Buffalo Wyoming City Council Meeting Minutes 02/05/08
Feb 20, 2008
Recorder: Julie Silbernagel

CITY OF BUFFALO
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
February 5, 2008
The Buffalo City Council met in Regular Session in the Council Chambers of City Hall. Present were Mayor Anderson, Councilman Johnson, Councilman Hancock, Councilman Humphrey and Councilman Vogl. Mayor Anderson called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Councilman Hancock made a motion to approve the January 14, 2007 Regular Council Meeting minutes. Councilman Humphrey seconded the motion and all Council members voted aye.
Councilman Humphrey stated he would like to see the Mayor vote on all issues. Mayor Anderson clarified that the Mayor has always had the right to vote and has traditionally chosen to reserve his vote for tie-breaking situations. Anderson then stated he did not have a problem voting and would start voting on issues.
Ordinance #1300 – An Ordinance Providing for the Vacation of the City Open Space by the City of Buffalo Consisting of 1593 Square Feet located in the Shiloh Addition to the City of Buffalo, North of Lot 85, South of Tract 1, and Bounded by Private Driveways to the East and West was presented for third and final reading. City Planner, Colin Betzler, announced the warranty deed had been received from Terry Ridgeway and would be filed if this Ordinance passed on 3rd and final reading. Councilman Johnson made a motion to approve Ordinance #1300 on third and final reading with a second from Councilman Hancock. The Mayor and all Council members voted aye.
Susan Theune addressed Council with accolades for individuals who were instrumental in restoring the Buffalo Heritage Mall Sign. Theune especially noted the efforts of Kenn Durfee, Walter Farwell, and Kate Holt as well as Two High School students, Katie Hall and Amy Gardner. Hall and Gardner then presented the sign documents to the Mayor and City Council. The students accepted praise from the Council and shook the Mayor’s hand.
Doyle Kincaid and Paul Wright, Buffalo Tree Board, presented Council with Tree Pruning Regulations from the American National Standards Institute. Kincaid read a letter to Council stating the need for these standards to be adopted in the City. Wright also requested Council to consider matching funds for grant funding during the upcoming budget season. Councilman Johnson clarified that adoption of these standards would only apply to public grounds and not private landowners. Hancock clarified that enforcing these standards would have to be overseen by the tree board. Public Works Director, Les Hook, expressed concern over adopting the standards and how it encumbers future City funds and Councils. A brief discussion was held over whether the trees needed to be trimmed by certified arborists only. City Attorney, Ben Kirven stated the City needed clarification on who would be considered an arborist as defined by the City Code.
Carolyn Schroth, Boys & Girls Club, and Police Chief Mike Chapman, presented an award for Local Youth of the Year to Troy Hiepler. Schroth stated this was the highest level award granted at the Boys and Girls Club. Schroth stated Hiepler will compete at the State Competition. Chief Chapman called on Officer Randy Dullum who leads the Props, Cops & Kids program to present further awards to Hiepler. Dullum explained to Council that this program was an outreach as an alternative to drugs and alcohol. Dullum then called on various donors to present awards to Hiepler. Among those contributing were: Bob Bergner, Big Horn Airways, Flight Essentials in Jackson Hole, Lynne Michelena of First Interstate Bank, and Sherry Smith of Flightline. Mayor Anderson then congratulated Troy and thanked Officer Dullum for his efforts with the program.
Councilman Hancock made a motion to designate the Buffalo Bulletin as the City’s official newspaper and to designate the Bank of Buffalo, 1st National Bank of Buffalo, 1st Interstate Bank of Commerce, and American National Bank as the official depositories for the City of Buffalo. The motion was seconded by Councilman Johnson with the Mayor and all Council members voting aye.
Mayor Anderson asked all Council members to complete and sign the Financial Disclosure letters and return them to the City Clerk.
JCE, Inc. dba Century Club presented a request for a Catering permit for the Will Memorial Tournament February 15 & 16, 2008 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. and February 17, 2008 from 10:00 a.m. to midnight at 58 East Fetterman. Councilman Johnson made a motion to approve the request and Councilman Humphrey seconded the motion. The Mayor and all Council members voted aye.
Ordinance #1301 – An Ordinance Providing for the Resubdivision of the “Greenleaf Estates Addition” Phase 3 of the Town of the City of Buffalo, Wyoming was presented for first reading. City Planner, Colin Betzler, reviewed the request and explained the layout. Betzler stated the request had the full recommendation from the Planning Commission. Councilman Johnson questioned placement of City utilities in the area. Public Works Director Hook requested that the utilities not be placed in the congested right-of-way. Hook also cautioned future homeowners that the City could disturb improvements in their lawn if the improvements fell within the City utility easements. Councilman Johnson also questioned the width of the streets in the proposed development area as well as how the engineering costs for this development were being paid. In addition, Councilman Johnson asked whether alternate access for future growth to the area had been considered. Betzler stated that the City Code does not address off-site improvements by the developer so this could not be required at this time. Betzler also stated there will be two access