CITY OF OREM

SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING

April 16, 2002

6:00 P.M. REGULAR SESSION

CONDUCTING Mayor Jerry C. Washburn

ELECTED OFFICIALS Councilmembers Judy Bell, Les Campbell, Dean Dickerson, Karen A. McCandless (joined the meeting via telephone at 7:09 p.m.), Stephen E. Sandstrom, and Shiree Thurston.

APPOINTED STAFF Jim Reams, City Manager; Paul Johnson, City Attorney; John Park, Public Works Director; Mike Larsen, Public Safety Director; Mike Johnson, Recreation Department; Donna Weaver, City Recorder.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mike Larsen

INVOCATION Councilmember Les Campbell

SCHEDULED ITEMS

PUBLIC HEARING & MOTION – Agreement to Purchase Approximately 4.6 acres at 650 South State Street for the Construction of a Community Swimming Pool and to Provide an Annual Contribution to SCERA to Provide Cultural Art Programs and Activities.

Mayor Washburn commented that the last time the Council met was last week, and it was hoped then that some kind of agreement could be reached with the SCERA Board about the property surrounding the old SCERA pool. He said the Council has not had an opportunity to discuss the final contract proposal, and there are some details that need to be discussed in closed door about the proposed property acquisition. The Mayor noted that this meeting has been advertised as an electronic meeting to include Mrs. McCandless, who is out of state.

Mrs. Thurston moved to adjourn to closed-door meeting to discuss property acquisition pursuant to Section 52-4-5(1)(a)(iv) of the Utah Code Annotated. Mr. Campbell seconded the motion. Those voting aye: Mrs. Bell, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Dickerson, Mr. Sandstrom, Mrs. Thurston, and Mr. Washburn. The motion passed unanimously.

The meeting adjourned at 6:18 p.m.

CLOSED-DOOR SESSION

A closed-door session was held at 6:18 p.m. to discuss property acquisition pursuant to Section 5245(1)(a)(iv) of the Utah Code Annotated. Those in attendance were: Mayor Jerry Washburn; Council members Judy Bell, Les Campbell, Dean Dickerson, Karen McCandless (via telephone), Stephen Sandstrom, and Shiree Thurston; staff members Jim Reams, Paul Johnson, Greg Stephens, Mike Johnson, and Donna Weaver.

The City Council closed-door meeting adjourned at 7:05 p.m.

The City Council meeting reconvened at 7:09 p.m.

Mrs. McCandless joined the City Council meeting via telephone at 7:09 p.m.

Mayor Washburn stated that the following points would need to be clarified in the agreement:

1. Title holder’s official name - the SCERA currently means Sharon’s Cultural Educational Recreational Association, but it has also been known as Sharon’s Cooperative Educational Recreational Association and Sharon’s Community Education Recreational Association.

2. SCERA’s right to repurchase the property - the Council was comfortable giving the SCERA the right to repurchase this property for twenty years in the event that the City does not operate a pool, park, open space, or other public use.

3. The Council would propose that everything else, including the parking agreements, would be in place for a term of ninety-nine years.

Mr. Campbell commented that it might be helpful for the audience to understand that one contract has been broken into two separate agreements, and only one is being discussed this evening--the property purchase.

Ms. Joyce Johnson, SCERA Board Chair, said that over many years the City has made every effort to purchase property for open space, and she does not believe the SCERA would ever need to repurchase this property. This request is only made to protect the property for the citizens of Orem.

Ms. Johnson asked if the Council would be willing to consider increasing the term for the repurchase option to forty years.

The consensus of the Council was to increase the term to forty years.

Mrs. Johnson remarked that in a neighborhood meeting last Saturday, a cookie bouquet was presented to the SCERA Board. She said that the board wanted to share the bouquet with the Council, and she presented the basket to the Mayor.


A Scera neighbor then presented another cookie bouquet to the Council.

Mayor Washburn declared that the citizens have impressed upon the Council how crucial and important open space and parks are. He reflected that as Orem grows, maintaining open space becomes more and more difficult. The City will purchase 4.6 acres, including the underlying right to both the north and south parking lots with a shared use of the parking spaces by the park, shell, SCERA, and the Scera Suites complex. The Mayor noted that the purchase price is $1,159,000.

