The Raymond City Council met on Monday, April 2 for a City Council meeting, where they first approved the agenda for the meeting and lead the meeting with the pledge of allegiance.
For items from the public not on the agenda, Tucker Barber of Raymond High School spoke to the council about his senior project, a Raymond Seagulls logo that he is prepared to paint on 7th Street, Commercial Street, 8th Street, 9th Street and Blake Street, at two to three logos per road. The logos would be black and red with a white background and would be eighteen inches in diameter. The council discussed the design and recalled that somebody had done something similar in the past. The council made a motion to approve Barber's request.
Ryan Docter also spoke on behalf of Jesse's Seafood Market, to open up discussion with the council about their water rates compared to other municipalities.
The council next dealt with a Parking Easement Agreement that was tabled at a previous meeting. During discussion of the easement, Council Member Ian Farrell spoke: "So I drove by there this afternoon. There's already seven or eight parking spots there, correct?" PUD General Manager Doug Miller responded by confirming that there were so many parking spots there already, and explained that new handicap ramps will be installed as well as four handicap parking spots.
"The other thing that we have that's an issue is that currently along this alley is certain times of the day some people park parallel to the alley. We've had people run into cars that are parked parallel. Delivery trucks also go up and down this alley and people parking on either side narrows the alley, so it's a safety issue," said Miller. Farrell asked why he lets his employees park there if it's a safety issue to which Miller responded that there wasn't anywhere close to park.
The council voted to take the Parking Easement Agreement off of the table, meaning that an action would be required for the easement. Farrel went on: "I see a lot of things wrong with this, first of all of the three blocks of fifth street park, this is the only part that gets any foot traffic in it, and the only part that is maintained. So I don't know why we would cut up part of that. Right over here is a big empty field that we pay to mow that would just as easily be public parking that would be the same use it would be a slightly farther walk but in the perspective of walking from here versus walking from there, in other cities you would have to walk much further. A block and a half is not a big deal. I also don't like the idea that its a safety issue when public use the parking yet its standard practice for the PUD to use the parking and it's not a safety issue when they do it. I don't think we need any more public parking spaces right there. I think it's bad all around except for if they need four handicapped spots then that's fine. The parking lot to me has no use, and is only a detriment to the city," said Farrell. Farrell went on to talk about how there is an even better piece of land in the park on the other side of the wading pool that would make a better parking lot. On the piece of land Farrell was talking about, the parking lot would be closer to the pool, and it doesn't contain anything on it already, like the existing piece of the park that the PUD has picked out, which would have to see trees uninstalled. Council member Colby Rogers wondered if there was any other options explored, or if any dialogue was ever opened about the matter.
"One of the reasons to go through with this is to have a public meeting room thats available during the day and a lot of those groups have seniors, so the closer the proximity the easier it is on those types of people," said Miller.
The council voted on the easement and came to a tie of three to three, where the council began to discuss how to break the tie, pointing out that Dunsmoor, the one who would usually break the tie, may hold a conflict of interest given that he works with the PUD. "I think it's a concern to me if you vote," said Farrell. The council discussed the matter, and decided to have City Attorney Will Penoyar look into it, and no action was taken.
Dunsmoor addressed the issue further: "On the Monday February 1 meeting of the city council, it was presented to the council, it was brought in and everybody was here except Rogers, we went through everything and one person questioned it, which was Kaley. Everybody said they had no problem with it. I went back to the entity that requested that and they did a pretty expensive design process based on that decision that the council made, does everybody remember that? Council Member Kaley Hanson specified that he remembered it being brought forward and presented, but never voting on it. "I didn't say we voted on it. It was discussed and now the council is changing it's mind," said Dunsmoor. "It's your own choice to have a feasibility study and if any costs-," said Hanson as Dunsmoor cut Hanson off to say: "We'll hold off on this decision and hold off till the next meeting. We'll leave it at a three to three tie."
No action was taken on the Parking Easement Agreement. The council next discussed an ordinance that pertained to water rates as well as an ordinance that pertained to a capital repair levy. The council passed the ordinances . For head of department reports Police Chief Chuck Spoor reported that one of the local teen advocacy coalition officers Verboomen went to a Students Against Destructive Decisions retreat in Tokeland and participated. "They had a good time I guess so TAC has been a great program and I can't say enough," said Spoor.
Public Works Director Eric Weiberg reported on pricing for trees, citing that it will cost $20,000 to keep the trees and build grates for them. The grant that the city is receiving might pay for the preservation of the trees, but the TIB won't commit until they know the total cost.
The next Raymond City Council meeting will be held on Monday, May 16 at 6pm.