HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/04/2003 Adjourned Meeting 289
CITY OF YAKIMA WASHINGTON
ADJOURNED MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FEBRUARY 4, 2003 - 6 :30 P.M.
SOUTHEAST COMMUNITY CENTER
1211 South 7 Street
1. ROLL CALL
Present:
Council: Mayor Mary Place, presiding, Council Members Clarence Barnett,
Lynn Buchanan, Paul George, Larry Mattson, John Puccinelli,. and
Bernard Sims
Staff: City Manager Zais, City Clerk Roberts; Dueane Calvin; Water and
Irrigation Manager; Dave Brown, Water and Irrigation Engineer; Tim
Jensen, Treasury Services Officer; and Records Clerk Watkins
2. PUBLIC HEARING ON UPDATED FUNDING OPTIONS FOR THE IRRIGATION
CAPITAL PROGRAM
City Manager Zais opened the hearing by describing what has taken place to date and
pointed out the written material available in both English and Spanish giving detailed
information on the subject. He then gave an overview of the irrigation system, how it
got to the condition it is in today, and what our choices are:
• The system is over 100 years old
• It was maintained by PPL and transferred to the City of Yakima in the 1920's
• It became part of 65 different irrigation systems
• In 1997 it was consolidated into one irrigation utility which could not be done
under previous state legislation
• Prior to 1995, by state law, the City was only able to collect annual
assessments to enable preventative maintenance and limited repair work.
• Described the Acquavella Water Rights litigation and it's impact — settled in
November 2002
• Prior to that settlement, water rights were in question
• As a result of the settlement the City now has a responsibility, within a ten year
time frame, to either repair or rehabilitate the irrigation system, or convert it to
an alternative system (domestic water).
• If we do not do one or the other, we risk losing the water granted in the
settlement
Mr. Zais then explained that the City has engaged in a major analysis on what the
costs would be for each choice, noting they are all extremely expensive, and
researching possible financial resources. To rebuild the system will cost
approximately $20 million (the 308 system is about $14 million of that figure), and to
convert to, and enhance, domestic water is approximately $21 million (excluding the
$5.8 million required to rebuild the non -308 system). It is the ratepayers of the city
who will primarily bear this burden. He said it is not just an economic decision but also
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a quality of life decision for the community. We want to find the best solution that is 1)
affordable, 2) is going to preserve and enhance the benefits of having irrigation, 3)
improve our neighborhood aesthetics, and 4) supply all the benefits that come from an
excellent water supply. There will be no decision made at this meeting, The intent is to
give the public information and receive their input. He also announced there will be
another public hearing held in two weeks.
Bilingual City employees were available to assist with translation into Spanish.
Dueane Calvin, Water and Irrigation Manager, advised that for Alternative #1 the total
cost is $21,700,000. Some work has already been accomplished and, with funds
already available, that figure has been reduced to $19,290,000. He went on to
describe Alternative #2, converting the 308 - system to domestic water, and advised the
total cost for it is $27,600,000. It too would be reduced by available funds to
$26,640,000. Mr. Calvin reviewed the details for both alternatives from the fact sheet.
He then referred to Alternative #3, rebuilding the 308 irrigation system and splitting it
into a utility by itself. The details of this alternative are also explained in the fact sheet.
Steve Myers, owner of the property at 1120 Cherry Avenue, asked technical questions
about the out takes and valves and whether the existing ones will be adequate to
handle the volume that will be required to irrigate. He predicted that, because it is a
financially stressed area of Yakima, residents will stop irrigating if it is converted to
domestic water because they would be paying for every drop. Dave Brown, Water and
Irrigation Engineer, answered Mr. Myers technical questions. Mr. Myers stated he
prefers the use of irrigation water, therefore, is in favor of Alternative #1.
Council Member Buchanan spoke about Community Development Block Grant money
that is available each year and how the group that previously researched irrigation
options wanted it used to rebuild the 308 - system but the Council didn't accept that
proposal. He also claimed that, although some of it is committed to pay for bonds and
other things, the majority of the rest of that grant money goes towards paying the
ONDS employees' salaries.
Nestor Hernandez, 1600 South 73 Avenue, spoke against putting irrigation water
and drinking water together because of the expense to owners. He said the current
system is affordable. He referred to pressure problems in some areas. He stated that
he wanted to keep the system as it is now and rebuild it.
