HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 09/15/1947September 15, 1947.
Regular meeting of the Council of the City of Petaluma called to
Order by Mayor Woodson.
ROLL CALL:
Present: Councilmen Deiss, King, Minogue, Myers, Shoemaker,
and Mayor Woodson.
READING OF THE JOURNAL:.
The minutes of the last regular meeting of September 2, 1947
were read, an error in designating Madison St. as Payran St; was
pointed out by the City Attorney and corrected by'the City Clerk,
whereupon said minutes were approved.
REPORTS' OF OFFICER'S:
e 11st o c alms and bills (Nos. 582 to 751 inclusive)
approved by Lohn R. Ficklin, Manager., Were read, filed, and
Resolution #26 N.C.S.
introduced by Councilman Deiss, seconded by Councilman Minogue,
approving said list, adopted by 7 affirmative votes,
PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS:
Solicitation for applications, Director, Department of Public
Works, prepared by the City Manager was read and filed.
Communication from Mayor Obert Pedersen of Santa Rosa, extending
an invitation to Petaluma to participate in the program for Open
House Week and inviting Mayor Woodson to be present on Sept. 25th,
accompanied by" "Miss Peta.lumat° and other citizens of Petaluma,
read, and f it ed.
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Designation .of Major Streets:,
A list of streets designated by a_committee. composed of the
City Engineer, Chief of Police, Fire.Chief and Supt. of Streets,
as Major Streets, was read and placed on file.
:Request for financial aid to fight telephone rate increase:
Communication from the City of Sacramento, calling attention
to-the importance of opposing the application of the Pacific
Telephone and Telegraph Co, for an increase in telephone rates and
asking for contributions from cities for the purpose of employing
legal counsel and consulting engineers to prepare and present
technical data and evidence in oppositioh to-the application, read
filed and referred to .the City Manager for investigation.
Re - organization rof National Guard Co,. for Petaluma.
Letter from the Petaluma Chamber of Commerce, asking that
a representative be delegated to attend a.meeting to be held on
October 13, 1947, prepared to express the views of the City Council
in regard to the organization of a,National Guard Company for this
City, read and filed.
City R o Ficklin was appointed as said representative
and directed to express the views of the City Council that this project'
be supported as strongly as possible.
Pro j,e.et, Statements - budgeting funds for traffic signals:
Project Statement to budget funds for the modernizing of the
traffic signal. at Main & Washington St.s.. and .additional funds to
install a new-signal at 3rd and D.Sts. was submitted and approved
for aigning and return to the State Division of Highways.
Petition for impv., of 6th St. under County funds:
A petition addressed to Supervisor Geo. Kennedy from property
owners on 6th St,. below I'St. asking that said street be improved
by the County, and which petition had been passed to City Manager
Ficklin for attention by Supervisor.Kennedy, was read'and discussed,
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it being the consensus of opinion that Mr. Ficklin ►s andwer to
Supervisor ,Kennedy that he' felt that the existence . of this petition
should not alter the recommendation of the Council to the Board of
Supervisors regarding county work on Petaluma streets already
submitted, was correct.
The majority of the members of the Council expressed themselves
as being opposed to the improvement of streets not first improved and
paid for by the property owners, and they felt that County funds should
be used only on streets of general county interest.
Mr. Ficklin reported that Supervisor Kennedy believes that
every.year from now on there. will be some money or at.least ability
to do some work for cities and that his policy will be to give some
work to Sebastopol one year and to Petaluma the next.
City Attorney Brooks reported that Mr. Hein had employed
him to draw up a contract for the' signature of the property owners
on G St.- to have curbs. and gutters constructed by. him :under. 1rivate
contract, 'that the- plans and- specifications for said work will be
filed with .the City Clerk.
In connection with the discussion of the improvement of
streets, Councilman John King suggested that'as soon as the Department
of Public Works is organized, that. a survey , of -all streets 'be "made
and that if property owners will not improve them under 1r ivate
contract, that the work be ordered under the Street - Improvement
Act.
Forms prepared by the City Manager for the registration
Of vendors and purveyors was submitted and filed.
