Audio
and Summary - June
29, 2006
(Agenda
Packet for this meeting)
NOTES:
- Although this audio is accurate and complete, for final "official" copies of all agenda, minutes, ordinances, resolutions or other actions, contac the city directly: 360-792-2231.)
- All files in MP3 format, playable on Windows Mediaplayer or other MP3-compatible digital device.
For more info on meetings and hearings, visit our TRANSCRIPTION page
(Links to our digital audio can be accessed by the City's DRAFT Meeting Minutes shown below)
MINUTES, JUNE 29, 2006 COUNCIL MEETING
Audio File A, 4:30 min., 811 kb - The regular meeting of the Sultan City Council was called to order in the Sultan Community Center by Mayor Tolson. Councilmembers present: Champeaux, Wiediger, Slawson, Seehuus, Flower, and Boyd.
Absent: Blair
COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
Loretta Storm: (Audio included in Audio File A, above) Noted that this meeting and the ordinances on levels of service were included as discussion items at the last meeting. Would like to see the city grow and become financially accountable, however due to the inability to finance infrastructure, they are just taking on new debt they can’t afford.
The City needs a large business to support the services needed. In regards to the Fallgatter appeals, the score card shows that Fallgatter is winning and this verifies that the city is not following procedures and not increasing their professionalism.
COUNCILMEMBERS COMMENTS- Audio File B, 2:34 min., 453 kb
Slawson: The AWC conference was great and provided good information and a networking experience.
Mayor Tolson: The AWC conference was good and they learned a lot and found some other financial options. In regards to the GMA hearings, they are a volunteer group that has shown a slant on things and have been challenged by the city. They have shown a bias and should recuse themselves from the Sultan hearings. (Included in the above, but also linked here as a separate sound bite of Mayor Tolson's statement that he believes the Puget Sound Growth Management Hearings Board is biased, 183 kb)
CONSENT AGENDA - Audio File C, 0:34 min., 71 kb
The following items are incorporated into the consent agenda and approved by a single motion of the Council. On a motion by Councilmember Champeaux, seconded by Councilmember Seehuus, the consent agenda was approved as presented. Champeaux – aye; Wiediger – aye; Slawson – aye; Seehuus - aye; Flower – aye; Boyd – aye.
- Set a Public Hearing on the B & O Tax Ordinance for July 13, 2006 during the regular Council meeting.
- Set a Public Hearing on the Cable Utility Tax for July 13, 2006 during the regular Council meeting.
- Refer Ordinance 930-06 to the Planning Board for consideration and processing.
ACTION ITEMS:
Resolution 06-09 Skoglund Estates (Three aduio files):
Audio File D-1 begins here, 4:32 min., 800 kb - Cheryl Beyer, City Attorney, reviewed the two drafted resolutions, one (06-09A) the project subject to the condition that Police concurrency be in place concurrent with the impacts of the development and the other (06-09B) accepts the Hearing Examiner’s recommendation to deny the plat and return it to the applicant for modification to meet approval criteria for transit and compliance with concurrency for police and park services.
Discussion:
Champeaux: To deny is not consistent with the action taken on the other plats. The Hearing Examiner will deny all plats until the LOS is fixed. To deny on that merit alone is not appropriate and the LOS should not be the basis for denial. The city needs rooftops to bring in business.
Audio File D-2 begins here (5:15 min., 925 kb)
Boyd: The other plats approved did not meet LOS for police. The council voted to allow the moratorium on PUD’s to run out. The council is also working on the assumption that the park LOS has been resolved. The Council can’t pick and choose which developments to accept and which to remand back.
Flower: Was not comfortable with the prior approval and this plat has the additional element of transportation. The city should follow the Hearing Examiner’s recommendation and refer it back until the issues are resolved.
Slawson: In August 2005 they applied for water/sewer availability letters and 30 days later they were updated and this was the time frame that the moratorium was placed on PUDs. The moratorium was extended, so why was a letter provided if there was a moratorium? This plat also has transit issues that are not resolved.
