HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/22/49 June 22, 1949
Regular meeting of the City Council oI' the City of Bremerton, Washington
was held Wednesday at ten o'clock A.M. Daylight Saving Time, June 22, 1949, in
the Mayor's office. Mayor Kean presiding with Commissioner Haddon, Commission-
er Wheaton, the City Treasurer and the City Attorney being present.
Minutes of previous regular meeting of June 15, 1949 and special meeting
of June 16, 1949 were presented by the City Clerk.
Motion by ~r. Kean and Mrs. Haddon to approve the minutes oI' June 15 and
16, 1949 as written carried.
Clerk read reports of separation for Grace Gardner, Clerk's Office and
Gene ~I. Brigham, Engineering Department.
~'[otion by ~Ir. Kean and Mr. Wheaton to approve the separations as read
carried.
Notices oI' Employment were read by Clerk i'or Arlys Carlson, extra help,
student, ~Di.oo per hour and Georgia Sealoff, Catalog-order Librarian, $257.00
per month for ~e Library and Lucius Carpenter, part-time attendant, Park &
Recreation Department at ~1.~5 per hour.
Motion by Mr. Kean and ~.ir. Wheaton to approve temporary non-Civil Ser-
vice appointments as read carried.
Change in pay status notice was read by Clerk for Shirley Phillips, leader
part-time ~l.15 per hour, Park and Recreation Department.
I'/[otion by I~r. Kean and ~[rs. Haddon to approve the change in pay notice as
rea~ carried.
Clerk read payroll voucher for period ended June 15, 1949, salary warrants
~o. 16085 to 16401 inclusive, in the amount of $38,243.03.
Motion by Mr. Kean ~d ~rs. Haddon to approve the voucher as read carried.
A certified true copy of the minutes of the Investment Board of June 16,
1949 were read as follows by the Clerk:
"The Investment Board of ~he City of Bremerton met in the Mayor's Office
in the City Hall on Thursday, June 16, 1949 at ll:00 A.M. Mayor Kean ~resid-
lng and Co~umissioner Haddon, Commissioner ~'~eaton, City Treasurer, City Aud-
itor and City Clerk present.
"George Nu~ter, City Treasurer, requested authority to invest $1,030.31
of Cemetery Perpetual Care F~ds, $10,303.10 Firemen's Pension Funds and $20,
606.20 Retirement Funds by purchasing investments now held by the City Street
Fund. He stated that the above amounts included premitm~ on these investments.
"It was moved by ~rs. Haddon, seconmed by Auditor Vaa and carried unan-
imously that the reco~'~endation of Mr. Nutter be approved.
"Moved, seconded and carried that the meeting be adjourned"
Motion by Mr. Kean and ~.~Ir. ~fneaton to concur in the recommendation of the
Investment Board, carried.
Cler~ read lette~, dated June 22, 1949 from the City Engineer to the Coun-
cil, stating the alteration work at the City Hall has been completed and is
hereby accepted, subject to I'inal inspection and certain clearance papers; that
the Contractor, Sam Linden Company has requested an estimate, and recommending
the payment of Estimate No. 1 in the amount of Fourteen Hundred Fifty Seven
and 71/lO0ths ($1,457.71). Amount retained would be $249.75, which is 15% of
the total contract of $1,665.00.
Clerk read claim voucher for the amount of ~1,457.71.
~otion by Mr. Wheaton and Mrs. Haddon to concur in the recommendation
and approve the claim voucher for $1,457.71, Estimate No. l, carried.
Clerk read letter dated June 21, 1949 to the Council from Fire Chief
Ernest Yett and Building Inspector M.G. McLeod, stating that after receiving
a complaint about the conditions o1' the building on ground at the rear of the
garage on Warren Avenue, owned by the City of Bremerton and rented by a ~r.
Burdoe, an inspect~ion was made. They fot~qd poorly constructed builmings that
were accommodating from five to eight men.
This building is a fire hazard and in a very unhealthy condition to be
living in; and that according to the Bremerton Building Code #1418, Sec. 301,
the building is being condemned and it should be taken down. Letter cited
the section of the code referred to above.
~.~ayor reviewed the Oackgroun~ of the building and the City Treasurer also
made a statement about it. It was learned from the City Treasurer that the
building belonged to Mr. Burdoe who is paying the City $5.00 for ground rent.
