HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-06-29 Minutes, City Commission
MINUTES OF THE AGENDA MEETING/WORK SESSION/SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE CITY COMMISSION
BOZEMAN, MONTANA
June 29, 1998
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. The Commission of the City of Bozeman met in agenda meeting, work session and
special meeting in the Commission Room, Municipal Building, on Monday, June 29, 1998, at
3:00 p.m. Present were Mayor Stiff, Commissioner Smiley, Commissioner Rudberg,
Commissioner Frost, Commissioner Youngman, City Manager Johnson, Assistant City Manager
Brey, City Attorney Luwe and Clerk of the Commission Sullivan.
Agenda Meeting - for regular meeting and Dublic hearinas to be held on Julv 6, 1998
Since this is an agenda meeting, only those issues requiring staff action are contained
in the minutes.
City Manager Johnson briefly reviewed the background information which was included
. in the Commissioners' packets.
(4) The City Manager stated that Kathy Gallagher has requested an opportunity
to address the Commission regarding a trail which has been constructed in the "doughnut area"
by the Gallatin Valley Land Trust. He noted that she recognizes the Commission has no
decision authority, but wishes to bring the matter to their attention.
(5 ) Assistant Planning Director Debbie Arkell gave a brief overview of this
preliminary plat, identifying the recommended conditions which the applicant wishes to see
deleted or amended. Those include (1) the requirement that the second westbound lane of
West Oak Street be constructed adjacent to this property and (2) the installation of sidewalks
along Baxter Lane.
Responding to Commissioner Rudberg, the Assistant Planning Director stated that the
. condition pertaining to constructing an additional lane on West Oak Street will probably become
a standard condition for all future subdivisions and developments along that roadway.
(6) Associate Planner Chris Saunders briefly highlighted this application and gave
a summary of the conditions recommended for approval.
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(7) Assistant Planning Director Debbie Arkell distributed copies of a memo she has
prepared for the Development Review Committee to consider as they address the final site plan
for Sundance Springs. She briefly summarized the memo, noting that she found the four
criteria for final site plans for planned unit developments have been met.
. The Assistant Planning Director then laid out the landscape plan which was submitted
as part of the preliminary plat and the plan that has been submitted for final plat review. She
noted that the final plat for Phase I includes 66 single-family residential lots in Phase I-A and
two commercial lots in Phase I-B, which is one more residential lot than proposed in the
preliminary plat. She then indicated that the lots are not as deep as shown on the preliminary
plat, thus providing a wider open space between the lots than originally planned.
Planning Director Epple stressed that, even though the open space has been widened,
the requirement that the rear 20 feet of each lot be left open and in more native grasses and
plantings has not been removed.
Responding to Commissioner Smiley, the Assistant Planning Director estimated that the
lots on the final plat generally range from .3 to .4 acre, which is slightly smaller than the sizes
. shown on the preliminary plat. She then indicated that the open space will belong to the
Homeowners' Association.
Commissioner Rudberg asked if this item can be placed on the consent agenda, like
other final plats, since the issues regarding open space have now been resolved.
City Manager Johnson indicated that this item could be moved to the consent agenda.
He noted, however, that one Commissioner can remove an item from the consent agenda and,
since he has received a request that it not be placed on the consent agenda, he will leave it as
a line item.
In response to questions from Commissioner Frost, Planning Director Andy Epple
reviewed the changes between the preliminary plat and the final plat. He then stated that with
the shorter lots on the final plat, 10.9 acres more in open space has been provided than was
. reflected in the final plat submitted a few weeks ago.
Responding to Mayor Stiff, the Planning Director stated that no public use will be
allowed on the 20-foot rear portion of the deeded lots.
Assistant Planning Director Arkell stated that the open space between lots is for the
property owners in the subdivision. She noted that the trails through the subdivision will be
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designated for public use, through easements, but the open space will not be open to the
public.
Planning Director Epple stated that City staff members are working to complete the
technical review of the final plat and submit their findings for Commission action at next
. week's meeting. He cautioned, however, that in light of current workloads, it is possible this
item will need to be moved to the next agenda.
Responding to the City Manager, the Assistant Planning Director stated that the tree
species is binding, but the locations are general. The Planning Director indicated there is some
limited latitude for exchanging tree species within types of trees, such as large canopy tree~.
small canopy trees, deciduous trees or evergreen trees.
At the City Manager's request, City Attorney Luwe briefly responded to th,:
discrepancy between the Findings of Fact and-the Order for this subdivision, pertaining to th'-
floodplain. He stated that after a review of the minutes and the Findings of Fact and Order.
and recognizing that the Order is the binding document, he feels the discrepancy doesn't create
a problem, based on his initial, quick review. He cautioned that, depending on the results 01
. a more comprehensive, in-depth review, his opinion could change prior to next week's meeting.
