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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975-07-14 Committee of the Whole MinutesJuly 14, 1975 7:30 P.M. CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL OF COUNCIL MEMBERS MEETING DISCUSSION Ord. #932, Establishing No Parking zone on State Highway 181 TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING M I N U T E S /.?70 Tukwila City Hall Council Chambers MOVED BY SAUL, SECONDED BY STERLING, THAT COUNCILWOMAN DAVIS ACT AS CHAIRPERSON IN THE ABSENCE OF COUNCIL PRESIDENT TRAYNOR. CARRIED. GARDNER, STERLING, DAVIS, HARRIS, SAUL, JOHANSON Councilwoman Davis requested information from Steve Hall, Director of Public Works, as to why Ordinance #932 establishing a No Parking zone on State Highway 181 had not been complied with. Steve Hall, Director of Public Works, stated that he had written a letter to Council President Traynor in response to a memo from him, out- lining the problem and he had stated in the letter that John Sheets, Police Chief, has stated that according to the City Attorney the law is unenforcable and tickets cannot be issued for parking on State Highways unless the law is passed by the State Highway Commission. He added that the cost of buying and installing the No Park- ing signs would be $1700 and this money is not in the budget. Councilwoman Harris asked how many signs would be involved. Steve Hall stated about 40 signs would be required. Eleanor McLester, audience, stated that she understood the signs were already made and ready to be installed and she felt the two employees of the Public Works Department who were working on her street on this date and had time to play tennis, talk with her teen -age children, and eat sunflower seeds during working hours and the two police officers that she had observed conver- sing should be put to work installing the signs so there would be no charge for installation of the signs. Councilwoman Davis stated that it was her understanding that it was the intent of the City Council to go ahead with the installation of the signs even though the ticketing could not be done. She added that the No Parking signs would be good from a psychological point of view and might prevent some of the parking along the highway around Longacres. She continued that she under- stood there are two months of racing remaining and she would like to go ahead on this and get the money from some place, as the City Council was not aware of this matter when the budget was made up. Councilman Gardner stated that since it is a State Highway it seems the Stat should stand the expense. Steve Hall stated that was not the case until legislation is passed by the State High- way Commission. Mrs. Nelson, audience, stated that some signs are up on the access road that are on Nelson Road and other intersections. Steve Hall stated the law specifies where the signs can be put up and they cannot be put up on the State Highways. Councilwoman Harris stated that she thought the police could write a ticket when a car was parked half on the white line of road and on travelled lane and also the City has a valid ordinance now making this a No Parking area. She added that the City should be able to go ahead and put the signs up and write tickets on cars that were parked illegally and if the State does not like it let them take action against the City. Councilwoman Davis said that frequently there is a blocking of fire hydrants and driveways to resi- dences. Councilman Sterling suggested that the State be contacted and be made aware of what the City is doing and they should be glad that the City is taking action on this situation. Ed Bauch, audience, stated that during the last two months he had gone through the budget TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING July 14, 1975 Page 2 MEETING DISCUSSION Ord. #932, Establishing No Parking zone on State Hwy. 181 Contd. Proposed Res. authorizing Mayor to execute agreement with Puget Sound Power and Light and with Pacific North- west Bell re: under- ground facilities; and Utility under grounding progress report (Public Works Director) Contd. a 7 and had found that money had been spent that was not budgeted. He added that since this is an emergency he felt the City should go ahead and take care of it. Councilwoman Davis stated that she would appreciate immediate action to solve the problem. Steve Hall stated that he would take immediate action on the matter. Steve Hall, Director of Public Works, read letter to the City Council that he had written to Councilman Gardner regarding the Utility Undergrounding Status Report dated July 11, 1975 and pointed out that the total costs for the first three phases would be $95,952.20. Steve Hall stated that it would be necessary to sign an agree- ment for the work that they would do but this would not be necessary with Northwest Bell. Councilwoman Harris stated that she felt the matter should be looked into very thoroughly and that the City should have a contract with each company and an ordinance with each company that adds up to the whole thing. In this manner it would be funded with City funds and authorize the work to be done. She added that they still do not have the total cost of the entire project. Councilman Johanson stated that he felt the City has the responsibility of doing the under grounding, that he thought there should not be a L.I.D. on this undergrounding. Councilwoman Harris agreed that the property owners should not be charged but she felt the City should know specifically how much this is going to cost so the spending program for the next year can be planned. Steve Hall stated that estimates are hard to make at this time; that an estimate can be made at this time but two years from now it is impossible to tell what the amount will be. Councilwoman Harris asked about the tariff and Steve Hall drew the conversion table on th blackboard showing the costs and explaining the table. Councilwoman Harris stated that it does not seem right that the City pay for the poles and they are then owned by the Power Company; it seems if the City buys the poles then they should own them. Steve Hall stated that the Power Company does the routine maintenance on the poles, but the City has to replace broken lights and other repairs