Council debates over canceled workshops

Published 4:53 pm Tuesday, May 19, 2009

The Bonney Lake City Council canceled a workshop that was to have taken place Tuesday night, kicking off a discussion about the need to meet every week.

“I don’t feel we should have workshops when we just have one item to discuss until it’s really important,” Deputy Mayor Dan Swatman said.

Councilman Mark Hamilton, who voted against canceling the workshop, said he felt it was good for the council to meet each week.

“During open discussion, councilmembers can bring items that they feel are important,” he said. “I think it important for the council to meet if there are one or two items.”

Hamilton asked it there was a cost savings if workshops were canceled.

Councilman David Bowen noted that council meetings have been short lately. He suggested that at the end of regular council meetings there be a period for open discussion among the council.

“There are people that attend every council meeting,” Bowen said. “I personally am uncomfortable meeting 10 to 15 minutes because I feel that the people are taking their time to come.”

Mayor Neil Johnson reminded Bowen about the times when the council has sat through four-hour meetings.

Councilman Dave King does not see canceling workshops as a trend.

“Being on the council for eight years, this is a fluke,” King said. “We will soon enough find ourselves on the other end when we’ll have more than enough to do.”

King said the council should go on a case-by-case basis.

“There are a number of things in the pipeline,” said Morrison. “This is more of the the exception than the rule. It won’t happen very often.”

Addressing another agenda item during their May 12 meeting, the council voted 6-1 to add the issue of view protection as a low priority item to the 2009 Planning Commission Workplan. Bowen was the lone opposing vote.

Swatman said there would be more important matters coming before the Planning Commission.

“This is not something I feel they need to spend a lot of staff time and effort on,” Swatman said.

Johnson said this may not be an issue now, but will be in the future for such subdivisions as Sky Island, Grandview Estates and Panorama Heights.

Councilwoman Laurie Carter noted that trees were part of the view.

“Trees that are cut down change the character of a neighborhood,” she said.

The council unanimously passed a resolution authoring the city to electronically submit a grant proposal to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Police Chief Mike Mitchell said the city will apply for $26,000 from the Edward Bryne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program.

Mitchell said a portion of the grant money will be used to update monitors in court to help with the e-ticket system and the remaining money will help with the new 800-MHz communications system.

The council also approved authorizing Bonlak Invest-ment to renovate the existing water main for Bonney Lake Self Storage.

Johnson also proclaimed May 17-23 as Public Works Week and Curt Roundtree, lead work for Public Works, accepted the proclamation on behalf of the department.