City of Tekoa
COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
For August 19, 2019
I. CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Troy Wilson called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Council members present at the meeting were Wilson, Lee Burchfiel, Bethany Fletcher, Alyssa Heagy, Roy Schulz, Wendy Sienknecht and Dave Tysz. Clerk/Treasurer Kynda Browning was also in attendance. Audience attendees were Keith Andersson, Molly Carren, Asher Davison, Kyle Dombrowski, Jessica Foresman, John Jaeger, the Fletcher Family, Pete and Fran Martin, Tim McClurg, and Jennifer Olson.
II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Mayor Wilson asked those present to join him in the Pledge of Allegiance.
III. PROFESSIONAL CONSULTATION: Jennifer Olson was in attendance to talk about the Healthy Tekoa Coalition. She said they are still having Neighbor’s Watch meetings. She talked about the community survey that will be going out.
Pete Martin was in attendance to talk about Friends of the Tekoa Trestle and the fact that they received funding for 1.7 million dollars.
IV. COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE: Kyle Dombrowski was in attendance and said the stop sign at Alder and North Crosby was removed, and it needs to be put back. He brought a signed petition to get the stop sign put back up.
Dombrowski would like to fence in a small part of the park for a dog park. He talked about pit bulls.
Asher Davison was in attendance from the Tekoa Care Center to talk about one of their residents causing problems in Tekoa. He also said they are having a BBQ for the community on August 27th at 4 p.m.
John Jaeger talked about the stop sign near Ruhl Park. He talked about the community center rules and regulations and said there is too much information, and there are too many requirements that will discourage use of the community center.
V. CORRESPONDENCE: There was none.
VI. OLD BUSINESS:
A. COMMUNITY CENTER RENTAL RATES: Alyssa Heagy said John Jaeger made a good point and she agreed about having the rates discussed at a public debate. Wendy Sienknecht talked about the community center hours, a vendor fee, hiring a bartender, and about reservations. There was discussion. Wendy Sienknecht said it is a working document, and we are trying to make money to pay for the community center. She said the fees are reasonable. Mayor Wilson said we will table this until the September meeting.
B. SUPER USER WATER RATES: Browning presented a rate sheet showing proposed water rates for super users. We will add sewer rates to this and present it next month.
C. FIRE PIT ORDINANCE: Alyssa Heagy presented a form showing information about smoke released from a fire. She also talked about composting. After discussion, Mayor Wilson asked her to put together an ordinance.
VII. NEW BUSINESS:
A. CITIZEN COMPLAINT FORM: We will discuss this later.
B. RESOLUTION SETTING SCHEDULE TO MOVE VEHICLES FOR SNOW REMOVAL ON CROSBY FROM CONNELL TO PARK AND HENKLE FROM CROSBY TO LINDSEY: We will have this available for next month.
C. METER READING BI-MONTHLY: Mayor Wilson talked about reading meters every other month so it will be less work for the maintenance crew. There was discussion about hiring someone to read meters. It was decided to let Duane Groom and Kevin Turnbough continue reading meters on a monthly basis.
The Mayor talked to the council about getting another person to help the maintenance crew. Roy Schulz said that we should go back to 5, 8-hour days, and we are “dirt poor.” There was discussion.
D. RCAC SEWER LOAN EXTENSION: Alyssa Heagy made a motion to apply for an extension for the sewer loan. Roy Schulz seconded the motion; all council members voted yes.
E. BURN PILE: Mayor Wilson said he shut it down because it took so much employee time, and we don’t have the manpower to burn it. The state wants the pile extinguished every night. Roy Schulz said he would like to have a vote on opening the burn pile up again. There was discussion. Roy Schulz made a motion to open the burn pile back up to dump yard waste. Wendy Sienknecht asked why we can’t have a barrier around the burn pile; when it gets full, you would burn it. Dave Tysz seconded the motion. Roy Schulz, Dave Tysz and Alyssa Heagy voted yes. Wendy Sienknecht, Bethany Fletcher, and Lee Burchfiel voted no. Troy Wilson broke the tie and voted no.
F. CITY-OWNED BUILDINGS: Mayor Wilson suggested we think about selling some of the buildings we own, so we don’t have to maintain them.
G. PALOUSE PRIDE FLAG: The Northern Palouse Rural Community Leadership Cohort designed a flag for Palouse Pride. They will supply us with a flagpole and the Palouse Pride flag. The council would like a flagpole and a flag and asked to find out if we can purchase a second flag.
H. SIX-YEAR TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PLAN – PUBLIC HEARING: Mayor Wilson opened the public hearing. Roy Schulz made a motion to approve the six-year transportation improvement plan as presented. Alyssa Heagy seconded the motion; all council members voted yes. Mayor Wilson closed the public hearing.
I. STOP SIGN AT ALDER AND CROSBY: Mr. Fletcher said they took the stop sign out so that people coming down the hill will have the right-of-way. There was discussion about putting stop and yield signs on the corner. It was decided the yield and the north stop sign need to be put in.
VIII. REPORTS:
A. MAYOR’S REPORT: Mayor Wilson gave the council information about mayor’s and council members’ wages in other cities and towns.
B. CLERK/TREASURER REPORT: She did not have a report.
C. COUNCIL REPORTS: Alyssa Heagy gave information to the council from Sarah McNight, who will give the council a presentation on 13 Ways to Kill a Community at the next meeting.
Lee Burchfiel said he had a discussion with Larry Heaton about surveying property near his elevators. We will review it and see if it was surveyed earlier.
Dave Tysz said we should do a levy to pay for a survey. There was discussion.
D. COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE: There was none.
IX. CONSENT AGENDA:
A. July 15, 2019, MEETING MINUTES: Roy Schulz made a motion to the June 17, 2019, minutes as presented. Lee Burchfiel seconded the motion; all council members voted yes.
B. APPROVE BILLS FOR PAYMENT: Roy Schulz made a motion to pay payroll warrant number 14214 through 14226 and EFT payroll warrants in the amount of $30,199.28, voided warrant number 14145, 14207 and 14247 and warrant number 14227 through 14274, and EFT warrants in the amount of $64,009.36 as presented. Lee Burchfiel seconded the motion; all council members voted yes.
X. ADJOURNMENT: Roy Schulz made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:45 p.m. Lee Burchfiel seconded the motion; all council members voted yes.
APPROVED:
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Troy Wilson – Mayor
ATTEST:
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Kynda Browning – Clerk/Treasurer
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