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Home My WebLink About11/19/2013 Business Meeting • 490 4 a i a - f YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL November 19 2013 City Hall -- Council Chambers 6 PM Business Meeting; 7 PM Public Hearings BUSINESS MEETING 1. Roll Call Council: Mayor Micah Cawley, presiding, Assistant Mayor Maureen Adkison, Council Members Sara Bristol, Kathy Coffey, Rick Ensey, Dave Ettli and Bill Lover Staff: City Manager O'Rourke, City Attorney Cutter and City Clerk Claar Tee 2. Pledge of Allegiance Mayor Cawley led the Pledge of Allegiance. 3. Open Discussions for the Good of the Order A. Presentations /recognitions /introductions i. Recognition of James (Jamie) Day for 30 Years of Service This recognition will be rescheduled. 4. Council Reports 5. Consent Agenda Mayor Cawley referred to the items placed on the Consent Agenda, questioning whether there were any additions or deletions from Council members or citizens present. There were no changes. The City Clerk read the Consent Agenda items, including resolutions and ordinances by title. (Items on the Consent Agenda are handled under one motion without further discussion —see motion directly below.) Ensey moved and Adkison seconded to approve the consent agenda. The motion carried by a unanimous roll call vote. A. Approval of the minutes from the October 1 and 15, 2013 City Council Business meetings and October 8, 21 and 24, 2013 Study Sessions. B. Final Contract Payment for Columbia Asphalt - Franklin Park Parking Lot Resurfacing (Standard Motion V -B- Accept the project and approve the final payment) C. Resolution authorizing a Professional Services Agreement with Bell & Associates, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $7,455 to develop and provide a Solid Waste Cost of Service Rate Study. RESOLUTION NO. R- 2013 -146, A RESOLUTION authorizing the City Manager to execute a Professional Services Agreement with Bell & Associates, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $7,455.00 to develop and provide a Solid Waste Cost of Service Rate Study. D. Resolution authorizing a grant agreement with the Washington State Office of Public Page 1 of 5 491 • Defense to support indigent defense expenses. . RESOLUTION NO. R -2013 -147, A RESOLUTION ratifying and approving the City Manager's execution of a grant agreement between the City of Yakima and the Washington State Office of Public Defense accepting the terms and conditions for the receipt of a 2014 Grant. E. Resolution authorizing acceptance of a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for $25,000 toward environmental improvements related to Riparian Zone Outfall Alternatives at the City Wastewater Treatment Facility. RESOLUTION NO. R -2013 -148, A RESOLUTION authorizing the City Manager to accept a grant from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for $25,000 toward environmental improvements related to riparian zone outfall alternatives at the City Wastewater Treatment Facility. F. Resolution authorizing an Inter -local Agreement with Yakima County for reimbursement of $80,085.55 for Greenway Trail improvements related to riparian zone outfall alternatives at the City Wastewater Treatment Facility. RESOLUTION NO. R-201;3-149, A RESOLUTION authorizing the City Manager to execute an Interlocal Agreement with Yakima County for reimbursement of $80,085.55, for Greenway Trail • improvements related to riparian zone outfall alternatives at the City Wastewater Treatment Facility. 6. Audience Participation Karl Pasten, City resident, spoke on behalf of the Yakima Trolley Association. He feels the Trolley's should be on par with other city -owned non profit entities such as the Convention Center and Capitol Theatre in receiving reinvestments. He is working with our state legislators on grant funding and would like the City's support for grant applications. Candie Turner, City resident, stated she recently met with the City Manager regarding downtown parking issues and then asked a few more related questions, which were answered. Chris Pelayo, City resident, spoke as co- founder of Stop the Violence in our Communities regarding how their organization began working with law enforcement and other agencies in the valley in 2006. Additionally, she requested a meeting with Chief Rizzi. PUBLIC HEARINGS , 7. A. First Public Hearing on the proposed 2014 Revenue and Expenditure Budget