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Minutes - 08/19/1996 Spec Mtg TAPE READING 0001 0003 0010 0023 0045 0052 0212 SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES August 19, 1996 DATE. COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, CITY OF WOODBURN, COUNTY OF MARION, STATE OF OREGON, AUGUST 19, 1996. CONVENED. The Council met in special session at 9:00 p.m. with Mayor Kirksey presiding. ROLL CALL. Mayor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Kirksey Chadwick Figley Hagenauer Jennings Pugh Sifuentez Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Staff Present: City Administrator Childs, City Attorney Shields, City Recorder Tennant EXECUTIVE SESSION. JENNINGS/PUGH. ... adjourn to executive session under the authority of ORS 192.660(1) (e) to conduct deliberations with persons designated by the governing body to negotiate real property transactions. The motion passed unanimously. The Council adjourned to executive session at 9:01 p.m. and reconvened at 9:42 p.m.. Upon return to the Council Chambers, Mayor Kirksey stated that no formal action would be taken as a result of the executive session. PROPOSAL TO PROCEED WITH ADVISORY BALLOT. Councilor Pugh read his memo into the record expressing his opinion on the need to get input from the electorate in planning for the future location of City offices and facilities. He feels that the public should be made aware of issues which will eventually affect city services such as a future transit center, new community center, expansion of city facilities so that major department operations can be all located in close proximity, planning for a city center contiguous with future tourists along Front Street, and improved parking. Mayor Kirksey allowed members of the audience to comment on Councilor Pugh's proposal. Alma Grijalva, 856 Gatch St., stated that the Woodburn Downtown Association (WDA) is aggressively working to develop Page 1 - Special Council Meeting Minutes, August 19, 1996 ~ . , -,.,....,--.~- TAPE READING 0280 0335 0371 0400 SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES August 19, 1996 a program that would bring the community together. The WDA will be going into a joint partnership with the City to apply for funding which would develop a plan that would address the issues outlined in Councilor Pugh's memo. She questioned why the City would want to present this issue separately rather than working with the WDA to bring this issue before the community. Councilor Pugh stated that he feels that the issues within his memo are far more broader than the issues to be dealt in downtown development plan. He expressed his enthusiasm and support for the WDA/City project, however, he also feels that the City needs the support of the electorate to accomplish the issues that he has brought forth to the Council. Ms. Grijalva expressed her opinion that the representatives of the WDA represent diversity and the City should give them an opportunity to come up with a plan without having specific issues being dictated to the them. Barbara Lucas, 214 E. Clackamas, expressed her opinion that the Council should get public input on these issues before the City gets in too deep. She stated that the issues brought up by Councilor Pugh have been looked at by several committees over the last five years and unless you have land to put facilities on you are only developing a plan. There has been minimal publicity about the needs of the City in the downtown area and few people are aware of the what is needed by the various departments. Preston Tack, 2197 Camilla Way, expressed his opinion that a comprehensive plan is missing and the plan needs to be in hand before property is procured. PUGH/HAGENAUER... refer the above five items to the electorate for a decision on the November ballot. The wording should be as follows: "Should the City of Woodburn acquire property, either by purchase or condemnation, for civic center activities within close proximity of the Library, City hall, the Aquacenter and the city-owned east parking lot? The purpose of this action is to plan and implement the needed transit center, community center and performing arts theater, the consolidation of city services for efficiency's sake and the necessary parking facilities to service same.". Councilor Figley stated that she has no problem with placing the issue on the ballot but is concerned about the absence of a plan and cost for property, and would rather have the voters vote on something specific with costs. Page 2 - Special Council Meeting Minutes, August 19, 1996 .. _"'_~_"'._._"~__'_"""'_"'._"_"_" N._""_"'__"'" _.,..,...., ,.,_...~..~._._,__. . I SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES August 19, 1996 TAPE READING Councilor Jennings stated that he would like to know what the public wants, however, he is not sure if the Council would get a true response to the issue without having a price-tag included on the ballot. He is in full support of a new community center but it is unknown as to where a new center would be located or how much it will cost. An advisory ballot will give the Council direction on the general issues while a future bond issue will ultimately decide if a new center or any other city facility is built. He also suggested that the ballot language be reviewed by our Attorney and, if necessary, modified to meet election law requirements. Councilor Sifuentez expressed her opinion that the advisory ballot was a tool which will give the Council a direction to follow. The voters will still need to decide on specific future projects as those projects are solidified into specific plans. Councilors Hagenauer and Chadwick agreed with the proposal for an advisory ballot and offered no additional comments on the subject. 0614 Administrator Childs stated that our Attorney has done some preliminary research on the advisory ballot issue and agrees that an advisory ballot could go on the November ballot so long as a resolution and ballot title is brought to the Council at their next meeting. He also requested that the Council give the staff a little flexibility in writing the ballot title to ensure that the ballot title meets state election law requirements. 0685 Mayor Kirksey expressed her opinion that the advisory ballot is asking for direction from the community as to whether or not services should be centralized. She would also like to see staff work on the ballot with herself and Councilor Pugh to review their work before the ballot is finalized. Councilor Jennings expressed his opinion that the WDA is the pulse of the business community rather than the general taxpayers who also pay the bills. He strongly supports the WDA but also feels that input from the rest of the community is necessary to determine if they want the facilities centralized. On roll call vote, the motion passed unanimously. Page 3 - Special Council Meeting Minutes, August 19, 1996 .... ~._"-'.. - .."~ SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES August 19, 1996 TAPE READING 0745 ADJOURNMENT. JENNINGS/PUGH.... special meeting be adjourned. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 10:07 p.m.. APPROVED 7~ A~/ /, /;' ~ / /.~Lf1---4".-/ NANCY A.. KIRKSEY, MAtOR ATTEST--a ~'-"VL~ Mary nnant, Recorder City of Woodburn, Oregon Page 4 - Special Council Meeting Minutes, August 19, 1996 . -~--_.....>_.-.-..._' . I 1 ~