HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005 08-30 Special
Meridian City Council Special Meetina
AuQust 30. 2005.
The regular meeting of the Meridian City Council was called to order at 6:02 P.M.,
Tuesday, August 30, 2005, by Mayor Tammy de Weerd.
Members Present: Mayor Tammy de Weerd, Keith Bird, Shaun Wardle, Charlie
Rountree, and Christine Donnell.
Others Present: Bill Nary, Will Berg, Anna Canning, Brad Watson, Bill Musser, Ron
Anderson, Kenny Bowers, Len Grady, Doug Strong, and Stacy Kilchenmann.
Item 1:
Roll-call Attendance:
Roll call.
X Shaun Wardle
X Charlie Rountree
X
X Christine Donnell
X Keith Bird
Mayor Tammy de Weerd
De Weerd: I will call this special meeting of City Council to order. It is Tuesday, August
30th. It's two minutes after 6:00 o'clock. We welcome you all here tonight. We will start
with roll call attendance. Mr. Berg.
Item 2:
Pledge of Allegiance:
De Weerd: Item No.2. We will be led today by two-year old Riley Rodriguez. If you
will all rise?
Rountree: Maybe.
De Weerd: Maybe your mom will.
(Pledge of allegiance recited.)
Item 3:
Community Invocation by Bill Nary.
De Weerd: You know, I do have a pin for Riley. And probably some candy as well.
Thank you for joining us tonight. Item No.3 is our community invocation. And since I
always -- since I don't have anyone on here, I will ask our city attorney to, please, lead
us in the community invocation. If you will, please, join us or take this as an opportunity
for a moment of silence.
Nary: Lord, we thank you for this opportunity tonight. We ask for wisdom upon Council
and Mayor as they wrestle with the issues of the city this evening. We ask for your
wisdom on our city and the blessings upon our town and our country. God, we are
through a difficult time and there are people in this country suffering greatly with the
circumstances in the south and Florida and Louisiana. We just ask for your wisdom and
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enlightenment on these situations, God, and that the wisdom that is necessary to
perform and all the many things for the city in both in our state and here, as well as
throughout the country, that you guide their hand and guide their choices that they
make, God. And we ask your blessings upon our city in your name, amen.
Item 4:
Adoption of the Agenda:
De Weerd: Thank you, Mr. Nary. I'm glad you didn't cry. Okay. Item No.4 is adoption
of the agenda.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I move we adopt the agenda as published.
Rountree: Second.
De Weerd: Okay. Motion to approve the agenda as published. All those in favor say
aye. All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Item 5:
Consent Agenda:
A.
Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law for Approval: TCU
05-001 Request for transfer of Conditional Use Permit for a
childcare center for ABC Childcare and Preschool by Leslie
Gonzalez - 650 West Broadway Avenue:
B.
Lease aareement with Farmers and Merchants State Bank:
De Weerd: Item 5 is the Consent Agenda.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I move we approve the Consent Agenda as published and for the Mayor to sign
and the Clerk to attest on all proper papers.
Rountree: Second.
De Weerd: Okay. Motion to approve the Consent Agenda. If there is no further
discussion, Mr. Berg, will you call roll.
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Roll-Call: Bird, yea; Rountree, yea; Wardle, yea; Donnell, yea.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Item 6:
Items Moved from Consent Agenda:
De Weerd: Item 6. We had no items moved from the Consent Agenda.
Item 7:
Public Hearing: 2005/2006 Fiscal Year Budget:
De Weerd: So, Item 7 is our Public Hearing on our 2005-2006 fiscal year budget. I will
open this Public Hearing with opening remarks from our finance director. Or our CFO.
Kilchenmann: Whatever I am. I have quite a few slides, but I promise I will talk really
fast, and so if anyone has a question and I'm going too fast, please, slow me down or
jump up and ask a question or whatever. Okay. First, to look at the overall picture, the
total FY06 budget request by major fund, that graph shows the three major funds,
General Fund, Enterprise Fund, and the Special Services -- or the development -- no,
actually, Development Services is part of General Fund. So, it's just the Enterprise and
the General Fund. Is 89 million dollars. And that shows you that a big chunk of that is
carried forward. In other words, projects that were started in prior fiscal years and have
not yet been completed, so we keep carrying the money forward and re-appropriating it,
so it is not new money. If we look at the budget request by class, you can see, again,
29 percent of the entire budget or almost a third of it is that carried forward. Council
outlay is over a third of it, with the remaining amount being personnel and operating.
So, I may talk -- the presentation is going to be divided into the level at which we
appropriate, which in our case is by fund. And in addition to the Enterprise Fund and
the General Fund, we also have the Development Services Fund, which is part of the
General Fund. The Park Impact Fund, which is our only restricted fund and part of the
General Fund. And the Capital Improvement Fund, which is also part of the General
Fund. So, starting with the General Fund, excluding the Development Services, Capital
Improvement, we have 16.6 million dollars of revenue forecast and as you can see,
obviously, the majority of that, 62 percent, is property tax. With the only one coming in
close to second being state revenue sharing. The other sources are relatively minor
and this graph does include those restricted park impact fees. I just wanted to talk,
because -- yes.
Rountree: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes, Mr. Rountree.
Rountree: Just a question on that. The carry over funds are distributed amongst those
various accounts, then, in terms of revenues?
Kilchenmann: On some of them I have and some of them I don't.
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Rountree: I don't need to know.
percentages or --
I just -- are they in these numbers in these
Kilchenmann: No. No.
Rountree: -- are they separate?
Kilchenmann: No. They will be shown separately.
Rountree: Okay.
