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1 Star City Council Meeting Minutes August 1, 2017 Pre-Council Meeting: Presentation made by Brian Cole at 6:15 pm. Strategic Planning – Cole met with EDC and gave this presentation. Cole reviewed Star. He has worked with several communities on rural economic development, about sixty-five communities around the United States. He has worked to improve economic development and on improving quality of life. His program has 7 sessions and he wants to do a plan week in Star. Session 1 – (test) Ask steering committee 1 question – Does Star have “XXX”. Does Star have a major advantage? This takes approximately 2.5 hours. Session 2 – What is affecting the quality of life in Star? Session 3 - Who are the volunteers? (Capacity of who will get the job done.) Session 4 – Voice of the Committee. Community weigh-in. Session 5 – What strategies and what initiatives make sense? Session 6 – What steps? Session 7 – Community elevator speech – why do you care, why do you want to be on committee? Community Thumb Print – the spokes of strategies. Then 25 strategies - Questions and Answers. Creating a common vision – creating specifics. He would love to be involved in Star. He recommends one person for a plan director – then the steering committee – the extent that it has teeth is up to the committee and council. This is more about directing positive energies. What do you deliver – Economic Development strategic development defines the direction – action planner tracker – done in 90 days. This is a three to five year implementation. We need to do something like this every 5 years. Presented to all city committees, the Council will create the committee. The idea of controlled growth – what is the idea of maintaining that growth. This is critical and is running on a parallel with this plan. Have this in place and where we are growing and growth – how do we create a perfect community. There has to be compromise, you can’t put a lock on the community. How to keep constitution in place. He would bring in a regional planner. Bring professionals in so they see things our way. A brochure is not in place with his presentation currently. Regular Meeting: The regular meeting of the Star City Council was held on August 1, 2017 at the Star City Hall, 10769 W. State Street, Star, Idaho. Mayor Chad Bell called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm and all stood for the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll Call: Councilmen David Hershey, Richard Lockett, Trevor Chadwick and Kevin Nielsen were all present. Approval of the Agenda: Chadwick moved to approve the agenda, Nielsen seconded the motion. All ayes: motion carried. Consent Agenda: Chadwick moved to approve the Consent Agenda consisting of: Meeting Minutes of July 18, 2017 and Claims Against the City for July 2017, Lockett seconded the motion. All ayes: motion carried. Public Input: ---PAGE BREAK--- 2 Doug Gouchner, 9915 W. Patmore, Star, Idaho – Gouchner discussed the intersection of Plummer and State Street and the difficulty of turning off Plummer. It is getting worse. There have been numerous accidents at that location, including the one his wife was involved in. There are several new neighborhoods using that intersection. He is asking the City to write a letter to ITD and expedite the signal light being installed, before we have a fatal accident. He is okay if the light just flashes in the evening. The Mayor stated that we would be happy to write another letter to ITD and ACHD. We have talked with them about this situation before. Connie Krebs, Star Outreach, 10775 W. State, Star, Idaho – Krebs stated that she needs assistance from the City to get grants for a new building. The grants she is looking at can only come from the city applying for them. Chadwick asked if there were grants specific to the food bank. Krebs stated there are. The Mayor stated the Council will look at them. Ashley Freeman, 12339 W. Foxhaven Street, Star, Idaho – Freeman thanked the Council for the work they do. She has lived here for ten years. When the City developed the recreation program, her family participated and continues to participate. She wants a pool and an ice rink and is looking for more positives for the community. Gary Smith, 258 S. Langer Lake Way, Star, Idaho – Smith stated the City is owed $15,000 from West Valley. West Valley are the ice rink people that the City loaned money to. It is past the time to repay, it was supposed to be within two years. Smith would like to ask the City Attorney to contact West Valley to have them repay the loan – there is a need. Please review this – it is owed to us. Chance Hobbs, New Meadows – Hobbs gave a brief report on the Moon Valley Apartments. The apartments are at capacity. They were full once applications opened and they had about 70 to 80 people that applied. Half of the residents are seniors and 40% are ages 18 to 23. They all have to fill out applications. There are couples with families. It is not the 100 