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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004 08-10 PreCITY OF MERIDIAN PRE -COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA Tuesday, August 10, 2004 at 5:30 p.m. City Council Chambers Roll -call Attendance: Shaun Wardle Bill Nary Charlie Rountree Keith Bird Mayor Tammy de Weerd 2. Adoption of the Agenda: 3. Discussion of Proposal from Ada County Emergency Medical Services: Ken Bowers - Discussed (*15 minutes) 4. Discussion / Presentation on Mayor's Youth Advisory Council: Brandon Berg -- Presented (*10 minutes) 5. Discussion of proposed Solid Waste Committee Resolution: Present on next City Council Meeting (*5 minutes) 6. Discussion of Animal Control Shelter: Animal Adoption Program ; Connie Peterson — Volunteer Coordinator (*30 minutes beginning at 6:00 P.M.) Meridian City Pre -Council Agenda —August 10, 2004 Page 1 of 2 All materials presented at public meetings shall become property of the City of Meridian. Anyone desiring accommodation for disabilities related to documents and/or hearings please contact the City Clerk's Office at 866.4433 at least 48 hours prior to the public meeting. *Approximate allowable time set for agenda item may change depending on discussion. Please use the designated minutes as a guideline only. Meridian City Pre -Council Agenda —August 10, 2004 Page 2 of 2 All materials presented at public meetings shall become property of the City of Meridian. Anyone desiring accommodation for disabilities related to documents and/or hearings please contact the City Clerk's Office at 888-4433 at least 48 hours prior to the public meeting. Meridian City Pre -Council Meetina August 10, 2004 The Meridian City Pre -Council meeting was called to order at 5:36 P.M. on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 by Mayor Tammy de Weerd. Members Present: Mayor Tammy de Weerd, Bill Nary, Keith Bird, Shaun Wardle and Charlie Rountree. Staff Present: Gary Smith, Anna Canning, Chris Gabbert, Kenny Bowers, Tara Green, Stacy Kilchenmann, Bill Musser, John Shawcroft, Brandon Berg and Will Berg. Item 1. Roll -call Attendance: X Bill Nary X Keith Bird X Shaun Wardle X Charlie Rountree X Mayor Tammy de Weerd Item 2. Adoption of the Agenda: Bird: Mr. President. Nary: Mr. Bird. Bird: I would move that we approve the agenda as published. Wardle: Second. Nary: It's been moved and seconded to adopt the agenda as published. All those in favor, say aye. ALL AYES. MOTION CARRIED. Item 3. Discussion of Proposal from Ada County Emergency Medical Services: Nary: The Chief is here. I think this is prompted by a letter we received about three weeks ago for a proposal. I guess it was a proposal. I thought we were going to ask them to come too. Madame Mayor? De Weerd: I had emailed Kenny and I believe I even talked to the Clerk's Office about that. I didn't call. Bowers: I did not either Mr. President, Madame Mayor and City Council members. I tried to get a hold of them today and it was too late for them to come tonight, but I can give you kind of highlights of a presentation of what they have Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting August 10, 2004 Page 2 of 12 talked about. Several years ago, the Mayor and City Council approached Ada County EMS about bringing over an ambulance and putting it in our area. For some reason we just wasn't able to get together to bring a car over in this area. After building the new station on Franklin Road, Madame Mayor and myself and several of us sat down with Ada County EMS to discuss bringing the ambulance over and running it out of Station 1 on Franklin Road. It just didn't serve their purpose at that time. So, here we are three to four years later without an ambulance in our area still. Several weeks ago, Troy Hagen, which is the director now, which took Mike Roberts spot approached us and wanted to meet with us about possibly bringing a car over and putting it in Station 2. The discussions were at that time that I would have to get with the Mayor, the City Council and the Rural Commissioners just to see what their thoughts are in this and if there was still a go on this we would need to an agreement, an MOU or some kind of contract stating what they are going to do in our fire station, what they are going to provide and the whole works. We have discussed about them possibly buying paper works, hand towels, stuff like that when they come over. We do have room for them at Station 2. We do have the conference room that we could convert over. They would bring their own beds. They would bring their computer. They would put in the phone line so there would not be any expenses to the Meridian Fire Department, per se. Several weeks ago, Troy, Shaun and Mike from Ada County EMS met with Bill Johnson and I and sat down to try to hammer out an MOU for you people to look at. At this time we just received it last night, Bill Johnson said, so I have not got to look at it to see what's all in it. They would like to be at Station 2 because of the response times to that area is the farthest away. They come from St. Luke's or from the Whitney Fire Station on Overland Road or the other car that comes into our area is from