Belgrade City Council

CITY OF BELGRADE COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES COUNCIL CHAMBERS September 16, 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, and Erin Bell. City staff in attendance were City Manager Neil Cardwell, Assistant City Manager Greg Tryon, City Attorney Kyla Murray, 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, Director of Community Development Jason Karp, Chief Building Official Lucas Sobeck, Director of Parks and Recreation Steve Klotz, Director of Operations James Percival, and Fire Chief Jay Wittwer. Others in attendance were Joe Nelson, Bill Beckman, Vivian Crouse, Ed Hanson, and Robert Blakeman. ACTION: Council Member Simon moved to excuse Council Member Mattimoe. Council Member Meis seconded the motion. All voted aye, motion carried unanimously. PUBLIC FORUM Mayor Nelson called for public comment. Bill Beckman, residing at 910 Montana Unit A, thanked the City for his new water meter. He stated he anticipates better numbers on his next billing cycle. He also mentioned that he had contacted the utility Billing Department and hasn' t heard back yet. Mayor Nelson called two more times for public comment. There being none, the public forum was closed. CONSENT AGENDA Consider approval of Council Minutes Draft( S): 7- 15- 24 & 8- 5- 24. ACTION: Council Member Simon moved to approve the Consent Agenda items as submitted. Council Member Guffey seconded the motion. All voted aye, motion carried unanimously. Page 1 of 5 PUBLIC HEARING Discuss and Consider Mayor Appointments to the Gallatin Valley Urban Transportation District Board Mayor Nelson announced the following appointments... Gallatin Valley Urban Transportation District Board: Appoints Rebecca Eberlin— Belgrade ASMSU Representative Reappoints Mike Meis— Belgrade City Council Representative Mayor Nelson called three times for public comment. There was none. ACTION: Council Member Menicucci moved to adopt Mayor Nelson' s appointment to the Gallatin Valley Urban Transportation District Board and to reappoint Council Member Meis as Council Member Representative to the same board. Council Member Simon seconded the motion. All voted aye, motion carried unanimously. Discuss and Consider Council Appointment to the Senior Center Board City Manager Cardwell mentioned that both the Senior Center/ Parking Appeals Board and the Disaster Emergency Services Committee will need a council member appointment due to former Council Member Doyle' s resignation. Mayor Nelson asked what current member on the Council would be willing to sit on the Senior Center/ Parking Appeals Board. Council Member Bell volunteered. There was a brief discussion as to how often the Disaster Emergency Services Committee meets. It was confirmed that it is a meet- as- needed committee, but the Committee is required in the event that the City needs to go through the process of declaring an emergency. It was also clarified that Council Member Simon had been the required second member of the Council to sit on the Emergency Committee. Council Member Guffey volunteered to fill the remaining representative seat and fill the vacancy left by former Council Member Doyle' s resignation. Mayor Nelson called three times for public comment. There was none. ACTION: Council Member Meis moved to appoint Council Member Bell to the Senior Center/ Parking Appeals Board and appoint Council Member Guffey to the Disaster Emergency Services Committee for the remainder of the year. Council Member Simon seconded the motion. All voted aye, motion carried unanimously. Page 2 of 5 Discuss and Consider Naming of Jerry Askin Park in West Post Subdivision Phase 4 Director of Parks and Recreation Klotz stated there was an error on this week' s item summary. He confirmed that the issue at hand is changing the name of West Post Subdivision Phase 4 Park to " Jerry Askin Park." He also confirmed that this issue had gone to the Parks Board, and they recommended naming the park" Jerry Askin Park." He then invited Joe Nelson to speak on the recommendation. Joe Nelson, residing at 1112 Pheasant Ridge Ln., explained that Jerry Askin was a man with a very strong work ethic who obtained an Animal Science Degree at Montanan State University and worked 34 years for Barnard Construction as a Lead Estimator. He was instrumental in the development of three of the four areas of work that Barnard construction does. Those areas are high- pressure pipelines, tunnels, and high- voltage electric transmission. Nelson stated Mr. Askin was very well respected in the company and in the community. He also advised that Mr. Askin passed away in February from Parkinson' s disease. Mayor Nelson called three times for public comment. There was none. ACTION: Council Member Simon moved to approve naming West Post Phase 4 Park Jerry Askin Park". Council Member Bell seconded the motion. All voted aye, motion carried unanimously. Council Member Meis brought up, as an awareness, to use caution when naming anything after a person in case an issue was to come up later. Guffey asked if there was a way to rename something if needed. City Manager Cardwell explained that the City Council is the body with the sole discretion to name or rename land, streets, public buildings, and rooms. He then mentioned that the City will bring to the Council a naming policy to adopt. In that policy, it will be suggested that the City steer away from naming these things after individuals, as a general policy. However, if the City names anything after an individual, that person must have passed away. REPORTS Mayor Nelson reported he attended the joint Streamline, UTD, and HRDC function they put on to celebrate everything that HRDC has accomplished. City Attorney Murray had nothing to report. City Manager Cardwell reported that Wednesday, September 18, 2024, from 5: 00 p.m. to 6: 30 p.m. in the Court Chambers there will be the first open house for the proposed land exchange between the City and Belgrade School District. Page 3 of 5  Cardwell then congratulated Chief Building Official Sobek for completing his Certified Building Official certification. He mentioned that Sobeck is also working on his Fire Marshal certification. Cardwell then reminded everyone that the Fall Festival will be Saturday, September 28, at Lion' s Park. The City will be sponsoring this year' s meal for the community. City Staff will be serving the meal under the guidance of the Senior Center and observed by the Gallatin County Health Department. Lastly, Cardwell noted that he and Mayor Nelson had met with Senator Shelly Vance regarding some proposals the City has been working on. He also noted that they had a great conversation about the 680+ hotel rooms that will be coming online in the next two to three years in Belgrade. It was discussed whether there were options to capture some of those tourism dollars to help with the cost that the community is having to offset. Cardwell advised that Senator Vance had also been actively working with the Department of Revenue( DOR) to ensure Belgrade will get the best- updated values possible. He said this is greatly appreciated. FOR YOUR INFORMATION Council Member Guffey turned his time over to Assistant City Manager Tryon to talk about an update on the Library Director search. Tryon first welcomed Council Member Bell to the Council. He then reported that four candidates will be interviewed for the open Library Director position on Monday, October 14, 2024. Additionally, there will be an opportunity for the public to meet the candidates prior to the interviews on Sunday, October 13, 2024, from 4: 30 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Court Chambers. CLERK' S NOTE* The Library Candidate Meet and Great location was later changed to the Even Hotel off Airway Blvd. Council Member Meis confirmed that the Council' s special meeting is on September 30, 2024, at 7 p. m. He also advised that he may not attend the October 7th meeting, but he will stay in touch about it. Council Member Simon attended the Fire Board meeting. He mentioned it was a short meeting, and he could not recall what was discussed. Council Member Menicucci reported that the Water Quality Board is still in the process of being absorbed by the Health Department. She believes the transition is going smoothly and everyone is happy with the way it is going. Council Member Bell had nothing to report. Page 4 of 5  Mayor Nelson mentioned that he will not attend the Board of Health Meeting on September 19 due to his meeting with the DOR. He also mentioned that the City Manager, Assistant City Manager, and City staff will be involved with Building Belgrade on Tuesday, September 17, 2024. ADJOURN Council Member Simon moved to adjourn the meetin! . . 7: 30 pm. xkerie Russell C. Nelson, Mayor Attest: a"ia$, rt 1.---- 114- 1( Camille; tgory, City' lerk t- c, Page 5 of 5