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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-1222 Study Session PACKET CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION Wednesday, December 22, 1999 at 12:00 p.m. Civic Center Council Chambers, 1175 E. Main Street 1. Hillah Temple Financing. 2. Continuation of Transit discussion. City Council Communication Finance Department Hillah Financing December 22, 1999 Submitted by: Jill Turner Approved by: Mike Freeman ffiu- Title: Hillah Financing Fiscal Impact: The fiscal impact of this financing scenario would require increases in the Public Works Administration/Engineering and Planning Building budgets of$52,000 annually, which would be in addition to the current amount of $112,000. Recommendation: None- Discussion only study session item. Background Information: The total project cost of the Hillah Office space project is estimated at$2,650,000. As of December 1, 1999, $700,000 has been spent on land acquisitions and planning. Leaving a balance of $1,950,000. It is anticipated that the project will be financed as follows: Cash balance remaining on this project $ 350,000 Fire station set aside 450,000 Bank financing 1,150,000 Total $1,950,000 This financing assumes that the City would enter into a 10-year bank loan at approximately 6.9 percent,requiring an annual debt payment of$164,000. This payment of$52,000 is an increase to the $112,000 that is currently being set-aside for municipal building improvements and office space rent. Consequently, the expenditures for Public Works Administration/Engineering and Planning/Building would increase. Both departments are reviewing their fees and charges and will pass this increase along to their users. The loan will be obtained in six to eighteen months. N:\acctg\cip\hillah financing-Communication CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION CONTINUATION OF TRANSIT DISCUSSION , < f ) i } § § _ - 2 § a ; 4 I ! ) ) ) \ k lei m 7 ) \ � � cq ) ! ) Jk } J j cli k2 \ � < \ b * _ Cr v vi k © G ) § ; - / } [ f ! ] $ : ] z \ a a } a a { 21/24/1999 09: 10 1-541-488-1923 FINE ASHLAND ORE USA PAGE 03/05 Y JOHANNA FISHER, Ph.D., Ed.D. 77 Mallard Street Ashland, Oregon 97520 Dear David, I have been pursuing my goal of working toward a plan for city transit. I met with Betsy Fox, president of the student body at 'OSU. She provided information about the students' needs and was most impressed to learn of a plan to cut out RVTD. I spoke with Ron Bolstead who believed that the University could negotiate with the National Guard for use of their parking extension. Like myself, he could not understand why they needed to extend their parking area and believed that the University could offer a reduction in their rental agreement in exchange for use of that parking lot. Ron is a. lynch pin in this plan and I have heard from others that he makes promises but cannot always be counted on to carry them out. I have called him and left messages. It might be necessary for Ron to receive a call from you before he acts on the promise he made. Enclosedfind a preliminary report. It will require input from you before it is ready to submit to the council. I look forward to meeting with you again. Gt � NOV 1 1 1999 1.DAVIDfINE,ATTORNEY AT LAW 11/24/1999 09:10 1-541-488-1923 FINE ASHLAND ORE USA PAGE 04/M C A PLAN FOR A CITY_OWNER TRANSIT It is possible to meet the transit needs of the students of OSU, the employees who work downtown and city residents, especially seniors, who present free transit to the need to drive their car. Although students now walk from their residence to class, our long,cold, wet winters depress the desire to walk. Students who live north of the city often drive to campus but parking space is severely limited. In a student survey, 57 said that they require transit to class. Employees of downtown stores have extremely limited available parking. Seniors avoid downtown because parking poses a problem. The needs of these populations can be answered by a city- owned transit system at a reasonable cost,eliminating the extremely expensive RVTD. The city will need to buy 2 vans that will seat 20 people. The vans will be lodged and cared for at the city garage. One van will run while the other is serviced. The vans will be driven by licensed, union drivers maming a circuit of the city every 15 minutes starting at 8 AM and continuing until 7 PM on week days. A more limited schedule could serve on the weekends. The route will start at the Plaza where it will pick up passengers coming from north of the city who have discharged from RVTD. The van will follow East Main and continue to Siskiyou,dropping off students at OSU, and continuing to Tolman Creek, picking up students and residents along the way. At Tolman, it will drive to Ashland Street where it can drop off seniors who wish to shop at Albertson, Rite-Aid, BiMart and Shop and Kart. The van will proceed along Ashland Street until it intersects with Siskiyou,bringing students across the street from OSU. The van will turn down Wightman, picking up students at the housing development, proceed to East Main, Lithia and the Plaza, dropping off those traveling north at the RVTD bus stop at the end of Lithia. 