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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019.0205.TCRM.Minutes TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE FOUNTAIN HILLS TOWN COUNCIL FEBRUARY 5, 2019 1. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE — Mayor Ginny Dickey Mayor Dickey called the Regular Meeting of February 5, 2019, to order at 5:30 p.m. 2. INVOCATION — Pastor David Taylor, First Baptist Church of Fountain Hills Pastor Taylor gave the invocation. 3. ROLL CALL— Mayor Ginny Dickey COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Ginny Dickey; Vice Mayor Art Tolis; Councilmembers Mike Scharnow, Dennis Brown, Alan Magazine, Sherry Leckrone and David Spelich. COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT: None. STAFF PRESENT: Town Manager Grady Miller, Town Attorney Aaron D. Arnson, and Town Clerk Elizabeth A. Burke. 4. MAYOR'S REPORT A. PROCLAMATION declaring February 2019 as Go Red for Women Month in the Town of Fountain Hills. Mayor Dickey read the proclamation and presented it to Dr. Alissia Zenhausern, NMD, with Wellness of Scottsdale who thanked the Council for participating in the movement. 5. SPECIAL PUBLIC APPEARANCES/PRESENTATIONS A. PRESENTATION by Strategic Planning Advisory Commission. Town Manager Grady Miller introduced Dana Saar, Chairman of the Strategic Plan Advisory Commission, who said that they recently went through a reprioritization of the 2017 Strategic Plan. He then reviewed each of the items listed in yellow on the first handout, which addressed: 4.1 c Increase revenues 4.1 b Identify those additional revenue options 2.1 a Develop and implement an investment plan 4.1 a Adequately fund all identified reserve funds 3.1 a Work with State Land Trust to increase residential density 1.2c Rezone un-platted land for greater density and affordable family homes TOWN COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FEBRUARY 5, 2019 PAGE 2 Chairman Saar said that he wanted to clarify that "affordable" did not mean "subsidized." Chairman Saar then reviewed the list of items in blue which addressed: 1.4a Explore higher education opportunities in Fountain Hills 3.2c Include family branding in marketing plan 3.2b Expand use of social media and on-line messaging 1.1a Develop a community brand/vision/marketing plan 5.3a utilize effective volunteer skills and talents 5.1a Include local school strengths in marketing plan 2.2a Develop and adopt a comprehensive environmental plan 1.2a Rezone undeveloped commercial property to residential where feasible Chairman Saar was asked if the commission had any recommendations for the Council to consider in the way of revenue enhancements. He said that going back 40 years, a lot of the needs were handled by growth, but those days are over and it is up to the citizens to take on those expenses. Councilmembers thanked the commission members for what they do. Chairman Saar said that there is some property owned by the Town and some owned by the school district that may be available for development in the future. He said that the Town property is very expensive to develop. The school district parcels are not currently zoned to allow for denser development, but that may be something to consider in the future to provide for more family-friendly housing. He said that research shows that families spend more money than retirees. Chairman Saar said that many of the tasks noted have been accomplished, and it was a credit to staff for getting them done. He said that part of their charge includes a total redo every five years. Mr. Miller said that the commission did discuss that, but their goal currently is to do an annual refresh and update. He said that this will be discussed further at the Council Retreat on Thursday, with a review of the proposed reprioritization. Mr. Miller said that he and Chairman Saar wanted the Council to keep in mind that the visioning process will be similar to the past with a community survey to allow an opportunity for residents to weight in. He said that the community members will be invited to join in on group exercises and identify their top priorities. Those will get filtered to the Strategic Plan Advisory Commission and they will use that to create the next plan update. Discussion was held on the need for the school district to be successful in order for the Town to be successful. They also discussed the need to continue with efforts in the way of tourism and bringing people to the area. It was noted that there are short-term, mid-term and long-term strategies in the Plan. Bob Shelstrom, Fountain Hills, said that he had the opportunity to look over the documents and one thing missing was the need for responsible spending (referring to the way-finding signs). He said that some are talking about increasing density, but many of the residents like the idea that they are not overcrowded. He suggested that they receive data from the schools on TOWN COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FEBRUARY 5, 2019 PAGE 3 attendance to be considered. It was clarified that the way-finding signs had been designed but they did not complete the project, as