HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-05-02Meridian City Council May 2, 2017
A meeting of the Meridian City Council was called to order at 6:01 p.m., Tuesday,
May 2, 2017, by Mayor Tammy de Weerd.
Members Present: Mayor Tammy de Weerd, Keith Bird, Joe Borton, Genesis
Milam, Luke Cavener, Ty Palmer and Anne Little Roberts.
Others Present: Bill Nary, C.Jay Coles, Jaycee Holman, Bruce Chatterton,
Sonya Allen, Josh Beach, Berle Stokes, Charlie Butterfield, Clint Dolsby, 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. Thank you all for joining us here this evening. We always
appreciate to see friendly faces in our crowd and certainly we welcome our
Scouts whenever they want to come and earn one of their merit badges or
citizenship and so welcome. For the record it is Tuesday, May 2nd. It's a minute
past 6:00. We will start with roll call attendance, Mr. Clerk.
Item 2: Pledge of Allegiance
De Weerd: Item No. 2 is the Pledge of Allegiance. If you will all rise and join us
in the pledge to our flag.
(Pledge of Allegiance recited.)
Item 3: Community Invocation by Rod Enos with Southside Christian
Center
De Weerd: Item No. 3 is our community invocation. Tonight we will be led by
Pastor Rod with Southside Christian Center. If you will all join us in the
community invocation or take this as an opportunity for a moment of reflection .
Please come forward. Thank you for joining us.
Enos: Thank you, Mayor Tammy, to do that and to be part of this community.
Shall we pray. Father, thank you so much for this community that you have
allowed us to live in. Thank you for the great prosperity and blessings that we
are afforded in this community and in this nation of such freedom and so, Lord,
we come to you with great thanksgiving and just praise. Lord, we ask that you
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 2 of 50
would come -- by your presence you would guide and direct this meeting. We
know, Lord, that there are many families and individuals, Lord, that are impacted
by the decisions of this group and we pray that, Lord, you would give them
abundant wisdom and just understanding and discernment as they make their
decisions tonight. And, Lord, we pray your continued blessing upon our
community. We pray, Lord, that you would be with our first responders and our
police, firefighters, Lord, that your protection would be over them . We pray your
special blessing, Lord, on our -- our students, our teachers and our education
system and we pray, Lord, that this community would continue to be a lighth ouse
and an example to our nation of a community that works together and live s
together, loves together and so, Lord, thank you, again, for your presence. We
ask, Lord, you would have your way, in Jesus' name, amen.
De Weerd: Pastor, have I given you a City of Meridian pin?
Enos: You did.
Item 4: Adoption of the Agenda
De Weerd: I did. Well, good. Well, we will see you bright and early in the
morning; right? Thank you. Item No. 4 is adoption of the agenda.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: Item 6, the proclamation for better hearing month, has been vacated for
this meeting. Item 7-S under the Consent Agenda has been asked to be
removed and will be Item 8-S at the regular agenda. Item 10-B, the resolution
number is 17-2011 and Item 11-C the resolution number is 17-2012. With that I
move we approve the amended agenda.
Milam: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second. Did we remove Item S to under
Department Reports?
Bird: We put it to -- vacate it to Item S -- or eight on the Consent Agenda -- items
moved from Consent Agenda.
De Weerd: Okay. Okay. We have a motion and a second. All those in favor
say aye. All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 3 of 50
Item 5: Future Meeting Topics - Public Forum (Up to 30 Minutes
Maximum)
De Weerd: Mr. Clerk, was there anything on the sign-up sheet for Item No. 5?
Coles: Madam Mayor, there was no sign-ups.
Item 6: Proclamation for Better Hearing Month
De Weerd: Okay. Thank you. And Item 6 was vacated, so -- and, by the way,
that will be moved to next week.
Item 7: Consent Agenda
A. Approve Minutes of April 25, 2017 City Council Special
Meeting
B. Approve Minutes of April 25, 2017 City Council Regular
Meeting
C. Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law for Approval for
Meridian Meadows Senior Community (H-2017-0011) by
Giza Development/Michael Wright Located 2662 E.
Magic View Drive
D. Final Order for Paramount No. 33 (H-2017-0030) by
Brighton Land Holdings Located Approximately 740
Feet South of W. Chinden Boulevard on the West Side of
N. Meridian Road
E. Final Order For Heron Ridge Estates Subdivision No. 2
(H-2017-0035) by The Ewing Company Located North of
Chinden Boulevard, South of the Phyllis Canal and
Approximately a 1/2 Mile East of N. Black Cat Road
F. Final Order for Fall Creek Subdivision No. 4 (H-2017-
0034) by Thomas Coleman, Toll ID I, LLC Located on the
East Side of S. Linder Road, Approximately 1/3 Mile
South of W. Overland Road
G. Final Order for Hill's Century Farm Subdivision No. 6 (H-
2017-0033) by Brighton Investments Located South of E.
Amity Road and East of S. Eagle Road
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 4 of 50
H. Final Order for Vicenza No. 3 (H-2017-0038) by
Cottonwood Development, LLC Located West of
McMillian Road Between N. Black Cat Road and N.
Ten Mile Road
I. Final Order for Vicenza Subdivison No. 4 (H-2017-0039)
by Cottonwood Development LLC Located North of W.
McMillan Road, Between N. Black Cat and N. Ten Mile
Roads
J. Final Order for Volterra Heights No. 3 (H-2017-0023) by
Cottonwood Development Located South Side of W.
McMillan Road and West of N. Ten Mile Road
K. Final Order for Vicenza Subdivision No. 5 (H-2017-0022)
by Cottonwood Development Located North Side of W.
McMillan Road and East of N. Black Cat Road
L. Final Order for Vicenza Subdivision No. 6 (H-2017-0021)
by Cottonwood Development Located North Side of W.
McMillan Road and East of N. Black Cat Road
M. Final Order for Volterra Heights Subdivision No. 2 (H-
2017-0040) by Cottonwood Development, LLC Located
North of W. McMillian Road Between North Black Cat
Road and North Ten Mile Road
N. Final Order for Avebury Subdivision (H-2017-0037) by
AD800, LLC Located North Side of E. Pine Avenue, West
of N. Locust Grove Road
O. Memorandum of Agreement for Contribution to City of
Meridian Tour Buddy Computer Application and the
Historic Preservation Commission with the Meridian
Downtown Business Association
P. Irrigation Crossing Agreement with the Bureau of
Reclamation at the Farr and Mcbirney Laterals for the
Lake Hazel/Locust Grove Roads Waterline Extension
Q. Equipment Parking Agreement with Retail West
Properties (RWP) Meridian LLC. for Public Works Week
Expo 2017
R. Mini Heavy Equipment Rodeo Agreement with Coastline
For Public Works Week Expo 2017
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 5 of 50
T. Resolution No. 17-2010: A Resolution Declaring the
Intent to Convey to the Ada County Highway District for
Right of Way Purposes a Portion of Certain Real
Property Located near the SE Corner of E. Pine Avenue
and N. Main Street; and Instructing the City Clerk to
Establish and Notice a Hearing to Review the Proposed
Conveyance
U. Approval for Finance to Pay Vendor Payments of
$397,899.42
V. Approval of Task Order 10014.F to Keller Associates for
the “WELL 32 PUMPING FACILITIES DESIGN” project
for a Not-To-Exceed amount of $89,920.00
W. Subrecipient Agreement Between City Of Meridian and
Meridian Development Corporation for PY 2016
Community Development Block Grant Funds in an
amount not to exceed $60,000
X. Final Plat for Tree Farm Subdivision No. 1 (H-2017-0036)
by M3 Companies, LLC Located North of Chinden
Boulevard, South of the Phyllis Canal and
Approximately a 1/2 Mile East of N. Black Cat Road
De Weerd: Item 7 under Consent Agenda.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: As stated earlier, Item 7-S will be moved to 8-S off the Consent Agenda.
Item 7-T the resolution number is 17-2010. And with that I move we approve the
amended Consent Agenda.
Milam: Second.
Bird: And the Mayor to sign and the Clerk to attest.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve the Consent Agenda. Mr.
Clerk.
Roll Call: Bird, yea; Borton, absent; Milam, yea; Cavener, yea; Palmer, yea;
Little Roberts, yea.
De Weerd: All ayes. Motion carried.
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 6 of 50
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
Item 8: Items Moved From the Consent Agenda
De Weerd: Item S was moved from the Consent Agenda. Do we want to move
that to when Councilman Borton is here?
Bird: Is he coming?
De Weerd: Yeah. He's -- he's going to just be late.
Cavener: I don't have any problem with that.
Bird: I have no problem with it, but --
De Weerd: Well, shall we move it to Item 11-E?
Bird: Yeah. That would be fine.
De Weerd: Any problems? Okay.
Item 9: Community Items/Presentations
A. Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council Update
De Weerd: Okay. Item 9-A is under the Meridian Mayor's Youth -- Youth --
Meridian Mayor's Youth Advisory Council. Whoa. There you go. Is this going to
be your last report?
Bradford: It is.
De Weerd: Oh, no.
Bradford: The last one. All right. Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, I'm
Susannah Bradford and this is our final update on the Mayor's Youth Advisory
Council for the month of April. So, last Friday -- or two Fridays ago, April 21st,
we had our Food Frenzy here at City Hall and it was really successful. We raised
a lot of money for the Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline and this was something
that our task group put together, but we are talking about in the future making it
something that -- more community service and we can also link with government
affairs that we can do together. We raised nearly 1,200 dollars. I think we were
just two dollars short of 1,200 dollars for the Suicide Prevention Hotline and we --
it was super successful. We definitely had a lot of participation. We had a
newsgroup come and do a live interview and that helped bring a lot more people
to come as well and so, yeah, that was really good and we will probably -- that
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 7 of 50
will be something that we will continue on for the future. Next we have
participatory budgeting. Our final decision is going to be made next Monday on
the 8th and our MYAC'ers will be voting between an intergenerational community
garden and a Memorial Plaza at Kleiner Park and so we are really hoping that we
get a good turnout for our meeting next week and, then, we can get that wrapped
up and figure out what we are going to do for our project. And, then, also -- also
coming up we have on our general council meeting next week we have our
elections for next year's executive council and so that will be really exciting to see
who will be taking over for next yea r as we have our seniors leave and our exec
council will change. And that's all I have. So, if you have any questions?
De Weerd: Thank you, Susannah. Any questions, Council?
Bird: I have none.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
Cavener: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: A couple of questions. Thanks again for all year. It's been a pleasure
seeing you each month --
Bradford: Thank you.
Cavener: -- and providing updates of all the comings and goings of youth
council. Two questions. Can you share with us how much the youth council has
raised for Suicide Prevention Hotline over the course of the year?