Commissioner Youngman noted that' in a memo dated in the fall of 1995, the
developers had promised not to build in the 100-year or 500-year floodplain.
City Attorney Luwe responded that the minutes, including the conditions of approval,
and the Findings of Fact and Order, which were reviewed and approved by the Commission,
are the binding documents.
Commissioner Youngman noted that when this application was reviewed and approved.
the applicant made several commitments; and those items were not included in the conditions
because they had been offered by the applicant and there appeared to be no need to include
them. She then noted that much concern was voiced about the impacts that development in
the sensitive areas might have on downstream properties. She expressed concern that several
. of the lots shown on this final plat do not meet the commitments made by the applicant when
the preliminary plat was processed and approved.
City Attorney Luwe indicated that he will carefully review the minutes from the pre-
application and the preliminary plat review prior to next week's meeting.
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Responding to additional questions from Commissioner Youngman, Planning Director
Epple stated that the Soil Conservation Service acts on all proposals to rehabilitate or relocate
the water course and ensures that erosion control techniques are properly accomplished.
Responding to City Manager Johnson, the City Attorney stated the final plat is
. reviewed to ensure that the conditions attached to approval of the preliminary plat have been
met and that it meets all of the regulations in place and, if those items have been met, then the
final plat should be approved. He then stated that if the preliminary plat appears to have been
approved based on insufficient or inaccurate information, then the next step would be to
reconsider the preliminary plat, which includes another public hearing.
Commissioner Youngman expressed concern about the precedent that approving this
final plat, which is significantly different from the preliminary plat, might set. She suggested
that it could encourage developers to bring in a final plat that is substantially different from the
preliminary plat, along with an explanation that it addresses miscalculations in the preliminary
plat, and expect to gain approval.
Commissioner Smiley suggested that, at this time, the issue is tightening up procedures
. to make sure this type of problem does not arise again.
Commissioner Youngman characterized the floodplain as a public health and safety
issue.
( 15) Associate Planner Chris Saunders provided a brief overview, reminding the
Commission that the application to allow development of the Bozeman Athletic Club West was
approved in 1996; however, at that time, the need for a deviation to the height limitation was
overlooked. He indicated that staff and the Design Review Board have reviewed the application
and recommend approval, subject to two conditions.
In response to questions from the City Manager about how the height of a building is
calculated, Planning Director Epple drew a diagram to show how the height is determined.
( 16) City Manager Johnson stated that, distributed just prior to the meeting, was
. a letter from the Bozeman Deaconess Health Services requesting that this public hearing be
continued to September 21, 1998.
The City Attorney recommended that the public hearing be readvertised if it is
continued to September 21 because of the time lapse involved. He then cautioned that if
anyone wishes to provide input on Monday night, the Commission must accept it.
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Commissioner Rudberg recognized that there could be changes in the application
between now and September 21, and testimony received at this time may not be applicable
as a result of those changes.
The City Attorney stressed that if there are substantial changes in the application, it
. must go back through the Planning Board for review prior to Commission action.
The Commissioners agreed that continuing the public hearing, as requested by the
applicant, would be appropriate.
Break - 4:10 to 4:15 D.m.
Mayor Stiff declared a break from 4: 10 p.m. to 4: 15 p.m. to allow the Commissioners
and staff an opportunity to relocate for the work session.
Roll Call. Pledge of Allegiance and Moment of Silence
The meeting was opened with the roll call, Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of
silence.
.
Work Session - (A) Discussion toidentifvpossible issues for legislation in uDcoming leaislative
session; and (B) UDdate re Habitat for Humanitv - Dean Drenk
(A) Discussion to identify possible issues for legislation in upcoming
legislative session
Included in the Commissioners' packets was a listing of the municipal issues which
have been identified by the Montana League of Cities and Towns for the 1999 Legislature.
Assistant City Manager Ron Breygave a briefoverview on some of the items contained
in that listing, noting that many of them were discussed in detail during the Board meeting held
in Helena last Friday. He noted that taxation issues are of primary concern. He indicated that
a constitutional challenge of 58195 was filed last week, and this issue will likely be back before
the Legislature as well. He stated that some kind of local option taxation ability will probably
. be sought once again, since this type of legislation allows for recognizing the differences
between the eastern and western parts of the state.
