Finance Committee

City Hall Meeting Minutes 601 4th Avenue E Olympia, WA 98501 Finance Committee Information: 360.753.8244 Wednesday, September 16, 2020 5:30 PM Online and via phone Register to attend: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4axa7ZRJSJ6FvcKsLa2NyA 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Cooper called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL Present: 3 - Chair Jim Cooper, Committee member Cheryl Selby and Committee member Lisa Parshley 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA The agenda was approved. 4. PUBLIC COMMENT Hattie Osborne, JJ Lindsey, Christopher Stegman and Howard Rosenfield spoke. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 5.A 20-0702 Approval of August 19, 2020 Finance Committee Meeting Minutes The minutes were approved. 6. COMMITTEE BUSINESS 6.A 20-0695 Discussion of the Preliminary 2021 Operating Budget Finance Director Nanci Lien and Interim Police Chief Aaron Jelcick presented the briefing. Ms. Lien reported that with amended revenue forecasts, the City is projected to have a shortfall of over $6.7 million in 2020. City Manager Jay Burney presented budget balancing options. Chief Jelcick reported on the Police Department (OPD) operating budget. Chief Jelcick stated OPD has budgeted over $1.5 million for crisis services, over $2.6 million for community engagement, $173,809 for training, over $2.6 million for corrections, connections and diversions, over $2.5 million for jail, about $4.2 million in administration costs, less than $500,000 for hiring and recruiting, about $10.5 million for patrol and investigations, about $8.3 million for patrol, about $1.6 million for detectives and $533,000 for the traffic program. City of Olympia Page 1 Finance Committee Meeting Minutes September 16, 2020 The discussion was completed. 6.B 20-0699 Review Utility Rates Water Resources Director Eric Christensen and Waste ReSources Director Gary Franks gave the report. Mr. Christensen reported staff is not proposing a rate change for drinking water or wastewater in 2021 and LOTT Clean Water Alliance is proposing a 3% increase. He also stated the storm and surface water utility has a proposed increase of $7.5%. Mr. Franks reported there are no rate increases proposed for 2021. Mr. Christensen reported there is only an increase in proposed General Facility Charges (GFC) of 3% for LOTT; all other GFCs will remain the same. The discussion was completed. 6.C 20-0700 Lifeline Utility Rates Mr. Christensen explained the current Lifeline Utility Rate Program. He presented a proposed new Charitable Contribution Program working with the Community Action Council to collect contributions from current utility customers to help customers with utility rates. Committee member Parshley moved, seconded by Committee member Selby, to forward the Utility Advisory Committee recommendation to establish a charitable fund managed by the Community Action Council to City Council for consideration. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 3 - Chair Cooper, Committee member Selby and Committee member Parshley 7. REPORTS AND UPDATES Ms. Lien reported the State Auditor Entry Conference needs a representative from the Finance Committee. Committee member Selby volunteered. Ms. Lien reported the City Finance Department will meet with neighboring jurisdictions to discuss wastewater cash flows. Committee Member Parshley reported staff will be hearing from Lacey to discuss JASCOM assessments. Chair Cooper reported he will work with staff to schedule additional Finance Committee meetings. 8. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:17 p.m. City of Olympia Page 2