City Council Meetings

CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 1. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m., and was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance. Councilmembers present were Mayor Dan Porter, Bob Archibeque, Tom Butler, Mayor Pro-tem Matt Keefauver, Ty Keel, and Shawna McLaughlin, and Karen Sheek. Staff members present were Chief of Police Roy Lane, City Clerk Linda Smith, City Manager Shane Hale, and City Attorney Mike Green. There were three people present in the audience. 2. The Consent Agenda items acted upon by Council were as follows: a. Approval of the Worksession and Regular Meeting Minutes of August 27, 2013. b. Approval of the payment of the Expenditure Vouchers of September 10, 2013. Councilmember Keel moved that Council approve the Consent Agenda as presented, with the additional expenditure vouchers totaling $163,855.27. Mayor Pro-tem Keefauver seconded the motion, and the vote was as follows: Archibeque Butler Keefauver Keel McLaughlin Porter Sheek Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 3. PRESENTATIONS a. Friends of Our Hospital. Mary Lou Asbury, Member of the Friends of Our Hospital Committee, spoke to Council regarding Referendum 5D MCHD which will be included on the November ballot. She noted that Referendum 5D MCHD will be the last question on the ballot. She stated that currently the hospital is restricted in the amount of grant money they can apply for and Referendum 5D MCHD would remove that restriction and give the hospital the opportunity to apply for State grants available to rural hospitals. She stated that Referendum 5D MCHD will not cost anything and will not increase taxes. She stated that if a mill levy increase becomes necessary in the future, the taxpayers would still have the opportunity to vote on the increase. She stated that if Referendum 5D MCHD is approved it would allow the hospital to apply for State grants to help the hospital with capital improvements that are currently too costly for the operating budget to absorb. Kent Helwig, CEO for Southwest Memorial Hospital, gave an example of a DOLA grant that was recently given to a hospital to help with infrastructure items and also was used for care of uninsured patients. He stated that the grant money would not be used for salaries; however, he noted that good operable medical equipment goes a long way in retaining medical staff. Ms. Asbury explained how the two boards work together at the hospital. Mr. Helwig spoke about the cost for future capital expenditures needed at the hospital including a backup generator and boiler. 4. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION – None. 5. PUBLIC HEARINGS – None. CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 PAGE 2 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – None. 7. NEW BUSINESS a. Ordinance No. 1181, Series 2013. City Attorney Green stated that Ordinance No. 1181, Series 2013, is a housekeeping ordinance eliminating the bond for the Deputy City Clerk and amending the Cortez City Code to allow Police Officers, Animal Control Officers, and Code Enforcement Officers to issue summons and complaints into the Cortez Municipal Court. He stated that during a previous clean up of the City Code Book, the bond was removed for the City Clerk and Municipal Court Clerk; however, the verbiage for the Deputy City Clerk was missed. He stated that the ordinance cleans up Section 2-18, Provision for Deputy City Clerk and also language in Sections 17 -2, 17-3, and 17-4. He stated that that currently the code enforcement officers have to contact a Police Officer to complete and deliver a summons for code infractions which can take up to an hour to complete. He stated that the ordinance would allow a code enforcement officer the ability to issue a summons into Cortez Municipal Court. In answer to a question from Councilmember Keel, City Attorney Green stated that tickets are already being issued by the code enforcement officer; however, he cannot complete the ticket or serve it. City Manager Hale stated that some people are not always pleasant to deal with and the Police Department can still help if the code enforcement officer feels uncomfortable in serving the ticket. Councilmember Archibeque moved that Council approve on first reading and set for public hearing on September 24, 2013, Ordinance No. 1181, Series 2013, regarding a bond for the Deputy City Clerk and amending the Cortez City Code to allow Police Officers, Animal Control Officers, and Code Enforcement Officers to issue summons and complaints into the Cortez Municipal Court. Councilmember McLaughlin seconded the motion, and the vote was as follows: Archibeque Butler Keefauver Keel McLaughlin Porter Sheek Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes b. Intergovernmental Agreement with the Cortez Sanitation District. City Manager Hale stated that by past practice the Cortez Sanitation District has filled up their vacuum truck by using the City’s fire hydrants; however, recently it was observed