Laserfiche WebLink
Councilmember Backous noted every decision the Council makes impacts a future Council's <br />decisions. <br />Councilmember Riley stated next year this Council can decide to change something as can a <br />future Council but if within the Charter, it cannot be changed. <br />Councilmember Kuzma stated he finds their proposal to be too restrictive. <br />Councilmember Johns stated she agreed with that sentiment, noting the Council found <br />themselves in a situation to reluctantly move to franchise fees with sideboards to assure it was <br />done in a responsible manner so there is no reason to project that someone elected in the future <br />would not be equally responsible. She stated franchise fees would allow a temporary bridge for <br />funding and she finds the Charter Commission's proposal to be too restrictive. <br />Councilmember LeTourneau stated he would like the opportunity to use franchise fees for five <br />years with a strong commitment to find a replacement for funding during that time period. He <br />stated that is what can be accomplished with Alternative 2 but he does not support the hard line <br />of the sunset. He stated he thinks the Council would focus on alternative funding during that five <br />year term. <br />Mayor Strommen agreed the Council's goal is for a five -year sunset but her issue is that the <br />Council is declaring there is a crisis so this Council wants to use the option of franchise fees but <br />it cannot be used by a future Council. She supported sticking to the commitment to find another <br />revenue sources within that timeframe but she does not support putting that into the Charter. <br />Councilmember Riley stated if the Council is committed to this and the Charter Commission <br />does not support it, he would ask whether the Council can consider enacting a franchise fee <br />ordinance only through a super majority (5 of 7 affirmative votes). <br />City Attorney Langel stated that is an option since it would be more restrictive than State law. <br />Councilmember Tossey stated he agreed with Mayor Strommen's comments relating to <br />restricting only this Council to use this funding option and about placing that restriction within <br />the Charter. He noted the Council could also offer counter language to the Charter Commission. <br />Mayor Strommen stated she likes the idea of proposing a super majority, as suggested by <br />Councilmember Riley, to the Charter Commission. <br />City Administrator Ulrich explained that the City sets fees annually so the Council would have to <br />annually adopt a franchise fee ordinance that would require a super majority. <br />Councilmember Riley stated he was not thinking about an annual requirement but that after a <br />five -year sunset, it would require a super majority vote to renew the franchise fee. <br />City Council Work Session / February 11, 2014 <br />Page 7 of 9 <br />