HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009 09-08Meridian Citv Council Meetina September 8, 2009
A meeting of the Meridian City Council was called to order at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday,
September 8, 2009, by Mayor Tammy de Weerd.
Members Present: Mayor Tammy de Weerd, Charlie Rountree, Keith Bird, Brad
Hoaglun, and David Zaremba.
Others Present: Bill Nary, Jaycee Holman, Anna Canning, Clint Dolsby, Bob Stowe, Joe
Silva, Stacy Kilchenmann, Todd Lavoie, and Dean Willis.
Item 1: Roll-call Attendance:
Roll call.
X David Zaremba X Brad Hoaglun
X Charlie Rountree X Keith Bird
X Mayor Tammy de Weerd
De Weerd: Okay. I'll welcome you all here this evening. It's so nice and quiet. It
seems so surreal. Thank you for all joining us tonight. We appreciate you being in
attendance. It is, for the record, Tuesday, September 8th. It's 7:00 o'clock. We will
start tonight's meeting with roll call attendance.
Item 2: Pledge of Allegiance:
De Weerd: Item No. 2 is the Pledge of Allegiance. If you will all rise and join us in the
pledge.
( Pledge of Allegiance recited.)
Item 3: Community Invocation by Virgil Saltz with Meridian First Baptist
Church:
De Weerd: Item No. 3 is our community invocation. Tonight we will be led by Virgil
Saltz with the Meridian First Baptist Church. If you would, please, come up to the
microphone so we can all hear. Thank you forjoining us this evening.
Saltz: My pleasure. Thank you for having me. Let's pray together. Father in Heaven,
we do thank you for being able to be here today and we thank you for the freedoms that
we enjoy in America and we thank you for the opportunity to participate in the works of
government. We rejoice in the fact that you have given us government for the benefit of
the people. I pray, Father, that you would be with these folks here at the Meridian
Council. We thank you for the City of Meridian and their good standing in the
community of Idaho. We pray that they will continue to look to you for wisdom and
direction as they seek to further guide the affairs of state. We pray that you would bless
and direct in such a way that Meridian would be an example to all the other cities in
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September 8, 2009
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Idaho of what a government should be like.
Thank you for your watch care over us and
would be ours and we will give you the praise
Thank you for your faithfulness to us.
we pray that your wisdom and direction
in Jesus name, amen.
De Weerd: Sir, I would like to offer you one of our City of Meridian pins for joining us
here this evening. Thank you.
Saltz: Thank you. Appreciate it.
Item 4: Adoption of the Agenda:
De Weerd: Item No. 4 is adoption of the agenda.
Zaremba: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Zaremba.
Zaremba: On tonight's agenda I would like to point out Item 7-C-2 under Department
Reports, Clerk's Office, Item 2 is a discussion on a request for reconsideration and I just
want to point out that the Council will take action on that to either reconsider or not
reconsider, but I wanted to clarify that this is not the public hearing tonight. If we do
reconsider, then, that will be scheduled and posted and noticed to everybody, so that all
parties are here. I just wanted to point out that it is a discussion and our action will be
just our own decision. Then, on Item 9, the ordinance number is 09-1427. On Item 10,
the ordinance number is 09-1428. On Item 11 the ordinance number is 09-1429. And
with that I move we adopt the agenda.
Hoaglun: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to adopt the agenda. All those in favor say
aye. All ayes. Motion carries.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES:
Item 5: Proclamation for Megan Bartley Day:
De Weerd: Okay. Item No. 5 is a proclamation for Megan Bartley Day and, Council,
last month we did lose one of our young people, our young adults, in an auto accident,
hit by an inattentive driver that was texting. It brings emphasis on some of -- a timely
issue of what -- what this can do to our communities and certainly this is a huge and
tragic example of that. Megan graduated from Meridian Medical Arts Charter and was
attending Idaho State University. So, let's -- if you would allow me to read this
proclamation. Whereas Megan Noel Bartley was a caring, active, and compassionate
member of the Meridian community and whereas Meridian -- or Megan hoped to help
and care for members of her community, be serving as an EMT, pharmacy technician,
and a certified nursing assistant and whereas by dedicating her life to medical science
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September 8, 2009
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Megan was able to fulfill these goals and whereas by excelling in her scholastics at
Meridian Medical Arts Charter School Megan served as an example to her peers in and
out of the classroom and whereas Megan served as an example to us all with her
volunteer minded spirit working with her church group, fellow college students and Girl
Scouts and whereas Megan was taken from this earth too soon in an automobile
accident due to an inattentive driver, therefore, I, Tammy de Weerd, Mayor of the City of
Meridian, do hereby proclaim September 15th, 2009, to be Megan Noel Bartley Day in
the City of Meridian and to encourage all of our citizens to honor Megan's memory by
volunteering in our community. This is dated the 8th of September. It is noted that
September 15th the Medical -- Meridian Medical Arts Charter School will be having a
service in her honor and so we are doing this a little early. We have her parents and
her sister here with us tonight and also Megan was engaged and her future mother-in-
law and grandmother are with us as well. So, if you will let me take a moment to
present this to the family.
Item 6: Consent Agenda:
A. Approve Minutes of August 25, 2009 Pre-Council Minutes:
B. Acceptance Agreement with Sandy Marostica for Display of
Artwork in Initial Point Gallery:
C. Change Order No. 1 with Civil Survey Consultants, Inc. for Well
No. 28 Additional Design Services Pumping Facilities Design
for $14,400.00:
D. Professional Services Agreement with Peppershock Media
Productions establishing terms, conditions, and timeline for
production of a video that will describe the mission, vision,
objectives, and accomplishments of the Mayor's Anti-Drug
Coalition for $4,250.00:
De Weerd: Okay. Council, Item 6 is our Consent Agenda.
Zaremba: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes, Mr. Zaremba.
Zaremba: I move that we approve the Consent Agenda as published and for the Mayor
to sign and the Clerk to attest?
Hoaglun: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve the Consent Agenda. If there is
no discussion, Madam Clerk, will you call roll.
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September 8, 2009
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Roll-Call: Bird, yea; Rountree, yea; Zaremba, yea; Hoaglun, yea.
De Weerd: All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Item 7: Department Reports:
A. Finance Department
1. Update on Implementation of Budget Strategic Focus
De Weerd: Item 7 is our Department Reports. I will start tonight's reports with our
Finance Department.
Kilchenmann: Good evening. Our -- the name of our item has a very lofty sounding
title. However, there has been a bit of confusion about it, but what we really want to do
tonight is a quick follow up on the budget process while it's fresh in our mind to ask you
if you have anything off the top of your head that you would like to see improved or if
you have any questions or any changes you would be interested in. And, then, also to
let you know last year we sent out a survey about the budget process. We will be doing
that again and we are also going to include financial reporting in that survey, so we are
trying to really find out what information do you need, what information do you read,
what information would you be interested in. So, please, all complete your survey and
there will be door prizes at the end. Do you have any questions for Todd or I?
De Weerd: Council, any questions or comments, helpful suggestions, et cetera?
Rountree: Not at the moment.
Bird: I have none.
Hoaglun: My only --
Zaremba: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Zaremba.
Zaremba: I get to go first, I guess.
De Weerd: We'll let Councilman Hoaglun wrap it up as the liaison.
Zaremba: All right. Actually, it's not a question. I just -- I know we have said it, but I
thought the process went very well this year and I appreciated all the support that we
got from your department and the information and everything. I just wanted to say
thank you.
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September 8, 2009
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Kilchenmann: Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Hoaglun: I just want to say appreciate you doing the survey. I know last year it was
difficult for me to fill out, because --
Kilchenmann: Because you weren't here.
Hoaglun: Yeah. First time. And -- but we are going to ask for names on that. If you
are going to do door prizes you have to put your name on it; right?
Kilchenmann: Oh, we will do it by numbers, because it's anonymous.
Hoaglun: Okay. That's what I want to check.
Kilchenmann: But we don't want you to feel constrained.
Hoaglun: I thought maybe you had changed that a bit. So, you know, we want honesty
back here on everything.
Bird: You'll know who it is by the recommendation.
De Weerd: Remember, you're public servants. Everything you say could be public, so
put your names on it.
Kilchenmann: It will -- it will be electronic, so --
Hoaglun: But it is a good thing to do and we hope you get some good feedback for that.
De Weerd: Well -- and, Council, I think, too, Stacy and I have had conversations that --
of looking at the monthly financial statements and working with the department directors
and finding out what is helpful, how to revamp it and make it so the information adds
value and so while you're looking at providing feedback on the budget, if you would also
look at your monthly statements and say what is helpful, what don't you look at, that
maybe staff doesn't need to do, just kind of look at it with a critical eye and we kind of
talked about a few things earlier and what we want the directors to do. So, any
suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Okay. Anything from you, Todd? Your grin
is not as big this week.
