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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-06-08 City Council Minutes ApprovedAnacortes City Council Minutes - June 8, 2026 1 Anacortes City Council Minutes - June 8, 2026 Call to Order Councilmembers Luke Currier, Anthony Young, Christine Cleland-McGrath, Carolyn Moulton, Bruce Pledge of Allegiance Announcements and Committee Reports appointment only, starting on July 6th, a community open house for the Shoreline Master Program Update on June 9th from 4-6pm in City Council chambers, the Adopt-a-Storm Drain program, a Conversation with the Mayor on June 10th from 1-2pm at the Senior Activity Center, Bark in the Park on June 13th from 10am- Storvik Park, the Pride Parade on June 21st beginning at 1pm, and the 4th of July parade, referring to a slide included a timeline for major projects the department is working on, including the Critical Areas Ordinance update, and the Shoreline Master Program update. Ms. Moulton added that there are many opportunities for public engagement, including open houses, public comment periods, Planning Commission, and City Council open public meetings. She then reminded the council and the public that the Critical Areas Ordinance covers areas like wildlife habitat and geologically hazardous areas, and the Shoreline Management Act that provides for public access to the shoreline and access for water-dependent commercial uses that covers the area within 200 feet of the high watermark, and comprises a separate zoning area within the city. The committee also discussed an executive order from the mayor that will streamline permitting services. Housing Affordability and Community Services Committee Mr. Young reported from the Housing Affordability and Community Services Committee meeting held on June 4th. The topics discussed included a presentation from Anacortes Family Center Executive Director Dustin Johnson regarding community services for those in need. The committee decided that it would be best for local service providers to collaborate to produce community guidance on how the public should best access the available services and how to most effectively and safely respond when encountering a situation where someone is experiencing a mental health crisis. Mr. Young then explained that this guidance would be brought included a community open house on July 1st from 5-7pm on the Maritime Plaza behind the W.T. Preston to celebrate its opening; the 9th Street realignment project, which is now past 60% design with an anticipated construction start date of January 2027; the leadership transitions at the Skagit Council of Governments and the Economic Development Alliance of Skagit County; the North Basin recapitalization work study that is engaging in public outreach with the goal of being self-supporting; Pier 61 sampling for the log pocket environmental cleanup that will likely cost around $11 million; and a clean state audit report for the Port. The committee also discussed the Port / City Events Facility related to funding presentations for .09 grant funds on th Anacortes City Council Minutes - June 8, 2026 2 community access to pickleball, and the construction of a travel lift at Stabbert Marine that will provide 50 jobs and $10 million for the local economy. Ms. Cleland-McGrath commented on access to community social services through the Community Paramedic in the Anacortes Fire Department and the need for an embedded Community Social Worker in the Anacortes Police Department. She recounted that she, then-Councilmember Walters, and Councilmember Moulton had attended many meetings regarding this issue, and that they had come to a consensus that a three-legged crisis response for social and behavioral health was the most cost- and quality-effective response. She mentioned that having a designated crisis responder that the next North Star meeting is on June 16th from 6-8pm where they will discuss Martha's Place and the Homeless Housing Strategic Plan, encouraging other council members to attend. She then mentioned attending Presentation of 'ANACORTES' Letters Sign by the Anacortes Arts Festival and the Skagit Tourism Bureau Executive Director and Skagit Tourism Bureau Board member Meredith McIlmoyle, who presented the 'ANACORTES' letters sign to the City Council, referring to a slide presentation that was added to the packet materials for the meeting. Discussion topics included: • Economic Development Committee's role in the process of bringing all the stakeholders together to have the installation completed. • Appreciation for the rapid pace of execution and how well a community can work together to accomplish a common goal. • Ideas for the use of the letters after the conclusion of the FIFA tournament. • Linking of all the communities in Skagit County. Public Comment Consent Agenda motion carried unanimously by voice vote. a. Minutes of June 1, 2026 b. Approval of claims in the amount of $646,509.75 The following vouchers/checks were approved for payment: EFT numbers: 115760 through 115813, total $528,705.88 Check numbers: 11814 through 115833, total $116,101.97 Wire transfer numbers: 389758 through 390076, total $ $1,701.90 c. Contract Award: 2026 Dumpster Order #26-055-SAN-002 Ms. Cleland-McGrath removed Item 5.d., Contract Modification: Social Worker Agreement #26-007-APD- Anacortes City Council Minutes - June 8, 2026 3 Contract Modification: Social Worker Agreement #26-007-APD-001 Ms. Cleland-McGrath announced that, as a member of the Anacortes Family Center Board of Directors that she would abstain from the vote on the proposed contract modification. Mr. Fantini moved, seconded by Mr. Young, to approve item 5.d. modification Public Hearings Resolution 3221: 2027-2032 Transportation Improvement Program Update Improvement Program update, referring to a slide presentation that was added to the packet materials for the meeting. Mayor Walters added that staff are taking an incremental approach to improving capital planning and that the current update is based on the existing Capital Facilities Plan (CFP), that the proposed update includes nomenclature changes to clarify project identifications, and that a further update will be made during the coming annual CFP update. Discussion topics included: • Beautification of the R Avenue corridor o Planting wildflowers as an attractive landscaping option for the median. • 6th Street from O Avenue to K Avenue. • Local funding is generally a 