[0:06] All right, all right good evening ladies and gentlemen.
[0:11] I'd like to call to order the regular meeting of the University of City Council for Monday, August 3rd, 2026.
[0:21] For those who are watching and those in the chamber, my name's Stan Fleming and on behalf of
[0:24] the university place city council, we'd love to welcome all of you.
[0:30] With that said, let's call, if the clerk would please call the roll.
[0:33] Thank you Mayor, council member Figueroa.
[0:36] Council Member Boykin.
[0:38] I'm here.
[0:39] Council member Cunningham.
[0:40] Here.
[0:41] Councilmember Wood.
[0:42] Present.
[0:43] Councilwoman Grassi.
[0:44] Here, Mayor Pro Temaklowski.
[0:46] I am here, mayor Fleming.
[0:48] Here?
[0:48] Mayor, you have a quorum.
[0:49] Thank you, ma'am.
[0:50] Let's move to item number three.
[0:53] Pledge of Allegiance, I'd like to call on council member Wood
[0:56] if he would lead us, please.
[0:57] Please join me if you are able, and rise.
[1:01] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States
[1:04] of America.
[1:05] And to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
[1:17] Okay, thank you.
[1:19] Would that like to move to item number four, approval of the agenda?
[1:22] I'd like the call for a motion to approve the Agenda.
[1:25] Make a Motion to amend the Agenda to remove item D from the consent agenda.
[1:37] Second.
[1:38] Thank you.
[1:39] I'm probably moved and seconded to approve the agenda as amended.
[1:44] Removing item number D from the Agenda, and if I may also ask the Mayor for a time if
[1:49] we can pull out item Number F. Is that okay?
[1:55] I don't see a Maury.
[1:56] Okay.
[1:57] Thank You.
[1:58] All right.
[1:59] I thought that was going to happen later on.
[2:01] Oh, we may do it again too.
[2:02] You can do that later.
[2:03] You want to just do right now and get it.
[2:05] We can do that too and just keep moving.
[2:07] Okay, so I'll remake my motion to remove item D and 7F from the consent agenda.
[2:15] Awesome.
[2:16] Second.
[2:17] It's been properly moved and seconded to approve the consented agenda, removing item
[2:22] D, and item F. Are there any objections to the amended amendment?
[2:29] We're not removing items.
[2:31] We are just pulling it.
[2:33] Yeah.
[2:34] Okay, hearing none, the agenda's approved, as amended.
[2:37] We have on item number five, a presentation tonight on the 28th legislative update by
[2:44] Representative Mari Levitt.
[2:45] I do not see her here in the chamber at the moment, so with the council's permission,
[2:52] we will put that aside and when she gets here, we'll circle back to that one.
[2:56] Okay.
[2:58] So we will keep the agenda moving tonight. I will move to item number six under public comments
[3:04] So now we're in this public comment portion of the agent of order. Yes
[3:11] Mayor I believe that when you pull an item or items off the kazen agenda
[3:16] They have to be recognized as to why they were pulled
[3:19] I don't think so in this instance, because they were pulled at the time of the approval
[3:25] of agenda, you don t necessarily need to do that. Now, had, and I think with respect
[3:30] to item F, I believe there had been a desire to actually reagendize that under the Council
[3:34] of Consideration portion. That s correct. However, that wasn t part of
[3:39] the motion before we get too far filled. I t think that s probably important. We jumped
[3:43] the gun on the Motion on Pulling Item F. Okay.
[3:49] I have a point of clarification for me, so on, the point item 7f, we wanted to pull for the, for a consideration.
[4:02] I believe it's for consideration, I'm looking at Mr. Eklund because that's his item.
[4:05] He's shaking his head, yes, but I seem to Mr Eklind.
[4:07] Okay.
[4:08] Yes.
[4:09] So.
[4:10] So that will actually fall after we get to consent agenda.
[4:20] Okay. All right. So item number six, this is our public comment time. It's an opportunity
[4:26] for members of the public to provide comments to the City Council about any items that
[4:30] are not appearing on the agenda or the consent agenda.
[4:34] So with that, we would open it up for public comments. If those who are on, the, via Zoom
[4:49] Want no one online mayor. Thank you
[4:53] Ben clerk, so are is there anyone in the public here in The Chamber tonight, and I do not have a sign-up list up here
[5:00] So I am presuming we do NOT have anyone
[5:05] Ben court
[5:07] None mayor, okay, thank you very much
[5:12] Okay, So we will close public comment and we'll now move to item number seven a the consent agenda
[5:18] I will call for a motion to approve the consent agenda.
[5:22] I'll move to prove the consented agenda as amended in addition moving the pulled item
[5:31] 7f into our consideration.
[5:35] Number 7 f.
[5:38] Thank you.
[5:39] For lack of clarification on the correct numbering sequence.
[5:44] We're still good.
[5:45] Is there a second?
[5:47] Okay, it's been properly moved and seconded to approve the consent agenda.
[5:52] Again, removing item number seven and holding that separately.
[5:58] Are there any objections?
[6:00] Hearing none, then, the motion passes as amended.
[6:04] Let's move now to items seven, to consider we're going to have a staff report from Mr.
[6:09] Ecklander, Public Works Manager.
[6:19] Thank you, Mr. Mayor and City Council. I'm Jack Echlin, Director of Public Works.
[6:25] Could you speak in the mic? We can't hear you up here.
[6:28] I am not sure. Do I need to kind of almost eat it.
[6:31] Do you hear me now or is it? No.
[6:34] Oh, that's worse.
[6:37] Okay.
[6:40] So thank you, Mr. Mayor and City Council.
[6:42] I'm Jack Heklin, Director of Public Works.
[6:44] Tonight, I am bringing to you for your consideration,
[6:46] the authorization of purchasing a stormwater device
[6:50] from Contact Engineering Solutions for a hydrodynamic
[6:54] separator.
[6:55] It's in the amount of $203,925.10.
[6:59] And then this item the reason I had requested this be pulled is at the time
[7:07] This is the item that was associated with the
[7:14] down there at the day island with a storm drainage to address the stormwater management.
[7:20] To clean the provides some additional treatment for
[7:24] the Stormwater Basin that had addressed some of the concerns raised by the Day Island Yacht Club.
[7:30] At the time of our, the consent decree that was issued.
[7:37] There was only, I understand there's one vendor that provided this device.
[7:43] And currently is still the only one vendor that we are aware of that has provided all the information that does that can provide it.
[7:52] We have a 18 month time frame to get this installed in accordance with that consent decree.
[7:58] And so that's why we have it in front of you as a sole source authorization and a waiver for competitive bidding.
[8:11] Now, the only reason I've asked to have this pulled is because
[8:16] earlier today, we found out from another vendor that there may be another option.
[8:23] And now this option, normally they would probably be waived just because, well,
[8:28] we couldn't timeframe, and we probably can't meet it.
[8:30] But this, apparently this other vendor can provide a device.
[8:35] Potentially both at a more affordable price and at quicker time frame.
[8:41] So I just want to put this big caveat on there.
[8:46] That there is a potential to, that there may be something that wouldn't necessarily be a sole source now that this information has come.
[8:54] They have not provided us all the information or confirmed that they can meet all of the criteria that's in the consent decree.
[9:01] And so in order to meet our timing, we still recommend passing this item to authorize us to make the purchase.
[9:11] However, I want to give the, make sure everyone has the understanding that.
[9:17] If we find out in the next several days that this other company can actually meet the
[9:23] requirements then
[9:25] We will likely be coming back in a next council meeting to have a different
[9:31] recommendation
[9:32] However, if we don't authorize this one at this time and this is the only one that truly can do it
[9:39] We need the approval now or else we would wouldn't meet that timeframe if that makes sense because this
[9:46] This more established vendor is one that deals in a concrete vault that takes a much longer,
[9:53] about a 12 to 16 week lead time.
[9:56] The potential new one could take it a four to six lead times, so that's where we have room to act if we find out we really could go with this other alternative.
[10:05] It's just a bit unusual, we fully recognize that.
[10:08] And we definitely assure you that we wouldn't make the.
[10:13] We wouldn't make the actual order until where we confirm that this other
[10:19] vendor is not an option
[10:21] But just timing-wise and the fact that we aren't going to be having another meeting
[10:25] Intel for a while
[10:28] We still recommend the the motion in the council bill
[10:34] Anything else Jack that's it. I've got just three quick questions, and then we're gonna open up for council
[10:40] On your number one is how is this thing installed? Who's going to install it?
[10:46] And what does it actually do, if you could mention it?
[10:49] So it's called a hydrodynamic separator,
[10:52] and what it does is it will take it routes water,
[10:57] storm water through a large like a 10 to 12 foot diameter
[11:02] structure, swirls it around in a velocity
[11:05] such that it, actually, separates out the heavier
[11:09] sediments and to help reduce the possibility of any kind
[11:15] and downstream.
[11:17] The, we're purchasing it ourselves for the material.
[11:23] The actual installation would be gone out,
[11:26] we'd go out to bid and have a contractor install it.
[11:29] It will require, when we do do install, it'll be located
[11:35] within 27th Street down in the vicinity of Vista Drive.
[11:38] It'll likely require a short duration of a road closure
[11:46] large operation, and then in that case we will have a detour set up for when that occurs.
[11:53] And then we anticipate the toll duration to be a couple weeks or so.
[12:00] But we try to sequence things in a way that minimizes that disruption.
[12:06] And then lastly, this item wasn't in your budget for 2026.
[12:10] Where do you get drawing the funding from for it?
[12:14] This was, we actually, in the previous carry forward,
[12:19] we did add the budget item.
[12:21] So it's in there currently from the carry-forward budget.
[12:24] Okay.
[12:26] All right, are there questions from Council?
[12:28] Council Member Gossley.
[12:29] Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
[12:30] Thank You, Ms. Stracklin.
[12:34] apparatus for lack of a better word?
[12:37] Yeah, it should be if properly maintained, which
[12:43] fortunately we have one of the better maintenance
[12:47] crews for stormwater stuff around it.
[12:49] At least I might be a little biased on that,
[12:51] but I think we do an amazing job.
[12:53] So when probably maintained it probably
[12:56] has a, I would assume, about a 30-year life.
[13:01] It could be longer, but the manufacturers give you like a 30 year kind of anticipated
[13:07] life frame.
[13:11] Overall, it's anticipated to have a pretty long and maintain properly it could far exceed that.
[13:19] Okay, and we haven't worked with this other vendor option before, is that correct?
[13:23] We have not.
[13:23] Do they have any references of other, just tell them.
[13:26] They do, they've done a fair amount of work in California primarily.
[13:31] But they are, the main criteria that we need to meet is to be on an approved,
[13:37] it's called the GULD approved pretreatment list by the Department of Ecology.
[13:43] And that's a fairly intensive application.
[13:48] You have to demonstrate a significant amount of performance and that you're a reliable company.
[13:53] And so this vendor did get R on that list.
[14:00] Although we don't have any specific experience with them.
[14:03] The.
[14:04] Proper bowl in their background.
[14:05] Yeah.
[14:06] Okay.
[14:07] Thank you very much.
[14:08] That's all I have.
[14:09] Okay, thank you.
[14:10] Councilman.
[14:11] Yup.
[14:12] So once we determine if we're going to approve tonight, then you still have to determine costs
[14:16] from the second option that you got today, right?
[14:19] Well right now, and the reason I'm so recommending because as of the actual information we have,
[14:25] right, because we do not have all the information.
[14:29] Information provided contact is the sole source that's available and so in until we get that additional information from this other vendor
[14:38] or if they do or don't, we, you know, this is a sole-source procurement and we would move forward with this pricing.
[14:48] If, however, in relatively short term, which they've indicated, they can do it in about 72 hours,
[14:54] it gives us the information to demonstrate that they would also meet the criteria that's set forth
[15:00] in the consent decree. They would be then the more cost effective and quicker option to get installed.
[15:06] So it would no longer be a sole source. It would back to kind of competitive bidding,
[15:11] and so we'd come back with a follow-up proposal.
[15:15] So with your turnaround time and your timeline and based on the fact that we're not meeting for another month, I guess, after tonight,
[15:22] how will we be notified if you decide to go the other route?
[15:26] Because of course you're going to be held 30 days waiting to let us know that to determine.
[15:31] I mean, because obviously you want to the best timing and the price, right?
[15:43] If the other vendor comes in, because they've given us a price that's probably
[15:49] in the ballpark of about $50,000 less.
[15:53] And at a time, a delivery time of less than half.
[15:59] So, that is why we have this kind of unique situation that I don't like to be in this situation.
[16:08] I'd much rather have all the information.
[16:13] feel irresponsible once we found out about this morning.
[16:17] I didn't want to just disregard it, so.
[16:21] And then we don't wanna hold you up with the work with not letting us know, but we would of course wanna know what you ended up going with.
[16:27] Yeah, yeah.
[16:28] But we definitely will give advance notice to council as soon as we know.
[16:34] And we'll follow up in the next council meeting.
[16:36] Thanks, Jack.
[16:37] It's all I have here.
[16:38] Okay.
[16:39] Thank you.
[16:40] Mayor Pro Temucloski.
[16:41] Thank You, Mayor.
[16:42] So, Vista in 27th Street, is that up to why we're just going to be installed?
[16:46] No, I'm on vacation.
[16:47] There is going be an end.
[16:50] So generally, it's in the vicinity of Vista and 27, at the end of the, where the City
[16:55] of University Place storm system ends.
[16:57] So we are capturing all the water that's coming out of this city of university place
[17:01] storm systems.
[17:02] Oh, that goes into Tacoma.
[17:03] And then it'll go into the Tacoma system.
[17:04] Got it.
[17:05] All right.
[17:06] And just as a curiosity, did you go out to bid for this, and
[17:11] you only had that one, or did he just offer it to that, one?
[17:14] Because how did this other company realize that there was something going on and contacted you?
[17:21] So, it was, we did our investigation based on the
[17:31] the last performances of things and what's on the actual list from ecology because that's a pretty limited list of participants.
[17:38] So it's not open to, it is only the people on this list, and it has a very specific device,
[17:44] and a large flow rate.
[17:47] And so most of the other devices that are almost, at least what we understood.
[17:53] prior to this morning, all of the other devices couldn't handle that kind of flow rate that
[17:57] comes off of 27th Street to be able to meet the pre-treatment, required pre treatment
[18:02] design flow.
[18:04] And then while we were just reviewing the list from the college site, it was then we
[18:19] Discovered before and so then we contact them and then that's how we discovered that they possibly could meet that
[18:27] requirement
[18:29] Okay, the timeline for them sounds too good be true, but I understand your dilemma now. Yeah, thank you
[18:37] Thank you, councilmember boy come. Thank You mayor
[18:41] Jack, I have a question really about the process as I'm hearing more and
[18:46] many more into the additional comments that you're making.
[18:49] So let me first start with the expectation about not having a competitive bid,
[18:54] which makes sense. It's not unusual.
[18:57] The University of the University place typically has competitive bids for the expectation of how we typically engage.
[19:03] When we do move in the direction of a sole source, if you will, we want to be absolutely sure about why it is that we've chosen those.
[19:12] And this is just the affirming for our public that the process that
[19:16] we have and the processes we follow have a lot of integrity in it and it also has a
[19:22] identified vendor for the right reason so so let's lean into the
[19:27] right direction when you moved into
[19:29] the expectation of this particular soul source vendor can you affirm
[19:33] the things that actually elevate why it was that they were chosen
[19:36] and even though I appreciate your conundrum what might be most important
[19:40] to think about since again there was a deliberate effort to
[19:44] I think it was identified in this case for reasons that we should now have the best position for City University place closes.
[19:51] So if you collaborate on those reasons, I'd appreciate it.
[19:53] Yeah, for sure.
[19:54] And a lot of this is a unique situation because of that consent
[20:00] degree and the legalities associated with the dispute between the city and
[20:06] the Yacht Club.
[20:10] And that prescribed both parties agreed to remedy the situation.
[20:18] So, and then the unique characteristics.
[20:21] of this incredibly large basin.
[20:23] So it's a large amount of flow that comes.
[20:26] And so it really narrowed down.
[20:28] You had the performance criteria on one hand
[20:32] that we had to meet.
[20:33] And then also the amount flow coming off of,
[20:36] this is probably over half the city area
[20:40] ends up coming to this location.
[20:42] And so the combination of those two, it just led, this was the only a parent
[20:48] company that could provide that device that was prescribed.
[20:53] Thanks so much, no more questions, Mayor.
[20:55] Okay, thank you, Council Member Bryken.
[20:57] Any other questions?
[20:58] Council.
[21:00] All right, I have the last one, then, and Jack,
[21:02] this separator creates a lot of salt, how do you get it and where do put it?
[21:08] So it will have to be, although at a much larger scale,
[21:12] but we would be able to still clean it with our.
[21:16] our vector system and then the any sediment that comes off would we would put it in our
[21:24] vector bay to separate the water which would were in the process of getting any water decant
[21:30] material to be able to go be treated and go through the sewer system. And then any sediments
[21:34] would go in with our solid waste similar to our other in catch basins and other and street sweeping
[21:41] And then lastly, you had indicated that once the stormwater runoff has been separated from the silt it dumps into the Tacoma system.
[21:54] Do we have an agreement with Tacoma to do that?
[21:57] I'm not opposed to it. It's kind of awesome, but it's so in general, it is because it
[22:08] was something we inherited ultimately from when the county was got built and actually
[22:13] It all historically, when it was all built, it originally was the county.
[22:18] And so when Tacoma incorporated their section, because that was a later incorporation,
[22:23] the West Ridge, or now it's called the Boulder's area, they essentially inherited the section the County built.
[22:31] And then that had the already the prescriptive right to move through in the way the stormwater regulations go as long as soon as you change.
[22:42] You know, municipal boundaries, the responsibility of conveying and managing the flow turns into that system.
[22:50] So, yes and no, I guess it's the answer to your question, but-
[22:56] But it is clearly the, it
[23:01] is more of a nature of state law and-
[23:06] where water is intended, it has to go.
[23:09] And when Tacoma assumed that party from the county,
[23:14] they ultimately got the responsibility to maintain the section that they assumed.
