MINUTES OF 8/23/07 CITY COUNCIL MEETING
135 East Johnson Avenue
PRESENT: Mayor Witherbee, Councilmembers Harper, Lingard, Morehouse, Olsen, Rodionoff and Weldy, Administrator Fonfara, Attorney Galbraith, Clerk Liles, Planning/Community Development Director Gildroy, Parks & Golf Maintenance Supervisor Hensley. EXCUSED ABSENCE: Councilmember Pape-Miller.
Mayor Witherbee called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
CONSENT AGENDA
Morehouse moved to approve the consent agenda as follows:
1. Approve Payroll Warrants No. 27065-27184 totaling $149,005.42 and Claims Warrants No. 58554-58653 totaling $235,033.39 (Payroll Warrants No. 26950, 27039, 27040, 27049 & 27063 and Claims Warrant No. 58279 voided);
2. Approve Minutes of 7/26/07 & 8/9/07 City Council Meetings;
3. Set 9/13/07 as the date for the Apple Blossom Center Planned Development Amendment Closed Record Decision; and
4. Excuse Councilmember Pape-Miller’s absence from 8/23/07 City Council Meeting.
Seconded by Olsen, motion passed unanimously.
PUBLIC INPUT
LINDA SYDLOSKI – SEWER FEE: Sydloski, 411 East Gibson, objected to the City’s general facility charge policy. Sydloski asked how she might go about petitioning for a waiver of the fee she’ll be charged when she converts the single family dwelling at 405 Second Street to a duplex. Mayor Witherbee informed her that there is no possibility of a waiver.
REGULAR AGENDA
LAKEFRONT PROPERTY TRANSFER REQUEST: As the petitioner was not in attendance, Fonfara recommended that this item be tabled and Council concurred.
PUBLIC ARTS PROGRAM PROPOSAL: As set forth in Exhibit #1 to Agenda Bill 07-068, Fonfara reported on a proposal to establish a “Public Arts Display Program.” Fonfara summarized WCIA Risk Management Bulletin #20 relating to public art, then noted an inaccuracy in the agenda bill information he’d provide concerning the cost of insuring publicly displayed art. That is, the preliminary cost estimate of $2,000 to insure an art piece with a replacement value of $28,000, as quoted by WCIA Risk Management staff, was incorrect. Fonfara explained that the formula for calculating the insurance premium increase is .205 X the value of the art piece ÷ by 100. Therefore, the correct amount of the premium increase for a piece valued at $28,000 would be $57.40.
Barbara Koenig and Lester Cooper, members of the committee proposing the program, provided additional information. Wendy Isenhart, representing the Historic Downtown Chelan Association, reported information she’d gathered concerning Wenatchee’s public arts program.
Following discussion on the proposal, Weldy moved to direct the City Administrator to work with proponents to formulate policies and procedures for a public arts program. Seconded by Harper, motion passed unanimously.
PARKS & GOLF MAINTENANCE PROGRAM: Fonfara explained that Don Hensley, the City’s Parks & Golf Maintenance Supervisor, was in attendance to address comments made at the 8/9/07 Council meeting concerning golf course maintenance. Hensley then described maintenance challenges resulting from this summer’s extreme heat and near constant wind and the ongoing challenge of maintaining the course with an antiquated irrigation system and poor drainage. Hensley explained that an irrigation upgrade plan was initiated in 2002, but abandoned after two years due to lack of funding. Hensley also spoke briefly about altered employee assignments following personnel changes implemented this year as part of the Parks & Golf Department reorganization initiated in 2000, and he observed that the reorganization appears to be working as planned. Both Fonfara and Mayor Witherbee praised Hensley for doing an excellent job as Maintenance Supervisor.
Weldy asked if Council could discuss the aborted golf course irrigation upgrade plan. Fonfara responded, saying that Parks and Recreation issues were slated for discussion at the Mayor/Council Strategic Planning Retreat, and that would be a good time to talk about the irrigation system.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WORKSHOP: Gildroy reviewed proposed 2007 Comprehensive Plan amendments, including update of the Parks & Recreation Comprehensive Plan, and entertained Council comments/answered Council questions about the amendments.
