07/16/90 City Council Minutes} f
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A REGULAR MEETING OF THE KALISPELL CITY COUNCIL WAS HELD AT 7:30
P.M. MONDAY, JULY 16, 1990, IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT CITY HALL.
MAYOR HOPKINS PRESIDED. COUNCILMAN NYSTUL WAS ABSENT. ALL OTHER
COUNCILMEMBERS WERE PRESENT.
Mayor Hopkins called the meeting to order and led the Pledge of
Allegiance.
CONSENT AGENDA
Approve Claims,
City Official Reports
Treasurer's Report June
Police Chief "
City Judge te
Building official 41
Councilman Atkinson moved the consent agenda be approved. Moses
seconded and the motion carried.
ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL
Evergreen Agreement
Tom Flynn, 747 3rd Ave. West, referred to the proposed Evergreen
agreement that was approved at the last meeting. He stated the
amount of the surety bond is stated as $100,000.00. He said this
only represents only about 5 months billing by the City and
personally considered it inadequate. He did not feel it should
be reduced under that $100,000.00. He reminded the council that
this is an agreement that will be imposed on the City for at
least the next .twenty-five years, and it has to be worded very
carefully.
He stated that several times in the last month, he has quoted
City ordinances as they govern the conduct of the sewer system.
One of them being the requirement for payment for a hook up fee
by all users of the City Sewer System. He said there is no
provision for payment of this fee contained in this agreement.
With the City having negotiated to treat sewage as a service,
separate from the existing service, now consisting of collection,
transporting and treatment of sewage for present users of the
system. It appears the only sound basis for conducting these
services in the future is develop separate rate structures which
would be composed of 3 elements. Collection and transportation
to the plant, actual treatment and disposition, financial and
debt retirement replacement. As it is anticipated, there may be
future occasions where treatment is only requested, if you have
an established rate and policy it would not be necessary to carry
on a prolonged negotiation. I recommend that you investigate
and follow through on this . The present City users would be
subject to the combination of all 3 fees, which is the
collection, treatment and finance and hookup fees. Once you have
fully reconciled the Evergreen situation, I urge that you proceed
with establishing such rate structures which should be adopted in
the manner prescribed by law.
S orts lex
Flynn also referred to a recent article, regarding a Sportsplex
in the area. He stated even in Spokane, they fail to draw enough
happenings to make a go of it.
He also stated if this sportsplex was privately owned, the
revenues would not cover the taxes and the operating costs. The
schools have indicated they would not use such a facility because
they need the gate receipts at the school to help fund the sport.
He said it seemed to him it would be well advised to keep any
part of the money they might put into such a study as he has a
street that is about 3 blocks long that the high school kids use
that has a few holes in it.
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Hopkins stated on behave of the City, that the character of this
agreement assumes alot of Flynn's character and is a better
agreement because of that. He thanked Flynn for his tenacity and
involvement. He said the resulting agreement is a big part of
Flynn's efforts.
ANNOUNCEMENTS & APPOINTMENTS:
Mayor Hopkins read a letter from Police Chief Clark, respectfully
requesting confirmation of Janell Squires by the Council as a
police officer. Furlong so moved and Gunnerson seconded the
motion. The motion carried.
MAYOR'S REPORTS:
Evergreen Agreement
Hopkins stated he does have an executed copy of a memorandum of
agreement between the City of Kalispell and Flathead County Water
and Sewer District No.l. He reported the Sewer Board met last
week, and authorized their chairman Jack Fallon to sign the
agreement.
Mayor Hopkins read a letter from Fallon, stating Evergreen
District would like to meet with the Sewer & Water committee on
Thursday, July 19, at 7:00 p.m., to continue the final review of
the interlocal agreement subject to the input provided by the
various parties at the Special council meeting, Wednesday, July
11.
City Manager Selection
Mayor Hopkins reported the selection committee met and has
narrowed the applicants from 33 to 11 semi-finalists. He stated
the references will be checked and the sub -committee will
review. As soon as that process is completed, he said he will
notify the council of a meeting with the transition committee, to
review the references by the committee, so the finalists can be
narrowed down, and invited for interviews.
