HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-01-10Meridian City Council Workshop January 10, 2017
A meeting of the Meridian City Council was called to order at 3:00 p.m.,
Tuesday, January 10, 2016, by Mayor Tammy de Weerd.
Members Present: Mayor Tammy de Weerd, Joe Borton, Keith Bird, Genesis
Milam, Luke Cavener, Ty Palmer and Anne Little Roberts.
Others Present: Bill Nary, C.Jay Coles, Jaycee Holman, Caleb Hood, Warren
Stewart, Scott Colaianni, Mark Niemeyer, Steve Siddoway, Colin Moss, Dale
Bolthouse and Dean Willis.
Item 1: Roll-call Attendance:
Roll call.
X_ Anne Little Roberts X_ _Joe Borton
X__ Ty Palmer X_ Keith Bird
__X__ Genesis Milam __X__ Lucas Cavener
__X Mayor Tammy de Weerd
De Weerd: Okay. I will go ahead and start our City Council meeting. For the
record it is Tuesday, January 10th. It's 3:00 o'clock. I will start with roll call
attendance, Mr. Clerk.
Item 2: Pledge of Allegiance
De Weerd: Item No. 2 is our Pledge of Allegiance. If you will all rise and join in
the pledge to our flag.
(Pledge of Allegiance recited.)
Item 3: Adoption of the Agenda
De Weerd: Item No. 3 is adoption of the agenda.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: Under 6-A we need to amend this to the agenda. Update the Council on
response to snow event.
De Weerd: What snow event?
Bird: Right. Chief Niemeyer and Tim Morgan. And this needs to be amended.
Resolution 17-1192, ratifying the declaration of local disaster emergency. The
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January 10, 2017
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rest is the same. Item 7-F, resolution number is 17-1193. Item 8-A, the
ordinance number 17-1719. 8-B the ordinance number is 17-1720. And with that
I move we approve the amended agenda.
Borton: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to adopt the agenda as amended. All
those in favor say aye. All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Item 4: Consent Agenda
A. Approve Minutes of December 20, 2016 City Council
Regular Meeting
B. Development Agreement for Citadel Storage at Ten Mile
(H-2016-0114) with Donald G. Hart located at 4015 N. Ten
Mile Road in the NE 1/4 of Section 34, Township 4N,
Range 1W
C. Development Agreement for Kyle Enzler for Maddyn
Village (H-2016-0075) located at 2975 and 3001 N.
Meridian Road, in the NE 1/4 of Section 1, Township 3N,
Range 1W
D. Third Addendum to the Development Agreement for
Paramount Director (H- 2016-0104) with Brighton
Development, Inc. located at the southwest corner of W.
Chinden Blvd. and N. Meridian Road, in the northeast ¼
of Section 25, Township 4 North, Range 1 West. In
accordance with original DA agreement
(Instrument #1031317116) and the Addendum to DA
Agreement (Instrument #113083665) and the Second
Addendum to DA agreement (Instrument #2016-005060)
E. Approval of Award of Bid and Agreement to POST
DRILLING for the “Well 32 Production Well -
Construction” project for a Not-To-Exceed amount of
$412,975.00
F. Approval of purchase of InfoMaster Software and
Services from Innovyze for a Not-To-Exceed amount of
$59,500.00 and authorize the Purchasing Manager to
sign Purchase Order #17-0145 for the Not-to-Exceed amount
of $59,500.00
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De Weerd: Okay. Item 4 is our Consent Agenda.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I move that we approve the Consent Agenda as published and the Mayor
to sign and the Clerk to attest.
Borton: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve the Consent Agenda. Mr.
Clerk, will you call roll.
Roll Call: Bird, yea; Borton, yea; Milam, yea; Cavener, yea; Palmer, yea; Little
Roberts, yea.
De Weerd: All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Item 5: Items Moved From the Consent Agenda
De Weerd: There were no items moved from the Consent Agenda.
Item 6: Community Items/Presentations
A. Update on State of Emergency.
De Weerd: So we will move to the first item, which was amended onto the
agenda and that is an update to Council on the state of emergency that was
called and what the efforts have been in that regard and I would like to thank
Commissioner Woods for being here and for Tim Nicholson as well. We
appreciate -- well, we will get into that in a little bit, but we do appreciate what
you and your team have been doing. I know I have communicated that on the
phone, but you have an enormous task. So, thank you for that. Chief.
Niemeyer: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, welcome to summer. I'd like
to provide you with a summary of the events that have taken place and our work
that has been done since declaring the state of emergency on Friday, Janua ry
6th. When that state of emergency was declared we did set up an impromptu
emergency management team to start coordinating efforts. Also developed the
first incident action plan. We are now into that second operational incident action
plan of coordination. We have -- it started with four priority areas as far as
making sure we are mitigating the issues that were going on out there in our city.
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One was the roadways and I just want to take a moment -- I know I'm going to
bring them up here in a little bit, but the coordination that we have had with
ACHD, as the Mayor just alluded to, has been outstanding. Tim Nicholson, who
is here today, has been our point of contact. He's attended every daily briefing
and provided us regular updates. Has been highly responsive when we get e-
mails from the community or messages from the community about issues that
are going on out there, Tim has done an outstanding job and I will be buying him
a steak dinner when this all done, because without his help we'd be in a lot worse
shape. So, we had the roadway division. ACHD has been primarily responsible
for all the roadways -- not primarily. They have been. But to go into the money
that City Council allocated initially with the state of emergency and the 25,000
dollars that was initially allocated, the incident management team sat down to
talk about priorities and, then, coordinated with ACHD on where those needs
were. The priority need within our community was cul-de-sacs. Cul-de-sacs had
a lot of snow accumulation. ACHD was not able to get in with big road graders to
do the turnaround. As soon as we contracted out work that was the first priority
for our contracted labor was in the cul-de-sacs. We have gotten a lot of positive
feedback from our community saying thank you for the work that we did that
allowed people to get to work and get out and -- and get moving around in the
cul-de-sacs. We will provide an update here shortly of the work that has been
done in those areas, so you can see a map of where we have completed that
work and where they are still working today in a little bit. The other area that we
have every winter is our infrastructure and making sure that our infrastructure is
cleared from the snow, so we can get our emergency responders out and make
sure City Hall is safe for the community. Here Roger has been doing an
outstanding job, as he always does year after year, but this year has taxed them
even more, obviously, with the extra work that we have been doing. So, the
infrastructure has remained clear. We have had a couple issues at facilities. We
had a water main break on Sunday at Fire Station No. 3. We had to displace the
crew over to Fire Station One while we got that taken care of and also over at PD
we had a gate that got stuck and damaged and luckily in the open position, not
the closed position. So, we have been trying to get a crew over there to work on
that. We have been monitoring the snow on the roof of this building. We have
seen some of the collapses, so we have been monitoring that as well. That has
been the extent of our -- any kind of building damage or infrastructure damage to
this point that I can report. The other division that we have is our pathways
division. Again, every year when we get the minimum amount out of snow our
Parks Department does a great job of getting out into those school pathways and
those connecting pathways to get kids to school. This has been unprecedented
in the amount of days that school has been closed. It's unprecedented for the
storm that we are having right now. We haven't had this much snow
accumulation since I believe 1943 is the last update I got from the weather
service. So, with that the pathways have become more challenging. Luckily for
us and the pathways and the sidewalks to school has been closed, because,
quite honestly, it's been hard to keep up on those. We also merged that
pathways division into a sidewalk division . Part of the money that you allocated
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we want to focus on not only the pathways around schools, but those walk zones
around schools for sidewalks. Many of us we are out and about early in the
morning, late at night, seeing people walking down the road in and around
schools. We have tried to send that message to stay out of the roads , but when
you have sidewalks that have 16 inches of snow on them people tend to get into
the roadways and we certainly didn't want kids out in the roadways and we have
seen a little bit of that and so that division has been merged into the sidewalks-
pathways division and Steve will give a brief update on some of our sidewalk
challenges and also successes as we have been going through this. As far as
the finance update, I want to provide you -- I did provide you a handout. You can
see this page on the front is kind of our structure and who is doing what. So, this
follows the incident command system structure. That's one of the most
organized structures you can have in a complex incident like this. We have
followed the ICS processing system. And, then, on the second page I want to
update you where we are at today with the money that you have allocated
specifically for this disaster. So, as of the end of today and we are anticipating
64,954 dollars spent out of the 75,000 that was allocated under the emergency
declaration. As far as overtime goes, that is not included in that number. You
can see the parks overtime. They have been working longer shifts just to keep
up and I will just mention now, there are a lot of folks in this city working that you
all should be very proud of and the Parks Department and the Water Department
and the work that they are doing is just outstanding. I don't know how they are
still standing. I was going to go buy them energy drinks just to keep them going,
but the work they have done under these circumstances and these conditions
have been amazing and I applaud them heavily. As far as any kind of the related
storm costs to this point, they are not part of the 75,000, but we are tracking -- I
mention the gates damaged at the Police Department. Fire Station Three, not
Two. I hope we didn't have an issue at Two. Was damaged. The waterline -- I
take that back. Fire Station Two did have an issue. I apologize. And, then, the
water line break at Fire Station Three. We also did have the ladder truck go to
an alarm. They pulled into the parking lot. They stopped completely and, then,
the truck decided to slide down at the slope and just bumped a couple of cars , so
we had some very minor damage there. And, then, we also had two patrol cars
that were rear-ended throughout the course of this. Those so far that we know of
have been our two work comp claims. Luckily those officers are back home -- is
that correct, Lieutenant Colaianni? I caught you. He's playing the new game --
Colaianni: I'm just saying yes.
Niemeyer: Taking the Fifth. So, those are our two work comp claims so far,
which is great news considering the weather that's out there and the ice rink that
we have all been walking on. As far as messaging goes and our
communications, Kaycee Emery has done an amazing job keeping up with all the
NextDoor messages and the e-mails that we have received. I will tell you they
are not all bad. There was a lot of good. Which is encouraging to see. Just as a
reminder for folks watching on the web and for you all, we do have a website
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specifically dedicated to updates and that's www.meridiancity.org/storm. And so
any new updates we post on information that we get we put that on the website.
The goal in times like this is to keep the message centralized and consistent. So,
today at 9:00 o'clock Kaycee had a meeting with the other PIOs in the valley to
insure that that constant message is being sent. We are doing that with ACHD
as well, so we are not sending conflicting messages to the public on any work
that we are doing currently. The upcoming divisions that will probably be set up
and the concerns that we have moving forward -- and we are starting to see it
today with the rain that we have gotten and that's flooding. We have several
areas now that have developed nuisance flooding at the intersections. With the
weather forecast coming up, with some freezing temperatures later on in the
week, we want to make sure that we try to get that flooding cleared up before we
get the freezing temperatures. We are keeping an eye on building integrity. You
have seen some collapses around the valley. We did have one here in Meridian
yesterday and so we are trying to watch rooftops and calculate snow loads so we
can advise businesses of their potential snow load on top of their buildings. We
will be distributing sandbags as the snow starts to melt -- melt off, so we will be
continuing to monitor that -- that melt off and that flooding and setting up a way
that folks can get sandbags. It's going to be primarily just for homeowners that
have flooding in front of their home to get sandbags in front of their foundation
vents and their front doors, just to prevent that flooding into the home. Those are
some of the challenges we have coming up. I think to the point of what we have
spent so far, which you have allocated and where we have prioritized that
spending, I believe we made a great stride, a great dent, and I think our public
has appreciated that. The money that you have been allocating so far has gone
to the cul-de-sac plowing, as well as some of the sidewalk clearing. It took a long
time to find the right equipment to start clearing those sidewalks. Between Dale
Bolthouse and Roger, they -- they were able to procure that equipment from
Tates Rents. It's been the rental cost of a skid steer with a narrower bucket and
also -- I think they call them ditch witches? Have I got that right? The ditch
witches are on the sidewalks and if you saw Cherry Lane sidewalk in front of
Meridian Middle School before this last snow, you saw the job they did and that's
the work that's been going on. So, that has been where the funding has been
allocated. I would like to invite Tim Nicholson and Commissioner Woods if you
want to say a word -- and will have Tim provide you with an ACHD update. We
had great progress going on and, then, this morning hit and so we kind of keep
going back to square one every time you get a new storm coming in . So, with
that I would love to have you guys come up.
Woods: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, thank you for the opportunity to
come out here today and have a break from reality back at the highway district.
So, we appreciate that. I just want to, number one, compliment your staff for the
partnership that we have had, it's just been tremendous, and with this historic
event, you know, not having necessarily practiced this year in and year out, it's
been a real remarkable integration. So, we really appreciate that. The other
thing that I want to convey and make sure that everybody understands is that the
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district is going to get into every residential street and every cul-de-sac as we
can. We don't -- we don't have a policy where we don't do that , but we try to
communicate is our priorities are, you know, the arterials and the collectors and
the reason we do that is that carries most of the traffic and it creates an
opportunity for goods to come into our community, so we can have food, we can
have fuel and it's where most people, obviously, take to get to work and to
commute. But we do go into residential streets as we have the opportunity. We
have been in 24/7 operation since mid-December and will continue to do that.
But what we continue to have to do is go back to those arterials and those
collectors in the evening to put down mag chloride , because we get, you know,
melting and, then, icing during the day and so we constantly are focused on
intersections is a priority for safety. We are constantly focusing our resources in
doing that. But just because the snow stops or the rain stops or whatever it's
doing out there stops, you know, we will continue in this 24/7 until we can get
through this and the team has been doing a great job and that's not constrained
by budget. We budgeted 1.8 million dollars for snow removal. This year we
have already spent three million dollars. What it's constrained by is resource
availability. You know, we go into the winter with the team you have. We have
reached out to contractors and we have 14 graders that we have on retainer.
You know, those are the resources that are available in the valley and the City of
Meridian pulled the miracle rabbit out of the hat with some of the other grader
contacts that you had, but we are not constrained by what we have budgeted.
You know, we are going to spend what we need to make sure that the
community is safe and we will continue to do that. So, I want to make sure that
message is heard loud and clear and we appreciate your help in outreach in
communicating to the community. We really do. And Tim and his gang are
doing a tremendous job. I can't say enough about Tim, the work he's done, as
well as all the people, you know, on the ground. I mean it's just amazing, you
know, the work that they have done and I don't know if anyone listen ed to KBOI
this morning, I was on KBOI and I don't know why I got off on this tangent, but,
you know, if you think about it, you know, these guys come on ten hour shifts, 12
hour shifts, driving the snow plow, middle of the night, I mean imagine doing that,
you got to have enough clothing in there in case your rig breaks down that you
stay warm in the event it's cold, but just the ability to have lunch or have
breakfast or go to the bathroom is pretty amazing. Those guys do that day in
and day out and the fact that those rigs don't break down and been running
constantly since mid-December -- I can't give him enough credit for doing that.
It's really -- really amazing. So, anytime feel free to call me. Some of you I know
and I will make sure I don't answer when you call, but, you know, as elected
officials I always appreciate the opportunity to communicate directly to you and
so appreciate the opportunity come out here today. So, unless there is any
questions for me I'm going to let Tim give the latest on what we are up to.
Nicholson: Madam Mayor and Council Members, t hanks for having me here
today to provide an update for you. I'd like to echo the same sentiments as
Commissioner Woods. Working with your staff, particularly Kaycee and Chief
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Niemeyer and Dale here, they have been outstanding. The resources that you
all have been able to dedicate and assist us with has been tremendous and we
greatly, greatly appreciate it and I think the community does as well. We have
been getting a lot of phone calls and a lot of e-mails, NextDoor, tweets,
Facebook, you name it. It's coming in in droves and to the point where our
administrative assistants are letting it all go to voicemail and, then, listening to
the voicemails and responding to the priority as is necessary and I'm sure your
staff is the same way and it's a big -- big, big undertaking. So, we appreciate you
guys fielding some of those calls and helping us triage the priorities out and --
and get to them as -- as we can. Right now as we speak -- this morning we had
a meeting and I believe we forwarded out our update and I don't know if you all
saw it or not, but it was to the action command group here. As of 9:00 o'clock
this morning we were only five percent complete with our number one priority,
which is arterials and collectors and major intersections, hospitals, railroad
crossings and such. That was due to the fact that it was still snowing at 9:00
o'clock. So, the crews made a pretty good dent in it throughout the day. We had
a fresh shift come on at 2:00 o'clock with wide eyes and fresh bodies, so they are
-- they are back hitting it hard. Like Commissioner Wood says, we are on full 24
hour operations, 12 on, 12 off, fully staffed with equipment and crew. All of our
equipment is up and running. Mechanics are doing a tremendous job keeping
stuff on the road. It comes in, they weld it back together, piece it back together,
wire nut it back together, whatever they have got to do to keep things going. We
have been really fortunate that we haven't really had any down equipment .
Accidentwise, knock on wood, the guys have been doing great. We have had
some slide offs, nothing to break things. Just need a tow truck to pull them back
out kind of thing. So, they have been doing really well with that. As far as our
update now, I'd say we are probably 50 percent to 60 percent done with our main
priority of arterials and collectors. We haven't dipped into the school zones yet.
Our goal is 24 hours after the storm stops to have priority one done and, then,
another 12 hours after that to get into priority two, which is school zones.
