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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 01/06/2015 CITY COUNCIL MEETING Port Angeles, Washington January 6, 2015 CALL TO ORDER SPECIAL MEETING: Mayor Di Guilio called the special meeting of the Port Angeles City Council to order at 5:30 p.m. ROLL CALL: Members Present: Mayor Di Guilio,Councilmembers Bruch,Collins,Gase,Kidd and Whetham. Members Absent: Deputy Mayor Downie. Staff Present: City Manager McKeen, Attorney Bloor, Clerk Veneklasen, C. Delikat, K. Dubuc, C. Fulton, T. Gallagher,B. Olson,N.West. EXECUTIVE SESSION: Based on input from Attorney Bloor, Mayor Di Guilio announced the need for an Executive Session, under the authority of RCW 42.30.110(1)(i) for the purpose of discussing potential litigation with legal counsel, for approximately 20 minutes. The Executive Session convened at 5:31 p.m. RETURN TO OPEN SESSION: The Executive Session concluded at 5:47 p.m.No action was taken. ADJOURNMENT: Mayor Di Guilio adjourned the Special Meeting at 5:47 p.m. CALL TO ORDER-REGULAR MEETING: Mayor Di Guilio called the regular meeting of the Port Angeles City Council to order at 6:00 p.m. ROLL CALL: Members Present: Mayor Di Guilio,Councilmembers Bruch,Collins,Gase,Kidd and Whetham. Members Absent: Deputy Mayor Downie. Staff Present: City Manager McKeen, Attorney Bloor, Clerk Veneklasen, C. Delikat, K. Dubuc, C. Fulton, T. Gallagher,B.Olson,N.West. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Mayor Di Guilio led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag It was moved by Collins and seconded by Kidd to: Excuse Deputy Mayor Downie from the meeting. Motion carried 6-0. PUBLIC COMMENT: Jan Butler, 310 South I Street, informed Council that her Fireworks Steering Committee's recommendations were formed after months of research and careful deliberation. She said the steering committee requested the Council join with 68 other Washington cities to ban personal fireworks,but keeping the public display. Suzanne Hadley, 603 Milwaukee Drive,outlined several major reasons to ban personal fireworks and asked Council to support and enact a ban. PORT ANGELES CITY COUNCIL MEETING—January 6, 2015 Cindy Turney, 530 West 8`f' Street, addressed the utility billing system. She asked Council to consider going back to old billing system and print in red the current charges owed, or to keep new billing system and waive late fees for low income groups. Ted Thompson,2432 Arbotus,told Council that he thinks there should be a ban on mortars,but not on other types of fireworks. He asked that Council not enact a ban. Carol Turner, 1609 West 11"'Street,spoke in opposition to personal fireworks being allowed within city limits. Jim Moran, 1710 West 4`t' Street, President of Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce, said he is looking forward to working with City on projects in 2015 and he updated the Council on potential restructuring of the Chamber. Eloise Kailin,representing Protect the Peninsula's Future,spoke about the dangers of fluoridation in drinking water. Robert Nevaril urged Council to go online and search"sparkler bomb"to see the types of bombs that can be created from fireworks.He said fireworks have dangerously escalated each year. Robbie Mantooth spoke about fireworks called parachutes that she and her husband found on their property last year,property that they have protected through the North Olympic Land Trust. She asked parachutes be covered in any ordinance the Council might adopt to ban fireworks. Robert Briggs,728 West 6`h Street, asked that the public have access to the fireworks report given to Council by the Fireworks Steering Committee.He asked Council to put the fireworks question to a vote. Kim Weimer, 103 West 13`h Street,urged Council to ban the use of personal fireworks in the city. LATE ITEMS TO BE PLACED ON THIS OR FUTURE AGENDAS as determined by City Manager or Councilmember- It was agreed by consensus to add Fireworks to the agenda as Item J4. CONSENT AGENDA: At the request of Councilmember Collins,the Mayor pulled the Equipment Purchase:2 Streaming Current Monitors (SCM)for the Port Angeles Water-Treatment Plant item from the consent agenda. It was moved by Whetham and seconded by Gase to approve the Consent Agenda to include: 1. City Council Minutes:December 2, 2014 and December 16, 2014 2. Expenditure Approval List: 1210612014 to 12/26/2014 for 4,334,188.25 3. Waterfront Transportation Improvement Project/Phase 2 Final Acceptance Motion carried 6-0. Equipment Purchase: 2 Streaming Current Monitors(SCM)for the Port Angeles Water Treatment Plant. Councilmember Collins asked questions regarding the process for testing water at the plant.Council discussion followed. It was moved by Bruch and seconded by Kidd to: Award and authorize the City Manager to sign a contract to purchase two streaming current monitors in the amount of$30,335.01,and to make minor modifications to the contract if necessary. Motion carried 6-0. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS: 1. Port Angeles School District Bond and Levy Presentation on Proposition 1 Replacement Maintenance and Operation Levy,and Proposition 2 Bonds to Construct a New High School Page 2 of 5 PORT ANGELES CITY COUNCIL MEETING—January 6, 2015 Councilmember Collins recused himself and exited the room due to the fact that his wife is an employee of the Port Angeles School District. Mark Jackson, Superintendent of the Port Angeles School District,and Kelly Pearson,Director of Finance and Operations for the Port Angeles School District,presented information about the district and the proposed bond and maintenance and operations levy. Council discussion followed. Mayor Di Guilio opened the meeting for public comment. Steve Methner, co-chair of PACE (Port Angeles Citizens for Education), told Council that the bond/levy effects every single person in the community. He said strong schools and modern facilities make for more vibrant community. He said the committee is hearing loud and urgent support from the medical community who site schools as a major draw for medical providers; business owners who think it's important part of infrastructure; and from students,parents and staff.He asked the Council to endorse the bond and levy. Dick Pilling, 72 Mount Pleasant Heights Lane,said he thinks educating kids is important,but that he is not sure that he and fellow tax payers should be on the hook for$100 million. He asked why we don't sell timber to help pay for construction. Shelly Taylor, 183 Winflower, spoke against the bond/levy and said that 50% of property taxes already go to fund kids K-12. She said that the quality of education has to do with relationship with the teacher and the student,not the facility. She urged Council not to endorse. Dan Schanaford told Council that is not the proper role of government to take a stand on a matter such as the levy/bond. Kyle Cronk, 637 Del Guzzi Drive, said one of the first things people look at when considering a move to Port Angeles are the schools.He urged Council to support the bond/levy and Port Angeles' future. Jessica Baccus,431 East 12"'Street, is a parent and teacher. She said that building a quality school for Port Angeles does not have to be something we fight about. She said a City Council endorsement is about recognizing that a new school has benefits for the City way beyond the school itself. Stephanie Noblin, 2345 East 3rd Avenue, reminded Council that they are elected officials with certain authorities, and strongly encouraged them not to take a stand on the bond. Patti Happe, elected school board member for 9 years, spoke about why the school board chose to move forward with the bond. She said she understands the impact it's going to have on taxpayers, but she also understands the impact it's going to have on the community if it doesn't improve the high school. Catherine Methner, student at PA High School, said she believes now is the time to build a new school. She talked about a typical day at the high school and noted several of the structural problems in the building that students deal with daily. Lonnie Linn, 708 South Francis,spoke about the lack of funding to Washington school districts from the State Trust Lands. He said the Port Angeles School Board is one of the most fiscally responsible school boards in the state. He believes that if the school system continues to deteriorate,then the City will erode, too. He promised that the school board will explore every possibility to secure other funds for this project. Jennifer Richards, 320 West 9"' Street, spoke about the need for primary care doctors in the community, saying that the most important draw of physicians to the area is the school system. She asked Council to endorse the levy and bond. Angie Gooding, 612 Strait View Drive, said there is a safety concern at Port Angeles High School. There are doors everywhere leading to the outside,and it would be much safer in a building with only two to four main entrances. Page 3 of 5 I PORT ANGELES CITY COUNCIL MEETING—January 6, 2015 Steve Baxter, school board member and former school district employee, compared the bond and levy to the Waterfont Improvement Project which he said put a mark of quality on the waterfront and was another step forward in challenging times.He said he believes that taxes are best spent investing in our own community. Council discussion followed. No action was taken. Mayor Di Guilio recessed the meeting for a break at 8:24 p.m. The meeting reconvened at 8:38 p.m. ORDINANCES NOT REQUIRING PUBLIC HEARINGS: 1. 