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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-11-2002 - MinutesMEDINA CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES March 11, 2002 Medina Citv Hall 7:00 PM 501 Evergreen Point Rd. Mayor Becker called the regular meeting of the Medina City Council to order at 7:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Present: Council members J. Drew Blazey, Paul Demitriades, Thomas E. Morgan, Todd Nunn, and Mayor Pro Tern Mary Odermat Absent: Council members Robert Rudolph and Mayor Dan Becker Staff Present: City Manager Doug Schulze, City Attorney Kirk Wines, Police Lieutenant Roger Skinner, Public Works Superintendent Carl Burris, Planning Director Jenny Schultz, and City Clerk Caroll Wedlund Staff Absent: Chief Michael Knapp Consultant: Lori McFarland, OTAK ANNOUNCEMENTS City Manager Schulze referred to a proposal from King County Executive Ron Sims regarding a redistricting plan for King County District Court, noting the division should show Medina, Yarrow Point, Hunts Point and Kirkland had municipal departments, which further supported the redistricting report being proposed. City Manager Schulze turned to a handout entitled "Comparison of Property Tax Rates" which had been downloaded from the King County Assessor website. He explained it depicted a comparison of the property tax rates for different areas, including Cities of Bellevue, Beaux Arts, Clyde Hill, Hunts Point, Yarrow Point and Medina. Council member Demitriades announced the State Legislative Session was scheduled to end March 14, 2002. However, the House and Senate had not yet agreed upon a budget. He disclosed a tax increase of 9 cents per gallon was proposed, which the House wished to be voted upon by the people. CONSENT AGENDA The Consent Agenda was approved, with changes to the February 22 and 25 meeting minutes. STAFF REPORTS PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT - Lieutenant Skinner briefed the Council and the audience regarding the monthly Police Department activity report. He indicated a drive -by shooting had occurred during the past month. However, the suspect was arrested, his vehicle impounded, and a lab test conducted of his weapon, shell casings and bullet fragments. PUBLIC WORKS REPORT - Public Works Superintendent Burris relayed the restoration at NE 18'h Street and Evergreen Point Road, at 8116 Overlake Drive West, and the tree and shrub plantings at 8338 Overlake Drive West were completed. He also conveyed the countertops for City Hall were nearly finished. Further, the Public Works crew had filled the potholes for the 82"d Street parking lot, and had also installed gravel on the paths in Medina Park. Public Works Superintendent Burris reported the park benches would be constructed in April and early May. The Council requested he obtain the name of the company conducting the bulkhead analysis for Medina Beach Park. As a final note, he disclosed there had been no further reported sightings of a second other in the ponds at Medina Park. PLANNING REPORT - Planning Director Schultz announced the Planning Commission officially changed their monthly meeting date from the last Tuesday to the first Tuesday, to better coordinate with Council meetings. She stated a new fish ladder demonstration proposal was currently being prepared for the Medina Stream, and an attorney who was assisting with the grant application for this project would present this proposal at the March Study Session. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION Mayor Pro Tern Odermat opened the meeting to the audience for non -agenda items. Greg Vernon and Trevor Vernon, 534 North 35th Street, Seattle, indicated their parents who had a home in Medina, died in September 2001 shortly before their dream home was completed. Greg Vernon explained several subcontractors had filed liens against this home, due to the contractor pocketing the money, abandoning the project and threatening to file bankruptcy. As a result, they were forced to engage a new contractor to complete the house. and had also hired an attorney to protect them against the liens. Mr. Vernon appealed to the Council to consider a fee waiver for a building permit extension or renewal for scheduled completion within the next four to six weeks. He stated the building permit had expired in October 2001. City Attorney Wines commented the Council did not have authority to waive the permit extension fee, as such action was outside of their purview. City Manager Schulze stated the city could review this request administratively. City Council Meeting March 11, 2002 Page 2 Margaret Maxwell, 8040 NE 8th Street, Medina, requested an extension of the painted curb in front of the Post Office because people were parking in front of the curb drop box. She also complained vehicles were passing turning cars in the opposing lane in front of Medina Elementary School in the morning, thereby creating a safety problem. OTHER BUSINESS CONSIDER JAIL SERVICES INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT — City Manager Schulze explained King County Executive Ron Sims had notified contracting agencies early in 2001 he was canceling the Jail Services Interlocal Agreement for the express purpose of negotiating a new contract. Further, negotiations to date had been unsuccessful and did not appear to be moving toward an acceptable compromise. He continued several other King County cities had entered into agreement with Yakima County to provide jail services. City Manager Schulze requested the Council to authorize continuing with development of an Interlocal Agreement for jail services with Yakima County. Council member Morgan moved, seconded by Council member Demitriades, to authorize him to do so, and the motion passed unanimously. DISCUSSION OF LARGE HOUSE ORDINANCE — City Manager Schulze relayed the Planning Commission had not forwarded a recommendation to the Council as anticipated. Mayor Pro