Trickling down after that we will get into the residential neighborhoods. Like
Commissioner Woods also said, that's unprecedented for us. We don't do
residential streets typically, but in an event like this you don't have a choice, you
have to get people out and we know that you're probably getting a lot of calls
saying when are they going to get to my subdivision or they were here and they
left, when are they going to come back. Be patient. That's all I can say. We are
expecting weather through tomorrow. From what I could see Thursday, Friday,
Saturday, Sunday it looks dry, which is great. Cold. We can deal with the cold.
We like the dry. We will get caught up again hopefully then. We have more
contractors in the waiting ready if we need them. A lot of these guys have been
working round-the-clock with us and we team up with our own plows or we have
been putting them off on their own in subdivisions to help clear streets and
they're doing a great job as well. For your contract loaders that have been out,
that effort has been monumental. We can't get into the cul-de-sacs -- I can be
honest with you. We can with some of our equipment, our smaller pieces of
equipment, but the equipment that we typically use for road plowing, graders and
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dump trucks, don't do well in the cul-de-sacs. They can't -- they just can't fit.
And you couple that with the fact that there is cars usually parked in there and, of
course, traffic wants to get in and out. The wheel loaders and backhoes are the
way to go on those and we greatly appreciate the efforts and dollars that you
guys have moved towards us to assist us and as do the residents of Meridian.
We have gotten some great feedback as well. So, we are willing to give you all
the sand and working with Chief Niemeyer on that as necessary. If you need a
load of sand and just let me know and we will get it over there to you. Were at a
designated location. We have worked with Kaycee and I know she's working
with the other communication outreach folks and to send a congruent message
that says ACHD will not provide sandbags. Contact your local jurisdiction to get
the sandbags and we will supply as much sand as you all need to do so at any
location necessary. So, just to reinforce our priorities for flooding, are life safety,
property damage, and, then, nuisance water. I haven't seen any life safety
issues yet. We have had a few calls and e-mails about folks needing to get out
for kidney dialysis or a doctor appointment or a cancer treatment or something
like that. We jump those up to the front of the list as best we can. So, if you do
get those or your staff gets those, by all means send those to us and we will get
it. Anything that involves continuity of operations for your staff, if they need help
from us, by all means let us know, we will get a plow truck out there. If you can't
make it in, let us know, we will send somebody out that way and that goes with
any of the other important members of your staff who need to be here to run the
city. I think that's about it for me. The roadway widths are narrowing a little bit
with this wet snow -- heavy wet snow that we have had. We just can't push it
quite as far as you can the light stuff and, of course, there was already a
substantial berm there, so you will notice that. But in the meantime we are doing
the best we can to keep the roads open all way to the fog line, though we are
running out of room right now though , so -- stand for any questions or -- that you
might have.
De Weerd: Thank you. Council, any questions for either Commissioner Woods
or Tim? I will say, you know, it's -- it's really emphasized the different
jurisdictions in the county and we have been sharing their elected officials phone
numbers, as on your website that, you know, I think for the most part we have
been trying to field the calls regarding the roads and have appreciated the
responsiveness of -- thank Tim and the team for getting the equipment out to --
as you mentioned those that are chronically ill , that have hospice care, and those
kind of special circumstances. That's been excellent. I know our employee up in
the Mayor's office is a brand new employee and she got to start right as this
event started. So, it's like welcome to my office, but she's still coming to work, so
we -- we appreciate -- and, again, it's because of the response -- responsiveness
to it. I will say that Steve's team, our Parks -- our Parks crew, our water guys --
Dale as acting director in Public Works, I'm -- I'm certainly glad he keeps coming
to work as well, because he's worn so many new hats that you can't even
imagine. It makes your head spin. So, hats off to you and your team as well.
But it's -- it's been a team effort and it certainly makes me proud to be a part of
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this city team where our employees are out there -- our police are carrying
shovels in their cars. Our fire personnel are -- are going and helping shut-ins as
well where -- where we have the opportunity. This is -- and I know Director
Wong uses the one team, one fight, and it truly is. So, Council, your support in
putting resources into our neighborhoods I know has -- has definitely been
noticed. In some cases it's not fast enough, but what people don't understand is
every new snow event it starts with top priorities and, then, it begins all over
again and we have had a number of those weather events. So, it's just begging
patience. It's even try and understand jurisdictional lines and where Meridian
ends and Boise begins, because ACHD wants to stay true to the dollars that are
being expended by Meridian, that it -- it stays in Meridian. So, that's a -- that's a
tremendous task and we appreciate all the efforts.
Nicholson: Thank you very much.
Woods: Thank you.
De Weerd: Okay.
Niemeyer: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, I do want to go through a
couple of slides real quick to expand on making sure you know the dollars that
you did allocate for this emergency declaration you know where they were spent.
Predominately the majority of this money -- and the initial 75,000 dollars has
been allocated to that cul-de-sac clearing. That has been the priority along with
the sidewalks. We got this update from Tim a couple of days ago, so I want to
make sure that you understand where they started and where they are at with the
cul-de-sac clearing. So, the first map you see is where they started. We have
two contractors working under ACHD's guidance. They actually report to the
ACHD facility on Cloverdale, they are given their assignments, as well as radios,
so there is communication and coordination with the other plow crews that are
out. They started north of I-84. You see that Titan was there bordering the
Eagle and Locust Grove section and, then, we had Granite in the next two mile
stretch. They started just north of I-84 and continued north up to Ustick. If you
could click the next slide there. They continued on north to Chinden. You will
see up in the upper right-hand corner the word no. That one mile block right
there. The challenge with that -- and the Mayor alluded to it -- is that that
jurisdictional border that happens right in the middle of a half -mile -- or in the
middle of some type of geographical segment like this, it's pretty hard for ACHD
to understand which one is Meridian and which one is Boise to direct those
crews. So, that one corner there that you see was not covered as far as the cul -
de-sacs. Is that still correct, Tim? Okay. Next slide, C.Jay. This is moving -- the
priority, then, south. That work begin this morning, Tim, or yesterday? The work
south of I-84. Okay. We did have a one day delay. We had those crews out and
the weather got so bad with the ice they couldn't even run their skid steers and
their other equipment. So, we did have a one day delay. That's why we are just
starting to hit south today, as well as the other crews hitting from Linder to Black
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Cat on the north side of I -84. So, that work was being done simultaneously
with the work on -- in south Meridian. As far as any updates on south Meridian,
percentage completion --
De Weerd: We need you --
Niemeyer: You knew you were going to get up here one way or another.
Bolthouse: Yeah. Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, I visited with both of
our contractors who have just been fantastic. We have been utilizing Granite and
Titan. So, I visited with them just briefly here about an hour ago. Titan is south
of the freeway and working through their quadrants. We have two of their loader
crews that are working in those subdivisions. Granite we have got four loaders.
They are the team that moved west and now are moving back towards I-84.
They are making good progress and it's anticipated that they -- with no further
delays, they may be hitting south -- if not first thing in the morning, it will be early
in the morning they will be able to move south. So, we will have six loader crews
down there continuing their progress and hitting the south side of -- of the town,
so --
De Weerd: Any questions from Council?
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes, Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: I'm not asking this because it's part of the area in which I live, but I am
going to ask the question. There appears to be west of Locust Grove and south
of Overland is not included. I just think of that section as Meridian Greens where
there is a large senior population that lives within that neighborhood. I'm curious
as to why that area isn't included or if it is included I'm just not understanding it.
Niemeyer: Madam Mayor, Councilman Cavener, great question. When we
coordinated this with ACHD they kind of said here is where we are going to start
and here is where we are going to keep mo ving to. With the funds that we have
-- and I have mentioned that we are right now 64,000 and some change -- when
we started south that was the priority area as determined by ACHD, but to your
point there is still work to do east and west of this area t hat they are currently
working on in south Meridian. So, if there is a discussion about the continued
state of emergency and any kind of consideration of continued funding, there is
work to be done if we want these contractors to stay on.
Cavener: Madam Mayor. Then maybe a comment for the Council. If it's being
determined that we do need to continue to that, then, I think that we should
continue to hit all the areas and, then, this is just my personal opinion that that
area up north that we chose to omit because we couldn't quite determine a
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boundary -- get that area taken care of. I mean I don't know what the rest of the
Council thinks, but --
Bird: I agree with you.
Cavener: -- to tell the Meridian taxpayers that we couldn't get you, because we
weren't quite sure if you were in Boise or Meridian, I would not want to be that
taxpayer. I would be pretty upset if that was the reason I was being told.
De Weerd: And we have already had that conversation to identify where those
are. In addition, north of Chinden and west of Linder are also Meridian residents
that -- that need to -- to be hit. Again, it's -- as we understand it, many of these
subdivisions have had some level of service . It's -- it's trying to -- our first priority
as a partner to ACHD is to get to those roads and areas -- subdivisions that have
not seen a plow one lane through at all. So, I think at this point we are not sure
about our resources, so we have one contractor that has other work, you know,
that they will need to do, but the other contractor, as I understand it, is -- their
work is -- is for the city and we can -- we can delay that work from moving
forward where we can. So, we would need additional authorization on resources.
Niemeyer: So, as the Mayor mentioned, that is an area where if we want to
continue that work, additional funding is going to be needed. Currently, we have
the equipment for the sidewalk clearing. As I mentioned earlier, it took some
days to get that. I have asked Steve to hold on to that. Certainly they are using
it right now, so we are not not using it. But with everybody in demand of that type
of equipment, if we have more work to do I would like to maintain that equipment
as rentals, because my fear is once we let it go it's gone and it's going to be
really tough to find that again. It took us several days just to get what we have .
We talked about putting skid steers on sidewalks. My concern was that we are
going to do more damage than good. A skid steer blade is about six foot wide,
maybe five foot wide. A sidewalk is four foot. So, you can imagine the
landscape and the water meters and everything else that we are going to tear up
and if you have ever operated that type of machinery you know it's pretty easy to
tear things up. And so the equipment they did find works perfectly, I'd love to try
and keep that around. The additional expense that may be coming is the
flooding issue. As we were just talking as Tim was presenting, Lieutenant
Colaianni informed me that we just had a rollover on I-84 because of water over
the freeway. So, we are starting to see those flooding issues. The biggest cause
for that, in talking to Tim, that the drains certainly have the capacity to hold the --
to take the water away, but they are plugged and so we are going to need to get
some folks out there to get those unplugged. Right now the Parks staff are
heavily involved in the operation. We can't just send them out there and avoid
what they are doing, so we are going to have to find the resources to get out and
start working those drains to clear them.
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De Weerd: And, chief, I think one of the things that the team has talked about --
and I have heard feedback from neighbors that as Titan or Granite are out in
those areas they are -- they are paying attention to where those storm drains are
and loading the snow -- except for one picture we got on NextDoor and they went
out and took care of that. But I appreciate their sensitivity for that. We have
heard really good things about Titan and Granite and being sensitive as they are
doing their pass through that they are not blocking them -- that little aisle into a
little bulb out or into the -- the next road. So, I would hope, Dale, that you can
pass on our appreciation to both of those companies and the attention to detail
that they really are implementing. So, they are clearing those. I guess to ACHD,
one of the things we have learned as people are -- our citizens are amazing. I
just want to say. Act -- you know, act after act of kindness to helping -- neighbors
helping neighbors has been amazing. They are trying really hard to do their part
of being a good citizen and locating those drains. But as you put in your address
it will narrow it down, but as you try to -- to get in closer you lose -- you lose the
map and so they are not able to clearly identify where those drains specifically
are and we had a new subdivision Bellano Creek that they weren't even on the
map, so there is a little bit of extra details -- because our citizens are really going
on there trying to do the right thing. So, it continues to just make me proud to be
the Mayor of the City of Meridian with -- serving with all of you and being willing
to step up and do our part, but serving citizens that stand ready to help where
they need to.
Niemeyer: To that point, Mayor, about storm drain and the location of storm
drains, again, in partnership with ACHD -- and this is where cooperation comes
into play -- if you've ever dealt in the IT world, GIS folks are a little hesitant to
hand over layers to other organizations. They like to keep that close to their
chest. Because of his state of emergency ACHD was kind enough to give us
their GIS layer for all of the storm drains. We recognize that their program did
have a glitch as we were trying to dive down in to Meridian and so our IT
Department was able to convert that and update that so it's working very well for
Meridian. That is in that same webpage that everything else is in that
meridiancity.org/storm. So, if folks want to get out there to clear their drains --
and they have done a great job. The challenge we have now is with this snow
and how wet it is. It's getting really heavy. So, a lot of folks are having a hard
time clearing that drain. It's going to require a little bit more than just a snow
shovel to clear. So, we are going to need some folks with probably some
sledgehammers to break some ice and start clearing out those priority drains
where we are seeing some flooding. We also have, just as you know, as far as
flooding goes, ACHD has vacuum trucks that they will be deploying. We have
our vacuum truck as well. In the event we see significant flooding where we
have very, very deep flooding, we can get a fire engine out there to do some
drafting, but it's got to be pretty deep to do that. We are talking about working
with the city and departments to see what we have as far as pump availability.
Portable pumps. The challenge with that is where do you throw the water when
you pump it out. But we know that's coming where we are going to have some
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folks calling us saying that their church basement is flooded or a business is
flooded. We, in the fire department tend to get those calls anyway when a water
main breaks, so we go out and start assisting with that and shutting the water off
and squeegeeing the water out. So, we know that's coming and we are doing
our best to prepare for that as well.
De Weerd: Chief, thank you for keep going back to our website and I'm sure
Kaycee probably paid you to -- to mention it as many times as you could. But I
will also say that our -- our website is very comprehensive. So, every partner out
there from Republic Services to Idaho Power to ACHD, the city and the various
activities there, there is a link and any response that that agency has given us we
posted on there. So, itis current. We are doing daily, if not more frequent
updates via NextDoor and getting information out as quickly as we can to -- to
the neighbors. So, if -- if you're -- if you're on any of those social media sites you
can stay up-to-date and that -- that helps relieve us from trying to remember to
send an e-mail, because those e-mails are really being translated into social
media posts, so all of our citizens can be kept up to date as well.
Niemeyer: Also, Members of the Council, I -- Steve did pay me as well to stand
up here and speak to you -- however his -- his crews have been doing an
amazing job, as I mentioned, on the pathways and the sidewalks. He is here as
a resource if you have any specific questions about any pathway issues or
sidewalk issues I know Steve would love to come up here and give you an
update if there is any specific issues or questions.
De Weerd: Steve, I think it would be great if Council really knows the scope of
what your team has really done , because it is pretty amazing. They are -- they
are not only taking care of -- taking care of our citizens so they continue to have
access near clearing areas around all the emergency responders and all public
facilities, but in addition to that -- and we are talking 12 employees. So --
Siddoway: So, priority one for our crew at the beginning of any snow event is to
keep our emergency services running. They are out at the police, they are at the
fire stations, making sure that they are able to respond to -- to calls and respond
to emergencies. So, our crews are out there. Of course, they take care of City
Hall and other locations like that. Last week before the state of emergency was
called, we had finished our priority ones and we would normally be , then, moving
out to our parks to get them cleared , open, things like that, but the decision was
made that before doing recreational sites like parks, it was more important for us
to jump in and help these kids get back to school. So, we contacted the school
district, we contacted the Boys & Girls Club, we helped out there. We did about
five different sites last week for the school district, including Meridian Elementary,
Peregrine, bus drop off at Mountain View, Jabil parking for Renaissance and ISU
and Lewis & Clark Middle School.
De Weerd: Compass Charter.
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Siddoway: That was where we started. And, then, we put out the call for -- okay.
Give us your priorities and where we can make the biggest -- the biggest
difference for helping -- we can point some resources in getting out there and the
communication with the school district has been great, we have been
communicating through Joe Yokum, assistant superintendent, came out to his
region directors, who went to the principals, the principals put together lists,
looked at their needs and went back to Joe, out to us. We created maps and
there is a variety of different sites. We had seven schools and, you know, some
of those schools have two priority roads and sidewalks, others have up to, you
know, eight or -- or sometimes more. We have -- we went out yesterday and
have been -- we are hitting those seven sites. We got about four of them
completed, which means, you know, multiple streets for each of those and I have
some photos -- I don't know if we want to try and bring those up or -- I can just do
this verbally, but Meridian High School --
De Weerd: I think photos would be good.
Siddoway: -- Meridian Middle School -- I e-mailed you, if you're able to pull up --
check your e-mail. It's a separate one from this. I sent the e-mail right after this
one. But these are the seven sites that while -- and you can see -- oh, messed
up the -- I'm sorry. But the -- the sites that we have been working on are there.
We have had our crews out at Meridian Middle School -- so, can I run this from
here or -- okay. So, maybe just scroll through some of the pictures. This is a
photo of the type of equipment that we have found that's making the best -- doing
the most good. They are these -- they call them ditch witches or mini skid steers.
