Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/05/2013 04A Minutes 01-23-2013 Council Partnerships Committee and Olympia Memo 0 ' - r - 1 ti i r^yl ,, W� BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AGENDA STATEMENT �./ Item No. / For Meeting of: February 5, 2013 ITEM TITLE: Council Partnerships Committee minutes from 1/23/13 and Memo regarding visit to Olympia SUBMITTED BY: CONTACT PERSON /TELEPHONE: SUMMARY EXPLANATION: Resolution Ordinance Other (specify) ® Contract: Mail to: Contract Term: Amount: Expiration Date: Insurance Required? No Funding Source: Phone: APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL: Avt de City Manager STAFF RECOMMENDATION: BOARD /COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: ATTACHMENTS: Click to download ❑ minutes 1 -23 -13 ❑ memo 0 Committee Meeting Minutes Yakima City Council Partnerships Committee Wednesday, January 23, 2013 Members in attendance: Mayor Micah Cawley Asst. Mayor Maureen Adkison City of Yakima staff in attendance: City Manager Tony O'Rourke Community Relations Manager Randy Beehler Absent: Council Member Dave Ettl Mayor Cawley called the meeting to order at 10:05am. - Appoint Chairperson By motion, Asst. Mayor Adkison nominated Council Member Ettl to serve as committee chairperson. No other nominations were received. The motion PASSED unanimously. - Select Meeting Date and Time The committee members decided that while the Washington State Legislature is in session, the committee will meet every other Wednesday at 10:00 am in the 2nd Floor Conference Room at City Hall. The legislative session is expected to last until early April, but could be extended. Once the legislative session is concluded, the committee will consider meeting only once a month. - Appointment Representative to Subcommittees The committee members briefly discussed the appointment of Council members to other boards, committees, etc. which the committee is responsible for. Appointments will be made by the committee at its February 6 meeting. - Olympia Legislative Trip — January 28 -29 O'Rourke explained to the committee that its members, along with O'Rourke, Beehler, and Police Chief Dominic Rizzi, will travel to Olympia on January 28 and 29 to meet with legislators, state agency representatives, and others. The visit is being coordinated by the City's Olympia lobbyist, Jim Justin. The committee will report on its Olympia visit during its February 6 meeting. - Washington, D.C. Legislative Trip — March O'Rourke mentioned that arrangements are in the process of being made for the committee's visit to Washington, D.C. in early March. The City's D.C. lobbyist, June DeHart, is leading the effort to make the arrangements for the visit. * The next Partnerships Committee meeting will take place on February 6 2013 at 10:00 am in the 2nd Floor Conference Room at Yakima City Hall. IJIII EYD o b I MUN To: Council Members From Community Relations Manager Randy Beehler Subject Council Partnerships Committee Visit to Olympia Date: January 30 2013 Council members, On January 28th and 29 ", the City Council Partnerships Committee (Committee Chair Ettl, Mayor Cawley, Asst Mayor Adkison) traveled to Olympia to meet with Yakima Valley legislators, key state agency leaders, staff of the governor's office, and others City Manager Tony O'Rourke, Police Chief Dominic Rizzi, and Community Relations Manager Randy Beehler accompanied the committee The City's Olympia lobbyist, Jim Justin, coordinated the visit Following are summaries of the conversations the committee had while in Olympia - 13 Dist. Rep. Judy Warnick — The committee filled Rep Warnick in on the City's efforts to extend the timeline for utilization of LIFT funds that City intends to use to build infrastructure at the Mill Site Also discussed in detail was the City's North 1s Street Corridor Revitalization project - 13 Dist. Rep. Matt Manweller — This is Rep Manweller's first year in Olympia and he appreciated being brought up to speed on the City's state legislative and administrative priorities Rep Manweller encouraged the committee to continue to provide him with information - 13 Dist. Sen. Janea Holmquist Newbry — Sen Holmquist Newbry, Chair of the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee, expressed some support for the City's effort to introduce legislation related to binding interest arbitration Although unlikely to go too far this session, the arbitration legislation, which centers on allowing "ability to pay" to be added to issues arbitrators can consider, may at least receive a hearing in the Senate A hearing on the legislation this year would raise the profile of the arbitration issue and set the stage for greater progress to be made in future sessions - 14 Dist Rep Charles Ross — Rep Ross encouraged the City to develop "Return on Investment" data regarding the City's Mill Site project which he feels would help make the argument for the City's proposed extension of the timeline for utilization of LIFT funds Rep Ross also suggested the City develop a "Results Story" concerning the Gang Free Initiative - 14 Dist Rep Norm Johnson — Rep Johnson was encouraged that the City has recently secured $2 7 million in Surface Transportation Program funds to begin the initial phase of the North 1s Street Corridor Revitalization project Rep Johnson is interested in working with the City to identify other potential funding sources for additional phases of the project - 14 Dist. Sen. Curtis King — The committee got a strong commitment from Sen King, who is co -chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, to back the City's effort to extend the utilization of LIFT funds timeline Sen King's support of the legislation is critical to its chances of success Sen King is also supportive of the North 1 Street Corridor Revitalization project as well as gang suppression, prevention, and intervention efforts - 15 Dist Rep David Taylor — Rep Taylor wants to the City to provide him with more information about the Gap -to -Gap setback project, particularly regarding any plans by the state or federal government to purchase additional property near the Yakima River Rep Taylor also shared his concern about and opposition to the Voting Rights Act - 15 Dist. Rep. Bruce Chandler — Rep Chandler was particularly interested in economic development efforts the City is undertaking, including the Mill Site project and North 1s Street Corridor Revitalization project. Rep Chandler is supportive of the LIFT funds utilization timeline extension legislation that the City is pursuing. - 15 Dist. Sen. Jim Honeyford — Sen. Honeyford, who is the Chair of the Senate Capital Budget Committee, is supportive of the City's efforts to extend the LIFT funds utilization timeline Sen. Honeyford also expressed his commitment to help the City obtain funding for environmental cleanup of the Mill Site - Acting Wa. St. Dept. of Ecology Director Polly Zehm — Acting Director Zehm spent 15 years working in the Yakima DOE office and is familiar with local issues including the Mill Site project. She encouraged the City to be particularly aware of the sequencing of environmental clean up activities so that the securing of funding can be coordinated. Acting Director Zehm also encouraged the City to work closely with the Yakima DOE office and provided contact information for local DOE staff - Wa. St. Secretary of Transportation Paula Hammond — Sec. Hammond encouraged the City to highlight the economic development potential of the Mill Site when seeking funding or other related legislation. Sec. Hammond noted that future DOT projects will be focused on "Economic Corridors" throughout the state, including Interstate 82 which the Mill Site is adjacent to - John Lane — Governor Inslee's Executive Policy Advisor for Public Safety - The discussion with John Lane from Governor Inslee's office primarily revolved around gang issues The committee was successful in getting a commitment from Mr Lane to work in tandem with the City to keep the issue of identifying sustainable funding sources for efforts to fight gangs in the forefront in Olympia. - Mitch Barker — Wa. Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs Executive Director — Chief Rizzi met with WASPC Executive Director Barker and learned more about the role of WASPC in public policy throughout the state. Barker encouraged Chief Rizzi to keep WASPC updated regarding legislative efforts of the City related to public safety - Dave Williams and Candice Bock — Association of Washington Cities — The committee discussed the City Council's 2013 State Legislative and Administrative Priorities with AWC Director of Government Relations Williams and AWC Government Relations Advocate Bock. Also discussed was AWC's support of legislation intended to restore, and to secure for the long term, funding for cities generated by the sale and taxation of liquor The trip to Olympia was very productive Planning is now underway for a similar visit by the committee to Washington, D C in mid March to share the Council's Federal Legislative and Administrative Priorities with key lawmakers and agency staff The committee is receiving phone conference call updates every two weeks from the City's Olympia lobbyist, Jim Justin. Written reports on the status of items and issues affecting the City will be provided by Justin to the full City Council on a monthly basis during the legislative session. Please let me know if you have questions regarding the committee's Olympia visit or any legislative issues.