City Council

APPROVED 02/03/2014 QUARTERLY ROUNDTABLE MINUTES JANUARY 13, 2014 THE SPECIAL QUARTERLY ROUNDTABLE OF THE RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL WAS CALLED TO ORDER AT RICHMOND CITY HALL AT 6:00 P.M., ON MONDAY, JANUARY 13,2014, BY MAYOR RIX. ROLL CALL Present: Goodar, Greene, LaFore, Misteravich, Rix, Schultz, Yaroch Absent: None Others: City Manager Moore, City Clerk Stagl Visitors: City Planner Jeschke AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION None received. ADOPTION OF AGENDA Motion by Yaroch, seconded by Greene, to adopt the Agenda as presented. All yeas Motion passes ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION 1. Discussion on Items of General Concern BZA Membership Discussion on whether Council wanted to reduce the BZA Membership from a 7 member to a 5 member board. Currently there are 2 vacancies on the board and 2 vacant alternate positions. Reducing the membership would help the City to maintain a full board. If Council decides to reduce the membership to 5, we could still have three members from the community at large and a member from the Planning Commission and the City Council. Another alternative would be for the City Council to serve at the Board of Zoning Appeals. Quarterly Roundtable: 01/13/2014 Page 1 of 4  APPROVED 02/03/2014 The number of members is set by our Zoning Ordinance. If Council wants to make a change, a text amendment would need to be done to the Zoning Ordinance. Consensus of Council was to direct Administration to prepare a text amendment to the Zoning Ordinance which would reduce the membership of the Board of Zoning Appeals from a 7 member to a 5 member board. Council Elections City Manager Moore stated that Council has previously adopted a Resolution in December of 2012, to move City Elections from odd-year Novembers to even-year Novembers. The legislation was not in effect when the City passed this resolution, so the State would not allow us to move the 2013 elections. He was now asking for direction on whether Council wanted the administration to prepare a resolution and schedule a public hearing in order to move the elections to even years. The adoption of the Resolution would extend the current terms by one year. Misteravich stated that he was initially in favor of moving elections to even-years, because of the costs savings to the City. But after giving it a lot of thought he felt keeping the election on the odd years would be best for the community. He felt the Council Elections were a community event that brought the residents together – if lumped in with the federal election; it would lose some of its meaning. If Council was serious about moving the elections to even years, he questioned if it could be placed on the ballot. Rix felt similarly – Council election would get lost in the shuffle. People get bombarded with election material from federal offices. He still expressed his concern about the money that could be saved and used elsewhere, if the odd-year elections were eliminated. Yaroch stated that in addition to the cost savings, Council needed to consider the time spent by City Hall personnel to administer an election. Councilors had mixed feelings. All expressed concern with the money that could be saved by eliminating odd-year elections, but most saw the value in the election in the way it brought the Community together. Rix also stated that he felt Council elections would become more political if moved to even-years. Also needed to consider that costs would increase for the Council Candidates requesting AV lists because the volume was larger in even year elections Councilors were not comfortable with making a decision at this time and requested that this issue be brought back before them at the July Quarterly Roundtable. Quarterly Roundtable: 01/13/2014 Page 2 of 4  APPROVED 02/03/2014 City Hall Plans City Manager Moore updated Council on the status of the City Hall Plan. Currently working with Tetra Tech. Have gotten input from the Police Department, Dispatch and City Hall and the plans are being fine tuned. Council discussed the Council Chamber areas. They expressed concern with the accordion wall that was proposed and requested that some type of permanent wall be placed at the back of Council Chambers. Discussion on providing additional space for Cable TV which would allow a studio layout at the back of the Council Chambers. Council also requested that Administration get a cost for an additional bathroom in the rear of the Council Chambers. Yaroch discussed the possibility of getting some type of secure filing room so that we would be able to bring the safe deposit box contents from the bank to City Hall. Yaroch also discussed having the Emergency Operations Center at this location. Rix also expressed that finishing touches to the building were important so that the New City Hall didn’t look so institutional. Council recessed at 7:30 p.m. Council reconvened at 7:42 p.m. Goals and Objectives Council reviewed the Goals and Objectives and the following changes were noted: Issue #6, Objective #1 – change as follows: Continue doing Code Enforcement…. Issue #7, Objective #1 – change as follows: Update the City of Richmond’s website; Expand the City’s social media….. Issue #7, Objective #3 – change as follows: If When the City offices move to a the new location… Issue #7, Objective #4 – change as follows: Pursue a City of Richmond Television Channel 6 and development of cable facilities in any potential the new City Hall location. Quarterly Roundtable: 01/13/2014 Page 3 of 4  APPROVED 02/03/2014 City Manager Moore informed Council that he would make the changes and the Goals and Objectives would be placed on a future Consent Agenda for adoption. COMMENTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER None received. COUNCIL COMMENTS Rix – Discussed the process and Council’s role when looking for a new DPW Director and Treasurer. City Manager Moore informed Council that a Committee would probably be formed that included Council representation. Council has been involved in the past when selecting department directors. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Schultz, seconded by Misteravich, to adjourn the Special Quarterly Roundtable at 8:20 pm. All yeas Motion passes Respectfully submitted: Karen M. Stagl City Clerk Quarterly Roundtable: 01/13/2014 Page 4 of 4