They have got the bucket on the front. Can you scroll down a little bit? This
photo here is one that has been in operation. You can see that the y fit very well
on -- on a sidewalk. You can go down -- there is the effective one as it's going
down a sidewalk. This is on 8th Street. It's next to Meridian Middle School. And
keep going down. This was the sidewalk along Cherry Lane yesterday. The --
the plows have since come by and no longer looks quite that clear, but if you -- I
will show you one later where that's happened . Here is an example of a
micropath into an elementary school site of Chief Joseph. We do want -- it's not
-- our guys are out. We have had a couple from the water department out there
helping us and here they are along Locust Grove doing those priority routes out
to Discovery Elementary. So, here -- this sidewalk with the snow on it -- this is
an example of one that we cleared last week before the last couple of storms.
So, this is at Meridian Elementary and, you know, good news, bad news. The
bad news is I got snowed on again. It was perfectly clear at one time. The good
news is it's a lot easier to walk on, you know, three or four inches of snow than
on 18 inches of snow. So, as you can tell there is a lot of footprints there.
People are still able to use it and they don't have to walk in the roadway, which is
what we really want to avoid and it will be -- if we need to go back a second time
and some of these sites, then, you know, we can do that. You know, that may be
-- we saw examples of the work that the crews are being leveraged through
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ACHD are doing. This is an example of a cul-de-sac we came to over near Chief
Joseph Elementary and, you know, those -- those are some of the efforts. So,
we do have additional priorities that ha ve been sent by the school district. They
have been deployed to today, including Sawtooth Middle, Barbara Morgan,
Hunter Elementary, Ponderosa and, then, some out near Paramount and Rocky
Mountain. So, these guys are working hard, they are coming in early, working
long, and -- but it's a fantastic effort and we are glad to be part of it. So, I will
stand for any questions.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes, Mrs. Milam.
Milam: I don't have any questions, but more a comment. Steve, right on my way
in this afternoon I saw some of those guys on -- doing -- on Meridian Road on the
sidewalk and it's cold and it's rainy and they are standing up -- they can -- what a
rough job. So, yeah, our sincere appreciation to what they are having to go
through and do for our citizens. I appreciate it.
Siddoway: Okay. I will pass it on when this is all said and done, you know,
maybe we can bring them forward. But I do think the chief is correct that, you
know, the next issue is going to be flooding. You saw me walk in part way into
Chief Niemeyer's presentation. That was because of taking a call from the Boys
& Girls Club, they are currently, as we speak right now, experiencing some
flooding issues, we are trying to get over to help on that as well. S o, anyway,
that is an ongoing effort and we will keep -- we will keep going, so --
De Weerd: Well, Council, I would like to -- after this is all said and done is -- and
I mentioned this to Tim and certainly our incident management team is I'd like to
bring in those that have been working around the clock to -- to give them some
recognition and show them our appreciation, so -- I think Tim said something like
March or April, but we will try and do it a little bit sooner than that , while they still
can see that we do appreciate that. Thank you, Steve.
Niemeyer: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, I will wrap this up to let you
know where we are moving forward. We are going to continue with the priorities
that you established and the incident management team is established as far as
sidewalks and cul-de-sacs with the contracted work. We also know that flooding
is coming and we are going to need to allocate some resources to that,
especially in the next two days I believe until we get the freez ing weather. What
we want to do is make sure those major roadways with significant flooding are
taken care of and I think ACHD and the amount of flooding that's going to go on
throughout the county is going to be very tied up, so I think we are going to need
to assist in that effort. We are going to be working in 24-hour operational
periods, so daily there is a 10:00 o'clock planning meeting and, then, 2:00 o'clock
there is a briefing to look at the next day's operations and to articulate that
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message and a consistent message. So, with that, the topic we all love to talk
about and that's how do we continue to fund the priorities of what we want to
continue to fund. As far as -- there is still work that needs to be done to south
Meridian as far as the cul-de-sac clearing. We are continuing that work in
coordination with ACHD. As Councilman Cavener mentioned I agree, that
northern corner needs to be hit regardless of that line. We have a lot of
sidewalks and our focus right now, as we mentioned, is strictly on those
sidewalks around the walk zones and schools. I will tell you that the chief -- and I
know the police chief agrees with me, we have also some high priority areas,
mainly in arterials that aren't necessarily near a school zone that folks are still
walking in the street on. I picked somebody up on Cherry Lane. I picked
somebody up yesterday on Pine. It was not in a school zone. She was walking
to work, because she was stuck in her car and she was walking in the road. That
is a very big safety concern we have. If we so choose I think we also need to,
then, prioritize those sidewalks outside of the walk zones once we complete
those. So, if you agree that would require an additional use of the equipment
that we do have on rent. So, with that there is several different options that you
can consider. Many -- many times when we have disaster declarations like this --
and, quite honestly in the seven years I have been the chief this is the first time
we have done this, but when we have conditions like this where you cannot
predict the future, I would love to be able to say I know what the weather forecast
is in the next seven days and what's going to occur and what our challenges are
going to be. If I could do that I think ACHD would hire me at a very expensive
pay if I could do that, but I can't. So, with that we don't know exactly what that
funding challenge is going to be if we want to continue the priority work that we
have identified. Oftentimes with disaster declarations when the purchasing
authorities are somewhat -- and I use the word very carefully -- relaxed where
you have to -- you can avoid the bid process to get the equipment that you need,
there is no dollar amount set to it, because you simply can't predict what it's
going to cost. I know that makes people very uncomfortable. Obviously, I think I
would be uncomfortable writing a blank check to myself. But with that that is one
way of handling it. If we wanted to look at trying to continue the funding, if you
agree that the priorities should be maintained, we have a council meeting next
Tuesday, we could identify a cost that would get us through next Tuesday and
based on the anticipated cost for the priorities that we have set out as a team
and anything beyond that I would certainly entertain and maybe turn it over to the
Mayor for that discussion as well to continue the work that we have been doing.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: Excuse me. I think that we, within our budgets for a week we can find a
way to keep the rented equipment in our hands. First hand on how well those
ditch witches or whatever they call them, you can't put a skid steer on those
sidewalks. They are doing a great job and like Genesis said, those guys are
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working really, really hard and doing a great job. So, I have no problem myself of
continuing this. I think that's what our citizens deserve until we get it solved and I
don't think -- I don't think -- we might have worse problems with the water than
we did with the snow when it gets going here, so I'm just thankful we got the
resources to use.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Chief, what -- what's the anticipated dollar amount to get us from here
to a week from now? What's a ballpark dollar?
Niemeyer: Ballpark for seven days for the work -- based on our history here
more than 90,930 would be the ballpark. That's just based on the five days that
we have done and, then, kind of doing some math and saying if we do seven
days. I was just speaking with Keith Watts -- there is some of these figures that
we feel are a little bit low, because we haven't received all the invoices yet .
However, two of those days, Saturday and Sunday, there would be less work
being done, so we feel that that's a comfortable number if we want to try and get
to the next seven days at work, continuing the priorities that we have been
discussing and, then, re-evaluate next Tuesday.
Cavener: Thank you.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: Is there anything about the plan that pivots towards focusing some
additional resources on opening those storm drains?
Niemeyer: That would be part of this next week's priority. Tomorrow morning at
10:00 we are going to be talking about getting a storm drain flooding division up
and running. We just need to allocate the resources to it, find resources that I
mentioned, the Parks crews and the Water crews are completely tied up right
now, so we are going to have to look for additional resources to get that done
and I believe with the less work done on Saturda y and Sunday, if you approve
that budget request amount, that will help cover costs if we need to go out and
find some contractors to start doing some -- some of that sledgehammer and
some of those storm drains. That would be coordinated with ACHD. They have
given us a priority map of where they believe flooding will occur in those priority
drains. A lot of it is north of I-84. There is a little bit south, if I remember right,
Tim. I'm guessing Overland between Ten Mile and Linder is one of those,
because we are facing that right now. So, we will be able to prioritize those
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storms drains, where we are going to start. It will predominantly be on arterials
first and, then, getting into secondaries next.
Borton: Madam Mayor. But that start -- that will start right away?
Niemeyer: We will develop the plan tomorrow and that will go into effect, then,
on Thursday. We start work on Thursday.
Borton: Okay. As an additional area to attack? Okay.
Niemeyer: In additional to what we are doing today.
De Weerd: And up until this time we have just been asking our citizens and
when -- if we have personnel in that area to -- to look for those storm drains. It's
been hard for our citizens to find it, because it's under snow and it's -- I think the
maps show kind of -- it's your best guess on how to interpret the map and where
it is. So, it's -- it's onerous, but --
Niemeyer: And to that point, Madam Mayor, when we did get that GIS layer from
ACHD -- as I mentioned IT was able to convert that for us, so actually have the
GPS location of those storm drains, so when we send folks out with a GPS unit
they won't spend so much time trying to search in the snow, they will have a
really good idea of where that storm drain is through a GPS location.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: And I think that continued efforts through NextDoor and social media
really -- you know, encouraging people to go out and find those. I know our
subdivision has been extremely involved in huge conversations and that -- you
know, several times a day and probably most of the storm drains in my
neighborhood are clear, because they are -- I mean there are really on it and so
just getting those conversations started amongst the subdivisions themselves
and -- I think it would really -- would really help that people get out and find them
and the ones that haven't looked yet.
De Weerd: I think our biggest challenge is we can put that out through NextDoor
and it goes out on a citywide, but we don't know what the conversations are --
are ensuing from that information in each of the neighborhoods and some of our
neighborhoods are a little bit more -- are younger than others, so I don't know, it's
-- it's hard to say subdivision to subdivision they are responding a little bit
different and even this Sunday we had church es sending -- deploying their own
little teams to go out and help shovel walkways and -- and that sort of thing. So,
again, we don't know where they are being uncovered and where they still aren't.
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I think where there is standing water you can probably guess that there is -- there
is less work being done in the area or they haven't been able to locate them .
Milam: Right. And I'm not saying not out and -- to clear them, just -- but to
continued effort -- you know, keep putting it out there, especially to those who
haven't --
De Weerd: In addition to clearing sidewalks.
Milam: In addition -- yes.
Niemeyer: And just to reiterate to that point, Council Woman, the storm drain
clearing that we would undertake would certainly be in those priority areas, so
this is -- this is a storm drain map that we have used. It gives us the geo location
of the storm drains. So, we are not going to have folks spending a lot of time
trying to hunt and peck, they should be able to get right to it. But the work that
would be done this week on storm drains would be those priority areas in
coordination with ACHD making sure our teams aren't going to the same place
twice and coordinating that effort, but it would be on the main arterials and
secondary roadways to ensure life safety. So, the subdivisions, the
neighborhoods, would come next. I just want to make sure we are sending a
good message out there on that -- that issue.
Milam: Thank you.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: I really appreciate what you and the whole team have been doing and
are going to continue to do. There are a multitude of reasons why a municipality
has savings and this is one of them. If there is resources that you need -- fiscal
resources. I would not be inclined to wait until next Tuesday, I would ask us
immediately, perhaps in the next five minutes.
De Weerd: I think he did.
Borton: There shouldn't -- like Commissioner Woods had brought up with
ACHD's focused efforts to not let, you know, fiscal constraints limit the ability to
address this emergency. We trust your judgement and that of the entire team to
do so prudently and efficiently and fairly. So, make the request of what you truly
need to address everything that's needed . Storm drains in addition to all the
others that you described.
Niemeyer: And I greatly appreciate that. That is sound, to try and say if we
anticipate this going four weeks here is our anticipated cost. It just varies based
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on what the weather does, et cetera. So, really the two options are approval for
funding to meet the priorities until the incident is over. We are keeping you
updated with the progress on those priorities or setting a dollar amount, a specific
time frame and, then, completing those priorities and coming back if there is
additional needs presenting those to you. Those are really the two options -- two
ways you can go with this.
De Weerd: So, chief, it sounds like for one week activities to do the -- the paths,
the road clearing is around -- right now we are at close to 60,000, 70,000?
Niemeyer: Sixty-five thousand.
De Weerd: And you said something -- it would be 90,000 a week. So, if Council
would authorize to 200,000 or 180,000, whatever you're comfortable with, that
the team would report back again next week and perhaps a midweek update on
finances -- Keith, if we could put something like that out to -- to Council on Friday,
so we know where we are at with our resources and where they have been
allocated to. And I guess I would ask ACHD as part of that update, if we could
get some kind of an indicator on where we are at in clearing these -- these
subdivisions, kind of where we have been assigned in terms of the cul-de-sacs
and cul-de-sacs are defined, Council -- because I always thought it was the little
one road with the little bulb out at the end -- is a road that doesn't connect to
another. So, it could be something that's not a cul-de-sac, but because it doesn't
connect one road to another road, that's considered one of those cul-de-sacs.
So, we are constantly learning and we -- we can give you that kind of updated in
terms of what percentage complete we are.
B. Resolution 17-1192 Authorization for Disaster
Emergency
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I think we need to do this by resolution. We have got a resolution here, but
that's only for the amount of 75,000.
Nary: Mr. Bird, Members of the Council, actually, there is no dollar amount
affixed to this resolution.
Bird: Okay. We can make it up to 200,000.
Nary: You can do that by -- as part of your motion.
Bird: As a motion. Madam Mayor?
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De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I would move that we take resolution 17 -1192 and make the amount of the
dollars for authorization for the local disaster emergency to 200,000 dollars.
Borton: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Mr. Clerk, will yo u
call roll.
Roll Call: Bird, yea; Borton, yea; Milam, yea; Cavener, yea; Palmer, yea; Little
Roberts, yea.
De Weerd: All ayes.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Niemeyer: Thanks for your time.
C. Idaho Transportation Department: Access at Village
Drive and Eagle Road Update
De Weerd: One team, one fight. Item 6 -B also was added to the agenda, which
we just did. So, Item 6-C is under the Idaho Transportation Department. I guess
we will stick with the topic of roads. Thank you for joining us and I understand
ITD really stepped forward on this road clearing or snow displacement. I'm
learning new technology -- or terminology as well. So, if you will pass on our
thanks to ITD staff for stepping into the fray as well.
Bowen: Yes. Absolutely. We are very similar to ACHD. I know our staff has
been working two 12 hour shifts around the clock for the last several weeks.
Madam Mayor, Members of City Council, thank you for allowing me to provide
you an update on the access at Eagle Road and Village Drive and our progress
that we have been making with Center Cal. I'm Erika Bowen, a traffic engineer
for the Idaho Transportation Department in District Three. We have been having
continued discussions with Center Cal and their engineering consultants since
the last time I did a presentation to you. Our last meeting being about two weeks
ago where we have made really good progress on it. ITD has informed Center
Cal that we are looking to receive two items and being able to understand those,
so that we can move forward with working with them to get a permitted signal at
that access point and to allow it to be reopened. What we are looking for from
them is an updated model simulation that will show us the volumes at full build
out of Center Cal's development of what a signalized left in at this access will
look like. Specifically what we are concerned is about mobility along Eagle
Road. So, we want to make sure that when you're allowing that left in into Village
Drive it's not impeding northbound traffic on Eagle Road. We have looked at this
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ourselves, kind of using today's traffic volumes, but we want to see that forecast.
And just looking at today's traffic volumes it appears to ITD that it will work, that
you will catch some of the traffic that is making the right off of Fairview to
northbound Eagle Road, but is pretty minimal. We are looking at maybe catching
ten vehicles and, then, the clearing before the northbound traffic on Eagle Road
progresses. So, that was really our concern is we didn't want another pinch point
at this -- at this. So, we are looking for that model simulation, for them to give us
a presentation. The other thing that we are looking for is we are wanting them to
show us a strategy of how they are going to imp rove River Valley, specifically for
the left turning movements. Those are the left-turning movements off Eagle
Road onto River Valley. We are seeing very poor utilization of those two left turn
lanes. Most of the traffic is in the outside lane of the two left lanes, because they
want to make -- if you look on here -- so, most folks are taking the outside lanes
and they are wanting to come in here. What they can actually do is use the
inside left turning lane and be able to come all the way down here to Records
Avenue. We have to figure out a way that we get better utilization. What we are
seeing at ITD and I know we have gotten numerous phone calls from citizens is
backups on Eagle Road all the way to Ustick and McMillan during peak times
and when you follow that and track it all the way back it is because there is so
many folks wanting to get into that left lane and just that one particular left lane .
So, we made it clear to Center Cal it's a package deal, to be able to get the
signal permitted we also need to see how they are going to internal circulation to
help affect River Valley, because they are not at full build out yet for their
development. So, this will -- this problem will only continue without a solution.
We are waiting on them to give us this presentation. I talked with their consultant
last week and he said they are still working on that , not ready -- quite ready to
present to us. But in talking with Center Cal, as soon as they are able to do that
presentation, sure of their strategies for fixing River Valley, they anticipate it to be
about six to nine months to get through design and construction . So, potentially
you could see a signal light left in only at River Valley sometime this summer ,
early fall, if all things go well. One of the items that we have reminded Center
Cal in getting through this process and, then, going through the permit process
with us is that we are only permitting a signal light -- a signal for the left in it at
Village Drive. There are currently no permitted access for that west parcel west
of Eagle Road. When a developer wants to approach ITD and ask for access
along Eagle Road, they will need a transportation impact study and we will take
them through the full permitted process. Whether it's Center Cal who goes after
that or another developer, one of the things that we will be asking that developer
in their application is that they need to evaluate different strategies and
signalizing left-ins to that west parcel, too. We want to make sure that they look
at what can they do at River Valley, what can they do along Fairview. Are there
any other access points that might be just right-in or right-out only. We don't
want to see just one solution using a signal at Village Drive . With that, like I said,
we are just waiting on Center Cal to follow through with their presentation and
their strategy to us. Once ITD determines that this is a reasonable solution that
will not affect mobility -- significantly affect mobility along Eagle Road, we are
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happy to walk them through the permitting process. Center Cal will be providing
the design work, construction, funding the signal. ITD ultimately will only
maintain that signal.
