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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/12/1974 Adjourned Meeting and Council Workshop 04/12-13/1974 APRIL 12, 1974 ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING - FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 1974 The City Council met in session at 12:00 Noon on this date in the Flight Deck Restaurant at the Yakima Air Terminal. The Council held general discussion on various city matters. No formal action was taken at this meeting. There being no further business to come before the Council, it was MOVED by Rich, seconded by Moore that this meeting be adjourned at 1:30 P.M. to be held on this date at 5:00 P.M. for a Council Retreat at Hidden Valley, Washington: carried, Broad, Brown, Edmondson, Moore, Rich, Schussler and Whitaker voting aye by voice vote. READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY \ 1t, DATE 2 ZY COUNCILMAN DATE COUNCILMAN ATTEST: AP f... mmmrw CI;,' CLERK / MAYOR COUNCIL WORKSHOP MINUTES Hidden Valley Ranch - April 12 - 13, 1974 MUNICIPAL GOALS The City Manager reviewed the progress made in achieving the Municipal Goals set by the Council in May of 1971. The status of these goals is described as follows: Community Development a. Shop Complex. This project has been programmed for 1974 and funded from Federal Revenue sharing in the amount of $1.5 million. It is to be noted that addi- tional cost increases are anticipated in steel and asphalt for this facility. Councilman Brown requested that the City staff investigate the annexa- tion of the Fruitvale City Shop site to the City. b. Improvement of at-grade Railroad Crossings. The City Manager observed that "B", "D", "I" crossings have been completed. Mayor Broad asked staff to investigate the closing of the Lincoln crossing when the south bound evening train is in and covers "B" Street but not Lincoln. c. Fire Department Modernization and Updating. This has been accomplished with the opening of two new fire stations within the last year. d. Purchase of new City buses. The Council authorized the purchase of four new buses in March. ')? APRIL 12-13, 1974 e. Building of Sewers in Older Areas Outside City. This was attempted in the Fruitvale district and on the east side through monies available from H.U.D. but has yet to be completed. f. Build a Convention - Cultural Center. Discussion The convention center bond issue vote failed at the polls, however, the recent acquisition of the Capitol Theatre is expected to meet much of the criteria for a cultural center. The Council felt that the City still lacked sufficient exhibition hall space and ban- quet facilities which a Convention Center could provide. Councilman Don Schussler asked that the Council provide a clear statement to the public on its position on the Convention Center in view of the neT., downtown redevelopment plans. He said the public should be apprised that the Council is not completely abandoning the project but that if convention center plans are pursued the public will be involved. The Council agreed that the downtown redevelopment plan could not ignore the future possibility of a convention center and should therefore reserve air rights over the parking lots proposed in the plan. Wray Brown expressed opposit'ion to including the air rights for a future convention facility in the downtown redevelopment plan, but agreed that some statement should be made to the public explaining Council action. The City Manager mentioned that the City would become the owner of a twenty year bond on the parking lots included in the downtown L.I.D. and act as manager. (As an aside the City Manager noted that the State was going to draft legislation against the recently enacted Room Tax inasmuch as several cities through- out the State had opted for it and the State was losing too much revenue. The City Manager recom- mended that the City should issue bonds to protect the funds from being recaptured by the State.) Wray Brown and Betty Edmondson expressed concern over possible charges of discrimination by the West Side merchants after learning of the L.I.D. redevelopment plans recommended for the downtown East Side. Chuck Rich recommended that the Council advise West Side property owners that they too could form an advisory group to investigate a possible assessment for parking in their own areas, and that the City would work with them in developing a proposal. The Council gave some attention to the problems at the Yakima Mall garage. Wray Brown contended that the downtown merchants should buy the facility. The City's downtown consultant, Jacobson& Assoc,.,has recommended that the Mall garage should be paid for by a superblock and be reorganized. The facility is now in receivership and apparently will lose its mortgage. The City Manager noted, finally, that the 1964 General Plan had been followed very closely in the intervening years and that most of its elements were incorporated in the downtown redevelopment