INTROD UCTION OF ORDINANCES "
Re removes of 'human remains' from Oak-Hill Cemetery:
Ordinance No'. •7 N.C.S. introduced by Councilman 1 yers
seconded by Councilman Minogue, entitled,
"_kN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PETALUPJA PROVIDING FOR
THE DISINTERRING AND REMOVAL .OF ALL HU111AN REMAINS
FRO1.1 OAK HILL PARK, ALSO KNOWN AS OAK HILL CEMETERY. ►►
was read and. passed + to print by 'the following vote:
Ayes: Councilmen Reiss,' King, minogue, Myers, Seidell,
Shoemaker, and Mayor Woodson.
Noes: None.
Absent: None .1-'-' 1.
ADOPTION OF ORDINANCES
Clhange of .due. date for. s.al;es tax, returns.:
Ordinance Na. 5 N.C.S -. introduced by Councilman Sedell,
seconded by Councilman 'Shoemaker, entitled,
"AN ORDIh1ANCE' AMENDING SECTION- OF THE "SALES
AND USE TAX ORDINANCE No. 616 G.S. TO CHANGE THE
DUE 'AND PA=T DATE OF SALES AND . USE TAXES FROM THE
FIFTEENTH DAY THE. LAST DAY OF * THE MONTH NEXT
SUCCEEDING EACH QUARTERLY PERIOD."
came up regularly and,'having been published according to law,
was adopted by the following vote:
Ayes; Councilmen Deiss, King, Minogue, Myers,;Seidell,
Shoemaker., and Mayor Woodson.
Noes: None.
Absent: None.
City Planning.,CommissiOn'- membership & duties:
Ordinance No., '6 N.C..S. introduced by Councilman King,
seconded by Councilman.Deis.s, entitled,
"AN ORDINANCE OF' THE CITY OF PETALUMA AMENDING SECTION
2 OF ORDINANCE NO. 513 C.S., PROVIDING FOR THE M -iMER-
SHIP OF .THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE DUTIES
THE REOF..
came up regularly and, having been published according to law,
was adopted by the following vote:
Ayes: Councilmen Deist.,, King, Minogue, Myers, Seidell
Shoemaker, and Mayor Woodson..
Noes: None.
Absent: None.
NEX. BUSINESS
Transfer of funds:
Resolution #27 N.C.S.
introduced by Councilman Myers, seconded by Councilman Minogue,
entitled,
"A resolution providing for the transfer from the
urnapportioned Fund of the sum of $14,709.27 to the Park,
Fire, Music,'arid Funds, for the purpose of
balancing the deficit in said funds as of the 15th
day of September, 1947, and to eliminate.said funds* i t
was adopted by 7 affirmative votes.
Attendance .of' City Officials at 'League ' &" other Conventions:
Resolution #28 N.C.S.
introduced by Councilman Seidell, seconded by Councilman Shoemaker,
entitled,., - - I .
"A resolution providing for the attendance of City
Officials at the Convention of the-League of California
Cities. in San Francisco: attendance of the City
— Manager -at -the International City Managers t Annual
Conference at. Coronado, and the City Attorney at the
_convention of the National Institute of Municipal
Law Officers At 'Los. Angeles - , i 4
was..adopted by 7 affirmative votes.-
Re: - inspection of hotels , rooming ..hou.s`es etc:mti._
City Manager Ficklin stated that it -i_s des , ir:ed to complete
an inspection -of all hotels, rooming houses and public lodgings in
Petaluma to determine conformance with housing,, sanitary and fire
laws,,regulations and ordinances pertaining thereto and that he
had requested the City Clerk to furnish the City Health .Officer and
himself with a list of subject establishments showing operator's name,
owner and business address; that he had also requested a meeting of
the Fire Chief, Police Chief, and Building Inspector,.for the purpose
of planning the method of survey and inspection; determining the
desirability of soliciting assistance from State or County Inspectors,
and preparing a report form on which standard information regarding
each-inspection-can tabulated;, and that the City Attorney furnish
the Health Officer either a digest or full text of laws, ordinances:,
regulat.ion.s and codes pertinent to subject.
The members ofthe City Council expressed themselves as being
highly -in favor of the survey.
