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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996 09-05i • MERIDIAN CITY COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 5, 1996 The special meeting of the Meridian City Council was called to order by Mayor Robert D. Corrie at 6:00 P.M.: MEMBERS PRESENT: Walt Morrow, Glenn Bentley, Charlie Rountree, Ron Tolsma: OTHERS PRESENT: Will Berg, Wayne Crookston, Richard. Donahue, James Baker: ITEM #1: PUBLIC HEARING: AMENDING THE 95/96 FY BUDGET: Corrie: I will open the public hearing, is there anybody that would like to give testimony on the amending of the 95/96 FY budget? Mr. Morrow? Morrow: I have no comments. Corrie: Since there is no further testimony for the public hearing I will close the public hearing. Morrow: Mr. Mayor, I would move that we amend the 1995/96 fiscal year budget. Tolsma: Second Corrie: Motion made by Mr. Morrow, second by Mr. Tolsma that we amend the 1995/96 fiscal year budget, any further discussion? All those in favor? Opposed? MOTION CARRIED: All Yea ITEM #2: ORDINANCE #740 -AMENDING THE APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE: Corrie: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MERIDIAN, IDAHO AMENDING ORDINANCE #711 THE APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 1995 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER- 30, 1996. THE APPROPRIATION Of ADDITIONAL MONIES THAT ARE TO BE RECEIVED BY THE CITY OF MERIDIAN; IDAHO IN THE SUM OF $800,000 PROVIDING THE EFFECTIVE DATE. Is there anyone from the audience that would like to have the ordinance #740 read in its entirety? Hearing none, entertain a motion for ordinance #740. Morrow: Mr. Mayor, I would move that we amend Ordinance #740 with the suspension of rules. Bentley: Second Corrie: Motion made by Mr. Morrow, second by Mr. Bentley that we amend the ordinance #740 with suspension of rules, any further discussion? Roll call vote. Meridian City Council Special Meeting September 5, 1996 Page 2 ROLL CALL VOTE: Bentley -Yea, Morrow -Yea, Rountree -Yea, Tolsma -Yea MOTION CARRIED: All Yea ITEM #2: PUBLIC HEARING: BUDGET FOR 96/97 FY: Corrie: I will now open the public hearing and invite any member of the audience that would like to testify. Richard Donahue, 1237 E. 2 1/2, Apt. B, Meridian, was sworn by the City Attorney. Donahue: Just a few comments, ones on the parks department. I do understand that you are limited on how much money you can propose on parks and stuff improvements and purchasing whatever. But it would sure be nice if somehow you can figure out additional revenues for the parks you definitely worked on. It would be nice to have additional park land to the park land that you purchased at Ustick and Meridian. Fifty some acres is a nice start but it would be nice if it was (inaudible) Meridian does not have any substantial size park at all. Fifty acres would not be really that substantial but it is a good start. That would be more than this budget hearing could purchase unless you cancelled a few programs (inaudible). Another problem is Tully Park for the last 3 years nothing has been done, this year not even the weeds have been mowed. So it has been sitting there all summer and the weeds don't even get mowed so I am sure you will rectify that matter. The other thing is there are still a few days left in this budget year and I believe you can make major purchases with what money is left in the parks department budget to supplement next years budget which is effective October 1. Major purchases of equipment and stuff would be greatly beneficial to have the equipment and with the development of the park where we have the equipment to operate that park. I don't know if that came out right but (inaudible). I gather you are going to start construction fairly soon on Tully Park or at least I hope I see construction real soon like yesterday or today. The other suggestion is Ustick and Meridian Park who knows what you name it but there has been no annexation on that property if you did any paperwork you would all have to go through County so you would have a double dipping of procedures. Everything you worked on would have to be submitted to the County. So it would be better off if you could immediately just as soon as you can get that property into the City limits so you don't have to go through other entities to look over the paperwork (inaudible). That is for the parks department. For the water department just a suggestion, I know I seen there was a generator for $35,000 for another well, just a suggestion for a test because I know farmers and stuff and ranchers and stuff have been (inaudible) they do already have solar energy for generating their pumps. I kind of wonder if the City should look into the feasibility as a test on one of the wells even a • Meridian City Council Special Meeting September 5, 1996 Page 3 new well to see if solar energy would be efficient where there is really no maintenance on solar energy. There is a yearly check on it but nothing has been maintained because there is nothing really hardly to fix on it. As an alternative to buying the generators and possibly the $700,000 purchase I see you want to build another water