HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-05-2006
FINANCE COMMITTEE
JUNE 5, 2006
MINUTES
I. CALL TO ORDER
Chair Nancy Backus 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: Chair
Backus, Vice Chair Lynn Norman, and Member Roger Thordarson. Also
present during the meeting were Finance Director Shelley Coleman,
Emergency Preparedness Manager Sarah Miller, Information Services
Director Lorrie Rempher, Deputy Fire Chief Mike Gerber, City Attorney
Daniel B. Heid, Intergovernmental Services Coordinator Carolyn
Robertson, Planning, Building and Community Director Paul Krauss,
Public Safety Chief Jim Kelly, and Deputy City Clerk Cathy Richardson.
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A. Minutes of the May 11, 2006 Finance Committee meeting.
Vice Chair Norman moved and Member Thordarson seconded to
approve the May 11, 2006 minutes.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 3-0.
III. CONSENT ITEMS
A. Vouchers
1. Claims
F4.9.5
Claims check numbers 351933 through 352627 in the
amount of $2,601 ,328.47 and dated June 5, 2006.
2. Payroll
F4.9.2
Payroll check numbers 516050 to 516204 in the amount of
$311,312.83 and electronic deposit transmissions in the
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Finance Committee Minutes
June 5. 2006
amount of $1,068,380.14 for a grand total of $1,379,692.97
for the pay period covering May 9,2006 to May 31,2006.
Committee members reviewed the consent items and briefly
discussed claims vouchers 351933, 352009, and 352495.
Vice Chair Norman moved and Member Thordarson
seconded to approve the consent items.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 3-0.
IV. ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS
There were no ordinances or resolutions for Committee consideration.
V. DISCUSSION ITEMS
A. Resolution No. 4038
02.7
A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Auburn, Washington,
authorizing the Mayor to work with the cities of Algona and Pacific
to establish a planning committee for a Regional Fire Protection
Service Authority
Chief Kelly stated that Resolution No. 4038 provides for the
establishment of a planning committee to explore possible
formation of a Regional Fire Protection Service Authority (RFA)
between the cities of Auburn, Algona, and Pacific. The final
decision on which cities will participate has not been determined.
The City of Pacific is still evaluating their options, but thus far
anticipates participating in the City of Auburn plan to create an RFA
with at least two other cities. The RFA is not an annexation of the
other cities and only provides regional fire protection and
emergency medical services within the RFA boundaries.
Chief Kelly reported that, prior to any final decisions being made,
city councils from all three cities will be provided with a detailed
plan of the services provided by the RFA. Mayor Lewis and
Councilmembers Cerino and Wagner will represent the City of
Auburn on the RFA planning committee, which will be comprised of
the mayor and two councilmembers from each city. The planning
committee will work with fire department staff and Emergency
Services Consulting, Inc. (ESCi), the consulting firm hired to assist
with the development of the plan. With cities facing growing
service demands and voter approved revenue limits, the goal is for
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Finance Committee Minutes
June 5. 2006
cost efficiencies and better service for residents and property
owners within the RFA. The RFA proposal includes a funding
mechanism, a fee for service in the form of a fire benefit charge,
which would require a super majority vote. The ballot measure
would include the RFA plan and the fire benefit charge. A decision
on fire station facilities has not been made at this time. If the RFA
is approved, the City of Auburn would be able to provide more
revenue for safety and emergency services. The City of Auburn
currently has a mutual aid contract with the City of Algona and
provides automatic aid response to the City of Pacific.
Discussion followed regarding scope of service and level of service
currently existing in all three cities.
Chief Kelly explained that the planning committee established by
the RFA plan would define the level of service provided, how
services would be administered, the governance board, and
regulations for administration of the plan. The plan as defined by
the planning committee is the cornerstone of the RFA. The plan
must be established and the funding mechanism must be identified
in the plan before it is placed before the voters. The City of Auburn
is on a very aggressive timeline and has dedicated a tremendous
amount of resources in an effort to meet the deadlines and find an
alternative funding mechanism to provide public safety services.
