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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJanuary 2014From Mayor David King - January 2014 Can’t Talk. Gotta Go. I apologize for the haste of this Newsletter. Since approving “first reading” of the City’s 2014 budget on December 2nd (adopted 12/9) I have met with City and/or County staff and/or elected officials on 12/5, 12/6, 12/12 and 12/16 on possible solutions for the fu- ture of the Mountain View Campus in the City, and Parks and Recreation for the whole County. Since the County’s only public pool is at Mountain View these discussions are interrelated for the City. You will be reading this in the shiny new days of 2014 with a year of possibilities before you, but I’m still mired in the final days of 2013. We’ll be meeting with the County again tomorrow (12/20). Consequently doing the work has not left me enough time to craft much of a report on it. But… 2013 Carried Over to 2014 Page 17 (may be different after the formatting is complete) of the Budget Overview that will be pub- lished with the full budget document in February contains the following list of 2014 COUNCIL AND CITY-WIDE GOALS - a good summary of what Council did not complete in 2013 and will continue to work on in 2014. Here’s the list with some notes:  Begin the 2014-16 multi-year Comprehensive Plan Update - Job 1 - This will be a com- munity-wide conversation about our goals and future. This process will be a focus for the Planning Commission, including multiple opportunities for public input, for the next couple of years.  LT2 Water System Improvements - Filtration Plant and 5 Million Gallon Reservoir - Council has approved the plan for filtration to address the requirement for secondary treatment of our water supply. Staff work in 2014 will be about getting the project under- way. Council and senior staff will be trying to secure financial aid from the State or the Federal government to help with the major increase in cost. Citizens may be able to help with this.  Maintain support for the three major strategic investment goals: Complete Downtown Streetscape and Maritime Center – Mostly done. We don’t have funding for the remainder at this time. Sims Way Gateway and Howard Street Improvements - We are finally going to be able to continue Howard Street to Discovery. This will be a major milestone for providing infrastructure for business development along Upper Sims Way. Fort Worden PDA improvements and Building 202 project – Limited to oversight of the use of our $500K contribution to the project.  Determine and implement needed Mountain View Campus repairs and ensure operations funding in support of both City and not-for-profit tenants  Develop long-term Regional Parks and Recreation with the County These last two are the issues that are keeping me up at night right now as limited fund- ing is making solutions difficult. Though they will occupy much of our time in 2014, I hope we’ve made some progress and that I’m sleeping better by the time you read this.  Establish a policy for a long-term Street Funding Plan & Pavement Management - For years we have been financing other priorities by underfunding local street maintenance. But it can’t go on indefinitely and needs to be addressed in our long term planning.  Repay internal cash flow intrafund balancing and interfund loans – This relates to clean- ing up and consolidating some of our funds related to specific capital projects that are complete or nearly so.  Revise Overhead Cost Recovery Model – Capital projects require a lot of support time from City staff. Just as in a private business this “overhead” is part of the project’s overall cost. The City’s policy in recent years has been to allocate 10% of the projects cost to overhead. Because of the large utility projects we’re undertaking in the next couple of years we have to revise that policy in order to avoid large, and misleading, swings in our revenue projections.  Revise Training/Travel Policy – Travel policy and expense came up in the recent elec- tion. The City needs to make sure that staff qualifications are kept current with an ade- quate training budget. Additionally we need to provide the resources for senior staff and elected officials to interact directly with Federal and State institutions that affect us. These are not “perks” or vacations. (I’ll stay here – YOU go to Olympia)  Revise Purchasing Policy - This is a housekeeping measure to update our purchasing policies.  Evaluate possibility of two-year Budget – A biennial budgeting process could be more efficient and allow for more meaningful public input.  Consolidate and update City Financial Policies, Forecasts, and 5-Year Financial Plan – We’ve not revised our financial policies since 1996. The team assembled by our City Manager, with help from Interim Finance Director Bob Jean, just completed the most thorough budget process I’ve experienced on Council and we need to codify that process, and things we learned from it, in revisions to these policies.  Update Equipment Rental and Replacement (ERR) Fund contribution schedules – There is still some cleanup to do in how the City manages the purchasing and cost al- location of major pieces of equipment - mostly for police and utilities. And the process needs to be made clearer and more transparent.  Succession Planning for anticipated senior staff transition over next 2-3 years - For years the City has benefited from an exceptionally skilled and motivated staff. But many are approaching retirement age. We need to plan for these staff changes and to update our administrative structure.  Library repairs and relocation to historic Carnegie Library - Also keeping me awake at night. I think the Library should be back in the Carnegie campus no later than mid- year, and it’s unlikely that all repairs could be completed by then. We have an urgent need to figure out how it’s to be done and what we will end up with, all within limited funding availability. Raw nerves resulting from the recent failed ballot measure will like- ly make an already difficult process more so.  