that the hydrant was being misused and the City requested that the Cortez Sanitation District use the water doc at the Service Center to obtain their bulk water. He stated that the City has not charged the Sanitation District for their bulk water usage and in exchange the Sanitation District does not charge the City for use of its vacuum truck when it is needed. City Manager Hale stated that the Cortez Sanitation District would like a more central location to fill their trucks rather than driving to the Service Center and have offered to participate in upgrading the Park Street water dock to a card reading system. He stated that the water dock system on Park Street is at the end of its useful life and the City was considering replacing it anyway so the contribution of $10,000 from the Cortez Sanitation District would help with the expense. In answer to a question from Councilmember McLaughlin, City Manager Hale stated that the upgraded system would still accept quarters as well as a City issued metering card (not a credit card). City Manager Hale stated that the Cortez Sanitation District approved and signed the Intergovernmental Agreement at their meeting on September 9, 2013, and noted that the agreement says the District will remit $10,000 to the City upon execution of the agreement and the City agrees to waive all charges for bulk water to the Sanitation District for a period of not less than CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 PAGE 3 three years from the completion of the upgraded system. In answer to a question from Councilmember Keel, City Manager Hale stated that the Sanitation District wanted some guarantee that they wouldn’t help pay for the upgraded water dock and then be billed for usage of water the next day. City Manager Hale stated that the Cortez Sanitation District had asked that they not be charged for water for 20 years in exchange for the contribution to the upgraded system and after further discussion it was agreed that the agreement would be for a period of three years. City Manager Hale stated that the City should formalize what each organization provides for each other in a more formal agreement and Council agreed. Councilmember Sheek moved that Council approve an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Cortez Sanitation District for the joint purchase of an upgraded water dock located at Park Street. Councilmember McLaughlin seconded the motion, and the vote was as follows: Archibeque Butler Keefauver Keel McLaughlin Porter Sheek Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 8. DRAFT ORDINANCES/RESOLUTIONS – None. 9. OTHER ITEMS OF BUSINESS – None. 10. ADDITIONAL CITIZEN PARTICIPATION – None. 11. CITY ATTORNEY’S REPORT – None. 12. CITY MANAGER’S REPORT a. The Squeeze. City Manager Hale stated that a 3M dollar independent movie titled The Squeeze will be filming on golf courses in the Durango/Cortez area and Conquistador Golf Course would be including in the production. He stated that filming in Cortez will take place on October 7, 2013, and the course will be open to the public; however, golfers will be asked to not play on the holes on which the film crew may be shooting. He stated that in exchange for access to the course on that Monday, October 7, 2013, the City will be provided with the B roll of the shooting. He stated that the writer/director/producer of the film is an experienced sports producer/director having shot many PGA championships. He stated that the opportunity is good advertisement for the golf course and noted that the movie has a similar theme like Tin Cup. 13. CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS a. Mayor’s Report on Workshop. Mayor Porter stated that during the workshop, Council received local marketing updates from Gayle Alexander with Cortez Retail Enhancement Association, Heather Hughes from Mesa Verde Country, and Ami Fair from Marketing/Special Events. He stated that a brief discussion was also held on the fence project at the outdoor swimming pool. Mayor Porter extended Council’s sympathy to Councilmember Archibeque and his family for the recent passing of his mother. Councilmember Archibeque thanked the City for the floral arrangement and commented that it is nice to live in a community where everybody looks after each other. CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 PAGE 4 b. Golf Advisory Board. Councilmember Archibeque stated that several fundraiser golf tournaments would be held at the golf course in September for the Girls and Boys Golf Teams. He stated that the Pinto Bean and Tee Cup Golf Tournaments were a success. He stated that the Men’s Association contributed $500 to purchase a brush mower to help mow the greens and discussion was held about a possible sod farm to help meet the needs of the course. City Manager Hale stated that irrigation water at the course is still running. The meeting was adjourned at 8:00 p.m. ________________________________ Dan L. Porter, Mayor ATTEST: ___________________________________ Linda L. Smith, City Clerk