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Home My WebLink AboutCity Council Meeting - Council - Minutes - 06/03/2003 • \11KEN T Kent City Council Meeting WAS.INOTON June 3, 2003 The regular meeting of the Kent City Council was called to order at 7.00 p.m by Mayor White. Councilmembers present: Clark, Epperly, Orr, Peterson, White, Woods and Yingling Approximately 150 people were at the meeting (CFN-198) CHANGES TO AGENDA A From Council (CFN-198) Continued Communications Item A was added by the Council President PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS A Employee of the Month (CFN-147) Mayor White announced that Sacha DesJardins Coughran, Graphics Specialist in the Information Technology Multimedia Division,has been chosen as the Employee of the Month for June B American Public Works Association Award for 272od Corridor. (CFN-155) Mayor White announced that the City has received the "Public Works Project of the Year" award for 2003 for projects over$10,000,000 for its 277`h Corridor project from Kent Kangley Road to the Valley Freeway, and presented the award to Public Works Director Wickstrom. CONSENT CALENDAR WOODS MOVED to approve Consent Calendar Items A through I Orr seconded and the motion carved A. Approval of Minutes. (CFN-198) The minutes of the regular meeting of May 20, 2003, were approved B Approval of Bills. (CFN-104) Payment of the bills received through May 15 and paid on May 15, 2003 after auditing by the Operations Committee on June 3, 2003,were approved Approval of checks issued for vouchers: Date Check Numbers Amount 5/15/03 Prepaids 548240 $ 406,706 38 5/15/03 Regular 548896 1,674,890,48 5/15/03 Wires 1421-1429 1,161,249.26 $3,242,846 12 Approval of checks issued for payroll for May 1 through May 15 and paid on May 20, 2003 Date Check Numbers Amount 5/20/03 Checks* 270197-270526 $ 237,199.69 5/20/03 Advices 147980-148664 1,192,628 05 $1,429,827 74 *Includes interim of 5/13/03 #270197 void and reissue of#269742 1 Kent City Council Minutes June 3, 2003 C. Kent Commuter Rail Station Garage Operation and Maintenance Agreement. (CFN-171 sf) As recommended by the Public Works Committee, the City of Kent was authorized to enter into an Interlocal Operation and Maintenance Agreement with Sound Transit for the use of the Kent Commuter Rail Station Garage until 2034 with an option to renew until 2040 D Sound Transit Second Amendment to the Transportation Improvement Agreement. (CFN-171sf) As recommended by the Public Works Committee, the Mayor was authorized to sign an agreement with Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority which is intended to constitute the full, final settlement and release of all remaining issues between the parties on this project, subject to the Public Works Director's concurrence of the language therein E LID 329 Signal Improvement,Railroad/City Agreement (CFN-885) As recommended by the Public Works Committee, the Mayor was authorized to sign an agreement with Union Pacific Railroad Company covering the costs associated with installing a traffic light pre-emption to the existing crossing signal system, subject to the Public Works Director's concurrence of the language therein. F Smith Street Improvement,Railroad/City Agreement. (CFN-113&17lsf) As recom- mended by the Public Works Committee, the Mayor was authorized to sign an agreement with Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company to widen Smith Street where it crosses BNSF tracks, subject to the Public Works Director's concurrence of the language therein G Bill of Sale,Hazel Gardens LLC. (CFN-484) As recommended by the Public Works Director, the bill of sale for the Hazel Gardens LLC was accepted. H Bill of Sale, Strawberry Place Phase I. (CFN-484) As recommended by the Public Works Director, the bill of sale for Strawberry Place Phase I was accepted. I. Bill of Sale, Strawberry Place Phase IL (CFN-484) As recommended by the Public Works Director, the bill of sale for Strawberry Place Phase II was accepted OTHER BUSINESS A. Trader Joe's. (CFN-462) The Kent Downtown Partnership is circulating a petition for presentation to Trader Joe's grocery stores to convey the interest of those working and living in Kent of their desire to see a Trader Joe's specialty grocery located in downtown Kent. YINGLING MOVED to adopt Resolution No 1643 supporting the Kent Downtown Partnership's petition Peterson seconded. Suzanne Reeder, Vice President of the Kent Downtown Partnership, urged the Council to adopt the resolution Yingling spoke in support of the resolution. Clark objected to endorsing an individual business. The motion earned with Clark opposed. WOODS MOVED to make all correspondence on this issue a part of the public record. Orr seconded and the motion carried B Health Care Premiums. (CFN-147) Increasing health care costs are a significant cause for