HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003 04-08 Pre
Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting April 8, 2003
The Pre-Council Meeting of the Meridian City Council was called to order at 6:10
P.M. on Tuesday, April 8, 2003, by Mayor Robert Corrie.
Members Present: Robert Corrie, Cherie McCandless, Keith Bird and Tammy de
Weerd
Members Absent: Bill Nary
Others Present: Gary Smith, Stacy Kilchenmann, Bill Musser, Bill Nichols and
Will Berg
Item 1. Roll-call Attendance:
X Tammy de Weerd O Bill Nary
X Cherie McCandless X Keith Bird
X Mayor Robert Corrie
th
Corrie: Pre-Council meeting Tuesday April the 8 at 2003 at 6:10 P.M. in the
City Council Chambers. At this time I would like to have roll call attendance
please by the City Clerk.
Item 2. Adoption of the Agenda:
Corrie: Item number two is adoption of the agenda.
Bird: Mr. Mayor.
Corrie: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I move that we approve the agenda as published.
De Weerd: Second.
Corrie: Motion has been made and second to adopt the agenda as published.
All those in favor say aye. Opposed no. All ayes motion carried.
Item 3. Update of School Zone Speed Limit Ordinance:
Corrie: Item number three. Update of school zone speed limit ordinance.
Captain Musser.
Musser: Mr. Mayor members of the Council. We were hoping to be able to
present an initial ordinance for review to the Council today however we had some
communication problems and we are requesting to present that to you in late
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April 8, 2003
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June. The issues at hand has to do with the time period and it was apparently a
clear want for a time period on that and we are looking at having that section
added to the ordinance so it will include from 7:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. which in
effect will be a Monday through Friday enforcement period at all school zones.
We do have an additional definition for when children are present so it is a little
bit more specific now. So we will have that included and the reason why we are
holding off until June is we are near the end of the school year now and when we
do present this and run it through the timing should work for being able to change
over signs and we’ve already have had initial contact with Mike Villnave with Ada
County Highway District. And we believe we can get that all accomplished by the
tail end of August so we can start off the school year fresh and be able to run
with this ordinance. And we are still looking at having a fixed fee penalty of one
hundred dollars for this infraction as well. So that is the status at this point.
Corrie: Okay. Any questions Council?
Bird: He answered mine. I wanted a better clarification on what that students
and deal was. I think it should say while school is in attendance.
Musser: Well what we essentially did with that one councilman Bird is that we
defined that when children are present means any child that is on a sidewalk or
any area adjacent to the school buildings themselves outside of a fenced
enclosure and within the zone. You know as long as they are visually present
there and moving about on any public thoroughfare adjacent to a school within
the zone and that’s what it would be defined as.
Bird: Great.
De Weerd: Mr. Mayor.
Corrie: Mrs. de Weerd.
De Weerd: Captain Musser are you also participating in the parks in the park
zone ordinance, is your committee.
Musser: Mr. Mayor, Council Member De Weerd and Members of the Council. At
this point I have had some preliminary contact with Councilman Nary and just
some brief contact this morning with Doug referenced some of the issues with
the park zone. We have some more work to do on that however one of the other
options that we have been looking at through the traffic safety committee is
looking at engineer solutions for a couple of our residential streets in particular on
Chateau near Chateau Park and right now Mike Villnave and the engineers at
ACHD are looking at what the budget constraints would be for them to be able to
come up with an island that would slow the traffic down. Part of our concern both
from my end of it as law enforcement representative and Mike Villnave’s as an
engineer is that we are in a 25 residential area now if we reduce the speed down
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April 8, 2003
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to 20 miles per hour or even lower the impact and the availability being able to do
specific enforcement on those might be a little bit tough considering staffing
levels at this point. However putting in engineering in the form of traffic calming
solutions may well present in ever present ability to keep traffic down at least
below 30 to 25 miles per hour in those areas and the slower we can keep them
the more ability a person has to stop if children are present.
De Weerd: Well in that area I don’t know if people know the speed limit is 25.
Musser: I would agree and we are continuing to do enforcement up in the area
especially when we have complaints and we are able to track down any
described vehicles as well. But placing an island to force people to have to slow
down and make a make a slight turn around it is and has been a pretty well
proven tactic in Boise to this point and another municipality so that’s one of the
reasons why we are considering it there.
