ESTACADA CITY HALL,
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
475 SE MAIN STREET,
ESTACADA, OREGON
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18,
2002 - 7:00 PM
CALL TO ORDER BY PRESIDING OFFICER
The meeting was called to order at
7:00 pm. Mayor Austin led in the pledge
of allegiance.
Present: Cr. Pam Butcher, Cr. Marli Stauffacher, Cr.
Cliff Gavic, Cr. Richard Hartwig, Cr. Cliff Atkinson, Cr. Jane Troeh, Mayor Bob
Austin, CM Randy Ealy, CR Denise Carey.
CITIZEN AND COMMUNITY GROUP COMMENTS
1. November
Citizen of the Month – Jami Berry
2. November
Golden Rake Award – Pat and Ronald Hnidey
Mayor Austin
presented the November citizen of the month and golden rake award. He also presented the city with a couple of
awards he has received for the city: a CIS
safety award and an award of excellence for the development of the Estacada
Industrial Park.
Tim Arnold – Mr.
Arnold gave the council an update on the re-creation of the Estacada Museum
Association. He stated that in January a
board would be elected in an open meeting.
The museum is being renovated and will be open by December 6th.
Beverly Anderson
– Ms. Anderson stated there would be an open house on December 6th
from 4:00pm to 5:00pm at City Hall. This
open house will allow the public to view the recently renovated Council
Chambers and Museum. The Library has a
giving tree and everyone is asked to bring an unwrapped gift for the tree. There will be singing and refreshments and
then caroling to the Spiral Gallery for the “First Friday” event.
Lisa Homan,
Chamber of Commerce – Ms. Homan stated that on Saturday, November 30th
at 8:00am, volunteers will meet at City Hall to hang the snowflakes and
banners. The Santa breakfast, Christmas
parade and bazaar will be held on December 14th.
CONSENT AGENDA
1. Approve
October 28, 2002 Council minutes
2. OLCC
Liquor License Application – Fearless Brewing Company and Tap House
Cr. Butcher moved to approve the consent
agenda. Cr. Stauffacher seconded the
motion. Roll call vote: Cr. Butcher-yes, Cr. Stauffacher-yes, Cr.
Hartwig-yes, Cr. Atkinson-yes, Cr. Troeh-yes, Cr. Gavic-yes, Mayor
Austin-yes. The motion passed with 7 yes
and 0 no.
DEPARTMENT & COMMITTEE REPORTS
Clackamas
County Sheriff’s Report – The Council reviewed the report included in the
packet. CM Ealy stated that a new deputy
has been assigned as of today but we were not able to determine whom it will
be.
Public Works
Water Loss Report – CM reviewed the report and stated that we are
investigating why the water loss percentage spiked. There were a number of things that could have
caused this including the Forest Service firefighters using the park water –
some may not be metered.
City Manager
Report – CM reviewed his written manager report in the packet. CM announced that Mayor Austin was recently
appointed to the League of Oregon Cities Board of Directors.
PUBLIC HEARING – Estacada Downtown Economic Improvement
District
Mayor Austin
opened the public hearing.
CM Ealy presented
a staff report reviewing the steps taken thus far to develop the EID and the
reasons for it. He outlined the
procedure to the council on how an EID is formed. The next step is to have a second public
hearing regarding the assessments where people have a chance to remonstrate
against the EID by written objections.
Beverly
Andersons reviewed some of the projects that can be funded through an EID and
presented pictures of some of the areas in the downtown area that could benefit
from the group.
Peter O’Neal,
property and business owner, Estacada Thriftway – Mr. O’Neal stated that
the goals of the EID would enhance the shopping environment of downtown and
benefit the property and business owners.
One of the goals is to survey the downtown buildings and types of
business and then target businesses that are not currently available in the
community and partner with programs to assist in developing these
businesses. They would also organize a
business assistance team to help businesses expand and locate in the area,
helping to make this process as uncomplicated as possible. The last goal is to fill the industrial parks
by recruiting businesses that pay family wage jobs to bring new families to
Estacada. These are the exact goals
outlined in the Estacada Comprehensive Plan and Strategic Plan. The EID funds will help these things happen.
Dee Hawes,
property and business owner, Figaro’s Pizza and The Cone – Mr. Hawes is
very excited about this proposal.
Property and business owners have put the EID proposal together. He stated the first thing that needs to
happen is to get a Downtown Manager to do the legwork and paperwork to achieve
the goals. He feels this proposal will
benefit all of Estacada.
