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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/26/2010 Special Council Meeting Minutes~'IA~~.~ ~~: ~, ...~~. SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES 11555 W. Civic Center Drive, Marana, Arizona 85653 Council Chambers, January 26, 2010, at or after 6:00 PM Ed Honea, Mayor Herb Kai, Vice Mayor Russell Clanagan, Council Member Patti Comerford, Council Member Carol McGorray, Council Member Jon Post, Council Member Roxanne Ziegler, Council Member SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order by Mayor Honea at 6:04 p.m. Town Clerk Bronson called roll. All Council Members were present. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/INVOCATION/MOMENT OF SILENCE Led by Mayor Honea. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Motion to approve moved by Council Member McGorray, second by Council Member Ziegler. Motion carried unanimously. CALL TO THE PUBLIC No speaker cards were presented. PRESENTATIONS P 1: Presentation: Relating to the MUSD Override Election Presented by Dr. Doug Wilson, Superintendent of Schools for the Marana Unified School District. He noted that on December 1, 2009, the governing board of MUSD voted for an M & O override election. The Legislature provided a window of opportunity this spring for school districts to increase from a 10% override to a 15% override. In 2007, a $6.2M override was approved. What they have seen since that time is a 2008 budget reduction of $1.SM and in January 2009, the budget was cut another $1.6M per legislative budget cuts. MUSD built their budget this year with a $4.3M reduction. In October 2009, they received an additional $2.1M reduction in the budget. These amount to budget reductions of $8.6M. The override passed in 2007 added $6.2M to the budget. There were a number of things that when the strategic plan January 26, 2010 Council Meeting Minutes was passed in 2006, were to be implemented with the override. Many got implemented; some were to be phased in. So some of the phased-in did not occur. Council Member McGorray asked about the election. Dr. Wilson reiterated that the election would be March 9, 2010. Mayor Honea asked what happens if the override doesn't pass. Dr. Wilson recited the process for an override. You lose a third of the funding and a third each year that the re-authorization doesn't pass until the seventh year when the override is eliminated. Overrides are for seven years. They need to be authorized by the end of year five or you start to lose funding as noted above. Mayor Honea asked if most of the money is funneled to teachers and the classroom? Dr. Wilson responded that a majority of the 2007 override funding went to provide a number of positions. Forty percent of the override helped in terms of salaries for MUSD staff. Every member received an increase. Full-day kindergarten was funded. The same thing would happen with the 2010 override. It would probably save full-day kindergarten as well as help stabilize and help maintain the class sizes. Dr. Wilson went on to discuss Proposition 301 which is different from the override. Council Member Ziegler asked how the override would impact taxpayers. Dr. Wilson responded that this override would replace the 2007 override and there would not be two taxes. The impact to the taxpayers -they have a debt service account -and you cannot comingle funds. MUSD would be using almost $4M out of the debt service account to cover the increase in the first year of the override -that is the secondary tax rate, so the taxpayers would not see an increase in their secondary tax the first year. Council Member Ziegler then asked if an override would occur every year. Dr. Wilson responded that if this override is successful, it would be four more years before they would go out for re-authorization. Council Member Post thanked Dr. Wilson for serving on the town's economic roadmap committee. He noted that it became obvious during the meetings how closely the future of the town is linked to the school system. All the people who would be coming to Marana for jobs would be looking to see what kind of school system is in place. In the future we need to figure out how the town and school system can work hand in hand together, because our future solely lies with the school district's. We won't be able to attract the types of businesses we want in our community without a good school system. Dr. Wilson responded that a good school system will attract good business. Mayor Honea noted that the town and the school district have a history of working together, but perhaps there are more ways to work together in the future that can be identified. P 2: Presentation: Relating to Infrastructure; future bridge aesthetics for Marana interchanges with I-10 Presented by Keith Brann. Most of Marana's interchanges will be pushed to grade separation by the state and others. Marana supports this from a traffic safety standpoint. This brings an opportunity for consistency, that people know they are in Marana and that is pleasing aesthetically. He then continued with the staff goal to foster bridge aesthetics that exhibits a refined style that's timeless and classic while using subtle elemental features that are cost- effectiveboth initially for construction and for long-term maintenance. He continued the presentation with comparisons to other jurisdictions' aesthetics and the opportunity for Council to approve of the design elements. He showed the aesthetics for the Twin Peaks Interchange involving multiple colors and applications on the fencing. He noted that this interchange artistic design is a little flashier than what will be on future interchanges. Staff went to Phoenix and looked at their interchanges because the Phoenix area has used a monochromatic theme on their bridges. This is generally the theme that he would like to use in Marana. It's a simple 2 January 26, 2010 Council Meeting Minutes bridge design and will be less costly to maintain without detracting from the design aesthetics. Mayor Honea asked how often the abutments would have to be painted. Mr. Brann noted that the bright colors fade faster. A desert, brownish hue will fade less quickly -red hues will fade faster. If you are willing to take into consideration a certain amount