City Council

City Council Meeting Minutes ___________________________________________________________________________________________ THURSDAY January 20, 2022 Zoom Meeting Access Information: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84906598845?pwd=SlltU1NOMzZJclpGOFd2bjRJc05aUT09 Meeting ID: 849 0659 8845 Passcode: 537586 Telephone: +1 253 215 8782 CITY OF COLUMBIA CITY, COLUMBIA COUNTY, OREGON AGENDA ITEM 1 CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL: CONVENED: Mayor Casey Wheeler called the Regular Meeting to order at 6:30 pm. Public access and comment were available via published Zoom meeting access information. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Casey Wheeler Councilor Gordon Thistle Councilor Sue Ziglinski Councilor Katrina Claridge Councilor Jeff Reinan COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: None ALSO PRESENT: Mike McGlothlin, City Administrator/Recorder Kim Karber, Finance Clerk Christopher Thurman, Planning Commissioner Appointee ATTORNEY PRESENT: None A quorum was present and due notice had been published. AGENDA ITEM 2 CITIZEN INPUT: 2.1 Letter and attached copy of House Bill 3068 regarding Woodsmoke in Oregon Legislative Report, as submitted to Council by Valerie and Robert Blackmore of 1600 Second Street. COUNCIL REVIEWED THE SUBMITTED LETTER AND COPY OF HOUSE BILL 3068 AND THEN CONDUCTED DISCUSSION REGARDING THE ISSUE. MAYOR WHEELER ASKED IF THERE HAD BEEN ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE FILED AT CITY HALL AND THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR RESPONDED THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS BUT THAT HE WOULD ALSO CHECK WITH CITY HALL STAFF TO ENSURE THAT OTHERS HAD NOT BEEN RECEIVED. MAYOR WHEELER SAID THAT HE IS CONCERNED THAT THIS MAY NEGATIVELY IMPACT WHAT COULD BE A SOLE SOURCE OF HEATING SUPPLY FOR CITY RESIDENTS AND THE SAME SENTIMENT WAS ECHOED BY COUNCILOR CLARIDGE. COUNCILOR THISTLE SAID THAT HE BELIEVED THERE WERE OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE MORE CRITICAL TO BE ADDRESSED BY CITY STAFF AT THIS TIME. COUNCILOR REINAN SAID THAT WHILE SEVERAL COMMUNITIES MAY HAVE PASSED ORDINANCES REGARDING THIS ISSUE, HE BELIEVED THAT IT WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE TO ADDRESS IT IF IT IMPACTED MORE CITIZENS. MAYOR WHEELER TOLD THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR TO RELAY TO THE BLACKMORE’S THAT COUNCIL WOULD TAKE THE MATTER AS SUBMITTED UNDER ADVISEMENT AND THE CITY ADMINSISTRATOR RESPONDED THAT HE WOULD DO SO. 2 Regular City Council Meeting January 20, 2022 2.2 Additional Citizen Comment: GINA WILSON, OF 2450 SEVENTH STREET, SAID THAT SHE WANTED TO TOUCH BASE WITH COUNCIL ON THE CRIME THAT IS GOING ON IN THE AREA AND SAID THAT SHE WANTED TO ASK COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR WHAT THEY ARE THINKING ABOUT THAT AT THIS POINT, AS WELL AS WHAT PLANS THERE ARE TO ADDRESS IT AT A DIFFERENT LEVEL THAT WHAT HAS BEEN SO FAR. SHE REMINDED COUNCIL THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH MEETINGS WERE STARTING BACK UP IN FEBRUARY AND SAID THAT SHE WAS CURIOUS ABOUT WHERE THE COUNCIL WAS COMING FROM, AND IF THERE WAS ANY FURTHER INFORMATION THAT THEY COULD SHARE. MAYOR WHEELER ASKED THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON EFFORTS BEING CONDUCTED. THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR UPDATED ALL THAT ONE OF THE RECENT THEFT SUSPECTS HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED EARLIER THIS MORNING DUE TO A CALL-OUT, AT APPROXIMATELY 2:00 AM, OF DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL. HE SAID THAT RECENTLY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN CHANGING SHIFT PATTERNS BASED UPON RECENT OUTBREAKS OF PROPERTY THEFT, HAD BEEN CONDUCTING SURVEILLANCE DURING HOURS OF SUSPECTED ACTIVITY, WERE CONTINUING TO ACTIVELY INVESTIGATE ANY LEADS IN CRIMINAL CASES THAT HAD BEEN FILED, AND HAD ALSO CHANGED THE ON-CALL PROTOCOL WITH THE DISPATCH CENTER DUE TO NOT RECEIVING CRIMINAL COMPLAINTS IN A TIMELY MANNER. GOING FORWARD, REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OF CALL, IF A CITIZEN MAKES A CALL INTO DISPATCH REQUESTING SERVICE THE ON-CALL OFFICER WOULD BE CONTACTED AND MADE AWARE OF THE PENDING CALL. THE ON- CALL OFFICER THEN HAD BOTH THE AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR ENSURING THAT THE CALL WAS RESPONDED TO APPROPRIATELY, THUS REMOVING THE AUTHORITY FOR THE SCREENING OF CALLS FOR SERVICE FROM THE DISPATCH CENTER’S PERSONNEL. THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR SAID THAT HE BELIEVES THIS RESPONSE