~Iotion by Mr. Kean and I~(r. Wheaton to concur in the recommendation and
refer to the City Attorney, Building Inspector and Fire Chief and Health De-
partment with power to act carried.
June 22, 1949 (Con't)
Clerk read letter dated Jtme 16, 1949 from T.K~ Phillips, Captain of the
Traffic Division of the Police Department and 01ur Johnsen, City Attorney, re-
garding the petition presented at last Cotmcil Meeting, protesting truck park-
ing by Bledsoe Transfer ~ Storage Company on the West side of Rainier Avenue
and on a vacant lot west of Rainier~and South of 8th Street.
Letter stated as far as can be determined there is no law or ordinance
which prohibits the use of a public street for par~ing, whether con~nercial or
pleasure cars, and unless the Council is inclined to prohibit the parking of
all vehicles whatever, both pleasure and commercial, the Attorney and Captain
of Traffic stated they do not believe that any action can be taken as far as
the street is concerned.
The letter stated with reference to parking in vacant lots, that the lots
are in class R-1 zone and should be used for residential purposes only; there-
fore, recon~ended that the petition be meferred to the Building Inspector for
enforcement oI' the provisions o~ the Zoning Ordinance.
Discussion followed the reading of the letter and the mayor stated Buzz
King and Harold Siever, who own the building known as Kitsap Mart, where Bled-
see's have their offices, would like to be heard.
The City Attorney stated that Mr. Ranniger, ~ho owns the Bledsoe Company
would also like to be heard.
Mayor stated this area has been before the Planning and Zoning Commission
for re-zoning to C-1 but has never been approved for that classification. Nay-
or said he thought it would be desirable to hear the interested parties, plus
two or three property owners before any mefinite action is taken.
Notion by Mr. Kean and ~r. ~heaton to' refer the matter to the Committee of
the ~Wnole and the Building Inspector for consideration carried.
Clerk read letter dated June 1V, 1949 ±'rom the Fire Chief relative to the
request of Harrison Hospital to connect with the City's Fire Alarm System.
Letter set forth cost to the City of ~27.88 and cost to the ~arrison Hosp-
ital for 3 box, 4 box or 9 box system, and added that it is the Fire Chief's
contention that the Harrison Hospital will not be adequately coverem unless the
9 box system is adopted.
Notion .by ~r. Kean and Mr. Wheaten to grant ~he request of the Harrison
Hospital to hook on to the City Fire Alarm System and the estimate of cost to
the City be retained in the City Clerk's files carried.
Two boy scouts were present at the Council ~eeting: Robby Haddon and Clif-
ford Knox, who stated they were just unoI'ficial observers.
Mr. L.J. ~yvers, of the Multiphone Company, Incorporated, was present and
h~ded the Clerk a letter dated June 22, 1949, addressed to the Council, to read.
Clerk read the letter which asked that the tax of the locations be reduced
from $12.50 to $7.50 which is the price charged in most cities. This request
is baseG on reduced business and increased cost oi' living.
Mayor stated it was too bad the request had not been submitted before, as
it woulm take an emergency ordinance to make any change effective prior to July
1st, the beginning of the new license year; also, that a reduction in license
fee would affect the budget due to loss in anticipated revenue.
Mr. Shyver stated that ii' nothing could be done this year he would appre-
ciate any consideration possible I'or next year.
The City Treasurer suggested that Mr. Shyver's proposal wai2 until next
year to be accepted.
Motion by ~r. Kean and Mrs. Haddon to concur in the City Treasurer's re-
commendation and refer the letter to Mr. Van for consideration in the prepar-
ation of next ~ear's budget carried.
The City.Attorney reported on the case of ~entor vs City oI' Bremerton, in
which a case el' alleged plumbing violations had gone to Superior Court before
Judge Sutton who had asked an independent plumber, Talbot Plumbing Company of
Port Orchard, to investigate the complaints and make a report.
Attorney stated D.J. Talbot had investigated and submitted a report to
the Judge which vinmicated the Building Oepartment.
Mayor Kean commented that Judge Sutton had been reported as having made
some criticisms oI' the Building Department over this case.and the report of
Talbot has sustained the action oi' the Building Department. He said that the
Building Department needed some public relations work done; that the building
code is one which has been adopted by 497 cities in the United States and through
public relations and better education the public might be made cogizant that our
code is not too prohibitive.
