A MOTION approving a job description for the King County Flood Control Zone District executive director.
Good morning, John. Tricia staff to Kent County Council. And Madam Chair, if it's okay, I will provide you a staff report on both items five and six, which is proposed motion 2016 039 No and propose motion 2016 0443 because they are linked. Thank you. First of all, proposed motion 2016 039 NO. Is a proposed amendment to your organizational compilation or your rules? What it would provide for is structure in which employees of King County Council would provide 100% of their services to the King County flood control district while still remaining as employees of King County. What this would do would create within, similar to your independent agencies, create within the legislative branch a flood control district administration unit in which to house the employees and create the roles and general responsibilities of a flood control district executive director within your org motion. The org motion amendments would then go on to cover four key areas related to employment. First and foremost, all of the employees that would be part of this unit would be exempted from your traditional Employment and Administration Committee processes and the Flood Control Zone. District Executive Committee would be providing recommendations directly to the Council, as you will find with a proposed motion 2000 1644 three related to job descriptions and others. So specifically, that relationship would apply to the creation of job descriptions. The County Council would be those who would approve them. Based on a recommendation from the Flood Control Executive Committee for Hiring Processes, the flood control district would be responsible for establishing the hiring process and making a recommendation to the King County Council for appointment and for the Council's consideration for performance evaluations. The Flood Controls Executive Committee would provide performance evaluations of the executive director, and the executive director would be responsible for evaluations of those employees with other employees within the unit. And when it comes to disciplinary actions, those would be the responsibility from the front line, from the executive director to the staff reporting to the executive director and from the executive committee to the executive director. In in cases where those disciplinary actions may be more significant, two weeks suspension without pay or more. Or termination. All of those decisions would be appealable to the King County Council, as is your current practice for legislative branch employees. So it maintains that final linkage with the county from an employment standpoint, relative determination. You may ask your question just for clarification. So it would not go through the EEOC, correct? Okay. It would come to the committee of the hall. It would go to the full county for county council, which your practice would be then to send that information, whether it was a special, I believe, if in the case of a termination, it would be before the full council. Okay. So Labor used to come to this committee, but it now goes to. Any of the substance committees that where the substantive matter resides. And when it comes to Labor policy, the full council meets as a Labor policy committee to address Labor policy. Okay, great. Thank you. We don't do that very often, so I forget. Okay. Thank you. Okay. In your packet. There is one amendment which would clarify that the executive director not only reports to the County Council member who serves as the chair of the district, but is also responsive to all our members of the District Board of Supervisors. This is similar to language that exists with your chief of staff, as well as with my position, the Chief Policy Officer. Unless there are any questions on the job description, I'm on the organization composition. I'll move on to the job description. Let's wait. Just for council member Goss, this question. That's my guest. Thank you, Madam Chair. I think that the final decision making entity for this position is not the county council. It's the Board of Supervisors. Am I wrong on that. Mr. Gossett? Well, the Board of supervisor, while the executive committee, not the Board of Supervisors of the Flood Control District, makes recommendations. The County Council is the final decider on all of its employees, and these employees do ultimately, they are ultimately county employees. And so they will receive the council will receive recommendations flow from flood control and from the executive committee. And they can deliberate and act on those as they would any other matter that comes before them. And when it comes to the suspension without pay or termination, the only time it would come before the county council is if the employee receives that level of discipline. And from whom? From the executive committee or executive director. And the employee chooses to appeal that decision. And an employee can appeal to the King County Council, but. Only under those two circumstances, correct? Yeah, because they are King County. We're changing it now. And so that's what. This is all under flood control. It was. And we're changing it now to open it up for getting more potential people interested in the job. And so that's this is a big change. And you're right. And so that's why we wanted people to have more opportunities to see this. So and I'll jump in real quick. Thanks. Councilmember Goss, at the the direction of the executive committee was to put as much control in terms of employment related decisions with the executive committee, the King County Flood Control District. At the same time, however, making sure that the employee, him or herself, is actually an employee of King County. We did that