[23:18] You know, I would just like to be sure that we have some clarity there so that
[23:22] we don't have to engage mad again to go and negotiate on behalf of the city.
[23:26] And from your, you're going to
[23:28] be engaging me anyway because there's other pieces of this that will be coming back to council.
[23:31] Oh, wonderful.
[23:32] But you've already agreed to the big picture.
[23:34] Yeah. And Tacoma is also, they are party to this consent decree.
[23:38] So they're in agreement with the course of action.
[23:42] So from the standpoint of that,
[23:46] with the consent decree and then we are doing some additional agreements and
[23:53] time-related adjustments. That will further address their concerns but
[23:57] ultimately their party this in an in agreement as well.
[24:00] Okay, you know, we're so we'll be voting on shortly here on this hydrodynamic separator
[24:07] But you also said you have this other deal going on on the side
[24:10] So if the council approves this tonight, do we have to come back then and undo this to approve for the other?
[24:18] Or is there some kind of an amendment we would most likely have a super seeing action and as Jack indicated given the timeline
[24:26] It very well may be that we're making some phone calls in the next week or so asking for a special
[24:31] Stand up meeting with one item on the agenda depending on
[24:34] The timeline between now and the first meeting in September
[24:37] Hopefully not, but we're covering our basis.
[24:42] All right, so if that's the case and that is the scenario, do we really need to even
[24:46] take an action on this?
[24:48] We're trying to avoid that scenario.
[24:50] Yes.
[24:51] So if we can.
[24:52] No, we got an item on the table right now.
[24:53] No.
[24:54] No but I'm saying we are trying avoid calling the special meeting if possible.
[25:04] If the company can't provide it, then we're already set.
[25:08] We can place our order and move forward without any additional action.
[25:12] If we do have to do an additional option, we have do additional actions anyway.
[25:15] And so we are trying to.
[25:18] to reduce that possibility, if that makes sense.
[25:21] Well, it does, but, you know, thinking the council's going to be taking a recess here
[25:26] for the summer, and that's why we're not having the next meeting.
[25:28] I'm wondering if it would make more sense,
[25:31] and I'll look to our city attorney here and make
[25:35] more since to have one motion here that gives Jack the latitude.
[25:40] If you can get the better deal with the other item just to move forward with it
[25:45] By giving them approval tonight to do that
[25:48] Here's the problem. It's a time problem is what it is
[25:50] It the classic bird in the hand versus what's your timeline?
[25:53] We have a known known which jacket talked about which means the requirement for the waiver of competitive bidding
[26:00] Based on everything we know depending on what happens in
[26:02] The next bit that might change but when I was briefed on this earlier this afternoon
[26:07] I reached the conclusion we kind of
[26:09] to tell council that there may be this other piece out here that we might have to make another trip back.
[26:15] to counsel, but we don't have enough information on that.
[26:18] Second piece, what we do know is that this first piece on information that we have
[26:22] and verify does meet that requirement.
[26:25] Okay. So, Matt, could the council just authorize the appropriation or the expenditure
[26:31] of the 200 up to $203,925.10 for a hydro dynamic separator?
[26:39] So if Jack were to be able to cut a deal with the other company and get it for less
[26:44] He's still home free we could just say he could do that just don't be surprised if you see a quick touch or some
[26:50] Paper on an upcoming council agenda just to make sure that that's copacetic particularly from the auditor perspective
[27:00] Yeah, it might even it may be a receiving file or just might appear on the consent. Yeah. I think that would make make more sense
[27:07] So Matt would you have us suggested?
[27:09] Change to the motion. Yeah, we could just we can just move to
[27:14] Authorize you to expand up to this amount for the purchase of a hydrodynamics summer separator
[27:20] So if you were to get it for less great the city will love you for it
[27:24] But if he can't you've got the amount of money you need to buy this one
[27:28] And then you can do a receiving file when you get the other item receive and file or something on the consent
[27:35] Okay, yeah, and we would just rephrase the action. I'll frame it in the way so somebody can say so moved
[27:41] There you know authorized the city manager or a designee
[27:45] For a purchase of a hydro dynamic separator in an amount not to exceed
[27:50] 205 thousand dollars with competitive bidding requirement waived
[27:55] Okay. We'll make that motion
[27:57] Thank you. It's been moved a second. Thank You. Its been properly moved and seconded
[28:02] to authorize the city manager or designee to expand up to $205,000 with the competitive bidding requirement waived for the purchase of a hydrodynamics separator.
[28:15] Is there any further discussion, comments, questions?
[28:18] Seeing that there's none, then, I gotta make sure we do this right here.
[28:24] We'll call for a vote.
[28:26] Madam Clerk, would you just take.
[28:28] Thank you mayor council member for girl. Yeah
[28:32] Council member Boykin
[28:34] Yes
[28:35] Councilmember Cunningham. Yes councilmember wood. Hi
[28:40] Council Member grassy. I
[28:42] Mayor pro tem not plus key. yes mayor Fleming. Aye. Mayor vote results have a nice motion carries
[28:49] Thank You motion does carry. Thank. You. Jack for that report
[28:54] You know because times of the essence we certainly didn't want to tie your hands on that
[28:59] Let's move down to council considerations item number eight. This is the art and culture advisory commission. It's an ordinance amendment
[29:07] We'll call on our city attorney mr. Matt Kaser for the report
[29:12] Thank You mister mayor. I'm at kaser city Attorney again before you for
[29:16] action tonight is a proposed ordinance following council's discussion at your last city council
[29:22] meeting. As you may recall at the last City Council meeting of July 20th, you held a study
[29:27] session on a propose change initiated or requested by Mayor Pro Tem McCluskey as well as council
[29:33] member Boykin to alter the composition of your arts and culture advisory commissioner
[29:43] Your the original proposal just quoting from
[29:47] for a second that council had, would be in relevant part
[29:51] to codify a change to the structure of that commission
[29:54] to recruit subject matter expertise
[29:56] for interested individuals with interest
[29:58] in growing that Commission in the city of the university
[30:00] place who may not reside in this city.
[30:03] Those individuals would known in
[30:04] the arts community and have established
[30:05] credible influence in arts and culture.
[30:07] They would take up to one, but no more
[30:09] than two seats on the commission,
[30:10] therefore creating majority of seats
[30:12] will still be UP residents on
[30:13] the Commission's structure.
[30:14] One of these seats would assigned to a culturalist
[30:17] and the other to a successful nonprofit with marketing fundraising and major event
[30:20] productions. So that's largely from your original proposal. What you have before
[30:25] you tonight is a, and with my windows here.
[30:30] A draft ordinance that follows on that discussion, which would amend one section of the University Place Municipal Code.
[30:36] It's a sectional code that you amended earlier this year when you originally created the Arts and Culture Advisory Commission.
[30:43] As you may recall, you had extended discussion on what the composition of AC, AC would look like with nine members to those seats would be set aside for you.
[30:52] The draft ordinances you have tonight, acknowledges that the nine seats currently assigned up to two seats may be
[30:59] as having that expertise drawing largely or near verbatim from that proposal.
[31:06] You'll note, as you look at the draft language, it is silent on residents, or actually it speaks to those individuals holding seats.
[31:14] Not saying other provisions do not need to be residents of the city of university, please.
[31:18] You will note by its terms, that it's expressly silent, on whether those individual hold voting or non-voting seats,
[31:25] that was an issue that you had discussed, has currently drafted, if adopted, those
[31:30] individuals would be voting members.
[31:34] One other thing or two other things I think that's important to call out and then I'll yield the floor for questions.
[31:39] The first is there are some discussion at the study session on what is a culturalist.
[31:45] You will note that this draft proposal does not attempt to define that phrase.
[31:53] A feature in the legislation because amongst the seven of you the question then becomes you want to try and define it at the time of legislation passage or at
[31:59] the. Time of confirmation of an individual for.
[32:04] appointment to the commission.
[32:05] As you may recall, under your current process,
[32:09] you have an interview committee comprised
[32:11] of three council members who interview candidates
[32:14] who make a non-binding recommendation to The Mayor.
[32:17] The mayor then advances those names for nomination
[32:20] and then a majority of council is required
[32:22] to make that confirmation.
[32:24] So, certainly at the time of confirmation, individual could say that this person has the
[32:29] requisite degree of cultural itsness, I made that word up, but we're going to roll
[32:34] with it for today, or not, without having to attempt to define it in legislation.
[32:40] The other thing I want to call out, which is not something you had discussed,
[32:44] however, from the sense of trying to administer this language, is that if these two seats,
[32:53] In making a nomination, the intent would be that the mayor in making the nomination expressly calls out that this person is the
[33:00] culturalist or the individual who holds the marketing, fundraising, or production of the nonprofit piece.
[33:06] So that way, should those members cease to become members of a commission, we can still follow and identify if this
[33:13] person, what spot do they hold, as opposed to somebody else who might remain on the commission to say, well, they have the
[33:23] Without trying to play guess guess the bouncing ball member has it were
[33:29] With that I will pause and you otherwise yield the floor because I suspect members of the council may have some questions
[33:35] So we'll go from there awesome. Thank you, mr. Hager
[33:39] Mayor pro temni is there anything you wish to ask yeah
[33:44] Yes
[33:46] It's not really a clarification, but just so the council is assured that it is only these seats assigned to non-resident if and when there is no expertise that is coming forward for the selection committee to review and there
[34:08] is option for a nonresident to apply.
[34:13] The other component is on our initial application for any commission there is a slop for business.
[34:23] So to include businesses within a university place.
[34:29] Even though the resident may not live within university places.
[34:33] But they do provide the expertise of either a non-profit or the culturalist.
[34:41] Culturally skinny, historian, librarian, there are schools actually for
[34:49] culturalists and then so you can get a degree in being a culturalist.
[34:54] And it typically is found in the Human Resource Department under organizational
[34:58] leadership and human resource development.
[35:01] And its on the more strategic level of a corporate executive
[35:10] Talking about vision, mission, strategic goals,
[35:14] how all that aligns with their human resources and
[35:19] to include all the things that we are currently now talking about as being part of the culture.
[35:27] It's not only corporate culture, it is a culture of who their customer is.
[35:33] So in our case, it's our citizens, and they keep changing over time.
[35:38] New inflexes come in and others move out.
[35:42] So it keeps kind of a thumb on that sort of movement.
[35:49] And in that there'll be a design of the cultural plan for
[35:54] one to five years, that's all.
[35:57] For a annual review and update as that moves forward and the culture
[36:03] Culturalists will be really a strategic in designing that unless we want to
[36:10] Pay for an outside consultant
[36:12] If we wanted to design a cultural plan
[36:17] so
[36:18] Mr. Kaser
[36:21] also defined culturalist, because culturalists is kind of in the ether a little bit, right?
[36:27] What is it, what does it do, and so he did an excellent job with his addendum.
[36:33] And I would highly recommend that in, the change to our.
[36:39] our commission structure that this be placed in it, so that we don't lose it over time.
[36:45] And that when the selection committee or the interview committee comes together, they can read it.
[36:50] And then when they discover those expertise,
[36:54] they'll know it and they will be able to make their determination whether that person is a good fit for the commission or not.
[37:04] At the bottom line it is the choice of our mayor.
[37:07] be of a selection commission, so even if it is an outside resident that we feel
[37:13] does not have the heart and passion for university place, they don't have to be
[37:19] selected. They're not, you know, it's forced to
[37:28] With the help of council member Kenny Nam who did a great job in designing two questions for the selection commission.
[37:35] So that it tells into allowing the applicant to express some of the things that we're looking for
[37:45] in a cultural and in an nonprofit administrator.
[37:50] So in that selection process, it's a very low level informational discovery.
[37:57] to define who we want and who would be a good fit moving forward for the cultural direction on the arts and culture commission.
[38:09] Because, as I'll state it again, culture leads to arts.
[38:14] Arts tells our story.
[38:16] It tells the story of our past, of a present.
[38:20] The things we do really well.
[38:22] The thing we did not so well, the things that we need to improve.
[38:26] And it is has a futuristic positioning on it as well.
[38:31] So if you go into any vibrant arts community, culture is at the heart of it.
[38:39] Thank you.
[38:40] Thank You Mayor Percham.
[38:42] Council Member Boykin, now is the co-sponsor.
[38:44] Do you have any comments you'd like to add?
[38:46] Thank-you Mayor.
[38:47] Just to the first I want to make sure I say that I thought it was extremely important.
[38:54] expand the expectation of how to be providing opportunities for selection of expertise for this council committee, if you will, and in that I thought it was extremely important to take from how
[39:21] A firm that there had been an opportunity for Mayor Pro Tem to attend a professional conference in which this was really centered as part of what good engagement might look like.
[39:33] To give us the best chance of being successful, knowing this is our first.
[39:40] opportunity in this space.
[39:42] And so those recommendations aren't casual, and then the expectation of ensuring that we
[39:47] had the latitude to just be more successful, made sense to me, to ensure that that had
[39:53] been more expansive in our opportunity to choose talent and expertise.
[39:58] So that is the first thing I wanted to say.
[40:00] The second thing that I want to see is that.
[40:03] As we look at the way of how we move any commission choice forward.
[40:09] We really do lean into the expectation of the process and
[40:14] sure, assuredly that the mayor does have final say.
[40:19] But I'm hopeful that we don't take that process casually.
[40:24] That the opportunity for us to find our best sales and to move the best.
[40:29] Opportunity forward for an overall successful commission is what we're taking very seriously is our own individual charge
[40:37] So that it makes it easy for the mayor to say yes
[40:40] And it also makes is easy four you're engaged in your specific way of leaning into the process that much more valuable
[40:49] Thank you so much councilmember Futeroa
[40:55] I believe we should have some added verbiage that states the first recruitment for this
[41:18] At that time, if there's no, either both positions,
[41:23] there is just one, neither one if nothing is found.
[41:26] Then we can do a second recruitment outside of UP.
[41:30] Inside of the UP, again, and outside a UP to include outside UP
[41:35] to try to capture someone with that expertise.
[41:37] But I think that I don't want to pin those that have that
[41:42] expertise in UP
[41:43] to compete against outside up non-residents.
[41:49] Okay, thank you very much and then excuse me but and thank
[41:54] you. And the reason I think it needs to be verbalized and stated in here because it's
[41:59] something that can be forgotten as time goes by where you could change council members
[42:03] and we don't know what the intent is and and all of a sudden it could be a recruitment
[42:08] and it is silent here as to the first recruitment being a Chesapeake resident so that's why I
[42:16] Thank you. Mayor. Thank-thank you, Councillor McKendenham.
[42:20] Yeah, so somewhat what Council Member Figaro is saying, I just think that we all had decided
[42:28] that our first pass was going to be, you know, in district to start off. And being part of
[42:35] the selection committee, we already have about a dozen applicants of which for our use just
[42:46] I just caution us to really look inside because again, we have no data to support the fact that we don't know that
[42:51] we can't find what we're looking for in our city.
[42:54] And because we had such a significant amount of applicants, I mean, it's two days worth of interviews for the committee.
[43:00] I think that tailoring questions to be specific because
[43:04] we'd have to give them an opportunity to determine if they have that level of expertise before we seek outside of our City.
[43:09] So I'd just think we need to put some.
[43:11] Dates, some level of a timeline to determine the trajectory of where this goes after.
[43:17] Because even if the committee finds that we have maybe half of those, we still have to seek outside.
[43:23] I still think that should give it a real call, let's try before we determine.
[43:27] that we go outside of our city to look for this person.
[43:30] And I think that tailoring questions to be specific because whether they're in the district or out,
[43:35] we still need to determine their level of experience to
[43:38] determine if they'd be a fit for those said two seats.
[43:40] So I just think we need put some dates and some level
[43:44] of clarification around that because we already got a significant amount of applicants for
[43:50] this new commission so we don't know our own potential just yet.
[43:53] So happy here. Okay, great. Thank you very much council member would
[43:57] Thank You, sir
[43:59] first I have a quick question and I think I know the answer, but I don't want to assume I no the
[44:03] answer if
[44:06] The nobody with the requisite expertise applies to this particular commission whether inside the city or without
[44:13] Do we have to hold the seat vacant or can we put somebody in there?
[44:16] So we had a voting member who is as close as possible to the intent
[44:21] You know my for whoever can answer. I'll take one step and then I let Mayor Percam do that
[44:26] But I know having sat on that commit committee before
[44:30] We used to follow the intent the spirit of what the council had in filling those seats
[44:37] And when we couldn't fill them then we did go and ask other candidates who may have applied even to other
[44:45] Commissions if they shared in that interest
[44:48] And if I did and they could could articulate that then, we would fill those seeds
[44:53] So I think the Spirit in the Intent is there
[44:56] I think I also believe in the committee members and their use of their good judgment when they're looking at filling those seats.
[45:08] So I don't really, I personally don t have any hesitation of trusting other judgment in terms of how they would go about doing that.
[45:16] Okay, thank you. I just want to make sure we're not putting ourselves in a bind.
[45:19] Sure.
[45:19] I say we have to have one or the other.
[45:21] Yeah.
[45:22] And then the second one, and please humor me on this one.
[45:25] Ordinance 798, which actually established this.
[45:28] Could you review the paragraph that said exactly what the purpose of the commission is just
[45:34] for a second?
[45:35] If you could give me a few minutes, let me pull it up because I'd be a couple minutes here.
[45:42] And while you're doing that, lemme just explain my thought process so you guys can understand
[45:45] why I'm asking this, because we're asking here for the culturalist and a marketing fund
[45:53] with that kind of expertise, which on the face of it both sound like very good ideas.
[45:59] But I want to make sure we're not stepping too far beyond the bonds of what the original ordinance was asking for with this commission.
[46:05] And since I wrote it, but it's been many, well over a year ago, almost to that.
[46:10] I would like to be sure that we are not going too fast beyond bonds or bounds of that particular ordinance.
[46:16] So thank you.
[46:17] Okay, thank your mayor for town.
[46:19] Okay.
[46:20] Actually, I actually had an answer for Council Member Wood on it.
