- Changes to agenda
- Recognition of, and presentation of plaques to members of the Washington State Patrol, Snohomish Co. Sheriff's office and the Sultan PD
Public Comments
- Mayor Tolson's cautions on how speakers should comport themselves
- Elsie Bartly (re Centennial dance festival)
- Sue Shawger, opposing Ed Hussman's/City's proposed anti-Wild Sky Resolution
- Jean Roberts, opposing Ed Hussman's/City's proposed anti-Wild Sky resolution
- Margorie Tyler, opposing the Ed Hussman's/City's proposed anti-Wild Sky Resolution
(Public Comments, continued)
- Ed Hussman, Supporting his anti-Wild Sky Wildnerness
- Kay George, supporting Ed Hussman's anti-Wild Sky resolution
- Alfred Hollenbeck, re the detrimental effects of mining gravel in the Basin
- Josie Fallgatter, re Ed Hussman's/City's proposed anti-Wild Sky resolution
- Bart Dalmasso, thanking the city for their quick action on the Dental building r-o-w vacation, and supporting Ed Hussman's proposed anti-Wild Sky resolution
Councilmember opening comments
- Boyd: re Wild Sky; fails to see value of increasing visitors
- Blair; holding her comments until council action
- Flower: echoes Blair's thoughts
- Seehuus; echoes Blair's/Flower's thoughts
- Boucher: Ditto Blair, Flower and Seehuus
- Criswell; story of largest Redwood in the world in California which was inaccessible once the government purchased the land on which it grew; only people in good health will be able to access Wild Sky if wilderness designation passes.
- Champeaux: Has his own opinion, but suggests/encourages a delay to obtain further information and so a public hearing can be held
Staff Reports
- Presentation of framed original Centennial art to the City
- Donna Murphy's Grant report; report on Ec. Dev. Board activities (There will be a "downtown vision" workshop on Saturday, May 21st, from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 PM; School Committee meeting report; and Emergency Evac trail exercise (will hold during the week of 5/2; will not blow siren)
Staff reports (continued)
- Chief Walser gave info on proposed skateboard park and a proposed fundraising event and activities (Ron Wiediger of Kiel Mortgage will give $100 to this fund for each mortgage they write between now and Shindig)
- Walser requested an elected official attend an upcoming all-region PSRC meeting in Seattle
- Connie Dunn gave update on First St. paving and sidewalks; Criswell comments that a sidewalk is needed on both sides of the street, not only on the west side); Publication of bid award on 5th St. Signal is approx. two weeks away.
CONSENT agenda approved, ACTION agenda begins.
- Motorized foot scooter ordinance. Graafstra will make non-material corrections before publication; typos, etc. (council vote: unanimous approval)
- Draft Sewer and Water comp plans were tabled (again) to try and "tweak" and reduce publication/presentation-to-council costs. (Council vote: Unanimous approval)
File H (15 min., 2.7 mb) - Wild Sky Resolution #05-06
Dusty requested, and received, a unanimous decision to pass this resolution, after all councilmembers made their comments. (We will post our word-for-word transcription of this discussion and vote, as well as all public and elected officials' comments regarding this important resolution, as it is completed.)
Council vote: Unanimous approval.
A hearing will be held April 27th on the City's intention to vacate a 40-foot road easement/Right-of-Way that runs through the Sultan Dental office building; legal notice will be published, as well as sent to other affected landowners (Red Apple, Dan's), whose properties also contain the extension of this 40-foot easement, to give them an opportunity to request the same consideration. Thom Graafstra will author a written opinion on whether financial compensation/reimbursement to the city is required on this instance.
Council vote: Unanimous approval.
Discussion and vote on financial software functions and bids received; ASP v. Springbrook Motion: to purchase ASP, "up to the City's budgeted amount for this item."
Council vote: Unanimous approval
Requests by former Sultan mayor C. H. Rowe and current Sultan Planning Commissioner Janie Botting to have the council approve segregating (reassigning) their LID 97-1 assessments to another/others. Councilmember Criswell's ire and questions as to why this action required interference or approval by the city, was patiently answered and reiterated several times by Laura Koenig and Thom Graafstra: All of the assessments are part of a City bond, and are dependent upon a City "guarantee," a guarantee that would be negatively affected if a landowner defaults. Councilman Criswell, while still upset, was heartened by the fact that at least a public hearing would not be held, echoed by Councilmember Flower who stated, "They've [Botting and Rowe] have been through enough pain as it is" [re the LID 97-1 process].
Council vote: Unanimous; no public hearing. Item will be placed on 4/13 agenda as a resolution.
Discussion and vote on Interlocal Jail Service costs; City met with Aaron Reardon to discuss and work out a plan re the $225,000 in unpaid city jail fees.
- Cabinets for the Sultan Police building. Funding will come from recently-passed bond; motion included acceptance of bid from Amaysing Woodwork in Sultan. (Council vote: unanimous approval)
- Recent bids received on surplus equipment; Connie Dunn requested council approval to reject all bids as too low, and republish.(Council vote: unanimous approval.)
- Dunn request for the City to purchase a Koboda tractor (Council vote: unanimous approval.)
Extended discussion regarding Chief Fred Walser's request to lease motorcycles. No action. Continued to 4/17 meeting.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
- Re whether the city should install 4-way stop at 5th Street and Main, before construction on the traffic signal at 5th and SR 2 begins.
- Flower: requested that council retreat be held in the Community Room rather than elsewhere. (All concurred)
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CLOSING PUBLIC COMMENTS
- Jean Roberts; Drew parallel between the Centennial's logo prominently including Sultan John, and the Native Americans' view of Wild Sky would most probably be to preserve it, rather than not, contrary to the action taken by the council this evening.
- Loretta Storm suggested that councilmembers who were confused (all of them) about how limiting wilderness access might increase visitors, and, therefore, economic benefits, to the Sky Valley area might look to County Councilman Jeff Sax, whose testimony before the July, 2004 Wild Sky House committee was the source for the argument; asked Kristina Blair how many of the 400-plus Sultan citizens who attended the July, 2003 Wild Sky Rally in Index were pro-Wild Sky (during her comments, she had stated that many of the 40-or-so anti-Wild Sky protesters who attended the rally were citizens of Sultan); said people will go out of their way to find truly pristine areas which do not allow engine-driven vehicles, and that the city should have erred on the side of conservation to keep the Wilderness"as God intended.
- Ed Hussman public comments, refuting previous statements.
- Councilmember comments to public comments (These all related to Wild Sky, except for Dusty Boucher's)
- In a landmark event -- that anti-G.R.I.T. folks will love -- Councilman Boucher finally broke the commitment he made four ears ago to simply "ignore" G.R.I.T., when he leveled a demeaning diatribe at "her" [i.e., Storm's] comments regarding God's intent and plan, stating that the thought "is presumptuous, at best, as well as alarmingly arrogant" and "...absurd." [Question for Mayor Tolson: Does proper comport in making comments apply only to citizens? Or should it be expected that elected officials should set the standard in this regard?]
The meeting adjourned at 9:55 PM.