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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/27/2007 Adjourned Meeting 290 ADJOURNED MEETING COUNCIL RETREAT JANUARY 27, 2007 - 8:30 A.M. TO 3:30 P.M. YAKIMA CONVENTION CENTER Roll Call Present: Council: Mayor Dave Edler, presiding, Council Members Ron Bonlender, Micah Cawley, Norm Johnson, Bill Lover, Neil McClure, and Susan Whitman Staff: City Manager Zais, Randy Beehler, Community Relations Manager, and Deputy City Clerk Watkins Visitor: Bruce Smith, Yakima Valley Times Mayor Edler opened the meeting with an invocation. Council Rules and Procedures Council Member Lover brought up the three - minute guideline and suggested it be eliminated. Following discussion, LOVER MOVED AND JOHNSON SECONDED TO ELIMINATE THE THREE - MINUTE GUIDELINE. The motion failed by a 4 -3 roll call vote; Bonlender, Edler, McClure and Whitman voted nay. Council Member Cawley suggested special meetings be held in the evenings, the same as the businesses meetings. They then discussed what happened at the recent Occidental Annexation hearing held in the morning. City Manager Zais explained that one of the three members who previously voted against the motion to deny could make a motion at the next business meeting to reconsider. The annexation vote can take place at a later time, but the revenue stream will not happen until 2009. Study Sessions were discussed. Council Member McClure suggested limiting staff presentations to allow more time for discussion. This should help dispel the impression of being "staff driven." He also requested opportunities for Council member discussions without using up time in the regular business meetings. Following discussion, it was agreed that a Council member could bring up an item they would like discussed at the beginning of the meeting under Open Discussion, or at the end of the meeting under Other Business. It was noted that last year's changes to the Policy and Procedures have not yet been incorporated into the document. The ag"erida was reorganized to support Chief Granato's schedule; Items 8 and 9 were taken out of order. 29.1 ADJOURNED MEETING„, COUNCIL RETREAT JANUARY '27, 2007 Safe Community Action Plan Council Member Whitman gave an overview of actions that the Public Safety Committee has taken since the failure of Proposition 1. They asked the Chief to prepare a proposal of what he feels would be the minimum required to still make an impact. Chief Granato presented his revised proposal. He also spoke about COMSTAT, a strategy developed in New York City that uses statistical crime analysis. He would like to see the Department move to COMSTAT which would require three new positions including a Deputy Chief and a Crime Analyst. He said they are committed to bringing in a minimum of six officers and a supervisor to develop a full time proactive unit. The Crime Free Rental Program was discussed as a part of the revised proposal. Chief Granato spoke about the potential of having William Cooper come and review the Police Department and what a study would entail. Although a study is not part of the SCAP proposal, it is part of their strategy. During discussion, Council Member Bonlender said he would like the graffiti problem to be part of the. proposal. The question was asked, what could be done without having to go back to the voters? Chief Granato said this proposal is a start by showing that we are being good stewards of the taxpayers' money and will, hopefully, develop citizens' confidence. There is a need to regain credibility with the community. City Manager Zais pointed out that this package is $1.6 million compared to the previous package at $3.35 million. The police component is 76% of it compared to 66% previously. He then spoke in detail about how they arrived at those figures and the impact the cuts had on various components. There was discussion on those impacts and on the proposal to have a consultant look into ,determining potential efficiencies for the department (William Cooper, referred to earlier). Council Member Bonlender expressed concern if the intent was to wait on the consultant before moving ahead. City Manager Zais then addressed the resource issue expounding on efforts they are taking in Olympia. He spoke about efforts available to the Council in the area of revenue resources. Council discussed many aspects of this topic and determined future study sessions should be dedicated to SCAP funding and the Crime Free Rental Housing. Outside Boards /Commissions During lunch, Council reviewed Boards and Commissions. Actions are noted below: • • Have staff determine if the County -Wide Planning Policy Committee is still a valid committee. • Eliminate the NE Neighborhood and Weed and Seed committees. • Add Citizen's Police Advisory Committee to the list with Ron Bonlender and Susan Whitman as ex- officio members. • Add Parks and Recreation to the list with Susan Whitman as ex- officio. • Clarify whether EMS Committee has to be the mayor. • 2 292 ADJOURNED MEETING — COUNCIL RETREAT JANUARY 27, 2007 Council Member Lover campaigned to have all committee meetings televised on YPAC. During discussion, Randy Beehler, Community Relations Manager, pointed out that he has only two people to. cover YPAC meetings and it would be virtually impossible to televise all the committee meetings. LOVER MOVED AND CAWLEY SECONDED TO VOTE ON EACH COMMITTEE SEPARATELY TO HAVE THEIR MEETINGS AIRED ON YPAC.. The motion failed by a 4 -3 voice vote, Edler, McClure, Whitman and Bonlender voting nay, McCLURE MOVED AND JOHNSON SECONDED TO APPOINT LOVER, CAWLEY, AND McCLURE TO THE COUNCIL BUDGET COMMITTEE WITH WHITMAN IDENTIFIED AS THE ALTERNATE. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote. Mayor Edler recommended that each of the subcommittees review their committee assignments and bring any suggested changes back to the full Council. The potential of a "State of the City" presentation was discussed. No decision was made. Council Strategic Direction /Priorities 2007 — Challenges and Opportunities It was suggested that the Council's Vision and Mission Statements be posted in the Council Chambers, as well as in the major conference rooms at all City facilities. Council Member McClure will submit a suggested addition to the strategic priorities to the Vision Committee for drafting and submission to the Council with regard to adding a "quality of life" statement addressing parks, trails, museums, etc. LOVER MOVED AND CAWLEY SECONDED TO REMOVE ADDITIONAL LOCAL TAXING AUTHORITY FROM THE STATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. Following discussion, the motion failed by 5 -2 voice vote; Bonlender, Edler, Johnson, McClure, and Whitman voting nay. Council members identified their top two priorities under Community Safety: Edler Safe Communities Action Plan (SOAP) • State legislation Cawley SCAP Evaluating current operations and effectiveness of all departments for public safety (Six Sigma) Bonlender SCAP State legislation Whitman SCAP State legislation and Fire Department capital facilities requirements McClure SCAP State legislation 3 293 ADJOURNED MEETING — COUNCIL RETREAT JANUARY 27, 2007 Lover SCAP Six Sigma Johnson SCAP State legislation Six Sigma RECAP = 1) SCAP, 2) State legislation 3) Six Sigma Priorities under Regional Government Services: Edler Yakima Air Terminal Uniform development standards Shared facilities w /County Johnson Stormwater Yakima Air Terminal Uniform development standards Shared facilities w /County Lover Stormwater Shared facilities w /County Whitman Uniform development standards Public safety Shared facilities w /County Cawley Uniform development standards Public safety New City Hall Bonlender Public safety Yakima Air Terminal McClure Yakima Air Terminal Stormwater Shared facilities w /County Uniform development standards RECAP = 1) Shared facilities, 2) Uniform development codes, 3) Yakima Air Terminal and 4) stormwater Priorities under Economic Improvement: Edler Downtown Yakima Futures Initiative • Congdon Property/Wal -Mart development 1 -82 Corridor development 4 294 ADJOURNED MEETING — COUNCIL RETREAT JANUARY 27, 2007 McClure Downtown Yakima Futures Initiative Congdon Property/Wal -Mart development 1 -82 Corridor development Bonlender Growth of the city 1 -82 Corridor development Cawley Downtown Yakima Futures Initiative Fiscal stability 1 -82 Corridor development Whitman Fiscal stability Growth of the city Economic development/Job creation legislation • Lover Fiscal stability Downtown Yakima Futures Initiative Economic development/Job creation legislation Johnson Downtown Yakima Futures Initiative Fiscal stability Growth of the city 1 -82 Corridor development Priorities under Community Image: Edler Capital projects Lover Focus on customer service Cawley Focus on customer service; citizens service request system, neighborhood calming, website improvements Bonlender Committee for Downtown proposals Community clean up McClure Committee for Downtown proposals Spanish language program for Fire Department personnel Johnson Committee for Downtown proposals Capital projects A discussion on the 1 -82 corridor ensued. Mayor Edier commented that there are people wanting to put together a summit on this issue and he suggested the City should, not only be involved, but should take the lead. Having this subject brought to Council via a subcommittee was suggested. City Manager Zais spoke about the fairgrounds pursuing "double dip" legislation to change room tax and the potential negative impacts of this action on current legislation. 5 295 ADJOURNED MEETING — .COUNCIL RETREAT JANUARY 27, 2007 He also spoke about the Downtown Futures Initiative legislation and the impact adding items to the State Legislation list could have on that project. Also discussed was the local option tax authority bill. Clarification was given on how to bring the Occidental annexation back before Council if so desired. McCLURE MOVED AND WHITMAN SECONDED TO ADJOURN. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote. The meeting adjourned at 3:10 p.m. 7/y/ . 7 READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY COU' EMB DATE // COUNCIL MEMBER . -DATE ATTEST: • 1./. Al,„ /• ACTING CITY CLERK DAVID • LER, MAYOR Minutes prepared by Linda Watkins. An audio of this meeting is available in the City Clerk's Office • 6