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HomeMy WebLinkAboutReg 2012-02-21 Item 7 - Report - City AdministratorCity of Tukwila Jim Haggerton, Mayor CITY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT TO: Mayor Haggerton Councilmembers FROM: David Cline, City Administrator DATE: February 15, 2012 SUBJECT: Report for February 21, 2012 Regular Council Meeting The City Administrator Report is meant to provide the Council, staff and community an update on the activities of the City and on issues that concern the City. This memo is divided into key sections. Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information about any of the following items, and please feel free to contact any of the department heads for additional information. INTERGOVERNMENTAL AND LOCAL ISSUES UPDATE SeaTac Airport Meeting and new Rental Car Facility Tour— February 6 City Administrator David Cline attended a meeting with SeaTac Airport Director Mark Reis and his staff to discuss common interests and toured the new Rental Car Facility that will be opening in the next few months. City staff members will be following up on a discussion on how to quantify the economic impact of the Airport in Tukwila, especially as a source for job opportunities for residents. King County Aerospace Alliance Press Conference February 14 (Attachment) Mayor Haggerton welcomed several Mayors, enterpriseSeattle, Community College representatives, King County Workforce Development, and the County Executive to the South Seattle Community College new training hangar in Tukwila at the King County International Airport. The County shared the results of the King County aerospace study and announced the Alliance's new action plan which is attached. The Alliance may hold an aerospace day in Olympia on 2/21. Tukwila Municipal Court explores providing probation services to SeaTac Judge Kimberly Walden and Court Staff members attended a Council meeting with SeaTac Municipal Court and received a favorable response to the discussion of an Interlocal Agreement for Probation Services. This agreement will be scheduled for discussion at a future Finance and Safety Committee. 61 City Administrator Report Page 2 DEPARTMENT UPDATES FINANCE DEPARTMENT Sales Tax Revenue flat in November Sales tax revenues were basically flat in November 2011 at $1.2 million as compared with the same period last year. For the year, sales tax revenues are up approximately 7 Animal Services The City issued an initial non binding Statement of Intent with respect to an amended and extended animal services agreement with King County on February 14. As discussed at the Finance and Safety Committee, a final commitment and contract is scheduled for discussion in May. In related news, the City Clerk Office is working with King County staff and the Community Policing Coordinator to outline pet licensing outreach efforts to apartments and other partnering opportunities. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Seattle Southside Networking Meeting- February 8 Councilmembers Kathy Hougardy and Alan Ekberg, Economic Development Director Derek Speck, Parks Recreation Director Rick Still and City Administrator David Cline attended the tenth anniversary celebration and annual report for Seattle Southside. At this well attended event, the audience heard of the positive impacts on the local business community from this four city partnership. An ongoing discussion, especially for SeaTac and Tukwila, is the possibility of forming a Tourism Promotion Area (TPA) that would provide additional resources for this effort. Staff members are currently reviewing the formation of a TPA and will bring this to the Council for discussion later this year. DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (DCD) FAA Greener Skies Environmental Assessment The DCD staff are providing their input to this new FAA initiative to significantly improve approach procedures into Sea -Tac airport. This will decrease emissions and flight times while increasing safety. The program is not for traffic coming from the east (over Tukwila) now, but could be expanded in the future. Staff is requesting the study look at increased noise due to the concentration of flight paths (yet reduced thrust and fewer level offs may decrease noise). This was an item that the Highline Forum was briefed on in December 2011. Tree Canopy Survey The City was awarded a $10,000 grant from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources to conduct a tree canopy survey which will be used as part of the City's Comprehensive Plan Update. Sound Transit new Commuter Rail Station Sound Transit submitted their Unclassified Use Permit application for the expansion of the Sounder Commuter Rail Station on the border between Tukwila and Renton. This is a quasi judicial Type 5 application and will be heard by the City Council in the next few months. 