De Weerd: That sounds good. Has your committee also had an opportunity to
address the crosswalk over by Tully Park, kind of on the top end where the
pathway comes out?
Musser: We have at this point and because of the planned build out for Linder
Road a crosswalk would not be a wise move for a potential five line roadway in
the future in that area. One of the other problems that we have is we do have a
direct controlled access light that’s currently at Linder and Chateau Road and it
was the committee’s feeling that we probably need to find some mechanisms to
increase parental awareness and get some educational processes going with the
children so we can get them to walk down and utilize the controlled crossing
there to do otherwise puts them at jeopardy and to place a crosswalk in the
middle of a potential five lane roadway in the future is just asking for additional
problems as well.
De Weerd: Well you know I have been hanging out at the skate park a couple
times a month just because of the issues that have been going on down there. I
have yet to see a parent with any of those kids at the skate park. And so I think
most parents should be responsible that the kids that go to that skate park they
are there unattended and they range from six, seven on up.
Musser: I understand what you are saying Councilman De Weerd. One of
issues that we are looking at doing is increasing parental awareness is that the
parents of those children have the liability for their unattended children when they
are going out and crossing the streets when there is access provided. And its
not the city’s liability or the city’s stance that we assume liability for their kids
being able to cross there. We don’t have to assume it nor do we have a duty at
this time to do so and there is a clear crossing that has been provided. One of
the other issues that ACHD was looking at was the availability to extend the
current walkway along the west side of Linder Road so that it was finished.
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April 8, 2003
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Apparently there is a development in process now that will include a sidewalk
which leaves approximately 100 to 150 foot unfinished section in there and they
said that they would complete the side walking and that so that we do have a
travel path to be able to get to that crossing.
De Weerd: No easy answer.
Musser: Not today.
De Weerd: Thank you Captain.
Musser: Your welcome.
Corrie: Thank you Bill. Appreciate it.
Item 4. Update of Utility Billing Amended Ordinance:
Corrie: Item number four is update of utility billing amended ordinance. Gary do
you have anything on that at all?
Smith: Mr. Mayor, Council members. I didn’t get together with Mr. Nichols and
put this together as an ordinance but I talked to Bill earlier and we’ll both put this
kind of at the top of the agenda and get it done. We got the direction that we
needed from Council and from the meeting that was held on February the fourth
so I think we are clear as far as what has to be done. Unless Bill has some
comments?
Nichols: Mr. Mayor, members of the Council. Its not just Gary, I didn’t get it on
my to do list either and so in fact it was probably on my list and that’s why he
didn’t come up with it but we will work together and try to get something just as
quick as we can to get a draft to you to look at and then we’ll need to have since
it contemplates imposition of a fee we’ll need to have a public hearing on the fee
aspect of it but we want to at least get the draft to you to look at before we get to
that stage.
Smith: Mr. Mayor.
Corrie: Gary.
Smith: Also I believe that you received all Council members and yourself
received an email that Will Berg forwarded that was written by Jerry Mason the
attorney for AIC concerning the – part of the email was concerning this particular
issue and I think after reading his dissertation that we are proceeding in the
correct manner.
Corrie: Thank you Gary.
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Smith: Thank you.
De Weerd: Mr. Mayor.
Corrie: Mrs. de Weerd.
De Weerd: I guess since a lot of these are kind of updates I think Gary at one
time put together for his construction projects kind of a tracking system which I
always found really helpful because we kind of new were things were and as I
know as things come in front of us and we say okay we need to get an ordinance
on this and we kind of have the discussion and we kind of send it out to staff I
know then you have to reprioritize and you need probably a better understanding
from us what is a higher priority and what isn’t. When its staff initiated like the
billing directive I guess it would be helpful to the Council to understand what the
urgency or priority is because I do keep track of what comes in front of us and
why I haven’t see it and maybe we just need a list that would even help the
attorney know what has more priority that he needs to be working on too. So I
guess if there’s a way that we can compile a list of the different ordinances and
activities that we have that are initiated or brought to Council that we can kind of
see where we are at so we are not always asking the question prematurely or it
would just be a better tracking mechanism to know where we are at in some of
these projects and it might be a useful tool with staff in knowing the priority we
feel is placed on those items as well. So then we are kind of on the same page.
