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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-09-11 City Council Minutes Approved City Council Minutes—September 11,2017 Mayor Laurie Gere called to order the regular Anacortes City Council meeting of September 11,2017 at 6:00 p.m. Councilmembers Eric Johnson,Ryan Walters,Erica Pickett,Brad Adams, Liz Lovelett and Matt Miller were present. Councilmember Bruce McDougall was absent. The assembly joined in the Pledge of Allegiance. Ms. Lovelett moved, seconded by Mr. Johnson,to excuse the absence of Mr. McDougall who was out of town on business. The motion carried unanimously by voice vote. Announcements and Committee Reports Planning Works Committee: Mr.Adams reported from the committee meeting earlier in the evening at which those present briefly discussed the Critical Areas Ordinance update currently under way and scheduled to come before the full Council later in the fall as well as ongoing work by consultant Makers and city staff on the development regulations update which would be the subject of upcoming workshops with the Planning Committee,the Planning Commission, and City Council. Ms. Lovelett invited her colleagues to take a moment to reflect on hurricanes Harvey and Irma and contemplate lessons learned for emergency preparedness including possible evacuations and infrastructure planning for disasters. Mayor Gere described emergency response training scheduled for department heads but agreed that more discussion of infrastructure preparedness would be a good idea. Public Comment No one present wished to address Council on any topic not already on the agenda. Consent Agenda Mr. Walters removed Item 5c,Interlocal Cooperative Agreement with Skagit County for Library Services, from the Consent Agenda. Ms. Lovelett moved, seconded by Mr. Johnson,to approve the following Consent Agenda items. The motion carried unanimously by voice vote. a. Minutes of September 5,2017 b.Approval of Claims in the amount of. $337,276.81 The following vouchers/checks were approved for payment: EFT numbers: 86319 through 86359,total$48,358.92 Check numbers: 86360 through 86382,total$274,897.68 Wire transfer numbers: 220334 through 221184,total $5,297.95 c. Interlocal Cooperative Agreement with Skagit County for Library Services Mr. Walters disclosed that as a fixed salary employee of Skagit County, one of the contracting parties to the agreement,under RCW 42.23.040 he had a remote interest in the agreement and for the city to enter into the agreement his vote could not be counted. Ms. Lovelett moved, seconded by Mr. Adams,to approve Consent Agenda Item 5c, Interlocal Cooperative Agreement with Skagit County for Library Services. The motion carried unanimously by voice vote with Mr.Walters abstaining. PUBLIC HEARINGS Anacortes City Council Minutes September 11, 2017 1 Continued Public Hearing: Ordinance 3008: Anacortes 2018-2023 Transportation Improvement Plan(TIP) Public Works Director Fred Buckenmeyer advised that the packet materials presented for this topic at the September 5, 2017 City Council meeting had been reproduced in a more legible format for the current packet and recapped his presentation from the previous meeting. He reminded that adopting the proposed TIP did not obligate the City to any financial course of action but did allow the state to plan and predict funding requirements for the six years ahead. Referring to the agenda bill for this item, Mr. Buckenmeyer advised that the only change from the prior year TIP was the addition of intersection improvements at 32nd Street and M Avenue. Mr. Buckenmeyer responded to councilmember questions about the 32nd Street and M Avenue intersection and 17th Street between Q and R Avenues,reiterating that any improvements at the latter location would likely be largely developer funded but that including that project in the TIP would allow use of state funding if that were to become available. Mr. Johnson inquired about adding bike and pedestrian safety improvements along Anacoppermine Road. Mr. Buckenmeyer described the topographical challenges of that location and suggested addressing that area in the city's 6-year transportation comprehensive plan in 2018. Mr. Adams inquired about WSDOT's schedule for SR20 overlays. Mr. Buckenmeyer clarified that state projects on state highways through Anacortes are not included in the TIP but updated Council on the bid schedule for WSDOT's SR20 overlay and Sharpes Corner roundabout projects. Mayor Gere invited the public to comment as part of the public hearing on this agenda item. Sylvia Cooper, 2023 I Avenue, asked what provisions would be made to move vehicles through Sharpes Corner during construction of the WSDOT project. Mayor Gere assured that WSDOT would put a plan in place to move traffic through that intersection. Sara Holahan, 1511 38th Street,thanked