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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRFA 2015-03-11 MinutesCity of Tukwila MINUTES Regional Fire Authority Annexation Steering Committee March 11, 2015 Call to Order City Administrator Cline called the meeting to order at 1720 hours. Committee Members David Cline, City Administrator; Moira Bradshaw, Senior Planner; Chris Flores, Tukwila Interim Fire Chief; Jim Schneider, Kent RFA Chief; Joe Duffie, Councilmember; Verna Seal, Councilmember; Merle Brooks, Tukwila firefighter, Alan Codenys, Tukwila firefighter; Dawn Judkins, Union President of Tukwila firefighters; Mike Denbo, Commissioner, board member of Kent RFA; Ray Shjerven, Captain Kent RFA, Union President; Brian Snure, Attorney for Kent RFA board; Genevieve Christensen, Assistant General Manager for the Westfield Mall; Roxanne Knowle, Senior Real Estate Manager for CBRE; Jessica Jerwa, Tukwila citizen representative; Jerry Thornton, Tukwila citizen representative; Kathleen Wilson, Tukwila citizen representative. Also present: Vicky Carlson, Deputy Finance Director; Norita Deckard, Admin. Support Tech. City Administrator Cline welcomed the new committee members and thanked them for their commitment to the steering committee. Each member was asked to introduce themselves and state which constituency they were representing. The primary role of the committee is to evaluate and recommend to the City Council whether or not to authorize a vote to join the Kent Regional Fire Authority. The committee will also provide quarterly updates to the Tukwila City Council. The goal was to involve City residents and businesses in the decision process. History of the Tukwila Fire Department Presentation Interim Chief Flores presented a brief history on the regionalization of fire service in the Puget Sound and on Tukwila Fire Department's evolution and growth. Captain Loren McFarland, a 42 -year veteran of the Tukwila Fire Department, spoke about the history of the fire department from a more personal perspective. He praised the training the Tukwila firefighters receive thru the Regional Fire Training Consortium. Regional Fire Authority Annexation Steering Committee Minutes Page 2 of 4 March 11, 2015 Minutes Background on Regionalization of Fire Service Interim Chief Flores's presentation included the following summary of the potential benefits to be gained by joining a regional fire authority. • Economy of scale — purchasing high cost items such as fire engines in bulk, could result in saving thru discounts. • Combine personnel and services — combine similar services to save on duplication of resources; reduce personnel costs thru normal attrition, i.e. retirement • Potential to combine and relocate fire stations to improve incident response times. • Add some services that Tukwila does not currently have — dedicated human resources and fleet servicing personnel, FD cares (which handles the less serious aid calls). • Competition for funding would be reduced because the Fire Department would no longer compete with other City Departments for resources and services. • Every six years the voters would determine the level of service through a vote on the fire benefit charge. • Sustaining or potentially improving the level of service to the community. Presentation by the Kent Regional Fire Authority Chief Schneider used a PowerPoint presentation to explain the lessons learned from the Kent Regional Fire Authority formation and presented frequently asked questions about a RFA and fire benefit charge. • Takes a lot of work to implement a regional fire authority • In the end it's about sustaining services • By voting the citizens determine the level of service • Because the law limits (Initiative 747) the increase in property taxes to 1 %, it is difficult to sustain the cost of fire services • The fire benefit charge is a fair and equitable way to raise funds. The formula is based on risk and need for service, the number of firefighters and apparatus that would typically respond to the property during a call; different commercial properties have a higher risk, thus would pay a higher benefit charge than residential or lower risk commercial properties. • An interlocal agreement would define the parameters; who pays for what, the City or the fire authority. • Financial considerations are the driving force for a regional fire authority; will a fire benefit charge be feasible with the community demographics; need an equal distribution of commercial, multi - family and residential properties. Tukwila has the right demographics for the fire benefit charge. • The City has to consider the cost of providing fire services. Fire departments are expensive because of minimum staffing and capital improvement costs. • All of the stakeholders, elected officials, citizens, department personnel, administrative staff and union officers need to be involved in the planning process. • There must be total transparency so everyone involved fully understands the issues. Regional Fire Authority Annexation Steering Committee Minutes March 11, 2015 Minutes Page 3 of 4 Stumbling Blocks • Allocation of facilities and apparatus • Do fire prevention, emergency management, fire investigations stay with City? • Agreement on the soft costs such as human resources, finance, and legal? • Coordination and timing of the regional fire authority vote. • Capital Improvement Project money transfers. • Who pays costs for LEOFF 1 firefighters? Only Tukwila voters would vote on joining the Kent Regional Fire Authority. The KRFA board would decide whether to approve the annexation. Annexation requires a 50 plus 1 majority by the voters to approve joining an existing regional fire authority. General Discussion Some committee members commented on the need to keep any transition seamless and to retain the current employees. There was an inquiry as to what would happen with the Tukwila Fire Department's engines and equipment. The capital equipment issues would be addressed as part of any consolidation that would take place. General Business There was discussion about how much and what kind of public participation would be allowed during steering committee meetings, and how to solicit questions from all interested parties. How would public outreach to citizens, businesses and employees be accomplished? There was consensus that the meetings should be open and the process transparent. No resolution occurred on how to accomplish the goal of allowing public comment and input, the discussion will be visited further during the next meeting. Jessica Jerwa runs a Tukwila Neighborhood website where she will share information on the meetings. There will also be a report at City Council meetings. Minutes from the meetings will also be posted on the City's website. Verna Seal and Kathleen Wilson volunteered to act as Co- Chairs of future meetings. There was unanimous approval by the committee members. The committee also agreed that incremental decisions made in the process could be revisited when the committee reviews its final recommendation to the Council. Future meetings will cover the following topics: • Municipal Services provided by the Fire Dept.: Fire Prevention, Emergency Management and Investigation; what is their cost and should the City contract with the Kent RFA or retain these functions? • What is the minimum level of acceptable services? What happens with the existing fire stations and other assets? • Budgeting and the fire benefit charge. • How will the Tukwila community be impacted financially and what are the options? • Governance — how will Tukwila citizens be represented in the Kent regional fire authority? Regional Fire Authority Annexation Steering Committee Minutes March 11, 2015 Minutes Adjournment Page 4 of 4 At 1942 hours City Administrator Cline declared the regional fire authority annexation steering committee meeting adjourned. Minutes taken and prepared by Norita Deckard, Admin. Support Tech.