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Home My WebLink About1996-01-22 Committee of the Whole MinutesTUKWILA CITY COUNCIL January 22, 1996 Tukwila City Hall 7:00 ■.m. Council Chambers COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING MINUTES CALL TO ORDER Council President Pam Carter called the Committee of The Whole Meeting to order and led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL JOE DUFFIE; JOAN HERNANDEZ; PAM CARTER, Council President; ALLAN EKBERG; STEVE MULLET; PAM LINDER; JIM HAGGERTON. SPECIAL PRESENTATION Barbara Gilliland, Metro Planning Manager, briefed the Council on a new approach (based on public input since the March 1995 election) to a Phase I Regional Transit System. She stated that the new approach uses key principles recently adopted by the RTA Board in response to public input. Several different packages of investments are possible within this new approach. The RTA Board will be discussing such possibilities with community leaders over the next several weeks. The RTA Board intends to present a new proposal to voters at a September or November 1996 election. This allows about four months to develop a final proposal and an additional four to six months to provide information to voters to help them make their decision. The timeline to create a new proposal is as follows: January and February continue public discussion; March -adopt a draft proposal; April public hearings; May -adopt a final proposal. OFFICIALS CITIZEN'S COMMENTS JOHN MCFARLAND, City Administrator; RHONDA BERRY, Assistant City Administrator; LINDA COHEN, City Attorney; LUCY LAUTERBACH, Council Analyst; ALAN DOERSCHEL, Finance Director; RON WALDNER, Police Chief; TOM KEEFE, Fire Chief; ROSS EARNST, Public Works Director; DOUG MICHEAU, Public Works Coordinator. Lanny Vickers, 12227 45th Avenue South, commented on behalf of the citizens of the Allentown Area; and specifically on behalf of Mrs Sweeney who lives on 43rd Avenue. He stated that there's an ongoing problem with regards to mail service from Skyway. It appears that the citizens do receive mail, but it's always other citizens' mail. Vickers said several citizens have accompanied him to the post office, but to no avail. Committee of The Whole Meeting Minutes January 22, 1996 Page 2 Citizen's Comments (Cont'd) SPECIAL ISSUES ACC Interlocal Agreement Councilmember Pam Linder volunteered to handle any and all future postal problems as long as the appropriate information detailing the problem is provided to her. /z Ron Lamb, 4251 South 139th, commented on the RTA presentation. He said citizens are concerned about the routing of the light -rail line on Pacific Hwy. He shared a portion of a letter that Nancy Lamb had written to the RTA Board on December 7, 1995; he also gave a copy of the letter to the RTA Representative. Excerpt from the letter is as follows: "Members of the RTA Board, this letter is intended to serve as the recommendations of the Foster Community Club on a revised RTA Plan based on our concerns with the previous plan, which was defeated by the voters in March 1995. We regret that we were unable to attend your September forum, but we were not made aware of it until after it had occurred. Please accept these comments in lieu of comments we would have presented at that time. "Our concerns with the previous RTA plan focused on the proposed light -rail route along Hwy 99, between SR 518 and the Boeing Access Road. At our Foster Community Club meeting held on February 15, the members voted unanimously to oppose the March 1995 proposal and directed the Executive Board to write a resolution in opposition." Lamb read the resoluton to the Council. Council President Carter explained that the ACC Interlocal went to a COW in December and was recommended for approval. However, Federal Way has now joined ACC and wanted some technical changes made. They do not change the Interlocal Agreement substantively. City Administrator McFarland informed the Council that he had received a telephone call this afternoon from a representative of the Boeing Company. They would like to send a letter to the Council expressing some of their concerns with the Interlocal as it relates to King County International Airport, and the potential impacts that the existing wording may have on their operation. The Council agreed to review the information should Boeing submit it. Committee of The Whole Meeting Minutes January 22, 1996 Page 3 ACC Interlocal Agrmt. (Cont' d) Vehicle towing Carryover issues from Council Retreat It was the consensus of the Council to forward the ACC Interlocal Agreement to the next Regular Council for approval under "OLD BUSINESS." Assistant City Administrator Berry explained that several years ago the Council considered and rejected the idea of contracting for towing services within the City. This issue resurfaced late during the summer of 1995 when the City was ordered by the District Court to pick up a large bill for towing and storage of a privately owned vehicle. She stated that basic towing rates are very high for both citizens who get their cars towed, and for the City which sometimes has its cars towed. Some people have sued the City for having their cars towed, and though the City has never been found guilty of being in the wrong to tow cars, some suits have gone against the City because of judges' perceptions that the City has more ability to pay high towing bills than an. individual. Berry said currently the City uses a rotation list of those companies licensed to do business in the City of Tukwila. She stated that several options have been discussed by the Administration to get better control of the towing process: the use of the Washington State Patrol (WSP) tow rate cap; establish a list of all the City's tow companies (including their fees) and make the list available for citizens (this way the citizens could make their own decision as to who to call); solicitation of bids for a contract tow system (such a system could include rates for police impounds, junk, abandoned, hazardous or hulk vehicles, and /or City vehicles); and the use of an administrative hearing for citizens who wish to appeal a City impound. After a lengthy discussion, it was the consensus of the Council to try a new towing system -the bidding process -to contract for the services of one tow company for a period of six months to a year, then re- evaluate how to proceed from there. Council President Carter stated that METRQ's Interurban Park and Ride Lot was one of the carryover issues. The Council agreed that City Administrator McFarland and Council Analyst Lauterbach would draft a letter that's direct and to the point for the Council President's signature. Additionally, the Council would compile a complete packet of information (to accompany the letter) soliciting Metro's input and/or suggestions on how we should proceed in resolving this issue. The other carryover item was the timeline on Committee of The Whole Meeting Minutes January 22, 1996 Page 4 Carryover issues from Council Retreat General question by Mullet REPORTS ADJOURNMENT 9:00 p.m. the Council's Work Plan Draft. They want to be able to view, at a glance, upcoming issues, and to also synchronize Council and Staff's schedules. Councilmember Mullet inquired of Finance Director Doerschel as to what percentage of the City's revenues do. we spend on maintenance and operations. Doerschel responded that the total revenues used for maintenance and operations are about 80 to 85 The other 15% is used for capital expenditures. Councilmembers expressed how pleased they were that their recent retreat was a very successful one. They also extended regrets to City staff for not being able to attend the annual employees' banquet because it was scheduled on the same date as the retreat. Council President Carter reported that she had recently attended the Duwamish Improvement Club meeting. MOVED BY DUFFIE, SECONDED BY MULLET TO ADJOURN TO THE SPECIAL MEETING. MOTION CARRIED. C2,,} Pam Carter, Council President s J Celia Square, Deputy Ci (-y'Clerk