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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-10-22 Committee of the Whole MinutesTukwila City Council Committee of the Whole Meeting City Hall Council Chambers October 22, 2018 — 7:00 P.M. MINUTES COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE CALL TO ORDER/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Council President Seal called the Tukwila City Council meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. OFFICIALS Present were Council President Seal; Councilmembers Dennis Robertson, Kathy Hougardy, De'Sean Quinn, Kate Kruller, Thomas McLeod, Zak Idan. CITY OFFICIALS Allan Ekberg, Mayor; David Cline, City Administrator; Rachel Bianchi, Deputy City Administrator; Bruce Linton, Police Chief; Bill Devlin, Police Sergeant; Vicky Carlsen, Deputy Finance Director; Bill Kolden, Interim Human Resources Director; Erika Eddins, Human Resources Analyst; Brandon Miles, Business Relations Manager; Kimberly Walden, Judge; Trish Kinlow, Court Administrator; Henry Hash, Public Works Director; Jack Pace, Community Development Director; Jay Wittwer, Fire Chief; Laurel Humphrey, Council Analyst; Andy Youn, Deputy City Clerk. AGENDA AMENDMENT Council President Seal asked for consensus to take item 4.d., "Discussion on a resolution regarding a compensation policy for City employees," and item 4.f., "A resolution increasing business license fees," off tonight's agenda and discuss at the next Committee of the Whole meeting instead. COUNCIL CONSENSUS EXISTED TO AMEND THE AGENDA AS REQUESTED ABOVE. PUBLIC COMMENTS Andrea Reay, 14220 Interurban Avenue South, is the President of the Seattle Southside Chamber which represents approximately 100 businesses in Tukwila. She expressed her appreciation for the work of the Mayor and City staff in outreaching to businesses impacted by the RGRL/Business license fees. She relayed that the Chamber is concerned that the scale of the increase may be burdensome to struggling businesses. The Chamber is inviting its members to attend the Business License Fee Open House on October 29, 2018 at City Hall. However, many business owners will not be able to attend. She asked for further engagement and coordination to ensure businesses are not caught off guard. She emphasized that the $2 million shortfall in the 2019-2020 biennium due to sales tax revenue must be a legislative priority for the City. She looks forward to working with the City to ensure policies enacted at the State and local levels do not overburden businesses. David Cline, City Administrator, shared the Business License Fee Open House will be taking place in the Council Chambers on October 29, 2018 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Dennis Martinez, 4660 South 160t" Street, noted the informational memorandum on page 165 of the agenda packet should reference a date of November 20, 2017 rather than 2018. PUBLIC HEARING An ordinance modifying off-street parking regulations as codified in Tukwila Municipal Code Chapter 18.56. 7:08 p.m. Council President Seal opened the public hearing and asked for a staff report. Tukwila City Council Committee of the Whole Minutes October 22, 2018 Page 2 of 9 Jack Pace, Community Development Director, explained that this item amends the Zoning Code to allow off -premises parking as a conditional use for municipal uses and police stations. The City is purchasing land for public parking for the Justice Center. The proposed Justice Center design includes parking across the street from the main building. Staff are proposing the following: 1. Amend the Land Uses Allowed by District table (Tukwila Municipal Code Table 18-6) to allow as conditional uses in most zones off -premises parking areas for municipal uses and police stations. 2. Amend the off-street parking regulations chapter (TMC 18.56) to clarify the standards for locating parking areas. This amendment was referred to the Planning Commission after the Community Development and Neighborhoods Committee's public meeting on August 28, 2018. The Planning Commission held a public hearing on September 27, 2018 on the proposed amendment. Council President Seal called for public comments. There were no public comments. Councilmember Kruller indicated this item was discussed at the Community Development and Neighborhoods Committee meeting on October 9, 2018. The committee members were unanimous in recommending approval. 