Is that a possibility?
Corrie: Well you seem to be having kept track of them. Do you want to continue
doing that?
De Weerd: I’m not a full time employee, I know people think I am but you know I
think that I would track it I mean I already do but I don’t think its my place.
Nichols: Mr. Mayor.
Corrie: Mr. Nichols.
Nichols: Mr. Mayor members of the Council whatever we can do to try to make
sure things don’t slip through the cracks we will do. I think the issue is at least for
me is I didn’t get it on my list and I try to keep some kind of a list of what’s going
on and some juggling does occur as you try to do things. I’ll get together with
Gary and see if we can’t figure something out. I think the problem for me was I
didn’t get it on my list and didn’t see this as one where I was the lead and that’s
the problem on this one and so there always needs to be identified whose the
lead so that we have some zoning ordinances that we’re working on and the
Planning and Zoning Department has the lead on those. We have some things
the Parks Department is working on like skate park ordinance and that sort of
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April 8, 2003
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thing and they are the lead on that one. So as long as we make sure we have
identified who the lead is usually we don’t have this problem, which occurs on
this one. So we will try to come up with some mechanism for doing that. Also
Will when he puts together after the meeting generally writes down after each
agenda item if there is something to be done, what’s to be done and who’s to do
it. And then those get faxed out to all the department heads and me so that’s a
way of double checking something that comes out of the meeting itself, out of the
Council meeting. This is just one that I just didn’t catch.
Corrie: Okay thank you.
Item 5. Discussion of Plumbing Ordinance Amendment:
Item 6. Discussion of Electrical Ordinance Amendment:
Corrie: Discussion of pluming ordinance amendment Gary.
Smith: Mr. Mayor, council members. I have been working with Marlene in the
attorney’s office and also with our plumbing inspector concerning the adoption of
the new uniform plumbing code and I believe the document that you have before
you is a final document that’s been reviewed by myself and by Lynn Hoover and
it does contain we feel all the applicable references to the 2000 uniform plumbing
code that would adopt that with some deletions some exceptions and I don’t have
anything else to comment on unless you have some questions about it.
Corrie: So it’s pretty much ready to go then?
Smith: Yes sir. From our standpoint it is.
Corrie: Okay. Mr. Bird.
Bird: I believe from reading it over and that they are the professionals and
certainly know it looks okay. So I think we need to get it in the proper order and
get it running through for us.
Smith: Thank you.
Bird: I think even on the next item we are in the same boat.
Smith: Yes sir.
Bird: (Inaudible) lets get them both forward and have Mr. Nichols and Will get
the thing going properly and what we need to do. Your office has to look it over
Mr. Nichols, it looks okay to you guys doesn’t it?
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April 8, 2003
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Nichols: Mr. Mayor members of the Council. What you have has been prepared
by our office I mean Marlene did the heavy lifting and I’ve looked over it and
Gary’s cross checked it and we’ve been working on this one for more then a few
months now to get them in shape. The only thing that we probably ought to do
that I don’t know that we have done Gary is get a draft out to all of the local
plumbing contractors for them to look at. The other thing that always is important
in this kind of thing is when is the effective date going to be for these kinds of
ordinances? Because somebody may have already bid a job based upon the
way the code is now and it may have some impact on the deal so we need to
have the effective date out far enough that somebody has advance notice ahead
of time so they don’t get caught in having bid a job one way and now they have
to add stuff to meet the code and that sort of thing.
Bird: Mr. Mayor.
Corrie: Mr. Bird.
Bird: Nobody would agree with that more then I would because we have been hit
a few times on codes on bids. I think that if we could get these out and passed
by June I would think 60 days, most bids are known within 60 days say August
first take effect. What do you think Gary?
Smith: Mayor and Councilman Bird and Council members. I don’t think there’s
going to be a problem at all with this I think our plumbing inspectors have been
pretty much inspecting on the basis of the 2000 code because it has been out for
awhile so I think all the contractors are really up to speed on it. The other thing
that this ordinance does is it incorporates a lot of the verbiage from the state
rendition of the plumbing code, it incorporates the exceptions that the state has
made so that it is along the same lines as the state adopted plumbing code. I
really don’t think that there is going to be an issue at all in adopting this but it’s
always good to give it a little time so that the contractors are aware.
