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.
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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. •
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY
COU' EMB DATE
//
COUNCIL MEMBER . -DATE
ATTEST:
•
1./. Al,„
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ACTING CITY CLERK DAVID • LER, MAYOR
Minutes prepared by Linda Watkins. An audio of this meeting is available in the City Clerk's Office
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