HomeMy WebLinkAbout11131934City Hall, Palo Alto, California,
November 13, 1334.
The Council, of the City of Palo Alto met in regular
session on this date at ;7:30 p.m., with Mayor Thomas presiding.
Roll call as follows:
Present: Blois, Bonham, t,athcart, Collins, Crandall, Green,
Judson, Kelly, Mosher, Stephens, Ti oits, Thomas,v ooa.
Absents Christensen, Mitchell.
heminutes of: the meeting of November
approved.
.A st of City Property Acquired by Tax Deeds
A letter wasreceived from the Tax Collector containing
a list of various lofts -which have been deeded to the City by tax
deeds, this list comprising 87 lots with aggregate frontage of
4361 feet, which, is a trifle less than the length of eleven
ord.in.ryy-sized blocks. of palo .Alto. The City Attorney stated
that he desired this information in connection with the
investigation he is now engaged in relative to the status of these
properties, and the communication was referred to the City
Attorney.
1934, r: ere
pequest of Merohanc s 1%ssn. re Christmas „i hts
.a letter was'. received from the 4ercnants Association
requesting that the , City furnish electricity for Christmas lights
and also the labor and material necessary to bring the feed lines
to intersections, the lights to be turned on from November 30th
to January lst. The Director of Utilities reported that the
cost for this purpose last year was approximately 4,150.00, v.nich
was charged to the Street Lighting Fund. He was asked to make
an estimate :of the cost of the labor, material and electricity
required to grant this year's request, and the natter. was
referred to Committees No. 1 and No. 4 to report at the next
meetings .
Permit for Rayshore Highway 6i gns
The City. 4ngineer transmitted to the Council a permit
received from the Division of Highways for the erection of.
directional signs reading "Palo Aa.to1l on the bays:ore highv;ay,
one to be placed facing southbound traffic at University Avenue,
and one to be placed facing northbound traffic at Embarcadero
Road. A communication was also forwarded, from Jno. H. Sk.eggs,
District Engineer, stating that the signs requested at Willow
Roan. and Oregon t:venue do not conform to Division of Highways
standards and are ,not authorized because such roams lead to other
places, than the signs vvo z1d indicate, thus being a source of
confusion: to motorists'.
The; previous recommendation of Committee No, i on this
matter :Itia:s referred to, which included a sign at Middlefield Roau
and the , Bayshore Highway, of'which i.ch there was no mention it the
letter ;from. Col. Skeggs. After discussion, it was suggested
t the City proceed to erect the two signs for which perai.ssion
has been .given., and a request could be made later forthe sign
4t Middlefield. Road..
On motion of Wood and Bonham, the Board of Works was
authorized to install the two signs at university Avenue and cit
. barcaero Road, at intersections with the Bayshore 3i:g ay,
for which Permission has been given, the cost to be charged--
the Street Department-. budget.
of San Jose
Attorney re.
Mrs. i rance;
a decision
from Mr. rrs
referred to
end have hi
zneeti:i
=•t
Peninsula Di.'
be held at tJ
November 14ti
made for tho:
leave the cit
Protest
Mr.
ing that the
:.een turned o.
unable to ay
his houses; a
certain agree:
He stated tr:.a;
Red Cross and.
felt it was t�
these delingt4
reported that
tenants had be
the tenants' n
This
the point of t
for the bills
was referred ti
Attorney.
A cot
Special Reprefie
that the resu-i
for courts in E
as S.E.R. ! . prc
projects were m
and should be r
that the projec
Park has been a.
communication u,
reporting A thatt1
for the er od f
now due, is ¥20.
service which is
directing
Referee
that tl
_Letter from Attorney Aram
A communication '`was 'received from Alfred Aram, attorney
of San Jose, concerning correspondence he had had with the City
Attorney relating to property in which Mr. W.H. Guernsey and
Mrs. Trances Wagner had previously bad an interest, asking for
a decision by, the Council on this matter. As it was not clear
from Mr. pram's letter 'ghat information he desired, this was
referred to the City Attorney to address a letter to Mr. Arum
end have him clarify his question.
