Belgrade City Council

CITY OF BELGRADE COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES COUNCIL CHAMBERS March 3rd, 2025 7: 00 pm This meeting was open to the public and attended in person. Deputy Mayor Meis called the meeting to order. Council Members in attendance were Jason Guffey, Jim Simon, Kristine Menicucci, Erin Bell, and Renae Mattimoe. 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, Chief of Police Dustin Lensing, Municipal Court Judge Chris Gregory, Chief Building Official Lucas Sobeck, Director of Human Resources Becky Wilbert, Director of Economic Development Katharine King, Director of Parks and Recreation Steve Klotz, Director of Operations James Percival, Senior Planner Brad Stein, and Library Director Alina Prunean. Others in attendance were Dan Sampson and Scot Gramm, both on behalf of Town Pump. ACTION: Council Member Simon moved to excuse Mayor Nelson. Council Member Menicucci seconded the Motion. All voted aye, Motion carried unanimously. PUBLIC FORUM Deputy Mayor Meis called three times for public comment. There being none, the Public Forum was closed. CONSENT AGENDA Consider First Reading of Ordinance No. 2025- 02 for a Zone Map Amendment of the Parcel at the Corner of Jackrabbit Lane and Amsterdam Road, Owned by Town Pump ( BELGRADE 5 RE2, LLC) to be Changed to Commercial Corridor( CC) District. Consider Approval of Council Minute Draft ( S): 2- 18- 25 Council Meeting ACTION: Council Member Simon moved to approve the Consent Agenda as submitted with an amendment to move the second reading of the Zone Map Amendment from March 17th to April 1st, 2025. Council Member Menicucci seconded the Motion. All voted aye, Motion carried unanimously. Page 1 of 5 DISCUSSION AGENDA Discuss a Presentation of the 2025 Belgrade Regional Parks, Trails, and Recreation District Master Plan Director of Parks and Recreation Klotz gave a PowerPoint presentation on the Parks Department' s newly adopted Master Plan. Council Member Menicucci commented on how much the implementation action plan helped her focus on what the priorities are. Deputy Mayor Meis called three times for public comment. There was none. Discuss and Consider Preliminary Adoption of 2025- 1: An Ordinance Amending the Trees and Shrubs Ordinance in Title 3, Chapter 4 of the Belgrade City Code Creating a City Tree Fund and City Forester Position City Attorney Murray explained that the proposed amendments to the Tree and Shrub Ordinance would remove the currently unfilled Tree Board that is listed in the current code, which is responsible for trees and shrubs. The Tree Board would then be replaced with a City Forester position, which would be internally filled by a current employee of the Parks Department. Murray noted that these amendments authorize the City Forester to establish a City Tree Fund and City Tree Manual. This would help clarify the rules and fees for planting trees and bushes in the City' s public areas. Council Member Simon asked if these changes would require a person to get a permit to remove a tree in their yard and how the City Forester position would be funded. Murray clarified that a permit would only be needed to remove trees in the City- owned right- of-way. Cardwell then answered that the short- term plan is to fill the position/ duties of the City Forester by assigning it to a current Parks Department employee. This would add duties to an existing employee, rather than creating a wholly new position in need of immediate funding. He noted that the forester position is a separate job funded by a tree assessment fee in other communities, and that the hope is Belgrade will eventually fund it in a similar manner. Deputy Mayor Meis called three times for public comment. There was none. ACTION: Council Member Menicucci moved to provisionally adopt Ordinance No. 2025- 1: An Ordinance Amending the Trees and Shrubs Ordinance in Title 3, Chapter 4 of the Belgrade City Code, Creating a City Tree Fund and City Forester Position, subject to publication requirements and a public hearing on April 1st, 2025. Council Member Mattimoe seconded the Motion. Page 2 of 5  Deputy Mayor Meis called for a vote. All voted aye, Motion carried unanimously. Discuss and Consider Resolution No. 2025- 5 Amending Resolution No. 2024- 34 to Modify Scope of Water Storage Construction and Authorize Loaning of Funds for Land Acquisition City Manager Cardwell advised that the Council had previously discussed and approved Resolution 2024- 34 back in November of 2024. That resolution created the water storage project required to build the $ 3, 000,000 water tower that the City requires. Cardwell then announced that, as part of that project, the City had found a new property that would allow the City to avoid putting the proposed water tower in Mayfair Park. This property would need to be purchased, however. Cardwell also noted that, as part of the water storage project approved in