[46:25] What I've done is I have co-opted your screen with the original language, and there's one
[46:31] other provision I want to share with you here in a second, but since the question related
[46:35] to the origin ordinance, there was a laundry list of functions associated with
[46:41] Commission without limitation it would include and I'm just going to quickly go through this
[46:46] Encourage public programs to encourage the development of public awareness and the fine arts provide recommendations to the council in conjunction with cultural and artists endeavors provide council input on art displays
[46:57] In include in public spaces advised on the acquisition and replacement of arts in the new construction
[47:01] It reviewed the suitability of artworks intended as gift and encourage donations and grants and advise the city
[47:10] we definitely council member with that you are speaking of specifically with respect
[47:14] to the ordinance that council passed earlier this year. The one other thing I also want
[47:18] to make sure that is on council's radar and making sure you do not get too far afield
[47:25] Because it is home in your overall commission code
[47:30] Under your intent associated with not just this commission, but your other four commissions
[47:35] It has been codified that the commissions are exclusively advisory to the council and that they do not take independent action
[47:41] representing the city
[47:43] With other agencies and do you not direct or duplicate the work?
[47:46] So just I want to make sure that that base is also touched as part of at least some of the assumptions associated
[47:52] with your question
[47:53] Good assumption. Thank you
[47:55] Okay, great. Thank you. You know, and for the rest of the council, if you're just looking to review the ordinance itself, it's on the following page of your booklets that you have here tonight.
[48:07] Mayor Pro Tem, you had some comments?
[48:10] Yes, I think we're getting a little bit off base in regards to the residency requirement.
[48:25] The essential piece that I came back with and many meetings with the Americans for the Arts as well as the National
[48:35] League of Cities for The Arts and their health and wellness committees really indicate the need for a
[48:53] the art culture within the city of the university place that if you remember when I sent everybody
[49:02] the initial information from the Americans for Art it had a widget of 33 different components.
[49:10] And this is what arts and culture impacts, and it impacts everything.
[49:16] So for example, like public safety, you click on the public
[49:19] safety widget and you get a whole white paper from Bloomingdale and on that,
[49:23] there's like another 15 or so hyperlinks into it as to how the arts
[49:29] and cultures directly impacts public
[49:32] safety and its perception.
[49:35] And it ties into our health and wellness and those things.
[49:41] And if we can get on the right step with this
[49:47] culturalist in this infancy of the Arts and Culture Commission,
[49:52] we will be leap years ahead than any of
[49:56] the other art commission that I have spoken with that
[50:03] being part of it.
[50:05] It's a significant role and it's an important key role
[50:10] that we need to have that expertise.
[50:12] Now we can design it, how we design
[50:15] it we don't have to save a seat.
[50:18] You know, I don t really encourage or recommend
[50:20] that if you have a lot of interested people
[50:24] in the get go to do it but we may want
[50:27] to consider hiring a consultant to
[50:32] I'm going to be circling back for a cultural plan for the next one to five years because it's also in alignment with the arts and culture philosophy and
[50:45] how the other arts & culture collectives develop within a city.
[50:53] Port Townsend, Santa Fe, Albuquerque.
[51:02] The other piece to all of this is that we have a vibrant arts community here in University
[51:11] Place that's hidden.
[51:13] This arts and cultural commission will hopefully pull them out of the woodworks and will just
[51:19] say what an incredible, amazing, talented people that have from poetry or some writing,
[51:30] The art that we don't think is art, that they're doing out there.
[51:36] And also in 2008, up for art did a
[51:41] investigative report of arts within our community.
[51:47] And within that report, guess what?
[51:51] Is the need to identify culture?
[51:53] because culture leads the way.
[51:55] That's how significant and important that it is.
[51:58] If we don't have that expertise in the very beginning,
[52:02] yeah, we may have a little Achilles heel,
[52:04] not to say we're going to fail.
[52:06] We're not going sail because we are going
[52:08] to realize and we'll figure out how to get that expertize.
[52:12] And, but I would be really remiss
[52:17] if I did not bring this forward and being so heartfelt.
[52:21] And all the information and all of the data and the research and
[52:26] the science about having somebody who has a cultural expertise.
[52:31] Port Townsend has the cultural expertist through their librarian.
[52:36] Santa Fe has cultural experts through the local artists, but also through there historians.
[52:43] They have a very centuries old culture.
[52:49] And they want to preserve it, but they also want
[52:52] to move it forward so we'll have a modern vibe
[52:55] to keep the tourism going into Santa Fe.
[52:59] And that ties into their transportation system.
[53:01] It's culturally driven as well.
[53:04] With that, I'll rest.
[53:06] Thank you.
[53:07] Okay, thank you, Mayor Pertemto.
[53:08] I would almost accept that actually,
[53:10] I will.
[53:11] It has a soliloquy to this amendment to the ordinance.
[53:15] Well, you actually have no motion pending I'm still on the hook for council questions. I like wise. Thank you
[53:22] I said almost almost
[53:24] So councilmember Boykin
[53:26] Thank You mayor. Want to just be sure that we're not unintentionally conflating two ideas
[53:33] That are beginning to compete because they really don't they?
[53:36] Really shouldn't
[53:37] Number one about the residency expectation for any of our commissions including this one to be launched.
[53:46] There's always an expectation to look here for residents and citizens to contribute.
[53:51] Because we're always talking about City of University place and
[53:55] it being a for us by us product and engagement and infrastructure.
[53:59] So I don't want to suggest that anything that it is that's.
[54:03] I'm intending on moving forward.
[54:05] The trade off is, that's not considered our residents and our citizens that actually would want to serve, as well as have an expertise to service.
[54:13] Again, I will say that the goal was to ensure that there had been an expansive opportunity, number one, to insure that we had the best chance of being successful.
[54:23] For the people who have leaned into the process and recognized what it takes to launch this in its infancy.
[54:29] There are some very specific things that have been prescribed as a result of being successful.
[54:35] In that regard, the makeup of the composition has come to the forefront.
[54:39] That's the only thing that is important in terms of the comments that I'm making tonight.
[54:45] I want to be sure that that opportunity and that expectation has a chance to move forward.
[54:50] If for the reason we don't find that expertise inside the City of University Place.
[54:54] Because what is most important is this particular brand new commission serving the needs for
[55:01] the residents and the city of university place.
[55:05] And we've got a really good opportunity to set that up well.
[55:08] And I want to be sure that we don't have any unintended consequences by removing the way forward in the best chance of being successful in that effort.
[55:17] Yeah, so if I understand your question, and what you have at least in terms of between the ordinance and your current code.
[55:25] There is some room for what you could perceive as ambiguity.
[55:30] And then the question is, has Council actually takes up action on this ordinance to what extent you wish to tighten it, as it were?
[55:37] So hear me through on these and mindful as many of the other questions in terms of when do you want to do that,
[55:42] especially some of discussions associated with the first round of interviews, et cetera.
[55:47] So the language that you have in front of you tonight sets forth, if adopted, sets fourth, who can serve?
[55:54] on the Arts and Culture Advisory Commission.
[55:57] So, and it does not have the language in there
[56:00] that says if there's nobody else that's eligible
[56:02] or qualified to serve, et cetera.
[56:04] So if that something that is important to council
[56:06] and amendment in due course should be considered for that.
[56:09] As you go through that process,
[56:11] one of the things I do want to make sure
[56:13] and highlight for council,
[56:14] I will do a quick screen share for you.
[56:17] And this was touched on earlier.
[56:19] This is pulling up a portion of your code
[56:21] on your appointment process for the commission.
[56:23] You're familiar with most of
[56:25] the language associated,
[56:26] or most the process anyway,
[56:27] even if you're not familiar
[56:28] with the words associated with that,
[56:30] because that's your familiar committee process
[56:32] that we've talked on
[56:33] and that you've utilized a number of times.
[56:35] The key thing I'm trying to highlight
[56:38] of section 1.3508 of your municipal code is that you have expressed an intent that in making
[56:45] appointments that the council should, note the should make the CTO for the greatest number
[56:51] of residents the opportunity to serve. Now, if you notice this should not a shout.
[56:56] I'm sorry to interrupt you. Is there a way you can expand that, the Council's
[57:18] I'm playing with my windows here.
[57:20] You do that. You were on a great roll.
[57:22] I was on the roll! Sorry to interrupt you.
[57:25] Here's the language that we're focused on in terms of council intent.
[57:29] I am not even touching it. Can you blow it up to 50?
[57:33] I don't know. 72.
[57:36] There we go.
[57:39] Can y'all read that?
[57:41] It's fine. My apologies.
[57:47] Yeah.
[57:48] All right.
[57:49] Are we good?
[57:50] Fine.
[57:51] Okay.
[57:52] The point I want to make, and this is in response to your question, Councilmember Boykin, is
[57:54] that...
[57:55] How definitive do you wish to be in the course of making those appointments?
[58:00] Now, council has previously expressed that there is a very strong intent on making
[58:04] those appointment.
[58:05] Now that same intent does not equate to a shall.
[58:07] It's a may.
[58:08] And so that's something that throughout the court of this current commission code,
[58:11] which dates back to 2017, you have generally adhered to.
[58:15] And when there are exceptions called out,
[58:16] you've done so expressly and specifically.
[58:19] We've heard about the business exception being the one in particular.
[58:22] This is another potential exception.
[58:25] If that is a strong desire on the part of council, the language that you have in front of you in the ordinance tonight will need some additional language.
[58:32] Now, having said that, some of the concerns that had been identified, and
[58:36] I'm just like, in a sense, we're talking potential amendments before even the main motion has been made.
[58:41] How do you ensure that the first round you had adequate coverage for UP residents?
[58:46] There's a couple potential solutions.
[58:47] You could change the text of a language, that's in favor of it.
[58:53] a living document as we go forth.
[58:55] The second is you could amend the effective date of the ordinance.
[59:00] This ordinance has with most of your other ordinances
[59:03] takes effect five days after publication,
[59:05] which would be publication would take place sometime this week,
[59:08] so the effect of date would sometime next week.
[59:10] You could say that this ordinance will be effective insert date here,
[59:14] recognizing that gives you ample time to go through initial round of interviews
[59:18] whenever that might be.
[59:22] of 2027 or some other date, just throwing a date out there.
[59:26] The third is you could take a wait and see approach.
[59:28] Would we move to table the discussion
[59:31] and then come back and potentially revisit it?
[59:34] All three of those options,
[59:35] and I'm sure there's a few more
[59:36] that I am probably overlooking
[59:37] or certainly at your disposal.
[59:39] But those at least alleviate some of the concerns I've heard.
[59:43] I don't know if I fully answered your question
[59:44] for your council member Waken,
[59:45] but recognizing that there is some ambiguity
[59:47] and part of that is a discussion amongst the seven of you.
[59:50] How tight do we need this to be, for where we're trying to go with this particular commission?
[59:56] Mayor May I?
[59:57] Thank you. I come from Bergen.
[59:59] Mayor may I, I'm coming from.
[1:00:00] Thank You.
[1:00:01] I just wanted to say that you're spot on in terms of what my dilemma was.
[1:00:05] Because I do believe that what we will do is entrust council members to make the best decision.
[1:00:11] And I don't know anyone here who would want to lead less than first.
[1:00:15] taking a look at the expertise that we have here among us.
[1:00:19] And then the intent is to ensure that
[1:00:21] we've got the best people that
[1:00:23] we can put in the position so that
[1:00:24] we got a very successful opportunity
[1:00:26] for our arts and cultural commission.
[1:00:29] And I don't see that changing.
[1:00:31] So if there is something that I believe you said,
[1:00:36] I like the second scenario where we
[1:00:39] extend the date in which it actually becomes effective.
[1:00:43] And let the process unfold as it will.
[1:00:45] I don't believe we necessarily need to put a shell in there.
[1:00:49] But if we do, we'll do.
[1:00:51] And then the last thing I would simply say is that the expectation of making an exception here for
[1:00:57] me for what I've heard.
[1:00:59] And what President has already shown us, it would make sense, but it's only because I want to ensure that what we do have is the best chance of getting people in the place to have the most successful opportunity to be, as I've alluded to more than once, being successful here.
[1:01:16] Thank you, Mayor.
[1:01:16] Okay, thank you for breaking down from the cutting down.
[1:01:19] Yeah, Matt, you answered my question and I'm just for inserting it.
[1:01:24] I don't want to block the opportunities for us to, I want it to get too far down the line where we don t have an opportunity to bring it back and then get the quality of commission that we desire.
[1:01:32] So that's not the case.
[1:01:34] I just want make sure we're prioritizing our residents and that it is ample opportunity.
[1:01:38] I mean, overall, it's hard to fill any of our commissions often because there's ebbs and flows in that.
[1:01:45] And I think that this is going to be no different.
[1:01:49] different people, so I just think that after the committee goes through these dozen applicants then what?
[1:01:56] We just need to know what that looks like so that we have a fair shake at prioritizing our residents.
[1:02:01] So I think inserting a date would just be logical for us to give ourselves ample opportunity and
[1:02:06] runway to determine did we really vet our city residents first and give them a real fair
[1:02:11] shake before we jump in and open it up to others.
[1:02:15] And that's just what I'm saying.
[1:02:19] Okay. Well, thank you very much. Council member Figueroa. Thank you, Mayor.
[1:02:25] It's just a simple wordsmithing. It appears to me that the emphasis has been
[1:02:33] under over cultural to determine the arts. So why not name it cultural and arts
[1:02:46] Since that's really the the first place position
[1:02:51] I'm just asking why why not since that seems to be the emphasis for the arts
[1:02:59] Question raised
[1:03:02] Yes
[1:03:04] Arts and culture on the same level basically, you know is a initially an arts
[1:03:10] Commission and there was an addition of culture
[1:03:13] that was changed with the discussion going on.
[1:03:16] It doesn't mean that culture is less
[1:03:21] because it's in a second position on it.
[1:03:25] It's like parks and recreation.
[1:03:29] Is recreation less than parks?
[1:03:33] I don't think so.
[1:03:34] But do you need parks to do recreation maybe?
[1:03:37] Or not?
[1:03:38] You could use the schools.
[1:03:42] For me, that's
[1:03:46] You know that doesn't matter it's in there they're going to discuss it
[1:03:52] Hopefully
[1:03:55] Figure out the cultural plan where we're doing as a city with it
[1:04:02] It is really
[1:04:06] Interesting that this is not
[1:04:10] And the wording is not going to preclude any resident who has the qualifications from serving in this body in these positions.
[1:04:21] As we know, and as I have done multiple interviews,
[1:04:26] if we get the best fit, we may not get
[1:04:30] the exact person that we need.
[1:04:34] But guess what?
[1:04:35] They'll learn, they'll evolve,
[1:04:36] and they will do it.
[1:04:37] Let's see the planning commission.
[1:04:40] You know, we have several lay persons that, including myself,
[1:04:46] that was selected in place on the planning commission.
[1:04:52] I'm from corporate America, but yet I was
[1:04:57] selected on it and I understood it, and
[1:05:00] I thought I contributed to that.
[1:05:04] So.
[1:05:05] But in the areas that we want to focus on to establish the cultural component of our city.
[1:05:17] Because there was a time eight years ago where we asked, where are we going?
[1:05:24] Do we need to change our vision and our mission?
[1:05:27] What is the culture of universally, how did that evolve?
[1:05:30] And we never really could tie that one off with the bow.
[1:05:34] So here's an opportunity that maybe we could figure that out and do it.
[1:05:40] And as I stated before, if we don't have the right expertise on staff or
[1:05:46] on the commission, we can.
[1:05:48] either hire it in or ask people to come and give us advice.
[1:05:54] But it isn't as enriching if there was someone seated on the commission for
[1:06:00] all the grassroots conversations that go forward in time.
[1:06:05] And as we know, we have been on
[1:06:11] the selection committee interviewing.
[1:06:16] We have said no to a few people or more, because they don't fit the certain criteria.
[1:06:22] And this is basically what we're saying here.
[1:06:27] You can do it, or you can't do, and this just says it doesn't say we must.
[1:06:37] But it's recommended to look for these.
[1:06:42] these characteristics, these skills and abilities, to place them on this particular commission.
[1:06:48] And because the culturalist is so specific,
[1:06:54] we may want to focus someone who has a little more,
[1:07:00] that maybe education in it, or
[1:07:04] coming forward with some experience with it.
[1:07:08] Like I had given out examples of the librarian, the historian,
[1:07:13] someone who has human resource development in that high corporate level
[1:07:20] where they're looking at corporate culture could have some identifiable knowledge skills
[1:07:27] and abilities to help the culture move forward in our city.
[1:07:39] I don't really want everyone to get prickly over that we're going to exclude our residents from these two seats.
[1:07:52] That would really be hamstringing us along the way, because we would like a full bodied commission.
[1:07:58] We have been hamstring right now with our parks commission, there's been a vacancy for quite a long time.
[1:08:08] And hopefully they're doing fine, but we have that in several open seats on other commissions as well.
[1:08:17] So it's not to say that this is going to be exclusive, it is not exclusive.
[1:08:26] But to keep in mind when you are recruiting and you're asking the qualifying questions,
[1:08:33] who's the best fit for the culturalists?
[1:08:36] identify as with those skills and abilities that will lead the way.
[1:08:43] And that's all I'm stating here.
[1:08:48] It's not like I want to hold it for a non-resident.
[1:08:54] I don't.
[1:08:55] It, I, want the skills, and
[1:08:57] abilities because I know from a lot of people that I've spoken with.
[1:09:03] This will make a huge difference if we have these expertise.
[1:09:08] Whether it's in one person, whether it is in all seven people or nine, I don't know.
[1:09:14] But we need to glean them somehow so that when they make their decisions,
[1:09:19] ask the questions they have an awareness or there needs to be some sort of training so they can do that.
[1:09:26] Just like on the planning commission, there's training as we move along.
[1:09:30] We have to ask qualifying questions ourselves.
[1:09:33] So this is the same as in any other commission that, that you're on if you are going to do an amazing job for your city.
[1:09:43] Mayor, can I inject a point of order please?
[1:09:44] Certainly, council, remember what?
[1:09:46] We just had several questions slash comments that have veered into the council consideration portion of the event.
[1:09:52] And as far as I understand, we're still on.
[1:09:54] staff report and technical questions.
[1:09:57] So I don't know if we can get a motion so we
[1:09:58] can move on to the council consideration piece
[1:10:00] if were ready to move.
[1:10:01] Yeah, I think we will be or on the fact we're almost there.
