HomeMy WebLinkAbout03102003CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND
MINUTES OF THE WORKSHOP SESSION OF MARCH 10, 2003
The City Council of the City of Port Townsend met in regular session this tenth day of
March, 2003, at 6:30 p.m. in the Port Townsend Council Chambers of City Hall, Mayor
Kees Kolff presiding
CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The meeting was called to order at 6:30 by Mayor Kees Kolff. Council members present
at roll call were Freida Fenn, Joe Finnie, Kees Kolff, Geoff Masci, Michelle Sandoval,
Catharine Robinson, and Alan Youse. Staff members present were City Manager David
Timmons, City Attorney John Watts, Public Works Director Ken Clow, BCD Director
Jeff Randall, Police Chief Kristen Anderson, Library Director Linnea Patrick, and
Finance Director Michael Legarsky
2003 WORK PLAN UPDATE
Mr. Timmons stated that department directors are present to provide an update for the
council on the 2003 work plan in response to the discussion at the council retreat. In the
interests of better information and communication between staff and council, it was
decided to set aside time each quarter for an opportunity to review the work plan status.
Each department director gave a brief overview of key projects and updated the status of
projects within the macro overview and 2003 work plan.
Mayor Kolff suggested the council schedule a meeting to discuss how the work plan
dovetails with the council's work plan.
Ms. Sandoval referenced the issue of asking the state to do a SEPA review of the impact
of paid parking at Fort Worden.
Ms. Fenn listed several items for council consideration including: downtown lighting
issues, street vendor regulations, conservation easement/gateway entrance, prioritization
of infrastructure needs, traffic signals, residential demolition prevention, and streetscape
updating.
Mr. Timmons noted that the council had planned to have Jeanne Harris return to facilitate
a follow-up meeting regarding additional items for prioritization, discussion, etc.
Ms. Sandoval suggested that discussions of council priorities also be held at the
committee level and that chairpersons bring forward committee recommendations for
work plan items.
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Mayor Kolff and Mr. Timmons will discuss scheduling a date for incorporating these
ideas.
REVISIONS TO ETHICS ORDINANCE
Mr. Watts noted that the City Council assigned review of the Code of Ethics to the
General Government Committee at the Feb. 18 meeting. The Committee has
recommended that the current process which provides for a three member citizen board to
render a recommendation on an ethics complaint, be replaced by a professional hearings
officer making a determination. The revision would also provide that the City Attorney
make a preliminary report on the sufficiency of any complaint.
He noted that the current proposed changes deal with procedural issues only. He added
that if the concept of a professional hearings officer is approved, the Committee has
recommended that that individual also be asked to review the code in its entirety and
suggest revisions.
Discussion items included whether or not a fee should be charged if a complainant
wished to appeal the sufficiency determination of the City Attorney; whether there are
too many gradations of possible actions (whether "warning," "admonition," or
"reprimand" are redundant); whether the text of the admonition, warning, etc., would be
public record; who within the city's organization of paid or volunteer workers would be
vulnerable to an ethics code violation allegation, and what the cost of having an outside
expert review the code would be.
Ms. Fenn noted a time frame problem which needs to be clarified. She stated that
requiring an initial determination within ten days of the filing of the complaint does not
take into consideration the possibility of a challenge to the impartiality of the hearings
officer.
The ordinance, revised according to tonight's discussion, will be on the meeting agenda
for March 17.
ADJOURN
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:50 p.m.
Attest:
Pamela Kolacy, CMC
City Clerk
City Council Workshop Meeting Page 2 March 10, 2003