De Weerd: Mr. Mayor.
Corrie: I think probably August you are right. That’s plenty of time.
Bird: If we do it August first I think that will (inaudible) on both of these codes.
Put right in the ordinance so everybody knows and I think that’s what the attorney
is basically asking for and has asked for on these types of things all the time we
see them slip through the cracks and not get them done then we have to
(inaudible).
Nichols: Mr. Mayor members of the Council. It’s in electronic form and we can
get it over to the Clerk’s office tomorrow as far as when you know being able to
schedule a hearing on these. I don’t know that we are required to have a hearing
on these type, they are not a zoning code but its best probably to have a hearing
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April 8, 2003
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anyway just so that somebody has something comes up. So what I’ll do is on
those two we’ll make them effective August first 2003 and make that change in
the draft ordinance and give them to Will.
Corrie: Okay good.
De Weerd: Mr. Mayor.
Corrie: Yes.
De Weerd: Because there are fee changes in it it definitely would need a public
hearing but does that need to be separate from the ordinance?
Nichols: Mr. Mayor members of the council. You have to have a hearing on the
fees themselves period. So there needs to be notices of fee hearing if I
remember correctly.
De Weerd: Can we do them concurrently?
Nichols: Sure.
De Weerd: And I know when I had the inspectors come in last year and inspect
my subs they did say they were inspecting up to current code even though we
hadn’t adopted it so you are right Gary.
Corrie: Does this have any prices in it?
Bird: Yeah it does Mayor.
Corrie: Because I don’t have the (inaudible).
McCandless: Yes.
Bird: (Inaudible). Its on the second page Mayor.
Corrie: Okay I’m sorry I was looking on the wrong –
De Weerd: It’s on page four.
McCandless: Its on page four.
Bird: Page four?
McCandless: Uh-huh.
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April 8, 2003
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Smith: Mr. Mayor and Council I don’t believe the license fees changed at all from
the existing ordinance, they are the same.
De Weerd: But both the electrical and plumbing were they not changing some of
their fee structure?
Smith: Their inspection fees, they are not included in this ordinance that’s a
separate item and I do have a proposal from them to upgrade their fees on the
inspection.
De Weerd: Okay the contractor fees license fees are not changing?
Smith: No ma’am.
Corrie: That’s what I couldn’t find. There wasn’t any figures in these two
ordinances, unless I was missing something.
Bird: I thought the fee changed.
Corrie: You check that out for us will you Will and make sure that we do and
there’s the plumbers fees. So check it out and make sure we can set the timings
up for the public hearing. Okay.
De Weerd: I would like to see them at the same time. So that the public that has
an interest –
Bird: I would too.
De Weerd: -- would just want to come to one meeting if at all.
Smith: You are referring to the inspection fees also?
De Weerd: Are we about ready on those?
Smith: Well I’ve got the proposal from them but it hasn’t been put into a final
format yet.
De Weerd: Okay.
Smith: I don’t think it’s a big deal to do that.
Bird: I’d just say lets go get this ordinance passed.
De Weerd: Okay.
Corrie: Well if you get the ordinance passed then you can get the other stuff.
Mer idian City Pre-Council Meeting
April 8, 2003
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De Weerd: If they are not ready we just go forward on those.
st
Bird: You probably aren’t going to start the fees until the October 1 change
anyway are you, the new fiscal year?
Smith: They haven’t said to much to me lately.
Bird: Their contract is based under the old fee system.
Smith: Yes it is.
Bird: So then it won’t change until the new budget year.
Smith: It’s a percentage of the fees that are collected.
Bird: I just –
Smith: I’m not sure if those fees were set by, I don’t know that they are set by
ordinance anyway I think they are set by resolution.
Corrie: Okay the same things on the electrical ordinance and that.
Smith: Thank you Mayor, thank you Council.
Item 7. Update of Centennial Celebration:
Corrie: Item seven is update on the Centennial Celebration. We have Tony
Hickey with us tonight. So Tony give us some information.
