ESTACADA CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

ESTACADA CITY HALL, COUNCIL CHAMBERS

475 SE MAIN STREET, ESTACADA, OREGON

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2005 - 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. Marli Stauffacher, Cr. Michele Conditt, Cr. Richard Hartwig, Cr. Becky Arnold, Cr. Kay Nelson, Cr. Ben Erickson, Mayor Bob Austin, CR Denise Carey.

 

Absent:  CM Randy Ealy.

 

CITIZEN AND COMMUNITY GROUP COMMENTS                                                      

§         September Citizen of the Month – Timberlake Job Corp

§         September Golden Rake Award – Richard & Rita Perry, 265 First Avenue

 

Mayor Austin awarded the September Citizen of the Month and Golden Rake Awards.

 

CONSENT AGENDA                                                                                      

Approve September 12, 2005 Council minutes

 

Cr. Conditt moved to approve the September 12, 2005 council minutes.  Cr. Hartwig seconded the motion.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

SPECIAL PRESENTATION – Estacada Area Chamber of Commerce                              

 

Irene Adams, President, distributed a packet of information and stated she has learned a lot about the Chamber this year by asking lots of questions. 

 

Cr. Hartwig stated that the city does not have the deep pockets of other cities and feels that the free space provided to the chamber at city hall is about all the city can do.  He would like time to read the packet of information distributed before any decision is made. 

 

Ms. Adams stated they are looking for some funding to help them finish up the year because at this point they are almost to the point of having to close the office. 

 

Cr. Arnold stated that the chamber is struggling because they lost money on the 2004 Fourth of July event and are still approximately $4900 in the red.  She also stated that the small cottage businesses need to become members and a new service they that will be offered to smaller businesses is the creation of a website piggybacked on the Chamber website. 

 

Cr. Conditt asked if the chamber planned to outline their relationship with the museum group in the form of an agreement on exactly what the roles are of each.  Ms. Adams stated they are working on this because the museum depends on their office for support.

 

Mayor Austin stated that the chamber was not asking for anything specific tonight but does want the city to look at supporting them up to $5,000 to help them finish up this fiscal year. 

 

Cr. Nelson agrees with Cr. Hartwig that the free space is probably all the city could do. 

 

It was council consensus to place this as an agenda item for the next meeting so the council has time to review the packet. 

 

DEPARTMENT & COMMITTEE REPORTS                                                                  

 

Mayor Austin reviewed some of the information he received at the Mayor’s meeting he attended last week. 

 

Mayor Austin stated it is time for CM Ealy’s review in November and he would like to have the contract updated and to have the Council President join him in reviewing the contract.  Mayor Austin asked that staff distribute the current contract to the council members. 

 

Mayor Austin also asked that a few councilors meet with a few school board members to come up with a date for a joint meeting. 

 

COUNCIL BUSINESS                                                                                                        

 

US Forest Service Update - Andrei Rykoff, District Ranger, explained that the US Forest Service is currently assessing all their properties and where they may be able to cut back.  The preferred alternative was to have the office of Zigzag and Estacada move to Sandy.  They are looking at selling the Estacada compound (5 acres across the river) and another property and using the proceeds from these sales to purchase a piece of property and office building.  The Estacada lease runs out in April 2007 so decisions must be made fairly soon.  There would still be a presence in Estacada that would consist of a small office staff that could answer questions, issue permits and provide a visitor center.  He has talked to CM Ealy and they have discussed that with the library moving out, there could be a small space in city hall for their office site.  There has to be a plan in place by the end of next year.  There are currently 33 FTE working even after recent downsizing. 

 

The Council thanked Mr. Rykoff for the information and asked to be kept aware of future plans.

 

Revised and New Job Descriptions – The council wants this decision postponed until the dress code can be updated. 

 

Clackamas County Sheriff Contract – Mayor Austin reviewed the contract and the changes that were made. 

 

Cr. Hartwig stated that there is no way the Council could approve this contract tonight.  He stated that there is information from the last Public Task Force meeting that must be considered before proceeding but he was not able to get the tape until tomorrow.  Mayor Austin asked him what the issue was.  Cr. Hartwig would not say what the information was but that it is really important.   

 

Cr. Conditt stated that this contract has been reviewed and the council is only approving what is in this contract.  It will cost the city over $6,000 if the decision on this contract is delayed. 

 

Cr. Stauffacher stated that she had been at the Public Task Force meeting and could not recall anything that would make it necessary to not pass this contract.  She moved to approve the intergovernmental agreement between Clackamas County and the City of Estacada relating to law enforcement services.  Cr. Conditt seconded the motion.  The council discussed the terms of terminating the contract.  Cr. Nelson stated that the section has not been changed regarding the cost of special services and she also does not like the automatic 8% increase.  Mayor Austin stated that it is a maximum of 8%, not necessarily the whole 8%.  Cr. Erickson would like to delay the meeting to hear what Cr. Hartwig is concerned about.  Cr. Arnold also feels that Cr. Hartwig should be able to produce whatever it is that he feels is so important.  Cr. Hartwig and Mayor Austin privately discussed something while pointing to a document.  Cr. Conditt stated that the Public Safety Task Force was not put together to review this contract and she feels this contract is worthy of being passed at this time. 

 

Roll call vote:  Cr. Arnold-no, Cr. Conditt-yes, Cr. Erickson-no, Cr. Hartwig-no, Cr. Nelson-no, Cr. Stauffacher-yes, Mayor Austin-yes.  The motion failed with 4 no and 3 yes.

 

The council will hold a special meeting on Thursday at 5:30 pm to hear what Cr. Hartwig is concerned about.  

 

PUBLIC HEARING – COMP PLAN REVIEW                                                                 

 

Mayor Austin opened the public hearing. 

 

Cr. Hartwig moved to postpone the public hearing for the comp plan review indefinitely.  Cr. Nelson seconded the motion.  The motion passed unanimously. 

 

Mayor Austin closed the public hearing.

 

CITIZEN AND COMMUNITY GROUP COMMENTS                                                       

 

Tom Nelson stated he is a member of the task force and can verify that what Cr. Hartwig is referring to is true.  He feels the Mayor and City Manager purposely tried to torpedo the task force because they haven’t had enough meetings and enough opportunity to get together and see what the citizens want. 

 

Clinton Vining, Estacada News, asked that the city look closely at the chamber packet.  He formally asked for a copy of the document that Cr. Hartwig passed to the Mayor. 

 

COUNCIL REPORTS & COMMENTS                                                                          

 

Mayor Austin stated he was the one that asked for the task force to be appointed and he is not trying to hold any decisions up regarding future police services.

 

Cr. Conditt looks forward to working with the school board on community issues. 

 

Cr. Stauffacher stated she sits on the Public Safety Task Force and stated that their purpose is to look at options for future options in public safety.

 

Cr. Arnold totally disagrees with Mr. Nelson’s comments and feels that anyone that thinks the Mayor or City Manager is purposely holding back a committee is asinine.  She also stated that Andy Carson of Channel 12 news would be coming out soon to promote Estacada and the positive things going on in our community.

 

Cr. Nelson had mixed feelings when the Valberg building was burned but it was very neat.  She is selling chances on a quilt for funds for a veteran’s memorial.  She asked everyone to support our troops on Veteran’s Day this year. 

 

Cr. Erickson reminded the council to take the time to read the percent for arts criteria for the library construction.  He thanked Irene Adams for all she does in the community; she is a great example of a citizen volunteer.

 

ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING

 

          The meeting was adjourned at 8:25 pm.