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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-03-17 City Council Minutes Approved City Council Minutes—March 17, 2014 At 7:00 p.m. Mayor Laurie Gere called the regularly scheduled Anacortes City Council meeting of March 17, 2014 to order. Roll call found present: Eric Johnson, Ryan Walters, Erica Pickett, Brad Adams, Liz Lovelett, John Archibald and Matt Miller. The assembly joined in the Pledge of Allegiance. Citizen Hearings No one present wished to speak. Mayor/Council Communication and Committee Reports Board of Adjustment Appointments: Reappoint Brad Snyder and J.B. Smith, Appoint William Ballentine, Appoint Alternate Members Clay Leming and Richard Allen Storwick Mayor Gere requested Council approval to reappoint Brad Snyder and J.B. Smith to four-year terms on the Board of Adjustment expiring January 2018, to appoint William Ballentine to fill Curt Oppel's position on the Board of Adjustment with a term expiring January 2017, and to appoint Clay Leming and Richard Allen Storwick to four-year terms as alternate members of the Board of Adjustment expiring January 2018. Mr. Johnson moved, seconded by Mr. Miller, to approve the appointments. Vote: Ayes—Walters, Pickett, Adams, Lovelett, Archibald, Miller and Johnson. Motion carried. Planning Commission Appointment: Grace Pollard Mayor Gere requested Council confirmation of her appointment of Grace Pollard to fill Sheri Muntean's position on the Planning Commission with a term expiring December 31, 2014. Ms. Lovelett disclosed that Ms. Pollard had been her campaign manager but no one present objected to Ms. Lovelett voting on the appointment. Mr. Walters moved, seconded by Mr. Johnson, to approve the appointment of Grace Pollard to the Planning Commission. Vote: Ayes— Pickett, Adams, Lovelett, Archibald, Miller, Johnson and Walters. Motion carried. Historic Preservation Board Appointments: Diane Wilkinson, Janet Moore, Richard Storwick and Ken Hansen Mayor Gere requested Council approval to appoint four members to the Anacortes Historic Preservation Board: Diane Wilkinson to a term expiring December 31, 2014, Janet Moore to a term expiring December 31, 2015, Richard Storwick to a term expiring December 31, 2016 and Ken Hansen to a term expiring December 31, 2016. Mr. Johnson moved, seconded by Mr. Adams, to approve the appointments. Vote: Ayes—Adams, Lovelett, Archibald, Miller, Johnson, Walters and Pickett. Motion carried. Eli Lindbo Recognition Mayor Gere presented the Mayor's Award of Heroism to Washington Park resident caretaker Eli Lindbo. Washington Park Manager Bob Vaux introduced Mr. Lindbo who recounted his discovery and rescue of the driver of a car that drove off the boat ramp and into the frigid water at the park after dark. Mr. Lindbo thanked the Anacortes Police and Fire Departments for their rapid arrival at the site. Mayor Gere announced that Anacortes High School student Alexandra Hanesworth and five other local students had been recognized in a state art contest and that Ms. Hanesworth had won the Washington State Reflections High School Award. Mayor Gere presented Ms. Hanesworth with a certificate and wished her luck in the National Reflections Program competition. Mayor Gere announced that the new City of Anacortes website went live earlier in the day and encouraged community feedback. Ms. Lovelett invited the community to a fundraiser for the Island View Elementary School PTA at the Brown Lantern on Wednesday, March 26, from 6-8 p.m. Anacortes City Council Minutes March 17, 2014 1 Mayor Gere invited the public to attend the Regional Fire Authority Planning Committee meeting on March 20, 2014 at the Swinomish Casino and advised that because a quorum of councilmembers would be in attendance this would be advertised as a special meeting of the City Council. Consent Agenda Mayor Gere removed Item F, Accept as Complete Water Treatment Plant Improvements contract 05-014- WTR-012, from the Consent Agenda because the documents were not ready for action. Mr. Walters asked to remove the minutes of March 10, 2014 from the Consent Agenda. Mr. Miller asked to remove Item G, Approve Interlocal Technology Service Agreement with Skagit County (Spillman), from the Consent Agenda. Mr. Johnson moved, seconded by Ms. Lovelett, to approve the following Consent Agenda items. Vote: Ayes—Lovelett, Archibald, Miller, Johnson, Walters, Pickett and Adams. 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 March 5, 2014 and March 12, 2014 are approved for payment as of March 17, 2014. Claims Check Numbers 71646 through 71805 in the total amount of$525,545.15 EFT Numbers 71642 through 71645 in the total amount of$10,036.40 Payroll for March 5, 2014 in the total amount of$841,731.88 Check Numbers 39301 through 39353 in the total amount of$35,433.74 Direct Deposit Numbers from 52945 through 53142 in the total amount of$590,686.01 EFT Numbers from 1645 through 1649 in the total amount of$215,612.13 In the same motion Council: Approved the minutes of March 3, 2014 and the March 10, 2014 study session as if read; Approved a Street Fair Application for Shipwreck Day on Saturday, July 19, 2014 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Accepted as complete the Citywide Safety Project