CITY COUNCIL MEETING
MINUTES
MONDAY, APRIL 12, 2004
I.
CALL TO ORDER
A
regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Liberty, Missouri was held
in the Council Chambers at City Hall on April 12, 2004 with Mayor Stephen P. Hawkins presiding. Mayor Hawkins called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.
II. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The
invocation was given by Council Member Coni Hadden, who then led the pledge of
allegiance.
III. ROLL CALL
Roll
call was answered by Mayor Stephen P. Hawkins; Ed Collins and Coni Hadden, Ward
I; LeRoy Coe and Anna Marie Martin, Ward II; Juarenne Hester, Ward III; and Jim
Robertson, Ward IV. Also in attendance
were Cynthia Boecker, Assistant City Administrator; Steve Hansen, Public Works
Director; Donna Kay Taylor, Community Center Manager; Linda Tyree, Finance
Director; Kathy Goode, Assistant Finance Director; Marcella McCoy, Assistant
Finance Director; Diana Adams, Financial Analyst; Dee Mizell, Financial
Analyst; Gary Birch, Fire Chief; Bill Riley, Deputy Fire Chief; Paul Brooksher,
Fire Division Chief; Craig Knouse, Police Chief; Sheila Costanza,
Communications Supervisor; Mike McGregor, Communications Officer; Steve
Anderson, Planning & Development Director; Pat Childers, Building
Inspections Manager; Dale Gilbreath, Building Inspector; Julie Lawless,
Preservation Planner; Mary Towse, Human Resources Director; Tony Sage,
Information Services Manager; Lyndsay Heal, Management Assistant; Jane Sharon,
Deputy City Clerk; Angie Borgedalen, Liberty Tribune; Joe Cook, Liberty Sun
News; and 7 members of the public.
IV. APPROVE MINUTES AND SUMMARIES
A.
REGULAR SESSION
MINUTES OF MARCH 22, 2004
Council Member Martin moved to approve the minutes as
distributed. Council Member Hadden
seconded the motion, which carried 5-0-1.
Council Member Robertson abstained due to absence.
B.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
MINUTES OF MARCH 22, 2004
Council Member Hadden moved to approve the minutes as
distributed. Council Member Hester
seconded the motion, which carried 5-0-1.
Council Member Robertson abstained due to absence.
V. CITIZENS’ PARTICIPATION
A.
PROCLAMATION FOR
BUILDING SAFETY WEEK
Mayor Hawkins read the proclamation for Building
Safety Week and presented it to Building Inspection Manager Pat Childers and
Building Inspector Dale Gilbreath.
B. PROCLAMATION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY
TELECOMMUNICATIONS WEEK
Mayor Hawkins read the proclamation for Public Safety
Telecommunications Week and presented it to Communications Supervisor Sheila
Costanza and Communications Officer Mike McGregor.
C. PRESENTATION OF GFOA AWARD TO FINANCE
DIRECTOR
Mayor Hawkins commented on the history of the GFOA
award being presented to the City of Liberty for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. He expressed appreciation to the staff for
its efforts in securing this prestigious award, which reflects a City
exhibiting good stewardship and accounting of City funds. He presented the 2002 award to Finance
Director Linda Tyree, Assistant Finance Director Kathy Goode, Assistant Finance
Director Marcella McCoy, Financial Analyst Diana Adams and Financial Analyst
Dee Mizell.
D. Rob Siebolt, 325 Ford Street, stated that he has been in conversations with
various City staff regarding the address of his house. He stated there is a problem because no one
can find his house from Ford Street. He said the right of way is
not maintained to his house and Ford Street is only 10 ft. wide at one point. Mr. Siebolt proposed addressing his house off
Arthur Street, giving it an address of 310 Arthur Street. He said that
would be the approximate address if you came to his house from the other
direction. He stated that neither trash
trucks nor public safety vehicles can make it through on Ford Street. He noted that
he doesn’t want to start a dispute with his elderly neighbor with an issue in
which he has no legal standing. He said
he had visited with the mayor about this issue and the mayor had indicated he
could not find the address on Ford Street. Mr. Siebolt
said he realized this would have to be revisited when the property next to him
changed hands, but this would temporarily resolve his problem. He said Ford Street is not marked, it is dark and there are parked cars
obstructing it and he would like the address changed.
