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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Planning and Economic Development Committee - 11/13/1987 KENT CITY COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE November 13 , 1987 12 :30 PM Council Members Present Staff Present Judy Woods, Chair Charlene Anderson Berne Biteman Jim Hansen Steve Dowell Jim Harris City Administrator Human Services Commissioners J. Brent McFall Mary Eckfeldt, Chairman Finance Department Dee Moschel, Vice Chairwoman Bill Carleton Tony McCarthy, Director Mike Ledbetter REVIEW OF 1988 PRELIMINARY BUDGET Chairwoman Woods clarified for those present that although it appeared the budget for Health and Human Services had increased significantly in 1988 over 1987, she cautioned that readers need to look closely at the components of the 1988 budget figure. When comparing the 1988 funding with what was classified as Health and Human Services in 1987, there actually is a decrease of 7 . 4%. City Administrator McFall stated that the 1988 budget attempts to group city functions rather than city departments so that the classification "Health & Human Services" includes funding for Health and Human Services, the Senior Center, Adult Day Care and Special Pops. The Health and Human Services portion of the total category decreased by $24, 026 due primarily to a reduced budget for the King County Health contract. The Human Services Commission recommended a 1988 budget of $109, 568. Subsequent to that recommendation, the K.I.D.S. project withdrew their application for funding. The Human Services Commission then recommended a transfer of the K.I.D.S. funding to Children's Therapy Center. City Administrator McFall has not supported that request in the preliminary budget. Human Services Commission Chairman Eckfeldt distributed a memo requesting that the City Council Planning Committee support a reinstatement of the $7 , 000 transfer from the K. I.D.S. project to Children' s Therapy Center. Attached to the memo is a letter from Steve Anderson, Executive Director of Children's Therapy Center, in which is outlined how the additional City of Kent funds would be used to support their program. Chairman Eckfeldt indicated that the Commission's recommendation represented only 57% of the total applications for funding which were received. He added that if the K. I.D.S. project had not existed from the beginning, the Human Services Commission would CITY COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE MINUTES OF MEETING OF NOVEMBER 13, 1987 PAGE TWO have felt free to allocate the $7,000 to Children's Therapy Center at the start, i.e. , he does not believe that $109,568 is an inappropriate recommendation for funding of human services in the Kent community. The program at Children' s Therapy Center can help in making children productive members of society rather than be dependent on custodial care. Berne Biteman MOVED that funding be found by Administration to reallocate the $7, 000 to Children's Therapy Center. Steve Dowell SECONDED the motion. Motion carried. The Planning Committee members expressed their thanks to the Human Services Commission for their tremendous work in completing a difficult job in their first year of operation. The second half of the committee meeting was devoted to the Planning Administration budget. City Administrator McFall highlighted the major changes from 1987 : 1) continued funding for an Assistant Planner position authorized in mid-1987 ; 2 ) continued funding for a reclassification of a. Planning Assistant position to an Assistant Planner position authorized in mid-1987; 3) contractual rather than salaried Hearing Examiner allocation; and 4) capital expenditure of $20,300 for computers. Jim Harris stated it is inevitable the department will be asking for more staff over a period of time due to the tremendous growth Kent is experiencing each year. During 1988 the department will be looking at efficiencies it can accomplish, including computerization, support of the public and commissions, training, and in general, better ways to do old jobs. Jim added that the Planning revenue outlook for 1987 and 1988 appears better than what was anticipated midyear. Jim Hansen stated the additional Assistant Planner position provided to the department in mid-1987 has allowed the department to pursue zoning enforcement; Jim thanked the Council for that support. Councilman Biteman expressed appreciation that the Planning Department is looking at training and anticipating the department's needs. The meeting was adjourned at approximately 1: 30 PM.