Lavoie: I'll work on that.
De Weerd: Very good. Well, thank you, and it was -- we appreciate all the hard work.
Certainly Stacy and her staff got a lot of kudos from the directors today as well. So,
appreciate it.
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September S, 2009
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Kilchenmann: Thanks.
B. Mayor's Office
1. Community Liaison Update
De Weerd: Okay. Under the Mayor's Office -- Council, we -- when Councilman
Rountree and staff and I got together last Friday to talk about this week's agenda, we
thought we would move a number of the things that are generally on a workshop
agenda up to this week, so you can take next week off. So, that's why you're seeing
some of these things on this week. So, under the Mayor's Office we have the
community liaison update.
Cavener: Thank you, Madam Mayor. Mr. President, Madam Mayor, Members of
Council, again, my great opportunity to come before you and talk to you and give you an
update as to what's been going on in the community since we last spoke. I don't know if
moving me up a week was an effort to throw me off my game, so I'd be a little more brief
-- we'll see how it goes. It's funny, the last time I was before you I was sharing with you
the accomplishments of the Mayor's Youth Advisory Council had in the previous year
and this afternoon we had our very first executive board meeting and things are really
ramping up for this year. I think it's going to be the most successful year in the Mayor's
Youth Advisory Council by sheer numbers of participation alone. There is a lot of
excitement amongst our community to be involved in the Mayor's Youth Advisory
Council, to participate in service projects and to really gain that leadership component
that we look to take on this year. In addition to working with the Youth Council I have
been out and about in the community the past two months. I know I have seen a lot of
you at the National Night Out event, at the Ten Mite interchange town hall and at
various ribbon cuttings and there has been a lot of ribbon cuttings in Meridian over the
past two months, which I think is great for our community that we have new businesses
coming to town. Businesses opening up at multiple locations in our community and
always enjoy having the opportunity to go to those and see what unique establishments
that are coming in our community. The Ten Mile town hall event was attended by -- by
about 40 people who live near -- near the interchange was at Ten Mile Church and
Councilman Zaremba and I were there and it was -- it was great to hear from people
who both live in the City of Meridian and in Ada County that are going to be affected by
the Ten Mile interchange. What's on their mind? This month I have a report that I will
be handing over to you that really focuses on communication. What are the people in
Meridian saying? So, I have taken some cross-comments from our town hall meeting,
from discussions that I have had with people at National Night Out and I also provided
some feedback that we received on our social network platform through Facebook
where people have commented about different things that are going on in Meridian. A
month ago we had a really unique event that I think we were really fortunate to be
positioned with our social network strategy to take advantage of. A family had driven
through the Starbucks on Meridian Road and purchased their coffee and, then, offered
to pay for the coffee for the person behind them. Ten cars later I get a phone call from
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someone in our community who wanted to share that story with us. So, I was really
excited about it, enthused with the idea of paying it forward, so I put it on our Facebook
and our Twitter page. Well, about an hour and a half later I called back to Starbucks
and, low and behold, it's still going on. They are on their 50th car. When it was all said
and done 80 vehicles participated in this, each vehicle paying for the one behind them.
I think really speaks to the spirit of giving and caring that's in our community and our
citizens commented about that on our Facebook page, so I have shared some of their
comments about why they love being in Meridian and being able to participate in that
event. Since we last spoke we had a town hall meeting on our budget and as well as a
presentation by the small business development group and while it wasn't the
participation that I looked for, it provided a great learning experience for me to find
different and unique ways to advertise, market, and promote our town hall meetings.
Our next town hall meeting will be in October and it's going to focus on environmental
strategies for the businesses, as well as for homes. That subject matter will also go --
coincide with an event that's being held at Venga Works. I hope that by bringing people
in that are already committed to being green and focusing on environmental
sustainability I will have abuilt-in audience of people that are really looking for the
information that we are looking to share. And also people who may have never
attended a town hall meeting that the City of Meridian has put on, to see what it's about,
to see what we are doing, how we are being very proactive and getting outside the walls
of City Hall to interact with our citizens. I'm working with our economic excellence team
in preparation for our next Meridian Business Day and I'm sure Josh and Phil will speak
to you a little bit on that, so I won't steal their thunder, since I'm going first. But Josh
and I have also worked together on the Meridian Business Professionals Connection,
despite the difficult to pronounce name, it is a great organization made up of business
people and business professionals in the community that are looking to grow their
business and to share knowledge learned from their missteps or success stories and we
have had numbers that have grown every month at our free networking event and it's
really gaining a lot of buzz amongst the business community as a great event that you
have to attend. It's one of those must attend business events and I have been really
happy to help be a part of that. The last time I spoke to you we touched on some of the
issues that have been going on with the senior center. Most directly related to their
senior nutrition program. There had been some hiccups from the Elk's Rehabilitation
Hospital when it comes to food. I'm happy to report now that for the most part our
seniors our very pleased when it comes to their senior nutrition program. While maybe
portions aren't to the full extent of what they would like, the quality of food has improved
greatly. Pauline and Cindy of the Meridian Senior Center have done a great job of
working with Sage to get the food quality levels up to what our seniors have expected.
That also ties directly into -- and I don't want to reiterate information that you have
received, especially that pertains to Kleiner Park and the Meridian Senior Center, but
our seniors are just ecstatic over the opportunity that -- that this senior center which was
really an idea and a hope and a dream even six months ago is a reality and I know that
they are very eager to find ways to raise some funds to -- to bring the facilities up to par
with what they are looking for and are just incredibly gracious over the gift from the
Kleiner family and are really excited to move into that facility. The other group that I'm
working with is the complete count committee. I have touched on them briefly. It's hard
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to believe that 2010 is right around the corner and our committee, which is made up of
vast different members of our community, we are working to locate, identify individuals
and groups that might not be counted through traditional means and work with our
census to educate them on that. In addition, we are putting forth a lot of initiative that
will begin in early 2010 that will promote the census. So, for people who maybe they
know about it, they don't have any problems with taking it, but maybe they are like me
and have lots of things going on and it puts it kind of in the front of their -- their view.
So, I'm really excited to be working with our community on that and that has been a
unique opportunity, because it also brings me together with other people that serve in
positions similar like me from Boise, from Nampa, and another Boise valley community
and hear what they are doing to get their citizens involved, not just with the census, but
within the community as well. So, it's been a great organization. I have been really
happy to participate with that. So, I think that's almost a record time, but I wanted to
give you the opportunity, if you had questions or follow up from -- from any of these
points that I have brought up, either this month or in previous months and, then, like I
said, I have got a packet here for you that kind of shares some of the comments from
our -- from our community members.
De Weerd: Council, any questions?
Rountree: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes.
Rountree: Luke, I think the last time you were here we were talking about parking and
parks and activities and it seems that that's not necessarily gone away, but I think folks
are at ease with what's going on now. Is that your sense from being in the community
as well?
Cavener: It depends on the -- on the date and depends on what's going on in our parks.
We have one member of that neighborhood that has been very accommodating in
providing me information as to the parking situation as it pertains to their park. He's
concerned about -- about football beginning and how that will impact. I met with him
over the weekend we actually walked Settlers Park and his feeling is that if -- if the
parking is going to be used mostly on the weekends on Saturday, that he doesn't
foresee it being an issue. He still believes that the parking situation will never resolve
itself with a residential only parking area, but he's been pleased and happy with -- with
the steps the city has taken -- while they are not his favorite, he at least recognizes that
we have went above and beyond to accommodate him in the neighborhood. When I
spoke to you last month we -- or two months ago, we had brought up that many
members of the city staff had addressed their HOA and presented a multiple amount of
ideas. None of them were accepted. Ideas that even the neighborhood brought up
weren't accepted by their own neighborhood. Their HOA board has contacted us and
said that they wanted to move forward with the ideas that the city had presented and,
then, when members of the HOA found out about that, they quickly changed their mind
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September 8, 2009
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and are fine being, essentially, in a holding pattern and aren't really willing to make a
decision one way or another as to what they would like to see.
Rountree: Thank you.
De Weerd: Any other questions? One thing that Luke didn't mention is he's been
hanging out with the high schoolers during registration and you might give numbers of
those that have signed up as interested.
Cavener: Mr. President, Madam Mayor, Members of Council, Madam Mayor, you are
correct that I -- it was only fitting that if I went back to college this summer that I'd go
back to high school this fall. I realized very quickly that I -- I'm old enough now that I am
kind of the enemy, so day one, showing up in a suit and tie, I was largely ignored. It
wasn't until a polo shirt and khaki shorts and a bigger smile that we started talking to a
lot of our area students. We received a little over ahundred -- 180 interested students
from Meridian that are looking to either participate either on the Mayor's Youth Advisory
Council, to serve as a youth member on a commission, or just looking for information
about how the youth can volunteer. If there is one fact that's been eye opening since I
started this position in working with our youth, is how many events they have going on.
