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.
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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.
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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.
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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:
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