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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOW 2021-09-27 Item 6D - Update - Fire / Emergency Medical Services Advisory CommitteeCOUNCIL AGENDA SYNOPSIS ---------------------------------- Initials Meeting Date Prepared by Mayor's review Council review 9/27/21 LH 10/4/21 LH ITEM INFORMATION ITEMNO. • H STAFF SPONSOR: LAUREL HUMPHREY I ORIGINAL AGENDA DATE: 9/27/21 AGENDA ITEM TITLE Future of Fire/EMS Services Community Advisory Committee Update CATEGORY ® Discussion ® Motion ❑ Resolution ❑ Ordinance ❑ BidAxard ❑ Pubhc Heating ❑ Other Mtg Date 9/27/21 Mtg Date 10/4/21 Mtg Date Mtg Date Mtg Date Mtg Date Mtg Date SPONSOR ® Council ® Mayor ❑ Admin Svcs ❑ DCD ® Finance ® Fire ❑ P&R ❑ Police ❑ PV SPONSOR'S This is intended to provide an update to the Council on the activities of the internal "Future SUMMARY of City Fire Services" internal team and proposed updated Charter for the "Future of Fire/EMS Services Community Advisory Committee." The City Council will be asked to make committee appointments at the October 4, 2021 Regular Meeting. REVIEWED BY ❑ Trans&Infrastructure Svcs ❑ Community Svcs/Safety ❑ Finance & Governance ❑ Planning & Community Dev. LTAC ❑ Arts Comm. ❑ Parks Comm. ❑ Planning Comm. DATE: COMMITTEE CHAIR: RECOMMENDATIONS: SPONSOR/ADMIN. COMMITTEE COST IMPACT / FUND SOURCE EXPENDITURE REQUIRED AMOUNT BUDGETED APPROPRIATION REQUIRED Fund Source: Comments. MTG.DATEI RECORD OF COUNCIL ACTION 9/27/21 10/4/21 MTG. DATE ATTACHMENTS 9/27/21 Informational Memo dated 9/21/21 Draft Charter 10/4/21 125 126 City of Tukwila Allan Ekberg, Mayor INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM TO: City Council Committee of the Whole FROM: Future of City Fire Services Internal Team BY: Allan Ekberg, Mayor David Cline, City Administrator Jay Wittwer, Fire Chief Norm Golden, Deputy Fire Chief James Booth, Fire Captain, Local 2088 President Vicky Carlsen, Finance Director Juan Padilla, HR Director Jake Berry, Public Safety Analyst Laurel Humphrey, Legislative Analyst DATE: September 21, 2021 SUBJECT: Future Fire/EMS Services Community Advisory Committee ISSUE Earlier this year, the City Council determined that creation of an advisory committee would be an important step in the City's deliberations on the future delivery of fire and EMS services in the City, to ensure community engagement on this important issue. BACKGROUND Over the last 15 years, the Puget Sound Region has seen increasing regionalization of fire and EMS service, with numerous cities and fire districts securing voter approval to merge their operations into larger combined agencies or contracting for fire/EMS services from other agencies. The primary motivations have been a desire to capture potential economies of scale, an ability to offer additional services through cost-sharing and responding to budget pressures. The City has been exploring options for regionalization of fire service over the past several years. After a deep financial review in 2019 and in response to a 2019 Council Proviso, the City embarked on an independent review of services which was delivered in March 2021. From these efforts, the Council decided it needed more active community involvement in these discussions and created the plan for an advisory task force in Spring 2021. After a summer of internal meetings, the City is now looking to embark on this "Future of Fire/EMS Community Advisory Committee" in October 2021 with a proposed recommendation by April 2022. The current effort on this subject is led by the "Future of City Fire Services Internal Team" (Team), comprised of representatives from the administration, fire department, finance department and human resources department, as well as outside consultants (facilitator and financial analyst). The Team has been meeting weekly since late June to develop information on the City's current and projected future costs of delivering fire and EMS services through the fire department and gathering data on other service delivery options. The Team's work is progressing, but there is still considerable data to be collected, particularly on the cost and service level implications of contracting with or annexing into other agencies. 127 Future of City Fire MEMO Page 2 In response to the City Council's interest in having a community advisory committee explore these issues with the Council, Mayor and staff, the Team has developed a proposed advisory committee charter and reached agreement on recommended membership for the advisory committee. Both are attached for Council's consideration and action. With Council approval, the advisory committee could begin meeting as soon as October. The Team anticipates that with the early meetings of the committee being dedicated to reviewing City -related information, there will be sufficient time to complete other data collection and analysis for presentation to the committee and Council beginning early next year. DISCUSSION From time to time, the City Council creates special advisory committees on topics of particular interest, to ensure that the voices of the community are heard and can inform the Council's thinking. Council confirms the mission and timeline for these special committees, as well as their membership. Working with our facilitator/consultant, the Team's proposed approach to what is tentatively called the "Future Fire/EMS Community Advisory Committee" is as follows: Proposed Future Fire/EMS Community Advisory Committee Membership: 10-13 community members, representing a variety of