Bradford: I think this was our only fundraiser for it. Is that right? Yeah.
Cavener: Okay.
Bradford: This is our only one that we have done. So, nearly 1,200 dollars to the
Suicide Prevention Hotline and I would assume that it will be something that we
will continue to advocate for.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: And I think that it will be important to know, too, that one of our
MYAC members at Meridian High School, right after the feeding truck rally the
next day held a fun run to also benefit SPAN and so I think that was well
attended. The report was over 200 participants in the fun run and so -- and that
was from one of our MYAC members that did that.
Cavener: Great. Second question. I'm just curious. What's an intergenerational
garden?
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 8 of 50
Bradford: I think it's just -- it's -- let me know if I'm incorrect about this, but I'm
pretty sure it's a community garden that all ages can participate in and can help
take care of. Okay. Yeah. That's what it is.
Cavener: Great.
Bradford: Yeah.
Cavener: Thank you.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes, Mrs. Milam.
Milam: I, as well, have two questions. One, can I just give you two dollars, so
that you don't say almost 1,200 dollars?
Bradford: Yes. I will take it.
Milam: And the second question is your intergenerational garden, what would be
-- where is the location for that?
Bradford: I think it's at a church -- yeah. There is a church that has offered to
provide us with that area and once like -- once we figure out whether or not it's
going to be that or the memorial park, we will get more details on who will be
maintaining the park and all the plans for it and everything, so --
Milam: Now you have got over 1,200 dollars.
De Weerd: Any other questions, Council? Well, it's been a joy having you with
us to hear the updates and we greatly appreciate all of your effort .
Bradford: Thank you.
B. Ada County Assessor’s Office Annual Report
De Weerd: Thank you. Okay. Item 9-B is our Ada County Assessor and for
annual report. Welcome, Mr. McQuade.
McQuade: Madam Mayor, thank you. And Members of the Council. It's nice to
be back. We are just getting ready to send out 200,000 assessment notices and
40,000 of those belong to the property owners here in -- in Meridian. And I just
wanted to let you know what's going on out here by the way in addition to the
property taxes that you might be confronted with or to give you some boundaries
that you might find important in preliminary budgeting. Just wanted to let you
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 9 of 50
know is how close are our values to sales prices. The Tax Commission does
their annual ratio study. This year our sales price -- median-priced ratio is about
97 percent. So, in other words, if -- we will just say we have a -- a 250,000 dollar
house that's for sale, our assessed value will probably be about 245,000,
something close to it, and commercial is pretty much the same thing, about 96
percent of the sales price on commercial properties. The total market value is
market value -- not taxable value -- in Meridian is 10.9 billion and that's up about
15 percent over last year. Again, that's the market value, not the taxable value.
To get the taxable value we take out homeowner exemptions, which are 2.3
billion. We have other outstanding exemptions. Hospital exemptions. Any
exemptions that require Ada County commissioners approval. You don't have all
of those until May 15th. By statute they have to get that to us. Right now we are
about 254 million dollars in exemptions that were processed last year that have
now been processed this year. So, we take out 254 million and we have
operating properties, which will be added in. That's properties assessed by the
tax commission, it's railroad tracks, transmission lines, pipelines. That's 73
million. That gives us what I call a potential taxable value that you would levy
against and that's about 8.4 billion dollars. So, that's up 13 and a half percent
over last year. Just breaking that down just a little bit. Residential properties,
you have 33,700 residential properties. By the way, that's up four percent over
last year's count, with a total market value, not taxable value, of 7.8 billion.
That's up 13 percent from last year. And for most people it's what's going on with
single family residential property. Here in Meridian it's going up about seven and
a half percent. In Ada County we are looking at slightly over eight percent
medium family -- single family residential property. Median value on single family
residential property just throughout the county is 223,000. It's the highest it's
been since 2008 when we were at 211,000. So, it's taken us nine years to dig
our way out of the recession that occurred several years ago. So, what's going
on in the housing market? Well, first of all, you can't find anything less than
200,000 dollars and the entry level homes are just impossible to get. Interest
rates were starting to go back up. In the last couple of weeks have gone back
down again. And, of course, land values, those are at six pe rcent. Land is
typically the driver of residential property. We are seeing people rushing in to get
the entry level homes. If there is going to be a limiting factor on that -- and that is
single family residential homes are up about eight percent in Ada County, but
wages in Ada County are only going at about four percent. So, at some point in
time wages just are not going to be able to keep up and that's going to be a
limiting factor on the price increase. Commercial and real property, we have
about 2,400 parcels valued at 2.8 billion dollars. On commercial property they
are up about five percent, a little bit less than residential property. Total market
value we have personal property back in at just under three billion dollars . That's
a 19 percent increase over the last year. There is an exemption called 63-
602NN. It's been on the books for several years. And that is anyone that was
going to be making a three million dollar investment in a manufacturing facility
and new plant equipment, the commissioners can exempt any part of that up to
the entire amount. That's a five year exemption. Well, the legislature changed
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 10 of 50
that this year. They have reduced that to 500,000 dollars. So, from three million
to 500,000 dollars and also it's broadened. It's not just manufacturing facilities
anymore, it's all commercial property, except retail. It's up to the commissioners
to decide to take that three million down to 500,000. By statute it's their decision
and I have not heard anything from the commissioners at all what they plan on
doing about that and I don't know if that goes into effect -- my guess is that goes
into effect July 1st. So, it's not going to really affect anything this year.
De Weerd: Mr. McQuade, is there criteria that was qualifying criteria?
McQuade: Madam Mayor, yes, there is. First of all, it has to be -- based on the
past you had to have three million dollars, it 's going to be 500,000 now. But also
they have to demonstrate to the commissioners that this will have a significa nt
economic impact in order to qualify for that exemption and how the
commissioners make that decision I don't know. All exemptions are granted by
the commissioners and that's usually kept to their counsel and among
themselves and they will announce what their ruling is. So, I'm really not privy to
-- to how they value that. But by statute it has to provide a significant economic
impact to the community. Does that answer your question?
De Weerd: Yes.
McQuade: Okay. Just add a couple of other things that I think are noteworthy
here. The new construction -- of course, that's important to -- to Meridian, as well
as Ada County and other taxing entities and that is with an increased budget
capacity by taking last year's new construction value and multiply that times last
year's levy. So, your taxable value is 508 million dollars. That's an increase of
two percent. So, you can take that 508 million dollars since last year's levy and
you're going to increase your budget capacity by that, plus the three percent
that's allowed by statute. Substantive change of status. That's where land -- we
will for ag land, it's now subdivided, any change in value that goes into the -- the
new construction value. So, that's new construction. And urban renewal is 136
million. That's up 25 percent compared to last year and to me another real
interesting number is the tax burden. Who is paying the taxes? Commercial?
Residential? You have 65 percent on the residential and 35 percent on
commercial, which is more -- residential is 58 to 42 percent. So, it's -- I think
that's a pretty good split, 65 and 35 and that really does not change much from
year to year. Over the last couple of years it's gone a little bit in -- tilted towards
residential, because it negates some personal property off and some other
things, but, yeah, just kind of anxious to -- to see how things play out once -- that
homeowners exemption, you know, is fixed, it was going -- it was indexed up until
last year. So, now it's fixed at 100,000 dollars. It was assumed to be worth more
than 100,000 dollars today, but I think that will tend to shift it a little more over to
commercial. Madam Mayor and Members of the Council, that's wh at I have to
say this year and new construction is going well, above normal price
appreciation. Four percent to me is typical. So, seven and a half, eight percent,
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 11 of 50
that's getting a bit high. Nothing like we saw back in 2004 or 2005 when we were
looking at 20 percent, 25 percent price appreciation in a single year. And
population increase -- Ada County increased by 11,000 last year. Up two and a
half percent. In talking to COMPASS they are looking at about having 480 --
about 485,000 by the year 2020 for Ada County. So, it's just -- it's just going to
keep growing and we just want to pay attention to it and try to address those
issues. It shouldn't be too much of a problem. Madam Mayor, those are my
comments for this year.
De Weerd: Thank you. Council, any questions?
Bird: I have none, Mayor. Very nice report.
De Weerd: Thank you for joining us.
McQuade: Also nice to see everybody. It's been a whole year. Take care.
Item 10: Action Items
A. Public Hearing for Maverik (H-2017-0042) by Maverik,
Inc. Located 1515 E. Fairview Avenue
1. Request: Modification to the Development Agreement
to Allow for a Time Extension of Three (3) Months to
Obtain the Necessary Signatures on the Development
Agreement
De Weerd: Nice to see you. Okay. Item 10 under Action Items. The first item,
10-A, is a public hearing for H-2017-0042. I will open this public hearing.
Beach: Good evening, Madam Mayor, Members of the Council. As you said,
this is -- this is a development agreement modification for the Maverik. The
property is located at 1515 East Fairview Avenue. It's on approximately 3.83
acres of land, which is currently zoned RUT in Ada County. A little history on this
project. In 2016 the property received annexation approval. However, the
development agreement was never signed by the applicant to conclude the
annexation process. So, as you're all well aware we changed the ordinance last
year to, instead, give a two year window for the signature on the development
agreement to six months. In this case the six month deadline was in December
and I think the applicant has worked with the city attorney's office in coming up
with some language that was agreeable. I'm sure you're all familiar with the
history on this specific project. A lot of it had to do with the billboards that are on
the site. So, the applicant is requesting an amendment to the development
agreement to extend the expiration of the development agreement . The original
expiration date, as I said, was December 21st of last year. The reason for the
delay in signing the DA was the applicant and the city attorney's office, as I said,
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 12 of 50
could not -- and were working together to collaborate on the appropriate DA
provision for the removal of the billboard signs based on the motion stipulated by
City Council during the hearing. The original solution required the approval of the
billboard company. They were unwilling to agree to the requirement of removal.
The applicant has now provided a different solution and has granted the city
license to enter and remove the billboards if necessary when the leases expire in
the year 2027. Therefore, the applicant is requesting an extension to sign the
agreement, because a specific time was not requested by the applicant, and staff
believes that they are fairly close to being agreeable to sign that, we have given
them until June 2nd, a month from today, to get that signed. I will show you a
slide here. This is the language that was negotiated with the city attorney's office
and the -- the applicant. Staff is in agreement with the potential extension of this.
I will let Mr. Nary discuss anything further if he'd like. But with that we are
recommending approval.
De Weerd: Thank you, Josh. Mr. Nary.