of fading, you could go 10 years without painting. Mayor Honea then asked if staff was looking at retrofitting existing bridges to tie them into this pattern. Mr. Brann responded that the town would not be retrofitting bridges, mostly because of the upgrading that will be done over the next 10-20 years. In response to comments from Council Member Ziegler, he also noted that design form liners and applications are not expensive. Mr. Brann concluded that staff was hoping for Council direction to proceed. Mr. Davidson added his comments by stating that the presentation before Council is fairly monumental as it will be a stamp of the community for years to come and will define the community and leave an impression upon visitors and residents. He also noted that this was in line with the town's strategic plan. Staff is asking for the ability to move forward with some of the standard design elements, so that with every new interchange there would be a formula. Council would review each project for specific designs. Motion by Council Member McGorray, second by Council Member Post to proceed as indicated by Mr. Davidson. Motion carried unanimously. ANNOUNCEMENTS/UPDATES PROCLAMATIONS MAYOR AND COUNCIL REPORTS: SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS Council Member McGorray reported on an incident that occurred today wherein a disaster was averted by the quick thinking of a citizen to prevent a vehicle from entering the interstate going the wrong way. MANAGER'S REPORT: SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS Mr. Davidson announced that the budget calendar was placed on the dais tonight. If you have any questions, you can contact him. STAFF REPORTS GENERAL ORDER OF BUSINESS CONSENT AGENDA COUNCIL ACTION BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION/POSSIBLE ACTION D 1: Resolution No. 2010-10: Presentation: Relating to the General Plan; major amendment process and adoption of the Public Participation Plan Presented by Kevin Kish. He noted that this was the formal kick off of the 2010 General Plan rewrite. This is on the 10-year cycle for updating the General Plan per state statute. There have been some discussions through the planning organizations about trying to get some legislation to extend the 10-year cycle. Staff is going forward in spite of this. It will be done in-house using the Strategic Plan, the Economic Roadmap and the Parks Master Plan and all the new framework documents and guiding documents. "New Focus, New Thinking, New Direction" is the new mantra. Tonight's presentation is the introduction and the rewrite of the General Plan, January 26, 2010 Council Meeting Minutes the intent, the format and organization. He noted that staff is stepping out of the box and taking a different approach from what has been done in the past. Tonight, Council will be asked to adopt the public participation portion and community outreach portion, which is the resolution contained in the Council packets. The introduction/approach is core values, the vision from the Strategic Plan with Marana as the centerpiece of the Sonoran Desert experience, where fun and progress meet. Staff is taking this as the axiom of the "New Focus, New Thinking, New Direction". The General Plan intent creates the policy to improve the quality of life, reflect Marana's new approach in creating the town's future, and provides direction for Marana that's different, dynamic and diverse. The Plan will educate the community in regard to linkages and supporting roles between land use, the built environment, social infrastructure, resource conservation and natural systems. A lot of these elements are coming from the Strategic Plan, Roadmap, etc. One of the formats is Marana's "Quality of Life Wheel" -everything is tied together with our future vision. The five elements are land management, natural systems, resources conservation, social infrastructure, and the built environment. Instead of trying to look at the required elements in state statutes, we're trying to look at the reality of what's on the ground, and the preservation of resource management. He continued using the PowerPoint presentation slides. He then presented the public participation plan. This requires Council approval. Staff is looking at voter ratification of the General Plan in the 2011 general election. He recognized and introduced Cynthia Ross, long-range planner from his staff who has been doing a lot of work on this project. He opened the discussion up to questions and comments from Council. Council Member Post asked why a General Plan is put into place when exceptions keep coming back to Council to depart from the Plan. Mr. Kish responded that it's a strategy with the previous General Plan. By doing what's called Master Planning Areas, it allows a minor amendment for that and doesn't take the whole cycle of it. Vice Mayor Kai encouraged staff to get input from landowners and investors and people who have a stake in our community. Council Member Ziegler stated that we need to remember that it's just aplan - a suggestion. When things change, Council needs to be flexible. The economy and things in our town are changing, and we need to be able to change as well. Motion by Council Member McGorray, second by Council Member Clanagan to adopt the public participation plan and to proceed with the 2010 General Plan major amendment process. Motion carried unanimously. D 2: Legislative Issues: Discussion/Direction/Action regarding all pending bills before the Legislature No report. EXECUTIVE SESSIONS E 1: Executive Session pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.03 (A)(3), Council may ask for discussion or consultation for legal advice with the Town Attorney concerning any matter listed on this agenda. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn moved by Council Member Clanagan, second by Council Member McGorray. Motion carried unanimously. 4 January 26, 2010 Council Meeting Minutes The meeting was adjourned at 7:12 p.m. CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing are the true and correct minutes of the Marana Town Council meeting held on January 26, 2010. I further certify that a quor~~~~~nt. ~~~~~~~U~niiy~~j _~ O$`~~pRPORAr~$ y i elyn C ronson, Town Clerk ~~ SE~iL ~.-- - .~ January 26, 2010 Council Meeting Minutes