HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommittee of the Whole - 09 Dec 2019 - Agenda - Pdf
CITY OF RENTON
AGENDA Committee of the Whole Meeting
5:30 PM - Monday, December 9, 2019
Conferencing Center, 7th Floor, City Hall – 1055 S. Grady Way
1. Homeless Trends and Police Efforts
a) Presentation
2. Council Vacancy Policy
a) Red-lined Version
b) Proposed Timeline
3. Emerging Issues
- Senior Initiative
Police Homeless Engagements:
An Overview
AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
Introduction
Common issues faced by law enforcement:
•Increased calls for service
•Welfare checks
•Theft and property crime
•Disturbances/Disputes
•Assaults
•Aesthetics and health
•Public camping
•Trash/waste
•Public urination/defecation
•Balancing rights of the homeless with
demands of the public
•Misdemeanor presence rule = difficult
to arrest AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
General Encampment Areas
AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
Cedar River
natural area
Black River
Riparian Forrest
AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
•The Cedar River Natural Area
and Black River Riparian
Forrest contain the highest
concentration of illegal
encampments on City
property.
•In the first three quarters of
2019 the Renton Police
Department, in cooperation
with the Renton Parks
Department, have removed
approximately 30 illegal
homeless encampments.AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
Through the first three quarters
of 2019:
•The Parks Department has
invested approximately 194
staff hours
•The Police Department has
spent approximately 53 hours
assisting Parks
•The associated posting and
clean-up costs equal
approximately $55,000 AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
Camps on City Property
Process:
•Identify location(s)
•Coordinate resources (parks,
police, clean-up company)
•Post 72-hour notice to vacate
with resource materials
•Return with parks, police, clean-
up to ensure camp is vacant
•If not, take appropriate action
•Clean-up, dismantle and remove
remaining camp debris AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
Camps on Private Property
Process is more detailed:
•Identify location(s)
•Identify, locate and contact
property owner(s)
•Initially a voluntary process, then code
enforcement can become involved
•If voluntary, coordinate police
authority with property owner
•Post property
•Property cleaned at owner’s expense AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
Camp Hazards
•Used hypodermic needles
•Human waste
•Mold
•Rotting food waste
•Rodent infestations
•Disease-carrying insects (mosquitos,
fleas, bedbugs, etc.)
•Rubbish/debris (trash, bicycles/bicycle
parts, soiled clothes, etc.)
•Terrain
People Hazards
•Mental illness
•Drug addiction
•Criminal activity
•fugitives AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
Outreach
Representatives from Catholic
Community Services oftentimes
accompany officers into the field and
offer resources:
•Access to drug/mental health
counseling
•Emergency shelter
•Housing assistance
•Social workers
These offers are rarely accepted. AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
Outreach
AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
Homeless Deaths
According to the King County Medical Examiner:
Since 2017 they have investigated 7,378 deaths in King County; 511 of
those individuals were listed as homeless; 20 of those deaths
occurred in Renton.
Of the 7,378 deaths investigated, 266 were classified as homicides.
Of the 266, 25 were listed as homeless; 2 of those were within the
City limits of Renton AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
Questions?AGENDA ITEM #1. a)
POLICY & PROCEDURE
Subject:
FILLING COUNCIL VACANCIES Index: LEGISLATIVE
Number: 800-10
Effective Date:
1/16/201920
Supersedes:
1/1/201911
/16/
2015
Page:
1 of 5
Staff Contact:
CAO
Approved By:
1.0 PURPOSE:
To establish policy and procedures for filling a Council vacancy that is consistent with
State law.
2.0 ORGANIZATIONS AFFECTED:
City Councilmembers
3.0 REFERENCES:
RCW 42.12
RCW 42.30
RCW 35A.12
4.0 POLICY:
4.1 A Council position shall be officially declared vacant upon resignation, recall,
forfeiture, or death of a Councilmember, or for any other reason provided in
RCW 42.12.
4.2 The Council, by majority vote, shall appoint a qualified person to fill the vacancy
in the Council.
4.2.1 The appointee shall serve on the Council until such time as a person is
elected and certified to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the
unexpired term at the next regular municipal election.
