19810224 City Council MinutesFebruary 24, 1981 Work Meeting
The regular meeting of the,.Edmonds-City-Council was-_called�.to-order at 8:35 p.m..by.Mayor Harve
Harrison,in the Council Chambers of the --Edmonds Civic Center.— All present joined in the flag
salute.
PRESENT ABSENT
Harve Harrison., Mayor. Ray Go * uld
Katherine Allen Jo -Anne Jaech
John.Nordq'uist
Larry.-Naughten
Sue Crawford,
Student'Rep.
Mary Goetz
�Bill, Kasper
CONSENT.AGENDA
STAFF PRESENT
Fred Herzberg, Public Works Director
Jim Adams, City Engineer
Irene Varney Moran, City Clerk
Mary Lou Block,.rlanning Director
Jack Weinz, Fire Chief
Marlo Foster, Police Chief
Art Housler,.Finance Director
Jim Jessel, Parks & Recreation Director
Wayne Tanaka, City Attorney
Jackie Parrett,,Deputy City Clerk
Items.(B) and (D) were removed from the Consent Agenda. COUNCILMAN NAUGHTEN MOVED, SECONDED BY-
cbUNCILWOMAN.GOETZ, TO APP'ROVE.THE-BALANCE OF THE CONSENT,AGENDA. MOTION CARRIED. The approved
items on the Consent Agenda.included the following:
(A) Roll call.
(C) Authorization to;exchange cordwood for bark.
(E) Authorization to,call.for bids on.March 18,1981 forPhase I, Water Main Installation,
for Sprague St. LID.
APPROVAL.:OF MINUTES OF-FEOUARY-17, 1.981 [Item (B) on Consent -Agenda]
Mayor Harrison referred to,page 6 of the Minutes, the third sentence after the motion, and said
it Would be more'appropriate to.add to the end of that sentence the words "and classifications,"
the sentence -then reading:, "Mayor Harrison asked for a Counc-il policy on job descriptions and
classifications." COUNCILMAN..NAUGHTEN MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN GOETZ, TO APPROVE ITEM
(B) ON'THE CONSENT AGENDA, AS -AMENDED. MOTION CARRIED.
AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE BOYS' CLUB LEASE [Item.(D) on Consent Agenda]
Couhcilwoman Allen had not received a copy of the 'letter outlining the services the club'provides.
She noted that there had been -some mention of the Club's policing
A copy was furnished to her* ' ,
the grounds and similar maintenance. Parks & Recreation Director Jim Jessel said he could get
something like that worked.out,.and that he had contacted the Club and there are some times when
it is not, open when the City might use the facility. Councilw'oman*Goetz.noted that many letters
.had'been received in support of the Boys' Club, and she felt the City should.co'ntinue the lease
with the club because it'is a worthy activity for the,young people*in Edmonds and, further, if
it -is feasible to schedule.some City use of the facility that should be done, but if it 'is not
feasible it.should not be -pursued. COUNCILWOMAN GOETZ.MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN'KASPER,JO
APPROVE ITEM (D) ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. A ROLL CALL VOTE WAS TAKEN ON.THE MOTION, WITH COUNCIL
MEMBERS GOETZ, KASPER, NORDQUIST,.AND NAUGHTEN VOTING YESj AND WITH COUNCIL MEMBER'ALLEN VOTING
NO.- MOTION tARRIED.
.PROPOSED ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING WATER/SEWER RATES
Finance Director Art Housl-er said that Public Works Directo� Fred Herzberg and he wore recommending
.approval of the rates provided by Price -Waterhouse based on the facts that all users will be
.charged,equitably for water and sewerage services, both present and future rate payers will pay
for-.capi-tal improvements,based on benefits received, and the sewer rates are in compliance with
EPA ' �grant-regul-ations and sewerage costs of servicing agencies outside of the City will be
recovered.under the water -consumption formula. COUNCILMAN NORDQUIST MOVED, SECONDED.BY COUNCILWOMAN
.ALLEN, TO OPEN THIS DISCUSSION FOR AUDIENCE INPUT. MOTION CARRIED.
Don Schroeder, 528 8th Ave. N., said he thought the City was much closer than over before'
to.a satisfactory resolution of this matter, but he still had some questions pertaining to his
He said he is not -hooked up to the..sewer-system and it is questionabl'e that he
own situation..
ever will be, but he still has to pay the sewer charges. Also, he has a 1" meter and most
people have a 3/4" meter,,so he is paying more for water.. Mr. -Herzberg responded that if he
needs a 1" pipe then he must need more water, and if he does not need the 1" pipe he can have a
3/4" installed. He sai ' d somewhere down the line larger pipes have to be put in to serve that
111,pipe, thereby the increased costs., Mr. Schroeder questioned whether it reall , y was,co'sting
the City that much more on a demand basis, and he said he felt he was "being had." No'one else
speak, and the discussion was closed to the audience.
