MINUTES OF 5/24/07 CITY COUNCIL MEETING
City Council Chambers, 135 East Johnson Avenue, Chelan, Washington
PRESENT: Mayor Witherbee, Councilmembers Harper, Lingard, Morehouse, Olsen, Papé-Miller, Rodionoff and Weldy, Administrator Fonfara, Attorney Galbraith, Clerk Liles, Planning/Community Development Director Gildroy, Finance Director Grant, Public Works Director VanEpps.
Mayor Witherbee called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
CONSENT AGENDA
Olsen moved to eliminate consent agenda item #4, Excuse Absence of Councilmember Rodionoff, and to approve the remaining consent agenda items as follows:
1. Approve Claims Warrants No. 57958-58043 Totaling $180,427.30 and Void
Claims Warrant No. 57950;
Approve Payroll Warrants #26307-26322, 26324-26386, 26389-26402, 26404, 26405, 26411 & 26426-26429 totaling $136,920.01 and Void Payroll Warrants #26323, 26387, 26388, 26403 and 26406-26410;
2. Approve Minutes of the 5/10/07 Regular City Council Meeting; and
3. Adopt ORDINANCE NO. 07-1338 Repealing Chelan Municipal Code 10.56 Trailer Park Rates.
Seconded by Rodionoff, motion passed unanimously.
PUBLIC INPUT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
COMMUNITY CENTER: Bob Eier, 1076 East Johnson Avenue, urged Council to reject proposals to build a community center at Don Morse Park. Eier advocated building a new recreation center at the corner of Johnson Avenue and Bradley Street adjacent to the existing Community Gym.
REGULAR AGENDA
EDD AND RC&D: Jay Kehne, representing North Central Washington Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D), and Jennifer Korfiatus, representing the North Central Washington Economic Development District (EDD), briefly explained the purpose of RC&D and EDD and reported current activities of both entities.
GMA COMPLIANCE: Planning/Community Development Director Gildroy presented a proposed resolution to approve the final GMA Compliance & Evaluation Report. Gildory explained that the report is the Planning Commission's recommendation on the findings of the citizens advisory committees that evaluated the Comprehensive Plan and Development Regulations for compliance with the Growth Management Act. Gildroy reviewed the written Office of Community Development Staff Report dated 5/17/07, including a summary of the compliance review process the and recommended revisions to the Comprehensive Plan and Development Regulations.
Gildroy pointed out an error in the list of urban growth boundary expansion priorities on page 4 of the draft GMA Compliance Report, i.e., the priority listed third should have been shown as the fourth priority and the priority listed fourth should have been shown third. Gildroy then answered Council questions. Papé-Miller moved to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 07-1173 approving the final GMA Compliance & Evaluation Report of the Comprehensive Plan and implementing regulations for the 2007 GMA update process, as corrected. Seconded by Rodionoff, motion passed unanimously.
TAX LEVY ERROR: Administrator Fonfara and Finance Director Grant provided information concerning an error that the Chelan County Assessor's Office made in calculating the City of Chelan's property tax levy for the 2007 tax year. Fonfara reported that the error resulted from a miscalculation of the levy lid lift for Chelan County Fire District #7, which was approved by voters last fall The aggregate limit total was calculated to be $5.90 per $1,000 when, in fact, the levy amount is $3.60 per $1,000. The net result of the error, was an overpayment to the City of Chelan of $231,157.00 in property taxes collected in 2007, which the City must repay. Grant explained the impact on City finances.
SOUTH SHORE DEVELOPMENT: Administrator Fonfara provided a draft interlocal agreement between the City and Chelan County for planning and coordinating urban services for the south shore. Fonfara explained that he had been working with the County Commission to prepare the agreement as directed by Council on 5/3/07. Fonfara then explained the key elements of the proposed agreement, and he and Public Works Director VanEpps answered Council's questions. County Commissioner Hawkins was present, and he assured the Council that all of the County Commissioners favor moving forward with the agreement and he expected to see it executed sometime in June.
WASHINGTON STREET VACATION: Public Works Director VanEpps reminded Council that a public hearing was held in March of 2006 to take testimony concerning Jack Raines' request for vacation of a portion of Washington Street. Following the hearing, Council approved the vacation provided Raines paid $68,000.00, the appraised value of the property, and provided an access easement to address concerns of abutting property owners. VanEpps provided Councilmembers with a copy of the necessary Declaration of Easement and reported that Raines is prepared to pay the $68,000. At VanEpps' recommendation, Morehouse moved to adopt ORDINANCE NO. 07-1339 vacating a portion of Washington Street lying south of State Route 97A within the City of Chelan. Seconded by Harper, motion passed unanimously.
EXTENSION OF CHELAN INFRASTRUCTURE: Public Works Director VanEpps presented a proposed agreement with Naumes Properties, explaining that it was the typical agreement required of all developers to assure that their work meets City's Development Standards. VanEpps described the proposed improvements to the "E-Line" (Golden Avenue) and "G-Line" (Gala Anvenue) and answered Council questions. Harper moved to authorize Mayor Witherbee to sign the Agreement for Extension of Chelan Infrastructure with Naumes Properties, LLC, as presented. Seconded by Rodionoff, motion passed unanimously.
PUBLIC DEFENSE SERVICES: Administrator Fonfara reported that Randy Thies, the attorney providing public defense services to the City, is taking a sabbatical from the practice of law and moving out of state. Thies' intention is to continue representing the City through the end of May. The law firm where Thies once worked, Carlson, McMahon and Sealby, is prepared to accept assignment of Theis' public defense services contract. Should Council approve of the assignment, Jamil L. Gill of that law firm would be assigned as the City's Public Defender.
Fonfara provided information about Carlson, McMahon and Sealby, and he presented a proposed contract assignment document for Council consideration. Fonfara noted that Carlson, McMahon and Sealby is willing to provide services under the terms of the existing contract, including compensation for case assignments at the rate specified in the contract ($3,100.00 per month for 2007). However, it would require $90.00 per hour for the ten to fifteen outstanding cases Mr. Thies leaves behind. At Fonfara's recommendation, Morehouse moved to authorize Mayor Witherbee to sign the Addendum to Assignment of Existing City of Chelan Contract for Public Defense Services. Seconded by Harper, motion passed unanimously.
At 8:45 Council meeting adjourned to permit Councilmembers to participate in the regular meeting of the Lake Chelan Airport Board. Council meeting reconvened at 8:46 following adjournment of the Airport Board meeting.
COUNCIL COMMENTS/REPORTS
COUNCIL PACKET PREPARATION: Lingard noted that Council received a couple of agenda bill exhibits just before the meeting. He asked that all exhibits be included in the packet so that Councilmembers have time to review them before the meeting.
STREET WORK NOTIFICATION: Lingard complained that he wasn't notified that his street was going to be paved last week. Also, a vehicle left parked on the street and the crew simply paved around it. Further, chip seal was used, which he doesn't care for. Lingard noted that part of his street is in the City and part in County.
Public Works Director VanEpps explained that by mutual agreement between the City and County, High Point Place is maintained by the County. VanEpps noted that the subject street does not meet city standards so property owners could ask to have the street brought up to standard
Linda Allison-Liles Approved by City Council June 14, 2007
City Clerk