Glenwood, so there are quite a few miles to get to this area, so they would like to put like I said a car in Station 2 to cut down that response time. They would like to do that anytime. I mean they are ready to move in today, if possible. I said there was no way without a MOU or a contract. This would be a full-fledged ambulance with a one-person supervisor is what would be with the paramedics. Our discussion then went to the part that our firefighters would be out of service on every call then driving the ambulance to the hospital. I told them we could not possibly do that at all, so they would have to respond another ambulance to the call for transport. My thoughts of having them in our quarters at this time, I told them, they really put me in a hard spot now because all of sudden they have showed up after we have discussed about putting on paramedics. Of course, they did not discuss that that was reason they are here, they are here because of the response times. I wanted the City and the Rural Commissioners to have an idea what we have been discussing about, what we have got in our ideas for this. I just didn't want them to show up one day and say hey we are moving in and you guys would sit there with your mouths dropped open like how come or what for? There are many questions that will need to be answered yet. In an MOU of what they are going to pay for, basically, some rules and regulations of what they are going to do during the day. They are going to have to help out with cleaning Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting August 10, 2004 Page 3of12 purposes around the fire station. Is there any thoughts or questions on your part? Without seeing an MOU, I realize you can't decide on anything. Nary: Council, do you have any questions? Bird: Mr. President. Nary: Mr. Bird. Bird: I believe we really need to look close at bringing it in, I think, for our taxpayers if nothing else, just for the locality of it. Still, I don't think it's something that needs to take place of us hiring paramedics if we get a chance to. Having been able to sit in with the Rural Fire District when this was presented, they — it's amazing that we have been after them for 10 years to get here and all of a sudden they are right here and ready to drive in. But, they have went under a new administration, too. Mike Roberts retired and new people are in and on board. That might do it. But, I think it's something that we definitely need to look into just for our tax payers — the benefit of our tax payers to cover out there on the west side of our district. That's all. That's my main concern is just what our citizens need and I think this is a definite need that we need. Nary: Mr. Wardle Wardle: Mr. President. Chief, you mentioned that this is something that they would like to do right away. Is that correct? Bowers: That is correct. They were ready to move in last month. Wardle: Okay. My thought process is even though we are hiring paramedics, we are not going to have them hired and fully trained until, I believe December of next year and so I think something — this is definitely worthwhile and would be a good partnership. Regardless of our timeframe, if we could get a MOU, which my thought would be a year to year understanding so that we could re-evaluate that in our next year. Chief, would you need any additional budget expenditures to make this happen? You mentioned that they are going to cover most of the other costs. Bowers: Yeah, not at this time there would not be any extra expenses at this time. Mr. President, I would make one thing clear, this would not be just a Meridian ambulance. I mean, it would have to go to Star if had to go or fill in other places. It would not just stay in Meridian. Rountree: Mr. President Nary: Mr. Rountree. Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting August 10, 2004 Page 4 of 12 Rountree: Chief, what was the reaction of the Rural Commission? Bowers: The Rural was that they are interested too because of their response times are way out there. I mean, they are farther than the cities of course and they wanted to look at it very close too and get some kind of a MOU for sure before they move in, but they were for this too. Rountree: A favorable response? Bowers: Yes. Rountree: Thank you. De Weerd: Mr. President. Nary: Madame Mayor De Weerd: The Rural had some of the same concerns we initially did to make sure we had the Memorandum of Understanding, make sure the State knows during our application process that we are pursuing the paramedic firefighters and this shouldn't impede on that progress and that it wouldn't be solely dedicated to Meridian. It is a countywide service, so I know in their other arrangements, however limited those are they haven't had to do the MOU, but we have a comfort level that would be accommodated with an MOU in place. So, I appreciate that Kenny and his staff is moving forward on getting that, but as Councilman Bird has said it is very important that our citizens have that level of service. I know it's been a conversation since I have been on Council that they were going to do that. So, it's nice to see and however suspect the timing is that it's actually going to