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City Council Minutes—July 1, 2013
At 7:00 p.m. Mayor Dean Maxwell called the regularly scheduled Anacortes City Council meeting of
July 1, 2013 to order. Roll call found present: Eric Johnson, Ryan Walters, Erica Pickett, Cynthia
Richardson and Brian Geer. Brad Adams and Bill Turner were absent. Roll call was followed by the
Pledge of Allegiance.
Minutes of Previous Meeting
Mr. Johnson moved, seconded by Mr. Geer, that the minutes of June 17, 2013 and June 24, 2013 be
approved as if read. Vote: Ayes—Walters, Pickett, Richardson, Geer and Johnson. Motion carried.
Citizen Hearings
No one present wished to speak.
Mayor/Council Communication and Committee Reports
Mayor Maxwell announced that the state budget approved by the legislature on Saturday includes
$700,000 for the Guemes Channel Trail project. The mayor thanked Senator Ranker and Representatives
Lytton and Morris for supporting the multi-modal Guemes Channel Trail.
Mayor Maxwell announced that the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) has awarded a $1000
Quality Community scholarship to Anacortes high school student Elizabeth McKeen.
Recreation Coordinator Nicole Johnston reported on the very successful Bark in the Park event held on
June 15, 2013. She thanked all the vendors, sponsors and volunteers who supported the event. Ms.
Johnston announced that Kids R Best Fest, Skate Fest and Anacortes Art Dash are all coming up in July.
Mrs. Richardson moved, seconded by Mr. Johnson, to excuse the absences of Mr. Adams and Mr. Turner
from the July 1, 2013 regular City Council meeting. Vote: Ayes— Pickett, Richardson, Geer, Johnson and
Walters. Motion carried.
Consent Agenda
Mr. Geer moved, seconded by Mrs. Pickett, to approve the Consent Agenda. Vote: Ayes— Richardson,
Geer, Johnson, Walters and Pickett. 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 June 20, 2013 and June 27, 2013 are approved for payment as of July 1, 2013.
Claims: Check Numbers 68985 through 69107 in the total amount of$402,314.63
EFT Claims: Check Numbers 68983 through 68984 in the total amount of$1,892.00
Payroll for June 20, 2013 in the total amount of$570,500.61
Check Numbers 38407 through 38451 in the total amount of$28,871.99
Direct Deposit Numbers from 49601 through 49794 in the total amount of$343,097.11
EFT Numbers from 1554 through 1588 in the total amount of$198,531.51
Cancelled Checks: Check Number 67469 in the total amount of$123.00
Council Procedures
City Attorney Brad Furlong advised that there had been a few minor corrections since the procedures
were printed for the evening's Council packet. Human Resources Director Emily Schuh said those
changes had been emailed to councilmembers that morning. She explained that the changes to the
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agenda format and citizen hearings called for by the new procedures would require new internal
processes for staff and suggested that the changes be fully implemented by the beginning of August. Mrs.
Richardson moved, seconded by Mr. Johnson, to accept the final revisions outlined by Ms. Schuh and
adopt Resolution 1867 establishing City Council procedures for the City of Anacortes and repealing
Resolutions No. 1374 and 1862. Vote: Ayes—Geer, Johnson, Walters, Pickett and Richardson. Motion
carried.
Closed Record Review: Port of Anacortes Pier 2 Dredging Shoreline Permit (SDP-2013-0002)
Senior Planner Libby Grage presented an application from the Port of Anacortes for a shoreline
substantial development permit for dredging of the existing shipping berth at the Pier 2 marine terminal,
upgrade and relocation of an existing dolphin and modification to an existing City sewer outfall. Ms. Grage
summarized the scope of the project and pointed out the project location on the overhead. She reported
that on June 12, 2013 the Planning Commission held an open record public hearing and subsequently
recommended approval of the application subject to staff recommended conditions. Ms. Grage said no
appeals of the Planning Commission recommendation had been filed. Mr. Geer moved, seconded by Mrs.
Pickett, to approve. Vote: Ayes—Johnson, Walters, Pickett, Richardson and Geer. Motion carried.
Noise Variance Request: Port of Anacortes Pier 2 Dredging
Ms. Grage explained that in conjunction with the shoreline permit just approved, the Port of Anacortes
requested a noise variance under WAC 173-60-080 to work at night if needed. She said it is staff's
understanding that no work is anticipated to occur at night but the variance was requested to allow night
work if the need arose. Mr. Walters moved, seconded by Mr. Johnson, to find that compliance with WAC
173-60 cannot be achieved because of special circumstances rendering compliance unreasonable in
terms of economic and physical factors (that is, the fish window) and that Council allow the variance. Mrs.
Richardson observed that the requested variance was pretty vague and asked to add a condition to the
variance stating, "Because of the residential area immediately adjacent to the project site, the most noisy
activities shall be conducted between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. whenever feasible." Mrs.
Richardson moved, seconded by Mr. Walters, to amend the motion to include this condition. Vote: Ayes—
Walters, Pickett, Richardson, Geer and Johnson. Motion to amend carried. Vote: Ayes— Pickett,
Richardson, Geer, Johnson and Walters. Amended motion carried.
Solid Waste Utility Discussion
Public Works Director Fred Buckenmeyer introduced a plan to move the City's solid waste utility into
automated mode. He explained that following the retirement of the solid waste supervisor earlier in the
year the mayor had challenged Public Works staff to achieve every possible efficiency. Subsequent
analysis by Operations staff Sandi Andersen, WiL Ludemann and Matt Koegel resulted in proposed
changes to the fleet, staffing, and trash receptacles to achieve greater safety, efficiency, and cost
savings. Mr. Buckenmeyer described the configuration of the new solid waste trucks which include
automated front loaders with Curroto cans. He said the new trucks can collect more than double the
number of cans in the same amount of time as can be collected manually. He said the new trucks would
allow the city to reduce the number of operators from four to three with backup by a working solid waste
supervisor with a CDL license. He observed that the new trucks would also be much safer and more
comfortable for the operators. Mr. Buckenmeyer described the new trash cans required by the new trucks
and said the City would purchase approximately 7500 wheeled cans, still in two sizes, which would be
owned by the City, not by customers. Mr. Buckenmeyer advised that the next steps to implement the
changes include declaring three sanitation trucks surplus, purchasing two new front loading sanitation
trucks, retrofitting the newest sanitation truck to front load (retaining one other existing truck as a backup),
and purchasing the cans. He shared a financial analysis showing that over 10 years the changes would
save approximately$1 M. He added that the City is scheduled to purchase two sanitation trucks next year,
at roughly the same cost as the AFL trucks, and that the money is in the solid waste fund for both the
trucks and the cans so this is an optimal time to implement the changes. Mr. Johnson shared some
Lessons Learned from the City of Spokane after it switched to automated collection. Mr. Buckenmeyer
and his staff addressed questions from Councilmembers about the proposal.
There being no further business, at approximately 7:45 p.m. the regularly scheduled Anacortes City
Council meeting of July 1, 2013 was adjourned.
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