HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-03-09 City Council Minutes Approved City Council Minutes—March 9, 2020
Mayor Laurie Gere called to order the Anacortes City Council meeting of March 9,2020 at 6:00 p.m.
Councilmembers Jeremy Carter,Ryan Walters, Christine Cleland-McGrath, Carolyn Moulton,Bruce
McDougall and Matt Miller were present. Councilmember Anthony Young was absent.
The assembly joined in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Executive Session
Mayor Gere announced that City Council and the City Attorney would convene in Executive Session per RCW
42.30.110 (i)for approximately 30 minutes to discuss potential litigation or litigation. The mayor advised that
the regular meeting would then resume with no action having been taken. Councilmembers Jeremy Carter,Ryan
Walters, Christine Cleland-McGrath, Carolyn Moulton,Bruce McDougall and Matt Miller attended the
executive session.
At 6:30 p.m. Mayor Gere reconvened the regular meeting. Mayor Gere advised that in executive session City
Council and City Attorney Darcy Swetnam had discussed a proposed CR2A Settlement Agreement in the matter
Young and Mulcahy v. City of Anacortes, et al. Mr. Miller moved, seconded by Ms. Moulton,to amend the
agenda to add Item 3b, Settlement Agreement. Vote: Ayes—Cleland-McGrath,Moulton,McDougall,Miller and
Carter.Nays—Walters. Motion carried.
Ms. Swetnam briefly summarized the terms of the proposed settlement agreement,which was added to the
packet materials for the meeting. Mr. Miller moved, seconded by Mr. McDougall,to the reject settlement
agreement as presented.Vote: Ayes—Cleland-McGrath,Moulton,McDougall,Miller, Carter and Walters.
Motion carried.
Mr. Walters circulated a draft resolution to allow meeting participation in absentia by multiple councilmembers
if necessary to achieve a quorum. Mr. Walters moved, seconded by Mr. Carter,to amend the agenda to add Item
8e,Resolution 2079.Vote: Ayes—Moulton,McDougall,Miller, Carter,Walters and Cleland-McGrath. Motion
carried.
Announcements and Committee Reports
Housing Affordability&Community Services Committee: Ms. Moulton reported from two recent meetings of
this committee. She reported on the meeting the prior week with Anna Fahey from Sightline Institute to discuss
messaging and outreach. She also reported on the meeting earlier in the day at which the members discussed the
affordable housing sales tax recently approved by the voters and next steps with the Anacortes Family Center
and Anacortes Housing Authority to pursue shovel ready projects;the 2020 CDBG grant; and a possible future
housing summit modeled on the Skagit County summit the prior year.
Community Center/Pool Committee: Mr. Carter reported from the committee meeting the prior week. He
characterized the discussion as a broad overview of what a potential facility would look like and space needs.
Mr. Carter said the group also discussed three options for constructing on the available site. He said the
committee aimed to have rough cost estimates prepared by the end of the month.Mayor Gere added that funding
for the consultant had been provided by a private donor.
Planning Committee: Mr. Walters reported from the committee meeting earlier in the evening. He elaborated on
topics discussed including comments received regarding the Critical Areas Ordinance which would begin public
hearings before City Council on March 16; housing affordability and outcomes of the recent public meeting
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regarding height restrictions in the R4 zone; a possible fee in lieu program for parking and how such a program
could be structured and set up; and adjustments to the city's impact fees.
At approximately 6:45 p.m. Councilmember Anthony Young joined the meeting.
Mayor Gere announced that Skagit County Public Health would be issuing updated COVID-19
recommendations the next morning and that the city would follow the County recommendations at that point.
The mayor described Island Hospital's preparations in case an emergency was declared and assured that the
city's first responders were also prepared in the event of a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the county.
Public Comment
Arlene Stadler,24th Court,objected to neighbors setting out feeders for deer. Ms. Stadler said she has to fence
and spray to keep the deer out of her garden. She also indicated that rats and racoons had been attracted by the
feeders and become pests in the neighborhood. Ms. Stadler asked what she had to do to get an ordinance passed
about this problem. Mr. Walters indicated he had received similar complaints from constituents in the past.
Mayor Gere indicated she would follow up with Police Chief John Small and Mr. Walters.
Doug Thurber expressed concern that visitors from King County who stopped to shop in Anacortes grocery
stores with their reusable shopping bags might contaminate grocery carts. Mr. Thurber proposed postponing
implementation of the ban on single use plastic bags in Anacortes for six months as an emergency public health
measure. Mr. Thurber also expressed concern about what he termed collusion between the Planning Department
and the [City Council Affordable] housing committee. He said that at the recent public forum regarding height
restrictions in the R4 zone most homeowners present asked for no new buildings over three stories west of
Commercial Avenue but,he said,that was not one of the options staff put on the display boards. Mr. Thurber
had distributed a handout of discussion questions presented to Anna Fahey at a recent meeting which was added
to the packet materials. He read from this list and argued that it did not represent the concerns of the public. Mr.
Thurber emphatically asked that the housing committee be composed of public citizens,not elected officials,
and emphasized that elected officials were supposed to represent the wishes of those who elected them.
In response to Mr. Thurber's comments,Mr. Walters clarified that the Housing Affordability and Community
Services Committee was a City Council committee so by definition had to include councilmembers. Mr. Walters
also reported that a statewide plastic bag ban had been passed by the legislature earlier in the day. He suggested
that the city verify that its own bag ban was in harmony with the state legislation, or perhaps repeal the city ban
entirely and yield to the state ban. Mayor Gere indicated that staff would investigate the city's bag ban in light
of both the COVID-19 recommendations and the new state legislation.
