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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/01/61 February 1, 1961 Regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Bremerton, Washington was held at lO:OO o,clock A.M., Wednesday, February 1, 1961 in the Council Chamber of the City Hall with Mayor Domstad presiding. Present were Commissioner Clark, City Commissioner Schoneman, City C1 rk McGowan, City Attorney Holland, City Engineer Fortman arid Water Supt. Humble. Also present were representatives of press and radio. Motion by Mr. Clark and Mr. Schoneman to approve minutes of meeting held Janu- ary 25, 1961 as written, carried. Clerk read notices of employment for: Clarence V. Meigs, £irefighter 3/c at $404.00 per month effective Feb. 3, 1961 and Gerald M. Pierce, Asst. Sexton at $326. per month effective Feb. 1, 1961. Motion by Mr. Domstad and Mr. Clark to approve the employments, carried. Clerk submitted a list of changes in salaries and wages brought about by Coun- cil's decision to increase pay as of February 1, 1961, stating chat each Commissioner has been ~iven a copy of this list, and that the City Attorney stated at last Coun- cil meeting this should be presented for ~ction today inasmuch as the ordinance had to be publshed first. Motion by Mr. Schoneman and Mr. ~omstad to approve the increases in salaries and wages as presented, carried. Clerk presented application for Wholesale Operator, Trade Stimulant Devices, bubmitted by Alvin H. Johnson, 251 Burwell, Cheerio Boards; approved by Chief of Pol- ic~ Art Morken, acting; and Mayor Domstad. Motion by Mr. Domstad and Mr. Schoneman to approve the application, carried. Clerk read Resolution No. 1121, appealing to those few communities in the State which now allow sale of fireworks to help protect live, property and peace by bann- ing the sale of fireworks; appealing to all other communities to Join the City of Bremerton in a drive to outlaw the unauthorized use of fire~ rks; and requesting the Legislature to take steps to ban the unauthorized sale and use of fireworks through- out the State. Motion by Mr. Domstad and Mr. Schoneman to pass Resolution No. 2212, carried. Cle..k read letter dated January 24, 1961 to Mayor and Commissioners from the Bremerton Housing Authority, Harold K. Staley, Chairman, submitting a report of the Authority's operations, covering the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 1960. Clerk read letter dated January 26, 1961 to the City Council from B.F. Shearer Theatres, 2318 2nd Ave. Seattle, requesting the City to change or amend the admiss- ion tax ordinance to read "1~ on each 25~ or major fraction thereof~ This would bring the method of figuring the tax in line with the way the Federal Tax is figured and would alleviate the problem of a tax running higher than 4%. Commissioner Clark commented Chat two years the City Council gave some r eljer to theatres by reducing tax from 5% to 4% and that while theatres are having aproblem the cities are having a greater problem and difficult to consider reducing our tn- come; however, Mr. Clark stated this request should be given study. Motion by Mr. Clark and Mr. Domstad to refer the request to committee of the whole for study, carried. Clerk read letter from Thor C. Tollefson, M/C., dated Janutry 26, 1961, stating he would check into the matter of possible annexation of the PSNS property and let Mayor Domstad know whether any federal legislation is required; also, will check with navy authorities to ascertain their attitud~ towards the proposal. February 1, 1981 (Con't) Clerk read letter dated Feb. 28, 1981 to Mayor Domstad from Warren G. Magnusen, U.S.S. suggesting that in connection with proposed annexation of PSNS property the Wash. State Attorney General and Si~ate Dept. of Public Lands be contacted; also, sug- gested checking whether it would conflict with tide lands claimed by the State. Mr. Nagnuson stated he would be glad to bring the matter to the consideration of the De- partment of the Navy to determine their position and will advise the Mayor of their formal reply. Clerk read letter dated Jan. 27, 1981 to Mayor Domstad from Naval Technical Sup- ervisors offering assistance in an advisory capacity in any way they may be able to help; also, thanked the Mayor for the fine tour of the new City Hall he conducted for their executive board last month. Notion by Mr. Domstad and Mt. Clark to pay all bills that are approved by a maj- ority of the Commissioners, carried. Clerk read letters from the following, opposing placing fluorides in the water: Harold Johnson, 522 S. Cambrian, dated Jan. 51, 1981; Mrs. Judy Jacob, Jan. ~l, l~dl; Mr. and .Mrs. George R. Brooking, Jan. 29, 1981. The writers of the first two men- tioned letters asked that the issue not be put on the ballot. Mr. and 5Irs. Brookings being county residents but water users, complained they would not have privilege of voting on the issue. Mrs. Pauline Webster, 825 Yantic South, submitted a petition for annexation of property in area in vicin~ty of