10-18-12 DRAFT TBD Minutes

For your reading enjoyment, here are the DRAFT TBD minutes from October 18, 2013,

saved here: MINUTUES

Please plan to review and provide comments during the next TBD meeting on November 1.

Might be a good idea for Laurie Fait to turn these items old and new into a tracking system?

TBD Group Meeting, November 1, 2012

Don't forget!  The next Take Back DuPont group meeting is November 1, 7 p.m. at Shawna Gasak's home: 2228 Anderson Street.  Hope to see you there!

Community Finance Committee - Citizen Contributions Moot

On February 22, 2012 Councilmember Mike Courts sent an email with the subject: Thoughts on Finance Committee and Way ahead. Funny...the first meetings didn't start until March 8, 2012, yet the outcome is clearly spelled out by Mr. Courts, below including the action plan for a Levy-Lid Lift. 

This proves that the Community Finance Committee was nothing more than a puppet show, a moot point. The City did not want to hear any thoughts or suggestions from the Community (citizen’s) Finance Committee or others. None of the other options that the Community Finance Committee presented are being voted upon or addressed in the near future. The City just went thru the motions to put a Levy-Lid Lift on the November 2012 ballot

From: Michael Courts Sent: Wed 2/22/2012 12:26 PM To: Michael Grayum Cc: Dawn Masko; Sandi Hines; Penny Coffey; Erin Larsen; Kathleen Trotter; John Ehrenreich; Roger Westman; Larry Wilcox
Subject: Thoughts on Finance Committee and way ahead
Michael,We had a very productive Study Session last night. Good exchange with the 5 members present. I would like to share with you some of what I took from the meeting:

1. Timing: a. 7 August ballot requires any potential ballot measures to be turned in to the Auditor NLT 11 May (means Council vote NLT 8 May) b. 6 November ballot requires any potential ballot measures to be turned in to Auditor NLT 7 Aug (means last meeting in July for council vote)Thoughts: We appreciate the risk of waiting until November ballot, however, the 8 May deadline does not allow sufficient time for a process most likely to result in success at the ballot. We think the November ballot is the most feasible option, but need to look at some potential mitigation measures to address spending and revenues during the interim.

2. The actual process: We discussed several elements to the process for this effort: a. The committee providing an update at every council meeting with a short presentation at the first monthly meeting as part of a public education process to address some key issues; how different city employees are paid (which funds), various sources of revenues and their limitations, etc. b. Once completed with the committee work, we need a campaign to educate/solicit comment from the public. Ideally the committee provides 3-4 options for the council to consider. These need to be presented in multiple forums and modalities to the public. This is going to be the key to any future ballot measure. c. After public comment is considered, the council needs to debate and decide on an appropriate course of action to address the city's financial challenges. d. Assuming the selected course of action requires a ballot initiative, a second public information effort needs to be undertaken to gain public support. The need for two unique public information efforts is the driver for timing of any ballot measure. Early May does NOT provide sufficient time to sufficiently engage the public.

3. Benchmarking: Kathy, Dawn, Sandi, the facilitator and I need to layout some specific benchmarking for each scheduled meeting, clear objectives, deliverables SOON!

4. Facilitator, generally support this, need the right person and need them soonest. The products we need for individual and larger public engagement should be primarily developed by this facilitator.

5. The staff will have to stay well ahead of the committee otherwise the meetings will be wasted. Product should be available to the committee several days prior to each meeting, at the latest.

6. Basic objectives of the committee: a. Review 2012 Budget to identify any obvious areas for cost savings b. Compare DuPont (benchmarking) to other comparable cities: level of budget, total tax burden, services for taxes, level of public service, salary levels of city employees, quality of life, etc. c. Layout the mandated/must do elements of our budget and draw a cutline based on no change to revenues. Discuss public tolerance for this level of services and implications. d. Have a frank discussion about expectations for levels of public service/quality of life and tolerance for current or potentially increased tax burden. Members need to engage neighbors and friends about this. How we see ourselves and what our expectations are is the critical element to this effort.

e. Discuss and evaluate various revenue options; Levy Lid Lift, B&O increase, Car Tab (and implications), Sewer Franchise. Each of these has pros and cons, some are highly problematic and even of questionable legality, but a clear understanding of the potential sources and the downsides is very important.

This is a big effort and will need to be a primary focus of the staff if we are going to turn this in a reasonable time. We need to shape the outcome to posture DuPont for the long term, consistent with public expectations and tolerance. The better informed the public is, the more thoughtful the discussion will be and the more realistic the outcome will be.We believe all council meetings need to remain on the schedule this year. If individual council or staff members desire time off, that can be managed, but shutting down the process for even one meeting could severely impact an already tight schedule.

We look forward to getting this important task moving forward.For fellow council members, please provide any feedback to my comments back to Erin so she can distribute as appropriate.VR Mike Courts City Council Position #6 DuPont, WashingtonDisclaimer: Public documents and records are available to the public as provided under the Washington State Public Records Act (RCW 42.56). This e-mail may be considered subject to the Public Records Act and may be disclosed to a third-party requester.

Mike Courts' Editorial on Budget C Proposal

There's a very interesting development in an Op-Ed submitted by city of DuPont Councilmember Mike Courts in the South Puget Sound News (our local online news source).  There are a great many comments posted responding to his thoughts on Budget C, presented by Councilmember Roger Westman on October 23.  You might want to check out.   It’s one of many editorials he’s submitted about the DuPont Prop 1 Levy vote.