Kilchenmann: So, I just wanted to talk a little bit about the work that we did in
preparation for the Tax Commission hearing that we went through, the interim legislative
tax committee. We were just kind of looking at the levy rate and I know we have talked
a lot about how our levy rate is dropping, so this -- these were a couple of graphs that
we put together and we looked at our permit sales and, as you can see, those have just
gone up. Well, the forecast for a levy rate just continues to go down. Another thing we
looked at -- well, what would be the impact if they took new construction away from us
and this shows the dollar value of new construction that we have -- the tax value that we
have gotten each year? And from FY05 to FY06 it just -- it was astronomical. I think it
was almost 500 million dollars and twice as much as in the prior year. Well, if we lost
that new construction, it would have a huge impact, because the pink line on the top
graph is just our tax at our three percent rate and that kind of just goes along barely
increasing at that three percent rate. Well, the line above shows that -- the property tax
that we -- additional tax we get because of growth and the bottom graph is similar, it just
adds in the annexation. And annexation, really, varies. I wouldn't say it's a major
source for us. It was in the past couple years, because there was some big
annexations. Other years it's just been relatively minor, because we haven't annexed
very much property. Then, I looked at kind of where are we going or what do we need
to think about in the future. And so I looked at our base, which is the pink line,
compared to our revenue, which is the yellow line. And the first graph shows -- if we
took our historical base growth, base being personnel and operating, and we looked at
six years, so FY01 through FY06, we have grown about 17 percent in the base and our
average revenue growth has been 12.5 percent. So, if we continued with our revenue
staying at that 12.5 percent growth, base would cross the revenue in FY08. Then I
looked at what about the last three years, FY03 to FY06, and that would be -- we have
grown 19 percent in the base. So, that means we would cross over in the next year. If
we grew at a ten percent rate, we would never cross over. Assuming the 12.5 percent
growth. And these, of course, are all scenarios that can change -- we can change them,
the numbers.
De Weerd: And we didn't share that with the income tax committee, because we didn't
want to confuse them.
Kilchenmann: Yeah. Yeah. We didn't share all this information. And, then, I did give
you a handout. I talked about the growth in the base, but the handout I gave you, which
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I promise I'm not going to go over, is a history of our expenditures by General Fund,
adjusted for inflation, and with the numbers broken down per capita and I'm sure you
will take this home tonight and be pouring over it. Or you will look at it during the
wastewater plant presentation. But you can see that, actually, per capita we have not
changed very much. In other words, we have been pretty consistent. So, it's not like
we really are -- our increases have kept -- been at the rate of the population increase.
We haven't increased over the amount of the population increase. Okay. To go briefly
through the enhancements that are requested for FY06, I will start with Parks and
Recreation. Their total request totals 997,850 dollars. Includes a couple personnel,
some equipment and maintenance from the General Fund. The personnel is from the
General Fund. And in addition to the land purchase account of 100,000, so that we can
continue to match impact fees with our General Fund dollars. On the Impact Fee side
it's 870,250 dollars. There is three different partnerships that we have allotted money to
join with Hero's Park, Adventure Island, and Kiwanis Park restrooms. And, then, some
city projects, fire station park restroom, and Season's Park, Champion Park picnic
shelter, Settlers maintenance building, update the capital fee impact -- the capital
improvement plan and, then, also a land purchase from the Impact Fee account. And
moving on to the fire department. A very modest one page this year. The big thing is a
new fire engine and there is some miscellaneous equipment purchases and, then, some
consulting to work on the new EMS program that will start this fall. The police
department enhancement, this year the police were our biggest chunk of our General
Fund appropriation. Includes nine patrol officers, some various capital for just various
equipment, adding back a school resource officer, a criminal investigator, and, then,
again, some -- and some capital amounts to go with that. Software, because they are
on the cutting edge of technology in our police department. Then, on the administrative
side, we have the Finance Department, a purchasing agent, that's split with the
Enterprise Fund. The HR Attorney Department, which I, actually, should separate that
and this is pretty much the HR Department. Some training, some wellness kind of
programs, part-time office help, and, then, on the HR side a legal intern. Information
Technology has 56,000 dollars worth of requests that includes a spam filter and just
several small pieces of equipment. The Mayor is 84,000. That includes a
communication coordinator, which is split between all three funds. Some money for the
historical preservation -- is it task force? Committee?
Rountree: Commission.
Kilchenmann: Commission. Americorp. Just various equipment and scholarship
program for Meridian High School students and the Council--
De Weerd: And Mountain View. So, Meridian and--
Kilchenmann: Oh, that's right. I was thinking of the district, but -- Meridian School
District high school students. Then, the Council is an increase in Council wage for a
total of 9,476 and for the Mayor of 11,845 dollars. So, if we breakdown just to look at
how the budget breaks out by department, the graph on the top is what -- again, what
we call base budget, just personnel and operating. You can see we spent a little over
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80 percent of our General Fund budget on public safety. That administration amount
also includes our share of the Locust Grove overpass, most of which we haven't paid.
Then, the bottom one is the general -- the total budget. This is the total budget, which
includes the carry forward, the impact fee, and so forth. So, parks gets a larger share.
So, this is a summary that you will find and I have tried to break it out, so you can see
new revenue and, then, re-appropriated fund balance that matches to the carry forward
and the top one is the General Fund and the bottom one is Impact Fee Fund. It's
sometimes confusing and overstates our budget, because this is almost all parks, plus -
- yeah. Well, administration is almost all the Locust Grove overpass, because we have
been carrying that for several years. And, then, on the bottom the parks capital projects
of 2.8 million. So, it kind of overstates our budget by that carry forward amount, but it's
really not a new appropriation.
De Weerd: Locust Grove will be built next year, so you won't continue to carry forward.
