[1. CALL TO ORDER.]
[00:00:04]
>> SPEAKER: CALL TO ORDER TONIGHT CITY COUNCIL MEETING IN THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE FOR JUNE 15, 2021,.
[2. MINUTES.]
CITY COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE THE MINUTES FROM THE JUNE 1 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING. ANY ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THOSE MINUTES IF NOT TO IMPROVE? SPECS SO MOVED.>> SPEAKER: SECOND. >> SPEAKER: ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE
>> SPEAKER: AND YOU POST? >> SPEAKER: THE MINUTES CARRY.
[3. QUESTIONS ON THE AGENDA.]
CITY MANAGER CROUCH? ANY QUESTIONS FOR CITY MANAGERCROUCH ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT? >> SPEAKER: IF I MAY.
ON ITEM NINE IN THE ORDINANCES, REGARDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS FOR GOVERNING SHORT-TERM RENTALS, IF THAT WERE TO BE DENIED UNANIMOUS CONSENT, CAN YOU WALK THROUGH WHAT THAT MEANS FROM A CITY PERSPECTIVE. EXECUTION WISE?
>> SPEAKER: AS WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE MIDDLE OF MARCH, IT WAS GOING TO BE APPROXIMATELY A 90 DAY RAMP-UP ON SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN TERMS OF HOW WE WOULD BE INCREMENTING THE ORDINANCE AND BEGINNING TO NOTIFY RESIDENTS OR PROPERTY OWNERS WHETHER THEY COULD REMAIN A SHORT-TERM RENTAL OR NO LONGER REMAIN ONE BASED ON THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
WE STARTED SENDING THOSE LETTERS OUT IN EARLY JUNE TO THOSE WHO WERE NOT ELIGIBLE TO BE A SHORT-TERM RENTAL.
WHAT WE HAVE NOT DONE IS ISSUED ANY BUSINESS LICENSES.
WE HAVE SEVERAL REQUESTS FOR THOSE BUSINESS LICENSES OF THE ITEMS HERE THAT ARE UNDER CLARIFICATION WE ARE ADDING SOME DEFINITIONS ABOUT LODGING AND TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY AS WELL AS CLEANING UP A FEW THINGS ABOUT HOMESTAYS.
IN DOING THAT AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF OUR LEGAL COUNSEL WE HAVE NOT ISSUED ANY BUSINESS LICENSES UNTIL THAT GETS DONE. IF THIS IS DENIED UNANIMOUS CONSENT THIS EVENING, I BELIEVE OUR NEXT MEETING IS JULY 6 AND IT WILL DELAY US FROM NOW UNTIL JULY 6, EARLY JULY 7 OR EIGHT OR SO BEFORE WE COULD ACTUALLY LICENSE ANYBODY WHO IS LAWFUL TO BE A SHORT-TERM RENTAL. IT DOES NOT HAVE AN IMPACT ON THOSE WHO CANNOT HAVE A SHORT-TERM RENTAL AT ALL.
WE ARE STILL IN PROGRESS WITH THAT.
BUT WE NEED THESE CLEANUP CHANGES BECAUSE WE CANNOT ISSUE ZONING CERTIFICATES FOR HOMESTAYS AMONG SOME OTHER THINGS WITHOUT GETTING THESE THINGS CLARIFIED.
>> SPEAKER: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR FOR THE CITY MANAGER?
>> SPEAKER: MAYOR, I HAVE ONE ITEM.
ITEM EIGHT E-FIVE IF YOU WILL TURN TO YOUR AGENDA.
ITEM EIGHT IT'S THE AWARD OF A BID FOR THE ROUNDABOUT AT COX AND WIRE. I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT FOR TWO YEARS WHICH WE HAVE.
IN THE TWO YEARS THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT, ALDOT WAS VERY GENEROUS AND OFFERED TO GIVE US A GRANT AND WE SLOWED OUR PROJECT DOWN. AND THEN I CAME TO YOU GUYS SIX MONTHS AGO OR SO AND SAID, ALDOT IS SLOWING THE BID AND THEY ARE GOING TO DELAY US UNTIL PROBABLY DECEMBER OR JANUARY OF 2021 BEFORE WE CAN GET STARTED. I ASKED THE COUNCIL'S PERMISSION TO PROCEED WITH THE PROJECT ANYWAY.
WE FELT IT WAS CRITICAL AND HE AGREED WITH MY RECOMMENDATION.
THEN WE CAME BACK A FEW MONTHS AGO AND SAID, THIS IS GREAT, ALDOT WANT TO GIVE US MONEY AGAIN AND THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A DELAY. AND THEN THE CITY ENGINEER CAME TO ME AT 4 O'CLOCK THIS AFTERNOON AND SAID ALDOT CALLED AND SAID YOU BID THE PROJECT WE HAVE SINCE APPROVED THIS YET AND IF YOU AWARD THIS PROJECT AT TONIGHT'S COUNCIL MEETING YOU LOSE THE $450,000 GRANT FUNDING THAT WE SAID WOULD GIVE YOU.
