The City Council of Salt Lake City, Utah, met in Regular Session on Tuesday, October 21, 1997, at 6:00 p.m. in Room 315, City Council Office, City County Building, 451 South State.
The following Council Members were present:
Lee Martinez Deeda Seed Bryce Jolley
Joanne Milner Tom Godfrey Keith Christensen
Mary Mark
Mayor Deedee Corradini; Roger Cutler, City Attorney; Cindy Gust-Jenson, Executive Council Director; and Beverly Jones, Deputy City Recorder were present.
Councilmember Seed presided at and Councilmember Godfrey conducted the meeting.
#1. The Council led the Pledge of Allegiance.
#2. Councilmember Jolley moved and Councilmember Martinez seconded to approve the minutes of the Salt Lake City Council meetings held October 7, 1997 and October 14, 1997, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
(M 97-1)
QUESTIONS TO THE MAYOR FROM THE CITY COUNCIL
Councilmember Christensen said the Council was concerned about the substantial watermain break which had occurred during the week. He said the question came up with respect to City policy as City streets were repaired. He said some of the valves which controlled waterlines would be located within the perimeter of the street itself. He said in the area of the watermain break, pavement had been laid over the top of a manhole cover for access. He asked if the City had a policy. He said it took too much time to obtain the drawings, locate the shut-off device and then dig the device up.
Roger Cutler, City Attorney, said Public Utilities had a policy of coordinating with contractors and City crews. He said in this case it was not done as promptly as it should have been. He said the street overlay was done by a City crew. He said the City should not be putting itself in a position where it could not respond in an emergency. He said these valves needed to be marked so they could be accessed immediately.
Councilmember Christensen said the Council wanted some kind of response to this issue when it was available.
CITIZEN COMMENTS TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
Bob Fisher, 2172 Hannibal Street, said the County was trying to obtain ownership of the Red Butte Dam which was located in the Fort Douglas area. He said he wanted the City to keep the dam so that retired service personnel, handicapped people, and children could fish. He said the water in the dam was no longer used by Fort Douglas.
CONSENT AGENDA
Councilmember Jolley moved and Councilmember Seed seconded to approve the Consent Agenda, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
#1. RE: Adopting Ordinance 72 of 1997 amending Salt Lake City Ordinance 44 of 1997 which adopted the rate of tax levy for fiscal year 1997-98. (The proposed ordinance would amend the property tax levy adopted on June 6, 1997 to bring the City's action in line with the actual levy to be imposed on property taxpayers.)
(O 97-17)
#2. RE: Approving the reappointment of Fred Fairclough to the Housing Authority for a term extending through October 27, 2002.
(I 97-19)
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
#1. RE: Adopting a resolution creating Salt Lake City, Utah Special Improvement District 106007, as 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 Seed moved and Councilmember Milner seconded to adopt Resolution 62 of 1997, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
(Q 97-5)
#2. RE: Adopting an ordinance confirming the assessment rolls, as based upon the recommendations to the Board of Equalization and Review, and levying an assessment against certain properties in the Central Downtown Business District known as Salt Lake City, Utah Central Business Improvement District No. DA-8690-97 for the purpose of paying the costs of economic promotion activities, including administrative expenses within the District; establishing the effective date of this ordinance; and related matters.
ACTION: Councilmember Seed moved and Councilmember Mark seconded to adopt Ordinance 73 of 1997, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
(Q 97-4)
#3. RE: Adopting a resolution of 1997 expressing official intent regarding certain capital expenditures to be reimbursed from proceeds of the City's airport revenue bonds.
ACTION: Councilmember Christensen moved and Councilmember Jolley seconded to adopt Resolution 59 of 1997, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
DISCUSSION: Councilmember Seed requested briefings on a regular basis as the Airport moved forward with the master plan and its implementation.
