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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Meeting - Council Workshop - Minutes - 05/05/1998 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE May 51 1998 The regular meeting was called to order at 5:08 p.m. by Council President Orr. Present: Councilmembers Amodt, Clark, Epperly, Woods and Yingling, Operations Director/Chief of Staff McFall, Planning Director Harris, Parks Director Hodgson, Assistant City Attorney Brubaker and Government Affairs Manager Laurent. Approximately 15 people were at the meeting. Approval of Minutes. Woods moved to approve the minutes of the meeting of April 7, 1998. Clark seconded and the motion carried. Parks Development Projects, Parks Director Hodgson noted that parks and recrea- tion enhance the quality of life and provide citizens an opportunity to recreate/ rejuvenate themselves through the different programs offered. He noted that an incredible number of people are benefiting from the work Council is doing and that the Parks Department has received great support from elected officials and citizen participa- tion. He noted that Council has developed Target Issues which relate to the quality of life, strong neighborhoods, activities that enhance families and provide a quality family lifestyle, and maintain a small town atmosphere. He stated that a number of parks have • been built in the community allowing those Target Issues and Goals to be met. Hodgson explained that the report before the committee tonight is the result of last year's Capital Facilities Plan and that decisions have to be made on what to do with it. He noted that the plan provides an opportunity to move into the next process of Capital Funding and budgeting, and that only one issue will have to be decided fairly soon regarding a bond issue. Hodgson pointed out the location of the projects and explained what has been done over the last few years. He noted that the Parks Department has received awards, not only from peers but also from the community and associations, for the quality of its parks system. He explained that over 50 projects have been completed but some smaller projects need to be done and the City needs to look at some major capital investment. He noted, however, that in order to do these projects a bond issue would have to be approved because there are no other resources available. He explained that there is money in the Capital Facilities Plan over the next four years to fund some of the programs but the larger projects identified in the report couldn't be done because the money would be used to continue funding equipment replacement and small repairs. He pointed out that the plan shows a tremendous amount of funding sources that were available to complete the last four years worth of projects, but that some of those funding sources, such as the King County Open Space Bond Issue, are no longer available. He explained that the Lake Fenwick Trail Project completed last year ended that program and that the King County Conservation Futures Program is very limited. He noted that the City of Kent has been very successful in obtaining grant monies from the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation (IAC) and that the new Youth Sports Field money has been added to the IAC grant. He explained that a $10 Committee of the Whole May 5, 1998 million pot of money was created when Paul Allen bought the Seattle Seahawks and the money will be available sometime this summer through Washington State and the IAC. He explained how the money would be disbursed and that everyone in the State, including local sports organizations, are eligible to apply for this grant, unlike the IAC where just municipalities and non-profit agencies were eligible. He noted, however, that the parameters have not been determined yet so just how much money is available isn't really known at this point but a legislative committee has been appointed to determine the amount. He explained that $10 million will be placed in the pot immediately but five years from now, when the stadium Is done, there could be up to $40-$50 million more in this account which will be based upon the sale of bonds and what's available when all the construction is finished. He noted that funding through IAC always has limits and matches that have to be made either through in-kind (volunteers) or donated goods plus cash, and that in most cases it is with cash. He noted that there are some King County Conservation Futures funds available on a two-year cycle so next year the City of Kent can apply for those monies. He also noted that these funds are used for passive recreation such as the Clark Lake Wetlands Mitigation or enhancing money. Hodgson noted that the City received $50,000 from the King County Youth Sports grant which aided in the development of 3-4 playgrounds. He explained that this grant is a matching one but whether Kent can keep on receiving monies from it is unknown since other cities are discovering it. He noted that another source of funding is the Adopt-A- Park program which amounts to between $400,000-500,000 in the in-kind savings or small donations which have allowed the City to accomplish some things and save the tax payers money. He noted that the City has also approached the Kent Little League regarding the ballfields and offered to help and/or participate since the City built the infrastructure. Hodgson explained that the committee has three options as follows: 1) Bond Issue . He noted that September or November of this year would be the best time to send a bond issue to the voters but Council would have to make the decision at least six weeks out. He noted that a tremendous amount of work has to be done beforehand even though the Parks Department has completed a Master Planning of Parks. He explained that a bond issue would be challenging because of the many accomplishments of the Parks Department. He suggested that if the Council is considering a bond issue, a professional survey or poll be done within 2-3% of the approval to see if there is support. He noted that there is great support for the City's parks system but the fact that so much rehabilitation . has been done doesn't lend credence for people to jump on board. 