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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/03/2011 RegularCity of Springfield Regular Meeting MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD MONDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2011 The City of Springfield Council met in regular session in the Council Chambers, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon, on Monday, October 3, 2011 at 7:10 p.m., with Mayor Lundberg presiding. ATTENDANCE Present were Mayor Lundberg and Councilors VanGordon, Wylie, Moore, and Woodrow. Also present were City Manager Gino Grimaldi, Finance Director Bob Duey, Assistant City Attorney Mary Bridget Smith, City Recorder Amy Sowa and members of the staff. Councilors Ralston and Pishioneri were absent (excused). PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mayor Lundberg. SPRINGFIELD UPBEAT CONSENT CALENDAR 1. Claims a. Approval of August 2011, Disbursements for Approval. 2. Minutes a. September 12, 2011 - Work Session b. September 19, 2011 - Work Session c. September 19, 2011 -Regular Meeting 3. Resolutions 4. Ordinances 5. Other Routine Matters a. Approve or Reject a Motion Authorizing and Directing the City Manger to Make a Donation in the-Amount of $50,000 to the Capital Campaign of the Relief Nursery on Behalf of the City to Support Their Relocation to Springfield. IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILOR WYLIE WITH A SECOND BY COUNCILOR WOODROW TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR WITH CHECKS MADE PAYABLE TO UPS REMOVED. THE MOTION PASSED BY A VOTE OF 4 FOR AND 0 AGAINST (2 ABSENT - RALSTON AND PISHIONERI). City of Springfield Council Regular Meeting Minutes October 3, 2011 Page 2 ITEMS REMOVED 1. . Claims - Checks #108720 and #108875 of the August 2011 Disbursements. Councilor VanGordon declared a conflict of interest and recused himself from this item as the referenced checks were payable to his employer. IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILOR WYLIE WITH A SECOND BY COUNCILOR WOODROW TO APPROVE THE TWO CHECKS MADE OUT TO UPS OF THE AUGUST 2011 DISBURSEMENTS. THE-MOTION PASSED BY A VOTE OF 3 FOR AND 0 AGAINST (2 ABSENT - RALSTON AND PISHIONERI, AND 1 ABSTENTION - VANGORDON). PUBLIC HEARINGS - Please limit comments to 3 minutes. Request to speak cards are available at both entrances. Please present cards to City Recorder. Speakers may not yield their time to others. BUSINESS FROM THE AUDIENCE 1. Irene Alltucker, Relief Nursery. 1810 M Street, Springfield, OR. Ms. Alltucker thanked the Mayor and Council for approving the Relief Nursery item on the Consent agenda. She also invited them to tour the Relief Nursery in Eugene so they could see the facility that would be built on 42nd Street in Springfield. 2. Al King, 3287 N. 32nd Street, Springfield, OR. Mr. King thanked the Mayor and Council for their support of the Relief Nursery. The Relief Nursery had raised about $2.5M so far to build the facility. He was looking forward to the groundbreaking next year. He noted that most of the donations had come from people in Eugene, which provided Springfield with a substantial benefit. He appreciated the help from the City of Springfield. Mr. King said he was part of the Springfield School Board. The Relief Nursery was the most important thing that could be done for early childhood education. There was a high percentage of our children coming into kindergarten and first grade that were not ready for school. The more they could be ready, they more the schools could do a better job. 3. Cyndi MgMhree, 309 56th Street, Springfield, OR. Ms. Murphree said she was a twenty-year Springfield resident and a health center manager for Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon. She said she was here representing the majority of Springfield residents that supported Planned Parenthood. It was import ant that everyone in Springfield understood the crucial role Planned Parenthood played in our community. One in five women in the United States had visited a Planned Parenthood at least once in her life. The health centers served a wide range of people from teenagers who received age appropriate, medically accurate, sex education, to women who came to the clinic for advice about menopause. Planned Parenthood services helped prevent more than 612,000 unintended pregnancies each year, and cancer screening and STD tests helped save countless lives. In these difficult economic times when so many people found themselves without health insurance, Planned-Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon was more essential than ever. The overwhelming majority of their patients were low-income and this expanded health center meant better services could be provided to more women and their families. The center would also boost the local economy, protect the environment, and would take care of thousands of people in need of their services. City of Springfield Council Regular Meeting Minutes October 3, 2011 Page 3 She believed Planned Parenthood was a trusted neighbor that would fit into our family friendly community. Another member of the Planned Parenthood staff presented the Mayor and Council with a poster stating "Don't Take Away my Cancer Screenings" on one side, and "I Stand with Planned Parenthood" on the other side. The poster was signed by many community members. 