HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Operations Committee - 03/20/2018Operations Committee
Minutes
Approved
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Date: March 20, 2018
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Place: Chambers East
Attending: Bill Boyce, Dennis Higgins, and Les Thomas, Chair
Agenda:
1. Call to Order.
Chair Thomas called the meeting to order at 4:00 pm
2. Roll Call.
All committee members present.
3. Changes to the Agenda.
There were no changes to the agenda.
4. Approval of Check Summary Reports dated 2/1/18 thru 2/15/18 and
2/16/18 thru 2/28/18.
D. Higgins moved to approve the check summary report dated 2/1/18 thru 2/15/18
and 2/16/18 thru 2/28/18. B. Boyce seconded the motion, which passed 3-0.
5. Approval of Meeting Minutes dated February 6, 2018.
B. Boyce moved to approve the Operations Committee meeting minutes dated
February 20, 2018. D. Higgins seconded the motion, which passed 3-0.
6. Council Administrative Assistant FTE Increase – Recommend.
Chief Administrative Officer, Derek Matheson, requested an increase of the
City Council Administrative Assistant position from 0.75 to 1.00 FTE, and
change allocation from 100% Council budget to 50% Council and 50% Mayor’s
office. Following Jennifer Hays’ departure, recruitment will begin for a
replacement, which may take 1-2 months. He noted that it is the express
desire of the Mayor’s office to review a possible increase in the position for
either an Administrative Assistant 1 or Administrative Assistant 2 – yet to be
determined. This increase will align with the restructuring of this position’s
duties.
B. Boyce did state it is crucial now for this position to become full time.
L. Thomas remarked that Jennifer Hays left the city of Kent for a new position
with King County.
Operations Committee
Minutes
Approved
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Mr. Matheson noted that this item will be on tonight’s consent calendar at the
City Council meeting.
D. Higgins moved to recommend Council to authorize an increase in the
Council Administrative Assistant position from a 0.75 to 1.00 FTE and
change the allocation costs from 100% Council office to 50% Council office
and 50% Mayor’s office. B. Boyce seconded the motion, which passed 3-0.
7. City Investment Report – Information Only.
Lavina Brennecke, Accounting and Reporting Manager, and Senior Financial
Analyst Joe Bartlemay provided a history of the city’s investments starting in
2015 where the city moved from the State fund (LGIP) to Paul Jarvis at TVI.
In 2016, the Finance department interviewed several interested firms in order
to determine if there were other investment firms which we might use. TVI
and PFM were selected to compete for the city’s investments and the city now
contracts with PFM to handle our investments. The PFM benchmark is a 2.5
year maturity - government has a small band of investments we can purchase,
and as noted in the 2016/2017 chart, the city’s balances are trending upward.
The city has been pleased with PFM’s performance.
D. Higgins did ask that the committee be provided with the “percentage
return” on our investments at a future meeting.
B. Boyce sits on the committee that reviews the investments and is pleased
how the team is such good stewards of the city’s money. He stated that
Finance staff will report quarterly to the Operations Committee on our
investments.
8. Director’s Report – Information Only.
Lavina Brennecke, Accounting and Reporting Manager, discussed the city’s
payment to the state of Washington for excise tax, use tax, state B&O tax and
public utility tax – approximately $200,000 a month. An audit was initiated on
the city’s excise tax payments to the state and that audit revealed the city
overpaid excise taxes - a refund of $660,000 was issued in 2016 for 2012-
2014. The filed amended returns for 2015 & 2016 and received an additional
refund of $1.1M.
Finance Director, Aaron BeMiller, noted that an audit of leasehold excise tax
revealed the city had a couple contracts for $1 rent – Kent Meridian pool and
Kent Valley Ice Center. DOR assessed leasehold tax of 8% of gross receipts
from the pool which came to $10,700. The rental contracts have been updated
accordingly.
Operations Committee
Minutes
Approved
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9. Adjournment.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:35 p.m. by L. Thomas.
Patrick Briggs
Operations Committee Secretary