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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-03-05 Council Mtg MINASHLAND CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS MEETING MINUTES Tuesday, March 5, 2024 5 p.m. Executive Session Mayor Graham, Councilors Hyatt, Bloom, Dahle, Kaplan, DuQuenne and Hansen were present. Interim City Manager Sabrina Cotta, and Community Development Director Brandon Goldman were present. Morgan Rothborne from Ashland News was present. Items discussed were: To conduct deliberations with persons designated by the governing body to negotiate real property transactions pursuant to ORS 192.660 (2)(e). 6 p.m. Regular Business Meeting* CALL TO ORDER Mayor Graham called the meeting to order at 6:03 PM 1. Land Acknowledgement** Councilor Bloom read the land acknowledgement. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Councilor Hyatt led the pledge of allegiance. 111. ROLL CALL Mayor Graham, Councilors Hyatt, Bloom, Dahle, Kaplan, DuQuenne and Hansen were present. IV. MAYOR'S/CHAIR OF THE COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS V. APPROVAL OF MINUTES * * * 1. Minutes of February 20, 2024 - Business Meeting Councilor Bloom/Hansen m/s to approve the February 20, 2024 Business Meeting minutes. Roll Call Vote: Councilor Hyatt, Bloom, Kaplan, DuQuenne, Dahle and Hansen, YES. Motion passed. VI. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS 1. Rogue World Music Festival Ana Byers provided a presentation on the Rogue World Music Festival, formerly known as the Ashland Music Festival. (See attached) Byers asked the City to provide letters of support to help acquire grants. She also suggested that the Council attend the events and consider sponsoring the RWMF in 2025. Bloom and Dahle thanked Byers and her staff for their work and effort. Dahle asked if there was any operational or logistical support that the Council could provide. Byers responded that RWMF was already in close collaboration with Parks. Hansen asked how the collaboration with Parks and OLCC was going regarding the beer garden. City Council Business Meeting March 5, 2024 Page 1 of 13 Byers responded that operations had been running smoothly so far. DuQuenne praised RWMF as being a wonderful opportunity for the valley. She also saw the festival as being a test run of the beer garden in Lithia Park and being a way to bring more diversity to the valley. Kaplan praised Byers for her leadership. VII. CITY MANAGER REPORT Interim City Manager Sabrina Cotta informed Council that two public service announcements had been created by Rogue Valley Television and were now available on the City website, the public comments for the telecommunication ordinance was open until March 14, 2024 and the March 2024 newsletter was on the City website. She also added that a joint study session had been scheduled between Parks and Council regarding DEI assessment results and strategic planning. The City hired a new procurement specialist, added the Community Connect software to the website, and the City will be at SOU's career fair on April 10. Parks staff are working on improvements to the Lithia bandshell. She closed her report with news that Utility Billing would be opening phone lines on March 12th on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 A.M. to 1 P.M. with in person operations at the Grove continuing Fridays from 9 A.M. to 1 P.M. VIII. CONSENT AGENDA Bloom pulled agenda item three for brief Council comments. Mayor Graham pulled agenda item one to allow for public comment. 2. Approval of a Sewer Service Connection Use Outside of City Limits, 618 Lakota Way 3. Housing and Human Services Advisory Committee Appointment 4. Rogue World Music Letters of Support Bloom gave special recognition to the new Housing and Human Services Advisory Committee members Jonah Liden and Tiana Gilliland. Councilor Bloom/DuQuenne m/s to approve items 2,3 and 4 on the consent agenda. Roll Call Vote: Councilor DuQuenne, Hyatt, Kaplan, Hansen, Bloom and Dahle, YES. Motion passed. 1. Lease Agreement with Becker Properties for Space at 2345 Ashland St #103 Debra Neiswander/Ashland - Expressed surprise that the lease agreement was coming up at this time despite the lack of input from the people. Felt that the money would be better used to hire additional police as opposed to creating a "cop stop" within the area. Spoke to a document she submitted to the public record about issues the City of Medford was having with its police and fire regarding unhoused people as well as interactions between the City Council Business Meeting March 5, 2024 Page 2 of 13 unhoused and the "livability team." Wanted the City to create more effective ways to work with the unhoused as opposed to spending more money and giving more power to APD. Hansen spoke about data from APD regarding an increase in activities this year and how a satellite location would make sense to help increase patrols on the south side of the City. He expressed his support for the lease agreement. Bloom noted that there was a significant increase in theft and other criminal actions overall on the south side of Ashland. Citing 1-5 as being a major corridor, he wanted to ensure the safety of people within the south side of Ashland. Kaplan spoke about the increase in calls on the South side of town. He asked the crime data that had been gathered to be made public. DuQuenne voiced her support for the lease, as it would hopefully address the increase in criminal activity on the south side of the City within the past few years. Hyatt was struck by the increase in the number of drug overdoses reported in the area and hoped that the satellite location would be able to assist people faster. Dahle believed that the satellite location was long overdue. Councilor Bloom/DuQuenne m/s to authorize the City Manager to enter into a lease agreement with Becker Properties for a police office at 2345 Ashland Street effective immediately. Roll Call Vote: Councilor DuQuenne, Hyatt, Kaplan, Hansen, Bloom and Dahle, YES. Motion passed. IX. PUBLIC HEARINGS 1. Second Reading - Ordinance 3230 Amending Procurement & Contract Procedures Finance director Mariane Berry summarized the changes to the procurement process that the Ordinance would allow. Hyatt/Dahle m/s move to approve the Second Reading of the amended Ashland Municipal Chapter 2.50 Procurement Procedures