HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-12-21 City Council Minutes Approved Anacortes City Council Minutes — December 21, 2020
Mayor Laurie Gere called to order the Anacortes City Council meeting of December 21, 2020 at 6:00 p.m.
Councilmembers Jeremy Carter,Anthony Young,Ryan Walters, Carolyn Moulton,Bruce McDougall and Matt
Miller all participated in the meeting in absentia via video conference. Councilmember Christine Cleland-
McGrath was absent.
Mr. Walters moved, seconded by Mr. Young,to excuse the absence of Ms. Cleland-McGrath. The motion
carried unanimously by voice vote.
Announcements and Committee Reports
COVID-19 Update: Mayor Gere shared current case statistics for Anacortes, Skagit County,Washington State,
and the nation. The mayor noted the significant increase in cases in Skagit County over the prior month.
Library Committee: Mayor Gere advised that the Library Committee had not met so there was no report.
Fiber Committee: Mr. McDougall reported from the committee meeting the prior Thursday. He indicated that
the committee had previewed staff's presentation which would occur later on the evening's agenda.
Public Works Committee: Ms. Moulton reported from the committee meeting earlier in the evening. She
summarized topics discussed including the South Fidalgo water system transfer agreement that had been
approved by Skagit PUD and would receive public hearing before City Council early in 2021;the wastewater
treatment plant outfall project which was progressing on schedule; the interactive public website for the 12tn
Street&Commercial Avenue intersection improvement project which would be presented later on the evening's
agenda; and Waste Management's proposal to move to every other week recycling collection.
Finance Director Steve Hoglund observed that Resolution 3000 would expire on December 31, 2020. He
requested direction from Council on whether staff should prepare a resolution extending the COVID-19
emergency procedures. Mayor Gere queried councilmembers and ascertained Council's desire that staff present
at the December 28,2020 City Council meeting a resolution extending the procedures through March 2021 and
deleting the hiring freeze section because that language would be superseded by the 2021 budget ordinance.
Public Comment
Tom Glade addressed Council regarding the recent Hearing Examiner decision on the appeal by Evergreen
Islands of the SEPA checklist.
Consent Agenda
Mr. Walters removed Item 4d, Ordinance 3080: 2021-2026 Capital Facilities Plan Update, from the Consent
Agenda.
Mr. McDougall moved, seconded by Mr.Young,to approve the following Consent Agenda items.Vote: Ayes—
Young,Walters,Moulton,McDougall,Miller and Carter. Motion carried.
a.Minutes of December 14,2020
b. Approval of Claims in the amount of: $281,792.62
c. Contract Award: NPDES Phase II Public Outreach and Education 2021 #21-008-STM-001
e. Ordinance 3078: Adopting the 2021 Budget
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The following vouchers/checks were approved for payment:
EFT numbers: 98910 through 98947,total$132,782.92
Check numbers: 98948 through 98958,total$28,532.24
Wire transfer numbers: 277474 through 277640,total $120,477.46
d. Ordinance 3080: 2021-2026 Capital Facilities Plan Update
Mr. Walters suggested modifying Section 2 of Ordinance 3080 to incorporate the Capital Facilities Plan
rather than adopt it by reference, as follows:
Section 2. The 2021-2026 Capital Facilities Plan, as established by the City council and made
available for distribution to the general public through the Office of the City Clerk
Treasurershown in the attachment,is hereby adopted, a copy of which is hereto adopted by
reference.
Ms. Moulton moved, seconded by Mr. Walters,to adopt Ordinance 3080 as presented in the packet
materials beginning on Page 4 with the following revised text for Section 2: "The 2021-2026 Capital
Facilities Plan shown in Attachment A is hereby adopted."Vote: Ayes—Walters,Moulton,McDougall,
Miller, Carter and Young. Motion carried.
OTHER BUSINESS
Commercial Avenue Complete Street Project-Phase 1 - 11th to 13th Streets—Virtual Public Open House
Public Works Director Fred Buckenmeyer invited the project team to demonstrate the virtual public comment
opportunities that had been developed for this project due to the ongoing constraints on in person public
meetings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Buckenmeyer introduced City Project Manager Tim Hohmann
and Brandon Gonzales with Alta Planning and Design.
Mr. Gonzalez reviewed the website which had launched two weeks prior and which had already received over
100 public comments. He indicated that the public input would be shared at the scheduled presentation to City
Council in February 2021 to determine Council's preferred alternative. Mr. Hohmann encouraged the public to
submit comments before February 1,2021.
Mayor Gere invited members of the audience to comment on this agenda item.
Douglas Thurber said he hoped that pedestrian safety was not driving the project because only one pedestrian
had been killed and that the accident had not been actually in the intersection and had occurred in the middle of
the night. Mr. Thurber explained how neither of the proposed alternatives addressed the problem of getting
heavy trucks from R Avenue onto 12th Street to head to the Washington State Ferry Terminal,nor the
community's desire to achieve an east/west pedestrian corridor between downtown and the marina area.
CDBG and Skagit Community Foundation Grant Award Updates
Planning Director Don Measamer reported on the CDBG funding, CARES Act funding and private donations
received and distributed by the city to prepare for,respond to, and prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to
respond to the COVID emergency. He referred to the packet materials for the meeting. Mr. Measamer requested
Council guidance on disposition of the third and final round of CDBG-CV funding in the amount of$110,324.
He recommended applying Round 3 ($110,324)to small business stabilization grants as previously provided in
the first rounds of funding and that the funding not spent in the first round of small business stabilization grants
be used to help fund a cold weather shelter($23,920 out of the$160,000).
Mayor Gere invited members of the audience to comment on this agenda item.No one present wished to address
the Council.
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Mr. Walters invited Eric Johnson to provide background information on the cold weather shelter project. Mr.
Johnson obliged.
Mayor Gere polled the councilmembers present who all concurred with staff's recommended disposition of the
final round of funding.
Hearing Examiner Report
Mr. Measamer introduced Hearing Examiner Andrew Reeves to report to Council as required by AMC
2.30.100.Mr. Reeves shared his report which had been included in the packet materials for the meeting. He
welcomed councilmember thoughts on expanding the types of matters that would be heard by the Hearing
Examiner. Councilmembers discussed the addition of a Hearing Examiner page on the city's website from
which all decisions of the Hearing Examiner would be publicly accessible.
Mayor Gere invited members of the audience to comment on this agenda item.
Tom Glade indicated that Evergreen Islands appreciated Mr. Reeves's fair and acceptable decision in response
to Evergreen Islands's recent appeal and said the group supported the Hearing Examiner.
Access Anacortes Fiber Internet Update
Administrative Services Director Emily Schuh provided the regular monthly update on Access Anacortes Fiber
Internet.Ms. Schuh's slides were added to the packet materials for the meeting. She reported on customers in
service,pending orders and revenue received, celebrating 464 customers in service at close of business earlier in
the day. She noted the take rate by district,which was exceeding a 41%take rate in the pilot zones and growing
steadily in the aerial expansion areas. Ms. Schuh also reported on the status of construction by zone; special
projects with NOANet,the Samish Indian Nation, Island Hospital,Chandler's Square,the Fidalgo Pool and
Fitness Center, and the Port of Anacortes; and financial and network expansion projections for 2021 and 2022.
Ms. Schuh and Fiber Manager Jim Lemberg responded to councilmember questions. Councilmembers
commended Fiber department staff on their progress to date and their outstanding customer service.
Mayor Gere invited members of the audience to comment on this agenda item.No one present wished to address
the Council.
There being no further business, at approximately 7:30 p.m. the Anacortes City Council meeting of
December 21,2020 was adjourned.
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