Irene Adams,
property and business owner, Adam’s Apple Tanning and Gifts and Button willow
Antiques – Ms. Adams stated that the idea is to come up with a plan to
utilize what we already have in this town such as the recreational and tourist
opportunities and build from this. The
goal is to create a more livable, park-like setting for the downtown area and
to change the first image of the city for people driving through on the
highway.
Proponents of
the proposal:
Brenda
Crosby, property and business owner, Cascade Utilities, J& D Investments
and Steve and Brenda Crosby – Ms. Crosby is in support of the project and
appreciates the work done by the group.
Richard
Pickwick, Bank of the West – Mr. Pickwick stated that on behalf of the Bank
of the West they are very interested in the community and this type of
development. He stated that these types
of improvements will increase revenues and property values and everyone
benefits.
Opponents of the
proposal:
Nina
Hamilton, business owner, Silverwood Gifts – Ms. Hamilton stated that she
is basically in favor of the goals of the EID.
She is not in favor of the fact that it is involuntary. She stated that many business owners are
against the plan. Secondly, the business
owners that are capped have too much power to push this through. If the payment is capped, the vote should be
capped.
Doug
Davidson, property owner, 2nd and Hwy 224 – Mr. Davidson stated
he feels he would be paying an unfair amount because he will pay more than most
of the downtown businesses. He has
already made quite an investment and feels he will not benefit from this
proposal.
Jeff Church,
business owner, Estacada Food Forum – Mr. Church stated he would like the
assessment to be voluntary. He is not a
property owner but stated he would end up paying the tax.
Neutral:
Becky Arnold,
142 Wade Street – Ms. Arnold asked if there is any kind of plan put in
place for the businesses that will have an economic hardship.
Rebuttal:
Peter O’Neal
– Mr. O’Neal stated that there were many meetings and much discussion regarding
voluntary vs. involuntary assessments and the final decision was to make this
involuntary. Economic hardships were not
discussed but he realizes that both large and small companies may have an
economic hardship. He stated that the
owners with a payment that is capped are also capped as far as the remonstrance
because it is based on the amount of the assessment, not the amount of property
owned. He also encouraged the property
and business owners that are against the EID to become involved. Mr. O’Neal stated the map of the area was
developed over many, many meetings and input from the people attending the
meetings.
Cr. Atkinson
stated he could understand wanting it to be involuntary because if it was
voluntary there would be pockets of areas not improved and this would defeat
the purpose of the EID. He also asked
about residential properties and if they can benefit. CM Ealy stated that it is state law that
residential properties cannot be assessed.
Cr. Atkinson asked how a downtown manager would be paid. Mr. O’Neal stated this is something the board
will have to decide -whether or not to pay a manager and if so how many
hours. Mr. O’Neal is not sure that the
goals cannot be achieved with a volunteer.
Cr. Atkinson asked how the funds would be collected. Mr. O’Neal stated the city would collect the
fees and pass it on to the EID.
Cr. Hartwig
asked if the fees were tax deductible.
CM stated that it is completely tax deductible for whoever pays the
fee. Tamara Hawes stated that if the
payment of the fee was passed on to the business owner from the property owner,
the business owner would get the tax credit.
Tamara Hawes,
property owner and business owner of Figaros Pizza – Mrs. Hawes stated that non
profit organizations do not have to participate. She stated that she owns property rented by a
non-profit organization but will voluntarily pay for this property. Cr. Hartwig asked what Mr. Davidson would get
for his money. Mrs. Hawes stated the
improvements would make all businesses more marketable and bring more business
to the downtown area. One of the goals
is to market the current businesses and to help them build their customer
base. If the downtown area is an inviting
place to come, more people will shop here.
CM stated this
is about the community and appreciates everyone’s questions and comments. He explained how the fees put together could
leverage grants to turn a property owners payment of $650 a year into a
possible $70,000 per year.
Mayor Austin
closed the public hearing.
COUNCIL BUSINESS
Ordinance
Series of 2002, No. 6 – An Ordinance establishing an Economic Improvement
District in the downtown area in the City of Estacada, Oregon – CM Ealy
read Ordinance Series of 2002, No. 6.
Cr. Butcher moved
to dispense with the second reading and read by title only. Cr. Atkinson seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Cr. Stauffacher-yes, Cr. Atkinson-yes, Cr.
Butcher-yes, Cr. Gavic-yes, Cr. Hartwig-yes, Cr. Troeh-yes, Mayor
Austin-yes. The motion passed with 7 yes
and 0 no.
CM Ealy read
Ordinance Series of 2002, No. 6 by title only.
Cr. Butcher
moved to adopt Ordinance Series of 2002, No. 6 – An Ordinance establishing an
Economic Improvement District in the downtown area in the City of Estacada, Oregon. Cr. Atkinson seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Cr. Stauffacher-yes, Cr. Atkinson-yes, Cr.