[1:10:04] And yeah, from my perspective,
[1:10:06] I really don' t mind whether people ask questions here
[1:10:09] or ask question when we get into that piece.
[1:10:12] You also need to call for public comments at some point.
[1:10:14] That's right.
[1:10:16] So, all right, any other questions, comments people want to make?
[1:10:21] I t think they've all been great.
[1:10:22] They've been good.
[1:10:24] So this is the point where we will open for public comment, and then I don't see any.
[1:10:33] So we'll close public comments.
[1:10:35] And with that said, now I shall call for the motion.
[1:10:40] I'm going to hold my comments till afterwards, but is your motion?
[1:10:43] Mayor Pro Tem.
[1:10:50] I will make a motion to pass an ordinance of the City of University Place, Washington,
[1:10:55] and the mending section 1.35.030 of
[1:10:59] the UPC addressing the membership of
[1:11:02] the Arts and Culture Advisory Commission.
[1:11:05] Thank you. Is there a second?
[1:11:06] Second.
[1:11:07] Thank You. It's been properly moved and
[1:11:09] seconded to a pass in ordinance
[1:11:11] of The City Of The University of
[1:11:19] Investing the membership of the Arts and Culture Advisory Commission at this point, are there any council comments?
[1:11:26] Council member Wood.
[1:11:28] Thank you, Mayor.
[1:11:29] So, the discussion we've had so far, I came in here very concerned about the residency requirement.
[1:11:36] And actually, thank you Mr. Keyser for showing that verbiage had said actually every council could theoretically,
[1:11:43] or every commission could, theoretically have a non-resident because that's ready in our code.
[1:11:48] And that hasn't been an issue to date.
[1:11:50] So I am less concerned about that now than I was, and that will not stop me from supporting this idea.
[1:11:57] I do have a concern that I don't think we need to address this part of this legislation, but I want to voice it for the record.
[1:12:04] Bringing in an individual with experience in marketing, fundraising and major event productions.
[1:12:09] I agree that the expertise would be valuable,
[1:12:11] but we want be very careful that we have that line clearly delineated.
[1:12:16] that they are advising, not doing, they're not taking over a role of fundraising necessarily,
[1:12:22] unless so directed by the council. And I just want to make sure that we watch it as we go forward
[1:12:26] because I can see that become a potential source of conflict, either with city staff or with council
[1:12:30] later on. Because yes, the expertise is nice, but I want make to the role is very clear.
[1:12:36] And that's all my own comment. Thank you, Mayor.
[1:12:38] I think those are great comment, you know, and I believe the language of our
[1:12:46] I feel good about that. Council member Grazie.
[1:12:48] Thank you, Mayor. Thank for the discussion on the dice evening.
[1:12:51] I think it's been robust and informative.
[1:12:54] Thank You for that expertise as well.
[1:12:56] I look forward to supporting this.
[1:12:58] I just want to say thank you in advance to our citizens, residents,
[1:13:01] and possible non-residents that may serve on this commission.
[1:13:06] At the end of the day, we're talking about individuals that are taking time out of their schedules to volunteer their time to make our city better in this way, and putting in their expertise, whatever their address may be.
[1:13:19] And so, I just want to say thank you in advance.
[1:13:21] I think they're going to, make your city, better, this is a great step forward, so looking forward to getting it off the ground.
[1:13:27] That's all I have. Thank you.
[1:13:28] Thank, thank, you any other comments, council member cutting him.
[1:13:33] What is the timeline for this I
[1:13:36] Think that the only way I'm able to support it is if I understand
[1:13:40] What the turnaround time is to when we're going to open this up it can't be fluid
[1:13:44] I don't think that's productive for the committee that interviews them
[1:13:48] I think it's protected for any of us to determine, you know
[1:13:52] Today, it's non-residents, tomorrow it is residents.
[1:13:56] So again, I think that there needs to be some level of a date to determine what we do next because we're not always.
[1:14:03] The committee needs still understand when we put that forward.
[1:14:06] So I would think it would be a little kind of reckless of us to not really have a timeline against when were doing this.
[1:14:14] Yeah, my understanding is the city attorney advised us a little while ago that once an ordinance is passed by the council, it becomes a law, if you will, within five days unless we change that.
[1:14:27] Five days after publication, unless you set a different date.
[1:14:31] Right.
[1:14:32] So, and to address your concern, council member Cunningham, amendment would be in order to the body of the ordinance if we were inclined to adjust the timeline.
[1:14:42] Okay.
[1:14:44] Such an amendment you could admit you can file request a motion to amend section 5 that the ordinance would be full force and effect
[1:14:52] Insert date here or on or after insert date. Here
[1:14:57] Okay, thank you
[1:14:59] any other questions
[1:15:01] comments
[1:15:02] All right seeing that there's none. I just want to kind of weigh in here a little bit and
[1:15:08] This has been a great conversation. All I really like to say that
[1:15:12] great points made by both the pros and cons for this particular amendment.
[1:15:17] And as I kind of listened to it, I kinda kind thought, yeah, this makes sense, that makes
[1:15:24] sense.
[1:15:25] The thing that reminds me, though, is the fact that we all have run for
[1:15:30] our particular offices.
[1:15:33] because we all share a passion and that's where our city and ensure that what we
[1:15:39] all decide and do here is what's best for our citizens.
[1:15:43] Within that context, we have a subcommittee of the council that we
[1:15:49] have appointed and we trust.
[1:15:52] to do what's right at the end of the day and you know for the tenure that I had on that committee
[1:15:59] I truly appreciated you, know this is the port of The Mayors at The Time and the council members
[1:16:05] of giving that Committee the latitude and The Trust to Do What's Right and so I'm always hesitant
[1:16:17] That the wisdom that they apply when they're interviewing candidates and and select and nominating candidates
[1:16:23] I should say no for the council to approve is always in the best interest of the city I
[1:16:30] I'm always first and foremost
[1:16:33] when we look at candidates as do what's right. Number one is if we have that talent within our
[1:16:39] city, those are the candidates who I like to put forward first. If you can't find that
[1:16:45] talent and as several people said tonight, we've got voids on our commissions because we can find
[1:16:52] Then I think it's okay then to look beyond that, but we should never tie that committee's hands in looking at what's in the best interest.
[1:17:01] So I don't have any qualms in supporting and moving this initiative forward.
[1:17:06] But I thank everyone has the right heart at the end of the day.
[1:17:11] So seeing that there's no further comments, I would like to call for a vote at this time.
[1:17:17] Question comment council member would I thank you mayor just back to councilmember Cunningham's comment
[1:17:22] To is there do you have any desire? What would be the right date for the committee?
[1:17:27] If we were to make an amendment to this tonight is their one that's better than five days after publication
[1:17:32] I just think because historically filling the commission seats as they alluded to I mean
[1:17:37] Parks has been vacant for six months, seven months now.
[1:17:41] So I think because it's such a slow grind to get all of the commissions filled,
[1:17:45] I just think we need to give it a good shot.
[1:17:47] So, I'd say at least the remainder of
[1:17:49] the year or in January,
[1:17:52] I'm just saying that let's, you know,
[1:17:53] we don't know what we're going to encounter this week alone with just our interviews.
[1:17:57] I am just say, with the level of marketing that we do,
[1:18:01] the promotion of, the things that have going on,
[1:18:03] everything is always kind of hit and miss.
[1:18:06] We'd have to give it a little bit of time to determine what that looks like.
[1:18:09] And then I think that we armed ourselves with thoughtful questions that can point directly to that.
[1:18:14] That can potentially just get.
[1:18:17] get us to that point. This is a very new commission. We're, you know, word of mouth is happening.
[1:18:21] We are talking about it a lot. It's been promoted. But I think given our history of how things kind
[1:18:26] of percolate and materialize, we just need to give it, a little bit of a shot. So I'm saying,
[1:18:31] like, let's just give to, till January or give, it to you, know the fall or the beginning of winter,
[1:18:37] whatever, just not five days is what I am saying from the moment that this goes into
[1:18:46] And I'm just thinking that, just based on historically how it tends to go with commissions.
[1:18:52] I mean, we've interviewed for parks for a while, planning sparsely.
[1:18:56] And all the commissions are just getting a closer perspective in view right now.
[1:19:01] And we're looking into what that looks like, and there are some vacancies.
[1:19:04] There are somethings that need to change and we are looking at what it looks, but it's a slow grind.
[1:19:08] And, I think that we need be thoughtful about that and just give it a little bit of time.
[1:19:14] You're right from the perspective that we wanted to get it right.
[1:19:18] I think that by putting off a date out into the future
[1:19:24] might take away that committee's opportunity if they have the right candidate.
[1:19:29] And they go, this is the person we want now, and I don't know, I'm speculating.
[1:19:35] you would not be allowed to recommend that person.
[1:19:37] Sure, I understand.
[1:19:38] So, you know,
[1:19:39] I would say that,
[1:19:41] you allow the ordinance,
[1:19:43] my suggestion would be to allow
[1:19:45] the Ordinance to go into effect,
[1:19:47] let the committee do their work.
[1:19:49] If they have the candidates,
[1:19:51] great, if they don't.
[1:19:53] Your hands are not tied and it gives you the flexibility to move forward.
[1:19:58] I would really hate to say, well, boy, we have the right candidate, but now we're going to lose him because we got to wait till October or January or who knows when to make that happen.
[1:20:10] So I think we've got a good process in our city that allows ordinances to take effect and then let the committee do its job.
[1:20:19] That's what I want to advocate for.
[1:20:21] Mayor, for a time you had a comment it was going to say the exact same thing. So I will
[1:20:28] Okay
[1:20:29] Okay, seeing that there's none
[1:20:32] Madam clerk would you call the role place?
[1:20:35] Thank you mayor
[1:20:38] Council member for Groa. Hi
[1:20:42] Council Member Boykin
[1:20:44] Yes
[1:20:45] Councilmember Cunningham
[1:20:47] Yes
[1:20:49] Council number wood
[1:20:50] Thank you Madam Clerk, let's move now to item those a great debate and I appreciate everyone's engagement.
[1:21:08] Let's moved to Item Number 9 on our agenda as the City Manager and Council reports and comments.
[1:21:18] Well, thank you mayor and council members as we continue the city event season after
[1:21:24] Wonderful movie in the park 250 of de-celebration on Saturday night
[1:21:28] We look forward to tomorrow night the national night out
[1:21:33] 45 neighborhoods. I understand have been signed up
[1:21:36] And we're going to be visiting those neighborhoods with the fire and police.
[1:21:42] And you all know about that and it's meeting 430 in our police department.
[1:21:48] And then we'll move out from there.
[1:21:50] Then Wednesday night, which is the August 5th.
[1:21:55] Out here on Market Square from six to eight is another music on the square concert.
[1:22:01] Mark Hurwitz.
[1:22:03] Has his band. He's also the booking agent for the book. Any other bands, but he also has his own band
[1:22:08] So he usually plays one of the concerts and he will be there on Wednesday night from 6 to 8
[1:22:14] The Thursday is a concert in the orchard. It's not every Thursday. I believe it's every other Thursday
[1:22:20] So anyway this Thursday august 6th from 630
[1:22:24] To eight is in the orchard is going to be a fantastic concert
[1:22:30] I can't remember the name of the van, but it's rock and roll magic. Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem
[1:22:37] With that I'll conclude my comments. We're not done with events yet. This this this summer
[1:22:42] But it continues on and I will turn it back to you mayor. Okay, great. Thank you, mr.
[1:22:48] Okay council, let's just start down here at one end with a council member boykin will roll through the council
[1:22:55] Thank You mayor, Let me just center committee engagement and continue to theme of our city manager having
[1:23:01] share with us what's going on so my what so what now what thought process is that community
[1:23:07] engagement has been very important.
[1:23:09] It hit me differently this summer.
[1:23:11] It made me want to see what I could do in terms of being more impactful, in
[1:23:15] terms
[1:23:16] of one-on-ones, as well as the expectation of how it is that that might move different agendas forward.
[1:23:22] I've really enjoyed how that has a different approach for me at music
[1:23:26] on the square. For example, the current Apple Orchard
[1:23:30] concerts,
[1:23:31] the conversations as
[1:23:32] well
[1:23:32] as
[1:23:32] the fun
[1:23:33] that people have told me that we've enjoyed together
[1:23:39] It's also led to some different ways of being close and personal when it comes to folks
[1:23:45] that have vested interest in how they see the city of the university place and how it
[1:23:50] can move forward better, different special.
[1:23:53] That's got me on a couple of opportunities to walk and join other members of community
[1:24:03] why they see the city a particular way, what nuances are actually in play that actually promote the wealth and value of our city.
[1:24:11] That hit me in a way that made me feel really in tune with how it is that we can be better leaders in this capacity at the dais.
[1:24:22] And so I'm excited about what that means is I think about
[1:24:27] is going forward tomorrow in National Night Out and just want to continue
[1:24:32] elevating that spirit as we celebrate 250th very intentionally as
[1:24:42] we go forward. That's all I have in terms of comments, Mr. Mayor. Thanks.
[1:24:46] Thank you, Councilman Breaking Council member Cunningham.
[1:24:49] Yeah, just echoing that for sure.
[1:24:52] The energy is exciting in the summer.
[1:24:54] So just coming off of a couple of great ribbon cuttings
[1:24:57] that we were able to be a part of,
[1:24:58] that was exciting to Osaka, Korean barbecue,
[1:25:01] and then flourish the skin studio that
[1:25:03] was excited and to hear their whys of why they chose
[1:25:05] university places really profound and exciting.
[1:25:07] And I know Abby at Flourish was
[1:25:09] excited to part us and she relocated to university place.
[1:25:12] She used to become South Tacoma Way in Tacoma.
[1:25:16] her and...
[1:25:17] She's excited where she lives from a residence and excited, you know, how quiet and serene it is where
[1:25:22] she picked her, her place to be for business, so it was exciting to
[1:25:27] be part of that and to see other commissioners there and of course our
[1:25:30] fellow council members, and same with Osaka Korean barbecue, that's been great.
[1:25:35] And then we toured Habitat for Humanity, one of their sites over in South Tacoma,
[1:25:40] Mayor Pro Tem and myself,
[1:25:41] and that was enlightening and it's, it
[1:25:46] of thoughtful ways and we're excited to just kind of see what comes of that and what the
[1:25:52] good work that Habitat is already doing in our surrounding county and you know what potentials
[1:25:57] lie ahead in the future so it was great to see potential for home ownership for community
[1:26:03] members and then the different varieties of housing that they have. So excited for what
[1:26:08] that looks like and they ask us pretty provoking questions about what we are doing
[1:26:15] We want to be able to say that we've contributed to that in a lot of ways.
[1:26:18] So we're excited about what that could potentially look like.
[1:26:20] So it's been a really good week, couple weeks of just connecting with business owners.
[1:26:24] Of course, moving in the park was a total vibe, I thought.
[1:26:28] It was so fun and it was exciting to have such thematic to 50th.
[1:26:34] I loved and I heard that people just really loved the variety that
[1:26:37] we had at the.
[1:26:38] the day. You know, if you came for the movie with your family, then that was
[1:26:42] exciting. But if it came from the beer garden and the in the bands, that
[1:26:45] was also exciting, so it just created a whole day full of, you know different
[1:26:48] varieties and you can see people coming and going as the activities suited them.
[1:26:52] So it was fun to be a part of it. Thank God the weather held up for us.
[1:26:56] I understand now why we didn't have the hot air balloons at first. I didn t, but
[1:26:59] when my hat was blowing off, I totally understood. So, it
[1:27:03] was great. It was a good couple weeks for UP and of
[1:27:07] So here we are, that's all I have, Mayor.
[1:27:10] Totally awesome, thank you.
[1:27:11] Council Member Figueroa, no reports, mayor.
[1:27:15] Okay, Thank you, Council member Wood.
[1:27:18] I just wanted to first thank city staff
[1:27:21] and everybody who's involved with the 250 celebration.
[1:27:23] That was an amazing event.
[1:27:26] And I will say that there's, well,
[1:27:27] there is so much good stuff.
[1:27:29] There's the bands, I talked to people
[1:27:30] and they're engaged, they are having fun.
[1:27:32] But actually, my heart warmest was looking at
[1:27:36] the hundreds of kids on that playground.
[1:27:39] Thank you, Chris, for the work you did in that,
[1:27:41] and thank you for a community who supported it,
[1:27:44] staff who did the works.
[1:27:46] That was just an amazing event, and I just love seeing.
[1:27:48] that place put to use like that, it was perfect.
[1:27:51] My comments, Mayor, thank you.
[1:27:52] Great comments.
[1:27:53] Thank you, Council Member Grassi.
[1:27:55] Thank You, mayor.
[1:27:56] I'd like to echo the excitement to welcome
[1:27:59] our new small businesses into the community.
[1:28:01] It was great to be at the ribbon cuttings with Mayor Pro Tem
[1:28:03] and Council member Cunningham for Asaka Sushi and Flourish.
[1:28:07] You know, I love to see new businesses open in our city.
[1:28:10] So I'm thrilled that we got to Welcome them.
[1:28:13] I want to thank Wesley, who's doing a great job
[1:28:14] in his new role in economic development.
[1:28:18] work, also echoing what Council Member Boykin alluded to earlier, got to go on a walk with
[1:28:25] Council member Boyken and community member Ofska, and as we did a litter pickup around
[1:28:30] the city.
[1:28:31] So that was wonderful.
[1:28:32] And you know that I have a passion for cleanliness and beautification in our city, so that
[1:28:37] was a great time.
[1:28:38] And eye opening.
[1:28:39] And thank you for spearheading that.
[1:28:42] I loved meeting with engaged citizens.
[1:28:44] So thank.
[1:28:47] I, you are a leadership group meeting, United Regional Approach to Homelessness with the county.
[1:28:53] They are looking forward to presenting with Chair Hitchen on September 8th.
[1:28:58] So I'm looking for to bringing that forward too council with their presentation.
[1:29:03] It's been a lot of work, coordinated efforts around the County to have a unified regional approach to homelessness.