Summit and Charleston Beach. Mrs. Webster stated they were trying to annex into Bremerton and so far the signatures obtained have been 95% up to Charleston and the ones they did not have signed up yet were of people who were not home. Mrs. Webster stated they would like to annex before Navy Yard City has been able to incorporate. Mr. Schoneman stated their original petition has been referred to the City Eng- ineer~and additional names will be referred to him and these will be placed on the map. Motion by Mr. Schoneman and Mr. Clark to refer this matter to the City Engineer carried. Mayor Domstad addressed the good sized crowd gathered in the Council Chambers stating one of the purposes of thismeeting was to take up the matter of the P.T.A. request to put the question of whether to add fluorine to the water on the March ballot. Mayor Domstad read the letter which had been read last week from the P.T.A. Ex- ecutive Board making this request, and commented that the Commissioners are neither for nor against the proposition but feel in favor of going along with the request. Mayor Domstad read letter dated Feb. l, 1981 which stated that the meeting of the Committee on Political Education, EFL-CIO last night voted that the Commissioners be asked to give the people of Bremerton that old American heritage and allow them to vote on the subject of fluoridation of city water and that a majority vote shall rule. Letter was signed by C.A. Norman, Sec'y-Treas. Mayor Domstad then .stated that Mr. Clark has a motion he would like to make. Commissioner Clark stated it must be remembered that the issue before them as Council members is not whether the people are or at,not in for fluoridation or wheth- er fluoridation is good or bad; that they have been asked to let-the people who own the Water Dept. to exercise the right to express themselves either for or against and the Commissioners are treating this matter from that standpoint. Mr. Clark stated confusion should be avoided that runs along the line that the Commissioners are res- ponsible if the people vote it in or its failure if the people failt to vote it in. Mr. Clark commented also that the people have a right to discuss it during the campaign so they can decide which is the right side of the issue; that they have had numerous requests not to put it on the ballot but feel they have a responsibility to put any worthwhile issue before the people. Motion by Mr. Clark and ~:r. Domstad that the City Attorney be instructed to pre- pare an ordinance which will offer the question of fluoridation and the costs to the consumers of the water of the City of Bremerton and the people will have an opportun- ity to decide whether they want fluoridation and whether wish to have a small addi- tional cost which will be about lO~ per family unit or about $1.20 per year, carried. Mr. Stewart of South Colby stated he would have liked to speak on the moral issue of fluoridation before the Council had taken action to put it on the ballot. mayor Domstad stated he h~d been advised by the City Attorney that the~aring had been held and Mr. Stewart will have the opportunity to speak. Mr. Clark advised Mr. Stewart and others present that they will have the oppor- tunity of putting forth whatever information they have to the people to enable them to decide whether they wish it or not; that from this point on it will be to impress the public whether they should or should not vote "yes" on the q~estion. Mr. Kimble, 429 S.S~muit, congratulated the Commissioners for giving the people an opportunity to vote on fluoridation. Mrs. Raymond, President Executive Board, P.T.A. thanked the Commissioners for their consideration of this matter. An unidentified lady asked how the people outside the city ar'e going to be able to vote on the proposal and City Attorney answered there is no way within present state laws. Mr. Steward submitted a supplementary petition of the Kitsap County anti-Fluori- dation Committee which he asked to be filed with the petition submitted January 25th. February l, 1961 (Con't) Mr. Ray Norton charged that the Council was acting under pressure from the P.T.A. and pressure groups to which Commissioner Clark strongly disagreed. Dr. C.W. Biedel spoke to the Council in favor of fluoridation of water supply; also, submitted a letter on the same subject which was not read but retained for the files. Mayor ~omstad left the meeting and stated he had to attend a funeral in Seattle and was to be a pall bearer. Commissioner Clark took the Chair for the remainder of the Council Meeting. Mr. Steward sPoke on the immoral issue of fluoridation being on the ballot. Mr. Steward stated he had invited a Mrs. Arthur R. Anderson to come over from Seattle and s?eak against fluoridation. A number of persons who did not identify themselves gave remarks on this subject. Before Mrs. Anderson spoke, Acting MaYor Austin Clark adjourned the meeting so the minute secretary could be left free to return to the Clerk,s Office. ~eeting ad journed. ~.~.~j~., ~,~.~,~ APPROVED: City~Clerk