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2011, 03-28 Special Joint Meeting Minutes MINUTES Special Joint Meeting City of Spokane/City of Spokane Valley Monday, March 28, 2011 City of Spokane Council Chambers Attendance: Spokane Valley Councilmembers: Spokane Valley Staff: Tom Towey, Mayor Mike Jackson, City Manager Gary Schimmels, Deputy Mayor Cary Driskell, Acting City Attorney Bill Gothmann, Councilmember Rick VanLeuven, Police Chief Dean Grafos, Councilmember Neil Kersten, Public Works Director Brenda Grassel, Councilmember Carrie Koudelka, Deputy City Clerk City of Spokane Councilmembers: City of Spokane Staff: Mary Verner, Mayor Mike Piccolo Joe Shogan, Council President Rick Romero Bob Apple, Councilmember Gavin Cooley Steve Corker, Councilmember Dave Mandyke Nancy McLaughlin, Councilmember Ted Danek John Snyder, Councilmember The meeting was opened at 9:12 am by Spokane Council President Shogan. He explained the meeting is not a hearing and will be a discussion of ideas. He welcomed Spokane Valley Councilmembers and introduced Spokane Council Members, stating that Council Member Corker, Apple, and Rush will arrive late. Council President Shogan stated the agenda is made up of the same topics discussed the last time they met and said they may get some new ideas this time. Mayor Towey said the meeting is an informal exchange of ideas between the two councils and the issues they are discussing will have a great impact on citizens and that some decisions will need to be made within the next year or two. Mayor Verner said she appreciates the invitation to be included in the meeting but their form of government limits her involvement in the discussion. 1. Animal Control Spokane had a study se'ssion two weeks ago and discussed whether they should float a bond. Council President Shogan said he thought they should ask the agencies involved to collaborate and design a program rather than the City. He said rather than assuming what those agencies are going to do, he would like to hear from them as to whether they can work together and tell us how much space and infrastructure is needed. Councilmember Gothmann asked if they have ea�hausted the Broadway and Helena location. Council President Shogan said they have not, but it became apparent the ones doing the work are communicating and in the mean time the City was trying to come up with a concept that seemed to be destroying what they were doing. He said he would like to address the needs of the agencies rather than tell them what they will have. He also said they are hearing varying things from the agencies. He is not sure what the Humane Society has for a facility and he thinks Spokanimal has expanded. Councilmember Gothmann said he doesn't think Spokane Valley can do anything until Spokane figures out what they are going to do, and Spokane can't figure out what they're going to do until they hear more from the agencies. He then invited a Scraps representative to speak. Council Minutes: 03-28-2011 Page 1 of 4 Approved by Council: 04-12-2011 Councilman Corker arrived at 9:25 am. A representative from Scraps said a regional facility is something they have been trying to do for a number of years and it makes sense. Another representative said the Humane Society facility is over capacity. An issue they face is placing stray animals into the appropriate agency — Spokane Valley animals go to Scraps, Spokane animals go to Spokanimal based on where they are found the animal. An animal gets picked up, taken to an agency, then possibly transfened to the appropriate facility. Both agencies will transfer animals as part of a mutual exchange at no charge to the other agency. Councilman Snyder said he thinks the problem is the capital cost of a facility. The money for a bond issue for animal control is more than the levy lid lift they decided against. Commissioner Mielke said they looked at how the agencies can work together. He said it would be helpful to have a site for adoption because adoption is labor intensive and something they do very well. He said they should try to move as much of that part as possible and they are looking at if a satellite facility for adoption would be beneficial. He said there is a good working relationship with staff of the County, the Cities, including Liberty Lake, and he said he thinks we need a new Capital Facility. He said a brand new facility would cost $13-$15 million, by rehabilitating this site the cost is closer to $10 million. He said 70% of our citizens want to come up with a joint plan rather than individual jurisdictional plan. He identified other funding sources — there has been improvement in the number of people who license their pets and they will try to get more people to license their pets. He would like to see charitable contributions increase by $200,000. He said if they increase the cost of the animal control contract, jurisdictions said they would not be able to afford it. Another option is to not raise the contracts to jurisdictions. He said there are still questions to answer, but they continue to move forward. Commissioner Mielke said the rent for the property, the current facility and payment for the renovation is $6.3 million. He said they are looking at whether it is better to get a lump sum payment or monthly or annual payments. He said if they go to the ballot for capital funds, he thinks everyone will work to ensure voters are informed and he said he thinks there is strong drive for animal protection. Council President Shogan asked what the market rent value is if the facility stays in Spokane's name and rents it out. Mr. Romero said they need a fair market appraisal because they would be using federal dollars. He said currently the lease is $150,000 per year, but that may not be fair market value because only 50% is leased right now. He said it isn't likely they could enter into a transaction for less than fair market value without some legislation. Mayor Verner said she wants regional animal control and we are now at the point of evaluating whether we go to the ballot or think creatively for ways not to ask voters for capital funding. She said Spokane would not be able to carry this alone, and added Spokane is not even a partner in Scraps but they aze looking to join them as a partner. Council President Shogan