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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-01-21 City Council Regular MinutesCITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING JANUARY 21, 2014 The regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Apache Junction, Arizona, was held on January 21, 2014, 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 Councilmember Waldron 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:City Manager George Hoffman Assistant City Manager Bryant Powell City Clerk Kathleen Connelly City Attorney Joel Stern Public Safety Director Tom Kelly Public Works Director Giao Pham Development Services Director Brad Steinke Assistant to the City Manager Matt Busby REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL JANUARY 21, 2014 PAGE 1 OF 14 Others Present:Management Assistant Anna McCray ACCEPTANCE OF CONSENT AGENDA )Vice Mayor Barker MOVED THAT THE CONSENT AGENDA BE ACCEPTED AS PRESENTED; AND THAT APPROVAL BE GIVEN FOR THE PROPOSED CONTRACT BETWEEN MID- WEST GIS, INC. AND THE CITY OF APACHE JUNCTION FOR PW 2013-14 CITYWIDE TRAFFIC SIGN INVENTORY IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $65,450.00; AND THAT AUTHORIZATION BE GIVEN FOR THE MAYOR TO SIGN THE CONTRACT PENDING FINAL APPROVAL AS TO FORM BY THE CITY ATTORNEY. Councilmember Rizzi SECONDED THE MOTION. VOTE:Unanimous. The motion carried. AWARDS, PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS Representative Doug Coleman briefed the council on pending and proposed state legislation including the governor's budget, creating a new cabinet position in charge of child welfare, and his trying to keep local control over local issues. Vice Mayor Barker commented she has heard the,JLBC is encouraging some HURF return over the next couple of years.She asked if a balance between the two viewpoints could be made. Representative Doug Coleman stated there may be.He spoke to the governor's staff during the presentation and asked specifically about the HURF funding.They are well aware of it. It sounded like it would be addressed in the next budget cycle. They are doing some things that will not affect the cities and the city manager can explain that later.It will not help Apache Junction or Queen Creek.It is a conservative budget in predicting what our revenues will be.In the past it has not been as conservative as the estimates of JLBC and the ones that come out of the house and the senate.It is usually more generous.He has not seen anything from the speaker or the president as far as the budget.He believes they let the REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL JANUARY 21, 2014 PAGE 2 OF 14 governor come out first, look at it, see where the priorities are, match their priorities and then there is some negotiating. It is a different process than what is here. Mayor Insalaco commented he cannot understand the other legislators.They come from the cities and towns and appear not to recognize that their cities and towns need help. Representative Coleman seems to take care of us or at least try to. Representative Doug Coleman commented there is a huge amount of interest.His priorities are the cities and towns.Not all of them understand the situation we are in now, even if they have served on a city council.It is like not all teachers understand the difficulty some school districts are having.The HURF funding now is being diverted to the Department of Public Safety.The Department of Public Safety has not had any sort of raise in five years, the governor is not proposing a raise for them and they are losing officers to other agencies.There are costs associated with training for new officers.It is a balance.He recommended the local officials become part of the process.Be vocal about what the needs are and be heard over there so they will become part of the dialogue.The League does a good job in keeping people informed and local officials informed.He encouraged them to use the League as well and keep track of what is going on.Let your opinions be known and do not just rely on the League.They are very good at coordinating and letting you know what will have an impact.Write an email or send a letter if they request it.It really does make a difference and has an impact. Vice Mayor Barker asked if he sees any movement on the incorporation bill. Representative Doug Coleman stated he had. Vice Mayor Barker asked if it is the same thing. Representative Doug Coleman stated the one he has heard of is the one the League negotiated a couple of years ago.A phase -in process but he has not seen the particulars on it.He is not sure it has been dropped yet.How much of an impact it will have on Apache Junction he is not sure of. REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL JANUARY 21, 2014 PAGE 3 OF 14 Councilmember Serdy asked if there is anything they can do about the Cold Fire plant up north or is it a national issue out of their hands. Representative Doug Coleman stated according to some of his colleagues every issue is a state issue.They will do what they can.He thinks by letting the feds know the devastating impact it will have on our state if they close it, not only for jobs up on the reservation but also the cost of electricity.The reason they are trying to close it is because of the effect and impact it has on the Grand Canyon, which has been shown to be minimal. It does not affect the visual at all.That is what is supposed to be the problem.The state has been pretty aggressive in trying to find a solution without having it closed.There is a working group that got together with Arizona Public Service and Salt River Project and those groups, trying to find a solution the feds would accept without shutting the plant down.We need to be vocal on