MUNDANE TOWN

Ruston, WA regular council meeting Monday September 21, 2009 7pm:

All present and accounted for noting the return of Dan
STAFF
Jeremy -
.attended leadership conference
.cleaning crew coning from Remann Hall
.coroner report - natural death
.Senator Patty Murray getting back to us on GRANTS.
Wayne - scale trucks - answer none
Jim - 66 verbal warnings, 6 parking
Don -
.8 calls August, 2 fire related rest medical aid
.attended summit on swine flu
.combination of four flus - 2 human, 1 aviary, 1 animal
.will not take lives but will make you very, very sick
.expect 40-50 percent of workforce out
.each individual will miss work one week
.expect media blitz including Governor Gregoire
.IMPORTANT: WASH HANDS
PUBLIC COMMENT
JJ -
LID
.spent $1 million on design, road construction
.cost increase from $11 to $14 million dollars plus water and power
.60 percent in Ruston
BALTIMORE STREET
.weight restriction
.no affect on cost (sorry Wayne) for Point Ruston
.weight allowed equal to weight of fire truck
.bringing two groups int Ruston
DON -
.heard 21 to 24 gunshots at 1245 am
.If town knows about them should give out information if does not conflict with law enforcement
BUSINESS
Agenda item # 1 - Discussion of increase of engineering costs for Mo Fesharaki
Wayne - take care of next meeting
Jane - have printout of flag and pole costs
note: Why not electrical outlets for XMAS lights etc.,
Bruce - we can sell advertising if not used
Ordinance 1295 - Adopting building permit, plan review and building department services fee schedules (second reading)
Wayne - amend to remove $90 dollar lawn sprinkler inspection fee
passes 5-0 as amended
Ordinance 1296 - Maximum load limits on N Baltimore street between Ruston Way and N Commercial street (second reading)
Removed from agenda
Resolution No, 455 - USDA
Jane - met with difficult time. Requires a revenue bond. Went through several times. Basically not a bond guarantees payment to USDA.
Wayne - cannot discriminate for any reason. Requires an audit, sooner not later.
Jane -
.loan requires a construction loan. When work is completed USDA loan kicks in.
.USDA interest rate is 4.5 percent, can go lower but not higher
.need sub contractor to monitor loan draws
Bruce - Money is guaranteed. Banks get 3 percent on construction loan.
Dan - cost overruns charged to Ruston?
Bruce - covered.
Dan - change orders, weather delays? Could get slammed.
Bruce - economy is down contractors hope to use less than $4.9 million dollars
Bruce - we could go back for more money if needed.
Dan - paying back over $10 million dollars over loan period
Bruce -
.over $125 thousand dollars for engineering our contribution
.We could put in $600 thousand dollars to lower loan
David - Claims will start first day. Need to budget for.
Jane - we can payoff loan sooner.
Jim - Need loan reserve account $26 thousand dollars per year for 10 years to meet criteria
passes 5-0
Agenda item #5 - October Domestic Violence Awareness month
Jane - authorize mayor to sign proclamation
passes 5-0
MAYOR'S TIME
.need to put into budget licensing cost for new online accounting system
. $55 dollars per month thereafter
.Can look at utility bills past 24 months
.can pay electronically. 18 cents charge per card usage
.thanks Jane for help in new accounting system
.need to put into budget for online training with accounting firm
.On the radar - garbage, Commencement will require compacting waste, new hauling containers
.Point Ruston will come online. Need to upgrade truck or?
.curb painting N 49th and Winnifred this weekend
.Commencement meeting room kitchen fully functional
.thanks Kevin Moser for tremendous amount of work effort, moving cavinets
.will be available December one for Town meetings
.we have need for neighborhood watch
.thanks Jane and Wayne for donating time on sewers
.handoff of USDA check will be big occasion
COUNCIL TIME
Wayne - will we be able to blog on Town website? Answer NO.
Bradley, Jim and Dan - nothing
Jane - don't be surprised in Norm Dicks releases a public announcement
ADJOURN 8pm (one hour)

NOTE:
.notice how facilely they add budget items when it pleases them?
.notice how they never increase their utility taxes?
.notice how they couldn't increase employee wages because it was not budgeted for?
.Is this the heighth of HYPOCRISY? We would love an explanation!
.Whatever happened to the budget (fiscal) inpact statements Dan and Wayne were pushing for?
.another amazing theme is how much they use the COMMENCEMENT trust fund for whatever?
.Never mentioning how they hated it and fought tooth and nail to stop it or delay it?
.Only one word comes to mind over and over: HYPOCRITES.
.Almost item for item the workload increases on the already overworked and underpaid Town employees without a murmur. Do they in totality have a conscience.
.These comments are here because they moved PUBLIC COMMENTS to before the agenda to keep comments on BUSINESS off the recorded record.
.Hope you serve coffee at meetings after December first from your new kitchen donated by the COMMENCEMENT.
.and while you are at it move EXECUTIVE SESSIONS to 6 or 6:30 before the meeting.
.Hard to find time for this as I am now into HUSKY blogging.
.will link to Karen's comments when available. Lots of comments there.
.Getting harder to hear the lower voices so please attend at the new expanded council meeting and get it straight from the horses mouth. Still plenty of seats at the Town Hall also.
.I apologize to the horses and I might have mentioned the wrong orifice.

Town of Ruston officials:
Mayor, Bruce Hopkins
Council, Bradley Huson, Jim Hedrick, Wayne Stebner, Dan Albertson, Jane Hunt
Attorney, David Britton
Planner, Rob White
Clerk/Treasurer, Karen Carlisle
Fire Chief. Don Torbet
Police Chief, Jeremy Kunkel
Electrician, Mo Fesharaki

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