Belgrade City Council

CITY OF BELGRADE COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES COUNCIL CHAMBERS February 5th, 2024 7: 00 pm This meeting was open to the public and attended in person. Mayor Russell C. Nelson called the meeting to order. Council Members in attendance were Jason Guffey, Mike Meis, Jim Simon, Kristine Menicucci, Jim Doyle, and Renae Mattimoe. City staff in attendance were City Manager Neil Cardwell, Assistant City Manager Greg Tryon, City Attorney Rick Ramler Via Zoom, City Clerk Camille Gregory, Executive Assistant Dana Jambor, Executive Finance Director Charity VanKirk, Chief of Police Dustin Lensing, Director of Information Technology Ryan Curtis, Municipal Court Judge Chris Gregory, Interim Fire Chief Jake Zlomie, Director of Community Development Jason Karp, Director of Human Recourses Becky Wilbert, Director of Parks and Recreation Steve Klotz, and Library Director Gale Bacon. Others in attendance were Lake Davis, Vivian Crouse, Brandy Mendoza, Graham Holyszko, Heather Ragen, and Judy Doyle. PUBLIC FORUM Mayor Nelson called three times for public comment. There being none, the public forum was closed. CONSENT AGENDA Consider First Reading of Ordinance No. 2024- 1 a Zone Text Amendment to Allow Marijuana Businesses on Main Street in Downtown Belgrade. Consider First Reading of Ordinance No. 2024- 2, A Zone Map Amendment to Rezone 206 W Custer from CL-Community Living to CC Commercial Corridor. ACTION: Council Member Menicucci moved to approve the consent agenda items as submitted. Council Member Mattimoe seconded the motion. All voted aye, motion carried unanimously. DISCUSSION AGENDA Discuss and Consider Resolution 2024- 1 Local Government Review Ballot Question. City Clerk Gregory explained that according to Section 9, Article XI of the Constitution of the State of Montana, each unit of local government is required to conduct an election to determine whether voters want a formal review of their local governmental procedures. This election must take place every ten years, and Belgrade is due for such an election. Page 1 of 4  City Clerk Gregory noted that if Belgrade voters were to vote in favor of this review, a committee must be appointed. That committee would review the existing form of government in Belgrade, compare it to other cities, and decide whether any changes were needed. The committee would then offer their recommendations, either for changes or for no changes. City Manager Cardwell commented that Montana requires that we ask the voters if they would like to see a review of the current form of government in their local municipality. This requirement is unique to Montana. He noted that Montana Code Annotated requires a minimum of three ( 3) members on these review committees, and the committee must consist of an odd number of members. He stated that the staff' s recommendation is that the review committee have seven ( 7) members. Cardwell said that members of this committee would have to be elected. The City Manager further noted that a budget outlining the likely cost of this review process is attached to Resolution. This proposed budget anticipated that$ 135, 000 would be required to complete the review process, and that cost would be at taxpayer expense. The budget would include resources to pay for a consulting firm to assist in the review, pay for the cost of the election( s), pay for any printing costs, and pay for any mailing costs. Cardwell advised that Belgrade has not voted in favor of this review process in the past. He also mentioned that if the review does pass this time, a separate election would have to be held in order to elect members to the review committee. The committee would then conduct their review and offer conclusions. If any changes were recommended, those changes would also have to be voted on by the public. Mayor Nelson called for public comment. Brandy Mendoza, residing at 406 McEwen Drive, asked the Council and City Manager how they thought Belgrade' s taxpayers would feel about an additional tax after seeing a recent increase in their taxes. She also said she feels that her vote on this matter would be based on the cost of the review, instead of whether a review would be best for the community. City Manager Cardwell explained that in the past, the costs associated with local government reviews were not included in the ballot language. However, the State changed the rules to require that the cost be included in these measures so that the public could make an informed decision, knowing how much the review could cost them. He also pointed out that this will be an in- person ballot, not a mail- in election. Mayor Nelson called again for public comment. There was none. ACTION: Council Member Mattimoe moved to approve Resolution 2024- 1 Calling for an election on the question of conducting a local government review which includes establishing a study commission of seven people. Council Member Doyle seconded the motion. All voted aye, motion carried unanimously. Page 2 of 4 REPORTS Mayor Nelson had nothing to report. City Attorney Ramler had nothing to report. City Manager Cardwell stated that he is thankful to the Public Works Department for their hard work getting the snow plowed. He also reminded everyone that it takes four days on average to plow the whole city. He noted the Public Works Department first focuses on the primary corridors to get kids to school. They then move on to streets with heavy business traffic, and then they address the residential roads. Cardwell also reported that the City and its staff are starting to prepare for the next budget cycle. He looks forward to providing much of that information to the Council at the upcoming Council Retreat. Lastly, Cardwell mentioned that construction on the new Belgrade Community Library is moving along quickly. They are also the first library in Montana to offer checkouts for Nintendo Switch games. FOR YOUR INFORMATION Council Member Guffey had nothing to report. Council Member Meis had nothing to report. Council Member Simon asked Council Member Doyle if he is still available to attend the Fire Board meeting in his absence, to which Doyle confirmed he is. Simon also mentioned that he will be unable to attend the February 20`h Council Meeting. Council Member Menicucci reported that the Local Water Quality Board had studied Belgrade' s water quality. They found that many pollutants came from the airport, likely as a result of their de- icing chemicals. However, the Water Board did find that Belgrade came out well overall. Council Member Doyle had nothing to report. Council Member Mattimoe reported that the Boy Scouts visited the Belgrade Parks, Trails, and Recreation District Board for their citizenship badge. The Board also discussed the Mayfair Meadows Master Plan, the Parks Master Plan for the whole district, and different amenities they may look at in the future. She also said the weather has not allowed building an ice- skating rink this year. ADJOURN Council Member Simon moved to adjourn the meeting at 7: 26 pm. Page 3 of 4  a, 1- 2"-' -- 1/" Z;ej471/L-- Russell C. Nelson, Mayor Att̀e i, XA44LU< GL Canuil regoty,;City Jerk Page 4 of 4