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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Operations - 07/20/2010 (3) KENT WASHINGTON OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MINUTES JULY 20, 2010 Committee Members Present: Elizabeth Albertson (for Raplee), Jamie Perry, Les Thomas (Chair). The meeting was called to order by Thomas at 4:01 p.m. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES DATED JUNE 15, 2010 Perry moved to approve the minutes of the June 15, 2010 Operations Committee meeting. Thomas seconded the motion (with Raplee's concurrence), which passed 2-0. 2. APPROVAL OF VOUCHERS DATED JUNE 15, 2010 & JUNE 30, 2010 Perry moved to approve the vouchers dated June 15, 2010 &June 30, 2010. Thomas seconded the motion, which passed 2-0. 3. RECOMMEND COUNCIL AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT WITH ALLIANT INSURANCE SERVICES, INC. TO PROVIDE LIABILITY INSURANCE BROKERAGE SERVICES FOR AN ANNUAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $35,000, SUBJECT TO FINAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS ACCEPTABLE TO THE RISK MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY. Chris Hills, Risk Manager for the City noted that as discussed at the June 151h Operations Committee Meeting, Alliant has been selected as the City's Liability Insurance Broker to assist the City in development of our new Liability Insurance program for 2011 when Kent leaves WCIA. Since the June 151h meeting, Hills and City Attorney Tom Brubaker have gone through the contract and collectively made a few changes, all of which have been accepted by Alliant. Alliant has signed the contract and Hills is pleased that the contract came in under $35k for the year. Special projects, if any, will be done under a separate contract and charged at an hourly rate specified in the contract. Perry moved to recommend council authorize the mayor to sign an agreement with Alliant Insurance Service, Inc. to provide liability insurance brokerage services for an annual amount not to exceed $35,000, subject to final terms and conditions acceptable to the risk manager and city attorney. Thomas seconded the motion, which passed 2-0. Councilmember Albertson (sitting in for Raplee) has joined the meeting. 4. MOVE TO RECOMMEND THAT COUNCIL AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO SIGN A PURCHASE ORDER FOR $241,169.97 TO THE WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION SERVICES, THE RESELLING AGENT OF MICROSOFT, FOR THE 2010 RENEWAL AND TRUE-UP OF THE MICROSOFT ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE AGREEMENT AND BE PLACED ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR FOR THE JULY 20, 2010 CITY COUNCIL MEETING. Paul Dunn, Technical Services Manager for Information Technology is requesting approval for the 3r' and final annual payment to Microsoft against the Microsoft Enterprise Software Agreement. In June of 2008, the City entered into a 3 year Enterprise License Agreement with Microsoft. This agreement entailed 3 annual payments, totaling an estimated dollar amount of Operations Committee Minutes June 6, 2010 Page: 2 $649,626.53. This year the payment is going to exceed what was initially approved for a total of approximately $71,000 over the initial price. In June, 2009, as part of our annual "True-Up" Information Technology's audit of installed desktop systems actually in use, an additional 66 licenses were added to the count with Microsoft. This count increased our annual installment for 2009 by almost $56,000. This year, though our installed number of desktops has decreased below the levels licensed in 2008 and 2009, by the terms of the agreement, we are obligated to relicense 916 desktops. This year, in addition to relicensing our previously licensed desktop and server products, we are adding additional licenses for database servers to the agreement. These servers have been added as part of upgrades and new project implementations over the past year. The additional costs of licensing are budgeted within capital project budgets in the IT Department. While the City has the option to license these database servers exclusively through other Microsoft licensing plans, the pricing models presented under the Enterprise Agreement are more attractive than "one-off' pricing available through standard channels. Perry questioned whether any of the increased cost was due to annexation, which Dunn responded there was nothing really that could be tied to annexation and none of the money would come out of the annexation budget, it is all project based capital expense. Albertson moved to recommend that council authorize the mayor to sign a purchase order for $241,169.97 to the Washington State Department of Information Services, the reselling agent of Microsoft, for the 2010 renewal and true-up of the Microsoft Enterprise Software Agreement and be placed on the consent calendar for the July 20, 2010 City Council meeting. Perry seconded the motion, which passed 3-0. S. MOVE TO RECOMMEND TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF BETH SYLVES TO THE LODGING TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE. Economic and Community Development Manager Kurt Hanson noted that the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee recommends Beth Sylves be appointed to the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee. Ms. Sylves as the Director of Marketing for the ShoWare Center has engaged the local business community, and has been involved in planning and promoting activities that generate visitors to Kent as well as the greater Seattle and Southside areas. Beth Sylves will be filling the open positions left by the resignation of Dennis Higgins. This position is to be filled by a person in activities funded by lodging tax. In the position Ms. Sylves new term is a 3 year term, which would expire July 31, 2012. Perry moved to recommend