PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
REGULAR/BRIEFING SESSION
TUESDAY, MAY 3, 1988
The City Council of Salt Lake City, Utah, met as the Committee of the Whole on Tuesday, May 3, 1988, at 5:00 p.m. in Suite 300, City Hall, 324 South State.
The following Council Members were present: Florence Bittner Thomas Godfrey Wayne Horrocks Roselyn Kirk Sydney Fonnesbeck Willie Stoler Alan Hardman.
Council Chairperson Godfrey presided at the meeting.
BRIEFING SESSION
Linda Hamilton, Executive Director, briefed the Council on the evening’s agenda. She said that the addendum to the consent agenda was a change in the hearing date regarding a petition by Rainbo Oil to rezone a city corner to accommodate a service station and car wash.
Blake Wade, Ballard Spahr Andrews and Ingersoll, briefed the Council on the extent of the proposed amendment to the 1985 Industrial Development Revenue Bond for the Boyer 1st South building project. He said that the amendment was necessary in order for the bond issue to conform to federal guidelines. Roger Cutler, City Attorney, said that he had reviewed the documents and approved them as not affecting the city’s position.
The meeting adjourned at 6 p.m.
The City Council of Salt Lake City, Utah, met in regular session on Tuesday, May 3, 1988, at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 324 South State Street.
The following Council Members were present: Florence Bittner Thomas Godfrey Wayne Horrocks Roselyn Kirk Sydney Fonnesbeck Willie Stoler Alan Hardman.
Mayor Palmer DePaulis, Roger Cutler, city attorney, Kathryn Marshall, city recorder, and LaNita Brown, deputy city recorder, were present.
Council Chairperson Godfrey presided at and Council Vice-Chairperson Bittner conducted the meeting.
The Council led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Approval of Minutes
Councilmember Godfrey moved and Councilmember Kirk seconded to approve the minutes of the Salt Lake City Council for the regular meeting held Tuesday, April 19, 1988, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
(M 88-1)
Special Recognition
The City Council and Mayor presented a joint resolution proclaiming the week of May 1, 1988 as ‘Be Kind To Animals’ week in Salt Lake City, Utah. Councilmember Kirk read the resolution which stated that we receive benefits and blessings from our animal friends who give us companionship and pleasure, but we have a responsibility to protect them from need, pain, fear, and suffering, and through humane education in schools and society we are being taught attitudes of kindness, consideration, and respect for all living things; and that we are indebted to animal care and control agencies for their invaluable contribution in caring for lost and unwanted animals, instilling human values, and promoting a true working spirit of kindness and consideration for animals in the minds and hearts of all people.
Councilmember Godfrey moved and Councilmember Horrocks seconded to adopt Resolution 41 of 1988 designating the week of May 1, 1988 as ‘Be Kind To Animals’ week, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
(R 88-1)
PETITIONS
Petition 400-577 Ralph Gisseman.
RE: Set a date for a public hearing to be held Tuesday, 1June 14, 1988, at 6:20 p.m., to obtain public comment regarding a request that the city vacate a portion of Arapahoe Avenue adjacent to property at 644 Camarilla Circle.
ACTION: Councilmember Horrocks moved and Councilmember Hardman seconded to set the hearing date for Tuesday, June 14, 1988, at 6:20 p.m., which motion carried, all members voted aye.
(P 88-76)
Petition 400-586 Rainbo Oil.
RE: Change the date for a public hearing from Tuesday, June 14, 1988, at 6:30 p.m. to Tuesday, May 17, 1988, at 6:20 p.m., to obtain public comment regarding a request that the city rezone the north 57 feet of three lots located on the northeast corner of Commonwealth Avenue and 500 East Street from Residential “R-2” to Commercial “C-1” in order for Rainbo Oil to develop the southeast corner of 500 east and 2100 South as a convenience store, gas pump islands, and a detached car wash.
ACTION: Councilmember Horrocks moved and Councilmember Hard- man seconded to change the hearing date to Tuesday, May 17, 1988, at 6:20 p.m., which motion carried, all members voted aye.
(P 88-71)
DEPARTMENTAL BUSINESS
CITY COUNCIL
#1. RE: Set a date for a public hearing to be held Wednesday, May 25, 1988, at 6:00 p.m., to obtain public comment concerning the possible construction of an Interstate 15 interchange at North Temple Street in Salt Lake City prior to the formulation of the city’s recommendation to the Wasatch Front Regional Council’s I-15 Steering Committee.
