City Council

Mount Vernon City Council Regular Meeting Minutes August 10, 2016 The meeting was called to order by Mayor Boudreau at 7:06 p.m. Present: Councilmembers Fiedler, Hudson, Molenaar, Quam and Ragan Absent: Councilmembers Lindquist and Hulst, excused Staff Present: Public Works Director Bell, Parks and Enrichment Services Director King, Police Chief Dodd, Fire Chief Brice, Community Development Director Hyde, Senior Planner Lowell, Wastewater Supervisor Duranceau, Human Resources Director Bartlett, Surface Water Manager Chesterfield, Finance Director Huschka, Library Director Soneda, Library Staff Daour, Special Projects Manager Donovan, Information Services Director Kleppe, City Attorney Rogerson Citizens Present: Fourteen Approval of Minutes A. Approval of July 20, 2016 Study Session Minutes. Councilmember Fiedler moved to approve the July 20, 2016 Regular Council Meeting Minutes. Motion seconded by Councilmember Ragan. Motion carried 5-0. B. Approval of July 27, 2016 Regular Council Meeting Minutes. Councilmember Quam moved to approve the July 27, 2016 Regular Council Meeting Minutes. Motion seconded by Councilmember Ragan. Motion carried 5-0. Approval of Claims and Payroll A. Approval of August 10, 2016 claims numbered 145915 – 145923 and 145931 - 146084 in the amount of $390,061.68. Councilmember Fiedler moved to approve the August 10, 2016 claims numbered 145915 – 145923 and 145931 – 146084 in the amount of $390,061.68. Motion seconded by Councilmember Quam. Motion carried 5-0. B. Approval of July 31, 2016 payroll checks numbered 105822 - 105891, direct deposit checks numbered 56834 – 57040, and wire transfers numbered 577 & 578 in the amount of $954,064.35. Councilmember Ragan moved to approve the July 31, 2016 payroll checks numbered 105822 – 105891, direct deposit checks numbered 56834 – 57040, and wire transfers numbered 577 & 578 in the amount of $954,064.35. Motion seconded by Councilmember Fiedler. Motion carried 5-0. REPORTS A. Committee Reports: • Public Works – for details see Committee minutes. B. Community Comments: • none Mount Vernon City Council August 10, 2016, 2016 Page 2 of 6 C. Councilmember Comments: • Councilmember Quam stated he was in contact with Andy Mitchell who is Vietnam veteran. Mr. Mitchell is having a party this Saturday and he welcomes everyone to attend. D. Mayor’s Report: • Mayor Boudreau welcomed new Fire Chief Bryan Brice to the City of Mount Vernon. • Mayor Boudreau announced that the City Finance Department received a prestigious State Audit Stewardship Award. • Mayor Boudreau stated that Johana Ocampo was the winner of the AWC Quality Communities Scholarship. th • Mayor Boudreau said that Mayor’s Coffee will be Saturday, August 20 at the City of Mount Vernon Library from 10am to 11am. E. Committee Agenda Request: • None UNFINISHED BUSINESS None NEW BUSINESS A. Puget Sound Energy Presentation: PSE representative Lynn Murphy, James Maynard, and Sarah Kamb, gave a short presentation regarding the energy savings on the Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade and Street Light LED Light Conversion. The potential savings are roughly $5,600 a month. Ms. Kamb presented Mayor Boudreau with two incentive checks; one for $60,700 for the WWTP saving and one for $79,129 for the Street Light LED project. Mr. Duranceau stated that they replaced an older blower and upgraded the lighting to LED, both of which are saving money. Mr. Chesterfield said that during the LED Street Light Project it has been excellent to work with PSE staff. B. Open Record Public Hearing – Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for 2017- 2022: Mr. Donovan provide a brief overview of the Capital Improvement Plan process. Fire Chief Brice, Finance Director Huschka, Information Services Director Kleppe, Library Director Soneda, Parks and Enrichment Director King, Police Chief Dodd, Surface Water Manager Chesterfield, Public Works Director Bell, Wastewater Supervisor Duranceau all spoke regarding their top two priority projects in their section. This document is posted on the City of Mount Vernon website. Mayor Boudreau opened