PLAN WILL BE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN WHAT HAS BEEN UTILIZED IN THE PAST, THAT OFFICERS WILL CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE CASES AS THEY ARE REPORTED OR THAT ARE SELF-INITIATED BY OFFICERS, THAT THE DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE WILL REMAIN FLEXIBLE IN THEIR OPERATIONS BASED UPON THE RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE, AND THAT THEY WILL REMAIN WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY. THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR ALSO SAID THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN AWESOME IN THE INFORMATION THAT THEY HAVE PROVIDED TO DATE. GINA WILSON CONFIRMED THAT SHE HERSELF HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME FRUSTRATIONS WITH REPORTING ISSUES TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR REFERRED TO AND ALSO SHARED THE FREQUENCY OF CAR PROWLS THAT SHE HAS OBSERVED OVER THE THREE PREVIOUS WEEKENDS; INCLUDING AN INCIDENT WHERE A SUSPECT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ARMED WITH A KNIFE AND COLUMBIA CITY WAS NOT INITIALLY NOTIFIED. SHE ALSO SAID THAT SHE BELIEVES THE COMMUNITY SHOULD REMAIN INVOLVED IN REPORTING ISSUES AND THAT, ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, SHE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. GINA WILSON ADDITIONALLY PROVIDED SEVERAL MORE EXAMPLES OF CONCERNING ACTIVITY THAT SHE KNEW OF THAT HAD BEEN OCCURING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. MAYOR WHEELER RESPONDED BY STATING THAT THE CITY AND POLICE DEPARTMENT WOULD CONTINUE WITH PROVIDING THEIR VERY BEST EFFORTS IN ADDRESING THESE CRIME AND PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES. AGENDA ITEM 3 COUNCIL REPORTS: None AGENDA ITEM 4 STAFF REPORTS: 3 Regular City Council Meeting January 20, 2022 4.1 Activity Reports from the Public Works Superintendent. A written activity report was submitted by the Public Works Superintendent, Micah Rogers, for the previous month’s departmental activity. 4.2 Activity Reports from the Police Operations Sergeant. A written activity report was submitted by the Police Operations Sergeant, Jerry Bartolomucci, for the previous month’s departmental activity. AGENDA ITEM 5 CONSENT AGENDA: 5.1 Bills paid with check numbers 33496 through 33547 during the month of December 2021. 5.2 Amended Minutes of the September 16, 2021 Regular City Council Meeting. 5.3 Minutes of the December 16, 2021 Regular City Council Meeting. 5.4 Expense v. Budget Report for the period ending December 31, 2021. 5.5 Minutes of the December 14, 2021 Audit Committee Meeting. 5.6 Re-appointment of Michael McGlothlin as Budget Officer. 5.7 Appointment of Chris Thurman to the Planning Commission. 5.8 Status Report to Council from the City Administrator regarding City Council Policy Goals and Objectives for 2021-22. COUNCIL APPROVED THE CONSENT AGENDA BY UNANIMOUS ROLL CALL VOTE. AGENDA ITEM 6 UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None AGENDA ITEM 7 NEW BUSINESS: 7.1 Election of City Council President. MOVED (ZIGLINSKI) AND SECONDED (REINAN) FOR COUNCILOR GORDON THISTLE TO SERVE AS THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT FOR THE CITY OF COLUMBIA CITY. MOTION WAS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE CITY COUNCIL. 7.2 Council Bill 22-937: A Resolution Authorizing a Transfer of Appropriations within the General Fund and Water Fund during the Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 2021. MOVED, (THISTLE), SECONDED (ZIGLINSKI), AND VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE COUNCIL BILL 22-937. 7.3 Council Bill 22-938: A Resolution of the City of Columbia City, Oregon Adopting the City of Columbia City Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex, a Chapter of the Columbia County, Oregon Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, dated 2021; Repealing Resolution No. 18-1238-R. MOVED (ZIGLINSKI), SECONDED (THISTLE), AND VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE COUNCIL BILL 22-938. 7.4 Council Bill 22-939: A Resolution Calling a Measure Election to Submit to the Electors of the City of Columbia City the Question of Authorizing the Renewal of a Five-Year Local Option Levy in the amount of $0.90 per $1,000 of Assessed Property Value for Police Protection Services Beginning in Fiscal Year 2022-23. 4 Regular City Council Meeting January 20, 2022 MOVED (THISTLE), SECONDED (REINAN), AND VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE COUNCIL BILL 22-939. 