HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-08-17 City Council Minutes Approved City Council Minutes—August 17, 2015
Mayor Laurie Gere called to order the regular Anacortes City Council meeting of August 17, 2015 at
7:00 p.m. Councilmembers Eric Johnson, Ryan Walters, Erica Pickett, Brad Adams, Liz Lovelett, John
Archibald and Matt Miller were present. The assembly joined in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Citizen Hearings
No one present wished to address the Council.
Mayor/Council Communication and Committee Reports
Proclamation of Constitution Week: Mayor Gere read a statement proclaiming September 17-23, 2015 to
be Constitution Week in Anacortes and invited citizens to reaffirm the ideals the framers of the
Constitution had in 1787 by vigilantly protecting the freedoms guaranteed to citizens.
Ms. Lovelett reported that discussions were underway regarding food truck regulations.
Ms. Lovelett reported on rain garden efforts in Anacortes including at the Orr property at 32nd Street and I
Avenue.
Ms. Lovelett reported that Fidalgo Bay Days would be held at the Samish RV Resort from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
on August 29, 2015.
Ms. Pickett reported from the Port/City Liaison Committee meeting regarding cooperative work on
economic development projects.
Mr. Walters reported from the Finance Committee. He said the committee had met regarding the mayor's
contracting authority and would bring an ordinance forward to Council for consideration at a future
meeting, had discussed a donation acceptance policy and would next be discussing a fund balance
policy.
Consent Agenda
Mr. Johnson moved, seconded by Mr. Archibald, to approve the following Consent Agenda items. Vote:
Ayes—Walters, Pickett, Adams, Lovelett, Archibald, Miller and Johnson. Motion carried.
Approval of Vouchers/Cancellation of Checks
Council voted unanimously that the following vouchers/checks audited and certified by the City's Auditing
Officer(Finance Director) and subsequently reviewed and approved by the Council Finance Committee
on August 5, 2015 and August 12, 2015 are approved for payment as of August 17, 2015.
Claims
Check Numbers 77236 through 77400 in the total amount of$274,652.30
EFT Number 77235 in the total amount of$55.00
Payroll for August 5, 2015 in the total amount of$700,165.58
Check Numbers 40684 through 40736 in the total amount of$39,763.78
Direct Deposit Numbers from 59853 through 60058 in the total amount of$395,757.33
EFT Numbers from 1841 through 1846 in the total amount of$264,644.47
Cancelled Checks
Check Number 76719 in the total amount of$21.69
In the same motion Council:
approved the minutes of August 3, 2015 as if read;
approved the Street Fair Application for the End of Summer Festival on September 6, 2015 from
3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.;
Anacortes City Council Minutes August 17, 2015 1
approved the Street Fair Application for the Fueling Education Fun Run on October 3, 2015 from
9:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.;
approved the Street Fair Application for the Jingle Bell Dash 5K Run/Walk and Kids Dash to Santa
on December 19, 2015 from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.; and
approved the Street Fair Application for the 20th Annual Anacortes Antique Machinery Show on
September 12, 2015 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
NEW BUSINESS
Public Hearing: Anacortes Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) Ordinance 2957
Public Works Director Fred Buckenmeyer summarized the state requirements for annual local
transportation plans to feed into the WSDOT Statewide 6-Year Transportation Improvement Plan. He said
that normally the transportation projects from the annual Capital Facilities Plan feed into the TIP but
because Anacortes was not preparing a CFP for 2016-2021 a separate public hearing was being held for
the stand alone TIP document. Mr. Buckenmeyer explained that if a local transportation project is not
included in the STIP it is not eligible for state or federal funding. He clarified that the TIP does not commit
the city to pursuing any of the projects listed nor does it guarantee funding for those projects, only
identifies projects for which the city wishes to remain eligible for state or federal funding. He said that the
projects listed in the proposed TIP were identical to those in the 2015-2020 CFP except that completed
projects had been removed.
