[0:05] I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic

[0:11] for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and

[0:16] justice for all. [clears throat]

[0:22] Let's pray for prayer. Heavenly Father, please help us at this

[0:28] meeting. Um, do do what our residents need us to

[0:34] do. Um, thank we're thankful that none of those

[0:39] major storms the last few days hit us. Please look out for all our men and

[0:44] women overseas protecting our great nation. In Jesus Christ's name we pray.

[0:49] Amen. Amen. Reading of approval. [clears throat]

[0:58] Motion to approve and suspend reading. >> Sorry. Second. All in favor say I.

[1:06] » I. Approval of the agenda.

[1:12] We have a couple additions of business.

[1:26] Casey second.

[1:31] [clears throat] >> All in favor say I.

[1:34] » I motion approved. All right. Engineers

[1:39] report. didn't sound like there was a whole lot

[1:44] on the engineers report.

[1:55] » CC Steel is going to come around again. >> Yeah, they still got those punch list

[2:01] items from the 24 sewer project. We'll be finishing those and then as far as I

[2:07] know pag has a couple other patches that go along with that

[2:12] as well

[2:19] right

[2:31] [clears throat] the commander post 189 and

[2:36] the reason we're here tonight, we've got an individual from the area to donate a

[2:42] substantial amount of money for a monument for the military.

[2:46] And the reason I'm here is we're going to need your input where we could

[2:49] probably put it in Hazen. This is just in the planning stage, but

[2:53] I thought I'd let you let you people know. Then we can get together and

[2:57] figure out where this might take a year. We don't know how long it's going to

[3:00] take, but I think it's we're going to get it started and I thought I'd let

[3:04] people know about that. Appreciate your help.

[3:08] » Thank you. >> Great. Thanks,

[3:19] » Mr. Thank you for having us here as a back up.

[3:26] funding has been accumulated. They're hoping as they put this thing together,

[3:32] they don't have to invest in the land place it on

[3:37] the city for maybe [cough and clears throat] just ideas

[3:44] west of the water plant something like that parks I I don't know if the money

[3:49] is available and we just soon take that money and put towards the

[3:56] we want this to be an all veterans Don't want to exclude any veterans

[4:03] include national guard even today's

[4:12] looking forward to working with the city.

[4:15] We'd like to place a pyramid [clears throat]

[4:20] with the county. They got a wall down there something

[4:25] different. Any

[4:29] questions or concerns? >> I was just curious there stuff,

[4:35] you know, I guess, you know, I guess like sizewise, I guess. What are you

[4:40] looking for? >> Capital lot or a city lot

[4:48] that could be dedicated to the veterans. I don't know what you're going to do

[4:53] with water treatment plant. Maybe need some [laughter]

[5:08] All from the region. Okay. Moving on. Local permits. Buffalo

[5:13] Valley Archers

[5:21] submitted an application for a [clears throat] calendar permit. for the

[5:26] Buffalo Buffalo Valley Archery Range. Uh drawings would be held March 1st through

[5:32] March 31st of 2027

[5:38] to raise funds for the range improvements and use programs.

[5:51] Those are the dates, >> correct?

[5:55] Are those the dates are drawing? >> Yes. No.

[5:58] » Yes. >> Every day in March.

[6:00] » Okay. [clears throat]

[6:04] » Motion to approve.

[6:08] » Second. We got a motion and second.

[6:16] All in favor say I. >> I.

[6:20] approved local permit as a school. I did not

[6:27] receive their actual permit so I don't [clears throat] can take any action on

[6:31] that

[6:36] transit merchant applicant. I am not going to even attempt to put out

[6:54] completed an application for transit permit. She works for the same company,

[6:59] Southwest Advertising.

[7:04] She's [clears throat] had students approved to do doortodoor sales in the

[7:09] She's aware of the $25 fee per day, but is asking us to wave the fee or or

[7:18] reduce it. um citing that it goes to support her education.

[7:33] » No,

[7:37] couldn't remember. How long is she going to be here?

[7:41] Generally, it's a week or 10 days.

[7:52] I'd like to keep it the same when we start.

[7:57] I know she's from other country, but yeah, I don't recall any any uh

[8:07] discounts we'll call it in previous year either. So,

[8:13] the one thing I also see is it looks like

[8:17] the business and the person doing the sailings from out of state, they have a

[8:22] state license. >> Yeah. But you know, maybe

[8:28] consider more if they were local out of state.

[8:37] Make a motion that we approve it and leave the fee at $25.

[8:45] motion. Do we need to approve it?

[8:50] » Do we need to approve it? >> We either need to vote it up or down.

[8:56] [clears throat] >> Since you have a motion, unless you

[8:59] don't get a second. >> No. Um,

[9:02] so we have to approve the permit itself. >> Yes. That's what I was asking. Not the

[9:08] fee type stuff. >> You don't have to approve the permit.

[9:11] It's still your decision on that, [clears throat] but

[9:15] » it has to go through the commission. >> Yes. You have to approve transient

[9:19] merchant licens.

[9:26] » All in favor say I. >> I.

[9:30] » All opposed.

[9:40] All right. Mr. Moss would like to apply for a building.

[9:47] [clears throat] Yes, there must be

[9:54] [clears throat] it will require a variance. Um,

[10:00] this is the property in question here and it's

[10:05] had previous variance, I'm assuming, or it was grandfathered in because it is

[10:09] real close to the property line. There is a fence separating these properties.