points into the proposed resubdivision. Betzler added that the Planning Commission is actively seeking an alternate access route for traffic in this area. Councilman Hancock questioned who would be providing the “No Parking” signs in the development. Public Comment was heard from Bernard Bickels stating his opposition to any further residential development until better access is found. Mike Ryan also voiced his concern with water and drainage in the area and no alleys in the proposed development which limits access to City easements. Betzler reminded Council that the City can only enforce what the Code Book allows. After a lengthy discussion Betzler presented a park/playground proposal in this development for Council consideration. Mayor Anderson asked if funding was available for this project. Councilman Humphrey made a motion to table Ordinance #1301 until the storm sewer drainage issue was solved. Councilman Vogl seconded the motion. Councilman Johnson stated he felt the storm water drainage had been addressed with further input by Chad Reed, WWC Engineering. Councilman Vogl voted aye with the Mayor and Councilmen Johnson, Hancock and Humphrey voting nay. Councilman Johnson made a motion to approve Ordinance #1301 with additional language to be defined by the third and final reading that should the City pursue the park site, the developer would participate in the development and share in the costs. Councilman Hancock seconded the motion. The Mayor and Councilmen Johnson and Hancock voted aye with Councilmen Humphrey and Vogl voting nay.
City Planner, Colin Betzler, requested permission to secure easements for the upcoming Hesse Street storm drainage project. In closing, Betzler invited Council to a workshop with Steve Kurtz, retired Worthington, Lenhart, Carpenter consultant, on April 15th. Betzler also announced that the Master Trails Board had extended membership to allow for at-large members.
Les Hook, Public Works Director, announced that the Water Treatment Plant Expansion Project was on schedule and stated attempts were being made to have the fire suppression requirement for the basement of the building be removed by the State Fire Marshall’s office. In closing, Hook addressed questions from Council regarding the Hatch addition and several recent water leaks in the City of Buffalo.
Andy Tkach, Police Sergeant, answered questions from Council as Chief Chapman had obligations in Douglas at the Police Academy.
Ben Kirven, City Attorney, urged Council to use the proposed standards from the tree board strictly as an advisory document rather than adopting the standards. Kirven also updated Council on the discrepancy regarding the French Creek pipeline and secured easements. In closing, Kirven advised Council the proposed park in the Greenleaf subdivision needed to be ADA compliant if the City should pursue this venture.
Project Coordinator/Building Inspector, Chris Spencer, requested approval from Council for JLM Engineering to secure an as-built easement survey of the pipeline. Councilman Hancock made a motion to approve the request with a second from Councilman Vogl. The Mayor and all Council members voted aye. Spencer also requested approval to release the retainage for Reiman Corp. on the tank/pipeline project. Councilman Johnson made a motion to approve the release of retainage for Reiman Corp. on the tank/pipeline project with a second from Councilman Hancock. The Mayor and all Council members voted aye. In closing, Spencer requested the City accept the Gatchell Street sidewalks as built in an effort to satisfy the conditions of the Teal Grant. Councilman Johnson made a motion to accept the project with a second from Councilman Humphrey. The Mayor and all Council members voted aye.
Councilman Humphrey made a motion to move the Council meeting times to 6:00 p.m. with a second from Councilman Vogl. Clerk Silbernagel clarified that this action was a change to City Code requiring Ordinance form to be changed.
In closing, Mayor Anderson reminded Council the next Department Head meeting would be February 26, 2008 at 9 a.m. at the Fire Hall.
The following bills were audited and approved for payment: Anderson, Gary, reimbursement – 52.40; Bankston, Alicia, reimbursement – 23.05; Berry, Tom, reimbursement – 30.00; Betz, Linda, service – 398.50; Betzler, Colin, reimbursement – 142.66; BHS Forensics, reimbursement – 22.50; Big Horn Vet, service – 496.00; BlueCross BlueShield, agreement – 39,969.39; Buffalo Children’s Center, agreement – 1,083.91; Buffalo Senior Center, agreement – 2,536.84; Buffalo Vet, service – 512.00; Chapman, Michael, reimbursement – 89.68; Boone, Hillary, service – 260.00; Hall, Nancy, service – 180.00; Hancock, R. L., reimbursement – 584.58; Humphrey, Russ, reimbursement – 18.72; JLM, service – 995.00; J. C. Circuit Court, agreement – 27.93; J. C. Solid Waste District, service – 14,512.50; J. C. YMCA, agreement – 1,337.50; JPB Fuel, service – 6,497.67; LGLP, service – 250.00; Myers Const., service – 79,078.26; Nelson Engineering, service – 696.29; North Wyoming Ins., service – 7,186.00; Northern Wyoming Mental Health, agreement – 1,250.00; Qwest, service – 2,005.01; Reiman Corp., service – 25,000.00; Rocky Mtn. Oilfield Warehouse, service – 17,145.60; St. Francis Animal Shelter, agreement – 1,200.00; Silbernagel Petty Cash, service – 142.14; Snow Services, service – 65.00; Sonoran Institute, service – 7.00; Theune, Susan, reimbursement – 20.00; Visa, service – 1,996.54; Vogl, Don, reimbursement – 102.53; Volunteers of America, service – 340.00; WWC Engineering, service – 3,472.33; WAM, service – 60.00; Wyoming Conference of Municipal Judges, membership – 100.00; WEBT, service – 370.13; Wyoming State Retirement, service – 23,577.39.
There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 6:10 p.m.

Mayor
ATTEST:

City Clerk