A Chance to tell the Port Angeles City Council What Matters Most to You
This Tuesday, 5 to 7 p.m. at City Hall, the public is invited to tell the City Council which city services they think are the most and least important.
Regarding the option of continuing to raise fees and rates to continue funding city services, chief financial officer Byron Olson said:
“Whether the citizens can afford them is the critical key. We don't really think there is much, if any, room to raise those fees and rates other than to cover the most basic cost increases that we've got.”
He said a 2014 affordability index showed that Port Angeles' fees and utility rates are comparable to those of 15 other Washington cities of similar population, but:
“What it really showed, though, is the income level in Port Angeles is substantially below the average.”
City Manager Dan McKeen said:
“By each department identifying their lowest priority, if they had to make a reduction, hopefully it will help identify those things that are truly lowest-priority items. Some of the lowest-priority items are fairly high-priority items for the city.”
Possible targets for reduction include: a $46,350 cut in health and human services funding; a $153,200 cut in the broadband program; eliminating the domestic violence victim assistance program; eliminating the city's Olympic Peninsula Humane Society services agreement; eliminating the city's $15,000 contribution to the Clallam County Economic Development Council; and eliminating a part-time parking enforcement officer and a patrol officer position.
Regarding the option of continuing to raise fees and rates to continue funding city services, chief financial officer Byron Olson said:
“Whether the citizens can afford them is the critical key. We don't really think there is much, if any, room to raise those fees and rates other than to cover the most basic cost increases that we've got.”
He said a 2014 affordability index showed that Port Angeles' fees and utility rates are comparable to those of 15 other Washington cities of similar population, but:
“What it really showed, though, is the income level in Port Angeles is substantially below the average.”
City Manager Dan McKeen said:
“By each department identifying their lowest priority, if they had to make a reduction, hopefully it will help identify those things that are truly lowest-priority items. Some of the lowest-priority items are fairly high-priority items for the city.”
Possible targets for reduction include: a $46,350 cut in health and human services funding; a $153,200 cut in the broadband program; eliminating the domestic violence victim assistance program; eliminating the city's Olympic Peninsula Humane Society services agreement; eliminating the city's $15,000 contribution to the Clallam County Economic Development Council; and eliminating a part-time parking enforcement officer and a patrol officer position.
posted by Tom Harper at 8:45 PM
16 Comments:
It would be good for lots of people to attend this meeting and stand up for what they want. I'm really pleased they're allowing us to comment, and we should show up!
Oh, this makes SO much sense.
The city has the ability to muster millions to build fake beaches down town.
The city has millions to build a "promenade" downtown.
The town has no problem commiting city residents to a $50 million dollar sewage overflow project that could have been addressed for a mere fraction of that cost.
The city spent millions on the landfill bluff project, only to have it fail in exactly the way they were told it would.
But now they come up with this?
Asking the residents to choose which of the service projects THEY want to see cut?
Somebody call Dale Wilson at that Port o Call, and have him look into this. This is pure craziness.
A few years ago the city spent a great deal of time and energy surveying residents on their priorities. Written surveys sent to PA households and people could fill out a survey via the internet, too.
Whatever happened to the results? Did City Officials pay any attention and act according to the community's priorities then?
Article published Aug 29, 2010
Peninsula Daily News
PORT ANGELES -- Residents see road maintenance as their highest priority -- and Rayonier site redevelopment as a low priority -- according to the results of a city of Port Angeles budget survey.
Other top priorities are public restrooms, recycling services and snow and ice control.
The city said 1,462 people completed the surveys.
The City Council intends to use the survey results as a "major tool" to help determine which services will be trimmed, cut or expanded in the 2011 budget, Mayor Dan Di Guilio said.
It will discuss the results at a special meeting in council chambers at City Hall, 321 E. Fifth St., at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
At the bottom of the list was one of the city's own top goals -- redevelopment of Rayonier's former mill site.
