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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/22/1999 Work Session . MINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION MEETING OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD MONDAY, MARCH 22, 1999 The city of Springfield council met in work session in the Jesse Maine Room, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon, on Monday, March 22, 1999, at 5:00 p.m., with Mayor Maine presiding: ATTENDANCE Present were Mayor Maine, Councilors Ballew, Fitch, Hatfield, Leiken, Lundberg and Simmons. Also present were City Manager Michael Kelly, City Attorney Tim Harold, Senior Management Analyst Rosie Pryor, City Recorder Julie Wilson and members of the staff. 1. Barricade Removal from 56th and 5ih Streets in Thurston Area. Transportation Planning Engineer Masood Mirza presented the staff report on this issue. Staff has requested that the city consider the removal of traffic barricades from 56th and 5ih Street at C Street. These barricades were installed in accordance with past council direction. This request is for a reconsideration of that direction, based on new development in the area and traffic concerns. Staff is responding to a request by the developer of Thurston Community Gardens to remove the barricades from 56th and 57th Streets at C Street. The request contends that the removal of the barricades is essential in order to reduce congestion and out of direction travel. . Prior to the development of Colt Park subdivision, 57th Street was a dead-end local street. In 1978, with the construction of Colt Park subdivision, the existing barricade was removed and 5ih Street became a through street. This link altered the traffic flow in the neighborhood. In 1980, residents and property owners in the area around sih Street petitioned the City Council to reinstall a barricade on 57th Street. Residents claimed that the opening of 5ih Street and construction of the Bi Mart shopping center increased traffic volumes and dust in their neighborhood. Staff recommended against the barricade installation and council agreed with the staff recommendation. In 1991, property owners and residents again submitted a petition to the council asking for the reinstallation of a barricade on 5ih Street. The staff recommendation was again opposed to installation of the barricade. The council received public testimony, which favored installation of barricades at both 5ih Street and 56th Street, again based on traffic and dust concerns. After hearing public testimony, the council directed staff to install barricades on 56th and 5ih Streets at C Street, giving us the current situatio~. These two streets are gravel streets with no improvements. Mr. Mirza explained responded to questions from council. He discussed the reasons 57th Street was the logical choice for barricade removal. The issue of Block Grant Funding was also discussed. Staff is still looking into this as a possible option. Councilor Lundberg asked about the East Side of 56th Street as it related to street improvements and sidewalk placement.. She discussed connecting with existing improvements. She also discussed the partially improved portion of 57th Street. . Work Session Minutes March 22, 1999 Page 2 . Mr. Mirza discussed developer assessment costs in response to questions from Councilor Fitch. Councilor Simmons discussed traffic issues related to turning lanes and intersections in addition to traffic analysis issues. Councilor Leiken .asked if residents on 57'h Street are aware of the issues. Mr. Mirza said staff is approaching council prior to contacting r~sidents. Bill Dwyer was allowed to address the council. He provided information and background regarding the barricades. He discussed paying for improvements, pan handle lots, development of the area, subdivision improvements, curbs, gutters and public policy. Councilor Fitch expressed concern regarding potential impacts to the Bi Mart area parking lot. Mr. Mirza discussed improvement agreements. Councilor Hatfield discussed safety issues related to making turns off of Main Street in particular areas. Mr. Dwyer explained there were a few incidents in which police officers had difficulty in pursuits due to the barricades. He also discussed safety issues related to the barricades. Council further discussed this issue in detail. . Mayor Maine summarized council comments which indicated pursuing what options there are to remove the barricades and maybe even get some preliminary costs so that staff can meet with the all the neighbors. She also discussed having some type of discussion with the property owners at Bi Mart to see if there are potential things that can be done in that parking lot to assist and not make it an unsafe area through there. Staff should continue to flush out . options and continue to get information and involve the residents too. Councilor Ballew agreed. with comments made by Mayor Maine. Council clarified that staff should keep an option of opening those streets without improvements. That would be something which would need to be looked at in order to again evaluate all of the options. Council would like to know what that would mean. City Manager Mike Kelly asked what process council would like to utilize on this issue. He asked if they wanted to have a neighborhood meeting first and explain the issue, indicate there is a possibility of opening both barricades and provide improvement cost information. It was clarified that staff would first obtain more information and then have the neighborhood meetings. Council would like to be provided with additional information at a future date. Councilor Hatfield said it would be good to have options that include the cost of improvement, traffic issues, and would not want to take the barricades down until Main Street is taken care of. There are many issues to consider. Once information is available, then residents can be approached. . 