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Minutes - 03/04/2003 Spec Mtg SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MARCH 3, 2003 TAPE READING Tape 1 , DATE. COUNqIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, CITY OF WOODBURN, COUNTY OF ~ARION, STATE OF OREGON, MARCH 3, 2003. CONVENED. the special meeting convened at 7:00 p.m. with Mayor Figley presiding. ROLL CALL. Mayor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Figley Bjelland Cox McCallum Nichols Sifuentez Veliz Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Staff Present: City Administrator Brown, City Attorney Shields, Public Works Director Tiwari, Public Works Manager Rohman, Police Chief Russell, Park & Recreation Director Westrick, Library Director Sprauer, City Recorder Tennant ]A LIQUOR LICENSE RENEWALS FOR 2003. The Police Department recommended the renewal of the following liquor licenses for 2003: Off- Premise Sales - 7-11 Store #2353-17416B; Bi-Mart #643; Crossroads Grocery & Deli; Chalet Restaurant; E-Z Stop Market Grocery & Deli; Gary's Market #1; The Raven; OLCC Store #60; Westview Texaco; Piper's Jewelry; Roth's Foodliner; Safeway Store #1976; Salvador's Bakery I; Woodburn Shell; Senior Estates Restaurant (Huber's); Shop N Kart; O'Donnell Enterprises (AM-PM Mini Mart); Su Casa Imports; US Market #109; Woodburn Fast Serve (Woodburn Chevron); Young Street Market Full On-Premise Sales- Chu's Eatery (includes compliance plan); La Sierra Mexican Restaurant; Eagle's Lodge #3284; Elmer's Restaurant; Elk's Lodge #2637; La Estrellita Mexican Restaurant; Los Cabos Mexican Restaurant; Lupita's OGA Members Course; Ranch Restaurant & Lounge; Su Cas~ Imports (includes compliance plan); Yun Wah Chinese Restaurant Limited On-Prtmise Sales- Abby's Pizza Inp; Arandas Taqueria (includes compliance plan); Chalet Restaurant; Denny's at Woodburn; D & D Restaurant; La Unica; Fonzie's Deli; Shari's of Woodburn; Pizza Hut; Salvador's Bakery 1II; Senior Estates Restaurant (Huber's); Taqueria Guadalajara; The Raven Inn; Woodburn Lanes; Plush Pippin Grill Page 1 - Special Council Meeting Minutes, March 3, 2003 SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MARCH 3, 2003 TAPE READING BJELLAND/CqX... recommend to OLCC the renewal of liquor licenses for the listed businesses for thd year 2003. The motion passeid 5-1 with Councilor Nichols voting nay. 3.1 LEGISLATIVEjALERT - STATE CIGARETTE TAX REVENUES. Administrator Brown stated that the City has been receiving information from the League of Oregon Cities regarding Senate Bill 862 which would suspend payment of the cigarette tax funds to cities and counties for the remainder of this fiscal year. If adopted, the City will lose about $17,500 this year in cigarette tax revenues. The bill would also look at taking the cigarette tax distribution away permanently which would further reduce the City's revenue by $35,000. He stated that the League, based on the reactions that they have received from other cities they have contacted, would like all cities to write to their Representative urging them not to vote for this bill. The Councilors discussed this issue suggesting that, even though there could be a loss in revenue for the current fiscal year, the greater concern is losing cigarette tax revenues permanently in addition to other state-shared revenues such as liquor taxes. Administrator Brown stated that he understands that the State has a budget problem but the City also has a budget problem and, as a result, the City may need to layoff some personnel in order to balance our own City budget. NICHOLS/MCCALLUM... go on record in opposition to Senate Bill 862. The motion passed 5-1 with Councilor Cox voting nay. Administrator Brown will write a letter to Representative Zauner expressing the Council's opposition to this legislative bill. 11.4 UTILITY BILLING ISSUE. Administrator Brown stated that the water/sewer bills are sent out as part of a weekly billing cycle. It has come to the staff's attention that some of the City's customers have not been receiving their bill. Staff has been checking to see if there has been a pattern as to why the bills have been lost and, as a result, staff has found that the number of bills processed and the number of bills forwarded to the mailing service are the same. Last month, there were 650 bills lost during one billing cycle from the time the bills left City Hall. Those customers will be receiving their billing statement next week which will show a 2-month bill. Staff is working on the issue but the problem seems to be at either the Mailing Service (stuffing process) or at the Post Office. 16.5 FACILITIES GOAL SETTING WORKSHOP. Mayor Figley st~ed that this workshop is being held as a follow-up to the goal setting session. She expressed her opinion that the Council should continually be evaluating the City's facilities and if changes need to be made, then make decisions on what should be done to meet the needs of the community. Staff needs to be given policy direction in Page 2 - Special Council Meeting Minutes, March 3, 2003 SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MARCH 3, 2003 TAPE READING evaluating what the Council is trying to do and how the City should handle facilities that are still working put may be not working well. ! Administrator Brown stated that he would like to obtain some bullet points that he would add to the goal to evaluate City facilities for potential expansion. Within City Hall, the rnajor department