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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFEBRUARY 23,1993 1 1 0110_ ~-o 3- ,00' ~.2."'.s9.3 J. -to c-c. CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS ARE TAPE RECORDED AND ON FILE IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK ROLL CALL 1. FY 1993-94 BUDGET BEGINNINGS 0-3..'l.0-50 M I NUT E S CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING (WORK SESSION) FEBRUARY 23, 1993 The Arcadia City Council met in an Adj ourned Regular Meeting (Work Session) in the Conference Room of the Council Chambers at 5:30 p,m" Tuesday, February 23, 1993. PRESENT: Councilmen Ciraulo, Harbicht, Loj eski, Margett and Fasching ABSENT; None ORAL COMMUNICATIONS None WORK SESSION ITEMS In anticipation of preparations for the FY 1993-94 budget, and the expectation of a decrease in revenues from the state, the City Manager presented a "Paradigms" video to the City Council regarding the possibility of different thoughts and ways to approach the process which produces the City budget, The video was shown, followed by questions to the Council from the City Manager to guide the discussion: 1 "Exactly what is your budget paradigm? 2 What is the reason that we as staff, and as a City, go through the extensive effort that the budget process takes us through? 3 What are you looking for from it? 4 What kinds of products do you really find to be important? 5 - When you think about last year's budget, what kinds of things did you like about it; what kinds of things did you not like about it?" A discussion of the changes Council would like to see in the preparation of the budget ensued. Councilman Margett stated in part that he has been thinking a lot lately about the competitiveness of government in terms of delivering a higher level of service to the community at a decent price, or giving a level of service that is competitive with a decreased cost to the citizens of Arcadia. This may be a paradigm that we have to look at. Councilman Margett commented that he would like to see resu1t-oriented-type budgeting. Mayor Fasching commented that the majority of the City budget is in staff salaries and benefits. Further, he felt that Council should try to be innovative and find ways to create revenues that will support everything. Referring to the bid process for City contract projects, the Mayor suggested the City negotiate contracts rather than soliciting bids. This could save the City a lot of money. Mayor Fasching commented also that the City Charter should be updated; some things eliminated, modified and/or improved which could save the City money in the way City business is conducted. A study session was suggested by the Mayor, to go through the Charter and examine those sections that were good for the City years ago, which can now be improved. The 1 2/23/93 2. COUNCIL WORK SESSIONS 01/0 -/00 JJ:OO~7 City Attc,~ey added that he has a file wit~ recommended concerns about the City Charter that he has been compiling for four to five years. The City Manager's office also has such a file. He agreed that some provisions in the Charter are almost archaic at this point in time. Referring back to the budget process, Councilman Harbicht said that he would like to see a preliminary budget which would provide Council with an overview and give some estimates of the f;,,,ancial condition of the City. At that point, Council could give staff direction as to how to proceed to then build the budget, This overview should be given to Council soon within the next two or three weeks. Councilman Harbicht requested that the preliminary budget include the anticipated staff salary increases also. Mayor Fasching agreed that Councilman Harbicht's request was a 1 good idea. The City Manager commented that in his individual meetings with the Council, some additional detail may be gleaned after Council has had time to reflect on this discussion, the paradigm video, and the current budget. He will then come back within a couple of meetings co share some preliminary information with the Council. At the February 2. 1993 City Council meeting, Councilman Harbicht raised the question as to whether or not the Council work sessions should continue to be regularly scheduled on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month ... or be modified. Considerable discussion ensued. Mayor Fasching felt the work sessions should continue to be scheduled on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays each month. and cancelled only if warranted. Mayor Pro tem Ciraulo suggested that only one or two items at a time, of weighty substance, should be scheduled for work sessions. Council should adhere to the time limit of the work sessions and move the discussions along, perhaps, by using the gavel more often. Councilman Lojeski felt that if an item requires more than a few simple questions, then that item probably deserves some discussion at work sessions. Time parameters should be placed on work session discussions. Further, the work sessions should begin and stop at specified times .., 'and could actually end before the two hour limit. The two hour work session agenda should not contain any more than three or four items, and contain no items which could be realistically discussed at a regular council meeting. Work session material should be devoted to complex items such as; downtown revitalization, the Library expansion, waste management recycling mandate, etcetera. Councilman Harbicht stated that these work session items should be discussed at the regular Council meetings. The public has a right to have open meetings and the right to see the decision 1 making process at work. He does not see any problem with having discussion in the regular Council meetings. Councilman Harbicht agreed with Councilman Lojeski with regard to work sessions for certain matters which require an exchange of ideas, and then come back to another work session for further discussion, and eventually, the item should be finally discussed in a open regular Council