and advance for enactment. Discussion: Hyatt and Dahle thanked Berry and her team for their work. Roll Call Vote: Councilor DuQuenne, Hyatt, Kaplan, Hansen, Bloom and Dahle, YES. Motion passed. X. PUBLIC FORUM (15 minutes - Public input or comment on City business not included on the agenda) Amanda Morehouse/Central Point - Appealed to the Council to submit a letter supporting an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. Mentioned that nearly 70 cities across the US, including Talent, OR, had signed and submitted similar letters. Submitted a cease-fire resolution for the record. Spoke about the sacrifice of Aaron Bushnell and the morality of the US continuing to support the actions of Israel. Felt that the US government was complicit in the ongoing City Council Business Meeting March 5, 2024 Page 3 of 13 genocide and mentioned how the tax dollars of every US citizen was being used to help fund it. Urged the Council not to be on the wrong side of history. Sitka Moss/Shady Cove - Read a poem by Jewish anti -Zionist poet Amanda Gelender into the record. Paul Mozina/ Ashland - Felt that the Council had not informed the public about recent changes to the proposed telecommunication ordinance regarding newer and smaller 5G towers. Was worried that the ordinance would allow for the City Manager to override possible environmental and fire concerns about these towers as part of the franchise agreement. Felt that the ordinance needed to be completely reworked. Tanya Simmons/Ashland - Raised concerns about increased internet usage and its effects on the brain. Felt that 5G and the general increase in technology was linked to an increase in mental health disorders. Expressed concerns that the Council was ignoring three decades of science. Wanted Ashland to invest in fiber optic technology as opposed to 5G technology. Tess Gibbs/Ashland - Urged the Council to take immediate action on a cease-fire in Palestine. Gave a brief overview of the most recent part of the conflict, and how the US is continuing to support Israel. Brought up how Palestinians are being explicitly targeted by Israel for trying to receive any aid at all. Felt that Ashland was turning a blind eye towards the genocide and instead must unite to call for an end to US support for Israel. Tony Foster/Ashland - Called for the Council to empathize with the plight of the people of Palestine and their struggles against oppression. Spoke about the Nakba and how Palestine has been occupied since 1948. Spoke about the struggle for necessities that every Palestinian was undergoing. XI. PUBLIC HEARINGS (Continued) 2. Second Reading- 3232- An ordinance adopting the Parks, Trails, and Open Space Map Community Development Director Brandon Goldman & Parks Deputy Director Rachel Dials discussed the ordinance and how it would help guide future Parks acquisitions. Hyatt/Hansen m/s move to approve second reading by title only of Ordinance 3232, which is titled, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF ASHLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO ADOPT THE PARKS, TRAILS AND OPEN SPACE MAP AS AN OFFICIAL MAP IN SUPPORT OF THE PARKS, OPEN SPACE, AND AESTHETICS ELEMENT OF THE ASHLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN" and advance for enactment DISCUSSION: Hyatt & Hansen thanked Goldman and Dials for their work. Hansen also praised how the map worked to support community goals. Roll Call Vote: Council Kaplan, DuQuenne, Hyatt, Hansen, Bloom and Dahle, YES. Motion Passed. Council took a recess from 6:53 pm to 7:00 pm City Council Business Meeting March 5, 2024 Page 4 of 13 XII. UNFINISHED BUSINESS XIII. NEW BUSINESS 1. Second Quarter Financial Update Finance Director Mariane Berry provided a presentation (see attached) going over 2^d quarter financials for the period ending on December 31, 2023. Kaplan spoke about the streets fund and noted that they were coming in under the policy limit because of the System Development Charge fund. He wondered if there was a possible way to track this fund better. Berry responded that budget reconciliation between the streets fund and SDC fund was ongoing as well as adjustments to certain components to how the street fund is calculated. Berry anticipated being in compliance by the end of the year. Kaplan asked for clarification. Berry noted that some of the expenses in the street fund should instead be in the SDC fund, and that both funds will be in compliance within the current time period. Kaplan asked about possibly upgrading the software used by Utility Billing. Berry responded that UB has requested a quote on their next upgrade and were gathering information on the potential impact on community members' ease of use. Dahle noted that from a snapshot standpoint it appears the City's finances were on solid ground. He asked if Berry could summarize what the numbers mean regarding trends of improvements and areas of concern. Berry highlighted the Food and Beverage and TLT funds as being areas that had seen massive improvement. She also highlighted plans for a firmer forecasting model to include personnel, M&S, and capital planning/spending to be able to better understand what our needs may be for the next biennium and beyond. There are no concerns at this point. Bloom asked about the purpose of the restricted and unassigned funds. Berry explained that the restricted funds are funds that are restricted legally, while the unassigned funds are funds that the Council had not yet asked to be set aside for projects. DuQuenne asked about the impact on community members with new UB software. Berry responded that UB wanted the upgrade to be seamless for its users. Graham spoke about the difficulty for everyday folks understanding financial reports. She asked if there was a way to simplify the report to help communicate to the people how the City was doing financially. Berry said Finance was developing a dashboard which would outline revenues, expenses, personnel, and capital spending. It would need to be streamlined and automated however, for public view. Kaplan expressed interest in seeing financial snapshots as part of the new online dashboard and suggested putting the last page of the report first because of the important information it contained. Berry referred to the percents being the most important part of the report, as they tell the story of where the City is financially. DuQuenne asked Mayor Graham if she was thinking of putting the financial snapshot on the new City website. Graham responded that she wanted to leave it to Communications on how best to implement it but wanted to have the financial information available in multiple places to make it more easily accessible. Dahle spoke about the importance of the footnotes within the financial statements. He felt that having them on one sheet alongside the anomaly explanations would be extremely helpful. City Council Business Meeting March 5, 2024 Page 5 of 13 2. 