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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/08/50 March 8, 1950 Regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Bremerton, Washing- ton, was held Wednesday, March 8, 1950, in the Mayor's Office, Bremerton. Mayor Kean presiding with CommissiOner Haddon, Commissioner Wheaton, City Clerk McGowan, City Treasurer Nutter, City Attorney Wallace an~ Water Sup- erintendent Casad being present. Motion by Mr. Kean and Mrs. Haddon to approve the minutes of March l, 1950 as written carried. Clerk read report of separation for Mary Lou Wager, Library. Motion by Mr. Kean and Mr. Wheaton to approve the report of separation carried. Three applications for license to install shuffle-bowlers were read by Cler~ as follows: ~nitey's Tavern, 8th and Callow; Last Chance Tavern, 030 Burwell Street and Sugar Bown'Grill, 1538 Sixth Street, all approved by the Chief of Police. ~Iotion by Mr. Kean ~nd Mr. '~neaton to approve the applications carried. Clerk read payroll voucher for period ended February 28, 1950, salary warrants Nos. 21602 to 21750 inclusive, and 21251 to 21398 inclusive for ~35,568.55. Motion by Mr. Kean and Mrs. Hadd6n to approve the transfer to Salary Fund, carried. Claim voucher was read by Cler~ from Manson Construction anm Engineering Company, for Estimate No. 2 (Final) on repairs to Municipal Wharf and Second Street Dock, in ~he amount of $510.55; approved by E.S. Severance mud audit- ed by W.R. Vaa. Notion by Mrs. Haddon and Mr. Kean to approve claim carried. Clerk read a letter dated March 7, 1950 from City Auditor W.R. Vaa to the City Council, attaching a voucher frdm R.L. Lursen,'Distributor, who has the City tire and tub~ contract for 1950. One of the items on the claim voucher was, ~' 5 900x18 l0 ply tires (Special Purchase Kelley-Springfield Tires) @ $82.00 - $246.00" and another item was "~ 900x18 Tubes ~ $9.45 - $18.90" both items less 25%. Mr. Vaa's letter called attention to the fact that this particular size was not listed in the call for bids but the contract documents provide that the City may order other sizes than those listed, at the same discount. The contract documents also provide that the brand name of the tires and tubes will be "L.~obile." The contract discount is 55% and 5% off list on tires, and 455 on tubes. Mr. Vaa asked for a decision as to whether or not to accept tires of another brand than specil'ied in the contract, also a decision as to the dis- count on tires of another brand than provided in the contract. Discussion followed and the City Clerk explained that the tire and Yule furnished was equal or better in grade than the "Mobile" branm tire, but he felt the discount called for by the contract should be allowed. City Attorney stated that in his opinion there was no question that the same discount should be allowed, due to the wording in the proposal. Mayor Kean stated he was agreeable to allowing the substitution of an- other tire as long as it is as good or better in quality, but believes the contract discount should be given. Motion by ~r. Kean and Mr. Wheaton to approve the substitution of the tire but insist on 'the keeping of the other provisions o~' the contract, car- ried. Clerk read a letter dated March 6, 1950 from City Auditor Vaa and City Treasurer Nubter stating the Library Fund and Park ~nd Recreation Fund were overdrawn and gave the amounts; and suggested a temporary loan of $8,000.00 be made to each fund from the General Fund until taxes or other receipts make the reimbursement possible. Stated that State Examiners Lockwood and Varley wore here recently and ha~ advised that these funds should not be permitted to go in the red. Atta¢~ed to ohe letter was a resolution which the Council could pass if agreeable to make the loans. City Attorney stated the Clerk's Office had pre- pared the resolution but he.had checked its contents and it was in order. Clerk read Resolution No. ?~8 as follows: ~HEREAS, it is necessary to make certain transfer loans as hereinafter set forth in order that the City finances be kept on e cash basis, inasmuch as $~,000.00 is needed in the Library Fund and ~8,000.00 is need in the Park and Recreation Fund to pay salaries and expenses, now, therefore 363 March 8, 1950 (Con't) BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Bremerton that the City Treasurer transfer %6,000.00 from the General Fund to the Library Fund as a temporary loan and that the General Fund be reimbursed as soon.as taxes or other moneys, are available. