HomeMy WebLinkAboutReg 2010-11-15 Item 5D - Budget - Follow-Up from October 19th Budget Work Session: Code Enforcement, Hazelnut Newsletter & Human Services Contingency Fund COUNCIL AGENDA SYNOPSIS
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ITEM INFORMATION
CAS NUMBER. 10-130 I ORIGINAL AGENDA DATE: 11/08/10
AGENDA ITEM TITLE Budget Follow -Up from October 19, 2010 Budget Work Session: Code Enforcement,
Hazelnut and Human Services Contingency Fund.
CATEGORY Discussion Motion Resolution Ordinance n Bid Award n Public Hearing Other
Mtg Date 11 -15 -10 Mtg Date Mtg Date Mtg Date Mtg Date Mtg Date Mtg Date
SPONSOR Council Mayor I 1 Adm Svcs I I DCD n Finance Fire 1J Legal P&R Police n PW
SPONSOR'S During its October 19, 2010 budget workshop, Council asked Administration to provide
SUMMARY additional information and alternatives to several proposed Program and Service
Reductions for 2011/2012.
REVIEWED BY COW Mtg. CA &P Cmte n F &S Cmte 1 1 Transportation Cmte
Utilities Cmte Arts Comm. Parks Comm. 1 1 Planning Comm.
DATE:
RECOMMENDATIONS:
SPONSOR /ADMIN Review alternatives and provide feedback.
COMMITTEE
COST IMPACT FUND SOURCE
EXPENDITURE REQUIRED AMOUNT BUDGETED APPROPRIATION REQUIRED
Fund Source:
Comments.
MTG. DATE RECORD OF COUNCIL ACTION
11/08/10
MTG. DATE ATTACHMENTS
11/08/10 Informational Memo dated November 10, 2010.
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ILA r
st City of Tukwila
1 Jim Haggerton, Mayor
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INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Haggerton
City Council
FROM Steve Lancaster
DATE: November 10, 2010
SUBJECT: Budget Follow -Up Program and Service Reductions
ISSUE
The City Council has requested additional input from City administration regarding several
recommended program and service reductions discussed at Councils' October 19 budget
workshop.
BACKGROUND
The City Administration's proposal to reduce annual program and service costs by $4.16 million
included the following recommendations:
1. Eliminate 0.5 FTE of administrative support in DCD (Code Enforcement).
2. Stop producing the Hazelnut (results in 0.5 FTE reduction).
3. Eliminate the Human Services contingency fund.
During its October 19, 2010 budget workshop, the City Council asked Administration to provide
additional information and alternatives related to these reductions.
DISCUSSION
Code Enforcement Administrative Support.
Description of Proposal
The proposal is to eliminate the half -time Administrative Support Technician position in Code
Enforcement. This proposal would have an annual cost saving of $30,023
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Impacts of Proposal (including proposed mitigation)
The Administrative Support Technician provides administrative support for both Code
Enforcement Officers and the Building Official. The position maintains the Request for Action
files, processes Notice Orders, Notices of Violation, Stop Work Orders (including mailings),
researches property ownership and provides back up phone coverage for the department
reception desk. This position was a part of the enhancement of the Code Enforcement Program
that included hiring a second code enforcement officer.
Elimination of the Administrative Support Technician will result in a realignment of administrative
work within DCD. As part of the budget reduction, the counter staff will be reorganization. The
change will create a team of four cross trained Administrative Support Technicians with existing
Department of Community Development and Public Works staff. The counter staff would
provide support to code enforcement staff and help mitigate the reduced service levels due to
the loss of a code enforcement administrative support position. However, this increase in their
work load could mean delays in other administrative work including permit processing and the
timely processing of complaints and violations.
Alternatives
1. Original Proposal: Eliminate the 1/2 FTE Code Enforcement Administrative Support
position ($30,023 savings per year).
