HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004 01-20 Joint Ada CountyMeridian City Council Joint Meeting January 20, 2004
With Ada County Commissioners
The special joint meeting of the Meridian City Council was called
to order at 5:15 P.M. on Tuesday, January 20, 2004 by Mayor Tammy de Weerd.
Council Members Present: Mayor De Weerd, Keith Bird, Shaun Wardle, Charlie Rountree
Council Members Absent:
Keith Bird
Ada County Commissioners Present: Judy Peavey-Derr, Fred Tillman, Rick Yzaguirre.
City of Meridian Staff: Anna Powell, Bill Nichols, Gary Smith, Brad Watson, Bill Musser,
Kenny Bowers.
ACC Staff: Jon Cecil, Carla (last name?)
1. Roll-call Attendance:
X Shaun Wardle O Bill Nary
X Charlie Rountree X Keith Bird
X Mayor Tammy de Weerd
2. Adoption of the Agenda:
Bird: Madame Mayor.
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I move we adopt the agenda as published.
Wardle: Second.
De
Weerd: It’s been moved and seconded to adopt the agenda as published. All those in favor say aye.
ALL AYES. MOTION CARRIED.
Update on adoption of new Area of City Impact Agreement
(including reference to 2002 Comprehensive Plan):
De Weerd: I have asked Anna Powell our P&Z director to introduce that.
Powell: Thank Madame Mayor, members of the Council and
the commission.
The prime motivator for changing our area of city impact agreement was to adopt the 2002 Comprehensive Plan and (inaudible). The big difference between the old map and the new map are:
1. We have proposed land uses for everything that – the one that you are still referencing has a lot of just urban areas where it’s not clear as to what kind of uses that do occur in
there and there are some policies that aren’t very clear as to what kind development should occur in the county prior to it being annexed. So, we have cleared up those and there was
one other change to the Area of City Impact Agreement and it was that if the property was (inaudible) and (inaudible) to the City that it be (inaudible) annexation prior to your acting
on it. So, prior to the Ada County Commissioner’s acting on it. In that sense a similar agreement you have with Boise City and I believe a lot of the other cities are adding that as
their areas of city impact agreements. That was the other (inaudible). After we adopted the Comp Plan, we adopted a follow up resolution on urban services. I have a copy of that resolution
for everyone. There are two big issues associated with that resolution. One is the park impact fees and I will get back to that one. The second one is the provision – kind of a clarification
as to what urban services are. The Ada County Zoning Ordinance says that you can get a (inaudible) provision of the municipal services or urban services. The City of Meridian was strongly
felt that those services needed to be provided by the municipality that it couldn’t be like a package treatment plan that was later connected to the City and that was our driving force
for the urban services amendment was to clarify that provision as is allowed by the Ada County Zoning Ordinance for those urban treatment systems, but that aren’t owned by the municipality,
in this case, the City of Meridian. So, as we have gone through the process I was working (inaudible). We have gone through the Planning & Zoning Commission and (inaudible) the application
forward for approval. During that time, though, we did have to address a few issues, we were – both Jeff Patlovich and (inaudible) had varying concerns and it was hard to reconcile
them at times, I have to admit. We’d get one happy and the other one wouldn’t be happy, so I felt just like a developer in that sense, trying to make everybody happy. As you will see,
I outlined the – this was a letter written by the City Council to you all just clarifying some of the issues. The Planning & Zoning Commission, in particular, Jeff Patlovich, wanted
the issues clarified before it left the Planning & Zoning Commission. Again, the issues was – one of them was the park impact fees and we do understand that we need to get – the letter
says that the City Council understands that we need a signed Memorandum of Understanding between the two jurisdictions and so we understand that you all will not collect those fees until
such time is set and the Memorandum of Understanding is in place. Nicole did give me the wording for the one that you have with Boise City and I will work with the attorney’s office.