I didn't think that I was so far removed from that, but between multiple sports, music
lessons, groups and activities, they have lots going on and I was really excited to see
there is some students that flat out told me I'd like to serve on the Mayor's Youth
Advisory Council. I don't have the time, but if there is a volunteer opportunity that's on a
weekend that I'm available, I would love to participate. So, please, continue to let me
know that. So, we have built a database of interested students that are looking to
volunteer and it will -- it will work well when we are promoting events that speak to that
demograph, that we will be able to make them aware of -- of not just volunteer
opportunities, but as youth council looks to expand the teen activities council, it will
make them aware of events that they are going to have to participate in. So, it's been
fun and it's been a very unique experience.
De Weerd: And we had discussions with the executive -- with the officers today who
are a little bit intimidated by the numbers and I think both Luke and I can say so are we.
When they show up with their parents and the youth, it will be an interesting full room I
think in this -- in this room, which I hope we were able to reserve. City Clerk?
Holman: Oh, I'm sorry. Could you, please, repeat that, Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: No. I'll bug you later.
Holman: Okay.
De Weerd: But I think it's -- it's very positive. The kids have really revamped a number
of things that they want to see happen to balance the community service, the
citizenship, and leadership opportunities. So, it will be an exciting year. Thank you,
Luke.
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September 8, 2009
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2. Economic Development Update
De Weerd: Okay. Economic development update.
Stiffler: Good evening, Madam Mayor, President of the Council, and fellow Councilmen.
Very pleased to be here again as usual. I don't know, Luke -- oh, he went out of the
room, so I can't say some of the things I wanted to say. Josh told me I was the one that
was going to be -- give the brevity side tonight, so after Luke Ican -- I can come
forward. Before I -- before I go through the PowerPoint, there is one centralized
comment that I'd like to make as an update and I think it's very important for all the
Council to beware of this. It's been very interesting as we look at kind of the national
economic times and the trouble that we still see in our economic future or the hurdles
that we think still need to be -- I guess we have to be able to get past some of those
hurdles. The one thing that I'm pleased to report and I think the Mayor will agree with
me here -- is that on a lot of the site visits and business people that we engage with and
work with, they are not saying that bad times are over, but I would say it's very nice to
think about the engagement that we talk to people of a different kind of optimism, a
different kind of let's move forward and what can we do about the times that we were in.
I know Councilman Hoaglun was also present. I used an example of even the Coffee
with the Mayor session that we had out at Gino's restaurant, it was very interesting. We
had a very excellent turnout. In talking to the people that showed up there and the
businesses and little businesses were there, we weren't hearing all the standard
negativity -- what I might say standard negativity, but that negativity that was there
going on for that cycle, and I think that's very important to kind of share with you,
because in a way we are getting it shared with us by the business people. Many of the
recent site visits the Mayor and I have been on, it's interesting, it's kind of -- they would
say, yeah, things aren't, you know, the way they used to be, but we need to take action
to do something about it. So, that's kind of my -- that's kind of my big overview of just
the notes that I want you to pay -- to feel good about and I think they feel good about
that, because also it's representative of the attitude of the Council, it's representative of
the attitudes of the community and it's the kind of, yes, I can, yes, I can, yes, I can make
it happen and I know that Luke mentioned it's no different than I'll talk in a few minutes a
little bit again about the Meridian Business Day or other events and we think how
important it is to keep attitudes positive, so that people do spend money with our
businesses and they do work around each other. So, with that, kind of going forward,
as similar to what you have seen on the other updates and reports that we have given
and segmented into the category of first on the business enterprise corridor. As all of
you I believe are aware and some of -- most of you -- or a couple of you are -- I think
most of the Council was present at the original -- at the actual launch of the core back in
June. Following that we have the marketing summit, which we had approximately 45
different business representatives within the core that showed up at that. It was held at
St. Luke's Hospital. I know President Rountree was also present at that meeting. What
that has created is it's created more what I would consider to be a stakeholder
ownership in looking at how aprivate-public partnership in the core can be something
that's key to the job growth and the quality job growth and providing an industry and a
true business enterprise corridor cluster that we had talked about. What's happened is
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that since that time we are now working with ISU and the key stakeholders to look at
what's the appropriate entity to be ongoing at core representative of that stakeholder
group and those discussions actually are continuing on to tomorrow -- as of tomorrow
morning I have another meeting with the group, but to look at that entity that makes
sense and that may be a 501(c)(3), a 502(c)(6), it may be that entity to allow that
ongoing marketing approach to the core to the benefit of all the stakeholders. We have
already out of that original launch program we actually have entities that are major
developments in that project, such as Portico and others, that have asked the right to be
able to say we are part of the core, we are part of that kind of an entity. We have
engaged and what's happened is we have entities such as PKG, who are saying, hey,
look, we are kind of on the fringe of that geographic area you have identified, Phil, but
we want to be part of that whole core and what can we do as an operation. They have
actually invited the major -- some of the major businesses in the core to a planning
event actually at a Boise State football -- upcoming Boise State football game up in the
-- they have a box up there and they have brought all the people together and their
invitations went out for the purpose of gearing that whole business motivation about
what the core can mean. I would also mention one other positive thing. The comments
as you go by and you look at Portico and you look at the high rise building still going up,
it's very interesting, because it gives a positive attitude to what's going on over there
and the people look at it that way, although we haven't really got the press yet to jump
on that as much as they were worried about it when it wasn't going up, but we wish we
could. And, then, finally, we just had a -- we had a joint meeting reference the actual
white paper presentation to look at long term planning for field district and fields
innovation district. After our meeting where we had representatives of some of the
stakeholders, as well as particularly University of Idaho and other people that
contributed to that, we should be in a position probably by our next update or sooner as
a special meeting to present that white paper to the Council for consideration and
looking at it with regard to action items going forward. And I will ask if there is any
questions on that section before I go forward, I would be glad to answer them.
Rountree: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Rountree.
Rountree: Phil, when you talk about the session on the fields district and the
stakeholders present, were there any of the major landowners involved in that?
Stiffler: Not on that session. However, we have had discussions with them and our
goal was to present the white paper to them. That was the goal to get that prepared, so
they -- they had asked us, as you may be aware, we had representation from -- I believe
four to five of some of the major people out in that area in the original session and they
had asked that they would -- we ask more definitive about more of an action plan and
what could that mean down the road.
Rountree: Thank you.
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September 8, 2009
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Stiffler: The next is the section, as you're well aware of, having to do with that ongoing
engagement with existing and emerging Meridian businesses. These are just -- what
we have done is we have identified just a few of the examples and I guess part of the
examples to indicate that is that it was interesting -- the Mayor and I were over at Idaho
Fence Supply. I don't even know if any of the Councilmen are aware of Idaho Fence
Supply. Actually, I wasn't either. But low and behold, one of our other developers,
another individual in the community, said, Phil, you need to go -you need to go meet
with Idaho Fence Supply. These guys are the entrepreneurial kind of free spirit that,
guess what, they started abusiness -- they were working for a company in Boise,
which, actually, ran into financial troubles and they lost their job. What they did
entrepreneurially said, look, we are going to start up our own business and we are going
to start it up in Meridian and it's kind of one of those stories you'd like to get out there.
And so I think they were a little bit shocked that we actually had the -- had the
opportunity to go -- that we would take that initiative to go see them and now they are
looking at -- they are actually looking -- I can't speak out of this. They are looking at
another larger space in Meridian, because of the success and the growth of what they
are actually doing. But 1 think that was another indication I would say that even you look
at these in a way that are all connected to construction or contract and you think of that,
you go, wait a minute, Phil, how can they be optimistic. Well, what they are finding is
their different niche'. I'll just use the fence supply business. They are looking at in
some cases people may not be buying a new home, but they are looking at the people
that are also looking at improving their existing home or they are looking at those
targeted areas that makes sense. The same with Marv's Insulation, a good example.
