--- date: "2008-08-27" title: "Council Meeting Minutes 2008-08-27" source: "2008-08-27-minutes-council-monthly.pdf" --- CITY COUNCIL MEETING August 27, 2008 Attended: Stan Horrell, Mayor Jim Munyon, Councilor Frank Primozic, Councilor Tim Coe, Councilor Bill Harrington, Councilor Carole Garrison, Councilor Georgia Patterson Lyn McDonald Randy Oxford Linda Harrington Pam Woodworth Nelda Coe Mr. & Mrs. Nunns Holly Ford Don Brown The Mayor called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. The roll was called, Roger McKinley being absent. The pledge of allegiance was recited. The minutes of August 15, 2008 meeting were considered. MSP: To approve the August 15 minutes as written, Bill Harrington/Tim Coe. All members voted in favor. Mayor Horrell introduced Don Brown to the Council and indicated he was filling in for the construction engineer. Mr. Nunns was recognized and addressed the Council with his ongoing complaints about his neighbor, Holly Ford. He explained that he had been experiencing difficulties with Ford since he moved here 2 ½ years ago regarding her chickens running at large and had received no cooperation from her. He said she had been cited and fined for it but the situation only got worse. He also accused her of various forms of harassment. He then went back to complaining about the chickens and cited continuous crowing by roosters in June and July and the fear of a health hazard. He then gave the Council members a pictograph he had created documenting dates and time frames of crowing roosters, complete with the number of times he heard a crow in May, June and July of 2008. He claimed he had tape recorded the numerous episodes of crowing in order to make the documentation. He stated that he did not think the Council recognized the amount of noise he had been subjected to and referred to comments made at the August 15 meeting. He then went on to complain about other activities including the discharge of air rifles. He referred to incidences that had occurred primarily in June and July 2008 and it was noted that Ford had already been cited and fined for the violations. Nunns then accused the Council of calling him a pain in the butt at the previous meeting and intending to disregard his complaints. The Council took umbrage at the remark and said no one had called him a pain in the butt. Nunns persisted and then took back the remark, apologizing to the Council. Minutes August 27, 2008 Mayor Horrell then asked Nunns just what he wanted done. Nunns said he wants recognition of his complaints and an investigation authorized. He said he wants the support of the Council and said he felt he has not been given the respect he is due as a taxpayer. He said he wants action taken and the nuisance ordinance enforced. He was asked if the chickens were at large as of now. He stated no. He was asked if there were any chicken carcasses. He said he did not know. When asked if there was any odor, he said yes. He was asked about his claims of being harassed and he said Ford’s failure to contain the chickens, and to control the noise and odor were done on purpose. He said he had reported the air rifle discharge to the Sheriff. There was then lengthy discussion of what happens when the Sheriff’s office receives a call. Nunns went back to his various complaints and recited sections of the nuisance ordinance. He said the ordinance should be changed to facilitate a more rapid method of addressing his complaints, i.e., giving the police department the authority to immediately investigate and cite violations. There was then lengthy discussion of that process and how long it takes to draft and adopt an ordinance. It was noted that roosters are common in Prairie City and Bill Harrington questioned whether or not it did in fact constitute a nuisance. Nunns again recited part of the ordinance. It was noted that the City did not have a police department during the first half of the year resulting in an inability to address the complaints. Mayor Horrell recognized Holly Ford. Ms. Ford explained that she had acquired a number of meat chickens with the intent of raising and butchering them which she had done in July substantially reducing the amount of chickens on her property. Mr. Nunns remarked that the “slaughtering” had taken place on July 20. She then went on to explain the process and said she had feed some of the parts to the hens and covered other parts with lime and straw. She then wet down the area to facilitate break down of the materials. She did say that it smelled for a day or so, but that it was the only way she knew how to do it. She stated that she only has one rooster left and a few chickens; the rooster now being kept at the opposite end of the property. Discussion then started among members of the audience followed by Mr. Nunns again complaining about the stench. Councilman Coe addressed Nunns and said he was appalled at what Nunns had stated in his rebuttal of the August 15 minutes regarding his (Coe’s) age and possible hearing disability. Mayor Horrell addressed Nunns and stated that there is nothing the City can do about what happened in the past. Ford had already been cited and fined. He said the City would work on addressing complaints according to the ordinance now that we have a Chief of Police. He instructed Ms. Ford to keep the chickens penned up and told both parties to try to get along. 