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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/15/50 November 15, 1950 Regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Bre~erton, ~ashing- ton, was held November 15, 1~50 at 10:00 o'clock A.M. in the Mayor's Office, City Hall, Bremerton. Mayor Kean presiding and Commissioner Haddon, Commts- sioner Wheaton, City Clerk McGowan, City Treasurer Nutter and City Attorney. Wallace being present. Motion by Mr. Kean snd Mrs. Haddon to approve minutes oI' November 8~ 1950 as written, carried. Reports of separation were read by Clerk I'or Oliver W. Jackson and Os- car Butler, Sanitation Department; William Witte, Water Department; Harold Doss, Police Department and Mary L. Swap, CityIAttorney~s office. Motion.by Mr. Kean and Mrs. Haddon to approve the separations, carried. Notices of employment were rea~ by Clerk I'or Robert W. Henry, $252.00 per month, Police Department; Jack H. Schmidt, $19:~2~er hour, Sanitation De- partment; Marjorie B. Junell, $125.00 per month, City Attorney's Office. Motion by Mr. Kean and Mrs. Haddon to approve temporary non-Civil Ser- vice appointments as read, carried. Change in pay status was read by Clerk i'or Roger W. Goschke, from $275. to $290.00 per month, Police Department, Motion by Mr. Kean and Mrs. Haddon to approve, carried. Clerk asked for authorization to call For bids for oI'ficial publications for 1951 and tires and tubes for 1951. Motion by Mr. Kean and Mr. Wheaton to authorize the City Clerk ~nd Pur- chasing Agent to call for bids as recommended, carried. Letter was read by Clerk, ~ated November 14, 1950, from the City Engin- eer to the Mayor and Council, submitting the Preliminary Assessment Roll, plan and a list of the real and improved valuation in the S. Summit Avenue et al district. Letter also stated that notices were mailed ~ the reputed own- ers on November 14, 1950 and the hearing will be helG December 6, 1950. 533 November 15, 1950 (Con't) Motion by Mr. Kean and Mrs. Haddon to note contents and file in the Clerk's Office, carried. Letter was read .by Clerk, dated November 14, 1~50, from the City Engineer to the Mayor and Council submitting the preliminary estimate of cost for the improvement of S. Summit Avenue et al, LID 241, total amount of $20,300.00. Mr. Nutter commented that the collections estimate of $20.00 was possib- ly in error because it would not come close to covering his costs of collect- ion. Motion by Mr. Keen and Mrs. Naddon to note contents and file and City Clerk and Purchasing Agent to check for errors, carried. Letter was read by Clerk dated November 14, 1~50 from City Engineer to Mayor and Council attaching a quit-cl~aim deed for a strip of land 15 feet by V2 feet being a part of Marian Avenue. The records o~' the City Engineer do not show this tract as part of Marian Avenue, and the deed was issued at ~k~glneer's request and should be recorded if a title search proves the Engineer is correct. Deed was turned over to the City Attorney. Motion by Mr. Wheaton and Mr. Keen to refer to the City Attorney IOr title search, carried. Letter wqs read by Clerk from City Engineer, Gated November 14, 1950, to the Mayor and Council attaching a petition for sidewalks, curbs and gutters, Trenton Avenue, E. llth to E. 13th, signed by 65% of the property owners by front footage. The assessed valuation of the land is $1880.00 or aouble $3760.00. The estimate cost for the sidewalks is $2580.00, and for curbs and gutters, $2793.00 total, $5373.00. Inasmuch as the total estimated cost exceeds double the assessed vduation, the project cannot bs constructed as petitioned and recommended by the Engineer that the petitioners be contacted to ascertain if they vould desire sidewalks .~nd not curbs and gutters. Motion by Mr. Wheaton and Mr. Keen to file the report and the City. Engin- eer be authorized to follow up on it, carried. Clerk read claim I'or ~amages from ~arl Bandix, filed November 13, 1950, for accident occuring on October 14, 1950, in which his car was damaged to the extent of $1V3.00 at the intersection of Sixth an~ Warren when a traffic light WaS out oI' order~ Clerk stated this claim had been reported by him to the insurance company on the day of filing and also disgussed the claim with the City Attorney; also, got a report from the officer who was at the accident. City Attorney recommended the Council take no action at this time until hear from the insurance company. Motion by Mr. Kean aha Mr. Wheaton to refer the matter to the Insurance Company, carried. Clerk rea~ a letter, ~ated November 10, 1950, I'rom the Housing Authority of the City of Bremerton, addressed to the Council, enclosing a check for $5,239.