Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-11-1997 - MinutesMEDINA CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES August 11, 1997 Medina City Hall 7:00 PM 501 Evergreen Point Rd. CALL TO ORDER The regular meeting of the Medina City Council was called to order at 7:00 PM by Mayor Potts. The Council meeting was recorded on audio tape. R[)I I rAI 1 Present: Councilmembers Daniel Becker, Lynn Benz, Ray Cory, Tom Morgan and Mayor Susan Potts. Absent: Councilmembers Grahame Ross and Dewey Taylor. City Staff Present: City Manager Doug Schulze, Acting Police Chief Doug Ambrose, City Attorney Kirk Wines, Asst. City Mgr./City Clerk Woody Edvalson MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING Councilmember Morgan moved the approval of the minutes from the July 14, 1997 Regular Council Meeting. Councilmember Becker seconded the motion. Approved without dissent. ANNOUNCEMENTS Councilmember Dan Becker mentioned an Eastside Transportation Partnership (ETP) survey that had been in the local newspaper. The intent of the survey was to receive input on projects and funding of those projects on the Eastside. He suggested that the City might obtain copies of the survey and notify the public through the Medina Newsletter of its availability at City Hall. Medina City Council Minutes August 11, 1997 Page 2 AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION Mike Higgins, 8601 NE 12th St., described ongoing concerns with traffic and speeding along NE 12th St. and Lake Washington Blvd. He presented a letter with some suggestions to the City Council. The letter was signed by 14 concerned citizens. Ruth Perkins, 8435 Midland Rd., expressed concern about a soils report determining original grade on the property at 8414 Overlake Drive West. She felt the report to be incomplete and insufficient in data. She asked that a registered geo-technical engineer be retained to provide a certification of lower original grade. STAFF REPORTS FINANCE COMMITTEE Councilmember Morgan, Chairman of the Council Finance Committee noted that the City's financial reports indicated a one million dollar surplus in unanticipated revenues. He also noted that approximately 2/3 of the consultants' billings were being billed through to private property owners. In conclusion, he moved the approval of July finance warrants numbered 10572 to 10642, noting voided warrants 10618 and 10640. Approved warrants totaled $142,078.26. Also moved for approval were July personnel warrants numbered 15477 to 15536 (15519 was voided) in the amount of $128,934.84. Councilmember Cory seconded the motion. Approval was unanimous. POLICE DEPARTMENT Acting Chief Ambrose reported on police activity in Medina during the past month. He mentioned an illegal entry/burglary that occurred south of 24th St. on 79th Ave. NE. Entry may have been through an unlocked entrance. Chief Ambrose again advised residents to lock their doors at night. An assault was also reported during the past month that involved fisticuffs between two house guests. Mayor Pott's mentioned that a neighbor had reported one of her children being stopped by a Medina Police Officer and being advised that roller-blading was against the law in Medina. Chief Ambrose confirmed that it was against the City's ordinances to roller - blade in the streets. He added, however, that it would be doubtful anyone would be cited for this activity. The City Council asked staff to bring the ordinance up for review at a Council meeting. ANNOUNCEMENTS Mayor Potts announced that the City Council would hold an executive session at the conclusion of the regular meeting's agenda to discuss fire contract negotiations and potential litigation. Medina City Council Minutes August 11, 1997 Page 3 L PUBLIC HEARING TCI - CONSIDER IMPOSING PENALTIES FOR FRANCHISE NON-COMPLIANCE Hearing Continued from July 14, 1997.) City Manager Schulze reported his most recent conversation with William Bennett, TCI representative, who had indicated that TCI was negotiating with Clyde Hill to string a fiber optic cable through their town to tie Medina into the Bellevue/TCI system. In their conversation, Bennett indicated that he would appear before the Council in September to deliver an update. He still anticipated the upgrade to be complete by Nov. 1. By common consent, the Council approved continuation of the public hearing to the September 8, 1997 City Council meeting. Councilmember Cory excused himself from the remainder of the meeting. ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS ORDINANCE NO. 629 - AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 608 - PROVIDING FOR APPEALS FROM THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT TO THE CITY COUNCIL City Attorney Wines reported that he was recommending neither for or against this ordinance at present. He indicated that because of his work on the Sprint Spectrum lawsuit he had not had time to prepare a discussion draft of this ordinance as previously requested by Council. He suggested that they postpone any action until they had received input from the Chief Building Official, Lowell Erickson, and comment from the Board of Adjustment. After a brief discussion, the Council elected to table any further action on the ordinance. DISCUSSION APPOINTMENT TO PARK BOARD City Manager Schulze explained that the City had received one application to date to fill the vacant positions on the Park Board. He presented the name of Jack Sikma. Dan Becker moved the appointment of Jack Sikma to the Park Board. Lynn Benz made a second to the motion. All were in favor. MEDINA DAYS ACTIVITY City Manager Schulze briefly pointed out that Council had received