directed by the Town Council. Council noted that there are unfunded projects, especially with infrastructure, that add up to mills of dollars, and they have reduced staff time and again. B. PRESENTATION on status update regarding Golden Eagle Park. Mr. Miller said that back on October 2, 2018, they had a thunder storm in Town and Golden Eagle Park sustained a great deal of damage. Staff had come before Council and asked for the ability to do emergency procurement for repairs. He said that staff was there tonight to give the Council and public an update on progress. Rachael Goodwin, Community Services Director, came forward and showed a number of photographs that depicted the damage as well as improvements that have since been made. Currently completed: • More than 200 tons of dirt and debris removed from fields 2, 3, and 4 • The majority of fences around fields 2 and 3 and 4 have been removed and replaced • Irrigation sprinkler heads were removed, repaired, and replaced for field leveling • Valves and valve boxes were excavated and repaired as needed • Backstops on all three fields have been reinforced and repaired • Foul line and homerun fences were repaired and replaced as needed • All three fields had existing turf and infield mix removed and field surfaces were restored to proper depth • Fields were laser leveled and reengineered to better distribute water and improve drainage • 200,000 sq ft of over-seeded sod was installed on fields 2, 3, and 4 • Rain throughout January slowed this process by several weeks • 450 tons of infield and warning track mix installed over all three fields • Trees removed between ball fields • Tree removal was necessary for concrete longevity • Mowers and machinery were all repaired and are back in operation Still to come: - Bases, pitching rubbers, and homes plates replacement on all three fields. - Removal and replacement of damaged/lifted concrete - Currently budgeted in FY19 CIP due to liability hazards - Shade structure installation over bleachers - Due to tree loss, there is limited shade or sun protection - Final clean up in and around walking areas, dugouts, etc. TOWN COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FEBRUARY 5, 2019 PAGE 4 Four funds, one project total: • CIP: $50,000 • Facility Replacement Fund: $140,400 • Operating Fund: $50,750 • Restoration Fund: $405,000 TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET: $646,150 She then reviewed the financial aspects of the project, attached hereto and made a part hereof as Exhibit A. She said that they have seen some savings over anticipated costs, mostly from staff performing some of the work themselves. Additionally, Mr. Miller said that the motorized equipment that was damaged was able to be repaired, so they did not have to replace that equipment. She said that they are not done yet, there are still other improvements to be made. They are expecting just over $480,000 for the park portion of the overall project. Ms. Goodwin said that they were hoping to be able to start using the fields the third weekend in February, but due to the significant rain this past weekend, they hope to be in by the first part of March. Council thanked staff for the amount of work they have completed, under a lot of pressure, and for saving money where they could. Mr. Miller said that staff also wanted to thank the Council for trusting them with the emergency procurement measures. Staff was asked what precautions were being made to keep from having this type of damage to occur in the future. Mr. Miller said that Public Works Director Justin Weldy would come forward and review what has been done, and what future plans are to address those concerns. Mr. Weldy showed some photographs that depicted improvements that have been made to date. He said that staff will be asking the Mayor and Council to consider sediment drop basins in the future. He said that they are large holes opened below the grade with a steep slope. These absorb the energy and debris coming in and slow the water down. They will minimize the amount of water that goes over the banks and keep them from entering on the turf. Short-term stormwater improvements were undertaken concurrently with the Golden Eagle repairs and restoration efforts: • Removed sediment in front of Golden Eagle Dam and from washes that convey water to the park • Modify trash racks at the Golden Eagle Dam to improve stormwater flow through the dam • Removed debris and vegetation from wash that feeds into Golden Eagle Park • Install a rip-rap reinforced berm between the middle and upper wash at Golden Eagle Park TOWN COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FEBRUARY 5, 2019 PAGE 5 Mr. Weldy said that while Mr. Snipes and his staff was working, Public Works enlisted two local contractors. First was Vincon Trucking who provided necessary equipment and labor to remove the materials out of the drainage channels and surrounding parkway. Second was Verde Valley Nursery who provided all of the staff and equipment to remove the vegetation so they could get in. He said that they estimated $100,000 for this work and while they still have some work