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09-21-2010 City Council Study Session PacketCity of Grand Island Tuesday, September 21, 2010 Study Session Packet City Council:Mayor: Margaret Hornady City Administrator: Jeff Pederson City Clerk: RaNae Edwards T u 7:00:00 PM Council Chambers - City Hall 100 East First Street Larry Carney Scott Dugan John Gericke Peg Gilbert Chuck Haase Robert Meyer Mitchell Nickerson Bob Niemann Kirk Ramsey Jose Zapata Call to OrderCity of Grand Island City Council A - SUBMITTAL OF REQUESTS FOR FUTURE ITEMS Individuals who have appropriate items for City Council consideration should complete the Request for Future Agenda Items form located at the Information Booth. If the issue can be handled administratively without Council action, notification will be provided. If the item is scheduled for a meeting or study session, notification of the date will be given. B - RESERVE TIME TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEMS This is an opportunity for individuals wishing to provide input on any of tonight's agenda items to reserve time to speak. Please come forward, state your name and address, and the Agenda topic on which you will be speaking. MAYOR COMMUNICATION This is an opportunity for the Mayor to comment on current events, activities, and issues of interest to the community. Call to Order Pledge of Allegiance Roll Call This is an open meeting of the Grand Island City Council. The City of Grand Island abides by the Open Meetings Act in conducting business. A copy of the Open Meetings Act is displayed in the back of this room as required by state law. The City Council may vote to go into Closed Session on any agenda item as allowed by state law. City of Grand Island City Council Item -1 Discussion Concerning Disposition of Land At Stuhr Road and Hwy 30 Tuesday, September 21, 2010 Study Session City of Grand Island Staff Contact: Jeff Pederson City of Grand Island City Council Council Agenda Memo From: Jeff Pederson, City Administrator Meeting: September 21, 2010 Subject: Disposition of Land at Stuhr Road and Highway 30 Item #’s: 1 Presenter(s): Jeff Pederson, City Administrator Background In 2005, the City purchased this parcel of property for a prospective State Fire Training Facility for $583,900. Since that time, progress on that project has not materialized and the land has been leased for agricultural production. Additionally, the City has used a portion of the property for snow piling and most recently for temporary storage of historical buildings. During the recent budget deliberations, the City Council requested that an inventory of excess land assets be compiled and a Study Session be held to determine if and excess land assets could be sold for cash to assist with funding in the City budget. In response, this piece of property was identified as both significant in size as well as lacking in a defined plan for future use. Discussion In preparation for the Study Session, a broker’s opinion was obtained that projects a value for the property of $392,200. That value is inclusive of the lake that resides on the property, and is based in large measure on a comparable piece of property located across Stuhr Road that sold recently. The difference in value between the purchase price and the broker’s opinion of present value requires that the timing of a sale of the property be part of the discussion. The balance of the discussion will focus on the reason(s) why the City might be justified in retaining the land. Last year during budget time, I suggested that the land should be studied as a possible future location for a combined Public Works/Utilities/Fleet facility. No follow-up has occurred on that prospect, although I believe that such a facility makes sense at a future time and insomuch as land and location is a key consideration to facilities construction, having land in-hand could enhance that development prospect. A second prospective interest for the land that has existed for some time involves the appeal of the property for economic/industrial development. During my tenure, there has been one instance where the City has been asked to indicate a willingness to consider a sale of the property for such development. Being in an M-2 zone with excellent roadway access, the property does constitute a viable location for such development. Conclusion This item is presented to the City Council in a Study Session to allow for any questions to be answered and to create a greater understanding of the issue at hand. Item -2 Update of Odor Task Force Tuesday, September 21, 2010 Study Session City of Grand Island Staff Contact: Jeff Pederson City of Grand Island City Council Council Agenda Memo From: Jeff Pederson, City Administrator Meeting: September 21, 2010 Subject: Update on Odor Task Force Item #’s: 2 Presenter(s): Odor Task Force Background Odor has been an issue for several years. In May 2010, at a Study Session City Administration presented the potential for an odor ordinance and how that might be structured. From that Study Session an Odor Task Force was formed to continue the investigation of an odor ordinance and to review the odor issue. This Task Force consists of Council member Niemann, Council