Posted on July 16, 2020 at 8:09 AM by grodericks grodericks
Council Meeting Date: July 15, 2020
Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/user/TownOfAtherton/featured
Details of each item can be found via the links to Staff Reports within the narrative.
The City Council met for the July Regular Meeting on Wednesday, July 15 at 7 pm via Zoom Teleconference pursuant to the Governor's Executive Order. Following the Roll Call and Report out from Closed Session the Council began moving through the Agenda beginning with Presentations and Public Comments.
Following Public Comment, the Council moved to the City Manager's Report. The City Manager's Report is prepared monthly as part of the City Council's Regular Agenda. In addition to current reports from the City Manager, it includes departmental updates on the various happenings around Town such as reports from Administration, Community Services, Planning, Police, and Public Works. The Council discussed issues related to the Building Permit Reports with a request for additional information in order to compare Fiscal Years.
Following the City Manager's Report, the Council moved to the Consent Agenda consisting of Items 6 and 13. Items on the Consent Agenda are considered routine in nature and are generally considered in one motion and adopted by a single vote of the Council. Included in this month's Consent Agenda were minutes of various meetings, bills and claims, Notice of Completion for the 2019 ADA Ramp Maintenance Project, Resolution of Public Assistance Cost Recovery under OES, Award of Contract for the 2020 Slurry Seal Project, Ratification of the Continuing Emergency due to COVID-19, Resolution for Election Statements of Qualification, and Authorization for the purchase of 2 police vehicles. The City Council removed the item on police vehicle purchase for discussion and approved the balance of the Consent Agenda. After approval of the items, the Council briefly discussed the purchase of the 2 new police vehicles, discussing the condition of the vehicles, the types of vehicles to be purchased, viability of the exiting vehicles, and the funds to be used. Following discussion, the Council approved the item.
Next up was the Regular Agenda.
Item No. 14 was Consideration of and Appointment to the Transportation Committee. Following a brief staff report and public comments, the Council appointed Joseph Davis to a term on the Transportation Committee expiring June 30, 2021.
Item No. 15 was consideration of acceptance of a donation naming request from a specified donor; and follow-up and direction on prior naming requests. Following a brief staff report and public comment, the Council was advised that correspondence to Atherton Now regarding the recognition proposal for the $1 million donors to the Town Center Project had been delayed and that the discussion should be continued to September. The Council concurred and this portion of the item was continued to the September Regular Meeting. Following that discussion, the Council considered the request of a specified donor for naming of a conference room within the Library and the theming of that room. The Council discussed the request and opted to postpone a decision until the Council can have a fuller conversation around reduction of donation naming amounts and specific themes for the Library conference rooms. Staff will return with a staff report at the September Regular Meeting for discussion of the preceding.
Item No. 16 was Authorization for the Refuse Services Subcommittee to negotiate on behalf of the Town for exit from the South Bayside Waste Management Authority (SBWMA). Following a brief staff report and public comment, the Council discussed the current status of withdrawal from the SBWMA, the potential cost of that exit, timing of a new potential franchise with GreenWaste Recovery, and the process required to exit the SBWMA. Following discussion, the Council authorized the Subcommittee to negotiate on behalf of the Town.
Item No. 17, Knox Playschools' request for Rent Waiver under COVID-19 Operational Guidance. Following a staff report and public comment, the Council discussed the current operations of Knox Playschools, impacts of COVID-19 on current and continuing operations, intent for continued operations into the new school year, and possible frameworks for the payment of rent. Following discussion, the Council directed that staff return at the July 27 Special Meeting with a proposal for consideration by the Council.
The last item on the Agenda, Item No. 18 was an update on the Town Center Project and discussion and direction on future fountain design and locations. Following a staff report and public comment, the Council discussed the possible placement locations of fountains, work required by the project contractor, options for design, and overall potential cost. Following discussion, the Council directed that the City Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee (Mayor/Vice Mayor) work with two former members of the Civic Center Advisory Committee Project Management Team to develop a rough recommendation for where to place the fountains and what the fountains should look like. The Council directed that that recommendation return to the Council at a future meeting.
Following Council Reports and Final Public Comments, having cleared the entire Agenda, at approximately 9:15 pm, that as they say - was a wrap!
The next meeting of the City Council will be a Special Meeting on July 27 at 2:30 pm. This will be a Special Meeting to discuss award of a Refuse Franchise Agreement to GreenWaste Recovery and a discussion of a lease solution for Knox Playschools. The City Council will be DARK for the month of August. The next Study Session of the City Council will be September 2 at 4 pm.