Nary: Thank you, Madam Mayor, Members of the Council. I think Josh has
covered it. We have spent a long time in talking with counsel for Maverik, both
locally and out of state. Again, we tried one solution that didn't seem to work and
that's where the delay really occurred with trying to get the original solution. Now
the language that is being proposed we are comfortable it does give the city the
ability to remove the signs if they aren't removed by the property owner when the
lease will expire. There is language in the DA that doesn't allow the lease to be
extended. So, we are -- and there is a bond -- a surety that's attached as well to
give the financial ability to be able to remove them in 2027. So, we are
comfortable moving forward. We are -- we are agreeable with the change in the
date. I don't know if 30 days is adequate. It should be, but I don't know if -- if the
applicant has a different request.
De Weerd: Okay. Any questions for staff?
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Question for Josh or Mr. Nary. If I remember correctly when we
discussed this last year, there was concern on staff's part about how we were
going to track this and remember ten years from now when the only one that's
here is Mr. Bird, that this -- that there is a process in place and so I'm just hoping
that maybe before we jump to the public hearing that you can educate me on
how we now feel comfortable that should everyone forget that this process will be
monitored.
Beach: So, Council Member Cavener, so this language you see here I think that
was a concern from staff and it was a concern from the attorney's office, you
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 13 of 50
know, who knows who is going to be here ten years from now to -- to make this
happen. So, I think you're right, just because this is in a development agreement
doesn't mean anybody is going to remember that it's there and think to -- to look
for this development agreement. So, I still think there is some -- there is some
concern with whether or not this is actually going to take place in the year 2027 .
Having said that, this language here does allow the city to go in there and
remove those billboards in the year 2027 if someone in the Planning Department
comes across this development. There might be another way to trigger
something ten years from now, but I don't -- I don't know what that would be.
De Weerd: But, Josh, aren't they requiring a bond? So, I would imagine if there
is money on this -- I’m sure maybe we won't remember, but the applicant
probably will. He's got that money tied up, so --
Nary: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: That would be my best guess. Yes, Mr. Nary.
Nary: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, I -- that was our -- our thought. I
mean, obviously, we could put it into our Accella system -- whether that's the
system we are using ten years from now I don't know. But all of those -- since
the property owner -- it's incumbent on them to be the first line of removing them,
those have great value, so someone is going to want those poles and they are
going to want those boards, whatever kind of billboard polygrams they are in ten
years, someone is going to want them. So, I think there is a financial reason that
they will -- someone is going to pay attention to that. But the bond especially,
because, again, that instrument will have to be renewed and that money is tied
up into something. So, we think there is enough incentive for this to get done.
It's the only way -- only way we could come up with of at least giving the city the
ability to do it with the one back stop of making sure it could get done.
De Weerd: Okay. Any questions further for staff? Okay. Would the applicant
like to make comment? Good evening.
Butler: Good evening. Joann Butler. 251 East Front Street in Boise. First of all,
I want to say thank you to Mr. Nary and his staff and to Josh for his help in
getting this -- the development agreement ready for signature and, yes, we are
ready to sign it as soon as the -- your Legal Department produces it for us to
sign. There were two items that we needed to go over with the Council tonight
that didn't get covered in the written finding and going back to your last hearing,
there were two items that were addressed and that was would the billboard
square feet -- the amount of square feet that existed on the billboard, would that
be counted against Maverik in putting up their typical sign package and it was
discussed by the Council and staff that, no, that wasn't meant to do that, that they
would be able to put up their typical sign package . But that particular thing did
not make it into the written findings and so to be clear we wanted to bring that up
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 14 of 50
with Council tonight so you could deliberate on that and make a final decision, so
the Legal Department could add that as one of the conditions of approval or note
that within the development agreement. The other item that was talked about at
your last public hearing was this is a large parcel, the southern portion of which is
not going to be developed right now by Maverik, it's going to remain in the
ownership of the present owner and there was a discussion of the landscape
border along the southern boundary and how wide should it be and so on and the
Council discussed that we weren't -- you weren't quite sure how wide the
irrigation easement is, so let's not deal with landscaping to the south until that
property to the south -- the south half of the portion -- or the south portion of the
property develops and that was on advice of your attorney . But that -- that -- that
proviso conflicts with a condition in the development agreement which says that
all of the landscaping has to be done in phase one. So, we are just asking the
Council to clarify that for Legal, so they can add that to the development
agreement, that the landscaping along the southern boundary won't be
addressed now, it will be addressed by the -- by the owner -- that owner when
they go to develop. So, two things. One, that the square feet of the existing
billboards does not count against what Maverik is typically allowed to put up in a
sign package on site and, two, delete the requirement for putting in landscaping
along the southern boundary. Thank you.
De Weerd: Any questions or -- Josh or Mr. Nary is --
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: -- is that -- is that consistent?
Nary: Madam Mayor, the sign package was discussed and I think it was the --
the Planning Department's recommendation that we not count the billboards
against the signs for the -- for the business. On the rear boundary, though, the
only problem is our ordinance says it's one parcel. They haven't split this into
two parcels and our ordinance requires that the entire boundary, the entire buffer
be built with the parcel. So, I think to be consistent with our ordinance the only
way we could do that -- I mean is they have to split that piece off. Otherwise,
they don't -- I don't think we have any other exception I'm aware of in our
ordinance. Josh can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't -- I don't think there is
and I don't think there is any ordinance that says you can just waive it, so --
Beach: Madam Mayor, if I can. The only -- the only thing -- and Ms. Butler came
up before the hearing to ask a question of me -- I think was trying to get to this
point. The only way they could get away from landscaping that southern border
is if this was a separate parcel. I think their intention is to -- and we knew this
from the beginning, that they weren't -- Maverik was not going to use this whole
property for their store. I think their intentions are to split this into two separate
pieces and I think it would be in their best interest to do that now before they
develop the Maverik site. It's a fairly straightforward application to do a short plat
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 15 of 50
to do this. That way they would not have to develop the landscaping on the
southern portion until they have a -- a user for that piece and they could just
develop the northern section of the property for the Maverik site.
Butler: Joann Butler again. Yes. In fact, we have got an application ready to go
to do that short plat and perhaps we could indicate something in the condition of
approval that that landscape is not required so long as we go through that short
plat process.
Nary: You could do that, Madam Mayor.
Bird: Do we need to -- Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes, Mr. Bird.
Bird: Do we -- we don't need to attach this to the DA, do we?
Nary: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, Council Member Bird, the DA has
a provision that require -- and our code requires that all the boundary has to --
Bird: Our ordinance says different, so they would have to come with a variance
to change the DA, wouldn't they?
Nary: No.
Bird: Okay.
Nary: The DA could remain with that condition, but the other condition that Ms.
Butler just stated would be that they -- that the southern boundary needs to be
split to another parcel and we will come up with the language for that.
Bird: Okay.
Nary: But we can -- but since they are ready to move forward with that and that
would, then, be consistent with our ordinance, I think we can move forward with
-- with a DA.
Beach: I did have one -- sorry -- one other thing. I think the intentions of the
applicant are to not construct a 25 foot landscape buffer on the south side, which
is what we would normally require up against a residential zone. I think their
intentions are to reduce that. So, I think if -- if that is the case and the applicant
will go and address that, I think that can also be added to the development
agreement. At least that's what I understood from the applicant in our
conversations that they were hoping to, one, not do all the landscaping on the
southern portion and, then, to reduce that -- that width as well. There is a -- there
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 16 of 50
is a significant pathway there with some -- already some included landscape
buffer as you can see there. So, just thought I would bring that up.
De Weerd: We will just ask you to close with any comment on that. Just in case
there is anyone who would like to provide public testimony.
Butler: Okay. Thank you. On the --
De Weerd: Joann?
Butler: I'm sorry?
De Weerd: I will let you -- yes.
Butler: Oh, I'm sorry.
De Weerd: Let me find out first if there is anyone who would like to provide
testimony. So, is there any -- this is a public hearing. Is there anyone who
wishes to provide testimony on this item? Okay. Final remarks.
Butler: Joann Butler again. If you wanted a statement on that southern
boundary area, at least -- and, I'm sorry, I wasn't at the hearing, but did review
the minutes. The discussion at your last hearing was that given th e width of the
irrigation easement even further south on the property, the landscape buffer was
contemplated to be five feet, but there was a lot of discussion that we didn't know
-- or that Council didn't know or staff didn't exactly know how wide that irrigation
easement was and so that was why it was left. Let's not even deal with how wide
it should be, let's wait until the developer of that southern portion of the property
comes and we will deal with that person. So, we -- we actually won't -- as
Maverik won't even deal with that southern boundary. You will deal with it with
the next developer. Thank you.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Ms. Butler.
Butler: Oh. Sorry.
De Weerd: Yes, Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Just a quick question. Is July 2nd sufficient --
Butler: Oh, you know, we are ready to sign as soon as it's ready from your Legal.
Palmer: Or June 2nd.
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 17 of 50
Butler: June 2nd. As soon as it's ready from the Legal Department we are ready
to go. Thank you.
Nary: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council --
De Weerd: Mr. Nary.
Nary: -- to answer Councilman Palmer's question, what we plan -- we have to
have new findings, so what we are going to do is put them together, we are going
to do the findings and, then, we will bring the development agreement back after
that, just so we really have all of this complete, except for these couple
provisions that we have already worked out. We thought we could get that all
done at the same time. So, we should have it back to them within a week.
De Weerd: Very good. Any further questions? Mr. Borton.
Borton: Madam Mayor. Bill, is the -- is the intent in the language going to be set
on the landscaping -- isn't the development agreement that the landscaping on
the south boundary would be done in the first phase, unless the city receives the
short plat application on or before X date, so if the -- if the split doesn't -- isn't
applied for that the developer would be required still, then, to landscape in
accordance with our code?
Nary: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, Councilman Borton, that's what I
would have to say is that, really, the incentive is on them to split the parcel off
and, then, they don't have to deal with this question at all and they could still be
consistent with our code. So, I hadn't even had a chance to discuss it with Ms.
Butler, but I think that's probably the way we would do it , because, then, again,
it's all in their ballpark to get it done.
Borton: Madam Mayor? That would be all in the DA, though; right?
Nary: Yes.
Borton: Okay.
De Weerd: And I would imagine that would have to be applied for before building
permits, so you knew setback and those kind of details.
Nary: Yes, ma'am.
De Weerd: Okay.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 18 of 50
Borton: Two other quick questions. Is the scope of what landscape is or isn't
required on that southern portion addressed at the time of that future split ? We
need to decide today as part of that what the scope of it would be today at that
future date or do we decide that later?
Nary: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, Councilman Borton, I would think
you would decide it later, because you don't have any active project or
application on that parcel. Once it's split off it's just going to be a vacant piece of
ground.
Borton: Okay. Madam Mayor, last question. There is reference in the staff
report about the new part of the solution with a license being provided to the city
to enter on the property. I didn't see that in the language that's proposed. The
additional right of the city having a license -- the landowner doesn't do it, that we
can do it, utilize the surety proceeds to get it complete.
