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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1971-0420 REG MINMINUTES FOR REGULAR MEETING ASIH.AND CITY COUNCIL APRIL 20. 1971 The regular meeting of the City Council was held in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, on the above date. The meeting was called to order by ~iayor TicKeen. All Councilmen were present. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: It was moved by Conklin, seconded by McCannon that the minutes of the April 6, 1971, regular meeting and April 13, 1971, adjourned meeting be accepted and placed on file. Motion carried unanimously. DEPARTNENTAL Rt.iPORTS: It was moved by Roberrs, seconded by Willstatter that the departmental reports for the month of Hatch be accepted and placed on file. Motion carried unanimously. STANDING CO~5'IITTi!E REt'ORTS: a. Finance & Property Committee Chairman Roberrs reported that the Finance & Property Committee met this afternoon with representatives of the Oregon Shakespearean Festival Association Board to discuss possible alternatives to t'he proposed Admissions Tax. b. Pub]ic Service Committee Roble moved that smoking be prohibited in the Council Chambers during Council sessions until such time as adequate ventilation can be provided. Motion seconded by Conklin. Following a request by the Nayor, Roble moved that the matter be brought up for discussion by the Council. _klotion secclnded by Conk]jn, and carried unanimously. Roble suggested making provision for a ]0-minute recess during lengthy Council sessions. On rol] call on motion to prohibit smoking, carried 4~0; l~IcCannon abstained from vot2ing. c. Streets & Traffic Conlmittec - Cbairman Conklin recoinmended that the request to allow a turnout at 450 Siskiyou I~ou]evard be deferred until such time as a report is rc, ccived from the State and studied further. -2- It was moved by Chairman Conklin, seconded by Roble that staff be instructed to prepare a resolution providing for the installation of stop signs at Elkader and Ashland Streets and Elkader and Prospect Streets; the resolution is to be presented at the May 4, 1971, regular meeting. Motion carried unanimously. COMMUNICATIONS: 1. It was moved by Conklin, seconded by Willstatter that the minutes of the March 8, 1971, Planning Commission meeting be accepted and placed on file. Motion carried unanimously. 2. It was moved by Roble, seconded by Roberts that a letter dated March 26, 1971, from the Jackson County Homebuilders Associ- ation relative to building inspectiota program be accepted and placed on file. Conklin suggested that the Ashland Daily Tidffngs editorial on the same subject be considered along with the letter at the next study session. Motion carried unanimously. SPECIAL AGENDA ITEMS: Unfinished Business: 1. City Attorney Salter reported that he had met with representatives of the Ashland Little League relative to the proposed lease of Cemetery Trust Fund property adjacent to Walker School. As a result of that meeting, two questions were raised by the Ashland Little League; the first being the matter regarding use of the area by the general publ5c, and the second regarding ~nsurance. Mr. Salter explained that the Little League was concerned that a maintenance problem might develop if the general public has unlimited use of the property. (The Little League will be responsible for the maintenance of the property.) Mr. Salter recommended that raembers of the general pub]ic be permitted to utilize the property as approved by the Director of Parks and Recreation. In regard to the insurance question, Mr. Salter exp]ajned that the current insurance is l~raited to periods when organized activity is taking place. However, after checking with Singmaster Insurance, he was informed that the City's blanket policy covers the City during all other t5mes. In reply to a question from Willstatter, City Administrator Alnu,tu~st indicated that the property owners around the proposed area have been contacted regarding use of the property by the Little I,oague. Following brief discussion involving a property owner near the Cemetery Trust t"*u~2d property and a representative of the Little I~eague, it was moved by Conklin, seconded by HcC~nnon that the lease be approvcd amt the }layor and Recorder l,e attthorined to sign the lease, as amended. On roll call, carried unanimously. -3- Ordinances, Resolutions & Contracts: 1. First reading of ordinance authorizing the issuance of City Improvement Bonds' for street paving in Street Improvement District No. 36 - City Administrator Almquist recommended a change in the interest rate from 7 percent to 6 percent (page 3, paragraph 1). Following reading of the ordinance by Mr. Almquist, it was moved by Conklin, seconded by Willstatter that the ordinance be passed to second reading. On roll call, carried unanimously. New & Miscel]ancous Business: 1. 