AT THIS STAGE, IF WE WANT ALDOT'S $450,000, WE WOULD HAVE TO NOT AWARD A BIT TONIGHT, PULL IT FROM THE AGENDA, AND WAIT UNTIL THEY APPROVE THE GRANT AND THEN WE HAVE TO GO BACK OUT TO BID AND REBID THE WHOLE ITEM. THE CITY ENGINEER SAID WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS DELAY MEANS. IT COULD BE 90 DAYS, REBIDDING IT WILL TAKE ABOUT 60 DAYS ONCE WE GET THE GREEN LIGHT.
MY REQUEST AND BASED ON OUR PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS TONIGHT IS THAT YOU CONSIDER AWARDING IT ANYWAY WITH 100 PERCENT GENERAL FUND. YES, I WILL HAVE TO SHIFT SOME THINGS AROUND AND WE WILL MAKE THE SHIFT IN MID BIENNIUM, AND I THINK WE SHOULD DO IT. IT'S AN IMPORTANT INTERSECTION AND WE HAVE BEEN DELAYED WHILE GETTING THIS ROUNDABOUT INSTALLED. IT WILL COST THE CITY $450,000 MORE THAN WE WERE EXPECTING AND WHAT YOU ARE IN YOUR PACKET, BUT THE BID AMOUNT WOULD BE THE SAME.
IT ONLY IMPACTS OUR GENERAL FUND ALLISON, YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO
ADD THAT I MISSED? >> SPEAKER: WHEN WE STARTED DOWN THIS LINE, THE COUNCIL DECIDED INITIALLY THAT IT WAS IN THE BEST ISSUE OF OUR COMMUNITY TO FUND THIS WHOLE PROJECT AND THERE WAS NO THOUGHT OR EVEN HOPE THAT THERE WOULD BE ANY MONEY FOLLOWING THIS FROM ALDOT OR ANYWHERE ELSE.
>> SPEAKER: CORRECT. AND THEN ALDOT APPROACHED US AND DELAYED THE DESIGNS AND OTHER THINGS BECAUSE THE GRANT AMOUNT WAS PAYING FOR 80 PERCENT. 90/10.
[00:05:02]
AND WE WALKED AWAY FROM THE 90/10 BECAUSE TIMING THAT WAS GOING TO PUSH US TO DELIVERY OF THE PROJECT IN THE BEGINNING CONSTRUCTION IN THE LATE FALL OR WINTER OF THIS YEAR.AND INTO 2022. AND THEN ALDOT CAME BACK AND SAID NOW WE WILL GIVE YOU $450,000, BASICALLY NO STRINGS ATTACHED, AND NOW THAT HAS BEEN PULLED AGAIN.
WHICH IS THERE COMMITTED TO THE MONEY BUT NOW THEY ARE TELLING US SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE UNDERSTOOD WHICH IS UNLESS WE HAVE APPROVED THIS $450,000 BASED ON PAPERWORK THE CITY COUNCIL HAS ALREADY APPROVED, YOU CAN'T EVEN GO TO BID.
WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN THE PROJECT AND ARE READY TO AWARD IT.
I AM TELLING YOU YES, HALF A MILLION DOLLARS, $450,000 IS A LOT OF MONEY BUT WE ALSO HAVE A TIMING ISSUE HERE.
WE HAVE ALL SEASON UPON US. THIS WILL BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION DURING FOOTBALL SEASON IF WE AWARD NOW, BUT THE INTERSECTION WILL REMAIN OPEN BETWEEN FOOTBALL GAMES.
WE MAY HAVE SOME CLOSURE TIMES WHERE WE NEED TO GET WORK DONE BUT THE LONGER WE WAIT AND AS WE HAVE SAID IN OUR CAPITAL STACK FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE HAVE TO PERFORM AND WE HAVE TO DELIVER PROJECTS INCLUDING DURING FOOTBALL SEASON.
IT IS VERY HARD TO GET INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
DELIVERED IN A TIMELY MANNER. >> SPEAKER: WHAT IS THE
APPROXIMATE TIME OF THIS PROJECT >> SPEAKER: 180 DAYS?
>> SPEAKER: THE CONTRACT IS 150 DAYS.
BASED ON THE CONTRACT WE HAVE SET UP WE SHOULD BE FINISHED IN
NOVEMBER IF ALL GOES WELL. >> SPEAKER: IF ALL GOES WELL.
(LAUGHTER) >> SPEAKER: IF IT GOES LIKE COX ROAD IS GOING I WILL BE DEAD AND GONE.
>> SPEAKER: THAT IS WITHOUT RAIN DELAYS OF COURSE.
