HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004 09-21 PreCITY OF MERIDIAN
PRE -COUNCIL MEETING
AGENDA
Tuesday, September 21, 2004 at 5:30 p.m.
City Council Chambers
Roll -call Attendance:
X Shaun Wardle x Bill Nary
O Charlie Rountree X Keith Bird
X Mayor Tammy de Weerd
2. Adoption of the Agenda: Approve As Amended
3. Request for Use of Storey Park for the Idaho Asperoers Foundation:
Approve
4. Request from Snake River Racing to Build a Remote Control Car Track next
to Police Station: Draft an Agreement
5. Recommendation by Parks and Recreation for Use and Development of the
Borup Park Property: Approve Recommendation
6. Approval of the Partnership Agreement with PAL Soccer for Development
of Lochsa Park: Place on September 21, 2004 City Council Agenda
7. Proposed Event Amplified Sound Permit: Proceed
8. Proposed Short -Term Concession Permit: Proceed
9. Proposed Park Use Application for Events Permit: Proceed
10. Proposed Recreation Fee Schedule for 2005 Budget Year: Proceed
11. Discuss New Recvclina Proaram with Steve Sedalack from SSC: Presented
(10 minutes*)
12. Discuss Memorandum of Understanding with the Ada County Sheriff for
Inmate Labor Detail Program: Removed
(10 minutes")
13. Re -Organization of the Public Works Department: Presented
(10 minutes")
"Approximate allowable time set for agenda item may change depending on
Meridian City Pre -Council Agenda - September 21, 2004 Page 1 of 2
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Meridian City Pre -Council Agenda — September 21, 2004 Page 2 of 2
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Meridian City Pre Council Meetina September 21, 2004
The Meridian City Pre -Council meeting was called to order at 5:45 P.M. on
Tuesday, September 21, 2004 by. Mayor Tammy de Weerd.
Members Present: Mayor Tammy de Weerd, Bill Nary, Keith Bird, Shaun Wardle
and Charlie Rountree.
Others Present: Gary Smith, Brad Watson, Bill Nichols, William Musser, Doug
Strong, Diane Stewart, Dean Willis and Will Berg.
Item 1. Roll -call Attendance:
X Bill Nary X Keith" Bird
X Shaun Wardle 0 Charlie Rountree
X Mayor Tammy de Weerd
Item 2. Adoption of the Agenda:
Bird: Mr. President.
Nary: Mr. Bird.
Bird: On our agenda, Item No. 12 has been asked to be — oh, was that the one,
number 12 — that has been asked to be removed and with that I would move that
we adopt the revised agenda.
Wardle: Second.
Nary: It's been moved and seconded to adopt the agenda as revised. All those
in favor, say aye.
ALL AYES. MOTION CARRIED.
Item 3. Request for Use of Storey Park for the Idaho Aspergers
Foundation:
Nary: Mr. Strong? It looks like a lot of these are yours.
Strong: Yes, they are. Thank you, Mr. President, members of the Council. This
first item is a request that we have received recently from the Idaho Aspergers; I
think it's pronounced Aspergers Association to hold a fundraising event in Storey
Park. The reason I wanted to bring it to the Council is that we seem to be getting
more of these types of requests from organizations that are there for the
community good, they are not there to raise money for their own pocketbook, but
they want to use one of our parks for a fundraising event, so before we proceed
Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting
September 21, 2004
Page 2 of 23
in giving them permission we wanted to bring if before the Council for discussion
and get a recommendation for either further action or policy that would be
adopted by the Council and the department.
Nary: Council is there any questions?
Bird: Mr. President.
Nary: Mr. Bird.
Bird: Doug, I don't think they are the only one that has had fundraisers in the
park. 'Basically, the "American Legion their games and stuff are' fundraiser for
their program. I know other friends of Parks has had their events at Storey. I
don't believe it's against our policy or law. We can ask Bill, here, but I see
nothing with it. I think it's a great help for the people to be able to come there
and do it.
Nary: The question I guess I have, Doug, is will this particular event limit up
people's other access to the park? I didn't think it did, but I just wanted to be
sure. Secondarily, would it be probably good long-term then that we look at a
policy -because that would be my only concern is that people still have access
to other parts of the park during — not just at Storey, but I mean in general. If
other ones are using it, similar to — I think Mr. Bird is correct. You know, like the
Legion uses that portion of the park, obviously that access is limited to that
portion when they are using it. Same thing when Meridian Youth Baseball fields
get built it will be at the same thing. At certain events they will have limited
access. I think that's fine. My perspective our only concern would be if you had
sort of a blanket prohibition to access the park. Maybe you could speak about
that.
Strong: My understanding of the event that it wouldn't limit others to use the
park. I think they just want to set up some areas for different kid activities,
bounce toys and things like that and raise some funds for this organization, etc.
An organization, in my understanding that'sJorming in the Meridian Boise area.
It's part of a national group and one of the first things that we wanted them to
identify is are they a 501 (c)(3) organization? Are they affiliated with a national
organization and so that we would have some concept of the money that they are
raising would go back for the organization? We can certainly in the set up of the
event make sure that it doesn't limit other involvement at the park or access to
the park. The event if they hold it this fall they would like to hold it on October
16th
Nary: Council is there any other questions?
