Document Minden_doc_c60b6d9bb4

-11 The Minden Town Board meeting was held at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 4, 2012, at 1602 Esmeralda Avenue, Minden, Nevada. Board members present: Matt Bernard, Charles Condron, John Stephans, Steve Thaler and Roxanne Stangle Staff present: Greg Hill, George Keele, Trish Koepnick, Bruce Scott and Jenifer Scott. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Stephans at 5:30 P.M. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Roxanne Stangle. Condron/Thaler moved for the approval of the agenda as published. Motion carried unanimously. Bernard/Condron moved to approve the minutes of the March 7, 2012 Board Meeting. Motion carried unanimously. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF GIFTS: Ms. Scott acknowledged the donation from the Minden Club to be used for half of the cost of sound system speakers for the rear of the Hall. Mr. Stephans directed staff to create a thank you note for the Board members to sign. Also, Mr. Scott said the Town received a substantial donation from Larry Cross of surface water rights, for which we will send a letter of acknowledgment. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SERVICE AWARDS: None PUBLIC COMMENT: None STAFF REPORTS: 1. Public Works: report of activities by Greg Hill. In addition to his written report, Mr. Hill gave a report on ongoing projects. a. We have engineering in the works on the banner pole project with hopes to have that report back by the end of April. He will know the full cost of the banner poles after he gets the structural engineering report. b. At Well 7, the contractor mobilized and ran a video camera to determine the condition and 50% was blocked out. It was cleaned and flushed out and then a step test was conducted. The testing showed that the well will be able to produce between 1600-1800 gpm; the bottom line is that it looks better than we thought. We hope to wrap up before July. Mr. Scott said that there are no plans to re-drill now but if we did it would be a 16 inch well. c. Lucerne waterline is about 95% complete; they are now working on curb, gutter, sidewalk and paving. They will be pressure testing, chlorinating and testing the line and then the state will allow us to put it in service. There was one unidentified water service connection on 10th Street that they did not know about; they have worked it out with the property owner to feed off of the existing service. Public comment: Beverly Giannopulos asked if there is anything budgeted for a bigger sign at the new maintenance building, and how the water license testing went. Greg said that we have a small sign with the name and address and that is all that is planned. Two water operators tested last month for higher grade licenses and they will probably know the results in about 30 days. Ms. Scott clarified that the admin numbers in Greg’s report appeared inflated because she included the time for the rate conference attended by Amber and herself. This element will be separated out next month. 2. Engineering Report: report by Bruce Scott. We are continuing to be in the market for surface water rights donations; these could be useful in the future. The lead time for the pumps is a concern for the Booster Pump project; the pumps will be here in May rather than April. He would like the Board to consider going back and have the floor epoxied after the contractor is done. There would be a credit of around $3,000 from K G Walters if they do not do the floor in the contract. If the Board is agreeable he suggests taking the credit for the floor that they won’t do and going forward with the epoxy flooring, as this is superior flooring. Greg has an estimate for around $13,000. Mr. Stephans noted that we did the epoxy on the new building floors, and Mr. Condron said that epoxy is superior, he would favor it. Mr. Scott would like to proceed with requesting quotes for a test well at the Buckeye facility, to bring formal quotes from 3 drillers to the Board at the next meeting so they can go forward with design. The quotes would be good for 60 days to get into the next fiscal year. This is an important step for us; he would like to look at the feasibility of a production well on line by next year. The Lucerne waterline project is nearly done; it has been a tough job and the contractor is ---PAGE BREAK--- Minden Town Board Minutes April 4, 2012 Page 2 of 9 interested in getting done and cleaned up. Mr. Scott reviewed the process for design review, as requested by Ms. Scott, as there are some reviews before the Board tonight. Typically it starts when plans are submitted to the County. If the project is in the Town it is referred to staff for comments, and comes to this Board if it is a project that requires Town Board approval. The can also start the process by coming to the Board just as a presentation. Mr. Scott reviews the project and provides the Board with a letter of his recommendations. This letter can be referred to in the motion and incorporated as part of County requirements for the project. Normally when we do a review at the Board level, they are looking at the overall concept and land use, not the details. Work is being done presently to get to a normal routine process. Public comment: Mr. Pohlman asked if we need to go out to bid early for the North Minden Booster as it takes so long to receive the pumps. Mr. Scott said that we will be ready to go bid sometime in May. We can’t just order the pumps; details have to be looked at and then put in the queue for delivery. 