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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOctober newsletter combinedFrom Mayor David King - October 2013 Budget Time A mysterious noise intruded on my reading the other evening. I turned down the background music and realized that the heat pump had come on for the first time in months. The Cape Cleare salmon trailer is no longer outside the co-op every Thursday and some of the nectar- ines in the stores are getting mealy. Summer‟s over. For many of us that means school, pump- kins and fall colors. At the City it means budget time is looming. It is being a decent year for City finances [finally]. The bellwethers of Sales Tax, Lodging Tax and permit fees are all up and will exceed budget projections. Real Estate Excise Tax receipts (REET) have already done so – over $93K received as of the end of August as against a 2013 budget of $70K. These are strong indicators for further improvement in 2014. Expenses have increased as well however. We have incurred police overtime due to short staffing and the additional load caused by a major mail fraud case. And there have been some higher health care costs for inmates at the jail, which we have to cover if they are in for city violations. These are typical unforeseen ex- penses in excess of budget that we must manage. The cost of running the Development Services Department (DSD) will exceed budget this year as well. Here the City increased staffing levels to meet the growing demand for permit services (building permits are up 35% so far this year) so that the economic recovery in building trades would not be blocked by a permit bot- tleneck. This was a choice. We could have held to our approved budget and added to our reserves - the State Auditor‟s Office (SAO) is not concerned if it takes 90 days to get a building permit. Instead we chose to put the additional revenues to work and support our building trades community. It‟s likely our ending fund balanc- es will be about the same in 2013 as they were in 2012. Recent History This has been our consistent response to the now finally fading “Great Recession” of 2007. As I wrote in the November 2012 newsletter: “I think it‟s fair to characterize the City‟s response… as „the best defense is a good offense.„ Using bond monies and other funds we invested in the economic anchors for the community that we identified in 2008 – Upper Sims Way, our historic waterfront, and Fort Worden.” We have followed this plan even as we have responded to direction from the SAO to restore our ending fund balances, not add to our debt, and restore and maintain utility reserves. Of course we can do more and this year we will be up- dating the City‟s financial policies (first time since l996). Upper Sims We‟ve still got to finish the Howard Street connection to Discovery (toward which we have received a $2.3 million grant from the Transportation Improvement Board) but the commercial area around Upper Sims has already attracted new businesses. And First Western Investments, which owns much of the land around Up- per Sims, reports increased interest in their property Fort Worden Through months of hard work the Fort Worden Public Development Authority has established a close working relationship with Washington State Parks and will be executing a lease to manage the campus area at Fort Worden. This will be a key milestone towards the goal of establishing the Lifelong Learning Center at the Fort that was conceived back in 2006. And the upcoming renovation of Building 202 by a partnership between Washington State Parks, Peninsula College, Jefferson County, and The City of Port Townsend will be starting soon. Historically, major invest- ments at the Fort - the McCurdy Pavilion, the Commons, and the prior restoration of Building 204 - have pro- vided major benefits to the culture and economy of Port Townsend. It‟s reasonable to expect something simi- lar from a modern general-purpose classroom facility supporting higher education at the Fort. Historic Downtown Waterfront If you‟ve lived here for more than a few years you know that the Northwest Maritime Center, the Port‟s invest- ments in Point Hudson, and the City‟s Civic District improvements have opened Point Hudson to the historic downtown and expanded our waterfront‟s center of buoyancy at least three blocks east. Elevated Ice Cream is now the gateway to new explorations and experiences for residents and visitors, not just the place to turn around and head back down the other side of Water Street. What’s Really Concrete On Upper Sims and other civic projects the City has managed an average two-to-one leveraging of the City‟s funds. For Building 202 the City‟s contribution of $500K helped secure $4 million in funds from the State. And the $1 million purchase of an easement at the Maritime Center enabled the completion of that $17 million pro- ject, as well as securing public right of access to the commons around the facility. But the Council and staff cannot guarantee a positive return from these investments. These are, in the end, public investments in the people of the community – in us. Without the concerts and classes held by Centrum and the McCurdy Pavil- ion, Building 204 would be silent and underutilized. Without the efforts of board and staff, and a multitude of volunteers at the Maritime Center, there would be fewer and constrained on-the-water school programs, and no Crawford School bringing professional mariners to town for training. Projects are just things until filled with life and direction by the community. Revisiting Parks and Rec The steering committee for the Metropolitan Parks District (MPD) effort met last month and is seeking re- direction. Due to specific areas of opposition in the unincorporated area of Jefferson County, and a lack of understanding and enthusiasm for the creation of an MPD generally, the committee believes it is “not the fea- sible tool at this time.” The committee suggests that the City and County collaborate on a county-wide solu- tion until an MPD or an alternative is approved by the voters. This was the recommendation in the final report of the Exploratory Regional Parks and Recreation Committee (ERPRC) in 2012. And as was true when the ERPRC published its final report, Port Townsend taxpayers still shoulder a dispro- portionate share of the burden for the system of public parks and recreation in East Jefferson County. Com- plex tables of figures are not necessary to understand this. ALL the people in Jefferson County pay the same amount of property tax TO Jefferson County - $1.56604 per $1000 of assessed value in 2013. So for whatev- er the County is providing – H.J. Carroll and other county parks, support for programs, staff time, etc.