Minutes
(Minutes subject to council approval)
CITY OF NEZPERCE, IDAHO
REGULAR MEETING
May 13, 2024
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE NEZPERCE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEZPERCE, IDAHO, HELD ON May 13, 2024.
PLACE: Nezperce City Hall, 606 Maple Street. Time: 7:01AM
THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY Mayor Tyler Nelson at 7:AM
PRESENT were Councilmembers Tyler Nelson, Mike Jensen, James Zenner, Kimberly Ingram and Kelby Heartburg (via Zoom), Fire Chief Dave Kuther, Maintenance Department Craig Cardwell and Ben Mauer, Clerk/Treasurer Rhonda Schmidt, Deputy Clerk Leigh Ross. Visiting were JUB Engineer Amy Uptmor and resident Patrick Pomber who entered at 7:15AM.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Mayor Nelson asked Patrick if he was attending for business or something else. He informed the council that he is ready to move forward with his shop building. The council told him to proceed with his plans, and the city will move the street when we have the time. Maintenance Cardwell will stop by and visit with him today about his project plans.
MINUTES of the previous meetings of 4/8/2024 and 4/22/2024 were approved as emailed upon a motion by Cm. Jensen was seconded by Cm. Ingram, motion carried.
TREASURER’S REPORT AND MONTHLY BILLS:
The Clerk’s Monthly Treasurer’s Report dated May 13, 2024, was examined, and approved, showing the following:
Funds on Hand $479,479.90
All bills and payroll disbursements were examined and approved for payment upon a motion by Cm. Zenner and seconded by Cm. Jensen in the total $55,777.17 check numbers 17532 through 17574. Receipts since the last meeting were shown as $168,383.05. Checks and stub approvals were signed appropriately by all parties as well as all signed the Claim Approval Report for May.
BUSINESS TO BE CONDUCTED
- WW Land Ap Project – Amy Uptmor with Project Update, Redesign Contract:
The DEQ Water Reuse Permit is in the draft stage and Amy is working through their questions/issues to get that into a final stage. She wants to get a few things in writing. Amy continues to chase monies for the project and the 3 sources are DEQ, IDWR and USDA. Crea Construction will be mobbing in this week and once digging starts JUB will be on sight. Amy showed the project cost vs total cost of ownership as a follow-up question to a previous meeting. Cm. Ingram added that it hits on the information she was seeking. Amy moved to the irrigation changes in the plans noting the height of sprinkler heads and quick couplers in the RPZ. They will be in the ground with a 2 ft height riser and then the sprinkler heads. Will need to purchase replacement parts. When working up Option 5 zoning changes happened when moving the control valves. The sprinkling of the road issue has been resolved by going with a “wagon wheel road” type of construction. Amy asked if the city was ready to move forward with the current concept? Mayor Nelson said to move forward. The conversation moved to the redesign contract in the amount of $80,000. This contract does not include contract management on either phase. Cm. Jensen made a motion to approve the proposed contract; Cm. Zenner seconded the motion, motion carried.
- Idaho County CPF Fiber Project – Location for building for Point of Presence: Council decided to let the County respond as the City does not have any property available to be used. Dave Taylor was scheduled to attend the meeting but was not present to speak on the topic.
- Code Enforcement Official: The previous Mayor Steve Bateman is willing to take over the responsibility of Code Enforcement Officer and has requested an hourly wage of $25.00. Cm. Ingram motioned to appoint Bateman as an official, with a set number of weekly hours and $25.00 per hour; Cm. Zenner seconded the motion, motion carried. The number of hours is yet to be determined.
- Nuisance Properties: Council deemed the following homes as nuisance. Properties that need to be cleaned up and mowed: Jeremy Montgomery, Anthony Florek, Patty Epeldi. Robert & Michelle Lyons needs a cleanup and request them to move their personal property off the right-of-way as they are crowding 3rd Avenue. Dawna Lux needs to know that the building at 202 Pine is falling in and the lawn needs mowing and weed control. Both of Arnie Gehrke’s properties need cleaned up as have several different nuisances to address.
