HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/05/2000 Adjourned Meeting 44
CITY OF YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
ADJOURNED MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
DECEMBER 5, 2000 — 11:30 A.M.
PROVIDENCE MEDICAL CENTER
1. ROLL CALL
Present:
Council: Mayor Mary Place, presiding, Council Members Henry Beauchamp,
Lynn Buchanan, Larry Mattson, and John Puccinelli,
Staff: Dick Zais, City Manager; Glenn Rice, Assistant City Manager;
Deborah Moore, Executive Secretary; and Melynn Skovald, Public
Works Office Assistant
Absent: Council Members Clarence Barnett and Bernard Sims (excused)
2. PUBLIC SERVICE LEGISLATIVE LUNCHEON
Mayor Place invited attendees to introduce themselves; handouts were provided, and
the group discussed legislative priorities to take to Olympia.
Health Care Issues
Earl Christison, Administrator, and Chris Boor, Public Affairs Coordinator, Providence
Health System, identified several challenges health care organizations are experiencing
in Central Washington. In light of voter - approved initiatives in recent years, there will be
less state and local budget revenues and expenditures will increase due to new
mandates. These will affect the 2001 -2002 biennium budget and Providence fears
health care will again be impacted. The Public Health Insurance Program already
includes declining choices for coverage, and further reductions would not only negatively
impact patient care, but would lead to reduced services and access to health care.
Providence would like to see Washington's health care budget protected from any more
cuts, and they support legislation that would facilitate and encourage health insurers to
participate in the Healthy Options and the Basic Health Plan. They also support
legislation strengthening insurance coverage because level -of -care costs are not
adequately reimbursed and carrying those extra costs are burdening health care
providers. Providence Health System is also concerned about the Rural Health Care
System since the number of uninsured has increased in rural areas. Local economic
development efforts should also continue, and the Yakima community is in desperate
need of a trained workforce. Currently, there is a nursing shortage, and they believe the
health care industry is over regulated reinforcing patient -care staff focusing on
documentation rather than patient care. They also oppose any increase in license fees
for health care providers.
Anita Monoian, Chief Executive Officer, and Rhonda Hauff, Primary Care Administrator,
Yakima Neighborhood Health Services, agreed with concerns expressed by Providence
Health System. They also believe there is a need for quality health care coverage and
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DECEMBER 5, 2000 — ADJOURNED MEETING
COMMUNITY LEGISLATIVE ISSUES LUNCHEON
support legislation to facilitate that aspect. Emergency room traffic is expected to
increase, especially those patients with multiple health problems from lack of health
care.
Dennis Klukan, Executive Director, Yakima County Health District, supports legislation to
continue state MVET replacement funds. He pointed out that some of the services that
had been discontinued have been temporarily reinstated. He also outlined some of the
other initiative cause and effects as mandated by the voters that shifted Health
Department issues and task reassignments.
Marty Lentsch, Yakima County Public Health and Safety Network, noted that they have
the coordination capability to network referrals between non - profits and DSHS in order to
be cost effective by leveraging funding very efficiently within the budget.
Education Issues
Benjamin Soria, Superintendent of the Yakima School District, reported that there are
significant student achievement needs in Yakima. Although the Yakima School District
• has renowned special education services available, additional resources are definitely
needed for bilingual education and counseling services for students. In addition to
current classroom teacher vacancies, more are expected because classroom size will be
decreased due to the recent initiative mandated by the voters this fall. He directed
attention to the upcoming February school bond levy proposal and the group discussed
the simple majority requirement as it relates to voter approval.
Linda Kaminski, President of Yakima Valley Community College (YVCC); highlighted
YVCC's Capital Budget Requests for 2001 -2003. Those priorities include the Higher
Education Center, the Grandview Campus Expansion; Childcare Facility Replacement;
Sundquist.Hall Renovation to accommodate a new media technology program,
Sundquist Student Study Space, and replacement of the antiquated HVAC system at
YVCC.
Economic Issues
Dave McFadden, YCDA, explained that rural economic development is essential, and
support is needed to keep sales tax funding for infrastructure development to attract new
or retain existing companies. Workforce issues also need to be addressed since
qualified people are unavailable. He also felt special tax credits should be given to allow
employers to do customized training programs. Mr. McFadden reported that the
Washington State Trade and Economic Development and Community Development
agencies are going to split up their endeavors. He is also concerned about regulatory
reform issues, i.e., water availability, salmon recovery, and 'other advocacy, issues
dealing with deregulation.
Leopoldo "Polo" Aguilar, Yakima County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, commented
that technical assistance is needed in the Hispanic community to enable grant- funding
opportunities for workforce training.
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DECEMBER 5, 2000 — ADJOURNED MEETING
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Gary Webster, Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce, noted workforce and colleague
issues are concerns, as well as budget ramifications including unfunded mandates,
regulatory reform, the school bond levy, and recent ergonomics regulations that will
impact company operations. Water and its availability is also a priority. He believes the
initiative process is out -of- control and is very close to an unbearable, didactic situation.
