BINGEN CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
December 21, 2004
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Prigel at 7:00 p.m. Council members present: Terry Trantow, Randy Anderson, Betty Barnes, Jeanette Fentie. Council members absent: Laura Mann. Clerk Jan Brending and Attorney Tad Connors were present.
Approval of Minutes – December 7, 2004
Amendments to the December 7 minutes were noted as follows:
Page 2, 1st paragraph – change “tem” to “term”.
Page 3, 8th paragraph – change to read as follows: “Laura Mann moved to drop the AFLAC insurance policy for council members and the mayor. Betty Barnes seconded the motion and it was unanimously passed.”
Page 4, 1st paragraph, 2nd line – change “ahs” to “has”.
Page 5, 6th paragraph, last sentence – change to read as follows: “He said the casing in the Park Well is leaking and needs to be pulled and reinstalled.”
Betty Barnes moved to approve the minutes of December 7, 2004 as amended. Randy Anderson seconded the motion and it was unanimously passed.
Sign Applications – Groomingdale’s and Sportsman
Barbershop
Jan Brending provided information for two sign applications for businesses
that will be located in the old Dickey Farms fruit stand on West Steuben. She
said the Dickey Farms signs on the west and east ends of the building will be
replaced with signs that identify up to four tenants in the building. Brending
said each business will have a small sign beside or on the entrance door to the
specific business. She said that at the present time there are only two tenants
in the building. Brending said the proposed signs meet the requirements under
the City’s ordinance.
Betty Barnes moved to approve the sign applications submitted by Groomingdale’s and Sportsman Barbershop. Terry Trantow seconded the motion and it was unanimously passed.
Proposed 2004 Budget Amendments
Jan Brending presented proposed amendments to the 2004 budget. She said that
most of the amendments are minor. Brending noted that sales tax revenue and
utility taxes on electrical services were higher than anticipated in 2004. She
noted that the increase in personnel services in the Bingen Treatment Plant fund
had to do with the change in staffing in the public works department (retaining
Tom Hons for the entire year).
Randy Anderson moved to approve the proposed 2004 budget amendments. Jeanette Fentie seconded the motion and it was unanimously passed.
Resolution 2004-04, Establishing 2005 Salary Schedule
Jan Brending presented Resolution 2004-04, establishing the 2005 salary
schedule for city employees. She said the salary schedule provides for a 1.5
percent cost of living increase. Brending noted the increase was included in the
2005 budget adopted earlier in the month.
Terry Trantow moved to adopt Resolution 2005-04, Establishing 2005 Salary Schedule. Randy Anderson seconded the motion and it was unanimously passed.
Resolution 2004-05, Amending Personnel Policy Section
4.04
Jan Brending presented Resolution 2004-05, amending section 4.04 of the
personnel policy. She said the federal Department of Revenue has determined that
regularly paid draws (such as those used by the City of Bingen) are actual
payroll periods which require federal deductions to be made and deposited.
Brending said the resolution amends the section of the personnel policy
providing for draws and establishes a semi-monthly payroll system.
Betty Barnes moved to adopt Resolution 2004-05, Amending Personnel Policy Section 4.04. Randy Anderson seconded the motion and it was unanimously passed.
Amendment to Agreement to Operate and Maintain
Dallesport Wastewater Facilities
Jan Brending said the proposed amendment changes the monthly payment for
operation and maintenance costs and for the management fee (which is an
additional 10% of the operating and maintenance budget). She said the change is
what is reflected in the adopted 2005 budget.
Randy Anderson moved to approve Amendment No. 1 to Agreement to Operate and Maintain Dallesport Wastewater Facilities. Jeanette Fentie seconded the motion and it was unanimously passed.
Goal Setting and Prioritizing Ordinance Amendments
City council members discussed ordinance amendments that should be addressed
in 2005, including the sign ordinance, zoning ordinance, business license
ordinance, gambling tax ordinance, water and sewer ordinances, motorized scooter
and skateboard ordinance, and an ordinance addressing the use of sidewalks and
pedestrian ways.
Brian Prigel said he would like to see the City’s ordinance regarding the structure and governance of the fire department added to the list.
Betty Barnes said the council had also agreed to reconsider its decision not to ban fireworks in the city limits. It was noted that the Chief of Police would like to see the current ordinance for fireworks amended addressing the time period in which fireworks can be set off.
Jan Brending noted that the Chief of Police would like to see a few of the city’s ordinances amended to be more consistent with White Salmon’s including the sound ordinance and dog ordinance. She said the Chief would also like the Council to consider shortening up the time periods for enforcement in its parking ordinance.
There was agreement that in January the council would begin addressing a minor amendment to the zoning ordinance along with the fireworks ordinance and an ordinance addressing the use of motorized scooters and skateboards. After these ordinances are considered and possible amendments adopted the council will address the city’s sign ordinance, an ordinance addressing the use of sidewalks and pedestrian ways and the ordinance addressing how the fire department is organized and governed.
Treasurer’s Report – October and November 2004
Jan Brending presented the Treasurer’s reports for October and November
2004.
Jeanette Fentie moved to accept the Treasurer’s reports for October and November 2004. Terry Trantow seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved.
Mayor’s Update
Well Rehabilitation
Brian Prigel said staff will make a presentation to the council at its
January 4 meeting regarding the rehabilitation of the city’s wells.
Jefferson Street Bridge
Brian Prigel said he met with Bell Design to look at the Jefferson Street
Bridge. He said there is some rot but not as much as he expected. He said that
city employees will do some cleaning underneath the bridge so that the engineer
can have a better picture of the status of the bridge. Prigel said it is
possible that the wooden bridge could be replaced with a concrete deck such as
the one on Humboldt Street. He said the Humboldt Street Bridge is designed so
that it can be lifted out of place in case of flooding.
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 21, 2004. The council by unanimous vote does approve for payment the
following list: warrants 6424 through 6454 totaling $53,681.06, manual warrants
501029, 6422 and 6423 totaling $19,728.36, and payroll warrants 6105 through
6118 totaling $5,903.20 for a total of $79,312.62: Current - $50,278.85; Street
- $1,496.47; Water - $2,211.30; Sewer - $415.49; Treatment Plant - $3,765.28;
Dallesport Treatment Plant - $1,106.87; 73-95 Water/Sewer Bond Redemption -
$4,780.00; Water Construction & Maintenance - $350.00; Dallesport Billing Trust
Fund - $14,908.36.
Executive Session
Brian Prigel announced at 8:40 p.m. the city council would meet in an
executive session to discuss personnel matters for 15 minutes.
At 8:50 p.m. the Council resumed regular session and adjourned.
Jan Brending
Brian Prigel
City Clerk
Mayor