7.5 Review, discussion and consideration for approval of an Application for Portable Basketball Hoop in ROW Permit, as submitted by Alexander Reed of 2915 Fifth Street. MOVED (CLARIDGE), SECONDED (REINAN), AND VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE THE PERMIT AS SUBMITTED. 7.6 Review, discussion and consideration for approval of the City Administrators memorandum regarding the promotion of Finance Clerk Kim Karber to the position of Finance Clerk/Office Supervisor. MOVED (CLARIDGE), SECONDED (THISTLE), AND VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE THE PROMOTIOMAL MEMORANDUM AS SUBMITTED. AGENDA ITEM 8 OTHER BUSINESS: The City Administrator discussed the following items with Council: 1. Within the Building Department there is an issue regarding sprinkler system requirements for day care facilities that is not currently addressed through city ordinance and/or building code, and that will require ordinance revision to ensure compliance. Currently the contracted Building Official has an approved process to address the matter, but the City Administrator wanted Council to know about the issue in case they were approached by a constituent. As of right now the city is working with an applicant who is desiring to start a day care facility within the community. The City Administrator also informed Council that contracted the City Building Official and the Building Administrative Assistant are working on the updated Building Official Program Plan that is required to be submitted to the State of Oregon by January 31, 2022. 2. Due to the planning and external coordination involved, the City Administrator sought guidance from Council about conducting the city’s Memorial Day Celebration for 2022. After discussion it was decided for staff to begin the coordination process with plans of conducting the event, but to remain flexible as it may have to be cancelled once again due to any future COVID-19 surges. 3. The City Administrator briefed Council on the recent changes to the on-call protocol for Police Department personnel where screening responsibilities for calls received at the dispatch center were taken from individual dispatchers and relegated to the department’s on-call officer. The City Administrator said that he believes that this process change will put the responsibility for answering calls for service where it should be, at the city’s Police Department where accountability can be better ensured. 4. ODOT, ODOT-Rail, and OSP are working on moving the homeless camp from the Trestle Beach area where homeless persons had set up camp in the state’s right-of-way area along Highway 30. The process takes approximately 30 days and will follow the legal guidelines established by the agencies responsible for this area. 5. Development of the city’s budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year has begun and will continue through until mid-May 2022 when the proposed budget is released to the public, Budget Committee, and City Council for review, comment, approval, and adoption. Committee meetings for the Streets, Water & Sewer, and Parks Committees will take place in February 2022 as their efforts directly impact the formulation and approval of the city’s Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). To date, the City Administrator has begun work in preliminary financial analysis, onboarding and training for the city’s new budget software program and providing the necessary previous five-year financial data upload for the systems integration into the budget development process. 6. The City Administrator informed Council that he is expecting an appeal for System Development Charges (SDC’s) and permit fee amounts to their 5 Regular City Council Meeting January 20, 2022 governing body from the development group that is involved in the commercial construction of the new mini storage facility in Columbia City. He said that all work in this issue was verified as having been computed correctly and that applicable ordinances and codes were followed. The fees have been paid by the development group, but the City Administrator said that the group has expressed interest in approaching Council about a refund and he wanted to ensure that Council was informed of the matter potentially coming before them. He also said that all applicable staff will attend any future Council meeting where this issue is brought for their consideration. AGENDA ITEM 9 ADJOURNMENT: 9.1 There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting adjourned at 7:24 pm. APPROVED: _______________________________________ Casey Wheeler Mayor ATTEST: ___________________________________ Michael S. McGlothlin City Administrator/Recorder