ACTION: Councilmember Horrocks moved and Councilmember Hardman seconded to set the date for a public hearing to be held Wednesday, May 25, 1988, at 6:00 p.m. to obtain public comment concerning the possible construction of an Interstate 15 interchange at North Temple, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
(G 88-6)
FINANCE
#1. RE: Set a date for a public hearing to be held Tuesday, May 24, 1988, at 6:20 p.m., to consider amending the Compensation Plan (Section 2.52.010 of the City Code) for city officers and employees, including statutory officers.
ACTION: Councilmember Horrocks moved and Councilmember Godfrey seconded to set the date for a public hearing to be held Wednesday, May 24, 1988, at 6:20 p.m. to consider amending the Compensation Plan for City officers and employees, including statutory officers, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
(O 88-10)
#2. RE: Consider adopting a resolution determining the rate of tax levy and levying taxes upon all real and personal property within Salt Lake City made taxable by law for 1988.
ACTION: Without objection, Councilmember Bittner referred this item to Committee of the Whole.
(R 88-3)
#3. RE: Consider adopting an ordinance amending Section 9.08.010 of the Salt Lake City Code relating to definitions of garbage and refuse.
ACTION: Without objection, Councilmember Bittner referred this item to Committee of the Whole.
(O 88-11)
#4. RE: Consider adopting a resolution approving execution of a supplemental indenture and an amendment to a loan agreement with respect to the $9,000,000 Industrial Development Revenue Bonds, series 1985, Boyer 1st South Associates Project.
ACTION: Councilmember Kirk moved and Councilmember Godfrey seconded to adopt Resolution 40 of 1988, approving execution of a supplemental indenture and an amendment to loan agreement for Boyer 1st South Associates, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
(Q 85-18)
MAYOR’S OFFICE
#1. RE: Consider adopting a resolution adopting tentative budgets for the Fiscal Year July 1, 1988, through June 30, 1989.
ACTION: Councilmember Kirk moved and Councilmember Horrocks seconded to adopt Resolution 39 of 1988, adopting tentative budgets for Fiscal Year 1988/1989, and to refer tentative budgets to Committee of the Whole, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
(B 88-3)
#2. RE: Set a date for a public hearing to be held Tuesday, May 24, 1988, at 6:20 p.m., to obtain public comment concerning tentative budgets for Fiscal Year 1988-89.
ACTION: Councilmember Horrocks moved and Councilmember Godfrey seconded to set a hearing date for Tuesday, May 24, 1988, at 6:20 p.m., which motion carried, all members voted aye.
(B 88-3)
#3. RE: Mayor DePaulis presented his recommended budget for Fiscal Year 1988-89 which was a General Fund budget of $80,318,100, a decrease of $1,205,000 from last year’s budget. He said the city continued to feel the effects of the withdrawal of Federal Revenue Sharing funds which jeopardized the delivery of city services. He highlighted three aspects of his budget recommendations: 1) there would be no increase in taxes or fees; 2) there would be reductions of services and personnel positions which amounted to more than $2,000,000 and a reduction of more than twenty positions, with the major cuts being: $600,000 from the Police Department, eliminating the Crime Analysis and Crime Prevention programs and six and one half positions; $350,000 from the Fire Department, by consolidating two east side fire stations, building one new one, closing another one after the new one was built, and relocating an existing avenues station, and cutting ten positions; $500,000 from the Public Works Department and three positions, (mid-block street lights on major streets would be turned off for one year amounting to a $94,000 savings); $115,000 from the Parks Department, eliminating the In-House Painting Program and three positions; and $130,000 from the Administrative Services Department, eliminating the Humane Education Program in Animal Control; and 3) city employees would receive no salary increases. Mayor DePaulis said that while reductions were being made, the majority of programs were being retained, that substantial contributions were being made to the Capital Improvements projects, that a commitment was being made to the arts by assisting the Capitol Theatre, the Fine Arts facility, and Symphony Hall. He said they had tried to maintain the essential services without burdening the citizens in order to do so. He praised the dedicated workforce and also the citizens.
(B 88-3)
PUBLIC UTILITIES
#1. RE: Consider adopting an ordinance amending Sections 17.16.670 and 17.72.030 of the Salt Lake City Code to reflect an increase in city water rates offset by a decrease in sewer rates to set up a reserve for the acquisition of private watershed lands; and set a date for a public hearing to be held Tuesday, May 24, 1988, at 6:20 p.m.