7:11 p.m. Council President Seal closed the public hearing. SPECIAL ISSUES a. An ordinance modifying off-street parking regulations as codified in Tukwila Municipal Code Chapter 18.56. There was no additional discussion. COUNCIL CONSENSUS EXISTED TO FORWARD THIS ITEM TO THE CONSENT AGENDA AT THE SPECIAL MEETING DIRECTLY FOLLOWING THIS COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. b. Discussion on red light cameras proposal. Councilmember Robertson indicated this item was discussed at the Public Safety Committee meeting on October 15, 2018. The committee members were unanimous in recommending approval. Mr. Robertson referenced the Public Safety Committee minutes (page 93 of the agenda packet) and highlighted that the estimated annual budget of $487,845 is expected to be self-sustaining, and includes installation, signage, operation, one court FTE, and judge pro tem services. Additionally, staff are proposing 3 pilot intersections per Council direction and have had the City Attorney review the potential contract and Request for Proposals (RFP) to ensure "offramps" are included. Bruce Linton, Police Chief, shared there are 3 proposed intersections, with 2 cameras per each: • Boeing Access Road at Martin Luther King Junior Way (southbound and eastbound) • Southcenter Parkway at Strander Boulevard (northbound and westbound) • Grady Way and Interurban Avenue South (eastbound and westbound) Staff are also recommending a phased approach to implementation of the pilot program, per the timeline shown on page 86 of the agenda packet. Once a vendor has been selected and the Council approves the contract in December, staff will report quarterly to the Council. Chief Linton emphasized that the most prevalent complaint from our residents is speeding on arterials and neighborhoods. The Police Traffic Division has a difficult time keeping up with the increased call for enforcement. The Councilmembers asked clarifying questions and Chief Linton provided responses as follows: Tukwila City Council Committee of the Whole Minutes October 22, 2018 Page 3 of 9 Councilmember Hougardy: • Are baseline collision statistics available for the proposed intersections? Page 66 of the agenda packet lists the statistics for right angle crashes, persons injured, sideswipe, rear end crashes, and fixed object collisions. Ms. Hougardy asked that the data be rewritten for consistency. • How much time does Police spend monitoring intersections? There are not enough officers to monitor intersections. However, automated safety cameras would reduce the time currently spent responding to and investigating accidents. • What will additional revenues be used for? Other agencies have used additional revenues for mitigating traffic issues. • Do the cameras take a picture of both the driver and the license plate? He is still researching this issue but it is his understanding that the cameras only capture the license plate. • How much involvement will Public Works have? The Revised Code of Washington requires signage in both directions at intersections with automated traffic safety cameras. The Police Department will coordinate with Public Works to install signs, which will cost approximately $500 each to install. Chief Linton explained the Police Department is receiving public comment via email and confirmed he would provide the Council with access to the emails. Councilmember Kruller: • Where will the cameras be placed in the proposed intersections? He will prepare a diagram of the proposed intersections. • Will they face both directions? Cameras may potentially face both directions, to get front and rear license plates. • Boeing Access Road at Martin Luther King Junior Way is a problem spot. She is interested to learn whether the issue is driver behavior or intersection design through the 3-year pilot program and quarterly reports by Police. • Are there any costs associated with installing/retaining vendor camera footage? Chief Linton indicated he would look into this issue. • She asked that information relating to costs for school zone cameras be made available. In light of Priority -Based Budgeting, installing cameras in school zones may be more community -goal oriented. Councilmember McLeod: • What kind of response have you received via social media? There are approximately 44 responses on social media, with 11 responses via email. Public sentiment is divided. Chief Linton asked that residents send their thoughts and concerns through email and share significant data. • Why was Boeing Access Road proposed when it has the least number of collisions? While other intersections have higher statistics, due to issues with equipment alignment and visibility trajectory, Boeing Access Road was selected as a pilot intersection. • What are our offramps once we start? The first offramp is when staff bring forward a potential contract for approval. Additionally, offramps will be reflected in the vendor contract. Councilmember Quinn asked for information on fatalities and possible obstructions in the proposed intersections that would factor into the decision -making process. He is interested in seeing if school zone cameras are available. Mr. Quinn also expressed concern