02. Council Minutes - Regular Meeting - March 4, 1996847
A REGULAR MEETING OF THE KALISPELL CITY COUNCIL WAS HELD AT 7:00
P.M. MONDAY, MARCH 4, 1996, IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT CITY HALL IN
KALISPELL, MONTANA. MAYOR DOUG RAUTHE PRESIDED. COUNCIL MEMBERS
JIM ATKINSON, CLIFF COLLINS, NORBERT DONAHUE, LAUREN GRANMO, DALE
HAARR, DUANE LARSON, GARY NYSTUL, CITY ATTORNEY GLEN NEIER AND CITY
MANAGER BRUCE WILLIAMS WERE PRESENT. PAM KENNEDY WAS ABSENT.
Mayor Rauthe called the meeting to order and led the Pledge of
Allegiance.
AGENDA APPROVAL
Nystul requested since Item 7 had been tabled to 7 p.m. this
evening he asked that it be moved to following Item 3.
Donahue requested the addition of the Evergreen Connection fees
litigation under Business from Mayor and Council.
Collins moved to approve the agenda with the 2 items as suggested.
The motion was seconded.
Atkinson spoke against the motion and moved to amend the agenda to
include the appointment of interim manager after Addressing the
Council. The motion was seconded.
Larson spoke in favor of the amendment.
There was discussion.
With a vote the amendment failed with Atkinson and Larson voting in
favor.
Atkinson and Larson spoke against original the motion.
There was more discussion.
Rauthe encouraged Council to approve the agenda.
The motion carried upon vote with Atkinson and Larson voting
against.
Approve Minutes -Regular Meeting February 20.1996
Collins moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of
February 20, 1996. The motion was seconded.
The motion carried with a vote.
Special Meeting February 26. 1996
Collins moved to approve the minutes of the special meeting of
February 26, 1996. The motion was seconded.
The motion carried with a vote.
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A,pprome Claims per PayablessRegister
Haarr moved to approve the claims. The motion was seconded.
Upon vote the motion carried.
Nick Haren withdrew his interest in the interim city manager
position.
Nystul moved the tabled motion be placed on the table for
discussion. The motion was seconded.
The motion carried with Atkinson voting against.
Nystul moved a substitute motion which is to engage the Carl Becker
Company, Inc. and the person, Al Thelen, to be the interim city
manager for a period of approximately 90 days commencing as soon as
possible at a rate of compensation of $6,000 per month with the
understanding that Mr. Thelen will, in addition to the normal
duties, assist in the preparation of the preliminary budget by
giving his professional opinion and recommendations and as part of
the budget process to review the salary schedule of our management
staff. The motion was seconded.
Donahue spoke against the substitute motion. -
t
Nystul, Larson, Haarr, Atkinson, Collins and Granmo spoke in favor
of the substitute motion.
The motion carried with Donahue voting against.
Rauthe thanked the people that expressed interest in serving the
community.
ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL
;airport
Gib Bissell, 76 Stafford Street, Airport Advisory Board Chairman,
thanked Larry Gallagher, Bruce Williams, Mike Baker and Kathy
Kuhlin for their help. He also gave an update on the FAA meeting
held in Helena this past Friday.
Interim City Manager
Bonnie Wahlum, Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, read from a
letter Council received from the Chamber as follows:
Because there are so many important activities underway and so much
yet to complete, the Chamber of 'Commerce believes the City of
Kalispell deserves the absolute best qualified individual to act as
interim city manager until a qualified permanent manager is hired
and on behalf of the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce we applaud your
decision tonight.
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Ballfield Relocation
Dan Johns, Ballfield Relocation Committee Chairman, 260 N. Riding
Road, gave an update on the committee and Department of State
Lands.
He also expressed his appreciation and acknowledgment of Bruce
Williams.
!City Manager
Virginia Sloan, 445 6th Avenue East, complimented the committee for
choosing Bruce Williams as the first city manager and thanked Bruce
for his tenure in Kalispell and wished him and his family the best.
Beset
Pat Warnecke, 19 5th Avenue East, Juvenile Probation Officer for
Flathead County, expressed his concerns for any proposed budget
cuts that may effect his office.
City Manager and Budget
Jim Lynch, 430 Lake Hills Lane, complimented the Council on the
decision made on hiring the interim city manager. He was very
appreciative of Bruce Williams and felt he has done an excellent
job and will be missed. He also encouraged the Council to pay for
a good city manager and not cut in that area of the budget and to
not cut the DARE Program in the budget process.
