Orting council declines immediate City Hall site-closure approval, requests legal memo and moves debate to study session

A proposal to approve a City Hall site-closure scope and budget of up to $19,530 failed for lack of a second, and the Orting City Council later voted to move discussion of the item to a March study session so members could review a forthcoming legal memo.

A council member introduced a motion to approve the City Hall site-closure scope and budget in an amount not to exceed $19,530 with a stipulation that staff send a letter to PBS prohibiting use of the City of Orting name or logo in PBS marketing materials. The motion received no second and therefore failed.

City Attorney Kendra told the council she had reviewed the contract language and could not provide a detailed legal analysis in open session but confirmed that under the contract the council may send a letter requesting nonusage. She said she would provide a written legal memorandum addressing the council’s concerns prior to the CGA committee meeting.

Because some council members said they would like the memo and further discussion in the presence of all members, Council member Moore moved to return AB 2519 to a study session in March; Council member Holland seconded. The motion to move the item to the study session passed on a recorded roll call, noted in the record as passing “6 to 0” (the clerk’s announcement recorded some uncertainty as “6 to 0 or 5 to 0”). Staff will bring the item back after the attorney’s memo so council can consider any contractual or legal constraints and finalize direction on site closure and branding use with PBS.

The council did not adopt the site-closure scope or authorize the $19,530 at this meeting; no contract changes were approved.