62 C Item p \Content.0utlook \ZXOE3Y I C \CAReportFeb21 -2012. docx City Administrator Report Page 3 PUBLIC WORKS LED Street Lights are installed Street crews have finished the installation of LED fixtures in the Urban Center except for the southern parts of Andover Park West and Andover Park East due to lack of service cabinets and meters. These segments will be part of future projects. In an effort to save costs, street crews were able to remove the old fading 2008 Centennial banners from these light poles at the same time as they installed the new LED Street Lights. III. INTERNAL UPDATES Finance Director Update The City received a significant number of applications for the Finance Director position. Or February 14 15, the City conducted a first round interview with nine potential candidates. A final interview is scheduled for February 29 with the top five candidates that will include a city tour and interview panel. Strategic Plan Update The due date for Requests for Proposals is February 17, 2012. An evaluation team will be reviewing the proposals, and it is anticipated this item will come to the Community Affairs and Parks Committee on March 12, 2012. ATTACHMENT: News Release for King County Aerospace Alliance C temp\ Content. Outlook\ ZXOE3YIC \CAReportFeb21- 2012.docx 63 AM, a King County Dow Constantine King County Executive Date: February 14, 2012 LQI King County Aerospace Alliance News Release Contact: Frank Abe, 206 263 -9609 Christine Lange, 206 263 -9752 King County Aerospace Alliance announces unified actions to support a "faster, stronger, better" infrastructure for the aerospace industry County Executive also releases new study that recommends six action areas needed to reinforce the region's competitive advantage. Loans to support expansion of small aerospace companies, streamlined permitting, and workforce navigators to guide students into good paying aerospace careers, were among the actions called for today by King County Executive Dow Constantine and members of the King County Aerospace Alliance as part of a new regional strategy for job growth and prosperity. "This action plan is our roadmap to supporting our local aerospace industry with an infrastructure that is faster, stronger, and better," said Executive Constantine, who first convened the Alliance. "We face global competition not only from legacy manufacturers in Europe, but from new, emerging manufacturers in places like Russia, Canada, China, and Brazil. To be competitive, we need to compete, as a region, on a global scale." The Executive convened the Alliance in October to unite local governments, public sector groups, business, labor and schools toward one goal fostering the global competitiveness of the local aerospace industry an indispensible source of family wage jobs in King County. Alliance members spoke today against the backdrop of the new Aviation Maintenance Technology hangar at South Seattle Community College, an Alliance member. The Alliance's Action Plan is guided by the findings of a new study produced by Accenture, also released today, that confirms the competitive advantage in aerospace this region enjoys, while detailing the commitment, momentum, and follow- through it will take from regional leaders to maintain that advantage. The Executive was joined by Alliance members in outlining six key action steps to support jobs and prosperity: 65 KING COUNTY AEROSPACE ALLIANCE ACTION PLAN page 2 Support the creation of new aerospace firms and technologies By the end of March, enterpriseSeattle will convene a series of meetings with angel investors, venture capitalists, and university researchers to spur innovation through the creation of new firms and technologies. "King County has a rich history of entrepreneurship and innovation in aerospace, with The Boeing Company being our greatest example," said Jeff Marcell, president and CEO of enterpriseSeattle. "The King County Aerospace Alliance will build on this history by working with existing firms and startups to drive the creation of new aerospace technologies to ensure King County remains the world leader in this industry." In support of this effort, Executive Constantine said King County will provide up to $2 million in below- market -rate loans to qualified aerospace companies, by leveraging federal block grants in the existing "Grow King County Fund" (Loans from this fund cannot be made to firms in Auburn, Bellevue, Kent and Seattle cities with separate federal block grant funds Remove barriers and speed the process of new investment To remove the barriers to new investment, Executive Constantine announced the King County Department of Development and Environmental Services (DDES) will establish a single point of contact to coordinate review and to process permit requests at the King County International Airport commonly known as Boeing Field and its aerospace customers. Alliance members will collaborate to provide aerospace companies with a faster and more efficient path to doing business in King County, by speeding the permitting process across all jurisdictions in the county, and working with the state and federal governments to make aerospace and advanced manufacturing plants easier to permit, while maintaining environmental protections. Seattle and King County will also pursue a pilot project to promote industrial development and job growth within the City and the urban unincorporated area of the County. Develop a pipeline of trained aerospace students into the workforce While the average age of workers at Boeing is close to 50, local schools are graduating only half the number of trained workers that Boeing needs for production every year. The Alliance will support creation of the next generation of machinists and engineers through a number of actions that promote today's aerospace industry as an outstanding career choice for students. "This region's aerospace industry is rich in family -wage jobs with a great future in a wide range of career opportunities," said Marlena Sessions, CEO of the Workforce Development Council (WDC) of Seattle -King County. "Our responsibility is to make sure workers are trained to meet the demands of these jobs now and for the next generation." t e: KING COUNTY AEROSPACE ALLIANCE ACTION PLAN page 3 Sessions said her group, for example, will work through youth programs to implement Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) skills programs that engage King County's diverse communities and all students. The WDC will work with labor and K -12 school districts to identify the best practices for training and developing the workforce, and share those ideas across all grade levels and schools. Sessions said the WDC will also use federal workforce dollars to train at least 500 more workers in aerospace and advanced manufacturing. Washington State University, another Alliance member, will work with the Alliance to identify local internship opportunities for engineering students, giving students a foot in the door and industry the opportunity to check out new talent. Coordinate our investments in mobility for freight and workers The action plan calls for regional consensus to identify key roads investments that will fix traffic chokepoints, such as the interchange of I -405 and Highway 167. "Over 350 aerospace suppliers in King County serve a global supply chain where companies rely on getting their products within a specific window of time," said Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke. "Whether it is just down the street to the Boeing Renton plant or around. the globe to other aerospace manufacturers, efficient and reliable freight corridors and transportation options for their employees are essential to their success. If we are to remain internationally competitive, we need to continue making new investments in our roads and transit." King County will extend the F Line RapiclRide route to Renton Landing and the Boeing Renton Plant. Capital finding for the project is in place, and the Alliance will partner with the County to secure operating funds. Solidify our aerospace core to keep the jobs we have and create new ones The action plan calls for development of an aerospace company database and an inventory of available industrial land; targeted recruitment of aerospace companies to fill gaps in King County's supply chain; and marketing of King County at industry events. "The City of Auburn currently offers a web -based property tracking system for our area real estate community to list available sites and assets," said Nancy Backus, Auburn Deputy Mayor and herself a Boeing employee. "We are pleased to announce that the City of Auburn and enterpriseSeattle will be expanding our current program to include all of King County, and we will make this available to all real estate professionals to showcase these important assets that offer expansion opportunities to our aerospace suppliers within King County." "Auburn has been a vital part of the aerospace industry and of Boeing's growth since the sixties, and we see this as an opportunity for the region to succeed and grow for our children's future," added Backus. "The City of Auburn is committed and honored to be a part of the King County Aerospace Alliance. With today's 67 KING COUNTY AEROSPACE ALLIANCE ACTION PLAN 1 page 4 release of the Accenture Study and Alliance Action plan we believe we can develop an even stronger network and aerospace cluster." Collaborate across boundaries and jurisdictional lines with industry, other counties and the state of Washington The Alliance is fostering the long -term vitality of the local aerospace industry through a number of ongoing collaborations among government, industry and educational institutions, with the goal of making Washington State an efficient and productive factory floor. "Renton is proud to be the home of the new 737 MAX, as well as the historic ramp up in production of the 737 NG that is already taking place at Boeing's Renton Plant," said Renton Mayor Denis Law. 'But we must continue to work together to make sure the Puget Sound region remains the best place for the aerospace industry to do business. By working across governmental lines, we can make our business climate more competitive while maintaining our region's high quality of life." "This action plan is the blueprint for keeping our region an aerospace hub and providing family wage jobs in King County," said Metropolitan King County Councilmember Joe McDermott, whose district includes Boeing and part of the Airport. "This multi- faceted approach will improve our economy." Background The King County Aerospace Alliance was launched in October 2011 to unite local jurisdictions, public sector groups, business, labor and schools toward one goal fostering the long -term economic vitality, growth and global competitiveness of the local aerospace industry. While the recent study commissioned by the Washington Aerospace Partnership focused on the state's competitive position for building the 737 MAX, the King County study released today focuses on the actions needed to maintain and grow the local aerospace industry. Boeing announced in November that it would build the new production line in Renton, but the need continues for a coordinated, sustained effort to keep the region competitive on a global scale. Video of the KCAA kickoff news conference can be found here, and the kickoff news release can be found online. Please visit the King County Aerospace Alliance website at www. kin qco un tv. ao v /aerospace. t, W;