AUDIO & AGENDA PACKET DOCUMENTS - September 27, 2007 Sultan Council Meeting

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SULTAN CITY COUNCIL MEETING
319 MAIN STREET
September 27, 2007

Agenda packet documents as a complete 10.5 mb file

6:30 PM NW Properties Presentation - Online Property Advertising/Listing - John Backman (18-min. Audio available upon request.) Visit this organization's website

7:00 PM CALL TO ORDER, Pledge of Allegiance, Roll Call and Changes to Agenda (Audio file A, 20 sec.,119 kb)

PRESENTATION: 2006 Washington State Auditor's Report of Sultan 2006 Audit (Audio File B, 9:00 Min., 1.6 mb)

COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC:

Jeff Beeler (Audio File C, 2:23 min., 422 kb)

Mayor Tolson's Apology for inappropriate posting on Jeff Kirkman's Discussion Forum & Council Comments (Audio File D, 3:18 min., 583 kb) Link to Monroe Monitor for the full Oct. 2, 2007 news story; READ ASSOCIATED MESSAGE BOARD COMMENTS ON THIS SUBJECT.

Transcription of Ben Tolson's apology: "I want to let you all know, I responded to an online website with some-some comments, uh…that were improper. I posted an apology after I was called out, properly called out, and apologized online. I want to apologize to this council and to this community for my actions. [extended pause] It was humbling. I also want to thank John for filling in at the last council session, and their sending of the card and flowers 'cause I was….attending my father's funeral."

[New - Posted Oct. 4, 2007 G.R.I.T. Opinion/Editorial:
Rampant rumors over the last several months strongly support the view that Mayor Tolson is traveling a rough emotional road right now, and for reasons unconnected with his father's funeral (the reason he gave in the 10/2/07 Monroe Monitor article to help explain away recent comments he made on Jeff Kirkman's message board/forum). It's clear to me that the defacto mayor is now City Administator Deborah Knight. Conversations with Tolson, and reports by others, have confirmed growing suspicions that the mayor is either unable or unfit to continue in office. The nature of his accusations against SPD personnel, and his erratic behavior associated with those claims of alleged wrongdoing strongly support my opinion that Mr. Tolson has been riding an emotional and mental roller-caster for many months. He essesntially turned over the gavel to Mrs. Knight as early as Feb. 10, 2007 when she ran the council retreat. Despite the fact that three months remain in Tolson's term, for the greater good of the community, we strongly urge him to step down without further delay for the following reason: Too many significant "life-threatening" financial and long-term planning issues are piled up on Sultan's plate between now and the end of the year, all ofo which require the strong hand of a strong mayoral presence and leader. Because of Tolson's recent highly-inappropriate sentiments on Kirkman's message board, Tolson has moved from being merely a lame duck mayor to simply lame. I, for one, am badly shaken by the dark side revealed in Tolson's character through those statements.]

STAFF REPORTS- Written Reports Submitted; no audio is available, as no discussion occurred in council.

1. Redflex Survey Results (pdf 87 kb file)
2. Librarian Report (pdf 243 kb file)


CONSENT AGENDA: The following items were incorporated into the consent agenda and approved by a single motion of the Council (all files below are in pdf). (Audio File E, 28 seconds, 84 kb)

1. Approval of the September 13, 2007 Council Meeting Minutes
2. Approval of the September 13, 2007 Public Hearing Minutes on Ordinance 959-07, School Impact Fees
3. Approval of Vouchers
4. Adoption of Ordinance 963-07 Library Board Appointments
5. Adoption of Ordinance 962-07 Petty Cash and Change Drawers


ACTION ITEMS:

  1. Adoption of Ordinance 959-07 School Impact Fees (Audio File F-1, 1:25 min., 250 kb)
  2. Adoption of Orinance 961-07 Sewer System Monthly Rates (Audio File F-2, 2:23 min.,422 kb)
  3. Adoption of Ordinance 955-07 Non Conforming Uses (Audio File F-3, 47 seconds, 141 kb)
  4. Ordinance 957-07 Library Annexation - 1st reading (Audio File F-4, 10:47 min.,1.9 mb)
  5. Annual Comp Plan Docket (Audio File F-5, 9:27 min., 1.7 mb)
  6. Denali Ridge Final Plat (Audio File F-6, 4:22 min., 771 kb)
  7. Stormwater Management Grant Application (Audio File F-7, 6:15 min., 1.1 mb)


DISCUSSION AGENDA:

1. Animal Control Ordinance (Audio File G-1, 13:45 min., 2.4 mb)
2. Sewer Availability Policy (Audio File G-2, 7:20 min., 1.3 kb)

PUBLIC COMMENTS: (All comments in single Audio File, 4:24 min., 776 kb)

Jeff Beeler, Jean Roberts, Traci Hoenstine

COUNCILMEMBER RESPONSE TO PUBLIC COMMENTS (Audio file I, 4:30 min., 736 kb)

 

NOTES ON OUR DIGITAL RECORDING AND FILES:

  • This audio is accurate and complete. However, we urge that people contact the City directly to obtain the final agenda, and certified minutes, ordinances, resolutions or other documents: City Clerk Laura Koenig 360-793-2231. If you receive the automated message, you can bypass it and go directly to her voicemail by pressing "2" and then the pound (#) sign.
  • As of the October 26, 2006 council meeting, the city began recording meetings using a Morantz MP3 digital recorder, which has records directly from the microphones to the recorder, thus, clearly than the audio we present here, with is captured from "room" sound from a microphone located near the podium. If you wish to secure a copy of the City's audio, contact Clerk Koenig.
  • All of our digital audio files are in MP3 format, playable on Windows Mediaplayer or other MP3-compatible digital device.