City Council

City Council Meeting Minutes ___________________________________________________________________________________________ THURSDAY November 17, 2022 – 6:30 PM COLUMBIA CITY CITY HALL – 1840 SECOND STREET CITY OF COLUMBIA CITY, COLUMBIA COUNTY, OREGON AGENDA ITEM 1 CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL: CONVENED: Mayor Casey Wheeler called the Regular Meeting to order at 6:30 pm. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Casey Wheeler Councilor Gordon Thistle Councilor Sue Ziglinski Councilor Katrina Claridge COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Councilor Jeff Reinan ALSO PRESENT: Mike McGlothlin, City Administrator/Recorder Kim Karber, Office Supervisor/Finance Clerk ATTORNEY PRESENT: No. A quorum was present and due notice had been published. AGENDA ITEM 2 CITIZEN INPUT: Wendy Wells, of 2010 Ninth Court, submitted a written statement outlining her perceptions of the City’s actions in regards to the Blue Heron Septic and Drain Service; as it regards the complaints and investigative process into the businesses Type I Home Occupation Permit. A copy of that statement is included for the record. John Hansen, of 2015 8th Court, said that he echoed Mrs. Wells comments and concerns and also relayed his perceptions of the incidents under investigation to date. Amy, of 2015 8th Court, also said that she also wished to echo Mrs. Wells statement and also provided her own perceptions of the incidents and the subsequent investigation which was still being conducted. AGENDA ITEM 3 COUNCIL REPORTS: 3.1 Minutes of the October 18, 2022 Parks Committee Meeting, chaired by Councilor Katrina Claridge. WRITTEN MINUTES WERE SUBMITTED FOR THE OCTOBER 18, 2022 PARKS COMMITTEE MEETING. AGENDA ITEM 4 STAFF REPORTS: 4.1 Activity Report for the Public Works Department, as submitted by Public Works Superintendent, Micah Rogers. A WRITTEN ACTIVITY REPORT WAS SUBMITTED BY SUPERINTENDENT ROGERS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD. AGENDA ITEM 5 CONSENT AGENDA: 2 Regular City Council Meeting November 17, 2022 5.1 Bills paid with check numbers 34000 through 34062 during the month of October 2022. 5.2 Expense v. Budget Report for the period ending October 31, 2022. 5.3 Appointment of Karen Shervey, of 2010 7th Court, to the Parks Committee. 5.4 Appointment of Mark Gordon, of 1630 Eigth Street, to the Parks Committee. COUNCIL APPROVED THE CONSENT AGENDA BY UNANIMOUS ROLL CALL VOTE. AGENDA ITEM 6 UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None. AGENDA ITEM 7 NEW BUSINESS: 7.1 Review, discussion, and consideration for approval of the Columbia City Community Library’s request to build a storage platform within the Community Hall’s lower storage area, as submitted by Kit Gardes of the Friends of the Columbia City Community Library. MOVED (THISTLE), SECONDED (CLARIDGE) AND VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE THE REQUEST AS SUBMITTED. 7.2 Council Bill 22-955: A Resolution Authorizing a Transfer of Appropriations within the General and Sewer Funds During the Fiscal Year Beginning July 1, 2022. MOVED (THISTLE), SECONDED (CLARIDGE), AND VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE COUNCIL BILL 22-955. AGENDA ITEM 8 OTHER BUSINESS: The City Administrator discussed the following items with Council: 1. Blue Heron Septic and Drain Service Type I Home Occupation Permit Complaint and Investigative Update. With finally receiving evidence on 11/15/2022 to substantiate the claims against the home occupation permitee, we are in the position to start matching complaints to evidence. If it is found that the evidence submitted substantiates multiple violations of the City’s applicable code, the issue will be referred to the Planning Commission for their review and action as is governed by code. 2. LED Streetlight Conversion Project Update. The City Administrator was able to gather more data over the last month in order for the City Council to decide whether or not to support this project. The project will total $54,117.00 to complete, with an approximate $11,000.00 available in rebates to the City. The City will pay the full cost up front and will be reimbursed the balance of the rebate once the work has been completed, with the full costs being paid from the City’s Street Development Fund. After the conversion is complete, the City will see a reduction of approximately 50% in monthly streetlight billing and the entire program will pay for itself in a little over 10 years. The City Council will need to decide at their December 15, 2022 meeting if they wish to proceed as the rebate program will be expiring in 2023. 3. Aditional Access/Egree Door to the Community Hall Project. Engineering cost estimates for this project total $16,500.00, and the project would also entail construction costs for the installation of the door itself, applicable landings and stairs, along with hand railing for the stairs. The construction costs for this project could, given the current state of the economy, increase the total costs for the project to near $50,000.00. Given these factors, the City Administrator recommended to Council that this project not move forward at this time. A more cost effective approach to addressing this issue would be to remove the stove from the Community Hall kitchen as food warmng type devices are still 3 Regular City Council Meeting November 17, 2022 allowed under existing fore code. The City Council concurred with the recommendation from the City Administrator and this project was discontinued. 4. Municipal Court Judge Position Update. Mr. Mark Gordon, of Columbia City, submitted a response to the City’s Request for Proposal (RFP) for Municipal Court Judge Services. Mr. Gordon will undergo an interview with an established sub-committee, successfully complete a background investigation, and also pass a pre-appointment drug screening prior to his appointment by City Council. The City Administrator solicited members of the Council for membership on the sub-committee with Councilors Claridge and Thistle volunteering to do so. The City Administrator said that he has also solicited the District Attorney’s Office for a Deputy District Attorney to sit on the sub- committee and that the City’s Court Clerk, Helen Johnson, will also be a member. The City Administrator will schedule Mr. Gordon’s appointment on the agenda for the next available City Council meeting after all portions of the appointment process are completed. AGENDA ITEM 9 ADJOURNMENT: 9.1 There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting adjourned at 7:35 pm. APPROVED: _______________________________________ Casey Wheeler Mayor ATTEST: ___________________________________ Michael S. McGlothlin City Administrator/Recorder