plans presently under study. APRIL 12-13, 1974 g. Railroad Grade Separations. Grade separation construction is still incomplete. An overpass for Tieton Avenue is under study. h. Improvement of Industrial Waste Disposal System. The City Manager observed that the Terrace Heights industrial waste system is deficient and the City needs an engineering study to determine the land acquisition and industrial waste requirements necessary to accomodate potential industrial expansion in the area. The City has not done this to date because the problems associated with domestic sewers. Bert Broad inquired where the City was with meeting the water requirements of the Department of Ecology. The City Manager related that the Citylias system, and meets the minimum requirements of D.O.E. Street'Lighting Plan. This is still under preparation I/ by the Traffic Engineer. j. Improvement of Sidewalks and Construction of More Sidewalks. The City staff submitted a Sidewalk repair report and comprehensive sidewalk plan to the Council. The Council has made a preliminary review and referred both to the Planning Commission for their assessment. Wray Brown recommended that the City consider a large massive program of sidewalk repair and replacement. Don Schussler was interested in using Federal Revenue Sharing for new sidewalks in the City. It was the Council's decision to review these programs in more detail pursuant to Planning Commission's review. k. Development of Urban Beautification Program. An Urban Beautification program has been intiated which includes street tree planning. 1. Completion of Airport Projects. Airport Parking, Fencing, Landscaping, and Runway Lighting, etc., are all Council approved projects and programmed for 1974. m. Piping of Open Irrigation Canals and Storm Drains. This goal has not been met and flooding still persists with heavy rains. One exception is the Sotheast Center Park irrigation ditch which has been piped. Administrative Procedures a. Raising $500 bid limitation. The increase in the bid limitation was passed by the voters last November. However, the new law now limits public works projects done by force account to $5,000. The City previously had been operating under a $10,000 limitation. b. Improve Relations Between Youth and City Government. The Council gave some attention to the possibilities of furthering youth development in City Government inasmuch as the former Youth Advisory Commission was no longer operative. Betty Edmondson suggested that a youth be appointed to each citizen board or commission either as a full voting member or as an at-large non-voting number. Wray Brown expressed opposition against this but the Council agreed to give more attention • to this proposal in the future. Chuck Rich also suggested the City consider establishing a youth advisory board for programming Capitol Theatre events. ri k-1, 1974 c. Institute a Government Public Relations Program. Don Schussler recommended that the City consider hiring a professional Public Information Officer similar to that used in Federal and State agencies, skilled in the handling of public business with the news media. Schussler observed that the City's image had been deteriorating in recent months and believed that such a position would be more conducive to better news media relations. The City Manager expressed the belief that the problem was in the news media approach towards understanding City Hall operations. The consensus of the Council was to arrange for a meeting with news media represen tatives to discuss the City's position, listen to complaints and consider suggestions for improving relations between the City and the news media. d. Recruit qualified minority employees. The City's Affirmative Action Program has resulted in bringing more minorities into Cit: employment to the extent that they are presently 10% of the total work force. FORECAST '74 The staff's Forecast '74 document was reviewed by the City Council and evaluated on a numerical scale. Councilmen's responses were averaged together for each department. Overall, most City departments received an average score for their program and expenditures. Nevertheless there were certain programs under each group which the Council identified for separate discussion purposes. These included the following: Housing and Community Development Swimming Pools Senior Citizen Center Alarm and Emergency Communications Special Purpose Paths Irrigation Water Litter Clean up Animal Control Data Processing Housing The Council examined the present housing elements which include: Housing Code Occupancy Permit Housing Resource Center Neighborhood Conservation Pilot Program Housing Environmental Consumer Counselingc Rehabilitation Loan Fund Yakima Housing Authority Housing and Renewal Committee City Manager Craig McMicken reviewed a memorandum from Homer Matson, Chief of Housing and Neighborhood Conservation, concerning the City's development of a Rehabilitation Loan Fund. The new program proposed included