meeting which has been advertised to the public on the 1st or 3rd Tuesday of each month. Further, the work sessions held in the conference room appear to be private meetings to the public. If they were held in the council chambers the public would feel free to come in and sit down. At the conclusion of the discussior., it was the consensus of the Council that the work sessions continue to be scheduled on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays for major items; held in the conference room; and that a free standing sign be pla,:ed in the council 2 2/23/93 1 1 3. TREE REMOVAl (2050 Canyon Dr.) 4. WASTE RECYCLING MANDATE 0<6.)0-.)0 35:0048 chamber foyer stating that the public is welcome to these sessions. Further, in response to the Mayor, the City Manager said it is necessary to have staff at the "policy making level" in attendance at the work sessions. The reconsideration of the citizen request to remove a City tree at 2050 Canyon Drive will be placed on the March 2nd agenda for the regular City Council meeting. At the January 19, 1993 City Council pre-meeting, staff presented to Council informacion concerning the California Integrated Waste Management Act and its effect upon the City of Arcadia. Specifically, staff presented a variety of options necessary for the Council to consider to fund the administration of the programs. The total proposed budget to administrate the program for the City is $201,174. One of the key elements of this budget is the addition of an Administrative Assistant position to coordinate the City's environmental work, primarily AB 939. The January 28, 1993 staff report details background information of the Source Reduction and Recycling Element (SRRE) funding proposal, Considerable discussion ensued of staff's proposal to employ the Administrative Assistant to administer the program at a cost of $62,000, which is included in the proposed budget for administrative costs, and of passing these costs on to the tax payers of the City. Mayor Fasching questioned the need for additional personnel since staff is already working on this project. Staff noted that staff time up to this point has been paid out of the General fund, the new personnel position would be financed by one of the options previously presented to Council, such as an increase in business license fees, etcetera, Councilman Harbicht noted the net of this entire funding program is an increase in taxes, and asked his colleagues how they felt about charging off these administrative expenses against new taxes. The City Manager noted that whenever personnel time is devoted to a specific purpose that has some kind of a mandated or revenue based supporting fee, the time is charged to the fee. Councilman Harbicht commented that although the average resident would only be charged three or four cents a month, the City is faci~g quite a budget shortfall, and he is not going to vote to 'make it up by new taxes. Staff continued their report. Three different commercial options were presented to Council at a previous meeting to finance the administrative costs of the SRRE program: 1 - The business license option: A flat fee of $26 and an additional fee of $3 per employee, or hotel/motel room. 2 - A commercial property tax flat fee of $118.41 per parcel per year. 3 - A flat commercial water billing rate of $100 per year, or $8.33 per month. In response to Council's request, staff produced a variable rate for No.3, based on water usage for commercial establishments combined with the race track, which would charge an additional 1 1/2 cents per year for each unit of water. The second alternative fee recommendation is for commercial water usage only, which would be charged at an addi tional $.10 per unit, which would raise $84,452 per year. Staff noted that they are pursuing the concept of charging the $84,452 to the five commercial refuse haulers in the City as a flat business fee of $16,000 to each one. Staff have no specific answers as to whether this could legally be done. The haulers could distribute this cost proportionally to their business, The City Attorney advised that there may be legal problems since the City would have to justify this charge to commercial haulers, so that the 3 2/23/93 5. 35:00~'1 haulers are not set out and treated differently than a~ other business in town. The haulers may claim that this is an' ~oper business license tax. Mayor Fasching suggested the ""st be distributed to the commercial haulers based on the number of bins each hauler has out, at a flat rate per bin each month, " Staff noted the commercial refuse haulers are not regulated by the City by a commercial franchise. Mayor Fasching suggested staff communicate with each commercial hauler regarding the commercial bin fee. Council concurred. ITEMS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS LOJESKI Councilman Lojeski requested the appointment of two Sister City (Sister City Commissioners be placed on the March 2 regular City Council Appointrnents)meeting agenda. Council concurred. FASCHING (l ~minal A..:civity Increase in the City) LOJESKI (Rob Wells) ADJOURNMENT ATTEST: Mayor Fasching expressed concern over the rash of c,-iminal activities which have occurred in the last 60 days. Pol; :hief Johnson will provide a report of these activities to the lncil on March 2. Mayor Fasching suggested the Police Department retain the old police cars when new cars are purchased, for use by police reserve officers. This to create a greater police presence in the City. Chief Johnson will bring a recommendation to Council regarding the Mayor's suggestion. Councilman Lojeski reported the passing away of the oldest son of former Planning Commissioner Jack Wells. Rob Wells died suddenly at 31 years of age from bacterial endocarditis. The funeral service is at Forest Lawn, Covina, on Thursday, February 25, 1993. At 7;47 p.m. the City Council ADJOURNED to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 2, 1993, in the Council Chambers Conference Room. e Fasching, J5f~d/~'-;i?, 4 2/23/93 1 1