Audio Index (and summary) of April 27, 2005 Sultan Council Meeting
(Notes: (1) All audio files are MP3; (2) Mayor Ben Tolson and Derek Boyd had excused absences for this meeting.)
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Part 1 (1.1 mb)
- Dave Schmidt (360-793-6804), Sultan HS Senior, announced his "Seniors for Seniors" program, where high school seniors will assist seniors (no age limits were offered) who need help with maintenance, such as lawn care, et. Ten students have signed up thus far. Contact either the school or Dave for further information.
- Dave Boneham, DND Glass Sultan business owner, entreated the council to help Dan Barmon fix his permitting snafu.
Part 2 (1.2 mb)
Dan Barmon gave the council an earful of his problems in trying to permit a storage building on his property (dealing with BSP, Binding Site Plan) requirements, lack of proper notice/communication with city staff, and the requirement for a No Protest LID to build the future North Wagley Creek East-West Industrial Park connector road, connecting Sultan Basin Road and Rice Road)
Part 3 (1.1 mb)
- Jean Roberts, expressing her concerns over water privatization rights if/when city switched to the Everett water supply.
- John [sounded sort of like, "Bonsberry"], asked for assistance/cooperation from the city in making improvements and certain enhancements (i.e., planting a willow tree, picnic tables, etc.) in Osprey Park as part of his Eagle Scout requirements.
COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS:
Rob Criswell (audio, 1.3 mb): John B. (Eagle Scout) needs to talk with Connie; Barmon Lumber, the city definitely needs to change it's code structure.
Bruce Champeaux (audio, 1.7 mb): Remarks re Barmon problems; thanked city crew for their work on the 4/23 Clean-up Day; glad city has been able to pour asphalt on First St.
Dusty Boucher (audio, 0.9 mb): Echoes Champeaux's comments re clean-up; asks Cheryl Beyer (sitting in for Thom Graafsra) for legal opinion/explanation about when an application is vested. Cautions by Cheryl Beyer to council of the possible liability risks and/or their exclusion from future decisions/appeals on this permit, should they occur; Councilman Boucher's anger with Rick Cisar for his "slipping and sliding" response to a direct question re application vesting.
John Seehuus/Kristina Blair/Jim Flower comments (audio, 1.4 mb):
John Seehuus: Code and instructions to potential city applicants requires a written, step-by-step process.
Kristina Blair: Comments re Eagle Scout project; re Barmon, it's clear a simple handout/checklist is required to be given to potential applicants.
Jim Flower (acting as Mayor Pro-tem at this meeting): Re Barmon, city/council definitely needs to look into this. Re Jean Roberts' comments re Water privatization, he agrees and states, "It's good that we still have our own watershed." Gives his version of the 4/25 Highway 2 Safety Coalition meeting and WSDOT's presentation of one of the options that could be made available to Sultan in helping to relieve congestion which has worked well for other local gridlocked areas, a roundabout. Mayor Pro-tem Flower's comments were disrespectful to WSDOT, saying they are clearly "Ignoring Sultan's left-turn needs." Lauded the efforts by the quasi-governmental, pro-economic development entity, Evergreen Crescent Initiative.
STAFF REPORTS:
Donna Murphy, Grants and Ec. Dev. Issues (audio, 0.8 mb): Gave a grant report; long-requested roof on the Sportsman's Club's gazebo will soon be replaced; Sultan's Gateway entrance signs have been okayed by WSDOT; the quasi-governmental Snohomish County Economic Development Council is offering an opportunity for small cities on their website.
Fred Walser, Police & Hwy. 2 Safety Coalition (audio, 0.7 mb): Disappointed and frustrated by the Legislature's ignoring U.S.2's financial needs and recommended that citizens contact the 39th Legislative Representatives, urging more attention be paid to this area. Gave a report on the Highway 2 Safety Coalition's meeting on 4/25 and the Coalition's efforts in developing an east county Rural Route Development Plan; four consulting firms were interviewed 4/27, one of which will be selected to handle development of the Plan, including the public participation process. Explained to Mayor Pro-tem Jim Flower and the assembly that a roundabout/traffic circle is just one of many options and alternatives available in WSDOT's toolbox in trying to keep vehicles moving. $3,200 grant received, which will be used for motorcycles and pedestrian stop signs at various Sultan locations.
(Mayor Pro-tem Flower inappropriately requested Chief Walser for an update for a possible regional justice center. The audio file on this report will not be posted at this time.)
Connie Dunn, Public Works (audio, 0.5 mb): Announced that Bill Ferry is, by virtue of the new Job Description, now the City's WWTP Operator. The 5th St. Signal is moving forward; I&I Phase 2 is done; Sultan Basin Road (SBR) continues negotiation with the property owner for access/r-o-w.