because we found in our last applicant process that the prospective employees cared a lot about being a King County employee with the benefits commensurate with being a King County employee. And so we were able to put a placeholder on a couple of positions there. And then what happened after we did that, we realized that there were some legal concerns about how we had it initially scoped. And so District Legal Council, working with King County Legal Counsel, came to this compromise, which gives the district exactly the maximum amount of control under law. Okay. Thank you. You bet. But I am glad the supervisor done that. We're at the point of having an executive director because I think we'll save a lot of money and have more accountability, given what our staff just described from this person. Agreed. And thank you, Mr. Garza, for being such a strong supporter of getting this job description out and working. So I think that what we should do, sir. Yes? May I continue on with the staff report and complete the other item, and then you'd be in a position to be able to take action on both items? Sure. The next item again is 2016 dash 0443, which follows the changes to the organizational compilation and would provide for the King County Council to approve a job description for a flood control district executive director who would be housed within that flood control district administration unit that would be created by the previous that the discussed piece of legislation you'll have before you the actual draft of the job description. It was it has just completed its legal review and we just handed it out so it can be attached today as you forwarded for that on this position, which would provide that executive leadership for this organization, for this government would be governed under the King County legislative branch, 13 staff salary table. It is proposed that it would be salary range. 133, which is a minimum of 121 936 through 163 991, which meets the general framing of criteria as the flood control district was looking at a midpoint that was competitive in the market. It is impressive rated that somewhere between one in five staff would be reporting to this executive director position as well as the contractors for financial clerk of the board and other services, as well as providing the oversight of the larger county agreement and administration of the of the government itself and performance evaluation, since that is a piece of Labor policy that you always have questions on again is covered within the organizational compilation and this position will be reviewed by the Flood Control District Executive Committee conducting those evaluations. There is the amendment which is on page 115 of your packet, which would attach the job description which has been handed out to you today. Right. And the first one, 390, also has an amendment and it is done by Councilmember Banducci and an amendment number one, a page 211, done by Councilmember Jim Balducci. I went to read the exact same thing and found out she'd already written it to so two minds thinking exactly the same thing. And basically it clarifies that the executive director is responsive to all members in addition to reporting to the council member that serves as the chair. So all of us have input in dealing with our employee. So with that and that makes that language because it makes it consistent with what the current language in the King County Council organization, Charterhouse. Yes. For both the chief of staff and for the policy director. So. All right. Well, since this is under your bailiwick, Councilmember, would you like to put before us a motion, a proposed motion? 390. Yes. Move. Proposed motion number 2016 390. Thank you. And there is an amendment. Amendment number one. What word and where is that? Page one. 11 of your packet. Yes. On 11. We're just talking about I. Will move Amendment one at this. Time. Okay. I'll let everybody read Amendment number one. Okay. I like Brandon. Explain it. I just did. That's what I just said. But you just explained the amendment as amended. It clarifies executive director is responsive to all members reporting, including the council chair of the district. As when I said that Councilmember Bainbridge and I had the same idea. And what was the idea? That's you're reading right now that it was clear that the person we hire is responsible to all of us in court and continuity with the two other positions that have this exact same language. I know the what was it before. It was just delivered. It just replied report it only to the chair and nobody else. So now it's to all of us reports to him. But all of us have information. The Chair. Yes. Yes. So now it will be addressed to him and to all of us, as we do with our other two employees. Okay. With that, we have a Fourth Amendment number one. All of those in favor of amendment number one. Please say I, I, those opposed nay. Okay. We are now have 390 as amended before us. Are there any questions for those that that are back? Welcome. This is the re of job description or and the reorganization plan for the flight control district. Okay. Let me just speak to that. Okay. I'm in. But this is simply a motion that allows King County to use two of its employees to serve or up to two. One right now, executive director to serve as the executive of the King County Flood Control District. And it makes the reporting language consistent with what we have already at the King County Council with respect to how members in the Chair interact with the Chief of staff. So it marks those two issues parallel with respect to the Board of Supervisors and our upcoming executive director. It has broad support. And then the next item is a motion that's going to approve the actual job description, which. Is