Wardle: Mr. President.
Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting
September 21, 2004
Page 3 of 23
Nary: Mr. Wardle.
Wardle: I am inclined to agree that certainly it doesn't appear that they are going
to be limiting access to other areas of the park and we have allowed some of
these things in the past, however, this would be a good discussion item for the
Park's Commission to set forth a policy and maybe recommend that to the
Council as to — as we get more and more requests, I believe it's fair to all the
citizens if we have a policy that we can administer continuously and fairly to
everyone.
Nichols: Mr. President.
Nary: Mr. Nichols.
Nichols: Mr. President just a couple of points. One is in drafting any kind of a
policy you need to be careful about first amendment type issues where we are
not discriminating on the basis on the content of the speech and as a practical
matter it might be appropriate for the staff to look at each park area and
determine what kind of capacity those parks have for booths or the antro jumps
and those kinds of things so that you have some ideahow much you can put in
there that doesn't damage the parks, so you have some objective standards for
each park that each group understands and then you probably should have a
reservation type system so that it's essentially a first come, first serve — some
way of being able to say between one group or another well you were here first
or you were here late or what that deal is. I suppose you could probably give it
preference to a group that was based in Meridian or some tie to Meridian. Like if
the Adventure Island Playground folks wanted to have a fundraiser out at
Meridian Settler's Park or Meridian Youth Baseball wants to do something at one
of the other parks, you might be able to do something that way, but be very
careful about the first amendment issues in making those policies.
Nary: I would note for the record, that the Mayor is also present now. Is there
any other input you need, Doug?
Strong: 1 am not sure that I need approval from the Council to move — what I am
hearing is that this is something that has been done in the past and that should
pose no problem to proceed or do we need a Council action of approval?
Nary: I think that is a fair read. I think that — though I said long term it sounds
like the Council's preference is that we look into a sort of policy and kind of
address the concerns as Mr. Nichols has raised and we could probably do that
going forward, but there doesn't seem any reason not to allow this event to go
forward as it is.
Strong: Thank you.
Meridian City Pre -Council Mee ing
September 21, 2004
Page 4 of 23
Request from Snake River Racing to Build a Remote Control
Car Track next to Police Station:
Item 4.
Strong: Mr. President, members of the Council this is a request that you have
seen previously. I believe there is in your packet a diagram of the area adjacent
to the Police Station that has been proposed for development of a remote control
car -racing track. This is the same proposal — the last time that it was before
Council and in your review and discussion you requested that we take it back to
the Park and Recreation Commission for their additional review. We did that in
July and their recommendation was to bring it back to Council for action and
approval. So, that's why its here tonight. I also will add that in our 2005 budget,
we have $10,000 budgeted to do some site improvements to that parcel next to
the Police Station to provide temporary parking lot and bring water to the site and
a few things like that. Then the Snake River Racing Club will do all the
construction of the racetrack and maintenance of the racetrack.
Nary: Council, questions for Mr. Strong on this proposal?
Bird: Mr. President.
Nary: Mr, Bird.
Bird: l think back in February we basically had given the go ahead to go on with
this. I think its a very nice thing that they put the track in there. At least it will
look better than the weeds we got out there now.
Nary: Do you think we would need some sort of agreement, Council, like similar
to what we have with the other organizations?
Bird: I think so Bill.
Nary: So, about access and usage and liability and whatever types of things
(inaudible) that we have had. Have you had that discussion with them Mr.
Strong?
Strong: Not yet.
Nary: Okay.
Bird: Mr. President.
Nary: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I think that all these that we do that not only to protect 'us, but it also
protects the organization that is doing it too. If they are going to put some money
and time in there, its only right that they be protected too, through an agreement.
Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting
September 21, 2004
Page 5 of 23
Wardle: Mr. President.
Nary: Mr. Wardle.
Wardle: Doug, do you need a motion from us to proceed forward to draft an
agreement for the group?
Strong: Yes.
Wardle: Okay. Mr. President.
Nary: Mr. Wardle.
Wardle: With that I move that we authorize Director Strong to proceed with an
agreement for Snake River Racing to build the remote control car track near the
Police Station.
Bird: Second.
Nary: It's been moved and seconded to authorize the Park Director to begin
negotiations to create an agreement with the Snake River Racing organization to
build a remote control car track. Is there any other discussion? All those in favor
say aye.
ALL AYES. MOTION CARRIED.
Strong: Mr. President, just a point of clarification. With this motion does that
mean that the approval to actually construct the track is through and the next
step is to do the agreement before they begin construction?
Nary: I guess what I anticipated is that you would have an agreement in place
before they would begin construction and the agreement has to be _signed by the
Mayor, ultimately and so that would have to come back before the Council in that
format just saying we have this agreement. Here is the timetable, here is what
they are going to do, here's how it's going to look, whatever those particulars are
and then the Council wouid see that agreement and then they would begin
construction.
