NEW MELLE BOARD OF ALDERMEN MEETING

 WEDNESDAY JULY 18, 2007

MINUTES

CALL TO ORDER – MAYOR MUSKOPF CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 7:00 P.M.

ROLL CALL – ALDERMEN PRESENT:  DIANE ARTEAGA, DARLA GREEN, TOM JOHNSON AND DOUG BICE.  ALSO PRESENT: CITY ATTORNEY STEPHANIE KARR, CITY FINANCIAL DIRECTOR RONNA ALANIZ, POLICE CHIEF AARON BURKEMPER, CITY CLERK JUDY ANDERSON AND SEVERAL VISITORS.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - RECITED

APPROVAL OF MINUTES – JUNE 20 & JULY 2 – ALDERMAN GREEN MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN ARTEAGA TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION PASSED 4-0.

POLICE REPORT -   JUNE – REVIEWED WITH CHIEF BURKEMPER STATING THAT DARE OFFICER BODLEY HAD BEEN INTRODUCED AT THE DANIEL BOONE SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE THIS WEEK AND THE DARE CLASSES WILL BEGIN IN JANUARY.  HE ASKED THE BOARD ABOUT FINISHING AN AREA IN THE UPPER FLOOR OF CITY HALL FOR OFFICER BODLEY TO USE AS AN OFFICE.  TO FINISH THE AREA, SHEET ROCK, ELECTRICAL UPGRADE AND AIR CONDITIONING WOULD NEED TO BE ADDED. THE CITY WILL GET BIDS ON THE COST OF THAT RENOVATION.

FINANCIAL REPORT – JUNE – REVIEWED WITH FINANCIAL DIRECTOR ALANIZ STATING THAT SHE HAD UPDATED THE REPORT TO INCLUDE A PARKS & RECREATION FUND.  ALDERMAN JOHNSON ASKED ABOUT THE POLICE FIXED ASSESTS THAT ARE LISTED IN THE BALANCE SHEET. SHE STATED THAT IT WAS POLICE CARS AND THAT THE ASSETS ACCOUNT WOULD BE UPDATED AT THE END OF THE YEAR. ALDERMAN JOHNSON MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN GREEN TO ACCEPT THE FINANCIAL REPORT.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION WAS APPROVED 4-0.

OLD BUSINESS-

                CITY HALL MAINTENANCE- ALDERMAN JOHNSON REVIEWED THE BIDS HE HAD RECEIVED FOR COMPLETION OF THE FRONT PORCH AND HANDICAP RAMP:  BIDS WERE:  COMPANY NO 1 -$12,000. ; COMPANY NO 2 - $6,200. - COMPOSITE MATERIAL-EVERGREEN, $6,600. FOR A BETTER GRADE OF COMPOSITE MATERIAL, $5,450. USING CEDAR, AND $6,900. USING VINYL.  ALDERMAN JOHNSON WILL GET AN ESTIMATE OF THE COST OF A WRAP-AROUND PORCH WHICH WOULD LINK THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DECK WITH CITY HALL.  ALDERMAN ARTEAGA MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN BICE TO USE THE VINYL MATERIALS AT A COST OF $6,900.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION PASSED 4-0.

 CHIEF BURKEMPER STATED HE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE INFORMATION CONCERNING LEASING A NEW POLICE CAR INSTEAD OF BUYING A USED HIGHWAY PATROL CAR, USING THE COURT CD’S INSTEAD OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUNDS. 

ALDERMAN JOHNSON IS TO MEET WITH A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE ON FRIDAY TO GET A BID ON FINISHING THE INTERIOR AREA OF CITY HALL.  THIS BID WILL INCLUDE INSTALLING THE FRONT DOOR FRAME, PAINTING AND INSTALLING TRIM AND BASE BOARD AROUND THE FRONT DOOR AREA, AND REMOVING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PORCH OVERHANG.  HE WILL ALSO GET A BID FOR THE UPSTAIRS ROOM IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

ALDERMAN ARTEAGA REVIEWED BIDS FOR THE AWNINGS FOR CITY HALL AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.  ALDERMAN BICE MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN GREEN TO INSTALL AWNINGS ABOVE ALL THREE DOORS AS A COST OF $2,330.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION WAS APPROVED 4-0.  THE AWNINGS WILL BE BLACK WITH WHITE LETTERING.

