Council Meeting Action Summary

Missoula City Council

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Council Chambers (in person) or ZOOM Webinar (virtually)
Attend in person: City Council Chambers, 140 W. Pine, Missoula, MT
Members Present:
  • Mirtha Becerra, 
  • Daniel Carlino, 
  • John P. Contos, 
  • Gwen Jones, 
  • Kristen Jordan, 
  • Mike Nugent, 
  • Jennifer Savage, 
  • Amber Sherrill, 
  • Sandra Vasecka, 
  • and Heidi West
Members Absent:
  • Stacie Anderson
  • and Jordan Hess
Administration Present:
  • Marty Rehbein
  • and Jim Nugent, City Attorney
Administration Absent:
  • Mayor John Engen

1.
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
  

The virtual meeting of the Missoula City Council was called to order by Acting Mayor Gwen Jones at 6:00 PM.

2.
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
  

3.
PUBLIC COMMENT - NON-AGENDA ITEMS
  

President Jones We will take comment public comment on items not on the agenda.  If anyone wants to do that, please come up to the podium and say your name, 3 minutes.

John John, Ward 1.  Anyhow to continue on my story, which is based in truth.  So, the last story I told you absolutely happened, its court record, this one is as well.  We have an officer, Ethan Smith, right, the city doesn't enforce civil actions from the district court, never have.  Ethan Smith did; took this document, said no you've been told to pay by taking your property.  That property was titled to me, it wasn’t titled to the person to be sold or who got sued.  I wasn't even on that document but yet the City acted to take my property, my rental property and one of them was a HUD Section 8 rental.  Had the inspection everything; the inspector came said you did the best remodel I’ve ever seen on a mobile home into a house ever.  You know, this thing about the mute I checked it out I’m talking freely and honestly from court transcript.  I’m not talking about things that just, to jag at people, but I’ve not gotten anybody to reach out to me and say hey how can we fix what we did wrong to you Mr. [inaudible]?  What I’ve gotten was he's in the pipe cramming down there as far as we can shut him the hell up.  I have a letter from his dad says if I come into City Hall, I’ll be arrested, then it says all my communications to anybody will be rounded to a central point, they'll decide whether it has any relevance, and then they'll proceed ahead.  If that's not Nazi communist, First Amendment blocking, I don't know what is.  Right and why?  Oh, I figured this out you're scared because you did something wrong to me.  I’d be scared if I took someone's property without justification, but I’ve never threatened anyone I’ve never made any kind of insinuation of terror, but that man writes a letter and I’ll say I can't go into City Hall like every other person in this town and I got an army of haters because I stepped forward and stood against the people who said no we're doing what's right.  You show me where the city police enforce civil actions from district court, especially ones that don't include my name and then they use it to take my property that counted as $180,000.00 of rental income.  Did you think if I had that money I’d be houseless or would have been houseless?  Hell no, but does that matter?  You guys will throw two three million in TIF money at one of these big developers from out of state, do you know that's a contract.  You're getting a contract, that means prevailing wage.  It's got to be [inaudible].  Somebody in this body needs to start checking.  Everybody that does contracts with this City and make sure they pay their employees the living wage.  Why?  Because if you don't do that, you're giving a coupon to people who are competing with people in the real world.  Red’s Towing, you talk about that.  They compete with the rest of the world, but they don't have to pay living wage when they're contracted for leaf removal and they're contracted to impound cars which they steal from cars blindly and it sits on their thing oh we're not responsible for that then you call the City and the City says oh we indemnify ourselves from any theft, from any impounded vehicle.  A license to steal, just like my trailers.  It was a HUD Section 8 rental that I was getting paid for.  This isn't just some whim that I said oh boy I’m going to scub this piece of crap trailer together and rent it out.  I made places with sheetrock and updated plumbing because I did 40 years as a carpenter and construction worker, and it was all taken from me and you're all sitting back laughing and I’m struggling to breathe and get the air.  And you all just go oh well, not my fault, not my life, not nothing.  You guys can do something about this, and you just choose not to.

