HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-11-27 City Council Minutes Approved City Council Minutes—November 27, 2017
Mayor Laurie Gere called to order the regular Anacortes City Council meeting of November 27,2017 at
6:00 p.m. Councilmembers Eric Johnson,Ryan Walters,Erica Pickett,Brad Adams,Liz Lovelett,Bruce
McDougall and Matt Miller were present. The assembly joined in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Announcements and Committee Reports
Museum Director Appointment: Mayor Gere requested Council confirmation of her appointment of Bret
Lunsford as Museum Director beginning December 1,2017. Mr. Johnson moved, seconded by Mr.
Adams,to confirm the appointment.Vote: Ayes—Walters,Pickett,Adams,Lovelett,McDougall,Miller
and Johnson. Motion carried. Mr. Lunsford thanked the mayor and Council for the opportunity to serve
the city in his new role. Mayor Gere thanked retiring Museum Director Steve Oakley for his ten years of
service at the helm of the museum.
Library Comic Night Report: Library Public Services Manager Diana Farnsworth shared photographs
from the library's third annual Genre Night held November 16, 2017: Comic Night. Ms. Farnsworth
thanked the hundreds of community members who participated in the event and the generous donors and
sponsors.
Parks&Recreation Committee: Ms. Pickett reported from the committee meeting the prior week at which
staff updated the members on Guemes Channel Trail progress,the SHIP trail connection to the
Washington State ferry landing, algae treatments of Heart Lake planned for 2018, and ongoing planning
efforts with the Port of Anacortes.
Personnel Committee: Mr. Miller reported from the committee meeting earlier in the evening at which
those present discussed fire and police bargaining unit negotiations,upcoming Teamster representation of
library and museum staff, state contributions to LEOFF retirement,the museum director appointment, and
personnel policy updates mainly regarding State changes to sick leave law.
Mr. Walters reported that the regularly scheduled Planning Committee meeting had been cancelled.
Mr. Walters announced that he would be holding a Ward 1 community meeting on Tuesday,December 12
at 6 p.m. in the Library meeting room.
Public Comment
Sara Holahan, 1511 38t1i Street, said she recently ran for City Council to help preserve neighborhoods and
the environment and because she was concerned about the lack of accountability in regards to
development regulations. Ms. Holahan cited as an example the Haddon Road PUD. She said that Council
had ruled that a 20-foot native growth buffer was to be retained as a requirement for the PUD but that no
vegetation had in fact been saved. She asked why Council's ruling had been allowed to be completely
disregarded. She asked for accountability in fulfilling application requirements and consequences for not
doing so.Ms. Holahan urged Council to investigate the matter and take action. She said that residents
were losing faith that either existing codes or new development regulations would be enforced.
Consent Agenda
Ms. Lovelett moved, seconded by Mr. Johnson,to approve the following Consent Agenda items. The
motion carried unanimously by voice vote.
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a. Minutes of November 16, 2017 and November 20,2017
b.Approval of Claims in the amount of. $277,651.17
The following vouchers/checks were approved for payment:
EFT numbers: 87201 through 87241,total$79,443.42
Check numbers: 87242 through 87275,total$153,795.81
Wire transfer numbers: 223914 through 224767,total$47,450.04
OTHER BUSINESS
Fiber Optic Proiect Update
Public Works Director Fred Buckenmeyer updated Council on construction progress for the fiber optic
telemetry network. His slide presentation was added to the packet materials for the meeting. Mr.
Buckenmeyer reported that the central segment would be substantially complete in December and that the
next step would be to connect the pump stations and other city facilities in that area. He advised that work
continued on the eastern segment of the network connecting the Water Treatment Plant in Mount Vernon
to the Blue Heron Circle reservoirs. Mr. Buckenmeyer concluded that design and layout of the third,
western segment of the network, out to Skyline,had begun and that construction would begin on that final
segment in 2018.
Municipal Fiber Broadband Survey Analysis Presentation
Administrative Services Director Emily Schuh provided an update on the Broadband Survey launched on
October 9 to explore community interest in a municipal fiber optic network. Referring to her slides
included in the packet materials for the meeting,Ms. Schuh reported that over 1300 survey responses had
been received and over 30 community members had volunteered to serve as fiber champions in their
neighborhoods. She shared some initial trends in the data, including one third of respondents reporting
dissatisfaction with their current internet connectivity speed and/or reliability and three quarters reporting
dissatisfaction with their service value.Ms. Schuh reported that two pilot project areas had been
identified,along 11th Street and along M Avenue, and that pricing models for connecting homes and
businesses in those areas could now be developed. Mr. Miller said that constituents had expressed
concern about those costs. Ms. Schuh said staff and NoaNet were now exploring a public private
partnership model to provide broadband fiber internet access in Anacortes. Ms. Lovelett and Mr.
McDougall urged considering City operation of the network in order to ensure net neutrality of the
system. Councilmembers emphasized that any model for build out would have to include connection fees
that were palatable to a large enough customer base to make the network economically viable. Ms. Schuh
indicated that continued research and more detailed recommendations on pricing and service models
would come back to Council for consideration in the future.