Mr. Wheaten commen~ed on the Mentor Case and oI~ the efforts he had made to
cooperate in having him do the necessary correcting oI' the plumbing violations.
Mr. ~eaton stated the City went before Superior Court the other day in
the case of State ex rel Price vs McLeod on the partition on which a stop order
was placem by' the Building Inspector, and the Court sustained the City.
:[94
June 22, 1949 (Con't)
The City Attorney reported on the matter of change orders on Hoagland -
Findlay Engineering Company contrac~ sewage treatment contractors, and s tared
there have been two change orders thus far, one in favor of the City and one
against the City, and the one in favor oI' the City will be included in the
next estimate wb_tch will probably be about the 1st of July.
The City Attorney reported in the claim oI' Norman Posey for damages al-
leged to have been suffered when a dog which he was caring for was destroyed
by the Foun~uaster.
Attorney said he had a letter from the insurance company, dated June 15,
1949, in which they stated in their opinion the claim should be denied and
that the destruction of the dog by the City was porper.
The City Attorney stated he concurred in that recommenmation anm asked
that the City Council deny the claim.
Motion by Mr. Kean and ~rs. Haddon to concur in the recommendation and
deny the claim carried.
The City Attorney reported that he was in possession of a copy of Sum_
mons and Complaint in matter of Floyd L. Daugherty, who made a claim in be-
half oI' his wife, Anna, for injury sustained on January 26, 1949 while cross-
ing Cherry at Callahan because oi' ice on crossing, anm that the street had
not ~been s~ed, cleared oi' snow or closed. Total prayer is for $6837.50.
The City Attorney presented a new agreement for supplying water to the
Jensen Water District ~d gave some of the high lights, stating this agree-
ment was essentially the same as the master agreement recently drawn up in
connection with the ~orth Ferry Avenue Water District.
Motion by Mr. Wheaton and mr. Kean to authorize the ~ayor mum City Clerk
to.sign the agreement for the City of Bremerton carried.
Clerk announced this was the date anm time for opening bids for supply-
ing heating oils for the year co~mencing July l, 1949, and that three bids
had been received.
Notion by Mr. Kean and Mrs. Haddon to open the bids carried.
Clerk opened the bias and read from: Olympic Fuel Delivery, Stove oil,
.13 per gallon; Diesel 0il, .1085 per gallon, Cashier's Check for $50.00 en-
closed~ Lent's, posted prices at time of delivery, but not exceeding the
present posted prices, which are as follows: #3 Diesel 0il, .ll6 per gallon,
#l Stove 0il, .141,per gallon, ana certified check for $50.00 attached. Lof-
thus 0il Company, at the following prices, fuel oil, $3.08 per bbl.(42 gal.),
Diesel 0il, ll.6~ per gallon, stove oil, 13.1~ per gallon, with.alternate pro-
posal for posted price, time and place oI' delivery, and the present posted
prices are the same as listed herein by Lofthus Oil, mum certified check for
~50.00 attached.
Motion by Mr. Ke~ and Mr. Wheaton to refer the bids to the City Clerk
and Purchasing Agent carried.
Clerk stated this was date and time for opening of bids for installation
of oil burner and tank in ~anette Fire Station anm two 0ids have been received.
Motion by Mr. Kean and ~r. Wheaton to open the bids carried.
Clerk opened bids and read from: Lent'~, $813.00 and certiI'ied check at-
tachem for $41.00; Service Fuel Company, Inc., $528.80 and Manager's Check en-
closed for $26.44.
Motion by Mr. Kean and Mr. ~Fneaton to refer the bids to the City Clerk
and Purchasing Agent, the City Engineer and the Fire Chief carried.
C~rk reported progress on the purchase of Anderson Cove Project site,
stating he had written a letter to the Housing Authority today.
The City Clerk reported on a visit made to Olympia on Tuesday by the
City Attorney, Commissioner ~'~neaton, City Auditor, Water Superintendent and
City Clerk, stating one principal reason for the trip was to ascertain whether
or not the Division of ~u2, icipal Corporations would permit the City to handle
a job such as the Twin Lakes Pipeline job in the manner in which the City ha&
hoped to handle it.
