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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Special Meeting of the Ames City Council 08/15/1995 OFFICIAL MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL AMES, IOWA AUGUST 15, 1995 The Ames City Council met in special session at 5:30 p.m. on the 15th day of August, 1995, in the City Council Chambers in City Hall, 515 Clark Avenue, pursuant to law with Mayor Larry Curtis presiding and the following Council Members present: Brown, Campbell, Parks, Tedesco, and Wirth. Coun. Hoffman was absent. APPROVAL OF CONTRACT AND SCOPE OF SERVICES FOR DOWNTOWN DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT PLAN: City Planner Ray Anderson summarized the proposed processes for the consultant and City responsibilities for the preparation of the Downtown District Development Plan. Motion by Tedesco, Second by Wirth, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 95-359 approving Agreement for Consulting Services and the Scope of Services with BRW, Inc. for the Downtown District Development Plan at a cost not to exceed $98,700. Roll Call Vote: 5-0. Resolution declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a portion of these minutes. SAWYER SCHOOL SAFETY ISSUE: Assistant City Manager Bob Kindred reviewed the procedures which were followed prior to Staff's recommendation that the paid school crossing guards at specific locations throughout the community be replaced by permanent, pedestrian- activated traffic signals. Traffic Engineer Scott Logan reviewed the specific changes proposed for Sawyer School, and the reasoning behind them. Motion by Campbell, Second by Tedesco, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 95-360 reaffirming elimination of school crossing guard at Arizona/Ontario crossing and installation of mid-block traffic signal. Mike Gilger, 4024 Phoenix, thanked the City for its efforts, but said he felt there had been some poor communication about this issue. He said parents in the area realize installation of the mid-block signal has already begun, but as taxpayers, they insist that a guard be placed at that location as well. He said Ontario met the criteria for a guard in terms of street width, traffic volumes, speed, history of accidents, and traffic congestion. He referred to a graph displayed by Jaci Weese, 4112 Toronto, which showed 50 children crossed Ontario at Arizona, exceeding the number crossing at 24th/Van Buren. He said the 1992 School Route Crossing Summary for the Arizona/Ontario intersection was unfair as it was conducted during a rainstorm when most children were driven to school. He noted a petition signed by 200 taxpayers and 70 children who use that intersection had previously been submitted. He said nearly 275 Sawyer parents were unaware of the 1995 Safety Survey, and of the 100 surveys returned, 75 had voted for a crossing signal with a 6th grade crossing guard. He said the proposed relocation of the bus loading zone will adversely affect a private driveway in the area, and will complicate the congestion problem. Sally Wilson, 24th & Van Buren, said she worked at Sawyer School. She said she has heard tires squeal as drivers try to stop suddenly at unexpected temporary stop signs. She said while she appreciated the new signal, she felt the "human touch" of a guard was needed as well. She said in the instance of a student "straggler" trying to catch up with a group, a guard can call out to the student where a machine cannot. She said young children, even adults, don't always show good judgment when a crossing signal is flashing. Candace Noelck, 3224 Ross Road, asked that the paid crossing guard at Ontario/Wisconsin Circle be reinstated. She said the upcoming change in the Cy-Ride bus route will result in east and westbound buses on Ontario, and children who use Cy-Ride to get to Sawyer School will have to cross Ontario. She said parents who live south of Ontario, like herself, were not contacted for the School Crossing Survey, even though their children will be affected by this upcoming change. She said parents north of Ontario who were contacted, were not informed of the bus route change. She said she was never contacted regarding meetings on this issue, even though she was a Sawyer PTO member. She said because this change will create a new situation, the old crossing figures should not apply. She said she had gathered 10 signatures representing 19 children who may have to cross Ontario once the bus change occurs. She said she had spoken earlier with the Superintendent of Schools, and was told traffic was the City's concern. She referred to a July 20th letter from the Superintendent to Assistant City Manager Kindred, supporting the recommendations regarding crossing guards and the process followed. Ms. Noelck said comparisons could not be made between the Fellows School situation and that of Sawyer School, due to the uninterrupted traffic flow on Ontario. She said she felt there was still a use for temporary stop signs, and the Staff-given