regarding record retention relating to red light cameras and stated a clear retention policy is an important component prior to any program implementation. He asked staff to provide that information. Chief Linton responded that law enforcement personnel have specific retention policies for camera and video footage. The Tukwila Police Department follows Washington State retention policies. If there is a need to retain data for a longer period of time, Chief Linton is able to adjust the policy. He relayed he would work with the City Attorney's office and the Municipal Research and Services Center to ensure the policies are sound. COUNCIL CONSENSUS EXISTED TO FORWARD THIS ITEM TO THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING. Tukwila City Council Committee of the Whole Minutes October 22, 2018 Page 4 of 9 c. Purchase of new cashiering system and related software. Councilmember Quinn indicated this item was discussed at the Finance Committee meeting on October 16, 2018. The committee members were unanimous in recommending approval. Vicky Carlsen, Deputy Finance Director, stated staff are seeking Council approval to purchase a new point of sale cashiering system for the Finance Department and the City Clerk's Department in the amount of $43,395. The current cashiering system is no longer supported by the vendor and is not in compliance with the new secure encryption protocol, Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.2, as required by the Payment Card Industry (PCI). While the City's TIS Department developed a work -around to achieve compliance, the solution has proved to be time-consuming. Tyler Technologies' cashiering system has been identified as a more optimal point of sale cashiering solution. The system has been vetted by TIS and Finance. Councilmember Quinn added that Tyler Technologies is one of the premier companies that provides and tracks software solutions. Staff indicated they were confident this vendor would provide the services the City needs. Councilmember Kruller explained the City is responsible for protecting the credentials of customers by maintaining PCI compliance. PCI compliance lessens the liability for the City in the event of a data breach. The updated TLS protocol provides higher security standards to guard against cyberattacks and hackers. COUNCIL CONSENSUS EXISTED TO FORWARD THIS ITEM TO THE CONSENT AGENDA AT THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING. e. An ordinance regarding the gambling tax. Councilmember Quinn indicated this item was discussed at the Finance Committee meeting on September 5, 2018 and October 16, 2018. The Committee forwarded this item for discussion. Mr. Quinn applauded staff for the clarity and thoroughness of the informational memorandum. He appreciated that information concerning stakeholder outreach was included. Ms. Carlsen stated that following the September 10, 2018 Committee of the Whole discussion, staff was asked to perform outreach to the four card rooms located in Tukwila to discuss the proposed increase in gambling tax from 10% to 11 %. Feedback and comments are summarized on page 142 of the agenda packet. She highlighted the table on page 143 of the agenda packet that shows employee information and 2014-2016 net income or loss for the 4 casinos located in Tukwila. Staff also reviewed historical gambling revenues and estimated projected year-end revenues for 2018. A table of current gambling tax rates for surrounding jurisdictions is available on page 144 of the agenda packet. Councilmember Robertson spoke in favor of this ordinance, citing the need for revenue that will be used for public safety expenses. Casinos are consumers of public safety funds. He expressed that raising the tax by 1% is a small change that is within the casinos' budgets. Councilmember Hougardy asked for statistics concerning calls for service to casinos. Chief Linton shared the 4 casinos averaged approximately 300-400 calls for service from 2015 to 2017. IHOP, the only comparable entity that is open 24/7, had approximately 42 — 76 calls for service for the same period of time. Ms. Hougardy stated the discrepancy between the two sets of numbers supports the fact that casinos require additional public safety resources. She noted a casino located on Interurban Avenue expressed a need for a cross walk and additional parking. She suggested reviewing what benefits the City can provide when raising taxes. Councilmember Quinn expressed support for this item and highlighted that the reason for this increase is that despite a reduction in expenditures, additional resources are needed to provide the current level of City services. A small increase in the gambling tax is an opportunity to align revenues with expenditures in the coming biennium. He communicated the importance of following