02-08-2022 PRHSPSC Minutes
K:\PRHSPS Committee\2022\02-08-2022 Minutes.doc
City of Federal Way
City Council
PARKS, RECREATION, HUMAN SERVICES & PUBLIC SAFETY COUNCIL COMMITTEE
Tuesday, February 8, 2022
5:00 p.m.
SUMMARY
Committee Members Participating Via Zoom: Chair Walsh, Council members Norton and Assefa-
Dawson
Council Members Participating Via Zoom: Council President Kochmar and Deputy Mayor Honda
Staff Members Participating Via Zoom: Joanna Eide, Assistant City Attorney, Police Chief Andy
Hwang, Steve Groom, Finance Director, Brian Davis, Community Development Director, John Hutton,
Parks Director, Jason Gerwen, Parks Deputy Director, Cody Geddes, Recreation Manager and Mary
Jaenicke, Administrative Assistant II.
Chair Walsh called the meeting to order at 5:00pm
Public Comment: None
BUSINESS ITEMS
Approval of Minutes
Committee member Assefa-Dawson motioned to approve the January 11, 2022 minutes as written.
Committee member Norton seconded. Motion passed.
Summer Experience and Enrichment Kids Grant (SEEK)
Staff Geddes presented the background information. This grant was made possible by Federal Covid 19
Relief Funds and given to the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OPSI).
These grants will support local agencies in expanding their current summer programs. The City of
Federal Way Recreation department received grants totaling $249,100 and identified three separate
programs for these funds. 1) Day Camp Subsidy $198,000, 2) Mobile Recreation Program $30,000 and 3)
Weekly Teen Adventure Trips $21,100. Committee member Assefa-Dawson asked if there was a sliding
scale for families that can’t afford the $100 per student for day camp. Staff Geddes answered that they do
offer a 25% fee reduction for families that can’t afford the $100 fee. Committee member Norton
moved to forward the proposed grant agreement to the February 15, 2022 Council consent agenda
for approval. Committee member Assefa-Dawson seconded. Motion Passed.
Parks & Recreation Commission 2022 Work Plan
Staff Gerwen provided the background information. Committee member Assefa-Dawson asked how the
commission came up with the projects on the plan. Staff Gerwen answered that the commission held
discussions on the items that they want to accomplish. This Work Plan is very similar to the 2021 Work
Plan. Many of the projects on the 2021 Work Plan were unable to be completed due to Covid. One of the
big projects on the plan is developing the Prioritization Matrix. The department has approximately $1
million from King County Levy money to be used for Capital Projects. This matrix will be used to rank
the projects and determine which projects to fund based on the metrics. Other items on the Work Plan
include Master Planning of Parks – unfortunately the department has not been allocated any funding for
these projects, but the Commission felt it was important to leave these projects on the Work Plan to bring
it to Council’s attention that they believe these are priorities that the commission needs to be working on.
Committee member Assefa-Dawson asked if inclusion was considered when developing the Matrix. Staff
Gerwen answered that yes inclusion was discussed and incorporated into the Matrix. Committee
member Norton moved to forward the proposed Parks & Recreation Commission 2022 Work Plan
PARKS, RECREATION, HUMAN SERVICES & PUBLIC SAFETY COUNCIL COMMITTEE
Tuesday, February 8, 2022 Summary
Page 2
to the February 15, 2022 consent agenda for approval. Committee member Assefa-Dawson
seconded. Motion passed.
Cummins, Inc. – Generator Maintenance and Repair Agreement
Staff Gerwen provided the background information. The City has generators at their major facilities and
those generators operate when there is a loss of power. The generators are serviced bi-annually. We did
not have to go out to bid because the state has bid this service and we are able to utilize their contract
pricing. Committee member Assefa-Dawson moved to forward the state contract pricing
acceptance for Generator Maintenance and Repair and authorization to execute the contract to the
February 15, 2022 City Council consent agenda for approval. Committee member Norton
seconded. Motion passed.
