BINGEN CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
 

January 16, 2007

The meeting was called to order by Mayor Prigel at 7:00 p.m. Council members present: Terry Trantow, Tim Hearn, Laura Mann, Sandi Dickey and Betty Barnes. Clerk Jan Brending and Attorney Tad Connors were present. Audience: Bruce Brending.

Public Comment

Laura Mann, Bingen

Laura Mann said she would like to commend Dena Riggleman and Esteban Sanchez for responding and quickly getting a stop sign replaced. She said that John Mann has also noted that the city has done an excellent job in sanding and snowplowing this year.

Approval of Minutes – January 2, 2007

Corrections to the January 2 meeting minutes were noted as follows:

Page 3, add the following paragraph after the 5^th paragraph: “Tim Hearn said he will meet with the Eagles to see if they will paint the building.”

Laura Mann moved to approve the minutes of the January 2, 2007 meeting as amended. Tim Hearn seconded the motion and it was unanimously passed.

Tim Hearn said he would like get a letter from the city asking the Eagles to paint their building.

Jan Brending said the city cannot require the Eagles to paint their building.

Brian Prigel said he is very nervous about writing a letter to the Eagles. He said aesthetics is a slippery slope that the city probably does not want to start down.

Betty Barnes said that something could be put in the newsletter regarding appreciation of businesses that cleanup their facilities.

Tim Hearn said the Eagles had told him that a letter from the city would be helpful so they show why the money was being used for painting.

Proposed Resolution 2007-001, Setting a Policy to Display the Flag of the United States, the Flag of the State and the National League of Families’ POW/MIA Flag

Jan Brending presented a proposed resolution that sets a policy requiring the city to fly the flags of the United States, the State and the National League of Families’ POW/MIA Flag.

Brian Prigel said the state statute does not require the POW/MIA flag to be flown everyday.

Jan Brending said that is correct but it is easier to fly it everyday instead of trying to remember what days it needs to be flown. She said the city has been flying the POW/MIA flag everyday for a number of years.

Betty Barnes asked if the policy should address the issue of inclement weather. She asked if the flags are nylon.

Jan Brending said the flags are nylon.

Betty Barnes said nylon flags can be flown in inclement weather.

Betty Barnes moved to pass Resolution 2007-001, Setting a Policy to Display the Flag of the United States, the Flag of the State and the National League of Families’ POW/MIA Flag. Sandi Dickey seconded the motion and it was unanimously passed.

Depot Street Sewer Upgrade-Maple Street Phase, Recommendation for Funding and Recommendation to Proceed to Bid

Brian Prigel said the two water/sewer committees of Bingen and White Salmon met to discuss the Depot Street Sewer Line project. He said the two committees are recommending to their respective city councils that funding for the project be split between the two cities with Bingen paying 25% and White Salmon paying 75% and that the funding could come out of the cities’ sewer reserve funds.

Jan Brending recommended that funding be allocated at $50,000 from the sewer reserve fund.

Tim Hearn asked if Bingen has enough funding to pay for the entire project if White Salmon drags its feet.

Brian Prigel said probably.

Tim Hearn asked if Bingen could sue White Salmon if it didn’t agree to pay for its share.

Tad Connors said probably not. He said the wastewater agreements are not clear. He said it is possible that Bingen could tell White Salmon that if it does not pay for its share then Bingen will not allow them to hookup.

Jan Brending said she believes it is important to clarify with White Salmon that if the costs exceed $193,000 that White Salmon will fund its share of the excess.

Terry Trantow moved to authorize going forward with putting the project out to bid based on White Salmon agreeing to their share of funding. Tim Hearn seconded the motion and it was unanimously passed.

Engineering Services, Pioneer Engineering – Request for Professional Services Contract – Depot Street Sewer Upgrade Construction Engineering

Jan Brending presented a proposed contract with Pioneer Surveying and Engineering for construction engineering services for the proposed Depot Street Sewer Line Upgrade. She said Pioneer Engineering will provide services for the project including assisting the city through the bidding phase and developing as-built plans for an estimated cost of $14,604. Brending recommended the city authorize the mayor to sign a professional services contract and authorize the expenditure of $15,000 from the Sewer Construction and Maintenance fund.

