CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR
MEETING
Mayor Harrison called the regular
meeting of the City Council to order at
PRESENT: Mayor Kathy Harrison,
Aldermen Penny Carroll, Robert “Butch” Berry, Karen Lindblad, Gayle Money, Bill
Ott Earl “Bud” Umland, City Attorney Tim Weaver, Parks Director Bruce Levine,
Parks Commission Chairman Bill Featherstone and City Clerk Mary Jean Sell.
Mayor Harrison led the Pledge of
Allegiance to the Flag.
Ms. Money moved to approve the
agenda. Mr.
Ms. Carroll asked to have a
Proclamation for the Lights On Afterschool Program added as item #4 under New
Business. Ms. Money seconded the request.
All voted aye to approve the agenda
as amended. Motion passed 6/0/0
Ms. Money asked that the paragraph
on Page 2 under item #2, following the recording of the vote on the motion, be
removed since the discussion did not occur during the actual meeting.
Ms. Money moved to approve the
amended minutes of Sept. 29. Ms. Carroll seconded. All voted aye. Motion passed
5/0/0 (Mr. Ott had not arrived.)
NO DEPARTMENT HEAD REPORTS
OLD BUSINESS
1.
First reading of Ordinance 1929, an ordinance adopting the International Fire
code. (First reading) (Mayor)
Ms. Money moved to put Ordinance
1929 on its first reading. Mr. Umland seconded.
Ms. Sell read the ordinance aloud.
Ms. Money moved to approve Ordinance
1929 on its first reading. Ms. Lindblad seconded. All voted aye. Motion passed
5/0/0 (Mr. Ott had not arrived.)
Ms. Money moved to suspend the rules
and place Ordinance 1929 on its second reading by title only. Mr. Umland
seconded.
Mayor Harrison explained the
ordinance has to be sent to the state Fire Marshall in
Ms. Money withdrew her motion. Mr.
Umland withdrew his second.
City Council
2.
Discussion of Ordinance 1926, an ordinance concerning the duties of the City
Attorney. (Umland, Money)
Ms. Money noted the ordinance needs
a new number since 1929 has been defeated and will be amended before it can be
voted on again. Mayor Harrison said the ordinance will be assigned #1932.
Ms. Money moved to discuss the
ordinance amendments. Mr. Umland seconded.
Ms. Money said she would like to see
another workshop on the ordinance.
Mr. Ott reminded the council that
any changes in the ordinance were to have been brought to this meeting.
Mr. Umland said he was comfortable
with the changes he had suggested: that the attorney would not attend all of
the council meetings, he or she could attend council meetings at the request of
the mayor or the mayor and two council members.
Mr. Ott moved to bring the ordinance
to the table for discussion during the Oct. 13 council meeting with the
suggested amendments and the new number. Mr. Umland seconded.
Mr. Ott, Mr. Umland and Ms. Lindblad
voted in favor of the motion. Mr. Berry, Ms. Carroll and Ms. Money opposed.
Mayor Harrison voted aye to pass the motion 4/3/0.
3.
Discussion on reconsidering Ordinance 1924, an ordinance waiving competitive
bidding for the lights at Lake Leatherwood sports field. (Ott, Berry).
Mr. Ott said it was appropriate that
the ordinance be brought back to the table in light of information gained after
the last council meeting that approving the ordinance might put the council in
jeopardy. He said he was disappointed
that Mayor Harrison thought the council made her feel as if she couldn’t bring
information to the table if her information was germane to the topic of
discussion.
Mayor Harrison said the building
official had brought it to her attention that it is illegal to waive
competitive bidding on projects unless there are extraordinary circumstances.
Projects are not to be broken into sections costing less than $20,000. She said
she had a state’s attorney general’s opinion on the matter and that to go
around the bidding procedure is illegal.
Parks Chairman Levine said he would
encourage the council to rescind the vote approving the ordinance to waive the
bidding.
Ms. Money suggested once the bid
package was written and the bids taken, if additional funding, over the $80,000
allocated from the city’s budget, was needed that Levine return to the council
for assistance from next year’s budget.
Mr.Ott moved to rescind the vote
approving Ordinance 1924. Mr. Umland seconded. All voted aye. Motion passed
6/0/0
4.
Proclamation for Lights On Afterschool Program.
Mayor Harrison said the proclamation
for the program, which includes Eureka Kids, supported the local and national
programs. Eureka Kids Director Barbara Deschner had provided the proposed
proclamation for adoption.
Mr. Ott moved to read the
proclamation. Ms. Money, Mr. Umland, Mr. Berry seconded. All voted aye. Motion
approved 6/0/0
Mayor Harrison read the proclamation
aloud.
City Council 10/6/03 2
Ms. Carroll said there would be a
“block party” on Thursday afternoon to celebrate the proclamation and the
Eureka Kids program.
Mr. Ott moved for the council’s endorsement of the proclamation. Mr. Umland seconded. All voted aye. Motion passed 6/0/0
5.
Discussion regarding bids for repair of fire truck pumping mechanism.
Firefighter/EMT Tim Collins said the
pump of Engine #1, the truck used as “first out” on fire fighting calls, was no
longer working. He presented an estimate of $12,451.96 from Leeco, Inc. Fire
Equipment Sales of Damascus, Ark., for repair and an estimated cost of $20,000
to $25,000 for a new pump and gear case combination, depending on accessories.
He said Leeco was the only company
in the region willing to come here to look at the pump and to estimate repairs.
The company has estimated three weeks for the repairs.
The council asked Collins to get
three bids from other companies and to bring them back to the council. Ms.
Money suggested a special meeting could be called to vote on the repairs as
soon as the information could be gathered. Other council members agreed.
6.
Set agenda and next meeting date.
Mr. Umland and Ms. Lindblad asked
for discussion of the sewer line replacement project.
Mayor Harrison said she would like
to have an executive session for two personnel matters.
Other items from this meeting will
be carried forward as necessary for the Oct. 13 meeting.
CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS: There were none
MAYOR’S COMMENTS:
Mayor Harrison said she has
contracted with CPA (Certified Public Accountant) Dawn Allen of Berryville to
conduct an independent audit of the Planer Hill Sidewalk project since federal
funds were used and the project expenses ran over $400,000. The independent
federal compliance audit is required by law and the state legislative auditor
Mark Marley is not qualified to do the audit. Allen is charging $2,980 for the
work.
She said Mr. Berry had asked that
the proposed sign ordinance be returned to the Planning Commission for changes due
to changes in state statutes.
Ms. Sell said the Historic District
Commission (HDC) has withdrawn its proposed amendments to Chapter 62, Historic
Preservation, of the Municipal Code so additional information might be included
in the amendments.
ADJOURNMENT:
Mr. Ott moved to adjourn at 7:07
p.m. Mr. Umland seconded. All voted aye. Motion passed 6/0/0
City Council 10/6/03 3
This is the signature page for the
minutes of the Oct. 6 regular City Council meeting.
____________________________
Mayor
Kathy Harrison
______________________________
City Clerk Mary Jean Sell
City Council 10/6/03 4