[1:29:09] And it's encouraging to see other cities sign on to the resolution,
[1:29:16] And others that are forthcoming in the coming days, so
[1:29:20] looking forward to bringing that to council a lot of hard work. A lot
[1:29:22] of people have been passionate about that. I also want to
[1:29:25] make note that the farmers market and university place has a new
[1:29:28] home. It's located on Thursdays from three to seven at our church
[1:29:32] parking lot, 5,067th Avenue West, just was not getting the
[1:29:36] visibility in the back of Curtis. And so we got our heads
[1:29:39] together and they've had their first week there and
[1:29:41] they did more business the first 45 minutes last week than they
[1:29:45] did the whole time over at their previous location. So vendors are
[1:29:49] Lots of room for the kids to play playground, so I encourage you, they take EBT and it's
[1:29:55] a great way to meet our local vendors.
[1:29:57] So many sold out of their goods last week, farmers market, Thursdays, 3-7, corner of
[1:30:04] 67th and Cirque.
[1:30:05] And I also, of course, like my colleagues, had the excitement of being at movie in the park.
[1:30:11] What a phenomenal day.
[1:30:12] I want to thank our public safety team for keeping it safe.
[1:30:15] I think people felt safe that they could meander around and their kids could play.
[1:30:19] That's a huge benefit to our community that's unique to university place.
[1:30:23] And as a mom specifically, it felt well cared for.
[1:30:27] So thank you to, our Public Safety Team,
[1:30:28] our staff for creating that environment to the bands that played.
[1:30:35] If you were there you saw the kids market and one of the businesses that were at the
[1:30:40] kids' market is Origami Zeus and Zeus is an incredible elementary student right here
[1:30:47] in University Place that started his own origami business.
[1:30:50] I met him teaching origamie for the first time at Tacoma Rescue Mission to kids that
[1:30:55] were housed at Adam Street Family Shelter so he started with a heart just to give kids
[1:31:04] to learn and now he has created a business and he's sold out of all of his
[1:31:09] summer blast additions he also gives lessons to kids for pay what you can
[1:31:13] lessons and different so Zeus if you're watching I am so proud of you he is one
[1:31:20] of the best young entrepreneurs in our city and gets my small business highlight
[1:31:24] this evening so so excited I'm gonna learn origami so I'll have gifts for all
[1:31:31] And finally, it was such an honor, and it
[1:31:33] was the first time that I've ever been asked to speak
[1:31:35] at a promotion ceremony for Colonel Kelly Beacon.
[1:31:38] And it is such a incredible honor.
[1:31:41] She is a well-esteemed colonel now in the United States Army
[1:31:46] and has done two residencies, Dr. Fleming,
[1:31:50] and three tours.
[1:31:51] And as one of her highlights of his story
[1:31:54] is setting up a field hospital for Afghan refugees,
[1:31:59] postnatal prenatal care.
[1:32:00] And her resume goes on and on, but she is some of the very best of university place.
[1:32:06] And it was such an honor to be asked to a part of her promotion ceremony.
[1:32:10] So that is all I have, Mayor.
[1:32:11] Thank you.
[1:32:12] You warm my heart, thank you, mayor pro tem.
[1:32:17] Okay, Thank You Mayor,
[1:32:21] in regards to keeping.
[1:32:24] University plays beautiful.
[1:32:26] There is a discussion going on with our grassroots community,
[1:32:31] Citizen Asuka, myself, and the rotary at the current apple
[1:32:36] orchard that is highlighting one of my favorite bands in the area.
[1:32:40] Rock and roll magic.
[1:32:42] If you like the Beatles, 60, 70, 80s, 90s tunes that you can dance to,
[1:32:48] you know, as it will be a fun, family-friendly event there.
[1:32:54] And with a discussion, with with if you people on how to make university
[1:33:01] plays even more beautiful.
[1:33:03] And I'm excited to hear that because the rotary has been
[1:33:08] picking litter up in our city for quite a few years.
[1:33:11] Now they dedicated one day, and so now we're just talking about how we can improve it,
[1:33:18] make it better, maybe a cultural change where everyone will think about keeping their litter.
[1:33:26] to themselves until they find the proper receptacle instead of just letting it
[1:33:31] jump on the ground or if they see a litter as they're passing by maybe you know bend down and pick it up.
[1:33:36] That's also a good exercise and it also helps the environment as well so
[1:33:41] more on that after Thursday so I'm really excited not only to be at the current apple
[1:33:55] I had the opportunity to go on the master builders' elected field trips.
[1:34:04] I love these field trip, Mary Tommy Field trips, to see infrastructure, I'm there.
[1:34:09] And so this was talking about two projects that are at ground level.
[1:34:15] One is in pretty, it's in the infancy stage of the development.
[1:34:24] affordability and how they have been struggling throughout this whole process to keep
[1:34:30] the affordability as they move forward with the construction of these townhouses and all the
[1:34:49] Survey that they have to do for the Native Americans, and so for example, one site had a level three of the
[1:34:57] cultural, cultural awareness, so they had to dig within three feet of each other,
[1:35:09] The bedrock was really close three to five feet down, but they had hundreds of these holes all over to ensure that there is not any Native American artifacts.
[1:35:19] And then all the tribes that are impacted by it, sometimes it's seven,
[1:35:24] sometimes there's more, we'll have to do a written statement of approval before that site could move forward with that.
[1:35:34] House had to go through this process for the approval of state funding to get an HVAC system installed in their house.
[1:35:44] They had, to give approval, of seven tribes for that one.
[1:35:48] So all those things come, it exponentially
[1:35:55] increases the cost of what we initially thought would be an affordable site.
[1:36:02] And so at the very end, it may not be affordable housing that they're building might be market rate.
[1:36:09] But hopefully, they are trying their best so
[1:36:14] that we can have a great entry level home.
[1:36:17] It more than likely will not remain affordable over time.
[1:36:21] But at least they were hopefully trying to get into the housing market.
[1:36:27] The house is in the low 400s, but
[1:36:31] they're looking at the possibility that it might be in 500 or more.
[1:36:37] So hearing those struggles is kind of disheartening,
[1:36:44] especially when we're talking about shape and homelessness as well.
[1:36:50] And I want to give a shout out to our Trader Joe's because at the Master Builders the CEO Gretchen
[1:36:58] said if you have a Trader's Joe in your city.
[1:37:03] You are like five star because they are so hard to get.
[1:37:08] They look at all kinds of different criterias and factors in it.
[1:37:12] So don't take our Trader Joe's lightly.
[1:37:16] And they have now one of the best stores, I believe, in the Northwest.
[1:37:19] So we should be exceptionally proud of that metal of honor that we're wearing.
[1:37:32] So, moving in the park, I'm not going to duplicate some of the amazing comments my fellow colleagues made.
[1:37:40] But I want to give kudos to Mayor Fleming for his opening remarks that just set the stage of why we're there for the 250th and
[1:37:48] what freedom really means and celebrating a very young city as well on their anniversary of.
[1:37:57] the first Saturday of August, and also the additional honor of celebrating our nation's 250th.
[1:38:08] And then the council rules ad hoc committee met.
[1:38:13] And I am so excited to be part of that committee.
[1:38:17] It is.
[1:38:19] You get down and a lot of data and research and comparison analysis and the council members there are so thoughtful with with really intricate
[1:38:33] questions so that we are looking at designing maybe an ethical guideline,
[1:38:40] counsel's direction to encourage respectful behavior, possible actions,
[1:38:45] policies and procedures that were missing and much, yeah, we didn't need it, but you know.
[1:38:54] Just in case we would have it there, it's like a safety net for fellow council members and
[1:38:59] councils coming into the future, not only the council member's on this dias.
[1:39:06] And so it is a reflection and also a much needed improvement.
[1:39:12] And thank you to our city attorney Matt Caser, leading the way and
[1:39:17] keeping everybody in check and adding some good things to it as well.
[1:39:23] This Saturday at 4 p.m. in our atrium, dance theater Northwest.
[1:39:29] Showcase, if you have never seen one of their performances led by the creative director, Melanie Kristoffer, a highly recommended.
[1:39:39] It's a little mini Broadway production in her atrial.
[1:39:45] And also a reminder that Pierce County Conservation will have their work day.
[1:39:49] Once again, I believe this is a third or fourth one.
[1:39:53] From 10 to 12, they're working on getting rid of the invasive species.
[1:40:01] And also encouraging natives and doing some other wonderful conservation works within our own city park that is dedicated to birds.
[1:40:14] And with that, I will, you know, relinquish my form.
[1:40:18] Thanks.
[1:40:22] I'm going to reiterate some things because I think they're really important to highlight
[1:40:29] here tonight and I'll start out with the 31st birthday and the 250th celebration and
[1:40:36] to Steve Sugg, our city manager, the staff hit that one out of the park.
[1:40:43] It was hands down, I'd think one of best put together, best orchestrated,
[1:40:52] events that I think I've seen in the city in a long time.
[1:40:55] The feedback from the citizens was incredible.
[1:40:59] And I don't recall ever seeing certain part packed,
[1:41:03] like it was packed for that event.
[1:41:07] I know the giveaways the City Council members had
[1:41:12] were amazing, everyone loved them.
[1:41:15] I loved watching the council members with their hats.
[1:41:18] We're going about the crowd there, but it was just, it's in every way imaginable.
[1:41:25] It was fantastic.
[1:41:26] It's so great.
[1:41:27] I think we ought to do it again next year, and year after year and build on that.
[1:41:33] The citizens loved it.
[1:41:36] I can't recall a time when you see so many people dancing and so
[1:41:40] many interacting and engaging.
[1:41:44] Phenomenal the only thing I would say is we got to work on the parking but short of that it was it. Was great
[1:41:51] I also just want to highlight for citizens that are watching or listening tomorrow big big
[1:41:58] night in the city for a national night out I believe we're going to be out visiting roughly
[1:42:03] 32 communities or 40 45 45 communities largest ever and certainly I think it's the largest
[1:42:15] And then again on Wednesday evening, the music on the plaza here at the city hall,
[1:42:23] I think is something great to be looking forward to on that.
[1:42:27] So just want to let citizens know there's so many great things going on here in our community,
[1:42:34] and there is nothing for everyone.
[1:42:37] To the Mayor for Kim, thanks for mentioning clean up in UP.
[1:42:41] This is our community, it's not the dump.
[1:42:46] And I can tell you for the times that I have participated in cleaning up and
[1:42:50] walking our streets and you look at how much garbage is along the sides of our roads.
[1:42:55] I think we as a community can do better.
[1:42:58] And so I applaud what y'all are putting together with rotary to make that happen and ongoing.
[1:43:05] So those are kind of the biggies.
[1:43:07] I do want to let council know I did attend the Puget Sound Regional Council meeting just a couple of highlights from that.
[1:43:14] They voted on admitting Port Gamble's Clam Tribe as a member to the
[1:43:20] Pugets Sound regional council and they also approved over $22 million of transportation funding for
[1:43:32] And with that said, I think we can close
[1:43:37] Our reports for tonight and then move on if you will into study session
[1:43:43] We're going to recess to there right now and we'll continue with item number 10, which is our six-year transportation improvement plan
[1:43:52] Mr. Eclin public works director, you know
[1:43:55] I'm the agenda tonight to elicit you as our public Works manager as well as or public Work's director
[1:44:01] So you can tell us which one it is and what's the difference there, but Jack you're on
[1:44:06] Okay.
[1:44:07] All right.
[1:44:08] Thank you.
[1:44:09] All in all.
[1:44:10] All rights reserved.
[1:44:11] Thank You.
[1:44:12] All Right.
[1:44:13] All.
[1:44:14] All, all rights.
[1:44:15] All the rights are reserved for all of us.
[1:44:17] All of our rights, as well.
[1:44:19] All all right, thank you so much.
[1:44:21] All thanks for joining us today.
[1:44:23] I appreciate it.
[1:44:24] Thank y'all.
[1:44:25] Thanks for watching.
[1:44:26] I'll see you in the next video.
[1:44:27] Bye.
[1:44:28] Bye, bye.
[1:44:29] Bye!
[1:44:30] Bye-bye.
[1:44:31] Bye bye!
[1:44:32] Bye...
[1:44:33] Bye....
[1:44:09] I am the public director, I'm not sure what the manager would be, but I wear enough hats, it's probably the same thing, so it was probably fine.
[1:44:17] So, thank you Mr. Mayor and City Council.
[1:44:20] As we mentioned, Jack Ecklund, Public Works Director, and tonight I bring to you for study our annual update for a six-year transportation improvement plan.
[1:44:29] I would like to direct to in your council packets a copy of the spreadsheet indicating all of
[1:44:38] and estimate costs of each of those.
[1:44:42] We also have in your packet an updated town center grid map plan.
[1:44:48] This one we have updated in a way that to show our current planning to reflect what those projects that are on the tip.
[1:44:55] But then also we've added in green, you can see and highlighted, the portions of that grid that have been completed.
[1:45:02] And it shows that we haven't done quite a bit, but it also gives the full picture of what we're trying to accomplish with the.
[1:45:08] a grid plan.
[1:45:09] So now the six year, the City of Interplace is required every year to annually update this six-year plan by state law.
[1:45:19] This current plan covers the years 2027 to 2032.
[1:45:25] The primary changes in this year's plan is we have removed the UP School Crosswalk Improvement Project because that one's currently underway and will shortly be completed.
[1:45:38] That's always a good feeling when we're checking one off the list.
[1:45:42] We also have updated the status of the Chambers Creek Road Roundabout project in which we receive the additional federal appropriation of $300,000.
[1:45:52] Thanks to the efforts of.
[1:45:56] Representative Strickland and her folks.
[1:46:00] And then we have the schedule for the right away acquisition associated with the Drexler Drive South project.
[1:46:09] And that's one of the projects that is on that town center grid map that I mentioned.
[1:46:14] That has been updated and elevated due to priorities to be changed up to 2027.
[1:46:26] projects on the list.
[1:46:27] Now, I do want to remind you that approval
[1:46:30] of the six-year transportation improvement plan
[1:46:32] does not commit the city to any financial expenditures,
[1:46:35] but rather each project will be reviewed
[1:46:38] and individually by the City Council
[1:46:40] in each relevant budget cycle as a component
[1:46:43] of The Adopted Budget and CIP or capital improvement
[1:46:47] plan, but the approval of this six year plan
[1:46:50] does provide an indication to our neighbors
[1:46:55] transportation planning needs and also creates eligibility for us in various grant opportunities there
[1:47:01] Most grants especially transportation grants require specific projects to be noted on our adopted six-year plan
[1:47:09] So with that that concludes my report and I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have
[1:47:14] Jack, I have just one I used to sit on the committee at the county when we looked at funding for various
[1:47:23] Transportation programs and in that committee we would prioritize
[1:47:27] You know how we wouldn't support those and fund those I was looking at your list here
[1:47:32] And I don't see a prioritization
[1:47:34] And that can you explain that or yeah help us understand that better so that's that an intentional
[1:47:42] aspect of our our tip because nowadays just with the nature of funding.
[1:47:48] You know, a lot of time the priority becomes which where we can get the money from.
[1:47:56] So ultimately we have many needs.
[1:47:59] Now some are more significant than others, but we don't want to imply
[1:48:06] that something is less important when we're applying for a grant or something
[1:48:11] put us in a bad position or a less favored position.
[1:48:14] So, these aren't particularly, they arenít prioritized in any given fashion and
[1:48:19] really just, we want to strike the iron when the fire is hot and
[1:48:24] make sure we can take advantage where we cannot.
[1:48:27] Iím much appreciated and I, you know, again looking over the list I really
[1:48:31] agree that these are all major significant improvements for the city overall.
[1:48:38] I knew and I've had multiple conversations, so I'll put that plug in one more time.
[1:48:42] When we have roads that are majorly failing, we need to look at how we're going to support those.
[1:48:47] I see the day island spit road on here, I would sure love to keep that one high visibility,
[1:48:53] keep it high on the list as we get funding to get that road repaired before we lose it.
[1:49:00] Yeah, and then one thing that we have spoken about in the past two on that project right now it does show the
[1:49:07] Kind of the ultimate
[1:49:09] You know it would hopefully need a road rebuild
[1:49:11] But you also because any kind of you could include interim improvements as part of that projects as well
[1:49:17] So the fact that's on the list
[1:49:20] Showing the the bigger project doesn't preclude us from also doing incremental improvements, as?
[1:49:25] Well, okay, great. Thank you so much any questions for
[1:49:29] Thank you, Councilman Grassi.
[1:49:31] Thank You Mayor, thank you Mr. Eklund for being here.
[1:49:33] Just a question slash comment as well.
[1:49:36] When I'm looking at our 44th Street Project,
[1:49:41] 67th to Alameda, eventually the Regents.
[1:49:44] boulevard project and work a lot with our counterparts
[1:49:48] over at Furcrest and for funding requests together and all of that.
[1:49:52] I think historically we used to have a regularly scheduled meeting
[1:49:56] with FurCrest.
[1:49:58] Did we not at one point in cityhood?
[1:50:00] I would just love to see us consider in light of these projects
[1:50:04] and other things.
[1:50:05] We're considering putting that back on the annual schedule.
[1:50:08] I believe it could be very helpful as we're looking
[1:50:10] at these project that we want to do together.
[1:50:13] If my counterparts over at that city may be thinking some of these projects are farther down the line than what I realize they are.
[1:50:19] And vice versa, so if we're doing, if were pulling our request, funding, all of that, it might be worth considering going back to that.
[1:50:27] Yeah, I think your points will take in, and we've had some conversations with the city manager over there about perhaps having a joint meeting where we can put our heads together on some
[1:50:36] of those things.
[1:50:37] So, what's that?
[1:50:39] Thank you, thank you for the report.
[1:50:43] Thank you mayor do you yeah, do we have full funding for the chambers Creek around about or are we there's something missing?
[1:50:51] We we cur yeah we do have a full-funding for it. It has a combination of we had two separate federal appropriations
[1:50:58] Those total 800,000 themselves. We have eight hundred thousand dollars of
[1:51:04] construction funding from federal highway administration in addition we
[1:51:09] I believe it's $200,000 of design money from FHWA.
[1:51:14] Both of the FHA projects were administered through PSRC and then helped me watch that.
[1:51:22] And then in addition, we have about 400,00 in traffic impact fee funds that are contributing to the overall project.