Hickey: Mr. Mayor, City Council. I’m Tony Hickey I’m the chairman of the
Historic Preservation Committee and I’m not real sure how that happened. I
think I stood up instead of shut up, but anyway that’s who I am. On August
th
second will be the city’s 100 anniversary birthday whatever. So Mayor has
asked us to do some things we’ve met with the Historical Preservation
Committee and had a meeting with Will and the Historic Society and the Historic
Foundation and the Chamber of Commerce. All of those other entities felt that
they were pretty busy, they had a lot of things going and chose to not get overly
involved in what we got going so we are kind of doing our own thing. We invited
them in and they are certainly welcome to come with us if they choose but their
plates are pretty full as it is. So there’s been some preliminary things done. On
th
April 12which is probably going to have to be cancelled because the weathers
not going to be too good. We’ve gotten permission to do a proclamation at the
Meridian Speedway (inaudible) one year name change type of situation. The
Historic Dairy land Motor Speedway Meridian or something of that nature. I did
talk with one of the local banks they are willing to pay for a banner. We’ll put with
Mer idian City Pre-Council Meeting
April 8, 2003
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the City Council’s permission we would put our logo and the banks logo and
some sort of a proclamation or name change or something for the year. It’s yet
to be decided exactly how it’s going to read or whatever but that’s one of the
things we are doing. On August second we (inaudible) between the first part of
the speedway season and August second. On August second we have asked
the Mayor to have a meeting down at the Generations Park or Plaza to do a time
capsule yet to determine when the time capsule will be opened for 10 years or 25
or 50 something of that nature. We’ve asked the Meridian School Board to have
the third graders come up with something that they felt would be appropriate for a
time capsule. The third graders study the local history. So that is why they were
selected. And the Meridian School District is very anxious to do that. We’re
attempting to contact two or three other people, the local pioneers of the area Lila
Hill and so on so forth those kind of folks to speak and when the Mayor does his
thing on August second. After that there is going to be a picnic at Storey Park it’s
a locals picnic that has now been hosted by Kiwanis and hope they know what
they are getting in for, there’s going to be a lot of folks there but anyway Malcolm
insisted that the Kiwanis would do the no host and that shouldn’t surprise
anybody with Malcolm. I have organized or am in the process of organizing an
event at the speedway that night for 50 PT Cruisers to cruise around during
victory lap so on and so forth as part of that event that evening. And so far that
seems to be going on. Malcolm also wants to invite several of the vintage car
owners and so forth to come in. Not actually a parade but you know parking in
Storey Park or someplace where the folks can come around and look at the old
cars and so forth. We are going to be utilizing Frank Thomason and the Valley
paper Valley News quite a bit. He should have never gotten me in to this thing.
I’m going to work him. But anyway we are going to try and do quite a few
interviews of pioneers of the area so on and so forth and some of the folks that
have been in the valley for a long time. The foundation has excepted the
(inaudible) of us to bring their bus out and they have an entity making 37
international school bus and they’ll be varying people from generations
(inaudible) up to Storey Park. I’m demanding the opportunity to drive it but that
didn’t seem to be going to well so.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council members)
Hickey: I didn’t think they would and it’s always worth a try. You can’t get turned
down if you don’t ask. Anyway and then also we’ve got two or three houses
perhaps for (inaudible) working with right now to get on the historical register and
it would be real nice if we can make some sort of announcement that night and
present plaques or whatever the Idaho Historical Group has for us. We are
working with right now two and possible two more between now and then. That
seems to be going fairly well. And finally our group thought that because of the
third grade kids students are going to have sort of a challenge to come up with
whatever they think is appropriate for the time capsule that they should be
present at the event as well and we will try to get photographs in the Valley paper
and try to keep everybody up to speed with that encouraging as many folks to
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April 8, 2003
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come. It’s going to be primarily a no host situation. We have several people who
wanted to get into the city’s pocket a little bit but I don’t think that is going to
happen. I don’t think it’s going to be very expensive to get a time capsule in a
couple of things and I don’t want to say (inaudible) that we can’t sponsors for
those. We have a bank that is willing to sponsor the proclamation at the
speedway. There is several more banks in town I would suspect they could be
approached which I probably will get to do. To see if we can’t get them and the
local businesses involved in some fashion as well so hopefully there won’t be any
cost to the city in this. And that kind of brings you up to speed on where I am
and I’ll answer questions if I can.
