ESTACADA CITY HALL, COUNCIL CHAMBERS
475 SE MAIN STREET, ESTACADA, OREGON
MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2003 - 7:00 PM
CALL TO ORDER BY PRESIDING
OFFICER
The
meeting was called to order at 7:10 pm.
Mayor Austin led in the pledge of allegiance.
Present: Cr. Cliff Atkinson, Cr. Michele Cheshier, Cr.
Cliff Gavic, Cr. Becky Arnold, Cr. Ben Erickson, Cr. Marli Stauffacher, Cr. Bob
Austin, CM Randy Ealy, CA Andrew Cole, CR Denise Carey.
CITIZEN AND COMMUNITY GROUP
COMMENTS
September Citizen of the Month – Dean Baker
September Golden Rake Award – Clackamas River Grade
School
October Citizen of the Month – CB Stauffacher
October Golden Rake Award – Lynn Land
Mayor Austin presented Dean Baker and CB Stauffacher with the Citizen of the Month awards for September and October. Mayor Austin also presented Clackamas River Elementary and Lynn Land with the September and October golden rake awards.
Danny Scott, 20664 SE Norse Avenue, Eagle Creek – Mr. Scott stated he was invited to participate in the comprehensive plan review representing the school board. He stated that the school district wants to continue to offer the best education they can and every new student helps them achieve that goal. In order to do this there must be housing and business to attract new families.
Mark Greene, 2770 SE Curran – Mr. Greene informed the council that Estacada has not reduced any days of their school year and have hired more teachers this year and will continue to hire more teachers. The district has been working real hard on the district’s perception and they need the support and cooperation of the city to be successful. The need for housing and business is huge for the school district to grow.
Dean Holden – Mr. Holden feels the industrial land is a dismal failure and that the city needs to make changes to bring business to Estacada. You need a commercial base to sell houses.
Tanya Phillips, 901 NE Edgehill – Ms. Phillips thanked the city council for allowing the Chamber of Commerce the space in city hall. She stated that the Chamber had some major hits this year such as the criticism over the route of the parade. She feels that the city needs to somehow attract businesses to Estacada by opening up land for commercial business. The council needs to start thinking about what Estacada needs.
Nina Hamilton, business owner – Ms. Hamilton stated that she did not get to see the parade and that she feels the chamber is not supporting the business community by having the parade up the hill and not through the downtown. She stated that there were a lot of complaints of people being in other people’s yards. She would also like the Chamber of Commerce to promote what we do have in Estacada and be more positive.
Paula Nelson, 355 S. Broadway – Ms. Nelson reported that the Harvest Festival was very successful. Estacada has set the record in Oregon for the most carved pumpkins at 246. The parade was very successful. She thanked the city for their help with the permits. Ms. Nelson stated that she does have a complaint with a city councilor and wanted to know if it would be proper of her to discuss it here. Mayor Austin asked if she had confronted the councilor in question and tried to work it out. She stated that she had. She feels that the action of this councilor is affecting the businesses in Estacada and it needs to be corrected. Mayor Austin asked Ms. Nelson to write her complaint in a letter for him to review.
Tanya Phillips, Chamber of Commerce – Ms. Phillips stated that the Chamber helps the community by recommending businesses that are members. They do not recommend businesses that are not members.
Tom Nelson – Mr. Nelson stated that the issue with the councilor needs to be addressed.
CONSENT AGENDA
Approve September 22, 2003
Council minutes
Short Street/Timber Park Storm Drain Project–D & A General
Contractors– Change Order
Development Code Proposed Changes
– Confirm Council consensus for 45-day notice
Updated Employee Handbook and Job
Descriptions
CM Ealy reviewed the first change order for $14,266.26
and CR Carey reviewed the second change order for $3,778.56. The total project will only exceed the
original budget by $7,207.82 because of a $12,000 cut in original tasks.
CM explained the employee handbook and the new job descriptions in the public works department.
Cr. Cheshier moved to adopt the consent agenda. Cr. Atkinson seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
DEPARTMENT & COMMITTEE
REPORTS
City Manager – CM reviewed the July Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office activity report. CM reviewed the information under City Manager’s report included in the packet.
COUNCIL BUSINESS
Library Architect Programming Report – CM introduced Skip Stanaway, architect for the
new library. Mr. Stanaway reviewed the
Architectural Program included in the packet.
Resolution 2003 – 22 – A Resolution clarifying
responsibilities for the construction of a new Estacada Public Library.
CM reviewed the
resolution. He also distributed and
reviewed an email from Dave Piper with the different working relationships
possible between the City and the Estacada Library Foundation. CA stated that he feels the division of labor
needs to be very clear when this type of arrangement is made. He would like to see a resolution to allow
the foundation to raise money but not have any decision-making authority. CA feels there should be a councilor involved
with everything done at the foundation level along with the city’s finance
director. CM would like this put on the
next agenda so some things can be cleared up as far as an agreement with the
foundation.
Broadway Street – Guthu Property Improvements – CM reviewed the proposal to obtain property from
Mr. Guthu on Broadway Street to improve the street using this property and the
school district property for a 50’ right of way. Mr. Guthu would deed the property with the
understanding that the city build a new fence and install the sidewalks on
Broadway. It was council consensus to
have staff continue negotiating this project and to look at the budget next
year to fund this project.
