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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-03-03 City Council Regular MinutesCITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MARCH 3, 2015 The regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Apache Junction, Arizona, was held on March 3, 2015, at the Apache Junction City Council Chambers pursuant to the notice required by law. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Insalaco called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. INVOCATION Councilmember Wilson gave the Invocation. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Vice Mayor Barker led the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL Councilmembers Present:Mayor Insalaco Vice Mayor Barker Councilmember Evans Councilmember Rizzi Councilmember Serdy Councilmember Waldron Councilmember Wilson Staff Present:Assistant City Manager Bryant Powell City Clerk Kathleen Connelly City Attorney Joel Stern Public Safety Director Tom Kelly Public Works Director Giao Pham Parks and Recreation Director Jeff Bell Assistant to the City Manager Matt Busby Others Present:Management Assistant Anna McCray Captain Troy Mullender REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MARCH 3, 2015 PAGE 1 OF 13 Captain Arnold Freeman Sergeant Thom Parker Recreation Superintendent Liz Langenbach ACCEPTANCE OF CONSENT AGENDA )Vice Mayor Barker MOVED THAT THE CONSENT AGENDA BE ACCEPTED AS PRESENTED: AND THAT APPROVAL BE GIVEN TO THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN BLINK NETWORK LLC AND THE CITY OF APACHE JUNCTION FOR A CONTRACT TERM OF FIVE YEARS FOR THE CONTINUED OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PLUG-IN ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS LOCATED IN THE MULTI- GENERATIONAL CENTER PARKING LOT; AND THAT AUTHORIZATION BE GIVEN TO THE MAYOR TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT. Councilmember Wilson SECONDED THE MOTION. VOTE:Unanimous. The motion carried. AWARDS, PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS Public Safety Director Tom Kelly presented an Outstanding Citizenship Award to Thomas Owen for his assistance in apprehending an armed violent felon on December 13. ANNOUNCEMENT OF CURRENT EVENTS Councilmember Waldron announced last Thursday Vice Mayor Barker and he attended Central Arizona Governments Legislative Day at the League of Cities and Towns office.They talked to League members and legislators regarding pending legislation that is not good for the cities and towns. Councilmember Wilson commented Lost Dutchman Days was this past weekend.The weather held off for the events and the parade was reported to be one of the best in years.He was told the mayor was a comedy act at one place. REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MARCH 3, 2015 PAGE 2 OF 13 Councilmember Rizzi commented about Grandparents' Day at the state capitol with the Grandparent Ambassadors, a group where grandparents are raising children.They meet with legislators on a regular basis.She advised there is a local support group in Apache Junction and provided the information. Mayor Insalaco commented Councilmembers Rizzi and Waldron manned one station for announcing at the parade and Vice Mayor Barker and he manned another.They were a comedy team. Councilmember Evans reminded everyone this Saturday is the first Saturday of the month and the community garden will have the monthly farmers' market and craft sale. Councilmember Evans announced the police department is having their vehicle identification number etching starting at 10 a.m. for an anti -theft program that is free to the public. Councilmember Evans announced the hazardous waste disposal is also on Saturday. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT Assistant City Manager Bryant Powell thanked the staff for their assistance at Lost Dutchman Days. Assistant City Manager Bryant Powell introduced Katrine Ostkowdotierz from Iceland who donated a portrait to the mayor that she painted of him. PUBLIC HEARINGS None. OLD BUSINESS None. NEW BUSINESS UPDATE ON CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 15/16 REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MARCH 3, 2015 PAGE 3 OF 13 )Assistant City Manager Bryant Powell and Mr. Ray DelZotto from Cook DZ briefed the council on the item. There were no questions. This was a discussion item only and the mayor closed the discussion and moved on to the next item. DISCUSSION ON PROPOSED UPDATE TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION FEE SCHEDULE )Parks and Recreation Director Jeff Bell gave a general overview and advised Liz Langenbach would give the in depth briefing. Recreation Superintendent Liz Langenbach presented the in depth briefing on the item. Councilmember Evans commented there is a new local soccer club.She asked how they would get on the partial fee list. Recreation Superintendent Liz Langenbach stated the criteria has been developed over the years.They have lots of groups come and ask to not have fees. They are all kind of in the same situation as each other. Councilmember Evans asked if they were all nonprofits. Recreation Superintendent Liz Langenbach stated many of them are nonprofits.Over the years they have established the criteria to kind of differentiate. There are many different types of clubs and teams.There are certain groups where this is their area, for