HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/20/2001 Adjourned Meeting 346
CITY OF YAKIMA
ADJOURNED MEETING - BUDGET REVIEW
NOVEMBER 20, 2001 - 8:30 A.M. - NOON
129 NORTH 2 STREET - COUNCIL CHAMBERS
1. ROLL CALL
Present:
Council: Mayor Mary Place, presiding, Council Members Clarence Barnett, -
Henry Beauchamp (absent after 11:20 a.m.), Lynn Buchanan, Larry
Mattson (present after 9:15 a.m.), John Puccinelli, and Bernard Sims
Staff: City Manager Zais, Finance and Budget Director Anson, and City
Clerk Roberts
2. COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (CONTINUED FROM 11- 13 -01)
OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT SERVICE (Budget Page H -25;
Policy Issue Page VII -29)
Bill Cook, Director of Community and Economic Development, introduced Bill
Cobabe, Neighborhood Development Services Manager, and Mary Grable,
Accountant.
• Policy Issue — Organization Restructuring
Bill Cobabe introduced the policy issue to restructure the office, fund one
accountant from the Finance Department, delete one Neighborhood
Development Assistant position, and reduce the Housing Loan Specialist and
Department Assistant III positions each by 25 percent. A discussion ensued
about previous citizen testimony in which the Division was chastised for
allocating too much money for staff and housing programs. Mr. Cobabe
distributed a memo that provided information on their budget and programs; of
which about one -third of the Block Grant funds are funding housing programs. In
addition, current Block Grant funds are also devoted to paying bonded
indebtedness from many years ago. He reviewed with Council the results of a
1999 needs assessment survey that indicated a community concern about
health, housing and community services. Council Member Buchanan reminded
Council members that seven citizens approached Council with a request to
allocate less money on housing needs and administration and to use that money
to fund repairs and improvements to the irrigation system. Mr. Cobabe explained
that this office administers several programs, with different funding sources. •
• Budget
Mr. Cobabe responded to Council's questions concerning the proposed 2002
budget.
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TELECOMMUNICATIONS (Budget Page H -37; Policy Issue Page VII -21)
Randy Beehler, Telecommunications Manager, was present to present the
budget for the Telecommunications Division.
• Policy Issue — Add one Community Programming Assistant Position
Mr. Beehler explained his proposal to add a position to increase coverage of
government activities and public affairs events on Y -PAC. Charter
Communications has made Y -PAC available to its subscribers throughout the
County and those subscribers are interested in receiving programs relating to
County -wide issues. It is proposed that this position be partially funded through
the Yakima County Cable TV Franchise fees.
• Budget
There were no questions asked about this Division's budget.
PBIA, CBD, TROLLEY, NO. FRONT ST. BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT
DISTRICT (Budget Page H -44)
• PBIA
Bill Cook reported that the PBIA is up for renewal in April, so revenue in 2002 -
and 2003 will depend on that renewal. If not renewed, the revenue from prior
years would remain with the City, but there would no longer be a revenue stream
to continue the downtown efforts. PBIA funds are also included in the Parks
Division for maintenance expenses.
• CBD
Council Member Buchanan asked staff to write a letter to officially request the
federal government to reimburse the City for the parking spaces they
•
appropriated around the federal courthouse.
• TROLLEY, NO. FRONT ST. BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
There were no questions asked about these budgets.
ENGINEERING /CAPITAL PROJECTS (Budget Page H -71; Policy Issue Page VII -23)
Kay Adams, City Engineer, was available to respond to questions concerning the
Engineering Division.
• Policy Issue — 2002 Arterial Street Overlay and Grind and Overlay
Projects
Chris Waarvick, Public Works Director, was also present to respond to questions
about the proposed capital projects. Mr. Adams reviewed the projects scheduled
to be done in 2002. There was discussion about the quality of repaired street cuts
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NOVEMBER 20, 2001 — BUDGET REVIEW
and Council Member Beauchamp inquired if a bond could be required to ensure
the repairs be done properly. City Manager Zais briefly spoke about the funding
source for the grind and overlay program and indicated a need for continued
transportation funding on a state level.