Mayor Tolson: The time frame was extended on the PUD and an extension was given to the applicants with pending projects. The level of service for park property is considerably higher then the national average.
[G.R.I.T. note: The approximate location of Audio File D-3 (5:57 min., 1.0 mb) and Audio File D-4 (4:56 min., 869 mb) are uncertain, based on these minutes, which do not coincide with our handwritten notes.)
Councilmember Flower, moved to adopt Resolution 06-06B (denial of plat), seconded by Councilmember Seehuus. Roll call vote: Champeaux – no; Wiediger no; Slawson – yes; Seehuus - aye; Flower – yes; Boyd –no. Mayor – no
Councilmember Boyd moved to adopt Resolution 06-09A (acceptance of plat), seconded by Councilmember Wiediger. Roll call vote: Champeaux – yes; Wiediger yes; Slawson – no; Seehuus - no; Flower – no; Boyd – yes, Mayor –yes
Audio File E, 4:40 min., 822 kb - AJ’s Place Binding Site Plan: The City received a letter from the applicant requesting that the project be remanded back to the Hearing Examiner. On a motion by Councilmember Champeaux, seconded by Councilmember Seehuus, the Council remanded the AJ’s Place Binding Site Plan and Conditional Use Permit to the Hearing Examiner in order to provide the additional documentation requested by the Hearing Examiner. All ayes.
Audio File F, 1:10 min,, 208 kb - Voucher Approval: On a motion by Councilmember Seehuus, seconded by Councilmember Wiediger, Vouchers #06-576 through #06-611 amounts of $402,122.04 and payroll through June 16, 2006 in the amounts of $61,688.86 were approved to be and drawn on the proper accounts. All ayes.
Audio File G, 0:47 min., 140 kb - Surplus Property: Mayor Tolson advised that the city needs an appraisal on the property on Date Street to proceed with a possible sale and relocation of the siren. On a motion by Councilmember Slawson, seconded by Councilmember Flower, the Mayor was authorized to obtain an appraisal on the lot located on Date Street. All ayes.
DISCUSSION ITEMS:
Audio File H, 4:32 min., 795 kb - Park District: Mayor Tolson discussed the information obtained at the AWC conference regarding forming a park district to obtain tax dollars to fund parks. The district could include the UGA and possibly Gold Bar. Snohomish County has no parks in East County and does not provide service or funding for city parks. Additional information will be provided at a later date.
Audio File I, 4:41 min., 825 kb - Budget Policies and Schedule. Gordon Hey, Interim Finance Director, reviewed the schedule for the budget process and discussed the need for financial polices to structure the budget. Building activity is down from the anticipated levels and the city will need to determine what types of revenue are available. Sales tax revenue is still level and the REET tax will go down if the planning and building activity decrease.
[G.R.I.T. NOTE: There are a total of THREE audio files related to this discussion. The first, Audio File J-1, begins here (9:49 min., 1.7 mb) The second two files -- J-2 (9:20 min., 1.6 mb) and J-3 (10:42 min., 1.9 mb) -- cannot be linked to the substantial amount of discussion that occurred on this subject, or to these minutes, as this document does not reflect those comments. Users will have to listen to all of the audio.] Police Bond/Levy: Chief Walser advised that the City needs to make a decision on what type of police department and level of service that they want. There are staffing issues and a need for police vehicles and equipment. The Council needs to consider a levy to fund vehicles and computers.
Discussion was held on the prior levy which failed to validate, staffing levels, current level of service, status of jail billings and the need for citizen input.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Audio File K-1 (4:21 min., 768 kb) - Loretta Storm: Park district sounds like good idea but should be used for parks only. Asked why the meeting notice was not published as required? (The Clerk advised that the meeting notice was published in the Herald on Wednesday). In regards to the police levy, the city could save money by adjusting the salary of the Planner and Police Chief. The city does not need rooftops. The salaries are not equitable and the planner has caused problems.