Tim Hearn moved to authorize the expenditure of $15,000 from the Sewer Construction and Maintenance fund and to authorized the mayor to sign a professional services contract with Pioneer Surveying and Engineering. Terry Trantow seconded the motion and it was unanimously passed.

Brian Prigel noted that part of the problem with the Depot Street sewer line is related to I&I. He said he has directed Tom Hons to work with David Spratt and Tom Smith (White Salmon) to located I&I problems when it is raining. Prigel said that when weather situations show a problem strategic manhole covers will be pulled at night to see where the problems are located. He said pulling covers at night is important because that is when there is the influence from other sources. Prigel said this initial look at I&I will not cost a lot but does need to happen during very specific weather windows.

Engineering Services, Anderson Perry & Associates – Request for Professional Services contract – Assistance with CDBG Planning Only Grant and Applications for Change/Transfer of Water Rights

Jan Brending presented a proposed for engineering services provided by Anderson Perry & Assocaites. She said she needs assistance in preparing the grant application for a CDBG Planning Only Grant. She Anderson Perry will provide assistance with the grant application for $500.

Jan Brending said she also needs assistance in preparing the change in water rights applications to the Klicktiat County Conservancy Board. She provided copies of the application form in addition to information required in a “Report of Examinaiton.” She said the information required is very technical. Brending said Anderson Perry has estimated the cost at $5,000 with $2,500 going towards the specific application, $1,000 for attending two Conservancy Board meetings and $1,500 for developing the Report of Examination. She said the city may not have to develop the Report of Examination and may not need to attend two meetings and therefore would not be billed for those hours associated with that work. Brending recommended the funding come from the Community Development fund.

Betty Barnes moved to authorize the engineering services contract with Anderson Perry up to $5,000 with the funding coming from the Community Development fund. Laura Mann seconded the motion and it was unanimously passed.

Old Business

Dog Ordinances

Tim Hearn asked when the council will begin working on the dog ordinance.

Jan Brending said she will provide examples of dog ordinances by the next council meeting and schedule a workshop at the second meeting in February.

Tim Hearn said a neighbor of his contacted him about getting a notification for a dog license for a dog that isn’t hers.

Jan Brending said the neighbor should contact city hall and that a mistake may have been made regarding the dogs name. She said all dogs that reside in the city must be licensed whether they spend most of their time indoors or not.

Phone Usage

Tim Hearn asked if city council members can use the phones at city hall.

Brian Prigel said if it is for city business then yes.

City Car

Tim Hearn asked if there is a city car that can be used by council members. He said he might be interested in sitting on county committees if he doesn’t have to use his own car to travel to Goldendale.

Jan Brending said the city does have a car that might be available. She said she will check with the city’s insurance to see if council members would be covered.

Brian Prigel said he will check to see if the county is reimbursing committee members for mileage when attending county committee meetings.

Letter to White Salmon Regarding Water Issues

Betty Barnes asked a letter had been sent to White Salmon regarding the decisions Bingen had made regarding water issues.

Jan Brending said yes that a copy had been previously provided to Bingen council members.

Garbage Hauling

Tad Connors said that he has taken a look at the state statutes regarding garbage hauling and has also talked to MRSC regarding the garbage issue. He said the city will need to tell the Utilities Commission that the city intends to take over garbage by a certain date. Connors said the city will need to take over and then figure out who has what territory and establish contracts with them. He said the city will need to establish contracts with the two companies for 7 years before it can go out to bid.

Jan Brending noted that after the last meeting she was contacted by a representative from Tri-County/Allied Waste. She said she was told that Tri-County now has the authority to haul anywhere in Klickitat County including all of Bingen. Brending said she contacted the Utilities Commission and also had additional conversations with Tri-County. She said it appears that through Tri-County’s certificate they have always had the authority to haul anywhere in Klickitat County. Brending said that until recently Tri-County’s tariff limited them to hauling in the unincorporated areas of Klickitat County. She said the company recently removed the word “unincorporated” from its tariff.