I was kind of waiting until this got through the process before we started all these follow up things. I can get that to the attorneys so that we can start that Memorandum of Understanding
and get that ready to go. There was another – several questions on Jeff’s part regarding the use of the term rural areas. I think this was stemmed from – he was being very sensitive
to the issue given what either occurred on Eagle recently, (inaudible------------) so he wanted it very clear
as to what rural areas meant and the rural area development, rural residential development. So we have gone through and explained exactly what we meant by that and we will do a testament
to clarify that so that there is no misunderstanding. That’s where it stands right now, so it does – it is waiting to be on your agenda with a recommendation for approval to come to
Planning & Zoning Commission. I have tried to keep the Council abreast, give them the hearing dates for the City – for the Planning & Zoning Commission usually had one day to talk to
them and try and get a letter out and get it turned around, so it’s been a little rushed with our Council and then we have the two new members. Does anybody have any questions, particularly
from the Council or the Commissioners?
De Weerd: Do you have any comments?
(Inaudible----------------------------------)
Carla: I am not really prepared. I am really looking
at this for the first time as a staff and what – and look at those areas that (inaudible) had concerns and (inaudible) changes (inaudible--------------------------) in the process.
Powell:
I should clarify, I am sorry – that (inaudible) concerns were – he does not like Resolution 03-401. He would prefer that the County not adopt that as part of the Area City Impact Agreement.
What he would like to do on those items number one through six is he would prefer to put that text or some summary of that text within the resolution – or within the Area of City Impact
Agreement, rather than adopting the full resolution. That’s a real short summary of his concerns, but he has more concerns.
Peavey-Derr: I think that he felt that this was more appropriate
language somewhere else than in this Comprehensive Plan. That (inaudible) was what he was talking about.
Powell: I think yes, in some sense that is. Since we have adopted (inaudible)
as part of our Comprehensive Plan, I think the feeling was that, you know, it’s all tied together for us now. It would make sense for it all to be tied together as far as the (inaudible)
reviewing as well. I think, in the letter, I think we that we have addressed what his concerns by (inaudible). I have not talked to him directly. Nicole was the one that was kind
of the go between and as you know she now works for the City of Eagle, so I did ask that Jon Cecil take over the processing of that just so I had a contact person so Carla seemed amenable
to that and Jon as well.
De Weerd: When we went and approved our Comprehensive Plan, we did set aside the urban service area for amending so it wouldn’t stall our Comprehensive Plan
process. I guess if we had the hindsight, we wouldn’t have been such a time issue, but we – so then we went back and readdressed that with the
developers, the Association of Ada County Realtors, all the players that have been involved in the text that was there before and they agreed that there were some things they realized
that we would like to (inaudible) and this is the document that we came up with. Council felt comfortable with it as did the working group, our staff and so it is a part of our Comprehensive
Plan and it is what guides us for our blueprint and so of course, we would like to see it as part and adopted by the County as well. I guess I would like to know a time frame and you
know – I guess I realize you have new staff, but this has been going on for a long time and we would like to see something happening to just get a better idea of what the time frame
would be. What do you think, Jon?
Cecil: Well, I can schedule a meeting with ACTS this week and (inaudible) –
Speak up so we can hear.
Cecil: Oh, sorry. I can schedule a meeting
with ACTS this week and see if we can’t get this to a resolution (inaudible).
Carla: We could schedule for our hearing by our Planning & Zoning Commission.
Powell: We have already
gone through your Planning & Zoning.
Carla: Oh, I am sorry.
(Inaudible------------)
Powell: Should just be two weeks?
Cecil: Yeah, I think so.
(Inaudible------------------------)
Cecil:
I will contact ACTS tomorrow and –
De Weerd: So what we are talking about is within the next two months?
Cecil: Yes.
De Weerd: Okay. Rick you had something?