interests, backgrounds, and demographics, including residents and business representatives. Proposed membership is set forth at Exhibit A. Each of these individuals has submitted an application to serve on the committee and has confirmed their continued interest and availability to staff in the last two weeks. Timeline: The Committee would start meeting in October and deliver a report to the Council and Mayor by the end of April 2022. Mission: The proposed mission is to provide findings and recommendations to the Mayor and City Council on the following items: A. Sustainability of the Fire Department service levels within existing City revenues. B. Any additional Fire Department programs and staffing services that should be priorities to fund in the near-term (0-6 years). C. Criteria for evaluating the City's options for future fire/EMS service delivery. D. Recommendation as to the preferred option or options for ensuring future provision of high-quality fire/EMS service in the City at a sustainable cost. E. Public engagement strategies for the City to consider as part of deliberations following delivery of the Advisory Committee's report Meetings: The proposed schedule calls for a minimum of nine (9) committee meetings, each two hours in length. The meetings will be held virtually. Additional meetings could be scheduled if necessary to complete the 128 https://tukwilawa.sharepoint.com/sites/mayorsoffice/cc/Council Agenda Items/Council/Draft Council Briefing (v. 9.21.21)_Final_Update.docx Future of City Fire MEMO Page 3 work. The plan is to conduct three meetings in 2021, depending on committee member availability. Meetings would be noticed as public meetings. The Committee could decide to take public comment but the focus of their work would be on reviewing and discussing information provided by the staff team. An independent neutral facilitator will facilitate the meetings and will draft the committee's report and recommendations, at the direction and subject to approval of the committee. Parallel Briefing The information provided to the committee will be posted online and Opportunity for made available to the Council. Council could request briefings from the Council staff team at any point on the material as the work of the committee proceeds. At least one public update to Council from Committee leadership is required under the draft charter.The Council, Mayor and Committee may also meet jointly to discuss Committee's work or to jointly hear information. Chair/Vice-Chair: The proposal is for the Council to appoint the Chair, and have the Committee appoint a Vice -Chair. The Chair/Vice-Chair would work with the facilitator to develop agendas and keep the project on track. Charter: A charter setting forth the committee mission statement, timeline and process rules is provided at Exhibit B. Other: Union representatives have place on each agenda to offer comment. At least one public update to Council from Committee leadership is required under the draft charter. The Council, Mayor and Committee may also meet jointly to discuss Committee's work or to jointly hear information. FINANCIAL IMPACT Consultant time (facilitator, financial analyst) for the committee process will not exceed $40K. Additional costs are anticipated for printing of meeting materials. RECOMMENDATION The Council is being asked to consider the committee membership and charter at the September 27, 2021, Committee of the Whole meeting and make final appointments at the October 4, 2021 Regular Meeting. Committee applications have been distributed under separate cover. ATTACHMENTS Exhibit 1: Draft Committee Charter https://tukwilawa.sharepoint.com/sites/mayorsoffice/cc/Council Agenda Items/Council/Draft Council Briefing (v. 9.21.21)_Final_Update.docx 129 130 CITY OF TUKWILA FUTURE FIRE/EMS SERVICES COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE DRAFT CHARTER Draft dated September 22, 2021 1. MISSION OF COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE. Over the last 15 years, the Puget Sound Region has seen increasing regionalization of fire and EMS service, with numerous service providers securing voter approval to merge their operations into larger combined agencies or contracting for fire/EMS services from other agencies. The primary motivations have been a desire to capture potential economies of scale, an ability to offer additional services through cost-sharing and responding to budget pressures. The City has been exploring options for regionalization of fire service in the past several years. The Mission of the Community Advisory Committee ("Advisory Committee") is to provide advice to the Mayor and City Council with respect to future provision of fire suppression and emergency medical services (fire/EMS) in the City of Tukwila. The Advisory Committee will review data on the City's recent financial history and projections of the City's revenues and expenditures in the next few years specifically including revenues and expenditures history and projections for the Fire Department. The Advisory Committee will review options for future provision of fire/EMS service in the City, with the goal of maintaining high quality fire/EMS service in the City at a sustainable cost. The Advisory Committee is asked to provide findings and recommendations to the Mayor and City Council on the following items: A. Sustainability of the Fire Department service levels within existing City revenues. B. Any additional Fire Department programs and staffing services that should be priorities to fund in the near-term (0-6 years). C. Criteria for evaluating the City's options for future fire/EMS service delivery. D. Recommendation as to the preferred option or options for ensuring future provision of high-quality fire/EMS service in the City at a sustainable cost. E. Public engagement strategies for the City to consider as part of deliberations following delivery of the Advisory Committee's report The Advisory Committee is requested to present a final report outlining its findings and recommendations to the Mayor and Council by the end of April 2022. 