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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003 06-10 Pre Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting June 10, 2003 The Pre-Council Meeting of the Meridian City Council was called to order at 6:00 P.M. on Tuesday, June 10, 2003, by Mayor Robert D. Corrie. Members Present: Mayor Robert Corrie, Cherie McCandless, Bill Nary, Keith Bird, and Tammy de Weerd. Others Present: Bill Nichols, Stacy Kilchenmann, Brad Watson, Anna Powell, Bill Musser, Frank Thomason, and Will Berg. Item 1. Roll-call Attendance: X Tammy de Weerd X Bill Nary X Cherie McCandless X Keith Bird X Mayor Robert Corrie Corrie: I will open the Pre-Council Meeting Tuesday, June 10, 2003 at 6:05 and I would like to have the City Clerk call roll please. Item 2. Adoption of the Agenda: Corrie: The adoption of the agenda is the second item. Council any changes in the agenda? Bird: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mr. Bird. Bird: I would move we adopt the agenda as published. De Weerd: Second. Corrie: Motion has been made and second to adopt the agenda as published. Any further discussion. All those in favor say aye. We have adopted the agenda. MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES Item 3. Discussion of SAGE: Corrie: The first item is Item Number 3 discussion of SAGE 15 minutes. Are they here this evening? De Weerd: Mr. Mayor I’m sorry when we talked with SAGE we had asked a continuance so that we could have the possible partners come and respond to Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting June 10, 2003 Page 2 of 14 how they could utilize Sage’s services. I don’t know if it was clear to SAGE that we wanted them here. I think they pretty much said what they felt they wanted to say. It was more for the possible partners. Corrie: So the discussion is primarily then with you Bill right? De Weerd: And Craig. Corrie: Oh and Craig too I’m sorry Craig. Who do we want to hear first Craig or Bill? I’m sorry Craig I’ll get it here in a minute. Thank you. Give us your name please Craig. Slocum: Craig Slocum Chairman of the Meridian Development Committee. I wanted to just give a few statements in regards to SAGE. While I personally have not had a lot of involvement with them, our committee heard a presentation by Leslie Toombs back in April of last year. While our committee is right now trying to determine what specific projects we will be dealing with both this year and the years to come we certainly see the need with currently no grant writing staff or any staff for that matter currently on MDC. We see Sage’s experience. They’ve got five certified grant writers on staff. Their relationship I think with the EDA is something that we can use to our advantage to help define what projects can be helped through some of their – whether it’s community block grants or the – they’ve got some community reinvestment fund loans that allow for façade improvements. Which is certainly one of the areas that we have a desire to be involved in and help the businesses in our Urban Renewal Area. I think their expertise is something that we don’t possess either on our committee and certainly not with any staff we have as we don’t have any at this point nor in the foreseeable future do we see in the finances to support that. That’s where I see the SAGE role from our community standpoint being of great assistance mostly in just defining some of the projects that we can do in helping assist us in preparing for and gaining some grant funds. Corrie: I have a question. Whenever you get the MDC, the money we’re thinking about getting are you going to have a person on your staff that will be able to write grants? Slocum: The forthcoming year our budget does – I believe we built in the hiring of a director in the later part of they year. We haven’t, at this point, defined a specific job description but that would be certainly one of the priorities. I think best case that’s going to come the end of this coming fiscal year if not the following. SAGE is as we are now we spent last year you know getting our Urban Renewal Agency in place and adopted. This year is going to be spent trying to get some of those programs up and started. We don’t have other than some percentage of some planning staff’s time any staff. Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting June 10, 2003 Page 3 of 14 Corrie: I think we’ve got supposedly 60,000 dollars that’s going to go to the MDC as a budget. I looked it over and I’m quite fond of the money for you guys because I want to see you get going too. Of course, that will be up to the Council to authorize that. I was just wondering if that was in part of their grant writing in that. Slocum: There is a line item I believe for grant writing but it was I believe SAGE the membership for SAGE I believe has to run through the city and not through our committee. De Weerd: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mrs. de Weerd. De Weerd: And that amount was backed out of the MDC’s budget because it was recognized that that membership would be through the city rather than through the MDC. Corrie: Okay let me get it straight here now. The 60,000 dollars you were going to back out the SAGE money so there would be 2500 dollars. De Weerd: No the original request – the original amount was 75,000 dollars and then we did some adjustments to it which brought it down 15,000 of which 3,000 was allocated to SAGE because we took it out of our request thinking the city would join. Corrie: Okay. Slocum: Out of the MDC’s request. Corrie: Okay. Nary: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mr. Nary. Nary: Just so, I’m clear for the record then Craig. The MDC can’t individually belong to SAGE that can only be through the city and then you would have the access to use those services right? Slocum: That was how it was presented to us by Leslie yes. Nary: Thank you. Corrie: Any other questions? Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting June 10, 2003 Page 4 of 14 De Weerd: No thanks. Slocum: Thank you. Corrie: Thank you. Bill. Cullen: Good afternoon. Corrie: How are you sir. Cullen: Like them SAGE is our money (inaudible). Rather we piggy back on his 3,000 dollars or not would take a genius to figure out. I don’t know. I do know that they are furnishing the necessary grant writers to assist us in getting grants plus we have one other person that’s working with us on grants and I have th handed you out a folder. I have here a letter of June 6 that tells you about what we are doing and how we are doing. In order for us to receive one dime from SAGE it must come through a third party. The money is not given from SAGE directly to us. It must go through a responsible body that can oversee that the money is spent for what it is set for. This is the only – this is the way it is. I wish SAGE were here to explain it. I’m on the very tiny, small end of the receiving of this. They are helping us write the grants to do the things to bring this place up to the standards and quality that you need. There is one statement in here that’s a little (inaudible). We are actively applying for grants from different agencies to assist in the capital improvement program of our center. That will not only benefit the center, as a whole but will also ensure the enjoyment of many senior citizens of our community and the outlying areas as well. Our classes that we hold during the day are open to anyone. We have as many people that are under age as over age taking these classes. Mr. McKinnely the retired school teacher art teacher just put through a series of classes he’s one. We have a Tai Chie Instructor we have a ladies self defense instructor. All of these classes are open to anyone that wants to come. We usually charge a nominal fee like 50 cents to two dollars per session so we’re not a get rich scheme. That’s about all I can tell you for us. I have a whole bunch of paper work I handed in so that you are totally up to date with what we’re doing. Do you have any questions? I would be glad to answer anything I can. Corrie: Do you have any idea – you have the 1400 dollars for a new roof. Cullen: That is wrong. That should have been 14,000 which was one bid. Now I found out that – Corrie: I was going to say that sounds awful cheap. I could probably get those – Cullen: There are 122 squares of shingles besides one section of the building that has be de-roofed to be re-roofed. Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting June 10, 2003 Page 5 of 14 Corrie: Okay. Cullen: It’s too many layers they said et cetera, et cetera. That was a misprint and I found out that the low bid that was turned in here was 9,800 and umpteen cents. That’s as best as I can tell you on that. The others I do not have the estimates on nor do I have the necessary improvements. We are working with the Fire Marshall at this time to bring the building up to Fire Code. We need a couple of more inspectors as they have time to assist us or to inspect us so that we can rig this building up to the American Disabilities Act. When we go into the major remodeling of the (inaudible) as we wish to bring everything right up to snop. We have a whole bunch where I call the (inaudible) things to do. They’re not in the millionaires’ category. Did you have any other questions or any other information I can give you? De Weerd: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mrs. de Weerd. De Weerd: I know Bill has been very active in trying to spend time after meeting with the SAGE people on grant possibilities. He has been very busy in trying to collect information so that a lot of this can be packaged and they can begin the grant process of riding their request. Once our Building Inspector’s get through it we’ll be able to identify