De Weerd: Thank you, Erika. Any questions from Council?
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: I just wanted to thank you for continuing to work on this and allow the --
the ideas to keep flowing towards this eventually happening. I have talked to
some employers in there that have noticed, you know, a difference -- and
especially their employees and everybody trying to get in there on -- on River
Valley. I have discovered that now. I make sure I use that left lane, because it's
really easy to merge right back over as soon as you make the turn to get in . So,
I'm hoping people over the next several months learn that as well while we wait
for eventually this light to come in. But thank you so much again for allowing this
process to move forward to eventually have that outcome. We appreciate it.
De Weerd: Any other comments or questions? Thank you so much for your
update. We appreciate that and to just reiterate we appreciate you continuing
the conversations and looking for a solution. That's great. We are grateful.
Bowen: Absolutely. Madam Mayor, as we continue on with Center Cal and
move forward and, hopefully, get to the point of being able to permit the signal
that they are proposing, we will be sure to come back and give you an update on
that as well.
De Weerd: Thank you so much.
Bowen: Uh-huh.
D. Park Identity at Heroes Park Public Art Recommendation
De Weerd: Okay. Our next item is Item 6-D and it's for our -- our art project in
Heroes Park.
Bodnar: So, the Arts Commission -- first of all, I'm representing the Arts
Commission as our staff liaison. We have got a lot of them tuning in. They are
all watching kids today and covering other people that are out of the office. So,
we have got a couple of them tuned in online and I know that they would be
thrilled to come here and support this project. So, I'm here before you today to
recommend Journey of Heroes to be the project that we work on for FY-17 at
Heroes Park with our park identities kind of program that we have started, which
is a joint kind of project between the Arts Commission and the Parks
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Commission. Just to kind of give a little background -- I know it's been a bit since
we have been up here, but we started off the park identities search with an RFQ
for artists to get them pre-approved and get them on a master agreement. That
RFQ was released in August 2016. We, then, released an RFP to those roster
artists in October, October 14th of 2016, and all three of the rostered artists
responded to that RFP and submitted proposals that were reviewed by nine
panelists on December 7th, 2016. Based on the scores from those panelists,
MAC approved, staff confirmed the recommendation from the committee on the
8th of December and the Meridian Parks and Recreation Commission confirm ed
that recommendation on December 14th. It's been really great that there has
been a consensus and it got to move forward in the next orderly process that we
planned for. So, if this recommendation is approved by City Council, we will put
a task order on the Consent Agenda that will come back before you probably in
February and I just want to reiterate this is part of the match spending, the match
ordinance, so we don't need any budget amendment for this project. It's already
planned. The total budget that we had issued the RFP for wa s 73,000 and the
total cost of the project is below that at 72,000. And, Steve, do you want to give
a little --
Siddoway: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, I will be brief. Do want to
acknowledge Ken McCall from McCall Studios. He and two others submitted --
there were three proposals submitted for the art in Heroes Park. There was a
selection panel that will involve the Mayor, Park staff, commissioners from the
Arts Commission, commissioners from our Parks and Recreation Commission
and the Journey of Heroes was the highest cumulative score through that
process and as was already mentioned , the Parks and Rec Commission did
recommend approval of Journey of Heroes as the one to move forward . So, we
would seek your concurrence and bring this back to you with a task order. Stand
for any questions.
De Weerd: Any questions from Council?
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Councilman Cavener.
Cavener: Question for Steve or possibly Bill. I know that a couple of the images
there are historical figure likenesses. I know that -- I remember reading an article
last year about issues with the Martin Luther King, Jr., family about licensing his
likeness for use and I just want to make sure that any of these images that we
are using we have the authority and the ability to use, so that we don't put this big
beautiful art piece and, then, have to take down elements because we don't have
the ability to showcase those images.
Siddoway: Excellent question. Madam Mayor, Councilman Cavener, the --
actually, the first step in his process is to verify which heroes will be on here
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anyway. So, throughout that -- through that process will need to work with Ken
and make sure that those images are licensed and available to us.
Cavener: Madam Mayor. Then a comment. What strikes me about this is some
of our national heroes that are on here and so that element to me is what attracts
me very much to this particular piece of art. So, I would hope that if we move
forward that -- at least from one Council member's perspective, that's the
appealing factor of this and I would hope that when we get to final build out that
element would be included.
Siddoway: So, the list of what's been included so far in the proposal does
include national heroes, but all the way down to local heroes. So, it's a mixture of
-- of all levels at this point.
Cavener: Great. Thank you.
Nary: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Nary.
Nary: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, I will just add onto that. I mean
we are pretty vigilant in the contracting process to be sure that we have license
to use whatever those images are and we have had that issue come up before in
regards to the art boxes around town. So, Ms. Kane is pretty vigilant in making
sure our contracts are clear, that we have -- that the artist has actual license to
use those to be able to put them on our materials.
De Weerd: Thank you. Any other comments?
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: I move that we approve the Meridian Arts Commission and the Meridian
Parks and Rec Commission recommendation Journey of Heroes by McCall
Studios for fabrication and installation at Heroes Park.
Bird: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve this item under Item 6-D.
Mr. Clerk, will you call roll.
Roll Call: Bird, yea; Borton, yea; Milam, yea; Cavener, yea; Palmer, yea; Little
Roberts, yea.
De Weerd: All ayes. Motion carried.
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MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: There was -- in the example there was the inclusion of a police dog,
which is also a fantastic idea.
Bodnar: Yes. And the local heroes in particular on the mile markers are
something that the artist proposed that we reached out to the community and
also get them involved in that selection process.
Borton: Good idea.
Bird: I have got a picture of a beautiful -- our best police dog we ever had, so if
you want a good picture I will get it for you.
Borton: Thanks, Hillary.
Bodnar: Thank you.
Palmer: And I have a picture of Councilman Cavener.
De Weerd: Oh, my gosh. This lovefest --
Bird: Here we go.
Item 7: Department Reports
A. Public Works Department: Annual Department Report
De Weerd: Item 7-A is under our Public Works Department, as Council might
understand, Public Works has been intricate in the snow event and while we are
asking that we schedule this for another agenda, Dale is here to give you some
brief information. So, Dale.
Bolthouse: Thank you, Madam Mayor, Members of Council. I was going to
approach this as maybe good news for you that you don't have to listen through
an annual update by Public Works. But I appreciate the opportunity to maybe
kick that can down a week or two. As you're aware, we have been focusing on
our utility operations in specific for the last couple of weeks now. We are -- we
are influenced by storms and different activities, but, you know, it started with the
first cold weather, the first storms, and I'm pleased to give you an update. Before
I do that, though, heroes is probably a great theme. As you're aware, I have not
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had a lot of exposure to the other director team and the incident command
systems and those kinds of things, but I have got to tell you, as led by Chief
Niemeyer and folks like Steve Siddoway, I mean their teams are just outstanding
to work with and they are just doing a great job on behalf of the city . So, your
appreciation for their efforts is -- is certainly in order. I'm now going to wear a
different hat and that is of your utility operations director and I wanted to offer a
few minutes of update on what we are seeing on the wastewater and water
utilities. I was prepared to tell you that things are running very well on both fronts
and we are holding our own. However, before I could get from that chair hardly
to this podium I was informed by our wastewater treatment superintendent that
we are seeing a very high flow rate coming in as a result of the snow melt and
although we can handle a good amount of that, I think time will tell just exactly
how well our system works. We were actually at wastewater fighting more the
cold temperatures than we were anything else. We have a biological system and
like most of us we slow down when we get cold and that's exactly what happens
at our wastewater treatment plant. But we have been holding our own out there
and our next challenge now is we are seeing the flooding waters infiltrate through
manhole covers and things and deliver down to our facility and we are seeing a
substantial amount of flow rate and although that flow rate doesn't have a lot of
loading, it does challenge us hydraulically. So, I would ask you to stay tuned and
we will keep -- we will keep everybody informed on how we are going. Also as
was mentioned earlier, we are prepared to assist ACHD and any other entities
with our new vacuum trucks. We are very happy that we have got them, we got
them operating, and ready to go, because they are a very valuable tool in that
they not only can pump, but they can pump, collect, and distribute somewhere
else the water and whatever. So, we are very pleased. But we have been
operating on kind of high alert now the last couple of weeks at our wastewater
treatment plant and they are doing a very good job of keeping things -- keeping
things moving, keeping us in compliance, making sure our lift stations and
everything else are -- are open and operating. So, kind of behind the scene
unsung heroes working around the clock in order to make that happen . I want to
shift over to the Water Department. As you have hopefully noticed, there has
been no disruption in our water service, both distribution, production, operations
have all been doing an excellent job . We are responding to a lot of no water
calls, you know, three dozen plus calls a day and we respond to every one of
those, go out and what we typically find is that we have frozen pipes are an issue
on the customer side of the service. We will do everything we can to help them
work through that issue, but that's the majority of what our service team has been
chasing around town in the environment. We have found -- there has been a
couple of frozen meters and things, so we do have some challenges within our
pits when we had the excessive cold temperature , now our challenge is those
pits and meters are buried under three feet of ice and slush and everything else.
So, even getting into them is -- requires a lot of extra effort. We have got three
crews that had been assisting the effort to remove snow and that includes -- we
have one small blade on the front of a pickup truck that we have offered up and
been assisting and helping out in fire department clearing and those kinds of
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things. We also have some crew members that are out there on those mini skid
steers in these conditions cleaning sidewalks and things. So, we are pleased to
be able to contribute that way, but the rest of our team has got to stay committed
to keeping water service going. So, we are seeing a little bit of crew fatigue with
our teams as they go 24-7, you know, week after week now, but -- but we are
managing our way through that and their safety and health is certainly of a -- of a
highest priority for us and so we are -- we not -- we are not calling a panic yet,
but we are watching that very closely and look forward to what we hope is a
break in the activity here from a weather stand in the next couple of days. So,
with that I feel good about where we are at. I am concerned now, though, about
the increasing water infiltrating our sewer system and what impact that may
have, but I assure you we have got the right people working on the challenges as
we face them. So, with that I'd love to stand for some questions if there is any
regarding our utilities.
De Weerd: Dale, it seems like when we had a summer vent where we got that
huge rainfall we did use our reclaimed water tanks to -- to help. Is that part of the
strategy or --
Bolthouse: Madam Mayor, that's a good question, but, unfortunately, we have
about a million gallons of capacity in those reclaim tanks and we do bail out and
use those as needed. We have seen our recent spike flows go up as high as 15
to 16 million gallon per day rate coming into our plant. You can see that the math
just doesn't work very long. Now, we normally go through diurnal curve activity,
so we get the higher sewer flows at times, but we are starting to get up to a level
of inflow -- at least from a -- you know, an instant rate that is starting to be
concerning.
De Weerd: Chief, I guess I -- I have a question. Chief Niemeyer. You're the
only chief I see sitting over there. Although, Jaycee is kind of a chief as well.
Where is the state in also declaring a state of emergency here? I think in these
kind of storm weather events that would be helpful in exceeding our -- our limits
and getting assistance in dealing with the impact to our sewer treatment plant as
well.
Niemeyer: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, thank you for asking that
question. I forgot to update that in my presentation. As you know, Ada County
did declare a state of emergency. The Commissioners signed that. Technically
that covers all municipalities in the county. However, it was beneficial for us to
also declare on Friday to track our costs. That declaration from the county was
sent to the Bureau of Homeland Security. As far as I know the last I heard they
had not yet had a conversation with the governor. The governor is the one that
needs to declare that and, then, send that to FEMA at the national level, just like
we would a wildfire or anything else that we deal with as far as a state of
emergency. So, I can follow up on that tomorrow to see where that declaration is
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at, but as of today I had not heard that that had been sent to the governor's
office.
De Weerd: Thank you. Council, any questions for Dale?
Bird: I have none. Thank you, Dale.
B. Police Department: Crime Prevention Update
De Weerd: Keep fighting the good fight. Go team. Save money. Okay. Item 7-
B is Stephanie, an update on our crime prevention efforts. Thank you -- thank
you for joining us. I don't have -- I'm not wearing my glasses, I didn't really see
you sitting back there. Thank you for being here.
Galbreaith: Yeah. Let me get this up first here. Okay. Madam Mayor, Members
of the Council, thank you for this opportunity to inform you about the Crime
Prevention Division and the community service subcommittee at the Police
Department. This is my first time presenting at Council, giving an update on
everything that's going on in the Crime Prevention Unit. First let me introduce
myself. My name is Stephanie Galbreaith and I was born and raised here in
Meridian, so I not only work for the city, but I went to school here, I live here, and
I'm raising a family here. So, I am very vested in the community and very
passionate about what we are doing for the city.
De Weerd: And I think was my -- my daughter's biggest competitor in selling Girl
Scout cookies.
Galbreaith: Yes. So, I'm going to be giving you a sort of 30,000 foot view of
everything crime prevention today and I want to touch on the Meridian Police
Department's crime prevention mission first. So, the mission is to develop,
implement and administer community-based crime prevention programs
designed to reduce the fear of crime, reduction of criminal activity, increase
safety and reduce the likelihood of crime victimization . With that, the focal point
of the crime prevention specialist position is to serve the community through
planning, developing, and implementing of community-based programs.
Prevention of crime is directly related to the quality of life . Thus it is a key
component to our low crime rates in the city. This is what I work on every day to
support our mission. Here is our strategic plan and how it ties into the crime
prevention mission for the department and the city. The Meridian Police
Department has built a strategic plan based on the vision and mission of the city
and with those in mind and the goal, the Crime Prevention Unit has developed
supporting programs to directly correlate to the overall strategic plan. The Crime
Prevention Unit focuses on the tactics, objectives, and more specifically
measures to benefit the city. The three key areas of focus for crime prevention
within the strategic plan are the economic excellence, services meet the demand,
and organization excellence. Under these we have the department's goals
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associated to the focus areas. The first one under economic excellence, you can
see there is the strength and relationships through enhanced communication and
partnerships and one of the objectives that fall under that goal is proactively
communicating to businesses and community members about safety information
for the City of Meridian. Some of the supporting programs under the Crime
Prevention Division are spring safety fling, the Mayor's Youth Advisory Council
community service subcommittee, department stores and school visits, social
media aspects and that encompasses quite a few that I will go over later on in
the presentation. National Night Out. Another objective is proactively advance
goals of the city and the Meridian Way. Supporting the program is a 40,000
dollar grant from Office of Highway Safety to help our peer -to-peer youth
engagement efforts. Another objective is maintaining partnerships within the
community and that is through our Meridian Kiwanis, Safe Kids Treasure Valley,
the Meridian Library District summer reading, Girl Scout Silver Sage Visions
program, and West Ada School District's collaboration for the National Bike and
Walk To School Days. Under the second one, the goal is ensure a safe, healthy
and livable community and the objective is to facilitate reduction of crime and
disorder. Some of the supporting programs under the Crime Prevention Division
are the keys to safe driving, crime prevention through environmental design
evaluations, personal safety for women, neighborhood watch groups,
homeowners association meetings and the Mayor's Youth Advisory Council
specifically towards the Treasure Valley Youth Safety Summit. Another objective
is to increase capacity to manage complex emerging crimes and /or natural
disasters and the supporting program in relation to crime prevention is the
Community Emergency Response Team. Under the third category we have the
goal of organ -- organizational excellence. Pardon me. And the objective is to
expand regional collaborator and coordination to strengthen Homeland Security.
The support programs are Idaho Crime Prevention Association, the National
Crime Prevention Institute, Crime Stoppers, Organized Retail Crime Association
of Idaho and the campaign started by Homeland Security, if you see something
say something. So, with that there are quite a few different events and programs
that I could discuss today, but I want to start out by highlighting the
Neighborhood Watch. Here is a map of Neighborhood Watch programs in 2014.
Now, this is an example of our efforts to cultivate communication thr oughout the
city. Meridian police officers and I have attended 36 homeowners association
meetings with over 1,850 attendees. We provide a two-year statistical analysis
of their reporting district. So, it's about a one mile radius. Allowing them to see
the true numbers of crimes within their neighborhood. We also hand out contact
cards for all of our social media outlets to open up other communication
platforms for our citizens. Within the homeowners association meetings we work
with a subcommittee or a specific group that is interested in helping prevent
crime, thus building a neighborhood watch group. So, this map shows your
neighborhood watch groups as of 2014 and this is our current neighborhood
watch groups. So, we have grown from 34 to 67 since January of 2015. During
the neighborhood watch meetings we offer updated crime prevention information
and training for residents on securing their persons, property and vehicles, which
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is part of the property. Neighborhood watch groups encourage neighbors to get
to know each other and reduce fear of crime and deters criminal activity. So, I
wanted to take some time to discuss current community crime prevention events
held in the City of Meridian. In collaboration with local businesses and
organizations we put on a plethora of community events and workshops. One
well-established event is the Public Safety Academy. The Public Safety
Academy has 25 seats available open to the public each spring . This is a ten
week one night a week and for super Saturdays. It's a course where community
members can learn the ins and outs of the Meridian Police and Fire
Departments. This is an opportunity to build police and fire advocacy within our
community. This spring will mark the 15th Academy. Another community event
is National Night Out. So, each neighborhood that participates in National Night
Out hosts a block party on the first Tuesday of August and with that they get the
opportunity to interact with Meridian Police , Meridian Fire and elected officials, as
all of those are disseminated out into each of National Night Out block parties.