Department Heads
Ad Clark, Police Chief, said "as we all know this is Bruce's last
meeting in our meeting room as our city manager and I would just
like to say a few things for the record this evening. Thank you
Bruce for 5 } years of leadership, teamwork and support. I've had
the privilege of working with many strong leaders throughout my
career. I flew in combat with many of these fine leaders in Viet
Nam and of all these leaders you are the finest individual that I
have ever had the privilege of working with and working for as my
boss. You have coached us, you've encouraged us to be successful
in our endeavors and to work together as a team. Occasionally you
have reminded us that we are public servants and we are here to
serve the public and to find a way to make it work for the citizen
as a team. When asking you to clarify a policy you've stated that
rather than say that Bruce Williams' policy was, behind the doors
the Council wants us to do this and the Council's policy is that we
should probably do that and you touted the Council line and you
were loyal to your bosses and set an example for us. The U.S.
Marine Corps has a nice way of defining leadership I think, they
say it is the away from your desk, at their desk, helping them
achieve their goals. And that is what you did for us every day.
I know they say there are four kinds of leaders, there are aspiring
leaders trying to get to the top, perspiring leaders working to get
to the top, expiring leaders dying to get to the top and the truly
inspiring leaders, those that help everyone else get to the top.
Thank you."
L• tI
Larry Gallagher, PECD Director, said "as another department head,
I've known Bruce since he first joined local government. I helped
introduce him to the role as public servant and he has gone a long
way. I just wanted to let Bruce know at his last City Council
meeting I certainly have enjoyed being one of his employees and
working with him and following his direction and leadership. I
wish him well in Lake Havasu City. Thank you."
Mike Baker, Parks Director, said "when I first met Bruce, I'd heard
at one time that he told me, he said I have a dark side, well I
haven't seen his dark side and publicly I'd like to say that his
leadership, his guidance, his expertise as a city manager and his
special interest in the park and recreation area has helped us to
excel in our program and our park opportunities for the community
and on behalf of myself and my staff I'd like to thank Bruce for
his contribution over the past 5 } years and wish him well in his
new venture in Lake Havasu. Thank you Bruce."
Amy Robertson, Finance Director, said "I can't really come up to
Ad's, I'm just not that eloquent but I would like to say thank you
Bruce for helping me come along, as I had just become Finance
Director prior to his coming on and he has really taken me under
his wing and helped me with the budgets and trained me. I needed
a little transition there too from the old form of government to
the new form of government and I think it has worked really well
and I'm going to miss him a lot and I wish him and his family the
best where ever they go and thank you Bruce."
Ted Waggener, Fire Chief, said "I'm kind of the old timer for the
city I guess and I was real reluctant with this new form of
government but Bruce came along and has made it real easy for us,
the Kalispell Fire Department. I really appreciate the support
that Bruce has shown us and the upgraded department and the
transition to the new form of government. We wish him the very
best down there and maybe we can go down and visit him."
Bob Babb, Public Works Director, said "I'm the shortest one to have
known Bruce. I have only known him for a little over 4 } years.
I was the first one he hired as a'department head after he became
manager. I want you to know he has been an excellent boss for me.
I had 30 years experience before I came here and I want you to know
he has given me guidance. We have had 9 different divisions to run
in the public works and the engineering and I think he has given us
the guidance. I remember the first words he said, he said make the
streets work. I'm very proud of how the streets are, but I want
you to know it is because I had guidance on the way through. Also
in the engineering department we have been able to do many things
in house that were never done before. And it has also been through
Bruce's direction. So I want to thank him publicly and I want to
thank you for hiring him and I'm going to miss him out on the golf
course once in a while too."
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Debbie Gifford, Clerk of Council, said "I've never stood at this
podium before because I never had a good reason to but I do
tonight, I'm pretty emotional about it. I just wanted to thank you
Bruce for allowing me to benefit from your direction in my
profession. I also wanted to thank you for the time you have given
me when I needed you whether it was as my boss or my friend. And
they have said that Kalispell is the last best place, but I think
that Kalispell is a much better place because of you. I want to
thank you on behalf of the employees and the citizens. We are
going to miss you."
