Mayor Severson called the regular meeting to order at 7:00 pm and declared a quorum present.  Present were Councilors Misner, Davis, Harn, Myers, Calame and Harkenrider.  Councilors Hardin and Springer were excused.  Staff members in attendance were City Manager Brookshier, City Attorney Luisi, Ray Jones, Clint Spencer, Judge Creasing, Ron Sivey, Ivan Anderholm, Jason Edmiston, Karen Primmer, Elizabeth Brown and Donna Moeller.  News media present were Neill Woelk and Luke Hegdal of the Hermiston Herald and Erik Olson of KOHU-KQFM radio.  The pledge of allegiance was given.

Minutes

Councilor Myers moved and Councilor Harn seconded that minutes of the March 14 regular meeting be approved for filing.  Motion carried unanimously.

Proclamation/National Telecommunicator’s Week

Mayor Severson read a proclamation declaring the week of April 10-16, 2011 as “National Telecommunicator’s Week” in Hermiston, in honor of the men and women whose diligence and professionalism keep our city and citizens safe.

Report/Hermiston Police Dispatchers

Lieutenant Edmiston reported there are currently eight dispatchers at the Hermiston Police Department.  In 2010 the communications center dispatched a total of 36,567 incidents to include calls for service for both police and fire as well as officer initiated activity for police, of which 10,000+ were calls via 911.  Also, over 1,000 record requests were processed.  The Hermiston Police Department is unique in that the dispatchers not only field 911 emergency phone calls and regular business line calls, they also assist citizen walk in requests at the window.

Minutes & Report

Councilor Misner moved and Councilor Davis seconded that the February manager’s monthly report and minutes of the February 10 parks and recreation committee meeting be approved for filing.  Motion carried unanimously.

Confirm Appointments/Planning Commission - Positions 4, 5 and 6

Councilor Harn moved and Councilor Davis seconded to confirm the following appointments for three year terms beginning April 1, 2011 and ending March 31, 2014:

• Planning Commission - Position #4 - Jim Sheffield
• Planning Commission - Position #5 - Kathryn Erz
• Planning Commission - Position #6 - Dean Fialka

Motion carried unanimously.

Report/Allow Franchise Agreement for Food Vendors in City Parks

Parks and Recreation Director Anderholm reported at the February 10 parks and recreation committee meeting the committee was approached by the owners of Tiki Hut, a shaved ice vending company, with a proposal to sell shaved ice at Butte Park.  Tiki Hut proposes to set up a self-contained, portable “Hut” at Butte Park for the duration of the summer to sell shaved ice to park users.  The committee responded favorably to the proposal and asked staff to proceed with making it happen.  In order to make it happen there is a need for an ordinance amendment.  Currently, our ordinances only allow for sales and solicitations in city parks as part of a “community-wide event”, the attached ordinance amendment would also allow sales and solicitations under a franchise agreement with the City.  The City will use a RFP process to control what kind and where potential franchisees may set up in parks.  The City will ask for specific kinds of products and identify specific locations in our Request For Proposals.

Ord. No. 2171 - Amending Subsection (K) of Section 93.04 - Rules and Regulations

Ordinance No. 2171 - An ordinance amending subsection (K) of Section 93.04, entitled “Rules and Regulations” of the Code of Ordinances by allowing sales and solicitations by franchisees in City parks, effective on the 30th day after enactment.  Mayor Severson requested that the first reading be by title only.  Hearing no opposition, City Attorney Luisi read the ordinance by title only.  Mayor Severson requested that the ordinance be put on for final adoption at this meeting and that the second reading be by title only.  After City Attorney Luisi read the ordinance by title only for the second reading, Councilor Misner moved and Councilor Davis seconded that Ordinance No. 2171 be adopted.  6 votes for; none against.  Motion carried unanimously.

Report/2010 Summer Sunshine Award - USDA

Parks and Recreation Director Anderholm reported the Hermiston Parks and Recreation received an Honorable Mention 2010 Summer Sunshine Award from the USDA for Integrating Nutrition Education and Physical Activities at Sites.  This award is recognition for our Summer Feeding Program which provided meals at six various sites throughout the community.  In 2008, the City teamed up with the Oregon Department of Education and joined their Summer Food Service Program.  This program provides meal service to all children 18 and under.  The City has continued to offer this service each summer and it is growing each year.  In 2010, the City was also a pilot program for the Oregon Hunger Coalition to feed caretakers (accompanying adults) at the Hermiston Family Aquatic Center.  In 2011, the City anticipates adding more sites and expanding to all regions of our community.

There was no other business, and the meeting was adjourned at 7:25 pm.

SIGNED:

/s/ Bob Severson

MAYOR

ATTEST:

/s/ Robert D. Irby

CITY RECORDER