Don Skone, Executive Director of the Yakima Valley Conference of Governments
(YVCOG), commented that attention needs to be directed to smaller communities' needs
and their inability to deal with complex regulations. He encouraged support to assist
small towns' ability to meet mandated requirements.
Housing Issues
Alice Sells, Executive Director of the Yakima Housing Authority, identified her agency's
concerns, many of which are the same year after year. These include affordable
housing, health care, education, and investments for the citizens in Yakima. She posed
the question, "What else can we do, and how can we flex our power to get our needs
met ?" She suggested a committee be formed to identify some feasible possibilities to
help Yakima Valley's economy.
City and County Issues
Council Member Beauchamp echoed concerns expressed previously, including loss of
revenues from initiatives that he feels will continue to be a challenge well into the future.
He called attention to the critical issue of young people getting into difficult situations and
the possibility of juvenile criminal justice issues increasing. He feels young people
should be a priority and these potential problems addressed. Research is needed to find
a way to counteract the loss of human potential. He noted that it would cost more if this
issue is fully addressed. He pointed out that a new job creates a sense of pride and
erodes crime, and workforce training should be a priority.
Council Member Puccinelli said that according to MSA's statistics, Yakima's main
problem is their per- capita income is fourth from the bottom in the United States. He
feels this creates many problems for schools, as well as other quality -of -life issues.
However, he feels the effort is being made to address this need to increase the per -
capita income problem. Gary Webster questioned the reliability of MSA's statistics.
Council Member Mattson, directed attention to the new salmon listing and stormwater
rules. These two rules need to meet halfway somehow, since there are not enough
resources to meet those requirements. Other areas of concern are impacts to economic
conditions, such as unfunded mandates and workforce training issues.
Council Member Buchanan noted that federal legislators should be available to hear
concerns of their constituents.
Ron Gamache, Yakima County Commissioner - elect, pointed out that the people have
mandated budget cuts.
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DECEMBER 5, 2000 — ADJOURNED MEETING
COMMUNITY LEGISLATIVE ISSUES LUNCHEON
Mayor Place believes that the Higher Education Center at YVCC will increase the local
economy and what needs to be done in the meantime is to cope with what currently is
available. There are some big cost items and it needs to be determined how those
issues are to be dealt with.
Lisa Fruend, Yakima County, noted that permanent resource replacement is necessary
to deal with the 1 -695 and 1 -722 losses in addition to criminal justice issues.
City Manager Zais reported that the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) is going to
request 1 -695 Reenactment backfill funding. Also a priority is the Higher Education
Center at YVCC. Legislation needs to be reintroduced concerning unfunded mandates
to provide relief from those burdens. Transportation funding is a critical issue and so is
infrastructure for economic development. Finding a funding source in the market place
needs to be encouraged. Resources are necessary for government to work and are vital
for the communities' needs to be met.
Lynne Kittelson brought up the large, non - taxable exempt property tax base in this area,
suggesting that ways to change that situation should be looked at.
Senator Deccio Comments on the Communities' Concerns
Alex Deccio, Washington State Senator, briefly described several aspects of the Yakima
Valley Community College Higher Education Center project, which required a significant
amount of his attention in order to get its capital budget approved by the State
Legislature. Construction is slated to begin in the fall of 2001. City Manager Zais noted
that the Armory Project is a great legislative accomplishment as well. It was started in
1994 and received federal and state monies in the last biennium.
As for impacts from initiatives approved by the voters in recent years, Senator Deccio
explained that the current initiative process does not specify any requirement on how
revenue or spending reductions would take place. The law needs to spell out exactly,
and clearly, how revenues or spending would be changed. The reality of this situation is
there will probably be cuts, in DSHS programs, such as Healthy Options.
As far as regulatory reform, Senator Deccio noted the need for legislative reform of
teenage work statutes, specifically, permitted hours and types of work. Work - related
ergonomic issues also need to be reviewed.
Concerning the Governor's 2001 Budget, Senator Deccio said that 62% would go toward
education. Governor Locke's budget is expected in late December; however, the
proposed budget is over - budget by $2.5 billion. Education is not on the hit list, therefore,
cuts will probably come from other areas of the budget. Senator Deccio also strongly
stated that he feels budget surplus money needs to be guarded for future needs and
priorities should be identified and then dealt with. Gary Webster said that he feels state
standards should not exceed federal requirements.
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DECEMBER 5, 2000 — ADJOURNED MEETING
COMMUNITY LEGISLATIVE ISSUES LUNCHEON
3. ADJOURNMENT TO 1:45 P.M. TO CITY HALL PARKING LOT FOR VEHICLE
DEMONSTRATION
Mayor Place thanked Providence Health System for their hospitality and everyone for
attending. The meeting adjourned at 1:10 p.m.
READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY:
%OUNCI MEMBER Ve
�.i•
• - NM MEMBER ' DATE
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK MARY PLACE, MAYOR
Minutes prepared by Public Works Office Assistant Melynn Skovald. An audiotape of this meeting is
available in the City Clerk's Office
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