City Council

27 WEST ALLEN STREET WINOOSKI, VERMONT 05404 (802) 655-6410 CITY OF WINOOSKI (802) 655-6414 (fax) JESSIE BAKER CITY MANAGER MAYOR SETH LEONARD DEPUTY MAYOR BRIAN CORRIGAN mayor@winooskivt.org CITY COUNCIL COUNCILOR NICOLE MACE COUNCILOR ERIC COVEY COUNCILOR BRIAN SWEENEY Agenda Wednesday November 15, 2017 6:00 p.m. Claire Burke Council Chambers I. Call to Order II. Pledge of Allegiance III. Consent Agenda a. Approval: City Council and Liquor Control Minutes of November 6th, 2017 IV. Regular Items a. Quasi-judicial Hearing; Under Article XVII of the Fraternal Order of Police Labor Agreement, Hear the Step 3 Grievance #02-17 b. Discussion: Myers Pool Overview of Timeline and Tax Impact – J. Baker V. Executive Session a. Executive Session – possible deliberative session to discuss the quasi-judicial proceeding of the grievance hearing per 1 V.S.A. §312(e) VI. Adjourn MINUTES The meeting was called to order by the Deputy Mayor at 6:00pm. The meeting began with the pledge of allegiance led by Deputy Mayor Brian Corrigan. Members Present: Mayor Seth Leonard Councilors: Brian Corrigan, Eric Covey, Nicole Mace Officers Present: Jessie Baker, City Manager; Angela Aldieri, Assistant City Clerk; Heather Carrington, Community and Economic Development Director; Ray Coffey, Community Services Director; Others Present: Chris Freije, Jessica Lukas, Kristen Ryan, Cynthia Robare, Ronald Stotyn, Michael Myers, Minutes of November 15, 2017 Winooski City Council Page 1 of 3 www.winooskivt.org Mayor Leonard gave the opportunity for members of the public to address the Council on any item not appearing on the current agenda. There was no public comment made. III. Consent Agenda MOTION by Deputy Mayor Corrigan, seconded by Councilor Covey to approve the City Council and Liquor Control Board minutes as presented. Voted and passed 3-0. IV. Regular Items a. Quasi-judicial Hearing; Under Article XVII of the Fraternal Order of Police Labor Agreement, Hear the Step 3 Grievance #02-17 Mayor Leonard stated that the City received notification today that the grievance has been resolved and withdrawn. b. Discussion: Myers Pool Overview of Timeline and Tax Impact – J. Baker Ms. Baker stated that at the last City Council meeting funding was authorized to complete the preliminary engineering work for a future pool. Council at that time requested additional information which staff has supplied in a memo. This document was posted online for members of the public to access and review. Previous work that was completed by the pool committee was options review and conceptual plans. The conceptual pool is estimated to cost $4.4 million. In order to move forward with financing preliminary engineering is required. The preliminary engineering step will complete 30% design schematics, technical cost estimates, and a geotechnical report. Discussion with the engineers has determined that bringing a bond question to voters in March is possible if weather permits; however, Ms. Baker stated that it was not recommended as accelerating the process to get information by the end of January would limit the ability to consider the decision in terms of budget, the cost estimates would be less fine-tuned, and alternative funding options would not be able to be exercised. If a bond is approved by voters construction would begin in October and take approximately 380 days after a period of final design work and construction documents are created and the project is put out to bid. The estimated date for the pool to open would be 2020. Current estimates based on the conceptual cost of $4.4 million and operational estimates of $100,000 indicate a tax rate increase of 9.7¢. Questions were asked about alternative funding sources including grants and fundraising. Mr. Coffey noted that a 2018 land and conservation grant is possible; however, funding is capped at $100,000 per project. Discussion regarding removing design concepts to reduce costs followed with members of the pool committee noting that individual items were not significant amounts of money, but would increase the potential revenue generation of the pool to offset operating costs in the future. Members from the pool committee noted that it was not the intent that the City would pay the whole price for the pool construction. It was noted that City staff should not be fundraising for the pool and that the pool committee was dissolved in its capacity as a City group once conceptual designs were completed. Discussion occurred surrounding fundraising including the established foundation, dollar value goals, and timelines with the request from Council that any community members who wish to fundraise should organize and request time at a future meeting to present their plans. Additional discussion regarding when to hold a bond vote and the potential impacts on funding and construction occurred as well as the potential use of fundraising dollars to pay back bond in lieu of tax increases if the City needs to bond for project before fundraising is feasibly complete. Mayor Leonard noted that this increase would be larger than the last several years of tax increases combined. A request was made to provide an alternative timeline for the project should the City not be able to bond the project in 2018. V. Executive Session a. Executive Session – possible deliberative session to discuss the quasi-judicial proceeding of the grievance hearing per 1 V.S.A. §312(e) Minutes of November 15, 2017 Winooski City Council Page 2 of 3 www.winooskivt.org Mayor Leonard noted that executive session would no longer be required due to the settlement of the grievance prior to tonight’s meeting. VI. Adjourn MOTION by Councilor Mace, seconded by Councilor Covey to adjourn the City Council meeting at 7:40pm. Voted and passed 3-0. ATTEST: ___________________________ Assistant City Clerk Minutes of November 15, 2017 Winooski City Council Page 3 of 3 www.winooskivt.org