Kilchenmann: Good. Then, to move on to development services. This used to be
called special services, but special sounds like -- not the right name for it, so we call it --
we are calling it Development Services, budgeted revenue, and you can see the big
chunk of that are license and permits that come through the building department, 87
percent. With the planning department, which is abbreviated, being the filing fees of
seven percent. And fire inspections jumped up there three percent. So, the top graph
is Development Services and the Capital Improvement Fund together, because typically
they are both considered in the same fund. And the reason the Capital Improvement
Fund is so big is because of the City Hall appropriation. But if you take that out and you
look at the base budget only, on the bottom you can see that 50 percent is building and
that includes fees paid to inspectors and, then, 37 percent of it is the cost of the
Planning and Zoning Department. I thought this was interesting to look at kind of how
this was going and what's going to be the impact in the future. The top one is just the
building department. So, it's the revenue line and, then, the black line underneath are
the cost we paid, basically, to inspectors. We have three full-time employees, but their
wage is pretty small compared to the cost we paid inspectors. And you can see that we
are increasingly getting a pretty big bang for our buck. The cost is not going upas fast
as the revenue. The bottom line is just the planning department revenue compared to
their base budget and the yellow line includes -- we have added streetlights, economic
development, and a couple other items into that fund. So, it's not just Planning and
Zoning. That 1.3 million in FY05, that's pretty much the cost that the General Fund
would have to absorb if the building slowed down. So, it's just something to think about
in the future, but those costs will need to be absorbed back into what we typically think
of as just the General Fund by itself. See, their enhancements -- planning department
has five different studies. They are sharing with the city clerk. We are adding another
position, a deputy city clerk. A vehicle. And, then, just some software. And other items
in that fund are miscellaneous small items that make up 133,OOO-gateway art, increase
in our transit dues, their share of the communication coordinator. An important one,
some web development, so that more application work can be done online from
advertising. Then, the Opticon, which are the traffic -- emergency signal thing-a-
boppers. Those are for Ron. And, then, our favorite, most exciting one, that Capital
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Improvement Plan, the City Hall. Fifty percent of it, 4.5 million. And also 60,000 dollars
to go toward the K9 building that's being built for the police department. So, there is
their summary. And, again, they have the re-appropriated fund balance. And the
Enterprise Fund, the last fund, this one -- that's why I was hesitating on Mr. Rountree's
question, but this one I did put both of them on there. I put -- no, this isn't the carry
forward. This is just use of fund balance for the current year of 13.7 million and new
revenue generated at 24 million. And, then, here is how it breaks down as far as their
budget. It's 59 million, but 36 percent of that is projects carried forward. And, then,
second to that, the wastewater treatment plant. So, if you look at it by department, with
the bright yellow being carry forward, you can see all that wastewater plant cost being --
stili being carried forward. And, then, that next big chunk of their budget being capital,
with their base budget being much smaller, their personnel and operating. So, again,
this just looks at their revenue compared to their base budget. And, then, that capital
jumping up there for the wastewater plant expansion. Water department
enhancements, about 930,000. Two additional personnel. Some additional funds for
the proposed new office building. Then, various continuing projects, well rehab, fill
station, water line extensions, and equipment and consulting costs. The big one, the
wastewater treatment plant, 24.7 million. There is an addition to phase one, which we
initially budgeted phase one last year and we need 13.5 million more to add to phase
one. And five million for the Black Cat Trunk. Land purchase around the plant, 1.2
million. And various contracts and equipment for five million. Public Works and
engineering. Most of theirs is in personnel. Three additional people and just some
various software, consulting, and equipment, et cetera. And the big one, they get to
share in the City Hall, 4.5 million. And, then, there is some other enhancements that
are just -- like the staff of the purchasing agent and communication coordinator, a third
of that, and so fourth -- of support services they share with the General Fund. Utility
billing is requesting one new person for 40,000 dollars. So, that is the Enterprise Fund
summary. And that's the end.
De Weerd: Thank you, Stacy. Any questions for Stacy at this time?
Bird: No. It's a pretty good presentation.
Donnell: Yes, it is.
Kilchenmann: Thank you.
De Weerd: Any comment from our general public? Council, I guess I do have a
question in terms of the request from Boise Valley Economic Partnership. It was left
open-ended during our budget presentation. You were going to take that into further
consideration after having a chance to review the materials that were given to you. And
we -- I had budgeted 25,000. There was an additional request for 25,000. And you do
have that in a line budget in your budget or I think we had some still set aside. So, if it
was your desire to allocate that, I would like to have that in the line item as we enter into
the new budget year.
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Donnell: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Donnell.
Donnell: I have not had an opportunity to meet with Nick Miller, who really spear
headed this entire study for BVEP and changed the name of it to include a more
partnership perception and so I guess I'm reluctant to allocate anymore than what you
had budgeted at this point, until we have an opportunity to -- for more information from
them. The e-mail that I received from him indicated that they had done -- their
presentation was done in somewhat haste and that perhaps it wasn't as well thought out
as it should have been, because they were trying to meet the deadline of all the different
agencies and their budgeting cycles. And so at this point I would not be favorable in --
in increasing it, but perhaps down the road, if we see that there is a need, then, we can
revisit that. Did that make sense?
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: Christine, that makes very good sense. And I agree with you wholeheartedly. I
feel that they have got other work to do on their side before they just depend on the
public sector to finance the whole thing and, quite frankly, I think that they did not get
out and work it right. They have -. in most of the private companies that I have talked to
feel that the public sector has given up and they have given up. Until something more is
presented showing that they need more -- and I'm with you a hundred percent, I'm for
giving them the 25,000 and if we see that it's worth the rest, we can take that up at a
later date.
Rountree: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Rountree.
Rountree: I guess I support both the comments that have been made. I was not wooed
by the presentation that was made for additional funds and I'm still a little concerned at
what value there is, even in the 25,000 dollars, but there is merit and synergy with the
group that is being pulled together and I would be willing to maintain that level, but no
more at this point in time.
De Weerd: Okay. Mr. Wardle.
