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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-02-18 Town Council Minutes• TOWN COUNCIL EVENING MEETING TUESDAY, February 18, 2003 7:00 P.M. TOV COUNCIL CHAMBERS The regular meeting of the Vail Town Council was called to order at 7:00 P.M. in the Town of Vail Council Chambers by Mayor Ludwig Kurz. MEMBERS PRESENT: Ludwig Kurz, Mayor Rod Slifer, Mayor Pro-Tem Dick Cleveland Diana Donovan Bill Jewitt Greg Moffet Chuck Ogilby STAFF PRESENT: Bob McLaurin, Town Manager Pam Brandmeyer, Asst. Town Mgr. The first item on the agenda was Citizen Participation. Rick Mueller, owner of • the Vista Bahn building in Vail Village, addressed the Council, requesting assistance with a signage issue for a tenant (Alta Sports) in his building. Mueller stated the process for approval was such that the sign would not be approved until the end of the season, and asked for help with a temporary sign. Mayor Kurz asked Town Manager Bob McLaurin to follow up on the request. Tim Lynn of Intermountain, addressed the Council, regarding the proposed leash free designation at Stephens Park. Mayor Kurz stated this item was scheduled on this evening's agenda and invited Lynn to stay for this discussion. The second item on the agenda was a proclamation regarding National Athletic Training Month. Greg Moffet read the proclamation into the record. Moffet then moved to adopt the proclamation. Rod Slifer seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed unanimously, 7-0. The third item on the agenda was a request for Dobson ice time by Vail Junior Hockey and the Children's Learning Center. Andy Clark, Vail Junior Hockey program, made a presentation to the Council, promoting a "Skate for a Cause" fundraising event featuring the Detroit Red Wings alumni. Clark stated the fundraiser had the potential of raising $15,000 for the two organizations. Assistant Town Manager Pam Brandmeyer informed the Council the donation of free ice time requested by Clark would save a portion of Dobson's $3,500 daily fee. After further discussion, Greg Moffet moved to grant the request for ice time out of the Council's allocation. Chuck Ogilby seconded the motion. Sybill Navas, 1 • representativg the Commission on Special Events, asked for a minute of the Council's time after the vote. Mayor Kurz referred to the usual procedure for requests such as this, but understood why it was being done at this time, as the event was just now being offered. A vote was taken on the motion and motion passed unanimously, 7-0. Sybill Navas, Commission on Special Events representative, then addressed the Council, stating the committee's meeting this morning centered around the Vail Recreation District and how the CSE could assist in getting the two groups on the same wave length. Navas requested a joint meeting between the CSE, the Vail Recreation District and the Town Council. The fourth item on the agenda was the approval of the January 7 & 21, 2003, meeting minutes. Rod Slifer made a motion to approve the minutes. Dick Cleveland seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed unanimously, 7-0. The fifth item on the agenda was a discussion regarding the Donovan Park Pavilion Use of Facility. Pam Brandmeyer, Assistant Town Manager, informed the Council of two items on which the committee was asking direction, those being the issuance of the liquor license and the price -setting schedule for the pavilion. Brandmeyer stated the sub -committee's recommendation was to issue • the liquor license for the pavilion and grounds to the Town of Vail, thereby reducing the town's liability when hosting events at the pavilion, and setting the price and use to approach "break even" status. Rod Slifer referred to the Ford Amphitheater who holds their own liquor license, stating the pavilion would be similarly run. Brandmeyer noted the sub -committee's recommendation was that the town license the premises for the first year. It was also noted the Silverthorne pavilion had been in operation for over two years and had yet to see a break-even year. After further discussion, Greg Moffet made a motion to direct staff to move through the liquor licensing process. Rod Slifer seconded the motion. Bill Jewitt stated that although he was uncomfortable in not allowing the public to use the facility and the grounds whenever they wanted to have a get together, he would support the motion. Several Councilmembers also encouraged the committee to continue researching a "break-even" philosophy for the park that would include a different rate structure for community members, non-profit users and full paying customers. A vote was taken on the motion and the motion passed unanimously, 7-0. The sixth item on the agenda was a Dog Park Discussion. Mayor Kurz referred to the memo the Council had received from Todd Oppenheimer, the town's project coordinator, outlining the history of the leash -free status of Bighorn Park, noting this had been done on a trial basis, and the need to have the code amended if the park was to keep as a leash -free status. Comments were heard from several audience participants, in support of retaining the leash -free status at • Bighorn Park, as well as establishing a leash -free, voice command area at 2 • Stephens Park in Intermountain. There were also comments from the audience expressing concern regarding having areas for children to play without the fear of dogs running at large. Sybill Navas spoke in support of leash -free status in Bighorn Park, noting she had met several people while walking her dog in Bighorn Park and had not seen any dog fights there. Navas encouraged a fence be put around the play ground for the children's safety. Liz Supton, long time east Vail resident, addressed the Council, advising King Arthur's park was not a