Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/10/1977 Business Meeting ) JANUARY 10, 1977 The City Council met in session on this date at 1:30 P.M., in the Conference Room, City Hall, Yakima, Washington. Council members present were Assistant Mayor W. K. "Pete' Moore, Jean Allard, Ralph Holbrook and Gordon Wonder. Council 1 members absent were Mayor Betty L. Edmondson, Dr. Bill Simmons and Nadine Walker. The Council members went into Executive Session to discuss the legal aspects of the Downtown Redevelopment Project. At the conclusion of the Executive Session, the matter of setting a date for a joint meeting with the Yakima Housing Authority was discussed. Fred Stouder, II/ , Director of Community Development, indicated that some time in the near future would be a good time for the Housing Authority and the Council to get together. It was the consensus of the Council that this meeting might be held at a Thursday noon meeting and Fred Stouder will ask the Housing Authority members which Thursday will be best for them to meet with the Council. The report from the Association of Washington Cities in regard to the Abolition of Local LEOFF Disability Boards, was reviewed. The AWC is asking the various City Councils for their input. The report is mainly informational stating that in recent months an issue has arisen regarding local disability boards which operate as a part of the Law Enforcement Officers and Firefighters Retirement system. It has been suggested by some legislators that the structure of local boards should be eliminated and replaced by a board or agency at the state level which would make the retirement and medical payment decisions now made by the i local boards. Information is given in the report on arguments for and against ! the elimination of local boards. The AWC at this point does not have a formally adopted position on this matter and listed possible positions it might take, and is seeking guidance from cities on helping them reach a decision: Walt Chappel, City Treasurer and a member of both Boards, reported on a meeting he attended in Seattle recently, held for employer members of the Boards and giving informa- tion on pension matters. He stated that the present Pension Law is hard to legislate. Councilman Moore indicated that he feels that the disability boards' responsibilities should be turned over to the State providing they assume the medical responsibility. He also indicated that there should be some better guidelines set up for boards to follow. Councilman Holbrook stated that he is in favor of keeping the local boards, but support the development of standard guidelines for the local boards to follow. Councilman Allard indicated that he 1 thinks the complete program should be given back to the State and that then something would have to be done about it. Councilman Wonder referred to the possible positions listed by the AWC report, stating that possibly parts of suggestions ,#3 and #4 could be combined, which would support the State organiza- tion and the development Of uniform standards and policies. There was some ! discussion on meeting with our legislators on this matter. Acting City Manager Dick Zais reported that information is received from the A.W.C.on legislative matters and giving its stand, and these can be given to Council members. 1 After further discussion on this matter, it was the consensus of the Council members present that there should be some further discussion next week at Study session and possibly take some stand to report back to A.W.C. I. 42 1 JANUARY 10, 1977 At 3:00 P.M., the Council members moved into the Council Chambers ' for the balance of the meeting, Assistant Mayor W. K. "Pete" Moore presiding, Councilmen Allard, Holbrook and Wonder, Acting City Manager Zais and City Attorney Andrews present on roll ! call. Council members absent were Mayor Betty Edmondson, Councilmen Simmons and Walker. ' The Invocation was given by City Attorney Andrews. The minutes of the previous meeting having been duly certified accurate by two Councilmen, and no one present wishing to have said minutes read publicly, Assistant Mayor Moore declared said minutes approved as recorded. Assistant Mayor Moore referred to the items placed on the Consent Agenda questioning whether there were any additions or deletions from either Council member or citizen present. Councilman Holbrook requested that item #9 be deleted from the Consent Agenda and considered in its normal sequence on the agenda. Acting City Manager Zais requested that items 13c and d be deleted from the Consent Agenda and considered in their normal sequence. It was the consensus of the Council that the deletions, ! as requested, be made. The City Clerk then read the Consent ' Agenda items including ordinances by title. It was MOVED by Wonder, seconded by Holbrook that the Consent Agenda, as read, be passed: carried, Allard, Holbrook, Moore and Wonder voting 1 aye on roll call. Edmondson, Simmons and Walker absent.