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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981-07-28 Committee of the Whole MinutesJuly 28, 1981 7:00 P.M. CALL TO ORDER Council President Van Dusen called the Tukwila City Council Committee of the Whole Meeting to order. Council Report M I N U T E S TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL City Hall COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING Council Chambers ROLL CALL OF COUNCIL MABEL J. HARRIS, GEORGE D. HILL, J. REID JOHANSON, DORIS E. PHELPS, MEMBERS DANIEL J. SAUL, Council President GARY L. VAN DUSEN. REPORTS Mayor's Report Mayor Todd reported that Dave Robbins of the Recreation Department has been selected to go to California with a Jesse Owens track team. This is a real honor. Council President Van Dusen called attention to his budget message. Council needs to give direction to Administration to help them prepare the 1982 budget. Measures of work performance might have to be provided and work might have to be prioritized. Departments are going to have to develop some forecasting methods for work loads. Some departments are going to have to be deemphasized and others emphasized. He suggested a three line budget. The Finance Director will develop, as close as he can, the estimated revenues; then have a low range and a high range and we will budget for the three levels. Every quarter we will determine which budget we are working with. He would like to see a two -year budget developed, not each line item but one with just the most important items, projects, work loads, etc. We need to hold the line. He was not addressing that there be increased taxation. Councilman Hill asked if he meant hold the line even if it necessitated cutting services. Council President Van Dusen said yes. If we cannot hold we will have to cut services. Before we raise taxes we need to have the departments prove that they are using the funds in the most efficient and productive method possible. If there is still a continuing demand for services both by the citizens and the corporate community that is a legitimate reason to say that they have to pay for them. The Department Heads are going to have to be prepared to give substantial reasons for continuing or increasing some of their funding. Councilman Harris said that the area we cut may be the service the community needs. Because a Department Head does not have a good enough justification should not be the main reason. We need to take an overall look at the priorities of all of the services and see that the most important are taken care of first. Council President Van Dusen said the budget is Council's policy. If we plan a two -year budget it will be changed the second year but we will be looking further than one year. The budget is Council's official statement of what we want to see in the City. A Department Head should be aware of what is needed in the community and should relay it on to Council. If we cut a service that is really needed we are going to find out. Councilman Hill said it bothered him because cutting a service may cause an emergency. Council President Van Dusen said Council can't meet all of the services we would like to. One of our biggest problems in the City right now is the activities of Public Works. What kind of manning level and service level do we want to provide? Councilman Harris reminded Council that the undergrounding program and street improvements were done with tax money and now the revenues are not there. We did it for one part of the City so we need to do it for the rest of the citizens. We are really going to have to look at the services and decide which are luxuries. Councilman Phelps said she favors a two -year budget plan and would like to see a five -year capital improvement plan for projects and purchase of large equipment. The Finance Committee favors a utility tax if we find it necessary to levy a tax. Mayor Todd said he would like to see Council satisfied with a budget based on what we know to be available revenue. If the legislature passes the extra one -half cent sales tax then the budget can be amended and some of the extra programs considered. TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING July 28, 1981 Page 2 REPORTS Council Report 1982 Budget contd. He does not want to see Council impose a new tax at this time. Councilman Harris said she does not want to count on money that might not materialize. Alan Doerschel, Finance Director, commented that some of the things in the Budget Message are administrative and some are just the mechanics of putting a budget together. What he sees is missing in something that tells him what Council really wants. The Department Heads are going to have ideas on what needs to be done, but as a reviewer of the budget, he is not going to know what Council wants to see included. There needs to be guidelines on the areas that should be emphasized. Council President Van Dusen said he wants to see documentation on how the Department Head arrived at his requests; this is one of the points addressed in the Budget Message. Last year was the beginning of some hard budget processes. Council had to make judgments without facts. He wants