HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994.10.10 Council MinutesMINUTES
PASCO CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL MEETING OCTOBER 10, 1994
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 7 30 P M by Joyce DeFelice,
Mayor
ROLL CALL
By City Manager Councilmembers present Joyce DeFelice, Michael
Garrison, Edgar Hargrow, Charles Kilbury, and Carl Strode
Councilmembers absent Chris Jensen, Dan Lathim Also present
Gary Crutchfield, City Manager, Greg Rubstello, City Attorney, and Kurt
Luhrs, Administrative Assistant
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The meeting was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance
NEW BUSINESS
Baseball Stadium Ground Lease Mr Crutchfield asked Council to
recall that a tentative agreement between the City and County to locate
the professional baseball stadium adjacent to the TRAC facility had
been reached in May, with the final site to be determined by the
County Commissioners That tentative agreement covered issues such
as scheduling, use of the TRAC parking lot for baseball purposes, and
the split of revenues generated by use of the parking lot
The site issue was dealt with in late June or July, with the conclusion
from the County Commissioners to locate the stadium immediately
south of the exhibit hall A draft Ground Lease Agreement was
prepared and forwarded to the County on July 11, 1994 A copy of the
lease, which the City was developing with the Western Baseball League,
was subsequently submitted to the County on August 11, 1994
The City has selected an architect and has gone through the
preliminary design for the stadium It has been presumed that the
location would be as determmed m July, adjacent to the TRAC facility
The design of the stadium is progressing to the point where a firm
decision as to location is essential in order for the architect to design
all of the earth-work This requires site specific conditions before the
designs can go out to bid The bid needs to go out by the end of
October or the first of November in order to start construction of the
stadium in January, 1995
There has been no response from the County regarding the lease
provision as sent in July After a meeting on October 5, 1994, with
the Commissioners, the City was provided with a draft lease counter-
proposal This proposal did not reflect several of the fundamental
elements of the agreement in principal outlined in Councilmember
Jensen's letter of May 3, 1994 After another meeting on October 7,
1994, there was a potential resolution, unfortunately the time in
getting there may not be possible because of time constraints for
getting out to bid on the earth works The County's attorney contacted
the City Manager and indicated that after recent discussions with the
Commissioners he would prepare a new draft lease, however, it
wouldn't arnve until October 11, 1994
Dunng all of this activity the City entered into discussion with the Tn-
City Junior Soccer Association for the development of a soccer
complex The City has acquired a 60 acres site adjacent to the TRAC
facility to house the soccer complex There is sufficient room on that
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SPECIAL MEETING PASCO CITY COUNCIL OCTOBER 10, 1994
site to build a baseball stadium Given the fact that the City will have to
develop parking for the soccer complex, locating the baseball stadium
there would necessitate a much larger parking lot
Relocating the baseball stadium is an option should Council conclude
that it is not practical to finalize a workable agreement with the
County, with regard to the TRAC site A final decision needs to be
made tonight as to which option the City is going to pursue with
regard to a specific location for the baseball stadium Without a final
decision the architects cannot proceed with the earth-work design
and each day that passes after October 11, 1994, is another day off the
construction schedule for having a playable field in May, 1995
Mayor DeFelice pointed out the Council's objective was not just to
build a stadium, but to build it in time for it to be used in May, 1995,
and wanted to know what was the latest possible date for construction
of the stadium'?
Mr Crutchfield explained that the City has a commitment to the
Western Baseball League to have a playable stadium by the middle of
May, 1995 This is to enable them to have at least two weeks of
practice before the season starts
Mr Garrison felt that the only thing the City can do is to relocate and
build the stadium on City property and save needless negotiation with
the County m the future
MOTION Mr Garrison moved that Council direct staff to make
architectural and engmeenng changes needed to go out for bid, using
the site for the stadium that the City owns east of the TRAC facility
Mr Strode seconded the motion
Mr Crutchfield explained that it might be helpful if Councilmember's
Lathim and Jensen shared with Council their experience in this
process
Mr Jensen stated that it appears that the City is running out of time to
successfully complete the lease agreement with the County, however,
the attorney for the County has agreed to send a finalized agreement
on October 11, 1994 If the agreement was acceptable, with no
additional negotiations needed, a special meeting could be held on
October 12, 1994, to finalize the lease documents Mr Jensen felt
that even with the recent negotiations the City and County were a long
way away from reaching an agreement and he was starting to favor
placing the stadium on City property He felt that it might be better
for the entire project, both for TRAC and the stadium, to avoid
conflicts in the future
Mr Lathim felt that, after negotiating with the County for
approximately 25 to 30 hours over the past several months, that the
City and the County were both trying to do what's best for the citizens
of Franklin County He felt that the County would be better off if the
stadium is not located on the TRAC site This will allow the County to
generate revenues off that property and he would support moving the
stadium to City property By moving the stadium there won't be any
controversy with TRAC activities, while still being located at the same
site Mr Lathim felt that Council should keep in mind that there will
be a TRAC facility, soccer fields, sport fields, and a baseball stadium all
within the same area that is going to be one of the finest recreation
and trade centers in the Northwest By moving the stadium the City
will be enhancing the entire project and he would support moving the
stadium
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MINUTES