kids Mr. Smith referenced. They will be holding an open house in August or September. There is a commercial development in front of us. We do have dirt left over to the east. They are waiting for the resolution for things happening in Star before any further development occurs. Michael Keyes, 338 Long Bay, Star, Idaho – Keyes stated that there have been comments that Council is pushing high development to afford themselves raises, and asked for comment. The Mayor stated that we don’t facilitate growth. Chris Stokes, 10114 Arrowleaf Court, Star, Idaho – Stokes asked that when a request for grants comes from the Outreach to please consider it. Stokes asked if the Mayor could in his response assign it to someone and that way it can be specific. The Mayor stated that he will be setting up a meeting with Krebs and get information for staff. Stokes would like to help if needed. Old/New Business: Public Hearing – 2017-2018 Annual Budget – The Mayor stated he will make a presentation of budget, then we will receive comments from staff and legal counsel. We will have public ---PAGE BREAK--- 3 testimony which will be limited to 3 to 3.5 minutes. He asked that everyone in the public hearing to be quiet and be polite. Then we will close the public testimony and Council will deliberate and decide to approve the budget or make changes. The Mayor declared the public hearing open. Revenue – The first revenue source is property tax, then franchise fees – Idaho Power pays for the right to operate in Star, rental agreements are for charges for office space, meeting room rentals, penalties and interest, alcohol and beverage licenses, building inspection fees, plumbing, mechanical and electrical fees, ACHD fees are impact fees we collect for ACHD, we charge park impact fee. We developed building fees from 250 building permits. We put $100,000 in grants to secure grants, scholarships was increased to $20,000, liquor revenue, sales tax and revenue sharing come from the State and they give us these numbers. Personal property tax comes from property tax on personal items, court fines, Ada County collects fines for us, annexation and zoning are developers that pay fees, land use bonding is for developers that can’t get landscaping in during the winter. So we make sure it gets installed, animal licensing fees, and dog licenses. In the unrestricted funds, we had a clerical error, this is for cash to start budget year because revenue doesn’t come in until the first of the year. The line item is an addition to budget of $400,000. Recreation fees are fees we collect for kids to play sports, interest, miscellaneous covers copies, and donations, which is a line item for money that is donated for various items. Expense –The Mayor stated the Mayor and Council salaries have increased, staff wages were increased FICA/Medicare, public retirement was increased to $375, Workman’s Comp, health insurance, bank service charge, grants were increased to $100,000, legal services increased, the scholarship fund increased, civic promo & dev., supplies, resource materials, postal services/supplies, insurance, public relations, professional services, marketing, advertisement, travel & per dium, professional dues, training, telephone, utilities, committees, signs, ACHD Impact Fee is not costing us anything, it is a pass through, maintenance & repair, mtnc. & repair building, land use bonding return, miscellaneous, building inspector, plumbing inspector, electrical inspector, mechanical inspector, transfer to park funds, street lights, mtnc. & repair, recreation program, parks dev/mtnc., animal control, police, we increased police The Commissioners came in a little lower, so it has been adjusted, capital expenditures building / community / equipment, unrestricted funds transfer. Ward reviewed the changes to the budget. On the revenue side property tax has been reduced and the interfund transfer has been increased. On the expense side marketing has been reduced and the police line item has been reduced. Denise VanDoran asked if we were taking the foregone amount. We are not taking it. The Mayor stated that the foregone amount is money that comes from not taking the 3% increase or new construction money. We will be able to add to the foregone amount this year. Questions from Council – Chadwick stated the levy rate for 2016 was .001910992 we expect it to go down. If we took the foregone amount it would be .002806047. Public Input – Michael Keyes, 338 Long Bay Way, Star, Idaho – Keyes asked if the IT expense in the Capital Expenditure Fund included software, audio video improvements for this room. The Mayor stated that it did. Keyes asked that we spend money on the presentation by Brian ---PAGE BREAK--- 4 Cole we heard earlier. Keyes wants the Council to know he knows and has worked with Mr. Cole. The Mayor stated that we have never voted for low income high density development. One of the things we do is look at the expenses – the police budget was nearing the entire property tax line item. Additional