Yzaguirre: Yeah,
I think I know the answer, but I want to ask the question out of merit. I know that North Meridian planning area opportunity that you have before you has been tabled for a while and
I understand you are bringing it back, which I think is good. But does what you are suggesting in this agreement meet the intent of what’s going on in that area too? I presume that
it does. These
changes don’t seem that significant to me and it’s not a real political issue that we have to deal with (inaudible) and that sort of thing.
De Weerd: No, it just adds a little bit
more clarity to it.
Yzaguirre: Which I think is good.
Bird: It helps the developers across the city, across the county with the clarity that it’s putting into, I think.
Yzaguirre:
Do you think, Madame Mayor, did it get hung up with our staff somewhere along the way? Is that where the hang up has been? Do we know?
De Weerd: I believe that it delayed with staff
and then before it was scheduled for on your agenda with the new Mayor and council seats, but I believe that your chair wanted to get together and make sure that we were all on the same
page before we moved forward.
Yzaguirre: Okay.
De Weerd: Okay?
Yzaguirre: Let’s do it.
Nary: No, I’m on board; let’s get it done.
Bird: Are you Shaun?
Wardle: Yes, I am
as well.
De Weerd: I guess the only thing is that after it’s adopted, I guess it’s more procedural maybe for our attorney is then we follow up with the written agreement requesting
park impact fees be collected.
Nichols: Madame Mayor, members of the council and commissioners. There are I think a couple of things. First of all, I believe that it’s in the county’s
area of impact ordinance and we will need to do a provision for that, I think. Certainly, we will need to do a reference some sort of agreement – on a reference in agreement, which
I haven’t seen Boise City’s yet. Assuming that is the template it should be very similar. For the Commissioners, the process that we have gone through on our park impact fees has been
pretty detailed and our ordinance now fits with the amendments that were made in the 2002 Legislative session. We have involved all of the appropriate parties that are set out in the
impact fee statute and developing that and we now have a formula for calculating the impact fees so that we can meet on a regular basis. I think we try to do it every two years to update
those fees regularly instead of waiting eight years and trying to
get at least enough infrastructure and mechanism in place, where we are not reinventing the wheel every two years. So, that’s the background on the park impact fees. I think we would
want to look at – I think it has to be by ordinance for the County to be able to collect those – I think it has to be by ordinance, I could be wrong on that but –
Peavey-Derr: Madame
Mayor, Council. Could you tell me how that works? Do we collect and then we have an administrative cost for collection?
Nary: Madame Commissioner. I don’t know how the actual dollar
part of that works, to be honest with you – I really don’t.
(Inaudible)
Peavey-Derr: Is that how that works?
Bird: Yeah, we donate anything we collect to you.
Peavey-Derr: Is
that – do you know Anna how that works?
Powell: I don’t know exactly. I believe it’s consistent though in how you do Boise’s and also ACHD. Do you collect an administrative fee
from ACHD?
Peavey-Derr: No, we do not.
Powell: Then I don’t believe you do for Boise City either.
Peavey-Derr: We don’t collect fees for ACHD.
Powell: Oh, you don’t collect fees
for ACHD anymore?
Peavey-Derr: No. We should. I think it’s appropriate. I think it’s appropriate that the developer has an easier way of doing business and so I think it’s only
appropriate to do that. I am not objecting to that piece of it, but there is a cost of doing that. So, I am just trying to establish what that is.
Powell: I don’t know exactly.
I am pretty sure that the ladies up front take the fee along with the building permit. I am not sure how it gets redistributed back to the City.
Peavey-Derr: All right, we will check
into that.
De Weerd: You do collect for Boise?
Peavey-Derr: Yeah, I know we don’t for ACHD though. We have talked about that and why aren’t we doing that because it would make it so much easier. I think we did it in the past.
I don’t know what happened.
Bird: Whatever you do for Boise, I’d think you’d do for us.
Peavey-Derr: No, it would cost twice as much for Meridian.
De Weerd: I think differently,
but –
Bird: Well, I do too.