So, I kind of separated a little bit some of the site visits directly with the Mayor with also
some of the other things that we see happening. I'm going to pick out in the next group
-- I'm going to pick out Syringa Networks. Those of you who may be aware of Syringa,
when we think of all the major broad band -- broad band technology from the standpoint
of where is that -- where is it being ran that actually has an idea of looking at being able
to serve the growth and the technology for the future of the city. One of the things they
are very excited about and got very engaged in is primarily within the core and that
capability that actually we helped arrange, they have had meetings with the developers
there, they already know what they can serve related to St. Luke's Hospital and others
and they are a major player in the context of wanting to say we want to be a player in
that to make sure that we have the capability to have that technology support for any
growth that would happen in the core. Obviously, the third piece there is that we -- we
still continue to -- to what I would say communicate in appropriate -- we don't try to do
the chambers job and they don't try to do our job, we need to make sure that we are
coordinating with them where it's appropriate. The two -- the two next ones -- I think
Luke did steal a little bit of the thunder for Josh and I. Josh is smiling. But that's okay,
because it's been a very cooperative effort and the Meridian Business and Professional
Business Group, I won't go into anymore than Luke just mentioned. It is exciting. It's a
positive thing for Meridian; it's a positive thing for our community and the business
people. The last one there on planning for the next Meridian Business Day, I will say to
you we have had people ask us when is the next Meridian Business Day. When is the
next Meridian Business Day? And you say -- it's a little bit like some of you have -- I
know that all the Council, I believe, had a chance to go over and visit at Venga Works, if
Meridian City Council
September 8, 2009
Page 13 of 34
I'm correct. I don't know -- I know that, Councilman Hoaglun, you have been at the
smoke out. I don't know how many of the Councilmen have had a chance to be there.
But the exciting part is kind of that non-formalized kind of networking to the point that we
saw it in Meridian Business Day, we are seeing it out -- what's happening in the smoke
out, where business people are connecting with other business people and saying, you
know, I didn't know that -- I didn't know that you did this. I'd like to do business with you.
And that may sound small, but it's not small, because it's, again, part of that whole
overview of that positive side and people seeing that opportunity and it's great when
they get together and if you still remember that day here, we had close to 400 people
and I would say that based on -- with all the engagement and look at it, is the catalyst
behind it, a lot of the people that have stayed -- that have stayed the course on helping
to get that set up to begin with, are staying the course on all the activities as a catalyst
and, as I say, the Mayor is saying where ever we can get those people to help or
engage what we are doing, they are doing that and they know that part of their success
is our success. Any questions on any of that?
Rountree: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes, Mr. Rountree.
Rountree: Phil, you mentioned the smoke out.
Stiffler: Yes.
Rountree: And all of these things are couched in terms of Meridian, which is
appropriate. But the last smoke out lattended -- not the last one that was held -- a
good share of the people I met were from Boise based companies who had heard about
it and they were there to do the same thing that the Meridian folks are there --
Stiffler: Yes
Rountree: -- and I'm not so sure that maybe it isn't about time -- and I'm not -- I know
you're not connected with the smoke out, but in terms of the Meridian Business and
Professional Services, is it -- we get those feelers out there more from Meridian
Business Day and maybe make it Meridian's -- the hub of Treasure Valley, come one,
come all kind of a business day, instead of just focusing primarily on Meridian, because
we are all playing in this game together.
De Weerd: You know, I agree with you, Councilman Rountree, and so have the
organizers and, you know, I do think they are a representative of the Treasure Valley
and they are trying to bring it back to their communities and doing like projects. I know
that certainly Brandon has been asked to -- to go to different communities and see what
they can gain from what the smoke out has kind of initiated and some of the energy and
business to business relationship building that they have nurtured over there. So, it
certainly has been an area of discussion.
Meridian Ciry Council
September 8, 2009
Page 14 of 34
Stiffler: I would only add the one comment that I would reiterate I think the success as
we continue -- it is the idea of Meridian within the Treasure Valley and within the Boise
valley and how that relates and we are all related to that success and I think that what's
happened out of the Meridian Business Day -- Meridian Business Day, as it's promoted,
did not mean to exclude so it's only Meridian businesses. We need to use that as that
invitation. In fact, we have heard some comments that some of the other cities want to
duplicate a very similar event. Well, the idea let the event still be one, but patience wise
if we support that to the ultimate success of the economic excellence side of the whole
Treasure Valley. On an ongoing positioning for sustainable economic base, I will say
the one -- the one comment that I mentioned to the Council before is that the one area
that we have continued to see that has not changed a whole lot yet is the financial side
of the financing for those business enterprises. And I would say that even in a recent
discussion that -- at the Mayor's Advisory Council about a week ago I got talking to
some of the people from Venga Works and a few of the other businesses prior to the
meeting and it was the same thing. So, I'd say that we still are trying to see where ever
we could be a conduit or a catalyst or anything reference that financial side of the
business enterprise, because for the same reasons we see I talk about a start up or a
new business or that thing that springs out of something else. The SBA and other
things have some sources that be there, but that is still one of the big challenges. And
so I guess we still try to think where ever we can draw upon or open to any tools or
anything that could be there to look at that -- that financial side of the potential for a lot
of that small to medium size business growth. It's still a challenge.
Hoaglun: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes.
Hoaglun: Question for Phil on that. You know, nationally they are talking -- I read an
article again today on the commercial and refinancing and the difficulty that's being had
out there by these folks. If you can speak to Meridian, what's your assessment of -- I'm
sure there is difficulty, but is it a little brighter spot, is it worse off than the national
picture? Where would you place us or are we just like everybody else?
Stiffler: I would guess that Iwould -- I guess my personal opinion would be is that in
some ways we are a little worse off, because we are not a big enough market for
attention in some ways to some of the financial side and we talk about some of the
venture capital money, we still are struggling to be recognized in some ways, so as it
starts to come back I go back to my banking background, is when it starts to come back
in some ways I'd like to say: But, wait a minute, where is your risk? Is your risk better
looking at here versus where it is over here in this larger community? But I think it
would depend, again, on the type of business side. I think to the extent that we think
about residential -- I mean whether construction or commercial, Phoenix, San Diego,
and some of those areas, we are far ahead of them, you know, in some of those --
some of those areas, because the risk side and looking at the assessment is going to
put us at a higher level. I think sometimes still within the venture capital, that kind of
emerging kind of business, the ones that are kind of -- they are going to help make our
Meridian City Council
September S, 2009
Page 15 of 34
future, I wish we had more sources. That's what I keep hearing. You know, we don't
have the same sources that you would even find in a Seattle or a Portland and they
attracted that kind of investment dollars. So, I think part our overall ongoing, as a valley
and as a state, of recognition who we really are, that's still going to be a challenge, but I
view it's an opportunity, because if we can get our story out there and they really start to
assess it, I think we have very viable business enterprises, ones that are popping up out
of -- even out of Venga Works, things that we have seen there that are still trying to find
that privatized investment capital. Just going down this, I kind of -- I just listed off a few
of some of the other ongoing kind of dialogues or discussions -- these have come out of
the core, they have come out of other developments -- you're familiar with a lot of it,
some of the names here. We could probably list every one of the developers, because
it's kind of like when the call comes in or when they are talking about individual things.
The one other one that I want to bring up -- and I welcome the Mayor's comment, too.
The Mayor's Professional Workforce Development Advisory Council -- I don't know, I
got to check myself on how long it's been in existence now. I think it's going on six
months? I'm trying to go back to the meetings. The group that we have there -- and I
would say this -- and I think it's important and complimentary for the Council to
understand, that group of individuals has been one of the most passionate, progressive,
positive influential kind of groups that I have been involved in since I have been involved
in working with the city in the economic excellence arena and I think the Mayor in the
most recent meeting we just had last week -- these people came up with -- I tell you
what, if your heart wasn't going before you went into the meeting -- and this is what I'm
kind of talking -- your heart was beating fast when you went out of the meeting, because
they were saying what can we make Meridian be? What can we make -- how can we
make it different? And the concept of this, as you remember, President Rountree that
we handed out a survey at the core marketing summit. And it was interesting, one
central theme that all the business people there said, okay, how can we make our
business enterprise corridor or our health district, how can we make it different? What
can make ours different? And the Mayor's Advisory Council, we got all all kinds -- it all
started focusing in. We rotate that advisory council so that it's at a different business for
each meeting to any of the people that are present. This last one was at
bodybuilding.com. So, at each one of those sessions they helped to inform the other
business people about what they are doing, where they are going, what's happening.
Well, that goes all into the health and welfare and the fitness of everything to do with the
workforce. Is it a place where business would like to be, because this is a community
that cares about those kinds of values. That cares about the worker. That cares about
the health and welfare of the workers, their families, et cetera. Well, by the time they
got done we actually at some point in time -- the Mayor's pushing me along. I'd like to --
I'd like to show you a copy of a -- of a video that was done on an animal -- animal
corridor back in Kansas City, which we will bring to the Council at some point in time,
that MWI brought to us, one of our companies, of what's actually going on back there.