YOU ADD DAYS FOR RAIN DELAYS. THAT IS CONTRACT TIME BUT BASICALLY WE CANNOT GUARANTEE WHEN WE WILL RECEIVE ALDOT'S APPROVAL. WHILE I AM DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE OF ALDOT'S WILLINGNESS TO TRY TO HELP US FUND SOME OF THESE THINGS IN A FAST GROWING COMMUNITY, WITH A LOT OF DEMANDS ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND TIME, WE ALSO RUN INTO A TIMING ISSUE WHERE WE NEED TO GET PROJECTS DELIVERED AND SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T WAIT. IT'S REALLY HARD TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL TO WALK AWAY FROM HALF A MILLION DOLLARS BUT THAT'S WHERE THE STAFF STANDS TODAY.
WHICH IS, IF FROM A TIMING PERSPECTIVE YOU WOULD LIKE THIS PROJECT DELIVERED SOONER THAN WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD AND AWARDED. IF YOU ARE WILLING TO WAIT IT
OUT AND WE WILL WAIT IT OUT. >> SPEAKER: I WOULD ASK THE COUNCIL MOVE FORWARD WITH IT TONIGHT.
FOLKS OUT THERE AT WIRE ROAD HAVE SUFFERED ENOUGH.
WE COULD HAVE REALIGNED THAT INTERSECTION TWO YEARS AGO AND BE THROUGH WITH IT BUT WE DID THE ROUNDABOUT BECAUSE OF THE ALDOT GRANT AND THAT KIND OF THING.
I SAY WE MOVE FORWARD WITH IT AND TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT WENT WRONG WITH ALDOT THIS TIME AND CORRECTED IN THE FUTURE PROJECTS
>> SPEAKER: THAT WOULD BE AT YOUR PLEASURE I WOULD LEAVE IT ON THE AGENDA AND IT WILL BE UP TO THE COUNCIL.
IT IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA I WANT TO REMIND YOU HOW YOU WANT TO GO FROM THERE BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK WHAT IS IN YOUR PACKET INCLUDES ANY MORE THAN THE $450,000.
>> SPEAKER: ANY OF THE QUESTIONS FOR MEGAN ON THIS
SPECIFIC TOPIC? >> SPEAKER: IF WE APPROVE IT TONIGHT AND YOU SAID YOU HAVE THE FINAGLED MONEY AROUND, SO WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE AWAY FROM?
YOU HAVE ANY IDEA? >> SPEAKER: WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PROJECTS IN OUR CAPITOL STACK THAT THEY ARE IN THE BUDGET, THEY ARE NOT BID FOR VARIOUS REASONS OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
WILL MAKE AN OFFICIAL ADJUSTMENT BY MID BIENNIUM WHICH WE WERE PLANNING TO DO ANYWAY BEFORE ALDOT CAME BACK TO US A SECOND TIME WITH THE GRANT. IT WON'T TAKE AWAY FROM A PROJECT THAT IS CURRENTLY SLATED, BUT AS WE SHIFT THINGS IN FUTURE YEARS, YES, IT IS HALF A MILLION DOLLARS LESS WE HAVE IN THE BUDGET TO DO OTHER THINGS OVERALL.
I CAN'T GIVE YOU SPECIFIC PROJECTS.
I CAN TELL YOU I'M COMFORTABLE IN HAVING A TALK WITH THE FINANCE DIRECTOR THAT WE CAN ABSORB THIS AND IT'S NOT GOING TO IMPACT OTHER PROJECTS WE SAID WE WOULD BE WORKING ON THAT ARE CURRENTLY APPROVED IN THE BUDGET.
WE WILL JUST ADJUST THAT AT MID BIENNIUM AND MOVE ON.
>> SPEAKER: WE HAD A YOUNG MAN KILLED OUT THERE AT THE INTERSECTION SO I DON'T THINK YOU CAN PUT A VALUE ON HUMAN LIFE. FINISH BY NOVEMBER IS VERY GOOD NEWS AND I DEFINITELY THINK IT WOULD PROBABLY SAVE SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFE. THAT INTERSECTION IS HORRIBLE ESPECIALLY DURING TIMES OF SOCCER GAMES.
THAT MEANS A LOT OF KIDS AND PARENTS COMING THROUGH THAT INTERSECTION. I WOULD HATE TO THINK ONE OF
THEM WOULD GET RUN OVER. >> SPEAKER: NO QUESTION THAT THERE WAS A SENSE OF URGENCY FOR US TO MOVE THIS FORWARD WHEN WE MADE THAT DECISION. THAT WAS THE LATEST TRAGEDY OUT THERE BUT THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER TRAGEDIES AT THAT INTERSECTION.
I BELIEVE AT THAT TIME THE COUNCIL FELT IT WAS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE THAT INTERSECTION AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE SO THAT'S WHY WE MADE THE DETERMINATION TO MOVE FORWARD. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
>> SPEAKER: I THINK LET'S HAVE THEM IN THE REGULAR MEETING.
[00:10:03]
>> SPEAKER: THAT WOULD BE FINE. GOOD IDEA.
ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE CITY MANAGER? IF NOT WE HAVE A MOOD TO ADJOURN
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.