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Home My WebLink AboutMinutes - Minutes - City Council - Meeting Date: 12/4/1990MINUTES OF THE WORKSHOP SESSION OF THECITYCOUNCILOFTHECITYOFGLENDALE, MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA HELD TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1990 AT 3:05 P.M. Vice Mayor Hugh called the Workshop Session of theGlendaleCityCounciltoorderintheWorkshopRoom, B-3, intheGlendaleCouncilChambers. Council members presentwere: Bellah, Huffman, Scruggs and Tolby. Members absent: McAllister and Mayor Renner. Also present were Gordon L. Pedrow, Assistant CityManager; Peter Van Haren, City Attorney and Linda Ginn, Deputy City Clerk. WORKSHOP SESSION 1. REVIEW OF DRAFT REGIONAL TRANSIT PLAN Staff: Tim Ernster, Deputy City Manager, Community Services Bill Budlong, Transit Director Outside speakers: Deborah Linehan, Regional Public Transit Authority Glenn Goodrich Ms. Linehan prefaced her presentation by saying that she would like to thank Glendale for the leadership role they have played in this process. They were the first community to actually adopt its local transit plan. She then proceeded to report that Glendale and other communities throughout Maricopa County developed local transit plans in 1989 and 1990. These plans were all developed at the grassroots level. They were forwarded to the Regional Public Transportation Authority and were merged into one draft Regional Transit Plan by the Citizen Advisory Committee CAC). The CAC is composed of citizens from throughout Maricopa County; nine members came from Glendale. The CAC worked from June through November to merge the local plans into the new draft Regional Plan. The draft Regional Plan is being sent back to local communities for review and comment. A series of "Open Houses" are being held to gather citizen input; Glendale's Open House occurred on November 20, 1990. Finally, city councils are also being requested to review and comment on the draft. The CAC will utilize the comments received to finalize the draft Plan and then forward it on to the Board of Directors of the Regional Public Transportation Authority. Mr. Goodrich said that the Draft plan does increase Dial -a -Ride service in the city not only in frequency but also hours of operation. N Mr. Goodrich suggested the following ideas to add to thedraftplan: 1. Extend the present east/west route on Greenway fromterminationat51stAvenuetoterminationat59thAvenue. This would give service to AGSIM. 2. Extend the service on 51st Avenue from Thunderbird toUnionHillsRoad. 3. Add a mile to the route on 59th Avenue from Bell toUnionHillsRoad, which would allow access to Honeywell. 4. Add two additional miles to the Union Hills route and extend it from 43rd Avenue to 59th Avenue, to also allow east/west access to Honeywell. Mr. Goodrich also suggested that some form of a local circulator trolley system be implemented downtown to allow for more circulation in the downtown area. He said this would enhance the redevelopment of the downtown area and would make it possible for the people to get a little further on their lunch hours. Councilmember Scruggs said she supported the suggestion on extending the routes but does have a lot of questions on Dial -a -Ride. She said that after looking at the draft plan she is assuming that there would not be a Glendale Dial -a -Ride as such but a regional Dial -a -Ride plan to replace it. Staff said it would be administered regionally and would greatly expand the Dial -a -Ride system. Mr. Budlong explained that right now the Glendale plan operates ten hours a day, five days a week. Under the regional plan, it would be available nineteen hours a day at six days a week and fourteen hours on Sunday. Mr. Budlong also said that the Dial -a -Ride service would no longer end at municipal boundaries it would be available on a valley -wide basis. He said it remains to be planned who would provide this service. Councilmember Scruggs asked staff if the fare structure would be the same regardless of where the service originated. Staff responded positively. Councilmember Scruggs asked if the service would be door-to-door. Staff responded that the regional service is envisioned to be for the elderly and handicapped throughout the metro area and to expand to the general public in the outlying areas where bus service has not risen to a level where it meets people's needs. Councilmember Scruggs said that she concurred with the statement of the Glendale Plan on rapid