Councilmembers present: Dwight Thompson, Mayor pro tempore, Alan Kiest, Carolyn Armanini, Mary Jane Goss, Nate Herzog, Roger Olstad, Ed Sterner

Staff present: David R. Hutchinson, Mayor; Karen Haines, City Administrator; Rosemary Larson, Assistant City Attorney; A.J. Housler, Interim Finance Director; Dennis Peterson, Police Chief; Neil Jensen, City Engineer; Ty Peterson, Planning Manager; Sarah Phillips, Government & Community Relations Manager; Susan Stine, City Clerk

Others present: Three visitors

Mayor Hutchinson called the regular meeting to order at 7:35 p.m.

Cmbr. Goss led the council in the pledge of allegiance.

Hutchinson reported on the November 19 meeting regarding sex offender housing. He noted that he and Cmbrs. Herzog, Goss and Sterner will attend the December 2 youth forum and said that all councilmembers are invited. He discussed the recent flooding and thanked Public Works and the Police Department teams for their work to ensure the safety of citizens.

Hutchinson reported that Suburban Cities Association is working on issues related to solid waste.

Hutchinson reported that Finance Director John Hawley is returning from Iraq. City Administrator Haines said that Hawley has arrived home and will be back in the office December 8.

Cmbr. Thompson moved adoption of the agenda as proposed. Cmbr. Olstad seconded. The motion carried unanimously.

Teri Howatt, 5123 NE 187^th, spoke in support of Third Place Commons and noted that Third Place Books provides in-kind support in the amount of $148,000 by providing and maintaining the Commons space.

Karen True, 13822 93^rd NE, Kirkland, Executive Director of Friends of Third Place Commons, spoke in support of Third Place Commons and thanked the city for its support for their programs. She discussed various programs and partnerships with social service agencies.

In response to questions from councilmembers, Howatt and True discussed the work of volunteers, applications for grant funding, and increasing public support for programs.

Carolyn Armanini, 18948 Forest Park Drive NE, spoke as a citizen about flooding of properties on the west fork of Lyon Creek. She reminded the council of the 20-year anniversary of the completion of the Lyon Creek Basin Study, which encouraged detention facilities. She expressed her concern regarding the city’s inaction on an identified problem.

Thompson moved to approve the consent calendar. Goss seconded.

Armanini moved to amend the November 20, 2003 finance committee report by deleting Warrant No. 44557 payable to the King County Sheriff’s Office in the amount of $8,184 for marine patrol services.

Armanini requested that the warrant be included on the December 4 finance committee report and a report regarding services rendered and requirements of the contract with the sheriff’s office be provided for council review.

Herzog moved to amend the consent calendar as follows:

November 6, 2003 Council Budget Workshop Minutes

Page 1, line 10: "Councilmember absent excused: Dwight Thompson, Mayor pro tempore"

November 13, 2003 Council Study Session Minutes

Page 1, line 10: "Councilmember absent excused: Carolyn Armanini"

1. November 6, 2003 Council Budget Workshop Minutes as amended
2. November 13, 2003 Council Study Session Minutes as amended
3. November 13, 2003 Council Regular Meeting Minutes
4. November 20, 2003 finance committee report covering warrant nos. 44515 through 44594 (less warrant no. 44557 in the amount of $8,184) in the amount of $248,396.58 $240,212.58 drawn from the claims clearing fund and warrant nos. 25521 through 25593 in the amount of $136,171.63 drawn from the payroll clearing fund.

Thompson moved to advance the first reading calendar items to the second reading calendar as follows:

1. Resolution 811/Authorizing Mayor to Sign City Attorney Services Contract
2. Ordinance 904/Adopting 2004 Budget

Herzog moved to advance Ordinance 903/Levying Property Taxes for the Calendar Year 2004 to the final action calendar. Sterner seconded. The motion carried unanimously.

City Administrator Haines said that the contract for city attorney services was approved in 1997. The proposed agreement holds the monthly fixed fee retainer at the current amount and increases rates for senior and junior municipal group partners and associates.

Herzog moved to advance Resolution 811/Authorizing Mayor to Sign City Attorney Services Contract to the December 4, 2003 council agenda second reading calendar. Armanini seconded.

Armanini requested that information on the current rates for city attorney services be provided for council review.

Thompson moved to accept the council budget committee recommended amendments and provisos from the November 17 committee meeting and to amend Ordinance 904/Adopting 2004 Budget as follows:

2004 Proposed Budget
Page 27:	Decrease Council salaries	( 3,600.)
Page 27:	Decrease Council benefits	( 275.)
Page 27:	Decrease Council internet access allowance	( 180.)
Page 3:	Cut disability insurance for employees	(13,820.)
Page 61:	Decrease Third Place Commons	(10,000.)
Page 54:	Increase Senior Center contribution from City	1,300.
Page 62:	Decrease mobile stage contribution from City	( 1,000.)
Page 32:	Add for compensation system consultant training	1,000.
Page 34:	Increase Mayor’s reserve	400.