We held 30 National Night Out block parties last year with over 4,000 participants
in the City of Meridian. So, I'm very excited to talk about the growth of the events
and programs that we have been developing. Throughout the past two years we
have greatly listened to our communities on what they would like to see and be
educated on from the crime prevention standpoint. One is the personal safety for
women. This four hour class is developed to educate women about prevention,
awareness, and self-defense. Each class has been filled very quickly and this
allows us to gauge that we need to continue our efforts in the personal safety
realm and so far 78 Meridian women have participated. This class is taught by
our Deputy Chief Tracy Basterrechea. One other that I would like to highlight is
the key to safe driving workshop that was orchestrated in collaboration with the
Mayor's Senior Advisory Board. They saw a need within our community 55 and
greater and just brought it to the Police Department's attention and the
development of this program allows our community members to come and hear
from our traffic Sergeant Stacey Arnold on some defensive driving classes and
some information based on that subject matter.
De Weerd: And we might add that they get credit, right, for their insurance.
Galbreaith: Yes. Yes, they do receive a completion certificate and quite a few
agencies locally -- insurance agencies have been giving a discount from
anywhere from five to 15 percent. It's up to each insurance agency's preference.
So, another large portion of the crime prevention realms is our youth based
programming. Currently our department participates in many youth-based
programs and we conduct a once-a-month tour of our department for boys and
girl scouts so they can complete their patch qualifications. We also organize
officer visits to daycares, individual businesses, classrooms, churches and we
have had over 54 officer visits in 2016. We also collaborate with the West Ada
School District to host walk and bike to school days. This allows us to give back
to our youth educating them on safe walking and biking habits and it's an
opportunity for us to engage the young children and help them feel more
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comfortable with our presence as -- as a police department. Another youth
based program the police department conducts is the spring safety flings .
Nationally summer is the hundred deadliest days for our teenagers. Middle
schoolers are at a prime age to hear from us and to be educated on crime
prevention and it opens up the dialogue on their thoughts in a safe and fun
environment during their lunch breaks. We held three spring safety flings in 2016
and this was in partnership with the Meridian Anti-Drug Coalition, Safe Kids,
Office of Highway Safety and many others. So, recognizing that youth have such
a powerful voice for our city, we received a 40,000 dollar grant from the Meridian
-- I'm sorry -- excuse me -- from the Office of Highway Safety and this was to
further expand our youth-based programs on a peer-to-peer level. We are
always looking for opportunities to grow this area in our department and a large
portion of this was my involvement with the Mayor's Youth Advisory Council the
past two years. My goal as an advisor for this council is to support their dreams.
So, they have big passionate ideas to help serve our community and I would
through the logistics help them with resources, so that they can be successful.
This past year we saw an opportunity to have the youth take a leadership role in
developing the Treasure Valley Youth Safety Summit. This is an event with over
200 youth that learn various topic -- topic ranges. This year we allowed them to
pick the topics. So, it's from their perspective of what they see as most important
on safety situations. Some of these topics are texting and driving, personal
safety, bullying, suicide prevention, drug use and seat belt use. We are looking
into the idea of tweaking this event for a middle school age group where the high
schoolers would help develop and implement the program , again, allowing them
to have that ownership of the event and continue on with our peer -to-peer youth
engagement efforts. One of the things that we recognize is the use of these
multiple media outlets to help further leverage current tools and trends of
communication to the citizens of Meridian . Using these different social media
platforms helps us communicate events, training, provide public safety
announcements in a timely manner and many others. I'd like to point out
NextDoor, as we have heard multiple times this evening. Currently we have as a
city over 14,000 members and this is a great platform for us to communicate to
our neighborhoods. It's free. It's a social media outlet. The crime prevention
division does host workshops once -- once a quarter on the nextdoor.com so that
our citizens feel comfortable with the capabilities that this option is a vailable to
them and it allows us to speak to the whole city, a one mile radius, or very
specific neighborhoods based on the material that we wanted to disseminate.
So, ultimately, we use social media outlets to educate our community, help
prevent further their crime and enforce the law. So, that is the global view of the
crime prevention unit at the Meridian Police Department and there is a lot that we
do and that we are involved in. Many things. And I'm definitely excited for the
future as our city continues to grow, so that we can continue our efforts in
educating the community on prevention and community engagement. So, with
that thank you for the opportunity to give an update on the community service
crime prevention position and I covered a lot of topics and I will stand for
questions.
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Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Thank you, Stephanie. Yes, Mr. Bird.
Bird: Stephanie, thank you for what you have done in two years. It is amazing
just to see the -- the growth you have got within neighborhoods and crime
prevention, the best thing you can do is on the local level at the neighborhood
level. Just thank you for the great job you have done. I appreciate it.
Galbreaith: Thank you.
De Weerd: Any other comments or questions from Council? There is a lot of
moving parts to that and you get the -- the job of herding many cats over -- or
dogs. Whatever. In the Police Department. So, we greatly appreciate you
giving an update. I think that sometimes many of the efforts go unnoticed until
you -- you trip over it and say, whoa, I didn't know we did that. So, thank you,
Stephanie, for being here.
Galbreaith: Thank you for having me.
C. Community Development Department: All Things
Transportation - Update on Roads, Transit and Traffic
Related Projects
De Weerd: We appreciate what you do. Okay. Item 7 -C is under our
Community Development Department. Caleb.
Hood: Thank you, Madam Mayor, Members of the Council. This is the all things
transportation update. But, again, I don't plan on talking about all things
transportation, only what you find of interest, although I have self-identified a few
that I do want to highlight for you. I will be working off of a memo that you should
have in your packet. I apologize there is no numbers on -- on -- it's a four-page
memo that -- that went out for this meeting and, again, I'm just going to highlight
a handful of the items that are in the packet. So, beginning on the -- on the first
page -- and feel free to interrupt, jump in with questions, comments. If I go over
a project and you want to jump back to it, we certainly can do that. So, on the
Ustick corridor first of all -- well, obviously, the weather over the past couple of
weeks has had a little bit of an impact on the progress, but overall that project is
generally on schedule. There is a website also set up. ACHD has a website
where you can -- where they are providing regular updates and Kaycee has also
fed that information out on NextDoor and Facebook and all those other social
media sites to get residents that are affected by the road work happening on
Ustick to sign up and they will get e -mails -- regular e-mails about once a week
from ACHD when there are changes to the intersection or lane restrictions or
revisions that way that affect a traffic flow. So, that's great. I will just kind of
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mention -- since it came up at the Transportation Commission meeting
yesterday, those of you that drive on Meridian Road, there's a feedback sign just
kind of on the back side of Albertson's there if you're headed northbound. That
doesn't have anything to do with the road construction project, either the road
construction project coming up in 2020 on Meridian Road or the Ustick corridor,
but there has been some incidents recently at the merge point there where that
lane drops and there has been some accidents, even some damage to the
daycare that's right there and so ACHD is trying to gather some feedback. So, if
you see that sign that's really what that's about is trying to solicit any feedback,
because it has a higher than normal anyways incident of people speeding up to
try to merge and just aggressive driving and incidents there. So, if you're curious
that came up and I just heard about it the other day, so -- one of the other things
that I want to spend a little bit of time talking about -- and it's in your memo and
I'm moving on to page two. ACHD just recently adopted their integrated five year
work plan, but it's time to begin work on the next version of that. What ACHD
does about every three or four years is ask the city for our economic
development projects. So, typically, ACHD only funds and builds arterial
roadways and, then, the development community is charged with building your
local streets and your collector roadways. But every once in a while they will
open it up for applications that they -- they call economic development and there
is a -- it's a pretty -- and I can't see it from there, but there is a brief application
that they ask agencies to fill out for those projects that otherwise ACHD would
never consider. But we have some reason that they should consider doing those
projects. A good example of that is Pine Avenue. Pine Avenue -- there really
wasn't a traffic issue on Pine it was functioning -- motoristwise was functioning
okay, but we said, hey, there is a real economic impact to our downtown , if you
could make some improvements to Pine Avenue. So, that was one of our last
applications. As well as East 3rd Street. So, four years ago when they had
those applications we applied for 3rd Street and Pine Avenue. So, just as a
refresher -- the 3rd Street section -- so, in the city's Comprehensive Plan -- and
we hired a consultant to look at extension alternatives back in 2002 I believe it
was for the 3rd Street extension up to Fairview Avenue. We also put that in a
few years ago with ACHD as an economic development project to extend 3rd
Street from its current terminus at Carlton to connect with Fairview Avenue.
They do have in their integrated five year work plan the first segment which is
improvements to 3rd Street, mainly -- mainly the ten foot wide pathway that
would connect. What isn't funded is the next segment that -- the remainder
segment up to Fairview. So, that's one option to, essentially, reapply for that
segment. I did talk to Brenda Sherwood a little bit earlier today about other
potential projects. We think a good project would -- would be on Idaho Avenue
where we already done the -- the temporary investments to the one block in
between Main and 2nd. This could be a more -- kind of what we talked about the
-- instead of a demonstration project, make this more of a permanent installation.
ACHD does have plans to do some roadway maintenance, but they don't really
have a full rebuild that take the -- the curb and gutter and sidewalk and totally
rebuild the roadway, but only really deal with the asphalt condition. But we could,
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if -- if City Council was so inclined, wants to, we could apply for more permanent
improvements not only on this block, but potentially block -- a block either to the
east and/or west. There has been talk of doing some similar things and tying in
the community center and the park and doing some other art installations coming
along the street there. Economic development impacts back to the west at old
city hall have also been discussed, although not at length. But certainly this
block there could be some economic development impacts. And, then, Waltman.
The Waltman Lane seems to be a hindrance to economic development in the
area by Meridian Road. I-84. This is a little bit out of date, the aerial, but ACHD
has their drain pond here, but one of the conditions -- I'm sure most of you will
recall of the development of this property or get this certain threshold is that the
extension of corporate drive and the bridge across and, then, the improvements
to Waltman Lane to handle the traffic anticipated from something is out there in a
development agreement for this parcel. So, potentially we have got -- we could
ask ACHD to go ahead and make some or all of those improvements that would
potentially positively impact or accelerate the development of these properties.
So, I'm just sending ideas -- kind of putting some ideas out there of what we
brainstormed as potential applications for -- for economic development through
ACHD. Like I said, it's a fairly straightforward application. So, if you're interested
in one or more of those and would let me know, we would -- we would need to
have that filled out and returned to ACHD by mid-March. So, we do have a
couple of months. But those are the ones that we thought of. So, if there is other
ones that are of interest or if you think of things in the next month or so and want
to talk about those, certainly willing to consider them. Right now we are -- if you
don't give me any feedback right now I think we will move forward with Idaho
Avenue and kind of scoping that with some of the business owners to refine an
application that way or, again, if you don't like that one or are interested other
ones -- I saw a couple thumbs us, but it -- but that's kind of the direction we are
headed is to reiterate 3rd Street extension and Idaho Avenue at this point, so --
and then -- so, just real quickly, then, about three-quarters of the way down on
page two, just as a heads up, the West 1st, Broadway to Pine, I have got noted
there that that is on the 90 day bid list to go into construction. So, that's the
section of sidewalk kind of south of Meridian Elementary School. There is an
interagency agreement tomorrow on ACHD's commission to allow our sewer
work to be part of that project. It's about 150,000 dollars of sewer work, with a
little bit of contingency in that, but just to let you know that should be approved by
ACHD tomorrow. And at the very bottom starting to get into ITD projects. One
thing I didn't put in the memo, but I want to make you aware of, is that -- is later
on in the summer ITD does plan on doing a micro seal project on Eagle Road
between State Highway 44, State Street, all the way across the interchange
almost to Overland. So, right there where their jurisdiction ends. So, do a dual
micro seal of that whole segment in -- in the summer. So, some more work on
Eagle Road. It's never ending. This is a maintenance project. Micro seal. I
don't have much more information at this point, but those are usually -- they can
do a lot of that work at night and have limited lane restrictions and things, so I -- I
just failed to put that in the memo. The other thing -- and I couldn't remember if
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last time I was here when I gave you all things update, if I mentioned, but ITD did
-- ITD board late this year did adopt in their Transportation Improvement Plan a
strategic initiatives project to widen Chinden Boulevard to four lanes between
Locust Grove and Eagle. So, it's not a full mile, because it's already widened
west of Eagle about a third of a mile , but that is a step in the right direction
anyways and it's 2021, so it's not like it's happening tomorrow. But at least there
is something in the works now to design and construct improvements to Chinden.
The other positive is that ITD and ACHD are also coordinating intersection
improvements at Locust Grove and Chinden. So, I'm hopeful that they can make
that be a companion project that happens kind of simultaneously. I'm also kind of
holding out hope that it may advance a little bit from 2021. It probably won't
happen in 2018, but maybe 2020, maybe they can slide some things forward a
little bit. But they still have to do design and they don't even have environmental
clearance yet, but -- and, then, there is also a 2017 maintenance project on
Chinden. So, about that same time. And that starts out at -- basically at I-84 in
Caldwell and comes all the way through to Locust Grove. So, they stopped at
Locust Grove last year. They are going to pick up the next about ten miles, 12
miles, whatever that is, here in 2017. So, I'm going to move on to page three.
Eagle Road. During the last all things transportation update I did let you know
that Keller & Associates was hired by COMPASS and Jay Gibbons and myself
sat on the steering committee of the project team for that group where they
looked at Eagle Road between Overland and Chinden for pedestrian facilities
and roadway lighting. They came up with -- if memory serves -- 12 or 15
segments that that was broken down into, kind of digestible chunks of Eagle
Road. Keller did a more detailed analysis of the top four and I won't get into how
they scored and ranked what -- what was the highest priority, but based on that
analysis, then, we, as staff, put together what COMPASS calls phase one
applications to look for additional funding to try and take it to the next step to
begin to do environmental scans and even into a 30 percent design work and
those types of things. I'm going to back up for just a second and tell a little bit
more of the story. So, internally the first and third Mondays of the month , except
for holidays, we have an internal group of city staff that gets together from Public
Works and Parks and Legal, Community Development and we discuss
transportation-related issues. So, this is something that we have been talking
about as our little internal group for some time. The Transportation Commission
has also vetted this and recognizes some need for pedestrian facilities on Eagle
Road. It's spotty right now with gaps in that. So, we talked about it talking with --
with Parks and Public Works. Public Works took the lead. Austin Petersen
before he left he applied for a roadway lighting -- again phase one application,
which, to oversimplify it, is, essentially, a letter of interest to COMPASS saying,
hey, we are interested in doing this project. Here is a general scope of what that
will look like. A high level cost estimate. Where we go to answer a couple of
their other questions. Well, we just received notice that both that project for -- for
roadway lighting and the first four segments of pathway made the initial cut at
COMPASS and they said we encourage you to submit a phase two application,
which is now we are into more detailed questions and what do you need in filling
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out forms from ITD and those types of things. So, I guess what I'm needing
some feedback on is with that, though, comes a letter of not only support from
the Council, but a letter of commitment and match. So, it's kind of doing things a
little bit backwards in that I haven't been to the grant review committee just yet,
but do and plan on and I have just got Todd Lavoie some information today on
what this looks like. I will just let you know at high level cost estimate for the
pathway segments it's about three million dollars or roughly 800,000 dollars per
segment and, then, the roadway lighting was a little bit less than a million dollars
for the -- for that application. So, for federal grants like that you're looking at a
seven and three-quarter percent match. So, seven cents on the dollar -- eight
cents on the dollar, just to round it up. So, that is something that COMPASS
requires with this phase two application. Now, we don't have to do that this year.
It's an annual thing. So, we could leave our phase one application -- kind of our
letter of interest hanging out at COMPASS and come back and apply about 12
months from now. I will let you know if we do apply this cycle, there is not a
whole lot of money in '18 and '19, the near years of what we would be eligible to
do those projects. They are probably in what we call out years, '20, '21, '22 --
you know, we are out there a ways. We are not really budgeting for those. So, I
guess, first of all, I just wanted to -- to get some feedback on how -- what --
what's the level of support from Council. There is enough of the support letter to
have -- to have the Mayor sign a letter saying we support pathways and/or
roadway lighting along Eagle Road corridor and we support it so much we are
willing to provide the local match at some future year to be determined and we
could even put something in there not '17 or '18. '19 and beyond. Or whatever
you guys are comfortable with. But they do want some early, you know, level of
commitment saying, yeah, it's -- this isn't just staff going rogue, there is some
level of support from the city and we will figure out where that local match would
come from. So, that's why I'm here to gauge is there any interest in applying for
the grant before I -- a little bit more on this. There isn't money right now that they
are saying if you -- if you submit phase two we will give you money in some year.