to start developing a budget that is based on more and more facts. Every department is not going to be able to do this. Alan Doerschel, Finance Director, said he heard that Council met for many hours last year debating $100 items. He hoped this does not happen this year. Administration has to prove what needs to be done. Mayor Todd said the problem last year was we budgetted more expendi- tures than we had in anticipated revenue. Most of the expenditures were programmed by ordinance, an example being the Six -Year Street Plan. Most of the street programs were cut to balance the budget. We again have to put the Six -Year Street Plan in this Budget. Council President Van Dusen said it is not mandated that we do all the projects. Mayor Todd said we are mandated by ordinance to put it in the budget. Council President Van Dusen did not agree that the ordinance said that. Councilman Hill said Administration is saying they cannot take the Street Plan and decide not to budget for it. Council has by ordinance said the City is going to do the improvements. It is up to Council to cut them out. Council President Van Dusen said he wants to see a balanced budget. Mayor Todd said you cannot balance the budget if we have to include the Six -Year Street Plan. Councilman Johanson explained that in prior years we had an antici- pated increase in revenue. Last year we had to "bite the bullet." Council President Van Dusen said we do not need to fund all of the proposed projects in the Six -Year Street Plan. Mayor Todd said he could do nothing last year but comply with the law. Council Presi- dent Van Dusen said if we are going to have a balanced budget, the Mayor has to designate what streets will be done. Mayor Todd suggested that Council have a series of meetings with the Department Heads to determine what Council will accept in the way of changes in personnel. We met the other night with the Fire Chief. He made some strong arguments for increasing their work force by three firemen, an Assistant Fire Chief, and more office help. This is the proper way to proceed so we do not get into a lot of arguments and budget cutting later on. We will know what Council will approve in the way of personnel, then we will go to the services we can afford. Council President Van Dusen suggested that Council take one hour out of each Committee of the Whole Meeting to talk to the Department Heads. Councilman Phelps said the goals that were identified in January will give an idea of the major programs Council will be looking at. TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING July 28, 1981 Page 3 REPORTS Council Report 1982 Budget contd. BID AWARDS LID #30, Street Project, So. 152nd. Street Repair Mayor Todd said after his meeting with Chief Crawley he is convinced that they need four and one -half new people in that Department. He will put it in his Budget Message to Council and they have to approve it. By meeting with the Department Heads the process can be smoothed considerably. If Council approves the personnel they will go into the budget. Don Williams, Recreation Director, said last year during the budget process we discussed policies for recreation services. After the first of the year he had discussions with several Council Members and the Mayor as to plans for Parks and Recreation services in 1982. To date he has still not received policy direction from Council. Earlier it was stated that Council sets policy and not the Department Head. Nobody is debating this but for a Department Headsto work effectively with the Mayor to prepare an accurate budget we need to know from Council what level of services they are expecting. Mr. Williams supported the Mayor's proposal for Council to meet with the Department Heads. Council President Van Dusen said that the Budget is the policy. Mr. Williams said Council sets the dollar figure in the budget. The Departments need to know where Council wants the dollars to go. Let's not wait until the budget review meetings to decide. Mayor Todd said we need to know what is going to be Council's policy. What do you want us to provide in the way of services? Tell us what you want and we will tailor the budget to fit those needs. Council President Van Dusen explained that they can listen to the Department Heads but that does not mean their request might not be cut from the budget at a later date. Mayor Todd said he does not believe there will be a need to cut. There is apt to be a very strong need to increase personnel in some of the Departments. Councilman Harris said we cannot count on the proposed one -half cent sales tax. If we get it, it will hardly take care of the Street Department. Mayor Todd said we need two budgets; one a realistic budget and one an anticipation type. Council agreed to meet with one Department Head at each Committee of the Whole Meeting. Mr. Doerschel commented that every Department Head needs to understand that these are just proposals and may not be funded. If the basic budget is out of balance, the Mayor has to go back through the programs and choose which ones he wants to implement and which ones will go into the next level if more revenue is received. Attorney Hard said the property owners have