City Council

City Council Meeting Minutes ___________________________________________________________________________________________ THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013 CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS CITY OF COLUMBIA CITY, COLUMBIA COUNTY, OREGON AGENDA ITEM 1 CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL: CONVENED: Mayor Young called the regular meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Mayor Young delivered the invocation and led the flag salute. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Cheryl A. Young Councilor Shannon Fitzgibbons Councilor Sally Ann Marson Councilor Casey Wheeler COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Councilor Josh Fromm ALSO PRESENT: Michael McGlothlin, Chief of Police Micah Rogers, Public Works Superintendent Leahnette Rivers, City Administrator/Recorder ATTORNEY PRESENT: None A quorum was present and due notice had been published. AGENDA ITEM 2 PUBLIC HEARINGS: None. AGENDA ITEM 3 CITIZEN INPUT: Kathleen Devlin expressed concern about the amount of attention that is given to the development of parks, and the lack of attention given to the maintenance of existing parks. She said she understands that funding and staffing is in short supply and that the City relies on a number of volunteers to assist with park maintenance, but she doesn’t believe we are managing the volunteer program and the park maintenance needs well enough. She said she believes there are a host of existing maintenance needs that are not being addressed. She said nearly all of the parks department goals and objectives relate to park development, and the meeting minutes clearly reflect the amount of attention devoted to park development, with little mention of maintenance activities. She said the trash is not being picked up and inspections don’t occur on a regular basis. She said the problem not only relates to aesthetics - it is also a matter of liability. Kathleen said many residents that live next to the parks volunteer in an effort to eliminate neighborhood blight rather than for the joy of volunteering. She said it feels like a tax burden to live next door to the park. She said the overgrowth and undergrowth is not being 2 - Regular City Council Meeting September 19, 2013 maintained and it is right out their front doors. She said the volunteers need more management oversight and direction, and we need better communication with the volunteers and amongst the volunteers so they can coordinate projects together. Kathleen said she plans to attend the next parks meeting and request better management of all parks and better tracking of park deficits, such as the development of maintenance project to-do lists. She said she’s not opposed to the new parks, but we need to stop treating them like the “new puppy.” She said they are exciting and fun to work on, but we still need to take care of the mangy and flea-bitten “old dogs” that we have. She said project to-do lists will allow us to better focus our resources when they arise. She submitted a proposed maintenance plan for Harvard Park as an example to consider. Kathleen said she realizes that park development funds typically come from another source that cannot be used for maintenance, but she’d like us to be more honest about the limited funding we have available for park maintenance. She said people need to know we are relying on them to assist with park maintenance activities. She said she’d like to see an equal amount of attention given to park maintenance needs during the Parks Committee Meetings and a better review of safety and liability issues. She said next year she’d like to see a better focus on park and equipment maintenance and the volunteer program. Kathleen said she recently spent 40 hours working on the maintenance of Harvard Park, and it is not done - it still needs lots of work. She thanked Micah and Leahnette for their responsiveness to her requests. Mayor Young thanked Kathleen for her input and ideas. Mayor Young asked Kathleen if she has considered being a member of the Parks Committee. Kathleen said she would consider sitting on the Parks Committee. She said she thinks each member of the Parks Committee should responsible for the oversight of a park. MOVED (MARSON), SECONDED (FITZGIBBONS) AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPOINT KATHLEEN DEVLIN TO THE PARKS COMMITTEE. AGENDA ITEM 4 COUNCIL REPORTS: 4.1 Parks Committee: Chair Fitzgibbons said the fence posts are being installed at the off-leash dog park. Mayor Young asked who will be maintaining the dog park. Leahnette said the Columbia County Community Corrections Crew plans to mow the park at no cost to the City. She said they are also donating the fence post installation work. She said park patrons are supposed to pick up after their own dogs, and the Public Works crew will need to periodically inspect the park, empty the trash and refill the doggie bag dispensers. 