2 Committee of the Whole May 5, 1998 2) 2nd Quarter Excise Real Estate Tax. He explained that the Excise Real Estate Tax was permitted through the Growth Management Act (GMA) and that it can be used for all types of construction projects whether it be for streets, sidewalks, or parks. He further explained that the amount generated from this option fluctuates depending upon how property is selling. 3) Don't do anything. He noted that Council could just wait to see how staff does with the different grants and perhaps just delay some of these projects out. He noted that the concern with this option is that even with the grants identified and secured by the City, it still isn't enough to do the projects within the 4-5 year period. He noted that the projects listed are for the next year when the City begins its next six-year cycle of Comprehensive and Master Planning. He noted that some other projects have been set out five years and are not on the tables right now. He stated that purchasing property for a Valley Floor Ballfield Complex, Downtown Park that is identified in the Downtown Plan, Improvements to Lake Fenwick Park, and the Riverview Park over by the South County Journal (purchased by the City) are not on the list because they are not high priority. He noted that these properties were purchased for the future as the opportunity presented itself and the funding was available. Hodgson explained for Clark that the funding would be used in the International Park Development area for some undeveloped acreage between Yangzhou Park and Meeker Street and then continue all the way down to Meeker Street. Upon Yingling's question, Hodgson noted that money set aside for Clark Lake would be used for development and annexation. He also noted that staff is working to receive national grants and foundations that would fund this type of project so that only $2 million would be used for acquisitions. Woods explained that Kent did not receive an IAC grant for last year and that the trend seems to be that newer cities will be given additional consideration which makes the job more challenging as the City moves forward. Hodgson noted that one of the highest points received is based on need and that last year there were 78 projects requesting funds with only 23 actually funded. He also noted that approximately 90% of cities asking for funds were either brand new cities that have just annexed or cities without any parks making it tough for established cities. Upon Clark's question, Hodgson noted that the Midway Reservoir is currently an undeveloped open field but it will have an informal backstop for the neighbors to play sports, a walking trail around it, a playground for kids, and it will be a park with the nicest view in Kent as it looks over the valley and at Mt. Rainier. McFall clarified for Orr that the Growth Management Act requires cities to establish levels of service for certain functions but parks is not one of them. He noted that the City of Kent has chosen to establish a level of service for parks because it is a responsible thing 3 0 Committee of the Whole May 5, 1998 to do but running a foul of any legal requirement in terms of level of service, the City would not be in violation of the Growth Management Act. He noted that the City is required to establish a level of service, the Council has the policy decision to make, and that the City can lower the level of service, such as transportation, and still be in compliance with the law. He also noted that the Council can lower the level of service for parks if it chooses to do so. Hodgson clarified for Orr that the Real Estate Excise Tax is paid for by the seller but it can be negotiated where the buyer pays it, the County collects it, and it is given back to the City based on the sales within the City of Kent. McFall noted that the excise tax is collected at the time of closing on a property acquisition, commercial, residential, industrial, etc. He also noted for Orr that a voted bond issue permits the levying of an excise property tax, an additional tax, that the voters authorize which is sufficient to make the principle and interest payments on the bonds every year on the property taxes of all taxable property in the City until the bonds are paid off. He noted that typically a 20-year bond would be issued for a parks project. Upon Orr's question, McFall noted that the Public Safety Bond Issue still has about seven years to go, the Senior Housing Bond Issue has approximately 10 years left, and that he is not aware of any voted bond issue that will expire in the near future. Woods noted that the Parks Committee has discussed what a bond issue this year would mean to any performing arts center bond issue for the following year. She explained that the performing arts center group is moving ahead and working with private donors to insure that they can go to the voters with private funds raised and ask voters to approve the difference. She noted that this group is hoping to go to the voters in 1999 but she expressed concern about how many of these issues can be put on the ballot with any hope of success. She stated that the School District will probably be running another large issue in the near future. Woods also expressed that if nothing is done and the City continues to have a commitment to parks acquisition and development then it