MINUTES FOR THE REGULAR MEETING
ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL
Tuesday, October 6, 2020
Held Electronically; View on Channel 9 or Channels 180 and 181 (for Charter Communications customers) or live stream via rvtv.sou.edu select RVTV Prime.
Note: Written and oral testimony will be accepted for public input. For written testimony, email public-testimony@ashland.or.us using the subject line: October 6 Business Meeting Testimony. Those who wish to give oral testimony can fill out a Speaker Request Form at ashland.or.us/speakerrequest and return it to the City Recorder. The deadline for submitting written testimony or speaker request forms will be on Monday, October 5 at 10 a.m. All Public Forum comments will comply with Council Rules; otherwise they will not be included in the Agenda or Council Minutes.
Note: Items on the Agenda not considered due to time constraints are automatically continued to the next regularly scheduled Council meeting [AMC 2.04.030.E.]
- CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Stromberg called the Business Meeting to order at 6:00 PM.
- PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
- ROLL CALL
Councilors’ Slattery, Graham, Akins, Seffinger, Jensen and Rosenthal were present.
- MAYOR’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
- APPROVAL OF MINUTES
- Business Meeting of September 15, 2020
Rosenthal/Jensen moved to approve the minutes. Discussion: None. All Ayes. Motion passed unanimously.
- SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS & AWARDS
- Proclamation for Indigenous Peoples’ Day
- MINUTES OF BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES
- PUBLIC FORUM Business from the audience not included on the agenda.
(Total time allowed for Public Forum is 15 minutes. The Mayor will set time limits to enable all people wishing to speak to complete their testimony.) [15 minutes maximum] See note above for how to submit testimony for Public Forum.
- CITY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT
Interim City Administrator Adam Hanks gave a report (see attached).
Items discussed were:
- Almeda Fire Debrief.
- Emergency Housing Update.
- Expanded Access to EV Charging.
- State Eviction Moratorium Extension.
- Look Ahead.
- CONSENT AGENDA
- League of Oregon Cities Annual Membership Meeting Voting Delegate
Slattery/Jensen moved to approve Councilor Graham as the voting delegate for the LOC annual membership meeting. Discussion: None. All Ayes. Motion passed unanimously.
- Annual Liquor License Renewals
Rosenthal pulled this item. Police Chief Tighe O’Meara gave a staff report.
Rosenthal/Graham moved to not recommend approval of approval of Stop and Shop Liquor License. Discussion: Rosenthal thanked the Police Department for their diligence. Roll Call Vote: Slattery, Graham, Seffinger, Rosenthal and Jensen: YES. Akins: NO.
- Appointment of Ed Wight to the Band Board
Jensen/Rosenthal moved to appoint Ed Wight to the Band Board. Discussion: None. All Ayes. Motion passed unanimously.
- PUBLIC HEARINGS (Persons wishing to speak are to submit a “speaker request form” prior to the commencement of the public hearing. Public hearings shall conclude at 8:00 p.m. and be continued to a future date to be set by the Council, unless the Council, by a two-thirds vote of those present, extends the hearing(s) until up to 9:30 p.m. at which time the Council shall set a date for continuance and shall proceed with the balance of the agenda.)
- UNFINISHED BUSINESS
- Annual Appointment to the Citizens’ Budget Committee
Council appointed Paula Hyatt and Bob Kaplan to the Citizens' Budget Committee (see attached).
- Oregon Worker Relief Fund Discussion
Hanks gave brief Staff Report. Graham Discussed the item.
Akins/Graham moved for Staff to send letter of support in worker relief in Covid 19 and addition funding due to fire. Graham seconded. Discussion: None. All Ayes. Motion passed unanimously.
- Pioneer Hall and Community Center Facility Improvements Proposal
Interim Public Works Director Scott Fleury gave a Staff Report.
Jensen/Graham moved approval of the development of a three phased qualifications-based selection request for proposal for engineering and architectural services for required repairs and reconstruction of both Pioneer Hall and Community Center. Discussion: Jensen spoke in support of the good work of this project. Graham spoke in agreement. Roll Call Vote: Slattery, Graham, Akins, Seffinger, Rosenthal and Jensen: YES. All Ayes. Motion passed unanimously.
- NEW AND MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS
- Award of Housing Trust Fund and Community Development Block Grants
Housing Program Specialist Linda Reid gave a Staff report.
Public Speakers:
Cass Sinclair-Options for Helping Residents of Ashland.
Brian Kelly Shelton – Neighbor Works Umpqua.
Mary Ferrell and Corrie Summerfled-Maslow Project.
Each speaker gave a background of their organization.
Council discussed options.
Seffinger/Jensen moved to award $43,000 to Neighbor Works Umpqua in Ashland Housing Trust Funds; award $173,983 to Options for Helping Residents of Ashland and $60,000 to Maslow Project using a combination of Ashland Housing Trust Funds and Community Development Block Grant -Coronavirus funding; as well as other federal funding. Discussion: Seffinger and Jensen spoke in support of the motion. Graham spoke to the importance of the opportunity to act on funds that have to be on this type of work. Akins spoke spoke in support of the motion. Roll Call Vote: Graham, Seffinger, Akins, Rosenthal and Jensen: YES. Motion passes unanimously.
- ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS AND CONTRACTS
- OTHER BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS/REPORTS FROM COUNCIL LIAISONS
- ADJOURNMENT OF BUSINESS MEETING
The Business Meeting adjourned at 9:00 PM
Respectfully submitted by:
_____________________________________
City Recorder Melissa Huhtala
Attest
_____________________________________
Mayor Stromberg
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Administrator's office at (541) 488-6002 (TTY phone number 1-800-735-2900). Notification 72 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to the meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title I).