4.eeting o± Peninsula League
Attention was invited to the dinner meeting of the
Peninsula Division of the. League of California Municipalities: to
be held .at the Benjamin Franklin Hotel in San Mateo at 6.30 p.m.,
November loth, and. ' it was " announced that arrangements nave been
made for those who plan to attend to use city cars which will
leave the city hall at ,5:45 p.m 'on that date.
Protest of Mr. Cuthbertson in re Utilities
Mr. S. M. Cuthbertson addressed the Council, protest-
ing that the electricity in his home at 3375 El Camino Rea_ had
:,een turned off by the Utilities Department because he was
unable to paythe delinquent ,utility bills of a tenant in one of
his houses; and alleging that he had been forced to sign a
certain agreement before the electricity was tuned on again.
He stated that the tenants referred to were charity cases of . the
Red Cross and that he had received no rent from them; that he
felt it was unfair ;for the City to press him for the payment of
these delinquent utility bills The Director of Utilities
reported that the services in the house occupied by these
tenants had been turned on in Mr. Cuthbertson's name and not in
the tenants' name.
This matter,was discussed and it was suggested that
the point of the ordinance which: holds a landlord responsib.i.e
for the bills of tenants -should be' investigated. The matter
referred to Committee T,4o. 1, the Board of Works and City
Attorney.
was
S.E.R.
Project - 1:ennis Courts
A communication was received from R. N. Hayden,
Special Representative of the Mayor, informing the Council
that the resurfacing of tennis courts and improving of backstops
for courts in El Camino Park and Peers Park have been ..considered
as S.E.R.A, projects and the papers in connection with these
projects were mailed to the County Director on November Gth
and should be returned approved within ten days or two weeks;
that the project of improving backstops for courts in Rinconada.
?ark has been approved and .work started November 9, 1934. This
communication was placed` on file.
Utility Bill of Women's Service eaue
A letter was received from the Director of Utilities
reportingthat the utility bill of the Women's Service League
for the period from ?eptember .26 to October 26, 1 ;44, which is
now due, is 420.00; and of this amount tii.10 is for electric
service which is divided as follows:
t7.00 estimated.
1.55 R
1.35._caretaker
0.35 Community
0.36 Bo Scout
0.50 . Boy 6cotxt:
for Women's Service League
'' building safety .1.ights
's;;lights;
Kitchen
Troop No. 49
Troop No. 47
Reference was made to previous action or the Council ;
directing that this utility bill be :p id from month to month:
The Director of Utilities stated that he would submit
a. ` similar ,report each month showing the division of charges for Res
electricity and itwas directed that the Auditor make the separa-
"Y tion on the accounts each month, so that the Women's Service
League would be charged only with the amount it used. It was transmit
suggested that the Boy Scouts would probably pay cash for the City Eng
amount,' charged to them, and that the rest could be charged to the with the
Board of Works. studying
further
auarr ..nty Deed to Fisher Estate
The City Attorney presented a deed from the City of Pa..c S.E.R.A.
Alto to Mary Elizabeth Fisher and James Melville Fisher, covering S.E.R,A«
a ten -foot strip on El Camino Real, being a portion of Lot 2, was refer
Paul; Survey, which the Council had previously authorized the
Mayor and. City Clerk to sign, this being in exchange for a ten- Prc;.
foot strip on Cambridge Avenue; and stated that the attorneys o, _
the Fishers request a title policy or a warranty deed, and the
City Attorney suggested the latter as this would save the City being con
the cost of a title policy. On motion of Judson and Mosher, inn perha
the mayor and City Clerk were authorized to sign this deed ,.ith taken.
the warranty clause, ibis by unanimous vote on roll. call. bath hoes
Excess Workmen's Cempensatiou Insurance
Rouse, tr(
The City Attorney reported that there had been some to study
delay in getting the r
g g policy for excess workmen's compensation Ashworth i
insurance, as .: authorized some time ago by the Council, and that W. n. Kel]
he had requested the insurance representative of the City to tives of t
secure a cover note on this policy. On motion of Mosher and and may bc:
Bonham, this action was ratified. of Judson.
