City Council

Oak Harbor City Council Workshop Meeting Minutes January 27, 2021 CALL TO ORDER Mayor Severns called the meeting to order at 2:00 p.m. Due to COVID-19, per WA Proclamation 20-28. the physical meeting location was limited to City Council Members and certain members of staff. The meeting was viewable live via YouTube or Channel 10 and was telephonically available at (623)404-9000, Meeting ID: 149 766 1467 (NOTE: Audio only, No Comments. Public Comments are not normally included for Council Workshops). ROLL CALL City Council Present: Videoconference Staff Present: Videoconference Mayor Robert Severns City Administrator Blaine Oborn Mayor Pro Tem Munns Finance Director David Goldman Councilmember Tara Hizon Development Services Director David Kuhl Councilmember Jeff Mack City Engineer Jim Bridges Councilmember Joel Servatius Associate Planner Ray Lindenburg Councilmember Jim Woessner Operations Manager Steve Beebe Councilmember Millie Goebel Parks Operations Manager Jesse Ott Councilmember Erica Wasinger - Absent Central Services Supervisor Sandra Place Fire Chief Ray Merrill Police Chief Kevin Dresker Human Resources Director Emma House Harbormaster Chris Sublet Senior Services Administrator Liz Lange City Administrator Assistant Lisa Felix Public Information Officer Sabrina Combs City Clerk Julie Lindsey Also in attendance: City Consulting Attorney Grant Weed of Weed, Graafstra & Associates MAYOR Mayor Severns noted that Keith Higman, Health Services Director for Island County, is holding a Facebook live presentation this Friday, January 29th at 3:00 p.m. Keith will be discussing the COVID-19 vaccine in Island County. The public can submit any questions they may have, prior to the event, by email to pubhealth@islandcountywa.gov  Page 2 DEVELOPMENT SERVICES a. Model Home Ordinance Mayor Severns introduced Development Director Kuhl who reviewed the proposed Model Home Ordinance. Director Kuhl provided background on the current Ordinance No. 1780, adopted November 15, 2016, which established the model home code. The present code calls for infrastructure to be in place prior to construction. The proposed updates to the Ordinance address the development community’s desire for more flexibility in permitting to allow both infrastructure and construction to proceed simultaneously. Director Kuhl noted the next steps which included an update to the Ordinance, a SEPA determination, a notice to the Department of Commerce, and public hearing notices for review by the Planning Commission and by the City Council. Councilmembers Servatius, Goebel, Mack, Hizon, Woessner and Mayor Pro Tem Munns provided their respective comments and questions. Staff will conduct further research and work with City Attorney Weed to move forward and bring additional information and a draft ordinance to the Council at a later date. FINANCE a. Report on Use of CARES Funds Mayor Severns prefaced the report by thanking staff and Island County for their work on what he deemed a complicated and detailed undertaking. He noted the CARES process entailed receiving funds from multiple entities, creating a small business grant program, multiple community support programs, modifying City facilities to meet new Labor & Industries requirements; all while complying with county, state and federal auditing standards; within a six month timeframe. He introduced Finance Director Goldman who provided an introduction and overview, including background on the CARES Act and distributions the City of Oak Harbor received via the Washington State Department of Commerce and Island County, as well as the amounts spent and unspent. CARES FUNDING SOURCE Awarded Spent Unspent Island County $ 366,666.00 $ 365,473.43 $ 1,192.57 Department of Commerce $1,033,650.00 $ 736,995.08 $296,654.92 Total CARES Funds $1,400,316.00 $1,102,468.51 $297,847.49 USE OF FUNDS Awarded Spent Unspent North Whidbey Island Small Business Relief Program Island County Funded $ 366,666.00 $ 365,473.43 $ 1,192.57 City Funded (DOC) $ 344,550.00 $ 61,473.32 $283,076.68 Total $ 711,216.00 $ 426,946.75 $284,269.25 City’s CARES Expenses $ 689,100.00 $ 675,521.76 $ 13,578.24 The City used the following eligible cost test per the US Treasury and Department of Commerce for eligibility requirements for funds disbursement: 1. The expense is connected to the COVID-19 emergency. 2. The expense is “necessary”. 