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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/18/2011 Work SessionCity of Springfield Work Session Meeting MINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION MEETING OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD TUESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2011 The City of Springfield Council met in a work session in the Jesse Maine Meeting Room, 225 .Fifth ..Street, Springfield, Oregon, on Tuesday, January l 8, 2011 6:00 p.m., with Mayor Lundberg presiding. .ATTENDANCE Present were Mayor Lundberg and Councilors Ralston, Wylie, Woodrow and Pishioneri. Also present were City Manager Gino Grimaldi, Assistant City Manager Jeff Towery, City Attorney Joe Leahy, City Recorder Amy Sowa, and members. of the staff. Councilor Moore was absent (excused). 1. Mill Race Restoration Project Update. Engineer Yan Seiner and Assistant Public Works Director Len Goodwin presented the staff report on this item. The Mill Race Restoration Project, a focus of Council and staff activity for almost a generation, was nearing completion. Phase I of the joint project with the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers was complete and work on Phase II was under way and due for completion next Spring and Summer.. . The Springfield Mill Race Restoration project was amulti-year, phased, ecosystem restoration project in partnership with the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). The' project had multiple objectives; including meeting the City's responsibilities to water right holders, -the improvement of habitat and water quality and enhancement of downtown Springfield. After over 20 years of planning and efforts to secure federal funds, construction on Phase I was initiated. in 2009, and completed in 2010. Construction included the excavation of a new inlet from the Willamette River at Clearwater Park, and channel contouring and installation of flow control structures to manage high flows. Invasive plant species were removed, and native plants planted to enhance the riparian area for bank stability and wildlife habitat. Phase II construction began in 2010, and was scheduled for completion in Fall, 2011. This phase included draining the Mill Pond, removal. of the Mill Race dam, and re-contouring of the former pond area to create a meandering channel supported by a series of small seasonal ponds, wetlands, and riparian areas. Work also included removing a building from the Booth Kelly mill site, re-routing a large waterline, extensive subsurface excavation, asbestos and underground tank removal, and contaminated soil remediation. In addition to the fish passage and habitat benefits, Phase II would ultimately include educational areas, paths for walking and wildlife viewing, and would serve as a . community amenity to compliment the City's downtown redevelopment.efforts. Total estimated costs were expected to equal approximately $10 million. Of that, up to $5 million would be funded federally. To date, slightly less than $8 million had been spent, with the City's portion equal to about $4.5 million. This was in line with the estimated project cost to this stage of completion. Work would progress through 2011. Final costs were not yet available. City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes January 18, 2011 Page 2 A power point was presented showing pictures of the Mill Race Project.. Mr. Goodwin gave a brief history of the Mill Race project. He discussed the funding from the Federal Government that was provided for part of this project. Mr. Seiner explained Phase I of the Mill Race Project, and noted the partnership with Willamalane Parks and Recreation District. Mr. Seiner spoke regarding Phase II of this project, which included partnerships with Willamalane Parks and Recreation District, Springfield School District, and a local lumber company. He discussed some of the obstacles they faced in this project. Over ninety eight percent of everything that was dug out of the site was recycled. Mr. Goodwin noted the costs for this project and how they increased over the course of the project. He discussed where the funds had come from over the life of the project. The value of the project to the citizens of Springfield was well worth the cost. He noted some of the things that had not been anticipated.when they started this project. As part of the obligation to the Corps of Engineers the City needed to maintain the improvements along the Mill Race. He discussed some of the" things that they . would need to address in the future. He thanked Congressman DeFazio and the entire Oregon delegation who worked hard to get funding from the Corps. He thanked Willamalane Parks and Recreation District, Springfield Utility Board, Corps of Engineers, and to this and past City Councils for their vision and making sure this came to pass. This project was a wonderful improvement to downtown Springfield and a core of the downtown restoration. Councilor Pishioneri asked about the different wetland areas. He asked if there had been planning for future boardwalks in those areas and access for public fishing on the Mill Race with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) approval. He wanted kids from nearby neighborhoods to be able to walk down there and fish for trout. Mr. Goodwin said that was