Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/14/51 March 14, 1951 Regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Bremerton, Washington, was held Wednesday, March 14, 1951 at 10:00 o'clock A.M., in the Mayor's Office~ City Hall, Bremerton. Present were Mayor Kean, presiding end Commissioner Had- don, Commissioner Wheaton, City Clerk McGowan, City Treasurer Nutter and Assist- and City Attorney GaTes. Also present for part o£ the meeting was Paul Ryan, Assistant Editor, Bremerton Sun. Notion by Mrs. Haddon and Hr. Wheaton to approve minutes of March ?, 19§1 as written, carried. Clerk read reports of separation for Chalrie M. Fox, Jim Looney, Lloyd C. Nattox, Garbage Department; Otto Nystrom and Julia Scharmuel, Park and Recrea- tion Department. Motion by Mrs. Haddon and Mr. ~eaton to approve the separations, carried. Notices of employment were read far Louis T. Holland, $1.60 per hour; Johnie McGregor, $1.60 per hour and Admiral C. Rose, $1.64 per hour, all in the Garbage Department. Motion by Mrs. Haddon and ~r. Wheaton to approve the temporary employments, carried. Clerk read applications to transfer licenses on the following: 'Music Mach- ine, ShuffleBowl and Five Punchboards, all from Cecil L. Kay, Eastside Tavern; approved by Chief of Police and the Punchboard application also approved by City Treasurer. Motion by Mr. Kean and Mr. Wheaton to grant the license, carried. March 14, 1981 (Con't) Claim for damages was presented by Clerk from C.H. Yonngberg, Gorst, Washington, for the sum of $18.95 for d~aages alleged to have occurred when a garbage truck struck his car. Claim occurred February 23, 1981 and was filed with the Clerk March 13, 1981. Clerk stated he had forwarded the ~driverIs accident report to the Insur- ance Company at the time the accident occurred and he was forwarding a copy of claim at this time. Mayor ordered contents noted and the claim to be made available to the insurance company. Letter was read by Clerk from Robert S. Pike & Company, 2909 Third Avenue, Seattle, Insurance Brokers, dated March 9, 1981, relating to the Maple Leaf Tavern, 1738 Marlow Avenue, Bremerton. Letter stated it was their understanding from the present contract pur- chasers of the Maple Leaf Tavern that if the premises were entirely destroyed by fire, the City would not allow rebuilding due to existing zoning restrict- ions. The letter asked the City to make a commitment, in order to guide the Hartford Fire Insurance Company in necessary underwriting requirements which would ~e binding on the present administration and all future administrations as to the City's policy in the event of partial dest~uctt6n of th~.premises. Motion by Mr. Kean and Mrs. Haddon to note contents and refer to the At- torney's Office for reply, carried. Clerk read petition signed by Fred Connelly and two other property own- ers asking the Council to close the alley between E. lath and E. 13th Streets. Petition stated that now Perry Avenue is paved there seems to he no opposition to it. Mr. Wheaton commented this is the same alley which had not been vacated on a previous petition due to thirty-two signatures against the action; how- ever, he said the alley is too narrow and didn't believe the City is interest- ed in keeping it and the proposed vacation should be advertised as it was be- lots. Motion by Mr. Kean and Mr. Wheaton to refer to the Commissioner of Public Works and Utilities for discussion and consideration. Mayor Kean stated he didn't like to vacate alleys or street ends and that previous administrations had done too much of this. He said the recent admin- istrations have been opposed to indiscriminately vacating alleys and stree$ ends. Motion carried. Clerk stated he had two claim vouchers on each of which an item appears that he could .not reconcile as a proper expenditure for the City to make. One appears on a claim voucher signed by C.C. Casad, ~¥ater Superintendent, under date of February 9, 1981, wherein $6.85 is claimed for emergency expense dur- ing flood for ~unch for men working during the night; the other item is $4.33 under date of February 16, 1981 on claim of Otto Jarstad, General Foreman, for lunch and coffee for men working at Alexander Lake on overtime; also for h~n- burgers and coffee. Mayor asked if the City Auditor recommended not to allow these items and the Cl,rk confirmed this as being Mr. Vaa's recommendation. Clerk mentioned that a similar bill had been turned down by the Council several years ago when the Fire Department had been doing some emergency work on water damage from a break in a main. Motion by Mr. Kean and Mr. Wh~aton to concur in the recommendation and not allow the bill, carried. Clerk reported that five sets of the Session Laws have been ordered and that the City must make the pa~unent for them before they are shipped. Clerk presented a claim voucher for $8.00 to cover the expense and it was passed