CITY OF HAINES
COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA
TUESDAY JANUARY 10, 2012 CONVENE: 7:00 PM
LOCATION: CITY HALL
ROLL CALL
INVOCATION
Consent Agenda
The items on the Consent Agenda are considered routine and all will be adopted by one motion unless a Council Member or a person in the audience requests, before the vote on the motion, to have any item considered separately. If any item is removed from the Consent Agenda, it will be discussed immediately following the vote for the other items on the consent agenda.
· Minutes of December 13, 2011 meeting.
· January accounts payable.
· Resources and obligations report - December
Guest Speaker
· Sheriff Southwick - Enforcement Issues
Administrative Matters
· Sewer Project Update
· Elect Budget Officer
Old Business
Mayors Report
· Salmon BBQ
City Recorder Report
Public Works Report
Council/Committee Reports
Public Comments
The City of Haines complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Assistance is available for individuals with disabilities by calling 856-3366 or the Oregon Telecommunications Relay Service. Their phone numbers are: TTY: 800-648-3458/Voice: 800-848-4442The City of Haines is an equal opportunity Employer and Provider. Complaints of Discrimination should be sent to USDA Director,Office of Civil Rights, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410
Approved by
Council______Date______
CITY OF HAINES
COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
TUESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2012
CONVENED: 7:00 PM
CITY OFFICE
Mayor Anthony, opened the January 10, 2012 regular Council meeting at 7:00 pm with the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll call was then taken. Council members present were John Shurtleff, Sharon Dinger, Julie Bolling, Dawn O'Grady and Garla Rowe. Council member Kathy Ritch was absent. Also present were City Recorder Valerie Russell and Public Works Director Jason Melo.
Mayor Anthony led the Council in a prayer.
Citizens present were Sandy Wood, Connie Pound, Mary Schoenfeld, Larry Bolling, Angie Shurtleff, Teri Brown Johnson, Marge Loennig, John Gartlitz and Birle Miller. Baker County Sheriff Mitch Southwick was also present.
Agenda Item No. 1 - Consent Agenda
Approval of the resources and obligation report was tabled until the February Council meeting due to errors that need to be corrected by Accountant Bob Seymour.
Councilor Dinger made a motion to accept the December 13, 2011 minutes and the January expenses. Councilor O'Grady seconded the motion. The motion passed with unanimous consent.
Agenda Item No. 2 - Guest Speaker Sheriff Mitch Southwick
Sheriff Mitch Southwick
Mayor Anthony introduced Sheriff Mitch Southwick and explained that the Council invited Sheriff Southwick to the Council meeting to answer questions concerning ordinance enforcement.
Sheriff Southwick explained that the Sheriff's Office does not have the authority to enforce City ordinance's. If there is a problem and the City wants to issue a citation the Sheriffs Office will help the City identify that person. Anyone can issue the citation but they have to be sworn in by the Judge. The Sheriffs Office will then serve the citation. The person that is sworn in to issue the citation must have witnessed the act. The City can appoint a Code enforcement Officer, but the person that witnessed the act still has to testify unless the Code enforcement Officer witnessed the act also.
Agenda Item No. 3 - Administrative Matters
Sewer Project Update
Public Works Director Jason Melo explained that the project was almost completed. Mike Becker Construction has been waiting for a pump impeller to arrive, the Gould company was closed over the Christmas holiday and did not ship the part until after the first week of January, the original impeller they sent was the wrong one.
Jason discussed the punch list items. Final conclusion on the generator is that it is the correct size it just needed adjusting. Brad Baird from Anderson Perry Engineering is going to send a letter to the City stating that everything is to spec and covered under a five year warranty. There are four years remaining on the warranty. The only item yet to be fixed is the water tank which appears to be leaking. It is under warranty and will be taken care of by Weekly Brothers. Adams Kerns has some additional parts for the pivots that he will deliver to Jason.
City Recorder Valerie Russell explained that Sue Newstetter had received permission from the OBDD to extend the deadline for closing the grant past December 31, 2011.
Elect Budget Officer
Mayor Anthony explained that the Council needed to appoint a budget officer to prepare the 2012-2013 budget.
Councilor Dinger made a motion to nominate City Recorder Valerie Russell to be the 2012-2013 budget officer. Councilor O'Grady seconded the motion. The motion passed with unanimous consent.
Agenda Item No. 4 - Old Business
Baker Sanitary Franchise Agreement
Mayor Anthony presented the Council with a draft of the Baker Sanitary Franchise agreement for review. A copy of the draft Franchise agreement is herein attached and part of the record.
Council discussion followed. The agreement will be sent to City Attorney Dan Van Thiel for his review, before presentation to Baker Sanitary for acceptance or negotiations.
Agenda Item No. 5 - Mayors Report
Salmon BBQ
Mayor Anthony presented the Council with a proposal for the City to host the Salmon BBQ this year. The Friends of Haines did a wonderful job last year hosting the BBQ, but they have a lot of events to handle during the Fourth of July celebration. It would be nice if the City could handle this event this year. The proceeds could be used for City beautification. Mayor Anthony discussed the legal aspects with City Accountant Bob Seymour, who made a written statement explaining the proper procedure for budgeting the fundraiser. Statement is herein attached and part of the record. The Council was also presented the income and expenses for last years Salmon BBQ that the Friends of Haines had calculated. Copy of income and expenses is herein attached and part of the record.
