NEW MELLE BOARD OF ALDERMEN MEETING & PUBLIC HEARINGS

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 15, 2007

MINUTES

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

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

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - RECITED

PUBLIC HEARING: VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION – 4574 HIGHWAY Z

                OPEN PUBLIC HEARING – MAYOR MUSKOPF OPENED THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION REQUESTED BY OCC, LLC FOR THEIR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 4574 HIGHWAY Z.

                PUBLIC COMMENTS ON VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION – A VISITOR ASKED WHERE THE PROPERTY WAS LOCATED.  THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED NEXT TO FRANCIS STREET IN NICHOLE PARC.

                CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING – AS THERE WERE NO FUTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS CLOSED AT 7:03 P.M.

PUBLIC HEARING: SETTING OF 2007 TAX RATE

                OPEN PUBLIC HEARING – MAYOR MUSKOPF OPENED THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE SETTING OF THE 2007 TAX RATE AT 7:04 P.M.

                HEAR PUBLIC COMMENTS ON TAX RATE – THE PROPOSED TAX RATE IS 0.2141 WHICH IS LESS THAN THE 2006 TAX RATE OF 0.2325.

                CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING – AS THERE WERE NO COMMENTS, THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS CLOSED AT

 7:05 P.M.                                                                                                                                                              

SEMI-MONTHLY MEETING -

CORRECTION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES – JULY 18 & AUGUST 1, 2007 – ALDERMAN GREEN MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN JOHNSON TO APPROVE.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION PASSED 3-0.

POLICE REPORT- JULY – CHIEF BURKEMPER REVIEWED THE JULY POLICE REPORT, STATED THAT SIGNS WERE NEEDED TO MARK THE END OF THE SCHOOL ZONE ON HIGHWAY D.  HE WILL CONTACT MODOT TO FIND OUT THE PROCEDURE FOR PLACING THE SIGNS.

                FINANCIAL REPORT - JULY - FINANCIAL DIRECTOR ALANIZ GAVE THE BOARD AN UPDATED INVESTMENT SCHEDULE.  SHE STATED THAT THE $10,000.00 MUNICIPAL COURT CD WOULD BE MATURING ON AUGUST 25.   THE POLICE DEPARTMENT $10,000.00 CD WOULD BE MATURING SOON AND WOULD NEED TO BE DEPOSITED IN THE CITY ACCOUNT SINCE THAT IS THE ACCOUNT THE CD WAS DRAWN FROM AS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DIDN’T HAVE SUFFICIENT FUNDS AT THE TIME IT WAS DEPOSITED.    THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CD WAS EARMARKED FOR POLICE DEPARTMENT SOFTWARD UPGRADE.   ALDERMAN GREEN MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN JOHNSON TO TRANSFER THE COURT CD TO THE CITY UPON ITS MATURITY. ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION CARRIED 3-0.

OLD BUSINESS-

                                CITY HALL MAINTENANCE-

                                                UPDATE ON COMPLETED AND ONGOING PROJECTS – MAYOR MUSKOPF REPORTED THAT THE DUSK-TO-DAWN LIGHTS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ABOVE ALL THREE DOORS; THE PORCH OVERHANGS HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DOOR AND BACK DOOR OF CITY HALL.  THE AWNINGS WILL BE INSTALLED IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, AND THE BOY SCOUTS HAD PAINTED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DECK AND RAILS.

                                                DISCUSSION OF PD UPSTAIRS ESTIMATE - THE BOARD DISCUSSED THE ESTIMATE FOR COMPLETING AN OFFICE FOR THE DARE OFFICER.  AN ELECTRICIAN WILL NEED TO BE CONTACTED FOR ESTIMATES TO RUN THE ELECTRIC IN THE OFFICE.  ALDERMAN JOHNSON MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN ARTEAGA TO COMPLETE THE OFFICE FOR THE DARE OFFICER.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION WAS APPROVED 3-0.

                                                STORAGE SHED – ALDERMAN GREEN ASKED ABOUT COSTS FOR INSTALLING CARPET AND DRYWALL FOR THE COPY AND FILE ROOM IN CITY HALL.   SHE STATED SHE DID NOT WANT TO SPEND MONEY ON THE STORAGE SHED AND ALDERMAN ARTEAGA AGREED.  THE STORAGE SHED WILL BE PLACED ON A WORK SESSION.

                                UPDATE ON WELCOME SIGNS – MAYOR MUSKOPF STATED THAT AS SOON AS THE SIGNED CONTRACTS ARE RECEIVED FROM MODOT, SHE WILL APPLY FOR A PERMIT AND AFTER THE PERMIT IS RECEIVED THE SIGNS WILL BE ORDERED.