not signed the agreements yet but they are close. We can now go out for bids. MOVED BY PHELPS, SECONDED BY HARRIS, THAT THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR BE AUTHORIZED TO CALL FOR BIDS ON THE LID #30 PROJECT. MOTION CARRIED. Mr. Ted Uomoto, Director of Public Works, reported that the Call for Bids is to repair damaged City streets. The plan is to repair the portions of street that are in the worst condition on Southcenter Parkway and Tukwila Parkway, to overlay approximately 1,000 feet along Andover Park East and Interurban Avenue. There is a total of $50,000 budgetted for street repair. MOVED BY HILL, SECONDED BY JOHANSON, THAT COUNCIL APPROVE THE CALL FOR BIDS FOR THE REPAIR OF DAMAGED CITY STREETS. MOTION CARRIED. TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING July 28, 1981 Page 4 OLD BUSINESS Approval of Minutes Update on McNamara Condominium Waiver request. NEW BUSINESS P &L Co. Comprehensive Plan Amendment. MOVED BY HILL, SECONDED BY JOHANSON, THAT COUNCIL APPROVE THE FOLLOWING MINUTES AS PUBLISHED: JUNE 29, 1981 ZONING ORDINANCE REVIEW, JULY 6, 1981 ZONING ORDINANCE REVIEW, JULY 13, 1981 ZONING ORDINANCE REVIEW, JULY 14, 1981 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING. Councilman Phelps noted Page 15, Line 5, of the July 14 Minutes and asked for a clarification. She said "for the six years she was employed in the City the policy has been that the Fire Department check the fire hydrants." Also, the extent of her state- ment concerning the Xerox Building was that the Professional Office zoning allows retail use but only up to 50% of the development; not that their use would be contrary to the zoning, it is not. MOVED BY HARRIS, SECONDED BY HILL, THAT COUNCIL ACCEPT THE MINUTES AS CORRECTED. MOTION CARRIED. *MOTION CARRIED, AS CORRECTED. Brad Collins said he has been in contact with Mr. Wallace, attorney for Mr. McNamara. Mr. Wallace indicated they would not be ready to come back to Council by August 11. He asked what Council wanted to do about the request based on their decision on zoning at the Zoning Review Meeting of July 13. Is the information still essential to a decision on the waiver process? Attorney Hard said it would be appropriate to table this request until they are ready to come back to Council with all of the requested information. MOVED BY HILL, SECONDED BY PHELPS, THAT THE McNAMARA WAIVER REQUEST BE TABLED UNTIL THE INFORMATION COUNCIL REQUESTED IS RECEIVED BY THE PLANNING DIRECTOR WHEN IT WILL BE BROUGHT BACK TO THE NEXT COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING. MOTION CARRIED. Mr. Collins explained that the Planning Commission recommended this item be forwarded to Council with certain stipulations. At the July meeting of the Planning Commission they took action on the rezone and it will come to Council at the next Committee of the Whole Meeting. Attorney Hard said, referring to Stipulation No. 1, that the law in the State of California is clear and will probably affect the State of Washington, that a City cannot pass an ordinance rezoning property with a deadline that is in the future. He recommended that Council not impose this kind of a condition. Councilman Johanson suggested that, if this is the case, Council not consider rezoning until the completed plans are available. Mr. Richard McCann, attorney for P &L Company, explained that Mr. Lynch and Mr. Patterson are developers of the existing Xerox facility and will be the developer on this new proposal. They have met with the neighbors to hear their concerns and feel that they have them all resolved at this time. Staff has also recommended a number of conditions and the developers have no objection to them. He urged Council to accept the recommendation of the Planning Commission. Their project, as proposed, will be a benefit to the City of Tukwila. Mr. McCann explained that retail use is not planned for the building, it is intended to be office space. The function of the new building is about the same as the existing building. It is not their intention to include accessory non retail uses. Mithun Associates of Bellevue designed the building. The plans have been reviewed by the Planning Commission. One of the recommendations is that final site plans be subject to BAR review. Councilman Hill asked about the access and egress to this property. Mr. McCann explained that the primary access will be to the south through the existing property. They will have an easement recorded to protect this access. There is a limited access proposed for 65th. TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING July 28, 1981 Page 5 NEW BUSINESS Contd. P &L Co. Comprehensive This will help the traffic flow and aid fire access. They propose Plan Amendment contd. that 64th remain deadend and that this be included in the conditions so that no traffic is routed through the residential area. The Planning Commission has made special note on the access to 65th and they want to review that during the architectural review. Mr. McCann showed Council the proposed design plans. They discussed building location, egress and access, setbacks, retention of trees, etc. Council President Van Dusen asked why Council is