Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999.0330.TCSWSM.Minutes TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS MINUTES OF THE WORK STUDY/SPECIAL SESSION OF THE FOUNTAIN HILLS TOWN COUNCIL MARCH 30, 1999 A public meeting of the Fountain Hills Town Council was convened and called to order by Mayor Morgan at 6:30 P.M., Tuesday, March 30, 1999, in the Fountain Hills Town Hall Council Chambers, located at 16836 E.Palisades Blvd.,Building B,Fountain Hills,Arizona. ROLL CALL - Present for roll call were the following members of the Fountain Hills Town Council: Mayor Sharon Morgan,Vice Mayor Pen Mower and Councilmembers John Wyman, Sharon Hutcheson, Sid Apps,and Marianne Wiggishoff. Councilman Al Poma was absent. Also present were Town Manager Paul Nordin, Town Attorney Bill Farrell, Town Clerk Cassie Hansen, Town Engineer Randy Harrel, Director of Community Development Jeff Valder and Robin Goodman,Director of Parks&Recreation. Mayor Morgan called the Work Study Session to order. AGENDA ITEM#1 —DISCUSSION OF THE FY `99/2000 BUDGET PREPARATION PROCESS. THE COUNCIL WILL REVIEW PROJECTED PROJECTS SUBMITTED BY STAFF FOR POSSIBLE CONSIDERATION IN THE `99/2000 BUDGET, AND SUGGEST ANY COUNCIL- INITIATED PROJECTS FOR THE COMING YEAR. THIS ITEM IS FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES ONLY—NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN. Town Manager Paul Nordin began with statements outlining the pre-budget process, which included department heads' submittals of wish lists prior to the actual consideration of the budget. He said he had not formed any revenue projections at this time and suggested the Council consider the merits of the proposed projects and not the monetary aspect of the projects. He reviewed the former four priorities: Park Construction, Street Maintenance, Law Enforcement, and the Community Center Construction. He stated discussions had indicated that land preservation might be added as a fifth priority recognizing the importance as indicated by the voters and previous Council input. He said new budget items such as resolutions of Y2K problems and additional lease payments for the Library portion of Building "C" beginning in February 2000 were already anticipated. If negotiations to acquire the buildings presently occupied as the Town Hall offices were finalized during the fiscal year, additional expenses would need to be budgeted. Mayor Morgan asked about the Shea bike lane request for $80,000. Town Engineer Randy Harrel stated federal aid funding had been received four years ago and funds would be spent in the next fiscal year for the construction of the bike lanes. He said the length of the bike lanes would stretch across the entire Town limits from east to west less any portions built by MCDOT or the Firerock Country Club project. Councilwoman Wiggishoff asked about the graveled medians on Shea and asked about improving the Town entrance corridors in an effort to create a better impression for prospective businesses to build in the downtown area. Councilwoman Wiggishoff asked about the $150,000 item for Golden Eagle Park Dam improvements. Mr. Harrel said the Town would be responsible for 35% of$1.25 million to $1.5 million over the next 3-4 years for the design and construction of this project. He stated the Arizona Department of Resources listed the dam as unsafe during the last year as far as the height of the dam and the hazard in the downstream watershed. He proposed to raise the height of the dam by three feet, lengthen the spillway, �r and install a box culvert. Town Council Work Study Session 3/30/99 Page 1 of 4 Councilwoman Wiggishoff asked about items on the current project list that had not been completed. Niimr Mr. Harrel responded that he expected to complete almost all of the items on the project list by the end of the fiscal year. He said signal upgrades will start this fiscal year and lap over into the next year and the directional sign work needs to be completed. Councilman Mower asked about a proposed traffic signal at Palisades and Avenue of the Fountains intersection. Mr. Harrel stated Palisades and LaMontana had been considered as a site for traffic signalization and discussed the safety of the Palisades and Avenue of the Fountains intersection. Councilman Mower suggested the median at the intersection of Avenue of the Fountains and LaMontana be altered to accommodate a U-turn capability at the Post Office location. Councilman Wyman stated there was a need for a blinking light on Hampstead to indicate a school zone. Mr. Harrel stated two warning flasher projects were locations at Hampstead and Palisades and the school crosswalk at Fayette and Fountain Hills Boulevard and both scheduled for this summer. He indicated that within five years an additional traffic signal might be planned for Palisades and Sunridge Drive. Councilwoman Wiggishoff asked about unpaved alleys. Mr. Harrel stated the streets of Tioga and Falcon Drive would be paved in April but since alleys were public property, adjacent property owners had not indicated an interest in participating in the cost of paving the alleys. Mr. Harrel suggested to coordinate the Eagle Mountain signal with the Palisades signal because he was concerned about the steep grade by Eagle Mountain and the ability of trucks to stop. Vice Mayor Mower suggested a no-left turn sign be installed at Palisades on