the public hearing. Hearing no comments Mayor Boudreau closed the public hearing. Councilmember Hudson moved to adopt Ordinance 3686 approving the Capital Improvement Plan for 2017 - 2022. Motion seconded by Councilmember Quam. Motion carried 5- 0. C. Public Hearing on the Comprehensive Plan Capital Facilities and Health & Wellness Elements: Ms. Lowell gave a presentation on the Capital Facilities Element update and the Health and Wellness Element. She provided an overview of the legal & Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) requirements and the process. Mayor Boudreau opened the public hearing. Mount Vernon City Council August 10, 2016, 2016 Page 3 of 6 Liz McNett Crowell, Skagit County resident, applauded the addition of the Health and Wellness Element. Hearing no further comments Mayor Boudreau closed the public hearing. Councilmember Fiedler moved to adopt Resolution 915 accepting the Comprehensive Plan Capital Facilities and Health & Wellness Elements. Motion seconded by Councilmember Ragan. Motion carried 5-0. D. Public Hearing – Deferral of Impact Fees: Mr. Hyde explained that this amendment to the Mount Vernon Municipal Code Chapters 3.36 and 3.40 would add a mechanism to allow applicants to request a deferral of impact fees from the building permit issuance to the finalization of the building permit and to extend the school impact fees from six years to ten years. Mayor Boudreau opened the public hearing. Hearing no comments Mayor Boudreau closed the hearing. Councilmember Molenaar moved to adopt Ordinance 3687 approving the deferral of impact fees. Motion seconded by Councilmember Hudson. Motion carried 5-0. E. Public Hearing to Add a New Chapter to the City’s Municipal Code, Chapter 17.91 Mobile Food Venders: Mr. Hyde stated that this is addressing non-motorized, self-contained carts for food, flower, and non-alcoholic beverages. Each cart will require an inspection by the Fire Marshall and an annual permit. A discussion ensued about the limited number of carts allowed on the revetment. Mayor Boudreau opened the public hearing. Fred Barnum, Mount Vernon resident, said he has bought a cart for this purpose, which is a $10,000 investment and he is ready to go. He added that it will bring character and will be a draw to bring people down to walk the riverfront. Ellen Gamson, Executive Director with the Downtown Association, stated that she delivered the code change to local businesses; 6 were opposed, 1 was for, and 1 was indifferent. She would like to see a couple of changes if this is approved: Pine Square should be limited to 1 cart, stronger language in the selection process, and increase the fee because $100 is low in comparison to what storefronts pay. Ms. Gamson read a letter by Linda, a downtown business owner of Petals by Linda, where Linda expressed her concerns about mobile vendors. Ms. Gamson also read a letter by Paul Springer a local downtown business owner who expressed his concerns about losing business to mobile vendors. Hearing no further comments Mayor Boudreau closed the public hearing. A discussion ensued regarding the addition of mobile vendors. Councilmember Hudson suggested removing flower vendors and stated she doesn’t think a hotdog cart will affect the local restaurants. Councilmember Ragan said that mobile food vendors should be selected that don’t compete with the downtown restaurants. Councilmember Molenaar stated he is against flower vendors. Councilmember Quam said that he supports keeping it to food carts and no flowers. Councilmember Fiedler agreed that removing flower vendors was a good idea. Mount Vernon City Council August 10, 2016, 2016 Page 4 of 6 Councilmember Fiedler moved to adopt Ordinance 3688 approving the new chapter to the City’s Municipal Code, Chapter 17.91 Mobile Food Vendors as amended, removing flower vendors and limiting the carts on Pine Square to 1. Motion seconded by Councilmember Ragan. Motion carried 5-0. F. Public Hearing – Medical Cannabis Collective Gardens and Group Cooperatives: Ms. Lowell stated that this ordinance will prohibit medical marijuana collective gardens and group