Palouse City Council
Regular Council Meeting
September 9, 2014

CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Echanove called the Council Meeting to order at 7:01 PM.

ROLL CALL: Council members present: Doreen Hanson (left at 8:10 pm); Bo Ossinger; Mike Hicks; Senja Estes; Rick Wekenman; Bev Pearce. Chris Langsett is out sick. Councilmember Pearce MOVED to excuse councilmember Langsett’s absence. Councilmember Wekenman seconded. Motion carried unanimously. Staff present: Public Works Superintendent Dwayne Griffin; Police Chief Jerry Neumann; Clerk-Treasurer Joyce Beeson; C-T in training Mike Bagott; & Deputy Clerk Ann Thompson. Public present: Tom Kammerzell, Whitman County Port Commissioner; Corey Laughary, Planning Commission Chair; Lynne Nelson, Planning Commission; Cherry Jo; Tim Jones.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Councilmember Pearce MOVED to adopt the minutes of the Regular Council Meeting of August 26, 2014. Councilmember Hicks seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously.

PUBLIC WORKS REPORT: Supt. Griffin submitted a written report.
Public Works still has a couple weeks of works left on Wall Street project.

Public Works had an unexpected repair project on west Whitman Street. When the fiber optic line was installed by the Port of Whitman, they cut through the sewer line because the lines were mismarked (not their fault). However, it went unnoticed because no one lived in the house at the time of damage. Public Works had to replace about 80’ of new sewer line. When harvest is done and there isn’t so much traffic on Whitman Street, public works can get back there and finish.

Avista and the city each have only three more LED street lights left to put up.

Award bid for Wall Street paving and Fairview as part of our TIB project:
The City received two bids: Poe and Motley & Motley.
Poe Asphalt: Wall St: $12,445; Fairview: $4,995; grand total of $17,440.
Motley & Motley: Wall St: $15,065; Fairview: $5,130; grand total of $20,195.
The City has had good luck with both so Supt. Griffin recommends Poe based on the lower estimate. Councilmember Hicks MOVED to accept Poe’s bid of $17,440, seconded by Councilmember Wekenman. Motion carried unanimously.
Fairview’s is pre-level work, the City will cut out soft spots and put in new material, etc.

POLICE REPORT:
Main Street needs to be cleared by 8 am Saturday for Palouse Day.
Someone has painted graffiti on the whole south end pillar on West Main Street bridge. Chief Neumann would like the city to purchase the paint and he is looking for school volunteers to clean/paint it.
Regarding the complaint received on Officer Merry, Chief Neumann has reviewed it and he is confident that the officer acted appropriately.
School is in so watch for children. The PD will be moving the radar trailer around.

NEW BUSINESS:
Bad debt from 2011: The people split town three years ago and we can’t locate. Their billing statements kept being returned to the city and they abandoned their house. Councilmember Wekenman MOVED to authorize Deputy Clerk Thompson to write off the bad utility debt of $197.93 from 2011. Councilmember Hicks seconded. Motion carried unanimously.

OLD BUSINESS:
Continue public hearing – review of proposed changes to Palouse zoning map and the comprehensive plan: Opened the public hearing at 7:19 pm. Title 17 is still at the attorney’s office for review. The comp plan is a visionary document and a picture in time of where the city has been, is, and headed (demographics, economics, population, housing, etc.). It’s based on census data, economic data, real estate data, city survey, etc. Council reviewed the comp plan page by page. There were a few changes, mostly typos and a few re-wordings. Councilmember Wekenman proposed a few changes to the commercial zone on the zoning map. Discussion ensued. Deputy Clerk Thompson will give those proposed changes to our engineer and another draft will be brought before council. The Mayor suspended public hearing at 9:03 pm to resume at next council meeting.

COMMITTEE REPORTS/REQUESTS:
No reports

OPEN FORUM:
Port Commissioner Tom Kammerzell came by to say hi, see what’s going on in Palouse and update us on Port Commission business.
The 174 miles of fiber optic line are now installed.
The construction being done next to Highway 27 from Albion road to Pullman is water and sewer being put in for the port’s new industrial park.

MAYOR’S REPORT:
Clerk-Treasurer in training Mike Bagott is attending a workshop tomorrow regarding funding for our wastewater plant.

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

ADJOURN: Councilmember Wekenman MOVED to adjourn. Councilmember Hicks seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously. The council meeting adjourned at 9:22 PM.

The following checks are approved for payment:
VOIDED Check Ck. #5954
Payroll Paid 8/31/14 Ck. #5955-5980 $42,361.08
Claims Paid Ck. #5981-5999 $ 5,988.01

APPROVED: ________________________________ ATTEST: ________________________________