The City has.money set up in the budget to ta~e care oi' labor and have
called for bids for the purchase oi' materials.
The State ~2w requires that a notice of 30 days prior to the work giving
estimate o£ cost be published in the newspaper, and following completion of
the job, the actual cost to be published in the ~ewspaper.
Clerk said they were told by ~r. Graham, of the Division of ~unicipal
Corporations that woulm be acceptable, and that he believed the City had been
previously told by a state examiner that practice was in accordance with the
law.
June 22, 1949 (Con't)
The City Attorney reported that the group also took up with Mr. Graham
the spending of Cumulative Reserve Funds, which it is the plan of the Council
to do in connection with the purchase of Anderson Cove Housing Project site
and, also, construction of. Twin Lakes Pipe Line.
The group was advised that those expenditures would haue to b e included
in the annual budget just like any other item oI' expense and were told that
an emergency ordinance would have to he passed appropriating from the Cumu-
lative Reserve Fund.
The City Attorney also stated they had discussed with Mr. Graham the var-
ious proposals for handling the reserve fund in connection with the North Per-
ry Avenue Water District for replacement of that wooden main. They came to
the conclusion,~:after talking with Mr. Graham, that the City has quite a bit
of latitude there. It was Mr. Graham's idea that since it would be the City's
main that would have to be replaced, that the reserve fund should be kept by
the city and no~ by the Water District.
The City Attorney reported they also had under advisement the problem of
annexing only a portion oI' a water district, fire district and~port district
which has caused problems in other cities and towns.
Mr. Graham thought M~ere was an opinion somewhere, on a previous case and
he would advise us.
The City Treasurer stated that Mr. Don Sampson oI' the Bureau of Govern-
mental Hesearch, University of Washington, had. advised that, water dist~cts
could be disolved but a fire district goes on forever.
The City Attorney stated that the problem was not in disolving an entire
water district but a part of one.
The City Attorney reported that the group called on the Commissioner of
Public Lands in connection with the City,s harbor area leases, and found that
we had a complete list o~' all harbor leases which we now have with the State.
The next one will expire in .1951, otherwise the leases are all in goo~ stand-
ing.
The Clerk stated that the City Auditor has been corresponding with the
State Treasurer,s Office in an attempt to get them to segregate the Port Com-
missions income from the City of Bremerton, as over a period of ten or eleven
years the City has had coming about ten or eleven hundred ~ollars which went
to the Port Con~ission. The Land Commission has been segregating it all right
but the State Treasurer's Office has not been sending the proper segregation
to the County Auditor. The next State F~iner who comes to the County Aud-
itor's Office will investigate this matter.
~ayor Kean stated that in negotiating with the Housing ~uthority on the
garbage rates it would be well to appoint a committee to deal with the Author-
ity.
Motion by Mrs. Haddon and Mr. Kean to appoint a committee to negotiate
with the Bremerton Housing ~uthority, composed of Mr. Vaa, Mr. Short and Mr.
Walker, carried.
Mayor asked how the bridge repair was progressing and Mr. Wheaton commented
that it is going along very well.
Mayor asked about the proposed purchase of five feet of right-of-way at
the East end of the Manette Bridge and Mr. Wheaton stated he ham talked with
two or three of the property owners and it is just a case of getting together
with somebody to see what can be done. The plans have been sent down to 01yin-
pia, but the City is not going to get any more decisions down at Olympia un-
til Mr. Bugge takes over.
Motion by Mr. Kean and Nfs. Haddon to allow all bills if approved by a
majority oI' the Commissioners carried.
~ayor asked of the progress on sewage disposal ~te, West End.
~he City Attorney replied the property has not~ocatem yet.
Mr. Wheaton said the County has lost the markers and so it has not been
possible to check it yet.
Mayor stated that ii' there are any portions near the city limits which
are desirous of coming into the City that they should come in before the 1950
census is taken as there is no provision in the State ~aw for any adjustments
to population count in connection with distribution of moneys to cities and
the distributions will be made on the 1950 census.
Ralph McKernan, salesman i'or Howard-CooperCorporation thanked the Council
for the award to his company of the contract to furnish a loader to the Street
Department.
Motion by Mr. ~heaton and Mr. Kean to adjourn carried.
APPROVED: City Clerk
Mayor