NEW BUSINESS

                BILL NO 271 – AMBULANCE DISTRICT SITE PLAN –

ALDERMAN JOHNSON MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN GREEN TO HAVE THE FIRST READING, SHORT FORM.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION PASSED 4-0.  AFTER THE FIRST READING, ALDERMAN JOHNSON MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN GREEN TO APPROVE.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION CARRIED 4-0.  ALDERMAN JOHNSON MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN GREEN TO HAVE THE SECOND READING, SHORT FORM.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION PASSED 4-0.  AFTER THE SECOND READING, ALDERMAN GREEN MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN BICE TO APPROVE.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION CARRIED 4-0.  ALDERMAN ARTEAGA MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN BICE TO ACCEPT BILL NO 271 AS AN ORDINANCE.  ON A ROLL CALL VOTE, THE MOTION WAS APPROVED AS FOLLOWS:  AYES – ALDERMEN DARLA GREEN, TOM JOHNSON, DOUG BICE AND DIANE ARTEAGA.  NAYS – 0.  BILL NO 271 IS NOW ORDINANCE NO 261.

                BILL NO 272 – BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR ACCOUNTS 4720 & 5450-

ALDERMAN GREEN MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN JOHNSON TO HAVE THE FIRST READING, SHORT FORM.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION PASSED 4-0.  AFTER THE FIRST READING, ALDERMAN GREEN MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN ARTEAGA TO APPROVE.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION CARRIED 4-0.  ALDERMAN GREEN MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN BICE TO HAVE THE SECOND READING, SHORT FORM.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION PASSED 4-0.  AFTER THE SECOND READING, ALDERMAN ARTEAGA MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN BICE TO APPROVE.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION CARRIED 4-0.  ALDERMAN GREEN MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN ARTEAGA TO ACCEPT BILL NO 272 AS AN ORDINANCE.  ON A ROLL CALL VOTE, THE MOTION WAS APPROVED AS FOLLOWS:  AYES – ALDERMEN DARLA GREEN, TOM JOHNSON, DOUG BICE AND DIANE ARTEAGA.  NAYS – 0.  BILL NO 272 IS NOW ORDINANCE NO 262.             

GUEST SPEAKER – JIM GILSTRAP – BROWNFIELD GRANTS –

                ALDERMAN BICE ASKED IF THE CITY APPLIED FOR A GRANT TO CLEAN UP A PROPERTY, WHO IS THE FINAL PURCHASER, AND IS THERE MONEY AVAILABLE IN THE GRANT FOR PURCHASING PROPERTY. MR GILSTRAP EXPLAINED THAT THEIR DEPARTMENT FOCUSES ON ASSESSMENT AND CLEAN-UP AND THERE IS NO MONEY AVAILABLE THROUGH EPA.  HE SUGGESTED INQUIRING INTO A BLOCK GRANT OR WORKING WITH ST. CHARLES COUNTY TO OBTAIN FUNDS.  HE EXPLAINED THAT THE OWNER WOULD NEED TO BE CONTACTED FOR PERMISSION TO CONDUCT PHASE I.  THE COST FOR PHASE 1 WOULD BE $3,000., HOWEVER WITH GRANT FUNDS, THERE WOULD BE NO COST.  PHASE 2 IS THE SAMPLE TAKING PROCESS AND THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE TO BE OBLIGATED TO BUY THE PROPERTY.  IF PROPERTY IS CONTAMINATED, HE SAID THERE ARE GRANTS AND LOW INTEREST LOANS AVAILBLE FOR CLEAN UP.  HE ALSO SAID IF YOU KNEW THE PROPERTY WOULD BE DEVELOPED INTO A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY THAT WOULD EMPLOY 10 OR MORE PEOPLE, TAX CREDITS MIGHT BE AVAILABLE.

                MR. GILSTRAP SAID THE CITY IS NOT OBLIGATED TO COMPLETE THE CLEAN-UP OR REPAIR IF CONTAMINATION IS FOUND.  IF THE SITE IS A THREAT TO THE COMMUNITY OR NATURAL RESOURCES, FREE ASSESSMENTS ARE AVAILABLE TO INFORM THE DEVELOPER WHAT IS THERE.  HE STATED THAT

IT TAKES TIME TO GET CLEAN-UP MONEY, THE DNR DOES NOT HAVE MONEY, AND OWNER WOULD NEED TO APPLY FOR GRANT MONEY AND FIND OUT THE TIME LINE FOR GRANTS.

                MR. GILSTRAP STATED THAT THE CITY WOULD NEED TO DETERMINE IF THEY WANT TO APPLY FOR A BROWNFIELDS GRANT, AND IF SO, FILL OUT THE TWO PAGE APPLICATION, THERE WOULD BE NO OBLIGATION TO CONTINUE.  HE STATED THE CITY COULD DO A CITY-WIDE CORRIDOR STUDY TO LOOK AT ALL PROPERTIES IN THE CITY. 

OPEN FORUM - NONE

PAYMENT OF BILLS- BILLS WERE REVIEWED AND CHECKS SIGNED.

ADJOURNMENT- ALDERMAN ARTEAGA MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN BICE TO ADJOURN.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION PASSED 4-0.  THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 8:50 P.M.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED                                       ACCEPTED

JUDITH A ANDERSON, CLERK                                       JAN MUSKOPF, MAYOR