APPROVED
The City Council held meeting # 1517 on Monday, May 6, 2019, in the Council Chambers at City Hall.
Call to Order:
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm by Mayor Brent Teske.
Present were Mrs. Williams, Ms. Smith, Mr. Zimmerman, Mr. Beach, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Dufficy, Utility Clerk Jody Martin, City Administrator Jim Hammons and City Attorney Dean Chisholm.
Approve Minutes #1515 held April 1, 2019
Mr. Zimmerman MADE A MOTION to approve the minutes from #1515 held on April 1, 2019. Mrs. Williams SECOND.
Mayor Teske asked if there any discussion or corrections or any public comment on minutes.
Williams, Smith, Zimmerman, Beach, Taylor, Dufficy voted FOR.
MOTION PASSED
Approve Minutes #1516 held April 15, 2019
Mrs. Williams MADE A MOTION to approve the minutes from #1516 held on April 15, 2019. Mr. Beach SECOND.
Mayor Teske asked if there any discussion or corrections.
Ms. Smith said the mention of pocket park is capitalized as if that is the name of the park. Under committee reports, cemetery/parks, the first sentence. It’s not an official name.
Mayor Teske said we can correct that.
Mayor Teske asked if there were any public comment.
Williams, Smith, Zimmerman, Beach, Taylor, Dufficy voted FOR.
MOTION PASSED
Announcements:
Ms. Smith said the planning board will not be meeting this month.
Mr. Zimmerman said there will be a water/sewer meeting scheduled next week when Audray is back.
Committee Reports:
City Administrators Report: The pocket park sidewalk is in, the sidewalk repaired to police station, the bench, and picnic table are in. The crews will remove one of the 4 benches to make it handicap accessible. Weeds have been sprayed in the cemetery, the boulevard and all the parks. The bathrooms are open at Riverfront Park. The concrete work will be finished at Fireman Park, then the bathroom will be open.
Mr. Dufficy asked when the park will be open. Mr. Hammons responded when the camp host arrives in 2 weeks.
Fire: There were 9 calls in the month of April. Three calls in the city, 3 calls in the Rural fire district, 3 calls in the county, 3 vehicle, 1 chimney, 2 grass, 2 false alarms, 1 misc. BNSF train fire.
Police: Chief Kessel reported there were 240 calls for service in April resulting in 20 citations, 21 arrests, Ian smith is going thru field training and doing well. If he completes the program on time he will be on his own July 1st. The car cameras acquired through a grant from Mason Moore Foundation have arrived and will be installed in all cars. Officer Jonathan Graham, our firearms instructor has been invited to compete in the Governor’s shooting match the end of May in Helena. We are asking that the council and the parks committee consider naming the new park after the only officer killed in the line of duty, Chief Ferdinand Bachmann.
Resolutions/Ordinances: None
Lights/Streets/Sidewalks: Mr. Beach is still trying to get ahold of forest service for information regarding the road to Libby Flower Creek ski trail. One person hasn’t been in the Libby office since September 2018. Hopefully within the week he will have some information to the committee.
Building: None
Water/Sewer: Mr. Zimmerman said starting in June we will be starting the 4 months of the 8000 gals of water for people to start watering lawns. There will be a meeting coming up next week.
Cemetery/Parks: Mrs. Williams said there is nothing to report but wanted to give a better definition of pocket park, it refers to park, size in a pocket of buildings. It was never intended to be the name of the park.
Finance: None.
KRDC: Meeting last month going over bylaws and will be meeting the third Thursday of the month.
City-County Board of Heath: None.
Public Comment on Non- Agenda Items:
DC Orr, 1117 Nevada Ave, discussed the EPA and the health board and possibility of a contaminated plume already in our river. Goes to the heart of transparency.
New Business:
Resolution 1935 of the City of Libby discontinuing and vacating Larch between US Highway 2 and Millwood Loop.
Ms. Smith MADE A MOTION that we adopt Resolution 1935 abandoning Larch Street.
Mrs. Williams SECOND.
Mr. Taylor said in speaking with Commissioner Jerry Bennett, it was said that by eliminating that access you would be eliminating access to the corner of the Stinger building.
Mayor Teske said it’s already limited because of private property owned and has not granted
access. Larch Street did not go all the way through.
Williams, Smith, Zimmerman, Beach, Taylor, Dufficy voted FOR.
MOTION PASSED.
Approve $79,000 from the International Paper Fund to pay for a camera used to identify piping problems and concerns in the sewer.
Ms. Smith asked if this was something that we could use in the water system.
Mayor Teske said that it probably could if it was decontaminated properly and it wasn’t a
pressurized system.
Mr. Dufficy asked what the life expectancy of one of these cameras is.