Strong: That's what I will take forward to the group. I think what I also want to
tell them, however, is that the concept of the construction of the track at that
particular location has been approved because we have some participation by
the Planning and Zoning Department in the design of that area and the use of
that area and 1 think there is some additional work that we need to get with
zoning compliance to build a track there as well. So, I think if this implies that we
have approval to move ahead to the next step with that that would be desirable.
Meridian City Pre-Councii Meeting
September 21, 2004
Page 7 of 23
development. So, all of those things would have to be in place before we get any
further down the road.
De Weerd: Well, forgive me, I don't recall. You didn't have any of that in your
budget request for this last year?
Strong: No.
De Weerd: Because if I remember right when we were in that meeting with the
Lyons, those were the discussed (inaudible). And are we —
Strong: The (inaudible --) for 2005?
De Weerd: Yes.
Strong: Because what we discussed for 2005 was that there is an easement
issue to the property. We are going to seek an easement from McDermott Road
into the property and there is some boundary issues that need to be resolved
with the property that we purchased there. Our boundary stakes actually are
inside of Mr. Anderson's barn. So, we need to do some boundary adjustments
and work out an easement agreement with him before we do any further
development on the property.
De Weerd: And where are we on that process?
Strong: That's going to occur on this next budget year. That's what we budgeted
for was the development of the easement agreement; a resolution of the
boundary issues and maintenance of the property.
De Weerd: Okay. We haven't started that yet?
Strong: It's in the 2005 budget.
Nary: Council, any questions? So, basically, Doug, what you are wanting is our
approval to basically go forward with the request to build a parking lot on the
site? Because obviously we don't have to go through the County to put grass on
it, it's just to put a parking lot there.
Strong: The request is that at such time that a conditional use permit is applied
for with the Lyon's Club is that we master plan the entire property and the best
use at that time would be to make as much of the property grass play space as
we can generate because we have such a need for open play space for youth
sports and such. So, rather than just plan for a portion of the property it would be
prudent to move ahead to look at how we could develop the entire property to
provide more play space. So, the generic language used by the Parks and
Recreation Commission was to make open green space and to consider — there
Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting
September 21, 2004
Page 8 of 23
has to be some consideration for parking on the property as well. Parking would
have to be a part of the initial development
Wardle: Mr. President.
Nary: Mr. Wardle
Wardle: Doug, one of the things I think in my opinion we need to certainly
proceed forward with the green space. 'From a budgetary standpoint, we need to
plan for it in future years, obviously it's not in 2005 budget — if for example, the
Lyon's Club were to begin doing master site planning and for us to participate in
that level in a budget year that is outside of — or in this budget year then you
would need to bring a request back to Council to see if that could be allocated,
but in the planning event I think that planning for it in the proper year 2006 or
2007 when it is going to occur would be prudent.
Strong: I am not asking for anything in this fiscal year and actually the budget
that we have establishedfor 2005 continues to move us forward for what is
essentially an undeveloped piece of property that still lies in the County and we
probably wouldn't be doing any development there at this point if it wasn't for the
Lyon's Club rodeo being there. So, it's a look into the future of — it was initiated
by the fact that the ice arena project wasn't going to go forward and that had
been much discussed about the front corner of the property. So, thought it was
prudent to discuss and bring forward a recommendation from the Commission.
Since that is not going to happen, what would at least an initial step be to make
the most sense for the use of that property?
Nary: So, do you need something else, Mr. Strong, on that direction or no?
Strong: What I was looking for was an approval of the "Park and Recreations
Commission's recommendation from the Council. My request from the
Commission was to bring it forward to the Council for further action of approval.
Wardle: Mr. President.
Nary: Mr. Wardle.
Wardle: 1 move that we approve the Park's and Recreation Commission
recommendation on the Borup Park property.
Bird: Second.
Nary: It's been moved and seconded to approve the recommendation to go
forward with the master planning for the Borup property and conditional use
approval. I just want to be clear exactly what we are approving? Isn't that what
their recommendation was?
Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting
September 21, 2004
Page 9 of 23
Strong: Their recommendation was at such time that a conditional use permit
would be applied for so it didn't put a timeframe to it or anything, it just said in the
future when there was a conditional use permit applied for at that time we would
master plan the entire property, not just where the Lyon's Club Rodeo is
intending to be and I think there was also language in the recommendation
"unless some other use came forward", but at least tum that remaining acreage
green so it could be used as open play space and provide for parking.
Nary: Is that the motion Council?
De Weerd: Mr. President.
Nary: Madame Mayor
De Weerd: You know this just seems so premature, we don't have a budget, we
don't have a timeline on when this would be going through the process by
moving that we green it up once it's master planned, It just seems a little bit out of
step to what the process is. I guess, I just don't understand what this motion was
even about, but I guess I don't get to vote so it doesn't matter if I understand or
not. I just wonder if we are putting the cart before the horse.
Nichols: Madame Mayor or Mr. President.
Nary: Mr. Nichols.
Nichols: If I could ask some questions of Doug. Doug, let me see if I understand
the process. Lyon's Club anticipates that they are going to apply for a conditional
use permit with the County for a portion of the Borup property to use as a rodeo
park, is that correct?
Strong: That is correct.
