--- date: "2025-01-15" title: "Council Meeting Minutes 2025-01-15" source: "2025-01-15-minutes-council-monthly.pdf" --- City of Prairie City City Council Meeting January 15, 2025 Attendance: Mayor Ed Clark Councilor Chase McClung Councilor Colby Bradford Councilor Clark Councilor Davis Councilor Whale-Murphy Marvin Rynearson, Fire Chief Shonalie Oakes, City Recorder Rob Gaslin, CPA Visitors: John Zwygart Frances Preston Kahlie Clark Ferrell Clark Logan Bagett Sue Malaney Logan Bagett Mayor Clark called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm, and the pledge of allegiance was recited. Mayor Clark expressed his appreciation for the years of service that the outgoing council provided to the City. If you see them on the street or around town, please be sure to thank them for their service the City. Mayor Clark said they would do roll call once the newly elected council members were sworn-in and had taken their oath of office. Oath of Office: City Recorder announced that the election had been certified and read out loud the election results for Prairie City from the Grant County November 5, 2024, General Election. Ed Clark was elected Mayor with 291 votes. Amanda Whale-Murphy was elected to the City’s council with 287 votes. Scott Clark was elected to council with 301 votes. Danner Davis won the 3rd council seat with 346 votes. Each council member took their oath of office and took a seat at the council table. Next roll call was taken. LOC: Mayor Clark announced the Elected Essentials Workshop/Training for City Government Officials, the training taking place in Baker City on the 31st All council members to attend. If members cannot attend the in-person workshop there is a virtual option available on February 5th via zoom. Minutes: The re-scheduled meeting minutes from December 30, 2024, were considered. MSP: To approve the minutes of December 30, 2024, Councilor McClung/Bradford. All present voted yes: Councilor Whale-Murphy, Clark, and Davis. Recognition of Visitors: Mayor Clark recognized the visitors in the room. Frances Preston signed up for public comment on the speaker’s roster. Mayor Clark gave Preston the floor. Preston asked the council to make Clark’s Disposal give every single Prairie City garbage customer a refund or credit to their account. Preston referred to the letter that Clark’s Disposal issued to the city council asking for a rate increase in the form of a fuel surcharge. The letter suggested that if fuel dropped below $4 a gallon that they would drop the fuel surcharge on the public’s garbage rates, Preston believes that the price of diesel in Prairie City dropped below $4 a gallon beginning in July and believes that Clark’s Disposal owes all the Prairie City customers a reimbursement for the months of July-December. Next, Preston challenged the December 12th meeting, questioning if it was appropriately posted or if people were properly notified that there was a meeting. Preston said that she and others did not see an agenda posted at the post office. Preston said that there was a critical need for the meeting because the November and December had been canceled and thought the City was endanger of losing $197,000 if the CPA hadn’t suggested a meeting. Preston stated the City needs to operate under its old charter until a new one is approved. Preston asked who may cancel the city council meeting? She said that someone told her it was cancelled because the clerk was ill, and that the function of the clerk is not the role of the city council, believing the council can and should meet to conduct city business even in the absence of the clerk. Mayor Clark corrected Preston, saying the monthly council meeting on December 12th was canceled and rescheduled for the 30th. Mayor Clark addressed Preston’s concerns, stating that no one can cancel a city council meeting, that the council may hold a meeting without the Mayor should they choose to. However, if the City recorder is out due to illness and if enough council members are out for the same reason, it doesn’t make sense to hold a meeting without a quorum. We must follow public meeting laws, posting the agenda, and providing proper public notice of the meeting. If we are unable to meet the requirements, we have no choice other than to cancel, people can’t help it if they’re sick. December’s meeting was re-scheduled and posted as soon as we were able to confirm attendance with the council. In the future, the newly hired City Clerk will be the Deputy City Recorder. Once she is fully trained, she will be able to fill in when necessary, as the City Recorder-Tempore. Mayor Clark assured Preston that the City was never at risk of losing $197,000. Mayor Clark asked the City’s CPA to explain the ARPA funds to everyone present and to provide clarification for those that missed the December 30th meeting. Rob Gaslin, CPA, stated that the City received grant funding from ARPA for $194,000, not $197,000. All cities and counties that were recipients of ARPA grant funds could choose one of the two allowable uses to expend those funds. Option #1 The entity could use the funds as Revenue Replacement for recovery from the declared covid 19 pandemic. Option #2 the entity could choose to dedicate those funds to a specific project, the entity then would then be required to dedicate and report those funds by December 31, 2024. The City had originally dedicated half of its ARPA funds ($97,000) as contingency for the Faiman Well Project should it go over budget. However, the loan for the Faiman Well Project hasn’t closed yet and remained within budget. Prior