operations, excluding the Police Department, are Administration, Finance, Courts, Planning, and Building. A space needs analysis was completed about 5 years ago, however, there were a number of flawed premises in that analysis and it was not very useful. However, it did determine that the City is already at capacity in the space it is already utilizing. Some functions have had to go to the basement but those functions have a limited number of customers going to those offices since the basement is not ADA accessible. If the Police Department were to leave the City Hall building, it would then provide about 15,000 square feet of space which is about 8,000 - 9,000 square feet more than what is needed within a 15-20 year planning window. Additional meeting and storage space could be used for the administrative functions. When the RSVP office is rnoved out of the Community Center building, it is unknown as to where it will be housed since there is no room currently in City Hall. He stated that the City Hall study had the following two options: 1) move administrative offices out of the current City Hall building and let the Police Department take over the building, or 2) move the Police Department out of the building and the operational functions now using the building take over the Police Department area. The Police Department option was more expensive but it did not take into account issues of accessibility to the community nor Police Officer response time. Additionally, it did not take into account what type of facility would be viewed more favorably by the taxpayers if a bond measure was voted upon. He suggested that the Council address administrative needs with the current City Hall building and let the Police Department find housing at another location. He stated that construction costs for a Police Department are greater than an administrative building since there are increased costs for security measures and holding facilities. Chief Russell stated that the Police Department has operated out of City Hall since the mid-1970's and it is now time to make some decisions on the issue of police facilities. In 1999, the City went into partnership with the Marion County Sheriff s office and Justice Court to alleviate some of the overcrowding at City Hall. Space was leased at Mall 99 near the Hwy. 99E/Hardcastle intersection. The precinct currently houses approximately 20 employees -.yhich is the entire patrol division and community police division. The City has a lease at that location until October 2004 and, last year under County budget restrictions, the Sheriffs office moved which increased the City's cost to lease the space. There are 15 employees who are housed at City Hall which includes administration, records, investigations, evidence, and code enforcement. Additionally, City Hall has space for polic~ equipment, supplies, holding facility, property room, arms locker, and some other storiage areas. A long-term evidence storage area is also located at the Page 3 - Special Council Meeting Minutes, March 3, 2003 SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MARCH 3, 2003 TAPE READING W astewater Trea~ment plant. A few years ago, it was decided to pursue having multiple precincts in townirather than one centralized location to serve the community. In looking into the future, h~ feels that a decentralized policing is not necessarily the right path for the City to take since it can be cost prohibitive and would produce unnecessary layers of management and overhead costs. In the report submitted to the Council, he reviewed the methodology used to determine his department's work staffing levels and work space needs by the year 2020. Based on this methodology, it is estimated that the department will need 18,000 to 21,000 square feet. Currently, the department is utilizing about 11,000 square feet of which 4,400 square feet is located in the east precinct. The Council discussed the space need issues brought forth by the Chief and options available to provide sufficient facility space until such time as another facility is constructed. Administrator Brown expressed his opinion that the timing is right to try and pursue a new site and building to house the Police Department. Once the east precinct is vacated in 2004, the move back to City Hall will put the department in some very dire straits, therefore, he suggested that a sub-goal would be to get the process started for a new police facility. Mayor Figley stated that there is a need now for a new facility but there will be a critical need for the facility in October 2004. Discussion was also held regarding the siting of a new facility along Highway 214 which already has a lot of traffic congestion and, at the present time, no sidewalks along a portion of the highway. Chief Russell stated that Highway 214 does provide a better response time if a train is utilizing the railroad tracks. Administrator Brown also stated that plans for sidewalk construction along Highway 214 continue to be pursued by the City with the State Highway Department. If a decision is made to pursue a new police facility, it was suggested that a committee be formed to spearhead the project. 11.8 Park & Recreation Director Westrick agreed with the Administrator in that it would be wise to keep the Park & Recreation administration at City Hall while the recreation field staffbe centralized into one location such as the Community Center. 