conventional loans, low interest long term high risk loan funds, and a similar fund which would include provision for grants operated through Neighborhood Housing Services Corporations funded from foundations and other private sources. The Council expressed support of the concept but were concerned about the administration of the program. The City Manager reported that financial institutions were to be contacted by Matson and asked to undertake the administra- tion of the loans program, but this had never occured because the Housing staff believed that increases in counseling services were required first. However, the City Manager contended M'IRIL_12713 1974 that the City had enough counseling services already and advocated more pilot projects instead of a rehabilitation loan fund program. (Don Schussler recommended that the City consider a modest program to bring houses up to code that would limit loans to a small amount. Bert Broad recommended that some assistance be maintained, and Chuck Rich advocated the formation of a local neighborhood L.T.D. for housing purposes specifically.) The City Manager argued that the Rehabilitation Loan Fund is really not a local affair. A recent survey conducted by, the Senate Subcommittee of Internal Relations observed that the Federal system has a proper role in housing more so than local communities because of the size, complexity and expense of housing rehabilitation programs. The Department of Housing and Urban Development last year expended two million dollars to bail out the housing subsidy program. A U.S. Senate bill entitled Omnibus Housing and Community Development has been proposed to include low income housing assistance, community development block grants, urban home setting and rehabilitation loans. Inasmuch as this bill may be passed in '74 the City Manager recommended that the City stay out • of the Rehabilitation Loan Fund area because of the problems associated with instituting a comprehensive program more easily accomplished through federal funding. Wray Brown recommended that the City consider earmarking $25,000 a year in a small assistance fund for owners or renters, and obtain financial expertise in administering a loan program. Don Schussler observed that administration of such a loan be the responsibility of financial institutions with the City underwriting the loans. Schussler emphasized that the qualifications for loans should be limited to individuals who normally are unqualified for conventional loans and that funds would be available only to bring housing up to code. City Manager, Craig McMicken, recommended that the Council consider deactivating the Housing and Renewal Committee, retaining the existing Housing Code and Occupancy Permit System, and give the Southeast Community Center the Housing Resource Center, The Yakima Housing Authority would remain and the City could plan a community development program under block grants. He recommended discarding the Neighborhood Conservation Pilot program and the Rehabilitation Loan Fund. 1 The City Manager further emphasized that the basic problem in housing resulted from broken homes, welfare, and erratic employment. Most scaled down City programs generally result in a subsidy to the property owner. The Council decided to retain the Housing Resource Center and directed the City Manager to ask financial institutions for Council assistance in developing a Rehabilitation Loan Fund. The/deferred judgement on the Housing and Renewal Committee, the Housing Code and Occupancy Permit until the newly appointed Task Force made its recommendations. The Council agreed that Rehabilitation Loan Fund was an appropriate City program but should be administered by the banks. No funds were earmarked for the program. SWIMMING Betty Edmondson expressed some concern for the amount of money and time expended in. developing the City's swim program. The City Manager mentioning-that the swimming program would be discussed at Monday, evenings Council session. Councilman Edmondson also requested a figure on. actual cost for subsidizing the Lion's Park pool. 00 0,7 APRIL 12-13, 1974 Recreation Chuck Rich expressed concern over increased vandalism in Washington Park, and inquired as to what supervision was in effect. He recommended that the City consider developing a Neighborhood Youth Patrol Force consisting of volunteers to oversee park activities. Mr. Rich also expressed a desire for an coordinator to examine various citizen and community recreation areas. City Manager McMicken observed that this is an ongoing responsibilit: of the recreation superintendent, Ron Abernethy. II/ The City Manager expressed a need for Council priorities on Recreation vs. a Youth Center vs. the Police Involvement. The Council recommended improving youth relations with the Police Department. Bill Whitaker inquired as to what percentage of the budget in other communities throughout the state was expended on park maintenance and development; and what that