for the City of Yakima B. Set date for a second Public Hearing on the proposed 2014 Revenue and Expenditure Budget on December 3, 2013, after which a determination will be made on the final 2014 Budget. City Manager O'Rourke b iefed Council on the 2014 proposed budget. Council Member Lover questioned the 50% increase in the budget for the Visitor and Convention Center. John Cooper, CEO of the Visitor and Convention Bureau, stated the funding comes from the hotel /motel tax and not the general fund. The allocation has remained flat for 10 years, which is why they need an increase this year with fixed expenses they are trying to cover. Mayor Cawley opened the public hearing, and with no one coming forward, closed the hearing. Lover moved and Ensey seconded to decrease the budgeted amount for the Visitor and Convention Center from 50% to 25 %. The motion failed by a 5 -2 roll call vote with Ensey and Lover voting yes. Council Member Lover asked whether we would we be able to obtain more buses if we purchased smaller buses at a lower price. City Manager O'Rourke noted they will bring more Page 2 of 5 • 492 information back on this issue. Lover moved and Bristol seconded to have the Gang Free Initiative Committee fall under the Council Public Safety Committee. The motion failed by a 5 -2 roll call vote with Ensey and Lover voting yes. Ettl moved and Coffey seconded to televise the Gang Free Initiative Committee meetings on YPAC, effective immediately. The motion carried by a 5 -2 roll call vote with Bristol and Cawley voting no. Adkison moved and Ensey seconded to set December 3, 2013 as the date of a second public hearing to consider the 2014 Budget. The motion carried by unanimous roll call vote. 8. Public Hearing on Revenue Sources and Consideration of Legislation pertaining to Ad Valorem Taxes to be levied for collection in Fiscal Year 2014: Ordinance A— Declaring the City Council's intent to increase the City's 2014 regular property tax levy up to 101% of the amount levied in the previous year, plus new construction, annexation, and refunds. Ordinance B— fixing and levying the 2014 ad valorem property taxes and excess levy taxes for the City of Yakima. Finance and Budget Director Epperson briefed Council on the ordinances. Should Council approve the ordinance, there will be a reduction in the voted property tax levy due to the fire bond issue pay -off in 2014. Mayor Cawley opened the public hearing, and with no one coming forward to speak, closed the public hearing. The City Clerk read the ordinance by title only. • A. ORDINANCE NO. 2013 -053, AN ORDINANCE relating to the annual property tax levy; declaring the City Council's intent to increase the City's 2014 regular levy up to 101% along with new construction, annexation, refunds and growth in state - assessed property values from the amount levied the previous year. Adkison moved and Coffey seconded to pass the ordinance. The motion carried by a unanimous roll call vote. Mayor Cawley opened the public hearing, and with no one coming forward to speak, closed the public hearing. The City Clerk read the ordinance by title only. B. ORDINANCE NO. 2013 -054, AN ORDINANCE fixing and levying the amount of ad valorem taxes necessary to balance estimated revenue with estimated expenditures for the 2014 Budget for the City of Yakima. Ensey moved and Bristol seconded to pass the ordinance. The motion carried by a unanimous roll call vote. CITY MANAGER REPORTS 9. 2013 3rd Quarter Strategic Plan Update. City Manager O'Rourke briefed Council on the Strategic Plan Update. Council Members Coffey and Ettl asked where funds have been spent from the increase in the Utility Tax. City Manager O'Rourke stated they will prepare a report for Council on this issue. Page 3 of 5 493 Adkison moved and Bristol seconded to accept the Plan. The motion carried by unanimous roll call vote. 10. Downtown Master Plan Issues and Creation of Implementation Committee and Retail Task Force Committee . City Manager O'Rourke briefed Council on the action steps for the Downtown Master Plan, which begin with conceptual and design plans to have a better sense of opportunities and challenges. Additionally, committees for the downtown project and retail group will need to be established. Council Member Coffey believes the retail study should be done correctly and the budget - increased to $50,000. Council members discussed adding representatives to the