13.3 Public Works D,irector Tiwari stated that the Public Works annex added 4,000 square feet of office space which will serve his department's need for the next 5 or 10 years. In the future, that facil~ty will likely become a transportation center since it lies in the core area of the City. Th~ water and street building located on Young Street was originally thought to be a public works shop area in a campus like setting, however, discussions relating to future utilization of the railroad as a tourism attraction may result in staff modifying their plans. It was noted that the Parks maintenance operations will be moving from the old Page 4 - Special Council Meeting Minutes, March 3, 2003 SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MARCH 3, 2003 TAPE READING wastewater treatntent plant to the Young Street operations later this year. However, staff feels that the old treatment plant should be retained by the City for future treatment of stormwater. Administrator Br~wn suggested that the Council consider a long-term plan for the location of public works facilities including public works administration. 32.3 Park & Recreation Director Westrick stated that one of the trends for Aquatic Centers is to have a play area as opposed to a lap swim pool. There is room at the Aquatic Center to build a playground area and it could be built outdoors thereby making it a seasonal facility. Another option would be to build weight or fitness rooms that would compliment the Aquatic Center and it may be a situation in which a private business that would be in partnership with this type of program. In regards to the Community Center, the Council could continue to follow the approach of the Planning Committee by constructing a center near the Aquatic Center to complement the programs at the Aquatic Center. He reviewed the three options that he feels that the City could take on this issue: 1) further pursue the Community Center Planning Committee's proposal; 2) have two different Community Centers at two different locations and the Aquatic Center provide its own programs; and 3) find a different location for an integrated Community Center. Tape 2 Mayor Figley stated that she does not feel that the community will be willing to fund a new center over the next few years. She is willing to get the Committee back in force for the purpose of looking at funding sources other than tax dollars. She also stated that she has asked the Administrator to make a list of everyone who uses the existing Center and assist those groups in finding other locations to operate so that the building can be listed for sale. Administrator Brown stated that the existing contract with the Senior Meals program is effective through June 2003 and he would be proposing in July 2003 that the program would be on a month-to-month tenancy. One of the staff proposals will be to close the building effective July 1 sl and the City should be able to save a significant amount of money in utilities alone. Staff has identified a location in which RSVP can be housed if the Community Center is closed. 10.2 Library Director Sprauer stated that the library has approximately 21,847 square feet of space. Request for Proposals (RFP) have been advertised for the purpose of presenting a plan to either remodel, rearrange, or expand the current library facility. Her intention is to elicit informatioin as to whether or not the library has sufficient square footage for everything the Library would like to do and, if not, are there ways that remodeling would make better use.ofthe space available, and if neither of those scenarios are possible, what expansion options would be available. The building was constructed 23 years ago and it Page 5 - Special Council Meeting Minutes, March 3, 2003 SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MARCH 3, 2003 TAPE READING was built to meet population growth over a 20 year time period. She stated that computer space is at a prernium and there is limited table space available. It was also noted that the RFP would look ~t the entire facility rather than just the newer portion of the facility. It is anticipated that tije results of the plan will be made available by the fall of2003. 22.0 Administrator Brown stated that the inadequacies of the Museum are dependent upon what the Council would like to do with the Museum. When the City took over the Museum, there was an interest in Ice Age Flood and there was a possibility of federal funding for an in.erpretative center. To date, there has been limited interest in the public viewing the existing collection and, even though staff has been doing some work with school age children by providing tours, we have not had much activity at the Museum. The Council had previously talked about a goal of transferring the Museum back to a private entity thereby relieving the City of some financial pressure. The Bungelow Theater has been used in the past for some lecture space and there has been discussions on trying to conduct some Spanish language with English sub-titled movies there sponsored by various businesses in the downtown area. Overall, the Theater is not used very often. Both of the buildings need some maintenance if they continue to house the Museum operations. He suggested that the Council consider selling the existing musuem buildings if this operation is moved to the Association Building. It was noted that the Association Building is large enough to house the museum collection plus have City offices upstairs and some rental space to commercial customers that need