Nichols: I think what I hear you saying is the Commission looked at whether it
would make sense to master plan the entire park site when the Lyon's Club
wants to move forward with their portion of the master planning for their rodeo
park?
Strong: That is correct. The requirements of the conditional use permit is that
they only have to master plan the site that they are developing.
Nichols: But, there would be some economies of scale with master planning the
entire site, but that master plan would simply show green space on the rest of the
site, not any special use thing. So, when it talks in the recommendation about a
green up remaining acreage the Commission didn't anticipate that that would
Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting
September 21, 2004
Page 10 of 23
mean that immediately go out there and plant grass and sprinklers and so forth,
did it?
Strong: Yes, that's correct.
Nichols: Okay —
Strong: -- until some other use is identified for the property that the most logical
thing would be to design it for eventual green up for use by youth sports and so
forth.
Nichols: So, really their recommendation was just to site plan design when the
Lyon's Club is ready to go forward because they are going to have to have part
of that anyway.
Strong: Yes, and I know that when the ice arena was being planned for there,
there was consideration for a parking lot between where the ice arena building
would sit and the Lyon's Club rodeo grounds, which could be used by both
groups. So, parking is a major consideration for a property like that and how you
would accommodate future use and the use by the Lyon's Club. So, it would
have to be a part of the design for the entire property, not just for the Lyon's Club
development.
Nichols: Mr. President I hope that helps. I think that it appears to me all that
Doug is asking for is the authority to go forward with master planning if and when
the Lyon's Club comes forward so they have a complete application going from
the County rather than to actually go out and do rough grating and fine grating
and put in grass at this point.
Strong: Mr. President what I envision happening if in this next year is an
example the Lyon's Club decided to apply for a conditional use permit — in next
year's budget we would bring forward a request for any additional dollars needed
to master plan for the entire site, so that we would be looking down the road at
what that entire site needed, not just seven or ten acres that the Lyon's Club
Rodeo would be using.
Nary: I don't have any objection. It does help clarify it, Mr. Nichols. I guess my
only thought from a process standpoint, Doug, is obviously we are going to vote
on this motion here in a minute, but I guess I am not sure that we really needed a
motion today to do anything. I mean, we are not doing anything. You certainly
have the authority as a director to come to us and say you know I have the
money in the budget and I am ready to go forward on this project. I am not sure
that we have to have the Council approve these steps in every situation, but I
certainly don't think we can't. I just don't know that we have to each time. But,
that is something that we could probably figure out in the future, that's fine. Is
there any other comment? There was a motion I am not going to repeat it. I
Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting
September 21, 2004
Page 11 of 23
think it's somewhere in the record, so. As long as everyone remembers what the
motion is, all those in favor say aye.
ALL AYES. MOTION CARRIED.
Item 6. Approval of the Partnership Agreement with PAL Soccer for
Development of Lochsa Park:
Strong: Mr. President, members of the Commission we have in the packet an
agreement that has been signed by PAL for the development of the property at
Lochsa Falls for a PAL soccer complex. This agreement has been through an
initial review with Mr. Nichols and some recommendations for some elements
that went into agreement. Its been before the Commission. Mr. Rob
Christensen with PAL soccer and I have negotiated the final edits to it and this is
what we are bringing forward as a final document for approval.
Nary: Council is there questions on this agreement? If it needs clarification or
anything? Otherwise, I think the process would be to put this on the Council
agenda for final approval next week, but unless you had questions or concerns.
Bird: Mr. President
Nary: Mr. Bird.
Bird: Doug, you say PAL has already signed this?
Strong: Yes.
Bird: Okay. I don't see anything wrong with it I think it's basically the same one
we got with Meridian Youth Baseball?
Strong: They modeled this agreement after the Meridian Youth Baseball
agreement.
Bird: I don't — it looks good to me.
De Weerd: Mr. President.
Nary: Madame Mayor.
De Weerd: It is signed by the Police Activities League. Is it inappropriate to go
ahead and put it on the consent agenda this evening, since it is in front of you?
Nary: I think that if the Council wants to move to add it to the agenda tonight,
they certainly can.
Wardle: Mr. President.
Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting
September 21, 2004
Page 12 of 23
Nary: Mr. Wardle.
Wardle: I agree. I think we have had a number of looks at it and to move this
forward would be fine with me for this evening, so with that I will move that we
place the agreement with Meridian PAL soccer on the consent agenda for this
evening's Council meeting, the 21st of September.
Bird: Second.
Nary: It's been moved and seconded to move Item 6 the Partnership Agreement
with PAL Soccer to our regular Council agenda on the consent agenda this
evening_ All those in favor say aye. And the only thing I guess, Mr. Wardle,
probably when we do the adoption of the agenda we probably want to do the
same thing on that so the record is clear on there as well.
Wardle: Sounds good.
ALL AYES. MOTION CARRIED.