Powell: If your staff doesn’t have easy access to that memorandum, I can go ahead and fax over my copy that Nicole faxed me, sometimes that’s easier.
De Weerd: Now as we move forward on the text amendment in terms of defining rural areas, do we wait until after they have adopted our conference plan and then we do the text amendment
or can we just do it concurrently?
Nichols: Madame Mayor, I think that is really a question for your county staff. It would seem – I wouldn’t want to change the document at this
point beyond what’s already in the record and then they can approve this subject to our changing a definition of rural areas.
De Weerd: So as we stated it in the letter that that would
be sufficient?
Nichols: I would think so.
De Weerd: Until it’s adopted and then the (inaudible).
Nichols: Text amendments at our level are relatively easy to change, it’s the map
amendments that are going to get a little –
De Weerd: Applied by a state code.
Powell: Once we get that text amendment – cause that’ll be a resolution also and if we do the Memorandum
of Understanding we can do another change of the area of city impact, just the applicable ordinances so that we get both those and ordinances at the same time. That probably would be
the easiest way to go.
De Weerd: Okay, thank you Anna. If there is no other questions or discussion on this one we will go to item number four.
Discussion of Ada County Landfill and Solid Waste Management issues: Discussed
De Weerd: I guess we have Steve Sedlacek (inaudible) corporation. There are our providers for our service
and if you had any questions that did want an overview on where we are at or where you are at and what are our goals in this is.
Peavey-Derr: Madame Mayor, on behalf of the Commission
and they certainly are capable of speaking up anytime, we are in the second stage of the process. It’s a three stage process and we are having meetings starting the 26th, 27th and 29th
there is an open house and I believe one of them is here in Meridian. I don’t know if that is the 26th. Is that right?
Cecil: It is.
Peavey-Derr: The 26th is an open house meeting
here in Meridian and then the 27th is in the Western Idaho Fairgrounds and the 29th is in South East Boise. The purpose of that is to inform the community about where we are in the
next phase of our selections/options and then the third stage will be the actual coming down to cost and a preferred option and then we make the decision by the end of March. We had
a number of people attending these open houses. We have had people go on the tours of the landfill. We have the webpage for comment. We are noticing in the newspaper the meetings.
We are doing PSA’s. We have a video out that talks about how the landfill is operated and the various things that we do at the landfill and the reason why we have to relocate or find
a new cell. The overall goals and objectives of the commission as to what our mission is and that is to provide the best service to the community at a reasonable cost and so that’s
where we are. Like I say, we will be making a decision in the latter part of March. At this juncture, we have four options and none have really come to the surface yet and none has
been particularly more favored than another at this juncture. The issue of course as you well know is that when we started dumping trash into the Hidden Hollow Landfill it was in the
early ‘70’s and we acquired the property in ’85 and at this juncture we have about 2700 square miles or acres, I should say. We have quite a sizeable investment there having planned
for the future of trash collection and disposal for the County to be located there for the next 35 to 50 years. With the approvals of housing development around the area has presented
an additional concern to neighbors living there now. We are not quite sure – none of us were in office at the time those approvals were made and mostly people who bought there knew
there was a landfill there. Yet, we are receiving some pressure to relocate outside any kind of a housing area. It does mean a higher cost to those who have to pay the freight on that.
So, it’s an option that we are weighing and trying to make reasonable, sound decision on. Certainly, there is a requirement for us to monitor the closure and the 30 years after closure
of the site we are currently in and yet, open a new site at the Federal and State Regulation with the liners and everything else. This is a
sizable investment to the community and that one we take very seriously because over the period of time that we will have a new site, 35 to 50 years we are looking at millions of dollars.
So, this is something we take quite seriously as to what the consumer or the taxpayer is going to have to pay. We have, at this juncture, the lowest rates in the nation – one of the
lowest rates in the nation in terms of disposing of our trash. That may change, honestly speaking. We may see an increase due to some of the decisions we have to make. So, that’s
where we are.
