HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/17/2009 04A Draft Minutes 11-03-2009 Special Meeting - Study SessionSPECIAL MEETING — STUDY SESSION
NOVEMBER 3, 2009 —8:00-11:30 A.M.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS —YAKIMA CITY HALL
1: Roll Call
Present:
Council: Mayor Dave Edler, presiding, Assistant Mayor Micah, Cawley, Council
Members Maureen Adkison, Kathy Coffey, Rick Ensey, Bill Lover, and
Sonia Rodriguez
Staff: City Manager Zais, Budget and Finance Director Debord, and City
Clerk Kloster
2. Review of 2010 General Government Budget Expenditure Reduction
Proposals per the Priorities of Government model as follows:
• Resource Management (continued)
City Management — City Manager Zais spoke briefly about the functions and
reductions in the various divisions. He addressed the workload in the Records
Division with Council packet preparation and especially the increase in public
disclosure requests. In many cases, the public disclosure process is being
used as a substitute for discovery in all types of litigation. This is burdensome
to many areas, especially with the need for legal review. He noted that travel
and training have been reduced by 7.5% across the board.
Community and Economic Development — Deputy Director Michael Morales
described their department function and how monies expended come back into
the community. He pointed out that, although the value of permits may have
decreased, the volume is very near the same as the previous year. There are
more small jobs versus major jobs and the small jobs require more assistance.
Mr. Morales reviewed positions that have been frozen. Total reductions are
over $600,000, the majority of which are salaries. He then discussed the
proposed reduction of an animal control officer explaining why that elimination,
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for CDBG funding. They are exploring using the Humane Society for some
animal control activities within the city. There is a proposal to contract with
them for coverage west of 4& Avenue, which would allow for the reduction of
one officer. In their analysis, they have determined that the call volumes have
not increased relative to the increase in size of the city. Mr. Morales said a
number of their services are heading toward strategic partnerships.
Public Works — Director Chris Waarvick said the Street budget has been
reduced by nearly $900,000 in 2010. They have made reductions by improving
efficiency with LED lighting and reducing staff in Traffic Control and Traffic
Engineering. One of the impacts of the reductions is that the planned ten-to-
twelve year cycle for chip sealing neighborhood streets will not be possible. In
November 3, 2009
lieu of doing chip sealing, they will now be doing crack filling. There continues
to be a problem of not performing grind and overlay and rebuilding where
necessary. The available resources are not adequate for the need, City
Manager Zais mentioned that The legislature is looking into renewing a street
utility. -, Upon questioning, Joe Rosenlund, Streets & Traffic Operations
Manager, estimated street failures at about 30% and are continuing to rise.
Economic Development
A general discussion was held on Outside Agency requests. It has been
recommended that the Yakima County Development Association (YCDA) be
moved to the Economic Development fund because there are additional
resources from the state that can be used for them. The rest of the outside
agencies are in the budget at 50% reduction per the Budget Committee's
recommendation, but there has been a further recommendation to eliminate all
outside agency funding. The outside agencies have been invited to speak at
the public hearing on November 17. Council will not take action on the
suggestion to eliminate funding until after that time.
City Manager Zais spoke about the expense for and revenues from on-street
parking enforcement which is under the City's Police Department. There is a
legal opinion clarifying that it is not something that can be contracted out to the
Parking Commission established for enforcement inside the City lots.
Quality of Life
Diversity Promotion - There is a recommendation from Council Member Lover
to eliminate this from the Human Resource budget
Parks - Ken Wilkinson gave an overview of the impacts of the 2010 budget
reduction on the Parks & Recreation Division. The three areas impacted are
staffing, programs, and services. Since 1991, staffing has been reduced from
-------20-FTEs10-1 1-75, -althtfugh the areasarvedhas increased—.Mr.-Wilkinson also
listed mid-year 2009 reductions and their impacts, mainly in the area of
services to children. Other impacts are a reduction in tree maintenance, slower
response time to graffiti and vandalism, decreased cleanliness of restroorns,
and reduced repairs. Council Member Adkison expressed distress about
cutting programs for children while we wring our hands over gang violence and
how to keep our younger children from joining gangs. Mayor Edler suggested
we again look into forming a Parks District.
Customer Service and Communications
Mrs. DeBord said a proposed budget reduction in the Copy Center is the
deferral of replacing an offset printer that is approximately 20 ye a*rs old. It is
used to print forms and envelopes and could give out at any time.