But, anyway, my summary would be this: You have an advisory council that is very pro-
active in wanting to give input and insight into the success of economic excellence for
the city. With that I'll skip down to the good news stories, because I do want to bring a
couple of those up. All of you're aware of good news stories and the idea that looking at
-- looking at, for example, that Intermountain Gas putting their corporate headquarters,
Meridian City Council
September 8, 2009
Page 16 of 34
as you know, over in EI Dorado. If you look at the same token, if you look at -- if you
notice the IBR just recently advanced precision on the gun making firm that could be an
additional 30 jobs that are going here. Thirdly, there was some rumors going along
about the Black Hawk manufacturing was going to be moving their distribution center
and out of here and they were going to Montana. It's not happening. They are staying
here. So, anyway, with that -- I will skip on. Unless questions. Last one on targeting
marketing to attract new value added business. Just quickly I will say this, you have
heard me make some comments appropriately sometimes when we see some of the
opportunities that come through our joint efforts in working with BVEP. Again, these are
code names. One of them we just happen to mention is project Apple, which -- all I can
say about this is it's one that we are kind of excited about. This does not require an
immediate existing building for them to move in. Sometimes you run into problems with
some of these as they come in. This is one that can be a build -- built to suit, which
means we have some opportunities in this -- this response. But I will say -- and this
maybe an interest in kind of what's going nationally, the recent projects that have been
coming through BVEP in the last really 60 days -- from Phil's opinion, Josh's opinion,
and stuff, are conceivably more viable, real opportunities in a way that tells me
something about the economy, too, and where people are looking at going. As the
Council is aware also one of the things that we are looking at, obviously, with regard to
-- regard to other potential investment or communities is that evaluation related to our
trip coming up to China with regard to the potential for that Chinese investment and that
will be something we can report on later. Last item there, which, in honesty and brevity
of what's saying there, the Semi Con West Trade Show was not one that I would say
that I can come back and say I saw value in. Unfortunately, the nature of what was
anticipated to be at that show was not as anticipated. I would say it's not a show that I
would recommend that the BVEP or ourselves participate in. With that I will be quiet.
De Weerd: Council? Wow, you promise?
Stiffer: Promise.
De Weerd: Council, questions?
Rountree: I have no --
Bird: I have none.
Stiffler: Thank you.
C. Clerk's Office
1. Discussion on Council Recommendations for new
Agenda Manager Submission Process
De Weerd: Thank you, Phil. Okay. Item 7-C is our Clerk's Office, discussion regarding
our new Agenda Manager submittal process.
Meridian City Council
September 8, 2009
Page 17 of 34
Holman: Thank you, Madam Mayor. President Rountree, Madam Mayor, Members of
the Council, this subject is actually -- was suggested by the Mayor at one of our
meetings when I was discussing the upgrade to the Agenda Manager processes. Right
now we have been doing all of the packet preparation, kind of it in dual mode and a
testing mode, where we scan everything in the way we always have and, then, we have
also been creating a pdf packet, which is, actually, how Agenda Manager will publish it,
It will all be one document with market chapters for the different items on the agenda.
One of the suggestions that the Mayor had was to solicit your input about how you
would like the land use items scanned into Agenda Manager. Sometimes some of the
items, the way we have scanned them in in the past, end up being 50 to 100 page
documents and when you're at a meeting trying to get to a certain section of an
application or elevations or staff reports or whatever item you are specifically looking
for, you may not have the time to do that while they are presenting that portion of
whatever project it is. So, what I'm seeking from all of you is just some direction as to
what items you specifically go to or look at or how you would like to see this stuff
scanned in and, essentially, tabbed and separated within Agenda Manager. I also am
asking for the October 6th meeting, if it's possible, for you all to come a little bit early,
maybe 15 or 20 minutes, so I can walk through with you how to navigate your way
through the new pdf packet and to access it. It's fairly simple, but either I -- I guess two
choices, I could have you come early or set up a time within my office where we could
go over it one on one if you had more specific questions. It's really -- I'd just like to do it
however it would work best for all of you and the Mayor.
De Weerd: That's all right. I already gave my two cents worth. So, Council, I guess
what we are asking is how to better categorize your packet of information, so you're not
flipping through 90 pages and trying to remember where you saw the -- the neighbor
letter or the list of who got the notice within 300 feet -- you know, the ACHD report or
the school district comments or what have you. If you can look at that systematically
how to categorize or what is worth having its own category for that makes it meaningful
for you. So, it's easier to tab and to search on. So, that's -- that's the kind of feedback
we are hoping to get from you.
Canning: Madam Mayor'?
De Weerd: Yes, Anna.
Canning: If the Mayor and Council would like, we can break up the staff report as well.
I know that those have a lot of factual information in them for -- so, that we have a good
record, but we can structure that staff report however Mayor and Council would like as
well.
De Weerd: You know, because I do know we had a discussion on this sometime ago --
along time ago and just didn't have the capacity to do it, but, you know, we have legal
issues -- or legal things that need to be in the official file, doesn't necessarily need to be
in the umpteen pages that you have, like the legal descriptions or -- I don't know what all
Meridian Ciry Council
September S, 2009
Page 18 of 34
they are, but those can be tabbed into, you know, another category that is not as
pertinent. So, just, again, what are those things that really drive you to that -- that help
you be better informed as to where to find elevations, your plat, you know, even
separating out the conditional use issues with the annexation.
Zaremba: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Zaremba.
Zaremba: I don't know if this is what you're looking for or maybe it's out of the realm of
what we are planning, but I'm assuming you're talking about scanning in hard copy
pages, which is what we normally get, and I have been able to navigate through them
and find things that I need fairly well, but it could be easier if they were supplied to you
in electronic form and, then, we could have some kind of a search engine with them that
would allow us to do a key word search. I realize that gets into technology and other
stuff, but if you're scanning in a hard copy, that's not a possibility, but if you were
scanning -- if you were receiving them electronically and putting them in, then, it would
be possible to have a key word search or something like that.
Holman: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, a lot of the documents -- and
Councilman Zaremba. A lot of the documents that we do receive now are submitted
electronically through Agenda Manager. So, we are -- I do have to print a paper copy of
them regardless, because I have to have a physical minute book now. But the things
that I -- there are some things I do end up scanning in hard copies and those are things
that have original signatures. I will scan them in so that Council can see beforehand
that other entities have signed them, our staff has signed off on them all and that all
that's remaining is for the Mayor to sign and for me to attest after approval. But for the
most part they are scanned electrically and I believe if you have ever done a search
within Adobe Acrobat you can search by certain words and you should be able to
search this file within Acrobat to find specifically what you're looking for. We were just
thinking more along the lines of a quick reference -- we have always done it this way
and I'm not a big fan of we do it this way because we have always done it this way.
Now that we have a new system, if we can organize it more efficiently, create a new
system, okay, these are the five items that we want, instead of -- like we have been
going application, comments, minutes, notices, P&Z items, and packet,
recommendation -- are there some of those sections that could be combined, because
you don't really look at some of that in detail at a meeting and other items that we could
expand out that would be easier for you to search, so -- and if it's easier for all of you to
send this to me in an a-mail format to collect your thoughts and do it that way, that's
acceptable forme also, so you don't have to think about it on the fly, so --
Rountree: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Rountree.
Meridian City Council
September 8, 2009
Page 19 of 34
Rountree: I'm just going to shoot you some stuff here. An aerial photo to have.
Surrounding zoning map. Site map and elevation could be -- site plan and elevations
could be combined under one tab or one category. Public comments. Agency
comments. Plat, if we are dealing with the preliminary or final plat. Public noticing and
any draft recommended language for DAs or such that might be included in a motion for
approval or denial. Staff always provides us with the -- with awrite-up anyway in terms
of where we are with respect to Planning and Zoning, what the remaining issues are,
and that sort of thing and I kind of like to have that as a hard copy still as a reference.
But those are things off the top of my head that I would refer to back and forth as we
deliberate a project and anything more than that it starts getting confusing and -- to me
and, then, I would rely on staff for the specificity that might be in an application. I don't
really need to see the application personally.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I agree with Councilman Rountree, because I doubt if -- on the application --out of
those 96 pages if we read ten, 15 pages, you know, we skim through and get the main
points and (think -- I think right there to make the decision -- and if it's too complicated
we can always come back to the hard copy and find out, so I'd like to keep it as simple
as we can, but yet have enough information that we can make judgment on and I think
what he just pointed out takes care of that in my mind.
Hoaglun: Madam Mayor, just a quick thought. What occurred to me was the fact I like
when Planning and Zoning does their report, I like to go to that, because, then, I can
find out out of the 20 issues there are only two things that are of concern and 1 want to
know what -- what those issues are. And maybe if there is a way -- I don't know if this
software allows that, if there is a way you can hyper link what the issues are to the place
in the application or the pertinent documents, so you can just jump there quickly and
easily to find out what -- because everything else is taken care of, it's done, we don't
have to worry about it, but on those issues, okay, what's the information, who is
recommending what, why is that an issue, and different things like that. So, don't know
if it's possible, but something to look at, keep in mind.