131 2. MEMBERSHIP. A. MEMBERS. The Advisory Committee Members have been appointed by the Council. Committee Members will not have alternates. B. RESIGNATION. A Member of the Advisory Committee may resign at any time by delivering written or electronic notice to the City Council President, the Mayor, and Advisory Committee Chair. A resignation shall be effective when the notice is delivered unless the notice specifies a later date. C. DISMISSAL. Any member of the Advisory Committee maybe removed from the Committee by the majority vote of the Committee for three consecutive unexplained absences. The Committee must advise the Member to be dismissed, the Council and the Mayor in writing at least five days before taking the action. D. PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS. Advisory Committee Members may be called on from time to time to comment about the activities of the Advisory Committee or the subject matter under deliberation. In such communications, Advisory Committee Members will take care to distinguish any official Advisory Committee positions from individual Member positions. Advisory Committee Members shall refer inquiries on Committee positions to the Chair for response on behalf of the Advisory Committee. E. APPOINTMENT OF REPLACEMENT MEMBER. Upon the dismissal, resignation or incapacity of a Member of the Committee, the Council President and Mayor shall confer and may appoint a replacement to serve the remainder of the Member's term without confirmation by the Council. F. CHAIR AND VICE -CHAIR. The Council has appointed from among the Committee's membership to serve as Chair of the Committee. The Committee will select its own Vice -Chair. The Council may appoint a new Chair in the event of the Chair's resignation. The Chair and Vice Chair shall have the duties set forth in Section 6. G. DUTIES OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS. It is the responsibility of all Committee members to arrange adequate time to carry out responsibility as a Committee member, come to meetings prepared, communicate with respect and courtesy, and participate in group discussion and decision making. 132 2 4. COMPENSATION. No compensation or reimbursement for expenditures shall be paid by the City for any service as a Member of the Advisory Committee or as an officer of the Advisory Committee. 5. MEETINGS OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE. A. REGULAR AND SPECIAL MEETINGS. The Advisory Committee will meet approximately monthly beginning in October 2021. The goal is to conduct three meetings before the end of the calendaryear, and an additional six meetings between January and April 2022. All meetings will be held online, unless otherwise determined. Additional regular meetings dates, times and locations/technology will be confirmed by the Chair based on the availability of the Advisory Committee Members. Cancellation of meetings, or adding additional regular meetings may be made by decision of the Chair, based on a survey of the availability of Advisory Committee Members. Special meetings of the Advisory Committee may be held at any time and place, whenever called by the Advisory Committee Chair. B. NOTICE OF MEETINGS. Public notice of the meeting date, time and location will be provided on the City website, and the preliminary agenda for meetings will be posted in the City's Digital Records Center. C. AGENDAS. Prior to each regularly scheduled meeting, the Advisory Committee Chair and Vice -Chair working with the Facilitator, shall establish an agenda for the meeting based on discussion and direction from the Advisory Committee at the previous Advisory Committee meeting. At the beginning of the meeting any Advisory Committee Member may request that the Chair add an item to the agenda. The decision whether to add an item shall be made by the Chair. Agendas will be made available to the Advisory Committee Members electronically (by email) at least 3 days prior to the meeting. Staff to the Advisory Committee shall make best efforts to provide all meeting materials electronically to the Advisory Committee in advance of the meeting date. D. QUORUM. A quorum at any meeting shall consist of Advisory Committee Members who represent a simple majority of Members. E. VOTING. The Advisory Committee shall attempt to make decisions by consensus. As necessary, votes will be taken, in which case each Advisory Committee Member in attendance at the meeting shall have one vote. Votes may not be made by proxy. A routine matter shall be approved by a simple majority of all votes cast (e.g., to approve 3 133 the meeting summary, etc.). A supermajority vote, defined as at least 60% of Committee Members present and voting, will be required to secure approval of any recommendation to be included in the Advisory Committee interim and final reports; provided further: 1. A matter will be deemed a "consensus recommendation" if approved by no fewer than 80% of the Advisory Committee Members present and voting. 