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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/22/1996 Work Session . Springfield City Council Work Session MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY, APRIL 22,1996 The Springfield City Council met in Work Session at Springfield City Hall, Jesse Maine Room, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon at 6:02 p.m. with Mayor Morrisette presiding. Present were Mayor Morrisette and Councilors Ballew, Beyer, Burge, Dahlquist, Maine and Shaver. Also present were City Manager Mike Kelly, Assistant City Manager Gino Grimaldi, City Attorney Tim Harold, City Recorder Eileen Stein, Administrative Aide Shari Higgins, Traffic Engineer Gary McKenney, Development Services Director Susan Daluddung, Management Analyst Lynn Nakamura, Planning Manager Greg Mott, Human Resources Director Frank Hotchkiss, Personnel Analyst Jack Lindstrom and members of staff. I. Bicycle Committee Application Review . Traffic Engineer Gary McKenney presented staff the report. He stated that there is currently one position open on the Bicycle Committee, due to the resignation of Kevin Barclay. The City received one application from Mr. James Bolivar. Staff recommended approval based on the qualifications listed on his application, and Mr. McKenney stated he spoke with Mr. Bolivar. He is a Springfield resident, active in the community, and owns a small bicycle business. Mr. McKenney stated Mr. Bolivar's application meets all of the applicable criteria for appointment to the committe.e. Councilor Ballew stated Mr. Bolivar has all of the necessary qualifications for appointment. Councilor Shaver agreed and complimented Mr. Bolivar on his experience. By consensus, Council agreed to appoint Mr. Bolivar to the Bicycle Committee at Council's May 6, regular meeting. Councilor Burge asked why the applicant is not present for an interview. Mr. Kelly stated typically Council does not interview candidates for positions on the Bicycle Committee, but does conduct interviews for positions on the Planning Commission, Budget Committee, Historic Commission and Human Rights Commission. Councilor Burge stated he is not comfortable in ratifying an appointment without the privilege of an interview. Councilor Shaver suggested the board, commission or committee itself interview prospective candidates, such as occurs currently with the Arts Commission, and then forward a recommendation to the City Council for appointment. After discussion, Council agreed to continue to interview for positions on the four commissions as listed above and place the following conditions on all other applicants: I) they must attend a meeting of the board, commission, or committee for which they are applying for, and 2) that the board, commission, or committee make a recommendation to the City Council regarding appointment, even if only one application is received during a recruitment period. . Mr. Kelly eXplained new language would be incorporated into the Council's Operating Policies and Procedures, reflecting Council's desire to have every individual interviewed before ratification. . Springfield City Council Work Session - 4/22/96 Page two Mayor Morrisette clarified that all boards, commissions and committees would meet tto interview applicants, whether a regular meeting was upcoming or not. Such boards, commissions or committees that meet infrequently, would be asked to meet upon the vacancy of their board, commission or committee. 2. Community Development Advisory Committee Funding Recommendations for the 1996-97 Community Development Block Grant Program Management Analyst Lynn Nakamura presented the staff report and handed out a revised summary of Community Development Block Grant applications for FY 1996-97 with the addition of additional funding sources, if Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds should become available. Ms. Nakamura stated the advisory committee reviewed each CDBG application individually and discussed the merits of each application. . Ms. Nakamura introduced advisory committee chair Gayle Decker. Ms. Decker stated most of the 1996-97 CDBG funding was allocated to street improvement projects. She explained the committee requested that if any other resources become available or any CDBG funds become available, that an allocation be made to Saint Vincent de Paul primarily and Lane ShelterCare, Inc. secondarily. Ms. Decker explained further how the committee made funding allocations and that the committee would have chosen the Saint Vincent de Paul project over the 51 st Street Project if Council had not endorsed the street project before the Community Development Advisory Committee met and made it's recommendations. Mr. Kelly explained the remonstration process regarding street improvement projects and verified the City's commitment to both the Willamalane Park and Recreation District and the School District for road construction necessary for new school construction. There was a discussion regarding the 51st Street project and how much would be assessed to property owners, which would offset the City's cost. Development Services Director Susan Daluddung discussed the land use approval and permit process needed to move forth with the School District's construction. She stated the School District would like the street improvement funding in place before a final agreement is reached with Willamalane Park and Recreation District regarding relocation of softball fields at Bob ArtzPark, the proposed site of one new school. Councilor Burge mentioned that the recommendations contained mostly asphalt projects. Ms. Decker explained that CDBG funding can not purchase construction activities, but can buy asphalt to begin construction projects. She explained that the CDAC would of suggested a more balanced distribution of funds if the 51 st Street project would not have been a consideration. The Saint Vincent de Paul project would of leveraged approximately $700,000 in service dollars with their $61,000 request. . Councilor Burge asked about the committed funding at the top of the attachment in the staff report. Ms. Nakamura explained that the $130,500 in refinement planning and grant administration is for staff who administer the grant and a partial planning position. . Springfield City Council Work Session - 4/22/96 Page three Ms. Nakamura stated that under the terms of the grant, a maximum of 20% could be used for administration, but that the $130,500 figure only calculates to 18%. Council asked Ms. Nakamura for a breakdown of the committed funding, to be presented at the time of the Budget Committee review. Ms. Nakamura stated there would be a public hearing regarding the CDBG funding allocations at the May 6, regular meeting. Councilor Maine asked if CDBG funding became available for the Saint Vincent de Paul project, if it would be brought back to the Council for consideration and allocation approval. Ms. Nakamura replied yes, since the CDAC has already made the recommendation, any changes to the allocation distribution would take Council approval. Councilor Shaver stated the current members of the CDAC were a great committee to work with and the decision making process met the critical funding needs of the community. Councilor Ballew asked if Springfield received Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) . funding. Ms. Nakamura replied no, that Lane County receives that funding. 