Re letter of recommendation American Bus Lines:
Councilman King reported that.he had been -asked by Attorney
Clarendon Anderson, representing the American Bus Lines, to request
the City:Council to send a letter to the Interstate Commerce Commission
asking that body to recommend favorahly on the application of the
American Bus Lines®
The matter was referred to the City Manager to draft such a
letter~.
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Policy,' to be following in buying for City:
City 14an ager Ficklin asked that the City Council establish
a policy to guide him.* in 'the matter, of buying for ,the City,, stating
that it is - his recommendation that purchases be made at the best
price, rebardless of where purchased. The matter was discussed
and it.was.agreed that -the City-Manager's recommendation be accepted.
Cat .zens Committee.:
n
No actio was taken in matter of appointing a Citizen's
Committee; but Mr.;Lohn R. Ficklin suggested that he believed it_
would be advantageous ao`have one member of the City Planning
Commission serve as a member of the Citizens committees
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Re - Hopper St. Grade:
1r. Ficklin, City Manager, reported having met with
Clarence E. Seage, Consulting Engineer, the City Attorney.,
the City Engineer and the Supt. of Streets regarding the
establishment of a new grade on Hopper St. He outlined
the plan which they -hoped to follow if the Northwestern Pacific
Railroad can be. prevailed upon to move its main and spur
30 to the east side of the street to permit the building of a
50.foot roadway- with:a'10'foot sidewalk on the west side.
The City-Manager also .reported having met with , a
representative of Madison Square Subdivisions, the City Engineer
and City Attorney,and stated.that he believed they had reached
a satisfactory solution in providing drainage across:Madison
Street to the River. He stated that they had agreed that the
matter will. be taken' of before this winter.
Option Oak Hill Park;
A'lengthy discussion was had regarding the granting of
an option to the Petaluma*Hospital District to acquire Oak Hill
Park as a site for their" proposed hospital.
City Attorney Karl Brboks reported that he had met with
Deputy District Attorney Joe Maddux', representing the Hospital
District, Hospital - *Directors Mr. Bud Feliz and Mr. ridrew
Cunningham; that Attorney Maddux and he-are in definite °agree-
ment on the fact that the giving of an option involves the.
problem of determining how far-the City should go in encumber®
ing the title to the; property of Oak Hill by an option or any.
legally binding contract until there is some assurance - that
the option will include the condition that the Hospital District
not- only - desires and intends to, but also =has the money-
construct a hospital and that that hospital shall be approved
by.the City.
Mr. Brooks also stated that he had suggested to Mr.
Maddux, as the legal representative -of the hospital district;,
that .he prepare a draft 'of , an option to be submitted to the City,
(to which Mr.. - Maddux agreed) but. that so far n.o draft of an '
option had been received by. him'.
He pointed out thdt;the Council, should realize the
danger of authorizing - the issuance and }granting of an-option
which would be legally binding upon the City without any con -
sderationfor it, and which could result in encumbering the
title to the property without any.assurance as to the conditions
under which that option could be!accepted
He also stated that,the City Council should determine
whether a sufficient amount of money has been actually raised
by the District to reimburse the City for expenses incurred in
the disinterring and removal off humarn- *remains from "Oak Hill
Park, and further that the Council should approve - in a general
way the design size of the proposed hospital.
Mr. Bud Feliz addressed the Council stating that approx-
imately $20,000. will be raised by taxes, this year for the
hospital district.,
Councilman John King expressed his opinion that the City
should take definite action_in.the matter of either issuing an
option or denying ;it. He stated that he was in favor of giving
Oak Hill Park to" the district. for the purpose of building a
hospital upon the conditions that,:
1. They build 'a hospital .upon the site w thin five years;
2. That if there is. any great expense in clearing the
title through the proceedings of removing human remains, etc.
that that expense be borne'by the hospital district;
3. That until contracts have - been- approved for the
construction of the.hospital'the option cannot'be exercised.
It was the opinion of the Councl• that they were in favor
of donating the site for the hospital, and the City Attorney was
directed to- prepare an option on the conditions as� outlined by
Councilman King.
ADJOURNMENT.. .There being no further business to come before
the.meeting, the meeting was declared adjourned.
ATTEST: �f/