up on requests by stakeholders. Tukwila City Council Committee of the Whole Minutes October 22, 2018 Page 5 of 9 In response to a question from Councilmember Kruller, Ms. Carlsen stated 3% cuts across the City equate to approximately $1.8 million annual savings. Ms. Kruller noted that with the proposed increase in business license fees that is also under discussion, gambling establishments will pay more taxes than other businesses. If approved, she would like to see that some of the revenue is applied towards pedestrian safety improvements. Councilmember McLeod asked for the types of calls for service fielded by the Police Department. He also asked what the extra costs for services entailed. Chief Linton confirmed he would investigate. Mr. McLeod spoke against raising the gambling tax. While the calls for service seems high, he does not see that level of police activity when he drives by the casinos. Raising the tax on casinos seems punitive and inequitable in terms of fostering an economic landscape that is competitive and inviting. He expressed he would be more comfortable raising the business license fees that would cover all businesses rather than targeting casinos. Council President Seal asked that staff provide information on how revenues will be spent. The Councilmembers exchanged additional comments as follows: • This is a complex issue that requires careful framing. • Data is important in justifying the premise that gambling establishment use increased Police resources. A comparison of calls for service for other businesses would be helpful, to include type of call, volume, and type of establishment. • When Councilmembers request information, it is important that staff distribute pertinent information to the entire Council in a timely manner. COUNCIL CONSENSUS EXISTED TO FORWARD THIS ITEM TO THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING. g. A contract for demolition of structures at the new Fire Station 54 site. Council President Seal indicated she approved this item to come directly to this Committee of the Whole due to the time sensitive nature of this issue. Rachel Bianchi, Deputy City Administrator, stated the City purchased the property at 42"d Avenue South between South 139th Street and South 140th Street earlier this year in anticipating of siting the new Fire Station 54 at this location. Since that time, the Council has chosen to defer construction of the building per the amended Public Safety Plan. The existing structures on the site — a single family home that has been long vacant and a former greenhouse — are a public nuisance and need to be demolished. Ms. Bianchi said the City is having issues with squatters using the vacant buildings. Staff are asking to amend the General Contractor Construction Management (GC/CM) preconstruction services contract with Lydig Construction. The amendment will modify the scope of work to include demolition. She emphasized that while the demolition of the two structures will cost $67,998, the amendment is cost neutral due to savings in preconstruction services and is already within the budget. The Council originally approved the GC/CM contract with Lydig for $372,000 in preconstruction services. The Councilmembers agreed this is a public safety issue. Councilmember Kruller shared that she drove by the property a few nights ago and noted it has been blighted by squatters. The structures are surrounded by trees and it would be dangerous to have the Fire Department demolish these buildings as part of their training. COUNCIL CONSENSUS EXISTED TO FORWARD THIS ITEM TO THE SPECIAL MEETING DIRECTLY FOLLOWING THIS COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. Tukwila City Council Cornmittee of the Whole Minutes October 22, 2018 Page 6 of 9 h. 2019-2020 Biennial Budget: • Debt Service Fund/Department 20 (Transfers) Councilmember McLeod indicated this item was discussed at the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee meeting on October 8, 2018. The Committee forwarded this item for discussion. Department 20 accounts for transfers from the General Fund into various other funds, including capital project and debt service funds. The Debt Service fund accounts for the payment of principal and interest on outstanding debt. Total proposed transfers out for Department 20 are summarized as follows: 2019 2020 Capital Projects Funds $1,519,600 $1,321,950 Debt Service 4,033,861 3,587,190 Golf Course 300,000 300,000 Contingency 58,568 210,000 Total $5,912,029 $5,419,140 Proposed debt service for a $25 million issue in 2019 for the Public Safety Plan and the remaining voter approved bonds are included in the budget. • Lodging Tax Councilmember Kruller indicated this item was discussed at the Community Development and Neighborhoods Committee meeting on October 9, 2018. The Committee