Palouse City Council via Zoom Teleconferencing
Regular Council Meeting
August 11, 2020
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Cook called the Council Meeting to order at 7:00 PM.
ROLL CALL: Councilmembers present: Mary Welcome; Bill Slinkard; Tim Sievers; John Snyder; Jim Fielder; Steve Alred; Katie Cooper. Staff present: Police Chief Jerry Neumann; Public Works Supt. Mike Wolf; City Administrator Kyle Dixon; & Deputy Clerk Ann Thompson.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Councilmember Welcome MOVED to approve the minutes of the Regular Council Meeting of July 28, 2020. Councilmember Slinkard seconded. Motion carried.
PUBLIC WORKS REPORT: Supt. Wolf submitted a written report.
The Heritage Park restrooms have been the victim of some disgusting vandalism involving excrement. The cleanup and sanitizing require an extra hour each time, not to mention the associated health risks to public and staff. PW Supt Wolf Would like to temporarily close the public bathrooms for a couple weeks until the third PW position is filled. At that time, we can open on a trial basis during business hours and see how it goes. Chief Neumann offered to lock the bathrooms every evening when the time comes.
POLICE REPORT: Chief Neumann submitted a police log.
-Radar sign is ready to be installed, just waiting for WSDOT authorization. The sign will be for northbound traffic (coming into Palouse from Pullman).
-Chief requested a meeting with the personnel and budget committees to go over some issues.
CITY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT:
City is still working with WSDOT regarding placement of radar speed sign on HWY 27 at the south entrance to town. They have very specific restrictions, so it is not as simple as putting a post in the ground wherever we choose in their right-of-way.
There should be an update from our wastewater engineers at our next meeting regarding the timeline for a response to ECY comments on the facility plan.
CA Dixon will have a proposed update to the city’s 6-year street improvement plan (STIP) for the street committee’s consideration by the end of the month. It cannot be formally adopted until a public hearing is held. As we get into budget season, if in-person meetings are unlikely to resume, we will solicit written comment and proceed with adoption. He will also have 2021 revenue sources available soon. This is an estimation of taxes to be collected next year. The finance committee will meet in September and October to discuss the 2021 budget, with emphasis on pool levy numbers and potential impacts the pandemic will have on our revenues in 2021 and beyond.
COMMITTEE REPORTS/REQUESTS:
Streets, Properties, & Facilities, Chair Sievers- Met last week to discuss increase to fees for cemetery plots and opening/closing gravesites. Committee is close to a recommendation.
Policy & Administration, Chair Cooper- Met to discuss whether we want to pursue a policy for street naming/dedicating. After researching, committee is recommending we address these rare requests on an ad-hoc basis.
MAYOR’S REPORT:
Twenty people applied for the position of Public Works Assistant. Interviews are being held this week.
We are also potentially looking at an additional part-time hourly helper.
ALLOW PAYMENT OF BILLS: Councilmember Fielder MOVED that the bills against the city be allowed. Councilmember Cooper seconded. The motion carried.
The following checks are approved for payment:
Payroll Paid 7/31/2020 Ck. #11018-11040 & EFT $51,808.08
Claims Paid 8/11/2020 Ck. #11041-11063 & EFT $19,352.10
ADJOURN: Councilmember Slinkard MOVED to adjourn. Councilmember Fielder seconded. Motion carried. The council meeting adjourned at 7:27 PM.
APPROVED: ________________________________ ATTEST: ________________________________