APPENDIX 15 TELEGRAM FROM OAK RIDGE COMMUNITY RELATIONS COUNCIL, AUGUST 22, 1967 JOHN THOMAS CONWAY, KNOXVILLE, TENN., August 22, 1967. Executive Director, Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, Leadership to improve race relations in Oak Ridge, it is respectfully suggested, is essential for "the maintenance of conditions which will not impede the recruitment and retention of personnel essential to the atomic energy program." It is also respectfully suggested that you investigate into the need for revision of Public Law 221 includes this area. Part of Oak Ridge's present problem is the result of the past failure of the Commission to firmly implement undiscriminatory particularly in the field of housing. Now, repetitive failure by our mayor and council to vote for a public accommodations ordinance has resulted in continued "white only" policies at our only skating rink, at least two other recreational facilities, beauty parlors, taverns, and at all barbershops except one. This leadership failure by the mayor and council resulted in lowered prestige for their advisory council on human relations. Creative leadership is needed to solve local problems of discrimination against Negroes in employment as well as public accommodations and housing. On the other hand, creative leadership is being exercised in creating a school system which is improving race relations and which will carry out the intent of Public Law 221. Respectfully yours, R. WILLIAMS JOHNSON, Chairman, Oak Ridge Community Relations Council. 228 APPENDIX 16 REPORT ON CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PUBLIC LAW 221 STUDY COMMITTEE, CITY OF RICHLAND, WASH., AUGUST 1966 (Jack B. Goebel, Chairman; R. S. Bell; William Bell; Mrs. Harry Green; Ivan Huffman; Ray Kasinger; Don Mace; Jerry O'Connor; Lyle Perrigo; Rudy Rice; A. G. Sampson; Max Walton; Archie Wilson; Frank Woodfield; Jo Mars, Secretary) TABLE OF CONTENTS XIII. Administration. XIV. Buildings and grounds. XV. Streets. XVI. Waste removal. XVII. Equipment rental. XVIII. Equipment reserve. XIX. Central stores. XX. Richland Public Library. XXIV. Library costs. XXV. Police Population versus Expense. XXVI. Actual and estimated expenditures, Richland Fire Department. I. INTRODUCTION The City Council, in December 1965, voted to establish an advisory committee to concern itself with the financial status of the City of Richland in 1969. 1969 will mark the end of a ten year period, provided by Public Law 221, during which federal assistance has been offered to the City of Richland. This was planned as part of an orderly transformation of a federal government installation, solely established for the development of atomic energy for defense purposes, to a normal community which will still retain activities related to the nuclear program but which will move forward into non-government sponsored and nondefense oriented fields. The development of local self government and the transfer of public property to private ownership have been completed. The question now before the City Council and, indirectly, the citizens of Richland is whether or not, after 1969, the revenues available to the City can meet its funding needs without any additional assistance from the Congress of the United States. Public Law 221 states clearly that during the ten year period municipal services must be maintained "at a level which will not impede the recruitment or retention of personnel essential to the atomic energy program". The City Council, in directing the study committee, was equally firm in its intention that municipal services after 1969 should not in any way fall behind the present level of service. The advisory committee spent several weeks studying past budgets and collecting data to help it anticipate expenditures and revenues through the year 1972. The period to be examined was extended through 1972 for two reasons: First, because it appeared that some significant new plant and laboratory facilities would not be completed and producing full tax revenues for the City before about 1971 or 1972, and Secondly to look at the City's financial balance for three full years after the expiration of AEC financial assistance under Public Law 221. II. PROJECTED POPULATION GROWTH The population of Richland depends to a significant extent upon the employment opportunities available at the Hanford project. Thus the population projection in Fig. I, Page xiii, must be viewed with the realization that the sudden removal or introduction of a Hanford project can cause large fluctuations in those data. 1 The population projection consists of a low and a high projection. The low projection is a straight line extension of the plot of Richland population in thousands versus time and represents an assumed minimum growth. The high projection is derived from the high projected growth of Benton County assuming that Richland will reach and remain at 40% of the Benton County population. Both these high and low projections consider only the present boundaries of Richland which exclude West Richland, the Horn Rapids Triangle, and the Kennewick Highlands, but include the "Y" area which was annexed to Richland, February 25, 1965. Assessed valuation projection III. REVENUES Certain portions of revenue may be directly related to population such as taxes on utilities or waste removal. Nearly 20% of the City's tax intake however comes from the property tax, and making predictions of this type of revenue requires an estimate of future assessed valuation. The assessed valuation of industrial property has been based on actual announced plans of companies currently operating in Richland. The predicted new assessed valuation for new housing was based on projected population growth. Predicting commerical growth is more nebulous and therefore has been factored in on the basis of past performance, as has been the reassessment of older properties. It is important to remember that the city does not receive property tax revenue until about 18 months after the property has been developed. The predictions of Richland's assessed valuation are: Year: 1969. 