03-08-00 Minutes
YELM CITY COUNCIL MEETING
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2000,7:30 P.M.
YELM CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS
1. Call to Order. Mayor Wolf called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. All present joined in
the flag salute.
Present: John Thompson, Velma Curt)', Glen Cunningham and Adam Rivas. Absent:
Don Miller. Guests: Steve Craig; Pastor Bob Thomlinson; Karon Whitehouse and
Cecelia Jenkins, Ye1m Chamber of Commerce; Perry Shea and Bernie Chaplin, seA
Engineering; Christian Fegel, Nisqually Valley News. Staff: Shelly Badger, Cathie
Carlson, Ken Garmann, Brian Asmus and Agnes Bennick.
2. Consent Agenda Items
a. Agenda
b. Minutes: Februat)' 23, 2000
c. Vouchers: Checks #12456 - #12516, Totaling $204,034.83
d. Payroll: Final Februal)' 2000, Totaling $114,256.41
00-27 MOTION BY ADAM RIVAS, SECONDED BY VELMA CURRY APPROVING
CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. CARRIED.
3. Public Comment/Questions - None.
4. Public Hearing - (CUP-00-8245- YL) Special Use Permit for New Beginnings
Foursquare Church converting a commercial site at 512 Y elm Ave. to a church. ivlayor
Wolf closed the regular meeting at 7:31 p.m. and announced the time, place and purpose
of the public hearing. No objections to participants were stated.
Cathie Carlson presented an overview of the project eXplaining that the Planning
Commission held a public hearing on the request and recommended approval with the
condition that activities be limited to weeknights after 5 p.m. and weekends due to
parking requirements.
Pastor Bob Thomlinson added that his was a small congregation and they could meet the
parking requirements.
Being no additional comments, Mayor Wolf closed the public hearing at 7:34 p.m. and
reopened the regular meeting.
00-28 MOTION BY ADAM RIVAS, SECONDED BY JOHN THOMPSON APPROVING
SPECIAL USE PERMIT CUP-00-8245- YL WITH THE LIl\1ITED ACTIVITY
CONDITION. CARRIED.
5. New Business:
a. City Limits Entrance Signs - Chamber of Commerce. Councilmember
Cunningham distributed copies of the proposed sign and photos of similar signs and
explained that these would replace existing wood entl)' signs. Signs would be located at
SR 507 (towards Rainier), SR 507 almost at Vail Rd., and by Southworth. l\!laterials,
property and labor have been donated. Signs would be constructed of sandstone (l\1utual
Materials) and mortar, concrete (Central Reddi-Mix), and rock. Labor (Scottish Stone &
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Tile) to set the rock, rebar, and property has also been donated. Work should begin
within three or four weeks.
Mayor Wolf asked Steve Craig ifhe would like to comment. Craig spoke about the
planning and process for the proposed gateway signs. Craig was unsure where that left
this project which included community input. Karon Whitehouse spoke saying that she
didn't think this project negates the other and sUPP0l1ed taking advantage of this generollS
opportunity. Shelly Badger added that the Chamber Board concurs. Cecelia Jenkins
spoke of the advantages for marketing and showcasing Yelm to encourage people to do
business locally, and of having signs that will welcome people for years. Badger added
that if Council supports the Chamber proposal, the City would need to enter into
easement agreements allowing access to the propeliy for maintenance. Clubs or other
groups could adopt maintenance as community service projects.
Steve Craig mentioned that the Vision Plan and Design Standards spoke of using local
materials and that some builders have been encouraged to use cobblestone. He
questioned using imported sandstone. Councilmember Cunningham responded that the
materials come from Vail and Carbonado. Craig also spoke of the intensive public
process around the gateway project. Mayor Wolf added that of the three gateway plans,
only one had an archway. Badger spoke as a Committee member stating that she never
felt that they had an overwhelming community acceptance of one particular design. They
didn't receive a lot of votes and there was not an ovelwhelming response supporting the
project. Cathie Carlson clarified the use of native rock - the Design Guideline used for the
Rite Aid site did not specifically require the use of native materials, although it was
suggested.
00-29 MOTION BY GLEN CUNNINGHAM, SECONDED BY VELMA CURRY TO
PROCEED WITH OBTAINING EASEMENTS AND THE ENTRY SIGN PROJECT.
CARRIED.
6. Old Business:
a. Resolution No. 398 - Adoption of Prefened Y2/Y3 Corridor Altenlative as
described in the Revised Environmental Assessment and Mitigated Determination of Non
Significance. Cathie Carlson explained this is follow-up on Council's December action
sending the Y2/Y3 Corridor to the federal government for review and adoption. The
conidor and environmental assessment has been approved and is back before Council for
cOlTidor location adoption. Carlson pointed out language stating that the final highway
design, including intersection locations and access points, will be approved by the City
prior to final approval of right-of-way/limited access plan.