President Jones Any other public comment on items not on the agenda?  And if you are attending virtually, you can raise your hand if you want to provide public comment on items not on the agenda.  Yep, come on up.  Just state your name and 3 minutes.

Mike Cole Mike Cole and this is real quick.  It's about the meeting this coming Wednesday, the Land Use and Planning meeting for Expo Parkway.  Today, both the prospect, subdivision president, and the prospect meadows subdivision president submitted letters to the board and to the planning department.  And I don't know if you've received those or not yet, but if you haven't, they should be available through the planning department by tomorrow morning.  So, that was it.  Thank you.

President Jones I believe those were received.  Thank you.  Any other comment on items not on the public, item's not on the agenda.  Come on up and just say your name into the mic and 3 minutes.

David Everingham I’m David Everingham and I’m never done this before, so I’m not very good at it.  Everybody on the Council, Marty long time no see.  Thanks for being on the Council; I really appreciate it.  I wish John was here but he's not.  It's a hard job, I wouldn't want to do it.  We have a great Mayor that's done wonderful things.  He got the water system; that's huge.  We have a great trail system in this town for bikes and hiking.  Reserve Street footbridge was a great idea and allows easy access to the Bitterroot Bike Trail.  It was completed 3 years ago, actually I worked on it.  It has heated deck panels, the same panels that are on Higgins Street Bridge that get too hot in the sun, and burn dog’s pads.  The first winter it was in use, it wouldn't fall the ice below 20 degrees; then one of the panels shorted out and melted.  It was closed by Parks and Rec; it is guaranteed 5 years.  It is still broken and there was an electrical leak on it also.  It was open two winters, Parks and Rec applied salt on it to take care of the ice.  The salt has eroded the iron structure badly.  It needs to be fixed and all the salt needs to be washed off.  Corten steel is not used by the ocean because it rots out in 2 years from the salt.  Reserve Street Bridge is all Corten steel except for the panels.  Could somebody with authority please call Jackson Contractor Group and get them to honor their guarantee?  It’s a four and a half million dollar bridge; it needs to be fixed.  That’s all I have.

President Jones Thanks Mr. Everingham. 

David Everingham Pleasure.

President Jones Any other comment?  Public comment and items not on the agenda?  Seeing none, we will go forward with our agenda.  Next we have committee meetings.  We have no committee membership appointments or changes to the committee agendas, that I’m aware of, but if you could go through the committee meetings Marty.  Thank you.

4.
ANNOUNCE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP APPOINTMENTS AND CHANGES TO COMMITTEE AGENDAS
This item has attachments.  

President JonesTthere ae no committee membership appointments or changes to the committee schedule that I am aware of, if Marty could go through the committee meetings. 

Public Works and Mobility Committee June 22, 10:55 AM - 12:25 PM

Housing, Redevelopment, and Community Programs Committee June 22, 12:40 PM - 1:15 PM

Land Use and Planning Committee June 22, 1:45 PM - 3:45 PM

Budget and Finance Committee Jun 22, 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM

President Jones Thanks Ms. Rehbein.  Next on the agenda is the consent agenda.

5.
CONSENT AGENDA
  

President Jones Next on our agenda is the consent agenda.  Items on the consent agenda were approved in City Council committees to be placed on the consent agenda to save time at council meetings by voting on them as a package.  The City Clerk will read the list aloud so citizens watching on MCAT, or YouTube will know what is on the consent agenda.  We'll invite community comment on these items before we vote.  Ms. Rehbein, the consent agenda.

President Jones Thank you Marty.  Is there any public comment on the consent agenda?  If so, come up to the podium or if you are virtual just raise your hand, *9.  I see no public comment.  Any comment from Council?  Seeing none, we'll have a roll call vote Marty.

President Jones Thank you.  That passes. 

  • AYES: (10)Alderperson Becerra, Alderperson Carlino, Alderperson Contos, Alderperson Jones, Alderperson Jordan, Alderperson Nugent, Alderperson Savage, Alderperson Sherrill, Alderperson Vasecka, and Alderperson West
    ABSENT: (2)Alderperson Anderson, and Alderperson Hess
    Vote result: Approved (10 to 0)

5.1
Accounts Payable (claims) for checks dated June 21, 2022
This item has attachments.  
BF

  • Approve accounts payable in the amount of $10,909,906.49 for checks dated June 21, 2022.