4.3 Candidates for a Council vacancy must:
4.3.1 Be a registered voter of the City of Renton.
AGENDA ITEM #2. a)
FILLING COUNCIL VACANCIES
p. 2
4.3.2 Have residency within the corporate limits of Renton at least one year
immediately prior to consideration for the vacancy.
4.4 A person shall be considered for filling the vacancy by submitting an application
packet that includes the following:
a) Letter of Interest from candidate;
b) Resume;
c) Letters of support from community members
d) Completed Council Questionnaire form
4.4 a letter of interest by the specified date and time. Additional
materials outlining the person’s interests and qualifications may
also be submitted.
4.4.1 Candidates’ submitted materials shall be made available in the City Clerk
Division for inspection by the public after the submission deadline date.
4.4.2 Candidates may submit letter of support with the letters of interest.
4.5 The City Clerk shall arrange for all announcements, interviews, and meetings
pertaining to a Council vacancy to be made public by publishing a notice in a
local newspaper of general circulation. Notice shall also be provided to each
local radio and/or television station that has a request to be notified on file with
the City. Notice of any special meetings shall be publicized 24 hours prior to the
scheduled meeting and must specify the time, place, and purpose of the
meeting. The requirements above do not preclude the continuation of a
publicized meeting to a time certain.
4.6 Interviews of selected candidates desiring to fill the vacant Council position shall
be conducted in a meeting open to the public in Council Chambers during a
regularly scheduled Committee of the Whole, Special, or Regular meeting of the
Council. Minutes of the meeting must be kept in order to meet the
requirements of the Open Public Meetings Act. No public testimony regarding
the candidates or their related submitted materials will be accepted.
5.0 DEFINITIONS:
N/A
6.0 PROCEDURES:
6.1 If, for any reason, a vacancy in the Council occurs, the Mayor shall officially
acknowledge the vacancy at the next regularly scheduled Council meeting. If a
resignation, forfeiture or recall of a Council position occurs during a meeting,
AGENDA ITEM #2. a)
FILLING COUNCIL VACANCIES
p. 3
official acknowledgment of the vacancy by the Mayor may take place during
thatin the same meeting. Correspondence shall be logged into four categories:
6.1.1 After officially acknowledging a vacancy on Council, the Mayor shall
request and encourage all qualified persons who desire to be appointed
to the vacant position to submit an application packet (per Section 4.4)
letter of interest to the City Clerk. The Mayor shall also indicate that
additional materials outlining the person’s interests and qualifications,
and letters of support from individuals or organizations, may also be
submitted.
6.1.2 At the meeting the vacancy was acknowledged, the Council President
may Within two weeks of the acknowledgment of the vacancy, with the
consent of the full Council,the remaining Councilmembers shall, at a
Council meeting, 1) establish the date and time by which application
packets letters and information must be submitted to the City Clerk, and
2) establish a date and time for Council the Committee of the Whole to
review the submitted materials at an open public meeting.
6.1.3 The day immediately following the Council meeting in which the Council
establishes a schedule for the submission of applications and review of
materials submitted, the City Clerk shall provide proper notice to local
media that:
a) Advertises the vacancy;
b) Requests qualified persons desiring to be appointed to the vacant
position submit application packets (per Section 4.4.)letters of
interest and supporting materials;
c) Lists the requirements and deadlines candidates must meet in
order to be considered for the vacancy; andand
d) Provides notice of when the CouncilCommittee of the Whole will
review the submitted materials submitted.
6.1.4 The City Clerk shall prepare a packet for each Councilmember and the
Mayor consisting of the candidates’ submitted materials.
6.1.5 After receiving the packets, the CouncilCommittee of the Whole shall
meet in a meeting open to the public, and may recess into Executive
Session in order to review and debate the qualifications of the
candidates. Council must be in open session , to select by majority vote
AGENDA ITEM #2. a)
FILLING COUNCIL VACANCIES
p. 4
either a candidate as the new Councilmember or a slate of up to six
candidates to interview at a future Committee of the Whole, Special, or
Regular meeting of the Council.with no public testimony to be taken.
If a candidate is selected as the new Councilmember, the City Clerk shall notify
the other candidates that the interview process is canceled.