to be done, staff believes it will be adequate for the work. He said that they have already installed the first sediment drop basin as a test to determine how big and at what locations they will place the future ones. He said that on the dam face itself, they had 16-18 feet of material removed, while closer to the walking path it was around 2-3 feet. It averaged about 10 feet in depth of organic material and silt. He then reviewed the projects currently underway: Currently Underway: • Staff has initiated a stormwater system engineering study to help minimize future storm debris from flowing into Golden Eagle Park • JE Fuller was the identified vendor and a contract review is in progress • Study to be complete by June 2019 with final recommendations to be brought to Council for review Next Steps: • With Council approval, staff will implement study recommendations that may include erosion control, channelizing washes, construction of sediment drop basins for washes, and other long-term solutions • Identify funding sources including partnering with Maricopa County Flood Control District, CIP phasing, and possible referral to voters He said that JE Fuller was selected because they had recently completed the delineation study for Cloudburst and Ashbrook washes so they have already collected and compiled all of that data. That will reduce the amount of time and money to complete further studies. He said that they are hoping to bring a contract to Council in March for approval to actually initiate the study. Their hope is to have sealed plans to implement changes in the next fiscal year. He said that they have included placeholders in the CIP for those projects. Mr. Weldy said, with regard to the vegetation in the washes, to keep it removed until they get the report back from JE Fuller. That will include measures necessary for the floodway walls and as part of that plan they will be asking for a proposal as to long-term landscaping on the slopes and shoulders. Mr. Miller said that they believe that over time it will look just as attractive, but will be more functional. Mr. Weldy said that the entire area is referred to as an impoundment area; it is designed to hold water from doing property damage downstream. The Flood Control District would not provide any funding or partner in changes to the area, TOWN COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FEBRUARY 5, 2019 PAGE 6 but they have worked with Town staff on the dam and downstream on the two crossings, providing funding for the new bridges. 6. CALL TO THE PUBLIC Pursuant to A.R.S. 38-431.01(H), public comment is permitted(not required) on matters NOT listed on the agenda. Any such comment(i)must be within the jurisdiction of the Council and(ii)is subject to reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions. The Council will not discuss or take legal action on matters raised during "Call to the Public"unless the matters are properly noticed for discussion and legal action. At the conclusion of the Call to the Public, individual councilmembers may(i) respond to criticism, (ii) ask staff to review a matter, or(iii)ask that the matter be placed on a future Council agenda. Maureen Earp and Catherine Loria, both Fountain Hills residents, voiced concern with pedestrian safety in Town. 7. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS All items listed on the Consent Agenda are considered to be routine, non-controversial matters and will be enacted by one motion and one roll call vote of the Council. All motions and subsequent approvals of consent items will include all recommended staff stipulations unless otherwise stated. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a councilmember or member of the public so requests. If a councilmember or member of the public wishes to discuss an item on the Consent Agenda, he/she may request so prior to the motion to accept the Consent Agenda or with notification to the Town Manager or Mayor prior to the date of the meeting for which the item was scheduled. The items will be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered in its normal sequence on the agenda. A. APPROVAL OF the minutes of the Regular Meeting of January 15, 2019. B. CONSIDERATION OF a budget transfer from the Economic Development Fund to the Tourism Fund in the amount of$10,000. Councilmember Magazine MOVED to approve Consent Agenda Items 7-A and 7-B; SECONDED by Councilmember Leckrone; passed unanimously. 