FC091421FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING
September 14, 2021
Elected Officials Participating Virtually
Councilmember Vivian Olson
Councilmember Diane Buckshnis
CALL TO ORDER
Staff Participating Virtually
Dave Turley, Finance Director
Megan Menkveld, Deputy Admin. Serv. Dir.
Jeff Taraday, City Attorney
Scott Passey, City Clerk
The Edmonds City Council virtual online Finance Committee meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m.
by Councilmember Buckshnis. The agenda was reordered to take the Proposed Amendments to the
PFD Charter first.
2. COMMITTEE BUSINESS
1. Proposed Amendments to PFD Charter
EPFD Board President Brewster explained the proposed amendments to the PFD Charter are driven
in part by the need to replace a board member who is no longer attending meetings as well as clean
up language and processes.
Board VP Liaw explained prior to the pandemic, the board was considering housekeeping
amendments to the charter such as remote attendance. She highlighted changes related to how new
board members are appointed, removing a board member, officer positions, and remote participation.
The EPFD's legal counsel reviewed the amendments and the amendments have been approved by
the EPFD Board.
Questions and discussion followed regarding "or its successor" in the Board Composition section,
removal of a board member after three consecutive meetings, clarifying the types of approved
absences in the EPFD Board's bylaws, state law regarding absences, and a suggestion to clarify
absence from meetings was from "regular meetings."
The EPFD was asked to provide an agenda memo.
Action: Consent Agenda
1. 2021 September Budget Amendment
Mr. Turley advised there are 8 requests; if approved, the budget amendment would increase
forecasted revenues by $6,119,975, and would increase budgeted expenditures by $201,457. He
reviewed the proposed September budget amendment:
• Request for $20,000 in professional services for additional costs being incurred by the HR
Department for increased costs related to recruitment, testing and background investigations
as they work to fill several positions in the Police Department
o Finance Committee direction: Forward to PSPP Committee for review
• Request for change in status for HR Analyst position, making permanent the temporary
increase of the HR Analysis position from part-time to full-time.
09/14/21 Finance Committee Minutes, Page 2
o Finance Committee direction: Forward to PSPP Committee for review
• Request to "unfreeze" the salaries and benefits for the Administrative Services Deputy Director
position
• Request budget authority to transfer remaining year-end balance out of Firemen's Pension
Fund into General Fund. This change in where we account for these costs was initiated by
changes that have been made to the State BARS manual and a change in practice by the
State Auditor's Office.
• Request budget authority to transfer the remaining year-end balance out of the Memorial
Street Tree Fund. Fund has been dormant for several years and we would like to move the
remaining balance into the recently created Tree Fund so that these funds can be utilized by
the City.
• Add the City's new Urban Forest Planner salary and wages and position to the 2021 budget.
This position was approved on June 22nd
• Record the anticipated receipt of bond proceeds as authorized by Council. The bond sale has
not yet occurred but we would like to record the anticipated revenue now to make preparing
the 2022 budget more straightforward.
• Request the budget authority to transfer $25,000 from the General Fund into the Risk
Management Fund to pay small claims
Questions and discussion followed regarding the delay in filling the Safety & Disaster Coordinator
position, status of the bond issuance, and the policy for paying claims out of the Risk Management
Fund.
Action: Forward first two items to PSPP Committee in October and staff make presentation on
remainder to full Council
Mr. Turley reviewed the timeline for the bond issuance. Discussion followed regarding bond rates.
3. July 2021 Monthly Financial Report
Mr. Turley introduced Ms. Menkveld and she described her background.
Mr. Turley reviewed items of note:
• REET is up to $1,446,881 from this point in time last year
• Real personal/property tax is up $190,242 from this point in time last year
• EMS property tax is up $96,829 from this point in time last year
• Sales tax is up $1,248,744 from this point in time last year
• Plan Checking Fees are up $136,100 from this point in time last year; Development Services
revenues overall are up $67,892 from this point in time last year
• Parks & Recreation program fees are up $223,666 from this point in time last year
• We are now at 58% of the year completed; all departments but Finance (due to merging with
Clerk's Office) are within or under budget or where they expected to be
• Graphs
o Sales tax revenues continue to exceed both 2020 actual receipts and 2021 budget receipts
o REET revenues continue to exceed both 2020 actual receipts and 2021 budget
Discussion followed regarding reasons for overtime (Police Department vacancies, and overtime
budgets being too low).
Action: Consent Agenda
4. Miscellaneous
09/14/21 Finance Committee Minutes, Page 3
Mr. Turley advised the Council will receive the proposed 2022 budget from the Mayor on September
27th
Questions and discussions followed regarding items in the budget that are discretionary, number of
decision packages in the 2022 budget, residents' interest in new sidewalks and repairing existing
sidewalks, and the need to reviewing the CIP/CFP in detail.
3. ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 6:57 p.m.