committee
?ebuildin Pope : S<treet Bri.dg,e
A report was'received from the Board of Works foreardi:�.g from commi
during the report of the City Engineer on tithe design and costs of the
proposed rebuilding of the Pope Street Bridge es an S.E.R.A.
project. This was referred to Committee No..1. S.E.c:
Bills for Asphaltic Concrete
the Counci+
A was received from the Board of Works aavisr'g to work imu
that an investigation of the work orders on the Post Office street include thE
widening job, the University Avenue Plaza job, and the Evereet
Avenue and North Palo Alto Gas Main replacement job, showed that
the : asphalt used on these jobs furnished by the A. J. Raisch
Company had not been paid for and that the City has not been
billed for this asphalt.
Referring to, the Post Office Street Widening job, the
Basch Company on A ugust 14, 193 3, furnished 67t tons of
asphaltic concrete, the cost or which vas 4438 ;75. . ccorai.ng to
the records, of the Raisch Company this itemwas originally bileed
to ti.e. City but for some reason was not transmitted to the Auditor
for payment
Refeerr.ing to the University Avenue Plaza ,job, the Raisc
Company on; :august .141e 1Z3, furnished 179.2 tons of asphaltic
eoncrete, the -,cost of which was 4985.60. It was discovered that
til oontraOtgr'n4Ied to bill the City for this material wing =c
the act that. the Contractor's timekeeper did not turn in the
Plant reports ;:so the: company had no record or the transaction.
The:.Board :of Works recommended that $438.75 . be allowed to
pay ' the ' bi.l.l for .asphaltic concrete on the post Office Street
'Widening, job: and -. that 085.60 be allowed to pay for the
asphaltic- concrete, on .t,he Plaza ,fob. Attention was called to
the fact ethat4587.50.reverted to the General Fund from tke Post
.Office; street widening appropriation at the cbse of the
fiscal: year:..
This was referred to Committees No. 1 and No. 4.
orsa
the proposed
stating that
considered
be adopted,
Report on Airport
A report was received from the Board of: Works
transmitting copies of .,corzespono ce and a bulletin report of the
City Bngineer relati1e to. the proposition to develop the airport,
with the itformatioa that the Board is at the present time
studying different :phases of this proposition and will report
further to the Council as soon as possible.
The 4ayor a.nn.ounced that it may be possible to secure
S.E.R.A. labor on this project, :, and perhaps some money from the
S.E.R.A. for material if prompt action is taken. This reportT
was referred to Committee No. 1.
Proposed S.E.R.A._ Projects
The mayor further reported that other projects are
being considered as possible S.E.R.A. projects on which labor
and perhaps some material may be secured if prompt action is
taken. .-n ad.ditior. to , the,- airport, these projects include a
bath house at the swimming pool and the Mayfield Community house.
In connection with the proposed Mayfield Commuxity.,
House, the Mayor announced that he had appointed a committee
to study this situation, ..this committee composed of Mr. C. E.
Ashworth (chairman); and Messrs R. N. Hayden, . . L. urisell,
W. Kelly and Arthur James. The Mayor stated that repre: enta-
tives of the Mayfield' Women° s. Club are interested in this -project
and may be able to give some aid in financing it. Op motion
of Judson and Mosher, the .Mayor f s action in appointing this.
committee was ratified by, the Council.
The Mayor stated that he would call a special meeting
during the ratter part of next week to receive recommendations
from committees o.n these matters.
S.E.R.A. Painting r'ro, ect
e report was received from the .Hoard of +orks informing
;he Council that eleven painters are avai. able who could be put
to work immediately on an. S.E.R.A. painting project ::hieh would
include the following:
ealo Alto hospital repainting approximately 12
rooms andretouching various other rooms and
hei iways
Police and Fire Department Building - painting
exterior trimmings of building and floor in
Fire Department.
