Belgrade City Council

BELGRADE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Council Chambers February 1, 2021 7: 00 PM This meeting was open to the public and attended both in-person and via the Zoom video conference platform. Mayor Russell Nelson called the meeting to order. Other Council Members in attendance were: Brad Cooper, Mike Meis, Jim Simon and Ken Smith. Council Members attending via Zoom video were: Jim Doyle and Kristine Menicucci. City staff in attendance were: City Manager Ted Barkley, City Clerk Sue Caldwell and Public Works Maintenance Worker Ed Roe. City Staff in attendance via Zoom video were: City Attorney Rick Ramler, Planning Director Jason Karp, Accounting Tech Kris Norby, Police Chief E. J. Clark Jr., Finance Director Diane Eagleson, Planning Tech Kristin Spadafore and City Engineer Tom Eastwood. Others in attendance were: Matt Cotterman, Fred Bates Jr., and Fred Bates Sr. Others in attendance via Zoom video were: Judy Doyle, Gabe Kreis, Laura Larocco, Matthews, Diana Setterberg and Sonya Williams. APPROVE MINUTES ACTION: Council Member Cooper moved to approve Council meeting minutes for January 19, 2021. Council Member Smith seconded the motion. All voted aye, motion carried unanimously. PUBLIC FORUM Mayor Nelson opened the public forum and called for public comment. Judy Doyle, residing on Drummond Drive, commented on her disagreement with the City of Belgrade forcing staff members to take the Covid- 19 vaccine. She felt that staff members, new hires and first responders should not have to be required to take the vaccine. City Manager Barkley noted that, while several of the City' s first responders had been vaccinated with the first of two doses, there was consideration for those who wished to decline. Discussion followed regarding the potential liability involved for both the City and for the individual person. Barkley acknowledged that discussions were ongoing regarding vaccinations related to the Covid- 19 pandemic. Mayor Nelson called 2 more times for public comment. There was none and the public forum was closed. Page 1 of 7 REPORTS Mayor' s Report - Mayor Nelson had nothing to report. City Attorney' s Report— the City Attorney had nothing to report. City Manager' s Report City Manager Barkley reported on the status of various legislative bills being considered this session and provided a printed list for Council' s reference. Barkley suggested that Council visit the Montana League of Cities and Towns ( MLCT) website to follow progress of these issues. He noted that HB- 107 regarding votes required for mill levy questions had been tabled; HB- 86 regarding regional fire services was progressing and Barkley would be lending our support; HB- 102 regarding concealed firearms was still alive and had now gone back for amendments. Discussion followed regarding HP- 102 regarding allowances for carrying concealed weapons. City Attorney Ramler commented that legislative changes would affect the way permits were applied and changes would need to be addressed in our City code as well. DISCUSSION AGENDA Consider Update on potential Residential Parking District Police Chief Clark noted recent efforts by the City Code Enforcement Officers to speak to residents living in the area near the High School. He noted that many residents did not seem in favor of implementing a parking district, but his Code Enforcement officers had not yet finished surveying everyone. They were more concerned about issues with trash from students and trash being spread by birds getting into dumpsters at the school. Clark noted that Hoffman Street was the main area that had been identified. Clark noted that the attorney for the School District had confirmed that the School did not have authority to force students to park inside the School parking lot. Council Member Menicucci reported that 2 residents living on Hoffman Street had contacted her and they did not want to see a Parking District put into place. Chief Clark noted that trash and noise were the biggest complaints, not really parking, and the majority do not want to pay for parking passes. City Manager Barkley commented that since the weather is cold, it might not be an issue again until spring weather comes back. Discussion followed about measures that could be taken to deal with trash coming from the school area being spread by birds. Suggestions included better containment to keep the birds out and of the trash and also encouraging students to organize efforts to walk the streets and do periodic cleanup events. Mayor Nelson called for public comment. Page 2 of 7  Kristin Spadafore, residing on Grogan Street, commented on the large school parking lot. She felt that the students should park in the parking lot. Laura Larocco, residing on Barnes Road in Belgrade, asked about organizing volunteers to clean up the trash on a regular basis. Mayor Nelson commented that it had already been suggested and the School Student Council would be looking into it. She asked if the elected officials would also support the effort. Chief Clark noted that this would be under the direction of school officials and the Student Council so she could check in with them. Sonia Williams, residing on Hoffman Street, stated her concern about paying for a Parking Pass as part of a district. She said she was dealing with trash from the students, but even more so from the birds. She noted that the students who park near her home spin gravel into her yard and although she had complained, they continued to cause damage. City Manager Barkley encouraged her to call the police to properly address these problems when they occur. He noted that there was a lot of police involvement so homeowners would