    Vote result: Approved

5.2
National Institute of Health Link Project Year 3 Amended Grant Agreements
This item has attachments.  
BF
Karen Gasvoda

  • Approve and authorize the Mayor to sign these amended grant administration agreements with Truitt Consulting and SciDESIGNS for the National Institutes of Health grant-funded project called The Link: A Collective-Impact, Place-Based Approach to Inspiring Montana’s Next Generation Healthcare Work Force.

    Vote result: Approved

5.3
Referral and Staff Report – Portion A of Lot A-1 of Fairway View Addition, Lot A-1, Lot A-2
This item has attachments.  
LUP
Spencer Starke

  • Adopt a resolution of intention to annex and incorporate within the boundaries of the City of Missoula one certain parcel of land described as Portion ‘A’ of Lot A-1, Fairway View Addition, Lot A-1, Lot A-2 located in Section 1, Township 12 North, Range 20 West, P.M.M., as shown on Exhibit A and Exhibit B, and zone the property Fairway View Addition Planned Unit Development, based on the findings of fact in the staff report, subject to the recommended condition of annexation approval, set a public hearing for June 27, 2022, and refer this item to the Land Use and Planning Committee for June 29, 2022.

    Vote result: Approved

6.
COMMENTS FROM CITY STAFF, CITY AGENCIES, COMMUNITY FORUM, NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, OR AUTHORITIES
  

7.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS
  

7.1
Proclamation - World Refugee Day
This item has attachments.  
John Engen

President Jones We do have a special proclamation for tonight that I will read, and this is regarding World Refugee Day.

WHEREAS, since 2000, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has recognized June 20th as World Refugee Day, which celebrates the strength and courage of people who've been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution; and WHEREAS, since 1980, the U.S. Refugee Act has represented the United States government's commitment to protecting refugees through resettlement and asylum programs; and WHEREAS, the City of Missoula recognizes the immense economic, cultural, and social contributions refugees and immigrants provide to our community; and WHEREAS, Soft Landing Missoula formed in 2015 to welcome refugee and immigrant families to Missoula with open arms and hearts; and WHEREAS, since 2016, the International Rescue Committee has welcomed more than 500 displaced people to Missoula, including people from Afghanistan, Burma, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iraq, and Syria; and WHEREAS, World Refugee Day 2022 is dedicated to recognizing the strength and resilience of our refugee neighbors, as well as providing opportunities to rebuild their lives in safety and dignity.  Now, therefore I, John Engen, Mayor of the City of Missoula in the State of Montana hereby recognize the 20th of June 2022 as World Refugee Day.

 

President Jones And that is signed by the Mayor on June 20, 2022.  I believe there are people in the audience that wanted to speak to this tonight.  If so, please come up and state your name.  Thanks, just come on up.

Mary Poole Thank you guys.  I’m the Executive Director of Soft Landing Missoula and it's really awesome that the effort was put forth to re-energize and recommit our city to celebrating World Refugee Day.  We had lots of proclamations and resolutions when we started in 2015 and we're always so grateful for your work and just incredibly grateful for this community and the welcome that it has given to refugees that have arrived and refugees yet to come here. So, thank you very much.

President Jones Thank you and thank you for all of your work.  Anyone else in the audience that wants to come up?  Here we go.

Sarah Howerton I’m the Development Coordinator at the International Rescue Committee in Missoula and this year IRC’s message about World Refugee Day is that refugees bring more than they carry; that's traditions, experiences, skills, the list could go on.  And I think we've seen that manifest itself here in our city and so I just wanted to thank you all for your ongoing support for refugee resettlement in the city and hope we can continue in the years to come.  So, thank you.

President Jones Thank you.  Come on up, just state your name.

Paul Mwingwa Yeah.  My name is Paul Mwingwa, M-W-I-N-G-W-A.  I’m a refugee from the Democratic Public of Congo and I’m the Montana Delegate for Refugee Congress.  It's a pleasure for me to stand in front of you and I just come here just to thank Montana State and the City of Missoula, and all the Missoulians for all things they did for us.  We feel home when we are in Missoula.  Thank you for today.

