HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-06-2009
CITY OF *
FINANCE COMMITTEE
WASHINGTON
APRIL 6, 2009
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, 25 West Main Street in
Auburn.
Chair Backus, ,Vice Chair Bill Peloza and Member Lynn Norman were
present. Present during the meeting were Mayor Peter B. Lewis, City
Attorney Daniel B. Heid, Finance Director Shelley Coleman, Risk Manager
Rob Roscoe, Planning, Building and Community Director Cindy Baker,
Senior Planner Karen Scharer, Employee Relations and Compensation
Manager John Fletcher, and Deputy City Clerk Cathy Richardson.
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A. Minutes of the March 23, 2009 Finance Committee meeting.
Member Norman moved and Chair Backus seconded to approve
the March 23, 2009 minutes.
MOTION CARRIED. 2-0. Vice Chair Peloza abstained as he was
not present at the March 23, 2009 Finance Committee meeting.
III. CONSENT ITEMS
A. Vouchers
1. Claims
F4.9.5
Claims check numbers 383857 through 384382 in the
amount of $2,289,438.99 and one wire transfer in the
amount of $4,494.00 and dated April 6, 2009.
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Finance Committee Minutes April 6, 2009
2. Payroll
F4.9.2
Payroll check numbers 525986 to 526206 in the amount of
$370,111.22 and electronic deposit transmissions in the
amount of $1,202,577.09 for a grand total of $1,572,688.31
for the pay period covering March 12, 2009 to April 1, 2009.
Committee members reviewed the consent items and briefly
discussed claims vouchers 383872, 382894, 383895, 383903,
383961, 384017, 384039, 384063, 384069, 384093, 384102,
384162, 384167, 384218, and 384252.
Vice Chair Peloza moved and Member Norman seconded to
approve the consent agenda.
MOTION CARRIED. 3-0.
IV. ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS
A. Ordinances
There was no ordinance for Committee consideration.
B. Resolutions
There was no resolution for Committee consideration.
V. DISCUSSION ITEMS
A. Resolution No. 4465
A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Auburn, Washington,
approving and adopting an Identity Theft Prevention Program
Committee Members briefly discussed Resolution No. 4465.
B. Waste Management Contract Extension
Member Lynn Norman spoke in favor of the contract extension with
Waste Management and inquired regarding procedure once the
contract term expires.
Director Coleman stated that staff will begin formulating a request
for proposals prior to the expiration of the Waste Management
contract.
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Finance Committee Minutes April 6, 2009
C. Fourth Quarter Update
Committee Members reviewed the fourth quarter update and briefly
discussed external utility taxes and admission tax, interFund utility
taxes, General Fund expenditures, Special Revenue Fund,
Mitigation Fees, Airport Fund, Golf Course Fund, and Equipment
Rental Fund.
D. Utility Fees
Mayor Lewis spoke of citizen comments he has received regarding
the hardship endured when faced with paying the water shut-off
penalty fee of $95.00 Due to the current distressed economic
conditions, staff recommends reducing the second shut-off penalty
fee from $95.00 to $25.00.
In response to questions from Councilmember Peloza, Director
Coleman stated that shut-offs are performed weekly. There are
approximately 30 shut-offs per week. The second shut-off penalty
fee has existed since the late 1990's and was originally
implemented to encourage payment in a timely manner.
E. Animal Control Contract Extension
Manager John Fletcher explained that the addendum to the
contract with King County for enhanced animal control services
provides for an adjusted hourly rate to reflect current costs to the
County. Manager Fletcher reviewed the differences befinreen the
hourly rate and overtime rate charged by King County.
F. Ordinance No. 6232
An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Auburn,
Washington, related to the Current Use Assessment Tax Program,
adopting criteria for 2009 applications, appointing members to the
joint determining authority, and assessing an application fee
Senior Planner Karen Scharer reviewed the processes for open
space taxation. The Open Space Taxation Act allows property
owners to request their open space lands be valued by the County
Assessor at their current use rather than at their highest and best
use. When that property is located within the city, that city
becomes a Joint Determining Authority (JDA), which is comprised
of three city and three county Councilmembers. In order to
consider applications, the City of Auburn must establish its
processes so as to coordinate with Pierce County processes. The
City must appoint three members and one alternate to participate in
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Finance Committee Minutes April 6, 2009
the JDA and adopt Pierce County Public Benefit Rating System to
provide consistent evaluation of applicants. The City's
reaffirmation of the miscellaneous administration decision fee is
$500.
Senior Planner Scharer reviewed the Washington State
Department of Revenue Open Space Taxation Act, Revised Code
of Washington sections 84.34.020, 84.34.030, and 84.34.037,
Washington Administrative Code section 458-30-220, and Pierce
County's Public Benefit Rating System tables 2.114-1 and 2.114-2.
Committee Members briefly discussed Ordinance No. 6232.
G. Resolution No. 4472
Director Baker reviewed the current moratorium on Conditional Use
Permits on properties located within the R2 Single Family
Residential District, R3 Two-Family (Duplex) Residential District
and the C1 Light Commercial District. The moratorium will expire
on May 3, 2009. Staff has not had sufficient time to complete the
City Code update, therefore it would be necessary to extend the
term of the moratorium. Due to requests from citizens, staff
determined the potential to remove the C1 zone from the
moratorium, which would allow development currently allowed
under the C1 designation. Under the current moratorium,
apartments are the only development that is not allowed. The
Public Works Committee reviewed the requests and suggests that
the City continue the prohibition for development of apartments, but
allow mixed-use development in the C1 zone. The Public Works
Committee suggests a ratio of 20% or greater for mixed use, which
would include commercial retail and services with the residential
complex.
Chair Backus expressed concerns that very large and unattractive
apartment complexes could still be constructed even with the 20%
mixed-use ratio. She also expressed concerns that the code
update and design guidelines are not yet completed.
Member Norman also expressed concerns regarding the large
number of developments which were already approved or under
review by King County prior to the annexation of the Lea Hill area.
Committee Members requested additional information and stated
that they did not support Resolution No. 4472 as submitted.
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Finance Committee Minutes April 6, 2009
VI. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Committee, the
meeting adjourned at 7:29 p.m.
APPROVED THE DAY OF APRIL 2009.
,
J, .'tri~
Nancy c s, Chair Cathy Ric dson, Deputy City Clerk
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