De Weerd: Well, we did have a somewhat of a limited discussion on this and I would imagine that our City’s concern is at what cost to be passed on to our tax payers
and we do appreciate that when you bought that site that you planned for the future. It is unfortunate that the developments that have occurred around it, but you hate to see a cost
passed on to the whole county because of those decisions and that people knew what they were moving next to. Steve did you have anything that you wanted to add to this discussion tonight.
Sedlacek:
Oh, nothing else, Madame Mayor. Mayor and Council I just wanted to let you know Council has been asked to go up to landfill tour and I am sure they are just dying to get up there and
look at it.
Peavey-Derr: It is interesting. It really is.
Sedlecek: We are just anxious to find out where the (inaudible) and help with the City to come with the grips of costs
and things like that.
De Weerd: And we have asked Steve as the four options have been presented, if they can also give us a better idea of what costs would be passed on then (inaudible)
so we can make sure that that is kept in mind when we give you our feedback.
Peavey-Derr: Well certainly at any time that you feel that you would like to attend any of the open houses
or still have a tour of the landfill, you are more than welcome. We can arrange something. It’s an educational process. I don’t believe too many people have that kind of background
to know what all goes on other than to just take the trash up there and dump it off and leave. So, there is a huge process associated with it. But, as I said we are very deliberative
in our thought process and informing the public so it that it is a public process, a public opinion with lots of public input and certainly at the end of the day when the decision is
made there shouldn’t be anyone complaining about that they didn’t have an opportunity because this started sometime back in September or October and a decision won’t have been made until
March. So, there is a lot of opportunity for analysis of what comes out of the process. The engineers, CH2M Hill are calculating the cost at this time and building a cost factor of
CPI over a period of time in terms of transportation. Nobody knows what the price of gas is going to be in the future, but it certainly isn’t probably going to be what we are
enjoying today even, so we are probably looking at higher prices, but we are taking all that into consideration and then when the options are presented there will be a cost factor and
what it will mean to your citizens.
Bird: Madame Mayor.
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: (Inaudible) what the cost of CH2M Hill is doing now, is that based on stand (inaudible) of property
already owned out there or is that the new --?
Peavey-Derr: It’s everything.
Bird: It’s going for – you have to purchase new property or?
Peavey-Derr: Yeah, it’s all the options.
We are even getting some options presented to us now like the guys the other night attended a burning option.
(Unknown speaker): Oooh, don’t say that.
Peavey-Derr: It’s quite
an expensive proposition. It’s far more expensive than any option we have got right before us at this time.
Bird: I think one thing that is going to play into this is EPA and where
are they going to allow you to put a new one within the county or even within the state?
Peavey-Derr: We are fortunate at this time to have Steve West who used to be with DEQ and was
in charge of the permitting of landfills for the state advising us so he has been aiding us in that sense and directing us and we are comfortable that the information that he is giving
us and if he doesn’t have the answer then we have an avenue with others to find out, but we are comfortable that what he suggested so far that we are capable of getting accomplished
with – but you are exactly right. DEQ and EPA and several agencies are going to have to pass on it before we open anything.
De Weerd: Even to expand the existing site.
Peavey-Derr:
It has to be – there are certain standards that have to be outside of the airport a certain number of miles and it’s not – you just can’t go say, I think I will do one in your backyard.
It just doesn’t work that way.
De Weerd: That’s a good thing. Charlie.
Rountree: Madame Mayor. I am not expecting an answer but I have to ask the question anyway—you can give
me a week or whatever. With the extent of the deliberations you are going through, could one assume that the likelihood of
expanding the existing site is not good? Or would you have done this if that was your only alternative?
Peavey-Derr: We would have done it even if it was the only alternative we had
available to us at the time. The process has to be fair and complete because at the end of the day, I don’t want to have somebody come to the table and say you didn’t consider this.