tower anyway which might be needed anyway. I am not saying that might not be needed but because all sorts of situations do happen on water systems and you don't want to be stuck with no (inaudible) Solar energy is being used in other areas. and in some towns I know that is something they are looking at right now. I am not, you are talking very small towns not anything the size of this County here but that is something that is an alternative. Fire department, I did mention you have increased because obviously you do need a better fire station, new fire station whatever so you did put up $141,000 or so for purchasing or building of a fire station. I know you do, I think Mayor Corrie mentioned they have a site somebody donated or possibly (inaudible). It would be nice if somehow you could figure additional money for a new fire station. It is kind of dangerous when you have fire trucks back in and (inaudible) it is kind of dangerous to be backing in a fire truck with personnel basically that is their office behind the fire trucks over there and (inaudible). It might be something you look at even right away it would be awful for an accident to happen somebody slipped their foot off the clutch and that is it for one of the fireman. One accident is all you need to happen. Sewer department, I have no problems on that. The only question I have is who is over the sewer department right now? Corrie: Mr. Smith Donahue: I mean of the Councilmen? Corrie: Mr. Morrow Donahue: Are you going ahead with expansion out at the sewer plant, I know that you have been doing some expansion. Is it going to be major expansion more? Morrow: There is already major expansion under construction as we speak. We will. essentially double in capacity of the plant from. 2.8 to 4.8 to 8 million gallons (inaudible) with again the program to double again (inaudible). Donahue: So that is already in process is continuing on that. Morrow: In this budget you have before you there are items budgeted to begin the process to (inaudible) to 8.8 million and that process will take several years but we will begin Donahue: Okay, I just wanted to make sure (inaudible) wondered if it was going to get • • Meridian City Council Special Meeting September 5, 1996 Page 4 going or if it was going out there. Morrow: It is under construction as we speak. Donahue: Some of the other things I talked with Councilman Morrow, he clarified some points and stuff that saved a lot of time. There are a lot of people waiting to testify here (inaudible). The other thing is on the police department I do have a problem with over the last 3 years there is almost a 30% raise given in the position of the Chief of Police, that is really unheard of in most cities. I don't think that was justified or anything where it should have been approved. That is not the way to be doing is to be giving huge raises like that to the department head. The reason I say that I am not talking administration of Mr. Corrie or Mayor Corrie the administration of Mayor Kingsford. The Chief of Police has had numerous complaints against him. I don't speak of a couple two or three complaints there have been numerous citizens and employees of the City that voiced concerns of his activities, actions, inactions and a lot of people quite dissatisfied with his job and performance. I have had people contact me especially since I have been away from the City. All I have to say is it is not very funny and I don't think it is very funny. I had a Meridian woman here I don't know how you put it, she stated she filed a police report with the Meridian Police department, it was against a Meridian Lieutenant. She said this lieutenant physically threw her, apparently he was in the house or something, physically took hold of her and threw her into a wall for no reason at all. She said it was an unprovoked attack on her person. She filed this complaint with the Meridian Police Department for his arrest and she said the reaction of her complaint resulted in retaliation from the Chief of Police Bill Gordon upon her and her family. I know this to be a fact because I was a witness to that fact. The Chief of Police did take revenge out on this woman. That guy right there has no business to be Chief of Police or a peace officer in the State of Idaho. If you read under ethics of a police officer he can't do that. He can't go out there, when a person files a criminal complaint that complaint needs to be followed through. Chief of Police in#ervened and threatened that woman. I know he threatened her because he was boasting of threats against her. Corrie:. Mr. Donahue, I hate to interrupt you. Donahue: I will be brief here, I don't want to drag it on. Corrie: The reason I am saying. is that this is primarily a budget hearing, if we have some complaints (inaudible) Donahue: Well this has to do with budgeting because he is the person who is receiving wages in this budget and the new budget here. Meridian City Council Special Meeting September 5, 1996 Page 5 Corrie: Let's do that, let's kind of stick with this one if we could. Donahue: Well anyway I just want to voice that. Corrie: If you will get back with me. Donahue: That is what this woman did state to me and I know