Councilmen-Naughten and Kasper were concerned that the goal of a 1.5 a debt service ratio was
being exceeded and this -was discussed at length, finally being determined that the cost per
customer would not be very much less if the 1.5 ratio'were adhered to (approx�imately 25� per
month), and further, that this would be reviewed late this year and again each following year.
The timing for a bond issue was discussed, and Mr. Housler said it appeared that April 1 to
May'l would be a favorable.time for a bond issue. Councilman Kasper said it had been his
experience that April is the worst month -of the Y'ear*, and he asked what Would activate the
City's. going�out for it. Mr- Housler responded that it would be his recommendation to the
Council, upon which the Coun�fl-would act. Councilman Kasper asked the Mayor if he concurred
in the recommendations of -the Price Waterhouse study, and Mayor Harrison said he did. The
renegotiations of contracts with other cites was discussed, and Mr. Herzberg said the contract
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February 24, 1981 - continued 0
with Lynnwood is almost ready and.he is.working with.Mountlake Terrace to adopt the.same parameters
for their contract and that may take six months or more.. The Olympic View contract should follow
that closely. COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN KASPER, TO ADOPT ORDINANCE 2197'
ESTABLISHING NEW RATES FOR WATER CONSUMPTION AND UTILITY SERVICE. MOTION CARRIED. COUNCILWOMA�
ALLEN THEN MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN NORDQUIST, TO ADOPT ORDINANCE 2198, PROVIDING FOR A UTILITY
RATE REDUCTION FOR CERTAIN LOW-INCOME, SENIOR CITIZENS. Councilman Naughten questioned the origin
of the qualifiers state ' d in the proposed ordinance, and Mr. Housler said they had come from the City
of Bonneville's ordinance and.that he had incorporated things from various cities! ordinances which
he thought would be applicable. Councilman Naughten felt that the requirement that easily con-
vertible.assets of the applicant-not.exceed a value of $5,000 had too low a figure as savings
accounts were included in those'assets.. He felt if a person has a modest savings account for his
retirement he should not be penalized, so he felt savings accounts.should be excluded. Councilwoman
Allen suggested a review after.the second -billing cycle to see how many apply and whether there are
inequities involved.. Councilman Nordquist said the.forms to be completed would have confidential
information and he asked what means would be provided for security of.such items. Mr. Housler
responded that other records.are.kept in.locked filing cabi.nets-and he presumed that would be
standard procedure. Councilman�'Kasper said most of these.people who qualify have already been
classified somewhere and he would like to give them the subsidy without getting into a big*paperwork
situation. -Mr. Housler stated.that Price Waterhouse had indicated that cities all over the country
develop their own rate reductions.through their ordinances.and each is.an individualtype.of ordinance
peculiar to that city and its legislative body. COUNCILMAN NORDQUIST MOVED TO AMEND THE.MOTION,
SECONDED'BY COUNCILMAN NAUGHTEN, TO REMOVE THE WORD "SAVINGS" FROM LINE 4 IN SECTION 7.30.070-B-7-.
OF THE EDMONDS CITY CODE AS STATED I*N THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE. A ROLL CALL VOTE WAS TAKEN ON THE
MOTION TO AMEND, WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS NORDQUIST, NAUGHTEN, AND GOETZ VOTING YES, AND WITH COUNCIL
MEMBERS ALLEN AND KASPER VOTINGAO. MOTION CARRIED. THE MAIN MOTION, AS AMENDED, THEN CARRIED.
MEETING WITH PLANNING ADVISORY BOARD 0
The Planning Advisory Board (PAB) had requested a meeting with the Council because they were unclear
as to the role the Council intended for them. Laura Hall, Chairman of the PAB, said they had
cancelled two meetings because of no agenda * She felt the Council's philosphy was not clear as to
the direction they wanted the PAB to take. She said they wished to know'what the Council intended
as to guidance. She was disappointed that John LaTourelle was not present and noted that he had -not
been available to them because.his contra ct with the City was not signed until this week. It was
'
not clear to her exactly what his function was to be with the Board. Councilwoman Allen advised her
that Mr. LaTourelle's con'tract,was for Hs consulting services for orientation of the PAB and the
Highway 99 height study. She said the Council would like ' the PAb to go further than'heights and
look at the development potential for Highway 99. Councilman Nordquist added that a consideration
was to try to generate more t.ax base. the City. Ray Sittauer was concerned as to the time
-for
restri'ctions, . saying he did not think the Highway 99 study could be rushed. Floyd Smith'asked how
much of Highway 99 was to b e included'in the study, and he was told the CG zone and the buffering RM
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zone. Councilwoman Allen read aloud the Planning Department's indication as to issues for PAB
study, as stated in Planning Director Mary Lou Block's goals statement to the Council at their
recent workshop. Mrs. Hall asked what Mr. LaTourelle's function would be with the PAB, and Ms.