It's really to gather more information and COMPASS will go look for grants out
there to see what matches our need. So, that's why they ask all these questions
is to figure out what -- what money may be available. The state, local, federal
grants that are out there that we may be a good partner for and they would help
us administer that. So, they are kind of our eyes and ears to look for -- for the
funds that would do these projects, so --
De Weerd: Any feedback from Council on that?
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: I don't know how the rest of the Council feels , but I like the idea of a --
of a match partnership. My -- my caution is how far out do we forecast and do
we forecast so far out that nobody that's on this Council is -- is there to help
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make that decision at a later point in time and so I don't know how the rest of the
Council feels. If there is a dollar amount that they are looking for that we could
allocate now I'm supportive or very loose language is saying, yes, this current
Council supports it today, if that's how this Council feels, but that's subject to
change, depending on changes here.
Hood: And, Madam Mayor --
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: I was thinking something very similar. I mean, obviously, it's the same
thought process. We can't really make a financial decision for a future Council.
So, yeah, I would support it as long as it's -- yeah, like Councilman Cavener said,
it's pretty vague. I mean, yeah, we support it, but that's no guarantee that it's
going to be supported by the Council at the time.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I agree with him to the point that we can't -- we can't commit a future
council to any money, but I am in favor of saying -- I would be willing to really
look into it when the time comes about and you know how much money you're
going to get if I -- if I was on the Council. I'd have no problem doing that at this
point, but I don't have no -- but I have a problem committing any set amount of
dollars. I'm in favor of doing the program, but that's up to when it gets around to
that existing council to see if they want to support it or not. Right now the sitting
councilman -- I think it's a great idea. I could support it if it was coming in for this
year, but I can't support something that's down the road.
De Weerd: Forgive the pun; right?
Bird: Yeah.
De Weerd: I think it -- it sounds like we should move forward and indicate our
interest. I do think that it also should be something that when we have a joint
meeting with Ada County Highway District, it's -- it's a topic of discussion. I think
there is always -- the lingering question out there is street lighting, safety lighting,
pedestrian safety crossings and that sort of thing, who is fiscally responsible for it
and, you know, if the city steps up on that is -- is there some level of partnership
as well with Ada County and how they may see this as a priority as well. Has this
been something discussed from our Transportation Commission?
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Hood: Yeah. Madam Mayor, again, as we were looking at TAP application
grants or Transportation Alternative Project grants, something that the
Transportation Commission --
De Weerd: Supports.
Hood: -- scored very highly. Rail with Trail was right there as well. I will just
know -- I made your note, Madam Mayor, but just as a refresher, Eagle Road is a
state highway, so in this case this wouldn't be something where ACHD -- there is
still the topic you mentioned, it's still valid, but on this particular Corridor it's an
ITD -- and ITD -- and maybe Warren can speak a little b it more. I know Austin's
had some conversations with them . They aren't interested at all. So, that's why I
think Public Works stepped up and said something's got to be done -- at least
with ACHD, we do have a relationship with them where we can get something --
they will put the conduit in for us and they will do the intersections and they will
do some things. Here ITD is like -- this is so low on their priority list it's not even
a thought that -- like, well, we want to do this for our community, but they -- they
don't --
De Weerd: Well, the problem is -- is in coordination as well, because they are
doing work on Eagle all the time and -- and using the Stars program that's --
maybe that's -- that's additional opportunities for some of it if it falls within that
area that's being worked on. I don't know what the locations are, but any
partnerships we can pursue as projects present themselves, if it seems like there
is some kind of a nexus to the areas that are being considered, we want to have
those conversations.
Hood: And I don't want to make it sound like ITD isn't willing. They are at least
willing to allow us to put the infrastructure in there. So, they have been -- the
coordination at that level has been pretty good thus far. They are at least, again,
willing to consider something that they typically don't even allow, they are at least
willing to consider our standards on their facilities. The Stars, though, is a good
one. I will see if maybe that's something that we could potentially work into -- to
corridor. I mean that's one of their other concerns as spotty lighting.
Stewart: Madam Mayor. Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, our
conversation with ITD with regards to street lighting is they were -- they are
supportive of allowing us to put street lighting in, but only a mile at a time. They
don't want to have -- we have had certain projects -- commercial projects that are
fronted like Chinden and they don't want lights along the frontage of that
development and, then, not the rest of the mile. So, they have allowed us to put
-- or you, actually, have allowed us to put those funds in reserve until we can
build up enough money that we can go ahead and do a whole mile at a time. So,
that's kind of their stance at the moment is they will allow street lighting along
Chinden Boulevard, but only at a mile a pop, so --
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De Weerd: Thank you.
Hood: So, Madam Mayor, just to wrap things up. I have one more topic and it
has to do with the last item called out on the -- on the memo and it has to do with
functional street classification, connectivity and volume thresholds at ACHD. So,
I'm just attending some meetings and for some of you I apologize in advance,
because I don't want this to make it seem or sound like I'm talking down to
anybody, that's really not -- I just want to make sure everybody understands and
is educated as you hear some of the concerns from residents, you read staff
reports from ACHD, you can understand when various classifications of roadway
are being used.
De Weerd: Hey, Caleb, I'm going to take executive privilege here and interrupt
you for a moment. We have three members that are new to the Mayor's office
that we had wanted to introduce and I didn't want them to sit there for too long. I
don't know if they have some rides or -- I'm sure they want to go home. So -- I'm
sure. But Caleb attends here and -- and he's not hourly. I'm going to turn this
over to -- to Robert and we have -- we have a new -- new team and as you all
know Peggy retired after 13 years and in keeping in good form we wanted to
keep a redhead in that effort, you know, they bring a certain quality to the table,
so we -- we have April and -- and the employee that I mentioned earlier that we
haven't chased off yet with this winter event is Morgan , but I will turn this over to
Robert to --
Simison: Madam Mayor. Madam Mayor, Council, I think the Mayor has done
two-thirds of what I was going to do. But first --
De Weerd: Well, I was going to say something, but I will say it after you.
Simison: We just wanted to take an opportunity to introduce you to the new
members of the office. I think that you all have had an opportunity to meet
Morgan. Well, maybe not all, as someone has been out of the office, but Morgan
has been up there for about two weeks now. She is the new admin assistant --
assistant at the front desk and will be doing a lot of the admin work for Economic
Development as well and she is great friends with Director Wong with all the
phone calls he's gotten to know her e-mails already from that standpoint. So, if
she hasn't waved I would ask her just to wave so that's clear.
De Weerd: Well -- and I will also tell you that after the first day at work she
already received a positive comment card and -- and that hasn't transpired in the
history of our city. So, there you go, Morgan.
Simison: And, then, as you are aware we have switched up some duties and
responsibilities in terms of the scheduling is now being done -- not by Morgan,
but it's being done by April, who is now sitting in the back of the office, so you
won't -- may not see her as much, but I believe many of you may have already
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received a contact from her regarding the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce or
she will be reaching out to you about that shortly to verify your attendance at that.
So, she is taking over the scheduling duties and joins us. She's a new resident
to the Treasure Valley. Still has yet to purchase a home. But joins us from the
Las Vegas area, so I know one of our Council Members may have something to
talk to her about at that point in time. But she's on day four here in the office with
us. And, then, finally we have Jodi -- Jodi St. Martin, who is taking over as the
community liaison position and she is just starting day two in the office and she is
sitting back in what used to be Shelley's old office -- we switched the office
positions around in case you're looking for them and still in that back hallway,
back where Kaycee and I sit. So, I just wanted to introduce you to them in case
you ever see them around. I'm sure they will be interacting with all of you in
various capacities and if you have any questions be happy to answer any of them
or any additional comments from the Mayor.
De Weerd: Well, I think several of you know Jodi as she was an intern in our
office during her -- her program at NNU, so she's familiar with what work Ken
was doing, knows many of those contacts of -- that the city has been working
with. I think that they both have used the analogy of peanut butter and jelly and -
- and we have figured that Jodi is the peanut butter and Ken was the jelly. So,
two opposites in size and loudness, but I think that Jodi certainly can hit the
ground running and brings a lot of -- of her own talents to the office and so we
are excited about that and last night we kicked it off with MYAC and the
legislative breakfast, which is coming up. I want to remind all of you if you have
an interest, please, let us know that you will be attendance, but the kids are really
excited and I think they have a strong message and they are really excited to
share that.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: Just want to make sure I got this right. So, Jodi is the new Ken and
Morgan is the new Peggy --
De Weerd: No.
Milam: No.
De Weerd: Morgan is the new Casey.
Milam: Morgan is the new Casey.
De Weerd: Casey -- boy Casey.
Milam: And April is the new Peggy.
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De Weerd: So, Morgan replaced Casey, one of my -- among my favorite
veterans. April replaced my favorite redhead, who retired. And Jodi replaced my
favorite big guy Ken Corder.
Milam: Thank you.
De Weerd: Okay. Any questions for Robert? Would any of you like to make any
kind of comment?
Bird: They can make a speech.
De Weerd: And I think that Robert will be overwhelmed with our gender
hormones or something.
St. Martins: I will go first, because I like to talk a lot. I'm happy I have been able
to meet most of you and work with you guys since May and I think bringing on an
intern in a full-time position speaks well of the internship program and the kind of
candidates that are brought in that I would be able to do this upon completion of
my degree in social work and I look forward to continuing working with this family
up in the Mayor's office and with all the rest of you guys. Thank you.
Guinsler: Hi. As you know I'm April. I'm actually originally from Ohio, so I
haven't had to buy or wear snow boots in quite a while since living in Vegas for
about three and a half years, but it's a good reason to go shopping. So, anytime
the weather wants to let up that would be great. We would really like to start
exploring the city and seeing what -- what Meridian, Kuna, and Boise all have to
offer. So, everyone has been so welcoming. I really like it. This is exactly where
I'm supposed to be. So, I want to thank everyone for being so friendly and for all
of your time and making me feel welcome. If there is anything I can do for you,
let me know. I would like to mention that I should be allowed to wear tennis
shoes, because keeping up with Mayor Tammy is -- it's a lot of footwork. So,
thank you. It's nice to meet everyone.
Andrus: Hello. I'm Morgan. I don't like to talk a lot, so -- but it's been a pleasure
working so far the last two weeks.
De Weerd: It's a pleasure.
Andrus: A pleasure.
De Weerd: Awesome.
Andrus: I'm learning a lot. A lot of new faces. So, if I ask you your name a
couple times it's just face to name. I will get it eventually. But I thank everyone
for their, you know, hospitality. Their nice attitude while I learn, so --
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De Weerd: I would say, you know, I -- I don't want to always embarrass Morgan,
but she just said that she doesn't like to talk a lot, but I will tell you as -- with her
customer focus she has diffused a number of situations and as you can guess
during snowmageddon it -- we have certainly had our share of opportunities to
test her customer service capabilities, but I talked about the first comment card
and we had a family up in the office today that walked in flaming mad and walked
out with a smile on their face. So, we just continue to appreciate the -- the
different strengths and talents that this new team brings to the -- to the Mayor's
office and to supporting all of our City Council members as well. So, thank you
for waiting around and letting us introduce you. Thank you, Caleb, for letting me
-- well, not for letting me, but -- Council, thank you for allowing me to break that
all things transportation report for a little levity.
Hood: I am -- Madam Mayor, Members -- I'm sorry this is pretty dry sometimes.
A lot of the times, but -- but I do want to just make sure everybody is comfortable,
so I want to just take a few minutes, hopefully, and just -- again, refresher for
most. We are going to use my neighborhood as an example to just kind of
refresh what the roadway classifications are. I pulled some -- some comments
out of ACHD's policy manual or 7000 series. I'm just going to read a couple of
sentences. Principal arterials serve the major regional centers of activity of a
metropolitan area. The higher traffic volume corridors and the longer trips, while
carrying a higher proportion of the total urban area travel a minimum of roadway
mileage. So, Eagle Road and Fairview Avenue. They are principal arterials.
They move a lot of traffic, higher speeds generally, 30, 40, 50 thousand cars a
day isn't out of the question. That's kind of your higher level besides a freeway
or highway. That's a principal arterial roadway, as you can see on here. Even
Ustick is a classified principal arterial. Locust Grove, a minor arterial. They
interconnect with and augment the principal arterial system and provide service
to trips of shorter length at a lower level of travel mobilities and principal arterial
streets. So, generally a shorter trip is taken on a Locust Grove type road. A
Fairview Avenue trip, you can go from Boise -- downtown Boise to, you know,
other side of -- changes name to Cherry, but I mean it goes for a while. Locust
Grove -- people aren't typically using Locust Grove for more than a couple few
miles. So, they have limited access on both of those, although, again, principal
arterials we really try to limit access points more. So, to aid in orderly
development of an efficient transportation system arterials are generally
constructed in one mile intervals, located on section lines. So, that's pretty
common in Meridian. Ninety some percent of all arterials are under section line
roadways. So, moving down to collector roadways then. So, the primary
function of a collector is to intercept traffic from a local street system and carry
that traffic to the nearest arterial. The secondary function is to service adjacent
property. So, again, the purpose of a collector is to carry local traffic to and from
an arterial roadway. So, in my neighborhood -- and you can see it gets -- it goes
onto the adjacent neighborhood, but there is a collector roadway coming into and
out of the subdivisions and here the collectors kind of stop at where you can
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expect the traffic volumes to be heavier. I will get to that a little bit more with
ADT. River Valley or the extension when River Valley is extended, will probably
serve as some collector for some portion of it as well. We don't really have plans
as a classified collector, but if you have noticed that Troxel going into Champion
Park, the -- the infrastructure is there to some day put a signal in. So, generally,
a collector intersects an arterial and they can put a signal in. So, you got a signal
here, you have got signal at Chateau. You got a signal at Hickory. You got a
signal at River Valley. So, basically, between a third and a half a mile a signal
goes in with a collector. And, again, that purpose is to collect -- you're going to
have higher volumes on there and typically you don't want people backing out
into the street on your collector roadways. There are no what we call front-on
housing. People are using other roadways, other local streets to back out when
they get on the collector -- and I think I have a Google map that we can kind of
zoom in and see that's the case in some of these. So, your collector roadway
you don't have any driveways on the -- on the collector roadway. All the adjacent
homes take access to other local streets and, then, funnel to the collector
roadway. Once you start having driveways on the collector it probably shouldn't
be functioning as a collector. And, then, the third classification is a local street.
And there is two different classifications of local streets. You have your local,
residential street and your local commercial street. The primary function of a
local street is to serve adjacent property. Adjacent property will usually have
unrestricted access to the street and average traffic will typically be less than
2,000. So, 1,000 is ideal on a local street or up to 1,000 is kind of standard
practice. You can see a lot of cul-de-sacs in here. Just, again, a general frame
of reference. 9.63 -- so we round it up to ten. You can expect every single family
home to generate about ten vehicles trips per day. So, if you have ten homes on
a cul-de-sac you can guesstimate that there is about a hundred vehicle trips per
day entering -- coming and going from the spot. I don't know if there is ten or not.
Close. So, again, ten -- ten trips per day per home. A thousand is kind of the --
the number -- what ACHD says. That's ideal. But you can go up to 2,000 trips --
or 200 homes if you would on a local street without jumping up to a c ollector
roadway classification. Your commercial or collector streets -- your local
commercial streets give up to 8,500 trips per day. So, that's kind of the
threshold. And that isn't a -- that's a planning level threshold. It's not a capacity.
The roadway could handle more than that, but it's more of a livability and a
planning threshold that ACHD has established to say, hey, listen neighborhood
roadways shouldn't be handling more than that. That is too much traffic on these
local streets. People are trying to live in the homes adjacent. But there is a --
there is capacity in the roadway, just not -- not the planning threshold that they
have established. So, I will talk just -- just a few minutes about connectivity. So I
-- mean we will use my neighborhood here. And we have attractors; right? I
have got -- there is a Fred Meyer, but there is no way to drive there without
getting onto an arterial roadway. There is a pathway connection -- you can't see
it very well. It comes in the backside of the storage units. But there isn't any
roadway connections. There was a stub, but the storage units went in. We have
got several stub streets and the aerials here don't show it, but earlier last year
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you all approved a project on this property that will connect these stub streets
and, then, punch another roadway up to Ustick here. You did hear testimony
from some of those neighbors saying traffic is going to increase on my roadway.
Yes, it will. You are allowing -- now, if I live here, instead of having to backtrack
all the way out here to go back out to Locust Grove, I can now drive by -- oops, I
missed the turn. Drive by and get out that way without having to backtrack. So,
connectivity, yes, some people will see increased traffic volumes. But what we
look for is does that push you over the 1,000 or 2,000 vehicle trips per day
threshold. Are we sending, you know, new huge vast amounts or are there other
opportunities to get out to that roadway. You know, what's the likelihood of
someone living here, you know, doing this number to get out to Locust Grove?
Probably not very likely, because they have got another access to Locust Grove
that also gets them there. Or if that one gets backed up they have got a signal
and another access to Locust Grove. So, here you're dispersing the traffic
multiple places. If there was only Chateau, then, yes, the volumes here are
going to be higher, because you don't have any other options. So, I want to just -
- just quickly read, again, just a couple sentences from ACHD's policy manual.
