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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-03-02 City Council Minutes Approved City Council Minutes—March 2, 2015 At 7:00 p.m. Mayor Laurie Gere called the regularly scheduled Anacortes City Council meeting of March 2, 2015 to order. 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 Ms. Pickett thanked the Skagit Valley Herald for its story about the Auto Magic program and reminded that the competition is open to any nonprofit organization in Anacortes. Mr. Walters reported from the Planning Committee which met earlier in evening and discussed the Anthony's Restaurant expansion, anticipated Council action in June to appoint the non-Council representation on the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, and proposed changes to Countywide Planning Policy Goal 1. Mr. Walters shared his observations from the February 26, 2015 Comprehensive Plan update community workshop and advised of upcoming joint Comprehensive Plan update workshops including the City Council, Planning Commission and Community Advisory Committee. Mr. Walters reported that Mayor Gere, Mr. Archibald and Mr. Walters recently traveled to Olympia to meet with the legislative delegation and elected officials from other municipalities. Ms. Lovelett reported from the Northwest Straits Foundation workshop she attended on oil spill prevention, preparedness and response which also addressed current issues regarding oil transport by rail. She mentioned the possibility of a public presentation on mutual aid agreements and regional response plans. Mr. Johnson announced the Planning Department presentation scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on March 4, 2015 in Skyline regarding upcoming changes near the waterfront. Finance Director Steve Hoglund announced two upcoming events for the 2016 budget. He invited the public to a Community Budget Open House in the City Council Chambers on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and encouraged citizens to pose questions and offer input to department heads and staff at that session. He advised that Mayor and Council would then hold a budget retreat on Friday, March 27, 2015 from 8:00 a.m. to noon at the ESD#189 Building (1601 R Avenue) in the Reid Harbor Room with Mike Bailey of City of Redmond serving as facilitator. Mayor Gere encouraged community members to attend the March 10 open house to communicate their priorities to Mayor, Council and staff. PSE Check Presentation: Public Works Director Fred Buckenmeyer introduced Wastewater Treatment Plant Manager Becky Fox and Supervisor Steve Doebler. Mr. Buckenmeyer summarized how the plant has cut its energy consumption nearly in half over the past six years. He introduced Bob Stolarski, PSE's Director of Customer Energy Management. Mr. Stolarski introduced his colleagues Senior Energy Management Engineer Andreas Winardi and Business Services Account Manager Kim Gray. Mr. Stolarski thanked the City for participating in PSE programs to reduce energy use to the economic and environmental benefit of both Anacortes customers and the entire PSE customer base. He commended Anacortes on its remarkable reduction in energy use and its investment in increased productivity and efficiency. Mr. Winardi presented Mayor Gere with a check for$51,275. Safe Kids Northwest Presentation: Bill Craig, Coalition Coordinator at Safe Kids Northwest, provided a brief history of the evolution of the organization which works across the state and the nation to promote injury prevention for children. He described the organization's local programs at the Anacortes Fire Anacortes City Council Minutes March 2, 2015 1 Department and Island Hospital to provide car seat checks and bicycle helmets and its annual Splashtacular safety event at Washington Park in July. Consent Agenda Mr. Walters removed Item 5h, Ordinance 2944: New Municipal Code to Address Public Defense, from the Consent Agenda. Mr. Johnson moved, seconded by Ms. Pickett, 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 February 20, 2015 and February 25, 2015 are approved for payment as of March 2, 2015. Claims Check Numbers 75387 through 75526 in the total amount of$431,157.72 EFT Number 75386 in the total amount of$1,178.00 Payroll for February 20, 2015 in the total amount of$865,613.07 Check Numbers 40266 through 40286 in the total amount of$20,179.52 Direct Deposit Numbers from 57599 through 57802 in the total amount of$611,553.13 EFT Numbers from 1771 through 1776 in the total amount of$233,880.42 In the same motion Council approved the minutes of February 11, 2015, February 17, 2015 and February 23, 2015 as if read; Approved the Street Fair Application for the Art of Gardening on April 25, 2015 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on April 26, 2015 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; Approved the Street Fair Application for the Blooming Color Run on April 18, 2015 from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.; Approved the Street Fair Application for Shipwreck Days on July 18, 2015 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Approved the Street Fair Application for the 4th of July Extravaganza on July 4, 2015 