example, Little League.They have a national group that states this is the area they play Little League in.They are open to everybody.There are not any cuts.Everybody gets to participate.There are mandatory participation rules.They are a completely volunteer- led group.A group like the soccer league fits into many of those criteria but they have a paid staff member that is the coach.Little League, girl scouts and boy scouts are all completely volunteer -led.As of right now they do not fit into REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MARCH 3, 2015 PAGE 4 OF 13 that group.This is kind of what staff is asking the council. They want to know if they would like something different.They have many groups that may be missing one or two of those aspects.They have 8 different baseball teams that are club teams that might be open to certain participation.They have all volunteer coaches and are a 501(C)3 but they might cut.All of their groups that do not fall into this either do not meet one of the categories or criteria at this point in time. Councilmember Evans asked what the fees are between the partial fee group and the fee group.She asked how much difference there is between them. Recreation Superintendent Liz Langenbach stated the light fee is $15 an hour and all groups pay that fee for lights at the field.If someone is in this fee category they pay a partial amount for the lights, which is 25% of that fee at this time.Long ago they used to pay almost nothing or nothing for a lot of those because we were smaller and did not have quite as many amenities.Over the last 15 to 20 years we have changed that so the 501(C)3 partners are contributing a little bit as there are operational costs.They do not want to rely solely on the general fund, they have to rely on fees to offer many of the services. Councilmember Evans asked if a full fee is $50 and a partial fee $25. Recreation Superintendent Liz Langenbach stated with the example of the light fees it is $15 an hour for everybody.If it is Little League, girls scouts or any of those groups that want to do something it is 25% of that which is $3.75. Councilmember Evans commented there would be a separate fee for the fields.She assumed they want a ramada exclusively versus one of the baseball fields. She asked if they have those fees listed. Recreation Superintendent Liz Langenbach stated they do.There is a very extensive list of all of their fees.They bring it to the council about every 5 years.They do a market study.That is what started this whole REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MARCH 3, 2015 PAGE 5 OF 13 discussion is that they are doing their market study of all of those fees.They try hard to look at what their market is. They use the same cities as the class and comp studies.They took all the cities similar to Apache Junction and see what they say and see where Apache Junction sits.They try to look at what the average is and the community demographics so far as what is affordable and what people can afford.They know that based on experience and what people tell them.An example is the marquee.They put a fee based on what the market told them when it was new.Over the last few years people have been saying it is not really affordable for them.They are taking a look at that.That fee will be coming back at a reduced amount they feel is reasonable and affordable.The same with the other fees.The light fee is at the low end of the light fees throughout the valley.They try to stay on the low end to be affordable for the nonprofits, families, residents and everyone who wants to use those.The City of Mesa does not have a nonprofit fee.They have a low fee for residents and they charge more for other groups.The nonprofits get their resident fee.They keep the fee low and that is what Apache Junction tries to do.They will bring the fees back to them so if something looks odd they will have the chance to bring it up to them. Councilmember Rizzi commented she did a good and thorough job on the presentation.She really thinks that the criteria for determining the fees is very reasonable.She appreciates what the parks and recreation staff have done in trying to remember to keep the fees low for people in our community.She mentioned a group she had not heard of before, ATV Safety.She asked if that group rides the ATVs. Recreation Superintendent Liz Langenbach stated they do.It is an ATV Safety Institute.They have been renting our facility for many years.They do safety training for people who are riding ATVs.They rent more of the parking lot area of the rodeo grounds, but not the rodeo arena. They will reserve the entire parking lot area, bringing out cones and instructors. Councilmember Rizzi thanked her for the explanation. REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MARCH 3, 2015 PAGE 6 OF 13 Assistant City Manager Bryant Powell asked when the fees and rates would be brought back to the council. Recreation Superintendent Liz Langenbach stated they will be bringing it back to the council very quickly.They have done all the research.The interest was in relooking at the nonprofit fees and looking to see what they could do for different groups.They do need to bring in some fees from the facilities to be able to offset the general fund dollars that contribute to that.Before they can bring back the fees they need to have an understanding of if the council is comfortable with