NY Times Article
Mayor Hopkins reported that Kalispell is making national Press.
He said the New York Times wrote an article, which made reference
to the City of Kalispell, in the change to the City Manager form
of government and what is happening nationwide.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT/PUBLIC BUILDINGS
Sports Complex Contribution, $3,000
Councilman Furlong stated there is alot of excitement with alot
of people on the possibility of building a sports complex. He
said it would be multi -purpose. He said the Community
Development Committee received input from the Mayor, stating
there is a group attempting to raise just under $12,000 to hire a
paid consultant to see if this thing would be viable or not. He
said the committee voted to recommend to the council and so moved
that the City participate in contribution to this fund to study
the possibility of a sportsplex, not to exceed $3,000. Larson
seconded the motion.
Granmo asked what the source of funds were?
Furlong stated UDAG funds. He said this is the repayment of the
grant that help build the mall.
Gunnerson stated this study will also find out if they even want
to use the word "sports". He spoke in favor of the motion.
Hopkins said it has been looked at from both private and public
and the feasibility study may help define private and public.
Furlong stated the committee felt as being the recipient of that
market study 'might -.Justify thlb," cost. M4,9 urged 7-'everyone's
support.
ME
Upon vote, the motion carried unanimously.
Contract Services/Larry Gallagher
Furlong said that it has been stated we need a professional real
estate management consultant to give Kalispell a service as to
what directions we might go as to the development of these
properties and to KDC, who is our financial advisor to the
Community Development Committee. He so moved the Mayor and
Community Development committee be authorized to enter into
negotiations resulting in a contract with Larry Gallagher for his
services for a period of one year. Larson seconded the motion.
Furlong stated the cost of this would be $47,0.00 to$50,00, which
is about 10% of the value of the property owned. The scope of
sequences and recommendations for different properties, which
include, Equity Supply, FVCC college buildings, potential for
developing a bond issue for extension of the Tax Increment
financing, potential for creating parking lots in and around
Flathead High School.
Gunnerson stated he felt we are doing a decision making process
for the city manager before he even gets here. He felt if we
could do it on a project by project base, that way the city
manager could make the decision.
Furlong stated if we are going to move on extending the TIF, we
have only 14 months left to do it. He said bringing that all
together takes alot of time. He said the kinds of property
involved and the possibility of getting them developed, is worth
the risk.
Atkinson spoke in favor of the motion. He stated he has talked
with Gallagher and even though he is not from Kalispell is very
aware of what is going on in Kalispell. He said he felt he has
a considerable amount of background about those specific things
Furlong mentioned. He said he has seen his credentials and are
very impressive. He said he agreed with Furlong, with some
projects, time is of the essence. He said he was in favor of
this professional offering his expertise in this area.
Granmo stated that there may be some value in some of this, but
he questions the value to all these various projects. He said he
did not feel we had that many studies to be made to be spending
that .nuch money on them. He said there items in the budget that
we have argued long and hard over that are alot less than that.
Hopkins stated one of the main purposes is for Gallagher to bring
all the pieces of potential and opportunity in Tax Increment
District. He said 71 years ago when Larry was employed by the
City, nobody had a clue what Kalispell would like in 1990. We
cannot even begin to see what Kalispell will be like in the year
2000, but I think Larry can help us put some of the pieces of
potential together that could get us out in that direction. As
Noel mentioned, time is of the essence. We have actually 9
months to put everything together for the possibility of selling
another bond. That if we are going to do that, that if there are
projects that can be bondable and f.undablo, then that must he
ready Lo be, prusunLed Lu LILU COURCll kry M11y 31 in urdur Lu allow
band council and ovoryone else to review the propos,1 i s prior to
the expiration of the district in mid -September of next year.
