HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-10-26 City Council Minutes Approved Anacortes City Council Minutes — October 26, 2020
Mayor Laurie Gere called to order the Anacortes City Council meeting of October 26, 2020 at 6:00 p.m.
Councilmembers Jeremy Carter,Anthony Young, Carolyn Moulton, Christine Cleland-McGrath,Bruce
McDougall and Matt Miller all participated in the meeting in absentia via video conference. Councilmember
Ryan Walters was absent. [Mr. Walters joined the meeting at 6:30 p.m.]
Announcements and Committee Reports
Planning Commission Confirmation: Mayor Gere recommended that City Council appoint Gary Molyneaux to
the Planning Commission for a term expiring December 31,2020. The mayor reviewed Mr. Molyneaux's
qualifications. Mr. Young moved, seconded by Mr. Carter,to appoint Gary Molyneaux to the Planning
Commission for a term ending December 31,2020. The motion carried unanimously by voice vote.
COVID-19 Update: Mayor Gere shared current case statistics for Anacortes, Skagit County,Washington State,
and the nation. The mayor compared Skagit County case counts to the metrics required to move to Phase 3 of
the Safe Start Washington Plan.
Fiber Committee: Mr. McDougall reported from the committee meeting the prior Thursday.He provided
highlights from the draft budget and business plan report that would come before full Council in the near future.
Planning Committee: Mayor Gere announced that the committee meeting scheduled for earlier in the evening
had been cancelled.
Mr. Young reported from the first meeting of the Skagit County Tourism Promotion Area(TPA)Advisory
Board. He summarized the initial organization of the Board.
Public Comment
No members of the public wished to address the Council on any topic not on the agenda.
Consent Agenda
Mr.Miller moved, seconded by Mr. McDougall, to approve the following Consent Agenda items. The motion
carried unanimously by voice vote.
a. Minutes of October 19,2020
b.Approval of Claims in the amount of: $529,504.78
c. Contract Modification: WWTP Outfall Pre-Design#20-032-SEW-001
d. Resolution 3006: Updating the Unified Fee Schedule for Access Anacortes Fiber Internet Service Call
Fee
The following vouchers/checks were approved for payment:
EFT numbers: 98452 through 98490,total$254,021.25
Check numbers: 98491 through 98500,total$157,543.05
Wire transfer numbers: 274842 through 275095,total$117,940.48
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Continued Public Hearing on Budgeted Revenue Sources,including 1% Property Tax Increase
Mayor Gere invited any additional public comment under the public hearing that had been opened during the
regular City Council meeting on October 19,2020. No member of the public wished to address the Council on
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this topic. The mayor closed the public hearing. She observed that the property tax levy would come back to
Council for action with the rest of the budget in November.
OTHER BUSINESS
Thompson Train Proposals
City Attorney Darcy Swetnam and Museum Director Bret Lunsford summarized the recent consideration of this
topic by City Council and outlined the options available. Their slide presentation was added to the packet
materials for the meeting. Mr. Lunsford invited the public to visit a web page he had recently posted providing
history of the train in Anacortes. Ms. Swetnam called Council's attention to Dave Sem's letter in the packet,
written since Council's most recent discussion of this topic, indicating that his group might be interested in
pursuing a static display.
Mayor Gere invited public comment on this issue.
Jon Galt Bowman spoke in favor of retention and operation of the train in Anacortes. Mr. Bowman said that no
clear path had been put forward by the city to enable community organizations or individuals to develop a
solution that would do that. He said the train was part of the city's history and that he would like to have it on
display but would prefer to see it operating. Mr. Bowman said he had friends and associates who would be
interested in contributing financially and possibly even donate land. He expressed confidence that a group could
be formed to come up with a plan to develop the assets of the Anacortes Railway and operate it.
Dave Sem, 1014 11th Street,clarified that his latest letter to Mayor Gere and Council,which had been included
in the packet materials and referenced by Ms. Swetnam,had been written because it did not appear the city was
interested in having the train operate in town so the group would settle for a static display in town,but would
still prefer to see the train operating. Mr. Sem urged that council reject the current buyer's proposal and establish
a community task group to explore options for keeping the train in town.
No other members of the public indicated a desire to address the Council on this topic.
Mr.Miller moved, seconded by Mr. Carter,that Council reject any current proposals to purchase the Thompson
train, stop any current efforts to sell the Thompson train, and that the mayor report to Council in six months on a
plan for a static display of the train.
At 6:30 p.m. Councilmember Ryan Walters joined the meeting.
Councilmembers discussed the motion at length.Ms. Swetnam clarified that the city's options were constrained
by its two agreements with the Thompson family,requiring that the city either put the train on static display or
sell the train to a qualified buyer. In response to councilmember questions,Ms. Swetnam confirmed that a buyer
would not have to be approved by the Thompson family if the buyer met the criteria stated in the agreement.
Vote: Ayes—Young, Cleland-McGrath,McDougall,Miller and Carter.Nays—Walters and Moulton. Motion
carried.
Review of 2021 Budget
Finance Director Steve Hoglund invited Public Works Director Fred Buckenmeyer to open the discussion of the
public works portion of the proposed budget. Mr. Buckenmeyer introduced his division managers to respond to
questions. Mr. Buckenmeyer referred to his memo that had been circulated to councilmembers earlier in the day
and which was added to the packet materials. Mr. Hoglund and Mr. Buckenmeyer then reviewed the budget line
items in the following funds: Fund 001.713,Facilities;Fund 001.714, Conservation; Fund 104, Street
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Maintenance; Fund 105, Street Construction; Fund 401,Water Utility; Fund 440,Wastewater Utility; Fund 445,
Stormwater Utility; Fund 450, Solid Waste Utility; and Fund 500,Equipment Rental.
Councilmembers requested additional information about the interaction of the fiber budget,the street
maintenance budget,and deferred maintenance in other funds. Mr. Walters urged adopting the budget at a
greater level of detail than at the fund level as had been customary in prior years.
Contract Award: Replacement of Two Solid Waste Trucks#20-212-ERR-001
Mr.Hoglund explained that the extremely long lead time for solid waste trucks necessitated ordering the trucks
in 2020 for delivery in 2021 out of the 2021 budget. Operations Manager WiL Ludemann responded to
councilmember questions about the age and disposition of the trucks being replaced.
Mr. Young moved, seconded by Ms. Moulton,to authorize the Mayor to sign contract 20-212-ERR-
001 with Western Peterbilt,Inc. in the amount of$735,910.41 for the Replacement of 2 Solid Waste
Trucks.Vote: Ayes—Walters, Cleland-McGrath,Moulton,McDougall,Miller, Carter and Young.Motion
carried.
There being no further business,at approximately 8:00 p.m.the Anacortes City Council meeting of
October 26,2020 was adjourned.
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