Council Meeting: May 5, 2008

Just a few highlights for tonight. I’ll fill in more when I have time:

• The council passed a resolution that requires all obstruction permits (those that require a curb or street cut) to now be approved by the council. Town code had been interpreted in the past that this would be an administrative function of the mayor, but this council disagrees with that interpretation. Any sewer problem or other issue that requires a cut into a Ruston street must now wait for council approval at the next regular council meeting.
• All services with the town planner are terminated, effective May 15th (10 day written notice is required). All building permits that require review by a planner are now on hold until further notice.
• Ordinance 418 was passed out to the mayor and council just as discussion opened on the issue. After complaints from the audience, a few copies were passed out to us. It authorizes the council to negotiate with Tacoma for planning services. The mayor said Tacoma’s city manger estimates it will take at least 45 days to have an inter-local agreement in place.
• The Town is walking away from the $75,000 state grant from Community and Economic Development (CTED). Ruston will have to pay for any services that have been provided.
• The council wants to change the form of government. Their resolution passed on its first reading. It was decided not to have a second reading so it could be put out for a vote in the primary election in August rather than wait until the general election in November (when Ruston will have other issues to vote on).
• The gambling tax increase was moved to the study session on May 27th for council discussion (where no public comment is allowed).
• The new council rules took effect at this meeting. The audience was required to sign up to testify before the meeting on each of the 13 business items on the agenda, with a separate page for each item. They had to declare if they were pro, con or other on each item when they signed up before the meeting. One audience members assessment, "It sucks." Another suggested having the sign in sheets available a few days in advance to help with the line at the sign in book before the meeting.