At 9:28 p.m. Council meeting recessed to allow the Mayor and Councilmembers to participate in the regular meeting of the Lake Chelan Airport Board. Council meeting reconvened at 9:29 p.m. following adjournment of the Airport Board meeting.
COUNCIL REPORTS/COMMENTS
BUILDING INSPECTOR/CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER RECRUITMENT: At Weldy’s request, Gildroy and Liles provided information on efforts to fill the vacant Building Inspector/Code Enforcement Officer position.
HIGHWAY 150 LANE RECONFIGURATION: Rodionoff observed that the recent Highway 150 lane reconfiguration is working well, that drivers are now complying with the speed limit on that stretch of the highway and that the four way stop is more efficient with fewer lanes converging.
Morehouse said he finds the new configuration easy to navigate – he likes it.
Audience member Richard Uhlhorn said that the new configuration is much safer.
INSTALLATION OF NEW BUOYS: Rodionoff asked if the new buoys purchased by the City as part of the Second Addendum to the City/County Law Enforcement Service Agreement had been installed. Fonfara responded, saying some were in but he wasn’t sure if all had been installed.
DARK SKYS ORDINANCE: Returning to a topic discussed during the Comprehensive Plan Amendment workshop, Rodionoff asked if light shielding devices are available commercially. Olsen replied that they are.
Rodionoff asked if the City’s putting green and skate park would comply with the proposed dark sky ordinance. Gildroy responded, saying those uses are exempt from proposed regulations, but it would be good for the City to set an example by complying.
Morehouse advocated setting a one or two year deadline for compliance with the dark sky ordinance.
GOLF COURSE IRRIGATION SYSTEM: Rodionoff suggested issuing revenue bonds to update the golf course irrigation system. Fonfara said revenue bonds wouldn’t be appropriate, but Council might consider a general obligation bond for that purpose.
Mayor Witherbee said he believes golf improvements should be paid for with golf revenues, and the Strategic Planning Retreat will include consideration of the golf fee structure and past and projected revenues.
Morehouse said that the golf course irrigation system has been a problem since the course was built and it needs to be fixed. Morehouse said it is his understanding that the golf course generates considerable revenue but those funds haven’t gone back into golf maintenance.
Mayor Witherbee promised that the retreat information packet would provide Council with the facts needed for an informed and comprehensive discussion about the golf course.
SWIMMING POOL: Harper recommended a utility bill insert asking citizens: (1) do you support a recreation center/swimming pool in Chelan, (2) do you support a recreation center/swimming pool in Don Morse Park, (3) do you support creating a taxing district to construct and maintain a recreation center/swimming pool?
Mayor Witherbee advised that some time ago he’d talked with the citizen’s group that is promoting the recreation center/swimming pool, and they’d asked that citizens not be polled until additional information is gathered and disseminated. The Mayor noted that a recent email indicates the group intends to make a presentation to Council after the first of the year. After further discussion, the Mayor offered to inform the group that Council would like to move forward with a survey to determine the level of citizen support for the project.
Morehouse said that studies have shown that a local indoor swimming pool is a high priority with citizens, so he supports moving forward with that project once the citizen survey indicates where the pool should be located. Morehouse suggested using the budget surplus to finance the project.
General Facility Charges: Olsen recommended finding a way to better communicate the rationale behind the City’s general facility charge policy.
CITY WEBSITE: Morehouse noted that the City’s website provides a link to the Building Inspector/Code Enforcement Officer job advertisement, but there is no link allowing the user to return from there to the homepage. He asked that someone mention this to the City’s Information Tech.
STRATEGIC PLANNING RETREAT: Fonfara reminded those present that the Mayor/Council Strategic Planning Retreat would take place on the following weekend, August 25 and August 26.
There being no further business, meeting adjourned at 9:50 p.m.
Prepared by: Date Approved by City Council: Attest:
______________________ _________________________ __________________________
Linda Allison-Liles, City Clerk Jay Witherbee, Mayor