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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/18/1973 Business Meeting 5191 1 JUNE 18, 1973 The City Council met in session at 6:30 P.M. on this date in a classroom of Sundquist Hall, near the KYVE -TV Station. Councilmen present at the meeting were Wray Brown, Howard C. Cole, Betty L. Edmondson, Ralph Holbrook, Don Schussler and Bill Whitaker. Also present.were City Manager, Craig • McMicken, 'Personnel Director, Bob Hilsmann, City Attorney Fred Andrews, Acting City Clerk IrisLitzenberger and Attorney Wes Wilson. • City Manager McMicken reported that it is necessary for the Council to appoint a member to serve on the Advisory Committee for the Regionalization Study and recommended that Mayor Broad be appointed. He stated that Public Works .Director, Dave Vargas, is on the Committee with Fritz Jaeger, City Engineer, appointed to serve as alternate. After some discussion, it was MOVED by Whitaker, seconded by Edmondson that Mayor Bert Broad be appointed to serve on the Advisory Committee for the Regionalization Study, and that Assistant Mayor Council- man Wray Brown be appointed to serve as alternate: carried, Cole, Edmondson, Holbrook, Schussler and Whitaker voting aye by voice vote. Broad absent. City Manager McMicken reported that there will be a report from Jimr;:Elliott, Chairman of the Community Center Bond Campaign Committee on next week's Agenda. • City Manager McMicken referred to a Memo from Jay Otto, Director of Community Development, stating that there is a vacancy on the Housing and Renewal Committee and giving names of . two suggested appointees, namely Wes Wilson and Mrs. Patti Payne. He reported that both have indicated that they are willing to serve if appointed. After due discussion, it was MOVED by Schussler, seconded by Holbrook that Mr. Wes Wilson be appointed to serve on the Housing and Renewal Committee, his term to expire December 31, 1974: carried, Brown, Cole, Edmondson, Holbrook, Schussler and Whitaker voting aye by voice vote. Broad absent. • City Manager McMicken reported on the status of the *Airport parking, Flight Deck expansion, Airport land acquisition and Runway 4/22 overlay and lighting. The Council then went into Executive Session at 7:15 P.M. to consider IAFF 1974 Union nego- tiations. At 8:00- P.M., the Council members moved into the television studio of Station KYVE -TV for the balance -of the meeting,- Assistant Mayor Brown presiding, Councilmen Cole, Edmondson, Holbrook, Schussler and Whitaker,. City Manager McMicken and City Andrews present on roll call. Mayor Broad-absent on roll :call; having been :excused at a previous meeting. The Invocation was given by Councilman.Howard C. Cole.• • The minutes of the previous regular meeting of .June 11 - , - 1973, having been _duly certified accurate by-two Councilmen; and no'one present wishing to. have sa.id_minutes.read publicly, Assistant Mayor Brown-declared said minutes approved• :as. recorded. • . _. .. This being the time set for the Hearing on the proposed increase in water -sewer service charges, City Manager McMicken :reviewed his. Report #178 concerning-'this subject. He reviewed the reasons the _proposed increa :ses, briefly explaining the rising costs in operation and maintenance, - .a: , - decline of water.. sales to large commercial users and bond • debt coverage. Mr. McMicken noted the total Water -Sewer loss for 1972nand explained the number of improvements made :to the. water-sewer system since the last rate increase, as - contained in his Report #178. . He then)reviewed. the various changes proposed in rates for • minimum, average and commercial users, recommending that the new bi- monthly rates be enforced after July 1, 1973, stating these rates to be fair and reasonable in light of the charges collected by other cities in Eastern Washington. City Fred Andrews,' spoke on the use of Federal Revenue Sharing monies to meet necessary utility expenditures. He stated that the law :1is.ts eight expenditure priorities :fbr which :these monies- may' qualify, stating that sewage disposal .will..qualify under the. guidelines, but that these guidelines.. do not provide for water treatment - costs, ma'inten'ance or bond repayment.. .Mr Andrews sighted a -case from Atlanta, Georgia which was. found -to be in violation of the law in the expenditure of FRS money and explained to Councilmen the penalty for such