The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About09/02/2014 Business Meeting 102 • • • YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL September 2, 2014 City Hall -- Council Chambers 6 p.m. Business Meeting -- Minutes BUSINESS MEETING 1. Roll Call • Council: Mayor Micah Cawley, presiding, Assistant Mayor Kathy Coffey, Council Members Maureen Adkison, Tom Dittmar, Rick Ensey, Dave Ettl and Bill Lover Staff: City Manager O'Rourke, Acting City Attorney Harvey and City Clerk Claar Tee 2. Pledge of Allegiance Mayor Cawley led the Pledge of Allegiance. 3. Open Discussions for the Good of the Order 4. Council Reports A. Draft 2015 State Legislative and Administrative Priorities Motion: Coffey moved and Adkison seconded to adopt the legislative priorities as presented by the Council Partnership Committee. The motion carried by a unanimous roll call vote. 5. 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.) Motion: Coffey moved and Ensey seconded to approve the consent agenda. The motion carried by a unanimous roll call vote. A. Second Quarter 2014 Strategic Plan Monitoring Report B. 2014 2nd Quarter Capital Improvement Projects Report C. 2nd Quarter Financial Trend Monitoring Report D. Resolution regarding changes to tie, by -laws and to the interlocal agreement of the Cities Insurance Association of Washington (CIAW) RESOLUTION NO. R- 2014 -112, A RESOLUTION regarding changes to the By -Laws and Interlocal Agreement to the Cities Insurance Association of Washington (CIAW). E. Resolution authorizing an Interlocal Agreement with the City of Ellensburg to provide for joint cooperation in the event of a major law enforcement operation involving a special threat or major disruption Page 1 of 4 103 RESOLUTION NO. R- 2014 -113, A RESOLUTION authorizing the City Manager, on behalf of the City Council, to execute an Interlocal Agreement with the City of Ellensburg to jointly cooperate in the event of major law enforcement operations. F. Resolution authorizing an Interlocal Agreement/Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Grandview forming and maintaining a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team available for response to high risk incidents RESOLUTION NO. R- 2014 -114, A RESOLUTION authorizing the City Manager, on behalf of the City Council, to execute an Interlocal Agreement/Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Grandview to form and maintain a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team available for response to high risk incidents occurring within-their respective jurisdictions. 6. Audience Participation Charles Noel, City resident, thanked Council Member Ensey for his efforts to lower taxes. He stated he appreciates the road and handicap repairs across the City in addition to the MLK railroad underpass project. He believes any money left over from completed projects should be returned to the funding jurisdiction. He noted his continued efforts to fight graffiti in his neighborhood and noticed problems with weeds etc. around Barge - Lincoln Elementary School. John Cooper, CEO of Yakima Valley Visitor's and Convention Bureau, reported they had more than 10,000 people in downtown for the Hot Shots 3 -on -3 Basketball Tournament. He noted all the participants found parking within two blocks of Yakima Avenue. Rich Austin, Yakima Valley Sports Commission, submitted a recap of the Hot Shots 3 -on -3 Basketball Tournament. He thanked many of the City divisions, which helped make this a success. Tony Sandoval, City resident, commented on the district voting issue and thinks the City needs to move forward. Along with three at large positions, he suggested four districts where individuals vote in those neighborhoods. Joey Anderson, City resident, complained about the City Council and City Manager. CITY MANAGER REPORTS 7. Selection of Preferred Downtown Plaza Design for Final Refinement by Gustafson, Guthie, Nichol City Manager O'Rourke briefed Council on the plaza designs. Paul Nagle - McNaughton, City resident, stated he participated in two of the three public meetings on the plaza issue and is very impressed with the thought and consideration put into the designs. He believes the North Plaza design feels like a failed compromise, with too many limits and too many corners cut, which falls short of a community plaza. He would be happy with the four South Plaza designs, but feels the Y designs are better. He stated being a leader means envisioning what we want our community to look and feel like 10, 20 and 30 years down the road. Tony Sandoval, City resident, stated the City needs to make sure people know the parking issue is solved since it was such a major issue. He preferred the North Plaza. Bob Redman, City resident, feels this is a great opportunity for the City in terms of future growth. He gave an analogy and noted how lucky the City is to have a renowned landscape architect and world class figure such as Kathryn Gustafson designing this. He believes there isn't a parking issue and the City has only once chance to get this plaza right and should go with Ms. Gustafson's favorite design, Yb. • Page 2 of 4 104 Council Member Adkison stated she has done a lot of traveling and the cities she visited had thriving downtown plazas. She stated her preference is plan Ya. Council Member Dittmar stated he thinks the North Plaza is too confined and prefers the Ya design. Assistant Mayor Coffey agreed with Mr. Redman and noted not many cities have this opportunity. She stated Ya is also her favorite. Council Member Lover stated he prefers the North Plaza; however, if he had to make a choice from the South Plaza, it would also be Ms. Gustafson's preferred choice of Yb. Council Member Ensey stated he had no comments, as he doesn't support any of them. Council Member Ettl stated he prefers Ya, as does Mayor Cawley. City Manager O'Rourke reported if Council has a preference, Ms. Gustafson and her team will fine -tune the proposed plan and bring the issue back in October with financial plans. He also noted there has been private sector interest in helping with this project. Motion: Coffey moved and Ettl seconded to move forward with plan YA as far as working with Ms. Gustafson. The motion carried by a .5 -2 roll call vote with Ensey and Lover voting no. Motion: Lover moved and Ensey seconded to assign the Council approved, downtown plaza advisory vote to the appropriate Council Committee (Economic Development) to compile the information necessary to formulate and prepare the proposal into the voter advisory ballot measure proposition. The motion failed by a 4 -3 roll call vote with Adksion, Cawley, Coffey and Ettl voting no. 8. Discussion regarding utility tax options City Manager O'Rourke briefed Council on the options. Council Member Ensey stated he didn't ask for this, but had, a simple proposition of lowering the utility tax. City Manager O'Rourke noted as a point of information that at the July 15, 2014 Council meeting, Council Member Ensey's motion was amended to "lower the utility tax pending a public hearing, budgetary review and council approval of budget cuts," which is why he brought back the information presented. Mayor Cawley noted they are planning to set the date of a public hearing for this issue; therefore, there is no point in voting on this. Motion: Ensey moved and Lover seconded to lower the utility tax from six percent to four percent. The motion failed by a 4 -3 roll call vote, Adkison, Cawley, Coffey and Ettl voting no. 9. Set date of public hearing for September 16, 2014 at 6:30 p.m. regarding utility tax options Motion: Adkison moved and Ettl seconded to set the date of the public hearing. The motion carried by a 6 -1 roll call vote with Lover voting no. 10. Other Business None. 11. Adjournment Motion: Adkison moved and Coffey seconded to adjourn to a Council Study Session on September 9, 2014 at 10 a.m. in the Council Chambers. The motion carried by a unanimous voice vote. The meeting adjourned at 7:17 p.m. CERTIFICATION P READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY I �� •�� ■,$) COUNCIL M:E "ANIP . ^TE Page 3 of 4 105 ___to).,._.„ . • COUNCIL MEMBER DATE ATTEST: 1r /0 _ CITY CLERK -Y-, ; .� '- 'L'=" : 11 1 � MAYOR / � 1 �I / • ' • � 1 ' am • • • Page 4 of 4