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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-05-19 City Council Minutes Approved Anacortes City Council Minutes - May 19, 2025 1 Anacortes City Council Minutes - May 19, 2025 Call to Order Mayor Matt Miller called to order the May 19, 2025, Anacortes City Council meeting at 6:00 p.m. Councilmembers TJ Fantini, Ryan Walters, Bruce McDougall and Amanda Hubik were present. Councilmembers Carolyn Moulton, Anthony Young, and Christine Cleland-McGrath were absent. Mr. Fantini moved, seconded by Ms. Hubik, to excuse the absence of Ms. Moulton, Mr. Young, and Ms. Cleland-McGrath. The motion carried unanimously by voice vote. Pledge of Allegiance The assembly joined in the Pledge of Allegiance. Announcements and Committee Reports Mayor Miller announced that the Guemes Island auto ferry is still out of service and is estimated to return to service on Friday, June 6th. He then announced that today is the 134th anniversary of the incorporation of the City of Anacortes, that this week is National Public Works Week, that city offices will be closed, and solid waste collection delayed until Tuesday, May 27th, in observance of Memorial Day, and asked that everyone take a moment to recognize the true meaning of the holiday. Public Works Committee Mayor Miller announced that the Public Works Committee meeting scheduled for earlier in the evening was cancelled. Parks and Recreation Committee Ms. Hubik reported from the Parks and Recreation Committee meeting held May 15th. The topics discussed included a seasonal hiring update with all openings filled for summer, a Washington Park campground update with all weekends fully booked, possible grant funding for the estimated $1.2-$2.4 million repair of the boardwalk at Ship Harbor in coordination with the Port of Anacortes and the Samish Nation, green burials at the cemetery, summer recreation programs are open for registration and filling up quickly, opening recreation league programs to local business sponsorships, an update on upcoming recreation activities, the community discussion of the West 6th Street park, and the coming June 2nd presentation to the Council regarding restrooms at the Ben Root Skate Park. Economic Development Committee Ms. Hubik reported from the Economic Development Committee meeting held May 13th. The topics discussed included a wrap-up of the review of the report from Western Washington University and finding next steps for implementation of recommendations. Housing Authority Board Appointment Mayor Miller announced the appointment of Xuhua Mu to the Housing Authority Board to replace Jim English, who resigned his position effective April 24th, and that Ms. Mu would serve the remainder of Mr. English's term through December 31, 2025. Public Comment Mayor Miller invited the public to comment on any item not on the agenda. No one present wished to address the Council on any topic not already on the agenda. Consent Agenda Mr. Fantini moved, seconded by Mr. McDougall, to approve the following Consent Agenda items. The motion carried unanimously by voice vote. a. Minutes of May 12, 2025 b. Approval of claims in the amount of $301,907.56 Anacortes City Council Minutes - May 19, 2025 2 The following vouchers/checks were approved for payment: EFT numbers: 112511 through 112547, total $139,612.34 Check numbers: 112548 through 112573, total $135,680.62 Wire transfer numbers: 369439 through 369553, total $26,614.60 Other Business Anacortes Senior Activity Center Community Needs Assessment Report Senior Activity Center Administrator Karl Wolfswinkel thanked the community members and stakeholders involved in the assessment effort and introduced Project Manager Maddie Immell and Lead Analyst Stella Streufert of Berk Consulting, who delivered a report on the Community Needs Assessment, referring to a slide presentation that was added to the packet materials for the meeting. Mayor Miller thanked Ms. Immell and Ms. Streufert for their presentation and acknowledged the support of the Anacortes Senior Center Foundation for making the assessment possible. Discussion topics included:  Report recommendations are already known to the Council. o Are there more specific next steps coming up in the final report?  Targeted marketing to bring in groups that have not been participating.  Anacortes Senior Center Foundation is a great resource in a difficult fiscal environment.  Better check-in process to provide improved data quality to refine services.  Number of respondents to the surveys: 317 in the written survey offered at the Senior Center and 881 for the needs assessment. o Equates to approximately 1 in 20 seniors in the community.  Housing cost-burdened seniors o No data to track who is in community assisted housing and how to overcome barriers to participation for those community members.  Targeted outreach and resource navigation.  Senior Center members who reside in those facilities distribute the monthly newsletter to fellow residents.  Transportation is a barrier to participation.  Comparison with other municipalities that have done similar assessments. o Anacortes seniors are more well off than others. o The number of programs and support systems is more significant than in other communities.  Activities that occur outside the Senior Center o Travel programs in the past but were reduced due to COVID.  Working with Oak Harbor to cooperate on in-region travel programs. o Regular hikes in the Anacortes Community Forest Lands with Friends of the Forest. o Birding outings.  How do other communities get around the stigma surrounding the term 'senior'? o Ongoing national conversation about renaming it a community center for older adults. o Re-branding could divert attention away from those searching for it online. o Partnering with other organizations to increase awareness of programs and resources.  Comprehensive Plan goals, objectives and policies o Running out of physical space in the building  Ongoing reorganization of current office space to provide more space for activities.  