a list of Medina Days activities in their agenda packets. Medina City Council Minutes August 11, 1997 Page 4 MEDINA BEACH PARK PHASE I, SCHEDULE B City Manager Schulze summarized the work completed to date in the Medina Beach Park expansion program. He again noted the City's unanticipated revenues and suggested that the Council could use a portion of these funds to complete the Phase I work this calendar year. Completion of the Phase I work in 1997 would allow for landscape plantings to be installed early the following year. He explained further that a portion of the work would be accomplished through a change order with the current contractor, and that the rest of the work would be done through the City's small works roster. The Council discussed the costs associated with this project and the past difficulty in obtaining acceptable bids on the beach project. Councilmembers expressed their concerns about the cost. A majority felt that sufficient effort had been made to obtain the best available pricing and feared escalating costs in delaying. In light of the timing for improvements to allow for landscaping early next year, the majority indicated their desire to proceed with Phase I Schedule B. The proposed work would complete the grand stairway construct the viewing plaza, re -grade and construct the retaining walls, and basically everything that was originally planned as part of Phase II, except the landscaping. Councilmember Benz moved to authorize the change order with Kemper Construction to complete Phase I work in the amount of $131,470. Councilmember Morgan provided the second. The majority vote was in favor with Councilmember Becker voting no. POINTS COMMUNITIES TRAILS City Manager Schulze explained that contrary to what had been reported in the Council packet, there was no matching requirement to the allocation of funds for the trails project. King County will swap funds with the Points Communities exchanging Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) funds for which the communities were eligible for County Road funds. This swap allows greater flexibility of use for the Points Communities. The funds available are approximately $40,000. The Points Trails Committee, composed of elected officials, residents and staff from the Clyde Hill, Hunts Point, Medina and Yarrow Point recommends that all of the funds be allocated for use to improve a trail connection between Points Drive in Clyde Hill and Bellevue Way. The Council expressed concern that an agreement to use the funds in Clyde Hill might mean that no improvements would occur in Medina due to the uncertainty of similar funding in the future. The Council asked to see the application to better understand the City's obligations under the ISTEA allocation/County swap program. City Attorney Wines mentioned that there may be an advantage in allowing the allocation, because it would provide a mechanism through interlocal agreement for future cooperative efforts on the trails. Medina City Council Minutes August 11, 1997 Page 5 NEW BUSINESS PUGET SOUND ENERGY - BURIAL OF UTILITIES City Manager Schulze mentioned a meeting between staff and representatives of Puget Sound Energy (PSE) to discuss their approach to the Board of Adjustment for an application to trim and remove trees in the City's rights -of -way. Rough cost estimates were provided for burial of electric services as an alternative to trimming and removal of trees. The Council asked to see a written proposal and scope of work from Puget Sound Energy for the burial of electric services City-wide. This proposal would be reviewed by the Council Public Works Committee. The Council discussed their concerns about the Board of Adjustment hearing the PSE plans for tree trimming and removal. It was concluded that the City Council and Board of Adjustment hold a joint special meeting inviting PSE to describe the need for trimming and removal in general. This type of meeting would provide a forum in which the Council could address their questions to Puget Sound Energy. PLANNING AND PUBLIC WORKS CONSULTANT AGREEMENTS Councilmember Becker asked about the agreements for planning and public works consulting. City Manager Schulze responded that his current efforts were directed at recruitment of a police chief. He added that at the conclusion of that recruitment he would be able to pursue the other agreements. SEAPLANES Councilmember Morgan commented that based on his observations in the month of June that the seaplane pilots were uniformly violating their own standards for operation in Fairweather Cove. City Attorney Wines said that he would write the Seaplane Pilot's Association pointing out the violations noted by Councilmember Morgan and asking for their response. EXECUTIVE SESSION At 8:40 PM, and under authority of RCW 42.30.110 Mayor Potts announced that the Council would hold an executive session with the City's attorney to discuss fire contract negotiations and potential litigation. She announced the session would conclude at 9:00 PM. ADJOURNMENT At 9:15 PM, the Council reconvened the regular session. City Attorney Wines noted the role that Assistant City Manager/City Clerk Edvalson had played in the preparation of documentation for the Sprint Spectrum lawsuit. Mayor Potts and the City Council voiced their appreciation for the excellent work performed by Edvalson as City Clerk. Medina City Council Minutes August 11, 1997 Page 6 Councilmember Becker moved to adjourn the regular session of the Council meeting. Councilmember Benz provided the second. All were in favor. The meeting adjourned at 9:20 PM. Attest: 7 H rwood T. Edvalson, City Clerk 7 bA' TQ: Susan Potts, Mayor