PRHSPSC MINS 04-13-2021
K:\PRHSPS Committee\2021\04-13-2021 Minutes Revised.doc
City of Federal Way
City Council
PARKS, RECREATION, HUMAN SERVICES & PUBLIC SAFETY COUNCIL COMMITTEE
Tuesday, April 13, 2021
5:00 p.m.
SUMMARY
Committee Members Participating via Video Conference: Chair Kochmar and Committee member s
Assefa-Dawson and Baruso
Council Members Participating via Video Conference: Council President Honda , Council member
Moore and Council member Craft
Staff Members Participating via Video Conference: Eric Rhoades , City Attorney, Chief Andy Hwang,
John Hutton, Parks Director , Sara Bridgeford CDBG/HS Manager, Brittany Julius, CDBG/HS
Coordinator and Mary Jaenicke, Administrative Assistant II.
Guests: Vickie Chynoweth, Arts Commission Chair , Karen Brugato, Arts Commission Vice Chair
Chair Kochmar called the meeting to order at 5:00pm
Public Comment:
None
BUSINESS ITEMS
Approval of Minutes
Committee member Baruso motioned to approve the March 9, 2021 minutes as written. Committee
member Assefa-Dawson seconded. Motion passed.
Motion was made by Committee Member Baruso to remove item H . Ordinance: FWRC Chapter
4.05 – Park Code Updates from the agenda Committee member Assefa-Dawson seconded. Motion
passed.
Committee member Baruso motioned to replace G. Lakehaven Utility Water Main Easement with
Crime Reports to the agenda as item G . and move the Lakehaven Water District Easement down to
item H . Committee member Assefa-Dawson seconded. Motion passed.
Arts Commission 2021 Contract for Services
Staff Geddes introduced Vickie Chynoweth, and Karen Brugato, Chair and Vice Chair of the Arts
Commission. The application and interview process were delayed due to Covid. Arts Commission Chair
Chynoweth stated that the Arts Commission is asking for $42,250.00. Staff Geddes clarified that the Arts
Commission is not asking for new money, they are allocating $2,000 from a different fund to be used for
Contract for Services. Committee member Assefa -Dawson inquired why Centerstage asked for $12,500.00
and are receiving $14,000.00 and is that where the extra $2,000 is going to go. Arts Commission Chair
Chynoweth answered that the $2,000 that they’re adding is coming from the Federal Way Lions Club Make
Music Day. They are giving the Auburn Symphony $1,500 instead of $500 for their performance at the
PAEC and the Harmony Kings are receiving $2,000 instead of $1,500. Centerstage is receiving more than
they asked for because they have the largest budget out of any of the other groups. Usually the Symphony
and Centerstage have about the same budget and the same number of performances. The Symphony can
perform and Centerstage cannot. This year the Symphony’s budget is half of what Centerstage’s is due to
Covid. The Arts Commission believes Centerstage needs more money because they’re putting more money
into Federal Way. Committee member Assefa -Dawson asked why they didn’t ask for more money. Arts
Commission Chair Chynoweth answered that last year Centerstage asked for $30,000 and only received
PARKS, RECREATION, HUMAN SERVICES & PUBLIC SAFETY COUNCIL COMMITTEE
Tuesday, April 13, 2021 Summary
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$12,500; this may be the reason why they only asked for $12,500 this year. Council President Honda asked
if Center stage was going to be able to spend that money this year. Vice Chair Brugato answered yes, they
would. Council President Honda asked why the Arts Commission is giving money to the Auburn Symphony
and we’re not giving more money to the Federal Way Symphony. Arts Commission Vice Chair Brugato
answered that it’s mainly to pay for the performance at the PAEC. Committee member Assefa-Dawson
moved to approve the 2021 Arts Commission for Services Funding recommendations and forward to
the April 20, 2021 City Council consent agenda for approval. Chair Kochmar made a friendly
amendment to add the language “with an increase in $2,000 from the existing Arts Commission
Budget”. Committee member Baruso seconded. Motion passed.
2021-2022 Human Services Commission Work Plan
Staff Julius provided the background information. During the November Human Services Commission
meeting, the Commission moved forward with staff’s recommendation to transition from an annual work
plan to a biennial work plan to coincide with the Human S ervices general fund cycle and the city’s budget.
The plan outlines specific goals and activities that the commission intends to follow. The Human Services
Commission discussed the 2021 -2022 work plan during their January meeting and voted at their Februar y
meeting for the proposed work plan. Most of the items on the work plan are standard such as public
hearings for the CAPER and Annual Action Plan. Staff Julius provided and overview of the 2021-2022
work plan. Committee member Baruso moved to forward the 2021-2022 Human Services
Commission Work Plan to the April 20, 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. On March 9, 2021
the PRHSPS committee moved to forward the proposed agreement and it was approved by the full Council
on March 16, 2021. Staff Julius notified Public Health that it was approved and they could move forward
with executing the contract. Public Health requested to make modifications to the agreement to reflect the
provisions that were approved in the 2019-2020 funding cycle. The changes include a self-insurance clause
and county, instead of agency. Committee member Assefa-Dawson moved to forward the proposed
Interlocal Agreement to the March 20, 2021 consent agenda for approval. Committee member
Baruso seconded. Motion passed.
Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020
Chief Hwang provided the background information. They are seeking Committee and Council approval to
accept an MOU contract for the JAG grant . This is an annua l grant and requires no matching funds. JAG
funds support all components of the criminal justice system. The amount of the grant is $42,546.00.
Committee member Baruso moved to forward the Fiscal Year 2020 JAG Grant to the April 20, 2021
consent agenda for approval. Committee member Assefa-Dawson seconded. Motion passed.
Agreement Between the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) and the Federal Way Police
Department to provide Grant Funding for Traffic Enforcement
Chief Hwang provided the background information. The total amount of the grant is $2,500.00 and is used
for reimbursement for overtime worked on distracted driving patrols. This agreement allows the City of
Federal Way to put more police officers on the road; the agreement emphasizes distracted driving with the
primary focus on people holding their cellphone or talking on their cellphone while driving. Committee
member Assefa-Dawson moved to forward the proposed agreement for grant funds to the April 20,
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2021 City Council consent agenda for approval. Committee member Baruso seconded. Motion
passed.
1st Quarter Public Safety Report
Chief Hwang’s presentation included information on crime statistics for 1st Qtr. 2020 vs. 1st Qtr. 2021 and
the projected numbers of crimes for 2021 vs. 2020. After Chief Hwang’s presentation there was a question
and answer session with the Committee members, Council President Honda and Council members in
attendance.
Lakehaven Utility District Water Main Easement
Staff Gerwen presented the background information. The easement is a result of a Public Works Safe
Route to School project which includes expanding Southwest Dash Point road in front of Lakota Park.
Because of this expansion, the Parks department will be able to expand and repave the parking lot. Because
of t he expansion of the road and the sidewalks, the watermains have to be relocated out of the roadway
onto city property. Committee member Baruso moved to forward the proposed agreement to the
proposed water main easement with Lakehaven Utility District to the April 20, 2021 consent agenda
for approval. Committee member Assefa-Dawson seconded. Motion passed.
FWCC Waterslide Status – Information Only
Staff Hutton reported that the approximately three years ago the staircase for the slide failed. Parks
Maintena nce staff were able to do a temporary repair under the supervision of a Structural Engineer; he
estimated that it would last for about one year. Staff carefully maintained it and it lasted for three years. It
has now failed and the structure is no longer s afe and has been shut down. Staff is going to go out to bid
and apply for an equity grant. The equity grant has a large allotment for aquatic facilities. The cost to
repair the slide could be in excess of $500,000.00.
Ordinance: Relating to Misdemeanor Possession of Controlled Substances; Adding New Section
6.1.130 to Chapter 6.10 FWRC
Staff Rhoades provided the background information. Drug possession is prohibited by state law and until
recently that enabled the Federal Way Police Department to enforce those laws and it preempted any city
from establishing its own penalties for drug possession. A recent Washington State Supreme Court decision
invalidated that state law because the state law did not require the state to prove that the defendant knew
about the drugs. This made it so the state cannot currently enforce the criminal possession of controlled
substances. This opens the opportunity that cities could do that. Staff is proposing an ordinance that is very
similar to the state ordinance but it includes the work knowingly. This would make it unlawful for any
person to knowingly possess a controlled substance other than marijuana without a prescription. Violating
the law would be a gross misdemeanor. If this ordinance is enacted, it will allow the Federal Way Police
Department to enforce illegal possession. Staff Rhoades stated that the situation is fluid; there are multiple
bills in the state legislature. If those are enacted it would preempt the city from penalizing drug possession
and the new state law would take precedence. There would be no financial impacts to the city immediately
because the FWPD already investigates illegal possession of controlled substances and it’s already in their
budget. There will be an increase on the load of the city’s prosecutors because this was not being
prosecuted at the City level. At this point it can be handled internally but the prosecution demand may
require another prosecutor. Prohibiting possession at the city level is very important; without this
ordinance, possession of illegal drugs cannot be investigated or prohibited. Theft, violent crime and
impaired driving and many other crimes have a direct correlation to the use of illegal drugs. Committee
member Assefa-Dawson moved to forward the proposed ordinance to First Reading on April 20,
2021. Committee member Baruso seconded. Motion passed.
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Other
None
NEXT REGULAR MEETING
May 11 , 2021
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 6:54p.m.