HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994.12.05 Council MinutesMINUTES
PASCO CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING DECEMBER 5, 1994
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 7 30 P M by Joyce DeFelice, Mayor
ROLL CALL
By Deputy City Clerk Councilmembers present Joyce DeFelice,
Michael Garrison, Edgar Hargrow, Chris Jensen, Charles Kilbury, Dan
Lathim, and Carl Strode Also present Gary Crutchfield, City Manager,
Greg Rubstello, City Attorney, David McDonald, City Planner, Bob
Alberts, Public Works Director, Richard Smith, Community & Economic
Dev Director, and Kurt Luhrs, Admmistrative Assistant
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The meetmg was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance
CONSENT AGENDA
MOTION Mr Garrison moved to approve the Consent Agenda
Seconded by Mr Lathim Motion carried unanimously Consent items
are as follows
A) Approval of Minutes To approve minutes of Regular Meeting held
November 21, 1994
To approve minutes of Special Meetmg held November 28, 1994
B) Bills and Communications To approve General Claims in the
amount of $790,623 62 ($16,836 01 bemg in the form of Wire
Transfer Nos 2948 and 2949, and $773,787 61 consistmg of Claim
Warrants numbered 89210 through 89397)
Payroll Claims To approve Payroll Claims in the amount of
$488,539 29, Payroll Voucher Nos 39333 through 39528, and 39553
through 39750
Bad Debt Wnte-offs To approve bad debt wnte-offs for utility
billing, ambulance, cemetery, and Municipal Court non-criminal
and criminal accounts receivable in the total amount of $70,370 36
and, of that amount, authorize $68,960 67 be turned over for
collection
C) Interlocal Agreement for Emergency Management To approve the
Interlocal Agreement with Franklin County and other Franklin
County municipalities for the provision of Emergency Management
Services and, further, authorize the Mayor to sign the Agreement
D) Code Amendment - Micro-Brewenes/Wmenes in the C-2 Zone
(Central Business District) (MF #94-83-CA) To set 7 30 p m,
December 19, 1994, as the time and date for a public hearing to
consider the proposed C-2 code amendment
E) Special Permit Location of a Day Care Center at the Southwest
Corner of 6th Avenue and "C" Street (MF #94-74-SP) To approve the
Special Permit for the Day Care Center at 6th Avenue and "C"
Street, as recommended by the Planning Commission
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REGULAR MEETING
PASCO CITY COUNCIL DECEMBER 5, 1994
F) Special Permit Location of the Western Baseball League Stadium
(MF #94-76-SP) To approve the Special Permit for the Western
Baseball League Stadium, as recommended by the Planning
Commission
PROCLAMATION AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
None
VISITORS
None
REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES AND/OR OFFICERS
Mayor's Activity Report Mayor DeFelice reported On November 25,
1994, judged Chnstmas trees for Our Lady of Lourdes Festival of Trees,
also attended a banquet where awards were announced
On November 30, attended a nbbon cutting ceremony for the Grand-
Opening of West One Bank at Albertsons Supermarket
Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Meeting, December 1, 1994 Mayor
DeFelice was unable to attend the meeting
Mock City Council Meeting at New Honzons Heights High School -
November 22, 1994 Mr Garrison reported that the meetmg was very
good The students involved formed seven companies that were
environmentally pro-active The students gave presentations to the Mock
Council concerning their businesses and went into extensive plans and
environmental impact statements A lot of work went into the project
PUBLIC HEARINGS
1995 Budgets - Annual Operating and Capital Projects Mr Dan
Underwood, Finance Director, addressed Council and noted for the
record that notice of the public heanng was published as required by law
Mr Underwood explained that there were no proposed changes to the
budgets as presented at the budget workshop Those budgets include an
overall Operating Budget of $48,338,757, and Capital Projects Budget
with a net increase of $16,567,300
MAYOR DEFELICE DECLARED THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN FOR
CONSIDERATION OF THE 1995 ANNUAL OPERATING AND CAPITAL
PROJECTS BUDGETS
Mr Jim Cumiskey, of the Arts Council of the Mid-Columbia Region,
addressed Council to request $8,000 funding to sponsor arts programs
and presentations within the City
After discussion it was the concurrence of Council that Mr Curmskey
work with staff to provide more specific information and return to
Council with a request
Following three (3) calls from Mayor DeFehce for comments from the