President Jones Thank you.  I’m glad you feel at home here.  Any other comments from Council that want?  Or I’m sorry, comments from the audience that wanted to come up?  Okay, I have a feeling we've got some Council comments.  Ms. Becerra.

Alderperson Becerra Thank you.  I just wanted to thank all the organizations and institutions and the volunteers that make it possible for our newest members of Missoula to feel at home and I also want to thank all the refugee community members for everything that you bring.  You certainly enrich our culture; you give us some of your culture, and for that, I’m very grateful and I think you're making Missoula better.  Thanks. 

President Jones Thank you and we had Ms. Sherrill next.

Alderperson Sherrill Yeah thanks.  I think Ms. Becerra said pretty much what I was going to say.  I mean, I. there's no question in my mind that the refugee community in Missoula adds to the flavor and just the, the diversity and greatness of our city but I you know my daughter volunteers at Soft Landing and tutors the kids there and has been doing that for the last year on and off.  I’m, I’m not sure, I think they sometimes make more TikTok’s than they do, do math, but she tries to get them to do math but that has been just in one kind of tiny little piece of Missoula, which is my daughter's experience has been just really rewarding and really eye-opening and has just added to that one teenage Missoulian's life.  So thank you.

President Jones Thank you.  Any other comments from Council?  Ms. Vasecka.

Alderperson Vasecka Thanks.  I just wanted to echo what my colleagues have said.  Thank you to everyone who helps out with these wonderful refugees that come into our town and I’m so happy that you feel at home here and thank you for all the work that you do and thank you for everything that you do for our community.

President Jones Great.  Any other comments from Council?  And so, first of all thank you to everyone that came down tonight to comment and I would echo my colleagues’ comments also and it's a pleasure to read this proclamation tonight and it's a pleasure to have refugees being able to come to our community and all of the help that Soft Landing can give them because we had engaged citizens that stepped up to just make it happen.  So, thanks for doing that.  All right everyone, we're going to move on but lovely, lovely addition tonight.

8.
FINAL CONSIDERATION
  

None

9.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
  

None

10.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
  

10.1
Budget and Finance (BF) committee report
  

10.2
Climate, Conservation and Parks (CCP) committee report
  

10.3
Committee of the Whole (COW) committee report
  

10.4
Housing, Redevelopment, and Community Programs (HRCP) committee report
  

10.5
Land Use and Planning (LUP) committee report
  

10.6
Public Safety, Health and Operations (PSO) committee report
  

10.7
Public Works and Mobility (PWM) committee report
  

11.
NEW BUSINESS
  

12.
COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE MAYOR
  

13.
GENERAL COMMENTS OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
  

President Jones We will go to general comments from Council and start with Ms. West.

Alderperson West Pass.

President Jones Ms. Becerra.

Alderperson Becerra Pass.

President Jones Mr. Carlino.

Alderperson Carlino Yeah that was great to hear the proclamation and I just wanted to mention that when we've been talking about some of the crashes on Orange Street and Stephens Avenue that are kind of the same street.  Somebody from Soft Landing reached out to me recently just to say that this year alone two people have been, have left Soft Landing and got struck by vehicles like right on Stephens there and it's completely solvable from changing the street design but obviously we need Montana Department of Transportation's approval, but I just think it's something on the forefront of my mind.  It's one of the most dangerous streets in Missoula because of the double blind crosswalk, so eventually hoping that we can all push to make it converted to three lane road, make it a little bit safer for people, especially after Soft Landing folks have been hit there multiple times by cars this year and lots of bikers and it's something that's definitely solvable with good street design in the future.

President Jones Mr. Nugent.

Alderperson Mike Nugent Thank you madam president.  I just want to acknowledge all the flooding going on in other parts of the state and take it as an opportunity to be obviously thankful that we're not having the same issues in Missoula to that level but also remind people that it is something that you don't think about being prepared for until you are in it.  There's a website floodsmart.gov that FEMA runs to help people be flood prepared, to give advice on flood insurance if it's something people should consider, even if they're in an area that doesn't necessarily require it; it's worth being prepared.