the additional costs for bringing that whole building up to code for ADA and any new codes that would apply. Then it will be easier to put that package together. As you can see, all of these things are starting to add up as they have over the last two years. The budget is pretty much diminished of years of savings in trying because they have a continuing list of repairs that have been coming up. Because of the age of the building it will continue. I appreciate your efforts Bill in trying to get all this information. It’s a tremendous task but they should be able to have all that packaged so that if we do join SAGE their grant writers can package it and get it out in a timely manner. Cullen: Are there any other questions? Thank you for your time. Corrie: I appreciate you coming. Cullen: Thank you for inviting me. Corrie: Thank you very much we’ll work together with you. De Weerd: Mr. Mayor. I’m sorry I don’t know if we want to leave our two partners with an idea of how we are leaning on the SAGE. I know a lot of their future plans are hinging on the SAGE membership. I think it would be helpful to kind of give them an idea of what reservations that Council might have if those are still persisting or at least give them an idea of when we’ll make a decision. Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting June 10, 2003 Page 6 of 14 Corrie: Well I was hoping somebody from SAGE would be here because the way I read that the grant will not be until next year. The limit of time is up as far as the grant is that right Bill? Cullen: You are correct. Corrie: Okay come here Bill I’m not the – it’s easier to hear you on the tape. Cullen: You are correct on that. I found out that it should have been in in March. I took office January I blew it, I didn’t know. Everything we’re doing today it’s like a child that takes nine months to produce. Hopefully not an elephant. There are things here that to be it by applying for the grant. We can go ahead and get the roof on because we are using our matching funds. Whatever it takes because I think it’s cheaper to fix the roof than buy (inaudible). That’s the way I feel about it so we’re going ahead with the roof because this is the time of year to do it. Corrie: You have the money for the roof do you Bill right now? Cullen: If we had (inaudible). It would squeeze but we could pull it off in an emergency. De Weerd: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mrs. de Weerd. De Weerd: Was the regard to the roof the budgeted money that we have this year that falls under a grant from the city is going to help with the roof. Those expenses will be covered through what we budgeted last year. Corrie: Okay good. Cullen: You’ve got to understand I’m more up in a tight rope. I’m new at the game and when I get into the never, never land of SAGE and the red tape I’m a pilgrim. Corrie: Okay Mr. Nary. Nary: Mr. Mayor. Yes, I guess I’m not sure if we’re still dealing the past issue. I think obviously part of the issue is really in our budget process for July for our next coming budget. I guess I’m a little unclear with SAGE on whether or not there is an impact to at least these two local groups by -- are not participating as a member in the past fiscal year. I know SAGE had said that they would certainly prorate whenever we – if we wanted to participate for the remainder of this fiscal year they would prorate the amount. I have no problem with that. What I ask for which is exactly what’s presented is that the people in our community could use this. I did hear Sage’s presentation and I was fine with Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting June 10, 2003 Page 7 of 14 what they presented but I wanted to know that the people here knew they existed and could use them for assistance. I’m satisfied that two pretty significant parts of our community with the MDC and Senior Center know who SAGE is and can use it and have used it and will continue to use them. At least for me, and it’s just me I have no problem in participating in that organization and providing that access for at least these two pretty significant parts of our community to use it. I have no problem in going forward. Obviously everything is prioritized when we deal with the whole budget for the next fiscal year but whether or not someone wants to bring this forward and for the remainder of this year if it will assist both Sage’s operations as well as their community existence and working with our community groups I have no problem with that. De Weerd: I’ll second that. That was a motion right? Nary: I don’t know is there a motion – Corrie: (Inaudible) it wasn’t made to be a motion. Nary: But this is me. I have no problem with us participating with SAGE. Like I said, all I wanted was that we made sure that people in our community new they were there who could use it. De Weerd: I agree. Nary: I think they’ve provided that. Corrie: I