Notes of Gold Bar City Council Meetings:

Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2006 meeting

&

Thursday, Nov. 9, 2006

(Taken and reported by Joe Beavers)

The following are from my notes taken at the council meeting.  They are not intended to be minutes of the meeting.  My comments are in italics.

Tuesday was a regular council meeting.   All council persons were in attendance.  John Light and Barry Rutchy were not at the meeting.  I arrived late, during the Mayor's Report.

MAYOR’S REPORT

Robert Amenn volunteered to run for a position on the Community Transit Board, as a Gold Bar representative.  This was accepted by all.

Jerry asked about sand bags.  Crystal said she was not impressed with the initial performance of the new Sno County Emergency Management Department (EMD).  They concentrated their efforts on responding to Sultan and Index as they were hardest hit.

Laura then presented an estimated revenue and expense report for review.  She noted that the revenue was under represented by about $ 24 K due to allocation issues.  She said this should be resolved next week when someone from Monroe comes in to help with the accounting system.

Crystal asked that Laura get a 5% bump while she performed the duties of a temporary City Clerk/Treasurer (CCT).  This passed 4-0.

Dorothy asked why Laura Koenig, Sultan CCT, was not helping.  Crystal said it was a payroll issue, due to her position with Sultan.  Dorothy said she would see if Laura would help out for free.   

COUNCIL COMMENTS

Dorothy asked about closing City Hall from noon until 1 PM, that some citizens needed to do their business with the city during their lunch break.  Crystal said that she did not want to have only one person on duty at that time, so opted to close.  Crystal went on to say that this was a safety issue, e.g. the AWC requires that cities keep a can of Mace available at the front desk.  This discussion continued on about locking one door, examples of seemingly dangerous situations at City Hall, that only a few citizen complaints have been received.  The discussion concluded with Robert asking if the Council could set office hours, Crystal said they could.

Dorothy asked for a copy of the ordinance concerning paying of warrants, due to some warrants being paid before the Council approved them.  ( This evidently referred to payroll warrants, but I'm not sure. )  Crystal said the Council had not had a quorum for a month at a time, and that people needed to be paid.  Dorothy said she was not comfortable with the current situation, Jerry said warrants should be authorized then paid, Amenn said he supported Dorothy.  Crystal asked what were the safeguards that the staff would get paid.  Lonn asked if the Council could vote electronically, Crystal said public notice requirements would complicate that.  Dorothy said she was not comfortable with the current situation.  Jerry asked what could we do to improve things, Crystal said hire more staff.  Richard then asked about the status of the CCT interview process.  Crystal said that they received no applications that met the specified qualifications.  Dorothy concluded that she simply will abstain from voting on warrants that have already been paid.  Amenn said he would get the policy for the next meeting.

Dorothy then said that the speed limit signs were in and asked when the speed bumps would be installed. 

Lonn said he had been Santa shopping at the costume store and for $ 500, we could get a quality Santa suit and maybe a Mrs. Santa suit.  He has some discount coupons for this.  Crystal said that the city was over budget on holiday decorations.  Robert said to reallocate budget monies, Crystal said that a formal budget amendment was required, and that Laura will need outside guidance on the accounting software in order to reallocate funds.  She then re-iterated that the city cannot borrow from one fund to support another one.  Ray Coleman then jumped up and said he would buy the Santa suit and loan it to the city for Christmas.  The city could pay him back when they got the accounting all straightened out.  Richard asked if the Council could allow the Mayor to amend the budget.  Dorothy then said there was $ 1,000 in the 2006 budget for holiday   decorations and the city spent only $ 200 for that category in 2005.  Laura noted that there were miscellaneous National Night Out Against Crime (NNOAC) expenses that were going to be added to the category this year.  Robert said we were to amend the budget for that.   Lonn said that the Porta-Potty cost was what sank the budget at NNOAC.  There was an extended discussion of the cost of Porta-Potties, the cost of next day delivery of Porta-Potties, moving existing Porta-Potties around Gold Bar facilities, could the people at NNOAC have walked ( run ? ) over to Gateway Park to use those Porta-Potties.  Richard ended the discussion by suggesting that Lonn purchase the Santa suit and present the bill to the City.  The Council seemed to OK this by informal consensus. ( Is it just me, or does someone else think it odd that in Gold Bar, a Porta-Potty is considered a holiday decoration ? )    