2. Eliminate DCD Graphics position ($44,800 savings per year). The Preliminary Budget
currently reflects a 0.5 FTE reduction from prior years. DCD had planned to absorb
some of this work by having planning staff do some basic mapping and possibly
contracting for certain specialized projects. If we completely eliminate funding for this
position we will not be able to mitigate the service impacts with additional training or
hours for existing staff. Without funding the department will not be able to provide maps
and graphics for the public and other departments (such as the Zoning Map). Services
that would be reduced or discontinued:
a Informational posters for City sponsored events
b. Creating illustrative maps and photos for packets, reports, mailing and
presentations
c. Analytical maps and graphics for packets, reports, and presentations
3. Reduce Permit Center Administrative Support staff by 0.5FTE ($37,400 savings per
year). The impact on service would be;
a. Customers waiting longer to submit a permit
b. Longer response time to customer questions
c. Issuing permits will take longer.
4. Status Quo: Retain the code enforcement Administrative Support Technician position
and reduce the ending fund balance by $30,023 per year.
5. This proposal affects a Teamsters position. In the event the City and Teamsters reach
agreement on a wage freeze, City administration will recommend this position be
retained in the 2011/2012 budget.
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Recommendation
City administration recommends Alternative 1 (original proposal). However, in the event the
City reaches agreement with Teamsters on a wage freeze, administration recommends the
administrative support position be restored to the 2011 -2012 budget.
Hazelnut
Description of Proposal
Responsibility for production of the Hazelnut and the recreation brochure, and the staff person
responsible for these productions were transferred from the City Clerk's office to Information
Technology (IT) in 2008 in an effort to standardize City -wide communications. IT
communications staff is also responsible for producing the City pages in the Tukwila Reporter,
maintaining the City's Website, Intranet, e- Newsletters, Cable TV Channel 21, and Radio
Station 1640 a.m. as well as graphically producing other City documents such as the Police
Annual Report, Comprehensive Land Use Plan, Annual Water Quality Report, new Rental
Housing Licensing materials, forms, documents, brochures and other miscellaneous document
productions throughout the year. The communications staff also contributes to the IT office by
assisting with answering phones, providing helpdesk responses, and general office assistance
as the technical staff is responding to calls in the field or focusing on major projects such as the
new phone system implementation.
This proposal would eliminate the production of the City's Hazelnut newsletter, which has been
produced and mailed to all Tukwila Citizens since the early 1960's. The cost of one 8 -page
edition of the Hazelnut is approximately $4,500; the cost of a 12 -page edition is approximately
$6,000 (not including staff costs). We therefore budgeted $30,000 for these costs in 2009 and
in 2010. The Hazelnut is sent to just under 10,000 households and businesses, currently five
times per year. Additional budget was allocated for those editions that required more room for
articles and information, i.e. 12 pages or more in an edition. As of August this year, there is now
a community newspaper, The Tukwila Reporter, which can be utilized to communicate City
business information on a monthly basis.
This proposal also transfers the responsibility for final production of the Recreation Brochure to
the Parks and Recreation Department. Currently, IT creates the 44- to 48 -page document three
times a year with information submissions from Parks and Recreation who then pay for all other
related costs, such as printing and mailing.
Impacts of Proposal (including proposed mitiaation)
A popular communication method that Citizens have become accustomed to will be
eliminated and those that have enjoyed the publication for many years will need to look
elsewhere for the same information; not all Citizens have Internet access or cable
television, but they should be getting the Tukwila Reporter.
The City's presence in the Tukwila Reporter is limited to two pages, which means that less
information can be printed per edition; however, it will be available more often than the
Hazelnut (12 times per year vs. 5 times per year). Larger articles and features that have
traditionally been published in the Hazelnut will need to be scaled back due to the
smaller -sized space contracted for in the Newspaper. Additional space is available at
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added cost when needed, and could be either an adjustment to the IT budget for City-
wide information or chargeable to a specific department providing the information. There
may also be opportunities for getting information into the Reporter via guest editorials
and press releases.