over to the Commissioners for signatures. Mr. Nutter reported ~he business tax returns are coming in quite rapidly and he expected a general rush of business aroung the 25th of March. Also, reported having passed the 800 mark on the issuance of business licenses. Clerk read letter dated February 23, 195l, to the Council from City Eng- ineer which stated that plans are now in preparation for the construction of a 12 foot high concrete bulkhead §2 feet in length and along the west margin of a po~.tion of the alley at tho rear of Fire Station No. 1. Total cost of plac- ing the wall, including steps, sidewalk and a six inch sewer, is estimated to be $4,680.00. If City forces were employed for removal, the estimate should be ample, and if the cost could be borne equally by the Street and Fire Depart- ments, the cost to each should not run over $2,3A0.00 each. Further stated that a construction easement will be required £or four feet of the property directly west of the proposed bulkhead. March 14, 1951 (Con't) Mayor commented that it was necessary to put in this bulkhead as it was now impossible t: bring in fire equipment to the Fire Department garage and the previous bulkhead had failed due to the heavy rains this winter. Mayor also stated there was sufficient allowed in the Fire Department budget if certain building maintenance work is not done. ~Ir. Wheaton commented that the Street Department budget eould stand a por- tion of the cost. Mayor Kean said he favored the work being done by force account and the City Clerk stated this could be done if the job was advertised when the prelimin- ary estimate was ready and then advertised when the final cost is known. Motion by l~r. Ke~an and Mr. Wheaton to concur in the recommendation that the work be done and refer to the ~gineerWs Office ar~'the City Clerk and Pur- chasing Agent to proceed with the work, carried. Mayor Kean stated the Budget Advisory Committee has made their report and five copies have been made available t o the City. Paul Ryan had not received a copy so the one being used by the City Auditor was made available for him. Clerk read the report which gave detailed information as to reQommended sav- ings totalling $115,350.32. Mayor Kean asked if there were any cor, unents' and Clerk stated he felt the committee did an excellent and f~ir job and have given credit to the departments which have voluntarily effected savings. Mayor mentioned ti~at there are to be savings in the Police Department which do not appear in the report. Motion by Mr. Kean and Mr. Wheaton to accept the report and spirit in which it was rendered, make it available itc the press and refer to the Committee of the Whole for further ~t~dy and consideration and to contact the various depart- ment heads~in connection with the report, carried. Mayor Kean stated he had talked with ~r. Reynolds of the Budget Advisory Committee who advis ed that the committee did not suggest any r eductions in the Fire and Police Departments due to the Korea situation and its effect on this area. Mayor said that with the increase of population here, there should be great- er income than anticipated in the budget. ~rs. Haddon cormuented she appreciated the work the committee has done and she will endeavor to do whatever she can on their recommendations. Clerk stated he had attempted to eliminate the switchboard but that two tele- phone company engineers had called on him and advised that it would be unwise to eliminate it from the service standpoint. Clerk said he would like to have the budget committee talk to these engineers and, in fact, he would .suggest they do. Mr. Whe aton stated he would check on his departments and noted the recom- mended reductions would take over half of the reductions out of the Public Works departments. He said tl~at the Increase'd population affected his street work and that he didn't know where to go on the matter. Clerk read notices of employment for Richard Griffith, Andrew C. Larson and Joe D. Cartwright, Garbage Department, all at $1.60 per hour. Motion by ~rs. Haddon and ~r. Kean to approve the temporary employments, carried. Change in pay status was read for James L. Lewis, from $1.60 to $1.64 per hour, Garbage Depart~aent. ~otion by ~[r.s. Haddon and Mr. Kean to approve, carried. Mayor brought up for discussion the request made. recently by the School Board for a portion of the Forest Ridge area to be used as part of the planned Marion School. The property is located south of the Puget Sound Hospital and the Mayor stated the City is not going to give the property away free. Clerk offered the comment that it would be beneficial if the school would make the Warren Avenue School site available to the City. l~layor Kean stated for the record that if the School B~ard would cooperate as close to the City Administration as the City does with the School 'Board, it might be possible to come up with