3. Attorney Report: report by George Keele Lisa Monroe gave a clean environmental report for the old yard; site and sampling report came back in a little excess of original bid, but she did more samples than originally intended. Since the Town is seeking tenants, she has produced a document available to any prospective tenant. Mr. Keele has a cleaned up version of the lease for the yard. He commended staff for the diagram showing the leasable area. He felt that Ms. Scott and a designated Board member can go forward to pursue a tenant; Mr. Condron was designated as that Board member. On the Minden Gateway Center entrance project, he sent a memo to the Board last week indicating a reasonable promise from NDOT as well as the representative from the surety company who has the bond for the Center. He appreciates the work of both Mr. Scott and Mr. Russell concerning this. 4. Manager’s Report: report by Jenifer Scott. She felt the budget workshop was a success; she is open for thoughts on the process. She expressed appreciation to the members of the public who were involved in the process. The joint training on April 19 at the East Fork training room will have full attendance from all Towns. We are please to announce that we have hired Colleen Fehsal as our part time office assistant. As discussed at the workshop, the rate training was a wealth of information and Ms. Scott recommended that we consider hiring a rate consultant. Ms. Scott had a meeting with the County Manager; they have compiled the costs for the services they provide to the Town and it came back at $83,000. The request is that we attempt to build the cost for these services into our budget; she believes that the request is sound and we need to look at this. Mr. Stephans said we discussed this at a meeting with the County Manager and it is a two edged sword. He said the Town would look at doing something similar with the County: any services we do for the County would also be charged back to them. This includes sweeping of some County roads within Minden, use of the CVIC and Martin Slough trail maintenance. He believes these meetings with the County have been cordial and working well. Mr. Thaler felt that we should continue on with the quid pro quo agreement and hold our ground tight on this. Mr. Stephans did not want to overlook the tax rate we gave up that is forever. Streets were discussed, in particular the concept that Minden streets actually belong to the County. Ms. Scott said that there was a discussion about customer service and the possibility of drafting a contract; she advocates a flat rate that does not change every year. We could also shop for services; potentially we could combine forces with other entities and look at strategy. Mr. Bernard thought this may be a real fracas waiting to happen. We have worked towards a good relationship with the County, and he does not see this working out very well. He asked how the County allocates to other entities including County departments. Mr. Stephans said he believes that NRS says that the County must handle the Town finances, it cannot be outsourced. He also said that the Town gets no money for the room tax and we do that for the good of the County. We need to think about all these things. Ms. Stangle said she did not feel as pressured this time as last year with the ad valorem. Mr. Keele advised to not deliberate at this time on this issue. No public comment. CONSENT CALENDAR FOR POSSIBLE ACTION 1. Approval of claims through March 2012. Thaler/Condron moved to approve the claims through March 2012. Motion carried unanimously. ADMINISTRATIVE AGENDA: 1. For possible action: Discussion and possible action to approve, approve with conditions, ---PAGE BREAK--- Minden Town Board Minutes April 4, 2012 Page 3 of 9 continue, or deny a request by Westwood Park Homeowners Association to waive meter charges in the months water is turned off and not in use in common areas (generally October through May). Appearance by Rhonda Freih, Association Manager. Rhonda Freih said she appreciates the time and consideration this evening, and hopes we can reach a compromise for the economic relief of homeowners, many of whom are on fixed incomes. Their HOA budget is pretty much maxed out with various NRS requirements on communities. 25% of their budget goes to the Town for water. With the economic collapse there has been an increase in foreclosures. She questioned if it is reasonable how the Town charges for the base rate on their 11 meters during winter months when nothing is used, and respectfully requested the Board to consider changing this. Ms Stangle understands how commercial utilities charge base rates for utilities regardless of use, and was concerned about setting a precedent. Mr. Bernard thought that we might not have much leeway due to the water resolution and ordinance. Mr. Thaler gave a disclaimer that his mother-in-law is in this Association. He questioned when and how much the base rate went up, and if she was aware of the history on this issue. Ms. Freih said she is asking because the Town Board has different members now and would like to have them consider the request. They are trying to find some way to save money, including landscape changes for their nine acres of sod; they have reduced water as much as they possibly can. Mr. Condron asked when we will revisit water rate structure. Ms. Scott said that we do this at the beginning of each year. Mr. Condron said that we need to spend some time looking at this issue and not just jump into this and waive the fees. He said we will look at this very closely, and maybe we can find some relief for the water users who are not using water. Ms. Freih would be very willing to work with them on this. Mr. Scott said we need to look at the big picture in regard to rates; we would have to offset this reduction somewhere else. Public comment: Bob Pohlman said he recalls the request in 2007; the policy used to be that if the water was off the base rate was not charged. Mr. Allgeier complained about the charges for the turn off; at that point the Board decided to change their policy. Winhaven has spent a lot of money changing outside sprinkler heads and saved 17% on water. He would like the Board to look at Aspen Grove rates because they are considered a single family home but should probably be considered patio homes. Bernard/Condron moved to deny the request by Westwood Park Homeowners Association to waive meter charges in the months water is turned off and not in use in common areas. Motion carried unanimously. 