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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975-0225 ADJOURNEDMINUTES OF ADJOURNED MEETING ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL February 25, 1975 ROLL CALL RESERVOIR CLEANING An adjourned meeting of the Ashland City Council was called to order at 7:30 P.M. on the above date by Council Chairman McCannon, who presided in the absence of Mayor Prickett. All Council members were present. Public Works Director Alsing requested authority to s]~end about $7,200 for extra help in cleaning silt from Reeder Reservoir, and $25,000 to clear the res- ervoir banks of debris, and asked that both projects be funded by the Flood Bond Fund. Alsing said it was his assumption that the bad taste ~n~ odor in the city water last Fall was a result of the organic debris in the water. Allen moved to spend $7,200 from Flood Bond Fund for removal of silt from the reservoir. Hoffarth seconded, and passed unanimously on roll call vote. Hoffarth expressed concern that there was lack of evidence that the debris on the banks caused the bad taste and odor in the water, and moved to deny the request for $25,000 to remove debris. Allen seconded with a comment that the Council had promised the voters it would hold the residual Flood Bond debt down to a minimum. Laws, McCannon, Ragland and McDowell all expressed feeling that Alsing's assumption seemed valid, and that people would prefer a little larger residual debt to have the water clean,and also were concerned, that if debris were not removed, it may clog screens a~d the creek. Hoffarth's motion to deny request was ~efeated with Allen and Hoffarth in favor and Ragland, McCannon, Laws and McDowell opposed. Laws moved to spend up to $25,000 from the Flood Bond Fund for debris removal. McDowell seconded and motion passed with Ragland, McCannon, Laws and McDowell in favor, Allen and Hoffarth opposed. Community Dev. Block Grants Administrator Almquist outlined the Community Devel- opment Block Grant process, a Federally funded grant program administered by Housing and Urban Development. He explained that a total of 2½ million dollars is available to the non-metropolitan cities of Oregon for the primary objectives of development of viable urban communities and furthering the development of a national urban growth policy. The specific objectives are: (1) Elimination of slums and blight for the welfare principally of persons of low and moderate income, (2) Elimination of conditions harmful to health, safety and public welfare through code en- 2-25-75 forcement, demolition and interim rehabilitation, (3) Conservation and expansion of the housing stock, principally for persons of low and moderate income, (5) More rational use of land and other natural resources, (6) The development of neighborhoods avail- able and attractive to diverse income groups, (7) Restoration and preservation of properties with his- torical, architectural, or other special value. Almquist pointed outthat it is the congressional intent that prior levels of local financial support city will be obligated to continue maintenance of the programs and will need to submit performance reports. He also advised the ~ouncil that if the City accepts grants, the Housing ~ssistance Plan should be thor- oughly studied. MULTI-SERVICE CENTER James C. Sims, who served on committee to investigate Community Developmen~ Block Grant program, spoke in favor of submitting ~n application for $140,000 to pur- chase the Dodge and Herndobler buildings on East Main for conversion to a multi-service center. He also asked that city continue f~nding the Hunter Park multi-service center for another y~ar at cost of $10,000 per year, and that after the c:enter is moved to the Dodge-Herndobler location, the City continue the same support. He said he also expected thalt Jackson County will contribute $10,000 per year to zthe support of the center, and ex- pected some support from the agencies using the center. Janet Mayo, coordinator for the multi-service center, spoke of inadequacy of Hunter Park location and the desirability of the 2Dodge-Herndobler location. Joan Legg Of Oregon Department of Human Resources reported that centers are being acquired in Medford, and her department is anxious to know of our plans for similar center. Elaine Shanafelt also spoke in favor of acquisition of a new center. Hoffarth questioned Mrs. Legg on the state's.plans, and asked if they could not keep the Medford CeRter smaller and construct a center in Ashland, to which Mrs. Legg replied that they do not construct buildings, they lease. Hoffarth and Allen ~xpressed concern over the way the multi-service center request had "snowballed" since last June when only a small part-time office space was re- quested with a nominal funding by the City for only one year, at which timelthe agencies using the facilities would assume all the costs. Then, at the request of the agencies, the center was transferred to Hunter Park 2-25-75 HISTORIC BUILDINGS SWIM POOL PLANS which was now being deemed "totally inadequate," and the center now requests $10,000 per year plus the City's responsibility in obtaining and maintaining the grant and its attendent long-term liabilities. C. P. Corliss questioned the availability of parking at the Dodge-Herndobler location, to which Sims replied there was parking for 30 35 cars behind the buildings. Laws spoke in favor of continuing the funding of a multi- service center coordinator, saying it amounted to only eight-tenths of one per cent of General Fund. McDowell suggested possible