City Manager’s Weekly Report
for week ending Nov. 8, 2019

A comment on the passage of I-976.  The City of Normandy Park is so budget lean that the loss of car tab funds will necessitate the reduction of an already challenged street budget, reducing city capacity to provide grant match in 2020 street grant applications. The city will meet its street obligations during this next year, including grant funded projects. Thanks to local residents who approved an excess property tax levy, the General Fund is committed to as much police service as can be provided, 10 uniformed officers, and consequently, has no additional street fund capability. If the city were to reduce non-police personnel to provide funding for street projects, then Normandy Park would no longer be a complete city in terms of service.  Moreover, city financial policy mandates that we cannot reduce the ending fund balances we maintain, which are minimal but sufficient for city budget integrity. Within three years, the city is also planning to eliminate existing General Fund debt incurred before I started nearly five years ago.

Typically, the city funds 75-90% of current road projects with other people’s tax dollars (competitive grants), and the current loss of $20 car tabs is a critical reduction in our grant match capabilities (10-25% of each street project). I-976 will reduce street funds about $115K in 2020; in recent times, the city has competitively matched these car tab funds with $350K-$750K of Washington State Transportation Improvement Board grants each year. That‘s going to slow way down in 2021 and beyond. Reasonable people assume that there must be some slack in the city budget, but sadly, this is simply not the case. General Fund ending fund balance is not available for street projects without reducing the city’s bond rating. Regardless, it appears that car tabs are out for good. We’ll see what happens.

Recent Washington State Department of Commerce Sea-Tac Study public meeting presentations.  Presentations from the recent 11-6-19 meeting are attached.  These presentations indicate Department of Commerce consultant progress to date.

Port of Seattle Commission Notice.  This is the most recent Port of Seattle notice from November 7, 2019.  The Port is providing this regular notice so that jurisdictions are not caught unaware by Port Commission actions, as occurred a while back, resulting in suspension of StART activities by Des Moines, Federal Way and Burien.

PORT COMMISSION AGENDA & OTHER NOTABLES
Welcome to this FIFTH edition of Port Commission Agenda & Other Notables. We’ll be updating you on upcoming Port Commission agenda items that may of interest to Airport cities, as well as other timely, notable Port activities and opportunities. We initiated this as part of our commitment to ensuring timely communications on upcoming Port issues, particularly those related to Sea-Tac Airport.

November 12, 2019 – Port Commission Meeting Agenda
The next Port Commission meeting will be this coming Tuesday, November 12, 2019 from 9am to 1pm at  at  Sea-Tac Airport’s International Conference Center (Mezzanine level.) PLEASE NOTE THE REVISED TIME AND LOCATION. The change was made to accommodate the Northwest Seaport Alliance Board of Managers meeting.

Notable items on the Special Orders that may be of interest:

  • None

Notable items on the Consent Agenda that may be of interest:

  • Authorization for the Executive Director to execute a major works construction contract for replacement of airfield pavement, joint seals, and related utilities.

Notable items on the Action Agenda that may be of interest:

  • Introduction and Public Hearing on Resolution 3763 adopting the 2020 Budget
  • Introduction and Public Hearing on Resolution 3764 specifying the dollar and percentage change in the Port’s regular property tax levy
  • Introduction of Salary and Benefits Resolution 3765 for non-represented employees
  • Introduction of Resolution 3766 establishing the Port-Wide Art and Cultural Program Policy Directive

You can find the complete meeting agenda at the Port’s website HERE.

SEPA begins on Interim Westside Fire Station – November 8, 2019
Beginning on Friday, November 8th  the 14-day SEPA comment period will begin on the necessary improvements to the Interim Airport Rescue & Firefighting Facility (interim ARFF) on the west side of the airfield. Located next to the old PACCAR hangar, this would replace the existing Interim ARFF with an expanded, yet still interim facility to accommodate existing needs at approximately the same location as the existing interim facilities. Longer-term, the Port is conducting environmental review for the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Near Term Projects (NTP), which proposes to relocate the existing Primary Aircraft Rescue & Firefighting Facility to accommodate construction of a new terminal concourse.  This proposal addresses existing needs for fire equipment and response, regardless of whether the Port proceeds with any of the SAMP NTP projects. The Commission has had presentations, been briefed, and taken action on the Interim ARFF a few times, including: 2/27/2018 (Authorizing clearing, design and construction) and 5/28/2019 (Authorizing a design-build contract). The project was also discussed during capital budget deliberations in fall 2018.  The link to the project will be listed HERE, in the table at the bottom of the page, beginning at 8:00am, Friday, November 8th.

Local Participation in the Small Business Matchmaking Made Simple @ Sea-Tac Airport
If you recall, back on Monday, September 30, 2019 there was a Small Business Matchmaking event at Sea-Tac Airport. Based on the recent breakdown, we wanted to share that a number of the 66 small businesses that participated in the event were from the surrounding area. At least 6 of the participants were from the Airport communities. We’ll definitely be holding similar events in the future, so please watch these posts for timing and information. As with this past event, separate emails will go out to your City economic development folks, and the local chambers of commerce.

Local Artist’s Work to be Prominently Displayed

Burien artist Cable Griffith’s work “Cascadia” is coming to Sea-Tac Airport’s Concourse C, at the access point for the Satellite Trains. This beautiful glass artwork should be installed by the end of the year. For a short video on his beautiful work, click HERE.

Enjoy Veterans Day!

Mark E. Hoppen, City Manager
City of Normandy Park
801 SW 174th Street
Normandy Park, WA 98166
(206) 248-8246 (Direct Phone)