20% match requirement. • How the public works department seeks and applies for grants. o Competitively seeking funding opportunities. o Possibly employing a grant writer in an improved fiscal environment. o Public Works are using Transpo Group to assist with grant writing and application. o Knowledge of grant opportunities through Skagit Council of Governments. • Pavement maintenance fund table from a past presentation. • The Kansas Avenue opening project. o Evaluation of the area west of West 4th Street to properly scope the project. o Pursuing grants for further improvements after Kansas Avenue is classified as a collector. o Could be a stormwater project as well. o Possible traffic-calming measures. • Pennsylvania Avenue and Anacopper Road tree trimming. • Tree trimming or removal at the roundabout at the south end of Commercial Avenue. o Parks and Recreation are working on the project to remove some of those trees. • The CFP process will be an opportunity to revisit plan projects. • 2027 funding for transportation improvement projects is only sufficient for grant matching requirements. • Timeframe for adoption. At 7:02 pm, Mayor Walters opened the public hearing. Mayor Walters invited members of the audience to comment on this agenda item. Theresa Baker of Old Town, asked for more details regarding the K Avenue and 12th Street intersection project. Ron Johnson of Oakes Avenue, Ward 3, asked for additional information on the projects that describe them in Anacortes City Council Minutes - June 8, 2026 4 Dave Duff of West 3rd Street spoke about the Kansas Avenue project, mentioning safety issues on West 3rd Street and the need to address them with low-cost traffic-calming measures before project construction is scheduled to commence in 2029. Clara Duff of West 3rd Street spoke about the Kansas Avenue project, mentioning that it had been discussed driveway cuts that would be exposed to traffic that is transiting the area to and from Oakes Avenue and points south from 44 to 4, making the area safer for residents and motorists alike. At 7:09 pm, Mayor Walters closed the public hearing. Mayor Walters asked Mr. Lee to elaborate on the K Avenue and 12th Street intersection project. Mr. Lee explained that the project is in the design and planning phase and there are many possibilities to address what has been assessed as a failing intersection, and that funding for design is available, but the city currently lacks the funding for construction. He explained that information for these projects is in the meeting agenda packet, but would eventually come to the city's Projects Page. TJ Fantini moved, seconded by Christine Cleland-McGrath, to approve Resolution 3221 2027-2032 Other Business Ordinance 5031: Updating AMC 12.60 Complete Streets presentation that was added to the packet materials for the meeting. Discussion topics included: • The ordinance will apply to public and private development. • How the ordinance applies to current and new development going forward. • Requirement for council notification when an exception is made to the policy. Mayor Walters invited members of the audience to comment on this agenda item. No one present wished to address the Council. Carolyn Moulton moved, seconded by Bruce McDougall, to adopt Ordinance 5031 updating AMC 12.60 Complete Streets. Vote: Ayes - Carolyn Moulton, Anthony Young, Christine Cleland-McGrath, Bruce McDougall, TJ Fantini, Resolution 3219: Approve and Adopt the AWC Employee Benefit Trust Employer Master Participation Agreement Update Resolution 3220 (Contract 26-180-HRD-001) that would adopt the updated Association of Washington Cities Benefit Trust Employer Master Participation Agreement and the amended and restated Navia Welfare Benefit Plan respectively, referring to a slide presentation that was included in the packet materials for the meeting. Luke Currier moved, seconded by Anthony Young, to approve Resolution 3219 approving and adopting the Association of Washington Cities Benefit Trust Employer Master Participation Agreement. The motion carried Anacortes City Council Minutes - June 8, 2026 5 Resolution 3220: Approve and Adopt the Amended and Restated Navia Welfare Benefit Plan Luke Currier moved, seconded by Anthony Young, to approve Resolution 3220 approving and adopting the amended and restated Navia Welfare Benefit Plan. The motion carried unanimously by voice vote. Contract Approval: Whitmarsh Landfill Remediation Site Water Discharge Agreement #26-183-SEW- 001 City Attorney Darcy Swetnam introduced proposed contract #26-183-SEW-001 with Skagit County that would set forth the agreed terms by which the county would discharge water into the City’s sanitary sewer system during their Whitmarsh Landfill cleanup project. She explained that this agreement is like other discharge agreements with other entities and that this is an emergent requirement from the state Department of Ecology to discharge the de-watering water from the cleanup site to the city's sanitary sewer system. She added that Wastewater Treatment Plant Manager Brian Walker is in communication with the Skagit County Public Works Director regarding the requirements and is confident that Anacortes Wastewater Treatment Plant will have sufficient capacity to handle the discharge. She then summarized the key terms as 600 days or substantial completion of the county project, whichever is sooner, a $100 admin fee, $300 permit fee, a per gallon charge, and acceptable contaminant levels for the discharge of water. Mr. Lee and Ms. Swetnam then answered questions from the council. Discussion topics included: • Exact location of the landfill site. • How much water will be processed and maintaining compliance with permit requirements. o 4–5 million gallons are estimated. • Ability to stop the operation if necessary. • The primary contaminant is manganese. • How the water will be conveyed to the sanitary sewer system. • Verifying the functionality of the existing wastewater system. • The pricing structure of the agreement is on par with what the city has charged in other agreements. Carolyn Moulton moved, seconded by Bruce McDougall, to approve contract #26-183-SEW-001 with Skagit County for the Whitmarsh Landfill Remediation Site Water Discharge Agreement. The motion carried Closed Session Collective Bargaining topics per RCW 42.30.140(4)(b) (15 minutes) approximately 15 minutes to discuss collective bargaining topics per RCW 42.30.140(4)(b). Ms. Swetnam, Ms. Adjournment