Proclamation
Mayor Rauthe proclaimed Friday, March 8, 1996 as "Bruce Williams
Day".
ORDINANCES & RESOLUTIONS
Resolution 4254-Cities-County Cooperation Group
The purpose of this resolution is to join the other cities in the
area and Flathead County by initiating and implementing an
intergovernmental program of office waste paper reduction and
recycling that was discussed at the "Fifth Monday" meeting on
January 29th with the other cities and county.
Larson moved Resolution 4254, a resolution to initiate and
implement a pilot project in a spirit of cooperation with the
Cities -County Cooperation Group. The motion was seconded.
With a roll call vote the motion carried unanimously.
BUSINESS FROM MAYOR & COUNCIL
prnniamation-Mental Retardation Developmental Disabilities Month
Mayor Rauthe proclaimed March as Mental Retardation Developmental
Disabilities Month.
Plows a
Collins thanked Public Works for plowing Northridge Drive and
Hilltop this afternoon.
Ejudget
Haarr asked Williams about the proposed budget cuts at this time.
Williams explained that rumors are circulating the community as to
the impacts of a 15 mill reduction in the budget. Staff is
responding to the Council request of the reduction.
There was discussion and consensus to stay after the meeting
tonight for Williams to give an update on projects.
Evergreen Connection
Donahue referred to a letter from City Attorney Neier requesting
authority to proceed with litigation regarding the Evergreen hook
up fees.
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Donahue moved to authorize the city attorney to proceed with
necessary litigation to resolve the hook up issue. The motion was
seconded.
There was discussion.
The motion carried with a vote.
BUSINESS FROM MANAGER
Bid Award -New Lawrence Park Restrooms
Bids were opened on Friday March 1st for the new Lawrence Park
Restrooms as follows:
Big Timber $34,424
Bob Ross Const. $36,650
Triple J $36,534
Native Way $39,410
Williams and Parks Director Baker recommended the bid be awarded to
Big Timber in the amount of $34,424.
Granmo moved to award the bid tb Big Timber in the amount of
$34,424. The motion was seconded.
Authority to Bid
With the spring construction season approaching, the Public Works
Department requested authority to bid the street overlay and chip
seal projects, which includes the materials, sidewalks and curbs.
Williams recommended authority to bid.
Atkinson moved to grant authority to bid the street overlay, chip
seal projects, materials and sidewalks and curbs. The motion was
seconded.
With a vote the motion carried.
Williams
Bruce Williams said "I just wanted to close by telling all of you
and the community and these wonderful people behind me how much
I've appreciated the support and hard work that we've all together
accomplished here in Kalispell and to let you know that for me and
my family we will always remember this as our home town. It has in
fact replaced our home town of Helena, as our home in Montana. I
want to thank all of you, particularly those of you that were here
at the beginning of this for having the confidence in me, allowing
me the privilege and the honor of being this community's first city
manager. I hope in some small way that you recognize that we have
in fact made some progress toward showing the community it was the
right decision for them to make. I would like to also thank the
staff that we have here, Kathy wasn't here this evening, she is a
big part of this team, I really want to thank her from the bottom E,
of my heart, Debbie is the other part of that team.
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The two of them kind of keep me on balance and on stride. Then the
department heads that all got up and thanked me for helping them
along. I think it is extremely important for me to return that.
We've assembled a wonderful team of individuals and people I've
been very proud of serving with, I will always be indebted to them
for their assistance in making this transition as smoothly as it
went. I will miss them and I'm leaving them knowing that I have
contributed in some small way to helping them to become better
managers, better people doing their job. I will miss them and I
also want to thank all of those folks that work for us that never
get the opportunity to be thanked publicly. They are in fact the
folks that are in the trenches, doing the work for us, and the
people that I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration
for. I thank them as well. I wish all of you the best with the
next transition you have to make and I think you will do a good job
at whatever decision you make. God's speed and thanks again."
Rauthe thanked Bruce and he was applauded.
Rauthe said it has been great and thank you very much. He invited
the community to come to the Outlaw Inn on Friday for a reception
for Bruce.
STAFF REPORTS
Next Work Session March 11, 1996 7:00 p.m.
Next Regular Meeting 18, 1996 7:00 p.m.
ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 8:44 p.m.
Douglas D. Rauthe, Mayor
ATTEST:
Debbie Gifford, CMC
Clerk of Council