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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-01-07 Work Session Meridian City Council Work Session January 7, 2025. A Meeting of the Meridian City Council was called to order at 4:34 p.m. Tuesday, January 7, 2025, by Mayor Robert Simison. Members Present: Robert Simison, Luke Cavener, Liz Strader, Doug Taylor, Anne Little Roberts and Brian Whitlock. Members Absent: John Overton. Other Present: Chris Johnson, Bill Nary, Caleb Hood, Hether Hill, Dave Tiede, Tracy Basterrechea, Steve Taulbee and Dean Willis. ROLL-CALL ATTENDANCE X Liz Strader X Brian Whitlock _X_Anne Little Roberts John Overton _X_ Doug Taylor _X_Luke Cavener X Mayor Robert E. Simison Simison: Council, we will call this meeting to order. For the record it is Tuesday, January 7th, 2025, at 4:34 p.m. We will begin this afternoon's work session with roll call attendance. ADOPTION OF AGENDA Simison: Next up is adoption of the agenda. Cavener: Mr. Mayor? Simison: Councilman Cavener. Cavener: One quick change. We are going to add an Executive Session pursuant to Idaho State Code 74-206(1)(b) at the end of our workshop meeting and with that one modification I move we adopt the agenda as presented. Strader: Second. Simison: Have a motion and a second to adopt the agenda as amended with the Executive Session. Is there any discussion? If not all in favor signify by saying aye. Opposed nay? The ayes have it and the agenda is adopted and submitted. MOTION CARRIED: FOUR AYES. TWO ABSENT. CONSENT AGENDA [Action Item] Meridian City Council Work Session January 7,2025 Page 2 of 10 1. Approve Minutes of the December 10, 2024 City Council Regular Meeting 2. Approve Minutes of the December 17, 2024 City Council Work Session. 3. Approve Minutes of the December 17, 2024 City Council Regular Meeting 4. Apex Northwest Subdivision No. 6 Water Main Easement No. 1 (ESMT-2024-0178) 5. Foxcroft No. 3 Pedestrian Pathway Easement (ESMT-2024-0176) 6. Julia Subdivision Water Main Easement (ESMT-2024-0175) 7. Lennon Pointe Subdivision Pedestrian Pathway Easement (ESMT- 2024-0165) 8. Sagarra Subdivision No. 1 Pedestrian Pathway Easement (ESMT- 2024-0172) 9. The Learning Experience Water Main Easement No. 1 (ESMT-2024- 0177) 10. Windrow Subdivision No. 1 Water Main Easement No. 1 (ESMT-2024- 0166) 11. Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law for Baratza Subdivision (H- 2024-0016) by Ella Passey, The Land Group, located at the southeast corner of N. Black Cat Rd. and W. McMillian Rd. 12. Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law for Skyranch (H-2024-0022) by Laren Bailey, Conger Group, located near the NE Corner of S. Meridian Rd. and E. Lake Hazel Rd. 13. Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law for Summerlin West (H-2024- 0023) by Laren Bailey, Conger Group, located on the east side of S. Locust Grove Road, between E. Lake Hazel and E. Columbia Roads in the SW 1/4 of Section 5, Township 2N, Range 1E. 14. Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law for Timbercreek Recycling (H- 2024-0032) by Engineering Solutions, LLP., generally located at the NW corner of S. Locust Grove Rd. and E. Columbia Rd. Meridian City Council Work Session January 7,2025 Page 3 of 10 15 Final Order for Alexander's Landing Subdivision (FP-2024-0023) by KB Homes, located at 4574 W. Quarterhorse Ln. 16. Fiscal Year 2025 Police Budget Amendment in the amount of $7,846.00 for Vehicle Replacement 17. Approval of Task Order 11281.n to Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. for WRRF Tertiary Filtration - Process Control (Software Integration) for the Not-To-Exceed Amount of $427,305.00 18. Approve and authorize Procurement Manager to issue and sign the Purchase Order to QCues for the Not-to-Exceed amount of $350,000.00 to QCues for a Ford 550 Van for Wastewater Department 19. Linder Road Overpass (Linder, Franklin to Overland) Cost Share Permit 20. Ustick Road, Ten Mile to Linder Road Cost Share Permit with ACHD 21. Quit Claim Deeds for Settlers Park Property Boundary Adjustment 22. Interagency License Agreement for ACHD's Installation of Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon on City Property (at Settlers Park) 23. Fields Area District Park Site Non-Binding Letter of Intent 24. Professional Services Agreement for Historic Preservation Plan Preparation 25. Fiscal Year 2025 Renewal and Amendment of License Agreement between Ada County and the Meridian Police Department Simison: Next up is the Consent Agenda. Cavener: Mr. Mayor? Simison: Councilman Cavener. Cavener: Move we approve the Consent Agenda as presented. For the Mayor to sign and the Clerk to attest. Strader: Second. Simison: Have a motion and a second to approve the Consent Agenda. Is there any