asked to consider the Comprehensive Plan change before dealing with the request for a change in the zoning. Mr. Collins explained that this was brought to Council at the request of the applicant. The problem here is that both the Comprehensive Plan Map and the proposed area wide zoning map show the property under discussion as medium density residential with a proposed zoning of R -3. They would not be allowed to develop an office complex here. The developer is here to request that the northerly boundary of his property be the line between the residential and the office zone. This could be done under the area -wide rezone, but it was discussed and decided that the appropriate way to proceed is to go through the rezone process and do it simultaneous with the area -wide zoning ordinance. The assump- tion is that Council would make a decision and the subsequent action would be consistent. Councilman Van Dusen asked if Council can set conditions on the zoning. Attorney Hard said Council could impose conditions. They have the right to have contract rezones in this jurisdiction. Attorney Hard explained that the applicant could present his argu- ments in hopes Council will change the boundary on the rezone map. No one knows how long this will take. By having the property owner go through a simultaneous request to change the Comprehensive Plan and formally apply for a rezone of the property would assure the owners of the proper procedure. If this were lumped together with the area -wide rezone there would be no guarantee. This process is more costly, more time consuming, but gives the attention to the request that Council wanted it to have. They have done exactly what they have been advised to do by the City. Councilman Phelps asked if there would be a separate rezone ordinance for Council to consider? Attorney Hard assured her there would be. Councilman Johanson asked if the amendment to the Comprehensive Plan and the rezone ordinance could be done simultaneously. Attorney Hard said Council could do that. Mr. McCann stated for the record, that their company, knowing Mr. Johanson was on the City Council, did not contact him concerning this rezone request. They are operating under the Appearance of Fairness Doctrine. Attorney Hard said logically Council could amend the Comprehensive Plan first then proceed with the rezone or Council can wait on this and consider them both at one time. He explained that once the zoning ordinance is passed, any future land decisions in the City may require both an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan and a rezone. Council will be considering these on a case by case basis. Council President Van Dusen said Council will consider both the Comprehensive Plan change and the rezone at the same time. MOVED BY HARRIS, SECONDED BY JOHANSON, THAT THE P &L COMPANY COMPRE- HENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT BE TABLED TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING OF AUGUST 11, 1981. MOTION CARRIED, WITH HILL VOTING NO. RECESS MOVED BY HILL, SECONDED BY JOHANSON, THAT COUNCIL RECESS FOR 9:00 9:15 P.M. FIVE MINUTES. MOTION CARRIED. Council President Van Dusen called the Committee of the Whole meeting back to order, with Council Members present as previously listed. TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING July 28, 1981 Page 6 NEW BUSINESS CONTD. Position Upgrade, Park and Recreation Director. Request for Waiver Ted Uomoto, Public Works Director, explained that Puget Power to the Undergrounding has requested that the portion of their service crossing Interurban Ordinance (Sperry Avenue South be allowed to remain overhead. Currently, there is a Marine Dev. 13903 Int.)single phase overhead service crossing Interurban with two overhead wires. Upgrading this service to meet three -phase requirements for the Sperry Marine Building will necessitate the addition of two more wires at the same overhead crossing. It is recommended by Staff that this waiver be granted because the final geometrics of the street will not be known until a survey is completed at the end of this year. The high cost of boring under Interurban for this type of minor modification to an overhead system already in place is excessive. Councilman Hill noted first, the City of Tukwila has an Undergrounding Ordinance requiring this service to go underground. Also, he won- dered if Puget Power is infringing into City Light territory. Councilman Van Dusen asked Mr. Uomoto to look into this. Can they hook on to the City Light line along Interurban? Councilman Phelps said her committee has discussed the merits and methods of upgrading the position of Park and Recreation Director. Council created the position by ordinance when they reorganized the Office of Community Development. The job discription has been expanded to include the new duties and responsibilities. The justification for placing the position at a Grade 3 is the fact that the job position has been reclassified to a Department Head position. Also, there has been a comparision made with 10 cities that have positions similar. Councilman Van Dusen asked if the employee requested this. Don Williams said he requested it through the Acting