Nary: Yes. Something -- Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, Councilman
Borton, so subsequent to the application, Ms. Butler and I had that conversation,
she did provide us additional language that we will, then, put into the
development agreement that gives that specific license, because that's the -- that
was, really, the rub is the financial ability is one thing, but the legal ability to
remove them is really what we need in conjunction with that. So, we have
worked out language that we will include in the development agreement , if that's
the direction of the Council.
Borton: Okay. Madam Mayor? That's something other than what's in 5.2?
Nary: It's new additional language. Yes, sir.
Borton: Okay.
De Weerd: Great to clarify. Any further questions or discussion?
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Question likely for Mr. Nary. I -- I agree that the -- the signage is
valuable. Billboards located in the heart of Meridian are equally valuable. If we
and if the applicant forgets to remove them is there -- has there been
contemplated any type of penalty if the landowner doesn't remove them, so the
city has to, then, use city resources and time to -- to get these apparatuses
removed?
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 19 of 50
Nary: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council. Well, part of that is what the
bond is for, right, is the -- the financial to do that. Enforcement is always on the
city for enforcing any conditions of the development agreement.
Cavener: Okay.
Nary: Attorneys fees and costs and things are always going to be determined by
a court in those regards. You also have the ability in this and all development
agreements to de-annex the property as well in the future if you want to. But
there isn't any -- none of our development agreements have financial penalties
built into the requirements.
Cavener: Madam Mayor? Mr. Nary, just clarification. Is there anything that
prohibits us from attaching a financial penalty?
Nary: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, it's -- Councilman Cavener, it's a
contract between the city and the property owner and certainly if that's something
else that the Council wants and the developer is willing to agree to that, that's
certainly within your ability to require that.
Cavener: Great.
De Weerd: Any further questions or discussion from Council?
Bird: I have none, Mayor.
De Weerd: Okay. Well, if there is no further questions or discussion, I would
entertain a motion to close the public hearing.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: I would move to close the public hearing on Item 10-A, H-2017-0042.
Palmer: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to close the public hearing on Item 10 -
A. All those in favor say aye. All ayes.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 20 of 50
Borton: I move that we approve Item 10 -A, H-2017-0042 to allow for the
modification of the development agreement and time extension. The request is
for three months. So, the motion would grant that three months extension to
obtain the necessary signatures and that the modified development agreement
incorporates the reference to signage -- the billboard signage and its application
towards the city's requirement, as well as the requirements referenced with the
landscape on the southern portion that's been represented by both the applicant
and staff and that the additional provision granting the city a license to
accomplish their removal utilizing the surety that's provided to do so, assuring
that it's of sufficient amount, that that also be included in the development
agreement.
Palmer: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second. Discussion?
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: I guess just to clarify -- you didn't mention the signage -- the square
footage. Are you saying that it does not hinder their -- their regular signage;
correct?
Borton: Madam Mayor. Correct. Really it's the intent to -- to memorialize here
what we discussed and agreed on before.
Milam: Thanks.
De Weerd: Anything further from Council? Mr. Clerk, will you call roll.
Roll Call: Bird, yea; Borton, yea; Milam, yea; Cavener, nay; Palmer, yea; Little
Roberts, yea.
De Weerd: The motion passes.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE NAY.
B. Public Hearing for Holy Apostles Catholic Church (H-
2017-0019) by Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise Located
Southeast Corner of E. Chinden Boulevard and N.
Meridian Road
1. Request: Annexation and Zoning of 16.32 Acres of
Land with a C-C Zoning District
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 21 of 50
De Weerd: Item 10-B is a public hearing for H-2017-0019. I will open this public
hearing with staff comments.
Allen: Thank you, Madam Mayor, Members of the Council. The next applicant
before you is a request for annexation and zoning. This site consists of 14.6
acres of land. It's zoned RUT in Ada County and located at the southeast corner
of East Chinden Boulevard and North Meridian Road. The Comprehensive Plan
future land use map designation is a mixed use community. The applicant
requests annexation and zoning of 16.32 acres of land with a C-C zoning district,
consistent with the MUC future land use map designation. A site plan was
submitted that depicts how the site is proposed to develop as shown. Actually,
not proposed. Excuse me. Is developed with a -- with a 52,000 --
De Weerd: Sonya, we can just see our last application.
Allen: Sorry, Madam Mayor, Council.
De Weerd: I kept thinking maybe --
Chatterton: They look just the same.
De Weerd: Probably not. Thank you.
Allen: All right. Sorry about that. The site plan shows -- shown on the screen
shows how the site is developed with a 52 ,220 square foot church and accessory
structures, a single-family residential home, and a food pantry. Parking and
access, all of the existing structures are proposed to remain. One full access
exists via Meridian Road and another full access exists via Chinden Boulevard,
which is shared with the Zamzows property to the east . No new accesses are
proposed. Parking exists on the site that exceeds UDC standards. A 35 foot
wide landscape street buffer is required along North Meridian Road and East
Chinden Boulevard, both entryway corridors. And a ten foot wide multi-use
pathway is required within the buffer along Chinden within a public pedestrian
easement. The applicant should reserve all necessary right of way as required
by the Idaho Transportation Department for the future widening of Chinden
Boulevard out -- outside of the required street buffer. Connection to the city
sewer system is required within 60 days of annexation into the city. Connection
to city water is not required due to the terms of the 2007 agreement between the
city and United Water. To ensure compliance with UDC standards for site
improvements, a certificate of zoning compliance is required to be submitted
within 60 days of annexation. The Planning and Zoning Commission
recommended approval of the subject annexation and zoning request with a
development agreement per the staff report. Tamara Thompson from The Land
Group, the applicant, testified in favor of the application. No one else testified in
opposition or commented. Written testimony was, again, received from Tamara
Thompson, The Land Group, in agreement with the staff report. There were no
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 22 of 50
issues of discussion by the Commission or changes to the staff recommendation.
And no written testimony has been received since the Commission hearing. Staff
will stand for any questions.
De Weerd: Council, any questions? Is the applicant here this evening? Well,
you don't look like Tamara.
Thomas: No. Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, Michael Thomas. I work
for The Land Group. I'm here in place of Tamara tonight and as mentioned we
do not have any objections with the staff report. We are in complete agreemen t
and I'm here to answer any questions.
De Weerd: Thank you. Council, any questions for the applicant?
Bird: I have none.
De Weerd: Okay. Thank you for joining us. This is a public hearing. Is there
anyone who would like to provide testimony on this item? Okay. Seeing none,
Council, any further information needed from staff or the applicant?
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: Seeing none, I move that we close the public hearing on H-2017-0019.
Milam: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to close the public hearing on Item 10 -
B. All those in favor say aye. All ayes.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I move we approve H-2017-0019, the request for annexation and zoning of
16.32 acres of land with a C-C zoning district and to include all staff and
applicant comments.
Milam: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve Item 10 -B as stated. Any
discussion? Mr. Clerk.
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 23 of 50
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.
C. Public Hearing for Oaks South (H-2017-0010) by Thomas
Coleman Located South of W. McMillan Road and East
of N. McDermott Road
1. Request: Rezone of 0.005 Acre from L-O to R-8;
0.001 Acre from L-O to R-15; 0.04 Acre from R-15 to
L-O; 0.22 Acre from R-15 to R-8; 0.19 Acre from R-15
to R-4; 0.31 an Acre from, R-8 to R-4; and 0.07 Acre
from R-4 to the R-8 Zoning District
De Weerd: Item 10-C is public hearing H-2017-0010. I will open our public
hearing with staff comments.
Allen: Thank you, Madam Mayor, Council. The next application before you is a
request for a rezone. The rezone area consists of a total of .84 of an acre of
land, zoned L-O, R-15 and R-8, located at the southeast corner of West McMillan
Road and North McDermott Road. This property was annexed in 2013 and
included in the preliminary plat for the Oaks South development . At the request
of staff the applicant submitted the subject rezone application to clean up the
existing zoning in the development, so that the zoning coincides with the lot
configurations shown on the approved and future final plats. This will eliminate
lots having dual zoning. The Commission recommended approval of the subject
application. Travis Jeffers, JUB Engineers, testified in favor for the applicant and
no one else testified in opposition or commented. Written testimony was
received from Kristi Watkins, JUB Engineers, the applicant, in agreement with the
staff report. There were no outstanding issues for the Council or any discussion
by the Commission and no written testimony has been received since the
Commission hearing. Staff will stand for any questions. And this is -- excuse
me. This is an exhibit showing the actual areas proposed for the rezone.
De Weerd: Thank you. Council, any questions at this time? Is the applicant
here? Good evening. If you will, please, state your name and address for the
record.
Jeffers: Good evening, Mayor and Council. For the record Travis Jeffers, JUB
Engineers. 250 South Beechwood Avenue in Boise. I'm here if you have any
additional questions. Staff's pretty much summed up the reason. We are here to
clean it up and make sure there is no dual zoning going on, so that's really that
straightforward, so --
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 24 of 50
De Weerd: Thank you.
Jeffers: -- any questions?
De Weerd: Council, any questions?
Bird: I have none, Mayor.
De Weerd: Thank you very much. This is a public hearing. Is there anyone who
would like to provide testimony on this item? Okay. Seeing none, Council?
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: I move that we close the public hearing on H-2017-0010.
Bird: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to close the public hearing on Item 10-
C. All those in favor say aye. All ayes.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: I move that we approve H-2017-0010.
Bird: Second.
Little Roberts: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve Item 10 -C. If there is no
discussion, 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.
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 25 of 50
D. Public Hearing: Adopting Updates to the Water Meter &
Water System Repair Fee Schedule of the Meridian
Public Works Department
1. Resolution No. 17-2011: Adopting Updates to the
Water Meter & Water System Repair Fee Schedule of
the Meridian Public Works Department; Authorizing
the Public Works Department to Collect such fees;
and Providing an Effective Date
De Weerd: Item 10-D is a public hearing regarding water meter and water
system repair fee schedule. I will turn this over to Dave.
Miles: Good evening, Madam Mayor, Members of Council. If you recall we were
here in mid March to discuss what we call the water meter and water system
repair fees and we are here tonight seeking adoption of the updated fee
schedule. What you should have in front of you is a copy of the public notice that
went out and was posted per our requirements, as well as a copy of the
resolution. Again, under Meridian City Code, Section 9 -1-12 the Public Works
Department is authorized to charge fees for our water meters and water meter
purchases and repairs to the water system. These fees were originally -- or
excuse me -- last updated in 2006. So, we are here tonight to update those fees,
primarily due to the fact that we are looking for cost recovery from our suppliers
from what we are charged. Be happy to stand for any questions on this.
