Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority Governance Board Meeting Minutes October 15, Hours Fire Station 78

Transcription

1 Call Meeting to Order Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority The Kent Fire Department RFA Governance Board meeting was called to order by Board Vice Chairperson Dennis Higgins at 5:30 p.m. In attendance were Board Members Harry George, Sr., Bill Boyce, Les Thomas, Allan Barrie, and Board Advisory Member Margaret Harto. Board Chairperson Mike Denbo and Board Advisory Member Tony Anderson had excused absences. The following Kent Fire Department RFA staff members were in attendance: Fire Chief Jim Schneider, Deputy Chief John Willits, Deputy Chief Brian Wiwel, Division Chief Pat Pawlak, Division Chief Dominic Marzano, Division Chief Jon Napier, Attorney Brian Snure, Attorney Kinnon Williams, Captain Larry Rabel, Finance Manager Margaret Martin, IT Manager Don Gentry, and Board Secretary Jane Ogren. Several members of the department were in attendance for the Oaths of Office portion of the meeting. Flag Salute The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Agenda Modifications There were two agenda modifications: Move New Business items before the 2015 Budget action items. Executive Session to discuss RCW (1)(f) to receive and evaluate complaints or charges brought against a public officer or employee. Announcements, Proclamations, and Presentations Oaths of Office were given to Captain Ron Lowe and Battalion Chief Dan Conroy. Public Comment There were no public comments. Consent Calendar A MOTION was made by Board Member Thomas and SECONDED by Board Member George to approve the Consent Calendar items. (MOTION CARRIED 5-0). Committee Reports Citizens Advisory Committee The next committee meeting will be November 12, Board Member Reports City of Covington Soos Creek Water will be putting a new lift station in at 156 th and Covington Way/Wax Road. The life station will take 15 months to install. A ground breaking ceremony for the new Covington Medical Center will be held October 28, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. The 2015 budget was presented at the Council meeting on October 14, Page 1

2 City of Kent The third budget workshop was held October 14, Received a report on the finances of ShoWare Center and the B&O Tax in addition to proposals Mayor Cooke is making to change the B&O Tax rates. Trader Joes is open and had one of the best openings in many years. A Sports Authority will be coming to the same complex as Trader Joes. The garbage utility tax will be increased to pay for residential street repairs. The B&O tax current pays for street repairs to arterial streets. City of SeaTac No report was given. Chief s Report Board Meetings The Board Meeting of November 5, 2014 will need to be cancelled due to lack of quorum because of the re-accreditation peer assessor site visit. The next Board Meeting will be held November 19, The Board Meeting in December will be cancelled due to lack of a quorum. Regionalization Update Jurisdictions The City of Tukwila is working through the RFA Exploratory process. They are beginning the financial and planning processes. A workshop is being held with King County EMS on the CARES Program. The peer assessor site visit is 2-1/2 weeks away. The peer assessors will be arriving November 1 and departing November 6, Strategic Planning The draft Plan is close to completion. SeaTac Budget Chief Schneider, Deputy Chief Wiwel, and Finance Manager Martin made a budget presentation to the SeaTac City Council. The Council has elected to not have Public Education services for the next two years. Great Shake Out Division Chief Marzano discussed the Great Shake Out which is being held on October 16, A million people in Washington will be participating in the exercise. Department Reports Finance No report was given. Human Resources In the process of conducting the Engineer promotional test. Entry level Firefighter interviews will be conducted November 17-21, The Kent Fire Department RFA/King County Fire District #37 raised $1, in donations for the Kent Food Bank at the breakfast held on Friday, October 10, Page 2

