Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975-06-23 Committee of the Whole MinutesJune 23, 1975 7:30 P.M. CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL OF COUNCIL MEMBERS MEETING DISCUSSION Budget guidelines Police canine burglar patrol TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING M I N U T E S Tukwila City Hall Council Chambers Council President Traynor called the Committee of the Whole meeting to order at 7:35 P.M. GARDNER, TRAYNOR, DAVIS, HARRIS, SAUL. Councilwoman Harris stated the City Council should start working on its letter of policy regarding the 1976 City Budget in order to provide guidelines to the staff before the preliminary budget is begun. She stated she would like to hold some informal public meetings at the Committee of the Whole sessions in August in order to get the citizens' input regarding land acquisition, parks, the community center building, fire and police personnel, etc. before the final December public hearings. The Council agreed this would be a good idea and suggested that certain department heads be notified if their budgets were going to be discussed on any specific night. The staff could then budget for items the citizens feel are important. Mr. Ed Bauch stated it was recommended at one of the budget sessions at A.W.C. that the staff list their request in priority order; he suggested this idea be incorporated into the Council's letter. Last year for example, Chief Sheets had requested 6 new men and was allowed 2 and had to decide where these 2 men would be assigned with very short notice. Mrs. Eleanor McLester stated the department heads should come to the meetings in August to get the input regarding their budgets and growth of City employment. Councilman Saul stated last year at this time we were getting some pressures from Administration regarding hiring in the Police and Fire Departments. So far this year, we have not had that pressure, but we would like to hear Administration's feelings on the 1976 Budget and what Administration would like to see. Mrs. McLester stated she would really like to see the figures on the City's growth. She felt the City was budgeting too much for salaries and personnel and not enough for public facilities for the community. There should be a correlation between the percentage of growth of the City and of the personnel. Council President Traynor requested figures showing residential and commercial growth in the City from the Planning Department in preparation of the 1976 Budget policy. Councilwoman Harris stated she felt it would not be advantageous to direct absolutely no hiring, but the justification for new employees should be support- ed by complete and reliable data. There should also be written justification for all items of capital expenditures we seem to have a lot of unnecessary goodies. Councilwoman Davis added that the A.W.C. conference stressed that a policy statement should come from the Council for the staff to work toward. Councilwoman Davis stated this item will be introduced at the next regular meeting to be referred to the Public Safety E Health Committee. TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING June 23, 1975 Page 2 MEETING DISCUSSION Cont. Council meeting schedule /AST Council President Traynor requested the Council meet June 30, 1975 as a Committee of the Whole for the purpose of meeting in Executive Session with Attorney Hard at 7:30 P.M. The Council's Committee of the Whole (Agenda) meeting has been scheduled for July 3, 1975. No Parking Ordinance Council President Traynor stated since Mayor Todd is re: Longacres out of town, he would like some action taken on this traffic matter. Ordinance #932 will become effective Friday, June 27. He stated he would write a letter to Steve Hall, Public Works Director, requesting the no parking signs be posted along the West Valley Highway as soon as possible. We were told that it is Tukwila's res- ponsibility to take care of this problem and we may wait three months before we hear from the State High- way Department for approval to post the signs. He stated he would rather post them now and have the State tell us we cannot do it. Public Works Committee Councilman Gardner announced an unscheduled meeting of the Public Works Committee on Thursday, June 26 at 7:00 P.M. in the City Annex. City Attorney Councilwoman Harris stated she was very pleased that Judge Faris had ruled the Council's attorney's fees reasonable and justified. In an Executive Session a few weeks ago, the Council had requested a resolution retaining Cabot Dow and Associates under an agreement the Mayor would be authorized to sign. The Council would like to have this resolution on the agenda on July 7. She stated as a result of this latest court session regarding the restraining order and discrimination charges, she felt she no longer had the faith in the City Attorney to have any more matters brought before him at all. She did not see how the Council could continue with Mr. Parker or to trust the validity of anything he does. Councilwoman Davis agreed, stating they have ordinances from other cities to study re- garding legal responsibilities. We need legal guid- ance for the City; things are very complicated regard a N ing ordinances and laws and it is too much for-owe d person. Ayn L EA Council President Traynor stated in one discussion `/1174 with Mr. Hard, he had stated that Mr. Parker is the City Attorney and unless he came out in writing that there are some conflicts of interest, there is nothing we can do. Councilwoman Harris agreed this was true, but the case here in this City has gone beyond that. She would like the Council to discuss this with their legal firm to see if there are any legal avenues and also have them evaluate the Judge's remarks. It is imperative to have legal sources we can trust. Councilman Johanson arrived at the meeting at 8:10 PM. Discussion continued with the Council agreeing to meet in Executive Session with Attorney Hard on June 30 at 7:30 P.M. Councilman Saul stated he wanted to get on with the matters at hand. There are only a few months left in this year, but he did not want to be drug down by Attorney Parker any longer. We should try to forget what is behind us and get together the best we can the rest of this year. TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING June 23, 1975 Page 3 MEETING DISCUSSION Cont. Finance E Personnel Committee Bicentennial meeting Animal Control Community Affairs Committee it Doris Phelps, Deputy y Clerk /Q o City Attorney Cont. Mrs. McLester stated she would like to know all of the attorney's fees and court costs of this case. This last suit was actually invited in a letter regarding the budget by Mr. Parker. Council President Traynor stated at this point, he would like to see the Judge's remarks in writing before anything further is done. The City Attorney is appointed and serves at the pleasure of the Mayor and can only be removed by administration. Mr. Rudolph Regel asked under what authority can the City Attorney serve the Mayor and not the City Council and be paid by the City. Council President Traynor replied it is the Mayor's duty to act on behalf of the City as its administrative head. The City Attorney took the side of the Mayor in his letter regarding this last suit. If the City Attorney had sided with the Council, the Mayor would have had to retain his own legal advice. Councilwoman Davis announced she had an appointment on Thursday regarding the Council's complaint regard- ing the City Attorney to the Bar Association. The complaint is near completion. Councilman Johanson announced a meeting of the Finance and Personnel Committee for Tuesday, June 24 at 5:30 P.M. in the City Treasurer's office to discuss LID #13 segregation, the proposed ordinance regarding City Council compensation and the Council's recording secretary's job description. Councilman Saul announced a meeting of the Bicentenn- ial Committee on Tuesday, July 1 at 7:30 P.M. at the Fire Station next door. Councilman Johanson stated his dog had been picked up in the City Park although the dog was licensed and not creating any kind of disturbance. The City Park happens to be part of the dog's regular route to and from a neighbor's house. When he spoke to the King County Animal Control driver about this, the driver informed him Animal Control was enforcing the King County ordinances. Councilman Johanson stated the agreement the City has with King County stipulates the County will enforce the City's ordinances. He wanted to know why we cannot get animal control after 10:00 P.M. as the City ordinances call for. The alternative to King County Animal Control is very poor, but we need to get better service under our contract. Discussion continued. Mrs. McLester stated she would like to see more enforcement of the dogs on leashes in the Park; the owners should be required to clean up the messes. Councilman Johanson suggested depots in the ground for that purpose and post a notice that these facilities are available. Councilwoman Harris announced the Committee will be meeting Wednesday, June 25 at 5:30 P.M. at the City Annex to discuss the continuing study of Frank Todd's rezone and to review the Comprehensive Sidewalk Plan. ADJOURNMENT MOVED BY SAUL, SECONDED BY JOHANSON, THAT THE MEETING 8:45 P.M. ADJOURN. CARRIED.