The city council asked staff to obtains copies of the certificates and tariffs for each company from the Utilities Commission.

Tad Connors said the issues could be decided through a administrative or judicial decision.

Betty Barnes asked if the issue was worth pursuing especially since the citizens of Bingen might now have the option of choosing which garbage company they want to use.

Brian Prigel said he believes the issue needs to be dealt with.

Mayor’s Update

Dry Creek

Brian Prigel said that after the 1996 flood the city spent some money to have Bell Design look at some fixes for addressing flooding associated with Dry Creek. He said there are several types of flooding that may occur with Dry Creek – the flooding that occurs with a very specific weather condition such as what happened in 1996 and then flooding that occurs because of debris build up at the grate located at Walnut and Steuben. Prigel asked for permission to seek a proposal for engineering services from Bell Design to look at options for developing a trash rack or cachement system further up the creek. He said he believes such a system would allow the public works staff more time in between cleaning out the creek. Prigel said that if the cost to develop such a system is reasonable then there would be no great risk to the city.

Tim Hearn said he would like to see it done.

Terry Trantow said he believes it is also necessary for staff to go in and clean out the blackberries in the creek bed.

Betty Barnes moved to authorize the mayor to seek a proposal from Bell Design in addressing a trash rack/cachement system for Dry Creek. Terry Trantow seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.

Critical Areas Ordinance

Laura Mann asked staff if the city will have to begin work in 2007 on updating its critical area ordinance.

Jan Brending said no. She said the city does need to begin considering when it wants to update its comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance.

Transportation Forum

Jan Brending noted a Transportation Forum is being held at the Pioneer Center on Wednesday, January 17 at 2:00 p.m.

Bingen-White Salmon Police Department

Bruce Brending reported that Gary Manning has left the department to work for the Skamania County Sheriff. He said the new officer, Josh Gines is off the training program and working regular shifts.

Tim Hearn asked if salaries are an issue with the department.

Bruce Brending said not necessarily. He said officers are leaving for a variety of reasons. Brending said initially some of the officers have taken a cut in pay but that in the long run they will likely make more money. He said training opportunities has been an issue in the past but he has been working with Klickitat County to provide more training opportunities for the Bingen-White Salmon officers. Brending said he has spoken with Dwayne Matolivich who said he plans on sticking with the department for a least a couple of more years.

Civil Service Commission

Betty Barnes said the city should be getting copies of the civil service commission meeting minutes in the near future. She said she feels the commission has been working very hard.

Vouchers
Vouchers audited and certified as required by RCW 42.24.080 and expense reimbursement claims certified as required by RCW 42.24.090 as of this date December 31, 2006. The council by unanimous vote does approve for payment the following list: warrants 8130 through 8145 totaling $9,494.77; payroll warrants 6827 through 6828 totaling $$3,586.79 for a total of $13,081.56: Current - $5,341.97; Street - $527.71; Water – $1,021.12; Sewer - $404.29; Treatment Plant - $1,222.08; Dallesport Treatment Plant - $4,564.39; Treatment Plant Replacement - $72.05; Disposal Expansion Fund – ($72.05).  

Vouchers audited and certified as required by RCW 42.24.080 and expense reimbursement claims certified as required by RCW 42.24.090 as of this date January 16, 2007. The council by unanimous vote does approve for payment the following list: warrants 8146 through 8160 totaling $46,329.12; and payroll warrants 6829 through 6846 totaling $12,983.03 for a total of $59,312.15 Current - $48,717.20; Street - $1,286.41; Water – $1,341.72; Sewer - $972.06; Treatment Plant - $4,101.47; Dallesport Treatment Plant – $2,893.29.

The council adjourned at 8:40 p.m.

Jan Brending                                                            Brian Prigel
City Clerk                                                                Mayor