police are important, when you take the foregone amount that’s a one-time collection. There are several types of growth that increase funds. When you look at code as far as requirements, it says we should have all types of growth. It is important that we have luxury, low income, mobile homes for all income brackets. We are required to make a plan for that. We have met the state law and plan to continue to plan. Keyes asked if we were pushing for growth to fund the raises. Bell stated he does not vote for his own raise. He doesn’t understand where that comes from. Raises only come at budget time prior to an election years. That is the only time to review salaries for Council and Mayor. It has been four years since that has been changed. Council decided to increase the wages. Bell stated there is nothing in salary increases that have anything to do with land use. Chadwick stated that our property tax is unhealthy, residential is paying the taxes. We need the residents to get the commercial, so commercial can pay an equal share of property tax. We are relying on residential too much. Keyes thanked everyone who worked on the budget. Ashley Freeman, 12339 W. Foxhaven Street, Star, Idaho – She has questions about the deficit in budget regarding the Ada County Police. The Mayor stated they are not asking for 5% increase, it is what the City budgeted. Freeman asked about IT, she likes Boise and Meridian because she can have access to documents. She would like to see more transparency and the public to have more access to information. Chief Vogt stated that the City gave a 5% increase for the police budget this year. The Ada County Commissioners set the increase across the board each year and they decided that it would be Freeman stated that the Chief does an amazing job. Vogt stated that it wasn’t that the City wouldn’t give Commissioners decided it would only be Theresa Tinsley, 10459 Achillia, Star, Idaho – Tinsley has questions on the maintenance workers. The Mayor stated we have a Supervisor and one full time worker and two part time workers. Tinsley stated that between all of them wages come to $110,000 with benefits, she asked if there been extra grass to mow. Between Hunters Creek and the other parks it was the same. Tinsley stated that Kathy Olson cost like $40 to $45,000. The Mayor stated that we do have two full time maintenance workers and there is plenty of maintenance work to do. There are only two months in the year that they can’t be outside. Tinsley has a question on the Transfer to the Park Fund. Ward stated that when we collect the funds we are required to put them in a separate fund. Denice VanDoran, 1107 W. Frost, Star, Idaho – Asked about the Pavilion costs. The Mayor stated that it would come from development impact fees. VanDoran asked if the Civic Promo ---PAGE BREAK--- 5 line of $17,000 was Hometown Celebration. The Mayor stated that it was. She asked what the public relations increased to $25,000 was for. It is for the web site, and EDC information and strategy. Professional services covers auditors, engineer, IT person and engineering fees went up. Marketing is for the committees to pay for marketing, they are looking at things presented at the pre-Council meeting. We need a potential place to pay for things and we may or may spend it. Nielsen stated that money is for the EDC and entry signs. We have three main entries. VanDoran is curious about the building inspection fees of $500,000, the budgeted amount is not less that year-to-date and then look at the expense side. Ward stated that we have based it on 250 building permits. Nate Mitchell, 10305 Floating Feather, Star, Idaho – Mitchell explained the $400,000 transfer for starting the budget. He stated Council took the 3% increase last year. The 3% and new construction rolls would add up to $954,961. So Council would be taking the 3% this year and last year. Mitchell talked about the building permit revenue and the difference in numbers. Last year mechanical permits were based at $54,000. Star is currently at about 232 permits, we collect and expenses offset, we need to make numbers look as real as possible. If you take out the guaranteed revenue and take out operating expenses, we still have an increase of $225,000. Nielsen stated that we are looking out to the future to keep a healthy ratio. Policing costs per capita have increased. Chief Vogt stated that we looked at about 1 officer per thousand citizens that is the contract model; instead of an officer per 1000 citizens, they look at 250 calls per officer. Nielsen stated we are looking at cost of policing and looking at an increasing population, we are at a tipping point. Mitchell asked if we are doing that in this budget. Nielsen stated that we aren’t, but if we don’t start planning we won’t have the money. We are taking the 3% for the next few years. The foregone amount is a one-time option and we need to plan for the future. Mitchell stated that the foregone amount is not a one-time collection, it gets collected every