reasons for their removal indicated drivers were more important than pedestrians. She said as a taxpayer, the $2800 cost for an adult guard at Wisconsin Circle/Ontario would be money well spent. Kathy Lundstrom, 1330 Woodstock, said she did not oppose the mid-block crossing signal, but said the supervision of an adult guard is needed as well at Sawyer. She said she runs a daycare and is responsible for other children as well as her own. She said many college students live in the area, and often disregard speed limits on Ontario and crossing guards when late for ISU classes. She said however, expecting 5-7-year-old children to know how to operate a crossing signal placed too much responsibility on the children. Annette Jensen, 1226 Idaho Court, said she was a Sawyer School parent and PTO member who had been involved in meetings on this issue. She said while PTO members were in general agreement for the establishment of minimum criteria for crossing guards, she did not recall any discussions regarding replacing existing guards with mid-block signals. She said after talking to City Staff, she'd learned it was assumed that the school could provide staff to monitor the crossing, which was contrary to information provided by the School Superintendent indicating the schools are not responsible for street safety and traffic flow. She said the School District does not have funding budgeted to provide staff to monitor the crossing. She said City Staff had also assumed that the school and parents might be able to establish a School Safety Patrol Program. She said this cannot occur in the few short weeks before the school year begins. She said she'd spoken with school officials who indicated the coordination of such a program would be complicated and who questioned the feasibility of coordinating parents' schedules to establish such a program. She said a crossing guard costs $2800/year, resulting in a cost of 26 cents per child per day, if 60 children use the crossing. She said she doubted a better value for taxpayer dollars could be found. She said she is not convinced that the mid-block signal is safer than a paid adult guard, and said the City's decision was not well-researched or well-documented. She asked Council to refer the matter back to Staff for further review. Marcy Callison, 1312 Wisconsin Circle, described her direct experience with an accident on Ontario several years ago, when her son was struck by a car. She said the cost of that experience was well over $2800. Harry Heiligenthal, 2129 Cypress Circle, said as former principal of Sawyer School, he felt he shared responsibility with City Staff for this situation. He said he agreed with Staff that in retrospect, a general meeting on this issue should have been held, with notification letters sent to all Sawyer parents. He said as a School District employee, he appreciated the fact that the City did reach out and seek input on this issue. He said his two biggest concerns now are to resolve the issue in the best manner and to ensure that PTO members who served on the PTO Safety Committee are not viewed as the initiators in this issue, when their purpose was more that of a "sounding board" for ideas and proposals. He said in the past five years, school officials have worked with the City to coordinate steps to mitigate the effects of traffic congestion in the Sawyer area. He said regardless of the Council's decision this evening, there should be a general forum to discuss the future of school crossing safety. He said in addition, the School District and the City should work with the parents on educating children regarding any changes that are put into place. He said he would like to see a large amount of public participation in this important issue. Carolyn and Ron Schram, 1305 Scott Circle, said they have had children at Sawyer School for the past 16 years, and have served on the Sawyer PTO. Ms. Schram said they were never told of the elimination of the guard at Arizona/Ontario, only of the one at Wisconsin Circle. She said they were also not notified of the Cy-Ride bus route change. She said her child currently uses the guards at both Arizona and at Wisconsin Circle. She said her child bicycles to school each day and has to cross Ontario to reach the bikepath, and then cross again at Arizona to get to the school. She said in bad weather, she does not drive her child all the way to the school parking lot, because of the traffic congestion, but drops her off at the south side of Arizona/Ontario, as do many other parents. She said the City's decision would take 2 guards away from her child, and the mid-block light would be useless to her. Roll Call Vote: 0-5. Resolution declared Failed unanimously. Motion by Campbell, Second by Brown, to continue with installation of the mid-block pedestrian signal in front of Sawyer School, to maintain the Wisconsin Circle/Ontario crossing guard, and to ask Staff to monitor usage of that guard now and after the Cy-Ride bus route change. Coun. Brown Withdrew her Second of the Motion