not have to confront students. Chief Clark noted that we now have a full- time School Resource Officer which was also very helpful in these situations of dealings with students. Mr. Matthews, residing near one of the churches in the area, stated that he had watched many times when the crows and birds would pull trash out of the containers and spread it around and then the wind would spread the trash as well. Mayor Nelson called 2 more times for public comment. There was none. City Manager Barkley noted that the Police staff had not finished contacting all the residents in the subject area. When they had a more complete response, more information would be brought back to Council for review. Consider Library Donor and Partner Recognition statement Council Member Menicucci noted that individuals and entities making donations toward the Library project would like to be recognized. The Donor and Partner Recognition statement had been drafted to provide a guideline and process as to how the City will provide recognition. This would include how to assign designations to various rooms, areas, and shelves to memorialize a donation. City Manager Barkley said he would suggest adding wording to clarify that this was a city- owned facility and that any naming or memorialization should be approved by Council. Barkley recommended that Council approve the statement with the addition of this clarification. Council Member Menicucci agreed and said she would have the document amended as requested. Mayor Nelson called for public comment. There was none. Page 3 of 7  ACTION: Council Member Menicucci moved to approve the Donor and Partner Recognition Statement as amended and to clarify that the City Council has fmal approval of requested naming designations and/ or memorialization. Council Member Cooper seconded the motion. All voted aye, motion carried unanimously. Discuss Amendment to the Preliminary Plat for Prescott Ranch Phases 2- 4 City Planning Director Karp explained that the applicant was seeking advice and direction from the Council before making a formal request and before moving forward through a public hearing. Karp noted that the preliminary plat had been granted on this development before the new school and before the Long-Range Transportation Plan had been approved. Now Bolinger Road requires additional right-of-way. When Prescott Ranch starts building on the phases that that touch Bolinger Road, the new parameters come into play. Karp noted that the plat could now be reconsidered and reviewed by Council, in view of newly determined impacts, such as the new school' s effect on Bolinger Road' s width requirement. Widening of Bolinger required rearrangement of the subdivision. The applicant was now asking to change the overall number of lots from 601 to 662 single family lots. The subdivision would still have adequate park land. Making some of the lots smaller also goes along with current market trends. Karp noted they would hold a public hearing so they could commence on phase 2 and they would also have to buy additional capacity in the lift station by the time they got to phase 4, which would be addressed in the amendment. City staff did not have issues with the proposed compromise and the developer was asking for Council' s opinion before moving forward with the request. Discussion followed regarding the increased width of Bolinger Road. Karp noted it was currently 60 feet wide and would be increased to 80 feet wide. This would require an additional 10 feet from the school' s side and 10 feet from the developer' s side. Matt Cotterman, Caddis Engineering, noted that the 10 foot difference had a cascade effect through the subdivision. They wanted approval by Council before moving forward. The next step would include a traffic study as well which would provide more input. City Manager Barkley said he thought it was a workable solution and would provide more lots at a marketable size. Discussion followed about the request going back through the Planning Board. Karp noted it was not required to go back through the Planning Board unless Council directed them to do so. Council did not feel it was necessary since the overall concept of the subdivision was not changing. Discussion followed about the width of the lots at 32 feet and if this would cause a tight fit for parking and snow removal. Matt Cotterman, engineer, noted that snow removal would be in the alleys, done through the homeowner' s association. Each lot had a 2- car garage and full depth driveway. He noted that the same layout using 32 foot lots had already been built out in another section and could be viewed if the Council wanted to see for themselves. Page 4 of 7  Fred Bates, Sr., commented that he did not want to finalize the plans without the nod from Council to go further. Planning Director Karp noted that the developer will needs to make a formal request and then City staff will start the notice process. Discussion followed regarding the engineering revisions being done concurrently with the required traffic study. The developer hoped to have that done in a couple of weeks so probably the public hearing could tentatively occur sometime in March. Council generally approved of the developer moving forward with applying for the adjustments to their plat. Mayor Nelson called for public comment. There was none. Consider Amended Improvements Agreement to reduce Financial Guarantee for Prescott Ranch Phases 1B and 1C Planning Director Karp noted that Phase 1C was started first then Phase 1B. The developer had now completed quite a lot of sidewalks and streets and were now requesting a reduction in the financial guarantee commensurate with the work completed thus far. City staff recommended approval of the request. ACTION: Council Member Smith moved to approve the reduction in the fmancial guaranty for Prescott Ranch Phases 1B and 1C to be accompanied by a financial guaranty acceptable to the City in the amount of$ 236, 421. 