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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - September 16, 1953261 CITY COUNCIL CITY OF LODI COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL SEPTEMBER 16, 1953 This regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Lodi held beginning at 8:00 o'clock p.m. of Wednesday, September 16, 1953; Councilmen Hillman, Preszler, Rinn, Robinson and Richey (Mayor) present; none absent. Minutes of the previous meeting of September 2, 1953, were approved with the following correction to the first paragraph under "Reports of the City Manager"; the last sentence was changed to read: "The Council voted, on the motion of Councilman Robinson, Preszler second, to grant the request with the understanding that it is to be a temporary structure and will be removed at the end of the present season or upon ten days' notice from the City." COMMUNICATIJNS A letter from the Division of Utilities of the Office of Civil Defense inviting the City of Lodi to join the Joint Venture Agreement with all of the publicly and privately owned utilities CIVIL DEFENSE in the State. A contribution would be required JOINT VENTURE on the basis of 442 per year per million dollars AGREEMENT of gross revenue. Mr. Weller explained that on this basis Lodi's contribution would be approximately 422 per year. On the motion of Councilman Robinson, Rinn second, the Council voted to authorize the City Manager to execute the Joint Venture Agreement and authorized the payment of the contribution as provided in the agreement. PUBLIC HEARINGS Mrs. Sadie Jauch addressed the City Council to explain that she had received notice from a private party furnishing water to her property, as well WATER as to the L. H. Lukens property, that the service SERVICE would be cut off on October 1, 1953. Mrs. Jauch FOR JAUCH stated that they wanted assurance that they would AND LUKENS not be without water after October 1. Mr. Weller replied that he was attempting to work out suitable arrangements and was confident that he could do so prior to October 1. The Council agreed that the City Manager should be authorized to take action which would provide the residents with water before October 1. REPORTS OF THE CITY MANAGER CENSUS Mr. Weller reported that application had been made to the Bureau of the Census for a special census in Lodi. The City Manager presented specifications for a prisoner van for use in the Police Department. This item had been omitted from the budget because PRISONER VAN at the time the budget was prepared, it was con- templated that the Hall of Justice would be built this year. Nr. Weller explained that at present the prisoners are transported to Stockton in patrol cars and two officers are required for each trip. The prisoner van would make it possible for one officer to handle the transfers with con- siderably more personal safety. Mr. Weller added 7 •H 22� rinutes of September 16, 1953, continued. that in the first 11 days of the month 750 miles were traveled and 43 man hours were used in trans- porting prisoners to Stockton. Councilman Rinn asked if it would be possible to obtain statis- tics covering a 6 -months or year period. It was agreed that the matter should be referred back to the Chief of Police for additional statistics. Mr. Weller reported he had received a letter from the Western Advertising System informing him that their request for permission to place courtesy benches at bus stops, referred to the WESTERN Chamber of Commerce by the City Council, had ADVERTISING received approval from Mr. Mehrer, owner of the BENCHES AT transit system. The letter stated that the benches BUS STOPS would be maintained and serviced regularly and an APPROVED insurance policy would be furnished the City, holding it harmless. The letter also contained the assurance that the firm would not bring in competitive advertisers from other cities or place competitive advertising in front of another mer - c -ant's business establishment. On the motion of Councilman Rinn, the Council voted to approve the request subject to the following provisions: (1) A contract approved by the City Attorney would be signed with the City; (2) the contract must provide for revocation upon 30 days' notice by the City; (3) the benches must be maintained to present a good appearance; and (4) benches must be placed at each and every bus stop regardless of whether advertising has been sold for each bench. Mir. Weller reported that he had met with three representatives of the Southern Pacific Company to discuss the developments in the City's attempt to lease the Company lot on.Sacramento Street for public parking. The representatives from S. P. explained that they have received an application from a retail merchant for lease of the property. S.P. LOT The applicant