City Council - Special Meeting

City of Bellingham City Council Special Meeting Minutes -- Annual Retreat 04/16/2016, 10:00 AM Mayor Kelli Linville Contact: (360) 778-8200, ccmail@cob.org Council Members April Barker, Gene Knutson, Daniel www.cob.org/council Hammill, Pinky Vargas, Terry Bornemann, Michael Lilliquist Held at Woodstock Farm, Gates House and Roxanne Murphy Call to Order Roll Call Pinky Vargas, Chair Gene Knutson Michael Lilliquist Dan Hammill Roxanne Murphy April Barker Terry Bornemann Committee Of The Whole 21208 1. 2016 City Council Retreat I. Civility in Our Democracy Presentation by Facilitator Mary Dumas Ms. Dumas gave a presentation that addressed warning signs of physical activation and strategies for responding to stress and conflict. II. Remarks from the Mayor The Mayor made opening remarks to the Level of Service (LOS) discussion. This is an opportunity to talk internally to prepare to negotiate the budget and work plan together. She wants to make sure the Council has enough information to use during its deliberation. She is very supportive of determining what our LOS is and our options to meet our essential obligations, and to consider what we can let go of because others in the community can do it better. This is a time to share our priorities with each other. III. Level of Service Discussion led by Planning Director Rick Sepler We must accept a momentary disequilibrium as we explore different choices. This discussion started in February 2016 with a presentation by Peter Moy of FCS. A 10% cut in budget is not going to solve these complex issues. Are there ways we can avoid redundancy? Rick handed out a spreadsheet of proposed strategies recommended by the Administration. It's time to create a road map so we don't get to a point where we have to stop services and there is a crisis. He presented some guiding principles. The items marked are being recommended by the Administration after the department 1 head team vetted them. All options are as follows: Regional Fire Authority; Metropolitan Parks District; Library Annexation; Level Lid Lift; .1% Public Safety Tax; Coordinate with Whatcom County on a Countywide Strategy; Department of Administrative Services; Continue to support the entrepreneurial shift in museum, MBT and Sportsplex governance; Increase utility tax on non-City operated utilities; Reduce complexity of civil service regulations; Reduce overall City LOS by limiting new hires to replacement only; Ambulance Utility Implement new utility tax; Increase utility tax city operated utilities; Reduce parks LOS/Increase operational support in any future Greenways levy; Emergency Medical Services levy; Use lean management practices to identify new ways of delivering better services within existing resources; Create a center of excellence for grants and/or contracts management; Identification of potential surplus properties. Council members asked clarifying questions regarding these options. IV. Optimizing council staff time and projects A discussion led by Council President Pinky Vargas. Council members are encouraged to leverage Mark skills in research and analytics. Marie is a writer; you can use those skills. You can involve Marie and/or Mark in your meetings with constituents. Mark Gardner explained that when Seth Fleetwood was Council President, a memo was created deeming it appropriate for Mark to work with individual Council members on small projects. Mark believes that these small requests have been appropriate and manageable. The Mayor requested that Council members go through her about projects and activities instead of going directly through the Department Heads. (Asking DHs questions is fine, though.) V. Office spaces and calendar bookings Room 211 in the Federal Building now belongs to the City Council. The new offices in City Hall will be in the Human Resources office and will be ready late-summer. Marie will be sending events/invitations to all City Council members via Outlook meeting invites. Please accept or decline as appropriate. VI. Discussion regarding housing discrimination in rental listings Dan Hammill explained that there is a particular kind of housing discrimination that he was made aware of through the Opportunity Council and the Low Income Housing Alliance. It is a housing loop hole in landlord-tenant law that allows landlords to decline renting to people who are on Social Security Disability and VASH (veteran housing). Thirty-eight local jurisdictions have passed laws opposing this loop hole, including Seattle and Redmond. Passing an ordinance has no fiscal impact on the city because enforcement is done through the courts. 2 VII. Timing of packets and inclusive of more supporting documentation Dan Hammill said that he needs more time and more information on substantive issues. Brian Heinrich responded that most items are "for information only." The Administration rarely gives an agenda item that Council members have just four days to learn about before making an emergency decision. Council members could always deal with the issue at the next meeting if the process is moving too quickly (vote to postpone request to provide direction, for example). Terry Bornemann would like the Power Point presentations (or pertinent information) in the packet so that he can formulate questions. Gene Knutson said that getting information before the public is not advisable. Mark Gardner said that sometimes agenda bills can be so cryptic and staff including at least a one-page memo would be extremely helpful. Brian Heinrich said that they have endeavored over the past year to do more staff memos. Pinky Vargas said that every time something is in the packet, it is the beginning of a conversation and that Council members are not expected to know everything and have all of the questions and answers. Council can move something along as slowly or quickly as it wants (barring timelines). VIII. Public Comment Period: a) Moving the 15 minute Public Comment Period to after public hearings Gene Knutson would like public comment moved to after public hearings to accommodate people who have come specifically to testify at the public hearing. b) Following up with people who speak at public comment April Barker would like to make sure that people who speak at public comment know that they were heard and that they get the information they need. Michael Lilliquist said that we should clarify with the speakers that the comment period is an opportunity for City Council members to listen and there will be no response given that night. If there is a specific issue of interest to a Council member, that Council member is welcome to follow up on an individual basis later (this is the current practice). IX. Moving all agenda items to Committee of the Whole (COW) Pinky Vargas explained that one suggestion was to move many of the topics to COW. The group decided to keep the committee structure as it is. X. Cable Franchise Workgroup - Gene and April will serve on this. XI. General principles of Code of Ethics/Conflict of Interest/Dual Offices; Roberts Rules and Dais Neutrality; and useful motions/procedures discussion This segment was presented by Peter Ruffatto. Pinky Vargas added that each Council member should ask one question at a time; if you have another, look to the Chair. 3 On the dais, focus on the issues, not people. Roxanne Murphy would like everyone to make motions that are briefer and cleaner. Council members can always make a motion to postpone to a certain time in the future. Do not deliver an agenda bill with your opinion; remain neutral in the introduction. If the Council has made a decision, do not talk negatively about it, unless it pertains to the matter at hand (using it for the question). Roxanne Murphy said that the way members can solidify an idea is to make a motion. Peter Ruffatto talked about ethics and conflict of interest. Most ex-officio board roles are non-voting. If Council members have questions on specific circumstances, please call Peter. Action Item: Dan Hammill asked that a clarification go out to the nonprofits and other boards so that they understand the role of a City Council board member. In regards to the Opportunity Council, we could consider a "representative of an elected official." The role is not to donate money, but to take information back to the City and express information from the City. With gifts $50 or less, Council members can accept it, unless there are certain circumstances with the relationship. Call Peter for guidance if any complexities surface. Pinky Vargas talked about dais neutrality. She is reading people's body language during the meetings-- people are getting (and looking) impatient. It is distracting. Our biases are going to influence everyone. Support each other in letting others ask questions. Adjournment at 3:02 PM 4