The first of the first-and-third Mondays new City Council schedule, to fit into new finance director Mike Folkers‘ schedule (he is also the Hoquiam finance director). Mr. Folkers is the star of the show tonight, with a presentation on the Ocean Shores 2011 levy.

Found here: It is the mission of the City of Ocean Shores City Council to provide effective leadership, pro-active planning to attain short and long term goals, and to strive for trust, economic prosperity, and quality of life for citizens, businesses, and visitors through fiscal responsibility. This Council will strive to be an open, honest representative, aggressive Council that moves pro-actively to:

Read more…

Was not on last night’s agenda, as council rep Jackie Farra had requested. Last night, she said she wanted to eliminate the $250 filing fee to appeal the Hearing Examiner’s Street LID recommendations. She was told she would first have to make a motion to have it added to the agenda. She made the motion, Gordon Broadbent seconded. Mayor Garland French called for a vote on the motion. For: Farra, Broadbent. Opposed: Dave Creighton, Bob Crumpacker, John Lynn, Dick Skewis. (Not present: Peggy Berry.) The motion was killed, the $250 fee stands.

Tonight, City Council did which of the following:

a) Fully supported Jackie Farra, in completely eliminating the $250 LID appeal fee

b) Agreed that was too much, and lowered the fee to $25

c) Discussed the issue in great detail but, ultimately, decided against it

d) Voted against even discussing the idea

At the Sept. 27 City Council meeting, councilor Jackie Farra shared citizens’ frustrations over the $250 fee, for Street LID assessment appeals. Mayor Garland French informed her that it was council that set the fee, and that council could change it. Farra asked for a vote to do so. She was told that, for something to go to a council vote, it would have to be on an agenda. She asked that it be on an agenda. French said it would be: “You’re right to ask for an agenda item, so I’ll do that.”

The agenda for the Oct. 11 City Council meeting has been released. It has one item of business, concerning residential homes in business areas.

What happened to the Farra request?

Street LID Hearing Examiner Wayne Tanaka’s report was received by the City yesterday. Those whose appeals were denied have 10 “calendar” days — not 10 “business” days, as the City Attorney Art Blauvelt stated at the Sept. 27 City Council meeting — to file an appeal. At this point, it will cost $250 to file an appeal. At the Sept. 27 council meeting, council member Jackie Farra requested that reducing the fee be on an agenda. Mayor Garland French agreed to do so. “We have plenty of time,” he said.

Blauvelt email, this morning (in response to my request for the decision to be emailed to me, to post here): “My expectation is that the decision of Mr. Tanaka will go on the city’s website today.”

Email from Blauvelt, yesterday: “In your newspaper of September 29 you stated that the timeline to appeal a decision of the Hearing Examiner is 10 “business” days.  The correct timeline is that a lot owner who filed a protest has 10 calendar days to file an appeal to the city council.”

At last night’s City Council meeting, which of  the following was done about the Mayor’s $99,600 salary:

a) it was cut in half, to $49,800, to fund a City Administrator

b) it was doubled, to $198,200, with the Mayor given “double duties”

c) it was “zero-ed out,” and the Mayor position was eliminated

d) nothing was done

According to a press release just issued, “The City Councils of the City of Hoquiam and Ocean Shores will consider a short-term agreement to provide financial management services to the City of Ocean Shores beginning September 1. ”
“The resignation of Ocean Shores Finance Director Art Wuerth created the opportunity to consider other methods of delivering essential public services.

At this afternoon’s budget study session, with council, the mayor and several department heads, the veteran councilman Dave Creighton just said, to the department heads present (Mike Styner, Police/Fire; Ken Lanfear, Public Works; latecomer Ken Mercer, Convention Center): “This is going to be the hardest budget that staff has ever gone through. I’m going to nail you guys for every single dime. This budget will be council driven, not staff-driven
“I don’t feel in the last few years we have done a very good job in budgeting . . .
“I believe it’s about time we took control of the budget and decide where the money is going.”

According to Ken Lanfear, director of Public Works who gave a presentation tonight, Ocean Shores is spending the following amount to keep weeds out of “fresh waterways“:

a) $140,000, just like was budgeted from the Storm Drain fund

b) $300,000, because the weeds are really bad this year

c) nothing, because we got State grants to take care of everything

d) nothing, because we spent all the money on lawyers

Answer in this week’s North Coast News . . .