Palouse City Council
Regular Council Meeting
December 10, 2013

CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Echanove called the Council Meeting to order at 7:00 PM.

ROLL CALL: Council members present: Senja Estes; Connie Newman, Bo Ossinger; Norm Schorzman; Rick Wekenman. Absent: Tim Jones. Councilmember Newman MOVED to excuse Tim’s absence. Councilmember Estes seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously. Also present: Public Works Supt. Dwayne Griffin; Police Chief Jerry Neumann; Clerk-Treasurer Joyce Beeson; & Deputy Clerk Ann Thompson.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Councilmember Newman MOVED to adopt the minutes of the Special Council Meeting of November 26, 2013. Councilmember Wekenman seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously.

PUBLIC WORKS REPORT: Supt. Griffin submitted a written report. Public Works has had a few frozen water meters in town. Supt. Griffin has been attending CEU water certification classes in Airway Heights.

POLICE REPORT: Public service reminders: It is a law that your front and side windows be defrosted prior to driving. Also, the roads are slick, slow down.
The number of sold concealed pistol licenses is up 30% from last year.
We’re looking at replacing the downstairs door at the PD with one that is insulated.

OLD BUSINESS:
TIB Agreement for city-owned street lights: Mayor read aloud the letter from TIB. TIB is allocating $91,000 for this project with no match from the city. The lights aren’t spec’d out yet; the city will be part of that process. Councilmember Wekenman MOVED to authorize the mayor to sign the TIB Solid State Street Light Agreement, seconded by Councilmember Schorzman. Motion carried unanimously.

TIB Agreement for seal-coat project: Mayor read aloud the letter from TIB. Palouse was selected for the FY 2015 seal coat project with TIB allocating funds of $31,176 with no match from the city. This will be a two-year project: we’ll patch and crack seal one year, then chip seal the next year. This is earmarked for Fairview Avenue from the highway to the city limits. Councilmember Wekenman MOVED to authorize the mayor to sign the fuel tax grant distribution agreement. Councilmember Estes seconded and the motion carried unanimously.

NEW BUSINESS:
Ordinance No. 909 adopting property tax increase for 2014: Mayor read aloud the ordinance in its entirety. With the failure of our levy lid lift, we were prepared to take our 1% as allowed by law. Councilmember Newman MOVED to adopt ordinance No. 909. Councilmember Wekenman seconded and the motion carried unanimously.

Ordinance No. 910 setting the regular and special levy amounts for 2014: Mayor read aloud the ordinance in its entirety. In summary estimate: special street levy $44,000 ($.761 per $1,000); special pool levy $28,000 ($.484 per $1,000); Voted regular EMS levy $27,248 ($.466 per $1,000); general levy $134,000 ($2.300 per $1,000). Councilmember Wekenman MOVED to adopt Ordinance No. 910. Councilmember Estes seconded and the motion carried unanimously.

Ordinance No. 911 adopting 2014 budget: Councilmember Estes MOVED to suspend the reading of Ordinance No. 911. Councilmember Newman seconded and the motion carried unanimously. Joyce factored in the TIB street light grant. Joyce is still awaiting a 2014 Brownfields payment and the firefighter equipment grant payment. Councilmember Newman MOVED, seconded by councilmember Wekenman, to adopt Ordinance No. 911. Motion carried unanimously.

2014-2015 Pullman Ambulance Contract Renewal: This is for 24-hour response from Pullman for emergency medical services. There are no cost increases for 2014 or 2015. It’s a good deal. The cost is $17,210 each year. They had approximately 75 responses to Palouse in 2013. Councilmember Newman MOVED to approve the contract. Councilmember Ossinger seconded. Motion carried unanimously.

COMMITTEE REPORTS/REQUESTS:
Personnel & Pool-Norm Schorzman, Chair: no report
Parks, Cemetery, & Buildings-: no report
Police, Fire, & Safety-Rick Wekenman, Chair: no report
Streets & Sidewalks-Senja Estes, Chair: no report
Finance, Property, & Equipment-Tim Jones, Chair: no report

Policy & Administration-Bo Ossinger, Chair: No policy & admin report. He did attend a skatepark design committee meeting. Aaron is leaning toward a Portland-based company for the design. He’s hoping to do the majority of labor with volunteers. He has several things to do first like talk with the insurance underwriter, talk with DOE, and SEPA process.

Water & Sewer-Connie Newman, Chair: No water & sewer report. She reminded council that she will be continuing as the appointed student advisor through May. She has requested to receive the council packets once she’s off council so she can continue to advise Tylor Wilson. She has also requested that the student advisor be on every agenda (perhaps under committee report).

Student Advisor, Tylor Wilson: He gave his report to council on what he learned when he attended the GP school board meeting regarding the Oakesdale request to form a cooperative with GP. The school board is looking for public input. They’re making their final decision January 2, 2014.

MAYOR’S REPORT:
Planning Commission reappointment of Jay Iverson, Corey Laughary, & Lynne Nelson. Their terms are up December 31, 2013. Councilmember Newman MOVED, seconded by Councilmember Estes, reaffirming the mayor’s reappointments of the above to the Planning Commission. Motion carried unanimously.

Councilmember Ossinger and Mayor Echanove attended the Shorelines Management meeting to update the plan. The Shorelines Management Plan (SMP) hasn’t been updated since 1974. It allows preparation of locally tailored programs to meet the needs of our rural and city communities. They’re hoping to finish this up by 2015. Mayor appointed Councilmembers Wekenman and Ossinger to represent Palouse on the SMP. The SMP includes all the cities and towns in Whitman County.

Mayor thanked Councilmember Newman for her work on council.

ALLOW PAYMENT OF BILLS: Councilmember Schorzman MOVED that the bills against the city be allowed. Councilmember Estes seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously.

ADJOURN: Councilmember Schorzman MOVED to adjourn. Councilmember Newman seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously. The council meeting adjourned at 7:56 PM.

The following checks are approved for payment:
Claims Paid Ck. #5352-5387 & EFT $16,743.07

APPROVED: ________________________________ ATTEST: ________________________________