Minutes
CITY OF NEZPERCE, IDAHO
OPEN HOUSE & REGULAR MEETING
October 13, 2020
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE NEZPERCE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEZPERCE, IDAHO, HELD ON October 13, 2020.
PLACE: Training Room – Nezperce City Hall, 606 Maple Street.
THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY MAYOR BATEMAN AT 5:30P.M.
PRESENT were Councilmembers Steve Bateman, Michelle Lyons, Mike Jensen and Tyler Nelson, Fire Chief David Kuther, Maintenance Supervisor Craig Cardwell and Clerk-Treasurer Rhonda Schmidt. Councilman Jim Zenner entered the meeting at 5:50PM. Guests present were JUB Engineer Amy Uptmor and Dodd Snodgrass of CEDA and residents Steve Wherry and Randy Winner.
Pledge of Allegiance: The pledge was led by Mayor Bateman
PROJECT OPEN HOUSE
1. Public Opportunity to Get Informed on Sewer Bond: Uptmor facilitated a slideshow hitting the highlights over the last 30 years getting us to where we are today with a compliance schedule and covered the upcoming land app project in the works. Residents need to pass the bond in November to show their support of the project so that the city is eligible to tap into grants to keep the rates down.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Resident Randy Winner was the only one in attendance with a few questions during the presentation. Randy was curious if this is the same sewer issue the city has been dealing with? He also wanted to know if we do this project will we have to do another project later? Lastly, he asked if we would be able to use local contractors or not? It was explained that the city has been fighting TSS and BOD limits for years and hasn’t been able to stay in compliance (yes an issue we have been dealing with) and now the EPA has added ammonia to the NPDES permit and the city knows we cannot meet an ammonia limit; these kinds of projects are required to be put out to bid so more than likely it will not be local contractors on the project; there are no guarantees that this will be the last project needed on sewer.
MINUTES of the previous meetings of 9/14/20 were approved as emailed upon a motion by Cm. Nelson, motion was seconded by Cm. Lyons, motion carried.
TREASURER’S REPORT AND MONTHLY BILLS:
The Clerk’s Monthly Treasurer’s Report dated October 13, 2020 was examined and approved, showing the following:
Funds on Hand $412,096.46
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 $77,440.01 check numbers 15568 through 15618 with check number. Receipts since the last meeting were shown as $50,462.98. Checks and stub approvals were signed appropriately by all parties as well as the Payment Approval Report for October.
BUSINESS TO BE CONDUCTED
1. Land App – Land Options: Engineer Amy Uptmor informed the council that she visited more with a Geotech and feels confident that there is a good chance that we can still dig on the site just north of the lagoons even after drilling the cores and hitting rock. Greg Branson has an excavator that we could rent and try to dig there and see how it goes. Mayor Bateman, Maintenance Cardwell and Engineer Uptmor met with Greg and Jen Branson and talked with them regarding the project. Their land is an option but not the preferred site for the lagoon. Uptmor will schedule meetings with the other land owners as discussed. Discussion of getting a land purchase agreement in place followed. Cm. Jensen asked what happens if we get locked into a crop for the irrigation and the farmer loses the crop contract? He suggested that we look more into the planting of trees similar to what Cottonwood does. If we go to trees what will the aeronautics department say? The consensus of the council is that we own the property instead of a long-term lease with a farmer. Grant writer Dodd Snodgrass informed the council that we need a public hearing prior to submitting the block grant. The hearing was set for November 9th with the hope that the bond passes and we can move forward with the block grant in November.
2. Right of Way Vacation (3rd and Elm Street adjacent to building at airport): City Attorney Herrington strongly recommends that the city vacate an additional section of 4rd and Elm adjacent to the hanger building the city is trading to Kuther. Cm. Jensen made a motion to move forward with the recommendation to vacate the additional section only needed and schedule a hearing while Cm. Lyons seconded the motion, motion carried.