111hal. wi 1 1 i n(�l ttdr, tho pns-st i bi 1 i ty Of oxpand i rsrl t.hrr f1 i st.ri ct
boundaries and looking aL projects outside of t1ke currenL
district. He said he thought one that comes to mind and has been
talked about very tentatively is the fair grounds. There is a
vastly under utilized piece of potentially highly valuable
commercial property, with enough imagination and effort and
studies something very dramatic could happen there. So we are
not just looking; which -is part of Larry{s task assignment, is to
look beyond what is just in the district, although I think there
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is potential in the district that we are not even fully aware of.
Hopkins said Larry's skills are in the realm of an engineer. The
service that Larry provides in the big cities brings in $125 per
hour. In luring developers to the Seattle market, to other
places he has been doing some work, in the past 10 years, his
contract here works about to be about $78 per hour for the city
over the one year period.
Gunnerson said he felt Gallagher would be very positive for
Kalispell. He said if we had a set plan and said, we want you to
look at this area , accomplishments in this area, it would be a
tremendous idea. But to give someone a basket and say here is 20
different things out here and you go in the direction you want to
go and accomplish what you can in a years time, and we will see
what we do next year. I think that is an improper procedure to
follow. If we would set up the objectives of what we want to get
accomplished and outline them accordingly, then great, let's do
it, but while we are in the transition stage of city manager,
community development director, I think we need to be individual
on it. I would support that if that was the motion.
Moses stated that it took alot of talk and convincing at the
committee meeting to convince me to support this move. In the
end, I did support the move. I did have some concerns, we don't
really know yet what we want this person to do, however, I'm not
sure if we even know the questions to ask and that's one of the
reasons for my supporting this is that I think he is a man with
knowledge and contacts to bring it all together. There are alot
of decisions that need to be made that have long term
ramifications and one of my hopes would be that someone who does
have the background that he has will enable us to make the best
decisions for the City of Kalispell. There are some concerns,
but I feel it is a good investment.
Furlong stated this is not a blank check, the motion said that
negotiations would be conducted by the Mayor and the Community
Development Department with Larry. Part of that is spelling out
specifically and prioritizing those areas, those projects that he
is going to work on. The contract will specify the priority of
the projects.
Hopkins said part of the process is to set , discuss what is to
be done. If it would be helpful, I can read from his letter what
he does propose to do for the city. It's very specific but it
doesn't say specifically what the projects are. "The services
may include but are not limited to 1. preparation of disposition
strategies, and managing the marketing of land currently owned or
to be acquired by the city. 2. identifying, analyzing and
implementing plans for new tax increment and or public private
financed redevelopment projects. 3. soliciting and negotiating
agreements with local, state, regional and national development
firms and tenants, which could add value to the Kalispell
Downtown Redevelopment Plan area. 4. to analyze possible project
boundary adjustments to determine the economic impact and
feasibility." Hopkins stated these are specific projects, but
until we get a professional in there that knows the developers,
knows the market place, can analyze the potential and possibility
of Kalispell, we don't really have specific projects, other than
the college. We are current owners of that property and
something must be done with that.
Granmo asked is the motion to enter into the contract?
Furlong said it was to enter into negotiations. In other words,
write a contract.
Hopkins stated" hdinVited 'Larry here -,with 'a 4speci'fi.c. purpose -of
one project in mind. We have talked alot about the Equity
location and We ' had members 'of'' the KDC executive 1 board,
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representatives of Equity Supply including board members and
president Nathan Byrd and representatives of the Kalispell
Community Development committee in a meeting with Larry to talk
about the potential of this project. At that time, was the first
time that everybody in that room had any kind of direct
indication of the magnitude of that project, in terms of dollars.
Focusing on that one particular project as a potential bond
project, did not seem as reasonable, at the end of that meeting,
as it did prior to the meeting. But that's not to say that still
couldn't be a project at a lower scope or with broader
involvement on the part of Equity Supply. That was the intent
was to focus on one project and as we entered into that
discussion, it became clear that there is more going on here in
Kalispell, than just that one project.