something of benefit to the community. Mayor Kean read a letter from School Superintendent Armin Jahr on acquir- ing 100 Feet of Ci. ty property adjacent to the Marion School site. Mr. Kean called on the ~ity Engineer to spread out a map so the Commissioners could study the area desired. Mr. Severance recommended that the school be req~ ested to give the City for street purposes fifteen feet and the hospital give five feet. The five feet From the hospital would no~ hinder thehospital in any way; and Mr. Severance further suggested that perhaps the hospital could give fifteen feet which not actually hurt the hospital although the line would come close to theiz' building. Mayor brought up for discussion the fact that eventually there would be a road on the sottth side of the park, which would be an extension of First Street, and he suggested the City retain sufficient for this purpose and before any changes are made. Mayor suggested that good engineering practices be f~llowed in laying out the proposed roadway. March 14, 1951 (Con't) Discussion was brought up by the ~ayor as to themethod of setting the price for the Forest Ridge property, whether to have an appraisal made, or to have the School make an offer, or whether to have the City sep up the price. Nothing definite was decided ~uring this particular discussion. City Engineer stated he could make 'a survey if the Commissioners want it done, and Mayor stated if this id done, then the Commissioners can make arrange- ments with the School Board for the balance of the land. Motion by Mr. Kean and Mr. Wheaton that the City Engineer be instructed to lay out that entire area and make it according to good engineering practices consistant with what the City owns there and then to arrive at the price of the property and negotiate further with the schools, carried. Further discussion was held on how to arrive at the value of the above mentioned Forest Ridge property. Mayor suggested perhaps a Joint appraisal could be made with the City and the school pa~ticipating. Clerk suggested asking the School to make an offer and then the City could negotiate. Also, it was mentioned that the City could arrive at a fair value and set the figure themselves. Mayor also asked if the School Board was interested in any additional pro- perty at Forest Ridge and ~r. Severance stated the schools have mentioned they would like more and Mayor Kean again commented t~at the proper roads should be laid out before any land is transferred. Mayor Kean stated that he had asked the Chief of Police to get information from othor cities regarding dog and cat licenses and fees and the Chief and the City Treasurer have gathered considerable information. It was found that sev- eral cities had no cat license and the Mayor stated he favored abolishing the City's cat license fee because there is no way to enforce it and only those who come in to ~he Treasurer's Office specifically to buy a cat license get one and many others do not get a license, and Mayor Kean stated this amounts to dis- crimination; therefore, he did not favor an ordinance that could not be enforced. The Chief of Police has recommended new dog license fees of $2.00 per male and spayed female and $4.00 for a female. A considerable discussion was he'ld as to whether or not the City should continue a cat license or should have an ordinance declaring cats nuisances that run at large and giving the poundmaster ~he authority to pick them up. No decision was made as to the cat ordinance; however, the ~ayor asked the Assistant City Attorney to have his office draw up a form of dog ordinance that would incorporate the new fee's and other changes which the police have suggested. Motion by Mr. Kean and Mrs. Haddon to allow all bills if approved by a majority of the Commissioners, carried. Clerk reported progress in compiling the annual report of all City de- partment activities during 1950. Clerk reported he had put out the advertisement for garbage contract and the bid doc~nents are being sent out now. Chief of Police asked what would be the price of doing away with a cat if there is no license fee and the Mayor stated it should probably be the same §s for dogs. ~ayor called the City Auditor on ~he phone and asked what it cost to issue cat licenses and Mr. Vaa reported it cost about $~5.00 plus clerical expense and that there are about 400 cat licenses issued each year, which brings in approximately $~00.00. Mayor Kean read a petition signed by Frank W. Ryan and ~8 others asking that certain property located near them not be used for the purpose of sale of intoxicating liquors. This property is located across the highway from West Park Housing Project and was formerly occupied by an upholstery and drapery business. Mayor Kean ordered contents noted and petition to be referred to the Com- mittee of the %~hole. Motion by Mr. Kean and Mrs. Haddon to adjourn, carried. Mayor