- (Para- . graphs preceded by an asterisk (*) indicate items on the Consent Agenda to be handled under one motion without further discussion.) Phil Goodhue of 405 So. 31st Avenue and Don Elefson of 3600 Howard Avenue spoke to Council regarding the cost of using the new Yakima Center. They stated they are juniors at Eisenhower High School and the junior and senior class wanted to use the Yakima Center for their prom. They stated they could afford to rent the Center, but that all the catering is done by M & M Incorporated, run by Mr. Moultray. They stated Mr. Moultray ; quoted them a price of $3.00 per person which would make the total cost over $1500. Mr. Moultray also told them it would be the same price if they only had coffee furnished. They asked ' Council to consider making some changes so the Yakima Center i can really be for the whole community. Assistant Mayor Moore, stated that he agreed with these gentlemen that the Center should be for the whole community. It was the consensus of the Council that this matter be looked into and an answer given to the students at Eisenhower. , Mr. Margaret Serman of 1405 N. 1st Street addressed-the Council presenting them with a damage claim. It was the consensus of ' the Council that this claim go through the normal channels of staff. Mr. Alan Bushley of R. W. Beck & Associates in Seattle spoke to Council on the status of the Yakima Wastewater Facilities project. He presented Council members with a written report and also stated that each project has three steps; the planning, designing and the construction. He stated they would go out for bids on the West Valley interceptors this April and will complete the sewer rehabilitation bids for the relining this summer. He stated that EPA will not allow sewer and water rate structures to be together so the City will have to change their rate structure. He stated that the secondary treatment will meet the EPA requirements for 1983 and is being designed for the year 2000. Councilman Wonder stated he had understood that it would be a tertiary treatment rather than secondary. Director of Public Works, Dave Vargas stated they have been planning for secondary treatment since the project first started and that tertiary treatment would be double the cost of secondary. 1 2L _ JANUARY 10, 1977 Mr. Preston Shepherd was also present and stated that R. W. Beck & Associates,and Mr. Alan Bushely have done a find job and he thinks the project is going well. It was the consensus of the Council that Mr. Bushley be instructed to pursue no further with the land application. Fire Chief Ed Carroll reviewed with the Council his report on hi ranger snorkel overhaul dated January 6, 1977. Councilman Moore stated that evidently there had been a misunderstanding in the past. He stated he did not feel the money for the emergency vehicles and the snorkel repair should come out 1, of FRS funds, but they would go elsewhere in the budget. Acting City Manager Zais stated the staff did not feel they could be funded in the regular budget without cutting down on personnel. It was MOVED by Allard, seconded by Wonder that staff be instructed to proceed with securing the contract to repair the snorkel and find the funding in the present budget to pay for this. If staff is unable to find the money, they are to come back to the Council: carried, Allard, Holbrook, Moore and Wonder voting aye by voice vote. Edmondson, Simmons and Walker absent. *It was MOVED by Wonder, seconded by Holbrook that the report of the City Engineer dated January 5, 1977, with respect to the completion of the work on Public Works Contracts 10th Street and "A" Street, 12-inch watermain, Schedule - I, be approved, the work be accepted and payment of the final estimates as therein setforth be hereby authorized: carried, Allard, Holbrook, Moore and Wonder voting aye on roll call. Edmondson, Simmons and Walker absent. It was MOVED by Wonder, seconded by Holbrook that the outside utility request for water at 514 N. 22nd Avenue filed by Derline Bishop be granted: carried, Allard, Holbrook, Moore and Wonder voting aye on roll call. Edmondson, Simmons and Walker absent. Fire Chief Ed Carroll gave a short explanation of the reasons for Ordinance No. 2040 stating that this is the first time since January 1976 the Fire Department has had a full crew and now some of the men who have been denied time-off in order to keep a full crew will be allowed to use some of their time that has built up. It was MOVED by Allard, seconded by Holbrook that Ordinance No. 2040 specifying the vacation accrual provisions for certain Fire Department employees, be passed: carried, Allard, Holbrook, Moore and Wonder voting aye on roll call. Edmondson, Simmons and Walker absent. ORDINANCE NO. 2040, AN ORDINANCE relating to City government personnel; specifying vacation accrual provisions for certain City employees and amending subsection 2.22.060 of the City of Yakima Municipal Code. *An Ordinance transferring and appropriating the amount of $20,000 in the General Fund to provide a grant to Yakima County for provision of services for 1977 having been read by title only at this meeting, was laid on the table for one week or until January 17, 1977. It was MOVED by Wonder, seconded by Holbrook that Ordinance No. 2041, relating to City holidays be passed: carried, Allard, Holbrook, Moore, and Wonder voting aye on roll call. Edmondson, Simmons and Walker absent. - ORDINANCE NO. 2041, AN ORDINANCE relating to city personnel; designating holidays for City employees; amending Section 2.40.080 of the City of Yakima Municipal Code. Council members reviewed a letter from Yakima Valley Construction Federation requesting the combination of permits for 4 2 JANUARY 10, 1977 code departments of the City, i.e., one -stop permit system. It was the consensus of the Council to refer