[10:16] Here, [clears throat] his intention is to

[10:20] remove this and replace this. This is falling apart and isn't doing its job.

[10:25] water is getting down into the foundation and it's starting to affect

[10:30] the surroundings here. His request is to build a lean to similar to this for a

[10:37] larger portion of that south side of the house. So he would need a 5 and 1/2t

[10:44] variance on the 7 and 1/2t set back. So he'd be 2 feet from the property.

[10:56] is here if you have questions.

[11:04] My understanding it would be here that the post was set on to support [cough]

[11:12] the structure.

[11:17] It's real close.

[11:25] Will that fence move out or will that fence stay there?

[11:29] » Yeah, the fence will stay stay. >> I suppose that gap there's either two

[11:35] and a half right your feet. >> Yeah,

[11:39] » it'd be right up against the fence then. >> Pardon?

[11:42] » Be right up against the fence. >> No, I'd be probably about

[11:45] [clears throat] half to two feet from the fence. And then I planned on putting

[11:48] a rain gutter along there to redirect the water. Um, a lot of runs between the

[11:55] garage and the house. And uh, yeah, I'm kind of up in the air

[12:00] about that. I should actually dig somewhere for it to run in and then pump

[12:05] it out and which may end up happening. But for now, I want to try uh the steps.

[12:12] I don't know if they're solid concrete or not, but the rain gutters from that

[12:16] little whatever you want to call it, roof over

[12:19] the door >> drains out right post

[12:24] and then the ground is open there and the steps it's pulling out of my block

[12:29] wall and pushing in on the bottom. And the only way I know to salvage is try to

[12:36] keep it dry and it shouldn't get any worse than it does.

[12:42] Um I have kind of built some steps over it because they're lean so bad that

[12:47] Great.

[12:53] So then I guess a drainage wise. [snorts]

[13:00] Why is there stuff that's going to drain drain on the street? Then

[13:05] » I would run it all into my backyard. There's rain on my garage that runs

[13:10] » and I could drain it right into my backyard.

[13:14] The majority of it, you know, between the fence and stuff. There's concrete up

[13:19] to about this far from the fence which I believe I could attach post to anchor it

[13:24] and stuff. Yeah, I plan on catching as much water

[13:29] as I can. Run it east.

[13:47] Monty, can you go back up to the map or the drawing? Is that going to that's not

[13:52] going to intrude on the neighbor at all or

[13:55] no? >> Not this one.

[13:57] » Where? Let's see.

[14:00] Am I seeing that one picture wrong? >> I will have to say the one to the south

[14:05] of me um years ago when Troy Binder had [snorts]

[14:10] too long there and that goes right up to where

[14:16] it is. So, these two parcels got split up at one time. I think I seen in the

[14:23] abstract or something. And that's why they're so

[14:28] narrow and tight.

[14:36] Because if you look at the third block to the south, that's

[14:40] right. [clears throat]

[14:48] neighbor to the south is fine drainage into the

[14:54] neighbor on the south is fine with >> I you don't know why you wouldn't be

[15:00] okay so >> gota

[15:10] » so then [snorts]

[15:13] it's just going to

[15:16] Yeah, I guess it cleans it, right? That's not going to have enough walls on

[15:19] it.

[15:22] » It makes it better to have walls on it. I can do that, too.

[15:26] » I don't think it does make it better, but I don't I just wanted

[15:33] it just like that there, right? Just like

[15:35] » pretty much. Yeah. [clears throat] Put up something, you know, little uh drop

[15:40] down from the top for like the wind break or something. So kind of I don't

[15:46] get any pictures of the front. I had redone that I put a one by 12 out there

[15:51] just to so it don't catch like the bottom of it quite so hard. It can defr

[16:01] all the I was in the tin that one time but not anymore.

[16:06] [laughter]

[16:08] Peels the whole roof off. So >> yeah, but

[16:22] So I move to approve. Second. A motion and second.

[16:27] [clears throat] All in favor say I. I. All opposed.

[16:35] Motion pass.

[16:41] All right, Mr. Stern portfolios.

[16:48] So anyway, I'm just going to bring up here about the raises.

[16:55] You know, the city city city

[17:00] employees,

[17:05] you know, they work hard when they want.

[17:10] became a form of form of I guess

[17:17] he likes appreciation too as well.

[17:25] The last meeting and our stuff for the meeting

[17:29] prior

[17:35] large raise

[17:41] and stuff that we give out. They were also

[17:57] raised too. So I don't guess what board's ideas are on that.

[18:04] » So part of the reason that raise was given

[18:09] out was to make more make it more in line. So we had public

[18:16] transit drivers that require a CDL making substantially less than a nonCDL

[18:24] public works person. So this brings that gap closer

[18:30] together. Um, I believe if you have to have a

[18:34] special permit to do your job, you should be compensating for it, too. Um,

[18:40] that's part of the reason why that was brought up. And I brought that up when

[18:44] we did the pay raises the last time, the last coron that it

[18:51] just didn't make sense that a non CDL public works is getting quite a bit more

[18:55] than a CDL required public transit driver.

[19:01] At that time, nobody seemed to mind that reciting. Um,

[19:09] even though I think it was brought up then too,

[19:12] you know, that that certification and stuff, it just couldn't be a be a small

[19:17] raise though. You know, I think [clears throat]

[19:22] a quarter and stuff, you know, it's not a huge raise.

[19:27] It's quite a bit more than that for the public's work people.

[19:30] » Yeah. >> You know.

