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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 08/11/1997August 11, 1997 i I~INiJT~S a OI+' .~ 1tEG~JLAR 1VIEE~TG s PE~AY.IJNIA CI~ COiJNCIL a 1VIO1vI9A~', A~JGUS~' 11, 1997 s 6 Present: Read, Stompe, Torliatt, Maguire, Mayor Hilligoss ~ Absent: Keller, Vice Mayor Hamilton S 9 Steve Simmons led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. io Vo1.30, Page 413 ~tOI,I. C~iLi, 7:00 p.m. P~EDGE OF AI.I.EGIANCE li~IO1VIEEN'T O~ SII.ENCE i i COUNC~I, COIVIIV~ENT iz PT had a book titled The Geo~raphv of Nowhere which she gave to MM i3 MS asked about the neighborhood meeting schedule. She asked for a report on City Hall ia upgrades, potential projects and costs. She asked when the City Hall will be open to the is public on Mondays. She wants an answer from the Police relating to the Balshaw letter i6 regarding people running red lights. i~ NR she has read the City of San Pablo cardroom legislation and would like to know if that is sort of legislation would have a beneficial effect for Petaluma. i9 CONSEN'~" CALEIVI)Ait 2o The following items which are noncontroversial and which have been reviewed by the City Zi Council and staff were enacted by one motion which was introduced by PT and seconded by 22 NR. 23 Ayes: Read, Stompe, Torliatt, Maguire,l~Yayor Hilligoss 2a Noes: None 2s Absent: Keller, Vice Mayor Hamilton z6 OI~. 2056 NCS ~~ ZONING OIZIDINANCE ANIENID1i~ENTS 2~ Adopt Ordinance 2056 NCS amending Zorung Ordinance 1072 NCS by amending Sections: z9 19A-202 (2) and 19A-650 Planned Unit Development District; Section 21-203 on private so swimming pools; adding Section 21-420.21 on Cardroom Regulations; add parts to Section 3i 23-500 on Fences; add Section 24-401.7 projections into required yards; amend Section 25- 32 507 Conditional Use Permit revocation with an alternate procedure; and delete Section 28- 33 202 on violations because it has been superseded by a Municipal Code amendment. 34 Introduced by MM, seconded by PT on August 4. Key to abbreviations: JH-i~ice Mayor Jane Hamilton, NR-Councilmember Nancy Read PH-Mayor M. Patricia Hilligoss, MS Councilmember Mary Stompe DK- Councilmember David Keller, PT-Councilmember Pamela Torliatt MM-Councilmember Matt Maguire Page 414, Vol. 30 .August 11, 1997 i RES0.97-226IlTCS z ~OgTSING COORDINA~'OI2 - PERSONNEL 3 Resolution 97-226 NCS adopting the personnel classification of Housing Coordinator. a RESO. 97-227 NCS s CITT~" MANAGEIZ C~NT1tACT - GENE ~EAT~' 6 Resolution 97-227 NCS approving a contract with Gene Beatty as City 1Vlanager. ~ * * * * * End of Consent Calendar * * * * * s BiTDGE'I' - ~NTERPRISE FZJIVDS 9 Finance Director David Spilman told t~he Council that the anticipated return of some of the io property tax the State has been usurping over the years is not going to happen in 1997. The i i State had used $1.3 Billion from the State's pension fund to balance the budget several years ~2 ago. The Courts required that the money be repaid. That left little e~ra funds for the State is to begin to retum the property taac monies to municipalities. However, the COPPs program ia is still in the State budget. On a per capita basis, the City anticipates $111,000 per year from is that program. This money is anticipated to be used for implementing the Computer Aided i6 Dispatch in the Police Department. The State also took Fine and Forfeiture funds from i~ municipalities several years ago. At this date, it is not known whether or not it will be is available to cities. The Council asked staff to send a letter regarding the fines and forfeitures i9 to both the Governor and Mike Thompson. Zo Water - The Council and staff reviewed the various Enterprise Funds. The Board of 2~ Supervisors sitting as the Sonoma County Water Agency sets the water rates to users; i.e. aa cities. For the most part, the increases this year relate to costs incurred or to be incurred in 23 the expansion of reservoirs, pumping facilities, staffing and electrical costs. The County has za tried to maintain a level rate of increase over the years. City Engineer Hargis felt the 3.8% zs increase is reasonable. A hearing will be held this fall on the water rate increase for the City. z6 There were a number of questions on use of well water in the City of Petaluma. The well 2~ water is harder and contains more iron than the water that comes from the Russian River zs through the Aqueduct. Currently the