cooperatives within the City. The State revised the statute to remove collective gardens and add group cooperatives making this update necessary. Mayor Boudreau opened the public hearing. Sue Brown, Mount Vernon resident, asked if a marijuana brownie cart would be allowed; she added that she was joking. Hearing no further comments Mayor Boudreau closed the public hearing. Councilmember Ragan moved to adopt Ordinance 3689 approving the City Municipal Code Chapters 17.56, 17.72 and 8.08 prohibiting Medical Cannabis Collective Gardens and Group Cooperatives. Motion seconded by Councilmember Quam. Motion carried 5-0. G. Library Update: Mr. Soneda gave a brief update on the July statistical data and mentioned the upcoming program Family Connections Day which will occur on August 11 from 10am to 4pm at the Skagit County fairgrounds. Library Staff Daour gave an overview of the recent Centennial th Social event held on July 30 . It was a huge success with over 400 attendees. H. Interlocal Agreement with Skagit County for Grant Funding: Mr. Kleppe explained that with this grant award of $50,000 the City will build and extend its fiber optics from Division Street to the intersection at Avon Allen and Bennett Road. Councilmember Fiedler moved to authorize Mayor Boudreau to enter into an Interlocal Agreement with Skagit County for grant funding. Motion seconded by Councilmember Quam. Motion carried 5-0. I. Amendment to Agreement with Abeyta & Associates: Mr. Bell stated that this agreement amendment with Abeyta & Associates is in the amount of $1,000 for additional property acquisition services. Councilmember Quam moved to authorize Mayor Boudreau to enter into the amended agreement with Abeyta & Associates for an amount not to exceed $1000.00. Motion seconded by Councilmember Hudson. Motion carried 5-0. J. Supplemental Agreement with Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT): Mr. Bell explained that this supplemental agreement with Washington State Department of Transportation is in the amount of $180,000 for the construction phase of the Hoag Road Sidewalk and Bike Lane Gap Project. Mount Vernon City Council August 10, 2016, 2016 Page 5 of 6 Councilmember Molenaar moved to authorize Mayor Boudreau to enter into a supplemental agreement with WSDOT to obligate construction funds for the Hoag Road Sidewalk and Bike Lane Gap Project not to exceed $180,000. Motion seconded by Councilmember Ragan. Motion carried 5-0. K. Interlocal Agreement with Skagit County for Grant Funding: Mr. Bell stated that the City has been awarded $215,834 from the County economic development grant for the College Way Lane Capacity Improvement Project. This Interlocal Agreement with Skagit County authorizes the distribution of said funds to the City. Councilmember Fiedler moved to authorize Mayor Boudreau to enter into an Interlocal Agreement with Skagit County for grant funding in the amount of $215,834. Motion seconded by Councilmember Quam. Motion carried 5-0. L. State Department of Commerce Grant Agreement: Mr. Bell said that this grant agreement with the State Department of Commerce is for the third and final phase of the City’s downtown flood protection project and is required in order to use the $1,455,000 of grant funds. Councilmember Hudson moved to authorize Mayor Boudreau to enter into a grant agreement with State Department of Commerce to secure $1,445,000 of grant funds toward completion of the third and final phase of the Downtown Flood Protection Project. Motion seconded by Councilmember Ragan. Motion carried 5-0. The meeting was convened into executive session at 8:54 pm and was estimated to last 40 minutes. M. Executive Session – Potential litigation, Real Estate, Collective Bargaining: There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 9:34 p.m. SUBMITTED BY: ______________________________________________ Lori J. K. Smith, Recording Secretary ATTEST: ______________________________________________ Alicia D. Huschka, Finance Director Mount Vernon City Council August 10, 2016, 2016 Page 6 of 6 APPROVE: ______________________________________________ Jill Boudreau, Mayor