Tem Odermat recommended discussion be deferred until the Council received more input from the Planning Commission. City Manager Schulze suggested this agenda item be moved to the April Council meeting. The Council decided to defer discussion of the large house ordinance until then, and to plan a joint meeting if the Planning commission could not forward a recommendation by that date. CONSIDER ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS, NE 8" STREETl82ND AVENUE NE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS — City Manager Schulze explained construction documents, bid specifications and final design were complete for pedestrian safety improvements along NE 8th Street and 82"d Avenue NE. He requested authorization to advertise for competitive bids on a small works roster, adding the RCW required the contract to be awarded competitively. City Manager Schulze also requested direction whether the bidding project should contain one surface type or two alternative surfaces. Lori McFarland, of OTAK, distributed two surface area pictures, one in Bridle Trails, and another from a Mercer Island driveway. She voiced concern about advertising for competitive bids with two alternative surfaces. Council member Morgan moved, seconded by Council member Demitriades, to authorize bid advertisement for NE 8th Street/82nd Avenue NE pedestrian improvements, with the concrete surface specifications for a brushed finish with a dark tone. The motion carried unanimously. Ms. McFarland commented the city would receive nearly `p70,000 grant money for this project. NEW BUSINESS REDUCED BUILDING FEE PERMIT STRUCTURE FOR LOW INCOME SENIOR CITIZENS - Council member Demitriades indicated he had been approached by a couple of low-income senior citizen residents regarding reducing the building permit fee structure for such citizens, and suggested the Council consider a reduced fee schedule for them. City Attorney Wines announced there was no prohibition against doing so. Following discussion, the Council requested consideration of a reduced fee schedule for low income seniors, and requested the City Manager to determine whether any other cities had a reduced permit fee schedule for such citizens, and the qualifying criteria used. MAY STUDY SESSION DATE AND COUNCIL MEETING CALENDAR - It was noted the May Study Session fell on a holiday, so a new date would need to be set. Also requested was a calendar showing 2002 Council meeting dates. H.B. 2950, LOCAL OPTION REVENUE PACKAGE — City Manager Schulze referred to his proposed memorandum which expressed the city's opposition to H.B. 2950, the County Proposed Local Option Revenue Package. He noted this proposed legislation would authorize counties to impose a 2.5 percent utility tax in both incorporated and unincorporated areas. The utility tax would be based on a city's responsibility to maintain utility rights -of -way within its boundaries. but counties have no responsibility for utility rights -of -way within incorporated areas. Therefore, if a county were allowed to impose a utility tax in incorporated areas, the maintenance burden would not shift to the county, and the customer would essentially be taxed twice for the same utility services. He continued the local option revenue package would directly impact the overall tax rate for property in Medina, and could reduce voter acceptance if future use of the utility tax was necessary to provide revenue for the city's capital project. City Manager Schulze requested authorization to send correspondence opposing H.B. 2950 to State Representatives and to State Senators. The Council agreed by unanimous consensus all Council members should sign this document. INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR JOINT PURCHASE OF PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEMS SOFTWARE - City Manager Schulze requested permission to enter into an agreement with the cities of Bellevue, Bothell Clyde Hill. Kirkiand and Lake Forest Park for joint purchase of public safety systems software. He noted this interlocal agreement was intended to provide a cost-effective process for future purchases of police records management software common to all local police agencies, and to ensure more efficient electronic criminal information sharing. He added purchases made through a multi- City Council Meeting March 11, 2002 Page 3 jurisdiction effort were more likely to produce a cost savings than if each agency purchased the software independently. The Council authorized moving the Interlocal Agreement for public safety systems software to the March Study Session for further discussion, and to receive input from Chief Knapp, who was presently on vacation. PARK BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION FOR FAIRWEATHER NATURE PRESERVE RESTORATION — City Manager Schulze relayed during their March 6, 2002 meeting, the Park Board had discussed uncompleted restoration work in Fairweather Nature Preserve. The Park Board had expressed concern about follow through with plans that would protect the work done to date, especially the additional uncompleted planting and the path from the parking lot into the preserve. He noted the Park Board's requested expenditures to complete restoration work in Fairweather Nature Preserve were not funded, and requested this item be placed on the March Study Session agenda to allow the Council more time for background information. The Council agreed by unanimous consensus to place the Park Board recommendation for Fairweather Nature Preserve restoration funding on the March Study Session agenda. EXECUTIVE SESSION The Council recessed at 9:00 p.m., followed by Executive Session to discuss personnel issues. per RCW 42.30.1404(b). The regular meeting was reconvened at 9:17 p.m. ADJOURNMENT Council member Blazey moved, seconded by Council member Morgan, to adjourn at 9:17 p.m., which carried unanimously. Ma Oder at, Mayor Pro TernAttest: Caroil P. Wedlund, City Clerk