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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/08/2015 Work SessionCity of Springfield Work Session Meeting MINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION MEETING OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD MONDAY JUNE 8, 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 8, 2015 at 5:30 p.m., with Mayor Lundberg presiding. ATTENDANCE Present were Mayor Lundberg and Councilors VanGordon, Moore, Ralston, Woodrow and Pishioneri. Also present were City Manager Gino Grimaldi, Assistant City Manager Jeff Towery, City Attorney Mary Bridget Smith, City Recorder Amy Sowa and members of the staff. Councilor Wylie was absent (excused). 1. Historic Commission Interviews. Molly Markarian, Senior Planner, presented the staff report on this item. Two vacancies on the Historic Commission are a result of the current terms expiring for Commissioners Tim Hilton and Bruce Berg. The third vacancy is a result of Commissioner Emily Scherrer's resignation. Qualifications for membership on the Historic Commission include expertise in the fields of architecture, history, architectural history, planning, or archeology; residency within the Metro Plan boundaries; or as residents, electors, or property owners within Springfield. In addition, the Council shall solicit recommendations for appointment from Willamalane and School District # 19 (Municipal Code Section 2.502). The School District and Willamalane declined to recommend appointees to fill these vacancies. State and Federal funding of the City's historic preservation activities stipulate that a majority of the Commissioners have professional qualifications in a field related to historic preservation. Four current members and one of the applicants possess these qualifications and also meet the qualifications and standards set forth by the National Park Service regarding commissions. Council Operating Policies state in Section IX, Subsection 1.3) "Springfield's boards, commissions, committees, and task forces bring together citizen viewpoints which might not otherwise be heard. Persons of wide-ranging interests who want to participate in public service but not compete for public office may choose to be involved in advisory boards, commissions, committees and task forces instead. These bodies also serve as a training ground or stepping stone for qualified persons who are interested in seeking elected public office. They also help fulfill the goals of the City's adopted Citizen Involvement Program to have an informed and involved citizenry." Springfield Municipal Code Section 2.506 states that any vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term of the member creating the vacancy, and Section 2.504 states that appointed members shall hold office for four years with the terms staggered to provide overlapping and continuity. The candidates appointed for a second term are eligible to serve for four years beginning on the date of appointment by City Council, currently scheduled for June 15, 2015. The candidate City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes June 8, 2015 Page 2 appointed to fill Commissioner Schener's vacancy is eligible to serve the unexpired portion of her term, which expires on October 19, 2018. Council chose the questions they would ask of each candidate. Council introduced themselves and interviewed Terra Wheeler with the following questions: 1. Why are you interested in serving on the Historic Commission? (Mayor Lundberg) 2. Describe your professional and personal experience as it relates to your desire to become a Historic Commissioner. (Councilor VanGordon) 3. What initiatives are you interested in working on if you are appointed as a Commissioner? (Councilor Woodrow) 4. Describe your familiarity with the City's historic resources. (Councilor Moore) 5. What is it about Springfield's history that interests you most? (Councilor Ralston) 6. Have you attended a Historic Commission meeting? If so, what were your impressions? (Councilor Pishioneri) Mayor Lundberg asked if Ms. Wheeler had questions of the Council. Ms. Wheeler asked about the challenges in trying to balance economic development and preservation. She also asked what type of educational opportunities the Historic Commission offered to homeowners and the public. Council responded to her questions. Council interviewed Tim Hilton with the following questions: 1. Why are you interested in continuing to serve on the Commission? (Mayor Lundberg) 2. What are some examples of Historic Commission success that have occurred during your tenure as a Commissioner? (Councilor VanGordon) 3. What contributions have you made to the Commission during your tenure? (Councilor Woodrow) 4. What specialty or skill do you possess that has especially benefitted the Commission? (Councilor Moore) 5. What do you think the role of the Commission is? (Councilor Ralston) 6. What vision do you have for the future of the Commission? (Councilor Pishioneri) Mayor Lundberg asked Mr. Hilton if he had questions of the Council Mr. Hilton said the Commission hoped they could work with the Council on the ordinance regarding the Washburne Historic District to provide more clarity. They are also interested in looking at other areas for historic district potential, such as farmhouses, mill cottages, etc. He invited the Council to come to the Historic Commission display that will be at the Springfield Museum in July. Mr. Berg was not able to attend the interview due to a family emergency Council consensus was to appoint all three applicants. City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes June 8, 2015 Page 3 2. Lane Workforce Partnership Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) Mary Bridget Smith, City Attorney, presented the staff report on this item. Kristina Payne, Executive Director for Lane Workforce Partnership presented this item The Lane Workforce Partnership is the designated local Workforce Investment Board for Lane County and as such receives federal