[1:51:36] Not all the funding, although the fundings been awarded, it is only available in certain years.
[1:51:42] And so likely that's going to be a 2028 project based on when we would have the funds available.
[1:51:47] But it's, from capital projects, that still pretty close.
[1:51:52] So it it exciting that that one is very close to getting to the finish lines.
[1:51:56] Yeah, That is especially exciting for that woman.
[1:51:59] Did Pierce County.
[1:52:05] Allow us to have some other easements so that we could complete the the roundabout as we had designed it
[1:52:14] That has not been executed yes yet, but both staff and the
[1:52:19] our
[1:52:21] Council council memory. I all have indicated that that's something the county is moving forward. They're supportive of it and
[1:52:30] They should be getting, we're anticipating a schedule of that hopefully pretty soon.
[1:52:35] So that's we keep pushing that and it's not necessarily the highest priority for the county.
[1:52:41] They have a lot of things going on, but it is something we continue to chase and they are very, they've indicated they're very supportive of it.
[1:52:48] Right, is there any movement on the Chambers Creek Bridge with partnership with Pierce County?
[1:52:53] Right now, the county is still working on refine the designs, and then it's a pretty,
[1:53:00] there's with the bridge,
[1:53:03] and you have the dam that's also being looked at, you know, kind of removal of the
[1:53:08] dam and re-alignment of
[1:53:10] the creek and channel, so it is a
[1:53:12] pretty significant project,
[1:53:14] and the County is taking the lead on exploring funding options for that.
[1:53:21] We've indicated to them that we are, you know, we're interested in being a partner with that
[1:53:26] You know obviously when it comes to money and what kind of match we'd have to be notified early
[1:53:31] And if you don't we can commit to any of that, but
[1:53:35] we
[1:53:36] Definitely want to make sure the communications there and and we often remind them
[1:53:42] That you no we were we here to support them. How are we kept? Mm-hmm. All right. Thank you. Am I in my last?
[1:53:49] Question or comment, is that, I noticed that in the tip there are some streets that do not have the cooling options like you have streets, sidewalks, gutters, but there isn't any landscaping, so looking at the
[1:54:16] Concrete curb, gutters, sidewalks and bike lanes, that there's some landscaping and also
[1:54:24] looking at the lighting so that, there is a safe corridor for traveling at dusk and at night.
[1:54:32] So some of these do not have lighting as well.
[1:54:36] So I know it's always a function of funding.
[1:54:39] So, I'd rather have these done and then, but kind of think about how we can might
[1:54:46] how we might augment, so that we're creating the cooling islands and also the lights.
[1:54:55] Yeah, and just to note, you know, they're very, the description are very brief.
[1:55:06] It doesn't necessarily preclude us from adding those if we, depending on what the opportunity or what an individual project is.
[1:55:13] So, if, you know, just taking, for example, Chambers Creek Road Phase 2,
[1:55:18] it does just list, curb, gutter, sidewalk, bike lane, both sides, intersection improvements, and crossings.
[1:55:26] So that wouldn't preclude if it needed to, as part of the project,
[1:55:32] to add a median or fit in a planorship where we need to.
[1:55:36] be as far as, say, a grant agency looks at, those would be like auxiliary to a sidewalk or something.
[1:55:45] So we have that ability to still supplement the different improvements depending on what the financing source is.
[1:55:54] Right, and look at the best fit to do that and
[1:55:57] also look out the northwest and eastern part of our city that we
[1:56:03] You need to augment with more more trees and vegetation and
[1:56:08] To complement what we look like in the south southeastern west. Yep, that's right. All right, thank you
[1:56:15] Thank you
[1:56:16] Councilor Boykin. Oh, Thank You mayor. Hey Jack if I could ask you please
[1:56:21] Obviously we're required by our state law to adopt annually the six year transportation improvement plan
[1:56:27] But interestingly enough you had made reference to
[1:56:30] Now the mayor's question around prioritization, and it always had been a little squishy, but certainly in the past it's been far more pragmatic when we came to how we decide what projects that we were going to internally prioritize, even if we
[1:56:48] were obviously looking for best case scenarios, connect grant funding with opportunity.
[1:56:57] Federal funding formula changes, we've got, at the federal level, clear behavior to suggest it.
[1:57:05] Not only we need to figure out what to do with last, but there is potentially less funding coming to states.
[1:57:13] It's changing our engagement, to say the least.
[1:57:16] Could you expound upon how you anticipate how we might look internally about what we
[1:57:27] Next iteration of six-year transportation improvement planning.
[1:57:31] Yeah, and it really is just because how funding keeps shrinking and becoming more and more competitive
[1:57:37] It really will go to each individual
[1:57:41] funding program
[1:57:42] What we would have the best chance to be successful with now typically?
[1:57:47] most programs will look at things that are also important to us so like
[1:57:52] Streets that have high accent locations or streets that our
[1:57:56] You know
[1:58:01] rate quite high, but then other programs will maybe have a very high priority on, say there's a safe route to school program that we were successful with, and that's why we now have every one of our schools.
[1:58:14] connected to the sidewalk network.
[1:58:16] And so, and those may not always be, in fact, thankfully or not
[1:58:19] on the highest busiest streets with the
[1:58:21] highest acts on locations.
[1:58:23] But, so each one, we really have to cater it
[1:58:25] to what the individual grant need is,
[1:58:27] but then once within those grants,
[1:58:30] then we typically will prioritize those based on
[1:58:33] Accident locations, public comments, those sort of things.
[1:58:39] So it's kind of like a sub-set prioritization with each, depending on the funding source.
[1:58:47] Okay, thank you, I appreciate it.
[1:58:48] I'm good.
[1:58:50] Thank you.
[1:58:51] Councillor Wood.
[1:58:52] Thank You Mayor.
[1:58:53] Just a quick question for you on The Matrix here, you have the cost by face.
[1:58:59] And I'm just curious, since this is a six-year plan, how often are those costs updated as far as on this matrix?
[1:59:06] I know year to year they increase quite a bit, I just want to make sure.
[1:59:10] So typically, well, every year, although some years we had no income.
[1:59:16] increases depending on how the costs are but like so like this year I'll all I go through each project individually and
[1:59:23] both update what the estimated costs our and the
[1:59:28] The schedules when we think we could do them now it is
[1:59:33] This is a very planning, it's a planning level estimate.
[1:59:36] It's not a detailed engineer's estimate, so it is more based on typically there's,
[1:59:43] for the certain nature of project, we typically spend this much per half a mile or this and that.
[1:59:48] So as we would get closer to say an individual application.
[1:59:52] These numbers don't really, like we're not held to those numbers if then a grant comes up and we are applying for it.
[1:59:59] Then we do the detailed cost estimate and it could be more or less than what's shown here.
[2:00:03] This is really the intent to just give the rough order of magnitude.
[2:00:08] Got it, thank you very much.
[2:00:09] Great, Thank you, very, much, are there any other questions or comments?
[2:00:13] Okay, seeing that there's none, Jack, thanks you for that update.
[2:00:16] I look forward to seeing some of those projects come to fruition as we move forward.
[2:00:21] Just transitioning since you're there, let's go to item number 11, our arterial update ordinance.
[2:00:27] Jack, you are still on.
[2:00:29] Yep, thanks again.
[2:00:30] Again, I'm Jack Ecklund, Public Works Director.
[2:00:33] And so what we have before us is a cleanup.
[2:00:39] Item for our municipal codes, so in regard to the classification of several arterial streets.
[2:00:47] Now typically, the classification arterials streets is a two step process.
[2:00:52] You need to get them both adopted locally in your own ordinances and regulations.
[2:00:59] But also to be eligible for state or federal money, you need have them classified from a fed on the federal.
[2:01:06] classification system, which is actually maintained by the state.
[2:01:11] Now, fortunately for these ones that we're talking about here,
[2:01:13] the hard part's already been done.
[2:01:15] Several years ago, we already got them approved,
[2:01:18] and they're already on the federal classification map.
[2:01:21] Unfortunately,
[2:01:22] we just noticed recently that that follow-up action
[2:01:26] of getting them adopted on our own plan,
[2:01:29] for whatever reason, must have fallen through the cracks.
[2:01:31] So this action is to just kind of rectify that.
[2:01:36] close the loop, so to speak, the streets that are associated with this is 24th Street between
[2:01:45] Regents and 70th, and these are all minor, none of these
[2:01:49] are major arterials, these were all the lower-level collector level arterial, which is generally
[2:01:55] the lowest designation of an arterio street, it's your local street network and then you
[2:02:06] So 24th Street, that's that street that there's a lot of industrial some warehouses some businesses it goes kind of on the side of the
[2:02:14] Oh
[2:02:17] Yeah, yeah, where the
[2:02:20] Narrows Plaza overall complex was all the way down to Regents
[2:02:24] There is a bus route on that street
[2:02:26] So that that's one that we are would be adopting it locally. We also have 37th Street between Bridgeport and sunset
[2:02:35] So basically bridgeport all of the weight, you know, this 37 Street just across the street going all The way
[2:02:41] Through that. Um, we do indicate to sunset. That's how it's been adopted
[2:02:46] on the federal list currently on our
[2:02:49] PIP, we only have the portion from Bridgeport to the end of where the current road is as a
[2:02:57] plan, you know, eventual improvement, the section that is an unopened road right now is
[2:03:02] only noted as a pedestrian connection. Doesn't mean that we wouldn't in the future still turn
[2:03:07] it into a roadway, but that was due to some concerns expressed from neighbors several years ago.
[2:03:14] And the overall priority was to, that's a big block of roadway without a lot of pedestrian
[2:03:20] connection through there. So there was a priority to emphasize the pedestrian
[2:03:27] over the roadway in that area, but we still want to make ourselves consistent with what
[2:03:32] we have in the federal list.
[2:03:35] Then we do have a Drexler Drive right here between 35th and 40th, and then Larson Lane
[2:03:42] between 30th in marketplace as well as marketplace out here in front of the building.
[2:03:50] And then, so those are the streets, now a number of those, the reason that fell through
[2:03:57] We like the Drexler in the market and and some of the other ones were adopted in
[2:04:01] the federal register to be able to get the funding to build the streets, but then
[2:04:07] we didn't classify them as arterials ourselves until after they were, I mean
[2:04:10] the plan would have been until, after, they've been built.
[2:04:12] So like, for example, the section of Dxler that we talked about in
[2:04:17] the TIP where we're elevating the right-of-way acquisition, we have noted
[2:04:25] As a future arterial street, but we're not adopting that ourselves until we would build the street
[2:04:31] So it's a little bit of chicken egg on on some of that stuff
[2:04:34] But so those are the streets that are involved and then you can see
[2:04:38] What the action that will be coming back so there's this study right now, of course
[2:04:42] But when we come back
[2:04:43] The action would be to adopt an ordinance that modifies section 13, 20.15 of the municipal code and that's the table that lists all our various arterial streets and they'll just add those streets with the limits that we're adding.
[2:05:02] We take it that pauses for questions
[2:05:06] So I'm I know you and I talked about this once before also and i don't want to lose visibility on it
[2:05:12] Because it's important to the city under secondary materials
[2:05:16] Where we list chambers creek road west from stilcom city limits to bridge portway as a secondary arterial?
[2:05:25] From the stolcom City limits too the old lemons beach road ie
[2:05:30] extension of Chambers Creek Road, i.e. the beginning of Grandview.
[2:05:36] That is a designated state highway.
[2:05:39] So why would we continue to list this as a secondary arterial?
[2:05:46] Because that's a separate designation.
[2:05:49] And so like.
[2:05:51] So they still can be they can they aren't mutually exclusive of each other so the volume and the
[2:05:58] nature of the street indicates it's it more appropriate to classify it as a secondary material however the
[2:06:06] It doesn't diminish its significance for a regional route because it is a significant regional
[2:06:12] Route, it's one of the only routes that connect
[2:06:15] UP and still come or the it a direct route to the Army so it still an important route from a standpoint from the highway and
[2:06:23] Still opens up various opportunities for us from that standpoint, but it also
[2:06:30] The volumes are low enough that they don't warrant it being classified as a principal arterial
[2:06:36] All right, but it doesn't by maintaining visibility on that it still allows us to have additional funding when needed
[2:06:45] That you can get for a state highway that you cannot get
[2:06:49] For a arteriole through a city so
[2:06:54] Yes, kind of selfish to make sure that we keep all our doors open yes for the city and that
[2:06:59] We have the opportunities when they come out for that type of funding. Yes. Correct. So
[2:07:05] You know, maybe we designate that separately. I don't know
[2:07:08] But yeah, some have some kind a footnote to it so we don t lose
[2:07:13] Ability and we dont it's a separate action altogether. It's not at this because we do not have ultimately we
[2:07:20] Don't have control like we can't designate
[2:07:23] So we have no input or control over that, and so that's not something that we can address in our municipal code.
[2:07:32] Similarly, like Bridgeport, for example, is also part of the National Highway Network.
[2:07:37] because of its regional thing.
[2:07:40] We don't necessarily have control of that.
[2:07:43] So we don´t designate that here,
[2:07:44] but to your point, we do make sure whenever
[2:07:48] we get the updates from the state or the various things,
[2:07:50] because sometimes they´ll ask for status updates
[2:07:52] for any of these various roads,
[2:07:54] we continue to lobby that that´s an important route
[2:07:57] and should be maintained on those routes.
[2:08:00] Now, you know,
[2:08:01] we may not have the authority to designate
[2:08:03] because it´S already designated.
[2:08:06] But we do have the responsibility to maintain, and so when it comes to that, you know, funding, it's always nice to use OPM to fund that and have us do it.
[2:08:19] And that's why that is important.
[2:08:30] Which I think may be more possible, but we want to make sure that future folks always keep that in sight that we do have that as a designation.
[2:08:38] And so I'll work with Matt, just to see if there is.
[2:08:42] I don't know that this would be the appropriate place to do it,
[2:08:45] but there might be another mechanism just make it sure it's on the forefront of our minds, so to speak.
[2:08:52] Awesome, thank you.
[2:08:53] Other questions? Council Member Wood.
[2:08:55] Thank you, Mayor.
[2:08:56] Just a quick one, when looking at this list, you have, of course, the major arterial and secondary arterials.
[2:09:01] This is kind of a follow on to the mayor's question.
[2:09:05] Is there a financial or grant or otherwise benefit for
[2:09:10] something being on a major aterial versus being a secondary an arteriole versus a collector or something like that?
[2:09:15] Yes, so generally it depends on the grant source and what the Grant is looking for.
[2:09:26] As I mentioned most grants would require to be designated somehow now depending on the grant itself
[2:09:34] You may get prioritization for a primary arterial with a lot of
[2:09:40] Traffic on it, a lot of times those are your bigger grant sources
[2:09:44] that are looking not only for the print materials, but also, you know,
[2:09:48] traffic volumes, accidents, those sort of things.
[2:09:51] Now, there are also grant resources that do it the reverse
[2:09:56] where they actually prioritize, like a collector arterial.
[2:09:59] Often,
[2:10:00] those aren't grant source that focusing on the non-motorized
[2:10:04] or transit type of improvement.
[2:10:09] It's been kind of recognized that sometimes those collect materials and
[2:10:14] they are spread around the city, they have more collectors than the principal anyway.
[2:10:22] But they're a safer and more comfortable route for those more vulnerable users.
[2:10:28] So the prioritization depends on the grant.
[2:10:35] I can't say the secondary arterial is always in the middle, but I guess it could change,
[2:10:40] but that's what I thought.
[2:10:41] Okay, so follow-on to that really quick.
[2:10:43] I'm looking specifically at 67th, you know, it's listed here as a secondary aeratorial,
[2:10:48] yet it is actually the fastest, straightest way to pass through the city of UP.
[2:10:52] Would there be any benefit for us, does he need that as major arterials, either to help
[2:10:56] encourage it to become one, not all that traffic is going up and down bridge port if it doesn't
[2:11:04] Yeah, it changes a little bit on our standards,
[2:11:08] although most of our standard are the same
[2:11:10] for secondary to principle.
[2:11:13] We do have to pass and make sure we're meeting
[2:11:16] kind of the general criteria for it.
[2:11:17] Now it's not.
[2:11:19] When I say general criteria, it's not like a strict level, but you have to be in the ballpark of what typically people designate as principal.
[2:11:29] But we are this year, this fall, we will be going through and updating all of our traffic counts around.
[2:11:37] And that's certainly something that we'll evaluate when we kind of look at the updated counts to see if any of
[2:11:43] our streets should be reclassified to a higher level or so.
[2:11:49] Okay, can we and I guess there's a chicken and egg question here if we would like to increase traffic counts in 67
[2:11:57] Just so we take that that load off of Bridgeport if it's not necessary there is there a way to
[2:12:02] Encourage that I mean because if the traffic count isn't there yet. We might want it to be there, you know
[2:12:07] You follow my question. Yeah, it is tricky
[2:12:11] You know typically traffic will
[2:12:16] Follow the least
[2:12:20] You know, as congestion builds on one street it just has this phenomenon that either people quit traveling or they do shift to other streets.
[2:12:30] So it is difficult to control those patterns and ultimately Bridgeport is the most you know it has the reason it's so busy as it
[2:12:49] most destinations. So, it is difficult to control that. I think making the streets
[2:12:57] be able to continue to flow as well as we can and accommodate all users. Kind of helps everything.
[2:13:03] But we have a decent, you know, when we talk about like the grid.
[2:13:10] Our grids from Bridgeport to 67th are generally pretty good.
[2:13:15] It's usually where we have the problem of our grid network is right in the heart of the city.
[2:13:20] And kind of right around our commercial areas, if that makes sense.
[2:13:27] Thank you, that's all there.
[2:13:28] Okay, thank you very much.
[2:13:29] Any other questions, comments?
[2:13:31] Councilor Boykin.
[2:13:32] Just a couple of weeks upon Jack's comments, you said it's concentrated really for
[2:13:37] the most part in the right areas where we've got commercial engagement and up and down
[2:13:42] Bridgeport.
[2:13:43] I just thought I'd ask you to pull down a little question about the parking fees
[2:13:49] impacts around that area.