violation. Public-Works Director, Dave Vargas, spoke concerning sources of water loss and stated that the .unmetered loss •has •been cut/ down to approximately 20.: percent. He reviewed various improvements which have been made to the water system and methods currently used for pre- vention of water loss. Finance. Director, Leonard Crose,' then spoke' on the matter of the city's utility tax of 122 percent and reported on the rates paid by other cities in the state. He explained that Yakima •does' not have a Business and Occupation Tax on each busi- ness and stated that- :the city would be' justified in having a greater amount going into the General Fund-even without -such a taxi: Mr. Crose explained the need for keeping the bond debt ratio above 1.42 .percent;, to be in keeping with - .commitments made in previous bond sales. • Mr.. George Twohy,_ representing . the: C.i.tizen's Rate :S.tudy. Committee, spok :'concerning • the great amounts of water lost and asked that. leaking pipes be repaired. He also requested that the city's tax on the water department' be reduced to eight percent and referred to an article in the Seattle Post - Intelligencer dated June 16, 1973, which indi- cated that utility rates could not be raised during the price freeze. Mr. Bill Hempstead, also representing the Citizen's' Rate Study Committee; used.charts -to - indicate the condi- tions of the, city's water-sewer 'utility for the past- four years:. Mr.. Hempstead made seve- ral recommendations on behalf of his committee, including the reuse of water at the treat- ment plant, ,d iscontinu.ing : extens ion . of - services outside the city and a• reduction in the utility tax. Others' present. and .speaking,. the matter the:.proposed new service charges were Mr. Anthony Chapman,: Mrs:-•Rice, - Mr. E!.. V; : Anderson and Kenneth Hull. •After due dis- cussion, Assistant Mayor Brown declared the Hearing to be closed. No action was taken by the Council at. this time. 4 - • • A Damage Claim having been filed with + City Clerk on June 12, 1973, by Mrs. Evert Korkalo, in the amount of $97, for damages in connection with a fall on a city sidewalk, it was MOVED by Whitaker, seconded by Cole that said Damage Claim be referred to the City Manager and Staff for study and recommendation: carried, Brown, Cole, Edmondson, Holbrook, Schussler and Whitaker voting aye by voice vote. Broad absent. An Ordinance appropriating and transferring $27,616 from the Federal Shared Revenue Fund to the General Fund for training program equipment and summer employment program for disadvan- taged youth', having been read-by title only at this meeting, was laid on -the table for one week or until June 25, 1973. City Manager McMicken explained that this amount is divided i 592 JUNE 18, 1973 into three amounts to include the police and fire department shares of equipment for a physical fitness program and money to support the Neighborhood Youth Corp summer employment program. City Attorney, Fred Andrews, explained the proposed Ordinance regulating the moving of buildings in the City of Yakima, stating that this Ordinance would raise the minimum and maximum permit fees for such moving and reviewed the requirements found in the Ordinance for the performance of this work. After due discussion, it was MOVED by Whitaker, seconded by Cole that Ordinance No. 1538, affecting the stated requirements for the moving of build- ings, be passed: carried, Brown, Cole, Edmondson, Holbrook, Schussler and Whitaker voting aye on roll call. Broad absent. Councilman Holbrook expressed concern for regulations covering the moving of buildings at night. ORDINANCE NO. 1538, AN ORDINANCE relating to building regulations; regulating the moving bf buildings and other structures into or within the City of Yakima and requiring a permit therefor; requiring a bond to assure completion of work on a moved building or structure; amending Sections 11.50.010, 11.50.020, 11.50.030 and 11.50.040; adding new Sections 11.50. 