to December’s meeting the City Recorder brought her concerns to Gaslin about the potential risks of using the ARPA funds for Faiman, believing the other grant and loan agreements the City has with the USDA & Business Oregon may conflict with ARPA’s guidelines . Gaslin, in agreement, recommended Resolution 2024-09 reflect those changes. Because the City had chosen option # 1, using the funds as Revenue Recovery, the December 31st deadline was not applicable to the City of Prairie City, and therefore there was never a risk of losing those funds. Mayor Clark addressed Preston’s concerns about the City not providing proper notice for the December’s rescheduled meeting, stating that the agenda was posted four days in advance of the meeting, therefore in compliance with public meetings laws. Mayor Clark said that the City has had trouble in the past with people taking down its meeting notices at the post office. We will provide a time- stamped photo of the agenda upon request. Zwygart John & Associates CPA’s, PLLC: Zwygart John & Associates CPA firm conducted the City’s annual audit. John Zwygart presented the audit of the City’s financials from FY 2023-2024 to the council and audience. Zwygart walked everyone present through the process, stating that these financial statements are presented fairly, following the standard auditing process. Zwygart said the City received what he calls a clean audit. Each council member had a packet of the audit conducted. Zwygart said he understands that most of everyone in the room probably was not an accounting expert and that he would explain the terminology and how to read it so that everyone may understand what they are looking at. Councilor Bradford asked Zwygart if he had any recommendations for the City. Zwygart said No. That everything looks good, and feel free to call anytime and ask him questions, also, extending the offer to everyone on the Council. Elect Council President: Councilor Bradford moved to Councilor McClung as the Council President/Mayor Pro-Tempore because he had been serving on the Council the longest. MSP: To elect Councilor McClung as Council President/Mayor Pro-Tempore. Councilor Bradford/Councilor Davis. Councilor Whale-Murphy, McClung, Clark, all yes votes. Resolution No. 2025-01: Mayor Clark read out loud Resolution No. 2025-01. Resolution No. 2025-01 IS A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF PRAIRIE CITY APPROVING THE SOLID WASTE COLLECTION SERVICE RATES OF CLARK’S DISPOSAL, INC. AND AUTHORIZING AN INCREASE, ADOPTING THE PREVIOUS FUEL SURCHARGE RATES AS THE 2025 SERVICE RATES. Mayor Clark called on the City Recorder to clarify any previous confusion on the prior Resolution regarding Clark’s Disposal. Oakes explained that the language in the prior resolution approved by the City Council, did not use the words fuel surcharge, the resolution language used was “rate increase.” The letter from Clark’s Disposal that Preston referred to during Public Comment was not part of the resolution, therefore was not binding and the City has no authority to enforce her request. The franchise agreement states customers attempt to resolve any conflict with Clark’s Disposal first. MSP: To approve Resolution No. 2025-01 Councilor McClung/Bradford. Councilors Clark, Davis, and Whale-Murphy all voted yes in favor. Check Signers: Councilor Bradford and Councilor Whale-Murphy agreed to be check signers on behalf of the City. MSP: To approve Councilor Bradford and Councilor Whale-Murphy as check signers for the City of Prairie City. Councilor McClung/Clark. Councilor Whale-Murphy, Davis, and Bradford, all yes votes. OPRD: The City received a Notice to Proceed letter from OPRD. The City has permission to move forward with the request for RFP for a Parks & Recreation Plan Writer. Mayor Clark asked the council to do some research and find out what companies are available that do that type of work, and to bring back some proposals for the council to review. Councilor Scott Clark and Bradford said they were willing to do so. Accounts Payable: CPA Rob Gaslin read out loud the City’s Financial Overview, the Appropriations Review, Balance Sheet, Profit and Loss. Gaslin explained to the new council the process, and how to interpret the financials provided to them. The council reviewed the check detail. MSP: To pay the City’s bills Councilor McClung/Councilor Clark. Councilor Bradford, Councilor Whale-Murphy, Councilor Davis, all voted yay. Public Works Report: Public Works Director Chris Camarena announced that the City was awarded the Small Cities Allotment Grant for $250,000. Some of the repairs will include the sidewalk extension in front of City Hall, ADA compliant, crosswalks, chip sealing, etc. Next Camarena said that the City’s engineer sent the EDA the updated maps that they wanted, Camarena was hopeful they would approve them soon so that we can put the water meters out to bid. The TDML is finished, approved and a success. The New Year’s Fireworks were enjoyed by all. Fire Report: Fire Chief Marvin Rynearson said the radio repeater hasn’t been working correctly. The repeaters were pulled, and we are planning to put a new one up where the radio will reach better and improve emergency communications. Adjourn: Councilor McClung moved to adjourn the meeting; Councilor Bradford seconded the motion. MSP: To adjourn the meeting @7:51 pm. Councilor McClung/Bradford. Councilor Clark, Whale-Murphy, and Davis all voted yes. Approved by the City Council this 12th day of February 2025 and signed by the Mayor. Ed Clark, Mayor Attested: Shonalie Oakes, City Recorder