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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1974-1105 REG MINMINUTES FOR TIlE REGULAR MEETING ASllLAND CITY COUNCIL November 5, 1974 INVOCATION ROLL CALL APPROVAL OF MINUTES Council Planning Commission Hospital Board Invocation was given by the Rev. Floyd Smith, Church of the Nazarene, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Mayor Archie C. Fries called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers on the above date. Present were Soderberg, Roble, Allen, Conkljn and McCannon. Prickett arrived at 7:25 p.m. Conklin moved that minutes for the regular meeting of October 15, 1974 be approved and placed on file. McCannon seconded. On roll call Conklin and McCannon voted YES. Roble, Allen and Soderberg opposed and the motion failed. Minutes disapproved. Soderberg asked that Recorder Butler check his notes on action taken relative to deferral of second reading of the Electric Rate Increase ordinance and Butler stated that his notes indicated that although Allen had asked to consider after budget session on Novem- ber 14, 1974 at 2:00 p.m., it was not given in the form of a motion and McCannon's motion to pass ordinance to second reading with Conklin's second had passed with Conklin, McCannon, Prickett and Soderberg voting YES. Rob!e and Allen opposed. Following that discussion Conklin again moved that minutes of the regular meeting of October 15, 1974 be approved as read and placed on file. On roll call, all YES. Conklin moved to accept and place on file the minutes of the Planning Commission for the October 14, 1974 meeting. McCannon seconded and motion passed unanimously on voice vote. McCannon moved that Hospital Board minutes of October 18, 1974 be accepted and placed on file; Conklin seconded and on voice vote, all YES. Parks & Recreation PUBLIC FORUM IrPIFINISIIED BUSINESS NEW & H!'SC. BUSINESS Traffic Commissioa Mayor Fries asked that financial statemenm of Farks & Recreation Commission be included in the agenda as received because of present loans and possible future requests. McCannon moved that Parks & Recreation minutes for meet- ing of October ]0, 1974 be accepted and placed on file, Soderberg seconded and motion passed unanimously on voice vote. Alfred Willstatter started to speak from the audience relative to electric rate increase and was asked to defer comment until subject came up on Agenda. Karl Mawson, City Planner, reminded Council of Joint meeting to be held with Planning Commissioa on November 12, 1974 and left draft copies of the Site Design Review Ordinance for Councll's perusal before the meeting. A memorandum from City Attorney Salter out]fned purposes for which bond money can be used in flood restoration and stated that the .Nevada Street Bridge and relative proposed work would not be ,eligible s~nce said brid~e was not damaged. No action necessary. Mayor Fries presented his Traffic Safety Commission report and recommend~d that parking be proh|b]ted on E. Main Street from Fonrth Street to Lithim Way to el. low f~.re trucks eas~er access to E. Main Street. Pub[:{c Works Director Ab~[ng :;a~d he bad ~ontacted four occupants inw',lved and :hat tbev were agreeable to prot~osa]. (~onk] in so mo~od and on t:~l] call vote .m~t h.~ Re~p!~ Meeting Ashland City Council Financial Report Public Hearing Supplemental Budget The Commission recommended that the HiKhway Division be requested to make a study of traffic for signals at Blvd& Mountain, Blvd & Walker and Walker at Ashland Street. Soderberg moved that request be made and motion passed without opposition on voice vote. Public Works Director Alsing showed map of the Mountain & Ashland Street area sad recomnended two lan~ north from Ashland; removal of stop signs at Pleasant Way and proposed a strip for pedestrians along Mountain Avenue and that the costs would be $129.00 for material and a total cost of $1,2C0 with labor and use of equipment included. Conklin suggested property owners be contacted and Mayor Fries said a public hearing could be held. Conklin move that $1,200 be expended; Roble seconded. Allen said with this proposal we would be back ~here we were before the stop signs were installed. Allen agreed the people should be contacted in and above the area. There being a general consensus to call a hearing, Conklin withdrew his motion. Finance Director Nelson gave highlights of financial commentary made a part of the agenda and predicted the 1975-76 year to be grim because of inflation and collective bargaining. Soderberg asked what Nelson planned for the $54,076 more than budgeted reflecting the revenue sharing fund balance and was told that Council could reappropriate that amount for other things, i.e. paving and'sewage rehabilitation. Prickett wondered if the electric rate passage would leave unexpended utility balance and Nelson indicated any bal- ance could go into the contingency fund. (See attached). Mayor Fries opened the public hearing and invited comments from the audience on adoption of a supplemental budget for the year 1974-75 relative to the Utilities Fund. Alfred Willstatter stated that the public should have some say in electric rate increases and that it is his opinion that it is a sub- vention of the 6% limitation placed on property taxes. Mr. E, H. Defriez of 134 Nob Hill questioned the proposed rate increase without the benefit of going to P.U.C. for approval and having a Public Utilities hearin~ and said it is actually a tax and why not treat it like one by raising the prop- erty tax which would be deductible on income tax. Mayor Fries e>m!ained that 38% of the land in the ci~ is publicly owned and could not be taxed and the balance of the people would not go along with picking up the differ- ence with an end result of cutting back services and lack of maintenance utility. Ernie Tischhauser pointed out that municipal electric rates should not be compared to private rates and suggested increasing taxes. Roble also objected to comparison of Ashland utilities with private utility type compan- ies. McCannon said that the major responsibility of the service would rest with the homeowner should the revenue come from taxes and the increased ra~e proposal would spread the load. and McCannon added that a survey he had ma~e resulted'in the poll showing that 88% of those people contacted ~ere in favor of the increased rate as opposed to property tax increases. Conklin said that Council is carrying out a philosophy adopted back in !916 ~nd that a big step has been taken by limiting percentage of electrice3 revenue to into the general fund. Soderberg said she would like to hear from tile pecpi.