committees. Council Member Ensey asked if Legal reviewed the Local Improvement District Issue. City Attorney Cutter stated he reviewed it and believes the City can replace the parking within the immediate vicinity. Ettl moved and Adkison seconded to set up dual committees of the Downtown Project Group and Retail Group. The motion carried by unanimous roll call vote. Coffey moved and Bristol seconded to accept the Downtown Master Plan and Action Step Summary with the following changes: the retail marketing outreach effort budget would be increased to $50,000 and that the short-term and long -term parking strategy and study would include a traffic and parking study to be concurrent with the first quarter of 2014. The motion carried by a 5 -2 roll call vote with Ensey and Lover voting no. ORDINANCES 11. First reading of an Ordinance amending the 2013 budget for the City of Yakima; and making appropriations from Unappropriated Fund Balances within various Funds for expenditure during 2013 as noted in the schedule attached. (no action required at this meeting; second reading scheduled December 3, 2013). Cindy Epperson, Director of Finance and Budget, briefed Council on the ordinance. The City Clerk read the ordinance by title only. An Ordinance amending the 2013 budget and appropriating funds for expenditures was read by title only and laid on the table until December 3, 2013 for a second reading. AN ORDINANCE amending the 2013 budget for the City of Yakima; and making appropriations from Unappropriated Fund Balances within the Parks and Recreation Fund - 131, and Police Grants Fund - 152 for expenditure during 2013 to provide for increased usage of Parks facilities and programs; and enhanced drug enforcement efforts by the Yakima Police Department. 12. Other Business A. Council replacement process. Mayor Cawley confirmed Council Member Bristol would be leaving the District 2 Council position at the end of the year. City; Attorney Cutter stated the Council is authorized by the City Charter to nominate /appoint an individual from District 2 to replace the Council Member that is leaving. How they make the selection or appointment is up to the Council to decide. Lover moved and Ettl seconded to use the same process used in the past. The motion carried by unanimous roll call vote. It was Council consensus to open the application process now through December 31, 2013. Page 4 of 5 494 • B. Other Business Assistant Mayor Adkison stated she would like to amend her previous position regarding ' recreational use of marijuana in the City of Yakima. Assistant Mayor Adkison stated she has thought long and hard about this after her last vote. With her work on the GFI Committee, she thinks the legalization of marijuana will make it easier for kids to get it. Her other consideration is that the City is accepting the state's approval in the face of the fact that the federal government still considers this a crime. Adkison moved and Ettl seconded that we prohibit the use, sale, growth and processing of marijuana in the City of Yakima and have staff prepare that legislation. The motion carried by a 4 -3 roll call vote with Cawley, Bristol and Coffey voting no. City Attorney Cutter asked Council if the City should respond to the request from the Attorney . General for comments in accord with this vote. Ettl moved and Lover seconded to have our City Legal Department send written comments to the Attorney General's Office on this matter. The motion carried by a 4 -3 roll call vote with Bristol, Cawley and Coffey voting no. C. Other Business Council Member Ettl distributed a copy of his December 12, 2011 memo to Council regarding the increase of utility tax money for public safety and requested an accounting of those funds. Finance and Budget Director Epperson stated the funds have been spent on public . safety. City Manager O'Rourke stated they will provide a cost accounting of the funds. 13. Adjournment . Ensey moved and Adkison seconded to adjourn. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote. The meeting adjourned at 8:29 p.m. to a Council Study Session on November 26, 2013 at 10 a.m. CERTIFICATION ' ; READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY 1 L4 — _ .=..._ - l c i COUME BER J DATE f ,,e.)..) LaAP/t 6'1 - 16=-14- UNCIL MEMBER DATE A TEST: j / -/ .... , ( , /7:44 , CITY CLERK AYOR i `�-�� P00,100 :\ i / A ,` -,_ A` , 1 ' I L y . ~` 1‘ VV AS\ '`. Page 5 of 5