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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11301998 Port Townsend City Council Minutes of the Special Meeting of November 30, 1998 The meeting was called to order by Mayor McCulloch at 5:10 p.m. Council members present were Joe Finnie, Forrest Rainbo, Ian Keith, Ted Shoulberg, Mark Welch, Peter Badame, and Kathryn Jenks. The purpose of the meeting was continued discussion of the 1999 budget. Public Works Administration Ms. Jenks moved to address consolidation of five positions within the department: Civil Engineer, Bevelopment Review Engineer, CAI)I) I)esigner, Project Manager/GIS Coordinator, and Planning Specialist. The motion died for lack of a second. Mr. Finnie moved that within the total of 5 Full Time Equivalent positions in Public Works Administration and 7.6 Full Time Equivalent positions in Engineering plus consultants, that we job responsibilities be realloeated and job descriptions reworked to reduce the staff by 2 full time equivalents. (CAI)I) I)esigner, Project manager/GIS Coordinator, I)evelopment Review Specialist, I)evelopment Review Engineer, Civil Engineer) Mr. Badame seconded. Mr. Finnie clarified that the motion addresses specifically looking at consolidating the five above positions into 3 After lengthy discussion, the councilors agreed to postpone further discussion until after scheduled public comment time (6:30). Postpone discussion until after public comment and presentation. Public comment (6:30 p.m.) Brent Shirley: Maritime Center. Requested council to leave the community project portion of the LTAC budget intact until a proposal is received from Maritime Center. Mr. Shoulberg noted that no LTAC projects have been recommended for funding yet, but committee is in the process of establishing criteria for capital project spending. Peter Simpson - Supporting Maritime Center There were no further public comments. The meeting was recessed at 6:45 and reconvened at 7:10 p.m. City Council Page 1 November 30, 1998 After an introduction by Mr. Welch and a short presentation by consultant Paula Mackrow, regarding the possibility of a matching grant from Fish and Wildlife toward the purchase of Kah Tai Park property, Mr. Welch noted that the deadline for application was the upcoming Friday. Mr. Welch moved that the council direct the mayor to sign the grant application to the National Fish and Wildlife Service. for the city. Mr. Keith seconded. The motion carried unanimously by voice vote. Resolution No. 98- A Resolution of the City Council of the City of port Townend, Requesting that the Jefferson County Auditor Conduct the Special City Council Election to be Held Therein on the 2nd Day of February, 1999, by Mail Ballot, in Accordance with RCW 29.36.121 Mr. Keith moved that the resolution be placed on the agenda for the regular council meeting on December 7. Mr. Shoulberg seconded. Voice vote: motion carries unanimously 7-0 The council then returned to the previous motion regarding consolidation of positions in the Engineering Department: Mr. Keith proposed a friendly amendment to add to the motion a statement that it would be put into effect only if necessary and to the extent necessary to maintain a zero rate increase in 1999. Mr. Finnie accepted the amendment, but Mr. Badame did not. Mr. Keith then proposed a friendly amendment that the motion take effect only if necessary to maintain a 1999 rate increase in an amount no greater than necessary to cover the cost of the upgrade to the general ledger accounting system. The motion was not accepted by Mr. Badame. Mr. Keith moved to amend the main motion to note that the staff cuts would go into effect if necessary and to the extent necessary to maintain a zero rate increase in 1999. Mr. Welch seconded. The amendment failed 3-4, with Councilors Rambo, Badame, Jenks and Shoulberg opposed. The main motion returned to the floor: within the total of 5 Full Time Equivalent positions in Public Works Administration and 7.6 Full Time Equivalent positions in Engineering plus consultants, that the job responsibilities be reallocated and job descriptions reworked to reduce the staff by 2 full time equivalents. (CADD Designer, Project manager/GIS Coordinator, Development Review Specialist, Development Review Engineer, Civil Engineer). City Council Page 2 November 30, 1998 Ms. Jenks proposed a friendly amendment: that the intent of the motion is to lead into a next step which is discussing consolidation with the Public Works Department of these five positions to be followed by council and staff analysis and resequencing of the O&M and capital projects so as to recognize this action. Mr. Finnie accepted the amendment. Mr. Badame did not. Ms. Jenks then proposed the above amendment as a motion. The motion died for lack of a second. Mr. Badame then proposed a friendly amendment that the motion include a zero percent