think as far as being a member of SAGE that’s going to be in this budget coming up. Rather than this but I think it’s the time to bring it forward. I have no problems with it either just like Bill said we want to make sure everybody knows about it and can use it. Money that we give is apropo and if we can get something back. If we’re just giving it to get association of a group that’s not the point. The point is to help the MDC, the Senior Citizens, and others. I think is there anybody that has any different comments. Nary: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mr. Nary. Nary: I guess to kind of close the loop on the last fiscal year. Since Stacy happens to be here, anyway I’m just going to ask if maybe it would be possible for Stacey to contact SAGE. They had talked about simply prorating the remainder of this year and if we wanted, to consider it I guess we would still have to know what that amount was and whether or not they were still going to do that. Then we could decide then if we want to do that. If you wouldn’t mind if you had the opportunity we won’t be meeting next week anyway so it would be a couple of weeks. If you could just contact SAGE and find out if they would be willing to Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting June 10, 2003 Page 8 of 14 prorate the rest of this year what that would cost, and if we had the funds to do that. Then we could decide if that’s what we want to do. Kilchenmann: Yes. Nary: If everyone’s okay with that. Kilchenmann: Mr. Mayor and Councilman Nary I think the dues for the entire year are only like 1400 dollars. Nary: It’s actually 2500 is in the documents that we have that they requested last year. I recall when Ms. Simko was here she said that – and maybe that’s for the coming year. Maybe that’s for the October – but there’s a -- I just saw something for 2500. Corrie: Yes 2,523 dollars is for October too. Kilchenmann: Okay, okay. Nary: Okay so next fiscal year. When Ms. Simko was here I think when I spoke with her she said you know if the city wanted to participate they would be willing to prorate the remainder of this fiscal year since we didn’t join from the beginning of the year if we would be wiling to do that. I don’t know what that number is and I don’t know if we have the funds for it so if you would have the opportunity call them just to find out if they would do that and what it would cost. We could at least make a more reasonable decision then. Kilchenmann: Sure I can – that will be easy. Nary: Thank you. Corrie: Okay. Item 4. Discussion of Stellar Technologies, LLC, Agreement – Installation of anaerobic wastewater treatment apparatus: Corrie: Item Number 4 a discussion of Stellar Technologies, LLC Agreement Installation for the anaerobic wastewater treatment apparatus. Brad you’re on. Watson: Mr. Mayor, Members of the Council this item regards a proposal by Stellar Technologies to install and operate a pilot wastewater treatment project out at the Wastewater Plant they’re going to utilize. Stellar is here tonight they can give a lot more detail that I can. It’s a very minuscule amount of our flow and run it through a little test apparatus to see if it treats waste water and they’ll dump it back into our plant. This agreement has gone around for a couple of months and it’s fine with staff and I think Mr. Nichols has reviewed it and I think they’re Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting June 10, 2003 Page 9 of 14 comfortable with it. There’s really not much more to say on that unless you have any questions. Corrie: Council is there any questions of Brad. Okay. Do you want to hear it from the (inaudible). Bolinder: I got that que. Mr. Mayor Members of the Council my name is Erik Bolinder. I’m general counsel for the DBS Agrogroup Companies. Stellar Technologies is an absidiary of DBSI. They’re kind of the technology development venture capital arm of the company. As most of you are familiar with us, we’ve been in the valley for about 25 years and we’ve enjoyed the last two and a half here in Meridian. Here’s my limited understanding of the technology. With me by the way is Dr. William Stuart. He’s the chief scientist and engineer in charge of this project. He’s also the inventor behind another technology in a company called Bio Reaction Industries which we also have a majority ownership in. It is based in Portland, Oregon, which has just done some exciting things in the area of bio remediation of (inaudible) organic compounds and pollution in mostly the industrial context. My limited understanding of the technology is that this will have potential applications both in municipal wastewater and in private processing industries such as food processing. Some more local examples would be like the Sugar Beet Factory or dairy farms whose byproducts are sometimes hard to remidiate. As I understand it, this technology would basically replace