happen. I guess, Kenny, when you have something up did you talk to Mr. Nichols before he left? I am sure you can get it to Chris and his office. Bowers: That's for sure. Mr. President, there are also in their budget they are going to be hiring some new personnel after October and they are going to move into Station 10 on Cloverdale and McMillan — Boise Fire Station 10 and also if they have enough people that they have hired they would like to possibly go into our Fire Station 3 around the first of the year. But, that's just speculation at this time because of their budget. Nary: Chief, do you have enough direction to go forward from this point? I guess (inaudible) will be waiting on a MOU and we will then have another discussion about that. Bowers: You betcha. As soon as we get the MOU and we will get it shipped over to the two attorneys and we will look through it. Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting August 10, 2004 Page 5of12 Nary: Great, thanks, Chief. Bowers: Thank you very much. Item 4. Discussion / Presentation on Mayor's Youth Advisory Council: De Weerd: Mr. President. Brandon has been in front of us before talking about the Meridian's Promise. Tonight he is here to talk about what he has done informing the Mayor's Youth Council and then before he leaves I would like an opportunity to speak at that point, too. Nary: Certainly B. Berg: Thank you, Madame Mayor, Mr. President and members of the Council. This is the second of my large, exciting projects that I got to work on this summer and first I think I just discussed what a Mayor's Youth Advisory Council does and also the current efforts that we have going on at the schools right now in order to get students involved with this and make sure that the program is successful. So, first what exactly does this program do? Last week, Tammy and I met with members of the Meridian School District, Barbara Leads the Director of Secondary Education and the principals of the area high schools. We talked with them about the benefits of this program so that we can get them on board and we talked about not only the benefits for the adults, but the benefits for youth. Some of the benefits that we see that the city has a vital interest in and the school has a vital interest in is that one of them is that we are able to build relationships that break generational boundaries. When we youth that come in that are going to be working with the Mayor on issues that are important to them that breaks down that wall that often gets artificially built up that adults don't want to help youth and the youth are just trouble makers that have nothing to do — those types of stereotypical roles are really broken down with this type of program. Another thing is that youth feel valued and I think that's one of the most important things is that this is not just a council that just is like you okay that's nice, you guys talk about things, this is something that I know the Mayor is committed to actually listening to what the youth had to say because we feel that the youth are going to bring ideas and topics for discussion that just are not on our radar screen whatsoever. Things that we just have not mapped out as being on our agenda. That is something that is really important and when we take what the youth have to say, we look at it and it doesn't necessarily mean that they get everything that they want, but it means that we are going to actually look at the concerns of youth. Some of the dynamics of the program that we have specifically outlined, make sure that we have a diversity of youth represented. The voting members are going to consist of 15 youths from the area high schools and they — one spot is designated for every high school within the city limits of Meridian and then the rest are at large. So, we will get — make sure that we have representation from every high school. We have been in contact with all of the high schools including the Charter Schools and Cole Valley Christian making Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting August 10, 2004 Page 6 of 12 sure that everyone in our community is represented, which I think is really important. The current efforts that we have going on is high school registration is going on right now and we have booths set up at all of the high schools that have these pamphlets and applications available to the youth and their parents. We thought it was a great opportunity for us to get the word out about the program and all of the school principals were very supportive in this effort. The second opportunity that I have been discussing with school administrators is the opportunity for the Mayor and members of the Council to go into the schools and talk about civic engagement. They can talk about it a lot on national levels and things like that, but I think that it would be really valuable for this program and for the city as a whole if the Mayor and members of the Council and other reactive members of the community, where do they go in and spend time with the youth in a 20 minute presentation type format where you could talk about the opportunities that do exist for youth, ways that they can be involved and not only that if they are