3. Building Inspection – Adopt Commercial Fee Schedule for Residential: Clerk Schmidt provided the current fee schedules for the council’s review. Building inspector Jim Yeoman is asking that the city adopt the commercial schedule we use for residential building as well. Clerk Schmidt added that Yeoman informed her that all of his jurisdictions only use the commercial schedule. Nezperce is the only city with a separate residential schedule. Following discussion, the council tabled a decision as they would like to take another month to think the request over.
4. Nuisance Update: Clerk Schmidt has been working with the attorney to draft letters that give more information about what work needs to be addressed in the order. Mayor Bateman has been speaking with one resident in particular and things get moved leaving room for more vehicles. When we get the letters out that we need follow the ordinance and if they ask for assistance, we can provide it, Mayor Bateman’s directives will be included in the letter. Cm. Zenner would like us to move forward with the letters.
DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS
1. Maintenance
Hookups completed: Maintenance Cardwell informed that the services are in for a new residence on the corner of Birch and 7th Avenue.
Waterline for Willow Lots: Cardwell has been working on ways to get water and sewer services to the Willow lots as we are preparing to develop those lots. In keeping with the way services are in throughout the town Cardwell called a contractor (Summit) about boring in the water line from the alley between Winners and the Altman house on 6th Avenue and coming up behind their residences on the south toward 7th Avenue for $35.00 a foot. Then we could run the line down and across 7th Avenue to the Willow lots; innkeeping the water system as it was designed to be. A fire hydrant would be installed on 7th. Cm. Zenner made a motion that we keep the system designed the way it was meant to be designed and move forward with developing the lots. Cm. Nelson seconded the motion, motion carried.
Sewer: Cardwell added that we will need to start discharging this month. Cardwell added that when developing the Willow lots an extensive manhole will need to be constructed and that it will take more manpower and equipment then the city has to install the sewer.
EMS Building: Maintenance got the sidewalk in and cleaned out the gutters. In an attempt to fix the pooling water in front of the building Herco put down too much asphalt on the street so that water is running across the street and pooling in the Gering driveway. Maintenance has rented equipment to grind the asphalt back but the equipment kept breaking down and the water is still pooling.
Other: Maintenance will begin winterizing this week and Ed McMillion changed his mind about constructing a shop behind his mother-in-law and is building behind his residence.
2. Clerk
Broadband Conference: Schmidt attended a virtual conference on the 8th. This is a 5-session workshop to improve broadband access to the community and area. The next workshop is on November 12th if anyone is interested in attending.
Arbor Day Grant: Schmidt informed that the $300.00 grant has been collected.
EMS Building: The city has billed and received the other 2/3rds of the building expenses for 2020.
FYE 2020 Budget: In the council’s packets is the end of the year budget and the council will see that we need to reappropriate the street budget as it is overspent. Clerk Schmidt will be getting a public hearing advertised.
3. Fire Department
Hydrant Flushing: Chief Kuther asked if there were any complaints following the hydrant flushing in September? Cardwell added that he opened up a couple hydrants in an attempt to clean the lines up quickly. He added that opening up hydrants didn’t even drop the water level in the tower. Cm. Lyons added that she could really taste chlorine others said that they could tell that we were definitely treating the water. Cardwell added that the chlorine levels hardly showed up around town when he tested. Kuther informed that the Bureau has allowed us to maintain our rating and will come back in a decade and test again adding that the city does have the potential to get rates lowered for insurance purposes.
COUNCIL COMMENT
ADJOURNMENT: Meeting was adjourned at 7:01PM.
Other/Upcoming Events:
Upcoming Council Meetings: December 14th and January 11th at 5:30PM
Special Open House – October 26th at 5:30PM
Holiday Closures: November 11th, 26th & 27th and December 25th and January 1st
The next regularly scheduled city council meeting will be on Monday, November 9th at 5:30 PM at City Hall.
_____________________ _____________________________
Steve A. Bateman, Mayor Rhonda J. Schmidt, Clerk-Treasurer