- Building Inspection – Manufactured Home Placement Fee: Clerk Schmidt asked the Council about creating a fee for placing a manufactured home. We have a resident that owns a home and is relocating it to Nezperce. Currently the only cost associated with moving a used manufactured home to Nezperce on the building permit is the cost to move the home and foundation costs. With a new manufactured home, the permit is based on the entire purchase of the home, lot and foundation etc. Nez Perce County has a fee to set a manufactured home when someone purchases a used home and wants to move it to a different lot. Cm. Ingram made a motion to establish a fee; Cm. Zenner suggested a flat fee of $300.00 for manufactured home placement, seconding the motion, motion carried.
- Prairie Day Donations: Clerk Schmidt asked the Council if they wanted to continue with the tradition of providing meat for Prairie Day. Also, Clerk Schmidt asked for a donation of $200.00 to be used towards the purchase of new flags for downtown power poles. The council agreed to both requests.
- AIC Conference Registration: Clerk Schmidt asked who would like to attend the conference. Mayor Nelson would like to attend as well as Clerk Schmidt. The council agreed for them to attend and Clerk Schmidt will begin looking for a place to stay and will register herself and the Mayor.
- Audit Update: Clerk Schmidt stated that she will forward a copy of the 2023 audit to council when she receives it and anticipates wrapping it up by next month.
- Parking Signage on Oak Street: Clerk Schmidt asked for a vote on placing signage in front of the bank and grocery store. This has become an issue with people parking for hours, which prevents the community from being able to park to go to the store or bank. After discussion, the Council voted to place 1 hour signage on both sides of the street from the bank to the Herald.
DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS
- Maintenance:
Planters: They will be planting plants later in the week.
Parks: Three trees were taken out of the Tennis Park, the stumps need to be removed. Cardwell found one place that can gride the stumps for $800.00 each but feels that this is high and so is going to shop around for a less expensive option. Kevin Brown has a sawmill and we have great logs to mill. Kevin charges 75.00/hr. per board foot.
Training: All maintenance employees will attend flagger and traffic control training in Lewiston on May 14 and 15.
Sewer: The sewer line extension projects will be started as soon as Crea Construction has a down day or extra crew to work on it, within the next month or two. Seubert’s are crushing rock and stockpiling it at Arnzen’s place. Rumor has it that he wants to charge a fee for the storage of the rock; Cardwell will call and discuss with him what he wants to charge and why.
The car wash was recently sold, and the new owner wants to make it back into a car wash and spoke with the city about installing a grease filter, but Cardwell is unsure if we can run it to the storm drain or if it remains in the sewer. The new owner is also going to be putting in a row of new metal containers for rental storage, they will not be able to be moved.
- Clerk:
LEPC Meeting: LEPC met at City Hall this month and Clerk Schmidt attended and reported the following to the council. Lewis County is creating a solid waste facility on Lauer Road; a transfer station is coming to Cottonwood. The counties Multi-Hazard Mitigation is being updated so Clerk Schmidt will pull the old plan and update the city information. There will be a new event coming to the weekend of July 19th in our area, Rambling on the Ridge featuring a rodeo and music concerts.
CEDA Annual Meeting: Representing the city was Mayor Nelson, Clerk Schmidt and Deputy Clerk Ross. Mayor Nelson participated in a question and answer program and did a great job.
Idaho Gem Grant: Cardwell and Schmidt have discussed applying for another Gem State Grant for the west side of Oak Street on 5th Ave. to correct the stormdrain at the alley area.
Job Descriptions and Personnel Policy: Job descriptions have been completed for all positions and Cardwell is currently reviewing the maintenance department. Once he completes the review they will be emailed to the council for review.
- Fire Department:
Rambling on the Ridge Event: Chief Kuther informed that he was asked to do fire control for the Mosman event, no equipment but manpower.
COUNCIL COMMENT/OTHER
ADJOURNMENT: Mayor Nelson adjourned the meeting at 8:30AM following a motion by Cm. Zenner and seconded by Cm. Ingram, motion carried.
Other/Upcoming Events:
Upcoming Council Meetings: June 10th and July 8th at 7AM
AIC Convention – June 19 – 21
Prairie Day July 12th & 13th
Budget Hearing August 12th
ICCTFOA Conference – September 17-19
Lewis County Fair – September 26-29
Closures: May 27 and July 4
The next regularly scheduled city council meeting will be on Monday, June 10 at 7 a.m. at City Hall.
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Tyler R. Nelson, Rhonda J. Schmidt,
Mayor Clerk-Treasurer