Peny Shea, SCA Engineering spoke about the difficulty in funding road projects in
Washington State today. It may be a year or two before a new transportation program is
funded by the legislature, so Dept. of Transportation won't have money for a fe\v years
and when funding does become available, we will be competing with all the other
projects that have been placed on hold. Yelm's best funding oPPOltunity is \vith tbe
federal govelnment, and Shea eXplained that the process Yelm followed produced a
cOlTidor approved by the federal government. The next steps are preparing an amendment
to the City and Thurston County Comprehensive Plans for December approval. This will
make the selection an official cOlTidor of record.
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Finding monies and applying for grants for right-of-way and design will follow. it isn't
realistic to believe that we can get $15 million at one time for the project, but the project
can be accomplished in segments so it will provide some traffic relief.
00-29 MOTION BY JOHN THOMPSON, SECONDED BY VELMA CURRY APPROVING
RESOLUTION 398 ADOPTING THE PREFERRED Y2/Y3 CORRIDOR. C:ARRIED.
b. Employment Update - Mayor \Volfprovided information from RCWs concerning
appointment and removal of appointive officers and employees. While that
power and authority rests with the mayor, Mayor Wolfs policy has always been
to appoint a committee and no one has been hired without benefit of a committee.
Mayor Wolf explained that a committee was appointed to look over applications
to fill the Police Chiefs position, which is a depaltment head position and one of
two positions mandated by law. It was decided to open the position and accept
applications to ensure no equal employment opportunity/affirmative action
questions will come up later when applying for federal grants, and to insure that
Yelm's citizens would know that the most qualified candidate was selected.
Equally important was that whoever was selected would know that the selection
was based strictly on his merit.
The committee, included herself (W olt), Shelly Badger, John Thompson and
Adam Rivas, reviewed applications and based upon that review the position was
offered to and accepted by Brian Asmus. Mayor Wolf added that Brian has
outstanding qualifications plus he is known in the community. Brian has been
offered a contract with a three-month severance clause, the same as for the City
Administrator. He will begin at Step I for the position and will move to Step 2 in
JanualY. The Committee will meet with Asmus to discuss his plans f:Jr the
department and the City's expectations.
7. Reports:
a. Librmy - Kristin Blalack reviewed the written report noting an increase in card
holders and staff changes.
b. Mayor - Mayor Wolf attended Planning Meetings in Seattle~ a Capital1\'Iedical
Center Board Meeting~ meetings with staff to discuss scope of public \vorks job
and projects, Shelly will pickup Railroad, Cathie will pick up Yelm Creek and
Transportation~ Mayors' Forum~ and Hansen Elementmy School. Wolf also met
with Dorothy Wilhelm, from A TT Cable, to work on the Home Time program
which will feature Yelm and air next month on channel 29.
c. Council - Councihnember Cunningham reported that he the attended the
CAPCOM meeting and that the vote taken will phase in a new service fee
distribution fonnula over a four-year period instead of the three-years originally
discussed. The new distribution will result in an increase to fire departrncnts that
more accurately reflects service use. As a result of this cost shift Y (~lm will see a
$4,000 annual cost reduction.
Councilmember Rivas attended the Solid Waste AdvisOlY Committee (SW AC)
special meeting. Rivas served on the Committee for several years. The
Committee put together a program to build a transfer station, which \vill be
completed in another month or two. Solid waste will be collected at the transfer
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station and moved to eastern Washington. Original plans were for the closure of
the Hawks Prairie Landfill and shift to the new Transfer Station to occur in 18
months to two years. Two County Commissioners voted to accelerate the
changeover, which will result in garbage service fee increases occurring sooner
than expected.
Councilmember Curry reported that she had attended court and city hall and that
evelything was going well. She also commended Councilmember Rivas for an
excellent job as Mayor Pro-Tern.
d. Financial- End of Month statements were provided. Councilmember Rivas
reported that books were balanced.
e. The City has an opportunity to send up to three individuals (Tim Peters(m,
GalY Carlson and Stephanie Connor) to a two-day Design and Build
Conference in Las Vegas at the end of March. The training is for
public and private sector design and build projects, like the public works .yard,
where project management is performed in house. The City has not budgeted for
an engineer or architect for this project. There is adequate funding in the project
budget to cover the conference costs. COUNCIL CONSENSUS SUPPORTED
SENDING UP TO THREE FOR THIS TRAINING.
8. Executive Session. Mayor Wolf closed the regular meeting at 8:28 p.m. and announced
an Executive Session to discuss acquisition of real estate expected to last for
approximately 20 minutes. Mayor Wolf reopened the meeting at 8:52 p.m.
00-30 MOTION BY JOHN THOMPSON, SECONDED BY ADAM RIVAS AUTHORIZING
KEN GARMANN TO PROCEED WITH REAL ESTATE ACQUISITION AS
DISCUSSED. CARRIED.
9. Correspondence reviewed included a letter from Westfield Shopping Town concerning
the E-Failness Coalition
10. AdjoUln: 8:57 p.m.
'~)Jn trldj
Kathlyn M. Wolf, Mayor .
Attest:
tf'iJllJ /) ,,JJiVlLU ~
----.--
Agnes P. Bennick, City Clerk
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