funding to invest in education and training systems to support employers and the business community. Springfield has participated in the Lane Workforce Partnership for many years and currently Councilor Moore sits on the Lane Workforce Board. This item is before the Council because the IGA is being updated to add Junction City, Florence and Cottage Grove to the organization and is currently scheduled for Council consideration June 15th Also, the name of the entity created by the IGA is being changed from the Southern Willamette Private Industry Council to the Lane Workforce Council. Finally, the amended IGA is meant to replace an earlier version from 2000 and to comply with an Executive Order from the Governor requiring the Lane Workforce Partnership to separate itself from government control and upcoming changes to the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOFA). Ms. Smith said there were some very minor amendments to the IGA since it was published in the agenda packet. The changes are not substantial and will be finalized in the agenda packet for the regular meeting when this will be considered for adoption. Ms. Payne presented a power point. She explained the changes to the IGA and the changes in the organization in response to the executive order from the Governor. She noted the current structure and the future structure, including the new make-up of the Board. She described the role of the chief elected officials, the workforce board, and the role of the fiscal agent. She distributed a picture of the new structure. Mayor Lundberg asked where Councilor Moore would serve under the new structure Ms. Payne said she would serve on the Lane Workforce Council, and possibly a part of the Lane Workforce Partnership Board. Councilor Moore said she has currently been serving on the Executive Board and the full Board. She commended Ms. Payne for her work on this which started as soon as she started in this position a year and a half ago. Ms. Payne thanked Councilor Moore for her involvement and engagement on the Lane Workforce Partnership. Councilor Moore said the facility where workers received services and training, and where they worked with employers to place workers, was on Oakmont Way in Eugene. Ms. Payne said the Lane Workforce Partnership (LWP) had been set up in an unusual way under Lane County. These changes have been needed and the timing worked well to respond to the executive order from the Governor. City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes June 8, 2015 Page 4 Mayor Lundberg asked what the Lane Workforce did in their role of economic development, and what clusters they were focusing on bringing to the county. Ms. Payne said they are the local workforce board for Lane County and are federally funded. There are 7 workforce boards across the state and hundreds across the nation. They receive federal funds to invest in workforce development activities, many of which are set by federal law. In Oregon, they have been able to form an innovation fund with State funds, investing in things like FertiLab and entrepreneurs program. These programs help people get the education needed to launch new businesses. Another proposal to expand in Springfield was sent in for LWP to review. The Emerald Valley High Performance Enterprise Consortium is doing a number of lean, manufacturing trainings for a consortium of businesses, and they have invested in that training as well. When they brought the community together, they looked at labor market data for sector work. They have worked with healthcare and expanded the nursing program at Lane Community College (LCC), invested in some prerequisite programs so they could be expanded as needed, and identified a distance learning program for Medical Technologists for PeaceHealth Labs. They use federal funds, some state general funds, and some foundation funds. One of the programs they have through AARP, and in partnership with LCC, which allows them to train people 50 or over in the financial sector industry. Councilor Moore said economic development was not part of LWP, but has come forward with the sector strategy. They are currently looking at technology, the food industry, the health industry and manufacturing. Mayor Lundberg said she wanted to make sure that whatever work is being done is shared so they are all moving in the same direction, especially in regards to Cross -Laminated Timber (CLT). Ms. Payne said she also signed on to the CLT grant and staff is communicating on that project. She referred to a letter from the Governor that she provided to the Mayor. In the letter, it notes that Lane County is the 3rd in the State and the largest county to be designated through ACT as a Work Ready Community by their achievements on the National Career Readiness Certificate. It is an important designation and a good draw for businesses looking to relocate. Councilor Pishioneri asked if they were aware that the Lane County Jail had been designated as an NCRC (National Career Readiness Certificate) Center and certified as a test center. He asked if they had thought about integration with the offender population in regards to job placement working with the Sherman Center. Ms. Payne said she would like to talk to him more about that at some point. There are some different programs and partners that should be at the table for that discussion, so they make sure they do something very thoughtful. She knows that population is in need of training. 