The Assistant City Manager stated that the Legislature will be asked to recognize the
impacts on local communities from 8 million tourists each year, with some funding sought to
offset those impacts. He stated that the City of Missoula is beginning to quantify some of
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those impacts, and he proposes to take similar steps in Bozeman, particularly in the areas of
police and fire. He noted that one of the funding sources being considered is the bed tax,
stressing the importance of getting the hotel industry to recognize the impacts that tourism has
on a city's infrastructure and services. He stated that monies from the bed tax could be
. specifically earmarked to address those impacts.
Assistant City Manager Brey stated that building, zoning and land use issues are also
important to cities, with an emphasis on local control. He noted that Missoula is looking at the
requirements for zoning protest and may seek a change; however, that change does not seem
to have any direct impact on the way that Bozeman conducts its business.
The Assistant City Manager turned his attention to the Treasure State Endowment
Program, noting that annual allocations of those monies, coupled with annual project
determinations, will be sought. He noted that Bozeman has received no monies from this
program, and he hopes to see a bill that gives communities like Bozeman an opportunity to
compete for those monies.
Assistant City Manager Brey stated that at the Board meeting, the Mayor from Miles
. City indicated he has been engaged in discussions with the Department of Transportation
regarding management of their Main Street. He characterized their situation as being similar
to Bozeman's.
The Assistant City Manager stated that on July 17, the Montana League of Cities and
Towns Legislative Committee will convene, and Administrative Services Director Miral Gamradt
is Bozeman's representative on that committee.
Assistant City Manager Ron Brey identified some in-house issues upon which legislation
may be sought, including workers' compensation and liability issues revolving around voluntet I
services. He noted that revisions to these requirements could allow high school students in tht~
honor program and possibly those sentenced to community service through the court system
to perform work for the City. He noted another issue is legislation to allow citations to be
. issued based on electronic devices and photographs. He also indicated that some of the
Administrative Rules of Montana may need revision, particularly as they apply to discharge
levels from the Wastewater Treatment Plant versus discharge levels for septic systems. He
noted another issue is to establish the same trigger level for bidding under Gas Tax funds as
the standard bid requirements, which will mean an increase from $4,000 to $25,000.
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Mayor Stiff requested that further discussion on this item be deferred to allow for
presentation of the next work session item.
(8) Update re Habitat for Humanity - Dean Drenk
City Manager Clark Johnson stated that Mr. Dean Drenk has requested an opportunity
. to give the Commission an update on the Habitat for Humanity program.
Mr. Dean Drenk stated he has been in Bozeman for the past 21 years and has been
involved with the Habitat for Humanity for the past three or four years, and is now a member
of the Board of Directors in Bozeman. He stated that under this Jimmy Carter project, an
incredible amount of affordable housing has been constructed for families with low incomes.
Mr. Drenk distributed information sheets on the local Habitat for Humanity program,
noting that the housing serves families with incomes up to the low $20,000s per year. He
noted that Habitat is working on its tenth house in this area, with the other nine houses
currently being occupied. He stated that these homes are constructed at a cost lower than the
market cost because of the volunteer labor and, as a result, the mortgage amount is lower.
Mr. Drenk stated that Habitat is now incurring problems finding land upon which to
. construct affordable houses. He noted that under this program, loans for Habitat homes are
at no interest, so the payment on a $50,000 loan is $418.22 per month. He expressed
concern that if land cannot be found for the construction of more affordable homes, the costs
of a $20,000 lot would be added to the price of the house, thus pricing the homes out of the
range of low-income families.
Mr. Drenk characterized the houses constructed under the Habitat program as being
fairly nominal houses, approximately 1,000 square feet in size and not luxurious. He noted that
the program does, however, allow qualifying families to get into houses for approximately 1/3
of what it would cost under a commercial venture.
Mr. Drenk stated that Habitat has constructed one to two homes per year. They
recognize the need for more of this type of housing and feel there is the potential to construct
. up to four houses per year, if land can be found. He noted that many of the homes have been
constructed in Belgrade because that is where the land has been available.
Responding to City Manager Johnson, Mr. Drenk stated that Habitat chose to issue no
interest loans rather than low-interest loans because, if ten to twenty houses are built in the
area, there will be adequate revenues from the payments on those loans to fund the
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construction of another house each year without any interest revenues. He indicated that the
no interest loan is actually the national organization's idea, and he does not know if that is a
suggestion or a requirement of the pr()gram.
Further responding to the City Manager, Mr. Drenk stated the guidelines from the
. national organization are for the houses to be designed without garages. He stated, however,
that the two Habitat houses in the HRDC development on North 24th Avenue were designed
and constructed with garages so they would blend into the area and meet the requirements of
HRDC.