forwarded this item for discussion. Brandon Miles, Business Relations Manager, explained the City charges a 1 % special excise tax on certain overnight stays in area lodging businesses and short-term rentals. The use of these funds is limited to tourism promotion activities within the City. He noted the proposed expenditures listed on page 188 of the agenda packet are placeholders as all formal requests must be reviewed by the City's Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC), which then forwards a recommendation to the City Council. Tax revenue estimates for 2019 and 2020 are as follows: Year 2019 2020 Projected Revenue Amount: $775,000 $800,000 Projected Growth (Based on budgeted amounts): 2.66% 3.23% • Police Councilmember Robertson indicated this item was discussed at the Public Safety Committee meeting on October 15, 2018. The Committee forwarded this item for discussion. He relayed that the proposed Police Department budget for 2019 includes a +2.26% increase over 2018 and a +1.48% increase over 2019. The budget includes salaries/benefits, supplies, services, animal control, SCORE jail, ValleyComm, and a K9 replacement. Based on questions from the Councilmembers, Chief Linton provided clarification as follows: • The proposed budget maintains the current level of service. • The organizational chart on page 199 of the agenda packet shows budgeted positions and may not represent actual positions filled and/or vacancies. • The Police Department's recruitment strategy is to engage throughout the nation to bring in lateral officers and balancing that with the number of entry level officers. Entry level officers are seeing delays of approximately 4 months to enter the training academy. He emphasized that the issue of recruitment and retention is nationwide. Tukwila City Council Committee of the Whole Minutes October 22, 2018 Page 7 of 9 • Court Councilmember Robertson indicated this item was discussed at the Public Safety Committee meeting on October 15, 2018. The Committee forwarded this item for discussion. He stated if the automated traffic safety camera pilot project is approved by the Council, the Court anticipates increasing two 0.5 FTEs to full-time. This potential increase in staffing was not included in this proposed budget. Additionally, a 25% reduction was made to office supplies. Reductions were made to interpreters and witness and juror fees, offset by an increase to the Securitas contract and equipment rentals and leases. Based on questions from the Councilmembers, Judge Kimberly Walden provided clarification as follows: • There are no changes to the level of services provided by the Court. The only change anticipated at this time is if the Council approves automated traffic safety cameras, the number of filings will increase significantly. Trish Kinlow, Court Administrator, has conducted extensive research to prepare. • Although reductions were made to interpreters, this will not impact the level of service. The Court has been able to streamline their calendars so that their use of interpreters is more efficient. Judge Walden emphasized the Court will continue to provide interpreters even when not mandated to do so. • Mayor's Office/Administrative Services/Funds 502-503 Councilmember Quinn indicated this item was discussed at the Finance Committee meeting on October 16, 2018. The Committee forwarded this item for discussion. He highlighted pages 253 and 254 of the agenda packet and explained proposed reductions/increases are listed by category. Ms. Carlsen stated the proposed budget for the Mayor's Office is a 3.12% decrease of the 2018 budget in 2019 and a 1.63% decrease of the 2018 budget in 2020. She relayed the Mayor's Office has been restructured and is now composed of Administration, the City Attorney's Office, the City Clerk's Office, Economic Development, and the Administrative Services Department. Administrative Services includes Communications, Community Engagement, Human Services and Human Resources. Based on questions from the Councilmembers, clarification was provided as follows: • The Economic Development Liaison/Business Relations Manager position has been reduced to 0.5 FTE, with 0.5 FTE transferring to the Lodging Tax Fund budget. • The Communications and Government Relations Manager position has been reclassified to Deputy City Administrator. • While the position of Human Services Manager has been reclassified to Human Services Coordinator to better align with the new structure of the Administrative Services Department, the City continues to prioritize Human Services by providing funding for 34 programs. • Page 259 of the agenda packet should list Professional Services as $30,000 for both 2019 and 2020 for the Leasehold Tax. • Federal Lobbying Services has been reduced from $80,000 to $40,000 due