3. BRING RE:think Business Proposal. Matt Stouder, Environmental Services Manager, presented the staff report on this item. He introduced Carolyn Stein, Executive Director at BRING. BRING, a Springfield business focused on reducing waste and promoting recycling, has expressed interest in partnering with the City to fund a business assistance program aimed at improving environmental performance, reducing operating costs, and increasing profitability of local businesses. City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes June 8, 2015 Page 5 BRING operates a business waste prevention assistance program, RE:think Business, that provides direct assistance and consultation to local businesses. This program focuses on reducing waste, conserving energy and protecting water quality within Lane County. In 2011, Lane County Solid Waste Management awarded a grant to BRING to develop the RE:think Business program, and Lane County is currently partnering with the City of Eugene to sponsor the program. For the past 3 fiscal years, Lane County and the City of Eugene have continued to sponsor the RE:think program, which assisted over 38 businesses in Lane County this past year. RE:think provides on-site evaluation, education, referrals and assistance in five areas: materials management (waste prevention, recycling and small-scale on-site composting where appropriate), energy conservation, water conservation, water quality, and purchasing. BRING is seeking $6,500 from the City of Springfield for a pilot RE:think Business program to focus on Springfield businesses in the downtown area. Under the pilot proposal, BRING anticipates reaching out to 30 businesses in Springfield's downtown area, and certifying 4 to 10 between July 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015. If the pilot RE:think Business program is successful, BRING has expressed interest in expanding the program from the downtown area to the entire City, with funding to occur on an annual basis. The BRING pilot project could complement and help inform upcoming efforts of the City to meet the state's "Opportunity to Recycle" requirements. If Council directs staff to move forward with the pilot RE:think Business program in the downtown, and if after evaluation the program proves to be successful, the staff will return to Council to receive direction on partnering with BRING on an expanded annual basis and to discuss sources of the annual funding for the program as part of the FYI 7 budget process. Ms. Stein said the new RE:think Business Program Manager was Angie Marzano. She presented a power point and highlighted the mission of BRING. They generate most of their income through re- used items. She described the RE:think Business program: • Peer to peer program • Hands-on, confidential, supportive and voluntary • Supports goals outlined by City Council • Offers marketing support and recognition • Established relationship with NEDCO • Over 200 businesses have participated. She noted the results in terms of waste prevention, recycling, energy and water use, and water quality which are tracked through this program. The program helps provide education to businesses. Councilor Ralston referred to future requirements. Apparently the State has decided they would have a recycling rate of 55% by 2025. He feels that figure is hypothetical and unobtainable. The County in response has proposed a 63% recycling rate. Ms. Stein said that is part of the Department of Environmental Quality's (DEQ) regional waste reduction plan. Lane County has the largest diversion rate in the State at 56%, so 63% is very attainable. She believes that is largely in part due to the collection of food scraps in Eugene and City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes June 8, 2015 Page 6 Springfield and because there are more opportunities to divert waste out of the waste stream, including BRING's services. Councilor Ralston asked how they determine which materials need to be recovered and included in that 63% recovery rate. Ms. Stein said there are still a number of plastic bottles that are thrown away, but once the bill for recycling juice bottles is effective, that will change drastically. In terms of other materials, construction and demolition (C&D) waste, they have a strategic plan they are working on at BRING that will target buildings that are scheduled for demolition to take some of the items for reuse. Councilor VanGordon asked if this program cost the business anything. Ms. Stein said it is a service and is currently funded by Lane County and the City of Eugene. BRING does an assessment with the business, provides a packet for an award and provides marketing support. Councilor VanGordon asked for clarification on the category "operations". Ms. Stein said operations are typically things that have to do with purchasing. One of the requirements of the program is to look for businesses to use recycle content paper in their operations. Another example is education for employees regarding recycling. There are many businesses that don't recycle at work, although the employees recycle at home. Councilor VanGordon said the information presented states that this benefits the environment and the bottom line. He asked what an average business in Springfield would see in terms of cost savings. Ms. Stein said as an example, a large business that processes grain could have a waste material that is highly recyclable that they are putting in a garbage can. They worked with a local business and were able to help the business remove that material out of the waste stream and it has saved them $14,000 per year. They also help them with energy efficiency. There is no specific number in terms of savings. Councilor VanGordon said based on what they know, this could be substantial impact to businesses. He is not sure why it ends up being a grant subsidized program because they have an opportunity to be subsidized from businesses and their savings rather than depending on grants. If people could save money, they could invest in the program. Ms. Stein said there is that opportunity, although there are many smaller businesses that might not see that type of savings, but rather come to the program for education and marketing. A large portion of the businesses they work with are smaller businesses. That model can potentially work, but the goal of the program was to change behavior around consumption and use. They wanted to eliminate barriers to allow support for the smaller businesses. Councilor VanGordon said he would challenge that and feels a model could be designed that would not