HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-10-07-minutes-public-hearing10/07/2019 MINUTES 1
COMMISSIONERS' MINUTES
KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
COMMISSIONERS AUDITORIUM
SPECIAL MEETING
MONDAY 2:00 P.M. OCTOBER 7, 2019
Board members present: Chairman Cory Wright; Vice-Chairman Brett
Wachsmith; and Commissioner Laura Osiadacz.
Others: Julie Kjorsvik, Clerk of the Board; Mark Cook, Public Works
Director/Interim Engineer; Judy Pless, Budget & Finance Manager;
Mike Hougardy, Assessor; Arden Thomas, WRP Manager; and 7 members of
the public.
PUBLIC HEARING PROPERTY TAX AUDITOR
At 2:00 p.m. CHAIRMAN WRIGHT opened a Public Hearing to consider
possible tax increases for Tax Levy Rates and amount for the Taxes
Levied in 2019 to be collected in 2020 for the General Fund, County
Road and the Flood Control District.
JUDY PLESS, BUDGET & FINANCE MANAGER provided a Staff Report on the
County Property Taxes to be Levied for the 2020 County Budget. She
provided a Power Point presentation with various information on the
assessed and estimated actual value of taxable property; how the
2018 tax dollars were spent; property tax rates; property tax levies
and collections; general government tax revenues by source;
principal tax payers; 2020 preliminary budget information; highest
levy calculations for the General Fund, County Road and Flood
Control. MIKE HOUGARDY, ASSESSOR reviewed financial information on
Levy calculations. MARK COOK, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR/INTERIM ENGINEER
provided information on taking banked capacity and rational behind
it for the 2020 budget. ARDEN THOMAS, WRP MANAGER reviewed
information on the 6 Year Capital Facility Plan and the Flood
Control Zone Advisory Committee’s work and highlights of their
proposed budget.
THOSE PRESENT & TESTIFYING: JON MORROW, STORMWATER UTILITY MANAGER
FOR THE CITY OF ELLENSBURG reviewed projects they’ve been working on
as well as property acquisitions. SCOTT NICOLAI provided testimony
on the Whisky Creek project and the Yakima River Corridor Plan.
URBAN EBERHART spoke in support of the Yakima Flood Control Zone
District projects. JERRY MARTENS, CHAIR OF FLOOD CONTROL ZONE
ADVISORY COMMITTEE said he was not advocating for more taxes just
because, but rather the efforts to overcome deficiencies of flooding
in the future. He encouraged the Board to fund it a little more so
there’s the capacity to react if needed in the future. JEFF DUNNING,
MEMBER OF THE FLOOD CONTROL ZONE ADVISORY COMMITTEE felt the County
10/07/2019 MINUTES 2
has been dealing with playing catch up with projects and how more
money was needed. He was in support of increasing the Levy rates.
MS. PLESS said since there were no final figures available she
recommended continuing the Public Hearing until November 25, 2019.
COMMISSIONER WACHSMITH moved to continue the Public Hearing to
November 25, 2019 at 3:30 p.m. in the Commissioners Auditorium,
noting the record to remain open. COMMISSIONER OSIADACZ seconded.
Motion carried 3-0.
The meeting was adjourned at 2:36 p.m.
KITTITAS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
CLERK OF THE BOARD KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Julie Kjorsvik Cory Wright, Chairman