Minutes
CITY OF NEZPERCE, IDAHO
REGULAR MEETING
July 12, 2021
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE NEZPERCE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEZPERCE, IDAHO, HELD ON July 12, 2021
PLACE: Training Room – Nezperce City Hall, 606 Maple Street.
THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY MAYOR BATEMAN AT 7:00A.M.
PRESENT were Councilmembers Steve Bateman, James Zenner, Mike Jensen and Tyler Nelson, and Michelle Lyons, Maintenance Supervisor Craig Cardwell, Office Assistant Kimberly Johnson and Clerk-Treasurer Rhonda Schmidt by Zoom and Office Assistant Kimberly Johnson; Fire Chief Dave Kuther was absent. Guests present were Walco owners Patrick & Marietta Holman, Monica and Sydney Walker.
Pledge of Allegiance: The pledge was led by Mayor Bateman.
PUBLIC COMMENT
No members of the public were in attendance to make comment.
MINUTES of the previous meeting of 6/14/2021 were approved as emailed upon a motion by Cm. Zenner, motion was seconded by Cm. Lyons, motion carried.
TREASURER’S REPORT AND MONTHLY BILLS:
The Clerk’s Monthly Treasurer’s Report dated July 12, 2021 was examined and approved, showing the following:
Funds on Hand $568,683.35
All bills and payroll disbursements were examined and approved for payment upon a motion by Cm. Jensen and seconded by Cm. Nelson in the total of $66,459.13 check numbers 15956 through 15999, 16000 was voided and checks 16007 through 16015. Receipts since the last meeting were shown as $91,299.31. Checks and stub approvals were signed appropriately by all parties as well as the Payment Approval Report for July.
BUSINESS TO BE CONDUCTED
1. Walco Increase – Patrick Holman: Patrick introduced the owners of Walco to the council; present were Monica Walker, Sydney Walker and Patrick and Marietta Holman. Patrick went on to inform the council that they are asking for a 4.9% increase due to the pandemic as more people are ordering online and creating more trash. Walco also needs to be able to increase wages so that they can stay completive in pay. The last sanitation increase was in 2019. Motion to approve the requested 4.9% increase to sanitation fees was made by Cm. Nelson and seconded by Cm. Zenner, motion carried.
2. Commerce Block Grant Contract, Grant Administration Contract: Due to unforeseen circumstances Angie Edward of CEDA was unable to make the meeting and present the council with the grant administration contract. The Commerce Block Grant Contract for phase 1 of the WW Land App Project in the amount of $500,000 was available for review and signatures. Following review Mayor Bateman and Clerk Schmidt signed the contract.
3. Land App Project Update – Appraisal, Property Acquisition, Environmental Report: Engineer Amy Uptmor supplied an email to share with the council. Highlights of the email covered that the appraisal is in early stages and should take 90 days to complete. The Environmental Assessment is pretty complete but are dealing with a notice to the public regarding flood plain requirements which has delayed a completion by 3 – 4 weeks. The RD Apply application is completed and we will know more once RD has reviewed. RD will be doing a site visit to Nezperce later in the month.
4. Lagoons Seepage Test: The lagoon leakage testing protocol has been submitted to DEQ and testing is likely to begin in late July. It is better to get the testing done prior to rain.
5. Knife River Project Update: The school’s project is completed but the city project is on hold until August or September. Knife River is needing a milling machine. Maintenance Cardwell added that the grade is off on the catch basin by school parking lot and will need to be redone when Knife River comes back. Cardwell will also address a soft spot in front of Bell equipment before Knife River paves.
6. Airport Grant to Widen Runway: Clerk Schmidt has a call into JUB Engineer Kayla Brown to inquire about helping with engineering on the project to widen the runway by 20 feet (10 foot on each side).
7. City Hall Security: Clerk Schmidt asked about adding security at city hall suggesting cameras and a security door. Following discussion, the council approved the idea. Clerk Schmidt will contact Airbridge about cameras as they have donated a camara at the RV Park.
8. Donation Request for Cornerstone Teen Center: Mayor Bateman read a letter received from the center asking for a donation and offered that anything he gets for the Mayor’s Walk A Thon in October should go to the center. Following discussion, Cm. Jensen moved to donate $1,200 a year in one check to the center annually. Cm. Lyons seconded the motion, motion carried.
9. CEDA Membership Request: The CEDA membership request was received in the amount of $512, motion by Cm. Zenner to pay the membership, motion seconded by Cm. Jensen, motion carried.
DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS
1. Maintenance
Water: Water levels are historically low and Cardwell would like to implement watering restrictions. He added that rivers in south Idaho are low and some towns are running out of water. Following discussion, the council approved going to water restrictions immediately. Cardwell will inform the big users of the restrictions. The check valve keeps sticking at the well and has to be looked at daily. Maintenance will tear the valve apart and see if he can fix it again or he will need to call and have it worked on. Cardwell informed that he missed a deadline on nitrate sampling for both wells due to an Anatek equipment failure.
Streets: Most of the crosswalks have been painted has 10 gallons left and can’t get anymore paint. Instead of dust oil we received magchloride this last week.
Sewer: Not discharging currently.
RV Park: The Garden Club claims that they can’t get anything to grow in the corner by the bridge on 4th Avenue. Cardwell suggested that we move the Blue Star Memorial to the Clock Park and let the Garden Club do some plantings in that park. They want to be able to contribute to the beautification of town. Cardwell then suggested that he would like to remove the walk bridge completely and fill in the dike on both sides of the bridge, creating a retaining wall on the RV side. This would fix the breach in the dike created by the foot bridge.
Surplus Dump Truck: Cardwell is working on getting to Rigby to pick up the truck just hasn’t had the time. The check is cut ready to go.
Animal Control: 3 racoons have been caught and relocated.
2. Clerk
Monies: Clerk Schmidt informed that the city has received $49,257.01 American Rescue Plan Act monies and is expecting the $17,387.27 FEMA Grant monies soon as all the paperwork needed has been submitted and requested for.
Budget: Schmidt is working on the upcoming budget and will email out a proposed budget for the council to review. There will be a public hearing at the next meeting for the fee increases in sanitation and sewer. The public hearing on the budget will be later in August.
Clerks Conference: The conference is coming in September and Schmidt would like to take Kim Johnson to conference this year. A conference will really benefit Kim. We will travel and stay together to help keep costs down. There is a scholarship that we will look at also to help with costs.
3. Fire Department
No report.
COUNCIL COMMENT
Removal of Marshall’s trees was brought up, can the trees come down when taking out the racoon bushes?
No one is stopping for the stop sign at 7th Avenue and Oak Street.
The solar sign isn’t working on the east side of town on Hwy 64.
ADJOURNMENT: Meeting adjourned at 8:05AM.
Other/Upcoming Events:
Upcoming Council Meetings: August 9th at 7:00AM and September 13th at 5:30PM
Budget Public Hearing: August 23rd at 5:30PM
Clerks Conference: In Boise on September 21-23
III-A Wellness Clinic: September 28th from 3:30-4:30PM
The next regularly scheduled city council meeting will be on Monday, August 9th at 7AM at City Hall.
____________________ _____________________________
Steve A. Bateman, Mayor Rhonda J. Schmidt, Clerk-Treasurer