Estacada Parks Draft Survey Results – CM reviewed the results of the parks survey. There will be an official meeting to discuss
these results.
FY 2003-04 1st Quarter Budget Review – The council reviewed the report.
Industrial Lands – Mayor Austin reviewed the information in the packet on a meeting
that CM and himself attended regarding shovel ready industrial sites in
Clackamas County. Cr. Arnold feels that the Atkinson property should be changed
to commercial because we have too much industrial property that has not been
able attract businesses. She feels the
council should vote to rezone the Atkinson property to commercial. CA stated that the property owner should
apply for the change and there is a process to go through for rezoning
property. Cr. Erickson stated that he
feels the council needs a lot more information to determine if commercial
property is the answer and if the industrial property should be jeopardized to
provide this. Cr. Cheshier is also
frustrated with the lack of growth in Estacada over the last 10 years but she
also feels there needs to be a lot more information to base this decision on. Cr. Atkinson feels there are family wage jobs
in both the industrial market and the commercial market. He feels there are issues at the county and
state level regarding the promotion of Estacada. Cr. Stauffacher feels there needs to be some
kind of change to bring tax dollars into the town. Mayor Austin stated there have been some
positive changes in Estacada and this is definitely something that needs to be
addressed. CA stated that the current
process of periodic review is the way to inventory your lands and to make
changes and the city has already hired a consultant to inventory the land. This will give the city legal findings to
back up their decisions on rezoning land.
CITIZEN AND COMMUNITY GROUP
COMMENTS
Dean Holden
– Mr. Holden stated he tried to get a business in Estacada that decided to relocate
in Baker City and they have 74 employees.
He has another client that wants to relocate but there is no business
base in Estacada.
Danny Scott – Mr. Scott stated that he feels Dave Bugni will do a great job promoting the library. He is very proactive in seeking grants and community support is very helpful in receiving grants. Mr. Scott applauded Cr. Arnold for her views and would like to see the council become proactive on promoting Estacada.
Nina Hamilton – Ms. Hamilton feels that anything Cr. Atkinson says about this topic is a conflict of interest. She stated that there would not be a lot of change at this time because of the deep recession. She feels we need to be patient with the process and feels that the industrial property will draw people eventually to Estacada. She feels there needs to be a strong local economy to draw other businesses into the city and we don’t have that at this time.
Paula Nelson – Ms. Nelson stated that Estacada does not have the time to sit and wait anymore and something needs to be done. Whatever needs to be done, lets get it done.
Bob Bennett, 286 N. Broadway – Mr. Bennett has lived in this town for nearly 50 years and has not seen much growth in Estacada. He feels there is need for an expansion and successful businesses will continue being successful even with competition.
Tanya Phillips – Ms. Phillips wants the council to start now to look at changing things. She also encouraged the Atkinson’s to file their rezone again because they have a lot of support.
COUNCIL REPORTS &
COMMENTS
Cr. Atkinson stated that when Safeway was looking at
land in Estacada they were looking at getting the business that was leaving
town, not the business that Thriftway gets already. He stated that we need to do something
fast.
Cr. Cheshier thanked everyone for coming and for all
the comments from the community.
Cr. Erickson encouraged everyone to express your
opinions and to show up at meetings to let the council know how you feel.
Cr. Gavic stated that Estacada is in a deep
recession but there have been some positive things happening downtown. He feels everyone is in this together.
Cr. Arnold thanked Paula Nelson for the hard work
she put into the Harvest Festival. The
Boo Fest was also a success. She thanked
Cascade Utilities for providing the inserts regarding the skate park group in
their bills and thanked the newspaper for their continued support and articles.
Mayor Austin thanked everyone for their comments tonight. He stated that he had a meeting regarding the Springwater Corridor Trail that may now be extended to Barton. Mayor Austin will continue to work with this group to eventually get Estacada’s part of the trail hooked into the rest of the trail.
EXECUTIVE SESSION –
192.660(1)(i) - Personnel
Mayor Austin announced that the council would
adjourn into executive session under ORS 192.660(1)(i) – to review and evaluate
the City Manager. He asked everyone to
leave the room except those representing the media. He advised the media representatives that
they couldn’t report the contents of the executive session.
All the council and staff listed above were present
along with Chris Randall, acting Public Works Superintendent and Clinton
Vining, Clackamas County News.
The council returned to regular session.
EXECUTIVE SESSION –
192.660(1)(e) – Real property transactions
Mayor Austin announced that the council will adjourn
into executive session under ORS 192.660(1)(e) – to conduct deliberations with
persons designated by the governing body to negotiate real property
transactions. He asked everyone to leave
the room except those representing the media.
He advised the media representatives that they couldn’t report the
contents of the executive session.
All the council and staff listed above were present
along with Chris Randall, acting Public Works Superintendent and Clinton
Vining, Clackamas County News.
The council returned to regular session.
EXECUTIVE SESSION –
192.660(1)(h) – Litigation
Mayor Austin announced that the council would
adjourn into executive session under ORS 192.660(1)(h) – to consult with
counsel with regard to current litigation or litigation likely to be
filed. He asked everyone to leave the
room except those representing the media.
He advised the media representatives that they couldn’t report the
contents of the executive session.
All the council and staff listed above were present
along with Chris Randall, acting Public Works Superintendent and Clinton
Vining, Clackamas County News.
The council returned to regular session.
ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING
The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 pm.