2. a. Not for possible action: Discussion and presentation by Stephen Farnsley, Executive Director of the Carson Valley Arts Council (CVAC), regarding a request submitted to the Douglas County Board of Commissioners to designate CVAC as the Local Arts Agency (LAA) recognized by the National Endowment of the Arts. b. For Possible action: Discussion to approve, approve with conditions, continue or deny request by Stephen Farnsley, Executive Director of the Carson Valley Arts Council (CVAC), to direct staff to author a letter of support to be signed by the Chairman of the Board addressed to the Douglas County Board of Commissioners supporting the issuance of a proclamation designating CVAC as the Local Arts Agency (LAA) for Douglas County. Steve Farnsley thanked the Board for the consideration; he appreciates the great relationship they have with the Town. The Council continues working toward the goal of making the Copeland building an arts center. This proposed designation will benefit both the Arts Council and the community. Mr. Condron expressed support for the Arts Council; it is exciting to be on their board and their plan will benefit the entire valley. This particular group lends itself to all of the arts; he strongly supports them and this designation will be beneficial to them. Mr. Stephans is glad to support the Arts Council and thanked Mr. Thaler and Mr. Condron for their efforts in working with the Arts Council. Mr. Thaler also support this; these people have the drive and they do so much to bring the arts into this County. He supports this as it needs to be in the community and it happens to be in our Town. Ms. Stangle wholeheartedly supports this designation. Public comment: Bev Giannopulos asked what happened in Gardnerville last night; Mr. Farnsley said that they were just asking for a liaison from the Gardnerville Board and did get one. Condron/ Thaler moved to direct staff to author a letter of support to be signed by the Chairman of the Board addressed to the Douglas County Board of Commissioners supporting the issuance of a proclamation designating CVAC as the Local Arts Agency (LAA) for Douglas County. Motion carried unanimously. 3. a. Not for possible action: Discussion and presentation by Mimi Moss, Douglas County Community Development Director, regarding a grant application to Nevada Department of ---PAGE BREAK--- Minden Town Board Minutes April 4, 2012 Page 4 of 9 Transportation (NDOT) for grant funds for the construction of the Martin Slough trail extending from the Carson Valley Middle School to Ironwood Drive. Mr. Bernard said he would participate in discussion but has confirmed with counsel that that is acceptable even though he helped prepare the grant. Mr. Keele also disclosed that he no longer has any conflict due to ownership changes of the Dean Seeman Trust. Mimi Moss showed the long term trail plan for Martin Slough. There is a map handout showing the minor changes and the property owners involved. County has hired Anderson Engineering to prepare a grant application on behalf of the County to seek transportation funds from NDOT requesting an alternate route for pedestrian and bicycle safety for the community. It extends from Gilman in Gardnerville to Ironwood Drive. Douglas County has committed $25,000 to the project. The cost will be between $700-800,000 for a 10 foot wide paved section with gravel base on the sides sloping away from the path, for a total of a 14 foot wide path. A match of 12 % is required for the submittal of the grant. The Ranch at Gardnerville has committed $100,000 over two years. Gardnerville has committed to a $25,000 match. Tonight she is asking the Town to support this as a good project that benefits the whole County. She is looking for a letter of support from Minden, potential grant funds, and commitment to take on maintenance once this trail is constructed. The funds could be planned in next year’s budget at the earliest. Cost for maintenance is estimated at .15 per square foot of pavement section which would be $2900 per year for Town of Minden if constructed at the Class One standard. b. For possible action: Discussion to approve, approve with conditions, continue or deny request by Mimi Moss, Douglas County Community Development Director to 1) direct Town Staff to author a letter of support for the Martin Slough trail project addressed to NDOT to be signed by the Chair of the Minden Town Board and included as part of the submittal for the grant application in April 2012; and 2) commit matching funds and/or in-kind service assistance to the Martin Slough trail project in an amount not to exceed $25,000; and 3) agree to maintain the portion of the pedestrian path within the Minden Town boundary once the path is constructed to the design standard. Ms. Moss said the Ranch is required to dedicate the open space area and to build the path on their property. At a minimum we would require a dedicated pedestrian access easement for the construction of the path. Conditions of approval require the dedication of open space to an entity that will take on the maintenance. There will be an opportunity with the Ranch subdivision map amendment to avoid piecemealing with a concern for timing