Item 7. Proposed Event Amplified Sound Permit:
Item 8. Proposed Short -Term Concession Permit:
Item 9. Proposed Park Use Application for Events Permit:
Strong: Mr. President, members of the Council I think we can take these next
three items kind of as one item. There are three new permits that we're
requesting to help us deal with some of the situations that we address when we
have different groups that want to use our parks. The amplified sound permit
came up when we have different events, particularly at the skate park where they
are holding an event and they want to provide music for the event. This puts
some conditions on how loud it can be and some controls since Tulley Park is in
kind of a tight neighborhood area. Actually all three of these permits are similar
to what the City of Boise uses for similar kinds of activities and their parks have
been modeled after permits that they have been using for several years in their
parks and they have an amplified sound permit.
Strong: The short term concession permit is another thing that comes up during
the course of a year and the use of our parks where you have like a PAL soccer
tournament or optimist football activities or some event in the park where it's an
all day event and you have a group there that wants to sell concessions as a part
of that event. This creates a criterion for how that can happen. Right now we
don't have any clearly in place that permits that kind of activity in the park.
Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting
September 21, 2004
Page 13 of 23
Strong: The last permit that we are looking for is a park use application event
permit. Where outside groups want to come to one of our city parks and do an
event. Again, a good example of this is when they want to do skate competition
or inline skate competition by an outside organization, it would create a permit
that would put some conditions for the use of the park for that particular activity.
Nary: Council, are there any questions?
Bird: Mr. President.
Nary: Mr. Bird
Bird: I would say I think these permits are very good items that we should have.
As Doug probably knows, before we adopt these they have to go to public
hearing and stuff like that. But, I would suggest we go ahead and put it in for
public hearing because it's something that I believe most of the cities around us
have these same kind of policies. I think it would be smart for us to have the
policy, too.
Strong: That would be my request, actually, that you authorize public hearing for
these items. I think it would help in our organization of events to have something
in place that gives clear direction for how they can use the park and what their
level of participation can be.
Nary: The only question I have, well I have two. The concession permit, the
selling and serving of food. I guess I didn't notice and I don't know, probably Mr.
Bird or Mr. Berg probably know better from their work with the Legion Baseball,
but do they need some type of approval also from Central District Health to serve
food, that they have to provide us a copy so that we have something? I notice
that there is a provision for insurance, but I didn't know there was any other
requirement like that when you serve food.
Bird: Mr. President
Nary: Mr. Bird.
Bird: They have to — if they have got a portable trailer or anything like that or a
fixed — which they wouldn't be bringing a fixed deal in, they — yes, Central District
will give them a license, which you could look at. You don't get a copy of it, but it
is posted right there within the concession stand.
Strong: That's a food handler's permit?
Bird: I beg your pardon?
Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting
September 21, 2004
Page 14 of 23
Strong: That's a food handler's permit?
Bird: Yes, it is. It's a — Central District Health checks it all out and they give you
like a grade. Like a grade "A', a grade "B" or whatever.
Nary: So, I wonder on the form maybe there needs to be some sort of check box
or some acknowledgement to show because although it indicates that they have
to provide proof of insurance, there is nothing on the form itself that says
somebody actually saw it or they provided a copy of it. You know, something on
the format itself to trigger that when a person is issuing this that they check to
make sure that they have proper insurance and if it's necessary to have a hand
food -handling permit that they checked it at least. Maybe something on the form
you might look at it before we get to the public hearing stage. The other one I
was going to mention the amplified sound permit looked pretty familiar to me.
The difference though in the City of Boise, there is an ordinance, a specific park
ordinance that differs from the general city noise ordinance. Here we don't have
a park ordinance and we have a general city noise ordinance that doesn't have
an exception that says if you have a permit you can violate it. So, we may want
to look at the city ordinance itself. The Boise City ordinance says if you have a
permit, that's an exemption. The Meridian one does not. So we may want to do
some other work on our ordinance, too because otherwise we will issue them a
permit, but they really can't violate the ordinance anyway, even with it.
Strong: Mr. President, is the city ordinance identified decibel levels that these
would either fall in our out of?
Nary: Let me look because I just pulled it up when we were talking about it. The
general city ordinance talks about — it just indicates whether or not you can hear
it. The audio equipment sound — sound from the audio equipment, so like
amplified sound equipment operative volume is supposed to be audible greater
than 50 feet. So, there is no decibel level. It's just 50 feet, which is similar to the
Boise ordinance that deals with audible amplified sound that comes out of
vehicles. Amplified sound that comes out of homes is 100 feet. So, I think we
need to have probably something in our ordinance to be able to issue this permit
to allow people to violate it; otherwise, they would be in conflict between the two.
So, we could do it I just think we need to do some other things before we gel
there.
Strong: I could work with Chief Musser maybe and come up with some language
that would work there — that would be the next best step.
Nary: Yeah, I think in a couple of weeks we could fix it.
De Weerd: Mr. President.
Nary: Madame Mayor.
Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting
September 21, 2004
Page 15 of 23
De Weerd: I guess my question is we have different sized parks and we have
three neighborhood parks that are surrounded by houses and has there been
any discussion at the commission level about disturbance to the neighborhood
and maybe a public notice — not a noticing part, but at least flyers would be
distributed to the surrounding homes to let them know that this event was going
on or something like that, just so the neighbors are notified of the event.
Strong: Madame Mayor, there was no discussion of that kind of activity. It
certainly would be appropriate to do that, but there was no discussion at the
commission level of adding language that would reflect that.