discussion? If not all in favor signify by saying aye. Opposed nay? The ayes have it and the Consent Agenda is agreed to. Meridian City Council Work Session January 7,2025 Page 4 of 10 MOTION CARRIED: FOUR AYES. TWO ABSENT. ITEMS MOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA [Action Item] Simison: There were no items moved from the Consent Agenda. DEPARTMENT / COMMISSION REPORTS [Action Item] 26. Resolution No. 24-2493: A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Meridian Adding City of Meridian Standard Operating Policy 10.10, Regarding Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI); and Providing an Effective Date Simison: So we will move on to Item 26, which is Resolution No. 24-2493. 1 don't know if Director Tiede is also working -- is -- or Mr. Nary. I do think that we are without our HR director today. Nary: Mr. Mayor, Members of the Council, so what you have on the agenda was the Al policy that we had brought forth last month I think and Dave was here to answer questions. We had -- did have a meeting with Council Member Strader a few weeks -- a couple weeks ago -- or last week. Had some clarifications that we have added and I have supplemented those as part of the policy. So, it really is just I think for your discussion and questions today. Strader: Mr. Mayor? Simison: Council Woman Strader. Strader: Yeah. We had a nice meeting and I really want to express my gratitude for the -- being able to review the procedures along with the policy and I feel like those small changes were very helpful I think to further clarify so that we are encouraging our employees to use generative Al in a safe manner that's responsible and I -- I feel much better about the policy now as it's drafted and, yeah, that's kind of just a quick summary of that meeting. So, thanks for pulling it off. I apologize for the delay, but I do think that it was helpful for us to move it forward. Tiede: Thanks for the conversation. Strader: Yes. Simison: Excellent. Thank you. For the record Councilman Whitlock has joined us at 4.37. As he is logging into the system he is here in the room and present should he wish to participate in this upcoming vote. Council, are there other questions, comments or do I have a motion? Strader: Mr. Mayor? Meridian City Council Work Session January 7,2025 Page 5 of 10 Simison: Council Woman Strader. Strader: I move that we approve Resolution No. 24-2493. Strader: Second. Simison: Have a motion and a second to approve Resolution No. 24-2493. Is there any discussion? If not all in favor signify by saying aye. Opposed nay? The ayes have it and the resolution is agreed to. Thank you very much. MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT. Strader: Thank you. Tiede: Thank you. 27. Meridian Intersection and Pedestrian Safety (MIPS) — Project Updates Simison: Next item on the agenda is Item 27, which is the Meridian Intersection and Pedestrian Safety -- MIPS -- report project updates and we will turn this over to Hether. Hill: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Good afternoon, Mayor and Council Members. I'm here to provide an update on the effort that's been taking place between staff at the city and ACHD in reviewing the MIPS report in the project list. As you recall back in September Council approved a funding request of 500,000 dollars as part of the fiscal year '25 budget to support this implementation of projects listed in the MIPS report. So, after that budget was adopted a selection team worked through the list of projects and we identified eight projects focusing on areas near schools for ACHD to consider scoping. We have been identifying which projects might be scheduled for annual maintenance, which projects are already in progress or are planned for construction. So, after that coordination with ACHD, looking at both the MIPS list and just the eight projects that the selection team identified, we realized that eight projects are already in progress and I can go over those if you are interested, but, really, it was great to see that a lot of the projects we had already identified are already in the works. So, where we kind of put those aside and focused our efforts on other projects maybe to pursue scoping. So, out of the projects that weren't already going to be worked on or scheduled for implementation one of those came to the forefront and that is a pedestrian crossing on Locust Grove near Woodbridge. This was a pedestrian crossing that was programmed in the fiscal year 2024 through 2028 integrated five year work plan and design was originally scheduled for 2026-27, but as you recall in this last cycle this last year it was one of the many projects that was deferred and so it is no longer scheduled in the integrated five year work