4.2 Water and Sewer Committee: Micah said they repaired a water leak last week, and we made it through the summer without relying on the St. Helens supply. 4.3 Street Committee: Micah said he will be obtaining quotes for crack seal work as requested by the Street Committee. Councilor Marson asked if we will be restriping streets this season, noting she hears complaints about vehicles crossing the centerline at the corner of Fifth and “J.” 4.4 Audit Committee: No report. 4.5 Hazard Mitigation Planning Group: Team Member Wheeler said the group is making arrangements for the October 12, 2013 Emergency Management Fair. 4.6 Other Reports: Mayor Young thanked everyone that helped with the Celebration activities. She said everything went exceptionally well. 3 - Regular City Council Meeting September 19, 2013 AGENDA ITEM 5 CONSENT AGENDA: 5.1 Minutes of the Regular City Council Meeting of August 22, 2013. 5.2 Minutes of the Special City Council Meeting of August 30, 2013. 5.3 Minutes of the Regular City Council Meeting of September 5, 2013. 5.4 Activities report for the month of August from the Public Works Superintendent. 5.5 Activities Report from the City Administrator/Recorder. 5.6 Financial Report for the month ending August 31, 2013. 5.7 Activities Report from the Chief of Police. Chief McGlothlin asked the Council to add Item 5.7, Activities Report from the Chief of Police, to the consent agenda. MOVED (MARSON), SECONDED (FITZGIBBONS), AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY BY ROLL CALL VOTE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS AMENDED. AGENDA ITEM 6 UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None. AGENDA ITEM 7 NEW BUSINESS: 7.1 Grant Contract: Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development 2013-15 Grant Contract. Leahnette noted that page 1 needs to be corrected to reflect the City of Columbia City instead of the City of Coburg Planning Department. MOVED (WHEELER), SECONDED (MARSON) AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY TO AUTHORIZE SIGNATURE TO THE CORRECTED AGREEMENT. 7.2 Exception Permit: Application for an Exception Permit for Recreational Vehicle, Boat or Trailer Storage in ROW as applied for by Mark Stevens, 1505 Third Street, Columbia City. MOVED (WHEELER), SECONDED (MARSON) AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE THE EXCEPTION PERMIT AS APPLIED FOR BY MARK STEVENS. 7.3 Exception Permit: Application for an Exception Permit for Recreational Vehicle, Boat or Trailer Storage in ROW as applied for by Jim and Connie Sychowski, 1930 Sixth Street, Columbia City. MOVED (WHEELER), SECONDED (MARSON) AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE THE EXCEPTION PERMIT AS APPLIED FOR BY JIM AND CONNIE SYCHOWSKI. 7.4 Council Bill No. 13-695; Resolution No. 13-1099-R: A Resolution assessing abatement costs, fees and accrued interest as a lien against property described as Tax Account No. 5128-AC-02208, located at 1945 Fifth Street, Columbia City, Oregon, currently under the ownership of Leroy Ellis, Sr., Revocable Living Trust. MOVED (MARSON), SECONDED (FITZGIBBONS) AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY TO ADOPT COUNCIL BILL NO. 13-695. AGENDA ITEM 8 OTHER BUSINESS: Public Works Update: Micah said the crew has been busy. He said they’ve finished making room in the public works yard by hauling the dirt to the Veterans Park Site. He said 4 - Regular City Council Meeting September 19, 2013 he’ll be meeting Larry Preston of the Parks Committee at the site next week so they can lay out the pathways and measure the asphalt requirements. He said they are installing a water service, and they will be designing the irrigation system and prepping the site for the landscaping. Police Update: Chief McGlothlin said the officers have been busy. He said Officer Cowen is about to head off to the Basic Police Academy, and he’ll return to work February 22nd. Community Hall Rental Fee Refund Request: The Council considered a request dated th September 9, 2013, from Natanya Stockton for a refund of their September 28 rental fees due to the cancellation of the DJ they had lined up for a dance party. MOVED (MARSON), SECONDED (FITZGIBBONS) AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE THE RENTAL FEE REFUND. Pixie Park Assembly: The Council reviewed a request from Chrysgiana Shoun dated September 18, 2013 to assemble a group of up to 70 persons in Pixie Park on September th 28 for a wedding ceremony. Cyrsigiana explained that there would be no alcohol, they would be very respectful of the park, the neighborhood, and the beach, and they would make sure to clean up any trash before they leave. MOVED (WHEELER), SECONDED (MARSON) AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY TO AUTHORIZE THE ASSEMBLY IN PIXIE PARK AS REQUESTED. AGENDA ITEM 9 ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting adjourned at 6:47 p.m. APPROVED: _______________________________________ Cheryl A. Young Mayor ATTEST: ___________________________________ Leahnette Rivers City Administrator/Recorder