12/11/1997 City CouncilEDMONDS CITY COUNCIL APPROVED MINUTES
Budget Workshop
Special Thursday, December 11, 1997, Council Meeting
ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT
Barbara Fahey, Mayor
Dave Earling, Council President
Gary Haakenson, Councilmember
Roger L. Myers, Councilmember
Dick Van Hollebeke, Councilmember
John Nordquist, Councilmember
Jim White, Councilmember
ABSENT
Thomas A. Miller, Councilmember
STAFF PRESENT
Art Housler, Administrative Services Director
Doug Farmen, Accounting Manager
Paul Mar, Community Services Director
Michael Springer, .Fire Chief
Brent Hunter, Human Resources Director
Robin Hickok, Police Chief
Joan Ferebee, Court Administrator
Jana Spellman, Recorder
CALLTO ORDER
Council President Dave Earling called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. He explained that
Councilmember Miller was out of town and a memo from him was distributed to the Council.
This meeting was called to give the staff time to prepare a listing of expenditure cuts equal to
$170,000 for funding the building repair and maintenance budget from areas already funded in
the Preliminary 1998 Budget and prioritize the new annexation staffing requests.
Mr. Earling then asked Mr. Housler, Administrative Services Director, to begin his presentation
regarding the Sales Tax Equalization.
After Mr. Housler made his presentation, there was a question and answer period in which the
Council had all of their concerns answered.
Council President Earling then proceeded with the Mayor's Agenda memo regarding the 1998
Budget - Annexation Staffing Requests and Funding for Building Repair and Maintenance.
Funding for Building Repair and Maintenance - the Agenda Memo contained three options for
consideration for achieving the funding of $170,000 shortfall. The Mayor addressed each of the
options and asked .the Council for their input.
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
Budget Workshop -December 11, 1997
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After her presentation, the Council expressed their opinion on the three options and a general
discussion followed with the Council selecting Option 2 as the most viable.
COUNCILMEMBER MYERS MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL -MEMBER
VAN HOLLEBEKE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET USING THE $169,000
UNANTICIPATED CASH CARRY OVER ENACTING A ONE PERCENT
FREEZE (Option 2) ON BUDGET ITEMS BY DEPARTMENT. THIS FREEZE
WILL THEN BE REVIEWED QUARTERLY FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF
LIFTING OR MAINTAINING THE FREEZE. COUNCILMEMBERS MYERS
AND VAN HOLLEBEKE VOTED IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.
COUNCILMEMBERS EARLING, HAAKENSON, NORDQUIST, AND WHITE
VOTED AGAINST THE MOTION. THE MOTION WAS DEFEATED.
After further discussion among the Council, Mr. Haakenson came forward with his proposal
regarding Option 2.
COUNCILMEMBER HAAKENSON MOVED, SECONDED BY
COUNCILMEMBER VAN HOLLEBEKE TO TRANSFER $100,000 OUT OF
THE PROPOSED SUGGESTED REDUCTIONS TO MEET THE COUNCIL
MANDATE WHICH WAS 1% OVERALL REDUCTION IN 1998 GENERAL
FUND BUDGET INTO FUND 116 - BUILDING MAINTENANCE FUND. $20,000
WOULD BE TRANSFERRED OUT OF 1997 NET UNAPPROPRIATED CASH
BALANCE INTO FUND 116- BUILDING MAINTENANCE FUND. THIS
WOULD MAKE THE TOTAL AMOUNT TRANSFERRED INTO FUND 116 -
BUILDING MAINTENANCE FUND $120,000. $70,000 (AMOUNT REMAINING
AFTER $100,000 WAS TRANSFERRED INTO FUND 116 -BUILDING
MAINTENANCE FUND) WHICH IS IN THE PROPOSED SUGGESTED
REDUCTIONS TO MEET COUNCIL MANDATE WHICH WAS 1% OVERALL
REDUCTION IN 1998 GENERAL FUND BUDGET, SHALL BE RETURNED TO
BUDGET OR DISTRIBUTED AS MAYOR DEEMS FIT. COUNCILMEMBERS
EARLING, HAAKENSON, NORDQUIST, WHITE, VAN HOLLEBEKE VOTED
FOR MOTION, COUNCILMEMBER MYERS AGAINST. MOTION CARRIED.
The second item to come up for discussion was the Prioritization of Annexation Staffing.
Councilmember Haakenson briefed the Council on the conclusions of the Long -Range Financial
Task Force and the Comprehensive Human Resources Committee regarding the number of
FTE's to be added in 1998. Mr. Haakenson indicated that after much discussion, it was
unanimous between the two committees that seven (7) FTE's would be added to the 1998 budget
as regards annexation staffing as it was presented to the committees.
COUNCILMEMBER HAAKENSON MOVED, SECONDED BY
COUNCILMEMBER VAN HOLLEBEKE TO APPROVE THE SEVEN (7) FTE'S
FOR THE 1998 BUDGET IN THE ANNEXATION AREAS. MOTION CARRIED.
Council President Earling asked for, and received clarification from Art Housler, ensuring that
Mr. Housler had all the information he needed in order to bring the 1998 Preliminary Budget to
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
Budget Workshop - December 11, 1997
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the Council at their meeting on December 16 for finalization. Mr. Earling indicated that a
motion needed to be made to enable Mr. Housler to complete the items listed in Attachment 5
(Adjustments to 1998 Preliminary Budget) of the Edmonds City Council Agenda Memo dated
December 9, 1997.
COUNCILMEMBER MYERS MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL -MEMBER
VAN HOLLEBEKE AUTHORIZING ATTACHMENT 5 (Adjustments to 1998
Preliminary Budget) BE COMPLETED. MOTION CARRIED.
The Council thanked the staff for their exemplary work in preparing the information asked for by
the Council.
Council President Earling expressed his appreciation to Mr. Housler for his superlative efforts
exhibited in complying with Council requests.
Mayor Fahey gave a special thanks to her secretary, Dee McGrath, for all her hard work in
preparing the Council Agenda Memo for this evening's meeting.
Summary minutes were taken for this meeting. Audio tapes are 'available in the City Clerk's
office.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:30 p.m.
BARBARA S. FAHEY, MAYOR
SANDRA S, CHASE, CITY CLERK.
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
Budget Workshop - December 11, 1997
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