HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/15/2012 04Ai Draft Minutes 04-10-2012 Study SessionYAKIMA CITY COUNCIL
STUDY SESSION
April 10, 2012
Council Chambers -- City Hall
10 a.m. -12:00 p.m. City Council Study Session to review department service
levels; 12:OOp.m. -2:00 p.m. Executive Session
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1. Roll Call
Present: Council: Mayor Micah Cawley, presiding, Council Members Sara Bristol, Kathy Coffey,
Rick Ensey, Dave Ettl and Bill Lover
Absent: Assistant Mayor Maureen Adkison (excused)
Staff: Interim City Manager Morales and City Clerk Claar Tee
2. Review Department Service Levels
Interim City Manager Morales explained this meeting is to discuss services by departments,
discuss any Council questions and possibly prioritize general fund services by department.
Management is struggling to define levels of service and needs Council's input. Council Member
Ensey questioned where Council would like to go with this. Mayor Cawley indicated his initial
intention was to discuss the price of government in Yakima. Council Member Coffey noted she
thought they were establishing minimum service levels and questioned Council's thoughts about
reestablishing the POG model. Council Member Ettl stated he hoped to look at what the City of
Redmond has done. Redmond looked at what their community could afford for government and
adjusted services accordingly. He believes the book regarding the Price of Government would
put everyone on the same page. Council Member Coffey noted this meeting could be laying the
groundwork and be a springboard to the next meeting. Council Member Lover stated that
government should not be the scratch for every itch and feels the costs of government have risen
by $1 million in Yakima each year. Interim City Manager Morales reported there are different
cities utilizing different processes. He could ask a city representative to report on their process or
perhaps a speaker from AWC or ICMA. Mayor Cawley stated the Council needs to work in
tandem with staff and utilize some structure to work on the budget.
Interim City Manager Morales suggested Council have these budget discussions up front,
instead of during the budget process. If service levels are set and departments are given a
budget to maintain those levels, they should have the authority to achieve those levels in a
manner they choose. If Council doesn't agree, or gives a different policy directive, that is
Council's prerogative.
Mayor Cawley noted they have generally been a reactionary Council and as previous City
Manager Cooper noted, if Yakima is not doing something well, should they be doing it?
Community Relations Manager Randy Beehler shared the important part of any process is to
decide what the outcome should be. If Council determines what outcome they would like that is
the key, then decide which process to follow in order to get there. Council Member Bristol noted
she thinks the vision statement is ambiguous. She thinks they should have more trust in the
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Department Directors and how they are going to make their budget work instead of constantly
reinventing the wheel.
Council Member Coffey noted the City needs a 4 to 5 year plan, which includes community input.
She likes Council Member Ettl's comments on what other cities are doing and suggests
researching those concepts. Council sets parameters, department heads present to Council, and
Council comments on it. She feels the last few years have been the most difficult to budget due
to the economy. They should go back to basics, give parameters to staff and let the
professionals do their jobs. If something is out of line with established priorities then Council can
correct it.
Mayor Cawley opened the meeting for public comments
Rich Hochrein, Summit Crest Construction, 4710 Summitview (office location), thanked Council
for their hard work. He feels a dilemma is coming from developers as they see how things have
changed and fees have been developed. As a short history, developers would pay a fee and if an
inspector spent more time on their project than anticipated, they would pay more, if the inspector
took less time, they would receive a partial refund - -they paid as they went. Now the City has
taken an inspector away and has put the inspection burden on the contractor. He thinks the
system may have worked in Florida for former City Manager Cooper but it doesn't work in
Yakima. Developers are willing to increase the fees to 200% which doubles the fee, in order for
the City to retain the inspector.
Interim City Manager Morales reminded Council the City previously contributed $50,000 as a
subsidy for this service, which was eliminated in the budget. Management's proposal was either
fees would go up to eliminate the subsidy or the inspector position would be eliminated. Council
eliminated the position.
Mayor Cawley closed audience comments.
It was Council consensus for staff to bring back strategic planning processes from other cities.
Council Member Coffey indicated she would like to see where the POG model is now. Mayor
Cawley noted they will begin the budget process soon. Interim City Manager Morales stated the
budget process will begin in several months; however, he would like general policy guidance
from Council on what the priorities are going to be.
Council recessed at 11:45 a.m. and reconvened at 12 noon for Executive Session
3. Executive Session to evaluate the qualifications of an applicant for public employment, review
the performance of a public employee and collective bargaining
Council reconvened at 1:14 p.m. in open session at which time Council Member Coffey exited
the meeting. Mayor Cawley moved to consider the qualifications of the semi - finalists for the
position of City Manager and invite candidates 4, 6, 7, and 8 to be notified of the City's_ intent to
interview them the week of April 23, 2012.
Motion: Approve, Moved by Council Member Mayor Micah Cawley, Seconded by Council
Member Council Member Rick Ensey. Approved. 5 -0. Council Members voting Aye: Bristol ,
Cawley, Ensey, Ettl , Lover. Council Members Absent: Adkison , Coffey.
4. Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 1:16 p.m. to the next Council Business meeting on April 17, 2012 at 6
p.m. in the Yakima City Hall Council Chambers.
Motion: Approve, Moved by Council Member Council Member Rick Ensey, Seconded by Council
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Member Council Member Bill Lover. Approved. 5 -0. Council Members voting Aye: Bristol ,
Cawley, Ensey, , Ettl , Lover. Council Members Absent: Adkison , Coffey.
CERTIFICATION
READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK
COUNCIL MEMBER DATE
COUNCIL MEMBER DATE
MAYOR
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