The nonscientific survey, among other questions, asked residents to rank 55 programs, services and projects as either "essential," "important," "nice to have," "not important" or "no opinion."
About 44 percent of the respondents selected "Rayonier property development" as not important -- the item which garnered the highest percentage of "not important" responses.
***
Kent Myers was City Manager at the time of this survey.
Let's spend money like drunken sailors on non essential mega projects residents spoke out against (when they had a chance). At the same time RAISE the taxes where ever possible, when ever possible, until we end up here, with the City's finance official sayin people can't afford any more increases.
So, instead of NOT spending huge sums of money on the non-essentials, where was the leadership to look ahead?
How much WAS spent by the city on HarborWorks? Compared to the cuts the city is asking residents to ask for, now?
Interesting how the city finds money for the things it wants.
But, basic services in a modern city? Which do you want to lose?
No one has really given a shit for the citizens of Port Angeles since Max Mania was onboard. Sissi tries, but she's too wishy washy. So the citizens get more debt, less service, and there's zero accountability for any of it.
Hmmm, and they wonder why they're pissed off?
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/10/drones-dream-yemeni-teenager-mohammed-tuaiman-death-cia-strike
They ask but they don't allow you to vote on proposed projects.
You hear it often - "the world is run by those who show up." Just showing up once and thinking you've made an impact isn't all it takes. Do not let laziness or preference for a TV re-run take over.
Appears to me that this city is ran by wanna be one percent'ers.
So, the City affirms it has spent pretty much all the money it can get from us.
In todays' PDN: "City officials have said they have reached the limit on raising fees and utility rates."
Now what? Down hill from now on out, because City Staff, the City's Financial Officer, and our wonderful leadership were so busy building themselves legacy projects like the $50 million CSO project and the fake beaches downtown, that they couldn't think ahead?
These people should be held accountable. Personally liable for dereliction of duty. They were PAID by us to manage our resources. They held PAID, PROFESSIONAL positions, taking the job assuring us they knew what they were doing.
Imagine if this were an investment company, or bank?
Are we just going to do NOTHING??
"Are we just going to do NOTHING??"
Well, I think I have a buyer for my place and if so I'm moving to a small town in Texas that isn't trying to be something it can't be.
The City conducted "listening sessions", to hear from the public which of their services and programs THEY want to cut, because the City so happily spent itself to the LIMITS.
WHERE THE ******* WERE these ******ing "listening sessions" BEFORE the ****ing City spent all this money???
And, Scott Nagel and his wife want you to donate money amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars, to try to make the Lincoln theatre a "community performing arts center".
This, while the City is saying people can't afford any more services and programs. That people here are too poor to afford the basics.
And who showed up to discuss priorities...none of you whining little children.
For 9:21...And the Landfill Bluff project failed how?...since it is not even complete. And as everyone knows, State funds paid for the vast majority of the waterfront projects no the City. Just appears the commenters here are just more misinformed PA residents
If you don't like things...run for City Council
@ Anon 8:09 PM
You really should do your research, if you care to have any one take what you say, seriously.
The current landfill project is the SECOND project the city has spent millions on, because the FIRST one failed after millions being spent.
You know, because all the MILLIONS spent by the City on CONSULTANTS to tell them it was all okay, turned out to be WRONG.
And, if you did your research first, you would know that the public DID show up to the meetings, objected to the first project because it was clear it was a bad project destined to collapse. And it did.
You would also find out that the PUBLIC DID suggest the solution to the problem, but was ignored by the City.
You would find pout that AFTER spending millions, AFTER the buff collapsed as predicted, the City then went on to removed the garbage back away from the waterfront, as was suggested BY THE PUBLIC the first time.
Gee. Who is looking "misinformed", now?
Oh? And, are you saying we are "misinformed" in being concerned that the City has taxed us, by THEIR OWN ADMISSION to "the limits"? How did that happen? Because the State paid for the majority of all these crazy projects?
One thing I will agree with you. Yes, we need to vote these current folks out.
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