Town of Concrete
Town Council Meeting
August 14, 2017
6:00 p.m. Mayor Miller called the meeting to order. Mayor Miller led the gallery in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Roll Call: Council Members: Rob Thomas, Jude Dippold, Mike Bartel, Marla Reed, and Ginger Kyritsis.
Staff Present: Town Attorney David Day, Clerk Treasurer Andrea Fichter, Town Engineer Cody Hart and Town Planner Marianne Manville-Ailles.
Audience Members Signed In: Jack Mears, Bill Pfeifer, L. DeKrey, G. Dunlap, George Theodoratus, Tyler W. Nibarger, and John Boggs.
Public Participation: None.
Events Application: None
Special Presentations: Public Safety: Sergeant Kading reported on a break-in that occurred at a property near the post office. He also reported the train car fire is still under investigation. He also stated the Community Closet had also been broken into.
Mayor Miller stated that he believes there is asbestos on the railcar, which will make it more costly for the owners to dispose of.
CRH Engineering-Cody Hart: South Dillard Avenue-Airport Way Progress Payment #2 – Cody reported the overall project is still under budget overall, and he is waiting on administrative paperwork from the contractor to close this project out. He stated there may be one more small pay request.
Marla Reed made a motion to approve the pay request. Ginger Kyritsis seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
Task Order #2017-7 – First Street Waterline Extension Construction Management: Cody reported the bid opening for this project occurred last Friday. He stated there are some bid irregularities and he will have a recommendation to award at the next council meeting once the numbers have been finalized.
Marianne reported the permit through WSDOT and the easement from Skagit County for this project should all be approved and received any day.
Marla Reed made a motion to approve the Task Order. Rob Thomas seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
Cody also reported the grant application for Cedar Street is proceeding. He stated that preliminary plans were left for staff review and comments last week. He stated that he received Alan’s comments and is proceeding with finalizing the cost proposals and grant application. He stated the application needs to be submitted before August 18. He stated they will also be putting together and submitting a grant application for the East Main Street sidewalks.
Consent Agenda:
Town Council Minutes: July 24. 2017
Approval of Claims Checks: #3583-#3623
Approval of Payroll Checks
Marla Reed made a motion to approve the consent agenda. Rob Thomas seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
Public Hearings: None.
Old Business: Resolution #2017-08 – Authorizing Staff to Initiate Procedures for Property Transfer, Annexation and BLA: Marianne explained where we are at with the property that George Theodoratus would like to donate to the town. She stated that David Day had completed a lot of research regarding this item and discovered a route that will allow us to annex the property for municipal purposes. She stated the resolution will allow for town staff to begin the process.
She stated they will most likely do the boundary line adjustment first, then George will donate the property. She stated after that the town will grant him a small easement and then move forward with annexation and the zoning of the property. She stated once this is all completed, it will allow the town to move forward with plans for the boat launch and campground in this area.
David Day stated that as long as we get the property for municipal purposes and the county agrees, then we will not have to go through the GMA and Boundary Review Board processes.
Marianne stated that she will call Lisa Janicki as soon as Lisa returns from vacation. She stated that she doesn’t believe there will be any pushback from the county on this.
Discussion ensued on the overall process and who owns the adjoining properties.
Rob Thomas made a motion to approve the resolution. Jude Dippold seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
George Theodoratus stated that he hasn’t actually seen the resolution, but it has been his intent all along to donate this property to the town. George stated that he recommends that any needed land clearing or burning that needs to be done, gets completed prior to annexation since the town would be allowed to burn in the county, but not once it is inside town limits.
USDA Community Facilities Grant Agreement – Public Works Equipment Project: Mayor Miller stated this is for the purchase of a new backhoe. Andrea reported a motion of approval will allow for the town to move forward and allow for Mayor Miller to sign any needed documents.
Marla Reed asked if it was all grant. Andrea stated it is 75% grant so the town could potentially be responsible for approximately $10,000.
Marla Reed made a motion to approve. Ginger Kyritsis seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
Airport Binding Site Plan Approval: Marianne stated this item has been discussed several times and there isn’t anything new. She stated the changes that were incorporated into this update include: the adjustments of lots A, B, and C, moved the helipad, added the fueling station, updates for lots that were combined, taxiways are now labeled correctly and shows the correct location of the windsock.
It was stated there was a typo in the first and second paragraphs of the ordinance and section 4 needed to be added at the end, stating this ordinance would not be codified.
Marla Reed made a motion to approve with the corrections. Jude Dippold seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
David Day asked if this will be recorded. Marianne stated there were signatures that are needed first and then it will be recorded.
New Business: Budget Workshop Dates: Discussion ensued on dates for the workshops and that Saturdays worked really well last year. It was also stated that the first workshop may only consist of review of the current year budget and the salaries and benefits, since the utility rate study may not be completed yet, so it would be difficult to discuss utility rates and fees at that first one. October 14, 2017, was chosen for the first workshop and the other dates will be decided in the near future.
Discussion Items: None.
Council Reports: Airport: Mike Bartel: Nothing new to report.
Parks: Marla Reed: Nothing new to report.
Community Garden: Mike Bartel: Nothing new to report.
Historic Preservation and Landmarks Commission: Ginger Kyritsis: Nothing new to report.
Health Care: Jude Dippold: Nothing new to report.
