HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Minutes 06/13/2002June 13, 2002
Vol. 38, Page 35
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a ': ~ City of Petaluma, California
~- City Council Meeting
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2 City Council Meefin,g Minutes
3 Thursday;. June 13, 2002 - 8:25 p. m.
4 Special Meeting
5
6' PRESENT: Coder-Thompson, Vice-Mayor Healy, Maguire,
7 Moynihan, O'Brien,
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9 ABSENT: Mayor Thompson, Torliatt
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12 PUBLIC COMMENT
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14 Eve Roberson, Petaluma, appreciates Council's efforts to restore the City Clerk's
15 position but is concerned about the fact that the sole remaining employee in the
16 Clerk's Office is scheduled to be' splitting her time between that office and
17 another department. Does not think it will be possible for one person to support
18 two departments, attend all meetings, take. minutes, and keep them up to date.
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20 Stan Gold, Petaluma Tomorrow, had concerns about cutting the only remaining.
21 employee in Clerk's Office to half time with the added responsibilities that office
22 will have in connection with the upcoming election. Two positions now under
23 recruitment will not be filled until at least the end of July - the only ,
24 knowledgeable person. in the department should not be cut to half time.
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26 COUNCIL COMMENT, LIAISON REPO'RTS'
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28 Council Member Maguire - Wanted to correct misunderstanding. The
29 Administrative Secretary position will not be cut to half time until the City Clerk
30 and Deputy City Clerk positions have been filled.
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32 Finance Director Bill Thomas -Confirmed. He understands that those positions will
33 not be filled. by July 1 -there will be temporary staffing needs to be addressed~in.
34 the Clerk's Office at that time.
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36 Council Member Maguire -The eventual staffing level in the Clerk's Office- will be
37 2.5, which is more than are in there at this time.
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Vol. 38, Page 36 June 1'3, 2002
1
2 PROCLAM'ATIO;N
3 .BIRTHDAY OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY
4 .
In recognition of the birthday of the United States Army - designate. June 14;
2002 as the :United Stdte,'s Army's 227 birthday and. June 10-14 as U.S. Army
Week. Sergeant Glen, Hazelton accepted. Thanked Council and citizens.
BUDGET WORKSHOP
CAPITAL IMPR'OVEMfNT PLAN (CIP)
13. Paul Lanspery; R.W.,B'eck Consultants,. gave presentation about the CIP -
14 projec-ts by priority- groups, management and budget po icy, current. and
15 ;poten'tial additional sources of revenue, resource requirements.
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17 Council Member'Maguire -Where are we on tax measure .status?
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19 Finance Director Bill Thomas - Explaine-d options. for a measure on, Nove'mber's
20 ballot. Parcel. Tax for Specific Purpose would be City's best shot - 'noticin'g
21 requirements not as significant as those for regular parcel tax. Council should
22 discuss at June 27th meeting. and bring back on,July 1,5th for action.
CouncilMember Maguire -Are you saying prioritize projects as we go through
General Plan?
Mr. Lanspery - Mote ;than. that: Council should. ask themselves, "Should these
projects be on the list;?'' "A're there projects not on the Dist that should be?"
Vice Mayor Healy - No Priority III projects are. scheduled?
Mr. Lanspery - No.
Vice Mayor Healy - Priorities I and II are key -finding out that City needs to hire
four new full-time people is very useful.
C;ouneil Member Corder-Thompson -Major projects, come before. us, yet the
General Plan is no completed. What is the Council' real priority? Are we going
on an old General. Plan and moy'ng forward, or are we wiljing t,o sit back :and
evaluate what we think, is really ..important? Without the e~eneral Plan in place,
how d;o we know fhese :projects reflect how we really vvanf t.o use those lands?
Should' Council discuss this? Can't get consensus as Council on some of these
projects..
Mr. Lans'pery - In lieu: of .hawing the General Plan completed, he used..Cauncil
Priorities, an'd existing functional plans as guidelines. This process is never perfect,
always. evolving. Thinks transportation projecfs -capacity-related ones -need
more developing.
June 1.3, 2002
Vol. 38, Fage37
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2 Cou-Heil Member O'Brien - We have a current General :Flan ghat expires in 2005..
3 "If yov get a tickef for exceeding, 55 and tomorrow they raise speed limit to 65 -
4 you still have to pay ticket."
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6 Council Member Moynihan -Thanked Mr. Lanspery for his presentation. Did he
7 get his June 7th memo?
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9 Mr: Lanspery -Yes.