contract(12-030-TRN-001)with Bianchi, LLC; and Accepted as complete the Safe Routes to School, Phase II - Bike Pavilion contract (11-035-TRN- 007)with Scimitar Construction. Mr. Walters moved, seconded by Mrs. Pickett, to approve the minutes of the March 10, 2014 special meeting as amended to record that Mr. Johnson had moved and Mr. Walters had seconded the motion to approve the licensing agreement for Microsoft Windows 7 and Office 2013 as presented. Vote: Ayes— Archibald, Miller, Johnson, Walters, Pickett, Adams and Lovelett. Motion carried. Mr. Miller reported that he had spoken with Police Chief Bonnie Bowers about the proposed Interlocal Technology Service Agreement with Skagit County, had clarified with Chief Bowers that she would be named as the Agency's (City's) representative on page 2 of the agreement, and that the page numbering would be corrected. With those corrections, Mr. Miller moved, seconded by Mr. Adams, to approve the 2014-2016 Interlocal Technology Service Agreement(Spillman)with Skagit County. Mr. Walters advised that under RCW 42.23.040 he had a remote interest in the contract as a fixed salary employee of Skagit County so he would abstain from voting on this contract as well as on Agenda Item 7b, Amendment to Jail Facility Use Agreement, later in the evening. Vote: Ayes—Miller, Johnson, Pickett, Adams, Lovelett and Archibald. Abstain—Walters. Motion carried. Anacortes City Council Minutes March 17, 2014 2 Public Comment: 2014/2015 CDBG Draft Action Plan Review Assistant Planning Director Don Measamer presented the 2014/2015 Community Development Block Grant(CDBG) Draft Action Plan and explained that this was the beginning of the process of developing the Acton Plan, including reviewing applications for funding and receiving public comment. He said HUD had not yet made allocations for the 2014/2015 plan year but that Anacortes expected to receive about $91,000. Mr. Measamer explained that HUD allows only 20% of the City's total grant funding to be spent on program administration and 15% to be spent on public services. He recounted the history of that 15% being distributed to Community Action of Skagit County each year since 2004 when Anacortes and Mount Vernon began receiving a portion of the CDBG funding that had previously gone to Skagit County and then through the County to Community Action. Mr. Measamer described a number of potential capital projects being considered by staff for inclusion in the action plan including more ADA sidewalk ramps, a storm drain system at 4th Street and T Avenue for a group of low income homes that experience basement flooding, and replacing sidewalks on Q Avenue in front of the Anacortes Housing Authority residences. In response to a question from Mr. Adams, Mr. Measamer clarified that the $10,000 funding application from Home Trust of Skagit was for capital funding and so was not subject to the 15% cap on public service funding. Mr. Adams asked how much the City spends on project administration and whether it would amount to 20% of the grant funding. Mr. Measamer said he would find out and report back. Ms. Lovelett noted that both Community Action and the Anacortes Family Center had applied for the 15% public service funding and asked if only one of those organizations could be awarded the money. Mr. Measamer said yes, the cap is 15%total for public services. Ms. Lovelett asked what Community Action uses the funds for. Mr. Measamer described their work to rehabilitate senior residences among other things. Ms. Lovelett inquired if that work might qualify for part of the capital funding. Mr. Measamer replied that capital funds have to be spent in the city. Mr. Adams asked if other projects could still be proposed. Mr. Measamer said staff had projects it was considering for the capital portion of the grant and would include those in the plan when it came back to Council in April. He invited Council to decide where to direct the public service funding so staff could reflect that determination in the plan. Mrs. Pickett pointed out that Council could decide to divide the 15% between the two groups requesting it. Mr. Walters asked when the public would be able to comment on the other, capital items staff intended to add to the plan. Mr. Measamer said the public could comment again at the April 7 meeting. Mr. Walters reported that Moscow, Idaho uses some of its CDBG money to provide low or no interest loans to landlords to renovate low income housing above downtown businesses and encouraged pursuing similar projects. Mr. Miller clarified that Council would ultimately have final approval of the entire plan. At approximately 7:30 p.m. Mayor Gere invited the public to comment on the Draft Action Plan. Lynn Christofersen, Community Services Director of Community Action of Skagit County, thanked the city for its long term support. She described the agency's long history of providing services in Skagit County, the structure of its board, and the senior and disabled volunteer services program that has used the Anacortes CDBG funding since 2009 to help Anacortes seniors remain in their own homes. Ms. Christofersen said the program's budget is for one staff person, Robert McCracken, who coordinates volunteers, serving 270 people each year including 50 