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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01242005 CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND . CITY COUNCIL MINUTES OF THE WORKSHOP SESSION OF JANUARY 24, 2005 CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The City Council of the City of Port Townsend met in workshop session this twenty- fourth day of January, 2005, at 6:30 p.m. in the temporary Council Chambers in the Cedar Room of the Waterman & Katz Building, Mayor Catharine Robinson presiding. ROLL CALL Council members present at roll call were Frank Benskin, Freida Fenn, Kees Kolff, Laurie Medlicott, Catharine Robinson, and Michelle Sandoval. Geoff Masci was excused. Staff members present were City Manager David Timmons, City Attorney John Watts, Public Works Director Ken Clow, City Engineer David Peterson, and City Clerk Pam Kolacy. . Mayor Robinson stated that Ms. Fenn will be unable to attend the Joint Growth Management Steering Committee Meeting. Mrs. Medlicott offered to attend in her place. CITY HALL BUDGET UPDATE WITH JEFFERSON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (STATUS REPORT AND GENERAL DISCUSSION OF THE ISSUES.) Mr. Timmons introduced City Engineer Dave Peterson, who gave a construction update on the City Hall AnnnexlRestoration project. Groundbreaking took place on January 12 and the contractor has already estimated that the work may be completed before the end of2005. Mr. Peterson noted that the City has worked with the contractor to identify about $30,000 in value added engineering savings. He added that a resolution will come before the Council at the next business meeting to authorize the City Manager to approve change orders up to 5%. A monthly report will be given to the Finance/Budget Committee. Discussion followed, including review of the following items: Interim financing strategy PDA (Public Development Authority) requirements Availability of REET funding Terms of existing debt . City Council Workshop Page 1 January 24, 2005 . Mr. Timmons stated that the City is encouraging the Historical Society to concentrate on getting the needed interior work funded for historic City Hall. Mr. Timmons introduced Bill Tennent, Jefferson County Historical Society Director, who introduced members of the JCHS Board of Directors. Various members of the Board assisted in explaining the JCHS presentation, which included the proposed project phasing for preservation of City Hall. Ms. Robinson asked about the Heritage Capital Fund Grant. Mr. Timmons stated the grant was originally applied for under Phase I but was not funded until just recently after several other projects dropped offthe list; Mr. Tennent stated that the funding would be applied to Phase I exterior work as originally planned. There was further discussion about various grants and the planned uses for the funding. Ms. Robinson asked if JCHS had a cost estimate for Phase II (interior rehabilitation). Board member Kate Johnson (historic preservation architect) stated that specific costs have not yet been delineated. She will be updating her spreadsheet now that the project components have been more clearly identified. . Mr. Tennent noted that at the recent JCHS Board retreat, the Board committed to raising as much money as they could and believe that although it may be enough to do the entire interior, the project is prioritized with the areas JCHS will occupy (Fire Hall, Main Floor, Courtroom and first floor entry) as the first priority. David Hero, capital campaign chairperson, expressed his concerns about asking people for money from their personal accounts to restore City Hall; he stated he needs to guarantee that every penny will go into the project and that JCHS has established a dedicated savings account for the funds received. He also added that it is important that the City Council and JCHS Board clearly communicate and develop a mechanism about how decisions will be made in spending the donation money. He added that issues such as the Memorandum of Understanding between the parties regarding occupancy of the building must be finalized so that people will understand what the final product and use will be and how it will take place. Discussion regarding the lease arrangement between the City and JCHS followed. Mr. Timmons noted that the parties desire a more modern lease and one that more clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of the parties. Mr. Tennent noted that the draft lease provided to JCHS did not yet have a completed addenda describing what condition the building would be in; he stated that the Board agrees the lease should be more detailed. There was agreement that the lease should be finished as soon as possible; this is contingent upon JCHS revising their spreadsheet numbers. The basic lease has been . City Council Workshop Page 2 January 24, 2005 . completed in draft form; finishing it will depend on how much the parties desire to clarify the details. Consensus was to bring the lease forward to the first business meeting after JCHS completed the specifics of the addenda. Mr. Timmons noted that a process must also be set up for how agreements are reached; for example, part of the process is determining when the qualification as a "public works" project will be applied - in that case it is a City project and prevailing wage and bidding requirements will apply. He stated that language can be added regarding mutually agreed-upon amendments. JCHS Board President Linda Maguire said it is important to figure out who the point people are both from the City and JCHS so issues can be worked out quickly. She added that Mr. Hero is ready to go and so JCHS is interested in moving the process along as quickly as possible. Ms. Robinson stated that previously the leads were the JCHS Board President and Director and the City Manager and suggested this would be an appropriate grouping for discussion of issues. . Mr. Peterson stated that we have a rough cost estimate for interior finish but that Ms. Johnson will be going to the next level of detail and doing a room by room estimate. Ms. Johnson stated that she did a preliminary room by room survey but it hasn't been updated since the project went out to bid; she stated this could be discussed at the Feb. 9 Board meeing and that cost estimates could be done by the 15th. Mr. Watts stated that city and museum responsibilities upon completion of the project need to be negotiated out. Mr. Clow noted that if JCHS has a funding source for work the City wants to do under the ongoing contract, the contract could be amended as a change order, as long as the scope doesn't change dramatically. Depending on the money they raise, they could specify what they want to do and the City can work on details of appropriate level of construction, standards, etc. and this could be worked on mutually. He stated the actual project would probably be managed by the City since we own the building and it is a public work; however this does not prevent JCHS from identifying their priorities when it is their checkbook paying for it. Ms. Johnson asked how design work falls into the overall scenario described for a public works project - she asked if it can be done by volunteers. Mr. Watts replied that this is outside of the prevailing wage rules as it qualifies as a professional service and it can be done on a volunteer basis. The scope of work for the existing design team can be amended to include new work. . City Council Workshop Page 3 January 24, 2005 · · · Mr. Clow noted that the project started at a much broader scale in terms of design of a total restoration; now the design has been downscaled based on budget so there shouldn't be any problem expanding the scope without renegotiating or re-selecting the design team. Clarification was made that donations to either JCHS or the city are tax deductible and would go into the separate account established by JCHS or into the city's donation account. Mrs. Medlicott stated she wanted to disclose that she has been a member of JCHS for 18 years; she is concerned that only $40,000 in pledges and donations have been received - she asked what is needed from the Council to get on with convincing community members to give money to support the project. Mr. Hero replied that we need the community to know that the Council and JCHS are in partnership, that there is no disagreement about who is doing what and that a means for overcoming disagreements has been worked out. He added that the sooner the new lease is signed the better, there is more assurance to the public of intentions regarding museum occupancy, rent, or strings attached. ADJOURN There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m. Attest: (~., .7 .-. J / ¡) ":L/¿i'rr~ \~I-f~IL~ Pamela Kolacy, CMC a- City Clerk City Council Workshop Page 4 January 24, 2005