that are not of a routine nature. He added that the utility companies pay the construction costs of labor and materials. Steve Hall added that the tar- iffs are approved and adopted by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission. Councilman Sterling stated that it might be a good idea to investigate the undergrounding ordinance and see if the City might be able to bargain with the utility companies. Council- woman Harris stated that according to the agreement with Puget Power it appears that we will be three years behind at the rate the work has been outlined. Councilman Sterling asked who has met with Puget Power on this matter and Steve Hall stated that he had. Councilman Sterling stated that before signing this agreement he felt the City Council should have a meeting with the util ity companies on this matter and have a few questions answered. Steve Hall stated that he would arrange to have representatives from Puget Power to furnish cost on project and Pacific Northwest Bell and Teleprompter to furnish contracts. Councilman Gardner asked if the money in the budget is just for undergrounding and how much was budgeted. Steve Hall stated that $160,000 was budgeted and the work will be done this summer and winter; some people will be unhappy no matter when the work is done. Councilwoman TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING July 14, 1975 Page 3 MEETING DISCUSSION Contd. Proposed Res. authorizing Mayor to execute agreement with Puget Sound Power Light and with Pacific North- west Bell re: under- ground facilities; and Utility under grounding progress report (Public Works Director) Contd. Council Procedures is 77 Harris asked if it would be possible to obtain any grants for any part of this project. Steve Hall stated that he had called and none were available for this; however, he would check again and if there was anything available in grants or federal funds he would report the information. Eleanor McLester stated that if the City had a Deputy City Attorney for Land Use he would be able to furnish information on this matter. Councilwoman Davis stated that she thought the City Council should go out and see if the ordinances are written correctly. Steve Hall stated that all ordinances go through City Attorney Parker and he gives approval on them. Council- woman Davis stated that a meeting with all three utili- ties could be held on Monday, July 28, 1975 during the regular Committee of the Whole Meeting. Councilman Sterling stated if the City Council could talk to the representatives they might be able to get the utility companies to pay more of the costs. Councilwoman Harris stated that they could also get the total project cost. She added that she would request not to put these proposed resolutions on the agenda for the next City Council meeting as they might need the ordinances before the resolutions are needed. Steve Hall stated there is a blueprint that is Exhibit A and he would bring it to the Public Works Committee meeting on Thursday, July 17, and to the Committee of the Whole Meeting on July 28. Councilman Johanson stated that Council President Traynor had requested that the following items be considered with respect to changing the Council Procedures: (1) That the wording regarding the Thursday night agenda meeting be changed so the agenda meeting will be held the Thursday night preceding the next City Council meet- ing. (2) That wording in the Council Procedures should be changed so the Committee of the Whole Meeting can be held on another night when the scheduled night is a holiday. (3) Council President Traynor and Councilman Johanson had jointly agreed that on matters coming up for a first reading go to second reading and then if it is satisfac- tory as to content it then go to committee for further consideration and recommendation. Councilwoman Davis stated that it seemed to her that it should go into committee after the first reading so if there were any changes it could go back for reading with the changes. Councilwoman Harris stated that the Council has adopted Robert's Rules of Order which is part of the Council Procedures. In this there is a provision where the City Council can suspend the rules of the procedure ord- inance which says there must be two readings of resolu- tions and ordinances. She stated that if there is a first reading one night and the second reading two weeks later without any action taken and then it is put in committee it would delay action. She added that she thought it was better to put it in committee after the first reading. She added that a City Council meeting is not for the purpose of doing committee work, it is a business meeting. She continued that at a Committee of the Whole Meeting a few weeks ago it was decided that all proposed legislation be read by title only the first time and then the wheels are set in motion for further action. Councilman Sterling stated that he thought that by suspending the rules the problem could be solved. Councilwoman Harris stated that all items for the agenda TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING July 14, 1975 Page 4 MEETING DISCUSSION Contd. Council Procedures Contd. of the City Council meeting must be in the City Clerk's office by Wednesday night preceding the following Monday night meeting of the City Council. This way the agenda packet can be prepared for the Agenda Meeting held Thurs- day before the City Council meeting on Monday, and items cannot be added after the agenda has been approved in the Thursday night meeting. Ed Bauch, audience, stated that it seemed to him that the City Council members should be able to have the agenda amended four to five hours before the City Council meeting so items of importance could be put on the agenda. Councilman Johanson stated that he would like to have this first and second reading so items could then go into committee. Councilwoman Davis stated that if a Council Member misses having something put on the agenda they can request to have the rules suspended. MOVED BY HARRIS, SECONDED BY SAUL, THAT DISCUSSION ON COUNCIL PROCEDURES BE CONTINUED AT A LATER DATE. CARRIED. ADJOURNMENT MOVED BY SAUL, SECONDED BY HARRIS, THAT THE COMMITTEE 10:00 P.M. MEETING OF THE WHOLE ADJOURN. CARRIED. Norma Booher, Recording Secretary