11/24/1999 09: 10 1-541-488-1923 FINE ASHLAND ORE USA PAGE 05/05 in addition the University is interested in negotiating with the National Guard for the use of their new,extended parking lot. Use of the lot will permit downtown employees to park their cars and take a van to downtown. Students can use the lot instead of spending 20 minutes trying to find a parkingjspace which often deprives homeowners of their parking space_ During tourist season, having a parking lot and transit to downtown would eliminate our summer parking problem. Use of the van 'should be free to riders. Although there would be an initial expense of the purchase of two vans, after paying it off in 3 years it will belong to the city. Since the transit plan provides an important to the University, theywould probably be willing to invest some of the $130, 000 that RVTD demands into the purchase of the van. Since students are being served, there is a strong possibility that the city could receive a state grant. ' jjK������� �����|� ����� ��.��� '- A � ���\77 MALI���� STREET ., v xs����S�%IAND O%�:��O0 g7520(54l ) 483-9564 Dear ��ike Fceemao, I believe that we can design a city-owned transit system that would serve the students of S8V/ the employees who work downtown, oeoinr residents and tourist mnob more;- efficiently than our present arrangement with DVTD and save the city and the University a great deal of money. There will be a need to bnlr two vans, a size that will seat JO people. The vans can be lodged and cared for at the city garage. One van will zoo while the other is oerviced. The vans will be driven by licensed union drivers making a circuit of the city every 15 or 20 sniooteo starting at 8 AM and continuing until 7 PM on week days . & more limited schedule could serve on week-ends . The route will start at the Plaza where passengers coming on the BVTD from the north of the city can taosfec to the city-owned transit. The route will follow East Maio and continue along Siokiyoo/ dropping off students at SOU, and continuing to Tolman Creek, .picking op students and residents along the way. At Tolman Creek, the van will proceed to Ashland Street where seniors can shop at Rite-&id,Bi-Mart, Albertson and 8boo and Kart. The van will proceed along Ashland Street until it intersects with Giskiyoo, dropping off students . The van will turn down Wiobtmao, picking op students at the housing development, proceed to East Maio, Litbia and the Plaza, dropping off passengers who are traveling north at the RVTD bus stop. An important part of a transit system is the availability of a parking lot. This would enable students who drive to school to have available parking which is not the case no campus . It would enable employees who work downtown to park their oar and take a free transit to wock. Residents and tourists could park their car and have free transit downtown. &ltbnngb there would be an initial expense of the purchase of two vans, it is very possible that the University would make a sizeable contribution especially since many of its students are now taking classes in Medford and they would need t0 use the van in the evenings. In addition the Community Development Department has received grant money to enhance transportation. Once the vans are paid for/ they will beloog,tbereafter/ to the city and there will on longer be any need for the city and the University to pay the huge oomo of money demanded by B\/TD^ There is also a solution to our parking problem. The National Guard Armory on East Main and Wightman is surrounded by 80 parking spaces that are used only one day a month for recruit training/drill . Being able to use that parking area as .-part of our transit plan would insure the success of a city-owned transit system. I wrote to the National Guard in Salem to ask about their parking area. I received a call from Lieutenant Colonel Rock Chilton who reported that the NAtional Guard was very interested in renting their parking area. He suggested that representatives of the city and University meet with someone from the National Guard to work out a lease agreement. His phone number is ( 503 ) 945-3530 . I am aware that there is to be a council meeting during December to discuss transportation. I hope you will bring my proposal to their attention. Sincerely, Johanna Fisher Ph.D. cc:David Fine