PRHSPSC MINS 03-09-2021
K:\PRHSPS Committee\2021\03-09-2021 Minutes.doc
City of Federal Way
City Council
PARKS, RECREATION, HUMAN SERVICES & PUBLIC SAFETY COUNCIL COMMITTEE
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
5:00 p.m.
SUMMARY
Committee Members Participating via Video Conference: Chair Kochmar and Committee members
Assefa-Dawson and Baruso
Council Members Participating via Video Conference: Council President Honda and Council member
Craft
Staff Members Participating via Video Conference: Del Kolde, Assistant City Attorney, Deputy Chief
Stephan Neal, John Hutton, Parks Director, Sara Bridgeford CDBG/HS Manager, Brittany Julius,
CDBG/HS Coordinator and Mary Jaenicke, Administrative Assistant II.
Guests: Fire Chief Vic Pennington and Fire Marshall Gordon Goodsell
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 February 9, 2021 minutes as written.
Committee member Baruso seconded. Motion passed.
South King Fire Update
Chief Pennington provided a review of 2020 with the global pandemic. The pandemic affected all of their
divisions unilaterally in the organization. A Covid-19 task force was created in February. This was in
collaboration with the labor groups in the different divisions. This task force worked in collaboration
with the state, county and local cities. They looked at their daily responses and had to change how they
do business. Everyone worked together to develop consistent policies and responses. There were also
unprecedented wildfires that required them to send firefighters out of state. A lot of good work was done
within their own emergency operation partners locally and on a regional basis. They spent approximately
$345,000 and 75% of that was reimbursed by FEMA. An M&O levy was passed which enabled them to
purchase four fire engines and they were able to get $750,000 to use towards the purchase of a new
fireboat. Calls for service went down by 494 calls, they attribute this to the fact that people weren’t going
out. The calls that they responded to were higher risk medical calls. Assistant Fire Chief Gordon
Goodsell, who is also the South King Fire Rescue Safety Officer is responsible for ensuring that the
firefighters have the proper PPE, policies and a culture that ensures a safe working environment. He
reported on how they have adjusted their program delivery due to Covid-19. In fire prevention there are
three E’s: Education, engineering and enforcement. He reviewed the virtual education reach out they had
with the school district and other virtual events such as birthday drive-byes. They improvised on ways to
continue to connect with the community and provide education. The pandemic forced them to switch to
electronic plan review. They work very closely with the City’s Building Department. The biggest
adjustment has been code enforcement; routine building inspections have been suspended. They are
projecting that those inspections will start up again when the state enters Phase 4. The Deputy Fire
Marshalls are continuing to conduct new building construction inspections. They have also made big
adjustments to the way that they were responding. To date since the Covid-19 pandemic they have seen
over 450 patients who are confirmed Covid-19 positive. The department was very fortunate that they had
their PPE and policies in place to protect their personnel. They do not know of any responders that were
exposed and infected in the field on a response.
PARKS, RECREATION, HUMAN SERVICES & PUBLIC SAFETY COUNCIL COMMITTEE
Tuesday, March 9, 2021 Summary
Page 2
Police Investigations Purchase of Vehicle
Deputy Chief Neal provided the background information. The Police Department is asking for
authorization to purchase a full-size truck to be used for special operations and dismantling large
marijuana grow operations. The previous truck was totaled in 2020. The truck will be purchased with
funds in the Asset Forfeiture account. The City will be responsible for the licensing and insurance. This
truck will be a part of the SIU fleet. The truck will be purchased off of a state contract. The estimated
cost of the truck is $39,193.69. Committee Chair Kochmar moved to forward the New SIU Truck
Purchase Authorization in the total estimated cost of $39, 193.69 to the March 16, 2021 consent
agenda for approval. Committee member Baruso seconded. Motion passed.
2020 Program Year Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER)
Staff Julius provided the background information. The CAPER is required for each year of the
consolidated plan program period which currently covers program years 2020 to 2024. This report is
utilized to show the ways in which the city has utilized Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
funds for the four specific goals. Those four goals are: 1) preserve affordable housing, 2) establish and
maintain suitable living environments, 3) prevent and address homelessness, 4) expand economic
opportunities. The city has expended $940,604.48 in CDBG funds during 2020. Staff Julius highlighted
some of the accomplishments. Those highlights included providing assistance to 998 very low to low
income individuals, provide critical care to one infant that was exposed to drugs, complete the
rehabilitation of an 86-unit affordable housing apartment complex and the Federal Way Inclusion
program provided assistance to 310 persons with disabilities. The CAPER will go to Council March 16th
for approval and will be submitted to HUD no later than March 31. Committee member Baruso moved
to forward the proposed 2020 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report to the
March 16, 2021 consent agenda for approval. Committee member Assefa-Dawson seconded.
