Mayor Hiremath called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.
|
PRESENT: |
Satish Hiremath, Mayor Mary Snider, Vice Mayor Barry Gillaspie, Councilmember Joe Hornat, Councilmember Steve Solomon, Councilmember Lou Waters, Councilmember |
| ABSENT: | Bill Garner, Councilmember |
MOTION: A motion was made by and seconded by to
MOTION carried, 6-0.
Mayor Hiremath noted that the following staff members would join Council in Executive Session: Interim Town Manager Greg Caton, Town Attorney Tobin Rosen, Finance Manager Stacey Lemos, and Deputy Town Clerk Mike Standish. The Mayor also reserved the right to call Paul Keesler, David Williams, and Chad Daines in for the second item.
Mayor Hiremath reconvened the meeting at 6:00 p.m.
Satish Hiremath, Mayor
Mary Snider, Vice Mayor
Barry Gillaspie, Councilmember
Joe Hornat, Councilmember
Steve Solomon, Councilmember
Lou Waters, Councilmember
ABSENT: Bill Garner, Councilmember
Mayor Hiremath led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.
1. National Center for Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program mini-grant application notice
Consent Agenda items (C), (D), (E), (H) and (I) were pulled at the request of Council.
A. Minutes - September 21, 2011
B. Fiscal Year 2011/12 Financial Update Through August 2011
F. Request to change the start time of the December 7, 2011 Council meeting to 5:00 p.m.
G. Resolution No. (R)11-68, Authorizing and approving an Easement Acquisition Agreement between the Town Of Oro Valley And Oro Valley Retirement Residence, Llc. for a portion of Parcels 224-30-3610, 224-30-367f And 224-30-360a for the Lambert Lane Project between La Cañada Drive and Pusch View Lane
J. Resolution No. (R)11-71, Authorizing and approving a Grant-in-Aid agreement between the Town of Oro Valley and the Tohono O’odham Nation for funding the Steam Pump Ranch Heritage Gardens Project
K. Resolution No. (R)11-72, Authorizing and approving a grant contract between the Oro Valley Police Department and the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (G.O.H.S.) for funding personnel services and equipment to enhance DUI enforcement
MOTION: A motion was made by Mayor Hiremath and seconded by Councilmember Hornat approve Consent Agenda items (A), (B), (F), (G), (J), and (K).
MOTION carried, 6-0.
Vice Mayor Snider commended the town for not having a water rate increase. Water Utility Director Philip Saletta explained the reasons as:
- Reduced debt to service coverage ratio
- Reclaimed water usage increase
- Interim delivery of Central Arizona Project (CAP) water
- Operations and maintenance savings
Vice Mayor Snider also announced that the Water Utility Commission would sponsor an Open House on November 14, 2011.
MOTION: A motion was made by Vice Mayor Snider and seconded by Councilmember Waters approve item (C).
MOTION carried, 6-0.
Councilmember Hornat questioned where the $10,000 lift would go in the pool and Aquatics Manager Catherine Vorrasi answered that it would be located at the north side, shallow end of the pool between both sets of stairs where those that were previously unable to get in could enter.
MOTION: A motion was made by Councilmember Hornat and seconded by Vice Mayor Snider approve Consent Agenda item (D).
MOTION carried, 6-0.
Councilmember Waters stated that a professional sound system was necessary in the Chambers and questioned the $2K outside services.
Information Technology Director Kevin Verville explained that it was for items such as installation that internal staff could not perform, and finetuning the system once it was completed.
Councilmember Hornat inquired as to when the installation would take place and Mr. Verville answered that it would be during the Council's winter break time.
Councilmember Hornat then asked if there would be different microphones and Mr. Verville confirmed that there would be completely different mics that would be live all the time, but would automatically turn mics off if they were not in use.
Councilmember Gillaspie inquired if the town would go out to bid for the system and Mr. Verville stated that everything would be purchased through a GSA state contract.
MOTION: A motion was made by Councilmember Waters and seconded by Councilmember Hornat approve Consent Agenda item (E).
MOTION carried, 6-0.
Councilmember Hornat announced that he pulled Consent Agenda items H and I in combination of the two, and asked Water Utility Director Philip Saletta if the water service lines that were promised was a stub-out until they were ready to connect.
Mr. Saletta confirmed that it was a short-water service line to the property and stated that it was something that was put in along with construction of the 16" line as a cost effective process done at that time.
I. Resolution No. (R)11-70, Approving the Granting of a Utility Easement to the Town of Oro Valley from Timothy L. Milbourn and Susan E. La Chat-Milbourn for the pupose of constructing water utility facilities (PULLED FOR DISCUSSION BY COUNCILMEMBER HORNAT)
MOTION: A motion was made by Councilmember Hornat and seconded by Vice Mayor Snider approve Consent Agenda items (H) and (I).
MOTION carried, 6-0.