Richard said that he supported Dorothy on payroll and warrant review.  He asked if it was OK to publish the new city email list yet.  He asked about posting city documents on the website, Crystal said the City Attorney said an ordinance would be needed to do this.  Robert and Dorothy wanted to retain their personal email addresses.  Crystal asked if the city email address could be forwarded to another email address, Richard said yes.  Richard then asked about the City Clerk/Treasurer search status.  Crystal noted that the City received no applications that met the search criteria.  The job is still posted, but the committee will interview the top four candidates.  Prothman still has a temp position posted.  Crystal said that when the interview process is completed, she will then close the search and present their choice to the Council.

Jerry said that he would need help with connecting to his new email address.  He noted that he was concerned with the processing procedure for payroll, but understands why things had been done.

Robert echoed Dorothy's, Richard's, and Jerry's comments about payroll.  He announced that the Cities and Towns Dinner this year will have the AWC President as speaker.  He also noted that the organization will have a legislative agenda this next year and will be lobbying in Olympia.  They will be lobbying on behalf of US2 safety improvements.  Crystal noted that the Gold Bar Council should support lobbying for US2.

CITIZEN COMMENTS

 Burt McClellan said he was still confused on why two people needed to be at City Hall in order to have it open.  Crystal said sometimes there is only one person, but they try to minimize that.  She continued that Laura has pulled out the Mace twice and called police several times.  Lonn noted that times are different now than before.  Burt then asked why Chief Rutchy has not been at the last 5 meetings.  Crystal said he was out on calls for 4 and participating in a rescue today.

Ray Coleman reiterated that he would buy the Santa suit and loan it to the City if needed.  He commented that the inmates who helped with the sand bags were a swell group of guys.  Ray then told the story of the Gold Bar citizen who wore a red T-Shirt just like the inmates and had to talk his way out of being grouped with them.  He discussed his Block Watch materials that were being prepared for the next Town Hall meeting on this subject.  He noted the lack of support from the Sheriff's office.  Crystal said that she would set up a meeting between Sheriff officials and Ray and Lonn.  She noted that the two people running for Sheriff next year will likely be attentive to this matter.

Donna Strom then questioned the effectiveness of the emergency preparedness of Gold Bar and the erroneous information she received from county recordings.

Susan Forbes said that several years ago there was an Emergency Management Plan.  Crystal said the plans used to originate with each city, but now everything is coordinated by the county. 

Joe Beavers said that proper handling of fund re-allocations, while boring, was important due to the state audit.  In the last several years, Gold Bar has received no Audit Finds (black marks) on their state audit, while Sultan has continually received several.  Many of Sultan's Finds were due to improper fund re-allocations.  He noted that the inmate help needs to be contracted early, unlike last year when the Council stalled until the help was no longer available.  He noted that newspapers, television, county website, and state website all had different information about the flooding, and all of it seemed to be in error.  He noted that the county line seems to end at Monroe city limits and that he agreed with Jerry on the need for additional emergency planning.

Lee Gerry said that the sump on May Creek Road for the new development was too small and needs another sump for peak times, or maybe a drain system.  The sump in question had to be pumped out to a second sump in order to clear the road.  He questioned if one city employee could take their lunch in the lunchroom there in order to keep the facility open during the noon to 1 pm time. 

Karol Kien commented that there was water inside of a house that was being built.

Ray Coleman said that Aaron Reardon did declare a state of emergency.  There was a shelter in Sultan, but none in Startup or Gold Bar.  He noted that the city's emergency contact was John Light, but that an emergency phone tree was needed.

It was past 9 pm, so the meeting was adjourned until Thursday.  The Council discussed this and a quorum would be available then.

THURSDAY  NOV 09

The Council met again with Robert and Richard absent.  They were excused.

