HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/15/2015 Work SessionCity of Springfield
Work Session Meeting
MINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION MEETING OF
THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD
MONDAY JUNE 15, 2015
The City of Springfield Council met in a work session in the Jesse Maine Meeting Room, 225 Fifth
Street, Springfield, Oregon, on Monday June 15, 2015 at 6:00 p.m., with Mayor Lundberg presiding.
ATTENDANCE
Present were Mayor Lundberg and Councilors VanGordon, Wylie, Moore, Ralston, Woodrow and
Pishioneri. Also present were Assistant City Manager Jeff Towery, City Attorney Mary Bridget Smith,
City Recorder Amy Sowa and members of the staff.
1. Council Operating Policies and Procedures Amendments.
Amy Sowa, City Recorder, presented the staff report on this item.
On January 21, 2014, Council amended the Council Operating Policies and Procedures, Section IX, by
adding subsections 3.10 and 3.11 regarding appointment to Council boards, commissions, committees
and task forces. Since adoption of that section in the Council Operating Policies, there was confusion
about application of the amended sections. Council reviewed the section again on November 3, 2014
and asked that the following changes be made to clarify that section.
• Section IX (3) — Appointing Board, Commission, Committee and Task Force Members (per
Council direction at the November 3, 2014 Work Session) :
✓ Remove 3.10) and 3.11) and add 3.9) to clarify that Council will take into account if
an applicant currently serves on another governing body or another city board,
commission or committee.
Since that time, further concerns have been raised about this section.
Another change was made to clarify Section VIII (4) regarding notification to the City Manager's
office and other members of the Council and Mayor when Council members are asked to do an
interview.
Finally, Section III (5) (5.2. 1) and (5.2.2) was added to formally outline the process for proclamations.
Other minor housekeeping amendments are also being proposed.
Council is asked to discuss and refine the amendments to Section IX (3) and to review other proposed
amendments.
Formal approval of the amendments are scheduled for the July 6, 2015 Regular Meeting.
Councilor Pishioneri said he had concerns about the section on appointments to the City's boards,
commissions and committees. He would like language similar to the language added in November
2014. He didn't feel it was wise to have someone that is an elected official on another board to serve
on a City board because of their span of control. They may attend an executive session as a public
official and have access to information others may not have and could use that information when
making decisions. There are enough people that are qualified that are not currently elected officials to
City of Springfield
Council Work Session Minutes
June 15, 2015
Page 2
fill the vacancies on our committees. Leaving in the language "When possible, the Council will not
appoint people currently serving on another governing body" gives the Council the ability to appoint if
they choose, but also reminds them to look at other individuals to appoint.
Councilor Moore asked if the proposed language (section 3.9) would cover that situation.
Councilor Pishioneri said he did not feel it was strong enough.
Councilor Ralston said he didn't have a problem with a person being on multiple boards or
committees. He wants the best person. There could be a time when they don't have a good slate of
applicants and he would want to make sure they could get the right person rather than limit who they
could appoint. The language in section 3.9 of "take into account" gives them the leeway they need to
look at the situation.
Councilor VanGordon said he would like the stronger language put back in so it is clear. He has the
same concerns as Councilor Pishioneri. In general, they want to make sure that they give other citizens
a chance to participate on City committees. He asked if section 3.10 would affect appointments to task
forces and committee that have specific representation from other agencies.
City Attorney Mary Bridget Smith said they would still be able to appoint people to a specific role or
position on those types of committees.
Councilor VanGordon said he would like to add 3.10 back in, and remove 3.9
Councilor Wylie said if there is someone with experience, willingness, knowledge and interest to
serve, she is not concerned if they serve as an elected official on anther board. It's important to have
someone who is good and knows what they are doing, especially for things like the Planning
Commission. She wants to give everyone a chance.
Councilor Pishioneri said he has serious concerns about span of control and those that can make policy
decisions on one board and also make decisions or recommendations to the Council for City policy. It
may not be conscious, but there is the potential.
Councilor Moore said the terminology "take into account" is pretty vague under Section 3.9. She
would like that language to be stronger.
Councilor Woodrow said the overall picture is that we want to have as many different people involved
in all of our commissions and committees. If they have one or two people that are on one or two or
three committees, we lose that opportunity for that diversity. With a population of over 60,000, we
should be able to find qualified people. People that sit on different boards may hear something from
one board that inadvertently affects their decision on another board.
Mayor Lundberg said we are not hurting for applicants. You can have someone on an elected board
that sits in on an executive session, who would then have that information when seated on a City
board. It hasn't come up in a long time, but there have been times when multiple agencies have had a
stake in something, such as property. It could be a conflict or could affect their decision. She would
prefer putting 3.10 and 3.11 back into the policy.
Councilor Pishioneri reiterated his concerns about span of control
City of Springfield
Council Work Session Minutes
June 15, 2015
Page 3
Councilor Ralston asked which boards or commissions Councilor Pishioneri was concerned about
regarding a conflict. It would not affect every board and committee. Currently, we have plenty of
applicants, but there may be a time when they don't have as many applicants and will want to appoint
someone who is serving on another board. People know enough to recuse themselves if they come
upon a conflict.
Councilor VanGordon said it's not that he doesn't trust the other elected officials, or that he doesn't
feel they are qualified, but he wants to cast the net of opportunity as wide as possible. People already
elected to a board or commission have many opportunities to participate in the community
conversation. He looks at it more as a citizen involvement and bringing more people into the process.