Rooster lZun Golf Course is receiving well water. It 29 could be used locally if necessary, but the hardness and the iron content would need to be 3o dealt with. As an emergency source of water, it could be used. The ground water level is 3i being kept charged for emergencies. If there were a need for a drought, for instance, there 3z probably would be rationing of some type. The cost of electricity has caused an increase in 33 the pumping cost. Staff was congratulated that there were no accidents in the Water 3a Department for the year. 3s In response to the question, "Why did other income decrease so significantly from last year?" 36 the Finance Director said he will report back to the Council. The liability cost which has been 3~ placed on this Enterprise Fund is an allocation determined by the Finance Department. Key to abbreviations: JH-I~ice Mayor Jane Hamilton, NR-Councilmember Nancy Read PH-Mayor M. Patricia Hilligoss, MS-Councilmember Mary Stompe DK- Councilmember David Keller, PT-Councilmember Pamela Torliatt MM-Councilmember Matt Maguire .r -. .•tr.. ..:~s - - . . August 11, 1997 Vo1.30, Page 415 i Sewer - In response to the inquiry about cost of reclamation (wastewater imgation), City 2 Engineer Harais noted there are "check dams" that are maintained by the City, grading of 3 access roads, pipeline costs, sewer pond trees and other maintenance and operation costs that a recur annually. The new vehicle listed in the budget for wastewater will be used by the s wastewater treatment operator. The new contract for a wastewater treatment plant operator 6 does not include vehicle purchases. Those that are being used by the plant operator now will a revert to other departments when the contract change occurs. s The Regional Water Quality Board in Oakland has been kept current by staff regarding the 9 new sewer plant plans and details. The City has received no edicts, yet, to get moving on the io project. There will be Step 2 of the sewer rate increases in early 1998. A hearing will be i i held in the fall. iz 'I'ransit - Ridership has increased. It was estimated that the maximum ridership for the buses is would be approximately 500,000; currently the ridership is 200,607. When the bus system ia was started, the City bus system served more of the County than it does now; and, as a result is of that, the City was required to have a fare box ratio of about 14%. When the County took ~s over the non-Petaluma service, the fare box ratio remained at that high rate for some time. i~ Finally the Metropolitan 'Transportation Commission (MTC) recognized the inconsistency of ia that fare box requirement with other city bus systems and it was lowered to 10%. Currently is the fare box revenue is at 11.6% of total revenues. There is no plan to increase the transit Zo rates at this time. Regarding the Copeland Street Transit Mall, communication will be sent to zi the State notifying that the proposed facility has been moved somewhat from the location that 22 they had originally been advised it would be. NR has heard that the funding for transit will be 23 reduced more and more, with the aim that local governments should "do it on their own." za Federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) funding and the Zs requirements for use of those funds will also change soon. The bus service is privatized with 26 a company called DAVE, which has recently been purchased by I,aidlaw. Some of the z~ funding allocated to the City is diverted to Golden Gate Transit for bus service, Sonoma zs County Transit for bus service and to MTC/SCTA for Administration costs. Transit 29 Coordinator Jim Ryan noted that the Sonoma County Transit serves the City in the evening 3o for bus service to and from the Santa Rosa Junior College Petaluma campus. MS asked that si the stops on Rainier be looked at with the thought of moving them towards Maria, where she 3z said most of the riders come from. Also, staff was asked to look for a site on the east side of 33 town for a park and ride facility. 