PUBLIC HEARINGS

City/County Planning Director Bob Horne reported that Quality Life Concepts, Inc., submitted an application for a conditional use permit to allow the existing facility on Lots 12-14, Block 327, Third Addition to Great Falls Townsite, to be used as an adult day center.

The Planning Board held a public hearing on the request for conditional use on August 13, 2002. Ms. Lynn Morley, Director of Community Services of Quality Life Concepts, briefly explained the program planned to be operated from the facility at 1601 Central Avenue. No proponents or opponents spoke during the Planning Board public hearing.

Mayor Gray declared the public hearing open. Lynn Morley of 925 Avenue C NW, spoke in favor of the Commission adopting Resolution 9262. Commissioner Beecher asked her what impact if any would there be on traffic. Ms. Morley stated that the Staff of Quality Life Concepts has 6 or 7 vehicles that they use to transport the clients to and from the facility so the impact would be little or none. No one spoke in opposition to Resolution 9262.

Commissioner Hinz moved, seconded by Commissioners Beecher and Rosenbaum, that the City Commission Adopt Resolution 9262 and approve the accompanying agreement.

Motion carried 5-0.
 

OLD BUSINESS

NEW BUSINESS

A bid opening was held on September 26, 2002. Six bids were submitted. Dick Anderson Construction, Inc., was the low bidder. Since the costs were somewhat higher than estimated, it was decided to take all three deductive alternates to stay within available funding.

This project will be the first of three projects that will renovate the aging stadium to bring it up to current minor league standards. Depending on availability of funding, phase 2 will be constructed in about one year, and phase 3 will be constructed in around two years.

WRS Architecture & Design, P.C., designed the project. WRS would handle inspection and most administrative duties. The Engineering Division would perform contract administration and other duties as needed. The Fiscal Services Department would handle functions related to the City’s financial contribution.

It should be noted that WRS is under contract with the Great Falls Baseball Foundation rather than the City on this project. WRS proposed to enter into Value Engineering negotiations with the contractor after the bid award, which could result is some costs and work items being removed from the contract. WRS has been involved in a number of projects with Dick Anderson, and recommends this contractor for the project.

There was an irregularity in the bidding. Dick Anderson Construction included an additional $15,000 deduct from the base bid. The irregularity was the deduction written on the outside of the sealed bid. However, it was done before the 3:00 P M bid submission deadline. Dick Anderson Construction was the low bidder even without the additional deduct.

Commissioner Hinz moved, seconded by Commissioner Beecher that the City Commission approve a construction contract with Dick Anderson Construction, Inc., in the amount of $1,740,300 for the Legion Ballpark Renovation, O. F. 1310. Approval recognizes a waiver of the irregular adjustment to the base bid of $15,000, and authorizes the City Manager to execute the construction contract documents.

Motion carried 4-0. (Mayor Gray abstained)
 

ORDINANCES/RESOLUTIONS

Community Development Director Mike Rattray reported that in January of this year, the city agreed to eliminate the equivalent of a master electrical license in order to acquire and maintain a contractor license. Staff stated it was also understood that the contractor was still obligated to acquire or employ someone with a sign electrician/journeyman certificate. It was reported that there are those who have not or cannot meet this requirement and have thumbed their noses at attempted enforcement and continue to install, illegally, signs with unlicensed individuals. This had to be specifically spelled out in the ordinance to insure effective enforcement and protection for the community. Operation of a sign contracting business without having or employing qualified individuals should not be allowed.

Commissioner Jovick-Kuntz moved, seconded by Commissioner Rosenbaum, that the City Commission accept Ordinance 2834 on first reading and set the final reading and public hearing for 7:00 pm, October 15, 2002.

Motion carried 5-0.
 

The property owner completed renovation of the building at 225 Second Street South. The building permit was issued June 6, 2002, and the project was completed in September 2002, at an estimated cost of $165,000. The applicants requested approval of the tax benefits and Resolution 9267 was prepared to comply with the requirement that all applications be approved by resolution. Approval of the application would allow for the taxes generated from the expansion to be added to the existing taxes over a five-year period in increments of 20 percent each year.

MCA 15-24-1501, provides the local government the option of giving Tax Benefits for the Remodeling, Reconstruction or Expansion of Existing Buildings or Structures. The law governing this incentive was amended in 1985 requiring that each local governing body (City and County) approve the Tax Benefit on a project by project basis. If one local government body approves the tax benefit and the other does not, the benefit will apply only to the mills levied by the approving governing body. In addition, tax benefits do not include any relief from state-wide levies and local government approval of the application must be by resolution.

The City Commission's policy regarding the approval of remodeling tax benefits was established in the late 1980s and requires that all property taxes on all property owned by the applicant be current and that the applicant be allowed to take advantage of only one City program available to provide local development assistance. This policy came about as a result of concern that certain projects were taking advantage of extremely low interest rates, City sponsored new construction or rehabilitation loan programs designed to improve building conditions, improve blighted areas and expand the tax base. After receiving the low interest loans, some developers were then applying for the reduction in property taxes, which had the net effect of canceling some of the benefits the City was supposed to derive from making the original loan.

In applying this policy to the application received from the current owners, Staff found that all property taxes were current and that the applicants had not received City financial assistance from other programs.

Commissioner Rosenbaum moved, seconded by Commissioner Hinz, that the City Commission adopt Resolution 9267.

Motion carried 5-0.
 

CONSENT AGENDA

Commissioner Beecher moved, seconded by Commissioner Rosenbaum, that the City Commission approve the Consent Agenda as printed.

Motion carried 5-0.
 

ADJOURNMENT