Wardle: Madam Mayor, I believe we heard have from the Council that they would like to
see the line item unrestricted, meaning that the Council in the future could choose to
allocate that towards this initiative if they choose. I did hear that we need some more
information and, certainly, I would be more than happy to spearhead that. In addition,
the Council may find other actions and studies which may also merit that and so
certainly we can bring that back forward as well.
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De Weerd: Okay. Thank you. So, if there is no public testimony, I will --
Donnell: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes.
Donnell: Prior to making a motion and acting on this budget, I just need to make a
statement that I thought a lot about after I read the letter to the editor this morning in the
paper about us giving ourselves raises. And I don't know if there are people here that
are here in response to that, but since we gave them an opportunity to speak, I guess I
would like to. One of the comments that was made -- a point that was made had to do
with the fact that we as public agents give ourselves raises. And I thought about in my -
- all my experiences over this long life -- and I hope it's a lot longer and maybe not so
much it will be after tonight, but the -- I don't know of very many groups that don't give
themselves raises. Having dealt with teachers' negotiations, they ratify the contract and
they give themselves a raise. I just attended a Valley Ride meeting yesterday at the
Compass headquarters and we approved the negotiations from the bus drivers and all
the Valley Transit and they gave themselves a raise. There probably are every union or
association that goes through a negotiating process, that's exactly what they are doing
is giving themselves a raise. I just want to have it on record that even though I'm going
to be voting for this budget tonight, which includes a raise, we didn't initiate that, nor did
we make the decision that it was an appropriate raise. That came through a citizens'
committee and I think it is appropriate. When I think of the number of hours that I am
away from my family, that -- the miles that I travel to attend Valley Ride management
meetings and board meetings, the many other events that we are expected to attend
from the firemen's salmon barbecue to the employee picnic to ribbon cuttings and
presentations and meetings, I, frankly, think that the time that we spend, plus the gas in
our car and the wear and tear on our automobiles, this is pretty paltry. So, I just want to
go -- now having said that, when I agreed to serve I didn't realize it was even a paid
position. So, I didn't expect any pay, but considering that it is provided, I just certainly
appreciate it and appreciate the consideration that's been given by the citizens
committee, that it should be in keeping with the surrounding cities that our -- at least our
side and that I'm going to feel very comfortable voting on it. I still wish it were 8,000 a
month, instead of 8,000 a year. So, that is my soapbox tonight.
De Weerd: Any other comments?
Rountree: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Rountree.
Rountree: I'd like to thank Christine for making that comment. I feel that the process
we went through is fair, it's above and beyond what state statute requires of any elected
body to follow. I really appreciate the time and energy that Mr. Nary and the citizens
advisory went through. I appreciate the consideration they have given the Mayor and
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the Council and City of Meridian in their recommendations. I like Chris, I spend a lot of
time, a lot of energy, and probably not near enough in terms of getting to all the events
of the city, but it does take time, it does take time away from your job, it takes time away
from your family and, again, it -- I'm not here because of the compensation, but it makes
it a little more comfortable.
De Weerd: Anymore comment?
Donnell: Well, I was on a roll, Madam Mayor; I'd like to make one more.
De Weerd: Okay.
Donnell: Because I forgot one part of my in-my-head speech as I was driving to work
this morning. And that was the compensation that we are going to approve for you, or
whoever were in this position as mayor, and, again, I'm going to say the same thing, I
have been amazed at the number of events, the responsibilities, the time commitment,
the time away from your family and you still have kids at home, too, which is something
I can't say. I just want to spend more time with my grandchildren, so -- but I also think
that that is absolutely justified and appropriate, so --
De Weerd: Thank you. Okay. I did give the audience opportunity to comment. If there
is no comment, Council?
Bird: I move we close the Public Hearing.
Rountree: There is a comment.
De Weerd: You have to come up to the mike. If you will state your name and address.
Nye: Michael Nye, 2070 West Lasher Court, Meridian.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Nye: I had a question on how the amount of the raise was established.
De Weerd: I will defer that question to Mr. Nary.
Nary: Certainly. Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, and the public, at the budget
hearing the Council made a determination for a preliminary amount to set in the budget.
What they asked and directed me to do as the HR director was to comprise a citizens'
committee to provide some feedback and input as to those amounts and what would be
fair and appropriate. We comprise -- we gathered five different citizens from the
community. One is the incoming Chamber of Commerce president. One person was a
former Council member. One member was a member of our Planning and Zoning
Commission and a former member of the Parks and Recreation Commission. One was
a member of the management team for City Hearts out at Silverstone. And one was
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just a member of the community, just a citizen -- a long time citizen. What that group
did was they evaluated the state statute and the city ordinance as to what the duties
and responsibilities of both the Mayor and the City Council are. They looked at a
number of different cities throughout state, small and large, Nampa, Caldwell, Boise, as
well as some other states -- or other cities, like Coeur d'Alene, Lewiston, Twin Falls,
Pocatello, Idaho Falls, looked at what their mayor and council compensation is, both
salary, as well as other benefits that they receive. They looked at the long period of
time since Council salaries has been raised. It's been more than ten years since the
Council increased -- has had any increase at all. They looked at the history of the
Mayor's salary in this city. One of the things they evaluated was that the way elections
are geared is that the evaluation has to be done prior to each general election. The
Mayor's salary was last evaluated in 2001, which was interim between election. They
recognized in 2003 before the last election that that analysis, in comparison, was not
accomplished -- wasn't done at that time to determine if the Mayor's salary was
commensurate with the job and the responsibilities and expectations. So, they made a
couple of recommendations. After looking at all of that various information and trying to
philosophically decide what's the appropriate level and what's fair in comparison to what
the job is and all of that, they recommended a couple of different things and that's what
on the ordinance that's on the agenda, because the state statute requires that any
increases also be enacted, not just by a budget, but by an ordinance. So, they
recommended a few things and they signed the letter that was prepared and given to
the city clerk and they recommended, first, that the Council salary be increased in the
next budget. So, as of January of '06 to 8,000 dollars annually from what is currently
6,000 dollars annually. They recommended that it be increased additionally another
thousand dollars the following January to 9,000 dollars. They recommended the
Mayor's salary be adjusted to compensate for the fact that it wasn't done in 2003. So,
they recommended an increase of five percent to the Mayor's salaries currently and also
an additional five percent increase as of January 1 st of 2006. So, there is two
increases, but one was meant to compensate for the fact it wasn't done when it should
have been done in '03, as well as what they felt was appropriate to increase it in this
coming January. They also recommend an additional increase in January of 2007 of an
additional five percent and they recommended moving it to the projected number, what
the Council had proposed as a possible salary was 65,000 dollars annually in this
coming budget. They recommended that be moved before the next -- by the next
election in 2007 for Mayor, so that would be effective in January of 2008. But in
conjunction with that they also recommended that a committee like this type, made up
of business leaders, citizens, former Councilmember, be formed again prior to the
budget to, again, provide input to make the same sort of study and analysis as to what's
appropriate, you know, commensurate with the valley and the job and the expectations
and the size of the city and all those things. They recommended a couple different
things in regards to salary for Mayor, Council, as well as for a mechanism in the
ordinance to require that this analysis be done every year that a mayoral election is to
be held prior to the budget hearing for the Council.
