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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 12/12/196623�x 1 MINUTES OF MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL PETAiLUMX, CALIFORNIA December 12, 1966 "Combining tota resources for regional challenges beyond our individual capabilities sounds like a fine idea. The stickler is thavwh °en some people have to 'yield responsibility along with authority, they get shy and buck. "Most elected officials the field agree that the problems of. 1967 and the 1970' and 80's must be faced now. Council Meeting Spec ;ial'meetin'g of the Council of the City of Petaluma called to order by Vice -Mayor Colin at the hour of 7::0 o'clock p, m. Attendance Present: Councilmen Battaglia, Brainerd, Cavanagh, Jr. , Joerger, Lipman and Vice -Mayor Colin. Absent: Mayor Putnam. Notice of the Call Notice of the Special Meeting, called for December 12, 1966, the'.certificate of the City Clerk of the delivery of said notice and'the consent of the members of the City Council to the holding of said meeting, submitted and filed. Purpose of the Vice -Mayor Colin stated that the meeting was called for the Meeting purpose of considering the A ssociation of Bay -Area Govern' - ment's proposal and determining the Council's feeling .of the general concepts of the Association. ABA;G' Upon 'the request of Vice- Mayor Colin,. members of the Council expressed' their opinion regarding the Regional Home Rule proposal presented by the Goals. and Orgnaization Com- mittee of the Association of Bay Area Governments. Council- man Lipman read a prepared .statement and requested that it be included in the record'. Said statement was submitted and filed: "ABAG - Is it worth the effort? "The question of this- Council backing the concept of ABAG has been brought to a :head. The question will be decided Friday. But remember, it's still the Legislature which must make the ultimate determination :. - ' "Retain local home rule has -been a cry for. many years. Home rule is probably cherished more in California than anywhere.. Somewhere along the line, though, we have to pinpoint and recognilze problems. Can the City Council handle all the problem ,staring it in the face during. this modern age? "Of course not. People want clean air, super highways with no rush -hour problems, clean water, navigable rivers, adequate parks and a multitude of other items. ' "We recognize that the cities and counties in the Bay Area form a regional community. Our citizenry is bound together physically, economically and socially. Our individual and collective destinies rest with the interdependent actions of all of us. "Personally, it's exa'spera,ti g.for an:.:elected official - to try and plan a new highway route, only to be told that. .th& state highway department is too loaded .trying to cope with the crowd ed highways we presently have. They doni`t have time to plan for the future. "That's just a starter. "It's easy to become , an emotional sob sister and cry wolf! everytime someone attempts to plan:,a° better future, for aill- of`the people'. ;-Wirth ABAG,- there has been talk of 'creeping centralized government'. and -people trying ='to selfishly 'adeance individual aims by establishing ABAG. "Someone even had the audacity to state that if you don't agree you should be',throw.n out of office . . . one of - the more extremist statements. "I know that everyone of my colleagues sitting here tonight, as well as those in the 90 other Bay Area cities;, have been-wrestling with the advantages and possible disadvantages which this' organization could effect. "To those; who decide against .i'ts* organization, I would commend them for studying aid representing :an informed opinion. -After all, this is what repre- sentative government is all about. "The letter in the Argus Courier today was particularly ng to any person willing to nerve the public: I't's a shame. that with some extremists there is only one line of thinking; But in this city we have been crushing provincial thinking under- foot. Petaluma must plan for the ,future and grow, with California, the most advanced state in the U S;' By sheer: population ,grow'th alone, the problems in this state surge toward the legislative forefront Wirth astounding rapidity every day. JAI 6' not problems we can afford to delay. These are inot the prob- lems we can and bury our collective noses fp the sand, hopiing that some one else will take care of "them for us. . -., "And never for a moment think that the multitude of, problems don'O_affbct us right now. .Petaluma must play a role in the County and in the Bay area ,com- munity. Air pollution, which may have sounded' strait e years ago, is a concern here. today. The hundred people; from the East side who attended their City Council meeting a couple of weeks ago don't feel that air pollution rs as worry just for the Bay Area. "Bay water pollution runs its- jagged course through the bottoms of the Petaluma River