Ms. Lovelett for bringing up 32nd Street and M Avenue and asked why that sidewalk improvement was not better coordinated with subsequent traffic control improvements. She expressed concern that the future improvements would tear out the sidewalks that had so recently been installed. Ms. Holahan also noted the blank Priority Number field on the TIP pages and asked how the TIP projects were prioritized. Mr. Buckenmeyer explained that the priority array would be developed with WSDOT and Skagit Council of Governments(SCOG);he acknowledged that Anacortes priorities might not be the same as those of the larger funding agencies. No one else wishing to address the Council, at approximately 6:21 p.m. Mayor Gere closed public hearing. Mr. Johnson moved, seconded by Ms. Pickett,to approve Ordinance 3008 approving the 2018-2023 Transportation Improvement Plan(TIP).Vote: Ayes—Walters,Pickett,Adams, Lovelett,Miller and Johnson. Motion carried. OTHER BUSINESS Americans with Disabilities Act(ADA)Transition Plan Presentation Mr. Buckenmeyer introduced the city's ADA self-assessment report and shared highlights from that report regarding the city's efforts to comply with the American's with Disabilities Act and make all city facilities accessible to all citizens. Mr. Buckenmeyer introduced Wastewater Treatment Plant Secretary Sylvia Cooper who coordinated the extensive effort to perform and compile the self-assessment entirely with community volunteers and in house staff. Anacortes City Council Minutes September 11, 2017 2 Ms. Cooper thanked the team of volunteers for their many hours donated to reviewing all city facilities and every intersection sidewalk ramp in the city. She specifically thanked volunteer Mike Gibson for his professional expertise donated to the project. Ms. Cooper circulated the complete hard copy of the self- assessment report that assessed all the streets, sidewalks,buildings,parks,parking lots and other public facilities to determine what was already in compliance with the ADA and what remained to be done to achieve compliance. She said budgetary requirements for the full list of action items remained to be addressed but that many needed improvements were now being included in street and utility projects as well as private property improvements. Ms. Cooper reviewed the detailed supporting material included in appendices of the report and advised that the full report would be posted on the new city website when that went live later in the month. Mr. Johnson asked about the timeline for completing larger,more expensive improvements such as parking lot re-grades. Ms. Cooper replied that each department head had received a report on updates needed at his or her building and that some projects might take five or six years to complete. Mr. Buckenmeyer confirmed that the projects were being incorporated into the city's asset management program. Ms. Lovelett strongly urged adding curb cuts to the sidewalks at the intersection of 22nd Street and J Avenue,a very active intersection for children,bicycles, seniors,walkers and wheelchairs. She asked if that project should be included in the TIP adopted earlier in the evening and if Safe Routes to School grant funding might be available. Ms. Lovelett urged soliciting input from curb cut users to determine which routes are currently in use by citizen who rely on ramps and prioritizing projects to provide mobility along those continuous routes. Mr. Buckenmeyer advised that 22nd Street and J Avenue could be addressed using local funds as part of the$100K budgeted each year for such improvements. Ms. Pickett pointed out that the very busy intersection at 22nd Street and Commercial Avenue was also lacking ramps. Mr. Buckenmeyer explained at some length the legal requirement that every full width paving project include upgrading each contiguous intersection with fully ADA-compliant sidewalk ramps and that the enormous cost of complying with that regulation the full length of Commercial Avenue was what had caused WSDOT to postpone that paving project. Ms. Lovelett asked if the city could upgrade the ramps at some of those Commercial Avenue intersections using its own funds and seek reimbursement from WSDOT later as part of the paving project. Mr. Buckenmeyer said he had not seen that funding mechanism tried anywhere else. Mayor Gere invited members of the audience to comment on this agenda item.No one present wished to address the Council. Ms. Pickett thanked Ms. Cooper and the entire group of volunteers for their extraordinary efforts. Mr. Johnson thanked volunteer Mike Gibson for donating his wealth of valuable experience. Ms. Cooper thanked the following volunteers: Mike Gibson,Andy Arvidson,Paul Denham,Russ Gindhart,Colette Arvidson,John Christoferson,Mike Frushour,Mile Pear, Sue&Dick Newsham,John Pinquoch and Doug Shephard and staff members Fred