Resolution 2024- 34, the City had selected the engineering firm HD& R Engineering to lead the project' s design and construction. HD& R was selected via the RFQ process. Cardwell further advised that the City recently received the scopes on this project, and there is now hope that an elevated water tower is not the only viable water storage option for this project. Cardwell then explained that the resolution on the Agenda tonight ( Resolution No. 2025- 5) will amend the resolution passed in November( Resolution No. 2024- 34). The new resolution will allow for flexibility in the design of Belgrade' s new water storage system, permitting the City to pursue a combination of elevated and ground- level storage. The choice on what type( s) of storage to use will be based on final engineering assessments. The Resolution also clarifies that the City can loan itself the money to purchase the new land by switching money between funds. This " loan" would be on a short- term basis and is permissible pursuant to Title 1 Chapter 8 of the Belgrade City Code. The loan would allow the City to transfer money from another fund and use it to close on the property they plan to use for the water storage project. Cardwell noted that reimbursement of this " loan" will be made through future bond proceeds. Council Member Mattimoe thanked the City for its diligence in locating a property to avoid putting the water storage in Mayfair Park. Deputy Mayor Meis called three times for public comment. There was none. ACTION: Council Member Mattimoe moved to approve Resolution No. 2025- 5, amending Resolution No. 2024- 34 to modify the scope of water storage construction to allow for a combination of elevated and/ or ground- level based on final engineering and authorizing the loaning of funds for land acquisition. Council Member Simon seconded the Motion. Deputy Mayor Meis called for a vote. All voted aye, Motion carried unanimously. Page 3 of 5 Discuss and Consider Cancellation of March 17th Meeting City Manager Cardwell advised the Council that a number of the City' s staff would be absent from the meeting currently scheduled for March 17, as that date falls during spring break. After a discussion with Department Heads, it was decided to bring the option to cancel the March 17`h, 2025, meeting to Council. Deputy Mayor Meis called three times for public comment. There was none. ACTION: Council Member Simon moved to cancel the March 17th, 2025, City Council meeting due to multiple absences and conflicts. Council Member Menicucci seconded the Motion. Deputy Mayor Meis called for a vote. All voted aye, Motion carried unanimously. REPORTS Deputy Mayor Meis had nothing to report on the Mayor's behalf. City Attorney Murray mentioned that she will be out for spring break. City Manager Cardwell advised his performance evaluation is coming up. He then thanked Mayor Nelson for testifying in Helena. Cardwell also advised that an email should be sent out shortly, allowing the Council to schedule tours of the new library building. He then invited Director Prunean to speak on library updates and events. Director Prunean said the community is invited to participate in the Book Brigade being held on Saturday, March 8th, from 10: 30 a. m. to 11: 30 a. m. This event is a symbolic one, in which volunteers will help deliver the final 93 books from the old library to the new building. The number of books is meant to memorialize the Belgrade Library' s 93 years of existence. Director Prunean also advised that April 5th will be the grand opening for the new library, starting at 10 a. m. FOR YOUR INFORMATION Council Member Guffey had nothing to report Council Member Simon reported that he will be absent from the Fire Board' s March 11` h meeting and that Council Member Guffey will attend in his absence. Deputy Mayor Meis mentioned that the PCC meeting will be held on March 4`h. The meeting is to discuss the local water and sewer district capacity. Page 4 of 5  Council Member Menicucci reported that the Water Quality Board/ Board of Health will hold their meeting on March 6`b. Menicucci also reported that she was recently a victim of identity theft. Fortunately, it was caught early and nothing was lost despite the aggressiveness of the attack on her personal information. However, she knows others who suffered this offense and were not as fortunate. She advised that the danger of identity theft is real and on the rise. She urged everyone to be diligent with their personal information. Council Member Bell had nothing to report. Council Member Mattimoe had nothing to report. ADJOURN Council Member Mattimoe moved to adjourn. Council Member Simon seconded the Motion. Deputy Mayor Meis called for a vote. All voted aye, Motion carried unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 7: 56 p. m. 4 -- Mike M- is, Deputy Mayor Attest: en 4i' CamrH. cr9gory, Ci Cl t r. t(, P. .- u lr sr 0 'l • f 4 Page 5 of 5