Audio File K-2 (4:50 min., 849 kb) - Josie Fallgatter: Commended Councilmember Flower for his actions on Resolution 06-09B. The application was different the Hearing Examiner did not recommend approval because it did not meet code. There is a discrepancy on the dates provided at the hearing regarding the moratorium. The decision on the plats must be based on the code not whether they will “look nice”. The GMA Hearings Board consists of professional people appointed by the Governor based on their qualifications and they are not “country bumpkins”. Approving the plats will make the problems worse for the police as it will put more strain on them.
Audio File K-3 (3:31 min., 621 kb) - Robert Keck: Commended the police for their work and he fully supports the police levy. Would like to help provide information to the public on the levy. Asked why the city uses a Hearing Examiner if the council can changed his recommendation and change the policy. It appears that the city amends the policy to fit the needs of the developer to feed the city coffers. Public opinion of the city is dismal because of the council actions.
Audio File K-4 (2:16 min., 400 kb):
Frank Linth: Development is not an option, it is inevitable. The city must take a proactive approach to development.
Ray Kistenmacher: There is process in place to review developments and that is what the Hearing Examiner does and to go against his decision is insanity.
Audio File K-5, 2:26 min., 427 kb) - Gerry Gibson: Is disappointed in the decision to pass the plat against the recommendation of the Hearing Examiner. Why do we have laws that are ignored? The city is looking to reduce the level of service for police and there has been a reduction over the past two years. The City should send out mailers to the residents to let them know what is going on and get their opinions on what level of service they want.
Audio File K-6, 2:05 min., 368 kb) - Kerry Ourada: The Council continues to ignore the Hearing Examiner – why do we pay him if they are going to go against his decision. Development will occur but we don’t have to have small lots. The citizens will not trust them because they continue to overrule the Hearing Examiner. Why have any level of service or hearing examiner?
COUNCIL COMMENTS
Audio File L-1 (3:36 min., 635 kb)
Mayor: The issues with plats have been very frustrating and it is difficult to make decisions. The lack of review on the 2004 Comp Plan has caused problems.
Flower: The definition and character of a community is defined by its level of service for police and parks and dropping the level of service is not in his vision for Sultan. The city does pay the Hearing Examiner and he reads his reports which is why he voted to uphold his recommendation.
Audio File L-2 (3:53 min., 685 kb):
Seehuus: It is one thing for citizens to say they want the services, but there is a point that the citizens must act and vote when a levy is presented. The city can’t afford any more cuts. Have a good police department and he supports the levy.
Slawson: Supports the Police Department and he has received citizen comments on the service. For the record, he did read all the reports from the Hearing Examiner.
Audio File L-3 ( 4:20 min., 765 kb)
Champeaux: The city needs to look at a police bond. There is limited money in the General fund and we must work with what we have. The City needs to generate revenue and it needs rooftops to get business. The Council follows the Hearing Examiners recommendation 95% of the time but there are times when exceptions are made.
[G.R.I.T. COMMENT: What follows is an unreferenced and unnoted (in these minutes) word-for-word closing comment by Mayor Tolson (which citizens can listen to by opening the above Audio File L-3): "Looking at all these things and trying to make the decisions that we're doing, they're not based on whim. They're based, I believe, for every councilman that's here, and even Kristina who's not here, every--every--every single one of these people put their, their utmost effort into this process. Um...for the betterment of the community as a whole. I will go on record saying I wish we coulkd have....been smarter in 2004 when we approved the Comprehensive Plan. Ya got me on that one, Josie. Because that decision, becuase of the formulas that were included and not fully understanding -- I, I didn't vote, but I was a proponent of it -- has caused this...debacle."
Adjournment: On a motion by Councilmember Seehuus, seconded by Councilmember Champeaux, the meeting adjourned at 8:40 PM.