Stub streets will be required to provide circulation or provide access to adjacent
properties. When analyzing the need for a stub street, the district will consider
the following: Adopted corridor plans of the master street map. Property size
and configuration. Property size and configuration of adjacent parcels. Potential
for redevelopment of adjacent parcels. Location of vehicle and pedestrians.
Attracting land uses. For examples, schools, neighborhood commercial. Comp
planning zoning designation. Need of emergency service providers. Location of
existing sub streets, the location of canals and necessary crossings, functional
classification, blah, blah, blah. So, it's not just willy-nilly every property gets a
stub street, it's -- there is a high likelihood that this property is going to redevelop
in the future, stubbing to those properties. We had that same conversation when
some of these properties came in. It doesn't make sense to stub something --
you know, the likelihood of these homes redeveloping is low. These ones are
marginal. You know, probably see more redevelopment -- here is that 55 and
over community that recently went through. These county lots -- you may get
some lot splits, but to stub a property to those and require a roadway to
eventually connect in, it's a pretty big hardship on those properties. That's a big
chunk of their land to get that conductivity. What we don't want to see, though, is
what you see in this subdivision. They are totally disconnected from everything
around them. If you -- and one of my son's friends lives here . Goes to school
here. If you're going to drive your kid to school you have to get out on to Eagle
Road and, then, back across Eagle Road to drive in there. There is not any other
connections to Packard Estates or any other place. You have got to get out onto
Eagle Road to go anywhere else in this section. So, you know, the subdivision is
older, it was done in I think the '70s, maybe the '80s. You know, it wasn't ever,
you know, envisioned that we would see this type of development there when
this went in. But now we do and we get these stub streets. So, again, some
people will see increased -- increased trips, but it shouldn't be over 2,000 trips a
day. Just, again, to drive this home a little bit, pardon the pun there, but my
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home is the middle of the section. Right in the middle of this section. Right now
if I want to go to Kohl's, I have to backtrack either a half mile down to Fairview,
out to Eagle, back up here to go -- I go a mile out of direction or I go back out to
Locust Grove, back up to Ustick to go there. Once this subdivision gets in I don't
have to backtrack. What you want to avoid with that is you don't want somebody
that is -- that has -- that is coming from Kohl's and lives over here to use any
roadways in here to get home. You don't want them coming down and snaking
their way through. That is cut-through traffic. Anybody in this section, though,
that's using any of those roadways -- and that's your neighbor. That's not cut
through. That's just -- that's your neighbor driving by your house and vice-verse.
In this subdivision and there is kids here, they drive their kid to school, they are
going to drive by my house to get there, because that's how you get there, but
when I go to Kohl's I'm going to drive by your house . That’s just how it works.
So, what we look at is those volumes and make sure no one roadway is taking
the brunt of all that and for some time this project is going to take some of that
until this signal can be put in and extended, but it shouldn't be so much traffic that
everybody -- you know, we aren't getting people down here that are going to
snake their way up -- no, I'm going to get out at the light at Chateau, because
that's going to be quicker than winding and weaving and going through the
neighborhood that way. So, just wanted to kind of -- we are looking at those
things for connectivity. We have planned for them. We don't exactly know how
these are going to develop, but, again, the South Slough, we don't want too many
accesses there, but the Fire Department, Water Department are going to say,
hey, if we only have one access, we can only have a certain number of homes
there. So, just having one cul-de-sac service a project really limits the ability to
develop that property into the future as well. So, I just wanted to just -- just
quickly -- I know your hearing some of that already and you will probably hear
more of that in the future, just people that don't want to see stub streets extended
and they don't always get extended. A good example is Kleiner Park. We have
a stub street here out of Red Feather. A decision was made not to extend that
stub street. We didn't know there was going to a park when this other one went
in. It didn't get extended. But it got vetted. What's the pros and cons? Same
with these county streets. We didn't extend those as public streets. So, not to
say that they absolutely a hundred percent of the time have to be extended, but
generally when a sub street is provided to a property it's for those reasons. You
don't want somebody living here, their best friend is here, now they have to go
out on Ustick through this intersection, back this way to get there. So, again, just
a quick refresher on the classification levels. Up to 2,000 trips on a local street.
Up to 8,500 on a collector roadway and there is really no -- it's a volume to
capacity ratio, but 30, 40, 50 thousand cars a day on your arterial roadways, so --
I don't know if that's helpful or not, but I just wanted to kind of bring that home
that these people in here should be able to access schools, shopping, those
types of things without having to go back out on the road way, but you don't want
that commercial traffic to be going through the subdivision to access other
commercial enterprises. That -- that isn't -- that isn't the goal to send somebody
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that's going shopping that isn't within your neighborhood along the local streets,
so --
De Weerd: Okay. Council, any questions?
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: Caleb, on -- did you say ten trips per house per day?
Hood: 9.6 I think is what the traffic engineer manual says. So, that's -- a trip is --
a trip is coming and going. So, if I come to work and go home that's two trips.
So, I go home for lunch, kids at ball practice, whatever -- and that's two cars to a
household on average, so that's the national average is 9.6, but we round it to
ten. So, that's average household. Some more, some less.
De Weerd: Any other questions or comments?
Bird: Thanks, Caleb. Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you, Caleb.
Hood: I appreciate it.
D. Parks and Recreation Department: Park Shelter Pricing
Update
De Weerd: Okay. Item 7-D is under our Parks and Recreation Department.
Colin.
Moss: Thank you, Madam Mayor, Members of the Council. So, I'm here to talk
tonight about the fees for our shelter reservations and we come before you a few
times a year. Jay typically is the one that comes about our fees. This one is a
little bit different. I wanted to kind of give an update before we start -- we start
noticing these fees. The class fees are things that change all the time based on
the instructors, what they want to charge, the length of the classes and things like
that. And so they change often and there is often not a lot of comment. These
ones, obviously, are -- this is a little bit bigger of an update and so this is
something that we wanted to bring to you a couple weeks ahead of time . So, this
is just an update to kind of put this in front of you . We will be starting the noticing
process as long as we get agreement and, then, we would come back in a
couple of weeks after the noticing process is complete to -- for formal action on
this. So, the reason that we are doing -- there is a couple -- a couple big
reasons. The first one is really that we haven't updated our picnic shelte r
reservation fees ever from what I can tell. I have records back to 2004 when I
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was a young intern with the Meridian Parks and Recreation Department, when
we had -- we had picnic shelters at Tully Park and Storey Park and we had a
resolution to add the Settlers Park and Chateau Park picnic shelters and so we
had a total of six picnic shelters going into 2004 and the fees were the exact
same as they are today back in 2004 . A lot has changed since then. So, we are
-- we are interested in looking at, you know, what the -- what the cost is to
provide that service to citizens and, then, also you have -- we have come to you
to talk about a new shelter -- a new software system for our department and as
part of that we are looking to go to online facility reservations and one of the
things that we are interested in doing is going away from the model of charging
based on attendance numbers and going to just a flat fee . It's going to be a lot
simpler for customers. It's going to be a lot simpler for staff, especially when you
have got an online shelter reservation system when we can just say it's a flat fee,
you know, you can have up to this many people, but this is the cost. Doesn't
matter, you know, how many people you end up bringing. You know, it -- it's
hard to know how -- you know, how rampant it is, but we definitely see some
dishonesty from customers because of that policy, so they will tell us whatever
number they need to tell us to get the lowest -- to the lowest fee; right? So, we --
we can avoid that. We can just -- we can get some more -- some more accurate
estimates as to what our attendance is going to be so our maintenance staff can
plan a little bit better for what their cleanup time might entail and so what we
have done is this -- this fee schedule includes what the current cost is and so the
ranges that you see on there would be because we have a sliding scale currently
based on attendance and so the low end would be for the minimum s, the high
end would be at the shelter capacity and we are proposing to just go with the flat
fees in the right-hand column and so you will notice some are -- some are a little
bit higher than what they currently are, some are pretty close to what they
currently are. Kleiner Park in particular isn't changing a whole lot. That was the
most recent park added to the system. Settlers Park -- you know, when Settlers
Park was added to the system it was a picnic shelter and some restrooms. Since
then we, obviously, have added Adventure Land playground with the splash pad
and the amenity value there is significantly higher than what it was when it was
originally added. So, you know, we are just -- in this process we looked at
surrounding cities and what their fees are for picnic shelters and we feel that we
are right -- what we are proposing is right in -- in line with -- with those
surrounding cities, so this is really just an update. If -- at this point I would really
just like to open it up for any comments or question s. If -- if not, then, I will -- I
will be done and be back in a couple of weeks for -- for your action.
De Weerd: Counsel, any questions?
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: I just wanted to say thank you for sitting through our whole meeting for --
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Little Roberts: Madam Mayor? I just want to say when we reserved a shelter
last year I was amazed at how inexpensive it was , so I must admit I'm really
happy to see us kind of coming around to be more comparable with the cities and
I think we should be higher, because we offer better parks anyway.
De Weerd: And responsive staff.
Moss: Absolutely. And this is -- this is also addressing an issue -- I don't even
want to call it a problem, but, you know, a park like Settlers Park where we have
varying sizes of picnic shelters -- you know, Shelter One, Two and Three out
there can accommodate different size groups, but we reserve currently -- we
reserve them out for, you know, one to 50 is the base fee for 30 dollars. All three
of them are the exact same and so if you're a party -- if you're giving a birthday
party for your -- you know, for your ten -- ten kids, nine year old birthday party,
which one are you going to get if they are available? You're going to get Shelter
One, because that's got the most space or maybe Shelter Two, because they are
the biggest ones. Shelter Two has more space -- or Shelter One has more
space around it. Shelter Two is a little bit closer to the picnic shelter. But with
these -- with these fees what we -- what we would like to do by graduating those
prices a little bit is those shelter reservations should really be directed to shelter
number three, because that's where -- that's where -- you know, the Shelter
Three can still accommodate a party of that size, which we have many of them
and Shelter One should be left over -- open for those larger reservations when a
party of 200 people wants to come in. So, we often get a situation where a party
of 200 wants to make a reservation at Settlers Park, but we can't, because it's
booked for a party of ten and it's -- so, that's trying to avoid situations like that.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Colin, can you just explain to us what the purpose of these fees are?
What are they designed to cover or what's the rationale behind the amounts? I
recognize that our fees are low, but are they designed to offset or cover the cost
related to anything associated with it?
Moss: You know, originally I think as -- as the fees were set originally I think that
was the intent. Anymore, if you really add up what it costs to provide these --
these facilities and the service to -- to make a reservation, I don't think they are --
I don't think you can reasonably say that we are -- you know, we are covering all
of our costs, because, you know, we have the cleanup -- we have the direct
costs. We have a cleanup fee. The staff that it takes to clean up the shelter
every time. We have the -- we have the cleaning supplies, we have equipment
that those staff are using, but, then, you know, we also go through every winter
and refurbish all of the picnic tables in our -- in our system, most of which are in -
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- are in -- are in picnic shelters. You know, we have an on-call staff available all
the time. Roger -- talked to Roger about this ahead of time and he estimated
about 90 percent of the calls that our on-call staff gets are for picnic shelter
reservations. They blew a breaker, plugged in too many crock pots or something
like that and we have to go reset a breaker or something happened with a picnic
shelter. You know, there is the office staff time to make the reservations and,
then, there is just the long-term maintenance of those picnic shelters. You know,
eventually replacing them, you know, fixing, whatever it is on the structure itself
or the concrete and so when we go through the process of setting the fees , you
know, we are looking at surrounding cities to make sure we are -- we are
comparable and, then, you know, you can -- you can see that they are not all the
same. There is -- there is picnic shelters that are of similar size, similar number
of picnic tables that are different prices depending on the park and so we are
looking at, you know, maybe the amenity of value around that. You know, at
Settlers Park if you're bringing 200 people to Settlers Park that might be causing
a bigger long-term effect, wear-and-tear effect because of the playground,
because of the splash pad, because of all the amenities that are available there
versus Bear Creek Park or something like that. And so, you know, part of it --
part of it is recuperating costs, but there is a little bit of a -- you know, what --
what's the amenity -- what are the amenities around that picnic shelter that's --
that might make it a little bit more expensive.
Cavener: Madam Mayor, just a comment then. Colin, I appreciate that.
Personally, I guess I struggle -- I feel like these fees, though, are somewhat
arbitrarily defined based on what is out there -- what else is out there in other
neighboring communities and if we are going to make a change, I would like to
see the proposed fees be commensurate with the amount of tim e staff has to put
in related to that particular reservation and for me personally I don't think it's
related to the upkeep and maintenance of those facilities. Those of the public's
facilities that are taxpayer facilities, but if there is a cost related to an individual
booking a reservation, I want to make sure that the city's recouping that cost and
if -- and I think that if we are going to make a change it needs to be related to that
direct cost and if we are implementing an online system that's reducing the
amount of staff time that's going to have to go to that, that's great. Let's just
make sure that our costs are related to the amount of time staff are going to have
to put into these, personally.
De Weerd: Frankly, I don't know if -- if you could -- you could charge the fee that
-- that is truly related to the cost and I think what the picnic shelter fees are are a
guaranteed service, where you don't rent it you're not getting the person to come
and change the -- the trash while you're there and come and pick up specifically
afterwards and that's what -- people want to know that the shelter is ready when
they get there and it's going to be cared for after they leave and they don't need
to. So, a lot of -- when these shelter fees were first enacted a lot of that was tied
to what the fees were and that's why you have a range. Certainly another
consideration as I recall -- and maybe Councilman Bird could say that that's not
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his recollection, but some of these larger parks you already have staff on. Some
of the smaller staff -- or some of the smaller parks you have to bring people out
there specifically to make sure that those shelters are there and a lot of times our
staff even has to play interference. You have someone there that -- that just kind
of went and said, hey, no one's here, I'm going to do my thing. They don't care
that there is a reservation plaque on there and you have staff that have to go in
and say, no, this was a reservation. So, there are specific costs associated with
the reservation system and if they don't want to pay it , then, they can stop by
there and get it if no one else has reserved it and I think that's why there was a
fee associated is you're paying to reserve that specifically for you , specifically for
your event, and making sure you have staff on hand to attend to the various
things that are needed.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: I agree with you on that, which is why I believe that the fees
associated need to take that into consideration and not just be an arbitrary
comparison to what is happening in other municipalities that surround us or what
we have charged in the past.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I agree a hundred percent with you, Luke, and I have done -- I have -- the
Mayor and I have both gone through this ever since we have been on here. We
-- we are at least entitled to get our costs out of something like this and I think
that, basically, we are doing it. I think the main thing -- the changing to a set fee
instead of numerical numbers coming, is a -- is a great -- a great asset to us and
it's hard to really -- because you could go -- you could go three or four months at
Settlers Park and never -- never have -- other than just clean up and stuff
afterward, never be called out or anything else at the picnic shelters. I think,
Luke, that this is definitely a hundred percent better than what we had in place
and I'd like to at least give it a -- see how we do. The Parks Department is -- in
all their fees have always -- every time I have a question have always come up
with their costs. So, I feel comfortable with this fee set up myself.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: I don't under -- I don't see how we can charge for the actual cost of the
reservation, unless you paid after the reservation -- after the event was over and
to me that just sounds like -- I mean that would be a nightmare and I think people
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would rather pay an upfront fee, as opposed to say, well, depending on how
many hours of trash you need to pick up and how many -- if you have any
incidents that need people to come out and we charge this much by the hour -- I
mean that's really the only way to recoup the exact amount and I don't -- I think
that -- I don't think I know anybody that would be interested in doing that.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Not to belabor this. I don't think that's what anyone is suggesting is
that you pay after the fact. What I'm suggesting is that the proposed fees match
what the Parks Department anticipates the costs are. For instance, does it cost a
hundred dollars more in terms of staff time to rent out shelter A1 at Kleiner than it
does to rent out shelter A4. If it does, great, then, let's have the Parks
Department demonstrate that to us. But if it's not, then, let's have the fees be
commensurate with the actual cost related to staff to rent out that facility.
Moss: Madam Mayor, Councilman Cavener, I -- you know, the Kleiner Park fees
were adopted in -- in 2012 and, you know, just to be completely open, they --
they were higher than any other -- than any other park fees and at the time when
those were adopted I think there was a general sentiment that Kleiner Park
overall is just a nicer park and so the fees for the picnic shelters ought to be
higher and so that's -- that's why the fees currently at Kleiner Park are higher
than those at any other park that we have. You know, if we are going to go -- if
we would like to go back and look at what it actually costs us to provide staff for
the reservation -- to make the reservation, you know, at the -- at the office staff
level and, then, clean up afterwards, you know, the difference between Kleiner
Park and Settlers Park -- I mean it's -- it's not going to be any -- any different,
depending on the shelter size and the size of the -- of the reservation of course.
Cavener: And Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: If I'm alone in this and the rest of the Council feels that these arbitrary
numbers are sufficient for our fees, then, that's fine, we can move on. If other
Council Members feel that if we are going to look at these fees and that it's worth
exploring that they are commensurate with the total cost, then, that would be
something that I would like to see.