dissatisfied ways that they can change their community. A real empowerment session, not something that's on the natural scale that seems very distant, but something that's very close, very real. I think that type of connection that can be built really shows that the city cares what the youth thinks and they also care that they are involved in what's going on in our community. I think that's something that's very important. Just to jot down a couple dates that have been thrown around between the different schools — be looking at about the middle of September for possibly doing this — September 13th, 14th, 15th — right around in there. So, clear your schedules and — De Weerd: I don't see any of you writing it down. B. Berg: They will look at it in the minutes. I know. That date has been kind of thrown around as those dates as a time when hopefully we can gather, get like the last 20 minutes of one class and the first 20 minutes of the next and get a grouping of students, so we are not in every classroom, but a ton of students will get to hear the message and learn how they can be involved in their community. I think that's really important to the success of this program. The final thing I want to talk about is exactly — I was hoping we would have an ordinance, but that all got in the shuffle and Tammy will carry on with that once I am gone, but that will be before you. We do have the bylaws written in drafts right now. Joe Borten has worked on those with us as we've put this program together. We have had members of the delegates that we had go to the Idaho Youth Leadership Conference that I talked about that last time that I spoke with you. They have looked over these things, they have given their input and suggestions and the idea of the registration was a suggestion that was made by one of the youth that we target this time and period of registration where all the kids have to flow through the high school as a time to get some attention to this program. So, youth have already greatly contributed to this program being a success and I know we have sign up sheets just to build a general youth database at our (inaudible) as well and I know we already have well over 30 names of those who want to know more about how they can be involved in our community. That's Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting August 10, 2004 Page 7 of 12 only after a day of senior registration. So, those who on our scale who feel the least valued and the least connected and ready to move on according to the Search Institute survey that was compiled in 2002, we have 30 of those in our community who want to participate more. So, I look for even larger numbers and really building a base of youth that will be supportive of this. As you can see in our pamphlet, the general timeline for this is the applications will be received by September 30th, then we will have a selection committee, which includes the Mayor and a member of the City Council, so if any of you are urging to volunteer some time to look over some applications of very interested youth and then they will be notified and hopefully we will be able to present the Mayor's Youth Advisory Council, hopefully they will all be able to attend the, I believe, the October 313t City Council meeting. That's kind of our hope, our target date of getting everyone here and so they can be introduced to you and they can get to work on the issues that are important to them. Any questions about the program? Nary: Council, any questions? Rountree: Mr. President. Nary: Mr. Rountree. Rountree: What kind of response are you getting? B. Berg: Good. I would say when we are looking to fill 15 — well, let me share with you this anecdote story. The Meridian Medical Arts Charter School, preview the focus of their entire registration. They are going to be broadcasting a Power Point presentation about the Mayor's Youth Advisory Council in their common area where they have — it will be - on an entire wall — they will be broadcasting a presentation about it and as well as probably 50 pamphlets have been handed out and applications have been taken at last that I checked this morning. So, think the response is really good right now and I think the tours of the schools in September will really help to solidify that. There is also the brochure and the application will be available on the City website. That's out of our hands now, so whenever that gets up and running they have all of the information to put up there. I think it's good. There is a lot of information being disseminated to individuals. De Weerd: Mr. President. Nary: Madame Mayor. De Weerd: I just wanted to add to that — Brandon's energy and enthusiasm about this seemed contagious. When we met with the principals, they were very enthusiastic and asked some very good questions, but they will certainly be advocates to this program and supporters of empowering these youth as well. Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting August 10, 2004 Page 8 of 12 With 30 kids indicating an interest in just one registration for one class level, that's a pretty good indication of what kind of interest is being generated and again the principal at the Medical Art's Charter School was just so enthused about it that I think he overwhelmed Brandon with his idea of putting this Power Point up on the wall of the school and being a real avid supporter and already is recruiting the student of his choice to apply and it's been exciting to see just the reaction of several of the people we have talked to and with Joe Borten's involvement as well. Nary: Brandon, you said there was a slot for each of the area high schools. Does that include the Academy as well? B. Berg: Yes, it does. Nary: Great. B. Berg: We actually — I would say our most active youth that I have worked with this summer has actually been a student at Meridian Academy, who is serving as a secretary for Meridian's Promise. She has been really great and helpful. Nary: Was it the 13th 14th and 15th? B. Berg: Yes. Nary: Yeah, I wrote it down. Council, is there any other questions? Bird: I have none. Nary: Brandon, thank you very much De Weerd: Brandon, we would just like to thank you as the initiating class of the Mayors' summer interns and the tremendous energy you have put into the effort of our youth initiatives. But, you know it's a small token of our appreciation, but I would like to present a plaque to you and thank you for a job well done. B. Berg: Thank you all very much for the opportunity and allowing the Mayor to have these interns in our office, it's been an amazing experience. This project is not dying, hopefully at my school we are going to be developing kind of an institute of politics so that we will be placing students from Lewis & Clark college back in their home communities throughout the northwest. What you have done here hasn't just stayed here; it's spread rather quickly. The department chair at Lewis & Clark for political science is very excited about this opportunity, so one little spark is all that it took and I think that many communities are going to benefit from it. So, thank you again. De Weerd: Mr. President Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting August 10, 2004 Page 8 of 12 Nary: Madame Mayor. De Weerd: One last saying is as Brandon wraps up this week, we do have a luncheon on Thursday and that you are all invited too to send of our summer interns. But, also that in the last Executive Board meeting for Meridian's Promise that the officers even went so far as to ask that Brandon's email account be kept active so that they can keep in touch with him on their efforts and have a way to kind of still tap into his energy and his ideas and that just speaks volumes, Brandon and to the Council as to how well he has represented our community. Thanks again. Item 5. Discussion of proposed Solid Waste Committee Resolution: Nary: I guess, Council is there any questions about the resolution or the proposal of the Adhoc Advisory Committee and makeup of it? Bird: Mr. President. Nary: Mr. Bird Bird: Reading through it, I — let's get it on the next consent agenda. It's very nice. I certainly appreciate it. (Inaudible -- ----- ). De Weerd: You haven't seen it? Nary: It's a three-year non -permanent adhoc committee with five members which will consist of the Public Work's Director designee, Municipal Billings, System supervisor, Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman and addition there is a Council member, a resident or property owner that receives solid waste service will be essentially an advisory committee to meet with your organization to, I guess, talk about changes, talk about programs and the like. Does that makeup sound appropriate? De Weerd: Mr. President. Rountree: Mr. President, I was just going to say that the resolution is very much inline with the way the group was previously organized and functions and we continue to function even though we don't have the resolution and direction from the city to function that way. But, the group is made up that way, they continue to make recommendations and look at solid waste issues, recycling issues, public notification issues about issues of pick up, can weights, you name it we have talked about it and i think getting it formalized this way was the appropriate thing to do. Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting August 10, 2004 Page 10 of 12 Nary: Great. We will ask to put that on the agenda next week, Mr. Berg. Item 6. Discussion of Animal Control Shelter: Musser: President Nary, Madame Mayor and members of the Council the first thing I have for you at this point is a press release, which was issued out today to our local media resources, which did include the Idaho Statesman, the Valley Times, Channel 6, Channel 7 and Channel 12. The only that was missing out of that was Channel 2 and I do have a copy here for you on what we presented. The long and short of it in terms of the release was that we initiated a dog adoption program today and we named a volunteer coordinator and that would be Connie Peterson, one of the folks that we'd had contacted us after the initial article in the Statesman and we are subsequently moving forward to put together a volunteer based adoption program for use out at the pound, so that we can expand our avenues on getting dogs out of that area so that we don't necessarily have to euthanize