After the ceremonial swearing in of the new Richland City councilmembers and they choose the new mayor, the council will take on the weighty matter of storage unit walkability for North Richland. The proposed units will be between SiennaSky Townhomes on Smartpark Street and University Park Condominiums on Hanford Street. Both are west of Hanford High School in an area zoned Business Research Park (B-RP).

 According to the developer, amending the B-RP zone to allow storage units puts them in walking distance of multi-family housing providing an amenity and supporting the higher density housing and the needs of young professionals.

So now we can add to smart urban planning the ability to walk to work, grocery stores, and your “stuff.”  For all of the particulars go to Pg. 16-104 in the packet

The Observer would like to remind readers that we still have freedom of speech in Richland as our former mayor Bob Thompson pointed out when he was criticized for using profanity during a Zoom meeting. Although the weasel-worded statement read by the clerk before comment periods is intended to discourage any questions, you may ask to your heart’s content. Just don’t expect an answer.

To read the instructions on how to comment and to learn how to view the meeting go to the agenda.

1.Newly Elected Council members will participate in a ceremonial swearing in. According to City Manager Jon Amundson on Monday, “Benton County requires them to be sworn in within ten days of the election being certified. The agenda item for tomorrow’s City Council meeting is ceremonial.”

2. Selection of the mayor for 2022-2023. Ryan Lukson is the current mayor.

3. Selection of the mayor pro tem for 2022-2023. Sandra Kent is the current mayor pro tem.

4. New hires and new retirees will be recognized

Public Hearings – You have 3 minutes to comment.

5. Approving the 2022-2024 Collective Bargaining Agreement with the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local No. 280, Resolution No. 2022-04

Public Comments – Say whatever you want for 2 minutes.

Consent Calendar – no discussion, one vote

6. Approving the minutes for the December 21, 2021, meeting.

7. Approving storage units. Only 5% of the B-RP zone will be allowed to be used for storage units. That, of course, will last until the next developer wants 5% more. Landscaping is required.  Pg. 16-104.

8. This ordinance, according to the summary, “reflects changes in organization structure introduced by a change in city leadership. Primarily, the edits establish the position of deputy city manager to provide general administrative oversite to four city departments (public works, energy services, parks & public facilities, and development services) in order to reduce the city manager’s span of control to allow greater focus on planning efforts and big-picture issues affecting the City.  The ordinance also eliminates the administrative services director, transfers responsibility for the administrative services group to the assistant city manager, and establishes human resources as a separate department under the direction of a human resources director.” In addition, this ordinance defines “officer of the city,” those people required by the charter to take an “oath of office.”  Pg. 105-118

9. The city council has been considering changing the comprehensive plan in order to grant zoning changes requested by property owners. After discussion at the last few meetings, the council agreed to change the zoning for four of the properties but not the fifth one. The fifth request was to change commercial zoning to residential zoning at Steptoe and Columbia Center Blvd. Council decided that commercial development was needed there so surrounding residents could walk or bike to services.   Pg. 119-781

10. This changes the zoning map to reflect the changes in the comprehensive plan. Pg. 119-781

11. A fourth road impact fee zone will be added for Horn Rapids. New single-family homes will pay $2222.43. Developers will pay the fees which are likely to be passed on to home buyers. Pg. 756-769.

12. This revises the Richland corporate boundary to include a portion of Reata Road to accommodate development associated with the Badger Mountain South. That development will require urban style improvements to Reata Road, which is presently within Benton County and overseen by Benton County’s public works department. Pg. 770-773

13. Authorizing the city manager to sign an agreement with the cities of Kennewick, Pasco and West Richland and the counties of Franklin and Benton to continue the Hanford Communities administrative agency. Richland paid $12,750 in 2020. Pg. 774 -780

14.This authorizes a consultant agreement with Berry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker, LLC for business process diagramming and gap analysis of utility billing and enterprise asset management. The attached contract includes work scopes for both of these areas and is a key component of the next phase of our current ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) implementation. The contract value is not to exceed $123,410.00. Funds are available in the 2022 Budget. Pg. 781-804.

15. This authorizes the city manager to sign and execute an agreement with Magnum Power in the amount of $1,104,500.01 for the Reata Road – Leslie Substation Feeder 141 extension, and to execute change orders in an aggregate amount of up to ten percent (10%) of the approved contract value.  Pg. 800-804

16. Adopt Resolution No. 2022-04, authorizing the city manager to sign and execute the 2022-2024 collective bargaining agreement with the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local No. 280.  pg. 805-872

17, City plans to issue a purchase order to Boyd’s Tree Service, LLC for 2022 tree pruning and vegetation management services and around electric utilities not to exceed $350,000. Boyd was NOT responsible for the tree “trimming” in Leslie Grove Park according to City Manager Jon Amundson. Pg. 872-880.

18. The city owns and maintains several miles of railroad track in the Horn Rapids Industrial Park. Most of the city’s track was constructed in 1999, meaning the wood ties are more than 20 years old. In keeping with sound maintenance practices, the city purchased 300 railroad ties to begin replacing those that need to be replaced. Since the City does not own railroad maintenance vehicles or equipment, a tie replacement program performed by City staff would be very labor intensive. The city will pay the Port of Benton contractor $80,000 to do the work. Pg. 881-887.

19 The proposed interlocal agreement will authorize continued participation by the City of Richland in Benton County’s solid waste programs, including the Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Disposal Program. The agreement includes Benton County and the cities of Kennewick, West Richland, Benton City and Prosser. The Household Hazardous Waste program is set to improve local services this year through construction and operation of a local fixed drop-off facility on Ely Street in Kennewick.  Pg. 888-901

Items of Business

Deciding what city councilmembers will be liaisons to boards, commissions, and committees. (Discussion only). Who will get the Mosquito Control Board?

Comments from the City Manager and City Council Blah, blah, blah