02-14-01 Minutes
YELM CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14,2001,7:30 P.M.
YELM CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS
1. Mayor Rivas called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
Council Present: Don Miller, John Thompson, Bob Isom and Glen Cunningham.
a. Council position 5 was declared vacant and staff was instructed to
advertise the vacancy and schedule an Executive Session for the 2/28/01 meeting
to review applications. Applications will be accepted until noon on Wednesday,
February 28. Councilmembers were asked to contact Agnes with an address
where applications could be delivered on Wednesday afternoon.
b. Mayor Rivas introduced Tami Merriman the new Planning Technician.
2. Consent Agenda
a. Agenda
b. Minutes: January 24, 2001
c. Vouchers: #14462 - #14552, Totaling $442,452.60
d. Payroll: Final January 2001, #4271-4348, Totaling $115,298.64
01-13 MOTION BY JOHN THOPSON, SECONDED BY GLEN CUNNIGHAM
APPROVING CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS AS PRESENTED. CARRIED.
3. Public Comment/Questions - None
4. New Business:
a. Ordinance No. 729,2001 Budget Amendment, Community Development
Dept. Salaries. Shelly Badger reported that this ordinance establishes a salary for
the Canal Road Park Volunteer Coordinator position and sets a higher entry step
for the new Planning Technician.
01-14 MOTION BY BOB ISOM, SECONDED BY JOHN THOMPSON ADOPTING
ORDINANCE NO 721 AMENDING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT SALARIES IN THE 2001 BUDGET. CARRIED.
b. Economic Development Council contract renewal. Services include
identifying and encouraging new local family wage job opportunities and
developing marketing, business expansion and retention and small
business assistance services. Shelly Badger reported that the $3,000
contract amount did not increase from the prior year.
01-15 MOTION BY JOHN THOMPSON, SECONDED BY DON MILLER
APPROVING RENEWAL OF A SERVICES CONTRACT WITH THE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL. CARRIED.
c. A WC Funding Request for Legal Assistance. A letter was received from
A WC stating that the recent court injunction created a "class" of plaintiffs
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consisting of every municipality in the state. An appeal is anticipated
based upon whatever decision the court makes on 2/23. A WC requested
participation in legal costs from jurisdictions that will benefit from the
court challenge.
Questions raised by council concerned what specific benefits Yelm would
receive, the expected total legal costs, projected number of hours and the
hourly costs. Staff was requested to gather additional information.
01-16 MOTION BY DON MILLER, SECONDED BY BOB ISOM TABLING THE
A WC FUNDING REQUEST TO THE FEBRUARY 28, 2001 MEETING.
CARRIED.
5. Old Business:
a. Ordinance No. 728, Stevens St. Right-of-Way Vacation. Shelly Badger
reported that Council conducted a public hearing on this issue at the January 10
meeting. The issue was forwarded to the Yelm Planning Commission for
consideration and a recommendation. The YPC has approved the street vacation
and the final step is ordinance adoption.
01-17 MOTION BY JOHN THOMPSON, SECONDED BY GLEN CUNNINGHAM
APPROVING ORDINANCE 723 THE STEVENS STREET RIGHT-OF-WAY
VACATION. CARRIED.
b. Mayor Rivas introduced Gary Johnston, Teamsters Local 378 representing
City of Yelm police officers, to address the 2000/02 Police Medical
Coverage Agreement. Mr. Johnston thanked Council for allowing him the
opportunity to address the matter and the relationship between the
teamsters local and the city, which has been very good to date. Johnston
stated that both parties have an obligation to send representative(s) to the
bargaining table that have the authority to bargain in good faith. In the last
bargaining session, Johnson's intent was to leave the bargaining table with
the city picking up full medical costs for police officers and their
dependents. He did not achieve that. A tentative agreement was reached
for 2001 and Johnston made a counter-proposal for 2002, which Shelly
indicated was outside her realm of capabilities and she agreed to contact
the mayor for approval. Badger returned to the bargaining table and
indicated that the mayor was agreeable and would recommend approval to
the full council. Johnston acted on that understanding and took that to his
members, who voted to accept it.
However, council did not approve that agreement.
Johnston requested reconsideration of the agreement and expressed his
belief that council has an obligation, and if the teamsters don't get it
(agreement approval) he will have to look at options that could potentially
impact the city much more than the medical fees. And in fact will
probably have long-term effects on the relationship that we are trying to
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establish between the teamsters union and the city.
Bob Isom questioned the fairness of coming back with an either/or
(proposal) and no cap? Johnston felt it was fair, and that there was a cap
that was expanded upward with the caveat that it would not be more in
additional costs than the maximum amount the employees would be
paying in 2001. There was additional discussion on this point, specifically
on the language "whichever is greater." Other discussion points included:
the final approval being Council's responsibility; the obligation to Y elm's
citizens to consider the liability imposed on those citizens, the bargaining
process, and creditability.
Mayor Rivas requested and received Council's approval to comment, and
stated that the matter must be kept on a businesslike relationship with a
win-win goal. The city wants to do what is right for all city employees and
to insure that everyone in the city is taken care of as a whole. Rivas stated
that Council sent a city representative in good faith with an outline. What
was expected to be brought back to Council was the approval of a dollar
amount. But, what came back to Council were language issues. That is the
challenge. He asked what would be acceptable to both. Johnston suggested
that Council discuss that among themselves.
Mayor Rivas thanked Mr. Johnston for attending the meeting.
6. Reports:
a. Library - Written Librarian's Report Provided
b. Mayor
(1 ) Liaison & Committee Assignments were provided in packets. Don
Miller asked why Council wasn't asked what position members
would prefer. Mayor Rivas explained that he was given an
assignment and didn't realize that procedure was available, but he
will consider it next year.
(2) Office of Financial Management/General Administration
Reimbursement Claim Letter of Feb. 8, 2001 relating to the
Shoreline Master Plan.
Announcements: A letter was received announcing that Agnes Bennick
has been accepted into the International Institute of Municipal Clerks
Master Municipal Clerk's Academy. A letter was received from Governor
Locke congratulating Mayor Wolf on 71/2 years as mayor. The agenda
will be reformatted for the February 28 meeting.
Meetings/Events attended by the Mayor Rivas: Thurston Regional
Planning Council, Jail meeting; CAO/Mayor; Economic Development
Council; Intercity Transit Authority Board; Constituent; Library; Mayors'
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Forum; Department Heads; Chamber Forum.
c. Council
d. Park/Park Use Requests:
1) YCP, 08/26/01, Lawton/Crimmins Family Reunion, 11-6, 100+/-
2) YCP, 6/16/01, Historical Society Appraisal Clinic, 10-dark, 100+/-
3) YCP, 6/2/01, Chamber Country Fair, all day
01-18 MOTION BY BOB ISOM, SECONDED BY JOHN THOMPSON APPROVING
THREE PARK USE REQUESTS. CARRIED.
e. Financial- A January End of Month Report was provided.
Councilmember Miller reported that the city's finances were in good
order.
6.
Correspondence was reviewed including: A WC Conference information, John
Thompson spoke highly of the past Conference and encouraged others to also
attend. Glenn Cunningham is considering attending. Dept. of Ecology Report on
implementation of reclaimed water demonstration projects.
7.
AdjOU'S:r / ~
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Adam/Rivas, Mayor
Attest:
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Agn~ P. Bennick, City Clerk
Yelm City Council, February 14,2001
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