[MissoulaGov] Committee Update 3-18-09

[Bob Jaffe]

Greetings,

We changed things up today and started with Public Works this morning.
We discussed the situation with the right of way vacations on Miller
Creek road. Here is a very brief synopsis for folks who are unfamiliar.

We are doing a project to rebuild the intersection between upper and
lower miller creek on down to the Walmart.  The project requires some
right of way acquisition. During the process of researching the right of
way boundaries it was discovered that over 100 years ago additional
right of way was established that no one was aware of.  This additional
right of way expanded the public property right through some of the
homes on the west side of miller creek road. It goes without saying that
the folks affected were not so happy. What was a negotiation to sell us
right of way turned into a negotiation to ask us to vacate right of way.
The City was not to hot on the idea of vacating right of way that we
would have to buy back later the next time the road needed to expand.

So the engineering folks drafted up what the anticipated future needs
would be and we will vacate the balance.

 

In Conservation we had interviews and made appointments to the
greenhouse gas committee. We had four applicants for one position. We
picked one but were so impressed with the other applicants that we want
to talk to the committee about expanding their membership so we can also
appoint the others. Recently this committee has become much more active
and is actually taking on work projects. It seems wrong to turn down
such qualified people who want to volunteer.

 

In PAZ we did six interviews for three spots on the historic
preservation committee.  For the first time since I have been chair of
the committee we have an open PAZ schedule. We may actually skip PAZ for
a few weeks until the zoning update stuff makes it through planning
board. I assume this is indicative of the building slowdown.

 

In Public Safety we discussed the driving with cell phone ordinance.  CB
and two way radios have been removed from the proposal. Discussion
focused on having different rules in Missoula from the rest of the
state; Primary or secondary offence; are the reckless driving laws
already adequate. We set a public hearing for I believe April 13th.

 

Then we had a joint Public Safety and Conservation meeting to discuss
the conservation land leash laws.  The press was there for that one. We
had TV cameras and Missoulian photographers and a bunch of public
comment. We mostly just walked through the history of the subject from
the last five or so years. The likely outcome of all this is that there
will be work done in the context of our conservation lands management
plan to establish a policy.  Then we will modify ordinance as needed to
memorialize that policy. A great deal of the public comment received to
the council and in conversations I have had with people is in regards to
dogs in parks and on the commuter trails. Dogs are required to be on
leashes in these places. The current issue before council pertains only
to the north hills, mount jumbo, and the kim Williams trail east of the
university.

 

We finished the day with committee of the whole to discuss the revisions
to the ward boundaries and a resolution regarding transportation
funding. By law we are required to keep the wards equal to maintain
equal rights of the electors. The courts have set the bar at around 10%
variance between wards. Based on our best estimates we have a 13%
variance with ward two being too large. The best way to fix it is to
shift the population clockwise around the map. So part of ward two goes
to one, part of one then goes to three, three then to four. Five and six
are about right the way they are. 

So the proposal has all of the northside now part of ward one.  If Mr.
Hendrickson is considering another term this is good news for him. The
University becomes part of ward three. I plan to run again so this is
probably good news for me. Unless I end up running against someone more
liberal than me. I believe I have become more conservative during my
term. There is something about this experience that pulls you towards
the middle. The area southeast of Arthur and Beckwith goes to ward four.
I'll miss Molly but probably not Philip. The Wapikia neighborhood goes
to ward five. I don't think ward six changes.

 

The transportation funding resolution came out of TTAC. It outlines the
various ways we are being screwed on transportation funding by DOT and
the state.  John Hendrickson, Dick, Renee, and Lynn voted against the
resolution. Mr. Hendrickson suggested that he would like to put forth a
minority report countering the request for more equitable distribution
of funds to Missoula. I look forward to seeing this minority report
because I am a little baffled by the suggestion. I encourage folks to
read the resolution. We are being robbed to support incredibly
irresponsible funding priorities and bloated DOT bureaucracy. 

ftp://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/Packets/Council/2009/2009-03-23/Transportati
onResolution.pdf

 

 Thanks for your interest,

 

Bob Jaffe

Missoula City Council, Ward 3

bjaffe at ci.missoula.mt.us <mailto:bjaffe at ci.missoula.mt.us> 

406-728-1052



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