De Weerd: Council, any questions?
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: David, why has it been since 2006 since we have had any revisions if -- if
we have been spending?
Miles: Madam Mayor, Council Woman Milam, that's a good question. I think
there is probably a combination of reasons, primarily time to get to this. I -- last
time I was here we did commit to coming back on an annual basis for these fees
to update them. I know there is discussions throughout the departments to do
that on a citywide level and that's our commitment to you moving forward for
these fees is to do just that.
De Weerd: Okay.
Milam: Thank you.
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 26 of 50
De Weerd: Any other questions from Council? This is a public hearing. Is there
anyone who wishes to provide testimony on this item? If there is no further
questions or comments, Council, I would entertain closing this public hearing.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I move we close the public hearing on adopting updates to the water meter
and water system repair fee schedule.
Milam: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to close the public hearing on Item 10-
B. All those in favor say aye. All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
D. Public Hearing: Adopting Updates to the Water Meter &
Water System Repair Fee Schedule of the Meridian
Public Works Department
1. Resolution No. 17-2011: Adopting Updates to the
Water Meter & Water System Repair Fee Schedule of
the Meridian Public Works Department; Authorizing
the Public Works Department to Collect such fees;
and Providing an Effective Date
De Weerd: Item 10-D-1 is Resolution 17-2011.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I move we approve Resolution No. 17-2011.
Milam: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve Item 10-D-1. Any
discussion from Council? Mr. Clerk.
Roll Call: Bird, yea; Borton, yea; Milam, yea; Cavener, yea; Palmer, yea; Little
Roberts, yea.
De Weerd: All ayes. Motion carried.
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 27 of 50
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Item 11: Department Reports
A. Purchasing: Review of Recently Received Bids and
Current Construction Environment and Award of
Construction Contracts to the Following:
1. L2 Excavation for a Not-To-Exceed Amount of
$85,712.90 - E. Williams Street Sewer Line
Replacement
2. L2 Excavation for a Not-To-Exceed Amount of
$81,679 – Amity Water Line Extension Locust Grove
East
3. Star Construction for a Not-To-Exceed Amount of
$138,926 – Water Main Replacement – S. Heidi
Place, W. Kimra Street
De Weerd: Item 11-A is under Department Reports. We have a report from our
Purchasing Department.
Watts: Thank you, Madam Mayor, Council Members. If you recall last time I was
here I had an out-of-the-ordinary-bid award and asked if you would like me to
continue to come up here and you made a comment that you didn't see me
enough and you wanted me to keep bringing those and I'm afraid with the
construction environment the way it is you're going to see me quite a bit I think in
the next few months. I have three contracts that I have before you for award
today, but I wanted to talk a little bit about how our bids have been coming in.
The three that I have before you -- two of them have only one bid. One of them
had no bids and we went out and rebid it and we got two when we went out the
second time. All three of these have came in over the engineer's estimate. They
are not over the budget, but they are over the engineer's estimate and they
ranged from five percent over to almost 70 percent over the engineer's estimate.
So, when the bids come in -- like it's the process that I do is I -- I go to meet with
Public Works and I sit down with the city engineer or the assistant city engineers
to determine the urgency of the project and discuss whether or not we think it
might be better to put it off until a later date and maybe bid in the fall and hope
for a better construction environment. I will continue to do that. With the three
projects that I have before you they are crucial to larger project s. One of them is
very crucial to a larger project that we need to get moving forward, so it can't be
put off. And, then, I also have another project that we will be submitting next
week where we had a pre-bid last week and no one showed up to the pre -bid
and it is very crucial to a larger project. So, we have spent this -- a couple days
this week contacting contractors to see if we could drum up some interest in it
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 28 of 50
and we do have at least one contractor he said they are interested in bidding and
possibly a second. That's the proce ss that we will continue to go through. With
construction booming as it is, the contractors are busy and they get to pick and
choose what they -- what they bid on, so --
De Weerd: Well, Keith, I -- I know that I -- I have talked to Public Works about
this, but I think it's going to be incumbent on us to look at how we can bundle
some of these projects, so you can make it of greater interest perhaps to -- to
take a look at that and so if you can kind of sit down and look at what we do have
coming up and see if there is a way to start better packaging these so they don't
go out in the smaller items, we can give them something a little bit larger and
meatier to chew on.
Watts: Sure. And we have had that discussion on the one that I just was
discussing with you, the latest one. That is a possibility with that one. The only
problem we will have is that is going to really put a cramp in the timeline. It's
going to put us behind schedule if that is, in fact, what we end up having to do
with the bid for next week, but we will come -- bring that to you when that occurs
and we will discuss it that time.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
Watts: I do have three bids before you.
De Weerd: Mr. Bird has a question.
Bird: Keith, I know that construction is very busy now. Is the private sector
having problems getting bids, too?
Watts: From what I understand the few people that I have talked to they have.
They are in the same boat. People are picking and choosing what they are going
to do and they are really going to work for their favorite contractors right now.
Bird: They are going to work for where they don't have to do the paperwork or
stuff that we --
Watts: Correct.
Bird: -- we require, which I don't -- I think it's great, because --
Watts: I spoke to --
Bird: It's sad, but, you know, you're going over the estimates that high, but there
is nothing we can do about it if we can't find the people, other than just getting
out and talk to some of the contractors and say, hey, is there anything we can do
to help.
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 29 of 50
Watts: That's -- that's what we have been trying to do and I think that's what we
will continue to do in this environment. I did speak to one of our consultants last
week. It wasn't one of our projects, but -- and I was discussing -- this was one of
our design consultants and they have an 8.2 million dollar bid -- or project out.
They did a prequalification and they had one person interested and they had to
beat the street and they were only able to drum up three contractors who were
even interested in prequalifying for that size of a project. So, that's --
Bird: That's sad.
Watts: -- that's tough.
Bird: That is sad.
Watts: So, we will do our best to entice them to come to Meridian and do work
for us and we will work with Public Works in combining projects if need be to
make it desirable. If no other questions, we can talk about the three contracts I
do have before you. I guess I would -- I would also like to -- we always send
these -- when we go out for bid we -- we put it on our website and we put it on an
FTP site. We send it down to the AGC and when their -- a formal bid we send to
the newspaper as well, so there is not a whole lot more that we can do to -- other
than calling contractors independently and trying to see if they are interested.
With that I have three contractors -- or contracts before you. There is the East
Williams Street sewer line replacement with L2 Excavation for $85,712.90. I
have the Amity water line extension at Locust Grove, which is 81,679. That is
also with L2 Construction. That is one of the contractors that I have been able to
talk to and entice him into bidding on our projects. And our third one is the water
main replacement at South Heidi Place and West Kimra Street and that's with
Star Construction for 138,926 dollars.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: With the permission of the other Council, I will make all three of these in
one motion. I move we approve the contract with L2 Excavation not to exceed
$85,712.90 for the East Williams Street sewer line replacement. Number two is
contract with L2 Excavation for a not-to-exceed amount of 81,639 dollars. That's
for the Amity water line extension, Locust Grove east. And number three with
Star Construction for not to exceed amount of 130,926 dollars for water main
replacement at South Heidi Place and West Kimra Street and for the Mayor to
sign the contracts and the Clerk to attest.
De Weerd: I have a motion --
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 30 of 50
Milam: Second.
De Weerd: -- and a second to approve Item 11-A, 1, 2 and 3. Any discussion
from Council? Okay. 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.
De Weerd: Thank you, Keith.
Watts: Thank you.
B. Public Works: Budget Amendment for Idaho Power
Infrastructure Buyout: WRRF Not-to-Exceed $2,500,000
De Weerd: 11-B is also under Public Works and Laurelei McVey.
McVey: Thank you for your time. We have a PowerPoint presentation. No
surprise. So, Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, thank you for your time
this evening. The Public Works Department is bringing forward a budget
amendment to address the issues surrounding the primary power lines at the
treatment facility. The purpose of this presentation is to provide you with
background information, details surrounding -- and details surrounding the viable
options and alternatives. So, I'd like to briefly cover the agenda. We will talk a
little bit about the background of the current power distribution system . Discuss a
little bit how our current expansion projects are impacting the power system at
the facility. Talk about the options that we have relating to the primary power
system and the backup generators and, then, provide you with our
recommendation for the best option moving forward for the city. So, as you
know, power is absolutely critical at the treatment facility and having backup
power is not only essential to allow us to keep flow moving through the facility if
we have a power outage, but it's also a requirement of the Department of
Environmental Quality. So, I will provide you with a brief overview of our current
system. This is a photo representation. So, under the current system at the
treatment facility Idaho Power owns the primary power lines in the plant . Those
are the yellow and red lines you see in the photo . The city pays a monthly facility
fee of approximately 6,500 dollars a month, which covers the installation and
maintenance costs on the line. Idaho Power determines that fee by amortizing
the install value over 31 years. However, at the end of those 31 years the city
still doesn't own the power lines. Idaho Power still owns the system. So, the city
also pays for the electricity that's used on top of that facility fee and with the
current plant expansion the facility fee was expected to increase to approximately
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 31 of 50
13,000 dollars a month. So, the city also owns -- or owns the centralized
generation center, which is shown on that box in the orange towards the bottom
of the photo there. However, what makes our system unique is that when we
lose mainline power we use our backup generators to transmit power on Idaho
Power's lines around our facility. This isn't a standard setup. Normally Idaho
Power does not allow other people's power onto their power lines. However, in
2005 this was an agreement that Idaho Power entered into with the ci ty and it still
stands to this day. So, where did things change? In 2015 we began working
with Idaho Power on system upgrades that would serve the capacity expansion
and headworks project. At that time we were planning to have Idaho Power
design, construct, and own the power system for the expansion. However, in mid
2016 Idaho Power came to us and said that the MOU would be voided with the
expansion and that they were no longer interested in serving a non -standard
system and gave the city two options. We could either move our backup
generators off of their lines or we could buy out the lines at the treatment plant .