[19:33] » Yeah. >> I'm not

[19:34] » They got to ride riding the back of the garbage truck when it's cold and storm.

[19:38] It's blowing hot, you know. >> I get it. That's

[19:43] » they got jobs that are also, you know. >> Well, I get that too, Casey.

[19:49] They're all the public transit people aren't

[19:53] making more than the CDL post works. They're still making quite a bit less

[19:59] than most people. Um sure. Are they are they even with the

[20:06] non CEO public works? No. Still under them yet too. So

[20:14] » I I'll voice my Yes. I voted yes for last week and

[20:21] I voted for the simple fact of it wasn't pass.

[20:26] Um I've been digesting this for the last

[20:29] several weeks and I'm just going to say it's not right period at all.

[20:36] Um, we've [clears throat] got a lot of our

[20:40] city works guys here and gals. Um, Casey said they bust their home.

[20:48] You know, we we got we got rain snow to shine. I know they're the drivers are uh

[20:56] bus drivers are busting their home, but they're not out in the elements.

[21:02] And I've been up in zel before helping out

[21:06] 14 15 and a lot of these guys back there two of them three of them can vouch. Um

[21:14] so I've I'm just going to be honest again I

[21:19] really got issue with it. um

[21:24] not saying it was not deserving of a raise, but uh just some of the privilege

[21:30] that was brought up in that meeting and I've watched it more than once over and

[21:35] um do I wish we would have waited till

[21:39] budget time? Yes, absolutely. Um but now we got to make it right.

[21:45] Period. Um,

[21:50] we got to take care of all of our

[21:55] valuable employees. I don't know what I don't know what the word is.

[22:00] » Can you Andy, can you tell me the word? No.

[22:03] » Can you Jared tell me what word? >> Uh, so um I guess I can explain it, but

[22:10] I you guys have kind of got the you guys basically got the gist of it is um

[22:14] [clears throat] we did adjust all the rates across all

[22:18] departments. I know at the time Dustin did bring up that he wondered why they

[22:22] were getting paid less for a CPL. But at that same time, you guys did agree every

[22:26] professional license at the city only to 25 cents raise over what your maximum is

[22:33] um and different positions obviously pay different number different rates. And

[22:39] then supposedly when the rates were increased there was research done to see

[22:45] what um that position would be paying at cities similar size to Hazen at similar

[22:51] incomes. So theoretically everyone got a competitive salary at the last race and

[22:57] then we we also would like to comp want compensation for our maintaining our

[23:02] life sentences. So then we take to the agreement that 25 cents is what the

[23:07] commission want to pay. And then suddenly that got turned around to well

[23:12] they have CDL, they have a CDL, let's give them a large raise. So that one's

[23:17] worth $6 and these ones are worth 25 cents. These guys have CDLs and they got

[23:22] 25 cents for on top of that um

[23:30] in the meeting like Pat was trying to bring up there was verbiage that hurt

[23:34] some feelings that the main reason given besides CDL was to retain valuable

[23:40] employees and not saying she's not valuable

[23:44] » but she was the only one considered well I guess busing was considered busing

[23:49] even got a raise a $1 raise while the rest of us here have never got a random

[23:55] raise and this came

[23:59] 6 [snorts] months after the last raise for adjusting the race if any of us

[24:03] would have came forward we feel we would have been told you guys just got a raise

[24:08] why are you asking for more

[24:12] so it just seems to us that there is a favoritism going on whether it's for a

[24:18] department or an individual where there's mission is

[24:23] more less value in some of its employees that have been here substantially

[24:28] longer. Um, but we would also like to point out

[24:33] that another thing that this raised in a burden we did I no one probably thought

[24:37] of it but there is an 18month probationary period where you are not at

[24:41] full rate and the city pay that all of us had to go through to get to our full

[24:45] rate but that got skipped by making the pay raise effective immediately rather

[24:50] than waiting for the period be up or even making effective immediately and

[24:56] then making sure it's reduced by the profit percentage until 18 month

[25:00] probation is up. So one basically skipping one year of the 18month

[25:04] probation. So it's just a lot of um contradictory things that we've noticed

[25:12] that are making us as a whole feel like we are not being equally as valued here

[25:18] at city of Hazen as someone who's um getting these special treatments.

[25:31] I just truly think that we've we've dug a hole and we've got to make it right.

[25:36] Period. End of story. And like I said, I've digested this for

[25:41] the last several weeks. And it's burning deep inside of me right now.

[25:47] I see you guys were coming from. It's not like I'm saying you guys don't

[25:52] deserve another race. All I was trying to do is

[25:57] narrow that gap. Um, and it wasn't even my idea, but um,

[26:03] I brought it up at the last meeting that it didn't make any sense at all. Not the

[26:08] last meeting, the last go around pay rates. It didn't make sense that there

[26:12] was that large of a gap between um there's a large gap. And if you you

[26:20] look at a non CDL driver versus a CDL driver of public works, it's

[26:26] It's more like a $5 difference. It's not a 25 cent difference. Um,

[26:34] so that's where I voted yes on it and I

[26:38] agree with it. It should have been done the last go around, but [clears throat]

[26:43] I was the only one that seen an issue with that. I'm not sure if anybody

[26:48] looked into the public transit drivers pay the last time. I looked into my

[26:54] portfolio holders and they were subnaturally lower than the area around

[26:59] us. Yes, we were probably still higher than

[27:03] Bowman or some of the other little towns not in oil, you know, coal country,

[27:10] but when you got a town 9 miles apart and there were we're losing people from

[27:16] Hazel going to work over there because it pays quite a bit higher, I have an

[27:20] issue with that. Um, that's why I stuck to my portfolio on

[27:27] the police department. I did raise concerns about the public transit. Um,

[27:33] nobody else seen an issue with it at that time other than I.

