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Council Minutes 03/15/1979 March 15, 1979 9G CITY OF AMMON March 15, 1979 Minutes of a Special Public Hearing and the Regular Meeting of the Mayor and City Council: The meeting was called to order at 7:10 P.M. by Mayor George Wehmann with the following City Officials present: Mayor George Wehmann Councilwoman Carol A.Dille Councilman Russell N. Swensen Councilman David Rowberry Councilman Francis Lee Clerk Deon Hemingway Engineer David E. Benton Public Works Director Hayse L. Whiteley The pledge of allegiance to the flag was conducted by Councilwoman Dille; the invocation was offered by Mayor Wehmann. I The meeting was opened as a public hearing on the requested annexation and initial zoning of R-l of the Vera Lee Property, 83.3 acres including the Union Pacific Railroad tracks located immediated east of the existing City boundary and north of Sunnyside Road. Mayor Wehmann declared conflict of interest, since he is an adjacent property owner, and turned the meeting to Council President Russell Swensen to conduct. Councilman Lee also declared conflict of interest and excused himself from the deliberations. It was verified that the hearing had been properly advertised and notice given by mail to all of the ad- . joining property owners as required by the law, and was noted for the record that none of those so notified except Mayor Wehmann were present. According to Councilman Rowberry, the Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing and recommended that the request go on to the City Council with annexation as an unplatted area to be approved if determined to be desirable. He mentioned that there is some indication that the intended developer may have changed his plans about going ahead with this proposal. Engineer Benton, represent- ing the developer Lonny Adams, reported that he had not had any recent contact with Mr. Adams, who lives in Salt Lake City. As a result of the apparent indefinite situation, Councilwoman Dille moved to recess the hearing on the Vera Lee Property to April 19,1979, at 7:30 P.M. The motion was seconded by Councilman Rowberry; voting was Dille, yes; Row- berry, yes; Swensen, yes; motion carried. The hearing was recessed at 7:30 P.M. Mayor Wehmann returned to his position to conduct the remainder of the meeting. The min- utes of the meeting of March 1, 1979, were approved as prepared. A claim filed by Doug Collette, 2965 E. 17th Street, for expenses incurred in the repair of a broken water pipe (hose bib) in his basement was considered. A message from Mr. Collette stating that he felt that the break resulted from having to obtain water through a garden hose from the neighbor while his water service line was frozen was noted,along with a report with drawing from the City Water Superintendent, LaVern Williams, showing that the hose supplying water from the neighbor was attached at the front of the house while the location of the broken pipe was near the back wall and stating that there was no heat in the basement when he was called in to check the situation. Mr. Williams' report indicated that water freezing in the pipe from lack of heat during the extremely cold weather appeared to be the cause of the problem. Councilman Swensen moved that the claim submitted by Doug Collette be disallowed on the grounds that the City Council does not believe that the City contributed to the breakage of the water pipe, and that Hayse Whiteley, Director of Public Works, prepare a letter for Mayor Wehmann's signature ex- plaining the reason for this action which is based on the findings as reported by LaVern Williams. The motion was seconded by Councilwoman Dille; voting was all in favor; motion carried. I The matter of awarding of bids'on the pump and waterline for Well No.7 as reviewed in the previous meeting was brought up for discussion, and it was determined that the terms of the bidding stated that the bids are to be held good for at least 60 days from the bid-opening date of February 21, 1979. It was indicated that a contact has been made with bank officials for arranging financing, but Mayor Wehmann recommended that a final decision be withheld until advice can be obtained from the City Auditor regarding the budget situation. Engineer Benton mentioned that he had "stuck his neck out" and told the low-bid contractors to get materials ordered so immediate action would be helpful. Councilman Rowberry moved to authorize Mayor Wehmann to sign the notice of award of bids subject to his approval of the financial capacities of the City. The motion was seconded by Councilman Swensen; voting was unanimous in favor; motion carried. I Mayor Wehmann referred. to a letter from E. K. Davis of 1905 Avocet Drive regarding sev- eral stop signs not conforming with the Uniform Sign Code, namely, the 4-way signs at Rawson and Midway Avenue and at Southwick Lane and Midway Avenue and the single stop sign at Hillam Drive and Rawson Street. Mayor Wehmann reviewed the thinking of the Council members when the signs were approved for installation, and the Council re- confirmed the decisions as made previously, which were based on concern about safety on Midway Avenue in the vicinity of a park and a school and the anticipation of an increased traffic flow when that street is opened to 17th Street, and the tendency of drivers to cut the corner on Hillam Drive thus creating an accident hazard before the stop sign was placed there. Mayor Wehmann agreed to write to Mr. Davis in answer to his letter. In connection with the Idaho Falls sewer treatment and maintenance billing. Mayor Wehmann made arrangements to meet with Attorney Anderson and Engineer Benton to review the cal- culations on the recent sewer cost analysis- to de'termineif it would be advisable to contact officials of the EPA in Seattle to discuss some of the revisions being put into effect by the City of Idaho Falls that seem to be in conflict with EPA regulations. I ~ c..o r'- o <t <[ I I March 15, 1979 