Administrative Assistant. Mr. Williams reported on the Recreation Departments from the cities that were included on the comparision list. Many cities have the park maintenance division under the Recreation Director. Councilman Phelps said this action is not creating a new position, it is compensating a position that was created last Dec- ember. Councilman Hill said Council should set a Salary Plan that will last and quit "piecemealing." Councilman Phelps explained that Council created most of the expanded duties that go with this position. Councilman Johanson noted the Golf Course was one of the duties and asked why are we leasing the management of the Golf Course out if we are required to supervise it full time. Mr. Williams said some- one still needs to coordinate problem areas with them. Attorney Hard said that Don calls frequently about questions dealing with the operation of the Golf Course. Someone from the City needs to watch over the day to day operation. Councilman Johanson that the responsibilities should fall to different Department Heads depending on the subject. Mayor Todd said that Don did a good job of supervising the development of the trail system. Councilman Van Dusen said there are two different concepts here. One, the concept that we pay by the job and the concept of paying for the work performance of the person. What's before us is the job. Some day I would like to see us pay people on their work performance. Councilman Van Dusen said he would like to see a report on the preliminary salary review before any salaries in the City are raised. It would be hard to say this to anyone else if this salary is raised at this time. Councilman Phelps said that, at the time the Office of Community Development was dissolved, the Planning Director position was taken care of; now, we are taking care of the salary for the Recreation Director. The money will come out of the Miscellaneous Salaries Fund in Non Departmental. Councilman Johanson said that everytime a proposal like this comes up it is based on personalities, this is wrong. I am trying to discuss the Director over the program. TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING July 28, 1981 Page 7 NEW BUSINESS Cont. Position Upgrade, Park Rec. Director Salary Plan Acceptance of Bill of Sale from Jack Benaroya for Traffic Signal. Accepting Dev. Agree- ment from Lloyd Lena Hartong. Three Dev. Agreements for improvements along Interurban. Adjournment: 10:15 PM 33 c MOVED BY PHELPS, SECONDED BY HARRIS THAT THIS ITEM BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING WITH THE PROPER ORDINANCE. MOTION CARRIED WITH JOHANSON VOTING NO. Councilman Phelps said at the May 26 Committee of the Whole Meeting, the Council concurred with the recommendation to engage outside assistance in finalizing the revisions to the Salary Plan. It is my recommendation that the City Council retain Dennis Hidell, former Council Intern, to complete the revisions and make recommendations to the Council regarding adjustments. She also recommended that Council agree to enter into a modified agreement with A.W.C. to help Mr. Hidell in certain areas. Councilman Van Dusen said he would like to see a report back to the Council at some of the benchmark positions. Councilman Phelps said the organized Police Officers, Fire Fighters and Public Works Teamsters Groups were never included in a Salary Plan and they won't in this one. The people we are talking about are the Clerical Teamster Group, Supervisors not unionized and the Department Heads. Councilman Van Dusen suggested they have contracts drawn up and bring them back to Council. Councilman Phelps said they have identified 6 or 7 positions that are out of line with other cities. Council agreed to have the documents drawn up for outside assistance on the Salary Plan and bring them back to Council for approval. Mr. Uomoto said the signal light infront of Southcenter Plaza has not officially been turned over to the City. The installation is complete and in operation. By this Bill of Sale the City will take over the power bill and maintenance. MOVED BY JOHANSON, SECONDED BY PHELPS, THAT THIS ITEM BE FORWARDED TO THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING. MOTION CARRIED. The Developers Agreement assures that there will be parking available for all lots concerned if the property in question is ever sold in separate lots. Property is located on South 144th. MOVED BY JOHANSON, SECONDED BY HILL, THAT THIS ITEM BE FORWARDED TO THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING. MOTION CARRIED. Two of the Developers Agreements are for participation in LIDs for sidewalks and improvements along Interurban Avenue. They are signed by Schneider /Nilsen and Charles Rudd, Record Stationery. The third agreement is from Best Way Motor Freight assuring the installation of separate water meters if the lot is subdivided. MOVED BY HARRIS, SECONDED BY HILL, THAT THIS ITEM BE FORWARDED TO THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING. MOTION CARRIED. MOVED BY HILL, SECONDED BY HARRIS, THAT THE TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE ADJOURN. MOTION CARRIED. Council President' an /Duserr 'City C erk, Maxine Anderson