transit; that "it should be a part of the long term strategy but must be deferred in the initial phase due to cost considerations. The bus service must be the highest priority." She said that 031 she did not agree with the statement under the reducedparkingsection. She feels it is too harsh to change thezoningordinancetosetamaximumamountofparkingindevelopments. Councilmember Tolby said right now Glendale uses some ofitslotterymoneytofundDial -a -Ride and if the regionalplangoesthroughdoesthatmeanthattheywon't have toexpendthatmoneyinthatareaanymore. Staff replied thatrightnowGlendaleisrequiredtoexpendaboutonethirdofitsshareofthelotteryfundsfortransitbutcouldsavetheothertwo-thirds of the lottery funds and expend them in someotherlocaltransitarea. Mr. Budlong said that Mr. Goodrich recommended that some of these funds be used for the downtown trolley program. Councilmember Bellah said he had a problem with the idea of giving Dial -a -Ride door to door service in the outlying areas to the general public. Ms. Linehan explained that the committee recommended this because the Dial -a -Ride service is relatively more efficient than the fixed route service. After lengthy discussion, Ms. Linehan explained that the rural Dial -a -Ride service is just to get the passenger to an area that does have fixed route service not to take them clear into downtown Phoenix. Mr. Pedrow said he thinks it is important that the Council send a clear message to the CAC to change the wording of the reference to rail transit to read "Conduct feasibility study for commuter rail and high speed transit in high travel demand corridors," deleting any reference to more funding for this area. These comments will be forwarded to the Regional Public Transportation Authority for future consideration. 2. DEMONSTRATION RECYCLING PROGRAM Staff: Ken Reedy, Deputy City Manager, Public Works Mike Hoyt, Field Operations Director Mr. Reedy introduced Richard Perkins, Susan Burrowbridge and Vic Sloan who were members of the recycling task force. Staff reported that on August 14, 1990, the Mayor and City Council appointed a ten member citizens task force to study the issue of recycling in Glendale. After numerous meetings, the task force submitted its recommendation for a comprehensive demonstration program consisting of both curbside test areas and drop off centers at nine school sites. The task force also recommended the purchase of a brush chipping machine to reduce the volume of loose trash E, going to the landfill and to utilize the chipped material forcompost. The Utilities Committee has reviewed the recommendationsofthetaskforceontwooccasions. At its meeting ofNovember28, the Committee developed a consensusrecommendationforthefullCounciltoreview. It consistsofexpandingthedropoffcenterstoallschoolsites (31) for the receipt of at least two types of recyclablenewspapersandtin/aluminum cans) while exploring thefeasibilityofreceivingadditionalitemssuchasglass, plastic or steel cans. The Utilities Committee also requested that this effort be staffed by employees devoted only to the recycling program. At this time, it appears likely that this can be done by transferring two employees from the residential collection Division in January when Saturday service is initiated. Council concurred with staff recommendation and directed that this item be placed on a future Council agenda for formal consideration. 3. 1989-90 COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT ("CAF Staff: Ray Shuey, City Controller Art Lynch, Finance Director Ken Martin, Deputy City Manager, Management Resources Staff stated that trends in the City's general governmental pre -1983 levels. At t the second year in a r stable Fund Balance the operations for a quart event of a recession. this year's CAFR shows many positive financial management. Specifically, expenditures as listed are down to ze same time, revenues remain high for Dw. These trends directly result in a t is available to help fund short-term er of the current fiscal year in the The outlook for the City is very good, despite the valley -wide slowdown in the economy. With no property tax increases proposed, service levels remaining virtually unchanged, continuing growth in General Fund undesignated fund balance and steady revenue growth continuing, the City has a very promising short-term outlook. This item is for Council's information only. M. L C There being no further items to come before the Council, the meeting adjourned at 4:50 p.m. Deputy City Clerk LIM