[27:39] I would still just like to um reiterate that um the idea is these guys do more

[27:48] than or do different a different job than what public transit does. These

[27:53] guys clear the streets. These guys cut the trees. These guys ride the garbage

[27:57] truck. These guys fix the potholes. They have a

[28:02] lot of different responsibilities than just what their CDL provides. So,

[28:09] we don't get why the CDL is the sticking point for why it needs to be closer

[28:15] because they both have CDLs versus someone who doesn't have a CDL but does

[28:19] all these other things for the city. It's two different positions. And then

[28:23] if every if the licenses were agreed to be

[28:27] a 25 cent raise it we would all prefer the larger raise

[28:33] for each of our license. I mean I have three to run the water. He has three to

[28:37] run the water plus he has his spraying licenses. We would all like you know for

[28:44] if you add those up at about what that's like almost $20 an hour raise. And then

[28:49] anyone else who has any other specialty licenses, why are we have to sell for 25

[28:55] cent increase for holding a license even just because the position is different?

[29:00] It doesn't it's just not fair treatment among employees for what is considered I

[29:10] can understand if you I can understand like the need for

[29:15] bumping up wages. I mean, we had that cost last year. Every once in a while,

[29:20] that kind of needs to be re-evaluated, needs to be looked at, but it's

[29:29] it's a different job entirely and that and we were under the impression that

[29:35] all the weight wage bumps were competitive. So, it just look to us it

[29:42] seems like either the wage wages set w actually competitive and we

[29:48] kind of got screwed or it's preferential treatment and we

[29:55] don't want to stand for that. We want to be recognized that we are valuable

[30:01] members of the city and that work working here keeps this city running the

[30:07] best that it can be and we would like to be recognized for that.

[30:17] I guess I'm going to just add a little to it. You're saying uh you have to

[30:21] compare apples to apples. You can't compare that to what these guys do. You

[30:25] can't you just can't. I mean, they're out 40 below zero behind a walking

[30:31] behind garbage truck. And not nothing against her, but she's sitting in a in a

[30:35] heated vehicle. There's a way big difference. Okay. And when you talk

[30:40] about just by license, I hold the most professional license on the whole city

[30:44] crew, but I'm the least paid person on the city crew. And I don't have a

[30:47] problem with that. I said yes to what I what I made. If I didn't like it, I

[30:51] could leave. That's how I look at it. Okay. But like I said, you have you

[30:56] can't say because she she has to make the same these guys.

[31:01] » That's asinite. >> She doesn't make the same.

[31:04] » But particularly >> that's that's the thing. She doesn't.

[31:08] » But it's >> she's she's still getting paid less than

[31:11] a nonCDL public work driver does. >> That is true. You brought it into like a

[31:18] range of like a dollar in some sense is what you made the difference of. And

[31:23] [clears throat] we could understand that maybe as the director

[31:29] for busing, yeah, she would make a little more, but the other busing guy

[31:34] and the other busing guys are technically all time because everything

[31:38] over there was a part-time position until uh of recently, but

[31:44] that's the it's a different job entirely and that's it. It was always the the pay

[31:50] gap was there to begin with because someone at some point in because they

[31:55] looked at all the rates and said this is about what these guys make. These are

[31:58] what these guys make. There's about this much difference between these positions

[32:01] because it was agreed upon upon across multiple cities that these guys' job

[32:07] fees should pay more than this position. And now yes, it's tech we're it is

[32:12] technically less but it's so close because it was such a substantial raise.

[32:18] That gap just we don't understand why that gap's so small here. Why? Because

[32:24] if we are paying like even better for busing, why are we paying even better

[32:28] than competitive? Just busing what every other park we're going to pay as good

[32:33] enough. What from what Jesse told us, we're

[32:38] paying par with the competitors around us for bus. Not that we're paying

[32:43] better, we're about level with the competitors around us. So I don't know.

[32:49] That's not my portfolio. I did not look into it the last go around to how we

[32:54] were competitive wise. I looked at my portfolio

[32:59] um we were way under um I remember at the police department we got a are

[33:06] really large to get up to what everybody else around us was. Um I don't know if

[33:11] these other commissioners looked into their portfolios and adjusted it

[33:16] accordingly or not. I stuck to my portfolio.

[33:20] » It's it's not the fact of the matter. you looked into your portfolio.

[33:25] The fact of the matter is is and I'm I'm just going to go back to I

[33:30] test the substantial raise is the fact of the matter.

[33:36] We've got we've got longer test of employees sitting right here and Sunny.

[33:41] Sorry, nothing against you, but we've got to make it right. Period. The

[33:47] whole story. >> So, how do you want to make it right?

[33:50] » I don't know. Mr. Chair, is this the is this part of a

[33:55] report or is this better discussed during your budgeting process?

[34:01] » Well, I just threw it out there. I mean, yes, I would I would want this

[34:09] all this stuff, you know, I guess in the budget. I guess that was my goal. I

[34:14] guess intent, I should say. So, yes. >> It's just kind of a point of order as to

[34:21] whe It's appropriate to

[34:24] » Sorry about that. Yeah. >> To have this whole thing reporting.

