In Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and Gov

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and Gov. Jay Inslee’s emergency orders related to social distancing, public gatherings and open meetings, all Vancouver City Council meetings occurred remotely this month. Public participation was still accepted via written comments submitted in advance and live testimony by telephone during the meetings.

Highlights of the actions taken by the Vancouver City Council this month include:

After public hearings, Vancouver City Council voted to adopt resolutions related to two different Multi-family Tax Exemption requests as follows: • An 8-year property tax exemption for developers of The Broadway Apartments, 2409 Broadway St., in return for the developer providing enhanced street improvements at another location in downtown Vancouver. • An 8-year property tax exemptions for developers of the Washington Apartments, located between Fourth and Fifth streets and Columbia and Washington streets in downtown Vancouver, in return for the developer restricting 20% of the apartment units in the building to people who earn up to 100% of the area median income.

Learn more about the City’s Multi-family Tax Exemption Program.

After public hearings, Vancouver City Council acted on the surplus, disposition and/or sale of several City-owned properties as follows: • Approved a Purchase and Sale Agreement with Kurt and Lynn Bauer of Bauer Cases for a 6.48-acre property owned by the City on Northeast 162nd Avenue at 65th Street for $2,117,000 • Adopted a resolution approving disposition of real property located at Northeast 138th Avenue and 18th Street; and approved a Purchase and Sale Agreement with the Ginn Group, LLC, for that same property for $250,000 • Adopted a resolution approving disposition of real property located at Northeast 18th Street and Four Seasons Lane; and approved a Purchase and Sale Agreement with the Ginn Group, LLC, for that same property for $95,000 • Adopted a resolution approving disposition of real property located at 400 E. 37th St. (former Vancouver Fire Station #2); and approved a Purchase and Sale Agreement with the Bango Building LLC for that same property for $610,000

After a public hearing, Vancouver City Council voted to approve an ordinance extending an existing development moratorium in the Tower Mall area in central Vancouver by another six months. The moratorium will allow City staff time to complete The Heights District subarea planning process that is still underway, specifically development of updated zoning standards and design guidelines for the area.

Learn more about The Heights District Plan.

Vancouver City Council voted to appoint Michelle McKenzie to the City’s new Transportation and Mobility Commission. It also voted to change all the official appointment dates for the commission’s members to Oct. 6, 2020, because the commission has not yet been able to begin meeting due to COVID-19 safety restrictions.

Learn more about the Transportation and Mobility Commission.

Vancouver City Council voted to award the following construction contracts:

• A $990,952.69 contract to Rotschy, Inc. of Vancouver for the 63rd Street pump station relocation project • A $312,291.73 contract to Stettler Supply Company of Salem, Oregon, for the sanitary sewer wet well lining project

Vancouver City Council voted to authorize the City Manager or his designee to execute new or amend several existing professional services agreements as follows: • A five-year agreement with PPC Solutions, Inc. for providing security services at various City facilities and events on an as-needed basis. The total value of the contract will not exceed $5 million over the five- year period. • A $591,283 amendment to an existing agreement with Brown and Caldwell. Inc. for additional engineering services related to upgrades being made to the City’s industrial wastewater pretreatment lagoon system. • A five-year agreement with Arbutus Consulting for assisting the City with state legislative government relations work, with a total value not to exceed $335,000.

Vancouver City Council voted to authorize the City Manager or his designee to sign the following interlocal agreements:

• An agreement between the City and Clark Public Utilities for reimbursement of an estimated $359,699.97 in expenses for relocating overhead electrical lines as part of phase 1 of the City’s Southeast First Street improvement project.

• An agreement between the City and Clark County for receipt and disbursement of $95,776.48 in Registered Sex Offender Monitoring Address Verification Program grant funding from the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. • An agreement between the City and Clark County for disbursement of $88,459 in Justice Assistance Grant funds from the U.S. Department of Justice for the purchase of police equipment, technology and supplies.

Vancouver City Council voted to authorize the City Manager or his designee to execute three separate mutual law enforcement assistance agreements with other jurisdictions as follows: • An agreement between the City and Skamania County Sheriff’s Department for K-9 Unit training by the Vancouver Police Department. • An agreement between the City and the Battle Ground Police Department for K-9 Unit training by the Vancouver Police Department. • An agreement between the City and Clark County Sheriff’s Office extending the Sheriff’s Office’s Senior Wellness Check Program into Vancouver; and providing Vancouver Police Departments volunteers to make calls to participants living in Vancouver and, as staffing permits, police officers to perform in- person welfare checks.

Vancouver City Council voted to ratify a three-year extension of an existing lease between the City and Apple, Inc. for 15,168 square feet of office space on the fifth floor of Vancouver City Hall. The lease rate will be $25.46 per square foot.

Vancouver City Council voted not to refer an ethics complaint filed by Tom Bird against Mayor Anne McEnerny- Ogle to the City’s Hearings Examiner for a full investigation. (Mayor McEnerny-Ogle was recused from discussion and vote.)

Vancouver City Council voted to adopt two resolutions designating the Vancouver Educational Telecommunications Consortium (TV ETC) as the educational access provider and Clark/Vancouver Television (CVTV) as the government access provider on the Comcast and CenturyLink cable television systems for Vancouver and Clark County.

After public hearings, Vancouver City Council voted to adopt ordinances vacating the public right-of-way at two locations: • The partially improved alley connecting U Street and Fort Vancouver Way, on the south side of Fourth Plain Boulevard • 5,193 square feet of unimproved roadway associated with East Fifth Street, west of Grand Boulevard

Vancouver City Council voted to reject a bid for $149,596.54 for maintenance services on elevators in City facilities. The project scope will be revised and re-bid. The current contract will be extended until a new contract is awarded.

Video coverage of all council workshops and meetings are available on www.CVTV.org. Council meeting agendas are published on the City Council website on the Wednesday before each meeting.