Don Ramsey, 507 North 62 Avenue, said he owns property in various parts of town
and encouraged the City Council to rebuild the present irrigation system. He said it
has served the town admirably and now needs to be repaired. It was his opinion that a
dual system is much better than a single system. He was under the impression that by
going to a domestic water system we would be giving up water shares and he felt that
was unconscionable. He referred to the increase in irrigation costs in 1997 that was to
help pay to rebuild the system and thinks five years have been wasted. He asked
when the ten -year countdown started. He would like to review more information on
how the last five -year program has gone before he is willing to put money into capital
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ADJOURNED MEETING — FEBRUARY 4, 2003
improvements. He closed by saying he would prefer Alternative #1, to rebuild the
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system. Mr. Zais advised that the clock started ticking at the settlement in November
2002. Dave Brown explained in detail what work has been accomplished since 1997.
Mr. Ramsey was pleased to hear the money has been going back into the system. He
was also informed that water rights are not at risk over this process. The same water
currently put into our irrigation system could go into the domestic system. There were
then explanations on a pay -as- you -go rebuild stretched over fifteen years and how
some of the improvements on the non - 308 - system could be deferred for a number of
years. Staff also explained how they would avoid charging sewer rates for irrigation
water if domestic water was used.
Alonzo Marques, 613 North 3rd Street, compared what he paid for irrigation 22 years
ago with today's rates and said he receives very little water. His concern is that if
irrigation is converted to domestic water who is going to pay to convert the plumbing to
get it out to their lawns and trees. Dave Brown explained that a table in'the fact sheet
provides estimates of the cost for the property owner and what the City would do in
that process. Mr. Marques described the people in the area as low- income and that
many cannot afford to feed their families let alone pay additional irrigation charges.
When asked, he said he prefers Alternative #1 and to rebuild the system as the money
comes in. He is not concerned at how long it will take.
An unidentified gentlemen spoke about whether we could drill some ground wells.
Dave Brown said the Department of Ecology would view that as needing a water right
and we do not have a water right for ground water. Also, through irrigation studies
they have looked at the potential cost of converting the irrigation system to a ground
water system and /or converting to domestic water using ground water as a source. It
was determined to be as expensive, if not more.
In response to a question from Larry Ratts, 902 North 6 Street, about the financial
aspects of the repair, Tim Jensen, Treasury Services Officer, advised that there are a
variety of programs for both 20 and 30 -year bonds. He said the 30 -year bonds are
probably the most viable option and were used to calculate the square footage cost
shown on the fact sheet. Dave Brown, responding to a question about how long the
repaired /replaced system would be expected to last, said the rebuild option would
replace the wood with plastic that has a service life of about fifty years. Once the 30-
year bond timeframe is behind us we will have to continue to keep that system in
shape and it should last for a long time.
Mr. Ratts claimed that the proposed method of determining costs based upon
seasonal usage is extremely unfair. Because these are rental properties, the usage
increases the heaviest during the non - irrigation season while on the other hand
homeowners vacation and leave during the non - irrigation season. He feels any
system of cost calculated during the non - irrigation season is going to be grossly unfair.
Ken Montgomery, 3604 Messina Drive, said he has been in the irrigation business for
30 years until he recently retired. He spoke at length for the need for conservation and
various methods of efficient water usage.
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ADJOURNED MEETING — FEBRUARY 4, 2003
Luz Bazan- Gutierrez, 1424 South 31 Avenue, said she strongly feels there is a need
to hold another public hearing or informational presentation in Spanish. She requested
further information on water shares as this was the first she had heard that they did not
belong to the property owners. She also asked questions about the previous irrigation
committee that studied this issue.
Dueane Calvin explained that in 1996 a group was formed to discuss the irrigation
issue and did so for better than a year. That committee's recommendation was to
create an irrigation utility and also create a capital program to be funded on a pay -as-
you-go basis at approximately $50 per year per customer. The majority of the
committee indicated they wanted to do a rebuild. He said the irrigation utility was
created in 1998 and began collecting the capital funds, generating about $500,000 per
year. That money has been used mainly on the General System. There was
approximately $200,000 used to create a master plan and there is about $1 million
currently in capital reserve. Mr. Zais explained that the pay -as- you -go plan extended
for many years. The Acquavella settlement requires this to be done in a ten -year
timeframe. Mr. Calvin added that if we were to continue at the current pay -as- you -go
rate it would take over 40 years to complete.
Consuello Mendoza, through a translator, said she would like to see the option of
repairing the irrigation system go forward.
Bob Firman, 4908 Castleview Drive, gave his support to Alternative #1 but said he .
didn't think it was fair that those who receive their drinking water from Nob Hill Water
and get their irrigation from a separate system wouldn't see an increase in their water
bills. Whatever is done benefits the whole city and, therefore, everyone should be
paying for it. He also mentioned the efforts the City has gone through to fluoridate the
drinking water and how unnecessary it would be to have fluoride on lawns. He
suggested Council consider using block grant money for a portion of this system and
have private agencies raise the money for the social agencies.