Gunnerson said Moses stated that we really aren't sure all the
questions to ask. Gunnerson stated that if we had a community
development director, that person would know what those questions
were that we would want to put together so maybe we knew what we
wanted to ask and possibly build that cart before we add onto the
horse. Instead of putting the horse out front without even
having a cart to pull. He said he was concerned about spending
that amount of money in a contractual basis when we don't have
any plan in place. If we have a plan in place, great, then let's
go after it, let's do it, go forward. There are slot of things
that are going to happen in the community and I believe that
Larry is the guy to do it, but without a plan, I cannot support
it.
Hopkins stated Larry will provide us with that plan. We hire
professionals to do lots of planning for local governments and to
give us the vision that we need, and give us the direction that
we need to go in. He said that the KDC, through the tax
increment committee has reviewed the proposal and supports the
proposal and the hiring of Larry Gallagher, and has approved it
as a budgetary item.
Atkinson called for the question.
Upon vote, the motion carried, with Granmo, Buck and Gunnerson
voting against.
FINANCE/PERSONNEL & POLICY/INSURANCE
Pool Manager Wage Increase
Atkinson stated the committee recommended that the council grant
the pool manager a cost of living wage increase of 4%. This
would move her wage from $1200 per month to $1248 per month. it
is a temporary salaried position that is in the salary ordinance,
but not on the salary matrix. All other salaried positions in
that salary ordinance received a 4% increase. This was an
oversite and the recommendation from the committee is that this
oversite be corrected. lie so moved and Larson seconded the
motion.
Gunnerson stated he did not feel that we are treating the rest of
the people fairly. He said maybe to change the salary from
monthly to hourly would be better.
Hopkins stated Baker was excused from the council meeting tonight
so that he could represent the City at the Ilwy 93 meeting. Baker
did want to be here in case this item came up.
Larson stated, as explained to the committee, the pool manager is
a seasonal employee that has come back year after year and is in
a management position that oversees all the lifeguards and all
the people that work at the pool during the season. She has
responsibility for the overseeing the revenue for the pool that
is developed day by day and _the-,�-poli,cies • qt `the pool-.: She 1s
more in a management position andtshe .has returned for the third
or fourth year. She is on a monthly salary because of the
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management level of the position and the fact she has returned.
She is on this salary for approximately four months of the year.
Furlong said it was his understanding that wages and or salaries
for the Parks Department were brought to the Parks committee by
the real supervisor, Mr. Baker. To my knowledge this has not
come before Parks. He said this same position was granted a
raise last year of $200, and it went through the Parks committee.
Larson said that was year before last.
Hopkins stated he
thought the reason it came
through Finance
committee is the
second reading of the ordinance was up, the
question was raised by her. She saw the
other management
employees getting
a 4% cost of living increase
and asked if she
wasn't entitled to
it and it came to the Finance
committee.
Furlong stated that it did not have to do with the amount of
money, but did not think there was any way to equate a part time
seasonal employee with our supervisory and management staff.
Moses asked if any of the other seasonal employees granted the 4%
increase.
Atkinson said there are no other seasonal salary managerial
employees.
Moses asked if the other seasonal employees were granted the 4%?
Atkinson said they were not.
Larson stated we have seasonal employees, temporary employees,
part time employees, part time/full time employees, and so we
instructed the Parks director to come to our next meeting with a
recommendation as to how to classify these employees. .The
committee realizes this is something that is not firmly defined
at this point. Information is being gathered from the City of
Missoula as to the benefits and classification of these
employees.
After more discussion, Furlong moved to table the motion until
the next council meeting after the report from Missoula is
received and we can have the input from Baker. Gunnerson
seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
Salary Ordinance 1155-Second Readin
Councilman Atkinson moved the adoption of Ordinance 1155, an
ordinance amending Ordinance 1146, fixing the limits of the
salary and compensation of the City Officials, Supervisors, and
employees pursuant to Title 7, Chapter 4, Part 42, M.C.A.,
beginning July 1, 1990; repealing all other ordinances in
conflict therewith. Moses seconded the motion,
Upon roll call vote, the motion carried.
Funds from Sale of Griffin Field
Atkinson~ asked Clerk -Treasurer Robertson to explain the purpose
of this motion.