the City's increased operating expenses. The proposed resolution directs Admimstration to establish the goal of achieving a staged increase in City employee contributions for health care premiums to twenty percent, and to achieve this goal in a manner that is equitable to all employees 2 Kent City Council Minutes June 3, 2003 Employee Services Director Viseth explained the employee health care program and the status of negotiations with unions WOODS MOVED to adopt Resolution No 1644 directing the Mayor to establish the goal of achieving a staged increase in City employee contributions for health care benefit premiums to twenty(20)percent of each employee's total monthly premium cost Yingling seconded Greg Markley, President of Local 1747, 316 W. Meeker, disagreed with the numbers associated with the resolution and asked the Council to table the resolution until a recommendation can be brought back to them. Woods, Clark, Yingling, Peterson, Orr and Wlute spoke in support of the motion and about the difficulty of this situation The motion then carved with Epperly opposed WOODS MOVED to make all correspondence on this issue a part of the public record Orr seconded and the motion carved. C Utility Tax Increase and Amendment. (CFN-110) The City's utility tax rate for telephone, gas, electric,water, sewer, and drainage utilities has remained at 4 8% since 1993 The proposed ordinance increases the total utility tax assessed on these utilities by 1 2%, to a total of 6% Martin explained the projected shortfall, sources of revenue, and the effect of layoffs and attrition, and recommended increasing utility tax rates Katherm Johnson explained the utility Lifeline program for citizens who are 62 years of age or older, low income, or permanently disabled WOODS MOVED to adopt Ordinance No. 3645 amending Chapter 3.18 of the Kent City Code to increase the utility tax on telephone, gas, electric, water, sewer, and drainage utilities by 1.2%, modify the existing penalty provisions, and make other revisions to further clarify the intent of the chapter Yingling seconded The following citizens spoke in opposition to increasing the utility tax Don Shaffer, 2070 N. 78th, Seattle 98103 Ted Nixon, Business Owner and Resident Bob O'Brien, 1131 Seattle Street Ted Kogita, 25227 Reith Road Joe Rubio, 3831 S. 248th The following citizens spoke in support of increasing the utility tax. Dim Duclos,Multi-Service Center, 11200 S 336th St ,Federal Way Bruce Anderson, Property Owner Scott Floyd, 9645 S 232"a Street Gary Young,Polygon NW Company Gary Volchok, C B Ellis Real Estate, 115 W Prospect, Seattle Mike Hemish, Kent Youth&Family Services, 232 S 2"d,Kent Barbara Ivanov, Executive Director, Chamber of Commerce Dean Conti, Kent Chamber of Commerce &Business Owner Thomas Trumpeter, CEO, Community Health Centers of King County Kathleen Senecaut, 1010 E Walnut Street, President ofAFSCME Local 2617 Tom Sharp, 24254 143`a Avenue SE Agda Burchard, 23719 135th Place SE Kathy Jeffrey, 25903 27th Place South Greg Markley, Kent Firefighters Vina Sharma, Resident Dick King of Lehman Bros , Seattle, explained bond ratings,budget strategies, and the City's financial management. Woods, Orr, Epperly, Peterson, Clark, and Yingling explained the reasons 3 Kent City Council Minutes June 3, 2003 for their support of the increase; White suggested alternatives to the increase Upon a roll call vote, the motion to adopt Ordinance No. 3645 then carved with White opposed WOODS MOVED to make all correspondence on this issue a part of the public record. Orr seconded and the motion carved BIDS A 2003 Asphalt Overlays. (CFN-103) The low bid for this project was submitted by Western Asphalt in the amount of$195,249 45 The Public Works Director recommends awarding this contract to them CLARK SO MOVED Peterson seconded and the motion carved B. 2003 Intersection Improvements and Asphalt Overlay. (CFN-103) The low bid for this project was submitted by Westwater Construction Co in the amount of$424,381 50 The Public Works Director recommends awarding this contract to them CLARK SO MOVED Peterson seconded and the motion carried REPORTS E Planning Committee. (CFN-198) Orr noted that the next meeting will be held at 3 00 p in on June 17 F. Parks Committee. (CFN-198) Woods noted that the next meeting will be held at 4:00 p in on June 12 G Administrative Reports. (CFN-198) It was clarified that Martin will look into domestic violence advocacy funding and report back in two weeks. CONTINUED COMMUNICATIONS A Domestic Violence Unit. (CFN-198) Lynn Gordon, Melinda Young, Karen McVail, Kathy Leffinan, Beth Button, Cyndi Wilbur, Mary Roll, and Tracy Orchive spoke about the importance of funding the domestic violence advocacy unit. ADJOURNMENT (CFN-198) WOODS MOVED to adjourn at 9.32 p in Orr seconded and the motion canned. a-Ge-�i�✓ Brenda Jacober, CMC City Clerk 4