Meeting Recap: December 12, 2011

(Stillwater, Okla. / Posted Dec. 13, 2011) — The Stillwater City Council met Monday, Dec. 12, 2011, for a regular meeting. 

Minutes for the meeting held Dec. 5 was approved by all.

Consent Docket.

• 2012 City Council meeting schedule. (The schedule is officially submitted to the State of Oklahoma.)
  
  Members of City Council discussed the proposed schedule, which called for two regular meetings a month (1^st and 3^rd Mondays), and if Monday is a holiday it would be moved to the following Thursday. Study sessions would be scheduled as special meetings—not regular meetings.
  
  Council discussed whether it was better to schedule study sessions and cancel them, or whether to schedule them as special meetings as necessary.
  
  In the end, Council John Bartley made a motion to approve the City Council meeting schedule as proposed, but asked for study sessions to be held at least quarterly. It passed 3 to 2. (Mayor Nathan Bates and Councilor Cody Scott voted against the motion.)

Public Comments on Agenda Items not Schedule for Public Hearing

• Four residents made comments concerning Ordinance No. 3156, which pertains to advisory boards and committees. They expressed their views concerning term limits and the need for an oath of office.

General Orders

• External Services Director John McClenny made a video presentation about the City’s pilot program that used goats for vegetation maintenance. He said the pilot program was deemed successful and that goats could be used to control vegetation in places such as Boomer Lake Dam and various rights-of-way. He indicated that staff would be coming back to Council to discuss ordinance changes that would allow those in city limits to used goats in this manner.
• Development Services Operations Director Paula Dennison presented a brief report about Resolution No.  CC-2011-16, which concerns using alternatives to asphalt and concert (permeable materials like gravel) for parking citywide.
• Authorize City Manager to pay one-time, lump sum payment to city employees. City Manager Dan Galloway said this was the third straight year without a cost-of-living adjustment. Council Joe Weaver reminded Council that when the budget was discussed earlier in the year, they wanted to make a mid-term adjustment, if it was financially possible. All agreed to make a one-time payment of $1,250 for regular full-time employees and $625 for regular part-time employees. Galloway thanked the Council on behalf of city staff.
  

Resolutions (Click here to read resolutions in full.)

• Resolution  No. CC-2011-16. A resolution that authorizes the mayor to sign and issue an election proclamation calling for a primary and general election. Approved by all.
•  Resolution  No. CC-2011-17. A resolution that amends the City’s Design and Construction Standards for driveways and parking areas. Approved by all.

Ordinances (Click here to read resolutions in full.)

• Ordinance No. 3156 (First Reading). An ordinance amending Chapter 2, Administration of Stillwater City Code, concerning advisory boards. The Council clarified that advisory board members are not officers and, therefore, are not required to take the State’s oath of office. Councilor Chuck Hopkins pointed out that removing term limits doesn’t mean that City Council has to keep reappointing them. The issue is that some boards have specific skills or knowledge and that if members are willing to serve they should have that option. The Council voted to table the ordinance until the Jan. 5 meeting.

Reports from Officers & Boards

• City Attorney requested an executive session.
• Councilor Joe Weaver asked about agenda items for the Dec. 19 meeting. It was agreed to cancel the meeting because the items were either not ready or could be postponed for a later meeting.

Council recessed for the SUA Meeting.  

Stillwater Utilities Authority Meeting Dec. 12, 2011

The meeting began with the approval of minutes for Dec. 5. Approved by all members of the authority.

Consent Docket

• Two items (the 2012 meeting schedule and purchase of a bucket truck) was approved by all.

SUA recessed for the City Council Meeting, which then recessed to an executive session.

END

Recap by Sherry Fletcher, Marketing and Public Relations.  

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Next City Council Meeting: Thursday, Jan. 5, 2012, at 5:30 p.m. is the Council Room.  Click here for agendas. 

