Item 6 of the Richland City Council Agenda, pg. 15-35, has everything you ever wanted to know about solid waste. Increasing the price of curbside recycling will raise an additional $70,000 in revenue, enough to cover rising processing costs. Disposing of a dead horse is $150, twice the fee for a dead dog or cat. There will now be a self-service station for residential compost sales.
The Observer doesn’t like to be crude but on the matter of a City Manager, it is time the city council #&%! or got off the pot. How long does it take to decide about someone who has already been your employee for years? Yet, there is ANOTHER secret meeting (also known as an Executive Session) at 5:30 p.m. prior to the 6:00 council meeting to discuss what looks from the description to be about the Interim City Manager Jon Amundson.
The page numbers below correspond to the pages in the packet. You must register before 4:00 p.m. Tuesday to be allowed to comment either for a hearing or for a public comment. The directions are at the top of the agenda along with directions on how to connect on Zoom. You can also watch on Cable Channel 192 or watch online at Richland CityView. Choices, choices.
1. SECRET MEETING, 5:30 p.m. to evaluate an applicant for public employment or review performance of a public employee (30 minutes). Some of these have been almost 2 hours!!
Public Hearing: You have three minutes to comment here.
2. Read here about what housing assistance has been provided to low-income residents in the area through these federal programs – Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment. These funds provide rent assistance as well as down-payment assistance of low-income home buyers. The city will adopt the Third Year Annual Action Plan and authorize the submission of grant forms for 2022 Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partnerships. Pg.55-87
3. The collective bargaining agreement with the International Associations of Firefighters is the subject of this hearing. Details are provided in Item 19, 20 and 21. Pg. 172-284.
4. Proposed 2022 Budget and 2022-2027 Capital Improvement Plan (Third Public Hearing). Also see Item 8. Pg. 43-46.
Public Comments: You have 2 minutes, talk fast.
Consent Calendar – No discussion one vote. Council will zip through this.
5. Approval of the Nov. 2 minutes of the city council’s regular meeting. These are worthless. Go to the video tape. Pg. 8-14.
6. Everything you ever wanted to know about solid waste. Raising the cost of curbside recycling will increase city revenue by $70,000 enough to cover rising processing costs. Disposing of a dead horse is $150, twice the price of a dead dog or cat. There will now be a self-service station for residential compost sales. Read it all here – Pg. 15-35.
7. All-terrain vehicles will now be legal on most of the roads in Richland but only be on roads with speed limits of 35 mph or less. There are exceptions. Public Works Director Pete Regalsky pointed out that George Washington Way is off limits even though the speed limit is 35 mph because, he said, no one actually goes 35 mph there anyway. The logic of all this escapes me. Pg. 36-42
8. Approving the 2022 Budget and the 2022-2027 Capital Improvement Plan which includes about $76 million in the general fund and $320 Million in the total budget. pg. 43-46.
9. Amending the 2021 Budget in the General Fund, Medical Services Fund and Equipment Replacement Fund. To be able to use the American Recovery Plan Act Funding for utility and business expense the $2 million must be appropriated. The city also is appropriating $1,750,000 for a fire truck, an ambulance and a wildland brush truck. [I’m not clear on whether the truck/ambulance funding come from the ARPA funding]. In addition, Firehouse Subs has donated $22,330 for automatic external defibrillators and this provision adds that money to the budget. Pg. 47-49.
10. Approving a substantial amendment to the Community Development Block Grant 2019 and 2020 Annual Action Plans. According to Michelle Burden CDBG/HOME representative for the city of Richland, about $50,000 in loan repayments is being transferred so it can be used next year for new loans. Pg. 50-54.
11. Adopting the Third Year Annual Action Plan and Authorizing the Submission of Grant Forms for 2022 Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partnerships Program Fund. Richland anticipates receiving $249,000 in CDBG funds and $661,000 in HOME funds during 2022. These funds are included in the City’s 2022 Budget. Both funding sources are dependent on final federal allocation and actual amounts of program income received from prior funded projects. Pg. 55-87
12. The Richland Lacrosse Club wants to donate a multi-sport wall-ball at Badger Mountain Community Park. The wall has been approved by the Parks and Recreation Committee. This amends the park master plan to allow for it near the basketball court. Maps provided. Pg.88-92
13. This extends the Shannon & Wilson contract until the end of 2022 to monitor the wetlands in the Horn Rapids Industrial Park. Pg. 93-97
14. This provides $50,000 more to RGW Enterprises, P.C. to consult with the city on projects in the Horn Rapids and north Richland commercial and industrial areas. Pg. 98-100
15. In December 2017, the City and WRHA entered into a Gas Purchase and Site License Agreement related to the Horn Rapids Gas-to-Fuel project (Contract No. 327-17). Since then, the parties have executed four amendments, mostly to extend the timelines of performance for WRHA
16. Hold on to your hat folks, we are grabbing land from Benton County. We’re getting the Reata Road right-of-way because it is the city limit boundary and most of the development in that area belongs to the city. Maps provided. Whoop, whoop! Pg. 108-118.
17. This authorizes an agreement for administrative services for the employee retirement plan. The plan pays the fee. Pg. 119-154
18. This authorizes a retirement plan for the International Association of Fire Fighters’ (IAFF) Unions Local No. 1052. Pg. 155-171
19. This authorizes the IAFF collective bargaining agreement with rank and file. Pg. 172-226
20. This authorizes the IAFF collective bargaining agreement with Battalion Chiefs. Pg. 227-277
21. This amends the compensation for unaffiliated employees. According to the city’s description, “Adjusting the compensation schedule by 4.75% does not have the effect of increasing employee pay by 4.75%. Instead, it builds capacity for pay increases for those employees who have reached the top of the pay scale due to longevity, and aligns mid-range compensation with market rates for similar work. Individual pay increases occur separately as a part of the City’s pay-for-performance program, and percentage increases are awarded on an individual basis based on performance.”
22. Three people applied to be appointed to the Parks & Recreation Commission and Jana Kay Lunstad was chosen. Pg. 285-286.
23. Checks for October. Pg. 287-363.
Blah, blah, blah, comments by Interim City Manager and members of the city council.
The End
What’s happening with the ARPA funds? RESCUE MONEY? There are guidelines.that need following. Pasco received it’s first half in late August and will receive the remaining early in 2022. Total amount is about $18 million. Richland’s amount is less.
Item 9 in the agenda addresses $2 million of the ARA funding but I’m not entirely clear as to whether the fire truck and ambulance money came from that pot.
The city considered the $7 million in ARPA funding during their August 23 meeting.