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; and Approved the Street Fair Application for Oyster Run on September 27, 2015 from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Ordinance 2944: New Municipal Code to Address Public Defense: Mr. Walters presented a revised version of the ordinance and explained his proposed revisions. Mr. Walters moved, seconded by Mr. Johnson, to adopt the revised version of Ordinance 2944 establishing a Public Defender's Office and adopting standards for the provision of public defense services and adding a new Chapter 2.18, Public Defender's Office, to the Anacortes Municipal Code. Public Defender Rob Jones stated he had reviewed the revised ordinance and agreed that the revisions were an improvement. Vote: Ayes —Pickett,Adams, Lovelett, Archibald, Miller, Johnson and Walters. Motion carried. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Public Hearing: CDBG 2015-2017 Strategic Plan &2015-2016 Action Plan Development Planning Director Don Measamer reminded the audience that at the January 20, 2015 City Council meeting the City opened the 30-day public comment period for its CDBG Action Plan to obtain community comment on the needs of low income families and individuals within the City. He said the present meeting would respond to proposals and questions and ask Council to review and approve the funding distribution. Mr. Measamer advised that both meetings had been duly advertised and said the City had not received any public comments on the draft Action Plan. He said the City's allocation from HUD for 2015 would be$85,495 but that the funding plan included allocation of additional funding remaining unspent from previous years. Mr. Measamer referenced the Project Proposal Applications for funding included in the Council packet and described the recommended funding allocations listed in the packet: Anacortes City Council Minutes March 2, 2015 2 public services at the Anacortes Family Center($12,824-15%), asbestos abatement at the Anacortes Housing Authority Harbor House ($40,452), home ownership subsidies through Home Trust of Skagit ($40,000), and program administration ($14,534-20%). Ms. Lovelett said the asbestos abatement at Harbor House was an imminent need and asked if AHA would be able to finish that project without a larger allocation of CDBG funding. Mr. Measamer said AHA did have some other funding sources and added that staff was proposing to include a timeline in the Home Trust contract that would redirect its CDBG funding to AHA if Home Trust had not used its funding by March 2016. Gabriel Olmstead, board member from Home Trust of Skagit, described the Trust's mission to make home ownership affordable for working families in Anacortes. Mr. Miller questioned whether the $40,000 allocated would actually get a family into a home. Mr. Olmstead said other sources of funding would be combined with the CDBG funding to provide subsidies in the $25-35K range to get working families into homes. Lynn Christofersen, Community Services Director at Community Action of Skagit County, offered Council persistent encouragement to continue its longstanding partnership with Community Action. Ms. Christofersen recounted the history of the organization and of its partnership with the City. She described the Senior and Disabled Volunteer Program and its work in Anacortes to leverage limited funding with a strong pool of volunteers to serve elderly and disabled homeowners. Ms. Christofersen urged the City to continue to partner with Community Action to find ways to serve the most vulnerable community members. Dustin Johnson, Executive Director of the Anacortes Family Center, introduced his Board President Vicki Stasch and Treasurer Warren Tessler. Mr. Johnson thanked the City for its 2014 CDBG allocation and provided a summary of the services provided by the Family Center. He said that during 2014 the Center served 151 people, 76 of them children, and successfully graduated 83% of its clients, 61% of them into unsubsidized entirely self-sufficient housing. Mr. Johnson said the $12K of CDBG funding makes a huge difference given the$265K total budget of the Center. Mr. Archibald agreed with Ms. Lovelett that he'd like the AHA asbestos abatement program to receive more of the funding. Mr. Miller said he agreed with the staff recommendation and said if asbestos flooring isn't disturbed it does not pose an immediate health hazard. Mr. Johnson observed that AHA should be able to complete the entire abatement project given its other funding sources. Mr. Johnson moved, seconded by Mr. Miller, to close the comment period, approve the recommendations for funding and approve forwarding the 2015/2016 Strategic Plan to HUD. Mr. Walters stressed the importance of funding Community Action, in addition to the recommended CDBG funding, and elaborated on the needs of the population served by Community Action in Anacortes. Mr. Measamer observed that the City could choose to redirect the 20% of the funding allocated to administrative costs to some other purpose. Mr. Adams confirmed that the AHA could seek additional funding for asbestos abatement from CDBG funds in future years and supported the allocation of the Public Services component of the grant to