2200 Ashland Street Next Steps Cotta spoke about request for direction on how to proceed with the future of the 24/7 shelter. She provided a quick overview of the grant from the State that was being discussed as well as the required updates that the building needed. Kaplan spoke about emails he had received about the opening of the Police substation in South Ashland and asked if there was any reason why staff could not release the crime statistics to the public. He wanted to provide staff direction to post the information. Police Chief Tighe O'Meara took the microphone and responded that the information was not considered "protected" and thus was readily available. Cotta added that the information could easily be added to the City's website. Hansen asked staff to provide a synopsis regarding the financials for 2200 Ashland St. He asked Cotta to provide a financial overview of the needed upgrades to bring the building up to code, which Cotta provided. Hansen summarized that bringing the building up to code would take up all the $1.8 million provided by the state, with the understanding there would be a reduction of shelter beds. Cotta noted that the exact number of shelter beds after the renovation would not be known until after an architectural design had been created for the updated building. Graham asked what the likelihood is of the needed repair work being finished by the end of the biennium. Cotta estimated that it will take many months to just get the RPF process completed. Graham asked why there was such a short notice on these funds being available. Cotta responded that this was the first Council meeting after a staff meeting with Access in which these funds were identified, adding that the City needed to decide immediately so work could begin, or the funds passed to other cities and agencies. Hansen spoke about how the extreme weather portion of the building could originally house up to 45 people while now it only can house 28 people. He asked if the City could instead expand the severe weather shelter, which Cotta confirmed was a possibility. PUBLIC COMMENTS Caren Caldwell/Ashland/Would like to see the property as a severe weather shelter. Suggested that the space could also be used as a meal place. Wanted the Council to provide safety oversight for the Night Lawn. Debbie Neisewander/Ashland/Expressed frustrated about the process. Thought that community partners should have been consulted to make this decision. Read language from South Ashland Coalition website, and from Ashland News, which was also submitted to the record. Councilor Bloom/Dahle m/s to decline the State funding and end the 24/7 sheltering at the site and direct staff to work with Access on any close-out issues. DISCUSSION: Bloom felt that the entire process was extremely flawed from the beginning and expressed disappointment at both the process and the lack of support from across the community. He wanted the Council to focus on the homeless masterplan, which had input City Council Business Meeting March 5, 2024 Page 6 of 13 and support from people across the community. Dahle expressed disappointment about the process as well. He wanted the City to learn from their mistakes. He suggested the City take a step back and analyze how to best move forward in order to honor the agreements and responsibilities they have to the unhoused. He wanted the funds from the state to be used by another city/organization that could them immediately while Ashland works on forming a solid plan. DuQuenne appreciated the discussion from the March 4, 2024 Study Session about the shelter. She wanted the City to learn from its mistakes regarding the shelter, feeling that the 24/7 shelter was a rushed job. She added that just because a grant to help the shelter is available does not mean that the City has to go for it. She suggested the City go for block grants focused on providing support for mental health and addiction issues to help people where they are. She voiced her support for not accepting the funds. Hansen spoke about this being a learning opportunity for the City. He was proud of the resources provided by the 24/7 shelter and would like to continue working with Access on finding and running a proper shelter in the future. He promised the community that the current location of 2200 Ashland St would not be used as the 24/7 shelter beyond its March 31St 2024 end date and wanted the building to be expanded to provide additional beds for the severe weather shelter. Mayor Graham reminded Council that there was the possibility of a follow up motion. Hyatt reflected on the path that both Council and the City had taken as a whole. She noted that the original intent was for the City to create an inclement weather shelter. Council was able to use that opportunity to create the 24/7 shelter in tandem with the inclement weather shelter. She felt that the City had met the goal of the 24/7 shelter and wanted to keep the inclement weather shelter active. She noted that the City did not have a plan to utilize the state funding in a quick and efficient manner and that the City should look for partners who could better utilize them instead. She was curious if an amendment could be made to the motion that would direct staff to work with Access and the City's partners to ensure that the State funding is distributed effectively to address the challenge of the unhoused within the region. Graham reminded Council that anyone could offer an amendment or a follow-on motion. Kaplan noted that the City had seen the need for the shelter, presented the request to the State and had utilized what funding was available to the best of their abilities. He expressed frustrations about the data from the research on the shelter not being released until now and that a promise to end the shelter on the