ACTION: Councilmember Godfrey moved and Councilmember Kirk seconded to refer this item to Committee of the Whole and set a date for a public hearing to be held Tuesday, May 24, 1988, at 6:20 p.m., which motion carried, all members voted aye.
(O 88-12)
PUBLIC WORKS
#1. RE: Consider adopting a resolution to create Salt Lake City Special Improvement District No. 40-R-16, described in the Notice of Intention concerning the district and authorizing city officials to proceed to make improvements as set forth in the Notice of Intention to create the district.
ACTION: Councilmember Horrocks moved and Councilmember Fonnesbeck seconded to adopt Resolution 38 of 1988, creating Special Improvement District No. 40-R-16 and authorizing city officials to proceed to make improvements, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
(Q 88-2)
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Electrical Service to Accessory Buildings.
RE: A public hearing at 6:20 p.m. to obtain public comment regarding amending Section 21.20.010(K) of the Salt Lake City Code which would permit the installation of a 220 volt, 40 ampere single phase electrical service for accessory buildings; and consider adopting the ordinance relating thereto.
ACTION: Councilmember Kirk moved and Councilmember Horrocks seconded to close the public hearing, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
Councilmember Godfrey moved and Councilmember Kirk seconded to adopt Ordinance 25 of 1988, amending Section 21.20.010(K) affecting electrical service for accessory buildings, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
DISCUSSION: Allen Johnson, Acting Planning Director, addressed the Council and said the proposal was a joint effort of the Building and Housing, and Planning and Zoning Divisions and pertained to sections of the city ordinance relating to wiring of detached garages. He said that over the years, the present ordinance had been interpreted to include special wiring which included anything other than a 110 system for the purposes of garage lights, outlets, or automatic door openers. He said with the advent of new shop equipment and hobby equipment in garages, they felt it was appropriate to permit 220 with a 40 ampere limitation.
He said it would be handled as a regular permit process at the one-stop counter and they felt they could monitor the permits to insure that those structures would not be converted to residential or commercial use. He said the reason for the present wording of the ordinance was because during and after the war, some garages had been remodeled for living quarters, so provisions had been put in the ordinance to keep that from happening. No one from the audience addressed this issue.
(O 88-8)
Parking Lots and Nonconforming Uses.
RE: A public hearing at 6:30 p.m. to obtain public comment regarding a proposed ordinance amending Section 21.78.060 of the Salt Lake City Code, relating to parking lots and nonconforming uses in residential districts.
ACTION: Councilmember Kirk moved and Councilmember Horrocks seconded to close the public hearing, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
Councilmember Kirk moved and Councilmember Stoler seconded to approve the ordinance conceptually, as amended, which motion carried, all members voted aye except Mr. Godfrey who voted no.
DISCUSSION: Allen Johnson, Acting Planning Director, said that in 1986 the zoning ordinance had been amended to remove the ability of the Planning Office to grant parking lots for non-conforming uses. He said several people had requested a revision of the ordinance so the Planning Commission recommended that the ordinance be changed to add provisions to provide safeguards to protect the residential environment surrounding non-conforming uses. He said one of the provisions suggested by Larry Livingston, former Land Use Analyst, was that the Planning Commission be required to review the conditional uses and submit a favorable recommendation to the Board of Adjustment. He said there were conditional uses now that were handled primarily by the Board of Adjustment with just a recommendation from the Planning Commission, but Mr. Livingston’s recommendation was that the recommendation be favorable. He said the attorneys were concerned about the duel appeal process, so the ordinance had been amended so that the process would flow from the Planning Commission to the Council if appealed, with the Board of Adjustment being eliminated.
He said the existing ordinance stated that a non-conforming use could not expand onto additional property or use additional property for the purposes of expanding it’s operations. He said they were adding, with respect to parking lots, it must be shown that the applicant would not be expanding his non-conforming operation, that the parking lot would be improving the traffic and the parking pattern that existed. Councilmember Fonnesbeck said she felt this was a vulnerable ordinance and asked if Mr. Johnson had received any response from SLACC or the neighborhood councils on the issue.
Mr. Johnson said they had talked to various community councils, and their main concern was that the ordinance not encourage the demolition of dwellings for the purposes of off-street parking. Councilmember Fonnesbeck said there was nothing in the ordinance to protect them from doing that, so they would be allowing the expansion of the non-conforming use by allowing the parking lot. Mr. Johnson said that on the site design aspects of the ordinance, that was right, but he felt the way the ordinance was worded, they couldn’t use the conditional use process for the purposes of allowing the operation to expand and they had to prove that it was not going to happen.
