BINGEN CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
May 17, 2005
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Prigel at 7:00 p.m. Council members present: Terry Trantow, Randy Anderson, Betty Barnes, and Laura Mann. Council members absent: Barbara Hylton (Kubitscheck). Deputy Clerk Dena Riggleman and Attorney Tad Connors were present. Audience: Jesse Burkhardt, Jennifer Ast, Lee Ast, Kirby Erdely, Corry Nye, Tom Wooding.
Public Comment
Betty Barnes, Bingen
Betty Barnes asked if the city council is going to have a discussion about the possibility of increasing Bingen’s sales tax. Brian Prigel said he will discuss the issue with Jan Brending and that the issue can be part of a future treasurer’s report.
Betty Barnes said she would like to schedule a discussion of insurance in the near future so that it does not wait until the last minute with the budget. Brian Prigel said he will pass that information on to Jan Brending.
Betty Barnes asked if there is any information about when Depot Street will be done. Brian Prigel said there has been no communication from Klickitat County. He said he will have Brandon Walter try to reach the county one more time before he calls the county directly. Betty said she is concerned that Bingen will not be put on the schedule or that we will be put on the schedule later in the season with the possibility of getting bumped off and that the EDA funds may not be available next year.
Approval
of Minutes
Changes were noted to the May 3 council meeting minutes as follows:
Page 1, 6th paragraph, change the date of May 3 to May 17.
Page 2, “Boarding of Dogs”, add sentence “There was a consensus of the city council to allow 5 additional days of boarding of the dog at Happy Tails Boarding while trying to place the dog for adoption.”
Terry Trantow moved to approve the minutes of the May 3 council meeting as amended. Randy Anderson seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously.
Sign Application – Gorge Wine Tasting
Brian Prigel said the city has received a sign application from Gorge Wine
Tasting which meets the sign ordinance requirements.
Lee Ast reviewed the proposed signage for Gorge Wine Tasting. He said the signs will all be flush mounted.
Betty Barnes moved to approve the sign application for Gorge Wine Tasting. Terry Trantow seconded the motion and it was unanimously passed.
Sign Application – Viento
Betty Barnes said that the city’s current sign ordinance does not address
sandwich board signs. She said that she doesn’t think the application should be
before the council.
Terry Trantow said he thought the sign would not be on the sidewalk. Betty Barnes said the sign will be placed on the city sidewalk close to the curb.
Laura Mann said she thinks the sign should be on the other side of the sidewalk on Viento’s property.
Betty Barnes suggested that the city council not address the issue at this time. She noted there are currently other sandwich board signs being used throughout the city which have never come to the council. Barnes said that the council is going to be working on the sign ordinance that will may ban sandwich boards. She said that she is concerned that if the council approves the sign at this point there may be problems later when the council changes the sign ordinance banning sandwich boards. Barnes said they should be warned that the sign may be banned in the future.
Randy Anderson said another problem with sandwich boards is the ADA issue that sandwich boards will be restricted.
Brian Prigel said that if the signs were located in the area where the trees are located it may not impact ADA requirements. He said this is one of the types of signs that is not addressed in the city’s ordinance at all. Prigel said there are some that are in use and the city has never taken a position on them. He said that when the council considers a sign ordinance it will need to be discussed.
Tad Connors said the city council has to approve, deny or table the decision on the application. He said he does not think the council can just to choose to nothing with the application. Connors said it is a good idea to note that sandwich boards may not be grandfathered in a subsequent update of the city’s sign ordinance.
Randy Anderson said the city is trying to get away from the obstructions in the city’s sidewalks and would vote not to approve the sign.
Laura Mann asked if the sign could be placed in the entry way to Viento’s.
Brian Prigel said that is private property and the sign could possibly be placed there.
Laura Mann said she does not understand why the sign would be placed out close to the cars and trees. She said it would be more visible on their property instead of close to the curb. Mann said the sign is more for people walking than people driving.
