05/30/2017 - Work Session - Minutes MINUTES OF THE SALT LAKE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MEETING
TUESDAY, MAY 30 , 2017
The City Council met in Work Session on Tuesday, May 30, 2017, at
3 : 22 p.m. in Room 326, Committee Room, City County Building, 451
South State Street.
In Attendance: Council Members Erin Mendenhall, James Rogers, Stan
Penfold, Charlie Luke, Lisa Adams, and Andrew Johnston .
Absent: Councilmember Derek Kitchen.
Staff in Attendance: Cindy Gust-Jenson, Executive Council
Director; Jennifer Bruno, Executive Council Deputy Director;
Patrick Leary, Mayor' s Chief of Staff; Margaret Plane, City
Attorney; Lehua Weaver, Council Office Associate Deputy Director;
Allison Rowland, Council Public Policy Analyst; Sylvia Richards,
Council Public Policy Analyst; Benjamin Luedtke, Council Public
Policy Analyst; Lisa Shaffer, Public Services Director; Isaac
Astill, Fleet Management Program Director; Denise Sorensen, Public
Services Financial Analyst; Scott Freitag, 911 Dispatch Director;
Andrew Schonfield, Public Safety Finance Manager; Lara Fritts,
Economic Development Director; Ben Kolendar, Economic Development
Deputy Director; Laura Briefer, Public Utilities Director; Jesse
Stewart, Public Utilities Deputy Director; Jason Brown, Public
Utilities Chief Engineer; Kurt Spjute, Public Utilities Financial
Administrator; John Vuyk, Budget Director; Mike Akerlow, Community
and Neighborhoods Deputy Director; Holly Draney, Capital
Improvement Program (CIP) Specialist; and Cindi Mansell, City
Recorder.
Councilmember Penfold presided at and conducted the meeting.
The meeting was called to order at 3 : 22 p.m.
AGENDA ITEMS
#1 . 3:22:27 PM RECEIVE A BRIEFING REGARDING THE PROPOSED FLEET
BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017-18 WHICH PROVIDES VEHICLES, FUEL, AND
VEHICLE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR SERVICES FOR ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS .
View Attachments
Sylvia Richards, Lisa Shaffer, Isaac Astill, and Denise
Sorensen briefed the Council with a PowerPoint presentation and
attachments . Comments included lack of adequate funding,
consultant analysis, replacement/maintenance issues, 10-year
business plan, debt service, potential to utilize impact fees, add
full-time employees (FTEs) , overtime issues, replace vehicles
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sooner, fleet reduction (48 vehicles) , explore funding options,
escalating costs for new equipment, and vehicle re-sale/auction.
The Council requested feedback clarifying the City' s ability
to utilize impact fees to replace or purchase fire/police vehicles
(changes to State legislation) .
Councilmember Penfold requested an assessment of how much
overtime was being paid and whether the City would be better served
by hiring new employees (how much overtime would justify an FTE) .
Councilmember Luke said during the upcoming Legislative
Session he wanted to work with the League of Cities and Towns to
review how the Legislature dealt with impact fees for fire
apparatus and identify potential options . He also wanted to explore
the potential to amend State legislation to allow police impact
fees to be used for police fleet vehicles .
#2 . 3:53:27PM RECEIVE A BRIEFING REGARDING THE PROPOSED 911
COMMUNICATIONS BUREAU BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017-18 . The Bureau
provides both Police and Fire Dispatch services for the City. View
Attachments
Benjamin Luedtke, Scott Freitag, and Andrew Schonfield
briefed the Council with attachments . Comments included adding new
FTEs, proposed salary increases, provide better/faster customer
service, 911 customer fee distribution/new revenue, and increased
number of calls due to cell phones .
Councilmember Mendenhall suggested scheduling a follow-up
briefing with Mr. Freitag (after several months of 911 fee
collection) to discuss the amount/impact of new revenue.
The Council discussed Councilmember Luke' s suggestion of
conducting an outside audit of the 911 Dispatch process including
evaluating call volume, adding FTEs, addressing constituent
concerns/response time, revenue projections from new 911 fee
collection, utilizing a pre-approved Council audit firm, and
determining what resources were needed to meet current/future
demand.
Straw Poll: Council support directing Staff to utilize the
Council' s three pre-approved audit firms to work with Mr. Frietag
and the Mayor' s Office to conduct a complete audit of 911 Dispatch.
All Council Members present were in support.
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Councilmember Rogers requested feedback about the 911
Dispatch switch which would occur in 2018 with Salt Lake County.
He said the Council needed detailed information about how that
process would be implemented to ensure service levels did not
decrease.
#3. 4:16:54PM RECEIVE A BRIEFING REGARDING THE PROPOSED ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT BUDGET FOR FY 2017-18 . View Attachments
Sylvia Richards, Allison Rowland, Lara Fritts, and Ben
Kolendar briefed the Council with a PowerPoint presentation and
attachments . Comments included 35% budget increase, business
community survey, work force development, robust economy, local
level businesses, Main Street America program/designations,
marketing strategies, recruitment efforts, financial benefits,
messaging issues, commercial revitalization, safe/clean/green
communities, Redevelopment Agency (RDA) State Street Project Plan,
education issues, City processes difficult for small businesses to
navigate, measuring success, Arts Council Foundation Strategic
Plan, impact of House Bill 55 on the City and Arts Council
Foundation' s (ACF) financial relationship, and Arts Program
subsidies .