and affects this development right now: "Clogged highways in the .Bay Area, have stirred our patience and prompted the non - commuters ;to bless their particular situation. But how long will it be before this same problem heads north? "Then,, as Bob Miller of San Jose stated, if you're against ABAG as.it's now set, up; what''s the alternative?. "Special districts set up by the, state aren't close to the taxpayers . even county government. Just how much control. does the aye taxpayer have over county maadates? "The example, which hit home with many officials, is 'If ABA.G wants to put a. garbage dump 'in our backyard, we won'.t be able to. stop -i't. ' I'll tell you right now, that if the coy unty decides to put a garbage dump .on. the outskirts of any city, you won't be able to stop it. "In county government, unlike the, c -you can't change the makeup of the board . . you only have the choice of "20 per cent of the decision-. "What's the alternative? '';ft seems likely that the state will solve our problems'for if we don't actively seek solutions ourselves. "A.BAG's one drawback, as far as we in the North Bay Counties are con- cerned,, is that the voting status, where every* city has an equal, vote, might'be changed. . The one-man, one:-vote court dictated. ruling might be implemented by a court decision. "If that's true, metro government will become a reality and oux destiny will be largely decided by others. k 1 1 "But, if this doesn't come about and the voting, procedure remains, a's' originally created, A BA G seems to have a representative composition: which will be sensitive to the needs of the Bay Area.. December 12, 1966. "Ithink we have to move, take a :positive step for the future and take an active role in determining the future of the Bay Area. We can't hide our heads and let others do the planning for us. These problems are real and serious and beyond the scope of an individual Council. "I heartily' endorse Santa Rosa Councilman Jack Ryersen's proposal to legally test 'the voting procedure of ABAG the minute the Legislature makes its decision, before any program is -planned or bond is passed. This will .nullify the fears of metro �go�ernment and - g. ye every city a major role in planning for the diverse. . 'problems brought on by --growth." City Robert Meyer reviewed: the three alternates presented by the Goals & Organization. Committee with regard to the method of electing governi=ng boards of the Association. He also recommended that the Council consider Santa Rosa Councilman Jack Ryersen's proposal. which he suggested at last Thursday night's meeting to legally test the voting pro - cedure of ABA'G before the organization plans any program or passes a bond issue. Mayon Putnam entered the meeting. The time was , approxi3- - .t mately 8:00 o'clock p =m: Upon conclusion of the discussion, a motion. was made by Councilman Lipman, and seconded by Councilman. Battaglia, that the Council go on record as favoring the basic principles of ABAG. Motion carried by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Battaglia, Brainerd, Cavanagh, Jr., Lipman and. Mayor Putnam. Noes: Councilmen, Colin and Joerger. Councilman Joerger stated he voted "no because of his strong feeling and concern of what could happen. A motion was then made by Councilman Lipman, and. seconded by Councilman Battaglia that the Council favors Jack Ryerseffl proposal of testing the voting power of the General Assembly immediately after the State Legislature officially makes a decision before any program is planned or bond issue is passe (Councilman Lipman added that he i interested in testing the voting procedure of the General Assembly to make sure that the small cities retain their equal voting representation. ) Motion carried by 6 affirmative votes, 1 negative. The negative vote was cast by Councilman Joerger. Wart.'e.x Master Plait Assistant Director of Planning Robert Byrd stated that a copy Res.. #4652 NCS of resolution adopting the Water Master Plan is required to finalize the City'.s application for its sewer grant, and inas- much as said Plan was not officially adopted by the City at the time it was submitted, it is necessary to do so in order to meet the requirements of the Federal .government, where - upon Resolution #4652 N. C. S. adopting the R. E. Layton Watel Report heretofore filed with the City of Petaluma on December 31,., 1959,. as the Water Master Plan for the City of Petaluma, was introduced by Councilman Colin, seconded by Councilman Cavanagh, Jr. , and adopted by 7 affirmative votes. State; Bids It was decided that the matter of securing vehicles through the State's purchasing program be discussed at the study session following the meeting. 2BS A December 1 1966 mayox,Putnam at this time wished everyone, a Happy 'Holiday S'easoiz, Adjournment There being .no further .business to come before the Council, the meeting' was 'adjourned at' 8 `36 o'clock p. m, to a study session., ayor A ttest: city er i