Brian Prigel said that typically sandwich board signs are used to signify the business is open and are taken down when the business is closed. He said sometimes they are used to post specials or changes in the menu and can be beneficial. Prigel said he agrees they are more for pedestrians.
Laura Mann said she manages a business and utilizes a sandwich board but it has to be located on the business property and not within the sidewalk.
Lee Ast said his business is next door to Viento. He said the two businesses are trying to work together on their signage. Ast said he believes Viento is trying to get a little bit more exposure with the sandwich board sign.
Brian Prigel said the entire building sits back off of the sidewalk and there is additional space where a sandwich board sign could be placed off of the sidewalk.
Randy Anderson said he would not have a problem with the sign if it was placed on Viento’s property. He said he does not want to see it on the sidewalk.
Laura Mann said she would agree to that also.
Terry Trantow said that if the sandwich board sign is set on Viento property than it can be seen from only one direction.
Brian Prigel said it would depend on where the sign is located. He said that if it is kept on private property than he doesn’t see a problem with the sign.
Betty Barnes agreed. She said the applicant should be warned that the city may ban these types of signs in the future.
Laura Mann asked if the sandwich board sign has a square footage issue.
Brian Prigel said the city’s ordinance does address a cumulative total of square footage for signs. He said Viento is not anywhere close to that total.
Laura Mann moved to approve the sign application by Viento with notice that the sign must be set on private property and that the city may ban sandwich board signs on sidewalks in the future. Terry Trantow seconded the motion and it was unanimously signed.
Sign Application – Jim Bradshaw, Red Carpet Design
Center
Brian Prigel said the city has received a sign application from Jim Bradshaw
for the building across the street from city hall. He said the signage meets the
city’s ordinance requirements. Brian Prigel said a building permit will be
necessary for the attached sign.
Betty Barnes moved to approve the sign application by Jim Bradshaw for Red Carpet Design Center. Randy Anderson seconded the motion and it was unanimously passed.
Public Hearing – Conditional Use Permit Application,
Kirby Erdely and Tom Wooding
Brian Prigel said the city has received a conditional use permit application
for a light industrial use in a commercially zoned property. He said the
business would be located on the south side of the buildings that are located
between Steuben and Depot. Prigel said the city has approved conditional use
permits for light industrial uses in the portion of the buildings fronting
Depot.
Kirby Erdely provided information to the city council about the proposed use – cabinetry woodworking and storing of cabinets. He said that he will be a dealer for certain lines of cabinets. Erdely said there may be some office and showcase room. He said it will not be a fulltime cabinet shop.
Laura Mann asked if it is considered retail space with the showroom.
Tom Wooding said he is leasing the building and will be buying it after one year. He said he wants to keep the downstairs storage and light industrial with retail space upstairs.
Brian Prigel said the conditional use permit is for the lower portion off of Depot Street.
Kirby Erdely and Tom Wooding said yes.
Brian Prigel said that is important because the city wants to keep the upstairs facing with access from Steuben as commercial retail space. He said given that the bottom half of the buildings with access off of Depot are adjacent to a heavy industrial use zoning. Prigel said the city council has discussed the possibility of changing the zoning of that area to light industrial.
Laura Mann said her concern if the city accepts the conditional use permit application and there is retail business in the back is that a problem.
Brian Prigel said light industrial and retail could be conducted off of Depot Street. He said he does not see a conflict.
Laura Mann asked if he can do retail out of a light industrial zone. Prigel said yes.
Betty Barnes asked if other places off of Depot Street have been granted conditional use permits for light industrial. Prigel said yes. He said the council has previously approved a light industrial use for another cabinet making shop.
Laura Mann asked if the space has bathroom facilities.
Tom Wooding and Kirby Erdely said yes the facility will have a bathroom and there are locked garage doors.
Brian Prigel said the building official will have to review the space for occupancy. He said that cabinet shops and similar uses can sometimes raise issues with the building official particularly around fire safety and those types of concerns.