rely on public dollars. Ms. Stein said their model is the most efficient. These programs are all over the State and have significant local resources going into the program. Because of their partnership with Lane County and the City of Eugene, they are able to leverage the dollars in the most effective way. Councilor Woodrow asked what established the criteria for certification City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes June 8, 2015 Page 7 Ms. Stein said they look for 50% of the actions in each category as it pertains to that office to be achieved. The calculation is done through a database used by BRING using the criteria. The criteria do not include geographic information. Councilor Woodrow asked what would happen after the pilot program. Ms. Stein said it would be interesting to collect data and see if this was a partnership the City would like to continue. Councilor Pishioneri asked about the funding provided by Lane County and the City of Eugene. Ms. Stein said each entity provides $50,000 each year for a total of $100,000 for the program per year. Councilor Moore confirmed this is voluntary for businesses. By participating, the City could be labeled as a RE:think community which could be a benefit when marketing for businesses. Ms. Stein said the goal would be to target the downtown cluster of businesses to elevate as being the area in Springfield that is RE:think certified. It could be expanded to other areas in Springfield. Mayor Lundberg asked if Springfield was included in the 56% goal. Senior Management Analyst Rhonda Rice said Springfield is in the 56% as are all cities in Lane County. Legislation is being proposed to raise the current rate of 50% to 55% for the State. In reaction to that, Lane County will propose 63%. This could happen in the future so they may want to look at preparing for the future. All of the cities participate in the percentage. Mayor Lundberg said BRING does great work. She also noted that Sanipac has onsite training, Lane County has a Master Recycler's Program, Oregon State University (OSU) has extension service compost classes, and Springfield Utility Board (SUB) had energy analysis. We have agencies that are already doing these things. One thing they could do is add an insert in the SUB bill to encourage and provide ways to recycle and perhaps target businesses. Paying separately for this service is not the direction the Council wants to go at this time. Councilor Ralston read from the memo that states, "After the County's plan is adopted, Eugene and Springfield will be asked to create their own Municipal Action plans to guide the cities with goals and objectives that will help reach the new Lane County recovery rate ...". That sounds like a requirement for the City to do something that others are already doing. It sounds like they are going to have to draft guidelines to tell businesses how to do things, and he is not interested in doing that. Development and Public Works Director Anette Spickard said BRING's proposal is not part of the Lane County and State regulations. That information is being provided for reference. This is a separate proposal. Mayor Lundberg said maybe it could be something they build around Spring cleanup. Councilor Moore said she is supportive of paying $6500 for a six-month pilot program. If they found it was not working, they could decide not to move forward. City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes June 8, 2015 Page 8 Mayor Lundberg said Council was not supportive of doing a pilot program at this time, but wants to continue to work with BRING. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:45 p.m. Minutes Recorder — Amy Sowa Aalo -7�z" Christine L. Lundberg Mayor Attest: Amy Sow City Recorder Proposed LWP Governance; Workforce Board Appointment; and Nonprofit Structure Lane Workforce Council Designated Chief Local Elected Official in compliance with WIOA Includes Chair of the Lane County Board of Commissioners and local elected officials from Cities within Lane County with population sizes >5,000 and total number of firms >500 Member Governments include: Chair of the Lane County Board of Commissioners LWC appoints LEO's From membership to Serve on Nonprofit board LWC appoints & oversees Lane Workforce Board (WB) Visionary driver of workforce strategy and investments in the region M A- Majority Local Business Rep-tatives (>SO%) ■ B - Local Warklorce - Labor and apprenticeship required; C80s and other youth -related urganimtionr optional (20% min) C - Education and Towing -Title CI and higher education required; local education and CBOs helping barriered indviduals optional • D - Government, Econom ic, and Community Development -EcoJDev, Wagner-Peyses and Voc Rehab required; philanthropic and others optional WB appoints Board Officers made up of business members to jointly serve on WB and on the Nonprofit Board * ". LANE WORKFORCE Nonprofit Board Handles the business of the organization and serves to bring in additional resources and 1 appointed LEO from each of the following cities: cu: Population est. #Firms Eugene 159,190 16,645 Springfield 60,177 4,050 Cottage Grove 9,795 948 Florence 8,466 804 Junction City 5,651 *487 LWC appoints LEO's From membership to Serve on Nonprofit board LWC appoints & oversees Lane Workforce Board (WB) Visionary driver of workforce strategy and investments in the region M A- Majority Local Business Rep-tatives (>SO%) ■ B - Local Warklorce - Labor and apprenticeship required; C80s and other youth -related urganimtionr optional (20% min) C - Education and Towing -Title CI and higher education required; local education and CBOs helping barriered indviduals optional • D - Government, Econom ic, and Community Development -EcoJDev, Wagner-Peyses and Voc Rehab required; philanthropic and others optional WB appoints Board Officers made up of business members to jointly serve on WB and on the Nonprofit Board * ". LANE WORKFORCE Nonprofit Board Handles the business of the organization and serves to bring in additional resources