He said they were trying to eliminate on-street parking congestion that occurred around non-conforming uses. He said it might extend the life of a non-conforming use as it would put them in a better competitive position with the other companies that were conforming, but they would not be able to build. Councilmember Fonnesbeck said that the impact on the neighborhood would be one of growth because where you had a building before, you would now have a building and a parking lot.
Mr. Johnson said that in terms of square footage of the non-conforming use he agreed, but in terms of the intensity of the operation he didn’t believe that would happen. Councilmember Fonnesbeck said she felt they needed to give notice to adjoining land owners and maybe that could be done through SLACC or the neighborhood councils. She said she felt that both notification and a hearing should be included. Mr. Cutler said that a ‘super’ notification, which meant notifying everyone within a 300 foot radius of the property by mail, became a burdensome and expensive requirement.
Councilmember Fonnesbeck said she felt people had a right to know because you were changing the use of the property in the same way you would do if you were changing the zoning. Councilmember Godfrey cited the situation of Luff Motor on 1700 South and 700 East, which had just been before the Board of Adjustment, and asked Mr. Johnson if under the new ordinance the developer could access abutting property and put in parking. Mr. Johnson said yes, that they had already opted to do so but they had to show that it was not being done for the purpose of expanding their business. Hermoine Jex, SLACC, said they were upset about the problem of expansion in their neighborhoods and they did not want the control under the Board of Adjustment, as it was difficult and costly to go before the courts.
She said they were in the middle of the Neighborhood B-3 Study with community councils and the city Planning Division, and they felt that should be settled first. She said the biggest issue was the constant robbing of residential areas by commercial interests. She hoped they could have more time to look at the ordinance. John Florez, 1298 East Claybourne Avenue, addressed the Council regarding Mr. Cutler’s comment about a ‘super’ notice. He said any time an issue affected neighborhoods they should be notified, as this was the democratic process.
Councilmember Godfrey said he would be rather wait to act on this ordinance because of the B-3 Study and the Luff Motor situation. Councilmember Fonnesbeck said this ordinance would not affect the B-3 study, that if it were passed it might give extra protection to a parking lot that would be built on a B-3, because they were now going to apply a heavier set of criteria to someone coming in, but it might affect the Luff Motor situation. She said she felt they had built everything into the ordinance that could make it safe, but wondered if they could ever be safe enough.
Councilmember Stoler said he felt they had put all the necessary safeguards in the ordinance but that individual situations would develop and the Council would have the final review of those. Councilmember Kirk said they would be acting on Mr. Livingston’s advice if they went ahead and passed the ordinance with the changes, and she felt that Mrs. Jex’s questions had been resolved. Councilmember Fonnesbeck asked that it be approved conceptually as amended. Craig Peterson, Development Services Director, said the question of notice by the Planning Commission was a far-reaching change in some of the policies they had done, as it referred to the Planning Commission.
He said the question of deciding who was to be noticed was a lengthy process and he wouldn’t guarantee they could get back to the Council immediately with a solution. He said that when they held informal hearings by the Planning Commission, they sent notice as a matter of course, and should the ordinance be adopted they would do that. He said he preferred that they specify in the ordinance, the concept of an informal hearing as opposed to specifying who should be noticed, and it could be done through the city’s policies and procedures.
(O 88-5)
Community Development Block Grant Funds.
RE: A public hearing at 6:40 p.m. to obtain public comment regarding the 14th Year Community Development Block Grant funding.
ACTION: Councilmember Godfrey moved and Councilmember Kirk seconded to close the public hearing, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
Councilmember Godfrey moved and Councilmember Kirk seconded to accept the tentative budget and refer to the Committee of the Whole, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
DISCUSSION: Stephanie Loker, Community Development Planner, said the purpose of the hearing was for those interested in CDBG projects to give input to the Council before a final decision was made. She said the CDBG appropriation was $3,795,000.
The following people spoke. George Tantillo, Volunteers of America, requested $51,400 for a new Men’s and Family Shelter for the homeless. He showed drawings of the new facility and told about the many services that would be available there saying it would not only benefit the many who would use it’s services but also the community. Harris Simmons, Shelter the Homeless Committee, requested $200,000 for the New Single Women’s Shelter. He said approximately 1/3 of the $4,000,000 required would come from government sources and they were about 3/4 of the way there. He said the purpose of the shelters was to help people back to living productive lives and thus restore their dignity.