plan. So, working with ACHD staff they felt this was a good project and a way to kind of move it to the forefront. So, I have Matt Degen here with ACHD and I have been working closely with his team. I am going to have him maybe speak to the design concept specifics or answer any questions and I can pull up a concept map that shows the Z-type crossing and before I have him go it's -- I just Meridian City Council Work Session January 7,2025 Page 6 of 10 wanted to provide an update as what we have discussed. This is -- we are in the really initial stages of these conversations. We haven't set a location. We don't have a full design or anything. It's really circling back with all of you to just let you know the progress, but from our discussions we are thinking that ACHD would kind of prepare the plan specs and provide a cost estimate and do the procurement and work with that contractor and our role as the city would be to fund the construction through some sort of cost share agreement. Current estimates -- I think we last talked were maybe around 300,000 for a dual stage pedestrian crossing with the center island median. So, those are some of the things that we have to work with, but I will turn it over to Matt and share my screen so you can see the concept that he has prepared. Degen: Mr. Mayor, Council Members, for the record Matt Degen, safety engineering manager at the Ada County Highway District. So, I don't know if you see the exhibit. I'm still seeing all your faces on the teams meeting right here, but basically we are looking at a two stage PHP crossing. I think the best example would be the one that we installed a couple years ago right at the Meridian library on Cherry Lane. It's to where when a pedestrian calls they have protected crossing to the median. They hit the pedestrian call again which, then, stops the traffic for a second cycle. Really so the two stage crossing is kind of what ACHD what we have been doing on all of our five lane arterials now for a couple of years. We have done like an unprotected single phase crossing and, then, unprotected single phase, but what we are going with mostly now on all the five lane arterial crossings is a two stage PHP crossing. I guess with that I would stand for any questions that you have on the proposed location or questions about the PHP itself. Simison: Council, any questions for Matt? Okay. Thank you. Degen: Thank you. Simison: I guess I do have a question for you, Hether. From the MIPS really kind of focus -- focused on intersection with -- you know, to my knowledge we have never really looked at this area as an intersection through the process. I'm curious how or why is this project rising up compared to anything else that may have been more directly around an intersection project and, then, maybe, secondarily, why this five lane crossing versus any other five lane mid mile crossing in Meridian? Hill: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. That's a great question. I think for -- I mean I can't speak to why it was placed on the list, because I wasn't part of those conversations, but I do know as part of the selection team and us reviewing the list of projects we were really focusing on areas near schools that provide access and understanding other pedestrian connectivity and that was something that we also kind of looked at knowing that there is future locations and development potential on the west side of Locust Grove and understanding the Five Mile pathway potentially there is some proposed pathways, so I understand it's not an intersection per se and I can look into -- I have to maybe look into it a little bit more to see like the rationale for why it was initially placed on the MIPS list, but there were, you know, seven other projects where like these are near schools, let's Meridian City Council Work Session January 7,2025 Page 7 of 10 focus on these and ACHD was like we are going to do this through a maintenance order. We are already in progress for doing some work near some of the other crossings. Simison: Mr. Hood, do you -- and you may be a casual observer, but since you were -- don't know if you had anything specific that you want to add to get a little bit more perspective. Hood: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Not a lot. Although I was part of -- unlike Hether was part of the original -- original project report -- the MIPS study. Maybe just a little bit of context. I know she said Woodbridge and Locust Grove. This is an intersection. Typically these three stage crossings don't go right in the throat of an intersection; right? You offset it so you can still make your turning movements for vehicles. There is a school there and it's not Rebound. I'm trying to think of the name of that school that is