member Ramsey, Council member Gericke, Council President Gilbert, and City Administration staff. Council member Niemann serves as the Chair of the Odor Task Force. A representative from the Central District Health Department, Jeremy Collinson, the Environmental Health Supervisor, has also worked with the group. The Odor Task Force has met several times throughout the summer to discuss odor issues. Discussion The Odor Task Force reviewed information presented at the May Study Session. An area of concern for the group was the City’s ability to monitor odors. Although the Nasal Ranger has been a useful tool for the Wastewater Treatment Plant, the human factors involved can impact the results. With that in mind, the Task Force investigated other odor measuring devices that had less subjectivity and enlisted the help of an odor expert, Dr. Dwaine Bundy. Dr. Bundy holds a Ph.D. and PE, is a former Iowa State faculty member, and has worked in several communities on air quality and odor issues involving livestock, waste management and agricultural processing facilities. Having a consultant provide an outside point of view with knowledge and experience with odor management was very beneficial. Dr. Bundy made a site visit to Grand Island on August 2-3, 2010. At that time he briefly assessed sources of community odor complaints and met with the Task Force at the end of his visit. The consultant believes odorous compounds near the Wastewater Treatment Plant and JBS are made up of hydrogen sulfide. Reducing hydrogen sulfide gasses can reduce odors, but more information is needed on the odorous gases. The OdaLog is an instrument that reads hydrogen sulfide continuously, and can provide information on the correlation between hydrogen sulfide and odor emissions. An OdaLog takes measurements every ten minutes for twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, along with collecting weather information. Data is then downloaded every two-four weeks. With the advice and knowledge from the consultant, the Odor Task Force believes that using the OdaLog would greatly improve the City’s ability to monitor odors. During the past year and over the course of the time that the Odor Task Force has been meeting, JBS has demonstrated a much higher commitment to managing odor emanating from the plant. Additionally, JBS and the City have strengthened their working relationship through improved communication and accountability. The Odor Task Force would like to use this improved relationship to move forward in a mutual effort to manage the odor issue without the implementation of a formal program of compliance and sanctions. The Task Force believes that moving forward over the next year they will be able to improve the City’s ability to monitor odor emissions, as well as learn more about odor impacting the community using the OdaLog instruments. By doing this in a mutual effort with JBS, Wastewater, and other odor generators, it will provide the Task Force the opportunity to share data and create a greater understanding of the odorous emissions. Ultimately, being equipped with more knowledge of the odor in Grand Island, will lend itself to reducing odor more efficiently. With the City overseeing the monitoring process, if problems persist at the same level then the Task Force would be in the position to move forward in the a formal route to creating an ordinance. Conclusion This item is presented to the City Council in a Study Session to update on the work of the Odor Task Force, and allow for any questions to be answered and to create a greater understanding of the issue at hand. Item -3 Food Tax Exemption Review and Opportunities Tuesday, September 21, 2010 Study Session City of Grand Island Staff Contact: Jeff Pederson City of Grand Island City Council Council Agenda Memo From: Jeff Pederson, City Administrator Meeting: September 21, 2010 Subject: Food Tax Exemption Review and Opportunities Item #’s: 3 Presenter(s): Chuck Haase, Council member Background Council member Chuck Haase, Ward 5, requested placement on a Study Session agenda of an item for discussion of “Food Tax Exemption Review and Opportunities.” Discussion The ordinance implementing the Food and Beverage Occupation Tax does not apply to State Fair Vendors. State Statute 16-205, below, does not provide cities the authority to impose an occupation tax on a State function or facility, therefore food and beverages sold at the State Fair was not included in the ordinance. 16-205. License or occupation tax; power to levy; exceptions. A city of the first class may raise revenue by levying and collecting a license or occupation tax on any person, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, or business within the limits of the city and to regulate same by ordinance. All such taxes shall be uniform in respect to the class upon which they are imposed. All scientific and literary lectures and entertainments shall be exempt from such taxation as well as concerts and all other musical entertainments given exclusively by the citizens of the city. Conclusion This item is presented to the City Council in a Study Session to allow for any questions to be answered and to create a greater understanding of the issue at hand.