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Regular Business Meeting November 21, 2022
REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING
NOVEMBER 21, 2022
President of the Council Rob Lessen opened the meeting at 6:30 p.m. The Pledge of Allegiance was stated by all present. Roll call was taken and all members except the Mayor Rock Anderson were present. Minutes from the meeting on the 7th were presented to the City Council. Carma Burns addressed the topic of Electric Rates and Carma thought that the Council tabled this matter until a later date. Carma made the motion to approve the revised minutes. Gary Pommier seconds the motion. The motion was approved. Richard Kerley made the motion to approve the minutes at the Special Meeting held on Nov. 14th. Carma Burns seconds the motion. The motion was approved. Rob Lessen presented the evenings agenda to the City Council. Under New Business Item D) Police Raises, and Item E) Craig Farnsworth were added to the agenda. Howard Camp made the motion to approve the revised agenda. Richard Kerley seconds the motion. The motion was approved.
REPORTS
FIRE CHIEF: Mike McLeod was present with Assistant Fire Chief Justin Turner. Justin addressed the current "Open Burning Regulation" in the City Codes manual. Justin presented changes in sections 7-302, 7-304, 7-305a, 7-305b, 7-305c, 7-305d, and 7-305e. Bette Lessen stated that this change request would first need to go to the Zoning Board.
(This topic will be on the next agenda due to this matter is under the City Codes Manual, not Zoning). Mike and Justin also brought up the need to purchase 2 Imaging Camera's which help when fighting a fire in a structure. The expense for this purchase is $6998.00 for 2 camera's. Carma Burns made the motion to allow the purchase and Howard Camp seconds the motion. The motion was approved.
LIBRARIAN: Brenda Banks was present to report on the statistics of the previous month on checked out books and computer use plus exercise classes on Saturday's at 1:00 p.m. and classes in Insurance. Brenda also stated that a grant has been awarded for 2 new computers.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
WATER/SEWER EMPLOYEE; TOM GORMAN
Tom stated that he has placed the ad in the Morning Sun and that he has spoken to one individual who has the certification in Sewer that would make a good addition to the staff. Council asked Tom if this person would be willing to get certified in Water? Tom stated yes. Council asked Tom what he felt the starting wage should be and Tom recommended $17.50. Gary Pommie made the motion to accept Tom Gorman's recommendation for $17.50 an hour. Tom Hayes recommended that job parameters should be written for both water/sewer employee as well as the part-time electrician.
PART-TIME ELECTRICIAN; GARY POMMIER
Gary Pommier stated that this person he has spoken with is willing to assist our city electrician when needed as a part time employee that has no benefits. Gary brought up salary when this person is needed, and with his experience Gary felt that he should be paid the same as the city electrician or set at 20.00 an hour plus when called out whether it is 15 minutes or 6 hours, he will be paid at least for one hour of time. Gary Pommier made the motion to hire this person at $20.00 an hour with a minimum of one hour and called out by either the city electrician or the city superintendent. Carma Burns seconds the motion. The motion was approved.
RESOLUTION 2022-0104; 201 W. SOUTH STREET
Rob Lessen stated that he has not spoke or heard from anyone interested in saving this property. Gary Pommier made the motion to accept Resolution 2022-0104. Howard Camp seconds the motion. The motion was approved.
ELECTRIC RATE CHANGE
Carma Burns made the motion to table this topic until the next agenda. Richard Kerley seconds the motion. The motion was approved.
CHICKEN REGULATIONS
Richard Kerley brought up the Zoning regulations under Conditional Use, Article 19, Sections 101 - 102- 104 that would need to be revised or deleted from the manual if Chickens were allowed to be raised inside the City limits. Carma Burns made the motion to table this topic until the next meeting. Howard Camp seconds the motion. The motion was approved.
EASEMENT ON SCOTTEN PROPERTY
Jim Zibert was present to inform the City Council that the paperwork he has read needs to have a revision on the 10' easement and a temporary section included. Richard Kerley made the motion to have Jim Zibert make the revisions to the easement paperwork. Howard Camp seconds the motion. The motion was approved.
Bette Lessen interrupted the meeting to ask the City Council to revise their agenda so that Mr. Bobby Burns who Bette forgot to include could be on this meetings agenda. Carma Burns made the motion to include Bobby Burns under New Business. Richard Kerley seconds the motion. The motion was approved.
NEW BUSINESS
SHAWN MCGREGOR, ISSUES ON CITY WEBSITE
Shawn McGregor addressed the City Council on his letter he wrote to them about different issues he feels should be corrected on the city's website particularly the matter of posting the agenda and the city minutes so the residents of Arma can be kept informed. Richard Kerley questioned Shawn why the agenda and minutes needs to be on the website. Shawn stated that this is the best means for ADA people to keep informed as Council discussed earlier on when deciding to update the City's website. Richard Kerley made the motion to have these two items posted on the city website per meeting. Howard Camp seconds the motion. The motion was approved.
CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT BIDS
Rob Lessen opened and read aloud the two bids received from the two banks. Girard National bid 1.26% and Community National at 1.39%. Carma Burns made the motion to accept the bid from Community National 1.39% Richard Kerley seconds the motion. The motion was approved.
POLICE RAISES
Chief Holtz addressed the council on a 5% increase for all officers. Carma Burns brought up evaluations. Carma Burns made the motion to table this matter until the December 19th meeting Gary Pommier seconds the motion. The motion was approved.
CRAIG FARNSWORTH
Gary Pommier made a motion to go into Executive Session on Attorney Privilege with City Council, Attorney and Clerk for 5 minutes. Howard Camp seconds the motion. The motion was approved. 8:05 p.m.
Carma Burns made the motion to go back into regular session at 8:10 p.m. Richard Kerley made the motion to have the City Attorney send Craig Farnsworth a 2nd letter allowing him to make his payment by December 15th. Gary Pommier seconds the motion. The motion was approved.
BOBBY BURNS
Mr. Bobby Burns addressed the City Council on the issue of three properties that his father owned. Mr. Burns state that they are in bad condition and Bobby asked the City if they would tear down the structures and take the property? Tom Hayes told Mr. Burns that he and his sibling could draw up paperwork with property descriptions and turn all three of these properties over the city's landbank. Mr. Burns said that he would get this done.
COUNCIL COMMENTS
Gary Pommier reported on this years paving project and that it did not look like at this point that the County would be able to assist Arma.
Carma Burns said that the Council should discuss the employee rates at the next meeting.
COMMUNICATIONS
No communications were presented.
PURCHASE REQUEST
Assistant Police Chief John Austin presented a request for different types of ammo for the department to do training at Bone Creek. ACI quoted a total of $2,384.00. Richard Kerley made the motion to purchase the ammo requested. Gary Pommier seconds the motion. The motion was approved.
Tom Gorman requested a water pump for the quoted price of $6,777.00. Gary Pommier made the motion to authorize the Mayor/President of City Council to handle this purchase with Tom Gorman. Howard Camp seconds the motion. The motion was approved.
Carma Burns made the motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:35 p.m. Gary Pommier seconds the motion. The motion was approved.
_______________________________
Bette Lessen, City Clerk