that as well. Councilmember Serdy commented a few years ago tourism got cut out of the budget.He asked if they were going to keep it in there as that continues to generate money to pay for everything. He hopes it will stay in the budget, especially out here.They are greatly affected by it. Representative Coleman stated there are different ideas and ideologies down there.He met today with a group that wants the film commission to form an Office of Film and Media.It went away about three years ago and there is a push to reestablish that office.All the states around us offer some sort of tax credit to movie companies coming in to film.They are looking at that as well as an economic boost. Councilmember Serdy commented it is one more thing they can poach from California. Representative Coleman stated there are 1,001 ways for a bill to die.Things get introduced and get brushed aside for one reason or another.He generally supports economic development tools and will continue to do so. Councilmember Wilson commented he would like to praise him in this aspect.Wearing his other hat as president of the Arizona REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL JANUARY 21, 2014 PAGE 4 OF 14 Horse Council, he gets to see several of these bills that go in and deal with livestock.Most of them are anywhere from 4 to 7 pages in length.It is a lot of reading.If he has 625 bills times 5 pages, he really thanks him for being there and going through all of them and comprehending them. Representative Doug Coleman stated it is a privilege and a pleasure.He is not sure he comprehends them all the first time but he works at it.He has resources he goes to if he has a question about what a bill does.There are some people he trusts to give him a straight answer and some he does not trust. There is a bill pending tomorrow on the higher education committee he is on and it had something to do with the county school superintendents and administration.He did not understand it.He called the former policy advisor of education on it, stating it sounds a lot like a bill last year.She explained that bill was to fix a problem between Cochise County and Pima County Community Colleges.The new bill lightens the administrative costs to some of the community college districts. It is totally different. Mayor Insalaco commented they are all proud of what he does for them and he is thankful he is there. Representative Doug Coleman stated he is proud to say he is from Apache Junction and a former councilmember and mayor.Some respect it and some do not.But that is okay. ANNOUNCEMENT OF CURRENT EVENTS None. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT City Manager George Hoffman thanked Representative Coleman for showing up tonight.He commented on the HURF sweeps and a resolution on having street funding reduced. PUBLIC HEARINGS DRAFT DEVELOPMENT FEE STUDY ENTITLED "LAND USE ASSUMPTIONS AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT PLAN") REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL JANUARY 21, 2014 PAGE 5 OF 14 )Development Services Director Brad Steinke briefed the council on the item. Ms. Meredith Hill, Tischler- Bise, consultant for the development fee study, addressed the council to brief them on the item. Councilmember Waldron asked if the numbers in the report they got are for a five year period. Ms. Meredith Hill asked if he meant the fee amount. Councilmember Waldron commented that is correct.He is asking about the difference between the proposed and existing. Ms. Meredith Hill stated that is the fee they will collect per single residential housing unit. Councilmember Waldron asked if that is anticipated over a five year period. Ms. Meredith H111 stated the enabling legislation requires that these three documents, or the development fees, be revisited every five years.However, if the situation changes in the city, they are allowed to revisit them sooner.For instance, if Lost Dutchman Heights kicks off and that necessitates its own service area in three years time, they may revisit it earlier. Councilmember Waldron commented his concern is that to help with development he would like to lower the development fees.Yet at the same time they are struggling to fix the streets because of the HURF funds. Apache Trail is looking at $2 million and yet there is a pretty serious reduction in the fees.He is not saying it is a bad thing but he is curious as to why. Ms. Meredith Hill stated most of that is the change in the enabling legislation.They are all REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL JANUARY 21, 2014 PAGE 6 OF 14 feeling their way through the new legislation.Its intent was to give careful consideration to identifying achievable and necessary projects.The legislation, as it existed, passed and allowed for a different methodology and calculations.This is looking more intently at identifying in advance projects which might be needed.They have been able, with the incremental expansion methodology, to, in many cases, identify more qualified projects than will actually be necessary in the 10 year period.They would have the flexibility to choose from that qualified list and respond to market demands.The change in the legislation is what is triggering the lower fees in most cases. City Manager George Hoffman stated one thing he would like to share for the public is these fees that are being talked about tonight are when new development occurs and new residents come in.Then the community will have additional infrastructure needs.Many of us have lived in the community for a long time.The intersection at Delaware and Broadway was a four-way stop.It worked well for years and years and years.Then we had a lot of new development come in and it had to be signalized.The cost of going from