their vision and the concept for the future. That concept extended along the entire path and ODFW understood that. Councilor Woodrow said educational projects had been cut. She suggested they look into possible grants from historical societies due to the ,historical significance of the Mill Race. Mr. Goodwin said it was. possible in some cases to get limited grants for limited purposes. There was a concept of three educational recreational .sites: one downtown; one at 28~' Street which was owned by the School District; and one at C1earWater Park. They were looking for any funding possible. Councilor Wylie said the reclamation of the waterflow had been exciting to her, returning the Mill Race to a natural level where fish and plants could thrive. _ Mayor Lundberg said her first introduction to this project was working on the bond measure in the 1990'x, which was more focused on the inlet. Once they started, it became clear what a~ treasure the whole path was to the community. We had an urban forest, which was a good way to be able to teach our children what we had. Making our rivers accessible on both sides of Main Street was very important. This path went from downtown all the way to Agnes Stewart Middle School. She noted the benches in the lobby that were a good example of reusing the materials that were found. All of the work was much appreciated. This project was truly an amenity. City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes January 18, 2011 Page 3 Councilor Ralston said this was an exciting project. He noted the cost and the current budget situation the City faced. He asked if the additiona130 acres the City had for future development could be used somehow to recoup some of the costs of the project. 2. Springfield Animal Control Ordinance Revision. Police Chief Jerry Smith and Assistant Community Services Manager Jackie Murdoch presented the staff report on this item. The Springfield Municipal Code provided that no pigs shall be permitted inside- city limits. At the September 20, 2010 City Council meeting, Ms. Sarah Snapp and several other citizens asked the Council to consider amending Section 5.416 of the Springfield Municipal Code in order to allow miniature pot bellied pigs in Springfield. Springfield citizen Sarah Snapp submitted information in support of permitting pot bellied-pigs as pets inside Springfield city limits. The packet included a petition of support signed by her neighbors, examples of ordinances from other Oregon cities that allow pot bellied pigs, as well as information about the breed. Meetings with Ms. Snapp and with other staff members were held in November and the attached ordinance was drafted by City Attorney Joe Leahy. The ordinance would permit the keeping of such animals recognizing that they were "clean, intelligent and affectionate animals, and when properly cared for were desirable to some persons as household pets." The proposed ordinance required the owner of a pot bellied pig to obtain a City license for the pet; the license would require a veterinarian's certification that the animal had been spayed or neutered. The . proposed ordinance specified weight and height (imitations and required pot bellied pigs to be kept on a leash if taken off the owners' property. The City's Animal Control Officer would be responsible for enforcement of the ordinance and issuing of licenses. Chief Smith referred to the draft ordinance for Council consideration and the provisions included. The number of animals allowed was not included in the ordinance. Councilor Pishioneri thanked staff for their work. He liked including the spay and neuter requirement and leash requirement. He felt it would be best to have the. same limit for pot-bellied pigs as for dogs, as it would make it easier for enforcement. Chief Smith- said the limit for dogs was three adult animals. The ordinance didn't show the penalties and Councilor Pishioneri asked if they would be the same as. for other animal ordinances. Mr. Leahy said they would. Councilor Pishioneri said he liked it and appreciated staff s work. He asked if they anticipated a large number of code related issues from pot-bellied pigs. Chief Smith said it would fall under .animal control. They didn't anticipate a large influx ofpot-bellied Pigs• . .Councilor Pishioneri asked about the City's contract for animals at large. City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes January 18, 2011 Page 4 Chief Smith said they had an agreement with local vets for dogs and other .animals. They had not yet called the vets to make sure they would take pot-bellied pigs as well. .Councilor Pishioneri said he would support this once that contact had been made and confirmed: Councilor ~~Voodrow asked if this was the only type of pig allowed in this ordinance. Mr. Leahy said they researched this and talked with the State veterinarian who provided the information. The Latin word was, the correct term for pot-bellied pigs. Councilor Woodrow was comfortable with three adults as a maximum. She asked if there was another violation besides a fine. Chief Smith said just an infraction and fines.. Councilor Wylie said there could be a cottage industry of pig collars and leashes. Mayor Lundberg said it was good work, very comprehensive. Mr. Leahy said the citizen applicant, Sarah Snapp, had done a great deal of research. 