Nye: And did the committee approve the original Council recommendation or was it
adjusted?
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Nary: The committee recommended the original Council recommendation, but -- and,
understand, the Council's recommendation at the preliminary budget was because
that's the highest they could set it and statutorily once we have published a tentative
budget, the Council can't increase that budget at that point. So, what the Council did
was set a preliminary number of 8,000 for Council members and 65,000 for the Mayor
and, then, ask for that input. The committee agreed with the 8,000 figure and, as I
stated, recommended an even higher increase, an additional thousand dollars in '07.
They recommended interim increases for the Mayor's salary. Instead of one one-time
increase to 65,000 dollars, but interim increases and, then, getting that salary to the
65,000 dollar mark prior to the next election to be effective in January of '08.
Nye: So, there is no adjustment that can be made at this point to that?
Nary: Well, certainly, the Council has the ability to adjust that down to -- or to some
other number or they can leave it at the 65 that they had budgeted if they wish. The
ordinances on the Council's agenda tonight, that statutorily it has to be published prior
to September 9th to be effective after the election. This is our last meeting before that
date to accomplish that. So, they can -- the Council can amend the ordinance that's on
the agenda. They can reflect some different numbers if they wish. We can correct
those numbers and still publish it timely.
Nye: Thank you. I'm for the raise.
Rountree: Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Alderman: My name the Curt Alderman. My address is 1904 East Pratt Street in
Meridian. And in terms of the raise for the position of Mayor and for the City Council,
my comment really revolves around the fact that I -- in seeing the Treasure Valley and
the rates 'of growth, the issues that the City of Meridian is dealing with, I think Meridian
is a highly progressive city and I have concerns as to the well being of the City of
Meridian. I think that we need to be able to reflect that the Mayor's job has increased
substantially since 2001. I also think that in comparison with other positions and other
CEO's, that that needs to be more balanced out and that the idea of having something
for 2000 -- I think it was '07, it ought to be a little bit sooner than that. I think that in
order to have good quality candidates for City Council and Mayor, that needs to be
reflective right now. So, I would like to see those increases happen immediately, as
opposed to later on down the road. I think it's a testament to the fact that Meridian's
growth rates and so forth have so far out paced many many things in the Treasure
Valley that I think the salary for the position of Mayor and City Council ought to be
reflective as it approaches the challenges that are going to be faced in those positions.
De Weerd: Thank you, Curt. Okay. Is there any further comment? You know -- and
he did raise a point. You just passed a budget that's close to 90 million dollars and I
Meridian City Council Special Meeting
August30,2005
Page 13 of 24
think four years ago or -- when I came on Council it was in the 40 million. So, you have
seen quite a lot of change, haven't you, Mr. Bird.
Bird: When Charlie went off and I come on I think it was at nine million.
Rountree: I think it was 14 million.
Bird: Fourteen million. Yeah. We have seen a change.
De Weerd: Yes. If there is no further comment, I will entertain a motion to close.
Bird: So moved.
Rountree: Second.
De Weerd: Okay. All those in favor say aye. Okay. All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Item 8:
Ordinance No. 05-1174 Creating a New Title 1, Chapter 7,
Section 9 of the Meridian City Code Providing for City Council
Compensation and Providing for a Citizen's Review Committee to
Provide Recommendations to the City Council for Future
Compensation of the Mayor and City Council:
De Weerd: Ordinance No. 05-1174 is creating a new Title 1, Chapter 7, Section 9 of
the Meridian City Code providing City Council compensation.
Berg: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes.
Berg: May I interrupt for just a second?
De Weerd: You bet.
Berg: I think you need to have the Council direct the attorney to draw up an ordinance
for the next meeting in accordance with the appropriation that you were approving in the
budget hearing. I mean that direction and have that ordinance prepared, so we have
that on the agenda and approve it, so we can do our L-2 forms for the county.
Nary: Thank you, Council. Yeah. Mr. Berg was right. The Council -- if you're going to
approve your budget, you need to, then, direct us to bring -- statutorily we have to pass
the budget by ordinance. So, what you need to do, then, is direct us to return that
ordinance. This ordinance in front of you is only dealing with your salaries, because of
the date requirement for that is different than the date requirement for the ordinance.
Meridian City Council Special Meeting
August30,2005
Page 14 of 24
De Weerd: Thank you for the confusion.
Nary: Sorry for the confusion.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes, Mr. Bird.
Bird: I would move that we direct the city clerk and attorney to draw ordinance showing
the approval of the fiscal 2006 budget.
Rountree: Second.
