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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/21/51 March 21, 1~51 Regular meeting of the City Council oS' the City of Bremerton, Washington was held Wednesday, March 21, 1W51 at lO~00 o'clock A.N~ in the Mayor's OS'lice, City Hall Bremerton, Washington. Present were Mayor Kean, presiding and Com- missioner Haddon, Commissioner Wheaton, City Clerk McGowan, City Treasurer Nut- ter and City Attorney Wallace. Also present was Paul Ryan and Mr. Casad. Motion by Mr. Kean and Mr. "heaton to approve minutes of March 14, 1W51, as written, carried. Clerk annoUnced it was date and time for opening bids for sale of a sur- plus house. Motion by Mr. Wheaton and Mr. Kean to open the bids, carried. Clerk opened the bids and read from: Mrs. Irene Susan Thompson, $350.00 and enclosed Manager's Check for ~3o.00. Douglas H. Langert, $1,105.00 and Bank Money Order for $110.50. C. Block, $555.00 and Postal Money Order enclosed for $52.00. Motion by Mr. ~heaton and Mr. Kean to refer the bids to the City Clerk and Purchasing Agent and Commissioner of Public Works and Utilities with auth- ority to act, carried. Reports of separation were read by the Clerk for Robert R. Phillips, Ad- miral C. ~oss, Garbage Department and Howard Kussman, Police Department. Motion by Mr. Kean and Mr. ~heaton to approve reports of separation, car- ried. Notices of employmen~ were read by Clerk for Henry Wendt, $282.00 per month, Fire Department and Clara Louise Barbrey, $160.00 per month, Library. Motion by ~lr. Kean and Mrs. Haddon to approve the temporary non-Civil vice appointments as read, carried. Clerk read changes in pay status for Ev'elyn Reed, from $1.25 per hour, Clerk's Office; Joe D. Cartwright, from $1.60 per hour to $1.~4 per hour, Garbage Department; Harold Davis, $290.00 per month, Water Department. Notion by Mr. Kean and Mrs. Haddon to approve the changes in pay status, carried. Application for license to operate three trade stimulant devices at Dona- hue's Grocery, 416 Naval Avenue, signed by Hazel O. Donahue, was read by Clerk. Application approved by City Treasurer and Chief of Police. Motion by R~. Kean and Mr. ~heaton to grant the license, carried. Clerk presented payroll voucher for period ended March 15, 1951 for approved by City Auditor. Motion Dy Mr. Kean and Mrs. Haddon to approve, carried. General Claim voucher was read by Clerk from Galbraith Motor Company for ~5,6~0.bl, for payment of two new trucks for the Street Department. Voucher ap- proved by J.L. Hatfield and audited by City Auditor. Notion by Mr. Wheaton and Mr. Kean to allow the claim, carried. Clerk read letter dated March l~, l~51 from Evelyn Bowen, Librarian, report- ing that on March 16th Mrs. NarJorie Llewellyn tripped on the angle iron thresh- dld, fell and broke her arm snd was taken to the Harrison Memorial Hospital, where the bone was set and X-rays taXen. Her return to wor~ is indefinite. City Attorney commented he had checked on this accident and could find no- t~ing the City could do for net. Mayor stated the letter could be s'iled in the Attorney's Office in the event a claim is made. Motion by Mr. Kean and Mr. ~heaton to note contents and refer to the At- torney's Office, carried. Clerk stated last wee~ he had read into the minutes a petition signed by Frank W. R~an~:and 38 others who reside at Oyster Bay relative to the possibil- ity of a tavern ~eing established out in that neighborhood and the petition was in protest of such an establisD-ment. £he petition was reS'erred to the committee of the whole and then to the Chief of Police; and then the mayor wrote a letter to Judge Frank W. Ryan with a copy to the Washington StateLiquor Control Board stating that copies have been made of the petition along with an area map of the location, and the entire matter forwarded to the liquor board for their files. Mayor Kean stated this constitutes the report of the Committee of the Whole and the copies were forwarded to the liquor boardin the event they receive an application so they will be aware of the sentiment of the residents of ~he area. ClerE read from a copy of a letter written March 2Q, l~51 from the City Attorney to Robert S. Pike, insurance broker, Seattle, in answe~ to a letter read at last week's Council meeting relative to th~ insUrance of the'Maple Leaf March 21, 195l (Con't) Tavern in th~o event a fire occurred and the building must be rebuilt. The City Attorney's letter advised that the present City Council could not make any bind- ing commitments on the Uity's policy in the event of partial destruction of the Maple Leaf Tavern and that the building is subject to the existing ordinances o~' the City as they may be amended or changed in the