BINGEN CITY COUNCIL MINUTES

July 6, 2004

The meeting was called to order by Mayor Prigel at 7:00 p.m. Council members present: Terry Trantow, Betty Barnes, Jeanette Fentie, Randy Anderson. Council members absent: Laura Mann. Clerk Jan Brending was present. Attorney Tad Connors was absent. Audience: Jesse Burkhardt, John Bryan, Jon Madian, Richard Cortese, Betty Lafevers, Penny White, Michael Wellman.

 Public Comment
Betty Lafevers, Bingen
Betty Lafevers said that she and her husband were gone over the 4^th of July weekend and returned home to find spent fireworks in their wood pile and sawdust pile. She said the fireworks could have caught the wood on fire and caused a major fire incident in the neighborhood. Lafevers said property owners should not have to worry about their homes when they are away during the 4^th of July. Lafevers asked the City of Bingen to consider a ban on fireworks within the city limits. She said even sparklers can set fires.

Brian Prigel said that a year ago the city council had an extensive debate over banning fireworks. He said the council considered a complete ban and than a ban of only aerial fireworks. Prigel said the proposal failed with a split vote.

Betty Lafevers asked if a petition would help. Prigel said the petition would not achieve the ban but might help get the debate started again. He said that if the council wishes the debate on banning fireworks can be revived.

Jeanette Fentie said she would like to start the debate again. There was a consensus of the council to begin a new discussion on banning fireworks in the city limits of Bingen.

Richard Cortese, Bingen-White Salmon Police Department
Brian Prigel introduced Richard Cortese the new chief of police for the Bingen-White Salmon Police Department.

Betty Barnes asked Cortese how he felt about banning fireworks. Cortese said that in the town where he last worked fireworks were banned. He said the ban worked, things were quieter and the fire danger lower. Cortese said it is hard to enforce how fireworks are handled because it is difficult to determine who the fireworks belongs to, etc. He said there needs to be eyewitnesses. Cortese said a ban would work better to address fireworks.

Brian Prigel said Cortese will be back in a few months to provide an update to the council.

Penny White, White Salmon
Penny White said she has been made aware that the City of White Salmon has purchased signs that will be installed along Highway 14 to divert traffic up to White Salmon using Dock Grade. She said the signs were not brought to the White Salmon City Council’s attention. White said she is appalled at the proposal and feels that it is bad business. She said she does not believe it is a well-thought-out proposal and that it is insulting to the City of Bingen.

Brian Prigel said the City of Bingen is aware of the sign proposal. He said the City learned of the signs through the White Salmon-Bingen Merchants Association. Prigel said it is his understanding that the signs will require approval from the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Betty Barnes said that she was told by Linda Jones that the signs would need final approval by the White Salmon City Council and then told at a later date that the signs were a done deal. Barnes said she did express to Linda Jones that the businesses in Bingen were not happy with the proposal. Barnes said most of the businesses expressed concern about directing traffic up a substandard road.

White said she does not feel that Linda Jones was looking at the proposal from a Bingen business point of view. White said she does not want to see animosity between the two cities.

Brian Prigel said he does not believe that the signs will be allowed by WSDOT.

Approval of Minutes – June 15, 2004
Jeanette Fentie noted two corrections on page 2, last paragraph, third to last sentence should read “He said the pumps will be pulled one at a time to see how they look.” and the second to the last paragraph should read “Wellman said the wells will be surged and cleaned with new pumps, piping and wiring installed.”

Jeanette Fentie moved to approve the minutes of June 15, 2004 as amended. Terry Trantow seconded the motion and it was unanimously passed.

Short Plat Review – Jeffrey Rogers
Jan Brending noted that the agenda item has been changed from final short plat approval to a short plat review because Rogers is required by current city ordinances to complete the private road and access prior to final plat approval. Brending said Klickitat County Road Standards will need to be used sa required in the City’s ordinance. Brending noted that in additional to construction of the road a storm water drainage plan will need to be submitted for review and approval by the Public Works Department. She said that other than these two issues the preliminary plat has been changed according to the requirements previously required by the Council.

Revised Short Plat Proposal – John Bryan and Jon Madian
Jan Brending said John Bryan and Jon Madian have submitted a revised short plat approval for 4 lots instead of 5. She said the applicants wish to construct the initial townhouse unit and complete the final plat at that time prior to developing the subsequent lots. Brending said when the property owners develop the second townhouse they can file for an amended short plat at that time.

Council members and the applicants discussed the revised short plat proposal. It was noted that a storm water drainage plan is required prior to development occurring on the property. In addition, prior to final approval all private roads and access will need to be constructed using Klickitat County Road Standards.

John Bryan said he is working with Bell Design to develop a slow release system so that the maximum rate of flow does not increase.

Brian Prigel said that he recommends the council approve the preliminary short plat noting that construction cannot begin until the storm water drainage plan is approved.

Randy Anderson moved to approve the Bryan/Madian preliminary short plat noting that construction cannot begin on roads and the townhouse until a storm water drainage plan is approved. Betty Barnes seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved.