as they will be phased over 25-30 years. The Board will have the opportunity to insure that this will be an easement for the path or for open space and the ability to annex the property when accepting the maintenance of the trail. The County has a part of the Seeman trust property which can be dedicated to Minden; the County always wanted the Towns to accept their own areas and maintain it. There will be a good opportunity to work though this as part of the amended subdivision map. Mr. Bernard said that Gardnerville owns the parcel that they would be maintaining. Mr. Thaler believes that annexation of our portion of the trail would be the cleanest way to maintain in the future. He is in favor of this agenda item until we get to question 3; we are asked to commit to something when we are not sure of what we are committing to. Ms. Moss said the design needs to get firmed up and we are just talking about the path for the grant. With the revised subdivision map coming forward, annexation is what you need to ask for from the property owner. When a development is coming to Town and asking for services, you may request annexation, and it is logical that the Town would annex this; if you don’t need services there is no need to annex. Mr. Stephans asked if we can put a stipulation that the Town could annex as opposed to charging back services. Mr. Condron said this is an opportunity to create something wonderful for our community. If the grant comes through and we only have to spend $25,000, what more can we ask? Mr. Scott said this is the linear park that the Town has talked about for years. His recommendation is to annex the Seeman property that the trail is within and take it on as part of the bigger picture; it is not just a trail that we are talking about. There are wetland potentials and water rights for wetlands enhancements. The pavement needs to be looked at from a geotechnical perspective. You do have to get vehicles on the path to maintain it so there will be some vehicle weight required. Coordination with CVI and other parties will need to be worked out; this is an opportunity to get a trail largely paid for with grants in a way that will help both Towns. Public comment: Bev Giannopulos asked what area will Minden be responsible for and where the construction will start. Ms. Moss said that Minden would care for the areas north of Zerolene to Ironwood in terms of maintenance. The construction is likely to start in Gardnerville because of the subdivision; the area identified as “by others” is because those owners want to move forward with that trail today and not wait for construction by the grant. Thaler/ Condron moved to 1) direct Town Staff to author a letter of support for the Martin Slough trail ---PAGE BREAK--- Minden Town Board Minutes April 4, 2012 Page 5 of 9 project addressed to NDOT to be signed by the Chair of the Minden Town Board and included as part of the submittal for the grant application in April 2012; and 2) commit matching funds and/or in-kind service assistance to the Martin Slough trail project in an amount not to exceed $25,000; and 3) agree to maintain the portion of the pedestrian path within the Minden Town boundary once the path is constructed to the design standard. Motion carried unanimously. 4. For possible action: Discussion and possible action to approve, approve with conditions, continue or deny a request by Ken Anderson of Manhard Consulting, Ltd for the expansion of the existing parking lot, construction of a bike trail, future RV Park expansion, and wetland enhancement at the Carson Valley Inn, APN 1320-29-401-018. Appearance by Mark Rotter and Ken Anderson of Manhard Consulting Ltd. Mr. Bernard disclosed that he has no affiliation with this engineering firm and has nothing to do with this project. Mr. Rotter said the project includes parking lot expansion, area of enhanced wetland, and future expansion of RV park and drainage improvements relative to the flood plain. He would like to talk to Ms. Moss about including the bike path back into the grant and working in kind with this. They will provide easements for future maintenance in the drainage area and pathways. They have the CLOMAR approved by FEMA and agree with Bruce’s conditions of approval. All of this is owned by CVI, purchased from the Seeman trust. Mr. Bernard asked what is meant by enhanced wetlands. Mr. Rotter said the areas here now have less developed plant life; the intent is to have moist soil and other plant life. Will the trail be fenced off in the interim? Mr. Rotter said that we will have to see how this works; this is a good question. We will have to work hand in hand with the County and the Town, with the intent that the Town takes over the maintenance. Mr. Condron was told that the time line for the RV Park expansion is in the future; they will do all of this grading together because of the flood plain issues. They would like to get working on it right away; it is a two month project that depends on soil condition. Mr. Thaler noted the design goes into Douglas County property; will this be annexed into the Town? Mr. Rotter said they are willing to annex. Mr. Scott mentioned the need to discuss this and work it out with the County and CVI. If the grant does not come through he likes the idea of linking Ironwood to Buckeye. We understand that as part of this process if the grant goes forward, the goal is to get the linkage and the Inn will cooperate. Potentially Douglas County could annex to Minden and allow us to get to Ironwood area. Annexation to the Town can be a condition of approval, and the County will probably require it. Public comment: Sandy Deyo said that this ties in with Mimi’s presentation. Paths at Jakes are in good condition; he asked if the trail itself will be above or below the floodplain, as this will greatly affect maintenance costs. Mr. Rotter said portions of the bike path will be in the 100 year flood plain throughout the length of the trail. Mr. Scott said the trick to maintenance will be not getting on the pathway with heavy equipment when it is wet. When the water table is high, weight causes the sub grade to be less strong. Thaler/Condron moved to approve the request by Ken Anderson of Manhard Consulting, Ltd for the expansion of the existing parking lot, construction of a bike trail, future RV Park expansion, and wetland enhancement at the Carson Valley Inn, APN 1320-29-401-018, with the conditions outlined in the RCI letter of March 28, 2012. Motion carried unanimously. 