3 Information Technology No report was given. Attorney Report No report was given. Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority Correspondence Correspondence included in the agenda packet was discussed. Unfinished Business Level of Service Fees No report was given. New Business King County/City of Kent/Kent Fire Department RFA Mitigation Plan (Division Chief Marzano) Hazard mitigation is the use of long-term and short-term policies, programs, projects, and other activities to alleviate the death, injury, and property damage that can result from a disaster. King County and a partnership of local governments within the County have developed and maintained a regional hazard mitigation plan to reduce risks from natural disasters. The plan complies with hazard mitigation planning requirements to maintain eligibility for funding under Federal Emergency Management Agency grant programs. Federal regulations require periodic updates of hazard mitigation plans to reevaluate recommendations, monitor the impacts of actions that have been accomplished, and determine if there is a need to change the focus of mitigation strategies. A jurisdiction covered by a plan that has expired is no longer in compliance with the federal requirements for hazard mitigation planning. King County and a coalition of 39 planning partners prepared an initial hazard mitigation plan that was approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in November This document represents the second comprehensive update (the first update was made in 2009). The 2009 plan update process was truncated after back-to-back disasters in 2009 January flooding and March snowstorms and the emergence of a significant flooding threat in the Green River Valley due to problems at Howard Hanson Dam. The truncated process resulted in a significant decrease in planning partners covered by the regional plan (12 local governments). Many of the original planning partners developed their own plans or let their plans expire. This 2014 update is a return to a truly regional planning effort. Fifty-four local governments are covered by this plan update, including King County, 26 city and town governments, and 27 special purpose districts, as listed in Tables ES-1 and ES-2. The team that prepared the current update also prepared a fiveyear progress report of actions completed by all planning partners whose existing plan is replaced by this update. A MOTION was made by Board Member Thomas and SECONDED by Board Member Boyce to adopt the King County Hazard Mitigation Update and remain a participant in the Regional Mitigation Planning effort. (MOTION CARRIED 5-0) Page 3

4 Waiver of Competitive Bidding Requirements LN Curtis & Sons (Deputy Chief Willits) The Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority needs to replace the current rescue equipment/extrication tools. These tools are 5 to 10 years past their life expectancy. New technology has brought about significant changes in weight and capability of extrication tools. New Hurst tools are lightweight allowing one person handling, and have a greater cutting force able to cut through new materials now used in the construction of vehicles. Maintaining compatibility of Hurst extrication tools reduces repair costs, and keeps training and use of the tools compatible throughout the department. L. N. Curtis & Sons is the only authorized dealer, which is factory trained and certified by Hurst on operation, maintenance, and service of Hurst rescue equipment, therefore, the sole source of supply for Hurst rescue equipment. A MOTION was made by Board Member Barrie and SECONDED by Board Member George to approve Resolution No. 75 to waive the competitive bidding requirements and authorize the Kent Fire Department RFA to purchase Hurst rescue equipment from L.N. Curtis & Sons at the cost of $128,000. (MOTION CARRIED 5-0) Kent Fire Department RFA, Revenue Source/Benefit Charge (FBC) Public Hearing The Public Hearing was opened at 6:10 p.m. by Board Vice Chairperson Higgins. Board Vice Chairperson Higgins read a prepared opening statement for the beginning of the Public Hearing. An overview of the FBC hearing process was given by FBC Attorney Kinnon Williams. Fire Chief Schneider gave a presentation and discussed that the Kent Fire Department RFA budget was created to sustain current levels of service. The 2015 Preliminary budget is a balanced budget. Captain Rabel gave a presentation on the Fire Benefit Charge (FBC). The FBC cannot exceed 60% of the Kent Fire Department RFA operating budget. Captain Rabel reviewed the formula used to calculate the FBC charge. Components used to apportion the FBC is: size of the structure as determined by the King County Assessor; category of the structure residential, commercial, multi-family, mobile home; risk of the structure an effective firefighting force; built in protections, such as sprinkler systems; and hazardous materials and uses. The Public Hearing was then opened for public comments. There were no public comments made. At 6:33 p.m., Board Vice Chairperson Higgins closed the Public Comment portion of the Revenue Source and Benefit Charge Hearing. Page 4

