Posted on February 18, 2021 at 7:55 AM by grodericks grodericks
Council Meeting Date: February 17, 2021
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 February Regular Meeting on Wednesday, February 17 at 6 pm via Zoom Teleconference pursuant to the Governor's Executive Order. Following the Roll Call 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.
Following the City Manager's Report, the Council moved to the Consent Agenda consisting of Items 5 and 11 (~6:02 pm). 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, Certification of the Continuing Local Emergency (COVID-19), 2nd Quarter Treasurer's Report, Budget Amendment for FY 2020/21, Award of Contract for the James Avenue Overlay Project, and a Resolution authorizing Destruction of Certain Records. Following a couple of brief comments on the items, the Council approved the Consent Agenda.
Next was Public Hearings.
Public Hearings are typically held for Ordinances, Budget Adoption, Fee Adoption, and Land Use approvals.
There were no Public Hearings scheduled for the February 17 Council meeting.
Next up was the Regular Agenda (~6:05 pm).
Item No. 12 was Approval of an Agreement with Verde Design Services for the Park Access and Circulation Improvements Project as well as a Task Order for Interwest Consulting Group for Project Management Services. Following a brief staff report and opportunity for public comment, the City Council discussed the project. The Council discussed issues related to the grant received for the project, the design process, the timing of the project, and inclusion of the parking lot as part of the project scope. Following discussion, the Council approved the two agreements and advised staff that if it were appropriate to do as the project moves forward, inclusion of the parking lot scope should be considered.
Item No. 13 was issuance of a Request for Proposals for Event Management Services at the Park as well as a Request for Proposal for operation of the proposed Cafe at the Town Center (~6:15 pm). Following a staff report and opportunity for public comment, the City Council discussed the two proposals. Focussing on the proposal for the proposed Cafe at the Town Center, the Council discussed issues related to market analysis, overall vision for the cafe, the criterion of the rating system for evaluation of the proposals, ways to assess the quality of the menu, requirement for compliance with local laws related to food compostables, economic viability of a cafe, and the potential terms of an agreement. Following discussion, the Council approved the two Requests for Proposal directing that the proposed length of term of agreements for both be consistent (using the Cafe Agreement term as the standard), including more details of the vision for the cafe in the body of the Proposal, and amending the criterion for evaluation as follows: Quality of Work Plan (to include a Market Analysis) at 20 points, Experience at 35 points, Menu Items and Cost (to include a provision of samples for review) at 35 points, Revenue (include in the body that the terms of any agreement are subject to negotiation) at 5 points, and Mission of a Not for Profit at 5 points.
Item No. 14 was a Report on the 2020 Audit for the Automated License Plate Readers (~7:18 pm). Following a brief staff report and opportunity for public comment, the Council discussed the scope of the audit, the use of an outside auditing agency or personnel, distribution of the report findings, inclusion of the use of the ALPR on police vehicle(s), storage of the data, additional policing audits, and the annual nature of the audit. Following discussion, the Council accepted the Report and asked that staff evaluate the opportunity for a non-policing agency to conduct future audits.
Item No. 15 was an update on the Town Center Project which included an authorization of agreement for furniture purchasing with KBM-Hogue, Inc. and feedback regarding project fountains, landscaping, the donor wall, and the brick pathway (~7:36 pm). Following a staff report, the Council reviewed and discussed each item individually.
Furniture Agreement with KBM-Hogue, Inc.
The City Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee provided their report on the field test and inspection of the proposed furnishings for the back-office furniture. Following feedback, the Council authorized the agreement with KBM-Hogue, Inc. but removed the public plastic shielding for consideration as part of the front-of-office (public) furnishings contract. It was noted that the furnishing proposals were bifurcated into public space furnishings and back-office furnishings. Council approval at this time related only to the back-office furnishings.
Project Fountains
Staff and the City Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee provided their report on the review and selection of fountains for the Project. The Council discussed issues related to cost, installation, design, placement, maintenance, scale, alternatives, and donor intent. Following discussion, the Council asked that staff and the Subcommittee reach back out to the donor for the Library Fountain and discuss the possibility of a sculpture instead of fountain; and, that staff and the Subcommittee revisit the design and scale of the proposed City Hall wall fountain and reach back out to the project contractor to revisit the cost of installation.
City Hall Landscaping
The City Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee discussed the possibility of adding a change order to return the approved landscaping plan back to the Town Center Project as opposed to the value-engineering solution of hydro-seeding. Following discussion, the Council directed that staff move forward with a change order to do so.
Donor Wall Design and Categories of Recognition
Following a brief staff and Ad Hoc Subcommittee presentation, the Council discussed issues related to the range of categories, type of installation, design of the donor wall, materials to be used, representations to donors, and next steps. Following discussion, the Council directed that the categories for recognition be finalized as:
> Atherton Taxpayer
> $1 million plus
> $100,000 up to $1 million
> $50,000 up to $100,000
> $10,000 up to $50,000
Further, the Council designated a member of the Council for staff to use as a liaison to assist with development of 3 designs for consideration by the Council. Staff will be responsible for coordination of the designs to be done by an/the architect and/or designer. The designs will return to the City Council for a determination of next steps. It was noted that the work of the Ad Hoc Subcommittee on the Donor Wall was now complete.
Brick Pathway
Following a brief staff and Ad Hoc Council Subcommittee presentation, the Council discussed issues related to design, standardization of bricks, expansion of the pathway, categories of recognition, drainage, maintenance, and location of the pathway between the Deodar trees. Following discussion, the Council directed that staff work with the project landscape architect to develop a design to extend the pathway to the new Council Chambers, center it between the two Deodar trees, work with the architect to 3 alternative designs for a paver style and layout for consideration by the Council, and confirmed that paver/brick recognition is for donors at $1,000 or more with those contributing smaller amounts to be recognized via another method (letter, commemorative gift, certificate, etc.).
Item No. 16 was Approval of an amendment to the City Manager's Employment Contract (~9:25 pm). Following a staff report, the Council provided brief comments and approved the proposed amendments. The amendments related to the elimination of an automobile allowance, provision of a Town vehicle for official Town business, and provision of a merit bonus for 2020. It was noted that any vehicle purchased would be purchased via a governmental-purchasing contract to provide the Town the best pricing.
The last item fell under Item No. 17, Council Reports/Comments (~9:30 pm). Here, the Ad Hoc Fire Services Subcommittee provided their final report on the Agenda Setting for the Joint Meeting of the Fire District and the Town. Following a report from the Subcommittee, the Council discussed the possible addition of items related to evacuation routes from Lindenwood, funding of equipment for the Town's Emergency Operations Center, dates for the joint meeting, data on Atherton service calls, and the District's joint meetings with other agencies. Following the Report it was noted that the City Manager and Fire Chief will work to coordinate a joint meeting date for sometime in late March or early April.
Having cleared the entire Agenda, at approximately 9:46 pm, that as they say - was a wrap!
The next meeting of the City Council will be a Special Meeting/Study Session on March 3 at 4 pm. On the Agenda is Feedback Regarding Possible Public Outreach Meetings on Fire Services; Consideration of a Mills Act Policy and Program and the FY 2021/22 Budget Overview/Kick-Off Meeting.