3. Discussion of Land Application Fees . Planning Manager Greg Mott presented the staff report. He explained that this item was previously discussed by Council on April 15, and some addition information and discussion time was requested at that meeting. Councilor Maine suggested after reviewing the staff report that any fees currently under a 60% cost recovery level be increased and any fees currently over the proposed 60% increase be left status quo, within the incorporated City limits only. She suggested that fees for Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) residents be reviewed separately. Ms. Daluddung quoted the City's intergovernmental agreement with Lane County as follows: "As of January 1, 1987, the City shall have the authority to set all fees for land use regulation and shall receive all fees associated with the implementation of these regulations.. These fees for applications affecting urbanizable lands may differ from fees charged for applications inside the City." Mr. Mott stated that a flat 60% cost recover level for all planning fees would generate an estimated $20,000 to $25,000 per year. Councilor Ballew asked how many partitions or subdivisions the City processes per year. Mr. Mott replied, between 270 and 290 per year. Ms. Daluddung stated the information provided regarding land use applications is very current, as it was part of the basic services study completed in November 1995. . Council discussed the fees currently being charged by Lane County for rural land use applications. Mr. Kelly stated the City is conducting an on-going study regarding the urban s subsidies in the areas of finance, fire, enforcement, building permits, library services, etc. . Springfield City Council Work Session - 4/22/96 Page four He stated that completion of the study is approximately 60 days away and suggested Council wait until the subsidy report is complete before making any decision on land use fees in the UGB. Councilor Shaver suggested increasing planning fees to 100% cost recovery level for UGB residents. Councilor Burge felt that waiting until mid-June to receive all urban subsidy information would be more appropriate and would allow Council to review this issue further. Councilor Ballew suggested an annual review for all fees. Councilor Maine suggested approving the fee increase for the incorporated area, with an implementation date of July 1, 1996. Ms. Daluddung stated giving staff time to provide information regarding new Lane County fees would assist the Council in determining the appropriate level of fees for UGB residents. Councilor Maine asked for this information in an upcoming Communication Packet. Councilor Shaver cautioned that comparing fees between Lane County and the City may not provide a good comparison as the county is not in the business of land development, that of rural land and that state statutes differ greatly for cities and counties. . Mayor Morrisette suggested staff prepare information that uses 60% cost recovery for land use fees for City residents and 100% cost recovery for UGB residents. By consensus, it was agreed that the incorporated area fees would be implemented on July 1, 1996, and the public hearing process would begin. Regarding the UGB fee increase, it was agreed to review additional information and to implement any fee increase on July I, 1996 also. 4. Non-Union Compensation Study Human Resources Director Frank Hotchkiss presented the staff report and stated he had met with Councilors Ballew and Beyer and spoken via telephone with Councilors Dahlquist and Maine regarding this subject. Councilor Beyer stated she had a much better understanding after. her meeting with Mr. Hotchkiss. She stated she can not support the compensation study implementation as recommended, unless retirement plan contributions by employees is somehow refunded if Ballot Measure 8 is overturned. Mr. Kelly stated the City is researching whether or not the City can place the employee's portion in trust or escrow from July I, 1996, until the time in which Ballot Measure 8 is decided in the Oregon Supreme Court. Although the preliminary information is that a trust or escrow can not occur, the research is still be completed and will be discussed with Council at a future date. . Councilor Burge stated passage of Ballot Measure 8 was through a vote of the people of the state and until the time that it is either overturned or upheld, that the Council has no other alternative than to uphold the law. Mr. Hotchkiss stated that either option #1 or option #2 complies with current state law and the passage of Ballot Measure 8. . . . . .. . Springfield City Council Work Session - 4/22/96 Page five Councilor's Shaver, Ballew, Maine, Dahlquist and Beyer stated that they support option #2. Councilor Burge stated he would also support option #2, assuming that it complies with the intent of Ballot Measure 8. Mr. Kelly discussed how implementation of option #2 would occur, based on the results of Ballot Measure 8 and salary adjustments, on a position by position basis. Councilor Maine asked if the July 1, cost-of-living increase would be based on the old step or the compensation study adjusted step. Management Analyst Jack Lindstrom replied, it would be based on the new step or compensation adjusted step. The amount of option #2 and the cost-of-living adjustment, will be calculated into the 1996/97 budget process. Councilor Shaver recommended that future compensation studies for non-union employees should reflect the actual employment base of the community. He felt that many non-union positions have comparables within both the public and private industries. He felt the City should not lead, nor follow what other major employers in the area are doing, including Eugene. Councilor Shaver felt any future studies should be completed metro-wide and in a more timely manner, such,as every 4 to 5 years. Councilor Ballew suggested a compensation study should occur every two years. Councilor Burge felt every two years may be a little too soon since, as the employee turnover rate is low. Councilor Maine asked that staff include prevalence of practices and benefits as components for future studies. She suggested a review occur on the steps and how currently employees are at the top of their step in five years. She felt that the step increases could be spread out with interim COLA's to achieve a longer pay scale for employees. Councilor Maine commented that non-union positions are typically very responsible positions with higher levels of authority and are of a confidential nature. She felt that these types of positions should be recognized and compensated accordingly. Council discussed reviewing incremental step increases for future hires. Mr. Kelly stated that the City could "grandfather" existing employees, and make adjustments as directed by Council for new employees. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:00 p.m. Minutes Recorder - Shari Higgins -~/~d Mayor / ATTEST: ~ City Recorder