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HomeMy WebLinkAbout5_2_2000 - Council Minutes - Adjourned Regular MeetingAPPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON MAY 23, 2000 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES ORANGE, CALIFORNIA OF AN ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING May 2, 2000 The City Council of the City of Orange, California convened on May 2,2000 at 5:00 p.m. in an Adjourned Regular Meeting in the Council Chambers, 300 E. Chapman Avenue, Orange, California. 5:00 P.M. SESSION 1. OPENING 1.2 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG Led by Mayor Coontz 1.3 ROLL CALL PRESENT - Murphy, Slater, Mayor Coontz ABSENT - Spurgeon, Alvarez NOTE: Councilman Spurgeon arrived at 5:15 p.m. and Councilman Alvarez arrived at 5:10 p.m.2. PUBLIC COMMENTS - None 3. CONSENT CALENDAR All items on the Consent Calendar are considered routine and are enacted by one motion approving the recommended action listed on the Agenda. Any member of the City Council, staff or the public may request an item be removed from the Consent Calendar for discussion or separate action. Unless otherwise specified in the request to remove an item from the Consent Calendar, all items removed shall be considered immediately following action on the remaining items on the Consent Calendar.3.1 Declaration of City Clerk, Cassandra J. Cathcart, declaring posting of City Council agenda of an Adjourned Regular Meeting of May 2, 2000 at Orange Civic Center,Main Library at 101 N. Center Street, Police facility at 1107 North Batavia, the Eisenhower Park Bulletin Board, and summarized on Time-Warner Communications, all of said locations being in the City of Orange and freely accessible to members of the public at least 72 hours before commencement of said Adjourned Regular Meeting.ACTION: Accepted Declaration of Agenda Posting and authorized its retention as a public record in the Office of the City Clerk.PAGE 1 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES May 2, 2000 3. CONSENT CALENDAR (Continued) MOTION - Murphy SECOND - Slater AYES - Murphy, Slater, Mayor Coontz ABSENT - Spurgeon, Alvarez Item 3.1 was approved as recommended.END OF CONSENT CALENDAR 4. REPORTS FROM MAYOR COONTZ - None 5. REPORTS FROM COUNCILMEMBERS - None 6. REPORTS FROM BOARDS, COMMITTEES, AND COMMISSIONS - None 7. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS - None 8. REPORTS FROM CITY MANAGER 8.1 Report on the proposed Fiscal Year 2000/2001 Budget including a summary of projected revenues and recommended expenditures. (Report on file in the City Clerk's Office.)The City Manager reported on the following highlights of the budget:Balanced Budget Solid Revenue Adjustment of Fees Use of One Time Revenue Addressing Service Demands Police Department to Focus on Youth Diversion Establishment ofthe Capital Project Team Park Infrastructure Enhancement Reorganization of Facility Maintenance Enhancements to Library Facilities and Services Looking West Looking East Initiation of Updating the General Plan Implementation of the Information Technology Strategic Plan Continuing Emphasis on the Capital Improvement Program City- Wide Management Audit Considerations The Finance Director reviewed the General Fund Revenues, Policies, Transfers and Reserves for FY 2000-2001 PAGE 2 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES May 2, 2000 8. REPORTS FROM CITY MANAGER (Continued) The Senior Assistant to the City Manager reported on the summary of expenditures. The Personnel Director reviewed the proposed staffing changes with 13 new full time positions, 5 upgraded part-time positions to full time and 7 new part- time positions. Council Discussion Councilman Murphy asked what the fund balance was one year ago and what transfers were done last year.The Finance Director responded last year transfers began at $3.1 million. Throughout the year there were a number of other transfers totaling $1.2 million. For this current fiscal year, to date,4.3 million has been transferred. The beginning unreserve fund balance was $13. 7 million which is an audited number. There were a few large revenues, retroactive sales tax, that came in during the summer and were accrued back to the fiscal year as well as department budget savmgs.General Plan 1 Lpdate Councilman Slater commented on why it would take three years to update the General Plan process and further asked for an explanation of why the traffic model is the first part of the General Plan to be completed rather than development and zoning.The Planning Manager indicated the General Plan was last updated in 1989. There are seven elements in the General Plan. Each element, particularly the land use, is dependent upon what the traffic model will show for the City. The first step in establishing a base line relating to land use is to understand what the circulation system will be, i.e., how much capacity, new roads that have come on line within the past 11-12 years, major improvements to freeways, new highway corridors and major arterials throughout the City. The Traffic Model will take approximately 6-12 months and be coordinated with Public Works. It is anticipated there are significant issues with land use that will require public input. Goals and objectives established in the 80' s will be reviewed and revised.Technolo~y Mayor Coontz asked the following questions: Because ofrapid changes in technology, concern was expressed about policies and priorities that would go along with the MIS plan. Monies are shown coming out for computer replacement but over the long term, what kind of set-asides are in the reserves?The City Manager indicated they have begun to address placing money aside for anticipated replacements. At this time, the City cannot afford a full depreciation or