed off Hall Street
• Figured out wiring problem at Heritage Square
PARKS GRANT: Mayor Lester stated the City has been doing ADA research on necessary parking spaces. It appears the City may need 1 van and 2 car access sites and the easiest may be an angled parking lot. Rhonda with Wemhoff Architecture felt the parking doesn’t meet the current ADA code. Councilor Grant felt the City should try for the grant; even if the City nets half the money we’d still be ahead. Mager stated the ADA spots need to be closest to the facility. Mayor Lester felt the City needs to apply for the grant and designate it toward an ADA Parking lot. On motion by Council Winkler, second by Council Peterson to apply for a parks and recreation block grant. Motion carried by a unanimous vote of the Council present.
BILLS: The bills, in the amount of $166,443.70 were approved and ordered paid out of their respective funds, on motion by Councilor Peterson, second by Councilor Canaday. Motion carried by a unanimous vote of the Council present.
AXON BODY CAMERAS: Chief Drew stated the department had body cameras since 2010 before he came. The City currently uses Vievu cameras; they have problems and don’t last. They were bought out by Taser (Axon). They have replacement programs for Axon cameras. There is a basic program (pay over 5 years), Assurance Plan (Chief recommends–pay over 5 years, get new cameras at 2.5 years and again at 5 years and it’s the newest camera) and Unlimited (this includes unlimited storage). These programs are all cloud based so all the video is uploaded and stored in the cloud. Due to salary savings from not filling the open position, Chief Drew asked for permission to move forward with the Assurance Plan for the first payment of $9,786 for a total $18,978. The new software is robust and the City of Lewiston has been using them for 6 months and hasn’t had issues. Attorney Green stated you can’t prosecute now without video. In his opinion nothing is more important than the video to prosecute criminal cases.
On motion by Councilor Winkler, second by Councilor Peterson to purchase the Axon cameras with the Technology Assurance Plan. ROLL CALL VOTE: YES: Canaday, Farris, Winkler, Lane, Grant, Peterson. NO: none. The motion passed.
ITEMS TO NOTE: 2018-19 Budget Meetings: July 17, 18 and 19 starting at 6pm
The meeting adjourned at 8:50 P.M.
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Wes Lester – Mayor
ATTEST:
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Tonya Kennedy – Clerk