just off of Water Tower there on the north side of the road just west of Locust Grove Road and I know the neighborhood connectivity, right, between -- from the east side to the west side across Locust Grove was certainly a consideration when we looked at the need for pedestrian-like improvements near intersections and schools. So, like Hether said, I would have to read back the summary of when we evaluated this with police and the school district and others to fully remember why this one kind of rose towards the top. I'm not going to say it was a top project, but after, you know, working with ACHD, like -- like Hether said, they are in the works to do our top projects and this was the next tier of projects to do. I will just say, taking the school side of out of that and even the pathways, there is a need for some additional connectivity between the residential uses there on the east side of Locust Grove and Storey Park and some of the businesses and dog parks and other things that are just on the other side of this roadway. I have witnessed -- and this isn't why it's on the list, but, you know, it is -- it is quite a long ways to go down to Franklin to cross or up to Central to cross from the Woodbridge neighborhood, so -- and there is quite a few residences that are there and so a mid- block crossing there really just made some sense for multiple reasons, even though there is a school there and some other services that really was the focus of MIPS originally. There is some other factors why this one, again, seemed like a good candidate. Simison: Yeah. And I'm not questioning whether or not it's a valid project, I just want -- curious how it made it into the MIPS evaluation criteria to be considered a project as compared to improvements around an intersection in that context. I don't want Council to feel like we weren't addressing what the MIPS was about compared to just doing a important connectivity. I mean I drive by this every single day. I one hundred percent agree it's -- there is a little bit of a hill, there is not necessarily aligned roadways, it's a challenging place to walk across, I just want to make sure we are staying focused on the intent of the MIPS money from Council's perspective, that we are not just -- you know, why not just go do another school location that needs a signal to make it easier for people to get across to -- as well compared to this one. So, that's all. Just wanted to make sure that was on the record for the Council to hear is -- that didn't choose this Meridian City Council Work Session January 7,2025 Page 8 of 10 project, but whether or not it's meeting the intent of MIPS projects, but I will let Council have further feedback. Cavener: Mr. Mayor? Simison: Councilman Cavener. Cavener: Hether, I didn't mean to interrupt. I'm so sorry. You touched on, right, there were these other projects that were outlined, but are already going to essentially be addressed through one means or another. Are those projects going to be resolved in the next year, three years, five years, seven years? And the reason why I ask is -- know sometimes, right, there is a project that's programmed out, things happen, it falls off or gets delayed, but when the city typically comes in with -- with funding for this it either ensures that it happens or often accelerates it. So, can you give us a flavor for those other projects and maybe some of the dates that they are set to be constructed? Hill: Yeah. And so first, Councilman Cavener, would you like me to kind of give an update? I didn't provide an estimate on when this -- if we were to move forward with this project when the timeline for this one would be, because I think part of that was fiscal year '25 construction. For the seven other -- or eight other projects I alluded to that are in progress, part of those -- there needs to be some further coordination. Some of it was there -- they ran out of paint and they needed to procure more for some of the markings as part of maintenance. That was I think for three or four of the projects. So, when we last did this coordination it was in November, so I think for those I can -- I can always come back with an update on the dates when I get those from ACHD. I just hadn't provided like definite dates yet on some of those other ones. Strader: Mr. Mayor? Simison: Council Woman Strader. Strader: I think it might help us to move a project forward if we could just refresh on the entire MIPS plan and see -- sort of similar to how -- you know, we have our Transportation Commission look at the five year work plan and we kind of go through every year and prioritize. Maybe it would help everyone to have the context of here were all the projects, here is where this project was and, then, we could just kind of get