Council Member Coe asked if the house faces east, why
it wouldn’t be addressed off Lincoln Street. Mr. Siebolt
stated that his is the white house behind Cody’s and his legal description says
it is in contact with the alley, not Lincoln Street. He noted he
has to work out any address with BFI to get trash service and that he currently
takes his trash to Lincoln
Street for
pick up.
Mayor Hawkins asked staff to put together information
for Council review.
E. Mayor Hawkins recognized Boy Scout
Colin Starner, with Troop 376, observing the Council meeting as part of his Citizenship
and the Community badge requirements.
VI. MEETING SCHEDULE
Assistant City Administrator Cynthia Boecker stated there would be
three items on the April 19 study session:
the Direction Finder survey results; the downtown visioning process; and
the West Interceptor sewer repairs.
VIII. PUBLIC HEARINGS – None.
A. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
OF VENDOR PAYMENTS FROM MARCH 19, 2004 THROUGH APRIL 9, 2004 – ORDINANCE
Council Member Robertson requested that check no.
81637 be removed and voted on separately.
Council Member Martin asked why card center payments
for conference and airfare and training travel for the same purpose were
charged to different account categories.
Finance Director Linda Tyree indicated that some had been paid through
police and the rest through administration and the information services
budget. The costs were associated with
training for the public safety dispatch system.
Document No. 6193 was read. Council Member Martin moved to approve the
ordinance. Council Member Hester
seconded the motion.
Vote on the motion was as follows: Council Member Collins – yes; Council Member
Martin – yes; Council Member Hester – yes; Council Member Hadden – yes; Council
Member Coe – yes; Council Member Robertson – yes. The motion carried unanimously; it was
approved by the Chair and inscribed in Ordinance No. 8659.
Council Member Hadden moved to approve check no.
81637. Council Member Martin seconded
the motion.
Vote on the motion was as follows: Council Member Collins – yes; Council Member
Martin – yes; Council Member Hester – yes; Council Member Hadden – yes; Council
Member Coe – yes; Council Member Robertson – abstain. The motion carried 5-0-1 with Council Member
Robertson abstaining due to a potential conflict of interest; it was approved
by the Chair.
B. *APPEAL OF HDRC
DECISION TO DENY CASE NO. 04-003J, REPLACEMENT OF AN ICE DOOR AT 213 NORTH
LIGHTBURNE, JEWELL DISTRICT – RESOLUTION
Preservation Planner Julie Lawless stated this is an appeal of a
decision by the Historic District Review Commission (HDRC) pertaining to denial
of a certificate of appropriateness for the replacement of an ice door at 213
North Lightburne in the Jewell Historic District. She stated that this is an early 20th
century bungalow with an ice door, once used to facilitate delivery of ice for
an ice chest in the house. She noted
that modern conveniences have made these doors unnecessary.
Ms. Lawless stated that the applicant, while working on an interior
renovation, had glass blocks installed where plywood had replaced the original
ice door. After the installation of the
glass blocks, it came to the attention of City staff and the applicant was
informed of the need for a certificate of appropriateness with any exterior
alteration.
Ms. Lawless stated the HDRC, staff and the applicant agreed at a
March 22 HDRC regular session that the location of the door didn’t lend
itself to maintaining it as an opening,
due to safety and insulation issues. She
noted that materials used to replace existing architectural features should
match the original material in size, shape, color and texture, however,
standards for analyzing the potential impact of an application on the character
of a building also state that contemporary design should not be discouraged if
the design is compatible with the structure.