Holman: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, Councilman Hoaglun, 1 will look into
that. I'm learning more and more about Agenda Manager every day, so --
Canning: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, I assume the section you're talking
about is the analysis section and we could -- we could move that to the front. The -- we
have been reluctant to do that in the past, because sometimes it -- before you present
all the facts it makes it seem like you're jumping to a conclusion by just having the
analysis. But I think it would certainly serve as a more useful document in a lot of ways
to have the analysis at the beginning of the document. So, we can try it that way for
awhile, if Mayor and Council would like to see that.
Meridian Ciry Council
September 8, 2009
Page 20 of 34
De Weerd: I think, again, the ease of tabs and -- yeah, there should be a whole tot of
them, but if they are logical -- I would also advise to have this discussion with the
Planning and Zoning Commission and seek their feedback, because what we do here
will also help with the ease of the public finding information as well, as part of the public
record. So, I guess if it makes sense to all of us, we may want to float it by a couple of
others and -- and, again, we are just trying to have better ease of getting information, as
someone's testifying you think of something, oh, I remember seeing something, it's nice
to not have to -- to start paging down to find where that might have been and, I know,
some people who are technically inclined know about search engines, you know, I'm
going page down, so --
Holman: So, Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, would you prefer to come a little
bit early to a meeting and do it that way or have me train you individually?
Bird: Come early.
Zaremba: I move to come in early --
Rountree: Early.
Zaremba: -- for a regular meeting.
Holman: Okay. So, do we want to -- and I will send a reminder also. Would the
October 6th meeting work --
Rountree: Sure.
Holman: -- for that, because, then, I believe the Mayor will be here and we should have
-- will everybody be at that meeting that you're aware of?
Zaremba: I know I expect to be.
Rountree: I am.
Holman: As it gets closer I will send out a reminder, then.
Rountree: Yeah. It looks like it would work.
Holman: Thank you.
2. Discussion on Request for Reconsideration Hearing for
Temporary Classroom at Paramount Elementary School
De Weerd: Thank you, Council. Item 7-C-2. Anna, did you want to present this? I
know it's listed under the clerk's office, but --
Meridian City Council
September 8, 2009
Page 21 of 34
Canning: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, we have a request for
reconsideration for the Paramount temporary trailers. It's been filed under Councilman
Rountree's name. It did come indirectly through a -- one of the neighbors that is -- his
backyard faces the Paramount school site, so there is a request for reconsideration
before you.
De Weerd: Okay. I think, Council, you did get the letter. We have had about a half
dozen a-mails from other residents who also would like this reconsideration heard. Mr.
Nary, did you have something to add?
Nary: Excuse me, Madam Mayor, Members of the Council. The other issue that was
raised was anotice -- because this was a certificate of zoning compliance, the code
doesn't require actual notice be mailed. But, then, of course, the neighbors, then, only
happened to know of this -- there was some posting on the site, but other than that once
it was moved there and school started is when the building was seen by the neighbors.
So, the notice was an issue and a concern that was raised by the applicant as well, so
those are, I guess, two issues, one was the notice and secondarily was they were
seeking a rehearing, because they wanted to discuss the color of this building in relation
to their neighborhood.
Zaremba: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Zaremba.
Zaremba: You mentioned that we all have received a number of e-mails. I would clarify
that at least one of them was actually from the president of the homeowners
association. So, it was neighbors that are concerned, but also he was saying the entire
association would like to speak to us as well.
De Weerd: Okay.
Rountree: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Rountree.
Rountree: The question -- the question I had when I received the request was -- in the
first request was the colors don't work with the community and my thought is, well, we
don't enforce CC&Rs, but I don't know what the applicant -- and the school district did
with respect to finding out if they are part of the homeowners association and I don't
know that we know that yet, do we, Anna?
Canning: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, I did contact Brighton Corporation as
the largest member of the homeowners association and they said that they did not have
any means of influence over this decision. I think that means they are not part of the
HOA, but I wasn't sure exactly.
Meridian City Council
September 8, 2009
Page 22 of 34
Rountree: Yeah. That's an interesting way out. Anyway, that's a thought that came to
me when I heard the issue and the reason why I said go ahead and put on for
reconsideration. Our action tonight is simply will we reconsider our decision about
placing the portable -- temporary portable on site as is or do we want to rehear it -- hear
the public testimony and reconsider our decision of last week. So, that's the action we
need to take. Do we or do we not reconsider.
Hoaglun: Madam Mayor, I have a question for legal counsel. Bill, on this if we take
action for reconsideration, those portables are there, they are in use, school has started,
that does not affect anything in the time being, does it?
Nary: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, Councilmember Hoaglun, no, they can
still operate those, dependent if you grant this, depending on the outcome of the
hearing, that can impact on whether or not they can continue. But right now it wouldn't
affect them at all.
Zaremba: Mr. President -- or Madam Mayol?
De Weerd: Yes, Mr. Zaremba.
Zaremba: I know we considered this before, but there may be some additional things
we could learn. As I look around at some of the other schools that have temporary
buildings already. Many of them might be visible from the closest neighbor, but they are
not visible from any street and I don't remember whether this one, in particular, is visible
beyond one or two homes. And I think the only way we would learn that -- and it may
make adifference -- would be if we actually did grant the reconsideration. And I don't
think we'd reconsider whether they can have the building or not, what we had as our
discussion is whether they needed to comply with current requirements of, you know,
modulation of the front and stuff, but I don't think we did talk about color.
De Weerd: Yeah. Council, I guess they -- the school district in the application packet
did -- did detail a lot of that. The portables -- and there are a number of them at
Mountain View High School. There certainly were at Meridian High before Rocky
Mountain and, no, they don't paint them different colors or give modulation of different
architectural design. So, it certainly -- your decision to -- to move forward I -- are you
the ones that requested reconsideration? Certainly the couple who initiated this, if you
have any questions of them to help with your decision to decide if this should be
reconsidered or not.
Rountree: Madam Mayor, it would be my desire to hear from the folks -- they have
been through this agony for the last hour, they ought to get an opportunity to tell us --
De Weerd: We think we are really interesting, but we have heard otherwise. If you
would like to make comment, if you would like to come forward.
Nary: Madam Mayor'?
Meridian City Council
September S, 2009
Page 23 of 34
De Weerd: Just -- yes.
Nary: Just to be sure that --this is not an opportunity for evidence, this is, really, just an
opportunity to just make a decision on whether to hear it again. So, I didn't want you to
testify is all.
De Weerd: If you will, please, state your name and address for the record.
Watson: Keith Watson.
M.Watson: And Margo Watson.
De Weerd: Thank you. And your address?
Watson: We are at 762 West Cagney and it's adjacent -- on that north -- northwest
corner of the Paramount property.
De Weerd: Thank you. Mr. Rountree, did you have questions?
Rountree: 1 guess, you know, you stated your position before, you were concerned
primarily about the color.
Watson: We are primarily about the color. Other neighbors are concerned about the
presence of it altogether, but our view is that we understand that there is a need for it
and we accept that, but it needs to fit into the community and without giving testimony,
it's kind of like the thing that just happened across the street from you with Zamzows,
this big white ugly elephant there and now you come and you look at it and it fits into the
community perfectly -- or fits in with this building very nice. And that's all we are asking
for ourselves in Paramount is that they color that thing, so that it meets the community
and it blends in with the school.
M.Watson: I did notice -- I mean one comment I did hear or a question that was asked
whether it was visible from a street. There are homes that surround three sides of the
school and, of course, opposite all of the streets. It is very visible from the street. It's
very glaring. Especially now that they have put bright white railing on it. But it's not on
the edge of a subdivision, it's in the middle of a subdivision.
De Weerd: I'll bet our fire department had something to do with the big white fence or
something. A railing or something. Sorry, Joe.
M.Watson: We are the home where the Arbor Tree Day was
Watson: Yeah. Which you attended.
De Weerd: Oh, we visited with you in your backyard.
Meridian City Council
September 8, 2009
Page 24 of 34
Watson: That was exactly -- nice to see you again.
De Weerd: Nice to see you.
Watson: So, it's really -- for us it's not an issue of should it be there, for us it's an issue
that it should blend in with the community, because it's just some white color they threw
out and I went to the Dean -- I mean I went to Dean -- the principal --
Nary: Probably shouldn't get into that.
De Weerd: That's why we -- that's why we invite him to keep us out of trouble.
Watson: I understand.
Rountree: Appreciate your comments.
De Weerd: I know. It's that fine line of what is information and what is testimony.
Watson: The only thing I could encourage you to do is to drive by and have a look and
you would clearly see that it's out of character with the community and we have such a
fabulous community here, you lose -- you lose part of -- if you lose track of that process,
then, you know, you tum into Nampa.