Mayor Anthony also commented that he had already received offers to donate items that had to be paid for last year, so the expenses would be less this year. The items that are not donated if possible will be purchased through the local businesses.
Council discussion followed.
Councilor Bolling made a motion for the City to host the Salmon BBQ. The motion was not seconded.
Agenda Item No. 6 - Staff Reports
City Recorder
Development Code
City Recorder Valerie Russell explained to the Council that the Development Code had been sent to the DLCD for the 35 day review. The Landowner notification needs to be received by the Landowners not less than 20 days and not more than 40 days prior to the first Public Hearing. The first Public Hearing will take place March 13, 2012.
Old Outstanding Accounts
Accountants Nichols & Mitchell had recommended that the Council made a decision on a plan of action for some old past due accounts, dating back to 2002. Mainly landowners whose tenants left a balance when they moved from the property.
Councilor Dinger made a motion to write off the old accounts totaling $1,452.78 as recommended by Accountants Nichols & Mitchell. Councilor O'Grady seconded the motion. The motion passed with unanimous consent.
Valerie suggested that the City make a policy that the water and sewer accounts remain in the Landowners name to help insure payment on accounts.
OLCC Meeting
Valerie commented that she had attended an informal meeting with the OLCC. Liquor license renewal and new applications can be granted by the OLCC even if the City is not in favor of allowing a particular business to operate in Haines. The OLCC recommended that all City's require a business license, so the City has some leverage in what kind of businesses are allowed to operate.
Peace Park
Maintenance of the Peace Park was discussed at the last Council meeting and it was mentioned that the Boy Scouts were suppose to maintain the Peace Park. Teri Brown Johnson clarified that the Boy Scouts have never been responsible for maintaining the Peace Park. Teri and her husband Dave took care of the park until the former Public Works Director Perry Lowe and Sharon Warner took over the maintenance. Erin Hansen helped the school children make the tiles for the bench. Erin said that she would see if she could possibly fix or replace the broken tiles on the bench.
Planning Permits
Valerie asked the Council what to do when people call and question if someone has a building permit.
Councilor John Shurtleff suggested calling the building inspector and he will come and check if they have a permit.
Council agreed.
Public Works
Public Works Director Jason Melo has been working on his yearly reports to the State agencies, and is ready to begin working on the bio-solids management plan. The City only has one extra water sample that needs to be done this year. Gutters have been installed on the shop to prevent water from flooding the shop when it rains. All items that the Council had decided to sell have been sold except for the extra pumps and panels.
Employee Bonus
Jason, on his and Valerie's behalf thanked Dennis and Jody Anthony for the gift certificates that they had given to them at Christmas. Jason said that he felt the City should reimburse Dennis and Jody for the gift certificates and treat it as a employee bonus.
Councilor Rowe commented that as a City Council they should have been proactive in giving the employees something of recognition for the Holidays. Councilor Rowe thanked Dennis and Jody, and commented that she felt the Council should reimburse them.
Mayor Anthony said that was not necessary. It was a gift to Valerie and Jason from Jody and himself personally.
Councilor Rowe made a motion to reimburse the Anthony's for the gift certificates. Councilor Bolling seconded the motion. Councilor Dinger, Councilor O'Grady and Councilor Shurtleff opposed. The motion failed.
Agenda Item No. 7 - Council Reports
Councilor Bolling
Employee Bonus
Councilor Bolling commented that she felt that the Council's decision to not reimburse the Anthony's for the gift certificates was selfish.
Salmon BBQ
Julie conveyed to the Council her disapproval of the Council not backing the Salmon BBQ, considering that Mayor Anthony is trying to make money with the fundraiser to benefit the City.
Council Meeting Policy
Councilor Bolling voiced her disapproval of the audience not following the meeting policy guidelines.
Councilor Dinger
Sewer Ordinance
Sewer ordinance committee needs to hold one more meeting and the ordinance should be ready to be presented to the Council.
Councilor O'Grady
Web Site
Councilor O'Grady has been working on setting up the City web site.
Councilor Shurtleff
Councilor Shurtleff said that he was waiting for materials to build the School Bus shelters.
Councilor Rowe
Councilor Rowe thanked the City for installing a arrow sign on the corner of Third and Anderson that indicates that the Street is not a through Street.
She also thanked the employees for all that they have done for the City this year.
Agenda Item No. 8 - Public Comments
Berle Miller
Berle commented that he felt that more community members needed to know what is going on concerning the fundraiser and other City matters.
Marge Loennig
School Bus Shelters
Marge thanked Councilor John Shurtleff for volunteering to build the School bus shelters.
Taxable Income
Marge shared an article from the Idaho Statesman concerning employees driving publicly owned vehicles and the gas expense being taxable income for the employee.
City Accountant Bob Seymour will be contacted concerning this issue.
Employee Bonus
Marge also commented that there was a State law that prohibits Cities from giving their employees bonuses.
City Recorder Valerie Russell commented that there had been a large discussion on this matter recently with the Municipal Recorders Association. It was verified with the Oregon Secretary of State that City's can give employee bonuses as long as the money is budgeted. Some City's do give their employees bonuses and some do not, it is up to the individual City.
Meeting adjourned at 9:10 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Valerie Russell, City Recorder
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