Several responses are worth reading and are very enlightening including those by Mr. Courts. 

http://www.southpugetsoundnews.com/editorials/editorial-a-response-to-budget-c/#comments

Tom Colegrove Introduces Take Back DuPont at City Council

Many thanks to TBD member Tom Colegrove for introducing the group at DuPont City Council on October 23, 2012.  Video recording is linked, here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-RC4IF473o

Here's what Tom presented:

For those that couldn't make it to tonight's city council meeting, here's the text of what I presented on the group's behalf:

My name is Tom Colegrove and tonight I represent the group, “Take Back DuPont”, many of our members are here tonight. There are several reasons we felt the need to introduce ourselves to the council, staff and citizens:

· Provide a description of who we are

· Explain what the group’s purpose is

· Give an insight to our future plans

· Dispel the notion that we are ‘Anti-Levy’

The group members are citizens of DuPont working together to ensure our city maintains its high standards of living, is run in a cost effective manner and to strive to achieve our vision of the DuPont of tomorrow. We are not an organization that will request and expect results; we will become part of the solution. We will not sit idly by and complain about things we disagree with; we will engage to bring change. We will work to understand reasons for actions and inactivity and will share our thoughts collectively and as individuals and do so publicly  We will remind the council and city staff of their statutory responsibilities and accountability to all citizens of DuPont.

In the short time since the group formed it has compiled a list of things it plans to bring to fruition. Samplings of that list include:

· Work with city staff to bring about a city communications policy that

· Helps to bring about regular and widely distributed public announcement, news and updates to the citizens and businesses of DuPont

· We encourage regular town hall and neighborhood meetings and published responses to public concerns

· We request that elected officials submit an outline of their comments prior to the council comments session. 

Deviations are to be captured in meeting minutes so the public can be informed when they cannot attend public meetings

· We will work to identify wasteful practices and request they be changed

· Several public service projects have been identified by group members that will be undertaken in the near future, to name just a few:

· Adopt-a-Trail

· Beautification projects

· Voter registration efforts

· Making and installation of bat-houses around retention ponds to combat mosquitos

· Bring about a clearly defined relationship of the city to the ROA

· Which parks are maintained by whom

· Event sponsorships

· Identify and eliminate any duplication of efforts and costs

· A long term plan and vision for the city

· We will work to identify and support candidates for city and council positions so that no incumbent runs for position unopposed

Shortly after the group was formed and took on the name of ‘Take Back DuPont’ several comments have been overheard, and mentioned in Op-Eds, referring to the group as “Take DuPont Backwards”. All of us take offense to those comments. We are an improvement focused group that believes that the city is in the situation it finds itself today because of public ignorance and apathy. While we have opinions on what should and should not take place in our city, we, as a group, agree to disagree about a many things – the Levy Lid Lift among them. As a group we do not endorse nor do we debate either side of the levy discussions currently going on. 

We instead are working to improve our city, our community, our government.

But as is often the case, people are afraid of things they don’t know. Again, we are citizens of our hometown willing to stand up and be heard and to do what we feel is right for our city. But we won’t stop there – we’re willing to put the sweat equity into the city as well. Our goal also includes bringing more citizens into the city’s activities and to educate its citizens. We merely ask that we be given an opportunity to work on our vision of community.

If anyone has questions about the group or is interested in joining your neighbors, I’m available after tonight’s council session adjourns.

Tough Talk at Mayor's Neighborhood Meeting

The mayor held a neighborhood meeting at The Home Course on Saturday. Another meeting will happen tonight at DuPont's EOC. Hope to see you there.

One person made several comments on Saturday. Listen here at this link:

http://goo.gl/6gmpW

Can you help identify who he is?   If yes, please post a comment, here.

Are you registered to vote in Washington?

DuPont residents, are you registered to vote in Washington State?

To vote in the upcoming November election you first must be registered. Saturday, October 6th is the last day to register to vote or change your address by mail. Mail-in registration forms must be postmarked on or before October 6th. Monday, October 8th is the last day to register or change your address on-line. Register at www.vote.wa.gov. The Pierce County Auditor’s Office will be open Saturday, October 6th from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM and Monday, October 8th from 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM to assist voters should they experience problems registering online. The state online registration site will experience high volumes. If voters experience problems they can call the Elections Division at 253-798-VOTE (8683).

Registration forms are also available on the Auditor’s website at www.piercecountywa.org/elections. Completed forms can be dropped off at any of Pierce County’s ballot drop boxes through midnight Monday, October 8th. The last day to register in person in the Auditor’s Office (new Washington voters only) is October 29th.

Another Finance Editorial by Mike Courts

Council member Mike Courts has written another editorial to South Puget Sound News about the upcoming finance levy; it's posted here:
http://www.southpugetsoundnews.com/editorials/editorial-duponts-decision/

Neighborhood Meetings with Mayor Grayum

Mayor Michael Grayum is hosting a series of Neighborhood Meetings to discuss his top priorities for the City and to listen to the issues most important to the residents of DuPont. These meetings have been set up for various times and locations in the City to increase the opportunity for everyone who is interested to attend.
Neighborhood Meeting Schedule:

Thursday, October 4th 10:00 AM Community Center – 303 Barksdale Avenue

Saturday, October 6th 2:00 PM The Home Course – 2300 Hoffman Hill Blvd.

Monday, October 8th 6:00 PM Public Safety Bldg – EOC – 1780 Civic Drive
Please don’t miss this opportunity to discuss topics important to our community and provide your perspective and insight.