1. Mayor’s Reserve. The Mayor shall notify the City Council no later than the regular meeting after his authorization of the allocation of funds from the Mayor’s Reserve for any expense that exceeds $1,000.
2. Operational Efficiencies. The Mayor shall provide a report to the Council by April 1, 2004 that evaluates and makes recommendations regarding consolidation and efficiencies that could be obtained in City operations.
3. Salary Schedule for New Positions. The mayor shall provide a recommendation to the City Council for the salary schedule of all new positions authorized in the budget based upon an update study of the comparable worth valuation of city staff positions. The new FTE authorizations shall not be valid until the City Council adopts an updated salary schedule, provided that such salary schedule does not exceed the projected appropriation for the position authorized in this budget.

In response to questions from Armanini, Kiest said that the request for disability insurance for employees occurs at a time when the city is trying to control health costs, and such a request would not be timely until these costs are stabilized. Regarding the addition for compensation system consultant training, Kiest said that the budget includes several new positions which should be scored in the compensation system, and the city administrator should receive training in compensation system scoring.

Hutchinson shared information regarding health insurance costs, showing the effects of the proposed 5 percent employee-paid contribution, the change to the less expensive Group Health plan, and the cost of disability insurance. Haines noted that the mayor’s proposed budget limits the increase to health insurance costs to approximately 14 percent.

Thompson moved to amend Ordinance 904/Adopting 2004 Budget as follows:

FTE Reauthorizations. The authorization for an FTE in the 2004 budget and salary schedule shall not be valid upon the vacancy of any position on or after December 20, 2003. Reauthorization for these positions, temporary or permanent, shall require a majority vote of the Council. New positions authorized in this 2004 budget are not considered vacancies unless vacant on or after May 1, 2004.

Thompson said that this is the same proviso that is in effect for 2003, and he noted that a memorandum requesting reauthorization would be sufficient.

Armanini asked staff to determine whether real estate excise tax revenue could be used for the proposed $9,000 contribution for the mobile stage.

Planning Manager Ty Peterson responded to questions from councilmembers regarding the new positions proposed for the planning and building departments and the revenue from permit fees.

Sterner moved to amend the proposed 2004 budget to restore the following item:

Page 3:

Disability insurance for employees

$13,820.

Sterner said that the city employees have been working in a collaborative way to resolve the impact of health insurance increases.

In response to a question from Sterner, Haines said that her recollection is that disability insurance rates did not increase, but the medical insurance rates increased substantially.

Olstad asked staff to provide additional information regarding rates for disability insurance.

Herzog moved to amend the proposed 2004 budget as follows:

Page 27:

Decrease Council salaries

( 3,600.3,900.)

Following discussion, the motion to amend carried 5-2 (Aye—Olstad, Goss, Armanini, Thompson, Herzog; Nay—Kiest, Sterner).

Herzog moved to amend the proposed 2004 budget as follows:

Page 95:

Decrease new Permit Technician to half-time

(19,550.)

In response to questions from councilmembers, Planning Manager Peterson noted that the permit technician would assist with telephone and in-person inquiries and requests for information as well as permit applications. He also noted that the position would be completely funded by fees collected.

In response to a question from Thompson, Peterson discussed the workload associated with street right-of-way and side sewer permits. Discussion followed regarding the workload for the proposed permit technician and the assumed reduction in workload for the public works budget department.

Thompson moved to amend the proposed 2004 budget as follows:

Page 109:

Increase sewer utility budget to fund sewer rate study

$35,000.

A 10-minute recess was called for at 9:48 p.m.

The meeting was resumed at 10:02 p.m.

Herzog moved to table the motion to amend to the December 4, 2003 council agenda. Thompson seconded. The motion to table carried unanimously.

Herzog requested the administration to provide additional information regarding the costs for the proposed sewer rate study.

Sterner informed his colleagues that he may propose to restore all or most of the funding for Third Place Commons.

Goss requested additional information regarding the proportionate amount for the proposed contribution for the mobile stage.

Kiest moved adoption of Ordinance 903/Levying Property Taxes for the Calendar Year 2004. Goss seconded. The motion carried unanimously.

Herzog noted that the council has not scheduled a special study session meeting for December 4; however, agenda topics for the meeting have been discussed.

Herzog moved to schedule a special study session meeting for Thursday, December 4, 2003 at 6 p.m. Thompson seconded. The motion carried unanimously.

Olstad reported that the Sustaining a Livable Lake Forest Park task force met on November 18 to review proposals and to determine which firms should be interviewed. The interviews are scheduled for November 25, 2003.

Kiest reported on the competitive bid process in Bellevue for the solid waste contract.

Goss reported on transportation issues and the work of the SeaShore Transportation Forum.

Armanini recommended that city take advantage of the work of other cities on the competitive bidding process related to solid waste contract negotiations.

Sterner reported on his recent training regarding the Growth Management Act requirements related to the comprehensive Plan update and the shoreline master plan update.

At 10:17 p.m., Councilmembers agreed to extend the meeting for 20 minutes due to the scheduled executive session for discussion of potential litigation for approximately 20 minutes.

A three-minute recess was called for at 10:17 p.m.

The meeting was resumed at 10:21 p.m.

The meeting was recessed to executive session at 10:22 p.m. for approximately 20 minutes for discussion of potential litigation.

At 10:40 p.m., the executive session was extended for approximately 15 minutes.

The regular meeting was resumed at 10:49 p.m.

There being no objection, the meeting was adjourned at 10:50 p.m.

Susan Stine, City Clerk

David R. Hutchinson, Mayor

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