HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Operations - 10/03/1988 OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MINUTES
^' October 3, 1988
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Christi Houser
Paul Mann
Steve Dowell
STAFF PRESENT: Brent McFall
Tony McCarthy
Mike Webby
Sandra Driscoll
May Miller
Charlie Lindsey
Toni Vetsch
Alana McIalwain
Sue Viseth
Terri Mertes
Mimi Castillo
OTHERS PRESENT: Lyle Price, Kent News Journal
APPROVAL OF VOUCHERS
All claims for the period ending September 15, 1988, in the amount of
$2,113,334.60 were approved for payment.
DISCUSSION OF ADVISORY BALLOT PROCESS
City Attorney Sandra Driscoll told the committee that the City currently had the
authority to establish an advisory ballot. All that would be required is that
they adopt an ordinance stating the language of the ballot item and forward that
item to the King County Elections Bureau 6 to 8 weeks prior to the election.
With the upcoming election in early November the time line for submitting an
ordinance has passed. The next possible ballot issue would be possibly with the
spring elections or with the primary elections next fall .
With respect to the cost of having an advisory ballot it appears,, if the item is
held in conjunction with a regular election, the cost of an item is approximately
$500 to $600 plus 3¢ per registered voter for the voters pa4mphlgt. The Council
Committee asked that the item be brought to the full council workshop for
discussion. At that presentation an analysis would be prepared discussing the
differences and pros and cons of the initiative, referendum and advisory ballot
processes.
faR
Operations Committee Minutes
October 3, 1988
Page 3
provided similar support for only the Commons operation. The coMbining of the
Commons and the Recreation Division substantially increase the responsibility
accrued to the Superintendent position and also to this Administrative Secretary
position. At the request of Councilman Dowell it was noted by Finance Director
McCarthy, that additional revenue has been raised within the Recreation
Division. This is based upon a request by the Council in the 1988 budget to do
so. In addition to that substantial program growth has occurred.
AUGUST FINANCIAL REPORT
Finance Director McCarthy reviewed with the committee the August Financial Report
noting the cash and investment position and the impact of summertime construction
on its fire stations, golf course and library and the impact that these
expenditures will have on the cash and investment position. In ,4dd,ition, he
reviewed with the committee the upcoming debt service requirements for the City's
outstanding long term debt noting that much of the City's investment was
scheduled to mature on December 1 , to meet these debt service payments.
With respect to the operation of the General Fund through the meth of August, he
reviewed with the committee the graphic analysis of various revenue and
expenditure items. He noted that the bottom line was that the City would have
approximately $100,000 less going into 1989 than was projected in the previous
month. This is primarily due to a growth in City expenditures 40ring the month
of August that was slightly higher than the trend data would have projected for
August. He also noted the fact that certain revenue items, part4tularly property
taxes and building permits, though still above the budget line, were showing a
decline from the previous month. The financial information for ;the month of
August will be reviewed with the Council in more detail in conjunction with the
initial presentation on the preliminary budget to be held on October 11 .
66F-01 F
Operations Committee Minutes
October 3, 1988
Page 2
ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE WRITE OFF PROPOSAL
Finance Director McCarthy distributed a proposed request to the committee to
write off $22,113.42 in outstanding accounts receivable older than 12/31/87.
Approximately $19,000 of the receivables are older than 12/31/86. Of that
$18,215 are for parking citations that occurred during a year of tremendous
growth in citations and some transitions on how the City was handling those
citations. Recent changes in the administration of that process, whereby the
Police Department enters its citations and Finance collects the citations along
with the addition of a new computer system should avoid delinquencies of this
size in the future. Current feeling is that it isn't cost effective to begin
collection on $5 tickets that are older than December 31 , 1988. , In addition to
that $18,215, the remaining write off of approximately $4,000 are for various
receivables such as for hitting street trees and water hydrants. These have
always been difficult to collect. The staff feels that all cost-effective effort
has been made.
It was brought to the committee's attention that an additional $21 ,000 was
initially requested to be written off but at this point is on hold due to further
investigation by the City Attorney's Office. The amount was for insurance
reimbursement on some repairs at Kent Commons but due to a six up in the Finance
Department the amount was not cashed prior to it becoming stale dated and
collection appears to be difficult at this time. Based upon the information
provided, the committee recommended the write off of the $22,113.42 as requested
by the Finance Department staff and as approved by the initiatidg departments and
the City Attorney's Office.
PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT RECLASSIFICATION
Personnel Analyst Sue Viseth explained to the committee the request to reclassify
Marilyn Behrens position from a range 20 to a range 22 at a cost of approximately
$250 for the remainder of the year. The position provides administrative and
secretarial support to the Superintendent of Recreation. The old position