HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-03-22 City Council Minutes Approved City Council Study Session Minutes— March 22, 2010
At 7:30 p.m. Mayor Maxwell called the regularly scheduled study session of March 22, 2010 to order.
Kevin McKeown, Nick Petrish, Erica Pickett, Brad Adams, Bill Turner, Cynthia Richardson and Brian Geer
were present.
Jail Contract with Oak Harbor
Police Chief Bonnie Bowers gave an overview of the proposed jail contract with the City of Oak Harbor
that the Council Public Safety Committee reviewed earlier and that will appear on the Council's consent
agenda at the April 5, 2010 regular meeting. As background, Chief Bowers presented a summary of
Anacortes jail costs and booking counts at the Skagit County Jail for 2005-2009. She noted that costs
have risen markedly since 2005, particularly for medical care. Anacortes has controlled costs where
possible including negotiating a reduction in inmate medical rates with Island and Skagit Valley Hospitals;
reinstituting field book and release procedures to reduce booking expenses and transfer costs for
defendants who will not be admitted to the jail when the jail is full; and reducing the number of cases that
are booked into jail by only jailing those who must be jailed by law or who pose a risk to themselves or the
community. Jail alternatives are also used, including community service and electronic home monitoring.
The costs for the latter are paid 100% by the defendant. The jail's work-release program is another option
used to keep employed defendants at work and supporting their families where possible and reduce the
daily jail fee paid by the City. Chief Bowers reported that overcrowding at Skagit County Jail has caused
defendants to be turned away and noted that 204 people were in the jail on March 22 in a facility that was
originally built to house 80 people. The Chief said that up to 40% of cases in which jail sentences have to
be rescheduled fail to appear for the second date so have to go to warrant status, be re-arrested, and
cost the City another booking and daily jail fee plus administrative costs. The Department is seeking to
minimize such cases by contracting with Oak Harbor for jail space for misdemeanor cases. The City of
Oak Harbor has a 15-bed municipal jail for misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor cases serving terms of
no more than 30 days that meets WCIA criteria and charges only$65/day with no booking fee so Chief
Bowers proposes to enter into an interlocal agreement with Oak Harbor to divert some Anacortes cases
there.
Mr. McKeown asked the term of the interlocal agreement. Chief Bowers replied four years, beginning the
date the agreement is signed, so through 2014. Mr. Geer asked if the City will have to transport people all
the way to Oak Harbor. Chief Bowers said no, after sentencing people have to transport themselves to
and from jail. Mayor Maxwell asked if the City can recover any costs from someone who is sentenced to
serve jail time. Chief Bowers said if someone is sentenced in municipal court the City pays for all the
costs; if the case is a felony, the County picks up the cost of jail but the City still pays any medical costs.
She explained that the City asks for restitution but rarely receives it and clarified that judges can't
sentence defendants to pay their own medical costs, the law requires the city to pay for medical costs for
anyone in custody. Mrs. Richardson asked how many cases a month are expected to serve time in Oak
Harbor. Chief Bowers said it fluctuates but stated that the Oak Harbor facility has sufficient space to meet
Anacortes needs for now.
Anacortes Community Garden
Parks & Forest Lands Manager Jonn Lunsford introduced Betty Carteret, chairperson of the Anacortes
Community Gardens Advisory Committee. Mr. Lunsford reminded that a community garden was started
last year as a partnership between the City and Skagit Beat the Heat to provide recreational gardening
opportunities to City residents on City park property. Ms. Carteret summarized the historical tradition of
victory gardens and community gardens in the United States and described community gardens as
shared space for people to garden, grow healthy food, and connect with neighbors. She reported that
studies have shown a community garden can increase food security for low income families, increase
property values, revitalize disadvantaged areas, and catalyze economic redevelopment.