Betty Barnes moved to approve the conditional use permit application made by Kirby Erdley and Tom Wooding subject to building inspection. Randy Anderson seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.
Memorandum of Understanding Amendment – Fordcye Water
Association and City of Bingen
Tad Connors said the amended memorandum of understanding is the same as
previously approved by the City Council. He said the only change has been to add
the Husum Water User Association to the amendment because the contract with the
state Department of Health references the Husum Water User Association.
Randy Anderson said it makes sense to include the Husum Water User Association since the water will be supplied to the association.
Laura Mann moved to approve the amended Memorandum of Understanding between Fordcye Water Association, Husum Water User Association, Rural Community Assistance Corporation and the City of Bingen. Terry Trantow seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved.
Treasurer’s Report
Betty Barnes moved to table approval of the Treasurer’s Report for April
2005 to the June 7 council meeting. Laura Mann seconded the motion and it was
unanimously passed.
Mayor’s Update
Jefferson Street Bridge
Brian Prigel said he has spoken with Dev Bell about the Jefferson Street
bridge. He said the Bell recommends engineering a concrete slab replacement for
the bridge instead of repairing the existing structure. Prigel said the scope of
work will be revised and a contract established. He said that Bell Design could
have the engineering in 4 to 6 weeks. Prigel said then it would go out to small
works roster bid. Prigel said Bell did have a suggestion that is going to be
explored further is offering space to any potential bidder to have the slab
poured here in town so that it would not have to be hauled a long distance. He
said it hasn’t been measured yet but there will have to be two slabs.
Terry Trantow asked if there is consideration of constructing the bridge in place. Prigel said the engineer is not recommending it be constructed in place but that it should be constructed off site and installed.
Randy Anderson said that is the way the Humboldt Street bridge was done. Prigel said the Jefferson Street bridge is a little wider than Humboldt.
Brian Prigel said he believes the cost for the Humboldt bridge was 5,000 to 6,000 dollars.
Laura Mann asked why it can’t be poured on site. Prigel said it is easier to construct it on a flat piece of ground and let it cure and then set it in place. He said forms would have to be constructed to hold the concrete if poured in place.
Terry Trantow asked if the supports will be replaced. Prigel said probably not. He said the weight of a truck is not completely supported by the bridge at any one time because it is such a short span.
Betty Barnes said the fire chief is recommending that the bridge not be used by the fire department.
Brian Prigel said he has had an engineer look at it and he felt it is safe at the present time.
The council discussed the length of time it would take to get engineered plans developed. Brian Prigel said that although it might take a total of two days to draw up the plans, Bell Design is involved in other work that also needs to be completed.
Laura Mann asked if anyone else can do the work.
Terry Trantow agreed that the engineers and surveyors in the area are very busy.
Brian Prigel said he talked to Seaborn Engineering about doing the work but they weren’t interested because it is not their area of expertise. Prigel said Dev Bell has done this type of work in the past. He said that he will encourage Bell Design to develop the plans more quickly. Prigel said that once the bids are awarded it will take 2 to 3 weeks to complete the project.
Laura Mann asked if the city can ask for proposals on the engineering work. Brian Prigel said yes but he does not think it would save any time.
Laura Mann said it might save the city both time and money. Prigel said he doubted it.
Randy Anderson said that most engineers charge the same fees.
Betty Barnes said Laura Mann does have a good point – is there another engineer who could do the work sooner.
Brian Prigel said he knows this is frustrating but does not think it is an emergency. He said he agrees that it is noisy.
Laura Mann said it is important to get it done before it gets rainy.
Terry Trantow suggested closing the bridge until it is replaced.
Brian Prigel asked the council if it wants him to continue moving forward with establishing a contract and scope of work with Bell Design.
There was consensus of the council that the mayor should continue moving forward working with Bell Design on the replacement of the Jefferson Street bridge.
