APPROVED
The City Council held meeting # 1509 on Monday, January 7, 2019, in the Council Chambers at City Hall.
Call to Order:
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm by Mayor Teske.
Present were Mrs. Williams, Ms. Smith, Mr. Beach, Mr. Dufficy, Mr. Taylor, City Clerk Audray McCollum, City Administrator Jim Hammons, and City Attorney Dean Chisholm. Brian Zimmerman was absent.
DC Orr offered prayer.
Ms. Smith Made a Motion to approve the minutes 1507 held on December 3, 2018.
Mr. Beach Second.
William, Smith, Beach, Dufficy, Taylor voted FOR.
MOTION PASSED.
Ms. Smith Made a Motion to approve the minutes from Needs Assessment Public Meeting held on December 17, 2018.
Mr. Dufficy Second.
Mr. Zimmerman ABSTAINED.
Williams, Smith, Beach, Dufficy, Taylor voted FOR.
MOTION PASSED.
Announcements:
There will be a Notice of Public Hearing on Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 at 6pm in the Council Chamber at City Hall. This hearing is to obtain public comments regarding the proposed application to the Montana Dept. of Commerce Community Development Block Grant-Public Facilities program.
There will be a City Planning Board meeting on Monday, January 14,2019 at 6 pm in Council Chambers at City Hall to review the downtown zoning district.
Committee Reports:
City Administrator: The city had to plow for the first time this season, please review the city ordinance for plowing this is available at city hall and on the city website.
City hall had some new secured shelving installed by the city crews, and wastewater had new doors installed.
Fire: None.
Police: Chief Kessel reported there were 212 calls for service in December 21 citations issues and 24 arrests. Officer Smith started the police academy today. Officer Dewitt will be out on sick leave until mid-February following surgery. He may be able to return for light duty.
Resolutions/Ordinances: None
Lights/Streets/Sidewalks: None
Building: None
Water/Sewer: None
Cemetery/Parks: None.
Finance: None.
KRDC: None
City-County Board of Health: None
Public Comment on Non- Agenda Items:
DC Orr,1117 Nevada, read different sections from an article in the Kootenai Valley Record from Sep 17,2017 about the City of Libby streaming live access from the city council meetings to the public. Mr. Orr would like to see this happen.
Mr. Orr said there was not a reference to the Port Authority in the PER report. Mr. Orr expressed concerned about their water loss in the past and the large sum the City of Libby had to write off. He asked Mr. Hammons to investigate this.
New Business:
Interview and Appoint the City of Libby position for the City-County Board of Health.
There were four applicants in attendance for the position Tony Fantozzi, Laura Larson Crismore, Lexie McFarland and DC Orr.
The applicants joined Jim Hammons in a back area and were asked one at a time to speak on why they would like to represent the City of Libby on the City-County Health Board.
The first candidate to speak was Lexie McFarland, a registered nurse at Cabinet Peaks Medical Center on the Acute Care floor. Lexie grew up in the Flathead where she was a nurse’s aide. She went to work for the Libby Care Center and fell in love with the community, she then went on to continue her nursing education. Lexie has been a nurse for five years.
In her job she treats illness and disease, Lexie wants to promote health and engage the public, and that is why she wants to represent the City of Libby on the Health Board.
Council Questions:
Dufficy said Lexie’s resume was great.
Taylor asked,” If there was any special interest that Lexie would bring to the Heath Board?”
Lexie said, “She is very relatable to the public, she knows what it’s like to be a normal person who struggles.” She wants to put education out there for the future of our society.
Williams asked, “If she would have time to participate?”
Lexie said, “Yes she has talked to her manager, and she is very supportive of this, and she will give her whatever days off are needed.”
Beach asked, “What do think you can bring to the health board?”
Lexie said, “A positive attitude, great teamwork, good communication skills, and eagerness to help.”
Beach asked, “Do you see any types of trends in the community that the health board need to address?”
Lexie said, “Mental health, oral health, and drugs.”
