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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1986-0520 REG MINMINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL May 20, 1986 ROLL CALL APPROVAL OF MINUTES NELSON AWARD RECOGNITION PUBLIC HEARING NURSERY ST0 PAVING Mayor Medaris led the Pledge of Allegiance and called the meeting to order at 7:35 PoM. in the Council Chambers on the above date. Elerath, Reid, Bennett, Acklin and Arnold were present. Laws arrived at 7:40 P.M. Reid asked that the minutes of the regular meeting be corrected to delete the last sentence in the second paragraph of the public hearing relative to a comment made by Arnold which he noted he had not made. Aeklin moved that the minutes of the regular meet- ing of May 6 and Executive Session of May 6 be approved as correct- ed; Reid seconded the motion which passed unanimously on voice vote° Mayor Medaris recognized Finance Director Robert D. Nelson on receiving the RIMS Research/~ard based on a paper entitled "Suggested Program for Earthquake Insurance for the City of Ashland." Medaris reported that Nelson had received the award during the RIMS' 1986 REACH FOR THE TOP CONFERENCE in Toronto. The public hearing on a proposed ordinance amending initiative and referendum procedures to require a measure to be placed on the primary or general election ballot if requested within 120 days of such ballot was opened. Ed Chapman of 113 Pine Street said he had spoken to Councilor Laws who had sereed some modifica- tion might be in order. Chapman noted that 2.36.080 is poorly wrltten andTthat 2.36.100 should be completely eliminated. Chap- man said that as the ordinance is written the matter could be entirely up to Council after 1600 people had signed a petition. Chapman criticized Section 2 declaring that an emergency exists relative to the public health and safety of the people of the City of Ashland. Laws said the emergency clause is necessary because of the additional cost'of $3500 for a special election and also because it would not bring all of the peoples to the polls as would a General or Primary Election. Chapman said the emergency clause was not discussed and Acklin said that Council understood it was there and what the reasons were. At this point the public hearing was closed. The City Administrator read the title of the ordinance and Laws moved to adopt in form submitted; Arnold seconded the motion. Reid said she would vote for the measure because she is concerned that as many people as possible vote~on an issued but expressed concern about the emergency clause. Laws said until he brought the matter up, the use of the section used to appear whether it was really an emer- gency or not. Laws reiterated that he considers this issue an emergency for the reasons he brought up earlier. On roll call vote, the motion passed unanimously. A memo was read from Director of Public Works Alsing noting a petition requesting improvement of the alley off Nursery Street and said 65.33% of the front footage property was in favor° A resolution calling for a public hearing was set for June 3, 1986 .,..,.continued 5/20/86 P. 1 Regular Meeting Ashland City Council NURSERY STo IMPo conto STUDY SESSION 5/27/86 BRITT FESTIVAL REQUEST YMCA AGREEMENT LIQUOR LICENSE RENEWALS STUDY COMMITTEE FOR WATERSHED HOSPITAL CONSTo FUNDS was read and Acklin moved to adopt; Bennett seconded° Reid asked if Council could name the alley based on historic or geological criteria° On roll call the motion passed unanimously° The City Administrator noted that ~he Forest'Ser~ice~-wisHes to=sub- mit a survey of community attitudes on the use of the Ashland Watershed and requested that a Special T~eeting be held at 7:00 P.~. on May 27, 1986 for that purpose to be followed by the scheduled Budget hearin~ for 7:30 P.}~. on that date. Council agreed. Deferred to June 3, 1986 meeting° As Vice President of the YMCA, Allen Drescher reviewed the agree- ment and credited the efforts of Councilor Reid, City Attorney Salter, City Adm. Almquist, Parks Commissioners Nelson and Sears, Parks & Recreation Director Mickelson and Carol Jenson and him- self for coming up with the agreement to make the third major park in the City possible. Drescher noted the land was purchased for $175,000 through the efforts of the Y and that 1800 children will benefit by the cooperative agreement which calls for the YMCA to get preferential treatment in the use of the park after the scheduled use by the Parks & Recreation Commission. Drescher said the original language calling for a "safe & useable" condition be deleted but added that the field must be maintained to allow for use by soccer teams. Laws noted that soccer may not be a popular sport some time in the future and Drescher said that problem could be dealt with should that occur. After further Council discussion, Reid moved to authorize Mayor and Recorder to sign agreement; Bennett seconded the motion. Parks Director Mickelson thanked Council for their part in making'the agreement possible. On voice vote the motion passed unanimously. A memo from the Police Department recommending approval was noted and Acklin moved to approve liquor license renewals; Bennett second- the motion. Lively said he has had minor problems during the year but nothing that couldn't be handled with the Bar owners. On voice vote the motion passed without opposition. A committee to study the Forest Management Plan and its impact on the Ashland Watershed was requested in a memo frem Public Works Director and the Mayor appointed Councilors Laws, Acklin, Bennett and Reid. CEO Thomas Mack reviewed request for additional building funds and reviewed remodelling plans for the Hospital to include a covered passageway for emergency cases. Mack noted that the the low bid on the project came in for $107,900 rather than the estimated $85,000 and the low bid will be accepted for $107,900. Mack reviewed the Sports Medicine addition to the Hospital functions and noted that a Physical Therapy Department is planned for the convenience of the patients and fiscal well-being of the Hospital. Mack said .... continued 5/20/86 P. 2 Regular Meeting Ashland City Council 5/20/86~. 