De Weerd: Okay. We have a motion to approve the budget as presented tonight. Is
there any further discussion? Mr. Berg, will you call roll.
Roll-Call: Bird, yea; Rountree, yea: Wardle, yea; Donnell, yea.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
De Weerd: Thank you. Item No.8. Mr. Berg, will you, please, read this ordinance by
title only. And that's 05-1174.
Berg: Thank you, Madam Mayor. I'm just making sure I have the correct one.
Ordinance 05-1174. An ordinance creating a new Title 1, Chapter 7, Section 9 of the
Meridian City Code, providing for City Council compensation and providing for a citizens
review committee to provide recommendations to the City Council for future
compensation of the Mayor and City Council and providing for a summary and providing
for a waiver of the reading rules and providing an effective date.
De Weerd: You have heard this ordinance read by title only. Is there anyone who
would like to hear it read in its entirety? Thank you so much for not saying yes.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes.
Bird: While I agree that -- and I really like the idea of having a compensation
committee, there is some recommendations I would like to see on it. I would like to see
it at least be a seven membership, seven people, and no public employees. Anybody
that works for a public entity would not be on the compensation committee. And it's
nothing against them or anything, but I think it just looks better for the elected officials.
De Weerd: Okay.
Meridian City Council Special Meeting
August30,2005
Page 15 of 24
Bird: Because, after all, some of them we are their boss.
De Weerd: Okay. Do we have that on this one?
Rountree: No.
Berg: Madam Mayor, it doesn't specify and say that they adopt a committee. If you
read in paragraph C, it just says the membership of the committee may be determined
by the City Council with input from the Mayor. So, at the time the Council is reviewing
their compensation package of whatever degree, they could put together and put
parameters for that committee and it could be established and go forth with the
recommendation. So, it may vary from time to time of what the needs may be at the
future date.
De Weerd: Okay. But with the change of seven members. Correct, Mr. Berg?
Bird: I would like to see seven members. I know we -- this time we only had five,
because it was such a short notice, but if we set this up as a regular every four years,
every two years, we can -- we will certainly have time to get seven members on it.
De Weerd: Would you like to set the number of seven? Right now it's open-ended.
Bird: I'd like to see it set at seven.
De Weerd: Okay.
Nary: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes, Mr. Nary.
Nary: If the Council would like, we can -~ I can go prepare an amended ordinance right
now. If you want to pass over this one, I could go -- we can set these aside, we can
amend the ordinance and bring that back here.
Bird: Let's see if the rest of the Council agrees with it.
Nary: In ten minutes if that's what your preference is.
De Weerd: Council?
Nary: Because we want it to be reflected in both ordinances.
Rountree: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Okay. Thank you. Mr. Rountree.
Meridian City Council Special Meeting
August30,2005
Page 16 of 24
Rountree: My comment on that is I'm okay with seven. I would say the language ought
to be a minimum of seven, because at some point in time they may want more.
Bird: That's right.
De Weerd: Okay. Mr. Wardle.
Wardle: Madam Mayor. Mr. Nary, just for clarification. Because we are setting this
committee by ordinance they also fall under the category for all public meeting laws and
same things that come along with the standard committees for the city; is that correct?
Nary: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, Council member Wardle that is correct.
They would be subject to the public meeting requirements.
De Weerd: Okay. Thank you. Is there any further discussion?
(End of side one, tape one.)
De Weerd: -- agreeable to everyone the change?
Donnell: Uh-huh.
Rountree: Fine with me.
Donnell: It is fine.
De Weerd: Mr. Berg.
Berg: Madam Mayor, if you establish a sentence to insert into that paragraph, we can
sure approve it with that amendment, and, then, it could be published as such.
De Weerd: Okay.
Nary: If that's satisfactory to the Council, Madam Mayor, we can certainly do that, and,
then, we will just get the corrected ordinance to Mr. Berg for signature and publication.
Bird: Madam Mayor, then, I would make a motion that we approve Ordinance No. 05-
1174, with the addition of one sentence that it will be a minimum of seven committee
members. A minimum of seven.
Rountree: I will second.
De Weerd: Okay. The motion is to approve Item No.8 with the amendments as stated.
Is there any further discussion?
Donnell: Madam Mayor?
Meridian City Council Special Meeting
August30,2005
Page 17 of 24
De Weerd: Mrs. Donnell.
Donnell: Mr. Bird, did you also want to include in there that no employees could be on
the committee?
Bird: No. We are going to leave that. That's up to each Council.
Donnell: Okay.
Bird: Let each Council do that.
Donnell: All right.
De Weerd: Okay.
Donnell: Good.
De Weerd: Mr. Berg.
Roll-Call: Bird, yea; Rountree, yea; Wardle, yea; Donnell, yea.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Item 9:
Ordinance No. 05-1175 Creating a New Title 1, Chapter 6,
Section 5 of the Meridian City Code Providing for the Mayor's Salary
and Compensation and Providing for a Citizen's Review Committee
to Provide Recommendations to the City Council for Future
Compensation of the Mayor and City Council:
De Weerd: Okay. Item No.9 is Ordinance 05-1175. Mr. Berg, will you, please, read
this ordinance by title only.
Berg: Thank you, Madam Mayor, Members of the Council. Ordinance No. 05-1175, an
ordinance creating a Title 1, Chapter 6, Section 5 of the Meridian City Code, providing
for the Mayor's salary and compensation and providing for a citizens review committee
to provide recommendations to the City Council for future compensation of the Mayor
and City Council and providing for a summary and for providing for a waiver of the
reading of the rules and providing an effective date. And I would just say that you need
to repeat that motion for Section C to make it consistent with the other.
De Weerd: Okay. Is there anyone in the audience who would like to hear this read by
it's entirety? In its entirety. Thank you. Council.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
Meridian City Council Special Meeting
August30,2005
Page 180f24
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I move that we approve Ordinance 05-1175 and that we add within the committee
minimum of seven committee members and pass this with suspension of rules.