Ms. Lawless showed interior and exterior view photographs and noted the
location of the door was well below standard window height and not visible from
the street.
Ms. Lawless stated that the HDRC denied the application, due to
the glass block deterring too far from the materials used in the rest of the
exterior and directed staff to approve an alternate application for either a
wood mock door or the infill of the space with siding. Staff found that the guidelines on
contemporary design adequately addressed the use of glass block because the
material was chronologically contemporary with the building’s construction and
infill with siding would cover an important historical detail on the
house. She stated that staff had,
therefore, found that a substitute to the actual door was appropriate.
Council Member Collins stated that he went to the residence this
afternoon and had to go between the tree line and the road and the section of
the house with the glass block was still hard to see. He thought it looked quite nice and saw no
reason to deny it. Council Member Hadden
asked if the original framing was still in place. Ms. Lawless said it was. Mrs. Hadden asked if the glass blocks were
representative of what was there with the ice door in it. Ms. Lawless said it was and, if allowed to
remain, the applicant intended to add hinges to the glass blocks to appear more
like a door. Council Member Martin
stated that she did not see any reason to reject the glass blocks. Council Member Robertson stated he tried to
see the area of the house that had been altered and couldn’t see it without
going into the yard of the house from the side.
He stated it doesn’t noticeably change the appearance of the house and
therefore should be approved. Council
Member Hadden stated that glass blocks are innovative and she liked the idea of
displaying the original use. She said
she was completely in favor of the use.
Mayor Hawkins clarified that, by passing the resolution, Council
would be approving a certificate of appropriateness for the existing
replacement of the ice door.
Council Member Hadden moved to approve the resolution. Council Member Martin seconded the motion,
which carried unanimously and is inscribed in Resolution No. 2161.
Council Member Martin stated she would like for the City to work
on getting the word out to home owners in historic districts about the
requirements for certificates of appropriateness in these instances. Ms. Lawless stated that staff is currently
working on a newsletter.
A. CERTIFICATION OF APRIL 6, 2004 ELECTION
RESULTS – MOTION
XI.
MISCELLANEOUS
MATTERS FROM CITY ADMINISTRATOR
Ms.
Boecker reminded Council of the upcoming Incorporation Day events on May
7. She also noted that the city
administrator would return to the office on Wednesday.
XII.
MISCELLANEOUS
MATTERS FROM MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
Council
Member Hester encouraged Council to note the May 7 date on their
calendars. She stated that among the
Incorporation Day activities would be a reenactment of the petition being
presented to the court. Council members
will serve as petitioners in the reenactment and present the petition to the
court in the Council Chambers. She also
reminded Council of a reception for book donors scheduled for May 8.
Mrs.
Hester said she had received a complaint about traffic on Wellington from
residents. She said it is becoming a
problem again.
Council
Member Martin asked if any work had been done at 317 Gallatin. Planning & Development Director Steve
Anderson stated that staff had reengaged the property owners last week. Mrs. Martin asked if there had been any
resolution to the property next door to this one. Mr. Anderson said windows had been installed.
Council
Member Collins stated that Ridgeway, north of Nashua needs the street sweeper
to make a pass.
Mayor
Hawkins expressed concern about the prevalence of election signs in the
right-of-way during the recent election when issues only were on the ballot. He said the City needs to enforce its sign
regulations uniformly, whether for candidate elections or ballot issues
elections. Mr. Anderson stated that
staff had been in communication with the School District as soon as the signs
were discovered. He said it took a few
days to get the signs moved because of the number of individuals involved with
putting them up.
Council
Member Coe asked about the inflated eagle atop a bank in Liberty last
weekend. Mr. Anderson said it was in
violation of City Code, but there is no enforcement available on the weekends.
XIII. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8:08 p.m.
__________________________________
Mayor
Attest:
_____________________________________
Deputy City Clerk