5. For possible action: Discussion and possible action to approve, approve with conditions, continue or deny the Design Review and Phasing Plan for the Maverik Gas Station project commonly referred to as the Minden Gateway Center. The Design Review generally consists of an approximately 4,790 SF convenience store with fuel sales and associated parking and access. The phasing plan covers the development of the following parcels: 1320-30-701-016; -017; -018; -019; -020 and 1320-30-802-025; -026 over a period of approximately 12 years in seven phases. Appearance by Jeremy Hutchings, Director of Engineering, RO Anderson. Mr. Bernard said that he has a conflict because of a commitment in a private capacity; he is employed by Anderson Engineering and doing work for Maverik so he will abstain. Jeremy Hutchings noted that Don Lilyquist was in the audience representing Maverik. He highlighted elements of the project in a power point presentation. The overall picture has not changed since last month. The first phase was the Holiday Inn, Maverik is the second phase and phases 3-7 are in the future. The changes that have been made include the elevation of the gas island awnings, as opposed to the flat roof line. He said it was a pleasure working with Mr. Scott and Mr. Russell and he thanked them for their quick responses. Mr. Thaler referred to the letter from Holly Luna. Mr. Hutchings has seen the letter and noted that the School District is a major client of their firm. He believes that the improvements they are proposing will ---PAGE BREAK--- Minden Town Board Minutes April 4, 2012 Page 6 of 9 enhance safety. Risk during construction will be addressed in typical construction fashion. The speed limit is an NDOT issue and very difficult to change; this also applies to flashers and push buttons at the crosswalk. The traffic study shows that there is less traffic today than when this was originally planned due to the recession. The request for sidewalk is not a bad idea; it is totally appropriate to continue sidewalk through the development and the client is not adverse to this. He has no issues with Bruce’s comments and he is agreeable to all the conditions of his letter. Mr. Stephans said that most of the points of interest from Ms Luna are NDOT issues. Also. the fence up right now is not keeping students out, as it is very difficult to control the students. Mr. Condron said that safety is an issue; we should all make an effort to ask NDOT to look at lowering the speed limit. Perhaps it could be coordinated through the School District and we would support it. Mr. Scott said that he thinks we have to be careful to separate the Maverik station from the entire site. The comments in his letter concern the Maverik station but he can see benefits from working together after the construction concerning the fence, and trying to keep the entire site presentable. He wondered if Maverik would be willing to work with us in this regard, not as a condition but as a general concept for the community. Don Lilyquist said that he does not know why the entire development is fenced, but they will comply with what the Town wants for the center after the Maverik store is finished. Mr. Scott would like to work together to try to minimize the impact and find a better solution. Mr. Hutchings said that when multiple projects came to a stop, the County contacted them because of safety hazards. Mr. Lilyquist would like to fill in the trenches, make the property safe and take down the fence. Mr. Condron thanked everyone for their hard work and is ready for this project to start. Dirk Goering, Douglas County case planner for Maverik, said that the fence was required by the County as a safety issue, and he believes there would be no problem taking the fence down if safety issues are addressed. He has talked to NDOT; they will not require a push button crosswalk, and it is not something that the County will require because they would have to have a study and it is not warranted. Public comment: Bob Pohlman felt that the sidewalk that runs along 88 should not be meandering, as this is very difficult for the handicapped. Sandy Deyo said he has seen the station on Highway 50 in Carson City and it is impressive. He felt that access at that location is difficult to maneuver, but he believes they bring in a lot of business. Bev Giannopulos asked what will be done with the empty lots to keep them looking decent. Mr. Hutchings said that in outlying areas weed control will be addressed but there will be no landscaping due to the unknown of what will be built. Mr. Hutchings said they will be working with the Town on the area at the corner, but have no plan for dust palliative at this time. Debra Lang, General Manager of the Holiday Inn Express, said that as a Minden resident she feels all of the projects presented tonight are exciting. She truly appreciates the Board support of the Arts Council, the bike trail, and the amphitheatre as a benefit to tourism and Minden residents. She hopes we find a name for this center. Holiday Inn would really like to see the fence come down and she would like to see the sidewalk go all the way down so the high schoolers can access McDonald’s. Ms. Scott read the letter from Holly Luna into public record as requested. Condron/Stangle moved to approve the Design Review and Phasing Plan for the Maverik Gas Station project commonly referred to as the Minden Gateway Center. The Design Review generally consists of an approximately 4,790 SF convenience store with fuel sales and associated parking and access. The phasing plan covers the development of the following parcels: 1320-30-701-016; -017; -018; -019; -020 and 1320- 30-802-025; -026 over a period of approximately 12 years in seven phases. This includes the conditions in the letter of March 28 from Bruce Scott. Motion carried unanimously. 