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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/22/2007 Adjourned Meeting / Study Session 387 YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL ADJOURNED MEETING /STUDY SESSION MAY 22, 2007 8:00 A.M. — 10:00 A.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS — YAKIMA CITY HALL 1. Roll CaII 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 and City Clerk Moore 2. Continuation of Presentation of Council Public Safety Committee proposals re: alternative Safe Community Action Plan Council Member McClure had spent time with Council Member Cawley and created another proposal they feel is more complete. It includes a proactive unit, a crime analyst, and a crime prevention housing clerk to at least start the program by notifying landlords of the Crime Free Housing program. They would use the money available from the library annexation that has been accruing since January. Council Member McClure reviewed the financial aspects of the combined plan. He said the plan starts to run short of money 18 -24 months out. With the potential of needing additional revenues at some point, they may need the lid lift in the future. Their thought is to invest in the police force and the law and justice system with banked money, and then use library money, over time, to establish a proactive unit. He said there would be approximately $300,000 invested in technology to raise efficiency in both the Police and Court systems. Discussion compared the various proposals in detail. With regard to the Crime - Free Housing portion, the clerk would be a clearing house that would track complaints and the Landlord Association would track the owners. The police officers hired would not be identified as patrol but as a proactive unit, combining the two concepts from the previous plan. Also, the new plan doesn't spend every penny every year but keeps some in reserve. Council Member Johnson expressed his concern about the .3% sales tax money coming up for vote again and if it fails would cause problems with future funding. Council Member McClure explained the effect timing would have on the financing portion. The municipal court clerk would be hired in year two as three have just been hired and are currently being trained. He pointed out that the $50,000 a month, for every month it takes to implement this beyond August, as well as any unspent portion, could be used on other needed tools. The proposed lid lift was discussed. Council Member McClure noted that it recommends only changing it from a lid of $4,000 to $5,000. The proposal shows we will require some revenue source and the lid lift is just one option. Council Member Cawley said that is the figure the employers gave when they attended the Public Safety Committee meetings. Council Member Johnson expressed his desire to wait on the lid lift decision until we see how the plan is 388 ADJOURNED MEETING — MAY 22, 2007 working. Council Member Lover also expressed concern about the lid lift as well as any potential future fee for the Crime -Free Housing program. Mayor Edler referred to the original Safe Community Action Plan (SCAP) and how it was predicted that adding 22 new police officers, and the other aspects of the plan, would decrease crime in Yakima by 20 %. He asked how much of a crime reduction will we see from this proposal. Captain Greg Copeland responded that they are changing the equation from guarantee to goal and 10% should be our goal. There was a philosophical discussion on just spending the money we have rather than working toward raising Yakima to the western states level. Council Member McClure claimed the proposal is nothing more than doing something with what we have before going to the citizens to increase taxes and fees. Mayor Edler expressed doubt about this being the right method. Council Member Lover said he felt it was a good start, e.g. the first three years of a five -year plan and we now need the Public Safety Committee to determine years four and five. Council , Member Bonlender said he fears complacency. Council Member Whitman pointed out that spending the money now is a start and will show the citizens we are using • it responsibly and will provide results in more than one area. We can then go back to the citizens later, if we need to, to bring Yakima up to the western state average. Council Member Johnson pondered putting $350,000 into the emphasis patrol and the Crime Free Housing program and then waiting until we get the results of the WASPIC study to determine the 4th and 5th year plan. Linda Morris, Court Services Manager, spoke about the impact of the proposal on Municipal Court. She claimed that with an additional clerk they would still be 50% below the state average. She went on to explain the intensive training requirements prior to clerks being totally effective. Judge Woodard emphasized that it is important to get that clerk earlier rather than later. She also shared that she had been questioning the projected reduction in crime and is pleased with the idea of a goal of 10% rather than a guarantee. She also has spoken with a crime analyst from Spokane who has a Repeat Offender Patrol Emphasis program, and he verified that initially it did increase the citations filed in municipal and district courts. She supported the idea of beginning now and acknowledged the need to get resources to finish the job. Council Member Lover made a suggestion that they check into state supplied pre - employment training to help stop their constant turnover. Mrs. Morris said she is on the state education board _ and would pursue the idea. Prosecuting Attorney, Cynthia Martinez, said the proposal would not correct their current case overload, however, it would allow them to deal with the additional load that would be generated by the new officers and at least continue to operate in the same manner they are now rather than sliding further behind. She is pleased that it does include the case management technology. The Washington State and American Bar Association recommend each attorney handle 400 cases per year. Right now they are handling 800 to 1000 per attorney. The current working conditions are almost intolerable. JOHNSON MOVED AND LOVER SECONDED TO APPROVE THIS PROGRAM AS PRESENTED WITH THE FOLLOWING CHANGES: 1) ADD A COURT CLERK IN YEAR ONE, 2) REMOVE THE LID LIFT AS AN ALTERNATIVE FOR THE TIME BEING UNTIL WE HEAR FROM THOSE AFFECTED COMPANIES, AND 3) INSTRUCT THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE TO EXPAND THE 2 389 ADJOURNED MEETING — MAY 22, 2007 PROGRAM FOR AT LEAST TWO ADDITIONAL YEARS TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT WE NEED TO ARRIVE AT THE WESTERN STATE AVERAGE. Mayor Edler pointed out we need to open the floor for audience comments prior to acting on the motion. 3. Audience comments Joe Adams from the Landlords Association, said they haven't had time to study the Crime -Free Housing portion and have a lot of questions. We would need to know how this would be set up within the police department. Who would be in charge of this program and how could we help develop it? They want to cooperate and provide help but need a plan. City Manager Zais advised that this does not require an appropriation nor separate legislation because the resources are in the adopted budget and have been earmarked for this purpose. He pointed out that the jail costs will continue to rise and are not included in the plan. He has heard from business community representatives that they will continue their support, but want to see something move forward to address the needs of the city with resources that could be parceled together. It is not easy when this is only part of the answer for the bigger need, but if we are able to achieve the 10% goal, it will help make the case for a larger "ask" before the voters later. LOVER MOVED AND CAWLEY SECONDED TO DELAY THE DECISION TO THE NEXT BUSINESS MEETING The motion failed by a 4 -3 vote, Bonlender, Edler, Johnson and Whitman voting nay. The question was called for a vote on the original motion. The motion carried by unanimous roll call vote. 4. Adjournment McCLURE MOVED AND CAWLEY SECONDED TO ADJOURN. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote. The meeting adjourned at 9:45 a.m. READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY crykuz.. i 0 .4. 4 COUNCI B ' DATE r . -0 7 COUNCIL M ►r 2 r DATE ATTEST: / $ 621-Zralod( - }) CITY CLERK / r DAD DLER, MAYOR Minutes prepared by Linda Watkins. A CD and DVD of this meeting are available in the City Clerk's Office • 3