Report from Oct 2 Council Meeting - Thursday, October 4, 2007

Successful Council Meeting at Rainier Manor



The Mayor and City Council for the first time held a meeting outside of City Hall in an effort to involve more residents in the city’s activities. This meeting was held in the Community Room of the senior citizens facility, Rainier Manor, on Queens Chapel Road.



It was quite a success as the room was packed with over 50 residents and a good mix of people from the center and others who were at Rainier Manor for the first time. Some of the Rainier Manor residents told me they enjoyed very much seeing how the Council operated.



Over 60% of Mt. Rainier live in apartments in the Northern part of the city and it is important that we figure out how to get them more involved in our community. I hope this was a step in that direction and we can have more meetings in other parts of our city.




Violence in Our Community and the Need for Recreational Facilities for Our Youth


The Mayor opened the meeting with a very eloquent statement about what was happening to the Black youth in our community. She discussed the young person who was shot and killed in our City two weeks ago. He lived in our town with his family for many years. The Mayor stated that he is not the first Black young person in Mt. Rainier to have been shot this year. Furthermore a lot of the youth who have grown up in our town are now incarcerated. She blamed a good deal of this on the lack of recreational programs and jobs for our youth. She feels it is something the Council has not been adequately addressing and should be a top priority. I strongly agree with her and will do what I can to support her in this.





Council Approves Contract with Police Union


The Council approved a three year contract with the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) that represents the public safety officers and also voted on similar raises for the employees who do not have a union.



The Mayor, City Manager, and Police Chief negotiated what I felt was a fair increase both for the city and its employees. It calls for 13% in raises over three years which comes to about 4.3% a year, which is close to the average wage increase throughout the country. The city had put aside money in its contingency fund to pay for the wages so it should not have any negative impact on the city’s finances.



This puts an end to a year of controversy over collective bargaining in Mt. Rainier. We should now have three years of ‘labor peace’ where city employees get the compensation package they deserve.





Council Approves Agreement with Landmark Atlantic


The Council approved the partnership agreement with Landmark Atlantic. I voted against the agreement especially when a new amendment makes it very difficult for the Council to unilaterally get out of the agreement if it doesn’t work out.



I don’t think the agreement helps the city because Landmark doesn’t control any of the properties. But the Council has passed the agreement and we must move ahead.



What happens next? I think the ball is in Mr. Holland’s (person who controls the properties) court. He may move ahead with his proposal by consolidating his ownership by actually purchasing or extending his option on the properties in question and moving ahead with conceptual designs. He would eventually have to go to the city and the county for zoning and other approvals at which point, I think, the town can block or delay his project.



It is also possible that Holland may feel that with all the Council opposition to his project, he backs out of the project and the properties go back on the market.



I took what I felt was the right position on the Landmark Agreement but will also now work with the rest of the Council to make sure we have the best development possible in downtown Mt. Rainier.





Council Approves Corn Bin



The Council voted on an ordinance to approve a corn bin and its placement behind 3601 Bunker Hill Road. There are ten Mt. Rainier families who currently burn corn to heat heir houses and hopefully more will convert once the supply is so easily accessible.



The next steps are for the people working on the corn bin is to work with the county’s planning department on a detailed site plan, a public hearing and then permitting. They expect to be in operation at least by next year’s heating season if not mid-season this year.



Other Council Actions


Approval of traffic calming devices on the 3800 block of 31St., 3100 and 3200 block of Perry St. and the corner of 32nd and Bunker Hill (there are details about this in the most recent issue of The Message).



Passed ordinance extending time for payment of traffic citations and ensuring that people get a second notice before the fine goes to $120 (after 60 days – now 30 days) and then $240 (after 90 days – now 45 days). Effective date of 1/1/08.



Approval to advertise for requests to renovate 3409 Rhode Island Ave. for a new library, community room and rental space. The Council has been working on this project for a number of years and now will be moving toward actual development of the project. There will be public hearings before any money is spent.





Look for new signs on area businesses


Gateway Community Development Corporation (CDC) received a grant to help businesses put up new signs in Mt. Rainier. Nick Francis, the Executive Director of the Gateway CDC, reported that new signs were going to be up at Artmosphere, Nisey’s Boutique and Island Ice Cream in the next month or so.