5 2015 Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority Preliminary Budget Adopt Subject to Change (Chief Schneider) The Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority has drafted our preliminary budget. The essence of a preliminary budget is to establish a benchmark for necessary revenues. The 2015 preliminary budget will indicate needed revenues of $49,142,575 for projected expenses of $50,422,575 which includes operating and capital expenses. The 2015 preliminary budget is balanced at this time with cash carry over from the 2014 budget and current firefighter vacancies. The 2015 preliminary budget is a work in progress, and will allow for adjustments as the Board sets policy direction. The 2015 preliminary budget, spending guidelines, and associated revenue requests are consistent with maintaining level of services set by the board. Adopting by motion, the Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority 2015 preliminary budget is a step in the budget/fbc submittal process, which is subject to change. A MOTION was made by Board Member Boyce and SECONDED by Board Member Thomas to adopt the 2015 Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority Preliminary Budget, consistent with maintaining level of services set by the Board, subject to change. (MOTION CARRIED 5-0) Resolution 71 Limit Factor Increase Resolution (Chief Schneider) With the adoption of Resolution Number Seventy-one (71), the Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority Governance Board establishes that the regular levy for 2015 shall be the maximum amount allowable pursuant to RCW , that being the highest amount of regular property taxes that could have been lawfully levied in Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority in any year since A MOTION was made by Board Member Thomas and SECONDED by Board Member Barrie to set the limit factor for the regular levy for calendar year 2015 at the maximum allowable pursuant to RCW (MOTION CARRIED 5-0) Page 5

6 Resolution 72 Property Tax Increase Resolution (Chief Schneider) With the adoption of Resolution Number Seventy-Two (72), the Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority Governance Board establishes that an increase in the regular property tax levy in addition to the increase resulting from the addition of new construction and improvements to property and any increase in the value of state-assessed property, and amounts authorized by law as a result of any annexations that have occurred and refunds made is hereby authorized for the 2015 levy in the amount of $995,694, which is a percentage increase of 6.7% from the previous year. A MOTION was made by Board Member George and SECONDED by Board Member Barrie to authorize an increase in the regular property tax levy for 2015 in the amount of $995,694, which is a 6.7% increase from the previous year. (MOTION CARRIED 5-0) Resolution Establishing 2015 Tax Levy (Chief Schneider) With the adoption of Resolution Number Seventy-three (73), the Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority Governance Board establishes the 2015 tax levy based upon the estimated assessed valuation of property within the boundaries of the Regional Fire Authority based upon information from the King County Assessor s Office. A MOTION was made by Board Member Boyce and SECONDED by Board Member Barrie to authorize an increase in the regular property tax levy for 2015 in the amount of $995,694, which is a 6.7% increase from the previous year. (MOTION CARRIED 5-0) Resolution Establishing a Fire Benefit Charge on personal property and improvements to real property within the Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority boundaries for calendar year 2015 (Chief Schneider) With the adoption of Resolution Number Seventy-four (74), the Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority Governance Board establishes the 2015 fire benefit charge in the total amount of $18,869,288 to be apportioned in accordance with the Schedule for Fire Benefit Charges Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority. A MOTION was made by Board Member Barrie and SECONDED by Board Member George to adopt Resolution No. 73 establishing the 2015 tax levy for the Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority (MOTION CARRIED 5-0) Executive Session A 5-minute Executive Session was called from 6:45 p.m. to 6:50 p.m. to discuss the following: RCW (1) (f) to receive and evaluate complaints or charges brought against a public officer or employee The Executive Session was extended an additional 3 minutes, from 6:50 p.m. to 6:53 p.m. The regular meeting was called back to order at 6:53 p.m. Page 6

7 Good of the Order There was no Good of the Order. Future Meetings Future meetings were reviewed and discussed. Signing of Vouchers Vouchers were not signed the vouchers will be signed at the November 19, 2014 meeting. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned by Board Vice Chairperson Higgins at 7:00 p.m. Page 7