Donnell: Second.
De Weerd: And what is that added?
Bird: To the committee. It's down on --
Rountree: Section 8.
Bird: -- Section B there. Same sentence that we added in the last one.
De Weerd: Okay. Is there any further discussion? Okay. Mr. Berg, will you call roll.
Roll-Call: Bird, yea; Rountree, yea; Wardle, yea; Donnell, yea.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Item 10:
Ordinance No. 05-1179 Amending Title 1, Chapter 8,
Section 4 of the Meridian City Code Deleting Mayor and City Council
Salaries:
De Weerd: Okay. Item No. 10 is 05-1176. Mr. Berg, will you, please, read this
ordinance by title only.
Berg: Thank you, Madam Mayor, Members of the Council. Ordinance No. 05-1176, an
ordinance amending Title 1, Chapter 8, Section 4 of the Meridian City Code deleting
Mayor and City Council salaries and providing for a summary and providing for a waiver
of the reading rules and providing an effective date. This ordinance was to delete from
the previous code, to take it out of appointed positions section and put it in the rightful
duties of the Mayor and the City Council. Clean up.
De Weerd: Thank you, Mr. Berg. Okay. You have heard this ordinance 05-1176 by
title only. Is there anyone who would like to hear it read in its entirety? Mr. Berg, will
you please read this ordinary by -- in its entirety.
Berg: Thank you. Madam Mayor, I just read the summary. After the summary, be it
ordained by the Mayor and City Council that the City of Meridian, Idaho, Section 1, Title
1, Chapter 8, Section 4 of the Meridian City Code is hereby amended as follows: 1-8-4,
Salaries. Strike out A, elected officers. Strike out Mayor, the salary of the Mayor shall
be 65,000 dollars per year payable at $4,583.33 monthly. Strike out Council. The
salary of each member of the Council shall be 500 dollars per month payable monthly.
Ordinance 01-925, September 4th, 2001, effective, September 1 st, 2003. Added A.
Meridian City Council Special Meeting
August 30, 2005
Page 19 of 24
Strike out B. Appointed officers as written. The salaries of appointed officer shall be
fixed and -- set and fixed by the Mayor and Council and shall be paid monthly. B.
Strike out C as written, employee salaries of city employees shall be set from time to
time by the Mayor and City Council. Section 2, that pursuant to an affirmative vote of
one half plus one of the members of the full Council and rule requiring two separate
readings by title and one reading in full and the same is hereby dispensed with and
accordingly this ordinance shall be in force and effect on passage of approval and
publication, passed by the City of Meridian, city -- excuse me. Passed by the City
Council of the City of Meridian this date of 2005, approved by the Mayor of the City of
Meridian this date of 2005.
De Weerd: Thank you, Mr. Berg. Will you just give a summary, again, as to what this
was to accomplish.
Berg: This last ordinance was amending and striking out the section that dealt with the
Mayor and Council's salaries that was in the appointed officers section of the code. The
first two ordinances we created new ordinances to put into these sections that was
arranged with the -- was hidden in the ordinance and it was pretty tough to find in the
Meridian City Code, so we deleted what was there currently and added in the new
sections and put it in the proper places.
De Weerd: Okay. Thank you. Okay. Okay. Council?
Rountree: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Rountree.
Rountree: I move that we approve Ordinance 05-1176 with suspension of rules.
Bird: Second.
De Weerd: Okay. The motion is to approve Item No.1 O. If there is no further
discussion, Mr. Berg, will you call roll.
Roll-Call: Bird, yea; Rountree, yea; Wardle, yea; Donnell, yea.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Item 11:
Annual CPI Rate Adjustment for Solid Waste Collection Services by
Steve Sedlacek and Bill Gregory with SSC:
De Weerd: Thank you. Item 11 is the annual CIP rate adjustment for solid waste
collection services. We have Mr, Sedlacek here to address Council.
Sedlacek: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, I believe you have in your
information a memorandum from us, dated August 22, regarding our annual CPI rate
Meridian City Council Special Meeting
August30,2005
Page 20 of 24
adjustment. This is an annual thing that we do. This is our only mechanism for
adjusting our rates. But to realize cost changes in our environment that we work in,
particularly fuel and insurance and things like that. In our contract we are allowed to do
the CPI adjustment. The adjustment this last year came in at 2.95 percent. We take 90
percent of that. So, it's a 2.66 percent rate increase, We, obviously, exclude anything
related to the county landfill fees. Those fees were just adjusted in July, so we can't
adjust on that adjustment. That wouldn't be fair to anybody. Basically, we go through
the iterations and come out with a -- what you see on the second page. We have a
range of adjustments from 1.1 percent to 2.6 percent, depending on the type of
services. There is a range there, because different services have different proportions
that are disposal, which are the county fees. So, you get this range of changes.
Basically, the residential rate, if you go with this methodology, will go up 20 cents per
month and, then, you can see on the last few pages or are the actual -- the new rate
structure that would go into effect October 1 st and we show the commercial can rates,
the commercial containers, the roll-off rates, the current and the proposed structures for
those. I would suggest that we -- if this is something you approve, that we instigate this
or implement this effective 10/1/05, but it would be -- the first effective billing cycle
would be the November 1 st billing cycle. So, we would not get into the position where
we adjust the rates a little bit for the mid month cycle and, then, adjust them fully for the
final one, Where, we have different notices going out to the public, like we did -- and we
had to do that on the Ada County landfill rate adjustment, because that was an
immediate and severe rate increase. I would suggest that we just do it once and those
that get billed in the middle of the month will get an extra two weeks to -- well, they will
get ten cents off their bill, which is not a big deal for us. Are there any questions about
this?
De Weerd: Council, do you have any questions?
Bird: I have none.
