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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/24/2000 Work Session " . . . MINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY, JULY 24, 2000 The Springfield City Council met in Work Session at Springfield City Hall, Jesse Maine Room, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, on Monday, July 24,2000, at 5:30 p.m. with Mayor Weathers presiding. ATTENDANCE Present were Mayor Weathers and Councilors Ballew, Fitch, Hatfield, Leiken, and Lundberg. Councilor Simmons was absent (excused). Also present were City Manager Mike Kelly, Assistant City Manager Gino Grimaldi, City Recorder Kim Krebs, Administrative Coordinator Shari Higgins, Management Analyst II Eileen Stein, Community and Economic Development Manager John Tamulonis, Finance Director Bob Duey, and members of staff. 1. Status ofI-5/Beltline Interchange Reconstruction - Environmental Assessment Project Status. Management Analyst II Eileen Stein and Community and Economic Development Manager John Tamulonis were present for the staff report. Ms. Stein explained the environmental assessment process for the project had been underway since March, under management from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) using the consulting firm ofCH2MHill and with ,guidance by a Stakeholders Working Group. Attachments to the Agenda Item Summary (AIS) include a project timeline, rosters from the Stakeholder Working Group and Beltline Decision Team, a draft problem definition statement and evaluation criteria, and preliminary design options. Ms. Stein explained staff was not asking council to review the proposed options. They wanted to provide a preview of the Public Workshop to be held on August 3,2000 at Guy Lee Elementary School. She reviewed the Beltline Decision Team members, one each from ODOT, Federal Highway Administration (FHW A), Lane County, and the cities of Eugene and Springfield, with Councilor Lundberg representing Springfield. Ms. Stein said it would be important to build into the process certain points of time where input from the City Council could occur. Decisions would be reached by the Decision Team, by consensus with no votes taken, but minority opinions recorded. Once decisions are made there will be no final review by individual jurisdiction. Ms. Stein stated this is a large project for Springfield and important to our future and growth. Mr. Tamulonis introduced Karl Wieseke, ODOT Project Leader; Jay McRae from C2MHill; and Richard Boyles from the Stakeholders Working Group. He said the Gateway Owners for Positive Change added project options, and the range was expanded based on public review and comment. Additional designs would be considered only during the public review and comment process. Mr. Tamulonis spoke about the criteria (Attachment C) and whether current configurations meet those criteria. Councilor Lundberg spoke of the small size of the Decision Team and asked council to provide clear direction, so input could be shared. She wanted to ensure her decisions were in the best interests of Springfield. Mayor Weathers said a goal in protecting Springfield's interest is to keep the project moving forward while not scaling back if financing is reduced. It is an important long-term project to the community. She felt traffic would become unmanageable in 20 years without the project. City of Springfield Work Session - 7/24/00 Page 2 . Councilor Hatfield said he felt council should have a larger role than just one representative on the Decision Team when the project is so critical to our community. He suggested focusing initially on threshold criteria. Councilor Leiken stated in 20 years, Springfield's population could be at 75,000 or 80,000 people. The movement forward on the project is very important. He too, voiced concern on the number of Springfield representatives on the Decision Team. Mr. McRae said FHW A was the body that composed the team. They felt the group included all governing agencies at the table. Councilor Fitch favored moving forward but shared concerns over the size of the Decision Team and the criteria, if chosen now, that a future set of City Council member would have to approve. Councilor Lundberg stated she felt positive about revisiting design option alternatives. The collaborative effort between city staff, Planning Commission members, and the Stakeholders Working Group had been working well. Ms. Stein and Mr. Tamulonis discussed the public workshop, the draft evaluation criteria and interchange design options. Councilor Hatfield asked for copies of the draft threshold criteria, mentioned in the staff report, but not presented in the AIS. He asked if the interchange and intersection forms were consistent, and if the Oregon Highway Plan policies were being met. Mr. Tamulonis responded to the questions and discussed the freeway ramp connections. He ensured council that ODOT would work with local criteria and policies regarding safety improvements. . Councilor Hatfield spoke about the operational statistics of the Beltline/Gateway Interchange. He suggested adding strengthened language to the transportation infrastructure regarding residential lands and the viability of node, trip reduction, etc. to show importance of intersection and interchange, important to overall development in the area. He preferred setting criteria only for reasonable options. Councilor Ballew asked if bikeways should be a critical element. Mr. Tamulonis stated yes, and also as a connector. Mr. Leahy clarified that pedestrians and bikes can be on 1-5, just not in the movement area. Mr. Wieseke said the criteria would not be too restrictive, as only two interchange designs to-date would not meet the draft threshold criteria. Mayor Weathers asked where the 1-5 corridor study was in its completion. Mr. McRae said it would be available in final form on compact disc in October or November of2000. He said the study would not result in new polices. It assists in applying existing policies. He felt the study would not make the 1-5 project timelines longer, but may assist in clarification. Ms. Stein provided clarification in response to council questions regarding the evaluation and threshold criteria, design options, and the public workshop. Mayor Weathers instructed staff to include a 20-year timeframe into the threshold criteria. She announced staff would return to council on September 11, 2000 with the results of the workshop. 2. Local Option Tax for Multiple Years - Resolution Calling for Election. . Finance Director Bob Duey was present for the staff report. He said the purpose of the topic was to clarify information in the packet regarding the proposed levy and allow council to ask questions prior to the public hearing, scheduled at the regular session. City of Springfield Work Session - 7/24/00 Page 3 . Mr. Duey said the AIS included options, a proposed resolution, and a ballot title. They were presented to council in draft form as-documents to review and react to. Mr. Duey said the Ballot Title is regulated by Lane County election requirements and the caption is limited to 10 words. The question is limited to 20 words for the first sentence, with the summary limited to 175 words. Mr. Duey explained the Special Citizens Advisory Committee recommendation. He then reviewed the three options from the staff report: Option One, Elimination of lower-priority levy items; Option Two, Across-the-board reduction; and Option Three, Management Team reductions. Councilor Fitch inquired about removing item #15, Capital Building Planning, and what the cost per $1,000 of assessed value would be. Mr. Duey responded at $1.49 per $1,000. Mayor Weathers suggested using one-time money from operating services to fund the Capital Building planning project in the amount of$435,000. Councilor Ballew asked why the volunteer positions in the Library and Police Department were removed from the citizen's committee recommendation. Mr. Duey said that space to add staff was an issue. Officers are in the field, where a coordinator would need office space. The Library reduced their position based on the recent community survey. There was a discussion regarding the number of volunteers. Council felt engaging the citizens in volunteerism was good and helped to educate them on the levels of services. . Councilor Ballew said council should move forward with a levy, but should provide the best choices of services for the public. Council asked specific questions regarding each option and costs per $1,000 of assessed value, based on component changes. Comments were regarding staffing levels proposed by the citizens committee for the Fire and Life Safety Department; Item #4, Stabilizing current basic services and how it assists the Development Services Department; and the elimination of item #15, Capital Building planning. Councilor Fitch felt the city should ask for full staffing levels and not reduce, while removing the capital planning item. Councilor Hatfield agreed and said providing a limited number of staff increases or only certain enhancements would not be wanted by the community. He suggested providing education on positions included in the levy (i.e. Community Service Officers). Councilor Lundberg suggested placing a levy on the ballot that council thinks would do the best for the community. Council should be conscious of what the most necessary items are and fund them accordingly. Council would also need to be willing to get involved and assist. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:00 p.m. Minutes Recorder - Shari Higgins . ~Jl~.VU4~ Maureen M. Weathers, Mayor ~'~ City Recorder