HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-08-03 City Council Minutes Approved City Council Minutes—August 3, 2015
Mayor Laurie Gere called to order the regular Anacortes City Council meeting of August 3, 2015 at the
advertised special time of 7:15 p.m. immediately following the meeting of Anacortes Transportation
Benefit District No. 1. 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
Mr. Walters reported from the Planning Committee which met earlier in the day and discussed a work
plan for using the KT analysis framework for the 2016 Comprehensive Plan update.
Ms. Lovelett reported from the Public Works Committee which met the prior week and discussed recent
revisions to the solid waste collection program and potential enforcement provisions.
Ms. Lovelett passed along public compliments on Parks and Recreation Department recreation programs.
Mr. Walters noted the passing of longtime Anacortes resident Themo Demopoulos.
Mayor Gere reminded everyone that the Anacortes Arts Festival would be held downtown Friday,
Saturday and Sunday. Mr. Archibald said he would have a public art piece under construction at his store
during the festival and invited the public to participate in decorating the bench which would be located in a
public park when complete.
Mr. Miller reminded everyone of National Night Out on Tuesday, August 4, from 6-8 p.m. at Storvik Park.
Consent Agenda
Mr. Johnson removed Item 5b, Vouchers, from the Consent Agenda.
Mr. Johnson moved, seconded by Ms. Lovelett, to approve the minutes of July 13, 2015, July 20, 2015
and July 27, 2015 as if read. Vote: Ayes—Walters, Pickett, Adams, Lovelett, Archibald, Miller and
Johnson. Motion carried.
Regarding Voucher 195117, "Design and layout of logo for Anacortes," Mr. Johnson and Mr. Hoglund
advised that the invoice was actually to develop a logo for the city's competition for the Georgetown
University Energy Prize. Mr. Hoglund explained the shortcomings of the truncated descriptions available
in the accounting software report format. Mr. Johnson encouraged his colleagues to present any
questions regarding items appearing on the voucher list to Mr. Hoglund prior to Council meetings. Mr.
Johnson moved, seconded by Ms. Pickett, to approve the vouchers. Vote: Ayes— Pickett, Adams,
Lovelett, Archibald, Miller, Johnson and Walters. 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 July 22, 2015 and July 29, 2015 are approved for payment as of August 3, 2015.
Claims
Check Numbers 77085 through 77234 in the total amount of$576,521.55
EFT Numbers 77083 through 77084 in the total amount of$3,052.00
Prewritten Claims
Check Number 77082 in the total amount of$76.00
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UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Ordinance 2956: Payment of Claims
Finance Director Steve Hoglund presented draft Ordinance 2956 which had been discussed at the
July 27, 2015 City Council study session with positive feedback from councilmembers. Mr. Adams asked
Mr. Hoglund's recommendation on appropriate limits for Section 3.02.040(A) and 3.02.040(B) of the draft
ordinance. Mr. Hoglund recommended $1,000 for 3.02.040(A)and $15,000 for 3.02.040(B). Mr. Johnson
moved, seconded by Mr. Archibald, to adopt Ordinance 2956 specifying dollar amounts of$1,000 per
payee per year for 3.02.040(A) and $15,000 per customer per year for 3.02.040(B). Vote: Ayes—Adams,
Lovelett, Archibald, Miller, Johnson, Walters and Pickett. Motion carried.
NEW BUSINESS
Contract Award: Guemes Channel Trail 30% Design Phases 2 & 6
City Engineer Eric Shjarback requested that Council authorize the mayor to enter into 30% design
contracts with MacLeod Reckord for Phase 2 and 6 of the Guemes Channel Trail. Mr. Shjarback
described the two phases and displayed the locations on a map. He said the contracts would be funded
by an STPR grant from the Federal Highway Administration administered by WSDOT with a 13.5% match
of City funds which had been included in the 2015 budget. Mr. Shjarback described the consultant's
scope of work and the selection process and summarized MacLeod Reckord's extensive experience with
relevant high profile projects in other communities. Councilmembers questioned Mr. Shjarback about
environmental permitting for Phases 2 and 6, about how the federal grant for design would work with
recently announced funding from the state legislature, and about the process for siting the trail and
trailheads and acquiring necessary property and/or easements. Parks and Recreation Director Gary
Robinson, team leader for the Guemes Channel Trail project, addressed councilmember questions about
the public process for developing the trail and the master plan for its eventual completion. Mayor Gere
assured Council that she had and would continue to work closely with Mr. Robinson and the Guemes
Channel Trail committee to support completion of the trail and address the concerns of adjoining property
owners and the entire community. Ms. Pickett moved, seconded by Mr. Johnson, to authorize the Mayor,
at her discretion, to execute a contract with MacLeod Reckord PLLC for 30% design of Phase 2 and
Phase 6 of the Guemes Channel Trail. Vote: Ayes— Lovelett, Archibald, Miller, Johnson, Walters, Pickett
and Adams. Motion carried.