future. The letter went on I'urther and cited several provisions of the building code sad zoning ordin- ance, which might pertain to the question as to whether or not the City would allow rebuilding the ~aple Leaf in the event of its receiving considerable de- struction inasmuch as it is a non-conforming use. Mayor Kean ordered contents noted and communication filed. City Treasurer reported that the lease payment of the Hunt Fuel' Company had been received in the amount of $50.00 for the annual rent at the head-of- the Bay, where Mr. Hunt is supposed to be making a fill. Mr. Wheaton commented that he beliBved this was the last year Mr. Hunt had to make the fill and this has not been done so far. Mr. ~"neaton' said further he understood' there was an extreme shortageof warehouse space here and business- men have asked why this area could not be used for this purpose. Also, Mr. Wheaton said he had hoped by making a short term for Mr. Hunt to make the fill that he would have had this done. Mayor asked if the drainage was being eonsidered in making the fill and Mr. Wheaton stated this was handled under the City Engineer,s responsibilities. Mayor Kean and Mr. Wheaton discussed drainage problems on the Port Orch- ard Highway, and Mayor Kean commented there is a drainage problem near the' Home Builders where the City recently installed a pumping s~ation and that Hill Hol- gerson had been attempting to get the problem straightened out and because he was unable to do so has retained Attorney James Arthur. Mayor stated further that the City may be faced with a legal action in this connection and asked the City Attorney's Of~'ice to contact the City Engineer and discuss with him what liabilities the City may be facing. City Treasurer reported the business tax receipts are coming in fairly will but not up to expectations; he stated that he and the City Attorney had been in conference on proposed rules governing business tax ordinance. Mr. Nutter stated he would send out delinquent notices this month and that in the first period will only threaten those who are delinquent but in the future they will be penalized. So far 'the Treasurer's Office has received up to 850 appli- cations for the business license. City Attorney read a letter he had received from the Director of Office of Price btabilization relative to ceiling prices on log raft sales made by the City. The director wished to know ii' the City had made any log sales be- tween December 19, 1~50 and January 25, 1951 on which ceiling prices could be ma de. The City Attorney explained to the Council that the City had made no sales during this period Out had asked for permission to use the sales during this period made by McDonald & Taylor on their Lake Bay operation as the city's ceiling pr~oes. Mr, Wallace asked iz' the City desired him to follow up on this letter and the Mayor stated the Council would accept this as a progress report. Mrs. Haddon stated a ~r. Harry White of the Shipyard wants to rent three rooms on the Wharf for experimental purposes in drafting and she outlined for the City Attorney's information what she felt should be the terms of the lease. After discussion of the length cZ' the lease, Mayor recommended that it be on a month to month basis due to the changing scene in the operation of the ferries and the possible effect on terminals. Mayor Kean asked ii' Mrs. Kieske, operator of the Port Orchard ferries, was going to use the First Street Wharf facilities when she Oagins operation of the Point White run and Mrs. Haddon said she thought so and would investigate the possibility of increasing her rental z'or the additional use which would be caused by the passenger run ~'rom Point White. Mayor Kean asked the City Attorney to chec~ Mrs. Lieske's lease because there is a question of liability in the use of the City wharf, City Attorney reported he had written a letter to the Bremerton Port Dir- ectors asking that the City's lease with them be extended to conform to the ex- piration date of the Bremerton Terminal Company's lease with the City on the same area. Mr. Wallace said he had not received a reply from the Port Direct- ors but had talked with Sam Fitz, one of the directors, who said he was in fav- or of the extension. Mayor Kean asked that close watch be maintained of the City's waterfront leases so that the City would not lose control o~' those which it has held for a long time. He called attention to the fact that the terminals may be invol- ved when the state taEes over Mr. Peabody's company, or Mrs. Lieske may want to use ~ertain facilities. March 21, 1~51 (Con't) Mr. Casad stated he, Mr. ~heaton and Mr. Rankin of the Housing Authority had been discussing the method of collecting water bills from Sheridan ~ark Housing Project. Mr. Casad recommended that the Sheridan Zark rental office collect the water bills, reducing the charge from $2.25 to $2.00 per month, I~or these reasons:. There is no way to make a shut-off on a delinquent account because the units are multiple; there is a large turn-veer, many of whom the City never can col±ect from because of their short stay in the project; poor mailing addresses as may use general delivery; and because of such a large per- centage oi' delinquent accounts. Er. Casad reported further that Mr. Kankin was in accordwith the idea of the housing authority collecting these bills and making one remittance to the City based on occupied units per month. .