Mrs. Williams MADE a MOTION to approve $79,000 from the International Paper fund to pay for a camera for the sewer department. Zimmerman SECOND. Ms. Smith asked to amend motion to $80,000 Mrs. Williams Amended Motion.
Mr. Beach asked if there was any training involved or a maintenance contract. Mr. Hammons not sure about maintenance contract. He thinks there is one, and there is training. Mr. Beach asked if we were going to use one of our old trucks to house this camera. Ms. Smith asked how much is currently in IP fund. Mayor Teske said there is currently $505,055.77.
Williams, Smith, Zimmerman, Beach, Taylor, Dufficy voted FOR.
MOTION PASSED.
Transparency week is scheduled for June 3rd to June 7th, 2019.
Mrs. Williams asked Ms. Smith if there was any progress with the streaming. Ms. Smith stated no other than the city would need some equipment to be able to set it up or we could set up a camera and then post the meetings.
Mrs. Williams asked to address the dates. Ms. Smith said the 17th would give a little more time to plan. Mayor Teske asked if anyone else was interested in helping. Mr. Taylor said he would help.
Approve new business licenses received to date:
Amber Lundin
Bear Creek Endeavor
Cabinet Mountain Real Estate
Kootenai River Excavation
Sherri Kaye Health Insurance
Terra Unlimited
Ms. Williams MADE a MOTION to accept all new business licenses received to date.
Mr. Dufficy SECOND.
Williams, Zimmerman, Smith, Beach, Taylor, Dufficy voted FOR:
MOTION PASSED.
Unfinished Business:
Discuss the environmental law firm search to assist in the IP negotiations.
Mr. Chisholm said he has a few conversations with Alan Payne on how to approach IP, he was going to check on a few things and give a call back. The ground water meeting last week seemed the likelihood that IP would move on from contract is slim, it is best they have the mayor be in contact with Alan Payne.”
Mayor Teske asked if there were any council or public comment. DC Orr 1117 Nevada Ave concerned over Alan Payne’s history with the City of Libby.
Approve the Independent Contractor Agreement Lincoln County Park District:
Tony Petrusha 559 Florence Rd. to represent the Cabinet Country Consulting LLC, Libby, MT. In May 2018, was engaged by the City of Libby, Lincoln County, Parks District to be manager of projects. Status of agreement is each entity puts in $10,000.00 in an account and to date $4815.00 has been paid out with 4 invoices 25,000 remains. From January to May putting in lots of hours, so progress on the trail and pool are coming along. Estimating 10 to 15 hours a week that will get us into 2020 with the money that is remaining.
Mr. Dufficy asked if we still have $25,000 left from last year. Mr. Petrusha said he didn’t know the duration of time for the money. Mr. Dufficy said so we have $25,000 from May 1, 2019 to April 30, 2020, the city is going to put in another $10,000. Mayor Teske said that is correct.
Ms. Smith asked if the County and Parks Board have sent in their second payment of $10,000.
Mr. Petrusha stated that this is the first time he has heard of an annual contribution, so he
wouldn’t know.
Council Discussion
Mayor Teske asked if there was any Public Comment.
DC Orr 1117 Nevada Ave asked to recommend Mr. Petrusha to give regular updates
Ms. Smith MADE a MOTION to approve the independent Contractor Agreement with Lincoln County and Parks.
Mr. Zimmerman SECOND.
Zimmerman, Smith, Beach, voted FOR. Ms. Williams, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Dufficy Voted NAY.
Mayor Teske Voted FOR
MOTION PASSED.
General Comments from the Council:
Process for Appointment of City Judge. Council was provided with memo explaining the appointed position with a timeline for filling the position before the September expiration of the current appointment. The item will be added to unfinished business on the next meeting agenda.
Mr. Teske asked if there was any updated from Flathead Electric about the car charger.
Ms. Smith Said that there were a couple things brought up from the public that the council should consider reviewing the business license code; there is no ability to transfer the license and there are no penalties for not renewing on time. Update permitting system for when you’re digging in the street.
Mr. Zimmerman mentioned the Boy Scouts asking to do some park benches as part of an Eagle Scout project downtown. Will get InTouch with Gayle Burger to see what’s happening with that.
Mr. Teske said City growth policy hasn’t been updated since 2010, it’s supposed to be updated every 5 years.
Ms. Smith said she wanted to commend Tony and his group for making a lot of progress and doing it inexpensively. Adjournment:
Mrs. Williams MADE a MOTION to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Dufficy SECOND.
Williams, Zimmerman, Beach, Taylor, Dufficy voted FOR: MOTION PASSED.
The meeting ADJOURNED at 8:06 pm.
Attest:
¬¬¬_______________ _________________________________
Mayor, Brent Teske Jody Martin Deputy City Clerk/Treasurer