it to be a fact, I know the Chief of Police did take revenge out on this woman because the same lieutenant was down there taking action against her. That is all I have to say on that matter there. On another budget matter and this is a matter, I haven't had time to look at this because I just got this and talking (inaudible) haven't had much time to review this. Is there any federal grant money involved in this police budget? The reason I am saying that is the. Chief of Police used federal grant money for other purposes than what it was intended for. Now I want to advise this is an open hearing I don't want anybody saying they didn't hear about this. I am not saying this is a criminal matter, I am not saying this is a civil matter. But I believe the City needs to turn these matters (inaudible) over the US Attorney Generals Office for investigation to see if there was any violations of law I am not saying there is but there should be an official investigation. Other matters it would be good if Mr. Bentley, Councilman Bentley you are the new Police Commissioner for the Police Department. It would be good if you, I know you can't (inaudible) but if Mayor Corrie and yourself would like to discuss some of the matters I would be more than happy to. There are some of these matters that we need to get to the bottom of and this should not be going on. There are a lot of other matters I can discuss with you but should not be going on. Quite frankly I believe that you should keep a close eye on the Chief and possibly suspend him from his duties and relieve him of his duties and also the lieutenant involved. It is not funny I worked for the City for 19 years it is not funny what has been going on in that department. A good many friends of mine have worked for that department a good many people. A lot of them have left either forced out before they get canned or just forced out before they get killed because of crazy working conditions over there. It just, I don't know how anybody works over there I really don't It is a joke, it is not a professional department, a professional department it has to be professional from top to bottom. The top is a joke and he has put my life at jeopardy at times when I worked in that department. Corrie: Mr. Donahue, let's just stick with this (inaudible) Donahue: I am wrapping it up, that is on the police department,. I do request a meeting at your convenience and get to these matters. The other matters involving that woman I believe Ada County Sheriff Vaughn Kileen should be involved in that matter and should be there or one of his beneficiaries Greg Bower or something from the Prosecutors office. Other than that, that is about it. • Meridian City Council Special Meeting September 5, 1996 Page 6 Bentley: Mr. Mayor, I have a question concerning, you have stated that he has received a raise of 30°~. Donahue: Almost 30% Bentley: Well the budget shows that he received a raise of 12% last year and he got an additional 3°~ this for cost of living. Donahue: Okay these are not my figures these are facts from the City, that were reviewed by the City Officials. It is a fact it was in that neighborhood, it was just under 30% which he received (inaudible) Bentley: Well I am sitting here looking at the past 2 years budgets and that is not the case at all. Donahue: (Inaudible) three years not two years and I am not sure that would include last years that might be the prior three years. Bentley: Well the difference between 94/95 and 95/96 is only 12% over those two budget years plus he got an additional 3% this year. Donahue: I don't have the documents with me I do have the documents and that is what I am basing it on. I am not basing it on, I am not basing it upon my knowledge. Bentley: Well that is what I am saying I am holding the budget figures for the last 3 years. Donahue: Well I have documents too that are different. I will share them with you and I have no problems with that. Morrow: Mr. Mayor, chance to respond to the generator, the generator issue is not one of power it is one of emergency power. That that generators purchase is for is if we have a total power downfall that we will retain water solar won't work for that. Donahue: I think you misunderstood me, instead of electricity have solar as the main source of power that is what the ranchers and farmers in different areas are converting to. Morrow: I understand that but the solar that we have available in this area at this present time won't left water from deep wells in the volume that we need it to lift to be able to provide the service that we have to have. Now at some point in time in the future (inaudible). • Meridian City Council Special Meeting September 5, 1996 Page 7 Donahue: I don't know it was just something that I suggested if it is not something viable then I understand that. Morrow: It is not viable at the present, the generator is an emergency, back up power source. Donahue: You would still have to have a back up source whichever, electricity, solar, if you had a wind mill or whatever you still have to have a back up. Morrow: That explains to you why we have to have a back up. Donahue: Thank you for your time. James Baker, 1746 Jericho Road, was