HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/03/2013 Business Meeting 497
YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL
December 3 2013
City Hall -- Council Chambers
6 p.m. Business Meeting; 7 p.m. Public Hearing -- MINUTES
BUSINESS MEETING
1. Roll Call
Council: Mayor Micah Cawley, presiding, Assistant Mayor Maureen Adkison, Council Members
Sara Bristol, Kathy Coffey, Rick Ensey, Dave Ettl and Bill Lover •
Staff: City Manager O'Rourke, City Attorney Cutter and City Clerk Clear Tee
2. Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor Cawley led the Pledge of Allegiance.
3. Newly Elected Process
A. Administration of Oaths of Office to - Judge Woodard and Judge Olwell
City Clerk Claar Tee administered the oath of office to Judges Woodard and Olwell.
4. Open.Discussions for the Good of the Order
A. Presentations /recognitions /introductions
i. Council Recognition of Joe Mann
Mayor Cawley recognized and presented citizen Joe Mann with a City Apple Award for his
commitment and service to the City of Yakima. Joe Mann accepted the award and stated he
absolutely loves living in Yakima and continually strives to make Yakima a better place to live.
ii. Introduction of Municipal Court Commissioner Martin Dixon.
Judge Olwell introduced Municipal Court Commissioner Martin Dixon.
5. Council Reports
6. Consent Agenda
Mayor Cawley referred to the items placed on the Consent Agenda, questioning whether there
were any additions or deletions from Council members or citizens present. There were no
changes. The City Clerk read the Consent Agenda items, including resolutions and ordinances
by title. (Items on the Consent Agenda are handled under one motion without further
discussion —see motion directly below.)
Adkison moved and Ensey seconded to approve the consent agenda. The motion carried
by a unanimous roll call vote.
A. 2013 3rd Quarter Capital Improvement Projects Report.
B. Final Contract Payment for Paragon Northwest, LLC - William 0 Douglas Powerhouse
Trail Connector (Standard Motion V -B- Accept the project and approve the final payment)
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C. Final Contract Payment for Granite Construction, Inc. - Project AS2272 Nob Hill Blvd 49th
- 64th Ave. (Standard Motion V -B — Accept the project and approve the final payment).
D. Resolution accepting and authorizing the City of Yakima's 2014 assessment from the
Yakima Valley Conference of Governments.
RESOLUTION NO. R- 2013 -150, A RESOLUTION accepting the 2014 Yakima Valley
Conference of Governments Budget and authorizing the City of Yakima's 2014 assessment.
E. Second reading of an Ordinance amending the 2013 budget for the City of Yakima; and
making appropriations from Unappropriated Fund Balances within various Funds for
expenditure during 2013 as noted in the schedule attached.
ORDINANCE NO. 2013 -055, AN ORDINANCE amending the 2013 budget for the City of
Yakima; and making appropriations from Unappropriated Fund Balances within the Parks and
Recreation Fund - 131, and Police Grants Fund - 152 for expenditure during 2013 to provide for
increased usage of Parks facilities and programs; and enhanced drug enforcement efforts by the
Yakima Police Department.
7. Audience Participation
None.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
8. A. Final Public Hearing on the proposed 2014 Revenue and Expenditure Budget for the City of
Yakima, and; B. Ordinance adopting a budget for the City of Yakima for 2014.
Cindy Epperson, Finance and Budget Director, briefed Council on the 2014 budget. City
Manager O'Rourke recapped the overall budget.
Mayor Cawley opened the public hearing.
Karl Pasten, City resident, spoke on behalf of Yakima Valley Trolleys. He requested funding
from the 2014 budget for the trolley system.
Bob Bieren, City resident, spoke in opposition of taking parking away in the downtown area and
asked where the funds are coming from to take care of the roads.
With no other speakers coming forward, Mayor Cawley closed the public hearing.
Assistant Mayor Adkison feels the budget is responsible and noted several budget adjustments
were made in order to work on the City's roads. Council Member Bristol agreed it is very easy to
understand the budget and appreciates how staff has presented it. She asked what the City is
doing regarding budgeting for the trolleys. City Manager O'Rourke stated City lobbyist Jim
Justin is seeking state funding for the trolleys.
Adkison moved and Bristol seconded to pass the ordinance.
