HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-19-2005
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FINANCE COMMITTEE
.
SEPTEMBER 19, 2005
MINUTES
I. CALL TO ORDER
Vice Chair Lynn Norman called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. in the
Council Conference Room at Auburn City Hall located at 25 West Main
Street, Auburn, Washington. Committee members present were: Vice
Chair Norman, Member Roger Thordarson, and Councilmember Bill
Peloza. Chair Nancy Backus was excused. Also present during the
meeting were Mayor Peter B. Lewis, Information Services Director Lorrie
Rempher, Human Resources/Risk Management Director Brenda
Heineman, City Attorney Daniel B. Heid, Finance Director Shelley
Coleman, Assistant Finance Director Dawna Truman, Police Chief Jim
Kelly, Police Commander Greg Wood, City Clerk Danielle Daskam and
Aaron Rosenberg and Jack Weaver of Redflex Traffic Systems.
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A. Minutes of the September 6, 2005 Finance Committee meeting.
Member Thordarson moved and Councilmember Peloza seconded
to approve the September 6, 2005 minutes.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 3-0.
III. CONSENT ITEMS
A. Vouchers
1. Claims
F4.9.5
Claims check numbers 344799 through 345130 in the
amount of $2,798,989.72 and dated September 19, 2005.
2. Payroll
F4.9.2
Payroll check numbers 513539 to 513694 in the amount of
$686,667.64 and electronic deposit transmissions in the
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September 19 , 2005
amount of $978,026.87 for a grand total of $1 ,664,694.51 for
the pay period covering September 1, 2005 to September
14, 2005.
Committee members reviewed the consent items and briefly
discussed claims vouchers 344803, 344885, 344926, 345048,
345106 and 345107.
Member Thordarson moved and Councilmember Peloza seconded
to approve the consent items.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 3-0.
IV. ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS
A. Resolution No. 3910
A3.12.5
A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Auburn, Washington,
authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute a contract for
Public Defense Services for calendar year 2006 - 2007 between
the City and the Law Offices of Matthew J. Rusnak
Human Resources and Risk Management Director Heineman
presented Resolution No. 3910 for discussion. The Resolution
provides for a public defender contract with the Law Offices of
Matthew J. Rusnak effective January 2006. Director Heineman
reported that proposals were solicited and four responses were
received ranging from $37,000 to $15,000 per month. A panel
reviewed the top two proposals. It is recommended that the firm of
Matthew J. Rusnak be awarded the public defense services
contract for 2006-2007. Director Heineman reported there is no
increase in the proposed contract over the current contract. The
costs of any appeals filed by the public defender are included in the
contract amount; only those cases that are appealed by the
prosecutor and briefed will be paid above the contract amount.
On October 3, 2005, the Resolution will be presented to the
Municipal Services Committee for discussion and to the City
Council for adoption.
V. DISCUSSION ITEMS
A. Budget Review
1. Mayor
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September 19 , 2005
2. Human Resources
3. Finance
4. Legal
5. Information Services
Committee members reviewed the departmental budgets.
In response to a question from Vice Chair Norman, Finance Director
Coleman explained that interfund payments are payments made to other
funds. The most common interfund payments are made to Equipment
Rental for fleet charges and to Information Services for printing and multi-
media services.
Councilmember Peloza inquired regarding the bus pass program included
in the Human Resources budget. Director Heineman explained that bus
passes are provided to employees as part of the Commute Trip Reduction
Act.
Vice Chair Norman noted that the Human Resources Department
advertising costs have increased. Director Heineman explained that the
cost of recruiting for technical and engineering positions is quite expensive
and requires broad recruitment.
There were no further questions.
B. Mental Health Court
Human Resources and Risk Management Director Heineman
presented information on the proposed Auburn Mental Health
Court.
Director Heineman explained that the Auburn Municipal Court is
seeking a partnership with Seattle Mental Health to begin a
separate court calendar identified as the Mental Health Court to
adjudicate the growing number of cases involving defendants who
have mental health issues. She reported that the defendants with
mental health issues have been a concern for the Court because of
their need for services and their high rate of recidivism. Also a
concern is the cost of their incarceration without treating the
underlying problem. The Auburn Mental Health Court would
provide an alternative to incarceration.
The proposed contract with Seattle Mental Health calls for Seattle
Mental Health staff to attend Auburn Mental Health Court, perform
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Finance Committee Minutes
September 19.2005
assessments at the jail, develop a treatment plan and assist in
locating public funding for each individual's treatment program.
Director Heineman reported there is approximately $1.2 million in
state funds for treatment of mentally ill inmates who are also
chemically dependent. It is anticipated that the state program
would cover the majority of Auburn's incarcerated referrals. The
City would fund those referrals with mental health issues alone until
such time as other funding sources could be identified.
Director Heineman advised that two contracts will come before the
Committee in October; one with Seattle Mental Health and another
with King County in order to obtain the funding through the King
County Mental Health, Chemical Abuse and Dependency Services
Division.
C. Red Light Photo Enforcement
Police Chief Jim Kelly reported that a City staff committee has been
working on a red light photo enforcement project this year. The
City staff committee has recommended that the City select the firm
of Redflex to implement the City's red light photo enforcement and
school speed limit enforcement program. Mr. Jack Weaver and Mr.
Aaron Rosenberg of Redflex were in attendance to provide a brief
video, slides and overview of the program. The presentation
included examples of photo enforcement, types of photo
enforcement equipment, signage, and data management.
Mr. Rosenberg explained that Washington State law allows cities
and counties to implement fixed red light enforcement, speed
enforcement in school zones, and railroad crossing enforcement.
Violations are treated similar to parking infractions and are the
responsibility of the registered owner of the identified vehicle.
There are no points assessed to the registered owner's record. Mr.
Rosenberg advised that the system captures vehicle information
only and is not a surveillance system.
Mr. Rosenberg reported that the effectiveness of a red light photo
enforcement program is documented in several cities throughout
the country. He cited the City of Dayton, Ohio, where collisions at
enforced intersections have been reduced by sixty percent and
collisions city-wide have been reduced by twenty-nine percent.
Mr. Rosenberg reviewed the program process. Once a violation is
detected, the violation evidence, including still images and full
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September 19 , 2005
motion video, is packaged together and transmitted via a secure
network to Redflex. Redflex reviews all components of the
evidence and checks the registered owner information. Redflex
then sends the information to the Auburn Police Department via
Internet. Only the Police Department determines whether a
violation warrants a summons or infraction. An assigned police
officer signs on and reviews violations and decides whether it is an
enforceable citation by accepting or rejecting the violation. Once
the officer accepts a violation, Redflex then prints and mails out the
citations for the "accepted" violations. Details of the violation and
photos of the violation are included on the citation. Video of the
violation is also available to the cited vehicle owner via the Internet.
Police Chief Kelly advised that staff is currently analyzing the
potential volume of work associated with the red light photo
enforcement, including the "ripple effect" for Information Services,
Municipal Court, and Prosecution. Currently ten intersections are
being evaluated for red light photo enforcement as well as school
zone enforcement.
Police Chief Kelly and Information Services Director Rempher
spoke briefly about the public education program for the red light
photo enforcement project.
VI. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Committee, the
meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m.
APPROVED THE 2~ DAY OF OCTOBER 2005.
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