Responding to Commissioner Rudberg, Mr. Drenk confirmed that any increase in costs
will create a burden on really low-income families. He stated that the Board does not want to
take any steps that will increase the payments.
Further responding to Commissioner Rudberg, Mr. Drenk stated that it is his
understanding the national organization asks for a 1 a-percent donation to its program for
constructing homes internationally. He noted that many of the homes constructed in other
countries can cost significantly less than those constructed in the United States, indicating that
. the average costs in some countries is $2,000.
Commissioner Rudberg stated she feels the program, with its 500 hours of sweat
equity, provides a wonderful opportunity for low-income families, particularly since it gives a
sense of ownership.
Mr. Drenk stated that working on the Habitat houses has been a good experience for
him as well, as he has watched a low-income family realize the dream of owning a home. He
then indicated that the Board has discussed the possibility of building some slightly more
expensive homes, to serve families with a slightly higher income than is currently being served.
Commissioner Rudberg noted that former President Jimmy Carter is a fly fisherman,
and suggested that Habitat could take advantage of attracting him to this area, using that as
an opportunity for a fund raiser as well.
. Responding to Mayor Stiff, Mr. Drenk stated that, under the provisions of the
mortgage, if the owner of the home sells it for a significant profit, Habitat gets a percentage
of the gain, as well as having the mortgage paid off. He indicated that a mortgage is paid off
after twenty years, and the owner of the home would not be required to pay a percentage of
the gain to Habitat if the home is sold after that time.
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The Commission thanked Mr. Drenk for his presentation.
(A) Discussion to identify possible issues for legislation in upcoming
legislative session (continued)
Assistant City Manager Brey stated that, at the staff level, additional items include a
funding bill for transportation funds. He n,oted that a meeting is to be held in Helena on July
. 8 to discuss the allocation of the enhancement funds. He stated that another issue is the
aggregation of electrical energy consumers in a pilot program sponsored by the League, in an
effort to lower the costs to municipalities.
City Manager Johnson stated that staff would like to seek a change to Section
7-33-4123, which requires that the suspension or termination of a firefighter be submitted to
the Commission for its consideration. He suggested that this issue should be handled in a
manner more in keeping with how the rest of the City staff is handled.
Responding to Commissioner Rudberg, the City Manager stated he thinks an increase
in the telephone line charge for 9-1-1 services will be sought, increasing it to $1.00 per month.
Responding to Commissioner Youngman, the Assistant City Manager stated that staff
has not reviewed the list of issues developed by the Gallatin Council of Governments for the
. last legislative session.
Commissioner Youngman stated that issues like the resort tax, the real estate transfer
fee, housing issues, taxation issues and the housing trust fund legislation are items which
should also be considered. She suggested that the Gallatin Council of Governments be used
again this year, stressing the importance of support from other communities when seeking
approval of legislation requests. She also noted that local government can best influence
legislators before they are elected, and stated that it is important to identify the legislator who
will sponsor a bill and having the bill initially drafted prior to the start of the legislative session.
Assistant City Manager Brey noted that the League feels it has general membership
support on the legislation identified in the memo. He stated that the League will support
. legislation forwarded by individual municipalities whenever possible, but will not take an active
sponsorship role. He then cautioned there are issues that are best not raised because of the
potential that they could open bigger cans of worms, citing subdivision regulations as an
example.
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Commissioner Youngman noted it is important to recognize the need for a stronger
lobbying effort on a state-wide basis to enhance the possibility of getting legislation passed,
citing that local control and strategies for making ends meet as examples.
Commissioner Smiley suggested the possibility of bundling some of the smaller items,
. noting it may be difficult to get a legislator to carry them individually.
Commissioner Rudberg noted that there are issues impacting municipalities about which
local legislators are not aware, and she feels that making them aware of those issues is
important. She stated that mandates without monies, from both the federal and the state
governments, is one of her primary concerns. She then indicated that a united front from
Gallatin County and all the municipalities in the county will carry more weight than just a
Bozeman effort.
City Manager Johnson stated that it will be difficult to find consensus on some of the
issues. He noted, however, that he feels an educational meeting for the legislators and
candidates could be beneficial.
Commissioner Youngman noted that before the election, one can constructively
. negotiate with candidates. She also suggested that it may be beneficial for the candidates to
know what the critical municipal issues are prior to the election.
Commissioner Smiley stated she feels it is important for legislators to understand the
impacts of mandates with no monies.
Mayor Stiff stated that local option taxes are important, particularly since Montana is
"almost like two states voting as one". He noted that the needs and opportunities in eastern
Montana are significantly different from those in western Montana.