Salmon Recovery Forum Report (audio, 0.9 mb): The city representative to this forum, Kristina Blair, gave the report. Forum is asking each city to pass an ordinance, stipulating they agree to the Forum's Salmon Recovery plan and are requesting that a rep be allowed to come and present the plan to council. Councilman Boucher asked whether any new language includes any revisions to setbacks; it does not, Blair believes.
City's Student Representative said the only problem they are having is having enough parking spaces. (included in above audio file)
CONSENT AGENDA (included in above audio file): All ayes, abstention by Criswell, due to his early departure at the 4/13 council meeting.
ACTION ITEMS (audio, mb):
Resolution 05-08 - Process for allocating water & sewer availability: Approved, all ayes.
Ord. 877-05 - Street Easement Vacation (Emory Dental Building): Approved without compensation from property owner to city taxpayers. All ayes.
DISCUSSION AGENDA (audio, mb)
Wild Sky Workshop: This Tolson-requested citizen workshop, which was confirmed for May 11th by Congressman Rick Larsen's office in order that they could make a presentation and respond to questions, was asked to be rescheduled by Mayor Pro-tem Jim Flower after Ed Hussman suggested that the 5:00 PM workshop start time might interfere with citizens' attendance at a 6:30-8:30 open house/workshop in Monroe on the county's Critical Area Ordinance update. (We strongly request that citizens listen to this audio, as well as to Jim Flower's closing comments below.)
CLOSING PUBLIC COMMENTS (on agenda items only):
- Dan Barmon's reiterated comments.
- Dr. Emory (Dentist) thanked the council and Bart Dalmasso for resolving his street easement problems in such a speedy manner.
- Loretta Storm: Comments on Wild Sky - websites citizens can visit to give them BOTH sides of the issue: ittakesgrit.org, Wild Washington's website, Forests for People.
- Vicki (??, resident on Third Street) spoke regarding the need to spend $500,000 for a consultant to help the city "improve" U.S. 2; the city cannot afford it. (Chief Walser clarified.)
- Ed Hussman: No public meetings have been held on Wild Sky except for those in Washington D.C.; the resolutions passed by the cities of Monroe and Snohomish also held no hearings, workshops or special public venues to gain citizen input, so why should Sultan have done so before they passed their anti-Wild Sky resolution?
- Storm: WSDOT sent her (at her request) video on CD of various regional traffic circles and how they are working, which she will provide upon request to anyone (360-793-6683); it is too large to post on the website. It is/will be the property of the Safety Coalition. This comment gave rise to further discussion on the value of circles/roundabouts.
COUNCILMEMBER COMMENTS TO PUBLIC COMMENTS (audio, mb):
Thanks from most councilmembers to Dr. Emory and to Bart Dalmasso. Additionally, Councilman Boucher again mentioned the Barmon need, and expressed pride in the anti-Wild Sky actions taken by the Council.
Mayor Pro-tem Flower indicated that Congressman Richard Pombo (R-Calif., Chairman of the House Resources committee, in which the Wild Sky issue has become stuck), had told him that Sultan's actions re Wild Sky have "made my day." (Citizens should listen to this audio.)
AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE, FOLLOWING EXECUTIVE SESSION (audio included in above file): The city authorized to purchase the lot/house at Main & First Street. Motion, as read by Kristina Blair: "I'd like to make a motion to, one, authorize the purpose and demolition of a [unintelligible] property located at 101 Main for the Open Space [sounds like, "quick"] purpose, with the property acquisition costs not to exceed $65,000, subject to completion of the necessary budget amendment prior to submitting a formal offer; and two, acceptance of the a [sounds like, "S C A P"] grant from the State Department of Ecology in the amount of $96,100 for the acquisition and demolition of the repetitive loss lost property, with a local cash match not to exceed $15,000 from the Park Impact Fee Account, and also to place a public meeting regarding this on --
Champeaux: It's the second.
Blair: Oh, that's the second?
Murphy: It's a hearing; [unintelligible] is number three.
Blair: That's number three?
Murphy: Yeah.
Blair: Uh, a public hearing set for May 11th.
Male: Second.
Flower: All in favor?
Criswell: Wait a minute.
Flower: Is there discussion?
Criswell: Yeah. If we only need $65,000, how come we're getting one for $96,000?
Cisar: Your total project costs include a demo and a, uh, park and land acquisition.
Criswell: So how much does it go for then?
Cisar: Uh, maximum [unintelligible] project. The project cost is $96.1 [thousand], the maximum state grant share of that is the $72.1.
Criswell: What I'm trying to get at is I'd want to try and get a grant for more than what we use, because we always seem to use it up if we get it.
[unintelligible, simultaneous comments]
Criswell: That's all I wanted to know.
[all ayes]