sworn by the City Attorney. Baker: I just have one question and one comment. The question is on the fire budget, the fire truck fund, counting this year what would be the total amount we now have set aside, dollar amount on the fire truck? Morrow: It is $140,000 is it not? Corrie: It is pretty close, (inaudible) probably about $125,000 I think. Baker: $125,000 after this year Corrie: Right we are adding $81,000 I believe. Baker: Thank you, the only comment I have on the budget, the one thing I would like to see done is the money that was (inaudible) hire two men that was kind of rerouted to building a truck fund I would rather see that money kept and the two men hired. The main reason I say that is strictly from a safety standpoint for the fire fighters. The thing that concerns me now is we have at times or most of the time a two crew engine making interior attacks which I think could be potentially dangerous. Now that the City is growing we do have the additional funds involved obviously because we are putting close to over $300,000 between future and capital things this year. We are just taking $80,000 of it back. to the salaries of hiring the men and getting a 3 man crew would make a difference. That is the only one comment I have. A point I think also would magnify that is the fact that pretty soon here probably November 1 we are losing our Automatic aid agreement with North Ada when they close their station down. Whose now presently at least eastern 2/3 of the City responding automatically with a three man crew. So right now when the two men go in • • Meridian City Council Special Meeting September 5, 1996 Page 8 there they are kind of (inaudible) until the volunteers or the automatic Ada (inaudible) kind of probably going to the wayside. I think it just magnifies the need to hire the two more guys this year. That is really all I have to say. Corrie: Questions from the Council? Thank you Jim, anybody else from the public that would like to offer testimony? I will close the public hearing. One thing Mr. Donahue, I forgot to say we are working on Tully Park. Should be doing some major things out there in the next couple of weeks. We are getting the weeds (inaudible) having the stakes put in and paddle wheels will start leveling things out and we hope we get it seeded and have grass out there this fall. I want to thank the public those that testified tonight, thank you for being here. I appreciate it. Council, comments? Morrow: Some technical comments, I believe these are correct but in terms of the adjustment we had in the City Attorney's office and the police department with adjustment for raises and the resulting adjustment to FICA and the (inaudible) and those types of things. On our ordinance #741 it is my observation I think that we have not made we have not returned those monies in terms of the adjustments to the general fund. In the case of the attorney legal department I believe the adjustment amounted to $744, reduced the amount from $316,248 to $315,504. In the case of the police department that amount is $23,709 which would reduce the $1,979,455 to $1,955,746. If you add the $744 and the $23,709 the general admin budget would change from $1,438,343 to $1,462,796. Rountree: I had to check those three times to make sure they were right and they are, they are right. Corrie: The only one I didn't have here was the police department other wise I had it balanced too. Morrow: Well (inaudible) Corrie: Any other comments or changes we need? That still ads up to $16,249,982 is that correct Mr. Rountree? Rountree: Yes it would sir. Corrie: Any other discussion? Hearing nothing further from the audience in the public hearing, I will declare the public hearing for the budget year 96/97 fiscal year closed. ITEM #4: ORDINANCE #741 -ANNUAL APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE: Meridian City Council Special Meeting September 5, 1996 Page 9 Morrow: Mr. Mayor I would move that we adopt Ordinance #741 as adjusted with the suspension of rules. Bentley: Second Corrie: Motion made by Mr. Morrow, second by Mr. Bentley to accept Ordinance #741 as amended and further discussion? Roll Call Vote ROLL CALL VOTE: Morrow -Yea, Bentley -Yea, Rountree -Yea, Tolsma -Yea MOTION CARRIED: All Yea ITEM #5: EXECUTIVE SESSION: Morrow: Mr: Mayor, I would move that we move to an executive session to discuss a personnel matters. Tolsma: Second Corrie: Motion made and seconded to go into executive session for personnel matter, all those in favor? Opposed? MOTION CARRIED: All Yea EXECUTIVE SESSION Corrie: We will call the meeting to order from the executive meeting. We will be having another executive meeting set up for (inaudible) no decisions have been made at that point. We will be having another meeting later. Any further. discussion of Council? Entertain a motion for adjournment. Bentley: So moved Rountree: Second Corrie: Motion made and seconded we adjourn, all those in favor? Opposed? MOTION CARRIED: All Yea MEETING ADJOURNED AT 7:10 P.M. • Meridian City Council Special Meeting September 5, 1996 Page 10 (TAPE ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS) ATTEST: APPROVED: MAYOR ROBERT D. CORRIE WILLIAM G. BERG, JR., CITY CLERK