In order to get more people involved, they need to look at other skills besides being `qualified', as
most elected officials would already be `qualified'.
Councilor Pishioneri said it is to give people an opportunity to participate in major committees and be
involved and foster those people to move up into other positions.
Councilor Moore asked for clarification on which sections to add or remove from the policy.
Councilor Wylie said they have had fine people serving on City committees that were also elected
officials. He hasn't seen anything bad happen in those cases. Expecting the worst might prevent them
from getting good people. She asked what would happen if a member of the Planning Commission ran
for a public office, and if they would be expected to resign.
Councilor Pishioneri said he felt it would be inappropriate for a State legislator to serve on the
Planning Commission.
Councilor Wylie said they should have a policy of choosing new people when possible, but she does
not want to exclude someone.
Mayor Lundberg said 3.10 and 3.11 does not exclude Council from appointing an elected official.
Councilor Pishioneri said it would only affect if they had another candidate that was qualified.
Candidates should be advised that when there is a possibility of another qualified candidate, Council
will look to the one who is not serving on anther board or committee.
Mayor Lundberg said the qualifications are fairly minimal. They all got started on a committee with
no other qualifications, and they want to encourage that to get new people involved.
Councilor Pishioneri said they could list the qualifications (at least 18 years old and a city resident,
etc.) as well as disqualifiers (elected official on another board) on the application.
Mayor Lundberg asked what was put on the applications.
Ms. Sowa said sections 3.10 and 3.11 were added since they were the last officially adopted sections.
Councilor VanGordon asked about using the stronger language specific to the Planning Commission
and the Budget Committee.
Councilor Ralston said he doesn't feel all of the committees should be subject to these sections.
City of Springfield
Council Work Session Minutes
June 15, 2015
Page 4
Councilor VanGordon said he would be open to make the stronger language applicable only to the
Budget Committee and Planning Commission.
Councilor Pishioneri said that is what he intended.
Councilor VanGordon said they would use the 3.10 language for the Budget Committee and Planning
Commission and elected officials, but leave 3.9 for the other committees. Section 3.11 could remain as
it is written.
Mayor Lundberg referred to the amendments under Section VIII (4) regarding the Mayor or Council
speaking to media or at events. She asked that "and the other member of the Council" be removed
under 4.1). This would not pertain to something personal, only on city related topics.
Councilor Pishioneri said there are times when the media contacts the councilor on the phone.
Ms. Sowa said the policy states "if at all possible".
Mayor Lundberg said it relates more to a press conference.
Councilor Moore said in those circumstances they would be speaking on their own behalf, not that of
the full Council.
Councilor Wylie asked about a letter to the editor and identifying themselves as a City Councilor
Mayor Lundberg said they would not identify themselves as a City Councilor.
Councilor Moore said they are following policy when speaking on behalf of the City and working with
city staff on talking points.
Councilor Pishioneri referred to Section 4.2) and the statement "in which they may be called upon to
speak".
After Council discussion, it was decided to amend that section to read "in which they are invited to
speak".
Ms. Sowa said she would make that change.
2. Glenwood Amendments to the Eugene Springfield Public Facilities and Services Plan (PFSP) and
the Eugene Springfield Metropolitan Area General Plan (Metro Plan).
Planner Mark Metzger presented the staff report on this item.
On September 15, 2014, Council initiated an amendment of the PFSP to add three stormwater outfalls
in Glenwood. On April 24, 2015, the Director initiated additional amendments to the PFSP to relocate
the planned Glenwood Electrical Substation and to show new electric transmission lines connecting the
relocated substation to the Laura Street Substation in Springfield and to the BPA's Alvey Substation in
Goshen.
Outfall facilities generally consist of a grated pipe end which releases stormwater runoff into a small
swale before being released into the receiving stream. The three proposed stormwater outfalls are
City of Springfield
Council Work Session Minutes
June 15, 2015
Page 5
planned to fit within the existing 75 -foot development setback from the Willamette River. Little or no
developable land will be used to accommodate the outfall facilities.
The planned Glenwood Substation will be relocated on the PFSP map to an area next to I-5, near
Petersen CAT. Transmission lines connecting the Alvey Substation in Goshen will follow the I-5 right -
of way. Transmission lines connecting the Glenwood Substation to the Laura Street Substation will
follow the Henderson Ave. right-of-way to the Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way, turning east along
the railroad right -of way to Springfield. SUB traditionally locates transmission and distribution lines
within rights-of-way to minimize impact on developable land.
The Planning Commission considered the proposed amendments in a public hearing on May 19, 2015.
The Commission voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council and the County
Commissioners adopt the PFSP amendments as submitted.
Mr. Metzger described the proposed changes to the PFSP. The Council will meet in a joint public
hearing with the Lane County Board of Commissioners on July 14, 2015 and conduct a first reading of
the amending ordinance. He described a change near the Seaver property in Glenwood. Staff met with
the property owner and answered their questions, alleviating some of their concerns.
Councilor Pishioneri asked about the outflow and if it would be a conflict with the riverfront path.
Mr. Metzger said the outfalls are very small facilities and a path could be integrated.
Councilor Pishioneri said he thought they were striving to put electrical lines underground.
Mr. Metzger said local service will be underground in Glenwood, but not the transmission lines. They
are single pole rather than a tower and the right-of-way is typically 10 to 20 feet instead of 300 feet.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 6:48 p.m.
Minutes Recorder — Amy Sowa
Christine L. Lundberg
Mayor
Attest:
Amy Sow "
City Recorder