Hoaglun: That wasn't testimony, that was just --
De Weerd: Good thing we are not on TVTV.
Rountree: Yeah. Cable TV.
De Weerd: That was your out loud voice.
Watson: Yeah. That's right.
De Weerd: Yes, Mr. Rountree.
Rountree: Well, I appreciate your concern. Had it been better noticed we would have
had this input last week. Whether or not that would have impacted our decision I don't
know. If there is a sense that we want to hear additional information and change our
decision, then, we ought to move to set up a request for reconsideration. If we are not
going to change or position, there is no sense of putting a bunch of other people
through --
Watson: If I could make another comment, Madam Mayor. Reading the minutes of that
August 25th meeting where you approved this, it seems to me the discussion on the
Council was the architectural aspects of the building, not the color. And it's just like you
Meridian City Council
September 8, 2009
Page 25 of 34
kind of -- like that went right by and clearly when you put it in the middle of a community
that's part of the architectural part, but I didn't see any reference in the -- in the minutes
-- that even any color was discussed.
De Weerd: And I guess, you know, just -- I hope I'm not providing testimony. I will look
that way as I make my comment. The balance that the Council has is, you know, where
-- what decision should the city be involved in and what should they not. CC&Rs dictate
oftentimes the architectural aspects -- you know, on this one the school district school
does anticipate certain things. They will put it in a preliminary plat and so colors are
never anything we have been involved in selecting or even asking about and those --
those are usually -- and I think that's why Councilman Rountree probably did ask -- is
this part of the CC&Rs as kind of that umbrella of looking at appropriateness and its
usually not something we get involved in and that's probably why this is such an
unusual thing for us is we are being asked to reconsider on an element that we usually
don't go down that road, so --
Watson: In light of the a-mail that you received, as welt as my letter that was filed
timely, I think that as a minimum the residents of Meridian should have -- at least be
able to provide testimony to this issue to reconsider.
Rountree: Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you. That's why you get paid the big bucks.
Rountree: Yeah. I guess my comment is on the major decision we made with respect
to the zoning certificate, I don't know that I would be inclined to change that decision.
Are there other things that we might do to add conditions to that decision, I suppose
color would be one. Identifying what temporary actually means might be another one. I
don't know.
Hoaglun: Madam Mayor?
Rountree: I think we are going to build some expectations based on the a-mails that we
are -- that it's going to go away and Idon't -- I guess from my perspective I don't see
that happening.
De Weerd: Mr. Hoaglun.
Hoaglun: Just to -- my thinking on that, if Council decides to consider, my vote to have
portables at that school there would not change. I mean they are overcrowded and
although my kids are in college now, I do well remember when they were in elementary
school being moved from place to place as we are trying to find space and that's not
any fun to have kids at the neighborhood school as what -- I want to keep that, preserve
that, but at the same time having a structure that does not fit and is glaring and stands
out is -- is not any fun and it does detract from a neighborhood. So, then, it's a matter of
do we reconsider that, because, then, we can help facilitate between the neighbors and
Meridian City Council
September 8, 2009
Page 26 of 34
the school district and, then, are we opening the door to -- are we going to be doing this
more often on color and different things like that and is that something that Council
should be getting into in a neighborhood. That's -- that's the tough part of it. I happen
to have a white outbuilding since before we were in the city limits and I feel sorry for my
neighbors. One of these days I'm going to change that color, because it's a big white
glaring building, but -- so I understand that issue, so --
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I agree with what Councilman Hoaglun just said, that I don't think I would want to
see the portable moved, but I also believe that that is a public building and while they --
Iguess don't have to adhere to the CC&Rs, I don't think we want a sore thumb sticking
out there. And I -- I believe that the a-mails we got and the -- or the talking that we just
had -- not testimony -- I believe that a solution can be worked out between it. While I
probably would not -- unless something really drastic was brought forward, I would not
move to see it removed, because of the crowding they do need it.
De Weerd: Are you providing testimony in this discussion?
Nary: Thinking out loud.
Bird: It's just a statement. I'm not testifying.
Rountree: He hasn't changed his mind.
Bird: I haven't changed my mind yet. Give me a chance. But -- so I would certainly
entertain reconsidering reconsideration of it, to maybe see what we could do to -- to
make it more presentable if we possibly can.
Zaremba: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Zaremba.
Zaremba: And I would repeat also that I would not be reconsidering whether the
building should be there or not. I think the school needs it and it needs to be there.
They have already said that their plan is, when they don't need it there they are going to
move it and reuse it and they will continue to reuse it other places. This may be very
simple. If we went ahead and reconsidered, that means the school district would also
come and testify and they may very quickly say we are happy to paint it. They need to
be maintaining it and --
Bird: They won't.
Meridian City Council
September 8, 2009
Page 27 of 34
Zaremba: -- having it fit in. Well, I'd give them that opportunity, but, again, I guess my
point is I'm not thinking of withdrawing their ability to have the building there.
Hoaglun: Madam Mayor, if I might ask a question of either Anna or Bill. Has the city
ever required paint colors to be part of the CC&Rs within an area or is that something
that's brand new?
Canning: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, we don't require CC&Rs, so that's --
that's the developers vision for his -- his development or her development. But the
application that was before you the other night was design review. They were
appealing a decision of mine with regard to design review. The portables are a principal
permitted use, so that the question is not whether or not they can be there, the question
was whether or not they met the appropriate design review standards. So, this is a new
area in that it was a design review question, which is fairly new to the -- to the city.
Citywide design review.
Rountree: Anna, help out. Madam Mayor, please. I believe in some of the design
review language there is discussions about colors and their relationship to their
environment. So, it could -- could be reconsidered based on the design review, as
opposed to the site and I think that needs to be understood, the reconsideration is not
about whether or not it can be there, the reconsideration is, again, design review type of
activities.
Canning: Yes.
De Weerd: So, that a lot of this is -- the reconsideration would be based on saying that
the public hearing sign with the date and the purpose was not sufficient?
Canning: Correct.
De Weerd: Did we have in our design review ordinance public noticing guidelines?
Canning: Not within design review. Within the -- nor within the alternative compliance,
but within the City Council's review of a director's decision, yes.
Hoaglun: If I might continue with the thinking out loud process, but it sounds like this is
a candidate for a Paint The Town initiative.
Rountree: I think it's a great Eagle Scout project myself, but --
Hoaglun: I mean we have a problem. We need to solve the problem. But how we go
about it is a matter of making it happen. You know, that's --
De Weerd: Great City Council public servant project I would say.
Meridian City Council
September 8, 2009
Page 28 of 34
Hoaglun: I was going to say, if we have a bunch of high school kids who want to get
involved with the Mayor's task force, we have a project for them to get involved with on
a Saturday.
De Weerd: It looks like the Mayor has a project.
Hoaglun: We will have to pony up a few dollars from our pockets for paint and off we
go.
Canning: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes.
Canning: The one statutory time limit with regard to this application was met. I don't
believe -- and Mr. Nary can correct me -- that you -- you have the option of putting off
this request for reconsideration for some time if you would like the school district to work
with the homeowners association or the PTA to resolve the issue in a different manner.
That might be an option.
De Weerd: So, there is an option to table this to a date certain to see if the school
district and the neighbors could meet to discuss this further?
Canning: I believe so. I don't think there is anything that prohibits it.
Nary: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, there is nothing that prohibits it. I would
indicate -- and this is not testimony either, but Idid -- I did have contact with the school
district and at least in my discussion with -- what was the fellow's name? Hammers.
Wayne Hammers. He already had contact with the district officials. They weren't
interested in this type of discussion and they said we will just see what the Council -- so,
we can certainly do it if you'd like, I'm just saying they didn't seem to be interested last
week in having that. Now, if you'd like us to be more forceful we certainly can, but they
-- my take of that conversation was they are expecting to be back in front of you again.
And just to help maybe clean up a little -- or clean up a little bit of what Anna is saying,
because this is a new process, when Mrs. Canning and I looked at the ordinance in
relation to CZCs, it's not very clear how we would notice these things. It's not required
that we send out notice to everybody, but some of the process sort of is -- sort of implies
that more notice should be provided and so if it's your opinion -- these folks are here
because if they had been here last week and had raised the issue of color and not just
architectural design, in my opinion that's adequate for you to have considered it, based
on what's in your design review standards. So, what they are really claiming today is
they didn't get notice and have any way to really know they should have been here a
week ago and, therefore, now they are asking you to reconsider your decision, because
they would have raised something that was not brought before you and you didn't
consider, which is, really, the intent of your reconsideration ordinance. That was the
purpose of it. They weren't a party, which is required under our ordinance, but their
reason for not being a party, because, again, they didn't receive adequate notice. I
Meridian Ciry Council
September 8, 2009
Page 29 of 34
don't believe the notice was legally deficient, but they have a valid argument that they
probably should have received more notice than they did and because our process is
new and recently created, it was -- it was unclear to both myself and Mrs. Canning as to
how would we really provide that. So, we didn't provide mailed notices, we didn't
provide -- we didn't require they sign the property, although I understand the school
district did sign the property, but there was no radius notice mailed to anybody, all it was
was noticed on your agenda.