(Q 97-8)
#4. RE: Adopting a resolution of the Municipal Council of Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, authorizing the execution and delivery of an equipment lease-purchase agreement and an escrow agreement with respect to the acquisition, purchase, financing and leasing of certain equipment for the public benefit; authorizing the execution and delivery of documents required in connection therewith; and authorizing the taking of all other actions necessary to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this resolution.
ACTION: Councilmember Milner moved and Councilmember Martinez seconded to adopt Resolution 60 of 1997, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
(Q 97-3)
Adopting a resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Municipal Building Authority of Salt Lake City authorizing the execution and delivery of an equipment lease-purchase agreement, an escrow agreement and an absolute assignment agreement with respect to the leasing of certain equipment to the Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah for the public benefit; the assignment of the equipment-lease purchase agreement and the escrow agreement to Pitney Bowes Credit Corporation; authorizing the execution and delivery of documents required in connection therewith; and authorizing the taking of all other actions necessary to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this resolution.
ACTION: Councilmember Jolley moved and Councilmember Seed seconded to recess as City Council and convene as the Municipal Building Authority, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
Councilmember Christensen moved and Councilmember Mark seconded to adopt Resolution 61 of 1997, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
Councilmember Jolley moved and Councilmember Christensen seconded to adjourn as Municipal Building Authority and reconvene as the City Council, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
(Q 97-3)
#5. RE: Adopting an ordinance amending Sections 8.04.390 and 15.08.070, Salt Lake City Code, relating to animals running at large within designated areas. (The proposed ordinance extends the time frame for an additional six month period until April 30, 1998.)
ACTION: Councilmember Seed moved and Councilmember Mark seconded to adopt Ordinance 74 of 1997, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
DISCUSSION: Councilmember Milner said she was concerned with the Police Officer who had shot and killed an unleashed dog. She said the dog was not in a restricted off leash area. She said she felt the City was enacting an inconsistent policy. She asked if the City would be liable for something which happened in a restricted off leash area.
Mr. Cutler said there was a statute which held strict liability on the owner of a dog. He said the owner would be liable for a dog running at large.
Councilmember Milner said she had heard that a dog bite case had occurred since the off leash area ordinance had been adopted.
Jennifer Seelig, Research and Policy Analyst/Constituent Liaison, said Council staff had been told that there might have been a dog bite incident. She said John Moore, Field Program Manager from Animal Services, had informed her that there was no record of any bite in connection with the City off leash areas.
(O 97-5)
PUBLIC HEARINGS
#1. RE: Accept public comment and consider authorizing the Mayor to execute a grant agreement with the Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice, to receive funds allocated to Salt Lake City under the 1997 Local Law Enforcement Block Grant Program.
ACTION: Councilmember Christensen moved and Councilmember Seed seconded to close the public hearing, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
Councilmember Christensen moved and Councilmember Seed seconded to adopt Resolution 63 of 1997, which motion carried, all members voted aye.
DISCUSSION: Councilmember Mark asked how many police cars were currently in service and how many of those cars had lap top computers installed in them.
Police Chief Ruben Ortega said this grant would allow the department to purchase 25 more lap top computers. He said they had 59 modems in police cars. He said they hoped to purchase a total of 90 lap tops. He said all 225 patrol vehicles would eventually have a computer mount. He said the computers were checked out when an officer reported to duty. He said it would be expensive to put a computer in every car on a permanent basis.
Councilmember Seed asked what kind of computer training was provided to the officers. Chief Ortega said they had surveyed officers who had gone through the computer training. He said 59% said they felt they had been adequately trained and were using the lap tops the way the department wanted them to. He said 41% said they needed more training. He said training would be ongoing. He said 90% of all police reports were now being submitted through lap top computers.
Councilmember Martinez asked what technical support was being provided to the officers. Chief Ortega said they had created a group of officers who had become skilled and knowledgeable on using computers. He said these officers were available on an around the clock basis to assist any officer.
(C 97-590)
The meeting adjourned at 6:23 p.m.