[2:13:50] Any comment about how that's been tracking relative to
[2:13:58] Cars going in cars going out in terms of those parking spaces any challenges or congestion around a marketplace a square
[2:14:06] In that regard just just an off the cuff question
[2:14:09] There's somebody to ask and you're thinking specifically on are the managed parking spots
[2:14:14] We have at market square in general a hundred percent because we want essentially that the traffic
[2:14:20] Patterns and impacts and counts that we're getting in those areas. So I just thought it is an opportunity to talk
[2:14:26] to offer a plug or some additional things that we might want to be mindful of,
[2:14:30] those types of things, if there's something that just comes to mind.
[2:14:32] Yeah, and overall, like businesses,
[2:14:36] like they will, it's almost a little bit like Mayor Pro Tem McLucky talked about,
[2:14:44] you know, the success of Trader Joe's, right?
[2:14:48] Businesses and Trader Joes, an example, where they love the activity and traffic
[2:14:55] I don't know if this is the word they would use, but almost like chaos, right?
[2:14:58] You have a lot of activity, a
[2:14:59] lot traffic,
[2:15:00] a lotta stuff.
[2:15:02] That is.
[2:15:03] was viewed positively by the businesses, because the more eyes on them, the
[2:15:07] more likely someone's going to come back.
[2:15:10] And so, just like with our area, with the parking,
[2:15:16] we do continue to see a pretty good amount of utilization of our parking.
[2:15:21] The meters themselves, and I know with what we did recently.
[2:15:26] You know, we will be getting, you know a little bit more.
[2:15:30] We have had kind of a softer hand on enforcement of the meters
[2:15:33] and we'll be starting to do a bit of more of that with the new folks.
[2:15:39] But ultimately we're still getting that turnaround that we want to see
[2:15:44] where before you had people camping out there all day long
[2:15:47] and even though it looked busy you didn't have that activity.
[2:15:51] And so we are still getting, you can go at any given time,
[2:15:55] you still see the turnaround,
[2:15:57] you see folks coming.
[2:15:58] So, and that's why I want to caution
[2:16:01] when I'm talking about the enforcement,
[2:16:04] it's not going to be still not a very heavy hand,
[2:16:07] but we do want
[2:16:09] you know, address anyone that's like perpetual offenders.
[2:16:13] But overall, we are seeing still the level of activity we like to see,
[2:16:19] I guess, if that kind of long answer to your question.
[2:16:22] No, I just...
[2:16:23] What's really important, Amir,
[2:16:24] if I may, is to really affirm that so that our residents begin to understand
[2:16:30] some of those traffic impacts are by design, some things we want to make sure
[2:16:34] that we're seeing, and some
[2:16:35] things that were driving very intentionally.
[2:16:38] areas to for better outcomes for the city as well as the quality of life that residents
[2:16:44] get to enjoy as a result. So just want to make sure that that wasn't missed.
[2:16:48] Then the last thing is in terms of traffic counts, you say that we're going to be very
[2:16:52] intentional later in the year in term of being able to identify those traffic
[2:16:59] Is there a month in mind that we should be mindful of just so that
[2:17:01] residents can be that much more mindful
[2:17:03] of how we're handling the opportunity?
[2:17:06] Yeah, we typically like to collect the traffic data in the fall
[2:17:10] because typically our traffic patterns still are heavily
[2:17:15] influenced by school traffic. When school is out, traffic seems to spread
[2:17:20] out a little more during the day. And school's in a lot of our peak hours,
[2:17:24] you know, start to lean toward the beginning and end of schools.
[2:17:28] And so, we want to manage our peak tower traffic, so we'll start them collecting it usually in probably late September, late to mid September and then we then typically
[2:17:41] Try to get them done before the Thanksgiving week because then traffic goes all wonky between Thanksgiving and Christmas, right?
[2:17:48] So we may then, if we don't get em all collected by then we would resume it, usually around mid-January,
[2:17:55] but we then avoid, you know, like snowstorms and that sort of thing.
[2:17:59] Okay, thanks so much.
[2:18:00] So go ahead, ma'am.
[2:18:01] Great, thank you so many.
[2:18:02] Any other questions?
[2:18:04] All right, Jack, great report.
[2:18:05] Thanks so much for sharing tonight.
[2:18:07] More to come.
[2:18:09] Now we'll move to item number 12, which I know most,
[2:18:12] if not all the council has been waiting for.
[2:18:15] So Mr. Sugg, our city manager,
[2:18:18] you're gonna give us a duck day's debrief.
[2:18:21] Oh, I've got the two experts.
[2:18:22] I got Duck Parade director,
[2:18:26] as well as public works director Jack Eklund.
[2:18:29] here, and also on screen, we have Marion as remote,
[2:18:35] a polyway, our events director, so the two of them are going to
[2:18:42] give you a staff report and then open it up for council comments of feedback.
[2:18:47] Yeah, and so well thank you again Mr. Mayor and City Council and once again I am Jack
[2:18:51] Echlin, Puller's Director and I'm sure by this point you're tired of hearing me talk.
[2:18:56] So fortunately for you as Steve mentioned, Marion's joining me up here online and
[2:19:00] so you won't have to listen to me the whole time.
[2:19:03] Anyway, so tonight, as Steve mentioned, we are providing the debrief on our duck days event that we held earlier this year.
[2:19:12] Now, Emmy, if you could provide,
[2:19:15] we're going to play while we give our report.
[2:19:17] We have a seat we'll be showing on the screen a series of photos that put together from our communications team.
[2:19:26] And as you'll be able to see from these pictures, that I'm happy to report that despite the, you know, a little bit of rain and the threat of thunderstorms,
[2:19:36] we really did have a great turnout both from participants and spectators, and it resulted in another successful event.
[2:19:43] Let's see, well, as that's getting ready there.
[2:19:56] Yeah, so now this year we did have one of the highest amount of participation in the parade
[2:20:04] Then to date we had 46 separate groups
[2:20:08] As participants in The parade this is 10 groups
[2:20:13] higher than the previous year and it is I'm having to report in excess of what our pre-COVID levels are so we are
[2:20:26] Now, I do want to highlight a few things that we implemented this year that helped the parade run smoother.
[2:20:34] First of all,
[2:20:35] I'd like to commend our risk management and finance team.
[2:20:38] who always do so much of the heavy lifting for the preparation of participants in the parade.
[2:20:45] This year, they held three online meetings with the participants to go over what to expect,
[2:20:51] go for any rules and safety measures, provide instructions, as well as answer any questions they may have.
[2:20:58] And this effort really paid off.
[2:21:00] It greatly reduced the participant confusion and frustration and helped get the trade off to a great start.
[2:21:07] I also want to give a shout out to our parks and public work
[2:21:10] crew as well as our police staff in their work
[2:21:13] in managing the traffic for the event.
[2:21:15] They always show up bright and early
[2:21:18] and make sure everything is set up and in place.
[2:21:20] They kept traffic flowing as long as they could.
[2:21:23] And then when we needed to to make things safe,
[2:21:26] they quickly got things closed up
[2:21:29] and, in a coordinate effort to making things
[2:21:33] safe for their participants and the spectators.
[2:21:36] And then when we could possibly safely do it to open it up they quickly got it flowing again.
[2:21:42] And this year we had no incidents of people kind of getting confusion running through the area that they're not supposed to.
[2:21:50] And it was I think one of the smoothest transition both from closing the street and opening up the Nike and
[2:21:57] remember in recent years, so good job all around to all them.
[2:22:05] a few days before the event, we had the notice that we were going to have a severe thunderstorm
[2:22:10] warning in our area, which thanks to our, the great work of both our emergency management
[2:22:16] folks and our communications team, they got a plan out there to, you know, address how
[2:22:21] do we, um, manage the, uh, event should lightning come in and start to threaten the participants
[2:22:32] You know, they coordinated, you know be able to monitor the weather service and you
[2:22:39] know put the word out and provide communications to folks.
[2:22:43] And those, the fact that we had that planning in place now, fortunately we didn't have to.
[2:22:49] The thunderstorms missed us, so that was great.
[2:22:56] The plan we had in place and the communication we put gave a measure amount of relief to the concerns of the participants and spectators alike, so, you know, for example, I know I probably had.
[2:23:08] four or five parents come up to me at the beginning of the parade and they were concerned if okay
[2:23:14] why are we doing this parade what's going on with the lightning and my kid's gonna be holding a
[2:23:19] big metal saxophone in his hand as he goes up is he gonna you know what are you doing for lightning
[2:23:25] and the fact that we could say you we're in contact the weather service we have a shelter
[2:23:30] in place or if something happens if the lightening is within five miles we will stop the Parade
[2:23:36] Having them that you could see the relief on their face just explain, you know when I explained it to him that we have that plan in place and
[2:23:43] Really just great work to our emergency management and communication folks to get that going so quickly
[2:23:50] Now, I do want to talk, you know, with each parade,
[2:23:52] there's all what, there are always lessons learned.
[2:23:55] And I, do wanna discuss the three most significant ones
[2:23:59] in this case.
[2:24:00] Now first of all, as I know you're all aware,
[2:24:02] we did have a delay with the golf carts.
[2:24:06] We added a little, an extra layer of hecticness
[2:24:09] for the start of the parade for both council and staff.
[2:24:12] And it's definitely something that we wanna avoid
[2:24:14] in the future.
[2:24:19] but I will let her address that shortly.
[2:24:23] Before I turn it over though to Mary and I do want to address two other things.
[2:24:31] One item that continues to be a struggle for us is the pacing of the parade so we continue to have
[2:24:38] You know large gaps between groups
[2:24:41] This is mostly caused by a certain group every now and then there'll be groups that maybe do a
[2:24:47] fun routine or some sort of thing where they stop in a
[2:24:51] certain place or slow down to
[2:24:53] interact with the crowd in some manner.
[2:24:56] Now, we're not suggesting necessarily discouraging that
[2:24:59] or limiting that because that does provide
[2:25:02] an extra level of entertainment
[2:25:03] and it's often very appreciated by the spectators.
[2:25:08] However, looking at what other parades do,
[2:25:11] because it is not a unique phenomenon
[2:25:13] to university place, right?
[2:25:15] Other parads will have a group do a routine or something.
[2:25:18] I mean, I guess the most famous example
[2:25:22] Not that I'm saying we're at that level, but you know, there'll be a coordinated effort
[2:25:26] to basically stop the entire parade that gives an opportunity to perform a routine or
[2:25:32] play a song or do something at a designated location.
[2:25:38] By coordinating the whole parade to pause for brief periods of time and then resume got a same level
[2:25:44] Would we'll keep that so you don't have these big spaces?
[2:25:47] So this is something that we're going to continue to explore to see how that can apply to our
[2:25:51] Arparade, we are going, to reach out to some of the other
[2:25:54] You know bigger but more prominent parades in the area
[2:25:58] And just see just logistically if that could apply because that's something we think is worth exploring and we will definitely give you guys
[2:26:07] is something that can work for us.
[2:26:10] And then the third thing I want to talk about
[2:26:11] is we did have an issue this year where we had,
[2:26:15] at the very beginning of the parade,
[2:26:17] we have one of lead groups basically
[2:26:21] decide that they didn't ignore that our public works
[2:26:25] direction of shifting the parade to the side closer
[2:26:28] to market square like we do the year before.
[2:26:33] And so it was a little bit of confusion there, and so that ultimately it resulted in the entire parade going the old route instead of the closer one to that.
[2:26:41] So, that's an easy fix, we're just going to make sure we add a bit more traffic control, make it clear that that is the route to go.
[2:26:51] And I think that the easiest fix but I know people are wondering why we talked about the plan, it's shifting and then it didn't endably do that, so.
[2:27:01] Anyway, those are the three things, but I do want to shift it over to Marion,
[2:27:05] and I know she has some other information she'd like to share with you.
[2:27:18] We can't hear you, Marion.
[2:27:24] Sorry.
[2:27:25] Marion Holloway Program Manager. Thank you! Thank You, Jack.
[2:27:29] Jack did a pretty good update, so I'm going to be brief.
[2:27:33] As he mentioned with the golf carts, we have a delay.
[2:27:38] So we had a brilliant idea that was brought forward for next year.
[2:27:43] We will rent the call carts one day in advance.
[2:27:47] Secure them in the parking garage so council can decorate them Friday or Saturday morning.
[2:27:55] And then that way, if we have any rain,
[2:27:57] they're also dry for you and ready to go.
[2:28:02] You can park in the parking garage then,
[2:28:05] and then your car will be on site at the
[2:28:07] parking Garage when you need to leave.
[2:28:10] So I hope that will remedy the situation
[2:28:13] with the golf carts and the frantic decorating
[2:28:18] in morning.
[2:28:19] But I do want to give a shout out to Council
[2:28:22] and our staff.
[2:28:24] that worked so fast and seamlessly to get the call of cards
[2:28:29] and the council members decorated and in the parade on time.
[2:28:34] It was awesome to see that teamwork.
[2:28:37] Thank you so much.
[2:28:40] And for entertainment this year, we just to give you an update,
[2:28:44] we always bring in our regular routine entertainment that people are used to seeing.
[2:28:53] They were awesome and people expect them now want to give a shout out separately to Sunset
[2:29:00] Bible Church. They have a band in the back of their truck that is basically a traveling band
[2:29:07] down the parade and they provide entertainment through the entire parade, and music. So thank
[2:29:17] This year, so we always try to add some added activities.
[2:29:21] And this year we had the magician and the atrium for the kids.
[2:29:25] We had one man band that was shown in the images, and he was awesome.
[2:29:30] He has instruments strapped to his feet and his arms.
[2:29:34] And also a surprise was our JBLM Bigfoot Ross band.
[2:29:40] that we were lucky to secure kind of a last-minute ad.
[2:29:45] Turned out to be a crowd favorite and we brought them in for the USA 250th.
[2:29:50] I hope we can bring them back maybe for music on the square next year,
[2:29:54] because they were pretty well received and really fun to watch.
[2:29:59] So I think unless Jack has anything else to add that will conclude the staff report.
[2:30:07] And I look forward to the updates next year, even better.
[2:30:11] Awesome. Thank you both for that report.
[2:30:14] I know the council has lots of questions, at least so I'm told.
[2:30:19] And, I just have two comments I'd like to make.
[2:30:23] And then we'll just open it up here for conversation.
[2:30:26] You know, one has to do with.
[2:30:29] When we are going down Bridgeport way, we shut the entire street down.
[2:30:36] keep half the participants, i.e. the citizens, away from the parade.
[2:30:42] So, you know, my ask is next year, since we've closed the road,
[2:30:47] the safety issue's met, pull those folks from
[2:30:52] East side of the road over to the center median, so they can at least
[2:30:57] Participate in the parade closer like the folks on the West side get to do
[2:31:02] Versus being two lanes away from us and feeling pretty isolated
[2:31:07] So that's not just a suggestion, but a request.
[2:31:12] And then Jack, to your point, when you're trying to figure out how to channel folks into the opposite side,
[2:31:19] the same thing, you can rope off those parts so people will naturally fill that in.
[2:31:25] And the west side at that point can become part of the participate from the center medium.
[2:31:36] both sides of the street to participate in the parade watching it.
[2:31:43] The other thing you mentioned was this positing and spacing and how do you fix that problem?
[2:31:48] And I will tell you having been in parades for 30 years in different cities.
[2:31:53] it's always there, it always will be.
[2:31:56] You can try everything you can't fix that.
[2:32:00] You know, you just try to encourage people to keep moving,
[2:32:04] but you're gonna have those,
[2:32:06] especially like marching bands.
[2:32:07] They've got their routine.
[2:32:09] You've your baton rollers, sometimes they've
[2:32:12] got the routine, the crowd still loves it.
[2:32:17] Now, I think what you are trying to get to is,
[2:32:19] you know you have spacing, but maybe not to have.
[2:32:22] A lot of spacing where half the parade is still back there and half of the braids already done so you know
[2:32:29] That's obviously work in progress, but I wouldn't take it frustrated over it
[2:32:33] It's it's the nature of The Beast when it comes to braides and people here obviously love their tuck days parade. So thanks
[2:32:41] Okay floors open questions comments council member figure. Oh
[2:32:46] Hey, mayor, it was a simple suggestion
[2:32:49] Mr. Rekland and that is
[2:32:52] There's no flake parade in Bellevue, you might want to talk to those folks to do a very good job at pausing the whole parade because they do
[2:33:01] a lot of little skits and everybody just stops.
[2:33:06] Otherwise, he will be really disastrous what you're talking about, so you may want talk
[2:33:11] to us folks.
[2:33:12] They do really great job.
[2:33:13] Thank you, Mayor.
[2:33:14] Thank You.
[2:33:15] Can you come from regressing?
[2:33:17] Thank you, Mayor.
[2:33:18] Thank You.
[2:33:19] Marianne, this is cruel and unusual to make you do this the day after a big successful
[2:33:23] movie in the park.
[2:33:24] So I'm sure you're still on Cloud9 from that.
[2:33:27] But thank you to your team and thank You, Mr. Eklund for this great, safe event and
[2:33:32] always a highlight.
[2:33:35] I am just going to move through my list if that's okay.
[2:33:38] 46 participants, do we know how many of those were campaigns and elected officials?
[2:33:45] They're not as exciting to be in a parade and so I would want to make sure that we're
[2:33:49] not skewing that number, you know, a UP school campaign and different things, levees contributing
[2:33:55] to that.
[2:33:56] And it always feels like that's growing each year.
[2:33:58] So I hope we still have enough participants to outweigh that
[2:34:02] Yeah, and we definitely can get you the stats, statistics on that this year, we did have
[2:34:08] fewer of those than the previous year so
[2:34:14] Probably where the election cycles fell, but
[2:34:17] Which to me was a good sign since we had ten more groups this year than the previous year and fewer of the
[2:34:27] Yeah, the political type of stuff so but we definitely can get that for you. It's a challenge to be able to
[2:34:33] discourage it or yeah, I don't think we should discourage
[2:34:36] it. I just think it's a great way to combat to always know.
