12-03-85 Street & Alley Comm MinutesDecember 3, 1985 STREET AND ALLEY COMMITTEE 4:00 P.M.
• Chairman Palmer and Councilman Saverud in attendance. Mayor -elect
Kennedy, DPW Hammer, Chief Stefanic, Attorney Neier, Surveyor Zavodny, Mrs.
Doug Wise (Sykes), and Roger Hopkins of the Daily Interlake also present.
PLOWING OF SNOW INTO STREETS FROM PARKING LOTS - This issue was brought
back to Committee because of ,the response from the local businessmen. C.
Palmer read the City Code concerning this and emphasized that "permission"
is the key word. He then read the Council minutes recommending no permission
be given. Discussion followed concerning past policy, hauling and billing,
skepticism concerning billing and collecting of the fees. DPW Hammer said
he had no problem with picking up the snow IF it is there BEFORE the City
crews plow, rather than being pushed onto the streets after the plowing is
done. The clearing of sidewalks was discussed, and the impracticality for
small businesses to hire hauling equipment. C. Palmer suggested that if
billing was put on a per month, paid in advance basis that it would work.
Mrs. Doug Wise, representing small businesses, said they need the space they
would lose if they had to pile the snow somewhere on their parking lot, that
the costs of private haulers would be prohibitive, and also pointed out that
they have worked cooperatively with the City for many years. She also asked
someone to check into having the sidewalk in front of Lyfords shoveled for
the elderly who walk between the manor and Sykes. The cooperative work
provided by Doug Wise was discussed and it was suggested that possibly there
could be a charge and credit situation worked out. DPW Hammer and the Street
Superintendent were asked to come up with a reasonable fee schedule and guide-
lines for implementation to present to the Council on the 16th. The Committee
also asked for information on who has been billed and who has paid in the
past. They were concerned that whatever program was implemented that there
be follow-up.
A Street and Alley Committee was set for Thursday, December 12, at 3:00, to
look over the guidelines from DPW Hammer so that a recommendation could be
made to Council.
DPW Hammer asked to get out the word concerning responsibility for
cleaning of sidewalks.
The Committee also discussed an attachment for the plows that would
let down and plow driveways, snow routes, and resurrection of the auger for
snow loading. The mechanic is to fix it and then the City will either use
it or sell it. The safety factor was questioned and DPW Hammer said it was
much safer than tying up traffic in the streets.
PARKING LOT LEASES - SNOW REMOVAL - The question is who is responsible?
The Police Department enforces. City Hall sidewalks and lot maintenance
is very bad. DPW Hammer to find out who has the responsibility for City
Hall maintenance so that the Council can delegate this. The Committee asked
that the leases be updated and standardized, and that there be a cover sheet
recapping each lease so that the terms can be seen at a glance. They need
information and a recommendation. Then, if it is the City's responsibility
• the Council can delegate who will take care of it. A possible suggestion
was Allan Bardwell, who collects the meter boxes for the Police Department.
STREET AND ALLEY COMMITTEE
December 3, 1985
• Page 2
SIDEARM LOADER BREAKDOWN - DPW Hammer reported that the new sidearm
loader is broken. Two nails fell and stuck in the gears and broke them.
A spare truck has been borrowed from Whitefish. The City needs an agreement
with Whitefish for future situations like this. Attorney Neier is to draft
an agreement to be brought before Council. (Update: Problem will be warrantied.)
REFUND ON GARBAGE CHARGES - Two requests for reimbursement of overpayment
on garbage taxes were presented. There was discussion of how far back the
City should go on situations like this. Attorney Neier indicated he had
a memo from a couple of years ago dealing with this. The Committee would
recommend going back one year only and feels that a policy is needed. This
is to be brought before the Council.
MAIN STREET MALL ENTRANCE SIGNAL - A bill from HBN (Vealess Hudspeth)
for the engineering of this signal was presented to the December 2 Council,
who did not approve it. Mayor McDowell asked that this Committee consider
it. DPW Hammer recommended paying it, saying that if the City needed to
assess the Mall for it later they could do that. He felt that even if the
Mall were to pay for the signal the City would have needed to review this because
of the Fire Department preemption. This work is so that if a light goes
in it is engineered properly.
A meeting was called for the Council As A Whole to review all off -site
• improvements. A packet of pertinent information is provided by the Public
Works Department which is to be read before the meeting.
0
DPW Hammer offered a letter from Dennis Carver in response to the Mall's
correspondence indicating they would be charging the City for holding up
work on the north side of Center Street. The letter makes it clear that
the City did not hold up the work. C. Saverud was concerned that the City
respond in a timely manner to correspondence so that a silence could not
be construed to mean agreement. DPW Hammer and Attorney Neier assured him
that this was being done.
PARADES - Chief Stefanic requested that no more parades be allowed because of
the closure of Depot Loop, or that 1st Avenue West be used rather than Main
Street because he cannot justify the closure of a U.S. highway, the bottleneck-
ing of the traffic, and safety reasons. The objective would still be accomplished
by using lst Avenue West. The ordinance states that the Police Chief has
the authority to refuse a parade permit, but Chief Stefanic would like input
from the Council. DPW Hammer suggested stopping one block short of Center.
The throwing of candy and the safety problem of kids scrambling for it was
discussed. Chief Stefanic was asked to provide a map showing his proposal
and information concerning number of parades, traffic routing, etc. This
will be brought before the Council.
MARRIOTT CONCRETE / VALLEY BANK - Surveyor Zavodny reported that an
agreement was reached to do the work first thing in the spring.
ajg