[34:28] » Yeah. >> That's your chart.

[34:35] » How do you want to proceed, Casey? >> Well, I mean, I'd like to give him

[34:38] raise. You know,

[34:41] the budget here is due here in about a month or so

[34:46] month. Is that

[34:52] So, so yeah,

[34:57] you know, if we could I'm just going to throw that out there

[35:06] raise in the

[35:21] You know, I mean, I guess [clears throat]

[35:25] you know, like a couple dollars, you know,

[35:30] that's just me. I guess I want to hear too, I guess, what you guys think. So,

[35:37] » I think that's more fair. Would you like to do a dollar amount or a percentage

[35:43] amount? >> It's got to be a dollar.

[35:46] » I do too. And the reason is is that then then the I guess

[35:55] I guess the the spread is going to get out again.

[35:59] » And I think that's where it kind of happens.

[36:03] Since I've been on, it's [clears throat] always been a percentage raise every

[36:07] year. And then gaps just keep getting larger and larger. Um, and I I've seen

[36:13] that at other places too by always doing percentages. Your lowest

[36:19] paid employees, they get a 3% but their 3% is way less

[36:26] than somebody's getting paid 10 $10 an hour more. So that gap keeps growing and

[36:32] growing. Every once in a while you got to shrink that gap. um that did happen

[36:38] to me at Midco. They finally realized like somebody knew getting them hired

[36:44] there was dramatically less than somebody that's been there 10

[36:50] years and tacked up. You know, obviously they deserve more, but the pay gap was

[36:56] enormous. So when you tacked up, you were getting like $5 an hour pay gaps

[37:01] and they this this ain't right. So they ended up redoing the entire pay

[37:07] structure. So I agree is rather do a dollar amount

[37:12] than a percentage amount. And I think that's partially where all this came

[37:17] about is by the percentages year after year after year. It just compounds.

[37:24] It may not seem big one year, but you do it 10 years in a row, it it gets to be

[37:29] quite a bit different.

[37:35] bring back next meeting.

[37:45] » So I just want to say one more thing. Uh you guys were right. It's bigger than

[37:50] what can be handled. Just a report needs to be handled as a item at a meeting. I

[37:56] also think um perhaps there needs to be a sit down and a little bit of a talk

[38:01] with the employees to understand our expectations so that we can be on the

[38:06] same page going forward so that this doesn't turn into a situation where you

[38:11] guys try to do something in your guys's best intention and then we see it as a

[38:16] slap in the face and then there's a miscommunication there and people are

[38:20] more upset. So I think there needs to be some more dialogue between us as the

[38:26] employees and the commission before the meeting or any approval of these of

[38:35] anything goes through I guess is what I'm just trying to say is there needs to

[38:39] be more dialogue before

[38:48] you have anything

[38:52] Jason >> um I'm going to turn it over to Dave I

[38:56] got [clears throat] a repair estimate for the

[39:01] You want it? >> Case loader developed a clicking noise

[39:04] and vibration and they've determined that the drive shaft that couples the

[39:09] motor directly to the transmission is a spline spline shaft with the

[39:14] U-jints and that assembly is starting to fail.

[39:18] So, it looks like they'll be how they get that out of there. I'm not exactly

[39:22] sure. Either the transmission comes off before it comes out or it comes out as a

[39:25] unit. They split it, put the shaft stuff back in.

[39:33] There could be more wrong once they get it apart or whatever, but this is the

[39:37] the preliminary what they know is wrong for sure.

[39:43] I mean, we we have to fix it, but my my question now is

[39:50] we tear it apart. I' I'd really like to I'd like to

[39:55] approve this, but I'd really like to know and I don't know how we should do

[39:59] this, Monty. If >> they call you, Dave, and say, "Oh, we're

[40:03] we're another five grand into this thing." You know, I

[40:09] » That's an envelope you just can't see in until they start actually getting into

[40:12] the machine or whatever. >> Or we can prove it 5,000 more, I guess.

[40:19] I just don't know if that's enough. >> It's hard for them guys, you know, tear

[40:24] a machine apart, say it's going to be another 5,000. I got to say, well, we

[40:28] got to wait another week and a half till the commission meets before they go pay

[40:31] the the repair that's got one of their bays tied up.

[40:36] » Monty, is that something that >> you can approve of this amount plus a

[40:41] contingent up to a certain amount?

[40:46] Okay, let's let's approve this this uh quote for you have to read it

[40:53] $13 >> 13 63710

[40:58] » and contingent I'd like to add another let's just say five grand on it

[41:07] » they're really good at keeping in touch as as they work on it they give me

[41:10] updates or whatever and it's easy enough for me to

[41:14] information come out to you where he can put it in your guys' mailboxes or or

[41:19] whatever. So, I can keep pretty close tabs on it.

[41:22] » Yeah. That way we're not leaving them guys hanging.

[41:29] » Monty, could you read that, please? >> I just got your motion to approve the

[41:33] $13,63710

[41:36] with $5,000 contingency for additional repairs as needed. Okay.

[41:42] » Thank you. a motion.

[41:46] Second

[41:49] discussion

[41:52] already did that. Roll call. >> Pat.

[41:56] » Hi. >> Stern.

[41:57] » Hi. >> Wedric.

[41:58] » Hi. Motion pass.

[42:01] » And using the the older GMC dump truck. It's a 2000 or whatever. It's got a cat

[42:06] engine in it. I'd like to make an appointment at Freedom Truck Center.