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11 Council Member Moynihan -Memo asked for a comprehensive list: Would have
12 preferred to have one comprehensive list of all capital improvement projects -
13 not three lists. Some projects are .not on any of the tnree lists. Why do these
14 projects get dropped? Doesn';t think Council voted on these. Thought design
15 work for cross- town connector was to be included this. year. Council should
16 outline comprehensive list -even, things that won't be funded this year. Go from
17 words about s~freet reconstruction, to action. Water Resources 8~ Conservation
18 should be required to resurface curb-to-curb instead of covering french, after
19 completing work on underground utilities.
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21 A standard format is used in other cities. No summary of revenue sources by
22 dollar amount is included here. Would like to see update of CIP so all Council
23 Members feel comfortable with commitment, He found these three plans very
24 confusing -can't cross reference with last year's..
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26 Mayor Thompson - Wasr't there a response to Council Member Moynihan's
27 memo?
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29 Council Member Moynihan -Yes, but it was inadequate.
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31 Council Member Maguire - It was adequate to me.
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33 Council Member Moynihan - Very uncomfortable with refuse surcharge -does if
34 constitute a utility tax, which we are prevented from doing?
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36 Mr. Thomas - We are getting legal opinion.
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38 Council. Member Moynihan -General Plan is a live document that can be
39 modified. Can't say we have to hold applicant/project up to figure what will
40 happen in three years. Wants comprehensive CJ'P, and project numbers added
41 back in. Does not understand where the projects are going, who dropped. them.
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43 .Mayor Thompson -Not taking any action. tonight. Tonight's meeting is strictly
44 workshop and discussion.
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46 Council Member Maguire -Government operates for benefit of citizens and not
47 just the businesses. He has a different philosophical approach than Council
48 Member- Moynihan.. Council decides if' projects are worth approving. He is open
Vol. 38, Page 38 June 13, 2002
1 to having discussion on moratorium at 'any point.. Council Members' should keep
2 open, minds and remernber'for whom they are working:.
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4 Council Member Caller-Thompson. -The v~iorld has changed wince 19:89:. Exis#ing
5 General' Plan doesn't really talk aboufi What we've; developed in the last t.en
6 years in this community. `Think we should have discussion, -need to .know what
7 the best economic pl:a.n is for°this community -what do we really want to do with
$ these: properf;es?' She is hearing on. the street that- people are .really concerned
9 about. major developments coming before Council because of traffic, water,
10 and sewer i:rnpacts. Concerned about possible legdl liability. Didn't want to .gloss,
11 it over. This doesn't mean she is pro moratorium -but it's important to .understand:.
12 ramifications; of continuing to grow without r.esourees,
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14 Mayor Thompson - This is not about continuing to grow -but about maintaining
15 what we have.
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17 Viee Mayor Healy - On page 94 - "Circula ion and Parking Improvemenfs''
18 what is the category "Other"with an amount of $2 million?
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20 Paul Nlarangella, Direc or of Economic. D;eveloprnenf and: Redevelopment -
21 Third bullet down,--$9 million -:was originally for widening three bridges. The label
22 Iasi yearwas something like "Transportation Improvements."
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24 Vice Mayor ;Healy =May be consensus on Council that fhere. will be need. fore
25 transportation'improvements -willing' to have placeholder in here. He'is open to
26 more sp.ecifi,c-discussion later.
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28 Council Member Moynihan -1Nith project-number.
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30 Mayor Thompson - If we get there.
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32 Council Member Moynihan -There; are two parks remode ing projects listed.. N,o
33 construction of parks in CIP this year-know we had identified fhree. S atus2
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3.5 Council Member'Nlaguire -Short answer: "You can't have your parks and' your
36 potholes, too.''
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38 Parks .and. Recreation Director Jim Carr -Two burning issues. are the ,golly- Klaas
39 Center and the Senior Center. Recommending against any new construction
40 except Gatti because City doesn"t have the- resources to maintain why `more
41 new parks. Concerned about debt service for' Community Center = September
42: 2002' deadline.
Mr. Thomas ~- Concern regarding debt service on Community Center that's been.
paid, for by Park Development Fund -first call on bonds will be in 2005. City is
putting additional money away every Year. If;money's gone before.-debt paid off
-will be looking at General-Fund,: '
June 13, 2002
Vol. 38; Page 39=
1 Co:unciL.M;ernber_ Moynihan -One project talked about before was Westridge.
2 Park... Has the City looked at going to Vestridge Knolls Property Owners
.3` Association and see if they would contribute to maintena"nce of park?
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"5 Nlr.i Carr - No. Council knows history of assessment districts -park mdintenance
6 has to be done every d'ay - if it falls behind, it creates liability problem.
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8 Council Member~,Moynhan -Was just thinking of them as a possible additional
9 funding source. Did not want to ask them to maintain it themselves.
