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Home My WebLink About11/28/2016 Special Meeting �� YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING November 28, 2016 City Hall --Council Chambers 9 a.m. -- MINUTES 1. Roll Call Council: Mayor Kathy Coffey, presiding,Assistant Mayor Carmen Mendez, Council Members Maureen Adkison, Holly Cousens,Avina GutierrezDulce Gutierrez and, Bill Lover Staff: City Manager Moore, Finance and Budget Director Epperson and City Clerk Clear Tee 2. 2017 Preliminary Budget Wrap Up City Manager Moore gave opening statements and noted the final public hearing on the 2017 budget will occur on December 6, 2016, with the 2017 budget adoption on December 13, 2016. Cindy Eppersnn. Finance and Budget Director, began discussion with unbudgeted strategic initiatives. Human Resources--Strategic initiative to add two modules to NEOGov Software. Human Resources Director Mendoza recapped the initiative,After Council discussion, MOTION: Lover moved and Cousens seconded to approve the NEOGov Software.The motion carried by unanimous vote. Finance—Strategic initiative to purchase Workiva Reporting Software. Ms. Epperson briefed Council on the software.After Council discussion, MOTION: Cousens moved and Lover seconded to approve it. The motion carried by unanimous vote. Planning--Strategic initiative for Planning Division reorganization. MOTION: Lover moved and Adkison seconded to approve this reorganization. The motion carried by unanimous vote. Fire--Strategic initiative for facility remodel and modernization. Chief Stewart briefed Council on the request.After Council discussion, MOTION: Lover moved and Coffey seconded to reduce this by 50% and review again in July. Council members discussed seeing a breakdown of the costs. MOTION: D. Gutierrez moved and Cousens seconded to table this. The motion carried by unanimous vote. Fire--Strategic initiative to add one Fire Maintenance Mechanic position--less temporary salary. MOTION: D. Gutierrez moved and Adkison seconded to accept the additional one Fire Maintenance Mechanic position.The motion carried by unanimous vote. Fire—Strategic initiative to add three Firefighter positions. City Manager Moore and Chief Stewart reported on this initiative.After Council discussion, MOTION: D. Gutierrez moved and Lover seconded to add the additional three Firefighters to the preliminary budget. The motion carried by a 6-1 vote with Lover voting no. City Manager Moore confirmed with Council that this provides authorization to hire three additional Firefighters in January which is separate from the Page 1 of 3 �� SAFER grant. Airport--Strategic initiative to add one Airport Assistant Manager position. MOTION: Adkison moved and Coffey seconded to approve.The motion carried by unanimous vote. Public Works / Streets--Strategic initiative for energy conservation street lighting. MOTION: [�ouaensmnovadand D. CSuUerrezseconded toapprove. The nnodonoarh*dbyunaninnnuavote. Public VVorks/Streets—Strategic inidaUvefor sidewalk nspair�nsta||sdionand tree removal. City K8anegorK�oonenoted �Council approves 8Transpo�ationBeneOt [)i�biot. then the sidewalk repair 1 endtroenannova| nornponontofthoexpenaavvou|dbobui|tinb) thatrevenuo. K8OT|ON: A. Gutierrez moved and D. Gutierrez seconded to approve. The motion carried by unanimous vote. Public Works I Streets--Strategic initiative to add two Traffic Signs and Marking Specialist positions and to add one Traffic Technician position. Public Works Director Schafer stated with Council's earlier decision to not make any budget cuts to Streets and Troffiu, he proposed these strategic initiatives be placed on hold until next year and Council agreed. City Manager Moore noted with expenditures now concluded, a discussion on revenue options will be next. City Wide I New Revenue--Strategic initiative to establish a brokered natural gas utility tax and eliminate lid on electric, natural gas and telephone tax. Finance and Budget Director Epperson reported the brokered natural gas tax came about in the early 90's due to the deregulation of natural gas, with large companies purchasing wholesale from out-of-state and the Legislature made it possible to add this tax. Council Member A. Gutierrez discussed lifting the cap next year for the 2018 budget.After Council discussion, MOTION: A. Gutierrez moved and Adkison seconded to increase the cap on the natural, electric and telephone, as well as the brokered natural gas utility tax, from a $4,000 cap to an$8,000 cap for the next budgetary year. The motion carried by a 6-1 vote with Lover voting no. . City Wide/New Revenue—Strategic initiative to establish a Transportation Benefit District/impose tab fee.After Council discussion, MOTION: A. Gutierrez moved and Mendez seconded to establish a Transportation Benefit District with direction to staff to look at a minimum $15 beginning fee. The motion carried by a 6-1 vote with Lover voting no. City Administration / Economic Development—Strategic initiative for a special event fee:increase. City Manager Moore stated this is a small amount of revenue with a complex policy discussion and suggested this item be sent to the Council Economic Development Committee,with a view towards bringing this back next year, to which Council agreed. Utility Rate Proposal—City Manager Moore reported the original proposal at an earlier meeting vvou|dincrease the average utility bill for vvat8� vvaotevvaterand refuse by$0.2Oper rnUn[h.Atthe earlier nneedng. (�ound| had suggested an alternate proposal reducing the increase by half or to $3.11per rnon1h. |�enoted staff has brought back ahybhdproposal vvhichisbased onthe alternate proposal but increases refuse sd7�� inorder tobuild naSenesb} irnp|ennentareCyCUngpro8nann. I After Council discussion, MOTION: Lover moved and Cousennseconded to accept the hybrid proposal. The motion failed by a 4-3 vote with D. Gutierrez, Mendez,Adkison, Coffey voting no. Council discussed prioritizing the increase for refuse and recycling.Assistant Mayor Mendez noted if they approve the $6.20 as originally proposed, and not allocate any additional percent to any other department, but properly allocate and fund each utility, this would provide the ability to start building Page 2 of 3 24 reserves and give the capacity to move forward.After further discussion, MOTION: D. Gutierrez moved and Mendez seconded to accept the original proposal of$6.20 per month. The motion carried by a 5-2 vote with Lover and A. Gutierrez voting no. Fire--it was Council consensus to bring the tabled motion regarding the Facility Remodel and Modernization back for review. Chief Stewart distributed a breakdown of costs to Council. The motion under review is "Lover moved and Coffey seconded to reduce this by 50% and review again in July." MOTION: Lover moved and Coffey seconded to withdraw the motion. The motion to withdraw carried by unanimous vote.After further Council discussion, MOTION: Lover moved and A. Gutierrez seconded in lieu of the$700,000 on this proposal that we approve the Chief's request of$307,850, which removes the$50,000 in unanticipated maintenance costs. The motion carried by unanimous vote. 3. Adjournment MOTION: D. Gutierrez moved and Mendez seconded to adjourn to the next Council Business meeting on December 6, 2016, at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers. The motion carried by unanimous vote. The meeting adjourned at 12:14 p.m. CERTIFICATION READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY r ( 2- 1 - l� CO NCIL MEMBER DATE ,z4,-( � COt1NCIL MEMBER DATE ATTEST: 0 ( CITY CLERK .••4 �i AYOR 1 n *! <' ;IN: '° moi. Page 3 of 3