Monetary Retention Incentive for City Employees
Police Chief Hwang provided the background information. The FWPD is seeking Council approval for
City employees to receive retention incentive pay. Chief Hwang stated that it’s been a long and difficult
two years working through the pandemic. In today’s environment it’s very difficult to recruit, hire and
retain qualified individuals. The retention incentive pay is a way for the leaders of the City to show their
appreciation of their staff. Other jurisdictions have also provided monetary retention pay to their
employees. The problems this proposal seeks to alleviate are related to the Covid pandemic; therefor the
recommendation is to use ARPA funds. Chief Hwang’s presentation discussed the Social and Political
impacts on the police work force, the impacts that Covid has had on city employees that were unable to
shutdown their operations. Daily potential exposure to Covid creates a higher risk of bringing it home to
their families. Many employers are offering their employees the ability to stay at home and work and the
city has lost some employees because of that. In order for an employee to be eligible they must actually
work for a minimum of 1,250 hours from January 1 to December 1 during the year being incentivized.
The City will pay a monetary retention incentive in the amount of 2.5% of the employees’ base salary.
The cost of the retention incentive pay for all city employees is $773,410 per year (2022/2023). Staff
Groom stated that the Finance Department worked with Chief Hwang using the current existing
employees city-wide. The goal is to retain people; they did not quantify the alternative cost the loss of
experience and institutional knowledge and the cost of training new employees. This makes this a good
candidate for using ARPA funding because it is a one-time expense. Deputy Mayor Honda stated that she
would like more information before she could make a decision on this. She would like answers to the
following questions: In the two years prior to Covid she would like to know how many employees left
and the reason if they gave a reason and in the two years during Covid how many employees left and if
they left because of Covid. She would also like to know if more of our Police Department is leaving
because of the reform laws and the risk of the uncertainties of how they could be treated or the risks of
being a Police Officer or if they left because of the issues with Covid. She stated that she also hears from
staff that there is not enough staff and would like to know if we could hire more employees. She would
also like to know for the 2.5% what would be the highest bonus and what would be the lowest bonus.
Chief Hwang answered that some things are hard to quantify; they don’t keep track of why people left.
People leave for a variety of reasons. He added that they want to take care of the people who are here
now. Staff Groom stated that to add new permanent positions would have to be part of the budget
process. Discussion continued on retaining employees, how to make working for the City more desirable
and what kind of incentives and work environment can be created for staff to stay. Committee member
Assefa-Dawson moved to forward the proposed monetary retention incentive plan to the February
15, 2022 City Council Business agenda for approval. Committee member Norton seconded. Motion
passed.
Art Wall at City Hall
This item was requested to be placed on the agenda at the January PRHSPSC meeting. Deputy Mayor
Honda stated that there has been an art gallery at City Hall for many years. The Arts Commission would
put out a “Call for Artists” and artists would submit their artwork. The selected artists would have their
PARKS, RECREATION, HUMAN SERVICES & PUBLIC SAFETY COUNCIL COMMITTEE
Tuesday, February 8, 2022 Summary
Page 3
artwork hung at City Hall. Artwork was not hung on the walls during Covid and the walls were empty.
The walls are now filled with pictures of historical or special events that have been done as a City. The
Mayor would like the current pictures to remain there. Staff Geddes stated that they have begun the
process of installing an art gallery at the PAEC. Staff Geddes stated that the Art Gallery at City Hall was
also a difficult spot because it was only seen by people attending meetings or visitors. Deputy Mayor
Honda is concerned that the artwork at the PAEC can only be seen if you purchase a ticket to go into the
PAEC. Staff Geddes stated that there have been some brief discussions on whether or not it would be
opened upon request. It’s a very similar situation to Dumas Bay Centre. Spectra is opened to opening the
doors upon request and allowing the Arts Commission to advertise it that way.
Other Business
Council President reported that she and Deputy Mayor Honda were at a meeting to discuss the possibility
of a presentation at the next Council meeting regarding creating a fund or access for local businesses to
apply for broken window replacements.
Thursday, February 10 is Coffee with the Council in Chambers from 6:00pm-8:00pm to discuss the RCP.
This is not a formal Council meeting.
NEXT REGULAR MEETING
March 8, 2022
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 6:36 p.m.