professional office space. So far, the City has approximately $400,000 invested in the Association Building and it will cost another $150,000 to complete the exterior remodel. The interior presently is just a shell and it will cost another $90,000 to just get the building saleable and it will cost as much as $750,000 to complete the interior so that it can be used as a museum and office space. He stated that he could not give the Council any recommendation on the building at this time since it is dependent upon what is decided upon by the Council and Budget Committee on the Museum function. Concerns were expressed regarding the current economics of the downtown area and it was determined that this issue would be addressed further at a later date. 33.8 Park & Recreation Director Westrick stated that they have obtained estimates to cornplete the third ballfield at Centennial Park and staff will be looking for funding sources within the community. , This spring, the two completed ballfields will have electronic scoreboards and the restrooms will be operational. Parks Master Plans for Settlemier and Legion Park are being developed and the Recreation and Parks Board will have an open house and workfhop on March 20th to start receiving public comment on the master plans. This project shoruld be complete by June 30,2003. It was also noted that, based on the City standards e~tablished in 1999, the City would have a 21 acre deficit in parkland by the year 2020 utilizing the updated 35,000 population figure. Page 6 - Special Council Meeting Minutes, March 3, 2003 SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MARCH 3, 2003 TAPE READING Director WestricW briefly discussed the City's greenways and the ability to expand the recreational opportunities associated with the greenways. He stated that the City needs a plan on greenwaJ1; since it is in the City's transportation plan. Staff is currently working with the Soil & Cbnservation District to plant 1,000 trees in the Legion park area. Side B It was also noted that the Comprehensive Plan calls for neighborhood parks to be located in a geographic basis rather than a population basis thereby a park area within a 1'2 mile from every home in the community. Administrator Br~wn stated that the Council's direction has been to place surplus property on the n1arket and staff is viewing the community garden and a lot on Gatch Street as surplus property. Appraisals have been obtained on these properties along with first level of toxic assessments. Both properties have come back with findings that there needs to be additional levels of toxic work done. He stated that he would like to list these properties separately and, with the Gatch Street property, inform the buyer of the first level assessment and let the buyer decide as to what additional assessments they may want to obtain before finalizing a transaction. In regards to the community garden, he stated that the property will probably be worth more to the City if it can be marketed as a residential property rather than its current zoning as public open space. He suggested that the Council consider allowing the City to move forward with a rezone of that property and then the property be marketed based on the new zone designation. Revenues from the sale of this property would be designated for a new Community Center. 7.0 Public Works Director stated that staff will be spending a considerable amount of efforts on stormwater issues. In regards to the Water treatment facility, everything is moving forward as planned and scheduled for completion in 2005. Lastly, the City now has a state of the art wastewater facility and it is planned for Phase I expansion in 2010. By 2015, the City will begin with a water facility expansion. 10.8 The following bullet points were suggested by the Council: a) City needs to work toward the construction of a new police facility; b) continue to work on a new Community Center; c) in regards to the Library, recognize the likelihood that further upgrading of the library facilities will be needed but the City will press forward in the current period with studies and analysis to more clearly define what needs to be done beyond the current 2-year goal setting; d) pursue selling surplus property; e) pursue master' plans both specific and overall big picture for facilities; f) finish the Centennial ballfield; and g) look at long-t~rm consolidation of Public Works shop facilities and possible relocation given the future ~ize and shape of the comrnunity. Page 7 - Special Council Meeting Minutes, March 3, 2003 SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MARCH 3, 2003 TAPE READING Councilor Bjella~ suggested that the results of the studies on the Library and Parks master plans will determine the final direction the Council will take in these areas. Councilor Veliz also suggested that partnerships with Chemeketa may result in the City being able to utili~e some of their new space rather than the City creating new office space. He also suggested that discussions with the School Board be held regarding the Council's goal to pursue a police facility bond issue since the Board will most likely be asking the voters for a school construction bond within the next two years. 23.5 ADJOURNME~L NICHOLS/MCCALLUM... meeting be adjourned. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 9:28 p.m.. .----- ATTEST jJl~~ Mary Ten nt, Recorder City of Woodburn, Oregon Page 8 - Special Council Meeting Minutes, March 3, 2003