4. Lee Rothrock. 712 South 37th Street. Springfield, OR. -Anyone who lived near his end of town, or .who went up and down Main Street at rush hour, was very aware of the hazard that people faced trying to cross Main Street. He noted the number of fatalities since he moved to Springfield ten years ago. The State of Oregon had begun to install new push button operated crosswalk and he was encouraged to see that happening. Tom Boyatt (Springfield Transportation Manager) had put him in touch with Carl Deaton at ODOT to ask why construction had not started on the other crosswalks. Mr. Rothrock understood from a news article last Spring, that two or three would be constructed before Summer was over. Mr. Deaton told Mr. Rothrock that they had the money, but weren't planning to start construction on the others until March. Mr. Deaton told him it was just a matter of people talking to each other. Mr. Rothrock asked the Mayor and Council for any assistance to get this moving along more quickly. It was disappointing to see another Winter approaching with no additional crossings when the money was there. He would appreciate their help. COUNCIL RESPONSE Mayor Lundberg asked if someone from staff could speak with Mr. Rothrock. It was noted that Mr. Boyatt was talking with him and would continue to follow-up. Councilor Moore said she had inquired about this and was hoping to receive a report soon. Mr. Grimaldi said staff was in the process of working with the State of Oregon to do a study to determine where the appropriate crosswalks should be installed for the highest benefit to pedestrians without causing additional hazards. 'Staff could work with the State to move that study along more quickly. Mr. Rothrock said he thought those details had already been determined. He understood Mr. Deaton to say that they just needed some property owners to sign documents of approval. Mayor Lundberg said the City would keep him informed as they continued'to work on this item. She said it was important to keep the Council informed as well. CORRESPONDENCE AND PETITIONS Rmq ORDINANCES City of Springfield Council Regular Meeting Minutes October 3, 2011 Page 4 BUSINESS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL 1. Committee Appointments a. Historic Commission Appointments. City Manager Gino Grimaldi presented the staff report on this item on behalf of Planner Molly Markarian. The Springfield Historic Commission had two vacancies as a result of Kuri Gill's first term expiring and an unfilled vacancy. It was necessary to fill the vacancies at this time. The City received two applications for the two vacancies. The Council interviewed Ms. Gill. and Ms. Helm at the September 26, 2011 Work Session. At the Work Session,,' the Council decided to appoint Ms. Gill and Ms. Helm to fill the vacancies. Appointments to the Historic Commission must be confirmed during a Regular Session. IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILOR WYLIE WITH A SECOND BY COUNCILOR WOODROW TO APPOINT KURI GILL TO THE HISTORIC COMMISSION WITH A TERM EXPIRING OCTOBER 2, 2015. THE MOTION PASSED WITH A VOTE OF 4 FOR AND 0 AGAINST (2 ABSENT - RALSTON AND PISHIONERI) IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILOR WYLIE WITH A SECOND BY COUNCILOR WOODROW TO APPOINT DANNIE HELM TO THE HISTORIC COMMISSION WITH A TERM EXPIRING OCTOBER 2, 2015. THE MOTION PASSED WITH A VOTE OF 4 FOR AND 0 AGAINST (2 ABSENT - RALSTON AND PISHIONERI) b. Budget Committee Appointments. Finance Director Bob Duey presented the staff report on this item.. The City of Springfield appointed Budget Committee members to staggered 3-year terms. The Council interviewed candidates Pat Mahoney and Joseph Hammerton on September 16 and directed staff to bring the appointments of both candidates to the full Council for consideration. If appointed, both candidates would be asked to serve on the Budget Committee for a full 3-year term. IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILOR WYLIE WITH A SECOND BY COUNCILOR WOODROW TO APPOINT PAT MAIIONEY TO THE BUDGET COMMITTEE WITH A TERM EXPIRING DECEMBER 31, 2014. THE MOTION PASSED WITH A VOTE OF 4 FOR AND 0 AGAINST (2 ABSENT - RALSTON' AND PISHIONERI) IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILOR WYLIE WITH A SECOND BY COUNCILOR WOODROW TO APPOINT JOSEPH HAMMERTON TO THE BUDGET COMMITTEE WITH A TERM EXPIRING DECEMBER 31, 2014. THE MOTION PASSED WITH A VOTE OF 4 FOR AND 0 AGAINST (2 ABSENT - RALSTON AND PISHIONERI). City of Springfield Council Regular Meeting Minutes October 3, 2011 Page 5 2. Business from Council. a. Committee Reports l: Councilor Moore said she attended the League