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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSigned Minutes 7-22-19Minutes of the Arlington City Council Workshop Council Chambers 110 East Third Street July 22, 2019 Councilmembers Present: Mike Hopson, Marilyn Oertle, Josh Roundy, Jan Schuette, Jessica Stickles and Sue Weiss. Council Members Absent: Debora Nelson, excused. Staff Present: Mayor Barb Tolbert, Paul Ellis, Kristin Banfield, Sarah Lopez, James Trefry, Kristin Garcia, Dave Kraski, Jonathan Ventura, Marc Hayes, Jim Kelly, City Attorney Steve Peiffle, and Wendy Van Der Meersche. Also Known to be Present: Don Vanney and family, Doug Buell, Sarah Arney, Shirley Case, Holly Sloan -Buchanan, Chief Dennis Fenstermaker, Deputy Chief Drew Bono, Pastor Russ Nuss, and Lindsay Dunn. Mayor Barb Tolbert called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm, and the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call followed. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA Mayor Pro Tem Marilyn Oertle moved to approve the agenda as presented. Councilmember Jan Schuette seconded the motion, which passed with a unanimous vote. INTRODUCTION OF SPECIAL GUESTS AND PRESENTATIONS None. PROCLAMATIONS None. WORKSHOP ITEMS - NO ACTION WAS TAKEN Appointment to the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) Finance Director Kristin Garcia spoke of two open positions on the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee. Jennifer Egger is requesting reappointment, and Shirley Case is requesting a new appointment. Ms. Garcia indicated both applicants are qualified and willing to serve. Discussion followed with Ms. Garcia answering council questions. Boundary Line Adjustment for Grandview North, LLC Community and Economic Development Director Marc Hayes spoke of the reconfiguring of existing parcels in the Emory Lofts project to "square up" property lines, which will provide more uniformity in both the city -owned and Grandview parcels. Mr. Hayes distributed a map to councilmembers. Discussion followed with Mr. Hayes answering council questions. Page 1 of 4 Minutes of the City of Arlington City Council Workshop July 22, 2019 Apparent Low Bid Terrace Park Renovation Project Public Works Director Jim Kelly spoke of the Terrace Park Renovation Project. The project was advertised for bid in June and bids were opened July 11. Diverse Contractors, Inc. was the qualified low bidder. Staff is recommending council accept the bid and award the project to Diverse Contractors, Inc. Discussion followed with Mr. Kelly answering council questions. Apparent Low Bid Merchants Parking Lot Repaving Project Public Works Director Jim Kelly spoke of the Merchants Parking Lot Repaving Project. The project was advertised for bid in June and bids were opened July 11. Fidalgo Paving and Construction was the qualified low bidder. Staff is recommending council accept the bid and award the project to Fidalgo Paving and Construction. Discussion followed with Mr. Kelly answering council questions. Update on Installation of Temporary Signal at SR-530 and Smokey Point Blvd Public Works Director Jim Kelly spoke of the SR-530 and Smokey Point Blvd Interim Signal Project. The City of Arlington, WSDOT and the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians worked together to develop an interim signal plan that will control traffic movements through this intersection until the permanent solution of a roundabout can be installed. The City designed and permitted the interim signal and is now ready to construct it. Bids for the project are due August 2, and the bid tab will be distributed to councilmembers at the August 5 council meeting. Discussion followed with Mr. Kelly answering council questions. Update from Fire District 24 (Darrington) on EMS Services Chief Kraski provided background information, and introduced Chief Dennis Fenstermaker and Deputy Chief Drew Bono from Fire District 24, who spoke to council regarding Darrington's plan to provide Advanced Life Support (ALS) service. The district has explored many areas, and are expecting to be ready January 1. They have been working with funding partners in the community, and the Snohomish County EMS and Trauma Care Council and Washington State Department of Health have been very helpful. June 2019 Financial Report Finance Director Kristin Garcia reviewed the May 2019 financial report and answered council questions. Ms. Garcia said the state auditors are onsite, and will be holding an audit entrance conference Monday, August 5 at 3 pm in the executive conference room. They will be performing audits on 2018 financial statements and federal programs, including an accountability audit. The auditors will conclude their approximately month -long stay with an exit conference. Date and time to be determined later. Both the entrance and exit conferences will be advertised as special public meetings, so all councilmembers interested are encouraged to attend. Jessica Rowe has started her position part time with Community and Economic Development, and part time with Finance. Her role