March 31s' 2024 deadline had been made by several other Council members. He saw that the 24/7 Shelter was a temporary fix and that long-term plans for affordable housing would go a long way to solving the problem. Kaplan expressed his disappointment at the short timeline for responding back to the state regarding the funds. He also mentioned that he had contacted an architect who offered to do the needed assessment for the building pro-bono in three weeks' time. He felt that the Council was making the decision prematurely and wanted to direct staff to work with Access on alternative uses of the funds to allow for continued sheltering within the community as opposed to using the funds for construction of the building. Kaplan voiced his opposition to the motion of dismissing the funding entirely. Graham spoke about how this was considered a crisis situation and noted that there was a drawback to acting with speed. She highlighted that the City did the best it could to meet the City Council Business Meeting March 5, 2024 Page 7 of 13 immediate crisis at the time and that there were no properties in Ashland that met the needs of a shelter. She felt that the City had done the best job given the tough circumstances and was glad that the Council stepped up and made the decision to help others. She stated that the City was going to continue its obligations to maintain the severe weather shelter and that it does not make sense to take the time and money needed for the renovations when there was an immediate need to be filled elsewhere. She also expressed interest in utilizing and finding a place for the 13 pallet houses and continuing to work with community partners to best direct the funds to where they can best be used. Graham hoped that Council will direct staff to continue to work with partners to ensure 30 beds are available somewhere within the community or within the region. DuQuenne asked if funding would stay in the region if the City passed on it. Cotta answered that she would ask Access for clarification. Graham added that the money was still targeted for the region. Bloom suggested that the money could be used to buy hotel rooms, however, he admitted it would only be a short-term solution. He added that just because the City may reject the money, doesn't mean that they can't continue to look for other ways to support the unhoused as well as maintain 30 shelter beds within the area. Kaplan thanked Bloom for the clarification. Kaplan also reminded Council that their job was to provide direction to staff. He suggested amending the motion to direct staff to continue the conversation regarding the continuum of care and gave some suggestions on possible alternatives. Bloom asked for additional information from Cotta, who explained what would happen if the City accepted the funds. Cotta also laid out a few of the potential consequences that would happen if the City did move forward with the funds regarding the building. Hansen suggested that a follow- on motion would be appropriate and reiterated the need to direct staff on what to do next as opposed to just not taking the State's money. He also suggested the City take the funds but use them in other ways to support the unhoused as opposed to using it solely be spent on the 24/7 shelter. Cotta clarified that if the City declined the funding, the City would remain partners with Access but would not be able to dictate where and for what Access would use the funds. DuQuenne asked if Council had to make the decision tonight as she was not interested in moving forward without a plan on such short notice. Dahle reiterated that he was disappointed that members from Access were not present at the meeting, preferring to have these conversations with the City's partners as opposed to having them with just the Council. He added that just because the City did not accept the funds tonight, did not mean that the opportunity would not come around again. He preferred to have discussions with all partners on how to best help the community as opposed to working within the given timeframe. Hyatt noted that if the City accepted the funds, they could only be used for work on the shelter and could not be used for other initiatives to help the unhoused, adding that if the City accept those funds, then it would be a commitment to the greater community to host 30 beds for the next nine plus years. Bloom suggested proposing an alternative motion, adding staff direction to meet with partners for alternative use of the funds and come back to Council with proposals to vote on. Cotta reminded Council that if the City declines the funds, City Council Business Meeting March 5, 2024 Page 8 of 13 then Access could easily move on to another organization. Kaplan was still not inclined to support the motion as stated while wanting to continue conversations with Access towards resources and shelter needs in Ashland. Dahle asked if the funds were contractually obligated to go towards the current shelter at 2200 Ashland St, which Cotta confirmed. Dahle agreed with Kaplan's point of keeping the beds needed within the area but did not feel that the funds were of use towards the shelter. Acting City Attorney Doug McGeary noted that if the City accepts this grant, then it must provide 30 beds at that shelter location, and if the City does not fulfill the obligation, then they are violating the agreement. He noted that the question boiled down to the City considering putting 1.8 million into the existing building or to discuss with Access about changing the terms of the grant to allow for money to go to other areas of use. Graham asked for final comments from each Councilor. DuQuenne voiced her support to decline the state funding, as there was no planning and no stability and added that there may be more grants options in the future. She reiterated the need for the homeless master plan. Kaplan thanked McGeary for his clarification regarding the contract and wanted to continue conversation with Access for an alternative use of the funds. He opposed refusing the money outright. Dahle said that if the City accepted this money, Access would have to be willing to have a conversation about how to best implement it. He wanted the money to stay within the valley. He raised concerns about the unknown contractual obligations and did not want to accept the money at this time. Bloom