this matter to staff for their report and to have the Joint Board discuss this. It will be discussed with the Yakima Valley Construction Federation at a Thursday luncheon session. *It was MOVED by Wonder, seconded by Holbrook that the hearing for the rezone request filed by United Builders of Washington for property 200 feet south of Nob Hill and So. 22nd Avenue be fixed for January 31, 1977: carried, Allard, Holbrook, Moore and Wonder voting aye on roll call. Edmondson, Simmons and Walker absent. *It was MOVED by Wonder, seconded by Holbrook that the hearing for the rezone requested filed by Mark Hemstreet, (Shilo Inns) for property located on N. 1st Street and Gordon Road, be fixed for January 31, 1977: carried, Allard, Holbrook, Moore and Wonder voting aye on roll call. Edmondson, Simmons and Walker absent. It was MOVED by Allard, seconded by Holbrook that the outside utility request filed by Sentinal Land Company for the 1400 block of So. 40th Avenue, be approved with the five conditions as suggested by the Planning Commission: carried, Allard, Holbrook, Moore and Wonder voting aye by voice vote. Edmondson, Simmons and Walker absent. The five conditions are as follows: 1. A letter of assurance is to be provided by the developer to the City from Nob Hill Water Company stating that it can provide the water necessary to meet City standards. 2. That an 8 -inch looped or grid water system be installed. 3. That fire hydrants meeting City standards be placed according to the City Fire Marshal before construction. 4. That all easements for sewer location be at the direction of the City Engineer. 5. That all sewer design be at the direction and receive approval from the City Engineer. It was MOVED by Wonder, seconded by Holbrook that the outside utility request filed by Groenig- Buckley- Wachsmith, for property located at N. 6th Avenue and River Road be approved with the two conditons as suggested by the Planning Commission: carried, Allard, Holbrook, Moore and Walker voting aye by I/ voice vote. Edmondson, Simmons and Walker absent. The two conditions are as follows: 1. That a letter of agreement be signed between the applicants and the City stating that the septic tank system is temporary and that they will immediately hook -up upon the availablility of a sanitary sewer system. 2. That the applicants meet the conditions as stated by the City Fire Marshal (a) hydrants be of City standards and placed according to the City Fire Marshal's direction and (b) 8 -inch mains or larger be installed in a looped or grid system suitable to provide the necessary fire flow. 423 JANUARY 10,1977 Acting City Manager Zais stated he had a request for out -of- state travel for Steve Knopp and Vern Collins of the Traffic Division. He stated one of them would drive the truck that is to be repaired to Portland and the other would drive a City car so the two of them could leave the truck to be repaired and come back in the City car. It was MOVED by Holbrook that this request be granted: motion failed for want of a second. Councilman Wonder stated that he felt one employee could take the truck to Portland and ride the bus home and save money by both employees not missing a day's work. It was MOVED by Wonder, seconded by Allard that one I/ employee be granted out -of -state travel for Portland, Oregon: carried, Allard, Holbrook, Moore and Wonder voting aye by voice vote. Edmondson, Simmons and Walker absent. Mr. Ted Cowan addressed Council stating that Naches High School has a bond issue in February and he wanted to know if the City was allowing any more hook -ups on the line from the reservoir, so the school would know if it could hook -up to it. The Council referred this matter to staff stating they didn't believe that there was any more hook -ups to be made, but Mr. Cowan should speak to staff. Council members had discussion re Mary Gustafson's case report of a City employee who had filed a complaint feeling , she had been discriminated against. The complaint was dropped when the employee hired for the position left the City and the complaintant was moved into the position. The Council showed great concern regarding long- time City employees moving into higher City jobs when they are qualified applicants. They stated they feel that a qualified long -time City employee should be strongly considered over hiring an over - qualified non -City employee candidate. Director of Management & Budget, Chuck Rains spoke stating he did not feel the complaintant had been discriminated against, but thought she had drawn conclusions without having facts. Mary Gustafson stated that E - a maximum of five points is added no matter how many years a person has been with the City and that no points are given for job performance. Mr. Rains stated that employees tend to object to points for job performance because the management makes the decision as to how many points to givd.- There being no furthe' business to come before the Council, it was MOVED by Wonder, seconded by Allard that this meeting be adjourned at the hour of 5:45 P.M. to then meet on Thursday, January 13, 1977 in the Council Chambers, City hall, at 12:30: carried, Allard, Holbrook, Moore and Wonder voting aye by voice vote. Edmondson, Simmons and Walker absent. I/ �J READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY .S��r�� vY� 1/641, DATE 0 A AO/ ! ✓ / ..,. � PATE 577 01 LMA. ATTEST: CITY AERK / MAY