6. For possible action: Discussion and possible action to approve, approve with conditions, continue, or deny a request, effective July 1, 2012, to 1) promote one Secretary Senior position (Grade 32) to Office Manager (Grade 40) with a 10% salary increase; and if 6.1 is approved, 2) promote one Accounting Clerk position (Grade 27) to Secretary Senior position (Grade 32) with a 10% salary increase. Any changes will be reflected in the Final Budget for Fiscal Year 2012/2013. Appearance by Town Manager. Ms. Scott said that this was addressed in the budget workshop. This position currently has a number of overtime hours; this would change from hourly to salaried resulting in savings. The job description changes with this as the promotion assumes job responsibility changes. Mr. Thaler asked why this wasn’t a reclassification. Ms. Scott said that is different then a promotion; reclassification is a change of a title and promotion assumes that additional duties will be assigned. No public comment. Bernard/ Condron moved to approve a request, effective July 1, 2012, to 1) promote one Secretary Senior position (Grade 32) to Office Manager (Grade 40) with a 10% salary increase; and if 6.1 is approved, 2) promote one Accounting Clerk position (Grade 27) to Secretary Senior position (Grade 32) with a 10% ---PAGE BREAK--- Minden Town Board Minutes April 4, 2012 Page 7 of 9 salary increase. Any changes will be reflected in the Final Budget for Fiscal Year 2012/2013. Motion carried unanimously. 7. For possible action: Discussion and possible action to approve, approve with conditions, continue, or deny a request, effective July 1, 2012, to 1) reverse the Board’s previous decision to reclassify one Maintenance Specialist II position (Grade 37) to a Maintenance Supervisor (Grade 46); and if 7.1 is approved, 2) promote one Maintenance Specialist II (Grade 37) to a Maintenance Supervisor (Grade 46) with a 10% increase in salary. Any changes will be reflected in the Final Budget for Fiscal Year 2012/2013. Appearance by Town Manager Ms. Scott said this was also discussed at the budget workshop. This position was an evolution where the individual inherited supervisory responsibilities over time, and was reclassified as a supervisor. She would like to assign additional duties outside the original scope, including taking over the trash department. No public comment. Stangle/ Thaler moved to approve a request, effective July 1, 2012, to 1) reverse the Board’s previous decision to reclassify one Maintenance Specialist II position (Grade 37) to a Maintenance Supervisor (Grade 46); and if 7.1 is approved, 2) promote one Maintenance Specialist II (Grade 37) to a Maintenance Supervisor (Grade 46) with a 10% increase in salary. Any changes will be reflected in the Final Budget for Fiscal Year 2012/2013. Motion carried unanimously. 8. For possible action: Discussion and possible action to approve, approve with conditions, continue, or deny a request to create one additional part-time (38 hours per pay period) office assistant position effective July 1, 2012. Any changes will be reflected in the Final Budget for Fiscal Year 2012/2013. Appearance by Town Manager. Ms. Scott said that was discussed at the workshop; this would be budgeted out of wholesale water that would free the maintenance staff from administrative duties. Public comment: Bev Giannopulos asked if this position will be advertised and open to the public. Ms. Scott said that we will probably put out a job announcement 3 weeks prior to July 1. Thaler/Condron moved to create one additional part-time (38 hours per pay period) office assistant position effective July 1, 2012. Motion carried unanimously. 9. For possible action: Discussion and possible action to approve, approve with conditions, continue, or deny a request to continue using a third seasonal position (maximum 1039 hours per year), effective July 1, 2012. Any changes will be reflected in the Final Budget for Fiscal Year 2012/2013. Appearance by Town Manager. Last year, this third seasonal position was originally approved for one fiscal year with the hope that this person would be at Jakes’ Meadow to give assistance to Tina Fixman. There will be a plan in place this year, but this person would not work totally at Jake’s. Mr. Condron felt that we looked at this position last year as a stop gap to not doing a full time position; do we need to do this every year? We will need to look for more support as we take on more work. Mr. Thaler said we should approve the position and decide whether to fill it as part of the budget process each year; at some point we may decide it warrants a full time position. Mr. Bernard said that when we approved Tina Fixman's proposal, we said we would transition her work to a Town position. What is the plan for this summer? Ms. Scott that we are starting discussion now to have a plan in place for the season that will include that transition. Public comment: Bev Giannopulos