I mean, the current site is an option and it is a viable option and at this juncture at very primitive figures, it is the cheapest option. It’s doable. We can expand there environmentally
without any problem. There are other factors involved in this and that is not one of them -- you know the people surrounding. That’s a big factor. The other thing we would like to
keep in mind is the expanding for – there have been people concerned about well, why do this all at one time? Why not do it for 100 years versus 35 to 50? Well, when Ed Rittle bought
the land in 1985, he declared on that day because I was at the press conference that this is going to take care of our needs for 100 years. I can tell you that’s exactly what he said.
Here we are in 2004 considering another sale. So a lot of growth, people in our community dispose of more trash than most any place in the United States, per person. So, we have got
to start asking folks to be more conservative and to recycle and reuse and if we can get them into that mode, but apparently, we have not been doing as good a job as what we should have
been doing and we haven’t changed many minds. Now mind you, we do recycle quite a bit and we do keep a lot out of the landfill; wood and household hazardous waste and refrigerators,
TV’s, but we could do more. Our problem is our location in the physical arena of the United States because there are markets for the recycling of glass, but by the time you load it
up and start transporting it you are losing money. There are markets for other things, but by the time you do that it’s a very costly adventure. There are markets for transfer stations
where you pull out all this stuff, but by the time you pay the labor and the building, the transfer station alone is a $2 million adventure. Then by the time you put in all the other
stuff you are up to $6, $7 or $8 million. So, it has to be cost effective in the long run.
De Weerd: I think I toured the garbage collection system in the Netherlands and they have
one primary area. I think they have a secondary site, but it’s huge and it’s expensive and people there are very good at recycling because of the cost. I guess that’s a forced way
of recycling and being more aware of your own waste that you do create. It is quite amazing, that process.
Peavey-Derr: I think that where we have got a lot of land in Idaho, I
mean we can look out and you know not see neighbors for miles. There are different areas of the country that are completely different subject. They have got people right on top of
people at the landfill associated nearby. So, we are a unique situation and we are responsible for making a decision and this board is willing to do that. We want to have all the facts
before us when we do.
De Weerd: Thank you. I guess our request is at the earliest convenience so we know the cost associated and what price would be passed on. We want to make sure our citizens have that
in front of them so they can provide input and (inaudible ------------).
Tillman: Madame Mayor, I think if you were to (inaudible) if that you are that interested to attend Monday
night, you would learn a lot of information. A lot that would really help answer, I think, a lot of the questions you may have in your mind about the different options and the cost
per two cans – you know, that’s kind of what the industry standard is and that’s exactly to the level that we are getting. Exactly what is the option, exactly how much is it going to
cost for two containers at the curbside. There is many, many factors that go into what kind of a system you put into play in the sense that Judy was talking about. Even recycling,
most of those cost you money and to what extent that you really want to do recycling that’s an added cost. It’s not the savings like you would think. So, that’s a lot of what we are
doing is just getting all of the information that we can that Judy talked about. The folks from Spokane that came and gave a presentation. It’s a waste two-energy plant and cost $95
a ton to process it. We pay maybe $15. So, we have got – and they admitted that that is a gold plated system, but that’s what their community wanted and they are paying for it. So,
it’s everything in between, but we – the thing I guess I would like to leave you with too is that we are acutely aware of the fact that what decision we make will impact every city,
every business, even the economic viability of the whole Treasure Valley that folks use this site. That is a cost of doing business that we are well aware of as far as what we have
to pass onto the users. That is certainly one of the important factors that we are looking at to make this decision. I think I would just encourage you – I think Judy made the offer
to please be part of the process. That’s exactly what we are trying to do is to encourage everybody to be part of the process and certainly would encourage you if you have time next
Monday night and I think it’s right here to come and we are going to have a dog and pony show. We are going to have a lot of information that I think will answer a lot of the questions
you might have and I certainly encourage you to participate in that if you have time.
