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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/10/2000 Work Session . . . (, MINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION MEETING OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD MONDAY, APRIL 10, 2000 The Springfield City Council met in Work Session at Springfield City Hall, Jesse Maine Room, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon, on April 10, 2000, at 5:30 p.m. with Mayor Weathers presiding. ATTENDANCE Present were Mayor Weathers and Councilors Ballew (5:45), Fitch, Hatfield, Leiken, Lundberg, and Simmons. Also present were City Manager Mike Kelly, Assistant City Manager Gino Grimaldi, City Attorney Joe Leahy, Senior Management Analyst Rosie Pryor, Administrative Coordinator Shari Higgins, AIC Development Services Director John Tamulonis, Planning Manager Greg Mott, Museum Coordinator Kathy Jensen, Public Works Director Dan Brown, Project Manager Len Goodwin, Transportation Planning Engineer Masood Mirza, and members of staff. Guest: Nick Arnis, Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). 1. Board of Directors of the Eugene-Springfield Metropolitan Partnership Application: Review and Appointment. AIC Development Services Director John Tamulonis was present for the staff report. Mr. Tamulonis said one applicant, Tom Draggoo, had applied for a full three-year term as a Class II Director on the Eugene-Springfield Metropolitan Partnership. The position was open due to the recent resignation by Joe Clouse, whose term expires December 31, 2002. Mr. Tamulonis said Mr. Draggoo resides within the city limits and qualifies for the position. By consensus, council agreed to appoint Tom Draggoo to the Eugene-Springfield Metropolitan Partnership to fill the remainder of Mr. Clouse's term that expires December 31,2002. The appointment will be ratified at the April 17, regular meeting of the City Council. 2. Museum Board of Directors Application Review. Museum Coordinator Kathy Jensen was present for the staff report. Ms. Jensen said that one applicant, John Moretti, had applied for a position on the Museum Board of Directors. The position was open due to the resignation of Ted Johnson. The board recommended Mr. Moretti be appointed to a full four-year term that would expire March 31,2004. By consensus, council agreed to appoint John Moretti to the Museum Board of Directors to fill a four-year term that expires March 31, 2004. The appointment will be ratified at the April 17, regular meeting of the City Council. 3. Museum Committee Application Review. Museum Coordinator Kathy Jensen was present for the staff report. Ms. Jensen said that one applicant, Virginia Garrison, had applied for the Program Coordinator position with the Museum Committee. The position was open due to the resignation ofKris Redmond, who recently became a city employee. City of Springfield Work Session - 4/1 0/00 Page 2 . Ms. Jensen said the committee recommended the appointment of Ms. Garrison to a full four-year term that would expire March 31, 2004. Ms. Jensen added that Ms\ Garrison qualified for the position. By consensus, council agreed to appoint Virginia Garrison to the Museum Committee to fill a four-year term that expires March 31,2004. The appointment will be ratified at the April 17, regular meeting of the City Council. 4. Planning Commission Interviews. Planning Manager Greg Mott was present for the staff report. He explained there were two pending expirations on Planning Commission, due to the term expirations of James Burford and William Carpenter. Both incumbent candidates are eligible for reappointment, as they have not served two full-terms. Mr. Mott explained that he misunderstood Mr. Carpenters schedule and he would not be present for the interview process. Council asked if their Operating Policies and Procedures could be amended to waive the interview process for those being reappointed to Planning Commission positions that have served faithfully, with a good record, for one full-term. Staff stated the Planning Commission needed to create and adopt by-laws, but that the council's policies regarding reappointments could be changed in a timely manner. . By consensus, council agreed to reappoint James Burford and William Carpenter to the Planning Commission to fill four-year terms that expire March 31, 2004. The appointment will be ratified at the April 17, regular meeting of the City Council. 5. Local Option Levy for Springfield School District. Springfield School District 19 Superintendent Jamon Kent was present. He said the Springfield Board of Education is placing a five-year local option levy on the May 16 ballot to generate approximately $2 million per year for Springfield schools. He reviewed building construction and technology needs, which are not funded by the state, but responded that the district is up to par in those areas. Mr. Kent then provided a handout and explained the proposed local option tax rate, which equals $1.50 per $1,000 assessed value. With the local option tax rate, the average cost to residential property owners in the Springfield School District would be $.81 per $1,000 assessed value. Mr. Kent clarified that a local option levy could not raise education taxes above $5.00 per $1,000 real market value, which had already been established by Measure 5 in 1990. The school district anticipated a budget shortfall of $1.8 million ($1.4 million if current roof repair costs are removed). Mr. Kent said the district was dropping in enrollment over the next three to five years and that the affects of the reduced numbers of youth in Lane County