Councilmember Mendenhall requested year-by-year data totals
for new jobs, square footage of buildings constructed or leased,
and capital expenditures along with a national average comparison
to other mid-sized cities .
Discussion was held on the ACF/Twilight Series . Comments
included creating a strategic plan to clearly establish mission
goals/objectives/tactics including programming, putting measures
in place to ensure ACF programs did not run deficits, and ongoing
subsidies for arts programs . Councilmember Penfold asked about
next steps to evaluate the future of the Twilight Series program.
Mr. Kolendar said they were working with ACF to create a model for
Fiscal Year 2019 which would be presented to Council .
#4 . 4:15:29PM RECEIVE A BRIEFING REGARDING THE PROPOSED GOLF
ENTERPRISE FUND BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017-18 .
Item pulled. Councilmember Penfold said the proposal would
continue through Fiscal Year 2017-18 budget cycle with Rose Park
remaining within the Golf Fund (move fund balance difference to
Unresolved Issues - Staff to determine amount) . He said it involved
significant policy considerations and a great deal of community
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interest. He said a more detailed briefing would be scheduled with
the Administration at a later date.
#5 . 4:41:47PM HOLD A FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MAYOR' S
RECOMMENDED BUDGET RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES
FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017-18, SPECIFICALLY THE PROPOSED SEWER RATE
INCREASE . View Attachments
Lehua Weaver, Laura Briefer, Jesse Stewart, and Kurt Spjute
briefed the Council with a PowerPoint presentation and
attachments . Comments included consultant rate study, 30o rate
increase in 2017 followed by several years of double digit
increases, rate scenarios, schedule for capital projects, revenue
generation, projects driven by State/Federal mandates, outdated
infrastructure, sewer impact fee analysis/utilization, rate
increases not due to new prison facility, capacity expansion, time
certain deadlines, debt service/cash reserve ratio, at-capacity
collection systems, customer assistance programs, treatment plant
rebuild, affordability analysis, waste heat recovery, increased
usage due to Airport expansion project, minimize community impact,
and water conservation.
Councilmember Mendenhall requested Public Utilities work with
Housing and Neighborhood Development (HAND) to create payment
options to assist lower income populations . Councilmember Penfold
asked Public Utilities to track any increased requests for payment
assistance during the process .
Discussion was held on the importance of accurately preparing
information to help the public understand what the proposed rate
increases were intended to accomplish and how development in the
Northwest Quadrant related to the proposal . Councilmember Penfold
said taxpayers needed to be informed/assured they were not being
asked to subsidize the State' s new prison facility.
#6. 6:08:06PM RECEIVE A BRIEFING REGARDING THE CITY' S CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, WHICH INVOLVE THE CONSTRUCTION, PURCHASE OR
RENOVATION OF BUILDINGS, PARKS, STREETS OR OTHER PHYSICAL
STRUCTURES . Generally, projects have a useful life of five or more
years and cost $50, 000 or more. View Attachments
Benjamin Luedtke, Michael Akerlow, Mary Beth Thompson, and
Holly Draney briefed the Council with attachments . Comments
included projects removed from funding log, 6 . 5% CIP, create
constrained 10-year Capital Facilities Plan, repurpose old CIP
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accounts, Council priorities, Impact Fee Facilities Plan, street
infrastructure, deferred maintenance needs, projected growth, CIP
backlog, impact fee project eligibility, revised application
process, reduced number of requests, holding quarterly CIP
meetings with all departments, ongoing discussions needed to
identify funding sources, increased debt payments, Fire Training
Center, and Class C Fund being miscalculated by the State .
Discussion was held on Class C Funds . Comments included
miscalculated funds (ongoing or one-time) , impact on revenue
projections, approximately $26 million to be distributed among
local jurisdictions/counties (City' s portion addressed in separate
budget amendment) , and determine eligible projects for Class C
Funds .
Ms . Thompson said when the City received its portion of the
settlement, the Council would have an opportunity to change how
funds were used (General Fund portion to Class C) . Councilmember
Penfold requested a list of project types that would be Class C
eligible (also, current General Fund projects that could be moved
to Class C) . Councilmember Adams requested further
clarification/details about projects that were being considered
for repurposing.
Councilmember Penfold asked about the timeline for holding a
project specific CIP briefing. Mr. Akerlow said expectation or
intent was for some time in August/September. Councilmember Adams
requested the briefing contain information about whether
maintenance costs were being built into CIP. Mr. Akerlow said
moving forward, costs would be included as part of the application.
Councilmember Penfold asked Mr. Akerlow to add another column to
the spreadsheet identifying ongoing costs .