[2:34:39] I want to go against the First Amendment. But I like, you
[2:34:44] know, it just be great to have a in our heads that that's kind
[2:34:47] of a different number numbering acts. And I'm not sure how that
[2:34:50] works when you check in, but I would love to see a clear
[2:34:53] designated tent that says check-in here with a participant
[2:34:57] number for each group and make sure that every group has a
[2:35:02] They don't know when they're supposed to go, then they get separated from their vehicle and
[2:35:08] the walking group when want to be with their vehicles.
[2:35:11] And I feel like if they have a vehicle, and they've a walking groups, I know that we have safety concerns, but they need to together.
[2:35:16] Five, group five should be.
[2:35:18] with group five. Does that make sense if they have a car and they
[2:35:21] have that it's just otherwise you have the walkers of a campaign and then you
[2:35:25] have car of the campaign. And it just invites in for other things. So I
[2:35:28] really feel like there should be a clear signage at that tent
[2:35:32] at the church where you check in, participant check
[2:35:35] in here so it is clear where to go and each participant give it a
[2:35:39] And to walk with one thing I do want to just note this year and I think it really I credit Leslie and her groups and Grace
[2:35:48] For all the prep work they did
[2:35:51] We had much more of that frustration from folks in the past about not being able to work with their vehicle
[2:35:57] And because they had all those meetings and they explained why the safety concern was and what was going on
[2:36:03] We got very little that I just think from the from those groups right and so I thank
[2:36:08] This year was one of the better ones with that from a logistics standpoint.
[2:36:15] But we want to continuously kind of evaluate the safety and how we can, because we wanna be able to accommodate as much as we
[2:36:23] can and so we'll continue to look at those but obviously.
[2:36:27] we do to make sure we're doing it safely.
[2:36:29] Yeah, I'm just other as, you know,
[2:36:31] other parades seem to figure it out.
[2:36:34] So I feel like we should be able to work on it.
[2:36:36] I would love, again, these are ideas
[2:36:38] that I've given before and I have gotten shot down before,
[2:36:40] but I am just going to go.
[2:36:40] I want to give it my college try again
[2:36:42] because I never, never give up.
[2:36:44] So senior cars participating,
[2:36:46] I'd love to have an invitation to those
[2:36:49] that are graduating seniors to
[2:36:51] have a car in the parade, Curtis,
[2:36:53] and our other high schoolers, local car collectors.
[2:36:56] lots of people that have car collectors in the city,
[2:36:58] I think they'd love to show off their parade.
[2:37:00] The more I candy and the parade, the better.
[2:37:02] I'd loved to see the loop,
[2:37:04] I'm just gonna go rapid fire, parade loop around.
[2:37:07] As another option, I know the mayor alluded
[2:37:08] to having them come back on to the median,
[2:37:11] but I also think it might be an interesting idea
[2:37:13] to just have them loop back so we can,
[2:37:15] everyone, no one has said, oh, that parade was too long.
[2:37:18] If anything, they've said oh it's over already,
[2:37:20] could we go up and loop them right back around
[2:37:23] to where they started?
[2:37:25] at this point where their car is and both sides get to enjoy the parade.
[2:37:30] I think you put a lot of work into those parades and kids getting ready a little longer.
[2:37:35] I don't think-
[2:37:36] Anybody, best in show competition, the gig harbor parade that happens on the same day as ours.
[2:37:41] They have a best-in-show award.
[2:37:43] People really get decked out to be in that parade and gives them some more pride in the acts that they're putting together.
[2:37:49] Best dressed in yellow in a parade option, competition also to have the rally point at the end at this stage.
[2:37:55] I want to thank Rotary for doing the duck days treasure hunt before.
[2:38:00] That was a huge success that really captured the spirit of the community before,
[2:38:05] to see them to do that again.
[2:38:07] I'd love us to also explore the use of city cars more,
[2:38:10] more of our actual, our cars to be involved,
[2:38:13] public works cars, we could decorate those as well.
[2:38:16] Again, more eye candy.
[2:38:18] I love the fact that we're gonna have the golf carts
[2:38:20] the night before, I think that's wonderful.
[2:38:22] I still go back to the affordability of it.
[2:38:25] I feel like we really lost a great partner
[2:38:28] in our Corvette Club that for years sustained us
[2:38:32] with having council members in those COVID vets,
[2:38:34] They were pretty, they were exciting and they
[2:38:36] were free.
[2:38:37] And to save us the amount of money now,
[2:38:39] to then now add to the rental cost of another day,
[2:38:43] I think that we should be really thoughtful about that,
[2:38:45] because they are a valued partner.
[2:38:48] And so now not only are we taking that away,
[2:38:50] but now we're adding more dollars to a rental
[2:38:53] for overnight for our convenience.
[2:38:54] And I say, there's a better way that way we could do it.
[2:38:56] We could also ask for Chris Golf and Country Club
[2:38:59] if we really want to borrow some golf carts.
[2:39:01] Talk to be executive.
[2:39:04] like the mayor alluded to to see what Chambers Bay could do.
[2:39:06] But it saddens me that we lost that partnership
[2:39:09] and it's cost the city dollars.
[2:39:11] So.
[2:39:13] I've said enough about that. But booths also in the park. I also think as we've expanded our footprint, it's so jam logged in here.
[2:39:20] It's great activity. The crowds are great.
[2:39:22] But to explore the idea of having some booths in Homestead Park again, like we used to have, I think might be an interesting idea for local businesses or vendors that want to be out there, the kids makers market that was fabulous at moving the Park.
[2:39:42] That might be everything I have I'm sorry for the rambling, but I
[2:39:49] Love this event. I think a lot of work goes into it marrying you do such a great job
[2:39:53] Everyone the team does a Great job. It's the signature event and I would just love to see it level up if we could so
[2:39:59] Thank you, man. That's all I had awesome great comments. Thank You very much mayor pro chem. All right. Thanks you
[2:40:07] This event is always like Melanie. Well, Council member Gossie has indicated our signature event into the summer event season
[2:40:15] So you know the big splash a big big yellow and yeah, your team works really hard to do that
[2:40:23] So kudos to your Team and all the extra coordination that you do and also
[2:40:29] Looking as as how you can improve the event marching on and I do appreciate
[2:40:36] you having an open mind hearing some of these other things that they could possibly make it even better because, you know,
[2:40:44] you can never be good enough, right? We always can do better and make, make
[2:40:48] it more exciting. And I...
[2:40:51] I do concur with Councilman Regrassie's indication for eye candy to look at things as you had indicated.
[2:40:59] The entertainment factor of the parade, they keep that growing and vibrant and alive with the theme of
[2:41:07] the duck and the daffodils and yellowing it up.
[2:41:19] the duck passport to also maybe encourage that to grow with the local businesses.
[2:41:26] So they could start yellowing it up as we had that proposal for clack it
[2:41:31] up, so more on that, to come as well.
[2:41:36] Good.
[2:41:37] Yeah, I would like to invite the Corvette Club back.
[2:41:41] But I tell you what,
[2:41:43] I love decorating my golf cart.
[2:41:45] That's a lot of fun, and I'm getting quite the collection of golf cart decor now.
[2:41:50] So every year I add to that.
[2:41:54] And so just to keep that fun factor going, going in it and
[2:42:00] that level of curiosity like what's left, what is next?
[2:42:05] Because I think that will bring out more generational crowds to.
[2:42:10] to the parade as they also talk to other people about their experiences at the
[2:42:16] parade will get people that maybe, you know, have never experienced the parade
[2:42:21] that live in our city, get them to come out and see what's happening on that
[2:42:28] Saturday. So thank you. That's all my comments. Great. Thank you Mayor.
[2:42:35] Thank you, Mayor.
[2:42:36] I just have a few comments.
[2:42:38] First, Council Member Grossi, more or less what she said.
[2:42:41] That's number one, but I appreciate it.
[2:42:43] There's a lot of very good ideas in there.
[2:42:45] But I do really like the idea of having stage spots.
[2:42:51] I think you should pursue that one.
[2:42:52] Yeah, it may not fix all our problems.
[2:42:54] Totally agree with the mayor on that.
[2:42:56] But, I like that idea having a set performance spot or maybe more than one so
[2:42:59] that people can know, hey, we can crowd here and we're going to see a performance.
[2:43:05] I participated in the DuPont Parade recently, supporting a friend of mine.
[2:43:10] And they actually issued participant numbers, and they had everybody line up in order.
[2:43:14] And, they did intermex vehicles with people, so.
[2:43:18] And what parade was that you say again?
[2:43:20] What's that?
[2:43:20] What parade, was it again, DuPon?
[2:43:23] Dupon, okay, yeah.
[2:43:24] So how they didn't, why they do it that way, now they weren't chucking candy either.
[2:43:28] But they were definitely had.
[2:43:30] people lined up with their vehicles and they had them pre-staged on a side road which I don't know if that would work for us here necessarily.
[2:43:36] But everybody staged in order and then just was able to move out with what they were doing.
[2:43:41] And then finally, I've mentioned this before off to the side to staff but I would like us to look into the strength of our physical barriers to
[2:43:50] the parade route.
[2:43:51] I'm just concerned because every few months I see in the news there's another crazy guy driving a van down a parade
[2:43:57] route and I am just.
[2:44:00] It's a very easy thing to fix as far as vulnerability.
[2:44:03] You just put in physical barriers that can't be moved by a vehicle on all the access points.
[2:44:07] And you can find some of those very inexpensively overall.
[2:44:10] I would just like us to look at that, or we can part vehicles or do more.
[2:44:13] But I'd just to know that our parade area is secure during those kinds of events, make you feel about it.
[2:44:20] We did increase that but it still didn't appear enough from your perspective.
[2:44:28] What I saw there's some areas that were definitely like on the main road itself, obviously things were well blocked off
[2:44:32] I'm more concerned about side street access to how and how protected those were and they may have been better protected
[2:44:38] I just didn't get the feedback I had asked for so I'd just like to follow up on that one
[2:44:41] Yeah, and that can just not comments mayor. I think those are great comments. Thank you
[2:44:45] You know Jack I do recall when we came around the band towards the fire station
[2:44:50] On bridge what way I don't recall barriers on bridge for a way if I sell a lot of folks, but I didn t see any protective barriers
[2:44:58] There should have been the vehicles, I think we had two public works vehicles straddling the street, but I'll make sure we double check that.
[2:45:05] And then also, we'll get back and report to you what are, where are we stationing them and then we can help kind of review that ahead of time if,
[2:45:15] you know, are there places and vulnerabilities who want to reinforce, you reinforce that,
[2:45:20] I that's a good idea.
[2:45:21] You know, I want to just point out again, our staff, you know
[2:45:26] mirroring and everyone else does, public works does a great job.
[2:45:32] You have a phenomenal job in bringing out the best and.
[2:45:38] Creating that celebratory environment that we all get all jazzed and jazz'd up about.
[2:45:45] But I think the comments that you've heard tonight from council are heartfelt and they're very well taken.
[2:45:51] And I hope that in planning ahead that, we can take all those into account because I
[2:45:56] think there's value to be added to that.
[2:45:59] I know we struggle, man, I've heard you many times.
[2:46:04] We struggle over the candy issue and people with vehicles.
[2:46:08] But in my little way of thinking in
[2:46:10] my head, UP is the best.
[2:46:13] And we've got the
[2:46:14] best knowledge, we got
[2:46:15] the
[2:46:15] best expertise.
[2:46:17] If DuPont can figure it out,
[2:46:19] if Stilicum can
[2:46:21] figure out.
[2:46:22] If Garber can
[2:46:23] figure
[2:46:23] it
[2:46:23] out there is not a reason on this
[2:46:25] planet why.
[2:46:27] university place can't figure it out.
[2:46:29] So, you know, the challenge, I think, to the staff is that take note of what our surrounding
[2:46:36] communities do and see how we can do that better so that everyone can have that added.
[2:46:45] excitement if you will. I know this year one of the things that I paid real
[2:46:50] close attention to was the number of kids that lined that street with their
[2:46:54] little bags hoping they were going to get something, you know, tossed at them or
[2:46:59] given to them as they walked down the road there.
[2:47:02] You know, I also think that I do want to echo the comments
[2:47:07] that others have made about, you know the loss
[2:47:09] of the Corvette Club.
[2:47:11] I think it was a big mistake on our part,
[2:47:13] and I'll admit that right up front, but I
[2:47:16] think we can do better with that and we should circle back
[2:47:18] to that one and revisit it.
[2:47:21] And then for the other activities out there having that,
[2:47:24] I guess you call it the parade bling that you're referring
[2:47:28] to down there, and you, know I,
[2:47:31] you know putting that additional little touch on what we do and what I consider
[2:47:38] one of the coolest parades around but you take all those comments but but know
[2:47:44] that you guys have done and continue to do a great job with that. Are there any
[2:47:49] other comments before we move on? Yes. Yes, Council Member Boykin.
[2:47:59] Thank you so much, Mayor.
[2:48:01] I just want to fully appreciate the willingness of the innovation and the creativity to take first year.
[2:48:08] It is really easy as people do things tomorrow very simply than to what they did yesterday.
[2:48:17] we somewhat defined as their present.
[2:48:19] And so if we aren't, some of the comments that have been alluded to really intentional about how is it that we could make another level up opportunity.
[2:48:28] We might miss just some really great experiences that there are a number of people who would love for us to lean into.
[2:48:37] I think the things that really could drive this approach can give us
[2:48:46] Because in the logistics, there can be a scenario where we're very intentional about stopping the parade.
[2:48:53] In the logistic we can't be very intentionally about ensuring that whether it's a prelude to crack it up.
[2:49:01] That the business community has a much more pronounced footprint.
[2:49:05] An opportunity to engage volunteers very differently.
[2:49:09] So that we've got a better special experience that that were driving because we were that much point additional about.
[2:49:14] Seeing how can we comprehensively bring the whole community into this staple event that we all love so much.
[2:49:22] And the safety aspect that's also been addressed.
[2:49:25] It is profound for us to anticipate, not to
[2:49:31] anticipate that there's going to be great days ahead where we can be very.
[2:49:38] intentional about how we protect citizens, how to protect ourselves when it comes to events that we know are becoming bigger and bigger.
[2:49:47] Because the luring factor that were so intentional is there.
[2:49:52] And in that regard, just being mindful about leveling it all up is just a really good way for
[2:49:59] us to not miss the quality of life that can drive everybody and keep you more and more special.
[2:50:08] All the things I've heard, including whether or not we consider a different route.
[2:50:13] Make sure that it's an opportunity that we move people to better spaces.
[2:50:18] The intimacy could create challenges for us, but the idea that
[2:50:20] we're trying to make it more intimate for them, to a better position them to be closer
[2:50:25] to the actual action, if you will.
[2:50:28] Me and mindful that perhaps doing a loop creates everybody having a front row seat.
[2:50:36] at some time in the parade very differently, but also being really mindful that everybody's going to take that great experience and say I'm just so glad I am here enjoying all of this.
[2:50:46] So I just think centering the logistics as a way to ensure that we're going
[2:50:50] to gain improvement exponentially is the first way that
[2:50:53] we can be a very different payoff for all the things that
[2:51:04] As since it is such a long standing tradition, whether you agree to, it's always had a thread or not, again,
[2:51:14] it can be a both hand.
[2:51:15] We can figure out how if we must get more candy into the hands of kids and us adults that really like candy.
[2:51:22] I'm sorry about that Dennis, I really like candy.
[2:51:25] I mean, we could very well figure out a way, again,
[2:51:28] to have a both hands.
[2:51:29] So I just like the conversation, and I
[2:51:31] just hope that you appreciate and think about it
[2:51:33] in a ways that all these ideas could be really impactful
[2:51:38] to having a much better experience for our entire community.
[2:51:40] Thank you, Mayor. Thank. You, council member.
[2:51:44] Yeah. So I mean, I think my colleagues have all said great things.
[2:51:48] My one thing is just about the pacing. I thing that our pacing is pretty significant
[2:51:56] to where people think it's over and that it is not. It's like a full half time. And
[2:52:02] To create more fullness, I think that we need to market the opportunity to enter the parade a lot sooner.
[2:52:09] Everybody knows it's an annual event, so I that month and some change turn around is hard.
[2:52:15] We always leave people out, there's always new people coming here that don't realize it is an opportunity.
[2:52:20] And I know our bandwidth is slim, but I do think it creates better partnership if we were to circle back with those.
[2:52:30] participate in the parade, reaching out to them, letting them know that it's coming up.
[2:52:33] Do you want to enter again?
[2:52:35] Just creating more of that fullness.
[2:52:37] I think that if we're going to be a full city, the expectation of all of our commissions participating into the parade,
[2:52:43] I'd think is important to show exactly who we all are beyond just the council and the staff.
[2:52:49] So I that should be some level of an expectation for all the commissions.
[2:52:52] Especially because it is a way to engage and then we have this new arts and
[2:52:59] what that looks like, the recreation with YMCA, let's put those kids in there with their branding and let the Y know this is what we do and this what
[2:53:06] we're hoping that you can participate in.
[2:53:11] people that tend to participate just reminding them, and we have no problem partnering with the school district, so as council member Grossey alluded to,
[2:53:17] like why everyone graduates every single year,
[2:53:20] so let's reach out and connect.
[2:53:22] And I think that there's something to be said about just reaching out to those that are constantly always part of it to remind them that it is.
[2:53:28] There's new organizations forming every day.
[2:53:30] So I just think we should just.
[2:53:31] That'll help, I mean I think the 10 additional groups was great, but we could probably have a lot full of pride and we have
[2:53:37] a long strip and there's smaller towns doing it better than us and I
[2:53:40] think that that's not cool.
[2:53:42] So I I that there is ways of being able to make that more of a staple because it's been around for decades.
[2:53:49] And so they know that it exists.
[2:53:51] But I thing that reminding people and circling back would help us.
[2:53:55] So yeah.
[2:53:56] All right, thank you.
[2:53:58] Any other comments?
[2:53:59] Okay, thanks seeing that there's none Jack Marian. Thank you so much. I hope you got a lot of notes there
[2:54:07] Lot of great ideas. All right, thank you. Alright with that said we'll move to item number 13 one or remind
[2:54:14] Council that
[2:54:15] We're gonna be in summer retreat. So there is no meeting after this is in the month of August
[2:54:21] So if it's on your calendar delete it
[2:54:25] and seeing that there's no business, further business before council, the council will stand
[2:54:29] adjourned.