2020-11-24 FEDRAC MINUTEScity OF
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City Council
Finance/Economic Development/Regional Affairs Committee
Tuesday, November 24, 2020 5:00 p.m.
SUMMARY MINUTES
Meeting held remotely via Zoom
CALL TO ORDER: Council Chair Hoang Tran called the meeting to order at 5:01 p.m.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS VIA ZOOM: Chair Tran; Councilmember Craft and Councilmember Kochmar.
COUNCILMEMBERS VIA ZOOM: Council President Honda; Councilmember Baruso and Councilmember
Assefa — Dawson.
STAFF MEMBERS VIA ZOOM: Finance Director, Ade Ariwoola; Accounting Manager, Chase Donnelly;
City Attorney, Ryan Call; Deputy Chief of Police, Stephan Neal; Community Development Director,
Brian Davis; Public Works Director, EJ Walsh; IT Technician, Xiao Guo; Executive Assistant to the
Council, Jeri -Lynn Clark; and Administrative Assistant, Jennifer Pettie.
PUBLIC COMMENT: No public comment
A. Approval of Summary Minutes — October 27, 2020 Meeting
Motion made by Councilmember Kochmar to approve the minutes from October 27, 2020;
motion seconded by Councilmember Craft and carried 3-0.
B. Police Overtime Expenditure: Presented by Deputy Chief of Police, Stephen Neal.
Deputy Chief of Police Stephan Neal stated the Police Overtime Budget is $1.01 million dollars.
That includes $767,000 for city overtime as well as $239,000 for billable overtime. Deputy Chief
Neal added that as of September, they are over the allotted budget by roughly 25%. There was an
officer involved shooting on New Year's Eve, which involved 7 police officers who where placed
on administrative leave for two months. That was an entire police squad and had to replace those
officers on overtime which increased the January and February overtime budget by about double.
There was also a homicide in the beginning of 2020 and with homicide investigations there are
special teams and special equipment and usually take days, weeks, and sometimes months in
order to investigate those types of crimes. There are independent variables that happen
throughout the year including court appearances and critical instances. Backfill is required
because the police department needs to maintain minimum staffing levels in the patrol division
to provide the service our community expects.
Chair Tran thanked Deputy Chief Neal for the report and also thanked Chief Hwang for sending
the very detailed report to Council. Chair Tran stated it is very clear there were major events
during 2020 that impacted the amount of overtime that was used. Chair Tran asked if we
increased the number of officers, would that help reduce overtime? Deputy Chief Neal answered
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it can, but when you look at the critical incidences those are from the detective divisions, special
investigations unit, or the detectives themselves. In those instances, it does not directly impact
the patrol division. In court appearances, it doesn't matter how many officers are working. If they
have to appear in court, it is mandatory. When they have full or extra staff, it really doesn't affect
overtime.
Councilmember Greg Baruso asked Deputy Chief Neal if he could differentiate how much backfill
was done versus operational? CM Baruso added if anytime an officer goes to court, is that paid
for as well? Chief Neal answered that is correct, and gave an example of an officer who may work
overnight and has court the next day they will get overtime for their court appearance. If for
some reason they are unable to do that and are at minimum staffing they will backfill the officer
to maintain the minimum standing levels.
Councilmember Assefa-Dawson asked when there is a regional response and our officers go to
other cities when there is a call, who covers the cost? Chief Neal stated the mutual agreement
with other departments is we pay the overtime and the officer's wages.
This item was for information/discussion purposes only.
C. Resolution: 2021 Fee Schedule: Presented by Finance Director, A& Ariwoola.
Finance Director Ariwoola stated Public Works Director EJ Walsh and Community Development
Director Brian Davis are available if anyone on the Committee had questions regarding the 2021
proposed Fee Schedule.
The City sets fees for various items within its jurisdiction. The fees are reviewed every year by
each department and adjusted annually. The fee increases are based on inflation or recovery
costs associated with various licenses, permit processes and other business activities provided by
the City. '
The Committee addressed various questions they had with the appropriate department Directors.
Chair Tran asked the Committee if they should delay forwarding the 2021 Fee Schedule so some
of the unanswered questions can be addressed? Council President Honda asked if the Fee
Schedule can be revised after the first of the year? Finance Director Ariwoola stated yes, it can be
revised and added clarification can be discussed at the next FEDRAC or Council meeting. Council
President Honda is okay with approving as long as we have the ability to revise if necessary.
City Attorney Ryan Call stated the Fee Schedule can be modified at any time. He added it also
doesn't have to go to the consent agenda, it can go on the business agenda to be discussed again
at the Council meeting.