Butcher-yes, Cr. Gavic-yes, Cr. Hartwig-yes, Cr. Troeh-yes, Mayor
Austin-yes. The motion passed with 7 yes
and 0 no.
2003-05 CDBG
project list – CM reviewed the list included in the packet. He stated that the Community Center will be
submitting a grant to help with their roof drainage problem and the city
supports this application.
It was council
consensus to approve the recommendation from the Infrastructure Committee
listing the CDBG grant funding projects.
IGA –
University of Oregon Community Planning Workshop – Parks Master Plan – CM
explained the intergovernmental agreement for the services of updating the
Estacada Parks and Open Space Master Plan.
CM stated the money is not available for all of the services but the
city is interested in beginning phase 1 that deals with the Capital Improvement
Plan and SDC’s for $5,000.
Cr. Hartwig
moved to approve the expenditure of $5,000 from the Park SDC fund for phase 1
of the master plan services. Cr. Gavic
seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Cr.
Stauffacher-yes, Cr. Atkinson-yes, Cr. Butcher-yes, Cr. Gavic-yes, Cr.
Hartwig-yes, Cr. Troeh-yes, Mayor Austin-yes.
The motion passed with 7 yes and 0 no.
Employee
Handbook/Job Descriptions – CR Carey stated that the updates in the
handbook were to clarify areas that were vague and hard to interpret. All policies adopted by the council since the
last adoption of the handbook were also incorporated, such as Internet usage
and cell phone policies, commuting rules and stand by time. This will be on the agenda as an action item
in December.
Loitering
Ordinance – CM Ealy commented on the loitering ordinance. Cr. Butcher is concerned with Section 1 -
Prohibition regarding school property.
She would like clarification from the attorney on why this was
included. Cr. Troeh does not like the
word loitering used. She feels that if
people are not doing anything threatening, they should be allowed on the
grounds. She does not feel that simple
loitering is the problem.
Resolution
2002 – 25 – A Resolution setting metered water rates, standby service rates and
reduced water rates – CR Carey reviewed the resolution.
Cr. Butcher
moved to approve Resolution 2002 – 25 – A Resolution setting metered water
rates, standby service rates and reduced water rates. Cr. Hartwig seconded the motion. Roll call
vote: Cr. Stauffacher-yes, Cr.
Atkinson-yes, Cr. Butcher-yes, Cr. Gavic-yes, Cr. Hartwig-yes, Cr. Troeh-yes,
Mayor Austin-yes. The motion passed with
7 yes and 0 no.
CITIZEN AND COMMUNITY GROUP COMMENTS
Dianna Turk,
30095 SE Cemetery Road – Ms. Turk has been working with the Estacada Skate
Association who have been doing grant writing and fund raising. Estacada Together is sponsoring the ESA. We need things for young people to do in this
city and a skate park may be one answer to this problem.
Irene Adams,
Cemetery Road – Ms. Adams stated there is a group of people that meet outside
city hall that is disruptive and threatening.
An ordinance may be harsh but you need something to stop this
behavior.
Nina Hamilton
– Ms. Hamilton suggested that an adult presence might help with the
problem. She would like to know what
percentage of the total assessment the top ten property owners represent.
COUNCIL REPORTS & COMMENTS
Cr. Troeh
congratulated Mayor Austin for being appointed to the LOC Board. She also thanked all the candidates running
for office. She also thanked Tim Arnold
for the work in the museum.
Cr. Gavic
appreciates all the reports submitted.
He stated he is encouraged by all the activity going on focusing on the
downtown area.
Cr. Hartwig
thanked the EID group for being persistent.
He feels this is a good first step to help this community. He is looking forward to the new councilors
coming in and congratulated the Mayor in retaining his seat.
Cr. Hartwig
asked everyone to attend November 30th to help put up the Christmas
lights. He congratulated the new blood
on the council and thanked Pam and Jane for their contributions to the
city.
Cr. Stauffacher
stated she was impressed with the EID presentation and is very excited to see
it begin. She stated that she sees the
loitering ordinance as a tool to use to solve any problems, not to pick on
people just hanging out.
Cr. Butcher
thanked staff for the employee handbook.
She feels this is an important tool and has wanted to see the update
accomplished during her tenure on the Council.
She is also excited about the EID and feels the business community has
stepped forward and it is up to the council to stand behind them.
Mayor Austin
appreciates all the discussion tonight and the candidates that ran for office.
ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING
The meeting
was adjourned at 10:00 pm.