2. A matter will be deemed a "recommendation" of the Advisory Committee if approved by no fewer than 60% of the Advisory Committee Members present and voting. F. RULES OF ORDER. All meetings of the Advisory Committee shall be conducted in accordance with the latest edition or revision of Robert's Rules of Order, except as otherwise provided in this Charter. G. ADVISORY COMMITTEE MATERIALS TO BE PUBLIC. The deliberations of the Advisory Committee are subject to the Public Records Act [Chapter 42.56 RCW]. H. INPUT FROM FIRE UNION REPRESENTATIVES. The Advisory Committee shall provide an opportunity for input from representatives of the City's fire union representatives at each of its meetings. I. ATTENDANCE OF PUBLIC OR OTHERS AT MEETINGS. Meetings of the Advisory Committee will be open to the public and will be noticed as public meetings. Public Comment will not be taken at meetings, unless so agreed by a supermajority of the Committee Members, in which case individuals offering comment shall be limited to three (3) minutes per person. J. MINUTES. Summary minutes shall be kept of Advisory Committee meetings, recording attendance, general discussion items, decisions and votes (where taken). E. APPOINTMENT OF SUBCOMMITTEES. The Advisory Committee may by majority vote establish subcommittees composed of less than a quorum of Members. Subcommittees shall be governed by the same rules regarding meetings, voting, notice, waiver of notice and quorum as apply to the Advisory Committee. F. UPDATES TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL. The Advisory Committee shall provide at least one public update to the Mayor and Council of its progress at a Committee of the Whole or 134 4 Regular I Meeting. The Advisory Committee, Council and Mayor may determine to conduct a joint meeting or meetings with the Advisory Committee to discuss the Committee's work or be jointly briefed on material. K. FINDINGS, REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. The Facilitator shall draft the Advisory Committee report, and the Advisory Committee shall review and comment on the draft report, and shall approve the final Report by a vote of not less than 60% of those present and voting. Minority reports shall not be allowed; provided that the Advisory Committee final report shall, upon request of Members dissenting from a recommendation, include a summary statement as to position, and rationale therefor, of dissenters. 6. CHAIR OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE. A. DUTIES OF CHAIR. The Chair shall preside at the meetings and shall have the following responsibilities: 1. Preside at regular and special meetings (the Facilitator will facilitate the discussions so that the Chair can participate), and may call regular and special meetings of the Advisory Committee; 2. Working with the Facilitator, confirm the agenda for all meetings; 3. Act as spokesperson for the Advisory Committee and execute documents on behalf of the Advisory Committee; 4. Transmit to the Mayor and Council any approved reports and recommendations of the Advisory Committee; and 5. Such other duties as maybe delegated from time to time by the Advisory Committee. B. VICE -CHAIR. In the case of the absence or inability of the Chair, the Vice -Chair shall assume the powers and duties of the Chair. C. ABSENCE OR INABILITY OF CHAIR AND VICE -CHAIR. In the case of the temporary absence or inability of the Chair and Vice -Chair to act, the Committee may, from time to time, delegate the powers and duties of the Chair to any other Committee member. D. VACANCY. Any vacancy in the post of Chair or Vice -Chair maybe filled by the Council President after conferring with the Mayor without confirmation by the Council. 5 135 7. STAFFING. A. The City Finance Director, City Administrator, Fire Department, and City Attorney shall provide staff support to the Advisory Committee. Advisory Committee members acknowledge that staff have limited time and resources to respond to questions, information requests and/or to do analysis that may be required to answer questions. Staff will make reasonable efforts to address Advisory Committee requests for information or analysis pertinent to the issues under consideration by the Advisory Committee and to do so in a timely manner based on readily available data and analysis. The Advisory Committee may need to prioritize information requests given limited staff time and resources or seek alternate means to secure the desired information. B. The Committee shall have an independent Facilitator to assist it by facilitating meetings, assisting in development of agendas and materials, drafting the Advisory Committee interim and final reports and otherwise assisting the Advisory Committee in procedural matters. C. Staff designated to provide support to the Advisory Committee shall be responsible for the maintenance and circulation of the minutes and agendas of the meetings of the Advisory Committee, and preparation and delivery of all meeting notices, agendas and materials to Advisory Committee Members. 8. ETHICS TRAINING, CONFLICT OF INTEREST, EQUITY POLICY A. Committee members are bound by Tukwila Municipal Code Chapter 2.95, Code of Ethics for Employees and Appointed Officials. Every Committee member must complete Ethics Training and sign an Ethics Training Certification Form within six months of appointment. B. Every Committee member must sign a Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form within 90 days of appointment. C. Every Committee member must read the City of Tukwila Equity Policy. 136