when it was clarified that the Motion did not include a crossing guard at the mid-block signal site. Coun. Wirth Seconded the Motion for the sake of discussion. Motion by Tedesco, Second by Parks, to amend the motion to include having a crossing guard at the mid-block signal site for the 1995-96 school year, to help assist children in how to use the signal. Coun. Tedesco said the intent of the Motion to Amend was to provide a one-year "sunset" on the crossing guard at the Sawyer signal site, to allow Council to readdress this issue after the 1995-96 school year. Vote on Motion to Amend: 4-1. Voting Aye: Brown, Parks, Tedesco, Wirth. Voting Nay: Campbell. Motion to Amend declared carried 4-1. Roll Call Vote on Main Motion as Amended: 5-0. Resolution declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a portion of these minutes. Motion by Parks, Second by Wirth, to pass on first reading an ordinance relocating and extending bus loading zone in front of Sawyer School. Roll Call Vote: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. Motion by Campbell, Second by Brown, to suspend the rules required for the adoption of an ordinance. Roll Call Vote: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. Motion by Parks, Second by Wirth, to pass on second and third readings and adopt ORDINANCE NO. 3340 relocating and extending bus loading zone in front of Sawyer School. Roll Call Vote: 5-0. Ordinance declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a portion of these minutes. CONTRACT AND BOND FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLE AUTO-DISCONNECT EXHAUST SYSTEM FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT: Motion by Brown, Second by Wirth, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 95-361 approving contract and bond in amount of $54,040.00 for Emergency Vehicle Auto-Disconnect Exhaust System. Roll Call Vote: 5-0. Resolution declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a portion of these minutes. ORDINANCE AMENDING MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING CANDIDATES FOR HOSPITAL TRUSTEE POSITIONS: Motion by Parks, Second by Wirth, to pass on second reading an ordinance amending the Municipal Code regarding candidates for Hospital Trustee positions. Roll Call Vote: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. Motion by Wirth, Second by Parks, to suspend the rules required for the adoption of an ordinance. Roll Call Vote: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. Motion by Campbell, Second by Parks, to pass on third reading and adopt ORDINANCE NO. 3341 amending Municipal Code regarding candidates for Hospital Trustee positions. Roll Call Vote: 5-0. Ordinance declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a portion of these minutes. COMMENTS AND FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS: Motion by Wirth, Second by Brown, to place Staff Report on costs of cutting Downtown trees on August 22 Council agenda. Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. Motion by Wirth, Second by Campbell, to have issue regarding budgeting costs of picking seeds from Downtown Ginkgo trees on August 22 Council agenda. Vote on Motion: 4-1. Voting Aye: Brown, Campbell, Parks, Wirth. Voting Nay: Tedesco. Motion declared carried 4-1. Coun. Wirth noted she had received a letter from the Story County Engineer regarding dust control on 16th Street, which she was submitting to the City Manager. Coun. Tedesco said he was disappointed to see the new billboard on Lincoln Way in the middle of Downtown, and he hoped the City might address the signage issue with the Downtown District Development Plan consultant. Coun. Tedesco said he hoped future discussions on the Land Use Policy Plan might include the issue of permitted locations for towers such as cellular phone towers. Coun. Campbell noted it was mentioned at the August 9 Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting that there currently were no regulations regarding location of such towers in Residential areas. She suggested the Council may wish to consider zoning regulations regarding towers prior to the adoption of the updated LUPP. There was discussion regarding whether such action should be taken at this time or in connection with the LUPP process. Motion by Campbell, Second by Parks, that Council members consider this issue between now and the 8/22 Council meeting, and if desired, address it again during the Council Comments portion of that meeting. Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. Coun. Campbell noted Council members had received copies of a publication from Ames Youth Sports Complex, Inc. which indicated the City of Ames was contributing $200,000 in cash and services toward the project. She said she questioned that statement. Coun. Tedesco noted the summary indicated the value of the land and anticipated capital improvements had been considered in that dollar amount. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m. Sandra L. Ryan, City Clerk Larry R. Curtis, Mayor