agreed with Dahle's point and wanted to pass on the money for the shelter and to start the conversation on how best to address the needs of the unhoused in the immediate future. Hyatt felt that the City had met the terms of the initial agreement and was not comfortable with accepting funds for a building that did not meet the needs for this purpose. Graham brought to attention how the Southern Oregon region had outperformed other areas in standing up more beds. She saw this as a result of having strong partners. She wanted the money be used in the best possible way to help folks in the community. Hansen asked City Recorder to restate the motion. "To decline the State funding and end the 2417sheltering at the site and direct staff to work with Access on any close-out issues." Hansen noted that the third option within the packet was no longer a viable option since accepting the funds would require the City to be contractually obligated to use the money for the 2200 Ashland St. shelter only. Hyatt amended the motion to read, Councilor Hyatt/Hansen m/s move to decline state funding for the purpose of construction at 2200 Ashland St. and end the 24/7 sheltering at that site and direct staff to work with Access on any close-out issues. Discussion: Hyatt wanted the motion to reflect the nuance of the ongoing conversations and to ensure the Council does right by the greater community. She wanted to decline the funds for the shelter only, and not to decline continuing work with Access. Hansen agreed with Hyatt's points. DuQuenne hoped that both the Council and the community would receive information regarding future grant contracts way before having the meetings to approve them. Kaplan appreciated the specificity of the amendment but wanted to continue looking City Council Business Meeting March 5, 2024 Page 9 of 13 at alternative uses of the funds. He suggested amending the motion even further. Dahle asked for clarification on the amendment. He was concerned that passing the amendment would cause issues with Access. Hyatt noted that the $1.8 million was solely for the shelter at 2200 Ashland St. She wanted to have a conversation with Access about using the funds for other purposes. She was concerned that a yes vote would still cause the City to be locked in for supporting beds for ten years. McGeary clarified that the City would be declining the state funding with a condition, with that condition being created by staff. He was concerned that Access would see the motion as a definitive "no" answer to the grant. Hyatt left the amendment on the table. Bloom spoke about concerns with Access potentially changing the contract because of the lack of communication between Access and the City. Bloom wanted to make sure things were clear cut. McGeary agreed, noting that anything going forward would be in writing as opposed to having a conversation. DuQuenne requested for the amendment to be read again. "To decline state funding for the purpose of construction at 2200 Ashland St. and end the 2417 sheltering at that site and direct staff to work with Access on any close-out issues." Hyatt withdrew her amendment, not wanting it to cause confusion over the status of the severe weather shelter. Bloom suggested sticking to the original motion and suggested that additional motions or staff directions could be added. Hyatt responded that she was trying to solve the issue of the inclement weather shelter. She offered a new amendment Hyatt/Hansen m/s move to decline state funding for the purpose of construction on 2200 Ashland St. and end the 24/7 emergency sheltering. And continue the inclement weather shelter at 2200 Ashland St. Discussion: Hyatt felt the intent of the original motion was appropriate and wanted to make sure that avenues of further discussion remained open. She also wanted to make sure the inclement weather shelter would remain open. Hansen wanted to make sure staff would continue to work with continuum of care to find additional resources, which Hyatt agreed should be the next motion. DuQuenne wanted to make sure that the inclement weather shelter would remain open but was worried that the City was complicating things. Kaplan agreed with DuQuenne. He suggested changing the amendment to read "I move to direct staff to decline state funds for construction at 2200 Ashland St. and work with Access to continue sheltering in Ashland," to make things clear. Dahle asked if there would be any strings attached if both the amendment and original motion are passed. McGeary responded no. Bloom thought that the original motion was the best they could get. He also noted that Access could come back and say there was operation funding included in the grant in addition to construction funding, causing more issues. Cotta added that the clearest wording would be to decline state funding. Hyatt withdrew her amendment. Councilor Bloom/Dahle m/s to decline the State funding and end the 24/7 sheltering at the site and direct staff to work with Access on any close-out issues. Roll Call Vote: Council DuQuenne, Hyatt, Hansen, Bloom and Dahle, YES. Kaplan, NO. Motion Passed. City Council Business Meeting March 5, 2024 Page 10 of 13 Kaplan/Hyatt m/s move to direct staff to work with Access on alternative uses of funds under the emergency order to allow for continued sheltering in the community with a preference for shelter beds in Ashland. Discussion: Kaplan highlighted the discussion around continued conversation with Access. Hyatt wanted to keep conversations ongoing with Access to continue collaborations. Dahle agreed with Kaplan and Hyatt's points. Bloom wanted the discussions to factor in the homeless masterplan. DuQuenne agreed with Kaplan and Hyatt's point, while highlighting the opportunities that Access could provide in the areas of behavioral health and housing. Hansen voiced his support for the motion. Roll Call Vote: Council DuQuenne, Hyatt, Kaplan, Hansen, Bloom and Dahle, YES. Motion Passed. Mayor Graham praised Council for the discussion and for their continued efforts towards both addressing the homeless crisis while also balancing economic and social factors. XIV. ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS AND CONTRACTS 1. Resolution 2024-06 Support for the Vision Zero Program Public Works Director Scott Fleury, and Chair of the Transportation Advisory Committee Linda Peterson -Adams explained the purpose and background of the Vision Zero Program (see attached). Dahle asked what made this resolution different than a regular goal recommitment and could there be any unexpected changes to be aware of. Fleury responded that both Public Works and the Transportation Advisory Committee already have an internal philosophy to enhance safety and to minimize all accidents as much as possible. He noted that after passing the resolution, both groups can begin to develop an action plan and outreach programs open the City up for grant opportunities to support safety projects. At its core, the resolution will continue to support safety for all users. Bloom asked if the Council passes the resolution, but then doesn't listen to a suggestion from the two groups, would that prevent the City from getting certain grant funding. Fleury responded no, and that there were various components which could be prioritized and/or receive grants. DuQuenne brought up safety concerns around Electric bikes and told a story about an encounter with a fast-moving electric bike. She wanted to know if TAC was going to be addressing E-bikes as part of the resolution. Peterson -Adams responded that they are looking to hold all modes of transportation under this program. DuQuenne asked if there was nothing to hold E-bike users accountable under this program. Fleury responded that part of the program was to encourage both bike safety and to put engineering, education, and enforcement together. Peterson -Adams added that they had been collecting data about crashes and near misses involving E-bikes. DuQuenne asked about education and outreach. Fleury responded that they have been working with Communication Specialist Dorinda Cottle and were looking to make outreach material from the state easily available. Hansen spoke about the good information in the packet and complimented TAC on their work. He asked If the City adopts this resolution, would there be a grant opportunity to educate within local schools? Fleury responded that a school district could apply for a "safe route to school" director position to City Council Business Meeting March 5, 2024 Page 11 of 13 educate kids and parents. Peterson -Adams added that Streets for Everyone was working alongside TAC to present possible ideas such as satellite drop off places to allow for kids to walk/bike together to school. Hansen asked about the funding for Central Bike Path. Fleury spoke about the Community Path Grant option adding that the Central Bike Path aligns with that grant. Fleury was already preparing material to apply for that grant in the next cycle. Councilor Dahle/Kaplan m/s to approve a resolution titled "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ASHLAND, OREGON SETTING AS OFFICIAL POLICY THE VISION ZERO GOAL THAT NO LOSS OF LIFE OR SERIOUS INJURY ON OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IS ACCEPTABLE". DISCUSSION: Both Dahle and Kaplan were very pleased with the work from Public Works and TAC. Roll Call Vote: Council Bloom, Hansen, Dahle, Kaplan, DuQuenne and Hyatt, YES. Motion Passed. 1. Contract for Alice Peil Stairway Replacement Scott Fleury provided an overview of the Alice Peil Stairway Walkway and the need for a new set of stairs. Councilor Bloom/Dahle m/s to award a public improvement contract to Adroit Construction for Project No. 2019-09 Alice Pell Stairway Replacement in the amount of $182,200. DISCUSSION: Bloom was looking forward to the stairs being made safer. Bloom also noted that the contract was being given to an Ashland based company. Dahle was happy to see the stairs being made safer and being maintained for the foreseeable future. Roll Call Vote: Council Bloom, Hyatt, Hansen, Dahle, Kaplan, and DuQuenne, YES. Motion Passed. Mayor Graham took note of the Ad -Hoc Committee and how it was for discussion purposes only and to not authorize the committee. 2. Resolution 2024-05 Authorizing Water Revenue Bonds Scott Fleury explained how the new resolution would repeal the old resolution regarding water revenue bonds associated with the water treatment plant. At that time there was an understanding that the EPA program would fund 80% of the project, with 20% coming from another source. Since that time, contributions have been made from the City's matching funds for the 20%, coming from land values and expenditures. Finance had recommended updating the resolution to the new maximum borrowing amount and repealing the old resolution. Fleury noted that this was not an expenditure, but rather authorized Council towards the contractual,obligations for those expenditures. Kaplan asked if this resolution would allow for the City to use loan funds at a lower rate, which Fleury confirmed, adding it would be for a 35-year term. He also noted that the 35-year term City Council Business Meeting March 5, 2024 Page 12 of 13 was a better deal compared to the usual 20 or 30-year term. Kaplan agreed with that thinking, noting that the Water Treatment Plant would be a long-term investment into the City's future. DuQuenne noted that it would be a $75-million-dollar bond, which Fleury corrected was not a traditional bond, but instead a loan from the Federal Government that must be worded as a bond because of state requirements. DuQuenne asked about water rate increases. Fleury responded that they would be updated each biennium. Councilor Kaplan/Hansen m/s to approve"A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF ASHLAND, OREGON AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF WATER REVENUE BONDS FOR WATER PROJECTS AND REPEALING RESOLUTION NO.2022-29". DISCUSSION: Hyatt asked if the point of the resolution was to assist with a packet of information being created to determine the final amounts, which Fleury confirmed. He also mentioned that work with the EPA was ongoing to create this financial packet and the master bond declaration. Roll Call Vote: Council Kaplan, Hyatt, Hansen, Bloom and Dahle, YES. DuQuenne, No XV. ADJOURNMENT OF BUSINESS MEETING Hyatt/ Bloom m/s to adjourn. All ayes. Meeting adjourned at 9:29 PM. Respectfully Submitted by: Attest: Adb'd a I / � � 'm �� A"�_ ity R c er issa Kolo ' ki Mayor T nya Graham City Council Business Meeting March 5, 2024 Page 13 of 13 A FREE, multi -day, multi -event, multi -venue cultural offering held every Memorial Day weekend. A FREE, multi -day, multi -event, multi -venue cultural offering held every Memorial Day weekend. _"� A�74�� y i y a Al s y a Festival History RWM joins production as AWMF expands to 5 FREE 2nd Virtual AWMF & Great turn out + 4th booking agent for musicians. events. implementing IDEA plait fire relief fundraiser + fire fundraiser outlined by steering committee. SoundWatk launch A Original event [Sisikiyou RWM takes lead in Pandemic + wildfire. Return to in -person de Mayo] founded by APRC. event production. • AWMF name established. • Festival is expanded from 1 event to 2. • Steering committee is established via RWM outreach 6 grant writing. Festival Guiding Principals »> Create inclusive & accessible opportunities for community to gather & connect. • 03120: Shut down occurs. RWM takes lead in virtual event production. • 019112120: Updated AWMF event date. • 09/09120: Almeda Wildifire. • 10112120: 2020 virtual AWMF hold as fire fundraiser. Raises S10.000 in recovery funds. events + 3rd fire relief fundraiser v Festival Guiding Principals • Create inclusive & accessible opportunities for community to gather & connect. AiNg ,1y »> Draw local, regional, & other I tourists to town. Festival Guiding Principals ., • Create inclusive & accessible �. �.r opportunities for community to gather & conned ..` w� f • Draw local, regional, & other". = tourists to town. >>> Represent the diverse array of . cultures found locally, regionally, f . i . , 0 Festival Guiding Principals • create inclusive accessi " opportunities for community to ; '�{• f _' `'« gather connec . , r r4. ION • Draw local, regional, h other ,� • ; tourists to town." Represent the diverse array of cultures found locally, regionally, �. & state-wide. »> Showcase and leverage the beautiful public spaces within our communities. Festival Expansion Goals ...to create a unique cultur event that serves local communities by generating circular local exchange & connecti Festival Expansion Goals V.' � ���� t *`�dt- ~ ��; rJ ! j,! bA ry . 1 � �' �s fit' �; ~ � t t. l ...to create a unique cultura event that acts as an anchor attraction to -- - tourists from througi the West Coast. -- Festival Expansion Place festival events with flexible growth potential in Medford h Talent in 2024. Festival Expansion Place festival a en - .. with flexible growth potential in Medford Talent in 2024. Festival Expansion >>> ace festival events with flexible growth potential in Medford & Talent in 2024. Continue to develop events specifically reliant on unique Ashland amenities for Ashland. Continue to develop events specifically reliant on unique Ashland amenities for Ashland. Leverage festival to serve community engagement & revitalization, AND economic development goals identified by local municipalities & parks commissions. Festival Expansion Continue to develop events specifically reliant on unique Ashland amenities for Ashland. Place festival events with flexible growth potential in Medford & Talent in 2024. 2024 Festival Events Friday, May 26 Pear Blossom Concert Saturday, May 27 HeartBeat Stories Leverage festival to serve community engagement h revitalization, AND economic development goals identified by local municipalities & parks commissions. Sunday, May 28 Park Performances Pear Blossom Park Stage: 6-8 pm Library Commons Park: 6-7:30 pm Lithia Park Bandshell:12-6 pm A 2-hour, high-energy concert of An intimate evening featuring A 6-hour series of concerts dance music (this year Zydeco) + stories of 'home'told by main featuring both visiting & local foodtrucks & beer garden. stage artists & community world -class musicians + members. Activities for the whole family + foodtrucks & beer garden. Percussion Workshop Pear Blossom Park: 4-5:30 pm A workshop open to learners of all experience levels, focused on a specific cultural percussive practice. Musician Talk -Back Talent Public Library: 1-2 pm A presentation + Q&A by a visiting main stage musician/music group. Maximize power of this unique public arts event through strategic partnerships with local municipalities, DMOs, H community stakeholder organizations. Monday, May 29 ASHLAND Musician Talk -Backs] Locations: TBA TalkBack: #1. A presentation + Q&A by a visiting main stage musician/music group. TalkBack: #2. A presentation + Q&A by a local musician/music group. Audience Growth 10000 *Anticipated 8000 *Anticipated 6000 m Audience Growth t*� WOO m *An The average number of dollars per person spent in a community because of a community event in 2022. -Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 Study The estimated revenue generated for Ashland businesses by the 2023 Ashland World Music Festival. „ The average number of dollars per person spent in a community because of a community event in 2022. -Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 Study A conservative estimate of revenue generated for Ashland businesses by the 2024 Rogue World Music Festival. Alcohol in Lithia Park Rogue World Music is piloting the new policy of permitting alcohol use in City of Ashland Parks with APRC staff for the 2024 Rogue World Music Festival. Alcohol in Lithia Park RWM Rogue World Music is pilofT- the new policy of permitting alcohol use in City of Ashland Parks with APRC staff for the 2024 Rogue World Music Fes Help Support This Expansion A template letter of support to submit with grants. Help Support This Expansion A template letter of support to submit with grants. I of Americans say "arts and culture are important to their community's quality of life and liveability." Help Support This Expansion A tem la e' a ter o su ort a s P PP i submit with grants. Sponsor the RWMF. t- A Help Support This Expansion A template letter of support to submit with rants + Sponsor the RWMF. y; of attendees agree that the activity or venue they were attending was a "source of pride for thecommuni y." Help Support This Expansion`'J'! �T, *✓ A template letter of support to submit with grants. Sponsor the RWMF. Attend the 2024 RWMF Ashland events & assess growth potential to include future goal - setting & budgeting processes and policy development. Help Support This Expansion A template letter of support to submit with grants Sponsor the RWMF Attend the 2024 RWMF Ashland events & assess growth potential to include future goal - setting & budgeting processes and policy development. o Am TrTcans say t ey wou1 of to s if that activity was no loFiger available," a 'felt important that future generations also be able to have that cultural experience. 