said the problem is not the amount of the levy, but having an election. If there is push to do something for animal control in August, that is not an opportune time; they are also looking at the jail and other needs of Spokane. He said it is a question of their priorities as to what gets put on the ballot. Councilman Apple arrived at 9: Sl am. Council President Shogan said this is a tough time to go to the ballot unless they are looking at the November ballot. He said otherwise they might be competing with each other for funds if they try for the August ballot. Councilmember Gothmann asked if it would help if Spokane Valley contributed $2 million, if that would help keep it off the ballot. Commissioner Mielke asked if Spokane Valley is talking about a grant, or a Council Minutes: 03-28-2011 Page 2 of 4 Approved by Council: 04-12-2011 loan. Councilmember Gothmann said he is not sure, but it could fit within our capital facilities plan; Spokane Valley could purchase the property and then after a certain number of years they could sell it back. Commissioner Mielke said Spokane needs to recoup some of their costs, so they would be looking at closer to $2.5 million. He said they would also want to give the animal control entity the first right to repurchase. He said it might be workable if Spokane Valley agreed to purchase and hold the property and give the first right of purchase it would put them very close to a non-ballot option. He said they may have to hold the property for twenty years. Council President Shogan called for break at 9: 55 am. The meeting reconvened at 10:15 am. 2. ReEional Solid Waste Svstem Councilmember Gothmann said he and Councilmember Schimmels are on the board and that at the last meeting they asked for the kinds of constructs to be performed. Councilmember Schimmels said they have examined looking at the big picture, the kind of structure that is permitted by law, and the non-profit situation, but they cannot give any definite answers at this point. Mayor Verner said Spokane and Spokane County met last week with regard to potential litigation surrounding the Wheelabrator contract and she said she would be happy to share what information they can share with the Spokane Valley Council, adding that uncertainty is not a good platform to stand on when trying to secure facilities. She said the County has submitted amendments to interlocal agreements and Spokane is reviewing them. Council President Shogan said they do not need to discuss this now, unless others would like to continue with the discussion. Mayor Verner said after they all participated in the Solid Waste summit, Spokane understood clearly that there will be a different relationship in the future between the entities. She said Spokane will have a vendor/customer relationship in the future and she said that is the presumption they will be making their decisions under so if there is another understanding by others she would like to hear from them now. 3. Jail Council President Shogan said their Council had a second study session on the jail last week and were given a good presentation of the process, of municipal court, and a flow chart showing incarceration and release. He said the number of prisoners that go from court to jail is about 15% and that just because the County is responsible for felons, it does not mean the City should have no responsibility because felons can be City residents. He said until they know the actual costs as they project them, it is hard to come up with a position on the proposal. He said he thinks they are on a course to get to the end result. He said each council member needs to make their own decision as to where they are, adding they are not all in agreement. He said they will have two more study sessions on April 14"' and 21S` and invited Spokane Valley Council to attend. Councilman Apple said 50% of the people in jail are not there for criminal purposes. He said most are traffic related or domestic violence. He said those 50% of people in jail should be in a program rather than in jail and he said he thinks there should be a progressive program to get folks out of jail and back to work or to take care of their families. He said this is not happening and this is the bigger problem rather than whether the jail should be bigger. Councilmember Gothmann said the Geiger facility is not safe for our officers and his understanding is that it does not meet the qualifications of protection for prisoners. He said many in jail are there because of inental problems. He said he thinks we have to do more than just incarcerate people and said the County has provided innovative ways to keep people out of jail. He said the figures he has seen indicate we need a new jail, but he is waiting for additional information. Council Minutes: 03-28-2011 Page 3 of 4 Approved by Council: 04-12-2011 Councilwoman McLaughlin said there are many issues they are considering, including animal control, the fire bond, a levy lid lift, the jail, and she wants to make sure the jail is appropriately sized and that the funding is being looked at in the most efficient way. She said we don't have the luxury of dollars with all the other needs as well. Mayor Towey said this is a complicated issue and although we tend to focus on the financial part, we also have to focus on the service part and think of ways to eliminate some of the jail occupants who could be better served by another program. He said there are a lot of unanswered questions and he said he would hate to have a bond issue in November only to find the $300 million they asked for was not enough and they need to go back to the voters in two or three years asking for more. He said we need to answer the questions before November. Councilmember Schimmels went back to the topic of animal control and suggested Spokane finish what they started with their ongoing discussions with the agencies and then tell Spokane Valley the outcome and determine if we need to have a meeting. Council President Shogan agreed to notify Spokane Valley of the outcome. Mayor Verner and Council President Shogan thanked everyone for attending. The meeting was adjourned at I1:10 am. �, homas E. Towey, Mayor ATTEST• .�- �.�t.. � / �ristine Bainbridge, ity Clerk Council Minutes: 03-28-2011 Page 4 of 4 Approved by Council: 04-12-2011