Economic Development Commission: Ginger Kyritsis: Ginger reported the commission met last week and discussed the following:
- Web site: The Web site is very close to being completed and then need decide how to accept online utility payments.
- Branding: Two workshops have been held and they are working through all the information and data that was gathered.
- Broadband: Town will work with EDASC and the Port of Skagit to get broadband to Concrete, which is about 3 years from now.
- Community Action: Claudia Marken attended and presented information on their apprenticeship programs and the other programs they are working on.
- Flag Contest: The contest is under way; Eric Archuletta and Tyler Nibarger will staff a Town of Concrete Flag Contest booth during Cascade Days.
- Adaptive Reuse: Mayor Miller reported that on July 31, he and Eric Archuletta had met with members of EDASC and the Port to tour the Town Center and discuss the different vacant buildings. He stated they made it to the old fire hall and they began to discuss adaptive reuse for this building. He stated that Eric is working on a feasibility study for this building.
Audience member John Boggs asked if the sign near the Superior Building is going to come down since it discusses the adaptive reuse, which is not going to happen now. Mayor Miller stated that he intends to remove that soon.
Mayor Miller also stated the council is invited to attend the next workshop meeting on September 13 at 5b’s, where they will discuss the flag contest and what they should be looking for when they choose a town flag design.
Mayor Miller stated that Eric is leading point on a lot of items, such as the branding workshop data, the flag contest, and the vacant building inventory. He stated that Eric also attended a meeting this last Saturday in Mayor Miller’s place, at the EDASC offices in Mount Vernon. He stated this meeting was to discuss the broadband project and to bring Congresswomen DelBene up to date and discuss funding options. A PUD rep also mentioned that he believes the conduit was already installed for fiber in the town limits.
Audience member Jack Mears stated that he would like to speak on a couple items. He stated that he received a letter stating they will no longer be allowed to dump yard waste at the end of the airport, which they have been doing for 23 years. He asked where he is supposed to put his grass clippings and leaves. He stated the town has a chipper, but it can’t be used to chip leaves, grass clippings, and weeds.
Jack Mears also stated that he has received a water letter and a letter regarding junk vehicles and if the town is going to send out these types of letters, they should have some teeth and be followed up on.
He again asked what he is supposed to do with his yard clippings. It was stated that those items need to be put on his property or hauled away and not left on town property. It was also stated that if the town allows this to continue, then other people in town also will want to dump in this area.
Department Reports: Planning Commission/Historical Preservation: Marianne Manville-Ailles: Marianne reported there was a misunderstanding with the First Street Waterline, where people believed the waterline was going to be running along the trail. She stated the waterline will not run along the trail; it will cross the trail north to south, perpendicular, on county property adjacent to First Street.
She reported this came about due to the easement agreement that was in the packets at the last meeting. She stated that the easement agreement document, as it is in every easement agreement, starts out by saying the county owns property and gives the description of that particular piece of property. She stated that this particular parcel happens to be the entire Cascade Trail, so the legal description is from Sedro-Woolley all the way to Concrete, but the area that we will cross is just a very small portion of this parcel. She stated that all this document states is that the county owns parcel X and the Town of Concrete is asking to cross a tiny, tiny piece of parcel X for the ability to build and maintain our waterline.
Administration/Finance Report: Andrea Fichter: Andrea refereed the council to an e-mail received from Niagara Bottling requesting a reduced rate if they take more water. Andrea stated that if the council decides to do anything with this, an amendment to the contract would need to be completed.
Ginger Kyritsis stated no. Jude Dippold stated this is not a discount, it is a scalping. Mayor Miller and Marla Reed both stated this was an insult.
Discussion ensued on the amount of water being requested and if the town’s source could handle that amount of distribution.
Marla Reed asked if there was a second option or a minimum rate to charge. Andrea stated that she brought up a possible minimum charge and said that the Niagara rep was going to have to discuss that internally.
Jude Dippold stated that he believes the rate should be the rate. Marla Reed stated the current rate is already very low. Andrea Fichter stated that since Niagara bought out Advanced, this revenue source is not what it used to be. She stated the town has lost around $100,000 in revenue per year since they took over the company.
It was the consensus of the council to deny the request at this time.
Mayor Miller stated that Niagara told the town that our water is the benchmark and the example they use for other water sources because our water is that good.
Public Works: Alan Wilkins: Mayor Miller reported that Alan is not here tonight, which he is not sure why, but he will find out.
Rob Thomas asked about weeding at the Town Center sign and general cleaning of other town properties. He stated town does not look its best right now. Mayor Miller stated that he’s not sure how items are prioritized, but believes that Dale works east to west. Discussion ensued on the number of dead shrubs at the Park and Ride, the weeding that needs to be done by the Veterans Memorial Park monument, as well as other areas in town. Mayor Miller also reported on an idea that he and Andrea discussed earlier today regarding the possibility of hiring a part-time person next summer for around 20 hours a week who would focus on weeding and maintaining town properties.
Mayor Miller also reported on a meeting that was held last week with Town Staff, Ameresco, Ovivo, DOE, and DES regarding the membrane project. He reviewed the schedule and how the process will work for the installation. He stated this will be completed in phases with everything installed and running by November 3. Mayor Miller stated that he will forward the follow up email from that meeting on to the council and Marianne.