8:00 P.M. PUBLIC HEARING: Zone Change No. 025, requesting a re~T6'~].f]~*jon~Y-o~'Tl'ff:B-8 to R-3:2.4 on property situated south of Ilighway 66 between Faith Avenue and Clay Street - City Administrator Almqnist reviewed the app]icatjon from Steve and Frances Antonucci and Chris and Cornelia Nepper. tie pointed out that the Planning Comrnission recommended approval of the zone change application. Mr. Leo Zupan, from Van V]eet Real Estate, urged the Council to act favorably on the application. Mr. Donal Rounds asked if the proposed zone change was in accordance with the Ashland Comprehensive Plan. Mr. James Ragland, Planning Commissioner, indicated that the zone change was considered with the Comprehensive Plan in mind; however, this part~cular zone may be a little h~gher density than is recomme~ded in the Comprehensive Plan. It was moved by Conklin, seconded by McCannon that the request for a zone change be approved. On roll call, carried unanimously. Mayor McKeen instrncted the staff to prepare the necessary ordinance accomplishing the zone change. 9.rdi_n.~c_es.,_f,?_so_h~._tf=pD~ ~_ _c_o_nj.X~_cAA: (continued) 2. City Administrator A]mquist gave first reading of ordinance prcscril~jng sewer rates and charges and repealing Ordinance Nos. 1~51 and 1618. It was moved by Roble, seconded by McCannon that the ordinance be p~tssed to second reading by title only. Following a brief review by Public Works Director Alsing, on roll call, carried unanirnously. 3. At the request of Roberrs, Mr. James Ragland, OSFA Board representative, read a prepared statement to the City Council. l'he statement provided a review of the Fest~val's participation in the construction of the Angns Bowmcr Theatre and Phase II. According to the statement, the Festival agreed to pay onequill of the $15,000 which was to be provijed by the City to make up the dif[ercnce owed on the $165,000 Phase II contract; OSFA prc'vidcJfor $150,000 cost of the base bid. -4- The $7,300 which the Festival has agreed to pay to the City would include payment for the following items: Fire sprinkler system in exhibit hall. Tree planters and receptionist counter in Chamber of Commerce. Street trees. Partition, wall cabinets and reception counter in Institute Room; and roll*up grill in the box office. Landscaping at exhibit hall. Walks, planters and sprinkler system at exhibit hall. Sink and wood deck at scene shop. Insulation in scene shop. The statement also reflected OSFA's request that the City of Ashland provide a complete and itemized accounting of all financial obligations owned to the City by the Festival as a result of Phase I of the EDA Project. Upon receipt of the detailed statement, together with a full release of all f~nancial claims from the City, the Festival will seek both legal and Board of Directors approval and will undertake to settle all legitimate claims within the City's 1971-72 fiscal year. City Administrator Almquist gave second reading of the ordinance levying an Admissions Tax of five percent. It was moved by Soderherg, seconded by McCannon that the ordinance not be passed. Soderberg explained that the proposed contribution by OSFA will amount to more revenue than would be raised by the ordinance for the next fiscal year. She also pointed out that it was her understanding that the proposed revenue measures were to fill in the gap in the present deficit. Roberrs pointed out that th~s was not a recommendation from the Finance & Property Committee, since the committee had met only this afternoon and had not reached any finn recommendation at that time. Conklin offered to him. felt that "too many strings were attached" to the agreement by OSFA and indicated that the offer was totally unacceptable City Attorney Salter pointed out that it was hffs opinion that the proposed agreement would be considered a gentlemons agreement rather than a binding responsibility. Mr. Ragland pointed out that regardless of what transpires at the meeting at this time, the Festival will pay the $7,300. There was some d~scuss~on regarding whether or not the Admissions Tax and Transient Occupancy Tax were to assist in relieving the budget deficit for the next two years, rather than one year. Mrs. Cynthia l.ord expressed concern that the Admissions Tax would not only hurt the econonD, of the conm~un~ty, but would also change its character. -5- Roberts pointed out that he was somewhat disappointed in the Festival's offer, indicating that he had hoped that some kind of annual