[42:10] starting to develop a pretty good oily running. Starting to leave puddles on

[42:15] the ground. It needs to be addressed somewhere up

[42:19] between the head and the block, but it's coming from the top side, but not

[42:25] like to get an appointment out there and get it diagnosed and get the price back.

[42:29] It's going to take that.

[42:34] » Yeah, we don't need a motion on that.

[42:39] That's all I have. >> Yeah, we're just still working the trees

[42:44] more for this time of

[42:47] » year.

[42:51] Library

[42:54] has a non-discrimination policy statement.

[43:04] » Unless you want to take it. >> Oh, no. on there for any business that

[43:10] » the title six plan is due next week. So everything is just getting updated

[43:22] for

[43:26] me for police forestry.

[43:31] Dave got a quote from turn trees. There's a large tree on Main Street that

[43:36] split last weekend. Sounds like there's two come alongs holding it together. So,

[43:41] the quotes for $2,200 from Turtis Trees. Like to make a motion

[43:47] to approve the removal of that tree.

[43:53] Excuse me. Second. I did ask Dave. Sounds like it's

[44:00] too big for us to really tackle.

[44:06] » [clears throat] >> Since they already

[44:09] were nice enough to come in and tie it together, I might as well

[44:17] discussion. Roll

[44:20] » call. >> I turn I

[44:25] motion passes. Sergeant, do you have anything for the

[44:30] police department side of things? Yeah, I think we need to set a time

[44:36] aside to discuss the chief police position.

[44:40] We're going to tackle that. Um, obviously there's issues with employees

[44:46] all over the place here. So, let's just add to that. You got half your force

[44:50] here. We've been going on almost eight months of overtime and we understand

[44:54] that that's kind of the way the machine works right now, but we're getting a

[44:58] little burnt out. Um, if we can out the chief police position. I've had

[45:04] inquiries into hiring people. They know that we're a

[45:10] man down. I think we need to get back to fully staffed. I think we need to

[45:15] address some severe issues that we have with the police department. Um

[45:21] I don't know how we want to do that. Um actually listening to these guys, it

[45:25] sounds like they got a good representative here. Um I think they had

[45:29] a really good idea that Before anything gets decided, there needs to be

[45:34] » You better be the chief right there. >> There needs to be a

[45:38] meeting. >> You got to do more. You're get paid

[45:40] more. >> There needs to be a meeting between the

[45:45] staff and all of the commissioners >> so that we can figure this out.

[45:52] » So, we were waiting on one thing to post the chief position. Um, we're trying to

[45:57] get a quote on Andy Pers law enforcement for you guys. We did get that quote and

[46:02] it is in the budget for um 2027. So, we're kind of waiting on that before

[46:08] we force the chief position to help advertise that chief position.

[46:14] So, we did just get um approval to Monty to get that chief position typed up.

[46:22] He's going to get it out emailed out to the commission to approve the ad and

[46:27] we'll get it posted. >> So, Can I add to that? You had mentioned

[46:32] that you had reached out to Terry Turnis and some of the deputies were willing to

[46:36] take some of our extra shifts that we're all working.

[46:39] » Um, yes. So, Terry did say that if we do need help, we're supposed to reach out

[46:44] to him. >> And do you guys have approved or have

[46:46] you had any discussion on what you're going to pay those guys because they're

[46:49] not going to come over for just their regular wage?

[46:53] » We have not had any discussion on that part.

[46:57] » Okay. There's another officer who would like to take some days off and if we can

[47:02] get those filled in from somebody else, that's something that you guys need to

[47:05] decide and hopefully quickly. >> Okay. Sergeant, can you get those days

[47:10] to me? What days which days they want off?

[47:16] » Well, they're going to they're going to fluctuate.

[47:19] » Yeah, our schedules fluctuate. So, depending

[47:22] on what day >> and that's, you know, we're going to

[47:24] need to decide that quickly because you're asking law enforcement to use

[47:29] their day off to come over here and help us. You know, Pa just got fully staffed.

[47:34] I know the sheriff's department just got fully staffed. Oliver County just got

[47:38] fully staffed. So, you know, obviously they were down a guy running overtime.

[47:47] So, we're going to ask them to come over here and help us put in some more time,

[47:52] which their their days off are just as important as ours ours. So I think yeah

[47:58] that's an important one to get figured out too.

[48:00] » I should have never got in that position.

[48:08] » Thank you.

[48:12] » I don't understand that comment.

[48:27] Okay. So, I don't have anything else. HD.

[48:32] » Mine's very simple. Uh, we now actually have Elevate Together LLC and the former

[48:39] crearyy is official. Uh, Dana Moss has it as a health service, advocacy,

[48:46] employment, housing for those who who who are trying to get their life back,

[48:52] mental health services. So, she has clients, patients, and she right now is

[48:57] looking for any um furniture, household items, clothing that is a pantry for her

[49:05] clients and her patients. So, that is now open at the former crearyy building.

[49:12] So, that's one less building that we have sitting empty, thank goodness. And

[49:17] uh the invitations that you received the last meeting for SR71 dedication has now

[49:23] been postponed to October 23rd. The reason is the plaintiff would not have

[49:30] been done. I can tell you now it is pretty much completed. Um it's going to

[49:36] be wonderful. We hope you guys can come and uh be part of our special

[49:41] celebration. Uh other than that, HC is contining with

[49:46] Um, I actually learned how to do a few things with reconciling all on my own.