                                UPDATE ON MAPS – DARLA – ALDERMAN GREEN STATED THAT SHE AND MAGGIE PETERSON HAD REVEIWED THE BEST WAY TO REACH THE PROPERTIES LOCATED ON OR NEAR HOPEWELL ROAD THAT OWNERS HAVE ASKED TO BE ANNEXED.  THEY DECIDED TO LOOK AT “THE WAY THE CROW FLIES” INSTEAD OF FOLLOWING STREET OR ROADS, AND WILL SEND OUT A MAILING TO APPROXIMATELY 31 PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE FALL AND START HOLDING INFORMAL MEETINGS.

                NEW BUSINESS –

                                BILL NO 275 – VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION – 4574 HIGHWAY Z – 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 3-0.  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 WAS APPROVED 3-0.  ALDERMAN GREEN MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN JOHNSON TO HAVE THE SECOND READING, SHORT FORM.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION CARRIED 3-0.  AFTER THE SECOND READING, ALDERMAN GREEN MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN JOHNSON TO APPROVE.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION PASSED 3-0.  ALDERMAN JOHNSON MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN GREEN TO APPROVE BILL NO 275 AS AN ORDINANCE.  ON A ROLL CALL VOTE, THE MOTION CARRIED 3-0 AS FOLLOWS:  AYES: ALDERMEN TOM JOHNSON, DARLA GREEN AND DIANE ARTEAGA.  NAYS - NONE.  BILL NO 275 IS NOW ORDINANCE NO 265.

                                BILL NO 276 – 2007 TAX RATE – 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 3-0.  AFTER THE FIRST READING, ALDERMAN GREEN MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN JOHNSON TO APPROVE.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION WAS APPROVED 3-0.  ALDERMAN GREEN MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN ARTEAGA TO HAVE THE SECOND READING, SHORT FORM.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION CARRIED 3-0.  AFTER THE SECOND 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 PASSED 3-0.  ALDERMAN GREEN MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN JOHNSON TO APPROVE BILL NO 276 AS AN ORDINANCE.  ON A ROLL CALL VOTE, THE MOTION CARRIED 3-0 AS FOLLOWS:  AYES: ALDERMEN TOM JOHNSON, DARLA GREEN AND DIANE ARTEAGA.  NAYS - NONE.  BILL NO 276 IS NOW ORDINANCE NO 266.

                                POLICE CAR REPLACEMENT DISCUSSION – CHIEF BURKEMPER STATED THAT THE OLDER POLICE CAR WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP GETTING DIAGNOISED FOR THE PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN OCCURRING.  HE PROPOSED LEASING A NEW CHEVROLET FOR A COST OF $18,200.00 RATHER THAN BUYING A USED HIGHWAY PATROL CAR FOR $14,000.00 WHICH WOULD HAVE 55,000 PLUS MILES ON IT.  ALDERMAN GREEN ASKED THE FINANCIAL DIRECTOR IF THE CITY COULD SQUEEZE IT OUT OF THE BUDGET.  FINANCIAL DIRECTOR ALANIZ SAID SHE AGREED WITH CHIEF BURKEMPER WHEN HE SAID IT WAS THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS.  ALDERMAN ARTEAGA MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN JOHNSON TO AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE A LEASE FOR A NEW POLICE CAR.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION PASSED 2-1 WITH ALDERMAN GREEN ABSTAINING.  

                                SETTING CONTRACT POLICIES- THE BOARD AGREED TO SET AN AMOUNT OF ANY BID OR ESTIMATE OVER $1,000.00 WOULD NEED A CONTRACT.  ALDERMAN GREEN MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN ARTEAGA TO SET THE LIMIT OF ANY BID OR ESTIMATE AMOUNT OVER $1,000.00 WOULD NEED A CONTRACT.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION PASSED 3-0.

                OPEN FORUM – SALLY BUTLER STATED THAT CITY HALL WAS LOOKING GOOD AND THE CITY SHOULD CONTINUE WITH IMPROVEMENTS BECAUSE THE CITY HALL IS THE MAIN BUILDING IN A CITY.  SHE ASKED WHY SO MANY CARS WERE STOPPED BY OFFICERS IN FRONT OF TIDD’S REALTY.  CHIEF BURKEMPER STATED IT WAS PROBABLY BECAUSE OF PEOPLE RUNNING THE STOP SIGN.  SHE ALSO WANTED TO KNOW HOW TO CREATE MORE COMMERCIAN IN THE CITY AND STATED THAT WITHOUT ROOFTOPS THERE WOULDN’T BE NEW COMMERCIAL.

REVIEW OF BILLS TO BE PAID – BILLS WERE REVIEWED AND CHECKS SIGNED.

ADJOURNMENT – ALDERMAN GREEN MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN ARTEAGA TO ADJOURN.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION PASSED 3-0.  THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 8:40 P.M