At this point Dueane Calvin explained that Acquavella was a lawsuit brought forward
by the Department of Ecology for water usage in the Yakima River Basin. There were
several hundred claimants in the lawsuit and they were required to go through
adjudication. The City of Yakima, as a holder of water rights including irrigation water
rights for the 308 - system, had to defend those rights in Superior Court. This litigation
went on for 25 years and during those years it was impossible to make decisions
because of the uncertainty of the water rights. In November 2002, the court decided
what the City's water rights would be, in particular for the 308 - system. They gave the
City ten years to get to the point of realistically serving customers with the water they
should be getting out of the system. In summary, Acquavella was a court action that
said this is how much water you have today and this is how much water you will have
ten years from now and there is a significant difference in the amounts.
Bev Luby Bartz, 114 North 7th Street, spoke about the citizen's irrigation committee,
the money that came in, and how she feels this is all a means to raise taxes.
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ADJOURNED MEETING — FEBRUARY 4, 2003
Gary Walters spoke for his mother at 1515 South 7 Avenue. He advised that
approximately six years ago the City was doing repair work on Mead Avenue and
South 7 Avenue. As a result it blocked their water line. He said they have tried to
contact the City but the problem has never been resolved. Staff took the information
and said they would research it immediately.
Teodora Hernandez, 613 South 2nd Street, came forward to support Alternative #1.
• She also requested receiving notices of any changes that may take place.
Alice Creighton, 212 North 8 Street, also came forward to support Alternate #1.
Council Member Sims explained that if this is a cost issue and people are looking at a
cost of $21 million versus $19 million they really need to be able to sit down with
someone and review their past records for the last two years to compute comparisons
for the three alternatives. Dave Brown said citizens could contact any one of the
members in the Water Department. He also referred to the Fact Sheet and how it is
laid out that way for Alternatives #1 and #3. Alternative #2 is more complex than that
and he attempted to explain that further.
•
Albert Hull, 412 South 14th Avenue, asked for people that have irrigation systems and
are currently using irrigation water, if it were converted to domestic water for irrigating,
what would that usage cost be and is it figured into the costs in Alternative #2.
Mr. Brown said usage is not included. Council Member Buchanan also pointed out
there is also an annual inspection fee for the backflow valves.
Betty Gaudette, 701 North 6 Street, cannot imagine how the residents of irrigation
district 308 can - possibly afford to use treated water in their yards. She said she
doesn't think they can afford anything else except to rebuild the 308 - system.
Phyllis Musgrove, 424 North 30 Avenue, said she lived 34 years at 1401 North
Cherry Avenue and also has two other rental lots. She said she pays the water and
irrigation bills for her rentals because renters would not water their lawns if they had to
pay that kind of an irrigation bill.
Freya Burgstaller, 1507 Belmont Avenue, asked what is the. source of the City's
irrigation water. Dave Brown showed her on the map and explained that it comes out
of the Naches River or the Yakima Valley Canal, the Naches Canal, and many other
places.
John Everhart, 1012 South 8 Street, asked how much had been spent to study the
cost of the three alternatives and was advised that to date it's between $350,000-
$375,000. It was explained that included doing hydraulic modeling to ensure water
can get from one place to another. Mr. Everhart asked who would be doing the work
and was told a contract would go out for bid as the job is too big for the City to do. He
wanted to know if it would be local people or would the job go to people out of town.
He was told we must follow the public bidding laws and it would probably be a
combination of both.
Mary Hernandez, said she feels it is very important that we retain our water system.
She supports Alternative #3.
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CITY OF YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FEBRUARY 18, 2003 - 1:30 P.M.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS - CITY HALL
1. ROLL CALL
Present:
Council: Mayor Mary Place, presiding, Council Members Clarence Barnett,
Lynn Buchanan, John Puccinelli, and Bernard Sims
Staff: City Manager Zais and City Clerk Roberts
Absent: Council Members Paul George and Larry Mattson (present in the
Executive Session)
2. EXECUTIVE SESSION REGARDING PENDING LITIGATION AND COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING (PLEASE ALLOW 30 MINUTES)
Mayor Place announced that Council would move into Executive Session for
approximately 30 minutes to discuss pending litigation and collective bargaining.
3. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 2:00 p.m.
READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY: .-, ,) 1 � �o�( 1 / ��/s 2 j
OU N CIL MEMBER DATE/
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CITY CLERK / MARY PLACE, MAYOR
Minutes prepared by Karen Roberts. An audio and video t. se of this meeting are available in the City Clerk's
Office