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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-04-13 Committee of the Whole MinutesTukwila City Council Committee of the Whole Meeting City Hall Council Chambers April 13, 2015 — 7:00 P.M. MINUTES COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE CALL TO ORDER/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Council President Kruller called the Tukwila City Council meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. Councilmember Hougardy led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. OFFICIALS Present were Kate Kruller, Council President; Councilmembers Joe Duffie, Dennis Robertson, Verna Seal, Kathy Hougardy, De'Sean Quinn. Councilmember Ekberg was not present. CITY OFFICIALS David Cline, City Administrator; Mike Villa, Police Chief; Chris Flores, Interim Fire Chief; Vicky Carlsen, Deputy Finance Director; Moira Bradshaw, Senior Planner; Chris Partman, Community Policing Coordinator; Mary Miotke, Information Technology Director; Laurel Humphrey, Council Analyst; Melissa Hart, Deputy City Clerk. SPECIAL PRESENTATION a. Community- Oriented Policing Citizens Advisory Board ( COPCAB) annual report and awards. Chris Partman, Community Policing Coordinator, introduced COPCAB Committee member Jun Castillo who will provide the annual report and award recognition. Jun Castillo, COPCAB member, explained the Community Policing has proven to be a fantastic bridge between the citizens and the Tukwila Police Department. Each person in the community has the responsibility to be a problem solver. By reaching out and taking an interest in the neighborhoods we make progress in identifying and addressing problems, issues and concerns. The value in this type of partnership is evident, and continuous support of this endeavor will benefit the entire community. Although COPCAB was established in 1994, board members established the first by -laws in 2014. The by -laws establish the procedures for meetings and will provide new members with individual expectations and identify the role of the board as a whole. In 2014 there were changes to board membership with the resignation of Tukwila School District representative Jeff Baker. Mr. Baker assisted in the recruitment of Laurie Clark, Assistant Principal at Foster High School, to COPCAB. Art Rosengren, the longest standing member, retired in December 2014 after 14 years of service to COPCAB. On behalf of COPCAB, Mr. Castillo thanked Mr. Rosengren for his service and displayed a plaque that will be given to him acknowledging his service. Each year COPCAB honors individuals for their extraordinary performance in the spirit of community - oriented policing. The 2014 award recipients are: Zack Anderson, Community Police Officer /Recruiter. Officer Anderson was transferred from the Crime Prevention Division to Police Recruiter in 2014. His efforts are the reason the Tukwila Police Department is fully staffed for the first time in many years. Officer Anderson streamlined the recruitment process to include pre- screening for out -of -state candidates. Along with full -time recruiting responsibilities, Officer Anderson attended many community events, including the Teen Summer Kick -off event, he Spirit of Giving collection event, and holiday caroling. He thanked Officer Anderson for his work on behalf of the City. Tukwila City Council Committee of the Whole Minutes April 13, 2015 Page 2 of 8 Becky Smith, General Manager, Westfield Southcenter. Prior to the Westfield Southcenter Mall expansion project, the Tukwila Police Department office located at the mall had been closed for many years. After the mall expansion, there still was no location for an office at Westfield and that changed with a change in management. Westfield Southcenter is the largest shopping mall in Washington State. When Ms. Smith became the General Manager of Westfield Southcenter, she identified the need for visible space for an office for Tukwila Police. She made it her mission to find a space for the Tukwila Police Community Resource Center. Jim Davis, General Manager, DoubleTree Hotel Southcenter. In 2014, the DoubleTree Hotel received a "Certificate of Excellence" from TripAdvisor for the outstanding reviews the hotel received from guests. The hotel was also the recipient of the "Green Leader Silver Certificate" by demonstrating their commitment to practices in recycling, water conservation and energy reduction. Mr. Davis has been active in Tukwila for many years, and is supportive of the Tukwila Police Department. His support has included finding space in the hotel for the East African Studies Conference and room space to support meetings between the hospitality industry and law enforcement, who are working together to end human trafficking. Mr. Castillo congratulated all award recipients, and thanked them for their service to the City. b. 2014 Police Annual Report. Mike Villa, Police