De Weerd: But I think if you look at it on the school site, it certainly doesn't -- if you
don't have any kids in school you're not going to see that sign. So, I guess that is a
point. That's a huge sign, but it's only applicable if you're going to happen to drive by it.
Nary: Right. And, again, it wasn't required, because our ordinance doesn't require it. I
think Mrs. Canning and I spoke afterwards and decided that there probably needs to be
abetter process for these as well, because since normal CZCs -- and the only example
I can give you that she and I discussed was the McDonald's. Normal CZCs don't
require notices, they just require -- that because the use is already determined to be
okay. So, they are only making sure they are in compliance with your zoning
requirements, but when they don't meet the standards for design review, that's a little
different than your zoning requirements, so you're not having a discussion with the
public over whether it can be there, it's what is it going to look like. Now, it does impact
and it sounds more like a CU or conditional use permit than a normal administrative
process. So, I think that's the hybrid we created and that's something I think we are
looking toward to maybe make the process a little bit better for folks to be able to get
adequate notice, so they can provide an objection timely to you. It was a long answer,
but if I was way off the track for Mrs. Canning, she --
De Weerd: Can you summarize?
Nary: We will hear more about that --
Nary: I can't, but Dean can, so --
Bird: Let's make a motion and, then, we will -- Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I move that we reconsider the hearing on the temporary classroom at Paramount
Elementary School on the design and review.
Zaremba: Second.
De Weerd: Okay. I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Madam Clerk, will
you, please, call roll.
Roll-Call: Bird, yea; Rountree, yea; Zaremba, yea; Hoaglun, yea.
Meridian City Council
September 8, 2009
Page 30 of 34
De Weerd: All ayes. Motion carries.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
De Weerd: So if --
Zaremba: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: -- Mr. Nary would discuss the next step, so the neighbors will --
Bird: Let's get it going.
De Weerd: Out loud.
Nary: Oh, out loud. I'm sorry.
De Weerd: Yes. In your out loud voice.
Nary: Because part of the request was internal, we can work, basically, with the clerk's
office, the planning department, and the neighbors to send out the notice, make sure
the property is going to have to get posted now, which may now have to get posted on
the public right of way, so we will to go through ACHD to do that, unless the school will
consent to posting, which sometimes happens, sometimes doesn't. But we will have to
work with the clerk's office and Planning to get the site posted, to get the notice up and
to find a date. So, the date will be sometime in the next four to six weeks. Is that
approximately right? So, at least three weeks. So, four to six is probably --
Canning: I think it's three to four, usually.
Nary: Yeah. A minimum of three. So, it will be at least four to six by the time we get
notices published, get a consent to post -- or to probably post on the right of way, rather
than on the school property, as well as newspaper and mailed notices, it will be four to
six weeks.
Rountree: So, the soonest will be the 13th?
Nary: Of October?
Rountree: Of October. And the next would be the 27th.
Nary: Yes.
De Weerd: So, we will have it available at the City Clerk's office once a date is set, so
you can call the Ciry Clerk's office or look on the website, we will have it posted there.
Meridian City Council
September 8, 2009
Page 31 of 34
Rountree: Thanks for coming.
De Weerd: And I guess, Robert, what I would also like us to explore -- I know there is a
couple of Eagle Scouts that are looking for projects. Some of the concern here is what
the cost to the school district is and that sort of thing. So, if -- and I know that was the
PTA's concern. So, our office and with Luke maybe we can look at how we can find that
kind of volunteerism to find a solution before that time frame.
Rountree: Process, Madam Mayor. We could probably buy the paint.
De Weerd: Well, I would have actually preferred tabling it to have this opportunity. I
didn't think we were going to get involved in picking colors, but --
Simison: Right. And that's the -- only from what I have not heard through the
grapevine, but 1 think one of the biggest issues is going to be they only want it there for
a brief time period and they are going to want to move it to someplace else. So, they
will probably either ask for it to go back to another color, if they were to consent to do it.
I think that's going to be one of the largest issues is, okay, when we move it we want it
to look like all the others we put on other places in the city, which are all white, so --
Rountree: There is a good number of them that need to be --
Bird: I was going to say, have you seen -- have you seen their -- their portable
classrooms?
Simison: I have seen --
Bird: I don't care what color they are, they need paint.
Simison: Just want to point -- point that out that I think that that could be part of the
discussion.
Bird: And they have got --they have got maintenance guys and we could probably take
up a donation to find some paint for them.
De Weerd: Okay. Put Mr. Bird on that committee.
Item 8: Items Moved from Consent Agenda:
De Weerd: Okay. There were no items moved from the Consent Agenda.
Item 9: Ordinance No. 09-1427: Annual Appropriation for Fiscal Year 2010
Budget:
Item 10: Ordinance No. 09-1428: Amendments for 2009 Fiscal Year Budget:
Meridian City Council
September 8, 2009
Page 32 of 34
Item 11: Ordinance No. 09-1429: UDC Text Amendment Revisions on
Temporary Signs:
De Weerd: Items 9, 10 and 11 are ordinances 09-1427, 09-1428, and 09-1429.
Madam Clerk, would you, please, read these three ordinances by title only.
Holman: Thank you, Madam Mayor. City of Meridian Ordinance No. 09-1427, an
ordinance pursuant to Idaho Code 50-1002 and 50-1003, providing for a title and
findings, providing for the adoption of a budget and the appropriations of 65,076,674
dollars to defray the necessary expenses and liabilities of the City of Meridian in
accordance with the object and purposes and in the certain amounts herein specified for
the fiscal year beginning October 1st, 2009, and ending on September 30th, 2010. To
levy all such appropriate taxes and levies as authorized by law upon taxable property
and to collect all authorized revenue, to provide for the waiving of the second and third
readings pursuant to Idaho Code 50-902 and providing for an effective date and the
filing of a certified copy of this ordinance with the Secretary of State.
Holman: City of Meridian Ordinance No. 09-1428, an ordinance of the City of Meridian,
Idaho, amending ordinance number 08-1378, the appropriation ordinance for the fiscal
year beginning October 1st, 2008, and ending September 30th, 2009. Appropriating
monies that are to be received by the City of Meridian, Idaho, in the sum of negative
3,451,501 dollars and allocating expenditures and providing an effective date. Did I
read that correctly, Bill?
Nary: Yes. We spent less money than we had originally appropriated, so that's why it's
a negative for the rebudget for 2009.
Holman: City of Meridian Ordinance No. 09-1429, an ordinance amending Title 11 of
the Meridian City Code regarding zoning and subdivision regulations codified at Title 11,
entitled the Unified Development Code of the Meridian City Code and providing for a
waiver of the reading rules and providing an effective date.
De Weerd: Thank you. You have heard these three ordinances read by title only. Is
there anyone who would like to hear them read in their entirety? Seeing none --
Rountree: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes.
Rountree: I move that we approve Ordinance 09-1427, 09-1428, and 09-1429, with
suspension of rules.
Bird: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve these three ordinances. If there is
no discussion, Madam Clerk, will you, please, call roll.
Meridian Cily Council
September 8, 2009
Page 33 of 34
Roll-Call: Bird, yea; Rountree, yea; Zaremba, yea; Hoaglun, yea. De Weerd:
De Weerd: All ayes. Motion carries.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Item 12: Executive Session per Idaho State Code 67-2345(1)(c) - (to conduct
deliberations concerning labor negotiations or to acquire an interest in real
property, which is not owned by a public agency & (f) - (to consider and
advise its legal representatives in pending litigation):
De Weerd: We are to our last item: Item 12 is an Executive Session. Do I have a
motion?
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I move we go into Executive Session as per Idaho State Code 67-2345(1)(c) and
(1)(f).
Hoaglun: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second. Madam Clerk, will you, please, call roll.
Roll-Call: Bird, yea; Rountree, yea; Zaremba, yea; Hoaglun, yea.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES:
EXECUTIVE SESSION:
Rountree: Move we come out of Executive Session.
Bird: Second.
De Weerd: All those in favor say aye? All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Bird: Move we adjourn.
Hoaglun: Second.
De Weerd: All those in favor?
Meridian City Council
September 8, 2009
Page 34 of 34
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
De Weerd: We are adjourned. 9:10.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 9:10 P.M.
(AUDIO RECORDING ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS)
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DATE APPROVED
HOLMAN, CITY CLERK