President Jones Mr. Contos.

Alderperson Contos Yes, thank you.  Just recently I got the opportunity to speak with some police officers and detectives at the bowling alley.  I’m part of a networking group and you know they're hanging out at the table, and I went over to try to make him laugh or say something stupid and lighten up the atmosphere not that it was bad.  I asked him if they had fixed everything in the City and yeah I got an answer there, but you know as I was saying some things I, I told him I said you know I really appreciate what you guys do.  It's absolutely amazing and I did a ride along Friday night and we came up on a pretty serious accident and the car that I was in was the first one there, followed by seven other police cars, three EMT’s, two fire trucks and I was just absolutely amazed and blown away at the organization and everything that was, was done there, there.  They were, every, everything went very smoothly and one of the policemen came up to me, I guess he could sense I was a ride-along and says you know I just started my shift, and you can never tell what's on the other side of your call when you show up, and so he showed up to this.  And then he said something about the, the night before and I thought my gosh these guys get a phone call, they get limited information or the most that they can get, and they really have no idea what's on the other side and they're prepared and they're very organized and I thought these guys need more recognition.  So, I would just like to suggest if you see a policeman hanging out somewhere give them a doughnut, say hi, give them a thumbs up, something to encourage those guys because when I was encouraging them at the bowling alley, they stopped what they were doing and looked up at me and said we don't get that very often.  I thought well you'll get it from me.  Thank you.

President Jones Thanks John.  Ms. Vasecka.

Alderperson Vasecka Thanks.  I wanted to echo what John just said.  I really am very appreciative of our first responders.  I had the pleasure of doing a ride along with the police department and the fire department in the past and what they do is absolutely incredible.  So, a big thank you from me as well.  I also wanted to follow up on what Mike said.  Flood insurance is very important my heart goes out to all the folks that are affected with the floods in Montana.  I looked, I couldn't take my eyes away from a lot of the videos and pictures that I saw.  It was just incredible what the forces of nature can do.  With that, there is a 30-day waiting period for flood insurance usually, so if you want to get it, sooner is better.  Also, I wanted to say happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there.  A special happy Father's Day to my father and my father-in-law; I wouldn't be who, who I am today without your influence and extra special happy Father's Day to my husband because he's a wonderful father to our baby.  So, thank you.

President Jones Thanks.  Ms. Jordan.

Alderperson Kristen Jordan Thank you.  I just wanted to let everybody know that June is reentry month and re-entry has to do with our returning citizens coming from incarceration and reintegrating into the community and there's a few activities happening.  Missoula Interfaith Collaborative is putting on this month: June 21, 2022, there's a movie with Father Boyle at the Roxy Theater from 7:30 to 10:30 pm and the same thing on June 27, 2022, and then June 28, 2022, there is a decriminalization of poverty speech and a simulation.  So, you can find out more about what it's like to actually get released from jail and still have some unintended consequences in front of you, that you have to navigate through in order to reclaim your life post incarceration.  So, if you want more information just do a google search on Missoula Interfaith Collaborative re-entry month and I hope you can come.  Thank you.

President Jones Thank you.  Ms. Savage.

Alderperson Savage Thank you.  I just wanted to say thank you to Ms. Rehbein for planning an all-day field trip for new Council people on Friday.  We started at the firehouse, and we ended oh my gosh at the animal shelter I think and we went all day and we were able to see lots of city services and places that we just haven't been able to see as new Councilors because of COVID and so, I just, I really appreciated the effort and I certainly have to say my favorite was the wastewater treatment plant.  I thought it was fascinating and we might be getting a new kitten, so, but seriously thank you so much Marty.  I know that took a lot of time and effort to plan.  Thank you.

President Jones Thanks and Ms. Sherrill.

Alderperson Sherrill I’m going to pass tonight.  Thank you.

14.
MISCELLANEOUS COMMUNICATIONS, REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
  

15.
ADJOURNMENT
  

The meeting adjourned at 6:33 p.m.

President Jones We will stand adjourned.

The meeting adjourned at 6:33 p.m.

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