At approximately 7:10 p.m. Mayor Gere opened the public hearing. No one present wished to speak.
Mr. Johnson moved, seconded by Ms. Pickett, to approve Ordinance 2957 to finalize the 2016-2021
Anacortes Transportation Improvement Plan.
No one else wishing to speak, the mayor closed the public hearing. The mayor read the text of the
ordinance into the record:
WHEREAS, typically the Capital Facilities Plan contains the City's 6-year transportation
plan, and
WHEREAS, the City is not going through the CFP process in 2015, and
WHEREAS, the State requires that the City go through an annual TIP process with
public involvement and ordinance approval process,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED that the attached 2016-2021 Anacortes
Transportation Improvement Plan be the official 6-year plan for transportation related
projects in Anacortes.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This Ordinance shall take effect from and after five (5) days after
its passage and publication as required by law.
PASSED AND APPROVED this 17th day of August, 2015.
Vote: Ayes—Pickett, Adams, Lovelett, Archibald, Miller, Johnson and Walters. Motion carried.
Ms. Lovelett suggested that in the future the TIP be addressed in committee prior to coming to Council for
action.
Heart Lake Water Quality Study Consultant Agreement
Parks and Forestlands Manager Jonn Lunsford reported that Anacortes had received a grant from the
Washington State Department of Ecology to study algal blooms in Heart Lake. He requested that Council
authorize the mayor to execute a professional services agreement with Herrera Environmental
Consultants, Inc. Mr. Lunsford explained DOE's interest in unexplained algae blooms in lakes around the
state. He recommended contracting with Herrera and working with Dr. Robin Matthews at Western
Washington University (Huxley College)to perform the research which would be largely funded by the
grant. He said the total project budget was $42K, that the DOS grant would cover$31,500 of that and that
the city's matching portion would include in kind staff labor and up to$4,000 of cash from Forest Land
Endowment Fund interest. Mr. Lunsford responded to councilmember questions regarding the location of
inflows to the lake and the challenges presented by a number of different aquatic plants in the lake.
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Ms. Lovelett moved, seconded by Mr. Johnson, to authorize mayor to execute the proposed consultant
agreement for professional services with Herrera Environmental Consultants, Inc. in an amount not to
exceed $32,000. Vote: Ayes—Adams, Lovelett, Archibald, Miller, Johnson and Pickett. Nays -Walters.
Motion carried.
Contract Award: Replace VFDs at WTP Intake Pump Station
Mr. Buckenmeyer requested Council approval to award a contract to Dahl Electric to replace two variable
frequency drives in the Water Treatment Plan intake pump station. He explained that one of the VFDs
had experienced intermittent ground faults and both VFDs were over 14 years old and parts would no
longer be available for them after 2016 so staff strongly recommended replacing them. Mr. Buckenmeyer
reported that two bids had been received for the work and the low bid was from Dahl Electric in the
amount of$90,331.68. He recommended awarding the contract to Dahl Electric and said funds were
available in the 2015 budget to complete the work. Mayor Gere inquired why the low bid was so much
lower than the Engineering Estimate of$140,000. Mr. Buckenmeyer advised that both bidders had
worked in the intake pump station before and were familiar with the facility and the work and nothing
irregular appeared in the bids.
Mayor Gere invited members of the audience to comment on this agenda item. No one present wished to
address the Council.
Mr. Johnson moved, seconded by Mr. Adams, to approve the contract award in the amount of$90,331.68
to Dahl Electric for replacement of VFDs at the Water Treatment Plant intake pump station. Vote: Ayes—
Lovelett, Archibald, Miller, Johnson, Pickett and Adams. Nays-Walters. Motion carried.