depletion type of fund that will adequately address this every year until we get to a cash flow position that will CITY COUNCIL MINUTES May 2, 2000 8. REPORTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER (Continued) that purpose. In regards to a replacement policy, we are trying to follow good standards in the industry while we replace the PCs and software upgrades. The Senior Assistant to the City Manager responded the Strategic Plan identified a number of recommendations that are priorities for PC replacement. In addition, the network backbone hardware is funded this year for systematic improvement which has not been completed on a routine yearly basis. This will allow a more pro-active approach with the network upgrade.The City Manager responded he anticipates in the future, after these replacements are completed,an evaluation process would begin to set aside adequate amounts of dollars and discuss these issues with experts in the field and the City's contractor. It would be proposed to contract with the City's contractor to do the replacement of some of the hardware so the City could stay ahead of the issues removing some of the burden from staff. This would place us in a monitoring position rather than doing the buying.City Hall Seismic Retrofit Mayor Coontz asked the City Manager when he would know how he is going to proceed with the seismic retrofitting of City Hall? The City Manager responded the first initial meeting with the space consultant is scheduled for tomorrow to discuss space management of the departments entailing how to proceed from that point. Public Works engineering is proceeding with the documents that will go to bid. The engineering firm EQE, experts in seismic retrofitting, was hired to take a good look at the structural integrity of the City Hall buildings and to forecast construction costs and anticipate some of the problems, but also to look at what costs will be involved with moving in and out. Construction start time is scheduled for May, 2001.Councilman Alvarez commented from his experience with the downtown buildings being seismically retrofitted, asked about the timing of having a space consultant as opposed to knowing what the seismic is going to do. When you start engineering buildings for seismic, all of a sudden there are columns showing up where there were not there before or walls that were non-bearing and things change. The Assistant to the City Manager responded EQE has completed an initial assessment of what needs to be done and have identified structural changes.This information is being provided to the space consultant.Councilman Alvarez commented City Hall will stay in tact as we know it other than the seismic retrofit. The City Manager commented the architectural integrity (arches, windows, roof, etc.)needs to be maintained throughout the seismic retrofitting. A thorough assessment is being made because the costs for a new city hall are being compared with seismic retrofit costs. CITY COUNCIL MINUTES May 2, 2000 8. REPORTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER (Continued) State SUIlJlus Mayor Coontz commented the State has a surplus but it doesn't mean there will be unfunded mandates coming from the State which has caused problems in past years and has amounted to 5 million. Is there any legislation that could affect this budget? The City Manager responded the approach to budgeting is very conservative and it is not anticipated any windfalls from the State and have forecasted in the reductions that Council has yet to approve regarding some of the fees and permits. Proposed Staffin~ Positions Councilman Spurgeon asked with the additional staff proposed in the Community Development Department that will assist with The Irvine Company projects and The Block's proposed additions, will this be enough staff or will the department have to contract out plan check services? Brent Mullins, Chief Building Inspector commented the workflow occurring this year can be completed in-house. A small amount has been set-aside for next year to outsource if necessary.Mayor Coontz asked if the Planning Manager was a department manager or a new category?The City Manager indicated it is a new category. The Community Development Director will be replaced.Councilman Alvarez asked about the Capital Project Team and who would make the final decision. The City Manager responded the lead department will be the primary, but all decisions will go to the City Manager.Councilman Alvarez asked how many years has the City done vehicle reserves? The Finance Director commented this recommendation will be the third year. The City has been prudent in maintaining vehicles and will depreciate the vehicle for seven years. The City Manager has taken a conservative approach in replacing vehicles, so it might be depreciated for seven years,but the vehicle may be kept for a few years more which helps to build up excess and are then able to maintain an adequate surplus to fund replacement vehicles.Councilman Alvarez asked why the auditor position was not shown as a new position. The City Manager indicated the position was filled.Mayor Coontz and Councilmembers complimented the City Manager, Finance Director, Senior Assistant to the City Manager (Rick Otto), Department Heads and staff for their outstanding work on the proposed budget. Mayor Coontz indicated she was impressed with the document especially the new proposed hires and transfer of duties from one department to another.9. LEGAL AFFAIRS - None PAGE CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 10. ADJOURNMENT MOTION - Mayor Coontz SECOND - Murphy AYES - Murphy, Slater, Mayor Coontz, Spurgeon, Alvarez The City Council adjourned at 6: 1 0 p.m.L,~.&tf, ~/-'~-"CASSANDRA ATHCART, CMC CITY CLERK 7'.1,JOANNE COONTZ /MAYOR May 2, 2000 PAGE 6