The mailing list for the Hazelnut is our own list that has been maintained and perfected
over time. The publication was mailed directly to every resident and business, including
individual apartments. We will not have the same control over the Newspaper delivery,
except through negotiating the delivery details with the publisher.
Alternatives
1. Original Proposal: Eliminate the Hazelnut and rely on purchased space in the Tukwila
Reporter for communication to residents and businesses. Transfer recreation brochure
final production responsibilities to Parks and Recreation Department. This results in a
0.5 FTE staff reduction (savings of $42,000 per year) and elimination of the $30,000
budgeted annually for printing, mail house costs and postage. Total savings for this
proposal is therefore $72,000 per year.
2. Publish Hazelnut twice per year; continue purchasing space in Tukwila Reporter, and
transfer recreation brochure final production responsibilities to Parks and Recreation
Department. This results in a 0.25 FTE staff reduction and savings of $39,000 per year
(reduces ending fund balance by $33,000 per year compared to the original proposal).
3. Publish Hazelnut twice per year; continue purchasing space in Tukwila Reporter, and
retain recreation brochure final production responsibilities within Information Technology
Department. This results in no staff reduction and savings of $18,000 per year (reduces
ending fund balance by $54,000 per year compared to the original proposal).
4. Status Quo: Continue to produce Hazelnut 5 times per year, continue purchasing space
in Tukwila Reporter, and retain recreation brochure final production responsibilities
within Information Technology Department. This results in no staff reduction and
reduces ending fund balance by $72,000 per year compared to the original proposal.
5. This proposal affects a Teamsters position. In the event the City and Teamsters reach
agreement on a wage freeze, City administration will recommend this position be
retained in the 2011/2012 budget.
Recommendation
City administration recommends Alternative 1 (original proposal). However, in the event the
City reaches agreement with Teamsters on a wage freeze, administration recommends the
Hazelnut and associated 0.5 FTE be restored to the 2011 -2012 budget.
Human Services Contingency Fund
Description of Proposal
The Human Services Contingency Fund is used to address unanticipated urgent and timely
issues which can range from emergency financial assistance (historically for one time rent and
utility assistance) to unanticipated needs predicated by disaster issues. Funds are also used for
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grocery cards and gas vouchers. For example, in 2009, all financial dollars were spent by July,
and so we added $2800 to our Catholic Community Services contract. Opportunities that fall
outside the budget line items are another way we have used contingency dollars. We billed our
participation with EGov for the common electronic application to contingency as well as one
time support for South King County Homeless Coordinator Jason Johnson.
Impacts of Proposal (including proposed mitigation)
We are very careful with the screening of our residents for assistance. Without the dollars
available we are unable to meet the true need. This creates the need for residents to piecemeal
assistance in multiple places. Supply of one time grocery and gas assistance will be further
limited. The numbers of turnaways for assistance may increase. We will not have the flexibility
to address opportunities that are unanticipated.
Alternatives
1. Original Proposal: Eliminate Human Services Contingency Fund.
2. Reinstate HS Contingency Fund resulting in a $15,800 reduction in Ending Fund Balance.
Recommendation
That the Human Services Contingency Fund be restored to $15,800 for both 2011 and 2012
(Alternative 2). This will result in a commensurate reduction in Ending Fund Balance.
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
Code Enforcement: Eliminate the 0.5 FTE Code Enforcement Administrative Support position
for a savings of $30,023 per year. However, in the event the City reaches agreement with
Teamsters on a wage freeze, administration recommends the administrative support position be
restored to the 2011 -2012 budget.
Hazelnut: Eliminate the Hazelnut, continue purchasing space in the Tukwila Reporter, and
transfer recreation brochure final production responsibilities to Parks and Recreation
Department for a savings of $72,000 per year. However, in the event the City reaches
agreement with Teamsters on a wage freeze, administration recommends the Hazelnut and
associated 0.5 FTE be restored to the 2011 -2012 budget.
Human Services Contingency Fund: Restore $18,500 to the Human Services Contingency
Fund, resulting in a commensurate decrease in ending fund balance for 2011 and 2012.
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