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Treasurer transfer $6,000.00 from the General Fund to the Park and Recreation Fund as a temporary loan and that the General Fund be reimbzarsed as soon as taxes, or other moneys, are avail-,- able · BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that said transi'ers be made as of February28, 1950, Motion by Mr. Kean and Mrs. Haddon to pass Resolution No. 728, carried, all members voting Yes. The City Attorney stated the Public Li0rary was getting speciI'ications drawn by the C~ty Engineer to call for bid~ for repainting the exterior of the Library. He said he had maHe a study of various statutes on Library operations and felt the City Council should call for bids and enter into the contract f or this work, as he did not feel sure that the Library Board could legally enter into the contract and be held responsible for its fulfillmeht$ due to the fact there is some question ss to whether the City Council or City Library Board should enter into the contract.and call for the bids; the City Attorney said he has written to the Attorney General for an opinion and suggested that the Library Board be notified to wait until he finds who is to make the contract with the successful painting contractor. Notion by Mr. Kean and Mr. Wheaton that the clerk,s Office notify the Chairman of the Library Board with a copy to the Chief Librarian that it is the opinion of Mr. Wallace that this matter wait until it is clarified, car- ried. Clerk read a ietter dated March l, 1950, from the Puget Sound Power and Light Company, Bremerton, to the Mayor, stating that instead of two 7~ H.P. pumps being installed in Lift Station 3-A, two l0 HP capacity pumps had been installed. This change requires added capacity to serve the additional load and would effect transformer installation, rental charges and kilowat hour losses. Letter further set forth the correct billing and stated the change may be authorized by letter or by cancelling the present contract and having it rewritten. Letter was read by Clerk dated March 6, 1950, from the City Engineer to the Council, stating that the change made was due to change in the original desirn and recommended that a new contract be entered into with the Puget Sound Power and .Light Company. The Engineer's letter set forth the recom- mended contents of the new contract. Motion by Mr. Kean and Mr. Wheaton to concur in the recommendation and refer to the City Clerk and Purchasing Agent to handle, carried. Letter from the Department of Labor and Industries, Olympia, ~ated March 6, 1950, to the City of Bremerton, attention: Mr. Vaa, was read by Clerk, stating that needy persons receiving work relief who are employed in estra hazardous work by count&es or municipal corporations on pr&Jects under- taken in carrying out an authorized function of the particular governmental unit are covered by the Workman's Compensation Act. Discussion. followed the rea~ing of the letter as t o the advisability of continued use of needy persons on City jobs due to the fact that the City would be liable if someone was to make a claim for injuries received while on City work. City Clerk stated he felt the risk involved outweighe~ the gaim to be received from use of this class of labor. After this discussion, Mayor Kean said he was going to abandon the pro- gram of using relief workers in the Park and Recreation Department immediately. Mr. Wheaton stated he woulm like to continue using them ii' it could be arranged, for building fences around the watershed property. City Clerk read a letter from the Bremerton Employees Retirement Board, dated March l, 1950, giving the Fifth Annual Report of the retirement system. Motion by Mr. Kean and Mrs. Haddon to note contents and file and make available $o She press or anyone concerned, carried. Clerk read a bulletin from the Association of Washington Cities giving the dates for the 1950 convention, June 16 and 17, at Walla Walla. Clerk reminded Dhe Council of the hearing to b e held Friday, March 10, 1950 at lO:00 A.M. on the revokation of Elmo B. Winger's Taxicab license. Clerk 4t~te~ that the call for printing bids had listed Item No. 56 as 5000 books parking violations, in duplicate, 50 sets, and that later it had been ascertained the order should have been for 500 books. The Bremerton Sun was low bidde? for 500 books at $102.00. Then later it was called to the Clerk's attention that this many books would only last seven months and an March 8, 1950 (Con't) additional 500 should be ordered. Consequently, the Clerk asked the Bremer- ton Sun for a proposal to print an additional 500 books and their figure was 6o.0o. Clerk asked the Council to approve the.addition to the Bremerton Sun Contract, No. 211, in the amount of $60.00, which would be known as Change Order No. 1. He said he would then have the Bremerton Sun sign the proposal letter. Motion by Mr. Kean and Mrs. Haddon to approve Change Order No. 1.for $60.00, carried. City Treasurer stated he had some recommended changes for the new wat- er ordinance, No. 18?l; the changes he recommended were to do with discon- tinuance oi' water service before a full month has elapsed and wherein a fractional part of the normal bill should be paid. The sections which would be mnended were 8, l0 and 10(A). This matter was discussed thoroughly and it was suggested tha~ Mr. Cas- ad was already authorized to make adjustments to water bills and that he keep a record of adjustments involving fractional parts