Consent Agenda
Mr. Miller moved, seconded by Mr. Carter,to approve the following Consent Agenda items. The motion carried
unanimously by voice vote.
a. Minutes of March 2, 2020
b. Approval of Claims in the amount of: $268,020.05
c. Contract Award: Trenchless Outfall Rehabilitation#20-088-SEW-001
d. Contract Award: ADA Curb Ramp Improvements#20-083-TRN-001
e. Interlocal Agreement for Joint Establishment of Skagit County Tourism Promotion Area
The following vouchers/checks were approved for payment:
EFT numbers: 96482 through 96529,total$224,295.75
Check numbers: 96530 through 96554,total$181,715.52
Wire transfer numbers: 2641482 through 265320,total $4,423.11
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Mayor Gere invited Anacortes Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Stephanie Hamilton to provide
background on the Interlocal Agreement for Joint Establishment of Skagit County Tourism Promotion Area,
which she did.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Public Hearing: Approval of a Master Permit for Telecommunications Use of Right of Way for City of
Anacortes/ACCESS Anacortes Fiber Internet Installation in accordance with AMC Chapter 5.38.040
Mayor Gere opened the public hearing.No one present wished to address the Council on this topic. Mayor Gere
continued the public hearing to March 16,2020 to allow additional opportunity for public comment.
OTHER BUSINESS
Thompson Train Purchase Proposal
Museum Director Bret Lunsford thanked Anne Thompson for her donation of the Thomas G. Thompson Jr.
Train to the City in 2012 and emphasized the City's agreement and commitment to honor the wishes of the
Thompson family. He recounted the long history of community discussion of the stewardship of the train. Mr.
Lunsford introduced Bret Iwan to present his proposed plan to purchase,restore and operate the train in Lincoln,
California.
Mr. Iwan summarized his proposal,referring to his slides which were added to the packet materials for the
meeting. He responded to councilmember questions about his proposal, about the Thompson family's response
to the proposal, about other options for the train, about Mr. Iwan's March 31, 2020 offer deadline and about
possible extension of that date. Ms. Moulton expressed full support of Mr. Iwan's proposal. Several other
councilmembers expressed a desire to provide local groups one more opportunity to organize an alternative
future for the train consistent with the City's agreements with the Thompson family. Mr. Lunsford responded to
councilmember questions about previous explorations of both static exhibits and operational uses of the train.
Mr. Walters suggested that staff outline terms of a potential legal agreement with Mr. Iwan that would include
terms for returning the train to Anacortes if it were ever to cease operation as proposed by Mr. Iwan. After
considerable additional discussion,Mayor Gere concluded that she and Mr. Lunsford would expedite both
preparation of such an outline and solicitation of alternative proposal presentations from any local groups that
were interested in doing so.
Ordinance 3067: Comcast Franchise Agreement
Finance Director Steve Hoglund presented Ordinance 3067 to renew the city's franchise agreement with
Comcast for cable service within the city limits,referring to the agenda bill included in the packet materials. Mr.
Hoglund introduced Vincent Buys, Comcast Government and Regulatory Affairs Manager. Mr. Buys read from
his prepared remarks which were distributed to Council and added to the packet materials for the meeting. He
asked for approval of the ordinance.
Mr. Walters moved, eventually seconded by Mr. McDougall,to approve Ordinance 3067 as presented.
Mayor Gere invited members of the audience to comment on this agenda item.No one present wished to address
the Council.
Vote: Ayes—McDougall, Carter,Walters, Cleland-McGrath and Moulton.Nays—Miller and Young. Motion
carried.
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Access-Anacortes Municipal Fiber Update
Municipal Broadband Business Manager Jim Lemberg presented the monthly Access Anacortes Fiber Internet
update,referring to his slide presentation which was added to the packet materials for the meeting.
Councilmembers praised the GPON Customer Sign-Ups slide and asked that connection counts be added to that
slide.
Mayor Gere inquired what if any action was requested of Council at this meeting. Ms. Schuh referred to Mr.
Lemberg's staffing slide and said the Fiber team would like to transfer two Street Department employees to long
term assignment in the Fiber Department. Councilmembers discussed the importance of keeping fiber teams
fully staffed and the mayor's authority to staff city departments for effective operation.
MOA with Fidalgo Park and Recreation District on Community Center
Ms. Swetnam presented a Memorandum of Agreement between the City of Anacortes and the Fidalgo Park and
Recreation District to continue discussions on the concept of developing a shared facility for the pool and the
community center on the Pool District property. She reviewed the history of the agreement and summarized its
key features. Councilmembers and Mayor Gere discussed the agreement and the larger project at some length.
Mr. Walters moved, seconded by Mr. Carter,to approve the agreement as presented.Vote: Ayes—Miller,
Carter,Young,Walters, Cleland-McGrath,Moulton and McDougall. Motion carried.
Resolution 2079: Amending Council Procedures for Participation in Absentia
Mr. Walters presented draft Resolution 2079,noting that it would allow City business to continue in the event of
a public health emergency or other situation that might prevent a quorum of councilmembers from attending
Council meetings in person.
Mr. McDougall moved, seconded by Mr. Young,to approve Resolution 2079 as presented. Vote: Ayes—Young,
Walters,Cleland-McGrath,Moulton,McDougall,Miller and Carter. Motion carried.
There being no further business, at approximately 8:55 p.m. the Anacortes City Council meeting of
March 9,2020 was adjourned.
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