3 HOSPITAL CONSTRUCTION PARK & GREENWAY PROPERTY TEMPORARY CLOSURE REQUEST OF WINBURN, NUTLEY & GRANITE - BICYCLE RACES PUBLIC FORUM that the Physical Therapy unit could accommodate SoA. I.F. & Work- mens Compensation cases along with the athletic programs for the various schools and college. Reid moved to approve request; Bennett seconded the motion which passed unanimously o~ voice vote. A letter from Councilor Reid proposing purchase of land for Park and Greenway purposes was reviewed and City Attorney Salter noted he had written to Auditor Gerald Burns on legal indebtedness of the City and noted he had not received a reply as yet. Reid noted she had recently requested a list of City properties and stressed the importance of the site on Ashland Creek which she felt should be owned by the people of Ashland° Arnold moved to post- pone until the next meeting. Salter said an offer could be made so as not to jeopardize the purchase contingent upon favorable information from the Auditor. Elerath moved to make offer of $35,000 contingent on Burns' recommendation/clarification; Reid seconded the motion which passed unanimously on voice vote. A request from Siskiyou Wheelman for temporary closure of Winburn Way, Nutley Street and Granite Street on AUgust 17 from 6:30 A.M. until 12:00 Noon for bicycle race was discussed and Dana Bandy of the organization was on hand to answer questions. Reid commented on the success and interest of the previous races. Laws expressed concern about closing streets for that long a period and it was noted that only half of Granite Street was closed previously and it hadn't caused a problem. Elerath moved to approve; Bennett seconded the motion which passed unanimously on voice vote. Lee Howard, 95 Ridge Road and Parks Director Ken Mickelson reviewed the proposal for purchasing 60 acres to accommodate the often dis- cussed expansion of the Oak Knoll Golf Course to include deletion of one hole on the present course with ten being planned for the property on Crowson Road owned by Erv Toney. Howard noted that the original proposal had not worked out and this current plan does not involve subdivision plans to be combined with the course. Howard recommended an increase of 1% on the Hotel/Motel tax to generate enough monies to retire the debt in a period of about six years should the proposal be accepted and noted the City would own the land in question. Howard said the funds would actually be coming from tourists and stressed the need for a 18 hole course to accommodate Conventions and said that the leaseholder Buddy Sullivan is working with Windmill's Ashland Hills Inn on the improvement funding for the course. Howard said that records show a dramatic increase in the use of the course and noted that there are more playable days in Ashland than anywhere in the Valley. Acklin recommended that public be afforded input. Mickelson noted that golf courses generate revenue and Parks Commissioner Nelson said that the Chamber has made a pitch to get conferences here in the Spring and Fall to bridge the summer tourism gap. The Mayor noted a meeting could be held after more consideration is given the proposal, 5/20/86 P. 3 ReSular. Meeting Ashland City Council 5/20/86 P, 4 ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS AND CONTRACTS Freight Handlers Fee 1985 UNIFORM BUILDING CODE etc, TRANSPo UTILITY FEES OAK STo PARKING UTILITY DISCOUNT' TRANSFo OF APPROP, AIRPORT DAY Second reading by title only was given an ordinance authorizing a freight handlers fee at Ashland Municipal Airport and Laws moved to adopt; Arnold seconded the motion which passed unanimously on roll call vote. First reading by title only was given an ordinance adopting the 1985 Uniform Building, Mechanical and Plumbing Codes and Laws moved to adopt; Reid seconded the motion which passed without opposition on roll call vote. The City Administrator reviewed changes in Sections 1 and 2 amend- ing Ordinance 2373 and asked that implementation of the fees be changed to July 1, 1986 at which time the inhouse computer will be operable for the program. Almquist read the resolution and Acklin moved for adoption; Laws seconded the motion° Bennett asked for clarification relative to apartment fees of seventy-five cents and Almquist explained the fees are predicated on the number of required parking spaces for apartment buildings. Laws noted that people who live in apartments usually own more vehicles and there- fore use the streets more. On roll call motion passed unanimously. A resolution changing the parking restrictions on Oak Street was read and Arnold moved to adopt; Bennett seconded the motion which passed with Reid, Bennett, Acklin, Laws and Arnold in favor. Elerath opposed and the motion carried. A memo was read from Director of Finance Nelson requesting inter- pretation of the Employee Discount Policy. Reid noted that she is in business and has two meters so complies with the intent of the ordinance. Council discussed a potential problem of an employee receiving the utility discount while operating a business in the home and the degree of impact on the utility bill. Almquist noted the discount averages $12. After further discussion, Council asked that the City Administrator research and recommend language which is more definitive for discount guidelines. Almquist said he would draft an amended version of the ordinance. A memo from the Finance Director was read and a resolution transfer- ing appropriations~within funds was read. Acklin moved to adopt; Elerath seconded the motion which passed unanimously on roll call vote, Mayor Medaris reported that there will be an Ashland Airport Day on May 31, 1986 and asked Public Works Director Alsing to comment on details, Alsing said it would afford the citizens of Ashland an opportunity to visit their Airport and that many activities have been planned by the Airport Commission and that refreshments are being served on the occasion. 5/20/86 Po 4 Regular_Meeting Ashland City Council "5/20/86 P. 5 OTHER BUSINESS conto ADJOURNMENT Reid noted that a man who lives close to the Nursery Street alley proposed for paving was the first to get a interstate trucking permit and suggested his name be used for the alley in question° Reid suggested the name "O'Harra" be used for the alley. Laws said it isn't appropriate for Council to name alleys and if the people come to Council expressing a particular interest then it can be considered based on special conditions. Reid requested that the Public Safety Department give accident and ticket history showing a comparison with that experience of two years ago for Council information° The City Administrator noted that a proposal of improvement for- Hosler Dam had been received from Morrison-Knudsen Engineers in the amount of $51,000 and that no action is necessary. Almquist noted that he had estimated the cost at approximately $50,000. The meeting was adjourned at 9:25 PoMo to a Special Meeting to be held May 27, 1986 at 7:00 PoMo Nan E. ~ranklin City Recorder Mayor 5/20/86 P. 5