floor, either for or against, the public heanng was declared closed
ORDINANCE NO. 3060
AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE CITY OF PASCO OPERATING BUDGET
FOR THE YEAR 1995
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REGULAR MEETING PASCO CITY COUNCIL DECEMBER 5, 1994
MOTION Mr Jensen moved for the first reading by title only of
Ordmance No 3060, for consideration of the 1995 Annual Operating
Budget Mr Hargrow seconded the motion Motion earned
unammously
ORDINANCE NO. 3061
AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE CTIY OF PASCO CAPITAL PROJECTS
BUDGET FOR THE YEAR 1995
MOTION Mr Jensen moved for the first reading by title only of
Ordinance No 3061, for consideration of the 1995 Capital Projects
Budget Mr Gamson seconded the motion Motion earned
unanimously
1994 Budget Supplement Mr Dan Underwood, Finance Director,
addressed Council and noted for the record that notice of the pubhc
heanng was published as required by law
Mr Underwood explained that there were no changes in the proposed
amendment for the Operating and Capital Improvement Budgets The
amount requested for the operating budget is $19,360,195 of which the
majority are mterfund transfers to accommodate debt service, cash
receipts, and to pay for construction projects The Capital Improvement
Budget will need a supplement of $13,894,200
MAYOR DEFELICE DECLARED THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN FOR
CONSIDERATION OF THE 1994 BUDGET SUPPLEMENT
Following three (3) calls from Mayor DeFelice for comments from the
floor, either for or against, and there being none, the public hearmg was
declared closed
ORDINANCE NO. 3062
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 1994 ANNUAL BUDGET OF THE CITY
OF PASCO BY PROVIDING A SUPPLEMENTAL THERETO, BY
APPROPRIATING AND REAPPROPRIATING REVENUE, BY PROVIDING
TRANSFER AND EXPENDITURE AUTHORITY, BY ADJUSTING THE
EXPENDITURE PROGRAM OF VARIOUS FUNDS AND THE BUDGET
WITHIN FUNDS, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY
MOTION Mr Garrison moved for the first reading by title only of
Ordinance No 3062, for consideration of the 1994 Operating
Supplemental Budget in the amount of $19,360,195 Mr Lathim
seconded the motion Motion earned unanimously
ORDINANCE NO. 3063
AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO SUPPLEMENTAL CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENTS BUDGET FOR THE YEAR 1994
MOTION Mr Hargrow moved for the first reading by title only of
Ordinance No 3063, for consideration of the 1994 Capital Improvements
Budget Supplement in the amount of $13,894,200 Mr Garrison
seconded the motion Motion earned unanimously
Mr Crutchfield explained that the proposed increase in fees for housing
inmates in the Franklin County Jail could play havoc with the 1995
Operating Budget Staff wanted to inform Council that one of the
possible options is increasing the property tax levy by the 6% authorized
by law Doing this would raise approximately $100,000 per year,
however, staff felt it is more important to forego that property tax
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REGULAR MEETING PASCO CITY COUNCIL DECEMBER 5, 1994
increase and absorb the $100,000 if necessary with the ending fund
balance next year Staff felt that by foregoing the property tax increase
the City would offset about half of the Bond Issue tax It is also
important that the tax rate be lowered as soon as possible to assist with
economic investment
ORDINANCES/RESOLUTIONS NOT RELATED TO PUBLIC HEARINGS
None
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
None
NEW BUSINESS
None
MISCELLANEOUS - INCLUDING SUGGESTIONS FROM COUNCIL
Mr Crutchfield explained that the City and the County have had an on-
going dispute over the City's occupancy of part of the Public Safety
Building This dispute was almost settled in August, 1993, when the
County made an offer to the City but then elected not to follow through
with it The City took the County to court feeling that the offer was, in
effect, an agreement The Supenor Court of Walla Walla denied the
motion on the part of the City
Since the judegement the City appealed that decision and also asked the
County to reconsider the rejection of their own offer discuss the issue in
an attempt to avoid legal action The County declined to do this
In the year that has gone by smce then, there have been repeated
attempts to urge the County to work with the City m resolving the
dispute, whether it be by direct negotiations or with a mediator Each of
these attempts have been rebuffed by the County, if not ignored entirely
The remodel of the Old McLoughlm School into the new Civic Center has