Council Member Mattson requested a policy issue be prepared to create a
residential paving program. He suggested that $100,000 be appropriated from
the Arterial Overlay program to initially fund the program. Other possible funding
sources are the Community Development Block Grant money as well as Public
Works Trust Funds. Mr. Waarvick interjected that another possible funding source
is the CMAQ /PM10 mitigation money allocated towards this non - attainment area.
He stated that many of the gravel streets have been annexed into the city.
Mr. Adams reported that arterial overlay money is restricted for arterial streets and
cannot be used for residential streets. Following discussion, City Manager Zais
stated that staff will come back with funding options, but cautioned that it would
require a new funding source. Council Member Mattson suggested that the
program should provide funds to pave 26 miles of unpaved streets within the next
ten years.
• Policy Issue — Stormwater Management Plan Update
Chris Waarvick reported that staff has been working with Yakima County and
have a proposed funding plan. Council Member Barnett expressed his concern
that we could spend $125,000 to comply with the Federal Phase II requirements
and then the State could require us to follow different requirements that are yet to
be developed. Mr. Waarvick responded that our plan is to prepare our update and
monitor what is happening with the Eastern Washington manual being developed
at the state level with our participation.
• Policy Issue — Add One Environmental Engineer (Stormwater)
Council Member Barnett commented that this policy issue presumes that we will
create a Stormwater Utility. Mr. Waarvick stated that this position would be
temporarily funded through the Street budget until a decision for permanent
funding is made.
• Budget
Kay Adams reported that the Mead Avenue project will be done in 2002 and
commented that we have received three different grants for this project, thanks to
Council Member Barnett.
• Council Recess
Mayor Place announced that the Municipal Court Services budget would not be
reviewed today. Council Members recessed at 10:22 a.m. and resumed the
meeting at 10:37 a.m.
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NOVEMBER 20, 2001 — BUDGET REVIEW
3. MUNICIPAL COURT SERVICES
MUNICIPAL COURT (Budget Page F -1; Policy Issue Page V -1
PROBATION CENTER (Budget Page F -5)
The budget review for Municipal Court Services was postponed.
4. PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS (Budget Page J -20; Policy Issue Page IX -3)
Wayne Wantland, Public Safety Communications Manager, Police Chief Blesio
and Fire Chief Gillespie were present to discuss this budget.
• Policy Issue — Convert Temporary Electronic Technician Position to
Permanent Part -Time Position
Mr. Wantland reported that this would change a temporary position, funded for
the last seven years to assist with electronic maintenance and repairs, to a
permanent part -time (3/4) position. An additional $23,000 is required to fund the
change.
• Budget
Council Member Barnett questioned the amount of the significant increase for
administrative charges. Mr. Wantland explained that it is based on the same
formula used for all departments and may be higher due to the increased budget
that would include the salary changes. He then addressed the Council's
concerns regarding interfacing with the County's system, stating that they are
entering all the calls electronically into the Spillman system so County
dispatchers don't have to ask the same questions all over again.
5. POLICE DEPARTMENT (Budget Page 1 -1; Policy Issue Page VIII -1)
Police Chief Blesio was present with several members of his staff: Sergeant Rod
Light, Captain Jeff Schneider, Captain Roy Willson, Terri Greer, Administrative
Assistant, and John Campos, Corrections Administrative Specialist.
• Policy Issue — Phase In Project to Add Video System to Patrol Units
Captain Schneider responded to Council's questions regarding length of storage
time for the video tapes and the need for physical storage capacity, as well as
whether staff will be reviewing the tapes. He commented that it would be a two-
year program to outfit the fleet, purchasing 15 new video systems each year.
They would then begin budgeting for replacement units.
• Policy Issue — Add One Police Officer Position
Chief Blesio explained this is a policy issue to add one police officer to be
dedicated to the Transit Transfer Station after school and to the downtown area.