Chemical Bid Award
Mr. Shjarback requested Council approval to award contracts for chemicals per the recommendations
from Water Treatment Plant staff included in the evening's Council packet. Finance Director Steve
Hoglund clarified that treatment chemicals are included in the budget each year but the price paid for
each chemical is established by contract after public bidding. Mr. Walters moved, seconded by Mr.
Adams, to award 2015-2016 chemical delivery contracts to the vendors specified in the Council memo:
1. Liquid Chlorine: Jones Chemical
2. Sodium Fluoride: Cascade Columbia
3. Sodium Carbonate Dense Grade Soda Ash: Cascade Columbia
4a. Sodium Hydroxide—300 Tons: Jones Chemical
4b. Sodium Hydroxide—5,000 Gal: Univar USA
4c. Sodium Hydroxide—700 Gal: NorthStar
4d. Sodium Hydroxide— 160,000 Gal: Jones Chemical
5. Sodium Hypochlorite: Jones Chemical
6. Sodium Bisulfite: NorthStar
7. Calcium Nitrate Solution: Two Rivers Terminal
Vote: Ayes—Archibald, Miller, Johnson, Walters, Pickett, Adams and Lovelett. Motion carried.
Skagit County EMS Evaluation Workgroup
City Attorney Darcy Swetnam presented a request from the Skagit County EMS Delivery Model
Evaluation Workgroup for a statement of support for the City's participation in the workgroup evaluation
Anacortes City Council Minutes August 3, 2015 2
process. Ms. Swetnam explained how Anacortes fits into the countywide EMS service and said Anacortes
is the only jurisdiction in the county that uses a fire-based EMS model with prehospital medical
emergency services being provided by firefighter-EMTs and firefighter-paramedics. She said others in the
county are interested in exploring that model for other jurisdictions and that at a meeting on July 20, 2015
a majority of the Skagit County Commissioners asked each of the cities to ask their Councils for support
for further evaluating the options for countywide delivery of EMS services. Ms. Swetnam reported from
her attendance at a July 21, 2015 meeting which established a work group structure for the endeavor.
Mark Raaka, Skagit County Director of Emergency Medical Services, provided additional background on
the process and the various delivery models that might be explored.
Ms. Lovelett moved, seconded by Ms. Pickett, that Anacortes supports participating in the Skagit County
EMS Delivery Model Evaluation Workgroup to explore options for better providing EMS services to the
residents of Skagit County. Mr. Walters advised he would abstain from voting because he is an employee
of Skagit County. Vote: Ayes— Miller, Johnson, Pickett, Adams, Lovelett and Archibald. Abstain —
Walters. Motion carried.
Second Quarter Finance Update
Mr. Hoglund updated Council on the city's financial condition through the end of June. He reviewed
General Fund revenue, noting that sales tax was coming in about as budgeted, utility tax revenue was
slightly behind projections because the contractual water rate increase went into effect later in the year
than anticipated, and permit fees collected were well ahead of budget. Mr. Hoglund said that overall the
General Fund had received 51.1% of budgeted revenue and had expended 51.9% of budgeted
expenditures halfway through the year.
Mr. Hoglund presented a graph providing more detail on monthly sales tax receipts. He said year to date
sales tax revenue was 4% more than budgeted and 5% more than the prior year, largely due to
residential construction and the hospitality industry. He presented a second graph demonstrating strong
real estate excise tax receipts to date as well.
Mr. Hoglund reviewed General Fund expenditures by department and explained the elevated figures in
the Legislative and Facilities departments relating to the Council Chambers upgrades. Mr. Hoglund then
reviewed year to date revenues and expenditures in the other funds and explained apparent anomalies
due to the non-linear distribution of specific project revenues and expenditures over the course of the
year including the D Avenue paving project in Fund 104, the Guemes Channel Trail in Fund 105,
seasonal park revenue in Fund 107, Swinomish ambulance payments in Fund 110, quarry rock contract
reconciliation revenue in Fund 113, and the Heart of Anacortes purchase in Fund 180.
Mr. Hoglund briefly called Council's attention to the capital project expenditure summary included in the
evening's Council packet.
Mr. Hoglund concluded with a chart presenting average annual taxable retail sales over past four years
by 3-digit NAICS code. He observed that the fastest growing retail sales sectors in Anacortes are
vehicles, hospitality, and construction with online sales also growing very fast.
There being no further business, at approximately 8:50 p.m. the Anacortes City Council meeting of
August 3, 2015 was adjourned.
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