asked what a seasonal position means. Ms. Scott said that this position is for the summer season; there is some flexibility with the schedule, but they generally work 40 hours a week. There are no benefits associated with this position so the cost is less. Bernard/Condron moved to approve a request to continue using a third seasonal position (maximum 1039 hours per year), effective July 1, 2012. Any changes will be reflected in the Final Budget for Fiscal Year 2012/2013. Motion carried unanimously. This will be open ended as it was not motioned for just one year. 10. For possible action: Discussion and possible action to tentatively approve, approve with conditions, continue, or deny the Town of Minden’s proposed equipment acquisition list for Fiscal Year 2012-2013. This action may include discussion and approval of all or a portion of the equipment on the acquisition list. Appearance by Town Manager. Ms. Scott said that after the budget workshop the equipment request has been pared down to a floor cleaning machine and the bucket truck. The 631 fund accrues $40,000 per year for capital equipment; the NRS puts a time limit on how long it can sit in the account. This fund could be used on a purchase such as ---PAGE BREAK--- Minden Town Board Minutes April 4, 2012 Page 8 of 9 this as it is specifically general fund for the benefit of Minden residents. Mr. Hill said Minden Electric wants around $80,000 for their bucket truck. There will be comparable vehicles available, and we would do our best to fall in the price range. As stated at the workshop, it is not a vehicle used every day, and he recommends buying a used vehicle. We will probably find all kinds of uses, especially the banner poles as well as Christmas lights. Mr. Stephans said that if we are buying a used vehicle, we do not want to buy a piece of junk. Mr. Thaler believed that the budget truck will be used a lot and he echoes the concerns of the Chairman. It is on our must list and we need to figure out how to find the money to have a good safe vehicle. The Board consensus was that we should buy a good used truck. Mr. Bernard proposed that Mr. Hill do some research and bring the item back on the May agenda, with the possibility of paying out of the 631 fund. Public comment: Bev Giannopulos trusts that Mr. Hill could shop for this vehicle, keeping budget requirements in mind and looking out for the safety of his men. Thaler/Bernard motioned to continue this item to the May meeting. Motion carried unanimously. 11. For possible action: Discussion and possible action to tentatively approve, approve with conditions, continue, or deny the Town of Minden’s proposed capital projects list for Fiscal Year 2012-2013. This item does not include further action on projects previously approved and funded. This action may include discussion and approval of all or a portion of projects on the capital projects list. Appearance by Town Manager. Public comment Ms. Scott had an update from the Board concerning where we are in fund 636. We are going to be in a very good position, as we will have 1.9 million carrying forward in this fund. She would like to explore some of the capital projects the Board was looking at for the final budget in May, as well as developing a five year plan for capital projects. Tonight she is hoping only the road rehabilitation will be discussed; the street sealing is included in the general fund maintenance and repair. Condron/ Thaler moved to approve the Town of Minden’s proposed capital projects list for Fiscal Year 2012-2013. Motion carried unanimously. 12. For possible action: Discussion and possible action to approve, approve with conditions, continue, or deny the Town of Minden Fiscal Year 2012-2013 tentative Budget. This action may include discussion and approval of an average four percent merit increase for employees. Appearance by Town Manager. After sending out the packet, we discovered a formula error in the budget calculation. Nothing significant changed, but an updated budget was emailed and is available tonight. Ms. Scott attended Gardnerville’s meeting last night and they approved a 2% merit increase for their employees in their tentative budget. Mr. Thaler said that last year they spoke to the state of the economy and what was appropriate this time. This is a following of a performance plan that we agreed to years ago. We have the ability to pay our employees under a performance based plan; it does not guarantee anything for the employees, it is just built into the budget to be able to give a merit raise. He highly encourages and supports building it into the budget and letting the employees tell us by their performance if they earned it. This is how you get the message back to the employees that we value them; he also felt that it is a way to get the economy back on track and build the economy. Mr. Bernard was told that we have several employees that are veterans and have topped out; they would not be eligible for merit increases. He supports the employees, and the reorganization done tonight. Ms. Scott said that the 4% is a budget tool and you can have people earn above and below the 4% but no higher than The evaluation date for those promoted will be after one year, so those three employees will not be eligible for increases in this fiscal year. She honestly believes that we are in a different boat than the County and Gardnerville; we are talking about a different scenario and can afford to do this. She did not make the sacrifices that our employees made this year, and she believes so much in this plan that she is willing to give up any increase for herself. Mr. Thaler said that any merit increase would not include Ms. Scott as she is outside of the pay for performance plan. A good manager enters the