utility rate increase, no diminution in O&M activities, that is does include the funding for the Development Review position and that it also include increases in development revue revenue recovery scale, elimination of a Tier I engineering subsidy, and the assumption that it cover the cost of one half of the general ledger software expense due from the utility fund. This motion was ruled out of order as not being germane to the main motion. Vote on the main motion was the taken and failed 4-3 with Rambo, Keith, Welch and Badame opposed. Mr. Rambo then moved for tentative adoption of the Public Words Administration Budget as amended. Mr. Welch seconded. The motion carried 6-1, with Mr. Badame opposed. Engineering Department Mr. Keith moved for tentative approval of the Engineering Budget. Mr. Rambo seconded. Ms. Jenks proposed an amendment to add that it is understood that the council will peruse over the next few months the Engineering Department workload, with the objective of exploring the potential of consolidating one or more position. Mr. Finnie seconded. After some discussion, the motion to amend was withdrawn. Ms. Jenks moved to add a Development Review position to the Engineering budget. Mr. Badame seconded. Mr. Badame then proposed a friendly amendment to fund the Development Review position from a combination of current projected staffing expenditures and an increase in the development review revenue. The maker of the motion did not accept the amendment. Mr. Badame then moved to amend the initial motion as above. The motion died for lack of a second. City Council Page 3 November 30, 1998 Vote on the motion to amend approval of the Engineering Department budget by adding a Development Engineer position failed 4-3, by voice vote, with Shoulberg, Finnie, Keith and Badame opposed. The main motion returned to the floor. Ms. Jenks proposed an amendment that would provide for consolidation of the Project Manager/GIS Coordinator and CADD Designer into one position. Mr. Shoulberg seconded. The motion carried 4-3, with Welch, Keith and Rambo opposed. Mr. Badame proposed an amendment to create a combined Development Review and Project Manager/Civil Engineer position and eliminate consulting services for development review. Ms. Jenks seconded. The motion to amend carried 4-3, with Keith, Rambo and Welch opposed. Vote on the main motion as amended: Tentatively approve the Engineering Division Budget with consolidation of the Project Manager/GIS Coordinator and CADD Designer and consolidation of the Development Review and Civil Engineer positions. The motion carried 4-3, with Keith, Welch and Badame opposed. The meeting was recessed at 9:15 p.m. and reconvened at 9:28 p.m. Parks and Recreation Mr. Rambo moved that the council set a date in December as a committee of the whole to prioritize the Public works CIP Projects. Ms. Jenks seconded. The motion carried unanimously 7-0 by voice vote. The meeting will be continued to Friday, December 4 at 10:00. Mr. Rambo moved to create a new Facilities Maintenance Department which would include park maintenance but not recreation programs as a department function. The motion died for lack of a second. Mr. Shoulberg moved to tentatively approve the Parks Maintenance budget with an increased appropriation of $13,500 to fund a half time seasonal staff person. Mr. Welch seconded. Mr. Badame proposed an amendment to add another half time seasonal employee at an additional $13,500. Mr. Shoulberg seconded. The motion carried 5-2, with Keith and Shoulberg opposed. CiO/Council Page 4 November 30, 1998 Vote on the main motion to approve the Parks Maintenance budget with increased appropriation of $27,000 for addition of two half time seasonal position. Motion carried 5- 2 with Keith and Shoulberg opposed. Recreation: Mr. Welch moved for approval of the Recreation Budget with a $21,000 net increase (Water Safety Instructor $28,000 less $15,000 in additional fees and extra $8,000 for kids at risk in summer and winter enrichment programs.) Mr. Finnie seconded. Mr. Finnie seconded. There was some discussion about the proposed salary increases for the Pool Director and the Recreation Director. Mr. Welch suggested postponing discussion on the pool budget until a staff representative can be present (at the continued meeting). Mr. Welch moved to increase the Recreation budget by $8,000 for kids at risk camp programs. Mr. Finnie seconded. The Motion carried 4-3, with Shoulberg, Keith and Rambo opposed. Executive Session The Mayor announced an executive session expected to last approximately 15 minutes regarding property acquisition. No action was anticipated. Mr. McMahan joined the council for the session at 11:20 p.m. At 11:35 p.m. the meeting was reconvened. No further action was taken and the meeting was continued to Friday, December 4 at 10 a.m. in council chambers. City Council Page $ November 30, 1998