3. Recommended Project List for Justice Center Unexpended Funds. . Police Chief Jerry Smith and Maintenance Manager Jim Polston presented the staff report on this item. Construction of the Springfield Justice Center was officially completed in January 2010. The project was accomplished under budget after much teamwork from a broad group of project stakeholders who worked through several value engineering initiatives throughout the project. Following Supplemental Budget #1 of this Fiscal Year the Justice Center Fund (Fund 428) had an unexpended fund balance of $365,714. Staff determined that the remaining funds could be used toward initiatives that would benefit the operation of the building and improve usability for the public who patronize the .facility. Staff had therefore developed a list of projects that were recommended as .additions, or added back to the Justice Center Project using the unexpended funds in Fund 428. . The Justice Center, which housed the Springfield Police Department, Municipal Court, City. Prosecutor, and the 100-Bed Municipal Jail was accomplished after an extensive design process using a team approach. -The team included City staff, architects, and the construction manager/general contractors, and was reviewed by both a Citizen Advisory Committee and the City Council to gather their input on the design. The design was reviewed by Council at several different .phases along with the associated budget and current construction estimates at each phase. Each time that the budget and construction estimates were out of sync, Council was asked to review and approve a list of recommended value engineering cuts. This approach allowed the design to continue on schedule, with no cuts that adversely impacted building functionality, and allowed the City to enter into a contract for the construction of the project which was within approved budget projections. Now that the Justice Center.had been completed and the departments had been.using the Police-Courts building for over two years and the Municipal Jail for approximately one year, staff had identified City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes January 18, 2011 `. Page 5 initiatives that would further improve the efficiency of the facility. These initiatives would benefit the operation of the building and its usability by the public who patronize the facility. .Staff had developed a list of projects for inclusion in the Justice Center Project that was attached for Council information. Mr. Polston described the items from the recommended list. Councilor Pishioneri asked about automated palm printing at the jail. Palm printing was only required on fresh felony arrests for a Class A Felony:~He asked why the Springfield Jail needed that if we were . not housing those types of inmates. Mr. Polston said the forger printing and palm printing would be used for more than just Jail use. Chief Smith said it gave the Police Department the opportunity when bringing suspects in to book them, then transport to the Lane County Jail. There was potential for valuable information. . Councilor Pishioneri said it was smart to have equipment available, but questioned the cost. At the Lane County Jail, the palm printing equipment was very rarely used, so he was not sure of the justification of expending those funds for that use rather than another use. He understood that some of the equipment also had other uses. Chief Smith said jail staff was enthusiastic about this equipment. They. felt it was a good piece of equipment to have on site. Councilor Pishioneri said they didn't have a local printer for this, but had to send the prints to the State. In order for the State to process it, it had to be associated with a charge. He noted the wiring on the security camera access and asked if that was to gather evidence at the Police Department rather than the Jail. Mr. Polston said the DVR's that recorded evidence were in a small closet. This networked the DVR to five select computers allowing the officers to access the information at their desktops. It opened up the room for staff such as IT. It was continuous recordings that were backed up. Cameras in the Jail were networked to the same system.. Councilor Pishioneri asked about rooms 2160 and 2134 being put on generator power. Mr. Polston said room 2160 was the room with the DVR, and room 2134 room was originally set for a sergeant's office, but was now where the equipment that operated the card readers were located. Councilor Pishioneri asked if the cost for furnishings was for items throughout the building. Mr. Polston said the furnishings were spread. throughout the building. He explained. Councilor Wylie said she supported the project list. Chief Smith and his staff had evaluated their needs and it was a good opportunity to get some of the things they needed. This was a good list based on their evaluation since opening the Justice Center and Jail. Councilor Woodrow agreed. City of Springfield Council Work Session Minutes January 18, 2011 Page 6 Mayor Lundberg thanked staff. She liked the better wayfmding for the public with the outdoor Police/Court signage. She was glad there were some funds leftover to purchase these items. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at approximately 6:57 p.m. Minutes Recorder -Amy Sowa ' Christine L. Lundberg Mayor Attest: Amy S City Re rder