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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 10/27/2009 • CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING Port Angeles, Washington October 27, 2009 CALL TO ORDER- Mayor Braun called the special meeting of the Port Angeles City Council to order at SPECIAL MEETING: 5:30 p.m. ROLL CALL: Members Prerent.� Mayor Braun, Deputy Mayor Wharton, and Councilmembers Di Guilio, Kidd, Perry, and Rogers. Me�nbersAbsent: Councilmember Williams. Staff Presenl: Manager Myers, Attorney Bloor, Clerk Hurd, G. Cutler, T. Gallagher, D. McKeen, N. West, Y. Ziomkowski, B. Coons, and T. Pierce. Publrc Presen�: All individuals present in the audience failed to sign the roster. PLEDGE OF The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was led by Mayor Braun. ALLEGIANCE: WORK SESSION: I. 20/0 Preliminary Budget Workshop 2010 Preliminary Budget Manager Myers explained that the packet for the budget workshop included items Workshop for informational purposes and items needing Council input. He informed Council of the organizational charts provided in the packet for their information only. He addressed changes to the 2010 Preliminary Budget, explaining that the changes would increase the General Fund Balance by $142,000, and result in a City-wide Budget below $100 million. Brief discussion ensued regarding specific utility fund changes and the Fine Arts Center. Manager Myers direcced Council to the list of supplemental requests, explaining that these items were additional departmental budget requests not included in the preliminary budget. Fire Chief McKeen addressed the Fire Department's need for a Fire Engine replacement. Brief discussion ensued regarding the Fire Engine replacement, the equipment services budget, average monthly vehicle maintenance coscs. By consensus, the Council agreed to add the Fire Engine replacement cost to the 2010 Preliminary Budget. Manager Myers addressed other items on the list of supplemental requests, including overtime for engineers, seasonal personnel for the Water Treatment Plant, and CMMS for some of the utility departments. By consensus, the Council agreed to include these items in the 2010 Preliminary Budget. Briefdiscussion ensued regarding spending the increased fund balance on supplemental requests, the Criminal Justice Fund, Police department radio equipment, and carpet replacement for the Police Department. • 1 CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING October 27, 2009 WORK SESSION: Manager Myers presented the City's proposed funding of outside agencies. • (Cont'd) Lengthy discussion ensued regarding the Lodging "fax Committee recommendations, funding cuts to outside agencies, and the Fine Arts Center's 2010 Nreliminary Budget supplemental request. Workshop (Cont'd) Manager Myers described the schedule of vehicles to be replaced, explaining that the Equipment Services Fund provides the funding. He stated that the majority of the replacement costs were for public safety vehicles. He also explained that the proposed Hybrid vehicle was a planned replacement for an older pool vehicle. Discussion ensued regarding purchasing a less expensive fuel-efficient car, the statement of purchasing a hybrid vehicle, and the need for additional pool cars. By Consensus, the Council agreed with the summary of vehicles proposed, e�ccept for the purchase of the hybrid vehicle. Director Cutler agreed to bring back a non- hybrid vehicle for consideration for a pool vehicle replacement. Manager Myers described the list of capital projects and funding. Director Ziomko�vski explained that most of the governmental fund projects were provided for through FEMA grants, and mentioned that Director Cutler was available to answer questions regarding the utility funds. Lengthy discussion ensued regarding automated meter reading, advanced metering infrastructure,,the life span of currently used meters, problems with the current meters, conservation, simultaneous replacement of both the water and electric meters, the entryway monument, Water and Wastewater funds, and CMMS. By Consensus, the Council agreed to the list of capital projects and funding. Manager Myers discussed the 2010 Budget for long-term debt, recommending additional long-term debt of $6.7 million. He explained that the debt would provide funding for Electric, Water and Wastewater projects, including the automated meter reading system and CSO project. Brief discussion ensued regarding the automated meter reading system, the current bond market, fund balances City wide, projected fund balances at the end of 2010, Lodging Excise Tax, the Contingency Fund, and the possible privatization of the Cemetery. Director Ziomkowski presented the schedule of Property Taxes. She described one of the proposed options for increasing the Regular Property Tax Levy by 1%. She explained that the option included the 1% increase as well as a decrease in one of the Special Levies, resulting in a tax savings for property owners. She also provided a brief PowerPoint presentation regarding the calculation of property taxes. Lengthy discussion ensued regarding using larger amounts of reserves to decrease the Special Levies, possible effects of forgoing the 1% increase on the Regular Levy, and protecting the property tax base. Director Ziomko�vski reiterated that the option was just one possible scenario. By consensus, the Council agreed to take additional time to address the proposed Property 7'ax changes. Manager Myers addressed the Amendment to the Lodging Excise Tax Fund and the summary of changes to the Recreational Activities Fund. Brief discussion ensued regarding the original elimination of Family Fun Day, additional tournaments, and fund expenses. By consensus, the Council agreed to include Eamily Fun Day in the 2010 Preliminary Budget. . • 2 CITY COUNCIL SPEC[AL MEETING October 27, 2009 • WORK SESSION: Manager Myers reported on the �sther Webster Fine Arts Center. Brief discussion (Cont'd) ensued regarding the City's coniribution amount, the Friends of the Fine Arts Center contribution amount, additional funding requests, and the Endowment Fund 2010 Preliminary Budget investments. Workshop (Cont'd) Manager Myers reported on the Personnel Summary Analysis, stating that the preliminary budget included a decrease of 4J5 full-time, and 6 part-time positions. He explained that this did not include any layoffs or supplemental requests, and considered the William Shore Memorial Pool transfer. Manager Myers inquired as to ho�v Council wanted to proceed on the proposed increases in Water rates. By consensus, the Council agreed to address the proposed increases at the next City Council meeting. Manager Myers addressed some of the City's unfunded mandates, including the CSO project, jail and prosecution costs, and election costs. He explained that he would have a complete list by next week. Brief discussion ensued regarding the AWC survey of unfunded mandates and the Finance and Economic Development DepartmenYs unfunded mandates. Director West described the use and purpose of the Economic Development Fund, including recently received inquiries regarding the Fund. He outlined Council policies beginning in 2000, and provided a summary for clarification purposes. He explained that these policies were currently in practice, and asked Council to notify him regarding any proposed changes. Brief discussion ensued regarding the policies, officially adopting the policy summary, and placing the summary on the City's website. Attorney Bloor clarified that the summary was a compilation of policies and ordinances already adopted. Attorney Bloor presented information regarding the hearing examiner system. He explained that the system had been suggested many times over the years, and that recent audits of the City by WCIA supported adopting a hearing examiner system. He explained that the new system would help improve efficiency and decrease liability regarding increasingly complex land use decisions. He recommended that Council institute a hearing examiner system, stating the estimated cost to be between $70,000 and $75,000. Brief discussion ensued regarding the Economic Development Fund, sharing the system's cost with other cities and Clallam County, and the hearing examiner process. Manager Myers addressed additional budget questions regarding Street Capital Funding for 2010. By consensus, the Council agreed to discuss the issue at the next Council meeting. � ADJOURNMENT: Mayor Braun adjourned the special meeting at 827 p.m. c-c-c�. Gary Braun, or Ja a Hurd, City Clerk • • 3