COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE -Minutes 20110712
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE – CITY OF MUSKEGO (Approved)
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD TUESDAY, July 12, 2011
Mayor Chiaverotti called the meeting to order at 6:35 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Mayor Kathy Chiaverotti, Aldermen Harenda, Borgman, Werner, Soltysiak,
Schaumberg, and Fiedler. Also present Deputy Clerk Jill Blenski. Alderman Snead was
absent.
STATEMENT OF PUBLIC NOTICE
The meeting was noticed in accordance with the Open Meeting Law.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
There were no issues with the agenda item listed.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Ald. Borgman moved for approval of the June 14, 2011 minutes. Ald. Fiedler seconded;
motion carried.
NEW BUSINESS
1. Continue Discussion on Fire Department Reward/Retention Program.
Mayor Chiaverotti stated that she and Ald. Snead met twice with representatives from
the Fire Department and expressed what the council was looking for. That is to open up
the contract and to have the property that is currently titled in the Fire Department’s
name placed in the City’s name and to come to an agreement with the
scholarship/retention program. The Fire Dept. is willing to have the contract reflect that
the property will revert back to the City if and when the department dissolves. They
want to define how we get to the end.
Ald. Fielder stated that we are referring to the cessation of the fire services and not the
dissolution of the Fire Company. The idea was to redefine what happens to the property
and improvements upon termination.
Ald. Werner and Ald. Harenda clarified that we have two separate contracts – the
retainer agreement along with the year to year budget agreement
Mayor said the understanding is that the City would fund the retention and the
scholarship program in order to get the property titled in the City’s name. We are
agreeing to fund the retention program and the scholarship program. Ald. Fielder
questioned that the City would turn over $175,000 to the retention program as well as
commit to fund the scholarship program $20,000 on a yearly basis in perpetuity? His
recollection along with Ald. Werner’s was that when this was started the City said that
they would try to fund the program if we could afford to not commit to it.
Ald. Werner said we are very blessed to have a volunteer fire department and to have
people in the community willing to serve.
Committee of the Whole meeting page 2
July 12, 2011
Ald. Fielder is concerned about paying $400,000 to get back property that we should
already own.
Mayor feels that what they really want is the retention program and that they want the
scholarship funds to memorialize the Department. Ald. Fielder doesn’t feel comfortable
giving them everything they are asking for without some negotiations.
Ald.Werner stated that in regard to the $20,000 he feels we should fund it if we can. We
should look at the retention and scholarship programs separately each year. He has no
issues in how they spend their money and if they are making revenues with the cell
tower he is okay with that. It is to our advantage to fund the retention program.
It was agreed that the Mayor go back to the Fire Dept. with the following:
That the City is willing to change the language that when the Fire Dept. is
terminated by either side that the property reverts back to the City.
The City will try to annually fund the retention program.
Start a new account for a scholarship that the City may or may not contribute to
each year – encouraging the community to contribute to.
Define the end of the relationship.
Ald. Harenda added that the length of the contracts should be discussed and questioned
if there were liability issues attached to the properties? All agreed that should be looked
at in the future.
Mayor gave a brief report that she is working on obtaining recodification information.
COMMUNICATIONS AND MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS AS AUTHORIZED BY
LAW
ADJOURNMENT
Ald. Fiedler moved to adjourn at 7:08 p.m. Seconded by Ald. Harenda; motion carried.
Minutes transcribed by
Cindy Schweitzer