Patrick Poulin, Traveler’s Aid Society, requested $25,000 for Operation of the Existing Women’s Shelter. He said they provided shelter to 20 to 22 women per day and the count was growing. Jane Langford, YWCA, requested $20,000 to upgrade the heating and lighting systems at the facility. She said it was a residential facility which served up to 1400 women and children each year, including women prisoners, battered women and their children, and low income women who were seeking self-sufficiency.
Rodger Reynolds, Salt Lake Arts Council, spoke in approval of the Art Barn Improvements. He thanked the Council for previous funding and requested continued funding for necessary building improvements such as handicap accessible restrooms and entrances. Jim Jensen, Salt Lake Boys and Girls Club, requested funding for the Capitol West Boys and Girls Club. He said they were presently serving 1300 boys and girls in the Jackson and Guadalupe area. He said they had experienced a 29% decrease in the arrest rate for juveniles in 1987 and felt the clubs were the main reason for that success.
Rob White, Utah Heritage Foundation, requested funding for the Marmalade Center. He said the interior of the building was finished but they needed funds to improve the exterior. Opal Clarke, Work Activity Center, said their request represented $1000 for each resident that currently participated in their program. She said she felt strongly about the value and long term effects of the project. She said it benefitted the profoundly and catastrophically handicapped, and their parents who were trying to maintain them at home. Janet H. Nelson, Alliance House, requested funding for rehabilitating Fire Station No. 9 which they had purchased to provide a facility for a day center for mentally ill adults. She said their mission was to provide pre-vocational experience and real jobs for those people who had not responded to other rehabilitation programs.
She said they were typically bright and easily trained, but lacked the stability and emotional support to go every day to a job. She said they needed to bring the kitchen and bathroom up to code. Stan Penfold, Neighborhood Self-Help Grant Program, requested $25,000 to improve localized neighborhood areas. He said this was a new program and was designed to encourage neighbors to work with each other on projects such as fairs, newsletters, clean-up, and tree planting.
Denise Wilcox, Neighborhood Housing, said she was thankful for the program as it had enabled her and her husband to fix up their home through a low interest loan. Kathy Sheaffer, Neighborhood Housing, said the spin-off effect was really being felt, not only through the rehab program but through ‘Paint Your Heart Out’ and the Security Lock program. She said with their low interest loans they were purchasing many dilapidated homes in the area, rehabilitating them through their youth program, and selling them to low income families.
Roger Borgenicht, Assist Emergency Repair Program, thanked the Council for previous funding with which they had completed 377 jobs City-wide. He said the average household income of those being helped was $538 per month, and over 65% were elderly and 20% were handicapped. Melinda Main, Windsor-Dooley Block Redesign, said she lived on the corner of Windsor Street and they were badly in need of curb and gutter as there were a number of children in the neighborhood and they needed the sidewalks to protect them from traffic.
Kathy Coston, 1820 West 700 North #8, spoke in behalf of the Rape Crisis Center. She said there was a lot of trauma in dealing with rape and she had been in a wheel chair for five years as a result of rape. She asked that funding be provided to keep their doors open. Charles Doane, Rape Crisis Center, said rape was the fastest growing crime and referrals had grown to almost 2000 in 1986. He said they needed funding to pay off the mortgage debt on their building.
Jody York, Rape Crisis Center, said the center provided much needed education for victims and their families. She said she was a volunteer and they went directly to hospitals to offer support and counseling. She said that rape was a violent crime, that the youngest victim was 4 1/2 months and the oldest was in her 90’s. Lisa Heiner Holt, Rape Crisis Center, said the workers at the center had an unlimited supply of commitment, love, compassion, time, dedication, determination, and experience, which many had gained first hand, but they needed funding to be able to continue, and the need was great. She said law enforcement officials, medical personnel, and in some cases even family were not supportive, and the Rape Crisis Center offered that support. Vicki Pitzer, Rape Crisis Center, said she was a volunteer and worked with the hospital intervention team and met with rape victims when they were brought to the hospitals. She said she had been involved with handicapped victims, and accessibility to the center was a special need.
Mary Lee Allen, Housing Outreach Rental Program, thanked the Mayor, Council, and committees for past support and said 90% of their cases were emergencies, people who were being evicted because of lack of funds due to lost jobs, etc. She said they not only helped them find places to live, but helped them to be able to stay there. She said their toughest job last year had been to help relocate the people at Radio Park. She asked for continued support.
Maria Vigil and Randy Montana spoke in support of the Westside Food Bank, saying that as a single mother and an unemployed resident they had to use the food bank and felt it was a necessary and helpful service. John Florez, Mexican Civic Center, thanked the Council for past support and asked for continued funding to provide adequate parking for the center. He said they would be opening thier doors for the Cinco de Mayo.
