Title
A MOTION providing policy direction to the executive and the department of development and environmental services regarding the use of interfund borrowing.
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WHEREAS, the council has clearly demonstrated its commitment to providing efficient and cost effective service to the customers of the department of development and environmental services, and
WHEREAS, the council has clearly demonstrated its commitment to retaining the valuable and well qualified employees who staff the services provided by the department at a level that is appropriately matched with the projected demand for services, and
WHEREAS, the council commends the executive and department staff for stabilizing the development and environmental services fund while the department faces challenges due to the seasonal and highly cyclical nature of its business, and
WHEREAS, the council shares the executive's concern that an unanticipated downturn in business for the department could result in a temporary negative balance in the development and environmental services fund;
WHEREAS, the discussions relating to Proposed Ordinance 2002-0587 have revealed that the department has been operating under a mistaken belief that a council proviso adopted as part of the 1993 budget, which prohibited borrowing by the department, still has legal weight and prohibits temporary loans to the department from other stable county funds,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
The council requests the executive to provide guidance to the department of development and environmental services on established policies and practices governing interfund borrowing including but not limited to those found in the Section 490 of the King County Charter, K.C.C. 4.24.020, and those established by the executive finance committee. Consistent with those policies, it is the council's expectation that any interfund borrowing by the department will be temporary in nature and will be repaid within a reasonable period of time, consistent with interfund borrowing done by other county agencies. It is also the council's intent that the department maintain those management practices already in place that would allow it to manage expenditures when faced with changes in its business activity that are more permanent in nature.
It is the council's intent that upon transmittal of recommendations from the executive's department of development and environmental services task force and internal audit, the council will consider action on Proposed Ordinance 2002-0587.