25 complying with the terms of the Improvements Agreement. The current certificate of deposit in possession of the City for Prescott Ranch in the amount of$ 399, 683. 75 shall be released to the applicant. Council Member Meis seconded the motion. All voted aye, motion carried unanimously. Consider Resolution 2021- 6 requesting distribution of Bridge and Road Safety (BaRSSA) Funds City Manager Barkley noted that these funds were planned for use on a future micropave overlay project and noted that the City was required to request distribution of the allocated funds each year. The amount allocated for 2021 was $ 175, 176. 49. ACTION: Council Member Cooper moved to approve Resolution 2021- 6 requesting distribution of Bridge and Road Safety and Accountability Program funds in the amount of 175, 176. 49. Council Member Smith seconded the motion. All voted aye, motion carried unanimously. CONSENT AGENDA Pledged Securities for January 2021 ACTION: Council Member Simon moved to approve the consent agenda items. Council Member Cooper seconded the motion. All voted aye, motion carried unanimously. Page 5 of 7 FOR YOUR INFORMATION Council Member Menicucci had nothing to report. Council Member Cooper asked about plans for using Covid- 19 related funds received from the State. Barkley said the funds were being held in the General Fund right now. Cooper felt it should be used for people who have to be quarantined and can' t work. Barkley said employees are having Covid- 19 related leave time covered. Cooper said he felt funds should be made available for Belgrade citizens affected by Covid- 19. Discussion followed about assistance provided in other cities, such as Boston, where citizens receive assistance while off work due to Covid- 19. Barkley noted that neither Belgrade nor Gallatin County have that type of social assistance structure, nor do we have specific staff dedicated to this type of function like that of larger cities. He also noted that privacy laws affect how this would be applied as well since only the Health Department would know who had the virus, along with other sensitive data. Cooper commented that he would like to see some kind of assistance that would come into play when the resident was not eligible for help through unemployment as an example, perhaps just while they were in quarantine for 10 days as an example. Council Member Meis suggested that another area of assistance could involve help with a utility bill as well. Barkley noted that it would be very time intensive to develop a feasible model that would also be fair. Privacy laws would be a major factor in determining eligibility. Verifying information on residents applying for potential assistance would take a lot of time and the City did not currently have staff for this purpose. It would also require a major undertaking for the City to develop a comprehensive data base. Barkley said he would look into potential options for such a program. He noted that his original plan for Covid- 19 related funds was to apply them toward facility renovations which would in turn lighten the load on tax payers across the City. Council Member Menicucci noted that the Gallatin County Health Department probably had the data but would be hard pressed to take on such a program because they were so busy right now, and they were understaffed. Council Member Simon reported on a billboard that had been damaged along Main Street and that it was leaning so it needed to be addressed before it fell. Chief Clark noted that he had seen the owner at the site reviewing the damage. Planning Director Karp confirmed that the sign owner had sustained a lot of damage to various signs in our area due to the recent wind event. Karp said he would email the owners for status. Council Member Meis reported on lighting improvements and asked about possibly adding lights from Bolinger Road from the school to Main Street. He also talked about adding lights at the junction of Madison and Broadway. Page 6 of 7  Planning Director Karp noted that lights along Bolinger to Main would come in under the standard street light requirements but it would be a few years out. The subdivision developers would cover most of it, but it would still be dark from the gravel pit area to Main Street. Meis suggested that some temporary lighting could be installed until permanent lighting was installed so the wait was not so long. Meis also noted that the areas located midway through the block on Quaws and Broadway were areas needing review. Meis asked Karp about how lighting plans were reviewed for subdivisions and if this was done by the Planning Board. Karp noted that the Planning Board did not specifically review the lighting plans, but general policy could be adjusted instead of leaving the lighting plan up to each developer. Karp said it could be included in City specifications like other requirements. Council Member Smith had nothing to report. Council Member Doyle questioned the traffic report produced by Chief Clark and asked about the data regarding vehicle speeds recorded along Northern Pacific. He asked why the speeds were so high and how the police were dealing with it. Chief Clark explained that the radar data was skewed in that area because the equipment was picking up passing trains in addition to vehicles. ADJOURN Council Member Smith moved to adjourn the meeting at 8: 33pm. ussell C. Nelson, Mayor Attest f Susan Caldwell, City Clerk Page 7 of 7