Contract Award: 2015 Sanitary Sewer Improvements
Mr. Buckenmeyer requested Council approval to award a contract to Strandberg Excavation for the 2015
Sanitary Sewer Improvements. He described the work included in the 2015 project at six locations to
prevent stormwater from infiltrating into the sanitary sewer system. Mr. Buckenmeyer reported that three
bids were received with the low bid from Strandberg Excavation in the amount of$98,355.25 compared to
an Engineering Estimate of$97,257. He recommended awarding the contract to Strandberg. In response
to a question from Mr. Miller, Mr. Buckenmeyer described the process of identifying infiltration locations
following storm events. He confirmed that funds were available in the 2015 budget to complete the work.
Mayor Gere invited members of the audience to comment on this agenda item. No one present wished to
address the Council.
Mr. Johnson moved, seconded by Mr. Archibald, to approve the contract award to Strandberg Excavation
in the amount of$98,355.25. Vote: Ayes—Archibald, Miller, Johnson, Pickett, Adams and Lovelett. Nays
-Walters. Motion carried.
Ordinance 2958/Resolution 1923: Changing Start Time of City Council and Study Session
Meetings to 6:00 p.m.
Mr. Adams observed that City Council meetings had frequently been lasting until after 9:00 p.m. and
asked his colleagues to consider starting meetings earlier that 7:00 p.m. He noted that when this question
was last considered in September, 2014 Council voted 4-3 not to change the meeting start time to 6:30
p.m. Mr. Adams reported a range of meeting start times in neighboring cities but said those meetings all
tended to end by 8:30 p.m. regardless of the start time. He noted that participants do tend to fatigue after
9:00 p.m.
Ms. Pickett expressed concerned about people who work being able to attend meetings that start before
7:00 p.m. and argued against changing the start time. Mr. Miller agreed and added that he would not want
to encourage longer meetings by adopting an earlier start. Mr. Johnson observed that a number of
meetings in 2015 had special 6:00 p.m. start times and that did not seem to diminish attendance or
participation by the public. He suggested that Council Committees that now meet immediately prior to City
Council meetings could meet on days other than Mondays as the Finance Committee does and said an
Anacortes City Council Minutes August 17, 2015 3
earlier start time might better serve both the Council as a whole and the work of the committees. Mr.
Archibald agreed with Mr. Johnson, said the 6:00 meetings held thus far had been very effective, and
suggested that a 6:00 start time might also work better for staff. He supported changing the start time.
Ms. Lovelett said she would find a 6:00 start time personally challenging and also expressed concern
about moving committee meetings away from Mondays. Mr. Adams said a 6:30 start time would be
another option. Mr. Walters supported a 6:00 start time but said even 6:30 would be better than 7:00. He
also suggested that if the start time were to be changed it should be specified in the Council Procedures
and removed from the municipal code.
Mayor Gere offered to have the department heads develop a proposed committee meeting schedule that
would accommodate an earlier start. Ms. Pickett said that would be helpful and also asked what impact
an earlier start time would have on staff.
Wilhelmus Houppermans, 3412 K Avenue, said that by 9:00 everyone is tired and so regardless of the
start time he would prefer that at that time if the meeting had not concluded Council would continue it to
another evening later in the week rather than to the next meeting two weeks later.
Mr. Walters reported that Oak Harbor's protocol is to end meetings at a set time and that if the business
on the agenda is not concluded by that time the Council can entertain a motion to continue the meeting.
He suggested Anacortes could consider something similar. Mr. Miller supported that concept and asked
for staff input on how committee meetings would be affected.
Mayor Gere said she would ask the directors to develop a possible committee meeting schedule to
accommodate a 6:00 p.m. start time and would circulate that to councilmembers for further discussion at
a future meeting.
Executive Session: Real Estate Discussion per RCW 42.30.110(1 b, 1 c)
Mayor Gere announced that Council would convene in Executive Session for up to 30 minutes to discuss
a potential real estate transaction about which open discussion could result in terms unfavorable to the
City and that no action would be taken.
There being no further business, at approximately 8:30 p.m. the Anacortes City Council meeting of
August 17, 2015 was adjourned.
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