2015 Electric Revenue Refunding Bond Bonds Trina Nevaril,City Treasurer,told Council that the Finance Department routinely looks for efficiencies that can save rate payers money. She said the City has been working with Financial Advisor Dashen & Associates to review existing debt. Scott Bower of Dashen & Associates briefly outlined the proposed refunding of bonds. He said the bond market is very strong and the City has chosen an excellent time to refinance its debt. Council discussion followed. Mayor Di Guilio conducted a first reading of the ordinance by title,entitled, ORDINANCE#3529 An ordinance of the city of Port Angeles,Washington,authorizing the issuance of electric system revenue refunding bonds of the city in the aggregate principal amount of not to exceed$3,400,000,to finance costs related to refunding certain electric system revenue bonds of the city and to pay costs of issuing the bonds;providing the form,terms and covenants of the bonds; providing for the disposition of the proceeds of sale of the bonds; authorizing the appointment of a refunding trustee and execution of an escrow agreement; and delegating authority to approve the final terms of the bonds. It was moved by Gase and seconded by Whetham to: Waive second reading of the ordinance. Motion carried 6-0. It was moved by Whetham and seconded by Gase to: Approve the ordinance as read. Motion carried 6-0. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS: 1. Combined Sewer Overflow(CSO)Phase 2,Project WWW10-2008 and the Front Street Stormwater Separation Project,Project WWO1-2011 Kathryn Neal,City Engineering Manager,conducted a PowerPoint presentation on the project. Council discussion followed. It was moved by Collins and seconded by Kidd to: Award and sign a construction contract with TEK Construction for CSO Phase 2,Project WW 10-2008 and the Front Street Stormwater Separation Project,Project WWO1-2011,in the base amounts of$14,867,854.57 and$330,928.00 respectively,for a total contract amount of$15,198,782.57 including applicable taxes,and to make minor modifications to the contract,if necessary. Motion carried 4-2,with Whetham and Bruch opposed. Page 4 of 5 PORT ANGELES CITY COUNCIL MEETING—January 6, 2015 It was moved by Kidd and seconded by Collins to: Issue change order(s)to the contract in an aggregate amount not to exceed the available contingency of$968,305.00 for project WWI 0-2008 and$16,550 for project WWOI-2011,provided that each individual change order to the contract does not exceed$200,000.00 without City Council approval and that the City Manager report change order(s)to City Council in its next regularly scheduled bi-monthly contract report. Motion carried 5-1,with Whetham opposed. It was moved by Collins and seconded by Gase to: Approve extending the collection of CSO rate revenues at the current rate for the repayment of CSO loans for three and a half additional years to midway through 2033. Motion carried 6-0. 3. Combined Sewer Overflow(CSO)Phase 2—Brown&Caldwell PSA Amendment 20/Post Award Construction Support Director of Public Works and Utilities Craig Fulton told Council that due to cost savings during the design phase of the project,staff is looking to shift those to construction design phase and that there is an increase in scope of work but no increase to cost. It was moved by Kidd and seconded by Gase to: Approve and authorize the City Manager to sign Amendment 20 to the professional services agreement with Brown and Caldwell for engineering services during construction,for no additional cost. Motion carried 4-2,with Whetham and Bruch opposed. 4. Fireworks Council discussed citizen use of personal fireworks within City limits. It was moved by Collins and seconded by Bruch to: Direct staff to bring back an ordinance that would ban use of fireworks by individuals within the city limits to a city council meeting for a public hearing as soon as possible. Motion carried,6-0. Manager McKeen told Council that the Steering Committee recommendation would be put on the City's website for public viewing,and that staff would bring the ordinance to council's second meeting in February. CITY COUNCIL REPORTS: Mayor Di Guilio said he and Councilmember Collins were at the Farmers Market this past Saturday and they heard from citizens regarding the Navy's warfare games. They were asked questions about what the public's role in priority setting will be and about cars parking on Haines overlook. He said there is a delegation from Sister City that will be here on Thursday and he will attend their dinner at Red Lion. No other reports were given. ADJOURNMENT: Mayor Di Guilio adjourned the meeting at 10:03 p.m. 11 r—Im Dan Di Guilio,Ma or J nnifer Veneklasen,City Clerk Page 5 of 5