of a month in con- nection with flat rate consumers and then make a report later of his find- ings to the City Council. Mr. Casad agreed to record adjustments for the next 60 days and then report to the Council. City Attorney brought up the matter of the claim made by Mr. Quigley which was read into last week's minutes. This is a claim for alleged dam- ages from the new storm sewer laid last year on Snyder Avenue. City Attorney again read the letter from Mr. Quigley and referred to the other correspondence written h~athe City Clerk and Engineer, and said when the claim is filed by Mr. Quigley that he would concur in the recom- mendation of the City Engineer that the claim be denied. City Attorney presented tax statements for 1950 for some property pur- chased by condemnation from Sound Kiewett for sewage treatment plant, West Bremerton, and recommended that they be referred to the City these taxes can be cancelled. Motion by Mr. Wheaton and Mr. Kean to refer these tax statements to the City Clerk to see if he can get these taxes cancelled carried~ City Attorney stated that the preliminary ~at~r.agreement between the City and Kitsap Lake Water District is the only one ever reached between the two parties and the time for negotiation would be June 30, 1950, or before, as that is the date on which the present agreement expires. The price of water is definitely set out in Paragraph Two (2) of the preliminary agree- ment; however, Attorney James 0. Arthur has stated that due to the short time remaining for the agreement to run that the district might be willing to ne- gotiate. M~yor stated that this has been referred to Mr. Casad and Mr. Wheaton to arrange for a meeting with the water district commissioners and then h ring in a recommendation. Attorney Wallace stated that the City Engineer had this morning called his attention to the fact that the description on the new an~exation is im- proper with reference to the "East line of property of P.R. Johnson". This refers to an original description and actually the annexation is intended to go to the present east line oi' property of P.R. Johnson and not that of the original description. A large portion of Mr. Johnson's original property is being sold to others. Mr. Wallace stated he would check the description with the title company. Mr. Wheaton announced that the State Engineer will be here next Monday and will look into the proposed widening of Highway 21-B and the adjoining Nosker property. ~r. Wheaton reported the letter read at last Council meeting, with re- ference to the concrete blocks having been pushed by the sewage contractor, away from their property location, was referred to Mr. Gorst. Mr. Wheaton stated with reference to the reservoir roof on which he has been making reports recently, that he would like to check with the Health Department to see if the City could get more room by the reservoir by moving the fence back and eliminate the necessity for a roof. Mr. ~heaton stated he had received a letter from Mrs. W.R. Warren, 418 Yantic Avenue, asking for access to their property for a bulldozer, because Hartford Street is blocked with shrubs and compost bin. He waid that through the years people'have put in shrubs there and he went out and showed Mrs. Warren how the dozer could be brought in on her ~roperty. 365 March 8, 1950 (Contt) Mr. Wheaton stated it was by that property where the City had two or three lots which had been dedicatgd for Park purposes. Mr. Mutter stated there wers several lots there which were owned by the L.I.D. Guarantse Fund. MaYOr commented that the Park Department lots were valueless at present due to being down in a hole; however, the possibility of filing in these lots was discussed at considerable length, using dirt from Forest Ridge Park and other available placss, as well as the possibility of using gar- bage to assist in the fill, providing it was satisfactory with neighbors and was done properly. Motion by Mr. Kean and Mrs. Haddon to :refer the mattsr to the City Eng- ineer for a "look-see" survey and see how feasible and practical it would be to bring in dirt and make the fili carried. William Paddison, V04 Twelfth Street, stated in substance that he did not feel the present .no smoking" Ordinance gave sufficient centralized auth ority to either the Chief of Police or Fire Chief for enforcement;,that he did not feel the ~penalty clause was definite enough as a person could be fined say sum up to $300.00 and imprisoned up to 90 days; also critized the munici- pal judge for not giving a penalty to a young man recently, who was arrested for smoking in a public school. Mayor commented that the City is trying to enforce this ordinance with- out smearing or, damaging the characters of young boys and girls, and thanked Mr. Paddison for presenting his views to the Council. Notion by Mr. Kean and Mrs. Haddon to allow all bills if approved by a majority of the Commissioners carried. Notion by Mr. Kean and Mr. Whsaton to adjourn carried. APPROVED: ' Ci y Clerk Mayor