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Home My WebLink About1998-0505.REG.MINMINUTES FOR THE REGULAR MEETING ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL May 5, 1998 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor Shaw called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m., Civic Center Council Chambers. ROLL CALL Councilors Laws, Reid, Wheeldon and DeBoer were present. Councilors Hauck and Hagen were absent. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Councilor Wheeldon noted that on page 9, the change in her office hours was 8:30-10:30 a.m. on the Monday before the first council meeting of each month and that this was temporary so there was no need to include the change in the Ashland City Source. The minutes of the regular meeting of April 21, 1998 were approved as amended. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS & AWARDS I. Mayor's Proclamations Mayor Shaw read the following proclamations by title only: 1) National Emergency Medical Services Week (May 17-23, 1998) 2) National Public Works Week (May 17-23, 1998) 3) National Historic Preservation Week (May 10-16, 1998) 4) Older Americans' Month (May, 1998) 5) "Pledge Not-To-Drive Day" (May 15, 1998) CONSENT AGENDA 1. Minutes of Boards, Commissions and Committees. 2. Quarterly Financial Report from Staff Accountant Patrick Caldwell 3. Application for Liquor License for Azteca Mexican Restaurant, 2345 Ashland Street (Applicant: Arturo Pascual). 4. Appointment of Michael Savko to Traffic Safety Commission for a term to expire 4/30/99. Councilors Wheeldon/Reid m/s to accept the consent agenda. Voice vote: All AYES. Motion passed. PUBLIC HEARINGS None. PUBLIC FORUM None. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None. NEW AND MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS 1. Memorandum from Public Works Director regarding Flood Repairs and Improvements along Ca!!e Guanajuato. City Council Meeting 054)5-98 City Administrator Mike Freeman noted that both council members and citizens had requested information and that this item was placed on the agenda as an informational presentation to council. Stated that public comment was not being sought at this time as there would be public meetings at a later date. Public Works Director Paula Brown gave a brief overview of the status of repairs and improvements on Calle Guanajuato, noting that the Parks Department is taking the lead in approaching this project. Explained that as work will be beginning on the Calle in the near future, decisions need to be made concerning what specifically will be done to address issues such as flood mitigation. Stated that this could involve constructing a flood wall, or laying out the Calle so that it is oriented more to the uphill side of the creek. Brown explained assumptions that have been involved in planning process until this point, including the fact that bridges built should be designed to carry 100-year flood event flows (3100 cubic feet per second). Noted that a decision needs to be made as to whether the Calle Guanajuato reach of Ashland Creek's channel should convey flows of that size downstream. Discussed the sheet flows on Winbum Way mentioned in the memo, explaining that they would likely re-enter just across the street from the Hillah Temple parking lot. Brown noted that Brian McCarthy is preparing information on alternative scenarios for the Parks Department. Stated that some work might begin this summer, but work can only be done during certain months and must be approved by several outside agencies, and it is not likely that this approval process could be completed this year. Discussion of concerns over approaching further repairs and improvements in a piecemeal manner. Suggested a study session to break down the Otak report and look at projects within a larger framework. Brown noted that recent Watershed Partnership meetings had discussed the possibility of split flows through the plaza and down Water Street. Explained that this had not been intended in the work done by Otak. Noted concerns over Main Street bridge and areas downstream from there. Brown noted that th.e Otak report presents a holistic plan, and explained that this had been discussed at the last joint study session. Discussion of whether creek channel below Main Street could handle 100-year flows, and whether to divert flows downstream without splitting flows if the channel would not be able to contain the flows. Brown noted that measures taken to date have been intended to convey 100-year flows downstream from Winburn Way. Discussion of the New Year's Flood of 1997, noting that even though the flow had split, the water re-entered the creek near the Blue Bird Park area. Emphasized that the flood had not been at 100-year levels. Discussed whether money should be diverted to Calle Guanajuato repairs to prepare it for a 100-year event if the decision might be made later not to convey the full flows further downstream. Discussed the possibility of engineering a split flow at Main Street. Brown noted that she would apply Otak's model downstream to the Water Street bridge and bring the results back to council before a decision is made on the Calle. Noted concerns over constriction points around the Brewery and Thai Pepper. Brown explained that the modeling by Otak was done based on existing conditions. ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS AND CONTRACTS 1. Second reading by title only of "An Ordinance to Correct a Clerical Error in Ashland Municipal Code Section 18.76.060. B to Correct An Erroneous Cross Reference from Section 18.76.060. L to Section 18.76.060. K." Councilors Laws/Wheeldon m/s to adopt Ordinance #2815. Roll call vote: DeBoer, Reid, Laws, and Wheeldon: All YES. Motion passed. City Council Meeting 05-05-98 Second reading by title only of "An Ordinance to Amend Ashland Municipal Code Section 2.28.190 to Change the Reference from District Judge to Circuit Court Judge to Reflect the Consolidation of the State Circuit and District Courts." Councilors Wheeldon/DeBoer m/s to adopt Ordinance #2816. Roll call vote: Laws, DeBoer, Wheeldon, and Reid: All YES. Motion passed. First reading of "An Ordinance Adding Section 11.48.025 to the Ashland Municipal Code Authorizing the Code Enforcement Officer and Community Service Officer to Issue Citations." City Administrator Mike Freeman read the ordinance in its entirety. Councilor Wheeldon questioned how the citation issuance process has been dealt with in past. City Attorney Paul Nolte clarified that police officers have issued citations in the past. Noted that police officers' knowledge of civil aspects of the Ashland Municipal Code is limited as it is not a part of their training. When a police officer had to issue a citation in the past, the code enforcement officer had to explain the situation to them. Councilor Wheeldon questioned whether there was a need for special training to prepare the code enforcement and community service officers to issue citations. Nolte noted that he would review each citation to ensure that each situation had been thoroughly investigated. Stated that investigative skills and proper citation issuance are needed, but that no additional training would be involved. Noted citations are a last resort and are issued infrequently. The primary duties of both positions are educational. It is only after several verbal warnings that a citation would be issued. Councilors Laws/Wheeldon m/s to move the ordinance to a second reading. Roll call vote: Reid, Laws, DeBoer, and Wheeldon: All YES. Motion passed. 4o Reading by title only of "A Resolution Changing the Composition of The Municipal Audit Committee by Making the City Recorder an ExoOfficio Member and Repealing Resolution No. 95- 24." Councilors DeBoer/Reid m/s to adopt Resolution #98-06. Roll call vote: Wheeldon, Reid, DeBoer, and Laws: All YES. Motion passed. OTHER BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS Councilors and audience members were reminded that a City Council Study Session will be held on Wednesday, May 6, 1998, at 1:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers to discuss the Electric Department's Cost-of-Service Study. ADJOURNM E NT The meeting was adjourned at 7:27 p.m. Barbara Christensen, City Recorder Catherine M. Shaw, Mayor City Council Meeting 05-05-98