safe place for a dog park, as it would impact wild life in the area. Other comments from the audience included problems with out-of-town people with children that come up for the weekend and are not aware of the lease -free parks, over aggressive enforcement at the park, children's play area separated from the dog area, and the need to pick up after their dogs. Oppenheimer stated a portion of Stephens Park needed to be designated for the dog run area Chuck Ogilby commented on a very convenient loop in the area of Stephens Park that should not be fenced off the dog area, but recommended designating the park lease -free, voice command for a 6 month to 1 year trial period and then bringing it back to the Council for consideration of a change in the designation of the park. Dick Cleveland moved to designate Bighorn Park as a leash free. voice command park, as it currently exists and amend the leash law to change in designation The motion was seconded by Greg Moffet. A vote was taken on the motion and the motion passed unanimously, 7-0. Cleveland then moved to designate all of Stephens Park as a leash free, voice command park for 12 • months, with a review by the Council at the end of that period. Bill Jewitt seconded the motion. There was thank you applause from the audience. Cleveland also recommended that clean up materials be well -stocked at these parks. A vote was taken on the motion and the motion passed unanimously, 7-0. The seventh item on the agenda was the appointment of Pamela A. Brandmeyer as Interim Town Manager. Mayor Kurz stated for the record that Town Manager Bob McLaurin had resigned his position and was moving back to Wyoming. Kurz read McLaurin's letter of resignation into the record, stating that Friday, April 11, 2003, would be his last day of employment. Mayor Kurz thanked Bob for a job well done and for all the work he has done for the community. Greg Moffet made a motion to approve with extreme reluctance the acceptance of McLaurin's resignation. Bill Jewitt seconded the motion. Michael Cacioppo addressed the Council, stating for the record, he would like the Council to vote against approving this resignation, stating McLaurin has been the best town manager Vail has ever had. Secondly, Moffet moved to appoint Pamela A. Brandmeyer as interim town manager. Bill Jewitt seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed unanimously, 7-0. Brandmeyer stated she was not looking forward to April 11th, however, she and the staff would do their best to rise to the challenge of this interim time. The eighth item on the agenda was the Town Manager's Report. Town Manager McLaurin stated he had received copies of an Intergovernmental • Agreement (IGA) from Eagle County regarding the finalization of the Berry Creek 3 • property, paying the Town of Vail $1 million, thereby releasing the Town of Vail from any further obligation to the development of this property. McLaurin stated he needed clarification of two points contained in the agreement, and had an appointment on Wednesday, February 19, 2003, to resolve these issues. McLaurin then asked for approval from the Council to execute the agreement, pending the meeting on Wednesday. Greg Moffet moved to authorize the town manager to enter into the IGA agreement with Eagle County, subject to final review by the Town Manager. Dick Cleveland seconded the motion. Cleveland asked McLaurin if he anticipated any problems with the agreement. McLaurin's answer was no. A vote was taken on the motion and the motion passed unanimously, 7-0. Chuck Ogilby stated he would like to make a motion on a gymnastics issue, directing the town manager to draft a letter to the Eagle County School Board for $600,000 for a gymnastics center at Red Sandstone Elementary School with a separate room for training and large parking lot at grade, to start construction this summer. Ogilby stated his motion included an enhancement of $400,000 paid by the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and an additional $250,000 contributed by Vail Resorts Inc., $150.000 from the Town of Vail, as well as an in -kind contribution by the town's public works department. Ogilby stated this request still needed approval by the Eagle County School District, as well as the Vail Recreation District, who would run the facility. Ogilby requested the town • manager draft a letter to this affect to begin formal discussions with the parties involved. Greg Moffet seconded the motion. Dick Cleveland expressed concerns regarding obligating the town staff to do the construction of the facility, expressing concern about digging into the hillside. McLaurin stated the town had dealt with these same issues during construction of the soccer field at Red Sandstone. McLaurin stated he would draft a letter to the school district, but felt the district would be hard pressed to come up with $600,000. A vote was taken on the motion and the motion passed 6-1, Cleveland opposed. • Police Chief Dwight Henninger passed out "Stay out of jail" cards to the Council, stating the purpose of these cards was to educate the public on drinking and driving. Henninger stated these cards would be distributed to bars and restaurants throught Vail and hoped to find partners for the next purchase of the cards, which cost $1.19 each for the information card and strip, and 60 cents for the strips only. McLaurin jokingly stated if his deal in Wyoming fell through, he might return to Vail as a bartender at the Donovan Park Pavilion. As there was no further business, Greg Moffet made a motion to adjourn. Bill Jewitt seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion was approved unanimously, 7-0, and the meeting was adjourned at 8:15 P.M. 4 OF Sm ALe( : onaldson, Town Clerk Minutes taken by Mary A. Caster • 0 Ily submitted, 4L Ludwig Kurz, Qlayor