Yzaguirre: Madame Mayor, my comments were along the same line to invite you to participate in
that meeting on Monday. It is being held here by purpose to include all the folks in Meridian and give them an opportunity close by to be a part of that process. We have spent a lot
of time and money. It’ll be about six months – as public information is processed by the time we finish it. Then towards the end of March we are hoping to begin our process, our public
hearing process as to where we want to go in the future, so this is a huge decision for us, we recognize that and it’ll probably be one of the most important decisions that we are a
part of as Commissioners, when you look to the future as to the decision that we make and we want the public to be very aware of that we made every effort to make them aware of the options
and we don’t want to be accused of favoring a specific site going into this or not giving them more than ample
opportunity to comment, so I think we have really gone overboard to make it very public, friendly with having meetings all over the county and it’s a very well put together program that
you will all benefit from if you take the time on Monday. I would hope that you would help us spread the word.
Peavey-Derr: I have two more things. One is that if you have any groups,
Rotary, Kiwanis, any of those groups who need a speaker we have people who are qualified to come out and speak to them and answer any questions so if you have some people in the area
who are asking about this let us know and we will get with that. The second thing I want to mention is that we are very concerned about being in control of a landfill. We are really
wanting to stay in control because we figure – or at least the thought is is that if we lose control it would mean higher rates. At some point and time, you are in a site that you are
paying for your disposal and you have no alternative because these things aren’t open at the drop of a hat, it takes years to permit and build and so if in fact they could say to you
the rates are going up $100 you have nowhere else to go. So, we are very concerned as one of the things we really want to do is stay in control of it and possibly do that.
De Weerd:
Well, we are very supportive of that. I think it would affect our citizens even more so with that kind of result (inaudible.)
Tillman: Madame Chairman, the next thing we would like
to know is do you have any vacant land out here somewhere?
Bird: We got 47 acres that’s worse than your –
Rountree: Madame Mayor. I know I can probably find this out Monday, but
it’s just a question I have in terms of the cost that you are looking at. Some of these alternatives are going to be looking at potential transfer stations or sites. Are you factoring
the cost of developing those in and admitting the time and would that be something that you would pass on to the right (inaudible) over time and the County support initially or what
kind of thought process is going on there?
De Weerd: Yes.
Peavey-Derr: The grid, the matrix that is lined out, Mr. Rountree (inaudible) – Up at the top are all the associated cost
with that particular option.
Rountree: Okay.
Peavey-Derr: So the option of using the current site wouldn’t necessarily require transfer station, whereas, the option of a site out
in maybe a private landfill out at South East Boise might, so we have factored all of those in.
De Weerd: Thank you. Well, we appreciate that the thought process that is going in to this and the ability to input into the process. Just one last thing, we are in the process right
now of completing a space that (inaudible) City Hall and certainly as we look at our growing community and what might help serve your constituents, which are also our constituents in
looking at if there are any needs that you see that you could partner with the City for space to offer west campus or legal or municipal (inaudible), issues. I don’t know if the DMV,
but any of your county services that you want a (inaudible) branch. If you can give that some thought certainly as we are moving forward we will be meeting at the end of the month to
complete what our current needs and anticipated future needs are, but certainly would like to offer that and extend that to you for your consideration.
Peavey-Derr: Madame Mayor, we
budgeted in our last session, about $1.3 million for west campus to combine several agencies. We know that the citizens of Meridian and the western part of Ada County would be better
served if we had things like the DMV, EMS care even to the extent of what we had passed. We have got about six different departments that we feel would be well served having located
out of this area, so we welcome the opportunity to visit with you on that because we have looked at some land and it primarily would need to be located somewhere near Meridian and your
(inaudible) downtown (inaudible) for EMS purposes, but somewhere on the edges of Meridian. So, that would look good to us.