Chief, stated the 2014 Police Annual Report has been distributed to the City Council this evening, and an electronic version will be available on the City's website on April 14. He said the focus of the presentation this evening is the Community Connections portion of the report. Chief Villa utilized a PowerPoint presentation to update the Council on this portion of the annual report. Staffing: • Six new team members • Two promotions: • Sergeant Murphy • Sergeant Boyd • New K9 Team o Officer Boehmer and K9 Doc Community Connections: • Citizens' Academy • International Rescue Committee • "Race, the Power of an Illusion" Training • National Night Out Against Crime Poster Contest • Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) • Teen Summer Kick -off event • Free lunch program • Family 41h at the Fort event • Halloween Treats • Holiday Gift and Food Drive • Christmas Caroling • Shop with a Cop Other Highlights: • "Leadership in Police Organizations" training sponsored by the International Association of Police Chiefs • 2014 Seahawks Parade — as part of the mutual aid agreement • Community Resource Center at Westfield Southcenter • PATROL Auto Theft Task Force Investigation o In 2014, a cargo trailer was recovered that contained 1,169 large screen LCD televisions, 1,727 laptop computers, 124 refrigerators, and numerous other items from local stores. The total recovery: over $1.5 million worth of stolen property was recovered through the PATROL partnership. Tukwila City Council Committee of the Whole Minutes April 13, 2015 Page 3 of 8 Chief Villa thanked the Council and City Administration for the support in 2014 The Councilmembers exchanged comments and thanked Chief Villa for the presentation and annual report. Council President Kruller explained the region has a high number of property crimes and she asked what is being done to address those crimes and what can homeowners do to protect their property. Chief Villa stated the City adopted the Crime Reduction Initiative to aid with reducing crime throughout the City, and the Tukwila Police Department Strategic Plan identified ways the department would work towards the goals. He explained the motel seizures allowed the Police Department to redirect resources to the residential neighborhoods. Through the increased staffing they are able to focus on the hot spots and increase investigations. Residents can also register items with TrackMole (www.TrackMole.com), a tool used by law enforcement to return stolen items to owners. Residents call the Tukwila Police Department at 206 433 -1808 and ask to speak with Chris Partman, Community Policing Coordinator, for assistance on registering with TrackMole. CITIZEN COMMENTS There were no citizen comments. SPECIAL ISSUES a. Regional Fire Authority annexation update. In September 2014, the Fire Exploratory Committee recommended to the City Council that the City investigate the annexation of the Tukwila Fire Department to the Kent Regional Fire Authority (RFA.) After Council direction at the September 2014 meeting, a Finance Work Group was created and they have been working on the financial feasibility of a combined Kent RFA and Tukwila. In addition to the Finance Work Group, the Regional Fire Authority Annexation Steering Committee has met twice and toured both the Kent RFA and Tukwila fire facilities. The Steering Committee will focus on the significant policy choices that are associated with this type of annexation, and discuss services and service level, facilities and other assets, governance, and cost impacts. The goal is to finalize the review in order to present the Council with a recommendation in November 2015. Moira Bradshaw explained she is the Project Manager for the City's RFA project, and Vicky Carlsen, Deputy Finance Director, is part of the RFA Finance Committee. Ms. Bradshaw and Ms. Carlsen utilized a PowerPoint presentation to update the Council on the process. Highlights of the presentation included: Fire Service Exploration in Tukwila: • February 2010 — Council Retreat • June 2010 — Presentation on Fire Services Options • June 2010 — Council established Fire Exploratory Committee • December 2010 — Council established Joint Fire Exploratory Committee • June 2012 — Joint Fire Exploratory Committee ended • February 2014 — 2014 Fire Exploratory Committee formed • September 2014 — 2014 Fire Exploratory Committee recommendation to investigate annexation into the Kent RFA 2014 Fire Exploratory Committee: • Recommends that the City explore further the annexation of the Tukwila Fire Department to the Kent Regional Fire Authority (RFA.) • Tukwila City Council approves a motion: "to endorse further exploration of feasibility of annexing to the Kent RFA and the creation of a steering committee with administration, council, firefighters Tukwila City Council Committee of the Whole Minutes April 13, 2015 Page 4 of 8 and public involvement. Further committees may