LAKEWOOD CITY COUNCIL
STUDY SESSION MINUTES
Monday, July 11, 2011
City of Lakewood Police Station
Multi-Purpose Room
9401 Lakewood Drive SW
Lakewood, WA 98499
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Richardson called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Councilmember’s Present: 7 – Mayor Douglas Richardson; Deputy Mayor Don Anderson; Councilmember’s Mary Moss, Mike Brandstetter, Jason Whalen, Walter Neary and Claudia Thomas.
Redevelopment Advisory Board Members: 7 – Chair Jim Charboneau, Robert Arndt, Bruce Bodine, James Guerrero, Tom James, Dan Durr and Denise Yochum.
ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION:
Joint meeting with the Redevelopment Advisory Board
Chair Charboneau reviewed the significant accomplishments of the Redevelopment Advisory Board (RDAB) and their upcoming work plan.
Discussion ensued on the RDAB Union Avenue recommendations for Tillicum; developing a vision for the City Center; creating affordable housing in areas designated for property tax incentives; what is the RDAB’s vision for the city entrances (sense of arrival by entering Lakewood with openness and greenery); reality of the lack of private funding for feeding a catalyst to spur economic development; value and merits of the Buxton study; looking at economic development in addition to retail such as education and colleges; and primarily using grant funds for road improvements;
Speaking before the Council was:
Dennis Haugen, Lakewood resident, spoke about EB 5.
Further discussion ensued about infrastructure improvements; and creating a “welcome mat” in making Lakewood a livable community.
Sewer connection policy update
- Billing agreement
Public Works Director Wickstrom highlighted the significant components of the Pierce County billing agreement and the low-flow agreement. He indicated that the billing agreement proposes a billing charge of $10.31 per account per month at a cost of $35,878.80 annually. The total “availability charge” revenue based on a $34.19/month/residential equivalent for 911 residential equivalent units is estimated at $373,771 a year. The 911 properties affected are properties adjacent to the sewers. There is an initial capital expense estimated at $10,000 associated with computer programming. The agreement is for 10 years.
Discussion ensued on what it would cost for the City to do its own billing; does the agreement stipulate that the City makes the determination on the availability residential equivalent units to bill; is the revenue received restricted for use on sewers only; what is the cost of $10.31/month made up of; how many of the 911 properties are interested in hooking up (10 property owners); can the $10.31 fee be reduced; and when do the Public Works Trust Fund loan need to be paid.
- Low flow agreement
Public Works Director Wickstrom explained that the agreement reduces the low flow requirement from 180,000 gallons per day to 70,400 gallons per day. He indicated that the County’s cost to maintain the system is $4,600 per month which amounts to $55,200 annually. The agreement requires the City to build the necessary capital improvements to make the system operational under low flow conditions at a cost of approximately $164,000. The capital improvements must be completed within 90 days of the City’s issuance of its Notice of Availability. The County will not allow side sewer connections until the capital improvements are made.
Discussion ensued on the design plans and when will the Notice of Availability letters be sent to property owners and have the system operational by September/October; the 90 day period begins at the City’s discretion; and will unpaid delinquent charges be a lien on the property.
Speaking before the Council was:
Dennis Haugen, Lakewood resident, spoke about the need to create jobs so people can stay in their homes.
Long Term Street Funds Financial Outlook
Assistant City Manager Halladay explained that the City is facing cyclical and structural changes to the road fund. He reviewed the options to consider such as reorganizing the mix of capital and maintenance expenditures, allowing pavement conditions to decrease which would result in lower quality streets and over time not be cost effective; transfer General Fund revenues to make up the deficits in the Street Maintenance Fund and providing for a Transportation Benefit District.
Discussion ensued on the possibility of transferring funds from the reserves or budgeting for grant matching funds; where is the “sweet spot” or “biggest bang for the buck” in maintaining streets before the escalation of costs become exorbitant; what is the pavement index of streets that the City wants to have for the various types of streets (i.e. residential, arterials, etc.); if a Transportation Benefit District is formed, providing for a strategic mix of maintenance and capital improvements may be more appealing to the citizenry.
Speaking before the Council was:
Dennis Haugen, Lakewood resident, expressed concern about not letting roads erode.
BRIEFING BY THE CITY MANAGER
City Manager Neiditz reported that the City’s sewer franchise ordinance is scheduled for the County Council’s consideration and action at their July 26, 2011 meeting. He indicated that an ordinance will be coming before the Council next week to provide for a 60-day extension of the City’s ordinance which expires on July 15, 2011 in order to meet the July 26, 2011 County Council’s meeting date.
City Manager Neiditz provided an update on the tour of the Lakewood Theatre and potential private/public partnership relative to theatres.
He then provided an update on the meetings held with Camp Murray about access to Camp Murray and a series of public meetings that are being planned. A joint meeting with the Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee, Planning Advisory Board, and Redevelopment Advisory Board is scheduled next week relative to the Camp Murray access.
ITEMS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR THE JULY 18, 2011 REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING:
1. Item No. 2 above.
2. Pierce Transit October Service Reduction Update - Ms. Tina Lee, Principal Planner, Pierce Transit
3. Adopting the Six Year Transportation Improvement Program (2012-2017) – (Resolution – Regular Agenda)
Councilmember Brandstetter indicated that there might be other projects to consider adding to the Six Year Transportation Improvement Program such as sidewalk improvements on Bridgeport Way to the gate of JBLM (McChord Gate), completing the improvements on Hipkins Road and addressing the right turn signal on Bridgeport Way and Gravelly Lake Drive.
CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS
Councilmember Whalen commented on the tour of the Lakewood theatre.
Councilmember Whalen explained that he received some citizens concerns about the overgrown weeds at Nyanza and Gravelly Lake Drive and also near Multi-Care. He commented on the Arts Commission meeting he attended and noted that the Committee is planning to bring forth a recommendation to the Council in September on a 1% for the arts proposal.
Deputy Mayor Anderson also commented about citizen concerns about overgrown weeds.
Mayor Richardson asked if Councilmember’s are interested in attending the 4-2 Stryker Brigade tour scheduled for July 18, 2011 to meet in the City parking lot at 6:30 a.m.
He announced that a county redistricting meeting will be held at the County Council on Tuesday, July 12, 2011.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:37 p.m.
_____________________________________
DOUGLAS G. RICHARDSON, MAYOR
ATTEST:
____________________________
ALICE M. BUSH, MMC
CITY CLERK
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