So, we -- the design and construction of the electrical system for those two big
projects was put on hold until we could come to a decision. And so Public Works
took a step back and thoroughly evaluated both options for numerous factors,
including cost, reliability, and operability. So, as we mentioned, we evaluated
both options and we vetted the financial piece of the options through the city's
Finance Department. So, I'd like to review kind of both of those options and what
they mean. Option number one moving our backup generators. So, with this
option we would have to purchase new backup generators, move them at
strategic locations around the facility and install secondary transmission lines for
those backup generators. We would also have to install fuel lines to service
those generators and in addition we would still be paying that 13,000 dollar a
month fee to Idaho Power to basically lease the primary power lines. So, option
number two is buying out the system. With that option we keep our centralized
generation facility and we pay Idaho Power for the cost of the install of the
current power lines at the facility and we get rid of that 13,000 dollar a month
facility charge. So, in the -- in the long run option number two financially makes
the best sense for the city. It actually saves us close to 1.5 million dollars over
that 31 year amortization period. So, we are recommending with proceeding with
option number two, the system buy out for several reasons. Financially it makes
sense. Owning the city -- or owning the lines, as I said, saves the city a
considerable amount of money over the long run. Owning the system also
provides us additional reliability, because the city can proactively maintain and
service those power lines and, then, owning the system also provides us with
future control and flexibility. So, any future expansions at the treatment plant we
are in control of the expansion and the location of those power lines. However,
since owning a high -- and maintaining high voltage systems would be a new
thing for our department, we wanted to vet a couple of things. One of those
being high voltage contractors who could help us maintain the lines and also
respond in an emergency. You may recognize some of these names. This is not
an all-inclusive list, but Track Utilities and Anderson Wood, who have extensive
experience servicing high voltage customers and providing emergency response.
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 32 of 50
We also had a third-party engineer inspect and evaluate our system to ensure
that we had accurate values and conditions for the equipment we were buying
and the good news is is that our system -- our current system is in good shape
and should -- with the added lines for the compacity expansion and headworks
will serve the facility up to 15 mgd. So, that's a little ways into the future. So, the
timing of this budget amendment is really imp ortant, which is why I'm coming
here today, rather than waiting for the normal budget cycle. The capacity and
headworks projects are currently under construction and those projects are
expected to need permanent power in mid 2018 . So, we need to move forward
with a decision, preferably system buy out, as soon as possible, so that we can
work through the system buy out with Idaho Power and, then, also begin design
and construction of the high-voltage system that will serve the back of the
treatment plant. So, delaying this could have significant impacts on the
construction and start up of the new treatment facility. However, we also realize
that this is not a small amount of money that we are coming forward and asking
for and this money was not planned or anticipated. So, we took a really close
look at our five year CIP and because of delays in the NPDES permit we were
able to delay and postpone several projects and we are able to remain solvent
over the five year planning period with adding this project in. So, the amendment
that you have in front of you tonight includes several items, including the
purchase of the primary overhead power lines, the expansion of the system for
the capacity project and headworks, purchasing and upgrading critical power
equipment to have on site to help shorten future potential power outages . And
with that I will stand for any questions that you might have.
De Weerd: Council, any questions?
Bird: I have none.
De Weerd: Okay. So, if there are no questions, Council, there is a request for a
budget amendment.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: We -- I don't know how we got away without buying this right to the start ,
but -- because Idaho Power usually makes people that use that much power own
their own lines. Anyway, I would move that we approve the budget amendment
for the Idaho Power infrastructure buy out at the wastewater treatment plant, not
to exceed 2.5 million dollars and that also is to improve -- include improving a
consultant agreement with Northwest Hydraulic Consultants, Incorporated.
Milam: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve Item 11-B. Discussion?
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 33 of 50
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: I just want to make a comment. Probably not that relevant, but I'm just
not thrilled with Idaho Power making us pay an installation fee for existing -- just
saying.
De Weerd: I don't think anyone is excited about this. But, 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.
C. Mayor’s Office: Resolution No. 17-2012: Appointing
Jonathan Wardle to the Impact Fee Advisory Committee
De Weerd: Item 11-C. Council, in front of you you have Resolution 17 -- 17-
2012 appointing Jonathan W ardle to the impact fee advisory committee. He is
representing the building industry on this impact fee advisory committee,
because Brad -- I can't remember Brad's last name -- had to step off.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I move we approve Resolution No. 17-2012 appointing Jonathan Wardle to
the impact fee advisory committee.
Milam: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve Item 11-C. Any
discussion? 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.
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 34 of 50
D. Mayor’s Office: Budget Amendment for Allumbaugh
House for a Not-To-Exceed Amount of $3,503
De Weerd: Council, in front of you -- or the request under 11-D is -- I came to
you about eighteen months ago and -- to discuss project manager for the crisis
center project that would be moving forward after getting legislative
appropriations for a project in Boise that we had anticipated would be in
partnership with the Allumbaugh House. Ada County is no longer sponsoring the
contract for the potential crisis center and another a bidder won that award and
so in front of you today is a request to redirect the $3,502.50 that we committed
to this project to join others to fill a budget shortfall for fiscal year 2017 . When
the budget for 2017 was developed it was anticipated that we would have 45,000
dollars as we had had the previous two years from the Boise Open. They -- they
helped fill a gap that we lost some funding from the state on and it was not
available for this year. We were not one of those selected projects. So, the
monies that were committed to the project management also total around 45,000
dollar budget shortfall. The other partners are willing to commit what they had
set aside and so tonight I am asking if this Council would be willing to dedicate
that 3,500 -- a little bit more than 3,500 dollars towards the Allumbaugh House
budget shortfall for 2017 and I would stand for any questions.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes, Mr. Borton.
Borton: The budget shortfall -- is it a shortfall from what the city allocated less
than we were supposed to or is it the Allumbaugh -- their own internal budget
was -- fell short because revenues to them didn't come in?
De Weerd: The shortfall was because we did not get the anticipated 45,000 from
the Boise Open and so that -- that had balanced the budget for that year. For the
first time since we have been partners to Allumbaugh House will be seeking an
increase during this budget year, where all the -- the partners will -- will step up
and increase their dues. But this is to address this year's budget shortfall.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes.
Borton: One final question. Did the contribution from Ada County change?
De Weerd: Not this year.
Borton: Okay.
De Weerd: And I don't know about moving forward.
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 35 of 50
Borton: Okay. Maybe something going on in the future year.
De Weerd: Yes.
Borton: Okay.
De Weerd: We are exploring the other cities in Ada County and I know that they
are all -- I will be talking with the mayors of Kuna and Star and Mayor Bieter will
be approaching Eagle and Garden City to see if they will be participants in the
Allumbaugh House as well for 2018. Any further questions?
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: Hearing none, I would move that we approve the budget amendment for
the Allumbaugh House not to exceed 3,503 dollars.
Milam: Second.
De Weerd: Give me an additional fifty cents?
Bird: Robert didn't put that in --
De Weerd: Oh, he rounded up. If there is no further questions or -- or
discussion, 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.
E. Moved from Consent Agenda: Resolution No. 17-2009: A
Resolution Adopting the City of Meridian Strategic Plan
Focus Areas and Goals
De Weerd: From the Consent Agenda we did move Item S, the resolution 17-
2009, regarding the strategic plan and would open this for discussion.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 36 of 50
Cavener: Thank you. I had requested that we remove this item from the
Consent Agenda just in light of -- I think our discussion on this issue over the
past few weeks I didn't feel comfortable having it on the Consent Agenda without
us at least having any last minute comments or discussions and if I may, Madam
Mayor, I would like to speak to the strategic plan kind of as a whole as to where
we have been over the past few weeks and specifically I'd like to talk to a couple
of comments that were made last week by Councilman Palmer, Council Woman
Little Roberts and Councilman Borton. I think Council Member Palmer brought to
me what I thought was a really good point and that was that when -- when I ran
for City Council I ran on the platform of community involvement and I think that
the strategic plan speaks so much to community involvement at all levels and I --
I think I -- the Mayor and I met this morning and we talked on a number of issues
and one of the comments that I raised that I have said many times is that if you
ask all six of us a question you're going to get seven different answers and I
recognize that dealing with a strategic plan that was audacious as the one that
was initially presented to us brings with it its own quirks and pieces that we have
to work through. The challenge for me is, you know, last week I heard from lots
of Council Members that talked about wanting to be involved. I didn't hear a lot
of comments about any Council Member saying we wanted to be the boss. I
think that this is a Council that respects the line that the Mayor as the CEO of the
city is in charge of personnel, but I do struggle with the executive branch dictating
to the legislative branch or the City Council what level involvement that we can
have specifically in the strategic plan and -- and I felt that in light of last week's
discussion there was a little bit of that and I think that I would encourage this
Council -- especially Council Members that run on the platform of being involved
in our community -- to stay involved in the strategic plan, which brings me to
Council Member Borton's point and one of the reasons why I am not supportive
of adopting the strategic plan tonight, but I think Council Member Borton brought
up a great idea in that this plan has changed a lot over the past few months and
documents that have been presented to us have changed and evolved and -- but
Council Member Borton brought up, you know, for a future plan to have the
Mayor come and present where we are. Again today I don't if -- if the city has
progressed any further in the strategic plan than it was when it was first
presented to us in January. And if you recall in January there wasn't a lot of
success that had been achieved yet. I'd like to know where we are before I
support adopting and moving forward and I think Council Member Borton's
proposal to have a presentation from the Mayor on this before we adopt it would
be ideal. Furthermore, the newest document that's been presented to us, the
one that we are asked to adopt this evening, Council Woman Little Roberts
brought up a workshop session specifically to talk about the goals and get a
better update -- and maybe that happens in line with -- with the presentation that
Council Member Borton brought up. But all of those reasons combined is -- it's
just a struggle for me to -- to be willing to adopt this plan as it is today. As I
mentioned earlier, I think that we are a council that wants to be involved and
wants the city to be successful and wants to see the strategic plan being
successful, but without knowing where we have been success -- how we have
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 37 of 50
found success in the past 18 months, it's really challenging for me to know that
we are going to be successful over the next 15 months. So, I don't know if
anyone else has any other comments, but I will not be voting to support the
adoption of the strategic plan tonight for the reasons that I have outlined here.
De Weerd: Okay. Additional discussion?
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Madam Mayor, I echo the -- the comments of Councilman Cavener and
would add -- kind of reiterate a little bit of what I talked about the previous time
that we discussed the strategic plan. And the statements -- some of them were
too broad. When I, you know, read -- would read one of them I would have to --
I'd look back to the more in-depth version that we have had previously to
understand what it is that it is talking a bout, what the -- what the goal really is,
what's planned to make that happen and I feel like we are almost being left out of
participating -- in making this happen. Again, just the one page looks like a
mission statement, just a feel good paper, not put us to work to make -- so we
can figure out how to make it happen and provide the tools to the -- to your
branch and to the city staff to make these things happen, just feel like, again, we
are left out sitting here saying sounds good, let's -- let's do that, whatever that is.
And so the document is presented to us again, I can't support that as well and I
would hope that we could go back to -- if it takes all night in one meeting to go
through line by line a previous version as we had done and have discussion and,
then, at some point get tired of discussion on a point and vote on it real quick,
move on to the next one, I think that would be a much more effective way of
creating the plan, as opposed to the broad one-page version.
De Weerd: Okay. Any other discussion?