a four-way stop and going from a two lane road to a five lane road and signalizing the intersection was borne by the new residents through these fees.When they add capacity to the infrastructure of this community, when they add a lane or go from a four-way stop to a traffic signal, then we can use these funds.We cannot use these funds for routine maintenance.They cannot use them at all to maintain Apache Trail.Even if they go down it is not about what they can maintain, it is about the level and amount of new infrastructure they could add through the development fees.He is not sure he had made anything any clearer.Development fees add infrastructure capacity and they cannot be used for routine maintenance. Vice Mayor Barker asked if they can be used for new roads. City Manager George Hoffman stated development fees can be used for new roads. Vice Mayor Barker commented only if the growth calls for the new roads. REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL JANUARY 21, 2014 PAGE 7 OF 14 City Manager George Hoffman stated that is correct.That is what she is outlining.At some point on Southern, as it goes from four lanes down to two, if that area develops, the development fees would allow them to expand that two lane section to four lanes. Councilmember Wilson asked if the population includes the winter visitors with the traffic they create. Assistant City Manager Bryant Powell stated it is based on the permanent residents. Councilmember Wilson commented about the signalization of intersections.This past weekend they had traffic backed up 10 to 15 cars deep on either side of Superstition at North Apache Trail because of State Route 88 being used.He asked if the signalization on state routes is included. Ms. Meredith Hill stated it would not because it is on a state maintained road.The calculation methodology is based on existing city maintained roads. Assistant City Manager Bryant Powell commented that is an intersection everyone wonders about. One of these nights they will have the public works director come in and give an update on state plans for the infrastructure within our community.It will be an update on the design of that intersection along with Meridian and the interchange at US 60. Mayor Insalaco opened the public hearing on the item.There being no one wishing to speak, he closed the public hearing and reopened the item to council discussion. Councilmember Evans asked if it has slowed down or stopped the progress of any of the developments we had already planned out with the fees going down.She asked if they have come to a stop.She commented Rudy had stated he was swamped with awnings permits. REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL JANUARY 21, 2014 PAGE 8 OF 14 Development Services Director Brad Steinke stated right now the developers looking at subdivision development and commercial development are going to go at their pace, not our pace.They have their plans and if they happen to fall after August 4, they will pay a lower fee. Staff had a discussion with the council about whether or not the city was going to have people reimbursed if they did something now and later reimburse them.The council, with the assistance of the city attorney, stated that would not be a wise legal move.These developers are moving forward.The answer is no at this point.He has not seen the prospective lower fees impact existing development in the pipeline or people they have talked to.The market tends to make that decision, not the development fees.He thinks the consultant would agree that is correct. City Manager George Hoffman stated as we think about June and July, when someone is really coming right down to it and they can buy it for "x" today or $4,500 less August 5, he thinks they would see some people wait. They have not seen it yet, but as they get closer to it, it is reasonable to believe some people might push the timing back. They have a calculus of decisions to make but that variable may loom larger as they get closer and closer. Development Services Director Brad Steinke stated someone will do it July 30.They will pull a permit and decide then. Councilmember Waldron asked if it is assessed when the permit is pulled. Development Services Director Brad Steinke stated that is correct. This was a public hearing discussion item only.Mayor Insalaco closed the item and moved on to the next item. OLD BUSINESS None. NEW BUSINESS REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL JANUARY 21, 2014 PAGE 9 OF 14 PROCUREMENT THRESHOLD REQUIRING COUNCIL APPROVAL )Management Assistant Anna McCray briefed the council on the item. Vice Mayor Barker asked if the funds have to be within the department that decides to spend them in Marana and Oro Valley.She asked, as an example, if the funds would have to be in the development services budget if they decide they need some kind of equipment that is $200,000 or could it be in the general fund budget that they pull from. City Attorney Joel Stern stated his guess is the council would approve a budget, and if they have anything within the budget that has been allocated they do not have to bring it back to the council.They have to go through the procurement code, and both cities have one.As an example, there is a new line item the public works department wants and it was not in the budget, but there is available money through the general fund.He believes it could be a discretionary thing through the city manager dependent upon how much discretion they give the city manager.They would probably have to go ask those two cities how they handle a situation like that.If it is not in the actual budget, maybe the councils at the time said to let the city managers handle it.He cannot imagine them saying that. Vice Mayor Barker agreed. City