~~March 3, 2014
Regular Board Meeting
The Board of Aldermen held a regular meeting on Monday night March 3, 2014 at 7:00 PM. Those present included Mayor Greg Richmond, Alderpersons Calvin Wilson, Alice Kezar and Bill Hess. Also present were City Supervisor David Brodie, Chief Curt Drake, Municipal Judge Clyde Davidson, Emergency Management Director Denis Kolb and City Clerk Paula Brodie. Guests included Gina Girdner, Kelson Rehobson, Inderson Rehobson, Joe Boyer and Katrina Hine from McDonald County Press.
Ald. Kohley was not present.
The Mayor called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM.
The Board of Aldermen discussed the minutes from the regular meeting on Tuesday February 18, 2014. Ald. Hess moved to approve the minutes from the regular meeting on February 18, 2014. Ald. Kezar seconded. Ald. Ald., Kezar, Hess and Wilson voted aye with 0 nays.
Citizens business:
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1. The Clerk noted that Lilly Jean Igisomar could not attend and asked for the Board to move her agenda item too the 18th of March, 2014.
2. The Mayor noted that Ashley Vance was next on the agenda however she was not present.
3. The Mayor acknowledged Mr. Rehobson who was present to speak for the Micronesian Church. Mr. Rehobson asked David to explain what had happened. David told the Board that they had a leak on the inside of the Church and after searching for it they had found it and fixed it. He told the Board that the Church had paid to have a new line ran from the main to their building. He stated that Mr. Rehobson was present to see if the Board would average the bill since they had gotten the leak fixed.
Ald. Wilson moved to approve the averaging of the Micronesian Church’s water bill. Ald. Hess seconded. Ald. Hess, Kezar and Wilson voted aye with 0 nays.
The Mayor noted that Gina Girdner who was not on the agenda was present to discuss her utility bill. She asked the Board to average her water/sewer Bill. She said that it was her outside hydrant that was leaking and that the hydrant is on the opposite side of the house that they enter. She said she did not even know she had a leak until she came home and found her water had been shut off and she called the city hall to find out why. She stated she was glad the City checked for high use and was glad they had shut it off. She noted that as soon as she was told by the City she had it fixed right away. She asked that her bill be averaged.
Ald. Hess moved to average her water/sewer bill. Ald. Wilson seconded. Ald. Kezar, Wilson and Hess voted aye with 0 nays.
4. The Mayor acknowledged Joe Boyer regarding a request to be allowed to put a double wide trailer back on his property. Mr. Boyer noted that his last double wide had burned down in February of 2013. He gave pictures of a new doublewide that he was purchasing and asked the Board to allow him to put it in the lot where his other home had been. He said that he was going to move the doublewide closer to the front of the lot. The Mayor asked Mr. Boyer if he had received a list of the requirements to install a doublewide and Mr. Boyer said he had.
Ald. Wilson moved to approve Mr. Boyer’s variance request. Ald. Kezar seconded. Ald. Kezar, Wilson and Hess voted aye with 0 nays.
The Board began the business section of the meeting starting with unfinished business:
1. The mayor read by title only the second reading of Bill # 2014-444 for Ordinance # 2014-454 adding Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President’s Day, Columbus Day and Veterans’ Day to the City Code.
Ald. Wilson moved to approve the second reading of Bill# 2014-444 for Ordinance # 2014-454 adding Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President’s Day, Columbus Day and Veterans’ Day to the City Code. Ald. Hess seconded. Ald. Hess, Kezar and Wilson voted aye with 0 nays.
2. The Mayor read by title only the second reading of Bill# 2014-445 for Ordinance #2014-455 allowing an employee or owner of a meat processing plant to discharge a firearm for the purpose completing the meat processing process and only on the property of the meat processing plant.
Ald. Kezar moved to approve the second reading of Bill# 2014-445 for Ordinance # 2014-455 allowing an employee or owner of a meat processing plant to discharge a firearm for the purpose completing the meat processing process and only on the property of the meat processing plant. Ald. Wilson seconded. Ald. Kezar, Wilson and Hess voted aye with 0 nays.
New Business:
1. The Board discussed filling the open Recreation Board Directors position. Clyde Davidson said that Michael Wasson cannot take the position because of his job but that he had said he would be willing to help when he can. Clyde stated that he had asked the Recreation Board to get together and decide who they would recommend to be appointed to the position. He stated that the County Board wanted the number of teams for each city by the 27th of March, so that they can get the schedule together. Clyde said that a decision needed to be made as soon as possible. He said that he would be willing to host a meeting with the parents of children who want to play ball and the Recreation Board to see if anyone would be willing to accept the position and to get interested people on the Recreation Board. He said he would see if he could hold the meeting at the school. It was decided that it was too late to run a notice in the paper to hold a meeting next week but Clyde said he was willing to draw up some flyers to be handed out either at the school or during the last basketball games that are being held at the school.