050, 11.50.060 and 11.50.070; and repealing Chapter 5.60, "House Movers ", consisting of Sections 5.60.010, 5.60.020, 5.60.030, 5.60.040, 5.60.050, 5.60.060 and 5.60.070, all of the City of Yakima Municipal Code. Parks Director, Bill Hutsinpiller, reported on the Parks Commission meeting held on June 12, 1973, and briefly reviewed the Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes dated June 12, 1973, concerning the needed improvements to Washington Park. Mr. Hutsinpiller reported that in response to strong opposition to the berm from those in the neighborhood, the Park Commission recommended that the berm be removed from'the park as soon as possible. He stated that the Interagency Committee will need to be contacted before changes are made in the park development as a replacement for the berm. Mr. Hutsinpiller recommended that the Consultant be contacted before action is taken on additonal development at Washington Park. Present in the audience and speaking to this matter was Mr. Gilbert Chandler. Assistant Mayor Brown indicated that there will need to be further study of the interests in the neighborhood as to additional types of development for Washington Park. City Manager McMicken referred to the matter of prohibiting trucks on certain local streets and referred to the letter from Councilman Don Schussler dated December 7, 1972, in which Mr. Schussler expressed concern over large trucks using city residential streets as regular routes and requesting that these trucks be restricted by Ordinance to arterial streets. Mr. McMicken also referred to the memo on this subject dated June 8, 1973, from the Traffic Engineer recommending that no action be taken to establish truck routes by Ordinance until observing truck traffic patterns forachange in the fall. City Manager McMicken referred to the request for outside sewer service to the Robert J. Schneider residence located at 416 South 49th Avenue. He reported that a connection is readily available at a connection charge of $572.13. He further stated that the property is not contiguous to the city limits, but that the owner desires to annex when possible and noted that an Outside Utility Agreement has been signed. The Planning Staff recommending • that this request be approved, it was MOVED by Schussler, seconded by Whitaker that the request of Mr. Schneider for outside utility service be granted: carried, Brown, Cole, Edmondson, Holbrook, Schussler and Whitaker voting aye by voice vote. Broad absent. City Manager McMicken referred to the City Engineer's Report on the completion of L.I.D. No. 986, South 1st Street & Mead Avenue Sanitary Sewer. It was MOVED by Schussler, seconded by Edmondson that July 16, 1973, be set as the date for Hearing on the Assessment Roll: carried,* Brown, Cole, Edmondson, Holbrook, Schussler and. Whitaker voting aye by voice vote.- Broad absent. • City Manager McMicken referred to the matter of the Southeast Community Teen Center Program stating that the city had agreed to pay a ten percent share of the Law and Justice Grant funding. He explained that the city has previously appropriated the amount of this local share and requested that payment in one large sum be authorized in light of a cash flow problem. After due discussion, it was MOVED by Holbrook, seconded by Cole that the previously appropriated amount of $6,791 appropriated as, matching funds for the state grant to the Community Center for the Yakima Center for Youth Development and Change, be paid to the Center in one sum payment: . carried, Brown, Cole, Edmondson, Holbrook, Schussler and Whitaker voting aye by voice vote. Broad absent. City Manager McMicken requesting authorization for out-of-state travel for Fritz Jaeger, City Engineer, to travel to Portland, Oregon, to confer with Burlington Northern Engineers on the scheduling of track relocation work for the Walnut Undercrossing construction and to meet with Union Pacific Railroad regarding track rehabilitation on the same from Walnut Street east to Second Avenue, as well as track rehabilitation on the Y.V.T. systems, June 22, 1973, it was MOVED by Cole, seconded by Schussler that said travel be approved and expenses paid: carried, Brown', Cole, Edmondson, Holbrook, Schussler and Whitaker vot- ing aye by voice vote. Broad absent. Assistant Mayor Brown reported on the appointment of Mr. Wes Wilson to the Housing and Renewal Committee, stating that Mr. Wilson has agreed to serve on the committee. There being no further business to come before the Council, it was MOVED by Holbrook, seconded by Cole that we do now adjourn at the hour of 11:30 P.M.: carried, Brown, Cole, Edmondson, Holbrook, Schussler and Whit -ker voting aye by voice vote. Broad absent. READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY / / DATE °57� 3 19 ' CO_' CILMAN • �' ✓ _ _�!La1.r._, DATE 'OUNC ILMAN ATTEST: ACTING CIT CLERK AS ISTANT MAYOR