Mr. Campbell said that it is great to see a “born again” neighborhood. It helps the Council, when residents are involved. He expressed appreciation to those residents who have stepped up to reorganize the neighborhood organization.

Mr. Dickerson commented that for the last twelve years he has been intimately involved with the SCERA, including serving as the chairman for two years. He declared it should never be said that citizens’ voices don’t count in Orem. Mr. Dickerson thanked the neighbors for their participation and the SCERA Board for being willing to work with the City. He stated that he appreciates how hard this process has been on them. This has been a joint effort that will result in a very nice facility for the community.

Mrs. Bell noted that this morning she received the nastiest phone call she has ever had while serving on the Council. This caller made some terrible accusations and even questioned her church activity. Mrs. Bell stated she wanted the neighbors to know that the Council heard them the very first night they came with their concerns. She agreed that some of the problems have been the result of miscommunication, but they were not intentional. The preparation of this agreement could not have been in better hands than those Joyce Johnson and Jerry Washburn. Mrs. Bell said that this has been one of the very best councils that she has worked with.

Mr. Sandstrom remarked that he has also received some mean-spirited calls on this issue, but he has also had some wonderful calls, and he is grateful for them. This has been a great example of residents working out issues with their elected officials. Mr. Sandstrom stated that he would rather see this property developed as a pool than as a commercial development as originally planned by the SCERA.

Mrs. Thurston said that most of the Councilmember have either served on the SCERA Board or were married to someone serving on the board. She said she felt honored with how the City Council members have handled themselves in this situation.

Mrs. McCandless thanked everyone for working together on this issue, and she encouraged the neighbors to stay involved in their community organization. A cause like this can help a neighborhood to gel as a unit.

Mike Johnson, Recreation Department, then showed overheads of the footprint of the new leisure swimming pool. He noted that only four mature trees would be lost in the construction.

The Mayor opened the public hearing.

Tom Fletcher asked if there would be times when the parking needs of the SCERA Shell, theater, and pool might overlap. Mike Johnson said that the pool schedule would be planned around the SCERA Shell and SCERA Theater schedules. He noted that the City ran the SCERA pool last year, and it was a real learning experience.

Zack Sherman inquired if this plan would create more parking spaces, and Mike Johnson said that it would.

Mayor Washburn said that more than 100 additional stalls would be available as well as some beautiful landscaping. He indicated that the water slides would not be any taller than the height of a two-story home. He stated that this is not a water park but a leisure pool.

In response to a query from Duane Herbert about the parking lot on 400 East, Mayor Washburn said that after meeting with the neighbors the Council decided not to expand it. Mr. Herbert suggested that the City keep that option open, because more parking is needed for Shell activities.

Mrs. Thurston reflected that the City can provide additional parking stalls, but people cannot be forced to use them. There will still be some people who will park on 400 East.

Genelle Pugmire remarked that the current number of SCERA Shell events would likely increase in future years. She suggested that the City start now to provide information to educate the public about the new parking lots that will be available.

Mayor Washburn agreed, saying that perhaps a map could be provided when the SCERA sells tickets.

Mr. Campbell moved to (1) approve an agreement to purchase approximately 4.6 acres at 650 South State Street for the construction of a community swimming pool with the changes discussed this evening; and (2) authorize the Mayor and SCERA Board to make minor technical changes. Mr. Sandstrom seconded the motion. Those voting aye: Mrs. Bell, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Dickerson, Mrs. McCandless, Mr. Sandstrom, Mrs. Thurston, and Mr. Washburn. The motion passed unanimously.

ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING

Mr. Dickerson moved to adjourn the meeting. Mrs. Bell seconded the motion. Those voting aye: Mrs. Bell, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Dickerson, Mrs. McCandless, Mr. Sandstrom, Mrs. Thurston, and Mr. Washburn. The motion passed unanimously.

The meeting adjourned at 8:03 p.m.

Donna R. Weaver, City Recorder

Approved: April 23, 2002

City Council Minutes - April 16, 2002 (p.3)