Motion passed.
Interlocal Agreement with Public Health of Seattle-King County for the South King County
Mobile Medical Program
Staff Julius provided the background information. The City Council allocated $536,000 to the Human
Services General Fund grants as part of the 2021-2022 budget. On November 17, 2020, City Council
approved the Human Services grant recommendations, which included $8,000 per year for two years for
Public Health of Seattle King County’s South King County Mobile Medical Program. In accordance with
the approved budget, this item is funded by General Fund. The grant funding provides dental services to
people experiencing homelessness in the City of Federal Way. The program will provide 27 dental visits
per year to 26 unduplicated Federal Way residents. The Mobile Medical van makes visits to the Day
Center on a regular schedule. Committee member Assefa-Dawson moved to forward the proposed
Interlocal Agreement to the March 16, 2021 consent agenda for approval. Committee member
Baruso seconded. Motion passed.
Interlocal Agreement for the Purpose of Pooling Sales Tax Receipts with South King Housing and
Homelessness Partners (SKHHP) Cities to Administer Funds under RCW 82.14.54
Staff Bridgeford provided the background information. RCW 82.14.54 allows cities and counties to
recapture a portion of Washington State Sales Tax to be used to support affordable housing. The funds
may be used for acquiring, rehabilitating or constructing affordable housing, operations and maintenance
for units of affordable or supportive housing, or for cities with populations less than 100,000 to provide
rental assistance. The best way to maximize its impact is to support affordable housing thru acquisition
or rehabilitation or construction. The City Council enacted Resolution 20-979 in October of 2020 to
support the pooling of the funds collected. Following the establishment of the ILA, the SKHHP
Executive Board will identify funding guidelines. Any recommendation will come before City Council if
it’s using Federal Way funds. All cities with the exception of Covington have agreed to pooling.
PARKS, RECREATION, HUMAN SERVICES & PUBLIC SAFETY COUNCIL COMMITTEE
Tuesday, March 9, 2021 Summary
Page 3
Committee member Baruso moved to forward the proposed Agreement to the March 16, 2021
consent agenda for approval. Committee member Assefa-Dawson seconded. Motion passed.
Updated Program Year 2021 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Annual Action Plan
Staff Bridgeford provided the background information. The Annual Action Plan is the annual work and
spending plan for the City of Federal Way’s CDBG funds from HUD. The original 2021 Annual Action
Plan included placeholder funding in the Housing Repair Program. Timing precluded the City from a
new process to allocate the funds. The City’s 2021 CDBG allocation is $768,610.00. The funding that
has become available are from the following sources: $235,000 from Section 108 debt service,
$146,417.00 in Housing Repair funding, $22,193.00 from the slight increase in the 2021 allocation and
there is the potential for $37,000.00 from Code Compliance will be available as the City evaluates the
program alignment with CDBG. The proposed use of the funds is for establishing a shelter for adults.
Homelessness continues to be a priority for the City of Federal Way; this was a goal that was added to
the 2020 through 2024 CDBG Consolidated Plan. The permanent shelter for adults continues to represent
a gap in the City. Covid-19 has highlighted the importance of having a permanent shelter. Staff
Bridgeford stated that at this time there is not a provider or project identified. The city will use a
competitive process such as a letter of interest and/or application. The Human Services Commission will
review the applications and make a recommendation to City Council. Staff Bridgeford noted the
importance of the amount of funding that would be needed for a project such as this. $440,610.00 is not
enough for a complete project. There is work to be done to make the project feasible. Committee
member Assefa-Dawson moved to forward the proposed Updated Program Year 2021 CDBG
Annual Action Plan to the March 16, 2021 agenda for public hearing. Committee member Baruso
seconded. Motion passed.
Other
None
NEXT REGULAR MEETING
April 13, 2021
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 6:14p.m.