Additional 900-1000 square feet of space off the great room - 5-7 year time horizon for decision.  Including the forecast for increased population in the Comp Plan update to inform Anacortes City Council Minutes - May 19, 2025 3 possible capital expansion.  Renting space outside the existing facility. Mayor Miller invited members of the audience to comment on this agenda item. Sharon Watson of Anacortes commented on the challenges associated with transportation, additional space, and how to get all community members of all income levels to activities and resources. Kirk Kennedy of Anacortes thanked the people of Anacortes for their generosity to the Anacortes Senior Center Foundation. Xuhua Mu of Anacortes asked about the comparative age distribution profile of the survey audience versus actual demographics, and if we know what is working well currently, what is not working well, and opportunities for improvement? She also asked if the survey included needs by age bracket. Ms. Immell responded that the survey results were not statistically valid, which would require surveying a representative number of individuals and weighing responses accordingly. She added that the final survey results would be shared with the Anacortes Senior Activity Center staff and would answer some of Ms. Mu's questions. Contract Award: Frontload Solid Waste Truck Replacement #25-145-ERR-001 Operations Manager WiL Ludemann introduced proposed contract #25-145-ERR-001 for the purchase of a frontload solid waste truck from Western Peterbilt, Inc., which he reported is a normal replacement that would be funded from replacement funds. Discussion topics included:  How much more is the purchase price than the last truck purchased, and when was the last purchase? o Approximately 3 years ago and $30k more. TJ Fantini moved, seconded by Amanda Hubik, to authorize the mayor to execute contract #25-145-ERR-001 for the purchase of a frontload solid waste truck for the purchase price of $490,490.58 from Western Peterbilt, Inc. Vote: Ayes - Ryan Walters, Bruce McDougall, Amanda Hubik, TJ Fantini. Nays - None. Abstentions - None. Result: Passed Contract Modification: FEMA Coordination for FEMA-4635-DR (November 2021) 24-043-ENG-001 Public Works Director Andrew Rheaume introduced proposed contract modification #24-043-ENG-001 with Widener and Associates to provide for the completion of the required procedures and documentation for Federal Emergency Management Agency funding for the Whistle Lake Trail, Guemes Channel Trail, sandbagging, the Levee Road Dike and Water Treatment Plant Sinkhole. Amanda Hubik moved, seconded by Bruce McDougall, to authorize the mayor to execute the modification to contract #24-043-ENG-001 with Widener and Associates for $27,349.40, bringing the total contract price to $86,717.80. Vote: Ayes - Ryan Walters, Bruce McDougall, Amanda Hubik, TJ Fantini. Nays - None. Abstentions - None. Result: Passed Contract Modification: FEMA Coordination - January 2022 Event FEMA-4650-DR #22-250-ENG-001 Public Works Director Andrew Rheaume introduced proposed contract modification #22-250-ENG-001 with Widener and Associates for the addition of the U Avenue shoreline repair project, which was damaged during the 2022 disaster and is coincidentally where the new wastewater treatment plant outfall enters the Guemes Anacortes City Council Minutes - May 19, 2025 4 Channel. He added that the state permit for the outfall requires that the shoreline be restored and public access be made available, and that FEMA has re-categorized it as a permanent repair project, which increased the contract price. Discussion topics included:  Purpose of the consultant contract. o Help the city with the administrative process of accessing federal funding. o Funding for alternative projects is more difficult to procure than for required projects. o Worth the effort and cost to have consultant support.  FEMA reversed previous approval of this repair as an alternative project. Bruce McDougall moved, seconded by Amanda Hubik, to authorize the mayor to sign the modification to contract #22-250-ENG-001 with Widener and Associates for $20,484.95, bringing the total contract price to $55,791.35. Vote: Ayes - Ryan Walters, Bruce McDougall, Amanda Hubik, TJ Fantini. Nays - None. Abstentions - None. Result: Passed Interlocal to Remove City of Anacortes from Interlocal COA #25-085-DEF-001 Administrative Services Director Emily Schuh introduced the proposed amendment to interlocal agreement #25-085-DEF-001 with the cities of Sedro-Woolley, Mount Vernon and Burlington for shared indigent defense services, that would allow the City of Anacortes to withdraw from the agreement and pursue contract negotiations with a firm that specifically addressed the needs of the City of Anacortes in a proposal that was recently submitted in a response to a joint request for qualifications. Discussion topics included:  Assuming there are multiple responses to the Request for Qualifications, why choose this firm over other options? o The firm Performs similar work for jurisdictions on Whidbey Island. o Good meeting with the public defender and court staff. o A contract with the responding firm is imminent. o Other parties are supportive of Anacortes withdrawing from the agreement. o Why did the firm not want to work with other parties in the interlocal?  Lack of capacity to handle the caseload of all four parties. o Mountain Law is the current contractor for work at the Skagit Justice Center.  The firm under consideration would take over that responsibility for Anacortes. TJ Fantini moved, seconded by Bruce McDougall, to authorize the mayor to execute amendment 1 to interlocal agreement #25-085-DEF-001 with the cities of Sedro-Woolley, Mount Vernon and Burlington for shared indigent defense services. Vote: Ayes - Ryan Walters, Bruce McDougall, Amanda Hubik, TJ Fantini. Nays - None. Abstentions - None. Result: Passed Adjournment There being no further business, at approximately 7:06 p.m. the Anacortes City Council meeting of May 19, 2025, was adjourned.