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HomeMy WebLinkAbout010224 City Council Business Meeting MinutesCITY OF PORT TOWNSEND MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS MEETING OF JANUARY 2, 2024 CALL TO ORDER/ PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Port Townsend City Council met in a Regular Session on the 2nd day of January 2024 in Council Chambers at 540 Water Street. City Clerk Alyssa Rodrigues called the meeting to order at 6.00pm OATH OF OFFICE David Faber Amy Howard Monica MickHager Owen Rowe City Clerk Alyssa Rodrigues administered the ceremonial oath of office to David Faber, Amy Howard, and Owen Rowe. The official oath was administered previously in order for the Council members to take office on January 1. Monica MickHager was excused. ROLL CALL Councilmembers present at roll call were David Faber, Amy Howard, Aislinn Palmer, Owen Rowe, Ben Thomas, and Libby Wennstrom with Monica MickHager excused. Staff members present were City Manager John Mauro, Public Works Director Steve King , Parks and Recreation Strategy Director Carrie Hite , Planning and Community Development Director Emma Bolin , and City Clerk Alyssa Rodrigues. ELECTION OF OFFICERS: MAYOR AND DEPUTY MAYOR THE CITY CLERK WILL CONDUCT THE ELECTION FOR MAYOR. EACH COUNCIL MEMBER IS PERMITTED TO NOMINATE ONE PERSON, AND NOMINATION SHALL NOT REQUIRE A SECOND. A NOMINEE MAY DECLINE THE NOMINATION. EXCEPT WHEN THERE IS ONLY ONE NOMINEE, ELECTION SHALL BE BY WRITTEN BALLOT. EACH MEMBERS' VOTE SHALL BE SIGNED AND THE CLERK WILL ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION. IF ONLY ONE PERSON IS NOMINATED, A VOICE VOTE SHALL BE TAKEN. THE MAYOR WILL THEN CONDUCT THE ELECTION FOR DEPUTY MAYOR, FOLLOWING THE SAME PROCEDURE. Alyssa Rodrigues called for nominations from the floor for the position of Mayor. Council member Wennstrom nominated David Faber. Council member Thomas nominated himself. There were no further nominations. Paper ballots were distributed to Council members and collected by the Clerk for a count. Mayor Faber was elected Mayor by a vote of 5-1. January 2, 2024 City Council Business Meeting Page 1 of 7 Mayor Faber asked for nominations for Deputy Mayor. Council member Rowe nominated Amy Howard. There were no further nominations. The vote was called, and Amy Howard was elected Deputy Mayor by unanimous voice vote 6-0. CHANGES TO THE AGENDA Mayor Faber suggested adding a Ceasefire Resolution under New Business Item A. City Manager John Mauro stated Consent Item. D Update General Government Wage Schedule will need to be removed and put on a later agenda. Motion: Ben Thomas moved to accept the revised agenda. Amy Howard seconded. Vote: Motion passed. 5 in favor and 1 opposed with no abstentions. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS Poet Laureate Welcome Communications and Marketing Director Shelly Leavens and Public Arts Commission Chair Lindsay Wayland introduced the City of Port Townsend Poet Laureate Conner Bouchard -Roberts. Poet Laureate Conner Bouchard -Roberts provided his welcoming presentation. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT John Mauro provided his City Manager's report which included Carmel Building, Golf Course Open House, Poplars on Kah Tai Side of Sims Way, retrofitting permit desk and office space, Equity, Access, and Rights Advisory Body, and Dave Rodia's retirement. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC Public comment City Staff Response There was no public comment. CONSENT AGENDA Approval of Bills, Claims and Warrants Approval of Minutes: November 6, 2023, November 13, 2023 Appointments/Reappointments: Library Advisory Board, Fort Worden PDA Update General Government Wage Schedule- (Removed During Changes to the Agenda) January 2, 2024 City Council Business Meeting Page 2 of 7 Resolution 24-001 Authorizing the City Manager to Negotiate and Execute Agreements for Services Authorize Joint Application for Lot Line Adjustment Benefitting the City -owned Cherry Street Property to Allow for Future Sidewalk Installation and to Resolve a Building Encroachment and Authorize Approval of Land Exchange Conveyance and Necessary Easements for any Approved Lot Line Adjustment. Authorize Agreements for On -Call Services for Engineering Support for the Mill Road Intersection Evaluation in an Amount not to Exceed $32,000 of City Funds and Authorize the City Manager to Sign a Memorandum of Agreement for Cost Share with Jefferson County. Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a 5 -Year Contract with Axon Enterprise in an Amount not to Exceed $105,000. Motion: Owen Rowe moved to approve the consent agenda. Ben Thomas seconded, Vote. motion carried unanimously, 6-0 by voice vote. PUBLIC HEARING Resolution 24-002 Setting the Conditions to Vacate a Portion of Cass Street and Directing the City Manager to Prepare the Vacation Ordinance when all Conditions are Met. Mayor Faber reviewed the Public Hearing Rules of Procedure. Planning and Community Development Director Emma Bolin and Public Works Director Steve King presented Resolution 24-002 Setting the Conditions to Vacate a Portion of Cass Street and Directing the City Manager to Prepare the Vacation Ordinance when all Conditions are Met which included parking at Grace Lutheran Church, term sheet details, Cass Street retaining wall, Cass Street Partial Street Vacation details, City Petition, staff recommendation, church list of conditions, required Right of Way width, building T8, first step of term sheet, and mutual benefit exchange. Public Comment: There were no written materials submitted. There was no public comment. Mayor Faber closed the public testimony portion of the Hearing, Discussion ensued around how clear the information was. Motion: Owen Rowe moved to approve Resolution 24-002 Setting the Conditions to Vacate a Portion of Cass Street and Directing the City Manager to Prepare the Vacation Ordinance when all Conditions are Met. Amy Howard seconded. January 2, 2024 City Council Business Meeting Page 3 of 7 Emma Bolin stated the Public Hearing will need to be continued until January 16 due to error in legal ad publication. Mayor Faber stated the record will be kept open until January 16. Owen Rowe withdrew his motion. Motion: Owen Rowe moved to approve first reading of Resolution 24-002 Setting the Conditions to Vacate a Portion of Cass Street and Directing the City Manager to Prepare the Vacation Ordinance when all Conditions are Met. Amy Howard seconded. Mayor Faber stated the record will be left open until 4:30pm on January 16, 2024. Discussion ensued around the time of record closing and 4:30pm being the deadline for submission of materials. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 6-0 by voice vote. UNFINISHED BUSINESS (NONE) NEW BUSINESS Ceasefire Resolution (Added During Changes to the Agenda) Mayor Faber introduced the Ceasefire Resolution. Mayor Faber stated there is no staff presentation. Council member Thomas explained how the Resolution came to be. Public Comment: Public comment was made. Discussion ensued around hate, not being ready to vote yet, including language against antisemitism and islamophobia in resolution, tasking staff vs. Culture and Society Committee, timing of next Culture and Society Committee meeting, local government influence, the need to vet resolution, concerning situation, Council not being the place for National Security issues, proceeding carefully and with thought, and supporting taking to Culture and Society Committee. Motion: Libby Wennstrom moved to task Culture and Society Committee with taking up Ceasefire Resolution. Amy Howard seconded. Discussion ensued around Culture and Society committee meeting being open to the public and accepting written and in person public comment. In addition, asked the public to provide information if they have it, as well as the timeliness of the Resolution. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 6-0 by voice vote. Council Committee Assignments January 2, 2024 City Council Business Meeting Page 4 of 7 Mayor Faber reviewed the Council Committee Assignments. Discussion ensued around changing committee assignments. Mayor Faber reviewed the changes which included Council member Palmer joining Board of Health, Council member Wennstrom joining Behavioral Health Advisory Council, Council member MickHager joining North Olympic Peninsula Resource Conservation & Development Council (NODC), listing Fairgrounds Board and adding Council member Thomas as Vice -Chair, Updating Councilmember Rowe on Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC), and correcting Council member Palmers initials. In addition, he stated they will bring back updated list for a vote at the next business meeting. Resolution 24-003 Adopting the 2024 State Legislative Agenda John Mauro, Emma Bolin, and Steve King provided the 2024 Legislative Agenda Proposal which included Legislative Agenda Recap 2020-2023, 2024 Legislative Agenda: Framing Questions for this and Previous Years, 2024 Legislative Agenda: Proposal, and Supporting Agency Partners. Council member Wennstrom was excused at 7:44pm. Council member Wennstrom returned at 7:45pm. In response to Council's clarifying questions staff explained AMI limits. Public Comment: There was no public comment. Discussion ensued around AMI limits, funding adaptation, changes to transportation and land use, compact roundabout at Jacob Miller Rd, City owned property, Mill Rd roundabout, and Discovery Rd. Motion. Aislinn Palmer moved to approve Resolution 24-003 Adopting the 2024 State Legislative Agenda and Direct the City Manager to Communicate the Agenda to Our State Legislative Delegation and Agency Partners. Libby Wennstrom seconded. Discussion ensued around Deputy Mayor Howard and AWC's lobbying efforts on broader approach and AMI limits. Vote. motion carried unanimously, 6-0 by voice vote. Authorize the City Manager to Sign the Interlocal Agreement with Jefferson County John Mauro introduced Authorizing the City Manager to Sign the Interlocal Agreement with Jefferson County. January 2, 2024 City Council Business Meeting Page 5 of 7