6:55 p.m. Planning: Lyn McDonald addressed the Council and explained what is going on with the Comp Plan. She said the Council will need to hold two hearings before the plan can be adopted and sent to the County for approval. She again stated that the process is a procedural matter only and that there have been no changes to the document. It should have been adopted in 1998 but somehow fell through the cracks. She said that the hearings are scheduled for September 10 and September 17 at 6:00 p.m. and that the purpose of the hearings is to take testimony from interested or concerned parties. Minutes August 27, 2008 7:00 p.m. Public Safety: Chief Oxford addressed the Council and said he had completed his two week management course at DPSST. He said that he is required to complete a project developing a program usable to the City and has chosen to develop a Reserve Officer Program. Once it has been completed, he will present it to the City for approval and adoption. 7:05 p.m. Landfill: The Council was given a written report. Georgia Patterson reported that Chris Camarena is scheduled to attend the landfill operator training course in October. Public Works: Patterson reported that John Marciel had finally contacted her regarding rehabilitation of the well and that he could get to it within 2 to 3 weeks. It was noted that the City should identify in writing what they want done. Patterson asked the Council to consider the purchase of some ground cloth. She explained that the contractors had purchased the wrong type of material and had 4 rolls of 15’ x 360’ cloth they would sell. She said it could be used in the parks to control weeds. MSP: To authorize the purchase of two rolls of cloth at $400 each, Bill Harrington/Carole Garrison. All members voted in favor. Patterson reported she had obtained three quotes for labor to construct the foundation of the sanding shed and that the price of $7,120 submitted by Mike Voigt was the lowest. She said she hopes to have the building completed by October. MSP: To authorize Mike Voigt to put in the foundation, Stan Horrell/Jim Munyon. All members voted in favor. Patterson said the City needs to purchase a three inch trash (sewer) pump and said she had obtained three price quotes around $700.00. There was discussion of the need and it was noted that a good quality pump should be obtained. MSP: To buy a good quality trash pump, Jim Munyon/Tim Coe. All members voted in favor. Patterson said she had visited the sand filtration facility in Joseph and had gained some good knowledge of its operation. In October she will send Chris Camarena and Ron Combs to assist when they clean it. She said that Joseph has a conveyor for sale at $500 and encouraged the Council to take advantage of the opportunity to purchase it citing that one will be needed. No decision was made. She also said they have a street sweeper for sale for $1,500 but that it does not have a vacuum. Patterson suggested that when the water project is completed the City hold an open house/tour for the public. 7:45 p.m. Accounts Payable: MSP: To pay the bills, Bill Harrington/Frank Primozic. Other Business: The request for vacation of Cooley Avenue N. was considered. It was stressed that the Council should address each such request on its own as some streets and alleys may be useful to the City in the future and others not. It was agreed that the alley being considered is site specific, unusable by the City, unlikely to be accessible from the highway and too steep for development of a road. The Council also considered the upper portion of the avenue not included in the petition and concluded that it should also be vacated based on the same criteria. Minutes August 27, 2008 It was noted that the City can initiate the vacation and does not have to have a request by the adjacent property owners. It was agreed that the property is not needed by the City and not adequate for opening as an access. MSP: To approve the vacation of Cooley Avenue N. 60 feet wide from the John Day Highway north approximately 290 feet, Bill Harrington/Frank Primozic. Harrington, Coe, Munyon, Garrison and Primozic voted in favor. Mayor Horrell did not vote. 8:15 p.m. The issue of employee evaluations was brought up and it was agreed that the Council needs to move forward with adopting a form and following the policy. The Recorder indicated it had been suggested that a memo form of evaluation that includes goal setting be utilized instead of the old fashioned forms. She said she would provide them with what she had at the next meeting. Carole Garrison noted that she would not be in attendance at the September 10 meeting. 8:25 p.m. MSP: It was moved and seconded to adjourn. All members voted in favor. Respectfully submitted: ___________________________ Diane Clingman Approved this Date: ________________ _________________________________ Stan Horrell, Mayor Minutes August 27, 2008