Robertson said the reason we are doing this is that we have not
receipted in the money that we received from Griffin Field. We
received the money in June and we are just catching up on our
posting. If we receipt it in the General Fund as a sale of land,
then we have to do a budget line item to move that money to the
airport fund, which would be a $200,000 line item in our budget,
which we really cannot do because we are under the 105% rule.
Within your budget limitation you cannot raise your appropriation
over your last years budget Thej•aiternatiVe is- to receipt -the
money directly in the fund which ve intend-tcWspend it from so if
your desire is to spend it on the airport, then I would like to
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receipt that money in the airport fund directly. That way I do
not have this budget problem in the general fund.
Atkinson stated as a result, the committee moved to place the
money from the sale of Griffin Field into the payment of the
airport bond. He said inclusive in this motion was to pursue
other funds related to the airport to replace a revenue sharing
fund for the Parks Dept. He said the only claim that the council
has made in the past, had to do with the replacement of revenue
sharing fund for the Parks Dept. In order to meet. the
requirements of the past councils, the committee decided to
include the last sentence in the motion. That is that we are to
pursue other funds related to the airport to replace revenue
sharing funds for the Parks Dept.
Atkinson moved that the money from the sale of Griffin Field
would go to the payment of the airport bond and that we pursue
other funds related to the airport to replace revenue sharing
funds for the Parks Dept. Larson seconded the motion.
Furlong asked Atkinson to explain revenue sharing plans. Larson
explained that there has been alot of research done on the
background of replacing old Griffin Field with the new field
south of town. At one point in the process of making that
replacement, there was a shortage of funds to complete a certain
stage of the construction of Begg Field. The budget had
reflected that a certain portion of the budget would go to the
Parks Dept. for capital expenditures and this money was from
revenue sharing funds. Parks Dept., at 'that time, under the
direction of Pieter Drent, agreed to allow that money to be used
to complete Begg Field at least that state of the process of Begg
Field, with the .idea at some point in time when Griffin Park were
sold, that that money would be repaid to the Parks Dept budget
for captital expenditures. And this sum is around $52-54,000.
There is a little bit of a debate on whether or not the whole
$54,000 was spent out of the revenue sharing from the Parks Dept.
or a portion of it came from developing water and sower
facilities at South Meadows.
Furlong stated there was a time at the construction of Begg Park
that TIF monies were used and that sale of Griffin Field would be
returned to that source. That's why I asked the question about
revenue sharing. There is an excess of a quarter of a million
dollars spent on Begg park already. Well above the sale of
Griffin Field. I think it is around $325,000.
Hopkins said that includes some improvements to South Meadows
water line, sewer line, road improvements and new creek crossing.
Furlong stated he would support %,the first motion to defray that
bond at the airport. But I am lost in being explained the second
part. I would like the maker of the motion to separate the
motion to make it nice and neat.
Hopkins explained revenue sharing was a federal program, ran some
of our hard earned tax dollars, went to the federal government
and they returned it to local governments in the form of revenue
sharing and local governments were allowed to do virtually
whatever they wanted to with that allocation. The program has
been gone now for 2 or 3 years.
Gunner:on supported Furlong's comments. Fie is in favor of paying
off that airport debt. He said he could not support something
that has occurred in the past, to repay back in the amount of
$52,000 back into the Parks Dept. We work on an annual fiscal
year budget from year to year and I don't understand the repaying
of -one department back from four years ago. If we determine what
the best need of money is -fog, -the City of Kall;spell,'" then that is
where the money goes. r, , '4i
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Moses asked if the intent of the motion is to put that $52,000
revenue sharing into the Parks to be used on Begg Field?
Atkinson stated no, the intent of
the motion is
to put all the
money from Griffin Field on the airport bond and
at a later date
funds coming from the airport would
pay back a $52,000 to revenue
sharing fund.
Furlong said it looks like we are
going to pay
off a $200,000
bond for the airport and create a
$52,000 debt.
Lets not have
anymore debts.