Well Rehabilitation Update
Brian Prigel said a draft scope of work and bid specifications has been
developed. He said staff is working with the consultant to revise the plans to
ensure that bids are submitted comparing “apples to apples”. Prigel said bid
advertising will go out this week with a recommendation to made to the council
at the first meeting in June with work hopefully beginning by the end of June.
Randy Anderson asked if the bids will go out soon. Brian Prigel said yes, he hopes they will go out this week using a small works roster and the turn around should be fairly quick.
Betty Barnes asked if a scope of work was received from the consultants. Prigel said yes. He said he asked for a little bit better format to ensure that bids received were closely related.
Betty Barnes asked what work is being suggested by the consultants. Prigel said the bores will be brushed and bailed, pumped and surged several times including test pumping before the work and after the work is done. He said that it is not clear about the outcomes until the process is completed. Prigel said success with the Dry Creek well is high and that the Park well is not as bad as originally thought. He said it is not likely that the wells will be brought back to the level at the time they were originally drilled.
Bingen Fire Department
Laura Mann said she is glad that the fire department has provided the city
council with minutes of their meeting. She said they were nicely done and very
informative.
Betty Barnes said the fire department seems to have an issue with the city crew parking in the parking spaces in the fire hall parking lot. She said she does not see a problem with the city crew parking there if they are to immediately move their vehicles if a fire call comes in.
Laura Mann said they don’t need to park in those spaces.
Brian Prigel said he agrees. He said that if they are going to be at city hall for more than 5 to 15 minutes then they should park on the street. Prigel said spaces are needed for the first responders to a fire call.
Terry Trantow asked the mayor to let David Spratt know the council’s appreciation for the fire meeting minutes.
Performance Tattoos
Betty Barnes asked if Performance Tattoos has responded to Jan Brending’s
request for a sign permit application. Dena Riggleman said she has not seen
anything come into city hall.
Laura Mann said that if there has been no response by the June 7 meeting than there should be a letter from Tad Connors.
Filing Deadline for Candidacy
Brian Prigel said Jan Brending has provided copies of the filing deadline
and forms for candidacy to the city council.
Dog
Laura Mann asked what happened with the dog that was being boarded at Happy
Tails Boarding.
Tad Connors said that he talked to the person who gave the dog to the individual that owned it. He said this woman runs the local “pit bull rescue” organization. Connors said he was told that the dog is great around women and children but not around men. He said the dog has a history of biting. Connors said there is no option but to put the dog down because it is a dangerous dog. He said the dog has not been put down yet but will be.
Park
Brian Prigel said both contractors are working on the irrigation and the
bathrooms. Brandon Walter has said that the irrigation is going well and that
the work should be done within the next week.
Randy Anderson said he noticed that when the irrigation was turned on there seemed to be some problems with leaking.
Brian Prigel said that he talked to one of the representatives from the Huckleberry Festival who would still like to see electrical work done before the festival in September. He said he told them the city is waiting to see what is needed for the well rehabilitation will require for electrical.
Betty Barnes asked if some of the costs for electrical can come out of the water fund. Prigel said that it depends on whether electrical upgrades are needed for the wells. He said the Huckleberry Festival Committee had previously mentioned that they were willing to help – he didn’t know if it was with some money or with help in-kind.
Vouchers
Vouchers audited and certified as required by RCW 42.24.080 and expense
reimbursement claims certified as required by RCW 42.24.090 as of this date May
17, 2005. The council by unanimous vote does approve for payment the following
list: warrants 6732 through 6762 totaling $12,485.98 and payroll warrants 6255
through 6271 totaling $9,813.22, and manual warrant 501034 for $13,074.01 for a
total of $35,373.21: Current - $11,445.10; Street - $1,195.80; Street
Construction & Maintenance - $170.43; Water - $1,711.21; Sewer - $947.55;
Treatment Plant - $3,286.69; Dallesport Treatment Plant - $3,542.42; Dallesport
Billing Trust Fund - $13,074.01.
At 8:00 p.m. the Council adjourned.
Jan Brending
Brian Prigel
City Clerk
Mayor