REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
October 9, 2012

CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Echanove called the Council Meeting to order at 7:11 PM.

ROLL CALL: Council members present: Cecil Floyd; Connie Newman; Bo Ossinger; Norm Schorzman. Absent: Tim Jones, Alison Webb, and Rick Wekenman. Also present: Public Works Superintendent Dwayne Griffin; Police Chief Jerry Neumann; & Clerk-Treasurer Joyce Beeson. Public present: Angela Taylor, Taylor Engineering and Garth Meyer, Gazette. Councilmember Newman MOVED to excuse the absence of the three not present. Councilmember Floyd seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Councilmember Newman MOVED to adopt the minutes of the Regular Council Meeting of September 25, 2012. Councilmember Floyd seconded the motion. After discussion, the motion carried unanimously. Discussion on minutes continued with concerns of releasing the draft minutes to the public. Councilmember Floyd MOVED to not send draft minutes out to the public. Councilmember Newman seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously.

Water & Sewer-Connie Newman, Chair: Angela Taylor, Taylor Engineering was introduced. Angela has been working with the city on the Water System Plan (WSP). Councilmember Newman updated council on progress made – the committee met and reviewed both the Water Extension Policy to confirm that it is consistent with the WSP. The Mayor signed off on the Local Government Consistency Review Checklist for DOH. The Planning Commission also signed the checklist that the WSP is consistent with adopted land use and zoning codes. The public meeting for community input and questions was held prior to tonight’s council meeting. November 3rd is the deadline to have the WSP back to DOH for their 2nd review. They can take up to 90 days for their review. The WSP will come back to council in February, 2013. Councilmember Floyd asked about any action items that may result from the adoption of the WSP. The capital improvement items listed in Chapter 8 of the plan will be done as needed and funding is secured. This is a true working document and will be helpful now and in the future.

PUBLIC WORKS REPORT: Supt. Griffin submitted a written report. In addition, they will be doing a water main repair along Whitman Street. The city will work off the Small Works Roster to select a contractor to rebuild/repair the sidewalk sections which were damaged in front of the Brownfield site. This work will be paid through the grants.

POLICE REPORT: Chief Neumann submitted PD activity for September. The WSU traffic at the intersection was more closely managed and patrolled to allow safer pedestrian use.

OLD BUSINESS:
2013 Budget Review: At the last meeting Current Expense and the Cemetery funds were discussed. Mayor Echanove read from a comparative spreadsheet showing 2011 actual activity, 2012 budget and the proposed draft 2013 budget. All the funds were gone through line-by-line with some discussion. The mayor explained that expenses are still outpacing revenue. The committees will meet to discuss what can be done to fill this gap. The funds most affected are Current Expense, Street Fund and the Cemetery Fund.

COMMITTEE REPORTS/REQUESTS:
Streets & Sidewalks-Cecil Floyd, Chair: The committee is still reviewing the agreement with the Palouse Tavern for use of the right-of-way.

Councilmember Floyd read the Planning Commission (PC) minutes of Sept. 14 concerning their discussion of the keeping of chickens and roosters as it pertains to Title 17 – Zoning. The PC is leaning in the direction of leaving the zoning code as written – setbacks of chicken coops are the same as any structure and a conditional use must by applied for to have poultry. Councilmember Newman pointed out that unlike other animals; there are no conditions in the code for the keeping of poultry. Discussion continued about setting conditions such as a maximum number of both chickens and roosters and adding language for violations as there is for dogs. Perhaps this language should be part of Title 6-Animals rather than Title 17-zoning. This will go to the Police, Fire & Safety and also the Policy committees for further review.

Councilmember Floyd asked for the definitions of the Ex-officio positions on the PC. Mayor Echanove said he would look into it.

ALLOW PAYMENT OF BILLS: Councilmember Ossinger MOVED that the bills against the city be allowed. Councilmember Newman 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 8:52 PM.

The following checks are approved for payment:
Payroll Paid, Sept. 28, 2012. Ck. #4344-4363 & EFT $43,428.22
Claims Paid, Oct. 10, 2012. Ck. #4364-4390 & EFT $23,198.78

APPROVED: ________________________________ ATTEST: ________________________________