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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/12/2002 Adjourned Meeting e 181 CITY OF YAKIMA, WASHINGTON NOVEMBER 12, 2002 - 8:30 A.M. - NOON ADJOURNED MEETING - BUDGET REVIEW 129 NORTH 2 ND STREET - COUNCIL CHAMBERS 1. ROLL CALL Present: • Council: Mayor Mary Place, presiding, Council Members Clarence Barnett, Lynn Buchanan, Paul George, Larry Mattson, John Puccinelli, and • Bernard Sims Staff: • Dick Zais, City Manager; Rita Anson, Director of Finance and Budget; and Karen Roberts, City Clerk 2. PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT Chris Waarvick, Public Works Director, introduced Division Managers Nancy Fortier, Ken Mehin, Denise Nichols, Shelley Willson, and Richard Wonner. Rita Anson introduced Finance Department staff members present: Cindy Epperson, Tim Jensen, and Edna Pettyjohn. Council Members started reviewing the Policy Issues for this Department, followed by review of the Divisions' budgets. POLICY ISSUES • PARKS AND RECREATION (Policy Issue 125) Denise Nichols, Parks and Recreation Manager, was available to present this budget. The Parks and Recreation Division has proposed seven policy issues: 1. Consideration of Increase in Fees and Charges for Parks - Unbudgeted Staff responded to Council questions and will bring back additional information on: ➢ Fee options for concessionaire permit fee higher than proposed $150 annual fee ➢ Enforcement options for concessionaire permits ➢ Tighten up language regarding permit issued for one park or applicable for all parks ➢ Prepare written policy regarding subsidized activities for senior citizens, handicapped and youth activities mentioned in the policy issue on page 132 2. Reorganization of the Parks and Recreation Division - Budgeted Denise Nichols outlined the proposed changes in organization for the division, expanding on the savings this reorganization would create by the elimination of a vacant Park Laborer position. C v 182 NOVEMBER 12, 2002 — BUDGET REVIEW 3. Pave Parking Lot at Chesterlev Park — Budgeted Denise Nichols reviewed the proposal to use the City's line of credit to finance the paving of a parking lot at Chesterley Park at a cost of $120,000, payable at $25,000 per year for five years. The paving of the parking lot is a requirement of the Municipal Code; the same Code that is enforced for projects done by the private sector. 4. Lions Pool Capital Improvement Proiect — Locker Replacement — Budgeted Ms. Nichols explained that the $12,000 budgeted for lockers would replace approximately one -third of the lockers at Lions Pool. - 5. Funding for Central Business District Landscaping — Unbudgeted Denise Nichols reported that this policy issue was presented to the Yakima Downtown Association. The Association supports this recommendation to increase its support an additional $17,700 to fully fund the maintenance activities performed by Parks and Recreation staff in the downtown core area. Neither the Association, nor the Parks and Recreation Division, are requesting an increase in parking fees to fully fund the maintenance; the additional funding will come from the Association's assessment to its members. 6. Energy Efficient Pool Cover for Eisenhower Pool — Budgeted Denise Nichols spoke about the savings they experienced on heating costs for the other pools last year after they were covered, which encouraged them to purchase a pool cover for Eisenhower Pool, too. Ms. Nichols told Council Member Puccinelli she would provide him with information on savings in chemical costs by using the pool covers. 7. Portable Aquatic Lift — Budgeted Ms. Nichols advised Council that beginning in January of 2003, American Disabilities Act will require the City to have a lift for the pool that the swimmer can operate without any staff assistance. The current aquatic lift requires staff assistance. Although there should be a lift at every pool, staff is only budgeting one for Lions Pool, which has the largest number of users for the lift. o REFUSE (Policy Issue Page 139) Refuse Rate Increase — Budgeted Nancy Fortier, Refuse and Recycling Manager, reviewed the proposed refuse rate increases with Council (listed below): Residential Can Service 9% Automated Refuse Cart Service 9% Extra Refuse Charges 9% Bin Service 7% Yard Waste Cart Collection 4% The following points were raised: ➢ The proposed increase is expected to generate an additional $230,000 in revenue ➢ The increase is needed to offset the additional tipping fee increase at the landfill and increased costs for workers' compensation claims -2- 183. NOVEMBER 12, 2002 - BUDGET REVIEW > Six routes will be converted to automated service at the first of the year; making it a total of ten automated routes in service (out of 35) > Injuries to the employees are expected to decrease once the automated routes are in place > Annexed areas will be converted to city refuse collection if the route can be accommodated without hiring additional staff or purchasing additional equipment > Once annexed, the customer is charged a 10% tax collected by the private hauler (for the city) or 9% by the City, which needs to be considered when making rate comparisons • > The need for the new overfill fee and temporary bin accounts fee was explained BUDGET DISCUSSION • REFUSE (Budget Page H -48) Council discussed the following items: > Proposed increase in the landfill tipping charge that will impact City refuse rates > Need to inform citizens of reasons for rate increases and what the City is doing to contain costs that impact rates > The future closing of the Terrace Heights landfill and how that may impact City refuse operations and rates > How to keep our city clean, prevent garbage being dumped onto vacant Tots or into local businesses' refuse bins > The purchase of two additional automated trucks, expected to be delivered in July or August if purchased in January of 2003 Request for information: > Council Member Buchanan requested a report on which routes are automated and which routes would be converted • STREETS (Budget Page H -11; Policy Issue Page 146) • TRAFFIC ENGINEERING (Budget Page H -26) Policy Issue: Increase Funding Available for 50/50 Sidewalk Program — Budgeted . Shelley Willson, Streets and Traffic Operations Manager, reported that this policy issue is to increase the 50/50 sidewalk program funding an additional $20,000 in 2003 from its current funding of $10,000, and an additional $20,000 in 2004 to a total funding level of $50,000. She advised Council that she tries to use this money as leverage to obtain other funding from sources and gave the Community Development Block Grant Program as an example. Budget: - Council discussed the following items: > Ms. Willson explained the crosswalk pedestrian signal sequence. o The solid white light means that you may start to cross the street o The flashing red is the clearance time for you to finish crossing the street, or that you should not start to cross the street -3- 184 NOVEMBER 12, 2002 — BUDGET REVIEW o The solid red light means that if you are in the crosswalk, you should be near the destination curb, or that you should not start to cross the street. o At intersections with the new crosswalk devices, you must push the button to activate the walk light. > Street Funds reserves are being used until the first of the property tax receipts for the newly annexed areas is received in April of 2003 > The Fall Leaf Pick -Up Program will begin December 2 > The snow removal /control plan was reviewed. The County Department of Corrections crews will assist with cleaning sidewalks near hospitals and schools and ten City pick -ups have snowplows to assist with snow removal. Request for information or action: > Council Member Puccinelli advised staff of two intersections on 16th Avenue with pedestrian crossing light problems at Lincoln and Summitview. Staff was directed to research grants to repair signal problems at these intersections. > Correct allegation problem on page H -16 to alligatoring • TRANSIT (Budget Page H -35) Ken Mehin, Transit Manager, said that he doesn't have any policy issues, but will answer any questions about the Transit budget. Council discussed the following items: > Increase in ridership and why that doesn't correlate to same increase in revenue (free transit promotional days, more handicapped riders using handicapped accessible buses at reduced rate) > Decreased Dial -a -Ride expenditures was attributed to more handicapped accessible buses in service and better screening process > Year -end balance Request for information or action: > Prepare one chart that includes each Service Unit's total expenditures and total revenues for the division (Council members took a ten - minute recess at 10:30 a.m. and resumed the meeting at 10:41 a.m.) • EQUIPMENT RENTAL (Budget Page H -57) Richard Wonner, Fleet Manager, said that he doesn't have any policy issues, but will answer any questions about the Equipment Rental and Revolving budget. Council discussed the following items: > Fleet Operations Assessment (page H -57) was reviewed by Richard Wonner > Richard Wonner described the revised Master Site Plan, which will update a ten- year -old plan • PARKS AND RECREATION BUDGET (Budget Page H -69) Denise Nichols, Parks and Recreation Manager, was present to answer any questions about the Parks and Recreation budget. -4- 185 NOVEMBER 12, 2002 — BUDGET REVIEW Council discussed the following items: > Conversion from domestic water to irrigation water for parks, using water from the Naches /Cowiche and Old Union Canals. > Revenue for aquatics and golf is weather - dependent ➢ Capital improvements for the parks system was reviewed; an updated chart on estimated project cost summary for Larson, Kissel and Kiwanis parks was distributed • CEMETERY (Budget Page H -101) No questions were asked about the Cemetery budget. • • PUBLIC WORKS ADMINISTRATION (Budget Page H -1) Chris Waarvick, Public Works Director, was present to answer any questions about the Public Works Administration budget. Council discussed the following items: > Increased rates for Public Works plant charge distribution are due to increased utility costs > Decrease in administrative costs are due to re- organization and cost containment efforts 3. ADMINISTRATION Glenn Rice, Assistant City Manager, introduced Dueane Calvin, Water and Irrigation Manager, and Dave Brown, Water /Irrigation Engineer. • WATER (Budget Page B -76; Policy Issue Page 80) Policy Issue: Add One Water Treatment Plant Chief Operator Position — Budgeted Dueane Calvin explained the need for this position and reported that this position was included in last year's rate increase. Mr. Brown reported this position would assist with new programs and maintenance of the 30- year -old facility. Council briefly discussed the need to build a new facility in the not - too - distant future. Policy Issue: Contract Annual Inspection and Testing of Domestic Water Residential Irrigation Cross Connection Control Devices — Unbudgeted Dueane Calvin stated this policy would allow staff to contract out the inspection of 882 existing residential irrigation system cross connection control devices. He responded to questions concerning potential increased cost to the customer. Policy Issue: 2003 Increase — Irrigation Operations and Maintenance Charge — Unbudgeted Dueane Calvin and Dave Brown explained the need for a 5% increase in the Irrigation operations and maintenance charge. The increase would generate $62,100 to offset an anticipated deficit of $60,000 if the increase is not implemented. The last increase occurred in 1998. -5- 186 NOVEMBER 12, 2002 — BUDGET REVIEW Budget: Council discussed the following items: ➢ Fleet Maintenance charge increased by 15% ➢ Increase in Water Quality tests ➢ Capital improvements for 2003 • IRRIGATION (Budget Page B -99; Policy Issue Page 84) There were no questions asked about the Irrigation budget. 4. ADJOURNMENT TO NOVEMBER 19, 2002, 2001 AT 8:30 A.M. FOR BUDGET REVIEW (MUNICIPAL COURT, PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS, FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS, FINANCE DEPARTMENT, AND ADMINISTRATION /LEGAL) Rita Anson advised Council that the Convention Center budget will be included in the next week's budget review due to unavailability of staff when the Community and Economic Development Department budget is scheduled for review. BUCHANAN MOVED AND GEORGE SECONDED TO ADJOURN TO NOVEMBER 19, 2002 FOR BUDGET REVIEW AND BUSINESS MEETING. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote. The meeting adjourned at 12:13 p.m. READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE B • _� = i�.r C NCIL MEMBER DATE COUNCIL MEMBER DATE ATTEST: K aA-E-1-- A ga,-6-eA- CITY CLERK MARY PLACE, MAYOR Minutes prepared by Karen Roberts. An audio and video tape of this meeting are available in the City Clerk's Office 1 -6-