- the burden is born equally by city residents and those in the unincorporated areas. Additionally however, the tax- payers of Port Townsend SOLELY support the County's only public pool at Mountain View through the City's general fund. And by agreement with the County SOLELY support the maintenance and operations of the Rec Center and Memorial Field through sales tax we allocate to the County by the Prop 1 ballot measure (approved in 2010). So to whatever extent the Pool, Memorial Field, the Rec Center, and other city parks are used by taxpayers from the unincorporated area, city taxpayers are providing a subsidy. I don‟t want to start an argument about burden and fairness or incite conflict between the City and County, rather the opposite. There is a strong consensus in the broad community that it is appropriate to support parks and recreation with public funds. But as indicated by the community‟s reaction to an MPD, that consen- sus exists only within each jurisdiction and only for traditional expenditures. The challenge is to broaden that consensus. As we do with health and emergency services, are we going to support parks and rec in East Jef- ferson County together on behalf of our common community and without insisting on direct individual benefits, or are we not? First we need to resolve that we will do that together, realize that some will get more than they give and some the reverse, and then figure out how is that to be accomplished with the funds that we all pay to various jurisdictions – how can we reasonably manage burden and fairness? Library Redux We have received nineteen declarations of interest from persons interested in serving on the City‟s Library Advisory Board. This week I will be meeting with Bev Shelton, our interim director, and the existing members of the board to select five names to recommend to City Council, which you will probably know about by the time you read this. The response has been gratifying. Thanks to all who have shown interest and expressed a willingness to serve! New Utility Bill Format October 2013 Perhaps you may have noticed that the City utility bills have a new look? We listened to the com- ments and suggestions of our residents and have incorporated many of those great ideas in the new format. The utility information is clearly defined and hopefully you will find the revised usage history chart to be beneficial. Please take a moment to check out the reverse side of your bill for more pertinent information on current charges and acceptable payment options. If you have any questions concerning your bill, please call us at 379-4409 for further assistance. The following rate chart taken from the City of Port Townsend Water and Sewer Rate Update that was developed by FCS Group and presented at the June 10, 2013 Council Business Meeting, shows that our rates, even with the 2013 increase, are comparable to other cities. Citizen Volunteer Opportunities Consider applying for vacancies on the following Advisory Boards, Committees, and Commissions. Arts Commission Nonmotorized Transportation Advisory Board Parks, Recreation and Tree Advisory Board Planning Commission Most appointments require a three-year commitment. City residency or employment within the City is a requirement for most positions and some special qualifications may apply. Vacancies are open until filled. See the city website for committee descriptions, application, and meeting schedules or contact the City Clerk’s Office at 379-5083 for an application. The Smile Mobile A full service mobile dental office will return to Port Townsend the week of November 12 and to Chimacum the week of November 18. Call 1-888 -286-9105 for an appointment. Jefferson County Public Health is proud to partner with the WA Dental Foundation to provide this service to local children in need of dental services. 2012 Washington State Energy Code Changes Seminar On August 29 in the Pope Marine Building, local building department per- sonnel, architectural designers, builders and interested homeowners at- tended the 2012 Washington State Energy Code Changes Seminar with instructor Gary Nordeen. This kind of ongoing training is necessary to keep the construction industry informed of new or changed requirements for energy conservation measures in new and remodeled structures. Washington State is a leader in the reduction of energy consump- tion in new and existing buildings with a goal of reducing energy consumption by 33 percent over the next 12 years. The Energy Codes were established by the Washington State Legislature in the late 1970's in response to rising fuel prices and environmental concerns and are updated every 3 years. 10th Annual GIRLS’ NIGHT OUT--All Day Too! “IN THE PINK” October 3, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. It’s the 10th anniversary of Port Town- send Main Street’s Girls’ Night Out— a day and night of shopping and dining fun in Up- town and Downtown Thursday, October 3. This year’s theme is “IN THE PINK!”! Thirty-three busi- nesses will offer special events, in-store promo- tions and refreshments from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Check www.ptmainstreet.org or Port Townsend Main Street’s Facebook page for details. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Pro- ceeds from goodie bags and raffle tickets sales benefit Jefferson County Public Health’s Breast and Cervical Health Program for local women in need and the Port Townsend Main Street Pro- gram, a 501c3 nonprofit. This event is sponsored by the Port Townsend Main Street Program, Jef- ferson Healthcare, Ozone Socks and generous participating businesses. NAMI Jefferson County Mental Illness Awareness Week October 6 to 12. For information about local support go to www.namijeffcowa.org. Get Covered Jefferson County! Health Insurance, Affordable Care Act. Starting October 1, Washington residents will have a new way to find, compare and enroll in health insurance. It's called Washington Healthplanfinder, and it gives individuals, families, and small busi- ness owners the confidence to choose the plan that best fits their needs and their budget. Washing- ton Healthplanfinder offers: Apples-to-apples comparisons of health insurance plans; Financial help to pay for copays and premiums; Expert customer support online, by phone, or in-person through a local organization, insurance broker or agent www.wahealthplanfinder.org or Call 1-855-WAFINDER (1-855-923-4633). For in-person assistance contact: Jefferson Healthcare 385-2200, Jefferson County Public Health 385-9400, or Olympic Area Agency on Aging 379-5064. Friends of the Library Used Book Sale Saturday,October 12 Starting 9 a.m. Community Center Uptown Carnegie Library Centennial Birthday Party Come help us celebrate! Monday, October 14, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. in the Carnegie Room, 1220 Lawrence St.