An RFA would maximize efficiencies through regionalization while
existing jurisdictions would still remain intact under an umbrella
governance system.
Director Coleman stated that an RFA is funded similar to a fire
district and reviewed the calculations used to determe the fire
benefit charge. It is a very complex formula as it depends on the
type of structure, square footage, and the type of fire flow needs for
that structure.
Chief Kelly stated that an RFA is not subject to the Boundary
Review Board and must consist of at least two or more adjacent
areas having jurisdiction. The plan process must include public
input and go before the voters for approval. Any participating area
having jurisdiction can cancel with thirty days prior written notice.
An RFA does not alter current union bargaining agreements, but
subsequent agreements would be bargained by the RFA. Details
for consolidation of staff into an RFA would be determined and
presented in the RFA plan.
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Finance Committee Minutes
June S. 2006
Intergovernmental Service Coordinator Carolyn Robertson
distributed a press release to Finance Committee members.
B. Resolution No. 4040
01.8.3, F5.3
A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Auburn, Washington,
authorizing the acceptance of a grant from King County Office of
Emergency Management in the amount of Ten Thousand Dollars
($10,000) to provide community emergency response training, and
authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute the necessary
agreements to accept said funds
Ms. Miller stated that the grant funds from King County Office of
Emergency Management under Resolution No. 4040 are for the
purpose of providing community emergency response training in
the form of two emergency preparedness classes (CERT -
Community Emergency Response Teams). The classes would
train approximately sixty individuals to assist in their own
neighborhoods in the event of an emergency.
Vice Chair Norman inquired regarding methods to be used for
community outreach with regard to availability of the training.
Ms. Miller indicated that the first step includes sending letters to
individuals who have graduated from the Auburn Police
Department Citizens Academy. Other community groups have
already expressed an interest in participating in the program.
C. Resolution No. 4041
01.8.3, F5.3
A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Auburn, Washington,
authorizing the acceptance of a grant form the King County Office
of Emergency Management in the amount of Five Thousand Six
Hundred Sixty-one Dollars ($5,661.00) to provide community
emergency response training to vulnerable populations, and
authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute the necessary
agreement to accept said funds
Ms. Miller explained that the purpose of grant funds approved by
Resolution No. 4041 is similar to that of Resolution No. 4040 with
the exception that classes would be specifically for training of
elderly and disabled individuals. There will be three classes
provided between the two grants.
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Finance Committee Minutes
June S. 2006
Vice Chair Norman expressed concerns with regard to keeping
track of CERT participants in the event a participant relocates to
another city.
Chair Backus expressed an interest in CERT training for Auburn
City Councilmembers.
D. Resolution No. 4042
F5.2.18
A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Auburn, Washington,
authorizing the acceptance of a grant from the Washington Service
Corps to provide a full-time volunteer to the City of Auburn and
authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute the necessary
agreements to accept said volunteer
Ms. Miller reported that Resolution No. 4042 provides a grant from
the Washington Service Corps in the form of a full-time volunteer
who will assist with disaster preparedness and education via
coordination of the CERT program.
E. Transit Oriented Development
Director Krauss reported that negotiations with King County Metro
(Metro) are ongoing in regards to a downtown transit oriented
development project for parking in exchange for relinquishing a
park and ride lot. Staff is currently drafting an interlocal agreement
that would essentially allow the City of Auburn to solicit for requests
for a proposal (RFP) from developers for a transit oriented project
of at least 100 parking spaces. Metro would purchase the parking
spaces at market cost and the developer would be permitted to use
those spaces, providing incentive for developers.
Discussion followed regarding the number of parking spaces
proposed.
F. Department of Justice/Cops More Interlocal Agreement
Director Rempher reported that the Department of Justice
(DOJ)/Cops More Interlocal Agreement provides for acceptance of
grant funds of approximately $100,000 on behalf of nine cities,
which is to be administered by the City of Auburn.
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Finance Committee Minutes
June S. 2006
VI. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Committee, the
meeting adjourned at 7:28 p.m.
APPROVED THE \C\'-\-~ DAY OF JUNE 2006
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