Block responded that with.the time figured for.him to do an in depth study of Highway 99, a great'*
deal of staff time was also anticipated; and that Mr. LaTourelle would be doing a lot of the field
work and the staff would bring-it,to the PAB * She said'.that until the Highway 99 information is
ready there were other things to be done, and the PAB orientation should take place and such things
as parking studies (for which material is available) should'proceed. (During this discussion, at
9:45 p.,m., Mayor Harrison was called away from the meeting and he turned it over to Mayo . r Pro tem
Allen.) -Councilman Kasper commented that he had attended the first PAB meeting and had commented
after that meeting that there should be a staff person present at the meetings, rather than having a
consultant all the time. John Hodgin, the alternate member on the PAB, asked for clarification as
to the role of the alternate, and Mayor Pro tem Allen responded that the alternate would be available
to step in and'vote on the issue at hand when another member had to step down because of conflict of
interest or appearance of fairness. Ci-ty Attorney Wayne Tanaka added that the alternate may parti-
cipate in discussions but he does.not vote unless a regular member has stepped down because of
conflict of interest or appearance of fairness, and he is -not permitted to vote because a member is
absent or there is lack of a quorum.. Councilman Nordquist noted that an idea which had been explored
was that the alternate would step into',a position that becomes vacant, but Mr. Tanaka said -that
provision wa-s-not in the ordinance and filling of a vacated position was up to the Mayor. Ms. Block
stated that Associate Planner Duane Bowman would be the staff person for the PAB, and she asked the
Board whether it was agreeable to them that the Planning Department provide items to them for sug-
gested discussion and study and they indicated it was. Councilwoman Goetz requested that Mr.
LaTourelle.send a letter to the,PAB members'regarding their orientation and also if he had any
written matertai from another,City.regarding the role of such a board that he include that to assist
them in identifying their role.
At this time Mayor Pro tem Allen announced a short recess, but prior to the recess she advised that
this would be.the last meeting for Student Representative Sue Crawford. Ms. Crawford was thanked
for her -participation and was.aske.d to be present at next week,'s meeting for a formal presentation
and expression of thanks.
ORGANIZATION OF EXECUTIVE -DEPARTMENT
Mayor Pro tem Allen advised that,this item would be moved tothe March 3, 1981 agenda because the
Mayor and two Council members were not present.*
POLICY ON AWARDING OF CONTRACTS.
It was felt the Mayor should be present for this discussion, so this item was moved to the March-10,
1981 agenda.
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February 24, 1981 - continued
20.9'
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RESERVE.FUNDS FOR LIBRARY AND FIRE D'EPARTMENT
Councilman Nordquist stated.he had represented the Council on a committee to look for furnishings
for the new library. The.Committee.had included the librarian, the chairman of the Library Board, a
representative from the Sno--Isle Regional Library, two�private citizens, and himself. He asked the
Council for a motion to.allow-the. committee to pursue the furnishing of the library saying they
could not. give a dollar figure at this time for reserve funds but expected to have �hat figure in 60
days...*COUNC.I.LMAN NORDQUI.ST'MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN NAUGHTEN, THAT A COMMITTEE TO PURSUE THE
FURNISHING OF THE LIBRARY -BE AUTHORIZED, TO CONSIST OF THE LIBRARIAN,.THE CHAIRMAN OF THE LIBRARY
BOARD, A REPRESENTATIVE OF'THE SNO-ISLE REGIONAL LIBRARY., TWO PRIVATE CITIZENS, AND A COUNCIL PERSON.