The Council requested follow-up information regarding cost
estimates to the Public Utilities Storm Water System (request made
last year) to move curb and gutter into that system from the
General Fund. Councilmember Penfold said a policy discussion was
needed which extended beyond just gap funding. Councilmember
Johnston said discussions about other infrastructure needs for
City streets needed to be conducted separately from this proposal .
Mr. Akerlow said he would follow-up with Public Utilities and
incorporate that into the Capital Facilities Plan.
Councilmember Penfold asked Council Members to let Staff know
if they had any additional questions prior to the follow-up
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briefing in August/September.
Councilmember Adams said she wanted to explore the potential
for the Council to receive the draft "Street Report" simultaneously
with the Administration (was that permissible under "Separation of
Powers") . Councilmember Penfold said that would also help with
Class C Fund discussions .
#7 . 6:56:44 PM RECEIVE A BRIEFING REGARDING UNRESOLVED ISSUES
RELATING TO THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET. View Attachments
Jennifer Bruno briefed the Council with attachments .
Discussion was held on the following Items :
#1 . Clarifying understanding on Homelessness Funding and
related services in various departments .
Councilmember Mendenhall requested a follow-up discussion
regarding expansion of the "Clean Team" to the "Clean and Safe
Team" (Portland concept) . Discussion was held on a proposal by the
Downtown Alliance (Safety Team or Ambassador Team) to have
uniformed people focus on a geographical area to engage with
homeless individuals from a safety perspective . Ms . Bruno said the
Chamber of Commerce would match the City' s General Fund allocation.
She said the Mayor was not proposing to fund it at this time but
the Council could add it. Councilmember Penfold suggested adding
it for tracking purposes, holding discussions, and soliciting a
proposal/formalized information from the Downtown Alliance
clarifying their request.
Councilmember Adams requested follow-up information regarding
a funding proposal to decrease detox beds .
Councilmember Johnston requested clarification on what the
City was trying to accomplish (was it optics, cleanliness, getting
people into treatment, etc) . He said knowing that would help narrow
fund options and clarify the City' s focus . He said there also
needed to be evaluation criteria so the City could be assured
goals/objectives were accomplished.
Councilmember Mendenhall requested information about specific
components that would come online with the new Homeless Resource
Centers (HRC) . She said it might be beneficial to try implementing
those components around the Road Home prior to opening the first
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HRC. Ms . Bruno said Staff would submit Council requests to the
Administration prior to next week' s meeting.
Councilmember Penfold said this was just the beginning of the
conversation and asked Council Members to let Staff know if there
were additional questions/changes that needed to be captured.
Councilmember Luke said he wanted to highlight the 500 West
Median changes because he felt there were questions that needed
more discussion. Ms . Bruno said Staff received confirmation that
Class C Funds were not eligible for the 500 West Median paving
proposal . She said she would follow-up with the Administration
regarding their proposed funding source.
#2 . Golf Fund Deficit and plan for Rose Park Golf Course.
Councilmember Penfold said the Council' s expectation was to leave
Rose Park in the Golf Fund during the budget process (Staff to
determine funding amount) . He said following the budget process,
Council would hold a lengthy policy discussion about golf/Rose
Park.
#3. Proposed Property Tax Budget & Truth-in-Taxation Process .
Ms . Bruno said the proposed budget already triggered the Truth-
in-Taxation process due to how funds were being proposed (judgment
levy, property tax stabilization) .
#4 . Additional direction needed on items identified in the
attachments . Ms . Bruno said Staff continued to track a number of
items raised by the Council (proposed budget cuts or additions) .
She asked the Council to review the list and let Staff know if any
changes were needed. Councilmember Penfold asked Council Members
to identify a revenue source for any proposed changes .
Legislative Intents/Contingent Appropriations. Ms . Bruno said
there was a proposed list and asked Council Members to inform Staff
of any changes . Councilmember Penfold asked Staff to track the 911
Dispatch Audit (potential cost/revenue source) .
Councilmember Penfold said two additional briefings would be
scheduled to discuss unresolved issues . He said the Council hoped
to adopt the budget on June 13, 2017 .
#8 . 6:35:55PM REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INCLUDING A
REVIEW OF COUNCIL INFORMATION ITEMS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS . The Council
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may give feedback or staff direction on any item related to City
Council business, including but not limited to:
• the 2017 National Conference on Ending Homelessness,
• changes to the Annual Meeting Calendar,
• Homeless Resource Center Town Hall Meetings, and
• Scheduling Items.
See File M 17-5 for Announcements .
#9. REPORT OF CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.
No discussion was held.
#10 . CONSIDER A MOTION TO ENTER INTO CLOSED SESSION, IN
KEEPING WITH UTAH CODE §52-4-205 FOR ANY ALLOWED PURPOSE .
Item not held.
The meeting adjourned at 7 : 14 p .m.
COUNCIL CHAIR
CITY RECORDER
This document is not intended to serve as a full transcript
as other items may have been discussed; please refer to the audio
or video for entire content.
This document along with the digital recording constitute the
official minutes of the City Council Work Session meeting held May
30, 2017 .
clm
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