34 Air~ort - It was noted that the Airport Commission has reviewed the budget and has agreed 3s with the estimated fuel sales, which have been estimated to be $301,900. The operating costs 36 for fuel are estimated to be $283,450. Revenue is generated from hangar rentals, field sales, 3~ tiedowns and leases. ss Ambulance - Fire Chief Krout noted the medical field is changing right now. Changes in the 39 HMO's are coming as well. It is difficult to know how that will affect the ambulance service. ao Santa IZosa is going through a$40,000 study to which the City of Petaluma has been a ai participant. The Fire Chief has been participating in the Sonoma County Emergency Medical az System Future Search Task Force. Chief Krout is looking forward to obtaining a copy of a3 that study when it is completed. It should be of value in establishing a measuring device for aa the Petaluma ambulance service. The City has a good ambulance fleet. The Police ~s Depar~ment CAD system will be of value to the ~ire Department. I~e noted that 1,814 of the 46 ambulance calls last year resulted in patient trips to Petaluma Valley ~Iospital, 151 to a a~ hospital in Santa Rosa, 100 to Marin and 10 were medical helicopter transports. Thirty seven as percent of the calls are vehicle accidents. Key to abbreviations: JH-Vice Mayor Jane Hamilton, NR-Councilmember Nancy Read PHMayorM. PatriciaHil[igoss, MS-CouncilmemberMaryStompe DK- Councilmember David Keller, PT-Councilmem8er Pamela Torliatt MM-Councilmember Matt Maguire Page 416, Vol. 30 .August 11, 1997 i Fire Master Planrung is a topic w}uch will be keeping the department busy. The staff is s looking at having a facilitator meet with the fire staff and union executive board. s Ambulances have about a 7 year life. The ne~ ambulance major purchase will be in a approximateYy 3 or 4 years. s Throughout the Enterprise Budget discussion staff was asked how the departments are 6 setting aside money for future capital equipment purchases. For the most part, this has not ~ been done in the recent past due to the fact there has been little revenue available for that. In s the "olden days" the Federal Government had a"Revenue Sharing" program wluch was used 9 to build the capital equipment funds. That money has been long gone. io Marina - It was reported that the City Manager, ,the Finance Director, and the City Attorney ~~ went to the office of Boating and Waterways in Sacramento to talk to that department about i2 the loan between the City of Petaluma and the State for construction of the Marina. Staff i3 indicated it was a possibility that they may allow the City to hold t}us year's payment in ia abeyance. Also the first available meeting of Boating and Waterways at which the City could is request amendments to the loan would be October 30. Staff will have another meeting with i6 Boating and Waterways staff in September in preparatiorn for submittal of a formal i~ amendment request to the Commission.. The City Manager noted there may be some options is for modifications that could be acceptable to Boating and Waterways that would allow more i9 fle~cibility in Marina tenancy. For instance in the beginning, the State placed restrictions on zo the uses of the Marina, such as "no commercial use" such as docking the Petaluma Queen Zi down there. It was noted that the original documents aeknowledged the Marina boat slips zz may not show a profit. It was the plan that the Marina Of~ice Park and the proposed hotel, z3 which has not been built yet, would all contribute to the financial picture of the Marina aa complex. Also, the amount of the berthing fee is controlled by the agreement with the State Zs and the competition from other marinas. The lease to State lands is $9,200 per year. There 26 was a question about the potential of Mr. Lok building the hote~. There is a loan between the z~ redevelopment agency and the Marina fund. Should there not be a requirement to pay this 2~ year's portion of the loan payment at this time, then the amount of money to be borrowed 29 from the PCDC would be reduced considerably, perhaps to zero, depending on the situation. so COUNCIL LIAISON, STAFF si It may be possible to hold a Neighborhood Meeting on an off Monday in October. 'g'he 3a Spring dates are already set. The Employee Picnic is scheduled for September 5 at the Swim 33 Center. There may be a get-together for commissions and comtnittees at another time. 3a AD~OURN . ~. 3s At 9:35 p.m., the Council meeting was adjourne~. ,__~ ;~ 36 ,y ~ ' ~ " r(~ v' '~ s~ ~ M. Patricia Hil igoss, ayor 3a ATTEST'~ _ f 39 I ~%C~[.~:/ ao Patricia E. Bernard, City Clerk ~ Key to abbreviations: JH-Vice Mayor Jane Hamilton, NR-Councilmember Nancy Read PH-MayorM. PatriciaHilligoss, MS-Councilmember~l~IaryStompe DK- Couneilmember David Keller, PT-Councilmember Pame/a Torliatt MM-Councilmember Matt tl~faguire