recurring income could be provided by the Festival to help in recovering some of the City's costs in serving the Festival. He said he wanted to make it clear that his acceptance of the Festival's offer would not .pr.event the City from ever enacting an admissions tax or receiving an in-lieu of tax payment from the Festival. On roll call to not pass the ordinance, carried 4-3, with Mayor McKeen casting the deciding affirmative vote. Those dissenting were Willstatter, Conklin and Roble. Mayor McKeen commended the Council members for the many hours devoted to researching the revenue question. He indicated that a portion of his decision to vote in favor of the motion not to pass the ordinance was based on the many objections raised by the Chamber of Commerce, other businesses in town and many individuals in the community who felt that the tax might be harmful to the Festjval's operation. Fe further indicated that he was casting his vote in a somewhat disappointed manner, because he felt that some of the revenue measures could have been sold to the people if the right attitude had been utilized toward them. 4. Second reading of ordinance prescribing water rates and repealing Ordinance No. 1412 Public Works Director ind~cated that a new schedule had to be incorporated into the proposed ordinance providing for proportionate increases in tbc Bellview water rates. tie explained that an agreement had been signed by the City and the Bellview Water Corporation in 19S6, which included a stipulation designating rates for the Be]]view area which were different from the City's rates. The agreement provided that when City rates were raised, the Bellview rates were to be raised proportionately to what the rates were at the time. Following investigation of the agreement, it was found that the rates v:ere based in proportion to consumption. Therefore, the new schedule (Schedule 7) was based on the proposed inside City rate and based the new Bellview rate in proportion to the rates which were in effect at the time the agreement was signed. At this t~me, the meeting was recessed for 10 minutes. The meeting reconvened at 9:25 p.m, City Adminis[rator Almquist read the proposed amendment to the ordinance (Schedule 7). It was moved by Rob]e, seconded by ,~.lcCannon that the ordinance prescribing water rates, as amended, be passed to second reading .at the adjourned meeting on April 27, ]971. There was some discussion regarding ~he cost differential which would result by adopt lag the proposed rate structure instead of the double rates previously discussed. Soderberg requested that staff present some figures showing this cost differential. On roll call, carried unar~imously. -6- 5. Second reading of ordinance prescribing regulations governing water service and repealing Ordinance No. 1412 - City Adininistrator Almquist recommended that this item also be referred to the adjourned meeting on April 27, 1971, since this ordinance and the ordinance prescribing the water rates are so closely related. It was moved by McCannon, seconded by Conklin that the recommendation be accepted. On roll call, carried unanimously. At this time, City Administrator Almquist read a communication from the League of Oregon Cjties concerning Senate Bill 706, which would provide state funds to cities containing state buildings for fire and police protection. He explained that the bill provides for approximately $10,369 for such services in Ashland. It was moved by Roble, seconded by Conklan that staff be instructed to forward a letter to Oregon Legislative representatives favoring passage of the bill. Motion carried unanimously. It was moved by Soderberg, seconded by Conklin that an annexation request from the Oregon College of Art be referred to the next two study sessions of the Conncil. Motion carried unanimously. There was some discussion regarding the agreement presented by OSFA concerning their contribution. No further action was taken. Soderberg requested that a budget meeting be scheduled at the earliest possible date in order to review the preliminary budget. Mayor McKeen indicated that a budget meeting wonld be scheduled as soon as the necessary information is compiled. At th~s time, Mayor McKeen presented two letters from Dr. James Sours, President, Southern Oregon College, commending the Fire and Police Departments for their fine performance. Jerry Jordan, President, Ashland Chamber of Commerce indicated he would be glad to make arrangements for City representatives to talk with the appropriate Senate representative regarding Senate Bill 706, on the bet line next Tuesday. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned to April 27, 197], at 7:30 p.m. 1cr