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Home My WebLink About03/08/2011 Study Session 446 YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING — STUDY SESSION MARCH 8, 2011 — 9:00 — 10:30 A.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS — YAKIMA CITY HALL 1. RoII CaII Present: Council: Mayor Micah Cawley, presiding, Assistant Mayor Kathy Coffey, Council Members Maureen Adkison, Rick Ensey, Dave Ettl and Bill Lover Absent: Dave Edler -- excused Staff: City Manager Zais, Interim Fire Chief Willson and City Clerk Kloster Mayor Cawley called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. 2. Regional Fire Authority • Review interest in opportunities for supporting a study on the proposed Regional Fire Authority Interim Chief Willson gave opening remarks describing the proposed Regional Fire Authority (RFA). City Manager Zais advised regional partnerships have been a recurrent theme with the Council when looking at collaboration and consolidation. The Regional Library was given independent taxing authority and the City received dividends that were used for public safety. The Regional Fire Authority idea was established by state legislation in 2004. The City has had discussions with West Valley Fire District and Union Gap, as it takes at least two members to create a Regional Fire Authority. Additionally, the Council Public Safety Committee has reviewed this issue and recommended it be considered by the full Council. Interim Chief Willson explained that he is not asking for a vote on a Regional Fire Authority, but is asking for support from Council to study the concept to decide if implementation can truly benefit the citizens. An in -depth study may take 9 -12 months to determine whether this will be recommended for the Yakima Valley. In response to Mayor Cawley's question about funding a study, Interim Chief Willson communicated he will put together a study group comprised of business owners, citizens, fire officials, and elected officials from each jurisdiction. Both he and the Union Gap Fire Chief will be facilitators. They may need to bring hi a financial analyst or others who have knowledge of the process and thinks a commitment of $20- 30,000 would be a place to start; however, that could be determined by the study group. Mayor Cawley advised Union Gap is interested but other fire departments or fire districts could also join the group. Responding to Council Member Lover's question of how many firefighters between Union Gap and the other districts would be involved; Interim Chief Willson believes there are nine from Union Gap. Council Member Adkison asked if the cost for the study would be shared; Interim Chief Willson indicated it would be. 447 Regional Fire Authority Study Session March 8; 2011 Interim Chief Willson reviewed a timeline for implementing a Regional Fire Authority. Currently, we are at the exploratory phase, followed by a study group who would then make a recommendation. If the recommendation is positive, a planning committee governed by the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) would be formed, which would include three elected officials from each jurisdiction. The planning committee would then make a business plan as outlined by the RCW on operations; funding, and administration. The business plan would then be submitted to the state and if accepted, would be presented to the jurisdictions for a vote. This process could take up to two years. Assistant Mayor Coffey asked how the participants of the study group would be selected. Interim Chief Willson indicated he will ask non - fire - related business owners, as well as school district representatives or employees, in order to get a cross section for an unbiased report. Council Member Ettl asked about others in the state that have already formed a _Regional Fire Authority. Interim Chief Willson responded the first one was formed in 2006 and then several others followed suit on the west side of the mountains, which have been very successful. Mayor Cawley wondered if the formation of an RFA is primarily to get a sustainable funding source. Interim Chief Willson agreed that was the initial interest; however, he would like to keep the same quality fire service for the citizens. He stated the Regional Fire Authority is responsible directly to the voters who decide the level of coverage. City Manager Zais mentioned the general fund budget and approximately $800,000 from the EMS budget support the Fire Department. A new governing body with taxing authority would not relieve the City of prior pension obligations. Mayor Cawley asked about future pension requirements, which then become the responsibility of the district. Interim Chief Willson stated all debts /liabilities can transfer depending on the agreement in place. When a Regional Fire Authority is formed, there are different funding options; however, we are not at the point. Whatever the Regional Fire Authority charges as a tax base, the city has to reduce their tax collection by that much. If there were any windfalls, Council would decide whether they were used for law enforcement or returned to the tax payers. Mayor Cawley asked if the Council wanted to officially join this study group and potentially commit money in the future on this issue. Council Member Lover questioned the possibility of a $2 million dollar funding gap, which will need to come from somewhere other than the City and would likely be a tax. Interim Chief Willson believes a study would show if a tax would be necessary. Council Member Ettl noted that an RFA allows the public to decide what level of fire protection and sustainability they want to support. Interim Chief Willson believes he has an obligation to study the options for the future of the fire department and for the citizens of Yakima. Assistant Mayor Coffey thinks Council has an obligation to study the Regional Fire Authority and then present it to the citizens for their input. Council Member Ettl acknowledged it is responsible to study all the options, although he expressed concern that other districts in the area are not considering to participate in the study. Mayor Cawley stated that these districts are not 2 448 Regional Fire Authority Study Session March 8, 2011 interested in joining because they have a good structure set up for their districts. However, they are very supportive of what we are doing. Interim Chief Willson stated the two districts are doing well, are happy with the service they provide and do not have the same funding issues as Yakima. Both jurisdictions have offered their support for the study. Council Member Ensey thinks the study is biased to begin with if we have already decided the end point. Council Member Ettl replied that the purpose of the study is to involve people who are looking for efficiencies and see it as a potential direction to pursue if the information yields accordingly. Interim Chief Willson stated when the study begins; they will look at response times to every residence, the cost per resident, current budgets and budget projections for the next two years. Council Member Ettl thinks something of this magnitude, is similar to the recent vote for a change in government and the public should have a say. Council Member Adkison reiterated this is just a study and she hopes as this study goes forward, the public will receive the information to become informed on the subject. Council Member Lover indicated the discussion is about taxes and budgets as well as efficiencies and he has always stated he would not vote for new taxes. Interim Chief Willson mentioned there are several options: do nothing and hope the economy improves and property values increase; sustain the same level of service if the budget increases; increase taxes to cover costs; or look at a Regional Fire Authority. Council Member Ensey stated that forming a Regional Fire Authority would be a tax increase, and this is more about funding issues. Union Gap pays their firefighters approximately a third less than Yakima, which will result in an automatic increase in pay and benefits. He also indicated that this is not going to be a Union Gap decision but a Yakima voter decision due to the variance in populations. He cannot support this. Assistant Mayor Coffey suggested the Council discuss this further at the upcoming retreat. She believes the Council will soon need to face some hard realities for sustainability of public safety. Council Member Ettl asked if a vote on the Regional Fire Authority would be an across - the -board majority rules vote or would a vote have to carry in each district. Interim Chief Willson indicated the vote would be from all citizens within the boundary of the proposed Regional Fire Authority, so if Yakima votes yes and Union Gap votes no, it would still be approved. City Manager Zais advised that before a vote is taken, Union Gap could conduct an advisory opinion vote or a survey of their residents 3. Audience Comments None 4. Adjournment COFFEY MOVED AND ENSEY SECONDED TO ADJOURN TO March 15, 2011 AT 6:00 P.M. FOR CITY COUCN/L BUSINESS MEETING IN CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote. The meeting adjourned at 10:14 a.m. 3 .449 Regional Fire Authority Study Session March 8, 2011 READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY COUNCIL MEMBER DATE '8 COUNCIL ME R D TE ATTEST: /� �/ 4 4 /11-15 A. I CITY CLERK MICAH CAWLEY, MAYOR Minutes prepared by Sonya Claar Tee. A CD and DVD of this meeting are available in the City Clerk's Office 4