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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Meeting - Council - Minutes - 10/13/2015 ICE O T WASHINOTON j Kent City Council Special Minutes October 13, 2015 The special meeting was called to order at 5:02 p.m. by Council President Ralph. Councilmembers present: Ralph, Boyce, Fincher, Higgins, Ranniger, and Thomas. Mid-Biennium Budget Discussion — Chief Administrative Officer Derek Matheson discussed the items for the workshop. Assistant Finance Director Barbara Lopez discussed the Questions/Requests log and the Public Works accounting changes. Lopez noted the reasons for the changes, what the fund structure looks like now and what it will look like once the mid-biennium budget is adopted. Lopez continued and discussed the specific dollar amounts in each fund to include what the resulting Street Operating Fund and Solid Waste Fund would look like. Chief Administrative Officer Matheson noted that staff salaries will be paid from funds that have actual expenditures tracked instead of coming out of the General Fund. Councilmember Boyce verified that staff time would be accounted for by managers in the department and billed accordingly. Lopez referred to page 6, 7, 8, 9, and 27 of the proposed budget and discussed the amounts that were noted in the Public Works Accounting Changes document. Council President Ralph also pointed out that the General Fund Savings recap is located on page 1 of the proposed budget. Lopez continued and highlighted that there aren't many changes in the funds. She said all of the salaries and benefits on page 15 will be adjusted because the Consumer Price Index (CPI) came in a little less, so there will primarily be reductions. She noted that on page 19, the non-structured debt service payment has been reduced in 2016. Councilmember Higgins confirmed that on page 18 the ShoWare Center budget was noted as SMG income, and the City does not budget for it because no revenues are expected from SMG. Chief Administrative Officer Matheson discussed the Question/Requests document and stated that Jeff is working on the first question. He added that the supported employment budget is about $42,000. He also noted that questions 3 and 4 are still in progress. He commented that the Mayor's proposal already assumes the end of year total. However, when the September numbers are received it may require a tweaking of the proposed budget, though nothing significant. He added that those numbers will be communicated at the Council meeting on November 10. Council President Ralph confirmed with Chief Administrative Officer Matheson that monthly revenues that the City will receive are predictable, and if it does change, it will not affect the shortfall amount. Lopez added that this report is based off of numbers from July, as information for August had not yet been received. Kent City Council Workshop Meeting Minutes Councilmember Boyce inquired how soon the City needs to show whether it has grant match funds. Chief Administrative Officer Matheson communicated that with the funds from the Youth Athletic Facilities Grant, the City is very close to having Hogan Park and Lake Meridian Dock fully funded, with the change in the internal utility tax as requested by the Mayor. Chief Administrative Officer Matheson noted that four years ago the Council, through legislation, increased the solid waste utility tax to 13 percent and due to that action, at the end of this year the CIP fund will be balanced. The 2011 Ordinance also stated that when the CIP is balanced the funds would be split between IT and streets. He explained that the Mayor's proposal is for 50 percent to go to IT and the remaining 50 percent to be evenly split between Parks and placemaking, which are mostly street projects, but have economic development and parks aspects included. The intent is to move the City into working on smart growth type projects. He noted that the Council can adjust the amounts, but if the recommendation isn't taken then the Council would need to find other funds for the YMCA/Morrill Meadows Expansion and the Meeker Street placemaking projects. Councilmember Boyce discussed streets and Chief Administrative Officer Matheson noted that the other needs have been brought forth. He noted that the need for streets was $12 million and now there is $9 million available that will greatly fulfill that need. He added that the Mayor wants to acknowledge that only 5 percent of the total need for parks has been allocated. Council President Ralph highlighted the presentation that was given about the needs in the parks and trails system. Discussion continued on the ordinance and Councilmember Fincher inquired if it should define what placemaking is and where it would take place. Councilmember Thomas confirmed that the Mayor's Leadership Team works hard to communicate on issues and projects and then turn and communicate those same things to their staff, He added that he is having a hard time moving $500,000 from the Street Fund. He felt the City hasn't focused on streets as much as it is needed. Councilmember Ranniger reminded the Council of the presentation that Jeff Watling, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services made. She noted that the City is funding 60 to 100 percent of the need in IT and streets and only nine percent of the parks needs. She noted that the City is 200 percent behind in its investment in parks. She stated that even this allocation, if approved, grows the parks funding to only 18 percent. Councilmember Boyce stated that this is all about prioritization and there are still problems with the streets in Kent. Councilmember Thomas agreed with Councilmember Boyce and stated that no one is questioning the need in the parks and streets. He stated that changing a recently adopted ordinance bothers him. 2 Kent City Council Workshop Meeting Minutes Council President Ralph stated that she isn't a fan of the internal utility tax. However, she said she completely understands the thinking at the time. She noted that the three new funding options allow for a way to make progress for parks without significant impacts. Councilmember Ranniger agreed with Councilmember Thomas in that the need has not changed, but the sources have. However, she added that the sources for funds in parks haven't increased. Councilmember Fincher reminded the Council that there is a cost for having the parks deteriorate and it ties into economic development. Businesses and residents won't want to come to Kent if the parks are crumbling. Councilmember Higgins agreed with Council President Ralph in that the City won't be able to fully fund many things in this budget. He added that it is one of the reasons a Financial Sustainability Committee has been instituted. He noted that it would be a big problem to not match the funds that have been allocated to the City by the legislature. He added that he is inclined to agree with the Mayor's proposal. Councilmember Boyce communicated that the funds for the YMCA/Morrill Meadows expansion project are needed, but felt there should be more research done to find alternate solutions. He suggested digging deep and relying on Chief Administrative Officer Matheson and Finance Director BeMiller to find those solutions. He stated that he isn't ready to agree to this solution until every rock has been overturned. Council President Ralph noted that the Council is very supportive of parks and without these discussions well informed decisions aren't going to be made. Councilmember Higgins asked for a prioritized list of cuts that could be made to bridge the budget gap. Council President Ralph asked for alternatives to utilizing the banked capacity be brought forth. Chief Administrative Officer Matheson communicated that the responses will be presented next week at the Council meeting. He added that the Executive Session on October 20 will be on collective bargaining. Meeting adjourned at 6:01 p.m. Ronald F. M ore, M I,C City Clerk 3