Buckenmeyer, Steve Lange,Lou D'Amelio, Sylvia Cooper, Gunner Christiansen,Rob Hoxie,Eric Shjarback, Chuck Tidrington and Mayor Laurie Gere. Ms. Lovelett suggested an article in the A-Town publication soliciting citizen feedback on ramp priorities. Museum Budget and General Update Museum Director Steve Oakley presented an update on museum programs and projects. Mr. Oakley's slide presentation was added to the packet materials for the meeting. He described the museum's current exhibit, "At Home in Anacortes",museum tours and presentations,the upcoming lumber mills exhibit at the Maritime Heritage Center,the increase in visitation at the Maritime Heritage Center,W. T. Preston sternwheeler visitation and donations,volunteer efforts in support of collection development and preservation, and 2017 budget performance and performance measures. Mr. Oakley noted that Anacortes City Council Minutes September 11, 2017 3 2018 would be the 60th anniversary of the Anacortes Museum History Board and the 50th anniversary of opening the museum in the Carnegie Library Building. He discussed the possibility of establishing a Wallie Funk memorial at the museum in honor of those anniversary dates. Mr. Oakley thanked the mayor, City Council and citizens for supporting the museum and its range of public services,noting that it is rare for a community this size to have a museum as a city department. Mr. Oakley announced that he would be retiring at the end of November, ending a 41-year career in museums. Mr. Adams asked about research requests at the museum. Mr. Oakley deferred to Museum Public Information and Education Coordinator Bret Lunsford. Mr. Lunsford described the range of questions that come to the museum in person,by phone and by email. He explained that museum staff train requestors how to use publicly available tools in the collection and also research topics if materials are not immediately available. Mr. Lunsford honored the work of his predecessor,Terry Slotemaker,who built the research files beginning years ago. He noted that each research response builds upon those resources for the future. Mr. Adams asked how artifact donations are evaluated and accepted. Mr. Lunsford described the process, involving an evaluation by the museum curator and other staff, a recommendation to the Museum Advisory Board, and then a decision by the Board to either accept or decline the offer. Ms. Lovelett encouraged increased signage and visibility for the W.T Preston and the Maritime Heritage Center. Mr. Lunsford enumerated steps already taken in that direction over the past few years and said staff would be working to coordinate further developments with the Depot Master Plan. Mayor Gere invited members of the audience to comment on this agenda item.No one present wished to address the Council. Public Works Budget Update Mr. Buckenmeyer began by reviewing capital projects,referring to the budget to actual report for capital projects that forms part of the quarterly finance update. Most projects were reported to be proceeding as planned and some would need to roll unspent 2017 funds into 2018. Mr. Buckenmeyer noted that the decommissioning of the retired water treatment plan was awaiting DOE permits and future budget needs for that project were undetermined pending DOE review. He said the Blue Heron reservoir project was proceeding on track and on budget but reminded that a new funding plan would need to be determined given the loss of the DWSRF loan. Mr.Buckenmeyer then reviewed a series of slides summarizing the status of budgeted capital projects in each Public Works division and noting any budget adjustments required for 2018. Mr. Buckenmeyer's slides were added to the packet materials for the meeting. He also addressed pavement rehabilitation projects completed and planned. Council engaged in extended discussion of emergency water supplies available on the island and contingency planning for water distribution. Mr. Miller reminded that the recommended preparation is that each household should be able to self-sustain with three days of water and food in the case of an emergency. Mr. Johnson noted the lower cost and high quality result of the Heart Lake Road cape seal project and asked if that methodology could be applied elsewhere in the city. Mr. Buckenmeyer said cape seal is most appropriate in locations without curb and gutter but could indeed be considered for such locations. Mr. Lovelett repeated her request to install sidewalk ramps at the intersection of 22"d Street and J Avenue. Mr. Buckenmeyer noted the request. Mayor Gere invited members of the audience to comment on this agenda item.No one present wished to address the Council. There being no further business,at approximately 7:35 p.m. the Anacortes City Council meeting of September 11,2017 was adjourned. Anacortes City Council Minutes September 11, 2017 4