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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Operations - 04/06/1993 0 0 OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MINUTES April 6, 1993 COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Christi Houser Leona Orr STAFF PRESENT: Tony McCarthy May Miller Roger Lubovich Tom Brubaker Don Wickstrom Sue Viseth Alana McIalwain Dee Gergich MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC: Don McDaniels Lon Hurd Miles Overholt Bill Doolittle Al Barry The meeting was called to order at 2:40 p.m. by Chairperson Houser. APPROVAL OF VOUCHERS All claims for the period ending 3/15/93 in the amount of $1,207,247.03; and for the period ending 3/31/93 in the amount of$2,077,595.32 were approved. DEBT REFINANCING PROPOSALS Acting Finance Director Miller updated the Committee regarding the two refinancing proposals for a portion of the City's voted and non-voted bond issues. She noted that Standard & Poor's will maintain the City's A+ bond rating which is good news due to current economic conditions. She stated that Dick King, Lehman Brothers, has notified them that to proceed with refinancing may not be in the best financial interest of the City at this time because the market has been flooded with refinancing proposals, but that he will continue to evaluate the market and bring the most current information to the City. Al Barry, Lehman Brothers, discussed and passed out information regarding the General Obligation Bonds Refunding and a Revenue Bond Buyer Index chart. ORR MOVED approval for the City to continue working with Lehman Brothers and, whenever feasible, to bring the refinancing issue to Council. Houser seconded and the motion carried 2-0. PROCUREMENT ORDINANCE MODIFICATIONS City Attorney Lubovich explained that the ordinance modifications will provide for reporting of consultant contracts and include such things as: 1) who the contract is with; 2) what it is for; 3) the compensation amounts, and; 4) the term. He noted that the ordinance will require a report to be submitted to the Council every six months and that a disclosure statement form is included to make sure that there is no conflict of interest with those entering into a contractual agreement. ORR MOVED for the approval of the Procurement Ordinance Modifications with the condition that it isn't causing too much work for City staff. Houser seconded and the motion carried 2-0. ACCEPTANCE OF PUGET POWER GRANT - SENIOR HOUSING Administration Manager McIalwain stated that these funds, in the amount of$23,470, are being received from Puget Power as a result of the City meeting some energy codes. She explained that the City spent about $18,000 in addition to the original contract with the Bellewood Corporation and that Larry Metler informed her of this grant opportunity for which the City applied. ORR MOVED to accept the Puget Power Grant money of$23,470. Houser seconded and the motion carried 2-0. CABLE TV REFRANCHISING AGREEMENT UPDATE Assistant City Attorney Brubaker clarified that this will be an action item for the Committee. He noted that there are two separate draft ordinances attached which need approval: 1) Kent Master Ordinance, which applies to all cable TV companies doing business in Kent, and; 2) Kent Franchise Ordinance with TCI. He explained that cable TV companies need a franchise ordinance in order to operate their systems using the City's right-of-ways and streets, and that the current franchise agreement will terminate at the end of 1993. He noted that Federal law controls the city's franchising authority but that the city has authority to grant a franchise. He noted that the City is more or less obligated to reissue a franchise unless it can prove the cable operator has totally failed in providing minimum levels of service. He stated that the City's single most bargaining tool is the length of the franchise term. He passed out a bulletin from 3-H Cable Communications Consultants regarding Cable Television Rate Regulations, dated April 6, 1993 (a new Federal law). He explained that things have to be done before this law will have any impact even though its already been passed. He reviewed the current franchise and what the new franchise would offer the City. ORR MOVED to approve the Kent Franchise Ordinance and the Kent Master Ordinance, and send on to the Counoil for two public hearings, one for each ordinance, to be held on the same day. Houser seconded and the motion carried 2-0. Lubovich clarified that the Master Ordinance has to be put in place and adopted before the Franchise Ordinance can be adopted. Brubaker explained that these were draft ordinances that would probably be amended slightly before adoption. U S WEST CELLULAR SERVICE - ADDED ITEM Dee Gergich, Telecommunications Analyst, noted that this is an information item only. She noted that Police Chief Crawford was presented by the Kent Police Union an agreement for US West Cellular to provide government rates to the Police Officers for personal use. She noted that McCarthy agreed to let them work it out and asked her to research the possibility of offering the same service to all employees. Acting Finance Director Miller stressed that the employees would pay their own bills but at the cheaper rate offered at government rates. EXECUTIVE SESSION Assistant City Attorney Brubaker requested an executive session of about 5 minutes to discuss cable negotiations. The meeting recessed into executive session at 3:42 p.m., The meeting reconvened at 3:50 p.m. and was adjourned.