Assistant City Manager Brey noted that one argument against local option taxes is that
they push the possibility of a state-wide sales tax further into the future.
City Manager Johnson stated that, based on the discussion, it appears the
Commissioners would like to meet with the County Commissioners to see if there are any
. issues that should be addressed.
Commissioner Youngman suggested that the list developed by the Gallatin Council of
Governments two years ago be used as the base for developing this year's list.
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Discussion - FYI Items
City Manager Johnson presented to the Commission the following "For Your
Information" items.
( 1 ) Two copies of the form letter encouraging the Commission to address the need
. for a stop light at the intersection of North 19th Avenue and West Beall Street.
(2) Letter from Shirley Luhrsen, 1822 West Beall Street, dated June 24, indicating
support for Commissioner Frost's comments regarding the proposed budget for the upcoming
fiscal year.
(3) Letter from Joyce Lee, dated June 23, regarding impact fees.
(4) Letter from Ed McCrone, 2150 Story Mill Road, dated June 21, encouraging
the Commission to support efforts to save the historic Story Mill and make it a viable parcel in
the city.
(5) Notice of the "Hoops for Our Schools" fund raiser scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on
Thursday, June 23, at the Lindley Park Center.
(6) Letter from Sweet Pea '98 inviting the Commissioners to participate in this
. year's parade.
(7) Agenda for the Development Review Committee meeting to be held at 10:00
a.m. on Tuesday, June 30, in the Commission Room.
(8) Agenda for the County Commission meeting to be held at 1 :30 p.m. on
Tuesday, June 3D, at the County Courthouse.
(9) City Manager Johnson submitted his weekly report, as follows. (1) Met with
staff people from Senator Baucus' office last week regarding general issues of concern. He
also met with a staff member this morning about the visitors' center, and stated that Senator
Baucus is very interested in seeing that project completed.
(10) In response to a question regarding the letter to the Commission from Farmhouse
Partners, City Manager Johnson stated he has spoken with Mr. Dabney several times during
. the past week about the sewer line which serves his development. He noted that a section of
main approximately 1,000 feet long is undersized, and is one of the bottlenecks to which staff
refers. He indicated that this section of sewer line extends under the railroad tracks and the
interstate, and the initial estimated cost of replacing that short section of line is $100,000,
with the 1,OOO-foot section costing between $1 and $2 million. He then stated that Mr.
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Dabney is to provide the monitoring of the sewer line at one particular manhole and, if there
is adequate capacity to serve the second phase of Farmhouse Apartments without any
improvements being made to the sewer line, no improvements will be required. He noted that
if adequate capacity is not available, the City will work with Mr. Dabney in an effort to identify
. the funding sources for the project, since it is not listed in the impact fee capital improvement
program.
(11 ) Responding to Commissioner Smiley, City Attorney Luwe stated the County
Attorney's office is seeking direction on how to proceed with the lawsuit for the West Babcock
Street right-of-way.
The City Manager indicated that the homeowners along West Babcock Street are still
trying to develop a proposed solution for consideration by both the City Commission and the
County Commission.
(12) Commissioner Frost stated that he was a judge at the dog show on Saturday,
and it was "a lot of fun".
(13) Commissioner Youngman asked that the priorities recommended by the
. Community Affordable Housing Advisory Board be placed on an upcoming agenda for action.
The Commissioners determined that this issue should be listed as a work session prior
to listing it on the agenda for action.
(14) Responding to Commissioner Smiley, the Commissioners indicated that they
do not feel it is necessary for her to continue providing written notes from the Planning Board
meetings unless there is a very important item or discussion.
Recess - 5:32 D.m.
Mayor Stiff recessed the meeting at 5:32 p.m., to reconvene at 7:00 p.m. for the
purpose of conducting the scheduled public hearing.
. Reconvene - 7:00 D.m.
Mayor Stiff reconvened the meeting at 7:00 p.m. for the purpose of conducting the
scheduled public hearing.
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Sianina of Notice of SDecial Meeting
Each Commissioner, in turn, signed the Notice of Special Meeting.
Public hearina - Dreliminarv municiDal budget for Fiscal Year 1998-1999
. This was the time and place set for the public hearing on the preliminary municipal
budget for Fiscal Year 1998-1999.
Mayor Stiff opened the public hearing.
Administrative Services Director Miral Gamradt stated that the City Manager's Budget
Recommendations for Fiscal Year 1998-1999 represent the culmination of six months of work.