This officer would patrol on foot or bicycle as well as in a vehicle or riding the
bus.
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• Budget
Police Department staff members responded to questions relating to:
• Funding for the K -9 Unit
• Parking enforcement
• Jail costs and siting for the new County jail (Council Member Beauchamp absent
after 11:22 p.m.)
• Overtime costs, including unanticipated costs for airport security that is being
shared with the County
• Requisitioned parking spaces in front of the Federal Courthouse — include in
the letter to the Federal government a request for reimbursement for parking
lot usage, and a request for payment of the use of parking spaces that are
blocked from use by barriers put up for security purposes.
• Availability of grant money
• Impact of 72 Avenue annexation on Police Department resources
6. CITY MANAGEMENT
CITY COUNCIL (Budget Page E -1)
CITY MANAGER (Budget Page E -4)
LEGAL (Budget Page E -7; Policy Issue Page IV -1)
RECORDS /CITY CLERK (Budget Page E -14)
HUMAN RESOURCES (Budget Page E -19; Policy Issue Page IV -5)
PURCHASING (Budget Page E -43, Policy Issue Page IV -7)
WATER (Budget Page E -89)
IRRIGATION (Budget Page E -111)
The budget review for the above divisions was postponed to December 4, 2001.
Budget Wrap -up was scheduled on December 11, with adoption on the 18`
• WASTEWATER (Budget Page E -46; Policy Issue Page 11-1)
Glenn Rice, Assistant City Manager; Doug Mayo, Wastewater Manager; Scott
Stockton, Assistant Wastewater Manager; Pete Hobbs, Environmental Analyst;
John Koch, consultant from HDR Engineering; and Gary Seleba, consultant from
EES Consulting, were present.
• Policy Issue — Wastewater Cost of Service Study / Connection Charge
Update
Due to the complexity of the policy issue, City Manager Zais commented that
Council may wish to defer a decision on this issue until after the first of the year
when a session may be scheduled to study this in more depth. Doug Mayo
stated that a year ago, a study session was held to discuss the Facilities Plan
looking at maintenance for reliability of the plant and for growth for the next
twenty years. The Cost of Service reflects rates to fund the implementation of the
Facilities Plan. Gary Seleba, President of EES Consulting, and John Koch, HDR
Engineering, described their roles in the Cost of Service Study. In order to
comply with the environmental laws, over the next six years the City will have to
expend in excess of $26 million for improvements at the plant. The proposed
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NOVEMBER 20, 2001 BUDGET REVIEW
rates are driven by mandates /contractual obligations, Federal NPDES
Permit/Clean Water Act, capacity, service, declining reserves, and litigation
expenses. He reviewed the rate recommendations found in the report and
summarized on pages 11-5 -11-11 in the Budget Policy Issue document. Following
a brief question and answer session, it was the general consensus to schedule a
study session to thoroughly review the Cost of Service Study.
• Budget Review Schedule
City Manager Zais stated that he would schedule Municipal Court and Public
Works for review on the 27 and come back on the 11 for the balance of the
City Manager Department and for the Finance Department on December 4.
7. FINANCE AND BUDGET DEPARTMENT
STATE EXAMINER (Budget Page G -1)
FINANCIAL SERVICES (Budget Page G -2)
INFORMATION SYSTEMS (Budget Page G -7; Policy Issue Page VI -1)
CUSTOMER SERVICE (Budget Page G -19)
Postponed to December 4, 2001
8. ADJOURNMENT
SIMS MOVED AND BUCHANAN SECONDED TO ADJOURN THE MEETING
AT 12:00 P.M. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote; Beauchamp
absent.
READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY: J A , • 3 2i 2
OUN IL MEM R DA E
5 o
C MBER DATE
ATTEST:
K
CITY CLERK MARY PLACE, MAYOR
Minutes prepared by Karen Roberts. An audio and video tape o is meeting are available in the City Clerk's
Office.
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