in Anacortes. She described the lengthy list of services provided to those clients and shared case histories. Ms. Lovelett asked the budget of Community Action. Christofersen said the annual budget is$7,000,000 which serves 34,000 clients each year. Ms. Christofersen mentioned that she was also on the board of applicant Home Trust of Skagit. She clarified that Home Trust was applying for capital and not public services funding. She described some existing Home Trust of Skagit properties and the Trust's partnership with Habitat for Humanity. She described how CDBG money can be used to provide a permanent subsidy to a low income home buyers to keep homes available for low income residents. Mr. Johnson confirmed with Ms. Christofersen that the Home Trust of Skagit CDBG Funding Application included in the packet says public service but is really applying for capital funding to be applied to one home in Anacortes. Dustin Johnson, Executive Director of the Anacortes Family Center, asked Council to appropriate the 15% public service funds to the AFC. Mr. Johnson acknowledged that this funding has historically been Anacortes City Council Minutes March 17, 2014 3 granted to Community Action which uses it well but said this is an opportunity to direct the funds specifically to help Anacortes homeless families. He said the money is intended to serve homeless or severely disenfranchised community members. He described the services the Center offers to over 100 homeless families each year. Mr. Johnson pointed out that Community Action receives approximately $25,000 of CDBG funds from Mount Vernon for its Family Resource Center which is comparable in size to the Anacortes Family Center as well as approximately$18,000 of other Mount Vernon CDBG funds. He listed a number of other public funding sources that substantially support Community Action. In response to a question from Ms. Lovelett, Mr. Johnson described in detail the inclusive family care services offered by the Center to serve entire families. He said the Center's annual budget is only$200,000 so $13,000 of CDBG funding would have a huge impact. He described the increasing need, including a current waiting list of 13 families, and said in spite of the more challenged clientele in recent years, the Center still has an 85% success rate of placing clients in permanent housing with a means to support themselves. Mr. Adams asked about the Center's other funding sources. Mr. Johnson said the Center is fully community supported, including grants from public and private organizations and individuals, SHB 2060 funds, the Consolidated Homeless Grant(appropriated through Community Action), and community fundraisers. Mrs. Pickett noted the extensive administrative paperwork involved with CDBG funds and asked if the Center was ready to take that on. Mr. Johnson said yes, Center staff are able, willing and eager to handle the paperwork. He added that program administrator Joann Stewart discouraged splitting up the 15% public service segment of the grant between agencies precisely because of that overhead burden. No other members of the public wished to comment on the draft action plan. Mr. Measamer invited Council to deliberate. He said staff would come back to Council at the April 7, 2014 regular meeting at which point Council could take additional public comment, then give direction to staff on the final draft Action Plan. Mr. Walters pointed out that the City could supplement CDBG public service funding with General Fund dollars and proposed matching the CDBG grant level out of City funds. Ms. Lovelett asked if CDBG capital funding could be used to add housing units to the Anacortes Family Center to help address its waiting list. Mr. Measamer said he would research that. Amendment to Jail Facility Use Agreement Finance Director Steve Hoglund recalled that in July 2013 Council had approved the interlocal Jail Facility Use Agreement specifying the use of the .3% public safety sales tax increase approved by the voters in August. He explained the state law governing the distribution of the funds, clarified during communications with the State Treasurer subsequent to the parties entering into the interlocal agreement, which requires an amendment to the interlocal agreement in order to set up procedures for routing all .3% of the funds to the County as intended by the interlocal. Mr. Hoglund said the amendment also addresses reimbursing cities for the costs of outsourcing inmates when required. In response to a question from Mr. Adams, Mr. Hoglund called the amendment a housekeeping issue and said if the parties had fully understood the statutory requirements they would have drafted the agreement this way originally. Mr. Johnson moved, seconded by Mr. Adams, to pass the amendment. Mr. Furlong and Mr. Walters reminded that as announced earlier in the evening, Mr. Walters, as an employee of Skagit County, would not be voting on this amendment to a contract with Skagit County. Vote: Ayes—Johnson, Pickett, Adams, Lovelett, Archibald and Miller. Abstain—Walters. Motion carried. There being no further business, at approximately 8:13 p.m. the regularly scheduled Anacortes City Council meeting of March 17, 2014 was adjourned. Anacortes City Council Minutes March 17, 2014 4