~5, representing voluntary payment in lieu of taxes for Westpark, Pro- ject, Wash 3-1, I'or the fiscal year enCed September ~0, 1950. Cler~ told the Council what I'unds had received the payment, and the check has already been turned over to the City Treasurer. Motion by Mr. Kean and Mr. Wheaton to place on file and make available to the press, carried. Clerk stated that Wendell R. Vaa, the City Auditor, has 0een going through the records in the vault with the view of having certain records destroyed, which meet with the approval of the State Law. The descr~ction must be done in the presence of a State Exmminer an~ there is one going over the City's books at this time. Clerk read the certificate to which was attached a list o~' the various ob- solete records and stated one copy should go to the State and the Division of Municipal Corporations v~ll authorize the destruction. mr. Nutter commented that he believed a resolution of the Council was;~nec- essary under the law. Motion by Mr. Keen and Mr. ~¥heaton to refer the matter to the City Attorney carried. Clerk read canvass of returns, Special Election, City of Bremerton, November, 7, 1950, on the proposed ordinance to allow regulated dancing and entertainment in drinEing establishments~ ~or the Ordinance, 4?74 arid against 4500. Canvass certified that the Initiative Measure passed and shall be designated Ordinance No. 1908. Clerk stated the Canvass Board was composed of Mayor Kean, Commissioner Wheaton, City Clerk McGowan and City Attorney Wallace. November 15, 1950 (Con't) General Claim was ream by Clerk from Lent's for collection of retained percentage, Sewage Treatment Project, Unit H, total $9,840.56, approved by the City Engineer and City Auditor. The claim was not clearly written up and its form did not indicate definitely whether it was just a payment of retained percentage or whether a periodical estimate was included. Mr. Vaa and Mr. Severance came into the Council room and stated this was just the withheld percentage and the job h~d been accepted and approved and final payment made on October 3, 1950. Motion by Mr. ¥~neaton and Mrs. Haddon to approve, carried. Letter was read by Clerk from John W. Gibson, Manager, Fred W. Krause & Co., dated November 15, 1950, re: Fire Insurance, proposing that the fire in- surance of the City ~ handled by three different agents, rather than as at present, through one agent who in turn retains 50% 6f the commission and divides the remaining 50% amongst an organization o£ Agentm. His suggestion is to al- low the three different agents to handle the business, retain 50% of the com- mission, and divide the remaining 50% equally amongst every extablished Insur- ance Agent in the City of Bremerton who has an office here and writes Fire In- surance. The letter contended 'that the City will recelve better service and there would be an equitable distribution of eommissions. Mayor Kean explained how the present plan had been put in operation and then further explanatory remarks were given by John Gibson. ~ayor stated that during his and Mrs. Haddon's terms of office they have made various beneficial changes to the insurance program and any suggestion should merit study. Motion 0y Mr. Kean and Mr. Wheaton to refer the letter to the City Clerk and Purchasing Agent, Commissioner of Finance and City Treasurer to ma~e a study and evaluation of this proposaD and compare with the system now being used and make a recommendation to the Council, carried. Clerk read letter, dated November 9, 1950, to Commissioner Haddon from Dr. Shirley Benham, Jr., Director, Kttsap County Health Department, congratu- lating her on the manner in which the garbage disposal area is 0eing operated. Enclosed with the letter were some pictures 'of the operation. Mrs. Haddon stated she had turned a copy of the letter, together with the pictures, over to Bob Wethern, Bremerton Sun Reported. Motion by Mr. Kean and ~r. ~neaton to note contents and make available to the press, carried. City Attorney reported that he has ham several people come into his office relative to the collection of garbage bills. These are people who claim to have no garbage. Unmer the present ordinance, the Attorney's feeling is that any person ~o has any garbage must necessarily dispose of it throughtthe City's facilities. II' there is no ~arbage, the Attorney's opinion is that cannot charge the person nor arrest him under the law. Attorney recommended that these persons' premises be inspected by the Superintendent of the Garbage and the Health representative and report back whether or not there is a violation. Motion by Mr. Kean and