been partially completed and the Police Department was scheduled to
move to the new facility The County was informed, approximately 2
months ago, that the Police Department would be moving and the
Municipal Court would move over to the space occupied by the Police
Department The County advised the City that this couldn't be done
because it would involve structural alterations The City modified its
plan to move just the office furniture and the personnel without making
any alterations to the space the City had occupied for over 12 years
The County was advised of the move, in writing, on November 18, 1994
At 5 00 p m, December 1, 1994, the City received a letter from the
County which said they would not give approval for the City to move its
court offices into the space formerly occupied by the Police Department
The County was notified of the move and the City staff repeated the
desire to work out a solution to the dispute, in the mean time, the
Municipal Court employees needed adequate space The space they were
occupying was much too small according to Labor and Industry
standards
The move over the weekend was earned out with no problems, however,
late this morning staff was advised that the contractor employed by the
City to switch the Municipal Court phones and computers over to the
new area was denied access to the switch boxes Staff requested, of the
Commissioners, that the contractor be allowed to switch the phone and
computer lines The Commissioners advised staff that this was a
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REGULAR MEETING PASCO CITY COUNCIL
DECEMBER 5, 1994
conscious decision of theirs to withhold access to the telephone and
computer switches
Staff provided a letter asking the Commissioners to reconsider their
decision by 3 00 p m today This needed to be resolved to keep the Court
processes in line and avoid disruption of that system The
Commissioners made the decision not to change their decision,
therefore, the City Attorney was authorized to petition for a temporary
restraining order The restrammg order was granted by Judge Brown
The phones and computer have been switched over Staff felt this action
was necessary in order to maintain the operation of the Municipal Court
Staff sent a letter to the Commissioners office requesting that they meet
with the City with respect to the Jail Agreement, however, given the
magnitude of the Jail Agreement and the heightened emotions which
become associated with the Court Lease dispute, staff feels it is
imperative that the two parties find some way to sit down and work out a
solution To this end staff urged Council to pass the proposed
resolution This resolution references the disputes mentioned and notes
the frustration and the harm to public service in the community that is
being created by the difficulties The resolution will commit the City
Council to a third party mediation process to resolve the problems
outlined with a long term settlement that would allow both parties to go
about their business without resorting to the kinds of activities
witnessed the last few days It calls on the County to do likewise The
City would be willing to commit to the financial obligation associated
with a third party mediator
Mr Garrison supported the resolution, however, he felt that all the past
overtures have gone on deaf ears
Mr Strode supported the resolution and was hopeful that the County
would agree to a mediation, fully funded by the City, to resolve the
disagreements
Mayor DeFelice hoped that the Commissioners would agree to the
assistance of a mediator
Mr Kilbury felt that the City and the County should be able to resolve
these problems
Mr Hargrow felt that the City might need to go past mediation onto
conflict resolution where both parties can learn to work together and get
to the root of the problem and past the hard feelings
Resolution No. 2162
A RESOLUTION DECLARING A COMMITMENT OF THE PASCO CITY
COUNCIL TO MEET WITH THE BOARD OF FRANKLIN COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF AN INDEPENDENT
MEDIATOR TO SEEK RESOLUTION OF DISPUTES CONCERNING THE
PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING LEASE AND A SUCCESSOR JAIL
AGREEMENT
MOTION Ordinance No 2162, was read by title only Mr Strode moved
to approve Ordinance No 2162 Mr Garrison seconded the motion
Motion earned unanimously
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REGULAR MEETING PASCO CITY COUNCIL DECEMBER 5, 1994
ADJOURNMENT
No further business, the meetmg was adjourned at 8 16 P M
Joirett eFelice, Mayor
ATTEST
I
INSIOMMIV"n &AAA K.An - _
athenne D Seaman
Deputy City Clerk
PASSED and APPROVED this 19 day of December 1994
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