Tuesday, July 6, 2004
(G.R.I.T. note: Not yet approved as of website posting on 7-18-04; will be reviewed during 7-20-04 meeting.)

Mayor Hawkins called the meeting to order with Councilmembers Amenn, Turner, and Price present. A quorum was established. By motion of Councilmembers Price and Amenn, Councilmembers Hunt and Minder were excused. (Clerk’s Note: Council-member Hunt was ill; Councilmember Minder was out of town.) Public Works Director Light, Chief Ruchty, and City Clerk Gilleland were also present.

By motion of Councilmembers Price and Turner, the Agenda was approved as submitted. Under discussion, Councilmember Amenn requested an Executive Session to discuss (1) the Mayor’s use of the City Attorney; (2) review for a potential Audit; and (3) the Mayor’s use of general staff. Mayor Hawkins explained that the Mayor’s use of staff and the attorney are not Executive Session topics. With regard to the other issue, the Mayor called Council’s attention to a memo she presented before the meeting, requesting the email/Audit question be postponed until after the recall issue has been settled. Council-member Amenn disagreed. After discussion, Councilmembers Price and Turner did not desire to hold an Executive Session.

By motion of Councilmembers Turner and Price, the Minutes of May 17, 2004 and June 9, 2004 were approved as submitted.

By motion of Councilmembers Price and Turner, Claims Vouchers in the amount of $20,792.96, paid by checks #11899 through #11929, and Payroll in the amount of $23,298.49, paid by checks #2927 through #2943, for a total of $44,091.45, were approved for payment. Under discussion, Councilmember Amenn asked for clarification of the retainer paid for the Mayor’s recall defense; it was clarified by Councilmembers Price and Turner. Councilmember Amenn requested check #11913, payment to the City Attorney, be pulled because he has questions about the bill. Councilmembers Price and Turner declined the request.

City Clerk Gilleland requested Council to approve payment of check #11876, in the amount of $5,410.68, payment to the City Attorney, pulled at the last meeting if the memo sent with the packet answered Council’s question about the billing. Council-member Amenn objected. By motion of Councilmembers Price and Turner, the check was approved for payment.

Joan Amenn, 13^th Street, objected to fees paid to the City Attorney for various services and to the Mayor’s choice of attorney for the recall action. Ms. Amenn stated she would be circulating a petition, attempting to void the Council’s vote to pay recall legal fees.

Susan Forbes, 209 17^th Street, stated that as a taxpayer she feels the City is obligated to defend the elected Mayor against the recall. She also resents the costs of a recall election that the City may have to pay as a result of the Amenn’s recall action.

Mayor Hawkins announced the recall hearing would be held on Tuesday, July 13^th, at 1:30 PM, in Snohomish County Superior Court, before Judge Thorpe.

Public Works Director Light reported on the generator project progress. The contracts, scope of work, and specifications are available in his office if anyone wishes to review them. He then reported the bid for Gateway Park would be going out soon.

Clerk Gilleland reported on the AWC Conference and the Small Cities Advisory Committee meetings she attended. She also stated the quarterly financials would be sent out sometime in July.

Chief Ruchty reported there were some fireworks in town over the Fourth but no problems occurred like happened in Monroe.

Councilmember Turner reported that he was a few cars back from the accident on SR2 in which the firefighter was killed. He stressed the importance of being prepared and carrying emergency equipment in vehicles.

Councilmember Amenn asked Mayor Hawkins if a letter had been sent to the County regarding the UGA as previously discussed. She replied that it hadn’t. He then made a statement regarding the recall and his wife, his involvement in the recall, and his relationship with the Mayor and other citizens.

By motion of Councilmembers Price and Turner, the item was removed from the table. During discussion, Councilmember Amenn requested the Resolution remain on the table until the full Council is present. City Clerk Gilleland reviewed the information from her memo regarding the copying charges and the recycling fees. Councilmember Amenn continued to disagree about the proposed copying fees. By motion of Councilmembers Price and Turner, the item was tabled again. After additional discussion, by motion of Councilmembers Amenn and Price, staff was authorized to request the City Attorney for an opinion on the issue of copy fees, providing he didn’t spend more than five minutes doing so.

City Clerk Gilleland requested Council to table this issue. This ordinance repeals the recycling fees and we don’t want to do so until the fee schedule is passed so that the fees are still valid. By motion of Councilmembers Price and Amenn, the ordinance was tabled.

By motion of Councilmembers Turner and Amenn, the item remained on the table until the full Council was present.

Mayor Hawkins requested this item remain on the table because it is still in process. Council agreed.

Ray Coleman asked the City Clerk about the ownership of yard waste containers; she replied the yard waste containers belong to Rabanco.

Bert McClellan reported a couple of incidents last weekend involving the Sheriff’s Department. In both cases the Sheriff’s responded immediately and the complaints were solved. He thanked them for their service. Mr. McClellan also remarked about the attorney’s bill and Councilmember Amenn’s items contained on it.

Al White, 308 1^st Street, complained about the scooters being ridden around town and the curfew. Chief Ruchty addressed the issue of the scooters and provided some background regarding the lack of enforcement rules for them. Establishing a City ordinance was discussed briefly.

Tami Rockman, 318 13^th Street, asked how many tickets were issued for fireworks? Chief Ruchty stated there were none on his desk this morning. She complained about a Deputy speeding down her street at 10:30 PM one night. Chief Ruchty will check into it.

Susan Forbes asked Councilmember Amenn if he shot off fireworks on the Fourth. Councilmember Amenn stated yes he did in Sultan. A brief discussion was held regarding fireworks. She also stated that the Planning Commission put a great deal of work into the UGA recommendation and the Planning Commission resents Councilmember Amenn interfering in the process. Some discussion followed.

Timothy Soderlund, 254 Amanda Avenue, thanked the Mayor for the outstanding job she has done. He stated he sent Mr. Amenn a letter and many of the issues in it have been answered at this meeting. He urged everyone to keep open lines of communications so that things can move forward and get resolved.

Regina Jarmin, Orchard Avenue, asked where the $5,000 for the recall attorney was coming from in the budget if we don’t have the funds for the regular attorney. Mayor Hawkins stated the Clerk was working on the financial reports now. Mrs. Jarmin also mentioned that her dogs were poisoned a few weeks ago.

Tracy Cotterill, 301 Grand Avenue, stated she voted for and supports Mayor Hawkins and agrees that the City should finance the Mayor’s recall defense.

Amber Hines, 316 Orchard, asked for relief from the trash and junk cars in her neighbor’s yard on the corner. Chief Ruchty stated the department is working on it. Two of the cars have been tagged and should be gone soon.

Vicki McDaniel stated she supports the Mayor, does not want to be part of the Amenns’ agenda and that she wants the City to move forward. She stated that the Sheriff’s Office did a great job over the Fourth of July.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned by motion of Councilmember Price and Amenn.

ATTEST: ________________________

Colleen Hawkins, Mayor

_______________________________

Hester Gilleland, City Clerk-Treasurer