Agendas and Minutes

City Council (View All)

Regular Meeting

Agenda
Tuesday, November 16, 2010

MINUTES FOR THE REGULAR MEETING

ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL

November 16, 2010

Council Chambers

1175 E. Main Street

 

 

CALL TO ORDER

Mayor Stromberg called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Civic Center Council Chambers.

 

ROLL CALL

Councilor Voisin, Navickas, Lemhouse, Jackson, Silbiger and Chapman were present.

 

MAYOR’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

City Recorder Barbara Christenson announced vacancies on the Housing Commission, Transportation Commission, Public Arts Commission and Planning Commission.

 

Mayor Stromberg added two items to the Consent Agenda, 10. Liquor License Approval for Suk Cho Molder dba Lee’s Cuisine and 11. The appointment of the Interim City Attorney, moved items #6. and #7. to the December 16, 2010 agenda and pulled item #9. for discussion.

 

SHOULD THE COUNCIL APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THESE MEETINGS?

The minutes of the Study Session of November 1, 2010, Executive Session of November 2, 2010 and Regular Meeting of November 2, 2010 were approved as presented.

 

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS & AWARDS

Mayor Stromberg read a statement regarding Electric Operations Superintendent Scott Johnson’s retirement that documented his career and expressed gratitude for his 36 years of dedicated service to the City.  Mr. Johnson thanked the City and employees.

 

Tree Commissioner Tom Myers announced the winner of the 2010 Tree of the Year as the Podless Catalpa tree located at 200 Sherman Street.  This Podless Catalpa was the only one in Ashland and quite possibly the west coast.

 

CONSENT AGENDA

1.   Will Council accept the Minutes of the Boards, Commissions and Committees?

2.   Should Council accept the quarterly report as presented?

3.   Should Council accept the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report as recommended by the Ashland Audit Committee?

4.   Does Council have questions about the progress on Council Goals?

5.   Will Council, acting as the local contracts review board, approve a contract-specific special procurement for the direct award (purchase) of the TeleStaff public safety scheduling program from Principal Decision Systems International, Inc.?

6.   Does Council wish to confirm the Mayor’s appointment of James Dills to the Housing Commission with a term to expire April 30, 2010?

7.   Does Council wish to confirm the Mayor’s appointment of Corrine Vieville to the Transportation Commission with a term to expire April 30, 2013?

8.   Does Council wish to confirm the Mayor’s appointment of Tracy Peddicord to the Tree Commission with a term to expire April 30, 2013?

9.   Does Council have questions about the Mayor’s at large and Council liaison committee member selection for the Ashland Stormwater Technical Review Committee (STRC) and the Ashland Wastewater Technical Review (WTRC) Committee for each of the respective Master Plan updates?

10. Does the Council wish to approve a Liquor License Application from Suk Cho Molder dba Lee’s      Cuisine at 2345 Ashland Street?

11. Does the Council accept the appointment of Megan Thornton as the Interim City Attorney?

 

Councilor Navickas requested Consent Agenda item #4. be pulled for discussion.

 

Councilor Chapman/Voisin m/s to approve Consent Agenda items #1, 2, 3, 5, 8 and additional items #10 and #11. Voice Vote: All AYES. Motion passed.

 

Councilor Navickas noted the January 31, 2011 Study Session would address panhandling and expressed concern Council was focusing on panhandling rather than the Council Goal of solving homelessness issues.  City Administrator Martha Bennett clarified the panhandling issue came from staff and the Council Goal of Homelessness was on the Study Session agenda for February 28, 2011.  She did not think panhandling and loitering were necessarily related to homelessness. 

 

Mayor Stromberg asked Council to pass everything relating to the ASTR and WTRC except the Citizen at Large slots.  He would have recommendations for those positions at the next Council meeting.

 

Councilor Silbiger/Chapman m/s to approve Consent Agenda items #4 and #9 with the changes Mayor Stromberg stated.  Voice Vote: all AYES. Motion passed.

 

PUBLIC HEARINGS None

 

PUBLIC FORUM

Kim Clark/693 Washington Street/Mt. Ashland Manager/Requested the City of Ashland consider asking the US Forest Service to transfer the Mt. Ashland Ski Area Special Use Permit from the City of Ashland to the Mt. Ashland Association and dissolve the operating lease between the City and the Association.  This would relieve the City and citizens from all liability that could be associated with the Ski Area in the future.

 

Mr. Clark went on to read into the record a statement from Alan DeBoer/2260 Morada Lane/ that requested Council to add the proposal to transfer the permit of Mt. Ashland to the Mount Ashland Association to the December agenda and why.

 

Councilor Chapman/Navickas m/s to place this item on the agenda for discussion. Voice Vote: all AYES. Motion passed.

 UNFINISHED BUSINESS

1.   Will Council, acting as the local contracts review board, authorize a Competitive Sealed Proposal/Request for Proposals (RFP) for telecommunications and computer services for AFN?