the first major step in a typical municipal wastewater treatment system. When raw sewage initially comes into the treatment plant, it is basically captured in a large open basin where the natural process of sedimentation begins to occur prior to transfer of the wastewater into further aggressive treatment. In otherwards it’s held in a large basin like a pool and it very calmly then the solids have dropped to the bottom by gravity, then the water is kind of skimmed off the top. What’s created as a result of that is quite a bit of sludge and so on which has to – which is either treated or has to be carried off another way. Replacing this basement and this approach the new technology would instead capture the sewage in an enclosed environment ie a couple of fairly large tanks. The sewage would be run through the environment and that environment is treated or naturally accruing microbes. Little bugs that eat the bad stuff. That’s my way of describing it and I know I’m offending Dr. Stuart as I really put this into layman’s terms. Basically, as that sewage is run through a series of two tanks the microbes accelerate the waste breakdown process. What that does is it reduces the amount of solid waste that results. It creates more efficiency and ability to break it down more quickly. Another great byproduct of this whole process is it’s enclosed so it provides quite a bit of odor control which a lot of valleys are really searching for probably more than anything as communities grow closer to their treatment facilities. Besides odor control, we think the new technology will reduce energy costs. It will reduce the amount of necessary sludge disposal as I mentioned. The apparatus itself takes up a much smaller footprint than the open basin so with space constraints you’re able to save money that way. Our preliminary research indicates that compared with the Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting June 10, 2003 Page 10 of 14 conventional wastewater treatment approach capital costs could be reduced by as much as 50 percent and operating costs could be reduced by as much as 75 percent. We really think this is breakthrough technology but we have to prove it. The way we prove it is we test it. We run some of the sewage from your plant through this, then back out, and get our data to prove that this technology actually works. Given the fact that we’re a Meridian based company this is the first place we went and the place where we wanted to test the apparatus and create a partnership that made a lot of sense. Obviously, you’re the backyard it’s more convenient. We’re in your backyard but more importantly, we’re committed to seeing that we can create a partnership to make this really work and to create something exciting right in our own town. Dr. Stuart I’m sure can answer any technical questions. I’ve already said that you know about half of what I said I don’t even understand. I’ll stand for any questions if you have any. Corrie: Thank you that’s great any questions. De Weerd: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mrs. de Weerd. De Weerd: I guess I’m sure you’ve already been in conversation with Jon Shawcroft. He’s the one that would ask the technical questions. We would be calling them bugs too. For some reason I thought we had some microorganisms that kind of did help break down the sludge at this point anyway. I thought I recalled that in – Stuart: Excuse me my name is Bill Stuart. You do it in separate sludge productions. This technology here the sludge suggestion would take place right in the vessel so you don’t have to transfer it to a separate sludge – De Weerd: Okay. Bolinder: That’s where you get the term anaerobic. That means without air it can happen in an enclosed environment rather than this big open pool where you have to then – the bugs have to thrive there. Stuart: The main thing we’re trying to do is increase removal of the first stage so you go into the secondary stage where the aeration takes place. Instead of say a 30 – they measure organics by the term BOD in percentage of removal. We’re looking at a percentage of BOD removal in this first stage of about 85 percent rather than 35 percent. You go into your secondary stage where the (inaudible) so your base in size is much smaller, your energy use is much smaller and your secondary sludge production is much lower. It’s looking at the whole system outlined. In industries, the interesting thing is that this will produce a lot of methane gas. We’ve been talking with the Sugar Beet Company and when we Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting June 10, 2003 Page 11 of 14 get this built, they want to come down and see this. In enough methane gas then they can use it to fire their boilers. De Weerd: Yes, you just recapture it and use it within your operation. Stuart: Exactly. De Weerd: Okay. Stuart: The real application is for a lot of