The meeting was for the single purpose of reviewing the budget status.  However, John Light was in attendance, so Crystal asked that he be allowed to give his staff report.  The Council agreed.

JOHN'S STAFF REPORT

John said he wanted to respond to concerns raised about the flooding, especially the questions about emergency planning.  John said that the city has a disaster management plan, a copy is available for review at City Hall.  All of the documents meet state and federal guidelines. 

Concerning the flood, first thing Tuesday, the city staff looked at the Wallace River dike.  The water was about 2 feet below the top of the dike.  It then rained about 6 inches and a later check showed that the water was lapping at the top of the dike.  John then called the Mayor and the Sno County Department of Emergency Management (DEM), looking for help.  The city had sandbags, but no sand or bodies.  The sand became available, but no crews because US2 had been reported closed.  The Mayor then contacted the prison who had crews who were finishing up in Index that were made available.  The day ended up with two crews from the prison plus one crew made up of Gold Bar citizens.  This was more than needed, so one prison crew was sent back.  At 5 pm, a load of sand and sand bags were dropped off at the City Maintenance Building for public use. 

The biggest failure was the lack of communication between the City, Fire Department, and Sno County DEM.   John talked with someone from Index who reported the same problems.  There was then a discussion of the Sno County DEM being only one year old, with normal start-up problems.

Jerry then asked for a city plan that would work if both US2 bridges were out, e.g. in an earthquake.  John said all plans have to meet county, state, and federal guidelines.  Jerry said he was getting information on school emergency plans from Bothell.  John said the school, city, police, and fire department used to meet regularly to discuss emergency management, then the meetings petered out.  Jerry then asked what is needed.  John said the city does not have 900 MHz radio capability, so has to communicate by land lines. 

There was then a discussion on DEM's error in thinking that US2 was closed and on sand bag and sand storage in Gold Bar.      

BUDGET DISCUSSION

Crystal noted that it is currently cumbersome for the staff to prepare the various budget reports.  The current reports are best estimates only.  However, there needs to be a public meeting on the budget before the end of November.

She went on to say that the most feasible course of action, as suggested by the City Attorney and other cities, is to approve the 2006 budget for 2007.  The budget can then be amended by ordinance once new numbers are confirmed.  Crystal supports a second public meeting when the actual 2007 budget is proposed, the Council agreed.

Laura Koenig of Sultan will assist Gold Bar on preparation of the budget on a donated time basis.  Crystal thanked Dorothy for her help in getting this done.

Lonn asked if Laura Koenig helps Laura Kelly, would confusing signatures occur.  Crystal said that she might sign all documents if the City Attorney agrees.  Since neither Laura is the city's CCT, this should work out.

Crystal said she wanted to get an ordinance adopted at the next Council meeting to increase the property tax by 1% to meet a deadline.  A new County Auditor report is needed for the new assessments and expected revenue.  Dorothy noted that historically it has been difficult in getting the County Auditor to respond in a timely manner.  ( Ray Coleman has subsequently pulled up some County Auditor documents which indicate that the 1% is an annual budget increase limit, not a tax rate increase. )

MORE JOHN REPORTS

On November 22, the bridge goes out for bid.  One potential snag is that the project is $ 45 K short of money right now.  This is being worked on.  There was a discussion of various allocation rules for different funding sources, city, county, and state.  A County Engineer inspected the current bridge after the flood and deemed it safe.  Dorothy asked what was the time frame for bids, but John did not know exactly.

There was a discussion of Well 4 being down and what was being done to handle water usage.  Well 3 is under manual control and sufficient to meet winter water needs on its own.  There was a quick discussion of the environmental reports for the new water tank and a note that it also has similar funding allocations as does the bridge.

CORRECTION FACILITY WORK CREWS

The rates for these crews were reviewed.  The Council passed a motion 3-0 to have the Mayor sign the contract for these crews.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Ray Coleman discussed storage and security at the Maintenance Area, emergency shelters and emergency kits, and the media attention being given to Green River Meadows. 

Dorothy led a quick discussion of Christmas lights.

The meeting was adjourned.