Bird: Mr. Mayor.
Corrie: Mr. Bird.
Bird: Tony I know an organization that would love to sponsor. (inaudible) if you
would just get a hold of me.
Hickey: Okay I would be happy to do that. I don’t think we need anywhere near
that kind of money.
Bird: We would want something that wasn’t publicized.
Hickey: Okay we can do that. Can I answer any other questions?
De Weerd: Mr. Mayor.
Corrie: Mrs. de Weerd.
De Weerd: I know the Senior Center had talked about maybe doing something
as well. They have been trained to revive their cherry pie, something or other.
Hickey: Excellent.
De Weerd: And so you may want to call Donna Jones or would you like me ask
her to call you or.
Hickey: I would love for you to have her give me a call. Yeah and visit with her
whenever she has time. I’m in real estate so sometimes it’s easier for them to
call me. My schedule (inaudible) anyway so it doesn’t make any difference I can
usually take the time and talk to somebody.
De Weerd: I know why you were nominated. Your development is really nice.
Hickey: Thank you.
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April 8, 2003
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De Weerd: It’s just a real addition down there.
Hickey: We are having some discussions with ways to do some other things
other then the pure United States Parks Departments version of historic. Its very
difficult to follow and especially in a small community like this because so many
things have changed but so our organization our group is attempting to come up
with some way to kind of fill in between the modern and the others and give folks
an idea of how to be part – it didn’t cost anymore money to do it a little bit
differently. So.
De Weerd: I love your colors too, they are great.
Hickey: I had something ask me why the city allowed me to paint that one house
yellow. I told them it was because we didn’t have pink paint that day. Can I
answer any other questions? Thank you.
Corrie: Tony thank you very much. Great job.
De weed: Sounds great thank you.
Corrie: One question I guess Will, how are we looking on the banners downtown
have you looked at them cost wise?
Berg: Yes Mr. Mayor on the banners I’m researching in getting a quote from a
couple different sources. Design, I’m kind of leaving it up to what they think looks
best with our color scheme and basically its just our logo with something that
says incorporated August 1, 1903 on the very bottom. So if you look at our logo
it has the watertower and it has that year. That year would be taken off and the
incorporated down below.
Bird: Mr. Mayor.
Corrie: Mr. Bird.
Bird: Tony how would you want the check made out. Meridian Historical
Society.
Hickey: That I don’t know I’ll have to talk to the Mayor and with Anita and we’ll
how that –
Bird: I know that we sponsored on the 100 years in 93 and we did not make our
check to the City of Meridian. And I’m not going to make a check to the City of
Meridian.
Berg: They have separate accounts.
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April 8, 2003
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Corrie: A different account.
Hickey: I’m not sure we just so far I have never been handed a check –
Bird: I might as well offer before Lila gets a hold of me.
Hickey: Thank you very much.
De Weerd: Lila will take the whole amount and just use whatever on the
Historical Society.
Hickey: I’m not sure that is a bad thing.
De Weerd: No its not.
Bird: I’d seen how she was a member of this organization too, she’s kind of a
little bit of a fire there.
Hickey: Well she would be one of the speakers that we would like to have in our
event and there’s two or three others, and if anybody else knows of somebody
who would like to speak. If we end up with more speakers then we have time for
we can always get (inaudible) interviews to put out in the newspaper. Frank is
very anxious, as you know to promote it so.
Corrie: Okay very good thank you.
Hickey: Thank you.
De Weerd: Mr. Mayor.
Corrie: Yes.
De Weerd: This is a question for Will. Did you get some names from the Parks
Department because I know they looked into banners at one time? So they may
have some companies to –
Item 8. Arbor Day Celebration Plans:
Corrie: Okay Doug. Arbor Day Celebrations. Elroy, okay.
Huff: Mayor and Council that is the invitation to the Arbor Day Celebration.
Those have been mailed out to you. You’ll be receiving a program of what the
agenda will be for that day which we are still putting together. And it will be
something similar to last year that we did over here at Meridian Elementary.