Larson said the intent of the motion that came out of the
meeting, was that past councilpersons have implied that they
would repay the Parks Dept. The Parks Dept. has a certain
budget, they gave up part of their budget, part of their plans,
part of the things they were going to do, to help complete Begg
Field. As a result, the council in turn, at that time, said that
they would pay back that money at some later date when Griffin
Field was sold. My intent was that we should pursue avenues to
repay that. Its a loan, so to speak. One part of the City did
not loan another part of the city money, one dept. in the city
helped complete the construction of a community project.
Furlong moved to separate the previous motion so that it contains
two subject matter. Moses seconded and the motion carried, with
Larson and Atkinson voting against.
The motion is to pay off the airport bond with proceeds of the
sale of Griffin Field.
Upon vote, the motion carried unanimously.
The other motion is to pursue other funds related to the airport
to replace the revenue sharing fund for the Parks Dept.
Upon vote, the motion failed with Atkinson and Larson voting in
favor.
Set Interest Rate Curb & Gutter: Meridian Road
Atkinson so moved, by committee recommendations, to set the
interest rate for curb and gutter assessment for Meridian Road at
11% and sell the bonds to the Sewer Department. Moses seconded
the motion.
Upon vote, the motion carried.
Council Meeting Dates
Atkinson announced the following meetings required for the
budget:
Adopt Preliminary Budget July 25, 1990 noon
Budget Workshop: July 30, 1990 8:00 a.m.
Public Hearing for the budget: August 8, 1990 7:30 p.m.
Budget Approval: August 13, 1990 5:30 p.m.
Regular meeting August 6 changed to August 8 to coincide with
public hearing.
PARKS/PUBLIC LANDS/ANNEXATION/ZONING/BUILDING REGULATION -No
Report
PUBLIC SAFETY/PARKING/GAMBLING
Ordinance 1156-ADDrove Stop Sian Placement
Larson so moved the second reading of Ordinance 1156, an
ordinance approving the placement of stop signs at the
intersections of West Washington Street and 1st Avenue West
North, West Montana Street and 2nd Avenue West North, and 18th
Street and. 3rd Avenue?'E&St,-dstab'liWh'ing.a '.peA<y,I, anti dedlaring
an effective date: Granmd sdcon:d( d' th"e motiorvg`',. ItEcarried upon
roll call vote.
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PUBLIC WORKS/AIR QUALITY/AIRPORT
Request for Bids Chip Seal Street Repair
Moses moved the council authorize the Public Works staff to go
for bids for chip seal for street repair for the Montana Street
project. Gunnerson seconded the motion.
Moses explained this would entail chip sealing on Montana Street
between 3rd Avenue East North and 7th Avenue West North and one
block north and south for a good portion of the project, for a
total of twenty-three blocks.
The motion carried unanimously.
Meridian Road Report
Moses reported curbing is currently going in, the paving is due
to start on the 20th of July and it is still on target to be
completed the 3rd of August.
Second Street West Report
Moses stated that it has been decided to reduce the scope of that
project to include 2nd Street West only rather than the amount of
the project that was originally suggested to be done this year.
This is mainly due to the water main requirements, they need to
be submitted to the Water Quality Bureau for approval and time
does not allow that to be done for this construction season. She
said 2nd Street West will be completed this year and the rest of
the project will wait until next year.
Gunnerson complimented Public Works Coordinator Hanson for the
preliminary work that was done and presenting it to the
committee.
SEWER & WATER
Evergreen Agreement
Granmo reported a letter of intent has been received and
Evergreen wishes to meet Thursday, July 19, to clear up more
changes to the agreement.
Granmo set a committee meeting for Wednesday, July 18th at 7:00
p.m. to review the changes generated by the City and Evergreen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Committee Meetings
Sewer & Water 7/18/90 7:00 p.m.
Blue Cross/Blue Shield -HMO Ins. Options-7/17/90 8:00, 10:00,
1:00 and 3:00
ADJOURN: The meeting was adjourned at 10:20 p.m.
Rogue W. Hgpk> ns, Mayor
ATTEST:
Amy If. Robertson, Clerk --Treasurer
Debbie Liverman, Recording Secretary
Approved as presented Augus�,20, 1.99Q...