He noted that in January, City staff members began working on their budget requests; those
requests were submitted in March; and, following meetings with each of the department heads
and identification of the resources available, the City Manager's recommendations were
developed. He stated that the Commission has recently participated in six work sessions at
which each of the department or division heads presented the budget as recommended by the
City Manager and identified those items which were not funded. He reminded the Commission
. that, as of this date, no changes have been made to the proposed budget. He then noted that
several articles have been printed in the newspaper, educating the public on the proposed
budget.
Mrs. Clara Pincus, 2010 Spring Creek Drive, distributed information to the Commission
regarding cable television franchising and forwarded testimony in support of adding $ 7,000 to
the budget to begin negotiations for a cable television franchise agreement. She noted that she
has been serving as an unofficial member of the ad hoc cable television franchise committee
which was appointed by the Commission four years ago. She reminded the Commission that
the first ad hoc committee was appointed fifteen years ago, and that committee forwarded a
recommendation for a franchise agreement; however, the Commission took no action on that
recommendation. She noted that the second ad hoc committee was appointed four years ago,
. and that committee also forwarded a recommendation for a franchise agreement. She further
noted that on December 4, 1995, the Commission decided to act on that recommendation,
with 25 percent of the revenues to be devoted to parks and recreation; however, to date, no
further action has been undertaken. She estimated that a franchise would generate
approximately $100,000 per year, 75 percent of which would be used to support a cable
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access facility. She noted that Bozeman has the oldest cable system in the United States, and
through a franchise agreement, the system could be upgraded and updated to provide a better
communications infrastructure for the entire community.
Mrs. Pincus noted that many communities in Montana currently have franchise
. agreements, and some of those franchise agreements are now up for renewal. She suggested
that, by joining with those communities in negotiations, all of the government agencies involved
could save money. She concluded by encouraging the Commission to budget monies for cable
television franchising and by reviewing the list of groups indicating support for franchising.
Mr. Steve Schnee, Downtown Bozeman Association (DBA), addressed the issue of
watering the flowers and picking up the garbage on Main Street. He stated that the Downtown
Bozeman Association has invested over $10,000 in the planters and trash receptacles along
Main Street, and they spend $1,500 to $2,000 annually to have the flowers planted. He noted
that the DBA also has invested a fairly significant amount of time and money in landscaping
in Soroptimist Park. He indicated that, with the installation of the planters and trash
receptacles, the City agreed to do the watering of the planters for the Downtown Bozeman
. Association. He stressed that the watering is limited to the planters located in the public
space; and individual businesses are responsible for any of the planters they may maintain
immediately in front of their own businesses. He stated that Mr. Ron Dingman, Parks
Department, has estimated the costs of picking up the trash and watering the planters from
Memorial Day to labor Day at $2,072 per year.
Mr. Schnee expressed concern about the article in the June 12 edition of the Bozeman
Daily Chronicle, in which one of the Commissioners suggested that this expenditure should be
eliminated from the Parks Department budget, which totals over $480,000. He noted that,
from the manner in which the article is written, it seems the downtown is getting something
more than it deserves from the City. He noted, however, that downtown businesses contribute
over $1 million in City taxes annually, and they continually contribute to the enhancement of
. the downtown's appearance.
Mr. Schnee stated that eliminating the $2,000 expended on watering the downtown
planters will not make or break the budget. He then encouraged the Commission to leave it in
the budget, stressing the importance of ensuring the appearance of the downtown area is
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maintained. He concluded by asking the Commission to address this issue and to report the
results of the discussion to the Downtown Bozeman Association.
Ms. Gretchen Rupp, 221 Lindley Place, Friends of the Library, asked that the
Commission add slightly under $3,600 to the Library budget for .2 FTE for substitute librarians.
. She noted that when the County bond issue was approved a few years ago. the library hours
were expanded, but the substitute librarian hours were not. She stated this has made it
difficult to cover the vacations and sick leave days taken by staff members and, in fact, the
Library has exceeded the amount allocated for substitutes the past couple of years and will
continue to do so if the ratio of substitutes to full-time staff members is not adjusted.
Ms. Rupp stated that she has served on the Board of the Friends of the Library for four
years. She characterized the Library as an efficient organization, noting that while the demands
on the Library have increased, the level of staffing has not. She concluded by once again
encouraging the Commission to increase the Library budget by approximately $3,600.
Ms. Marlene Shuman, representing the youth of the community, noted that a series of
focus groups was held in the schools last fall to determine their needs. One of the needs
. identified was the dissemination of information to the youth about programs and activities
available in the community, and a local television station would help to meet that need. As a
result, she encouraged the Commission to include monies in the budget to begin negotiations
for a cable television franchise agreement so that a public access facility can be developed and
made available to the community. She noted that the equipment and space could also be used
to provide educational workshops that now cost over $600 because of the costs of using the
Burns Telecommunication Center.