Excepting for the fact that we will have a representative there from the Idaho
Department of Lands as well as the Arbor Day Foundation of that one
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April 8, 2003
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representative will present the true city USA award to the Mayor. And there is a
few other things on there and I will be on that speaking on that and the Mayor
and the school will have a couple things. It’s less then 30 minutes so. But I will
get you a program for that. So that’s coming up. Any questions?
Corrie: (inaudible) hundred dollar bill.
Huff: That was mine.
Corrie: Oh that was your all right. Any other questions? Thank you Elroy.
Item 9. Request for Budget Amendment leasing of office space:
Corrie: Stacy. Budget amendment leasing of office space. Gary I’m sorry.
Kilchenmann: We are sharing.
Corrie: You both will do it?
Kilchenmann: Mayor members of the Council. Gary and I are requesting a
budget amendment for your approval of a budget amendment and we need your
approval now because it involves signing a lease. And Gary is requesting, he
wants – I’ll let him explain how he wants to change the office arrangement and so
forth but the budget impact, the annual budget impact would be about 29,000
dollars. And since the rent is budgeted from the building department I imagine
the building revenues will also be increased so this is kind of revenues going up
and expense going up although the revenue will go up more then budgeted by a
great more then just the 29,000. So I’ll let Gary explain to you what he is
proposing or the office configuration he is proposing.
Smith: Thank you Mayor and Council. Thank you Stacy. What I am proposing
to do is to move the Building Department downstairs in the building that we are
located in at 660 East Watertower Lane. There is a space down there of about
2500 square feet that was recently vacated by a software company called
Cypress Semiconductor and in fact just this past I think it was last week they
finally moved all of their furniture out of the space so its empty now. My proposal
is to move all the building department permit specialist downstairs and along with
all the inspectors, that would be both building inspectors, plumbing, electrical,
mechanical and our new construction sewer inspectors and then I’m going to
propose to move a new construction water inspector from the Water Department
to this space also. So all of our inspectors then will be in one area. I think the
other thing that this really accomplishes and maybe the most important thing is
that it provides better access for our customers. There are two doors on the
north side of that building that are fairly close together probably within 10 feet of
each other. The customers will be able to parking lot and walk directly into the
lobby area that will be created by a counter that will be built. They won’t have to
Mer idian City Pre-Council Meeting
April 8, 2003
Page 16 of 19
trapes upstairs they won’t have to cross all the carpeting with muddy boots
etcetera. And I think it will be a lot better customer service for access for the
contractors that come in and get permits. On the ground floor we are presently
leasing a 724 square feet that consists of our conference room that is used by
both Building and Planning and Zoning and also a break room used by both
departments. The building owner is willing to credit us that amount of space
against this new space. They’ll deduct that from our present lease and or from
this lease space and we will just vacate that. The lease space or this proposed
lease space also contains a conference room and a break room that was built by
the previous leasee. I think that’s the background on what my proposal is. It is
already cabled for computer and telephone, there’s not much expense involved
in connecting that area to our present computer system. And we are getting
crowed up there. One of the other things that I don’t know if I’d mentioned it here
I may have but we are very cramped on plan storage place, particularly building
plans.
Bird: Mr. Mayor.
Corrie: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I would recommend that we get this lease taken care of and brought
forward on a consent agenda next week for the Mayor to sign and the Clerk to
attest that we want this. I think it’s a necessity, I don’t think we have any choice
Gary. You are very cramped up there, hopefully you’ll get more cramped.
Smith: Yes.
De Weerd: Is that part of a motion?
Bird: This isn’t a motion it’s just a recommendation to bring it forward as long as
you and Cherie agree with me. I can’t make a motion, I mean you know on this
part of the deal but we can recommend that is comes to the consent agenda next
week. I think its something that needs to be done and then we’re obligated to
make a budget amendment when we do that in September when we do that
budget deal. But I don’t see how you get away without it Gary myself.
Corrie: Stacy what is the total amount that we’ll be –
Bird: 17
Corrie: 17,100?
Kilchenmann: Yes that is the amount that you will be approving for this year.
Corrie: Okay I’m just making sure that I go the right one there.
Mer idian City Pre-Council Meeting
April 8, 2003
Page 17 of 19
Bird: This gives us more reason of why we need a new City Hall.
De Weerd: Mr. Mayor.
Corrie: Yeah you are right Keith. Mrs. de Weerd.