Councilman Lee reported that an application on the surplus fire engine from the ~7 lNEL site will be submitted soon. He reviewed the fire department report for the month of February, 1979. On the subject of animal control, Mayor Wehmann mentioned that the County is being sued regarding a dog that was killed by the officer south of Ammon, and that a complaint received about the behavior of the dog catcher when he picked up a dog on Brookfield Lane should be referred to the Sheriff. It was noted by Councilman Rowberry that he and Hayse Whiteley had met with Reese Brown and Quayle Dutson pertaining to the new water, sewer, and garbage rates for trailercourts, and a proposal to install a water meter for the Eastgate Mobile Village is being con- sidered. Engineer Benton stated that a meter on the six-inch line serving the trailer- court would not be feasible, and he was asked to check this out and make a recommendation. Agreement was indicated on the arrangement Councilman Rowberry said he made to continue billing Eastgate Mobile Village at the previous rates until a firm decision is reached regarding this matter. Relative to Aimee Ann Estates, Councilman Rowberry mentioned that there has been no change in the developer's feelings about a dry-line sewer system in that proposed county subdivision, and it was requested that Engineer Benton provide the developer's engineering firm with recommendations for the size of well, etc., so the water system will be usuable to the City if and when the area is annexed to the City of Ammon. Councilman Rowberry informed the Mayor and Council members that a water meter has been installed at the grocery store on Eastgate Drive. A report by Councilman Rowberry re- garding his meeting with the County Commissioners on the 17th Street Project costs indicated that a plan to pay the amount due over the next two to three years was accept- able, and a 3-year payment schedule was recommended. Councilman Rowberry agreed to put this in writing in a letter to the Chairman of the County Commissioners. Information presented by Councilman Rowberry on Planning and Zoning Commission business included a report on the second annual dinner for the Commission members which was held on Febru- ary 27th, and a review of action taken at the March 13th meeting which referred the plans on a church building site for the L.D.S. Ammon Stake back to the church for revisions on driveway-entrance locations, etc. Councilwoman Dille brought up the subject of the annual Ammon Days celebration, and it was decided to schedule that event for July 24th, with perhaps some activities on the evening of July 23rd. Applicants for the swimming pool manager position were discussed, and Councilwoman Dille moved that Stephen and Dixie Jensen, 3075 Geneva Drive, be hired to manage the pool for the coming season; the motion was seconded by Councilman Swensen; voting was all in favor; motion carried. Mayor Wehmann recommended that a written con- tract specifying that the pool manager employment be from May 8, 1979, to September 8, 1979, should be signed and that, weather permitting, the pool should be open from May 26, 1979, through September 3, 1979. According to Councilwoman Dille, recommendations on raising the rates at the pool will be forthcoming. Engineer Benton explained that Mrs. Lewis Nielsen, 3217 E. 17th Street, inquired through her attorney about the future location of Midway Avenue north of 17th Street as it relates to the planned annexation proceedings on the Well #7 property and adjoining area, which includes the Nielsen's residential lot, and apparently was satisfied with the proposed change that will place the street some distance to the west so that it will not be adjac- ent to their residence. Also in connection with the planned annexation of the property where Well #7 is located, Engineer Benton mentioned that the present owner of the land formerly owned by Mel Brown is Paul Benton who lives in Utah, and he will send a letter asking for annexation if it is felt to be for the good of the City, even though he has no immediate plans to develop the area. In response to a question by Mayor Wehmann re- garding the repair of streets by the IBSD contractor in Jennie Jean Estates, Engineer Benton pointea out that the Sewer District Board has issued a change order to lay hot mix all the way across the existing pavement, with completion set for August 1, 1979, but the work is to be done as soon as possible. Mayor Wehmann reminded Engineer Benton that the City still is not receiving payment from the Iona-Bonneville Sewer District on sewage flow from homes that are on the south side of the IBSD sewer meter but in the Sewer District. Approval was given to a suggestion made by Public Works Director, Hayse Whiteley, that regular city employees take care of all of the work needed to be done to get the swimming pool ready for operation. Other work items mentioned by Mr. Whiteley included plans to put a hot-mix patch on 17th Street where a broken water main was repaired recently, getting the winter acc~mulation of gravel swept up from the streets, the completion of the repair of a fire hydrant at Sunnyside Road and Central Avenue which was broken off during an auto- mobile accident, the re-occurence of a sewer back-up problem in the 2000 block of Bittern Drive, and the need for a better grate cover at the 17th Street storm sewer pump station. Concerning a water supply for the sprinkler system in the new Peterson Park, it was re- commended that Mr. Whiteley work with the City Engineer to determine if there is a feas- ible way of using water from Well #4 for this purpose at a minimum of expense rather than tapping on to the City water system which might cause a pressure problem in that area. Claims were approved for payment in the amount of $10,810.45. It was moved by Councilman Swensen and seconded by Councilwoman Dille that the meeting adjourn; voting was all in favor; meeting adjourned at 9:30 P.M. ATTEST: d:~ .' '7ta~TY Gill 7-