to approve the appointment of Beth Sylves to the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee. Albertson seconded the motion, which passed 3-0. MOVE TO RECOMMEND TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF JOHN CASEY TO THE LODGING TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE. Hanson explained that the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee also recommends John Casey's appointment to the Committee. Mr. Casey is a partner at the Curran Law Firm and involved in the Kent community. John Casey will be filling the open positions left by the resignation of Greg Haffner. This position is to be filled by a person in activities funded by lodging tax. In the position Mr. Casey's new term is a 3 year term, which would expire July 31, 2013. Albertson moved to recommend to approve the appointment of John Casey to the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee. Perry seconded the motion, which passed 3-0. Operations Committee Minutes June 6, 2010 Page: 3 MOVE TO RECOMMEND TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF (TO BE DETERMINED) TO THE LODGING TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE. Hanson noted that the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee is looking for Council's direction on the appointment to one open position. The Lodging Tax Committee has been presented with 2 candidates seeking appointment. Both Mr. Kwok and Mr. Knutson are in the hotel business and are both qualified. David Kwok is the General Manager of the new Hampton Inn and was also a member of the Auburn Lodging Tax Committee. Brad Knutson is the General Manager of the Hawthorn Suites. The chosen candidate will be filling one open position left by the resignation of Vicky Molzer. This position is to be filled by a business which collects lodging tax. In the position the candidate will serve a 3 year term, which would expire July 31, 2012. Hanson made the recommendation that the Committee consider Mr. Kwok; to welcome him into the City of Kent and to this board. Staff has worked with Mr. Kwok a lot over the past year and feels he has much to offer. Albertson noted that in going through both resumes, she is comfortable in going with the recommendation. Thomas has met Mr. Kwok, feels he is enthusiastic and very personable, and indicates he is also willing to accept staff's recommendation. Perry moved to recommend to approve the appointment of David Kwok to the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee. Albertson seconded the motion, which passed 3-0. 6. APPROVAL TO USE LODGING TAX FUNDS FOR PRUCHASE OF SHOWARE MARQUEE (INFORMATIONAL ONLY) Community and Economic Manager Kurt Hanson joined by City Attorney Tom Brubaker advised that the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee recommends the use of lodging tax funds be used to purchase a marquee at ShoWare Center. The level of funding was discussed at the last Lodging Tax Advisory Committee meeting on June 24, 2010. Unfortunately, we don't know the specifics yet on how much the sign will cost. What is going to inform that cost is the type of foundation system used for the marquee itself. That will be dependent on the height and size of the sign. Marketing management at ShoWare feel a sign 9' high x 15-17' in length would get the traction need to for ticket sales. Prices for the sign and foundation range dramatically from 100k to 200k depending on the type of foundation used. The Lodging Tax Advisory Committee is willing to consider use of the funds as soon as they hear back how much the sign will cost. Thomas (Chair of the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee) noted that the Tax Advisory Board only authorized to render an opinion not to take any action. Thomas posed the question to Brubaker as to where to go from here in an ordinance fashion. Brubaker advised that the marquee is a tourism related facility which is a defined term under state law that defines the uses to which lodging taxes can be applied, so it is a legitimate use of money. He further advised the Committee establishes the tax and makes recommendations to the city about how it should be spent. The city council determines how it should be specifically allocated. Perry directed staff to do further research on design and cost, along with a sketch and to bring it back to Operations Committee in two weeks. At that time the Committee will either approve and send to Council that same night, or if they do not like the design, Brubaker advised they will then have the option to pull it and put it on other business or pull it all together. It is the feeling of the Lodging Tax Committee a marquee at ShoWare Center would be a benefit to the community by listing the coming attractions and entertainment performing. Thomas recommended that Albertson be involved in the design process. Chief Administrative Officer Operations Committee Minutes June 6, 2010 Page: 4 John Hodgson advised that he would brief all council members before the next Council meeting. 7. FINANCIAL BUDGET SUMMARY FOR MAY 2010 (INFORMATIONAL ONLY) Finance Director Bob Nachlinger provided a brief overview of the May 2010 Budget Summary. He advised that the budget continues on the same track as last month; anticipating revenue will be down 2.9 million and expenditures down 6.7 million. Nachlinger stated we are currently in the process of starting to build the 2011 budget. The four major factors affecting next year's budget are: the elimination of furlough days for employees, the anticipation of a 10% increase in health insurance costs, a substantial increase in pension costs, and the assumption, just for planning purposes, of a 2% cost of living increase. That basically takes the general fund operating budget by department to looking at an increase of 4.1% for each department. The meeting adjourned at 4:45 p.m. by Thomas. Nancy Clary Operations Committee Secretary