'D1SW\ ao •a!snwppoMangoa'MMM V202 VAI.LS3:J )isnW nluom 3nooa I: H1LZ-N1bZ dtlW Financial Overview - Second Quarter FY24 Six months ending December 31, 2023 y Revenues & Expenditures • Review capital spending summary, next quarter Cash & Investments �- Ending Fund Balances Financial Overview - Second Quarter FY24 Six months ending December 31, 2023 ➢ Revenues & Expenditures •:• Property Taxes ■ Typically received in November ❖ Transient Lodging, Food & Beverage Taxes and Other ■ TLT is )) nigher than previous year ■ F&B reflects 1st qtr only and is 13.8%K higher than previous year ■ Planning/Building fees are also up by 35% •:• Investment income to double this fiscal year +$1M ❖ Contingency Transfer ■ Network switches $222K ❖ In budgetary compliance for the fiscal year it REVENUE SUMMARY (in thousands) nlMC1t � t>tanrun168udninp Fees REVENUE SUMMARY fin thousands) Dec FY24 Dec FY23 Dec FY22 Dec FY21 50Cs L S 18,S30 $ 18.738 S 18.711 S 18,128 Property Tax S 12-7u $ 12.003 S 11.787 3 11.188 Framtnte Feet .; Food 68—we Taa S 1.075 $ 947 S 742 S 773 — iransrenl lodg,ng Ta: S 1.911 $ 1.868 S 8% $ 620 Amgdance lrnnsporta Elecvic User Ta, 3 1.768 $ 1.829 S 1.830 $ 1.743 Ambulance Transports S 1.328 $ 1407 S 900 S 649 Framh,se Fees 3 I'm $ 1.970 $ 1,829 S 1.762 Electrrc user T. SDC's S 494 S 275 S 274 S 589 Planning 6 Budding Fees S 788 $ 584 s 544 S 1.751 lwvent Lod8n814. �F Interest 3 1.178 $ 578 S 133 $ 1% Find h 51—el Tat Roperty La Chsrgts la Smrcet - S 52.000 54,1*1 56,000 50 . 110.000 112,000 $14,000 Dec TY21 • Dm FY22 s Dec TY23 ■ Dec FY24 $16.000 S18.000 S.'0.000 !�I Financial Overview - Second Quarter FY24 Six months ending December 31, 2023 ➢ Clty's Net Position (Current Year vs Previous Year, same period) •: Fund Balance ■ City Wide = $86.3M vs $78.81VI ■ General Fund = $25.5M vs $24.7M ❖ Cash & Investments ■ City Wide = $81.8M vs $74.3M ■ General Fund = $26.2M vs $23.9M Finance Department Updates d ➢ Utility Billing o Re -opening phone lines ➢ Procurement Ordinance ➢ Municipal Audit Committee AUDIT Finance Department Updates ➢ Revenue Study work o Forecasting / modeling • Personnel costing , • Facilities maintenance • Fleet costing --- r • Capital spending plan 3/5/24 Mayor and Councilors, Vision Zero, the philosophy behind it and other safe systems approaches, is founded on the notion of collective responsibility that should be shared by the system designers and road users together. In other words, road users should follow rules and system designers must ensure safety. Key among Vision Zero priorities include managing speed, centering equity and engaging the community. Assessing what needs are greatest, complement its data -driven approach with robust community engagement. This is significant for its use in our Transportation System Plan update and helps us establish philosophical underpinnings that hold this collective responsibility to account. An Action Plan, a plan that would be a forerunner to the TSP Update itself, will be drawn up to take these responsibilities into account under the four pillars of transportation system design: • #1 Engineering (protecting public safety and minimizing risks through infrastructure and traffic calming ) ; • #2 Education (Outreach and educating both the young(school programs for traffic safety) and the old (AARP driver 55 and alive programs) and in generally promoting Our Near Miss Reporting Survey, or awareness programs like Distracted Driving Awareness Month; • #3 Enforcement, not only of traffic laws but also Code Compliance and; #4 Emergency Response (Making sure that any infrastructure changes we make continue to provide rapid response times for our Fire and Police professionals) Some criticize that setting a goal of zero fatalities or serious injuries on our streets can never be attained. But if some preventive measures could be accomplished so that a member of your family, an aging parent, a bike riding sister, a grandchild in a stroller, your best friend was saved from death or a crippling injury, shouldn't zero be the goal? • Whenever someone is killed or seriously injured, shouldn't we as a community take the necessary steps to avoid a similar event? • Shouldn't we look at the areas of concern that our citizens have identified where near misses have occurred with frequency? • Shouldn't we acknowledge that our most vulnerable road users( pedestrians, seniors, those without a car or truck) are at the greatest risk of debilitating injuries when they venture out onto our streets? By Adopting the Vision Zero Resolution you are recognizing that the answers to these questions are a resounding yes. You are acknowledging that the ethical assumption on which Vision Zero is based is an approval of an objective for maximizing human life saving. As one Vision Zero proponent expressed: `While humans are fallible and make mistakes in using the road system, these mistakes should not carry the death penalty'. The adoption of this Resolution by Council signals a commitment of Vision Zero as a long-term goal for traffic safety that moves with the paradigm shift of focus by our regional, state and federal governments as seen in the offerings of grants and in preparation for the Transportation System Plan Update. This allows us to move from the backward -looking assignment of fault of the person behind the wheel to the forward -looking shared responsibility of both individual road users and system designers. This commitment is shared by our state and federal governments by offering grants for both planning and implementation, grants like the ODOT Community Pathways Program and the Federal SS4A(Safe Streets and Roads for All grants under the Inflation Reduction Act.) By promoting awareness of the risks associated with traffic, providing education on safe practices, and encouraging responsible behaviors whether walking, biking, rolling or driving, Vision Zero seeks to create a culture of safety rather than speed, where road users are informed, vigilant and committed to protecting their own safety and the safety of others. The Transportation Advisory Committee solidly recommends your adoption of the Resolution put forward to you tonight. Linda (Peterson) Adams Transportation Advisory Committee Chair Presentation Council Business Meeting 3/5/24