year. Mitchell commends the Council for saying no to the $200,000 increase in the police budget this year. Chadwick stated that we also have increased health insurance, legal fees, professional fees, professional dues. Mitchell asked what dues are increasing? Chadwick will get back to Mitchell. Chadwick stated that we have increased to utilities and signs. What is Mitchell’s question? Mitchell stated that he wants to understand where you are spending his tax dollars. The money for Committees is what? Mitchell asked if committees come back to Council for purchases and what is the money being spent on. Chadwick stated that they are recognizing people with flags, and entry signs. Mitchell stated that he understands that everyone needs growth in their professional life, but you’ve got increases to Council and Mayor salaries and nothing has changed in the Council’s jobs. Yes, FICA and Medicare is going up when you have an increase ---PAGE BREAK--- 6 of $100,000 in increased wages. Mitchell is not looking for justification, but that is quite an increase for wages for one year, it matches the new construction amount. Seems like we have the money so we’re spending it. Keep building a bigger budget. He would encourage Council to take the new construction roll. Mitchell stated that you don’t have control of the three part equation. The dollar set tonight is setting the property tax. It doesn’t have anything to do with the levy rate. Nielsen stated the increase to property tax is $120,000. We are going to collect the 3% and new construction. Mitchell said that what you are telling everyone is that you are raising their taxes. Nielsen stated that he doesn’t think we’re trying to hide that. The Mayor closed the public testimony part of the public hearing. Nielsen looked through the budget and there are areas that could be trimmed out and possibly address items Mitchell talked about. On the P&Z expense line we could strike $50,000, grants could be reduced to $50,000, public relations could be cut to $15,000, marketing could go down to $20,000, we could take committees down to $20,000. The total reduced is about $160,000 which would allow us not to take the Yorgason stated that we need to make sure the revenue line item for grants need to match the expense line item. Chadwick concurs with Nielsen. Chadwick asked if we have a broker for Health Insurance. Ward stated that we did. Hershey stated that when you have a small pool of people you get nailed on insurance. The feds are large scale and they are getting killed. Hershey concurred with Nielsen. He has looked at the salaries and wages and they are comparable to Federal wages. The Mayor stated we can look at the budget again. Nielsen does not want to table the budget tonight. Lockett does not have a problem with the increase to the Mayor and Council salaries. Nielsen stated we do have a savings account that we could take money out of. Changes to budget – Revenue: Property tax revenue is $970,467, grants are $50,000, Unrestricted funds is $400,000 total revenues $4,176,525. Expense: Salary P&Z - Grants are $50,000, Public Relations is $15,000, Marketing is $20,000, Committees is $20,000 and Police is $743,025. Total expenses are $4,176,525. Chadwick moved to approve the budget with changes for the 2017-2018 year with the income and expense total to be $4,176,525. The Appropriations Ordinance will be on the next agenda. Budget comparisons were done by the Council. Hershey seconded the motion to approve the budget. All ayes: motion carried. ---PAGE BREAK--- 7 Resolution 2017-03 Milligan Zwygart CPA’s - The Mayor stated that this Resolution was for the annual audit. Nielsen moved to approve Resolution 2017-03 a resolution of the City of Star Idaho, approving the agreement from Millington Zwygart CPA’s, PLLC. Certified Public Accountants, of Caldwell, Idaho, to provide auditing services to the City of Star for the fiscal year which ends on September 30, 2017; authorizing the Mayor to execute such approval on behalf of the City; and providing an effective date, Chadwick seconded the motion. All ayes: motion carried. Reports: Staff – No reports were given. Council – Hershey stated the Activities Committee will be having a meeting coming up. Mayor – The Mayor attended the TVP meeting yesterday, the special prosecutor for all the cities that prosecutes gang related crime was discussed. It has been a great asset to cities. Executive Session: Chadwick moved to go into Executive Session under Idaho Code Statue 74- 206 Petition for Judicial Review, Nielsen seconded the motion. Roll Call: Hershey –aye, Lockett – aye, Chadwick – aye, Nielsen – aye: motion carried. Hershey moved to come out of Executive Session, Nielsen seconded the motion. All ayes: motion carried. Chadwick moved to appoint Borton-Lakey as legal counsel for the Judicial Review, Nielsen seconded the motion. All ayes: motion carried. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 9:35 pm. Approved: Respectfully submitted: Charlten Bell, Mayor Cathy Ward, City Clerk