amounted to for dollars spent on recreation per capita. The question was referred to staff. SENIOR CITIZENS CENTER Chuck Rich felt that some explanation was needed to seniors by recreation department on why they could not generate their own funds. It was further mentioned that seniors were satisfied with the performance of Vince Kennedy as Supervisor but were more interested in a senior to coordinate their activities than an Outreach Worker. Alarm/Communications Chuck Rich inquired regarding the status of 911 Emergency Telephone Communication Service for the Yakima area. Bert Broad responded by noting that the Yakima Emergency Services Council was initiating a program to implement 911 in Yakima. The Emergency Services Council named a committee to investigate the submission of guideline plans for grants-in-aid qualifications for 911 financial support. Administrative Assistant Dick Zais mentioned that the Council also appointed a steering committee to investigate other cities already using the 911 number, and also was given the task of developing operational aspects and a preliminary plan for a 911 program. Special Purpose Paths The Council expressed interest in the amount of gas tax receipts available for special purpose paths, and the progress made on the City's bike plan. They further requested that a study be made on the use of the Fruitvale Canal as a bikepath. The City Manager noted that gas task receipts for special purposes amounted to approximately $1,455 annually and that the City's bike plan was in the preparation for submission to the Council in the future. The City Manager expressed the need for a long range plan of interconnecting City parks with bike passes. IRRIGATION The Council discussed the prospects of improving the City's irrigation system and moving away from the current piecemeal repair approach, The City Manager noted that the Public Works Director was developing a strategy for defining the irri- gation problem and a tentative action plan. APRIL 12-13, 1974 ;Wray Brown asked that that staff investigate the possibility of water leakage at the new reservoir. Litter Control Administrative Assistant Dick Zais related to the Council the ;City's program in litter control under the administration of the Bureau of Fire Prevention in the Fire Department. Essentially, the Bureau of Fire Preverition.serves as the,clearinghouse for all litter complaints, including related Service Requests and ; referrals from other departments and agencies. Specific program ;responsibility for Litter Control is assigned to the Fire Department. The Police Department has secondary responsibility for enforcing litter control violations made by individuals. The Refuse Department, I/I 'Office of Code Administration, Parks and Recreation, City Clerk, !Public Works, and the Yakima County Health District are all enlisted as support agencies in the control of-litter in the • City. FEDERAL REVENUE SHARING ALLOCATIONS ,Humane Society/Animal Control The City Council reviewed the Humane Society Shelter needs and I request for financial assistance to purchase new animal holding cages and upgrade the Humane Shelter's ventilation system. I In addition the Council'considered centralizing Animal Control services at the and transferring'enforcement responsibility to the Humane It was the consensus of the Council ' to earmark $10,000 in FRS monies toward the purchase of the new animal holding cages. In addition it was recommended that the City propose a 50-50 cost split with the County to fund 1 a new shelter amounting to a match of $100,000 each. This amount combined with Humane Society funds of $75,000 would equal the 1 1 estimated cost of a new facility--$275,000. In addition the Council authorized the . Manager to negotiate'the transfer of Animal Control enforcement and licensing responsibility to the I Humane Society. The Mayor also requested that the City consider I the merits of instituting Adifferential rates in animal licensing fees. 1 1 Fairgrounds 1 The Council discussed the feasibility of providing fire support service to the Fairgrounds. Don Schussler argued that the Fairgrounds were not unique in generation of revenue and recommended' 1 that fire service not be extended on a contract basis. The City Manager recommended that the City extend fire protection services by contract, with the provision that the Fairgrounds ! annex to the City within three years or lose fire protection service. The Council was in agreement. 11 Southeast Community Center The Council reviewed a request from the Southeast Community I Center for funds in the amount of $30,1)01) to'meet a budget deficit. 