Smith thanked McFarland for applying and her passion for the community that has led her to stay and build a life here.
Smith had no further questions.
The second applicant to speak was Tony Fantozzi a lifelong resident of Libby. Tony works at the Northwest Community Health Center as a Physician Assistant. Mr. Fantozzi identifies a need in the county and Libby, both physically and mentally that he can help with.
Council Questions:
Smith asked, “Are there any specifics in a physical or mental condition that you would like to help out with?”
Tony said “There is a huge opioid epidemic that needs to be addressed. With mental health, depression is the leading cause of death among young Americans. That is something we can help prevent. We need more resources and referrals for this. I would love to be instrumental in that.”
Beach asked,” Being in the medical field and knowing how busy you guys really are, do you feel you have enough time to attend a couple meetings a month and give us reports?”
Tony answered “Yes, I thrive on being busy. I will have time; I will make the time, it is that important that the City of Libby addresses these issues.”
Williams thanked Mr. Fantozzi and had no further questions.
Taylor asked, “What would be your strongest asset you would bring to the board?”
Tony said leadership and communications.
Dufficy said Mr. Fantozzi resume was impeccable and he no further questions.
The third candidate to speak was Laura Larson Crismore who works in quality improvement at Cabinet Peaks Medical Center. Crismore started there in 2005 in the laboratory. She does a lot of work with public health and would like to extend her knowledge, “There is more to public health than medicine, and this is her strong suit, she has found her calling.”
Dufficy said, “You have medical and administrative, you don’t see that very often, and I am impressed.” Dufficy had no further questions.
Taylor said” You have found your calling, what is that and what is your strengths that you could bring to the health board?
Crismore answered “I am very analytical and like to solve problems. I like to see the big picture, and I like to hear from all the key players. I like to hear everybody’s part, work through the issues, then come up with a solution. You need to focus on the process and then the people. You need to remain professional.”
Williams asked, “If Crismore would have time to serve on the board?”
Crismore said she would.
Beach asked,” What do see as some of the issues that Libby has, as far as health care is concerned?”
Crismore said “A huge mental care crises and I am on the mental health care crises intervention team. We have a transportation issue, we are unique in where we are, we are remote, and we have a unique population with poverty and generational poverty, we have a lot of issues, not just one.”
Smith asked, “Could you expand a little more on, what you mean by transportation?”
Crismore said “Our emergency services are advanced life support, so when we have a mental health patient their acuity is not high enough to call for that transportation. We have difficulty getting the mental health patients out of here, and we don’t have the resources in our community to take care of our mental health patients appropriately.”
Teske asked, “How do we go about to start solving this problem?”
Crismore said, “They applied for a grant through Montana Health Care Foundation for 2017-18 and were awarded the grant for ED High Utilization patients.”
The final applicant to speak was DC Orr. Mr. Orr has lived in Libby for all his life and has been very involved in this town. He has raised his kids and grandkids here. He wants to see Libby survive and he has hope for Libby, and that’s why he remains involved. Libby was very good to his family. Mr. Orr said, “The Board of Health was formed for one voice for the community for institutional controls that the EPA will eventually force on us and not for health.” Mr. Orr has been involved with in EPA since 1999 and has sat on every committee and been to every meeting. Orr is very familiar with the issues, he worked on the groundwater superfund site, worked on the asbestosis superfund site. Orr is committed to protecting human health, and he can translate the technical issues in institutional controls. “This is the greatest work in the liaison position.”
Council Questions:
Smith had no questions.
Beach asked, “With health as an issue, what you would present to the board?”
DC said “The health issue are not that tough, we have a health department to deal with STD’s and communicable diseases of various kinds. You don’t need a health background to understand what they’re talking about. This health board was formed to handle issues under title 50 in the Montana code. Title 50 spells out what a health board does, specifically the one area in institutional controls.
Williams had no questions.
Taylor had no question.
Dufficy said “Your resume speaks for its self” and had no further questions.
