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10-12-2021 Minutes K:\PRHSPS Committee\2021\10-12-2021 Minutes.doc City of Federal Way City Council PARKS, RECREATION, HUMAN SERVICES & PUBLIC SAFETY COUNCIL COMMITTEE Tuesday, October 12, 2021 5:00 p.m. SUMMARY Committee Members Participating Via Zoom: Chair Kochmar, Committee member Baruso Assefa- Dawson Council Member Participating Via Zoom: Council President Honda Staff Members Participating Via Zoom: Joanna Eide, City Attorney, Steve Groom, Finance Director, Chief Andy Hwang, Sarah Bridgeford, Human Services Manager, John Hutton, Parks Director, Jason Gerwen, Parks Deputy Director and Mary Jaenicke, Administrative Assistant II. Guest Via Zoom: Angela San Filippo, Executive Manager of South King County Housing and Homelessness Partners Chair Kochmar called the meeting to order at 5:00pm Public Comment: None BUSINESS ITEMS Approval of Minutes Committee member Assefa-Dawson motioned to approve the September 14, 2021 minutes as written. Chair Kochmar seconded. Motion passed. South King Housing and Homelessness Partners (SKHHP) 2022 Work Plan and Budget Staff Bridgeford provided the background information. The City incurs costs as a member of the South King Housing and Homelessness Partners (SKHHP). $26,000 was included in the adopted budget. There is an increase of $3,900, bringing the total to $29,900.00 for 2022. This increase will be covered by other cost savings at the City. The membership fee is determined by population. Ms. San Filippo presented an overview of 2022 work plan and budget to the committee. This was approved by the SKHHP executive board. Each partner’s legislative body needs to adopt the work plan and budget. There are three objectives that help to guide the work plan process. These include sharing technical information, coordinating public resources and provide a unified voice for South King County needs at a local, regional and state level. The work plan includes three major areas of work that will facilitate implementation of the SKHHP Interlocal Agreement: (1) Governance and Administration; (2) Outreach and education; and (3) Policy and planning. They have been working on developing an administrative plan and structure for the housing capital fund with the goal that they will have that plan adopted towards the end of the year. They are working on establishing a SKHHP 501 (c)(3). A key area of the work plan is to develop some longer term goals and objectives. Three priorities have been identified in the budget: (1) Work towards a balanced budget; (2) Increase staff capacity to two full time positions; and (3) Consider a compensation structure for SKHHP Advisory Board members. Committee member Assefa- Dawson moved to forward the proposed SKHHP 2022 Work Plan and Budget to the October 12, 2021 consent agenda for approval. Chair Kochmar seconded. Motion passed. Portable Toilet Service Contract Amendment Staff Gerwen provided the background information. Due to Covid-19 it was necessary to increase the number of units deployed at various park locations and the frequency of servicing. The proposed amendment will increase the compensation by $50,000 for a total compensation of $138,250.00. Committee member Baruso moved to forward the proposed Amendment to the October 19, 2021 consent agenda for approval. Committee member Assefa-Dawson seconded. Motion passed. PARKS, RECREATION, HUMAN SERVICES & PUBLIC SAFETY COUNCIL COMMITTEE Tuesday, October 12, 2021 Summary Page 2 Tree Services Contract Amendment Staff Gerwen provided the background information. There has been an increase in calls from citizens concerned about dangerous or down trees that are on city properties which threaten private property interests. The budget for tree services is $45,000 per year, which is inadequate. The Parks department stance is to protect the City’s liabilities and to protect the trees. We do not cut down healthy trees, we only cut down trees that are dead, diseased or dying. The proposed amendment will add $247,725.00 in compensation for a total contract amount of $396,225.00. The contract will be extended to March 31, 2025. Committee member Assefa-Dawson moved to forward the proposed Amendment to the October 19, 2021 consent agenda for approval. Committee member Baruso seconded. Motion passed. Lease Temporary Work Trailers for Parks Maintenance Staff Displaced due to Covid-19 Staff Gerwen provided the background information. In February of 2020 the Parks and Public Works management met and felt it was best to separate crews into smaller work groups to ensure there was adequate coverage if a Covid-19 outbreak occurred. The Parks Maintenance Division have been working out of their trucks, broom closets and pipe chases for the past 19 months. Since the pandemic started, there has been numerous changes to the way the Steel Lake Maintenance Shop functions. Public Works has added more than six staff members that now report out of the Steel Lake Shop; it is no longer a joint used facility. City staff is making progress on finding a new maintenance facility; it’s estimated that the city is 18 months to three years from moving into a new facility. All of the expenditures are a justifiable and identified use of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money. The city would enter into a three- year lease agreement that can be pro-rated if there is a need to exit out of the lease. The cost to lease three travel trailers is $165,000.00 per trailer. The total cost estimate for the leased temporary work trailers along with the cost of security, water, power, sewer and site prep is $300,000.00. The Parks Maintenance staff need and deserve to have a dedicated work space to meet, coordinate and function as a work group. Council President Honda stated that she is in full support of the Park Maintenance staff being taken care of, but is frustrated that the Council is being asked to spend ARPA money when the Council has not been given the opportunity to have a discussion about ARPA money. Staff Groom stated that there are two elements; (1) Is it smart to spend ARPA money; and (2) Is it so urgent that you need to make that decision before there is a master plan of how to spend the ARPA funds. The total amount of ARPA funding is 19.2 million. This request is for $300,000.00 and this has enough urgency to grant this request; it’s not a huge dollar amount. Committee member Baruso moved to forward the proposed allocation of ARPA funds in the amount of $300,000.00 for work trailers to temporarily house Parks maintenance staff to the October 19, 2021, consent agenda for approval. Committee member Assefa-Dawson seconded. Motion passed. Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program FY2021 Chief Hwang provided the background information. The Police Department is seeking approval to accept the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance (JAG) Grant award for FY2021 in the amount of $39,550.00; there are no matching funds required for this award. This grant is the primary provider of federal criminal justice system funded projects. The money will be used for replacing equipment in the Bomb Disposal Unit. Committee member Assefa-Dawson moved to forward the 2021 Jag Grant award to the October 19, 2021, consent agenda for approval. Committee member Baruso seconded. Motion passed. Police Department Proposing Additional Personnel and Resources Chief Hwang provided the background information. The Police Department is seeking approval to increase police staffing, expanding the take home car program and bonus pay for new hires. With the changes in the environment, now is the time to invest in the police department to enhance public safety in the community. Chief Hwang’s presentation included an overview of crime statistics, addressing gun violence, the changes in public safety, historical staffing background, the Police Chief’s recommendations and deployment enhancements. The Mayor and the Police department is PARKS, RECREATION, HUMAN SERVICES & PUBLIC SAFETY COUNCIL COMMITTEE Tuesday, October 12, 2021 Summary Page 3 recommending a police force of 150 police officers. They are asking Council to authorize hiring 13 additional new police officers, 13 additional vehicles, two additional records specialists and 15 additional vehicles; this would give all of the patrol officers a take-home car. Staff Groom stated that there are four questions that need to be answered: (1) How do we find “extra money?”; (2) Are there any current-year savings; (3) Is there any new revenue; and (4) How are future years impacted? There are two options to be considered: (1) With ARPA and (2) Without ARPA. With ARPA expenses are covered with about 2 million dollars of the ARPA funding; this would cover the patrol cars. Without ARPA they would use jail savings accumulated in 2021 and projected into 2022. Staff would be directed to come back with a budget amendment for $478,000.00 in the current budget cycle, recognizing sales tax in 2022. There are two options to consider: (1) Approve increases in police staffing, hiring bonus and new vehicle purchase committing ARPA Revenue for the vehicle purchases and funding the remainder from current-year savings; and (2) Approve increases in police department staffing, hiring bonus and new vehicle purchases directing staff to add Sales Tax Revenue to the next budget amendment. Committee member Baruso moved to forward the proposal using Option 1 to the October 19, 2021 City Council Business agenda for approval. Committee member Assefa-Dawson seconded. Motion passed. Ordinance: Revising FWRC 6.35.030 – Pedestrian Interference Staff Eide presented the background information. The city regulates public property; this includes authority over city property and parks, public rights-of-ways and areas within the rights-of-ways such as sidewalks and benches. The Pedestrian Interference code was enacted in 1991, with modifications over time. The city has received concerns from members of the public regarding safe and effective use of public property. All people may use areas within the public right-of-way, including sidewalks, benches and medians in a way that doesn’t interfere with the use of the public at large. The existing code is focused primarily on vehicle traffic. It is a misdemeanor for a person while in the right-of-way to intentionally obstruct pedestrian or vehicular traffic. It does exempt people engaged in development, maintenance and construction type of work. The proposed ordinance adds language to ensure that sidewalks and other areas within the public rights-of-way are not obstructed and may be used by the public as they are intended. They added the definition of sidewalk as it is currently defined in the FWRC for consistency and clarity. It also adds exemptions to restrictions for people with disabilities and activities with an issued permit. The proposed ordinance explicitly prohibits laying or sitting on sidewalks, addresses the use of bus benches to protect their intended purpose and availability to members of the general public. Clarifies existing language for increased organization and enforceability; these changes aim to ensure these public areas are able to be safely used by the general public according to their intended uses. Violation remains a misdemeanor with an added provision that a person violating this section receives notice that their conduct is in violation of the code and that if they refuse to discontinue that conduct they will be subject to a misdemeanor. Restrictions on use must be equally applied to all people regardless of status. Conduct reaches a concern when it reaches the level where it causes threats to public health and safety or welfare of that person or members of the public or interferes with use and enjoyment by other members of the public. Committee member Assefa-Dawson moved to forward the proposed ordinance to First Reading on October 19, 2021. Committee member Baruso seconded. Motion passed. Other None NEXT REGULAR MEETING November 15, 2021 ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned at 7:51 p.m.