Palouse City Council
Public Hearing for 2014-2019 Transportation Improvement Plan
Followed by
Regular Council Meeting
July 23, 2013

CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Echanove called the Public Hearing to order at 7:00 PM.

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

PUBLIC HEARING: 2014-2019 Six-year Transportation Improvement Plan. No comments. Public Hearing closed at 7:03 pm.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Councilmember Wekenman requested the minutes be amended under Public Hearing third paragraph replace Whitman County with Rural Fire District 4 residents. Councilmember Newman submitted in an email for the minutes to reflect that Norm’s absence was not excused at last council meeting – After Allow Payment of the Bills – With no motion to excuse tonight’s absence of Councilmember Schorzman, his absence is considered unexcused. Councilmember Jones MOVED to adopt the amended minutes of the Regular Council Meeting of July 9, 2013 as amended. Councilmember Wekenman seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously.

PUBLIC WORKS REPORT:
The county chip sealed some city roads as part of a TIB project.
Rebuilt and replaced the storm drain by the grain growers.
The new variable frequency drive is working fine and a three year warranty will be purchased
The gravel roads were oiled. There were a few places that needed touched up. It’s holding up pretty well. It’s the same material as last year.

POLICE REPORT: A local business was burglarized with a substantial amount of money taken. The suspect made his way to Spokane, was apprehended and transferred to us. He spent the weekend in jail. There’s a phone scam going around Palouse; if companies are contacting you for payment and requesting a money order, it’s a scam. Legitimate companies don’t require immediate payment with money orders. Music Festival is this Saturday. Beer garden will be fenced in as usual, in the same vicinity.

2nd Quarter Treasurer’s Report: C-T Beeson submitted a written report and asked for questions or concerns. Councilmember Jones MOVED to accept the 2nd Quarter Treasurer’s Report. Councilmember Schorzman seconded. Motion carried unanimously.

JFB REPORT: There’s a group called Emergency Services of Palouse which is a non-profit branch of the Palouse Fire/EMS which was formed to receive donations. Funds are used to buy necessary equipment they might not otherwise be able to afford. They’re required to meet once a year so we had that meeting with reelection of officers.

In JFB meeting, financially things are going well. The average annual EMS operating line is $17,500/yr; Fire is $23,500/year. Considering the great level of service we have here, that’s impressive. There will be some changes in the line items in the EMS budget to satisfy the state auditor requirements. There was 1 fire call in June, 11 ytd. We had some onsite rescue training at the grain grower’s facility. Had a quick rundown on the new wildland firefighting gear we’ve obtained. The 12 SCBA we have now will be outdated and required to be replaced in 2017. Chief Bagott is estimating that when they have to be replaced, it will cost about $80,000 for 10. These are the breathing packs/tanks that allow fire personnel to enter a burning building and rescue people. That’s one of the reasons we’re looking at the levy lid lift.

On the EMS end of things, 3 calls in June, 25 ytd. They had their annual practice with the lifeguard staff at the Palouse Pool. Took a tour around Kamiak Butte with the park ranger to determine some of the back roads to learn quickest driving access for emergencies.

OLD BUSINESS:
Resolution No. 2013-05 – A request to the Whitman County Auditor to place on the November 5, 2013, ballot a proposition authorizing the city to increase the regular property tax levy limit established in RCW 84.55. Mayor read aloud the resolution in its entirety. The city’s regular property tax levy base shall be increased permanently by $0.61 per $1,000 of assessed value for collection in 2014. Councilmember Jones MOVED, seconded by Councilmember Ossinger to adopt Resolution No. 2013-05. Motion carried unanimously.

Resolution No. 2013-06 – A request to the Whitman County Auditor to place on the November 5, 2013, ballot a proposition setting a one year excess property tax levy which will be used for street improvements and street oiling. Mayor read aloud the resolution in its entirety. Imposes an excess property tax levy upon all taxable property within the city in the amount of $44,000, an estimated $0.911 per $1,000 of assessed value in the year 2013, for collection in 2014. This is a 10% increase from last year. Councilmember Jones MOVED, seconded by Councilmember Webb, to adopt Resolution No. 2013-06. Motion carried unanimously.

Resolution No. 2013-07 – A request to the Whitman County Auditor to place on the November 5, 2013, ballot a proposition setting a one year excess property tax levy which will be used for operation and maintenance of the swimming pool. Mayor read aloud the resolution in its entirety. Imposes an excess property tax levy upon all taxable property within the city in the amount of $28,000, an estimated $0.580 per $1,000 of assessed value in the year 2013, for collection in 2014. Councilmember Webb MOVED, seconded by Councilmember Jones, to adopt Resolution No. 2013-07. Motion carried unanimously.

Resolution No. 2013-08 – Adopting the 2014-2019 Six-year Transportation Improvement Plan. Supt.Griffin summarized the plan: 1. Wall Street Reconstruction from Union St. to Elmo St.; 2. Chipseal Fairview Ave. from Main St. to east city limits; 3. West Whitman Reconstruction from Bridge St. to Mill St.; 4. West Whitman & Fir St. Reconstruction, from Mill St. to Illinois St.; 5. Wall St. #2 Reconstruction from Elmo St. to Park St.; 6. Culton St. Reconstruction from Park St. to Holyoke St.; 7. Park St. Reconstruction from Holyoke St. to Wiley St. Mayor read aloud the resolution in its entirety. Councilmember Jones MOVED, seconded by Councilmember Wekenman to adopt Resolution No. 2013-08. Motion carried unanimously.

COMMITTEE REPORTS/REQUESTS:
Finance, Property, & Equipment-Tim Jones, Chair:
Water & Sewer-Connie Newman, Chair:
Policy & Administration-Bo Ossinger, Chair:
Personnel & Pool-Norm Schorzman, Chair:
Parks, Cemetery, & Buildings-Alison Webb. Chair:
Police, Fire, & Safety-Rick Wekenman, Chair:

Streets & Sidewalks-Senja Estes, Chair: Received a call from a resident about the Main Street intersection. Drivers facing east or west cannot see the traffic coming off the bridge without having to pull forward from the stop sign. Also, when cars are parked there, kids in the crosswalk cannot be seen. This has been an ongoing concern for years. It’s a state highway so a four-way stop isn’t allowed. The state always says “provide us with some accident data” and we haven’t been able to provide them with more than one or two accidents. Until there’s hard data to support change there, the state isn’t likely to get on board. Chief Neumann thinks yellow curbing in some spots might help so that people don’t park there thus blocking the view.

OPEN FORUM:
Heidi Keen: Here for annual approval for Barley Bar Relay during Palouse Day. This year it will be on the same side of the street as tavern so there won’t be any street crossings. The proposal is to create a second section to the tavern’s beer garden just for the duration of the event and only to be used by the registered runners. Councilmember Webb MOVED, seconded by Councilmember Ossinger, to grant the temporary right to use part of Beach Street for the Barley Bar Relay during Palouse Day. This is a fundraiser for the PCC. Motion carried unanimously.

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

ADJOURN: Councilmember Jones MOVED to adjourn. Councilmember Estes seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously. The council meeting adjourned at 8:06 PM.

The following checks are approved for payment:
Claims Paid Ck. #5008 – 5028 & EFT $28,642.97

APPROVED: ________________________________ ATTEST: ________________________________