Library - - repainting exterior trimmings and doors
of building and exhibition hall.
Aayf ield- Eire Department - repainting exterior
end t ouc hing up ,work inside .
Warehouse zio. 2 _ cleaning and repainting entire
exterior
pity Rail building - retintirzg several rooms and
retouching woodwork.
This report was referred to Committees Ao. 1 and go. 4.
rdinance Amending Building Code
A report ; was received from Committee No. 2 concerning
he proposed,: ordinance ;relating. ;to alteration of exterior wails,
stating that at the meeting of the committee when this was
considered,` two members=:voted.to recommend that the amendment
be adopted, and two voted; against the .amendment.
It
Sec 1602 of
store front -s:=
by :the Board
Committee No.
amendment be
was ,stated that this ordinance, which would amend
the Building Code, by permitting alterations of
up` to' the awning box .Line, had first been proposed
of - Works .. Reference was made to the report of
1..on` this matter, which recommended that the
not: -adopted.
The proposed ordinance was given second reading, and
a notion was made by Mosher, seconded by Blois, that the ordinance
be; ad.opt:ed. The matter was discussed at length, and a motion
to. lay the -ordinance on the table until the next meeting, his
motion by Thoits and Crandal? , was lost.
After further discussion, the vote on the motion to
adopt the ordinance was as follows on roll call:
Ayes:, Blois, Bonham, Judson, Kelly, Mosher, Stephens,
arood .
Noes: Cathcart, Collins, Crandall, Green, Thoits,
Thomas.
ordinance was declared lost.
Easement for UtL..ity F acflities
A grant of easement for utility facilities from , L.
and Elizabeth D. Pitman to the City of Palo Alto was referred to
the Board of Works and: Committee No. 1.
Appointments to Planning Commission
The Mayor announced that the terms of r . C. E.
Ashworth. and Mr.. WilsonEllis as members of the Planning
Commission expired on September 16, 1934, and he nominated these
members :for, re -appointment. he also nominated Mr. W. M. Kelley
as deputy to Ir. Arthur James, member of the Planning.
Commission. On motion of Collins and. Judson, these nominations
were confirmed.
Reports of Officials
The reports of the Department of Public Works,
Department of Public Safety, Auditor and Treasurer. for the month
of October, 1934, were received and placed on file.
Edward M. Fellows
N. J. Lenard, 258.50
Same 6.00
City of Palo Alto 91.95
City -of Palo Alto 7000.00
City of Palo 'Alto 360.00
City o' , Palo Alto 150.00
Leagrug_4 Calif. Munic . 75.00
F.''l. Patty, Agent 8.50
Bills Approved
On motion of Mosher and Collins, the following bills
were allowed and warrants authorized in payment of the same, CY
unanimous vote on roll call;
E. D. Bullard Co. 34.67
Burroughs Adding Machine Co. 1.54.
Dieterich-Post Co. 2.05
Charles R. Hadley Co. 27.53
Professional Building, Inc. 25.00
Palo Alto Tines. 5:00
Palo ..Alto . News 5.00
Stanford Bookstore 128.50
Stanford university Press 30.49
Mayor Earl C. Thomas 25.00
Travelers insurance Co. 211.82
Jahn E. Springer, Police Judge 11.59
and
Attorneys
the City..
at the int
as temporar:
their new ,
the P? annii
plans for
that the to
station is
weeks.
Attest:
t
Temo-.:irary 011 Station.
In response to .a question. by Councilman Cathcart,
toe City Engineer explained that thebuilding recently placed
at the intersection of University Avenue and El Camino Real ' is
a temporary building to be used by the Standard Oil Corm a
their :new service station is being built at this location; that e
the Planning Commission and B4Oard of ., works have approved >
ed the
plans for the new station and:` work will start immediately, and
that the temporary building:. will be removed as soon as the new
station is completed which will probably be in a month or six
weeks.
on motion of -Mosher-and Blois, the Council adjourned.-
.Approved �,'q,0
.ia[yor