to reduction of the Summit Strategies contract. • Public Safety Plan Fund/City Facilities Councilmember Hougardy indicated this item was discussed at the Public Safety Committee meeting on October 1, 2018. The Committee forwarded this item for discussion. Ms. Carlsen explained the Public Safety Plan fund is used to account for construction costs associated with the new Justice Center and reconstruction of fire stations. The City Facilities fund accounts for costs associated with major reconstruction of City facilities including the Public Works shops facility. The proposed Public Safety Plan fund budget reflects updated project costs as presented by Shiels Obletz Johnsen (SOJ) on August 1, 2018. The original financial framework included issuing Limited Tax General Obligation (LTGO) debt of $20 million in 2020. Due to changes in timing of expenditures and reallocating soft costs from Fire Station 54 to the remaining projects, the City now expects to issue $25 million in 2019. Tukwila City Council Committee of the Whole Minutes October 22, 2018 Page 8 of 9 Following a request for clarification from Councilmember Kruller, Ms. Carlsen replied a table comparing cost estimates for Fire Station 54 before and after adoption of the D-20 financing plan is available on page 312 of the agenda packet. The table includes soft costs that were absorbed by Stations 51 and 52. COUNCIL CONSENSUS EXISTED TO FORWARD THE PROPOSED BUDGETS TO THE FINAL BUDGET PACKAGE FOR APPROVAL IN NOVEMBER. REPORTS a. Mayor Mayor Ekberg shared that he attended a regional leadership conference last week and learned about topics such as housing and homelessness. b. City Council Councilmember Hougardy attended a Regional Transit Committee meeting on October 17, 2018 and learned that King County Metro is starting a new service called Ride2, which provides commuters with a car -free connection from home, school or work to transit at Eastgate Park and Ride or vice versa. She looks forward to having this service brought to Tukwila. Councilmember Quinn stated he participated in the annual Duwamish Alive! Event along the Duwamish Shoreline on October 20, 2018. He reported many volunteers were present, including an organization called ECOSS. He expressed it was great to see diversity amongst participants and encouraged the entire Council to attend. Councilmember Kruller shared that Sound Cities Association (SCA)'s Public Issues Committee is reviewing the 2019 legislative agenda. SCA is focusing on investing in transportation infrastructure and mobility and funding tools for cities. Ms. Kruller said she would also like to see language on autonomous vehicles and leading -edge technologies. She attended a Tukwila community concert at Tukwila Village by the Seattle Symphony on October 21, 2018 and the Rainer Symphony Concert the same night at Foster Performing Arts Center. She also reported going on a tour of CenturyLink Field with the WSU Alumni Club. Councilmember McLeod reported the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is continuing discussion of pedestrian improvements on South 140th Street by the Abu Bakr Islamic Center. Speed signs have been installed. He hopes more signage will be installed soon. Mr. McLeod attended a South County Area Transportation Board (SCATBd) meeting on October 16, 2018 and reported Des Moines is lobbying for a second airport. He reported a water main break on Andover Park East by Hotel Interurban on October 21, 2018. He shared that due to a second line that feeds the hotel, water service was uninterrupted. Temporary road repairs have been completed and the road has been reopened to the public. There was another water main break on October 22, 2019 on South 144th Street and Interurban Avenue that was not reported as it was smaller. Mr. McLeod also reported Tukwila is being promoted by "The Seattle Times" for a pro -wrestling event called "Thrilla in Tukwila." Council President Seal participated in the Friends of the Tukwila Library Book Sale on October 20, 2018. She thanked everyone who attended and said all proceeds support programming at the Tukwila Library. MISCELLANEOUS Councilmember Kruller shared Sound Cities Association is accepting nominations for all open seats on regional boards and committees until October 31, 2018. Councilmember Quinn offered a reminder about the Special Budget Work Session on October 24, 2018 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers. Tukwila City Council Committee of the Whole Minutes October 22, 2018 Page 9 of 9 ADJOURNMENT 9:19 p.m. COUNCIL PRESIDENT SEAL DECLARED THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING ADJOURNED. 5 ‘i V YI Verna Seal, Council President Andy Youn,`Deputy City Clerk APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT: 11/13/18 AVAILABLE ON THE CITY WEBSITE: 11/14/18