Lover moved and Ensey seconded to amend the motion and transfer $200,000 to Yakima
Valley Trolleys for seed money from the funds to upgrade city hall. The motion failed by a
4 -3 roll call vote with Cawley, Coffey, Ettl and Adkison voting no.
City Manager O'Rourke noted the upgrades to City Hall include ADA front doors, an ADA
counter in the lobby, painting, and carpeting. .
Ettl moved and Bristol seconded to amend the original motion by amending the budget
and taking $100,000 from reserves to demonstrate the City's commitment to Yakima
Valley Trolleys and to strengthen lobbyist Justin's position on requesting the legislature
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to meet the City halfway on funding. The motion to amend carried by a unanimous roll call
vote.
Mayor Cawley noted it has been moved and seconded to pass the budget as amended.
The motion to pass the ordinance carried by a unanimous roll call vote.
Finance and Budget Director Epperson asked for clarification as to whether we are adding
$100,000 to the general fund then showing we are using reserves or keeping it as is and trying
to reduce the budget by $100,000. Mayor Cawley stated the motion was to take from reserves
and add to the general fund.
Assistant MayorAdkison and Council Member Coffey requested quarterly reports from the
Trolley Association on grants and to see how the funds are spent.
Council Member Coffey wanted on record her opposition to using the general budget to have a
bond for streets. Council Member Ettl asked City Manager O'Rourke to explain how we have the
money now for roads when we haven't in the past. Mr. O'Rourke summed it up with one word
"priority." As reflected in the Citizen Survey and Council's Strategic Plan, those were the orders
to come back and the citizens put a premium on investment in capital infrastructures. There
were savings in other areas, reduced health care costs, employee costs and legacy expenses,
which were put towards the City's roads from existing funds.
The City Clerk read the ordinance by title only.
ORDINANCE NO. 2013 -056, AN ORDINANCE adopting a budget for the City of Yakima,
Washington, for the year 2;014; and making appropriations for estimated expenditures.
CITY MANAGER REPORTS
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9. Quarterly Gang Free Initiative report.
Steve Magellan of Magallan.Consulting briefed Council on the quarterly report.
10. Other Business
• A. Memo from Codes Manager /Fire Marshall Caruso and additional information re the Breed
Specific Law received on November 13, 2013 and distributed at November 12, 2013
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Council Study Session.
City Manager O'Rourke noted Council has a study session on this issue and did not find any
evidence that necessitates lifting the ban. Joe Caruso, Codes Manager /Fire Marshal, stated his
concern that if the City were to lift the ban it would allow dogs a "free bite." Additionally, between
Animal Control and Public i Safety, there are a lot of personnel that work on the front lines in the
field and he is very concerned about their safety.
The following citizens spoke in favor of lifting the ban on pit bull dogs:
Candie Turner, City resident; Richard Lewis, non - resident, who also provided a letter from the
American Kennel Club; Richard Gonzales, City resident; James Boyer, City resident; Robin
Smart, City resident; Marilyn Brown, City resident; Becky Pascua, City resident; and Michele (did
not state her last name), City resident.
Lynn Buchanan, City resident, spoke in favor of the ban and noted this specific law was
requested by the citizens of this city who voted it in.
Council Member Bristol stated she is concerned about the information Council has been
provided from staff and feels it has been very one - sided. Council Member Coffey agreed.
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Council Member Ettl noted his frustration with the way the meeting is being handled with
audience disruptions. This issue is about managing risk for employees and citizens and he
spoke in favor of keeping the ordinance.
Adkison moved and Ettl seconded that we do not overturn the ordinance. The motion
carried by a 6 -1 roll call vote with Coffey voting no.
Bristol moved and Coffey seconded that Council direct staff to return with more
information, in particular what other cities do regarding dangerous dog ordinances that
do not have Breed Specific Laws, also, information on other cities who have overturned
Breed Specific Laws and what their rationale and replacement strategy was, further,
regardless of the pit bull issue, look at licensing fee differentials for animals that are
spayed and neutered, as well as having a full review of any ordinances or policies .
regarding our animal control efforts and whether Animal Control Officers have
suggestions for ways to help them deal with dangerous dogs that we may not currently
have in our ordinances. The motion carried by a 5 -2 roll call vote with Cawley and Ensey
voting no.
11. Adjournment
Ensey moved and Bristol seconded to adjourn. The motion carried by a unanimous voice
vote. The meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m. to the next Council Business meeting on December
10, 2013 at 10 a.m.
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