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Moyie Springs city council minutes

June 4, 2012
City Council met in regular session April 4, 2012, at the Moyie Springs City Hall.

The meeting was called to order by Mayor Doug Evans. Present were Councilmen Steve Economu, Terry Johnson, Bart Klaus, City Attorney Dan Featherston, Fire Chief Ken English and Public Works Supervisor John Nelson. Chad Farrens was unable to attend the meeting.

Discussed the minutes of the regular meeting on March 7, 2012. A motion was made by Steve Economu and seconded by Bart Klaus to approve the minutes as written. Motion carried.

Discussed the Financial Statement. A motion was made by Terry Johnson and seconded by Bart Klaus to approve as written. Motion carried.

Mike Sloan, Lori Johnson, Jim Ball and Drexel Love attended the meeting.

Jim Ball attended the meeting to discuss his plans for the former Halverson property at the bottom of the Moyie Hill, on Lucky Lane. Jim said he would like to move a mobile onto the property now. The property only has 2 sewer hook ons so Jim will have to purchase another one when he places the 3rd mobile on the property. The modular homes will all be doublewides. Jim said the existing mobile is 12’ from the property line. The others will be 20’. Jim said he would like to split the cost of the 3rd sewer hook on with the city because he was told there were 3 sewer hook ons. John said he may have to go to the sewer main. Jim will put in a 4’ – 6’ cedar fence. Doug said he is concerned about fire protection. Ken English said it won’t be a problem as long as the property isn’t shut off. Jim said the road is 20’ and the fences are 10’ from that. There is 10’ on all sides. Steve Economu said the city paying for ½ of the sewer hook on would set a precedence in the future. Jim said he’d pay for the 3rd sewer hook on.

Mike Sloan, EDC, attended the meeting to update the council on Broadband. Mike said Blackfoot Communications came back and want to continue, but they only want to do cities in Bonner County. US Metronets figured the cost over all the cities. Blackfoot has talked to PAC, but need a development – that can be Bonner County or Sandpoint. Jim Deffenbaugh, with PAC, won’t work with Sandpoint – he wants to do it through Boundary County. Mike said he would know more later. Mike said they need to make sure they can cross county lines. Mike said if it’s going to go, he thinks Boundary County will have to be included. Doug asked who is going to pay? Mike said it will be paid through a $14,000,000 bond and the bond will be paid back through hook ons.

Discussed the City Hall sign. Doug said we don’t have another saw blade yet. The one at the 3-Mile is too small. We will continue to work on it.

Discussed the Ordinance concerning Council absences. Dan Featherston said he wants to add electronic participation to the ordinance, and explained how it would work. Dan said he can’t see any legal reason it wouldn’t work. Doug said if a member of the school board misses 4 consecutive meetings, they can be dismissed. Lori Johnson said if people are going to be elected, they need to be here.

Drexel Love said Dan shouldn’t have responded to what Rosanne Smith wrote in the Herald and on line. Doug said he asked Dan to write the letter. Drexel said she was told there will be repercussions.

Discussed the garbage ordinance Ron Frederickson’s attorney gave the city. The ordinance was copied from the City of Bonners Ferry. Dan said some things need to be made clearer. Terry Johnson said a manned site will be put out east of the bridge, but won’t take effect until October 1, 2012, but Clain will have the money to do the prep work before that. It may not work if the County cuts his budget. Jim Ball asked about mandatory garbage pickup. Mike Sloan said the City of Bonners Ferry passed a recycling ordinance on Tuesday night, the cost is $3.25 per month. Bonners Ferry Garbage won’t pick up brush, grass clippings, etc. Jim Ball was told the meeting on May 2 is for information only. Drexel asked if mandatory garbage pickup is passed, will the city do the billing to property owners? She was told yes. Doug asked Dan Featherston about the Franchise with Bonners Ferry Garbage? Dan said the franchise was with Wilbur Frederickson not Bonners Ferry Garbage and it died when Wilbur died. Dan was asked if we go ahead with garbage pickup, would it have to go out to bid?

Discussed the Area of Impact and the property deannexed from the city. Dan checked and can’t find any limitations. Dan said there isn’t a defined distance from the city limits. Dan said deannexed property is no longer part of the city, but is in the Area of Impact – nothing needs to be changed.

Mayor Evans reported on the KVRI meeting. Doug said it was a short meeting. He said caribou were discussed and the biggest problems keeping herds up is predation. They discussed what they are going to do with the old roads with the grant money they got.

Discussed the roads. John said all the roads need to be graded and some may need gravel. Doug said he will call Tom Foust to see when they can do the roads. John Nelson will check with JRS on the right-of-way for South Division.

Discussed the Volunteer Fire Dept. Ken English reported the following: March 2 – Chimney Fire; March 7 – LEPC meeting; March 10 – Search & Rescue; March 21 – Fire Chiefs meeting.
A motion was made by Steve Economu and seconded by Bart Klaus authorizing Ken to purchase a receiver and 4 remotes for the door at the fire shop, for $127.40. Motion carried.

Discussed the Water & Sewer systems. John Nelson reported we pumped a high on March 26th of 165,600 gpd; a low on the 21st of 73,300 gpd; and average of 107,832 gpd and a total for the month of March of 3,342,800 gallons. John received a revised copy of our Cross Connection Control Program from DEQ and a list of things they want changed. Dan will look it over. John told the council the control panels at the well site are hung on a piece of plywood and it is rotting. He would like to build a concrete building 30’ from the current site. It would be all new. The soft start panels will be moved, but everything else will stay. The building will cost about $2,000 and he doesn’t have the prices for the electrical yet. He will get the prices by the next meeting.

Discussed what the reconnect charges, for the Terrance Tate property, would be. Sandy & John were told to work on it. John said there was a landslide by the wells, and Idaho Forest Group has talked to a contractor about fixing the road.

Sandy was told to set up a meeting between May 14 – 18 with the City of Bonners Ferry, Boundary County, City of Moyie Springs and the Tribe. The subject will be sewer.

Discussed the bills. A motion was made by Steve Economu and seconded by Bart Klaus to pay the bills. Motion carried.

A motion was made by Terry Johnson and seconded by Steve Economu to adjourn. Motion carried.