in front of you. Now, which is there, the actual descriptions there. So I'd urge you support on item number five of today's agenda. Thank you, Councilmember Gossett. I still have the difficulty of understanding the difference between the King County Council and the Financial Control District Board of Supervisors. Because councilmen are down. There have been. A that I recollect that I made a decision as a executive committee of the flood control district that I knew that several members of the King County Council, more like than now, would not have supported. And then there's been something that I could easily support as a King County Council member, but couldn't as just a narrow Board of Supervisors member. So let's admit it now. We just voted on just as King County Council and is a non state board of Supervisors meeting mean. So right now at this moment I'll try and take it. We're sitting we're sitting as the Metropolitan County Council right now. We're not sitting as the Flood District Board of Supervisors Committee of the whole. So with our King County hats on, which is always sort of hard to remember which hat is on. Right. Right now we are essentially saying we will allow this a King County employee to be hired with a reporting structure and they will become the executive director through a local agreement. And for a reporting structure that is substantially similar to what we have with respect to the way the King County Council members interact with the chair of the council and our chief of staff. So that's what we're saying at this time. And jump in. It is complicated, Mr. Garza. I agree, because this is brand new. And but what it is doing is it just what Councilmember Dunn said? And so this person will work for us as council members and then we will contract as council members for them to work for us. The supervisors for the executive director word. Yeah, for the supervisors. That is correct. And day to day supervision still will be directed by the chair of the local control district. That is correct. That part will work like it does today. All right. Okay. With that, there are no further questions. Kurt, please call for the vote. Thank you, Madam Chair. Councilmember Balducci, Councilmember Dombrowski. All right. Councilmember Dunn. All right. Councilmember Gossett. Hi. Councilmember Colwell. Hi. Councilmember McDermott. Hi. Councilmember of the Grove. Councilmember Yvonne Wright Bauer. Hi. Madam Chair. Hi, Madam Chair. The vote is seven eight no nos and councilmembers Balducci and F the Grove. Excused. Okay, great. Thank you. Thank you. So now we have before us. So, Councilmember Dunn, we have before us. Four, four, three. Move proposed motion number 2016 0443 to speak to it, please do. After a lot of experience with executive directors and a lot of legal wrangling to get it just right, and we have finally come to what I think is a very fine job description for the flood control district executive director. This requires approval of the King County Council as we sit today, but also, of course, the King County Flood District Executive Committee, at least, and I think also the district as a whole. So everybody, it's a salary grade 133. There's a summation and just the career features we are looking for, including the essential duties and responsibilities. There's been a lot of work in this, a lot of specifics. We think that it is or at least my own view is that this is exactly what we need in terms of the proper candidate to run the flood district as executive director, based on a lot of experience, but also because it's a King County employee has the benefit of benefits that we struggle with as a district because we're not set up to do that, at least not yet. And it also provides a salary high enough to attract somebody. I think it starts about $130,000 a year, give or take. A little on the range is 121 through 160. Okay, 1 to 160. Thanks for correcting me in somewhere in there, we think there is somebody who would be willing to try it. And and the hope is we get somebody that can do this for four years and in that shorter period. So that's that's my motion. Thank you. Councilmember Garcia. I have a question for her councilman. And certainly featuring two or three times you said this person will be supervising four or five staff persons. I never knew the executive directors of the path, but I can tell control district the supervisor more than one or one and a half people, though. It's a good question. I haven't said four or five, definitely. That's not what I've said, is up to up to two, one or two. And three or four. I know that. No, the the thought which. We have discussed in executive committee but never taken formal action on. But we've had a fair amount of discussion. It was the idea of hiring an executive director and then based on the workload that we've seen in the past, that that executive director would be involved along with the board in hiring a policy analyst type of person that would backstop a lot of the heavy lifting. And there's been a little bit of talk about the possibility of bringing on a public information officer, which would complete the staff. But that is a decision yet to be made. But we wanted to scope out the job description to include the possibility of supervision depending on what policy decisions are our executive committee and board make in the future. All right. Why does this position require a valid driver's license? Because that individual is going to be going to tons of community meetings across the district, neighborhood associations, town halls, chambers of commerce, as we as we discuss. And Councilmember, I'd like to add to that answer. Transportation and you're in my district is so difficult. They need to get there by their own vehicle. Often there's no way