Don R. Earl, 427 Edith Avenue, spoke in support of the Sidewalk Repair for 900 to 1300 South, 300 to 500 East. He said they felt the $25,000 they had requested would repair two blocks and suggested they begin with the parade route area on 9th South. He said the streets south of 9th South were in very poor condition. Richard A. Rodriquez, Mexican Civic Center, spoke in support of the center and requested funds to improve parking there.
Victoria Garcia, Mexican Civic Center, spoke in support and made mention of all those in attendance who were in support. She said they held many community activities at the center and parking was continuously a problem. Robert Gallegos, Mexican Civic Center, said that since they had finished the building they had held three activities and had 1000 people there. He said they only had parking for 40 cars and were averaging from 100 to 150 cars per activity. He said they had scheduled dance groups and bands who practiced there, a cancer screening clinic, and various workshops, and the parking was badly needed. He said the center had been well received in the community.
Kim Anderson, Neighborhood Attorney Program, said they received $9,000 for the past year and were requesting $13,500 this year. He said this funding would hire an attorney for 1/3 of the time to file civil suits against property owners who had abandoned and deteriorated properties. He said they would only take action against property owners if the community councils agreed. Several persons registered their support for specific projects but did not wish to speak: six for the Mexican Civic Center; one for Housing Outreach Rental Program; one for the Neighborhood Housing Services; and one for the Windsor-Dooley Project.
(T 88-1)
COMMENTS
Gary Hansen, Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, addressed the Council and said there was a new program under the Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Council and City-County Government Committee that was interested in interfacing with local government. He introduced Gina Rieke of Prudential Bache, who said she was chairing a group called Minute-Men, who would be attending council meetings and monitoring different items on the agenda. She said they were there to work with the city for the betterment of the community.
Kim Anderson, Vice-chairman of SLACC, addressed the Council and asked that they put off the hearing regarding the North Temple 1-80 Interchange, scheduled for May 25th, for at least two weeks, as the SLACC executive committee would be out of town and unable to attend. He said that RUDAT would be coming the week after that to study the same issue and would like the Council to look at their study. He said they needed more time to organize citizens and get them involved.
Councilmember Godfrey said they had chosen that date because they wanted to give the Mayor the necessary input for the Wasatch Front Regional Council. He said the WFRC was supposed to make a decision months ago and had been putting it off, and he asked the Mayor if there were some way they could put the hearing off and still be able to give him input for the Council.
Mayor DePaulis said he would have to check, that it was on the WFRC meeting agenda but probably not for final action, and until he knew the posture they were going to take he did not know how to respond. It was generally agreed that it would be best to go ahead and set the date for the public hearing. Carol Mall, 612 E 700 South, addressed the Council regarding the garbage fee. She said she owned five rental buildings in the inner-city area, and she was being forced to pay $480 per year just to have the garbage picked up.
Councilmember Hardman said he was also upset about the garbage fee and he was recommending that the fee be put back into the general fund budget. Ms. Mall said she had been told that were other complaints had been received regarding this subject on they were on file in the Mayor’s Office. She asked if there was any way to obtain the list so those people could be notified and attend and have their say. Mayor DePaulis said his office would notify those people who had complained, but they did not make those letters available to the public. Ms. Mall wondered why it had taken so long since it was a major complaint and what had been done about it. Councilmember Kirk said they had the choice of either raising property taxes or assessing the garbage fee, and they had made that decision last year. Councilmember Stoler said that the issues couldn’t be addressed until the garbage pickup was totally mechanized. Councilmember Fonnesbeck said it had a tremendous budget impact and they only worked on the budget once a year. She said she felt a lot of business people would complain dramatically if the garbage fee were put back in the general fund, because they were not receiving any garbage pickup and Ms. Mall had the choice of either receiving city service or private service. She said she had not had any complaints about the fee in her district.
Ms. Mall said citizens needed to know that their complaints were being heard and taken care of. Terry Howard, 1150 South Major Street, addressed the Council and said he would like to propose that the city proclaim a week as ‘Be Friendly To Businesses’ week. He said he was a ‘Fix-It Man’ who went out and made repairs at other residences. He said his business license had been revoked because he did not have adequate parking in front of his residence for customers who would come to his home. He said no one ever came to his home. He said the attitude in the Licensing Department was hostile and unfriendly. He said he also felt the city should not be in the garbage business.
The meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m.