PEI
November 3, 2009
Strategic Partnerships
Purchasing — Although there are no reductions, there is the consolidation with
the County's purchasing function. As a result, County revenue is contributing
to positions and upgrades in the City Purchasing Division.
3. Audience Comments - None
1. Municipal Court (including Probation)
Judge Olwell described the workload, staffing, and the impact of mid-year cuts, one
of which is having reduced cashier hours for the public. The cashier position has
been added to the list for reconsideration. Offsetting funds must be identified in
order to support that restoration.
2. Police Department (including Law and Justice Capital)
It was noted that the General Fund is being is being supplemented from grants and
earmarks. Chief Granato said they are recommending reducing the purchase of
police vehicles from ten to fourjn 2010.
Chief Granato offered a suggestion for funding of the prosecutor position that is
slated to be cut. He said forfeiture funds are now going into the department's drug
fund. That money is constant and can be used for salaries of prosecutors and
police officers. City Manager Zais said they are proposing amending the budget
with an allocation from the Narcotics Division toward the potential restoration of the
prosecutor position.
3. Fire Department
Chief Hines gave a brief summary of the Fire Department. They are facing an
increasing demand for services. Lack of funding has caused the department to
reduce service levels. Elimination of the apparatus replacement fund saves
$200,000 a year, but operational overtime has ' dramatically increased, In their
attempt to increase efficiency, they have become inefficient. Mayor Edler asked
about a Fire Authority. Chief Hines responded that when fire departments pool
their resources, they become more efficient and economical. The state allows the
creation of a fire authority. They will be looking into that next year. In response to
a question regarding inefficiencies he had mentioned, Chief Hines said they are
unable to achieve the standards - for - response -time goal adopted by the City
Council in 2006. Yakima has the poorest Washington Survey and Rating Bureau
grade of any full-time, paid professional department in the state. As a result,
citizens and business owners are paying higher fire insurance premiums. In
addition, YFD has the fewest firefighters per capita than any city its size in the
state. The result of that is an increased reliance on surrounding volunteer fire
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Budget Reduction Study Session
November 3, 2009
districts with a consequence of slower response times. In 1990 the City Council
commissioned Burkelll and Associates to do an organizational analysis of the fire
department. It stated, "777e consultant found an extremely lean, if not under
staffed, organization," and recommended the minimum staffing standard be
increased to 21 firefighters on duty each day. In 1990, the population. was 49,000;
our emergency responses were 3,400. Today our population is 85,000 with nearly
10,000 responses per year and we have 19 firefighters on duty daily. City
Manager Zais advised that they had discovered that BEET 1 dollars cannot be
used for apparatus but only for facilities and equipment. This needs to be
addressed at the Public Safety Committee level. The policy issue is to refer this to
the Public Safety Committee for in-depth study and recommendations on options.
4. Public Safety Communications
Wayne Wantland, Public Safety Communications Manager, pointed out that when
the number of officers increases, dispatching increases. If you decrease the
number of officers, 911 calls go up.
5. City Administration
Human Resources - Assistant City Manager Zabell described the different funds;
unemployment compensation, workers compensation, and health benefit funds.
The City self-insures all three. The health fund at $10 million is the largest The
Health Insurance Board with representatives from all employee groups is
responsible for making suggestions about what is covered and how to share costs
of the program with the bargaining groups. The Board has just embarked on
determining what benefit changes will be necessary to sustain the program.
City Council — Council Member Lover suggested further reductions in Council
travel in addition to what was already done.
-General City-Management.—_ Travel has been. reduced.- City Manager Zais offered
ICMA membership at .$5,000 as a potential reduction.
City Clerk — Debbie Kloster noted the cuts, the latest one being a $5,000 reduction
in the codification of ordinances.
Purchasing — Sue Ownby, Purchasing Manager, spoke about the combining of the
City and County purchasing functions.
CAWLEY MOVED AND COFFEY SECONDED TO ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE
SESSION AT 5:00 P.M. FOLLOWED BY THE BUSINES MEETING AT 6:00 P.M.
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Budget Reduction Study Session
November 3, 2009 ,
IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote. The
meeting adjourned at 11:04 a.m.
READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY
• EMPT31,51
COUNCIL MEMBER DATE
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK DAVID EDLER, MAYOR
Minutes prepared by Linda Watkins. A CD and DVD of this meeting are available in the City Clerk's
Office
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