Clyde informed the Board that the Betterment Club was still planning on taking care of the gazebo at the ballpark. He said that the Betterment Club had decided to hire Crow Fabrication to do the work. He said that Chad Crow had said he would do part of the work as a volunteer. He noted that Mr. Crow would set the I- beams and the poles.
Katrina Hine said that Southwest City is having the same trouble. She said they are trying to get all volunteers to help. They are going to take the funds from the City to pay for all supplies, T-Shirts and equipment out of what the Recreation Board Director would have been paid.
Clyde stated that volunteers where needed however the County will need one contact person. Clyde told the Board that one of the things that keep people from signing up for the Goodman Recreation Board director is the amount of mowing. He said that if the city could keep up the fields and mow behind the Community Building it might help. It was noted that the field behind the community building was not in any shape to mow, but the City employees keep it brush hogged.
Clyde stated again that he would see about getting a meeting scheduled to find out if there is any interest in keeping up the Goodman Recreation Department. The Mayor stated that he felt that would be the best way to handle it.
2. The Board discussed the city employees’ health insurance. The Clerk noted that the out of pocket expense for the employees will go from $1,000.00 to $ 6,300.00. She noted that Anthem did not offer any other selections for the Board to look at. She stated that Tim Roark the City’s agent is looking into other choices, but recommended at this time to let the policy renew as is. She said that Tim said that the policy could be dropped at any time. The Clerk noted that the premium did go down, do to the hirer out of pocket expense. She told the Board that the premium is about $1,000.00 less a month and will be due on the first of each month instead of the 15th as the policy is now.
Ald. Wilson asked if the Board could take the excess that they had budgeted this year; put it in to a special account to help the employees pay the out of pocket expense. The Clerk recommended that she be allowed to talk with City Attorney Duane Cooper and Auditor Nick Myers for suggestions. The Board agreed to have her talk with both of them to find out what the City’s options would be.
Ald. Wilson moved to approve accepting the new policy from Anthem. Ald. Hess seconded. Ald. Kezar, Hess and Wilson voted aye with 0 nays.
The Department heads gave the following reports:
a. Chief Drake- reported that they now have all of the mobile radios units installed and all of the portable radios. He said he would like to thank the Local Law enforcement Block Grant for their help in providing the funds to purchase the radios.
b. David Brodie-reported that he had several mechanical problems at the Treatment Plant. He noted that a blower and motor had gone out and since the plant could not run without them, he had gone ahead and ordered them with the Mayor’s permission. He said he was lucky enough to find the blower in stock at a company in Terre Haute Ind. He said that the blower had been delivered and was already installed. He also noted that he thought the air compressor was going out. He told the Board that the plant is 23 years old and needs constant repairs to keep it running correctly.
c. Denis Kolb- noted that the monthly tornado drill will be on Thursday this week instead of on Tuesday.
d. Dawn Bunch – monthly report in packets.
e. Paula Brodie – briefed the Board on a meeting of Camp Crowder’s 2014 Joint Land Use Study that she had attended. She noted that one of the things that came out of the meeting was that 1st Lieutenant Snyder will be notifying the City Hall from now on when they are discharging loud implosives at the camp. She said that they were not aware that people in Goodman call City Hall to find out what the loud explosions were. She stated that now the clerks will be better informed to pass the information along to the citizens.
– noted that she had attended a Harry S. Truman Coordinating Council meeting where she heard Greg Bramwell from Rural Development say that they should be getting funds to help communities purchase storm sirens. She stated that she had asked him for information and he had emailed her that the City’s median household income, would allow them to receive a maximum grant eligibility of 35%. The Board noted that at the cost of the sirens there would not be enough grant funding to help purchase the siren.
– stated that Michael Keels had sent her an email stating that the cost to cover the camera and sound for video conferencing would cost about $1,000.00.
The Board discussed the bills including transfers in the amount of $15,463.78. Ald. Wilson moved to approve the bills including transfers in the amount of $15,463.78. Ald. Kezar seconded. Ald. Kezar, Hess and Wilson voted aye with 0 nays.
Ald. Hess moved to adjourn. Ald. Wilson seconded. Ald. Kezar, Hess and Wilson voted aye with 0 nays.