a snapshot of where that was at and that would help us contextualize the request. It's just a suggestion, but I think that might be a good way to move it forward. It's been a while since I have reviewed that plan, so -- Simison: I would agree and I also think if the number is 300,000 what's the intention for the other 200,000 in this -- what other projects are lining up? I think that would be relevant as well just for full context of what would be considered this year. If that works we can bring that back in maybe a fuller presentation. Try to shoot for the next couple weeks. I don't want to delay, especially if we are getting into the time frame where people need to start thinking about construction if they are trying to do it this -- this Meridian City Council Work Session January 7,2025 Page 9 of 10 upcoming year, but I will turn -- I will let you all determine how quickly you can bring back kind of that updated report of those other projects -- those other ones that are, you know, on the list of being contemplated or not being contemplated. I get that some of the projects where millions of dollars, you know, on Eagle Road. We are not doing that project; right? We are not putting in a pedestrian overpass over the -- the flying ramps onto Eagle Road, even though that may be near top of the list. There is not money for that at this point in time, so -- Hood: Yeah. Mr. Mayor, I think -- I think that's certainly doable. I think what -- Hether and I can get together here and we will probably e-mail you. She's -- she's keeping track through an updated spreadsheet of all the projects that are identified through MIPS. I will just reiterate -- and maybe it was said, but this was one of the intersection -- it is an intersection. It's not a four-way intersection, it's not an arterial-to-arterial intersection, but it is an intersection that's near a school that was evaluated for some of these -- these concerns that have near misses. I don't know if there was a real crash history there, that's why we would have to go back through the notes and look, but it was one of the ones that met the criteria to evaluate and there were hundreds of intersections that we looked at for MIPS. So, it was a pretty comprehensive evaluation of intersections. But I think we can give you the updated spreadsheet just so you can -- to refresh what are all the projects and even -- I think Hether's pretty current with the status update of those projects, too, where it's at in design at ACHD or construction, yes, with somewhat of a caveat that year to year budget constraints can occur and some things may get pushed or even accelerated, but -- and come back in the next couple of few weeks or whatever, but I think that's doable. We will probably give you that to chew on in the interim, rather than trying to go through the whole report with you again and give it to you as a -- as a refresher. EXECUTIVE SESSION [Amended Agenda Addition] per Idaho Code 74-206(1)(b) To consider the evaluation, dismissal or disciplining of, or to hear complaints or charges brought against, a public officer, employee, staff member or individual agent, or public-school student. Simison: Okay. All right. Thank you very much. Okay. With that we have an Executive Session. So, Council, do I have a motion? Cavener: Mr. Mayor? Simison: Councilman Cavener. Cavener: Move we go into Executive Session pursuant to Idaho State Code 74- 206(1)(b). Strader: Second. Simison: Have a motion and a second to go to Executive Session. Is there any discussion? If not, Clerk will call the roll. Meridian City Council Work Session January 7,2025 Page 10 of 10 Roll Call: Cavener, yea; Strader, yea; Overton, absent; Little Roberts, yea; Taylor, yea; Whitlock, yea. Simison: All ayes. Motion carries and we will go into Executive Session. MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT. EXECUTIVE SESSION: (4:52 p.m. to 5:27 p.m.) Simison: Council, do I have a motion? Cavener: Mr. Mayor? Simison: Councilman Cavener. Cavener: Move we come out of Executive Session. Strader: Second. Simison: Have a motion and a second to come out of Executive Session. Is there any discussion? If not all in favor signify by saying aye. Opposed nay? The ayes have it. We are out of Executive Session. MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT. Simison: Do I have another motion? Cavener: Mr. Mayor? Simison: Councilman Cavener. Cavener: Move we adjourn our workshop. Simison: Motion to adjourn. All in favor signify by saying aye. Opposed nay? The ayes have it. We are adjourned. MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT. MEETING ADJOURNED AT 5.27 P.M. (AUDIO RECORDING ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS) MAYOR ROBERT E. SIMISON ATTEST: CHRIS JOHNSON - CITY CLERK