to get to many of my facilities by bus. Yeah. Another day, another Uber. Yeah. Okay. So we are ready now to list before us. We have an amendment. Mr. Dunn, would you like to put your amendment forward. As an amendment one? Yes, I would move to remove Amendment One, which is listed on page 115 of your packet, which is just attached to the job description for approval. And that's a job description. It was handed out a couple of minutes ago, so it was on the dais. Okay. So with that a clerk, would you please call for the vote? Oh, we have an amendment. Sorry. Ma'am. I was late. On the amendment. Are those in favor? Amendment number one. Please say I, I those opposed. Nay. Number one is adopted. So we now have before us and 2016 0443 as amended. Would you now please call for the vote? Thank you, Madam Chair. Councilmember Baluchi, Councilmember DEMBOSKY. All right. Councilmember Dunn, I am Councilmember Gossett. Councilmember Caldwell side. Councilmember McDermott, High Council member of the Grove. Hi. Hi. Madam Chair. I am chair of the vote is ADA is no nos and council member about D.C. excuse. Okay. So a couple comments. Both of those can be expedited and I believe for consent. That's okay with everybody. So that would be good. We can get this moving right along for those in the listening audience, if you're interested in a job of this category, working with nine fun people and and another great group of staff and the job description will be online shortly and it will be under a motion 2016 0443 so you can look it up. We are definitely looking for some great people to come and do this job. So they'll have big shoes to fill, though. And we'd like to thank Kris Lund for all of her work in doing that. She's been an incredible executive and we appreciate all her years of service launching this agency. Before we end. For those that weren't here, I just wanted to give you a summary of the briefing today on local government. We had a briefing on the issues at File City Park, which is a local park that we as local government oversight over. Last year, they had 26,000 visitors to that park and a huge number of garbage problems which we are working on and will continue to work on. And so we asked people as they go out to the parks to please use the garbage cans appropriately. And secondly, we talked about the pristine parks that the topic today was local parks and that progressing as quickly as possible visioning that was done about four years ago. So we would like to see that proceed as quickly as possible. And then we also had last month a fire road that was taken out by, I believe the state government may have been the federal I'm not sure which government it was. And because of that, it has made our rescues for people who have been injured on those trails much more difficult. And I am very concerned about more of our fire roads being destroyed by the federal or state government and putting more and more of our people in danger. That continues to be a huge problem. People assume that any place in King County, you can call for an ambulance and that is not accurate. And so they get into places that are very difficult to make rest. And without the proper roads, that is making it even worse. So I wanted to alert you to that problem, and hopefully we can write a letter or make some request that this will not continue in the future. So any other business that needs to come before this council member Gossett I. One question for you. Sir. Can you say that the advertising for the King County Flood Control District Executive Director is going to commence immediately? Yes, I hope so. I hope we just did. That was the beginning. And. And then when does it end? So I can tell people. I don't know the answer to that. STAFF When will it end? Upon approval, your the human resources folks will be proposing a time frame, I believe, of three or four weeks, and you'll have specific dates within just a couple of days. And we'll look forward to getting that out to you. All right. Thank you. Thank you. And I've already made phone calls to people that I know that might be interested. So I think the broader our information goes out, which is why the reason it's on TV. Hopefully we'll find somebody who would love to do this job and we would love to work with and we've done amazing work. Help me with the number. Before we started this district, there was $3 million a year to deal with the floods in this county. This provided originally it was $36 million a year and there's a lot of that now. I don't remember what it is. Do you remember what it is off the top of your head? It's around 36 million a year. And that you didn't hear. 52 million. 52 million. All right. It's gone up. It's good. 52 million a year and project that. It can be more than that. It's going to be. Depending on how we spend in past years, it can be up to 60 or 60. It just depends on where we are in the project design or the project combination. What's happening? It's very. We put about 400. Money. $440 million on the ground and project since the flood district's inception. Almost to have already almost a half a billion dollars. Say that loud so people can hear that. All the roughly. $440 million in on the ground projects since the inception of the flood districts are approaching half a half a billion dollars. So very significant program. This started in, what, five years ago. That's about seven some years old. Seven years ago. Okay. So seven years ago, we would have had 21 million under the old plan and now it's had almost half a billion, which has made a huge difference in environmental issues as well as flooding issues. So it is a very exciting project to be working on and I'm thankful to all of the supervisors that have worked on that project. With that, the meeting is adjourned.