De Weerd: Well, we are very committed to keeping City Hall
downtown and certainly if you are looking at – I didn’t know this – if you are looking at a west campus, we would like to encourage you to keep it downtown as well. This is the heart
and maybe we can see how we can partner with EMS facilities within our current safety service that might provide a good partnership as well. But, as we are looking at bringing the heart
back to our downtown area and focusing on downtown renewal and that sort of thing, I believe that those types of services are crucial for that success and certainly to serving our community.
This is centrally located. Any comments from Council? Commission?
Yzaguirre: Do have any fire stations to the west of proposed?
Bird: Yes.
De Weerd: We certainly – well, we
have off of Linder, I believe, isn’t it in Lochsa?
Bird: Yeah, up by Chinden by Ten Mile. Yeah, we got Ten Mile.
De Weerd: Our Chief is here.
Yzaguirre: Is that close?
(Inaudible--------)
Bird: Ten Mile and Cherry Lane.
De Weerd: Ten Mile, north of Cherry Lane. They do have a dedicated site on Linder in north Meridian. And that land was donated
with that development, correct?
Rountree: Yes.
(Speaker unknown): How much space do you have there?
Rountree: An acre, not quite an acre and one half, just a little over an acre
or somewhere in that area.
De Weerd: We can give you specifics of that.
Tillman: We need to get an ambulance on the west end of the County.
Bird: We agree with you 100 percent.
Peavey-Derr:
Well, actually the ideal for us would be to be able to access over the freeway as well, quite easily so that we could kill two birds with one stone so to speak.
Rountree: Ten Mile
would do that.
Bird: Just help us with Ten Mile and Locust Grove.
De Weerd: We appreciate your help. But, we do have the substation on Ten Mile that does have that direct link over
to the interstate.
Peavey-Derr: That barrier causes us additional time and it’s so difficult to negotiate and so for people on the other side –
De Weerd: Inaudible.
Peavey-Derr:
It’s really something if we could locate close to the overpass would be great.
Bird: Our next station is supposed to be built out south on Eagle out there in Thousand Springs will
be number four. Hopefully it’s done within a couple of years. You might want to put – that would cover a whole bunch of the southwest territory.
De Weerd: Because that’s just south
of Eldorado.
Bird: Then something that if we can plan, I believe our chief financer – I believe our stations could (inaudible) take care of (inaudible) if we had to on the –
Rountree: That piece
of property is big enough – we could put some more bedrooms in there.
(Speaker unknown): That’s not too far now – you are at St. Luke’s right now. It would be about a mile difference,
but at least you are on that side of the freeway if anything happens.
Peavey-Derr: The other thing that we had is a meeting with ACHD, Charlie you probably are aware of this – what
with their handling the traffic management that they can consolidate those efforts and ITD could benefit from all of that being housed together and we ask ACHD to go in with us on the
west campus so that we could get that intelligent transportation system all put together and we were looking at Meridian to do that as well. So, that was ---
Bird: How many acres
do you want? We’ll locate it for you.
De Weerd: We will help you with the process.
Bird: Anna will see that it gets right through. Right, Anna?
Wardle: Madame Mayor.
De Weerd:
Mr. Wardle.
Wardle: Commissioners, one of the things that we are committed to is consolidating our departments. We talked about a new city hall and part of what I feel – on a personal
note is that to aid our citizens having services that are governmental in close proximity cannot only spur economic growth around it with like businesses or people that do business with
those entities in close proximity, but also for citizens to be able to come to one place and have an opportunity to do (change of tape). Strongly encourage you to consider being near
or within – some of the things that we are doing for the sake of all of our constituents.
De Weerd: Thank you. If there is no further business, I would accept a motion to adjourn.
Bird:
So moved.
Rountree: Second.
De Weerd: It has been moved and seconded to adjourn the City Council Special Meeting. All those in favor say aye.
ALL AYES. MOTION CARRIED.
MEETING ADJOURNED.
(TAPE ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS)
APPROVED:
/ /
TAMMY DE WEERD, MAYOR DATE APPROVED
ATTESTED:
WILLIAM
G. BERG, JR., CITY CLERK