MOTION�CARRIED.- Mayor Pro tem AlTen appointed,Councilman.Nordquist to the Council' -person position
on this committee. Fire Chief Weinz said there should.have been a reserve fund going.fo.r years to
replace fire engines and a new engine is very much,needed. Equipment is a major factor in deter-
mining fire ratings,so it is,imperative that equipment be maintained and updated in order to keep
the current'rating. Chief Weinz -said it takes about a.year to get an engine -built after going out
for * ibids,:6nd tha.the woul'd Tike'tol:g6 out for bids�at midl-year * The Fire Department uinderspent
down payment*and the
their budget by $30,-000'and':it'was sOgge§ted that this savings be used' -as
-balance:*bdr*rowed from -the -bank (total Orice of the.ehgine being $1005000). finance'Director Art
Housler stated that a five-year loan could be obtained and that this would be the least.'expensi've
way. to finance the engine because the'banks have a tax exempt advantage in loaning money to public
.entities.. There was general.'agreement that ihe'new' engfhe' mUst be purchased. 'COUNCILMAN'NORDQUIST
MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN GOETZ, THAT AUTHORIZATION BE G_IVEN TO GO OUT FOR BIDS FOR A NEW FIRE
ENGINE, AND THAT THE FINANCE DIRECTOR REPORT TO THE COUNCIL ON HOW IT WILL BE FINANCED.' MOTION
CARRIED. 'Chief Weinz stated that he would not be ready to go out'f&'bids' u*n''til'July-bedause of
.preparation of th.e specifications.
MUNICIPAL -COURT SYSTEM
Mayor Pro tem Allen said�.a letter would be going to the County Council asking.that they give serious
consideration'to the City'.s oetition'for a'mu.nicipal'.departmen't of t0e Distri c*t 'Court. City Attorney
Wayn.e Tanaka said.he had'.attend6d the Districtling,,Committee.meet.ing'last week but the discussion did
not, go very far because the question was . raised,as,to whether i'.t was possible for two cities to form
a joint municipal department-(.Lynnwobd.an'd Edmonds 'both had,pptitioned),, The prosecutor was asked
to provide a'legal opinion,, and that decision would be made'at the next meeting on February,25. He.
asked,the Council to accept or reject the proposed filing fees as statedin.the letter of February
14 1981 from the.County.'Executive'. A Notice of Motion to Compel'Arbitration had been filed with
the County Clerk on February 23, 1981 and received.by the City this date. COUNCILMAN NORDQUIST
MOVED,SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN.GOETZ,30 REJECT THE.FILING FEES PROPOSED -BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE
AND TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY ATTORNEY TO PARTICIPATE INIHE ARBITRATIO N OF THE FILING FEES. MOTION
CARRIED.- Mr. Tanaka advised:that within 20 days after.receipt,of the notice of,the-Motion for
Arbitration they'have to.get together and decide on an arbitrator. The arbitrator will hold a
hearing or hearings and his decision will be binding on the City.
WORK/MANAUMENT SURVEY
A proposal had been presented to the Council by Wayne Cowley, a management consultant, on March 10,
1981. Councilman Nordquist.said he had given it a lot of thought and it was his opinion that the
Staff had been under enough pressure and had been doing a very good lob. He felt good leadershin
would be beneficial without.spending money for a
rather put.that money towards salaries and merit
interest in such a survey.
TAC GRANTS
work/management survey at this time,,and he would
increases. No one else present indicated any
Planning Director Mary Lou Block reported that City Staff, PUD*representatives, and a representative
for the Port had met to review the PUD preliminary Dayton St. Undergrounding plan and it.a'ppeared to
be satisfactory to everyone. The project will not be.completed for approximately six or seven
months, but that will not..delay.the rest of the work on the park improvements, and the.design for
the first of the park improvements will be ready for,bid by May 1, 1981. With regard to possible
future IAC grant candidates, Parks and Recreation Director Jim Jessel listed three that would be the
most eligible --the Junior.High playfield, Union Oil Beach, and the Meadowdale olayfield in con-
junction with the School,District and the'City of Lynnwood. Ms. Block noted that it appeared that
there may not be TAC money available under the new administration, so the subject-may.be moot.
Councilman Kasper said he had�attened the Governor's Housing Conference last week and it appeared
from what he learned there that grants will be'to the cities instead of to agencies. He did not
feel that the City could commit to the Meadowdale Playfi-eld project as Edmonds already had done the
most.in,the South County area, considering the Senior Center and the waterfront. Councilwoman Goetz
felt.Mr. Jessel should go ahead with whatever he could, pursuing any possible JAC grants and reporting
back to the Council. It -was accepted as a Council directive that he should monitor the possibility
of such grants.