will be faced with securing funds for those development projects. She noted that future annexations will have to be retrofit into the new part of the City for Parks as the citizens, old and new, have indicated that this is what they want. Hodgson concurred with Woods that money can be redirected to any one of the projects on the list and that some money is identified in the existing Capital Facilities Fund but it is not enough to cover all the projects identified. Orr noted that this item is not scheduled for any action tonight and she suggested that Councilmembers mull over these options, send it back to the Parks Committee for a recommendation, and then forward it on to the full Council for action. McFall reiterated that the critical path for a voted bond issue, if Council pursues that option, is that it needs to be acted upon fairly quickly. He • noted that a statistically valid survey could be done to gauge voter acceptance of such a bond issue. Hodgson agreed that a decision needs to be made to either move forward or back off from the bond issue proposal. McFall added that he would recommend to the 4 Committee of the Whole May 5, 1998 Council, if it is their intent to go to the voters for approval of a bond issue, that they be prepared to support it enthusiastically and vigorously and work to develop a citizens committee to support that effort. He noted that Council needs to at lease engage in a vigorous education program which again takes time. Hodgson noted that fortunately some of these parks are master planned so the citizen support is there. Communications Audit Kick Off. Government Affairs Manager, Dena Laurent, explained that this item is on the committee agenda to bring the council in on the very beginning of the communications audit project. She noted that just a few years ago Kent was a small community and the methods of communication were probably the same as used for many years. She noted that Kent is now a community of 70,000 and that technology continues to change the way people receive Information and the amount of time it takes to receive it. She noted that the City needs to think strategically about how they communicate with customers and citizens. She emphasized that a real plan needs to be in place with communication as a basic public service but in order to build a communication bridge it is really important to understand where the City is currently and then find out how customers want to receive information. She noted that a City is like a holding company with 10 different businesses but it still has a common identity of being the City of Kent so how its projected and communicated is important because it does not just happen, it has to be strategically planned. Laurent explained that the purpose of the audit will be to inventory all of the communica- tion tools, interview key communicators in the organization and in the community, and survey employees and citizens regarding their preferences for City communication. She noted that three teams will review all of the information gathered to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges and develop recommendations for future City communications efforts. She explained that the first team will be internal communicators made up of staff who deal with public relations and communications and share their knowledge with other departments. She noted that the second team would consist of outside communications professionals who do public relations and communications for other cities, and the third team would consist of community stakeholders and business people who will look at the same information. She explained that all of the answers and data will be put together in a report with a series of suggestions of what the City does well, what needs to be changed, what direction it should go in, and better channeling of resources. Laurent noted that this is the first step in putting together a comprehensive communications strategy for the City and she urged the Council to give their input of what they love, what they hate, and what they feel needs to be addressed. • Laurent noted for Clark that the areas the City has been most successful in are unknown at this point until citizens give their input. Clark expressed that with more people coming into the area transportation would be extremely valuable. He noted that it would be 5 Committee of the Whole May 5, 1998 helpful to citizens if they knew when there were closures of on and off ramps to SR 167. Orr noted that this item was recently discussed at a Public Works Committee meeting and that just letting people know the days the projects will be happening would be helpful. She noted that an on-going list can tune in and find out what roads will be closed. She noted that not everything happens at the same time so we need it to be consistent. Upon Yingling's question, Laurent noted that internal communications between departments and in the same department will be looked at because the employees are the front line communicators. Laurent also noted for Yingling that 2-way communication is as costly as 1-way but the question is what method would citizens use to communicate with City staff. Laurent explained for Amodt that this audit is to find out which one(s) of the many methods used by the City is most preferred and productive for the citizens. Laurent noted for Orr that meetings have already been set up for some of the councilmembers and that she will continue until everyone has given their input. Orr encouraged each councilmember to share ideas because she feels it is an issue worth pursuing. Yingling expressed that it is good to know that one approach may get 80% of the citizens support but another method may only get this much support. • The meeting then adjourned at 6:09 p.m. Donna Swaw Deputy City Clerk 6