PEACE AND TRANQUILITY

Ruston, WA regular council meeting January 4,2010 7 pm:

Peace and tranquility reign over the Ruston Town Council after four strife filled years. The change was immediate and provides a platform for moving ahead. Call me Mr. NICE from now on. Although I may disagree on some points that seem contradictory there is no doubt the Town is now moving forward with one voice. With the major development underway Ruston is in better shape than a lot of other towns undergoing dramatic cuts. But times are tough and the future murky for the whole country. But efforts to resolve problems rather than create them is a formula for success.

This blog is relatively unimportant now that conflicts are not the mainstay. I will post a link to Karen Pickett's RUSTONHOME here. Karen's hearing is better than mine and she records each meeting for accuracy. I try more for a play by play.

AGENDA approved 4-0 as amended.
Swearing in of mayor Bruce Hopkins and council person Jane Hunt followed by the newest council person swearing in Deborah Kristovich with a huge smile. Welcome.

PUBLIC COMMENTS
Sherri - Visited Mary Joyce. She is up and walking and should be home soon.
Karen - Advocates public comments on agenda items.
JJ McCamment - LID underway in Point Ruston. Locating pipes and sewers caused month delay.

BUSINESS
Agenda item #1 STREET LIGHTING - MO FESHARAKI
. Gave presentation of costs and details of three bids.
. Tacoma Electric Supply low bidder
. Saved Town $2,300 dollars. By coincidence my cost.
. Poles $930 each Fixtures $890 each.
. Shipping costs included, damage not included. Shipped FOB.
. Fixtures stored at school, poles apart.
Jane - include tops for STACK HILL? Answer Yes.
Lyle - Security storing poles outside?
Mo - Delivery in 8-10 weeks. Contractor working on conduit.
Jane - Target time to install?
Mo - Ten weeks if approved tonight.
End of presentation.
Agenda item #2 Resolution 459 ORDER STREET LIGHTS AND POLES
Bruce - Need motion which bid to accept.
Jane - Thought Tacoma Electric saved $2,300?
Bruce -
. Intent was to give us on 47 poles, fixtures.
. Now replace 10 street lights Stack Hill.
Jane - Go with DARK SKY.
Passes 5-0.
Agenda item #3 Online Bill-pay Vendor Agreements

Jim - Why four vendors?
Bruce - Just for Utility payments.
Jane -
. Impressed with BIAS organization
. Credit card use is less costly
. Check clearance only .38 cents
Bruce -
. Biggest feature is billing.
. Was done manually before
. Point of sale credit card swipe
. Building permit pay with credit card
Passes 5-0
Agenda item #4 Ordinance No. 1304 Repealing Ch. 1.12 RMC (first reading)
David -
. Sally Everding did Master Revision in 2004 put code online
. Nevertheless doing revision now
. Provisions need to be changed, redundant, contradictory need reorganizing.
. Personnel in Municipal code not good. Need to replace this.
. Will be more changes in the future.
. On rustonwa.ord click on Municipal code
First reading - no vote

CLAIMS AND PAYROLL
Jim - Need to code bills by fund.
Bruce -
. BIAS will provide that. Breakdown on percentage basis.
. Disperse phone charges by percentage to individual funds. Before all were charged to general fund.
. You can get breakdown by what you want to see.
Passes 5-0

MAYOR'S TIME
Welcome to Deborah. Truly appreciate what you are doing. Things have changed here. We now work together. As a business owner you add valuable experience. Very pleasurable, dialog open

BUILDING PERMITS
. Except for things in past we would not be in position we are today.
. Putting things in place to prevent future problems
. Notification process for building permits in process
. Have in place in January. Mariah does.
. BIAS professional services contract
. Whole internal process, including accounting function.
. If too expensive we fire them, hire outside.

COUNCIL TIME
Bradley -
. Happy new year to all.
. Congratulations to Deborah
. A better situation for everybody.
. Spoke to my banker to get better interest rate for town
. To JJ, would like revised schedule for Point Ruston. What is going on?
. Present at next council meeting Jan. 19th.
. ten (10) light fixtures left over from Stack Hill we need to sell on Craig's List.
Jim -
. Thanks to Deborah.
. We now have an august council.
Jane -
. Welcome Deborah, a good neighbor.
. Wonderful business person
. Has point of view, not bashful.
Lyle -
. Mariah, one hour bring up to date what it does (BIAS)
. Change to be beneficial
. BIAS not for large cities for small towns
. We are the smallest town to use
. Question why surveying going on in alleys?
Bruce - for sewers.
. Identify need for laterals
. Charge residents over time
. Street light construction starting soon, sewers soon after
. Fircrest does not have funding we have
Lyle - nothing
Deb -
. Thanks to all in room
. I am honored and privileged to serve
. Warm welcome means a lot to me
. Software beneficial to businesses
. Will be assigned public works and parks liaison responsibility

8:47 ADJOURN

Just a note on my disagreements:
1) DARK SKY (Ruston), v. SAFE STREETS (Tacoma). Everywhere except Ruston more lighting is encouraged. This action was the result of one persons repeated complaints. Not only running up the costs on STACK HILL but now Ruston has ten light poles to sell at a loss.
2) Mayor notifying street lights on Tacoma side of POINT RUSTON will not be acceptable for the Ruston side of POINT RUSTON. Figure that one out. Not one person currently residing in the Town of Ruston will be affected by these lights. This is senseless and emphasises why Point Ruston is building out on the Tacoma side first. That Ruston officials have this infinite knowledge that Tacoma lacks has not been explained. Obstructionism, pure and simple, running up the costs needlessly.
3)The better shape the Town of Ruston is in is due solely, 100 percent, to the COMMENCEMENT. Why not recognize this and apologize for the four year hostile campaign the town mounted against the condominiums.

Town of Ruston officials:
Mayor, Bruce Hopkins
Council, Bradley Huson, Jim Hedrick, Deborah Kristovich, Lyle Hardin, Jane Hunt
Attorney, David Britton
Planner, Rob White
Clerk/Treasurer, Myriah Mesa
Fire Chief, Don Torbet
Police Chief, Jeremy Kunkel
Electrician, Mo Fesharaki
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