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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-04-21 Packet - SpecialCITY OF UKIAH CITY COUNCIL AGENDA Special Meeting Ukiah Valley Conference Center Cabernet Room 200 School Street Ukiah, CA 95482 April 21, 2011 6:30 p.m. 1. ROLL CALL 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS 4. RIGHT TO APPEAL DECISION. Persons who are dissatisfied with a decision of the City Council may have the right to a review of that decision by a court. The City has adopted Section 1094.6 of the California Code of Civil Procedure, which generally limits to ninety days (90) the time within which the decision of the City Boards and Agencies may be judicially challenged. 5. AUDIENCE COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS The City Council welcomes input from the audience. If there is a matter of business on the agenda that you are interested in, you may address the Council when this matter is considered. If you wish to speak on a matter that is not on this agenda, you may do so at this time. In order for everyone to be heard, please limit your comments to three (3) minutes per person and not more than ten (10) minutes per subject. The Brown Act regulations do not allow action to be taken on audience comments in which the subject is not listed on the agenda. 6. DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF THE POTENTIAL RELOCATION OF THE DOWNTOWN UKIAH POST OFFICE a. Presentation By The United States Postal Service Representatives Regarding The Potential Relocation Of The Ukiah Main Post Office b. Presentation By "Save The Ukiah Post Office" Coalition C. Discussion And Consideration Of A Resolution Of The City Council Of The City Of Ukiah Opposing The Relocation Of The Ukiah Downtown Post Office. 7. ADJOURNMENT Please be advised that the City needs to be notified 72 hours in advance of a meeting if any specific accommodations or interpreter services are needed in order for you to attend. The City complies with ADA requirements and will attempt to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities upon request. Materials related to an item on this Agenda submitted to the City Council after distribution of the agenda packet are available for public inspection at the front counter at the Ukiah Civic Center, 300 Seminary Avenue, Ukiah, CA 95482, during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm I hereby certify under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing agenda was posted on the bulletin board at the main entrance of the City of Ukiah City Hall, located at 300 Seminary Avenue, Ukiah, California, not less than 24 hours prior to the meeting set forth on this agenda. Dated this 15th day of April, 2011. JoAnne M. Currie, City Clerk ITEM NO.: MEETING DATE: city c f_ 4Jkia-F AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT 6c April 21, 2011 SUBJECT: DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF UKIAH OPPOSING THE RELOCATION OF THE UKIAH DOWNTOWN POST OFFICE. Background: The Ukiah Main Post Office has been located in the heart of downtown for 74 years. On February 23, 2011, the United States Postal Service informed the City of Ukiah that it is considering the potential relocation of the Downtown Post Office and consolidation of services to the Orchard Avenue Annex. Discussion: The attached draft resolution opposing the relocation of the Ukiah Downtown Post Office has been prepared and submitted for discussion and consideration. Fiscal Impact: Budgeted FY 10/11 F-1 New Appropriation I Fv I Not Applicable Budget Amendment Required Recommended Action(s): Discuss And Consider A Resolution Of The City Council Of The City Of Ukiah Opposing The Relocation Of The Ukiah Main Post Office. Alternative Council Option(s): N/A Citizens advised: Mayor Rodin and other community members. Requested by: Mayor Rodin and other community members. Submitted by: Sage Sangiacomo, Assistant City Manager Coordinated with: Jane Chambers, City Manager Attachments: Draft Resolution Approved: a ° e Cha ers, City Manager jade' ATTACHMENT r RESOLUTION NO. 2011- RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF UKIAH OPPOSING THE RELOCATION OF THE UKIAH DOWNTOWN POST OFFICE Whereas, the United States Postal Service (LISPS) seeks to relocate the Ukiah Main Post Office, which has been a presence in downtown Ukiah since 1858 and has been in its present location since 1936; and Whereas, the USPS claims that this action is necessary due to the financial condition of the USPS, although the Postmaster General told a congressional committee on March 2, 2011 that the USPS has made a substantial operating profit in recent years, and that the only immediate financial problem is an unrealistic provision that requires the USPS, alone among all public and private entities, to prefund retiree health care, and that this harmful and unjustified provision should be repealed; and Whereas, the USPS is faced with a political crisis, not a financial crisis, and misleading national deficit numbers should not be used to justify relocation of an otherwise economically viable post office that efficiently serves thousands of customers; and Whereas, relocation of the Ukiah Post Office would make it impractical for numerous business people and residents to walk to a postal facility as they do today, and add another stop for many others, thereby causing an increase in traffic congestion and green house gas emissions, contrary to local, state and federal policy; and Whereas, relocation of the Ukiah Post Office will likely result in significant unintended negative financial consequences for the USPS due to loss of post office boxes and parcel business to for-profit companies; and Whereas, relocation of the Ukiah Post Office will likely result in fewer people coming to the downtown to patronize local businesses, creating instability to those businesses, and possibly leading to blight conditions as businesses close and storefronts become vacant; and Whereas, the USPS' plans to vacate the Ukiah Post Office, the sluggish real estate market, and the downturn in the economy are likely to result in the Ukiah Post Office remaining vacant and boarded up for an indefinite period of time and contributing to blighted conditions in a location that is currently a vital core of our community; and Whereas, the USPS has denied a Freedom of Information Act request and forbidden access to reports which allegedly justify the proposed relocation despite 39 CFR §3004.2, which explicitly states that the USPS will administer FOIA requests with a "presumption of openness" for public records including, "Requests of the Postal Service for decisions or advisory opinions" (39 CFR §3004.10); and Whereas, the USPS has capriciously denied a request by the City of Ukiah to perform an independent evaluation at no cost to the USPS; and Whereas, these denials have undermined confidence in the USPS and made it impossible for the public to verify the accuracy of the USPS claim that savings would result from the relocation; and Whereas, the present building contains one of a dwindling number of New Deal depression era murals and other architectural features that qualify the building for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, for which it has been nominated; and Whereas, the USPS has a written policy, number 3-4.6.1, to obey the National Historical Preservation Act in that it must "use available historic resources" to carry out its responsibilities and relocation of the Ukiah Post Office would contradict this mandatory policy; and Whereas, the Ukiah Main Post Office has been an informal community gathering spot and an integral part of the downtown business district for over 150 years; and Whereas, the USPS refuses to honestly and openly discuss its plans for relocation of other postal facilities in Mendocino County, and Whereas, the citizens of Mendocino County overwhelming support retention of our community post offices, in their present locations in order to provide the best service to the community. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Ukiah hereby 1. Opposes the relocation of the Ukiah Main Post Office; 2. Calls upon the USPS to disclose plans for the relocation, consolidation or relocation of other postal facilities in Mendocino County; 3. Will support its citizens in an appeal of any relocation decision to higher levels of the USPS, and, if necessary, the Postal Regulatory Commission. 4. Urges the USPS to allow public access to the reports that allegedly support relocation of the Ukiah Post Office and to allow the City of Ukiah to conduct an independent inspection of the building. 5. And Directs that this resolution be sent to the Postmaster General and Congressman Mike Thompson. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Ukiah City Council on April 21, 2011, by the following roll call vote: AYES: NOES: ABSTAIN: ABSENT: Mari Rodin, Mayor ATTEST: JoAnne Currie, City Clerk