of Oregon Cities (LOC) Conference last week in Bend and enjoyed it very much. She may put together information from the workshops she attended and bring it back for the rest of the Council. Councilor Wylie said she also attended the Conference. She went on the tour of the Bend roundabout system. It was very informative and she received a lot of good information. There were also sessions on disaster preparedness. She would like the Council look at that in the near future to look at what was being done and how the City could be prepared to help its citizens. There was a lot of good information at the Conference and' it was a pleasure to get better acquainted with Councilors Moore and VanGordon. Councilor Moore said it was a privilege to represent Springfield at the Conference. Everywhere she went and introduced herself as a councilor from Springfield, she' received positive responses. She was pleased that Springfield's Council worked together so well, because she saw examples of others that did not. She also heard very positive comments about the staff in Springfield. Councilor Wylie said in some of the discussions, it came out that sometimes individual Councilors researched different projects but did not have an opportunity to share what they had learned. It would be helpful if during a work session, they. could share what each other had learned through their research. Mayor Lundberg thought that was a good idea. Councilor Woodrow said she didn't get the opportunity to attend the LOC Conference this year, but also had a good response as a Springfield representative when she attended last year in Eugene. 2. Mayor Lundberg.said she and Councilor Woodrow attended the first Latino Scholarship Awards dinner. There were many deserving youth that received awards. They were also entertained by some of the young children dancing to the music. 3. Councilor Moore said she attended the University of Oregon's Sustainable City Year Kickoff. She was very excited about the youth who would be coming to our City investigating and being a part of coming up with great ideas to improve Springfield. She noted the number of projects and the number of professors that spoke. She had no idea it was so extensive. Salem and Gresham had good positive input from their experience with the Sustainable City Year project in their communities. Springfield was in for a great year. BUSINESS FROM THE CITY MANAGER 1. Request to Increase CDBG Funding to the Emerald Empire Art Association. City of Springfield Council Regular Meeting Minutes October 3, 2011 Page 6 Housing Manager Kevin Ko presented the staff report on this item. At a public hearing on April 18; 2011, Council approved a $31,913 allocation of FYI 1/12 CDBG funds for the exterior renovation of the Emerald Art Center. The stucco surface was deteriorating and moisture was penetrating the wall cavities. The Emerald Empire Art Association (EEAA) was requesting an additional $7,000 of CDBG to cover unanticipated cost overruns due to federal Davis-Bacon wage requirements. When the EEAA first received bids for the work, they did not anticipate needing CDBG assistance to pay for the renovation. EEAA realized in the spring that they would not be able to complete the work without assistance, which prompted them to apply for CDBG funds through the 2011 process. They applied. for and received $31,913 of CDBG funds. A discussion of federal Davis-Bacon requirements was included as part of the CDBG pre- application conference staff held with each agency prior to submitting their application. EEAA may not have understood the importance of the Davis Bacon provisions, or it may have. been lost during the discussion of other CDBG. program requirements. Earlier this month, staff met with the contractor, the Art Center Director and the EEAA President. They told staff that their initial CDBG request did not provide for Davis Bacon wages. The EEAA submitted a request letter seeking an. increase of $7,000 to the initial CDBG allocation. Staff recommended that Council approve an increase to the CDBG allocation for the Emerald Art Center renovation, in an amount up to $7,000. This. action did not require a public hearing or an amendment to the FY2011 CDBG Action Plan. There were sufficient funds in the CDBG program reserves to cover the increase. The current reserve balance was approximately $120,000, a portion of which may be used for downtown improvement projects. Councilor Woodrow said she supported this allocation. IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILOR WYLIE WITH A SECOND BY COUNCILOR WOODROW TO APPROVE AN INCREASE OF UP TO 57,000 OF FY11/12 CDBG FUNDS TO ASSIST IN THE RENOVATION OF THE EMERALD ART CENTER. THE MOTION PASSED WITH A VOTE OF 4 FOR AND 0 AGAINST (2 ABSENT - RALSTON AND PISHIONERI). BUSINESS FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY ADJOURNMENT. The meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:31 p.m. Minutes Recorder Amy Sowa Christine L. Lundberg, Mayor Attest: City Reco er