Mr. ~heaton to concur in the recommendation or t he City Attorney and refer the matter to Superintendent of Garbage Fred Walker and to the Health Department to make such a survey and report back to the At- torney's office, carried. City Attorney stated he had suggested to the City Clerk that he write to Miller Meters, who had charged more for a quantity or new meters than set Z'orth in the contract. Clerk explained it had been felt that under the terms 'of the contract for parking meters additional meters could be ordered at the same price. Twenty meters were ordered and were billed at about $20.00 more per meter than the contract price. City Attorney read the letter from Miller Meter ~orporation, ~flich stated the original contract was for rehabilitated meters an~ exhausted their supply so they shipped new meters. After further mis~:usslon,;.it was suggested that in order to set Yorth de- tails of the transaction a resolution should be drawn up by the City Attorney. Motion by Mr. Kean'and Mr. ~¥heaton to concur in Attorney's recommendation smd refer the matter to him for preparation of the resolution he thinks nec- essary, carried. City Attorney stated the rental agreement of Midden~orf for a live-bait trap at Seconm street Wharf had been rez'erred to him. Mr. Mi~dendorf had written a letter to the City Treasurer Chat the operation did not prove suc- cessful. Attorney then read the letter from i~r. Middendorf in which he stated he had ~emoved the gear,,and Attorney stated the lease was for one year and only require~ him to pay ii' he made any money. Attorney recommended he be al- lowed to terminate. Mr. Wheaton stated that he ha~ looked over the place where the live-bait gear had been and that the wharf is all right. Motion by Mrs. Haddon and Mr. Kean that the City Council accept the recom- menmation of the City Attorney and close this lease, carried. ,535 November 15, 1950 (Con't) City Attorney stated he had checked the State Law on ~estroying of pub- lic records, previously brought up in this meeting, and a resolution is not necessary. The law requires a copy bf~ the list of records to~ filed with the City Clerk, City Council and the Division of Municipal Corporations. No Countil action is required. Vincent Benbennick appeared before the Cob.ucil and asked what action had been taken about his claim for $2.00 made to the Council last wee~, and what action had been taken on taxi cab ordinance No. 1631. Mayor Kean informed him this had been referred to the Police Department anc the City Attorney. Attorney advised that Mr. Benbennick was right in stating that the taxi cabs are in violation in their stands; that the ordinance was drawn by Ray Greenwood for the taxi operators and there possibly was some ignorance on the part of those to db with regulation. Mr. Benbennick discussed the details surrounding' receiving the parking ticket in question. ~Further discussion was held on several pSases o1' parking situation, concerning loadlng zones, taxi ~nes, theater zones, etc. Mayor Kean' discussed the efforts ma~e by the taxi cab operators and Cham- ber,:of Commerce to handle loading zohes and other relating parking areas, and said this problem is recognized nationally because of the increase of automo- biles on the highways and streets. The subjects of off-street parking for taxis, remarking laading'zones and make them available for evening parking; use of theater zones for parking when they abe closed; cutting down on the amount of drive-in space used by service stations; using various colors for marking curbs were discusse~. Mayor stated this subject was worthy of study and that the City Attorney~ Traffic Captain, Chamber of Commerce should get together and make a study and report to the Council. ~r. Wheaton suggeste~ the City Engineer as a committee member. Mayor Kean stated that yesterday at the request of the Association of Washington Cities he had sat in on a report made by Df.m James Nelson ~'or tax- ing motor vehicles in the State on an equitable basis.' Mayor ~aid he was going to Olympia tomorrow on the same subject and would be accompanied by Cap- tain Phillips and the Chief of Police. Also, Mr. Wheaton and Mrs. Haddon would attend this meeting which is being called by the Governor. Motion by Mr. Kean and Mrs. Haddon that all bills be allowed if approved by a majority of the Commissioners, carried. Mr. ~heaton reported progress on the Snyder et al sewer' job. Mayor asked if there was anything new on the proposed peri,ion against the business and o~cupation tax and Clerk stated no petitions have yet been filed. Motion by Mr. Kean an~ Mrs. Haddon to adjourn, carried. APPROVED: City Clerk Mayor