Water/Sewer Billing Adjustment Request
Jan Brending presented a request from the Mid-Columbia Family Health Center for an adjustment to the sewer overage on their account. Brending said the gallons used for the month of May was high and when the clinic called she suggested they check for a leak. Brending said the gallons doubled for the month of June and that she immediately contacted the clinic and the City of White Salmon (who provides water directly to the clinic) about the possibility of leak. She said the clinic did determine there was a leak and had the problem corrected. Brending said the clinic is asking that the overage associated with the excess water usage from the leak be forgiven.

Mike Wellman said the City does not have a written policy on how to handle costs to consumers related to leaks. He said he does not recommend forgiving the fees unless it can be determined that the water did not go into the sewer system.

Brian Prigel noted the City has previously forgiven fees associated with water leaks when the consumer could show that the problem was corrected. He recommended that until the City adopts a formal policy it should continue with its previous practice.

Betty Barnes moved to forgive sewer overages of $500.00 on the Mid-Columbia Family Health Center account. She recommended the city adopt a better policy for handling these types of requests.

Randy Anderson moved to forgive the sewer overage on the May bill but not the second because the problem should have been corrected sooner.

Both motions died due to the lack of a second.

Mike Wellman said a leak should be corrected as soon as a customer could have known. He said there needs to be some kind of incentive for a customer to take care of the problem.

Jeanette Fentie asked Wellman if he could verify where the water went. Fentie said that she agrees with Prigel that until a policy is developed the city cannot say yes to one customer and no to another.

Betty Barnes moved to table the decision in the request until the next council meeting so that it can be determined if the water went into the sewer system. Terry Trantow seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved.

Bid Award – Water System Well Rehabilitation Improvements
Mike Wellman said the city received two bids on the project: M-K Drilling Company for $8,624.20 and Person Pump & Well Drilling for $18,618.00. He said that he recommends awarding the contract to M-K Drilling Company for $8,624.20. He said there will be additional costs, including pumps, of $10,000 to $15,000.

Jan Brending noted that $20,000 is budgeted in the water construction and maintenance fund for this project. She said the funds do not include staff salary and benefits.

Randy Anderson moved to accept the bid of $8,624.20 from M-K-Drilling Company for the water system well rehabilitation improvements. Terry Trantow seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved.

Preliminary Draft Ordinance – Building Code
Jan Brending presented a preliminary draft ordinance for the update of the City’s building code. She said the state of Washington has moved from using the Uniform Building Code to using the International Building Code. Brending said the new state statutes are effective July 1 and will be used by the building official. She said at the present time the old rates for building permits will continue to be used until the City’s adopts the ordinance. Brending said a public hearing will be held at the July 20 meeting. She noted that Dean Nygaard the City’s building official will be present at the meeting.

Highway 14 Project – Status and Update
Brian Prigel said that it appears KLB will have substantial completion on the project as of July 2. He said a meeting has been scheduled with KLB, WSDOT and the City on July 13 to attempt a resolution of outstanding issues including working days, utility delay claim, sidewalk issues, etc.

Jan Brending said she is the process of looking at the final budget and hopes to present a financial report on the project at the next council meeting. She said Klickitat County and the Washington Transportation Improvement Board are considering adding additional funding to the project.

Brian Prigel said he has heard nothing but good complements on the project although he still gets the occasional comment about the way the benches are facing. He said that everyone has particularly commented on the crosswalks. Prigel said time will tell how well the crosswalks do. He said he believes the price of the Durathem product will come down in the future as it is used more.

Jesse Burkhardt noted that county burn ban signs were placed on the City’s garbage cans. He suggested the City needs to make sure that it handles how signs can be posted in town.

Betty Barnes noted that several tree straps have broken. Brian Prigel said the public works department is aware of the situation and is the process of repairing them.

Randy Anderson asked that if once the project is closed can property owners at the east end of town plant landscaping in the areas where grass cover has been put in. Brian Prigel said that as long as the property owners are willing to take care of it he does not see why they couldn’t.

Randy Anderson said he has received several comments regarding the City’s public works truck speeding through town.

Randy Anderson said that the business Attention to Detail located at 417 W. Steuben has been parking cars for sale across the driveway and blocking the sidewalk on weekends.

The city council discussed the idea of pursuing the purchase of banners for the street lights in town. It was agreed that it would be better to pursue the year-round banners and not the holiday banners due to funding.

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 July 6, 2004. The council by unanimous vote does approve for payment the following list: warrants 6077 through 6114 totaling $329,963.20, manual warrants 6073 through 6076 and 100005 totaling $9,109.19, and payroll warrants 5942 through 5946 totaling $24,257.51 for a total of $329,963.20: Current - $16,124.83; Street - $4,273.84; Street Construction and Maintenance - $272,061.91; Building Construction - $2,176.60; Water - $5,654.15; Sewer - $2,489.51; Treatment Plant - $12,348.70; Dallesport Treatment Plant - $8.905.66; 1989 Water Line Redemption..

At 9:25 p.m. the Council adjourned.

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City Clerk