1972 Projected revenues through 1972 High Low 27, 000, 000 23, 100, 000 37,500,000 27,200,000 Prospective city revenues have been estimated for the years 1969, 1970, 1971, and 1972, in order to examine the period just following the scheduled expiration of AEC financial assistance. The dollar breakdowns for these years are listed on Fig. II, Page xiv, along with values for 1965, the last full year of City operation. For those items of revenue which are dependent on City population, revenue dollars were predicted on the basis of both the "low" and "high" population projection curves, as developed and presented in Fig. II, Page xiv. Such population-dependent revenues are identified in Fig. II, Page xiv, by the symbol (P) followed by both the low (LO) and high (HI) dollar numbers. Other revenue items, which are not as clearly tied to population, were estimated by plotting the revenue to the City for the past five years and making graphical extrapolations out to the year 1972. This procedure results in two totals (LO and HI) for each of the years 1969 through 1972. The assumptions and methods of calcula 1 "Population Forecasts, State of Washington 1965 to 1985. State Planning Series #4, Washington State Census Board, Washington State Department of Commerce and Economic Development, Local Affairs Division, January 1966." tion used in producing the numbers in Fig. II are listed and explained in Appendix B, Pages iii, iv, and v. The revenue items in Fig. II are the same as those on pages one (1) and two (2) of the City's 1966 budget book except for the addition of the gasoline tax (which is handled as a credit to the Street Department in the City's Budget), and except for the exclusion of the AEC funds provided the City for the years 1965 through 1969. Ready sources of additional revenue Since it is known that AEC support to the City of Richland is scheduled to end after 1969, an attempt was made to identify all significant ready sources of additional revenue, including an estimate of the reasonable maximum additional revenue which could be derived from each of these sources. These ready sources of increased revenue are listed below. 50-percent increase. Based on increasing all assessed valuations to 25 percent of fair market value. $ Available for the general fund after the fireman's pension fund is actuarially sound. The above revenue additions were judged as essentially the maximum the traffic would bear in each case, and some in fact might not be so fully realizable in the future for reasons not readily apparent now. In line with such reasoning, and to introduce an element of conservatism in estimating the City's future revenues, the above items of additional revenue were each reduced to 70%. The reduced values are listed in Fig. II on Page xiv, along with the Lo and Hi totals from Fig. III on Page xv. The grand totals in Fig. III represent the Committee's projections of probable revenues available to the City of Richland by year through 1972. They reflect considerations of continued population and business growth in Richland (as explained above), plus increases to nearly the maximum the traffic will bear on those revenue items for which the City has such discretionary power. IV. EXPENDITURES With population and geography formally defined, it is possible to make a reasonable forecast of the cost of government services. For example, in the field of police protection one can formulate a relationship between number of personnel and amount of equipment needed to service a specific number of citizens in a specific geographical area. Salary increases, retirements, training of replacements for retiring personnel and rising costs of materials also have to be worked into the formula. Department heads were interviewed in order that the committee be informed on anticipated new needs of the community. Considering all of the above factors, the cost of government to the City of Richland was predicted through 1972. Based on the low population projection, the $365,000 increase in expenditures during the period 1966 through 1972 can be primarily attributed to four major cost factors, Namely: 1. A 2% escalation in wages and material costs accounting for approximately $200,000. 2. An increase in fire department personnel in 1967 to decrease the work week from 63 to 56 hours, costing about $32,000. 3. The addition of personnel to the Police Department in 1967 and 1968 costing approximately $32,000. 4. A $34,000 increase in data processing costs. Each area of activity has been examined in detail with the conclusion that the increases appear to be justified and unavoidable if the current level of services is to be maintained. The additional $244,000 required in the event the "high" population projection materializes is largely based upon the need for additional fire and police personnel and their related material requirements. Other increases for street maintenance, building and grounds upkeep, etc., are commensurate with both the increased level of activity as well as area that will necessarily have to be covered. Assumption used in developing figure IV The estimated expenditures for each of the following categories shown in Figure IV, P. xvi, were derived using the following assumptions: General assumptions.-A 2% annual wage and salary escalation increase has been applied during the period covered. Population predictions used are those shown in Figure I, P. xiii. City Attorney. The services of a full time Attorney and Secretary are assumed in 1972. City Clerk.-An increase in personnel is shown in 1968 on a part time basis. A full time Secretary and Clerk are included for 1972. Civil defense.-Essentially no change in level of service assumed. City Council-Manager.-New Secretary is added in 1967. Data processing.-An additional clerk will be required in 1967 increasing the data processing force from four to five. Additional computer activity and therefore costs will necessarily be increased to eliminate the need for hiring additional clerical personnel in other departments. Municipal Court.-New state law will require the services of a full time Judge effective 1/1/67. Fire. Several assumptions have been made as follows: 1. Richland will maintain its 3 Fire Protection Rating. 2. Effective in 1967 the work week will be reduced for firemen from 63 to 56 hours requiring the addition of 4 men. 3. The Richland "Y" will continue to receive the 1966 level of protection. 4. There will be no more than four buildings in Richland over 45 feet in height thereby eliminating the need for an additional ladder truck and staff. 5. At a population of 30,000 plus, a new pumper and staff of 14 will be required according to the formula: No. pumper engines=0.85+0.12 (P) where P is population in 1000's. Another engine will not be needed, however, until the census reaches 43,000. The additional engine will be housed in the spare stall in the present Jadwin Street station. An additional ladder truck would be needed if the population exceeds 30,000 and there are 5 or more buildings 45' in height, or over according to the formula: No. ladder trucks=1+0.03 (P) The manning of a ladder truck would require an additional 12 to 24 men depending upon the point rating desired. Police. The following personnel are assumed as being required: If the population increase remains at the "low" projected levels, only 4 of the above personnel will be required to handle the increased surveillance work which has already materialized. Streets.-Estimated expenditures have been based on a per capita cost of approximately $7.32 compared to the current cost of $7.12, assuming "high" population figures. If the population remains static the per capita cost will gradually approach $7.90 commensurate with a 2% yearly escalation. |