Crystal Lake Park

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MINUTES

 of the City of Crystal Lake Park, Missouri

Regular Meeting of the Board of Alderpersons

March 12, 2007

Mayor Balcer welcomed the residents to the meeting and asked that roll call be taken.

ROLL CALL:

Mayor and Alderpersons:  Present:  Mayor Matt Balcer, and Alderpersons Bonnie Taylor, Jim Gehringer, Jim Leonard and Sandy Spitzer.

City Officials:  Present:  City Attorney Steve McCandless, City Clerk Lois La Driere, City Treasurer Ann Bradley, Building Commissioner (BC) Robb Lappe, Street Commissioner Jim Cooper and Police Chief Steve Sood. 

Mayor Balcer asked for a vote to approve the Meeting Agenda for March 12, 2007.  Some residents and Alderpersons asked to add items to New Business on the Agenda, including thanking Amy Cislo for her work on the Comprehensive Plan (CP), a discussion of letters recently received from residents, adding additional members to the P&Z Commission, a reading and submission of a Petition by residents, a discussion of the public notice concerning District D, adding additional mulch to the park playground, and yard waste issues.  Those items were added to the March 12 Agenda, following which Alderpereson Taylor made a Motion to approve the revised Agenda, which was seconded by Alderperson Leonard, and subsequently approved.

 Mayor Balcer then asked for a vote to approve the minutes of the February meeting of the Board of Alderpersons.  Alderperson Spitzer made a Motion to approve the February minutes which was seconded by Alderperson Leonard and subsequently approved.

 CITY OFFICIALS:

 Financial Report:  Next on the Agenda was a presentation of the financial report.  City Treasurer Bradley announced that the amount of the City's cash on hand was $98,400 and that the amount of investment income was $195,375.  She added that the City was carrying a higher balance at U.S. Bank because $50,000 was needed for City expenditures.  Bradley then notified the Board that the audit by Hochschild Bloom was near completion, pending approval of a few items by the accounting firm.  She also noted that the accounting firm had recently received a review of their work which had been declared excellent.

 Building Commissioner:  BC Lappe reported that at the last meeting of the P&Z Commission, members had finalized the draft of the City’s Comprehensive Plan (CP).  He stated that the Commission would hold a formal public hearing at its April 5, 2007 meeting to garner input from residents with respect to the plan.  In the interim, the draft plan would be placed on the City’s bulletin board and website. 

 BC Lappe then informed the Board that a resident of The Willows at 2215 Derby Drive was building an addition to his or her residence, but had neglected to garner a permit for such work.  A stop work order had been posted on the site and the Chief of Police of Frontenac had visited the residence.  To this date, the resident had ignored the notices, but Lappe said he and the Frontenac Police intended to follow up to ensure compliance. 

 Lastly, BC Lappe reminded the Board that this Board meeting would be his last, as his resignation is effective April 1, 2007.  The Mayor thanked BC Lappe for his service to the community, both as BC and prior to that, as Mayor.  Residents in the audience gave him a standing ovation.

 Park Commissioner:  Park Commissioner Greg Heck not being present, BC Lappe reported that spring pruning of overhanging trees in the City would soon begin.  He then read a notice which he planned to put in the City’s next newsletter notifying residents of same.  He also announced that the plant a tree project would continue this year, encouraging residents to purchase and plant new trees at a reduced cost.  He said he would provide City Clerk LaDriere with information to post on the website and bulletin board, too.

 Street Commissioner:  Street Commissioner Jim Cooper stated that the engineering firm hired by the City had already begun its assessment and would have an initial report of their findings in about two weeks.  Alderperson Taylor provided the City Clerk with an invoice from Horner &
Shifrin, Inc. for payment.

 Police Chief:  Police Chief Steve Sood introduced himself to the standing only crowd of residents.  He asked residents to keep him apprised of any issues which he needed to address in the City.  A resident asked if parking signs were available to residents who were contemplating parties in the City, in order to direct guests to the correct parking on the streets.  Sood said that those signs were available through the Frontenac Police Department at no charge, if they were returned in a timely manner. 

 OLD BUSINESS:

 Street Maintenance:  Alderperson Taylor informed residents that the City’s street maintenance program would include identifying and assessing problems incurred by residents as a result of the work previously performed on the City’s streets.  Street Commissioner Cooper then identified some of the specific problems residents had incurred.  Alderperson Taylor suggested that residents contact Cooper to make him aware of any problems of which he was unaware in that regard.  A resident then mentioned that a stop sign at Crystal Drive and Bopp Road had been destroyed.  It was noted that the City was already aware of the issue, had received a bid to fix the sign, and would soon be doing so.  It was also noted that a sign at Bedford Drive and Bopp Road was bent.  Additionally, a resident stated that she recommends that the City install speed bumps throughout the City.  She noted that contractors, residents and school busses often speed through the neighborhood.  Mayor Balcer asked the Street Commissioner to ask the street engineers to evaluate the placement of speed bumps.

 Mayor Balcer asked if there was any other old business to address.  There was none.

 NEW BUSINESS:   

Resident Joe Brent explained that he was a fifty-five year resident of the City.  He noted that the City’s streets were the best they had ever been during his residency and thanked the City for its good work.  He also introduced a DVD which contained a history of the City.  Then he stated that while the leaf pick up in the City was great, he was dismayed that there was no yard waste pick up from January 1 through March 31 each year.  As a result, he noted, he and some other residents take their yard waste during those three months to other municipalities.  Mayor Balcer asked City Clerk LaDriere to confer with Living Décor concerning the cost of pick up during those months as well as the company’s availability to perform the work.