the Anacortes Family Center and the recommended allocation to Home Trust of Skagit. He noted the large administrative costs of the CDBG program and suggested that the City should retain that allocation as recommended for the time being. Mr. Miller encouraged the community to support social service agencies with private donations. Ms. Lovelett asked to hear from a resident of Harbor House. Dani Usman, Harbor House resident, said that all the Harbor House apartments have broken floor tiles. She strongly supported the use of CDBG funding to abate asbestos at Harbor House. At approximately 8:04 p.m. Mayor Gere closed the public hearing. Vote: Ayes—Adams, Miller, Johnson and Pickett. Nays— Lovelett, Archibald and Walters. Motion carried. Anacortes City Council Minutes March 2, 2015 3 NEW BUSINESS Memorandum of Understanding between the Anacortes Small Boat Center, the City of Anacortes, and the Port of Anacortes Parks and Recreation Director Gary Robinson requested authorization for the mayor to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Anacortes Small Boat Center and the Port of Anacortes to allow the Center to construct a small building at Rotary Park to support sail, paddle and recreational light duty hand-launched water craft. Mr. Robinson said that he had received a suggestion to modify the first paragraph to strike "binding agreement" in favor of"cooperative agreement". Mr. Robinson said that the Park Board was supportive of the proposed use of the space and that the Port Commission had given Port staff authority to execute the agreement if City Council approved it. Mr. Walters suggested modifying the first paragraph to strike "binding agreement" in favor of"completely non-binding agreement", structuring the MOU as a conceptual agreement, and then moving forward with a fully specified contract. Mr. Furlong said he would be happy to work with Mr. Robinson and the other parties to polish up the document so it could set the framework for future agreements. Mayor Gere invited members of the public to comment on the topic. Beth Bell, president of Anacortes Small Boat Center, described the group's work since it was organized in 2007 to promote waterfront access for small boats, typically in cooperative efforts with the Port of Anacortes. She said the planned building would sit on property owned by both the City and the Port, hence the cooperative MOU to establish consensus. In response to a question from Ms. Lovelett, Ms. Bell defined "small boat"as one that doesn't want or need a big slip, anything from an 8' dinghy to a 28' boat, typically non-motorized. She described the PQ Hoist at the Cap Sante marina to launch boats without a trailer. Ms. Bell described the vision for the building design and its many intended purposes including meeting space and instructional space but said completing the design depended on securing site access via the MOU. Councilmembers discussed with Ms. Bell and Mr. Robinson the provision for storage of Parks and Recreation Sailing Program equipment, maintenance and utilities. Mr. Robinson explained how both the City and the Port share a long term interest in promoting small boating in Anacortes. Ms. Pickett applauded the vision and the agreement and urged against delaying its implementation. Marty Laumbattus, 3409 K Avenue, said he was okay with the proposal but said it would be more inclusive if there was a ramp to allow launching with a trailer because some small boats are too heavy to hand launch. He suggested ways the space could accommodate that additional use. Mayor Gere suggested postponing action until the next regular meeting to give Mr. Furlong and staff time to revise the document. Mr. Johnson and Mr. Walters indicated they were willing to approve the document as a conceptual framework at the current meeting if it were made non-binding. Mr. Furlong said he could bring back a slightly modified conceptual MOU/letter of intent in two weeks for Council action. Mr. Adams, a member of the Park Board, said the Board had been supportive of the concept for years and he urged acting on the agreement no later than the next regular meeting. Mayor Gere said the revised agreement would come back before Council in two weeks and that public comment could continue at that point. Resolution 1915: In Support of Development of the Janicki Bioenergy Omni-Processor Manufacturing and Biotechnical Research Facility on the Northern State Hospital Campus in Sedro-Woollev Ms. Pickett inquired if the existing historic buildings on the Northern State Hospital Campus would be retained. City Attorney Brad Furlong advised that he represents the Port of Skagit County on the matter. He explained in some detail the plan to retain the Olmstead architecture to the extent possible and the facility plans more generally, much of which was addressed in the recently adopted interlocal agreement Anacortes City Council Minutes March 2, 2015 4 for the project. Ms. Pickett asked if a mental health facility would remain on the campus. Mr. Furlong explained the current lease with North Sound Mental Health Administration. Ms. Lovelett inquired if the project had encountered opposition in Sedro-Woolley. Mr. Furlong said the project was notable for the nearly universal