SPECIAL MEETING PASCO CITY COUNCIL
OCTOBER 10, 1994
Mr Jensen stated that the reason Council sought to include the
stadium in the TRAC facility was to avoid another parking area that
could have been provided by TRAC With the realization of the soccer
complex, Council is finding it necessary to put in additional parking
anyway to accommodate that facility This would provide additional
parking for the TRAC facility if there was a large event where there
was an overflow
Mr Crutchfield pointed out that if the stadium is moved, Homerun
Road would not be needed These funds could be used on the parking
lot for the stadium and soccer complex
Mr Jensen felt that the City shouldn't be in any competition with the
TRAC facility Council is still committed to that project and he didn't
view this move as being one that would be in anyway competitive with
TRAC
Mr Kilbury stated that he was very reluctant to move the stadium
without adjoining with the County, however, he felt that there was
some possibility that the City was past the deadline to get started on
this project If anything goes wrong, even now, with construction the
City will be late in getting it done He felt that Council should proceed
and come up with a stadium
Mr Strode pointed out that he as been involved with the TRAC project
as long as he has been on the Council and from the very beginmng the
Commissioners have been wary of the prospect of providing a baseball
stadium in conjunction with the TRAC facility This is due, mainly, to
parking problems Since the first talks of a baseball stadium the
County's main concern has been scheduling conflicts between the two
facilities Mr Strode viewed the opportunity to move the baseball
stadium, and put in additional parking, to be good for both parties It
will be possible to schedule more events at the same time and he
would agree with relocating the baseball stadium to City property
Mr Hargrow was also in support of moving the baseball stadium and
felt it would be in the best interest of both the City and the County
Mr Crutchfield suggested that Council might want to continue to
extend the financing of certain water and sewer improvements at the
TRAC site Those funds could not be expended on the stadium and
extend that offer to the County, with respect to the TRAC site work, to
pay for the water and sewer improvements The City would recover
those funds as development occurred
Mayor DeFelice restated the motion The motion carried unanimously
TRAC Financing Agreements Mr Crutchfield explained that the TRAC
financing agreements committed the City to pay half of the debt
service associated with the County's issuance of $2 4 million in
Commissioner Bonds With the bid openings for the TRAC facility, and
the site work, the total expense of the project exceeded the ongmal
budget After fine tuning the list of improvements from the bid
packages, it was concluded that if Rodeo Drive, the installation of
utilities, and Homerun Road are completed it would take an additional
half million dollars in Commissioner Bonds to be issued by the County
The County, based on the assumption that the City would participate,
issued those bonds and has committed to the additional debt Based
on last weeks discussions, and the absence of an agreement on the
location of the baseball stadium, staff informed the Commissioners that
the City would not be committing to that debt There was discussion
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SPECIAL MEETING PASCO CITY COUNCIL OCTOBER 10, 1994
about the impact of this and it was determined that the County can
escrow those funds and pay those bonds off as they mature realizing
only the interest difference
Mr Lathim felt that by relocating the baseball stadium it will create
another 8 acres for the County to use for revenues and they should
make up for the loss Mr Lathim felt this would be a benefit to
everyone concerned
Mr Crutchfield felt that the County would want the City to commit to
sharing the additional debt and install Homerun Road However, there
isn't money to do both
Mr Kilbury felt that the City should commit to the water and sewer
funding, see if there is anything further that needs to be funded, and
discuss this further at the next meeting
Mr Crutchfield felt it wouldn't be unreasonable to spend some time to
see what kind of list of improvements the City might be willing to
commit to, above and beyond the initial $2 4 million However,
Council needed to keep in mind the additional cost associated with
the parking lot on the City's site for the stadium
Mr Garrison agreed to have this item, with some approximate figures
for the water and sewer improvements, on the next regular meeting
agenda
Mr Crutchfield stated that staff could put an agenda report in the next
packet for review of the elements that could possibly be included
Mr Strode agreed with Mr Garrison to put this item on the next
agenda
Mr Todd Ungerecht, Franklin County Deputy Prosecutor, stated that
the bonds will be issued October 11, 1994, for financing TRAC minus
$500,000 the City will not commit to The remaining $2 4 million
must be signed by the City after tonight's meeting in order to commit
and issue the bonds Mayor DeFelice noted the City has already
approved and committed to this debt
MOTION Mr Kilbury moved to defer until the next regular meeting
on October 17, 1994, the TRAC Finance Agreement with the amount
given to each section, including but not limited to, the water, sewer
and electrical lines and whatever other requirements there maybe
Mr Strode seconded the motion
Mr Jensen, for clarification, asked if the motion included defernng
the signing of documents for the $2 4 million that the City has already
committed to?
Mr Kilbury said that was not the intent of the motion That his
motion concerned the additional $500,000 financing
Mayor DeFelice restated Mr Kilbury's motion that Council would defer
taking action on the TRAC Financing Agreement until the next regular
meeting of October 17, 1994, specifically with regards to the
financing of the sewer, water and electrical lines, and any other items
as seconded by Mr Strode
Mr Lathim hoped that by the next meeting the costs will be listed out
so it would be known that this is in cooperation with the County for
the benefit of everyone involved
The motion earned unanimously
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Felice, Mayor
MINUTES
SPECIAL MEETING PASCO CITY COUNCIL OCTOBER 10, 1994
ADJOURNMENT
No further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8 10 p m
ATTEST
Cathenne D Seaman
Deputy City Clerk
PASSED and APPROVED this 1 .--/ day of D cioloe,r , 1994