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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-26-2012 9-26-2012 CITY Or - •--� Special City Council Meeting URN� September 26, 2012 - 5:00 PM It Auburn City Hall WASHINGTON MINUTES I CALL TO ORDER The special meeting of the City Council convened at 5.05 p.m. at Auburn City Hall. Councilmembers present included Rich Wagner, Nancy Backus, John Partridge, Bill Peloza, Largo Wales, Wayne Osborne and John Holman Also present were Mayor Peter B. Lewis, Finance Director Shelley Coleman, Financial Planning Manager Martin Chaw, Chief of Police Robert Lee, Public Works Director Dennis Dowdy, Human Resources and Risk Management Director Brenda Heineman, Parks, Arts and Recreation Director Daryl Faber, Innovation and Technology Director Lorne Rempher, Planning and Development Director Kevin Snyder, City Attorney Dan Heid and Deputy City Clerk Shawn Campbell II DISCUSSION ITEMS A 2013-2014 Budget Review (Coleman) Director Coleman stated the meeting will cover the General Fund and Special Revenue funds portion of the 2013 - 2014 Budget. The final proposed budget will be provided to Council by November 1, 2012. Director Coleman shared factors used to develop the budget including a slow improvement in local, regional and national economy, permanent reduction to the liquor taxes and profits and an increase in cost pressures from rising health care costs and pension contributions The principles used to establish the general fund budget included preserving the existing level of services, support of the City's workforce, conservative financial planning and ending 2014 with a minimum reserve balance equal to eight percent of operating expenditures. Director Coleman shared the revenue sources and expenses for the 2013- 2014 General Fund budget. Salaries and wages make up 40 percent of the total General Fund expenses The largest revenue sources include property, sales and utility taxes Councilmember Osborne confirmed if the revenue included all the fees for park and recreation activities and theater rentals. Director Coleman reviewed the General Fund revenue challenges including the decrease in assessed value and reaching the limit for the property tax levy, reduction to streamlined sales tax by legislative action, suspension of the liquor excise tax, loss of the future liquor sales profits beyond 2011 levels and the COPS grant expiring at the end of 2012. In addition, the City's contribution for health care and PERS 1 and 2 pension funds will increase over the next two years Councilmember Peloza said before the State privatized the liquor sales It was his understanding the City would be in a better position financially with the new system. Director Coleman said the new legislation retains the excise tax and Page 1 of 4 the licensing fee for the State. The City will receive the profits at the 2011 level and through legislative action, the State has taken all liquor excise tax until July 1, 2013 Councilmember Holman asked for the amount the City received from the onetime offset from the sales of the liquor stores Director Coleman said it was $188,000. Director Coleman presented the Council with an overview of the 2013 - 2014 Financial Plan. She started with the Council and Mayor's budget. There are no significant budgetary changes. There was an internal reorganization of the departments under the Mayor Community Services now reports to the Planning Department and the Community Services Manager has been reclassified as the Adviser to Mayor Council discussed the staff changes and the impact those changes will have on the Mayor's budget. Councilmember Peloza asked for the breakdown of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding. Director Coleman stated the approximately $118,000 goes to administrative costs, $100,000 to the Green River Small Business Assistance Center, and the balance of$240,000 pays for home repair Director Coleman reviewed the Human Resources budget The Court and public defense contract is now included in the Human Resources budget The significant budget changes include termination of the Municipal Court and the Probation operations and resuming those operations with King County The Risk Manager was promoted to the Assistant Human Resources Director and still handles risk management. Councilmember Peloza requested the Association of Washington Cities Wellness program and maintaining the City of Auburn position in the top 20 for the prescription program be added to the goals for 2013 She added the objective of becoming a "Well City" to receive the two percent discount has been tasked to the employment manager and she would include the goal to work with Council on maintaining the City's position with the prescription drug program The City has five union contracts to negotiate in the coming year and the court transition will be a large change to the Human Resources Director duties. Councilmember Peloza asked for the reasoning for the large increase in the intergovernmental charges The change is associated with the changes in the court system Councilmember Peloza asked for the miscellaneous charges for bus passes Director Coleman stated the City is required by law to have a trip reduction program and the bus passes are a part of the City's program Director Coleman reviewed the City Attorney budget. There are no significant changes. Director Heid stated the department's budget is the same as it was in 2000 He added the department is also doing more in house than in 2000. Director Coleman presented the Planning Department budget. The Mayor has recommended the following program improvements; 20-year Comprehensive Plan update, restoration site maintenance, and national flood insurance coordination. The changes to the General Fund portion of the budget include elimination of the animal control services and $50,000 