De Weerd: The community sized parks and certainly the regional park, they are
large enough that it's not as much of an issue, but certainly in the neighborhood
parks, those will have an impact on the neighbors, depending on where they
locate the source of the noise, even in the regional parks at Tully and Bear
Creek, they are surrounded by homes as well. But, if it's in the core of it, it's far
enough away from those direct homes that it shouldn't be too much of an issue,
but if that can be built into something, you know, bringing a recommendation
when you bring it back to public hearing I think that would be helpful.
Strong: Madame Mayor in the section that talks about the hours that it would be
permitted that probably would be an appropriate place to put some statement
about notification of neighbors as well. So, we will add some language there.
De Weerd: Thank you, Doug
Nary: Council, if you don't have any objection I don't know that we need that
actual motion. I mean, if there is no real objection to these permits, I think there
is obviously some input on the noise one and then maybe a little bit more work
on the concession one on just some wording that might need to be on the permit,
but otherwise I guess we could just — if everyone is okay, we will just schedule
this as appropriate within the next month, month a one half. It takes a couple of
weeks to at least get the notices in for the actual public hearing. A month to a
month and one half. Something like that. Or whenever Mr. Berg has time to put
that on.
Bird: I would expect that on the fifth from our attorney.
Nary: Do the best we can
Berg: Mr. President.
Nary: Mr. Berg.
Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting
September 21, 2004
Page 18 of 23
Berg: With these permits coming across is there going to be some modification
to our ordinances that reflect some of these issues that says it's required to have
a permit, not just issue a permit. And if that is the case, then we maybe need to
adjust what the language is for the liability insurance from state to statute so it
reflects that if it goes up or down or whatever.
Bird: That's true.
Nary: It sounds like we need a little bit more detail and so we will just do this as
diligently as we can. Some time after the fifth.
Item 10. Proposed Recreation Fee Schedule for 2005 Budget Year:
Strong: Mr. President, members of the Council this in a sense is an extension of
the items that we were just talking about because it involves fees and what we
put together here is trying to assemble all of our fees for the coming year in one
schedule so that they can go through the same public review process and
adoption by resolution by the Council at some point and time. So, as you look
down this schedule you will see the permits you just talked about are also listed
on the schedule and there is some — just like with permits there are some edits
that need to be made to this fee schedule before it goes to public hearing. Some
of these and the permits that I just identified are listed as no percent of changes,
they should be identified as either new or 100 percent change because there are
new fees. The other fees that were new in this year are the plan "A" per day and
plan "B" per half day under the summer camp program — those two fees were
new this last summer and so that identification needed to be changed, so we will
edit this form as well before it goes to public hearing. Also, at the
recommendation of Mr. Nichols we have added some language at the end that
would create some generic language for when the opportunity to plan a special
event comes up during the course of the year and you will see in the last
paragraph of the last page there that special event participant fees will be
between $5 and $30. An edit that was discussed today was that special event
participant fees will not exceed $30. So, when you plan a first time event like the
barn (inaudible) or the summer sizzler event you have a parameter that you work
within and as the condition with all fees, it is essentially what you are doing is
establishing a fee that would cover the cost of the event. Then if that becomes
an annual event it will be added to the fee schedule reviewed by the Council for
the following year. So, with that — is there any questions?
Wardle: Mr. President.
Nary: Mr. Wardle.
Wardle: Which (inaudible) — something that we have been working on and I
suggested that we bring all of the fees forward to the Council so that we can hear
them each year, all at the same time, rather than have individual fees if like
Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting
September 21, 2004
Page 17 of 23
football fees were to change to go through the entire public hearing process for
that one fee this is an attempt to bring everything forward to establish a pattern
so the public can recognize when those fees will be heard and so the department
can put everything together for the year as a better communication tool.
Nary: I think it's a great way to go. I think the only other thing is just to decide,
do we want to do this on a calendar year basis so we want to make sure we do
this every December or January or --? I guess so that's it's before each calendar
year on the budgetary cycle. The calendar year seems to make more sense
because I don't think the public cares what our budget cycle is. So, I think they
care more about the calendar, but whatever you think is fine. I think it makes
sense. I think Councilman Wardle is right that it's a much better process to just
do it regularly like that.
Strong: Well, Mr. President, I actually do have a recommendation that's — it's
kind of the next part is that we review this schedule every year in November with
the Council and it would take effect January of the following year. As a
recommendation, that seems that it would be workable just for the reason that
you just stated, that the public doesn't care when our fiscal year is. They care
when the new year starts.
Nary: So, Council if those fees and I guess like I said there are a few details to
workout on some of those other things, but we will get this sometime in front of
the Council by November.
Strong: Thank you
Bird: Mr. President.
Nary: Mr. Bird.
Bird: Can I ask a question, first?
Nary: Of course.
Bird: ASA — what is that? I know what it is in softball, but I have never heard of it
in basketball.
Strong: That's the organization that provides officials for basketball and
volleyball and —
Bird: Oh, okay. They all go under the same initials, huh?
Strong: Yeah and the asterisk that's there — just to clarify that, those are fees
that we don't set.
Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting
September 21, 2004
Page 18 of 23
Bird: I know that.
Strong: We are trying to establish a basic understanding that in those situations
the typical administrative fee that's charged by our department is 20 percent of
the fee and then 80 percent is returned to whomever — I guess we would call
them vendor and so those fees are established by a vendor rather than by our
department.
Bird: Okay, that's all I needed. Thank you.
Item 11. Discuss New Recycling Program with Steve Sedlecek from
SSC:
Item 12. Discuss Memorandum of Understanding with the Ada County
Sheriff for Inmate Labor Detail Program:
Sedlecek: Thank you Mr. President, members of the Council. Actually is partly
Mr. Strong's, but we will get to that in a minute. We wanted to talk to you tonight
about a new recycling program that will be taking place in the City of Meridian in
October. We wanted you to hear it from us, rather than hear about it on the radio
or in the newspapers or something. It's the Nike reuse issue program to recycle
athletic shoes. We have been working on this for many months to try and get
this program into the City of Meridian. The Meridian Kiwanis Club has been
instrumental in getting this going; particularly Michele Dubarren has been very
persistent at getting after Nike and getting this thing going in Meridian. It's a
national program that's part of Nike's corporate environmental stewardship
programs and it's Nike's goal to have one of these programs in at least every
state in the United States. Well, there isn't one in Idaho, so there is now and it's
going to be in Meridian. What this does is it brings a benefit to the city in that the
city, nonprofit organizations or city departments can apply for grants from Nike
then after the collection is completed to receive the material back that has been
recycled in the form of a basketball court or a track or soft fall material for a
playground or something like that. Something that will benefit the city. The team
working on this effort is going to be the Meridian Kiwanis, Sanitary Services,
Western Recycling and the Meridian School District. The Kiwanis Club will have
the (inaudible) program of the lead, sort of in the program to get the shoes and
collect them. Sanitary Services will have a role of collecting and transporting
within the city. I am going to tum this over to Samantha Miller in a minute and
she can talk about how it will be done —
(Tape turned over)
Sedlecek: — and basically Samantha can tell you some more about the details.
Samantha is a new employee of ours. She is going to be the — we are going to
give her all sorts of titles — Community Outreach Coordinator, Public Education
Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting
September 21, 2004
Page 19 of 23
Specialist, Recycling Coordinator and all sorts of stuff. We are seeing how many
titles she can handle.
Nary: No pay, just titles
Sedlecek: No pay, absolutely right. And with that I will turn the details over to
Samantha, but we are running a little late though.
Miller: Mr. President, members of the Council. Basically, I want you to know that
Nike does not profit from this program at all. They are not allowed to. They have
got an agreement with the federal government and they are doing this because it
is the right thing to do. We also aren't making any money on it; it's just the right
thing to do. It does make us eligible — there are three $25,000 grants available in
the year for participating entities and communities. Nike recycles between 1 and
2 million pairs of shoes per year. So, since 1993 when this program started they
recycled more than 15 million pairs of shoes, so it's been a very successful
program for them and what we are going to do is through the Meridian Schools
and what we are going to do is through the Meridian Schools, Idaho Athletic
Clubs and SSC for the month of October we are going to have collection sites.
We are also going to do one-week participation throughout the community.
Week one we are going to use Storey Park. Week two we are going to use D&B
supply. Week four we are going to use Blue Cross and we are hoping for week
three to use St. AI's and St. Luke's. Basically, what we are doing is collecting
shoes in 5,000 pair lots and then Nike comes and picks them up, they are
recycled and their used for something called Nike grind. It's used for soccer and
football fields, tennis and basketball courts, running tracks and playground
surfaces and that's it in a really quick nutshell. Any questions?
De Weerd: Mr. President
Nary: Madame Mayor.
De Weerd: Where are these shoes going to be stored until you have enough?
Miller: Western Recycling will be storing the shoes for us and also I was going to
tell you the Kiwanis groups and the school groups will be in charge of sorting the
shoes. There can't be any metal shoes. It doesn't grind up well for the surface.
So, the Kiwanis and the key dubs and that kind of thing will be monitoring the
shoes.
Wardle: Mr. President.
Nary: Mr. Wardle.
Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting
September 21, 2004
Page 20 of 23
Wardle: I think this is a wonderful program, certainly makes us eligible for some
neat things in the community and just for clarification you are accepting all
athletic shoes, not just Nike, right?
Miller: All athletic shoes. As long as there is no metal on them.
Nary: This might seem like a stupid question, but how do they recycle these?
Do they just grind them up?
Miller: They separated them into three layers. There is a canvas part and then
the rubber part and then kind of middle air and then they grind each component
separately. Some of them are used for new shoes, obviously the rubber parts
are used for the Nike grind and the middle part; whatever they can use it for.
Nary: I guess you can recycle almost anything. Thank you. Well, that's great.
Council, any other questions?
Bird: I have none
Nary: Sounds like a great program. That's really exciting.
