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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991-09-09 Committee of the Whole MinutesCALL TO ORDER COUNCILMEMBERS DENNIS ROBERTSON, Council President; JOE DUFFIE, JOAN PRESENT HERNANDEZ, CLARENCE MORIWAKI, ALLAN EKBERG, STEVE LAWRENCE, JOHN "Wally" RANTS. OFFICIALS Community Development Block Grants Funds (CDBG). TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL MINUTES Mr. Pieper asked how were the citizens who lived in the highlands benefitting from this program. September 9, 1991 Tukwila City Hall 7:00 p.m. Council Chambers COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE Council President Robertson called the Committee of The Whole Meeting of the Tukwila City Council to order and led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. JOHN MCFARLAND, City Administrator; LUCY LAUTERBACH, Council Analyst; RON WALDNER, Police Chief; EVELYN BOYKAN, Human Services Coordinator.. CITIZEN'S COMMENTS Ron Lamb, South Central School Board President, extended an invitation to Council and Staff to attend the cornerstone laying for the new Foster High School Saturday, September 21, 11:00 a.m. Al Pieper, 17083 53rd South, commented that he recently received his second half notice of the Surface Water Management Fee and inquired as to where is the money and how is it being spent. City Administrator McFarland responded that the SWMM fees are constituted as an enterprise fund and are being used for establishing the infrastructure needs through studies; paying for the surface water management utility workers' salaries; paying the overhead associated with running the utility and purchasing equipment, and materials to operate the program. McFarland stated that Surface Water Management has to be looked at not from an individual home owner perspective, but from the perspective of the entire community. Granted, people who live on the highground don't see the effects of the surface water run -off problem to the degree that the people who live in the lowlands do. However, the decision was made, and rightly so, by the Council and the Mayor to establish a utility that would spread the costs throughout the City, realizing that the benefit would be to the community at large rather than a specific individual homeowner. Lynn Devoir, Parks Superintendent, explained that the purpose of the hearing was to gain input into the uses for $47,878 in Community Development Block Grant funds to be received in 1992. Councilmember Rants commented that he would like to see Med -Alert services provided to the City's seniors by using CDBG funds, if this is allowable. Devoir responded that deadbolts, smoke detectors, and assistance with the undergrounding and sewer installation have been discussed to assist the seniors. City Administrator McFarland commented that the sanitary sewer installation issue could be a very expensive one. The City may want to look into establishing low interest loans for seniors. Committee of The Whole Meeting Minutes September 9, 1991 Page 2 PUBLIC HEARING Potential services/ projects funded by $47,878 in Community Development Block Grant funds to be received in 1992. Public hearing closed. SPECIAL ISSUES Continued discussion on Boards and Commissions. Recess 8:30 8:40 p.m. Council President opened the public hearing at 7:30 p.m. on the potential services /projects funded by $47,878 in Community Development Block Grant funds to be received in 1992. Anna Bernhard, 14241 59th South, supported the idea of low income families being able to acquire low interest loans for home improvements. Elanor McLester, 5118 South 164th, stated that she feels the seniors are in pretty good shape, it's the kids that are not. The kids are living in poverty in a greater degree than ever before. The public hearing closed at 7:40 p.m. It was the consensus of the Council to forward the potential services /projects funded by $47,878 in Community Development Block Grant funds to be received in 1992 back to the Community Affairs and Parks Committee for discussion; then schedule a Special Meeting on September 23rd. 7:00 D.M. for possible approval. The Council reviewed Policy Procedure of Boards and Commissions drafted by the Community Affairs Committee and by City staff. Discussion ensued but came to a standstill when dialogue focused on the policy regarding applications being kept on file and available for review in the Mayor's office. Citizens expressed concerns that the new policies may demand a more stringent educational background. Thus, those persons wanting to serve but have not had the opportunity to acquire a former education could be overlooked. Mayor VanDusen informed the Council that he had given this issue involving appointments to Boards and Commissions a lot of thought, and as a result, he is still uncomfortable with the proposed solution worked out between the Community Affairs Committee and staff. MOVED BY DUFFIE, SECONDED BY LAWRENCE, THAT THE DISCUSSION REGARDING POLICY PROCEDURE OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS BE FORWARDED BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS AND PARKS COMMI f1'rE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION AND TO DRAFT AN ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION FOR CONSIDERATION AT A FUTURE COUNCIL MEETING. MOTION CARRIED. Council President called the Committee of The Whole meeting back to order with those present as noted above. Committee of The Whole Meeting Minutes September 9, 1991 Page 3 Discussion of 1992 budget process. REPORTS ADJOURNMENT 10:00 p.m. Council President Robertson introduced a proposal for modifying the Tukwila Budget Process. Robertson stated that the annual budgeting exercise must plan farther than one year in advance. It must also integrate future operating and maintenance expenses with future capital expenses. Also, the annual budgeting process, while it is detailed, does not allow the key decision makers -the City Council -to take an overall look at the budget before very late in the year. Robertson distributed the proposal for discussion. A copy of the proposal is available in the City Clerk's office. Council President announced that budget discussions will continue on Monday. September 23rd Committee of The Whole meeting; and again on September 30th. Council President requested the City Administrator add as an agenda item to the September 16th Council meeting: "Status on multi family design standards ordinance." City Administrator McFarland informed the Council that a presentation will be scheduled for the next Council (September 16) on the Vision Tukwila Program, adding that the Council needs to be briefed on its meaning. MOVED BY LAWRENCE, SECONDED BY DUFFIE, THAT THE COMMi'1T'EE OF THE WHOLE MEETING BE ADJOURNED. MOTION CARRIED. Dennis L. Robertson, Council President Celia Square, DOuty City Clerk