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: Well, the way that I see this it's not a change in the strategic plan, but
what we are being asked to adopt is just -- is the focus areas and goals and
within that there are objectives and, you know, there are other things that are
happening I would say as we speak, but probably not tonight. But I understand
that the point of wanting to know more information and maybe , you know, how
much time and energy and money is being spent on -- on getting these done, but
I also understand that this is just us saying, yes, these are -- we agree as a
Council, as a city, that -- that we all are aligned with the focus areas and goals.
That doesn't mean that we are out of the entire picture or it doesn't mean that
plan has changed, the plan is still there, we are just not digging into every single
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 38 of 50
detail and I don't know that we really need to, but I'm happy to do it, but I just
don't know that that's really our -- our place. I think that we each have our -- our
departments and our liaisons and when directors or our departments need help
they certainly come to us and would let us know that we need your participation
in this way, at least I would hope that that would -- that that's going to happen.
So, I just don't know that reading it every day or whatever is going to make a
difference in how much we are able to participate in the community or getting it
done.
De Weerd: Council, I guess just to reiterate the discussion we had last week in
terms of how often you will hear this. Building into the resolution was to get the
semi-annual update in October and in March and that we would in each of the
departments' annual strategic updates, which you get once each workshop, as it
alternates between the different departments, they will also be updating you to
the strategic plan and what those -- those objectives that they are -- that they
have the lead in, where they are at with it and -- as well as any challenges or -- or
potential obstacles and successes they will share at that time. Two weeks we
think after this is adopted we will be able to -- to deploy the tool that has been
shared with you and that will be available to dig into the objectives and see
where the completion of or status of items completed to that objective will be.
We are right now trying to -- to give weight to the various tactics, so as a tactic is
completed it will show in work completed on that form and, then, that tactic will
roll up into the -- the document that -- that you view underneath the objective.
So, that I know was a question that was asked last week in terms of being able to
-- to utilize that tool and we are just waiting for the nod to move forward on it. So,
I guess that was the update I said I would give you last week and is there any
additional questions or comments?
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: I will just bring up a couple questions for clarification. Are any of the
tactics changing from what -- from the -- I guess the version that we saw in
January that included the tactics, has tactics changed?
De Weerd: You did not see -- the tactics are tasks. Those are action items and
so they haven't been in this document.
Cavener: I'm aware that in the current document, but I guess my question still
stands. Have tactics changed from the last time that we talked about this in
January?
De Weerd: I know that as each of the -- the departments and leads are working
on these objectives, yeah, they -- they are working on their action plans. So, as I
stated in the tool itself they are changing and trying to be able to show you the
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 39 of 50
progress on completion -- percent completed, so that you can see that progress.
Once those tactics are completed it will be rolled into percentage of objective
completed.
Cavener: Madam Mayor, follow up, then.
De Weerd: Uh-huh.
Cavener: Speaking specifically about project completion, again, because this
document's changed many times, at one point we saw the progress and now
that's been removed. I know in different iterations of the progress it had
changed. Some things were unintentionally marked as completed and other
tasks that had been marked as completed maybe weren't. Where are we at on
the progress today versus where we were in January?
Holman: Madam Mayor, would you like me to answer that?
De Weerd: Where? I didn't know God was a female, so -- yes, Jaycee.
Holman: I can probably answer that a little bit better, just because that has
changed since we originally put the software together, started to track -- try to
track some of that information it was ridiculously time-intensive. So, one of the
changes that -- not to mention it wasn't totally completed and up to date by the
time we got the -- the first round of the many iterations of the report that you saw
in January. So, what has changed is, rather, we don't t rack hours, we don't track
specific costs, whatever, all the way down to the person. The actual tracking is
going to take far longer than it would actually take to do some of the stuff . So,
what we changed is, for example, you have an objective and you have four
tactics, they go through each person who has the lead on that objective, which is
the director is generally the lead over each objective, they determine -- if you
have four tactics what -- what percentage -- what -- that tactic what percentage is
it of the overall objective. So, if they were equally weighted you would have 25,
25, 25, 25. It can be different. And that could change. As you get through two
tactics and they are completed you get to a third one and go, wow, I thought this
was going to be 20 percent. It's more time intensive. It may be 40. Those things
are going to move. It's a living, breathing document. As tactics have morphed
we have had -- as directors have dug into some of these things they have added
more tactics. I know I had a request from Parks to add a couple of more tactics
that they thought a couple more steps that needed to be in there. So, the way it's
designed now is when a tactic is completed that's when you will see a percent
complete change in the overall objective. So, if you completed one of those four
tactics and hit the checkmark box, it's going to say 25 percent complete in the
overall objective and it's also going to copy and paste t hat tactic into the notes
section at the objective level, so you know where that percentage complete came
from. We did Task A, you can see all of that information. Does that help a little
bit more? And, yes, there is no way I could print that report now and have it
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 40 of 50
match what we showed you in January, just because the tracking mechanism
has changed, the way we do it has changed.
Cavener: Very helpful. So, Madam Mayor, a follow up, so -- maybe Jaycee.
You had mentioned that we are not tracking how much stuff is -- how much we
are spending, so how -- how should Council know -- when this was very first
presented to us there was a specific item -- or a line item that talked about --
there was dollars signs on it, how expensive each objective was and I think -- at
least I remember the conversation that being very helpful. We were able to
weigh when we were looking at each of our objectives how expensive one of
those would be and we use that and we basically provided a lot of our support or
opposition to a particular objective. So, if we are not able to track how much we
are spending, how -- how are we going to know how much has been spent?
De Weerd: I think, basically, because the -- the tactics and many of the
objectives are part of the role and responsibility in that department and it's not a
new effort. So, what we have stated in the past is when this is a new program or
it constitutes a new position or it has a consultant cost or if th ere is anything that
is new, that will be brought through the budget process and that budget process
will, then, be tied to the focus area, to the strategic goal, and most likely
mentioned in the strategic update from that department that's leading that
objective.
Cavener: Madam Mayor, just for clarification on no way to track those dollars,
though, over time is contemplated within the software tool or any document that
we will see?
De Weerd: That -- that software tool didn't anticipate being able to track costs,
unless they were new costs that were outside of the scope and routine of that --
of that department.
Cavener: Okay.
Holman: Madam Mayor? Madam Mayor, Council Member Cavener, originally
when we adopted this I'm sure you remember we had some really like broad
guesses as to what we thought an overall objective might cost . Yeah. That was
very broad and I think even at the time, if you read back through the minutes
when it was first adopted, I think it was Council Member Bird who said, yeah, this
is really ambitious and, you know, these numbers are pretty broad guesses at
that point and, of course, as we adjust tactics and we -- some of it we absorb,
some if it will be new money that we will, then, come to Council and ask for, but
Madam Mayor is correct in that some of this operational stuff that we are doing
leading up to when we come to Council if we have a budget enhancement that
supports items in the strategic plan. I hope that helps.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 41 of 50
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Maybe you can help me with a glossary of terms. So, one is an
objective; right? The top -- the highest level that's an objective?
De Weerd: The focus area.
Palmer: The focus area?
De Weerd: Uh-huh.
Palmer: So, then, is 1-A an objective?
De Weerd: A strategic goal.
Palmer: Okay. So, what's 1-A-1? Tactic? Objective? That's --
De Weerd: 1-A-1 is the objective.
Palmer: Okay. So, then, 1-A-1-A would be a tactic? If there is an A?
De Weerd: Yes.
Palmer: The next level would be a tactic?
De Weerd: Yes.
Palmer: Okay.
De Weerd: Would be the operational action plan for that year.
Palmer: And so in the new tool -- we need a name for it. The Jaycee -- the
Jaycee tool. The tactic would only become visible to Council after it's complete?
De Weerd: That's right. That is correct. So, you will see why there is a
percentage complete done when that tactic is -- is completed.
Palmer: If I may follow up. I heard -- I believe it was last week -- and that it
seemed like there was clarification that, no, we wouldn't be able to see
everything and I thought I heard you say it again tonight. So, if that is the case,
we won't have everything, we will only have after the tactics are complete as a
percentage towards completing the objective. Okay.
Cavener: Madam Mayor? I guess --
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 42 of 50
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: -- I'm going to repeat the question that I asked last week, because I
think it's important that we all hear that. Will Council be able to see e very part
about the strategic plan or are there going to be elements that will be blocked
from us?
De Weerd: You will not see the tactics, because they are -- reside in the -- the
lead and how they are going to roll out the execution of the objectives that
support your strategic goals and your focus areas.
Cavener: Madam Mayor, I hate to be pointed with my question -- if I may follow
up? But what community benefit exists for not allowing Council to see those
elements? I guess I'm struggling to wrap my head around what benefit we have
by not allowing Council to have the ability to see ?
De Weerd: I think you have much ability to ask questions to the goal and to meet
with your department directors that you are liaison to. They will go over it. But
that is a living, breathing document that is operational, that changes. What you
see -- I -- they don't want -- because of the fluidity of it -- and I don't know how
many boards of directors actually look into the minute-to-minute, blow-by-blow
actions of what is being done in the front line, but what we hope to get and still
give you access to, but we don't want you to approve things that are going to
change and so, no, we -- the premise of the strategic plan with our policymakers
is to seek your guidance -- is if the vision, the mission, the execution and the --
the focus areas and the strategic goals are still -- if we are all in a line -- in
alignment on what -- what is the vision moving the city towards is and, then, it
gets to the professionals that you hire to execute the plan and that execution is a
moving and breathing document.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer. And just one final comment. What's in front of you
today is to adopt the vision and moving forward, not the objectives and -- not the
operational plan of doing it. So, these are almost two different conversations.
Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Madam Mayor, I love trials. I love trying things out and seeing how they
work out. Today we had at the top of the agenda an opportunity for anyone in
the city to come and say whatever they want ed for three minutes. Nobody took
that opportunity, where that was a big worry that we had that it might become a
problem. First week word probably hasn't gone out, wasn't a problem. This has
the potential, as you have outlined, of causing issues in your management of -- of
the city and the policies that we have set forth as Council. Until we have tried it,
though, it may help us as a Council to understand the operation, how things
work, how everybody works, so that when we get to the budget setting process
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 43 of 50
we are a lot more knowledgeable of the process, instead of just setting numbers,
you know, based on how we may have -- from a high elevation or a high altitude
seeing how things went. And so I understand -- while it may potentially cause
problems, may we as a Council have access to it on a trial basis to check it out
and see how it goes, ask questions if we see something where we might be
curious on how a process happens, but not necessarily giving instruction how to
move forward after that? Question mark.
De Weerd: You can always ask questions and I'm always willing to meet with
you.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Madam Mayor, then, maybe a question for Mr. Nary. Mr. Nary, would
the -- the tactics be -- that would be loaded into the system be subject to public
records requests?