2. Benchmarking Presentation. . . . Work Session Minutes March 22, 1999 Page 3 City Manager Mike Kelly presented the staff report on this issue. The city is in year "two" of a five-year administrative plan to develop the skills and expertise associated with outcome- based management through increased use of performance measurements. The use of this management tool is intended to provide managers with the information they need to ensure existing resources are used efficiently and effectively. In addition, this information should provide useful in future discussions about the ability to enhance service levels within the current funding base. During FY 1998-99, the city began a five-year administrative plan now called "Managing for Results." The purpose of the program is to develop the staff expertise necessary and the data required to better serve the needs of citizens by concentrating on balancing the efficiency and effectiveness of city services. The Managing for Results Program will produce objective information about what city services cost, how we compare to other providers of public service and whether these services truly do provide value to Springfield's citizens. Mr. Kelly provided background on the program and updated them on progress. He answered questions regarding efficiency and effectiveness. He also discussed the cost for services, customer expectations and how resources are allocated. He explained it was a management tool and discussed resource allocation and efficiency related to resource allocation. . Mr. Kelly discussed the types of things that would be tracked and the relationship of things that are high on effectiveness but not so high on the efficiency scale. Mr. Kelly answered questions regarding the benchmarking issue paper. He also discussed education and training related to benchmarking. Councilor Lundberg said she supported the concept of basic benchmarking and discussed measuring efficiency. Mr. Kelly provided examples of benchmarking and used street sweeping as an example. Councilor Simmons discussed performance and recognized benefits of benchmarking, although, suggested we be cautious and not spend more money in planning how to deliver the service versus actually delivering the service. He said sometimes things like this can become overly complex in tracking. Mr. Kelly clarified the funding request and discussed the issue paper request. . . . 1'A\t\utes ~ sesS\ot\ ~o~ ~~ \999 1'Aa~c\\ ' ya~e A ~~0''l i\\\.\e\)' 6..00 V",. hU10D . U at a\l\l~o~ . ""as aU)Ourt\e 1'\\e tt\eet\t\~ " ~\\sot\ . 1u\\e Reco~ue~ ~ 1'A\t\uteS . . MINUTES OF THE JOINT MEETING OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD MONDA Y, MARCH 22, 1999 The city of Springfield council met in jointly with the Museum Board, in the Jesse Maine Room, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon, on Monday, March 22, 1999, at 6:05 p.m., with Mayor Maine presiding. INTRODUCTIONS The Mayor, City Council members and Museum Board members were all present. Also present were Museum Coordinator Kathy Jensen, City Manager Michael Kelly, City Attorney Tim Harold, Senior Management Analyst Rosie Pryor, City Recorder Julie Wilson and members of the staff. 1. Joint Meeting with Springfield Museum Board of Directors. All members provided a brief personal introduction and shared their thoughts on the importance of the Museum. Tom Wurtz discussed the Garden tour event, the puppet festival, Filbert Festival, Holiday Tea, and other activities. He also discussed family activity events along with membership efforts. Jack Gischel discussed activities of the Museum speaker's bureau efforts. Sandra Rennie discussed exhibits that have been at the Museum. She said they sometimes have ten exhibits in one year. She also discussed the international doll and quilt exhibit. Mary Farrington discussed the community events and outreach efforts. . Kathie Hardy discussed plans to computerize. Paula Chan Carpenter discussed staffing and future programs. She also discussed increasing members and the annual campaign. Jack Gischel provided a tour of the computer center at the Museum along with WWll Home Front exhibits. The group visited the Historic Center.. Members of the Mayor and Council were presented with honorary membership to the Friends of the Museum.. Paula Chan Carpenter presented Mayor Maine with an historic photo of the museum and recognized her long-term support of the Museum. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:00 p.m. Minutes Recorder - Julie Wilson ~7(;(1~ Maureen M. Maine, Mayor . ,5