De Weerd: I see there’s a term on the lease if you needed to do something
different in that time period what are the conditions on that? I didn’t see that in
here.
Smith: I’m sorry council member De Weerd if we need to do something different
as far as –
De Weerd: Well if we actually had a new city hall or you had to move your space
because you needed more. What are the terms of getting out of the lease?
Because I see that it’s a lease until March 31, 2006.
Smith: Right. This lease would have the same time limitations as the existing
lease that we have. We are in the second year of that existing lease and it was a
five year lease for the space that we have now so what he is doing is just tying
this lease into our existing lease. Now I don’t recall the terms of the existing
lease if we were to vacate. Typically I think that the provisions are that you
sublease it or you work out some kind of a severance payment.
Nichols: Mr. Mayor members of the Council. We may have a clause in that
lease that allows us to get out as long as were not just leasing space in another
building. It seemed to me that we proposed some sort of lease language that
allowed in the event that there was a city hall or a city owned building that was
going to moved into that the non appropriation of funds for a lease would
terminate the lease. It seemed to me that we had something in there like that.
Smith: I think you are right Bill. I believe there was a provision that would allow
us to get out of that lease for a non-appropriation.
Corrie: Bill would you look that up and make sure that we have it for the next
Council meeting on the consent agenda and then you can give us a report at that
time too. Okay.
Smith: Thank you Mayor and Council.
Corrie: Thank you. Any other questions? All right.
Item 10. 457 Deferred Compensation Plan Update:
Corrie: Stacy. 457 deferred comp plan.
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April 8, 2003
Page 18 of 19
Kilchenmann: Okay. Mayor and members of the Council. I’m filling in for
Pauline tonight she couldn’t make it. But she said she had sent you a memo that
kind of summarized what has occurred with this and basically she and Janice
researched that having a plan administrator and its just cost prohibitive for us at
our size. We have to be a great deal bigger to make it feasible so they are
proposing that we have two investment firms, Waddell Reed or Valic. And so the
steps remaining to do for that are to get Waddell Reed to sign an updated
agreement and get everything kosher as far as the taxes and so forth and have
them agree to provide certain employee services. Meet with the employees and
so forth and present the different financing options or the different investment
options and then update the resolution to the effect that Waddell Reed are our
457 plans and so Pauline is requesting that she get a date to have the updated
resolution on your agenda.
Corrie: What are the things, we are a trustee for the, what is the name of –
Kilchenmann: Smith Barney.
Corrie: Smith Barney. They want to get out of it and so do we. And the Valic
and Waddell Reed will transfer those accounts that they have to them at no cost
this time. So we looked at having a plan administrator but its just to expensive
and both of those companies will be a plan administrator themselves. So that
there would be no cost to them and no cost to the employees. They can roll that
over that the others have and they will come and meet those employees and tell
them what they can and can’t do.
Bird: How soon can we have a resolution Mayor.
Corrie: I don’t know, Bill?
Nichols: Mr. Mayor we should – I think we can have one on next week because
we had done a draft resolution to appoint Valic and we would simply amend it to
include Waddell Reed if I recall correctly so it shouldn’t take ling to put one
together and email it to the clerk. So we will shoot for doing that for next week.
Corrie: As long as we have Waddell Reed got their plan –
(End of side one)
Corrie: -- so we’ll tell Doug to get hopping on that one then.
De Weerd: Mr. Mayor.
Corrie: Mrs. de Weerd.
Mer idian City Pre-Council Meeting
April 8, 2003
Page 19 of 19
De Weerd: And this went through the benefits committee. This is result of what
they recommended.
Bird: We will get that on next week.
Corrie: Yeah and get a hold of Doug to make sure he has the plan that they are
supposed to have too so. All right any other questions? I think we have gone
through all those. Okay. At this time I will entertain a motion to close the Pre-
Council Meeting.
De Weerd: So moved.
Bird: Second.
Corrie: Motion has been made and second to close the Pre-Council Meeting of
th
Tuesday April the 8. All those in favor say aye. All ayes motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 7:00 P.M.
(TAPE ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS)
APPROVED:
/ /
ROBERT D. CORRIE, MAYOR DATE
ATTESTED:
WILLIAM G. BERG, JR., CITY CLERK