It will cost about $300,000 per year if the Kent City Council decides to approve Mayor Suzette Cooke’s proposal to add two new positions to the city payroll to help improve communications with the public.

The council and mayor discussed the proposed positions during a 2017-18 budget workshop on Tuesday night at City Hall. Cooke wants to hire a communications director to improve connections with the public and a cultural communications coordinator to reach out to Kent’s culturally diverse population. The council plans to begin budget deliberations in the next week or two and adopt a budget in December.

The city would pay an estimated $180,000 per year for a communications director to cover salary and benefits and about $120,000 per year for the other position, according to city staff and documents. The new positions would be part of Cooke’s proposed new communications department.

Discussion between the council and mayor primarily focused on the cultural communications coordinator job.

“It is very clear that our residents, based on the (city) survey that was just done, view communications in a very, very high manner and are looking at the need for more communications,” Cooke said. “That doesn’t mean just telling them what’s going on but engaging the residents in what we are doing. This position would really hone in on the many cultural groups that reside here but it also would help to inform us internally … on to some of the challenges that we meet when we are working with our diverse populations.”

Council President Bill Boyce asked Cooke to expand on the job duties.

“Is this position strictly for the diverse culture coming into our community or is it a combination helping our diverse culture coming in, plus we have a community need for trying to tell our story?” Boyce said.

“The position will be a go-to person both for the community for those of diverse cultures, including those that have been generationally living here as we look at better understanding our neighbors,” Cooke said. “The individual will also be a go-to person and an observer to see where we need help internally on our staff to raise our understanding of the different cultures and how to process some of our services in a more efficient and respectful manner because we have some learning gaps here.”

Councilman Jim Berrios asked Cooke which other cities have taken this step.

“We know other cities are doing similar things,” Berrios said. “I think that’s key. This isn’t groundbreaking stuff we are looking to do, but appreciate the fact it’s new to us and we have to justify the $120,000.”

“Clearly, not all cities have gotten on board but many have because it is a sign of the times,” the mayor said. “They know the more outreach that occurs from the city to build trusting relationship with all residents, the stronger the city is and the more problems are avoided. … It is a sense of communicating but also a show of respect that we are reaching out to you and we honor you as a resident and being able to connect people.

“Tukwila has some great examples where they have been able to engage many folks as volunteers, which by the way volunteering is a new concept for many of our new population,” Cooke said. “The investment you make in a staff person who becomes that key coordinator and touchstone, they (Tukwila staff) have been able to leverage a lot more support within the community for programs for youth and adults, getting people engaged in learning conversational English, but also it’s the conversations within the neighborhoods.”

Fireworks debate

The council also heard from the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department about its budget requests.

A proposal to double the city’s funding of the annual Fourth of July Splash fireworks display at Lake Meridian to $12,000 per year from $6,000 per year ignited several comments. The Lake Meridian Community Association is the primary sponsor of the event and has asked the city for more help, according to city staff.

“The shows cost about $22,000,” said Garin Lee, city interim parks co-director, who added the city hasn’t increased its contribution to help pay for fireworks in quite some time.

Berrios questioned spending more city money on fireworks.

“It’s a lot of money that we are investing in that,” Berrios said. “If the question is whether or not the city is contributing enough for this show, I would say absolutely. I am a little concerned we doubled what we wanted to contribute.”

Berrios also asked staff to look into what vendors are charged to be at the Fourth of July Splash event and possibly raising more money through those fees.

Councilman Les Thomas said he didn’t like the idea of the city spending more on fireworks when next year marks the first year the city’s new ban on all fireworks (except permitted displays such as at Lake Meridian) begins.

“I’m finding it almost hypocritical that the city would outlaw fireworks and yet we are going to blow up $6,000 worth of fireworks,” Thomas said. “I appreciate that we have helped in the past. But with our new ordinance in effect, I’m having trouble with that.”