acclaim with which it had been greeted. Mr. Walters inquired about the origin of Resolution 1915. Mayor Gere said the City of Mount Vernon had drafted and adopted a similar resolution and that other mayors in the region felt was important to express support for the project which would potentially bring a large number of jobs to Skagit County and could establish the County as a world leader in public health technological research and development. Mr. Walters said that given the lack of local opposition it was appropriate for Anacortes to show its support. He asked to correct the word "Omni- Pressor" in the title and the approval date in the draft resolution. Mayor Gere invited members of the public to comment on the topic. No one present wished to speak. Mr. Walters moved, seconded by Ms. Lovelett, to approve Resolution 1915 with the corrected title and approval date. Vote: Ayes— Lovelett, Archibald, Miller, Johnson, Walters, Pickett and Adams. Motion carried. Staffing Adjustment/Budget Request Administrative Services Director Emily Schuh presented three proposed staffing changes for Council approval. She provided examples of past staffing changes to meet community needs and explained the proposed changes detailed in the Council packet to increase the.25 FTE building inspector position to full time, transition one of the Facilities Managers to a new Resource Conservation Manager to be funded entirely by the Water and Sanitation funds, and hire a new facilities maintenance technician to be funded by the General Fund. Ms. Schuh elaborated on the rationale for each change and estimated the budget impact would be approximately$100,000 which would be addressed in the first quarter 2015 budget amendment. She advised that the Personnel Committee had reviewed the proposal. She requested authorization to implement the proposed staffing changes resulting in a 1.75 FTE increase in personnel. Mr. Measamer responded to councilmember questions about the funding for the building inspector by noting that staff would be bringing back to Council a request to approve building permit fee increases in conjunction with adoption of the new international building codes effective July 2016. He said he expected building permit and plan review fees would cover the cost of the building inspector. Mr. Miller, a member of the Personnel Committee, supported the proposal and suggested the facilities maintenance technician could save costs on work that is currently contracted out. Mayor Gere said the positions were all self- supporting and should not have an impact on the budget. Mayor Gere invited members of the public to comment on the topic. No one present wished to speak. Mr. Johnson moved, seconded by Mr. Adams, to authorize the mayor to make the proposed staffing changes resulting in a 1.75 FTE increase in personnel.Vote: Ayes—Archibald, Miller, Johnson, Walters, Pickett, Adams and Lovelett. Motion carried. Authorization for Property Purchase Mr. Measamer reported that at its Executive Session on January 5, 2015 City Council had discussed the potential purchase of property totaling 6000 SF at 1014 4th Street, on the corner of 4th Street and 0 Avenue, including the existing public restroom and the outdoor performance space. He advised that since then staff had worked with the City Attorney, obtained appraisals and agreed with the seller on the appraised price of$320,000. Mr. Measamer said the transaction was contingent on Council approval and completion of an environmental assessment. He added that the City currently leases the restroom and pays about$3K/year in maintenance plus utilities. Mr. Adams confirmed with Mr. Measamer that the purchase would be made out of the approximately$700K of reserves in Tourism Fund 135. Mr. Miller questioned Mr. Measamer on the return on investment, the management of the performance venue, and any liability for the site. Ms. Pickett asked Mr. Furlong to verify the property description in the Real Estate Purchase and Sale Agreement to be sure it accurately reflected that the City was purchasing only Lots 11 and 12. Anacortes City Council Minutes March 2, 2015 5 Mr. Walters moved, seconded by Ms. Pickett, to ratify the Real Estate Purchase and Sale Agreement. Mr. Furlong suggested that the ratification be subject to his confirmation of the legal description. Mr. Walters requested unanimous consent to amend his motion accordingly and Ms. Pickett seconded the amendment. Mayor Gere invited members of the public to comment on the topic. No one present wished to speak. Vote: Ayes— Miller, Johnson, Walters, Pickett, Adams, Lovelett and Archibald. Motion carried. Executive Session: Real Estate Discussion per RCW 42.30.110(1 b, 1 c) At approximately 9:02 p.m. Mayor Gere announced that Council and City Attorney Brad Furlong would convene in Executive Session for approximately 20-30 minutes to discuss a potential real estate transaction about which open discussion could result in terms unfavorable to the city and that there would be no action taken following the executive session. There being no further business, at approximately 9:40 p.m. the regularly scheduled Anacortes City Council meeting of March 2, 2015 was adjourned. Anacortes City Council Minutes March 2, 2015 6