Item 13. Re -Organization of the Public Works Department:
Watson: Madame Mayor, Council members I guess you have a packet that
shows — well, it has a memo dated August 31st and copies of what we think as
our final draft of our organizational chart. There are several different sheets
there. The one in front is probably the main one to look at. I realized as I was
looking at this this afternoon that my memo has a gap in it under bullet point
number two regarding what we are going to call the development services
division. At the very end of that paragraph I had put a placeholder there and
evidently never got back to it. That was supposed to say maintenance of the
city's street light infrastructure. So, now that we have completed the memo I'll
just turn over to that first page that shows the (inaudible) chart. I don't know how
much detail you want me to go into, but the main focus of what Gary and I
initiated in May or actually it was March or April, I believe, was to streamline our
operations and sort of get like functions under one manager. So, we have
created what we think are three major divisions. The operations division, which
will encompass water and wastewater operations, the internal structure of those
wasn't affected by what we did here. The two other divisions that will be housed
in our building are what we are calling the engineering group and the
development services group. We have done a little bit of juggling with some of
the staff as to which division they are in. In a nutshell we are trying to get the
process people, the staff report people building permit application functions, all of
the stuff that's done inside those four walls into the development services
division. The engineering division is more the planning, construction, inspection
type division. And of course, we have kind of off to the side there the
administrative support. I can go into as much detail as you want to hear or I can
Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting
September 21, 2004
Page 21 of 23
just stop and ask if there are any questions. I have met with all of — yeah, I think
I made it through all of the staff today and yesterday to discuss this in detail. I do
have good support from the managers that would be doing this, be heading these
different divisions. I think most everyone is fairly supportive of it. I didn't get any
negative comments, at least to my face so I was encouraged about that. I'll just
shut up and see if you have any questions.
Wardle: Mr. President.
Nary: Mr. Wardle.
Wardle: Brad, what kind of measurable efficiencies do you think that you are
going to get out of this long-term?
Watson: Probably the main thing that you will be able to see is with the building
department. Jumping back to the engineering, we will continue doing those
functions we have always done. They will have the GIS, the geographic
information system under their wing. That is just getting up and running, so as
far as finding information, getting information that will be quicker than it used to
be. But, I think the main benefit of this will be having all of the building permits
and development review, plan review under one manager. Right now, it is very
segmented on how this works. We have building over here. We have our
engineering/plan review over here and then we have the permit clerks — it's very
— they are all in a parallel thing that seems to go in circles sometimes. With this
development service's manager, that person controls all of those functions, or at
least has supervisory responsibility for all those functions and I think as we
evolve and get more technical in a web -based program so we will be able to tum
a lot of these things around quicker. I can't give you specific figures right now.
don't have those.
Wardle: Mr. President.
Nary: Mr. Wardle.
Wardle: Brad, is that something that we can track in the sense that what I am
looking at and certainly understand that the need to reorganize to be more
efficient is always there, but for this to be effective and measurable, for example,
if it takes three weeks now or four weeks now to turn around a building permit
after implementing this process, we can probably measure what the average time
is.
Watson: Councilman Wardle I think we will of course — we track everything.
Everything is dated now, so after this is implemented whether it's six months or
twelve months from now, we will be able to pull the figures that we have now and
compare them to what's happening then and make some analysis. I guess the
figures I don't have for you are what the goals are right now. Because we —
Meridian CAy'Pre-Council Meeting
Septemher2l,2004
Page 22 of 23
(inaudible) redraft the strategic plan over the course of the next year, I am sure
we will put measurable goals in there.
Nary: Council, any other questions?
Bird: Mr. President.
Nary: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I feel comfortable with it. I think if Brad and Gary have talked to all their
people it looks like to me it's going to streamline the work a little better for them
and we know they need a streamline because the poor people have got lots of
work over there. I think it's something that we can definitely and should go
ahead with and as long as they feel comfortable with it, I certainly feel
comfortable.
De Weerd: Mr. President.
Nary: Madame Mayor.
De Weerd: They have spent a great deal of thought behind this and worked with
a consultant to look at how best to align the different positions and
responsibilities and certainly having one point person to go to for information will
help with efficiencies and we can work on building some measurement
performance into that, but at this point this consolidation we see will have great
benefits in particular on the building services side in the plan review and permits
and bringing a continuity to that and a source person to really go to. So, I think
just in the structure itself you will already see some great improvement and I
think it does show a lot. Thank you.
Nary: Thank you, Brad. You don't need anything else, I don't think?
Watson: No, thank you.
De Weerd: Mr. President.
Nary: Madame Mayor.
De Weerd: We just wanted to make sure that Council was aware of what they
were proposing to do and give an opportunity if they thought we were way off
base to tell us now before we went down that road.
Nary: Thank you. I think we have reached the end of our agenda.
Bird: Mr. President.
Meridian City Pre -Council Meeting
September 21, 2004
Page 23 of 23
Nary: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I move that we adjourn the Pre -Council meeting.
Wardle: Second.
Nary: Its been moved and seconded to adjourn the Pre -Council meeting of
September 21 st. All those in favor say aye.
ALL AYES. MOTION CARRIED..
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 6:45 P.M.
(TAPE ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS)
APPROVED:
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ATTESTED:
WILLIAM G. BERG;
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