Information Technology Director Rob Lloyd explained this was the third contract discussed in the information Technology Department’s Strategic Business Plan.  It would set up a multi-award master contract that would allow vendors to offer Internet Connectivity, Technology Support, Telephony and IT Solutions services.  The contract would also have options on how Internet Service Providers (ISPs) relate to the City.

 

Ashland Fiber Network (AFN) will host a Voluntary Pre-Proposal Conference for all potential proposers to answer questions and go through the process.  Resale Vendors are required to provide 60-day notice before moving customers to alternative products.  During that time, AFN would attempt to recover those customers using information gathered from elevated support issues and service connections as well as initiate a marketing campaign with the other partners if needed.

 

Councilor Silbiger/Chapman m/s the Council, acting as the Local Contract Review Board, authorize the Competitive Sealed Proposal/Request for Proposals solicitation for AFN telecommunications and computer services. Roll Call Vote: Councilor Voisin, Chapman, Lemhouse, Navickas, Jackson and Silbiger, YES.  Motion passed.

 

NEW AND MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS

1.   Does Council agree with the proposed recruitment process for the City Attorney position?

City Administrator Martha Bennett explained why staff recommended not hiring a recruitment firm for the City Attorney position but did recommend hiring a firm to run the required background and reference checks.  Ms. Bennett noted the job description and position profile used in 2007 had not changed but asked Council and Mayor to provide any suggestions or changes no later than November 29, 2010.  The position would retain the current salary range.

 

Council discussed with staff adding language to the job description that the City Attorney would collaborate on a regular basis with the City Administrator on setting work priorities.  Council went on to discuss whether the interview process should be public or confidential.  In order to obtain a large quality pool of candidates Council decided the process should be confidential with a variety of citizens sitting in the interview panel. 

 

2.   Does the City Council wish to adopt a pass-through funding agreement for $50,000 between the City of Ashland and the Oregon Department of Forestry involving the use of National Fire Plan Biomass funds to help support the creation of defensible space around the homes of Ashland?

Fire Chief John Karns explained the agreement was similar to previous programs funded by the Title 3 Jackson County Grant. The agreement would assist property owners with the cost to reduce fire fuels around their homes. Firewise Communities Coordinator Ali True will administer the program.  The agreement was solely for vegetation management, specific to homes in the Firewise Community and the wild land urban interface.

 

Councilor Voisin/Lemhouse m/s to accept the grant agreement.  DISCUSSION:  Councilor Navickas supported the program and the ongoing need for the City to invest in reducing fuels around homes.  Councilor Voisin talked to several people who had taken advantage of the program and noted their feedback was positive. Roll Call Vote: Councilor Silbiger, Chapman, Lemhouse, Voisin, Jackson and Navickas, YES. Motion passed.

 

ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS AND CONTRACTS

1.   Will Council approve Second Reading of an ordinance titled, "An Ordinance Relating to Public Rights of Way and Amending AMC 13.02"?

 

Councilor Lemhouse/Navickas m/s to approve Ordinance #3040.  Roll Call Vote: Councilor Navickas, Voisin, Jackson, Silbiger, Chapman and Lemhouse, YES. Motion passed.

 

2.      Discussion regarding placing on agenda the transfer of Special Use Permit to Mt. Ashland Association.

Council noted prior experiences with Mt. Ashland Association that cost the City a large sums of money due to lawsuits.  Mt. Ashland Association was currently in violation of their lease because they did not have a restoration sum set aside to cover restoration costs.  Transferring the Special Use Permit (SUP) would relieve them from the liability of having to restore the watershed.  Councilors not in office during that time needed the history in order to make a decision on the issue.  Other comments included the proposal to give up the SUP unconditionally was not acceptable as presented.

 

Council went on to discuss whether to address the subject while Councilor Jackson and Councilor Navickas were still in office or when the new Council arrived in January.  Councilor Jackson and Councilor Navickas expressed interest in participating in the discussion.  Both could be available through January 2011 if needed.

 

City Administrator Martha Bennett commented on the current staff workload, the complexity of the issue and agreed to meet with Kim Clark from the Mt. Ashland Association initially.

 

OTHER BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS/REPORTS FROM COUNCIL LIAISONS 

Councilor Voisin explained that November 18, 2010 the Jackson County Planning Commission was having a Public Hearing on Regional Planning Solving (RPS) regarding Medford and Ashland that she was attending as a citizen.

 

Councilor Chapman was attending the Green House Gas Conference in Eugene with Councilor Jackson and Public Works Director Mike Faught and would provide a trip report for Council afterwards.

 

Councilor Voisin asked for a future report from the Councilors that attended the Oregon League of Cities Conference.

 

ADJOURNMENT

Meeting was adjourned at 8:37 p.m.

 

 

 

___________________________                              ____________________________

Barbara Christensen, City Recorder                             John Stromberg, Mayor

                      

 

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