them and that will be coupled with our current efforts already to foster dogs out, those dogs that find homes by the constant and continuous efforts of our animal control officers such as Brenda who is in the audience and Leah Osborne who was working today and then also with the rescue organizations that they use for a specific breed of dogs as well. So, this will just give us one more avenue to be able to move forward in our efforts to take care of dogs here in town. Nary: Council, any discussion? Seems great to me. Madame Mayor, I am sorry. De Weerd: Mr. President I just want to let Brenda know and if she would share it with Leah their love and care of the animals that is very worth noting, they definitely have a love for them. The statistics you see in the press release is a great testament to how hard they try and get these animals placed and found families for of the (inaudible) that were euthanized, none of them were healthy dogs. It really shows that their commitment to making sure that the pets are found adequate homes and well taken care of with a shoestring budget and definitely appreciate the efforts that they put into their jobs are kind of over and above. Nary: My only comment, Chief, too is that it's nice to see that the folks in our community really stepping up and wanting to be of help and try to help solve a problem and making it a community effort. I think it's great and I appreciate your effort in getting that organized and done so that we took what seemed to be a problem a few weeks ago into really a solution that, I think, is a great opportunity for this connection with the community and I appreciate Ms. Peterson for wanting to step into that role and the other folks that are also willing to help I think it's a great testament to them as well. De Weerd: Mr. President. Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting August 10, 2004 Page 11 of 12 Nary: Madame Mayor. De Weerd: I guess as the Chief and probably Brenda could attest that the few volunteers that actually came out of this effort have a lot of great ideas and a lot of energy and probably similar attitudes towards the whole situation that our animal control officers do, so I look forward to seeing the direction that this goes into. I also had a meeting with Melissa Delaney and Cherie McCandless who are working with our volunteer programs and they are very excited about the potential that's being created in this area as well. So, it sounds like the Chief has quite a qualified team that we should be seeing some exciting things come from them. Musser: Madame Mayor, members of the Council one of the primary focuses that Mrs. Peterson has at this point and she made note of it earlier today during our press conference was to see if one of the first things that she could do is find the funding and resources available to get donations in so we can air condition the pound as well. There was some concems there about ventilation and also she is setting that one up as one of her priorities in conjunction with establishing the volunteer program for a adoptions, most of which would probably be from a calling tree at this point in trying to utilize some of the web -based access that we are going to be seeing coming with our new city web format as well. We are going to try and use the resources that we have available and move forward with that. Rountree: Madame Mayor. I guess this is Mr. President's meeting. Excuse me. Nary: Mr. Rountree Rountree: I just wanted to echo the president's comments to the Chief and I appreciate your efforts very much. A comment to Brenda that I know how enthusiastic and wrapped up in the love of the animals and the work that she does for the city. I will make one note that we have met this issue, but the real issue is the owners of these animals. Our homeowner's association several months ago asked Brenda to come and talk to us about dogs and dog issues in Meridian and those sorts of things. I got to tell you that if you invite her, have her be your whole meeting because she will take up your evening talking about dogs and what great friends they are. But the kinds of things that folks need to be aware of in taking care of their animals and I would encourage this volunteer group to utilize those resources as best they can and to the extent that you are willing to do that, to get involved in neighborhood associations and get out to the people who are the owners of the animals that we are having to take care of. But, again, thank you. Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting August 10, 2004 Page 12 of 12 Nary: Well, since that didn't take nearly as long as we thought it would when we scheduled this two weeks ago, Council, I don't think we have anything else on our agenda tonight. Bird: Mr. President. Nary: Mr. Bird. Bird: I move we adjourn the Pre -Council. Wardle: Second. Nary: It's been moved and seconded to adjourn the Pre -Council meeting of August 10th. All those in favor say aye. ALL AYES. MOTION CARRIED. MEETING ADJOURNED AT 6:15 P.M. (TAPE ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS) APPROVED: T I / l%/ e9¢ DATE APPROVED S MES ED�//�i9-- WILLIAM "WILLIAM G. BERG, J ., CITY CLERK Oi1P�iY , o•