Ms. Carteret said the Anacortes Community Garden partnership between the City of Anacortes and
Skagit Beat the Heat is formalized in a memorandum of agreement. The AutoMagic award to Beat the
Heat provided $2000 of seed money in 2009 which was used to build the garden along with cash and in
Anacortes City Council Study Session Minutes March 22, 2010 1
kind donations from local businesses and individuals and labor and water lines provided by the City. An
Advisory Committee including representation from the Parks Department and Parks & Recreation Board
guides the policies of the garden and a garden committee manages its day to day operations. The garden
is located behind the bowling alley between 28th and 29th Streets, next to the playground. It includes
twelve 10'x24' plots plus two dedicated food bank plots along with six smaller children's plots and
composting facilities sponsored by Skagit County Public Works where composting workshops will be
provided for the community. All the plots have been taken and there was a waiting list last year. Over the
winter five fruit trees donated by Biringer's Nursery were planted between the garden and the 29th Street
playground in partnership with the Western Washington Fruit Research Foundation who will care for the
trees. The garden was recently expanded to provide opportunities for mobility-impaired gardeners: five
raised beds were added, paths were surfaced to provide ADA accessibility, and handicapped parking was
added. Barrier Busters assisted with the design and layout. The Community Garden has also sponsored
gardening instruction and classes in food preservation. Later this year a demonstration rain garden will be
installed along 28th Street to capture and treat runoff from the bowling alley parking lot. Ms. Carteret said
that given all the enhancements adjacent to the existing 29th Street Playground the park possibly
deserves a new name and she invited suggestions. Ms. Carteret thanked the AmeriCorps volunteers who
did yeoman's work to build the ADA expansion, Kiwanis Sunrisers who helped build the ADA beds, Skagit
Beat the Heat, major donor Azusa Gardens and many other individual donors and volunteers. The Skagit
Conservation District has contributed the design for the rain garden and Skagit County Master Gardeners
will assist with planting. Ms. Carteret shared some photos and invited Councilors and the public to visit
the garden which is now a lovely community asset.
Mr. Petrish asked how the plots are watered. Mrs. Carteret explained there are four faucets inside the
garden and all watering is done by hand unless a gardener wishes to install drip irrigation. The garden
rules require gardeners to be present when watering and preclude overhead watering to prevent wasting
water. Mr. Petrish inquired who supplies the water. Mrs. Carteret said the water is paid for through the
Parks Department budget as for all City parks. Mr. McKeown asked if the group had other locations in
mind for future gardens and whether any private landowners have offered property. Mrs. Carteret said
yes but the garden committee prefers to keep all gardens on public property for insurance reasons. Mr.
Lunsford said one location being considered is near the new dog park on a section of the land not slated
for either dog or ball field use since good sunlight and water is already available there. He said
establishing additional gardens will depend on neighborhood interest and demand. Describing the garden
as a very popular partnership, Mr. Lunsford recalled that Betty Kuehn suggested the location for the
current community garden and Mayor Maxwell made it a priority to get the garden up and running quickly
to provide gardening space and food bank plots in these difficult economic times. Mr. Geer asked how
much a plot costs. Mrs. Carteret said a full plot is $50 and a half plot is $30 for a full year. She said that
after construction costs, these dues should allow each garden to be self-supporting. Mrs. Richardson
commended the garden for adding accessibility features and noted more and more local residents will
appreciate that option. Mrs. Pickett reminded the public that anyone can participate in the AutoMagic
program by logging the single-occupant vehicle miles they save by carpooling, walking, cycling or taking
the bus. The group that saves the most miles each year can win $1000 from the City to devote to any City
program it chooses. Ms. Carteret announced that Beat the Heat won again and will direct the $1000 prize
toward the cost of the ADA beds at the community garden. Mayor Maxwell thanked Ms. Carteret and Mr.
Lunsford for the wonderful job.
There being no further business, at approximately 8:07 p.m. Mayor Maxwell adjourned the regularly
scheduled study session of March 22, 2010.
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