Community Development Director Brian Davis added there is a correction on the Fee Schedule
that needed to be changed. Section Thirteen under School Impact Fees "Mixed -Use Residential in
accordance with Ordinance No. 95-249" needs to go up by 1.7% to $10,561 for 2021 as well as
the "Plus City Administrative Fee @ 5%" also needs to go up by 1.7% to $528 for 2021.
F �
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Motion made by Councilmember Kochmar to forward the corrected Resolution: 2021 Fee
Schedule to the December 1st, 2020 consent agenda for approval, motion seconded by
Councilmember Craft and carried 3-0.
D. Vouchers — October 2020: Presented by Finance Director, Ade Ariwoola.
Questions were sent through email earlier to the Finance Director and the questions were
answered and sent back to all Councilmembers.
Motion made by Councilmember Kochmar to forward the October 2020 Vouchers to the
December 1st, 2020 consent agenda for approval; motion seconded by Councilmember Craft
and carried 3-0.
E. Monthly Financial Report — October 2020: Presented by Finance Director, Ade Ariwoola.
Finance Director Ariwoola shared his screen and summarized the October 2020 Monthly Financial
Report. Notable areas include:
• Community Development Permits and Fees
® Utility tax
• General & Street Fund
Federal Way Community Center
d Real Estate Excise Tax (REET)
• Sales Tax
• Proposition 1
m Hotel/Motel Lodging Tax
Jail Services
m Traffic Safety Red Light/School Zone
o Dumas Bay Centre
Council President Honda asked if Finance Director Ariwoola knows why the cellular phone tax
revenue is going down and is it a trend with other cities as well? Finance Director Ariwoola has
spoken to colleagues in other cities and they have noticed if younger families move into the
community, there are times someone outside the city is paying the cell phone bill. Same as when
people move to a different city and do not change their physical address because they are paying
most of their bills electronically.
Councilmember Kochmar said she would like to have the discussion about getting federal money
for turf fields at Celebration Park and would need to know the amount we are spending on
maintaining the grass fields versus the turf fields, as well as the revenue that is brought in.
Finance Director Ariwoola said we can try to track that and create a separate fund.
Councilmember Kochmar stated she would like a table that shows what the total outstanding
bonds are, the interest rate, and when they are callable. Finance Director said that is reported
annually in the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR).
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Councilmember Tran stated we pay interest on the bonds every six months, why not quarterly as
that would reduce a little interest? Finance Director Ariwoola said that is how it has always been
paid but it makes sense, and he can ask about paying quarterly next time.
Motion made by Councilmember Kochmar to forward the October 2020 Monthly Financial
Report to the December 1st, 2020 consent agenda for approval; motion seconded by
Councilmember Craft and carried 3-0.
F. OpenGov Budget Software: Presented by Finance Director, Ade Ariwoola.
Finance Director Ariwoola explained the Finance Department is trying to set-up this new software
and is hoping the Council and the public will have access to certain reports electronically. Finance
Director asked for the Committee's input on what they would like their reports to look like. He added
he is hoping the new software will be interactive and can help answer questions on the different
vouchers, vendors, etc.
Chair Tran thanked Finance Director Ariwoola for wanting the Committee's contribution and asked if
they can email him their input. The Committee suggested this should be open to the entire Council
so every member can participate. Finance Director Ariwoola will contact Executive Assistant Jeri -Lynn
Clark and she will assist in getting the information to the Council.
Council President Honda asked if they will still get the FEDRAC reports as they are now or will it
change with the new software? Finance Director Ariwoola stated he is hoping the Committee will get
the reports electronically if that is more useful. Council President Honda then asked if Vouchers, for
example, would be updated throughout the month or once a month? Finance Director answered if
they want it updated throughout the month that is something he can discuss with the company, and
that is the reason for the discussion. To get the Committee's input on what would be most useful for
them and the citizens.
Councilmember Craft agreed that it is worth having a discussion with the full Council and added it
would be helpful to make it as user-friendly as possible, and having a search bar would be valuable as
well.
Councilmember Assefa-Dawson commented she would like to see different brackets with the
revenue that coincide with the expense so they can see what was spent to get to the balance.
This item was for information/discussion purposes only.
G. December 2020 FEDRAC Meeting: Presented by Finance Director, Ade Ariwoola.
Finance Director Ariwoola stated in the past we have skipped the December meeting and there will
be no second Council meeting in December as well.
Chair Tran suggested we skip December so Council members and staff can spend time with their
families. Councilmember Kochmar and Councilmember Craft were in agreeance.
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Motion made by Councilmember Craft to cancel the December FEDRAC meeting. Motion
seconded by Councilmember Kochmar and carried 3-0.
NEXT MEETING: January 26, 2021
MEETING ADJOURNED: The meeting was adjourned at 6:57 p.m.
Attest: Approved by Committee:
Jennifer Pettie, Administrative Assistant II Date
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