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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/12/1993 Work Session . . . City of Springfield Work Session Council Meeting MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD MONDAY, JULY 12, 1993 The City of Springfield Council met in the Springfield City Hall, Meeting Room 2, 225 N. Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon, on Monday, July 12, 1993, at 6:05 p.m. ATTENDANCE , Present were Mayor Morrisette and Councilors Maine, Schanz, Beyer, Walters, Shaver. Councilor Burge was absent. Also present were City Manager Mike Kelly, Assistant City Manager Gino Grimaldi, City Recorder Eileen Stein, City Attorney Joe Leahy and members of staff. 1. Arts Commission Appointments Museum Coordinator Kathy Jensen reported the Arts Commission has had three resignations for positions #2, #3 and #8. She told the Council all three applicants met the requirements of the Arts Commission by-laws. Councilor Shaver stated the applicants represented a good cross section of the community without duplications. Councilor Beyer asked why the commission currently has three vacancies. Ms. Jensen replied the members resigned at different times for different reasons. Councilor Schanz asked if the by-laws state a requirement to live within Springfield city limits. Ms. Jensen replied no. Mr. Kelly explained that there is no consistency throughout the city's boards, committees and commissions regarding residency. Mayor Morrisette stated the requirements vary, depending on the type of board, committee or commission. Councilor Shaver asked if Ms. Jensen was satisfied with the applicants. Ms. Jensen answered yes, and told the Council she will be sorry to lose the existing members, but is excited to work with the new applicants. 2. Sidewalks on South 52nd Place Public Works Director Dan Brown provided the staff report and explained this item is being discussed per the July 6, public hearing at Council's regular session meeting. He stated at the public hearing Council asked staff to recommend where to place sidewalks and staff is now responding to that request. Mr. Brown clarified the city is using Lane County unpaved road funds to fund the project. Civil Engineer Don Branch distributed a copy of a petition requesting sidewalks to be installed on the east side of South 52nd Place. The petition was signed by 24 property owners. . City of Springfield Work Session Council Meeting Page two Mr. Brown told the Council, Mr. Fred Simons is circulating a petition requsting the sidewalk be installed on the east side only, and not the west side. Mr. Brown discussed four options staff developed during their review of the sidewalk project: 1. Construct sidewalks on the west side only, as Council directed. 2. Construct sidewalks on the east side only. 3. Construct sidewalks on both sides. 4. Construct sidewalks on the west side as Council directed, and on any east side frontages where property owners want them. Mr. Brown suggested staff hold another neighborhood meeting, while the Council is on recess, then return to the Council with the preference of the neighborhood. He explained staff could hold the public hearing on August 16, and the project would most likely begin in the fall, unless a major delay occurred, which would bump the process into the spring. . Councilor Shaver spoke of his concern of the delay if staff held another neighborhood meeting and another public hearing. City Engineer Al Peroutka explained the public hearing could be paralleled with the bid process to keep the project on track, but that weather could also pose a delay. Councilor Shaver stated is it important to complete the project and have contiguous sidewalks. Councilor Maine agreed the city must keep the sidewalks contiguous and suggested obtaining the neighbor's opinions through another meeting. Councilor Beyer stated her preference was to install the sidewalks on both sides of the street. Councilor Maine asked if the funding could be used for another street project in the event that was necessary. Mr. Brown responded yes, but the new project could not be completed this year due to time constraints and the city would need to ask the Lane County Board of Commissioners for an extension on the funding. Mayor Morrisette suggested continuing with staff's recommended process and waiting to see if the project is remonstrated. Mr. Kelly suggested using option #4. He said an infill project after a street project is completed is usually remonstrated, and feels the success rate would be very low. Mr. Brown explained the map regarding project 1-792 for S. 52nd Place. The Council discussed the process and gave their consensus for staff,to hold another neighborhood meeting and a public hearing on August 16. 3. Priorities from Economic Development Summit Community and Economic Development Manager John Tamulonis provided the staff report. He recalled the past Council direction on the Economic Development Summit findings. He explained how the summit participants developed the priority for the recommendations. . . . . City of Springfield Work Session Council Meeting Page three Mr. Tamulonis reviewed the priorities of the summit findings. They are: 1. Maintain a policy of "assistance-vs-enforcement" attitude in city regulatory function. 2. Ensure an adequate supply of available and serviced building site. 3. Make it easy for businesses to get information and help they need. 4. Maintain the current level of support for the Metropolitan Partnership. 5. Establish a "buy local" policy. 6. Prepare a comprehensive promotional package targeting or recruiting businesses appropriate for locating or expanding in Springfield. 7. Strongly consider and be prepared to support tourism as an additional industry focus for the Lane County Regional Strategy. 8. Work with private developers to encourage the development of new industrial lease space in Springfield. 9. Create a rapid response team to deal quickly with interested business prospects. 10. Explore creating financial incentives for businesses to locate in Springfield. 11. Facilitate and publicize efforts among major public agencies to combine services/facilities to save money. 12. Ensure a suitable labor force. Council discussed the priorities and underlying projects within each category. Councilor Maine told the Council the summit group is nextmeeting July 13, at 7:00 a.m. in the Library Meeting Room, to update participants. Councilor Shaver questioned item #5, "buy local". Development Services Director Susan Daluddung said this item was intended for all community agencies, not just the city. Mr. Grimaldi mentioned Finance Department staff are proactively working on using Springfield vendors when purchasing or bidding. Councilor Maine stated he is seeking Council consensus to include the above elements in the Economic Development Plan. Mr. Kelly explained there are action items under each element in the ranking of recommendations. Mr. Tamulonis clarified the direction being sought from Council is to approve the action items from each element and include them into the five year Economic Development Plan. He stated the summit participants would come back to the Council with recommendations on which action items to do the first year of the plan, based on the priorities. He said the items would be brought back to the Council at a future date for final approval. . . . City of Springfield Work Session Council Meeting Page four 4. Business from Council Councilor Maine reported on the last Metropolitan Policy Committee (MPC) meeting regarding the Metropolitan Plan. He stated the planning staff's from both Eugene and Lane County have been exploring options to resolve the metro planning process issue including: 1. Lane County overseeing who participates in the Metro Plan process 2. The 2 out of 3, opt~in process, which would eliminate a single vote vetoing the process. Planning Manager Greg Mott stated the city of Eugene has yet to reply to the Council's June 15, letter. He said he has been working with city of Eugene's planning staff, but the Council has yet to officially reply to the Springfield City Council. Ms. Daluddung told the Council, staff of Development Services are currently working on a detailed work plan for preparing Springfield's own Comprehensive Plan. Mayor Morrisette stated he attended a meeting of county-wide agencies regarding funding from the Forest Summit decision. He reported the Lane Economic Development Committee would be the lead group to coordinate the development of programs for assistance in Lane County. He explained Springfield already has plans for using federal assistance money and these plans will be incorporated into the overall Lane County request. Mayor Morrisette cautioned the federal assistance money may be subject to other national economic development priorities, such as military base closures and flood disaster relief in the Midwest Ms. Daluddung explained the intricacies of receiving federal assistance dollars and the programs Springfield will be promoting. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:55 p.m. Minutes Recorder - Shari Higgins Ht!~2r~ ATTEST: ~~ City Recorder #4203