DC would like to serve the council; he is very good at taking the technical issues and making them so everyone can understand them. “Especially when you get into Superfund law, I have been through it backward and forwards, dealing with Superfund law for 20 years.”
Council Discussion Followed.
Mayor Teske opened the floor for nominations.
Beach nominated Mr. Fantozzi.
Taylor nominated Mrs. Crismore.
Dufficy nominated Lexie McFarland.
Mayor Teske closed the floor to nominations.
Votes for Mr. Fantozzi FOR 2 AGAINST 3
Votes for Mrs. Crismore FOR 3 AGAINST 2
Votes for Ms. McFarland FOR 3 AGAINST 2
Council voted a second time to break the tie for Mrs. Crismore and Ms. McFarland.
Votes for Mrs. Crismore FOR 4 AGAINST 2
Votes for Ms. McFarland FOR 2 AGAINST 4.
Mrs. Crismore is the representative for the City of Libby for the City-County Board of Health.
Council Approval of Claims and Payroll for December 2018.
Mrs. Williams MADE A MOTION to approve claims and payroll for December 2018.
Mr. Beach SECOND.
Williams, Smith, Beach, Taylor, Dufficy voted FOR.
MOTION PASSED.
Approval of New Business Licenses received to date.
• Call Cleaning Service.
• Libby Cab Company.
Mrs. Williams MADE A MOTION to approve all new business licenses received to date.
Ms. Smith SECOND.
Williams, Smith, Beach, Taylor, Dufficy voted FOR.
MOTION PASSED.
Approval of 2019 Liquor Licenses.
• Aitkens
• Cabinet View County Club
• Elks # 2231
• Harper-Erdman VFW # 1548
• Mint Bar
• Pastime Bar and Lounge
• Rousers Food and Drug Center # 14
Ms. Smith MADE A MOTION to approve all 2019 liquor licenses.
Mr. Beach SECOND.
Approval of the 2019 Coin-Operated Amusement Device Licenses.
• Mint Bar
• Pastime Bar
• Harper-Erdman VFW # 1548
Mrs. Williams MADE A MOTION to approve the 2019 coin-operated amusement device licenses.
Mr. Dufficy SECOND.
Williams, Smith, Beach, Taylor, Dufficy voted FOR.
MOTION PASSED.
Unfinished Business:
Libby Website Re-Design.
The site went live December 17, 2018. There have been a few technical issues that have been resolved. Mrs. Williams requested this completed project be removed from future agendas.
There was no council objection.
Council Rules and Procedures.
Mrs. Williams said City Attorney Chisholm would be sending all council members a final draft. Please review before the next council meeting and the final vote.
General Comments from the Council:
Mayor Teske urged the public if they are not receiving emailed agendas from the City of Libby and had signed up, please contact the city clerk.
Ms. Smith held a training session with the Planning Board and invited the council in December on how to review a subdivision. The City has not reviewed a new subdivision in a long time, and Mrs. Williams was the only member to attend. Smith encouraged all council members to get the training through her or online. Smith wants all members ready to go, so when a subdivision is presented to council the process on what you can or cannot do is understood by all the members.
Taylor asked if there had been any developments with the authority of planning over zoning. Teske said there was not. Smith stated “the council made a decision to remand the project back to the planning board, this suggests the implicit in that granting the planning board the authority to do that. Why would the council vote to send it back?” Teske said, “there were other factors also that played into the history of this the board of adjustments to zoning then into planning.”
Teske is still researching the minutes he will then put together a timeline and present what is found to the council.
Adjournment:
Mr. Dufficy MADE a MOTION to adjourn the meeting.
Mr. Beach SECOND.
Williams, Smith, Beach, Taylor, Dufficy voted FOR:
MOTION PASSED.
The meeting ADJOURNED at 8:05 pm.
__________________ Attest; ______________________
Mayor
Brent Teske Audray J. McCollum, City Clerk/Treasurer