Resolution 2003: Collective Bargaining Agreement by and between City of Anacortes and IAFF
1537 for 2018,2019 and 2020
Ms. Schuh presented a three-year collective bargaining agreement negotiated with the International
Association of Firefighters Local 1537 for 2018-2020. She summarized the changes from the prior
agreement as outlined in the packet materials, including a 2%annual wage increase and a change from a
modified Detroit work schedule to the 48/96 work schedule that is increasingly common among fire
departments.
Ms. Lovelett moved, seconded by Mr. Miller,to approve Resolution 2003 approving the collective
bargaining agreement between the City of Anacortes and IAFF 1537 effective 1/1/18-12/31/2020. Vote:
Ayes—Pickett,Adams,Lovelett,McDougall,Miller,Johnson and Walters. Motion carried.
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Resolution 2001: Adoption of 2017 Affordable Housing Strategic Plan-City of Anacortes
Planning Director Don Measamer presented Resolution 2001 to adopt the Affordable Housing Strategic
Plan as presented at the November 13,2017 regular City Council meeting. Mr. Measamer recapped the
process of developing the plan and advised that once it was adopted, staff would begin working on the
2018 goals outlined in the plan. He recommended approval of Resolution 2001. Mr. Miller thanked the
plan committee for the objective data included within it and urged more objective quantification of
homelessness.
Mr. Walters moved, seconded by Mr. Johnson,to approve Resolution 2001 adopting the 2017 Affordable
Housing Strategic Plan—City of Anacortes. Ms. Lovelett asked that Planning Assistant Joann Stewart's
name be included in the document in recognition of her contributions to the plan. Mr. Measamer
concurred. Vote: Ayes—Adams,Lovelett,McDougall,Miller, Johnson,Walters and Pickett. Motion
carried.
Mayor Gere thanked councilmembers Johnson,Pickett and Lovelett for their extensive efforts on the plan.
Ordinance 3011: 2018 Update to Transportation Impact Fee
Mr. Buckenmeyer introduced Ordinance 3011 to increase the Transportation Impact Fee effective
January 1,2018 consistent with the 2016 Comprehensive Plan. He summarized how staff arrived at the
recommended fee of$2641.40 per peak hour trip;the methodology behind the calculation was outlined in
Attachment A to Ordinance 3011. He noted that the proposed impact fee would allocate as much of the
cost as possible to new development since the projects funded with the impact fees were strictly those
associated with trip growth from projected new homes and businesses. Mr. Buckenmeyer reminded that
impact fees are collected as part of the building permit process.
Mr. Walters supported the proposed impact fee but observed that Ordinance 2277 adopted in 1993 had
not been codified and needed to be both updated and codified. Mr. Buckenmeyer advised that staff were
working on updating that ordinance in the very near future including a reference to the national traffic
manual used to generate the projected trip counts. Councilmembers discussed options for reducing the
traffic impact fee for affordable housing projects and observed that because apartments generate fewer
peak hour trips than single family residences the formula results in a lower per dwelling unit traffic
impact fee for apartments. Mr. Walters reported for comparison that Sedro Woolley's traffic impact fee is
$2400 per single family residence and Mount Vernon's is nearly$7300 per single family residence.
Mayor Gere invited members of the audience to comment on this agenda item. No one present wished to
address the Council.
Mr. Walters moved, seconded by Ms. Pickett,to adopt Ordinance 3011 as presented. He urged repealing
the ordinance in January if Ordinance 2277 had not been corrected at that time.Vote: Ayes—Lovelett,
McDougall,Miller, Johnson,Walters,Pickett and Adams. Motion carried.
Ordinance 3015: Authorizing the Refunding of the 2007 Utility System Revenue Bond
Finance Director Steve Hoglund introduced a discussion of a draft Ordinance 3015 that would authorize
refunding of the 2007 utility system revenue bond to save approximately$490K in financing costs over
the remaining 10-year life of the bond. Mr. Hoglund advised that the ordinance would come back to
Council the following week for consideration and action and said that the city's bond counsel would
attend that meeting to answer questions. Mr. Hoglund reviewed his slide presentation included in the
packet materials for the meeting including the aggressive schedule to complete the refunding by year end
and explained the financial advantage to the city from refunding. In response to a question from Mr.
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Adams,Mr. Hoglund confirmed that the savings would return to the Water Fund regional capital account
and would result in lower future rates for regional ratepayers including Anacortes residents.
Mayor Gere invited members of the audience to comment on this agenda item.
Ward MacKenzie, 1302 7th Street, inquired about the transaction costs for refunding as proposed. Mr.
Hoglund said that direct bank placement as proposed involves lower cost as it avoids underwriting fees.
He estimated transaction costs of$50-60K for the bond attorney and financial adviser.
There being no further business,at approximately 7:33 p.m. the Anacortes City Council meeting of
November 27,2017 was adjourned.
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