the current fees, they want to give more direction or want to see something different.If they want them to come back with a different proposal than this, they will do that next. Councilmember Evans asked how long the Youth Football League and Little League go in the year. Recreation Superintendent Liz Langenbach stated Little League is typically March through May. The season for Black and Gold Tackle Football is August through the end of October.Girl scouts and boy scouts are year round. They go every single month at their facilities.4-H is almost every week on Fridays, whether it be a gymkhana or something else.They have the partnership with the Little League as they are the local agency.In the fall, District 7 is the overall region for our area and they have to pay full fees because those kids are not necessarily local residents.They pay the full fee during the fall ball season, having to follow the same rules as everyone else. Councilmember Evans commented the newly formed soccer club program for boys and girls is 10 months of the year.The coaches are paid minimal amounts and the practice times are at least 2 nights a week plus any scrimmages so it is sometimes 3 times.That was the need for paying the coaches as they were volunteering 3 days a week for 10 months and it just does not happen that way.The only difference between them and the other groups is this minimal payment for the coaches, but that totally rules them out of this category. REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MARCH 3, 2015 PAGE 7 OF 13 Recreation Superintendent Liz Langenbach asked if they also have mandatory playing requirements. Councilmember Evans commented they have never been able to get large enough and everybody has to play the whole game.It is part of the Arizona Youth Soccer League that called for the tryouts.There are no cuts; everybody plays.Even in trying to reword how the national group calls it, it seems like the only thing that threw them out of these categories was the minimal payment.They do not have anything else for the youth that goes that long. Recreation Superintendent Liz Langenbach stated this is definitely one way of looking at it. She thinks they would struggle to want groups to monopolize and have kids do one sport for the whole year.It is tough.The reason why Little League and them, they would go to fall ball. Black and Gold would go to a spring football league.They encouraged them not to just because they want to have time for some of the other sports that are out there.They worked with them over the years to not overlap the seasons. Councilmember Evans commented these are kids that are not in competition with the city parks and recreation for what they offer.This is a whole group of kids that have decided to focus on soccer. Recreation Superintendent Liz Langenbach stated it is the next level after parks and recreation.It is the same for Black and Gold.It is the next level for all of those.She thinks it is wonderful and they are very happy to have them in our community.They refer all the kids that are getting to be that age to that group.In talking about the coaches, every one of those groups have board members that work year round on that stuff just like the coaches and they are not paid.That is where their original thinking came from.If the council has thoughts they would like to see this done differently, that is what today's discussion is about. Mayor Insalaco commented he would like them to work on that one. REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MARCH 3, 2015 PAGE 8 OF 13 Recreation Superintendent Liz Langenbach asked if the council would like them to look at that. Mayor Insalaco commented he would. Vice Mayor Barker commented not for that long a period of time, though, because we have so many other different sports out on the fields. Mayor Insalaco agreed. Councilmember Rizzi agreed. Vice Mayor Barker commented she walks her dog there so she knows.To have a group monopolize that for 10 months is ludicrous. Councilmember Evans commented they have never monopolized any field for 10 months.They need to practice on the school property as well.They move around quite a bit. Recreation Superintendent Liz Langenbach stated some parts of the year they do not use their fields, especially when it is light out.At that time they use the schools' fields. Councilmember Evans commented that is correct.There are 3 fields that do not require the lights. Recreation Superintendent Liz Langenbach stated the important thing is if the council wants them to be looking at these categories to see if do not quite work.They would have to create another category.It is not just that group that would fall into that then.There would be 8 baseball club teams that would be there.They do not pay their coaches and they are 501(C)3s.They might be missing in one other category and that is the challenge if there is some thought to make it inclusive for everybody. REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MARCH 3, 2015 PAGE 9 OF 13 Councilmember Evans asked if the other clubs are youth groups. Recreation Superintendent Liz Langenbach stated the ones she is talking about are. Assistant City Manager Bryant Powell stated there is the Monsoon Softball and the eight or so young men and boys baseball club teams that are also involved. There is another category they can look at but they need to remember it is not just this one