HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Meeting - Council Workshop - Minutes - 04/20/1999 COUNCIL WORKSHOP MINUTES
• April 20, 1999
COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Leona Orr, Tim Clark, Connie Epperly, Sandy
Amodt,Rico Yingling
The meeting was called to order by Chair Leona Orr.
Public Development Authority Project Update
Director of Operations Brent McFall gave a report on the Public Development Authority. He
said the Lumbermen's Barn property was purchased by the City in May, 1995 for $355,058 with
the intent to work in cooperation with the Kent Downtown Partnership to achieve an indoor
Saturday market and possibly having a year-round market. The City proceeded with plans for
renovations to the structure while trying to maintain the appearance of a barn to create the
ambience of the market as opposed to a regular retail store. As prices were worked out with the
architect, it became apparent that the project, as originally envisioned, was too expensive, so the
plans were reworked. In March, 1998, the City Council created the PDA, a quasi-governmental
agency with a board appointed by the City, to take ownership and redevelop the property. The
PDA has the authority to enter into contracts, enter into debt, to renovate property, and enter into
leases, etc. The PDA is borrowing $700,000 from U.S. Bank at 7.8% interest, which loan the
City guarantees. The total project costs are $900,000, and the revenue generated from the
vendors will be used by the PDA to repay the loan.
• Regional Issues
Brent McFall gave an update on the Valley Communications Regional 911 Dispatch Center. The
cities of Kent, Auburn, Renton, and Tukwila are the joint owners of Valley Com, which provides
dispatch services to those four cities as well as a number of contract agencies. The four mayors
of the four owner cities serve as an executive or administrative board and meet two to four times
per year. The Fire and Police chiefs of the four cities serve as the Operations Board and deal
with the operational issues of Valley Com. Valley Com has outgrown its space on East Hill, and
the Boards have been exploring how to accommodate the growth. Several sites were explored as
a place to build a new facility and one was accepted. The property is owned by the City of Kent
and located on the Southwest corner of the new 277"' Corridor and across from 1081h. The
project will cost approximately $12,000,000. The City of Federal Way is being pursued as a
potential owner to help lower some of the costs per city. Since Valley Com has no authority to
issue debt, the owner cities are exploring creating a PDA to build the new facility. Funds are
available in the Capital Facilities Plan for Kent's portion of the project.
Legislative Update
Government Affairs Manager Dena Laurent covered the topic of Salmon Protection, Water
Rights, Conservation Program and future water supply; Y2K legislation; the Shoreline
Management Program; and Transportation funding.
The meeting adjourned at 5:38 PM.