System Development Charges Update and Payment Policy – When Council approved the Utility Rate schedule we deferred final approval of the System Development Charges that are levied against new buildings attaching to our water and sewer so that we could work with local builders and developers to develop a schedule that recogniz- es their investment in infrastructure and accommodates their cash flow constraints. This is not a comprehensive list of what Council will take on in 2014 – just what we’re starting with. We have spent the last several years reacting to challenges imposed by events outside our control. Though some of these remain, the success we’ve had responding to them thus far and the planning effort we’ve got to undertake, will make 2014 more proactive. There will be no shortage of new things to write about and discuss. Concurrent with the City’s efforts to address the future of Mountain View, Council will be working with the City Manager to craft a strategic plan for the next several years – kind of a bridge to support and coordinate with the Comprehen- sive Plan revision process that will be getting underway at the same time. And the City is looking at new ways to encourage and implement public participation in dealing with these and other lo- cal issues. So I’m looking forward to 2014. Just kinda wish it would hurry up and get here. Library Hours for January 3 January 2014 On Friday, January 3, the Library will open at 12 noon instead of 10 a.m. Library staff will be spending the morning discussing library operations, services and plans in anticipation of the move back to the Carnegie Building in 2014. Stay tuned for future developments. Kah Tai Lagoon Nature Park Work Party Join us Sunday, January 26 anytime between 9 a.m. and noon for a work party at Kah Tai Lagoon Nature Park. We will be pulling Scot’s Broom and picking up garbage. Park at the parking lot near the bathrooms and walk east toward the Benedict Street entrance southeast of the small pond. Look for a white Chevy pick-up and a bright green ‘volunteer’ sign. Wear warm work clothes and bring work gloves. Bring pruners if you have them. Water, tea, home made cookies, garbage bags and Scot’s Broom pullers will be provided. Hope to see you there! (rosemarysikes@olympus.net or 385-0307) Marine Debris The 1-855-WACOAST state hotline set up for reporting marine debris has been taken off-line as of Dec. 31, 2013. People will still be able to report hazardous marine debris – such as gas cans, cylinders and oil drums – 24 hours a day to 1-800-OILS-911. People also are urged to continue reporting nonhazardous marine debris that is suspected to be from the tragic 2011 Japan tsunami via email to DisasterDebris@noaa.gov. NOAA requests people include pho- tographs and any identifying information, when possible, as well as the specific location of the debris. Maritime Discovery Schools Initiative Port Townsend Schools are launching a five-year effort to transform public education through a central, place-based maritime framework. By connecting learning to the richness of our community, the potential of our classrooms is limitless. Imagine this: science and biology through learning about the beach, growing shellfish, building a boat or an underwater robot; connecting civics and history lessons to the ports of call of passing ships. The Maritime Discovery Schools initiative is a first of its kind. To find out about the development of this program, visit maritimediscovery.org. Christmas Tree Pickup Week Curbside recycling customers can place their trees out for regular yard waste pickup January 6-10. If your tree is over 4 feet tall, please cut it in half before you place it out for pick-up. Trees need to be clean - no flocked trees will be accepted; all tinsel, ornaments, and wood stands must be removed prior to recy- cling or a regular garbage fee will be applied. You can also self-haul your tree to the City’s Bio- solids Composting Facility, located at the Jeffer- son County Transfer Station Facility off Jacob Miller Road. There is a minimum charge of $5.00 for up to 200 lbs of yard debris at this site. It is open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 385-7908. Missing your two-wheeled transportation? The Police Department may have your ride. Every week the Police Department picks up abandoned bicycles in hopes that the rightful owners will be reunited with their pedal-powered transportation. Some of the bicycles are new and expensive, others are rusted and old. But the bicycles all share one thing in common: there has got to be someone in Port Townsend missing them. Occasionally someone reports a stolen bicycle and it is matched with a bike officers have picked up somewhere in town. But most of the time the bicycles remain unclaimed. The Police Department keeps found bicycles for 60 days before donating them to charity. Currently, about 20 bicycles and several small motorcycles are on hand waiting to be reunited with their rider. People who have had a bicycle go missing can stop by the Police Department at Mountain View Commons, 1925 Blaine St., during business hours to see if their property has been recovered. To claim a bike, a good description will be needed. It helps to have the make, model, and color of the bicycle. If available, a serial number can conclusively link a bicycle to its owner. 10th Annual Strange Brewfest  Friday, January 24, 5 p.m.- midnight, and  Saturday, January 25, 1 p.m.- midnight Hosted by the American Legion, over 30 NW Breweries with over 60 'strange' brews will be featured. Live musical perfor- mances by The Polyrhythmics, Lucky Brown & the Funk Revolution, Rippin' Chicken, Swindler, LoWire, and more! Your $30 entry gives you a souvenir drinking glass, 4 drink tokens and access to the Festival. This is a 21 and over event - no minors and no dogs. Please check out the Strange Brewfest website for this year's theme & more details: www.strangebrewfestpt.com - come join the fun! Take a Step Toward Climate Action walk to work or school, carpool, ride a bike, recycle To learn more about Climate Action in our community visit:  JeffersonCAN.org  co.jefferson.wa.us/commdevelopment/ ClimateChange.htm Jefferson County Guardian Ad Litem Training Learn to advocate for an abused child! The pro- gram is now accepting applications through Febru- ary 3. Call 385-9190 or visit http:// jeffersoncountygal.org for an application and infor- mation. Mail applications to: Paula Martin, GAL Program Coordinator Jefferson County Juvenile &Family Court Services PO Box 1220 Port Townsend, Washington 98368 Port Townsend Swimming Pool 2014 Schedule Programs, Fitness Classes, Contract Users, Swim Lessons! The 2014 schedule for the Pool is bursting at the seams. Take a look at the current on -line schedule at www.cityofpt.us/pool.htm for programs suited to you or to find out when you can enjoy Open Swim times. Swim lessons are available. Curriculum has been designed to highlight the unique aquatic opportu- nities of our region, while introducing basic swimming skills and refining these skills as the levels progress. All swim classes emphasize water safety skills and awareness at the appropriate level. Also, the Pool is available for birthday parties, events and other gatherings. Contact Pool Operators at 1919 Blaine St. or call 385-7665 with any questions you may have regarding programs, lessons or facility rental.