Mr. Alan Kesselheim, 415 East Olive Street, stated that he has been involved with both
the Friends of the Library and the Library Board of Trustees. He forwarded his support for Ms.
Rupp's comments, and encouraged the Commissioners to add $3,600 for additional substitute
librarians. He noted that circulation has grown 25 percent over the past three years, thus
. increasing demands on staff, and the additional substitutes would help to relieve those impacts
on staff.
Responding to Mayor Stiff, City Manager Johnson stated that monies to continue
watering the plants in the downtown are included in this proposed budget. He then noted that
last year's Park Department budget was $480,000, and this year's budget is $647,000.
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Ms. Kathy Dyksterhouse, President of the Downtown Bozeman Association, stated that
she has lived in or near Bozeman her entire life. She noted that planting flowers in the
downtown area makes a big difference in its appearance and separates Bozeman from the big
city look.
. Ms. Jill Schaunaman, 1031 East Olive Street, forwarded her complaint about the
proposed expenditure of monies on park master plans and suggested that they be eliminated
from the budget. She also suggested that an intern be retained to do work on the affordable
housing issue.
Ms. Schaunaman stated that she lives by Lindley Park and, over the past six years, the
neighborhood has had extensive input into the master plan for that park; but she has been
basically informed that the master plan "means nothing" and is simply used as a reference.
She stated that trees have been recently planted in what had been identified as an open space
area. She concluded by asking that the Commission reappropriate the monies that have been
budgeted for the park master plans to a better use.
Since there were no Commissioner objections, Mayor Stiff closed the public hearing.
. Commissioner Frost stated the public has spoken strongly for a cable television
franchise tonight, and it would pay for itself. He then stated he feels the City should take care
of the flower and garbage in the downtown area. He also indicated support for the .2 FTE for
library substitutes that has been requested.
Commissioner Frost once again forwarded his concern about the undesignated
reserves. He indicated his support for spending $800,000 for capital improvements, noting
that appropriating this level of funding for capital items has not previously occurred while he
has been on the Commission and the result has been to fall further and further behind. He
stated, however, that to lower the level of undesignated reserves to half their current level
scares him. He indicated that, if the undesignated reserves are reduced so dramatically, the
City will be in no position to respond to an emergency, and the City will not receive adequate
. increases from property valuations or new growth to meet future demands. He noted that this
budget as proposed includes a 4.6 percent increase in property taxes, an 18 percent increase
in street maintenance assessments and a 5.5 percent increase in tree maintenance assessments
plus a significant expenditure from reserves. He identified several things which are needed in
the City, including extra fire protection and funding for police, particularly to retain the six
06-29-98
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officers currently on soft monies. He suggested that the Commission consider cuts on things
that aren't as important. He then indicated he would like to contribute to Shakespeare in the
Parks at the same level as the City band, which is $5,000.
Commissioner Youngman stated that she is concerned about the decline in the level
. of service in the Parks Department and long-range funding for the department. She forwarded
her interest in working with the Recreation and Parks Advisory Board to look at funding options
to provide park development as subdivisions are added to the community, to keep up with the
demands of the population, such as a park maintenance district. She noted that this is the
second year of hitting the 1-105 defined cap in the General Fund, with essentially no increase
in staff. She noted that, while staff can absorb some of the additional demands through more
efficient delivery of service and better equipment, there comes a point where additional
personnel will be needed to continue providing the current level of service. Since there is no
potential for increased revenues, she suggested it is important for the Commission to now
begin planning for the next budget year and to identify the levels of service that can be funded.
She noted that with several staff members being on soft monies, and with reserves being
. decreased, a different funding mechanism will be needed to cover those costs in the future.
She suggested that, through long-range planning, rather than year-to-year budgeting, these
types of issues could possibly be better addressed.
Commissioner Youngman stated that she feels equitable funding for City-County
operations should also be pursued. She then indicated her interest in exploring alternative
revenue sources, noting that she does not anticipate the upcoming legislative session will help
much to alleviate the City's funding woes. She also noted an interest in reviewing all of the
City's fees to see if they cover the costs of services.
Commissioner Youngman noted that she, too, is concerned about the reserves, and
forwarded her interest in discussing the level at which they should be maintained over the long
haul before beginning the next budget cycle.
. Commissioner Youngman concluded by indicating her interest in adding monies to the
budget for substitute librarians and cable television franchising, noting they would total less
than $10,000. She also indicated her interest in appropriating at least $500 for Shakespeare
in the Parks.