be necessary and are hereby authorized for the exploration of finance issues, public outreach and asset examination." Timeline: 2014 2015 2016 Financial Analysis: Q4 Q1 • Review data, forecast FBC revenue, determine feasibility • City Council receives briefings at this stage and throughout Messaging and Engagement: • Steady flow of information to electeds, public and press • Stakeholder input Plan Amendment: • Assets, vehicles, capital, LEOFF 1, governance, etc. Labor Negotiations: • Concurrent with other phases Q1 -Q4 Q2 -Q3 Q2 -Q4 Resolutions: _ Q4 • City Council adopts resolution requesting annexation • RFA Board adopts resolution amending Plan to allow annexation Election; _ • Voters must approve annexation, Plan amendment, FBC • Voter outreach 2 - 4 months Interlocal Agreement (ILA) Development: • ILA is developed based upon an adopted RFA Plan Viable Option- RFA: • Financial sustainability of high quality service • Economies of scale • Fire Benefit Charge • Governance Q1 April Q3 -Q4 Maintaining or increasing the quality of service of a municipal fire department will remain an ongoing challenge within the City budget and taxing authority. Consolidation of services with the Kent RFA offers the benefit of maximizing efficiencies, distributing service costs over a larger population, and eliminating redundancies. The fire benefit charge is a funding mechanism that is worth further analysis, and is a way to fairly distribute the costs of fire service by assigning a larger share to those properties that have greater need. Compared with a fire district, the system of governance in a fire authority allows a role for the elected officials of the member jurisdictions. Viable Option - Kent RFA: • Experienced and established • Successful relationship — Training Consortium • Interested in partnership and further exploration The Kent RFA has been in operation since 2010, and has already cleared the early challenges associated with the formation of a new governmental entity. Kent RFA leadership is working with the City to see if the partnership benefits both organizations. Since 2012, Tukwila has partnered with Kent RFA by participation in the South King County training consortium. The training consortium has been a great success for the Fire Department and has set the stage for further collaboration. Finance Work Group has been meeting since December 2014 to analyze the financial feasibility: • Dennis Robertson, Tukwila City Councilmember • David Cline, Tukwila City Administrator; • Vicky Carlsen, Tukwila Deputy Finance Director; • Chris Flores, Interim Tukwila Fire Chief; • Jim Schneider, Kent RFA Chief; • Larry Rabe], Kent RFA Captain Logistics; • Margaret Martin, Kent RFA Finance Manager; • Moira Bradshaw, Tukwila Project Manager Tukwila City Council Committee of the Whole Minutes April 13, 2015 Page 5 of 8 Kent RFA committee members include: • Chief Jim Schneider has been Fire Chief of the RFA since the formation in 2010. • Captain Rabel manages the Fire Benefit Charge for the RFA. He's been working with the formula for almost 10 years and is very knowledgeable with how to administer the Fire Benefit Charge. • Margaret Martin, Finance Manager with the RFA, has been in this roll since the RFA inception. Prior to that, she was with the City of Kent in the Finance Department and has considerable knowledge of fire department finances. Finance Committee: Scope: • Identify the current operating cost for Tukwila Fire • Review a new formula for the RFA Fire Benefit charge • Discussion on the assets and facilities The scope of the Finance Work Group is to work through the financial aspect of the project by analyzing the costs related to the Fire Department, including direct costs in the Fire Department budget, indirect or soft costs (technology needs, human resources, other support costs), and capital costs including equipment and facilities. The goal is to provide an 'apples to apples' comparison of costs associated with the fire department under both models: the current model, which is the City providing services to the City, and the RFA model. Messaging and Outreach: • The Tukwila Communications Office is supporting efforts with: Articles in the electronic and hard copy versions of "The Hazelnut" and the "Tukwila Reporter" Electronic links to the Steering Committee agendas and web page updates Speakers Bureau with a presentation useful for Boards and Commissions Fire Department Staff: • February 2015 Tukwila Fire Department Staff met with the Kent and Tukwila Chiefs and IAFF 2088 and Local 1747 Union Presidents • Contract, Personnel Procedures, Operations, Benefits • Concurrent Review RFA Annexation Steering Committee: • Joe Duffie, City Councilmember • Verna Seal, City Councilmember • David Cline, City Administrator • Chris Flores, Interim Tukwila Fire Chief • Dawn Judkins, President, IAFF Local 2088 • Alan Codenys, Tukwila Firefighter • Merle Brooks, Tukwila Firefighter • Jerry Thornton, Resident • Jessica Jerwa, Resident • Kathleen Wilson, Resident • Becky Smith, District General Manager, Westfield • (Genevieve Christensen, Alternate) • Roxanne Knowle, Senior Real Estate Manager, CBRE • John Lamb, Segale Business Park • Mike Denbo, Fire District 37 Commissioner • Jim Schneider, Chief Kent RFA • Ray Shjerven, President, IAFF Local 1747 Committee: Scope: • Level of service • Assets and Facilities • Governance format • Service Functions • Funding Tukwila City Council Committee of the Whole Minutes April 13, 2015 Page 6 of 8 Councilmember Duffie voiced his appreciation for being included in the RFA Steering Committee. Due to the importance of the issue, he asked that the Council be updated frequently on the status of the project. He also asked that the entire Council be provided with a tour of the Kent RFA stations as was given to the committee. Councilmember Robertson explained, that from a financial standpoint, the City has a very large and expensive fire department. The City geography is unique, in that it is bisected by the freeway system and river, and being able to have additional resources as part of the RFA would be beneficial to the City. In theory it is best that the activities that generate costs pay the costs. He feels this is an opportunity for better decision making. Councilmember Seal said she is honored to participate in the RFA Steering Committee. There are challenges and new opportunities for the City. She complimented staff for their management of meetings, and she feels at the completion of the project the committee will be able to make a presentation to the Council that will allow the Council to make a decision. Councilmember Hougardy also requested the Council be updated on the progress and she thanked the committee members for their work on this important issue. Councilmember Quinn voiced his appreciation for City staff and the committee working through the process. The steps being taken now is the due diligence part of the process; taking the time to review and plan out the steps is an important part of the review. This is a very important decision for the City, and at the end of the process there should be enough information for the Council to be able to make a decision about the RFA. Fire services are a significant portion of the City's budget, and communication is key- making sure everyone knows why the City is considering annexation into the Kent RFA. He complimented staff for their work in the process, and stressed the importance of being as transparent as possible. Council President Kruller thanked her fellow Councilmembers for the earlier comments. She explained the City has been taking its time in reviewing all available options for a potential RFA, and what will provide the most benefit to the City. She concurred with the Council request for regular updates on the progress of the committee. She said in September 2014 the Council made a motion relating to the Fire Chief position, and she asked for a status on the motion. David Cline, City Administrator, stated the Mayor sent a response to the Council in late September (2014) on that motion. He will verify the date of the communication for the Council. Council President Kruller asked for a "where we are now" statement that is made in a public way so the residents and community members know the status. Councilmember Duffie asked how interested individuals would be able to receive copies of the handouts that were provided before the Council meeting. Ms. Bradshaw said she is available to provide copies of the materials to those who are interested. Council President Kruller asked what the City is doing to communicate with the Tukwila community on this issue. Mr. Cline stated that communication on the process is one of the key issues the RFA Steering Committee will address. Once the committee has a recommendation, City staff will work with the Communications Division on how to best get the word out and keep the community informed. Ms. Bradshaw commented that staff has done outreach to other area RFAs and inquired about outreach - what worked and what didn't. They have not received any information on that request yet. Councilmember Duffie asked if other RFA Steering Committee members would like to address the Council. Tukwila City Council Committee of the Whole Minutes April 13, 2015 Page 7 of 8 Jerry Thornton stated he is a Tukwila resident and member of the RFA Steering Committee. He commented that as a Water District No. 125 Commissioner, he is concerned about water supply for fire services and the fire hydrants. He explained that he has a family history with the Marysville Fire Department, and posed the topic of a Regional Fire Authority at his recent visit. He was told they (Marysville Fire Department) and are researching a fire authority for that area. During the recent tour of the Kent RFA facilities, he noticed the difference in aesthetics, facility