for canvassers. The internal reorganization has added Community Services to the Planning Department Council discussed the charges and allocation of funds for Facilities and Innovation and Technology Councilmember Peloza asked what the process is to have an approved Transportation Plan certified by the Puget Page 2 of 4 Sound Regional Council (PSRC) Mayor Lewis stated PSRC has processes outlined for the approval process. Councilmember Holman asked if the City has any expected changes to the potential annexation area Mayor Lewis stated the City has no further territorial ambitions at this point He said the long term planning for the area around Lake Tapps needs to be considered by the cities of Auburn, Sumner, Bonney lake and Buckley Councilmember Holman recommended working with the other cities in the region to anticipate the needed growth for the region. Councilmember Wagner suggested talking to Pierce County councdmembers regarding the concerns and needs of the City of Auburn Director Coleman reviewed the Police Department proposed budget The Police Department has proposed new programs including speech recognition software, public safety security compliance, and forensic cell phone equipment As part of the reorganization, Emergency Management is now part of the Public Works department. The SCORE jail budget is based upon 122ADP in 2013 and 88ADP in 2014. Councilmember Wales noted the new positions added to the budget have been approved in 2012 budget amendments. Councilmember Holman clarified the difference between the state and federal seizure laws. The City's seizure's are mostly through the state Councilmember Wales asked if the revenue generated from traffic enforcement covers the parking enforcement officer's wages. Chief Lee said the fines and fees cover the salaries. Councilmember Wales asked what portion of time the officer assigned to DARE spends on the DARE program and what portion is spent on accreditation tasks Chief Lee stated the officer spends approximately three fourths of her time on DARE and the remainder of her time on accreditation Councilmember Partridge asked why the emergency management personnel were reassigned to the Public Works Department. Mayor Lewis said the duties required for this position work more closely with Public Works than the Police Department. With the move, the City will have a more streamlined approach to the emergency. Councilmember Peloza confirmed the towing charges incurred by DUI offenders are passed through to the offender He also requested the police department monitor the idling of vehicles more closely to reduce fuel costs. Director Coleman reviewed the Public Works Department budget The Mayor has proposed new programs including the Comprehensive Plan update, Mobile LiDAR funding and the Automatic Vehicle Locater. The department has two new divisions, Emergency Management and Facilities Management Director Dowdy stated the Automatic Vehicle locater will monitor idle time of vehicles along with real time location of each vehicle Councilmember Wales asked if the budget includes money to maintain the medians Director Dowdy said the medians would fall under the Parks Department Director Coleman reviewed the Parks Department budget The only proposed program approved by the Mayor is the parks portion of the Automatic Vehicle locater program Councilmember Peloza requested the Tree City USA be under the accomplishments for 2012 Councilmember Partridge asked for additional sites being considered as dog parks Mayor Lewis stated the City is seeing how the current dog park does for a few seasons before expanding the program Councilmember Osborne asked where the $30,000 for the Arts Commission is located in the budget Director Coleman said that is part of the Capital Projects Page 3 of 4 portion of the budget. Councilmember Partridge asked what the added expenditure under Capital Outlays is connected to. Director Coleman responded the expenditure is for the new flooring in the Millennium room Councilmember Osborne asked why there is such a large bump in the printing costs. Director Coleman said it is based upon actual usage from the prior year Councilmember Wales asked if the Farmer's Market covers expenses Director Faber stated it is not self-sustaining Director Coleman presented the Finance Department proposed budget The Finance budget encompasses many miscellaneous areas The Non Departmental portion of the General Fund pays for the Auburn Valley Regional Humane Society, Library bond, Valley Communications, and transfers in and out for Innovations and Technology. Councilmember Peloza asked if the City has a plan for collecting the funds from Auburn Valley Regional Humane Society debt repayment Councilmember Partridge asked about the revenue from animal licensing. Mayor Lewis said the City is still finalizing the procedure on transferring the licensing for the citizens. He said the City will request a refund from King County for the amount of time citizens have paid for services not received Director Snyder said the City is in talks with the vendor to provide online and mad in services. The Cumulative Reserve fund has budgeted approximately $2.9 million in transfers that traditionally have been budgeted from the General Fund for library bonds, Golf Course debt services, loans, and fund support The Mitigation Fees fund has $1 1 million in transfers scheduled for the Local Street Fund and the Parks Capital and General Capital improvements. Councilmember Partridge confirmed that the King County District Court Contingency will cover the total expenses for the transition. Councilmember Wales confirmed the expenditures for the Court employees severance packages are budgeted in 2012. III ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7.19 p m APPRO Ed§ October, 2012 Peter B. Lewis, Mayor Shawn Campbell, Deputy C ierk-- Page 4 of 4