City Council

City Council Meeting Minutes ___________________________________________________________________________________________ THURSDAY, September 21, 2023 – 6:00 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 Susan Ziglinski called the Regular Meeting to order at 6:00 pm. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Susan Ziglinski Councilor Rob Forman Councilor Jeff Reinan COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Council President Gordon Thistle Councilor Katrina Claridge ALSO PRESENT: Kim Karber, Interim City Administrator/Recorder Gerald Bartolomucci, Police Chief ATTORNEY PRESENT: None A quorum was present and due notice had been published. AGENDA ITEM 2 CITIZEN INPUT: Thao Duc Tu, President of the Vietnamese Community of Oregon presented the City with a Vietnamese American Heritage and Freedom Flag and a Certificate of Appreciation. The Mayor signed a proclamation recognizing the Vietnamese American Heritage and Freedom Flag as the official flag of Vietnamese Americans in the City of Columbia City. No other citizens provided input to the City Council. AGENDA ITEM 3 COUNCIL REPORTS: None AGENDA ITEM 4 CONSENT AGENDA: 4.1 Bills paid with check numbers 34488 through 34527 during the month of August 2023. 4.2 Expense vs Budget Report for the month ending July 31, 2023. 4.3 Combined balance sheet for July 31, 2023. 4.4 Expense vs Budget Report for the month ending August 31, 2023. 4.5 Combined balance sheet for August 31, 2023. 4.6 Appointment of Kit Gardes to the Budget Committee. 4.7 Appointment of Margie Korpela to the Hazard Mitigation Committee. 4.8 Appointment of Jazzmin Love to the Hazard Mitigation Committee. 4.9 Appointment of Mark Stevens to the Planning Commission. 4.10 Appointment of John Hansen to the Planning Commission. 2 Regular City Council Meeting September 21, 2023 4.11 Minutes of the July 20, 2023, Regular City Council Meeting. 4.12 Minutes of the August 17, 2023, Regular City Council Meeting. 4.13 Minutes of the September 12, 2023, Audit Committee Meeting. 4.14 Activity Report from the Chief of Police. 4.15 Activity Report from the Public Works Superintendent THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE CONSENT AGENDA BY UNANIMOUS ROLL CALL VOTE. AGENDA ITEM 5 UNFINISHED BUSINESS: 5.1 Update on the possible transition of Pixie Park and life vest kiosk. State D.A.R. provided information on donating Pixie Park to the City. The information from D.A.R. will be discussed at the next Parks Committee meeting. The Parks Committee will make a recommendation to the council. The life vest kiosk is still under review. AGENDA ITEM 6 NEW BUSINESS: 6.1 Presentation by Gary Hudson in regard to the Hazard Mitigation Committee. Gary Hudson made a presentation explaining the responsibilities of the committee, which started in 2010, and the importance of having a hazard mitigation plan. Mr. Hudson stated the focus of the committee is to review and identify changes that need to be made to the Columbia City Emergency Operations Plan. The committee identifies possible events that can/may take place in our city and outlines what type of response would be best to limit the impact to our community. They organize and develop a theme for the annual City Celebration and Prepare Fair. The theme is usually based around events most likely to occur here in Columbia City or the surrounding area. The Prepare Fair theme is used to pass on information that would be useful to residence during such an emergency. This committee is open to all residence and we encourage people to participate. 6.2 Recommendation to terminate contract with Cleargov budget software. MOVED (FORMAN), SECONDED (REINAN) AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY TO TERMINATE THE CITY’S CONTRACT WITH CLEARGOV. 6.3 Review of Waste Management rate schedule increase of 3.525% on drop box collection services effective October 1, 2023. MOVED (REINAN), SECONDED (FORMAN) AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY FOR SCHEDULED RATE INCREASE. 6.4 Recommendation from Water and Sewer Committee to enter into a contract between the City of Columbia City and Blue Heron Septic and Drain Service, Inc for Septic Tank Maintenance Services. MOVED (REINAN), SECONDED (FORMAN) AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH BLUE HERON SEPTIC AND DRAIN SERVICE, INC. Wendy Wells, 2010 9th St, voiced concerns about the issues there have been with Blue Heron in the past and hopes because they have been awarded the contract the issues won’t crop back up. 6.5 Consider recommendation from Police Chief for purchase of police vehicle. MOVED (REINAN), SECONDED (FORMAN) AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PURCHASE OF POLICE VEHICLE. 3 Regular City Council Meeting September 21, 2023 AGENDA ITEM 7 OTHER BUSINESS: 7.1 Rainier City/County Dinner City/County Dinner is being held in Rainier on October 10. The City will pay for employees. Can bring a plus one but the employee will have to cover the cost. 7.2 Dust issue from Lignetics pellet plant Community members have been meeting with Lignetics and The Port regarding the dust that continues to be an issue for residents from the pellet plant. They are trying to work with Lignetics, the newest owner of the plant, to get the fugitive dust problem solved. *Issue for decades/several different owners of the mill *DEQ permit is currently up for renewal *Community meeting last month and will be one this month *The community members want the current owner, Lignetics, to fix the problems before next summer as it would be the fourth summer of dealing with the dust under their ownership *If not done they are looking at using all avenues to shut the plant down until the issue is fixed AGENDA ITEM 9 ADJOURNMENT: 8.1 There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting adjourned at 7:14 pm. APPROVED: _______________________________________ Susan Ziglinski Mayor ATTEST: ___________________________________ Kim Karber Interim City Administrator/Recorder