~ Mr. Wheaten stated if this is handled in this way it would reduce the ex- penditures which servicemen are faced with when coming here, because there would ~e no waterJ~deposit necessary. Mayor raised the question on the recommended reduction in rates and asked how the figure of $2.25 was calculated and Mr. McGowan saated it had been chosen as a more or less arbitrary figure and called attention to the saving of $45.00 per month on postage to the City. Mr. Casad stated the accounting office wouldbe relieved and the collect- ion of what are now delinquent accounts would also make up the difference be- tween the rates. Mr. McGowan suggested that Er. Casad ma~e a written report to the Council but Nr. Casad stated he would ta~e it up with Mr. Wallace and have a housing authority representative at the next Council meeting. Mr. Wheaten stated in connection wi~h the forthcoming sale of the 26 acres owned by the school district that the sale would enDail quite a few problems and Ed. Day from the school district has been checking with the City on them and there is to be a meeting with Mr. Jahr on ~onday morning to work on the problems I~urther. ~r. Wheaten stated ii~ the City has to replace the wooden mains there it wo~ld cost $4W,000.00 and he couldn't see where the City can aI'ford to spend that much money. Also, ~r. Wheaten stated, the School District has never fin- isled its job in that area on the utilities. Mr. Wallace stated that now he is chairman oI' the school board he will be in a position to l'ind out ~at the district's obligations are so something can be done; and he pointed out that ~he sale~ is for the land only and does not in- clude utilities so they don'O expect to get as much for the land as if the ut- ilities were in good order. Mayor Kean reported that he called Mayor ~evtn of Seattle this morning re- lative to daylight saving time and Mayor Devin had informed him he knew of noth- ing the State Legislature has done which would affect the mandate oI' the people to have daylight saving time in Seattle. Mayor said he assumed Bremerton would go a±ong with Seattle and other ac- tivities located adjacent to Bremerton suc$ as the Naval Base and Shipyard and ho called A¢tmiral t~aven on the phone relative to this subject andwas informed they would ~e going along with whatever time is used in Naval activities in Seattle. Discussion was held on whether the City Administration had been challenged in the past on daylight saving time and it was stated this nad not been exten- sive. After, further discussion ~he Nayor said he was ready to make a motion if ~here was no objection. ~otlon by Nr. Kean and ~r. Wheaten that the. City Attorney be instructed to dig up the ordinance on daylight saving time ~o i~it in with the ~at~s an ordin- ance as mandated by the people of the City of Seattle, carried, all me~bers vot- ing Yes. Notion by Mr. Kean and Ers. Haddon to allow all bills ii' approved by a maJ- or~ity of the Commissioners, carried. Mayor Kean stated the report on the Forest Ridge property was not yet ready I~or report. Also, he state~ the proposed taxicab ordinance is being studied by various city offices. city A~torney stated he had prepared the proposed taxicab ordinance and pro- posed dog ordinance and could p~.esent them ne~t Wednesday and the ~ayor stated that would be satisI~actory. ~ayor Kean asked what'was, going to be done on the residential ordinance now that the State has ~aken some action on this subject and then stated that the City A~orney could bring this up when hemakes his study of the new laws. ~ayor Kean stated on the bulkhead ~ be constructed in the alley back of Fire Station No. l, that an easement should 0e procured from the property owner there and the City Attorney stated he had received the easement. March 21, 1951 (Con't) Mayor Kean reported on Civil Defense that he is waiting for the Federal and State Governments to tell what I'u_nds may be made available t o the City. Notion by Mr. Kean and Mrs. Haddon to adjourn, carried. APPROVED: ''City Clerk Mayor