Nary: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, yes.
De Weerd: Additional discussion?
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: One of the -- the many wise pieces of direction I got way back --
De Weerd: You want to pull your mike up?
Borton: Way way back -- when I first served -- and we have heard it every now
and then, but it came from Councilman Bird, who provides a lot of wise direction
and it wasn't regarding the strategic plan, but the idea was when the city takes
action that we support it and we drive forward together as one and Councilman
Bird has been a pretty good example of that at times when he might vote against
something, again, unrelated to the plan, but -- but support the city's decision as a
whole as a one body. So, I look at the strategic plan, again, that we adopted in
2015 and reaffirmed in January of 2016, and at that time -- both times, quite
frankly, it included a lot of important information that isn't really being reflected
here, but it did reflect what's before us today. The levels -- the five focus areas --
again, there is not disagreement amongst -- from what I have heard amongst any
of us that those five focus areas are critical and there is not disagreement
necessarily that those goals listed on the sheet that's before us are no longer
relevant and we adopted this plan with everything that's before us within the plan.
And this is a plan that was created at great length, with laborious efforts from
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 44 of 50
staff, now led by Ms. Holman, who has done a fantastic job herding cats and
trying to get this to a stage where we can track its execution , see progress and
identify things that aren't getting completed. I think the objectives are an
important part of that and we adopted the objectives as well in 2015 and 2016. I
think the objectives -- and when you go back to the original packet that we
adopted, pages one through 15 is just -- it's excellent work and it's all the way
through the focus areas, the goals and the objectives. The subsequent pages
speak to the tactics and here is where I see the disconnect. The disconnect
comes with -- at the objective level, although we have all -- we have adopted
them all, we had a meeting where Councilman Cavener raised some concerns
on some of the objectives and that's the conversation at least the Council didn't
have and we are kind of dancing around, all right? We adopted all the objectives
and the existing strategic plan has all of the objectives in it and whether we all
agree with all of them -- and I'm sure we don't. I don't.
De Weerd: I don't.
Borton: As one city we do and those are the objectives of the single city and staff
is charged with implementing and driving forward on that plan and creating
tactics to execute and accomplish those objectives and Councilman Cavener
brought up some concerns with some of those objectives and that's the
conversation we haven't had and it can be as simple as addressing an individual
objective, you've raised concerns on some and I have raised some concerns and
other Council Members have, on an objective here or there, let's discuss it, let's
review it, if there is a consensus to remove it, let's remove it, and it will come out
and we will all support the plan in its absence and if the consensus is that
particular objective should remain and that's the majority decision, then, we all six
and seven of us will support the city in its efforts to accomplish that objective.
That's the conversation that might be missing. So, I'm supportive of the plan
itself that already exists, of the objectives that are already included in the existing
adopted plan. If now we are at some point in the immediate future, like
Councilwoman Little Roberts has suggested, we have a -- a workshop discussion
to say Objective 1-A-1 should stay, should it not? It is irrelevant? Is it complete?
Up or down. Are we good? How about Item 1 -A-2? Up or down. I think that will
do two things. It will bring to the surface any of those objectives that there is
legitimate concern should be removed and if that's a consensus , get it out, and
Ms. Holman would love to know that so she doesn't have to worry about
managing tactics to accomplish it. And, then, if the converse is true, if there is
consensus that that objective should remain, then, by God, let's keep it in and we
as a single body will promote its accomplishment and we can move forward.
And, then, every six months that's what I envision what you were talking about,
Madam Mayor, is every six months you will come forward and say with in our
collection of objectives that we as one single body have all supported or are
supporting going forward, here is what's been accomplished. Here is what
tactics we have completed and utilized to accomplish those . And how are you
doing on the tactics, that's the operational level. We are not defining and telling
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 45 of 50
and directing how a particular objective gets completed, that's the department
executing and the executive branch leading that charge. That's what I thought
the reports would come back at, but -- so, again, I started with Councilman Bird's
wise guidance, because I think that's going to be critical and the strategic plans
original 15 pages speak to its development and we can't lose sight of the manner
and process in which a strategic plan gets developed and kind of the ugly kind of
guts of it is important. It's a living document and that struggle and vetting and
discussion will happen in perpetuity as this plan evolves and the objectives
evolve and that's awesome. But we can't skip a step. And I -- I apologize, I
didn’t bring it up either. You know, when we looked at this -- when you first
brought this up, Councilman Cavener, that -- I state now looking back maybe
where we should have steered it. I think that's maybe one of the conversations --
and I don't mean to speak for you -- that -- that you -- I take it you wanted to have
and say, hey, I -- I think objective X is problematic. Let's talk about it. And in the
end if there is consensus that that objective should come out, then, it gets
removed and my sense is if there is consensus that it should stay in for whatever
particular reason, then, it stays in and we move forward as one body. So, I think
the plan itself that you have presented -- I don't think, Madam Mayor, that you're
asking to exclude objectives by any stretch. I think the objectives are still in. I
think we should still see them.
De W eerd: We will.
Borton: And I, quite frankly, think we should see the tactics. The concern would
be do we control and define and approve tactics? I don't think so. I don't. I don't
have any problem -- and, quite frankly, if it's a public record, seeing them, being
aware of them, being informed. Nothing wrong with that. But the objectives are
important for us to adopt. So, we have adopted them, they exist today. If we
don't act today we have a strategic plan with 20 some -odd objectives included. If
now or at some future point there is going to be a request to review them and
exclude some of them, let's have that conversation and, then, once we decide it,
Madam Mayor -- sorry to interrupt -- back to Councilman Bird's direction, I get
excited for us to row in the same boat, in the same direction, with the plan unified
and give Ms. Holman and everyone else that direction with the Council and
Mayor behind it. It's import. My thoughts on it.
De Weerd: Okay. Any other comments? So --
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes, Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Amen. I think moving forward, as opposed to just adopting this and
some future date we have that conversation, I think we hold onto this, have that
conversation or we have that meeting where who knows how long it's going to go
and we go through each of the objectives, see most of them -- everyone is good,
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 46 of 50
yeah, that's great, move onto the next one. Discuss the ones that we might have
issues with. The discussion goes on too long, take a vote, move onto the next
one. And that be the day that we adopt any amendments to the existing strategic
plan. At least it --
De Weerd: Well, Council, I would ask on the focus areas and the strategic goals,
I really think that the strategic -- or our senior management team need to know
that you're all on the same page on that, because there -- there will be -- when
we report back I'm -- I'm not going to ask them to -- to spend time on things that
you don't all agree on in that regard.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Then to that, for example, 4-C, because I don't know what's under that,
those words worry me.
De Weerd: 4-C? You have the objectives. So, you do know what's under it.
Palmer: But without deciding on the objectives -- for example, I want the whole
thing gone in 4-C. But I'd love to hear the discussion on the objectives to -- to
know additional information as to -- maybe I'm misunderstanding the objective.
Maybe things are meant as I'm interpreting with my mind. So, I think the
discussion is important, as opposed to just adopting that and, then, later we may
get rid of all the objectives and, then, that -- maybe they are gone all together
anyway.
De Weerd: Mr. Bird, I guess we can talk on Friday as we look at future agendas
to see when we can schedule this -- this conversation.
Bird: Sure.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: Well, based on the discussions we have had about i t we may want to
schedule a special meeting and a full day, so maybe get April sending out a
doodle pole to find out when we are all available for an entire day.
De Weerd: We will -- we will discuss it on Friday and, then, see what we come
back with as a recommendation.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 47 of 50
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Question maybe, then, for legal. We have got an item in front of us
that's adoption. So -- I mean do we have to take some action on that as far as
continuing it --
De Weerd: No.
Bird: No.
Cavener: -- or holding until a date certain?
Nary: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, Councilman Cavener, you can
remove it and put it back in a different time. It's just a resolution.
Cavener: Okay.
De Weerd: We don't have to take action.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: Seeing no discussion and stuff, I move that we remove the resolution 17 -
2010 to a further Council meeting.
Cavener: Second.
Coles: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Do we need to have a motion to remove this?
Bird: Yes.
Nary: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, it would be c leaner for the record.
De Weerd: For the record we probably need a date certain.
Nary: You don't have to have a date certain . You can remove it -- just like any
other resolution of the Council, you could remove it and bring it back when it's
appropriate. There is no -- there is no legal requirement to put this to a date
certain.
De Weerd: Okay. Mr. Clerk.
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 48 of 50
Coles: Just to clarify, the resolution under discussion is 17-2009. Mr. Bird stated
17-2010.
Bird: Oh, I did get the wrong number.
De Weerd: Yes.
Bird: I'm doing Ada County Highway. Yeah. I'm sorry.
De Weerd: Yeah. 2009.
Bird: Make that note.
De Weerd: He already has.
Bird: Okay.
De Weerd: Okay. The motion and a second was to remove this item. All those
in favor say aye.
Borton: Madam Mayor, real quick discussion on that.
De Weerd: Yes.
Borton: The recommendation, if it's not part of the motion, to have this come
back for discussion within the next 30 days. My comments and thoughts were
that it's not discussion from scratch to develop objectives for a strategic plan, it --
it might be pretty quick, because we have gone through this at length, we have
got our own ideas and views and beliefs where it might be -- of our existing 15
page strategic plan that we have already adopted and it exists for the city,
objective 1-A-1, it says this, are we good? Discussion. Concerns. Stays. 1A-2.
And so forth. That's what I envision to be a discussion, if at all possible. If we
get into anything else and try and rewrite the plan I -- it's not what I thought was
going to be productive.
De Weerd: We will put it on a future agenda. Okay. All those in favor say aye.
All ayes.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Item 12: Executive Session per Idaho Code Sections 74-206(1)(f), to
communicate with legal counsel for the public agency to
discuss the legal ramifications of and legal options for
pending litigation
De Weerd: Item 12 is an Executive Session.
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 49 of 50
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I move we go into Executive Session as per Idaho State Code 74-206(1)(f).
Borton: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to adjourn into Executive Session. 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.
EXECUTIVE SESSION: (7:59 p.m. to 8:44 p.m.)
De Weerd: Okay. I would entertain a motion to come out of Executive Session.
Bird: So moved.
Borton: Second.
De Weerd: All those in favor say aye. All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Item 13: Future Meeting Topics
De Weerd: Remember there is Mayor's Prayer Breakfast tomorrow morning and
would entertain a motion to adjourn.
Bird: So moved.
Borton: Second.
De Weerd: All those in favor. All ayes.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 8:45 P.M.
Meridian City Council
May 2, 2017
Page 50 of 50
(AUDIO RECORDING ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS)
MA -T-ADE WEERD DATE APPROVED
ATTEST;
C. JAY CODES, CITY CLERK r. . ,1
X ®I