[49:51] So, we are making progress. Thank you again for the opportunity.

[49:56] » Thank you. Uh, President Triple isn't here, but I've been working with him the

[50:01] last couple weeks on our little dog incident. We've had a couple dog

[50:06] incidents. So, we'd like the rest of the commission to read through our animal

[50:11] all ordinance. and we've seen some loopholes. Um, with the amount of people

[50:17] gone, we didn't really want to take action on it. Um, but we'd like you to

[50:22] read through it and bring back some commenting next week on stuff we could

[50:26] add to it. Um, I did read through it this week and

[50:33] there definitely some loopholes that I think we need to tighten up on. So, if

[50:37] we could put that on the agenda for next meeting, we'll go through that.

[50:47] all new business credit.

[50:56] » This is a annual

[51:00] » everyating or non-discriminatory

[51:06] program.

[51:10] » Motion approve. A motion

[51:14] second. A second. All in favor? >> I

[51:20] oppose. [clears throat] Motion passes.

[51:26] Uh request for dup duplicate warrant. G. Walter

[51:36] payment under contract of the library for story time. She never receives.

[51:41] She's requesting it be reissued.

[51:50] » So move. >> Second.

[51:53] A motion. Second. Discussion.

[51:58] » Roll call. Start. >> I

[52:03] motion passes.

[52:07] Public comments. Anybody from the comment?

[52:11] the building down our street that garage.

[52:16] Why was there an e? Why isn't that out in the industrial

[52:25] huge

[52:29] street? It was given a variance by the commission. If I remember right, they

[52:34] lined up with the garages that were already on that block.

[52:41] That's a lot. >> I thought we It was approved a variance

[52:46] closer to this to the property line and didn't require variance for the sidewall

[52:51] height because of changes planning and zoning had made.

[52:54] » Y didn't it line up with um ratchets? >> Similar to ratchets a couple feet

[53:02] difference. >> But Ratchets is totally different than

[53:06] that big building. Again,

[53:11] Monty, can you repeat the planning and zoning? Do you have do you know what

[53:15] those are? The the stipulations for the sidewall height? I don't remember what

[53:20] it is. >> 14 without variance. No.

[53:23] » Okay. >> So, are you talking sidewall height or

[53:26] just physical size? Huge? >> Just size and the way it shifted in. Why

[53:31] was it flushed back? Why did they want Why did they want to

[53:36] move again? I don't remember why.

[53:48] Have to look back in the meeting minutes to figure out why. I I don't remember

[53:52] off the top. >> If I was to bet it was probably concrete

[53:55] cost.

[53:58] I'm just guessing. >> That would be my guess. But it looks 10

[54:03] times better. Not given, but it's too late now.

[54:10] You just open a whole can of worms for everybody else.

[54:19] And then on these raffle tickets, there's got to be some stipulation. You

[54:23] can't have a husband and wife take raffle tickets and dry. Do you think

[54:27] that's fair? >> What are you talking about? any of the

[54:32] one the Northstar baseball >> they do get drunk at the field at

[54:37] » it was not being drawn >> that was

[54:39] » no not what I >> was

[54:42] » were you there >> I talked to three different board

[54:46] members and they all three said without question

[54:49] » then why did the president say that was home

[54:53] » and if you look at the spreadsheet that was drawn in the city of st two of them

[54:57] were drawn at the city of Yeah.

[55:04] » Were they >> Monty? Can you What What's

[55:11] » There are no requirements that I've ever found in the statute or the

[55:14] administrative code that says a husband and wife can't do conduct drawings.

[55:19] » But it on the ticket it was supposed to be drawn at the field.

[55:23] » Initially it wasn't. We we contacted this permit holder and they began

[55:28] drawing that field. >> Oh, see that's did not know that. That's

[55:32] not what they told me. >> But they did it for two years.

[55:42] You guys got to follow some rules here. A big mess.

[55:49] Anybody

[56:03] else from the public? Any comments? >> My name is Johnson. I'm the commander of

[56:08] the legion. I know it says that we're supposed to talk with George,

[56:12] » but if I could just have a minute to clarify a time what's happening with

[56:18] what I >> uh our last legion meeting last month, a

[56:24] person came forward. It's full of money and they would like to have a monument

[56:31] for the veterans in Hazen, but they would like to kind of have it in a place

[56:36] where it is seen uh it's a sizable amount of money and uh

[56:42] the timetable is they would like to have something established where they know

[56:49] the end of the year that something's going to happen to be able to give this

[56:55] money to the legion to build this. So that's kind of why we're here to

[57:00] wonder if there's any spots it's kind of visible that we could get and or

[57:07] whatever. If we have to purchase something for the land, so be it. But it

[57:13] would be better if we could put most of it into a monument. So that's why we're

[57:16] asking you. Uh George says a year out. Yes, it might take a year out to build

[57:21] it, but there's kind of a timetable where we we formed a committee and to be

[57:26] able to do anything on committee, we kind of have to have a piece of earth

[57:30] and to know the size of the earth. So we know the size of the monument that we

[57:34] can build. Uh he mentions about a city lot. There's probably enough money there

[57:41] to build something that would be oh it all depends on but the money is is

[57:47] sizable but it's all continued just for the monument. It's not for the reason

[57:52] and it's not for anything else. So just clarify kind of where at the time table

[57:56] with this. So if you guys have any ideas where there's some property either city

[58:01] or personal property that would work for this it would help us just to for some

[58:08] know where we could probably put this little visibility to it. So that's all I

[58:13] have to say for that. Thank you very much for your time.

