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1840 Second Street, PO Box 189, Columbia City, OR 97018  (503) 397-4010

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City Council Meeting Minutes

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THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 2008

 

CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS

 

CITY OF COLUMBIA CITY, COLUMBIA COUNTY, OREGON

 

AGENDA ITEM 1        CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL:

 

                                    CONVENED:

 

Mayor Cheryl A. Young called the regular meeting to order at 7:35 p.m.   Mayor Young delivered the invocation and led the flag salute.

 

COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT:

                                     

                             Mayor Cheryl A. Young

                             Councilor Bill Guy

                             Councilor Gary Hudson

                             Councilor Sally Ann Marson

                             Councilor Bob Schmor

 

                             COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT:

 

                             None

 

                             ALSO PRESENT:

 

Jeff Anderson, Public Works Superintendent

Leahnette Rivers, City Administrator/Recorder

 

                             ATTORNEY PRESENT:

                  

                   None.

 

                             A quorum was present and due notice had been published.

 

AGENDA ITEM 2        PUBLIC HEARINGS:

 

None.

 

AGENDA ITEM 3        CITIZEN INPUT:

 

None.

 

AGENDA ITEM 7        NEW BUSINESS:

 

7.1      Financial Report for the Year Ended June 30, 2007.  Presentation of the City of Columbia City Financial Report for the year ended June 30, 2007.

 

Kenny Rogers of Pauly, Rogers and Co., presented the Financial Report for the year ended June 30, 2007 to the Mayor and City Council.  He reviewed the details of the report, which contained an unqualified opinion, along with the accompanying management letter.  He explained that a lot of new auditing standards have come forward during the past two years, which he discussed in detail with the Mayor and Council.  He said he expects the newest set of auditing standards to increase auditing fees by 5% to 10% during the upcoming year.

 

AGENDA ITEM 4        COUNCIL REPORTS: 

 

4.1      Parks Committee:  Chair Marson said the Parks Committee met on March 18.  Jeff said he visited the County Surveyor's Office in an effort to obtain additional information about the location of the north property line in Jim Bundy Memorial Park.  He said they have located one corner pin along the northern property line.

 

4.2      Water Source and Development Committee:  Chair Guy said the Water Committee met to review where we are with the well project, and to discuss updates to the Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan.

 

Jeff said they have the water sample results back for the new distribution piping, and they are ready to drain the water storage reservoir to prepare for the tie-in to the distribution system.

 

4.3      Streets Committee:    Chair Hudson said the Street Committee met to discuss the "A" Street project and review updates to the Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan.  He said the Committee will meet again in April to discuss the development of a Master Plan for the Sixth Street Improvement Project.

 

Leahnette said the survey work has been completed for the "A" Street project.  She said a collector street requires 40 feet between curbs for two 12-foot travel lanes and two 8-foot parking shoulders.  However, she said there is only 36 feet between the existing curbs. 

 

It was the consensus of the Council that this item be referred to the Street Committee for further review and a recommendation.

 

4.4      Sewer Committee:  No report.

 

4.5      Library report:   No report.

 

4.6      Other reports:  Councilor Guy said he is currently looking into some lighting options for the Community Hall.  Leahnette said she's made contact with the Columbia River PUD, and they are in the process of conducting an energy audit of the Community Hall and the City Hall.

 

Councilor Marson questioned the status of the Quiet Zone.  Leahnette said the signed and stamped engineered drawings for the "I" and "E" Street intersection modifications were just put in the mail, and she will forward them to ODOT as soon as she receives them.

 

AGENDA ITEM 5        CONSENT AGENDA:

 

5.1      Approval of the Financial Reports for the period ending February 29, 2008.

5.2      Written report from the Chief of Police.

5.3      Written report from the City Administrator/Recorder.

 

MOVED (GUY), SECONDED (SCHMOR) AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY BY ROLL CALL VOTE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

 

AGENDA ITEM 6        UNFINISHED BUSINESS: 

 

None.

 

 

AGENDA ITEM 7        NEW BUSINESS (continued):

 

7.2      Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) and Insurance:  Discuss COLA and insurance costs for fiscal year 2008/09.

 

The Mayor and Council reviewed a memo dated March 14, 2008, from Leahnette Rivers explaining that the City's medical and dental insurance premiums are expected to increase by about 10% this year, while vision insurance premiums should drop by about 7%. 

 

After reviewing the changes in the Consumer Price Index for US City Average and Portland-Salem OR-WA, it was the consensus of the Council that a 4% COLA be included in the 2008/09 budget.

 

7.3      Council Bill No. 08-471; Resolution No. 08-907-R:  A Resolution authorizing a loan from the Water Development Fund to the Water Capital Projects Fund during fiscal year 2007/08.

 

MOVED (SCHMOR), SECONDED (HUDSON) AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY TO  ADOPT COUNCIL BILL NO. 08-471.

 

7.4      Special City Allotment (SCA) Agreement:  Year 2008 SCA Agreement between the State of Oregon and the City of Columbia City.

 

MOVED (SCHMOR), SECONDED (MARSON) AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY TO AUTHORIZE SIGNATURE TO SCA AGREEMENT

 

AGENDA ITEM 8        OTHER BUSINESS:

                  

Property appraisal:  Leahnette said Jeff Benham will conduct a commercial appraisal of the library building for between $1,000 and $1,250.  Council Marson said we should make sure that the funding agency will honor the appraisal so we don't end up paying for it twice.

 

MOVED (SCHMOR), SECONDED (HUDSON) AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY TO AUTHORIZE JEFF BENHAM TO CONDUCT THE COMMERCIAL APPRAISAL PROVIDED THE LENDING AGENCY WILL HONOR THE APPRAISAL AND NOT REQUIRE A SECOND APPRAISAL.

 

Seasonal Utility Worker:  Leahnette said interviews were conducted and Randall Christophersen of Rainier has been selected to fill the Seasonal Utility Worker position.  She said he is giving his current employer two weeks notice and he will start work on April 7, 2008.

 

Retaining wall blocks:  Council Schmor asked when we will be getting rid of the excess retaining wall blocks that are being stored along Third Street.  Jeff said he's given up on Dean Harper because he isn't returning his calls.  He said he's called Hardscape, where the blocks were originally purchased, and they'll send a truck out to pick them up and they'll credit us the cost of the block.

 

Smith Road:  Jeff said the County has temporarily repaired Smith Road and it is open again to thru traffic.

 

AGENDA ITEM 9        ADJOURNMENT: 

 

There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.

 

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