Attorney Joel Stern stated they may have said that.They might have said if it is something extra and the money is in the general fund, they can go ahead and spend the money.He seriously doubts how that works, but he can find out. Vice Mayor Barker stated she was just curious as it seemed a loose way of handling procurement, especially extremely expensive items. Councilmember Waldron commented he had asked for this to be put on the work plan. Public works was up here giving a presentation on purchasing cars for the police department.It was an already budgeted REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL JANUARY 21, 2014 PAGE 10 OF 14 item, a specifically budgeted item that required staff time to do the presentation and bring it to the council on something they had already approved.That is his concern.If they have specifically approved it in the budget, six police cars for example of whatever type they happen to be, he questioned why they should have to come back to the council.They should not have to devote extra staff time for an already budgeted item. Vice Mayor Barker commented he is saying the specific item was already approved at the rate they were presenting to us. commented that is correct. that seems like a waste of time. Councilmember Waldron Vice Mayor Barker commented Councilmember Waldron agreed. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated she knows the department they are talking about is the police department.However, the concept of the police cars and an amount was approved in the budget.What they came back with had some differences to what they had originally been shown. Councilmember Waldron agreed. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated what they did was, because of the procurement code, they approved that purchase from a particular bidder or particular amount.There was a lot more detail.Her concern is not so much the threshold, but to make sure the process still allows bidders to have a fair chance at getting the city's business. Councilmember Waldron commented he does not think they are asking to change the bid process at all.His only concern is that they have approved the budget for something, a car, a line item, not something that comes out of non -departmental because we want to buy another car.He is not proposing they not have it come back but he thinks they need to up the threshold.The threshold has been there since 1984. REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL JANUARY 21, 2014 PAGE 11 OF 14 City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated originally it was $5,000.It has changed a few times. Councilmember Waldron commented he thinks they need to look at moving it up.He thinks $500,000 is obviously excessive, but $50,000 to him or somewhere in between is reasonable.That is his thinking behind it.It is kind of duplicative efforts to have it come back to them because the threshold is so low, particularly when given the difference in costs when it was first set up. Vice Mayor Barker commented it seems that population has something to do with the threshold that has been created and probably staff availability.Because of a smaller populated community they would quite possibly have less staff to take care of that. Councilmember Waldron commented he was not sure since Mesa has $25,000. Vice Mayor Barker commented that is true.She just now saw that and was hoping he would not.She thanked him for pointing that out.She will talk to someone over there and see if she can get it changed. Councilmember Waldron commented as a footnote they have a population of 300,000. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated this would have to come back to the council at some point in time. City Manager George Hoffman stated it they want to change. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated if they want it to be changed they would have to give direction to staff at a subsequent meeting. Vice Mayor Barker commented she would like to see the advantages and disadvantages from a staff point of view before making that recommendation.If they REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL JANUARY 21, 2014 PAGE 12 OF 14 raise it to $50,000, she asked if that would create a burden or does it relieve a burden. 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 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, FEBRUARY 3, 2014, 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, FEBRUARY 4, 2014, IN THE CITY COUNCIL CONFERENCE ROOM. Councilmember Wilson SECONDED THE MOTION. VOTE:Unanimous. The motion carried. Mayor Insalaco thanked the people attending from the Citizens Leadership Institute. CALL TO THE PUBLIC: None. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Insalaco adjourned the meeting at 7:45 p.m. Consent Agenda Items are as follows: 1. Acceptance of Agenda. 2. Approval of Minutes of Regular Meeting of January 7, 2013. REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL JANUARY 21, 2014 PAGE 13 OF 14 3. Consideration and approval of proposed contract with Mid- West GIS, Inc. for PW 2013-14 Citywide Traffic Sign Inventory in an amount not to exceed $65,450.00. ACCEPTED THIS 4TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2014, BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF APACHE JUNCTION, ARIZONA. SIGNED AND ATTESTED TO THIS 4TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2014. ATTEST: KATHLEEN CONNELLY City Clerk 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 21st day of January, 2014.I further certify that the meeting was duly called and held and that a quorum was present. Dated this 23rd day of January, 2014. KATHLEEN CONNELLY City Clerk REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL JANUARY 21, 2014 PAGE 14 OF 14