Committee of the Whole Meeting

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE City Hall – Council Chambers August 3, 2020 The Committee of the Whole met at City Hall via teleconference at 6:15 p.m. on August 3, 2020, with the following Committee persons in attendance: Mayor Robert M. Green, Frank Darrah, Simon Harding, Daryl Kruse, Mark Miller, Dave Sires, and Nick Taiber. Susan deBuhr was absent. Staff members attended from all City Departments, as well as members of the community teleconferenced in. The Mayor introduced the first item on the agenda Washington Street Reconstruction. Chase Schrage Director of Public Works, stated at the January Committee of the Whole Meeting Council asked for more information and for staff to review the conversion plan of 6th to 18th Street from 1-way to 2-way and the reconstruction of Washington Street from 6th to 8th Street. He stated they reviewed the parent and bus drop offs at St. Patrick School/Church at 7th Street intersection due to safety concerns. David Wicke City Engineer reviewed the current street configuration. He stated they met several times over the past months with St. Patrick School and Church. He continued to review the new staff recommendation for the corridor from 1-way to 2-way traffic. He explained the bus drop off will be moved to 7th Street, and parent drop off will be handled through a slip lane along Washington between 6th and 7th Streets. There will be a 4-way stop sign at the 7th Street intersection. He explained the stop signs will be solar powered LED wrapped lighted signs. Mr. Wicke stated the slip lane and the bus drop off lane will be used on Sunday’s for additional parking, estimated at 14 parking stalls. He explained the 2-way traffic flow has an inherent traffic calming effect. He stated in their review they performed traffic counts for both cars and pedestrians. Mr. Wicke said both St. Patrick Church and School have submitted letters in favor of the recommended changes. Mayor Green opened it up for discussion. Lynnette Hackett with the St. Patrick School said they are open to the changes, and like the parent drop off location and the added parking stalls. She also said Father Colter with the St. Patrick Church is in agreement too. Council asked about the traffic circulation since Washington Street is the last 1- way street in the area. Mr. Schrage stated the traffic circulation is out of balance since State Street was converted to 2-way Street. He also stated the 4-way stop should be a safer crossing, than the previous stop light. Mr. Wicke stated if Washington St. were to remain a 1-way from 6th – 8th Streets would continue to be problematic for student drop off and pick-up in front of St. Patrick’s School. Currently, both lanes are utilized to drop off and pick up student. This creates and unsafe hazard for students having to cross from the western lane across the eastern lane onto the school property. Parents that drop off and pick up from the western lane are double parked and causes an issue for students having to cross lanes under traffic. Furthermore, this also stacks traffic on the north side of the 7th Street intersection. Converting to two-way traffic with a dedicated drop off/ pick up along the school on the east side of Washington Street traveling north would essentially eliminate this problem. Mayor Green opened it up for public comment. Mike Butler 1022 Washington Street agreed with the change to a 2-way street. He says he sees cars traveling at higher rates of speed than what is posted, cars driving the wrong direction on the 1-way street, and cars making a left turn from the wrong lane. Janet Willett 716 Winters Drive was happy to see the recommendation is very similar to the plan the Lego League submitted to the City Engineer. Mayor Green brought it back for council discussion. Council discussed the loss of +30 parking stalls, a concern that very few residents want the change to a 2-way street, and safety concerns for students. Frank Darrah motioned to approve the Washington Street Reconstruction as presented tonight. Nick Taiber seconded the motion. Motion failed due to a tie vote 3 to 3 (aye- Darrah, Miller, and Taiber; nay – Harding, Kruse, Sires). Mayor Green moved to the final item on the agenda, bills and payroll. Frank Darrah moved to approve the bills and payroll as presented, and Daryl Kruse seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. There being no further, Mayor Green adjourned the meeting at 6:56 p.m. Minutes by Lisa Roeding, Controller/City Treasurer