use of multi-service center for city offices, to which Almquist replied that the terms of the grant would prohibit such use. McCannon spoke of his concern in the event the participa- ting agencies decide to withdraw, to which Sims replied that we have until May 15th to submit final application, and commitments can be obtained by then. Kay Atwood of the Historic Commission asked for $85,000 grant to renovate historical buildings, saying it would be possible to make available to owner of buildings a grant of $3,000 for exterior renovation and a low-interest loan of $2,000 for interior renovation. Ragland said he supported the concept, but felt that the availability of a $3,000 grant immediately increases the market value of the house by that much. At this point (9:05 P.M.), Allen said he had to leave, and advised Council that he could not support any of the programs submitted and regretted that he would not be there to cast his "No" vote. Parks Director McGuire said the Park Commission has been investigating the acquisition of a pool for two years, and are now requesting $25,000 for a preliminary pool design. He said if the grant of $25,000 is received, it will en- able them to get designs for a solar heated enclosed pool which they estimate will cost a million dollars. He said additional federal grants are now available for construction of solar heated projects in order to gather test data. The pool committee feels the schools will participate in pool maintenance if an enclosed pool is used, and it is proposed to locate the pool on school ground next to Hunter Park. Ragland and Hoffarth pointed out the advantages of acquiring Twin Plunges instead of constructing a new pool, pointing out that enough land was with the pool to eventually allow for a city hall complex. McGuire said they had engineers check Twin Plunges and felt the cost of renovating the ~ool made its purchase impractical, and that it was too far from the schools for school participation. Several people in the audience spoke in favor of a municipal pool. -25-75 -3- WA'~RSHED MANAGEMENT STUDY GOLF COURSE IRRIGATION MUSEUM INCLUSION IN PRELIMINARY APPLICATION PRIORITIES Almquist asked for consideration of grant funds of $2~',000 for a watershed management study to answer requirements imposed by D.E.Q., in which they ask the City to investigate (1) sources of water supply, (2) systems modification, (3) sediment removal, (4) watershed management, and (5) compari- son of capital costs and operating costs. Council members felt that the silt problem in Reeder Reser- voir is a Forest Service problem, and the study should be made by them. Almquist read a letter the mayor had sent to Senator Packwood to that effect, and Packwood's reply that the Forest Service had no funds for such a study, and sug- gested the City apply for Community Development Block Grant funds. Almquist said D.E.Q. has the power to withdraw a permit for cleaning the reservoir, and felt we should show cooperation. Don Miller, President of Oak Knoll Enterprises, asked for a grant of $40,000 to install an irrigation system at the golf course, pointing out that this is a capital improve- ment on city-owned land, and that the irrigation system will actually cost around $80,000. McGuire again spoke for the Park Commission to request a grant of $10,000 to renovate the museum building in the park. He said Jackson County has offered to run the museum if we will first improve it. Laws moved to include the multi-service center request in the preliminary application. McDowell seconded, and passed with McCannon, Laws and McDowell YES and Hoffarth and Ragland NO on roll call vote. Ragland moved to include the historic building request in the application. Laws seconded and motion passed on roll call with Ragland, McCannon, Laws and McDowell in favor and Hoffarth apposed. Ragland moved to include the swim pool planning in the application. McCannon seconded, and passed on roll call with Ragland, MCCannon, Laws and McDowell in favor and Hoffarth opposed. Laws moved to include the watershed study in the application. McCannon seconded and motion carried with McDowell, Laws, McCannon and Ragland in favor and Hoffarth opposed. McDowell moved to include the golf course irrigation in the application, but her motion died for lack of a second. Ragland moved to include museum renovation in the appli- cation, but motion died for lack of a second. Chairman McCannon suggested that the projects be listed in order of priority. Ragland moved Co give the historic building renovation top priority. Laws seconded. Motion defeated on roll call with Ragland in favor and Hoffarth, McCannon, Laws and McDowell opposed. 2-25-75 -4- PRI~;RITIES ( CO nt ' d ) McCannon moved to give watershed study top priority. .aws seconded and motion passed with McDowell, Laws and McCannon in favor and Ragland and Hoffarth opposed. McDowell moved to place the multi-service center in second place. Laws seconded. Motion defeated with Laws and McDowell in favor and McCan~on, Ragland and Hoffarth op- posed on roll call vote. Ragland moved to list historic building renovation as second priority. McCannon seconded, and passed on roll call with Ragland, McCannon and Laws in favor and McDowell and Hoffarth opposed. McDowell moved to place the multi-service center in third place. Laws seconded and motion passed with McCannon, Laws and McDowell in favor and Hoffarth and Ragland opposed on roll call vote. Chairman McCannon said this left the only other approved item - the swim pool plan - in four~ place on the list of priorities. :10 p.m. 2-25-?5 -5-