6.1.6 At the next regular Council meeting following completion of review and
debate of candidate materials, Council shall select by majority vote
either a candidate as the new Councilmember, or a slate of candidates to
be interviewed at the next Committee of the Whole meeting. If a new
candidate is selected, the City Clerk shall notify the candidates that a
selection has been made and the interview process is canceled. If a new
Councilmember has been selected under the process described in this
subsection, then the rest of the policy is inapplicable.
6.1.7 If Council selects a slate of candidates to interview, the City Clerk shall
personally notify each candidate of the date, time, and place of the
interviews.
6.2 Each candidate will be interviewed at a Committee of the Whole, Special, or
Regular Council meeting to be held in the Council Chambers.
6.2.1 Each candidate will be asked one question per Councilmember in
attendance at the meeting.
6.2.26.2.1 A set of preselected questions, approved by Council, will be asked
of each candidate. Each candidate must respond to the same set of
questions from Council.
6.2.36.2.2 Candidates’ order of appearance at the interview shall be pre-
determined by Council lottery.
6.2.46.2.3 The Council President may limit the length of each candidate’s
interview to 30 minutes if the number of candidates exceeds six (6).
6.2.56.2.4 Upon completion of all interviews, Councilmembers may recess
into Executive Session to discuss the qualifications of the candidates. The
Council may also discuss the candidates’ qualifications in open session.
6.3 After completion of the interviews and discussion during the Committee of the
Whole meeting, the Council President shall, at the immediately following regular
Council meeting, call for nominations to fill the vacancy from the slate of
candidates interviewed.
AGENDA ITEM #2. a)
FILLING COUNCIL VACANCIES
p. 5
6.3.1 Nominations shall be made beginning with the Council President and in
order of roll call for the month.
6.3.2 Balloting is done by roll call vote as outlined in Section 6.3.1. No secret
ballot is permitted.
a) Balloting will continue until a nominee receives a majority of four
votes.
b) At any time during the balloting process, Council may postpone
balloting until the next regularly scheduled Council meeting if a
majority vote is not reached.
6.3.3 All interviews, discussion, nominations, and votes taken by the Council
shall be conducted during an open session of the Council regular
meeting.
6.3.4 The nominee receiving the majority vote is declared the new
Councilmember and shall be sworn in by the City Clerk or other
designated official at the next regularly scheduled Council meeting.
6.3.5 If Council does not elect a new Councilmember within 90 days of the
acknowledged vacancy an impasse shall be declared. In the case of an
impasse, the Council President shall submit a request, which shall include
the list of nominees, to the King County Council to fill the vacancy. The
King County Council shall have 180 days to fill the vacancy from the date
it was officially acknowledged.
AGENDA ITEM #2. a)
Proposed Timeline and Action Steps for Filling the Upcoming Council Vacancy:
1.12/9/2019 – Review proposed changes to Policy & Procedure 800-2, Council Vacancies
2.1/6/2020 – Adopt proposed changes to Policy & Procedure 800-2 under Legislation
portion of Agenda (via a resolution).
3.1/6/2020 – After adopting the revised Vacancy policy, Mayor Pavone announces the
vacancy under New Business portion of the agenda.
4.1/6/2020 – Immediately following Mayor Pavone’s announcement, Council President
Pérez explains what an “Application Packet” consists of, and sets January 22, 2020 as
the deadline for submitting the “Application Packets.” (City Clerk will also publish a
notice in the paper)
5.1/23/2020 – City Clerk assembles “Application Packets” and distributes the packets to
Council via the agenda. (Clerk will add a section for Council Vacancy Deliberation prior
to the Consent Agenda portion of the meeting.)
6.1/27/2020 – Council reviews the “Application Packets” either in open session or
recessing into Executive Session, and deliberates the qualifications of the candidates.
7.1/27/2020 – Council in open session by majority vote, either selects a new
Councilmember or a slate of up to six candidates to interview.
8.1/27/2020 – If a slate of candidates is selected, the Council President announces the
date, time, and meeting place for the interviews. I recommend the Committee of the
Whole meeting on February 3, 2020. City Clerk will notify the selected candidates of the
date and time and meeting place of the interviews.
9.2/3/2020 – Council interviews the candidates during the Committee of the Whole
meeting.
10.2/3/2020 – Council nominates and votes to appoint a Councilmember from the slate of
candidates during the regular Council meeting.
AGENDA ITEM #2. b)