De Weerd: Mine is more procedural. Mr. Nary, on -- it's under the three percent or five
percent. What is the appropriate next step?
Nary: I don't -- I don't think it's been any different in the last few years on the amount. I
don't know that -- have they done it by resolution? Mr. Berg, is that -- you can pass it by
resolution or what you could direct is for us to return a resolution reflecting that increase
of 2.66 percent, effective at 10/1. We can bring that back to you, we can approve that,
then, by resolution. There is no necessity to have a public hearing when it's under five
percent.
Sedlacek: I do have a copy of the resolution from two years ago, if that helps.
Nary: Sure.
Meridian City Council Special Meeting
August30,2005
Page 21 of 24
Berg: Madam Mayor, the resolution is just a better way to keeping track of the record
for resolution. The resolution is a mechanism of keeping track, We have complied with
the statute in not having to require a public hearing, because it is under five percent.
De Weerd: Thank you. Okay. Council, any questions?
Bird: I have none.
Rountree: I have none.
De Weerd: Thank you, Steve.
Sedlacek: Thank you.
De Weerd: Okay. Council, do I have a motion?
Rountree: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Rountree.
Rountree: I move that we have staff prepare a resolution to address the revised fee
schedule as presented by assessed fee for solid waste collection for the City of
Meridian.
Bird: Second.
De Weerd: Okay. The motion is to approve the request. Mr. Berg, will you, please, call
roll.
Roll-Call: Bird, yea; Rountree, yea; Wardle, yea; Donnell, yea.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes, Mr. Bird.
Bird: Could I -- before we get off this, you know, it's such enjoyable to have SSC bring
rate increases, because they always -- I wish we were as efficient within our ownself as
they are. They always come prepared and show exactly why they need to have the rate
increase. It's not pulled out of the air. And I certainly appreciate it as a person that has
to enact upon rate increases, because of the professionalism that they do and we need
to take -- within our ownselves need to watch this and proceed in the same method.
Thank you, Steve, very much.
Meridian City Council Special Meeting
August 30, 2005
Page 22 of 24
Item 12:
Ordinance No. 05-1170 Repealing Existing Zoning and
Subdivision Regulations Codified at Title 11 and Title 12 of the
Meridian City Code; Re-Enacting a New Title 11 To Be Known As the
Unified Development Code (3rd of 3 Readings):
De Weerd: Thank you, Mr. Bird. Thanks, Steve. Okay. Item No. 12 is Ordinance 05-
1170. Mr. Berg, will you, please, read this ordinance by title only.
Berg: Thank you, Madam Mayor, Members of the Council. Ordinance 05-1170. An
ordinance enacting a new provision of the Unified Development Code pertaining to
development along state highways to be codified --
Nary: The other one.
Berg: The other one?
Nary: 1170, I think, Mr. Berg, is the --
Berg: Yes.
Nary: -- omnibus ordinance within the state highway one that's 1171.
Berg: Sorry. Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, 05-1170, an ordinance repealing
existing zoning and subdivision regulation codified at Title 11 and Title 12 of the
Meridian City Code, reenacting a new Title 11 to be known as Unified Development
Code and providing an effective date.
De Weerd: Okay. You have now heard this ordinance read by title only. Is there
anyone -- and I have to ask this every time. So, if you get sick of hearing me ask this,
I'm sorry. But is there anyone who would like to hear this read in its entirety? Usually
we only have Frank that hangs with us this long. Okay. Council.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I move we approve, excuse me, Ordinance 05-1170.
Wardle: Second.
De Weerd: Okay. Motion to approve Item No. 12. If there is no discussion, Mr. Berg.
Roll-Call: Bird, yea; Rountree, yea; Wardle, yea; Donnell, yea.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Meridian City Council Special Meeting
August 30, 2005
Page 23 of 24
Item 13:
Ordinance No. 05-1171 Enacting a New Provision of the
Unified Development Code Pertaining to Development Along the
State Highways to Be Codified at Title 11, Chapter 3, Article H of the
Meridian City Code; Adding a New Definition of the Term "Approach"
to Title 11, Chapter 1, Article A, Section 1 of the Meridian City Code
(3rd of 3 Readings):
De Weerd: Thank you. Item 13. I imagine Mr. Rountree--
Rountree: Madam Mayor, I need to recuse myself on this item.
De Weerd: Okay. Mr. Berg, will you, please, read Item 13, Ordinance No. 05-1171, by
tile only,
Berg: Thank you, Madam Mayor, Members of the Council. Ordinance 05-1171, an
ordinance enacting a new provision of the Unified Development Code pertaining to
development along state highways to be codified at Title 11, Chapter 3, Article H of the
Meridian City Code, adding a new definition of the term approach to Title 11, Chapter 1,
Article A, Section 1 of the Meridian City Code and providing an effective date.
De Weerd: You have heard this Ordinance No. 05-1171 read by title only. Is there
anyone who would like to hear it read in its entirety? Hearing none, Council, do I have a
motion?
Wardle: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Wardle.
Wardle: I move that we approve Item 13, Ordinance No. 05-1171.
Donnell: Second.
De Weerd: Okay. There is a motion to approve Item 13. Mr. Berg, will you, please, call
roll.
Roll-Call: Bird, yea; Rountree, abstain; Wardle, yea; Donnell, yea.
MOTION CARRIED: THREE AYES. ONE ABSTAIN.
De Weerd: Okay. I would entertain a motion to adjourn this City Council special
meeting.
Donnell: So moved.
Bird: Second.
..~.-
Meridian City Council Special Meeting
August 30, 2005
Page 24 of 24
De Weerd: All those in favor say aye. All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
De Weerd: We will reconvene on the joint workshop with Planning and Zoning special
meeting in ten minutes.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 7:05 P.M.
(TAPE ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS)
ATTESTED'
WILLIAM G. BERG J
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