information on the employees and the computer makes you justify it. Historically the County has averaged 4% on raises. Ms. Stangle fully supports the employees, but noted that the County manager mentioned earlier in the week that he felt that if the Town gives raises and the County employees stay frozen, it would be one more thing to cause us to pay for the County services. Stephans this cost allocation is coming regardless of salaries. Mr. Thaler said that if the County was flush and we were not, the County would do what they needed to do base on unions. That is a one way street. Public comment: Bev Giannopulos asked how many employees would be effected, and Ms Scott said there were 15, ---PAGE BREAK--- Minden Town Board Minutes April 4, 2012 Page 9 of 9 including seasonal workers. Stangle /Condron moved to approve the Town of Minden Fiscal Year 2012-2013 tentative. Motion carried unanimously. 13. For possible action: Discussion and possible action to approve, approve with conditions, continue, or deny a request to direct Town Manager to pursue tenants for 1613 Water Street Parcel shown on exhibit A to the mock lease agreement and negotiate terms of a lease (generally following the format of the Mock Lease Agreement in the back up materials for this item 13) for possible consideration and approval by the Board at a future Board meeting. Appearance by Jenifer Scott, Town Manager Mr. Keele said that a new version of the mock lease is available and will be sent out tomorrow. Ms. Scott said that we are ready to proceed with pursuing and negotiating a lease for the facility. Mr. Condron thanked Mr. Keele; he was very timely doing a good job to get a lease that is very specific to what we are trying to do here. Mr. Condron offered to be the person to work with Ms. Scott to continue this process. They did not set a specific lease amount because it would vary depending on use; the pricing could be anywhere from 32-42 cents a square foot. Mr. Keele said that this is a strategic location, has good access, the pad is in excellent shape and parking capacity is tremendous; this could raise the rental value. Mr. Thaler agreed with Mr. Keele; it is more than your typical rental because of the equipment in it. Mr. Condron said that flexibility is important and we should not start negotiating with anyone until we see what the interest is. Mr. Bernard thanked Mr. Condron and agreed with the flexibility in pricing. Bernard/Thaler moved to approve a request to direct Town Manager and Board member Condron to pursue tenants for 1613 Water Street Parcel shown on exhibit A to the mock lease agreement and negotiate terms of a lease (generally following the format of the Mock Lease Agreement in the back up materials) for possible consideration and approval by the Board at a future Board meeting. Motion carried unanimously. Staff reports continued: 5. Board member reports: Mr. Bernard thanked Jen and the staff for the hard work on the budget. He deferred to Ms Scott for a report on the film festival. She said that it will be held on April 28. The first movie to be shown is "Support your Local Sheriff" at noon; we will be partnering with the Douglas County Sheriff in their effort to purchase a simulator for the deputies. “Misfits” will start at 3:00; both afternoon shows will have popcorn from the Kiwanis. The evening show will be “The Shootist"; this movie was the top voted movie by the residents. Cocktails and appetizers will be provided by the Pops. Also, Mr. Bernard is excited about starting a new tradition with the Board serving breakfast at Minden Park on Saturday of Carson Valley Days. On the 4th of July the Pops orchestra will be back at Minden Park; we will be having a parade for kids and also honoring the veterans. Further out will be the 100 year celebration of the CVIC Hall. The Pops will be performing in the Hall on October 5, and the following day will be the big finale. We plan to honor some of the people who have supported the Hall through the years, and possibly have a formal dance in the evening. The Arts Council is stepping up to help us with this and we appreciate their involvement. Christmas planning will start soon. Mr. Thaler congratulated Ms. Scott for pulling off this budget and thanked Mr. Hill for his involvement. Mr. Keele had mentioned at the workshop the historic value of the water agreement. Mr. Thaler believes what we did today by approving the tentative budget in some tough economic times without raising rates or taxes and not cutting services sent a good message to our employees and citizens. This is truly historic in a down turned economy. He looks forward to doing it again and gives compliments to Jenifer and her staff; she has far exceeded his expectations in a short amount of time. Mr. Condron echoed Mr. Thaler; a year ago they were too afraid to spend a dollar because they did not understand it. Reporting for the Arts Council, Gardnerville did partner up and Lloyd Higuera will be on the Board. He believes this should cause a positive competition and he is excited about that. The Arts Council has partnered with Genoa on the Cowboy Festival and he encouraged everyone to check out the western art work by local artists. Ms. Stangle said that there will be a benefit in the Hall this Friday evening for the young artist who died in an accident and there will be some phenomenal art work auctioned off to help the family. Mr. Stephans said this year the budget process has been different and he appreciates the staff’s efforts and the Board members’ hard work. Most of all he appreciates the people who attend the Town meetings and the workshops, and encouraged them to keep up the good work. ADJOURNMENT Bernard/Condron moved to adjourn the meeting at 10:10 p.m. Motion carried unanimously.