in Finance is primarily passport processing. With Jessica's position, passport hours will increase from 20 hours a week to 22 hours a week, beginning August 1. Page 2 of 4 Minutes of the City of Arlington City Council Workshop July 22, 2019 Discussion on Discharging of Fireworks within City Limits City Administrator Paul Ellis invited Chief Ventura and Chief Kraski to join the conversation. Mr. Ellis spoke of the ongoing conversation regarding the discharge of fireworks within Arlington city limits. He distributed documents to councilmembers that he had previously emailed to them. Included in the documents were statistics from the police department, an outlined communication plan to inform the public of any changes, correspondence from the public, and a memo from Mr. Ellis to Mayor Tolbert outlining the following options for the councilmembers to consider: 1. Advisory vote: Council can elect to solicit an advisory vote from the registered voters in the city limits. The most cost-effective election would be to place the advisory vote on an election with other items such as fire districts, schools or the hospital. Special elections in February or April would be the next available elections that would still meet the hard deadline of the June 15, 2020 Council meeting for formal adoption by the Council. 2. Ordinance to Ban: Council can elect to pass an ordinance banning fireworks without an advisory vote. This would have to be approved by the City Council on or before the June 15, 2020 Council meeting to take effect in July of 2021. 3. Ordinance to Further Restrict Discharge: Council could also adopt further restrictions on the dates and/or hours on the discharge of fireworks. Some jurisdictions have also adopted ordinance that authorize specific officials to prohibit fireworks during emergency conditions such as high fire danger. 4. Emergency Declaration: The Council could, in theory, also adopt some kind of an emergency finding to declare that the ordinance is necessary for public health or safety, and in that event, there would need to be at least a majority plus one of the council (i.e., 5 members) vote in favor of such an ordinance. An emergency declaration would not waive the one-year effective date. Councilmembers discussed their desire for a stronger enforcement of illegal fireworks, whether to ban fireworks in the city limits, and the possibility of choosing one central location within city limits for members of the public to discharge fireworks, while banning the discharge of fireworks elsewhere within the city limits. Chief Ventura spoke of what would be necessary to more strictly enforce illegal fireworks, and a ban of fireworks within city limits, as well. It was discussed that at the upcoming Snohomish County Council Public Hearing on Wednesday, July 24, there will be a vote whether to ask the voters if they wish to enact an ordinance prohibiting the sale, possession, and discharge of consumer fireworks in the unincorporated areas of Snohomish County. there may be an advisory ballot vote to all qualified voters in Snohomish County on November 5, 2019, depending on the decision of the County Council. There was discussion tonight whether to follow the county and place an advisory vote for the city limits of Arlington on the ballot, as well. There will be additional conversation at the August 5 Council meeting regarding adopting a resolution for an advisory vote on the November 5, 2019 ballot. Page 3 of 4 Minutes of the City of Arlington City Council Workshop JLily22, 2019 PUBLIC COMMENT Pastor Russ Nuss of Crossroads Fellowship Church spoke in support of allowing fireworks within the city limits of Arlington. He has been selling fireworks for approximately 30 years, and the proceeds from the sales are used for funding several different non-profit programs. He enjoys celebrating the 4th of July with fireworks and patriotism. Miscellaneous Council Items None. ADMINISTRATOR AND STAFF REPORTS City Administrator Paul Ellis indicated that next Monday, July 29 is the fifth Monday of the month, with no council meeting. He distributed a flier announcing the Open House to view preliminary designs for the 204th St NE and 77th Ave NE Roundabout project. This has been advertised as a special meeting, so all councilmembers interested are encouraged to attend. Mr. Ellis reminded councilmembers of National Night Out, which is being held Tuesday, August 6. Anyone interested in attending was encouraged to contact Kristin Banfield. COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS Councilmember Schuette provided a brief update, while Councilmembers Weiss, Stickles, Hopson, Oertle, and Roundy had nothing to report this evening. MAVOR'S REPORT Mayor Tolbert distributed a document to councilmembers from her attendance at the Housing Affordability Regional Task Force meeting. A brief discussion followed. EXECUTIVE SESSION None. REVIEW OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING None. ADJOURNMENT With no further business to come before the Council, the meeting was adjourned at 8:19 p.m. Barbara Tolbert, Mayor Page 4 of 4