CITY OF GOLD BAR
COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, June 1, 2004
Mayor Hawkins called the meeting to order with Councilmembers Minder, Price, Amenn, Hunt and Turner present. City Attorney Olbrechts, Chief Ruchty, Public Works Director Light, and City Clerk Gilleland were also present.
Mayor Hawkins suggested Council relocate the Citizen Comments/Agenda Items portion of the Agenda to after the Mayor’s Report so that Citizens would have the opportunity to comment on her Mayor’s Report. Councilmember Amenn wished to add a couple of items to the Agenda. It was suggested he cover the items during his Council Comments. Councilmember Amenn asked the Executive Session also include a Personnel matter. By motion of Councilmembers Price and Hunt, the Agenda was approved as amended.
MINUTES APPROVAL (None)
VOUCHER APPROVAL (None)
Mayor Hawkins announced that AWC presented a letter and a Certificate of Appreciation to the City Clerk, Hester Gilleland, thanking her for coordinating the Annual Loss Control self-inspection for the City of Gold Bar. The City received a report card of "A". Mayor Hawkins thanked the City Clerk for her efforts on behalf of the City.
Mayor Hawkins then read a written statement to the Council and the audience regarding some of the challenges she has faced since taking office.
Crystal Hill, Linda Schonewald, Vicki McDaniel, Tom Schonewald, Traci Cotterill, and Joe Loo spoke in support of the Mayor, thanking her for courage and for taking the steps necessary to bring this information forward, and urged the Council and citizens to stop the current situation and to move forward.
Public Works Director Light stated he wished to go on record in support of the Mayor and her efforts on behalf of the City. The type of negative behavior witnessed lately only serves to have a negative effect on everyone. He urged all to move forward.
Public Works Director Light reported on the Well #3 Generator bids. Two bids were received and they were only about $130 apart. Total cost of the project will be $61,894, including sales tax and engineering costs. The grant is for $55,000. The Clerk-Treasurer reports there are sufficient funds in the Water Capital Improvement Fund to cover the difference and the project is contained in our Water Comprehensive Plan. We are still waiting for the official letter from the engineers and for final CDBG/HUD approval of the bid. Staff would like to get the project underway as soon as the County gives the go-ahead and requests Council authorization for the Mayor to sign the contract when we receive it from CDBG/HUD. By motion of Councilmembers Minder and Turner, Council authorized the Mayor to sign the contracts when they are received from the County CDBG/HUD office and the engineers.
City Clerk Gilleland stated she agreed with the Public Works Director and his statements about the state of the City. She then reported on the recent AWC RMSA Operations Committee meeting that she attended in Olympia. The recent audit of RMSA was a good one and the Insurance Pool is doing very well. A number of things will be changing in the next few years. Some will increase our premium, while others will decrease it. We should end up with a net premium less than what we are paying now.
Chief Ruchty stated that the way things succeed is through community effort and urged all to draw together to move forward.
Councilmember Minder stated the Council has chosen a positive direction for the citizens and he asks the citizens to help make it come true. He also thanked all for their input. Councilmember Price also thanked the citizens for their attendance tonight and thanked staff for their work.
Councilmember Amenn thanked the audience for their input and stated he was open to their suggestions as to how to make the operations at the City go smoothly. He then reported he has been talking to other cities regarding ways to increase revenue sources. One suggestion is to have a carnival in town. He has also been working with the VFW and the school to establish a basketball night and he has been talking to the Mayor of Mountlake Terrace about the possibility of getting a soccer field at the school.
Councilmember Amenn then provided some background to his efforts working with the Puget Sound Regional Council and asked Council to consider joining PSRC. The cost is approximately $500.
Councilmember Amenn asked staff about the status of the UGA, expressing his concern that the City will be missing a deadline for comments with the County and expansion to the UGA. City Clerk Gilleland reported the Planning Commission has made a decision regarding the expansion of the UGA. She has contacted the Planning Consultants contracted to assist in this matter. They are in the process of updating maps and calculating additional population figures based on the recommended expansion. The Planner has also agreed to draft a letter for the Mayor’s signature to present to the County before the June 18th deadline in order to establish the City’s standing with the County on the issue. Some discussion followed. Councilmember Minder, stating that Council-member Amenn’s comments have exceeded three minutes, requested the meeting move on to other business. Councilmembers Minder, Price, Turner and Hunt agreed to move one. Councilmember Amenn did not.