intends to construct a building on the rear of the lot and utilize the balance of the space for customer parking. This would serve to clean up the unsightliness of the area which was one of the objectives of the City's offer to the Company. Councilman Preszler suggested that perhaps some of the large local concerns might be prevailed upon to approach the Southern Pacific Company on behalf of the City's interest in a pub- lic parking lot. Mayor Richey replied that she did not feel the City would be taking the right " action in resorting to politics. Councilman Rinn suggested that a middle-of-the-road position might be taken whereby the City could inform the Southern Pacific Company that the City Council is disappointed with the present developments, that the Council has been under considerable pressure to secure this property for off-street parking facilities, and the Council is interested in accomplishing this objective. A motion by Councilman Robinson that the suggestion of Councilman Rinn be adopted passed by unanimous vote. Ordinance No. 497, amending Ordinance No. 373, ORD, N0.497 the Sales Tax Ordinance, was introduced on the !NTRODUCED motion of Councilman Rinn. Prior to the intro - AM: ---NDS SALES duction of the ordinance, Mr. Weller explained Tait ORDINANCE that the State law was changed in minor technical aspects which required corresponding changes in our own Sales Tax Ordinance. lVinutes of September lo, 1953, continued. 263 The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m. ATTEST. HENRY A. GLAV.S .. City Clerk Claims in the amount of X112,527.34 were approved CLAIi,iS on the motion of Councilman Robinson. i.:r. Weller read a letter from the San Joaquin LETTER OF County Fair expressing appreciation for the co - APPRECIATION operation and assistance of the City Government and officials of Lodi in the operation of the 1953 County Fair. Mlayor Richey announced that the Elementary School Board had made an offer to the City at a recent F2;.ERSON meeting with the City Council for the lease of a SCHOOL portion of the Emerson School grounds for a City- PAR.K SITE operated park. The offer excluded the existing REFERRED TO building and its immediate grounds. It was under- RECRATION stood that the use of the land would be temporary, CJili�:ISSION but that the School Board would have no use for the land for several years. Councilman Rinn moved _.. that the offer be accepted and the matter be re- ferred to the Recreation Commission for consideration at its next neetino and a report on recommendations and cost estimates for the development of a park on the site. The motion carried. :Mayor Richey announced the appointment of Gouncil- JOINT FESTIVAL man Rinn, Councilman Hillman and Recreation Director CO1.31ITTEE De Benedetti to the Joint Festival Committee formed APPOINTMENTS to work out recommendations for the year -around use of the Festival grounds. City Attorney Mullen informed the Council he had received complaints regarding the keeping of cows within the City limits. The Zoning Ordinance allows COIPLAINT only chicken hens, rabbits, pigeons, etc., and RE COyJS makes no mention, of cattle under livestock authorized. However, he pointed out that the cows in this par- ticular instance may be considered a non -conforming use since they were on the land at the time of annexation to the City. At the suggestion of Councilman Rinn the matter was deferred until more information could be gathered and the matter be taken up with the Planning Commission. Councilman. Rinn stated that he thoughteach of the councilmen had had an opportunity to reflect over the outcome of the recent meeting with the owners of property involved in the Lake Park expansion. ne felt that the Council should go ahead with plans to inform the taxpayers regarding the proposal for State acquisition. He suggested that the Council determine the means of informing the public and LODI LAKE that a public hearing be held before the City Coun- PARK cil and Planning Gorimission to afford the public an opportunity to present its views. It was suggested that the public be invited to mail questions to Mayor Richey which would be answered via the press or by individual reply. It was also suggested that the public hearing could be held after the questions submitted had been answered. Councilman Robinson favored the suggested procedure, stating that he personally felt that the City had every- thing to gain and nothing to lose by the State acquisition of the Park. It was then agreed that the suggested rrocedure would be followed with .he provision that the questions should be sub- mitted prior to the October 7 meeting, at which time the Council could consider setting a date for the public hearing. The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m. ATTEST. HENRY A. GLAV.S .. City Clerk