Mountainside as a safety measure. Councilwoman Hutcheson stated preservation projects should be a fifth priority both supporting the desert in individual neighborhoods as well as mountain preservation. She said preservation of natural open space might fall under the Parks & Recreation Department. Councilwoman Wiggishoff asked about expenses to cover wash maintenance for fire hazard mitigation purposes and possibly establishing programs with matching funds for neighborhood groups. Vice Mayor Mower said he supported updating the entrance Cir medians in an effort to attract developers to the downtown area. Councilman Wyman stated that the present carry-over figures currently represented a buffer for existing projects and suggested a reserve fund should be established for the future. Mr. Nordin stated that the Council could strive to put $250,000 aside for an initial reserve fund for preservation purposes. It was the consensus of the Council to approve this reserve fund. Councilwoman Wiggishoff asked about the item for$400,000--fountains and medians improvements to the Avenue of the Fountains. Mr. Nordin stated it could be delayed until the downtown improvement district was established. Mayor Morgan said she thought the mall atmosphere was important to attract new businesses into the downtown area at a time when the construction of the Community Center was taking place. Vice Mayor Mower stated efforts to initiate the mall concept would not be able to begin until the effluent relocations were resolved east of the Community Center location. The timing of an overall plan was important to consider before allocating budget funds and before private participation by civic groups could be encouraged for fountain improvements. Councilwoman Hutcheson suggested the electrical work and filter system improvements for the fountains needed to be included in the budget. Vice Mayor Mower asked if the $90,000 Street Department backhoe request and the $35,000 extended cab pickup truck request were needs or wants. Mr. Nordin said he would look into those requests. Councilman Wyman said the costs for relocation of effluent into Four Peaks Park should be a budget consideration. Councilman Apps asked if a security system for the Street Dept. yard was necessary. Mr. Harrel answered that daytime security should be upgraded with a self-closing, card-accessed gate linked to the Town Hall security system. Councilman Apps asked if the phone system upgrades would include upgrades to the voice mail feature. Mr. Putterman replied that he was looking for an improved phone system since the present one was not Y2K compliant. In answer to questions about improvements for television production of Council meetings, Town Council Work Study Session 3/30/99 Page 2 of 4 co he stated new lighting and improvements to the sound system would be made this year with an improved video camera requested for next year. Councilman Apps asked to reconsider the system that supplied timing lights and an electronic polling/voting system. Mayor Morgan agreed that the system should be put into the budget. Mr. Putterman will come back to the Council with an estimate. Councilman Wyman said he did not favor having the timing lights. Mr. Putterman explained the operating system upgrades requested in the next budget. The computer connections to Golden Eagle Park,the Street Department and possibly the Water Company were included in budget requests to tie them into the existing network. Mr. Nordin reiterated the Community Benefits process that was done last year where one specified amount was inserted into the budget and citizen members could review all applications from community groups for those funds. The Council would set the total dollar amount prior to the review of the requests. Mayor Morgan adjourned the Work Study Session at 8:18 p.m. Mayor Morgan called the Special Session to order at 8:19 p.m. AGENDA ITEM#1 -PURSUANT TO A.R.S. §38-431.03.A.3 AND A.R.S. §38-431.03.A.7.VOTE TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR DISCUSSION OR CONSIDERATION FOR LEGAL ADVICE WITH THE ATTORNEY OR ATTORNEYS OF THE PUBLIC BODY; AND DISCUSSIONS OR CONSULTATIONS WITH DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PUBLIC BODY IN ORDER TO CONSIDER ITS POSITION AND INSTRUCT ITS REPRESENTATIVES REGARDING NEGOTIATION FOR THE PURCHASE OF LEASE OF REAL PROPERTY; RESPECTIVELY. Councilwoman Wiggishoff MOVED to go into Executive Session. Vice Mayor Mower SECONDED the motion,which CARRIED unanimously. Mayor Morgan recessed the Special Session at 8:19 p.m. AGENDA ITEM#2-RETURN TO SPECIAL SESSION. Mayor Morgan reconvened the Special Session at 8:59 p.m. AGENDA ITEM#3-ADJOURNMENT. Vice Mayor Mower MOVED to adjourn the meeting. Councilman Wyman SECONDED the motion, which CARRIED unanimously. Mayor Morgan adjourned the meeting at 9:00 p.m. Town Council Work Study Session 3/30/99 Page 3 of 4 TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS B CN Y' haron Morgan,M o A FI EST: Cassie B.Hansen,Town Clerk PREPARED BY: Linda D.Lemmen,Executive Assistant CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Regular Session Meeting held by the Town Council of Fountain Hills on the 30th day of March, 1999. I further certify that the meeting was duly called and that a quorum was present. DATED this 15th day of April, 1999. L.) Cassie B. Hansen,Town Clerk L L Town Council Work Study Session 3/30/99 Page 4 of 4