Councilmember Hunt stated she has been on the Council six years and has never heard a more honest statement than that presented by the Mayor tonight. She admires and respects the Mayor and urged the citizens to come forward and support the Mayor. The attacks are damaging the town.
Councilmember Turner congratulated the City Clerk for receiving the certificate from AWC. He then stated he supports the Mayor and, as Councilmember Minder stated, we have set standards and a vision for the City and we need to stick to it and move forward.
NEW BUSINESS (None)
OLD BUSINESS
ORDINANCE: INTERIM ZONING/KENNEL
City Clerk Gilleland gave a second reading, by title only, to an ordinance amending the Gold Bar Zoning Code to increase the number of cats and dogs allowed per household or facility in various zoning districts including residential districts, and amending the requirements for a kennel license. She pointed out the ordinance had been amended per the last meeting. City Attorney Olbrechts request "in residential districts" be added to the "grandfather" paragraph that was added previously. Councilmember Amenn recused himself from the vote and discussion because it directly affects him. By motion of Councilmembers Minder and Turner, the Ordinance was accepted for second reading and adoption as amended.
Council set a Public Hearing for the Interim Ordinance for Wednesday, August 4, 2004.
COUNCIL RULES & PROCEDURES (Tabled)
Mayor Hawkins suggested this item remain tabled. Councilmember Minder asked that a workshop be set to finish the discussion so that Council can keep to their goals set at the retreat. He also suggested everyone review the excerpts provided and be ready to put a document together. Council agreed and set a workshop for Wednesday, June 9, 2004, beginning at 7 PM.
Councilmember Amenn asked Council if they would set a date for a Town Meeting regarding Fireworks. The School is open for a June or July date. However, if it is set for July, there will be a charge. Council set Wednesday, June 23, 2004, at 7 PM, in the School gymnasium for the Town Meeting. Councilmember Amenn volunteered to deal with the notifications for the public and make the final arrangements with the School.
Bert McClellan stated it was good news that we will be getting a generator because of potential power outages. He then complimented staff on the excellent job they did for the citizens during the water shutoffs while fixing the system on 1st Avenue West. They not only gave plenty of warning to those affected, they took the time to shut off meters and did the job in record time.
Traci Cotterill reported the kids are congregating and causing problems again at 3rd and Lewis. Chief Ruchty will take care of it. She then asked Council if Councilmember Amenn was attending meetings and talking to others at the Council’s direction? Councilmembers stated no. Councilmember Amenn stated he tells them he is a Councilmember for Gold Bar but is not representing the City.
Frank Linth addressed the Mayor’s report, stating it took a lot for the Mayor to report such personal incidences. He is glad there is a Mayor that will not sit back and take the easy way out. He is not taking a stand of what is right or wrong, but he supports the Mayor as an elected official and appreciates her efforts.
Linda Schonewald stated she served on the Council for a number of years, attending meetings as a member of the Council with Council and the Mayor’s approval and clearly represented the City. She believes that is the only way a Councilmember should be representing themselves at other organizations, particularly with the higher-level elected officials. The Council should only act as a group and when you represent that group, you should have their backing. Councilmember Amenn replied, stating he has been authorized by the Council to represent the City on the SCT committee. When he has private conversations through personal relationships with others, particularly Senator Cantwell, he does so as an individual.
Mayor Hawkins recessed the meeting to Executive Session for litigation and a personnel matter at 8:35 PM. Time estimated to be in session was 15 minutes. The time was extended by an additional 5 minutes. The meeting reconvened at 8:56 PM.
It was moved by Councilmembers Hunt and Minder that an individual Councilmember may not contact the City Attorney without the majority of Council’s consent. Council-member Amenn voiced his objection to the motion. Councilmembers Hunt and Minder called for the question; Councilmember Amenn appealed a point of order to the Council; Council denied his appeal; the vote was again called for and the motion was passed.
Councilmember Minder requested permission from Council for five minutes with the City Attorney after the meeting. The majority of the Council agreed. Councilmember Amenn requested fifteen minutes with the City Attorney after the meeting. The majority of the Council denied his request.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned by motion of Councilmember Hunt.
ATTEST: ________________________
Colleen Hawkins, Mayor
_______________________________
Hester Gilleland, City Clerk-Treasurer