Town Engineer Craig Civalier explained that the action was a bookkeeping item to remove inconsistent language in the Town Code to amend speed limits to 45 mph on La Cañada Drive. He stated that the Police Chief and the Town Attorney were in concurrence with the Ordinance, and the Town Engineer recommended approval.
Mayor Hiremath opened the public hearing. There were no speaker requests and Mayor Hiremath closed the public hearing.
MOTION: A motion was made by Vice Mayor Snider and seconded by Councilmember Waters adopt Ordinance No. (O)11-28, amending Oro Valley Town Code Section 11-3-4 "Speed Limits," deleting Section 11-3-4(M).
MOTION carried, 6-0.
Economic Development Manager Amanda Jacobs stated that the item was requested by Vice Mayor Snider and Councilmember Waters and that they had looked at programs, policies and special events that were currently in Oro Valley.
She noted that:
- the ninth element of the General Plan covered arts and culture
- the recently formed Conceptual Design Review Board has two members with an art background
- 1% for Public Art fee for public and commercial projects
- October 5, 2011 the Public Art Review criteria was updated
She also listed events in Oro Valley:
- 16th Annual Arts in the Park (sponsored by the Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Allliance - SAACA)
- Oro Valley Holiday Festival of the Arts (sponsored by SAACA)
- Oro Valley Arts in the Park Fine Arts and Jazz Festival
- Ventana Medical Systems created the largest gallery free of charge in Southern Arizona for local artists to showcase their work
Ms. Jacobs also discussed how partnerships could be enhanced and that there was a lack of music in Oro Valley. She proposed that, in conjunction with SAACA, a Riverfront Park concert series could be brought back for $32K through bed tax and economic funds, but that different locations would be scouted while the park was under construction. She remarked that SAACA had a partnership with Marana, and that SAACA helped them with staffing and bringing more events to the community. Lastly, she discussed the lack of a Fourth of July celebration in recent years which she felt encouraged residents and visitors to spend money outside of Oro Valley.
Kate Marquez, Executive Director of the Southern Arizona Arts & Culture Alliance, reported on her organization’s activities and pointed out that SAACA events had generated $118K in sales tax revenue for Oro Valley over the past 15 years. She suggested that for a fee of $10-15K, SAACA could assist with a Fourth of July signature concert at the Hilton El Conquistador Country Club which would be open to Pima County residents.
Councilmember Waters noted that one of the recommendations at Arizona Town Hall was to have a seat for arts & culture on the new Arizona Commerce Authority. Ms. Marquez commented that it would make arts & culture more of a priority for governments in the way of economic development.
Councilmember Solomon stated that the fee for SAACA to assist with Fourth of July seemed like a cost-effective approach to put on the event.
Councilmember Waters expressed his intention to have the Council agree that arts & culture was a significant economic driver, and that the events discussed would initiate the change process.
Vice Mayor Snider acknowledged that it was important to know the cost of an event, but that it was also important to focus on the payoff. She added that visitors staying in Oro Valley for the summer were going to Tucson and Marana for the Fourth of July.
Mayor Hiremath opened the floor to public comment.
Bill Adler, resident, stated that arts & culture as an economic driver necessitated the need for a facility in Oro Valley and that a shell or a platform would be something professional to provide to artists.
There were no other speaker requests and Mayor Hiremath closed the floor to public comments.
MOTION: A motion was made by Councilmember Waters and seconded by Councilmember Gillaspie 1. Authorize the Town Manager to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding between the Town of Oro Valley and SAACA (and the feasability of this); and
2. Direct staff to use $3,200 from the Bed Tax Fund to bring the Riverfront Concert Series back to Oro Valley; and
3. Direct staff to determine the feasibility of hosting a 4th of July Celebration
Councilmember Hornat asked that the name "Oro Valley" be put into the Riverfront Concert Series for branding purposes.
MOTION carried, 6-0.
MOTION: A motion was made by Councilmember Waters and seconded by Councilmember Gillaspie direct the Town Attorney to proceed as discussed in Executive Session.
MOTION carried, 6-0.
Councilmember Hornat asked if adding "Oro Valley" to park signage and advertisements required Council action.
Town Attorney Tobin Rosen answered that adding the "Oro Valley" verbiage to park entrance signs, in advertising, press releases, etc. could be done by directing the Town Manager and staff. If the Council wanted to explore naming policies further, then that could be brought back as an agenda item.
Nancy Freeman, Green Valley resident, represented the Groundwater Awareness League and brought a map with her of the Rosemont Project that showed areas where trees would be destroyed and would affect watershed. She added that the total mining jobs available in the state was 355 and that 105 of those were in Tucson, with the same statistics in New Mexico.
Bill Adler, resident, reported that the Governor’s Statewide Development Conference had troubling comments that were paraphrased at the last Planning & Zoning Commission meeting. He stated that the Town should not give in to developers who expected incentives to build in the town.
MOTION: A motion was made by Vice Mayor Snider and seconded by Councilmember Waters to adjourn the meeting at 6:57 p.m.
MOTION carried, 6-0.