The City Council met in Work Session on Tuesday, November 18, 2014, at 5:20 p.m. in Room 326, Committee Room, City County Building, 451 South State Street.
In Attendance: Council Members Kyle LaMalfa, Erin Mendenhall, Charlie Luke, Lisa Adams, James Rogers, Luke Garrott, and Stan Penfold.
Staff in Attendance: Cindy Gust-Jenson, Executive Council Director; Jennifer Bruno, Executive Council Deputy Director; David Everitt, Mayor’s Chief of Staff; Benjamin Luedtke, Council Constituent Liaison/Legislative Project Coordinator; Chris Burbank, Police Chief; Rick Graham, Public Services Director; Alden Breinholt, Public Services Operations Director; Allison Rowland, Council Public Policy Analyst; Margaret Plane, City Attorney; Rusty Vetter, Deputy City Attorney; Robin Hutcheson, Transportation Director; Mary Beth Thompson, Revenue Analyst/Audit Manager; Jaysen Oldroyd, Senior City Attorney; Benjamin Roberts, Public Services Compliance Program Director; Cindi Mansell, City Recorder; and Scott Crandall, Deputy City Recorder.
Councilmember Luke presided at and conducted the meeting.
The meeting was called to order at 5:56 p.m.
AGENDA ITEMS
#1. 6:28:44 PM RECEIVE A WRITTEN BRIEFING FROM THE ADMINISTRATION ABOUT ISSUES AFFECTING THE CITY THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE MAY ADDRESS DURING ITS 2015 SESSION AND DISCUSS COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION ON THE CITY'S LEGISLATIVE APPROACH. View Attachments
No discussion was held.
#2. 6:28:51 PM RECEIVE A BRIEFING ON A PROPOSED INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY TO FUND TWO BIKE PROJECTS. The County awarded the City $145,000 to create protected bike lanes on 300 South and widen bike lanes and add shared lane markings on Sunnyside Avenue. (Item D1) View Attachments
Jennifer Bruno and Robin Hutcheson briefed the Council with attachments. Comments included utilizing durable products that require less maintenance, protected bike lane construction/maintenance, and product testing.
Councilmember Penfold requested that funding for re-painting bike lanes/amenities be incorporated in the City’s annual general fund budget to insure re-painting projects were not ignored. Ms. Hutchison said she would follow-up with the Streets Division. Ms. Bruno said this item was on the formal agenda for consideration.
#3. 5:56:37 PM RECEIVE A BRIEFING ON PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CITY’S SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING REGULATIONS. The proposed changes include requiring businesses and multi-family complexes to establish recycling programs, and a graduated fine schedule for noncompliance with refuse, recycling and green waste collection laws. View Attachments
Item was pulled.
#4. 5:56:48 PM RECEIVE A BRIEFING ABOUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT’S METRO SUPPORT BUREAU, WHICH FOCUSES ON CRIME IN THE AREA BOUNDED BY NORTH TEMPLE TO 700 SOUTH AND FROM INTERSTATE 15 TO STATE STREET. The Police presence is focused on addressing high crime and connecting homeless individuals with service providers. View Attachments
Chief Burbank and Jennifer Bruno briefed the Council with attachments. Ms. Bruno said the Metro Support Bureau was a new program which started in early July, 2014 and Chief Burbank was in attendance to update the Council on the program’s progress. Comments included one-third of the department’s resources utilized in the downtown area, increased narcotic trafficking, heroin epidemic, increased drug cartel activity, service levels increased Citywide, drug dealers hide among homeless population, utilize grant to assist homeless, demand for narcotics needs to be addressed to make progress, drug supply would always be available to meet demand, increase safety perception, identify next location to focus on, track juvenile offenders, systemic problem with judicial system, consequence of selling narcotics not significant so dealers end up right back on the streets, 50% of criminals arrested in the City are not local residents, 48% of victims live outside the City, large commuter population puts extra demand on resources, enforcement in one area drives criminals/crime to other areas, increased spice use/hard to detect, and drug legalization issues.
Councilmember Luke thanked Chief Burbank for the update.
#5. 6:35:56 PM RECEIVE A BRIEFING ABOUT MAIL-IN VOTING. THE CITY PLANS TO HAVE A VOTE BY MAIL SYSTEM IN PLACE FOR THE 2015 MUNICIPAL PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTIONS. The briefing will include information about anticipated cost and changes that will need to happen to create the new system. The experience of Utah municipalities that held vote by mail elections in 2014 will also be presented. View Attachments
Cindi Mansell and Ben Luedtke briefed the Council with attachments. Comments included voter turnout issues, cost issues, mistakes in vote-by-mail versus electronic balloting, additional polling locations for people to vote in person, controversy about potential for increased/decreased voter turnout, novelty effect, vote-by-mail provides better opportunity for public involvement, eliminate barriers which discourage people from voting, and vote-by-mail provides time to be deliberate about choices.
Councilmember Garrott requested information about other municipalities or counties that chose to pay return postage during the past election.
Councilmember Adams said the City needed to make it as easy as possible for people who wanted to vote in person by having polling locations conveniently located and accessible.
Councilmember Luke requested cost information for running a vote-by-mail election and what additional costs would be to provide return postage. He also requested cost information for the 2011 and 2013 elections.
Councilmember Garrott requested a cost comparison between the “opinion question” ballot process and a vote-by-mail process.
#6. 6:48:34 PM REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INCLUDING A REVIEW OF COUNCIL INFORMATION ITEMS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS. The Council may give feedback or staff direction on any item related to City Council business.
See file M 14-5 for announcements.
#7. REPORT OF THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.
No discussion was held.
#8. 5:23:49 PM CONSIDER A MOTION TO ENTER INTO CLOSED SESSION, IN KEEPING WITH UTAH CODE §52-4-205(1)(c) TO DISCUSS PENDING OR REASONABLY IMMINENT LITIGATION AND ATTORNEY-CLIENT MATTERS THAT ARE PRIVILEGED, IN KEEPING WITH UTAH CODE §78B-1-137. (CLOSED SESSION HELD IN ROOM 326)
Councilmember Garrott moved and Councilmember Rogers seconded to enter into Closed Session to discuss pending or reasonably imminent litigation, Utah Code §52-4-205(1)(c), and Attorney-Client matters that are privileged, Utah Code §78B-1-137, Utah Open and Public Meetings Law. A roll call vote was taken. Council Members Luke, Mendenhall, Penfold, LaMalfa, Rogers, Adams, and Garrott voted aye. See File M 14-2 for Sworn Statement.
In Attendance: Council Members Rogers, LaMalfa, Garrott, Mendenhall, Luke, Adams, and Penfold.
Others in Attendance: Cindy Gust-Jenson, Margaret Plane, Jennifer Bruno, David Everitt, Rick Graham, Alden Breinholt, Allison Rowland, Rusty Vetter, Robin Hutcheson, Mary Beth Thompson, Jaysen Oldroyd, Benjamin Roberts, and Scott Crandall.
The Closed Session adjourned at 5:50 p.m.
The Work Session adjourned at 6:57 p.m.
This document is not intended to serve as a full transcript as other items may have been discussed; please refer to the audio or video for entire content.
This document along with the digital recording constitute the official minutes of the City Council Work Session meeting held November 18, 2014.
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