~ of Ashland on the subject. Wesley Hoxie of ~21 Hillview said that we are a recession and that it may be necessary to raise both utility rates and property tax rates too, but tibet A~hland~s rates should not be cotpared to the rates ~mposed in neighborin% ccmmunit~es and that the perce:lta%e ~ould result in a burden to people on fixeJ incomes. H~xie went on to shy that should PP&L raise its price to the city, that the future renewal o~ the contract should be considered carefully when it comes up. R_~_e~7~r MeetinJ~ Ashland City Council Pn?,~ 3 O~!~NCES, RESOLU- IIC~;S & CONTRACTS Electric Rates ,Oak Knoll Annexation Dick Neill, Pioneer Market owner, disagreed with the principle of the higher percentage rate charged the larger user and said his only alternative would be to raise prices to absorb the increase which again would hurt the consu:ue and asked Council why it had not gone to the people for a vote on new tax base, stating that utilities are raised because it is easier. A1 Willstutter said he wants only a Justifiable increase but that it is a different ball game than PP&L. Mr. Hoxie offered his services as veteran of 40 years in the utility busin- ess to study Ashland's utility system and rates. Mayor Fries closed the public hearing. Prickett asked City Administrator Almquist for report on meeting with Dave Snider of Harry & David relative to data processing bank possibilities. City Administrator Almquist reported there would be no problem with retent- ion of data by duplicating tapes at cost of $15.00 per tape but that Snider would not attempt to quote a figure for development of a program but the rate would be $20.00 per hour and could cost from $8,000 to $12,000. A!m- qutst also said that a firm in Ellensburg, Washington offered services in terms of rate design and added that staff does not have adequate expertise to program. On Prickett's question relative to parameters used by PP&L, Rorton said rate structure was designed to put increase on all rates but that heavier users would absorb mor~ cost so as to preclude burden on low income users and that overall parameter was to achieve a certain profit but that to take the accepted rate as is used by PP&L would be easier to explair to the consumer and P.U.C. McCannon suggested that income levels of senior citizens qualifying for utility discount beraised to be realistic with present cost of living, stating that those who are single qualify at $2,400 or under per year and $3,000 for married people and that each category should be raised $600. McCannon said that 96 people are taking advantage of the discount and it is costing the city about $300 per month to sponsor such a program. Soderberg said she had many calls in favor of tax base rather than raise in electric rates, but added that such increase would not become effective until next November. Prickett moved that all information submitted be taken to Budget Committee meeting on November 14, 1974; Allen seconded and on roll call, Allen, Soderberg, Roble and Prickctt voted YES; Conklin and McCannon opposed. Prickett moved to table second reading of electric rate ordinance; Roble seconded and motion passed without opposition. Mayor Fries gave first reading of an ordinance d~spensing with an election on the proposed annexation and ~etting the time and place for a public hearln~ to bo December 17, 1974. Conklin moved to second readin~ wit[1 Soderberg seconding. Motion passed on roll call vote without opposition. 11/5/74 Pg. 3 . I__',c~.r_.Meett'3~ Ashlaud City Council P~e 4 Par~ing 0rd. Taxicab Rate Res. Grant A~reement Resolution - Airport Municipal Courts U,S. An~ Corps of Engineers Agreement U.S. Army Corps Right of Way Grant Wastewater Treatment Plant'Addition Change Order First reading of an ordinance amending Sections A & B of Section 1].2&.0IG of Ashland Municipal Code was read by City Administrator Almquist pertain~ to parking time limits. McCannon moved to second reading; Conklin seconde~ and on roll call vote, all YES. City Administrator Almquist read Resolution spproving an increase in the rates charged'by taxicab service franchised by City of Ashland. Soderberg moved that Resolution be adopted; McCannon seconded and motion pass with- out opposition on roll call vote. Resolution was read by City Administrator for the pnrpose of authorizing az directing execution of an Amendment to Grant Agreement to increase the grant by $1,300. McCannon moved for adoption; Soderberg seconded and the motion passed unanimously on roll call vote. City Administrator Almquist read a Resolution supporting municipal courts as proper courts to administer local ordinances, including state traffic offenses. Mayor Fries con~nended the job Judge Munsell is doing in speedin~ up the trial process and the return of monies to the city should the dis- trict. court take over would be questionable. Chief Hays commented that the City of Ashland is considerably ahead of Medford in trial schedule. Prickett moved for adoption, Conklin seconded and motion passed unanimously Prickett moved that Mayor and City Recorder be authorized to executa agree- ment between U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the City of Ashland for bank protection and channel restoration work at Sumner Parker Airport; Conkl~ .seconded and motion passed unanimously on roll call vote. Conklin moved to grant right of way to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for bank protection and channel restoration work at Ashland Municipal AirFort (Sumner Parker Field); Soderberg seconded and on roll call, all YES. City Administrator Almquist presented Change Order from B & B Constructicn Company to cover additional work on treatment plant addition and reco~end~ its ratification. McCannon so moved; Conklin seconded and motion passed without opposition. Golf Course Prickett requested that matter involving work at Oak Knoll Golf Ccurse be placed on agenda. With Council approval Prickerr asked that work program as recommended by the golf course committee be amended to eliminate vari-cutting of lawn at this time of year. Prickett so moved; Conklin seconded and Allen, Soderberg, McCannon, Prickett and Conklin voted YES. Roble abstained. Adjournment Conkiln moved to adjourn to Adjourned Meeting of November 8, 1974 at 4:00 p.m. for canvass of votes of general election. Meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m. Mayor