HomeMy WebLinkAbout051923 Financial Sustainability Task Force Meeting MinutesFINANCIAL SUSTAINABILLY TASK FORCE MEETING MINUTES
DATE: May 19, 2023 START TIME: 1:00 p.m. LOCATION: City Hall (In person and virtual)
VOTING MEMBERS PRESENT: Rick Jahnke, Earll Murman, John Nowak
NON-VOTING MEMBERS PRESENT: Berk Consulting Staff: Project Manager Katherine Goetz, Lead Facilitator Julia Tesch,
Financial Analyst Oliver Him.
MEMBERS EXCUSED: MEMBERS ABSENT: Catharine Robinson
CITY STAFF PRESENT: City Manager John Mauro, Director of Finance and Technology Services Connie Anderson, Public Works
Director Steve King, Director of Parks, and Recreation Strategy Carrie Hite, and Planning and Community Development Director
Emma Bolin, Marketing and Communications Manager Shelly Leavens.
Topic
Action
Welcome, Meeting Overview, and Minutes:
Motion: Rick Jahnke made a motion to
City Manager John Mauro welcomed the task force and provided a meeting
approve the April 6, 2023 minutes. John
overview.
Nowak seconded.
Vote: Motion passed 3 to 0.
Roundtable reflecting on joint meeting with City Council:
Berk Consulting Project Manager Katherine Goetz provided the City of Port
Townsend Financial Sustainability Taskforce presentation which included
Objective, Project Schedule, and Meeting Arc.
BERK Consulting Lead Facilitator Julia Tesch explained the Roundtable
Reflection: Joint Meeting with Council.
The Taskforce and staff discussed takeaways from the Joint City
Council/Financial Sustainability Taskforce meeting which included systems
perspective in context of community impact, strategic level of thinking, being
impressed with agreement on document, opposition to impact fees, taxes,
excitement for upcoming conversations, whitepaper, and density impact fee.
Review principles for recommendations:
Ms. Tesch continued with presentation which included Our Final Product:
Recommendations to Council.
Topic
Action
The Taskforce discussed packets including systems, holistic view, the term
"indefinitely," importance of non -tax options, Growth Management, idea of
preamble, graphically showing how each recommendation contributes to
overall goal, and impact fees.
Ms. Tesch continued with presentation which included Path to Developing
Recommendations.
Discussion of options:
Ms. Tesch continued the presentation which included Discussion of Options,
Process to Analyze Options Tax Options (17 Options).
Discussion ensued around Taskforce rankings vs. staff rankings,
Transportation Benefit District vehicle license fee, reason for staff not providing
a ranking, staff process, table data manipulation, intention of table, and Pool
Stakeholder Committee.
Ms. Goetz continued with presentation which included Level of Service.
Discussion ensued around numbers not being exact, importance of
fundamentals, General Obligation Debt, only counting expense, A La Carte
items.
Ms. Goetz continued with presentation which included Options Discussion.
Discussion ensued around lack of options in City, whitepaper, attainable
housing, efficient use of existing resources, Planning Commission involvement,
economic development, Parking Fee revenue, Pool Use Fee, Impact Fees -
Transportation, Impact Fees in relation to Affordable Housing, Property Tax
burdens, Metropolitan Park District property tax, Salish Coast Elementary
process, and tax levy trend.
Discussion continued around general property tax increase not being well
received, general property tax levy vs. Metropolitan Park District, Parks and
Recreation/Parks and Recreation Service being removed from options list,
Topic
Action
Property tax increase moving to bottom of options list, and importance of
combining with non-tax options.
Ms. Goetz continued on with presentation which included Non-Tax Options.
Discussion ensued around Glen Cove UGA process and rating, combination of
library services, phasing exercise, efficiency improvements as a non-tax
option, structured performance/process improvement, staff burn out, reserve
balance process and strategies, and spreadsheet ranking process.
Ms. Goetz continued with presentation which included Summary Discussion.
Discussion ensued around maintaining services and including some enhanced
services, "do nothing" not being an option, importance of communication with
community, Taskforce to see early draft of report to allow for comments, and
valuing staff opinions.
Next Steps and Adjourn:
Ms. Goetz continued with the presentation which included Next Steps.
Discussion ensued around additional spreadsheet in packet and rates at
Mountain View.
Mr. Mauro shared the Financial Sustainability video.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned 3:OOpm.
Next Regular Meeting: