City Council

City Council Meeting Minutes ___________________________________________________________________________________________ THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017 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 Karli Ebert Councilor Nell Harrison Councilor Sally Ann Marson Councilor Gordon Thistle COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: None ALSO PRESENT: Leahnette Rivers, City Administrator/Recorder Bob Johnston, Building Official (departed at 6:51 p.m.) ATTORNEY PRESENT: None A quorum was present and due notice had been published. 1.1 Council Inauguration: Inauguration of re-elected Council Member Sally Ann Marson and newly elected Council Member Karli Ebert. Leahnette administered the oath of office to Councilor Marson and Councilor Ebert. Mayor Young congratulated Councilor Marson on her re-election and welcomed and congratulated newly elected Councilor Ebert. AGENDA ITEM 2 PUBLIC HEARINGS: 2.1 Public Hearing: To gather public testimony relating to a proposal to adjust structural, mechanical, plumbing, manufactured dwelling, RV park and campground and other miscellaneous fees. The proposed fee adjustments result in an average increase of approximately 5% of the existing fees. Public Hearing opened. Bob explained that this fee adjustment would result in consistency in building permit fees within the County. 2 - Regular City Council Meeting January 5, 2017 Al Petersen of St. Helens said he is a Planning Commission Member for the City of St. Helens and the Board Chair for the St. Helens Economic Development Corporation (SHEDCO). Al presented the Council with the list of fees associated with the proposed development of Sommarstrom Place to show them the larger picture when it comes to the cost of development within Columbia City. The presentation included land use review costs ($10,731.00 to date) engineering review fees and infrastructure development costs (estimated at $325,500.00), structural, mechanical, plumbing and electrical permit fees (estimated at $38,401.25), and system development charges (SDCs), connection fees and school development fees ($229,538.00). He noted that the permit fees will average about $3,200.10 per house, and the proposed 5% increase would increase the permit fee amount for each house by approximately $160.01. He said the total fees paid to Columbia City will amount to about $190,185.01, and total "government fees" is estimated at $278,670.25, or $23,222.52 per house. He said he thought it would be helpful for the Council to understand the cost of development before taking action on the proposed fee increase. Al suggested that the Council may want to consider ways in which to encourage the type of development that the City wants to promote by offering discounts, waivers or other cost saving opportunities. Al also distributed a copy of a letter dated October 27, 2016 from Jim Tierney, Executive Director of the Community Action Team, to the City of St. Helens City Council and Planning Commission regarding the need for affordable housing within the community. He suggested the Council consider the information and recommendations contained in the letter - in particular a recommendation to consider reducing lot sizes to bring down the cost of housing, and another recommendation to reduce the very high cost of SDCs. Al noted that SDCs are discretionary - the City Council is not required to impose the maximum fee outlined within the City's various SDC studies. Al discussed this information with Council and staff at length. Bob Johnston noted that building permit fee revenues are restricted to the use of permit, inspection and enforcement services, and the fee increase is proposed in an effort to better cover the costs associated with providing those services. Public Hearing closed. AGENDA ITEM 3 CITIZEN INPUT: None AGENDA ITEM 4 COUNCIL REPORTS: 4.1 Parks Committee: Chair Marson said the Committee will be meeting later this month. 4.2 Water and Sewer Committee: No report. 4.3 Street Committee: Chair Marson said the snow and ice is almost off of all of the streets. 4.4 Audit Committee: Secretary Harrison said the Audit Committee will meet later this month. 4.5 Hazard Mitigation Planning Group: Chief McGlothlin said the Group will meet again on the fourth Monday in January 2017. 4.6 Other Reports: None. 3 - Regular City Council Meeting January 5, 2017 AGENDA ITEM 5 CONSENT AGENDA: 5.1 Bills paid with check numbers 19933 through 19993 during the month of December 2016. 5.2 Activities Report from the Chief of Police. 5.3 Activities Report from the Public Works Superintendent. 5.4 Activities Report from the City Administrator/Recorder. 5.5 Reappointment of Barbara Gordon to the Columbia City Budget Committee. 5.6 Reappointment of Shelly Sandford, Kelly Niles and George Fortier to the Columbia City Planning Commission. 5.7 Appointment of City Administrator/Recorder as Budget Officer for the 2017 calendar year. 5.8 Minutes of the Special City Council Meeting on December 29, 2016. Items 5.2, 5.3 and 5.4 were not contained in the packet and therefore were deleted from the consent agenda. MOVED (MARSON) AND SECONDED (HARRISON) TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS AMENDED. Councilor Ebert noted that the consent agenda includes approval of a list of bills paid, but does not include any backup information associated with any of those payments. Staff and Council explained that each invoice goes through an approval process at the Department Head level, and then is reviewed by two of the three authorized check signers - the Mayor, the Council President and the City Administrator. In addition, the Audit Committee spot checks a number of invoices during their quarterly meetings. Leahnette said Councilor Ebert should feel free to ask her any questions or request additional documentation on any item showing on the bills paid list or any other matter at any time. She also suggested that Councilor Ebert may want to become a member of the Audit Committee, which currently has a vacancy. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. AGENDA ITEM 6 UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None. AGENDA ITEM 7 NEW BUSINESS: 7.1 Committee Appointments/Election of Council President: Committee appointments and election of Council President for calendar year 2017. The Mayor suggested the Council re-elect Councilor Marson as Council President. MOVED (HARRISON), SECONDED (THISTLE) AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY TO RE- ELECT COUNCILOR MARSON AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT FOR THE 2017 CALENDAR YEAR. The Mayor recommended the following Committee appointments:
Audit Committee: Councilor Harrison and Councilor Ebert
Water and Sewer Committee: Councilor Thistle (Chair) and Councilor Ebert
Parks Committee: Councilor Marson (Chair) and Councilor Harrison
Hazard Mitigation Group: Councilor Ebert
Streets Committee: Councilor Marson (Chair) and Councilor Thistle
Library Liaison: Councilor Thistle MOVED (MARSON), SECONDED (THISTLE) AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE THE COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS FOR THE 2017 CALENDAR YEAR. 7.2 Proclamation: Proclamation commemorating School Choice Week. 4 - Regular City Council Meeting January 5, 2017 MOVED (THISTLE), SECONDED (HARRISON) AND CARRIED TO APPROVE THE PROCLAMATION. Councilor Ebert abstained from voting. 7.3 Ratify Termination of Contract with K Restoration: Ratify termination of contract between K Restoration and the City of Columbia City for the City of Columbia City Community Hall Remodel Project. MOVED (MARSON), SECONDED (HARRISON) AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY TO RATIFY THE JANUARY 3, 2017, TERMINATION OF THE CONTRACT WITH K RESTORATION. 7.4 Executive Session: The Council will meet in Executive Session in accordance with ORS 192.660(2)(f) to consider information or records that are exempt by law from public inspection and ORS 192.660(2)(h) to consult with counsel concerning the legal rights and duties of a public body with regard to current litigation or litigation likely to be filed. The Council convened in Executive Session. The Council reconvened in Open Session. AGENDA ITEM 8 OTHER BUSINESS: None. AGENDA ITEM 9 ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting adjourned at 7:32 p.m. APPROVED: _______________________________________ Cheryl A. Young Mayor ATTEST: ___________________________________ Leahnette Rivers City Administrator/Recorder