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11 Mr. Cars,-Working on Park Master Plan (RMPC) -Youth Commission. wants to be
12 part of~th~at. On:e of tfler.goals is to look at ways to finance redevelopment and
13 maintenance of parks. Wants to wean Parks Division away from the General
14 Fund.
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16 Council Member Moynihan -Gatti Park is not included in this CIP?
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18 Mr. Carr-Gatti Park is in Group III. Will be coming back to Council.
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20 Council Member Moynihan -Would like to see Gatti Park as part of CIP and
21 would like to investigate another funding source for Westridge and make it part
22 of the CIP.
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24 Council ,Member Cader-Thompson - Reminded Council of recreational
25 opportunities incorporated. in development such ~ qs the wastewater plant.
26 Integrate projects into looking at long-term benefif for community.
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28 Vice Mayor Healy - Wanted to get staff's interpretation on 2-14 - "Land
29 Acquisition" -with respect to sewer facility.
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31 Council Member Cader-Thompson -Reminded Council that this was in the
32 budget last year -Council Member Moynihan made fuss -pulled out at last
33 minute.
34 .
35 .Michael Ban, Engineering Manager, Water Resources and Conservation
36 Departmentrecognized that the funding source was still up in the air.
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38 Vice Mayor Healy -Down the page there is speculation that some funding might
39 come from th"e Open Space District. Could developers think this document
40 means.they don't ne:.ed to come up to the plate?
41 ~ ,,
42 Mr. B^an -City can be blunt with them.
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44 . Mayor.Thompson - Ordinance Council passed .stated. ghat the City needs help.
45 Council has been told so rnan,y times that there are organizations waiting in line
46 to give the City .money. He wanted to find out what those organizations were
47 instead of putting this in budget.
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Vol. 38, Page 40
June 13,.2002
1 Council Member Maguire. -This Council has. clearly stated.. tfia~t thiss_: is process we
2 will follow. Wanted to put in a placeholder and look ter money from outside.
3 sources to do this. This. is not a change in the way `we are. proceeding.a Let staff
4 do their budgeting. The driving factor is the resolution Council_ adopted, on how
5 to proceed: Ironic that Council Member Moynihan says; `'Throw Westrdge Park
6 into the CIP and if if doesn't get done,so whaf?" when he complains repeatedly
7 about projects that don't get aone. ~ ~ ~ '. ~°
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9 Council Member O'Brien.-Has been watching and learning for eighteen months.
10 Reminded Council that the Mayor is running the meeting. That position deserves
11 respect. If he is, calling .a meeting to order, Council ..needs to comply. H.e has
12 heartburn with $2.5 million. -doesn't want' to burden ratep.ayers.with cost ,of park.
13 Directiop of Council was for this not to b.e here.
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15 Council Member C,ader-Thompson - Didn'`t particularly want to put a pgceel fax
16 on he ballot. Last year there was money in this budget and at fast minufe
17 Council Member Moynihan raised 'the issue, got support,. it was ,removed.
18 Discussion she's had.with agencies.-they don't want to fund property. acquisition
19 only -are looking as project ps whol_e, .Agencies are very interested in project..
20 This is just. a placeiiolder. Hdving money in here does not guarantee. it will be
2'1 used .for properfy acqusition,.. Wanted i;t kept in budget:, as it should h-aver been
22 last year. As soon as budget process is done and City gets appraisal,. Council
23 can move fiorward.
Vice Mayor Healy, -Has. continued concern with how this is presented. Remains
committed to' resolution passed in January.. Wants to see- project come to
fruition. Leave funding' on line 7'1-10 -change .other line to "Open Space and
Other Granas."
Council Member Moynihan -Expenditure of $2:5' mil(on_ and. Open Space :grant
should show next year. Jn. the. past helve had offers of community funding on.
projects. -Animal Shelter is a go.o:d example - contribufions have. not come in as.
promised.. Other projects -Gatti Park lined out- -last year's CIP had breakout` of
Gatti Park project.: Can't. afford to stall $4.00,000: developer contribution. Would
like- to .see CIP detail from .last. year on projects included in fihis ye'ar's CIP.
Regarding possible new funding source for maintenance of` Westridge Park: if
not these, don't put in budget.
Council Member Caller-Thompson -Requested that buagef stay as is, ,
Council Member Maguire -Council direction. that substantial amount of tunas., .
for wetlands portion of treafinent plant would be from outside sources.. This is an
argument about semanfics: Staff included this for planning purpose.
Mayor Thompson = Thanked Mr. Lanspery for excellent document and'
presentation. - '
June 13, 2002
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5 ADJOURN
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7 The meeting was adjourned at 930~p.m.
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13 ATTEST:
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17 Claire Cooper, Clerk Pro m
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Vol. 38, Page 41
E. ark Thompson, Mayor