soccer club.There are others, but maybe they need to look at the other cities and see if there is another category.It sounds like in this case it is just the coaches.Maybe there can be a lesser fee, but not as much as the current category. Councilmember Serdy commented almost every parks and recreation for a city is going to operate at a loss.He remembers using Mesa and Gilbert.Their fees are much higher but they also have more people and they are more hard-nosed than us.We seem to do more of the partial paying whereas they charge full price.He asked if there is any comparison to how some of these other cities operate. Recreation Superintendent Liz Langenbach stated absolutely.When they did their market study they looked at all of those things as well.They looked at who was doing nonprofit fees separate from regular fees, residency versus non -residency and all kinds of things.Out of the nine cities they looked at, six of the nine have some type of policy addressing nonprofits where they have reduced fees.Of those six, two of them have one nonprofit rate for all of the nonprofits.Pretty much everybody is a nonprofit here.They primarily reserve to individuals, families and nonprofit agencies.Everybody would be getting a reduced fee.Four of them have varying rates depending on the type of nonprofit. They have one rate for youth nonprofit, one for adult nonprofit, one rate for for-profit and another rate for a variety of others.They have five or six categories.Almost all of them, Mesa, Oro Valley and Marana have some type of a nonprofit policy.They are all just very different. REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MARCH 3, 2015 PAGE 10 OF 13 Councilmember Rizzi commented she wanted to reiterate she is very comfortable with the criteria they have.She thinks it is very fair and reasonable. She is good with what the city has. Recreation Superintendent Liz Langenbach stated the next step is to bring back the fees where they will have another opportunity to look at them and say they like another one better. This was a discussion item only.Mayor Insalaco closed the discussion with no further comments and moved on to the next item. DIRECTION TO STAFF None. SELECTION OF MEETING DATES, TIMES, LOCATIONS, AND PURPOSES Mayor Insalaco called for discussion on the interviews for final applicants for the city manager position. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly briefed the council on the item. Mayor Insalaco commented he believes they need both dates for executive sessions.It is just the one item so it does not need to be a real early time. He suggested 6:15. There was general discussion on the time of the executive session. Mayor Insalaco called for a motion. Councilmember Waldron MOVED THAT EXECUTIVE SESSIONS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PERSONNEL MATTERS REGARDING THE CITY MANAGER POSITION BE HELD AS FOLLOWS:MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015 AT 6:15 P.M. IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION ROOM AND REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MARCH 3, 2015 PAGE 11 OF 13 MONDAY, MARCH 30, 2015 AT 6:15 P.M. IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION ROOM. Councilmember Rizzi SECONDED THE MOTION. VOTE:Unanimous. The motion carried. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated for clarification they will probably end up using the development services conference room. Mayor Insalaco called for a motion on the next meeting dates. Vice Mayor Barker MOVED THAT AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 5:45 P.M. AND A WORK SESSION AT 7:00 P.M. BE HELD ON MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015, IN THE CITY COUNCIL CONFERENCE ROOM AND CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS RESPECTIVELY; AND THAT AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 5:45 P.M. BE HELD ON TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015, IN THE CITY COUNCIL CONFERENCE ROOM. Councilmember Rizzi SECONDED THE MOTION. VOTE:Unanimous. The motion carried. CALL TO THE PUBLIC Mr. Chris Coyle, Republic Services, 4050 S. Tomahawk, addressed the council to give an update on the recent quarterly free dump week at the Apache Junction landfill. ADJOURNMENT )Mayor Insalaco adjourned the meeting at 8:00 p.m. Consent Agenda Items are as follows: REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MARCH 3, 2015 PAGE 12 OF 13 1. Consideration of acceptance of agenda. 2. Consideration of approval of minutes of regular meeting of February 17, 2015. 3. Consideration of approval to enter into an agreement with Blink Network LLC for a contract term of five (5) years for the continued operation and maintenance of the plug-in electric vehicle changing stations located in the Multi- Generational Center parking lot. ACCEPTED THIS 17TH DAY OF MARCH, 2015, BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF APACHE JUNCTION, ARIZONA. SIGNED AND ATTESTED TO THIS 17TH DAY OF MARCH, 2015. ATTEST: KATHLEEN CONNELLY City Clerk HN S. INSALACO ayor CITY COUNCIL MINUTES CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Apache Junction, Arizona, held on the 3rd day of March, 2015.I further certify that the meeting was duly called and held and that a quorum was present. Dated this 9th day of March, 2015. KATHLEEN CONNELLY City Clerk REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MARCH 3, 2015 PAGE 13 OF 13