3. The expense is not filling a short fall in government revenues. (Not applicable to the North Whidbey Island Small Business Relief Program small business grants) Workshop Meeting Minutes – January 27, 2021  Page 3 4. The expense is not funded through another budget line item, allotment or allocation, as of March 27, 2020. 5. The expense wouldn’t exist without COVID-19 OR would be for a “substantially different” purpose. Mayor Severns introduced Central Services Supervisor Place who reported on the City’s use of CARES funds, as follows: Telework Capabilities $148,944.47 Microsoft Surfaces, VPN server, remote meeting equipment, etc. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) $ 75,170.93 Masks, hand sanitizer, gloves, cleaning supplies, etc. for staff & facilities Finance Payroll $ 1,616.28 Finance staff hours dedicated to COVID-19 Public Safety Payroll $ 7,168.46 Fire staff hours dedicated to COVID-19 Public Safety Measures $416,497.02 Office modifications including City Hall & The Center & Engineering Modular Software $ 26,124.60 CivicRec & Zencity annual contracts TOTAL CITY CARES EXPENSES $675,521.76 Mayor Severns introduced Public Information Officer Combs who provided an overview of the North Whidbey Island Small Business Relief Program and the associated costs: • 83 Grant Applications were Received with a total of $501,142 requested. • 20 Businesses did not complete the reimbursement process or were disqualified, withdrew, or went out of business. • 63 Businesses completed the process and received reimbursement totaling $353,943 Additionally, the City funded $40,860 in Small Business Support Costs that included providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), signage, and take-out packaging, as well as creation of the Support Oak Harbor Business website, and County funded Program Administration Costs and Office Supplies of $32,143, for a total of $426,946 spent in support of small businesses in Oak Harbor. Councilmember Mack and Mayor Severns provided their respective comments and thanked staff and the Chamber for their efforts. b. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Overview and Permitting Software Development Services Director Kuhl and Finance Director Goldman presented the overview, explaining that an ERP is a software system that integrates all areas and operations data into a shared platform, which would be designed around the City’s processes and procedures with the goal of simplifying business processes and sharing information in order to provide better internal and external customer service in a more timely manner. Director Kuhl reviewed development specifications and vendor request for proposals, software performance specifications and their applications in permitting. Director Goldman reviewed costs and potential funding sources, including technology surcharges for permitting. He presented and led a discussion of surcharge options with the Council. Mayor Pro Tem Munns and Councilmembers Woessner, Hizon, Servatius, Mack and Goebel provided their respective comments and questions. After a thorough discussion, staff will continue Workshop Meeting Minutes – January 27, 2021  Page 4 to review and obtain additional information on application and costs and provide Council with a follow-up report. ADMINISTRATION a. City Administrator’s Report City Administrator Oborn provided the Commission with his monthly report, highlighting a new format and collaboration between departments. The new format features metrics from Administration, Development Services, Fire Department, Finance, Human Resources, Marina, Police, Public Works and Senior Services, and included the agendas of City Boards and Commissions in order to keep the Council apprised of current topics. Councilmember Hizon provided her respective comments and appreciation of the new format. CITY COUNCIL Mayor Pro Tem Munns reported on her attendance at the IRTPO meeting earlier that day, including an update on the work on the Deception Pass Bridge. She also reported that in February the US Navy will be doing a security exercise which could cause some back-ups on roads and asked for patience for any traffic impacts. ADJOURN There being no further reports or discussions, Mayor Severns adjourned the workshop meeting at 4:18 p.m. Certified by Julie Lindsey, City Clerk Workshop Meeting Minutes – January 27, 2021