1 The Council discussed the need for hiring a financial administrator; for the Center and recommended that a financial audit be performed. ! The City Manager recommended that the City define specific activities and attach performance requirements for Southeast Community 1 Center prograins. The Council agreed that the Center should concentrate in two or program areas and maintain-control over expenditures. i 40-A APRIL 12 -13, 1974 In discussing problems related to the operation of the S.E. Center, the Manager recommended providing funds for social services to the aged and poor with the emphasis on sound programming and performance of services. The Council agreed to earmark $30,000 in Federal Revenue Sharing for such purposes. (There were two votes against this.) Mental Health Services Mental Health Services of Yakima requested $30,000 in Federal Revenue Sharing from the Council for an expanded program in 1974 that would continue to fund a portion of the services of the clinical health services director; one professional staff person skilled in children services with support services for that position, funds to implement the program, and for certain items of equipment including videotape equipment. The Council reviewed the request and agreed to earmark $30,000 for the program. Southeast Center Clinic Marjorie Wilson of the Southeast Community Center Clinic requested that the Council supply additional Revenue Sharing monies to maintain services at their present level and expand programming. In reviewing the request, the Council agreed to earmark $13,292 in F.R.S. but requested that additional input be obtained on the program from "Southeast Community Center at Work ", and Dr. Fout of the Health District. In addition, Chuck Rich requested that the Center examine the feasibility of utilizing more volunteers in their programs. KYVE TV Yakima's public television station, KYVE, requested an additional sum of Federal Revenue Sharing money for capital expenditures for 1974. The City Manager noted that the television stations largest priority was for a new transmitter but that F.R.S. monieo l feagpap e f'u &g for such a purpose. Apparently, however, there are /avai able that 1.!r. require a $75,000 match. The Council agreed to earmark $25,000 in funds from Federal Revenue Sharing and requested that the television station investigate the possibility color programming. Overruns The City Manager observed that there was a possibility of cost overruns in City projects presently funded from Federal Revenue Sharing which include airport parking -- principally an increase in asphalt prices; City shops - -a probable increase in steel; and runway 4/22 overlay -- asphalt. In addition the City Manager discussed a possible need for a $10,000 appropriation for the Trolley Fund in anticipation of additional expenses for shipment and operation of the new trolleys. The City will operate the trolley system, however someone else would manage ticketing and promotion- - either a citizen group or Yakima Valley Transportation Company. NON -FRS The Yakima YOuth Center submitted a request for $25,000 to the City Council to fund a 100 local match for a Law and Justice Grant. The money must come from the General Fund since FRS funds are not authorized for such purposes. The City Manager related that the Law and Justice committee 40-B APRIL 12-13, 1974 will not sanction the program because an application has not been filed as yet. Law and Justice does not think well of the program,because of the qualification requirements which stipulate that 75% of youths served must be adjudicated. There is no provision or support for a preventative delinquency program. The Council elected not to fund the Yakima Youth Center request, but instead agreed to earmark $25,000 for the development of a program to aid delinquent children and support delinquency prevention. The program but would be explored by staff from either Police or Parks and Recreation. _ MANAGER'S HOUR The City Manager briefly summarized some further interests for the Council to consider. These included the possible development of plans for a new City Hall, the new look for downtown redevelopment, and the prospects for regionalism over the course of the next few years. McMicken emphasized the need for enlarged regional planning and, the establishment of an umbrella agency or Metropolitan Council composed of elected representatives to administer, area wide transit, emergency communications, regional planning for utilities and related urban services. RECAP OF FRS EARMARKINGS The following is a brief recap of the Federal Revenue Sharing funds earmarked by the Council at the workshop: 1. Humane Society Animal Cages--$10,000 2. Southeast Community Center--$30,000 3. Mental Health Services of Yakima--$30,000 4. The Southeast Community Center Clinic--$13,292 5. KYVE TV--$25,000 6. Delinquency Prevention Program for Youth--$25,000 7. Total Earmarkings--$133,292 There being no further business to come before the Council, it was MOVED by Schussler, seconded by Moore that we do now adjourn at the hour of 3:30 P.M. on Saturday, April 13, 1974: carried, Broad, Brown, Edmondson, Moore, Schussler and Whitaker viptIg aye oy -#4.ce vote. q" READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY DATE (4, COUNCI MAN , ./ 7 1( , DATE COUNCILMAN ATTEST: • TY CLERK MAYOR • M■