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Responding to Commissioner Smiley, Administrative Services Director Gamradt stated
that if the amount budgeted for a position, such as substitute librarians, is exceeded, then a
like amount in savings is needed elsewhere in that budget unit.
Commissioner Smiley stated she is interested in receiving more information about cable
. television franchising, particularly since she has heard two different schools of thought on
whether it can be self-supporting. She indicated that she needs the information before she can
make a decision on this issue.
Commissioner Smiley then indicated her support for addrassing the request for an
additional .2 FTE in substitute librarian hours. She recognized that a significant amount of staff
input and negotiation has gone into developing the budget recommendations, but she is
concerned about this issue.
Commissioner Rudberg stated that last week is the first time she heard about cable
television franchising, although she understands there have been people in the community
working on it for Quite some time. She noted that the monies for cable television franchising
come from the people who subscribe to the cable television services, through an additional
. assessment.
Commissioner Rudberg stated her support for planning and preparing for the future,
noting the capital improvement program is an excellent five-year plan. She also indicated her
support for working with the County, in an attempt to identify items that can be more
efficiently dealt with jointly. She stated that fees should cover the costs of the City service
being provided, although she is uncertain how that information can be incorporated into this
budget. She concluded by indicating her support for the budget as recommended by the City
Manager, recognizing that it represents negotiations with the various department heads to
generate the best budget possible for the upcoming fiscal year.
Mayor Stiff stated he has seen a lot of City budgets over the past couple decades, and
he appreciates the document before the Commission at this time. He also noted that the work
. sessions on this budget were informative. He then characterized the park maintenance district
as an "easy out" and stated he does not advocate simply implementing another tax. He
indicated that he is very concerned about the City's parks, including the development of
undeveloped lands and the provision of athletic fields. He stressed the importance of
recognizing that many of the children who use the parks and the fields are not residents of the
06-29-98
- 19 -
city, and suggested that other entities be invited to participate in meeting those needs. He
expressed concern that the County has been accepting cash-in-lieu rather than requiring the
dedication of parkland in subdivisions.
Mayor Stiff stated he was startled to see the Police Department request for three more
. new cars, particularly after the Commission funded three extra cars last year. He noted that
several of the police personnel are on soft monies, and the City must work hard to keep them
in the future.
Mayor Stiff then indicated that he maintained a listing of issues, and that list contains
fourteen separate major items, most of which have not even been addressed. He noted that
the existing library facility is adequate for the city, although it is not adequate for both the city
and the county; and the acquisition of an expensive piece of property to expand the library has
been discussed. He stressed the importance of being realistic in what the City can do in this
area and suggested that discussions with the County, similar to those undertaken for the Law
and Justice Center, may be essential.
Mayor Stiff stated that the water conservation issue has not been discussed at all this
. evening. He noted that the Woodward-Clyde study is still in progress, and he feels it is
important to ensure that a failure to budget monies does not stop the process or negatively
impact the task force with which the consultant is working.
Mayor Stiff stated his support for the budget as forwarded by the City Manager,
characterizing it as "an extremely well prepared financial document", under which he feels
some of the small issues which have been raised can be addressed. He then stated that the
idea of cable television franchising scares him, particularly in light of the significant
unanticipated financial impacts that the 9-1-1 program has had on the City over the past few
years.
Commissioner Smiley stated that she has been working on finding ways to provide
sustainable income for the City. She then forwarded her desire to adopt the budget as
. presented, indicating she is not prepared to address cable television franchising until she has
had time to review the numbers.
Administrative Services Director Gamradt reminded the Commission that the budget
recommendations have been developed with revenues estimated low and expenditures
06-29-98
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estimated high. He then indicated that an 8-percent reserve has been proposed, to absorb the
shortfalls in cash flow during the months of July through November.
It was moved by Commissioner Smiley, seconded by Commissioner Rudberg, that the
Commission authorize and direct staff to bring back a resolution enacting the budget as
. recommended by the City Manager, with no changes, for consideration at next week's meeting.
The motion carried by the following Aye and No vote: those voting Aye being Commissioner
Smiley, Commissioner Rudberg, Commissioner Frost, Commissioner Youngman and Mayor Stiff;
those voting no, none.
Adjournment - 8:05 D.m.
There being no further business to come before the Commission at this time, it was
moved by Commissioner Rudberg, seconded by Commissioner Frost, that the meeting be
adjourned. The motion carried by the following Aye and No vote: those voting Aye being
Commissioner Rudberg, Commissioner Frost, Commissioner Youngman, Commissioner Smiley
and Mayor Stiff; those voting No, none.
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06-29-98