space use and overall operations. He too feels that growth should pay for growth, and with a fire benefit charge, risk (use of fire services) would pay for risk. REPORTS a. Mayor Mayor Haggerton was not present. b. City Council Councilmember Duffie attended the National Black Police Association training conference on April 9 Councilmember Seal hosted the Council Coffee Chat on April 11, and she will provide the Council a summary of items discussed at the Coffee Chat. She reported that the Community Affairs and Parks Committee discussed issues and options relating to enforcement of the City's medical marijuana moratorium. She announced that at the April 20 Regular Meeting, staff will present a proposal to Council that will seek injunctive relief to deal with the situation. Councilmember Hougardy attended the Soundside Alliance for Economic Development annual retreat on April 8. She updated the Council on a few of the issues and topics discussed at the retreat. On April 10 she attended the Southwest King County Chamber of Commerce luncheon. She announced that Nate Robinson, Teen Coordinator, is the 2015 recipient of the Washington Recreation & Park Association (WRPA) Young Professional Award. Mr. Robinson will be presented the award at the April 30 WRPA annual banquet. She reminded everyone to sign up for the Waste Management "Recycle Often. Recycle Right." challenge. If 25% of Tukwila service customers (residential and business) take the pledge, the Tukwila Pantry will receive a $5,000 grant. Lastly, the Equity and Diversity Commission will be having a book drive (May 1 -31) and more information will be forthcoming on the location of collection bins. Councilmember Quinn met with the Teens for Tukwila group on April 8. He attended the National Black Police Association training conference on April 9, where Chief Villa discussed working with community activists. On April 10 he attended a meeting with Governor Inslee where the topics of discussion included climate change and education. It was noted that Tukwila has been identified as a "hot spot" by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency. Council President Kruller announced that the Tukwila Town Hall will be on June 4, and more information will be forthcoming. She participated in the review of the scholarship applications received for the "City of Opportunity" scholarships awarded by the City. On April 8 she attended the Sound Cities Association Public Issues Committee meeting. She was asked to participate in the King Conservation District Town Hall, and she had to decline the invitation as it coincides with the Council meeting. However, she did provide written comments for inclusion in the discussion. Ms. Kruller explained that the City of Shoreline is having issues with the siting of the proposed Sound Transit station, and she asked that City Administration provide information to them on how Tukwila dealt with the same issues. She reminded everyone of the water safety event on Saturday, April 18, at the Tukwila Pool. She also encouraged residents to take the recycling pledge to benefit the Tukwila Pantry, and to continue donating (if able) to the SnackPack Program. There are donation bins in various sites within the City. c. Staff David Cline, City Administrator, thanked Mary Miotke, Information Technology Director, and Jack Osborne (consultant) for their work on the audio system enhancements. Earlier in the meeting, the Tukwila City Council Committee of the Whole Minutes April 13, 2015 Page 8 of 8 Council expressed an interest in being informed on the status and /or progress of the RFA process. He explained that rather than hiring a consultant to work with the City on the issue, an internal recruitment process was done and Moira Bradshaw was selected as the Project Manager for the process. Relating to outreach to the City of Shoreline regarding Sound Transit, Jack Pace, Community Development Director, has been in contact with Shoreline officials and the City will continue the outreach as needed. d. City Attorney The City Attorney's presence is not required at Committee of the Whole meetings. e. Intergovernmental There was no report. MISCELLANEOUS Councilmember Robertson requested the Transportation Committee review options available for having the City install speed bumps around the area schools. He provided a brief background on the item to the Council, and he recently met with Public Works Director Bob Giberson on this issue. Councilmember Duffie, as Chair of the Transportation Committee, approved the request by Councilmember Robertson. ADJOURNMENT 9:02 p.m. COU�I�RNED. PRESIDENT KRULLER DECLARED THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING AD Kate K/v1lef „Courr0l President Melissa Hart, Deputy City Clerk APPROVED AND SIGNED BY THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT ON 04/30/2015 AVAILABLE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE 04/30/2015