[58:17] » Monty my first earlier and I don't know how much footage we got from the SR71

[58:23] to the edge of that property. continue to develop our project on the

[58:28] east side. Uh that was my first thought.

[58:33] » That was also mine too. We thought about that spot or at the end of the

[58:38] apartments down here. A little section on on the be down there would be

[58:42] probably a good little spot. You know, a good spot would been where Coleman's

[58:46] bought that little property, but I know Coleman's now have that property across

[58:50] from the from the lumber yard. That would have been a nice little spot. and

[58:53] then also to the west of of your water treatment plant that you had. So, I

[59:01] mean, those are just some spots that I saw driving around that might be city

[59:05] property, but I know there's probably private property that you would know

[59:08] about that might be available with what the property is like in hasten, you

[59:14] know. So, any feedback that we would have so we could start on this would be

[59:19] really helpful. So, thank you much. first spot I thought thought of by the

[59:23] SR71, but I wasn't sure if they or you guys would want to combine those two

[59:29] together. >> No, we actually brought that up today at

[59:31] our SR71 committee meeting. Um, that was the first thought I had to my second

[59:38] thought and I'm not sure what it is, but the Chamber of Commerce takes care and

[59:43] maintains the little pocket park and we have that amphitheater cement area that

[59:48] just sits there and So that could be a possibility. But what I can do is talk

[59:54] with the HCV board of directors and um also the convention visitors bureau much

[1:00:00] rent that whole lot lot area. So I think there should be some potential.

[1:00:05] » Yeah. No, it's it's probably uh I hate to say but it's probably a quart million

[1:00:11] dollars that's going to be invested in this. So it's not a little project.

[1:00:18] Wouldn't that be enough there beside the SR71 project for which you

[1:00:23] » concern? They can go take a look at it. I mean, whatever sites that we have,

[1:00:26] we'll have to build accordingly, but we can build out that far.

[1:00:30] » The only thing out there is we do not at this time. That could be another phase

[1:00:33] with with cameras, but the pocket park does have security.

[1:00:40] » So, if you have any suggestions, please let us know. George or or myself or

[1:00:45] whatever, but you probably have a lot of contact with George and uh you can let

[1:00:50] him know that these are possible spots and they can take a look at appreciate

[1:00:55] you let me this time. I know it's probably not proper but

[1:01:00] I just want to mention I think would be very nice for the city.

[1:01:05] Uh our proposal is not to have a big wall like they have staff like said with

[1:01:09] all the names on it. It would be like the monument but all the branches of

[1:01:14] service. Thank you to the wife's promises, maybe a a statue of a soldier

[1:01:19] or something and a couple flag poles built out. That's about what we're

[1:01:24] thinking about to start with. You know, we're just in the baby stages of this

[1:01:28] thing, you know, baby stages. So, thank you.

[1:01:36] » Anybody else? Any public comments? I'd like to add a little bit to what you

[1:01:41] talked about earlier. I want to say I do have a great bunch of guys working with

[1:01:46] me or under me. They never hesitate to come out in the middle of the night.

[1:01:50] Blizzard had to call them out water department with water breaks or

[1:01:54] whatever. I mean, they never fight, but they're always ready to come in and help

[1:01:59] and work. And I appreciate that. That makes my job a lot easier.

[1:02:06] And [snorts] the guys that I have on my crew that don't have CDLs, they usually

[1:02:11] work towards that and get their CDL licenses.

[1:02:14] It's not like any of the newcomers coming in don't want a CDL. I mean,

[1:02:18] they're willing to work in get that also.

[1:02:25] » That includes our office people, too. Just kind of piggyback on that.

[1:02:29] » Yes, the office girls, they take a lot of flack for the street department

[1:02:33] sometimes on complaints or whatever. They're kind of the front line of

[1:02:37] defense. >> By the time I get to them, the girls

[1:02:40] usually have them pretty well calmed down.

[1:02:44] » And I was going to bring that up too, but just moving in this hallway, Angie

[1:02:48] and Dam have gone above and beyond with all that they do, whether they're

[1:02:53] assisting the park and recot. So, I know we appreciate what what they

[1:03:00] do and you guys too for our convention. We have a good group of people.

[1:03:08] » Yeah, I uh in my whole spiel I kind of uh didn't do them as much justice as I

[1:03:14] probably should have, but um they are probably the most overlooked position in

[1:03:19] this entire city and they carry a lot of the brunt of what goes on here on dayto

[1:03:26] day. I don't I just want to say I probably didn't do enough justice to

[1:03:31] their cause as much as I did for the people that I work with in the shop

[1:03:36] every day. But being here, they do a lot for me, too. And I can't express how

[1:03:44] much they make my life easier. And they deserve everything just as much as

[1:03:50] everybody else. >> But they still won't let me answer a

[1:03:55] phone. Can I just add that they do a lot for

[1:04:00] the police department as well. You know, they handle some of the dog stuff when

[1:04:03] they come in and take care of fees and our citations and paperwork. So, and

[1:04:09] complaints and calls and so yeah, they they do an amazing job.

[1:04:17] Anybody else?

[1:04:23] None. Approval of the bills. Motion to approve.

[1:04:30] Motion and second discussion.

[1:04:36] Roll.

[1:04:41] Hi. Approve. Meeting adjourned.

September 8, 2026, meeting of the Hazen, ND City Commission

Transcript