DEPOSITORY AGREEMENT FOR BANK SERVICES
Finance Director Art Housler,reported that when the Council accepted the bid of People's Bank on
March 20, 1979 they also decided to re. --examine the.service situation'every two years. The agreement
expires on April 1, but there is a provision for successive one-year renewal options at the discretion
of the C.ity. He recommended a one-year renewal because services provided have been satisfactory and
because the bank does not require a bal.ance in the City's account, allowing the earning'of more
interest on investments. Other banks that bid on services require balances of $125,000 and $200,000,
and at 10% that would have caused a loss of $12,500 or $20,000 in interest earnings. COUNCILMAN
NAUGHTEN MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN
GOETZ, TO..APPROVE THE ONE-YEAR RENEWAL.OF THE DEPOSITORY
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February 24, 1981 - continued
AGREEMENT WITH PEOPLES BANK. Councilman Nordquist said he would.not like to get locked into using
one bank forever, and his concern was hard dollars and interest,earned ' Councilman Kasper said
nobody had matched this proposal, and the City should let Peoples Bank know why it has been chosen
and then they Will get even',more.compet.itive. THE,MOTION CARRIED.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
COUNCILMAN NAUGHTEN MOVED, SECONDED BY -COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN, THAT A REVIEW OF THE STATUS OF THE
ALTERNATE MEMBER ON THE PLANNING-ADYISORY BOARD BE PLACED ON THE MARCH 17, 1981 AGENDA. MOTION
CARRIED.
Councilman Kasper ' noted that the Meadowdale Sewer and Dra,inage Design.is on the March 3 and March 17
agendas and he asked if financing was included. He was told -.that the entire thing, including
financing, is intended.
Mayor -Pro tem-Allen noted -that both.the,Fire Chief and Police Chief were discouraging a 4th of July
fireworks program in Edmonds. It was her understanding.that more dAytime-participation was going to
be encouraged. Councilman Naughten said -that several members of the community, including him, were
meeting -on this subject and they will be meeting again to look for alternatives', so he asked that no
action be taken at this time.
Mayor Pro tem,Allen said she had been.asked if the purchase order limit could be raised from $250 to
$500 as most of the items ar6-ruinning over $250 and the Staff has to get approval for ever�thing.
COUNCILWOMAN GOETZ MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN NORDQUIST, TO PLACE ON THE MARCH 10, 1981 AGENDA A
DISCUSSION OF THE PURCHASE ORDER LIMIT. MOTION CARRIED.
Mayor Pro tem-Allen,said the retreat.scheduled for March had been'postponed because so much had been
accomplished at the recent workshop. She proposed that a similar workshop be scheduled, and it was
agreed that May or June would be appropriate.
Mayor Pro..tem Allen askedthe Police Chief to apprise the Council of the increase in crime, as,he
had done for the Staff. Chief Foster stated that since.January 1 the incidence of home burglaries
has been serious. He noted that last year everyone else -was talking about an increase in crime and
in Edmonds it was decreasing, but.this*year it has increased greatly and it appears to.be professionals
going after particular items. The investigative crew has been unable -to keep up with the incidents.
Chief Foster felt'that neighborhood meeti-ngs.shou.Id be encouraged,to establish neighborhood watches,
noting that most of the burglaries are occurring during the daytime. He said Detective Marian
McCann will.go to any group to gi.ve7an Oicellent presentation on-crime,prevention. Councilman
Naughten suggested that the cittzens be advised through the -newsletter, with Chief.Foster listing
some preventative measures which should be taken.
There was no further business to come before the Council, and the meeting adjourned at-11:10 p.m.
IRENE VARNEY MORAN, CSty Clerk HARVE H. HARRISON, Mayor
March 3, 1981
The regular meeting of the Edmonds City Council was called to order at 7:35 p.m. by Mayor Harve
Harrison in.the.Council Chambers of the Edmonds Civic Center. All present joined in.the flag
salute.
PRESENT
ABSENT
STAFF PRESENT
Harve Harrison, Mayor
Jo -Anne Jaech.
Fred Herzberg,'Public Works Director
Mary Goetz
Jim Adams, City Engineer
Larry Naughten
Irene Varney.Moran,'.City Clerk
Katherine Allen
Mary Lou Block, Planning Director
Ray Gould
Jack Weinz, ' 'Fire Chief
Bill Kasper
Marlo Foster, Police Chief
John Nordquist
Art Housler, Finance Director
-Kathy Geiermann,
Jim Jessel,-Parks & Recreation Director
Student Rep.
Bob Franklin, Technical Studies Engineer
Wayne Tanaka, City Attorney
Jackie Parrett, Deputy City Clerk
Councilman Kasper had
at 7:55 during
advised the City Clerk's
the -"Mayor"
Office that he would be late in arriving. He arrived
of the agenda,.so he was not to vote on the Consent
p.m.,
portion
present
Agenda items.
Kathy Geiermann was introduced. She is
the Student Representative to the Council from Woodway High
School and will serve
for the months of
March and April.
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