Watch the City Council Meetings:  Videos of Stillwater City Council meetings are made available on the City of Stillwater's YouTube.com channel within five days of the meeting. Note: if meetings are longer than two hours, the video may be available on Stillwater’s Vimeo channel only.

Meeting Recap: December 5, 2011

(Stillwater, Okla. / Posted Dec. 7, 2011) — The Stillwater City Council met Monday, Dec. 5, 2011, for a regular meeting. 

Minutes for the meeting held Nov. 21 was approved by all.

Consent Docket.

• Both items were approved by all.

Public Hearings.

• Special Planner Patty Evans presented a request for a Specific Use Permit by Quench Buds (139 S. Duck) to sell low point beer. It was approved by all.
• Special Planner Patty Evans presented a request to build a single-family home in Brook Hollow Court, which is zoned Multi-Family. Evans said there were other single-family homes in the neighborhood and that this was the last lot to be developed. It was approved by all.
• A continuation from the Nov. 7 meeting for a Map Amendment for property at 619 W. 12 Avenue to change the zoning from  P (public) to O (office). This property is the site of Washington School, Stillwater’s former segregated African American School. Councilor Joe Weaver asked if there could be an interpretive, historical display on the property and the developer said they were open to the idea. Washington School representative Karen Washington spoke about the importance of the school to Stillwater’s black community. Weaver moved to approve the zoning change. The vote originally failed 3 to 2 (Hopkins, Bartley and Scott voted no). However, the council had a “do over” and tabled the zoning request subject to call. Councilor John Bartley said he believed the parties could reach and agreement.
• Continued discussion for the Preliminary Planned Unit Development for a multi-family complex at 315 S. Hester and 614/625 W. 4th Avenue. (The public hearing was held Oct. 3 and tabled subject to call.)   Public comments from Oct. 3 included concerns about infrastructure, parking, size, density, lack of green space. The developers addressed most of the concerns, including wider sidewalks, additional bike racks, deeper set back and a pet waste area, but there was still concerns about parking. Councilor Chuck Hopkins said he would prefer to address the topic following a development study for the area southeast of campus. There was a motion from Councilor Weaver to approve the PUD and it passed 3 to 2 (Scott and Hopkins voted no).

Resolutions (Click here to read resolutions in full.)

• Resolution CC-2011-17. A resolution to support a housing tax credit application by Legacy Senior Residences. Passed by all members of council.

Appointments:

• Rebecca Chavez was appointed to the Board of Drainage Appeals.

Council recessed for the SUA Meeting.

Stillwater Utilities Authority (SUA) Dec. 5, 2011

Meeting began with the approval of minutes for the Nov. 21 regular meeting. The Board of Trustees then approved the consent docket.

General Orders.

• Rural Water Corp #3 Quarterly Report was presented in a written document.
• Water Utilities Director Anthony Daniel made a presentation about a contract for the Kaw Pipeline inspection and evaluation. He explained there were three possible phases, depending on the results of each phase. The project, if all three phases were necessary, would take three years. City Manager Dan Galloway said the inspection was a good investment for citizens. The first report is due May 1, 2012.
• Waste Management services proposals and recommendation. This item was tabled at the Nov. 21 meeting and brought back tonight. Following a discussion, the Trustees were asked to vote on staff recommendation to reject the bid proposal. It passed 4 to 1 (Trustee Nathan Bates voted to accept the proposal.)

Council recessed for the SIRA Meeting.

Stillwater Industrial and Redevelopment Authority (SIRA) Dec. 5, 2011

The only item was approval of the 2012 SIRA meeting schedule.

Meeting adjourned.

END

Recap by Sherry Fletcher, Marketing and Public Relations. 

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Next City Council Meeting: Monday, Dec. 12, 2011, at 5:30 p.m.  Click here for agendas. 

Watch the City Council Meetings:  Videos of Stillwater City Council meetings are made available on the City of Stillwater's YouTube.com channel within five days of the meeting. Note: if meetings are longer than two hours, the video will be available on Stillwater’s Vimeo channel only.