De Weerd: Well, I agree that they shouldn't be arbitrary and I don't recall that
they -- they were figured out without backup information. Certainly Council
always asks for that. So, that's fair to ask for and Colin is here in -- ahead -- oh,
is this the
public --
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Moss: No.
De Weerd: You're not doing the public hearing yet, so -- to bring back and show
that there is -- there is some numbers behind the madness.
Moss: Absolutely. Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, we can definitely
bring back some -- some statistics about what it costs us to provide -- you know,
to provide the picnic shelters. I think you might see many of these fees not as
different as they are right now, but, again, I think we -- in going through this list I
think we need to change that -- we made some shelters a little bit more
expensive than others based on what is around the picnic shelter and not based
on the picnic shelter itself and so that's -- that was part of the reasoning on our
part.
De Weerd: And I think in Kleiner some of the conversation was each of -- some
of these shelters have little playgrounds and so as you mention what's in and
around it, they took the -- the care and maintenance of those little areas as well
into consideration.
Moss: Correct.
De Weerd: So, that I think what Council is asking is that you bring that
information back so you do show that it's not arbitrarily set, there -- there is
rationale behind how you set the various fees that --
Little Roberts: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Little Roberts.
Little Roberts: Having an office in a park and watching it cared for diligently, I
think it would be really difficult to set out, because overall through the summer I
don't see much difference in how the park is care d, unless somebody leaves a
mess and, then, obviously, it is, but the morning routine is the same day after day
after day and so to divide out how that impacts the shelter fees -- I don't know if it
can quite be accomplished without a whole lot of work . Just my thought from
being in a park. And, then, the other thing I know in previous discussions, the
pricing difference was kind of hoping that peo ple would self-select their park and
I think maybe you kind of touched on it earlier, so that you didn't end up with your
largest shelter with 20 people in it and that the pricing helps kind of create people
going to the shelter they were more appropriately sized for.
Moss: Yes. Madam Mayor, Councilman Little Roberts, that -- that -- exactly.
That's another good point about the difference . I know -- probably a good
example is Settlers Park Shelter One and Two. I mean they have the exact
same number of picnic tables. They have the exact -- I mean they are close to
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January 10, 2017
Page 55 of 63
the same size, but we priced Shelter One a little bit higher, because it can
accommodate a larger group and the smaller groups we feel should be funneled
over toward Shelter Two and Three to leave Shelter One available for those
larger groups and so if -- if we are directed to go in a different direction, we can
absolutely do that and base it more on the actual -- the picnic shelter itself and
what it -- and what that facility -- you know, what it takes us to provide that
facility. We can -- we can certainly go there.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: Colin, I hope your -- your statement that we aren't going to change much is
true, because I think we are going to find out that most of these costs have
already -- as best you could figure costs on something like that -- is already taken
into this. So, I'm anxious to see when you come back with the new fees what we
-- how much difference there is.
Moss: And just a clarification. You know, a couple -- if we -- if we were to bring
back this fee schedule in a couple weeks, it's going to have to be the same as
what I'm presenting tonight, because the noticing process is for the next couple
of weeks and, then, we would have -- we would have the last Council meeting of
January to present these before we open shelter reservations on February 1st,
which we do every year, and so if -- if it's directed that these fees are not
adequate, then, we would probably just decide to go one more shelter season
with the current fees and come back again next year , which, Madam Mayor, is
okay as well.
Coles: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes, Mr. Clerk.
Coles: To Colin's point. So, we can see that the notice is set to go out on the
13th of January. However, if it's Council's direction I can contact our newspaper
of record and ask them to see if they can pull that notice if we wish to have Colin
come back with a different set of fees that we are wishing to -- to notice. So,
that's something that I can contact the paper about if that is the direction of
Council to have Colin come back with a different fee structure or proposed fee
structure before we notice anything.
De Weerd: I'm not sure I'm hearing that. I'm just hearing, please, bring data that
backs up your numbers.
Moss: Yeah.
De Weerd: So --
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Moss: The current plan -- we will -- we will get some numbers and come back
after the noticing process has been completed in a couple of weeks and we will
bring back another presentation to Council.
De Weerd: And I do believe that, you know, having a different price structure
because it's a larger shelter can be justified and we are just -- I hear Council just
saying give us a little bit more information behind your fee.
Moss: Sure. Madam Mayor, I totally agree and what I'm -- my concern in coming
back is that there are going to be times when -- like Settlers Park One and Two is
the best example I can come up with where the shelter is almost the exact same .
One's a square and one's an octagon that have the same number of picnic
tables, but we have chosen to price those a little differently, just based on what
we have talked about. So, if that's -- if that's not what we would prefer, then --
then we will need to change it up just a little bit.
De Weerd: And that will be part of the conversation.
Moss: Okay.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Madam Mayor, Colin, quick question. Forgive me if you already said it,
but what are we talking in a year -- what -- what's the -- what was last year's
revenue from the shelter reservation fees?
Moss: You know, I couldn't tell you off the top of my head . I know that park
reservation fee revenue overall is approaching, you know, 80 or 90 thousand
dollars over the course of the year. A good portion of that is picnic shelters. But,
then, you know, field reservations is also, you know, several thousand of that as
well. I could certainly come back with that number. That's pretty easy to come
up with. I just don't know it off the top of my head. But I know we have made
around 1,200 shelter reservations this last year in 2016.
De Weerd: And they are hard to get, so a pparently the fees are not too much.
But I think what's just being asked is to get a little bit more information on cost.
Okay?
Moss: Thank you.
E. Clerk’s Office: Presentation of Proposed Resolution to
Destroy Certain Semi-Permanent and Temporary
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Records of the City of Meridian
De Weerd: Thank you, Colin. Okay. Item 7-F is -- oh, I'm sorry. I will do E. 7-E
is under our all-powerful clerk's office.
Coles: I have no power at this station, so -- Caleb actually has more power now
than I do. And we can move quickly to the next item and that's really what I'm
here to talk about is that proposed resolution on the agenda. Now, I can see that
the crowd is enormous that wants to talk about records retention and proposed
destruction of records according to our records retention schedule, but, really,
what I wanted to do today is -- normally these resolutions are on Consent
Agenda for Council's consideration. Departments have come before Council
before asking to destroy certain records according to the approved records
retention schedule. What's significant about this one and the reason that I'm
actually talking it and it's on -- not on Consent Agenda, but it's part of the regular
meeting, is because this is -- as far as I know in the history of the City of Meridian
the first time that we have had a resolution that encompasses every department
within the city asking to destroy certain records, again, according to that
approved -- that approved schedule. Now, we have been meeting as a records
management committee, but they started meeting before I became the city clerk,
but diligently for once a month -- at least once a month to compile the list
together that is before you with the 20 page resolution. Thankfully it's not an
ordinance that someone here would ask me to read line for line, because that
might take a little while, but, again, it's -- every department is represented in this -
- in this resolution. There are some departments that as they looked at their list
of approved documents, again, according to our records retention schedule, that
are still working to locate those documents, put them together. I am working with
them, the city attorney's office, Andrea Pogue in particular is working with them to
set some guidelines and some deadlines so that we can -- not have a situation
where we approve this resolution and, then, two years, three years down the
road we still have those documents. We need to destroy those documents if this
resolution is approved by Council. But there are some departments that are fully
ready tomorrow I'm sure to come to me and say I have got all 60 boxes ready to
go, let's -- let's get the shredding company here and get those documents
shredded. So, it's kind of everywhere in between. We got ready to go tomorrow
and, then, some that may be six months down the road will be able to completely
destroy all those documents that are represented on that list . But, again, the
significance here is that every department is listed . I wanted to thank the records
management team for the work that they have done , that they are doing, again,
in conjunction with the city attorney's office and Andrea Pogue in particular for
her work that she's done to help ensure that processes is a smooth one , that we
have all the documents that we need to, again, according to that schedule. So, I
would ask for your approval of that resolution that is before you, but I stand for
any questions that you might have in accordance with that.
De Weerd: Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Any questions for C.Jay?
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Bird: I have none. Good job.
De Weerd: A long time to get here.
Coles: Yes.
F. Resolution No. : A Resolution of the Mayor and the
City Council of the City of Meridian Authorizing the City
Clerk to Destroy Certain Semi-Permanent and
Temporary Records of the City of Meridian; and Providing an
Effective Date.
De Weerd: Hooray. Okay. Resolution No. 17-1193 under Item 7-F is the next
item in front of you. Do I have a motion?
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I move that we approve Resolution No. 17-1193, a resolution of the Mayor
and City Council of the City of Meridian authorizing the City Clerk to destroy
certain semi-permanent and temporary records of the City of Meridian.
Milam: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve Item 7 -F. Mr. Clerk, will
you call roll.
Roll Call: Bird, yea; Borton, absent; Milam, yea; Cavener, yea; Palmer, yea;
Little Roberts, yea.
De Weerd: All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
Item 8: Ordinances
A. Ordinance No. : An Ordinance (H-2016-0114 - Citadel
Storage at Ten Mile) For Annexation and Rezone of a
Parcel of Land Located in the NE ¼ of the SE ¼ of
Section 34, Township 4 North, Range 1 West, Boise
Meridian, Ada County, Idaho, as Described in
Attachment “A” and Annexing Certain Lands and Territory,
Situated in Ada County, Idaho, and Adjacent and
Contiguous to the Corporate Limits of the City of
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Meridian as Requested by the City of Meridian;
Establishing and Determining the Land Use Zoning
Classification of Said Lands from RUT to I-L (Light
Industrial District) in the Meridian City Code; Providing
that Copies of this Ordinance Shall be Filed
with the Ada County Assessor, the Ada County
Recorder, and the Idaho State Tax Commission, as
Required by Law; and Providing for a Summary of
the Ordinance; and Providing for a Waiver of the
Reading Rules; and Providing an Effective Date.
De Weerd: Item 8-A is Ordinance 17-1719. Mr. Clerk, will you, please, read this
by title.
Coles: Thank you, Madam Mayor. City of Meridian Ordinance No. 17-1719, an
Ordinance, file number H-2016-0114, Citadel Storage at Ten Mile, for
Annexation and Rezone of a Parcel of Land Located in the NE ¼ of the SE ¼ of
Section 34, Township 4 North, Range 1 West, Boise Meridian, Ada County,
Idaho, as described in Attachment “A” and Annexing Certain Lands and Territory,
Situated in Ada County, Idaho, and Adjacent and Contiguous to the Corporate
Limits of the City of Meridian as Requested by the City of Meridian; Establishing
and
Determining the Land Use Zoning Classification of Said Lands from RUT to
I-L (Light Industrial District) in the Meridian City Code; Providing that
Copies of this Ordinance Shall be Filed with the Ada County Assessor, the
Ada County Recorder, and the Idaho State Tax Commission, as Required
by Law; and Providing for a Summary of the Ordinance; and Providing for a
Waiver of the Reading Rules; and Providing an Effective Date.
De Weerd: Council?
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: I move that we approve Ordinance No. 17-1719 with suspension of rules.
Bird: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve Item 8 -A. Mr. Clerk, will
you call roll.
Roll Call: Bird, yea; Borton, absent; Milam, yea; Cavener, yea; Palmer, yea;
Little Roberts, yea.
De Weerd: All ayes. Motion carried.
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MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
B. Ordinance No. : An Ordinance (H-2016-0075 -
Maddyn Village Subdivision) For Annexation and
Rezone of a Portion of Lots 1 and 2, Block 1 of Strasser
Farms Subdivision as Filed in Book 59 of Plats at
Page 5,761 Records of Ada County, Idaho Located in
Government
Lot 1, Section 1, Township 3 North, Range 1 West, Boise
Meridian, Ada County, Idaho, as Described in
Attachment “A” and Annexing Certain Lands and Territory,
Situated in Ada County, Idaho, and Adjacent and
Contiguous to the Corporate Limits of the City of
Meridian as Requested by the City of Meridian;
Establishing and Determining the Land Use Zoning
Classification of Said Lands from RUT to R-8
(Medium Density Residential)
(6.87 Acres) and R-15 (Medium High Density Residential)
(3.53 Acres) Districts in the Meridian City Code;
Providing that Copies of this Ordinance shall be Filed
with the Ada County Assessor, the Ada County
Recorder, and the Idaho State Tax Commission, as
Required by Law; and Providing for a Summary of the
Ordinance; and Providing for a Waiver of the Reading
Rules; and Providing an Effective Date.
De Weerd: Item 8-B is Ordinance 17-1720. Mr. Clerk.
Coles: Thank you, Madam Mayor. City of Meridian Ordinance No. 17-1720, an
ordinance, filed number H-2016-0075, Maddyn Village Subdivision, for
Annexation and Rezone of a Portion of Lots 1 and 2, Block 1 of Strasser Farms
Subdivision as Filed in Book 59 of Plats at Page 5,761 Records of Ada County,
Idaho, Located in Government Lot 1, Section 1, Township 3 North, Range 1
West, Boise Meridian, Ada County, Idaho, as Described in Attachment “A” and
Annexing Certain Lands and Territory, Situated in Ada County, Idaho, and
Adjacent and
Contiguous to the Corporate Limits of the City of Meridian as Requested by
the City of Meridian; Establishing and Determining the Land Use Zoning
Classification of Said Lands from RUT to R-8 (Medium Density Residential)
(6.87 Acres) and R-15 (Medium High Density Residential) (3.53 Acres)
Districts in the Meridian City Code; Providing that Copies of this Ordinance
shall be Filed with the Ada County Assessor, the Ada County Recorder,
and the Idaho State Tax Commission, as Required by Law; and Providing
for a Summary of the Ordinance; and Providing for a Waiver of the Reading
Rules; and Providing an Effective Date.
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De Weerd: Okay. Council?
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: I move that we approve Ordinance No. 17-1720, with suspension of
rules.
Bird: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve Item 8-B. Mr. Clerk, will
you call roll.
Roll Call: Bird, yea; Borton, absent; Milam, yea; Cavener, yea; Palmer, yea;
Little Roberts, yea.
De Weerd: All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
Item 9: Election of New City Council Officers
De Weerd: Under Item 9 is election of new City Council officers. The first order
of business would be for Council President.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: I would nominate Keith Bird to serve -- continue serving as president.
Palmer: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to nominate Keith Bird. Are there any
other nominations? Mr. Bird, do you accept this nomination?
Bird: I accept. I'm honored. I'm honored. Absolutely honored.
De Weerd: Okay. So, I will close the floor for nominations and I do have a
motion and a second for this nomination. All those in favor say aye. All ayes.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
De Weerd: For vice-president I would entertain nominations.
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Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: I nominate Joe Borton to continue serving on as the vice -chair.
Palmer: Second.
De Weerd: I would ask are there any other nominations? Closing the floor for
nominations. I do have a motion on the floor to accept Joe Borton for the vice-
president position. All those in favor say aye. All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
Item 10: Future Meeting Topics
De Weerd: Any items under consideration for Item 10?
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: First of all, to remind the legislative thing for the MYAC kids -- they go out
there and they work hard and put on a nice breakfast, so if you can possibly
make it, please, do it. They certainly appreciate it. And also I'm going to take a
privilege that I think not only my age, but my longevity here I can -- I can say -- I
have been proud the way the staff and everybody in this emergency disaster
thing has reacted and the job they have done and everything, but I also am very,
very proud -- you know, it's easy to be leaders when -- when everything is just
going down and nothing's going bad, you just -- you just go about your daily deal,
but when you have something like this is when the real leaders stand up and I
have got to tell you, you Councilmen -- every -- every call I made you guys
jumped on board for the citizens. There was no questions, no nothing, and I've
got to tell you, I -- Tammy has went well and behind leadership with the role she
has -- I mean she was so proactive that we didn't get -- we got behind, but we
didn't get behind because of not being there and I'm just -- I'm just proud to
service with all you guys. I appreciate everything you've done and your attitude
was just first class. This is what the Meridian community is about. Thank you.
De Weerd: Well, I would -- I would echo your sentiments. I said it under our first
item on our agenda, that it takes a team and it takes every member of the team
to make sure that the work that is needed to be done on behalf of our citizens
gets done. So, cheers to all of you. So, if --
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
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De Weerd: Yes, Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: If I may. Just for future meeting topics, in my new liaison role at the
Fire Department I attended the Rural Fire Commission last night and the topic
about newspapers to notice with came up and that group would like to follow the
city's lead and so I just would like to re -bring up the discussion from back towards
the end of the year about having a larger discussion about what newspaper the
city will use to notice meetings. I'd like to see that happen in the relatively near
future, so that I can report back to the commission about what the city's intension
is so they can follow suit.
De Weerd: And, Mr. Nary, you were working on that. When can we set that on
the agenda?
Nary: We did have it set on the agenda. You said we needed to bring it back in
the future. We could do it at this -- sorry.
De Weerd: Well, how much time do you need?
Nary: How about the next workshop? We can report back to the Council
basically the process that we have gone through, how we -- how the Council
could, then, select a permanent newspaper of record. So, the next workshop in
February 14th.
De Weerd: Okay. We will all love that conversation. Okay. If there is no --
Bird: I move we adjourn.
Milam: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to adjourn. All those in favor say aye.
All ayes.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 5:55 P.M.
(AUDIO ING ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS)
MAYORY DE WEERD DATE APPROVED
ATTEST,:
C. JAY CUES, CITY CLERK
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