would affect all schools. . Mr. Kent said the district receives 50 to 80 work orders per day for schools. He shared what would be lost if the $1.8 million dollar gap is not closed: a reduction to certified and classified staff, maintenance programs, an unfilled need for increasing special education staff, and the purchase of new reading books. City of Springfield Work Session - 4/1 0/00 Page 3 . Mr. Kent said the levy option was critical to services necessary for school operations beginning in September. That is why the May Election was chosen, even though the double majority would need to occur. He said if the district waited until November, they would not have the funding in place for the new school year. Mr. Kent said if the levy option did not pass, then hard budget decisions would need to be made and reevaluated by the school board. Mayor Weathers felt the levy option should be an upcoming TEAM Springfield item. If the information was made available so council and other leaders could help inform the community, then she felt it had a better success rate. Mayor Weathers said council could not endorse the levy option, but could help partnership to meet community needs. There was a discussion regarding the BallotMeasure 5 cap and what was needed to assist citizens in understanding their tax statements. Councilor Simmons asked for information and a breakdown of items not covered for the specialized teaching program. Mr. Kent explained that textbooks and teaching needs differ for special education students, yet those needs are not additionally funded by the state. Mayor Weathers asked for general information on the district budget shortfalls, what programs have already been cut and to what extent, and what will be cut further without additional funds. In closing board member, Jennifer Heiss, said the Springfield Education Foundation was having a fundraiser, with local celebrities playing in a basketball game with Trailblazer memorabilia, to support district programs. She invited the council to attend on Sunday, April 16 at 3 :00 at Springfield High School. . Mayor Weathers introduced the new reporter from the Springfield News, Tim Shinabarger. 6. Reclassification of Eugene-Springfield Highway and Beltline Road. Transportation Planning Engineer Masood Mirza was present for staff report. Mr. Mirza introduced Nick Arnis from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). Mr. Mirza said ODOT wanted to reclassify the Eugene-Springfield Highway between 1-5 and Main Street, from its current designation of Statewide Highway to Statewide Highway Expressway, and BeltIine Road between 1-5 and Gateway Street from its current designation of Regional Highway to Statewide Highway Expressway. Mr. Mirza said there was a typographical error on Agenda Item Summary (AIS). The Oregon Transportation Commission's (OTq scheduled meetings are on April 19 and 20, not April 12, for discussion, with a final decision due on May 10, 2000. , / Mr. Arnis said the reclassification is part of the 1999 Oregon Highway Plan. He said this reclassification is to an Expressway, as ODOT is trying to get people to move through and reduce localized movement. Mr. Arnis spoke about what the change would mean to the City of Springfield. He detailed what an Expressway is and eXplained the interchange spacing and safety standards, a minimum of 1.9 miles. He said none of the interchange spacings on the Eugene-Springfield Highway currently meet the minimum. . City of Springfield Work Session - 4/1 0/00 Page 4 . Councilor Hatfield said he accepted the 52nd and Main Street reclassification as long as access is not lost. Council expressed concern over the 1.9 mile minimum standard for interchange spacing. Another concern voiced by the council was their input not being taken into account by OTC. They felt it was very important not to adopt a policy now that might have a large future affect on the city. Councilor Simmons said he was not supportive of the reclassifications, until the time that a corridor study could be completed, with an appropriate level of community discussion. He said he could not support the reclassification at all at this point, as it is too premature without further input. Councilor Weathers spoke about corridor plans and asked ifODOT has a corridor management plan for the reclassification the Expressway. Mr. Arnis said recent ODOT cutback was in planning, specifically in corridor planning. There was a discussion of options for the reclassifications, funding, local interchange access, system management through reduction of conflict points, and limited access. Council asked how the OTC reconciles when people leave highways and interchanges to travel more through local streets and out of pattern. Mr. Arnis said the reclassifications should help by reduction of local streets into high traffic impact interchanges. He felt direct access would not be hampered. . Mayor Weathers asked why the process was not brought to the Metropolitan Policy Committee (MPC). Mr. Mirza responded that OTC accelerated the timeframe. Mr. Arnis said the interest level at the Transportation Planning Committee (TPC) was not high enough initially to take to MPC. There was unanimous council consensus to place the issue before MPC, as soon as possible. Mayor Weathers announced the Governor was meeting at the local Boys and Girls Club for their Grand Opening on April 11 at 3:30. She was unable to attend and asked who could attend and represent Springfield. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:35. Minutes Recorder - Shari Higgins .w~~ Maureen M. Weathers, Mayor ATTEST: ~ City Recorder .