8. REGULAR AGENDA A. CONSIDERATION of appointing four (4) citizens to serve on the Strategic Planning Advisory Commission for a term ending on November 5, 2020; and one (1) citizen to fill the vacancy for a term ending on June 30, 2019. Councilmember Brown MOVED to appoint Gerard Bisceglia, John Craft, Cynthia Magazine, and Peter Bordow to the Strategic Planning Advisory Commission for a term ending November 5, 2020; and Gerry Friedel to fill the vacancy for a term ending on June 30, 2019; SECONDED by Councilmember Leckrone; passed 6-1 with Councilmember Magazine abstaining. B. DISCUSSION with possible direction relating to any item included in the League of Arizona Cities and Towns' weekly Legislative Bulletin(s) or relating to any action proposed or pending before the State Legislature. Mayor Dickey referred to the Legislative Bulletin and notes provided by the League. She said that the Town does not have an Intergovernmental Liaison so it TOWN COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FEBRUARY 5, 2019 PAGE 7 would be great if Councilmembers would participate in the weekly meetings provided by the League. She thanked Councilmember Scharnow for writing to the State Legislators about not deflecting the HURF funds. She noted that short- term rentals are also on the current list. She asked that Council review the items and bring back anything on which they would like the Council to take action. 9. COUNCIL DISCUSSION/DIRECTION to the TOWN MANAGER Item(s) listed below are related only to the propriety of (i) placing such item (s) on a future agenda for action or (ii) directing staff to conduct further research and report back to the Council: None 10. SUMMARY OF COUNCIL REQUESTS and REPORT ON RECENT ACTIVITIES by the Mayor, individual Councilmembers, and the Town Manager. Councilmember Magazine said that he went to the Community Center last week for the Community Center Takeover and he thanked staff, stating that he hoped they could do it again. Councilmember Scharnow reported that he attended a Valley Metro Board of Directors meeting on January 17, 2019. The two biggest items discussed were 1) looking for a market research firm for the next five years to do surveys on ridership and 2) they executed a 30-year lease agreement with a solar company to build new shade structures at the Mesa facility. He said that at the end of the 30 years Valley Metro can buy the system. He said that currently it takes 30 minutes of the buses running to cool them down enough for riders to use them. He also reminded everyone of the approval of the lottery grant application at the last Council meeting. He said that it will provide the Town with $65,000 to be used for transportation-related projects. They will be performing a transit study update, free of charge, which will be happening in the next few months. Once it is complete the Council can analyze the results and determine if there is a project for which they would like to use those grant funds. Altogether the Town has around $225,000 available for transit. Mayor Dickey reported that she was glad to see that they are continuing the Golden Eagle Foundation mentoring program. She said that she attended the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) quarterly meeting as well as the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) regional Mayors meeting. They were going through the close out projects and Fountain Hills was able to receive $320,000 for the Fountain Hills Blvd. Shoulder Paving project through that funding. Vice Mayor Tolis reported that he attended the East Valley Partnership meeting with the Governor, and it was a good networking opportunity that highlighted positive things happening in the State. He said that Maricopa County and Scottsdale were the #1 growth areas in the country. There are 200+ people moving into Maricopa County every day. TOWN COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FEBRUARY 5, 2019 PAGE 8 Mayor Dickey reminded everyone that the Council would be holding their Retreat on Thursday at the Community Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and she invited the public to attend. She noted that there is not an opportunity for public comment, but they are welcome to attend to hear what is being discussed. She reported that on February 26, 2019, at 7:30 p.m. she will be at the Community Center along with Vice Mayor Tolis and Councilmember Scharnow for Town Talk, to hear from the community members. Councilmember Leckrone reported that she attended the Stand Up Speak Up conference for which the Mayor had read a proclamation last month. She said that there were over 5,000 people attending, including 3,500 students. She said that it was held at the Grand Canyon University auditorium and they had local officials, students, teachers, school resource officers, etc. teaching students to speak up when they see signs of danger with other children. She said that it has saved lives. She said that she served as a facilitator and it was a privilege to attend. 11. ADJOURNMENT. Councilmember Brown MOVED to adjourn; SECONDED by Councilmember Leckrone; passed unanimously. The Regular Meeting of the Fountain Hills Town Council held February 5, 2019, adjourned at 6:52 p.m. TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS _ 11� Ginny key, Ma or ATTEST AND PREPARED BY: lizabe . Burke, Town CI rk CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Regular Session held by the Town Council of Fountain Hills in the Town Hall Council Chambers on the 5th day of February, 2019. I further certify that the meeting was duly called and that a quorum was present. DATED this 19th day of February, 2019. izabe h ur e, Town er NOTE: For further details on the discussion of a particular agenda item, please visit http://www.fh.az.gov/agendacenter to view a video of the entire Council Meeting.