 City resident Amy Cislo then mentioned that the City park was in need of mulch in the playground area.  BC Lappe noted that additional mulch was typically added each spring and that he would follow up to ensure that it was done. 

 Resident Steve Schreiner of 2103 Grandview Drive then read and submitted to the Board a Petition signed by residents who oppose changing the amount of square footage allowed in homes in District D.  City Clerk LaDriere noted that the Petition contained 70 resident signatures.  City Attorney McCandless noted that there was nothing in the City code relating to Petitions, but that the Board would note receipt of the Petition and signatures.  Mayor Balcer explained that legally, notice must be posted in advance of meetings and that a notice of same does not mean that a vote will be taken on the issue, merely that a discussion take place.  A vote is then taken only if it is deemed necessary following discussion of the issue. 

 Amy Cislo noted that no minutes had been taken at the March P&Z Commission meeting.  BC Lappe indicated that he had taken minutes of the vote that occurred and would provide them to City Clerk LaDriere.  Alderperson Gehringer then noted that the City Clerk should attend all Commission meetings and take minutes.  LaDriere explained that no voting issues had been on the Agenda for the meeting so there was no reason for her to be there to take minutes, since the meeting was supposed to only involve drafting the City’s CP.   

Alderperson Taylor asked why the posted notice regarding District D ordinances had included square footage and setback issues, but not green space.  City Attorney McCandless explained that it was his understanding that those two issues were to be the subject of the notice, nothing else.  A resident then asked if the P&Z Commission did not approve new setbacks and square footage, how could it go forward to a vote of the Board.  Mayor Balcer responded that square footage had been approved to go forward to the Board.  Alderperson Gehringer stated that he believed the issue was being forced through to a vote by the Board.  Mayor Balcer explained that the process required that ultimately the issue go before the Board.  City Attorney McCandless then suggested that the Board cancel the addition of the issue at the April Board meeting.  He said he would defer to P&Z Chairperson Dave Evans regarding whether these issues should be voted upon by P&Z.  He also said that if the P&Z did not support the vote to pass the proposed ordinance, then a two-thirds vote of Board members would be needed to pass the proposed ordinance. 

 Alderperson Taylor then asked if the Board could pass a resolution to asking the P&Z Chairperson to review the District D ordinances and to compare them with the Comprehensive Plan, following which the Commission would develop a proposed ordinance to submit to the Board of Alderpersons for approval.   McCandless replied that no resolution was needed.  Instead Chairperson Evans could be asked to do that within a specific time frame.  P&Z member Rita Brinkmann stated that following the recent building moratorium it was her understanding that the City would then take its time to review and address the ordinances.  She stated her surprise that a potential vote was being discussed.  Alderperson Leonard asked who would be running the P&Z meetings after April 1, 2007, when BC Lappe’s resignation becomes effective.  Alderperson Gehringer replied that Chairperson Evans would run the meetings.  Alderperson Taylor then stated that she had spoken with the City of Frontenac which had said they could potentially provide building commissioner services for Crystal Lake Park.  BC Lappe indicated that he would ask Frontenac’s building commissioner to attend the next Board meeting to discuss the matter. 

Alderperson Taylor then notified those in attendance that an additional item would be on the April 3, 2007 election ballot, the lateral sewer line program.  Mayor Balcer then explained the program to everyone. 

 The next issue before the Board concerned a letter distributed by resident Lee Crockett which had been sent to Board members.  The letter outlined some issues Crockett had with the process of appointments to the P&Z.  He noted that he had been asked to issue a request to serve on the P&Z and had to submit his qualifications, neither of which had been required of subsequent appointees to the P&Z.  He also noted that none of those recent appointees had ever been to a Board meeting.  In addition, he was concerned that one of those appointees is the Mayor’s spouse, a situation which he could not comprehend.  Alderperson Taylor noted that the ordinances say only that P&Z members be taxpaying residents and do not list any other restrictions.  Alderperson Gehringer noted that in the past, it has been difficult getting residents to volunteer to serve on the Commission and that unlike Board members who are elected, P&Z members are appointed.  Mayor Balcer suggested that a discussion concerning the qualifications of those recently appointed to the P&Z should be placed on the Board’s April Agenda. 

 Alderperson Gehringer noted that two additional residents had indicated a desire to serve on the P&Z.  Marianne Stuart, a member of the Board of Adjustment and resident Brooke Hager indicated a desire to serve.  Since the P&Z currently has its maximum of fifteen members, Mayor Balcer suggested that since he and BC Lappe would no longer be attending P&Z meetings, those two vacancies could be filled by Stuart and Hager.  Alderperson Taylor then asked if the two, both of whom were present at the meeting, could state why they were interested in serving on the P&Z.  Hager noted that her profession is real estate and marketing, and that she wanted to serve the community.  Stuart indicated that she had previously served on the Board of Adjustment and would like to continue to serve the community.  Alderperson Taylor then made a Motion to approve the appointments of Hager and Stuart as P&Z members.  Alderperson  Gehringer seconded the Motion and a vote of the Board was taken as follows:  Taylor – aye; Gehringer – aye; Spitzer – nay; and Leonard – aye.  The Motion was approved. 

 VOTE TO CLOSE THE MEETING:  There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:40 p.m.

 NEXT MEETING:

 Mayor Balcer then announced that the next meeting of the Board was scheduled for Monday, April 9, 2007. 

 MINUTES RECORDED BY:______________________________________________

                                                City Clerk, Lois La Driere

ATTEST:_______________________________________________________________

               Matt Balcer, Mayor