small communities, which can’t afford now to upgrade their wastewater treatment plant. They’re all over Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and so I think one of the (inaudible) is this is a much lower class approach to upgrading its existing treatment plant which they can’t afford right now. Of course, the grant money in the federal government is drying up also. I think this is a real opportunity for small communities to improve their environmental protection at a very low cost. De Weerd: That’s great well how exciting. Stuart: Yes it is. I’m excited about it. Corrie: It’s great to have the City of Meridian and the inventor in the same town then we can partnership with it. I think it’s a good idea. Stuart: Yes I’m really happy about it. They moved out – they invited me to move out to Portland after they bought Bio Reactions to do this. I’m very, very happy down here. It’s a great company to work with. Bolinder: I know for months now, Dr. Stuart has been working directly with Mr. Shawcroft. Stuart: Yes. Corrie: Great. Stuart: We’ve been meeting with their people. It’s such as what we want to use is borrow some of your sewage and treat it. De Weerd: You can have it. Nary: You don’t have to give it back. Stuart: We’ll give you it back treated. McCandless: Mr. Mayor. Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting June 10, 2003 Page 12 of 14 Corrie: Mrs. McCandless. McCandless: How long will this test go on? Stuart: We’re looking at an initial stage of six months right now. That should give us an idea as to what works and if looks very good we may ask you for an extension. We’ll just have to play that by ear. This is a step-by-step process developing things like this. I don’t like to forecast too far in advance but we’re using an area, which is not used at all by your Wastewater Treatment. It’s going to be on pallets so we can remove it easily or move it easily. The tanks will be eight feet diameter about 10 feet tall. It will be (inaudible) on large pallets. Jon Shawcroft’s been very helpful in figure – get a site and so on. McCandless: Very interesting. Stuart: I’ve done this, this would be the fourth company that I (inaudible) started there was three other companies now. I’m always skeptical you know about the first steps. You have to be very step-by-step methodical is the only way to go at it. I don’t like to project too far ahead. Bolinder: This has been kind of Dr. Stuart’s life work. I think he’s been doing this particular – variations of this particular technology for 20 years. We’ve invited him here to try to go to the next step and actually commercialize it. Corrie: Good. Bolinder: If there are any more questions – Corrie: Do we have any questions Council then? Bird: I have none. Corrie: Mr. Nichols can we go ahead and approve the agreement tonight? Nichols: Mr. Mayor, Members of the Council I asked the Clerk to put it on the Consent Agenda. I figure that you probably would but that way it’s already there so you can do that as part of your regular meeting. Corrie: Great. Nichols: I would say we did get one concession out of them and that was that they wouldn’t license or sell it within the area of impact. They wouldn’t have some rural subdivision wanting to use this technology that was developed to have at our plant. De Weerd: Thank you Mr. Attorney. Well thank you and good luck. Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting June 10, 2003 Page 13 of 14 Bolinder: Thank you. Item 5. Executive Session per Idaho Code § 67-2345(1)(b): Corrie: Okay the next one is the Executive Session. I would like to have an Executive Session and will entertain a motion to go into Executive Session. De Weerd: Mr. Mayor. Corrie: Mrs. de Weerd. De Weerd: I move we adjourn into Executive Session per Idaho Code 67- 2345(1)(b). Nary: Second. Corrie: Okay motion been made and second. Any other discussion. Roll call vote Mr. Berg. Roll Call: Bird, aye; Nary, aye; de Weerd, aye; McCandless, aye. MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES (Go into Executive Session) Corrie: I’ll entertain a motion to come out of Executive Session at this time. De Weerd: So moved. Bird: Second. Corrie: All in favor say aye. All ayes motion carried. Let the record show that no decisions were made in the Executive Session. MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES Corrie: I will then entertain a motion to close the Pre-Council Meeting. Nary: So moved. McCandless: Second. Corrie: Okay motion is made and second to close the Pre-Council Meeting. All in favor say aye. Opposed no. All ayes have it. Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting June 10, 2003 Page 14 of 14 MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES MEETING ADJOURNED AT 7:10 P.M. (TAPE ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS) APPROVED: / / ROBERT D. CORRIE, MAYOR DATE ATTESTED: WILLIAM G. BERG, JR., CITY CLERK